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And 2009's Biggest Bomb Was…Not What You Think

12/24/2009 11:55:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , 0 Comments

The Twilight sequel was kinda popular. The Transformers sequel was kinda gigantic. Land of the Lost was neither.


But you didn't need us to tell you that. You needed us to digest the box-office year that was, and spit out: the Nine Things About 2009 You Didn't Know but Are About to Learn:

1. New Moon beat Harry Potter. In bang for buck. New Moon made more than 12 times its $50 million budget ($635 million worldwide); Half-Blood Prince "only" made about four times its $250 million price tag.

2. Harry Potter beat everything. The sixth boy-wizard adventure was the year's overall No. 1 film, with $924 million in the worldwide bank, even if Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the No. 1 film domestically—and the only one to top $400 milllion stateside.

3. Will Ferrell is off the hook. Astro Boy, which ran a $45 million deficit, not Ferrell's Land of the Lost, which "only" fell $35 million shy of matching its budget, or Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ($37 million in the red) was the biggest bomb. As far as we can tell. Only the accountants know for sure. Other money losers: Bruce Willis' Surrogates; Gerard Butler's Gamer; and Planet 51, which is still in theaters, so there's hope, but probably not $30 million worth of hope.

4. Sandra Bullock was the last movie star standing. Only three movies in the year's domestic Top 15 were not franchise flicks or toons. Bullock starred in two of them: The Blind Side and The Proposal. (With apologies to John Cusack, explosions starred in the third, 2012.)

5. Emma Roberts is a bigger box-office star than Julia Roberts. The teenaged Roberts' Hotel for Dogs outgrossed her auntie's Duplicity by nearly $40 million worldwide.

6. Star Trek isn't as universal as its Federation alliance would suggest. The franchise reboot made less money overseas than any film in the domestic Top 10, per Box Office Mojo stats. Another surprise from that group: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs made the most money overseas—a monstrous $687 million.

7. The Blair Witch Project wasn't 10 years ago; it was a million years ago. While Paranormal Activity was stealing Blair Witch's schtick, grossing $100 million-plus off an $11,000 budget, The Objective, the latest film from Blair Witch codirector Daniel Myrick, was grossing $95, per The-Numbers.com.

8. Kids films for grown-ups add up to nothing for nobody. Exhibit A: Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are ($100 million budget; $75 million worldwide gross). Exhibit B: Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox ($40 million budget; $20 million worldwide gross).

9. People are spending their unemployment benefits to see Avatar. Or the same 10 rich folks are standing in line again and again and again. Those are two theories to explain how Hollywood continued to buck the recession, and put itself on course for a record $10.3 billion year, per Exhibitor Relations. Sure, ticket prices, driven by 3D and IMAX, were at an all-time high ($7.48 average). But actual attendance was up from last year, too.

Vanessa Hudgens Can't Make Latest Batch of Nudes Disappear

12/24/2009 11:55:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

'High School Musical' grad Vanessa Hudgens is suing a Web site that refuses to remove naked photos of the star, TMZ reports.

The 21-year-old has been trying to make the "self portrait photographs" disappear since the scandal first broke in August and even registered the images with the U.S. Copyright Office. But several sites, namely MoeJackson.com, continue to run the pics despite what her lawyers cry is a copyright violation.

The lawsuit explains: "The photos were obtained by unknown methods and posted on the internet by an unknown person without Hudgens' knowledge or consent."

She is seeking an injunction to order the site to remove the photos, in addition to monetary damages.

In 2007, a similar batch of photos showing Hudgens posing nude made their way online, causing her to say that "it was really tough because I'm a private person and for something like that to happen, it's so mean."

6 other Super Junior members filed for lawsuit against SM Entertainment too?

12/24/2009 11:54:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

The day before, Hangeng, the only Chinese member of Asia’s super popular group, Super Junior, filed for a termination of his “exclusive contract” with SM Entertainment.

According to the latest news from Korea, Hangeng is not the only one who filed the lawsuit. Other Super Junior members have also filed a similar lawsuit, and they include: Lee Teuk, Yesung, Kangin, Eun Hyuk and Donghae. The only reason why news about Hangeng was exposed first, is because of his nationality.

According to the lawsuit, Hangeng has not had any rest in 2 years, causing him to suffer from fatigue, which also resulted in chronic gastritis, illnesses related to his kidney, lumbar disc herniation, as well as a visible decrease in body strength.

However, SM Entertainment rejected Hangeng’s requests for rest, and continued to schedule activities for him, which caused Hangeng to suffer a lot of pain.

According to the contents of the lawsuit, since the time of his debut, Hangeng didn’t even have one day of rest per week. For 2 years, Hangeng has continuously done his overseas schedules as well, and had no choice but to continue with his schedules without any rest. In his contract with SM, there are clauses stating that he has to pay the company monetary damages should he be unable to fulfill the schedules arranged for him. Thus, even when he was in poor health, he had no choice but to follow through with his schedules.

Once the news broke out, many fans have expressed the wish for SM and the members to be able to make peace, and make changes to their contracts, as well as expressed hope that Super Junior will not face the threat of disbanding.

Vic Zhou Beats Jerry Yan in Becoming Taiwan Most Handsome Guy

12/24/2009 11:54:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

The Taiwanese media recently conducted a voting event to vote for the five most handsome guys in Taiwan. Vic Zhou came in first with a total of 13,989 votes, beating first runner-up Jerry Yan, who obtained a total of 8813 votes. Following behind Jerry Yan are Ethan Ruan, Kaneshiro Takeshi and Mark Zhao respectively.

Through the entire voting event from the 7th to 21st December, the competition between Vic and Jerry was the most intense, but they are actually on very good terms in private.

Jerry’s manager, Fenny, said, “Since Jerry and Vic are ‘brothers’, whoever wins the voting is the same. Jerry would like to express his thanks to his fans and also to those who voted for him.”

Although these voting events are often carried out with fans sending in their votes through various accounts, however, this particular event has brought about a new issue of fans setting up anonymous accounts and made use of systematic methods that allows for automatic voting through different IP addresses. This has thus distorted the entire system, causing the actual number of votes to be of a great difference as compared to the values shown on the website.

Thus, after clearing away the “artificial” votes by the webpage’s management, out of the 29,384 votes casted in total, Vic Zhou emerged the overall winner with a vote count of 13,989. Ethan Ruan, who has the least number of "artificial" votes, emerged as the second runner-up with a total of 3500 votes. Kaneshiro Takeshi came in fourth with a total of 3033 votes, while Mark Zhao despite being fifth in place, had only 49 votes.

With regards to this event, Ethan said, “I’m aware of this event, but I didn’t dare to view the webpage, as I don’t want it to affect my mood.” He also thank his fans from all over for their support.

Having known Mark through their partnership in MONGA, Ethan supports Mark, saying, “He will be with me for the next 20 years. This event is for a particular moment. No one is sure who will win or lose over the next 20 years.”

High Windows 7 Satisfaction Spurs Business Spending

12/24/2009 11:53:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Windows 7, just two months on the market, is accelerating the pace of corporate computer buying, market research firm ChangeWave said.

Part of the reason may be that 93% of the IT professionals polled said that their company is satisfied with the new operating system, a one percentage point increase over a similar survey in July.

The results of ChangeWave's November poll of more than 1,700 U.S. corporate IT buyers wasn't a total surprise. "Previous ChangeWave surveys found companies deferring their PC purchases in anticipation of Windows 7 ," said director of research Paul Carton and researcher Adam Golub in an entry to the ChangeWave blog Tuesday. "The latest results show the opposite now occurring."

Nearly one in five respondents said that Windows 7 is making their firm quicken the pace of their normal computer upgrade cycle over the next six months. While only 3% said that Microsoft 's new operating system had caused "significant acceleration" of upgrade plans, 6% said it had had resulted in a "modest acceleration" and 10% said it had created a "slight acceleration."

About 10% of the corporate IT buyers polled said that their company had already bought PCs with Windows 7 installed.

Microsoft launched Windows 7 Oct. 22 , when the OS debuted in retail boxed copies and on new PCs. The successor to the problem-plagued Windows Vista has been available to Microsoft's volume license customers since August.

As ChangeWave said in July, Microsoft's timing of Windows 7 was "fortuitous" because U.S. corporate PC buying plans began to rebound before its release. The research firm's November poll showed that the rebound was strengthening, giving PC vendors -- and Microsoft, which makes most of its operating system income on the back of new PC sales -- reason for optimism.

According to ChangeWave's polling, 22% of the IT buyers said that their company plans to increase its spending during the first quarter of 2010, a four percentage point increase since a similar poll in August. Only 21% said that their firm would reduce IT spending, also a four-point change.

The last time more IT buyers said their company would be increasing spending than others predicted a spending decline was November 2007.

Microsoft, again because of Windows 7, will be one of the big beneficiaries of that increased spending, said ChangeWave. More than a quarter of those polled (26%) said that their company plans to boost its spending on Microsoft products in the next quarter, up from just 16% in August and 10% last February.

It doesn't hurt that companies are almost universally happy with Windows 7. Of the IT buyers whose companies already use the new OS, 37% said their firm was "very satisfied" with the operating system, while another 56% said their company was "somewhat satisfied." Those numbers were slightly better than the results of a July survey ChangeWave did with users running Windows 7 previews.

But Microsoft's success with Windows 7 does not seem to be hurting rival Apple , Carton and Golub said. "Planned Mac buying has hit a new high in the latest survey, with 10% saying their company will be buying Mac laptops and 7% desktops in the first quarter," they wrote. The 10% for Mac notebooks is a record in ChangeWave's surveys, which have tracked IT buyers' plan-to-buy responses for Apple hardware since mid-2005.

ChangeWave's poll is yet another hint that Apple is firing on all cylinders. Earlier this month, another research company, the NPD Group, said that sales of Apple's desktop computers were up 74% in October and November over the same two months the year before.

The rise of Google Chrome

12/24/2009 11:53:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Google's Chrome accounts only for about 4 percent of browser usage worldwide, but in 2009, it exerted outsized influence.

Google launched the open-source browser in 2008, prompting many to ask why anyone needed another after Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Mozilla's Firefox, and Apple's Safari. But over the course of 2009, Google answered that question: with Chrome, the company wants not just to speed up the Web but to rebuild its foundations.

Chrome started out as one of Google's efforts to accelerate the Web--launching faster, loading pages faster, and running Web-based JavaScript programs faster. Google's argument: a faster Web experience means people will spend more time online, do more things, and, naturally, click more Google search ads.

JavaScript was the first step, showcased in Google's processing-intensive Chrome Experiments site. It's lost on no one that Google Docs and Gmail are written in JavaScript, so faster performance helps expand their capabilities.

Next came integration with Chrome and two technologies for accelerating Web applications, Google's O3D for 3D graphics, and Native Client software for accelerating general-purpose processing.

But the most ambitious change came with July's announcement of the open-source Chrome OS operating system. It uses Linux under the covers, but Chrome OS applications all run in the browser. That design today has serious practical limitations, so it's fitting the first incarnation of Chrome OS, due in 2010, is for "companion" Netbooks rather than full-fledged replacement PCs. Google released the rough Chrome OS source code in November.

On a more down-to-earth note, by year's end, Google had released a beta version of Chrome for Mac and Linux, not just Windows, and added a long-awaited extensions system.

Many Chrome ambitions are still far from any practical reality, but the browser had effects. One: Mozilla programmers have improved launch speed in the Firefox 3.6 beta.

Although Chrome stole some hearts among the techies who historically embraced Firefox, Mozilla's browser was hardly pushed aside. Indeed, Firefox usage crept steadily up to about 25 percent worldwide over 2009. That's a large enough population to make Mozilla's effort to "upgrade the Web" more than posturing.

Mozilla is aggressively adding new features to Firefox, and a host arrived with Firefox 3.5 in June, notably the ability to embed video directly into Web pages without requiring a plug-in such as Adobe Systems' Flash. HTML5 video remains hobbled by differences in opinion over the best video format to use, though. Ultimately, browser companies want to make the Web a foundation for applications, not just static sites, and the work includes interfaces for file handling, multitasking, Webcams, geolocation, and WebGL for 3D graphics.

Some of these improvements are spreading to multiple browsers through development of version 5 of the Hypertext Markup Language. Even Microsoft, whose Internet Explorer is derided as a laggard by techies and Web developers, climbed aboard with direct participation in HTML5 standardization work.

Those plans advanced in July when the World Wide Web Consortium threw its full weight behind HTML5 rather than the comparatively unsuccessful alternative, XHTML 2.0.

Microsoft and Apple, who enjoy the privilege of packaging their browsers in their operating system, released major new versions, Internet Explorer 8 and Safari 4, respectively. Safari took the 64-bit leap, and Apple boasted of its big JavaScript speed boost. IE 8 brought a number of user-interface refinements, but notably, Microsoft lists better security and privacy as primary features.

Attention now is shifting toward IE 9, though, which Microsoft previewed in December. Hardware acceleration dramatically speeds up some elements of its display, and the new version will comply better with Web standards. Microsoft hasn't announced a ship date for the new version, but it's clear the company is feeling more comfortable with its re-engagement in the browser wars.

Amigo Chui's Jobs On Hold; Elizabete Kwong Cries that Her Life was Threatened

12/24/2009 11:53:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Amigo Chui was taken into police custody yesterday for allegedly assaulting his model girlfriend, Elizabete Kwong. After cooperating with the investigation, he was released on bail. As a heavily promoted artiste from TVB, Amigo's reputation has been tarnished by the incident. TVB has put all his work on hold and his future remains uncertain. Yesterday Elizabete Kwong held a press conference to address this issue. She revealed she had once been slapped by Amigo when he was drunk. She also revealed the love letters that Amigo had sent her, as well as SMS and photos they had taken together to prove that she wasn't the third party in the relationship. She notified the police because she was frightened and worried about her safety.

Amigo Chui has not made any public appearances since the news broke. The day before yesterday, Elizabete filed a report at Wan Chai police headquarters. It's believed that police later brought Amigo in for questioning. Yesterday a police spokesperson confirmed that a 30 year old male was brought into the station to assist with an assault case. He was later released on bail and will appear back at the station in early January.

Elizabete was originally scheduled to shoot an MV in Shek O yesterday afternoon, but it was cancelled. At 1:40pm, she left her residence in Tai Kok Tsui and traveled with colleagues to her modeling agency in North Point. A press conference was later held at 3:30pm. She commented on the alleged assault and revealed love letters that were sent to her by Amigo. One of them read: 'Love you, I want to hold you everyday, I want to take your hand and fly to the skies. You are my dearest girlfriend.' In the note, Amigo signed off as 'King'. There was another SMS that mentioned ex-girlfriend Natalie Tong, which said 'I'm drunk. My ex sent me an SMS.'

Elizabete later displayed her injuries to the media. She said: "Yesterday (22nd) something unfortunate happened between me and my boyfriend. (Your boyfriend is Amigo Chui?) Yes. We were arguing because our personalities were too different. At that time we were together in a room. He pushed me on the floor. I wanted to run, but the door was locked. He choked me using his foot. I wanted to scream for help but I couldn't breathe. He didn't want our relationship revealed, so he took my phone and deleted all the photos. Afterwards, he asked me for my camera, so I gave it to him." When she left, Amigo's older brother was in the house. When asked whether she was the one to initiate the breakup? She said she never did, it was Amigo would wanted the photos removed but the situation got out of hand. They've mentioned breaking up in the past, but they usually resolve their arguments very quickly. Is there a chance they'll get back together? She expressed that she feels very confused by everything.

Has Amigo ever hit her? She said: "He was drunk once and slapped me. He later promised he'd never hurt me. I couldn't believe it... (Was he drinking yesterday?) No. (Do you believe he has a violent nature?) You can't really say that. Sometimes he gets a little frustrated. He sometimes swears when we argue. (Will you press charges against him?) I don't know." Her manager Frankie said that he cannot disclose whether or not the case will be resolved outside of court.

Elizabete made the incident public as she was concerned for her safety. However, since she already gave her testimony to the police, she will not reveal the specifics. Is Amigo a completely different person off camera? She said: "Sometimes I get that feeling. But you're often blinded when you're in love. I thought he would change for me. But after this incident, I've learned my lesson. I won't tolerate violence."

Elizabete has been unable to sleep after this ordeal, not even by taking sleeping pills or having her mother at her side. Did Amigo ever call her? She said she doesn't know as her phone is off. Were they living together? She said no. They only meet with each other once in a while. She started seeing him on August 29th of this year. Amigo had already broken up with Natalie and even showed her the break up SMS from his phone. Elizabete said she had already met his parents. Her mother was also introduced to Amigo and thought he seemed very polite.

Her manager stated the press conference was intended to clear up any misconceptions that Elizabete was the third party in the relationship. They stress that they did not have any other motives and it's only because her safety was threatened.

TVB executive Ho Lai Chuen expressed they have put all of Amigo's jobs on hold until police have concluded the investigation. He said: "Tonight (23rd), JSG will be hosted by Paisley Wu. Filming for N.I.B (My Name is Bong) has been cancelled. Luckily we filmed in advance. The show was going to run until next year, but due to current circumstances, the ratings will be definitely be affected (Amigo's name is in the title). As for Scoop, we have already found replacements. While Amigo is JSG's current host, we will continue searching for a suitable replacement. Will you prevent him from returning to the front of the camera? "No, we just want him to take time and sort through this matter. If the police find nothing against him, then it's fine. Right now he needs to rest. We don't want him to worry about his work." Will you arrange for him to appear on any shows to share his side of the story? "No, the company does not like having these matters aired publicly."

Wonder Girls to release a Chinese album next year

12/24/2009 11:52:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

The Wonder Girls, who are currently promoting in the U.S., are set to release an album in China early next year.

Wonder Girls have already been well-received by China - they were awarded the "Best Asian Artist of the Year" award at the MTV Style Gala 2009 and also held a concert in Shanghai, China on December 1st for their Chinese fans. Judging by the fancams, it was quite a spectacle.

On the 24th, a representative of JYP Entertainment informed MoneyToday StarNews, "Currently, Wonder Girls have finished recording the Chinese version of their songs. The official Chinese album is scheduled to be released early next year."

The JYPE representative added, "The other songs in their album have not been decided yet. However, their hit songs will have first priority."

A U.S. album slated for February 2010, a possible breakthrough in the U.K market (we hope, anyway), and now a Chinese album? At this rate, world domination looks very possible for the Wonder Girls.

Paparazzi Scared Jay Chou’s Girlfriend Away

12/24/2009 11:52:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

After his ex-girlfriend was being pressurized by the media, Jay Chou doesn’t dare to fall in love again and even jokingly mentioned that his rumoured girlfriend Jiang Yu Chen is really unlucky!

Jay Chou and Lin Chi-ling, together with director Kevin Chu, arrived in Singapore two days ago to promote their latest movie The Treasure Hunter.

At the press conference, Jay was in a really good mood. During the interview, apart from answering to the questions posted, he even brought up his rumoured girlfriend, Jiang Yu Chen.

He mentioned that his character is similar to his role in The Treasure Hunter. When he is fond of someone, he will not make it clear to the person, instead, he will observe if the other party feels the same way as well.

However, at the same time, he too feels that love is about cherishing and when one meets the right person, they should grab the opportunity.

When probed if he had found the right girl, Jay replied, “(I’m) still searching. I’m afraid of rumours, thus I don’t dare to make female friends. Although I have quite a number of female friends, whenever we are out together, the media will take photos of us. Even when we are out in a big group, the media will say that we are dating!”

“My previous girlfriend was pressured by the media too much. Actually, it’s tough to be my girlfriend. Thus, I don’t have any intention of having a girlfriend for now, and being single is better. However, even when I’m single, the media still make up a lot of stories. I guess only after I’m married then will rumours stop!”

When asked if he was referring to Jiang Yu Chen, due to the recent “hotel photos” saga, he said, “Yu Chen is really unlucky… I’ve known her for very long already, but because during this period, I haven’t made new female friends, so rumours about us have continued.”

He laughingly said, “She used to have a lot of suitors! But luckily she’s now partnering Yuri (Chan) [in the shooting of Pandaman], so the media can switch to write about them!”

When asked if he will develop feelings for Chi-Ling, he said, “She is the type of girls that many guys will like. We have been friends for so long! Actually, she has a guard against people, especially guys, but because I’m acting with her in this movie, she feels more at ease.”

The 40 Hottest Women of the Decade

12/24/2009 12:31:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments



The first decade of the 2000s is about to end and we need to take a quick look back and decide which female celebrities were considered to be the sexiest of their time. These babes are from all the different fields of entertainment, such as actresses, singers, models and athletes and as a whole, they create a good depiction of how this decade has treated us when it came to female beauty.

2000 — Britney Spears



At the beginning of the decade Britney was the most famous female pop star on the planet, though that may seem a little hard to believe for some younger readers. Ah, yes, Britney Spears in 2000, that sight was worth a look. Young talented beauty, fresh and innocent, everyone on the planet knew and adored her — back then.

The 2000 Runners-Up



Christina Aguilera was also on top of her game in the very same year, leading to some intense rivalry between the two young divas. Winning Grammy Awards and topping the Billboard Hot 100 almost all year long were achievements that made Christina one of the most prominent female figures in the world. Sarah Michelle Gellar will always be known as Buffy, the vampire slayer but the year 2000 brought her a lot of media coverage as an established actress, especially after her Cruel Intentions success. Golden Globe nominee at the time Catherine Zeta Jones was still young and single in 2000. She had just done Traffic and her mature beauty as well as her theatrical performances recommended her as one of the media stars of the early 2000s.

2001 — Jennifer Lopez



With the release of her second album ever, “J.Lo”, her acclaimed movie The Wedding Planner and hundreds of photographs of her booty, by the summer of 2001 Jennifer Lopez was one of the most known, admired and desired women on the planet. With all this singing, dancing, acting and booty shaking she was at the time the sexiest woman in the world according to magazines like Rolling Stone and FHM.

The 2001 Runners-Up



While the German supermodel Heidi Klum was making her first real impact on the world’s most famous catwalks, Charlize Theron had only done The Devil’s Advocate and Carmen Electra, although already featured in Playboy three times, was just a wannabe sex-symbol celebrity, 2001 was all about J-Lo, so these three ladies only get an honorable mention.

2002 – Anna Kournikova



Known for the powerful swing of her tennis racket, and those oddly excited grunting noises she makes while playing, Anna Kournikova showed the world that being athletic is sexy. While being cast as one of the “hottest female athletes”, she was also nominated by ESPN as the “hottest couple” when she paired up with Enrique Iglesias.

The 2002 Runners-Up



The 2002 Kylie Fever tour brought Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue international notoriety as well as a welcome change from the rather laid back Australian soap opera star to “sex kitten” attitude. Cameron Diaz was in top shape in 2002 as well, receiving numerous award nominations for blockbusters like Vanilla Sky and Gangs of New York. Salma Hayek did Frida in 2002 and with this terrific performance she became one of the most desired women of the year.

2003 – Monica Bellucci



Although 39 years old, Monica Bellucci made a huge impact in 2003 as far as the North American public was concerned. After quality movies like Malèna and Irréversible she became worldwide known for her two Matrix performances in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions and maybe some will even remember her lesbian kiss scene with Jada Pinkett Smith. For her exquisite elegance, natural beauty and class she gets our vote as the sexiest woman of 2003.

The 2003 Runners-Up



2003 was a great year for Australian model, actress and singer Holly Valance when it comes to being in the public’s attention, but it was mostly because the famous legal battle she lost against her former manager. And although Halle Berry did X-Men United in 2003, we still remember her mostly by her nude appearance in Swordfish back in 2001. British born Rachel Stevens was hailed as one of the top 3 sexiest women on the planet by FHM and Maxim, but never really achieved A-list celebrity status.

2004 – Jessica Simpson



Jessica Simpson’s career boomed in 2004, when she reached #10 on the Billboard charts for her album In This Skin. She also had very successful Christmas album called Rejoyce in 2004 . Although Jessica isn’t the brightest star in the sky, she’s got a body that wows us. She also helps out as an International Youth Ambassador for Operation Smile.

The 2004 Runners-Up



Beyoncé won five awards at the 2004 Grammys making her one of the most famous women on the planet at the time for beauty, talent and glamor. Jordan, perhaps most famous for her large, surgically enhanced breasts and being a British tabloid star, had a career resurrection in 2004 bringing her into the attention of major US magazines such as FHM and Maxim. Exotic looks, sensual lips and tattoos, acting ability and confirmed talent – Angelina Jolie has them all. 2004 was one of her best years and we’re excited for more.

2005 – Scarlett Johansson



She’s absolutely gorgeous, young and talented. Scarlett Johansson’s best year both personally and professionally was 2005. With a performance that was to be described as “bordering on astonishing” and the genuine beauty of an always-keep-it-simple type of girl, Scarlett is probably one of the sexiest and most sophisticated women of all time.

The 2005 Runners-Up



Coming onto the acting scene in 1998 for Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer, Kate Bosworth proved her worth to Hollywood and in 2005 she was listed on FHM and Maxim’s list of hottest women in the world. The late Brittany Murphy gets an honorable mention on this list for her absolutely fantastic performance in Sin City. She will be missed. British model and TV star Kelly Brook made a surprise appearance on the cover of magazines like FHM and Maxim, being voted as the sexiest woman on the planet on multiple reputable publications.

2006 – Eva Longoria



Eva Longoria Parker is a bombshell that has proven herself in the modeling world as well as acting. She paved her way to success on the hit show The Young and the Restless, and currently stars in the outrageously successful show Desperate Housewives. She’s also proving that having a good heart is sexy too – involving herself in charities such as PADRES Contra El Cancer and supporting many other children’s charities. The Hollywood Reporter named Eva Longoria the Philanthropist of the Year in 2009.

The 2006 Runners-Up



Pirates of the Caribbean star Keira Knightley was pretty hot in 2006 as her anorexia rumors would not start spreading until 2008. The FHM US readers voted her the most attractive woman on the planet that year so that has to mean something. Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima was featured in the 2006 Forbes’ edition of The Celebrity 100 and was named the “Hottest Girl on the Planet” at the first Spike TV Guys’ Choice Awards. Saturn Award winner Jennifer Love Hewitt was not considered a woman of modern beauty, yet she constantly appeared in various polls from various magazines as one of the top 10 attractive women of the mid-2000s.

2007 – Jessica Alba



Jessica Alba is considered a modern sex symbol and often generates media attention for her looks. She appears frequently on the “Hot 100? section of Maxim and was voted “Sexiest Woman in the World” by FHM in 2007. Most men probably like her because she’s a perfect combination between the looks of a sex kitten and the smile and attitude of a pure and innocent young lady. Apparently she wants to keep this image, as in 2007 she was quoted saying “I don’t do nudity. I just don’t. Maybe that makes me a bad actress. Maybe I won’t get hired in some things. But I have too much anxiety”. Right, anxiety.

The 2007 Runners-Up



Katherine Heigl is all that is beautiful in blonds. Her claim to fame is her ongoing role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey’s Anatomy and 2007 was an all-fabulous year for the gorgeous actress. She got married, she received an Emmy, she did Knocked Up and she was all over the magazines. Lindsay Lohan has had more peaks and valleys in her career than the Swiss Alps. She has been one of the paparazzo’s favorite targets, due to her train wreck lifestyle. 2007 was a year where Lindsay was noticed for being at the peak of sexiness. Keeley Hazell’s claim to fame in 2007 was the infamous sex tape she did with now ex-boyfriend Lloyd Miller. Although allegedly upset, that was the moment when the world noticed that Keeley Hazell is actually hot.

2008 – Marissa Miller



One of the most gorgeous women in the world, Marissa Miller is a natural born supermodel. Appearing in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues as well as modeling lingerie for Victoria’s Secret she is an American supermodel that isn’t afraid to have some fun, and tries to surf every day. Marissa is involved in the American Cancer Society, and actively promotes the awareness of breast cancer in women under 40.

The 2008 Runners-Up



Hilary Duff released five albums and completed 16 movies in 2008 and fans hope she’s reached her professional maturity. She sure looks beautiful. Megan Fox, though somewhat controversial as an actress looks better bent over a 1976 Chevrolet Camaro in a denim miniskirt. Her main claim to fame in 2008 was her talking about her sexual interests in words such as “I have the libido of a 15-year-old boy – my sex drive is so high.” Eva Mendes was all over the place in 2008, proving that not only does she look phenomenal, but she can act, too. Her 2008 claim to fame was appearing topless for Italian Vogue magazine in May 2008.

2009 – Olivia Wilde



House star Olivia Wilde was voted the sexiest woman alive by Maxim this year, and we’ve got the tendency to agree. Wilde has been acting since the early 2000’s, appearing in such shows as The Black Donnelys, and more notably The O.C. This gives us great hope for next year, as Olivia Wilde is one of today’s hottest stars – she may be hard to top.

The 2009 Runners-Up



“It’s nice to have a little meat on you, and I hope I inspire women to appreciate their muscular curves”, said Jessica Biel, our 2009 runner up. She has put her natural beauty to good use and managed to make a name for herself throughout this year with Powder Blue. Probably more famous for tabloid titles like “Kim Kardashian eats salad in a sexy way” or “Kim Kardashian likes to play ball on the beach while looking fit” than any talent or artistic value whatsoever, she’s still one of the most wanted women of 2009, which goes to show that sometimes a pair of nice breasts and an one of a kind butt can compensate for a lot. FHM’s sexiest woman in the world in 2009 is tabloid revelation and Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole who is certainly the hottest thing the UK had produced in the past several years.

Ballmer in 2010: Should he stay or should he go now?

12/24/2009 12:30:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Will 2010 be the year the Ballmer era ends at Microsoft?

That subject has been swirling around the tech media world after Newsweek predicted that Ballmer will get the boot in 2010. In addition, Ballmer didn't even make it on Harvard Business Review's top 100 CEOs list (Who was No. 1? Surprise, surprise: Steve Jobs)

January will mark Ballmer's tenth anniversary as Microsoft CEO. It's been a decade of ups and downs for the software giant as its old school desktop dominance slowly gave way to the new school of Google, RIM, Apple, salesforce.com and other innovative companies that have redefined Web-based and mobile computing.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's stock has plunged 50 percent during Ballmer's tenure. On top of all that, the general public doesn't seem to like him very much.

Ballmer did, as Newsweek writes, "miss every big new tech market of the past decade." But at the same time, it's a mistake to call Ballmer a complete failure as CEO. In many ways, he had to play the dusty hand he was dealt by Bill Gates, as new and unforeseen technologies popped up all around him.

In 2009, in fact, Ballmer did a lot to redeem himself: He (somewhat) gracefully laid off 5,000 employees to trim swelling costs; he orchestrated a search partnership with Yahoo (instead of paying $50 billion to buy it) that could pay off big; and he oversaw the roll out of Windows 7, which has pleased critics and users and put an end to the Vista negativity.

Because Ballmer's record at Microsoft cuts both ways, here are three reasons why he should take a hike and three reasons why he deserves to stay in charge.

Three reasons why Ballmer should go in 2010

Microsoft's stagnant stock price

As the Newsweek prediction states upfront, "Microsoft stock has dropped by nearly 50 percent on Ballmer's watch, lagging not just other tech companies but even the Dow Jones industrial average." Widespread cost-cutting from its 2009 layoffs and predicted Windows 7 enterprise deployments will help, but Ballmer must find new ways to keep Wall Street happy in 2010.

He let Microsoft fall behind new technologies

Criticism of Windows Vista was a big, bloated distraction that took Ballmer's eye off the ball starting in early 2007. Since then, Google has continued to soar in search, and Apple has dominated with MP3 players and online music services, not to mention a little thing called the iPhone. Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS is on life support and Zune, though a respected media player, has been so poorly marketed that it is risking obscurity.

The pressure is squarely on the Bing search engine. Ballmer is committed to search. He plans to spend $5.5 billion to $11 billion on Bing during the next five years and a search partnership with Yahoo is on the horizon. But can Microsoft ever really compete with Google on search? Ballmer's job may depend on it.

He let Vista happen

Windows 7's successful release and hopeful future has put the negative perceptions of Vista in the rearview mirror. But although Vista may be gone, it's not forgotten and its name will be forever linked with the man in charge: Steve Ballmer. The early complaints of Vista's slowness, and application and driver incompatibility led to anger and mockery that never stopped. Even after service packs stabilized Vista, it was too heavy -- i.e. slow and bloated -- for its time.

Three reasons why Ballmer will stay in 2010

Windows 7 momentum

Ballmer may also become linked with a happier Windows story: the redemption tour that was Windows 7. After more than a year of build-up, Windows 7 lived up to the hype with mostly positive reviews and excitement from consumers and businesses. It is as flexible as Vista was rigid and is a better fit for the diverse array of PCs in the current marketplace. If PC sales keep making gains in 2010, as Gartner predicts, and if Windows 7 drives IT spending, as Goldman Sachs predicts, then Captain Ballmer will look like a rock star.

Microsoft leaner after layoffs

Nobody likes to hear about layoffs -- except maybe Wall Street vultures -- but Ballmer and his executive team laid off 5,000 Microsoft workers in 2009. How the company came to that is another story, but the layoffs and other cost cutting reflect well on Microsoft in the eyes of investors and shareholders. Wall Street hears mass layoffs, and they think leaner and more efficient.

Ballmer could be known as the guy who trimmed the fat at Microsoft in 2009 (granted, he allowed the company to pack 'em on) and created a more nimble and focused company in 2010.

Friend Bill Gates would have to fire him

Ballmer and Microsoft board chief Bill Gates go way back -- to the early '70s, to their Harvard days, to the days when the personal computer was just an idea. Gates showed he has a lot of faith in Ballmer by making him CEO 10 years ago.

Firing Ballmer would be a reflection on Gates' own choices. And to fire your friend of more than 30 years, he'd have to be a disaster. Despite what many think of Ballmer, he is not a disaster. But if shareholders keep grumbling about Ballmer's leadership, Gates may have to make a tough decision.

Fox to Order More "Idol" -- With or Without Cowell

12/24/2009 12:30:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Fox is near a deal to order more seasons of "American Idol" -- with or without its most popular judge, Simon Cowell.

The network's current contract with "Idol" producers 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia extends through the end of the 2011. But the network is working on a new deal that includes three more seasons of "Idol," though that number could change.

An announcement is expected to demonstrate Fox's commitment to its top-rated series, even as "Idol" faces its biggest challenge yet.

The "Idol" franchise has been rocked by rumors that Cowell will depart the show after the upcoming season as he prepares to bring his hit UK music competition series "X-Factor" to the United States.

Cowell's brother Tony announced Tuesday on his weekly podcast that Simon will leave "Idol" at the end of 2010. The move could have a double impact on "Idol" -- the loss of a key personality to the series, and the addition of another music competition show on Fox that may lead to fewer "Idol" viewers.

But before anything is finalized at the network, the "Idol" judge still needs to sign his new contract with "Factor" owner Sony. Once that's out of the way, Sony will allow Cowell to make a deal with Fox to bring "Factor" stateside.

Fox would prefer to bundle a "Factor" agreement with at least another season of Cowell judging "Idol." But by quitting "Idol," Cowell could make his participation on "Factor" a bigger event. One potential compromise is that Cowell could take a smaller role on "Idol" in 2011 -- judging the Hollywood rounds, for example, but not the auditions.

Fox was originally planning to debut "Factor" next fall. But delays in the Sony deal have pushed the show to an expected 2011 premiere date.

The headline-making leak on his brother's podcast was the latest in a series of headlines speculating about Cowell's plans. Recently, Cowell and business partner Philip Green made worldwide news by telling GQ magazine of their plan to have "X-Factor" exist as a live Las Vegas extravaganza that would stream as a global pay-per-view event over the Internet.

Maggie Cheung Man Yuk secretly engaged

12/24/2009 12:30:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Maggie Cheung and German architect boyfriend Ole Scheeren often appear together as a very loving couple. Yesterday a Netizen exposed news on their blog that Maggie and Ole secretly got engaged at a Beijing hotel on Christmas Eve. Parents of both sides were present as witnesses.

The media approached Maggie's HK manager to clarify. He denied the engagement rumors, and does not know how the news came about.

44 year old Maggie and 37 year old Ole developed a 3 year "sister-brother relationship", Maggie has had some free time to spend with her boyfriend in Beijing, the two often go out dating and appear quite romantic in public.

How iPhone apps can ruin your Christmas

12/24/2009 12:29:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Everyone who is anyone, or who would like to be anyone, knows that the apps you have on your iPhone say a lot, well, almost everything, about you.

However, there are a couple of new apps that might truly revolutionize your Christmas and not necessarily in a good way.

The first is called the Background Check App. Not only is it wondrously free, but it also strikes a huge and lasting blow for personal freedom.

You can look around your dinner table this holiday season and, with your usual lithe grace, pull out your iPhone. Using your Background Check app you can discover everything you need to know about the criminal history, property records, and so much more of everyone there.

It could be your neighbors who always seemed too good to be genuinely neighborly. It could be your Aunt Agatha, whose affinity for the schnapps might screen some vital information about her past life and associations.

Background Check was released December 18 and it has already received plaudits from happy iTunes store customers who have previously paid $60 to spy on others.

However, what if you decide to check up on your lover and discover she spent 18 months in an open prison in Connecticut for, um, fraud? How might that affect your experience over the Christmas morning stocking? What if you discover that your parents don't actually own the house in which your gifts are under the Christmas tree? What if you find out your sister regularly bounces checks?

Still, does Background Check have quite the potential to ruin your Christmas enjoyed by Gunman?



Gunman encourages you to enjoy the beauties of augmented reality to participate in "an epic battle with your friends."

Yes, when you hit your opponent, his iPhone will vibrate. You can leap around the rooftops of your neighborhood (please see the embedded Gunman video) before Christmas dinner, shaking your iPhone to reload before you take aim at those closest to you.

But what if, while you attempt to evade a sneaky attack from your cousin Jerome, you slip from the rooftop, fall into the neighbor's garden, bang your head against one of the fishing gnomes and suffer a concussion while Jerome repeatedly zaps you with his iPhone?

What if you suddenly and inexplicably spend the whole of your Christmas dinner revealing your distaste for your half sister, Griselda, by consistently zapping her over the lamb shank? Wouldn't this be augmented reality augmented to the level of dangerous mental instability?

Christmas is supposed to be a time when we embrace the shared values of love, joy, altruism and free food, wine and spirits.

Then along come these two apps, subtly targeted at the "Shared Values of Christmas" market, encouraging you to take physical and emotional risks that might result in anything from paranoia to broken relationships to broken crockery and garden gnomes.

Who on earth would create such things? Perhaps one should Background Check these people.

How to sue Microsoft - and win

12/24/2009 12:29:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments

For a tiny Toronto software manufacturer nestled in the city's grimy garment district, winning a $290 million court judgment against Microsoft is more than simply a long-awaited victory.

"It's a battle cry for the entrepreneur and every small company," trumpets Loudon Owen, i4i's chairman, just hours after learning of the U.S. federal appeals court's decision.

That cry was closer to a whimper two years ago when i4i, a 30-person document collaboration firm, sued Microsoft,

claiming it violated a patent with features found in Word 2003 and Word 2007. The offending technology lets users edit XML, a computer programming language that customizes the way a document's contents are interpreted and displayed.

In August 2009, a Texas jury agreed with i4i, ordering Microsoft to pay $290 million in damages and stop selling Word in the U.S. Although Microsoft appealed that decision, a federal appeals court upheld the judgment on Tuesday, issuing an injunction that bars Microsoft from selling versions of Word that contain the offending patent technology. The court's ruling takes effect on Jan. 11, 2010.

i4i's legal victory is being touted as a modern-day tale of David and Goliath. So how does a tiny software outfit in Canada defeat one of the world's best-known corporate behemoths?

Underdogs, take note. Here's a road map for waging war against a giant -- and winning.

Protect your property. Despite applying for a U.S. patent in 1994, i4i wasn't issued the patent -- No. 5,787,449 -- until 1998. Owen says that the time-consuming process is a necessary evil in today's ultra-competitive climate.

"It doesn't come easy, it doesn't come cheap and it's not simple," he says. "But there are very valid remedies [for infringement] if you file your patents and protect your intellectual property upfront."

Prepare your case. When it comes to taking on a company the size and stature of Microsoft, don't expect legal eagles to bang down your door.

Instead, Owen says, "we assembled the [patent infringement] claim, the background and the history in an extraordinarily detailed, analytical way. We prepared the case as best we could independently before meeting with leading counsel and luminaries in the industry."

Don't lose track of your day job. A much-ballyhooed, two-year legal battle against Microsoft can significantly distract employees and completely consume a company's top brass.

To keep operations up and running, Michel Vulpe, i4i's chief technology officer and founder, kept employees informed of the case's progress, "but not mired in details." The company laid plans at the start to guard against letting its legal proceedings encroach on operational activities. That meant frequently reassuring clients about i4i's future and quelling employee concerns.

Pick your battleground. i4i's decision to have its case heard in a U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas -- where neither i4i nor Microsoft has its headquarters -- prompted many legal and tech pundits to cry foul.

"Typically, the court in Tyler, Texas, is one that a lot of companies seek out for high-tech cases," says Tim Hickernell, an analyst with Info-Tech Research Group in London, Canada. "The perception is that folks in Tyler aren't very technically oriented."

In fact, 358 of the 2,866 cases related to copyrights, patents and trademarks were filed in the district in 2008, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

However, the Washington federal appeals court's upholding of the ruling this week "removes any perception that the Tyler jury didn't know what it was doing," says Hickernell.

"It's absolutely a complete and utter vindication of the judgment," says Owen.

Be prepared to pay the price. Two years spent in and out of courts across the U.S. cost i4i $10 million in legal fees. That doesn't account for the legal battle's considerable toll on the company's ability to focus on product development, marketing, and innovation -- activities that are primary drivers for a small business.

"[A lawsuit] is a complete and utter commitment," says Owen. "It's not something to be taken lightly. The deposition process, the cross-examination, the whole series of allegations -- it's a very tough process to go through."

In response to the ruling in favor of i4i, Microsoft said in a statement that it's "considering our legal options, which could include a request for a rehearing by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals."

In the meantime, Vulpe says, "We're still sitting. We'll be jumping when the Maple Leafs win a game."

Or maybe when a check for $290 million arrives in the mail.

Rev. Fred Phelps: 'God Hates Lady Gaga'

12/24/2009 12:29:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Fans have a new reason to love Lady Gaga now that the notorious Westboro Baptist Church officially hates the singer.

The Kansas-based congregation, helmed by Rev. Fred Phelps and consisting largely of his offspring, announced plans Wednesday to picket Gaga's Jan. 7 show in St. Louis, calling the 'Bad Romance' star a "hussy" and a heathen for "seducing a generation."

A press release for the 'God Hates Lady Gaga' protest contains no mention of the church's signature issue, hatin' gays and such, but one can assume they don't approve of Gaga's bisexual leanings and tolerance of homosexuality.

Instead, the folks who shamefully protest funerals of fallen servicemen focus on Gaga's artistic merit. "There's nothing new or different about this particular hussy's pretentious prancing," the statement reads.

Further, Westboro implores Gaga's fans not to be seduced by her charms.

"Even as she gives lip-service to 'liberating' her young fans, Lady Gaga brings them into slavery to their own corruption, teaching them to glory in their shame. She hates you!"

In case you're itching to join the protest or any counter-protests, here's the info: Thursday, Jan. 7 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm outside the (fabulous!) Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis MO.

Netizens call T-ara’s stylists antis!

12/24/2009 12:28:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , 0 Comments



T-ara’s stylists are being called antis.

Netizens revealed that they liked the song ‘Bo Peep Bo Peep’ very much, and that they have been used to the animal gloves since it is part of the concept. But with the most recent performance of ‘Bo Peep Bo Peep’, the netizens thought they could not take it anymore.

Go under the cut to find out more.

T-ara’s performance of Christmas version of ‘Bo Peep Bo Peep’ was the last straw.

Seeing leader EunJung dressed in a snowman costumes, many netizens are calling the group’s stylists antis.




Even the fashion-terrorist of 2PM Ok TaecYeon have to make a comment about the costume on EunJung’s minihompy.



Netizens said that before this there were many times when they thought that T-ara should just wear their casual wear instead of their performing costumes. Here’s why.

Performing costumes:



Casual clothes:



Netizens say, “At least, they don’t need to have their shoes taped”

Ethan Ruan & Mark Zhao play kissy kiss; feels very familiar

12/24/2009 12:27:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

Ethan Ruan & Mark Zhao have become good friends after filming ‘Monga’ together but yesterday, Xiao S asked: “If in next year’s Golden Horse Awards, Mark Zhao wins Film King again, and then the camera is aimed at Ethan this time, will it be awkward?” But Ethan replied very calmly: “Then let him win, and anyways who said I won’t win an award within 20 years?”

Directir Niu yesterday took his gang Ethan Ruan, Mark Zhao, Feng Xiao Yue & Huang Deng Hui on ‘Kang Xi Lai Le’ to promote their new film. Ethan revealed that before filming of ‘Monga’, he once acted very violent on the streets and even had a fight with some hotel princes. He said that, that time, he saw a BMW M3 illegally parked on the sidewalk, so complained to his manager. Unexpectedly, the 2 people in the car did the fingers at him, and even punched him. At first, Ethan used his hands to cover his face, only after many punches did he retaliate, and the 3 people started a huge fight. Afterwards, Ethan investigated their license plate, and found out that the 2 actually worked at a hotel. Director Niu advised him: “When a wild dog on the street bites you, there’s no need to bite back.” And hence, Ethan gave up seeking justice.


4 years ago, Mark’s character in the film was set for Jay Chou to play. And compared with Ethan, Mark is more the ‘good boy’ type. In the past, Xiao S has swooped down at Mark many times, but yesterday she said it’s because “Ethan has a girlfriend.” To everyone’s surprise, Director Niu immediately revealed: “But Mark has one too.” Yesterday, Cai Kang Yong made the 2 kiss, and Ethan’s feeling was: “Very familiar.” And he even said that his lips were completely enclosed. Xiao S also complained to Director Niu saying: “Why didn’t you get me to play the prostitute?” saying that Ke Jia Yan doesn’t have the right temperament to play one.

BlackBerry Tour2 9650 Hands On

12/24/2009 12:27:00 PM kenmouse , Posted in , , , 0 Comments

What could be better than the original BlackBerry Tour? Well, the BlackBerry Tour2 obviously. We’ve just got a hold of one and will be putting it through our normal thorough review processes, but in the meantime, here are some first impressions:


- Physical size is nearly, if not identical to the original BlackBerry Tour
- The trackpad works great, just as you’d expect
- We guessed the original Tour was slightly underpowered, and we were right. Fortunately the Tour2 seems to use the processor found in the Storm2, and that’s a welcome improvement. In the short time we’ve been using it, there aren’t many slowdowns that we’d normally get on the Tour, and the device feels much more snappy
- The keyboard remains at greatness status
- Wi-Fi works like any other BlackBerry

All in all a much-needed upgrade to keep Verizon and Sprint’s BlackBerry lineup current, and it might even be the device that sways me from my BlackBerry 9700…





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