Why the speechmaker beat The Social Network [TELEGRAPH]

Colin Firth as George VI in The King's Speech. In the film, the monarch's stutter is blamed on childhood traumas Photo: REX

In The Social Network, a socially inept computer geek becomes an accidental billionaire making many enemies along the way. It was a brilliantly scripted story, but we don’t really care much about the fate of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg); indeed, we probably feel that all those billions in the bank have provided an enviably comfortable cushion against the vicissitudes he’s faced.
The King’s Speech, on the other hand, grips from the painfully moving opening scene, in which the future George VI ascends from the bowels of Wembley Stadium to address a crowd of many thousands as if he were climbing up the scaffold to his own execution.
And when finally, thanks to the help administered by eccentric speech therapist Lionel Logue, he addresses the nation on the radio with barely a slip in his delivery, it’s impossible to stifle a tear of sympathy. The King’s Speech is the story of a challenge heroically overcome.
That’s why the Academy lavished so much love on it.

SHOOT: Because we like to feel tingly even if it's vastly out of date?  My best flick Oscar pick was 127 Hours, but what do I know.
Read the rest here.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/8351626/Best-Picture-2011-Why-The-Kings-Speech-beat-The-Social-Network.html

 

 

Picture of Galyna Kolotnytska

This is a picture of a random voluptuous Ukrainian.

Below is a genuine picture of Galyna Kolotnytska with Gadaffi.

They make an awesome couple.

African dictator's son orders luxury superyacht

JOHANNESBURG – The son of Equatorial Guinea's dictator of 30 years commissioned plans to build a superyacht costing $380 million, nearly three times what the country spends on health and education each year, a corruption watchdog said Monday.

SHOOT: Shameful. Get rid of him.

The statement from Global Witness said that German company Kusch Yachts has been asked to build the yacht, housing a cinema, restaurant, bar and swimming pool, though construction has not yet started.

Global Witness has been urging Washington to institute sanctions against Teodorin Obiang, whose extravagant lifestyle currently includes a $35 million-dollar mansion in Malibu, California, a $33 million jet and a fleet of luxury cars, while earning a salary of $6,799 a month as agriculture minister.

The government press office in Equatorial Guinea confirmed that the president's son had ordered the yacht design, but said he "then dismissed the idea of buying it."

Read the rest here.

Oscars: The Nominees [VIDEO]

I’ve found in my career that the people who are doing the best journalism are a challenge to work with. - Wayne Barrett

“I’m not an angry guy. There’s just a lot to be outraged about.”

“Tony Ortega is the hardest working editor and the most skillful editor of copy that I’ve ever had,” Mr. Barrett said. “But I’ve never liked him very much.”

Writing for a more mainstream publication with a larger circulation might have given Mr. Barrett’s work more exposure, might have made people take it more seriously. But he stayed at The Voice, he said, because it provided nearly total freedom to do what he liked. It was not until the last few years, he said, that editors even asked that he run his projects by them before getting started.

“I’m a spoiled brat,” he admitted. “I know I’m never going to have that again. I have to get used to the idea that an editor like Tina Brown is going to have her own ideas about what I should be doing.”

SHOOT: I feel for you Mr. Garrett. 

Mr. Barrett refuses to use a cellphone, insisting that people are not meant to always be in contact with one another; he is more animated and long-winded about this pet peeve than about any of the political corruption he has covered. He refused to use e-mail for years after it had become standard, insisting that his interns deliver their memos on paper to his home in Brooklyn. After he relented, it had to be explained to him that “.com” was not spelled “d-o-t-c-o-m.”

“Battling with Wayne Barrett has been one of the best experiences of my career,” said Mr. Ortega, the current editor of The Voice. “You work with the guy, you’re going to get into fights. I’ve found in my career that the people who are doing the best journalism are a challenge to work with.”

“He’s the scariest, sweetest man alive, and I know that sounds like a contradiction,” said Jessica Bennett, one of a legion of his former interns, who now writes for Newsweek. “He was kind of a dad to all of us, took an interest in our personal lives. But you also had to write down his instructions verbatim, because if anything was slightly different, there would be a public berating of the intern.”

As Ms. Hancock put it, “Wayne manages to be endearing and obnoxious at the same time.”
Their living and dining rooms are lined with books, all of them nonfiction, all of them read. Mr. Barrett cannot remember the last time he read a novel, and when asked if he felt he was missing something, he said, “Nyah.”
He has never used an A.T.M. “I don’t spend any money,” he says. “Fran gives me $20 on Monday, and I give her change on Friday.” She buys his clothes, too, and sometimes tells him which ones to wear. “None of that stuff interests me,” he says. “What does is the next story.”

Read the full article here.

Kristian House's Autograph

Stage 7 Cell C Tour of SA AFTERMATH + Race Review

The Cell C Tour of South Africa - Stage 7 –  Paarl, Western Cape

Rapha Condor-Sharp  Wins Inaugural Cell C Tour of South Africa

Fresh in from Europe, Team Rapha Condor-Sharp added their own sense of heat to the tour in a scorching 40 degree Paarl on Saturday at the seventh and final stage of the Cell C Tour of South Africa when Kristian House was announced overall Tour winner.

The 104km, 10 lap circuit stage which opened with a one lap neutral start.  As the peloton entered Main street, it was all go when Shaun Nick Bester launched an unsuccessful attack shortly after the start, which lasted for a short  500m until he was reeled back in by the peloton.

The third lap saw the first major breakaway of the day take place around a cheerful Paarl when a 9 man group broke clear of the leading pack, holding Sven van den Houte, Kevin Reza. Daniel Teklehaimanot, Waylon Woolcock, Richard Baxter, Nic White, Kevin Evans, Ian McLeod and Peter Seyffert.  

MTN Qhubeka and Team Rapha Condor-Sharp were chasing from the peloton as they had no teammates in the breakaway group.

The gap stayed at about 2min for about 4 laps when the peloton closed the 41 second advantage bringing the race back together preparing the finale inaugural Cell C Tour of South Africa for exciting sprint finish.

Team D’Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo took its third win of the tour, the stage 7 winner being Bernado Riccio followed by Maartijn Verschoor and Yohann Gene in second and third respectively

Competition winners for Stage 7:

KOM – Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka)

Best African Rider – Johan Rabie (Team Bonitas)

Samsung Young Rider – Christopher Jennings (Team Verandas Willems-Accent)

Points – Yohann Gene (Team Europcar)

The Cell C Tour of South Africa Overall Competition Winners:

Overall: Kristian House [RAPHA CONDOR SHARP]

KOM – Daryl Impey (MTN Qhubeka)

Best African Rider – Johan Rabie (Team Bonitas)

Samsung Young Rider–Christopher Jennings (Team Verandas Willems-Accent)

Points – Yohann Gene (Team Europcar)

Team Winners – Team Europcar

SHOOT: I heard Kristian saying to Gerald de Kock that today's route was tough. Had many rhythm breakers, bumps, turns, dips, bridges and short drags.  It was also very hot out there. Even so Kristian House and the Rapha boys did not concede a second in this stage, and rolled out of the gate first.  A good race strategically for the squad and congrats to John Herety and his team.

Stage 7 Cell C Tour of SA RACE PHOTOS

SHOOT: This is Hanco Kachelhoffer of team Bonitas [below] dropping back, asking for a cold coke. Unlike the previous day, we had only water on stage 7 and most of it was warm after the first half hour.  A lot of the managers and assistants were offering water bottles en route but that meant a break in momentum for the riders, so ideally we should have been handing over drinks whilst in motion [see above].