By: Amanda Dasaro
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a film based on J. K. Rowling's fifth book of the same name in the Harry Potter series, directed by David Yates. The screenwriter is Michael Goldenberg, replacing Steve Kloves who wrote the screenplays for the first four films. Warner Bros., the distributor of the film, has scheduled a North America and UK release date of July 13, 2007, both in conventional theatres and IMAX theatres. Live actor filming finished the week of December 12, 2006, so the film is now in CGI-filming stages or post-production.
The first trailer was released on November 17th, attached to the trailer of another WB film, Happy Feet. It was made available online on November 20th, at the Happy Feet web site. The trailer can also be seen at the WB official Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix website.
J. K. Rowling wrote on her web site on December 19, 2006 that she was given a 20-minute preview of the film, which she said "looks fantastic."
Dear Anynamas,
Well, the first thing I would do is check your hormones at the door before you go into class! LOL! It's perfectly normal to be attracted to a girl, especially an older one, but the chances of anything coming out of your infatuation right now is pretty slim because of your age difference. Perhaps in a few years when you're older there might be a chance you can hook up.
Until then, try to stay focused on Karate while you're in class so you can't give the instructor anything to complain about. ;P
Best of luck to you!
Dear Alba,
I was great friends with a bunch of girls in Primary School but now I've moved up to high school. I've got loads of new friends because my old ones aren't in any of my classes. I'm having a huge party and my old friends don't think I should invite my new friends and my new friends don't think I should invite my old friends. What should I do?
Dear Confused,
It's always hard when you are torn between friends! I think if any of these friends of yours are true friends they wouldn't put limitations on who you should & shouldn't invite to YOUR OWN PARTY! Sounds to me like both groups are jealous of each other.
I think the best thing to do is talk to each group seperately & explain that although they hold a special place in your heart, you also have a place in your heart for the other group as well. If they truly care about you they should accept the other group & not make issues with them. After all, you're not asking them to befriend the other group, you just want them to not make you choose between groups, right? If they're true friends, they will understand.
Good luck!
By: Amanda Dasaro
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be the seventh book in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. It will feature the final adventures of Harry Potter as he attempts to bring an end to his nemesis, Lord Voldemort. The title for the seventh book was announced on December 21, 2006 via the publisher and a special Christmas-themed puzzle on the author's website. Rowling has stated that the final volume relates so closely to the sixth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, that "I feel almost as though they are two halves of the same novel." She has also stated that she has no intention of writing any further stories about the Harry Potter characters, meaning that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be the last book in the Harry Potter series. However, she has said that an encyclopedia of the Wizarding world based on her copious notes may be published in the future, possibly for charity similar to her two other Harry Potter charity books. As of 2006, she has been working on the stories for over 16 years.
By Shalamar Magoo
Well folks, it seems the Quidditch season is well under way. I believe we are on our fifth match of the season and second for me. Our first match was a huge victory for us cranes that had never won a match before -though not much fault of our own. Starting out as a new house can be hard, especially when trying to get on your feet and putting a team together.
One year on and we are victorious! We won the first match of the season and our second match. Much partying has been going on the Cranes Common
Room and rightly so. Our house is booming, buzzing even with excitement. We are in it for the fun factor folks and we are here to stay. There is never a dull moment in the Common Room with newbies coming along very well.
You are always guaranteed a fun time at our matches, something exciting is always going to happen. Will I see you there next match? Cheering us on in the crowd? Sitting on the edge of your seat as you wait for the next best thing? I hope so. I will be looking out for you there, if I don�t see you there, well what can I say? I know where you live (I live there too) and I will clomp you in the corridors!
By Roxanne Whitez
Maybe you haven't noticed, since the holidays normally takes our full attention away from these little things, but certain Professors have decided to leave a little holiday note out for us during our beloved winter break. These notes of course, were threatened to be taken down but I was able to get a few before they were removed from the doors, and from our attention.
Professor Delia MacIntosh
Christmas - Merry Christmas, come inside and give me a present!
New Years - I'm out partying.
Professor Dickinson
'Off baking cookies as a special gift for someone special!'
Prof. Robert Weasley
Christmas - Happy Christmas!
New Years - Merry New Year!
Professor Pendragon
Christmas - Out checking on Dragons, Then it's off to shopping, Maybe even go do some caroling and then return her to wrap presents and to decorate. Hope you have a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas.
New Years - Well it's that time of year again, so I'm out celebrating with friends. Find yourself a good friend and count down the seconds until it's a New Year then give them that New Year's kiss. Happy New Years.
Professor Hyde
Christmas - I'm off running around in a Santa suit for the sake of insanity. Drop a message.
New Years - This is the time when no one gets any sleep! Plus I think I've had too much champagne. You might want to steer clear for the next couple of days.
Prof Moonstar
Christmas - Nollaig Shona Dhuit! (Merry Christmas to you! in Irish)
New Years - Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Duit! (Happy New Year to you! In Irish also.)
By MoD
What am I talking about? The Gryffindor ghost, Harry Potter, has been absent for quite a while, but now: he is finally back! Some time ago, he appeared at the Common Room and has been looking for the students of Gryffindor since then. That was when I happened to meet him the first time. I am quite a newbie; therefore I was rather surprised to meet our ghost just now. However, I thought I could give you and inside look on the reasons, why our ghost has been absent, and I am happy to say that Harry Potter has agreed on an interview with me.
MoD: Before you had to leave, what was the last thing you did at the CR/Hogwarts?
Harry Potter: I was actually around the Dungeons if you wanted to know....around the kitchens, s... I was talking to some other student of Gryffindor that I know of.
MoD: I would love to know, who is around the Dungeons when Slytherin has its home down there�but I am sure you won't tell me anyway. So, what happened to you as a ghost that you weren't able to come back for such a long time?
H.P.: I can't really explain it. It feels like I never left but there are new changes around here... But other than that I was just really lost in this world of ours.
MoD: That doesn't really answer my question, but ok. I see you are happy to be back here. And since you are back, did you notice a changed Common Room or do you feel like you've never been gone?
H.P.: Ya... I'm glad to know about new students that have entered this house.
MoD: Sure, you've been gone quite a while. We had a few newbies since then. But are you happy to see anyone special after your return?
H.P.: Ya... two of my close friends I haven't talked to for a long time, Roxanne Whitez and Amber Potter.
MoD: Roxanne? Yeah, she is quite a fine friend, as well as Amber. Oh, we happen to have secret missions at the CR. Did you hear or see anything about it since your return?
H.P.: Really... Wonder where you guys go to� *cough*dungeon*cough*
MoD: Haha, we don't go down to the dungeons�it's creepy down there. Ok, any last words to let the Gryffies know anything special? A Message from you, perhaps?
H.P.: Ya. I just want to let the Gryffindors know that I'm behind them in whatever they do and I'm not the most active ghost but I'm with them all the way.
I would say that is great to know. However, I noticed that Harry Potter is acting somehow suspicious. Maybe even he is involved into the Secret Missions�and spreads them throughout the school. Yeah, I don't know if that is a good sign. But we are happy to see, that our ghost has finally found his way back to us! Welcome back, Harry! We won't let you go anymore!
Amanda of Hufflepuff
Why should you spend New Years' in Times Square? Being only a train ride away, I'm going to try to get there to watch the ball drop, as many of you will on TV:
The Times Square neighborhood, notably its busiest intersection, has been featured countless times in literature, on television, and in films. Among the instances:
The first opening credit crawl of Saturday Night Live featured cast members' names and, later, photographs, superimposed over billboards in Times Square.
In the 1990 film Quick Change, Bill Murray exits the subway in Times Square.
In the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Catherine O'Hara asks two New York City police officers for help in locating her lost son while in Times Square on Christmas Eve.
On the popular show, America's Next Top Model, three cycles were filmed in New York, and Times Square was shown in Cycle 3.
For the 2001 film Vanilla Sky, Times Square was shut down for three hours[1] for a scene where Tom Cruise is alone in Times Square.
Another view.
Another view.
The title character in the 2002 blockbuster Spider-Man does battle with the Green Goblin in Times Square and also saves the life of heroine Mary Jane.
Times Square is featured at length in the 2005 film King Kong � �Kong� breaks free of restraints on a Broadway stage, then smashes through the building�s front on to Times Square where mayhem follows.
Times Square currently serves as the shooting location for ABC's Good Morning America, MTV's Total Request Live (taped in a studio overlooking the Square), and the annual Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. The studio where Good Morning America is broadcast from is where Peter Jennings hosted ABC 2000 Today, ABC News's coverage of the millennium, and where Dick Clark hosts Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve.
In the 2005 video game True Crime: New York City, the headquarters of the Police Department of New York (slightly changed version of New York Police Department due to licensing reasons) are located in Times Square, more specifically on the corner of Broadway and 7th Avenue, at the site of the One Astor Plaza, home to Viacom. The square also appears, although fake products are used in the advertising spaces. Such landmarks like the TKTS booth (shown in the game as SHOWS) appear.
The 2006 video game Driver: Parallel Lines features Times Square in both of its time era setting. One is of a 1978 version of Times Square, and the other is a 2006 version of Times Square. The products which appear in the advertising spaces are actually fake products, but some of them do advertise the company which created and produced the game, Atari.
The likeness of Times Square was used for the opening theme of the NFL Sunday Night Football on NBC Sports.
The Xbox video game Forza Motorsport features Times Square in two racing circits, New York Circuit and New York Circuit Short.
The band The Plain White T's mentions Times Square in their song "Hey There Delilah."