Gnomeo and Juliet leads a record-breaking weekend at the UK box office

UK box office top ten and analysis for the weekend of Friday 11th - Sunday 13th February 2011.

For the first time ever eight films exceeded the £1m mark in a single weekend at the UK box office with the Elton John / David Furnish-produced family animation Gnomeo and Juliet claiming the top spot with a decent £2.9m opening. BAFTA-award winning British drama The King's Speech holds firm in second place adding another £1.9m to push its total to £33.7m, with the film yet to fall below the top two in its six weeks on release. However, the same can't be said for last week's number one Tangled, with the Disney CG-animation taking a fraction less to slip to third with a cumulative gross of £13.4m from three weekends.

Along with Gnomeo and Juliet there were four other newcomers in the top ten, the highest of which was the Coen brothers' Western remake True Grit, which takes fourth place with £1.8m. Despite horrendous reviews the live-action / GC abomination Yogi Bear manages to pull in £1.8m to finish fifth, while Adam Sander / Jennifer Aniston rom-com Just Go With It banks £1.6m in sixth. Meanwhile Mark Romanek's acclaimed British drama Never Let Me Go takes £625k, leaving cast members Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley languishing in ninth.

Elsewhere in the chart, Darren Aronofsky's Best Picture-nominee Black Swan falls three places to seventh while rival contender The Fighter and the James Cameron-produced Sanctum slide five spots apiece to eighth and tenth respectively.

Number one this time last year: Valetine's Day

Pos.	Film	Weekend Gross	Week	Total UK Gross
1	Gnomeo and Juliet	£2,945,627	1	£2,945,627
2	The King's Speech	£1,986,871	6	£33,740,153
3	Tangled	£1,969,148	3	£13,434,176
4	True Grit	£1,823,254	1	£1,823,254
5	Yogi Bear	£1,820,405	1	£1,820,405
6	Just Go With It	£1,628,265	1	£1,628,265
7	Black Swan	£1,069,931	4	£12,779,283
8	The Fighter	£1,002,454	2	£4,078,696
9	Never Let Me Go	£625,496	1	£625,496
10	Sanctum	£361,832	2	£1,667,443

Incoming...

Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite for the alien adventure comedy Paul (cert. 15), which hit cinemas yesterday and should take top spot with the four days preview takings boosting its opening weekend. Meanwhile Friday see the arrival of Martin Lawrence comedy sequel Big Momma's House: Like Father Like Son (cert. PG) and 3D documentary / concert flick Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (cert. U).

U.K. Box Office Archive

Reduced Funding for the Allegheny

The President's 2012 budget provides $76 million for the Army Corps of Engineers low use navigation projects -- last year it was $140 million. In the Pittsburgh region that reduction will hit the Allegheny River System the hardest, cutting funding from $8 million to $4 million. Army Corps spokesman Jeff Hawk says that's because the Allegheny is such a small player when it comes to commercial traffic, "One facility at Emsworth, which is the first lock on the Ohio River, locks approximately ten times as much cargo through its chambers each year than does the entire Allegheny River system." On average, the Allegheny contributes about 2.5 of the 630 million tons of cargo that travel the nation's inland waterways. Because of the funding cuts, the Army Corps is considering how to reduce service on the Allegheny; one option is to provide full service on Locks 2 and 4 with no recreational traffic lockages available at Locks 5-9. The other option is to reduce shifts and limit operating hours at the first three locks and provide limited recreational service at Locks 5-7, while Locks 8 and 9 would only serve commercial vessels by appointment. Hawk says recreational users will feel the brunt of the funding cuts, but he notes that the river system has plenty of benefits that never factor into the funding equation, "these pools are used for water supply for sanitary treatment and for drinking and hydro-power, they provide a stable pool for riverfront development, and they provide a sustained aquatic environment." Hawk says the rivers belong to the public and it's important they have a voice in what the river system looks like in the future.

The Army Corps will hold two public information sessions on the Allegheny River System:
February 22 at O'Hara Elementary School at 6 p.m. and February 24 at the West Kittanning Fire Department at 7 p.m.

Opening bar no bar for Home Minister R R Patil

Home Minister R R Patil, who had bravely shut down the dance bars after accusing them of exercising a pernicious influence on the society, himself inaugurated a three star bar- cumrestaurant in Tembhurni in Solapur district on Sunday.

The incident has once again exposed the doublespeak of the politicians on serious social issues.

The incident happened at Tembhurni in Solapur where despite the advice of the local police, Patil went to inaugurate the bar cum hotel.

The other big politician on the occasion was NCP's Water supply minister Prof Laxmanrao Dhoble who went ga ga reciting Urdu poetry on the occasion.

The newly constructed bar in question 'Atithi bar cum restaurant' stands off the Solapur- Pune highway and belongs to the close friend of NCP MLA Babanrao Shinde. And hence it sort of turned out to be a family matter.

According to sources, there was no mention about the opening of the bar- cumrestaurant in the original programme. The police had requested Patil not to attend the function. But despite this Patil went there and opened the bar. The owner of the bar tried to disguise the signboard by covering it with a piece of cloth, yet the pretence gave off after Dhoble started his sher- oshayri session, revealing the liquor- drenched occasion.

The minister said he was happy to note that the restaurant was inaugurated by Aaba Patil, the man who banned dance bars and thus saved many a family! By opening the bar- cumrestaurant, Patil has lost all the credit he had gained by banning the dance bars, said a social activist Satish Paranjape. Earlier too, the home minister, by unknowingly committing indiscretions like attending the iftar party in the company of criminals, has always landed in the silversand of controversy, often inviting the wrath of the opposition parties and the public alike.

NCP sources tried to cover up the embarrassment by saying the home minister was not aware of what he was inaugurating. He thought that he was opening just another hotel.

NISSAN AND NISMO UNVEIL 2011 MOTORSPORTS ACTIVITY PLAN

YOKOHAMA (Feb. 14, 2011) - Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. and Nissan Motorsports International Co., Ltd.(NISMO) today announced their 2011 global motorsports program.

For 2011, Nissan continues its participation in the SUPER GT series, GT500 class, which is the highest level in Japanese domestic motorsports, with the Nissan GT-R.

In addition, Nissan will again provide technical support to private teams through NISMO, competing with a total of 4 Nissan GT-Rs in the FIA GT1 World Championship in its second year.

Nissan will further support grassroots activities through a driver scholarship program and support for private racing teams.

1. SUPER GT

· Vehicles:The R35 model NISSAN GT-R will take part in the SUPER GT series’ GT500 class. NISMO will develop the cars and provide technical support for participating teams. The 2011 NISSAN GT-R will incorporate changes in the VRH34A engine that include improved torque in the critical revolution range for competition, along with increased horsepower. Also refined is detailed design of the body to improve downforce. The reliability of the GT-R drivetrain is increased as well.
· Team Composition:NISMO, TEAM IMPUL, KONDO RACING and a newcomer, MOLA, will deploy one car each, for a total of four Nissan GT-Rs competing across the Nissan teams. A new stable of top-class drivers will join this season. Kunihiko Kakimoto will continue as the general director of the teams driving Nissan cars.

2. FIA GT1 World Championship

NISMO will supply four R35 model NISSAN GT-Rs for the private teams participating in the FIA GT1 World Championship, as well as providing technical support. SUMO POWER GT, which won one race last year, will continue to compete in the championship and JR MOTORSPORTS (JRM) will join the race this year with the NISSAN GT-R.

· Vehicles:
Although significant changes to vehicle specification are not allowed due to the FIA GT1 technical regulations, the 2011 GT-R features a lighter weight body and modified front bumper for improved aerodynamics.

3. NISSAN Driver Development Program (NDDP):Nissan will continue to support Formula Challenge Japan (FCJ), which started in 2006 with the aim of educating young drivers to enable them to compete worldwide.

Three young drivers have been chosen as Nissan Advance Scholarship drivers. Among them, two will take part in the National (N) Class of the All-Japan F3 Championship and one will receive support to run in Formula 3 Euro Series . Three additional individuals have been selected as Nissan Scholarship drivers and support to run in FCJ.

・NDDP Advance Scholarship Drivers:
All-Japan F3 Championship (N Class): Katsumasa Chiyo (23), Daiki Sasaki (19)
Formula 3 Euro Series:　 Kimiya Sato (21)
· NDDP FCJ Scholarship Drivers: Tsubasa Kondo (21), Daiwei Zhu (20),
Mitsunori Takaboshi (18)

4. Customer Program

・　NISMO LMP2 Engine
NISMO offers its NISSAN VK45DE engine, which is specially made for racing and complies with 2011 ACO LMP2 regulations. NISMO will also provide technical support to customer teams taking part in ILM (Intercontinental Le Mans Cup), the 24 Hours of Le Mans and LMS (Le Mans Series).

・ NISSAN GT-R FIA GT3 model
NISMO is currently developing a NISSAN GT-R FIA GT3 specification vehicle. Based on experimental participation in several races to be held in Europe and Japan in 2011, it will be offered to customer teams beginning in 2012.

・ NISSAN 370Z GT4
NISMO provides technical support to RJN Motorsports, based in the United Kingdom, which participates in GT4 European Cup with the Nissan 370Z.

・ Super Taikyu
NISMO provides technical support to customer teams participating in the Super Taikyu series in Japan.

'Clean- up' drive gets a makeover

The much controversial 'Clean- Up Mumbai' scheme is soon coming to the city with a new version and attitude.

In an attempt to keep the city clean, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ( BMC) has decided to revive the earlier clean- up scheme. However, keeping in mind the earlier loopholes that led to failure of the scheme, the civic body has incorporated some changes in the scheme, which is going to be implemented in the city probably from next month.

The conduct of clean- up marshals, who were entrusted with the responsibility of fining offenders caught littering the city, was the most contentious issue of the earlier scheme.

This time around, the civic body has decided to impart training to these marshals on etiquette. " We had earlier received a lot of complaints from people about the rude behaviour of marshals with people.

The BMC will now train these marshals on how to behave with people while charging them a fine," a senior civic official said. The training will be given by civic officials, he added.

The other important feature of the new scheme is that the maximum fine has been brought down from Rs 20,000 to Rs 10,000. In addition to this, the marshals will have limited powers in the scheme, with civic ward officers having a major say in slapping fine. While collecting a highest fine of Rs 10,000, the marshals have to seek the approval of ward officers concerned, the official said.

Though the civic body has kept the other formats of the former scheme more or less same, it has decided to slap restrictions on marshals in order to reduce corruption.

Around 30 per cent of marshals in the ward will supervise at locations selected only by the ward officer. "There were allegations about marshals trying to extort money by standing at selected places like outside clinics and construction sites. However, now they will follow directives of civic officials in this regard," the official said.

In the new set up, there will 25 to 30 marshals in each ward and one private agency will not get more than five wards to man. But sharing of revenues will be based on the earlier formula, with the agency sharing 50 per cent of revenue collection with the civic body.

The BMC had scrapped the earlier clean- up scheme in December last year after corporators dubbed it a total failure. Launched in 2007, the civic body had appointed several private agencies to keep city clean.

The marshals of these agencies were authorized to fine people who litter or spit on the roads or public places. The civic body will be issuing Expression of Interest from private agencies in a couple of days.

Volleyball: Another Freedom Volleyball Player Headed to College Ranks as Flanigin Commits to Wingate University

Jenna Flanigin
South Riding (Feb. 15, 2011) - On the heels of the school's best volleyball season in history, Freedom High School has yet another athlete headed to the college ranks as senior Jenna Flanigin has verbally committed to play next year at Wingate University, one of the top NCAA Division II programs in the country.

Flanigin joins senior teammate Tori Kramer (Waynesburg) and junior

Rhode Island and North Carolina Question Suggestions

Rhode Island received the most votes from distinct individuals in our 'vote on where to poll' this week so that's where we'll go this time around along with North Carolina.

For Rhode Island: who should we test against Sheldon Whitehouse besides Don Carcieri and what questions should we ask besides the races for President and Senate?

And we're appreciative of good North Carolina question suggestions as well. We're going to finalize these polls tomorrow afternoon so any ideas you can give us in the next 24 hours will be in the mix and much appreciated.