The Postman (1985) is a post-apocalyptic novel by David Brin. A drifter stumbles across the uniform of an old United States Postal Service letter carrier and gives hope to a community threatened by local warlords with empty promises of aid from the “Restored United States of America”. The first two parts were published separately as “The Postman” (1982) and “Cyclops” (1984). Both won Hugo Awards for Best Novella. The completed novel was awarded first prize in the John W. Campbell Awards for the best science fiction novel of the year in 1986. It was also nominated for Hugo and Nebula awards for best novel.

In 1997, a film adaptation was made of the novel.

Plot summary

Despite the post-apocalyptic scenario, and several action sequences, the book is largely about civilization and symbols. Each of the three sections deals with a different symbol. The first is the Postman himself, Gordon Krantz, who takes the uniform solely for warmth after he loses everything but his sleeping clothes. He wanders without establishing himself anywhere, and acts in scenes of William Shakespeare for supplies. His reputation as a real postman builds not because of a deliberate fraud (at least initially) but because people are desperate to believe. Later, in the second section, he encounters a community (Corvallis, Oregon) led by Cyclops, apparently a sentient artificial intelligence created at Oregon State University which miraculously survived the cataclysm. However, the machine was actually destroyed, and the appearance of it is being maintained by a group of scientists trying to keep hope, order, and knowledge alive.

Eventually, in the third section, as the Postman joins forces with the Cyclops scientists in a war against an influx of “hypersurvivalists” (the concept of survivalists taken to a slave-owning, misogynistic extreme—indeed, Brin has said that the novel was, in a way, an anti-survivalist novel), he begins to find that the survivalists are being pressed from the Rogue River area to the south as well. As the story ends, and he comes close to the survivalist’s southern enemy, he begins to find traces of them, primarily in the symbol that they rally behind: the Bear Flag of California. The final scenes give the impression that the three symbols may rally together in an effort to revive civilization.

The hypersurvivalists are more commonly referred to as Holnists, after the founder of their ideal, Nathan Holn. Many times through the book, curses are uttered which damn Holn for his actions. Nathan Holn was an author who championed an extreme, violent, misogynistic and survivalist society. Holn is never seen in the novel, but in the time following what should have been a brief period of civil disorder, followers of Holn prevented the United States from recovering from the limited war, and the plagues that followed.

Another message of the plot deals with the backstory of the post-apocalyptic world: specifically, that it was not the electronics-destroying electromagnetic pulses, nor the destruction of major cities, nor the release of various bio-engineered plagues that actually destroyed society: rather, it was the survivalists themselves, those who maintained stockpiles of weapons and ammunition and who preyed on humanitarian workers and other forces of order. The message of this is obviously that what could really destroy civilization is its own members.

Superman (sometimes called Superman (volume 1) and for a time published as Adventures of Superman) is a comic book published by DC Comics. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 (June 1938). The strip proved so popular that National launched Superman into his own self-titled comic book, the first for any superhero, premiering with cover-date June 1939. Between 1986 and 2006 it was retitled Adventures of Superman while a new comic book used the title Superman. As of June 25, 2008, the series has reached issue #677.

Superman

Whereas Action Comics at the time was an anthology featuring stories of several different characters in addition to Superman such as Zatara and Tex Thompson, the Superman comic only contained Superman stories.

The Superman comic book began being published quarterly, soon going bimonthly and in the late 1950s turning monthly. Twelve Annual issues were published between 1960-1986, and three Special issues were published between 1983-1985. This initial Superman series went on a three-month hiatus with issue #423 (Sept. 1986), as did sister title Action Comics, while the new Man of Steel limited series was published, introducing the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Superman.

Awards

The creators who have worked on Superman over the years have received a number of awards and nominations, including the 1969 Alley Award for Strip Most Needing Improvement, the 1970 Shazam Award for Best Writer (Dramatic Division), for Dennis O’Neil for his work on Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern, and a 1986 Jack Kirby Award nomination for Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons for Superman Annual #11 (1985).

Adventures of Superman

The death of Superman and its aftermath ran through a number of issues of the Superman comics in 1992–1993 (Adventures of Superman #499. Cover art by Tom Grummett and Doug Hazlewood).
The death of Superman and its aftermath ran through a number of issues of the Superman comics in 1992–1993 (Adventures of Superman #499. Cover art by Tom Grummett and Doug Hazlewood).
The survivors of the Crisis are about to enter into the paradise dimension. Cover of Adventures of Superman #649 (April 2006), by Ivan Reis, the “final” issue of the series under that title.
The survivors of the Crisis are about to enter into the paradise dimension. Cover of Adventures of Superman #649 (April 2006), by Ivan Reis, the “final” issue of the series under that title.

After the Man of Steel limited series, Action Comics returned and Superman (Volume 2), #1 was published. A new title, Adventures of Superman premiered with #424, continuing the numbering of the original Superman series. The initial team working on the renamed title was writer Marv Wolfman and artist Jerry Ordway.

Adventures of Superman was numbered from issue #424 (January 1987) to issue #649 (April 2006), for a total of 228 monthly issues (including issue #0 (October 1994) published between issues #516 and #517 during the Zero Hour crossover event and issue #1,000,000 (November 1998) during the DC One Million crossover event) and nine Annuals published between 1987 to 1997.

The plots of the Superman books were often linked during the first few years of the series run. To coordinate the storyline and sequence of event, from January 1991 to January 2002, “triangle numbers” (or “shield numbers”) appeared on the cover of each Superman comic book. During these years the Superman story lines ran with the story continuing through the titles Superman, Action Comics and later in two further series, Superman: The Man of Steel and Superman: The Man of Tomorrow. After February 2002, the integration between the Superman titles became less frequent, and the remaining issues of Adventures of Superman commonly carried self-contained stories. The final issue (#649), however, was part of a three-part crossover with Superman and Action Comics, an homage to the Golden Age Superman in the wake of events in the limited series Infinite Crisis.

For its last few years, Adventures of Superman was written by Greg Rucka. Notable plots included the villain Ruin, the attempted assassination of Lois Lane and a number of well-regarded Mxyzptlk appearances.

Awards

Issues #501 through #503 of the series were a part of the story The Reign of the Supermen which won the Comics Buyer’s Guide Fan Award for Favorite Comic Book Story for 1993.[citation needed]

Superman returns

Superman (Volume 2) reached issue #226 (April 2006) and was then cancelled as part of the companywide Infinite Crisis storyline. Adventures of Superman was returned to its original title, Superman, with issue #650 (May 2006). Action Comics had continued publication normally.

The annual editions after the retitling back to Superman (Volume 1) continued starting with Annual #13 released November 28, 2007 (cover dated Jan. 2008, the last annual issue prior to the 1987 retitling was Annual #12 in 1986). The Annual issue’s lead story was the finale to the “Camelot Falls” arc by Busiek and Pacheco.

The book also participated in the weekly series Countdown to Final Crisis, giving a different perspective on certain happenings that are shown in the weekly title, such as the events preceding the death of New God Lightray.

As of summer 2008, the current creative team on Superman is James Robinson and Renato Guedes, replacing writer Kurt Busiek after his 25-issue run on the title. The most recent issue of Superman to reach publication (as of June 2008) was #677. Geoff Johns, the writer of Action Comics, and Robinson have stated that his title and Superman as well as “Supergirl” will cross over frequently.[1] Superman-line editor Matt Idelson also proclaimed that the character’s origin story will be retold in an arc crossing over between Superman and Action, written by Johns and Robinson respectively.

Sean Levert, a third of the 1980s R&B trio LeVert and son of lead O’Jays singer Eddie Levert, has died after falling ill while serving a jail term. He was 39. Authorities said Monday that an autopsy was inconclusive but foul play was ruled out.

Levert was sentenced last week to one year and 10 months in jail for failing to pay $89,025 in child support. He died at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland late Sunday, less than an hour after he was taken there from the jail, said coroner Frank Miller.

Levert was sentenced by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, who said a presentence report indicated he had been addicted to marijuana from the time he was 14 until recently. He didn’t speak at his sentencing and gave no indication of any health problems, the judge said Monday.

His brother Gerald Levert, who had success as a solo artist after leaving their trio died in 2006 at age 40 of an accidental mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

The brothers had formed LeVert in the 1980s with childhood friend Marc Gordon. Their hits included “Baby I’m Ready,” “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind” and “Casanova.”

“Casanova” was nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal. It was also nominated for best R&B song.

At Gerald Levert’s funeral service in November 2006, Sean Levert and his father performed “Dance With My Father” and personalized the words for Gerald. The elder Levert’s group, the O’Jays, was known for such smash hits as “Back Stabbers” and “Love Train.”

Sean Levert found a new third partner last year and was trying to revive LeVert.

An autopsy was done Monday but no immediate cause of death was determined, according to Powell Caesar, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County’s coroner’s office, but he said there was no evidence of foul play or trauma.

Levert suffered from high blood pressure and had been hallucinating in jail, Caesar said. Toxicology reports could take four to six weeks, he said.

Warden Kevin McDonough said earlier that Levert had been sick and guards were watching him at the jail’s regular cellblock because he had been acting strangely.

Sean Levert had pleaded guilty last week to six counts of nonsupport involving children ages 11, 15 and 17.

Source:music.yahoo

Gisele Caroline Nonnenmacher Bündchen (born July 20, 1980) is a Brazilian model. She is currently dating Tom Brady. According to Forbes, she is the highest-paid model in the world and also the sixteenth richest woman in the entertainment world,[3] having earned $33 million in 2007 alone, adding to her estimated $150 million fortune. She is also listed on Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s richest supermodel. Gisele is the face of more than 20 brands internationally.

Biography

Family and early life

Bündchen was born in the Brazilian town of Três de Maio and grew up in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, to Vânia Nonnenmacher, a bank clerk pensioner, and Valdir Bündchen, a university teacher and writer.[4][5] She has five sisters — Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, Rafaela and her fraternal twin Patrícia, Gisele’s junior by five minutes. Bündchen was raised as a Roman Catholic, speaks Portuguese as her native language and English as a second language.

She is from Southern Brazil, a region whose population is largely composed of Brazilians of German descent. Bündchen is of distant German ancestry in both sides of her family: her great-great-grandparents immigrated to Brazil from Germany. In regards to her ethnic background, Bündchen was quoted:

“I was born in Horizontina, a town in the backcountry of (Brazilian) state Rio Grande do Sul. The town was once mainly colonized by Germans. In the school which I attended, learning German was actually obligatory from third grade on. But being out of touch with the language for such a long time, I unfortunately forgot it. (…) I belong to the sixth generation of my family in Brazil.”

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. - Poison drummer Rikki Rockett was arrested on a rape warrant and his case was turned over to the district attorney’s office for possible grand jury consideration, officials said Friday.

Rockett, 46, was arrested Monday at or near Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles police said. He was booked and released, and was awaiting an extradition decision by Mississippi prosecutors.

A woman in Mississippi filed a complaint that she was raped on Sept. 23, 2007, at the Silver Star Casino, Neshoba County sheriff’s investigator Ralph Sciple said.

“The subject, Rikki Rockett, forcibly had sex with an adult in one of the hotel rooms,” according to a complaint.

Sciple said the woman contacted authorities several days after the alleged attack. He did not discuss details of the case, but said his office believed the woman’s complaint warranted review by the district attorney.

The casino-hotel complex in Philadelphia, about an hour northeast of Jackson, is owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

Rockett, whose real name is Richard Ream, did not have a listed number in the Los Angeles area and could not be reached Friday for comment.

Rockett was booked into the Los Angeles County jail under his stage name and released early Tuesday, according to jail inmate information on the county sheriff’s Web site. Sciple said there was no immediate attempt to bring Rockett back to Mississippi and a decision on extradition would await action by the district attorney.

Rockett and singer Bret Michaels founded Poison, the glam-metal band with a string of hits in the 1980s, including “Talk Dirty to Me.”

Source:news.yahoo

NEW YORK - Like a bill being rapidly pushed through legislation, Oliver Stone’s film about President George W. Bush is expected to begin shooting within a month with a goal toward being released before the president leaves office next January.

A person close to the film, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because plans were still being formalized, said Stone’s “W.” will begin filming in late April in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Academy Award-winning director only began shopping his script for financing in January, but has quickly captured the interest of investors and Hollywood.

Stone has said that the film, which will focus on the life and presidency of Bush, won’t be an anti-Bush polemic, but, as he told Daily Variety, “a fair, true portrait of the man. How did Bush go from being an alcoholic bum to the most powerful figure in the world?”

Representatives for Stone would not confirm reports in Variety and elsewhere about casting decisions because of unfinalized contracts. Expected to play the president is Josh Brolin, who played another Texan in the Coen brothers’ Oscar-winning “No Country for Old Men.”

Expected to portray First Lady Laura Bush is Elizabeth Banks, whose credits include “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” and the upcoming “Zach and Miri Make a Porno.”

“W.” will be Stone’s third film dealing with presidential matters, following “Nixon” and “JFK.” The filmmaker has been an outspoken critic of the administration’s decision to invade Iraq.

A Hollywood firebrand, Stone’s films also include the Vietnam sagas “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Platoon,” which won four Oscars including best picture and director, and 2006’s “World Trade Center,” about two policemen buried in the rubble of the towers after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Source:news.yahoo

After weeks of popping, locking, flipping, ticking and general awesomeness, we get to find out the winner of “Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew.” Finally, something worthwhile on MTV.

Host Mario Lopez announces that they’ve received a record 38 million votes. I don’t know what or whose record but a record nonetheless. The crews get trotted out in the order of their elimination before introducing our finalists, San Diego’s JabbaWockeeZ and Boston’s Status Quo. Mario tosses it to the judges who gives us their thoughts on the remaining groups, including slo-mo highlight clips.

During a package showing all the crews reuniting for the finale (including a flip-off over members of other crews: like Fonzie on a motorcycle over sharks, except with people), it’s revealed that all the dancers are uniting into super-groups by quadrants to perform numbers on the show.

First up is the West Coast — Fysh n Chicks, Kaba Modern and JabbaWockeeZ — dancing to “Tell Me When To Go” by E-40. Insanity. That’s a whole lot of kick-ass on one stage. I want someone to write a dance movie specifically for Fysh & Chicks because they’re so rad. They never should’ve went home before Break Sk8. And I also adore Kabba Modern. The precision to which they dance is amazing.

Next up is the South — Enigma Dance Kru and Live in Color — dancing to Lil Jon’s “Get Low”. Live in Color are dressed like marching band members and both crews end dropping drumsticks a la Drumline. I almost forgot about Enigma. It’s a shame I remember them for their in-fighting instead of their dancing. They’re quite good … it’s just that Live in Color ate them alive. That group is ferocious.

Mario then lets everyone know that the second season of “America’s Best Dance Crew” will be on this summer. Here’s hoping it’ll start after “So You Think You Can Dance” so as to stave off my dance show withdrawal.

The East Coast is up next — ICONic and Status Quo — dancing to a mix based on LL Cool J’s “Phenomenon.” They had a “getting in the club” theme which was very entertaining. ICONic was always good but the bowler hats always irked me. Don’t know why, they just do.

Last, the Mid-West — Break Sk8 and Femme 5 — do a number to “Pop, Lock and Drop It” by Huey. A surprisingly good number from my two least favorite crews. Not that they’re not extremely talented but Femme 5 are studio dancers, not street dancers, and thus out of their element. Break Sk8 was good but really the three guys who are always in the center of the their formations are by far the strongest while the two tall guys … well, one does jump stunts and the other … I don’t quite recall what he does. He seemed to be a weak link, something the other crews didn’t have.

After this, there’s an interview with the final two crews before cutting to a quick package highlighting Status Quo and JabbaWockeeZ visiting some kids in South Central Los Angeles and teaching them some moves. We’re then treated to the standard “journey to the finals” packages.

Our last co-op number is by JabbaWockeeZ and Status Quo in a step-off. It was sweet. Mario asks the judges for their thoughts and Shane Sparks tells the crowd to “chill” (translation: “shut it”) when he’s talking, which is one of the reasons I love him so.

Now it’s announcement time.

I like both groups so I’m fine with whoever wins. I think it’ll be JabbaWockeeZ but because Status Quo needs the money more I’d prefer they win.

And, after six minutes of lead-up/teleprompter filler by Mario and three more minutes of tension and audience noise-filled tension, it’s finally announced that JabbaWockeeZ are the winners. They’re interviewed and very gracious, calling Status Quo family and saying they too are America’s Best Crew.

After Status Quo does their post-loss interview and collects their fallen banner, we reach the worst part of the show. Randy Jackson comes out and speaks. Shudder. Everytime he spits some sort of slang, I want to poke him with something sharp.

A championship banner is dropped with the JabbaWockeeZ insignia and they do a victory number to Kanye West’s “Stronger” sans masks for the first and only time this season. The rest of the crews are brought out at the end to celebrate as well … kind of like the losing states rushing to congratulate the final pagent winner except it’s probably genuine this time. And with much more dancing.

SOurce:charlotte

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Ten years after the last “X-Files” movie hit theaters, the team behind the hit sci-franchise is tossing out some tidbits about the sequel, currently scheduled for release on July 25.
 
The film, which has not yet been named, will mark the return of David Duchovny as Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Scully, two FBI agents who investigate the paranormal.

It is being directed by Chris Carter, creator of the series that ran on Fox from 1993 to 2002.

“I know what I want it to be, but Fox has ideas of their own,” Carter said of the title. “I know what it should be.”

What he and co-writer Frank Spotnitz did reveal Wednesday during the 25th annual William S. Paley Television Festival, was the trailer. It featured lots of snow, running, a large syringe and a helicopter.

The film will pick up six years after the end of the series. It’s supposed to be a standalone feature removed from the alien mythology of the TV show, a throwback to the show’s “monster of the week” episodes. Still, some lingering aspects from the series, like whether Scully’s child will be a normal tyke, will be addressed.

“It will not be a mythology movie, but it’s true to everything that’s come before,” said Spotnitz.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Robin Williams’ wife has filed for divorce from the Oscar-winning actor after a 19-year marriage, a spokeswoman for the actor confirmed on Wednesday.

Marsha Garces Williams filed for divorce petition at a court in San Francisco on March 21 citing irreconcilable differences, reports said.

Williams’ representative, Mara Buxbaum, confirmed the divorce in an email to AFP.

Garces, 51, and Williams, 56, married in 1989, shortly after the actor’s divorce from his previous wife. The couple have two children, an 18-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son.

Garces has worked as a producer on several of Williams films including “Jakob the Liar”, “Patch Adams,” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

Williams won a best supporting actor Oscar for his role in the 1997 film “Good Will Hunting” and has been nominated for an Academy Award for three other movies: “Good Morning Vietnam,” “The Fisher King,” and “Dead Poets Society.”

LOS ANGELES — Pamela Anderson’s new husband _ apparently a specialist in short relationships with celebrities _ agrees that their two-month marriage should be voided, according to court papers filed Friday.

Rick Salomon agrees in papers responding to a filing by the “Baywatch” actress that the marriage should be annulled because of fraud, though neither set of documents elaborated.

Salomon did not ask for spousal support and asked that it not be awarded to Anderson.

A phone message left for Anderson’s publicist was not immediately returned Friday.

Salomon is known for making a sex videotape with then-girlfriend Paris Hilton and was previously married to actress Shannen Doherty for nine months.

He and Anderson were married Oct. 6 in Las Vegas and separated Dec. 13.

Anderson, 40, was previously married to singer Kid Rock and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.

SOurce:huffingtonpost