“G.I. Joe:The Rise of Cobra,” based on the best selling toy franchise, debuted with around $56.2 million this weekend to easily win the number one spot at the domestic Box Office. The action film stars Channing Tatum and Marion Wayans.

A completely different new film, “Julie & Julia” landed in second place. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams star in this movie about the famous cooking diva, Julia Child. “Julie & Julia”  cooked up an estimated $20 million at theaters across the country.

In third, “G-Force” the animated 3D flick with around $9.8 million, followed by “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”  in fourth with $8.8 million and rounding out the top five, last week’s top film the dramedy, “”Funny People” dropped off sharply to $7.8 million.

Photo: Jim Young/Reuters

It’s official. Judge Sonia Sotomayor is now an associate justice of the 220-year-old U.S. Supreme Court. Sotomayor went through two swearing-in ceremonies this morning, one private and one public, at the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath.

After the public ceremony, Sotomayor is shown in the photo above being congratulated by Chief Justice Roberts while her mother, Celina, and brother, Juan Luis Sotomayor, look on.

On Thursday, Sotomayor, a federal appeals court judge, easily won confirmation from the U.S. Senate. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and only the third female to become a justice on the nation’s highest court.

John Hughes 1950-2009    Photo:  Los Angeles Times

A nice tribute in photos and prose to filmmaker John Hughes on the Los Angeles Times website today. Hughes reportedly died of a heart attack while taking a morning walk in New York City yesterday. Hughes gained fame for creating poignant films about those awkward but all important teenage years, like “Sixteen Candles” (1984), “The Breakfast Club” (1985), “Pretty in Pink” (1986). and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986).

Also, the prolific Hughes wrote the mega-hit, “Home Alone” (1990) and two sequels, along with a number of other films including “101 Dalmatians” (1996) and “Flubber” (1997).  Hughes was only 59 when he died.

Photo: Jason Reed/Reuters

 Judgment Day turned into a shining moment for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Today Judge Sotomayor won confirmation from the U.S. Senate on a sweeping 68-31 vote. Nine Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the 55-year-old federal appeals court judge. Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic and only the third female to sit on the nation’s highest court.

Republican opponents insisted Sotomayor was too liberal. Supporters defended her as an impartial jurist who would be an asset to the U.S. Supreme Court. In his remarks after the confirmation, President Obama praised his nominee and the Senate’s decision: “And with this historic vote, the Senate has affirmed that Judge Sotomayor has the intellect, the temperament, the history, the integrity and the independence of mind to ably serve on our nation’s highest court.”

“These core American ideals — justice, equality, and opportunity — are the very ideals that have made Judge Sotomayor’s own uniquely American journey possible.  They’re ideals she’s fought for throughout her career, and the ideals the Senate has upheld today in breaking yet another barrier and moving us yet another step closer to a more perfect union.”

 Sotomayor will be sworn in as the 111th U.S. Supreme Court justice by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday.

Photo: Irfan Khan/ Los Angeles Times 

Two California journalists, newly freed from North Korea, shared an emotional reunion with family and friends at  the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank this morning. After months of negotiations, Former President Bill Clinton was able to fly to North Korea yesterday and secure the release of 36-year-old Euna Lee and 32-year-old Laura Ling. In the photo above, Lee hugs husband Michael Saldate and daughter Hana and Ling greets her husband Iain Clayton.

On March 17, Lee and Ling were arrested near the North Korea-China border. In June, they were found guilty of crimes against North Korea and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. Both are reporters for Current TV, a San Francisco based operation, co-founded by Former Vice-President Al Gore. The Ex-V.P. was among those in Burbank who welcomed the two journalists back home.

In her tearful remarks, Ling thanked everyone who helped arrange their release: “We could feel your love all the way in North Korea.” Also, President Obama says his administration is “extraordinarily relieved” that the two reporters are free.

More great photos of the homecoming on the Los Angeles Times website.

Photo: Carlos Allegri/pool/Reuters

A major issue involving the personal affairs of the late superstar Michael Jackson has been solved. Yesterday, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, Mitchell Beckloff, granted custody of the singer’s three children to his mother, 79-year-old Katherine Jackson. Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe, mother of his two oldest children, will retain legal parental rights and have visitations.

Even though Jackson’s will expressed his wish to have his mother raise his children, I’m concerned that Mrs. Jackson’s age may make it difficult for her to carry out that function. Hopefully, she’ll get help from others with the care of 12-year-old Prince Michael, 11-year-old Paris, and 7-year-old Prince Michael II known as Blanket.

Judge Beckloff awarded Mrs, Jackson an allowance for herself and a separate one for the children. Meanwhile, the battle over control of the legendary entertainer’s estate continues. The judge gave Mrs. Jackson’s lawyers until October 2 to explain their objections to having music executives, John Branca and John McClain, handle the entertainer’s estate, which is valued at more than $500 million.

Michael Jackson died suddenly on June 25, 2009. The exact cause of death is still under investigation. 

 A new Adam Sandler film took over the number one spot at the Box Office this weekend. “Funny People,” is really more drama than comedy. Still, “Funny People” managed to rack up an estimated $23.4 million in theaters nationwide.

In second place, “Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince” with around $17.7 million. Last week’s top movie, the animated 3D flick, “G-Force” followed in third with about $17 million. The romantic comedy, “The Ugly Truth” grabbed fourth with an estimated $13 million.  Also, the new family fantasy, “Aliens in the Attic” starring Ashley Tisdale, landed in fifth place with $7.8 million.

Photo: Pete Souza/White House

The photo above is from The White House blog and it shows President Barack Obama leading the way to the rose garden for the so-called beer summit last Thursday. Behind the president, Cambridge, Massachusetts Police Sergeant James Crowley helps Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. navigate the White House steps. A polite gesture that says a lot about how far the relationship between the two men has come in two weeks.

On July 16, Sgt. Crowley answered a call of a suspected burglary at a Cambridge residence. Professor Gates, a highly regarded African American scholar, was trying to deal with a jammed lock at his front door when he was confronted by Crowley. Gates reportedly identified himself as the homeowner, however, the exchange ended with the professor being arrested for disorderly conduct, a charge that was later dropped. The arrest sparked a national debate on racial profiling by police and whether Gates had been arrested merely because he is black.

President Obama said the police “acted stupidly” when asked about the incident. That set off another round of heated debate. Later, the president acknowledged he should have chosen his words more carefully. In order to turn the situation into what Obama calls a “teachable moment” the beer summit was arranged. Vice-President Joe Biden joined the summit and was the only one to hoist a nonalcoholic beer.

There were no apologies but in a news conference shortly after the summit ended, Sgt. Crowley said the  “… two gentlemen had agreed to disagree on a particular issue.” They reportedly made plans to do lunch soon.  Sgt. Crowley may not admit it, but I think he has learned something from this situation. I believe in the future, Crowley will make sure that he is on firm legal ground before he arrests another elderly black man. And that’s a good lesson to be learned for a cop.