Robert De Niro (Casino)

Casino is a 1995 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese. Although not a follow-up, the movie is produced by Scorsese and Pileggi in the same vein as their previous gangster movie hit, Goodfellas, even using the same two main actors (De Niro and Pesci) in similar roles, and it is set roughly in the same time frame.

Robert De Niro stars as Sam "Ace" Rothstein, a Jewish-American top gambling handicapper who is called by the Mob to oversee the day-to-day operations at the fictional Tangiers casino in Las Vegas. The story is based on Frank Rosenthal, who ran the Stardust, Fremont and the Hacienda casinos in Las Vegas for the Chicago Outfit from the 1970s until the early 1980s.

Joe Pesci plays Nicky Santoro, based on real-life mob enforcer Anthony Spilotro. Nicky is sent to Vegas to make sure that money from the Tangiers is skimmed off the top and that the mobsters in Vegas are kept in line. Sharon Stone plays Ginger, Ace's self-obsessed and devious wife, a role that earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

In 1983, Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro) exits a restaurant and gets into his car, which explodes when he starts the engine. The film then shifts back 10 years, and Sam narrates most of the story, with occasional scenes narrated by Nicky Santoro.

Ten years earlier, Sam, then a sports handicapper for the mob, is entrusted by organized crime bosses to run the Tangiers Casino, which is under their control through corrupt representatives of the Teamsters. (Although Sam's real-life counterpart worked for the Chicago Outfit, the film never specifically states Chicago as Sam's bosses' home base. Instead, throughout the film the characters refer to "back home" and "The Midwest bosses," with occasional references to Detroit and Kansas City.)

Sam is at first reluctant to manage the Tangiers due to his criminal record, but is able to do so through lax gaming laws which simply require employees to make an application for a casino license; and can work at the casino while awaiting a license hearing, which often take years due to a large backlog. Sam's expertise enables him to quickly double the casino's profits, which are skimmed by the mafia before the records are reported to income tax agencies. Impressed with Sam's work, the bosses send Sam's friend, enforcer Nicholas "Nicky" Santoro (Pesci), to protect Sam and the whole business. Nicky, however, begins to become more of a liability than an asset, as his brash attitude quickly gets him banned by the gaming board from every casino, and his name is placed in the black book. Nicky then gathers his own crew and begins his own businesses, such as a restaurant and a jewelry store, but also engages in burglary, which is not sanctioned by the bosses.

Sam, meanwhile, meets and falls in love with a hustler, Ginger McKenna (Stone). Despite Ginger's reluctance, they soon conceive a daughter, Amy, and marry. But their relationship slowly begins to fall apart when Ginger is caught by Sam and Nicky aiding her former boyfriend, a con man named Lester Diamond (James Woods). Sam also makes an enemy in Clark County Commissioner Pat Webb (L. Q. Jones) by firing Webb's brother-in-law Donald Ward (Joe Bob Briggs) from the casino for his incompetence and resisting pressure from Webb to reinstate him. Webb retaliates by pulling Sam's casino license application from the backlog, forcing Sam to have a license hearing, but secretly arranges for the gaming board and State Senator Harrison Roberts of the State of Nevada (Dick Smothers) to reject the license. Sam responds by appearing on television and openly accuses the city government of corruption. The bosses, unappreciative of Sam's publicity, ask him to return home, but he stubbornly blames Nicky's reckless lawbreaking for his mess. In a heated argument in the desert, Nicky chastises Sam to never "go over his head".

The bosses soon notice that the suitcases of money from the skim have decreasing amounts of money, meaning that the money counters have begun skimming some for themselves. They put Artie Piscano in charge of overseeing the skims, but he complains about the expensive costs. Despite the bosses warning Piscano not to keep financial records, he secretly starts writing down how much he spends in a ledger. Piscano's rants about the extra work and the costs are overheard by the FBI, who had earlier bugged his grocery store. (Sam mentions that ironically they were looking for evidence on an unrelated crime.) Sam finally reaches the end of his patience with Ginger after she and Lester are in Los Angeles with plans to run away to Europe with his daughter Amy. Sam talks Ginger into bringing Amy back, but her addictions anger Sam so much that he kicks her out of the house. She returns, on Sam's condition that she carry a beeper on her for Sam to contact her whenever he must. Ginger turns to Nicky for help in getting her share of her and Sam's money from the bank, and they begin a sexual affair, which according to mob rules, could get the two of them killed (as well as Nicky's crew for covering it up). Sam reaches his limit with Ginger when she ties Amy to her bedposts to have a night with Nicky. Sam confronts Ginger in the restaurant and disowns her. She turns to Nicky, but he has lost patience with her as well. The next morning, Ginger goes to Sam's house, creates a domestic disturbance, and uses the distraction to take the key to their bank deposit box. She takes some of the savings, but is then arrested by FBI agents.

With Ginger's arrest and the FBI's discovery of Piscano's records, which are then matched with the skimming operation, the casino empire crumbles and the bosses are arrested. During a meeting, they decide to eliminate anyone involved in order to keep them from testifying. The slain include Andy Stone, the head of the Teamsters Pension Fund; John Nance, the money courier; and three casino executives. Ginger, who runs away from Sam to Los Angeles, sinks deeper into drug and alcohol addiction and dies almost penniless of a drug overdose. During the voiceover Sam comments that he had a second autopsy done on Ginger, and she died from "...a hot dose..." implying that she was also deliberately killed.

Nicky and his brother, Dominick, arrange a clandestine meeting in a cornfield, but are suddenly turned on and severely beaten with baseball bats by their own crew. Nicky is restrained while Dominick is beaten unconscious, then he is next. The brothers are stripped and buried in a freshly dug grave while still breathing. Sam narrates that the bosses ordered the hit on account of being fed up with Nicky's hotheadedness and disregard for order, and apparently granted Nicky's crew clemency in exchange for it.

Returning to the film's opening scene, Sam survives the car bomb, but knows that the bosses were not responsible for it. With the mob now out of power, the old casinos are purchased by big corporations and demolished to make way for much gaudier gambling attractions financed by junk bonds. Sam laments that this new "family friendly" Las Vegas lacks the same kind of catering to the players than the older and, to his perception, classier Vegas he saw when he ran the Tangiers. In the final scene, an older Sam is shown living in San Diego, once again as a sports handicapper for the mob, or in his words, "...right back where I started".

Succes 2011: Ulrich Walter, astronaut german

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hans Walter is a German physicist/engineer and a former DFVLR astronaut.

Walter was born in Iserlohn, Germany. After finishing secondary school there and two years in the Bundeswehr, he studied physics at the University of Cologne. In 1980, he was awarded a diploma degree, and five years later a doctorate, both in the field of solid state physics.

After two post-doc positions at the Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, Illinois, and the University of California at Berkeley, California, he was selected in 1987 to join the German astronaut team. From 1988 to 1990, he completed basic training at the German German Aerospace Center, and was then nominated to be in the prime crew for the second German Spacelab mission.

In 1993, he flew on board the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-55 (Spacelab D-2) as a Payload Specialist. He spent 9 days, 23 hours, and 40 minutes in space.

After his spaceflight. he worked for another four years at DLR, managing a space imaging database project. When the German astronaut team was merged into a European Space Agency, he did not transfer, but resigned to work at IBM Germany.

Since 2003, he has been a full professor at the Technische Universität München (Munich, Germany), holding the chair for spacefare technology at the University's faculty of mechanical engineering.

He is author of several books, and also does work as presenter of a popular science magazine show on Bavarian TV.

Succes 2011: Prem Joshua, pioneer of World Fusion Music. Multi-instrumentalist and composer. Sitar expert

Prem Joshua (Hindi: प्रेम जोशुआ) is a German musician, active since 1991.

Born in Germany, Joshua learned the flute at the age of five and played the flute and the saxophone for various local bands. At the age of 18, he traveled overland to India studying the indigenous folk music of countries along the way. Joshua was the name his parents gave him, he later added Prem to it, dropping the family name, to remind him of the essence of love (Prem literally means love in Hindi).

On reaching India, Joshua learned to play the sitar from Ustad Usman Khan and Osho. Osho inspired him and his music. His website states that "In the presence of this man with a long white beard, eyes as deep as the ocean and a strong sense of humor, he came in touch with the art of the “inner music” - Silence. This was really coming home!"



Throughout his career, he has experimented with various forms of music, creating a blend of the East and the West. He has also worked extensively with other producers, making remixes of his own songs and infusing traditional Hindustani acoustic instruments with lounge and trance beats. His music has immensely contributed to the Asian Underground and fusion scene.

In 1991, Joshua launched his first project, “Terra Incognita”, with Kora player, Ravi, and British Sarod player, Chinmaya Dunster, with which he released two albums. He subsequently released four solo albums and formed the band, “Hamsafar”, with which he released one album. Following this, Joshua began to experiment with genres like drum and bass, lounge, and trance, while still focusing on traditional Hindustani music.

Despite this breaking of boundaries, Prem Joshua’s ‘World of Fusion’ nevertheless retains a deep reverence towards its musical roots. One hears Indian temple chants with reminiscences of urban jazz; sufi poems set to reggae rhythms; unfettered and complex Indian classical music on sitar and tabla… and soaring melodies on the bamboo flute over driving trance loops sending the listener effortlessly spinning into dervish-like heights of ecstasy.

For his timely interpretation of the music traditions of the East, Prem Joshua has been especially honored in India. His music seems to touch the “mood of the moment” and one hears his music everywhere - from the Himalayas in the north, down to Delhi and Bombay, then south to the beaches of Goa and Kerala. The foremost Indian newspaper - the Times of India - has even lauded him as the 'New Guru of World Fusion Music’.

In 2005 his band played live on 'MTV Asia'.
In 2006 he and his band gave a private performance for the President of Malaysia.
In 2007 Joshua received the award "Best Film Music on Indian TV" at the Indian TV Awards in Mumbai. And more recently his band performed for the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and legendary Indian singers, Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar.

Today he is the number one best-selling World Music artist in India. However, his music is not only appreciated in the East. It has also ‘come West’. Most notably, in 2007 his band gave a private concert for the UK’s Prince Edward at the Royal Palace in London - and the 'BBC' nominated him for their ‘World music listeners award.’

Always a passionate live performer, Joshua tours the globe with his band for almost 10 months each year and is as much at home on the stages of Bombay and Dubai as in the clubs of New York and Paris. For the last 15 years he has shared the stage with internationally acclaimed musicians from East and West, and has performed in India, the Middle East, South East Asia, USA, Japan, Israel and all over Europe.

Succes 2011: Jim Bagnola, coach motivaţional al NASA. Expert aflat în topul mondial al celor mai bine cotaţi speakeri în materie de leadership

Jim Bagnola este Senior Partner la The Leadership Group, activand ca expert motivational din 1974. Cu peste 30 de experienta el este un coach authentic si unul din cei mai cunoscuti speaker internationali, ocupand locul 26 la nivel mondial conform Leadership Gurus, topul celor mai bine cotati speakeri in materie de leadership.

În Romania, Jim Bagnola a fost apreciat de peste 30 de companii lider de piata printre care Administratia Prezidentiala, Alliantz Tiriac, GFK, Lafarge, Leaders Romania, McCann Erickson, OMV, Solectron, ASE. In mediul international a ajutat multinationale ca Shell Oil Company, Kroger Company, Siemens, dar si organizatii ca NASA, NATO si Departamentul de Stat al SUA.

Cele doua evenimente se adreseaza Middle si Top managementului, manageri de comunicare si PR, companiilor mici si medii, antreprenorilor si persoanelor care aspira la o pozitie de conducere. Organizatorii acestui eveniment sunt HPDI (Human Performance Development International) si LEADERS Romania. Photo: jimbagnola.ro

Jim Bagnola’s expertise and passion is in the field of leadership and body-mind management with emphasis on the influence of thinking patterns on health, happiness, success, and the capacity to lead.

He has been speaking and educating worldwide—on six continents, as well as across the United States for over twenty-five years.

Jim’s workshop topics include Leadership, Stress Management, Customer Service, Coaching Skills, and Change—all in relation to “The Secrets of the Mind-Body Connection.” He inspires listeners to turn within and awaken to the reality of their own greatness. Jim’s goal is simple: to build Professional Human Beings.

Born in Canton, Ohio, and now residing in Austin, Texas, Jim has traveled to more than 70 countries for both adventure and work. He is an avid sports fan, health enthusiast, and lifelong reader.

He was educated in political science and communications at the University of Akron and has been a certified stress-management instructor since 1975. He is also an executive coach to Fortune 500 company leaders.

He has had varied professions throughout his life: He owned his own business, held corporate VP positions, served on university administrations, and managed world-famous magician, Doug Henning.

Jim is a member of the National Speakers Association and has earned the designation of Certified Speaking Professional, which qualifies him as one of North America’s top-rated speakers. Fewer than five hundred professional speakers worldwide have been awarded this designation.

He is also currently a senior partner with the consulting firm, The Leadership Group, and is a visiting faculty member of Western Management Development Center in Denver. He sits on the board of advisors for Leaders Romania and gives much of his time as a frequent lecturer for AIESEC, an international educational foundation based in Rotterdam. He is also a member of the board of trustees of Olive Branch Foundation in Ohio.

Jim highly values his on-going opportunity of influencing and interacting meaningfully with thousands of people in both private- and public-sector organizations, including Shell Oil Company, Kroger Company, U.S. Department of State, Department of the Air Force, NASA, NATO, and United Nations.

The Curious Case of Brad Pitt. A sex-symbol waiting for an Oscar

William Bradley „Brad” Pitt (n. 18 decembrie 1963) este un actor american, producător de film și activist social. A devenit celebru la mijlocul anilor 1990 după ce a interpretat rolurile principale din filmele Interviu cu un vampir în 1994 și Seven în 1995. Pitt a fost nominalizat la Premiile Oscar pentru rolul său din filmul Twelve Monkeys din 1996 și pentru rolul din Strania poveste a lui Benjamin Button din 2009. El a fost etichetat ca fiind unul dintre cei mai atrăgători bărbați din industria filmului.

În timp ce se chinuia să se stabilească în Los Angeles, Pitt a luat lecții de actorie de la actorul Roy London. A avut diverse profesii ocazionale, fiind pentru o perioadă șofer și purtând costumul cocoșului "EL Pollo Loco" pentru a-și plăti lecțiile. Cariera pe ecran a lui Pitt a început în 1987 cu roluri minore în filmele No Way Out, No Man's Land și Less Than Zero. Debutul său la televiziune a fost în noiembrie, același an, cu apariția specială în sitcomul Growing Pains, de pe ABC.

A apărut în patru episoade din serialul Dallas, de pe CBS, între Decembrie 1987 și Februarie 1988, cu rolul lui Randy, iubitul lui Charlie Wade (interpretat de Shalane McCall). Pitt și-a descris caracterul ca fiind un iubit idiot care este prins în faptă. Discutând despre scenele sale cu McCall, Pitt a spus mai târziu că era cam sălbatic, pentru că eu nu aș fi întâlnit-o vreodată înainte. Mai târziu în 1988, Pitt a avut un rol surpziă în drama 21 Jump Street, de pe canalul Fox. În același an, co-producția Iugoslavia-US The Dark Side of the Sun, 1988, i-a dat lui Pitt primul său rol principal într-un film, interpretând un tânăr american dus de familia sa la Marea Adriatică, pentru a-i trata boala de piele. Totuși, filmul a fost pus deoparte datorită Războiului de Independență Croat și a fost lansat tocmai în 1997.

Pitt a avut două roluri în 1989: primul, într-un rol din comedia Happy Together; al doilea, un rol în filmul horror Cutting Class, primul dintre filmele în care a jucat Pitt și care a fost jucat pe scena teatrelor. A mai avut roluril în serialele TV Head of the Class, Freddy's Nightmares, Thirthysomething și, pentru a doua oară, Growing Pains. Pitt a jucat rolul lui Billy Canton, un dependent de droguri care profită de o tânără fugară, jucată de Juliette Lewis, în 1990, în filmul TV de pe NBC, Too Young to Die?, povestea unui adolescent abuzat, condamnat la moarte pentru crimă. Ken Tucker, recenzor pentru Enterainment Weekly, a scris: Pitt este, în rolul iubitului ei, un gunoi magnific; arătând și sunând ca un pizmaș John Cougar Mellencamp, e chiar înfricoșător. În același an, Pitt a jucat în șase episoade în scurt-metrajul de pe canalul Fox, drama Glory Days și a luat în sprijinire rolul în filmul The Image, de pe HBO. Următoarea sa apariție a fost în 1991, în filmul Across the Tracks; Pitt l-a impersonat pe Joe MAloney, un director de liceu cu un frate criminal, interpretat de Ricky Schroder. După ani de roluri ajutătoare în filme și apariții surpriză în seriale TV, publicul de peste graniță l-a recunoscut pe Pitt cu rolul său în filmul din 1991, Thelma & Louise. El a avut rolul lui J.D., un hoț mărunt care o ocrotea pe Thelma (Geena Davis). Scena în care el făcea dragoste cu Davis a fost citat ca fiind momentul în care Brad Pitt a fost văzut ca un sex-simbol.

După Thelma & Louise, Pitt a apărut în rol principal în filmul din 1991 Johny Suede, un film cu buget redus despre un star rock ce aspiră la faimă, și în filmul din 1992, Cold World, deși niciunul dintre acestea nu i-au furnizat lui Pitt succes necesar carierei acestuia, datorită recenziilor negative primite la box office. Pitt a obținut rolul lui Paul Maclean, în filmul biografic din 1992, A River Runs Through It, regizat de Robert Redford. Portretizarea caracterului a fost descrisă ca fiind una făcătoare de carieră, în sensul de a-l ajuta în ascensiunea sa ca actor, demonstrând că Pitt poate fi mai mult decât un cow-boy urât de toți, deși el a recunoscut că a fost sub presiune atunci când a făcut filmul.

Pitt a mai adăugat că a fost una dintre cele mai slabe performanțe ale sale și este ciudat că a fost singurul rol pentru care i-a fost acordată atâta atenție. Pitt a crezut că a avut de câștigat de pe urma colaborării cu o echipă atât de talentată, mergând până la a-l compara pe Redford tenis, spunând când joci cu cineva mai bun decât tine, stilul tău de a juca se îmbunătățește. În 1993, Pitt s-a reunit cu Juliette Lewis, co-star din Too Young to Die?, pentru filmul Kalifornia. El a avut rolul lui Early Grace, un criminal în serie și iubitul personajului Lewisei, cu o performanță pe care Peter Travers, jurnalist la Rolling Stone, a descris-o ca fiind "extraordinară, tot șarmul băiețesc, pentru ca apoi acesta să devină amenințare pură". Pitt a atras de asemenea atenția printr-o scurtă apariție în True Romance, cu rolul unui pietrar pe nume Floyd, aducând mult căutatul umor pentru filmul de acțiune, echilibrând astfel acțiunea filmului. A atins topul în anul respectiv prin câștigarea premiului ShoWest Award for Male Star of Tomorrow.

În 1995, a primit critici de succes pentru thrillerul Seven și SF-ul Twelve Monkeys, mai târziu aducându-i Globul de Aur pentru Best Supporting Actor și nominalizarea la Academy Award. In acelasi an a jucat alaturi de Anthony Hopkins in "Legendele toamnei" Patru ani mai târziu, în 1999, Pitt a jucat în filmul de succes Fight Club. In 1998 primeste rolul lui Joe Black din filmul "Meet Joe Black", jucand din nou alaturi de Anthony Hopkins.

Brad Pitt a avut 2 roluri principale în 2004 începand cu Ahile din filmul Troia și continuându-și succesul cu rolul Rusty Ryan în continuarea filmului Ocean's Twelve. El a petrecut 6 luni numai ca să se antreneze cu sabia, special pentru rolul din Troia. Cu un câștig de 497 de milioane de dolari în toată lumea, Troia rămâne cel mai mare succes comercial a lui Pitt. Filmul a reușit să câstige 133 milioane de dolari în Statele Unite și 364 milioane de dolari în restul lumii. Stephen Hunter a specificat că Pitt a reușit să se ridice la așteptări într-un rol așa de solicitant.

În 2005 Brad a început filmările pentru comedia Mr. & Mrs. Smith în care acțiunea principală se bazează pe o familie complet plictisitoare care era alcătuită din domnul Smith (Bradd Pit) și doamna Smith (Angelina Jolie).Amândoi descoperă În mod șocant că fiecare este un asasin plătit să îl omoare pe celălalt. Acest film a reușit să strângă 478 de milioane de dolari apropiindu-se de recordul deținut de rolul său din filmul Troia.

In 2006 Brad Pitt a fost repartizat în drama Babel. Filmul a fost lansat cu ocazia festivalului de film de la Cannes din 2006.

În 2007 el a fost distribuit în deja binecunoscutul rol Rusty Ryan în continuarea filmului Ocean's Thirteen.Apoi el și-a continuat cariera cinematografică în The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford adaptată după romanul lui Ron Hansen din 1983 cu același nume.

În 2008 el a avut rolul principal în filmul "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

Pitt deține o companie de producție numită Plan B Entertainment, care a produs filmul The Departed, în 2007, ce a câștigat premiul Academy Award pentru Best Picture și nominalizare pentru premiul BAFTA.

Sin City: Jessica Alba, Benicio Del Toro, Rosario Dawson, Clive Owen & Bruce Willis

Sin City is the title for a series of neo-noir comics by Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in "Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special" (April, 1991), and continued in Dark Horse Presents #51–62 from May 1991 to June 1992, under the title of Sin City, serialized in thirteen parts. Several other stories of variable lengths have followed. All stories take place in Basin City, with frequent recurring characters and intertwining stories.

A movie adaptation of Sin City, co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller with "special guest director" Quentin Tarantino, was released on April 1, 2005. A planned sequel was announced soon after, but has since been delayed indefinitely.

Basin City, almost universally referred to by the nickname Sin City, is a fictional town in the American west. The climate is hot and arid, although Sacred Oaks is characterized as being heavily wooded. A major river runs through the city, which has an extensive waterfront. Usually twice a year, a major downpour comes, and (in That Yellow Bastard) the city gets heavy snowfall in the winter. In the comics, Basin City has a surreal, Pan-American feel. Desert lizards and palm trees are common, while tar pits, desert areas, mountain ranges and flat farmland make up the landscape around the city.

The Basin City Police are more or less along the lines of paramilitary or SWAT, as they have to deal with incredibly high crime rates among criminals and civilians alike, which is why they have access to what most would consider "heavy weaponry" and full body armor. Those who make up the force have been described as commonly being lazy, cowardly and/or corrupt. Only a handful of the cops are honest, though frequently the wealthy of the city bribe the corrupt members of the police into performing their duty (usually as a result of some crime being committed (or threatened) against a member of their family).

During the California Gold Rush, the Roark family "imported" a large number of attractive women to keep the miners happy, making a fortune and turning a struggling mining camp into a thriving, bustling city. Over the years, as the Roark family migrated into other areas of business and power, these women ended up forming the district of Old Town, the prostitute quarter of the city where they rule with absolute authority. In addition, the people charged with governing the city, most of them from the Roark line, remained in power for generations, running it as they saw fit.

As the various yarns progress, the audience gradually becomes familiar with key locations in and around Basin City.

* The Projects, the run-down and poor side of Sin City, is a tangle of high-rise apartments where crime runs rampant. Its inhabitants have apparently evolved their own independent society with almost no legal contact with the outside world. Marv was born in the Projects and they make Dwight sick.
* The Docks, a collection of wharfs and warehouses that are local to the Projects. Hartigan and Roark Junior have their first confrontation here in That Yellow Bastard, and Marv drives a stolen police car off one of the piers at the beginning of The Hard Goodbye.
* Kadie's Club Pecos, a strip club/bar where Nancy Callahan and Shellie work, and Dwight McCarthy and Marv hang out. Though filled almost solely with drunk and violent men, Kadie's bar is one of the safest areas in Sin City. Marv, who possesses an extraordinarily high sense of chivalry, protects the female employees of Kadie's from any violence that makes its way inside.

* Roark Family Farm (a.k.a. "The Farm") is located at North Cross and Lennox and shows up in several stories, including The Hard Goodbye, That Yellow Bastard, The Babe Wore Red and Hell and Back. It was also home to Kevin, a serial killer with ties to the Roark family. Marv burns down one of the buildings, and the Farm is abandoned sometime after the initial Sin City storyline.
* Old Town is the red-light district and is off limits to the police, unless they're 'shopping'. This is where the city's population of prostitutes reside; it recently came under the control of the twins Goldie and Wendy. Though perfectly willing to engage in almost any sexual act for the right price, the women of Old Town show no mercy to those who "break the rules" and back up their independence with lethal force. The mob and pimps were thrown out after a period of fighting.
* Sacred Oaks, home to the rich and powerful of Basin City. This suburb lies beyond the city proper, a half an hour drive uphill. A university of some sort is also located there, and the entire area is patrolled by armed employees of its wealthy inhabitants.
* Basin City Central Train Station, which has a direct connection to Phoenix.
* The Santa Yolanda Tar Pits, an abandoned amusement park of sorts outside the city, where several tar pits are located and dinosaur bones were excavated at some time. After a 'big-budget dinosaur movie' (presumably a reference to Jurassic Park) caused a sensation, the county put up concrete statues of dinosaurs there to draw crowds. However, after an old lady fell through a railing into one of the pits and had a heart attack, the place was shut down indefinitely. They are frequently used as a place to dump things that people don't want found; high-schoolers also tend to sneak in there a lot. This is where Delia tells Phil to drive in Wrong Turn and where Dwight takes the corpses of Jackie Boy and his friends in The Big Fat Kill. Frank Miller has admitted the main reason the Tar Pits exist is as an excuse to draw the dinosaur statues.

Succes 2011: Marco Lazzara, contratenor italian

Marco Lazzara (born 1962) is an Italian countertenor who sings a wide-ranging repertoire from baroque composers to those of the 20th century and has performed in a number of notable premieres and revivals of rarely performed operas.He has recorded widely on the Bongiovanni, Ricordi, Nuova Era, Forlane, Opera Rara and Dynamic labels.

Lazzara received diplomas in piano, organ, harpsichord and singing, followed by studies at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, and made his professional debut in 1989. In the field of baroque music, Lazzara has sung as a leading soloist with the Alessandro Stradella Consort in a series of performances and world premiere recordings, including, Stradella's Il barcheggio, Moro per amore, and Esule dalle sfere and Nicola Porpora's Dorindo dormi ancor? on the Bongiovanni label. He also appears in the world premiere recording of Niccolò Piccinni's Salve Regina and Dixit Dominus on Bongiovanni. Lazzara was the first countertenor to sing the role of Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice in Italy with a series of 1996 performances in Mantua, Pisa and Ravenna. In 2001, he sang the title role of Antonio Cesti's Il Tito in its first modern revival since 1983. The production at the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants premiered a newly edited score by music scholar Alan Curtis.

In the bel canto repertoire, Lazzara sang the role of Lurcanio in Simone Mayr's Ginevra di Scozia in a series of performances (and world premiere recording) in April 2001 at the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste to mark the bicentenary of the opera's premiere and its first performance in modern times. Lazzara has also recorded an album of arias and duets by Rossini with Annick Massis (Duo d'amore) on the Forlane label, and a solo album of arias and songs by Bellini on the Dynamic label. The latter contains the first recording of Francesco Florimo's "Tu che al pianger" based on a theme from Bellini's La straniera.

Lazzara's performances in 20th century works include the role of Edgar in the Italian premiere of Aribert Reimann's Lear at the Teatro Regio di Torino in October 2001; Manichino di Donna in the world premiere of Azio Corghi's Il Dissoluto Assolto at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon in March 2006 (reprised for its Italian premiere at La Scala the following September); Il delegato in the world premiere of Bruno de Franceschi's Il paradiso degli esuli (Pisa, 27 October 1994);[10] and Sesto Simbolo in the world premiere of Adriano Guarnieri's Pietra di diaspro at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma on 10 June 2007 (reprised for the Ravenna Festival later that year). Lazzara has also performed as a soloist in Giacomo Manzoni's Trame d'Ombre (Webs of Shadows) at Carnegie Hall (April 2000)and in the first Italian performance of Alfred Schnittke's cantata based on the Faust legend, Seid nüchtern und wachet. The latter performance was broadcast live by RAI Radio 3 on 22 April 2007.

Succes 2011: Niki Lauda, a living Formula 1 legend

Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (n. 22 februarie 1949) este un om de afaceri austriac și fost pilot de Formula 1, campion mondial în anii 1975, 1977 și 1984.

Dupa prima sa retragere din Formula 1 a fondat linia aeriana Lauda Air, care a devenit in timp una din cele mai mari linii aeriene din lume. Lauda a fost unul din primii piloti ale propriilor avioane.

În anul 1982 când s-a reîntors în Formula 1 după o absență de două sezoane a devenit primul pilot din lume plătit cu peste 1 milion de dolari pe sezon de către echipa sa.
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.

Born in Vienna, Austria, to a wealthy family. Although it is often reported in Spain that his paternal grandfather was Juan Lauda Crespo, from Galicia, according to Austrian sources his paternal grandfather was the Viennese-born businessman Hans Lauda.

Lauda became a racing driver despite his family's disapproval. After starting out with a Mini, Lauda moved on into Formula Vee, as was normal in Central Europe, but rapidly moved up to drive in private Porsche and Chevron sports cars. His career seemed to be going nowhere in particular until he took out a large bank loan, secured by a life insurance policy, to buy his way into the fledgling March team as a Formula 2 (F2) driver in 1971. He was quickly promoted to the F1 team and drove for March in both F1 and F2 in 1972. Although the F2 cars were good (and Lauda's test-driving skills impressed March principal Robin Herd), March's 1972 F1 season was catastrophic and Lauda, in despair and deep debt, briefly contemplated suicide but finally took out yet another bank loan to buy his way into the BRM team in 1973. Lauda was instantly quick but the team was in decline; his big break came when his BRM team-mate Clay Regazzoni rejoined Ferrari in 1974 and team owner Enzo Ferrari asked him what he thought of Lauda. Regazzoni spoke favourably of Lauda, so Ferrari promptly went and signed him, paying Niki enough to clear his debts.
After an unsuccessful start to the 1970s culminating in a disastrous start to the 1973 season, Ferrari regrouped completely under Luca di Montezemolo and were resurgent in 1974. The team's faith in the little-known Lauda was quickly rewarded by a second-place finish in his début race for the team, the season-opening Argentine Grand Prix. His first Grand Prix (GP) victory – and the first for Ferrari since 1972 – followed only three races later in Spain. Although Lauda became the season's pacesetter, achieving six consecutive pole positions, a mixture of inexperience and mechanical unreliability meant Lauda won only one more race that year, the Dutch GP. He finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship and demonstrated immense commitment to testing and improving the car.

The 1975 F1 season started slowly for Lauda, but after nothing better than a fifth-place finish in the first four races he then won four out of the next five races in the new Ferrari 312T. His first World Championship was confirmed with a fifth win at the last race of the year, the United States GP. He also became the first and only driver to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under 7 minutes, which was considered a huge feat as the Nordschleife section of the Nürburgring was 2 miles longer than it is today.

Unlike 1975, Lauda dominated the start of the 1976 F1 season, winning four of the first six races and finishing second in the other two. By the time of his fifth win of the year at the British GP, he had more than double the points of his closest challengers Jody Scheckter and James Hunt, and a second consecutive World Championship appeared a formality. It would be a feat not achieved since Jack Brabham's victories in 1959 and 1960. He also looked set to win the most races in a season, a record held by the late Jim Clark since 1963.

A week before the 1976 German Grand Prix at the fearsome Nürburgring, (even though he was the fastest driver on the circuit at that time) Lauda tried to boycott the circuit, largely due to the safety arrangements. Most of the other drivers voted against it and the race went ahead. On the second lap at the very fast left kink before Bergwerk, Lauda's Ferrari swerved off the track, due to a suspected rear suspension failure, hit an embankment and rolled back into the path of Brett Lunger's Surtees-Ford car. Lauda's Ferrari burst into flames, but, unlike Lunger, he was trapped in the wreckage. Drivers Arturo Merzario, Brett Lunger, Guy Edwards and Harald Ertl arrived at the scene a few moments later, but before they and Lunger were able to pull Lauda from his car, he suffered severe burns to his head and inhaled hot toxic gases that damaged his lungs and blood. Although Lauda was conscious and able to stand immediately after the accident, he later lapsed into a coma.

Lauda suffered extensive scarring from the burns, which became possibly his most famous attribute in the eyes of the public. He only had enough reconstructive surgery to get his eyelids to work properly, but never felt a need to do any more. His right ear is mostly gone. Since the accident he has always worn a cap to cover the scars on his head. He has arranged for sponsors to use the cap for advertising.

With Lauda out of the contest, Ferrari boycotted the Austrian GP in protest at what they saw a preferential treatment shown towards McLaren driver James Hunt at the Spanish and British GPs. Carlos Reutemann was even taken on as a potential replacement.

Lauda returned to race only six weeks (two races) later, finishing fourth in the Italian GP. In Lauda's absence, Hunt had reduced his lead in the World Championship standings. Following wins in the Canadian and United States GPs, Hunt stood only three points behind Lauda before the final race of the season, the Japanese GP.

Lauda qualified third, one place behind Hunt, but on race day there was torrential rain and Lauda retired after 2 laps, stating that he felt it was unsafe to continue under these conditions. Hunt led much of the race before a late puncture dropped him down the order. He recovered to 3rd, thus winning the title by a single point. In spite of this, Lauda's move is seen as one of the bravest examples in motor racing.

Lauda's previously good relationship with Ferrari was severely affected by his decision to withdraw from the race, and he endured a difficult 1977 season, despite easily winning the championship through consistency rather than outright pace. Having announced his decision to quit Ferrari at season's end, Lauda left early due to the team's decision to run the then unknown Gilles Villeneuve in a third car at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Having joined Brabham in 1978 for a $1 million salary, Lauda endured two unsuccessful seasons, notable mainly for his one race in the Brabham BT46B, a radical design known as the Fan Car: it won its first race, but Brabham did not use the car in F1 again, not wanting the car to be banned outright. At the 1979 Canadian Grand Prix, Lauda informed B

rabham owner Bernie Ecclestone that he wished to retire immediately, as he had no more desire to "drive around in circles". Lauda, who had founded a charter airline, returned to Austria to run the company full-time.

Needing money to shore up his new business, in 1982 Lauda returned to racing, feeling that he still had a career in Formula One. After a successful test with McLaren, the only problem was in convincing then team sponsor Marlboro that he was still capable of winning. Lauda proved he was still quite capable when, in his third race back, he won the Long Beach Grand Prix. Lauda won a third world championship in 1984 by half a point over teammate Alain Prost, due to only half points being awarded for the shortened 1984 Monaco Grand Prix. His Austrian Grand Prix victory that year is the most recent time an Austrian has won his home Grand Prix.

1985 was a poor season for Lauda, with thirteen retirements from the sixteen races. He did manage 4th at the 1985 San Marino Grand Prix, 5th at the 1985 German Grand Prix, and a single race win at the 1985 Dutch Grand Prix. This proved to be his last Grand Prix victory and also the last Formula One Grand Prix held in the Netherlands. He retired for good at the end of that season.

Lauda returned to running his airline, Lauda Air, on his second Formula One retirement in 1985. During his time as airline manager, he was appointed consultant at Ferrari as part of an effort by Montezemolo to rejuvenate the team.[8] Ousted from his airline by boardroom politics after a sale to majority partner Austrian Airlines in 1999, he managed the Jaguar Formula One racing team from 2001 to 2002. In late 2003, he started a new airline, Niki. Lauda holds a commercial pilot's license and from time to time acts as a captain on the flights of his airline.

He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993 and since 1996 has provided commentary on Grands Prix for Austrian and German television on RTL. He was, however, rapped for calling Robert Kubica a "polack" on air in May 2010 at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Niki Lauda has written five books: The Art and Science of Grand Prix Driving (titled Formula 1: The Art and Technicalities of Grand Prix Driving in some markets) (1975); My Years With Ferrari (1978); The New Formula One: A Turbo Age (1984); Meine Story (titled To Hell and Back in some markets) (1986); Das dritte Leben (1996). Lauda credits Austrian journalist Herbert Volker with editing the books.

Lauda is sometimes known by the nickname "the rat" or "SuperRat" because of his prominent bucked teeth. He has been associated with both Parmalat and Viessmann, sponsoring his ever faithful 'cappy' from 1976 onwards, used to hide the severe burns he sustained in his 1976 accident. Lauda admitted in a 2009 interview with the German newspaper Die Zeit that an advertiser currently pays €1.2m for the space on his famous red cap.

In 2008, American sports television network ESPN ranked him 22nd on their top drivers of all-time. In 2005 the Austrian post office issued a stamp honouring him.

Lauda had two sons with his first wife, Marlene: Mathias, a racing driver himself, and Lukas, his brother's manager. They divorced in 1991. He also has an illegitimate son, Christoph. In 2008 he married Birgit, who was 30 years his junior and was formerly a stewardess for his airline. She had also donated a kidney to Lauda when the kidney he received in a transplant from his brother years earlier failed. In September 2009 Birgit gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl.

Succes 2011: Peter Wingfield (Highlander, 24)

Peter Wingfield (born 5 September 1962) is a Welsh born television actor, well known for his television roles as Dan Clifford in Holby City, Dr. Robert Helm in Queen of Swords and Inspector Simon Ross in Cold Squad. But he is internationally best known for his role as the 5000-year-old Immortal Methos in the hit syndicated series Highlander: The Series.

Wingfield was born in Cardiff and grew up in the Grangetown community, a good student, initially educated at The Cathedral School, Llandaff he enjoyed athletics, music, outdoor activities, and drama. At the age of fifteen he was the Welsh National Trampoline champion. After his A-levels he entered Brasenose College, Oxford, and in 1982 began medical training at the prestigious St Bartholomew's Hospital in London. His time, however, was not devoted solely to medicine. In 1980 he spent his summer break at the National Youth Theatre of Wales where he discovered the sense of camaraderie and belonging that characterise truly outstanding acting troupes. His four-week stint with this youth theatre changed him in ways he didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but which were to have a lasting impact. He also worked during his college years at the Brasenose Little Theatre, both performing in, and producing, a variety of plays.

Shortly before completing his fifth and final year at St Bartholomew’s in 1987, Wingfield realised that the practice of modern medicine was not for him.One month before he was due to graduate, he made the decision to leave medical school and pursue acting as a full-time career.
Wingfield began his formal acting training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, coincidentally located just across the street from St Bart’s Hospital in London. His training covered the range of an actor’s repertoire, including voice, movement, and the acting skills necessary to be successful in arenas ranging from radio to mime. Peter was chosen in 1990 to compete for the BBC’s Carleton Hobbs Award for radio, which he won.

In 1990, shortly after leaving drama school, he landed his first television acting part as a taxi driver in the film Antonia and Jane. The qualification that led to his selection for the part was that he knew how to drive.

Wingfield appeared regularly on British television, and starred in numerous productions. His last major role in British television was as Tom Kirby in the series Noah’s Ark in 1997. Portraying a vet in the series, Wingfield had to take medication to combat his animal allergies. One positive outcome of this short-lived series is that the constant exposure to animals has apparently reduced his allergic reactions.

In the late 1990s Peter played Simon Pemberton in BBC Radio 4's serial The Archers.
A large international audience came to know him as Methos, the oldest living Immortal in Highlander: The Series. Since that series ended, Wingfield has appeared in numerous North American television productions for both Canadian and U.S. companies, including the portrayal of Dr Robert Helm on Fireworks Entertainment production's syndicated show Queen of Swords filmed at Texas Hollywood studios, Tabernas southern Spain home of the spaghetti western. A Canadian/Spanish/United Kingdom production. He reprised his role as Methos in Highlander: Endgame in 2000.

In addition to Antonia and Jane, Wingfield has appeared in the feature films X2: X-Men United, Highlander: Endgame (reprising the role of Methos), The Edge of Madness, Baby Geniuses 2, Catwoman and Uncovered. He also appeared on Stargate SG-1 as Tanith, and as Lach on Andromeda's fourth season episode The Others. Another notable appearance was in the TV movie Halloweentown 2: The Rise of Kalabar, where he played Alex. He also recently appeared in episodes of Caprica on the SyFy Channel.

While filming the fifth Highlander movie Highlander: The Source, Wingfield related his love for Methos:
“And I have to say, the first day of filming was unexpectedly emotional for me. As I put on the long black coat and drove to the set in the pre-dawn gloom, I could feel the presence of an old friend I have not seen for some years now. Really, in a very physical way, I could 'feel' him. And I was overwhelmed, possessed even, by the sense of him, tears welling up in my eyes as I formed the words in my head, over and over again, "Methos is alive."

From August 2006 to October 2007, he appeared in the BBC medical drama Holby City, playing General Surgical Consultant Daniel Clifford.

Although officially retired as a Trampoline National Champion, Wingfield is still a focused athlete. He runs as often as his schedule allows, his most recent major run being the New York City ING Marathon in November, 2009, which he ran in support of UNICEF.

Wingfield played the recurring role of David Emerson on Season 7 of the Fox TV series 24, which premiered on 11 January 2009. He also played Dr. Watson on the science fiction series Sanctuary.

In 2010, Wingfield starred in the remake of Riverworld for the SyFy Channel, playing Sir Richard Francis Burton. He also played Dr. John Trousdale in the Syfy original film Stonehenge Apocalypse. He also had guest roles in Human Target and NCIS Los Angeles.

Julia Roberts, America's Sweetheart. Eat Pray Love - and win an Oscar from time to time

Julia Roberts (n. 28 octombrie 1967) este o actriță americană de film, mătușa Emmei Roberts, câștigătoare a premiului Oscar, pentru cel mai bun rol feminin din filmul inspirat de realitate, Erin Brockovich.

În Rețeaua Miraculoasă, ea este vocea personajului Charlotte.

Pe numele său adevărat Julia Fiona Roberts s-a născut în Atlanta, Georgia, fiica lui Betty Lou și Walter Grandy Roberts. Părinții săi au fost baptiști și catolici și ea a crescut în religia romano-catolică. Fratele său mai mare, cu care a fost certată o perioadă, Eric Roberts și sora sa Lisa Roberts Gillan sunt amândoi actori. Părinții săi au fost actori și ei, dar și scenariști, au fondat Școala de Actorie din Atlanta. În cadrul grupei de copii, ei au lucrat inclusiv cu micuțul lui Martin Luther King. În semn de mulțumire, acesta i-a plătit acesteia spitalizarea atunci când a născut-o pe micușa Julia. Pentru că părinții au divorțat în 1971, Julia Roberts s-a mutat într-o suburbie a Atlantei. Tatăl ei însă a decedat când ea avea doar zece ani. În acest timp, mama ei se recăsătorise deja cu Michael Motes, cu care au avut încă o fiică, Nancy Motes.

În școală, Julia Roberts a cântat la clarinet într-o formație. Visul ei de copil a fost sa devină veterinar, dar după terminarea liceului, frații săi au convins-o să urmeze o carieră în actorie. Mai întâi s-a înscris la o agenție de modele, iar în curând avea să devină actrița celebră din Pretty Woman.

Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the 1990's romantic comedy Pretty Woman, which grossed $464 million worldwide. After receiving Academy Award nominations for Steel Magnolias in 1990 and Pretty Woman in 1991, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her performance in Erin Brockovich. Her films My Best Friend's Wedding, Mystic Pizza, Notting Hill, Runaway Bride, Valentine's Day, The Pelican Brief, Ocean's Eleven and Twelve have collectively brought box office receipts of over $2.4 billion, making her one of the most successful actors in terms of box office receipts.

Roberts had become one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, topping the Hollywood Reporter's annual "power list" of top-earning female stars from 2005 to 2006. Her fee for 1990's Pretty Woman was $300,000;[citation needed] in 2003, she was paid an unprecedented $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile. As of 2010, Roberts's net worth was estimated to be $140 million.

Roberts has been named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" eleven times, tied with Halle Berry. In 2001, Ladies Home Journal ranked her as the 11th most powerful woman in America, ahead of then national security advisor Condoleezza Rice and former first lady Laura Bush. Roberts has a production company called Red Om Films, formerly Shoelace Productions, whose name is "Moder" (her husband's last name) spelled backwards, as well as a reference to the sacred Om symbol in Hinduism, which Roberts practices. Her brother Eric Roberts, sister Lisa Roberts Gillan and niece Emma Roberts, are also actors.

Roberts made her first big screen appearance in the film Satisfaction, released on February 12, 1988. She had previously performed a small role opposite her brother, Eric, in Blood Red (she has two words of dialogue), filmed in 1987 and released in 1989. Her first television appearance was as a juvenile rape victim in the initial season of the series Crime Story with Dennis Farina, in the episode titled "The Survivor", broadcast on February 13, 1987. Her first critical success with moviegoers was her performance in the independent film Mystic Pizza in 1988; that same year, she had a role in the fourth season finale of Miami Vice. The following year, she was featured in Steel Magnolias as a young bride with diabetes and got her first Academy Award nomination (as Best Supporting Actress) for her performance.

Roberts became known to worldwide audiences when she co-starred with Richard Gere in the Cinderella/Pygmalionesque story Pretty Woman in 1990. Roberts won the role after the first three choices for the part, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan and Daryl Hannah (her co-star in Steel Magnolias), all turned it down.The role also earned her a second Oscar nomination, this time as Best Actress. Her next box office success was the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy, playing a battered wife who escapes her demented husband, played by Patrick Bergin, and begins a new life in Iowa. She played Tinkerbell in Steven Spielberg's Hook in 1991, and also played a nurse in the 1991 film Dying Young. This work was followed by a two-year hiatus, during which she made no films other than a cameo appearance in Robert Altman's The Player (1992). In early 1993, she was the subject of a People magazine cover story asking, "What Happened to Julia Roberts?" She was offered the role of Annie Reed in the 1993 Sleepless in Seattle but turned it down.

In 1993, she co-starred with Denzel Washington in The Pelican Brief, based on the John Grisham novel. She also starred alongside Liam Neeson in the 1996 film Michael Collins. In 1995, she appeared in season 2 of Friends (episode 13 "The One After the Superbowl"). She was offered the role of Lucy Eleanor Moderatz in the 1995 While You Were Sleeping but also turned it down.

Over the next few years, she starred in a series of films that were critical and commercial failures, such as Stephen Frears' Mary Reilly (1996). Roberts overcame these failures with the commercial and critical success of My Best Friend's Wedding in 1997. In 1998, she appeared on Sesame Street opposite the character Elmo, demonstrating her ability to change emotions. She was offered the role of Viola de Lesseps in the 1998 Shakespeare in Love but turned it down.[14] She starred with Hugh Grant in the 1999 film Notting Hill. That same year, she also starred in Runaway Bride, her second film with Richard Gere. Roberts was a guest star on the Law & Order television series episode "Empire" with series regular Benjamin Bratt (at that time her boyfriend). Also in 1999, she starred in the critically panned film Stepmom alongside Susan Sarandon.
In 2001, Roberts received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich, who helped wage a successful lawsuit against energy giant Pacific Gas & Electric. While presenting the Best Actor Award to Denzel Washington the following year, she made a gaffe, saying she was glad that Tom Conti wasn't there. She meant the conductor Bill Conti, who had tried to hasten the conclusion of her Oscar speech the previous year, but instead named the Scottish actor.[citation needed] Roberts would team up with Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh for three more films: Ocean's Eleven (2001), Full Frontal (2002), and Ocean's Twelve (2004). Later in 2001, she starred in the road gangster comedy The Mexican giving her a chance to work with longtime friend Brad Pitt. In 2005, she was featured in the music video for the hit single "Dreamgirl" by the Dave Matthews Band.

Roberts had two films released in 2006, The Ant Bully and Charlotte's Web. Both films were animated features for which she provided voice acting. Her next film was Charlie Wilson's War, with Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Mike Nichols and based on the book by former CBS journalist George Crile; it was released on December 21, 2007. Fireflies in the Garden, also starring Ryan Reynolds and Willem Dafoe, was released at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2008.

Roberts made her Broadway debut on April 19, 2006 as Nan in a revival of Richard Greenberg's 1997 play Three Days of Rain opposite Bradley Cooper and Paul Rudd. Although the play grossed nearly US$1 million dollars in ticket sales during its first week[16] and was a commercial success throughout its limited run, her performance drew criticism. New York Times' critic Ben Brantly described her as being fraught with "self-consciousness (especially in the first act) [and] only glancingly acquainted with the two characters she plays." Brantley also criticized the production of "Greenberg's slender, elegant play," writing that “it's almost impossible to discern its artistic virtues from this wooden and splintered interpretation, directed by Joe Mantello." Three Days of Rain received two Tony Award nominations in stage design categories. In 2009, Lancôme announced that Julia Roberts will become their global ambassador for their company. Roberts starred with Clive Owen in the comedy-thriller Duplicity for which she received her seventh Golden Globe nomination. In 2010, she appeared in the ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day, with Bradley Cooper, and starred in the film adaptation of Eat Pray Love.

Eat Pray Love had the highest debut at the box office for Roberts in a top-billed role since America's Sweethearts.

Emeric Jenei, antrenor câștigător al Cupei Campionilor Europeni cu echipa Steaua

Emeric-Alexandru Jenei (numele de botez scris uneori Emerich, în maghiară Jenei Imre) (n. 22 martie 1937, Agrișu Mic) este un fost jucător și antrenor de fotbal de naționalitate maghiară din România.

Devine celebru în România din 1986 când câștigă Cupa Campionilor Europeni cu echipa FC Steaua București, al cărui lot era format la acea vreme din Helmuth Duckadam, Ștefan Iovan, Miodrag Belodedici, Anton Weissenbacher, Dumitru Stângaciu, Ilie Bărbulescu, Adrian Bumbescu, Tudorel Stoica, Ladislau Bölöni, Mihail Majearu, Marius Lăcătuș, Constantin Pistol, Gavrilă Balint, Victor Pițurcă, Marin Radu II și Lucian Bălan.

La data de 8 mai 1998, colonelul în retragere Emeric Jenei din Ministerul Apărării Naționale a fost înaintat la gradul de general de brigadă (cu o stea).

Emerich Jenei or Imre Jenei (also known as Emeric Jenei or Ienei; 22 March 1937) is a former Romanian football player and coach of Hungarian ethnicity. In May 1986 he won the European Cup as coach of Steaua Bucureşti. He is considered one of Romania's best coaches, alongside István Kovács, Mircea Lucescu, and Anghel Iordănescu.

On 25 March 2008 he was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu with Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" — (The Order "The Sportive Merit") class II with one barret for his part in winning the of 1986 European Cup Final.

Jenei was born in Agriş, Arad County, and made his debut playing for Flamura Roşie Arad — now UT Arad, in the Romanian Liga I. In 1957, at age 20, he signed with Steaua club in Bucharest (1957). He played for Steaua until 1969, when he left Romania to play in Turkey for Kayserispor. In 1971, Jenei retired as player and became a coach. During his career as a footballer, he won 12 caps for Romania's national team (between 1959 and 1964).

The highlights of his career as a player were the Romanian football championship titles he won with Steaua in 1959-1960, 1960–1961 and 1967–1968, as well as his participation with Romania's Olympic team at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Japan, where the Romanians came on 5-th place.

As a coach, Jenei continued to enjoy success. Having returned from Turkey, he was named assistant coach at Steaua at the beginning of the 1972-1973 season. One year later, he was promoted to a head coaching position and finished 5th in Liga I, winning his first championship title as coach in 1976, then finishing as a runner-up in 1977. He won another championship title in 1978, but at the end of the season he was replaced by Gheorghe Constantin.

In 1978-1979, Jenei coached FC Bihor of Oradea, but the team finished the season in last place and he was sacked as a result. In 1981, he took over at CS Târgovişte, and the beginning of the 1982-1983 season found him as coach of Steaua for a second stint. After two years, in which failed to win the championship, he was again sacked, only to be brought back after four months.

In 1985 he won a new championship and in the following season led Steaua Bucureşti to victory in the European Cup final against FC Barcelona in May 1986. In the summer of 1986, Jenei was named co-head coach of the Romanian national football team, together with Mircea Lucescu, making his debut against Norway. Lucescu was sacked after a short while and Jenei became the only national team coach. He failed to qualify the team for Euro 88, but took the team to World Cup 1990. It was the first qualification of Romania at a World Cup in twenty years. Between August 1986 and June 1990, Jenei coached the team in 40 games, including two wins against Spain in 1987 and Italy in 1988.

After the World Cup, He returned back to Steaua Bucureşti in April 1991, for the fourth time, only to be sacked again in December of same year. he was named head coach of Hungary in 1992-93, but failed to produce notable results, instead he won a trophy with Hungary the Kirin Cup in 1993, a friendly tournament organized in Japan, and later being sacked after a short period of time, and replaced by Ferenc Puskás.

Jenei did not return to the pitch for a while, but, in August 1993, Emerich Jenei began his fifth stint as coach of Steaua, and won the championship one year later. In 1996, he was named head coach of Universitatea Craiova but was sacked after only ten games. Two years later he returned to Steaua for his sixth and final stint there.

In 2000, Jenei he was again called to coach Romania. The squad qualified for Euro 2000 but the previous coach - Victor Piţurcă - was sacked after a scandal which involved the team's best players, including Gheorghe Popescu and Gheorghe Hagi. At Euro 2000, Jenei took the team to the last eight, one of the team's best performances. During his second stint, the national team played 11 games.

In June 2000, he decided to retire from coaching. After that date, Jenei was president of FC Bihor and also worked for the Romanian Football Federation. He is regularly consulted by the Romanian media for his opinion ahead of important football games for Romanian clubs, especially Steaua, or the Romanian national team.

Succes 2011: David Sanborn, an American alto saxophonist with 3 Grammy Awards. Well known for sax solo in the theme song for the NBC hit drama L.A. Law, Lethal Weapon and Scrooged

David Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school.

One of the most commercially successful American saxophonists to earn prominence since the 1980s, Sanborn is often identified with radio-friendly smooth jazz. However, Sanborn has expressed a disinclination for both the genre itself and his association with it.
Sanborn was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri. He suffered from polio in his youth, and began playing the saxophone on a physician's advice to strengthen his weakened chest muscles and improve his breathing. Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford, at the time a member of Ray Charles' band, was an early and lasting influence on Sanborn. Sanborn performed with blues musicians Albert King and Little Milton at the age of 14, and continued playing blues when he joined Paul Butterfield's band in 1967, after attending the University of Iowa.

Although Sanborn is most associated with smooth jazz, he explored the edges of free jazz in his youth, studying with saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill. In 1993, he revisited this genre when he appeared on Tim Berne's Diminutive Mysteries, dedicated to Hemphill.

RecordingsHe has been a highly regarded session player since the late 1960s, playing with an array of well-known artists, such as James Brown, Bryan Ferry, Michael Stanley, Eric Clapton, Cat Stevens, Roger Daltrey, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Jaco Pastorius, the Brecker Brothers, Casiopea, Players Association, David Bowie, Todd Rundgren, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, Tommy Bolin, Bob James, James Taylor, Al Jarreau, Pure Prairie League, Kenny G, George Benson, Joe Beck, Donny Hathaway, Elton John, Gil Evans, Carly Simon, Guru, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Kenny Garrett, Roger Waters, Steely Dan, Ween, the Eagles, The Grateful Dead, the German group Nena, and Japanese pop star Utada Hikaru.

Sanborn has won numerous awards including Grammy Awards for Voyeur (1981), Double Vision (1986) and the instrumental album Close Up (1988). In television, Sanborn is well-known for his sax solo in the theme song for the NBC hit drama L.A. Law. He has also done some film scoring for films such as Lethal Weapon and Scrooged. In 1991 Sanborn recorded Another Hand, which the All Music Guide to Jazz described as a "return by Sanborn to his real, true love: unadorned (or only partly adorned) jazz" that "balanced the scales" against his smooth jazz material. The album, produced by Hal Willner, featured musicians from outside the smooth jazz scene, such as Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot. His more recent albums include Closer.

In 1994 Sanborn appeared in A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who, also known as Daltrey Sings Townshend. This was a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall produced by Roger Daltrey of English rock band The Who in celebration of his fiftieth birthday. In 1994 a CD and a VHS video were issued, and in 1998 a DVD was released.

In 1995 he performed in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True a musical performance of the popular story at Lincoln Center to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. The performance was originally broadcast on Turner Network Television (TNT), and issued on CD and video in 1996.

Broadcasting activitiesSanborn has performed on both radio and television broadcasts; he has also acted as a host. Since the late 1980s he has been a regular guest member of Paul Shaffer's band on Late Night with David Letterman. From 1988-89, he co-hosted Night Music, a late-night music show on NBC television with Jools Holland. Following producer Hal Willner's eclectic approach, the show positioned Sanborn with many famed musicians, such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Lou Reed, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, Todd Rundgren, Youssou N'dour, Pere Ubu, Loudon Wainwright III, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Curtis Mayfield. During the 1980s and 1990s, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, The Jazz Show with David Sanborn. Sanborn has recorded many shows' theme songs as well as several other songs for The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder.

More recent activitiesIn 2004, Sanborn was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. In 2006, he was featured in Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's album The Phat Pack on the track "Play That Funky Music", a remake of the Wild Cherry' hit in a big band style. Sanborn often performs at Japan's Blue Note venues in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. He plays on the song "Your Party" on Ween's 2007 release La Cucaracha. On April 8, 2007, Sanborn sat in with the Allman Brothers Band during their annual run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.