| Stage set for new James Bond film Quantum of Solace
It has been outfitted with impressive attention to detail, from the real desks and computers down to the chrome coffee pots and weekly newsmagazines laid out on a waiting-room table. Sets have always been crucial to the success of the Bond films. The series' most famous designer, Ken Adam, created unforgettable, futuristic sets for seven Bond movies, including the vaults of Fort Knox in Goldfinger and the villainous Blofeld's volcano lair in You Only Live Twice. It was Adam who designed Bond's iconic car, a gadget-filled Aston Martin. The production designer for Quantum of Solace is Dennis Gassner, who has been nominated for an Academy Award for The Golden Compass. Wilson said the visual style created by Gassner and director Marc Forster was "a postmodern look at modernism''.
Latest News
Gelabale played in 24 games this season with Seattle. He averaged 2.5 points, 0.9 rebouns and 0.6 assists. Gelabale has been nothing more than a reserve in his NBA career and can be ignored in Fantasy leagues at this time.
(Updated 01/29/2008). .
Obituary: 'Mayor' served on many panels
Merle M. Tilton, a Fruitridge resident who helped develop a library and community center, served on advisory panels and was a founding member of the Kiwanis Family House, has died at age 98. He died Dec. 13 of pneumonia, said his son, Glenn Tilton. Merle Tilton was dubbed "mayor of Fruitridge" for his contributions as an activist, volunteer and longtime member of Kiwanis clubs, his family said. He settled in the unincorporated Sacramento County community in 1971 and invested in rental properties after retiring as a civil engineer on international projects with Bechtel Corp. .
Burbank band makes the rounds at L.A.-area clubs
Since the band started in July 2006, the five members — all from Burbank — have noticed their ages evenly fill in a gap of 10 years between the singer and bassist.From the mid-1990s to only a couple of years ago, each has attended John Burroughs High School at one point or another.Joining Pennington, 20, Rosales, 22, and Felchlin, 24, in the band are Jason Montgomery, 22, drums, and Rob Gallagher, 29, bass. "Because of our wide age range, we are a bridge of the musical generations in Burbank," Felchlin said.Having played their first show at The Derby in Hollywood in August 2006, the band decided to book an appointment in the studio shortly thereafter.Producer Robbie Rist, a friend of Felchlin, helped the band put out its first album in September 2006, titled "Echo Location."That first album has interchanging guitar solos between Rosales and Felchlin, Pennington’s melodic voice and the backbone of bass and drums provided by Montgomery and Gallagher."The heaviness of rock is too much fun," Pennington said."I could not imagine steering away from it."The independent release of their first album caused a spark of interest in fans that would find the band selling tickets at venues such as the Cobalt Café in Canoga Park, Saddle Ranch in Universal City and the Avalon in Hollywood."We feed off the energy of the crowd." Felchlin said.
Anti-Nuclear Renaissance: A Powerful but Partial and Tentative Victory ...
As the presidential primary season heats up, an "anti-nuclear renaissance" against loan guarantees for new nuclear power plants will escalate, with the future of American energy policy and global warming hanging in the balance. In the last days of 2007, grassroots activism ran up a stunning and improbably victory. But the triumph is both partial and tentative, and will be fiercely contested throughout 2008, with the basic direction of US energy policy hanging in the balance. This latest chapter in the half-century saga of atomic energy began last summer, with an industry attempt to grab a blank taxpayer check for underwriting new reactor construction. The charge was been led by six-term Senator Pete Domenici (D-NM), atomic power's prime Congressional pusher. Domenici inserted into the Senate version of the national Energy Bill a complex provision meant to allow the Department of Energy to underwrite up to 80% of new reactor construction costs.
GM's next generation Chevrolet Impala will remain FWD-based
GM will instead rely on its direct-injection (DI) 3.6 liter V6 engine to power its luxury vehicles. The DI V6 produces 304 HP in the CTS compared to the 320 HP, 4.6 liter Northstar V8 engine used in the larger STS. The V6 engine does, however, have a huge deficit in the area of torque when compared to the current Northstar V8 -- the V6 produces just 273 lb-ft of torque while the V8 delivers 315 lb-ft. GM claims that the move to the DI V6 will not only improve the fuel economy of its larger vehicles, but will also save weight across the board -- the V6 is anywhere from 150 pounds to 200 pounds lighter than the Northstar V8. Another big loser in the midst of new CAFE regulations is Chrysler's Hemi engine. "The Hemi is not the powertrain of the future," said Chrysler co-president Jim Press.
An L.A. loft for high-flying Depp
Johnny Depp has been busier than any pirate in the Caribbean, and that could be why the downtown L.A. loft he bought in the fall for close to $2 million is still vacant.
Depp bought a penthouse in the Eastern Columbia Building, an Art Deco landmark on South Broadway. The 13-story building, opened in 1930 as a retail and office tower and later used as a department store and movie backdrop, was converted into 147 residential lofts in 2006. FOR THE RECORD:
Hot Property: The Jan. 6 Real Estate column said a West Hollywood compound once owned by silent-film director Irvin Willat contained 20 detached houses on a portion of the original property. The residences are attached and occupy the entire original family compound. It also named Nichole Fox of Brower, Miller & Cole as a contact.
|
