Alastair Burlingham... Happy New Years!

Can't wait to see you next year.

Old KITT Car vs. New KITT Car Spec Breakdown!

For those of us who remember the 1980's and/or were just big fans of Knight Rider both of which I am for one not a shamed to admit to. Yes, that would be the Knight Rider TV show starring none other than pre-Baywatch David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and his superstar car sidekick, KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand). Weekly, the dynamic duo battled bad guys on the small-screen action-adventure show much to all of our delight. Now a blast from the past in the form of the new and improve 1982 Pontiac Trans Am updated to the impressive KNIGHT INDUSTRIES THREE THOUSAND: 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR.

The still-to-be-released Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR has been used for an all-new controversial KITT car to be featured in the NBC made-for-TV Knight Rider movie due out in February. The new Mustang comes with a supercomputer that can hack almost any system, weapons system and a body courtesy of nanotechnology. Designer Harald Belker came onboard to give the new KITT. a distinctive look. "The goal was to make it look more aggressive without being hokey or garish," Belker says. "Maintaining as much of the original beauty of the Shelby as possible was important—and not just because of the Ford connection. It had to be simple yet believable as a superhero." Belker is also mastermind behind the design of the Batmobile for Batman and Robin and a next-gen space shuttle for Armageddon.

KITT KNIGHT INDUSTRIES TWO THOUSAND: 1982 Pontiac Trans Am

Vehicle Type: Front engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupe
Engine Type: Knight Industries turbojet with modified afterburners
Transmission: Eight-speed microprocessor turbodrive with autopilot. Price New: $11,400,000 (est.). Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph: 0.2 seconds with power boosters. Standing quarter mile: 4.286 seconds. Braking (70 to 0 mph): 14 ft. Fuel Economy: Classified, but thought to be 200 mpg


KNIGHT INDUSTRIES THREE THOUSAND: 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR

Vehicle Type: Front engine, on-demand all-wheel drive, two-door coupe
Engine Type: Aluminum block/titanium heads 5.4-liter V8 internal combustion with Whipple supercharger and Knight Industries liquid air cycle auxiliary turbine engine. 540 hp in Hero mode. Power output can’t be measured in Attack mode.Transmission: Continuously variable transmission with infinite power band. Price New: $45.6 million, as tested. Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph: 1.77 seconds. Standing quarter mile: 3.87 seconds. Braking (300 to 0 mph): 12 ft. Fuel Economy: Not testable

'National Treasure' holds No. 1 spot for a 2nd week

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" fresh off of its number one slot debute last weeks holds onto the number spot for a second week. In its second week at the top of the heap National Treasure took $35.6 million at the box office. With a return ensemble cast comprised of Nicolas Cage, Justin Bartha, Diane Kruge and the legendary John Voight as well as new to the adventure Dame Helen Mirren the fortune hunting gang became even more extraordinary at the weekend for the second week at the top of box office.

Although, Walt Disney Co.'s "National Treasure" sequel was down by 20% from its opening weekend it still managed to bring in $124 million within day 10 days of its release. It is set to more than surpass its 2004 released film which grossed $173 million domestically and $348 million worldwide.

The Christmas Day film releases gave much needed boasts to the sluggish fall film financial takings ending the year for business in Hollywood on an all time high. "It's being spread among three or four key movies, then another six or seven or eight below that, which is great," said Mark Zoradi, president of the motion-picture group at Disney, which released "National Treasure."

The top December released 12 movies took in $169.2 million which is significantly up by 18 percent from the final weekend of 2006, when "Night at the Museum" led the box office with $36.8 million. Hollywood has much to sing about as it will end the year’s film takings in total with record high revenues of approximately $9.7 billion. This is a substantial increase up from the previous best of $9.45 billion in 2004, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

In spite of higher prices at the box offices as well as the gas pumps, the revenue increase suggests that actual admissions were up only a small percentage more than in 2006 and were diminutive of Hollywood's record of 1.6 billion tickets sold in 2002. The holidays falling on Tuesday, are believed to be a major part in the box office upturn in revenue as many people have been taking five-day weekends. "It's turned into like a two-week-long weekend for the movie industry," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks," from 20th Century Fox, held firmly at number two with takings of $142.4 million. In third place was Warner Bros. "I Am Legend," starring Wil Smith as lone survivor and possible last man alive which reached an impressive $194.6 million. Other films to hit high notes at the box office included "There Will Be Blood," "No Country for Old Men" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS HISTORICAL SEASON

The New England Patriots made history on December 29, 2007 when they successfully completed a 16-0 winning season. Their winning streak is the first NFL league team perfect winning season since the Dolphins who went 14-0. This NFL one for the record books streak has received the seal of approval from the last triumphant football team to take their winning streak as closely to the end of the season 1972.

“I don’t really think that breaking Jerry Rice’s record (for touchdown catches in one season) was special. I think shutting you guys up was special - all my critics,” said Moss last night at Giants Stadium. The record-setting Patriots completing the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history with their win over the New York Giants 38-35. “It’s a good feeling to come in (to New England) and have a good season like this, to know I could still get it done.”

Quarterback Tom Brady said of his teams historical moment, “It’s the God’s-honest truth: I never really thought about (the record) or tried to play any differently than I always do, which is to try and find the open guy and throw him the ball.” Brady also set a NFL record for touchdown passes in a season almost superseding his team’s historical accomplishments all on his own.

The achievement also known as the “perfect storm “ will be known for the history books and actual account of the final regular-season totals of the 2007 Patriots season as that which brought Brady and Moss together in flawless form. Brady passed for a club-record 4,806 yards taking the position as the third most in NFL history and managed 50 touchdowns. In doing so he also broke the previous mark of 49 set by Peyton Manning.

While, Moss caught 98 passes for a club-record 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns marking one more than the mark set by Rice (22 in just 12 games) during the strike-shortened 1987 season. “I really feel blessed to be in this position,” said a sincere and reflective Moss. “There are certain things in your life you don’t want to (let) pass, and this was one of those things - coming to the New England Patriots and playing championship-caliber football.”

Happy Holiday Wishes from Excalibur-one

Click the above link for amazing holiday lights and to see breathtaking photos of extraordinary, extravagant, and beautiful Christmas lights displays. User photos

Have a safe one. Remember Don't Drink and Drive. As for you Hollywood people... really is it too much to get a freakin driver. Let's all try to cut down on the DUI convictions next year in 2008!

The Top 10 Gadgets of 2007

It has been a great year for tech since… well last year. This year saw some of best innovations in phone and gadgetry there ever was. This top ten gadget list has been compiled by the Tech.yahoo. Apparently, the list selections were tougher to come up with for all the obvious reason and include the likes of the Amazon Kindle described by blogger Christopher Null as a potentially "game-changing device" that gives the sleepy e-book market a swift, much-needed kick in the pants which priced at $399 is does not come cheaply, the much anticipated at its release onto the market just a few months ago Apple iPhone with its top notch mobile Web browser for starters has become the unmatched cell phone handset, and Pioneer "Kuro" Plasma HDTVs available in 720p and 1080p versions depending on the size and model which has fast made it the top of the plasma experience line.

Other favorite gadgets to make the list are Asus Eee for its two-pound, paperback-sized laptop that runs Linux like a dream and Ibiza Rhapsody because of its impressive ability to sync with your Rhapsody music account over Wi-F, find and update your podcasts, and even surfs the web. Intel Classmate PC the only "One Laptop Per Child" device to run XP, and Nokia N95 phone considered second in its class only to the iPhone proved very impressive indeed. Shure SE530 earphones price at $450 making them the priciest earphones on the market and TiVo HD considered the best of the best DVR welcomed the arrive of the TiVo HD in August, and Vudu the not so perfect TV set-top box but is the closest you will get to the Netflix-in-a-box round out this top ten list.

Note to Brad Pitt

This is just an observation, of course, but when an actor's film work is up to caliber and he has not yet won an Oscar or a recent Golden Globe would that be due to the unfortunate result of the company he keeps or his publicist. Maybe, in Mr. Pitt’s case it is BOTH!

Brad Pitt and The Hypocrisy Of It ALL

Brad Pitt has been going large in his public campaign for funding his New Orleans Make It Right project since not receiving a Golden Globe nod for neither his Jess James flick nor himself as lead actor. He confirms boastfully that thousands have pledged funding to his New Orleans project and millions have been raised. People make as much as $1 million New Orleans pledges and pay them.

So, what is Angelina Joile’s excuse for not paying her financial pledges to the Cambodian Vision in Development Charity and its director Mounh Sarath of which she has defrauded them some $6.5 million to date. How is that possible that Brad sat around and let this woman get away with not paying that money a whole year after her negation of funding and questionable motives humanitarian was exposed and then goes on TV asking people for money for his project instead with a smile?

Angelina's tragic excuses for not paying have been a many. Including, that of how she thought the Cambodian project would not work so therefore gets away with not paying the signed agreement pledges made. This is in spite of the fact that she went to them and not the other way around offering to pledge financially. Instead, of actual payment she went onto exploit them for publicity before having gullible Brad to use.

Ironically, this sudden revelation of hers of the project allegedly not working came after several years of exploiting the poor Cambodian country’s charity in the media then being well behind in her payment schedule comprised of a five year payment plan to pay $1.5 million and a separate payment plan also over five years to pay $5 million. In the several years that that agreement stood in place before her unfortunate negation of funding she paid as little as just over half a million dollars.

Hum… So, nor Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie has come forward to pay off her debt to Director Sarath of CVD and her charity agreement named after her son Maddox, because Angelina can change her mind about NOT paying the money she pledged. However, as according to them the African MOTHER can not change her mind about wanting her African child back… Why?

I am so confuse as these celebrities vulgarly flaunted themselves everywhere and somehow are allowed to change their mind, but POOR black Africa woman can NOT change her mind and take back the child she gave birth to from her body herself.… Are Angelina and Brad exhibiting elitism nonsense or what!!!!!

What arrogance? They should give Zahara back to her mother if Angelina is allowed to change her mind over paying Sarath then surely a rape victim mother can change her mind about the child she bore from her FLESH and BLOOD! Hollywood home-wrecker signed legal agreements to pay pledged money then said she thought the project Cambodian project would not work and the raped African mother’s mother thought her raped daughter would not be able to keep the child, but the Africa child's biological mother came forward wanting her child back.

So, who should be allowed to get away with changing this mind, REALLY? The Hollywood celebrities or the poor black African’s. Excalibur-one sends Christmas wishes to the African family of Zahara.