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Fire on Universal Lot

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Universal,

Universal Lot Fire

UPDATE: The cause was determined to be accidental. The fire was started by workers using a blowtorch.

Although the flames are not entirely extinguished, a fire at the lot in Los Angeles is now contained. The blaze, which erupted around 5 a.m. this morning has injured four firefighters. It has also damaged approximately 4-5 structures including New York Street, Courthouse Square, the video vault and the building that houses the King Kong exhibit.

While no cause has yet been determined, it is believed filming was going on at the time.

The fire, located at the backlot near the theme park, should not interrupt tonight’s taping of the 2008 MTV Movie Awards.

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KABC


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IPS Tracks Victims by Satellite

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: GPS, Misc. Tech, Science,

firefightersThales, a French aerospace company, designed its IPS (Indoor Positioning System) for firefighters. The tracking system is based on the Ultra Wide Band radio signal, a form of satellite navigation. They felt that traditional GPS would not be as effective as the signals were often weak and sometimes bounce off surfaces. The IPS shows the exact location of people or animals inside buildings that are too smoky to see. It can also track firefighters’ positions in relation to each other as well as their outside vehicles. We can see other future applications, such as tracking lost miners or the injured after our next great natural disaster.

Read More | Reuters

Box Office Breakdown:  It’s Super To Be Bad

Superbad

The Judd Apatow train is bound to hit a roadblock at some point—but for the time being, it’s full steam ahead.  Superbad opened impressively with over $30 million this weekend making it the third Apatow-related project in a row to accomplish this feat (the others being Talledega Nights and Knocked Up).  This is, of course, not taking into consideration the uber-sleeper hit The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Meanwhile, there was nothing super about Nicole Kidman’s latest outing.  The Invasion, the latest version The Body Snatchers, scared up a dismal $5.9 million (and that’s despite Daniel Craig’s hunky presence).  But I predict a much stronger outing for these two later this year with The Golden Compass.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  It’s Super To Be Bad


Box Office Breakdown:  Audiences Not Yet Tuckered Out

Rush Hour 3

Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Pirates, Ocean’s, Bourne and now Rush Hour 3.  All six three-quels premiered directly at the top of the heap this summer.

Unfortunately, a six-year gap between the second and third Rush installments may have led to what some would consider slightly disappointing receipts.  On any other occasion, a $50 weekend would be something to brag about.  But considering it pales to the $67.4 million brought in by the 2001 predecessor, it’s only worth a pat on the back.

But really, the Disappointment of the Week honor should really fall on Cuba Gooding Jr.  When you’re accepting rejected scripts from the man who played Norbit, you have to wonder where it all went wrong (two words: Chill Factor).  Sadly, Daddy Day Camp was originally slated to be a straight-to-video release but somehow tested well enough to be released in theaters.  Who knows?  Maybe Gooding can pull a Halle and go straight-from-Oscar-to-Razzie.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Audiences Not Yet Tuckered Out


Box Office Breakdown:  Bourne Breaks Bank

Bourne

Matt Damon may still be vying for People magazine’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ title—but he has one thing that George Clooney and Brad Pitt don’t have:  the biggest debut for an August opening ever.

The Bourne Ultimatum‘s $70 million take improved upon the previous Bourne installments and gave Damon his largest weekend to date (and that’s including all three Ocean’s movies).

Meanwhile, Lindsay Lohan should be happy that she’s holed up in rehab again—though seeing her movie kicked out of the Top Ten would have probably sent her there anyway.  Apparently theatergoers can only handle one movie about Bratz at a time…

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Bourne Breaks Bank


Box Office Breakdown:  A Homerun For Homer

The Simpsons

Looks like Homer ain’t gonna be needing a deal on donuts anymore….

With a $74 million opening weekend, The Simpsons Movie debuted higher than most of the animated features released…ever.  Only the two Shrek sequels did better.  Quite a head-shaking number since we can still see the series for free on television.  But viewers from every single Springfield in the US—plus a thousand other cities out there—love the family so much, they were willing to pay for more.  Especially when it comes with nudity.

What theatergoers aren’t willing to pay for is more I Know Who Killed Me placed a dismal 9th, possibly due to lack of promotional work by the star.  How ironic that in the end it was Lindsay who was responsible for killing the movie and possibly her career.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  A Homerun For Homer

Read More | Variety

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