Gordon Ramsay celebrity chef film, Love's Kitchen, bombs - taking just $181

AT some point, somebody involved with the romantic comedy Love's Kitchen must have thought that it was a recipe for success, but box office figures out yesterday told a very different story.

The UK film, starring Dougray Scott (who previously appeared in Desperate Housewives as Teri Hatcher's love interest), Four Weddings and a Funeral actor Simon Callow and Gordon Ramsay (as himself), had indeed achieved one of the most remarkable opening weekends in cinema history, though not quite in the sense that the producers were hoping for.

Love's Kitchen grossed precisely £121 ($181) nationwide, The (London) Times reported.

The entire UK takings would cover the cost for one person of the cheapest available dinner with two small glasses of house wine, coffee and chocolates at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the Michelin-starred chef's eaterie in Royal Hospital Road, West London.




The record UK box office taking for an opening weekend belongs to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, which grossed £18.32 million $27.4 million) last November.

Love's Kitchen, by contrast, appears to have been seen by more reviewers than paying punters. You would hope that they enjoyed writer and director James Hacking's debut film more than the critics.

Wendy Ide, of the Times, awarded it no stars, describing it as "cack-handed, cloth-eared" and featuring "exchanges so painful to watch that you would be better off rubbing Scotch bonnet peppers in your eyes."

Charles Gant, a box office analyst, said that the film's opening weekend was "one of the worst performances ever" in the UK. "My guess would be 20 people saw this film," he said.

 

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, made headlines around the world after she found herself in the middle of a notorious pay-for-access scandal.

Just one year ago, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, made headlines around the world after she found herself in the middle of a notorious pay-for-access scandal. She was caught on hidden camera accepting money from a tabloid reporter posing as a business tycoon and portrayed as selling access to her former husband, Prince Andrew.
Now, in her revealing new memoir, Finding Sarah: A Duchess’s Journey to Find Herself, Ferguson shares her soul-searching journey back from despair and near financial ruin.
The Duchess talked to Parade.com about her new book and OWN series Finding Sarah. She also revealed her dreams for her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and why, despite her love for her ex-husband, she doesn’t think they can ever be together.
On the decision to share her difficult journey.
“After last May, I started journaling what it was like to go through such destruction and sadness. It was so wretched and grueling and sad, because I’m a woman of very good intentions and I never think anybody is bad. And so when I was set up [on hidden camera], it was so cruel. I just couldn’t believe it. I lost my way completely.”
Why she’s grateful for the scandal.
“I think it saved me, because now I feel. Before, I was just on auto-drive, running at huge speed in order to make sure everybody else was looked after. I didn’t even stop for a minute, and now I feel as if I’ve got my life back. When I look into the mirror now, I give myself a pat on the back and say, ‘Well done, Sarah. A year ago you couldn’t even look in the mirror, you couldn’t even exist.’ I’ve come a long way.”
See photos of Sarah Ferguson through the years
On filming Finding Sarah on OWN.
“It’s so hard having cameras in your face. When people are talking about how I’m an addict of approval and acceptance and people-pleasing, and there are people in the room I don’t even know who are hearing my innermost secrets, my goodness, does it grind you.”
On her friend, Oprah Winfrey.
“I think Oprah is one of the finest people I’ve met. I know everybody says that, but I just find her really funny. She’s got such humor, and she’s like a wonderful, strong, fabulous thoroughbred horse that can win every race. You respect her because of what she’s achieved, and she’s fine in every way. Like fine bone china, which is very strong and resilient and can hold a double-decker bus.”
On her advice to her daughters about living in the public eye.
“Always remember that when you get up in the morning and you’re at home, that’s one thing. But when you’re on the public street, you are fair game. So if you feel in a bad mood, put on that smile, because people don’t want to see a grumpy princess!”
From Princess Grace to Princess Di: How well do you know your royals?
On her most important role: motherhood.
“My daughters have already done more than I could ever dream of. They are such strong, kind, respectful, honorable, really dignified, decent human beings. I think the one job I’ve done very well is being a good mom. Both Andrew and I have brought up our children, and we are good co-parents.”
On why she and Prince Andrew aren’t back together.
“I don’t think it’s a possibility. I married into the royal family and then divorced. I don’t think I’d be welcomed back in. I think Andrew and I love each other in our way, and we will always love each other.”
On all she gave up in getting her prince.
“You don’t think about it because you’re so in love, but for the rest of your life you will always be scrutinized. You will live your life under a microscope. But it’s worth it for him.”
On her special friendship with the late Princess Diana.
“I miss her humor and her wit, and the fact that she was an ex-wife, too. We were partners together, and I loved her with my heart and I miss her. I’m the only ex-wife out here, and it’s difficult. Who else has been an ex-wife that you can go and ask for help and guidance?”
Kate Middleton Photo Flashback: From College Coed to Royal Princess
On Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
“I would never presume to give Catherine any advice. I think she’s doing an excellent job in her own right. She doesn’t need advice from me. If it’s about mothering, then, yes, I can give advice, but I wouldn’t dream to give any advice on anything else.”
On her relationship with America.
“I’m so grateful to the American people. I love being in America, and I love the way they are and how forgiving they are and how they give people a second chance. They don’t judge, and I love that. I thank the American people for giving me so much strength to get through such a dark time.”

Skype sex cadet to sue Defence department

teenage air force cadet involved in the "Skype sex" scandal is preparing to sue the Defence Department after her medical files were allegedly given to an inquiry officer without her consent.

Known only as "Kate", the 18-year-old RAAF cadet has asked her lawyers to prepare a Federal Court action seeking damages as reviews continue into the culture and misconduct at the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reports.

Sources claim that Defence handed over the medical files that disclosed personal information about Kate, such as the fact she was on the contraceptive pill.

"They handed her medical files to (Mr) Kirkham the morning he arrived ... that means a whole lot of Defence lawyers have had access to her personal, private information," a source has claimed.

Sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick is leading the review into the treatment of women at the academy and Defence in general, while Melbourne barrister and former air force officer Andrew Kirkham QC is heading the inquiry into the "Skype sex" incident.

Kate went public earlier this year claiming senior officers at the academy ignored her concerns and allegedly refused to offer any support after she was secretly filmed having sex with another cadet in Canberra.

Police allege the incident was then broadcast via the internet on Skype to a nearby room where other cadets were watching on.

The army cadet with whom she had sex, 19-year-old Daniel McDonald, and a cadet accused of watching in a nearby room, Dylan De Blaquiere, 18, have both been suspended and charged.

Kate said she was vilified by fellow cadets, where undergraduates must adhere to strict "no fraternisation" rules.

The newspaper reports Mr De Blaquiere has since resigned from the ADFA, while Mr McDonald has the support of the Defence hierarchy to continue his military career.

 

A Kenyan woman who chopped off her lover's organ has been charged in court

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Faith Zembe Kamulu appeared before Kwale resident magistrate at the Kenya coast Monday to face an assault charge to a man in Diani in the same area on May 10.

She was not allowed to take the plea as the court was told that more charges were likely to be preferred against her after one week in police remand.

From a single act of goodwill, Mr Ronald ole Kitare’s life was changed forever.

Kitare had rescued Ms Kamulu after she was thrown out by her previous lover.

The woman attacked him on Thursday night in a revenge mission against Mr Kitare’s wife.

Her grudge

Speaking at his bed at the Coast General Hospital, Mr Kitare said the woman, whom he had introduced to his family as his would-be second wife, had earlier that day issued threats, but she did not sound serious and so he did not think of taking any precautions.

Her anger was sparked by Mr Kitare’s wife who called from his rural home and quarrelled with her.

Chimps have managed to reinterpret an ancient fable by solving how to reach a tasty treat by just using water.

In the Aesop's fable 'the crow and the pitcher' a bird was able to use stones to raise the level of water in a jug to quench its thirst.

Over a series of controlled experiments, our hairy cousins were able to pluck a floating peanut out of a vertical tube after spitting water in it from a nearby dispenser.


Can't quite reach: The chimp tries to grab the floating peanut in vain

One cheeky chimp even urinated in the tube to gain his prize.

'Impressed' lead researcher Daniel Hanus, from the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, said the chimp was urinating nearby after he became frustrated with spitting water into the tube.

'He realised: "Wait a minute, if I move in that direction, that fills up the tube",' Dr Hanus told the BBC.

'He seemed like he understood. He was like: "That's cool, this helps me".'


This time, the scientists compared gorillas, chimps and human children aged between four and eight years old.

They found that while gorillas were completely baffled by the test, chimps were more successful and older children far outperformed all their rivals.


Brain wave: The chimp holds water in his mouth and then spits it into the tube to raise the peanut

In the test, a 26cm glass tube was secured vertical to the wall. The tube was quarter filled with water and a shelled peanut was placed floating inside. A water dispenser was placed a metre away.

The only way to reach the peanut would be to take water from the dispenser and fill the tube during several visits.

The team found that none of the five gorillas was able to complete the task.

However, the chimps based in the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, in Uganda, and Germany's Leipzig Zoo were more successful.

Out of 43 chimps, 14 worked out that they needed to take the water in their mouths and spit it into the tube, and seven did this enough times to successfully obtain a peanut.

The chimp that urinated into the tube was successful and still ate the ammonia-rich peanut.

The children subjects were given a watering can to fill the tube rather than relying on spitting.


Success: The chimp enjoys his peanut prize

The four-year-olds were outperformed by the chimps with only two out 24 solving the problem.

However, 10 out of 24 six-year-olds and 14 out of 24 eight-year-olds were successful.

Dr Hanus said: 'Even the older children found it hard. It was interesting and impressive to see how difficult it was for them.'

Participants from all three species were less likely to solve the task if faced with a dry tube with a peanut at the bottom.

Scientists said this was because it was a more demanding task.

Writing in the Plos ONE journal, they explained: 'It requires thinking about water as a possible solution without having already seen it or its effect.'

SlutWalking entered the UK on Saturday with marches in Cardiff, Newcastle and Edinburgh and Glasgow

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wronged homeowners repossess bank

It's a fear at the back of the minds of millions — after you spend vast sums buying then personalising a house to turn it into your home, misfortune, rising rates or a single bad decision could see the bank take it back.

But for one couple, the injustice of such a move saw them turn the tables and gain a court order to repossess property of the bank that tried to foreclose on them.

So how did this "sweet justice" — to use the words of the lawyer representing the couple — come about? Well, in the same way it happens to thousands of normal homeowners — the bank made a mistake and then didn't pay for it as the costs rose.

How it happened

Back in 2009 Warren Nyerges — a retired policeman — and his wife Maureen Collier bought a house for $165,000 (£100,000) on the Golden Gates Estates development in Florida. But paid entirely in cash and so never took out a mortgage.

Sadly for them, the fact they had no debt on the property didn't stop the Bank of America initiating repossession proceedings against them in February 2010.

Of course, never having a mortgage in the first place meant their lawyer — Todd Allen — won, and proceedings were dropped.

But this wasn't a cost-free exercise for the Nyerges, resulting in more than $2,500 (£1,500) of legal fees. These, they repeatedly requested the bank compensate them for.

The fallout

The couple went to the courts to get their compensation. The courts agreed, and told the bank to pay them their due.

After another five months without their money, despite phone calls and letters, they simply took the next logical step and got a foreclosure order against the bank.

"They've ignored our calls, ignored our letters, legally this is the next step to get my clients compensated," Allen told CBS News.

The lawyer and two policemen, along with a moving van, then reported to the bank to collect desks, chairs computers and anything else of value — even the cash from the tellers' draws — to compensate the wronged couple.

And if you want to see the tables turned — you can view TV news reports of the event here.

Local reports tell us that under this pressure from the law and the media, it only took about an hour for the bank manager to produce a cheque for $5,772.88 (£3,515.11) to cover the bills the couple had built up.

"We apologise to Mr Nyerges that there was a delay in receiving the funds," the bank's written statement to the Naples News reads. "The original request went to an outside attorney who is no longer in business."

A rising concern

While this story might bring a smile to the face of people in the UK, repossession remains a real concern.

In the first three months of 2011 some 9,100 Britons lost their homes as banks repossessed them — a position as many as 40,000 people could find themselves in by the end of the year.

With some estimates putting the number of homeowners at risk if rates rise at 90% - anyone worried about their position should take action now.