6.29.2009

Could your post office be closing?



As mail volume declines, the US Postal Service could shutter up to 3,200 post offices and retail outlets. Most people say they understand -- unless it's their post office.

By The Big Money

A rallying cry can be heard across the country, from the swanky streets of New York's SoHo to the tiny town of Randolph, Kan.: "Save our post office!"

As the United States Postal Service, weighed down by a crippling multibillion-dollar deficit, shrinks its operations, post offices across the country are on the chopping block. Each year, hundreds of postal operations shutter, but this coming fall could be the single biggest consolidation in Postal Service history.

Over the next three months, more than 3,200 post offices and retail outlets -- out of 34,000 -- will be reviewed for possible closure or consolidation.

Downsizing is a business imperative, says Linda Welch, acting vice president of delivery and post office operations at the Postal Service. "Revenues have declined, and mail volume continues to decline," she says.

Not only have e-mail and electronic bill paying made for a skinnier mail stream, but the recession has caused a sharp pullback in advertising mail that has hurt the Postal Service even more.

In March, Postmaster General John Potter asked Congress for the right to reduce the mail week from six days to five, for a savings of $3.5 billion. Shutting down post offices will have similar cost-saving effects. And most Americans say they're OK with the cutbacks, as long as they don't have to pay more to send mail. A recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that more Americans would rather the Postal Service curtail services than seek a bailout or raise stamp prices.

At least, that's what everyone says -- until it's their beloved post office at stake. For various reasons, people tend to react with great fervor when their local offices are endangered.

Consider the case of the Hawleyville Post Office. After years of negotiations, the Postal Service in January notified the Connecticut community that its 166-year-old post office would close Feb. 14. An article in the local newspaper poignantly noted, "The long love affair between the Hawleyville post office and its loyal customers will come to an end on, of all days, Valentine's Day."

Its post office was rickety, but the community embraced it as a gathering place. One resident told the Newtown Bee, "The Hawleyville Post Office is like Cheers in Hawleyville."

In fear of losing its precious haunt, the community mobilized. A Web site and online petition drive were created. Members got Congress involved. And lo and behold, the community won approval for a new post office, to be opened this summer.

Every time a post office is slated for closure or consolidation, the Postal Service is legally obligated to inform its customers well in advance. "There's a very long process that they have to go through," says Mario Principe, the post office continuance consultant at the National League of Postmasters. That gives the communities plenty of time, usually at least two months, to stage a rescue.

Anatomy of a closure

The Postal Service will typically send out a survey or host a town hall meeting before an endangered office closes. Perhaps the closing of a post office means too many lost jobs for an already-hurting community. The office might house the bulletin board that posts important community announcements. Or the next-closest post office may be really far away. If customers alert officials to such concerns, there's a better chance that their office will be spared. Appealing the closure decision to the Postal Regulatory Commission often works, too, though it's a step many communities don't know to take.

It's also important to check out why a post office is on the chopping block in the first place. Those under review this summer are mostly metropolitan branches or stations. But in the case of small post offices, federal law states that the reason can't be just that the office isn't bringing in enough revenue. If that's the only explanation given, then the Postal Service can't legally shut it down.

Video on MSN Money

Penny © Corbis
Postmaster General seeks help
Without an infusion, the Postal Service will go broke this year, the postal chief, John Potter, told Congress in March. Should it get a bailout?
Oftentimes, post offices face closure because their leases expire. That's the case in Deer Harbor, Wash. After attempts to find a new location for the post office failed, the community decided "in desperation" to buy the property just to keep it in business. If the community can raise the $250,000 purchase price by the June 30, the Postal Service says it will continue operations there.

The Postal Service seems willing to negotiate, and it's not really bothered by the protests. "It actually it makes us very proud to know that we are a valuable member of the community," says Welch. She says that the Postal Service appreciates the great lengths that some communities will go to just to ensure that their services continue.

What the Postal Service would appreciate even more: If those people would show their appreciation by taking the simple step of sending more mail. Oddly enough, that seems to be the unthinkable last resort.

This article was reported by Caitlin McDevitt for The Big Money.





MovieMiguel.com







Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

Beware of the Killer Bikini Wax!



Women's Health

All Jennifer (not her real name) wanted was a smooth bikini line. But within 24 hours of getting a wax at a reputable New York City salon, an infection crept in. She developed a fever of 102, chills, and pain in her left thigh. "I thought I'd caught a cold," she says, "but after five days, the pain was worse."

Her doctor diagnosed her with cellulitis, a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection of the skin and the underlying tissue. Jennifer spent the next 15 days in the hospital hooked up to an IV that pumped her full of antibiotics and heavy-duty painkillers. She also had surgery to drain the infection. "One doctor said I could have lost my leg!" she recalls. "It took me months to recover physically and emotionally from the whole ordeal —a steep price to pay for a little vanity."

While there are no reliable stats on waxing-related complications, Jennifer's experience wasn't unique. This past March, the state of New Jersey nearly banned Brazilian waxes after two women landed in the hospital as a result of them (one of the women filed a lawsuit against the state cosmetology board). And in 2007, an Australian woman with type 1 diabetes almost died of a bacterial infection she got after a bare-it-all wax.

What makes them risky? "Pubic hair is there for a reason—to protect the sensitive skin and mucous membranes in the genital region," explains Linda K. Franks, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine. "Getting a wax literally strips away that layer of protection."

Waxing can also pull off tiny pieces of the skin's outermost layer, creating a portal through which bacteria can enter the body. What's more, the process creates inflammation, which can trap bacteria beneath the skin. All of this sets the stage for skin infections (including staph), folliculitis (infection of the hair follicles), and ingrown hairs.

"Anytime you compromise the integrity of the skin, you're going to increase your risk of infection," Franks says. She advises people who have diabetes, chronic kidney or liver disease, skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, or weakened immune systems to avoid waxing altogether. For everyone else, there are simple ways to ward off danger:

  • Choose a facility carefully. Before you make an appointment, drop by to see how clean the place is, or ask a friend to recommend a salon she trusts. Be sure the cosmetologist or aesthetician you choose is licensed by your state and has received training in Brazilian waxing, says Rosanne Kinley, past president of the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology.
  • Ask about the wax. "Hard wax is best. It's gentler and adheres to the hair, not the skin," Kinley says. "Speed wax, which is soft and sticky, is applied with a roller applicator, and while it's fast and easy, it's more painful and more likely to tear skin." Sugaring, a natural method that's kinder to the skin than waxing, is a good alternative. Look for products that are chemical-free; Shobha ($22, myshobha.com)contains nothing but sugar, water, lemon juice, and glycerin.
  • Keep an eye on hygiene. Before beginning the process, the practitioner should scrub up or (at least) apply hand sanitizer. Double dipping into the wax is taboo because it introduces bacteria into the pot. "The waxer should have brand-new spatulas available for each swipe to your skin," Kinley says. To prevent burns, she should check the wax's temperature on the inside of her wrist before applying it to your skin. If you don't see the practitioner taking these steps, speak up.
  • Prevent irritation. For a few days following your wax, apply an over-the-counter topical antibiotic cream and an anti-inflammatory 1 percent hydrocortisone cream to the area, says Bruce Robinson, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. This will ease irritation and help ward off potential infection.
  • Know the signs of infection. Check yourself with a hand mirror (look for inflamed ingrown hairs, rashes, or raw, open sores or cuts). "See a doctor ASAP if you develop redness or swelling in the area, an itching or burning sensation, peeling of the skin, or a fever," Robinson says.




  • MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Fennec Alpha 2 Realsed For Windows Mobile




    In this video we go through a demonstration of the new Fennec Alpha 2 for Windows Mobile devices. The program is pretty similar to the alpha 1 release but seems to be much more stable and loads pages quickly. Unfortunately the web pages default to the mobile versions. The plug-ins seems to be not available for the Alpha 2 but hopefully with upcoming releases they are implemented. This latest version includes the following improvements:

    • Improved panning performance
    • Newly designed theme
    • JavaScript error console is now built in
    • Improved add-on support
    • Numerous bug fixes
    • Improved UI polish

    Fennec Alpha 2 is free to download and should run on most Windows Mobile 6 and greater devices opposed to Alpha 1 which was mostly available to Touch Pro users. Check out the previous videos of Fennec Alpha 1 and the Fennec Add-ons. Spotted on the Boy Genius Report.






    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    6.28.2009

    Jackson's Music, Death Dominate Internet



    Friday , June 26, 2009

    FC1

    For a man whose superstardom largely predated the World Wide Web, Michael Jackson sure dominated it following his death.

    The King of Pop held seven of the top 10 album downloads on Apple's iTunes store Friday morning, including the top five spots.

    By 3 p.m. EDT, it was all Jackson, except for the Black Eyed Peas' new album at No. 9.

    In Amazon.com's CD section, the top 15 sellers were by Michael Jackson or the Jackson 5.

    "Sales of Michael Jackson CDs and MP3s ... at Amazon.com increased 322 times overnight from our typical daily sales," said Amazon Director of Communications Drew Herdener in an e-mail to Fox News Friday.

    • Click here for FOXNews.com's Personal Technology Center.

    • Got tech questions? Ask our experts at FoxNews.com's Tech Q&A.

    "The magnitude is enormous," Amazon.com Vice President of Music and Video Bill Carr told Fox News Radio Friday.

    "We ran out of stock of CDs within moments of the announcement being made and so we are still taking orders. We are working closely with Sony to get inventory back in stock.

    "Demand is also huge in our DVD and Blu-ray Disc store," added Carr. "The top seven DVDs in our store are all Michael Jackson right now. And similarly we ran out of stock quickly there too, and are working to get more inventory to fill those orders as well."

    Digital communications of all kinds were swamped with Jackson-related traffic.

    "News of Michael Jackson's death yesterday caused the largest spike in SMS traffic in our network history," AT&T Wireless spokeswoman Jeannie Hornung told FoxNews.com. "Nearly 65,000 texts per second were sent as fans reached out to each other to share the sad news."

    On Twitter, five of the top 10 search terms were related to Jackson, and the microblogging service reported the most tweets per second following his death since Barack Obama's election.

    "We saw over twice the normal tweets per second the moment the story broke as people shared their grief and memories," Twitter co-founder Biz Stone told The Associated Press via e-mail.

    Twitter usage was so high Thursday night that engineers had to scramble to keep the service up and running.

    "Everyone willl always remember where they were when #michaeljackson died," tweeted user "sinclairexoh," using the Twitter "hash-tag" for Jackson.

    "Michael transcended generations. We lost the biggest artist of any generation. Nobody will do what Michael did. The WORLD mourns," posted Twitter user "Jayda_B1999."

    "Rip Sending love and light to family and friend but especially his kids," wrote the unofficial king of Twitter, actor Ashton Kutcher.

    About 40 percent of the top Google search terms had to do with Jackson, while the company's YouTube dedicated an entire section to the Gloved One.

    A Michael Jackson tribute page on Facebook drew more than 900,000 fans.

    "Yahoo! News set a record in unique visitors with 16.4 million UV's in a day," Yahoo spokeswoman Carolyn Clark told FoxNews.com. "Our previous record was on Election Day when we had 15.1 million visitors. Yahoo! News had 4 million visitors come to the site between 3-4 p.m. [PDT Thursday], setting an hourly record.

    "Michael Jackson's death is the highest clicking story in the history of the Yahoo! Front page."

    She added that the site got 175 million page views, fourth-highest after Obama's inauguration day and two days of Hurricane Ike.

    Not only were all variations of Michael Jackson's name trending high, said Clark, but so were searches for his siblings, ex-wives, children and famous friends such as Elizabeth Taylor and Quincy Jones.

    Even Elvis Presley got a spillover, and not just because Jackson was married to his daughter Lisa Marie Presley — many queries came in for "How old was Elvis when he died?" and "Elvis Presley death," according to Clark.

    So many queries poured into Google News regarding Jackson Thursday afternoon that the security software thought it was a planned hacker attack.

    For about half an hour, Google News made users enter a "captcha" code to prove they were humans and not automations.

    Many news sites experienced outages, among them TMZ.com and the Web sites of the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle.

    "Beginning at 5:30 p.m. [EDT], the average speed for downloading news sites doubled from less than four seconds to almost nine seconds," Keynote Systems' Shawn White told DataCenterKnowledge.com.

    AOL stated that its AOL Instant Messenger service was knocked out of commission for about 40 minutes Thursday.

    "Today was a seminal moment in Internet history. We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth," an AOL spokesman told the L.A. Times.

    In the ongoing search-engine race, Loren Baker of SearchEngineJournal.com noted that while Yahoo News was all over the story as it was breaking, Google News was lagging and that "Microsoft BING however, has ABSOLUTELY FAILED in their coverage of the passing of Michael."

    He then posted an image of a Bing search-results page showing the news of Jackson's death all the way down at the bottom of the page.

    This being the Internet, of course, things got weird pretty quickly.

    Celebrity snark blogger Perez Hilton initially speculated that Jackson's heart attack was a hoax, then quickly removed the post once it became clear it wasn't.

    Several Twitter users joked that Jackson's death was planned by the Iranian mullahs or embattled South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford as a means to divert attention, while others made tasteless comments in many languages.

    "Irony: The protesters in Iran using twitter as com are unable to get online because of all the posts of 'Michael Jackson RIP.' Well done," posted Twitter user "foiegrasie."

    Following TMZ.com's breaking report that Jackson was dead, comedian Rob Corddry tweeted: "I wish it had been Michael Jackson that broke the story of TMZ dying. I can almost hear the high-fives."

    Possibly because '70s sex symbol Farrah Fawcett also died in Los Angeles Thursday, only a few hours before Jackson, rumors of further celebrity deaths flickered across the Internet.

    Publicists for Jeff Goldblum — the No. 10 search on Twitter Friday morning — and Harrison Ford had to emphasize that reports of their demises were greatly exaggerated.

    The Goldblum rumor briefly got so big that a fake news page said he'd fallen off a cliff in New Zealand, and his Wikipedia entry had to be locked down.

    And in a bizarre coda, the No. 1 Google Trend search term at 3 p.m. EDT Friday was about the death of Tippy Tom, an alcoholic homeless man frequently featured on the "Opie and Anthony" shock-jock radio show.

    FoxNews.com's Paul Wagenseil and The Associated Press contributed to this report.





    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Bay's Giant Robot Sequel Blows Up the Box Office!


    Source: Box Office Mojo, Edward Douglas
    June 28, 2009


    The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.

    Going into the weekend, there was no doubt Michael Bay's anticipated sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, would be huge, though few thought it could open as big as last summer's biggest blockbuster, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, at least not based on the awful reviews on RottenTomatoes.com. After grossing just over $60 million on Wednesday (a record for the weekday opening) and another $29 million on Thursday, the sequel brought in an estimated $112 million over the weekend for a total of $201.2 million in its first five days. Besides setting a record for a June opening, surpassing 2005's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Bay's latest grossed the second largest amount over a five-day period after The Dark Knight. The IMAX Corporation reports that the movie had the best five-day gross, grossing $14.4 million in its first five days on 169 IMAX screens, nearly double what the 5th "Harry Potter" movie did two years ago.

    The Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds rom-com The Proposal (Disney/Touchstone) dropped to second place, off 45% from its opening weekend with $18.5 million and a ten-day total of $69 million. Todd Phillips' hit comedy The Hangover (Warner Bros.) dropped to third place with $17.2 million and a total gross of $183 million, making it the third-highest grossing R-rated comedy. It has the breakout R-rated comedy Wedding Crashers in its sights to pass it sometime in the next few weeks.

    With roughly $13 million grossed over the weekend, Disney•Pixar's animated-adventure Up became the top grossing movie of 2009, surpassing J.J. Abrams' Star Trek with a total gross of $250 million after five weeks. It's currently the fourth highest grossing movie for Pixar Animation, although it should move into second place behind Finding Nemo sometime next month.

    Offered as counter-programming to Bay's latest explosion-filled epic was the Nick (The Notebook) Cassavetes' adaptation of Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper (New Line/WB) starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin, which opened with an estimated $12 million in 2,606 theaters, averaging $4,616 per location.

    The Sony comedy Year One, starring Jack Black and Michael Cera, tanked in its second weekend, dropping 70% to sixth place with $5.8 million and a ten-day total of $32.2 million. Sony's other summer offering, Tony Scott's The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, took seventh place with $5.4 million and a total of $53.4 million, compared to its reported production budget of $100 million.

    J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (Paramount) took eighth place with $3.6 million, bringing its total to $246 million, while Ben Stiller's comedy sequel Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (20th Century Fox) dropped to ninth place with $3.5 million and a total gross of $163 million.

    Sam Mendes' road comedy Away We Go, starring Jon Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, expanded into 495 theaters, allowing it to break into the Top 10 with $1.7 million and a four-week total of $4 million.

    The Top 10 grossed almost $193 million, making it the top grossing three-day weekend for 2009, up 9% from this weekend last year when Pixar's WALL•E and Timur Bekmambetov's Wanted dominated with $113 million between them.

    Opening in limited release was Stephen Frears' period comedy Chéri, reteaming him with Michelle Pfeiffer for the first time since Dangerous Liaisons, and it grossed $408 thousand in 76 theaters, averaging roughly $5 thousand per venue. Kathryn Bigelow's bomb-squad thriller The Hurt Locker (Summit) opened in four theaters in New York and L.A. where it grossed $144 thousand or $36k per site.

    Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.






    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    More From Michael Papajohn on Spider-Man 4



    Source: Superhero Hype!
    June 28, 2009


    A scooper for Superhero Hype! followed-up with Michael Papajohn--who played the carjacker/"original" killer of Uncle Ben--about the fact that the actor said a week ago he may be back for Spider-Man 4, scheduled for a May 6, 2011 release.

    You can read what he had to say here.





    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    6.27.2009

    Transformers 2 Earns $36.7 Million on Friday


    June 27, 2009


    Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen earned yet another $36.7 million on Friday to bring its three-day domestic total to $125.9 million.

    While "Revenge of the Fallen" is heading for a five-day worldwide box office record, it is estimated that its domestic haul over the same frame could be more than $190 million.

    The Dark Knight holds the five-day opening domestic record with $203.8 million. "Revenge of the Fallen" could earn $115 million this weekend for a five-day total of $205 million.

    The DreamWorks/Paramount release is currently playing at 4,234 theaters, 169 of which are IMAX.



    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    6.26.2009

    Transformers Adds Another $27 Million Thursday


    Source: Variety
    June 26, 2009


    Variety says that early estimates for Thursday show Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen earning another $27 million, bringing its two-day domestic total to $87 million.

    The film is on its way to scoring one of the top five-day openings of all-time at the worldwide box office. Overseas, the sequel's total through Wednesday was a whopping $59 million from 11,500 locations in 58 territories Wednesday, putting the worldwide tally at a massive $146.6 million.

    The current record-holder for the best five-day domestic gross is The Dark Knight, which earned $203.8 million its first five days last year. That's followed by Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith with $172.8 million and Spider-Man 3 with $169.4 million.

    Of the 4,234 screens on which "Transformers" is playing domestically, 169 locations are IMAX. IMAX reported a record-breaking opening day gross of $1 million for a per-screen average of $24,000.



    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    6.25.2009

    Fox Hires Writer for Hitman Sequel



    Source: IESB
    June 24, 2009


    IESB reports that 20th Century Fox has hired writer Kyle Ward to write the sequel to 2007's Hitman, which made almost $100 million worldwide.

    The first film, based on the video game, was directed by Xavier Gens and stars Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Thomsen and Michael Offei.

    Adrian Askarieh, Daniel Alter and Chuck Gordon will return as producers.

    Ward wrote the upcoming Bruce Willis-starrer Kane & Lynch and also penned Fiasco Heights for Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes.





    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Zack Snyder Talks 300 Sequel




    Source: Silas Lesnick
    June 25, 2009


    Warner Bros. held a press meeting this afternoon to showcase the new immersive technology of their upcoming Watchmen and 300 Blu-rays. Zack Snyder, in addition to talking about the releases, chatted with ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! about his potential sequel to 300.

    "I know for a fact that Frank [Miller] is writing right now," says Snyder, who explains that the plan is for Miller to create the story as a comic book first, "[He's] drawing away and seems to be knee-deep in it. I think he's going to head back to Greece again and do another reconnaissance."

    With the first 300 having been created on a decidedly smaller budget than Watchmen, Snyder says that he probably wants the look and feel of a sequel to maintain that of 300, even though Miller's notes promise a grander scale.

    "I think we would use the same technology... I don't want it to look too Star Wars-ian... Just from what [Miller] told me, it would be bigger as far as landscape and terrain. We're going to see Athens and the Aegean and other places. There would be an opportunity for bigger visions, though I'd hope for the same aesthetic. The tech we used for '300' was not a revolution. It's basically what the weatherman has. Look, instead of Accuweather it's Sparta... It's going to be the same way, but on crazier steroids."

    Check back soon for the full interview!




    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda Transformers 2 & Fort Minor News

    Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda

    LP's frontman talks Tranformers 2, fan reaction, and the future of the band.

    June 22, 2009 - Huge bands penning songs for the summer's biggest movies is a longstanding Hollywood tradition. The latest and greatest to get in on the summer action is Linkin Park, who wrote "New Divide" for the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. We got an opportunity to sit down with Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda to talk about the track, what's planned for LP's new album, and the solo projects he's working on.




    IGN Music: Your track is included in arguably the biggest movie release of the summer in Transformers 2. What kind of impact does inclusion in a movie of this caliber have on the band, which is already huge in its own right?

    Mike Shinoda: We're happy with how the song turned out, and being a part of the scoring process was a great new experience. It's great to have a new song out that we can play at our shows in Europe and Asia this summer.

    IGN: Is the writing process different knowing you're composing something for a specific film like this?

    Shinoda: Yes. We don't usually write a song to fit with a story like this, and trying to find a way to make it our own was the challenge. I suppose it came surprisingly easily! The toughest part for us was getting the right melody and sounds.

    IGN: Were you into Transformers growing up? If so, which was your favorite and why?

    Shinoda: My favorite Transformer was either Starscream, the jet, or Soundwave, the one that turned into a cassette player. Ironic, I guess, since I spend so much flying to shows and playing music.

    Linkin Park – "New Divide"


    IGN: The band is working on a new record… what can you share with us about it?

    Shinoda: It actually doesn't sound a lot like "New Divide," but it sounds great. We've got about 40 song ideas so far. We're trying to do something different from our other albums, with a focus on making some stuff that's more experimental, and hopefully more cutting-edge. The first few albums had "a sound." The new album is a new sound. "Minutes To Midnight" was a collection of songs that were really different from one another; the new album is likely to have more of a thread of consistency from beginning to end.

    IGN: Your last album was a bit of an evolution from your previous sound. What has the fan response been since Minutes to Midnight?

    Shinoda: Whenever a band goes through a change, there will be people onboard, and people who aren't. All bands hear both sides, all the time. But the fact of the matter is our two biggest debut singles in our career--have been "What I've Done" and "New Divide." If you equate that with fan opinion, then I'd say the response has been great.

    IGN: Your Linkin Park Underground site has a lot of goodies for Linkin Park fans…. Anything up your sleeves on LPU with "New Divide" or the upcoming record?

    Shinoda: I can't speculate...nothing right now.

    IGN: Outside of music, you are also an artist. Anything cooking on that front?

    Shinoda: I have had a number of art shows over the years. I've been asked to do a painting for Ron English and Michael Lau's "Godfather" themed show. It's in L.A. on July 19th at De La Barracuda Gallery, and in New York on September 18th. Not sure about that location, but Mark Dean Veca and Travis Louie are in the show as well.

    I'm really excited about my next solo art show, called "Glorious Excess Dies" in L.A. this August. It's going to be my biggest art show to date. I think there will be 17 pieces, plus a short film. I've been working on those paintings, every spare minute. Some images will be coming up on my website soon. A book, skate decks, and possibly prints will be available at the show and on mikeshinoda.com.

    IGN: Will we see any new material from Fort Minor?

    Shinoda: I'm putting all my Fort Minor energy into the new Linkin Park album. You never know which tracks will make the final cut, but hopefully there will be more rapping, and some big beats on the new LP record!






    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    G4 and Lucasfilm to Televise Comic-Con Presentation



    Source: Lucasfilm
    June 24, 2009


    Lucasfilm Ltd. and G4 are joining forces for a milestone in San Diego Comic-Con International's 40-year history the first-ever, exclusive television broadcast of a presentation from the massive pop culture convention. "The Star Wars Spectacular!" will air Saturday July 25th at 2:00pm ET/PT only on G4, and will feature never-before-seen footage, breaking news, surprise announcements, guest stars and more.

    Traditionally, details surrounding Lucasfilm's primary panel presentation are closely guarded secrets, with only 6,500 lucky on-site fans allowed access to the wealth of coveted information from a galaxy far, far away. But this year, G4 is offering TV viewers the one-of-a-kind opportunity to share the excitement with an exclusive broadcast of the panel. G4's "Attack of the Show" hosts Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn will join Lucasfilm's Steve Sansweet and a galaxy of guests from "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and beyond including supervising director Dave Filoni, and voice talent from the show to provide an insider look at the "Star Wars" universe, with never-before-seen footage and a LIVE table read of an exclusive new "Clone Wars" script.

    In addition, fans are invited to participate in the panel itself by submitting "Clone Wars" questions through a special G4 micro-site. Questions will be answered during the live presentation by Dave Filoni and other "Clone Wars" creatives!

    2009's Comic-Con International also marks another Lucasfilm milestone the launch of the all-new Star Wars Stories Project. Fans of the Saga will have the unique opportunity to become a part of the Star Wars universe by contributing to Lucasfilm's own historical archive. Soliciting movie memories and nostalgia, the Star Wars Stories Project invites fans to share their own tales of fandom through video testimonials. In addition to online submissions, fans will have the opportunity to record their stories at Lucasfilm's pavilion on the Comic-Con floor.

    Fans are invited to upload their fan stories at G4TV.com/ComicCon.




    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Transformers Opens with $16 Million!


    Transformers Opens with $16 Million!

    Source: Variety
    June 24, 2009


    Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen grossed an estimated $16 million in midnight runs, the third-best ever after The Dark Knight and Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.

    The Dark Knight earned $18.5 million in midnight showings, while Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith opened to $16.5 million.

    The Transformers sequel played in roughly 3,000 runs beginning at 12:01am on Wednesday. The film expands today into a total of 4,226 theaters.





    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    "Original" Killer of Uncle Ben returning for Spider-Man 4?


    Source: Superhero Hype!
    June 22, 2009


    Superhero Hype! is reporting a rumor that Spider-Man actor Michael Papajohn (the carjacker/"original" killer of Uncle Ben) today at Wizard World Philadelphia said that he will be reprising his role for Spider-Man 4. Papajohn wouldn't say what his role entailed.

    With the fourth installment not hitting theaters until May 6, 2011, it's anyone's guess at this moment, but weigh in with your thoughts here!






    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Flash 10 Coming to Windows Mobile!


    Adobe has announced that a beta version of Flash 10 will be coming to Windows Mobile and other popular smartphone platforms this October. Adobe has previously released a Flash Lite version of its standards, but such Flash Lite does not support the newer Flash 9 nor 10 standards, making current webpages and video contents unusable for the mobile space. The release, if optimized correctly, will bring popular media content and web pages securely within a browser like the pre-bundled Internet Explorer Mobile on a Windows Phone or to Opera Mobile.

    Here's what Adobe's CEO had to say:

    “We are bringing Flash Player 10 to smartphone class devices to enable the latest web browsing experience. Multiple partners have already received early version of this release and we expect to release a beta version for developers at our Max conference in October. Google’s Android, Nokia’s Symbian OS, Windows Mobile and the new Palm Web OS will be the first devices to support web browsing with the new Flash player…”

    Flash and browser plugins are areas where most smartphones, including Windows Phone, lead the iPhone with Apple's reluctance to bring plugins to Mobile Safari for fear of too much memory usage and instability.

    While the beta may be coming to developers in October, it may be some time before it trickles into consumer devices.






    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.

    Ballmer Clarifies His 'New' Xbox 360 Comment



    Nothing to see here, folks. Move along, move along.

    June 19, 2009 - There was plenty of confusion yesterday when Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had reportedly announced the company's plans to introduce a 'new' Xbox 360 in 2010. Was he simply confused? Were his comments misinterpreted?

    So rather than continue to speculate, we went straight to the man himself to help sort out this situation.

    This afternoon, Steve Ballmer issued IGN the following statement:

    "I confused the issue with my poorly chosen words. There is no news in my comments. Things are as reported after E3. Sorry," said Ballmer.

    Apology accepted, Steve.

    That helps clarify things immensely as Microsoft stated at E3 that the Xbox 360 is not even halfway through its lifecycle, which means we should have at least another four years until we see the next "X" (and likely longer) as the Xbox 360 was released in November 2005.

    So what exactly was Ballmer talking about? Like we reported yesterday, it's likely a new Xbox 360 bundle which includes the Natal camera system. So no news about a brand new console, but that means we probably will see Natal in 2010.





    MovieMiguel.com







    Wireless messaging lets you receive special text messages about Movie Miguel directly on your cell phone! We will let you know about The Movie Miguel Show, Dj Movie Miguel, TV appearances, events, special announcements, and other information that you just can't live without. You can unsubscribe at any time. To sign up, just enter your cellphone number and hit submit! Standard text message rates apply.