Daft Punk: "Tron Legacy" Soundtrack

Daft Punk, the French duo, provides the classical electronic jazzy soundtrack for the fil "Tron Legacy."  Daft Punk is the sleek, futuristic, robot-mask-wearing Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter.

Then, a universal sigh. The orchestral soundtrack album arrived 11 days before "Tron: Legacy" hit theaters December 17.  Critics suggest listening to music in a theater because the music is so intimately tied to the film. where torrents of 3-D goodness can wash over your eyeballs while you pay very close attention to your They suggest tuning your ears to the cool synthesizer bubbling beneath the conversations. Focus on the digital pulse coursing through this movie.

The duo makes a cameo in a nightclub scene that seems to have been written into the script just so they could play "Derezzed," a high-gloss speaker-thumper in the Daft Punk tradition. Almost everywhere else, Bangalter and de Homem-Christo don't sound nearly as Daft Punky. Instead, they conduct an 85-piece orchestra through the drifts and swells practically necessary to give the film's various fight scenes, chase scenes and fight-slash-chase scenes the requisite va-voom. But even when the timpanis reach peak rumble, Daft Punk's electric cool never wanes. (Wash Post, 12/25/2010)

Schwarzenegger To Be White House "Energy Czar?"

Outgoing Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated that he would accept a position as an "energy czar" in President Obama's Democratic administration. Governor Schwarzenegger suggested he would like to go to Washington and influence national policy on clean energy use, and promote environmentalism. Should Carol Browner be looking over her shoulder?  She is the current energy czar in the Obama administration, but it is rumored that she might move to Deputy White House Chief of Staff.  Maybe he told her "I'll be back," the last time he was at the White House.

Schwarzenegger is also suggesting people would be more likely to listen to him about the need for reform because he would not be seen as a radical, adding: "People are very receptive when I talk about these things because I'm a Hummer driver not a tree-hugger."   The governator is planning a visit to Washington with George Shultz, former Secretary of State in the Reagan administration. They will call for a bipartisan approach on energy policy and focus on the need to reduce US dependence on foreign oil supplies. (The Telegraph, 12/24/2010)

Stephen Baldwin Sues Kevin Costner Over Oil/Water Separator

Stephen Baldwin, left, has filed a federal lawsuit against Kevin Costner, right, in New Orleans over the actors' investments in a centrifuge device that BP used in its efforts to clean up the company's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The lawsuit filed by Baldwin and a friend, Spyridon Contogouris, claims that Costner and a business partner duped them out of their shares in an $18 million deal in which BP purchased oil-separating centrifuges from a company they formed after the April 20, 2010 spill.

Baldwin and friend owned shares in Ocean Therapy Solutions, the company that marketed the centrifuges to BP. The two say they were deliberately excluded from a June 8, 2010 meeting between Costner, business partner Patrick Smith and BP executive Doug Suttles at which Suttles agreed to make an $18 million deposit on a $52 million order for 32 of the devices. Baldwin and Contogouris say they did not know about the deal when they agreed to sell their shares of the company. They claim Costner and Smith "schemed" to use the BP deposit money to buy them out. (Wash Post, 12/24/2010)

Kennedy Center Honors

By Holly Wood

Honorees:

Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman & Bill T. Jones

CBS will air its annual telecast of the ceremonies on December 28, 2010.

The Kennedy Center held its annual Honors, which started in 1978, on Sunday night.  Three of the honorees are pretty well known and Jerry Herman is being recognized as a composer-lyricist and Bill T. Jones is an avant-garde choreographer. Kennedy Center honorees get escorted through a weekend of events, from a State Department brunch to a White House visit to the evening's honoree gala.

Prominents participating in the event or attending included: Willie Nelson, Carol Channing, Angela Lansbury  Alec Baldwin, Steven Tyler, Norah Jones, Dave Grohl, Gwen Stefani and No Doubt (providing the Beatles covers), Julia Roberts, Claire Danes, playwright Edward Albee (speaking on behalf of honoree Bill T. Jones), Jennifer Hudson, Barbara Walters, Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, Mavis Staples, John Lithgow, Gayle King, Oprah, Nancy Pelosi, Kris Kristofferson, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Mary-Louise Parker, among others.

Tickets prices ranged from $350 to $5,000. (Wash Post, 12/6/2010)

Billie Joe Armstrong on Broadway in "American Idiot"

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong is headed back to Broadway. The singer will take the stage for 50 performances of "American Idiot" between Jan. 1 and Feb. 27.  "American Idiot" is based on the Green Day album of the same name.

Mr. Armstrong had previously joined the production, a Tony Award nominee this year for Best Musical, during a one-week engagement from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3. During that week, the show's attendance spiked to 93% capacity, and its gross hit $1.09 million, according to weekly statistics complied by the Broadway League. (WSJ, 12/1/2010)

Bjorn Lomborg's Book and Movie "Cool It"

Ondi Timoner teams up with author of 'The Skeptical Environmentalist' Bjorn Lomborg to discuss what's really at stake with climate change, and what's actually necessary to make true advances in the fight.

Bjorn Lomborg believes that many of the elaborate and expensive actions now being considered to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of dollars, are often based on emotional rather than strictly scientific assumptions, and may very well have little impact on the world's temperature for hundreds of years. Rather than starting with the most radical procedures, Lomborg argues that we should first focus our resources on more immediate concerns, such as fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS and assuring and maintaining a safe, fresh water supply-which can be addressed at a fraction of the cost and save millions of lives within our lifetime. He asks why the debate over climate change has stifled rational dialogue and killed meaningful dissent.

Lomborg presents us with a second generation of thinking on global warming that believes panic is neither warranted nor a constructive place from which to deal with any of humanity's problems, not just global warming. Cool It promises to be one of the most talked about and influential books of our time.

Center's

25th

Anniversary

Today

President's Statement

Welcome to the Center's New Hollywood Site

By Environment Man

Hollywood is to entertainment what politics is to Washington, D.C.  Politicians are entertainers too.  And entertainers want to make public policy.  So we will cover both and mix them up.  Cause they are mixed up sometimes.  Entertainment is also big business. Very big business.  We will also cover the business of Hollywood and the business of Capitol Hill, The White House and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Viacom, Fox, NBC Universal, Time Warner, Sony and Disney run most of planet Earth's entertainment ventures.  The Center, though a small outlet, is on the cutting edge of delivering political entertainment content.  The big might be big, but we can move faster than them.  Plus we have Alan Smithee on our side.

So sit back and enjoy our ride. And visit often.

Kid Rock: Born Free

By Holly Wood

Kid Rock kick off his "Born Free" tour in support of the album of the same name which hit stores this week.

Kid Rock   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

The tour comes in the form of a 40th birthday party Kid Rock is throwing for himself with 60,000 of his closest friends, at Detroit's Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions football team. Kid Rock will be backed by his Twisted Brown Trucker Band. The nationwide tour ends March 12th in Memphis, Tennessee.

Kid Rock recently appeared at the European Music Awards in Madrid last week and the CMA Awards on November 10th. Kid Rock will appear on the live broadcast of the American Music Awards on Sunday, November 21st. A documentary titled "Kid Rock: Born Free" will start airing across MTV, Vh1, and CMT on November 16th.

Kid Rock's "Born Free Tour" 2011
w/ Very Special Guest Jamey Johnson

SAT 1/15/11 Detroit, MI Ford Field ( B-Day Show)
FRI 1/21/11 Saginaw, MI Dow Events Center
TUE 1/25/11 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel
WED 1/26/11 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
FRI 1/28/11 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
SAT 1/29/11 Dayton, OH Nutter Center
TUE 2/1/11 Wichita, KS Intrust Arena
TUE 2/8/11 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center
WED 2/9/11 Little Rock, AR Verizon Wireless Arena
FRI 2/11/10 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
SAT 2/12/11 Greenville, SC Bi-Lo Center
MON 2/14/11 Pensacola, FL Pensacola Civic Center
WED 2/16/11 N. Charleston, SC N. Charleston Coliseum
FRI 2/18/11 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
SAT 2/19/11 Birmingham, AL BJCC
TUE 2/22/11 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
WED 2/23/11 Huntington, WV Big Sandy's
FRI 2/25/11 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
SAT 2/26/11 Chicago, IL United Center
MON 2/28/11 Peoria, IL Peoria Civic
TUE 3/1/11 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
FRI 3/4/11 Atlanta, GA Gwinnett Center
SAT 3/5/11 Orlando, FL UCF Arena
TUE 3/8/11 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock
WED 3/9/11 Jacksonville, FL Veterans Memorial Arena
FRI 3/11/11 Jackson, MS Mississippi Coliseum
SAT 3/12/11 Memphis, TN FedEx Forum

(AntiMusic, 11/17/2010)

Keri Hilson: Don't Hate Me Cause I'm Beautiful (Pretty Girl Rock)

By Susie Centsativ

Keri is interesting.  She calls herself tall and yellow in interviews.  And is proud of it.  She seems to be a combination of many singers.  Hmmmm.  Who comes to mind?  Katy Perry, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyounce, among others. No Boys Allowed” is slated for a December 2010 release and a video for the song was shot in Atlanta in September. The song is about that breaking point that every woman gets to when the excuses given by boys are no longer accepted.

Keri comments:

“ If you’re not man enough to step to the plate, then keep it moving.”

Dennis Miller: "The Big Speech"

By Korben Dallas

The Big Speech is Dennis Miller's first HBO standup special in four years.  It was great.  Classic Dennis.  Taped live at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California, Miller riffed on everything and everybody from President Obama to Monday Night Football.

He had Bill Maher's timeslot on Friday night at 10 p.m.  Miller is conservative to Maher's liberal.  Conservative gets bigger numbers than liberal on cable and radio.  Maybe HBO noticed.

Philippine Congressman Manny (Pac Man) Pacquaio

Manny (Pac Man) Pacquaio is the dominant fighter of his generation. He has won eight different titles in eight different weight classes, including his recent defeat of Antonio Margarito, who was five inches taller and 17 pounds heavier. Mr. Pacquiao's only unrealized goal is a date with the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

The boxing world waits in anticipation of his signing a contract to fight against Mayweather, in what has been seen as the fight of the generation, between the world's two leading prize fighters. It is thought the super-fight could gross over $200 million, the most lucrative fight of all time.

Mr. Pacquiao is also serving as a Congressman in the Philippines. He took the oath of office in the capital of Sarangani province after winning by a landslide vote in the May 10 national elections. Mr Pacquiano was elected three years after failing to win a seat.

The 31-year-old fighter says he is committed to improving infrastructure, medical services and security during his three-year term in parliament. On the eve of the ceremony, Pacquiao defected to the Liberal Party of incoming President Benigno Aquino. (WSJ, 11/19/2010, The Telegraph, 6/28/2010)

NetCoalition

NetCoalition serves as the public policy voice for some of the world's most innovative Internet companies on the key legislative and administrative proposals affecting the online world. NetCoalition provides creative and effective solutions to the critical legal and technological issues facing the Internet.  By enabling industry leaders, policymakers, and the public to engage directly.  NetCoalition  has helped insure the integrity, usefulness, and continued expansion of this dynamic new medium.

Electronic Frontier Foundation

About EFF

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the a first line of defense when freedoms in the networked world come under attack. EFF was founded in 1990 and has championed the public interest in many battles affecting digital rights. From the Internet to the iPod, technologies are transforming our society and empowering Americans as speakers, citizens, creators, and consumers.

Blending the expertise of lawyers, policy analysts, activists, and technologists, EFF achieves significant victories on behalf of consumers and the general public. EFF fights for freedom primarily in the courts, bringing and defending lawsuits even when that means taking on the US government or large corporations. By mobilizing more than 61,000 concerned citizens through their Action Center, EFF beats back bad legislation. In addition to advising policymakers, EFF educates the press and public.

EFF is a donor-funded nonprofit and depends on your support to continue successfully defending your digital rights.

Senate Considers Anti Internet Counterfeiting and Theft Bill

By Alan Smithee

Patrick Leahy

The Senate is considering legislation to combat Internet counterfeiting that has pits Hollywood and television networks against Web giants Amazon, Google and Yahoo.  The legislation seeks to determine how law enforcement authorities should prevent digital theft. The bill, sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) with the backing of 17 senators, would allow law enforcement to take down the domain names of the most egregious copyright offenders.

The music, movie, television industries, U.S. Chamber, Hollywood and artists have supported the bill, believing that counterfeiting of their products will not stop unless there are stronger sanctions in place. Existing rules have done little to curb counterfeiting and piracy.

Internet networking engineers and privacy advocates are joined in opposing the measure by companies such as eBay, Amazon.com, Bloomberg, Google and Wikipedia. NetCoalition, a group that represents those Web firms, expressed concern that the Justice Department could go after infringing Web sites by forcing partners -- the order domain name system servers, financial transaction providers and advertising networks -- to discontinue services to the illegal site. The practice, "raises a host of questions that necessitate thorough review.  NetCoalition believes the courts are best suited to oversee the global Internet.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a group that helped organize an opposition letter by 89 engineers, objects to the bill because it requires a takedown of domain names by law enforcement without first getting a court order.  The also believe that by taking out entire domain names and making them vanish off the Internet, that domain name can have a huge amount of stuff on it that is non infringing and should be protected speech. (Wash Post, 11/18/2010)

Christina Aguilera Stars in "Burlesque"

By Holly Wood

Will the movie "Burlesque" be Christina Aguilera's "Purple Rain?"  The film opens this weekend and we will know soon.  She's had a rough year or two professionally and personally, but she appears to be one tough cookie. I just hope we don't get the usual rumors about some sort of romance with Environment Man.

Christina is a talent. A voice that would make Elvis Presley sit up straight and listen.  Pretty as a picture whether blond or brunette, Aguilera can stand next to Cher any day of the week. 

Good luck with the movie Chris.  And, ummm, give Eman a call.

Hollywood

Where the lie IS the product?