MOVING DAY!

DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM RUNNING OUT OF SPACE HERE, I HAVE BEGUN A NEW BLOG TODAY. I CAN NOW BE FOUND AT: http://www.sharpishkane.blogspot.com/.

THANKS!

SNAPSHOTS

THE WORLD FAMOUS POLAR BEAR, KNUT, HIDES BEHIND A POLE AT HIS SECOND MEETING WITH HIS NEW FEMALE MATE, GIANNA. THE PAIR ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO EACH OTHER THIS WEEK AT THE BERLIN ZOO.

LUXE MEN

LUXE MEN

MUSIC/ TOP 20 SINGLES 9-30-09

1. STADT--CASSANDRA STEEN w/ ADEL TAWIL
2. MILLION DOLLAR BILL--WHITNEY HOUSTON
3. CELEBRATION (remix)--MADONNA
4. RAINDROPS--BASEMENT JAXX
5. SHE WOLF--SHAKIRA
6. BLACK & BLUE--MIIKE SNOW
7. WE ARE GOLDEN--MIKA
8. BAD THINGS--JACE EVERETT
9. HEARTBREAK (remix)--FREEMASONS w/ SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR
10. UPRISING--MUSE
11. IZ ON--SOHNE MANNHEIMS
12. 4 EVER--VERONICAS
13. BE ALRIGHT (remix)--KRISTINE W
14. I DON'T BELIEVE IN HATE (remix)--AMBER
15. AIN'T NO STOPPIN US NOW (remix)--TABORAH & DARRYL O'BONNEAU
16. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--PET SHOP BOYS
17. EAST JESUS NOWHERE--GREEN DAY
18. SWEET DREAMS--BEYONCE
19. MEET ME HALFWAY--THE BLACK EYED PEAS
20. UNDERDOG--KASABIAN

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

CHARTBOUND
* BODIES--ROBBIE WILLIAMS
* FEELINGS GONE--BASEMENT JAXX
* HIDING ALL THE STARS (remix)--CHICANE
* HYPERCAINE (remix)--DJ FRESH
* I WILL BE HERE (remix)--TIESTO
* I'M NOT YOUR TOY--LA ROUX
* IN THE MORNING--EGYPT
* ITS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD--LOSTPROPHETS
* MY SECRET LOVER (remix)--PRIVATE
* PAPILLON--EDITORS
* SOMEDAY--ROB THOMAS
* TAKE ME AWAY--4 STRINGS
* WHEN I'M GONE--VIVIAN GIRLS
* YOU'RE NOT ALONE--TINCHY STRYDER

MUSIC/ TOP 20 ALBUMS 9-30-09

1. CELEBRATION--MADONNA
2. MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL--MARIAH CAREY
3. I LOOK TO YOU--WHITNEY HOUSTON
4. THE BOY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH--MIKA
5. DARUM LEBEN WIR--CASSANDRA STEEN
6. KEEP ON LOVING YOU--REBA MCENTIRE
7. IZ ON--SOHNE MANNHEIMS
8. THE RESISTANCE--MUSE
9. MIIKE SNOW--MIIKE SNOW
10. ONLY BY THE NIGHT--KINGS OF LEON
11. ALI E RADACI--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
12. THE POWER OF MUSIC--KRISTINE W
13. HUMBUG--ARCTIC MONKEYS
14. GLASVEGAS--GLASVEGAS
15. A MI EDAD--TIZIANO FERRO
16. GRAN CITY POP--PAULINA RUBIO
17. THE STEADY RHYTHM--IVRI LIDER
18. FAME (2009)--SOUNDTRACK
19. ITS NOT ME, ITS YOU--LILY ALLEN
20. ONE LOVE--DAVID GUETTA

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

BOOKS/ TOP 20 BOOKS 9-30-09

1. HOMER'S ODYSSEY--GWEN COOPER
NonFiction/A story of love about a blind feline named Homer.
2. WHERE MEN WIN GLORY--JON KRAKAUER
NonFiction/The life and death of Pat Tillman.
3. OFFICIAL BOOK CLUB SELECTION--KATHY GRIFFIN
NonFiction/The noted comedianne's memoirs of her life thus far.
4. THE MEANING OF MATTHEW--JUDY SHEPARD
NonFiction/The mother of Matthew Shepard, tells the story of their lives and his murder.
5. TRUE COMPASS--EDWARD M KENNEDY
NonFiction/The autobiography of the late Senator.
6. BURIAL--NEIL CROSS
Fiction/A long buried secret threatens the lives of those involved.
7. A BIG LITTLE LIFE--DEAN KOONTZ
NonFiction/A memoir of Trixie, the authors joyful dog.
8. THE LOST SYMBOL--DAN BROWN
Fiction/Robert Langdon returns on the trail of a new mystery.
9. THE GROUND TRUTH--JOHN FARMER
NonFiction/A member of the 9/11 commission tells of events from that day forward.
10. THE DYING LIGHT--HENRY PORTER
Fiction/A former spy takes on the police state of Britain, in a search for the truth.
11. THE PRICE OF LOVE--PETER ROBINSON
Fiction/11 short mysteries, including some with DCI Allan Banks.
12. PILGRIMS--GARRISON KEILLOR
Fiction/More adventures from Lake Wobegon.
13. THE HIDDEN LIFE OF DEER--ELIZABETH MARSHALL THOMAS
NonFiction/The noted anthropologist examines the lives of deer.
14. HURRICANES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO--KEIM & MULLER
NonFiction/An exhaustive review of storms from 1900 thru Hurricane Ike in 2008.
15. TARGET--SIMON KERNICK
Fiction/No one believes a man who reports a horrorific crime.
16. BLOOD LINE--MARK BILLINGHAM
Fiction/DI Thorne on the trail of of a twisted serial killer in London.
17. THE WATER'S EDGE--KARIN FOSSUM
Fiction/Inspector Sejer investigates a childs murder in Norway.
18. HADRIAN--ANTHONY EVERETT
NonFiction/Biography of the Roman Emperor in the 2nd century A.D.
19. FLYING DRUNK--JOSEPH BALZER
NonFiction/The story of 2 Northwest Airlines Pilots who flew intoxicated.
20. GO DOWN TOGETHER--JEFF GUINN
NonFiction/The untold story of Bonnie & Clyde.

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

TV/ TOP 10 PROGRAMS 9-30-09

1. SURVIVOR: SAMOA (CBS)
2. CSI (CBS) *
3. THE AMAZING RACE (CBS) *
4. THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA (Bravo)
5. HEROES (NBC)
6. THE GHOST WHISPERER (CBS) *
7. MEDIUM (CBS) *
8. GLEE (FOX)
9. THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
10. PROJECT RUNWAY (Lifetime)

*--Season Premiere

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

THEATRE/A RIVETING "RAIN": The Chicago transfer of "A Steady Rain," starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, opened on Broadway last night to mostly positive reviews. Jackman and Craig star as 2 Chicago policemen, who have been friends since childhood. Variety said: "We've seen characters like the men in "A Steady Rain" before -- frustrated city patrolmen dreaming about making detective, maybe bending the law a little yet convinced they're doing an honest job. And we've seen variations on their downward spiral and partner conflict in gritty cop shows from "NYPD Blue" through "The Wire" to "Southland." But playwright Keith Huff recharges those familiar elements by approaching events usually outlined in action terms with the probing eye of a forensics investigator and psych profiler combined. Pair that with John Crowley's taut production, not to mention actors with the charisma and command of Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, and you get riveting theater". The New York Times was less enthusiastic, saying: "A Steady Rain,” is probably best regarded as a small, wobbly pedestal on which two gods of the screen may stand in order to be worshiped. Not that Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman are striking Olympian poses. On the contrary, playing a couple of all-too-human Chicago cops whose friendship is direly tested, these strapping actors work hard to tamp down associations with their super-heroic franchise film roles, that of James Bond (Mr. Craig) and the X-Man mutant known as Wolverine (Mr. Jackman)". "A Steady Rain" runs 90 minutes and is playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater on Broadway thru December 5. The production is nearly sold out.

THEATRE/"ENRON" BOOKS BROADWAY: Lucy Prebble's "Enron," which recently opened a sold out 6 week engagement at London's Royal Court's Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, will arrive on Broadway in April 2010. The production will begin previews at a Shubert theatre to be announced April 8, 2010, with an official opening April 27. No casting has been announced for the production, although a casting notice states that the New York run will feature an all-American cast. The Jerwood Theatre production will transfer to London's West End with performances at the Noel Coward Theatre scheduled to begin January 16, 2010. Based on real-life events and using music, dance and video, "Enron" "explores one of the most infamous scandals in financial history, reviewing the tumultuous 1990s and casting a new light on the financial turmoil in which the world currently finds itself."

MEDIA/ THE SUN DUMPS LABOUR

UK prime minister Gordon Brown has shrugged off a newspaper's decision to back the Conservatives at the next election by insisting "it is people that decide elections". The headline of today's Sun Newspaper is headlined "Labour's Lost it". The tabloid backed Labour in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections but the prime minister said: "It's the British people's views I'm interested in." The Sun's declaration came hours after Mr Brown's party conference speech insisted Labour was "not done yet". Brown has steadily lost support in the last several months in the UK, due mostly to the economy. Experts predict that he will have to call an election soon, and from all accounts, Labour could be swept out of power.

WORLD NEWS/ MAJOR QUAKE HITS INDONESIA

A powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia today, trapping thousands under collapsed buildings, including 2 hospitals, and triggering landslides. At least 75 people were killed on Sumatra island and the death toll was expected to climb sharply. The magnitude 7.6 quake struck at 5:15pm, local time, just off the coast of Padang city the USGS said. It was along the same fault line that spawned the massive 2004 Asian tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries. A tsunami warning for countries along the Indian Ocean was issued, and panicked residents fled to higher ground fearing giant waves. The warning was lifted about an hour later. When the quake struck, the ground was shaking so hard that people sat down on the streets to avoid falling over, footage shot in Padang and broadcast by local TVOne network showed. Initial reports received by the government said 75 people were killed, but the real number is "definitely higher than that," said the Indonesian Vice President. Government officials said that a mall and 2 hospitals had collapsed in Padang, a sprawling low-lying city in Western Sumatra province of around 900,000 people that geologists have warned could be vulnerable to a massive quake or tsunami. The head of the Health Ministry's crisis center, said "thousands of people are trapped under the collapsed houses." TV One said the quake triggered landslides that cut all roads to Padang. Power and telecommunications were also cut. Fire also broke out in buildings on a road to the city, officials said. The shaking could be felt in high buildings in Jakarta, several hundred miles away. It was also felt in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. Padang was badly hit by an 8.4 magnitude quake in September 2007, when dozens of people died and several large buildings collapsed.

WORLD NEWS/ QUAKE & TSUNAMI HIT SAMOA

Disaster officials rushed food, medicine and a temporary morgue to the Samoas today after a powerful earthquake unleashed a tsunami that flattened villages and swept cars and people out to sea. At least 111 people were killed--22 in American Samoa, 82 in Samoa and 7 in Tonga. Survivors fled the waves for higher ground on the South Pacific islands after the magnitude 8.0 quake struck at 6:48am, local time, yesterday. 4 tsunami waves 15 to 20 feet high roared ashore on American Samoa about 15 minutes after the quake, reaching up to a mile inland. Military transports carrying medical personnel, food, water, medicines and other supplies were headed to the stricken islands. New Zealand's acting Prime Minister said tents, stretchers, the temporary morgue facilities and a body identification team were sent to Samoa after a "specific request" from local officials, who are "are very concerned about the growing death toll." The quake was centered about 120 miles south of the islands of Samoa, which has about 220,000 people, and American Samoa, a US territory of 65,000.

WORLD NEWS/ KETSANA DEVASTATES SE ASIA

Typhoon Ketsana extended its trail of destruction across Southeast Asia today, killing at least 66 people in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and unleashing some of the worst floods in a decade. Tens of thousands of people fled as landslides wiped out homes and rising waters submerged villages and ancient world heritage sites, just days after Ketsana killed 246 people in the Philippines. Ketsana barrelled into Laos today after being downgraded to a tropical depression, while aid workers struggled to reach stranded survivors and get urgently needed supplies to the homeless. In Vietnam, officials with the flood and storm control committee said at least 55 people died, including 13 in Kon Tum, a mountainous inland province, and 14 in central Quang Ngai province, where the typhoon made landfall. Another 11 were missing. Cambodia said 11 people died when the storm struck overnight, while there were no immediate reports of casualties from Laos. The Philippines is still struggling to cope with the aftermath of floods caused by Ketsana that have affected more than 2 million people, with the US military set to send troops and equipment there to help. Ketsana, at the time a tropical storm, dumped the heaviest rains in more than 4 decades on Manila and surrounding areas on Saturday, flooding 80% of the nation's capital.

Meanwhile, officials in The Philippines are keeping their eye on 3 storms to the E of the country. The closest storm, Typhoon Parma is forecast to continue to strengthen, and could reach Category 3 status by Saturday. The current forecast, pictured above, suggests that Parma will turn to the NW, but it could impact Luzon this coming weekend. Futher out is Tropical Storm Melor which should become a Typhoon later this week, and reach Category 2 status by Saturday. Tropical Depression 18 has also formed in the last 24 hours, and its forecast to slowly strengthen. Forecasters say that it is too soon to predict the path of Melor or TD 18 at this point.

AVIATION/ BA BEGINS A318 JFK SERVICE

BRITISH AIRWAYS completed its inaugural all-business Airbus A318 service to New York from London City, arriving ahead of schedule. BA Flight 001 departed London City and its intermediate refueling stop of Shannon, Ireland, early, and arrived in JFK at 4:35pm, yesterday. BA took delivery of the 1st aircraft last month, with an interior of a dark brown base color. Each of the 32 seats transforms to a lie-flat bed and a pop-up arm is designed to accommodate a snap-in portable video screen. The seat positions also feature amenities including laptop power, individual reading lamps, and an ottoman which doubles to extend the bed length. The A318 is equipped with the OnAir system to allow in-flight transmission of email and text messages, and cabin crew can select mood lighting from a forward control panel.

AVIATION/ BIRD STRIKE CAPTURED ON FILM

A plane-spotter on the ground captured these amazing images of a GERMANIA Boeing 737 suffering a bird strike on takeoff from Dusseldorf, Germany, on Sunday. As posted yesterday, Germania Flight 8656, with 80 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency immediately upon takeoff from Dusseldorf. The crew reported that a flock of starlings impacted the right hand side of the aircraft with a number of birds ingested into the right hand engine. The 737 landed back at Dusseldorf without incident, about 45 minutes after its initial departure. A post flight inspection revealed multiple dents in the fuselage, but the skin was not pierced. The aircraft was removed from service for a full inspection and repairs. Airport officials in Dusseldorf estimate that about 200 starlings were in the flock that collided with the aircraft.

AVIATION/ DELTA FL85 FINALLY ARRIVES AT JFK

Passengers attempting to fly from Egypt to the US onboard a DELTA AIRLINES jet this week, were hit with 2 days of delays. On Monday, September 28. Delta Flight 85 was on Scheduled International Boeing 767 Service from Cairo, Egypt, to New York JFK, with 206 passengers and crew onboard. Shortly after takeoff, the crew declared an emergency reporting the failure of the left hand engine. The 767 landed back at Cairo without incident, about 30 minutes later. The 767 was removed from service for inspection and repairs. The flight was then canceled and passengers were booked into hotels for the night. Yesterday, a replacement Boeing 767 served for Flight 85, which departed Cairo with 227 passengers and crew onboard. As the aircraft prepared to leave Egyptian airspace, the flight crew was notified that a passenger reported to cabin crew that they had received a box from a friend just before departure without knowing the contents of the box. The crew decided to return to Cairo, and the 767 landed back at the Airport about 1 hour later. The box was inspected upon arrival in Cairo, and it was found to contain birthday cookies. Flight 85 departed Cairo once again a short time later, without the passenger who had carried the cookies. 9 other passengers also declined to take the flight. The 767 arrived at JFK yesterday without incident, about 3 hours past its scheduled arrival.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

BFU UPDATES ON GERMANWINGS FL8962: The German Bundestelle fuer Flugunfalluntersuchungen (BFU) issued an update into an incident involving a GERMANWINGS A319 on July 16, 2009, in Berlin, Germany. On that date, Flight 8962 was on Scheduled International Service from Berlin to Pula, Croatia. The crew declared an emergency about 30 minutes after departure and requested return to Berlin. The A319 landed without incident back in Berlin, however with open gear doors, as seen in photo above. The aircraft had to be towed off the runway. In its update, the BFU stated that the Air Data Inertial Reference Unit No.1 (ADIRU1) had failed. The BFU also said that they are now conducting a full investigation into the incident.

ARKIA DASH IN EMERGENCY LANDING: ARKIA ISRAELI AIRLINES Flight 807 was on Scheduled Domestic Dash 7-100 Service from Tel Aviv to Eilat, Israel, when it had to make an emergency landing in Eilat, yesterday, September 29. Flight 807, with 56 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency while on approach to Eilat. The crew reported that they had received an unsafe gear indication and aborted their approach. The Dash landed without incident on its 2nd approach, and was then removed from service for inspection and possible repairs.

AIR WISCONSIN CRJ SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE: AIR WISCONSIN Flight 3954 was on Scheduled Domestic CRJ200 Service from Greenville, South Carolina, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on behalf of US AIRWAYS, when it had to make an emergency return to Greenville, on Monday, September 28. Flight 3954 was climbing thru 14000 feet after departing Greenville, when a bird struck the CRJ just under the cockpit windshield. The crew declared an emergency and landed back at Greenville without incident, about 15 minutes later. In a brief statement, the FAA said that the CRJ suffered minor damage to a panel below the windshield. The aircraft was removed from service for further inspection and repairs.

CREW LOSES CONTROL OF JAZZ DASH: AIR CANADA JAZZ Flight 8749 was on Scheduled Domestic Dash 8-100 Service from Quebec to Ottawa, Canada, when the crew lost momentary control of the aircraft, on Monday, September 28. Flight 8749, with 38 passengers and crew onboard, was descending thru 22000 feet, when it encountered turbulence. The crew reported that they lost momentary control of the aircraft. The Dash landed in Ottawa without incident, about 30 minutes after the incident. According to a brief statement from the Canadian TSB, there were no injuries in the incident, as all passengers and crew were seated with seatbelts on. The incident is under investigation.

CHINA EASTERN 737 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE: CHINA EASTERN Flight 2527 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Wuhan to Qingdao, China, when it had to make an emergency landing in Qingdao, on Monday, September 28. Flight 2527 was on approach to Qingdao, when a loud bang was heard inside the aircraft. The crew did not detect any abnormal indications and continued to land at Qingdao without incident. A post flight inspection revealed that a bird had struck the 737 in the lower part of the nose cone. There was no damage to the aircraft, other than the impact mark, thus the 737 was returned to service. The same aircraft had been involved in another bird strike on September 22 in Dalian, China. No damage was noted in that incident.

ALASKA 737 REJECTS TAKEOFF: ALASKA AIRLINES Flight 180 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Alaska, when it had to reject takeoff from Fairbanks, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 180, with 94 passengers and crew onboard, rejected takeoff from runway 19R at high speed when the crew saw another aircraft descending towards runway 01L at too close a distance for their comfort. The 737 slowed safely and exited the runway at taxiway L. The arriving aircraft, Alaska Airlines Flight 55, a Boeing 737 from Anchorage with 45 passengers and crew onboard, landed without incident. Flight 180 departed about 70 minutes after the incident. The FAA is investigating the incident.

HYDRAULICS FAIL ON US AIRWAYS A320: US AIRWAYS Flight 415 was on Scheduled Domestic A320 Service from Phoenix, Arizona, to San Francisco, California, when it had to make an emergency return to Phoenix, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 415 declared an emergency moments after takeoff, with the crew reporting a hydraulics problem. The crew leveled off at 5000 feet, and then notified the tower that they were unable to extend the landing flaps and had to use alternate gear extension. The A320 was able to make a safe landing, despite landing at a higher than normal speed, and with gear doors open. The aircraft was then removed from service for inspection and repairs.

SNAPSHOTS

GALE FORCE WINDS ARE CAPTURED LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON ON THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE NEAR DUNKIRK, NEW YORK.

LUXE MEN

LUXE MEN

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

THEATRE/CELL PHONE STOPS JACKMAN: Hugh Jackman stopped the show, literally, during a Broadway performance when he addressed an audience member whose mobile phone kept ringing. Jackman stars alongside Daniel Craig in "A Steady Rain," which officially opens tonight. During a preview performance, and in the middle of a tense dramatic scene, a phone can be heard. While staying in character, Jackman, pictured at left during the incident, points to the phone offender and says: “You wanna get that? You wanna get that, grab it I don’t care. Grab your phone it doesn’t matter." A few seconds later the phone starts to ring again prompting Jackman, still in character to say: “Come on, just turn it off unless you got a better story, you want to get up and tell your story?” Craig then also chimes in with: “Can you get that, whoever it is can you just get it? We can wait just get the phone,” Craig says. There is no word on if the audience member fled after the confrontation.
FILM/MALAYSIA BANS "BRUNO": Muslim-majority Malaysia has banned British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's raunchy comedy "Bruno" because it contains "a lot of sex," a senior official said today.The film, which stars Cohen as a gay Austrian fashionista, has been a box office hit in some countries while being banned elsewhere for over-the-top scenes including sex acts and full-frontal nudity. "The movie has been banned in Malaysia because of the sexual content. It was decided by a 3-man committee. (There is) a lot of sex in it," an official with the National Film Censorship Board told AFP. He said the panel judges movies based on whether they feature violence, horror, sex or counter-cultural themes."In the case of Bruno, the ban is based on its sex and counter-culture content," he said on condition of anonymity. "Borat" was also banned in Malaysia, a conservative country with a multicultural population including 60% Muslim Malays. Since last year alone, Malaysia has banned 5 movies, the most recent being US horror film "Halloween II," written and directed by Rob Zombie.

FOX GREENLIGHTS "DEEP BLUE": 20th Century Fox is given the greenlight to several film projects, many of which were in doubt when the management recently underwent a shakeup. The most prominent of the bunch is "The Deep Blue Goodbye," an adaptation of the John D. MacDonald mystery novel series that has Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star. DiCaprio is in line to play Travis McGee, a self-described beach bum who lives aboard 52-foot houseboat the Busted Flush and alleviates his cash-flow problems by hiring on as a "salvage consultant." He recovers property for clients, taking a hefty percentage and getting into a lot of danger and romance in sun-drenched Florida. "The Deep Blue Goodbye," the first in a 21-volume bestselling Travis McGee series, was originally published in 1964. No start date has been set for the film.

FILM/BOFFO PRE-SALES FOR JACKSON PIC: The Michael Jackson concert film "This Is It" is racking up record-breaking presales as fans line up to purchase tickets for advanced screenings of the Sony pic, which opens October 27. In Los Angeles, ticketbuyers started camping out Thursday at the Nokia Plaza at L.A. Live to buy tickets for the L.A. screenings, which sold out all 3,000 seats within the 1st 2 hours on Sunday. The L.A. showings are the first engagement at Regal's new L.A. Live Cinemas, where the Jackson film will show on all 14 screens. The film, directed by Kenny Ortega, gets an industry premiere on October 27, and the 1st public showing is at 9pm that night. "This Is It" accounted for some 80% of all online ticketing in the US within its 1st 24 hours of sales, dominating presales compared with such upcoming titles as "Avatar" and "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." In London, the dilm sold more than 30,000 tickets, eclipsing advance buying in the U.K. for films like "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Japanese theaters recorded more than $1 million in ticket sales within the 1st 24 hours; sell-outs also occurred in France, Australia, Germany and New Zealand. The film chronicles the last 3 months of Jackson's life, with behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for his sold-out concerts slated for London's O2 Arena.

MUSIC/LUCY VODDEN DIES AT 46: The woman who inspired The Beatles' legendary song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds has died aged 46 from an autoimmune disease. Lucy O'Donnell was at school with John Lennon's son, Julian, when she was three and it was his picture of her in 1966 that inspired the classic song. According to various biographies of The Beatles and O'Donnell herself, the young Julian took the picture home to his father and explained: "It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds." The song, which featured on the Fab Four's 1967 album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, caused huge controversy at the time because of its psychedelic theme and supposed reference to the drug LSD though its initials, a charge always denied as pure coincidence by the songwriter Lennon. Julian Lennon and O'Donnell, who became Lucy Vodden after her marriage, resumed their friendship in recent months after she became ill with lupus, the disease of the immune system that led to her death last Tuesday.

MUSIC/DJ AM DIED OF OVERDOSE: DJ Adam Goldstein aka DJ AM died of an accidental overdose according to the New York City medical examiner's office. A toxicology report shows Goldstein had a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs and cocaine in his system. The cause of death has been given as acute intoxication due to the combined effects the drugs. The 36-year-old Hollywood DJ, who once dated Nicole Richie, was found dead in his New York apartment on August 28. Goldstein spoke openly about his previous drug addictions and had recently filmed a reality TV show for MTV which aimed at helping drug users. He cheated death last year when he survived a plane crash alongside close friend and DJ partner Travis Barker from Blink 182. 4 of their friends were killed in the accident. DJ AM played at Hollywood clubs, parties and festivals and was also well known for his private life. He had often appeared in celebrity magazines as he had dated reality star Nicole Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, and actress and singer Mandy Moore.

WORLD NEWS/ KETSANA TOLL SURGES

Typhoon Ketsana slammed into Vietnam this morning as a Category 2 typhoon with 105mph winds. Ketsana brought sustained winds of 55mph, gusting to 71mph to Da Nang, Vietnam. Heavy rainfall amounts of 7.2" and 9.1" were observed at Da Nang, and Hue, respectively, over the past 2 days. Floods and landslides in Vietnam from Ketsana's heavy rains have already claimed at least 22 lives.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Philippines from Ketsana continues to rise, with 284 dead or missing. The storm flooded the homes of 1.9 million people, leaving 350,000 people homeless. Ketsana brought 16.7 inches of rain in a 12 hour period to Manila on Saturday, when it struck the country as a Tropical Storm. That rainfall was the heaviest 1 day rainfall ever recorded in the city. Ketsana is the 3rd deadliest deadliest tropical cyclone to affect the globe so far this year. The deadliest was Typhoon Morakot, which left 654 people dead or missing on Taiwan, when it hit the island as a Category 2 typhoon on August 7. The 2nd deadliest was Cyclone Aila, which made landfall near the India/Bangladesh border on May 25 as a tropical storm with 70mph winds. Aila killed at least 339 people, 149 in India and 190 in Bangladesh. The Philippines have 3 more tropical cyclones to their E to keep an eye on. So far, none of these storms appear to pose a major threat. Tropical Storm Parma is expected to curve to the northwest and miss the islands, Tropical Depression 18 is expected to dissipate, and newly-formed Tropical Depression 20 will probably pass to the N of the islands.

AVIATION/ ABUSIVE PAX SENT TO JAIL

A drunken holidaymaker who called a Flight Attendant "a poof," during a transatlantic flight, was jailed yesterday in the UK. Grant Smith, 36, was abusive and aggressive towards cabin crew after drinking heavily before and during a delayed New Year's Eve flight from Manchester to the Dominican Republic, the Manchester Crown Court heard. The prosecuter said that Smith was 1 of several passengers whose bad behavior caused the plane to be diverted to Bermuda after it took off 3 hours late. The court heard that Smith, who was accompanied by his girlfriend and another couple, drank alcohol he carried on to THOMSON AIRWAYS Flight 133 on December 31 last year. The prosecuter said that problems began an hour into the flight when the Flight Attendants' wallet was taken by some of the 253 passengers and thrown around the cabin of the Boeing 767. Smith retrieved the wallet and handed it back to the male Flight Attendant, but became abusive and demanded food, the court heard. Smith also got into an argument with his friend, before being issued with 2 formal warning letters by the Captain, which he ripped up. The court heard: "He was also found by a door, saying, "I'm not sure what I'll do, I'll f*****g kill somebody, or words to that effect." Smith and 6 other passengers, who were not charged., were removed from the aircraft when it landed in Bermuda. The incident cost the Airline around £50,000. Smith's own lawyer said his client admitted calling Mr Burrows a "poof" but denied it was expressed as a homophobic comment. He said: "It's a phrase that's used in some areas less for comment on someone's sexuality but more on the way they're behaving." He said Smith was not the only rowdy passenger and was subjected to threats by a group of passengers from Liverpool. The judge, when giving Smith his sentence, said: "Passengers and crew travelling on aircraft are entitled to do so without being confronted by drunken behaviour carried out by people like yourself." The judge said homophobic comments were "not acceptable" and said he hoped to see him banned from flying with the Airline. He then jailed Smith, of Burnley, Lancashire, for just over 10 months.

AVIATION/ GREAT BARRIER JET CRASHES IN NZ

A GREAT BARRIER ISLANDS Piper Cherokee Six crashed today, while on its intial climb out of Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. According to media reports, crashed into a swamp at 1:10pm, local time, moments after it took off from the airfield, with a full load of 4 passengers and 2 Pilots onboard. Only 1 of the Pilots was flying, with the other Pilot flying as a non-revenue passenger. Rescuers waded in water up to their waists to get to the wrecked plane to help the occupants to safety. 1 of those participating in the rescue said that the aircraft may have been caught by a strong gust of wind moments after it became airborne. The gust flipped it sideways, he said. "It caught one wing...it screwed around and went down. From accounts of the people we brought out...the plane just suddenly flipped on its side with a wind gust." Most of the occupants walked out of the swamp although they were all in shock. 2 of those onboard, a passenger and 1 of the Pilots, were injured in the crash. The 2 were treated on the scene, before being airlifted to an Auckland hospital. Their injuries are said to not be life threatening. After getting the Pilot's and passengers off the aircraft, the rescuers went back for their luggage and retrieved it all but for a couple of small bags they could not reach. Great Barrier Airlines would not comment on the possible cause of the crash, but said the engine was running when the aircraft came down about a kilometre from the end of the runway. Aviation officials in New Zealand have launched an investigation into the crash.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

"SULLY" RETURNS TO US AIRWAYS: US AIRWAYS announced today that Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who piloted Flight 1549 during its emergency water landing on the Hudson River in January, is returning to work in a new role as a management Pilot. In addition to his flying duties, Capt. Sullenberger will join the US Airways flight operations safety management team. "We welcome Capt. Sullenberger back to work and are proud to have him flying with us again as a member of the US Airways safety management organization," said the Chairman and CEO. "US Airways is an industry leader when it comes to safety and Sully is an excellent addition to the team." "The months since January 15 have been very full, and my family and I have had some unforgettable experiences," said Capt. Sullenberger. "However, I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways and I am eager to get back in the cockpit with my fellow Pilots in the months ahead. In my new role, I will continue to be the same kind of advocate for aviation safety that I have been for several decades.

RYANAIR PILES ON THE CHARGES: RYANAIR announced yesterday that it will complete the removal of all its Airport check-in desks next week, while charges for checking in baggage are set to rise. All passengers travelling from Thursday will be required to check in online at least 4 hours and no more than 15 days before their scheduled departure and print their own boarding pass, at a cost of £5 per person, per flight. Anyone checking in luggage will have to use Ryanair's new "bag drop" desks. The Airline has given warning that anyone arriving at the Airport without a boarding pass will be unable to fly or will have to pay a fee of £40 for 1 at the ticketing desk. A spokesman for Ryanair said the changes will improve passengers' experience of the Airport and allow the Airline to continue offering the lowest fares. When Ryanair announced the changes last March, they said that 75% of passengers were already checking in online, and only 30% were checking bags. A spokesman for the Air Transport Users Council urged Ryanair to show more sympathy to its customers. "Passengers may lose their boarding cards and a £40 reissue charge is very steep. It certainly doesn't reflect the cost to the airline," they said. All flights booked with Ryanair from Thursday will be subject to increased charges for checked in luggage. The cost of checking in a single bag, with a maximum weight of 15kg, will rise from £20 to £30 per flight. Anyone wishing to check in a 2nd bag will have to pay a further £70 per flight.

AIRBUS UPDATES ON SINGAPORE FL333: Airbus has released a brief statement in regards to an incident involving a SINGAPORE AIRLINES Airbus A380 on Sunday, September 27. Singapore Flight 333 was on Scheduled International Service from Paris, France, to Singapore, with 444 passengers and crew onboard, when it had to make an emergency return to Paris, after the No.1 engine failed. The A380 landed back at Paris without incident. In their statement, Airbus said that the incident was a "non-event" in technical terms. The chief executive of Airbus manufacturer EADS, went on to say: "Engine failure on a 4 engine aircraft does happen and nobody should think of it as a drama. In technical terms, it is not an event. This airplane would have been able to reach its destination with 3 engines out of 4 with no difficulty." Singapore Airlines and Rolls-Royce, the British manufacturer of the engines, both said they were investigating. Rolls-Royce said that Engine No.1 had been removed as part of the investigation. Once a replacement engine has been fitted, the A380 will return to service.

SA AIRLINK UPDATES ON FL8911 CRASH: SA AIRLINK has released an update into the condition of the 4 people injured last week in the crash of SA Airlink Flight 8911 in Durban, South Africa. On Thursday September 24, Flight 8911 was on a Jetstream 41 Positioning Flight from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, with 3 crew members onboard. On takeoff from Durban, the Jetstream 41 crashed into a schoolyard. Investigators have said that they believe that engine failure caused the crash. In a statement, SA Airlink said that the Captain of the flight had undergone a 10 hour surgery and is in stable, yet critical condition, due to a punctured lung, broken ribs, leg injuries and facial fractures. The First Officer underwent surgeries as well and is now in a stable condition. The Flight Attendant is recovering well from a spinal injury. 1 person in the schoolyard, who had been clearing ground outside the school and was hit by the wing of the aircraft, received multiple leg fractures, underwent surgeries, and is in stable condition. SA Airlink went on to say that the wreckage has been moved to a secure hangar in Johannesburg, where it will be available to South Africa's accident investigators for further examination.

UAL 747 ABORTS TAKEOFF: UNITED AIRLINES Flight 900 was on Scheduled International Boeing 747 Service from San Francisco, California, to Frankfurt, Germany, when it had to reject takeoff from SFO, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 900 rejected takeoff at high speed after a nose wheel tire burst, leaving debris across 3 runways. Emergency Services were deployed to monitor the hot brakes, and to assist in the towing of the aircraft off the runway. The 747 was then removed from service for inspection and repairs. All runways at SFO, except 1, had to be closed until the debris could be cleared, prompting multiple delays in departures and arrivals.

HYDRAULICS LEAK DIVERTS JETBLUE ERJ: JETBLUE Flight 592 was on Scheduled Domestic ERJ190 Service from Orlando, Florida, to Westchester County, New York, when it had to divert while enroute, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 592, with 88 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency with the crew reporting a hydraulics leak. The ERJ was divert to New York JFK. The crew requested an ILS approach runway 04L, but aborted the approach when the glideslope didn't work. A 2nd attempt to runway 04L failed when both localizer and glideslope needles did not work. The crew then decided to approach runway 22R, where the ERJ landed without nose gear steering. The ERJ was removed from service for a full inspection and repairs.

SMOKE DIVERTS AIR FRANCE 747: AIR FRANCE Flight 439 was on Scheduled International Boeing 747 Service from Mexico City, Mexico, to Paris, France, when it had to divert while enroute, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 439 was inflight at 33000 feet, near Elmira, New York, when the crew declared an emergency. The crew reported smoke in the cockpit and requested diversion. The 747 was diverted to Montreal, Canada, where it landed 30 minutes later without incident. The aircraft was inspected and cleared to resume its flight after 5 hours on the ground. There is no word from the Airline on what might have caused the smoke.

GERMANIA 737 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE: GERMANIA Flight 8656 was on Scheduled International Boeing 737 Service from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Pristina, Kosovo/Serbia, when it had to make an emergency return to Dusseldorf, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 8656, with 80 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency immediately upon takeoff from Dusseldorf. The crew reported that a flock of starlings impacted the right hand side of the aircraft with a number of birds ingested into the right hand engine. The 737 landed back at Dusseldorf without incident, about 45 minutes after its initial departure. According to media reports, the aircraft was damaged in the incident and has been removed from service for a full damage assessment.

ENGINE FAILS ON AIR ALAND SAAB: AIR ALAND Flight 284 was on Scheduled Domestic Saab 340A Service from Mariehamn, Aland, to Helsinki, Finland, when it had to make an emergency landing in Helsinki, on Sunday, September 27. Flight 284, with 33 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency on approach to Helsinki, with the crew reporting that they had abnormal indications for the right hand engine, which prompted them to shut the engine down. The Saab landed without incident in Helsinki, and was removed from service for inspection and repairs.

PAX STARTS SMALL FIRE ON AIR FINLAND 757: AIR FINLAND Flight 476 was on Scheduled International Boeing 757 Service from Malaga, Spain, to Helsinki, Finland, when a small fire broke out onboard, on Sunday, September 27. A passenger onboard Flight 476 had lit a cigarette in the lavatory and disposed ot it in the trash container. A short time later, a Flight Attendant found the trash bin smoldering, and extinguished the fire with water. The 757 continued on to Helsinki, where it landed without incident. In a brief statement, Air Finland said that Finnish police are investigating the incident, and are attempting to track down the passenger responsible for the incident.

UNRULY PAX DISRUPTS RYANAIR FLIGHT: RYANAIR Flight 8558 was on Scheduled International Boeing 737 Service from Dublin, Ireland, to Berlin, Germany, when it had to make an emergency landing in Berlin, on Friday, September 25. Flight 8558, with 176 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency while nearing Berlin. The flight crew reported that an intoxicated male passenger had begun a disturbance, and had claimed that he had a bomb onboard. The 737 landed without incident in Berlin, and was met by German police, who took the passenger into custody. The aircraft was searched and no trace of any explosives were found. The male passenger will face multiple charges in a German court.

HYDAULICS LEAK ON ANA 777: ANA Flight 247 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 777 Service from Tokyo to Fukuoka, Japan, when it developed problems on arrival at Fukuoka, on Friday, September 25. Flight 247, with 396 passengers and 13 crew members onboard, was notified by the Fukuoka Tower, that upon touchdown on the runway, smoke was seen coming from the left hand gear. Emergency Services were deployed, as the aircraft came to a stop on the runway. Emergency Services immediately inspected the aircraft and notified the crew that evacuation was not necessary. That same inspection revealed that a hydraulics leak was causing the smoke. The 777 was removed from service for futher inspection and repairs. In a brief statement, ANA said that the left hand gear tires were damaged in the incident.