Hollywood heavyweight Mark Wahlberg has fallen out with his buddy director David O. Russell over the director’s decision to cast someone else in the lead of his new film, “The Silver Linings Playbook,” according to two individuals with knowledge of the relationship.”They went with Brad Cooper because they felt he was hungrier and would work for cheaper,” Matt Muzio, Russell’s cousin and frequent collaborator, told TheWrap.Muzio also fell out with the director recently, but said he was with Russell this summer on Martha’s Vineyard when the decision was made. Another individual close to Wahlberg confirmed the information.Wahlberg’s deal provided that he was to be paid an additional $900,000 if Anne Hathaway fell out of the project, according to two individuals with knowledge of the deal. Hathaway did indeed drop out, making Cooper the less expensive option to Wahlberg.Wahlberg was paid a fee anyway, though another executive said it was because of his creative contribution to the Weinstein Co. project.The decision to cast Cooper surprised Muzio and others because Wahlberg has been one of Russell’s most loyal friends in Hollywood, bringing him in on his pet project, “The Fighter,” after years of Russell being sidelined.Before that, Russell had favored Wahlberg for years, casting him in his cult hit “Three Kings” and again in “I Heart Huckabees” — a movie that not only failed at the box office but solidified the director’s reputation in the industry as difficult after a video surfaced of him screaming at Lily Tomlin on set.”The Fighter” was Russell’s first movie since that debacle, a critical success and a box-office hit — and a path back to productivity for the writer-director. Russell was nominated for Best Director, and producer Wahlberg was nominated for Best Picture. Christian Bale and Melissa Leo both won Oscars for their supporting performances.”If it weren’t for ‘The Fighter,’ ‘Silver Linings’ wouldn’t exist,” Muzio said.A spokesman for Wahlberg had no comment. An agent for Russell did not return repeat emails and calls; his publicist could not reached.A spokesman for Weinstein had no comment.In “Silver Linings,” which started shooting last week, Cooper plays Pat Peoples, a teacher who after spending years in a mental institution, moves back in with his mother and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Wahlberg had been attached to the role for the better part of this year.The all-star cast of the Weinstein Co. film also includes Robert De Niro, who plays what one knowledgeable person described as an “ambling, lunatic father.” Jackie Weaver plays the mother, and Jennifer Lawrence is the ex-wife.According to an individual close to the actor, Wahlberg is so upset about it that he and Russell are no longer speaking.He had been working with the director on other projects, and those have gone in different directions:Wahlberg will be teaming up with Baltasar Kormakur for a new Universal action movie, “2 Guns,” in which Russell had been previously involved.Wahlberg is trying to put together “The Fighter 2” and, as someone in his camp said, “If we get “Fighter 2” off the ground, it won’t be with David Russell.”As for “Silver Linings,” Wahlberg is not the only major actor to be considered and fall out of the movie. Hathaway had been attached but could not fit the movie into her schedule.
By Jungyoun ParkSEOUL, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Seoul shares rose on Thursday,
buoyed by substantial gains in banks including Hana Financial
Group and airlines like Korean Air .Analysts said investors were buying more actively as they
grew more assured of Europe’s progress toward bolstering its
financial rescue fund, renewing appetite for riskier assets.”The longer-term direction of the market is still hard to
determine. However, the way things are going, there is a good
chance we will see the relief rally continue through the
year-end,” said Kim Young-june, a market analyst at SK
Securities.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI)
finished up 0.75 percent at 1,823.10 points.Foreign investors were buyers of a net 438.8 billion won
($376.1 million) worth of shares, and pension funds purchased a
net 101.5 billion won, buying for a sixth straight session.Hana Financial Group ended up 7 percent after
U.S. private equity firm Lone Star decided not to appeal a court
verdict that found it guilty of stock manipulation, potentially
clearing legal hurdles to its planned sale of Korea Exchange
Bank to Hana.”This removes one mountain in Hana’s path to acquiring KEB,”
said Kyobo Securities analyst Hwang Suk-kyu.Korea Exchange Bank rose 4.4 percent.Airlines surged as the won strengthened, pointing to
lower jet fuel costs and higher demand for overseas tours.”Airlines had been under a lot of pressure on the won’s
weakness and its pickup was a big factor behind today’s rally,”
said Park Eun-kyung, an analyst at Samsung Securities.Park added that a free trade agreement deal with the United
States was also expected to increase demand for freight
services.The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved
long-delayed trade pacts with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.Korean Air Lines Co Ltd , the country’s top air
carrier, jumped 10.6 percent and Asiana Airlines Inc
rose 9.7 percent.Shinsegae Co Ltd underperformed, edging down 0.2
percent, after South Korea’s No.2 retailer posted a
forecast-missing third-quarter operating profit of 27.6 billion
won. Shinsegae was expected to report a quarterly operating
profit of about 36 billion won, according to ThomsonReuters
I/B/E/S.Falls in technology issues weighed, as Samsung Electronics
, the world’s No.1 memory chip maker, slipped 0.9
percent and LG Display shed 1.5 percent.The KOSPI 200 spot index gained 0.6 percent to
238.09 points and the junior Kosdaq market rose 1.26
percent to 473.56 points.Move on day +0.75 percent12-month high 2,231.47 27 April 201112-month low 1,644.11 26 September 2011Change on yr -11.11 percentAll-time high 2,231.47 27 April 2011All-time low 93.10 6 January 1981
($1 = 1166.750 Korean Won)
* Ban applies until court rules on core patent rowBy Narayanan Somasundaram and Amy PyettSYDNEY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - An Australian court slapped a
temporary ban on the sale of Samsung Electronics’
latest computer tablet in the Australian market on Thursday,
handing rival Apple another legal victory in the two
firms’ global patent war.The two technology firms have been locked in an acrimonious
battle in nine countries involving smartphone and tablet patents
since April, with the Australian dispute centring on
touch-screen technology used in Samsung’s new Galaxy tablet.”I am satisfied that it is appropriate to grant an interim
injunction, however I propose again the opportunity of an early
final hearing on the issues presented in this application,”
Justice Annabelle Bennett told the court.The Federal Court’s ban on sales of the Galaxy 10.1 tablet
applies until it rules on the core patent issue in dispute,
which could take months and force Samsung to miss the Christmas
gift-giving season in Australia.Samsung has said that the product’s viability in the
Australian market would be killed off if it missed Christmas.The Australian ruling follows Apple’s successfully legal
move to block Samsung from selling its tablets in Germany and
some smartphone models in the Netherlands. It comes ahead of
important hearings in the United States and South Korea.Samsung has so far been reluctant to agree to an expedited
Australian court hearing of the core patent dispute, despite the
risk of missing out on Christmas sales, because it said it needs
time to prepare a proper defence against Apple’s claims.
* Ban applies until court rules on core patent rowBy Narayanan Somasundaram and Amy PyettSYDNEY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - An Australian court slapped a
temporary ban on the sale of Samsung Electronics’
latest computer tablet in the Australian market on Thursday,
handing rival Apple another legal victory in the two
firms’ global patent war.The two technology firms have been locked in an acrimonious
battle in nine countries involving smartphone and tablet patents
since April, with the Australian dispute centring on
touch-screen technology used in Samsung’s new Galaxy tablet.”I am satisfied that it is appropriate to grant an interim
injunction, however I propose again the opportunity of an early
final hearing on the issues presented in this application,”
Justice Annabelle Bennett told the court.The Federal Court’s ban on sales of the Galaxy 10.1 tablet
applies until it rules on the core patent issue in dispute,
which could take months and force Samsung to miss the Christmas
gift-giving season in Australia.Samsung has said that the product’s viability in the
Australian market would be killed off if it missed Christmas.The Australian ruling follows Apple’s successfully legal
move to block Samsung from selling its tablets in Germany and
some smartphone models in the Netherlands. It comes ahead of
important hearings in the United States and South Korea.Samsung has so far been reluctant to agree to an expedited
Australian court hearing of the core patent dispute, despite the
risk of missing out on Christmas sales, because it said it needs
time to prepare a proper defence against Apple’s claims.
* Ban applies until court rules on core patent rowBy Narayanan Somasundaram and Amy PyettSYDNEY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - An Australian court slapped a
temporary ban on the sale of Samsung Electronics’
latest computer tablet in the Australian market on Thursday,
handing rival Apple another legal victory in the two
firms’ global patent war.The two technology firms have been locked in an acrimonious
battle in nine countries involving smartphone and tablet patents
since April, with the Australian dispute centring on
touch-screen technology used in Samsung’s new Galaxy tablet.”I am satisfied that it is appropriate to grant an interim
injunction, however I propose again the opportunity of an early
final hearing on the issues presented in this application,”
Justice Annabelle Bennett told the court.The Federal Court’s ban on sales of the Galaxy 10.1 tablet
applies until it rules on the core patent issue in dispute,
which could take months and force Samsung to miss the Christmas
gift-giving season in Australia.Samsung has said that the product’s viability in the
Australian market would be killed off if it missed Christmas.The Australian ruling follows Apple’s successfully legal
move to block Samsung from selling its tablets in Germany and
some smartphone models in the Netherlands. It comes ahead of
important hearings in the United States and South Korea.Samsung has so far been reluctant to agree to an expedited
Australian court hearing of the core patent dispute, despite the
risk of missing out on Christmas sales, because it said it needs
time to prepare a proper defence against Apple’s claims.
The arguments pitted safety concerns by jails and the Obama administration about a suspect hiding drugs, weapons or other contraband against a suspect’s constitutional privacy rights protecting against unreasonable searches.An estimated 700,000 people are in jail in the United States every year for less serious misdemeanor offenses.The justices asked about the intrusiveness of different searches such as a guard’s visual exam of a naked detainee, a body cavity search and making a nude detainee squat and cough. They questioned how close guards can get to detainees who must take off their clothes and shower when entering the jail.Attorneys for the jails and for the administration argued in favor of an across-the-board rule allowing strip searches of all those who enter the general jail population, even those who have been arrested on minor offenses such as speeding.Tom Goldstein, an attorney for Albert Florence, who was strip searched twice at two New Jersey jails over a six-day period after his arrest for an unpaid traffic fine, argued jailers much first have reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.”This is a significant intrusion of individual privacy and individual dignity,” Goldstein said.Justice Anthony Kennedy, a moderate conservative who often controls the outcome on the court, said he thought county jails were more dangerous than penitentiaries.”You don’t know who these people are. You arrest them for traffic (violations) and they may be some serial killer you do not know,” Kennedy said.Washington attorney Carter Phillips, who argued on behalf of the two jails, said a serious problem existed with drugs and other contraband smuggled into jails and urged the court to defer to the judgment of administrators on what searches to use.Responding to a question from Justice Samuel Alito, Phillips said a person arrested just for having tickets for being caught on speed cameras can be subjected to searches.Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked whether the right to search someone should depend on whether the suspect has been arrested for a crime that carries jail time and on whether sufficient reason existed for the arrest and detention.”There is something unsettling about permitting the police to arrest people for things like kids who are staying out after curfew,” she said.Assistant Solicitor General Nicole Saharsky said the high court should allow strip searches of anyone entering the jail’s general population, a policy used by the federal government.Jailers must make quick decisions on large numbers of people put into the general prison population. “They have very little time and if they guess wrong, those mistakes can be deadly,” she said.A ruling in the case is expected early next year.The Supreme Court last addressed a similar issue in 1979, when it upheld strip searches of all prisoners at a facility in New York after contacts with visitors.The Supreme Court case is Florence vs. Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Burlington, No. 10-945.
“It is incredibly worrying to us that in a wave of
deleveraging which is calculated to be in excess of 2 trillion
euros ($2.7 trillion) in the next couple of years that this wall
of deleveraging will continue to add additional pressure onto
the European economy,” John Moran told a banking conference in
Dublin.”We really need to avoid a situation where we are dumping
assets at any cost,” he said. “In order to do that Europe needs
to work hard to find a stable mechanism to fund this type of
deleveraging.”European banks are looking to shed loans and beef up their
balance sheets to protect themselves against a deepening
sovereign debt crisis which has frozen normal funding channels.Moran said all but the most highly rated European banks will
find it difficult to access unsecured funding.”It is going to be a challenge for a long time with the
exception of the very highly rated banks,” he said.No European bank has done a senior unsecured bond deal since
early July despite about 150 billion euros of issuance in the
first half.Ireland’s banks were at the heart of its financial crisis
and subsequent 85 billion euros EU-IMF bailout and as part of
that rescue package its three main lenders have agreed to shrink
their balance sheets by 70 billion euros by 2013.Some 13 billion euros in core and non-core assets have been
offloaded to date and Moran said Ireland’s banks had an
important head-start on their European counterparts in shedding
assets.”We are in a fortunate position, frankly, because we have
core banks set up, we have deleveraging committees, we have
management focus on that. They have got advisers,” he said.”Realistically I think it will be a while before the other
banks can go through that initial cycle that we went through.”Dublin is targeting nearly 16 billion euros of asset sales
this year as part of an overall asset sale target of 34 billion
euros.Ireland’s banks have overhauled their boards after years of
reckless property lending precipitated the sector’s
near-collapse and Moran said he expected Allied Irish Banks
to submit a salary proposal for a new chief executive
to the department this week.AIB, effectively nationalised late last year, wants to break
a government-imposed salary ceiling of 500,000 euros ($682,000)
in order to attract a new CEO.Brendan McDonagh, a former head of HSBC’s North
American operations and David Duffy, who has held international
roles with ING Barings and South Africa’s Standard Bank
are among the contenders for the AIB job.
Dallas Federal Reserve President Richard Fisher is not one to pull his punches. He was one of three dissenters on the Fed’s most recent move to ease policy, and has argued the move will not only be ineffective but also potentially harmful to jobs. Speaking with reporters after his refreshingly frank defense of his dissent this week, Fisher – an architect of the Fed’s new communications policy aimed at more transparency – suggested there are times when he would prefer to be a bit more demure.
Asked if the Federal Open Market Committee’s gloomy economic outlook in its post-meeting statement last week matched his own, he said: “I think the FOMC does its job to honestly state how it views things. We are in an age of enhanced transparency.”
But that’s not always a good thing, he suggested, especially when the market is not used to getting an unvarnished view. Warning that he was about to make a “bad joke” – and then proceeding with it – Fisher said:
We are an almost 100 year old institution … I don’t think that anything that’s 100 years old should give a full frontal view. We do reveal most fully what we discuss, and the markets are going to have to get used to that. It may not be a pretty view, but its a full frontal view.
