Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Tom Danehy: Tom joins a bunch of other white people at the Tea Party rally (tucsonweekly.com)
So, this guy calls up the radio show that I'm on and invites me to attend the Tea Party rally at El Presidio Park on Income Tax Day. I figure, what the heck? I'm an old, fat white guy; I should be able to blend right in.
Garrison Keillor: Silent brotherhood
I travel around a LOT - too much, but one does learn things from spending time in the company of strangers, such as the fact that too many young American men suffer from a desperate lack of social skills.
Tevi Troy: For Obama and past presidents, the books they read shape policies and perceptions (washingtonpost.com)
As the battle over health-care reform crescendoed last month, President Obama let slip that he was still making time for some side reading.
VIRGINIA POSTREL: Indecision-Making (nytimes.com)
Sheena Iyengar is the psychologist responsible for the famous jam experiment.
KRISTIN A. SMITH: Sarah Schulman Waxes Politic (curvemag.com)
The lesbian writer and academic on what's wrong with America and how to change it.
"Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture" by Darrin Nordahl: A review by Scott Kratz
America's relationship with food is dysfunctional. Obesity, childhood malnourishment, fast-food addiction, E. coli and salmonella outbreaks -- the list of problems is as familiar as it is dismaying.
Jody Rosen: Farewell, Guru (slate.com)
His hip-hop was so pure, it was almost Puritan.
Alistair Dickinson: "It's All Good: An Interview with Daddy G of Massive Attack" (popmatters.com)
When not sickened with the United Kingdom turning into Big Brother, excited by the possibilities of YouTube, or stunned by their nationwide artwork banning, Daddy G of Massive Attack is more than happy to be back into the fold than ever before, and he tells PopMatters all about it.
Lynn Nottage: a bar, a brothel and Brecht (guardian.co.uk)
Lynn Nottage wanted to expose the plight of women in war-torn Congo. Could Mother Courage help? The Brooklyn writer talks to Nosheen Iqbal.
DIANE ANDERSON-MINSHALL: "Classic Curve: Ian Harvie Is One Busy Comic" (curvemag.com)
The transgender funny man Ian Harvie who has worked his way into the hearts of lesbians everywhere.
Tina Fey on what she's learnt (timesonline.co.uk)
The actress talks to Alan Jackson about failure, fame, parenting and impersonating Sarah Palin.
Will Lawrence: [David] Duchovny is not quite the man next door (timesonline.co.uk)
The 'X Files' star's new movie 'The Joneses' sees him as a man who has it all. Real-life however, is not so straightforward.
Nicole Hollander: Sylvia
Liza Donnelly: Cartoon
David Bruce, editor: "Love and Friendship: Stories About Growing Up" (lulu.com)
Download: FREE. This book collects several stories by talented authors in Athens, Ohio, who write about love, friendship, and growing up.
The Weekly Poll
I have to take a short 'medical leave of absence' and hopefully I will be back with a new question next Tuesday (04/27). It's nothing serious, mind ya, just annoying and inconvenient. Not to worry!
TTFN...
BadToTheBoneBob
wrote:
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
Reader Suggestions
Michelle in AZ
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Overcast and cold.
Army Disinvites Graham
Pentagon Prayer Day
Evangelist Franklin Graham's invitation to speak at a Pentagon prayer service has been rescinded because his comments about Islam were inappropriate, the Army said Thursday.
Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, in 2001 described Islam as evil. More recently, he has said he finds Islam offensive and wants Muslims to know that Jesus Christ died for their sins.
Army spokesman Col. Tom Collins said Graham's remarks were "not appropriate."
"We're an all-inclusive military," Collins said. "We honor all faiths. ... Our message to our service and civilian work force is about the need for diversity and appreciation of all faiths."
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation had raised the objection to Graham's appearance, citing his past remarks about Islam.
Pentagon Prayer Day
Rescued By Song Royalties
Patti Smith
Not every rock 'n' roll icon is awash in cash. Some, like rock poetess Patti Smith, have endured hard times fairly recently in their careers.
Smith, receiving a lifetime achievement award in Hollywood on Wednesday from songwriting royalties group ASCAP, recalled how the 1994 death of her husband, punk rocker Fred "Sonic" Smith, left her a widowed mother of two young children.
"I was actually down on my luck," she said.
"And what helped bail me out and helped me get back to my feet were the ASCAP checks that I got for 'Because the Night,'" Smith said, referring to her best-known song.
Patti Smith
Network Cut Speech
'South Park'
Producers of "South Park" said Thursday that Comedy Central removed a speech about intimidation and fear from their show after a radical Muslim group warned that they could be killed for insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
It came during about 35 seconds of dialogue between the cartoon characters of Kyle, Jesus Christ and Santa Claus that was bleeped out.
"It wasn't some meta-joke on our part," producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone said. Comedy Central declined to comment.
Earlier this week, the radical group Revolution Muslim said on its website that "South Park" had insulted their prophet during last week's episode by depicting him in a bear costume.
'South Park'
Signs $10.8 Billion Tourney TV Deal
NCAA
The NCAA said on Thursday it signed a $10.8 billion deal with CBS Corp and Time Warner Inc's Turner Broadcasting for the media rights to its popular and soon-to-expand men's Division I college basketball tournament.
The 14-year broadcast, Internet and wireless rights deal runs from 2011 through 2024, and replaces one the NCAA opted out of with CBS, which televised the final won this year by Duke University.
The new deal, at an annual average of $771.4 million, dwarfs the 11-year agreement signed in 1999 with CBS alone, which was worth $6 billion, or about $546 million per year.
The NCAA said the tournament will expand to 68 teams from 65 that played this year, though some officials had discussed including up to 96 teams. CBS and Turner said the deal allows for expanded coverage if the NCAA adds more teams later.
NCAA
Cartoon Network Reviving
"Looney Tunes"
Cartoon Network is launching its first awards show and ramping up its efforts in the live-action arena.
The network also said Wednesday during its "upfront" presentation to advertisers that it is launching a new version of Warner Bros.' classic "Looney Tunes" series starring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.
"Cartoon Network's Hall of Game," honoring professional and amateur athletes, is set to debut early next year. Also in the sports arena, Cartoon announced "Run It Back Sunday," which condenses a full NBA game in one hour with fun facts and special effects. Additionally, NFL star Tony Gonzalez and his 8-year-old son Nikko will appear in the next installment of the shortform series "My Dad's a Pro."
Meanwhile, "The Looney Tunes Show" takes Bugs and Daffy out of the woods and puts them into the suburbs with "colorful neighbors" including Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. "Looney" will also have classic characters singing original songs in two-minute music videos called "Merrie Melodies" and the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote in computer-animated shorts.
"Looney Tunes"
Delayed Lingerie Ad
Lane Bryant's controversial new lingerie ad, featuring busty, plus-sized models, will finally air on Fox RupertFox Rupert next Wednesday, during the closing minutes of the 9 p.m. edition of "American Idol."
The women's clothing manufacturer had claimed both Fox Rupert and ABC objected to the commercial's content.
Though the commercial will now air on "Idol," both client and media still seem peeved. Lane Bryant has accused the networks of bias against large-size women and their cleavages -- and the networks have denied such claims, accusing Lane Bryant of trying to milk a non-story for publicity purposes.
Lane Bryant took its battle to the blogosphere Tuesday with a rather testy entry on its Inside Curve venue, lambasting Fox Rupert and ABC for resisting efforts to place the ad in shows including "Dancing With the Stars" and "Idol."
It complained that it was being treated differently from Victoria's Secret, which has aired spots on both networks. The company said it was "disappointed" that Fox Rupert rejected the ad three times.
Fox Rupert
Cigarette Sponsor Pulled
Kelly Clarkson
Pop star Kelly Clarkson's upcoming concert in Indonesia will no longer be sponsored by a cigarette company, the promoter said Thursday following protests from fans and anti-tobacco groups.
Clarkson, the first winner of "American Idol," had previously said that while she was surprised to learn that billboards announcing her April 29 concert in Jakarta were prominently branded with the logo of the popular cigarette L.A. Lights, the show would go on with the controversial sponsorship.
"I refuse to cancel on my fans," she wrote in a posting on her blog. She added that she's not a smoker and does not advocate it.
Though Clarkson initially indicated that the sponsorship could not be pulled, promoter Adrie Subono said that his company Java Musikindo had reached a "final agreement" with cigarette company Djarum, the maker of L.A. Lights, and the sponsorship had been canceled. He said it would take one or two days to remove all the billboards and pull other advertisements, including those on TV.
Kelly Clarkson
Appeal Denied
Roman Polanski
An appeals court on Thursday denied Roman Polanski's latest attempt to end his decades-old sex case, a move that could set the stage for the fugitive director's return to the United States.
The California 2nd District Court of Appeal denied Polanski's petition to appoint a special counsel to investigate misconduct in the director's case based on new information. His attorneys had also been asking for the director to be sentenced in absentia to time served.
The court's decision not to revisit Polanski's case came hours after it denied a request by Polanski's victim, Samantha Geimer, to have the case dismissed.
Authorities are seeking Polanski's extradition from Switzerland so he can be sentenced on the charge. The Academy Award-winning director fled the United States on the eve of sentencing in 1978.
Roman Polanski
'Cove' Director Defiant
Louie Psihoyos
The director of "The Cove" said Thursday that a decision by a U.S. military base in Japan to ban the Oscar-winning film on dolphin killings and protests at the local distributor's office won't silence the film's message on saving dolphins.
"The Cove" documents the bloody bludgeoning of dolphins by fishermen in the western seaside Japanese town of Taiji, where some dolphins are captured and sold to aquariums while others are killed for their meat. The film has set off a flurry of debate, especially after it won best documentary at this year's Academy Awards.
The Japanese government is adamant that whaling and dolphin hunts must continue for research and cultural purposes. But most Japanese have never eaten whale or dolphin, and are shocked to see the slaughter.
The U.S. Air Force Yokota Air Base, west of Tokyo, decided last week to cancel the screening at its on-base theater to be "sensitive to local political and cultural concerns," base spokesperson Mitsuru Takahashi said.
"The Cove" director Louie Psihoyos said he will give away 100 DVDs of the movie to people at the base so they can see it.
Louie Psihoyos
Settles Suit
Johannes Heesters
A 106-year-old entertainer has settled a lawsuit over a claim he sang for Nazi guards at a concentration camp during World War II, a German court said on Thursday.
Johannes Heesters gave up asking for retraction from German author and documentary maker Volker Kuehn, who said in 2008 that the entertainer sang for SS troops at Dachau concentration camp in 1941.
The Berlin state court said in a statement that Kuehn had reiterated his position, but agreed not to call Heesters a liar anymore and to settle the lawsuit.
The court says Heesters agreed to pay the cost of the legal proceedings. Heesters' bid for retraction and an injunction had been turned down in 2008, but he appealed the decision.
Johannes Heesters
It's All About Priorities
SEC Staffers
Senior staffers at the Securities and Exchange Commission spent hours surfing pornographic websites on government-issued computers while they were being paid to police the financial system, an agency watchdog says.
The SEC's inspector general conducted 33 probes of employees looking at explicit images in the past five years, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.
The memo says 31 of those probes occurred in the 2 1/2 years since the financial system teetered and nearly crashed.
SEC Staffers
Breaks Into Disney Channel
Playboy
Children watching the Disney Channel in Chile were offered a startling adults-only peek of Playboy programming this week because of a technical error, media reported Thursday.
And the glimpse they caught went a long way beyond Playboy's bunny logo romping around on a channel normally reserved for Mickey Mouse and friends.
The cable company responsible, VTR, said the mix-up occurred only in the northern city of Antofagasta, and only for a few minutes late Tuesday.
It said the channel switch happened inadvertently while technicians were updating the system.
Playboy
Cable Nielsens
Ratings
Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by the Nielsen Co. for the week of April 12-18. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses:
1. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 3.41 million homes, 4.99 million viewers.
2. "NCIS" (Wednesday, 8 p.m.), USA, 3.34 million homes, 4.38 million viewers.
3. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.17 million homes, 4.47 million viewers.
4. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10 p.m.), History, 3.1 million homes, 4.19 million viewers.
5. "Deadliest Catch" (Tuesday, 9 p.m.), Discovery, 3.08 million homes, 4.58 million viewers.
6. "Good Luck Charlie" (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.), Disney, 3.028 million homes, 4.1 million viewers.
7. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.026 million homes, 4.08 million viewers.
8. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), USA, 3.01 million homes, 4.39 million viewers.
9. "NCIS" (Monday, 8 p.m.), USA, 2.93 million homes, 3.88 million viewers.
10. NBA Playoffs: San Antonio vs. Dallas (Sunday, 8:18 p.m.), TNT, 2.86 million homes, 3.92 million viewers.
11. "NCIS" (Wednesday, 9 p.m.), USA, 2.84 million homes, 3.71 million viewers.
12. NBA Playoffs: Miami vs. Boston (Saturday, 8:05 p.m.), ESPN, 2.83 million homes, 3.82 million viewers.
13. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 11 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.82 million homes, 3.91 million viewers.
14. "ICarly" (Saturday, 8 p.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.81 million homes, 4.27 million viewers.
15. "Penguins of Madagascar" (Saturday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.8 million homes, 3.88 million viewers.
Ratings
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