Oscars 2013

Oscars 2013: Place your bets on the 9 Best Picture nominees

Raja Sen in Mumbai

With a little over a week to go for the 85th Annual Academy Awards, I thought it'd be fun to put together a formbook of the 9 films in the running for the biggest award of all.

This isn't based on how good the films are (though the accompanying text should indeed make my opinion on each contender unambiguously clear) but on how good their chances look to lift the Best Picture trophy.

Now, who's up for an Oscar wager?

80/1 Les Miserables

No, I'm not just saying it because I loathed Tom Hooper's closeup-heavy film.

Hooper isn't nominated for Best Director, the film has earned very mixed reviews (which means some real stinkers) and, most vitally, Hooper's The King's Speech robbed The Social Network of this Oscar a couple of years ago.

Nope, this one's not happening.

Image: Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables

source : http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-oscars-2013-best-picture-nominees/20130215.htm

News George Ferris

George Ferris

The Ferris Wheel in the doodle is a tribute to American engineer George Ferris who invented it and was born on February 14.


The doodle on the Google's home page today is celebrating American engineer George Ferris's 154th birthday.

George Ferris, the inventor of the Ferris Wheel, was born on February 14, 1859.

Since Ferrris' birth anniversary coincides with Valentine's Day, the interactive doodle features 16 different animated characters narrating their love stories that can be viewed on pressing the button with a love sign placed between the two arrows.

The doodle prominently displays a unique arrangement of wheels, a fitting tribute to the engineer who invented the Ferris wheel.

The story behind the Wheel goes thus:

In 1891, the directors of the World's Columbian Exposition issued a challenge to American engineers to build of a monument for the fair that would surpass the EiffelTower.

The planners demanded that the new structure be "original, daring and unique."

In 1893, George Ferris had heard news of the World's Columbian Exposition that was to be held in Chicago, Illinois.

Ferris proposed a wheel which would allow visitors to view the entire exhibition from it.

He temporarily called the rotating wheel "Out-Eiffel Eiffel." However, the planners feared that his design was not too safe.

Eventually, when the wheel which later came to be known as the Ferris Wheel was built, it had 36 cars, each of them featuring 40 revolving chairs and could accommodate up to 60 people.

At the annual fair that year, the Ferris Wheel was the centre of attraction.

It carried around 38,000 passengers daily, taking about 20 minutes to complete two revolutions for which customers were charged 50 cents.

It is believed that the original Ferris Wheel carried some 2.5 million passengers before it was finally demolished in 1906.

A civil engineering graduate, Ferris had started his career in the railroad industry eventually seeking his interest in building bridges.

He also founded his own company by the name GWG Ferris & Co in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which would test and inspect metals for railroads and bridge builders.

Ferris succumbed to typhoid fever and died on November 22, 1896. He was 37.



Source : www.rediff.com/getahead/report/george-ferris-googles-new-doodle-for-valentines-day/20130214.htm

Movies Safe Haven

Safe Haven

Starring : David Lyons, Irene Ziegler, Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough, Mimi Kirkland, Noah Lomax, Robin Mullins

Summary: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family. But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Runtime:	115 min
Rating:	Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving threatening behavior, and for violence and sexuality
Production:	Relativity Media
Genres:	Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Country:	USA
Language:	English

source : http://www.metacritic.com/movie/safe-haven/details

meteor that fell in the territory of Russia

One of the pieces of a meteor that fell in the region of Russia, on Friday (14/02/2013), according to the Government of Russia crashed in a lake in the region Chelyabins.

"The meteorite passed Chelyabinsk region fell into the lake is located about 1 kilometer from the town of Chebarkul," said Governor Chelyabinsk, Mikhail Yurevich, in a statement, quoted by Ria Novosti.

Russian space agency, Roscosmos said the meteor was flying low at about 30 kilometers per second.
In addition to Russia in the region, meteor fragment was also down over Kazakhstan. Government of Kazakhstan has said it is looking for two unknown objects that fall in the province of Aktobe.

Reported so far observed meteor fragments fell in Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Kurgan and Sverdlovsk, Russia on hold, as well as in northern Kazakhstan.
While it is reported a number of buildings in the Chelyabinsk region damaged by meteor fragments. Some of the roof and wall collapsed reportedly a zinc plant.

Nevertheless factories still operate, albeit with such damage.
South Ural State University also have canceled the teaching and learning activities, for two days due to a breakdown in their campus buildings due to the meteor fragments.

"The roof did not collapse, but the damage is significant. Several windows were broken," said a university spokesman.
It was also reported three dozen schools and hospitals, suffered similar damage.