5 Things You Didn't Know: Iron Man 2

The sequel to Iron Man was announced before the studio could even finish counting the over $300 million in domestic box office earnings. Now the challenge is making the new franchise a sustainable one that doesn’t burn out by the third film (think Spider-man or X-Men). Iron Man 2’s producers had to act fast since their leading man is over 40, so the release date was set for May 7, 2010. So, while director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. are hard at work on one of the most anticipated sequels in years, we’re hard at work bringing you five things you didn’t know about Iron Man 2.

1- Don Cheadle is the new Terrence Howard
Due to salary disputes, the character of Jim Rhodes (Tony Stark’s best friend and ally) will no longer be played by Terrence Howard. He’s been replaced by fellow Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle. Apparently when the first film was being made, Howard was the first actor to sign on to the project, and he was rewarded with the cast’s highest up-front salary. He balked when the producers asked him to take a pay cut for the sequel, so Cheadle replaced him. The character of Jim Rhodes will prove to be a crucial one in the coming films, as he eventually dons his own "supersuit" to become War Machine.

2- Over 600 issues of the Iron Man comic went into Iron Man 2
Justin Theroux is one of the screenwriters of Tropic Thunder -- a film that garnered Downey Jr. an Academy Award nomination this year -- and he will be scripting Iron Man 2 along with a team of co-writers. To prepare for the task of writing the sequel, Theroux apparently immersed himself in all of the Iron Man comic books -- four decades’ worth of them

3- Tony Stark will be hitting the bottle
Fans of the comic know that Tony Stark was the first alcoholic superhero, long before Hancock graced our screens. The filmmakers touched on Tony’s fondness for drink in the first film, but it will definitely be explored more fully in the second one. Favreau has said that he doesn’t want the film to be like Leaving Las Vegas, but with recovering addict Robert Downey Jr. playing the part, we’re sure he’ll give this topic its appropriate due in Iron Man 2.

4- Robert Downey Jr. is the oldest superhero
In April, Downey will be turning 44, which is a year older than Nicolas Cage was when he played Ghost Rider. At a time when baby-faced actors like Tobey Maguire (Spider-man), Brandon Routh (Superman) and Eric Bana (Hulk) are playing the titular superheroes, having an actor as old as Downey represents a few risks. With those young actors, the studios can afford to wait a few years between each installment without fear that the actor playing the lead may not be able to do the stunt work involved.

5- Nick Fury’s existence is in limbo
Given the rough economic climate, Marvel Studios is trying to cut costs wherever it can (see: Terrence Howard). However, since Iron Man 2 is a film that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars, you can understand why actors might not be willing to see it as a labor of love. Samuel L. Jackson is rumored to be in negotiations with the studio about reprising his cameo role from the first film as Nick Fury, the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., an organization that plays a large part in the mega-film The Avengers. A final fact you probably didn't know about Iron Man 2 is that it’s unclear whether Jackson will come back, and if he doesn’t, whether they’ll find a new Nick Fury or just scrap the character altogether.

AG Holder Announces Major Shift in Drug Enforcement Policy

It’s official. The Obama administration has announced it has no plans to prosecute marijuana dispensaries in California and other states. The move represents a significant shift away from the Bush administration’s stance on the issue. Here are stories from the LA Times and New York Times; click here for a previous LB post on the issue.

The news came straight from the mouth of Attorney General Eric Holder, who said Wednesday in a sit-down with reporters that the new administration would target outlets operating in violation of both federal and state law, such as those being used as fronts for drug dealers. “Those are the organizations, the people, that we will target,” the attorney general said.

In the Bush administration, federal agents raided medical marijuana distributors that violated federal statutes even if the dispensaries appeared to be complying with state laws.

President Obama indicated during the campaign that, under his leadership, the nation’s drug-enforcement policies would change. But soon after his inauguration, the DEA raided several dispensaries in California, in what appeared to be a continuation of earlier policies.

Those raids, however, may well become a thing of the past. “If you are operating a medical marijuana clinic that is actually a front, we’ll come after you,” one DOJ official told the LAT. “But if you are operating within the law, we are not going to prioritize our resources to go after them.”

Law Blog Reading Recommendation: For a wonderful introduction to the world of California’s marijuana dispensaries, we suggest checking out David Samuels’s really nice piece in the New Yorker, from last July. Here’s the story’s wonderful second paragraph:

It was now three o’clock in the afternoon, and Captain Blue was dozing after a copious inhalation of purified marijuana vapor. (His nickname is an homage to his favorite variety of bud.) His hair was black and greasy, and was spread across his pillow. On the front of his purple T-shirt, which had slid up to expose his round belly, were the words “Big Daddy.” With his arm wrapped around a three-foot-long green bong, he resembled a large, contented baby who has fallen asleep with his milk bottle.

Captain Blue is a pot broker. . . .

Obama Backs Global Gay Rights

President Obama Administration will sign the US up to a United Nations declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalisation of homosexuality, AP reports.

This is a straight reversal of then-President George W. Bush’s refusal to endorse the idea when it was proposed by the French Government last December.

Until now the US was the only hold-out among Western Democratic nations – all EU nations back the declaration along with more than 30 other countries.

But 70 U.N. members currently outlaw homosexuality — and in several of them, including Iran, homosexual acts can be punished by execution. More than 50 nations, opposed the declaration including the Vatican. Members of the Islamic conference argued that legalization of “deplorable acts” could lead to paedophilia and incest.

This decision by the Obama Administration isn’t only significant for gay rights, it also marks a change of approach to participating in multilateral initiatives.
The Bush Administration was often preferred to go it alone and stay out of international conventions. A recent poll showed that a substantial minority of Americans still favour pulling out of the UN.

THE RE WALK

Video of ReWalk Exoskeleton System
Filed under: Neurology , Rehab


Israel21C has a video of the ReWalk exoskeleton system, from Argo Medical Technologies, for people with paralyzed legs. We profiled the system back in March, and we thought this video would be interesting to see the device in action:



ReWalk comprises a light wearable brace support suit which integrates DC motors at the joint, rechargeable batteries, an array of sensors and a computer-based control system. It fits the body snugly to detect upper body movements, which are used to initiate and maintain the walking process. Wearers also use crutches for stability and safety.
ReWalk is undergoing clinical trials in Israel at the Rehabilitation Hospital at Chaim Sheba Medical Center - Tel Hashomer, with pilots planned for rehab centers in Holland and Italy. A US trial is scheduled to begin in November at the Moss Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia, after which Argo will apply for FDA regulatory approval.

Argo's demo video features team member Radi Kioff, a 40-year-old Druze Israeli citizen who was shot in the back while serving in the Israel Defense Forces during the first Lebanon War. Ironically, the man who devised the system that allows Kioff to walk cannot benefit from his own invention. A quadriplegic, Amit Goffer has only partial use of his hands, but not enough to operate the ReWalk.

Easy Ways To Get More Exercise

Easy Ways To Get More Exercise

     Two of the things that people say they'd do if they had an extra hour in their day is exercise and sleep.





     Exercise doesn't have to involve paying large sums of money to go to a gym, pound away on a treadmill, pump iron and feel inferior as the superfit gym bodies sweat and grunt around you. 




     Save your hard earned cash, don't pay out for a gym membership that you then give up after a few months - after all what are you exercising for? To get fit? Go for a walk, run or cycle.


     Sensible exercise is about increasing your general activity in each and every day and finding things to do that you enjoy. We all know that regular exercise can have beneficial effects to your general health and well-being, increase your energy levels, reduce stress and lift the mood. However busy you might be - find time to get active every day.

     Exercise does not mean you have to end up sweaty and exhausted, although it's good to get the heart-rate up. If we were more active on a daily basis, we would not have the need for gyms to work off the excess calories or keep fit.

     Remember that ANY activity that is over and above what you do normally is going to burning up additional calories.
     Leave the car behind - how many people do I see on a regular basis, driving up to the local corner shop, which is all of ten minutes walk away. It might save five minutes but it's an ideal opportunity for some exercise.

     
     If you want to get fitter, then jumping in the car at every opportunity is not the way. Short car journeys are very fuel inefficient (bad for your wallet) and bad for the environment (fuel consumption and carbon emissions are higher when the engine is cold. Catalytic converters are only effective for journeys over 5km (3 miles).



     Park further away from work or the shops or at the other end of the car park - enjoy the extra walk. Leave yourself enough time so that you're not rushing and then end up using that as an excuse to park nearer.



     Cycle. With the expense and inconvenience of parking these days, if you have a short journey to make, why not cycle?



     It takes me approximately 20 minutes to drive into town and then 5-10 minutes to find somewhere to park which may or may not be close to where I'm going, so possibly another 5-10 minute walk. It takes about 35-40 minutes to cycle into town, directly to where I'm going and then all I need to do is lock the bike to the nearest lamppost or bike park ... about the same amount of time - except that I do tend to 'glow' when I get there, so it's not always appropriate.



     It's quicker than walking and burns between 75-150 kcal every 30 minutes, even at a gentle pace. Cycle more vigorously and you'll burn up to 600 kcal in the same time.



     Running/Walking. Running may not be for everyone but take a walk at the beginning or end of the day. Get outside in the fresh air at lunchtime and give your legs a stretch. Go for a long walk at the weekend. There are any number of walks that you can do out in the countryside - take the rest of the family along or go out with a friend. It doesn't have to be a great trek

- Get off the bus a couple of stops earlier and walk the extra distance.
- Use the stairs at work, instead of the lift. OK, if you work in a skyscraper, I might let you off.
- Walk the children to school.
- Walk to the nearest post box to mail your letters.

Depending on your pace - even 30 minutes of moderate walking burns between 100-200 kcal.



     Housework - cleaning, dusting, hoovering, scrubbing, these will all give you some additional exercise and burn off a few extra calories - about 40 kcal every 15 minutes. Now there's an incentive for getting the housework done.



     Wash the car by hand - not only does this give you additional exercise but there's another environmental bonus - less electricity and less water. Burn up to 40 kcal every 15 minutes.



     Gardening. An hour or so of gardening - weeding, mowing the lawn and digging all burn calories. Even just 30 minutes of weeding will burn around 100 extra kcal.



     Mow the lawn with a manual lawnmower. Use shears instead of a strimmer to do the edges.



     Swimming. You don't need expensive equipment - just a swimming costume and a pair of goggles. Try out your local pool - even better if you can swim in the sea. A great way to exercise as it supports your body weight and is kinder to joints and works all the muscle groups.

     
     Start with a few lengths and build up slowly. Vary the strokes so you don't get too bored. Swim at your own pace and don't be intimidated by the other swimmers powering up and down in the fast lane. Even a gentle swim will burn up to 200 kcal every 30 minutes up to 500 kcal if you're really going for it.



     Many of these activities require you to be more organised and leave a little more time to get places. Think about them in advance and then you won't be rushing around and tempted to jump in the car because you ran out of time.



     Think about what you do on a daily basis. How could you build more activity into your day? It's a lot easier to be generally more active during the day than to find the time to take 'specific' exercise. Find at least three ways you can increase your activity.



     Plan time into your diary for exercise at the beginning of the week and make it a priority. Then it won't get forgotten.

From your friends at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NubianNewYorkers/

"MY SPACE"

Barack Obama to end US army's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy towards gays

President-Elect Barack Obama will end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy towards gays in the military as part of moves to sweep away remnants of the Bush era.

 

By Alex Spillius in Washington 
Last Updated: 9:34PM GMT 14 Jan 2009

The change of policy on homosexuality will allow gays to serve openly in all branches of the armed forces Photo: REUTERS

The move is expected to be among a series of symbolic changes he will push through quickly to stamp his mark on the presidency.

He is also expected to reverse several controversial executive Bush decisions within days of taking office next week.

Mr Obama has committed to closing the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay and will formally ban all interrogative techniques that could be described as torture, such as waterboarding.

It is expected that he will also reverse Mr Bush's orders restricting the distribution of funds for stem cell research and to overseas groups that offer abortion counselling.

The change of policy on homosexuality will allow gays to serve openly in all branches of the armed forces.

Though a timeline was not put on the reversal of the policy, Robert Gibbs, who becomes Mr Obama's press secretary next week, was unequivocal that it would happen.

When questioned about whether the policy would change on the Obama transition website, he wrote: "You don't hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it's 'Yes'."

Mr Obama opposed the policy during the campaign, but since his election has made statements that gay pressure groups interpreted as lukewarm commitments.

The issue became a distraction in the early days of Bill Clinton's presidency. He tried to push through reform that would have allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly but had to compromise with the "don't ask, don't tell" solution, which has been maintained by the Bush administration.

Although introduced before he came to power, Mr Bush's refusal to change the "don't ask, don't tell" policy angered many in America.

There is now however much wider public support for removing any restrictions on male and female gay personnel. Colin Powell, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is among influential figures who have called for the policy to be re-evaluated.

During his campaign Mr Obama often spoke out against what he called Bush's abuse of executive authority.

"I was a constitutional law professor, which means unlike the current president, I actually respect the Constitution," he said in 2007.

Russ Feingold, the Democratic Senator for Wisconsin, a strong critic of Mr Bush’s accumulation of executive power, said he had been informed by Mr Obama’s transition staff the records of past presidents might also be made more available.

He said the incoming president would support a bill he is proposing to make public some opinions from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, which issued some of the most controversial extensions of presidential power in the Bush era.

WHAT IS THE #1 PROBLEM YOU'VE HAD WITH MEN?

In my Yahoo Group "NubianNewYorkers" , over 22,000 Gay and Bi men were asked

what the #1 problem in trying to date or mate a man. Following you will find the most popular

answers. Do you agree?

QUESTION- WHAT IS THE #1 PROBLEM YOU'VE HAD WITH MEN?

ANSWERS SO FAR FROM MEMBERS...

1. Lack of respect.

2. Telling lie after lie after lie...

3. Most not all want to use you for your money and a place to stay.

4. Immaturity

5. Promiscuous

6. cheaters and DL brothas

7. Yep, and to build on that, they want you to pay because they may be bi and to have them you have to give up the $$$ not all but some.

8. That most men don't know true love so when they receive it they abuseit and they abuse you until you can't take it anymore. Then you startseeing the problem within yourself because you tolerated it, endured itand continually went back for more. So then it scares you from lovingsomeone else who wants to love you, thus continuing a vicious cycleexcept you're the asshole who abuses the love someone tries to lavishon you. Or at least that's been my experience.

9. Not willing to commit.

SEE ANSWERS HERE... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NubianNewYorkers/message/117026

..Did they leave anything off? do you have a particular experience that you would like to share?

please add a comment, or post one in our Yahoo Group "NubianNewYorkers"