Sorry, Firefly fans — Nathan Fillion won’t be playing Nathan Drake in the upcoming Uncharted film.

Bostonian Mark Wahlberg will be taking the reigns, the actor confirmed Wednesday in an interview with MTV. Director David O. Russell has already started writing the script and they hope to start shooting next year, Wahlberg said.

“David is one of the best writer/directors I’ve ever worked with,” Wahlberg said. “The idea that he has is just insane. So hopefully we’ll be making that movie this summer.”

Wahlberg added that he and Russell have been in touch with Joe Pesci and Robert De NiroUncharted games. about parts in the film. De Niro could play Nathan Drake’s father while Pesci plays his uncle — two characters that have yet to appear in the

Wahlberg has some experience with videogame movies. In 2008, he starred in an adaptation of Max Payne that was critically panned. His most recent picture, upcoming biographical sports film The Fighter, is also directed by Russell.

The Uncharted film, based on the Naughty Dog-developed game series for PlayStation 3, was announced in 2009 but hasn’t progressed much since then. It’s good to hear that the movie is actually happening, even if Wahlberg isn’t exactly our first choice to play the lead.

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Fouad: I excluded Fadaly from the film because of her clothes

Egypt Cinema:

Artist Mohamed Fouad Undo for his choice of artist, the youth Menna Fadaly to participate in the new film "Tifa and Tomé in the land of the government," said Fouad's "seventh day" that the cause of the decline is witnessed ceremony of rejoicing her past excesses, pay for a retreat from its decision, after it is the decision-maker in its choice to participate in the movie.
The Fouad to the role that was him a candidate for the play has been permanently deleted from the script, and being completed writing the script to start filming soon after the completion of the selection of team work, and the ceremony was rejoicing the birth of young artist from Fadaly witnessed abuses on her clothes, and style of her dancing at the ceremony, which which raised the criticism of many who are interested in rural art.
And film and events, he explained that the artist Muhammad Fuad is currently working on the follow-up scenario on its own without resorting to the authors or scriptwriter, in the belief that the successful work stems from writing the script tags are deep.
The last work of artist Mohamed Fouad series "the most expensive of my life" events, which took place on the man in charge of his family after the death of his father and mother, and corresponds to many difficult situations, but it is overcome because of his kindness, and for his good deeds.

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New Mortgage Applications Hit Highest Level Since May

The number of applications for mortgages to buy homes rose to its highest level in six months last week.

The Mortgage Bankers Association Purchase Index rose 14.4% from a week earlier, the association said. No adjustment was made for Veteran's Day, which occurred in the previous week.

The index is now at it's highest reading since the week ending May 7, 2010.

"The increase in purchase applications last week aligns with other incoming data suggesting that consumers are feeling somewhat more confident with their financial situation," said Michael Fratantoni, the association's vice president of research and economics.

Total mortgage applications rose 2.1% from a week earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis. The Refinance Index dropped 1% from the previous week to its lowest since the end of June.

Refinance applications made up 78.6% of total applications, compared with 80.3% a week earlier.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose to 4.5% from 4.46%.

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Cambodian Stampede Blamed on Swaying Bridge

A swaying bridge loaded with thousands of people sparked mass panic and set off a raging stampede that killed more than 350 people in Cambodia's capital, according to a government investigation.

Crowds celebrating a water festival had flocked to an island for a free concert Monday and spilled onto a bridge to the mainland before the panic took hold. Bayon TV, which serves as a mouthpiece for the government, reported Wednesday that a committee found many people on the span were from the countryside and unaware it was normal for a suspension bridge to sway. In their fear it was collapsing, they tried to run off.

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Wednesday the official death toll was 351 dead with 395 injured.

Prime Minister Hun Sen described the stampede as the biggest tragedy since the communist Khmer Rouge's reign of terror, which killed an estimated 1.7 million people in the late 1970s. He declared a day of national mourning for Thursday.

As many as 2 million people are believed to have come to Phnom Penh for celebrations of a three-day holiday marking the end of the monsoon rain season. Tens of thousands were on an island in the capital's Bassac River.

Thousands of Cambodians on Wednesday lit candles and made offerings to appease the souls of those who perished.

"I asked their souls to rest in peace and not to be angry with those still alive in the capital, especially my family members and relatives," said Meng Houth, a 52-year-old woman who laid out food and burned incense and a candle in front of her home.

Witnesses had criticized authorities for causing congestion by blocking a second bridge across the river despite the huge crowds that gathered for the festival, and for a slow and confused emergency response. A huge crowd had come to celebrate the last night of the celebration.

The investigating committee, which included Cabinet ministers and city officials, said the panic was exacerbated by the trouble people had breathing because they were so closely packed together. It estimated 7,000-8,000 people were on the bridge, adding up to a load of 350-400 tons.

The report said the committee based its conclusions on investigations and the testimony of witnesses.

Before the stampede erupted, those present heard shouts the bridge was going to collapse, igniting the panic that also saw people jump off the sides into the water.

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Toyota Australia designers tap into Asia

TOYOTA’S Australian design house is negotiating another regional design job as it continues to tap into the world number-one car-maker’s products in the burgeoning Asian market.

Melbourne-based Toyota Style Australia has been meeting with company representatives from Thailand and Malaysia about the still-secret design task, which would follow a similar job of regional importance undertaken in recent months by the local design team of more than 20.

From top: Toyota Etios hatch, Toyota Etios sedan, Toyota Aurion.

Toyota Motor Thailand is emerging as an increasingly important production hub for Toyota, with the Japanese giant set to expand the number of models and export destinations for the Thai operation.

Among these models is a new low-cost car, thought to be a version of the Indian-built Etios sub-compact that is about to go on sale in India in December before being introduced into production in Thailand, China and Brazil.

TSA manager Paul Beranger told GoAuto at the recent Sydney motor show that his team was keeping busy on regional design tasks.

“We have some people coming down from Malaysia and Thailand soon to discuss a project for them,” he said.

Back in December, Mr Beranger revealed that TSA was working on regional product on behalf of Toyota Japan that would not even be sold in Australia.

TSA is the smallest of three design centres run by multi-national car companies in Australia. The others – GM Holden’s centre in Port Melbourne and Ford’s operation in Cambellfield – have been working on projects of global importance, including GM’s Cruze hatch and Ford’s T6 Ranger.

Much of TSA’s work involves advising head office on Australian design requirements for models sold here, with some local enhancement for cars produced at Toyota Australia’s Altona factory.

TSA stylists made a major contribution to the current Toyota Aurion, with TSA’s lead designer Nick Hogios working at the ‘home room’ for that car in Toyota’s Japanese studios.

However, the new-generation Aurion is exclusively the province of Toyota Japan due to its importance to major markets such as China.

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Unemployment rates improving in most states

Unemployment rates dropped in more than half of U.S. states in October from a year earlier, according to a government report released on Tuesday that showed improvement in the jobs market continues to vary across the United States.
Jobless rates dropped in 29 states and the District of Columbia from October 2009, rose in 16 states and were unchanged in a further five, the U.S. Labor Department said.
On a monthly basis, unemployment rates decreased in 19 states and the District of Columbia between September and October, increased in 14 states and remained the same in 17 states.
The Liscio Report, an economic newsletter that tracks states' economic conditions, said "it's encouraging to see some positive momentum in state detail".
The recession that began in 2007 and officially ended in 2009 divided the states' economic fortunes.
North Dakota and South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rates throughout the recession, mostly due to prosperous natural resource sectors.
Western states hit hard by the housing bust had some of the highest rates, with the automobile industry downturn also pushing Michigan's rate up.
That pattern remained in place during October.
North Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.8 percent, followed by South Dakota at 4.5 percent and Nebraska at 4.7 percent.
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate among states, at 14.2 percent, followed by Michigan at 12.8 percent and California at 12.4 percent, which matched the record high the Golden State reached in March. For 21 straight months, California's jobless rate has been above 10 percent.
The Michigan jobless rate, which was lower than the state's rate of 14.4 percent in October 2009, "continued the relatively stable trends seen throughout 2010," said Rick Waclawek, director of the state's labor market information office, in a statement.
The national unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in October. Analysts expect a government report next week to show the rate remained the same in November.
According to the Labor Department, 27 states posted jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. rate, five states had "measurably higher rates," and 18 states and the District of Columbia "had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation."
Almost all states, 41, added jobs in October from September, the Labor Department said. Texas gained the most positions, 47,900 since September, followed by New York at 40,600 jobs, and California at 38,900.
Delaware lost the most jobs over the month, 3,000, followed by Missouri, which shed 2,900.

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