• A rich American wanted to buy a Rembrandt, but he owned no other paintings. Lord Duveen refused to sell it to him, saying, "I can't possibly sell a Rembrandt to a man who owns no other pictures. The Rembrandt would be lonely."
• Even after Impressionist painter Edgar Degas' eyesight grew bad in his old age, he still collected works of art. One day he bought a painting at an auction, then asked a friend, "Is it beautiful?"
Comics
• Did you know that the comic book heroine Wonder Woman was created for the purpose of serving as feminist propaganda? It's true. William Moulton Marston - the man who invented the technological basis of the lie detector - created Wonder Woman in the 1940s. He explained, "Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, I believe, rule the world. There isn't love enough in the male organism to rule this planet peacefully. … I have given Wonder Woman this dominant force but have kept her loving, tender, maternal, and feminine in every other way." In other words, according to her creator, the purpose of Wonder Woman is to help brainwash young male comic book readers into allowing women to rule them.
• Al Capp for many years wrote and drew the comic strip Li'l Abner. At a cocktail party, his hostess introduced him to a VIP. She said, "Mr. President, I'd like you to meet the famous comic strip cartoonist Al Capp." The President asked, "What comic strip?" After answering the President's question, the hostess then said, "Mr. Capp, I'd like to introduce the President." Mr. Capp asked, "What country?"
• One of the things that Stan Lee did to make Marvel comic books interesting to the reader was to write entertaining credits for the stories. For example, "Written with Passion by Stan Lee. Drawn with Pride by Jack Kirby. Inked with Perfection by Joe Sinnott. And Lettered with a Scratchy Pen by Artie Simek."
Costumes
• When George Balanchine's Four Temperaments was premiered at Ballet Society's premier performance (a doubly historic event), everything was a smash success - except for the costumes, which had been designed by artist Kurt Seligmann, who neglected to design costumes that did not obscure the dancing. Mr. Balanchine was aware of the problem, and after the premiere, he asked Mr. Seligmann, "Can't we modify and cut away fabric? Costumes are blocking choreography. No one can see steps." Unfortunately, Mr. Seligmann objected, "If we cut fabric and change costumes, yes, we will see choreography, but then no one will see the designs. No one will see Seligmann!" For a while, at least, the costumes stayed.
• When artist Marc Chagall designed the costumes for ballerina Alicia Markova's performance in Léonide Massine's Aleko, he occasionally sent notes to Ms. Markova. He once drew a heart, then signed his name inside it - and he told Ms. Markova that he was sending his heart to her.
Crime
• On April 22, 1911, the security guards of the Louvre Museum were busy, and someone stole the Mona Lisa by simply walking out the door with it. For two years, it was missing, until finally the thief contacted Alfredo Geri, a Florentine art dealer. Mr. Geri in turn contacted the police, and they recovered the famous painting, which had been stolen by a house painter named Vincenzo Peruggia. He had worked at the Louvre, and he had stolen the Mona Lisa because he felt that its true home was in Italy. The Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre, where it can be seen today.
Wladziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 - February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer and actor. A child prodigy born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish origin, Liberace enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordings, television, motion pictures, and endorsements. At the height of his fame, from the 1950s to the 1970s, Liberace was the highest-paid entertainer in the world, with established concert residencies in Las Vegas, and an international touring schedule. Liberace embraced a lifestyle of flamboyant excess both on and off stage, acquiring the nickname "Mr. Showmanship".
In the Batman television series in 1966 with Adam West and Burt Ward, Liberace played a dual role as concert pianist Chandell and his gangster-like twin Harry, who was extorting Chandell into a life of crime as "Fingers", in the episodes "The Devil's Fingers" and "The Dead Ringers", both written by Lorenzo Semple Jr., who had developed Batman for television. The episodes of this two-part story were, according to Joel Eisner's The Official Batman Batbook, the highest-rated of all the show's episodes.
Source
Liberace is the only actor to play a Batman villain that supplied his own costumes.
Source
mj wrote:
One of my mom's favorite entertainers
(Probably because he was of Polish extraction.)He had, if I remember, an
afternoon TV show on which he made a swirling entrance similar to
Loretta Young. Liberace.
Randall replied:
Liberace
zorch responded:
Liberace, also called Fingers.
Cal in Vermont wrote:
The late, great Wladziu Valentino Liberace. I hope that his brother George was in attendance at his final moments.
Deborah, the Master Gardener, wrote:
I saw a picture from the show and recognize the pianist as Liberace. I watched that show as a kid and I'd forgotten that he had been on it.
The mornings have been cool enough for a light sweater, and just right for being outside. Time for a bike ride.
Kenn B said:
Liberace
Daniel in The City answered:
Liberace
Micki responded:
Liberace.
Jacqueline replied:
Liberace
Joe ( -- Vote Blue, No Matter Who -- ) wrote:
Why that was Liberace, everybody knows that. Adam West was the best Batman, everybody knows that too.
(Good to be back)
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~~~~~
Info: "Sydney's favourite rockers Bloods shower us with a hefty dose of 90's-inspired pop-punk with the release of their EP Seattle. An ode to the city in which it was created and an unapologetic honoring of female triumph."
All songs performed by Marihuzka Cornelius (vocalist), Dirk Jonker (drums) and Mike Morgan (guitar, bass, and backing vocals).
Price: $1 (USD) for track; $5 (USD) for six-track EP
CBS begins the night with the FRESH'The Greatest #AtHome Videos', followed by a RERUN'Magnum PU', then a RERUN'Blue Bloods'.
On a RERUNStephen Colbert (from 7/14/20) is Tom Hanks.
On a RERUNJames Corden, OBE, (from 6/8/20) are Matthew Macfadyen and Jessie Ware.
NBC opens the night with a RERUN'The Wall', followed by 'Dateline'.
On a RERUNJimmy Fallon (from 7/16/20) are Jim Carrey, Jenny Slate, and Luke Combs.
On a RERUNSeth Meyers (from 7/13/20) are Andy Samberg and Jalen Rose.
On a RERUNLilly Singh (from 12/19/19) is Charlize Theron.
ABC begins the night with a RERUN'Shark Tank', followed by '20/20'.
On a RERUNJimmy Kimmel it's TBA.
The CW offers a RERUN'Masters Of Illusion', followed by another RERUN'Masters Of Illusion', then a RERUN'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', followed by another RERUN'Whose Line Is It Anyway?'.
Faux fills the night with a FRESH'WWE Friday Night SmackDown'.
MY recycles an old 'CSI: Miami', followed by another old 'CSI: Miami'.
IFC -
[6:00A] The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
[8:00A] Smokey and the Bandit II
[10:30A] Summer Rental
[12:30P] The Longest Yard
[3:00P] The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
[5:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Encounter at Farpoint
[6:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Encounter at Farpoint
[7:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Naked Now
[8:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Code of Honor
[9:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Last Outpost
[10:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - here No One Has Gone Before
[11:00P] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Lonely Among Us
[12:00A] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Justice
[1:00A] Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Battle
[2:00A] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Hide and Q
[3:00A] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Haven
[4:00A] Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Big Goodbye
[5:00A] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Datalore (ALL TIMES ET)
Sundance -
[6:30am] columbo
[8:15am] columbo
[10:00am] law & order
[11:00am] law & order
[12:00pm] law & order
[1:00pm] law & order
[2:00pm] law & order
[3:00pm] law & order
[4:00pm] law & order
[5:00pm] law & order
[6:00pm] law & order
[7:00pm] law & order
[8:00pm] law & order
[9:00pm] law & order
[10:00pm] law & order
[11:00pm] law & order
[12:00am] law & order
[1:00am] law & order
[2:00am] law & order
[3:00am] law & order
[4:00am] law & order
[5:00am] law & order (ALL TIMES ET)
SyFy has the movie 'The Bourne Supremacy', followed by the movie 'The Bourne Ultimatum'.
San Diego Comic-Con-like just about every large conference, convention, and gathering in 2020-has had to switch to an online-only, virtual format this year due to the continuing pandemic. Media companies that usually have a large presence at events like SDCC worked hard to create streaming alternative content-but it seems they forgot to tell their copyright bots.
ViacomCBS kicked things off today with an hour-long panel showing off its current slew of current and upcoming Star Trek projects: Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, and Strange New Worlds.
Even if the presentation didn't look like a real episode of Discovery to the home viewer, it apparently sounded close enough: after the Star Trek Universe virtual panel began viewers began to lose access to the stream. In place of the video, YouTube displayed a content ID warning reading: "Video unavailable: This video contains content from CBS CID, who has blocked it on copyright grounds."
After being blacked out for about 20 minutes, the panel was restored, and the recording of the virtual panel has no gaps in playback.
Obviously, CBS would not benefit from pulling its own marketing material offline on purpose; it seems most likely that software simply heard a match, made a match, and threw up a notice until a human could override and fix it. Unfortunately, it seems an array of media companies are each going to have to rush to correct the error in turn: two hours later, io9 reporter Beth Elderkin tweeted that a Cartoon Network panel livestream was pulled offline due to a copyright claim from Turner, Cartoon Network's parent company.
Heather Childers was ousted by Fox News after being benched for appearing visibly sick in March, when shows at the network were still operating out of studios in Midtown Manhattan but the coronavirus pandemic was picking up steam.
"Fox News and Heather Childers have parted ways. We wish her all the best," said a representative for Fox News, confirming the split first reported by CNN.
Childers, who hosted the early-morning "Fox & Friends First," hasn't appeared on-air since March. She confirmed on Twitter that month, "Last day I was on I mentioned I had gone to a [doctor] to make sure I had no fever or cough of concern after coughing & sneezing on air. Never went to work feeling sick. I sent those results showing no temp or cough. Was then told Covid19 test would most helpful."
She said she tested negative for the virus, a claim she later reiterated when appealing to President Donald Trump (R-Failure) directly on Twitter in April posts that have since been deleted but are cited by CNN.
CNN also reports that sources say Fox News management was angry she was visibly sick during the March 18 broadcast, then came back to host the show the next day, after going to a doctor and being given the all-clear.
Postpones 'Mulan', Delays 'Avatar' and 'Star Wars'
Di$ney
Walt Disney Co on Thursday postponed the debut of its movie "Mulan" indefinitely, dealing a new blow to theater operators that were counting on the live-action epic to help attract audiences during a pandemic.
"Mulan" was scheduled to reach theaters in March but its release has been postponed several times as many cinemas remain closed. The film had most recently been set to debut on Aug. 21 and theater operators had hoped it would help spark a late-summer rebound for movie-going.
Disney also said it had delayed the next film installments from two of its biggest franchises, "Avatar" and "Star Wars," by one year as the novel coronavirus has disrupted production.
The "Avatar" sequel is now set to debut in theaters in December 2022, and the next "Star Wars" movie in December 2023.
Venice is reducing the number of tourists its gondolas can carry, because so many are overweight they dangerously lower the boats in the water, a gondolier association told AFP Wednesday.
The city of canals is cutting the number of passengers allowed to board from six at a time to five, to stop water dangerously slopping over the sides of the famous slim vessels, said Roberto Luppi, former head of the Venice Gondoliers association.
The problem is "the average weight per tourist, but also the fact that the waters of the canals are increasingly agitated by motorboat traffic," he said.
"From some countries, it's like bombs loading on and when (the boat) is fully loaded, the hull sinks and water enters," Raoul Roveratto, the head of the association of substitute gondoliers, told the Repubblica daily.
"Going forward with over half a ton of meat on board is dangerous," he said.
Rod Rosenstein, the former deputy attorney general, told US attorneys that there was no categorical exception for children under five under the then-active Trump Administration child separation policy for immigrants caught crossing the border illegally.
The discussion occurred in 2018 on a conference call meant to clarify the "zero-tolerance" implementation of the Trump Administration's policy.
A source told the Guardian that the call shocked some of the border-state prosecutors involved because it meant that children under five could be separated from their families.
Prosecutors feared that children under five might not know their own names or the names of their parents, which would increase the risk that they'd get lost in the system.
While the order was in place, 2,814 children were separated from their parents, with 105 of those being under the age of five, and 1,033 being under the age of 10.
Incarcerated people and their families said they are closely watching congressional debates about the next COVID-19 relief bill for proposed legislation that would drastically push down the cost of prison and jail phone calls.
For years, they have advocated lowering rates that run as high as $25 for a 15-minute call. Now, they said, with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the costs are especially debilitating, separating families at a crucial time.
The coronavirus outbreak has put a spotlight on the conditions in America's prisons and jails, which house more than 2.2 million people, with people of color making up a disproportionate number of those imprisoned. Overcrowding, substandard medical services, and a shortage of masks and disinfectants have made correctional facilities incubators of disease.
In May, the U.S. House passed the Martha Wright Phone Justice Act as part of its stimulus bill, which would give the FCC authority to regulate all prison and jail calls, including the 80% that originate and end in the same state also known as instate calls - something currently barred by a 2017 Court of Appeals ruling.
Some inactive ingredients commonly found in medicines may not be so inactive after all, according to a new study published today. Researchers found evidence in the lab that several ingredients, including certain dyes and preservatives, are capable of affecting proteins, receptors, and other parts of our biology, possibly in important and noticeable ways. The findings aren't proof that these ingredients can harm people, but they do suggest further research is needed.
The scientists looked at thousands of inactive ingredients, also known as excipients. They screened them for their potential to interact or bond with any number of molecular targets found in the body's cells, including those that regulate our levels of important neurotransmitters like dopamine. Once they found some that could plausibly affect the body, they then used two different methods in the lab to see whether and how each of these excipients affected the targets in human cells.
All in all, they identified 38 inactive ingredients that interacted with 44 different molecular targets. These included ingredients meant to be used as food dyes, preservatives, and disinfectants, such as D&C red no. 28, propylparaben, and benzethonium chloride. In some cases, the level of activity they saw from these interactions is what you would expect to see from the active ingredients of some drugs. The team's findings were published in Science.
Though inactive ingredients have long been considered inert chemicals that pass through the body with no effect, some research is starting to challenge that assumption. Last year, for instance, a study found evidence that many ingredients are capable of triggering common food allergies or other hypersensitivities. This study seems to go further, highlighting several ingredients that may interact with the body the way that active ingredients are designed to.
Neanderthals lived hard lives. The ice-age hunter-gatherers eked out a living across western Eurasia, hunting mammoths, bison and other dangerous animals.
Despite their rough and tumble existence, Neanderthals had a biological predisposition to a heightened sense of pain, finds a first-of-its kind genome study published in Current Biology on 23 July1. Evolutionary geneticists found that the ancient human relatives carried three mutations in a gene encoding the protein NaV1.7, which conveys painful sensations to the spinal cord and brain. They also showed that in a sample of British people, those who had inherited the Neanderthal version of NaV1.7 tend to experience more pain than others.
Researchers have access to only a few Neanderthal genomes, and most of those have been sequenced at a low resolution. This has made it hard to identify mutations that evolved after their lineage split from that of humans some 500,000-750,000 years ago. But in the past few years, Pääbo and his team have generated three high-quality Neanderthal genomes from DNA found in caves in Croatia and Russia. This allows them to confidently identify mutations that were probably common in Neanderthals, yet very rare in humans.
Mutations in a gene called SCN9A - which encodes the NaV1.7 protein - stood out because all of the Neanderthals had three mutations that alter the shape of the protein. The mutated version of the gene was found on both sets of chromosomes in all three Neanderthals, hinting that it was common across their populations.
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