Weird News Thread ....

[Jolie Rouge]

Lawbreakers Sentenced to Tai Chi and Tea


SANTA FE, New Mexico (Reuters) - Crime and punishment have entered a new age in Santa Fe thanks to a local judge who sentences lawbreakers to tai chi, meditation and -- if they are really in need of help -- Japanese tea ceremony.

Judge Frances Gallegos, from the liberal New Mexico city of Santa Fe, allows offenders to take tai chi classes, meditate and participate in a Japanese tea ceremony as part of an alternative sentencing program for young, violent offenders.

"Traditional anger management courses weren't working," said Gallegos, noting that recidivism rates in other types of anger management classes were too high for her liking. The judge listened to the advice of Mark De Francis, a psychologist with the state corrections department who is also a doctor of Oriental medicine.

De Francis believes that some Asian traditions such as tai chi and tea ceremony teach people to find calmness in their thoughts and, "find an inner opponent, rather than outer opponent, to do battle with."


Tai chi, or tai chi chuan, is a Chinese practice of physical exercises used for self-defense and meditation.


Young, violent offenders -- mostly cited in domestic violence cases, drunk driving or road rage incidents-- can choose to take the alternative sentencing classes, which began last October, or perform community service tasks, such as collecting garbage.


The 12-week classes are held twice a week for two hours in the lobby of the courthouse, which is filled with candles and mirrors for the occasion. The $180 class cost is paid for by the offenders.


Participants serve each other herbal tea with Kava Kava, a natural calming agent, and finish the class with an acupuncture treatment for relaxation.



08/06/03 10:50

[Jolie Rouge]

Oscar-winning director Schlesinger dead
Helmed 'Midnight Cowboy,' 'Marathon Man'
Friday, July 25, 2003 Posted: 1:29 PM EDT


LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- John Schlesinger, the director whose Oscar-winning "Midnight Cowboy" and thrillers like "The Falcon and the Snowman" explored lonely underdogs in modern society, died Friday. He was 77.

The British-born filmmaker had a debilitating stroke in December 2000, and his condition deteriorated significantly in recent weeks. He was taken off life support at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs on Thursday and died early Friday, hospital spokeswoman Eva Saltonstall said.

"He did pass this morning," she said, declining any further information.

Schlesinger broke ground with 1969's "Midnight Cowboy," which starred Jon Voight as a naive Texan who turns to prostitution to survive in New York and Dustin Hoffman as the scuzzy, ailing vagrant Ratso Rizzo.

The film's homosexual theme was regarded as scandalous, but the tale of underdogs trying to survive in a merciless metropolis was embraced by critics and Hollywood despite its shocking sequences.

Based on a novel by James Leo Herlihy, "Midnight Cowboy" was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three -- best director, best picture and best adapted screenplay. It was the only X-rated film ever to win the Oscar for best picture; reflecting changing standards, the rating was later lowered to an "R."

The stocky, baldheaded filmmaker -- who was gay -- said in 1970: "I'm only interested in one thing -- that is tolerance. I'm terribly concerned about people and the limitation of freedom. It's important to get people to care a little for someone else. That's why I'm more interested in the failures of this world than the successes."

After "Midnight Cowboy" he explored homosexuality again in his next project with 1971's "Sunday Bloody Sunday," which starred Peter Finch and Glenda Jackson as acquaintances who each reluctantly share a love for the same young man. The director received another Oscar nomination for the film.

The characters in Schlesinger's films often struggled with their place in the world, and he depicted them as lonely, disenchanted and sometimes forgotten. In 1975, he directed an adaptation of the Nathanael West novel "The Day of the Locust," about young wannabe-stars who find only disappointment in Hollywood.

Schlesinger himself felt an estrangement from his own success. "If I've ever had any commercial success, it's been a total fluke. I wouldn't have known 'Midnight Cowboy' would have done so well," Schlesinger said in 1990.

But he wasn't above directing commercial films, like his 1976 thriller "Marathon Man." That teamed him again with Hoffman, who played an innocent man tortured for information by Laurence Olivier, a hiding Nazi war criminal with a penchant for drilling teeth.

That turned Schlesinger toward more thrillers, including the 1985 tale of true-life spy skullduggery "The Falcon and the Snowman," starring Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton as two young Americans convicted of spying for the Soviet Union.

Schlesinger said he thought the movie was in some ways "a black farce about American security."

Both protagonists -- one a seminary dropout, the other a drug dealer -- were depicted as depressed and isolated. "It's kind of pathetic. ... Both of them are," Schlesinger said in 1994. "It's one of the things, also, that appealed to me."

Schlesinger established himself as one of England's most promising young directors in 1962 with "A Kind of Loving," which starred Alan Bates as a man who marries his pregnant lover only to find himself ill-prepared for commitments.

He followed that with 1963's "Billy Liar," about a lazy young man who hides from responsibility by daydreaming -- one of his dreams is about a young woman played by then-newcomer Julie Christie.

Christie worked with Schlesinger again on his next film, "Darling," which won her an Academy Award for best actress in 1965 for her role as a ruthless model who bullies her way to success. Schlesinger was nominated for best director.

His other films included 1987's "The Believers," starring Martin Sheen as a psychiatrist fighting a voodoo cult, and 1988's "Madame Sousatzka," which featured Shirley MacLaine as an eccentric piano teacher who befriends a 15-year-old student but clashes with him over whether he should try to earn money from his talent.

He started the 1990s with a story about how little neighbors can know about each other -- "Pacific Heights," with Michael Keaton playing a malicious tenant who starts out charming but begins to terrorize his landlords, Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith.

Other notable films included 1995's "Cold Comfort Farm," about an orphan who moves in with her eccentric, agrarian distant-relatives, and 1996's "Eye for an Eye," in which Sally Field played a mother-turned-vigilante who hunts down the rapist killer of her young daughter, who was freed from prison on a legal technicality.

"It's more human to be frightened," Schlesinger said about his characters in 1994. "I've always had more sympathy for the struggler, the underdog, the person who isn't so much glamorous as on the fringe of everything."

His last film was the 2000 comedy "The Next Best Thing" -- about a straight woman (Madonna) who decides to have a child with her gay friend (Rupert Everett).

Born in London in 1926, Schlesinger started out as a character actor for stage, film and television and also made documentaries such as 1961's "Terminus," about a day in the life of a train station.

The director lived in Palm Springs with photographer Michael Childers, his companion of 30 years.


SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY

- Billy Liar (1963)
- Darling (1965)
- Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)
- Midnight Cowboy (1969)
- Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
- Visions of Eight (1973)
- The Day of the Locust (1975)
- Marathon Man (1976)
- Yanks (1979)
- Honky Tonk Freeway (1981)
- The Falcon and the Snowman(1985)
- The Believers (1987)
- Madame Sousatzka (1988)
- Pacific Heights (1990)
- The Innocent (1993)
- Cold Comfort Farm (1995)
- Eye for an Eye (1996)
- The Next Best Thing (2000)

[Jolie Rouge]

Thursday, August 7, 2003 Posted: 12:04 AM EDT


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- After dropping hints about his political ambitions, movie action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he will run for California governor in October's recall election.

The surprise announcement came during a Wednesday afternoon taping of NBC's "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno which was scheduled to air Wednesday night. Prior to the taping, it had been widely speculated that Schwarzenegger, 56, would announce he would not run.

The Austrian-born movie star and moderate Republican helped fuel speculation about his political ambitions this summer, just as his movie "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" was being released.

California voters will decide October 7 whether to recall Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, and who should replace him.

Following the taping of the show, Schwarzenegger answered questions from a crowd of reporters gathered outside the NBC studios. "I came to the conclusion that even though there are great sacrifices to make, I felt in the end it is my duty to jump in the race," he said. "I'm the most unique candidate because I'm an outsider."


Schwarzenegger tried to strike a populist tone.

"I know the people of California want better leadership, they want great leadership," he said. "It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican, if you're young or old. Everyone is welcome. As you know I'm an immigrant. I came over here as an immigrant and what gave me the opportunities, what made me be able to be here today is the open arms of Americans."

Although Schwarzenegger has never before sought political office, his fame and fortune are expected to make him a formidable candidate against a crowded field of lesser-knowns in an abbreviated two-month campaign.

At openings for his movie, Schwarzenegger quipped about his "terminator" role and Davis' future, and he has been very critical of the Democratic incumbent.

The actor is married to a member of America's most prominent Democratic political family -- Maria Shriver, a niece of President John F. Kennedy.

The announcement came amid a flurry of such news in what has become a race among an increasingly odd mix of candidates. The filing deadline is Saturday and so far the Secretary of State has recorded 356 official notices of candidacy. There are another 155 notices the office has received that are unofficial.

Gary Coleman, who played Arnold Drummond in the 1980s sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," entered the race Wednesday. (Full story : http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/...man/index.html )

However, Coleman, spoke shortly after Schwarzenegger's announcement and predicted that Schwarzenegger would win. Coleman said he would vote for the "Terminator." "Now that Arnold is in the race, there is no race. Gray Davis needs to pack his bags," he said. "I'm going to stay in the race, but I'm not going to campaign."



Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt has announced his bid for the governor's office.

Flynt suggested as his slogan "Vote for a Smut-Peddler Who Cares" and said he would expand gaming regulations to allow private casinos to have slot machines, which could be taxed by the state at 30 percent.



Others who have filed with the state in order to receive campaign documents include the melon-smashing comedian Gallagher, comedian D.L. Hughley and Angelyne, a model who made herself famous in southern California by putting her picture on billboards.

Dick Rosengarten, editor and publisher of California Political Week, told CNN Wednesday that the California race was drawing so many candidates it was in danger of becoming a farce.

"You know what they say about politics," Rosengarten said. "It's show business for ugly people."



Earlier Wednesday, socialite-turned-columnist Arianna Huffington threw her hat into the ring. Huffington has never held public office, but is well-known through her commentaries on radio and television.

Huffington, an author and a political Independent, announced her decision before supporters gathered in Los Angeles, California. "I'm not, to say the least, a conventional candidate," Huffington said, taking note of her Greek accent. But, she said, "If we keep electing the same kind of politicians who got us into the same kind of mess, funded by the same kind of special interests, we'll never get out of this mess."



Also, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, released a written statement Wednesday, saying she would not be a candidate in the governor's race.


Other major Republican names expected in the race include Rep. Darrell Issa of San Diego County, who helped finance the petition effort that triggered the recall; state Sen. Tom McClintock of Ventura County; and businessman Bill Simon, who lost to Davis in the general election nine months ago.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who was considering a bid for governor, has said he would not run if Schwarzenegger did.

Huffington, 53, had said she would not be a candidate if Feinstein, one of California's most popular politicians, entered the race.

[julie_angel]

Crime and punishment have entered a new age in Santa Fe thanks to a local judge who sentences lawbreakers to tai chi, meditation and -- if they are really in need of help -- Japanese tea ceremony.

[Jolie Rouge]

George Clooney Confesses an Odd Secret

He's gorgeous.

He's sexy.

He's rich beyond all belief.

But George Clooney has made a very un-Hollywood kind of confession to the German magazine Stern. When he walks down the red carpet for all those awards shows and movie premieres, he wears the same old tux. Every single time. "I have no idea why everyone always finds me so great. For years, I have worn the same old tuxedo and the same black shoes to all events," he told Stern. "When women wear the same outfit twice, they are practically lynched. But for me, everyone cheered and said it was classic."

He also admitted he doesn't do anything to keep that handsome look. "I don't care a lot about my looks, I don't even have a personal stylist. It is unmanly and unsexy if you always worry about it," Clooney pronounced. He did admit that it's different for women. "Great women belong in great clothes," he explained to Stern. "I have the advantage of being a man. I am allowed to just wear my white shirts and jeans. I can become gray, bald, or wrinkled, but nobody is going to think: 'Lord, what does he look like.'"


Now that he's a fortysomething, Clooney said he has no plans to try to look younger than he is. "If you are a man, you should be lucky that you are allowed to age in dignity. I don't use any make-up in films, and I don't wear any clothes that don't suit me," he told Stern. "I am 42, and I want to be treated like an adult."

[Jolie Rouge]

Dumb, Funny Things Celebs Did As Teens

You aren't the only one who winces when recalling life as a teenager. Even the coolest celebrities were once dorks like the rest of us. At least, that's the comforting word from Teen magazine that offers these reassuring tidbits that came straight from the stars themselves. Too bad the yearbook photographers didn't get these shots!


Reese Witherspoon: Since she attended an all-girls school, she had a habit of walking into class with acne cream on her face and her hair in rollers.


Beyonce: She says she was so shy that she would stare at the ground and rarely spoke up in class.


Justin Timberlake: He says he was a geek because he won the high school spelling bee.


Justin Guarini: The "American Idol" runner-up claims his mom made him hold up the newspaper to the video camera on the first day of every school year.


Frankie Muniz: The "Malcolm In the Middle" actor admits he really "loves" the smell of school.

[Jolie Rouge]

How to Find Time to Exercise


The No. 1 excuse for not exercising regularly?

Lack of time.

Yeah, yeah. There's work, the commute, dropping off and picking up the kids, buying groceries, cooking dinner, dishes, homework, baths, story time, laundry. Hey, you're not doing anything at 2:30 a.m. are you?

Most of us know that exercise is important, but with schedules like this, how do you find the time? You have a sympathizer in Michelle Kowalski, a research assistant at Ball State University's Human Performance Lab. First, she wants you to know this: Getting in shape quickly with some miracle exercise program touted on a late-night infomercial just isn't realistic. Second, very few exercise programs take into account the challenging and supercharged daily routines of the average American woman.

"Women are much busier now than they were, say, 20 years ago. Exercise is usually not one of their top priorities," Kowalski told HealthDayNews. "They have so many other things to do, and once life becomes filled with other priorities, exercise goes to the bottom of the list."

So the trick is to make it a priority.

Here's the goal: One hour of exercise a day. That could be anything you enjoy: walking, swimming, bike riding, or golfing.

First, write down everything you do during a typical day in half-hour increments beginning with the time you wake up and the time you go to sleep. It's quite possible the ideal exercise time will fit neatly into your schedule when you do this.

Or consider one of these ideas from Kowalski to fit exercise into your busy day:

* Wake up a half-hour earlier and walk the dog or walk with friends through the neighborhood. Or, hit the treadmill in the basement. This can be a quiet and peaceful time for exercise because there will be no interruptions at this hour. No kids. No phone. No e-mail.

* Take a 15-minute coffee break at work. Skip the coffee and take a walk outside or even in the office corridors.

* Turn after-dinner family time into after-dinner family exercise time. Go for a walk or swim together.

* Mark this on your calendar to make sure it happens: Several evenings a week plan a fun, outdoor activity for the entire family. Suggestions include softball, kickball, or bike riding.


Busy, stressful day at work?

Put on some relaxing music and spend a half-hour stretching all your major muscles.

When your kids practice or play a sport, such as soccer or baseball, you can walk around the field, over and over again. You get exercise and you can watch your kids play.




Like to Exercise? Never Do It Near This


If you enjoy working out--running on a treadmill, pumping iron, dancing, or riding a stationary bike--never ever do it in front of a mirror. Wall-to-wall mirrors may be common decor in virtually every gym and dance studio, but Canadian researchers have determined that looking at oneself in a mirror while exercising creates feelings of discouragement, reports Reuters. It can even make you feel more tired.


The study:

Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario surveyed 58 women with an average age of 22 who typically exercised less than 15 minutes a week. Each took turns working out on stationary bicycles in front of a mirror and then with the mirror hidden by a curtain.

The results:

No matter what the women thought of their bodies, when they worked out for 20 minutes in front of a mirror, they felt worse or at least no better and less at peace with themselves. When they exercised without seeing themselves in a mirror, they felt calmer, more positive, and more revitalized at the end of the session.

Why?

"The mirrors make women more self-aware, they think of their shortcomings," lead study author Kathleen Martin Ginis told Reuters. "Things like: 'I look fat, I should be more active.' When women are more introspective, they might feel 'I'm not that great' unfortunately."

While Ginis is not advocating that every gym rip out the mirrors, she does advise gyms to create a place without mirrors just for novices. "For beginner exercisers, mirrors can be daunting," she told Reuters. And to those who are considering starting an exercise program, Ginis advises choosing an exercise that can be done without a mirror, such as walking or hiking.

The study findings were published in the journal Health Psychology.

[Jolie Rouge]

Smooch! J.Lo & Ben Kiss and Make Up

All those rumors that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are splitting up are false, false, false. That's the word from Ben himself. He told PEOPLE magazine for this week's cover story, "It's great. Fabulous." And then a bevy of their friends--all unnamed sources, natch--starting gushing about the lovey dovey couple, too.

--"They're fine," Affleck's spokesman told The Associated Press.

--"They're still together, and they are getting married," a source close to J.Lo told PEOPLE.

"She knew he went to the strip club...and her attitude is: 'What's the big deal?' Moving on," one unnamed source told Reuters.

Jen and Ben before all these nasty off-again, on-again rumors--days before he went to the strip club and she racked up the $9,000 bar bill.

And what's "the club," you ask?

That would be a strip joint in Vancouver that Ben visited with a few of his friends, including Tara Reid and Christian Slater. Apparently it wasn't too much for Jen to bear as the media first reported, causing her to hit the bars with her friends, including the rapper Q-Tip, and run up a $9,000 bar bill. Oh no. She knew about the strip club all along. In fact, it's now being billed as a kind of bachelor party for Ben.

Isn't love grand?

[jaybird]

P
O
U
N
C
E
!!!!!

[Jolie Rouge]

aaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhh ....

{{ she got me ! ****

[jaybird]

borkborkbork!

I wannnnnnnnnnnnna come to LA. I have 2 free weekends in September. Stubby is going to the drag races Labor Day weekend and the weekend of the 19. And then fishing for maybe a whole week!!! in October! ONE of those weekends I'm staying home, locking down with carryout chinese and my books and music, and one weekend I'm thinking go to Raven's, then roadtrip to Gia's. But I really need a NO fix. Ate at the Broadway Oyster Bar on my birthday. Had the combo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, crawfish etoufee (bleagh) 2 out of 3 were very good. I want TONY'S!!! And to see my little man.