'New Moon' wolfs down $140.7M in opening weekend

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" gobbled up $140.7 million the first three days the vampire romance was in theaters, while gaining $258.8 million worldwide, according to studio estimates.

"New Moon" placed third on the all-time domestic chart behind last year's $158.4 million opening weekend for the Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight" and 2007's $151.1 million haul for "Spider-Man 3."

Among the top-10 all-time openings, "New Moon" is the only one that came outside of Hollywood's busiest time, the summer season. The movie adaptation of Meyer's next "Twilight" chapter, "Eclipse," arrives in the heart of summer, next June 30.

The No. 1 domestic debut for Summit Entertainment's "New Moon" was more than twice the $69.6 million haul over the same weekend last year for "Twilight," the first in the franchise based on Stephenie Meyer's novels.

"Obviously, with the success of 'Twilight' itself, sequels being what they are will generate X-number of dollars more, particularly if it's a satisfying sequel," said Richie Fay, head of distribution for Summit.

On Friday, "New Moon" set an all-time domestic high for opening day with $72.7 million, topping the previous record of $67.2 million by last year's "The Dark Knight.

Overall, Hollywood had its second-biggest non-holiday weekend ever, with final numbers expected to come in slightly behind the $260 million the industry rang up over the weekend of July 18, 2008, when "The Dark Knight" opened.

Compared to the same weekend last year, business was up 59 percent.

"New Moon" continues the story of teen romance between a school girl and a vampire (Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson), with the sequel adding a love triangle with a werewolf (Taylor Lautner).

Opening at No. 2 domestically this weekend was the Warner Bros. football drama "The Blind Side" with $34.5 million. The film stars Sandra Bullock in the real-life story of Baltimore Ravens tackle Michael Oher, who was a homeless teen taken in by a wealthy family and enrolled in private school.

The previous weekend's top movie, Sony's disaster tale "2012," slipped to third-place with $26.5 million, raising its domestic total to $108.2 million. Worldwide, "2012" has taken in $449.8 million.

In limited release, Penelope Cruz and director Pedro Almodovar's latest collaboration, "Broken Embraces," opened big with $107,597 in two theaters for a $53,799 average. The Sony Pictures Classics romantic drama centers on a blind screenwriter relating the story of a lost love.

Nicolas Cage and director Werner Herzog's dark crime thriller "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" opened with $257,267 in 27 theaters, averaging $9,528 a cinema. Released by First Look Studios, "Bad Lieutenant" is the story of a drug-crazed cop on a manic murder investigation.

The huge spike in business this weekend sets the stage for big crowds over Thanksgiving, one of the busiest periods of the year at theaters.

Along with "New Moon" and other holdover movies such as Jim Carrey's holiday-themed "A Christmas Carol," new releases for Thanksgiving include the Robin Williams-John Travolta comedy "Old Dogs" and the post-apocalypse drama "The Road."

After a strong run in limited release, George Clooney's animated comedy "Fantastic Mr. Fox" expands into nationwide release the day before Thanksgiving.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," $140.7 million.

2. "The Blind Side," $34.5 million.

3. "2012," $26.5 million.

4. "Planet 51," $12.6 million.

5. "Disney's A Christmas Carol," $12.2 million.

6. "Precious: Based on the Novel `Push' by Sapphire," $11 million.

7. "The Men Who Stare at Goats," $2.8 million.

8. "Couples Retreat," $2 million.

9. "The Fourth Kind," $1.7 million.

10. "Law Abiding Citizen," $1.6 million.

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Source :Yahoo

Sumatran Orangutans Get a Helping Hand

Time may be running out for Sumatra’s forest people, the auburn-haired orangutans that once lived across much of Sumatra. The great apes are now only found in northern Sumatra and Aceh, their numbers falling each year with every hectare of lowlands destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations or small scale farming.

A three-hour drive from Duri in the central northern part of Sumatra to Pekanbaru highlights just how much native forest has been lost.

There is barely one stand of primary forest left over a 100-kilometer journey; the haze of that
forest burning to make way for palm plantation farming stings the eyes and chokes travelers and residents alike.

According to research, the Sumatran orangutan was once found as far south west as Padang. Today, these great apes, found only in Sumatra, are on the critically endangered list and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The Red List suggests a population decline of Sumatran orangutans of more than 80 percent in the past 75 years.

There are believed to be just 6,000 left in the northern reaches of Sumatra and this number is fast declining with more habitat loss to illegal and legal logging, palm plantations and currently on the table, plans to clear 33,600 hectares of rainforest in the Bukit Tigapuluh ecosystem for pulp paper production, according to the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS).

A research report on the world’s most endangered primates by Ian Singleton, Susie Ellis and Mark Leighton, states that more than 1,000 orangutans disappeared annually in the Leuser Ecosystem (National Park) during the late 1990s. 10 years on, there are fears the Sumatran orangutan may have less than a decade before it succumbs to total extinction.

This week, SOS, based in Bali, is joining hands with other orangutan conservation organizations around the world for “Orangutan Caring Week” to highlight the plight of these old men of the jungle and the rapacious destruction of their habitat, according to Dewi Kastari
of SOS.

“Around the world, organizations caring for orangutans are working together this week to raise awareness of the plight of orangutans. SOS is visiting schools in Bali to teach students the value of our Indonesian jungles and how critical their protection is for the survival of orangutans,” said Dewi.

SOS is also hosting a photographic exhibition of orangutans and their disappearing habitat at local Ubud restaurant Tutmak.

“SOS is also proud to present the first ever screening in Indonesia of the Australian-produced film The Burning Season by film maker Cathy Henkel,” added Dewi.

The English version of the film that discuses the loss of Indonesia’s primary forests, will be presented tonight (Thursday Nov. 12) at the Wantilan Pura Desa in Hanoman Street, Ubud, while the Indonesian language version of the film will be screened on Friday night.

The film traces the journey of entrepreneur Dorjee Sun who believes he can make money out of saving forests through selling carbon credits, and Jambi palm plantation farmer Achmadi, who slowly comes to understand that the palm oil he is planting comes at a greater cost than he had ever realized.

According to Greenpeace, Indonesia holds the dubious distinction of the fastest rate of primary forest clearing in the world.

In 2007, Greenpeace wrote that “Of the 44 countries, which collectively account for 90 percent of the world’s forests, the country pursuing the world’s highest annual rate of deforestation is Indonesia, with 1.8 million hectares [4,447,896 acres] per year between 2000 and 2005 — a rate of 2 percent a year, or 51 kilometers square every day.”

Raising the general public’s awareness of this great loss, and its potential to cause the extinction of the Sumatran orangutan, along with other flora and fauna of Sumatra’s lost jungles, is the goal of SOS, a goal constantly under threat of being realized too late.

Source : The Jakarta Post

8 Fat Fighting Foods

You feel desperate with your weight & fat..? Combat fat now! Your allies in battling bulge? Foods that do the work for you. These edibles have proven lipid-melting powers that help you slim. That’s a win.

Almonds Almond joy! Dieters who ate 3 ounces of these nuts every day reduced their weight and body-mass index by a solid 18 percent compared with an 11 percent drop in the no-nut group, a study in the International Journal of Obesity found. Almonds are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can speed the metabolism of fats. Stick to 12 per serving.

Berries Vitamin C–loaded fruit such as strawberries and raspberries can help you sizzle up to 30 percent more fat during exercise, suggests research from Arizona State University at Mesa. Blend a vinaigrette of 1 cup berries and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar.

Cinnamon This spice could make your waistline nice. Sprinkling ¼ teaspoon on your food may prevent a postmeal insulin spike—this increase normally occurs after you eat and “signals the body that it should store fat rather than burn it,” explains Lauren Slayton, R.D., of New York City. Add a dash to your oatmeal, yogurt or coffee.

Mustard Hello, yellow. The spice that gives mustard its color, turmeric, may slow the growth of fat tissues, a study in the journal Endocrinology notes. Eighty-six mayo in favor of any mustard; sprinkle turmeric on cauliflower and roast for a tangy side.

Oranges Prevent pound creep with this citrus star: It contains fat-torching compounds called flavones. Women who ate the most flavones had a significantly lower increase in body fat over a 14-year period, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds. Snack on slices or drink freshly squeezed OJ (with pulp!) for the biggest payback.

Soybeans These green gems are rich in choline, a compound that blocks fat absorption and breaks down fatty deposits. Add ½ cup edamame to a salad.

Sweet potatoes Trade up to sweet taters. They’re high in fiber, which means no drastic insulin jumps and thus less fat packed onto your hips. Bake a small sweet potato—think of two bars of soap as a portion size—and top with a dollop of lowfat or nonfat cottage cheese.

Swiss cheese Holy cow: “Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown,” says Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Put toe to toe with some of its cheesy counterparts, Swiss is a heavy hitter in the calcium department; layer a slice on a lunchtime sandwich, or stack some on high-fiber crackers.

So... start your action now and post a comment if you already succeed.

Source : Yahoo

10 Shocking Truths about Allergies

Allergies may seem straightforward: You're exposed to allergens like dust, mold or animal dander, you get watery eyes, you sneeze and you feel miserable. But you may be surprised to learn why some people suffer more than others. Here, 10 shocking facts about what may really be making you feel bad.

1. If you're the oldest in your family, you may be more prone to allergies.
Researchers in the UK recruited more than 1,200 children, testing them for signs of allergies at birth, age 4 and age 10. They found markers of allergies in firstborns, but not in later-born children, likely because firstborns experience different conditions in the womb, researchers say.

2. It may not be your pet that's causing your allergies.
"It could be something else entirely," says Jeff May, an indoor air quality expert and coauthor of Jeff May's Healthy Home Tips. "Dust mites from your animal's bed (or yours), or mold underneath antiques in small spaces" are possible culprits, he says. Even homes without pets can have an pet allergen problem. In fact, a study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reports that more than 99 percent of homes in the U.S. have detectable cat or dog allergens even though less than half of those homes have a dog or cat living there. Allergens can hitch a ride on other people's clothes and they've been discovered in schools, hospitals, shopping malls, cinemas-and even in the offices of allergists.

3. Timing your meds right can make all the difference.
"Your body follows what's called a circadian rhythm-it acts differently at different times of the day," says Richard Martin, MD, head of the pulmonary division at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, CO. This natural rhythm influences when allergies worsen, and therefore determines when it's best to take medication to achieve its maximum effect. For example, if you have 24-hour meds, you should take them at night. "Allergy symptoms peak in the morning hours, so this ensures they'll be moving through your bloodstream when needed most," he says.

4. Obese children and adolescents have a higher risk of allergies.
Especially food allergies, a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology notes. Researchers analyzed data from over 4,000 subjects ages 2 to 19, and discovered that obese participants were about 26 percent more likely to have allergies than children of normal weight. The rate of food allergies was especially troublesome-59 percent higher for children who were obese.

5. Your sneezes around your daughter's new kitten may be more than just a cold.
"You can grow up with pets and still develop allergies to them as an adult," says Morris Nejat, MD, of the New York Allergy and Sinus Centers. "Having a pet gives you an immunity that can be lost when you leave that environment-to move away and start your own life, for example. If you then bring an animal into your own home, you may have lost your immunity and developed an allergy to your new pet."

6. Plants aren't as healthy as you think.
Unfortunately, "plants do not purify the air," May says. "Put a thin layer of gravel on top of each plant's soil-this helps keep debris in the plant, protecting you from mold allergens," recommends James M. Seltzer, MD, chairman of the Indoor Environment Committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. "Even silk plants can cause mold," Dr. Seltzer says.

7.Trouble breathing? Don't look to your lungs, look to your gut.
Upsetting the normal balance of microflora in your stomach and intestines can change your entire immune system, researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School report, intensifying your body's response to common allergens like pollen or animal dander. According to scientists, our modern diet and increased use of antibiotics may be at fault. Safeguard your health with a diet low in sugar and high in raw fruits and vegetables, especially following treatment with antibiotics.

8. Allergies can trigger bad breath.
"For some people, a dry mouth, caused by taking antihistamines for allergies or by the postnasal drip that streams down the back of your throat during allergy attacks, can result in bad breath," says Cyril Meyerowitz, DDS, director of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. "Sometimes tiny pieces of food lodge on the tongue or in the crevices of your tonsils and cause a nasty odor."

9. You can't become immune to your allergy meds.
"You may feel that your allergy medication has become ineffective, but there's no scientific basis for medication tolerance," says Linda B. Ford, MD, medical director of the Sarpy/Cass Department of Health and Wellness at the Asthma and Allergy Center in Papillion, Nebraska. "What's more likely is that the disease has become more severe, in which case you should consider other treatment options, like allergen immunotherapy, intranasal steroids, isotonic saline nasal washes and/or other antihistamines."

10. Your allergies may have an upside.
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston reports that people with a history of allergies have nearly a third lower risk of developing a type of brain cancer called glioma than those without the condition. Researchers suspect this may be due to the genetic variations that cause the allergies.

Source :Yahoo

's Baggers, Restaurant with 'Rollercoaster'

Last month, my friend invited me for dinner in a restaurant called 's Baggers. This restaurant was located in the outskirts of Nuremberg, Germany.
This restaurant looks like a shirt shop from the front, because there were some banners above the entrance door with so many t-shirts pictures.
When I got inside, I found so many T-shirts hung in a display area. The T-Shirts were sold for the costumers as a souvenir.

The waiter greeted us with friendly, and she gave us the 'resto card' with the instruction paper. Frankly, I was confused by all this things, especially when I entered the restaurant area on the 2nd floor. Lots of round table with the rails in the center similar like the roller-coaster tracks. At first I thought it was just decoration, but I was wrong.

My friend explained how to order food here, because he quite often visiting this restaurant.
He took the slide- tv screen on the table, then he inserted his 'resto card' in the 'card place' next to the monitor.
Select your table number (as we sat by a number), each number has a different color, this color is used to distinguish your order. I just realized that to ordered food here we used the online monitor, so no need to call a servant. You just need to press the 'touch screen' to select all the menu you like. Everything's there, started from the name of food, pictures of food, price, number of orders, dessert & drinks, even the total of your bill can be seen on the monitor. Amazing.........

After observed the menu, I immediately ordered some foods and drinks. Just for information, all the drinks here are beer, coke and wine, so all were served from the bottle.
For glasses, plates, spoons, and others can be found on the middle of the table.
After waiting for a while, my drink comes first. This's surprising me up... The food & drink sending process from the kitchen to the customers is using the roller-coaster tracks.
Wow... Amazing.................

Everything rolled from the kitchen which is located on the top floor to our table, according to it's number and color table who ordered. No food or drink got spilled, because they're packed with so well. Even sometimes they put some fireworks on our food as a decoration.
Not just the place and the decorations were great, the food taste was pretty good too. Especially if you visit this restaurant in the summer, you can have your meals outside while you can enjoy the warm night air.
Unfortunately, when I visited this place, it's already winter and snow has started to fall, so it's not possible to eat outside the restaurant.

It's been 2 hours I enjoyed my dinner here. Enjoying a variety of Germany's foods, from the main menu until the delicious dessert. They also played some music from the big TV screen.
After finished with all of our food, then we headed to the cashier and handed our 'resto card'. The cashier scanned our cards, so they would know the food we have ordered and also the bill which we have to pay.
Amazing, all the process were done automatically. But to clean up the table, they still do it manually by a waiter.

I really have a great dinner. I was amazed by this restaurant and hopefully I could visit this restaurant again one day.