Thursday, February 18, 2010

Lexus LS600h L, Sedan Pertama yang Bisa Parkir Sendiri


Lexus Indonesia resmi menghadirkan LS600h L sebagai kendaraan hybrid pertama di Indonesia yang menyasar segmen highend. Selain teknologi mesin ramah lingkungan, apa saja kelebihan dari sedan papan atas ini?

Tak dipungkiri, dari namanya saja LS600h L sudah mengindikasikan adanya sokongan teknologi hybrid. Dikombinasikan dengan mesin 5.0 liter V8 DOHC berkode 2UR-FSE, mungkin Lexus ini merupakan satu-satunya di dunia yang menggabungkan antara teknologi hybrid dengan mesin berkepasitas sebesar itu.

Hasilnya, selain mampu menghasilkan daya maksimum 394 dk pada putaran 6.400 rpm dan torsi maksimum 520 Nm pada 4.100 rpm lewat mesin konvensional berteknologi D-4S (Direct Injection 4-stroke petrol Superior version) serta dual VVT-iE (Variable Valve Timing - Intelligence Electric on Intake), hingga ACIS (Acoustic Control Induction System), sedan ini hanya meminum BBM 1 liter untuk 12,5 Km. "Mirip mobil-mobil ber-cc kecil keluaran Toyota," kata Lexus Indonesia Principal, Johnny Darmawan.

Terdapat motor listrik 3-phase permanent AC synchounous liquid cooled yang digunakan Lexus untuk LS600h L ini. Motor listrik tersebut beroperasi menggunakn arus 650 V yang disuplai dari Power Control Unit (PCU) sehingga ketika bekerja sendirian tanpa sokongan dari mesin konvensionalnya, motor listrik ini sanggup menyalurkan daya sebesar 221 dk dan torsi 30 Nm. Sedan seharga Rp2,7 miliar itu pun mampu berakselerasi nyaris tanpa suara.

Di jalan, sistem Lexus Hybrid Drive ini bekerja secara simultan dalam beberapa mode pengendaraan. Pada kecepatan rendah, beterai akan menyuplai arus kepada motor listrik yang berfungsi sebagai penggerak utama. Dalam kondisi pengendaraan normal, mesin V8 akan menyala dan langsung mengalirkan tenaga 5.000 cc miliknya untuk menggerakkan mobil, dan sebagian lagi disalurkan ke generator motor listrik. Ketika penegndara menjalankan mobil pada kecepatan penuh, tenaga mesin konvensional akan dibantu motor listrik yang memberikan sensasi berkendara sedan hybrid mewah yang tak ada di sedan premium lainnya.

Uniknya, mrip sistem yang terdapat pada Prius, saat pengereman, motor listrik berfungsi sebagai generator yang menangkap energi hasil pengereman dan mengubahnya menjadi arus listrik untuk disimpan sampai ketika mobil berjalan dengan berpenggerak motor listrik saja.

Bila pengemudi ingin terus menerus hanya menggunakan motor listirk, maka cukup operasikan di mode EV (Electric Vehicle), maka lampu indikator pada panel isntrumen akan menyala. Di panel ini pengemudi dan penumpang depan juga disajikan informasi mengenai status baterai dan proses regenerasi energi. Selain itu terdapat ECO Driving Indicator yang akan menyala ketika pengemudi menginjak pedal gas dengan lembut tanpa hentakan.

Itu disisi teknologi mesin. Pada eksterior, Lexus juga menerapkan satu sistem baru, yakni penggunaan lampu depan jenis LED. Susunannya berupa tiga LED berderet yang tersembunyi dibalik lensa lampu jauh dan sepasang LED dibalik silinder parabolik sebagai lampu utama. Selain lebih tahan lama dan membutuhkan energi yang lebih sedikit, lampu LED ini juga bisa memberikan cahaya putih mirip iluminasi siang hari, yang tentu saja membantu pencahayaan pengemudi ketika berkendara.

Asiknya, Lexus juga membenamkan teknologi front-lighting system, sebuah sistem yang mampu memutar lampu depan ketika mobil memasuki tikungan, persimpangan, ataupun tempat parkir. Dibawah kecepatan 30 km/jam, lampu akan memutar 10 derajat, sementara pada kecepatan diatas itu, lampu hanya memutar 7,5 hingga 15 derajat.

Masuk ke bagian kabin, konsumen LS600h L bukan hanya ditawarkan interior bernuansa elegan dengan paduan material nomor satu, tapi juga sebuah sistem parkir yang selama ini tidak ada pada mobil papan atas manapun yang ada di Tanah Air. Yaitu Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA).

Dengan IPA pengemudi tak perlu repot lagi memutar kemudinya ketika bermanuver untuk parkir mundur baik seri ataupun paralel. Cukup tentukan lokasi parkir melalui kamera belakang bersensor ultrasonik dengan menempatkan mobil pada jarak sekira 1 meter dari tempat parkir yang diinginkan, kemudian kalkulasikan sudut parkir yang dibutuhkan, maka ketika memasukkan gigi mundur dan mengaktifkan menu parkir seri ataupun paralel, maka mobil akan mundur secara otomatis dengan kecepatan 4 km/jam tanpa perlu kemudinya dipegang. Pengemudi cukup melepas atau menginjak pedal rem untuk mengatur laju mobil. Bila sistem ini ingin dinonaktifkan, tinggal injak pedal gas dan pegang kembali kemudi. Menyenangkan bukan!

Bila ingin menjadi penumpang, maka tak kalah istimewanya. Sebab Lexus mengkalim, tempat terbaik untuk merasakan LS600h L adalah pada jok belakang. Pada bagian ini, desain jok terpisah satu dengan lainnya. Bahkan kursi juga sanggup direbahkan seperti kursi pesawat kelas satu. Biar suasana juga lebih personal, ada AC 4 zone yang bisa diatur secara berbeda.

Penumpang belakang juga makin dimanjakan dengan kehadrian rear seat relaxation system. Artinya, dengan mengatur kontrol pada armrest, 8 ruang pneumatic dalam jok akan aktif memijat punggung penumpang belakang. Bila mau opsi shiatsu dan strech bisa pilih jok belakang bagian kiri, sementara ketika ingin dipijat dengan teknik vibrator dan pelvic support silahkan duduk di kursi belakang bagian kanan.

Kemewahan ini juga dituntaskan dengan sistem entertaiment lewat DVD Player yang dialirkan melalui 19 speaker Mark Levinson. Aksi pijat sambil menikmati video konser dari musisi jazz kenamaan dunia pun menjadi makin lengkap. (Okezone)

Mazda5 Baru, Bakal Masuk Indonesia?


Mazda belum lama ini memperkenalkan generasi terbaru Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) Mazda5. Mungkinkah mobil tujuh penumpang itu akan masuk Indonesia?

"Saya belum bisa bicarakan saat ini," kata President Director PT Mazda Motor Indonesia (MMI) Yoshiya Horigome di sela pembukaan Mazda2 Zoom-Zoom Lounge di Senayan City, Jakarta, Rabu (17/2/2010).

Sebab menurutnya, generasi teranyar Mazda5 baru akan dimunculkan prinsipal Mazda pada saat Genewa Auto Show 2010 yang akan digelar bulan depan. "Di Genewa saja baru bulan depan, jadi belum tahu kapan akan hadir disini," katanya.

Tetapi ia tidak menampik, MMI sebagai agen tunggal pemegang merek (ATPM) Mazda di Indonesia akan menghentikan penjualan Mazda3, Mazda5 dan Mazda Tribute untuk sementara waktu guna memfokuskan untuk menggenjot penjualan Mazda2. "Untuk tahun ini kita fokus pada dua produk, Mazda2, dan BT-50," katanya.

Sejumlah pengamat automotif dunia mengatakan, Mazda5 yang akan hadir di Eropa diprediksi bakal menggunakan mesin 2.0 liter direct injection yang terhubung dengan enam kecepatan transmisi manual. Ada pula yang menggunakan mesin 1.8 liter. Dan di antara keduanya dipastikan sudah memiliki fitur i-stop demi menekan konsumsi bahan bakar.

Dalam keterangan resminya, pihak Mazda mengungkapkan, MPV ini merupakan yang pertama mengadopsi desain Nagare, yang terinspirasi dari keindahan alam. Nagare sendiri artinya mengalir. Jadi Mazda5 mengalir dari inspirasi keindahan alam. (Okezone)

Mazda2 Sedan Muncul di IIMS


Sukses dengan Mazda2 hatchback, PT Mazda Motor Indonesia (MMI) rupanya tergiur untuk juga memasukkan versi sedannya.

Demikian diungkapkan Brand Communication Manager MMI Astrid Ariani Wijana ketika ditemui di sela pembukaan Mazda2 Zoom-Zoom Lounge di Senayan City, Jakarta, Rabu (17/2/2010).

Ia menegaskan, Mazda2 versi sedan itu akan dimunculkan dalam waktu dekat ini. "Mudah-mudahan sebelum IIMS (Indonesia Internasional Motor Show) tahun ini, jadi pas di IIMS sudah bisa kita pajang," katanya.

Namun ia mengelak menyebutkan mengenai estimasi harga yang bakal dipatok MMI selaku agen tunggal pemegang emrek dari Mazda untuk Mazda2 sedan tersebut. "Nanti saja lah waktu launcing, pasti akan kita umumkan," katanya.

Di Jepang sendiri, Mazda2 hadir dalam dua versi, yakni hatchback dan sedan. dan keduanya menggendong mesin yang sama yakni 1,5 liter DOHC, berteknologi Sequential Valve Timing (S-VT), yang mampu menghasilkan tenaga sebesar 103 hp pada 6.000 rpm dan torsi puncak hingga 135 Nm di 4.000 rpm.

Dari segi eksterior, Mazda2 sedan ini memiliki desain muka yang sangat mirip dengan tipe hatchback-nya. Mulai dari grill front bumper, hingga bentuk air intake. Tapi tentu saja dibagian belakang ada ruang bagasi berlebih yang berebeda dari tipe hatchback.

Masyarakat China bahkan lebih dulu menikmati versi sedan Mazda2 ini sejak diluncurkan pada Guangzhou Motor Show 2007 silam. Dan bila MMI benar-benar menghadirkan Mazda2 sedan ini, maka Toyota Vios dan Honda City akan mendapat saingan baru. (Okezone)

HTC Desire, Bakal Gantikan Nexus One


Google Nexus One tidak lama lagi akan lengser menjadi raja ponsel Android. Sebab, HTC Desire siap untuk menggantikan Nexus One di kancah ponsel cerdas berbasis Android tersebut.

Klaim yang dilontarkan HTC tersebut bukan tanpa sebab, pasalnya Desire bisa dibilang duplikasi dari Nexus One. Namun vendor asal Taiwan tersebut menambahkan Desire bakal lebih hebat dari sisi spesifikasi ketimbang Nexus One. salah satu diantaranya, Desire sudah dilengkapi dengan fitur multitouch, Flash Lite 4, dan teknologi UI terbaru buatan HTC, yaitu Sense.

Dilansir melalui PC World, Jumat (19/2/2010), HTC Desire akan digelontorkan mulai akhir Maret ini bila tidak ada halangan. Desire sesuai jadwal akan dirilis mulai dari pasar di Amerika Serikat, lalu menyusul kemudian di negara kawasan lainnya. Sayangnya tidak diketahui berapa banderol harga yang akan dipatok HTC Desire.

Nexus One hingga saat ini bisa dikatakan belum bisa sesukses pendahulunya G1, karena masih belum menunjukkan tanda-tanda penjualan Nexus One bakal memuaskan Google.

Menurut data yang dikeluarkan Flurry, Nexus One yang diprediksi bisa terjual hingga 20 ribu unit dalam sepekan sejak peluncurannya, malah hanya bisa menjual 80 ribu unit setelah satu bulan Google merilisnya ke publik.

Angka tersebut tentu saja sangat kecil, apalagi bila dibandingkan dengan kompetitornya seperti iPhone yang laku 600 ribu dalam sebulan. Bahkan, dengan Droid yang sama-sama mengusung Android, Nexus One kalah jauh hingga 525 ribu unit. (Okezone)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Lotus Segera Luncurkan Elise Facelift



Pabrikan mobil sport asal Inggris, Lotus segera memperkenalkan Elise facelift terbarunya ke pasar. Produk reinkarnasi tersebut sudah mengikuti aturan ramah lingkungan Uni Eropa yang baru, sehingga memiliki emisi gas buang lebih sedikit dan lebih hemat bahan bakar.

Bukan hanya mesin yang mengalami pembaharuan, tetapi juga tampilan luar (eksterior). Sedan sport coupe tersebut hadir dengan desain bemper depan dan belakang baru mirip seperti "sang kakak" Evora. Akibatnya, bentuk saluran udara jadi lebih besar, juga desain lampu utama dengan fitur LED siang hari.

Sentuhan baru juga terlihat pada velg dengan desain baru. Termasuk penutup mesin di bagian belakang tampak lebih bergaya. Demikian dilansir autoevolution.com, Rabu (16//2010).

Kini, Elise terbaru dilengkapi mesin 1.600cc bertenaga 136dk yang diakui pabrikan hanya menyemburkan gas emisi 155 gram karbondioksida per kilometer. Artinya, terjadi pengurangan emisi hingga 13 persen dari model sebelumnya dari penggunaan sistem teknologi Valvematic dan Dual VVT-i. Sementara tipe lain dibekali mesin 1.800cc bertenaga 192 dk dengan tingkat emisi 196 gram CO2/km.

Seluruh varian Elise terbaru mengaplikasikan sistem transmisi manual enam tingkat percepatan rasio pendek. Fitur lain, sistem cruise control yang belum pernah ada di Elise sebelumnya. Hingga kini, pihak Lotus belum membocorkan berapa harga jual produk terbarunya tersebut. (Kompas)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Jackie Chan


Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE[1] (born Chan Kong Sang, 陳港生; 7 April 1954) is a Hong Kong[2] actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer.
In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts. Jackie Chan has been acting since the 1970s and has appeared in over 100 films. Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a cultural icon, Chan has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons and video games. Chan is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred.

Early life
Chan was born in 1954 in Victoria Peak, in the former Crown colony of Hong Kong, as Chan Kong Sang (meaning "born in Hong Kong") to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan, refugees from the Chinese Civil War. He was nicknamed Pao Pao (Chinese: 炮炮, literally meaning "Cannonball") because he was such a big baby, weighing 12 pounds, or about 5,400 grammes.[3] Since his parents worked for the French Consul to Hong Kong, Chan spent his formative years within the grounds of the consul's residence in the Victoria Peak district.[4]
Chan attended the Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island, where he failed his first year, after which his parents withdrew him from the school. In 1960, his father immigrated to Canberra, Australia, to work as head cook for the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim Yuen.[4][5] Chan trained rigorously for the next decade, excelling in martial arts and acrobatics.[6] He eventually became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a performance group made up of the school's best students, gaining the stage name Yuen Lo in homage to his master. Chan became close friends with fellow group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, the three of them later to be known as the Three Brothers or Three Dragons.[7]
At the age of 8, he appeared with some of his fellow "Little Fortunes", in the film Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962), with Li Li Hua playing his mother. Chan appeared with Li again the following year, in The Love Eterne (1963) and had a small role in King Hu's 1966 film, Come Drink with Me.[8] In 1971, after an appearance as an extra in another Kong Fu film, A Touch of Zen, Chan began his adult career in the film industry, initially signing to Chu Mu's Great Earth Film Company.[9] At the age of 17, he worked as a stuntman in the Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon under the stage name Chen Yuen Long.[10] He received his first starring role later that year, in Little Tiger of Canton, which had a limited release in Hong Kong in 1973.[11] Due to the commercial failures in his early ventures into films and trouble finding stunt work, in 1975 Chan starred in a comedic adult film, All in the Family, the only film he has made to date that did not feature a single fight scene or stunt sequence.[12]
Chan joined his parents in Canberra in 1976, where he briefly attended Dickson College and worked as a construction worker.[13] A fellow builder named Jack took Chan under his wing, earning Chan the nickname of "Little Jack" which was later shortened to "Jackie" and the name Jackie Chan stuck with him ever since.[14] In addition, in the late 90s, Chan changed his Chinese name to Fong Si Lung, since his father's original surname was Fong.[14]

Film career
In 1976, Jackie Chan received a telegram from Willie Chan, a film producer in the Hong Kong film industry who had been impressed with Jackie's stuntwork. Willie Chan offered him an acting role in a film directed by Lo Wei. Lo had seen Chan's performance in the John Woo film Hand of Death (1976) and planned to model him after Bruce Lee with the film New Fist of Fury.[9] His stage name was changed to Sing Lung (Chinese: 成龍, literally "become the dragon") to emphasise his similarity to Bruce Lee, whose stage name was Lei Siu Lung (Chinese: 李小龍, meaning "Little Dragon"). The film was unsuccessful because Chan was not accustomed to Lee's martial arts style. Despite the film's failure, Lo Wei continued producing films with similar themes, resulting in little improvement at the box office.[15]
Chan's first major breakthrough was the 1978 film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, shot while he was loaned to Seasonal Film Corporation under a two-picture deal.[16] Under director Yuen Woo Ping, Chan was allowed complete freedom over his stunt work. The film established the comedic kung fu genre, and proved to be a breath of fresh air for the Hong Kong audience.[17] Chan then starred in Drunken Master, which finally propelled him to mainstream success.[18]
Upon Chan's return to Lo Wei's studio, Lo tried to replicate the comedic approach of Drunken Master, producing Half a Loaf of Kung Fu and Spiritual Kung Fu.[14] He also gave Chan the opportunity to co-direct The Fearless Hyena with Kenneth Tsang. When Willie Chan left the company, he advised Jackie to decide for himself whether or not to stay with Lo Wei. During the shooting of Fearless Hyena Part II, Chan broke his contract and joined Golden Harvest, prompting Lo to blackmail Chan with triads, blaming Willie for his star's departure. The dispute was resolved with the help of fellow actor and director Jimmy Wang Yu, allowing Chan to stay with Golden Harvest.[19]
Willie Chan had become Jackie's personal manager and firm friend, and has remained so for over 30 years. He was instrumental in launching Chan's international career, beginning with his first forays into the American film industry in the 1980s. His first Hollywood film was Battle Creek Brawl in 1980. Chan then played a minor role in the 1981 film The Cannonball Run, which grossed US$100 million worldwide. Despite being largely ignored by audiences in favour of established American actors like Burt Reynolds, Chan was impressed by the outtakes shown at the closing credits, inspiring him to include the same device in his future films.
After the commercial failure of The Protector in 1985, Chan temporarily abandoned his attempts to break into the US market, returning his focus to Hong Kong films.[15]
Back in Hong Kong, Chan's films began to reach a larger audience in East Asia, with early successes in the lucrative Japanese market including The Young Master (1980) and Dragon Lord (1982). The Young Master went on to beat previous box office records set by Bruce Lee and established Chan as Hong Kong cinema's top star.
Chan produced a number of action comedy films with his opera school friends Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The three co-starred together for the first time in 1983 in Project A, which won the Best Action Design Award at the third annual Hong Kong Film Awards.[20] Over the following two years, the "Three Brothers" appeared in Wheels on Meals and the original Lucky Stars trilogy.[21][22] In 1985, Chan made the first Police Story film, a US-influenced action comedy in which Chan performed his own stunts. It was named the "Best Movie" at the 1986 Hong Kong Film Awards.[23] In 1987, Chan played "Asian Hawk", an Indiana Jones-esque character, in the film Armour of God. The film was Chan's biggest domestic box office success to date, grossing over HK $35 million.[24]
In 1988 Chan starred alongside Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao for the last time to date, in the film Dragons Forever. Hung co-directed with Corey Yuen, and the villain in the film was played by Yuen Wah, both of whom were fellow graduates of the China Drama Academy.
In the late 1980s and early 90s, Chan starred in a number of successful sequels beginning with Police Story 2, which won the award for Best Action Choreography at the 1989 Hong Kong Film Awards. This was followed by Armour of God II: Operation Condor, and Police Story 3, for which Chan won the Best Actor Award at the 1993 Golden Horse Film Festival. In 1994, Chan reprised his role as Wong Fei Hung in Drunken Master II, which was listed in Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Movies.[25] Another sequel, Police Story 4: First Strike, brought more awards and domestic box office success for Chan, but did not fare as well in foreign markets.[26] Jackie Chan rekindled his Hollywood ambitions in the 1990s, but refused early offers to play villains in Hollywood films to avoid being typecast in future roles. For example, Sylvester Stallone offered him the role of Simon Phoenix, a criminal in the futuristic film Demolition Man. Chan declined and the role was taken by Wesley Snipes.[27]
Chan finally succeeded in establishing a foothold in the North American market in 1995 with a worldwide release of Rumble in the Bronx, attaining a cult following in the United States that was rare for Hong Kong movie stars.[28] The success of Rumble in the Bronx led to a 1996 release of Police Story 3 in the United States under the title Supercop, which grossed a total of US $16,270,600. Jackie's first huge blockbuster success came when he co-starred with Chris Tucker in the 1998 buddy cop action comedy Rush Hour,[29] grossing US$130 million in the United States alone.[19] This film made a star of Jackie Chan, in Hollywood. As a publicity stunt, Jackie also wrote his autobiography in collaboration with Jeff Yang entitled I Am Jackie Chan.
In 1998, Chan released his final film for Golden Harvest, Who Am I? After leaving Golden Harvest in 1999, he produced Gorgeous, a romantic comedy that focused on personal relationships.[30] Chan then helped create a PlayStation game in 2000 called Jackie Chan Stuntmaster, to which he lent his voice and performed the motion capture.[31]
Despite further success with Shanghai Noon in 2000, Rush Hour 2 in 2001 and Shanghai Knights in 2003, Chan became frustrated with Hollywood over the limited range of roles and lack of control over the film-making process.[32] In response to Golden Harvest's withdrawal from the film industry in 2003, Chan started his own film production company, JCE Movies Limited (Jackie Chan Emperor Movies Limited) in association with Emperor Multimedia Group (EMG).[19] His films have since featured an increasing number of dramatic scenes while continuing to succeed at the box office; examples include New Police Story (2004), The Myth (2005) and the hit film Rob-B-Hood (2006).[33][34][35]
Chan's next release was Rush Hour 3 in August 2007. It grossed US$255 million.[36] However, it performed poorly in Hong Kong, grossing only HK$3.5 million during its opening weekend.[37] The filming of The Forbidden Kingdom, Chan's first onscreen collaboration with fellow Chinese actor Jet Li, was completed on 24 August 2007 and the film was released in April 2008.[38][39] Chan voiced the character Master Monkey in the DreamWorks Animation film, Kung Fu Panda, released in June 2008, appearing with stars Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie.[40] In addition, he has signed up to assist Anthony Szeto in an advisory capacity for the writer-director's upcoming film Wushu, which is currently in pre-production. The film will star Sammo Hung and Wang Wenjie as father and son.[41]
In November 2007, Chan began filming Shinjuku Incident with director Derek Yee, which sees Chan take on the role of a Chinese immigrant in Japan.[42] The film was released on 2 April 2009. According to his blog, Chan wishes to direct a film after completing Shinjuku Incident, something he has not done for a number of years.[43] The film is expected to be the third in the Armour of God series, and has a working title of Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac. Chan originally stated that he would start filming on 1 April 2008, but that date had passed.[44] Because the Screen Actors Guild did not go on strike, Chan started shooting his next movie The Spy Next Door at the end of October in New Mexico,[45] leaving the status of Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac up in the air. In The Spy Next Door, Chan plays an undercover agent whose cover is blown when he looks after the children of his girlfriend.
On 22 June 2009, Chan left Los Angeles to begin filming The Karate Kid, a remake of the original in Beijing. [46]

Music career
Jackie Chan had vocal lessons whilst at the Peking Opera School in his childhood. He began producing records professionally in the 1980s and has gone on to become a successful singer in Hong Kong and Asia. He has released 20 albums since 1984 and has performed vocals in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Taiwanese and English. He often sings the theme songs of his films, which play over the closing credits. Chan's first musical recording was "Kung Fu Fighting Man", the theme song played over the closing credits of The Young Master (1980).[62] At least 10 of these recordings have been released on soundtrack albums for the films.[56][63] His cantonese song Story of a Hero (英雄故事) (theme song of Police Story) was selected by the Royal Hong Kong Police and incorporated into their recruitment advertisement in 1994.[64]
Chan voiced the character of Shang in the Chinese release of the Walt Disney animated feature, Mulan (1998). He also performed the song "I'll Make a Man Out of You", for the film's soundtrack. For the US release, the speaking voice was performed by B.D. Wong and the singing voice was done by Donny Osmond.
In 2007, Chan recorded and released the song "We Are Ready", the official one-year countdown song to the 2008 Summer Olympics. He performed the song at a ceremony marking the one-year countdown to the 2008 Summer Paralympics.[65]
The day before the Beijing Olympics opened, Chan released one of the two official Olympics albums, Official Album for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - Jackie Chan's Version, which featured a number of special guest appearances.[66] Chan, along with Andy Lau, Liu Huan and Wakin (Emil) Chau, performed "Hard to Say Goodbye", the farewell song for the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.[67]

Personal life
In 1982, Jackie Chan married Lin Feng-Jiao (aka Joan Lin), a Taiwanese actress. That same year, the two had a son, singer and actor Jaycee Chan.[32]
"In a 1999 scandal, he acknowledged all but paternity of a daughter with 1990 Miss Asia Pageant winner Elaine Ng," although paparazzi had also linked Jackie to "everyone from the late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng to sultry pop star and actress Anita Mui."[108]
He speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and English fluently, and also speaks some Korean and Japanese, as well as a little Spanish.[109]

Chinese name成龍 (Traditional)
Chinese name成龙 (Simplified)
PinyinChéng Lóng (Mandarin)
JyutpingSing4 Lung4 (Cantonese)
Birth nameChan Kong Sang
陳港生 (Traditional)
陈港生 (Simplified)
Chén Gǎng Shēng (Mandarin)
Can4 Gong5 Sang1 (Cantonese)
AncestryLinzi, Shandong, China
OriginHong Kong
Born7 April 1954 (age 55)
Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
Other name(s)房仕龍 (Fong Si Lung)
元樓 (Yuen Lou)
大哥 (Big Brother)
OccupationActor, director, producer, action choreographer, singer
Genre(s)Cantopop
Mandopop
Hong Kong English pop
J-pop
Years active1962–present
Spouse(s)Lin Feng-Jiao (1982–present)
ChildrenJaycee Chan (born 1982)
ParentsCharles and Lee-Lee Chan
InfluencesBruce Lee
Buster Keaton
Harold Lloyd
Jim Donahue
Chuck Norris
Official Websitewww.jackiechan.com

(Wikipedia)

Arnold Schwarzenegger


Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (English pronunciation: /ˈʃwɔrtsənɛɡər/, German: [ˈaɐnɔlt ˈaloʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənˌʔɛɡɐ]; born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian American bodybuilder, actor, model, businessman, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of California.

Early life
Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria, a small village bordering the Styrian capital Graz, and was christened Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger.[1] His parents were the local police chief Gustav Schwarzenegger (1907–1972), and his wife, Aurelia Jadrny (1922–1998). His father served in World War II with the German Army as a Hauptfeldwebel of the Feldgendarmerie and was discharged in 1943 after contracting malaria. They were married on October 20, 1945 – Gustav was 38, and Aurelia was a 23-year-old widow with a son named Meinhard. According to Schwarzenegger, both of his parents were very strict: "Back then in Austria it was a very different world, if we did something bad or we disobeyed our parents, the rod was not spared."[2] He grew up in a Roman Catholic family who attended church service every Sunday.[3]
Gustav had a preference for Meinhard, the elder of the two sons.[4] His favoritism was "strong and blatant," which stemmed from unfounded suspicion that Arnold was not his child.[5] Schwarzenegger has said his father had "no patience for listening or understanding your problems… there was a wall; a real wall."[3] Schwarzenegger had a good relationship with his mother, and kept in touch with her until her death.[6] In later life, Schwarzenegger commissioned the Simon Wiesenthal Center to research his father's wartime record, which came up with no evidence of atrocities despite Gustav's membership in the Nazi Party and SA.[4] At school, Schwarzenegger was apparently in the middle, but stood out for his "cheerful, good-humored and exuberant" character.[3] Money was a problem in the household; Schwarzenegger has recalled that one of the highlights of his youth was when the family bought a refrigerator.[5]
As a boy, Schwarzenegger played many sports—heavily influenced by his father.[3] He picked up his first barbell in 1960, when his football coach took his team to a local gym.[1] At the age of fourteen, Schwarzenegger chose bodybuilding over football (soccer) as a career.[7][8] Schwarzenegger has responded to a question asking if he was age thirteen when he started weightlifting: "I actually started weight training when I was fifteen, but I'd been participating in sports, like soccer, for years, so I felt that although I was slim, I was well-developed, at least enough so that I could start going to the gym and start Olympic lifting."[2] However, his official website biography claims: "At 14, he started an intensive training program with Dan Farmer, studied psychology at 15 (to learn more about the power of mind over body) and at 17, officially started his competitive career."[9] During a speech in 2001, he said, "My own plan formed when I was 14 years old. My father had wanted me to be a police officer like he was. My mother wanted me to go to trade school."[10] Schwarzenegger took to visiting a gym in Graz, where he also frequented the local movie theaters to see bodybuilding idols such as Reg Park, Steve Reeves and Johnny Weissmuller on the big screen. "I was inspired by individuals like Reg Park and Steve Reeves."[2] When Reeves died in 2000, Schwarzenegger fondly remembered him: "As a teenager, I grew up with Steve Reeves. His remarkable accomplishments allowed me a sense of what was possible, when others around me didn't always understand my dreams ... Steve Reeves has been part of everything I've ever been fortunate enough to achieve."[11] In 1961, Schwarzenegger met former Mr. Austria Kurt Marnul, who invited him to train at the gym in Graz.[1] He was so dedicated as a youngster that he was known to break into the local gym on weekends, when it was usually closed, so that he could train. "It would make me sick to miss a workout … I knew I couldn't look at myself in the mirror the next morning if I didn't do it."[2] When Schwarzenegger was asked about his first movie experience as a boy, he replied, "I was very young, but I remember my father taking me to the Austrian theaters and seeing some newsreels. The first real movie I saw, that I distinctly remember, was a John Wayne movie."[2]
In 1971, his brother Meinhard died in a car accident.[1] Meinhard had been drinking and was killed instantly, and Schwarzenegger did not attend his funeral.[5] Meinhard was due to marry Erika Knapp, and the couple shared a three-year-old son Patrick. Schwarzenegger would pay for Patrick's education and help him to immigrate to the United States.[5] Gustav died the following year from a stroke.[1] In Pumping Iron, Schwarzenegger claimed that he did not attend his father's funeral because he was training for a bodybuilding contest. Later, he and the film's producer both said this story was taken from another bodybuilder for the purpose of showing the extremes that some would go to for their sport, and to make Schwarzenegger's image more cold and machine-like in order to fan controversy for the film.[12] Barbara Baker, his first serious girlfriend, has said he informed her of his father's death without emotion and that he never spoke of his brother.[13] Over time, he has given at least three versions of why he did not attend his father's funeral.[5]
In an interview with Fortune magazine in 2004, Schwarzenegger told how he suffered what "would now be called child abuse" at the hands of his father:[14][15]
My hair was pulled. I was hit with belts. So was the kid next door. It was just the way it was. Many of the children I've seen were broken by their parents, which was the German-Austrian mentality. They didn't want to create an individual. It was all about conforming. I was one who did not conform, and whose will could not be broken. Therefore, I became a rebel. Every time I got hit, and every time someone said, 'you can't do this,' I said, 'this is not going to be for much longer, because I'm going to move out of here. I want to be rich. I want to be somebody.'

Early adulthood
Schwarzenegger served in the Austrian army in 1965 to fulfill the one year of service required at the time of all 18-year-old Austrian males.[1][9] He won the Junior Mr. Europe contest in 1965.[8] Schwarzenegger went AWOL during basic training so he could take part in the competition and spent a week in an army jail: "Participating in the competition meant so much to me that I didn't carefully think through the consequences." He won another bodybuilding contest in Graz, at Steirer Hof Hotel (where he had placed second). He was voted best built man of Europe, which made him famous.
"The Mr. Universe title was my ticket to America – the land of opportunity, where I could become a star and get rich."[10] Schwarzenegger made his first plane trip in 1966, attending the NABBA Mr. Universe competition in London.[9] He would come in second in the Mr. Universe competition, not having the muscle definition of American winner Chester Yorton.[9]
Charles "Wag" Bennett, one of the judges at the 1966 competition, was impressed with Schwarzenegger and offered to coach him. As Schwarzenegger had little money, Bennett invited him to stay in his crowded family home above one of his two gyms in Forest Gate, London, England. Yorton's leg definition had been judged superior, and Schwarzenegger, under a training program devised by Bennett, concentrated on improving the muscle definition and power in his legs. Staying in the East End of London helped Schwarzenegger improve his rudimentary grasp of the English language.[16][17] Also in 1966, Schwarzenegger had the opportunity to meet childhood idol Reg Park, who became his friend and mentor[18]. The training paid off and, in 1967, Schwarzenegger won the title for the first time, becoming the youngest ever Mr. Universe at the age of 20.[9] He would go on to win the title a further three times.[8] Schwarzenegger then flew back to Munich, training for four to six hours daily, attending business school and working in a health club (Rolf Putzinger's gym where he worked and trained from 1966–1968), returning in 1968 to London to win his next Mr. Universe title.[9] He frequently told Roger C. Field, a friend in Munich at that time, "I'm going to become the greatest actor!"

Move to the U.S.
Schwarzenegger moved to the United States in September 1968 at the age of 21, speaking little English.[1][8] "Naturally, when I came to this country, my accent was very bad, and my accent was also very strong, which was an obstacle as I began to pursue acting."[2] There he trained at Gold's Gym in Santa Monica, California, under Joe Weider. From 1970 to 1974, one of Schwarzenegger's weight training partners was Ric Drasin, a professional wrestler who designed the original Gold's Gym logo in 1973.[19] Schwarzenegger also became good friends with professional wrestler "Superstar" Billy Graham. In 1970, at age 23, he captured his first Mr. Olympia title in New York, and would go on to win the title a total of seven times.[9]
Schwarzenegger may have been an illegal immigrant at some point in the late 1960s or early 1970s because of violations in the terms of his visa.[20]
In 1969, Schwarzenegger met Barbara Outland Baker, an English teacher he lived with until 1974.[21] Schwarzenegger talked about Barbara in his memoir in 1977: "Basically it came down to this: she was a well-balanced woman who wanted an ordinary, solid life, and I was not a well-balanced man, and hated the very idea of ordinary life."[21] Baker has described Schwarzenegger as "[a] joyful personality, totally charismatic, adventurous, and athletic" but claims towards the end of the relationship he became "insufferable – classically conceited – the world revolved around him".[22] Baker published her memoir in 2006, entitled Arnold and Me: In the Shadow of the Austrian Oak.[23] Although Baker, at times, painted an unflattering portrait of her former lover, Schwarzenegger actually contributed to the tell-all book with a foreword, and also met with Baker for three hours.[23] Baker claims, for example, that she only learned of his being unfaithful after they split, and talks of a turbulent and passionate love life.[23] Schwarzenegger has made it clear that their respective recollection of events can differ.[23] The couple first met six to eight months after his arrival in the U.S. – their first date was watching the first Apollo Moon landing on television.[13] They shared an apartment in Santa Monica for three and a half years, and having little money, would visit the beach all day, or have barbecues in the back yard.[13] Although Baker claims that when she first met him, he had "little understanding of polite society" and she found him a turn-off, she says, "He's as much a self-made man as it's possible to be – he never got encouragement from his parents, his family, his brother. He just had this huge determination to prove himself, and that was very attractive ... I'll go to my grave knowing Arnold loved me."[13]
Schwarzenegger met his next love, Sue Moray, a Beverly Hills hairdresser's assistant, on Venice Beach in July 1977.[5] According to Moray, the couple led an open relationship: "We were faithful when we were both in LA ... but when he was out of town, we were free to do whatever we wanted."[5] Schwarzenegger met Maria Shriver at the Robert F. Kennedy Tennis Tournament in August 1977, and went on to have a relationship with both women until August 1978, when Moray (who knew of his relationship with Shriver) issued an ultimatum.[5]
Schwarzenegger has said his big dream from the age of 10 was to move to the U.S.[24] He questioned what he was doing "on the farm" in Austria, and believed bodybuilding was his "ticket to America": "I’m sure I can go to America if I win Mr. Universe."[24] LA Weekly said in 2002 that Schwarzenegger is the most famous immigrant in America, who "overcame a thick Austrian accent and transcended the unlikely background of bodybuilding to become the biggest movie star in the world in the 1990s".[24]

Bodybuilding career
Schwarzenegger is considered among the most important figures in the history of bodybuilding, and his legacy is commemorated in the Arnold Classic annual bodybuilding competition. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent face in the bodybuilding sport long after his retirement, in part because of his ownership of gyms and fitness magazines. He has presided over numerous contests and awards shows.
For many years, he wrote a monthly column for the bodybuilding magazines Muscle & Fitness and Flex. Shortly after being elected Governor, he was appointed executive editor of both magazines, in a largely symbolic capacity. The magazines agreed to donate $250,000 a year to the Governor's various physical fitness initiatives. The magazine MuscleMag International has a monthly two-page article on him, and refers to him as "The King".
One of the first competitions he won was the Junior Mr. Europe contest in 1965.[1] He won Mr. Europe the following year, at age 19.[1][9] He would go on to compete in and win many bodybuilding contests, as well as some powerlifting contests, including five Mr. Universe (4 – NABBA [England], 1 – IFBB [USA]) wins, and seven Mr. Olympia wins, a record which would stand until Lee Haney won his eighth consecutive Mr. Olympia title in 1991.
Competition Weight: 240 lbs (top 250 lbs)
Off Season Weight: 260 lbs

Strongman
In 1967, Schwarzenegger competed in and won the Munich stone-lifting contest, in which a stone weighing 508 German pounds (254 kg/560 lbs.) is lifted between the legs while standing on two foot rests. Schwarzenegger has said the following on his size: "During the peak of my career, my calves were 20 inches, thighs 28.5 inches, waist 34 inches, chest 57 inches, and 22-inch arms."
In a full squat (buttocks close to ground) Schwarzenegger had a personal record of 181 kg/400lbs, for twelve repetitions.

Mr. Olympia
Schwarzenegger's goal was to become the greatest bodybuilder in the world, which meant becoming Mr. Olympia.[1][9] His first attempt was in 1969, when he lost to three-time champion Sergio Oliva. However, Schwarzenegger came back in 1970 and won the competition, making him the youngest ever Mr. Olympia at the age of 23, a record he holds to this day.[9]
He continued his winning streak in the 1971 – 1974 competitions.[9] In 1975, Schwarzenegger was once again in top form, and won the title for the sixth consecutive time,[9] beating Franco Columbu. After the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from professional bodybuilding.[9]
Months before the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest, filmmakers George Butler and Robert Fiore persuaded Schwarzenegger to compete, in order to film his training in the bodybuilding documentary called Pumping Iron. Schwarzenegger had only three months to prepare for the competition, after losing significant weight to appear in the film Stay Hungry with Jeff Bridges. Lou Ferrigno proved not to be a threat, and a lighter-than-usual Schwarzenegger convincingly won the 1975 Mr. Olympia.
Schwarzenegger came out of retirement, however, to compete in the 1980 Mr. Olympia.[1] Schwarzenegger was training for his role in Conan, and he got into such good shape because of the running, horseback riding and sword training, that he decided he wanted to win the Mr. Olympia contest one last time. He kept this plan a secret, in the event that a training accident would prevent his entry and cause him to lose face. Schwarzenegger had been hired to provide color commentary for network television, when he announced at the eleventh hour that while he was there: "Why not compete?" Schwarzenegger ended up winning the event with only seven weeks of preparation. After being declared Mr. Olympia for a seventh time, Schwarzenegger officially retired from competition.

Acting career
chwarzenegger wanted to move from bodybuilding into acting, finally achieving it when he was chosen to play the role of Hercules in 1970's Hercules in New York. Credited under the name "Arnold Strong," his accent in the film was so thick that his lines were dubbed after production.[8] His second film appearance was as a deaf mute hit-man for the mob in director Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye (1973), which was followed by a much more significant part in the film Stay Hungry (1976), for which he was awarded a Golden Globe for New Male Star of the Year. Schwarzenegger has discussed his early struggles in developing his acting career. "It was very difficult for me in the beginning – I was told by agents and casting people that my body was 'too weird', that I had a funny accent, and that my name was too long. You name it, and they told me I had to change it. Basically, everywhere I turned, I was told that I had no chance."[2]
Schwarzenegger drew attention and boosted his profile in the bodybuilding film Pumping Iron (1977),[7][8] elements of which were dramatized. In 1991, Schwarzenegger purchased the rights to the film, its outtakes, and associated still photography.[31] Schwarzenegger auditioned for the title role of The Incredible Hulk, but did not win the role because of his height. Later, Lou Ferrigno got the part of Dr. David Banner's alter ego. Schwarzenegger appeared with Kirk Douglas and Ann-Margret in the 1979 comedy The Villain. In 1980 he starred in a biopic of the 1950s actress Jayne Mansfield as Mansfield's husband, Mickey Hargitay.
Schwarzenegger's breakthrough film was the sword-and-sorcery epic Conan the Barbarian in 1982, which was a box-office hit.[7] This was followed by a sequel, Conan the Destroyer in 1984, although its box-office performance was disappointing.[32] In 1983, Schwarzenegger starred in the promotional video "Carnival in Rio".
n 1984, he made the first of three appearances as the titular character and what some would say was the signature role in his acting career in director James Cameron's science-fiction thriller film The Terminator.[7][8][33] Following The Terminator, Schwarzenegger made Red Sonja in 1985, which "sank without a trace."[32]
During the 1980s, audiences had a large appetite for action films, with both Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone becoming international stars.[8] Schwarzenegger's roles reflected his droll, often self-deprecating sense of humor (including sometimes famously bad puns), separating his roles from more serious action hero fare. His alternative-universe comedy/thriller Last Action Hero featured a poster of the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day which, in the fictional alternate universe, had Sylvester Stallone as its star.
Following his arrival as a Hollywood superstar, he made a number of successful films: Commando (1985), Raw Deal (1986), The Running Man (1987), and Red Heat (1988). In Predator (1987), another successful film, Schwarzenegger led a cast which included future Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura (Ventura also appeared in The Running Man and Batman & Robin with Schwarzenegger) and future candidate for governor of Kentucky Sonny Landham.
Twins (1988), a comedy with Danny DeVito, was a change of pace, and also proved successful. Total Recall (1990) netted Schwarzenegger $10 million and 15% of the gross, and was a widely praised, science-fiction script directed by Paul Verhoeven, based on the Philip K. Dick short story, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale". Kindergarten Cop (1990) reunited him with director Ivan Reitman, who directed him in Twins.
Schwarzenegger had a brief foray into directing, first with a 1990 episode of the TV series Tales from the Crypt, entitled "The Switch," and then with the 1992 telemovie Christmas in Connecticut. He has not directed since.
Schwarzenegger's commercial high-water mark was his return as the title character in 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which was the highest-grossing film of 1991. In 1993, the National Association of Theatre Owners named him the "International Star of the Decade."[1] His next film project, the 1993 self-aware action comedy spoof Last Action Hero was released opposite Jurassic Park, with the box office suffering accordingly. His next film, the comedy drama True Lies (1994) was a highly popular spy film, and saw Schwarzenegger, reunited with James Cameron, appearing opposite Jamie Lee Curtis.
Shortly thereafter came the comedy Junior (1994), the last of his three collaborations with Ivan Reitman and again co-starring Danny DeVito. This film brought Schwarzenegger his second Golden Globe nomination, this time for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy. It was followed by the action thriller Eraser (1996) and the comic book-based Batman & Robin (1997), where he played the villain Mr. Freeze. This was his final film before taking time to recuperate from a back injury. Following the critical failure of Batman & Robin, Schwarzenegger's film career and box office prominence went into decline.
Several film projects were announced with Schwarzenegger attached to star, including the remake of Planet of the Apes, a new film version of I Am Legend, and a World War II film scripted by Quentin Tarantino that would have seen Schwarzenegger play an Austrian for the third time (after Junior and Kindergarten Cop).
Instead, he returned after a hiatus with the supernatural thriller End of Days (1999), later followed by the action films The 6th Day (2000) and Collateral Damage (2002) all of which failed to do well at the box office. In 2003, he made his third appearance as the title character in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which went on to earn over $150 million domestically.
In tribute to Schwarzenegger in 2002, Forum Stadtpark, a local cultural association, proposed plans to build a 25-meter (82-foot) tall Terminator statue in a park in central Graz. Schwarzenegger reportedly said he was flattered, but thought the money would be better spent on social projects and the Special Olympics.[34]
His latest film appearances included a 3-second cameo appearance in The Rundown (AKA, Welcome to the Jungle) with The Rock, and the 2004 remake of Around the World in 80 Days, where he appeared onscreen with action star Jackie Chan for the first time.
Schwarzenegger voiced Baron von Steuben in Episode 24 ("Valley Forge") of Liberty's Kids. In 2005 he appeared as himself in the film The Kid & I.
Schwarzenegger had been rumored to be appearing in Terminator Salvation as the original T-800 model, alongside Roland Kickinger. Schwarzenegger denied his involvement,[35] but it was later revealed that although he would appear briefly he would not be shooting new footage, and his image would be inserted into the movie from stock footage of the first Terminator movie.[36][37]

Early politics
Schwarzenegger has been a registered Republican for many years. As an actor, his political views were always well-known as they contrasted with those of many other prominent Hollywood stars, who are generally considered to be a liberal and Democratic-leaning community. At the 2004 Republican National Convention, Schwarzenegger gave a speech and explained why he was a Republican:[38]
In 1985, Schwarzenegger appeared in Stop the Madness, an anti-drug music video sponsored by the Reagan administration. He first came to wide public notice as a Republican during the 1988 Presidential election, accompanying then-Vice President George H.W. Bush at a campaign rally.[39]
Schwarzenegger's first political appointment was as chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, on which he served from 1990 to 1993.[1] He was nominated by George H. W. Bush, who dubbed him "Conan the Republican". He later served as Chairman for the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under Governor Pete Wilson. Yet, political analysts have identified Schwarzenegger as a liberal, as he has become more left-leaning since his election.[40]
Between 1993 and 1994, Schwarzenegger was a Red Cross ambassador (a mostly ceremonial role fulfilled by celebrities), recording several television/radio public service announcements to give blood. A small amount of interest was garnered by his wearing of a white t-shirt with the Red Cross on it, while posing with a flexed arm; the image made it into several celebrity magazines.
In an interview with Talk magazine in late 1999, Schwarzenegger was asked if he thought of running for office. He replied, "I think about it many times. The possibility is there, because I feel it inside."[41] The Hollywood Reporter claimed shortly after that Schwarzenegger sought to end speculation that he might run for governor of California.[41] Following his initial comments, Schwarzenegger said, "I'm in show business – I am in the middle of my career. Why would I go away from that and jump into something else?"[41

Governor of California
Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy in the 2003 California recall election for Governor of California on the August 6, 2003 episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[8] As a candidate in the recall election, Schwarzenegger had the most name recognition in a crowded field of candidates, but he had never held public office and his political views were unknown to most Californians. His candidacy immediately became national and international news, with media outlets dubbing him the "Governator" (referring to The Terminator movies, see above) and "The Running Man" (the name of another one of his films), and calling the recall election "Total Recall" (yet another Schwarzenegger starrer). Schwarzenegger declined to participate in several debates with other recall replacement candidates, and appeared in only one debate on September 24, 2003.[42]
On October 7, 2003, the recall election resulted in Governor Gray Davis being removed from office with 55.4% of the Yes vote in favor of a recall. Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California under the second question on the ballot with 48.6% of the vote to choose a successor to Davis. Schwarzenegger defeated Democrat Cruz Bustamante, fellow Republican Tom McClintock, and others. His nearest rival, Bustamante, received 31% of the vote. In total, Schwarzenegger won the election by about 1.3 million votes. Under the regulations of the California Constitution, no runoff election was required. Schwarzenegger was the first foreign-born governor of California since Irish-born Governor John G. Downey in 1862.
As soon as Schwarzenegger was elected governor, Willie Brown said he would start a drive to recall the governor. Schwarzenegger was equally entrenched in what he considered to be his mandate in cleaning up gridlock. Building on a catchphrase from a sketch partly parodying his bodybuilding career, Schwarzenegger called the Democratic State politicians "girlie men" (a reference from a Saturday Night Live sketch called "Hans and Franz").[43]
Schwarzenegger's early victories included repealing an unpopular increase in the vehicle registration fee as well as preventing driver's licenses being given out to illegal immigrants, but later began to feel the backlash when powerful state unions began to oppose his various initiatives. Key among his reckoning with political realities was a special election he called in November 2005, in which four ballot measures he sponsored were defeated. Schwarzenegger accepted personal responsibility for the defeats and vowed to continue to seek consensus for the people of California. He would later comment that "no one could win if the opposition raised 160 million dollars to defeat you".
Schwarzenegger then went against the advice of fellow Republican strategists and appointed a Democrat, Susan Kennedy, as his Chief of Staff.[44] Schwarzenegger gradually moved towards a more politically moderate position, determined to build a winning legacy with only a short time to go until the next gubernatorial election.
He has appeared alongside his fellow actor from Around the World in 80 Days, Jackie Chan, in a government advertisement to combat copyright infringement.[45]
Schwarzenegger ran for re-election against Democrat Phil Angelides, the California State Treasurer, in the 2006 elections, held on November 7, 2006. Despite a poor year nationally for the Republican party, Schwarzenegger won re-election with 56.0% of the vote compared with 38.9% for Angelides, a margin of well over one million votes.[46] In recent years, many commentators have seen Schwarzenegger as moving away from the right and towards the center of the political spectrum. After hearing a speech by Schwarzenegger at the 2006 Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom said that, "[H]e's becoming a Democrat [... H]e's running back, not even to the center. I would say center-left".
It is rumored that Schwarzenegger may run for the United States Senate in 2010, as his governorship will be term-limited by that time.[47][48]
Wendy Leigh, who wrote an unofficial biography on Schwarzenegger, claims he plotted his political rise from an early age using the movie business and bodybuilding as building blocks to escape a depressing home.[4] Leigh portrays Schwarzenegger as obsessed with power and quotes him as saying, "I wanted to be part of the small percentage of people who were leaders, not the large mass of followers. I think it is because I saw leaders use 100% of their potential – I was always fascinated by people in control of other people."[4] Schwarzenegger has said that it was never his intention to enter politics, but he says, "I married into a political family. You get together with them and you hear about policy, about reaching out to help people. I was exposed to the idea of being a public servant and Eunice and Sargent Shriver became my heroes."[24] Eunice Kennedy Shriver was sister of John F. Kennedy, and mother-in-law to Schwarzenegger, Sargent Shriver is husband to Eunice and father-in-law to Schwarzenegger. According to the 2005 Year-in-Review issue of Time magazine, supporters of Schwarzenegger are hoping to amend the Constitution so that he can run for President of the United States;[24] he currently cannot run because he is not a natural born citizen of the United States. In The Simpsons Movie, Schwarzenegger is portrayed as the President, and in the Sylvester Stallone movie, Demolition Man, it is revealed that a constitutional amendment passed which allowed Schwarzenegger to run for President.
Schwarzenegger is a dual Austria/United States citizen.[49] He holds Austrian citizenship by birth and has held U.S. citizenship since becoming naturalized in 1983. Being Austrian and thus European he was able to win the 2007 European Voice campaigner of the year award for taking action against climate change with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and plans to introduce an emissions trading scheme with other US states and possibly with the EU.[50] Still, Schwarzenegger has always identified with his American citizenship, and has shown great affinity for the state of California beyond his foreign birth.
Because of his personal wealth from his acting career, Schwarzenegger does not accept his governor's salary of $175,000 per year.[51]
Schwarzenegger's endorsement in the Republican primary of the 2008 U.S. Presidential election was highly sought; despite being good friends with candidates Rudy Giuliani and Senator John McCain, Schwarzenegger remained neutral throughout 2007 and early 2008. Giuliani dropped out of the Presidential race on January 30, 2008, largely because of a poor showing in Florida, and endorsed McCain. Later that night, Schwarzenegger was in the audience at a Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The following day, he endorsed McCain, joking, "It's Rudy's fault!" (in reference to his friendships with both candidates and that he could not make up his mind).[52] Schwarzenegger's endorsement was thought to be a boost for Senator McCain's campaign; both spoke about their concerns for the environment and economy.

Personal life
In 1977, Schwarzenegger's autobiography/weight-training guide Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder was published and became a huge success.[1] After taking English classes at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, he earned a B.A. by correspondence from the University of Wisconsin–Superior, where he graduated Business and International Economics, in 1979.[1]
On April 26, 1986, Schwarzenegger married television journalist Maria Shriver, niece of the past President of the United States John F. Kennedy, in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The Rev. John Baptist Riordan performed the ceremony at St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church.[59] They have four children: Katherine Eunice Shriver Schwarzenegger[60] (born December 13, 1989 in Los Angeles); Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger (born July 23, 1991 in Los Angeles);[61] Patrick Arnold Schwarzenegger (born September 18, 1993 in Los Angeles);[62] and Christopher Sargent Shriver Schwarzenegger (born September 27, 1997 in Los Angeles).[63]
Schwarzenegger and his family currently live in their 11,000-square-foot (1 022 m²) home in Brentwood.[64][65] They used to own a home in the Pacific Palisades.[66] The family owns vacation homes in Sun Valley, Idaho and Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.[67] Schwarzenegger does not have a home in Sacramento. However, whenever he is in the state capital, he lives in a Hyatt Regency hotel suite. The suite costs about $65,000 a year.[68]
On Sundays, the family attends Mass at St. Monica's Catholic Church.[69]
Schwarzenegger has said he believes the secret of a good marriage is love and respect.[2] "If you have the ultimate love for your wife and she has it for you, I think you have a great head start … That's not to say it won't be difficult sometimes. You go through your ups and downs but you work through it."[2] Schwarzenegger has talked about parenthood in 2000: "One of the best things you can do with your children is play with them. At the same time, I act very silly. Many times I do a lot of sports with them. I play games with them. Act out parts. We do little plays, sometimes."[2]
His official height of 6'2" (188 cm)[70][9][71] has been brought into question by several articles. In his bodybuilding days in the late 1960s, he was measured to be 6'1.5", a height confirmed by his fellow bodybuilders.[72][73] However, in 1988 both the Daily Mail and Time Out magazine mentioned that Schwarzenegger appeared noticeably shorter.[74] More recently, before running for Governor, Schwarzenegger's height was once again questioned in an article by the Chicago Reader.[75] As Governor, Schwarzenegger engaged in a light-hearted exchange with Assemblyman Herb Wesson over their heights. At one point Wesson made an unsuccessful attempt to, in his own words, "[s]ettle this once and for all and find out how tall he is".[76] by using a tailor's tape measure on the Governor. Schwarzenegger retaliated by placing a pillow stitched with the words "Need a lift?" on the five-foot-five inch (165 cm) Wesson's chair before a negotiating session in his office.[77] Bob Mulholland also claimed Arnold was 5'10" and that he wore risers in his boots. [78] The debate on Schwarzenegger's height has spawned a website solely dedicated to the issue,[79] and his page remains one of the most active on CelebHeights.com, a website which discusses the heights of celebrities.[72]
In 2005, Peter Pilz, from the Austrian Green Party, demanded that parliament revoke Schwarzenegger's Austrian citizenship. This demand was based on Article 33 of the Austrian Citizenship Act that states: A citizen, who is in the public service of a foreign country, shall be deprived of his citizenship, if he heavily damages the reputation or the interests of the Austrian Republic.[49] Pilz claimed that Schwarzenegger's actions in support of the death penalty (prohibited in Austria under Protocol 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights) had indeed done damage to Austria's reputation. Schwarzenegger explained his actions by referring to the fact that his only duty as Governor of California was to prevent an error in the judicial system.
Schwarzenegger's home town of Graz had its soccer stadium named The Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium in his honor. It is the home of both Grazer AK and Sturm Graz. Following the Stanley Williams execution and after street protests in his hometown, several local politicians began a campaign to remove Schwarzenegger's name from the stadium. Schwarzenegger responded, saying that "to spare the responsible politicians of the city of Graz further concern, I withdraw from them as of this day the right to use my name in association with the Liebenau Stadium", and set a tight deadline of just a couple of days to remove his name. Graz officials removed Schwarzenegger's name from the stadium in December 2005.[80] It is now officially titled UPC-Arena.
The Sun Valley Resort has a short ski trail called Arnold's Run, named after Schwarzenegger (It was named after him in 2001).[81] The trail is categorized as a black diamond, or most difficult, for its terrain. [82]
He bought the first Hummer manufactured for civilian use in 1992, a model so large, 6,300 lb (2900 kg) and 7 feet (2.1 m) wide, that it is classified as a large truck and U.S. fuel economy regulations do not apply to it. During the Gubernatorial Recall campaign he announced that he would convert one of his Hummers to burn hydrogen. The conversion was reported to have cost about US$21,000. After the election, he signed an executive order to jump-start the building of hydrogen refueling plants called the California Hydrogen Highway Network, and gained a U.S. Department of Energy grant to help pay for its projected US$91,000,000 cost.[83] California took delivery of the first H2H (Hydrogen Hummer) in October 2004.[84]
People in Thal celebrated Schwarzenegger's 60th birthday by throwing a party. Officials proclaimed A Day for Arnold on July 30, 2007. Thal 145, the number of the house where Schwarzenegger was born, belonged to Schwarzenegger and nobody will ever be assigned to that number.[85]

Planet Hollywood
Schwarzenegger was a founding celebrity investor in the Planet Hollywood chain of international theme restaurants (modeled after the Hard Rock Cafe) along with Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, and Demi Moore. Schwarzenegger severed his financial ties with the business in early 2000.[99] Schwarzenegger said the company had not had the success he had hoped for, claiming he wanted to focus his attention on "new US global business ventures" and his movie career.[99]

Incumbent
Assumed office
November 17, 2003
LieutenantCruz Bustamante (2003–2007)
John Garamendi (2007–2009)
Preceded byGray Davis

In office
1990 – January 20, 1993
PresidentGeorge H.W. Bush

BornJuly 30, 1947 (age 62)
Thal, Austria
NationalityAustrian/American
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Maria Shriver (1986–present)
ChildrenKatherine (born 1989)
Christina (born 1991)
Patrick (born 1993)
Christopher (born 1997)
ResidenceBrentwood, Los Angeles, California
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Superior
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionBodybuilder, Actor, politician
ReligionRoman Catholic
Signature
Websitegov.ca.gov
schwarzenegger.com
Military service
Service/branchAustrian Army
Years of service1965

(Wikipedia)