Reading Competition

Hello Folks,

This movie is now showing in Salvador. I decided to see it especially because I love Nicole Kidman. I can't say it's a wonderful movie, but it was quite interesting. At least I didn't fall asleep! Well, below you can read a review of this movie and for some more, click here.

(How about starting the habit of reading reviews of movies you plan to see on the net and in English, of course?)

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Something else: did you know that you can also access the blog LIVE, WRITE, LEARN , written by my Post Graduation 2 Students? It's a blog made by them, for anyone who's interested in reading and discussing controvertial topics. You are most welcome to make your comments. Just remember that, since it's a blog written mostly by students, you should expect some mistakes. However, concentrate on the polemical ideas we have filled our posts with and take some time to make your own comments and who knows... new friends!!

Leo

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One thing the United Nations has never permitted is to have filming done within it's sovereign territory. There's been TV coverage of the Security Council and the General Assembly, but never before has there been a narrative film been shot there.
"The Interpreter" is the first, and maybe it'll start a trend. But I doubt it.
It won't be because of this movie, which is one of the best of the year. A slick thriller about the politics of Africa and terrorism in general, something you don't see much nowadays.
UN translator Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) forgot to get her stuff from the translation booth. When she returns to pick it up, she hears some conspirators speaking in the African language of Ku, a language she conveniently knows. The conspiracy is about killing the evil dictator of Motobo when he addresses the UN General Assembly in the upcoming week.
Tobin Keller (Sean Penn) is a Secret Service agent on foreign dignitary detail. The UN building itself is a microstate like the Vatican and isn't technically in the US, but is completely surrounded by US territory with the Secret Service in charge of protecting the numerous potentates who visit the Big Apple while on UN business. Tobin and his partner Dot Woods (Catherine Keener) have been assigned to protect the evil President Zuwanie (Earl Cameron).
Silvia's news of the conspiracy brings up many questions. Is she for real? Is she going to kill the Motoban dictator herself? Is she just trying to throw out a smokescreen? Is the Matoban head of security, the mercinary Nils Lud (Jesper Christensen) trying to kill his boss, former Vice President Kuman-Kuman (George Harris)? Is the conspirator one of those guys who's name I can't find in the $%^& press notes? We can't figure it out until the very end and that's part of the fun.
Both Kidman and Penn are fantastic. They have great chemistry together. The film runs like a well-honed machine. Some of the scenes are pure heaven. Watch out when pretty much everyone winds up on the same bus. You can cut the tension with a knife.
This is a must, even at full price.
Eric Lurio

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona woman who agreed to be a surrogate mother for a couple unable to have children gave birth to five baby boys on Tuesday at a Phoenix hospital, officials said.

Teresa Anderson delivered the rare quintuplets by Caesarean section within five minutes and without complications at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center. All five boys were reported to be doing well in an intensive care unit.
Doctors said the quintuplets may be a record for a surrogate mother. "There are no statistics kept on the number of quintuplet births to surrogate mothers," said Dr. John Elliott, who delivered the babies. "Suffice to say, it's incredibly rare."
"I feel great," said Anderson, 25, a Mesa, Arizona woman, in remarks released by the hospital. "I thought it was amazing. It was just a wonderful blessing to see those babies and hear their cries."
Anderson was implanted with five embryos, but did not expect all to be viable.
The newborns -- Enrique, Jorge, Gabriel, Javier and Victor -- range in weight from 3-pounds, 7-ounces to 3-pounds, 15-ounces. Javier will have to undergo surgery later for a rare heart defect.
Parents-in-waiting Luisa Gonzalez and Enrique Moreno issued a statement thanking Anderson -- who waived her $15,000 fee because of the cost the parents will have to bear with their new family of seven.

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Can anyone help with vocabulary?
Leo

SEATTLE (Reuters) - When U2's lead singer came to Seattle over the weekend for a concert, there was only one logical place to stay -- the home of Bill Gates, who shares Bono's passion for Third World development and relief efforts.
"I was one of 20,000 screaming fans," Microsoft Corp.'s co-founder Gates told Reuters. Gates, the world's richest man, said he got to know Bono through his work with his philanthropy.
Gates said that Irish rocker Bono was staying with him and that the two hung out together after the concert in Seattle.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with an endowment of $28 billion, is the world's biggest charitable organization and aims to improve the health of people in the developing world.
"We're big believers that more needs to be done in developing countries," Gates said. "Let me tell you, Bono has had a huge impact."
Bono is a vocal advocate of Third World debt relief and Gates' foundation has given out more than $4 billion for global health since its inception to fight diseases such as AIDS and malaria.
Asked if their friendship would entice him to buy one of Microsoft rival Apple Computer Inc.'s black-and-red U2 edition iPods, Gates said: "Absolutely not."
(Taken from yahoo.com)

LOS ANGELES - Call it a rude awakening. A juror was cited for contempt and fined $1,000 by a judge for yawning loudly while awaiting questioning in an attempted murder trial. The fine later was reduced to $100.

The yawn came after the man, identified as Juror No. 2386 in an April 1 court transcript, had been sitting in a courtroom for two days as part of jury selection.

"You yawned rather audibly there. As a matter of fact, it was to the point that it was contemptuous," Superior Court Judge Craig Veals said.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really bored," the juror said.

"I'm sorry?" the judge responded.

When the juror repeated his statement, he was admonished by the judge for having a "lousy" attitude.

"Your boredom just cost you $1,000 I'm finding you in contempt," Veals said. "Are you quite so bored now?"

The judge later called the yawn disruptive.

"I can't run a court when I have someone behaving the way you did," Veals said.

The juror paid the fine after it was reduced to $100. Ultimately, he was questioned but not selected for the trial.