Oh Happy Day!!!!

Jackson to produce ‘Rings’ prequel ‘Hobbit’
‘We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth’

Associated Press
updated 11:47 a.m. PT, Tues., Dec. 18, 2007

NEW YORK - Bilbo lives!

After publicly feuding for more than a year, “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema have reached agreement to make J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” a planned two-film prequel to the blockbuster trilogy.

Jackson, who directed “Rings,” will serve as executive producer for two “Hobbit” pictures. They will tell the story of how the young hobbit Bilbo Baggins originally came to possess the nefarious One Ring that Frodo, his adopted heir, needed three films to dispose of.

A director for the films has yet to be named. Production is tentatively set to begin in 2009 with a release planned for 2010, and the sequel following in 2011.

Relations between Jackson and New Line soured after “Rings” despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion. Jackson shepherded Tolkien’s Middle-Earth saga to a combined 17 Academy Awards including best picture for 2003’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” The trilogy also includes 2002’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and 2001’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line,” Jackson said in a statement. “We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth.”

Late last year, acrimony between the 46-year-old Jackson and New Line became very public, with the studio announcing they would move forward with “The Hobbit” without him. Jackson sued New Line over the amount he was paid — including DVD payments — for “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first installment of the trilogy.

“The low point was when we both started getting a little too personal about this whole thing,” said New Line co-chairman and co-CEO Bob Shaye on Tuesday. “From my own perspective, I realized that I shouldn’t be so thin-skinned about everything that goes on in my professional life.”

Jackson’s suit, the two sides announced Tuesday, has been settled. The terms of the settlement weren’t announced, though Shaye cheerfully said: “One of the key terms was we all shake hands with each other.”

In his statement, Jackson thanked Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) Chairman and CEO Harry Sloan for helping him and New Line “find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”

New Line, which is owned by Time Warner Inc., holds the rights to produce “The Hobbit,” while MGM, which is owned by a consortium including Sony Corp. and Comcast Corp., has the right to distribute it. The two studios will split financing and distribution costs, with New Line handling distribution in North America and MGM distributing internationally.

Two “Hobbit” films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, similar to how the three “Lord of the Rings” films were made all at once. Shaye and Sloan both said it was Jackson’s idea to divide the story, adapted from Tolkien’s first book about Middle Earth (which was about half the length of any from the trilogy that followed).

The film’s production schedule is subject to how long the writers strike lasts, which some forecast could continue for many months. There isn’t currently a script for either “Hobbit” film, and producers will be unable to even approach writers until the strike is over.

“If the writers strike drags on, then everything can change in terms of the time table,” Sloan said Tuesday.

Sloan added that some patience has been necessary for making “The Hobbit” happen: “We’ve always taken the position that we wanted Peter to be involved in this project, but it’s taken some time to work out the differences.”

Jackson, who directed “King Kong” after finishing the trilogy, is currently finishing shooting for “The Lovely Bones,” based on Alice Sebold’s novel.

The three “Lord of the Rings” films rank among the 25 most lucrative films of all time, made more financially successful by the risky strategy of shooting all three together. The production budget for the trilogy has been estimated at around $300 million.

Tolkien’s fantasy epic has been a cultural juggernaut since its publication in the 1950s, inspiring everything from the ubiquitous “Frodo Lives!” graffiti in the ’60s and ’70s to the Dungeons and Dragons phenomenon of the ’80s. With the franchise now considered one of the most bankable projects in Hollywood, the “Hobbit” films will be expected to match the blockbuster success of “Rings.

Today's bully alert!

N.Y. millionaires guilty of 'modern-day slavery'

Convicted of forced labor of Indonesian women; could face 40-year sentences

Associated Press
updated 8:24 a.m. PT, Mon., Dec. 17, 2007

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - A jury on Monday convicted a millionaire couple of enslaving two Indonesian women they brought to their mansion to work as housekeepers.

Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and his wife, Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 45, were each convicted of all charges in a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labor, conspiracy, involuntary servitude, and harboring aliens.

Prosecutors said the women were subjected to repeated psychological and physical abuse and were forced to work 18 hours or more a day.

The Sabhnanis, who have four children and operate a worldwide perfume business out of their Muttontown home on Long Island's Gold Coast, could face up to 40 years in prison, although attorneys predicted the punishment would be considerably less. He is from India and she is from Indonesia, but both are naturalized U.S. citizens.

One of the couple's daughters collapsed in the front row as the verdict was read, prompting the judge to clear the courtroom while medical personnel attended to her.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Hoffman said he would appeal. "Apparently, the jury was taken by the histrionics ..." of the Indonesian women, he said.

Worked for $100 to $150 a month
Prosecutors called it a case of "modern-day slavery." Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko said in closing arguments the poorly educated women worked as housekeepers for $100 or $150 a month — all of which was sent to their relatives back home.

Lesko said the women, known only as Samirah and Enung, were subjected to "punishment that escalated into a cruel form of torture" that ended when one of the women fled on Mother's Day.

Allegations of abuse included beatings with brooms and umbrellas, slashings with knives, being made to repeatedly climb stairs and take freezing-cold showers as punishment for misdeeds that included sleeping late or stealing food from trash bins because they were poorly fed.

Samirah, the woman who fled the house in May, said she was forced to eat dozens of chili peppers and then was forced to eat her own vomit when she failed to digest the peppers, prosecutors said.

"This did not happen in the 1800s," Lesko said. "This happened in the 21st century."

Accusations of abuse
Enung testified that Samirah's nude body once was covered in plastic wrapping tape on orders from Varsha Sabhnani, who then instructed Enung to rip it off. "When I pulled it off, she was screaming," the housekeeper said through an interpreter before breaking down in tears on the witness stand.

The Sabhnanis' defense attorneys contended the two women concocted the story of abuse as a way of escaping the house for more lucrative opportunities. They argued the housekeepers practiced witchcraft and may have abused themselves as part of an Indonesian self-mutilation ritual. They also said the couple went on frequent vacations that would have given the two women ample opportunity to flee.

The Sabhnanis spent nearly three months in jail until a judge approved a bail package that required them to post $4.5 million and pay an estimated $10,000 a day for security monitoring while they were kept under house arrest.

There are times when people seriously puzzle me: How does a multi-millionaire couple, parents of four, rationalize this kind of de-valuing of human life? I realize neither of these terms, multi-millionaire and parent, are qualifiers for being civilized, sophisticated, and caring people, but to casually exhibit such base human cruelty is truly astonishing.

In the "an eye for an eye" department - What truly sucks is even if sentenced to the maximum jail term possible, their living conditions in prison will a) be better than those they tortured, and b)paid for in full by our tax dollars.

I am reminded of an idea Tim Carden, a friend of mine, had and posted in my blog a while back regarding life sentences in prison:

"...We lobby to change the life in prison laws, citing that it is inhuman to keep a person in prison for life with no change of getting out. That all of these prisoners are killed one year after their last appeal. Any prisoner that does what to live out their day in prison can register for life. Here is the part I like. Any and all of you crying for what is far, sad dumb assess can sponsor one of these register prisoner for a year at a time. The government will lift that tax burdened from me and give it to you. As long as some sad ass is paying for the prisoner, they live."

Today's chuckle...

Thanks Kelli!

When four of Santa's elves got sick and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones, Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. Then Mrs Claus told Santa that her Mum was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress!

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys.

So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration he accidentally dropped the cider pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang and irritable, Santa trudged to the door. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?"

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree....

It's a Christmas Miracle I tell you!

OK, you have to admit this could be a hysterical online video...

Don't ya think?

Associated Press - updated 1:53 a.m. PT, Mon., Dec. 10, 2007

GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. - Sister Kathy Avery won't put up with swearing on the playground at her school, and she's not above repeating the offending language to make sure everyone understands which words she won't tolerate.

The principal of St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School had students stay after a Mass last month and informed the fifth- through eighth-graders that she has a zero-tolerance policy for cursing.

Just in case anyone wasn't sure what she was talking about, Avery read off a list of the very words and phrases that she was banning.

"It got a little quiet in church" during her talk, she told the Detroit Free Press.

Some parents were shocked, but others applauded, the newspaper said.

"In a way you would think a nun would shy away from something like that, but she's very open with the children, very clear in her messages," said Margaret Roache, chairperson of the school commission.

Roache's sixth-grade son was there when Avery read the list of banned words.

"When I asked him to give me a sample of it, he said, 'Oh, no, I can't say it!'" Roache said. "I thought it was great."

A representative of the Archdiocese of Detroit declined to comment Sunday.

Cuss words aren't the only things that set Avery off. She's also banned the words "stupid" and "boring."

Holiday Cheer...

Coming in 2008...

SPEED RACER THE MOVIE!!!! Check out the trailer at the link - even in HD.

Wow... this is my lucky day...

Apparently there is a hottie who wants to meet me on MySpace. Check out what she wrote me. I saw her page, and she has a webcam! Oh I am a lucky man!!

hey whats up... we dont know each other or anything but.. my friend and I are actually moving near u next week and I wont knwo anybody who lives there... so thought id hit u up to say hi since u live there.. If you dont have a girlfriend I mean heheh.. please contact me.. my info is on my page..m.s.n or a.i.m is the best way... chat ya soon hunny

A very important notice - scam alert!

Thanks to Matt for bringing this to my attention. Here's his story:

A 'Heads Up' for those of us men who may be regular Home Depot customers. Over the last month I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping. Simply going out to get supplies has turned out to be quite traumatic. Don't be naive enough to think it couldn't happen to you or your friends. Here's how the scam works:

Two seriously good-looking 20-21 year-old girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping into the trunk. They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. It is impossible not to look. When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say 'No' and instead ask you for a ride to another Home Depot or Lowes.

You agree and they get in the back seat. On the way, they start undressing. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet. I had my wallet stolen October 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th & 24th. Also November 1st, thru the 28th, twice on the 30th, three times just yesterday, and very likely this coming weekend. So tell your friends to be careful. I'm on my way to the bank for another loan.

No Seriously! I think I just inherited $22 million!

This was in my inbox this morning - I am a lucky man! I left it unedited. Hey, don't even think about using that email at the bottom to snake my money! Not sure why he didn't use that address when he sent it - oh wait it must be a British thing, send email on one account, receive in another - kind of like driving on the wrong side of the road... but who cares right? $22 million!

Dear Partner,
My name is Mr.Richard Grey I was an accounting officer to Late Engineer Micheal Foster a citizen of your country,he worked with the French oil major total company here in the United Kingdom. On the 21st of April 2002, my Client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident. Unfortunately him and his three kids lost their lives immediately in the event of the accident, while the wife was taken to the hospital where she died three days later. Their bodies were kept in the mortuary for five months, this was to enable the authorities carry out proper investigation on how to locate their surviving relatives. They have checked all available public files and embassies, with all efforts been abortive.

I shall provide you with all other detailed informatons that we shall both need to proceed on this transaction as soon as I have received a response from you in my next email. Please note that the amount involved in this transaction is (£11,000,000.00 million GBP)($22,755,486.99 USD).

Please do get back to me in agreement with the terms as stated above via my private email:greyrichard1@live.com

Best Regards,
Richard Grey.

Today's Chuckle...part 3 (yes THREE!)

Thanks to Cue!

This is seriously funny. Read it all the way to the end.

Pocket Taser

A guy who purchased his wife a pocket Taser for their anniversary submitted this.

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two triple-a batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

AWESOME!!!

Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!"

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, "don't do it master," reasoning that a one-second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and...


HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION!!!


I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner , then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again.

I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs.

The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before, licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, "Do it again, stupid, do it again!"

Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor.

A three-second burst would be considered conservative.

SON-OF-A-... That hurt like **% !!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they get up there?

My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I'm still looking for my testicles! I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!! Still in shock!!

P. S. My wife loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it!

Today's chuckle...part 2

Found this on Break. Great ad!

Today's chuckle...

Thanks Kristin!

Shoppers beware...

So there I was at the local office supply superstore to pick up a few necessities for the company. I was handed the company credit card on the way out the door by my associate, but I was prepared to pay with my own card if they decided to ask for my ID.
So I get what I need and proceed to run the card through the machine. Sure enough there is a notice from the machine and I am asked to hand the card to the cashier who wants the card and my ID. So I pull out my wallet and show her my ID. She looks at the card and my ID and says "OK, thanks." Purchase complete, I simply shake my head as I head to my car.

The credit card is issued to my company and has the equivalent of ACME Widget Sales - Sally Allbright as the name on the card. My driver's license does not have my company affiliation on it, and my name is nowhere NEAR the name on the credit card. If I didn't have to get back to the office I would have called her out on this. As we head into full scale holiday shopping please keep the cashiers on their toes. Make them check your ID correctly and be prepared to report them to their Supervisor if they don't. Consider that I could have had any one of your credit cards and made that purchase. And people wonder how this kind of fraud can happen...