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Explanation : Nuclear Submarines

2008-11-29T19:15:00.017+07:00

A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by nuclear reactor technology. Previously, conventional submarines used diesel engines that required air for combustion while travelling on the surface of the water, but used battery-powered electric motors while diving. The limited lifetime of electric batteries meant that even the most advanced conventional submarine could only remain submerged for a few days at slow speed, and only a few hours at top speed. Nuclear submarines consume a relatively small amount of fuel. Current generations of nuclear submarines never need to be refueled throughout their 25-year lifespans, meaning they can sail around the world 41 times without surfacing.This ability, combined with advanced weapons technology, makes nuclear submarines some of the most useful warships ever built.

The main difference between conventional submarines and nuclear submarines is the power generation system. Nuclear submarines deploy nuclear reactors for this task. They either generate electricity that powers electric motors connected to the propeller shaft or rely on the reactor heat to produce steam that drives steam turbines (cf. nuclear marine propulsion). Reactors used in submarines typically use highly enriched fuel (often greater than 20%) to enable them to deliver a large amount of energy from a smaller reactor.

Picture Courtesy Encarta (encarta.msn.com)

The nuclear reactor also supplies energy to the submarine's other subsystems, such as for maintenance of air quality, fresh water production by distilling salt water from the ocean, temperature regulation, etc. All underway Navy nuclear reactors are operated with diesel generators as a backup power system. These engines are able to provide emergency electrical power for reactor decay heat removal as well as enough electric power to supply an emergency propulsion mechanism. Submarines may carry nuclear fuel for up to 30 years of operation. The only resource that limits the time underwater is the food supply for the crew.

How Submarines Work

Submarines are incredible pieces of technology. Not so long ago, a naval force worked entirely above the water; with the addition of the submarine to the standard naval arsenal, the world below the surface became a battleground as well.

The adaptations and inventions that allow sailors to not only fight a battle, but also live for months or even years underwater are some of the most brilliant developments in military history.

In this article, you will see how a submarine dives and surfaces in the water, how life support is maintained, how the submarine gets its power, how a submarine finds its way in the deep ocean and how submarines might be rescued.

Diving and Surfacing

A submarine or a ship can float because the weight of water that it displaces is equal to the weight of the ship. This displacement of water creates an upward force called the buoyant force and acts opposite to gravity, which would pull the ship down. Unlike a ship, a submarine can control its buoyancy, thus allowing it to sink and surface at will.

To control its buoyancy, the submarine has ballast tanks and auxiliary, or trim tanks, that can be alternately filled with water or air. When the submarine is on the surface, the ballast tanks are filled with air and the submarine's overall density is less than that of the surrounding water. As the submarine dives, the ballast tanks are flooded with water and the air in the ballast tanks is vented from the submarine until its overall density is greater than the surrounding water and the submarine begins to sink (negative buoyancy). A supply of compressed air is maintained aboard the submarine in air flasks for life support and for use with the ballast tanks. In addition, the submarine has movable sets of short "wings" called hydroplanes on the stern (back) that help to control the angle of the dive. The hydroplanes are angled so that water moves over the stern, which forces the stern upward; therefore, the submarine is angled downward.

Buoyancy in a submarine.
Click on the Surface and Submerge buttons to watch buoyancy in action.

To keep the submarine level at any set depth, the submarine maintains a balance of air and water in the trim tanks so that its overall density is equal to the surrounding water (neutral buoyancy). When the submarine reaches its cruising depth, the hydroplanes are leveled so that the submarine travels level through the water. Water is also forced between the bow and stern trim tanks to keep the sub level. The submarine can steer in the water by using the tail rudder to turn starboard (right) or port (left) and the hydroplanes to control the fore-aft angle of the submarine. In addition, some submarines are equipped with a retractable secondary propulsion motor that can swivel 360 degrees.

When the submarine surfaces, compressed air flows from the air flasks into the ballast tanks and the water is forced out of the submarine until its overall density is less than the surrounding water (positive buoyancy) and the submarine rises. The hydroplanes are angled so that water moves up over the stern, which forces the stern downward; therefore, the submarine is angled upward. In an emergency, the ballast tanks can be filled quickly with high-pressure air to take the submarine to the surface very rapidly.

Life Support

There are three main problems of life support in the closed environment of submarine:

Maintaining the air quality
Maintaining a fresh water supply
Maintaining temperature

* Maintaining the Air Quality
The air we breathe is made up of significant quantities of four gases:

Nitrogen (78 percent)
Oxygen (21 percent)
Argon (0.94 percent)
Carbon dioxide (0.04 percent)

When we breathe in air, our bodies consume its oxygen and convert it to carbon dioxide. Exhaled air contains about 4.5 percent carbon dioxide. Our bodies do not do anything with nitrogen or argon. A submarine is a sealed container that contains people and a limited supply of air. There are three things that must happen in order to keep air in a submarine breathable:

Oxygen has to be replenished as it is consumed. If the percentage of oxygen in the air falls too low, a person suffocates.
Carbon dioxide must be removed from the air. As the concentration of carbon dioxide rises, it becomes a toxin.
The moisture that we exhale in our breath must be removed.

Oxygen is supplied either from pressurized tanks, an oxygen generator (which can form oxygen from the electrolysis of water) or some sort of "oxygen canister" that releases oxygen by a very hot chemical reaction. (You may remember these canisters because of their problems on the MIR space station -- see this page for details). Oxygen is either released continuously by a computerized system that senses the percentage of oxygen in the air, or it is released in batches periodically through the day.

Carbon dioxide can be removed from the air chemically using soda lime (sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide) in devices called scrubbers. The carbon dioxide is trapped in the soda lime by a chemical reaction and removed from the air. Other similar reactions can accomplish the same goal.

The moisture can be removed by a dehumidifier or by chemicals. This prevents it from condensing on the walls and equipment inside the ship.

In addition, other gases such as carbon monoxide or hydrogen, which are generated by equipment and cigarette smoke, can be removed by burners. Finally, filters are used to remove particulates, dirt and dust from the air.

* Maintaining a Fresh Water Supply
Most submarines have a distillation apparatus that can take in seawater and produce fresh water. The distillation plant heats the seawater to water vapor, which removes the salts, and then cools the water vapor into a collecting tank of fresh water. The distillation plant on some submarines can produce 10,000 to 40,000 gallons (38,000 - 150,000 liters) of fresh water per day. This water is used mainly for cooling electronic equipment (such as computers and navigation equipment) and for supporting the crew (for example, drinking, cooking and personal hygiene).

* Maintaining Temperature
The temperature of the ocean surrounding the submarine is typically 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). The metal of the submarine conducts internal heat to the surrounding water. So, submarines must be electrically heated to maintain a comfortable temperature for the crew. The electrical power for the heaters comes from the nuclear reactor, diesel engine, or batteries (emergency).

Power Supply

Nuclear submarines use nuclear reactors, steam turbines and reduction gearing to drive the main propeller shaft, which provides the forward and reverse thrust in the water (an electric motor drives the same shaft when docking or in an emergency).

Submarines also need electric power to operate the equipment on board. To supply this power, submarines are equipped with diesel engines that burn fuel and/or nuclear reactors that use nuclear fission. Submarines also have batteries to supply electrical power. Electrical equipment is often run off the batteries and power from the diesel engine or nuclear reactor is used to charge the batteries. In cases of emergency, the batteries may be the only source of electrical power to run the submarine.

A diesel submarine is a very good example of a hybrid vehicle. Most diesel subs have two or more diesel engines. The diesel engines can run propellers or they can run generators that recharge a very large battery bank. Or they can work in combination, one engine driving a propeller and the other driving a generator. The sub must surface (or cruise just below the surface using a snorkel) to run the diesel engines. Once the batteries are fully charged, the sub can head underwater. The batteries power electric motors driving the propellers. Battery operation is the only way a diesel sub can actually submerge. The limits of battery technology severely constrain the amount of time a diesel sub can stay underwater.

Because of these limitations of batteries, it was recognized that nuclear power in a submarine provided a huge benefit. Nuclear generators need no oxygen, so a nuclear sub can stay underwater for weeks at a time. Also, because nuclear fuel lasts much longer than diesel fuel (years), a nuclear submarine does not have to come to the surface or to a port to refuel and can stay at sea longer.

Nuclear subs and aircraft carriers are powered by nuclear reactors that are nearly identical to the reactors used in commercial power plants. The reactor produces heat to generate steam to drive a steam turbine. The turbine in a ship directly drives the propellers, as well as electrical generators. The two major differences between commercial reactors and reactors in nuclear ships are:

The reactor in a nuclear ship is smaller.
The reactor in a nuclear ship uses highly enriched fuel to allow it to deliver a large amount of energy from a smaller reactor.

Navigation

Light does not penetrate very far into the ocean, so submarines must navigate through the water virtually blind. However, submarines are equipped with navigational charts and sophisticated navigational equipment. When on the surface, a sophisticated global positioning system (GPS) accurately determines latitude and longitude, but this system cannot work when the submarine is submerged. Underwater, the submarine uses inertial guidance systems (electric, mechanical) that keep track of the ship's motion from a fixed starting point by using gyroscopes. The inertial guidance systems are accurate to 150 hours of operation and must be realigned by other surface-dependent navigational systems (GPS, radio, radar, satellite). With these systems onboard, a submarine can be accurately navigated and be within a hundred feet of its intended course.

Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Defense
Sonar station onboard the USS La Jolla nuclear-powered attack submarine

To locate a target, a submarine uses active and passive SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging). Active sonar emits pulses of sound waves that travel through the water, reflect off the target and return to the ship. By knowing the speed of sound in water and the time for the sound wave to travel to the target and back, the computers can quickly calculate distance between the submarine and the target. Whales, dolphins and bats use the same technique for locating prey (echolocation). Passive sonar involves listening to sounds generated by the target. Sonar systems can also be used to realign inertial navigation systems by identifying known ocean floor features .

Rescue

When a submarine goes down because of a collision with something (such as another vessel, canyon wall or mine) or an onboard explosion, the crew will radio a distress call or launch a buoy that will transmit a distress call and the submarine's location. Depending upon the circumstances of the disaster, the nuclear reactors will shut down and the submarine may be on battery power alone.

If this is the case, then the crew of the submarine have four primary dangers facing them:

Flooding of the submarine must be contained and minimized.
Oxygen use must be minimized so that the available oxygen supply can hold out long enough for possible rescue attempts.
Carbon dioxide levels will rise and could produce dangerous, toxic effects.
If the batteries run out, then the heating systems will fail and the temperature of the submarine will fall.

Rescue attempts from the surface must occur quickly, usually within 48 hours of the accident. Attempts will typically involve trying to get some type of rescue vehicle down to remove the crew, or to attach some type of device to raise the submarine from the sea floor. Rescue vehicles include mini-submarines called Deep-Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRV) and diving bells.

Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Defense
DSRV secured to the deck of a submarine

The DSRV can travel independently to the downed submarine, latch onto the submarine over a hatch (escape trunk), create an airtight seal so that the hatch can be opened, and load up to 24 crew members. A diving bell is typically lowered from a support ship down to the submarine, where a similar operation occurs.

To raise the submarine, typically after the crew has been extracted, pontoons may be placed around the submarine and inflated to float it to the surface. Important factors in the success of a rescue operation include the depth of the downed submarine, the terrain of the sea floor, the currents in the vicinity of the downed submarine, the angle of the submarine, and the sea and weather conditions at the surface.

Sources :

HowStuffWorks.com : How Submarines Work
Wikipedia : Nuclear Submarine

Speedy Tour d’Indonesia 2008

2008-11-23T12:06:00.005+07:00

After not held in 2007, the international bicycle racing Speedy Tour d'Indonesia 2008 held back again, through 12 stages with 1,793 km start from Jakarta and finish in Bali on 23 November to 5 December 2008.

This most prestigious Bicycle racing in Indonesia held on the cooperation between Sport Bike Association of Indonesia (PB ISSI) and PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (Telkom). This event will be followed by 10 teams from abroad and 10 teams from Indonesia.

This international race have prizes total US $100,000. The route will be taken by the drivers is :

Stage 1 : Jakarta Kreterium (80km).
Stage 2 : Bandung-Cirebon (145km).
Stage 3 : Cirebon-Purwokerto (193km).
Stage 4 : Purwokerto-Semarang (221km).
Stage 5 : Semarang- Yogyakarta (146km) and rest one day (Yogyakarta).
Stage 6 : Yogyakarta-Madiun (196km).
Stage 7 : Madiun-Surabaya (164km).
Stage 8 : Surabaya Kreterium (80km).
Stage 9 : Probolinggo-Banyuwangi (120km).
Stage 10 : Gilimanuk-Candi Dasa (163km).
Stage 11 : Candi Dasa-Denpasar (135km)
Stage 12 : Kuta Kreterium (80km).

Sources :

Antara : Tour d`Indonesia Tempuh Jarak Jakarta-Bali
Kompas.com : Peserta Tour d Indonesia Digenapkan Jadi 20 Tim

PSA Peugeot Citroen Quark - Hybrid Vehicle

2008-11-20T22:59:00.005+07:00

The PSA Peugeot Citroen Quark looks to be a combination motorcycle, car and ATV all wrapped up into one high-tech hydrogen vehicle. When the two-seater was rolled out during the 2004 Paris Motor Show, Quark received much attention for its futuristic design.

PSA Peugeot Citroen Quark

The PSA Peugeot Citroen Quark is a hybrid vehicle in that it mainly runs on electric current from its battery, which is supplemented by power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell (1.5 kw) that was manufactured by Swiss manufacturer MES-DEA. The Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery is actually a series of 40 batteries that generate a cumulative total of 288 volts. The Quark uses a combination of regenerative braking common to hybrids and mechanical braking.

With the Quark, Peugeot has switched air-cooling the fuel cell system rather than the older system that was cooled by water. This allows a more compact design and for the fuel cell to be start in sub-zero temperatures.

The Quark is powered by four electric motors (combined power of 28kW), one for each wheel and has a 9-litre tank that stores the hydrogen at 10,000 psi. The driving range of the Quark is approximately 60 miles before a refuel is needed. Then, its just a matter of swapping out tanks that only takes a minute or so to complete.

Peugeot is focusing on this market segment in order to bring a hydrogen production vehicle to market more quickly than its competitors.

Sources :
Hydrogencarsnow.com : PSA Peugeot Citroen Quark

'Quantum of Solace' Is Top Film, Makes $70.4 Million

2008-11-17T08:07:00.005+07:00

By Michael White and James Callan

Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The James Bond thriller "Quantum of Solace'' opened in first place in U.S. and Canadian theaters with ticket sales of $70.4 million for Sony Corp. and Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., the best-ever debut for the spy franchise.

"Quantum of Solace'' is the second Bond movie to star Daniel Craig as the British super spy and its sales highlight the popularity of edgier updates to aging movie franchises. "Quantum of Solace'' surpassed 2006's "Casino Royale,'' which debuted with $40.8 million in receipts. "Quantum,'' which has premiered abroad already, has made more than $231 million in worldwide sales, according to researcher Box Office Mojo LLC.

"The numbers are amazing,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers, in an interview."'Casino Royale' ushered in a whole new era of Bond and 'Quantum of Solace' definitely capitalized on that. The re-imaging of the franchise has really worked.''

In "Quantum,'' Bond -- played by Daniel Craig -- seeks to unravel the conspiracy that led to the death of his love, Vesper Lynd, in "Casino Royale.'' In both films, the producers did away with the campy one-liners featured in earlier Bond movies, along with the focus on gadgets designed to aid Bond on his missions.

Judi Dench returns in "Quantum" as British intelligence chief "M." Gemma Arterton and Olga Kurylenko co-star.

The following table has figures provided by studios to Media By Numbers. The amounts are based on gross ticket sales from Nov. 21, yesterday and estimates for today.

Movie                 Rev.  Theaters  Wks   Avg./    Pct. Total
                    (mln)                 Theater   Chg. (mln)

1. Quantum Solace    $70.4   3,451   1  $20,400    --   $70.4
2. Madagascar 2       36.1   4,065   2    8,888    -43   118
3. Role Models        11.7   2,798   2    4,185    -39   38.1
4. High School 3      5.88   3,202   4    1,836    -36   84.4
5. Changeling         4.25   1,896   4    2,240    -41   27.6
6. Zack and Miri      3.2    2,210   3    1,448    -49   26.5
7. Soul Men           2.43   2,048   2    1,186    -55    9.4
8. Life of Bees       2.4    1,149   5    1,656    -22   33.6
9. Saw V              1.79   2,002   4      894    -56   55.4
10. Molly Hartley     1.65   1,587   3    1,039    -50   12.7

Sources :

'Quantum of Solace' Is Top Film, Makes $70.4 Million (Update1)

James Bond 007 Actors (Daniel Craig)

2008-11-15T21:24:00.003+07:00

The 21st James Bond film, following 2002's Die Another Day. Released November 2006.

Directed by Martin Campbell; screenplay by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, doctored by Paul Haggis. Starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, Eva Green as Vesper Lynd, Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter. Also with Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, Tobias Menzies. Theme song by Chris Cornell.

The 22nd James Bond film, following 2006's Casino Royale. UK release October 2008.

Directed by Marc Forster; screenplay by Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.
Starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Jesper Christensen.

Source :

Daniel Craig

James Bond 007 Actors (Pierce Brosnan)

2008-11-15T21:21:00.003+07:00

Pierce Brendan Brosnan was born in Navan, County Meath, Ireland on May 16, 1953. He moved with his family to London in 1964 [apparently on the very same day that Ian Fleming died], where one of the first films he saw was Goldfinger. He became a commercial artist after leaving school, but was introduced to acting by a co-worker who was in a theatre group in the evenings. He left his job for the life of an actor, and entered the Drama Centre in London, where he studied acting for 3 years.

After several years of stage work throughout the UK, he began to work in television and film. His "big break" came with the 1981 ABC-TV mini-series The Manions of America, which led to him getting the title role in the popular long-running detective series Remington Steele, which debuted in 1982.

He moved with his wife and children to Los Angeles, California, where he Steele was filmed. The series was quite successful, running for more than 4 seasons and 92 episodes. It catapulted Pierce to major stardom in the America.

Rumors began as early as 1984 that Pierce would replace Roger Moore as the next James Bond. Due to contractural obligations, he was unable to accept the role when it was originally offered to him in 1986. [See "The Road to Bond"]

Pierce remained busy as an actor despite that setback, making television mini-series, theatrical films and made-for-cable movies, as well as several TV commercials.

On June 8, 1994, Pierce Brosnan was unveiled at a huge press conference in London as the 5th James Bond 007. His first Bond film, GoldenEye, grossed over $350 million worldwide, more than any other Bond film to that point. His 2nd Bond film, 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, grossed more money in the US than GoldenEye. Together, his 4 Bond films have grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. Brosnan was relieved of his Bond duties in the summer of 2004.

Aside from the Bond and Steele roles, Pierce has had a varied and extensive film and TV career, playing roles ranging from archeologists to assassins, from Chris Columbus' comedies to Merchant Ivory's costume dramas. He also starred in director John (Die Hard) McTiernan's first feature film, Nomads. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1984 for his portrayal of Robert Gould Shaw in the BBC/Masterpiece Theatre production of Nancy Astor. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 1997 (star #2099), which can be found at 7021 Hollywood Blvd.

In his spare time, he is an painter. He has also been active in cancer fund-raising and supporting environmental causes. He was awarded an honorary OBE by the British government for his film and charitable work in July 2003.

His 1st wife, Australian actress Cassandra Harris (died 1991), was a "Bond girl" herself, portraying Countess Lisl in For Your Eyes Only. She was previously married to Dermot Harris, brother of the actor Richard Harris. There is a whale watching station dedicated to her in Malibu Bluffs Park (California). He has 3 children with Cassandra -- Sean (born 1983) and stepchildren Charlotte (born 1971) and Christopher (born 1972) -- and 2 sons, Dylan Thomas (born 1997) and Paris Beckett (born 2001), with his 2nd wife, former TV correspondent/soap actress Keely Shaye Smith, whom he married in August 2001. He has two grandchildren, Charlotte's daughter Isabelle Sophie (born 1998) and son Lucas (born 2005).

He currently has houses in Malibu and in Hawaii.

Source :

Pierce Brosnan

James Bond 007 Actors (Timothy Dalton)

2008-11-15T21:17:00.003+07:00

Timothy Peter Dalton was born in Colwyn Bay, Wales on March 21, 1944 (or 1945 or 1946), the eldest of 5 children. Though Welsh-born, he is of British, Italian, and Irish ancestry. His mother is from the Bronx (New York). He grew up in Manchester, England with a background in show-business, as both his grandfathers were vaudevillians. After leaving school, he joined the National Youth Theatre for 3 summers, and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for 2 years. He joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1966, where he played many leading roles.

Dalton's big break came in 1968 with his first film The Lion in Winter, starring Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn and Antony Hopkins, in which young Dalton played the King of France. Stepping into another actor's shoes became pattern of his career, as he followed Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, Orson Welles as Rochester in Jane Eyre, Sean Connery and Roger Moore as James Bond. He has not made a lot of films, dividing his time between the theatre, film and television. His work has run the gamut from Shakespeare to Charlie's Angels.

He won the part of 007 in August 1986 when Pierce Brosnan was unable to get out of his television contract at the last minute. Dalton portrayed Bond twice, in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill . His portrayal of Bond signaled a return to a grittier, more realistic characterization, away from what Bond had evolved into during the Moore era.

Litigation between MGM and EON delayed the production of a new Bond film for several years after LTK. Meanwhile, rumors continually abounded that Dalton would be replaced. In April 1994 Dalton officially resigned the role, which then went to Brosnan. In 1994, Dalton took on one more role made classic by another actor, following in the footsteps of Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in the sequel to Gone With The Wind, the TV mini-series Scarlett, which played to mixed reviews. He most recently has been filming made-for-television movies and mini-series.

Dalton was had a long-term romance with actress Vanessa Redgrave. Today he is married to Ukranian-bornl Oksana Grigorieva (26 years his junior), and they have one son, Alexander Peter (born August 1997).

Source :

Timothy Dalton

James Bond 007 Actors (Sir Roger Moore)

2008-11-15T21:11:00.003+07:00

Roger George Moore was born in Stockwell, south London on October 14, 1927, the son of a policeman. At 15, he entered art school with the intention of becoming a painter, and later became an apprentice at an animation studio. He delved into acting as an extra in crowd scenes in the mid 1940's. He studied at the Royal Academy of Drama

(RADA) and appeared in some plays in the West End, before being inducted into the British Army. There he served in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant with a Combined Services Entertainment Unit in Germany at the end of World War II. After release from the military, he worked in theatre, radio and television, but also worked as a model and salesman to make ends meet.

Moore came to the U.S. in 1953, where he got a film contract with MGM, playing supporting roles in several films. His first big TV series was Ivanhoe, followed by Maverick. But it was his role as suave and debonair Simon Templar in the TV series The Saint that catapulted him to stardom. His contract with that show prevented him from being chosen for to play James Bond in 1962. But the Bond role returned to Moore in 1972, when Sean Connery again said for a second time that he was finished as Bond, and Moore was hired as his successor for Live and Let Die.

It has been said that Moore is closer to Ian Fleming's original concept of Bond, as a disenfranchised member of the British Establishment, than Connery's more rough-and-tumble Bond. Indeed, the tone of the series changed under Moore's aegis, with the scripts being tailored to his personality and acting ability. Moore made 7 Bond films [more than Connery's 6], retiring as 007 after A View to a Kill in 1985. He was succeeded by Timothy Dalton the following year.

Moore has acted sporadically since that time, and appears most frequently in European gossip magazines and at charitable events. In 1996 he appeared in a television commercial spoofing James Bond for the conglomerate Hansen's, which was pulled off the air due to litigation with the Bond copyright holders. He succeeded the late Audrey Hepburn in the role of Special Representative for the Film Arts for UNICEF, raising funds for children in underdeveloped countries. Roger was the first James Bond to be honored by the British government, receiving a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) award in March 1999. He was awarded a knighthood in June 2003 for his work with UNICEF.

He has been married 4 times: to Doorn Van Steyn, Dorothy Squires, Luisa Mattioli and Kristina Tholstrup (2002), and He has 3 children, Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian, and 2 granddaughters.

Visit Sir Roger Moore's official website.

Source :

Sir Roger Moore

James Bond 007 Actors (George Lazenby)

2008-11-15T21:07:00.003+07:00

George Robert Lazenby was born on September 5, 1939 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia. After serving in the Australian Army, he turned to selling cars for a living, before cashing in on his matinee-idol looks to become a top male model in London, where he had arrived in 1964 (the very same year that 11-year old Pierce Brosnan also arrived there and that Ian Fleming died, coincidentally).

The search for a new actor to portray James Bond had begun in 1968, after Sean Connery had announced he was finished with the role. Lazenby won the role of Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service despite having no prior acting experience save for TV commercials, where he was very popular doing commercials for Big Fry Chocolates. Lazenby was competing against John Richardson, Anthony Rogers, Robert Campbell and Hans de Vries, but won the role based on a screen-test fight scene.

There was apparently much conflict on the set of that film, with Lazenby having strained relationships with director Peter Hunt and Bond Girl and former Avengers star Diana Rigg, as well as the producers. Today he admits he took bad advice, when he announced that he would not be doing any more Bond films. Connery was lured back for the next Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever, and Lazenby's acting career floundered. Ironically, Lazenby's Bond film is considered by many fans to be one of the best in the series.

During the early 1970s, Lazenby worked in Hong Kong, and was going to make a film with Bruce Lee right before that actor's untimely death. A few years ago, after a long layoff during which he raced cars, he returned to acting. He often attends James Bond fan events. He had 2 children with his first wife, Christina Gannett. In 2002, he was married for the 2nd time to former tennis pro Pam Shriver, with whom he has 3 children.

Source :

George Lazenby

James Bond 007 Actors (Sean Connery)

2008-11-15T20:55:00.005+07:00

Thomas Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge district of Edinburgh, Scotland on August 25, 1930. He grew up impoverished. The son of a truck-driver, he came from a background very different from that of his most famous screen alter-ego. After leaving school, he joined the Royal Navy, but was released due to ulcers. He had many jobs, including laborer, lifeguard and model for art classes. But it was his career as a bodybuilder that led to his representing Scotland in the 1953 Mr. Universe contest, in which he placed 3rd. This in turn led to a job in the chorus with the touring company of South Pacific. He appeared in several stage productions, and made his television debut in 1956. He signed a movie contract with MGM in the late 1950's, which led to a string of film roles.

He was cast as the first cinematic James Bond in Dr. No in 1962. He won the role over Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Trevor Howard, Patrick McGoohan and Roger Moore, even though Ian Fleming was quoted as saying, "He [Connery] is not exactly what I envisioned" as the fictional British agent . However, the film was a success, which led to 3 more Bond films in the next 5 years.

Tired of being identified only as 007, Connery quit the role after You Only Live Twice, in order to devote more time to his family and to golf. The next Bond film starred George Lazenby, but Connery was persuaded to return as Bond in Diamonds are Forever. With that role, he said he was finished as Bond, but he returned in 1983's Never Say Never Again, which was not an "official" Bond film, as it was produced by Kevin McClory instead of Eon. This film did not help his relations with Bond producer Cubby Broccoli, with whom Connery was feuding

Connery has played many varied roles in films over the years, working with directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston and Brian De Palma. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as well as the Golden Globe award in 1987, for his role as the Irish cop Malone in The Untouchables. He was also named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1989.

Connery is an avid golfer (he learned the game for 1964's Goldfinger) and in 1996 won the Lexus Challenge golf tournament with pro Hale Irwin.

In 1990, Connery received the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1995, he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for "outstanding contribution to the entertainment field," given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. In 1997, he was honored with a Gala Tribute by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York and in 1998, received a the British Academy Fellowship from BAFTA. He was honored by the Kennedy Center in 1999. He became Sir Sean Connery in July 2000, received a knighthood from the British government, despite being refused the honor 2 years previously for political reasons. He has also received awards in France, including the Legion d'Honeur, and the Commandeur des Arts and des Lettres

Connery has suffered from various illnesses during recent years, including throat problems, cataracts, and cancer scares. In part due to these, widespread false rumors of his death circulated in 1993.

He has been married twice. His first wife was actress Diane Cilento. In an ironic twist, their son, actor Jason Connery, portrayed James Bond creator Ian Fleming in the film Spymaker. Sean has been married to French artist Micheline Roquebrune since 1975.

Source :

Sir Sean Connery

Bond Girls Biography

2008-11-09T19:37:00.042+07:00

Name : Bond Girls
Bond girl : A female actor taking a lead role in a James Bond movie, or the character they play.
Halle Berry : The only Oscar winner to play a Bond girl.
First Bond girl : Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in Dr. No.

From Ursula Andress rising from the surf in Dr. No to Halle Berry rising from the surf in Die Another Day, Bond's love interests leave an indelible impression. They're stunning, they're glamorous and they all fall into Bond's arms within five minutes. The Bond Girls often play highly intelligent roles as villains, other agents and professionals who frequently could play the role of Bond just as well, if not sometimes better than Bond himself. The Bond Girls have constantly been changing becoming distinctly more complex and enjoying a greater freedom and scope with ranging roles in the films. As long as there is James Bond 007, there will always be Bond Girls.

Bond girl roles are high profile parts, and the announcement of the actresses playing them is usually surrounded with a large amount of publicity. For actresses not already established, the parts can be a major boost to a career. Most Bond Girl characters fall into one of the categories of, victim rescued by Bond early in the movie, fellow agent assigned to the same task & villain or member of enemy organization bent on Bond's destruction.

Enemy Bond girls frequently change sides during the course of the movie. Supposedly friendly girls have also been known to betray Bond. Initially Bond girls were relatively ineffectual characters, needing to be rescued and protected by Bond. In later movies they became more equal, having special skills needed by Bond to complete his mission, and sometimes rescuing Bond. It is usual for surviving Bond girl characters at the end of the movie to express their gratitude and affection for Bond in the most intimate way possible. Uniquely one Bond Girl (Tracy in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, played by Diana Rigg) married Bond at the end of the movie, only to be killed the same day.

The list of Bond girls so far:
1. Dr. No (1962) Ursula Andress

2. From Russia With Love (1963) Daniela Bianchi

3. Goldfinger (1964) Shirley Eaton, Honor Blackman

4. Thunderball (1965) Claudine Auger

5. You Only Live Twice (1967) Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama

6. Casino Royale (1967) Ursula Andress, Jacqueline Bisset, Deborah Kerr, Dahlia
Lavi, and Bond's girl Joanna Pettet

7. Diamonds are Forever (1971) Jill St. John

8. Never Say Never Again (1983) Kim Basinger

9. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) Diana Rigg

10.Live and Let Die (1973) Jane Seymour

11.The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) Britt Ekland and Maud Adams

12.The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Barbara Bach

13.Moonraker (1979) Lois Chiles

14.For Your Eyes Only (1981) Carole Bouquet

15.Octopussy (1983) Maud Adams

16.A View to a Kill (1985) Tanya Roberts and Grace Jones

17.The Living Daylights (1987) Maryam D'Abo

18.Licence to Kill (1989) Talisa Soto and Carey Lowell

19.GoldenEye (1995) Izabella Scorupco and Famke Janssen

20.Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) Teri Hatcher and Michelle Yeoh

21.The World Is Not Enough (1999) Sophie Marceau and Denise Richards

22.Die Another Day (2002) Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike

23.Casino Royale (2006) Eva Green

24.Quantum of Solace (2008) Olga Kurylenko

Source :
1. Bond Girls Detailed Biography
2. The James Bond 007 Films List

Flying Car Is Not Dreaming Anymore

2008-11-08T22:21:00.007+07:00

Henry Ford, Chairman, Ford Motor Company-1940
"Mark my word: A combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile. But it will come..."

M400 Skycar from Moller International

Using a principle similar to that of the British Harrier jump jet, the Moller Skycar volantor incorporates a patented thrust deflection vane system that redirects thrust, enabling it to hover or to takeoff and land vertically from almost any surface. This capability plus the added safety of ducted fans makes it ideal for a wide variety of commercial and military applications. These include private and charter air travel, express delivery, news gathering, border patrol, police and fire work, and search and rescue, to name just a few.

M400 Skycar Specification

Obama's Former House in Jakarta Up For Sale

2008-11-01T10:24:00.000+07:00

BEWARE OF DOG: An Indonesian "Beware of Dog" sign sits in front of the two home compound of which the house where Obama lived in Indonesia, right, is part Tuesday in Jakarta.(AP/Ed Wray).

The small colonial-style house Barack Obama lived in as a child has received a steady stream of visitors ahead of the U.S. presidential election, from potential buyers and journalists, to a businessman who wants to turn it into the "Sweet Home Obama Bar."

Tata Aboe Bakar, the 78-year-old owner, is in little mood to sell, noting that the property, sequestered between a large mosque and park in an upscale neighborhood of the Indonesian capital, has been in the family since 1939.

Much, he said, would depend on the price.

The two-bedroom pavilion Obama lived in - initially built as a guesthouse - would be sold with the main, sprawling residence next door and the 12,900 sq. foot (1,200 sq. meter) plot of land. Together, they have an estimated market value of $3 million dollars. And that does not take into account the potential Obama-factor if the Democratic presidential candidate wins on Nov. 4.

Aboe Bakar says one broker claimed a U.S. Embassy official was ready to pay five times its worth if that happened, though Tristram Perry, the embassy's public diplomacy officer, said he was not aware of any such offer.

Obama moved to Jakarta with his American mother and Indonesian stepfather in 1967, spending the first two years in another humble home, where chickens and ducks used to cackle in the backyard and two baby crocodiles slithered around in a fenced-off pond.

They relocated to the small red-tile roofed pavilion with art deco windows on Taman Amir Hamzah Street in 1970 when Obama was 9 years old and stayed there for the next two years.

BARACK'S BARRACK: Syahhrial Rozali, the current resident of the house where U.S. Presidential Candidate Barrack Obama lived as a child, walks in front of the home Tuesday in Jakarta.(AP/Ed Wray).

Aboe Bakar has few stories to tell about Obama as a child, except the time his poodle ran away, never to be seen again.

"Oh, he cried for two days," the former Navy admiral said, wearily taking a drag from his third cigarette as he showed off a long list of visitors who have knocked on his door in recent weeks.

He also flashed a photograph of the young family sitting on a wooden bench in the front yard that, like much else, remains in place nearly four decades later.

Among those who have expressed interest in the house have been Bart Bartele, a Dutchman who owns several popular pubs in Jakarta.

He says he offered to rent the smaller pavilion to open the "Sweet Home Obama Bar" - a cafe that would feature an "Obama-blend coffee," a mix of beans from Kenya and Java. He would also serve "stroopwafels," a caramel-type treat brought to Indonesia during the centuries-long occupation of the Dutch.

"The idea is to have snacks, simple food and maybe some merchandise," Bartele said, adding that he was not certain, with all the recent interest, if Aboe Bakar would go for it. "We'll see. It's mostly just for fun anyway."

Robin McDowell, The Associated Press, Jakarta | Tue,10/28/2008 9:32 PM | Jakarta.