A man who seldom parleys with the press, Clive Owen is a bit of an enigma, but that's part of his appeal. His coolness comes from his fuck-all attitude," says Stephen Rebello, who wrangled the actor for the Playboy Interview. "When we were feeling each other out. it was uncomfortable until he told me he collects movie posters. I told him I'd written Reel Art. a book on the subject, and then he completely opened up. We could have talked posters all day, but only two people would have found that interesting." Owen brings his attitude to the screen with the action flick Shoot Em Up. "The movie is insanely dark, funny, twisted and sexy." Rebello says. "His performance is absolutely balls-out; he's like James Bond on crack. At a pre-screening I sat near former Bond George Lazenby. Watching his reaction to Owen playing a 2007 007 was priceless."
Jonathan I.itlman's report on the hacker Kevin Mitnick (The Invisible Digital Man, June) brought back emotions I haven't felt since I was a teenager and hacking was considered cool. Today, as a Windows security expert, I am paid to hack by a different name; in the industry it's known as penetration testing. Like so many of his contemporaries, Mitnick didn't hack so he could steal your grandmother's bank account number or cash in by sending millions of spam e-mails. Instead, he was a hacker because he loved the challenge of breaking in. Liftman quotes a psychiatrist who says of the teenage Mitnick, "Kevin's preoccupation, if not obsession, is derived in part from the sense of power he gains, power which
Matt Groening says in the Playboy Interview (June) that members of the fan site Nohomers.net "often act like spurned lovers if they don't like something." Of course we act that way—The Simpsons hasn't satisfied some of us in years. However, it is still more satisfying than our imaginary girlfriends. Eric Wirtanen Sagamore, Massachusetts
I have been a subscriber for 15 years and always enjoy the magazine's intelligence. That said, I am not only offended but sickened that Chip Rowe would provide instant gratification for pedophiles by writing in Are We Not Boys? (June) about the climax of a five-month-old child. I couldn't bring myself to finish the article. Lynn Price Clarksville, Arkansas
I find it seriously uncool that 50 Years of the Harley Sportster (June) did not include the Fonz. Although he rode a Triumph in later episodes of Happy Days, he began with a Sportster. I have to say to your writer, James R. Petersen, "Sit on it."
I work at a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Recently a beautiful young woman came in. When she arrived, only a handful of customers were in the place, but someone recognized her as Playmate Brittany Binger (Bada Binger, June), and within 30 minutes the restaurant was filled with people holding their copies of the magazine. Brittany signed autographs and posed for snapshots for three hours and never had a chance to
Sara Jean Underwood is the second Playmate of the Year in eight years to have attended Oregon State University, alter Jodi Ann Paterson in 2000. It makes me even prouder to be an alumnus. Andrew Willis San Diego, California
(Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam) Those bizarre body snatchers are back in the fourth movie inspired by novelist Jack Finney's sci-fi hair-raiser. This version has Kidman as a psychiatrist who, with Craig as her doctor ally, believes her young son holds the secret to stopping the alien epidemic.
(Jodie Foster, Naveen Andrews, Terrence Howard) As a radio-show host turned vigilante, Foster stalks the lowlifes who attacked her and murdered her fiance in this Neil Jordan-directed thriller. She begins to wonder whether revenge really is a dish best served cold and if she's becoming what she hates.
(Will Arnett, Will Forte, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig) A well-meaning pair of socially inept doofuses (the hilarious Arnett and Forte)—brothers who have been sheltered and home-schooled way too long—blunder while searching for their perfect mates to fulfill their dying father's wish for a grandchild.
(Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel) In director David Cronenberg's latest, midwife Watts learns too much when she pries into the case of a patient who died giving birth. Encountering Mob-connected Mortensen, Watts is caught up in the police investigation of an underground Russian sex ring.
ROME: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (2007) This HBO series picks up in the wake of Julius Caesar's murder, as his wily heir, Gaius Octavian, outmaneuvers Mark Antony for control of the empire. VVV/2
Bodacious B-movie queen Adrienne Barbeau has heated up cult favorites like Escape From New York, The Fog and Swamp Thing (pictured). Look for the velvet-voiced actress next in Halloween.
For people suffering from cognitive decline, having up to one drink a day over a three-year period may slow the ' development of full-blown dementia by 85%.
Since 1981, major airlines have awarded more than 19 trillion frequent-flier miles, while customers have redeemed only 6 trillion. American Airlines, which operates the largest frequent-flier program, carries a $1.6 billion liability.
Proving ancient Egyptians didn't know what to do on weekends either, archaeologists have found what looks like an indoor bowling alley near Cairo that is more than 2,000 years old.
-The most popular form of music piracy today is not file sharing but the burning and ripping,^ compact distfs among friends, accounting for 37% of all music consumed last year, according to the research firm NPD Group.
The percentage of Muslims living in the U.S. who claim they are Muslim first and American second: 47. The percentage of white evangelical Americans who proclaim they are Christian first and American second: 62.
Parity has been a constant in the NFL both before and since the salary cap was instituted in 1994. Here are the percentages of games decided by a touchdown (7 points) or less and a field goal (3 points) or less:
An Indiana University study found that during his "Talking Points Memo" editorials, Bill O'Reilly calls some person or group a derogatory name once every 6.8 seconds.
At press time, the field of 2008 presidential hopefuls had a combined personal wealth of about half a billion dollars. Republican Mitt Romney alone is worth up to $350 million.
WITH FASHION ACCESSORIES, women navigate a dizzying universe. It's been simpler for men: watch, wallet, cuff links, pocket square. Now it's officially time to add cell phones to the list. Vertu phones offer the kind of workmanship you usually find in a Rolex, which explains their $4,350 to $310,000 price. The latest? The limited-edition Ascent Ferrari 1947 (vertu.com), created in honor of the automaker's 60th anniversary, featuring real Ferrari leather and a miniature version of the iconic Ferrari brake pedal on the back.
KEN ONION BUILT a following among folding-knife collectors as the in-house knife designer at Kershaw. Now he's taking a whack at kitchen cutlery with his own Shun collection. The handles on these aggressive slicers meld into the blade, offering greater chop control. The utility knife is $135, the chef's is $195, and the santoku is $185 (broadwaypanhandler.com).
IT'S NOT ROCKET science: Businessmen like laptops, and businessmen like luxury. So bring on the luxury laptops already. This leather-bound beauty is the ThinkPad Reserve Edition ($5,000, thinkpadreserve.com). It packs a dual-core processor, two gigabytes of RAM and a 12.1-inch screen within its premium leather exterior. Only 5,000 will be made. For best results, pair with a Courvoisier XO and a fat Cohiba.
WITH BIKES, STYLE and comfort seldom mix. Case in point: that weird guy on the recumbent cruiser (there's one in every town). But with the Schlick Shark (from $2,489, schlickcycles.com), software engineer John Schlick injects the cushy cruiser with attitude, notably chopper handlebars, a long wheelbase, eight smooth gears and a prominent finlike seat post. The result is one of the most distinctive and easy-on-the-ass cycles we've ridden in years.
My girlfriend and 1 are extremely intimate. In fact, we are so intimate that we sniff each other's genitals every day after work, then rate how bad we each smell and have a laugh. We both seem to enjoy it when the other is more stinky. I should mention that we also sniff each other's feet. We are like a couple of dogs. Is this crazy?—G.R, Princeton, New Jersey
In "Killing in the Name Of" (May), Mark Ames cites the example of Robert Mack, who went on a workplace shooting spree at General Dynamics. Ames may not realize how well Mack's case underscores the point he makes. Mack rode with me to work, and I know he had been discriminated against because of his skin color. He experienced a great deal of hardship on the job because of favoritism by management. The union that was supposed to represent him, the International Association of Machinists, failed to save his job. All this was happening as General Dynamics engaged in mass layoffs to increase its stock price. Mack suffered more than most workers at the time.
1 have subscribed to your magazine for years and love the political articles. I enjoyed your piece on Arthur Schlesinger Jr. (June). I once cited his Holy War, from your November 2004 issue, in a paper I wrote for a college
Frederick Barthelme's editorial on the Gulf Coast ("Help Wanted," June) seems to ring true in my case. Maybe my brain is, to use his term, like a galvanized pipe. The pace and randomness with which the news is presented all but forces the average viewer and reader to latch onto the next big shiny-story. Since most, if not all, the national news agencies present things in this fashion, we have no choice but to go along for the ride. Honestly, there is no rational argument for why New Orleans is in the shape it's in today. We live in the richest country in the world, and we seem unable to leverage that wealth to help the people who need it most. What can be done? How do we effectively remind the government that this issue should be paramount? I don't know. I'm just glad someone is still thinking about it and I was forced to think about it as well.
It's funny when our conservative administration and the right-wing media refer to most Middle Eastern religions and cultures as composed of warmongering, one-sided intolerants who have little grasp of modern values and share a fundamental unwillingness to promote peace. I guess I'm supposed to think that guy who holds a sign on an American college campus, hollers gay slurs and tells students who drink, curse and fornicate that they are all going to rot in hell must be from somewhere south of Turkey, right?
Chandigarh, india—While huge swaths of the world struggle with the continuing AIDS epidemic, Asia's boom countries are having some success with local common-sense solutions aimed at increasing condom use. In India, the state-owned Chandigarh Industrial & Tourism Corporation has opened a condom-themed nightclub (pictured) where rubbers are provided for free. Company head Jasbir Singh Bir says, "Condoms must be seen as friends, not some embarrassing necessity that no one wants to talk about." In Surat, in India's Gujarat state, cinemas and tobacconists in a red-light district have started stocking condoms and distributing information on safe sex and AIDS. In China, meanwhile, AIDS-prevention groups have been successful in enlisting gay bars, massage parlors and health centers to distribute free condoms.
weld county. colorado-A woman who left a political pamphlet filled with dog feces on the steps of U.S. Representative Marilyn Mus-grave's office during last year's campaign has been acquitted of criminal use of a noxious substance. The woman, Kathleen Ensz, never denied leaving the dung but maintained it was protected speech. Her lawyer explained after the verdict, "Her only intention in going over there was to make a political statement that Marilyn Musgrave's politics stink."
Washington, o.c—After six long years of policies that pander to the religious right, Americans who favor a rational approach to issues such as sex education likely breathed a sigh of relief after the change of congressional leadership last fall. But this summer, the now Democrat-controlled House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies sent through a budget that would raise spending on abstinence education, a longtime pet project of the broadly antisex right wing. The Democrat-sponsored bill would increase funding to $141 million, a boost of $28 million. Despite much scientific evidence against their efficacy, abstinence programs have already consumed $1.5 billion in taxpayer money since 1982. As James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth, put it, "Let's face it. With friends like these, who needs conservative Republicans?"
TEHRAN^Apparently in response to the widespread circulation of a home sex tape believed by many Iranians to feature Zahra Amir Ebra-himi, a nationally prominent soap-opera star, Iran's parliament has passed stiff new penalties for involvement in the production of "pornographic works." Under the new law, which passed by a margin of 148 to five, the definition of pornographic works is expanded to include electronic materials such as DVDs, and sen-
Richardson: So...is this a good time? ceez: In a bit. The missus is getting in the shower now. richardson: Did you guys just get home from work? cee2: I got home 30 minutes ago. richardson: You have a small business, right? ceez: Correct.
Detroit's nee-muscle car movement is the best thing to happen to American roads since the original breed. Here is our pick off the hottest, most aggressive street beasts, both new and old
'hen I was growing up I did a lot of magic r tricks. I acquired an extreme aversion to 'magic patter, though, because it always seenfed insulting—as if you were saying the people in the audience were such idiots they couldn't tell what was going on. "Here I have a
Byron Newman has always had an eye for the strange and beautiful. Where you find those two things commingling, you will likely find Newman standing by with camera in hand. For more than 20 years the London-based photographer's nudes have appeared in countless books and magazines, including the pages of playboy. For this particular shoot, Newman gathered a select group of English models—(in order) Jessica, Francesca, Yunia, Kerri, Justine and Louise—and commissioned fetish companies Westward Bound and Precious London to clothe them. The garments are made of latex and finished with chains, buckles and fishnet. "It's like a second skin," Newman says of latex. "It molds to the body—quite sensual stuff." For the mise-en-scene, he chose a country mansion outside London. The resulting portfolio reveals a fantasy that is at once fetishistic, with a nod toward bondage play, and a celebration of classic beauty and elegance. We couldn't resist publishing these unique photographs. Allow your imagination to stretch like the latex. It is quite sensual, indeed.
Below is a list of retailers and manufacturers you can contact for information on where to find this month's merchandise. To buy the apparel and equipment shown on pages 26, 33-34, 94-101 and 146-147, check the listings below to find the stores nearest you.
Nestled among the mansions in Malibu's storied hills sits Pepperdine University, a small liberal-arts institution with a yen for baseball. The school's talented varsity team has attracted the attention of a certain
It's possible you've never seen a MISCHA BARTON movie or TV show (excepting juvenilia like The Sixth Sense and Notting Hill). Indeed, why would you? They're all about teen lesbians, teen seductresses and poor little rich seductress lesbians. Bo-ring!
This month's installment of "No shit, she's 40" stars TIA CARRERE. In 2007 she returned to TV (appearances on Nip/Tuck and Curb Your Enthusiasm) and released an album of Hawaiian music. So that's a couple more things she can be proud of.
As you would expect, NICOLE SCHERZINGER looks as good in a string bikini as she does in her Pussycat Doll haute sluture. There's plenty to love about Nic, whether you're an ass man or a tit man. Or, like this dude, a colon man.
fust when we thought train-wreck hairless wonder BRITNEY SPEARS would never make Grapevine again, she shows up in Miami in a diaphanous top, looking glamorous and more than a little MILFy.
Model-actress AYANNA has had blink-and-you'll-miss-her spots on Without a Trace, \umbers and NCIS. We hope she gets more screen time—we all gotta blink.
Gentlemen understand flasks, in particular how handy they are when traveling. But as an icebreaker, offering the comely stranger in your couchette a swig will get you a dirty look at best. Instead, stuff this mini travel bar from Picnic at Ascot ($45, picnicatascot.com) into your duffle. It comes with a flask, funnel, stir stick, tongs, corkscrew and two collapsible shot cups in brushed stainless steel. We think you'll find "May I pour you a drink?" is far more becoming than "Ya wanna pull?"
Consumer HD camcorders have been around for a while, but toting the behemoths always makes us feel as if we're interning for Cecil B. DeMille. J VC conies to the rescue with its GZ-HD7(S 1.800, jvc.com), which features a full-fledged 3CCD sensor and shoots in 1920-by-1080 widescreen HD. Part of JVC's Everio line, it stores video on a built-in 60-gigabyte hard drive—enough space for five hours of full HD. It won't fit in your pocket, but it also won't force you to wear a back brace.
Computer makers do incredible, amazing, jaw-dropping things with the design inside their products. Outside their products, not so much. Which is why we love GelaSkins (from $13, gelaskins.com). These protective skins feature fresh, vivid art from everyone from Escher and Bosch up to today's downtown scenesters. (Stella Im Hultberg and Ralph Steadman are shown below.) Now you can dress your notebook and il'od in a style as spectacular as the technological wonders they contain.
When the Swiss Alinghi sailing team won the America's Cup in 2003, it took the trophy to Europe for the first time in 152 years. As the team defended its historic victory this year, each member carried a very specialized piece of gear. Wenger, the Swiss Army knife people, created the Wenger Alinghi (SI35, wengerna.com) with a sailor's needs in mind. It features pliers, a wire cutter, a ruler, three screwdrivers, a 10-centimeter combination serrated-and-smooth blade and more. For us landlubbers it also has a bottle opener for popping beers while we watch the races on TV. And whatever you do, don't call it a Swiss Navy knife.
Bourbon from London would be weird. But American-made gin? Delightful. Pictured from left: North Shore Distillery Distiller's Gin No. 6 (S28, northshoredistillery.com) is a floral-toned gin from suburban Chicago. Bluecoat American Dry Gin (S28, bluecoatgin .com), from Philly, has spicier notes. DH Krahn ($28, dhkrahn.com), the smoothest of the three, began as a business-school project by two Cornell students. A+.
Quality, simplicity and style have made Zippo an American icon and kept its lighters beloved in both the marketplace and pop culture for 75 years. Now, in its diamond anniversary year, the company has produced its first-ever pressurized blue-flame lighter, the Zippo BLU ($40 to $80, zippoblu.com). Don't worry: The snap-open top and (lint wheel are still there, as is the lifetime guarantee.
It's getting hard to find a gadget that doesn't play MP3s and videos. Still, iRiver's sleek Clix Gen 2 (iriver.com) is one of the most elegant around. Like its lovely predecessor, the Clix Gen 2 uses a tilting screen to let you navigate simply and intuitively, without buttons. This slick update is about thinness, however, and sports larger storage sizes (two gigabytes for $150, four for $200 and eight for $250), not to mention a screen you can watch a movie on without going blind. Other features include basic games, KM radio and the ability to display pictures.
Every nation has an avatar of beauty through whom it defines itself. We have Monroe, the Italians have Loren, the Swedes Ekberg. The French, of course, have Bardot. The three-disc Brigitie Bardot 5-Film Collection ($40) contains examples from across her career— Naughty Ctrl, Come Dance With Me!, Love on a Pillow, Two Weeks in September and The Vixen—plus extras. If after viewing you're unconvinced by the French candidate's merits,peut-etre In es mort.
We love a blade against the skin, but the gadgethead in us can't resist the shiny, humming toys that promise to keep us looking sharp. Braun's rechargeable Pulsonic 959.5 ($270, braun.com) provides a great excuse to geek out over stubble removal. Along with its streamlined looks, the Pulsonic can micro-vibrate more than 10,000 times a minute. That motion promises to make your stubble stand up siraighter, allowing the razor to cut closer. The Gillette-blade head has an I expanded pivoting range, and I to keep things running smoothly, the dock cleans, lubricates, dries and charges the unit. It's a fact: Technology hates whiskers.