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'Carol' gets cheery with No. 1 weekend spot

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- "A Christmas Carol" got plenty of early Christmas cheer, racking up $31 million for the No. 1 spot in U.S. box office receipts during the weekend.

"Michael Jackson's This Is It" held on to second place with $14 million.

All estimated box office receipts are from Box Office Mojo.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" was third with more than $13.30 million; "The Fourth Kind" was fourth with more than $12.52 million; "Paranormal Activity" was fifth with $8.6 million; "The Box" sixth with more than $7.85 million.

"Couples Retreat" was seventh with $6.42 million; "Law Abiding Citizen" eight with more than $6.17 million; and "Where the Wild Things Are" was ninth with more than $4.22 million.

"Astro Boy" rounded out the top 10 with more than $2.58 million.

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Prince Charles visits British Columbia

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince Charles said during a visit to British Columbia that the Canadian province was doing a great job fighting climate change.

The Victoria Times Columnist said during a reception Saturday night in the British Columbian capital of Victoria, the prince of Wales lauded the provincial government for imposing staunch limits for greenhouse gas emissions.

"In every aspect of life we have forgotten that we are part of nature," Charles said. "We cannot have our own economy without nature's economy."

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, accompanied her husband on the British Columbia visit and Saturday, Charles' wife accepted gifts from British Columbia Lt.-Gov. Steven Point and Premier Gordon Campbell.

"We are reaffirming the strong and special bond we have with her majesty, with England," Point announced ahead of the gift-giving ceremony. "(A bond) that I'm sure, after this visit, will only get stronger."

The Times Columnist said Charles also met with Canadian Youth Business Foundation members during his visit and he and his wife were scheduled to attend a Christ Church Cathedral remembrance service in Victoria on Sunday.

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Underwood learning to open up to others

NASHVILLE, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. country music singer Carrie Underwood said she is learning to become more open with people and stop keeping others from seeing the real her.

The (Nashville) Tennessean said Friday that Underwood, 26, admitted to a history of being emotionally distant to most people, but said she is learning how to be funny and open in front of others.

"I'm getting better with that, but when you open that book and let people in, there's something scary about that. I guess I'm used to keeping people at a distance," the former "American Idol" winner told the Tennessean.

Underwood, who marked 10 No. 1 hits from her first two albums, said since she can be critical of herself, she tends to avoid those publications that remark negatively on her.

"I'm my own worst critic, and I don't need any more negativity in my life. So I go to my Web site and see good reviews and things that make me feel good," she said, referring to her fan club site.

The Tennessean said Underwood, who won the fourth season of "Idol," will serve as co-host of the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday.

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Calvin Klein billboard earns mixed reviews

NEW YORK, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- New York residents said a new billboard for the Calvin Klein fashion brand is very sexual, with some saying the advertisement goes too far.

The New York Daily News said Sunday the billboard, which features scantily clad actress Eva Mendes pulling at a man's boxer briefs, has drawn mixed reviews from residents since appearing in New York's SoHo neighborhood.

"Some of us don't want to expose our kids to something like this -- it's borderline pornography," New York resident Carl Wilson, 55, said.

"I think it's sexy as hell," local worker Carlos Gamez, 24, offered. "It makes me want to go out and buy some drawers like that."

The Daily News said the billboard marks the most recent questionable promotion from Calvin Klein, which pulled a similar billboard advertisement in June amid complaints.

The removed advertisement, which was opposed by a Christian advocacy group and local residents, featured a teenage girl in an apparent threesome with two young men.