Channel 1012 Society Women

Watsons encourages spreading ‘love’ through its Valentine’s gift ideas

2010-02-16T12:20:00.001-08:00

a way for customers to show loving and caring thoughts for their chosen ones. The perfect Valentine gift ideascomprise colourful ranges of beauty and cosmetics products that gently nourish and keep the entire skin healthy and radiantly beautiful every day. A host of products are available for selection including:

1. ‘Sweet Princess’ beauty product range – With their sweet and bright look incorporating a shimmer effect, the products will boost the skin to that of fairytale princess. The range comprises skincare products, perfume and hair wax that allow young girls to feel confident everywhere.

2. ‘Sweet Princess’ cosmetics range – Outstanding in their colouring and skin nourishing benefits for young girls, the products incorporate prunus serrulata flower extracts to moisten and hydrate facial skin cells for a healthy and smooth look.

3. A special collection of ‘Garden of Love’ products infused with pink rose extracts known for their moisturizing benefit and white rose extracts renowned for their smoothing benefit. Imbued with the scent of roses, the range includes body lotion also infused with 99.99% pure gold extract, bath cream filled with pearl extract and hand cream which offers moisturizing benefits and help smoothes the skin.

Burberry Nova Heart Series for Valentine’s

2010-02-07T01:29:00.001-08:00

Burberry, a luxury brand with a distinctive British sensibility, strong international recognition and differentiating brand values introduces ‘Nova Heart Series’ collection, an ideal gift for Valentine’s special. The new collection is now available at Burberry Shop at 1st floor of Erawan Bangkok Tel 02-250-7701, ground floor of Kaysorn Plaza Tel 02-656-1390 and M floor of Siam Paragon Tel 02-610-9719. For more information, please call at Tel 02-650-3055.

The Burberry Nova Heart Series offers Nova Heart Pilgrim, is coated canvas sling bag in the Nova check pattern printed with striped hearts. With a top zip closer, the bag is consisted with patent leather trims and piping on the seams, heart charm attached to the shoulder strap. The Nova Heart Pilgrim is priced 41,300 Baht. The Nova Heart Coin Purse is offered in heart shaped, coated canvas purse with patent leather and pvc trims and a zip around closer. The Nova Heart Coin Purse is perfect for everywhere carry-on with priced at 6,300 Baht.

Nova Heart Pilgrim, is coated canvas sling bag in the Nova check pattern printed with striped hearts and is priced at 41,300 Baht
Nova Heart Coin Purse is offered in heart shaped with priced of 6,300 Baht

Beauty as Korean Pop Stars by Peripera at Boots

2010-02-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Boots Retail (Thailand) Limited, our trust health and beauty introduces ‘Peripera’, the beauty cosmetics line from Korea for perfect beauty. The new Peripera product range includes BB Cream, Powder Foundation, Eye Shadow, Eyes Liner, Mascara, Lips Stick, Lips Gloss which is priced among 350 Baht - 850 Baht. The Peripera is now available at Boots stores.

The Peripera is consisted of Peripera Wonder BB Cream, - providing coverage just like a foundation by covering up all acne, pores, marks, lines and uneven skin color spots without damaging the skin. It also helps to improve the skin condition. The Peripera Wonder Ever Pact, the powder foundation to stay smooth and look natural in any light. Peripera Wonder Touch Shadow – an exclusive shade eyeshadow in shimmer palette for long- lasting shadow that reinvent color intensity. Peripera Wonder Smokey Eyes, experiment eye liner that comes with eyeshadow loose powder shimmer. Peripera Wonder Duo Mascara & Liner, long-wear waterproof mascara and eyeliner in one for the best lash look with volume, length, curl and definition.

Peripera Wonder Lip & Cheek, the cream-gel formula that gives cheeks and lips a soft touch of color. Peripera Wonder of Lip, the creamy lipstick with Vitamin E nourishing. Peripera Wonder Kiss Gloss, the most voluptuous lips ever for plumping up lips with light fragrance, or Peripera Wonder Talk Lip Balm, get a shine on and spotlight on lips with deep moisturization.

Business Referral Circle (BRC) on February 4th, 2010. The Best Networking Luncheon in Town!

2010-01-30T02:13:00.001-08:00

BNOW is hosting a Business Referral Circle (BRC) on Thursday February 4th, 2010 from 11.00am to 01:00pm at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand, www.fccthai.com, Maneeya Building, BTS Chidlom. The BRC is different because it is a proactive way to network with other businesses. Instead of the usual one to one networking style in a social setting or speed-networking, the format is one to group. BRC is appropriate for business owners, sales and marketing professionals. The meeting is 2 hours and conducted during lunch time and includes a meal.

The meeting is open to females, males, BNOW member, and non-members. The fee is 500 baht for BNOW members and 700 baht for non-members including lunch (3 choices). Early bird offer, book and prepay for your seat and get a 10% discount on event fee. Non-member special, book and prepay for two seats pay membership price. E-mail us now to find out how to take advantage of the offer, bnow@bnow.org
About BNOW:

BNOW (Bangkok Network of Women) provides a supportive network to women living and working in Bangkok. We have a weekly e-newsletter which takes contribution from the members. Members also enjoy privileges and benefits from selected businesses. The group has 2 events per month, for upcoming schedule visit http://www.bnow.org/next_event.html. The get together is to have women meet and interact, enabling them to put faces to names and to make new friends and business connections in Bangkok. For more information about our group, please visit www.bnow.org.

The improved “Shaper PLUS” is set to win 30% market share in the firming and anti-cellulite battle

2010-01-21T05:36:00.001-08:00

The Australia-based Invasis Research & Laboratories is today introducing the new Shaper PLUS body firming and toning serum for the premium market in Thailand, catering to ladies who look for an effective way of battling cellulite and stay beautifully toned. Along with the grand opening of the new product, the company is planning Bt50 million of marketing budget which will be employed in expanding the existing distribution networks to 150 channels countrywide through drug, beauty and health stores with Pancake Kemmanit Jamikorn as the brand’s new presenter. With the strength of the new product and marketing schemes, the company expects to achieve 30% market share in the body firming and toning market by the end of this year.

Pharmacist Monsuda Aramkitphota, Product Manager of Shaper and Shaper PLUS says that “We are looking at the strong growth of the Thai health and beauty products with continuous confidence, especially in the body firming, toning and anti-cellulite creams which last year posted a strong 10% growth of about Bt600 million. With more business opportunities left to be explored in such market, we decided to begin this year with the launch of ‘Shaper PLUS’ – the new and improved firming and toning serum from the classic ‘Shaper’ that can be applied throughout the body such as the upper arms, legs, stomach and hips. This premium-ranged product works well in reducing the appearance of cellulite and cracked skin without the need for massage. The new improved product is twice better and quicker to absorb into the skin layers than the classic formula and suits best for ladies looking for faster-working and more effective product for their beautiful look.”

“This year, we plan to make ‘Shaper PLUS’ more available in Thailand by expanding the existing distribution channels to cover all customer ranges, from premium to premium-mass and those in the middle. Now about 80% of our sales are derived from our call centers, and this year, while maintaining and improving our telemarketing service with Double Impact call center, we will expand more into the pharmacy chains and recognizable health and beauty stores throughout the country such as Watsons, Boots and Siam Drugs which should increase our points of sales up to 150 places countrywide,” says Pharmacist Monsuda

Shaper now enjoys about 300,000 customers, 90% are women, with high purchasing power, such as celebrities, stars, models and businesspeople.

Pharmacist Monsuda says that “This year, the company is now allocating about Bt50 million marketing budget to execute a comprehensive marketing scheme including sales-promoting activities, launching events and introduction of new brand’s presenter – Pancake Kemnij Jamikorn – a leading celebrity. Shaper is now available in 2 special New Year value packages of 1. Shaper PLUS Limited Edition, with one 150ml Shaper PLUS, one 75ml Shaper PLUS at a special price of Bt3,250 (from Bt5,500) in a special beautiful gift box and 2. A special 50% discount for Shaper Classic from today – 28 February 2010.

Invasis Research & Laboratories expects this year’s sales to reach Bt250 million, Bt180 million of which will come from the sales of Shaper, making a 50% growth that should push the product to be no. 1 in the market. The company also expects that the introduction of the new improved Shaper PLUS should help boosting Shaper product to earn a 30% market share in the body firming and toning market by the end of this year.

Shaper PLUS is available in 15ml for Bt3,250 and Bt75ml at Bt2,250. Shaper Classic is available for Bt2,950 in 150ml and Bt1,950 in 75ml.

WHO calls for action beyond the health sector to improve the health of girls and women

2009-11-22T00:09:00.001-08:00

Despite progress, societies continue to fail women at key times of their lives

Despite considerable progress in the past decades, societies continue to fail to meet the health care needs of women at key moments of their lives, particularly in their adolescent years and in older age, a WHO report has found.

Launching the report, entitled Women and health: today's evidence tomorrow's agenda, WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan called for urgent action both within the health sector and beyond to improve the health and lives of girls and women around the world, from birth to older age.

"If women are denied a chance to develop their full human potential, including their potential to lead healthier and at least somewhat happier lives, is society as a whole really healthy? What does this say about the state of social progress in the 21st century?" asked Dr Chan.
Women provide the bulk of health care, but rarely receive the care they need

Worldwide, women provide the bulk of health care - whether in the home, the community or the health system, yet health care continues to fail to address the specific needs and challenges of women throughout their lives.

Up to 80% of all health care and 90% of care for HIV/AIDS-related illness is provided in the home - almost always by women. Yet more often than not, they go unsupported, unrecognized and unremunerated in this essential role.

When it comes to meeting women's health care needs, some services, such as care during pregnancy, are more likely to be in place than others such as mental health, sexual violence and screening and treatment for cervical cancer.

However, in many countries, sexual and reproductive health services tend to focus exclusively on married women and ignore the needs of unmarried women and adolescents. Few services cater for other marginalized groups of women such as sex workers, intravenous drug users, ethnic minorities and rural women.

"It's time to pay girls and women back, to make sure that they get the care and support they need to enjoy a fundamental human right at every moment of their lives, that is their right to health," said Dr Chan.
Women live longer than men but these extra years are not always healthy

HIV, pregnancy-related conditions and tuberculosis continue to be major killers of women aged 15 to 45 globally. However, as women age, noncommunicable diseases become major causes of death and disability, particularly after the age of 45 years.

Globally, heart attacks and stroke, often thought to be "male" problems, are the two leading killers of women. Women often show different symptoms from men, which contributes to under diagnosis of heart disease in women. They also tend to develop heart disease later in life than men.

Because women tend to live on average six to eight years longer than men, they represent a growing proportion of all older people. Societies need to prepare now to deal with the health problems and costs associated with older age and anticipate the major social changes in the organization of work, family and social support.

Despite some biological advantages, women's health suffers from their lower socio-economic status

Lack of access to education, decision-making positions and income may limit women's ability to protect their own health and that of their families. Though major differences exist in women's health across regions, countries and socio-economic class, women and girls face similar challenges, in particular discrimination, violence and poverty, which increase their risk of ill-health.

For example, in the case of HIV/AIDS the risk posed by a biological difference is compounded in cultures that limit women’s knowledge about HIV and their ability to negotiate safer sex.

"We will not see significant progress as long as women are regarded as second-class citizens in so many parts of the world," Dr Chan said. "In so many societies, men exercise political, social and economic control. The health sector has to be concerned. These unequal power relations translate into unequal access to health care and unequal control over health resources," she added.
Policy change and action is needed within the health sector and beyond

The report seeks to identify key areas for reform, both within and outside the health sector. These include identifying mechanisms to build strong leadership with the full participation of women's organizations, strengthening health systems to better meet women's needs throughout their lives, leveraging changes in public policy to address how social and economic determinants of health adversely impact women, and building a knowledge base that would allow a better tracking of progress.

Strategies to improve women's health must also take full account of gender inequality and address the specific socioeconomic and cultural barriers that prevent women from protecting and improving their health, the report points out.

A Christmas Carol - November 26, 2009 Only in DISNEY DIGITAL 3D and IMAX 3D

2009-11-22T00:08:00.000-08:00

“It’s as if Charles Dickens wrote this story to be a movie—it’s so visual and cinematic. It’s the greatest time-travel story ever written and I wanted to do the movie the way I believe it was originally envisioned by the author.”

- Robert Zemeckis, Director/Producer/Screenwriter

“DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3D motion picture event.

Ebenezer Scrooge (JIM CARREY) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (GARY OLDMAN) and his cheery nephew (COLIN FIRTH). Scrooge makes it clear that he has no intention of enjoying the holiday and, as always, goes home—alone—where he encounters the ghost of his dead business partner Joseph Marley. Marley, who’s paying the price in the afterlife for his own callousness, hopes to help Scrooge avoid a similar fate and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits. But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take Old Scrooge on an eye-opening journey revealing truths he’s reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

Walt Disney Pictures and ImageMovers Digital present “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” a production directed by Robert Zemeckis from his own adaptation based on the classic novella by Charles Dickens. The film is the first film developed by ImageMovers Digital, which was created by Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke to develop 3D performance capture films exclusively for The Walt Disney Studios. “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL” is produced by Starkey, Zemeckis and Rapke.

The stellar cast is led by multi-faceted actor Jim Carrey (“Yes Man,” “Horton Hears a Who,” “Bruce Almighty”) who, like many of his co-stars, appears in several pivotal roles. In addition to portraying Ebenezer Scrooge at various ages old and young, Carrey brings to life the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Christmas Yet to Come.

Joining Carrey is a diverse group of gifted actors. Gary Oldman (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) stars as Scrooge’s beleaguered employee, Bob Cratchit, his young and ill son Tiny Tim, as well as the ghost of Joseph Marley, Scrooge’s deceased business partner. Colin Firth (“Love Actually,” “The Accidental Husband,” “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”) stars as Fred, Scrooge’s cheerful, good-hearted nephew. Robin Wright Penn (“State of Play”) stars as Belle, who long ago stole Scrooge’s heart, and Fan, Scrooge’s now deceased sister.

One of England’s most distinguished actors, Bob Hoskins (“Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”) reunites with Zemeckis as Old Fezziwig, to whom Scrooge was apprenticed as a young man, and Old Joe who runs an old rag and bottle shop and purchases the “deceased” Scrooge’s bed linens and curtains. Cary Elwes (“Ella Enchanted,” “The Princess Bride”) rounds out the cast and portrays multiple characters, including young Dick Wilkins, Scrooge’s old roommate.

The creative team includes production designer Doug Chiang (“Beowulf,” “The Polar Express”), director of cinematography Robert Presley (“Enchanted,” “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” “What Lies Beneath”), film editor Jeremiah O’Driscoll (“Beowulf,” “The Polar Express”), composer Alan Silvestri (“Beowulf,” “Night at the Museum”) and visual effects supervisor George Murphy (“King Kong,” “Constantine”).

A Walt Disney Pictures and ImageMovers Digital film, “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL” will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™, RealD 3D and IMAX® 3D.

RealD 3D is the new generation of entertainment, with crisp, bright, ultra-realistic images so lifelike you feel like you've stepped inside the movie. RealD 3D adds depth that puts you in the thick of the action, whether you're joining favorite characters in a new world or dodging objects that seem to fly into the theatre. RealD pioneered today's digital 3D and is the world's most widely used 3D cinema technology with over 9,000 screens under contract and nearly 4,000 screens installed in 48 countries. And unlike the old days of paper glasses, RealD 3D glasses look like sunglasses, are recyclable and designed to comfortably fit on all moviegoers, and easily over prescription glasses (www.RealD.com).

Along with the film’s nationwide release in conventional theatres, “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL” will be released in IMAX® theatres, digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology. With crystal clear images, laser-aligned digital sound and maximized field of view, IMAX provides the world’s most immersive movie experience.
DICKENS’ STORY
Filmmakers Covet Author’s Vision
“Everybody loves a good transformational story.

You know, somebody who sees the light, who finally finds out what’s important in life. And, this is one of the greatest ones ever written.”

- Jim Carrey, “Scrooge” and the “Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present & Yet to Come”

Thought to be one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told and enjoyed by millions each year at the holidays, “A Christmas Carol” was originally published by Charles Dickens himself in 1843. The novella was an immediate and enduring success and would become a holiday tradition for generations. It was the world’s first time travel story and perhaps the most beloved of ghost stories.

At its core, however, the story is one of redemption. “Everybody loves a good transformational story,” says Jim Carrey. “You know, somebody who sees the light, who finally finds out what’s important in life. And, this is one of the greatest ones ever written.”
It is the ghosts, of course, who help turn the stingy Scrooge around.

- The Ghost of Christmas Past (JIM CARREY) appears in the form of a flickering flame—Dickens describes the Ghost as a “bright, clear jet of light.” The Ghost escorts Scrooge on a journey back in time, revisiting moments in his past. He sees himself as a youngster, as an apprentice to Fezziwig (BOB HOSKINS), as a vibrant young man chatting with co-clerk Dick Wilkins (CARY ELWES), and as a man in love and engaged to Belle (ROBIN WRIGHT PENN). The memories deeply affect Scrooge.

- The Ghost of Christmas Present (CARREY)—a merry giant decked out in robes—arrives to show Scrooge what his life is really like in the present. Scrooge is taken to the Cratchit household and sees his clerk’s meager situation, including the gravity of the illness of his young son, Tiny Tim (GARY OLDMAN). The Ghost also allows Scrooge to observe his nephew’s Christmas party, where they witness a guessing game in which Scrooge’s dreary life is the punch line.

- Next up, and perhaps most unsettling, is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (CARREY), a phantom who takes Scrooge into the future as the pair explores an unnamed man’s recent death. Businessmen discuss the man’s riches, Old Joe (HOSKINS) and Mrs. Dilber (FIONNULA FLANNIGAN) divvy up his bedding and curtains. Scrooge demands to know the man’s identity; he’s shocked to read his own name on the tombstone. If only he had another chance.

“You take the meanest man alive and show him the error of his ways… and we get to come along for the ride.”
- Robert Zemeckis, Director/Producer/Screenwriter

The filmmakers felt that no film version had truly captured the story in a way that Dickens truly intended. “It’s as if Charles Dickens wrote this story to be a movie—it’s so visual and cinematic,” says Zemeckis. “It’s the greatest time-travel story ever written and I wanted to do the movie the way I believe it was originally envisioned by the author.”

“‘DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ is a classic tale with stunning performances and powerful visuals,” adds producer Steve Starkey. “It has it all.”

Performance capture is a process that digitally captures the performances of the actors with computerized cameras in a full 360 degrees; the film will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™. The technologies allowed the filmmakers to present a true Dickensian world with no artistic restrictions, transporting the audience to a time and place previously unavailable.

“The technology is liberating for me as a filmmaker,” says Zemeckis. “It allows me to separate the cinema aspect of making a movie, which is something all filmmakers try to control, and realize the magic of the performances from my cast.

It’s the perfect blend of welcoming those wonderful accidents that happen when an actor is performing, and then being able to put the cinema language into the film.”

Starkey adds, “The characters in the story are bigger than life—ghosts and even Scrooge himself who evolves through time. We can do things in this new form of cinema that you couldn’t do before.”

According to Zemeckis, “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL” is the perfect film to showcase how far performance capture technology has come and how it allows filmmakers to be innovative, yet still showcase the strengths of the cast. For the actors, it’s a fascinating process with no costumes, no physical makeup and very little as far as sets. Carrey and the rest of the cast had their work cut out for them in their efforts to become the characters. “A lot of people think that these movies are just voice-over work,” says Carrey, “but they feature complete performances by actors.”

While the technology afforded filmmakers incredible freedoms to create environments and characters that have never been seen on the big screen before, it still comes back to the story, says Zemeckis. “You take the meanest man alive and show him the error of his ways…and we get to come along for the ride.”
CASTING A CLASSIC
Jim Carrey Steps in as Scrooge

Even as Robert Zemeckis was writing the script, he had only one actor in mind to play the role of Scrooge—Jim Carrey.

“Jim’s not just a wonderful actor, he’s a chameleon,” says Starkey. “He can work his body in ways other actors can’t. He’s just so versatile. I can’t imagine the film without him.”

Neither could the director. Zemeckis had no doubts that Carrey’s talent as an imaginative and risk-taking actor would make him the quintessential Scrooge. “When I did my first performance-capture movie and I realized the potential of what could be done, I couldn’t help but think that the greatest performance-capture actor that exists is Jim Carrey,” says the director. “His face is so incredibly expressive, and he’s so great at creating characters, giving him the ability to completely change his physicality. All of his talents as a performer and as a comedian are included in his performance.”

Producer Rapke agrees, “There is a place that he goes to that in a million years you wouldn’t think it was possible. He has an unlimited amount of extraordinary physicality. The way he transforms himself into Scrooge is amazing. He gives his all, pursuing every single permutation of the character. He comes up with so many alternatives and they are all great. It’s an embarrassment of riches.”

“Scrooge,” says Carrey, “is not a person who really loves his life. He wants to live it alone. He’s not a spiritual guy on a mountain. He’s a guy who wants to make his cage as comfortable as possible because if he steps outside it, he risks being seen by people. He risks people finding out that he’s broken and bitter.”

But Carrey believes there’s more to Scrooge than the miser. “Nobody is just one thing, you know? There’s much more to all of us. Generally at the bottom of it all, there’s goodness.”

“Since the ghosts are all an extension of Scrooge, it’s only fitting that they all have a bit of Scrooge in them. So it was a perfect fit to have Jim play all the parts.”
- Robert Zemeckis, Director/Producer/Screenwriter

Not only does Carrey play the old and miserly Scrooge, but because of the advantages afforded by the film’s technology, Carrey is able to portray Scrooge at every age—from a young 7-year-old, alone and friendless, sitting quietly at school, to an old man, bent over and feeble. The technology captures Carrey’s unique acting performances as the actor expertly crafts the evolution of one character’s lifetime. “He’s a guy in pain,” says Carrey. “He’s a guy who didn’t have anybody to love him.”

Carrey also portrays the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. “Since the ghosts are all an extension of Scrooge, it’s only fitting that they all have a bit of Scrooge in them,” says Zemeckis. “So it was a perfect fit to have Jim play all the parts.”

Zemeckis called on several other cast members to fulfill more than one role. Gary Oldman plays the meek, but optimistic Bob Cratchit, as well as Cratchit’s young ailing son Tiny Tim, and Marley’s ghost. “We hired a great actor who himself is a master of disguise,” says Zemeckis.

“Gary Oldman is one of the most brilliant actors working today and to have him come and do these characters that require different aspects of personality and experience, it’s amazing to watch,” adds Rapke.

Classically trained British theater actor Colin Firth is one of the few actors playing only one role, but he plays a central figure in the film. Firth portrays the forever optimistic Fred, whose cheery disposition and opposing outlook on life is a stark contrast to that of his grumpy uncle Scrooge.

“Fred is quite simply the opposite of Scrooge,” explains Firth. “He’s the foil. If Scrooge is the ultimate pessimist, Fred is the ultimate optimist. I think Fred sees life very simply. ‘Why can’t we be friends? It’s not complicated. I’m inviting you to dinner. Why don’t you just come for dinner?’ I think he embodies the Christmas spirit. He wishes no ill to anybody.”

“Colin Firth is a dashing actor,” says Starkey. “He is just a perfect, proper young Englishman.”

Robin Wright Penn, who appeared in Zemeckis’ previous performance-capture film “Beowulf,” as well as the director’s acclaimed hit “Forrest Gump,” portrays Belle, the beautiful young woman whom Scrooge chooses not to pursue, turning his back on a life of love and light. Penn also plays Scrooge’s young sister Fan, for whom Scrooge had a great affection; he could never quite get over her untimely death.

“Robin is part of our repertory company,” says Rapke. “There is not a female role that we don’t think of her first. She is so talented, and she is part of our creative family.

“As Belle, she is part of the moment that forms the older Scrooge,” continues Rapke. “She is the object of his love. She represents what could have been and is the source of Scrooge’s greatest sadness. His life would have been totally different. And for Fan, we needed somebody to portray that kind of beautiful innocence, that verve for life with a slightly naive quality—that’s Robin.”

The filmmakers called on one of England’s most distinctive actors, Bob Hoskins, to join the cast. Hoskins left school at 15 to pursue an acting career. His breakout performance came in 1987 with his Academy Award®-nominated role in “Mona Lisa.” He continued to dazzle audiences in films such as “Nixon,” “Maid in Manhattan,” and “Mrs. Henderson Presents.”

“There is an amazing history between Bob Zemeckis and Bob Hoskins because of ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,’” says Rapke. “Bob said, ‘The only guy I can see being Fezziwig is Bob Hoskins. He can dance and he has a great face. And Bob should play Old Joe, too. He would be fabulous in that role as well.’”

Although it had been 20 years since the actor had worked with Zemeckis, Hoskins was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the director again. “My main reason to do this film was to work again with Robert Zemeckis,” says Hoskins. “Bob is the Einstein of cinema. His imagination is always worth seeing. It’s extraordinary. I’ve got a very soft spot for Zemeckis—he’s mad as a March hare, but I love him,” laughs Hoskins.

Starring alongside Hoskins as Mrs. Dilber is the Abbey Theatre-trained Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan. On stage and on screen, Flanagan has appeared in films including “Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood,” “Transamerica,” and “Waking Ned Divine.” Filmmakers tapped Flanagan to portray Scrooge’s charwoman, a poor woman who takes advantage of her master’s untimely demise by stealing his personal belongings and haggling with Old Joe over the items.

“Their way of celebrating is to gloat over what she’s managed to steal from Scrooge’s house,” says Flanagan.

The multitalented Cary Elwes joins the cast and plays a menagerie of characters with great diversity and range: the mad fiddler who plays at Fezziwig’s big bash; Dick Wilkins, Scrooge’s roommate from years ago; and a businessman who is shunned by Scrooge when he solicits donations for the poor.

“Cary plays multiple characters and he’s got the versatility to support them all,” says Starkey.

Elwes has a unique connection to the story. The actor is actually related to the man believed to be the inspiration for Scrooge. “John Megid Elwes is an ancestor of mine who was a renowned miser,” says Elwes. “He was a politician who changed his name from Megid to Elwes in order to gain favor with his uncle, Sir Harvey Elwes, who he knew was going to die without an heir and he had tons of money. And it worked. He managed to get all Mr. Harvey Elwes’s estates and proceeded to become one of the most famous misers in English history. He was renowned for never changing his clothes.”

Completing the cast are Leslie Manville as Mrs. Cratchit, Leslie Zemeckis as Fred’s wife, and Paul Blackthorne as Belle’s husband. Ranging in age from 7 to 17, six young actors were tapped to play dozens of characters including the Cratchit kids, Belle’s children, street urchins and carolers. They include Sage Ryan, Sammi Hanratty, Molly Quinn, Daryl Sabara and brothers Ryan and Raymond Ochoa.
ZEMECKIS AT THE HELM
It All Comes Back to the Story

“I think what makes him an extraordinary filmmaker is that his films are not just blockbusters, they’re films that people cherish year after year. They’re all favorites. It’s character and it’s story.”
- Colin Firth, “Fred”

With films like “Forrest Gump,” the “Back to the Future” trilogy, “Cast Away” and “The Polar Express” under his belt, Academy Award®-winning director Robert Zemeckis has established himself as an expert filmmaker.
It’s all about telling a good story.

“I think what makes him an extraordinary filmmaker is that his films are not just blockbusters,” says Colin Firth, “they’re films that people cherish year after year. They’re all favorites. It’s character and it’s story. Films like ‘Back to the Future’ were fantastic from a special effects point of view but it wasn’t about that. You wanted to see what was going to happen to the character when he goes back in time. Everything was thought through on a human level. Bob is a storyteller.”

For Zemeckis, the process began with the writing of the script. Utilizing this superb source material, the writing process resulted in a script that is accessible to the modern audience and yet true to the original material.

“The source material is so good and it is all there,” says producer Jack Rapke. “Bob wrote a brilliant adaptation of Dickens. There is such depth to the story and the character and the journey that is truly unparalleled.”

Those who work with the Academy Award®-winning director find him open-minded, innovative and collaborative.

“We worked together on ‘Forrest Gump,’ says Robin Wright Penn of the director. “Loved him then, love him now. He’s like Santa Claus, because he’s jolly in his openness to actors. He will say, ‘Let’s explore. Sure. Why not? Let’s try it.’ It’s such a liberating way to work. Because why not try? Why not fail? Because, guess what? We don’t have to use it, you know? He’s very much like that. He doesn’t work with a lot of fixed ideas.”

Production designer Doug Chiang, who worked with Zemeckis on “The Polar Express,” “Monster House” and “Beowulf,” adds: “Bob is a fantastic director to work for, primarily because he always pushes the boundaries of design. And what I love about it is that even in the initial meetings, what he describes and what I envision in my mind during those first meetings is almost always just a fraction of where he’s going. And that’s the part that I love as a designer, because I know that whatever we start on day one in the first few weeks, the end result is going to be ten times that. And, as a designer, it’s really the surprise and the challenge of the unexpected that I get from Bob.”

“Bob Zemeckis provides a challenge for everybody working with him,” says Starkey. “He’s a wonderful collaborator. He actually looks for collaboration with those around him and actually feeds on the artistic input of everybody that works with him. He’s very smart and knows many crafts as well as the people themselves do, and he challenges them in their craft. And he’s always exploring new technologies and at the same time new stories. So you get the best of both worlds. You get to take cinema into the future and at the same time, tell stories that haven’t been seen before.”
THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS
Filmmakers Turn to Industry Greats for the Film’s Soundtrack

Director Robert Zemeckis didn’t have to contemplate who he’d call on to score the music for “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL.” Composer Alan Silvestri was his first choice. “Alan and I have a long working relationship that spans 25 years,” says Zemeckis.

The two began working together on Zemeckis’ film “Romancing the Stone.” Silvestri’s suspenseful scorehelped make the action-comedy a hit. They continued to collaborate with films including the “Back to the Future” series, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” the Oscar®-winning “Forrest Gump” (for which Silvestri received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Score), “Contact,” “What Lies Beneath,” “Cast Away” (for which the composer won a Grammy Award® for Best Instrumental Composition), and the spectacular Christmas fantasy “The Polar Express.” The song “Believe,” performed by Josh Groban, which Silvestri co-wrote with Glen Ballard, was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Original Song category and won a Grammy Award for Best Song for a Motion Picture. Zemeckis and Silvestri also teamed up for the epic tale “Beowulf.”

“It’s truly a gift that one of the greatest tenors of our time brought his talents to such a powerful and emotional song. We feel extremely fortunate.”
- Jack Rapke, Producer

For “DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” the duo employed the same collaborative process they’ve used for every movie. “Like always,” says Zemeckis, “I asked Alan to underscore the emotion of all the scenes.”

Adds producer Jack Rapke: “The music is a critical element of the entire film. It’s our last opportunity to tell the story, highlighting the emotions, the suspense.”

Silvestri’s classical score was recorded by a 103-piece orchestra in Los Angeles. “It’s a dynamic, powerful score,” says Rapke. “It’s gentle when it needs to be gentle and powerful when it needs to be powerful.”

Silvestri teamed up with Glen Ballard to create the perfect song to cap the film. “God Bless Us Everyone,” an original song inspired by the film’s famous line delivered by Tiny Tim at the end of the movie, was recorded by none other than Andrea Bocelli. Says Zemeckis: “Bocelli heard the wonderful song composed by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri and immediately decided he wanted to record it. I think the song will be a Christmas classic.”

Adds Rapke: “We’d heard that Andrea Bocelli was working on a Christmas album. The stars aligned—with a little work—and it turned out he was able to record this incredible song. It’s truly a gift that one of the greatest tenors of our time brought his talents to such a powerful and emotional song. We feel extremely fortunate.”

“Disney is synonymous with dreams and it’s really an enormous pleasure to take part in the project,” says Bocelli. “All of us, parents and children alike, grew up waiting for Christmas with those characters who are much loved by different generations, true icons of goodness who have kept the full force of their strength intact over time.

“The matching up of Dickens and Disney is brilliant and inspired,” continues Bocelli. “The film makes us feel like better people, I would say, enriched by a dream that soon evil will be defeated and good will triumph. We feel affection for the old miser. There is neither hatred nor conflict. The story reminds us that there is time to change right up until the end.”

“God Bless Us Everyone” aptly captures the spirit of the film, says Bocelli. “It’s a sweet and majestic song with a pleasantly surprising evocative power which suffuses our senses and tells us about the triumph of forgiveness and redemption.”

Not only did Bocelli record the song in English, but he contributed Spanish and Italian versions of the song. “Many languages, but just one Christmas, just one music, which is the music of the heart,” Bocelli says. “I like to sing in other languages, as well as Italian. It gives me a wider sense of belonging, a sense of being closer to the people who inhabit the world and who love to share in its joys and sorrows. Of course, sometimes it requires more concentration to be able to pronounce certain sounds in the English language, but I am happy with my work which I always tackle with passion and dedication. The music springs from the desire to be better always and not just for one day of the year.”

Walt Disney Records releases the film’s soundtrack digitally on Nov. 3, 2009, featuring 17 cues from Silvestri’s score, as well as “God Bless Us Everyone.”
ABOUT THE CAST

JIM CARREY (Scrooge, Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come) stars opposite Ewan McGregor in “I Love You Phillip Morris,” a dark comedy that was written and will mark the directing debut of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the writing team behind “Bad Santa.” Based on a book by Houston Chronicle crime reporter Steve McVicker, the fact-based film casts Carrey as Steven Russell, a married father whose exploits land him in the Texas criminal justice system. In prison he falls in love with his cellmate (McGregor), who eventually is set free, leading Russell to escape from Texas prisons four times. The film will be released in February 2010.

Carrey was last seen in the Warner Bros. hit comedy “Yes Man,” directed by Peyton Reed. In the film, based on a memoir by British author Danny Wallace, Carrey stars as a man who decides to change his life by saying yes to absolutely everything that comes his way. The film co-stars Zooey Deschanel and Bradley Cooper.

In 2008, Carrey was heard as the voice of Horton the Elephant in the blockbuster hit “Horton Hears a Who!,” 20th Century Fox’s CG-animated feature film version of Dr. Seuss’ classic book.

In 2007 Carrey starred opposite Virginia Madsen in the New Line psychological thriller “The Number 23,” directed by Joel Schumacher. In 2005 Carrey starred opposite Tea Leoni in the highly successful Columbia Pictures/Sony comedy “Fun with Dick and Jane.” The film was directed by Dean Parisot (“Galaxy Quest”) and produced by Brian Grazer. In 2004 he starred in the Paramount Pictures film “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” based on the children’s book series by Daniel Handler as well as the critically acclaimed Focus Features drama “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

In 2003, he starred in the hugely successful Universal Pictures comedy “Bruce Almighty.” The film, which has made over $470 million worldwide, was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. “Bruce Almighty” also reunited Carrey with director Tom Shadyac (“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” & “Liar, Liar”) and writer Steve Oedekerk (“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls”).

In 2001, Carrey starred in the Castle Rock feature “The Majestic,” directed by Frank Darabont and in 2000, he had the distinction of appearing in the year’s highest grossing film: the Universal Pictures release “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” He was nominated for a Golden Globe in the category of “Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” for his portrayal of the Grinch, as well as a People’s Choice Award in the category of “Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Comedy.”

In the summer of 2000, Carrey reunited with directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly for the 20th Century Fox comedy “Me, Myself and Irene,” for which he received an MTV Movie Award nomination in the category of “Best Comedic Performance” for his portrayal of a split personality in the film. He also won the Golden Globe® in 2000 for “Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy” for his portrayal of Andy Kaufman in the 1999 film “Man on the Moon.” He had won a Golden Globe Award the previous year for “Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama” for his role in the critically acclaimed film “The Truman Show.” The 1999 Golden Globe win marked Carrey’s first award for a dramatic role. He also received a Golden Globe nomination in 1997 for “Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy” for “Liar, Liar,” the same category in which he was nominated in 1995 for “The Mask.” In 2000, he was named “Male Star of the Year” at ShoWest.

Born January 17, 1962 in Newmarket, Ontario, Carrey knew by age three that show business was in his blood. At age 15, Carrey took off for Toronto to perform at Yuk Yuks, the famous comedy club. Following the performance, Carrey’s career took off and for the next few years he worked in comedy clubs all over Canada. In 1981, at age 19, he packed his belongings and moved to Los Angeles. Carrey immediately became a regular at Mitzi Shore’s Comedy Store, attracting the attention of comedy legend Rodney Dangerfield. Dangerfield was so impressed with the young comic that they began touring together. It was then that things began to happen for Jim Carrey.

1982 proved to be a magical year for Carrey when MTM cast him as the star of their NBC series “Duck Factory.” Although the series only lasted 13 weeks, Carrey’s work left a lasting impression in Hollywood. The next year he landed the lead role in the feature film “Once Bitten,” starring Lauren Hutton. He followed that film with roles in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Peggy Sue Got Married,” and with Geena Davis in the comedy “Earth Girls Are Easy.” In 1988, Carrey made a brief, but memorable, appearance as “Johnny Squares,” the self-destructive rock star in the Clint Eastwood film “The Dead Pool.”

In 1990, Carrey joined the cast of Fox Television’s ensemble comedy hit “In Living Color.” In November of the following year, his first Showtime Special, entitled “Jim Carrey’s Unnatural Act,” premiered to rave reviews. He followed the special’s success with a starring role as an alcoholic trying to cope with life in Fox’s Emmy nominated movie of the week “Doing Time on Maple Drive.”

In 1994, after several successful seasons on “In Living Color,” Carrey once again branched out into feature films by accepting the lead role in the Warner Bros. comedy “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” Carrey’s no?holds?barred portrayal of “Ace Ventura” made him an instant sensation and made the film a hit. Carrey followed that success in the summer of 1994 by starring in the title role of the action?fantasy “The Mask,” based on the best?selling Dark Horse comic book series of the same name. “The Mask” went on to gross in excess of $100 million domestically, winning spectacular reviews for Carrey. That same year he starred opposite Jeff Daniels in the Farrelly brothers’ film “Dumb and Dumber.” Carrey starred as the “Riddler/ Edward Nygma” in the 1995 blockbuster sequel “Batman Forever.” The following year he went on to star in “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” continuing the misadventures of the world’s favorite pet detective, and then starred in Columbia Pictures’ “The Cable Guy.” Universal Pictures’ hit “Liar, Liar” opened to record-breaking numbers in 1997 earning over $100 million in ticket grosses. His triumphant triple play earned him the honor of “NATO/ShoWest Comedy Star of the Year.”

Throughout his career veteran actor CARY ELWES (Dick Wilkins, Mad Fiddler, Businessman #1, Portly Gentleman #1, Destitute Man #2) has turned in an array of outstanding, eclectic performances. He recently completed production on “A Little Murder,” opposite Terrence Howard, and “Flying Lessons,” opposite Christine Lahti and Hal Holbrook. Prior to these films he worked on Steven Spielberg’s “Tintin” and starred in the independent feature “Shadows,” opposite William Hurt.

Elwes made his cinematic debut in Marek Kanievska’s film “Another Country,” based on the award-winning play, and followed up with a starring role in the highly acclaimed historical drama “Lady Jane,” alongside Helena Bonham Carter. He then turned in a memorable portrayal as Westley in Rob Reiner’s classic fairytale “The Princess Bride,” which won over audiences around the globe. Other film credits include the hit psychological thriller “Saw,” the Academy Award®-winning war epic “Glory,” “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (directed by Francis Ford Coppola), Mel Brooks’ “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “Twister,” “Liar Liar,” “Kiss the Girls,” “Shadow of the Vampire,” and Garry Marshall’s “Georgia Rule” with Jane Fonda.

On the small screen, Elwes guest starred in a gripping episode of “Law & Order: SVU” as a mob lawyer whose family is viciously attacked. In addition, he portrayed the young Pope in CBS’s telepic “Pope John Paul II.” Television credits include the Golden Globe Award®-winning miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon,” “The Riverman,” “Uprising” and a recurring role as FBI Assistant Director Brad Follmer on the final season of “The X-Files.”

Elwes was born and raised in London before moving to the U.S. in his teens. He attended college in upstate New York and went on to study at the Actors Studio and the Lee Strasberg Institute. It was back in his native England where Elwes began his film career. He later returned to New York before eventually relocating to Los Angeles.

A classically trained British theater actor, COLIN FIRTH (Fred) is a veteran of film, television and theater, with an impressive body of work spanning over three decades. Firth’s versatility has been recognized in both dramas and comedies, garnering critical acclaim and awards including nominations from the Screen Actors Guild, an Emmy nomination, and multiple BAFTA nominations.

Firth will next be seen starring in “A Single Man,” based on the acclaimed Christopher Isherwood novel. Tom Ford makes his directorial debut with the film which stars Firth as a man contemplating his last day on earth. The cast includes Julianne Moore, Ginnifer Goodwin and Matthew Goode. Firth was recently awarded Best Actor at the 2009 Venice Film Festival for his performance. “A Single Man” will be released by The Weinstein Company on December 11, 2009.

“Genova,” directed by Michael Winterbottom, and starring Firth opposite Catherine Keener, is a subtle thriller revolving around two American girls and their British father who move to Italy after their mother dies. “Genova” screened at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, the London Film Festival and the San Sebastian Film Festival, where Michael Winterbottom was awarded Best Director. “Genova” was released in the UK April 2009 and will be released by ThinkFilm in the US.

In 2008, Firth was seen in Universal Pictures’ smash-hit ABBA musical “Mamma Mia!” The cast included Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard and Amanda Seyfriend. “Mamma Mia!” has grossed over half a billion dollars around the world and is the highest-grossing film of all time in the UK. The same year, Firth was seen in “Then She Found Me,” which was written and directed by Helen Hunt. He was also seen in the Sony Classics film “And When Did You Last See Your Father” and in “Easy Virtue,” based on the Noel Coward play and directed by Stephan Elliott.

In 2004, Firth starred in the Universal/Working Title hit “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.” Firth reprised his role as ‘Mark Darcy’ opposite Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant in the film. The same year, Firth appeared in the Oscar-nominated film “Girl with a Pearl Earring” opposite Scarlett Johanssen. Firth was nominated for a European Film Award for his performance in the film.

In 2003, Firth appeared in the Universal hit “Love Actually,” written and directed by Richard Curtis. At the time of its release, “Love Actually” broke box-office records as the highest grossing British romantic comedy opening of all time in the UK and Ireland, and was the largest opening in the history of Working Title Films.

In 2002, Firth was seen starring opposite Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon and Judi Dench in the Miramax Film, “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Prior to that, Firth appeared in the Academy Award-nominated film “Shakespeare in Love,” directed by John Madden. Firth portrayed ‘Lord Wessex,’ the evil husband to ‘Violet De Lesseps,’ played by Gwyneth Paltrow.

In 1996, Firth appeared in the multi-Oscar-nominated film, “The English Patient,” opposite Kristen Scott Thomas and Ralph Fiennes. His other film credits include Atom Egoyan’s “Where the Truth Lies,” Marc Evans’ thriller “Trauma,” “Nanny McPhee,” “What a Girl Wants,” “A Thousand Acres,” with Michelle Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange, “Apartment Zero,” “My Life So Far,” Nick Hornby’s “Fever Pitch,” “Circle of Friends,” “Playmaker,” and the title role in Milos Forman’s “Valmont" opposite Annette Benning.

On the small screen, Firth is infamous for his breakout role in 1995, when he played “Mr. Darcy” in the BBC adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor and was honored with the National Television Award for “Most Popular Actor.” Firth’s latest television appearance was in 2006 in the critically acclaimed BBC television movie “Born Equal” directed by Dominic Savage (“Out of Control”). In March 2004, Firth hosted NBC’s legendary series “Saturday Night Live.” He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2001 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in the critically acclaimed HBO film "Conspiracy" and has also received the Royal Television Society Best Actor Award and a BAFTA nomination for his performance in “Tumbledown.” His other television credits include “Windmills on the Clyde: Making Donovan Quick,” “Donovan Quick,” “The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd,” “Deep Blue Sea,” “Hostages,” and the mini-series “Nostromo.” His London stage debut was in the West End production of “Another Country” playing Bennett. He was then chosen to play the character Judd in the 1984 film adaptation opposite Rupert Everett.

Firth is an active supporter of Oxfam International, an organization dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustice around the world. In 2008 he was named “Philanthropist of the Year” by The Hollywood Reporter. In 2006, Firth was voted “European Campaigner of the Year” by the EU.

With nearly 20 years as a worldwide presence in major motion pictures, GARY OLDMAN (Bob Cratchit, Young Marley, Marley’s Ghost, Tiny Tim) is also known to millions as Sirius Black (Harry Potter’s Godfather), Commissioner Jim Gordon (Batman’s crime-fighting partner), Dracula, Beethoven, Lee Harvey Oswald, Joe Orton, Sid Vicious, and also the terrorist who hijacked Harrison Ford’s Air Force One. He also starred in Luc Besson’s “The Professional” and “The Fifth Element” and also as Dr. Zachary Smith in “Lost in Space.”

Highly regarded as one of the foremost actors of his generation, and an internationally known, iconic figure, Oldman has the distinction of appearing in more successful films than any other artist spanning the past 18 years, and additionally, has appeared in more than one of the top ten highest-grossing films in history.

Oldman’s acting career began in 1979 where he worked exclusively in the theatre; from 1985-1989, he worked at London’s Royal Court. His early BBC films were Mike Leigh’s “Meantime,” and “The Firm” by the late Alan Clark. Subsequent feature films include “Sid and Nancy”; “Prick Up Your Ears,” directed by Stephen Frears; “Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead,” directed by Tom Stoppard; “State of Grace, JFK,” directed by Oliver Stone; Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola; “Romeo is Bleeding”; “True Romance,” directed by Tony Scott; “The Professional”; “Murder in the First”; “Immortal Beloved”; and “The Scarlet Letter,” directed by Roland Joffe.

In 1995, he and manager/producing partner Douglas Urbanski formed a production company, which produced Oldman’s directorial debut, the highly acclaimed “Nil By Mouth.” The film won 9 of 17 major awards for which it was nominated and was selected to open the main competition for the 1997 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, for which Kathy Burke won Best Actress. Oldman also won the prestigious Channel Four Director’s Prize at the Edinburgh Film Festival, and the British Academy Award (shared with Douglas Urbanski) for Best Film and also the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay.

During the past 18 years, Oldman has appeared in a staggering nine films that have opened at the top of the box office; the films in which he has appeared have a cumulative gross in the billions of dollars.

One of England’s most distinctive actors, BOB HOSKINS (Fezziwig, Old Joe) has found success on both sides of the Atlantic, frequently acting in both English and American productions. Among his best-known films are “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” “Cotton Club,” “Mermaids,” “Nixon,” “Maid in Manhattan,” and “Mrs. Henderson Presents.”

Born in Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, Hoskins left school at 15 with dreams of an acting career. He supported himself with odd jobs (including working in a circus as a fire eater) before gaining regular employment as a working actor on stage and in British television. American viewers first noticed him as the lead in the original British miniseries of Dennis Potter’s “Pennies from Heaven.” Hoskins made his motion picture debut in John Byrum’s “Inserts” in 1975, but his breakthrough was in Neil Jordan’s “Mona Lisa” (1987). For that film he received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor, and won a BAFTA award, a Golden Globe, a Cannes Film Festival award, and awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics, the London Film Critics, the New York Film Critics, and the National Society of Film Critics.

Most recently, Hoskins received both a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a British Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Actor for his work opposite Dame Judi Dench in “Mrs. Henderson Presents.”

Hoskins has also starred as two 20th-century dictators in the TV miniseries “Noriega: God’s Favorite” and “Mussolini: Decline and Fall of Il Duce,” as well as Winston Churchill in the CBS live broadcast television movie “World War II: When Lions Roared.”

He directed himself in the film “Rainbow,” and wrote, directed and starred in “The Raggedy Rawney.” He also produced and starred in the 1996 film “Secret Agent,” based on the novel by Joseph Conrad.

His extensive filmography includes “The Long Good Friday,” “Brazil,” “A Prayer for the Dying,” “The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne,” “Shattered,” “Hook,” “The Inner Circle,” “Michael,” “24 7: Twenty Four Seven,” “Cousin Bette,” “Felicia’s Journey,” “Enemy at the Gates,” “The Last Orders,” “Vanity Fair,” “Beyond the Sea,” “Stay,” “Elizabeth Rex,” and “Unleashed.”

ROBIN WRIGHT PENN (Belle, Fan) made her premiere debut in Rob Reiner’s cult classic “The Princess Bride” and has since become one of cinema’s most acclaimed actresses.

Wright Penn will next be seen in “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,” opposite Julianne Moore, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves and Blake Lively. The film premiered at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival and will be released in the US in November 2009.

Wright Penn has received kudos for her outstanding performances over the years. She was recently honored with a career tribute at the 35th Annual Deauville Festival of American Cinema. Her first two nominations, a Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild Award® for Best Supporting Actress, came in 1995 for her unforgettable role as Jenny in Robert Zemeckis’ Best Picture Oscar® winner “Forrest Gump.” Wright Penn earned her second Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Lead Actress in Nick Cassavetes’ “She’s So Lovely,” and her third nomination for Best Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Fred Schepisi’s “Empire Falls.” She has received three Independent Spirit nominations for her performances in Erin Dignam’s “Loved,” Rodrigo Garcia’s “Nine Lives,” and Jeff Stanzler’s “Sorry, Haters.” Additionally, Wright Penn starred in and served as an executive producer on Deborah Kampmeier’s “Virgin,” which received an Independent Spirit nomination for Best First Feature, also known as the John Cassavetes Award.

Other film credits include Barry Levinson’s “What Just Happened” and Deborah Kampmeier’s “Hounddog,” which Wright Penn also executive produced; Kevin Macdonald’s “State of Play,” Anthony Minghella’s “Breaking and Entering,” Robert Zemeckis’ “Beowulf,” Keith Gordon’s “The Singing Detective,” Peter Kosminsky’s “White Oleander,” Anthony Drazan’s “Hurlyburly,” Sean Penn’s “The Pledge,” Luis Mandoki’s “Message in a Bottle,” M. Night Shyamalan’s “Unbreakable,” Pen Densham’s “Moll Flanders,” Barry Levinson’s

“Toys,” and “Room 10” for Glamour magazine’s Reel Women Film Series.

FIONNULA FLANAGAN (Mrs. Dilber) is an award-winning star of stage and screen. She most recently appeared alongside Jim Carrey in the hit comedy “Yes Man.” Flanagan’s other upcoming feature films include “The Irishman,” with Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken, and “Coming and Going,” with Rhys Darby.

Flanagan’s other feature film credits include “Transamerica,” for which she was awarded the Irish Film and Television Academy Award (IFTA) for Best Supporting Actress; “Four Brothers”; “The Others,” for which she won a Golden Saturn Award; “The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”; “Waking Ned Devine,” for which she shared a Screen Actors Guild Award® outstanding cast nomination; “Some Mother’s Son”; “Mad at the Moon”; and “Ulysses.” She also starred in the Academy Award®-winning short film “In the Region of Ice.”

The Dublin-born Flanagan has made her mark on the small screen as well, winning an Emmy Award® for her performance in the acclaimed miniseries “Rich Man, Poor Man,” and a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in the series “How the West Was Won.” She has also received IFTA nominations for her work on the Irish-language series “Paddywhackery” and on the Peabody Award-winning “Brotherhood,” for which she also won a Satellite Award from the International Press Academy. Flanagan also starred in the series “To Have & to Hold,” and appeared in a recurring role on the hugely popular series “Lost.”

For her one-woman stage performance of “James Joyce’s Women,” Flanagan received the Los Angeles Critics’ Award, the San Francisco Critics’ Award and a Dramalogue Award. She also wrote, adapted and produced the piece for the stage and subsequently produced and starred in the feature film adaptation. In addition, she has an extensive list of Broadway appearances to her name, most notably as Molly Bloom in “Ulysses in Nighttown,” based on the Joyce epic, for which she earned a Tony Award® nomination. Adding to her list of honors, Flanagan was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the National University of Ireland at Galway for her contribution to the world of fine arts.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

ROBERT ZEMECKIS (Director, Producer, Screenwriter) won an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe® and a Director’s Guild of America Award for Best Director for the hugely successful “Forrest Gump.” The film’s numerous honors also included Oscars® for Best Actor (Tom Hanks) and Best Picture. Zemeckis re-teamed with Hanks on the contemporary drama “Cast Away,” the filming of which was split into two sections, book-ending production on “What Lies Beneath.” Zemeckis and Hanks served as producers on “Cast Away,” along with Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke.

ImageMovers partners Zemeckis, Starkey and Rapke recently formed ImageMovers Digital to focus on performance-capture films for The Walt Disney Studios. The initiative furthers the technology they pioneered in the Zemeckis-directed films “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf,” and the Gil Kenan-directed film “Monster House.”

Earlier in his career, Zemeckis co-wrote (with Bob Gale) and directed “Back to the Future,” which was the top-grossing release of 1985, and for which Zemeckis shared Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominations for Best Original Screenplay. He then went on to helm “Back to the Future” Part II and Part III, completing one of the most successful film franchises ever.

In addition, he directed and produced “Contact,” starring Jodie Foster, based on the best-selling novel by Carl Sagan; and the macabre comedy hit “Death Becomes Her,” starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. He also wrote and directed the box-office smash “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” cleverly blending live action and animation; directed the romantic-adventure hit “Romancing the Stone,” pairing Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner; and co-wrote (with Bob Gale) and directed the comedies “Used Cars” and “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.”

Zemeckis also produced “House on Haunted Hill,” and executive produced such films as “The Frighteners,” “The Public Eye” and “Trespass,” which he also co-wrote with Bob Gale. He and Gale previously wrote “1914,” which began Zemeckis’ association with Steven Spielberg.

For the small screen, Zemeckis has directed several projects, including the Showtime feature-length documentary “The Pursuit of Happiness,” which explored the effect of drugs and alcohol on 20th-century society. His additional television credits include episodes of Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” and HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt.”

In 1998, Zemeckis, Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke partnered to form the film and television production company ImageMovers. “What Lies Beneath” was the first film to be released under the ImageMovers banner, followed by “Cast Away,” which opened to critical and audience acclaim in the fall of 2000, and “Matchstick Men.”

In March 2001, the USC School of Cinema-Television celebrated the opening of the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts. This state-of-the-art center is the country’s first and only fully digital training center and houses the latest in non-linear production and post-production equipment as well as stages, a 50-seat screening room and USC student-run television station, Trojan Vision.

In 2004, Zemeckis produced and directed the motion capture film “The Polar Express,” starring Tom Hanks. Most recently, he brought the true life story of “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio” starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson to the big screen. In addition, he served as executive producer on both “Monster House” and the Queen Latifah comedy “Last Holiday.”

Zemeckis produced and directed his second motion-capture film “Beowulf,” which was also produced by Rapke and Starkey. The feature, which stars Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie and Ray Winstone, is based on one of the oldest surviving pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature, written sometime before the 10th Century A.D.

STEVE STARKEY (Producer) earned an Academy Award® as one of the producers of Best Picture winner “Forrest Gump.” The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, became one of the highest grossing movies of all time and collected six Oscars®, including Best Director and Best Actor, as well as a Golden Globe Award®, the National Board of Review’s highest honor in 1994, two People’s Choice Awards, the Producers Guild Golden Laurel Award and Best Picture BAFTA nomination.

Starkey, along with Zemeckis and Jack Rapke, recently formed ImageMovers Digital, an extension of their 1998-established ImageMovers. The new effort allows the partners to focus on performance-capture films for The Walt Disney Studios, building on the technology they pioneered in the Zemeckis-directed films “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf,” and the Gil Kenan-directed film “Monster House”—all films on which Starkey served as producer.

Starkey’s ImageMovers’ producer credits with director Robert Zemeckis include the epic drama “Cast Away,” which re-teamed them with Tom Hanks, and the psychological thriller “What Lies Beneath” with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Starkey produced “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio,” directed by Jane Anderson and starring Julianne Moore, and was also a producer on “Matchstick Men,” directed by Ridley Scott and starring Nicolas Cage.

Starkey’s professional association with Zemeckis began in 1986 when he was associate producer on the innovative feature “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” and went on to serve as associate producer on the second and third installments of the “Back to the Future” trilogy. Their collaboration continued as Starkey and Zemeckis produced the black comedy “Death Becomes Her,” followed by “Forrest Gump” and “Contact.” Starkey also co-produced the feature comedy farce “Noises Off” and produced the Showtime feature-length documentary “The Pursuit of Happiness,” exploring drug and alcohol addiction, which was directed and executive produced by Robert Zemeckis.

Early in his career, Starkey worked with George Lucas at Lucasfilm, Ltd., where he became an assistant film editor on “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” He later edited documentary films for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, was associate producer of Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” television anthology series, and was executive producer on the 1993 CBS series “Johnny Bago.” Starkey served as executive producer on the 2006 film “Last Holiday,” starring Queen Latifah and directed by Wayne Wang.

JACK RAPKE’s (Producer) road to president of ImageMovers Digital began when the graduate of NYU film school moved to Los Angeles in 1975 to work in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency. Only four years later, the tenacious Rapke joined Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where he rose to become one of the most powerful agents in Hollywood over the course of the next seventeen years.

During his seven-year tenure as co-chairman of CAA’s motion picture department, Rapke cultivated a high-profile client list that included Jerry Bruckheimer, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, Harold Ramis, Michael Bay, Terry Gilliam, Bob Gale, Bo Goldman, Steve Kloves, Howard Franklin, Scott Frank, Robert Kamen, John Hughes, Joel Schumacher, Marty Brest, Chris Columbus, Ezra Sacks, and Imagine Entertainment partners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Instrumental in building production companies around his clients, it was only a matter of time before he decided to build one of his own with client Robert Zemeckis.

In 1998, Rapke departed CAA to form ImageMovers with Zemeckis and producing partner Steve Starkey. Primarily focused on theatrical motion pictures, the company’s first feature was the critically acclaimed “Cast Away,” directed by Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks. Rapke and partners went on to produce numerous hits including Zemeckis’ thriller “What Lies Beneath” starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, the Ridley Scott-directed “Matchstick Men” starring Nicolas Cage, “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio,” starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson, and “Last Holiday,” starring Queen Latifah.

After Zemeckis embraced a revolutionary new technology called performance capture in 2004’s “The Polar Express,” and Rapke and partners produced two more films utilizing the technique—2006’s Oscar-nominated “Monster House” and the Zemeckis-directed “Beowulf”—Zemeckis, Starkey and Rapke formed ImageMovers Digital, the first state-of-the-art studio devoted entirely to the new performance capture art form.

Academy Award®-winning artist, production designer, and author DOUG CHIANG (Production Designer) began his expansive career as a stop motion animator on the “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” TV series soon after studying film at UCLA. Before long, he rose to become a Clio Award-winning commercial director and designer for Rhythm and Hues, Digital Productions, and Robert Abel and Associates. At Industrial Light and Magic, where he became the creative director in 1993, he built his filmography as visual effects art director on such blockbusters as “Terminator 2,” “Ghost,” “The Doors,” “The Mask,” and Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump” and “Death Becomes Her” (for which Chiang earned his Oscar® and second British Academy Award), thus beginning a long and fruitful collaboration.

In 1995 Chiang moved to Lucasfilm, Ltd. to work as design director on the first two of the three “Star Wars” prequels before forming IceBlink Studios, his Marin County film-design studio, where he cemented his relationship with Zemeckis and their commitment to performance-capture motion pictures. From 2002 to 2007, he has served as Production Designer on the Zemeckis-directed films “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf,”

A fatal moment of passion

2009-11-12T00:56:00.001-08:00

       Activist Nicholas Snow personalises issue of HIVin Thailand with his own account of the virus
       Nicholas Snow, actor-journalist-activist and founder of ActionEqualsLife.com, will happily discuss any aspect about himself with anyone willing to listen, especially the normally taboo fact that he is HIV-positive. Instead of hiding hiscondition,Snow embraces it, taking the HIV-awareness cause to a whole new level in Thailand and beyond.
       At a press conference held at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) in October last year, Snow announced that he was indeed HIVpositive. A limited awareness of the virus has existed in Thailand since its first appearance in 1984, however, it has never been personalised in such a way."The reason I decided to tell my story is because there is a great invisibility of people in Thailand with HIV, and basically no one [or very few] people putting their name and face and story out there to help educate, inform and enlighten."
       To promote awareness of HIV, Snow openly talks about the scenario that resulted in him contracting the virus. It occurred in August,2007, during two dates with men whom he had met on the internet. Both men had announced themselves as being HIV-negative; Snow has talked of his "false sense of security about remaining HIV negative" in the past, a sentiment in which he now embodies the dangers of.
       Last Thursday night at the Bangkok Opera HIV Awareness event held at the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 18, Snow once again thrust himself into the spotlight to further the public's understanding of the virus, which now affects over one million (reported cases) in the Kingdom alone.
       During the event, Snow spoke of his health openly and honestly before performing the musical number,Beautiful In My Eyes , for the evening's guests."I think it's important to put a face to the [problem of HIV],...to personalise it," said Vanina Sucharitkul, a performer of the evening and niece of Somtow Sucharitkul, the host of the event.
       The awareness project is a three-year plan that aims to further the understanding of HIV by uniting child performers both with and without the virus on stage in performances so they will form friendships and show the world that HIV-infected children can exist in the mainstream arena without any stigma or handicap.
       Despite his HIV-positive status, Snow considers himself to be at the height of his career. As the awareness event was being held, the film Suay Samurai was premiering in cinemas across Bangkok. Snow appears in the film as a CIA agent, making him the first openly gay actor to appear in a Thai movie. He also appears in the film,Last Tango In Bangkok , playing the lead role, and is featured in numerous YouTube submissions, ranging from the emotionally moving to the very entertaining.
       "People say I do this to become famous," he told 'Outlook'."But I was already famous before this happened."
       He is now in the process of writing a book,Life Positive: A Journey from the Centre of My Heart , which he says will be completed and ready to be published as his life story unfolds further.
       Snow has written and recorded a dance single, for global release later this year, titled The Power to be Strong . The song aims to promote HIV testing and safer sex.
       In a mission statement made in the extensive selfpromotional material available on the man, he states:"So here's what I am doing. I am working so that millions of people who are coming to know my face and name as a result of my entertainment career to know that I am a person living with HIV. I want to be able to - on a consistent basis - share my own mistakes and to encourage people to share key messages they need to hear [like the importance of HIV testing and safer sex]."
       On his website, ActionEqualsLife.com, he talks of "expressing the truth of our lives and transforming the planet".
       So I've heard ...
       Off on his annual sales trip to London for the World Travel Mart is Victor Sukseree, the general manager of Dusit Thani Hotel Hua Hin. Selling the hotel during the economic low must be a cinch to him compared to the stress of hosting the Asean Summit a few weeks ago.
       The security alone was a major headache,understandably though, after the mishaps of the earlier summit in Pattaya.
       The first incident, which underlined this security measure for Victor, was the arrival of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's cortege. Victor was waiting to welcome the prime minister at the conference hall, but when the cortege arrived, no one got out of the car. It was a decoy,and the cortege finally dispensed its precious cargo at the nearby Benjarong Thai Restaurant, causing Victor to sprint 500m down to catch up and make his official welcome.
       And if anyone says the prime minister doesn't care for foie gras, don't you believe them. Having been forewarned of the prime minister's supposed "culinary dislikes", the hotel skipped this dish for him at the working luncheon. But noting that everyone else was being served foie gras, the prime minister inquired why he was being missed out. Waiters hurriedly brought over a portion, which he consumed with relish.
       The moral of this story? Never believe what people say about anything!

Magnificent seven

2009-11-12T00:55:00.000-08:00

       In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
       Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
       Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
       Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
       Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
       The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
       The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
       Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
       The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
       The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.

Women scientists set Nobel prize record

2009-10-14T01:26:00.000-07:00

       A banner year for female Nobel laureates highlights incremental but steady progress for women in science's mostly male bastions, say experts who point to greater funding and career opportunities for women than ever before.
       A record five women were awarded Nobels this year - nearly one-eighth of the 41 awards to female recipients in the 108-year history of the prize.
       Until now, the highest number of women honoured in a single year was three, in 2004.
       This year's winners included: Herta Mueller who took the literature prize;Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider for physiology or medicine; Ada Yonath for chemistry; and in a major breakthrough, Elinor Ostrom for economics - the first time a woman has won in that field.
       Ten women have won the prestigious medicine award since the first Nobel Prizes were handed out in 1901, but 2009 marks the first time that two women received the award in the same year. Dr Greider said a sort of emerging old girls' network is aiding women researchers who have been boxed out of high-power science careers by the more traditional old boys' network.
       "I think there's a slight bias of women to work for women, because there's still a slight cultural bias for men to help men," she said in Monday's New York Times ."It's not that they are biased against women or want to hurt them. They just don't think of them. And they often feel more comfortable promoting their male colleagues," she told the Times .Donna Dean, an eminent US researcher and regulatory scientist, said one reason women did not always receive the accolades they deserved had to do with their status at the bottom
       of the totem pole at research labs and in academia.
       "Women have always carried out research at the highest levels; it is just that they were so often not Elinor Ostrom recognised - or nominated for the prestigious prizes - for that work when their male colleagues and peers have been," she said.
       "We still have much work to do to assure full recognition for research well done," Dr Dean added.
       New laureate Dr Yonath told an interviewer last year that in a world where there were not many women role models in science, she reached back for inspiration to Marie Curie, the first woman scientist to be awarded a Nobel - twice, for physics in 1903 and chemistry in 1911.
       "I think the population is losing half of the human brain power by not encouraging women to go into the sciences. Women can do great things if they are encouraged to do so," Dr Yonath said.
       Ms Ostrom,76, said she was "very surprised" to learn she had won, but hoped this year's awards serve as inspiration to a new generation of female students and researchers.
       "I think in many of the sciences,especially the social sciences, it has been only recently that women were full professors, getting grants, doing research," she told National Public Radio yesterday.
       "It doesn't say anything about their abilities, it's whether the opportunities were there. And now, slowly but surely,opportunities are being made available,and women are doing great."
       Some experts said the number of Nobels awarded to women this year is a sign that, however slowly, US government and research institutions have tried to level the playing field for women in the sciences.
       All but one of the women who won 2009 Nobels were Americans, they note.
       The lone woman who was not - Dr Yonath, an Israeli - conducted much of her post-doctoral research in US institutions.
       "That more US women are showing up as Nobel Prize winners is a reflection of the support and funding for their research that US scientists have received from federal agencies ... as well as from private foundations over the past two to three decades," said Ms Dean.
       She noted that this year's Nobel successes are the fruit of years of nurturing women within scientific institutions.
       "Given that the US government actively promoted and supported equal access of women scientists to funding and participation in agency grant programmes and processes since the mid to late 70s, the pipeline of productive and outstanding women US scientists is now quite robust," said Dr Dean, who recently ended a two-year stint as president of the Association for Women in Science.
       She said that as more women reach academic and professional success in the sciences, they increasingly serve as mentors to female protegees, making more future recognition increasingly likely.

HAVE "PUUYAI" FALLEN IN ESTEEM OF OUR YOUTH?

2009-10-11T05:12:00.000-07:00

       Is one of our most popular national values under threat? In a public sruvey, respondents displayed an obviously wavering faith in the old adage "Follow puuyai (senior persons) and dogs won't bite you". Today's young people, the pollsters say, seem to have more confidence in themselves as the "bdlief index" has dropped from 98.6 in the previous survey to 95 this time (100 points is considered historically normal level of belief).
       The pollsters' interpretation of the results may be too kind to today's adults. Perhaps this issue of trust has as much to do with adult's trustworthiness as young people's growing self-reliance. Locally and internationaly, youngsters have been withnessing silly political conflicts, absurdd reasons for wars and a much-advocated economic system teetering on an abyss' edge, to name just a few.
       They have learned how common it is for adults to be hypocrites, and such bad ones at that, And every day yields a new lesson on double standards, nepotism, prejudice and etc.
       So, it's basically good news that young people are not trusting adults as much as before. And why should they? it is the childen now who are begging their puuyai to stop smoking. The anti-climate change campaign has been utilising the energy and sincerity of today's adolescents. Digital innovations have been dominated if not monopolised by young people.
       They, of course, don't play politics, and it's no surprise politics is where the world's mess is concentrated, and where, no pun intended, everyone is acting like a child.

MILLION BAHT DINNER COMES WITH BIG SERVING OF GENEROSITY

2009-10-09T00:32:00.001-07:00

       One might think, why on earth would someone fork out a million baht for dinner in these economically volatile times? But Chalerm and Daranee Yoovidhya of Red Bull did just that. However, it wasn't a display of wealth but rather a reflection of their social consciousness - their million baht went to charity.
       Bangkok's costliest dinner took place recently at the couple's residence, where a parade of stylish guests streamed through the doors.
       The occasion was prompted by Daranee's winning bid for a special dinner at her home during the recent Bangkok Chefs Charity Gala Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental. For the gala dinner, graced by the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, sixteen of Thailand's top executive chefs from hotels in Bangkok and Phuket got together to create an eight-course banquet for a full house of the city's affluent gourmets. The proceeds went to the Princess's Sai Jai Thai Foundation and underprivileged children at three remote schools in Chiang Mai. That's where Daranee's money ended up.
       One of the highlights that night was a series of silent auctions to raise even more money during the course of the evening. The highest bidder in each got to choose their favourite chef to cook for one night at their own home.
       The grand finale of the evning was an auction won by a bid of one million baht by the Yoovidhya family of the world-famous Red Bull empire. It resulted in four executive chefs to their choice orchestrating a special gourmet dinner for Chalerm's birthday.
       The handpicked gastronomic dream team comprised Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok's own celebrity executive chef Norbert Kostner, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok's Nicolas Schneller, Banyan Tree Bangkok's Degan Suprijadi and Plaza Athenee Bangkok's Martin Faist.
       The million-baht menu for 14 distinguished guests consisted of canapes, appetisers, main courses, desserts and petits fours, all prepared from scratch in the kitchen of the Yoovidhya mansion.
       "Each one of us has chosen the best ingredients we could find," disclosed Kostner. "I brought with me cepes and chanterelle mushrooms I picked myself on a recent visit to alpine forests in Italy to use in one of the main dishes."
       The evening's host, Chalerm, said: "The motivation for this dinner is to support charity. The meal itself is a bonus. Tonight, everyone - the chefs, their assistants, my guests and my family - are all part of a charitable enterprise."
       After being fortunate enough to be able to travel and enjoy the food at Michelin-starred restaurants overseas, Chalerm and Daranee were delighted to witnes firsthand how Thailand's culinary scene had advanced to a world-class standard - whether in the quality of ingredients, skill of chefs, or food presentation.
       In appreciation of their impeccable skills in creating a superb meal and their selfless contribution of time and energy for chairty, each of the four executive chefs went home with a bottle of Dom Perignon, compliments of the generous host and hostess.

Adoption fraud trial begins

2009-09-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

       Sixteen people accused of falsifying papers for adoption went on trial in Vietnam yesterday, in a case that raised fears of international human trafficking.
       Among the accused are two directors of social welfare centres in northern Nam Dinh province,Thanh Nien newspaper reported. Doctors, nurses and local officials are also on trial, it said.
       They are accused of "abuse of power in the exercise of their public missions",a court official in Nam Dinh said.
       The accused allegedly manufactured false documents of abandonment to permit the adoption of 266 infants by foreigners between 2005 and 2008,according to reports.
       The arrests of the two key suspects came in July last year, three months after the US embassy in Hanoi detailed endemic baby-selling and graft in Vietnam's adoption system.
       That US report led Vietnam to suspend a bilateral adoption agreement. The US probe found that some American adoption agencies had paid $10,000(337,000 baht)"donations" per child to orphanages after officials had forged birth certificates and wrongly identified the infants as abandoned.
       In some cases, the natural parents had been cheated into giving up their babies, while other infants had been procured from illegal centres that paid pregnant women to give up their newborns, the US investigation found.
       Vu Duc Long, head of the Vietnamese Justice Ministry's International Adoptions Department, said then that most children sent for overseas adoption from the two Nam Dinh centres had ended up in France and Italy, and some in the US.The children came from a disabled children's home and a social protection centre.
       The trial is scheduled to last until Monday.

US man discovers co-worker is lost brother

2009-09-23T20:33:00.001-07:00

       Seven years into his tenure as a furniture mover for a bedding retailer, Gary Nisbet was joined by a new colleague, Randy Joubert, who looked so much like him that customers asked whether they were brothers.
       "We thought they were just trying to razz us," Mr Joubert said.
       Turns out the customers were on to something: they really are brothers. And the attention they got after finding each other also has turned up a sister.
       The two men were given up for adoption as babies about 35 years ago, then attended rival high schools and even lived in neighbouring towns on the Maine coast before working together at Dow's Sleep Center in tiny Waldoboro and uncovering their relationship.
       "This kid could have been anywhere in the world, and here I am riding in a Dow furniture truck with him," Mr Joubert said in a telephone interview on Monday.
       Mr Joubert's adoptive mother,Jacqueline Joubert, said she and her late husband raised him with four sisters.She said he knew from a young age he was adopted and she wasn't surprised that he would try to find his siblings.
       "But when he said he was driving a furniture truck with him, that really surprised me," she said."I think it's great."
       Soon after Dow's hired Randy Joubert,co-workers began commenting on how similar he and Mr Nisbet looked.
       "Customers would ask if we were brothers more often than not," he said.Mr Joubert had already found out the names of his biological parents, who had already died. He asked Mr Nisbet if he'd been adopted while the two were making deliveries about three weeks ago.
       Mr Nisbet, who also knew his biological parents' names, was "star-struck and blown away" when his long lost brother revealed that he too was adopted and had the same mother and father.

Aussie quadriplegic starves himself to death

2009-09-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

       Quadriplegic dead: An Australian quadriplegic who won a landmark legal battle to starve himself to death by refusing food fied yesterday, his family said, ending an existence he described as "living hell."

       An Australian quadriplegic who won a landmark legal battle to starve himself to death by refusing food died yesterday, his family said, ending an existence he described as "living hell".
       Christian Rossiter, 49, who was paralysed from the neck down, died in a nursing home in Perth early yesterday after developing a chest infection, his brother Tim Rossiter said in a statement.
       "I thank all those who have made Christian's life, in his final years, as comfortable and as dignified as possibly," he said.
       Lawyer John Hammond, who five weeks ago won a court battle allowing Rossiter to refuse food and medication, said his client had welcomed death and empowered all severely ill people who wanted to die on their own terms. "He wanted to die and it will be some relief that he is now dead because he underwent so much pain in his final years," Hammond told the ABC TV channel.
       In the historic ruling, a court said that Rossiter, a former stockbroker and outdoor adventurer who became a quadriplegic following two accidents, had the right to refuse to be fed.
       "This is a living hell," he told reporters through a tracheotomy tube during the court case. "I'm Cristian Rossiter and I'd like to die. I am a prisoner in my own body. I can't move, I have no fear of death - just pain. I only fear pain."

Gates helps bring banking to the poor

2009-09-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

       The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, best known for its work combating malaria, AIDS and other diseases, announced an effort this week to bring banking, including savings accounts, to the poor.
       It may be hard to understand how savings are even an issue for the people who live on less than $2 a day, said Bob Christen, who directs the Gates Foundation's financial services initiative. However, access to a safe place to store money is a top priority of poor people around the world, he said.
       That's why the world's richest charitable foundation announced a$35-million (1.18-billion-baht) grant to help facilitate agent banking services already being developed in Africa, Asia and South and Central America.
       Mr Christen said the Gates grant will provide assistance to numerous organisations through the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, whose efforts are historic in the world of banking, and will help people climb out of poverty, save for their children's education, build their businesses and plan for the future.
       The ideas for bringing savings accounts, insurance and other financial services to the poor include transferring money by way of mobile phones and setting up banking kiosks in markets and post offices.
       The Gates Foundation has invested a total of $350 million (11.80 billion baht)so far in other financial services for the poor, including micro-credit, which involves small loans for poor entrepreneurs.
       Mr Christen says savings accounts are a more basic need of many people.An estimated 2.5 billion people - more than half the world's adult population - do not have access to savings accounts and other financial services.
       People are forced to buy and pawn jewellery or make other poor investments to keep their money safe.
       Foundation research identified this as an area that is not getting investment dollars and turned its attention in this direction.
       "It became very obvious that the single service that is least developed that most people need is savings," Mr Christen said."People really want to be able to save in a safer place."
       The Gates Foundation is providing an infusion of cash to facilitate the sharing of ideas among the innovators and to make sure the new systems offer a wide range of financial services.
       Alfred Hannig, executive director of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, said banking innovation is happening in developing countries without the foundation's help, but the money will help speed implementation.
       The alliance has a goal of reaching 50 million of the world's "unbanked" by 2012.
       In a phone call from Nairobi, Kenya,where the alliance was hosting a meeting for representatives of 42 countries, Mr Hannig said that plans are being made for a delegation from Kenya to go to Brazil to learn about that country's efforts to bring banking services to small villages along the Amazon River.
       "People were waiting for this," said Mr Hannig, who works for the German Technical Corporation and is based in Thailand.
       "This was very timely. They have been waiting for such a mechanism for such a long time."
       Mr Hannig said 60% of the money from the Gates Foundation will be redistributed in smaller grants to groups like the delegation fromKenya to Brazil,and the Bank of Thailand, which wants to measure banking access around the world through a survey.

Flooded homes get relief

2009-09-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

       Foundations under royal patronage have been handing out emergency relief bags to victims of floods in downtown Chaiyaphum.
       The bags were given to 2,000 families most affected by the floods in the northeastern province.
       The bags were donated by the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation under His Majesty the King's patronage and the Princess Pa Foundation under Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha.
       The floods were caused by run-off from the Lam Pathao reservoir in Kaeng Khro district, and are now receding after inundating downtown areas for the past few days.
       Chaiyaphum's city mayor, Banyong Kiatkongchoochai, yesterday handed out the bags on behalf of the foundations.
       The council worked pumps around the clock to drain water from the city centre. Council staff are on the lookout for crocodiles which escaped from flooded farms.
       In the eastern province of Rayong,persistent heavy rain at the weekend has triggered a mudslide which damaged communities around Wat Nong Wa in tambon Makhamkoo of Nikhom Phatthana district. Residents said the mudslide appeared to have weakened the foundations of the temple wall, which they feared could collapse on to nearby homes.

SARAH PALIN SUPPORTER PAYS $63,000 FOR DINNER

2009-09-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

       A true fan of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in paying US$63,500 (Bt2 million) to have dinner with her.
       Cathy Maples of Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday won the dinner in an Internet auction, which was a benefit for a charity that aids wounded veterans.
       Maples says she fully supports the military and the men and women fighting for this nation. Maples, who owns a defence contracting company, also says she's "big advocate" for Palin, and would love to see her as president.
       Palin offered the dinner as part of the charity auction on eBay for the Ride for the Ride 2 Recovery programme, which supports wounded veterans through cycling programmes.
       Organisers say the winner will gave to foot the travel bill to meet up with Palin, likely in Alaska. Maples says that's no problem.

Woman near goal on world's top 14 peaks

2009-09-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

       A Korean left Kathmandu yesterday to start the ascent of one of the world's highest peaks in the Himalayas, closing in on her goal to become the first woman to scale all 14 of the world's highest mountains.
       Oh Eun-sun,43, said weather conditions will be decisive when she climbs Mount Annapurna in west Nepal next week, the world's 10th highest peak at 8,091 metres.
       "It is autumn and there are too many crevasses and avalanches," said Ms Oh,who is leading a seven-member Korean team to the peak."But I am not scared.I am more careful."
       Ms Oh, who has already climbed Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, and 12 other peaks of more than 8,000 metres, will climb along the route pioneered by Frenchman Maurice Herzog in 1950 on the first 8,000-metrehigh mountain ever climbed.
       Only 17 men have scaled all the world's 14 highest peaks.

Toddler wins Elton's heart

2009-09-14T08:56:00.001-07:00

       Look out, Madonna and Angelina Jolie - pop star Elton John may be joining the ranks of A-list celebrities with adopted children.
       John and partner David Furnish are interested in trying to adopt a Ukrainian toddler named Lev they met during an orphanage tour.
       The singer told reporters in Ukraine on Saturday he had been reluctant to adopt a child until he met Lev at an orphanage where many of the children's parents have died from Aids.
       "David always wanted to adopt a child and I always said 'no' because I am 62 and I think because of the travelling I do and the life I have,maybe it wouldn't be fair for the child,"John said.
       "But having seen Lev today, I would love to adopt him.
       "I don't know how we do that but he has stolen my heart. He has stolen David's heart and it would be wonderful if we can have a home.
       "I've changed my mind."

SMALL JOCKEYS, BIG PROBLEMS

2009-09-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

       Vietnam is rapidly industrialising and focused on the future, but horse racing still seems stuck in the past
       With its small horses and tiny jockeys, racing at Vietnam's only track is a low-key affair receiving high-level attention as officials threaten acrackdown on under-age riders.
       "On paper the jockeys say they're 15 or 16, but they're 12 or 13. If you're too young you can't ride, so they have to lie," says Vo Hoang Vi Thanh,33, whose family has trained racehorses for three generations.
       Trainers say young jockeys and small horses have for decades been a mainstay of the Phu Tho racetrack in the southern commercial capital of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon,which was set up by a Frenchman in 1932.
       Officially, gambling is considered a "social evil" and banned by the communist government, but Phu Tho is one of the only places,along with some dog races and the official lottery, where it is allowed.
       Illegal gambling on cock fights, underground lotteries and other gaming is nevertheless widespread.
       Phu Tho has relied on riders weighing between 30 and 40 kilogrammes because they are the only ones small enough to mount the ponies, which stand up to 1.4 metres at the withers, workers in the industry say.
       "We can't keep huge horses. It costs too much money," says Mr Thanh, whose seven racehorses and a brood mare might make him rich in other countries.
       In Vietnam they do not.Vietnam is rapidly industrialising and focused on the future, but it remains a largely rural society where horse racing still seems stuck in the past.
       Local media cited officials in Ho Chi Minh City talking tough about bringing changes to the industry.
       Phan Thanh Minh of the city's labour department was quoted as saying "we cannot let the violation and abuse of children continue".
       The department declined to comment.State media said labour authorities, along with officials from the local sports department,had formed a joint task force to examine the young jockeys' situation.
       Racing has continued in the meantime,but all the attention has left trainers nervous about their futures, and defensive of their sport.
       "I won't be able to go on. I guess everybody will quit" if authorities enforce a ban on young jockeys, Mr Thanh says.
       Local media reported that almost all of about 850 horses at Phu Tho weigh less than 250 kilogrammes - about half the weight of horses competing at the Singapore Turf Club,where jockeys weigh more than 50 kilogrammes.
       "To avoid child exploitation in horse racing,organisers will have to import big thoroughbreds, although this will be expensive," Tran Van Nghia, former chairman of Phu Tho,was quoted as saying by the online English version of the Tuoi Tre newspaper."But we have to do it if we want to have an international-standard racing industry,"added Mr Nghia.
       The director of the racetrack did not respond to queries.
       Closed in 1975 after the Vietnam War ended,
       Phu Tho reopened in 1989 and seems to have changed little since then.
       The weekend racecard, where a minimum bet is 10,000 dong (19 baht), draws a mostly Vietnamese crowd of men who squat on large concrete steps that serve as the grandstand as they watch the ponies.
       Without the neck-and-neck contests involving large horses that are a feature of major tracks, fewer jockeys are badly injured,one trainer said.
       "In bad conditions like rain they'll fall off,but it's not normally dangerous," said Thi Bao An,30, a stable worker.
       There were "many deaths" in the early 1970s, said Nguyen Van Thanh,53, who rode from the ages of 14 to 16.
       Mr Thanh now dismisses concerns over young riders who, he says, take a six-month course and have to earn a certificate.
       "They were trained. They have skill," says Mr Thanh, who comes from a long line of teenage jockeys.
       "My father, my uncles, my mother's father and my father's father were all jockeys," he says.
       Mr Thanh, whose son carried on the jockey tradition, said a good young rider "can support his whole family" with his earnings.
       Local media reported that jockeys can earn in excess of two million dong on a race day - a good wage in a country whose per capita income is about US$1,000(34,000 baht).
       With a thoroughbred and other large horses among his stable, Nguyen Van Thanh is better placed than other trainers if the industry has to change.
       But all the talk of a crackdown on an industry which has been his family's life for decades has still left him uneasy.
       "Four generations till now, that's been our job."
       A crackdown, he says,"makes no sense".
       "To avoid child exploitation in horse racing, organisers will have to import big thoroughbreds TRAN VAN NGHIA version of the Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Slum women hail a taxi to equality

2009-09-11T22:50:00.000-07:00

       Abattered housewife, a Muslim widow and an illiterate mother of four are among a group of Indian women looking to carve out a living by breaking into the male preserve of New Delhi taxi drivers.
       Hailing from some of the poorest quarters of the Indian capital, they are part of plans to launch the city's first radio taxi-service run by women,in time for the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.
       The project is the brainchild of Meenu Vadera of the Azad Foundation, a voluntary group that works with disadvantaged women whose employment prospects - if they exist at all - are usually limited to the world of domestic help.
       "We have trained one batch of nine women and the training of another batch of 11 is underway," said Vadera, who aims to have five taxis on the road by February and a fleet of 20 by the time the Games begin.
       "I was looking at a programme that would combine a livelihood for the girls with the idea of having women cab-drivers who will provide safe transport to working women in Delhi."
       Of all major Indian cities, the capital ranks worst in terms of violence against women, with more than 4,300 registered cases in 2007-08,according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
       To ensure their own safety, the women have received some basic self-defence instruction as part of their training at a professional drivers'school run by India's largest car manufacturer,Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.
       Supplementing these are classes in grooming,etiquette and spoken English.
       "The goal is to establish a company with the women as stakeholders. This way it does not look like a charity but a business run collectively,"Vadera said.
       India's emergence as a global economic power has done little for millions of unskilled or illiterate women for whom menial work as domestics or care-givers remains a chief source of regular but often underpaid employment.
       The work is generally unregulated and unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to harassment and exploitation.
       "Some come from families where only the menfolk work," said Poonam Bala, a Delhi University Sociology professor.
       "For others, their background is such that they are totally unprepared to enter the professional job market."
       Rita, 24, ran away from her marriage and home after suffering seven years of abuse at the hands of her parents-in-law.
       Living at the home of a friend in Delhi, Rita saw the female taxi project as a way out of a social and economic dead end.
       "I jumped at the idea," she said."It would give me independence and the ability to support myself."
       Shanno Begum, a 32-year-old Muslim widow,signed up for the programme last year.
       "My husband died three years ago. I had three children and my parents-in-law to support. As a private nurse, I used to earn 4,500 rupees [3,000 baht] a month for a 24/7 job," Shanno said.
       "Now, I will earn the same amount working eight hours and can devote more time to my children."
       For Ekta, a 28-year-old mother of four, the taxi project opened doors that she had thought closed to her as an illiterate woman married into a conservative family.
       "Persuading my husband to let me work was very difficult," she said."Now I feel empowered as if I have my own identity other than a wife and mother."
       The project has not been without its problems.With the commercial licence necessary to drive a taxi-cab requiring a year-long wait, Vadera has been trying to find short-term chauffeur employment for her fully trained drivers - with little success.
       "I underestimated the gender bias," Vadera said, citing repeated questions from potential employers as to whether women could be trusted to drive safely and turn up to work on time.
       "Despite my assurances, they decide against women drivers. This is despite the fact that records show women are more careful than male drivers - they obey traffic rules, don't drink and drive,don't get into brawls on the road," she said.
       Some of Delhi's male cabbies, unimpressed by the idea of an all-woman taxi service, have decided the best reaction is one of collective ridicule that panders to a disparaging stereotype of women drivers.
       "It's bad enough having women behind the wheel in private cars," said Pamma Singh, who runs a taxi company with his two brothers.
       "They take ages to reverse, negotiate turnings,to park properly. So what kind of challenge will they be to us? Just be prepared for more chaos on the roads," he said.

Life in the twilight for Muslim transsexuals

2009-09-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

       Why can'tIslamaccept us? We are human beings as well. I am also one of God's creations.
       With her tight jeans, elaborate makeup and flowing hair, Tasha looks for all the world like a striking young woman. But her all-important Malaysian ID card declares she is a Muslim man.
       "In Islam, there are only men and women,there are no transsexuals, and this is an Islamic country so that makes life very difficult for us," says the 28-year-old who has been cross-dressing since she was a child.
       Like many transsexuals in Malaysia, a conservative and mostly Muslim country,the clash between ID card and appearance means Tasha is shunned by employers, and forced to make her living as a sex worker.
       "It's a hard life, people don't like us,they're always making fun of us," she says as she prepares for another night in the grimy alleyways of Chow Kit, the red light district of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
       Tasha endures drunken clients, violent pimps and aggressive competition from other transsexual prostitutes, but what really frightens her are the raids mounted by police and religious authorities.
       Enforcement officials from the Islamic Affairs Department (JAWI)- notorious for swooping on nightclubs and motels in search of Muslims drinking or having extramarital sex - regularly descend on the streets of Chow Kit.
       Sex workers are sent scattering on their high heels, and those who are caught and hauled off face jail or intensive "counselling"sessions like a two-week interrogation Tasha once endured.
       "They asked me why I didn't want to be a man, how I became like this and why I behave like this. But it didn't change my mind!" she says as she layers on make-up before hitting the streets where she has worked since she was 15.
       Tasha puts on a brave face, but the pain is clear when she relates how she has struggled for acceptance from her family, her religion and her country. Although she is on the margins of society, she continues to perform the Muslim prayers, fasts during the holy month of Ramadan, and respected her mother's wish that she not undergo sex-change surgery.
       "Of course I still believe I'm a Muslim,it's just that the religion cannot accept us transsexuals," she says."Why can't Islam accept us? We are human beings as well. I am also one of God's creations."
       It was not always this way for transsexuals in Malaysia, where they are known as "mak nyah".
       "Until the early 1980s transsexuals were usually accepted in Malaysia, they could go for a sex change and amend their identity card," says Teh Yik Koon from the National Defence University who has written a book on mak nyahs."At that time quite a few had a sex change, some became happily married and even adopted children."
       But in 1983 a "fatwa", or Islamic ruling,that prohibited gender-reassignment surgery as well as cross-dressing was imposed on all Malaysian Muslims, who make up 60%of the multicultural population.
       "So now they're not accepted, there's no such thing as transsexuals according to Islam in Malaysia," says Ms Teh, who estimates there are in fact at least 20,000 in the country.
       "The biggest dilemma for a Muslim transsexual is the ID card, because it states they are a Muslim man but when you look at them they look like a woman," she says.
       Some do manage to find regular work,typically as hairdressers, make-up artists,and boutique sales assistants, but advocates say that at least 70% resort to prostitution.
       "At 15 I ran away from home and to Chow Kit. I cried at first, but luckily I had other transsexuals who helped me find a place to stay," says Tasha.
       On a good night she can earn 500 ringgit (4,851 baht), a huge sum by Malaysian standards, but since the economic downturn she now gets only two or three clients a night who may pay as little 50 ringgit (485 baht)a time.
       Now that her mother has died, she plans to go to Thailand later this year and have a sex-change and breast augmentation surgery.
       "If you want to become whole pretty quickly, then you can't be afraid," she says."Only then will I feel like a complete woman."
       Transsexuals do not need to be selling their bodies in order to attract attention from authorities. Last year, Islamic religious police arrested 16 for taking part in a beauty pageant at a beachside resort. Influential Islamic cleric Harussani Zakaria, who helped establish the 1983 fatwa, defended the strict approach and said that transsexuals should use their "willpower" and adopt a traditional lifestyle."Of course they won't get a job if they turn up wearing a woman's dress. All religions are opposed to this," he said.
       "You cannot be transsexual, you are either a woman or a man. Why do they want to go against Allah?" he asked."If God has created you as a boy, then act like a boy."

STARS IN THEIR EYES

2009-09-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

       The lives of personal assistants to Thaicelebrities
       Ever wanted to live the celebrity lifestyle without the hassle of being recognised in public? In the US of A, this troublesome dilemma is easily solved by the celebrity personal assistant (PA).In the States - home to more celebs per head of population than anywhere else in the world, according to Gurupedia - a PA's duty is to handle tasks ranging from shopping to arranging appointments,to taking their client's chihuahua outside to poo.
       PAs get to go to parties, receive pretty presents, a relatively high salary (an average of USD$64,000-100,000[B2.2m-3.4m] according to The Guardian )and a chance to meet all the cool people they idolise on the silver screen.
       The downside of it all of course is that some celebrities have borderline psychological behaviour issues. Some of the bizarre outbursts that American stars make when on tour, or on the Internet, really blow your mind away as you are forced to ask,"Is this really how an adult is supposed to behave?"
       According to celebrity gossip website theimproper.com, Jennifer Lopez's outrageous demands on tour have included that her hotel suite be painted white, decked with matching white lilies and roses, and white candles burning with the essence of her favourite perfume, Diptyque (more like dipstick, right?). She also required bed sheets with Egyptian cotton of over 250 thread-count and the room temperature set to exactly 25.5 Celsius.
       Are Thai stars this awesome? Are our celebrities this insane? We asked some people well placed to answer, PAs to the Thai stars.
       Working so closely with celebrities, you must receive some great benefits right? Pupe:When we work as a team it gives us a fulfilling feeling, especially when you see your little stars grow into fully fledged celebrities. It's quite heartwarming. Travelling around with the stars to different countries is also fun. The job is very unpredictable and exciting. Weeks are never the same. Travelling? That's awesome! You must get to go to all the hot locations like Monaco,Dubai and The Bahamas right?Pupe:The job has taken me to Hong Kong, Laos, Singapore and Japan. Laos? Err, cool... I guess I was thinking that it would be more of a jetsetter lifestyle...Ke:Once, several of my clients simultaneously required my help and they were all in different parts of the country. I had to organise their schedule for work and for their personal lives. Over three days I visited every region of the country, getting very little sleep. I also have a team that helps me and it was a very busy time. The schedule can get messy but I love my job. I see. You said the job is heartwarming. What about the diamond-studded underwear or a free house? Ton:This job makes you a more responsible person. I get to go to all the events and concerts. Since I joined the company I have been to a few thousand. The networking you get out of this job is also great since you meet a lot of people.Ke:Working for my own company, I really get close to my clients as if they were like family.On my birthday I get presents from them and that gives me a very warm feeling.Sometimes they even buy me a plane ticket so that I can travel on holiday with them. What about all the love triangles between beautiful people? I bet you get all the gossip,and can sell it to the papers huh, wink, wink? Pupe:In my job, you become the middleman between the press, your celebrity and their parents. A nightmare scenario involves all three parties pressuring me at once and that can be very stressful.
       Err, that's not exactly what I meant. What about nightmare scenarios? You probably have to deal with all kinds of crazy situations right? Ton:Now that I am in a managerial position it is not that bad. I have a steady schedule where I get proper weekends like everyone else. I wouldn't say I have any nightmare scenarios but dealing with tabloids talking about your stars dating can become quite a chore. Does Thailand have any cases of the American diva syndrome? Has a Thai celebrity ever demanded that they have an entire bathtub filled up with ice cream cones heated to exactly 38.5 Celsius, for example?Pupe:At a recent project, Tata Young requested that she use her own microphone. Wow, thats hardcore! Was it a one-of-a-kind gold-plated microphone? Pupe:I think she just wanted her own microphone because it sounded better than the available one, but that was about it. She even shared her dressing room with her dancers.Usually we just try our best to make our stars feel comfortable before a performance and it doesn't involve the levels you see in the American entertainment industry.Ton:I can't really think of any situations like that. Our artists usually request refreshments and food for their dressing rooms but no one has ever asked for something out of the ordinary. Refreshments? What like million dollar bottles of Cristal champagne to spray on all the naked groupies?Ton:Oh no, we don't allow our stars to have alcohol at events. From these interviews we can conclude that Thai celebrities are nowhere near as insane as their American counterparts. This can be attributed to two possible factors:1) Our celebrities simply don't possess as much of the insanity gene; or 2) Maids are cheap to hire in Thailand. Here, just about anyone with a reasonable income - celebrity or not - can already live like Mariah Carey by hiring legal immigrants and paying them - at least minimum wage.
       While American celebrities are like five-year-olds that have discovered their father's platinum card, thanks to their straight talking PAs we can see that Thai dara are infinitely more human than we could have imagined. Who would have thought it?

THE "IT" GIRL WHO ISN'T?

2009-08-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

       Chitpas 'Tant' Bhirombhakdi combines her role as attache to the prime minister's secretariat with that of brand manager for FIJI water. She also recently became ambassador for "Women Build,"a division of Habitat for Humanity International.

       HOWDO YOU JUGGLE YOUR WORK?
       My schedule at Government House is not really fixed, as it depends on the schedule of the PM, such as whether he has a meeting to attend. On weekends, I often have to phone my business team. In the evenings or when I'm free, I have to try to come into the office whenever I can.
       WHAT DO YOU DO FOR WOMEN BUILD?
       Habitat for Humanity builds homes for the International.underprivileged, and Women Build focus on impoverished families with daughters. In commemoration of His Majesty the King's 82nd Birthday, former US president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will be presiding over our bid to topple a world record in November by building 82 houses in five days. We invite all of you to join us in Chiang Mai.
       WHAT DRAWS YOU TO CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONS?
       I've always believed in the concept of social responsibility, so I seized on this project when they invited me. It's all about opportunity; plenty of people want to do something good and give back to society but rarely does an opportunity arise. It's easy to donate money but to volunteer, it really means much more.With Habitat you get the chance to actually perform the tasks, while those that were intended to benefit from your efforts really do benefit. It's also open for everyone to volunteer. You don't have to be rich, so long as you really want to help, to take part.
       WHAT'S YOUR LONG-TERM GOAL?
       My main goal is to become the first female prime minister of Thailand. The only thing that is certain in the future is uncertainty so I think it is right to aim high and be prepared to work hard in trying to reach your goals.
       CAN YOU SHARE SOME EXPERIENCES FROM WORKING CLOSELY WITH TWO PRIME MINISTERS?
       I've learnt that I have a very long way to go before I get there [laughs]. PM Abhisit is an excellent role model who represents a new breed of politicians. To be in that position you have to make immense personal sacrifices out of patriotism and love of the country.
       DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO YOUNG WOMENWHO
       BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT CUT OUT FOR POLITICS OR
       VOLUNTARY WORK?
       First of all, they should erase that frame of mind. If they think that this is a man's world, they will always be in the same spot and won't achieve any kind of fulfilling success. I want to
       encourage them that they too can make an impact on the world.For example, Women Build is an open organisation which offers the opportunity for every woman to actively perform charitable deeds.
       YOU ONCE DECLARED THAT IF YOU BECAME PM,
       YOU'D MAKE THE WHOLE OF THAILAND PINK.WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT COLOURFUL VISION?
       My friends made that up a long time ago [laughs]! It's just that I'm a girl and I was typically obsessed
       with the colour pink! Even so it's a lovely
       colour and represents love. Especially
       with all the division in the country, it
       would be nice to see Thai people
       loving each other again.

Prostitutes take to catwalk for one-night fashion show

2009-08-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

       Prostitutes became models for a night in Rio as they paraded the latest collection of their Daspu brand,founded four years ago to fight discrimination against their profession in Brazil.
       The voluptuous mannequins cheerfully exhibited the colourful wear during a nighttime catwalk of sorts, showing off the summer 2010 collection -"Farofa (fried manioc flour) caviar!"- inspired by bar and nightclub culture.
       They swaggered, hips jutting forward,on a red carpet laid in the middle of Tiradentes Square, in the heart of a decaying historic neighbourhood where about 300 prostitutes still work.
       "When my hooker girlfriends parade pretty and proud, they are speaking about themselves and become revolutionaries,"said Gabriela Leite,57, after the show.
       The former prostitute launched the Daspu label - a play of words on das putas (for the whores) and the posh Daslu department store in Sao Paulo.She also heads Davida, a nongovernmental group for Aids prevention and the protection of prostitutes' rights.
       The new collection, created in collaboration with designers from the southeastern Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte,sought to show that prostitutes feast on farofa - a dish popular among the poorer classes - but also caviar, champagne and cachaca, a sugar cane liquor.
       The clothes sported inscriptions like "Daspu a la carte","Whore serving" or "Puta libre", a reference to the Cuba libre rum cocktail.
       This year, the fashion show closed an event organised by the city to "celebrate health and citizenship" that was supported by artists and circus dancers.
       Daspu was launched in 2005 as a way for prostitutes to gain regular income while also fighting preconceptions of people affected with Aids. Sales revenues are reinvested into initiatives combating sexually transmitted diseases.