What’s the story

What happens when a wisecracking, homeless, alcoholic superhero meets a determined PR exec? Hancock, who just saved the life of idealistic Ray Embrey, is about to find out. Embrey is determined to rehabilitate the down-and-out Hancock, clean up his image, and make him into a true hero the world can adore. Embrey’s wife Mary, on the other hand, isn’t so sure it’s a worthy endeavor, particularly when Hancock starts hitting on her in the midst of his big comeback. The “Big Blue Boy Scout” he ain’t.

Three Good Reasons

1. Will Smith and Jason Bateman are both masters of dry comic timing. This is the first time we’ve had the chance to see them play off of each other, and the results should be classic.
2. The market’s a bit flooded right now with weighty epics of tortured-yet-beloved superheroes… so it’s a bit refreshing to get a look at great power without great responsibility.
3. It’s the Fourth of July weekend. That means three things: cookouts, fireworks, and Will Smith blockbusters.

Bet You Didn’t Know

That poor stranded gray whale that Hancock tosses back into the ocean in the trailer? The one that lands on a sailboat? That whale would weigh about the same as two city buses (with passengers).

*from yahoo.com

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., which makes the Subaru brand vehicles, said on Friday its decision to sell 61 million of treasury stock that has a major rival Toyota Motor Corp. for 31.11 billion yen ( $ 291.1 million), In order to increase capital and business partnership between the two companies.

The move came after Toyota (NYSE: TM - news - people) completed preliminary hearings with the Fair Trade Commission and an agreement was reached on April 10.

On July 14, Fuji Heavy will sell its shares to 510 yen each, or a 10 percent premium over the average closing price between December 11 and March 10.
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By JEANNINE AVERSA

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve was scrambling to prevent a “contagion” from infecting the nation’s financial system when it took unprecedented actions to back a Bear Stearns rescue package and provide emergency loans to big Wall Street firms.

The Federal Reserve released documents Friday providing insights into its private deliberations in March that led to those controversial decisions. The Fed’s actions came at a time when credit and financial problems were intensifying, threatening to paralyze the entire financial system and plunge the economy into a recession.

Given the fragile conditions of the financial markets at that time, the Fed said it felt compelled to intervene because an “immediate failure” of Bear Stearns would bring about an “expected contagion.”
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