Romney Speech Combines Life Story With Criticism Of Obama
The Republican National Convention has wrapped up with a speech by Mitt Romney that combined details of his life story with a pledge to create millions of jobs and "restore the promise of America."
After entering the convention hall down one of the aisles, shaking hands with dozens of delegates along the way, Romney began a speech in which he spoke of his youth as a Mormon, and then as a married man with five rambunctious sons.
He choked up at least twice, once when he recalled how he and his wife Ann would awake to find "a pile of kids asleep in our room."
But the speech also contained repeated criticism of President Barack Obama, particularly his failure to spur a more robust economic recovery. Romney said Obama can "tell us it was someone else's fault" and that in the next four years "he'll get it right" -- but that he can't tell Americans that they are better off than when he took office.
Romney said he will start his presidency with a "jobs tour" -- and he accused Obama of starting off with an "apology tour." He accused Obama of failing to support Israel, while showing patience with Israel's arch-enemy, Iran.
He drew cheers when he vowed to repeal Obama's signature health care law.
His speech ended with the now-traditional scene in which Romney and his wife Ann were joined by running mate Paul Ryan and his wife, and then by other family members, as delegates cheered and balloons fell.
Highlights from Mitt Romney's acceptance speech on Thursday to the Republican National Convention:
ECONOMY and JOBS: Romney said he will create 12 million new jobs by expanding domestic energy production, improving education and training, forging new trade agreements with other countries, balancing the budget, and helping businesses grow. "What America needs is jobs," Romney said. "Lots of jobs." Romney said he will not raise taxes on the middle class.
ENERGY: The United States will be independent from energy sources outside of North America by 2020, Romney said. He supports opening the Atlantic and Pacific outer continental shelves to drilling, as well as Western lands, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore Alaska. He also has proposed reducing obstacles to coal, natural gas and nuclear energy development.
MILITARY: Romney said President Barack Obama wants to make major cuts in military spending that will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and put U.S. security at greater risk. Romney said he would "preserve a military that is so strong, no nation would ever dare to test it."
FOREIGN POLICY: Romney credited Obama for giving Seal Team Six the order to take out Osama bin Laden. But he criticized the president for failing to slow Iran's nuclear threat and for abandoning key allies Israel and Poland. Obama has been too easy on Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said. "Under my administration, our friends will see more loyalty, and Mr. Putin will see a little less flexibility and more backbone," Romney said.
SMALL BUSINESS: Romney said he would be a champion of small businesses, which he described as "America's engine of job growth." Taxes on businesses would be cut, not increased, under a Romney administration, he said. He would also repeal President Barack Obama's health care law in order to "rein in the skyrocketing cost of healthcare."
WOMEN: Romney made a direct appeal to this critical demographic by noting that women held important positions during his term as Massachusetts governor. He listed several of the women, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who addressed the Republican National Convention, and he also mentioned that his mother, Lenore Romney, had once run for the U.S. Senate.
BUSINESS EXPERIENCE: Romney stressed that his business background at Bain Capital, a private equity firm he helped start in 1984, makes him better qualified than Obama to turn around a struggling American economy. Among the successful companies Bain helped start, Romney said, are Staples, The Sports Authority, and Steel Dynamics, a steel mill in Indiana.
RELIGION: Romney tied his Mormon faith to the American experience. His family found community and kinship with "remarkably vibrant and diverse congregations" that prayed together and were quick to help each other out. He said that growing up Mormon in Michigan may have seemed out of place, but his friends cared more about the sports teams they followed than what church he and his family went to.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Mitt Romney to deliver most important speech of his political life at Republican National Convention
Mitt Romney to deliver most important speech of his political life at Republican National Convention
Mitt Romney’s political reinvention will culminate Thursday when he finally accepts the Republican Party’s nomination for President.
In the moments before the balloons drop from the ceiling of the Tampa Bay Times Forum, Romney will deliver the most important speech of his political life — a moment at least six years in the making and one that will sound very different from his convention address from four years ago.
VIDEO: MITT ROMNEY'S PLAN TO BALANCE BUDGET
Romney took the St. Paul stage in 2008 far from the prime-time spotlight. Vanquished in the presidential primaries by John McCain, he was given 11 minutes to tout the nominee and the woman who came out of nowhere to best him to be the Arizona senator’s running mate: Sarah Palin.
PAUL RYAN PLEDGES MITT ROMNEY WILL RESTART NATION'S STALLED ECONOMY
Romney, who was elected governor of Massachusetts in 2002 as a moderate, changed several of his political positions, most notably on abortion and gun control, to make him more palatable to the GOP’s conservative base.
His moves to the right weren’t enough in 2008, with primary opponent Rudy Giuliani saying they left him looking like he had no ideological core — a charge that has followed him ever since.
But now, armed with a giant war chest that crushed a weak primary field, Romney returns to a GOP convention as his party’s leader, and will try to make the case to the American public that he should be the next White House resident.
The former private equity CEO’s central campaign pitch is that he has the goods to fix the slumping economy, so expect his best fastball on that subject Thursday night.
Romney will also likely repeat some of the notes he sounded in his speech in Minnesota four years ago. Then, he accused Democrats of promoting government dependency and ignoring the importance of American workers and business owners.
“They think that we have the biggest and strongest economy in the world because of our government,” Romney said in ’08. “They’re wrong. America is strong because of the ingenuity, and entrepreneurship, and hard work of the American people.”
That theme is likely to be amplified this year, with Romney seizing upon President Obama’s “You didn’t build that” remark to suggest the Democrat is dismissive of American business and entrepreneurs.
Romney may tread more lightly on social issues, especially in light of the uproar created by Missouri Rep. Todd Akin’s now-notorious comments about “legitimate rape.” And though the first days of the 2012 GOP convention have featured very little discussion of foreign policy, Romney is expected to hit President Obama there on multiple fronts. He may have offered a sneak peak of this part of his acceptance speech when he spoke to the American Legion in Indianapolis, Ind., on Wednesday, warning about the dangers posed by Iran, North Korea and other rogue nations.
Romney also raised eyebrows in Indiana by joking about Hurricane Isaac.
“I appreciate this invitation to join you on dry land this afternoon,” Romney quipped, quickly switching to a more serious tone: “Our thoughts are of course with the people of the Gulf Coast states.”
The candidate, who is considering a trip to the Gulf Coast, returned to Tampa by nightfall Wednesday to watch his running mate’s RNC address — and put the finishing touches on the speech that may be his last, best chance to introduce himself to the nation.
Mitt Romney’s political reinvention will culminate Thursday when he finally accepts the Republican Party’s nomination for President.
In the moments before the balloons drop from the ceiling of the Tampa Bay Times Forum, Romney will deliver the most important speech of his political life — a moment at least six years in the making and one that will sound very different from his convention address from four years ago.
VIDEO: MITT ROMNEY'S PLAN TO BALANCE BUDGET
Romney took the St. Paul stage in 2008 far from the prime-time spotlight. Vanquished in the presidential primaries by John McCain, he was given 11 minutes to tout the nominee and the woman who came out of nowhere to best him to be the Arizona senator’s running mate: Sarah Palin.
PAUL RYAN PLEDGES MITT ROMNEY WILL RESTART NATION'S STALLED ECONOMY
Romney, who was elected governor of Massachusetts in 2002 as a moderate, changed several of his political positions, most notably on abortion and gun control, to make him more palatable to the GOP’s conservative base.
His moves to the right weren’t enough in 2008, with primary opponent Rudy Giuliani saying they left him looking like he had no ideological core — a charge that has followed him ever since.
But now, armed with a giant war chest that crushed a weak primary field, Romney returns to a GOP convention as his party’s leader, and will try to make the case to the American public that he should be the next White House resident.
The former private equity CEO’s central campaign pitch is that he has the goods to fix the slumping economy, so expect his best fastball on that subject Thursday night.
Romney will also likely repeat some of the notes he sounded in his speech in Minnesota four years ago. Then, he accused Democrats of promoting government dependency and ignoring the importance of American workers and business owners.
“They think that we have the biggest and strongest economy in the world because of our government,” Romney said in ’08. “They’re wrong. America is strong because of the ingenuity, and entrepreneurship, and hard work of the American people.”
That theme is likely to be amplified this year, with Romney seizing upon President Obama’s “You didn’t build that” remark to suggest the Democrat is dismissive of American business and entrepreneurs.
Romney may tread more lightly on social issues, especially in light of the uproar created by Missouri Rep. Todd Akin’s now-notorious comments about “legitimate rape.” And though the first days of the 2012 GOP convention have featured very little discussion of foreign policy, Romney is expected to hit President Obama there on multiple fronts. He may have offered a sneak peak of this part of his acceptance speech when he spoke to the American Legion in Indianapolis, Ind., on Wednesday, warning about the dangers posed by Iran, North Korea and other rogue nations.
Romney also raised eyebrows in Indiana by joking about Hurricane Isaac.
“I appreciate this invitation to join you on dry land this afternoon,” Romney quipped, quickly switching to a more serious tone: “Our thoughts are of course with the people of the Gulf Coast states.”
The candidate, who is considering a trip to the Gulf Coast, returned to Tampa by nightfall Wednesday to watch his running mate’s RNC address — and put the finishing touches on the speech that may be his last, best chance to introduce himself to the nation.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Putin’s life of luxury questioned
Putin’s life of luxury questioned
Russian President Vladimir Putin once compared ruling Russia to being a “galley slave,” but four yachts that come with the job, as well as a string of palaces and a wealth of luxury perks help explain his refusal to quit the presidency, leading critics said Tuesday.
Listing 58 planes and helicopters and 20 homes with opulent fittings worthy of the czars, not to mention 11 watches that alone are worth several times Putin’s annual salary, a report published under the ironic title The Life of a Galley Slave by opposition leader Boris Nemtsov denounced the lavish spending as an affront to millions of Russians living in dire poverty.
“One of the most serious reasons prompting (Vladimir) Putin to hold on to power is the atmosphere of wealth and luxury to which he has become accustomed,” wrote the authors. “In a country where more than 20 million people barely make ends meet, the luxurious life of the president is a blatant and cynical challenge to society. .”
The Kremlin, which has long portrayed the 59-year-old president as a man of simple tastes with a liking for popular sports and active outdoor pastimes, did not immediately comment.
Intended to foster faint stirrings of opposition to Putin’s recent re-election for a further six years, the report may struggle for attention. In a mark of the reluctance of Russians to challenge the Kremlin, Nemtsov said he had struggled to find a printer willing to produce the booklet. And after publication, it was largely ignored by the country’s major media outlets.
Many Russians seemed indifferent to opponents who revelled in eye-catching details, such as the $75,000 toilet on a presidential jet. The authors also calculated the total value of the 11 luxury timepieces on the wrist of the head of state at some $700,000, while noting Putin had declared an annual income less than $115,000.
The president has long denied rumours he has built up a vast personal fortune. The report did not address that but it illustrated how the former KGB spy has expanded the trappings of office since he rose to power in 2000.
Tales of extravagance in the leadership come at a potentially awkward time for Putin after the biggest protests of his 12-year rule, mostly from middle-class urban liberals who are now trying to fire up indignation more widely.
“I hope that after this report the numbers of people believing that Putin and his allies are swindlers and thieves will approach 70 per cent,” Nemtsov said, using the labels for the ruling elite which have become a slogan for the opposition.
“After that, I think we will be able to free the country of them,” he said at an event to launch the pamphlet.
But the responses of the likes of Moscow pensioner Yelena Nikitichna suggested it might be an uphill battle to turn any dismay over Putin’s perks into a boost for the protest movement.
“It’s obviously too much, way beyond what is needed to do the job,” she said. “But of course that is no surprise to me. I’ve lived here for 70 years. It’s always been like that.”
Among the young, too, many did not share Nemtsov’s anger:
“Russian authorities and leaders have always been famous for their rather luxurious ways. This is a historical pattern and he is not the first to live a fairly luxurious life,” said Yelena Malmova, a first-year university student in the capital.
“Personally, I don’t care,” she said. “For me, how well he does his job is most important.”
The text was accompanied by photographs of luxurious homes, jets, helicopters, cars and watches, complete with footnotes citing Russian media as sources for many of the items. Nine new residences had been added to the list available to the president since Putin first became head of state in 2000, it said.
One 53.7-metre yacht with a designer interior, a spa pool, waterfall and wine cellar is relegated to second best, it said.
“The real diamond of the Kremlin flotilla,” the authors judged, is a five-deck yacht with a Jacuzzi, barbecue, a maple wood colonnade and a huge bathroom faced in marble.
Russian President Vladimir Putin once compared ruling Russia to being a “galley slave,” but four yachts that come with the job, as well as a string of palaces and a wealth of luxury perks help explain his refusal to quit the presidency, leading critics said Tuesday.
Listing 58 planes and helicopters and 20 homes with opulent fittings worthy of the czars, not to mention 11 watches that alone are worth several times Putin’s annual salary, a report published under the ironic title The Life of a Galley Slave by opposition leader Boris Nemtsov denounced the lavish spending as an affront to millions of Russians living in dire poverty.
“One of the most serious reasons prompting (Vladimir) Putin to hold on to power is the atmosphere of wealth and luxury to which he has become accustomed,” wrote the authors. “In a country where more than 20 million people barely make ends meet, the luxurious life of the president is a blatant and cynical challenge to society. .”
The Kremlin, which has long portrayed the 59-year-old president as a man of simple tastes with a liking for popular sports and active outdoor pastimes, did not immediately comment.
Intended to foster faint stirrings of opposition to Putin’s recent re-election for a further six years, the report may struggle for attention. In a mark of the reluctance of Russians to challenge the Kremlin, Nemtsov said he had struggled to find a printer willing to produce the booklet. And after publication, it was largely ignored by the country’s major media outlets.
Many Russians seemed indifferent to opponents who revelled in eye-catching details, such as the $75,000 toilet on a presidential jet. The authors also calculated the total value of the 11 luxury timepieces on the wrist of the head of state at some $700,000, while noting Putin had declared an annual income less than $115,000.
The president has long denied rumours he has built up a vast personal fortune. The report did not address that but it illustrated how the former KGB spy has expanded the trappings of office since he rose to power in 2000.
Tales of extravagance in the leadership come at a potentially awkward time for Putin after the biggest protests of his 12-year rule, mostly from middle-class urban liberals who are now trying to fire up indignation more widely.
“I hope that after this report the numbers of people believing that Putin and his allies are swindlers and thieves will approach 70 per cent,” Nemtsov said, using the labels for the ruling elite which have become a slogan for the opposition.
“After that, I think we will be able to free the country of them,” he said at an event to launch the pamphlet.
But the responses of the likes of Moscow pensioner Yelena Nikitichna suggested it might be an uphill battle to turn any dismay over Putin’s perks into a boost for the protest movement.
“It’s obviously too much, way beyond what is needed to do the job,” she said. “But of course that is no surprise to me. I’ve lived here for 70 years. It’s always been like that.”
Among the young, too, many did not share Nemtsov’s anger:
“Russian authorities and leaders have always been famous for their rather luxurious ways. This is a historical pattern and he is not the first to live a fairly luxurious life,” said Yelena Malmova, a first-year university student in the capital.
“Personally, I don’t care,” she said. “For me, how well he does his job is most important.”
The text was accompanied by photographs of luxurious homes, jets, helicopters, cars and watches, complete with footnotes citing Russian media as sources for many of the items. Nine new residences had been added to the list available to the president since Putin first became head of state in 2000, it said.
One 53.7-metre yacht with a designer interior, a spa pool, waterfall and wine cellar is relegated to second best, it said.
“The real diamond of the Kremlin flotilla,” the authors judged, is a five-deck yacht with a Jacuzzi, barbecue, a maple wood colonnade and a huge bathroom faced in marble.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Snooki's Baby Boy: Life Advice For The Little Meatball
Snooki's Baby Boy: Life Advice For The Little Meatball
Early Sunday morning, "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi gave birth to her first child, a 6-pound 5-ounce boy named Lorenzo Dominic LaValle. Lil' Lorenzo's arrival was celebrated by Snooki's "Shore" co-stars — including brand-new "uncle" Pauly D, who wasted no time bestowing an appropriate nickname on the bundle of joy, "Meatball" — and we'd like to join them in offering our sincerest congratulations to both the Snookster and Lorenzo's proud papa, Jionni LaValle.
But since Lorenzo's already got a cool nickname (not to mention more "Shore" onesies than we can possibly imagine), we figured that our congrats probably aren't enough. So we've decided to give him the next best thing: some life advice. Sure, he may be one day old, but it's never too early to start planning ahead. Here are some do's and don'ts for the newest member of the MTV family, in the hopes that all of his days are as magical as his first.
DO consider trademarking the phrase "Meatball." Not sure if this is even legally possible, but imagine the possibilities ... babywear, spicy strollers, a cookbook like Teresa Giudice's where you toss your fellow "Shore" offspring under the bus for only being "one-sixteenth Italian." Never too early to start building your brand, bro.
DON'T bring "Ron Ron Juice" to second-grade story time. Actually, don't bring Ron Ron anywhere.
DO use Uncle Pauly's connections to score a residency at Karma. We've been waiting 20 years for the American answer to Jordy.
DON'T forget, when talking to Aunt JWoww, it's "eyes up here, mister."
DO get a part-time job at the Shore Store. What better way to learn the value of a hard-earned dollar than ironing slogans like "DTF" onto the butts of sweatpants? Also, given everything we've seen on the show, Danny doesn't even require his employees to show up on time ... or be conscious, for that matter.
DON'T go to Italy. Everyone knows that season was a disaster.
DO take nutritional advice from your mom. After all, pickles are low in saturated fat and a good source of Vitamin A ... and sodium puts hair on your chest.
DON'T listen to Aunt Sammi about anything. Especially relationships.
DO get a tetanus shot before setting foot in any Seaside Heights hot tub.
DON'T go near Uncle Situation's special tin of Altoids.
DO carry on the proud traditions of your ancestors by returning to the Shore each summer, honoring the holy trinity of "Gym, Tan, Laundry." At the very least, it will lead to the inevitable "Jersey Shore Juniors" spinoff.
DON'T listen to any of our advice. After all, we're the ones who had to work this weekend while you were being born.
Early Sunday morning, "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi gave birth to her first child, a 6-pound 5-ounce boy named Lorenzo Dominic LaValle. Lil' Lorenzo's arrival was celebrated by Snooki's "Shore" co-stars — including brand-new "uncle" Pauly D, who wasted no time bestowing an appropriate nickname on the bundle of joy, "Meatball" — and we'd like to join them in offering our sincerest congratulations to both the Snookster and Lorenzo's proud papa, Jionni LaValle.
But since Lorenzo's already got a cool nickname (not to mention more "Shore" onesies than we can possibly imagine), we figured that our congrats probably aren't enough. So we've decided to give him the next best thing: some life advice. Sure, he may be one day old, but it's never too early to start planning ahead. Here are some do's and don'ts for the newest member of the MTV family, in the hopes that all of his days are as magical as his first.
DO consider trademarking the phrase "Meatball." Not sure if this is even legally possible, but imagine the possibilities ... babywear, spicy strollers, a cookbook like Teresa Giudice's where you toss your fellow "Shore" offspring under the bus for only being "one-sixteenth Italian." Never too early to start building your brand, bro.
DON'T bring "Ron Ron Juice" to second-grade story time. Actually, don't bring Ron Ron anywhere.
DO use Uncle Pauly's connections to score a residency at Karma. We've been waiting 20 years for the American answer to Jordy.
DON'T forget, when talking to Aunt JWoww, it's "eyes up here, mister."
DO get a part-time job at the Shore Store. What better way to learn the value of a hard-earned dollar than ironing slogans like "DTF" onto the butts of sweatpants? Also, given everything we've seen on the show, Danny doesn't even require his employees to show up on time ... or be conscious, for that matter.
DON'T go to Italy. Everyone knows that season was a disaster.
DO take nutritional advice from your mom. After all, pickles are low in saturated fat and a good source of Vitamin A ... and sodium puts hair on your chest.
DON'T listen to Aunt Sammi about anything. Especially relationships.
DO get a tetanus shot before setting foot in any Seaside Heights hot tub.
DON'T go near Uncle Situation's special tin of Altoids.
DO carry on the proud traditions of your ancestors by returning to the Shore each summer, honoring the holy trinity of "Gym, Tan, Laundry." At the very least, it will lead to the inevitable "Jersey Shore Juniors" spinoff.
DON'T listen to any of our advice. After all, we're the ones who had to work this weekend while you were being born.
Monday, August 27, 2012
An actor’s life is sad
An actor’s life is sad
“An actor’s life is very sad. The biggest of superstars in our country fade away after some time and are remembered only when they die.
But what to do? It is very vulnerable, very sad, but that is the way it is. Nothing is permanent in their life,” Bipasha said in a recent interview.
A classic example is that of Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood’s first superstar. All but forgotten for almost a decade, he emerged briefly in a rather sad TV spot and the next thing fans knew was that he was in hospital, came out, went in again and came out for the last time - only to die a few days later. Of course, there was a nationwide outpouring of grief - and this is just the point Bipasha is making.
“Once you achieve success, you just want to work, you don’t want to be forgotten. It is an emotion that every actor worldwide, male or female, goes through,” said the 33-year-old, who plays an actress whose career is on the downfall in her forthcoming film Raaz 3.
Directed by filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, the movie, a sequel to the 2009 film Raaz, also stars Emraan Hashmi and Esha Gupta.
Bipasha says people want to know everything about an actor’s life and that is the reason films like The Dirty Picture, Raaz 3 and Heroine are made.
“Acting is a very enigmatic line. Being a celebrity people always want to know about your personal life - what you are? What you eat? How you live? Where you go? Who are you dating? How you breathe?”
Raaz 3 is about an actor’s struggle to attain fame and success. And the actress says that an actor’s life makes an interesting proposition for a movie theme.
“It is an interesting profession to make a film on - either the actor’s life or an actress’. In today’s time everybody wants to be an actor. It is a fascinating profession and people want to know what happens behind the scenes. And that is the reason there have been so many movies made on the same topic,” said Bipasha, who made her acting debut with the 2001 film Ajnabee.
So, are such films actually based on real life incidents?
“These are all fictional and drawn a little from reality. Such films are basically different types of storytelling of different directors, which make for very interesting stories,” added Bipasha.
‘THEY FORGET WE ARE ALSO HUMANS’
An actor’s personal life has always made headlines and even the Bengali beauty has not been spared - be it her relationship with Raaz co-star Dino Morea, or her romance with actor John Abraham and their break-up.
Though she does not let all that bother her a lot, she says the media and people should not forget that actors need some privacy.
“People are always interested to know what you are doing in your personal space. It makes great news for people to discuss over a meal. But they forget we are also humans, who have a personal life and we too go through good and bad times.
“It is quite harsh at times to expect an actor to be okay with whatever is written about him. Actors are not super humans, they are normal people,” said the actress, who has also worked in Tamil, Telugu and Bengali language films.
Known for her performances in films like Corporate and Dhoom 2, Bipasha is game for well-written comedies.
“An actor’s life is very sad. The biggest of superstars in our country fade away after some time and are remembered only when they die.
But what to do? It is very vulnerable, very sad, but that is the way it is. Nothing is permanent in their life,” Bipasha said in a recent interview.
A classic example is that of Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood’s first superstar. All but forgotten for almost a decade, he emerged briefly in a rather sad TV spot and the next thing fans knew was that he was in hospital, came out, went in again and came out for the last time - only to die a few days later. Of course, there was a nationwide outpouring of grief - and this is just the point Bipasha is making.
“Once you achieve success, you just want to work, you don’t want to be forgotten. It is an emotion that every actor worldwide, male or female, goes through,” said the 33-year-old, who plays an actress whose career is on the downfall in her forthcoming film Raaz 3.
Directed by filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, the movie, a sequel to the 2009 film Raaz, also stars Emraan Hashmi and Esha Gupta.
Bipasha says people want to know everything about an actor’s life and that is the reason films like The Dirty Picture, Raaz 3 and Heroine are made.
“Acting is a very enigmatic line. Being a celebrity people always want to know about your personal life - what you are? What you eat? How you live? Where you go? Who are you dating? How you breathe?”
Raaz 3 is about an actor’s struggle to attain fame and success. And the actress says that an actor’s life makes an interesting proposition for a movie theme.
“It is an interesting profession to make a film on - either the actor’s life or an actress’. In today’s time everybody wants to be an actor. It is a fascinating profession and people want to know what happens behind the scenes. And that is the reason there have been so many movies made on the same topic,” said Bipasha, who made her acting debut with the 2001 film Ajnabee.
So, are such films actually based on real life incidents?
“These are all fictional and drawn a little from reality. Such films are basically different types of storytelling of different directors, which make for very interesting stories,” added Bipasha.
‘THEY FORGET WE ARE ALSO HUMANS’
An actor’s personal life has always made headlines and even the Bengali beauty has not been spared - be it her relationship with Raaz co-star Dino Morea, or her romance with actor John Abraham and their break-up.
Though she does not let all that bother her a lot, she says the media and people should not forget that actors need some privacy.
“People are always interested to know what you are doing in your personal space. It makes great news for people to discuss over a meal. But they forget we are also humans, who have a personal life and we too go through good and bad times.
“It is quite harsh at times to expect an actor to be okay with whatever is written about him. Actors are not super humans, they are normal people,” said the actress, who has also worked in Tamil, Telugu and Bengali language films.
Known for her performances in films like Corporate and Dhoom 2, Bipasha is game for well-written comedies.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Prince Harry's life cannot be 'regulated' by royal protections officers, police chief says
Prince Harry's life cannot be 'regulated' by royal protections officers, police chief says
As third in line to the throne the Prince is one of the best protected members of the Royal Family and has at least two armed officers from the Metropolitan Police’s elite SO14 unit providing round the clock security.
Yesterday, there were questions about whether they should have done more to prevent the compromising photographs being taken.
But while the security detail will keep a close watch on the Prince’s activities and vet anyone he is in contact with, experts insist it is beyond their powers to provide a moral compass for the 27-year-old army captain.
Speaking about the incident yesterday (Wed), Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said it was not the job of the royal protection officers to oversee the Prince’s behaviour.
He said: “Royal protection officers are there to protect him for security reasons they are not there to regulate his life.”
But the fact members of the Prince’s entourage were able to take such embarrassing photographs will raise concern that he could have been targeted by blackmailers.
The former head of royal protection for the Metropolitan Police, Dai Davies, said there came a point when the Prince had to take some responsibility for his own security.
Mr Davies said: “The role of a royal protection officer is to protect, and that should cover all aspects of someone’s life. But the Prince is third in line to the throne, just two weeks ago he was representing the Queen and I don’t think he does himself any favours when he lets his guard down like this.”
“From a security point of view I’m sure he’s particularly safe. We are paying huge amounts of money for this young man to be followed everywhere he goes by security.
“But I don't envy their [security officers'] job. It must be a nightmare at times, trying to ensure that he doesn't get into these kinds of scrapes.
"I'm told he's a lovely man and everyone forgives him for whatever he has done almost as soon as he has done it. Of course, it's a difficult job. He's a young man with lots of testosterone.
"[William and Harry] are doing jobs they don't have to but on the other hand, with the privilege of being multi-millionaires, that has to come with a degree of responsibility. There's a balance and occasionally that balance slips.
Mr Davies added: “There are people who advise him, who should put the reins on occasionally. There are situations when, as the third in line, he's got to remember that but don't expect the rest of us to pay for that.”
The bill for royal security is estimated at around £120 million a year.
As third in line to the throne the Prince is one of the best protected members of the Royal Family and has at least two armed officers from the Metropolitan Police’s elite SO14 unit providing round the clock security.
Yesterday, there were questions about whether they should have done more to prevent the compromising photographs being taken.
But while the security detail will keep a close watch on the Prince’s activities and vet anyone he is in contact with, experts insist it is beyond their powers to provide a moral compass for the 27-year-old army captain.
Speaking about the incident yesterday (Wed), Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said it was not the job of the royal protection officers to oversee the Prince’s behaviour.
He said: “Royal protection officers are there to protect him for security reasons they are not there to regulate his life.”
But the fact members of the Prince’s entourage were able to take such embarrassing photographs will raise concern that he could have been targeted by blackmailers.
The former head of royal protection for the Metropolitan Police, Dai Davies, said there came a point when the Prince had to take some responsibility for his own security.
Mr Davies said: “The role of a royal protection officer is to protect, and that should cover all aspects of someone’s life. But the Prince is third in line to the throne, just two weeks ago he was representing the Queen and I don’t think he does himself any favours when he lets his guard down like this.”
“From a security point of view I’m sure he’s particularly safe. We are paying huge amounts of money for this young man to be followed everywhere he goes by security.
“But I don't envy their [security officers'] job. It must be a nightmare at times, trying to ensure that he doesn't get into these kinds of scrapes.
"I'm told he's a lovely man and everyone forgives him for whatever he has done almost as soon as he has done it. Of course, it's a difficult job. He's a young man with lots of testosterone.
"[William and Harry] are doing jobs they don't have to but on the other hand, with the privilege of being multi-millionaires, that has to come with a degree of responsibility. There's a balance and occasionally that balance slips.
Mr Davies added: “There are people who advise him, who should put the reins on occasionally. There are situations when, as the third in line, he's got to remember that but don't expect the rest of us to pay for that.”
The bill for royal security is estimated at around £120 million a year.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Match preview: India prepare to start life without Dravid, Laxman
Match preview: India prepare to start life without Dravid, Laxman
A reality check awaits the Indian cricket team as it gears up to begin life without the famed batting duo of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman when they take on a lowly New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series in Hydrabad on Thursday.
Sachin Tendulkar is the only player left of the 'Fabulous Five' brigade after Sourav Ganguly, followed by Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, and most recently, VVS Laxman bid adieu to international cricket.
Now the challenge for India is to overcome the transition phase in the upcoming home season, in which the team would play 10 Tests, 13 ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals, apart from the ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka in September.
It is no secret that the mighty Australians are still struggling after the fading away of their cricketing greats. Thus, India's young brigade would be keen to overcome this tough phase with the help of Tendulkar's experience before their real test starts in 2013 when they take on the current No. 1 Test side, South Africa.
Moreover, the Indian team is returning to Test action after a gap of seven months, which was preceded by two disastrous Test series.
After being drubbed 0-4 in England that stripped India off their No. 1 Test status, an identical rout followed in Australia.
The aftermath of the debacle was even more disturbing as Dravid and Laxman, the two important pillars of Indian cricket, retired ahead of the start of the new season.
Their absence would mean that India would be without the two prolific scorers, who had a total tally of 22,069 Test runs in 298 matches, almost after 16 years.
A reality check awaits the Indian cricket team as it gears up to begin life without the famed batting duo of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman when they take on a lowly New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series in Hydrabad on Thursday.
Sachin Tendulkar is the only player left of the 'Fabulous Five' brigade after Sourav Ganguly, followed by Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, and most recently, VVS Laxman bid adieu to international cricket.
Now the challenge for India is to overcome the transition phase in the upcoming home season, in which the team would play 10 Tests, 13 ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals, apart from the ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka in September.
It is no secret that the mighty Australians are still struggling after the fading away of their cricketing greats. Thus, India's young brigade would be keen to overcome this tough phase with the help of Tendulkar's experience before their real test starts in 2013 when they take on the current No. 1 Test side, South Africa.
Moreover, the Indian team is returning to Test action after a gap of seven months, which was preceded by two disastrous Test series.
After being drubbed 0-4 in England that stripped India off their No. 1 Test status, an identical rout followed in Australia.
The aftermath of the debacle was even more disturbing as Dravid and Laxman, the two important pillars of Indian cricket, retired ahead of the start of the new season.
Their absence would mean that India would be without the two prolific scorers, who had a total tally of 22,069 Test runs in 298 matches, almost after 16 years.
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