text:
As the summer winds die down with a flat and uninspired whimper, the realization sets in: the summer of 2011 was for the birds. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was the last major tent-pole to open, followed by sleeper hits like "The Help" and the not-so-successful R-rated action comedy, "30 Minutes or Less." Many had forecast that the overstuffed summer would prove disastrous, with Jon Favreau predicting that, "There's not a weekend where there won't be teeth on the floor," but ironically it's Favreau's film that proved to be one of the biggest box-office disappointments. Financially, films did very well with three billion-dollar blockbusters – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"-- helping the industry set a summer box-office record and nearly rebound from a horrible start to 2011 (Currently, 2011 revenue is running only 4 percent behind 2010, but in March, things were looking grim – 19% lower than the year previous).
With seventeen movies that broke the $100 million barrier, against last year's 14, plenty of smaller scale hits like "Bad Teacher" and "Friends With Benefits" that should turn a healthy profit, and those three billion-dollar grossers entering the all-time top ten, as far as the bottom line was concerned, 2011 was spray-tanned and sitting pretty. But as ever, some people did better than others in the season; stars were born or confirmed, careers were revived, while others are going to have to knock it out of the park next time in order to maintain their quotes and corner table at Spago. As usual, the studios generally had a mixed season: Warner Bros. had two mega-grossers with 'Potter' and "The Hangover Part II," but "Green Lantern" heavily disappointed, Sony had no tentpoles, but their films turned a profit, while Fox had two moderate successes and a big franchise reboot, but likely a lower total gross than any of the big studios. So, without further ado: who had a great few months, and who needs to do some rethinking?
Actors: Winners
Michael Fassbender, Chris Evans & Chris Hemsworth
The superhero movie has proven to be a good launchpad to big-screen stardom, so long as your name doesn't contain the words Routh or Brandon. This season saw three on-the-rise actors cement their status on the A-list with superpowered turns, and all three will be even more in demand than they were before. Both Fassbender and Evans have been promising to break out for a while, but they've ensured it now: Fassbender was the highlight of a strong "X-Men: First Class" cast, and is now familiar to the general public for the first time, while Evans nailed a tricky role in "Captain America: The First Avenger" in a manner that should see him pick up all kinds of new offers. Hemsworth wasn't nearly as well known as either before the summer began, but, like Evans, in "Thor" the Aussie actor was charming and convincing in a difficult part, and his imposing figure should make him, at the very least, an action star to be reckoned with.
Cameron Diaz, Melissa McCarthy & Kristen Wiig
Diaz has had a rough few years: her last bona-fide hit was 2006's "The Holiday," but it was followed with several disappointments in a row including "My Sister's Keeper," "Knight & Day" (though ultimately a financial success) and "The Box," reducing her to one of the most thankless female roles in cinema history at the start of the year in "The Green Hornet." But as she approaches forty, any doubts about her star power were quashed with "Bad Teacher" the low-budget R-rated comedy. Sold almost entirely on her name, it opened to a hugely surprising $30 million figure, and has continued to perform well both at home and abroad, proof that in the right role, Diaz is still a force to be reckoned with.
"Bridesmaids" was one of the greatest pleasures of the summer, and considering the mean ensemble of the film, it's no surprise that plenty of the actors have done well out of it already, most notably the film's M.V.P. Melissa McCarthy. She's already on top-rated sitcom "Mike and Molly," but she's on her way to becoming an unconventional leading lady, with two projects in development, one with "Bridesmaids" writer Annie Mumulo, the other with director Paul Feig and co-star Jon Hamm. We wrote about our concern that Kristen Wiig wasn't cashing in in the same way a few months back, but thankfully our worries weren't fulfilled: she might be heading to "Saturday Night Live" for one more season, but the smash-hit success of her self-penned vehicle has meant that she's been able to get financing for dark project "Imogene," which is now in front of cameras.
Owen Wilson
Wilson had two high-profile ass-kickings as 2010 turned into 2011: James L Brooks' "How Do You Know" and the Farrelly Brothers' "Hall Pass," neither of which were much liked by audiences or critics, and it seemed a long time since "Wedding Crashers." But redemption has come from an unlikely source: namely, Woody Allen. Playing the Allen-surrogate has been a rite of passage for actors from John Cusack to Will Ferrell, but few have done it as well as Wilson, who made the neurotic archetype feel fresher than most. More importantly, the film was Allen's best-received and most successful in a decade, and it's Wilson who's the biggest winner from that.
Minor success stories to keep an eye on:
Justin Timberlake
The former popster won over many doubters with his turn in "The Social Network," but that was a supporting role, and one close to his public persona; it remained to be seen if he was the bona-fide movie star that studios wanted him to be. He's not there yet, but he's not entirely floundering either. He's not yet had a mega-hit on his own back, but with two modest comedy hits in the space of a few months, between "Bad Teacher" and "Friends With Benefits," he's shown that he's got an audience, and that he can carry the film. The fall's questionable-looking "In Time" will be the next test, moving away from the comedy genre into true leading man status, but at the very least, he's a punchline no longer.
Hayley Atwell
Atwell's been a rising star in the U.K. for a while now, but was virtually unknown in the States, beyond appearances in the much-derided "Cassandra's Dream" and "Brideshead Revisited." But beating out Keira Knightley, Emily Blunt and Alice Eve to the female lead in "Captain America" seems to have been the making of her: the actress was an unusually strong, spunky love interest, bringing both wit and weight to the film, and was easily one of its highlights. Her star will have risen considerably as a result, and we'd expect to see her going on to far greater things, particularly as she's unlikely to be constrained by multiple Marvel movies.
Actors: Losers
Ryan Reynolds
The former sitcom actor has been touted as a megastar-in-waiting for a while now, but only had a single real hit to his name, the Sandra Bullock rom-com "The Proposal." As such, the summer of 2011 was a big test for the Canadian actor, and one that he doesn't seem to have passed. The failure of "Green Lantern" could have been forgiven: the film, after all, reeked of disaster, was badly marketed, and received poisonous reviews. But the disappointing opening for "The Change-Up" (it's only grossed $34 million in 4 weekends) doesn't help Reynolds case in the least. The R-rated comedy had a high concept and good pedigree, and co-star Jason Bateman had a hit in the same genre only a few weeks earlier with "Horrible Bosses," but no one seemed to want to see Reynolds play naughty. Next February's "Safe House" should be a reprieve, as it's the kind of middlebrow thriller that co-star Denzel Washington specializes in, but studio bosses have got to be a little nervous about 2013 would-be-tentpole "R.I.P.D," and chances of that "Deadpool" solo movie ever happening are dropping by the day.
Olivia Wilde
Like Reynolds, Wilde has been on the rise for a while, but took a hit this summer with two big failures: "Cowboys and Aliens" and "The Change Up." Neither film was sold on her, so the brand hasn't been tarnished too horribly, and Wilde has plenty more in the works, particularly now that she's freed herself from duties on "House." But chances of her carrying her own movie are slipping, and there's little on her dance card that'll help that, although hopefully indie-type projects like "Butter" and "Blackbird" have the potential to surprise.
Tom Hanks
In the 1990s, a romantic comedy starring Hanks and Julia Roberts would have been as close to a surefire hit that you could get. But "Larry Crowne," while admittedly cheap, never found its audience despite the two A-listers, and, with Roberts taking "Eat Pray Love" to $200 million worldwide last year, it's Hanks who takes the bullet here, leaving him in an unusual position for the actor: he's not had a real hit outside the Dan Brown or "Toy Story" franchises for close to a decade, the days of a $200 million toll for "Cast Away" long behind him. He's not going anywhere, but he could use a home-run some time soon.
Directors: Winners
J.J. Abrams
Abrams might be one of the busiest people in Hollywood, and was coming off a big hit in "Star Trek," but this summer was the biggest test of his name to date. Even in TV, his hits have been based around high-concepts ("Lost," "Alias"), and he doesn't hit it out of the park every time, with shows like "Six Degrees" and "Undercovers" getting swift cancellations. "Super 8" was certainly a risk -- a rare relative original in a slew of adaptations, without anything even close to a big name in the cast. And sure, Steven Spielberg's name was all over the ads, but that didn't help "Cowboys & Aliens" much, did it? The film's strong reviews and impressive success mean that Abrams is now one of the few directors who'll essentially be allowed to do whatever the hell he likes these days -- including pushing back the release date for "Star Trek 2."
Rupert Wyatt
As dicey a proposition that "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" looked at one stage, those of us who knew "The Escapist," the debut feature from 'Apes' director Rupert Wyatt, held out a little hope. With the film landing surprisingly excellent reviews, and a far-better-than-expected opening weekend, it's not lead James Franco who'll take the credit (it's a much-needed boost after the death of "Your Highness," but the film wasn't sold on the actor, and most reviews called him the weak link). Instead, it's Wyatt who'll take the credit here -- critics overwhelmingly praised his visual abilities and handling of the third-act action, and he'll shoot to the top of director wish-lists for big properties from now on. Indeed, by following a terrific thriller with a reinvigoration of a long-tarnished franchise, he seems to be following the Christopher Nolan career path, and we won't be the only people to make that comparison.
Justin Lin
Lin is a veteran of "The Fast and the Furious" franchise, having helmed the last three entries, and the returns have been increasing every time, with "Fast Five" being easily the most successful, and, crucially, most enjoyable, of the series. Lin's been on the up for a little while now, but he's now breaking through in a big way, particularly as he's been appointed as the man to save the "The Terminator" franchise. He's not quite A-list yet: he needs to have a hit that doesn't star Vin Diesel and/or Paul Walker first. But if his witty, energetic work on "Community" is anything to go by, there's plenty more to come from the helmer.
Woody Allen
As you've likely heard, Woody Allen's lite and enjoyable little soufflé, "Midnight In Paris," surpassed the $50 million mark at the U.S. box office this summer, making it Allen's biggest grosser ever. Not his best work, but a very enjoyable little comedic and sweet trifle, 'Paris' hit a sweet-spot with older audiences that hadn't come out to support him in years and it's still doing brisk box-office business ($85 million worldwide). With a wide release on the way, and a potential Oscar campaign coming from Sony Pictures Classics, whether Allen can score one of the coveted 10 Oscar Best Picture slots or not is moot; he's had a banner year either way.
Directors: Losers
Jon Favreau
Who doesn't like Jon Favreau? He's always been an enjoyable screen presence, and he proved with "Elf," "Zathura" and "Iron Man" that he was a commercial filmmaker to be reckoned with, with a Spielberg-ian sense of how to push an audience's buttons. But "Cowboys & Aliens" wasn't just one of the biggest flops of the season, it was also Favreau's second bad movie in a row, after the rushed "Iron Man 2." That one was put down to behind-the-scenes clashes with Marvel, but the "Swingers" star has no one to blame but himself this time out: the dour tone never connected with audiences, not even the geek crowd it was intended for and it was far more boring than any film with the face-off promised in the title should be. Budgeted close to $200 million, the expensive film couldn't even crack the $100 million mark domestically. It's failure won't derail his next film, Disney's "Magic Kingdom," but he's no longer the safe pair of hands he seemed to be after "Iron Man."
Rob Marshall
Surely the director of a billion-dollar hit like "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" can't have had too shitty a summer? Well, no, but Rob Marshall can't take too much credit for his first foray into tent-pole territory. The film lived and died on the public's continuing adoration for Johnny Depp in his most beloved character, but 'Tides' was even more poorly received by critics than the last two installments, and Marshall showed no real capacity for big-canvas filmmaking. Depp seems to like him, hiring him to direct the in-development "The Thin Man" remake, but it seems that his services won't be retained for 'Pirates 5,' and other heavy-hitters may think twice about giving Marshall another blockbuster any time soon. In the court of critical opinion, Marshall definitely needs a film that doesn't make audiences wince.
The Film Winners
"Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2"
While Warner Bros. said goodbye to its most lucrative franchise this year, the parting was made much less difficult when Harry and co. said adieu with a whopping $1.2 billion gross worldwide -- the third highest grossing film of all time. Not too shabby. While it feels like a reboot will be a fait accompli in maybe 4-5 years, WB is certainly sitting pretty for the next few years thanks to 'Hallows Part 2.' And take note, worldwide audiences love 'Potter,' the film's international gross was a whopping $923 million. And counting, 'Deathly Hallows Part 2' is still only 6 weeks deep and its conceivable it could still rack up a few more millions before its worldwide run is done.
"The Help"
Generally speaking, August is the summer equivalent of January for the major studios: a dumping ground for the movies that they're not sure what to do with. However, over the past couple years, this frame has proven hugely successful with movies aimed squarely at the Oprah crowd. "Eat Pray Love" (over $200 million worldwide) and "Julie & Julia" (over $125 million worldwide) have exposed a segment of the population that is both usually underserved by Hollywood, has money to spend on the movies and moreover, generates great word of mouth. So no surprise then that "The Help," just three weeks into release, is not only still in the number one slot, but is looking to surpass $100 million by the time September arrives this weekend. While bloggers and critics wrung their hands about the possible problematic racial issues of the film, audiences were less discerning and came out of the picture smiling and recommending it to their friends which likely accounts for the strong week-over-week hold that has seen the pic stay under a 30% drop thus far. So what happens next August? Well, Disney has already set "The Odd Life Of Timothy Green" for a August 15, 2012 bow and with the trailer unspooling in front of "The Help" it's only the start of what will be a very targeted marketing campaign with the hopes they can build on this year's success.
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
$1.1 billion and counting and now the 5th highest worldwide grossing film of all time: say what you will about Michael Bay, but "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" cemented the fact that Bay can make senseless, clamoring pictures with little wit or narrative and audiences will still come out in droves to see his noisy, action spectacles. Especially international audiences. $757 million of that $1.1 billion cume came from overseas audiences who just love to see shit blow up real good. And while 3D took a hit this year, when all is said and done, the proselytizers will point to 'Dark Of The Moon' and 'Deathly Hallows 2' as two important success stories.
R-Rated Comedies: "The Hangover Part 2," "Bridesmaids," & "Horrible Bosses"
If there was any doubt that R-rated comedies were a new cash cow for Hollywood, the summer of 2011 put those questions to rest, as audiences turned out in droves for a string of foul-mouthed comedies. There was no question that "The Hangover Part II" was going to be big, and in fact, the only question was just how much of a money maker it would be. Well, taking in nearly $600 million worldwide, the film made over $100 million more than its predecessor, ensuring that drunken hijinks will never get old and guaranteeing a third installment. But that wasn't the only R-rated laffer that scored big for Warner Bros., as the lower budgeted "Horrible Bosses" found audiences dreaming of vicariously offing their employers to the tune of $170 million worldwide. Once again, a smart concept, sold and marketed to big bucks. But the story of the year belongs to "Bridesmaids." Earning over $270 million worldwide, it's ample proof that it's not just guys who enjoy bawdy humor and that guys don't care if the filthy laughs come from men or women. Paul Feig, long standing in the shadow of pal Judd Apatow, finally emerged as a director with mulitplex chops. Equally heartening, the film launched the big screen careers of two of its stars -- Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy -- thus ensuring that there will be more smartly written hilarity coming down the line.
The Film Losers
Proof that nostalgia doesn't instantly guarantee an audience or box office clout, the reboot of the character that made Arnold Schwarzenegger's career took a mighty big swing but missed widely. Handing the reins to director Marcus Nispel probably wasn't the best idea. Sure, he probably works for cheap, but his resume is littered with films like "Pathfinder", while the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Friday The 13th" reboots speak for themselves. Though he ambitiously went for an R-rated take on the material, audiences didn't seem to care for Jason Momoa being the one to unleash the violence and critics were even far less impressed. The actor, who was somewhat prematurely given the CinemaCon Rising Star award this past spring from industry types has yet to prove he's earned that status. His stint on the first season of "Game Of Thrones" didn't require him to speak many lines, and after the paltry performance of "Conan" -- the $90 million movie has made a sad $22 million worldwide -- he won't be headlining any major tent-poles any time soon. Lionsgate are likely smarting from the hit they're going to take on this one, and you can bet the producers on the developing "Red Sonja" reboot will be rethinking their approach after the dismal performance of "Conan."
"Green Lantern"
We won't harp on about it too long, as we discussed this film at length throughout this piece. Yes, it was tonally off, confused, plodding and just too simplistic even for easy-lay audiences (we called it "a tale of good and evil for dummies" in our review). But what's important to remember about "Green Lantern" is that on paper, the character was akin to "Iron Man." Both were B-characters in the comics world, but thanks to Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau, "Iron Man" is is now without question Marvel's most popular and successful character. D.C. and Warner Bros. were surely trying to replicate this success: Turn a B-level character (don't forget audiences scratched their heads and chuckled at the thought of an "Iron Man" film at first, thinking he was a character that couldn't lead a film on his own) into an A-list star and then lead the way for other B-level characters to come. But WB/D.C. stumbled hard here and this is going to cause problems in their universe. Had Hal Jordan succeeded, films from "The Flash" and "Wonder Woman" might not be that far behind. But with this very expensive lesson learned ($250+million), it's doubtful we'll see these films on screen anytime before 2014 at this rate, since it's likely back to the drawing board for many of these projects before they proceed forward (that's the case for the mooted "Green Lantern" sequel too; expect a major rewrite and a jettisoning of the old script).
"Attack The Block"
One of the best genre films of the year (one of our favorite films of the year, period) -- an inspired mix of "The Goonies," "Critters" and "Gremlins" -- the British sci-fi film, "Attack The Block," was loudly trumpeted by the geek set and critics, but after being snatched up by Screen Gems after the film's U.S. debut at SXSW, the mini-studio seemed at a loss at what to actually do with the picture. They rushed the film into theaters in July, next to "Cowboys & Aliens," and audiences just didn't respond to either genre film. Poor Edgar Wright. Last year, he had the heavily touted "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" in a similar position. That film made tons of media noise, especially in the vociferous, but niche geek set, but didn't connect widely with audiences. As an exec-producer on "Attack The Block," the filmmaker experienced the same unfortunate fate with this picture. Directed by Joe Cornish, the sci-fi film set in the British projects was a major accomplishment for any director, let alone a directorial debut. But after almost 5 weeks in theaters, the film has only made a rather sad, $715,000 domestically. Worldwide the film has grossed $4.9 million, but off a $13 million dollar budget, plus marketing and the type of amazing-worth-of-mouth you can't buy, "Attack The Block," is just another example of the disparity between geek buzz and audience reception (and lost in translation language barriers and a clueless studio). Not to mention a major disappointment. That said, surely this dazzling and energetic picture is going to end up on many year-end-lists, so maybe like "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World," hopefully Cornish's 'Block' will become a cult classic on DVD.
"Glee: The 3D Concert Movie"
Opening in over 2,000 theaters for what was supposed to be a limited event screening type affair, the Gleeks stayed at home for "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie." Granted, the cost of the filming a concert, cutting it, converting it and putting it up in theaters was tiny, but surely Fox was hoping it would open better than 11th place. Total box office? $14 million. While "Glee" may be a powerhouse on TV, that seems to be where the brand is going to stay for now and some blame should be foisted upon the marketers of this movie, who failed to convey that it wasn't just a concert movie, but also a chronicle of die hard fans of the show and what it means to them. Is the power of "Glee" waning? We doubt it, but Fox was mistaken if they thought there was a big mainstream audience ready to see them at the multiplex.
R-Rated Comedies: "The Change-Up," "30 Minutes Or Less"
Okay, so not every high concept foul mouthed comedy was a success. Confirming Ryan Reynolds' bummer summer, "The Change Up" marked the actor's second flop in a row after "Green Lantern" and put into serious question his leading man status. Audiences just didn't care for the "Freaky Friday" premise and even though the film was actually quite funny, word of mouth didn't help, and the movie opened at #4 and continued to sink faster and faster each week, barely passing $30 million worldwide -- a dismal number by any standard. Meanwhile, Sony's freewheeling "30 Minutes Or Less," about a guy who is forced to rob a bank and enlists his friend to help him out found Jesse Eisenberg and Aziz Ansari floundering for somebody to watch the movie. We love Aziz, but we're not sure who decided he's ready to co-star in a movie nor is Eisenberg yet primed to lead a summer movie. That said, it was a relatively low budget project and it should make back its budget and turn a small profit, but you can bet the studio was hoping for a lot more, especially given the heavy push they gave the movie (is there anybody Ansari and Eisenberg didn't talk to?). Still, a $31 million gross so far, just doesn't cut it.
The Business: Winners
The comic company-turned-movie studio have had an unusually ambitious game plan in effect, with roughly a movie a year heading into next summer's team-up effort "The Avengers." 2011 was the make-or-break year: "Thor" and "Captain America" were both risky, one a bolder, weirder, more fantastical superhero flick than had been seen in a while, the latter a period piece that may not have played well internationally, and neither looked hugely promising for movie fans in advance. The joke that, if both flopped, "The Avengers" might be rebranded as "Iron Man 3" was a common one. But, to their great delight, the risks paid off: both picked up far better reviews than expected, and have proven to be big box office hits, birthing two new franchises, and positioning "The Avengers" to be a massive tent-pole in 2012.
Paramount & Warner Bros.
Most studios, as is usually the case, had a mixed summer: Warner Bros, for example, had huge hits with 'Harry Potter,' "The Hangover Part II" and "Horrible Bosses," but should have opened "Crazy Stupid Love" to much more, and got burnt on "Green Lantern." Still, with 'Potter' and 'Hangover II' successes, the companies $1.3 billion domestic gross this year is just behind Par's $1.41 billion (both companies are over $2 billion internationally). But only one studio knocked it out of the park every time: Paramount. They didn't just distribute the two Marvel superhero flicks, but also DreamWorks' "Kung-Fu Panda 2," and had home-grown hits both in the hugely profitable "Super 8," and the billion-dollar "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." It's something of an ending of an era for the studio: the Marvel movies move to Disney next year, their deal with DreamWorks Animation is over and Michael Bay is done with "Transformers," so they've got to be worried for the future -- the summer of 2012 holds only "World War Z" and a "G.I. Joe" sequel. But for now, they're sitting pretty.
20th Century Fox
Long thought of as the most interference-happy studio in town, with few critical darlings in recent years, this was the year when 20th Century Fox started taking some risks, going for filmmaker-led rebirths of some of their biggest properties. And for the most part, it paid off. "X-Men First Class" didn't do gangbusters numbers, but as a virtual starting-from-scratch approach to the superhero franchise, it did just fine, with numbers akin to "Batman Begins," and it's certainly put them back in fans' good books after the widely loathed "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." And "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was perhaps the biggest gamble of the summer, but the surprising opening weekend numbers ($54 million) and the totals since ($305 million worldwide with a healthy $148 million domestically), it's clear that risk has paid off. Hopefully "Prometheus" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" will continue the upward critical trend next summer.
The Business: Losers
The studio have had a rougher time than most in recent years, having rolled the dice on ambitious projects like "Green Zone" and "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" that didn't pay off. And they had a storming start to the year, with "Fast Five" and "Bridesmaids" both setting the box office alight; indeed, if we'd written this feature two weeks ago, they'd have firmly been in the winner's category. But those two weeks have brought two high concept films that were safe bets on paper: Daniel Craig + Harrison Ford + Jon Favreau + Steven Spielberg for "Cowboys & Aliens," and Ryan Reynolds + Jason Bateman + the director of "Wedding Crashers" + the writers of "The Hangover" for "The Change-Up." But both will number among the biggest disappointments of the year, expensive, misjudged pictures that will struggle to make a profit. The studio might be getting back on the right track, but we're not convinced that they've mastered the art of greenlighting movies that people actually want to see just yet, and with 2012's great hope "Battleship" already a punchline, it may be some time before they're restored to former glories. Keep in mind they're self-aware. This is the reason they pulled the plug on Guillermo del Toro's "At The Mountains of Madness," Ron Howard's "The Dark Tower" and their Hasbro properties, "Clue" and "Ouija": because they were all simply expensive risks to take.
It feels odd to be planting the golden boys of animation among the losers: after all, their entry for this year, "Cars 2," will sell a huge amount of merchandise, and has taken $400 million worldwide. But, to put it in context, $400 million makes it the studio's lowest grosser in well over a decade, and it's unlikely to go up significantly, the film having already opened in virtually every major territory. Perhaps more importantly, their streak as critical darlings has been broken: the sequel was even less well received than its predecessor, marking Pixar's first 'rotten' film; the luster is starting to come off the dream factory. Next year's offering "Brave" looks infinitely more promising, but with key figures like Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton starting to be tempted away for live-action fare elsewhere, we wonder if "Cars 2" will be looked back on as the end of an era for the CGI giants.
D.C. Comics
Marvel might have had the more consistent run, of late, but let's not forget that it's a D.C. Comics character who starred in the all-time top grossing superhero flick, "The Dark Knight." Parent company Warner Bros have, with the end of the "Harry Potter" series, pinned their hopes on D.C. providing them a wealth of new franchises, but things got off to an ignominious start with "Green Lantern," which had the lowest opening of the four superhero flicks of the season (on the biggest budget), a steep drop-off, and a meager international haul. A sequel is being pushed on with (although how far it'll progress remains to be seen), and other characters like "The Flash" remain in development, but despite new Batman and Superman pictures on the way, D.C. have a long way to go before they match their great rivals' position in the movie world.
Not a studio as such, but the post-"Avatar" 3D revolution has been as major a development in the film industry as anything in recent years. But the honeymoon was firmly over as of this summer, at least domestically. The format clearly helped "Transformers," "Harry Potter" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" to hit $1 billion a piece internationally, but at home, the films mostly didn't overwhelmingly outpace their predecessors and, crucially, the trend started to develop of audiences choosing 2D over 3D screenings: 70% of 'Pirates' showings were in 3D on opening weekend, but only 40% of the box office came from them. It's unlikely to be the format's death knell, but the days of every potential tentpole getting an extra dimension are likely to be in question from now on. 3D's not dead by any means, but it's definitely going into reassessment mode.
dennis | September 1, 2011 4:49 AM
where do you get $400M for cars 2? box office mojo has had it over $500M for a week, $521M as of now. Seems odd to include that in business losers.
dommy | August 31, 2011 9:32 AM
wow... could you make a bigger point in how you felt about midnight in paris... little? light? trifle? you really wanted to get the point across didn't you?
and by the way... paris is close to 100 million... and has many more markets to open in
and hall pass actually did well... 83 million gross on a 36 million dollar budget... that's good biz for farrelly bros.
bob hawk | August 31, 2011 5:15 AM
I don't know how much difference it would have made, but I think doing the GLEE concert flick in 3D was a major miscalculation.
What could 3D have possibly added to the enjoyment of this movie? I think a lot of its major demographic wasn't about to shell out the extra bucks on this one. And because of its title, it evidently was not possible to see it in 2D.
Personally, I never see anything in 3D (other than something like Herzog's CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, which uses the process subtly). The image is just too damn dim -- and I find it all rather distancing. The final HARRY POTTER drew me in -- in 2D -- because there was nothing "in the way."
SoulHonky | August 31, 2011 2:51 AM
You have to look at the budgets, including how much people spend promoting movies, which has become a HUGE expenditure. The days of saying a movie making 100 million or even 200 million worldwide gross and thinking it's a definitely a hit are over. That's not the benchmark anymore since blockbusters are now routinely budgeted over 100 million and the marketing dollar doesn't go as far as it used to.
Green Lantern making 200 million worldwide isn't as impressive when you realize the film cost 200 million to make and they dumped another 100 million into marketing. (And all of the 200 million isn't going to the studio) Similarly, Cowboys and Aliens cost 160 million just to produce and it's only made 130 million worldwide. They had a pretty extensive marketing campaign as well and that's all red ink right now.
Unless you have a fairly strict definition of flop as a movie that can't even must up 50% or 75% of its production budget, then Green Lantern and Cowboys and Aliens are both considered flops.
Andrew | August 31, 2011 2:17 AM
So now movies that make over 100 million domestic and 200 million worldwide are now considered flops? That is what the totals will be for both Cowboys and Aliens and Green Latern. Not to mention Cowboys and Aliens did it without 3D money while most of the hits this year made tens of millions more because of 3D. I am not saying Cowboys and Aliens was a huge hit but lots of people went to see it and it will make more than its budget. I am sorry, but how can that be a flop?
Kevin Jagernauth | August 30, 2011 8:50 AM
Except Zombieland came out in the fall, and was sold on its concept, not on Eisenberg.
RJ | August 30, 2011 8:47 AM
"nor is Eisenberg yet primed to lead a summer movie"
Except he already lead a summer movie. It was called Zombieland.
Correction | August 30, 2011 8:33 AM
Per usual, another Playlist post of made up facts.
Atwell didn't beat out Blunt or Knightly for the role. They offered it to Blunt and she turned it down. Knightly also dropped out of consideration. Just because a studio has names on a shortlist doesn't mean that
a) the actress picked beat all the other ones out
b) all the actresses on that shortlist wanted the part
is it that hard to google "Emily Blunt Captain America" or "Keira Knightly Captain America?" before just making stuff up?
This is a case of Marvel not being able to get a more well known established actress to commit to a multi year contract and having to settle on an unknown. Not an unknown "beating out" a bunch of established British actresses.
Sorry Fatties | August 30, 2011 8:19 AM
Melissa Mcarthy is fat. Doesn't matter how good she is or how good the movie is. she will never be an "unconventional leading lady" but will probably still get supporting parts.
You don't see Mo'Nique or Precious or the girl from "Hairspray" in many movies these days...this will be no different.
Sorry, she's never going to be a lead in anything and getting a role in a Jason Batemen-starring movie is just a guaranteed flop at this point...(Extract, Change Up, The Switch, The Ex, etc etc)
Hayden | August 30, 2011 7:04 AM
Don't hate, Kevin. I actually liked Oliver's piece, just seconding already-expressed observations. I thought the 'Attack the Block' inclusion was very smart. When you finally write something interesting I'll offer my congratulations.
Ken | August 30, 2011 6:38 AM
I know I'm probably alone in this, but 30 Minutes or Less was actually my second favorite R-rated comedy of the year (behind Bridesmaids)
Gabe Toro | August 30, 2011 6:14 AM
Should have been meaner!
Castor | August 30, 2011 5:42 AM
Totally agree with Olivia Wilde. She is in so many movies and yet she is going absolutely nowhere so far. I really wonder what drew her to that nearly unplayable role in Cowboys & Aliens.
Kevin Jagernauth | August 30, 2011 5:36 AM
Hayden | August 30, 2011 5:34 AM
Obviously this idea isn't a novel one, but its still odd that EVERY bullet point in EW is featured on this list. Numbers don't lie, but in a four-month film summer full of talking points, its fishy that things like 'Conan,' 'Glee,' R-Rated Comedies and Ryan Reynolds are overlapped. Either that or very very coincidental.
hank | August 30, 2011 5:32 AM
winners! it's so good to be a winner.
SoulHonky | August 30, 2011 5:19 AM
Can I short the "Chris Evans = breakout" stock? Captain America has made slightly more than The Fantastic Four flicks did, which didn't exactly vault him onto the A-list. None of the actors mentioned have really gotten much momentum. Most people still have no idea who Fassbender is and I'm not sure X-Men did anything more than Inglorious Basterds had done for him. Timberlake benefits from low expectations and doesn't have any more of an audience than Ryan Reynolds, who was the latest It Boy to prove that he doesn't bring in the bucks. (Bad Teacher is Timberlake's The Proposal)
I'd agree that everyone on the list is a "winner" in terms of the illusion of their success will convince studios to give them a bit more power but if these guys believe the hype and jump for a paycheck, they'll find themselves in the loser category in 2012. They need to use the little clout they might have gotten and make some good, commercial movies if they want to build on this summer.
Kevin Jagernauth | August 30, 2011 5:13 AM
Just to clarify, this bulk of this post except for the Film Winners and Losers was written about three weeks ago. We decided to hold it until "The Help" opened and see how the next couple weeks played out before updating/publishing. Any overlaps with EW are coincidental.
And as someone else said, money doesn't lie and failures/winners are gonna be the same everywhere. And we're not claiming to have invented the idea of doing this kind of story either.
Mark | August 30, 2011 5:10 AM
Super 8 only made $120 million domestic and even less worldwide. Hardly a major blockbuster which would cement him as "the new Spielberg".
nukka | August 30, 2011 5:03 AM
road to perdition made over 100 million
Shantel Bush | August 30, 2011 4:54 AM
Hayley Atwell's definitely a winner! Her boobs are so huge! I'm pretty sure she could smother a man to death between those boobs. It would be one of the most pleasant deaths a man could die.
Mark Zhuravsky | August 30, 2011 4:52 AM
Oliver's been putting this feature together for more than a month - naturally there's overlaps with similar features, since they're all covering the same films that earned the same amounts of money at the box office.
Brody | August 30, 2011 4:47 AM
In fairness, "winners and losers" isn't a unique idea a ton of websites do it, but yeah the timing is weird, no reason why a website couldn't do this last week or the week before but to do it right after the EW issue comes out with a lot of the exact same stuff?
Sarah | August 30, 2011 4:23 AM
Ha. This idea is straight out the new EW. Even some of the content seems oddly similar...


text:
I wanted to deface my ballot, but I went through with it and gave Dark Lord Saban his due.
Here's where my BlogPoll ballot stands heading into bowl season.
Not much movement near the top -- but lots of it near the bottom, although the teams are mostly the same as last week. Except for... Utah State! WINNING TEAM! LOSING TEAM! WINNING TEAM! LOSING...
I hated hated hated hated hated this ballot... but here it is.
The top of the ballot is pretty easy this week. The bottom is a mess. Also some discussion about what the conference-heavy future of college football might mean for polls.
Take a look at this week's top 25 ballot and let us know what you think.
Here's our Top 25, with the Gators ascending to the top spot after another big, quality win.
After adding GarySJ's ballot to the mix, here's what we came up with this week.
Oklahoma rises, West Virginia plummets, and the resume ballots begin. May want to stop giving up 50 points a game there, Ohio State.
Our final top 25 rankings for the week.
Don't get too attached to this poll, but you can already see the credit being given to teams like Florida and Oregon State.
I didn't get a chance to retabulate the vote after Mike requested I move his three ranked Big East teams around. Just know it wouldn't have appreciably changed our final ballot, as below: ...
Here's our preliminary ballot following Week 5 of the season.
Here's our draft ballot for Week 4 of the BlogPoll Top 25.
Maybe USF isn't that good, but I can still watch the games, unlike the NFL. At least the college officials know what they are doing Penalties Remain "Achilles' Heel" for The Bulls | TBO.com This...
Here's our final ballot for Week 3 of the BlogPoll Top 25.
Our first draft of the new BlogPoll.
Our final ballot for Week 2 of the BlogPoll.
A couple of extra voters added to this week's poll make for a few differences of opinion on who should be ranked and where. What about you?
Our final ballot for Week 1 of the SB Nation BlogPoll.
Our draft BlogPoll ballot after Week 1 of the 2012 season.
Let us know what you guys think in the comments. Voodoo Five Ballot - Week 13 Rank Team Delta 1 LSU Tigers -- 2 Alabama Crimson Tide 1 3 Oklahoma St. Cowboys -1 4 Arkansas...
Here's our BlogPoll ballot for this week. Yes, yes, we messed up on Houston. That will be fixed next week. Other than that let us know how we did in the comments. Voodoo Five Ballot - Week 12 ...
Here is our ballot for this week. Jamie didn't include a ballot this week, so the overall picture will look just a bit different with just me and Gary's vote this week. Let us know what you think...
Here is our BlogPoll Ballot for this week. Let us know how we did in the comments. Voodoo Five Ballot - Week 10 Rank Team Delta 1 LSU Tigers -- 2 Alabama Crimson Tide -- 3 Oklahoma...
Here's our ballot for this week's BlogPoll Top 25. With Oklahoma and Wisconsin losing, there was bound to be a ton of movement everywhere on the ballot. Any questions or comments? Let us know in...
As part of the new SB Nation launch, prior users will need to choose a permanent username, along with a new password.
Your username will be used to login to SB Nation going forward.
Please login to your Vox Media account. This account will be linked to your previously existing Eater account.
As part of the new SB Nation launch, prior MT authors will need to choose a new username and password.
Your username will be used to login to SB Nation going forward.
We'll email you a reset link.
If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.
You must be a member of Voodoo Five to participate.
We have our own Community Guidelines at Voodoo Five. You should read them.
You must be a member of Voodoo Five to participate.
We have our own Community Guidelines at Voodoo Five. You should read them.
Choose an available username to complete sign up.
In order to provide our users with a better overall experience, we ask for more information from Facebook when using it to login so that we can learn more about our audience and provide you with the best possible experience. We do not store specific user data and the sharing of it is not required to login with Facebook.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CATEGORIES Fandom, Contests, Insert Caption, 'Fone Finds, CinematicalWelcome back to another edition of Insert Caption -- the online game that totally supports an actual hotel for dogs ... except we don't want to work there. Last week we asked you to churn out your best for a photo from the new flick Last Chance Harvey, and with only one winner to take home the prize, we searched hard and long for the caption that turned us off the most. (Or something like that). Congrats go out to Mark P.
1. "Dustin turned, and suddenly it struck him: "Jesus! From this angle, she looks like me with long hair..." -- Mark P.
See full image and all captions
This week we're checking in to Hotel for Dogs (in theaters January 16th), and checking out all your witty captions for a photo from this film about two kids who secretly take care of nine stray dogs in a vacant house ... and hilarity ensues. Once again we're looking for only one winner this week, which means you really have to be on your caption-ing game. But the prize is totally worth it -- the person behind our favorite caption will run away with one Hotel for Dogs Nintendo DS and one Hotel for Dogs Nintendo DS game. So bark out those fine captions and sound off below ...
Read the official rules for this contest


text:
|You Are Here:
Who can resist a gift of chocolate and truffles? Gift box is molded entirely from creamy milk or dark chocolate and filled with truffles! Create your own design on the lid, or use our stock 3D Happy Holidays design as shown or Season's Greetings design. Each box is packaged in a gold keepsake tin with coordinating bow and complimentary card. Kosher certification available. 10 oz.
Product Dimensions: 4-1/4"W x 3"H x 1-1/4"D (chocolate box); 5-1/2"W x 4"H x 2"D (gold tin).
Imprint Area: 4-1/4"W x 2-3/4"H.
Price includes custom molded chocolate lid in your choice of Milk or Dark Chocolate.
Please note: In order to prevent heat damage to chocolate and food products during transportation, it may be required that your order ship in insulated cartons with ice packs. It may also be necessary to upgrade shipping on your order if the transit time for ground service is 3 or more days to your delivery address. It may be necessary to ship larger orders via refrigerated truck. We will notify you if these shipping methods are required for your order.
Item Colors
Additional Information
|Imprint Area
|See Description
|Standard Production Time
|7 days. (Rush production may be available. Learn More)
|14 oz
|Company Picnic
|Family Reunion
|Taylor & Grant Specialties
Question & AnswerAsk Question Live Chat
General FAQ
- Can I order this item blank/unimprinted?
- Can I request a sample of this item?
- How are shipping costs calculated?
- Can I order less than the minimum quantity listed on the website?
Knowledge Base Articles
Create your own review


text:
Heart disease cause of Crisco's death
July 16, 2014
(The News & Observer, Raleigh)
Former N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco died of heart disease and high blood pressure, according to an autopsy released Tuesday. Crisco, 71, collapsed at his Asheboro home on May 12.
Stanley Furniture reports $19.1 million loss in second quarter
July 16, 2014
(Winston-Salem Journal)
High Point-based Stanley Furniture Industries reported a second quarter loss of $19.1 million, compared with a $3.5 million loss a year ago. The company said it took a $16.2 million restructuring charge related to closing its Robbinsville plant (Regional Report, May) which ended its domestic production.
Cary-based CRO to merge with Chiltern
July 16, 2014
(Greater Wilmington Business Journal)
United Kingdom-based Chiltern, a contract research organization with operations in Wilmington, will acquire Cary-based Ockham, which employs 400 worldwide.
Imperial Tobacco hopes to revive Winston brand
July 16, 2014
(News & Record, Greensboro)
Imperial Tobacco Group said it plans to make Winston brand cigarettes the face of its U.S. marketing strategy and will distribute blu eCigs, the top-selling U.S. electronic cigarette brand, worldwide.
CoreLogic to close Charlotte office
July 16, 2014
(The Charlotte Observer)
Irvine, Calif.-based CoreLogic will close its Charlotte office, laying off 46 workers by October. The company provides real-estate data and mortgage-document processing.
Vermont company acquires Raleigh's Gamila Products
July 16, 2014
(The News & Observer, Raleigh)
Raleigh-based Gamila products was acquired by Vermont-based Seventh Generation, which sells environmentally friendly household and personal-care products. Gamila sells products for brewing single-servings of coffee and tea.
Reynolds American to buy Lorillard for $27.4 billion
July 15, 2014
(Winston-Salem Journal)
Winston-Salem-based Reynolds American has agreed to purchase Greensboro-based Lorillard for $27.4 billion. As part of the deal, United Kingdom-based Imperial Tobacco Group will buy selected brands including blu eCigs and will acquire Lorillard's Greensboro manufacturing operations where the tobacco company employs 2,900.
IT company could bring 1,200 jobs to Cary
July 15, 2014
(The News & Observer, Raleigh)
North Carolina is offering more than $17 million in incentives to lure a technology and engineering company to Cary. The unidentified company would create 1,237 jobs over three years.
Record orders mean jobs, investment at New Hanover GE Aviation plant
July 15, 2014
(Greater Wilmington Business Journal)
Following a record-breaking year in 2013, GE Aviation's joint venture CFM International has taken orders totaling about $25 billion so far this year. The company's plant in Castle Hayne will get a $65 million upgrade and 35 new jobs to keep up with production.
Johnston Community College opts out of federal student loans
July 15, 2014
(Smithfield Herald)
Students at Johnston Community College can no longer receive student loans from the federal government. The school opted out of the program due to a rising default rate that could jeopardize its federal funding.


text:
Aston Villa stunningly defeated Manchester City at home in an exciting 3-2 game.
Manchester City have agreed to a season long loan of Alvaro Negredo to Valencia with a commitment by the Spanish club to agreee to an eventual permanent move for a transfer fee believed to be in the neighborhood of £30million.
Queens Park Rangers have Niko Kranjcar for a second season on loan after an agreement was made with parent club Dynamo Kyiv.
Hull City have signed Southampton midfielder Gaston Ramirez on a season-long loan.
Queens Park Rangers added a key figure to their first team with the signing of Sandro on a three year deal, handing over £10million to Tottenham Hotspur for the transfer fee.
Stoke City have signed forward Oussama Assaidi from Liverpool on a season-long loan and will pay a £1m loan free.
Manchester United have added defender Daley Blind on a £14m move from Ajax.
Crystal Palace complete their second signing on deadline day with the capture of James McArthur from Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee.
Manchester City have agreed to a season long loan of Micah Richards to Serie A side Fiorentina.
Hull City have acquired midfielder Mohamed Diame on a £3.5 million transfer from West Ham United.
Crystal Palace have made their first purchase of transfer deadline day by bringing in Tottenham Hotspur left-back Zeki Fryers for an undisclosed fee.
Argentinian international Ricardo Alvarez has completed a season-long loan move to the Stadium of Light.


text:
Beautiful 7/Bed 4.5/Bath Wood Furnish Home in Kissimmee
- bedrooms 7
- baths 4½
- sleeps 16
- pool yes
- hot tub no
- pets allowed no
- type Villa
- community Emerald Island Resort
rates (USD)
/ night
$ 999 - $ 2,399 / week
$ 3,996 - $ 9,596 / month
vacation rental description
Dear Guests,
Welcome to our villa, your beautiful and spacious vacation home away from home. Our 3200+ square feet home has been beautifully designed and furnished with luxurious solid wood furniture, HD televisions, high-speed Wi-Fi internet and free phone calls to anywhere in the U.S and Canada. Located just 3 miles from world-class attractions like Disney Land, Sea World, Universal and spectacular golf courses, you will never run out of things to do whether you're at home or outside. In fact, you can be arranged to be picked up by bus to any of the park right from the resort club house!
This beautiful villa is fully air-conditioned and features a heated pool with a connected spa, out-door patio furniture and grill all under a netted-screen cover for rest and relaxation anytime. HD televisions are all equipped with the premium channel package. Available for your babies are one portable crib, one booster seat at the dinner table, one baby stroller and one high chair. In addition, the washer, dryer and dishwasher are all ready for use. Professional house cleaning services are always hired to completely clean the villa before every visitor begins their stay.
For the Kids
Children and adults alike will enjoy the award-winning Nintendo Wii (feel free to bring your own games as well!). Children will also enjoy various outdoor recreational activities like swimming (at home), air hockey or many other activities right within Emerald Island Resort. Activities include basketball, volleyball, tennis, jungle gym and swing sets and much more.
For You
Adults can enjoy various activities with the kids during the day and relax at night by the pool or inside the beautiful bar right at home. The dimly lit bar room features beautiful bar tables accompanied by comfortable seating, cocktail tables and a pool table and air hockey table. Enjoy watching your favorite programs or your favorite teams at the bar while you sit back, relax and drink a cold one!
House Specifications
The villa has 7 bedrooms with isntalled ceiling fans & HDTVs in every bedroom. Bedroom Configuration:
1-King(Master suite, Downstairs)
1-King(Master suite, Upstairs)
2-Twins(Upstairs) Princess room
2-Twins(Upstairs) Spiderman/Ironman room
Baby equipments: a high chair, a stroller and a crib
Groups can request to rent a queen-sized roller bed to sleep an additional 2 guests (16 total).
If there are any problems or concerns during your stay, we have professional management available Monday - Friday from 8 am - 4 pm or 24 hours a day (for true emergencies).
vacation rental location
property availability
- dates with deals
- unavailable dates
Last modified on 08-26-2014 at 12:40 PM.
email owner view full calendar
Paul Ni
villa rental amenities
- 3 King Beds, 1 Queen Bed, 6 Twin Beds
- Pool Table
- Air Hockey Table
- Air Conditioning
- Linens Provide
- Towels Provided (2 per bathroom)
- Porch
- Beach Chairs
- Parking
- Private Pool
- Outdoor Gas Grill
- Game Room/Bar with various cocktail glasses and shaker
- Patio
- Screened Porch
- High Speed Internet
- Nintendo Wii
- Refrigerator (Full Size)
- Blender
- Dishwasher
- TV (Cable)
- Ceiling Fan
- Microwave
- Coffee Maker
- Oven
- Washer/Dryer
activities and attractions in Kissimmee Central Florida
About Emerald Island Resort (where our villa is located)
Emerald Island Resort is a peaceful and serene resort community. This gated community has security 24 hours a day. Vehicle parking permits obtained from the clubhouse are required for all cars to enter the community. There are great facilities available for use at the Emerald Island Resort Club house including their community pools. Golf courses are within 5 miles of Emerald Island, as well as many supermarkets, banks, shops and fantastic restaurants.
Emerald Island Activities include:
Fitness Room
Spa & Sauna
Game/Arcade Room
Basketball/Volleyball/Tennis Courts
Nature Path
Jungle gym and swing set area
vacation rental rates
Rates vary week by week so please feel free to send me an inquiry about a particular time-frame.
Paul Ni
accepted payment methods
Prior to paying a reservation deposit, always verify payment instructions by calling the phone number displayed on this listing page. By contacting the owner directly and paying by an approved method - credit card, paypal, check or bank transfer - your reservation payment will be protected up to $1,000.Learn more in our Security Center
Top things to do in Kissimmee
- Disney Land
- Sea World
- Universal Studios
- Golfing
Top things to do with a family
- Sightseeing
- Theme Parks
- Fine Dining
- Water Parks
Paul Ni , owner


text: Take the Sword of the Spirit 0 TweetSign Up for Free eNewsletter ››Share on FacebookShare on TwitterTake the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) Share on FacebookShare on TwitterVideos that May Interest You 'Son of God Preview: Evangelical Leader Geoff Tunnicliffe on Last Supper Scene; Christian Apologetics Tool? BBC News - Christian areas in Baghdad in Iraq hit by bombs Christian World News: December 13, 2013


text:
Apparition Sun Perfume
By Ungaro for Women
Apparition Sun Perfume by Ungaro, A fresh floral scent it opens on a pink grapefruit sorbet accord, mixed with raspberry leaves . At the heart is a blend of rose and freesia; musk and white cedar wood make up the base. All products are original, authentic name brands. We do not sell knockoffs or imitations. ... Read More
- O D'azur
- O De L'orangerie
- O De Lancome
- O'pomelo
- Oblique Fast Forward
- Oblique Play
- Oblique Rwd
- Obsession
- Obsession Night
- Ocean Dream
- Ocean Pacific
- Ocean Sun
- Odalisque
- Odeon
- Odeon Tendency
- Odeon Very Fashion
- Odeur 53
- Odeur 71
- Odori Iris
- Odori Spigo
- Odori Tabacco
- Odori Zafferano
- Oh De Moschino
- Oh La La
- Oh Lola
- Oh My Cat
- Old England
- Old Spice
- Oleg Cassini
- Oligo.dx
- Olivier Strelli
- Ombre Mercure
- Ombre Platine
- Ombre Rose
- Ombre Rose Blue
- Omnia
- Omnia Amethyste
- Omnia Coral
- Omnia Crystalline
- Omnia Crystalline L'eau De Parfum
- Omnia Green Jade
- Omnia Indian Garnet
- On Ella
- Onde Extase
- Onde Vertige
- One & Only
- One Direction
- Only
- Only Crazy
- Only Givenchy
- Only Me Passion
- Ooh La La
- Op Juice
- Op Juice Blend
- Opium
- Opium D'ete Summer
- Opium Eau D'orient Fleur De Shanghai
- Opium Eau D'orient Orchidee De Chine
- Opium Eau D'orient Poesie De Chine
- Opium Fraicheur D'orient
- Opium Legendes De Chine
- Opus 1870
- Or Des Indes
- Orange Blossom
- Orange Cannelle
- Organza
- Organza First Light
- Organza Indecence
- Oriens
- Oriental Lace
- Oriental Lounge
- Orientalia
- Original Santal
- Originale
- Orlane
- Oro
- Oro Paulina Rubio
- Os Signature
- Oscar
- Oscar Bamboo
- Oscar Citrus
- Oscar de la Renta
- Oscar Gold
- Oscar Marine
- Oscar Red Orchid
- Oscar Red Satin
- Oscar Soft Amber
- Oscar Soft Blossom
- Oscar Summer Dew
- Oscar Tropical
- Oscar Violet
- Ose Parfum Pour Lingerie
- Osez Moi
- Osmanthus
- Otto Kern
- Oud Robert Piguet
- Oui
- Our Moment
- Own It
- Oxygene
- Ozbek
Sorry, Apparition Sun is not in stock
Enter your email and click "Notify Me" and we will email you as soon as it comes back in stock.
This product has 1 Out of Stock items |
About Ungaro
History and background of Ungaro. Born into an Italian tailor family in Aix-en-Provence, Emanuel Ungaro was able to find his freedom over thirty years ago when he rose to the challenge of creating his own Fashion House. Today, the man who, at the start of his career, was labeled the "maverick fashion designer", still free of constraints but subject to his passions, has become a figure of reference in the fashion world. Read more about Ungaro
More Ungaro fragrancesfor Women: Diva , Ungaro , Diva Rose , Desnuda Le Parfum , Ungaro Party , more
for Men: Ungaro Iii , Ungaro Man , Ungaro Ii , Ungaro , Apparition Intense , more
See all Ungaro products
Customer Comments
FragranceX.com offers on-line shoppers almost everything that they could want - in this category. I found the perfume that I wanted @ a price [including shipping] that was far below the local price for the same product. Shipping was as promised - I had the product in the 2-5 day shipping window promised. With companies like this, I won't be shopping locally for these types of products anytime soon.
G. Regords (Dallas, TX)


text:
- Home
- Live Racing
- Racing Information
- Horsemen
- Handicapping
- Interactive
- Press Box
- The Park
- Events
- Host an Event
- New Fans
- Get Tickets
Rail Trip, who has been mentioned as a candidate for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap at 1 ¼ miles on March 7, could make his next start in next Saturday's Grade II San Carlos Handicap at seven furlongs.
"It's a possibility," trainer Ron Ellis said Saturday morning. "I looked at the race, and it's not a very strong field other than Georgie Boy, so it's a possibility."
Rail Trip, a 4-year-old gelding by the A.P. Indy stallion Jump Start, is unbeaten in three starts by a combined margin of more than 12 lengths. He won his last race "handily" on Jan. 30, going two turns for the first time after two sprint victories.
"Seven-eighths might be a good distance for him," Ellis continued. "I've got to talk to them (owners Mace and Samantha Siegel) this week and see what we're going to do. If I shorten back up, it would rule out the Big 'Cap."
Palos Verdes Handicap winner and 2007 Malibu Stakes winner Johnny Eves was not nominated to the San Carlos and has been turned out at Bonnie Acres Ranch in Hemet with a pulled suspensory, trainer Jay Robbins said. The son of Skimming is expected to miss four months. NICE GUY FINISHES FIRST WHEN PUGLISI WINS FOR HOFMANS
Trivia question: What active jockey at Santa Anita was born in a city with a name that's the same as a surname of one of his fellow riders?
Iggy Puglisi is back, thanks in large part to David Hofmans. The 66-year-old trainer gave Puglisi a leg up on two winners at Santa Anita on Thursday and Friday, for which the jockey is eternally grateful. Puglisi only recently returned to riding. He was sidelined for some 18 months with an injury, lending his expertise as an analyst with TVG during his recuperation. But now he's back doing what he loves.
"I was hurt and took a year and a half off," said Puglisi, who turns 35 on April 15. "I had knee surgery--had it done twice, actually--because there was a little cyst that grew on a pin. During that time I did TV and other little things. But riding is my passion. This is awesome." Puglisi won Thursday's fourth race for Hofmans with Saugatuck River, owned by William Betz and Philip Needham, and Friday's third aboard Silent Soul, owned by the Tarabilla Farm of Susan Osborne.
"I've been using Iggy as my exercise rider for about six months now," Hofmans said. "He gets on most of the horses I breeze and has been working for us pretty steadily. He's gotten along with horses that other jocks haven't gotten along with, and he's riding them good." Puglisi reciprocates, and then some.
"David is a good guy who gives you a shot on good horses as well as maidens," Puglisi said. "He takes care of you great. Truthfully, I'm not kissing butt, he's the nicest guy I've ever ridden for.
"I just started galloping for Dave about six months ago. He knew I was making a bit of a comeback, and he gave me a shot. In 20 years of racing, David is by far the nicest guy I've ever worked for. There's no doubt about it." Trivia answer: Ignacio Puglisi. He was born in Rosario, Argentina. One of his current peers is jockey Joel Rosario. FREE UMBRELLAS AT SANTA ANITA THIS MONDAY, PRESIDENTS' DAY
With rain dominating the Los Angeles area recently and more forecast in the immediate future, Santa Anita offers perhaps its most timely giveaway ever Monday--free umbrellas to all THOROUGHBREDS members at Santa Anita with general admission while supplies last on Presidents' Day. First post time is 12:30 p.m. FINISH LINES: Champs Elysees, seventh by six lengths at odds of 3-1 in the Grade II San Antonio Handicap on Pro-Ride on Feb. 8, comes back in next Sunday's Grade II San Luis Obispo Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on turf. "The race just didn't shape up for him at all," Bobby Frankel said of the San Antonio. "I don't think the synthetic had anything to do with it." Garrett Gomez, who won three races Friday to take a 42-41 lead over Rafael Bejarano in the Santa Anita jockeys' race, rides Champs Elysees . . . Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare sprint winner and Santa Monica Handicap winner Ventura worked four furlongs on Pro-Ride for Frankel Saturday in :48.60 . . . Robert B. Lewis Stakes runner-up Papa Clem worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 for Gary Stute, who plans to run the colt in the Louisiana Derby on March 14 . . . Raise the Heat, winner of Friday's fourth race under Joe Talamo for trainer Bill Spawr, gave the sire Unusual Heat his 13th victory this meet, according to Madeline Auerbach, who manages Unusual Heat's stud career. Unusual Heat sired a Santa Anita meet record 26 winners last season. The victory by the 9-year-old Raise the Heat, the 14th of his career, was his first since he was a 7-year-old. He has earned more than $350,000 with no black type. "He's a blue collar horse," Auerbach said . . . Agent Richie Silverstein has taken the book of Alonso Quinonez effective today . . . Of the 76 recorded Cushion Track workouts at Hollywood Park Saturday, 19 were for horses trained by Mike Mitchell . . . Ken Norton Jr., assistant football coach at USC, celebrated his wife Angela's birthday and Valentine's Day today at the FrontRunner Restaurant . . . Legendary jockey Johnny Longden would have been 102 years old today. -30-


text:
Bring Sushi to the Goshen Martin\'s Supermarket
According to the Goshen store manager, Martin\'s Supermarkets currently distributes fresh sushi to 2 locations. If enough people are interested, the Goshen location could become the third. Sign this petition if you\'re genuinely interested in buying sushi at the Goshen Martin\'s Supermarket.
Eric Kanagy - I\'m sponsoring this petition because I like sushi and am tired of asking the meat department at Martin\'s when they will start carrying sushi.
No comments yet.join the discussion
Recent signatures
EvanUnited States6 years ago
Matt MilaneseUnited States7 years ago
Travis CooperAustralia7 years ago
Petition highlights
There are no highlights yet.


text:
Big spending doesn't pay in free agency
(Feb. 28, 2007) -- Thanks to the millions of dollars that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and Browns owner Randy Lerner spent at this time last year, NFL teams have been provided an easy-to-use handbook on how the free agent process works.
Or, more aptly, how it doesn't.
Neither Edgerrin James, Terrell Owens, Steve Hutchinson, Charles Woodson or LaVar Arrington -- just some of the headliners from last year's free-agent class -- helped their new teams to a single playoff win this past season.
And it goes beyond the free-agent class of 2006. More than a decade's worth of spending sprees -- many stemming from the mints in Washington and Cleveland -- has demonstrated one lesson as much as any other: Free agency is intended to accessorize a roster, not customize it.
Indianapolis added a kicker, the most clutch kicker in postseason history, and Adam Vinatieri kicked Baltimore out of the playoffs and Indianapolis on to the AFC Championship Game.
But beyond Vinatieri, none of the other five previous Super Bowl champions -- Pittsburgh, New England and Tampa Bay -- used a newly-acquired free agent to make the difference in the standings or in a season.
In fact, New England's big free-agent splash last offseason was wide receiver Reche Caldwell, who, like his new team, dropped the ball when it looked like they were ready to move on to Miami and a game versus the Chicago Bears.
The last big-dollar, big-name, three-down free agent to catapult his new team to a world championship was tight end Shannon Sharpe, who provided leadership off the field and big plays on it. But more often than not, it's pay for lack of plays.
Now, sometimes there is free-agent gold. Just last offseason, the New Orleans Saints struck it when they signed quarterback Drew Brees. Philadelphia did the same with Jeff Garcia. But for every Brees and Garcia, there is a Scott Mitchell and a Drew Bledsoe.
And with the new free-agent signing period about to kick off, and with players such as cornerback Nate Clements and linebacker Adalius Thomas about to cash in, and with owners about to open their checkbooks in an even grander fashion than they've done in the past, they would be well advised to recognize how wasteful their spending habits often can be.
Unintentionally, millions already have been spent -- on research and lack of development.
Re: Big spending doesn't pay in free agency
Can't argue with your logic but man......... watchin the big bucks fly sure is good fun.
02-28-2007, 09:08 PM #3Coach
- Join Date
- Dec 1969
- Posts
- 948
Re: Big spending doesn't pay in free agency
Like they say, games are won on the field, not on paper.
Similar Threads
Free Agency!?!?!?!By minnesotapride in forum Vikings Offseason/Draft/FA ForumReplies: 10Last Post: 03-02-2007, 08:48 AM
It is the eve of free agency..By happy camper in forum The ClubhouseReplies: 9Last Post: 03-02-2007, 02:42 AM
Free AgencyBy SharperVikings in forum Vikings Fan ForumReplies: 13Last Post: 11-04-2005, 02:52 AM
Free agencyBy ThunderingLlama in forum Trash the PackReplies: 4Last Post: 03-03-2005, 04:47 PM


text:
Welcome to Van Dang Martial Arts
Located in the heart of Manchester city centre (UK) we are just two minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens and five minutes from Piccadilly train station.
We sell martial arts clothing, equipment, accessories, books and videos to clubs across the country and to the general public. In our shop you'll find thousands of items from established names as well as lesser known budget brands and a variety of custom made gear too.
Whatever it is you need; we probably have it. Real products for real martial artists.
We are open for business seven days a week from 10am to 7pm and our Martial Arts classes run almost every day throughout the day.
For a map please click here.
Please take a look through our website for more details of our products and services and feel free to send us an email if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
You can now also follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/vandangmartial
Please like us on facebook for latest news, classes and promotions: www.facebook.com/vandangmartialarts
Our online shop currently processes UK orders only. Please contact us if you would like us to send something abroad. Thank you.


text:
Super Bowl XLVI, featuring the rematch between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, is under two weeks away. As recently as a couple of months ago, not many would have predicted this would be the Super Bowl matchup.
Pregame.com took the time to crunch some numbers on various odds throughout the regular season and the postseason concerning the two teams. Here are the interesting tidbits that they came up with:
- Two other teams would be heavy favorites over New York on a neutral field: the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints.
- According to Las Vegas odds, entering the last two weeks of the regular season, the Giants only had a 28 percent chance of making it to the playoffs.
- The Giants ended up needing five straight wins to make it to the Super Bowl. Had a bettor placed $100 on that first game and let the winnings ride, the payout would have been over $5,400. (54 to 1 odds against.)
- The Patriots were favorites in 17 of the 18 games in which they played this season, with the only exception being their road game against the New York Jets.
- Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have taken the Patriots to four different Super Bowls prior to this year's and in each one the underdog has covered the spread. The winner won by three points in all four appearances. This, perhaps, is bad news for the Patriots, as they are the current three-point favorites.
- Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is currently dealing with an ankle injury, although he and the team insist it will not be an issue in the Super Bowl. Bookmakers currently say that Gronkowski is worth no more than a half-point in Super Bowl XLVI.
For the latest Super Bowl updates, be sure to follow this StoryStream. Also be sure to check out Patriots blog Pats Pulpit and Giants blog Big Blue View.


text:
It was a military life that first brought Jason and Kelli Butte together. But they are now serving on a different kind of battlefield.
Jason and Kelli first met in college ROTC classes and both planned to make careers in the military. As an intelligence officer, Kelli was first deployed to Kuwait just prior to 9/11. As a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Jason was among the first U.S. Military to enter Iraq after 9/11. It was here he first realized how easily he could be killed and soon dedicated his life to Christ.
Jason's second deployment to Iraq was harder for Kelli because they were then married and expecting their first baby. Jason wasn't to return home until six weeks after Katie's birth. The Buttes now have their second daughter Abbey and are expecting a third child. Jason is the new pastor for Kilgore's Liberty Road Baptist Church and both he and Kelli are looking forward to there service there.
Joan Hallmark, Reporting firstname.lastname@example.com
358 TV Road,
Pollok TX 75969
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
HSBC global co-head of FIG departs
24 Feb 2014
The global co-head of the financial institutions group at HSBC, who previously helped run the same business at Lehman Brothers and later Nomura, has resigned to return to the US.
Take a Financial News trial today:
- Breaking industry news & commentary
- 10 year searchable archive
- FN Powerlists & Special Reports
- FN on mobile and iPad
Does your company already have an FN licence? Email us now
Most Read
Most Emailed
BofA exorcises ghost of Countrywide
The bill for Kenneth Lewis's folly has at last been paid
From The Wall Street Journal


text:
Huskers work on turnovers
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Nebraska coach Bo Pelini says he used last week to address his team's turnover problem.
The Cornhuskers lead the Big Ten in rushing, scoring and total offense. But they also are 12th, and last, in turnover margin. Only 11 teams in the nation have committed more than Nebraska's 15 turnovers.
Of the 166 points scored against the Huskers, 62 came after Nebraska had committed a turnover. That's 37 percent.
Quarterback Taylor Martinez accounts for eight turnovers. In the 63-38 loss at Ohio State, the Buckeyes converted three Martinez turnovers into 21 points.
Martinez says without the turnovers, Nebraska could be undefeated.
The Huskers (4-2, 1-1) go into Saturday's game at Northwestern (6-1, 2-1) in fourth place in the Big Ten's Legends Division.
© 2014 Rural Radio Network. All rights reserved. Republishing, rebroadcasting, rewriting, redistributing prohibited. Copyright Information


text:
When it comes to finding a doctor, chances are you spend a lot more time worrying about your man, your kids, or your parents than yourself. After all, you're strong enough to soldier through the occasional cold, right?
Children who are the youngest in their class are more likely than their older classmates to be diagnosed and given medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) -- suggesting that immaturity may be part of the problem, not ADHD.
Roughly 20% of the antibiotic prescriptions written in the United States for adults each year are for sinus infections. That's an impressive statistic, given that doctors and public health officials have long doubted that antibiotics can successfully treat the condition.
If you're like most people, you're inclined to trust your doctor's advice.
Government-backed loans to doctors have surged more than 10-fold in the past decade, a trend industry insiders say is a red flag that doctors in America are in financial distress.
The payroll tax impasse in Congress has put Medicare doctors on edge over the likelihood that their pay could be slashed 27.4% in two weeks time.
Family doctors and other primary care physicians are often the first health professionals to learn that a patient is depressed, but that doesn't mean they identify all of the depression cases that walk through their offices.
Rising medical costs hobbled General Motors and Chrysler, and they're swallowing up state budgets. The country's long-term financial prognosis is grave largely because of health care entitlements.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on a 17-year old living his dream of playing football after nearly dying from a brain tumor.
It's become a classic scenario: You have a headache and after Googling it, you find out a headache can be a sign of a brain tumor.
Late last month, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act, better known as "health care reform," quietly celebrated its first birthday. The bill has its supporters, including the millions of previously uninsured Americans who will have access to coverage because of it. But its critics have been more vocal, attacking the landmark legislation for "gutting" Medicare, drastically understating the measure's probable cost, and funding a new entitlement with early premiums from still another entitlement for long-term care that's destined to go broke.
After years of being the black sheep of the medical profession, family medicine is becoming more attractive to med students. The reason -- health reform.
Do you think it is worthwhile to have a psychiatric advance directive?
Gabriela Martinez always spent a lot of time in bed, and she rarely laughed, or even spoke. For decades, her family shrugged off this unusual behavior as nervios, or "nerve problems."
Primary-care doctors now have a new--and potentially more convenient--tool to fight the bone disease osteoporosis.
There are countless opinions regarding how to improve health care in the United States, but many experts agree on one fact: "Our current health-care system is mainly a sick-care system," says Adam Perlman, executive director of the Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Now that health reform is law, many physicians are complaining that while it may help their patients, it doesn't go far enough to help doctors.
For one doctor practicing in America's heartland, the new health care law and its incentives to keep doctors on the farm is a start, not a solution, to the medical care crisis afflicting rural America.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers viewer questions on health care reform.
With the passage of the health care reform bill, CNN has been flooded with viewer questions about specifics of the measure and how their lives may be affected. In response, we're providing answers here, based on our reporting research, that address some of the issues you're raising most often. Got another question? E-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Despite the growing shortage of family doctors in the United States, medical centers last year offered higher salaries and incentives to specialist nurses than to primary care doctors, according to an annual survey of physicians' salaries.
The House's approval of a measure to reform and revamp the nation's health care system was praised Monday by consumer groups, given mixed reviews by doctors and got a thumbs down from insurers.
When Dr. Bradley Block, a family physician in Florida, began to investigate electronic medical record systems for his four-doctor practice, he discovered that many of the largest firms in the field were not particularly interested in his business.
As a 21% cut in Medicare payment rates to doctors took effect Monday, eight of the 15 patients on Dr. William Schreiber's schedule are on Medicare.
America is closer to meaningful health care reform than at any time in its history. As we have all witnessed, finding a way to both provide every American access to affordable health care while seeking to control health care costs has not been easy.
Her bedside manner is comforting, the questions to the point.
President Obama praises the Senate's health reform compromise and says the new framework will pave the way to passage.
The recent death of former Miss Argentina and model Solange Magnano is raising a lot of questions about the risks of cosmetic surgery. But even non-surgical beauty procedures can carry with them serious risks -- especially if the doctor performing them isn't a specialist.
Medicare has become a scary word to the doctors at the largest private group practice in Kansas City, Mo.
Parents who bring their kids to Dr. G. Andrew McIntosh for the chicken pox vaccine are out of luck.
Health policy experts agree that any reform in our health care system must include a well-educated, caring primary care doctor who is able to manage the health of his or her patients with an eye to using resources optimally to keep costs down.
When President Obama recently cited the number of Americans without health insurance, he declared that, "We are not a nation that accepts nearly 46 million uninsured men, women, and children."
Like a lot of their patients, doctors are sick of long waits in the waiting room and dealing with insurance companies.
At the reception desk of Barrington Family Medicine is a large vase of flowers, and that's pretty much it. There's no secretary, no nurse, no office manager and no staff.
A pair of doctors are reviving the old ways of medicine - including house calls. CNN photojournalist Bob Crowley reports.
It's time for your 2015 annual physical.
Neither of Dr. Arthur Kellerman's parents wanted to die in a hospital. His father had metastatic cancer and his mother had had multiple strokes, and Kellerman wanted to respect their wishes about the ends of their lives.
Luis Manriquez and Katherine Glass share a common -- and increasingly rare -- ambition: They both want to become family doctors.
President Obama announced Monday his choice for surgeon general -- Dr. Regina Benjamin, a 52-year-old family practice doctor who has spent most of her career tending to the needs of poor patients in a Gulf Coast clinic in Alabama.
President Obama has nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin to serve as surgeon general.
My husband's bipolar disorder was diagnosed several years ago. He has tried several medications and the side effects have far outweighed any benefits. Now he refuses to see a doctor about it because he thinks it's hopeless. Not to mention we have moved and discovered that there are few psychiatrists in the area, and the ones who will take him have a six-month waiting list. Our primary care doctor won't treat him for the bipolar (he asked). It is terrible to see him suffer from this disease without any relief in sight. Any suggestions?
Clayton Christensen, Jason Hwang and Vineeta Vijayaraghavan are right about one thing in their CNN commentary titled "We don't need more doctors." America's health care system is broken. It requires significant reform if patients are to have access to convenient, affordable and -- most importantly -- high-quality care that results in good outcomes.
Vowing not to "continue down the same dangerous road" of rising health care costs, President Obama announced on Monday a coalition for reform that included some of health care's most powerful stakeholders.
Sherry Pierce, who works at a fast food restaurant that doesn't offer health insurance, needs a dentist to look at three broken teeth that may be abscessed.
A look at "Clinic with a Heart," which supplies free medical care to patients in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Americans, frustrated by endless waits at the doctor's office, are sidestepping their family physician and taking their rashes, strep throat and pink eye to stores such as Wal-Mart and Walgreens instead.
Up to 15 percent of the U.S. population have chronic pain, and as many as five percent have pain so persistent that they need heavy-hitting painkillers, known as opioids, just to get through the day.
Did you wake up with pinkeye? Or maybe a painful sore throat or a nasty rash? You want relief and you want it now. Well, good luck getting it.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at a new survey that finds half of all primary physicans surveyed want to leave their practices.
Nearly half the respondents in a survey of U.S. primary care physicians said that they would seriously consider getting out of the medical business within the next three years if they had an alternative.
In August, just days before her daughter was to start her sophomore year of college, Dr. Lucy Sauer faced a troubling choice: Should her daughter have a device surgically implanted in her chest to control her heart rhythm?
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen offers tips on how to get a second opinion from your living room.
In a Nairobi slum, more than one in four children under 5 will die, but in a wealthier part of the Kenyan capital, the mortality rate is one in almost 67, according to a World Health Organization report released Tuesday.
Only 2% of graduating medical students say they plan to work in primary care internal medicine, raising worries about a looming shortage of the first-stop doctors who used to be the backbone of the American medical system
An estimated one percent of adults have active epilepsy, and many of them are getting insufficient treatment, according to a 19-state survey released Thursday.
Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. Barack Obama is in excellent health, according to a statement from his doctor, released by the campaign.
More and more doctors, fed up with overpacked schedules and restrictive insurance company rules, are turning their practices into full-service, concierge affairs
CNN's Monita Rajpal visits the Ducati factory in Bologna, and talks with Moto GP champion Casey Stoner
Although she loved the memories they made on vacations together, Sandra Thai regularly threw out a good number of the snapshots of her husband, Dinh.
Diabetics are holding their breath, and that may not be good news for the Pfizer, the world's biggest drugmaker.
When Michael Holton and Thomas Kintanar decided to start a medical practice in Churubusco, Ind., the two doctors, both devout Christians, say they heard a call from God. Holton, 40, was an exhauste...
Veteran Italian Loris Capirossi will remain with Ducati for the 2007 Moto GP season after signing a new contract on Monday.
LH: Lorraine Hahn GP: Grace Park
Can Prozac make you want to die? The idea seems strange, given that the drug and similar antidepressants are supposed to do just the opposite. Yet that is what Kimberly Witczak believes happened to...
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Georgia-Pacific Corp., the maker of Brawny paper towels and Dixie Cups, Sunday said it agreed to be bought by Koch Industries, Inc. for $13.2 billion.
Chiron, one of the lead manufacturers of flu shots, said the worst of its production problems are resolved, but family doctors are fuming that they're not getting enough flu shots now.
World champion Valentino Rossi missed top slot in Friday's first free practice for Sunday's inaugural Turkish MotoGP, placing only fifth of 19 starters.
Loris Capirossi lined himself up for a hat-trick of successive MotoGP wins by taking pole position for the third race in a row at the Qatar GP.
Streams of evacuees are stuck again in a familiar evacuation limbo. While out of harm's way, the return to normalcy is nowhere in sight.
McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya will race in this weekend's Spanish GP after missing the last two races with a shoulder injury.
A family doctor testified Wednesday that a teenager was taking a starter dose of the antidepressant Zoloft when the boy shot his grandparents to death.
Is it possible that one remedy for the ailing health-care system can be found in a Target store in Minneapolis? To see for yourself, head down the main aisle, past greeting cards and gift wrap, tow...
CNN is projecting that former Rep. Tom Coburn will win the Senate seat vacated by Republican Don Nickles in Oklahoma.
It is a common scenario: you are on medication but you forget to take it -- or worse, you cannot remember whether you took the pill you were due to take an hour ago.
British doctors have been encouraged to urge patients to return to work as soon as possible to tackle the country's "sicknote culture."
At first glance, Dr. Bernard Kaminetsky seemed to be living his dream. Since childhood he'd wanted to be a family doctor, and he'd pursued his ambition diligently. Nearly 20 years of hard work had ...
Harold Shipman was the silent suburban killer, targeting elderly women with names like Norah, Winifred, and Irene, and killing them behind the lace curtains of their own homes.
You're headed for Shanghai to tour some factories or to Tanzania for a weeklong safari. Or perhaps your son or daughter is spending a semester in Madras or spring break in Belize. You check with yo...
I started having vague concerns about managed care a few years ago when my new doctor, selected from a thick roster approved by a managed-care company with which my employer has a contract, began g...
Once, you could retire with a garden hoe or a stack of novels and tell your ex-employer and Social Security where to mail your checks. Not anymore. Personal finance has gotten so complicated that n...
Mark Holowesko appears to be the very model of a modern global money manager. $ He is disarmingly young (34), lives in an offshore tax haven (the Bahamas) and drives a big BMW. He was groomed for t...
THE MARCH of science has produced this arresting tidbit: Though most of us are in a blah or foul mood three days out of ten, an annoying 0.5% of the population is in a good mood all the time. And j...
POLICYMAKERS have long argued that medicine is a market unto itself, governed by laws as strange as those of Lewis Carroll's Wonderland or Jonathan Swift's Lilliput. In fact, the forces driving up ...
HEALTH maintenance organizations take a startlingly sensible approach to cutting health care costs: Keep people well. Yet the very idea of joining one makes a lot of people sick. Why? HMOs provide ...
MOST CURES for America's ruinous, $800-billion-a-year medical bill focus on changing our profligate insurance system, which encourages patients to consume -- and doctors to provide -- too much heal...
WHAT ARE NOW EQUAL to half of all pretax profits and rising fast? Answer: company health benefits. No wonder managers are desperate. And no wonder many of them are marveling at a plan adopted by on...
Marie Greenwalt will never forget the day she thought her amateur soccer career was in jeopardy. ''I was practicing shots from about 30 yards out,'' says the 36-year-old billing clerk from Tualatin...
Have you been tempted to join your company's health maintenance organization (HMO) for its low cost but feel uncomfortable about giving up visits to your family doctor or to the top specialist in t...
MONEY asked four prominent physicians to evaluate seven of the leading medical newsletters; their comments, and composite scores on a scale of 100, are shown below. The panel included Bruce B. Dan,...
On April 1, 40 pediatricians and 35 family practitioners, disgruntled over their fees, pulled out of North Carolina's largest health maintenance organization, the 16,206-member Raleigh Blue Cross P...
For three decades now, thanks to insurance and Medicare, consumers have paid relatively little out of their own pockets for medical services. Lacking compelling reasons to trade off costs against b...
HURTING FROM an epidemic of competition, the nation's doctors are trying some hitherto unheard-of remedies. An obstetrician in Houston sends corsages to new mothers. An ophthalmologist in Kansas Ci...
Loading weather data ...