Columbia Pictures

"The news coming out of Skyfall certainly suggests a back-to-Bond-basics approach."

It looks like James Bond is going old-school in Skyfall -- especially where his motor is concerned. Reports from the set of Skyfall find 007 back behind the wheel of his Aston Martin DB5, which fans will instantly recognise as Sean Connery’s Bondmobile of choice in Goldfinger. 

Exactly how big a role the car will play is being kept under wraps. The car cameoed in Casino Royale (Bond won it in a poker tournament), but recent 007 flicks have featured Fords and Jags among the latest Astons, while Range Rovers have also been snapped on the Skyfall set. 

The news coming out of Skyfall certainly suggests a back-to-Bond-basics approach, just in time to celebrate 50 years of 007 movies. The first official shot of the movie, as well as spy snaps taken on the London set, saw Bond wielding his iconic Walther pistol, which will no doubt see some action as he tries to defend MI6 from an assault led by bad-guy Javier Bardem. 

Skyfall will also feature the return of MI6’s much-loved Quartermaster, better known as Q -- the god of gadgets, from car ejector seats to the exploding attache case. Determined to keep things Casino Royale-fresh, they’re not going down the grumpy old codger route, instead casting 31-year-old Ben Whishaw. The fresh-faced actor has been acclaimed for his Hamlet on stage -- proper thespian alert -- as well as BBC drama The Hour. 

Skyfall will be released in November.

Jacques Louis-David/Wikipedia

"The result showed that narcissistic bosses are better leaders than the average humble guy."

It's a new year, and a new you. So if you've tended to think of yourself as humble, maybe it's time to make a change, according to a new study.

Having a huge ego, a need for attention and being an overall narcissist doesn’t sound like a trio of compliments but shows that those qualities can make you a good leader, found the study.

A quartet of professors from IMD business school, Penn State, and Erlangen-Nuremberg University found that the aforementioned qualities tend to lead to innovation and daring decision-making.

The professors doing the research examined how 78 CEOs and 33 major American pharmaceutical companies did in the biotech boom from 1980 to 2008. They accounted for narcissism by measuring how often the CEOs’ photos were found in annual reports, how frequently they were mentioned in press releases and their overall compensation compared to the person second in command.

Then the professors evaluated how fast and intensely the CEOs had adapted to the rise of biotechnology.

The result showed that narcissistic bosses are better leaders than the average humble guy. That’s because they tend to see a shot at glory where others might see excessive risk, and that aggression to make a move is where the narcissists are more rewarding to their companies.

More on AskMen:

The One Thing You Should Never Do At The Gym 

Why It's Actually Good To Be A Workaholic

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• Nothing gets people invested in a sport more than a friendly wager.


• Make her look the part with her own feminine jersey.


• Buy beer for you, but whip up girly cocktails for her.

"Money, as a wise man once noted, is a wonderful motivator."

This article is sponsored in part by Pillsbury (What's this?) 

Want to throw a party your friends will be looking forward to every year? Learn the recipes, entertaining tips and sports facts you need to make it happen with our guide to The Ultimate Game Day.

There are few things that divide the sexes quite like football. To most men, the game is a borderline religious experience, while to many women, it’s 60 minutes of unabashed violence punctuated by quaint little committee meetings. So, how do you mend the gender divide and convince your girlfriend to actually watch a game with you? The answer is easier than you may think. Simply follow our suggestions below to get your significant other interested in -- or at least, willing to accept -- America’s most popular spectator sport.

Sign her up for a football pool

Money, as a wise man once noted, is a wonderful motivator. Prompt your girlfriend to take an active interest in the game by signing her up for a football pool. Once she puts her money on the line she’ll have extra motivation to keep track of what’s going on. Who knows, her strategy of selecting the team with the prettiest colors and cutest animals may even pay off.

Buy her a feminine-cut official jersey

Every woman loves to dress up. Make your girlfriend feel like part of the game by buying her a jersey. Unlike the billowy uniforms of old, there are a wide range of jerseys featuring flattering feminine cuts and pink hues. These attractive new designs have made women's apparel football’s fastest-growing apparel business.

Make girly drinks during the game

Let’s face it: You’d probably watch a 12-hour chick flick marathon if you consumed enough beer; the same is true of your girlfriend. If you keep her plied with enough Cosmopolitans and Fuzzy Navels, she won’t mind what’s on the tube!

Draw her in with colorful gossip

Your girlfriend will never become interested in football if you begin by explaining the intricacies of the Over/Under 4-3 defense. Instead, draw her in by regaling her with stories about ongoing feuds and off-field relationship news. If you present the stories in the guise of hot gossip you’ll be sure to pique her interest.

Throw the football around with her

Does your girlfriend think a quarterback is a refund? Give her a better appreciation of the greatest sport in the world by tossing around the pigskin in your backyard. This simple and fun activity will allow her to better relate to the action on the field and it will give you the opportunity to explain some of the tenets of the game in a way she can easily grasp.

Our final tips on how to get her to like football...
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Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol:
  
Plot:
 After an incursion into the Kremlin goes explosively awry, secret spy force IMF is shut down and its agents disavowed. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his small band of allies have mere days to prevent wily terrorist Hendricks (Nyqvist) from unleashing nuclear winter on America’s West Coast.ReviewNo need to wait until summer for The Amazing Spider-Man. The main attraction in Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, Brad Bird’s frisky take on Paramount’s spy property, is a dizzyingly brilliant action sequence set high above Dubai, in and around the 130th floor of the Burj Khalifa.

It was inevitable, given Tom Cruise’s career-long quest to clamber up increasingly vertiginous objects, that eventually he’d take on the world’s tallest building. But unlike the rock-climbing bit in M:I-2, this isn’t just an excuse to flaunt his triceps. As our hero miraculously ascends the sheer glass wall, staking his life on a pair of futuristic magnet-gloves powered by shonky batteries, Bird slows things down and lets us feel the height. Then he lets rip, throwing in hazard after hazard, flinging his star about like a rag doll and generally whipping up tension like a sandstorm (the scene has one of those, too).

It’s pure popcorn cinema — thrilling, playful, seemingly CGI-free — and by far the movie’s standout.That’s not to say the rest is a big letdown. After a brisk opening in a Russian prison, where Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is found bouncing a rock off his cell wall like a buffer Cooler King, there’s hardly a pause for breath before he’s marching into the Kremlin, armed only with a Des Lynam moustache and reversible jacket. This set-piece establishes the tone.

The previous entry in the franchise, J. J. Abrams’ M:I-3, was the intense one, where Hunt was forced to confront his past and Philip Seymour Hoffman sweated a lot. It grossed less than its predecessors, so for the fourquel Cruise has gone for a fizzier, sillier vibe, recruiting Pixar golden boy Bird for his first foray into live action. There are shades of The Incredibles to be found in the bonkers technology (contact lenses that double as cameras; iPads that sprout holograms) and peppy, clearly storyboarded-to-an-inch-of-its-life action.

The pace, for the most part, is relentless: there’s no romance — despite a smidgen of token light flirting between Ethan and new team member Jane (Paula Patton) — and minimal exposition.Which is just as well, as this fourth instalment’s biggest weakness is its plot. No doubt it’s devilishly hard these days to think up a fresh adversary for a team of world-savers, but the Big Bad here is as stale as they come: a crazed terrorist (Michael Nyqvist) with a jones for triggering nuclear annihilation. It’s unclear exactly what he hopes to achieve, but as the film piles on the usual tropes (a briefcase full of codes, a submarine, a satellite), it all starts to feel one Jonathan Pryce away from becoming a Brosnan Bond.

There’s sag, too, in the final stretch, which throws in Slumdog Millionaire’s Anil Kapoor as a horndog millionaire and a mêlée in a bizarre sci-fi car park.Even with these flaws, Ghost Protocol (a cooler title than Skyfall?) remains fun from start to end. This is largely due to an increased focus on team play, with Cruise, who’s now finally starting to look his age, especially on an IMAX screen, yielding a few of the action beats to co-star Jeremy Renner and even letting Simon Pegg have a gun. Pegg, who’s been promoted to second lead following his few techy scenes in M:I-3, has effectively become Danny Butterman to Cruise’s Nicholas Angel, tagging along for the dangerous stuff while sporting a goofy grin.

His Benji isn’t quite the comedy powerhouse that the film thinks he is, but that’s more a fault of the script, which is often not quite sharp or funny enough. Still, if Bird’s aims were to revitalise the franchise and prove he can orchestrate real-world balletics as expertly as the pixelated kind, it’s mission accomplished on both counts.VerdictStill not an essential series like Bourne or Bond, but this entry has a refreshingly light touch and some of the best action of 2011.

See it at an IMAX for optimal vertigo-inducing effect.Reviewer: Nick de SemlyenWrite Your ReviewTo write your review please login or register.Advertisementclick hereYour ReviewsAverage user rating for Mission: Impossible - Ghost ProtocolEmpire Star RatingThere was no need for the sly dig at Jonathan Pryce and "Tomorrow never dies". That was a solid bond film. The Brosnan Bond films only started slipping AFTER that movie. Anyway, I'll definitely see this. It looks like a good popcorn movie. ...

It's finale time on Boardwalk Empire, all rain- and blood-soaked, and we're off with a bang. A satisfying bang, at that, as Jimmy and his masked partner-in-crime Richard execute Chucky's vengeance on the KKK. After the murderous end of his father, it's clear Jimmy is attempting to rally every troop possible to secure his succession to Atlantic City's throne. The plaid-suited Chalky & Co. bring down the sledge hammers, but the violence feels futile; the black community still has a long way to go toward safety and recognition. 

Nucky and Jimmy meet for the first time in months. Jimmy is injured, tired — his bandages and braces put him in sharp relief against Nucky's unflappable posh. Weirdly, Jimmy opens up to him, admits his weariness in fighting, and offers his help against Nucky's legal troubles. It's a touching scene, but it's hard to see what the would-be king can do against the ruthlessness of the U.S. Attorney Esther Randolph, harder still to expect that any of this is real.

Esther seems to have gotten through to Margaret, who has been suffering horribly in guilt since her daughter's contraction of polio. Esther plays upon Margaret's doubts, seeming to drive the wedge deeper into the couple. Nucky appeals to her personally, though, in one of the most frank conversations they have ever had — or at least it seems that way. It's worth mentioning his beautiful pin-collar and high-lapelled waistcoat as he speaks faux-earnestly. Nucky goes on about his love for their family, their children, and urges her to marry him — for his freedom, for family, for this boss' complex understanding of what really matters to him. (Besides the clothes.)

His admission impresses Margaret's sympathies, but it's a moment she later observes between Nucky and her crippled daughter that seals her change of heart. And so marries her quite immediately in one of the most beautiful suits we've seen on the show, a glorious costume for a happy man: rich pink waistcoat, pink-checked shirt, beautiful pink paisley tie, and brown brogues. Gorgeous. And his luck doesn't end there. Jimmy sets the wheels in motion to secure the recanting of all Nucky's opponents — including one necessary "suicide" confession. As if instantly, Esther's ducks are scattered, and Nucky is a free man.

It's soon back to family matters. Jimmy is looking more fatherly than ever in blue chambray and a beautiful brown, striped vest. He spends quality time with his son, but ever under the watchful eye of his predatory mother. Nucky reaches out to Eli and offers him a deal, in spite of the revelation that Eli had once ordered the hit on him. 

And then, just as it seems like the season is going to end with the mush of a vest-to-three-piece embrace, comes the biggest bang of all. (The spoiler-scared might stop here.) In a sweeping, thunderous scene of chosen words and soaked suits, we say farewell to our favorite character and — Michael Pitt's Jimmy Darmody having become one of the medium's few remaining paradigms of style, complexity, and attitude — also to one of the more memorable faces of modern television. "I am not seeking forgiveness," Nucky says slowly, and then delivers the second bullet, instantly reminding us of this show's reliance on revenge. This is Boardwalk Empire's Tony-whacks-Christopher moment, and it is just as revelatory of the bitter relentlessness deep within the bad men of those times and ours. 

There will always be blood. And suits, but it's hard to see how the show re-dressed itself when we return (season three's schedule is still a ways out, despite a quick pickup from HBO). You can surely count on betrayal, though, and the brilliant style that comes with each surprising, shocking, yet somehow still expected new turn.

A daunting task for any man, but it's not as impossible as you think - you just need to know how to play the game .THE ART OF bagging seem­ingly unattainable women has been an obsession of men for centuries, but in recent years, the popularity of books like Neil Strauss' diary/man­ual The Game has kicked the business of pick-up education into a higher gear.

So you've read the theory; but can you teach an awk­ward, nervous nerd how to zero in on a beautiful target and get her back to his bou­doir in a matter of hours? Vicky Kalwani is a Mumbai-based banker by day, dating expert by night, who offers private classes on how tosnare smoking-hot ladies without taking on a bank loan or a personal trainer. He gives us some of his top tips. 

Don't face a woman straight on; it's too direct. Try walk­ing past her sideways and then turning to speak. Forget rehearsing funny one-liners; start with a very boring ques­tion - something she can't fail to answer - like asking the time. Immediately follow the line with a joke (that can be rehearsed). Then you're in conversation, but it's not an obvious routine. 

The most important thing once you're in a conversa­tion is for her to get cues of acceptance from others. If she's in a group, make sure you spend time getting along with the guys. Get her used to having some physical contact with you, but don't be clingy. Touch her hand and then push her away jokingly. The hotter the girl, the more you'll need to gently make fun of her. Gorgeous women are used to having men fawning over them constant­ly, so you want to be a little elusive - make her chase you. 

When trying to get a date, remember it's a numbers game. If you approach 10 girls in a night, you're likely to have success with one or two. Don't read too much into rejection; there are plenty of women out there better suit­ed to you. When you do get a girl's number, make a plan and invite her - this gives her the option of a simple yes or no. When you're on the date, don't wait until the end to make physical contact or move in for a kiss. If she's really interested, an early kiss will actually relieve the ten­sion instead of building it up to a big moment at the end of the night.

 If you think things are going very well, tell her you're both going back to your place/ her place (whichever is more comfortable). That means she can go along with it without even needing to say yes - or dismiss the idea if she's not interested. It puts less pres­sure on her. If you're plan­ning to go back to your place, remove the clocks from the room you'll be hanging out in and invest in a good carpet. Most of all, be as cool as you can be. No one likes a guy who's too eager. ©

Director Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig were in attendance, as were Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe, confirming their involvement in the film. Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Ben Whishaw were also announced as cast members.

Here’s the full press release:

It’s good to finally have a brief synopsis for the film. During the press conference Mendes and the cast kept plot details to themselves, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Mendes said the storyline will take 007 to London, China, Turkey and Scotland, and it had “”all the elements of a classic Bond movie, including – to quell any rumours – lots of action”.

She'll probalbly Forgive you for stumbling over her name— just blame it on all thoseconsonants. Truth is, Pussycat Dolls star (and solo artist) Nicole Scherzinger's particular hotitude is the kind that should leave any red-blooded dude dumbstruck. After torching reality TV with the Dancing With the Stars (pretend you didn't watch, that's cool), she ordered us around, singing "Don't Hold Your Breath"! We couldn't help but hold it for this hot stunner. Summer is truly here. 

You're on reality TV, you're in your own music videos, you're in our minds, you're everywhere. Are you gonna take your music career in a direction following one of these, like that dancing show? 

Maybe bust out the fox trot onstage? A rumba single on your next album? Hmmm, the fox trot? I don't know about that! But you never know; I do like to mix it up.Ballroom dancing is a different kind of sexy than the, uh, writhing that goes on when the Pussycats perform.Yeah, it's definitely more cerebral. Usually I allow the music to take me, so it's been kind of interesting to be like, "One and two, one and two." But I think there's something sexy about a woman who's in control of her body in every way. 

But when you're doing your own thing onstage, you completely let yourself go?Yeah, I transport to another place. I don't know what my body is gonna do. I just listen to what the music tells me and kind of blank out. I turn into a beast.Say we're in a club.

Can a guy dance like nobody's watching? Would ft catch your eye? 

Uh, that might scare me. Sometimes guys take it too far when they're dancing. I'd be like, "OK, dude. You need to settle down and have some control." 

What's going on with the Pussycat Dolls?A couple of the girls have left the group, but I'm still the lead singer, and I'm still working on music right now. I think the next single will be under my name.Your boyfriend is F1 racer Lewis Hamilton, one of the best drivers in the world. 

What does he think of your skills behind the wheel? 

He's more afraid when he's with me and I'm driving than he is during a race. He gives me pointers, but at the end of the day he's like, "Babe, you're driving with your knees!" I'm doing my make-up, changing the radio... I guess it's appropriate that I just did a song with Slash and Alice Cooper called "Baby Can't Drive."

And when Lewis is driving... how fast have you gone? 

Let's just say that neither of us would be allowed near a car again if we had been pulled over. It was in Switzerland.

Got any girl crushes?Halle Berry. She's just naturally gorgeous... I love her smile. Wait, I sound like a dude; I've got to snap out of it!You grew up in Kentucky, but you were born in Hawaii. 

What traditions do you keep? 

I'm just a down-home Southern girl. I love making chicken and dumplings and Kentucky Derby pie. And from Hawaii I've got a love for paddle surfing. I love visiting family in both places. See, even if I just talk about my family my dialect changes—I go from a Southern dialect to Hawaiian pidgin.Your family are strict Catholics. 

What do they think of your sexed-up lyrics?My family's been great. My grandfather's a priest, and even he has a huge photo of the Pussycat Dolls framed. But there have been moments. When I first recorded "Don't Cha," I went home and left an uncensored version of the demo in my mom's car. [Editor's note: Lyrics include "I know you should be fucking with me."] I heard about that. 

 Nunchuck ninja skills. That's all I'm sayin'.Whaf s the lamest thing we'd find on your iPod?I'd like to say I don't have lame music. But maybe one of my lamest songs would be one of my own! I have demos on my iPod that are unfinished sketches; some just don't make sense yet. 

Massive Attack, Marvin Gaye, Robin Thicke, or Prince. 

Do you hit the clubs much or stay in? 

Honestly, I don't really do the "go out" thing. If I want to get really crazy, I have game night.So we should come over with a stack of board games?Yeah. Bring over Balderdash, some Robin Thicke, a bottle of vino, and it's on.

Can you two go anywhere without being noticed? 

No. We went to South Africa and saw this head of a tribe wearing an animal he had just killed or something. He was like, "Ahhh! Are you Nicole Scherzinger?" I was like, are you kidding me? How do you know my name? And hearing this German name come out of him—it was amazing!

My high school football coaches told me I needed to bulk up—they just didn't tell me how. So I hit every fast-food joint in town, and it worked. I gained 70 pounds before my sophomore year and kept piling them on through high school. Then Concordia University recruited me to play football, and I knew I would have to be even bigger. But the larger I grew, the less endurance I had. As I pushed my body toward 300 pounds, my energy level plummeted and I feared for my health. 

After a fast-food binge at five different restaurants, my belt literally snapped off my body. Even that embarrassment wasn't enough. During one game I took a nasty tackle that ripped up my knee so badly I couldn't play. Now my weight wasn't even useful anymore.

I wanted to ease into healthy choices, so I started replacing my favorites, like fast-food burgers, with homemade versions. I made the patties with extra-lean ground beef or turkey, used whole-grain buns, and loaded the burgers with vegetables. I bought some healthy cookbooks for inspiration and found new favorites, like spinach-and-tomato scrambled eggs. Eventually I phased out burgers and pizza, but I still eat those foods for a weekend treat.

Losing weight was never an option during my foot­ball days, so the strategies were new to me. I kept up with the plyometrics and intense interval train­ing, and I started going out on longer runs. I ran in the evening, when my fast-food cravings usually struck, to help keep my mind off food. Gradually I built up my endurance to revisit basic weight-training exercises, like hang cleans and bench presses. I also took up jujitsu, which would have nearly killed me when I was pushing 300. 

I used to be winded after walking up a flight of stairs. Now I run a set of 500 stairs at least three times a week. After losing the weight and kicking my butt back into shape, I even tried out for a Can­adian Football League team. Although I didn't make it, I had the energy to give tryouts my all.

It's a great no-gym workout to improve your speed, power, and overall fitness, says Martin Rooney, M.H.S.C.S.C.S. Plus, stairs offerthese additional benefits.A. Stairs make yourquads and glutes workharder. More work frombigger muscles meansmore calorie burn.B. Stairs demand effortfrom your upper body,furtherjackingupyourheart rate.

It’s amazing what rising petroleum prices can do. Throw in crowded city streets, congestion charges, differential taxing policies, tax rebates for small dimensions with small engines and you end up with the inevitable – small cars. Now, while there are many millions around the globe content with Maruti Swifts and Hyundai i10s, there are plenty still who want some more: some more style, some more features, some more badge snobbery.

It is to this discerning lot that luxury car manufacturers have turned their attention. Chic retro revivals notwithstanding, in the form of MINI, Fiat 500 and VW Beetle, we now have something, um, a little more ‘regular’. Enter the Mercedes A-Class, BMW 1 Series and Audi A1.

Let your fingers do the talking with massage.

Stand up. Look down. You will see an appendage of amazing erotic ability dangling at waist level — your hand. Use it to massage your mate when she says she wants intimacy and doesn't necessarily mean sex. A massage is romance you can understand. It's practical. And it almost always leads to sex. Start with a good massage oil such as Neal's Yard Remedies Ginger & Juniper Warming Oil ($15 for 1.7 fluid ounces nyr-usa.com) or Naturopathica Arnica Muscle and Joint Massage and Body Oil ($28 for 4 fluid ounces, naturopathica.com). Avoid mineral or baby oils because they are absorbed too quickly into the skin. Don't forget to rub your hands together to warm them before applying the massage oil and the following techniques:

1) Stroke toward the heart.
That means when you're working on her legs, stroke upward. On the arms, stroke downward.

2) Ease in with effleurage.
The French are experts at more than retreating. They know their massage. Effleurage is a simple stroke for loosening her up. It's a light, long rhythmic stroke that generally runs with the grain of the muscle. On her legs, for example, use your cupped palms and gently glide upward. On her back, flatten your hands and broaden your strokes.

3) Play with petrissage.
This circular stroke is designed to squeeze the muscles and wring out tension from the shoulders, upper arms, legs, and buttocks. Use both hands to work the muscles in opposite directions: when stroking her thighs, for example, move one palm away from you as you slide it forward, and move the other toward you.

4) Roll your thumbs.
This is best for working on tension knots. Use your thumbs, one after the other, to press into her flesh, sometimes moving circularly and other times just holding pressure on one point. Lean your weight into it.

There's a fine line between smelling great and smelling of fruit salad


Why is choosing the right scent such a conundrum?

Perhaps it's because fragrances are marketed with the promise that a splash from the right bottle will transform us into old salts with a trollop in every port. But when you look beyond the label, it isn't that complicated.

Aftershave contains 1 to 3 percent perfume oil. Its effects are fleeting, and it alone belongs on the face. Cologne clocks in at 2 to 5 percent perfume oil, lasts several hours, and goes on the body. Eau de toilette, with 4 to 8 percent perfume oil, is better for a date than for the office.

You don't need to go with a heavy scent during the hot days of summer. "Warm weather accentuates fragrance, so wear light, airy versions when the heat is on," explains Rochelle Bloom, president of the Fragrance Foundation.

Also remember, less is more....

The Lion King 3D blew past even the most optimistic expectations and scored the second highest opening ever for a movie re-release. Seems The Lion King is still one of the most beloved Disney animated features and with this 3D version a new generation can experience this true classic. The numbers are coming right after the break.

I don’t know about you guys but I still love The Lion King and consider it just as good now as it was 17 years ago when it made $312 million in North America. Back in 2002 it was released again in IMAX and went on to gross another $15.6 million. Now, in 2011, The Lion King 3D opened with a staggering $30.1 million taking a well deserved first place at the box office over the weekend. Thanks to this new 3D remastered version, The Lion King stands at a new grand total of $361 million in North America, overtaking Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and the very recent Transformers: Dark of the Moon, both 3D features.

2nd was Contagion with $14.5 million and after 11 days it has amassed $45.2 million in North America. New release Drive (that I though would finish first) was a bit underwhelming with $11.3 million for 3rd place. I have not seen it yet so I can’t comment on the qualities (or lack of) that are present in Drive. What I can say is, while critics seem to love it, audiences are not as impressed giving Drive a disappointing “C-” CinemaScore (market research firm that surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades “F” to “A+”, with the average grade for most movies being a “B+”). The CinemaScore of a movie is usually a good indication of the word of mouth it will get and for Drive, it ain’t looking pretty. I’m estimating it will end up with just $25 million when all is said and done, almost doubling the estimated production budget of $13 million (good thing it was so cheap).

The Help finished in 4th place with $6.5 million for an incredible $148 million after 41 days. Just to give you an example, this movie got an “A+” CinemaScore and with fantastic word of mouth came great legs at the box office and look where it is now after opening with just $26 million.

Straw Dogs was a bit down on its luck, only $5.1 million and among similar revenge flicks, that means half as much as the opening of the recently released Colombiana. The last new opener of the weekend was I Don’t Know How She Does It with $4.4 million and 6th place. For Sarah Jessica Parker this is one of her worst openings in recent years, definitely not a good sign for the 46 year old actress.

How one man went from Hollywood writer to diner owner -- and never looked back.

In 1998, Lawrence Rudolph was a TV writer living in Hollywood. Five years later, he's a co-owner of Lunchbox Food Co., a Greenwich Village diner that the New York Times described as bringing "a fine-dining sensibility to what by rights should be a funky waterfront dive." Here he describes the cost of following his dream.

Is opening a restaurant necessarily a symptom of a midlife crisis? Am I better off just buying a vintage muscle car?
Sports cars are for pussies; restaurants are for real men. The biggest problem you have with cars is changing your Pirellis every 10,000 miles. With a restaurant, your whole life is invested in it, so you can't just sell it if it becomes too much trouble. I employ 30 people. That's 30 families paying for schools, food, mortgages, and rents.

What do you wish somebody had told you before you opened lunchbox?
Don't scrimp on the big hires. As in any organization, one man cannot do it alone. You need the best people around you.

What's the biggest headache you encountered?
I took over an existing restaurant, which is by far the most cost-effective way into a restaurant, especially for a rookie. But this used-restaurant route means cleaning up after someone else's bad decisions.

How is your day organized differently than in your previous job?
It's really two business "days": a nine-to-five part and the after-five part. At five o'clock, we're moving into our third service of the day. We've already finished the business of the restaurant--paying bills, buying plates, and checking in with purveyors. At lunch, customers want to be in and out in 45 minutes, so we can get away with not being on the floor. Dinner, however, is a different story. If a customer's spending $125 on dinner for two, he wants to see that the owner appreciates his business. That's what I do while others are at home watching Friends.

What's it like to be working when everyone else is playing?
Sometimes it can be a drag, but I never took to the nine-to-five world anyway. I find it exciting working at 11 p.m. My office is literally a stage for all experiences. People are laughing, crying, kissing, and living right in front of me.

How do you balance being a husband, a father, and owner of a business that occupies so much of your time?
Your family really has to understand that this is what you do for a living and these are the demands. The good side is that your family can come to the restaurant.

So if it's so much work, why do guys dream about it?
Because they want to be Hugh Hefner or P. Diddy and invite everyone back to their place at the end of the evening. The catch is, Hef and Mr. Combs didn't get everyone to come over without a lot of effort.

Personal style is something you can build with a very simple toolbox. Get some quality basics that fit well, and you're there

The sad truth about men and fashion -- the bar simply isn't very high. But then again, that's also very good news for you.

Look around your office. Go to a party. Most men dress like their women dressed them. That makes looking smart and stylish pretty easy for you to pull off with minimal hand-wringing.

Let us be frank: You are going to have to go shopping. You are going to have to spend some green-probably more than you've ever spent on clothes. But there's not a whole lot to buy. You need good shoes and a well-made suit for important occasions. You need a golf outfit that won't embarrass you. You need casual clothes that aren't jeans and something to wear to cocktails at the CEO's house.

Here are seven intelligent style ideas that'll help you upgrade your wardrobe instantly. You can't go wrong with this basic uniform if it fits you well.

1. A New Suit
The easiest way to upgrade your office look instantly is to add a suit that isn't corporate gray. Be sure the jacket covers your butt completely. Rules: A wider-striped tie accents the solid shirt. A pocket square is a subtle addition that says you pay attention to detail.

2. A Leather Carry-On
Let's banish our black-canvas wheeled carry-ons to the far corner of the attic and forget them. We are not pilots or flight attendants. We are businessmen who travel light. And if we pack right, we can carry a 2-day-trip's worth of clothing in one hand. Look for a bag with two zippered compartments to separate dirty clothes from clean.

3. Serious Golf Wear
Golf clothing is a minefield. Some of the stuff at the pro shops is downright laughable. Let the other guys wear their parrot reds and yellows. Browns and creams are tasteful and handsome. Your shirt should drape loosely about your shoulders.

4. A Summer-Weight Suit
In addition to your lightweight-wool suits, a well-dressed man should own a quality linen suit. Most men get their suit sleeves too long. At least a half inch of shirt should show at the wrist. To look even sharper, make sure your lapels extend halfway or less than halfway out toward the shoulder line of your jacket.

5. Casual Clothes That'll Slim You
Strong vertical pinstripes and deep V-shaped lapels have a slimming effect. It's also a great look for a casual evening out. Rule of thumb whenever going out with a woman: Dress a third nicer than what you think looks good, and you'll be dressed appropriately.

6. An Outfit with an Edge
If you try too hard to look youthful, you'll look like you're trying. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't push the envelope a bit. A leather jacket in tan or cream is smart. Leather breathes, and it blocks the wind--good for cool summer nights. Flat-front trousers will make you look taller and thinner. Ankle-length suede boots update a classic style.

       

The next stage (presumably) will be to get a cast together, and producer Bernie Goldmann revealed that we may see some familiar faces return. They’re in the script, anyway.

From Movies.com:

Would Gerard be willing to endure the famous ’300 workout’ again just for a small part? I suppose that will depend on his availability (or how much they pay him), but seeing King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo again would be cool.

Goldmann didn’t say anything about who would be joining the film, but said he prefers casting unknowns.

While unknowns at the time, Gerard Butler, Lena Headey and Michael Fassbender have all gone on to great things post-300 (if you ignore Butler’s rom-coms). The success of 300 will probably attract some names for the prequel, but I wouldn’t have a problem if they cast a bunch of unknowns again.

300: Battle of Artemisia is based on Frank Miller’s upcoming graphic novel that takes Xerxes, the Persian leader who is an antagonist in 300, and turns him into more of a pivotal figure. He’s a man in search of godhood after the death of his father, battling an Athenian warlord named Themistocles. The story takes place over the course of several years, but the focal point is the battle of Artemisium, which occured in 480 BC.

A 20-minute review like this one, done monthly or at least quarterly, will give you peace of mind from knowing exactly where you stand financially and allow you to adjust accordingly with swiftness and confidence.

Most men treat their investment portfolios the way they treat loose change: The money's all scattered around, tucked away here and there; some of it's right where we need it, and some of it's under the sofa cushions.

Consider your own portfolio. Chances are, you've spent the past 15 or more years investing, securing assets, and building substantial wealth. But do you really know what you have, where it is, and how it has performed?

With stocks you can't even remember buying and money-market funds with various brokerages, it's easy to join the throngs of disorganized, careless investors. Just 21 percent of active investors regularly review account statements, read prospectuses, check out the backgrounds of their brokers, and have a financial strategy, according to a poll of 2,000 people conducted for the federal Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

Not staying on top of your finances is a major source of mental (and marital) stress. Who needs that? Here's a simple strategy to organize your financial life and improve the health of your wealth in just 20 minutes.


KNOW WHERE YOU ARE

Sit down at a large table with all of your financial statements, and list your assets on a legal pad. Be as exhaustive as possible: Review such holdings as money-market funds, 401(k) earnings, and college savings accounts.

Count
Add up the number of mutual funds you own. According to the Investment Company Institute, the average American investor holds four mutual funds. How many do you own? Double that? Triple? That's a red flag that your portfolio may be spread too thin. And you may find you have duplicate investments with several brokerages.

Consolidate
If, for example, you own several money-market funds in different brokerage houses, take a few minutes to move all of those liquid assets under the same roof. It takes just a phone call or Web order. Not only will you find your assets easier to track, but you may also save some money on annual fees. For instance, Schwab charges $45 per quarter for basic accounts worth less than $10,000 -- evidence of how maintenance fees from a few investments scattered about can add up. Look to consolidate other holdings, such as stocks, funds, and bonds, so they're less expensive and less time-consuming to follow.

GET RID OF PAPER
Have your account statements delivered via e-mail rather than snail mail. It takes just a few minutes to authorize paperless delivery, and it's a smart choice. Why? First of all, you'll save time by avoiding bales of paper statements that you'll eventually have to shred. If you can download your electronic statements into a financial-planning program (a solid one is Quicken 2006), tracking progress and potential problem areas becomes much easier and more time-efficient.

Second, now that identity theft tops $52 billion annually, digital transactions are safer than paper ones. According to a recent study by Javelin Strategy & Research, of Pleasanton, California, more than 68 percent of reported identity-fraud incidents are paper based, while less than 12 percent originate online. Reasons: It is harder for thieves to access Internet-based data, and online accounts tend to be checked more often, which nabs thieves sooner. "Shredding is overrated. All thieves have to do is go through your mailbox or garbage cans to get documents," says Javelin president James Van Dyke. "When you cut paper use, you cut that risk."


SET BENCHMARKS
Too many of us invest and save without a firm grasp on what we want to achieve. If that's you, earmark those objectives in detail. Be exceedingly specific. If, for instance, you're worth $500,000 now, set a goal of reaching $600,000 in 5 years. "The more detailed your objectives, the more focused your plan will be," says Jason Papier, a Sunnyvale, California, financial planner. "Money is an enabler, but you need to know specifically what you want to accomplish." Use an online calculator like this one to see what rate of return and additional savings you'll need to reach your goals.

If you have kids, don't just "save for college." Instead, figure out how much of the cost you will likely have to bear. Start by estimating future college costs by institution with the Princeton Review website. The site can also help you determine your chances of securing financial aid.


PUT OUT THE DOGS
The funny thing about mutual funds is that the "growth" fund you bought 15 years ago may have become a lot more conservative with age. Even worse, a fund heralded as a champion at one point may have turned into a dog. Case in point: Fidelity's Magellan fund was an Oprah-like celebrity with world-beating returns in the 1970s and '80s. However, Magellan has lagged the S&P 500 by 2.5 annualized percentage points over the past 3 years. "It's an 'index hugger,'" says Shannon Zimmerman, the advisor behind the Motley Fool Champion Funds mutual-fund newsletter service. "The very small bets it's made relative to the S&P haven't panned out."

X-ray your funds
Morningstar.com has a free service called "Instant X-ray" that'll give you a detailed picture of a fund's holdings and overall investment approach. Run stocks through it as well as 401(k) holdings.

Check for overlap
Services such as Morningstar help you not only dissect what you own but also uncover investments that are too similar. If nothing else, having too many similar holdings goes against the basics of diversification. "Many mutual funds and 401(k) portfolios have overlapping securities because money managers are always chasing 'hot ideas,'" says Lyle Wolberg,
of Telemus Wealth Management, in Southfield, Michigan. "You may find that your 10 different funds own virtually the same stocks."

Look out for investor bloat
A well-managed fund will often close to new investors. If your fund continually accepts them, beware. The performance of certain types of funds can be affected if they are constantly taking in new money. Call your fund company to check which of your mutual funds are still open to new investors.

Track performance
See how the fund has grown in assets since you bought it. Even funds that are not closed can be solid performers, provided they simply haven't gotten too big. Ask your broker or the fund company for the size of the asset base at inception and the fund's current size. Then check the concentration of holdings. "It's more art than science, but generally speaking, the more concentrated the fund's portfolio is, the more the size of its asset base can create a drag on the fund," says Zimmerman. "When the fund becomes too large and lethargic, it's difficult for managers to stake out meaningful positions in off-the-beaten-path equities. Few will take that risk."

Compare costs
When shopping for funds, utilize new Web sites that make it easy to compare expenses. The National Association of Securities Dealers offers free tools, including the Mutual Fund Expense Analyzer and the Mutual Fund Breakpoint Search Tool, the latter of which allows you to search for commission discounts. Likewise, indexuniverse.com is a free site that offers a function for screening index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).


BUILD "SILOS"
Now is the time to build financial "silos." Like agricultural silos, in which farmers store specific types of grain, these are logical groupings that match investments, assets, and risk to particular financial objectives. Often, as we accumulate investments and assets, we latch on to holdings that are attractive but really don't match up with a genuine objective. Grab a sheet of paper and list the specific investment goals you identified earlier, such as planning for retirement or owning a vacation home. Then match up every investment and asset to one of those goals. If some of your investments lack clear objectives, that's another powerful argument for change.

Building silos for all of your goals can efficiently assess the need for adjustments and also avoid critical mistakes, such as assigning aggressive investments to a goal that doesn't mandate high risk. "It's a fast way to delineate risk and return," says Wolberg.


BOOST RETIREMENT SAVINGS
Most financial planners recommend that households be ready to replace 85 percent of their annual preretirement income each year during retirement. If you own a business, ask your financial advisor to look into 412(i) plans, which have significantly larger contribution limits than do other programs, as well as some tax advantages. To learn more, click here.

Consider a variable annuity
If you are an employee and have already maxed out contributions to your 401(k), look into funding an annuity. Your earnings will be tax-deferred, and you'll eventually receive a series of payments for the rest of your life.

Eat these eight foods every day to cover all your nutritional bases



Spinach


It may be green and leafy, but spinach is also the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus: Folate also increases blood flow to the penis. And spinach is packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related macular degeneration. Aim for 1 cup fresh spinach or ½ cup cooked per day. SUBSTITUTES: Kale, bok choy, romaine lettuce FIT IT IN: Make your salads with spinach; add spinach to scrambled eggs; drape it over pizza; mix it with marinara sauce and then microwave for an instant dip. PINCH HITTER: Sesame Stir-Braised Kale Heat 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger, and 1 tsp. sesame oil in a skillet. Add 2 Tbsp. water and 1 bunch kale (stemmed and chopped). Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds.

Yogurt

Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.” Aim for 1 cup of the calcium- and protein-rich goop a day. SUBSTITUTES: Kefir, soy yogurt FIT IT IN: Yogurt topped with blueberries, walnuts, flaxseed, and honey is the ultimate breakfast—or dessert. Plain low-fat yogurt is also a perfect base for creamy salad dressings and dips. HOME RUN: Power Smoothie Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup carrot juice, and 1 cup fresh baby spinach for a nutrient-rich blast.

Tomatoes



here are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Aim for 22 mg of lycopene a day, which is about eight red cherry tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice. SUBSTITUTES: Red watermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmon, papaya, guava FIT IT IN: Pile on the ketchup and Ragú; guzzle low-sodium V8 and gazpacho; double the amount of tomato paste called for in a recipe. PINCH HITTER: Red and Pink Fruit Bowl Chop 1 small watermelon, 2 grapefruits, 3 persimmons, 1 papaya, and 4 guavas. Garnish with mint.

Carrots

Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis—but none are as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots. Aim for ½ cup a day. SUBSTITUTES: Sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper, mango FIT IT IN: Raw baby carrots, sliced raw yellow pepper, butternut squash soup, baked sweet potato, pumpkin pie, mango sorbet, carrot cake PINCH HITTER: Baked Sweet Potato Fries Scrub and dry 2 sweet potatoes. Cut each into 8 slices, and then toss with olive oil and paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Turn and bake for 10 minutes more.

Blueberries

Host to more antioxidants than any other popular fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health. Aim for 1 cup fresh blueberries a day, or ½ cup frozen or dried. SUBSTITUTES: Açai berries, purple grapes, prunes, raisins, strawberries FIT IT IN: Blueberries maintain most of their power in dried, frozen, or jam form. PINCH HITTER: Açai, an Amazonian berry, has even more antioxidants than the blueberry. Mix 2 Tbsp. of açai powder into OJ or add 2 Tbsp. of açai pulp to cereal, yogurt, or a smoothie.

Black Beans

All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. A daily ½-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams of fiber, and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. SUBSTITUTES: Peas, lentils, and pinto, kidney, fava, and lima beans FIT IT IN: Wrap black beans in a breakfast burrito; use both black beans and kidney beans in your chili; puree 1 cup black beans with ¼ cup olive oil and roasted garlic for a healthy dip; add favas, limas, or peas to pasta dishes. HOME RUN: Black Bean and Tomato Salsa Dice 4 tomatoes, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 jalapeños, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 1 mango. Mix in a can of black beans and garnish with ½ cup chopped cilantro and the juice of 2 limes.

Walnuts

Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or  seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack. SUBSTITUTES: Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts FIT IT IN: Sprinkle on top of salads; dice and add to pancake batter; spoon peanut butter into curries; grind and mix with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled fish or chicken. HOME RUN: Mix 1 cup walnuts with ½ cup dried blueberries and ¼ cup dark chocolate chunks.

Oats

The éminence grise of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per ½-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy. SUBSTITUTES: Quinoa, flaxseed, wild rice FIT IT IN: Eat granolas and cereals that have a fiber content of at least 5 grams per serving. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed on cereals, salads, and yogurt. PINCH HITTER: Quinoa Salad Quinoa has twice the protein of most cereals, and fewer carbs. Boil 1 cup quinoa in a mixture of 1 cup pear juice and 1 cup water. Let cool. In a large bowl, toss 2 diced apples, 1 cup fresh blueberries, ½ cup chopped walnuts, and 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt.