Monthly Wallpaper - July 2011 - Kings and Queens

Movie Dearest is a little bit late jumping on the royal wedding bandwagon... we'll just say that we're fashionably late to the festivities with this month's Calendar Wallpaper, a salute to cinematic Kings and Queens.

You'll be sharing the month of July with two King Georges, two King Henrys and three Queens Elizabeth, as well as Arthur, Christina, Eleanor, Victoria and the King of Siam.

Just click on the picture above to enlarge it to its 1024 x 768 size, then right click your mouse and select "Set as Background", and you're all set. If you want, you can also save it to your computer and set it up from there, or modify the size in your own photo-editing program if needed.

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11:00 PM | 0 comments

[VOD] Dream High Special Concert on KBS.

[VOD] Dream High Special Concert on KBS.

The cast members, including miss A’s Suzy, 2PM’s Taecyeon and Wooyoung, T-ara’s Eunjung, IU, Kim Soo Hyun, and more, delighted the crowd by performing various musical acts.

Kim Tae Woo and Park Kyung Lim acted as the MCs of the event. The cast performed almost everything from the drama’s soundtrack, including showcasing new versions of character-specific songs, entertaining the crowd with their talents.

Dream Of Goose - IU,SuHyun,TaecYeon,EunJung,Suzy,WooYoung,JYP





Dance - J.Y.Park, Wooyoung and Taecyeon – Dance performance





Dreaming - Kim Soo Hyun and J.Y. Park





Somebody's Dream - IU, Kim Soo Hyun,Taecyeon, Eunjung, Suzy, Wooyoung





Dream High - IU, Kim Soo Hyun,Taecyeon, Eunjung, Suzy, Wooyoung





Winter Child - Eunjung and Suzy





Someday - IU & Wooyoung

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10:04 PM | 0 comments

Fire @ Navinna

kdúkafka jEka r:hla .sks .kS
fmf¾od yhsf,j,a mdf¾ kdúkak l+Ika lvhla wi< we;sjQ yosis .skak ksid jEka r:hla uq¿uKskau oeù .sh w;r ta hdno ;snqKq ;j;a fudag¾ r:hlgo .skafkka w,dn isÿ jqKd' jEka r:h wi< wfkla mi ;snqK we,sfhdka r:h .skak wdrïN jkjd;a iu. ;,a¨ lr bj;a lsÍu ksid th fírd.ekSug yelsjQ njo lshejqkd' .skak wdrïN jkakg fya;=j l=ulaoehs meyeos,s ù ;snqfka kE'
ish,a, n,kak fu;ekska

PdhdrEm fhduq lf<a trx. ksÆl mSßia

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6:09 PM | 0 comments

[News] Bae Yong Joon male idol group project debut upcoming for 2012.

[News] Bae Yong Joon male idol group project debut upcoming for 2012.
Cr. - suehan

Bae Yong Joon is in the middle of preparing for a Hallyu Idol Group. Known as “BYJ Band” it is said that the idol group will debut early next year. A major shareholder for Keyeast, BYJ is in the middle of preparing to push forth in the music industry. Starting with Kim Hyun Joong’s solo album, he will be debuting a male idol group to follow.

Someone involved with the project, “We are searching for various ways to slowly make a strong presence on the music industry rather than being too impulsive.” Keyeast has been working towards debuting next year by already selecting the upcoming talents and training them.

Someone who is a part of Keyeast says, “The selection team was able to pick the new members through auditions. They plan to go ahead and search for many talents in the future as well.” But they don’t have many details regarding the group itself, including the number of members or an exact date for their debut.

It looks as though BYJ will be a prominent force in the debut of the group. At Kim Hyun Joong’s recent showcase, he said, “BYJ studies about music a lot. Under the guidance of BYJ’s production work, I received a lot of support from him both emotionally and financially during the production of my album. This is a subtle implication of BYJ’s dedication to becoming a part of the music industry.

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10:11 AM | 0 comments

QE2 finally pulls into port

Almost eight months ago, the Federal Reserve announced their intention to launch a second round of “quantitative easing,” otherwise known as printing money. In the absence of policies that promote economic growth, the Fed used the one tool they had to encourage investment and enhance exports, which was to devalue the dollar in a way that discouraged cash hoarding. That project comes to an end today, and the Washington Post notes that the results are less than appealing:


The effort, which became known in financial circles as the second round ofquantitative easing, or QE2, was the Fed’s effort to avert a slip into another recession and toward deflation, or falling prices. As it ends, it shows more than anything the limits of the power of monetary policy to correct what ails the U.S. economy.

Economic growth is set to be somewhere around a 2 percent pace in the first half of 2011, when the QE2 bond purchases took place. That is slower than the economy’s long-term growth path and nowhere near enough to dig out of the nation’s deep economic hole.

It’s not that QE2 had no impact. Inflation was well below the Fed’s unofficial target of around 2 percent last summer, and the chance that deflation, or falling prices, might take hold seemed real. That risk is now minuscule, and inflation is roughly in line with the Fed’s target. …

“If you come at it from the point of view that you think deflation risk was significant last summer and you want to avoid that, QE2 was a success,” said Michael Gapen, senior U.S. economist at Barclays Capital. “If you look at it from the point of view that you wanted to make the recovery stronger and more durable, you would have a lingering bad taste in your mouth.”

How successful has QE2 been? Let’s look at the meta numbers for the economy. In 2010Q3, the annualized GDP growth rate was 2.6%, and in Q4 just before the purchases began, it was 3.1%. The QE2 purchases began in January, and the final 2011Q1 number is 1.9% and Q2 is looking at falling below that.

Employment numbers don’t look very good, either, although it’s not as bad at the GDP series. In November 2010, the unemployment rate was 9.8%, which equaled a high for the year. That fell a full percentage point by March, but has since risen again to 9.1%. We have added about 160,000 jobs a month since November, which barely exceeds what is needed to keep up with population growth. Meanwhile, the latest indicators suggest that we’re going to start shedding jobs and may be tipping perilously close to recession.

Some will argue that the problems in 2011 are more external, with gas prices soaring. But that’s part of QE2. One of the motives of the Fed was to encourage exports at the expense of imports by weakening the dollar. The US imports most of its oil, which means that a weaker dollar makes fuel more expensive, leading to inflation in retail markets as well. A few people predicted this very outcome when the Fed announced its QE2 project — one of whom was Sarah Palin, who got roundly ridiculed for her prediction, which turned out to be all too accurate.

The Post notes that the stock market did well during QE2, which is true enough. It’s also true that the rise isn’t as impressive because of the weakened dollar. Artificially inflating the dollar means that price rises don’t indicate a real increase in value, since the dollar doesn’t have the same buying power. On January 1, when the Fed began its QE2 spree, the Dow Jones was at 11670.75; it’s now at 12261.42 as of yesterday’s close. That’s an increase of 5% in six months, which is decent but not terribly impressive, considering the inflation conducted by the Fed to boost it. Now that QE2 has come to an end, we’ll see how much of that momentum continues; I’m betting on not much.

It’s not the Fed’s fault that this didn’t work, and it’s still worth noting that the Fed mainly wanted to avoid deflation, which it did succeed in preventing. The Fed has no other tools left in its bag to boost the economy. The money policy is as loose as it could possibly be at the moment. The problem with the economy is not the money supply, but the economic and regulatory policies of the Obama administration. Until those change, we won’t pull out of the stagnation cycle we’ve seen for the past two years.

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8:31 AM | 0 comments

QE2 finally pulls into port

Almost eight months ago, the Federal Reserve announced their intention to launch a second round of “quantitative easing,” otherwise known as printing money. In the absence of policies that promote economic growth, the Fed used the one tool they had to encourage investment and enhance exports, which was to devalue the dollar in a way that discouraged cash hoarding. That project comes to an end today, and the Washington Post notes that the results are less than appealing:


The effort, which became known in financial circles as the second round ofquantitative easing, or QE2, was the Fed’s effort to avert a slip into another recession and toward deflation, or falling prices. As it ends, it shows more than anything the limits of the power of monetary policy to correct what ails the U.S. economy.

Economic growth is set to be somewhere around a 2 percent pace in the first half of 2011, when the QE2 bond purchases took place. That is slower than the economy’s long-term growth path and nowhere near enough to dig out of the nation’s deep economic hole.

It’s not that QE2 had no impact. Inflation was well below the Fed’s unofficial target of around 2 percent last summer, and the chance that deflation, or falling prices, might take hold seemed real. That risk is now minuscule, and inflation is roughly in line with the Fed’s target. …

“If you come at it from the point of view that you think deflation risk was significant last summer and you want to avoid that, QE2 was a success,” said Michael Gapen, senior U.S. economist at Barclays Capital. “If you look at it from the point of view that you wanted to make the recovery stronger and more durable, you would have a lingering bad taste in your mouth.”

How successful has QE2 been? Let’s look at the meta numbers for the economy. In 2010Q3, the annualized GDP growth rate was 2.6%, and in Q4 just before the purchases began, it was 3.1%. The QE2 purchases began in January, and the final 2011Q1 number is 1.9% and Q2 is looking at falling below that.

Employment numbers don’t look very good, either, although it’s not as bad at the GDP series. In November 2010, the unemployment rate was 9.8%, which equaled a high for the year. That fell a full percentage point by March, but has since risen again to 9.1%. We have added about 160,000 jobs a month since November, which barely exceeds what is needed to keep up with population growth. Meanwhile, the latest indicators suggest that we’re going to start shedding jobs and may be tipping perilously close to recession.

Some will argue that the problems in 2011 are more external, with gas prices soaring. But that’s part of QE2. One of the motives of the Fed was to encourage exports at the expense of imports by weakening the dollar. The US imports most of its oil, which means that a weaker dollar makes fuel more expensive, leading to inflation in retail markets as well. A few people predicted this very outcome when the Fed announced its QE2 project — one of whom was Sarah Palin, who got roundly ridiculed for her prediction, which turned out to be all too accurate.

The Post notes that the stock market did well during QE2, which is true enough. It’s also true that the rise isn’t as impressive because of the weakened dollar. Artificially inflating the dollar means that price rises don’t indicate a real increase in value, since the dollar doesn’t have the same buying power. On January 1, when the Fed began its QE2 spree, the Dow Jones was at 11670.75; it’s now at 12261.42 as of yesterday’s close. That’s an increase of 5% in six months, which is decent but not terribly impressive, considering the inflation conducted by the Fed to boost it. Now that QE2 has come to an end, we’ll see how much of that momentum continues; I’m betting on not much.

It’s not the Fed’s fault that this didn’t work, and it’s still worth noting that the Fed mainly wanted to avoid deflation, which it did succeed in preventing. The Fed has no other tools left in its bag to boost the economy. The money policy is as loose as it could possibly be at the moment. The problem with the economy is not the money supply, but the economic and regulatory policies of the Obama administration. Until those change, we won’t pull out of the stagnation cycle we’ve seen for the past two years.

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8:30 AM | 0 comments

Does Durbin need a refresher course on the Constitution?

I never thought I’d long for the days of Robert Byrd and his “pocket Constitution,” but alas, Dick Durbin has managed to eke out that much nostalgia after his DREAM Act gaffe yesterday. Real Clear Politics and Doug Powers at the Boss Emeritus’ site caught this tender moment from Durbin as he addressed school-age “undocumented” aliens and promised that his DREAM Act would allow them to become tomorrow’s Congressmen, Senators, and … Presidents?


“When I look around this room, I see America’s future. Our doctors, our teachers, our nurses, our engineers, our scientists, our soldiers, our Congressman, our Senators and maybe our President.”

I know that reading the Constitution has fallen out of fashion on Capitol Hill; Democrats pitched a fit when the new Republican majority in the House wanted to start the 112th Session by reading it aloud. But Durbin might want to read Article II, Section 1 of the founding document, as it’s pretty clear on eligibility for the nation’s top executive position:

“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.”

Durbin’s Constitutional illiteracy explains a lot, including his DREAM Act.

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8:24 AM | 0 comments

Does Durbin need a refresher course on the Constitution?

I never thought I’d long for the days of Robert Byrd and his “pocket Constitution,” but alas, Dick Durbin has managed to eke out that much nostalgia after his DREAM Act gaffe yesterday. Real Clear Politics and Doug Powers at the Boss Emeritus’ site caught this tender moment from Durbin as he addressed school-age “undocumented” aliens and promised that his DREAM Act would allow them to become tomorrow’s Congressmen, Senators, and … Presidents?


“When I look around this room, I see America’s future. Our doctors, our teachers, our nurses, our engineers, our scientists, our soldiers, our Congressman, our Senators and maybe our President.”

I know that reading the Constitution has fallen out of fashion on Capitol Hill; Democrats pitched a fit when the new Republican majority in the House wanted to start the 112th Session by reading it aloud. But Durbin might want to read Article II, Section 1 of the founding document, as it’s pretty clear on eligibility for the nation’s top executive position:

“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.”

Durbin’s Constitutional illiteracy explains a lot, including his DREAM Act.

Read More

8:24 AM | 0 comments

Weekly jobless claims remain flat

When I first looked at the weekly report from the Department of Labor on initial jobless claims, it didn’t look like news to me. The number remained virtually unchanged from last week, going from 429,000 to 428,000, which barely qualifies as statistical noise:


In the week ending June 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 428,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s unrevised figure of 429,000. The 4-week moving average was 426,750, an increase of 500 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 426,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending June 18, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week’s revised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending June 18 was 3,702,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 3,714,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,703,500, a decrease of 11,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 3,714,750.

The near-equality of the claims number to the weekly average speaks to the consistency seen in the numbers since early April. Claims rose as the second quarter began, with a significant spike from the Q1 range of 380K and spiked upward to over 470K before settling in around 425K. As I noted last week, the data is as consistent and predictable as anything we’ve seen over the last six months.

So, it’s not really news, or it wasn’t — until news outlets decided to spin the results a little, as Steve Eggleston caught. The AP didn’t try making this week’s numbers look good or overstate the miniscule drop of 1,000 claims, but the outlet did spin the Q1 level:

Applications had fallen in February to 375,000, a level that signals sustainable job growth. They stayed below 400,000 for seven of nine weeks. But applications then surged to an eight-month high of 478,000 in April and have shown only modest improvement since that time.

The four-week average, a less volatile measure, has been stuck at about 426,000 for a month.

Reuters was even worse:

It was the 12th straight week that claims have been above 400,000, a level that is usually associated with a stable labor market. Employment stumbled badly in May, with employers adding just 54,000 jobs — the fewest in eight months.

No, the 375K level does not signal sustainable job growth, and the 400K level doesn’t signal job-market stability, either. I covered this in last week’s analysis, where I used actual DoL data to determine what initial jobless claims level was associated with growth and stability. The only time we’ve gotten to 400K before Obama took office was when we were heading into unemployment crises. And periods associated with sustainable job growth had averages and medians at the 325K level, not the 375K level:

Take a look at the historical series of weekly claims between December 2005 and December 2007, the last time we really had “stability” in the labor force. The highest number in that period was 355,000 in a week, and that was in December 2007 when the economy slid into recession. In fact, between January 2004 and January 2008, we had only two weeks of 400K-level weekly claims, both in September 2005, and they were very much the exception. The average for that four-year span is 326,735, and the median number is 324,000 — which is why I usually use the 325K number in my analyses. We actually didn’t get to the 400K level until July 2008, at which point no one considered the labor market “stable.” …

Think I’m fudging those baseline expectations by using the supposedly “overheated” Bush economic expansion? Well, take a look at the same series for the four years between 1996 and 1999. The average number of initial jobless claims per week in that period was 321,986, and the median was 317,500. There was exactly one week of 400,000 or more claims in a week, and that took place in January 1996.

Perhaps if the AP and Reuters used actual data rather than listen to White House shills on economics, they wouldn’t have to use “unexpectedly” in their reports so often.

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8:21 AM | 0 comments

Weekly jobless claims remain flat

When I first looked at the weekly report from the Department of Labor on initial jobless claims, it didn’t look like news to me. The number remained virtually unchanged from last week, going from 429,000 to 428,000, which barely qualifies as statistical noise:


In the week ending June 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 428,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s unrevised figure of 429,000. The 4-week moving average was 426,750, an increase of 500 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 426,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending June 18, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week’s revised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending June 18 was 3,702,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 3,714,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,703,500, a decrease of 11,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 3,714,750.

The near-equality of the claims number to the weekly average speaks to the consistency seen in the numbers since early April. Claims rose as the second quarter began, with a significant spike from the Q1 range of 380K and spiked upward to over 470K before settling in around 425K. As I noted last week, the data is as consistent and predictable as anything we’ve seen over the last six months.

So, it’s not really news, or it wasn’t — until news outlets decided to spin the results a little, as Steve Eggleston caught. The AP didn’t try making this week’s numbers look good or overstate the miniscule drop of 1,000 claims, but the outlet did spin the Q1 level:

Applications had fallen in February to 375,000, a level that signals sustainable job growth. They stayed below 400,000 for seven of nine weeks. But applications then surged to an eight-month high of 478,000 in April and have shown only modest improvement since that time.

The four-week average, a less volatile measure, has been stuck at about 426,000 for a month.

Reuters was even worse:

It was the 12th straight week that claims have been above 400,000, a level that is usually associated with a stable labor market. Employment stumbled badly in May, with employers adding just 54,000 jobs — the fewest in eight months.

No, the 375K level does not signal sustainable job growth, and the 400K level doesn’t signal job-market stability, either. I covered this in last week’s analysis, where I used actual DoL data to determine what initial jobless claims level was associated with growth and stability. The only time we’ve gotten to 400K before Obama took office was when we were heading into unemployment crises. And periods associated with sustainable job growth had averages and medians at the 325K level, not the 375K level:

Take a look at the historical series of weekly claims between December 2005 and December 2007, the last time we really had “stability” in the labor force. The highest number in that period was 355,000 in a week, and that was in December 2007 when the economy slid into recession. In fact, between January 2004 and January 2008, we had only two weeks of 400K-level weekly claims, both in September 2005, and they were very much the exception. The average for that four-year span is 326,735, and the median number is 324,000 — which is why I usually use the 325K number in my analyses. We actually didn’t get to the 400K level until July 2008, at which point no one considered the labor market “stable.” …

Think I’m fudging those baseline expectations by using the supposedly “overheated” Bush economic expansion? Well, take a look at the same series for the four years between 1996 and 1999. The average number of initial jobless claims per week in that period was 321,986, and the median was 317,500. There was exactly one week of 400,000 or more claims in a week, and that took place in January 1996.

Perhaps if the AP and Reuters used actual data rather than listen to White House shills on economics, they wouldn’t have to use “unexpectedly” in their reports so often.

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8:20 AM | 0 comments

PM blames Thaksin, Hun Sen for conflict [A bad workman blames his tools]

Amid political war of words, armies on both sides deny they have any intention to trigger border clashes

The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over Preah Vihear Temple is spreading into wider political arenas as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva shifts blame on the Pheu Thai Party and its de-facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra, as well as Cambodian premier Hun Sen, who has personal relations with Thaksin.


Democrat leader Abhisit said yesterday that Hun Sen wanted Thai voters to change the government and end the dispute with Cambodia because the Cambodian leader has good ties with Thaksin.

"But I want the voters to choose the Democrats as we protect the territory, although it is against the wishes of a leader in a neighbouring country," Abhisit told reporters while campaigning in Samut Sakhon.

Abhisit earlier blamed Thaksin's associates, including former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama and the opposition Pheu Thai Party, for his failure to block Cambodia's ambitions to restore and repair the Preah Vihear Temple. He said Thaksin's group has close relations with Cambodia and supports its plan for the temple.

The war of words through the media has gone international after Thailand and Cambodia crossed swords over the temple's inscription at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris last week.

Cambodian premier Hun Sen reportedly accused Thailand of using the dispute for domestic political gains.

The Thai military yesterday dismissed reports of planning to launch an attack on neighbouring Cambodia, using the border conflict at the Preah Vihear Temple as a pretext, to jeopardise the July 3 election.

Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha has issued a clear policy instruction not to invade other countries, said First Army Region Commander Lt-General Udomdej Sitabutr. "We will retaliate only when attacked."

Local media has reported over the past days that the border is highly tense after Thailand announced its withdrawal from |the World Heritage Convention.

Military officials and politicians contesting the election were speculating on the threat of a military clash along the border with Cambodia, alarming residents along border areas.

Udomdej said the Cambodian military has moved some infantry units closer to Sa Kaew, but there has been no report of a large reinforcement of armoured vehicles and heavy weapons.

However, the commander who visited the border province yesterday ordered Thai troops to step up security measures, including a strict check on people and vehicles at border checkpoints and is seeking negotiations with Cambodian counterparts to ease problems.

"There is plenty of rumour in both countries now, but we are very careful to prevent such talk from affecting our relations with a neighbouring country," Commander Udomdej said. "Now relations are normal and we are engaging with our Cambodian counterparts at all levels," he said.

Abhisit Vejjajiva said his caretaker government would not exploit the conflict with Cambodia as an excuse to delay the election.

"We have proved before the international community several times that we did not trigger the military conflict and we do not have a policy to encroach into any country," Abhisit said.

As Thailand walked out of the session after failing in the diplomatic struggle to block Cambodia's move to restore the temple, the focus moved more to the military front.

On Monday, the Thai Second Army Region's spokesman Colonel Prawit Hookaew said that there was some redeployment and reinforcement of Cambodian troops along the border in reaction to the outcome in Paris.

However, Cambodia's Defence Ministry on Tuesday rejected the report of any movement of troops and weapons, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces absolutely rejects this fabrication by Thai troops to slander Cambodia and to prepare a scenario to confuse and lie to national and international communities," the ministry said in a statement.

"This fabricated information by Thai troops is just a groundless argument, aimed at future attacks and invasion of Cambodian territory," it added.

However, Col Prawit yesterday softened his tone saying there was only a minor rotation of Cambodian troops near Si Sa Ket province, and there was no significant shift of power in the border area.

"[But] we are ready and standing by in our stations," he said. "If anything happens, we will definitely be able to protect our border."

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8:14 AM | 0 comments

PM blames Thaksin, Hun Sen for conflict [A bad workman blames his tools]

Amid political war of words, armies on both sides deny they have any intention to trigger border clashes

The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over Preah Vihear Temple is spreading into wider political arenas as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva shifts blame on the Pheu Thai Party and its de-facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra, as well as Cambodian premier Hun Sen, who has personal relations with Thaksin.


Democrat leader Abhisit said yesterday that Hun Sen wanted Thai voters to change the government and end the dispute with Cambodia because the Cambodian leader has good ties with Thaksin.

"But I want the voters to choose the Democrats as we protect the territory, although it is against the wishes of a leader in a neighbouring country," Abhisit told reporters while campaigning in Samut Sakhon.

Abhisit earlier blamed Thaksin's associates, including former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama and the opposition Pheu Thai Party, for his failure to block Cambodia's ambitions to restore and repair the Preah Vihear Temple. He said Thaksin's group has close relations with Cambodia and supports its plan for the temple.

The war of words through the media has gone international after Thailand and Cambodia crossed swords over the temple's inscription at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris last week.

Cambodian premier Hun Sen reportedly accused Thailand of using the dispute for domestic political gains.

The Thai military yesterday dismissed reports of planning to launch an attack on neighbouring Cambodia, using the border conflict at the Preah Vihear Temple as a pretext, to jeopardise the July 3 election.

Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha has issued a clear policy instruction not to invade other countries, said First Army Region Commander Lt-General Udomdej Sitabutr. "We will retaliate only when attacked."

Local media has reported over the past days that the border is highly tense after Thailand announced its withdrawal from |the World Heritage Convention.

Military officials and politicians contesting the election were speculating on the threat of a military clash along the border with Cambodia, alarming residents along border areas.

Udomdej said the Cambodian military has moved some infantry units closer to Sa Kaew, but there has been no report of a large reinforcement of armoured vehicles and heavy weapons.

However, the commander who visited the border province yesterday ordered Thai troops to step up security measures, including a strict check on people and vehicles at border checkpoints and is seeking negotiations with Cambodian counterparts to ease problems.

"There is plenty of rumour in both countries now, but we are very careful to prevent such talk from affecting our relations with a neighbouring country," Commander Udomdej said. "Now relations are normal and we are engaging with our Cambodian counterparts at all levels," he said.

Abhisit Vejjajiva said his caretaker government would not exploit the conflict with Cambodia as an excuse to delay the election.

"We have proved before the international community several times that we did not trigger the military conflict and we do not have a policy to encroach into any country," Abhisit said.

As Thailand walked out of the session after failing in the diplomatic struggle to block Cambodia's move to restore the temple, the focus moved more to the military front.

On Monday, the Thai Second Army Region's spokesman Colonel Prawit Hookaew said that there was some redeployment and reinforcement of Cambodian troops along the border in reaction to the outcome in Paris.

However, Cambodia's Defence Ministry on Tuesday rejected the report of any movement of troops and weapons, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces absolutely rejects this fabrication by Thai troops to slander Cambodia and to prepare a scenario to confuse and lie to national and international communities," the ministry said in a statement.

"This fabricated information by Thai troops is just a groundless argument, aimed at future attacks and invasion of Cambodian territory," it added.

However, Col Prawit yesterday softened his tone saying there was only a minor rotation of Cambodian troops near Si Sa Ket province, and there was no significant shift of power in the border area.

"[But] we are ready and standing by in our stations," he said. "If anything happens, we will definitely be able to protect our border."

Read More

8:14 AM | 0 comments

NEHARA SPEAKS

NIRMAL HIT DADA WITH AN ASH TRAY
HE POSSESSES AN ANGER WHICH HE HIMSELF CANNOT CONTROL
THE INCIDENT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN ‘IN DETAIL’

NIRMAL'S STORY IS A FABRICATED ONE

NEHARA SPEAKS ABOUT RUMOURS


There are a lot of rumours that Nehara is contemplating on a divorce. Is it because Nihara is having a relationship with Menaka?


What exactly has happened to her marriage? Gossiplankanews were able to have an interview with her to find about what exactly had happened. She had no hesitation in disclosing true facts.

How long is it since you had met Nirmal?.Your marriage took place at a very early age?
“We met when both of us were involved in the work at the St.Joseph’s Church Ratmalana Youth Society. We had a love affair lasting for 2 years before our wedding”

Why did you marry at such a young age?
“This happened against the wishes of my parents. However love is blind they say. All happens according to our fate. Our marriage too must have happened according to our fate”.

Why did the parents protest to it?
“Because our ideas our family background is very much different to his. My parents had noticed it. I thought after marriage all would change.”

Did your husband give his support to your acting career?
“It was the maximum support he lent. His cooperation was unprecedented. All my financial transactions were handled by him. I loved to dance, sing and act and was least concerned about money.”’

What is this conflict?
 â€œThe troubles I have had with Nirmal were from the beginning. We are married for the past 2 1/2 years. We have had constant conflicts from time to time. He loses his temper very often. But I cannot tell about our conflicts ‘in detail’. That’s not good for him. It is difficult to live with him. He has no dialogues with my Mother, Dada and Brother. They have fought and now not in talking terms. He says, we should move into a separate house as he does like to live in our house.
What happened in the Poson Poya day?
 This happened when Nirmal came home with his brother and two friends around 9 p.m .He spoke about a financial matter which I was not aware of. He had used my money without my knowledge. He lost his temper which ended in a fight. It is very difficult to convince him through a discussion. He loses his temper in a very unnatural manner. Within 18 minutes everything happened. When he loses his temper he will throw any object he sees in the vicinity. An ash tray was hurled and it struck my Dada’s head, which immediately became swollen. He had to be taken to a hospital for treatment. I lodged an entry in the Moratumulla Police Station. He also had lodged a complaint in the Mt.Lavinia police station and had made a complaint that Dada had beaten himself.”

Was this incident happen take place after Nirmal disclosed about your involvement with Menaka?
“No...No there is no such story....This all started after an argument over a money matter when Nirmal argued with me. When I told him that I will separate from him, he retaliated saying that he will ruin my acting career. It may have been his intention to spread this story.”

Are you saying that It was Nirmal who spread this story to the internet.?
“ Yes I think so.When I  phoned him the day before yesterday, he cried and said that he did not utter such a thing to anybody. When inquiries were made by friends and relatives, Nirmal had spread the rumour about me and Menaka.”

What is the close connection you are having with Menaka?
“ I have four close friends, one is Menaka.I first met Menaka when I acted in ‘Muthu Kirilli’ Tele drama in the year 2008.We associated very closely with each other. We were very close to each other. Menaka married in October 2009 and I married in November 2009.Our friendship continued despite our marriages without any difference. Nirmal and Menaka had been school friends. Nirmal knew about our close friendship.”

About this matter what did Menaka say?
“ Nehara .....do not take it seriously. Ignore it. Everything happens to people.he told me not to get excited. He told me to take my decision after giving the matter much thought.”

Have you come to a final conclusion?
“Yes I have decided to separate. I have already submitted the documents pertaining to the divorce to my lawyer”

Was it because of a money matter you are contemplating on a divorce?
“No,but there was a problem for a long time. If he did a harm to my Dada, he could do worst damage to me. He just cannot control his temper.”

Could you forget a person who loved you so much?
“It is difficult. I am still having some love towards him, but it cannot be helped.”


What type of a person suits you?
“I cannot tell it straight away. But I would like a person who loves me genuinely, who possesses human feelings and one who could stand on his feet strongly.”

Nirmal says he made you popular by sending coupons and sms’s.?
“ We never buy newspapers. I have my doubts whether even my close relatives who buy newspapers ,to read them sent coupons for me. Anyone could find out from a detailed bill of Nirmal’ mobile phone, whether he had sent sms’s. Some say that I have bribed the organisers to win awards. I have more important things to attend than take time off to bribe these people.”

How was this matter interpreted by your family members, friends and church associates about your sudden turnaround in your life?
“Divorce is one thing not endorsed by my religion. They have never advised me what action I should take in this matter. My family circle is with me for my decision. There is no other solution to this problem which remains unresolved.”'

Wedding photographs of Nehara and Nirmal are shown below:

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5:59 AM | 0 comments

John Lennon … Reagan Republican?

Second look at John Lennon? If his last personal assistant is to be believed, we may have to imagine John Lennon as a Reaganite. Fred Seaman told a filmmaker compiling anecdotes about the four Beatles that the former radical had begun debating people on the Left and soured on Jimmy Carter:


In new documentary Beatles Stories, Seaman tells filmmaker Seth Swirsky Lennon wasn’t the peace-loving militant fans thought he was while he was his assistant.

He says, “John, basically, made it very clear that if he were an American he would vote for Reagan because he was really sour on (Democrat) Jimmy Carter.

“He’d met Reagan back, I think, in the 70s at some sporting event… Reagan was the guy who had ordered the National Guard, I believe, to go after the young (peace) demonstrators in Berkeley, so I think that John maybe forgot about that… He did express support for Reagan, which shocked me.["]

Lennon met Reagan on Monday Night Football, actually, as Frank Gifford recalled. This would have taken place a few years (December 1974, farther back than Giffords’ recollection) before Seaman started working for Lennon. I read an account about this meeting in another book, which described the interaction as friendly and gracious on the part of both men. That telling squares with the account at this site, although the post there offers no supporting citations.

While I’m a fan of the music of the Beatles, I found Lennon’s solo career to be too preachy for my taste. I especially didn’t care for “Imagine,” a treacly pseudo-philosophical nihilist rant dressed up as a ballad. According to Seaman, I wasn’t alone in that assessment:

“He was a very different person back in 1979 and 80 than he’d been when he wrote Imagine. By 1979 he looked back on that guy and was embarrassed by that guy’s naivete.”

Even so, I have trouble imagining Lennon as a Reagan Republican, but it’s certainly interesting to try. I suspect that there’s a more nuanced explanation for this; Lennon was always an iconoclast, and he may have just been contrarian in that period for the sake of being contrarian. The tragedy is, of course, that Lennon isn’t still around for us to debate and for him to entertain, regardless of his politics.

Update (AP): C’mon. Wasn’t it obvious?

Update II (Ed): The Nation makes a pretty good case that Lennon wasn’t exactly a supply-sider when he was murdered:

What exactly were Lennon’s political views at the end of 1980? Late that November, Lennon spoke out on behalf of striking workers in L.A. and San Francisco. (The story is told in my book “Come Together: John Lennon in his Time.”) The strike was against Japan Foods Corporation, a subsidiary of the Japanese multinational Kikkoman, best known for its soy sauce. The US workers, primarily Japanese, were members of the Teamsters. In L.A. and San Francisco, they went on strike for higher wages. The shop steward of the LA local, Shinya Ono, persuaded John and Yoko to make a public statement addressed to the striking workers:

“We are with you in spirit. . . . In this beautiful country where democracy is the very foundation of its constitution, it is sad that we have to still fight for equal rights and equal pay for the citizens. Boycott it must be, if it is the only way to bring justice and restore the dignity of the constitution for the sake of all citizens of the US and their children.

“Peace and love, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New York City, December, 1980.”

That was Lennon’s last written political statement. It doesn’t seem to be the work of a “closet Republican.”

Jon Wiener also reminds people that Seaman was found guilty of stealing Lennon’s belongings, including his diaries, and got sentenced to five years’ probation. Like I said, I expect that Lennon may have been contrarian, but I find the notion of him being a Reagan Republican a little unlikely. Let’s face it — if being disenchanted with Jimmy Carter was the only qualifier, everyone in America would have been in the GOP.

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5:22 AM | 0 comments

Reverend's Report: Going Independent at LA Film Fest 2011

Even as the annual Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF) primarily champions movies made outside the studio system, the 2011 edition — held June 16-26 — wasn't above showcasing such would-be blockbusters as Green Lantern, Winnie the Pooh and Guillermo del Toro's remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. 25th anniversary screenings of 1986's Hollywood hits Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Stand By Me were also shown. Still, it is the fest's indie offerings that stoke most attendees' devotion. This was the fest's second year at the downtown LA Live complex and, based on the obviously increased number of attendees over 2010, it is proving to be a good fit.

A healthy number of GLBT-interest films were featured, and I appreciate the festival organizers' continued dedication to including our community's stories. Wish Me Away, which details the tumultuous coming-out experience of country-western singer Chely Wright, even ended up winning the fest's Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary. The jurors remarked that Wish Me Away was noteworthy for its "honesty, humor and potential to change minds and even save lives." (The Canadian comedy Familiar Ground won the jury's Narrative Award, while Attack the Block, Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest and Senna won Audience Awards.) Here's my take on a few of the festival's memorable offerings, gay and otherwise.

Man of letters James Franco was on hand to introduce the world premiere of his latest exploration of literature and liberation, The Broken Tower. Having portrayed Allen Ginsberg in last year's Howl to great acclaim, Franco now directs, writes and stars as another gay poet, the lesser-known Hart Crane. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the sold-out event but I was informed after that our love of all things Franco should remain intact. Next up for the GLBT-friendly star: raising Caesar, the hyper-intelligent chimpanzee, and bedding Frieda Pinto in August's Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Theatre and film director Julie Taymor wisely traded NYC for LA the very week that the much-delayed, injury-inducing musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark finally premiered on the Great White Way. Taymor spoke to an adoring audience the night of June 19 at the Grammy Museum about her dual careers on film and stage. Even more unexpected, however, was the on-stage pairing of Jack Black and Oscar-winner Shirley MacLaine on June 23. The pair entertainingly discussed their diverse approaches to acting as well as working together on the festival's Opening Night selection, Richard Linklater's unusual Bernie.

The GLBT component of this year's festival really kicked in, though, on June 18 with the World Premiere of Leave It On the Floor, a spectacular musical-on-a-budget by director Sheldon Larry and screenwriter/lyricist Glenn Gaylord (with music by Beyoncé collaborator Kimberly Bursa). Set in Los Angeles, it focuses on local "dynasties" of GLBT young people who perform in weekly drag balls. It combines elements of the 1991 documentary Paris is Burning as well as Dreamgirls and features the best (only?) dance number set in a bowling alley since Grease 2, the latter choreographed to the great, instantly memorable song "Knock The Mother F***er Down"! The sold-out crowd loved it, and the VIP after party/ball was the fest's best fête.

I am not only happy but grateful to have caught the North American premiere of Tomboy, an exquisite new film by French writer-director Celine Sciamma. It depicts a transgender girl's efforts to fit into a new community by presenting herself as a boy, which naturally leads to complications. Young lead actress Zoe Heran gives one of several beautifully-nuanced performances in this sensitive, compassionate movie. Rocket Releasing acquired the US rights to Tomboy, so watch for it later this year.

Also making its North American debut during LAFF was Christopher and His Kind, a feature-length distillation of the 2010 BBC miniseries about gay writer Christopher Isherwood. Best known for the autobiographical I Am A Camera, based on his years in pre-World War II Berlin and later musicalized as Cabaret, Isherwood pushed social and political barriers as he explored his family, his romances and the rise of the Nazi party. Christopher and His Kind — which features fine performances by Doctor Who's Matt Smith (as Isherwood), Toby Jones and Imogen Poots — also boasts gorgeous settings and male supporting players. As Isherwood is quoted in one of the voiceovers that opens the film, "To me, Berlin meant boys." Screenwriter Kevin Elyot and director Geoffrey Sax effectively take the author at his word. (Christopher and His Kind was released on DVD this week and is now available from Amazon.com.)

Alas, I was disappointed by another gay-themed production having its much-ballyhooed World Premiere in Los Angeles, Mike Akel's An Ordinary Family. A serio-comic take on religious and moral tensions within a "typical" American family, its central dispute between an Episcopal priest and his gay brother (who brings his new partner along for a week at their parents' lake house) seemed unnecessarily strained to the point of feeling dated. First, mainstream Episcopalians are hardly as conservative as they are made to look here and, second, no self-respecting 21st-century gay man would put up with the criticism he and his partner are made to put up with. Despite a good cast led by Troy Schremmer (who starred in Akel's acclaimed Chalk) and Greg Wise as the feuding brothers, An Ordinary Family suffers from a lack of authenticity.

There is no way to catch all of the nearly 200 LAFF selections, despite multiple showings and advance press screenings of some of them. That made it especially critical, then, to be on the lookout for those non-GLBT films that came with some pedigree. To that end, I was most intrigued by actress Vera Farmiga's directorial debut, Higher Ground, which was well-received at January's Sundance Film Festival. That it deals with religion and spirituality naturally piqued my interest as well.

Farmiga plays a life-long Christian who, at midlife, begins to experience doubts and tensions with her faith. The fact that she and her family live in a commune-like, fundamentalist environment with fellow devotees makes her discernment all the more difficult. The actress-director was able to assemble a stellar cast that includes Broadway stalwarts and Tony Award-winners Norbert Leo Butz, Donna Murphy and Bill Irwin as well as recent Oscar nominee John Hawkes (Winter's Bone). Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project, Humpday) is also excellent as Farmiga's husband. The standout performance in the film, though, may well be Dagmara Dominczyk's heartbreaking turn as Farmiga's earthy, doomed best friend. I love the movie's haunting final shot. Higher Ground will be released nationally later this summer and could easily emerge a 2011 awards contender.

Another LAFF has come and gone, but the festival only gets better each year as a celebration of movies... independently made and otherwise.

Report by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Blade California.

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5:00 AM | 0 comments

[News] Korea, China and Japan collaboration "Strangers 6" shoots in Korea.

[News] Korea, China and Japan collaboration "Strangers 6" shoots in Korea.
Cr. - hancinema

Drama "Strangers 6" which was talk of the issue as the collaboration of Korea, China and Japan, is proceeding smoothly in Korea.

Press released in March, "Strangers 6" is the story of 6 characters who fight with earthquakes that is main material in the drama.

This drama has been postponed due to the many circumstances involving the 9.0 size earthquake that hit Japan in March. With a firm plan and teamwork, the shoot has started in both Korea and Japan and going smoothly.

The productions said, "I hope this drama can deliver the message of hope and overcoming problems everyone has been through from the natural disaster. We work hard to make this drama something that not only Koreans, but everyone can understand and relate to, delivering energy and hope to the viewers".

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8:13 PM | 0 comments

[News] Oh Ji-ho & Jang Yun-jung jackpot sale of kimchi business

[News] Oh Ji-ho & Jang Yun-jung jackpot sale of kimchi business.
Original : http://twssg.blogspot.com/

After Hallyu Star Oh Ji-ho created own business with his family "Namja Kimchi" on April. This month Jang Yun-jung hit the jackpot her own kimchi business “Ole Kimchi” like as Oh Ji-ho.

According to "Namja Kimchi", Oh Ji-ho and his partners Kim Chi-young, Yoon Gi-suk, and Oh Byung-jin created the kimchi brand "Namja Kimchi" (www.namjakimchi.com) and created a sales of 4 billion won (~US$4 million) in 6 months.



Jang Yun-jung create her kimchi business brand “Ole Kimchi” on March. Since the beginning of the launch "Ole Kimchi", recording the highest sales growth was faster. In addition, more than 90 percent of the purchase of an existing repurchase, and loyal to determine the consumption patterns stood on the track seems stable.

Jang said, "Kimchi online mall, which opened about three months old so upset when the current site of interest is being collected: sales have been steadily increasing each month's first goal was to achieve annual sales of 100 billion could be expected."

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12:57 PM | 0 comments

Great news: Obama has no idea what to do with captured terrorists

Say, anyone have any idea how to handle a captured terrorist? Apparently not anyone in the White House, even after more than two years of running the war on terror, according to Vice Admiral William McRaven’s confidence-builder in yesterday’s testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee. While Leon Panetta told Congress a few months ago that the Obama administration had a process figured out, they seem to have kept it from the people doing the capturing:


The top military official involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden said Tuesday that the Obama administration has no clear plan for handling terrorist leaders if they are caught alive outside a war zone.

Vice Adm. William H. McRaven told a Senate panel that contingency plans for detaining terrorism suspects are developed on an ad hoc basis and approved by the White House, but that there are no set rules. “That is always a difficult issue for us,” he testified. “No two cases seem to be alike.”

Panetta said earlier this year that if the US captured Osama bin Laden or Ayman al-Zawahiri, the terrorist masterminds would likely be taken to Guantanamo Bay. That’s news to McRaven, who told Senator Kelly Ayotte that Gitmo is still “off the table.” Rendition is off the table, too, at least not to the countries most likely to have originated the terrorists — Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — because of “political resistance.”

So what do we end up doing? Oh, you’ll love this plan, emphases mine:

In response to senators’ questions, McRaven said that “in many cases” prisoners captured in secret operations by Navy SEALs or the Army’s Delta Force are taken to a U.S. Navy ship until they can be tried in a U.S. court or transferred to the custody of an allied country. But if neither option turns out to be feasible, the prisoner is ultimately let go, he said.

“If we can’t do either one of those, then we will release that individual,” McRaven said in response to a question from Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.). “I mean, that becomes the unenviable option, but it is an option.”

And so we get to the back-door plan to close Gitmo and end military commissions for captured terrorists. If the Obama administration can’t try a terrorist in criminal court, it just lets the terrorist go rather than use the military commission system created and authorized by Congress to deal with them. Who cares if the terrorist goes on to kill Americans? Hey, at least we didn’t use that awful Gitmo — the one we’re still using, and that Panetta thought was good enough for bin Laden and Zawahiri just four months ago.

Perhaps the Senate can get more information on the Terrorist Catch and Release Plan. How many times have we had to use the “unenviable option” already? Has any of the released terrorists conducted any attacks afterward? Did we lose any Americans in capturing released terrorists? When exactly did the war on terror transform into a sport-fishing expedition?

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11:23 AM | 0 comments

Obamateurism of the Day

While traveling out of the country last week, I pondered whether to add the Win A Date With Tad Hamilton President Obama $5 fundraiser to the list of OOTDs. The problem wasn’t so much that of the principle, as politicians offer dinners as fundraising opportunities all the time. Turning it into a raffle for a finster is a rather new wrinkle for the Leader of the Free World, though, but in the end other events arose.


And that turned out to be a wise decision, because later on, the White House cinched this as an OOTD entry by offering a two-for-one sale:

I just got an unexpected update about the “Dinner with Barack” contest we kicked off last week that I think you’ll want to hear.

The President wanted to tell you the news himself, so he recorded a short video with the new details.

I can’t tell you anything more than that — but let’s just say if you haven’t yet thrown your name in the hat for this thing, I have a feeling this announcement might change that.

So this isn’t so much “Dinner with Barack” anymore, as it is “Dinner with Barack and Joe.”

Am I to understand that sales are going so badly for the Obama dinner that the White House had to throw Joe Biden in as a deal-sweetener? Actually, I don’t mind putting Obama and Biden up for clearance. Let’s just price them to move.

Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.

Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!

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11:09 AM | 0 comments

Korea’s Won Jumps on Inflation Forecast

The South Korean won climbed today as outlook for higher consumer prices growth compared to the previous estimates increased appeal of the nation’s assets.


According to the statement of the presidential office, the growth of the consumer-price inflation will reach 4 percent this year, compared to the official target of 3 percent. It looks like the Asian nations fare much better than western countries these days and that attracts investors to the region. Currently, markets in the ”risk-on mode” and such sentiment also help Asian currencies, including the won.

USD/KRW fell to 1,077.00 from 1,083.30 as of 13:00 GMT today.

If you have any questions, comments or opinions regarding the South Korean Won, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.

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10:17 AM | 0 comments

[Talk of Town] Who is leader cast for 'Dream High Season 2'?

[Talk of Town] Who is leader cast for 'Dream High Season 2'?
Original : http://twssg.blogspot.com/

"Dream High" the best idol drama co-production of Bae Yong-joon’s Keyeast and Park Jin-young’s JYP Entertainment. The storyline is the beginning of creation 'Idol feast' Idol's acting skills and some controversy will arouse the concern of 20 percent, but the audience got up all this way for popularity. After viewers' Season 2 production has been steadily claiming.

KBS side in making this the second story showed a positive reaction 'Season 2' production confirm the compositions. Netizens already confirmed production became a virtual cast, including trying to have seen the hot reaction.



Last month, A representative of KBS said on last month 'We will be producing a second season for ‘Dream High’, and it will feature stories about the youth generation. This has been in discussion since the conclusion of season one. Whether we’ll be casting rookie idols like ‘Dream High’ and ‘Jungle Fish,’, or whether we’ll be going through an audition process is still up for discussion. There’s a high probability that the season will begin airing in January of 2012, just in time for winter break. So what might change for “Dream High Season 2″? The representative did not reveal much, but said, “The original format of ‘Dream High’ was great, so we’re planning to carry it over.”

'Dream High Season 2' will be air in January 2012, co-produced again by Bae Yong-joon’s Keyeast and Park Jin-young’s JYP Entertainment. After the succesful run of KBS2 TV 'Dream High' and 'Dream High Season 2' confirmed, speculation has started over which of the star-studded cast will be returning, as well as which new faces will be joining them.



In a poll being conducted on a korean portal site, our multi-talented leader Taeyeon (SNSD) has already quickly taken the lead as the celebrity netizens would most like to see on 'Dream High Season 2', Joining her in the rankings are Jessica and Yuri, was well as a long list of other well-known names such as Chan-sung, So-hee, Bae Yong-joon and Hye-rim.

To be honest, the likeliness of and SNSD member actually joining the cast is incredibly thin, with SM rejecting pretty much all the ‘Love-calls’ that the girls are getting due to their busy busy schedules. Chances are the next time we’ll see a SoShi girl acting it’ll be an SM production – and even then it’s going to be a while as SM doesn’t have any acting plans in store for them for the time being. Still, it’s nice to know that Korean netizens want to see SNSD girls in more areas of entertainment as well.



With news of a Season 2 for Dream High under production, one of the main questions about Season 2 is whether or not actress Park Eun Bin will be a part of the cast.

Lots of netizens want her appearance in the second Dream High after the word got out. Park Eun Bin came out as a cameo to act as the grown up Hyesung, who was Suzy’s younger sister. Since then, netizens have been speculating that season 2 will be about Hyesung and have reasoned that it would be the logical flow of story. Lots of reactions are “I want to see Park Eun Bin in Season 2” and “Eun Bin could become the next Soohyun and end up on M Countdown.”

Dream High was about high school students who are attending a school of the arts and shares stories about their goals, obstacles, hopes, and the happiness that they encounter while working hard to achieve their goals. The show turned many idol singers into actors such as IU, Wooyoung, and Suzy.

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8:02 AM | 0 comments

RANJAN"S KANDY GIRL

Ranjan’s Kandy Girl

A few months back popular Actor Ranjan Ramanayake was produced before the courts following a complaint made by a girl living in Kandy, for an alleged accusation that he had promised to marry her. It was reported that he had taken money and given hopes to her.
Ranjan totally denied all these accusations directed at him, as an opposition Member of Parliament. This story had been fabricated purposely to insult Ranjan. This fabricated story erupted just before the General Elections. Now it is reliably learnt that this girl is absconding and not attending courts when summons were served. She had not been present at the time of hearing the case for two times. If she does not appear when called to appear for the third time, the case is to be withdrawn. Ranjan had confessed that he had only spoken to her over the phone and he had not at any time given promises to her that he would marry her.He also had said that so  many girls who are his fans speak to him over the phone, with such stories.
Photographs of this particular girl had never been published in the local media.Her pictures as paparazzi photos are shown below:

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1:45 AM | 0 comments

Reverend's Preview: Let Your Freak Flag Fly at Shrek The Musical

DreamWorks Animation Studios has created such hit movies over the years as The Prince of Egypt, How to Train Your Dragon and the current blockbuster Kung Fu Panda 2. But as Dreamworks' CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg recently told a group of journalists (including myself) specially invited to his lavish studio compound for a private sneak peek at Shrek The Musical, a Broadway smash making its Southern California premiere in July, "Welcome to the house that Shrek built."

The first Shrek film, inspired by William Steig's classic storybook, was released in 2001 and inspired three sequels. Shrek The Musical premiered in New York in 2009 and was subsequently nominated for several Tony Awards. It will be performed at San Diego's Civic Theatre from July 5-10 and at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles July 12-31.

"There is no more defining character or story for DreamWorks than Shrek," Katzenberg said. It took a diverse group of artists to transfer the film to the stage. These include Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, who directed 1999's Best Picture American Beauty for DreamWorks and first proposed the idea of a Shrek musical; author and lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his play Rabbit Hole (which was made last year into an Oscar-nominated movie); Jeanine Tesori, who also composed the music for gay playwright Tony Kushner's Caroline, or Change; and co-directors Jason Moore (Avenue Q) and Rob Ashford (the recent Broadway revival of Promises Promises, among other credits).

Shrek The Musical adheres closely to the first movie's plot about an initially disgruntled, ultimately heroic ogre who falls in love with the seemingly human Princess Fiona. Along the way, he befriends a chatty Donkey and squares off against the villainous Lord Farquad. An assortment of classic fairy tale characters (including Pinocchio, the Three Little Pigs, Humpty Dumpty and the Gingerbread Man) round out the cast.

"We could make all sorts of changes in telling the story," according to DreamWorks Theatricals President Bill Damaschke, "but in the end Shrek has to be Shrek, Fiona has to be Fiona, Farquad has to be Farquad, and Donkey has to be Donkey." Damaschke, who is currently preparing the first London production of Shrek The Musical, also said, "It's a big show, necessitating many logistical challenges" in transferring it from Broadway to the tour. It also entailed several artistic challenges. Some things that didn't work as well in the generally well-received New York production were "too literal," says Damaschke, so the tour has simplified them and is more successful as a result.

Eric Petersen, a 29-year old actor who performed in Shrek The Musical on Broadway, will play the title role in Los Angeles and San Diego. He was on hand at the press event to sing a show-stopping song from the production, "Who I'd Be," and discuss his participation.

"This is such a big, huge character but I approach it honestly," Petersen said of his take on the iconic, green-skinned ogre. The married father of a baby girl shared about how he recalls his crush on a 6th-grade classmate during the scene where Shrek removes his knight's helmet for the first time before the lovely Fiona.

It takes 90 minutes and two make-up artists to prepare Petersen before each performance. He recounted how he "enjoyed" the process of developing the tour after being in the Broadway production, with Lindsay-Abaire and Tesori on hand "every day" to re-work songs and dialogue. The touring production includes a new song, "Forever," sung by a massive puppet of the dragon that protects Princess Fiona's tower.

Petersen also elaborated on the "definite" GLBT appeal to be found in Shrek The Musical. "Shrek and Fiona both ultimately realize 'I'm OK with who I am' despite their differences," he said. The star cites the show's production number "Freak Flag," in which all the fairy tale creatures sing of the culture-changing power they can draw from their uniqueness, as being particularly relevant to GLBT theatergoers.

Finally, DreamWorks Animation production designer Guillaume Aretos spoke about his consultative role in adapting the original film for the stage. "The design is at the service of the story," Aretos said, whether working in film or theatre. He is currently hard at work on the Shrek prequel, Puss in Boots. Antonio Banderas will reprise his vocal performance as the feline hero in the movie, which is scheduled for theatrical release on November 4, 2011.

Be sure to see Shrek The Musical and "Let your freak flag wave!" For additional information or to purchase tickets for the tour's limited runs in San Diego or Los Angeles, visit the show's official website.

Preview by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Blade California.

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11:00 PM | 0 comments

[Photo & News] Lee Philip first signing event for 'Buckaroo Jeans’.

[Photo & News] Lee Philip first signing event for 'Buckaroo Jeans’.
Original : http://twssg.blogspot.com/

First signing event for 'Buckaroo Jeans’, Lee Philip on Friday June 24 from 4:00 pm Sinchon Hyundai Department Store, in Seoul, come, first served basis one hour event was in progress, a special Bestselling known.

Lee Philip recently had a fun and sexy photoshoot for ‘Buckaroo Jeans‘. Modeling various new styles of jeans, the actress portrayed her innocence as well as her glamorous sexiness in the photos. Lee Philip, on the other hand, portrayed the casual look well, capturing the natural yet funky feel of the jeans.

This was Lee Philip’s first photoshoot after wrapping up “Secret Garden“, which took the drama world by a storm. It is said that the actors never once lost their smiles, and laughed throughout the entire photoshoot, recharging the energy of the staff.

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8:20 PM | 0 comments