THE BEAST : OBAMA'S NEW BULLET PROOF CAR

BARACK OBAMA SPEECH : "WE ARE READY TO LEAD ONCE MORE " : THE INAUGURATION

Watching the rapturous faces of the huge crowds gathered for the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th president of the United States, and the celebrations, I couldn't help thinking that Americans were expecting too much ; if the rest of the world expecting too much.

As I watched the proceedings - including the balls that Obama and his wife attended, the gushing commentaries of political pundits and presenters, and the almost adultory opinions of ordinary Americans on CNN and BBC in my shop - I heard myself exclaimed : "Awesome".

Yes, it was awesome.

That the son of a black man and a white woman could become the president of the most powerful nation in the world speaks volumes for the maturity of the United States and its people. From almost nowhere, Obama is now here-the leader of the world's superpower. It is bound to inspire people everywhere, not just in the US.

Moving with a remarkable dignity, he exudes a confidence and serenity that seem to say : Yes, you can trust me.

Yes, I think, we are expecting too much of this man. We can have high hopes but we should temper our expectations.

It was not too long ago that George W.Bush took his oath of office for the first term (on Jan 20, 2001), promising to, "show purpose without arrogance".

He leaves office with the US entangled in two wars and facing a crippling economic crisis. Bush said " I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity". Americans are glad his second term has ended.

We must remember too that Obama has hardly any experience in governance.

But, Obama knows that expectations are high. That explains his call to Americans to take responsibility and to work with the government. Especially, in the short speeches he made when participating in the 10 balls after the oath-taking ceremony.

He tried to dampen the exceedingly high expectations by saying in his inauguration speech, that the many serious challenges facing the nation would "not be met easily or in a short span of time".

As a Malaysian weary of American's unilateralism under Bush, I am latching on this statement of Obama :

"And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that the America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more".



His speech echoed sentiments expressed by several past presidents. For instance, Obama's call to Americans to take reponsibility and to be service-oriented resonates in Franklin D.Roosevelt's March 4, 1933 speech. John F.Kennedy, to whom Obama is often compared, said in his inauguration speech : "In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course."

Obama's "remaking America" call finds paralles in Bill Clinton's Jan 20, 1993, presidential inauguration speech: "And so today, we pledge and end to era of deadlock and drift; a new season of American renewal has begun".

But I get the feeling that Americans and most of the rest of the world want Obama to succeed in remaking America.

For the world does not seem as bright as before, with armed conflicts raging in various regions and economic crisis threatening to plunge more people into poverty. And there seems to be a sapping of the human spirit, resulting from man's increasing inhumanity to man.

In such a scenario, many see the eloquent and charismatic Obama as an Ivanhoe or Spiderman or Superman. Or, the Dark Knight perhaps ?

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Exhilarating E-class

Although the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is not slated to be unveiled until the Geneva Motor Show in March, the boys at Stuggart have given the media a sneak preview of the car based on the Concept FASCINATION.

Overall dimensions have not been altered much with it being streched a tad, widened a pinch and the wheelbase being pulled a little.

Torsional rigidity has been bumped up in an effort to relive the bomb-proof feeling of the Merc models of yonder years while 11 standard airbags do not do any harm either.

A new system dubbed Attention Assist keeps track of steering angles and creatively alerts drivers if they're getting drowsy with an audible alert and coffee cup icon on the dash.

Good old Continental motivation will come from a number of petrol, turbocharged diesel and Bluetec engines, that will be the highlight of the order list.

The 3-litre, six cylinder, Bluetec oil burner pumps out 208hp and is already below Euro-6 emissions requirements that will be introduced in 2014.


The slew of engine options reflects the new Mercedes-Benz strategy of replacing their large, naturally aspirated engines with smaller displacement turbocharged units that are lighter, have reduced internal friction and more economical operating characteristics.

The new E-Class, which is probably the most important model the boys from Stuggart could have launched for the next 10 years, will be hitting European showroom in March.

OBAMA MEMORABILIA

Selling On The Presidential Dream .........

Kuwaiti billionaire Nasser to buy Liverpool

Another Arab Invasion

LIVERPOOL are in talks to sell the club to billionaire Kuwaiti businessman Nasser Al-Kharafi-the world's 45th-richest man. The Kop kings have sent financial chief Philip Nash and commercial director Ian Ayre to the Middle East for talks over a possible 400mil pound deal. The deal may not yet be copper-bottomed. Yet if all goes to plan, happy days are just around the corner !

LOVE-BONDING SEXUAL HORMONE : OXYTOCIN

SQUIRT OF MEMORY

It's the hormone that makes people bond with mates and helps mothers fall in love with their babies. Now researches have shown that oxytocin, administered by nasal spray, made Swiss men much more likely recognise faces they had seen briefly the day before. But the hormone made no difference when it came to recalling pictures of houses, landscapes or sculptures, according to a study published last week in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Scientists from the University of Zurich recruited 41 volunteers and administered three puffs per nostril of either oxytocin or a placebo. After giving the hormone time to each the brain, volunteers watched 84 photos of faces and 84 images of inanimate objects flash onto a computer screen for 3,5 seconds each.

One day later, volunteers were shown the same pictures mixed in with additional images and were asked to identify which were new and which they had seen before.

The 22 men who inhaled the hormone had an overall "recognition memory rate" of 46% for faces. That compared with only 36% for the 19 men who got the placebo. But both groups scored an identical 44% for pictures or houses, landscapes and sculptures, according to the study.

LISTEN TO AN EXPERT ABOUT OXYTOCIN ;

OBESITY AND OVARIAN CANCER

Women who are severely overweight face an increased risk for endometrial cancer and post-menopausal breast cancer. Are they also more likely than normal-weight women to develop ovarian cancer?

A study analysed data on 94,525 women averaged about 62 years old at the start of the study. About a third of the women who were overweight, and about a forth were obese.

In a seven-year span, ovarian cancer was diagnosed in 303 of the women.

Among those who had never taken hormone theraphy after menopause, obese women were 80% more likely to have ovarian cancer than were normal-weight women. No relationship between weight and ovarian cancer was found in women who had taken menopausal hormones at some point.

Who may be affected? Older women who are severyly overweight.

Ovarian cancer, which most often affects women 55 and older, has a five-year survival rate of just 45%-in part becaus it often is not detected until it has spread beyond the ovary.

Caveats: Women in the study reported their own weights. Nearly in the study reported their own weights. Nearly all participants were white; whether the findings apply to other races is unclear.

You can find this study in the Jan 6 online issue of cancer. Learn more about ovarian cancer at www.cancer.org and www.cancer.gov.

HERE'S A VIDEO ON OBESITY AND CANCER RISK ;

BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA'S INAUGURAL DANCE

"At Last" by Etta James. It's an old R&B standard. Beyonce played Etta in the Cadillac Records movie and sang this in the film as well.

OBAMA BRINGS HOPE TO PALESTINIANS

NEWS FROM GAZA ;

THREE days ago, Tareq Abu Dayyeh re-opened his Gaza souvenir shop called the Chairman Arafat Shop. The latest hot items at the shop are mugs bearing US president Barack Obama's smiling face. Priced at 50 sheqel (RM50), each mug carries a caption in English :

"Hey !!! Come & Drink the Palestinian Coffee with the flavour of the US Presidential Elections !!!

The mugs symbolizes Palestinians' hope that the change in the US presidency would possibly signal a shift i its foreign pilicy in the Middle East and be more even-handed in dealing with the long-standing Palestine-Israel issue.

"War is bad. We want peace. Insya Allah (God Willing), Obama will bring peace. Insya Allah he will visit Gaza and the West Bank," said Tareq who has been running the shop for 10 years.

Not to be outdone is former US president George W. Bush who has a souvenir bearing him in the form of a shoe-shaped olive tree bark with the words "The Kiss of Leaving Mr Bush" on it.

It is no doubt in reference to the famous shoe-throwing incident by an Iraqi journalist in December last year that made world headlines.

"It also costs 50 sheqel (RM50) and is just as popular. I made 20 but I only have one left", said Tareq, who also sells other tongue-in-cheek mugs carrying words like "Smile You Are in the Largest Jail on Earth".

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S GUANTANAMO'S PLAN

President Barack Obama was to sign a series of executive orders to close the Guantanamo "war on terror" prison, end harsh interrogation tactics and shutter secret prisons, marking a dramatic reversal of policy from his predecessor.

The announcement that Obama would close Guantanamo within a year and issue more intelligence policy changes came after a whirlwind first full day in power, when Obama also dove into tricky Middle East diplomacy and ordered a troop drawdown in Iraq.

The new president, determined to honour his vow to forge fundamental political change, also called in top economic chiefs for a progress report on the dark domestic crisis he inherited from George W. Bush.

The president was to kick off the day by signing an executive order that would start the process of closing Guantabamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.

REVERSING BUSH POLICIES , OBAMA SET TO MAKE DRAMATIC U-TURN FROM PREDECESSOR :

FRIDAY THE 13TH - WELCOME TO CRYSTAL LAKE

JASON'S back ! Since this is a reworking of the movie that first made its way to the cinema almost three decades ago, most of us know the ending. After all, we would've caught that 1980s film or the many, many, sequels that came after. So what the filmmakers must cash in on here is obviously the characters are killed one by one. It looks like director Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chain Massacre, 2003 ) and producer Michael Bay are using every bit of their imagination to create a roller-coaster ride. The story begins with a group of people making their way to what looks like an abandoned summer camp. Truth is, the camp is far from unoccupied - it houses one of the craziest killers who begins to systematically slaughter these folks. Jared Padalecki, of Supernatural fame, finds himself in yet another movie in which he sees people around him getting brutally murdered (after House of Wax). Whether it is formulaic or just another movie that provides cheap thrills is yet to be seen. Nonetheless, from the look of this trailer-which counts down to number 13 by showing very inventive murders-the movie does look like a lot of fun.

WELCOME TO CRYSTAL LAKE TRAILER :

BOBBI BROWN MAKE-UP MANUAL

Authors : Bobbi Brown, Debra Bergsma Otte & Sally Wadyka

Publisher : Springboard Press, 232 pages

Bobbi Brown is an internationally renowned makeup artist and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmestics. Here, her 25-plus years makeup styling experience is distilled into one book. Brown looks at everything, from skincare basics to every aspect of facial makeup. Each chapter has step-by-step directions for makeup application and easy-to-follow photographs and line drawings along with Bobbi's expert, yet assuring, advice.

Plus, there's a groundbreaking section on the beauty secrets of makeup artists, essential equipment to keep on hand, how to break into the business, and how to work with photographers and celebrities. Breathtaking photos of the finished faces - from everyday looks to exotic runway style - make this a book like no other.

BOBBI BROWN MAKEUP MANUAL - PREVIEW :

YES MAN - AUTHOR DANNY WALLACE

Publisher : Simon Spotlight Entertainment
Pages : 384

Recently, single, Danny Wallace was falling into loneliness and isolation. Then, one day, a stranger on a bus advised. "Say yes more". This prompted Wallace o vow to say yes to every offer, invitation, challenge and chance. For a year.

Soon after resolving to be more open to what the universe had to offer, Danny won a large sum of money and becomes a television executives as well as a minister.

He gave spare change to anyone who asked, invented things, travelled the globe, and nodded a lot. Wallace also discovered that romance isn't as complicated as it seems.

Yes Man, the story of how Wallace made his life more positive and interesting..by saying "Yes!", is inspiring proof that a little willingness can take anyone to the most wonderful places.

LET'S TAKE A PEEK ON WHAT DANNY WALLACE SAYS ABOUT 'YES' TO HIS BOOK :

SPORTS-SOCCER-TRANSFERBUZZ-CUDICINI,PENNANT,FRED,ZE ROBERTO

Cudicini Moves to Spurs

Tottenham have clinched the signing of Chelsea's Carlo Cudicini for around RM 5.2 million. Cudicini moved to the club 10 years ago but he has been second choice to Petr Cech since the Czech arrived in 2004.

A STORY OF CUDICINI :




Pennant now with Pompei


Winger Jermaine Pennant has agreed to join Portsmouth on loan from Liverpool until the end of the season. Pennant was expected to move to the south coast club last week, after the clubs agreed terms for a player signed by the Reds for 6.7 millions pounds from Birmingham in July 2006.

Fred free to leave Lyon


Lyon's want-away Brazil striker Fred is free to leave the club and return home, the French champions claimed on Tuesday. The forward, who joined Lyon in 2005, is out of contract in June buta has made it clear he wants to quit the Stade Gerland now. He has had several injuries during the past year and is frustrated at the lack of his first team action.


Ze Roberto for Flamengo

Schalke 04's Brazillian attacking midfielder Ze Roberto has joined Brazillian giants Flamengo on a one-year loan deal. The 28 year-old was signed from Brazillian First Division club Botafogo for 3 million Euro in January 2008 but failed to settle.

Success Tips for Year of the Ox

Hard work :

Having the ability to work hard and patiently achieve your goals is a main characteristic of the symbol. Think about how important projects you've been meaning to get around to but always seem to put on the back burner. Make it a goal to take some time every day or week to make them happen. And especially nowadays, beware of anyone offering you a quick fix. Shortcuts often come at a high price.

Attitude :

The OX is seen as patient, calm and methodical. Think about how many mistakes you've made as the results of being impatient. Did things turn out worse because you have panicked and acted before you knew all of the facts? Take your time making decisions. In the heat of the momen, it's very easy to choose poorly.

Debt :

The OX is known for not living an extravagant life and stays away from debt. Look at your personal finances and see if you can cut back. Do you have credit card balances that are growing every month? At a time when layoffs are commonplace, you may want to think more about saving than spending.

Patient :

The Ox, while not flashy, goes about its work with its goal in mind. Think about how you represent yourself to colleagues and customers. Are you seen as a dependable person or do peaple pretend not to see you while passing in the hall? Every day you have a chance to define your reputation. Make the Year of the Ox one where you'll be remembered well.

Health :

This ox earth influence also brings health cautions. If you are a drinker, do it in moderation. Purge your body of free radicals. Explore antioxidant agents such as vitamins, fresh fruits and vegetables and tea.

Earth also represents the abdomen, stomach, immune system, spleen, joints, hands and shoulders. Take care of your stomach and stretch your body to help with joint and shoulder pain.

THE SIGN OF THE OX

Born : 1925,1937,1949,1961,1973,1955,1997,2009

The strong OX symbolises prosperity through hard work.

They are methodical, calm and dependable. They make tireless, patient workiers that can stick to any routine.

Laziness is not an option to this creature. They respect tradition. They are strong by nature and can persevere whatever life throws their way.

They make excellent parents as they symbolise parental love with tenderness and a nurturing behaviour.

They are deeply devoted to their children and families.

They posseses a quiet, uncomplaining strength. Their steady, reliable character excels in position of authority and trust.

Although they can be introverted, they have the ability to rise to the occasion and express themselves powerfully and convincingly, which commands respect and attention in any room.

Tenacious by nature, they can survive incredible adversity with the capacity to endure great hardships with a stubbornness to give in.

The ox represents great strength to forge ahead through any obstacles.

2009 is a challenging year for career but a great time to decide what you want to specialise in and ensure you take the courses necessary in to do so.

Be conservative this year with spending, health and love. Slow and steady wins the race !

WHAT'S ON YOUR BUSSINESS CARD?

It may be small, but it's powerful, this business card of yours. But, what does your business card do for you?

Do? Yes, that's right. Does it help to create more business for you or does it sit-like most business cards-in a big stack of other business cards that nobody looks at?

If you want to maximise your marketing strategy, it's time to make your business card work for you.

The time when your business card was just a simple way to pass your name and number around has long passed.

The key to any successful marketing campaign is being memorable. Advertisers spend millions of dollars figuring out exactly what needs to be done to create advertisements that stick in the heads and hearts of their consumers. When it comes to creating a unique and distinctive business card, you have the same goal.

Here are a few ways to make your business card more than just a piece of paper.

1. Turn it into a mini billboard advertising your services
2. Highlight your USPs on the back of your card
3. Offer special discounts and promotions.
4. Create a shape or design that relates to your field so your card becomes a conversation piece, but be careful not to make it so unique that it won't fit in places people usually store their business cards or your card may be junked.
5. Hand your business card to everyone you meet-store clerks, gas-station attendants, waiters, waitresses, secretaries.... everybody !
6. Place your business card in all correspondence.
7. Spend a little more and turn your business card into magnet. In this way, it can be carried in your wallet, but also stuck on that refridgerator for years of free advertising.
8. Whether you're starting a new office or revamping your image, a new logo will help potray the true identity of your business through a professionally-designed logo.
9. Make your card do double-duty; use it as an appointment card, too.
10. Be sure to include all the 'usual suspects' on your card...name, profesion and phone and fax numbers. Be sure to include your e-mail and web address for extra impact.

Your business card doesn't have to sit idly inside somebody's wallet, never to be looked at again. It can work for you in powerful ways-promoting you, your business and your services.

Spend a few minutes designing your next business card and it can have big payoffs as your smallest, but most effective advertising billboard !

HOW TO SET UP BASIC BUSINESS CARD ;

THE R29 NEW RENAULT RACE CAR FORMULA ONE

THE WORLD 'S TROUBLE ARE OBAMA'S HEADACHE

Barack Obama got a global standing ovation long before he was elected president. But in a fickle and fast-moving world, the overseas reviews are already turning mixed.

Though much of the world will party tonight after Obama is sworn in as America's 44th president-just as it did when he was elected-there are signs the ardour is cooling as the sheer is cooling as the sheer weight of his challenges sinks in.

A deepening global recession, new hostilities in the Middle East, complications in closing the Guantanamo Bay prison, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan-an impatient world has a stake in all of the, and is asking how much change Obama can deliver.

Muslims want to know why Obama hasn't joined the chorus of international criticism of Israel's Gaza offensive. Last week posters of him were set on fire in Tehran to shouts of "Death to Obama" !

By the time Obama takes office, hundreds or thousands more will be killed in Gaza and it will be too late for Obama to act. Obama has expressed concern about Gaza, but says he's reluctant to say much more until his inauguration.

Meanwhile, the global economic collapse is already closing in on him. Around the world, leaders and their publics are waiting to see what he does to calm roiled markets ad restore confidence.

What I think :

The United States can't solve all the world's problems. It doesn't have enough money or military power. And the president is constrained by congress and constitution.

There's plenty of Obamamania overseas particularly in Europe where George W.Bush is highly unpopular. They have high expectations on him.

He will not be just an American president, but a person who will spread justice around the world.

I feel sorry for Obama. People want him to be a saviour, some kind of messiah. You just can't become president and change everything when there's no money.

MARY J. BLIGE LEAN ON ME ON OBAMA INAUGURAL DAY CONCERT JAN 18TH, 2009

ASTROLOGERS PREDICT GOOD YEAR FOR BARACK OBAMA

Born on Aug 4, 1961, Obama whose star sign is Leo will be the 44th US President when he is inaugurated today.

According to Indian astrologers:

1. Obama's basic numbers are 2 (from Jan 20), 4 (from his birthday) and 8 (from 4+4 of the 44th president), which signify leadership, happiness and success.
2. Obama would be a better person for world peace and prosperity as compared with American presidents of the last four decades.
3. Obama would succeed in bringing solutions to the deluge of problems he was facing around the world, in addition restoring America's dented image.
4. Obama's main astrological trait is that he is capable of saving people from their own worst weaknesses.
5. He has a natural talent for public service with common sense, neutrality and pragmatism.
6. He has a charisma and extraordinary communication abilities that persuade people to trust him and accept his vision and leadership.
7. These birth traits were evident in Obama's rise to power and victories which were based on persuasion and trust. These qualities would extend to the people of the world, including America's enemies. They will grow to trust Obama because being even-handed is a part of his innate nature. That will bring big gains to the US and to Americans.
8. Obama's horoscope also indicated a weak point in that he attracted the anger of people who felt jealous, neglected or left out of his vision.

According to Chinese astrologers :

1. The numbers 44 are phonetically similar to the words 'die die', but Obama is different because the year of birth is very unique. 1961 was the first "upside-down" year. Upside down year is rare and sauspicious. As a result, Obama is immune to the effects of 44.
2. Obama with the Chinese element and zodiac of a metal ox. Metal is mined from the earth, hence the two elements (this year 2009, the year of the earth ox) complement one another. So, coming to power this year is definitely a good year for Obama.
3. The ox usually points to a person being a born leader, who is dependable and possesing an innate ability to archieve great things.
4. The ox is also patient, tireless and capable of enduring any hardship without complaint. The qualities with metal are unyieldingness, rigidity, persistence, strength and determination.
5. The metal person is controlling, ambitious, forceful and set in their ways and they are self-reliant and prefer to handle their problems alone.
6. The metal person is also materialistic, bussiness oriented and good at organisation and stability.
7. The metal person has strong impulses and generative powers and can bring about changes and transformations in those who come into contact with them.

According to me :

Moon was now into its new approach this season so even if he had a powerful leadership capacity, would not be able to make solid decisions. The moon controls a person's mind and behaviour, a full moon is always considered a good omen, not a new moon as the lunar season is moving into now. Also, Jupiter, which is ofthen used as a guide to potray one's leadership and strength is now floating in a weak position in the solar system under the Capricorn zodiak.

DVD GAME THE POLITICAL MACHINE 2008

Running a campaign the way you want it !

Last year, the world was on fire with American politics. Will the president be white or black? Man or woman? Democrat or Republican ? Thankfully, all that is behind us and now we can focus on the more depressing state affairs. Or can we ?

Think you know how to run John McCain's campaign better than he did? Want to show the world the first US female president? Then The Political Machine 2008 is the game for you.

The games starts off fairly simple; you can pick the political candidate who suits you best, or you can create a candidate to run for President. If you create a candidate, you can customize his or her appearance and fund-raising ability.

And just like any real politician during the campaign, you can change your platform to take advantage of public sentiments. You can change your ad campaign's focus, how you reply to issues talkshow hosts ask, or get backing from various groups which support the issues you want to cover. If all else fails, smear your opponent.

In this turn-based game, you spend action points, or stamina points, by indulging in various activities for that turn.

While campaigning hard, you will notice that your success can bring in plenty of cash, which can be channeled towards bulding up your infranstucture in various states. You will also gain public relations clout as another way to boost your hold among the voters.

The artificial intelligence for the other candidates running against you will attempt to counter your moves. But if you hit them where it hurts, you will reap some benefits. This part is easy since we all know where Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the others stand and what they will most likely use in their campaigns.






And if you are bored with the current political scene in America, why not give 1860s America a try? Or Europe, form the viewpoint of high school students? Or a planet full of murderous alliens Or play online against other players?

The game is fairly easy to get acquinted with. Its layout of information windows is simple and presents quick statistics so you cam see your fare at a glance.

More importantly, the game is interesting and worth replaying just to see how things would turn out if you were to try a different approach.

The Political Machine 2008 is not different from other turn-based strategy games, except it used politics instead of bullets.

TITLE : The Political Machine 2008
Publisher : Kalypso
Developer : Stardock
Availability: New Era Interactive Software Sdn Bhd (Tel : 603-77298777)
Price : RM 119.90
Package : 1 game DVD, Manual

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows XP SP2/Vista
1GHz CPU
512MB RAM
64MB DirectX 9.0c graphics card
1GB hard disk space

HOT PRIME MINISTERS AND PRESIDENTS

Hot On The List !!!

They say that power is an aphrodisiac so here's a look at other world leaders who have made it to my "hot" list.






Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, 44 : The undisputed best-looking world leader on this side of the globe.






Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, 56 :
Dubbed "vodka on ice", he sends chills down the spine, but in a good way.









Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, 43: The pin-up heart throb.











Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, 58 : He's aged a bit since he took office, but is still a crowd-pleaser.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 56 : Good looking in a geeky Singaporean way.






NEW THAI PRIME MINISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME ON CNN :

TOP TEN MANGA & TOP TEN ANIME FOR WEEK ENDING JAN 11, 2009

TOP 10 MANGA

1. Naruto Vol. 33
2. Naruto Vol.25
3. Ouran High School Host Club Vol.II
4. Pokemon : Rise of Darkrai
5. A Gentleman's Kiss Vol. 2
6. Kitchen Princess Vol. 8
7. Naruto Anime Profiles Vol. I
8. Vagabond Big Edition Vol. I
9. Vampire Knight Vol. 5
10. Naruto Movie Animanga Vol. 1
    

(List compiled by Borders Bookstore Malaysia)


TOP 10 ANIME

1. Pokemon The Movie II : Giratina and The Sky's Bouquet : Sheimi
2. Zero no Tsukaimi : Princess no Rondo Vol. 1-12 (end)
3. Bleach The Movie : The DiamondDust Rebellion
4. Naruto the Movie4
5. Flame of Recca Vol. 1-42 (end)
6. Bom Bom Vol 1-48 (end)
7. Salunkoku Monogatari II Vol 1-13 (end)
8. Vampire Knight 2 : Guilty Vol 1- 13 (end)
9. Dragonball : JUMP Super Anime Tour Special : Yo!
10. Nodame Cantabile : Paris Vol 1-11 (End)

(List compiled by Tower Records Malaysia)

POKEMON THE MOVIE II PREVIEW :-

NEW VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES MP4-24 FORMULA ONE CAR

Ron Dennis is to stand down as McLaren F1 team principal on March 1 and will be replaced by chief executive Martin Whitmarsh.

Dennis will remain executive chairman of McLaren, for whom Lewis Hamilton won the world championship last season.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton presented the new McLaren Mercedes car which he will be using for the new season, which begins on March 29 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The new machine will embody this year's radical rule changes, including slick tyres, reduced aerodynamics and a KInetic Energy Recovery System (KERS).

DREAM MACHINE :-

Kaka In Talks With Manchester City - The Brasillian Superstar

HOW MUCH IS KAKA WORTH ???

Manchester City's US$197mil offer for Brazillian superstar Kaka would be a world record transfer if the deal was to go through. The fee could also come in useful in other parts of the world.

• It could cover the GDP of a host of nations. For example, in 2005, the Cook Island's estimated GDP ws US$183,200,000 the Marshall Island US$115,000,000 and Anguilla US$108,900,000.
• It could buy as many models of the world's most expensive car as you desire. In 2008, the Buggati Veyron, at US$1,197,057 was the top-priced on the market.
• Cover the annual operating costs of the USS Nimitz, the world's most expensive aircraft carrier in 2006.
• It could buy almost four F16 fighters which were priced at US$55mil each in 2008.

Can Obama be a transformational presidency?

PRESIDENT-elect Barack Obama takes his oath of office next Tuesday in front of a world audience. He has to hit the ground running. His predecessor has left him a mess- not only in the financial, economic and foreign policy arenas but in a whole range of areas that are crying out for immediate attention and action.

His every move will be closely watched by the world, whose citizens-they may not have voted for him, nor could they have, even if they'd wanted to- have very high expectations of him. The Americans wanted change and voted in a president who is " a progressive Democrat who in character, style, personality and political vision is practically the observe of the current occupant of the White House".

Obama will be able to count on the patience of many Americans, but definitely for long, as he will be called upon to show results fairly quickly. With entrenched interests and resistance to change in both Washington and Wall Street, he will require "imaginative, decisive and bolder action than he has promised during the campaign"

But if he can raise above this, he will be a "transformative president", succeding in changing the US economy, society and democracy for a better and, hopefully, a more peaceful and safer world.

When vice-president-designate Joe Biden said "mark my words, it won't be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy", he was criticised. But the fact is that the incoming president is not being tested by the world but by his fellow American predecessor George W. Bush, as a result of the messy legacy that he is leaving behind.

The outgoing president leaves two wars( three if the invasion in Gaza is included) and an economic mess the like of which the world has not seen before and which "could linger years".

Then there are the questions of Afghanistan, Iraq, energy,healthcare,jobs, tax reform, homeland security, climate change, trade, foreign policy and "special relationships" and the adverse impact of the unilateral policy that Bush pursued with distratrous results.

Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, will also be watching to see if Obama will pay closer attention to them than Bush did in all his eight years in the White House. Obama's first trip to the region is likely to be later this year, when he attends the Apec meeting in Singapore.

'SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE' leads at British Awards

Low-budget Indian drama Slumdog Millionaire garnered 11 nominations at the Orange British Academy Film Awards (Bafta) yesterday, building on its success at the Golden Globes and giving it a further boost ahead of the Oscars next month.

It was tied at the top with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt, followed by Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight which won nine nominations and Clint Eastwood's drma Changeling, which won eight.

Frost/ Nixon has six nominations, The Reader five and In Bruges, Milk and Revolutionary Road have four apiece.

Slumdog, about a young man from the slums of Mumbai goes in search of wealth and love on a television game show, let the field at the Golden Globes in the US this month.

HOT ON AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 8

When bikini girl Katrina Darrell , 20, walked into the audition hall, it became quite clear that American Idol Season 8 was going to be different.

Darrell immediately caught the attention of Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson. But surprise, surprise that girl could sing too. We all noticed that she had a great voice among other things. However, Paula Abdul and new judge Kara DioGuardi begged to differ.

Those two female voices of disapproval weren't enough to stop Darrell from getting the ayes from Simon and Randy. Just as Darrell was leaving the room, Kara muttered under her breath that perhaps Darrell should come naked the next time. No objections from the millions of men, if only the network allows it.

Host Ryan Seacrest was literally lost for words when Darrell planted a real smacker on his lips by the pool. Seacrests job makes the envy of most men. You know that Seacrest was really into his work when he jumped into the pool together with bikini girl Darrell.

The first segment of this year's Idol competition was held in Phoenix, Arizona where thousands of hopefuls lent their voices and displayed their untapped talents to the bewilderment of the world's audiences.

Wednesday's two hour Idol speacial came about three months after last year's finalists completed their American tour last Sepetember. Jackson and Cowell, looking fresh and eager, arrived in limousines, befitting their status as celebrity judges.

Now the 64,000 dollar question : How's the new judge Kara DioGuardi? Two words, she's hot. But I will always love Paula.

American Idol Season 8 is on Star World every Wednesday (6pm and 8pm) and 8TV every Thursday (9.30pm)

BEDTIME STORIES

Rated: PG

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

Release Date: 2008-12-25

Starring: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Courteney Cox, Teresa Palmer

Directed by Adam Shankman

Produced by Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, Andrew Gunn

Written by Matt Lopez

Adam Sandler lives to live out our fantasies on screen. He’s the little boy inside us all; the fat, dumb kid who wants to be a spy, a football star, or beat Bob Barker at golf. He accomplished all of this even though, much like our awkward pre-teen selves, he never really seems to have much talent for it. In Happy Gilmore he defeats Shooter McGavin mostly because he’s angry, and not because he’s good at golf. In Billy Madison he makes the grade and gets the hot chick not because he’s smart or even very good looking, but because he’s funny in a dopey sort of way. Adam Sandler’s on screen life is a never ending adolescent daydream, unrealistic but ultimately satisfying, making him the perfect choice to play a man thrust into the fantasy world of kids in Bedtime Stories. Unfortunately scripts cannot be written by raw anger unless there’s ability there to channel it and dopiness (even the cute and loveable variety) merely results in a dopey script. Making movies requires real talent and behind the scenes of Bedtime Stories there must have been a serious shortage.

Early on Bedtime Stories lets us know that it has settled on “goofy” as its lovable yet useless Adam Sandler trait of choice. Sandler plays goofy to the hilt as Skeeter Bronson. While Skeeter was still a child, his father sold a hotel to a greedy developer on the condition that when his son got older he’d be allowed to run it. His father sealed this deal with a handshake. I guess he’d never heard of contracts.

Skeeter and his sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) grew up in the hotel, living a happy, magical existence of endless room service and laps in the pool. Now fully grown, Skeeter is employed at the same hotel but the greedy developer’s promise to his father is long forgotten. Skeeter is relegated to maintenance man and though there’s some grumbling about how he may be getting a raw deal, it’s a job for which he seems perfectly suited. Money isn’t everything. In a more complex, well-thought out movie that might have been the lesson Bedtime Stories left us with. This isn’t that movie though, and so Skeeter can’t forget his father’s promise and secretly hungers for his shot at the top. He reasons that because he knows how to fix televisions, that makes him qualified management. Unfortunately “goofy haircut” isn’t exactly the kind of qualification which sells a resume and so Skeeter must wait for a miracle. It happens when his sister goes out of town and he’s asked to babysit.

His sister is mother to two sweet, but outwardly unremarkable children. They live in a house without cable television and so Skeeter is forced to invent bedtime stories to entertain them. He’s imaginative and the kids are enthralled, so enthralled that they soon join in the storytelling, adding their own bits to Skeeter’s tales as he talks. The next morning Skeeter wakes up and finds the parts inserted by the children coming true. Sort of. This is where the film jumps off the rails. It’s never entirely clear why this is happening or if indeed it really is. Is this a miracle or merely a set of bizarre coincidences? Bedtime Stories can’t decide which it wants to go with. A rainstorm of gumballs might seem miraculous, but the camera pans back to spoil the miracle by revealing a wrecked gumball delivery truck on the overpass above. Other apparent miracles are however, left alone, as if we are to believe them to be as magical as they seem. Or did someone just forget to pull back the camera?

Under such circumstances Bedtime Stories quickly loses its much needed sense of wonder and beings to go flat. To compensate, the film resorts to a series of obvious cinematic crutches aimed at audiences which I can only assume Hollywood believes are composed primarily of fourth graders, or adults movie watching on a fourth grade level. The worst offender of these randomly inserted buttresses is a CGI guinea pig named Bugsy who, if IMDB were to credit the film correctly, would be listed right beneath Adam Sandler as the movie’s second lead.

Bugsy lives in the children’s bedroom, and is referenced endlessly. Because most of the movie’s moments lack any real magic of their own, Bugsy is used as a punctuation mark. After each exchange of dialogue someone invariably asks the equivalent of “hey what did Bugsy think of that”, and the camera pans over to our CGI friend for a cartoonish, Looney Tunes reaction. Sometimes Bugsy merely grunts in affirmation, other times we might spot him running on a tread mill, complete with sickeningly cute, rodent-sized headband. Bugsy serves no real purpose in the story, yet he’s involved in every aspect of it, long past the point of common sense. Nothing in Bedtime Stories is allowed to pass without Bugsy interference. There’s more than one place where it becomes outright embarrassing for the other actors involved in the film, as everything they do is capped off by the guinea pig as if to say, “hey you can’t cut it and so we were forced to bring in a rat.” Unfair. It’s not Russell Brand’s fault he’s stuck reading from this half-thought out script.

The frustrating thing about Bedtime Stories isn’t that it’s awful exactly, more that it might have had something. The cast is, for a throwaway family comedy, nothing short of incredible. Guy Pearce and Keri Russell are the kinds of actors you usually see in awards contenders, yet here they are co-starring with a computerized hamster. The premise, while utterly botched by Shankman’s direction, could have easily delivered a perfect dose of holiday imagination and charm, the kind that creates a holiday classic. It doesn’t have it. Bedtime Stories is like watching a Michel Gondry movie rewritten and directed by Uwe Boll. Bedtime Stories needed subtlety and hits its audience over the head with a frying pan instead.