The top movies at the North American box office
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Following are the top 10 films at the North American box office for the first three days of the weekend beginning on June 27, led by the new release “WALL-E,” according to studio estimates compiled on Sunday by Reuters.
1 (*) WALL-E ……………………. $ 62.5 million
2 (*) Wanted ……………………. $ 51.1 million
3 (1) Get Smart …………………. $ 20.0 million
4 (3) Kung Fu Panda ……………… $ 11.7 million
5 (2) The Incredible Hulk ………… $ 9.2 million
6 (4) The Love Guru ……………… $ 5.4 million
7 (6) Indiana Jones and the
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull … $ 5.0 million
8 (5) The Happening ……………… $ 3.9 million
9 (8) Sex and the City …………… $ 3.8 million
10 (7) You Don’t Mess with the Zohan .. $ 3.2 million
NOTE: Last weekend’s ranking in parentheses. * = new release.
TOTALS TO DATE
Indiana Jones ………………… $299.9 million
Kung Fu Panda ………………… $179.3 million
Sex and the City ……………… $140.1 million
The Incredible Hulk …………… $115.5 million
You Don’t Mess with the Zohan ….. $ 91.2 million
Get Smart ……………………. $ 77.3 million
WALL-E ………………………. $ 62.5 million
The Happening ………………… $ 59.1 million
Wanted ………………………. $ 51.1 million
The Love Guru ………………… $ 25.3 million
“WALL-E” was produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and released by Walt Disney Pictures, both units of Walt Disney Co.
“Wanted” and “The Incredible Hulk” were released by General Electric Co’s Universal Pictures. “Hulk” was produced by Marvel Entertainment Inc’s Marvel Studios.
“Get Smart” and “Sex and the City” were released by Warner Bros Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc. The studio produced “Get Smart” with Australia’s Village Roadshow Ltd.
Viacom Inc’s Paramount Pictures released “Kung Fu Panda,” which was produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc; “The Love Guru”; and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” which was produced by George Lucas’ Lucasfilm.
“The Happening” was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.
“You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp.
Disney’s “WALL-E” wows box office
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Animation giant Pixar scored its ninth consecutive No. 1 on Sunday with its robot love story “WALL-E,” while Angelina Jolie achieved a personal best with her violent assassination thriller “Wanted.”
“WALL-E,” bolstered by near-unanimous critical praise, sold an estimated $62.5 million of tickets in its first three days, said Pixar’s Walt Disney Co parent.
It tied with 2001’s “Monsters, Inc.” to become Pixar’s third-best opener. Pixar has gone to No. 1 with all nine of its movies, an unprecedented run that begin in 1995 with “Toy Story.”
The company record of $70.5 million was set in 2004 by “The Incredibles.” Industry pundits had forecast an opening for “WALL-E” in the $50 million to $60 million range.
“Anything north of 60 (million dollars), we were going to be ecstatic,” said Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group.
Meanwhile Jolie, whose career has been overshadowed in recent years by breathless tabloid coverage of her personal life, kicked off at No. 2 with “Wanted.” The Universal Pictures release earned about $51.1 million, easily beating forecasts of an opening in the mid- to high-$30 million range.
Her previous record for a live-action movie was 2005’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” which opened to $50 million. The General Electric Co-owned studio said “Wanted” ranks as the third-highest opening for an R-rated action film, behind “The Matrix Reloaded ($91.7 million) and “300″ ($70.9 million).
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Animation giant Pixar scored its ninth consecutive No. 1 on Sunday with its robot love story “WALL-E,” while Angelina Jolie achieved a personal best with her violent assassination thriller “Wanted.”
“WALL-E,” bolstered by near-unanimous critical praise, sold an estimated $62.5 million of tickets in its first three days, said Pixar’s Walt Disney Co parent.
It tied with 2001’s “Monsters, Inc.” to become Pixar’s third-best opener. Pixar has gone to No. 1 with all nine of its movies, an unprecedented run that begin in 1995 with “Toy Story.”
The company record of $70.5 million was set in 2004 by “The Incredibles.” Industry pundits had forecast an opening for “WALL-E” in the $50 million to $60 million range.
“Anything north of 60 (million dollars), we were going to be ecstatic,” said Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group.
Meanwhile Jolie, whose career has been overshadowed in recent years by breathless tabloid coverage of her personal life, kicked off at No. 2 with “Wanted.” The Universal Pictures release earned about $51.1 million, easily beating forecasts of an opening in the mid- to high-$30 million range.
Her previous record for a live-action movie was 2005’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” which opened to $50 million. The General Electric Co-owned studio said “Wanted” ranks as the third-highest opening for an R-rated action film, behind “The Matrix Reloaded ($91.7 million) and “300″ ($70.9 million).
Last weekend’s champion, the Warner Bros spy comedy “Get Smart,” slipped to No. 3 with $20 million, taking its 10-day haul to $77.3 million. The film, which stars Steve Carell as the inept hero Maxwell Smart, should finish up with about $130 million, said the Time Warner Inc-owned studio.
Rounding out the top five, Pixar rival DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc’s “Kung Fu Panda” slipped one to No. 4 with $11.7 million, taking its total to $179.3 million. The film opened four weeks ago to $60.2 million.
Marvel Entertainment Inc’s “The Incredible Hulk” fell three to No. 5 with $9.2 million. The superhero adaptation has earned $115.5 million after three weeks, roughly on par with its unloved 2003 predecessor “The Hulk.”
“WALL-E,” a space adventure mixing an unusual love story with somber messages about the future of Earth and humankind, was directed by Andrew Stanton, who won an Academy Award for Pixar’s 2003 hit “Finding Nemo.”
The title character, or Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class, is the last of a cadre of robots tasked with cleaning up piles of trash discarded by humans who abandoned the planet centuries before.
The human race set off on a luxury space cruise during a planned five-year clean-up that lasts much longer and results in unfortunate changes in the human physique and psyche.
The arrival of a sleek girl robot named Eve, sent to Earth by the orbiting humans to look for plant life, sends Wall-E on an adventure that changes his own and humanity’s destinies.
Critics heaped praise on the film. According to Rotten Tomatoes, a Web site that collects reviews, an astonishing 96 percent of critics liked the film.
Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune said on TV’s “Ebert & Roeper” that it was perhaps “the best American studio picture of the year,” but the Hollywood Reporter said “it might be too clever to connect with mainstream audiences.”
Disney’s Zoradi said “WALL-E” was not a conventional cartoon, but the studio was “confident from the get-go” that it would work. He declined to reveal the film’s budget, in line with Disney’s policy.
“WALL-E” also opened at No. 1 in six small foreign markets, led by Brazil with $1.6 million, Zoradi said. It will reach Russia and Mexico next weekend, followed by the U.K. in mid-July, timed with the school holidays in each market.
“Wanted,” a $74 million comic book adaptation directed by Kazakhstan-born filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov, stars Scottish actor James McAvoy (“The Last King of Scotland”) as an office drone recruited to an elite order of assassins by Jolie and Morgan Freeman. Critics were also enthused.
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Disney, wall-E, wows
Top 10 of the World’s Most Amazing 3D Street Artists: From Sidewalk Sketches to Awesome Wall Murals
3D graffiti, whether it’s in chalk or paint, on walls or the street,
represents a new way of combining the mastery of Renaissance art techniques with the gritty, ephemeral qualities of amazing street art. These 3D street artists gives graffiti a whole new meaning – one that departs from the conventional interpretation of graffiti as vandalism in the form of images and letters scrawled on public property. Artists like Kurt Wenner, Eduardo Relero and Tracy Lee Stum create street art that’s so incredible it is almost impossible to pass by without being sucked in to the worlds they create on asphalt and concrete surfaces.
Kurt Wenner
Cancer ‘Cure’ In Mice To Be Tested In Humans
The treatment will involve transfusing specific white blood cells, called granulocytes, from select donors, into patients with advanced forms of cancer. A similar treatment using white blood cells from cancer-resistant mice has previously been highly successful, curing 100 percent of lab mice afflicted with advanced malignancies.
Zheng Cui, Ph.D., lead researcher and associate professor of pathology, will be announcing the study June 28 at the Understanding Aging conference in Los Angeles.
The study, given the go-ahead by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will involve treating human cancer patients with white blood cells from healthy young people whose immune systems produce cells with high levels of cancer-fighting activity.
The basis of the study is the scientists’ discovery, published five years ago, of a cancer-resistant mouse and their subsequent finding that white blood cells from that mouse and its offspring cured advanced cancers in ordinary laboratory mice. They have since identified similar cancer-killing activity in the white blood cells of some healthy humans.
“In mice, we’ve been able to eradicate even highly aggressive forms of malignancy with extremely large tumors,” Cui said. “Hopefully, we will see the same results in humans. Our laboratory studies indicate that this cancer-fighting ability is even stronger in healthy humans.”
The team has tested human cancer-fighting cells from healthy donors against human cervical, prostate and breast cancer cells in the laboratory — with surprisingly good results. The scientists say the anti-tumor response primarily involves granulocytes of the innate immune system, a system known for fighting off infections.
Granulocytes are the most abundant type of white blood cells and can account for as much as 60 percent of total circulating white blood cells in healthy humans. Donors can give granulocytes specifically without losing other components of blood through a process called apheresis that separates granulocytes and returns other blood components back to donors.
In a small study of human volunteers, the scientists found that cancer-killing activity in the granulocytes was highest in people under age 50. They also found that this activity can be lowered by factors such as winter or emotional stress. They said the key to the success for the new therapy is to transfuse sufficient granulocytes from healthy donors while their cancer-killing activities are at their peak level.
For the upcoming study, the researchers are currently recruiting 500 local potential donors who are 50 years old or younger and in good health to have their blood tested. Of those, 100 volunteers with high cancer-killing activity will be asked to donate white blood cells for the study. Cell recipients will include 22 cancer patients who have solid tumors that either didn’t respond originally, or no longer respond, to conventional therapies. The study will cost $100,000 per patient receiving therapy, and for many patients (those living in 22 states, including North Carolina) the costs may be covered by their insurance company. There is no cost to donate blood.
For more information about qualifications for donors and participants, go to http://www.wfubmc.edu/LIFT (Web site will be available the evening of 6/27.) Cancer-killing ability in these cells is highest during the summer, so researchers are hoping to find volunteers who can afford the therapy quickly.
“If the study is effective, it would be another arrow in the quiver of treatments aimed at cancer,” said Mark Willingham, M.D., a co-researcher and professor of pathology. “It is based on 10 years of work since the cancer-resistant mouse was first discovered.”
Volunteers who are selected as donors — based on the observed potential cancer-fighting activity of their white cells — will complete the apheresis, a two- to three-hour process similar to platelet donation, to collect their granulocytes. The cancer patients will then receive the granulocytes through a transfusion — a safe process that has been used for more than 30 years. Normally, the treatment is used for patients who have antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases. The treatment will be given for three to four consecutive days on an outpatient basis. Up to three donors may be necessary to collect enough blood product for one study participant.
“The difference between our study and the traditional white cell therapy is that we’re selecting the healthy donors based on the cancer-killing ability of their white blood cells,” said Cui. The scientists are calling the therapy Leukocyte InFusion Therapy (LIFT).
The goal of the phase II study is to determine whether patients can tolerate a sufficient amount of transfused granulocytes for the treatment. Participants will be monitored on a regular basis, and after three months scientists will evaluate whether the treatment results in clear clinical benefits for the patients. If this phase of the study is successful, scientists will expand the study to determine if the treatment is best suited to certain types of cancer.
Yikong Keung, M.D., a medical oncologist, is the chief clinical investigator of the study. Gregory Pomper, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and the director of the Wake Forest Baptist blood bank, will oversee the blood banking portion of the study.
Test tool for web applications: Selenium
“Selenium is a test tool for web applications. Selenium tests run directly in a browser, just like real users do. It runs in Internet Explorer, Mozilla and Firefox on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh, Safari on the Mac.
The quickest way to learn Selenium is via a Firefox plugin called Selenium IDE. It is quite compelling for developing tests in and quickly trying out Selenium before choosing Selenium for your project.
There are two modes of operation for Selenium – Core and Remote Control (RC). Remote Control mode also has a related capability called Selenium Grid that allows you to throw hardware at tests to make it all faster.”
Learn About PushToTest TestMaker
The enemy is downtime, and PushToTest TestMaker version 5 is the solution. PushToTest is the open-source platform for software developers, QA groups, and IT management to test, optimize, monitor, and govern information systems. At any given time new software needs installation, existing application software modules and database software needs to be patched, application software and databases need to be tuned and optimized, and the root-causes of crashes, downtime, and performance bottlenecks need to be analyzed and remediated quickly.
Software developers use PushToTest to turn their unit tests into functional tests using a test automation platform that runs on their desktop development system. PushToTest includes Wizards and Recorders to automatically build tests and supports a variety of languages, including Java, Jython, Groovy, PHP, Ruby, and many others. Plus PushToTest supports Service Oriented Architecture (SOA,) Web Service, AJAX, and REST services using their native protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, SOAP, XML-RPC, and the email protocols, SMTP, POP, and IMAP.)
The PushToTest test runtime environment automatically turns these same functional tests into load tests, scalability and performance tests, regression tests, and service monitors for QA technicians, IT operations managers, and CIOs. The PushToTest tests and service monitors integrate into your service registry/repository management systems for end-to-end IT optimization and business service management.
What Can I Do With PushToTest TestMaker?
Top 10 Non-WordPress Blogging Platforms
I have been proudly using and evangelizing WordPress as one of the best blogging platforms available today. Having said so, I feel being pretty fair with my words. But, there lies an unbiased desire within me to look out on the other side of the blog-o-sphere, where people are doing great with their non-WordPress blogs. The grass may not always be greener on the other side, but there is no harm in having a barefooted walk!
Once, a popular website named Online journalism review (which has stopped producing new content) conducted a survey on – Which blogging platforms are popular in the world ? The results were beautifully represented as follows:
This information is however more than 2 years old and things have probably changed since then. Advanced would be a better word, I guess! In one of the recent articles, Monika talked about various options one can have while starting of his first blog. However, they were the not self-hosted blogs, something which pro’s love a lot for the fact that it allows a higher degree of customization.
After analyzing the features of various self hosted non-WordPress blogging platforms which help running the blogs across the world, I have come up with 10 short listed candidates. We shall see how do they serve the purpose of blogging and how different they are from the kingpin – WordPress platform. I have excluded both WordPress.org and WordPress.com from this list.
Here we go!
1) TextPattern
Top software for the mac
As a “switcher” I’m still seeking everyday to find out what apps are best for my use on my mac. I’ve already found several sites that give good information. Here is a small list of sites I almost check daily.
- http://www.opensourcemac.org/ Great site with great apps!!!
- www.macupdate.com Mainly share and freeware. Also gives you discount! And have bundles every now and then!
- www.macheist.com Not sure if it should be in the list, however they have great offers (none at the moment)
- http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx Apples software page. Be sure to check the staff picks.
Whats nice in the mac community is that there are software bundles. These are limited time offers. This makes it easy as a starter on this platform to get some nice apps for a price that’s only a small part of the normal prize. Examples are:
- www.macheist.com No bundle today
- www.macupdate.com The parallels bundle on sale now! 10 apps worth $474 for $64 now!
That’s it for now, if you have a good resource for apps let me know i’ll add it to the list.
15 Top Software Solutions in 2008
Whether it’s tools in mapping, security, DVD burning etc. we are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest features out there. Below are what we felt made the top of the list in 15 different software categories.
1. Tops in parental control
The new version of the web filtering program, Net Nanny, is great for parents who want to monitor their children’s activities but aren’t very technically savvy.
Its filters allow you to block material on the Web and manage what parents want their children to see. Parents can also get a monthly list of inappropriate websites and edit block lists so they’re always in control of what their children can and cannot see.
A white list can also be created so that only the websites on the list can be visited or viewed. Keyword lists can be created to filter out vulgar or inappropriate terms on web pages and on emails.
2. Tops in file compression
BitZipper 5.0.4 is an advanced ZIP feature that allows users archive the same files and folders with one easy click of a button. BitZipper supports 15 different archive types, including popularly used WinZip, WinRar, and WinAce, among others. It also includes standard Zip features such as virus scanning, software installation, converting files and more.
3. Tops in system monitoring
Whether you’re a concerned parent who wants more control or a network administrator trying to maintain a tight ship at work, System Surveillance Pro 5.5 can allow you to monitor details about network activity such as keystrokes entered, programs run, websites visited, instant messages, etc. Everything you need to know about your computer network’s activity is at the tips of your fingers. It’s uncomplicated and easy to use which is why it made it at the top of our list.
4. Tops in mapping
Now this is different! Know where you are in real-time on a moving GPS Tracker with Google Maps. A small application on your PC uploads your GPS position over either GPRS or 3G, which updates your position on a moving Google Map.
5. Tops in recovery
Recover My Files Data Recovery Software restores data and retrieves lost disk and file data. You can recover deleted files, including DOC and JPG files, as well as digital camera photos, Zip files, email, MP3s and more. Even if a virus attacks your system or you experience a system crash, Recover My Files can salvage files emptied from the Recycle Bin or a formatted hard disk. Now that’s handy!
6. Tops in anti-virus
Our post last week provided a list of the top 7 anti-virus software programs. From that list, AVG is our long time favorite. AVG Free is easy to use and is not a space hog so it will not slow your system down. It runs automatic updates periodically and provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run. The Virus Vault handles infected files safely and effectively. So, unless you use Linux, Unix or a Mac, save yourself time and money and download AVG today:)
7. Top in firewall
Shopping and banking alone can be quite scary if you do not have peace of mind with a fully protected system. ZoneAlarm can give you a private web experience shielding you from any drive-by downloads, phishing scams, spyware, you’re your passwords, personal and financial information remain completely confidential and you can browse comfortably on your computer. While Windows XP and vista both come up with their own versions of firewall, ZoneAlarm is much easier than the Vista or XP firewall.
8. Tops in DVD software
WinDVD Gold offers great audio and great playback. With WinDVD you can watch movies on your PC or your laptop. The best part: you can tweak the settings to obtain a truly customized experience. You can also implement the mobile technology feature to share with friends and family from your mobile device or phone.
9. Tops in PC maintenance
Get rid of the extra pounds weighing down your PC! CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner scans the Windows registry and finds inconsistent or old information in the registry. By fixing the obsolete information in Windows registry, your system will run faster and be free of errors. The backup and restore function allows you to backup your Windows Registry in case of a system failure.
10. Tops in web conferencing
Communication via online venues has never been easier with web conferencing tools such as GoToMeeting . You can present more and travel less with this tool that will easily help you present, demonstrate and meet with clients, co-workers, etc. While there are a variety of alternatives out there that provide similar functionality, GoToMeeting made our list because of its ease of use and considerably low cost.
11. Tops in backup software
Everybody values their data and in a professional setting, data recovery solutions are crucial. BounceBack helps you create exact copies of your computer’s hard drive including files, applications, and operating systems. Unlike other programs that just create images, BouncBack creates an exact replica of your files. It’s easy to use and allows for easy access and immediate recovery of lost data. While BounceBack doesn’t crate an image copy of your hard drive, we find using it to the less technical a lot easier compared to some of the other alternatives.
12. Tops in chat
Do have too many chat id’s through aol, msn, yahoo, etc? Never fear, Trillian is here. This award winning chat client supports all major chat features and is easy to use and compatible with your system.
13. Tops in online forms
Are you sick of refilling your personal information over and over again? Can’t remember your passwords? Roboform 6.9 is the top rated password manager and web form filler that completely automates password and form processes. It’s ease of use and excellent features including password encryption and generation have helped Roboform earn several awards and recognitions such as CNET Download.com’s Software of the year.
14. Tops in remote sharing
Easy to set up in 10 minutes, LogMeIn Hamachi allows you enable a secure remote access to your business network from anywhere. Compatible with your firewall and no additional configuration needed, LogMeIn Hamachi delivers direct peer-to-peer connectivity that is simple, secure, and low in cost.
15. Tops in time management
Having trouble focusing at work? RescueTime offers you a great, simple way to better manage your time by generating a report that breaks down computer usage on various programs throughout your day.
So, what do you think of our list of the top software? Do you have your own list of software you use regularly?
Top Software Vendor ISV Partner Programs Rated
A new report from Forrester Research breaks down the ISV channel partner programs of Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM and Salesforce.com.
While Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, SAP and Salesforce.com each offer a channel program for ISV partners, not all programs are the alike, and partners should evaluate each carefully to find the best fit before they allocate their scarce resources to one or the other.
A new study from Forrester Research called Choosing an ISV Partner Program takes a look at the ISV channel programs of all five vendors – four software giants and one disruptive player — evaluating the various aspects of the programs. And rather than offer a sweeping generalization about the best program for various types of ISVs, the report advises partners to look at a number of factors when making a decision.
“It’s about fit,” says Merv Adrian, the report’s author and a senior vice president at analyst firm Forrester Research. For example, different ISV companies enter the value cycle at different points, Adrian says, with smaller companies entering at the “Build” part of the cycle.
Microsoft offers more support and resources for companies in that “Build” phase of the cycle, so Microsoft’s ISV program is typically well suited for smaller ISVs or those who are just getting started.
“Companies like SAP and Salesforce don’t make a big program investment around helping people build that first product, but Microsoft does have a lot to offer there,” Adrian says. IBM also offers support to those in the “Build” phase but “if you want to move up in the IBM program you have to show how you are leveraging hardware sales,” says Adrian. He breaks down the value chain into four entry points: Build, Market, Sell and Manage
Vendors who focus on Build tend to offer more technical training, certification, hosted sandboxes for development and testing, plus access to technical staff and other support.
Those with a Market focus allow partners to leverage their vendor’s marketing infrastructure and expertise to open new markets, Adrian writes in his report. Sell helps ISV partners with demand connections to local sales resources and potentially offers joint sales, terms for revenue sharing, deal registration, technical sales support and solution centers for prospects to visit. The Manage entry point looks at joint vendor/partner planning, and tying program investment to partner results.
The report also looks at the structure of the programs, whether or not there are fees or required certifications attached, which vendors offer different forms of support, deal registration, and other investments, and whether there are minimums for being a part of the program.
For example, the Oracle program is the only one that requires partners to pay a $1,995 fee to join, but other programs may require partners to spend money on certifications. Microsoft’s requires that partners pay $1,450 to become certified. Salesforce.com requires $5,000 to publish an application on AppExchange.
Adrian also reports that two vendors provided information about their percentage of indirect revenues, with Microsoft deriving 95 percent of revenue from indirect sales and SAP 20 percent. Other vendors did not report numbers.
“There’s no question that the more any of these vendors expect their revenue streams to come from indirect channels will be affected by how well they recruit and retain partners,” Adrian says. “Historically there has been a pendulum swing in a lot of these companies. You invest in partners for a few years, but sustaining that for a long period of time — it doesn’t always get sustained senior management attention.”
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