Tag Archives: media

‘Friday the 13th’ slashes records

With $42.2 million, the biggest opening gross thus far in 2009, "Friday the 13th" easily won the record-breaking Presidents Day weekend box office race, beating out Valentine’s Day favorites "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and "He’s Just Not That Into You," as well as solid holdovers "Taken" and "Coraline." (All totals listed here are according to early three-day estimates from Media by Numbers; rough figures for the four-day holiday weekend will be out tomorrow.) That $42.2 million sum is the top first-weekend figure for any movie in the nearly 30-year-old “Friday the 13th” series — including the 2003 mashup, Freddy vs. Jason, which premiered with $36.4 million. In fact, the original “Friday the 13th” movie, from 1980, grossed just $39.7 million during its entire run, not adjusted for inflation.

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Air Force One is one ‘spiffy ride,’ Obama says

During the first couple of weeks of his presidency, Barack Obama has made good use of his "spiffy" new ride. The president, who has made several trips around the country in Air Force One, was particularly excited during his first trip on the plane as commander in chief, when he flew to the House Democrats’ annual retreat in Williamsburg, Virginia, last week. “Thanks for giving me a reason to fly Air Force One,” he told the House Democrats after his flight, which took him away from a week of fighting for the economic stimulus bill

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The Octuplet Mom Speaks, and the Questions Grow

When Nadya Suleman, 33, had her eight children at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Bellflower, California, one medical guideline had already been broken. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends that a woman under the age of 35 should have no more than two embryos implanted by way of in vitro fertilization . That limit was chosen, says Sean Tipton, director of public affairs for the Society, in order to avoid multiple births through IVF which exposes both mother and offspring to significant health risks.

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In Hard Times, Olympic Plans Go On a Budget

Work on London’s main Olympic site is progressing well. The 600-acre former industrial zone in east London that will become the focal point of the 2012 event has been transformed into Europe’s biggest construction site. Steel for shoring up the massive new stadium’s seating terraces is being installed

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Chris Brown case ongoing

The investigation into what happened between singers Chris Brown and Rihanna on a Hollywood street early Sunday remained in the hands of police Wednesday, a day after the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said it needed more information before deciding on formal charges. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor said Brown, 19, was arrested and booked on suspicion of making criminal threats

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Brain scan may reveal risk for Alzheimer’s disease

Key structural changes have been identified in the brain images of some patients with mild cognitive impairment which could help determine who’s at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Francisco Velasco Delgado was detained by military officials early Monday and flown to Mexico City, where he was placed under 45 days of house arrest, according to the media reports

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Reports: Cancún police chief questioned in general’s killing

The police chief in Cancún has been relieved of his duties and placed under house arrest while he is investigated in the killing of a retired Mexican general who had been the area’s anti-drug chief for less than 24 hours, Mexican media are reporting. Francisco Velasco Delgado was detained by military officials early Monday and flown to Mexico City, where he was placed under 45 days of house arrest, according to the media reports.

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