Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Mark Morford: Attack of the gluten intolerant sex addicts (SF Gate)
How much do you think you know for sure? How many of your personal afflictions and torments, ailments and woes are indisputably real, I mean obviously, I mean there is no doubt I feel this way because, well, we are nothing if not in love with our own creations, all the conditions we quietly like to invent, and then claim we are powerless to control?
Connie Schultz: Another Round of Newspaper Cuts -- and a Toast (Creators Syndicate)
In 1993, during my second day on the job at The Plain Dealer, I noticed a dime taped to the top of a computer I shared with veteran reporter Lou Mio. "What's that about?" I said, pointing to the coin. Lou smiled and, with a sweep of his hand, gestured to all the other dimes taped on computers throughout the newsroom's metro department. An editor on the city desk, Lou explained, had said, loudly, two years earlier, "Reporters are a dime a dozen." I stood on tiptoes to catch a glimpse of the offending editor and then turned back toward Lou. "Don't these dimes bother him?" I asked. Lou smiled. "Every day."
Sandra Lavelle: Police 'should face action' over woman's strip search (Guardian)
Independent police complaints commission says officers who strip searched clubber and left her naked for 30 minutes should be disciplined.
Victoria Best: Nothing Like Being Scared (Open Letters Monthly)
In 1962, when Shirley Jackson published her acknowledged masterpiece, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, she was at the height of her fame.
The Floating Icebergs of Jökulsárlón (Spectacular Photos)
Our first excursion out of Reykjavík was a day trip to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, on the country's southeast coast. With its powder blue icebergs floating, bobbing and flipping atop the water's surface, Jökulsárlón has become one of Iceland's most famous sights. Justifiably so.
Roma Panganiban: 16 Amazing Places to Visit Via Google Street View (Mental Floss)
When Google Maps first rolled out the Street View feature in 2007, its collection of images was restricted to destinations within the United States, and mostly urban ones. Since Street View went international in 2008, its portfolio has expanded to include digital postcards of the suburbs, museums, tourist attractions, and natural landmarks in 48 regions and counting. Now anyone with an Internet connection is just a few clicks away from a panoramic view of their dream vacation.
15 True Stories That Will Make You Believe in Karma (Cracked)
We've all heard the cliched lines about karma -- but cliches come from somewhere, right? We asked our readers to bring us the most bizarre tales of karma that'll make you go "Man, yeah -- she really is a bitch."
Words on Images
Largest Collection of Images with Words
The Camp Gyno (Video)
"This ad for a tampon delivery service features a 12-year-old who was the first at her summer camp to get her first period. The whole thing is quite funny and will no doubt benefit the company, but the most unrealistic parts are 1. summer camp that lasts more than five days, and 2. young girls who have regular cycles. Oh, and if you're squeamish, be warned that this contains girl talk." - Miss Cellania
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Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
Reader Comment
Value
You are priceless
Thanks to you, I now know about scrotal lymphedema. AND I know when I can turn my TV on to see a program about a man who has it. Life may never be the same again.
Only you, Marty, could provide such vital information. You're worth every monthly support penny!
Linda >^..^<
We're all only temporarily able bodied.
P.S. Jim is GORGEOUS!
Wow. Sort of hope no one claims Jim. You and the kid will give him a great life He's so adorable! Jim is a great name for him.
Thanks, Linda!
I'm quite grateful Oscar found Jim in his yard.
If I saw something that big crawling around my backyard I'd have had to change my pants before doing anything about it.
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Big ole marine layer again.
Hollywood Auction
Memorabilia
Charlie Chaplin's cane, costumes from "The Sound of Music" and a jacket worn by Steve McQueen in "Bullitt" have sold for several million dollars at an auction of Hollywood memorabilia.
The Los Angeles Times reports that a cane from Chaplin's "Modern Times" went for $420,000 at the auction held Sunday and Monday. That includes auction house fees.
Calabasas-based Profiles in History says the "Sound of Music" clothing went for $1.56 million, including the dress Julie Andrews wore while singing "Do-Re-Mi."
The tweed jacket from "Bullitt" fetched $720,000.
A Dorothy dress from "The Wizard of Oz" sold for $360,000, a polka dot dress worn by Lucille Ball went for $168,000, and $54,000 was the price for an outfit worn by (The Dude) - Jeff Bridges - in "The Big Lebowski."
Memorabilia
Alberta Flood Relief
Rush
It's turning out to be a big week for Canadian rock legends Rush, with news that they've raised more than half a million dollars for flood relief in southern Alberta and are set to release a remixed version of their 2002 album, "Vapor Trails."
The power trio say their benefit concert in Red Deer, Alta., last week raised $575,000 - $400,000 of which will go to the Canadian Red Cross to support Alberta Flood Relief.
Another $125,000 will go to High River residents who were hit the hardest in the June flood, and $50,000 will go to local charities. Live Nation, Ticketmaster and the show's venue, Enmax Centrium, also donated fees associated with the gig.
"It is important to be a good neighbour in situations like these, and we are very grateful that we were able to amass such a huge sum that will undoubtedly help many of our fellow Canadians in need," Rush frontman Geddy Lee said in a statement.
Rush
Twelfth Doctor To Be Revealed
Doctor Who
The twelfth Doctor in the "Doctor Who" franchise will be announced this weekend.
BBC America announced that in a special -- 'Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor' -- which kicks off at 2 PM ET on the network this Sunday, the announcement revealing who will be replacing Matt Smith, will be made.
"The decision is made and the time has come to reveal who's taking over the TARDIS. For the last of the Time Lords, the clock is striking twelve," "Doctor Who" Executive Producer Steven Moffat said in a statement on Thursday.
In an interesting twist, the press release from BBC America actually avoided identifying the new Doctor by gender, noting, "Zoe Ball will unveil the Twelfth Doctor in their first ever interview in front of a live studio audience."
Doctor Who
Miniseries
'24'
Fan favorite Mary Lynn Rajskub is reteaming with Kiefer Sutherland for a 12-episode run of "24: Live Another Day" to debut next May on Fox.
The network said Thursday at the Television Critics Association meeting that Rajskub will reprise her role as Chloe O'Brien, the faithful counter-terrorist sidekick of Sutherland's Jack Bauer character.
Rajskub joined the original "24" series in its second season and appeared in the second-most episodes of any actor during the show's run from 2001-10.
Fox says the miniseries will take up Bauer's story several years after the events of the final season, with viewers following his foreign exploits in real-time.
'24'
Playboy, Penthouse Get The Ax
Army and Air Force Exchanges
Playboy, Penthouse and other sex-themed magazines will no longer be sold at Army and Air Force exchanges - a move described by the stores' operators as a business decision based on falling sales, and not a result of recent pressure from anti-pornography activists.
The 48 "adult sophisticate" magazines being dropped are among a total of 891 periodicals that will no longer be offered by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service at its stores on U.S. military bases worldwide. Other titles getting the ax include English Garden, SpongeBob Comics, the New York Review of Books and the Saturday Evening Post.
Chris Ward, a spokesman for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, said the cutbacks - which took effect Wednesday -would reduce the space allotted to magazines by 33 percent and free up room at the exchanges for more popular products.
He noted that newsstand sales of most consumer magazines were falling steadily as online alternatives proliferated. Sales of the "adult sophisticate" category of magazines at the exchanges had declined 86 percent since 1998, he said.
Hundreds of magazines will continue to be sold at the exchanges. The current top-sellers are People, Men's Health and Cosmopolitan.
Army and Air Force Exchanges
Athletes Warned
Sochi Olympics
Russia will enforce a new law cracking down on gay rights activism when it hosts international athletes and fans during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, the country's sports minister said Thursday, appearing to contradict assurances to the contrary from the International Olympic Committee.
Russia's contentious law was signed by President Vladimir Putin in late June, imposing fines on individuals accused of spreading "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" to minors, and even proposing penalties for those who express these views online or in the news media. Gay pride rallies also are banned.
"An athlete of nontraditional sexual orientation isn't banned from coming to Sochi," Vitaly Mutko said in an interview with R-Sport, the sports newswire of state news agency RIA Novosti. "But if he goes out into the streets and starts to propagandize, then of course he will be held accountable."
Mutko emphasized that the law wasn't designed to punish anyone for being gay or lesbian. But like the Russian lawmakers who authored the bill, Mutko said athletes would be punished only for propaganda, a word that remains ambiguous under the new law.
The law specifies punishment for foreign citizens, to include fines of up to 100,000 rubles ($3,000), time in prison for up to 15 days, deportation and denial of reentry into Russia. Four Dutch citizens working on a documentary film about gay rights in the northern Russian town of Murmansk were the first foreigners to be detained under the new law, although their case did not make it to court, according to RIA Novosti.
Sochi Olympics
Hands Off Jane Austen's Ring
Kelly Clarkson
The British government has stepped in to stop singer Kelly Clarkson from taking a ring once owned by author Jane Austen out of the country.
The "American Idol" winner bought the gold-and-turquoise ring at auction last year for just over 150,000 pounds ($228,000).
But on Thursday, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey put an export bar on the item until Sept. 30 in the hope that a British buyer will come forward.
The government has the power to temporarily halt the export of works judged to be national treasures.
The author of "Pride and Prejudice" left the ring to her sister Cassandra, and it remained in the family until it was sold last year.
Kelly Clarkson
Apologizes Over Doodle
BBC
The BBC has apologized for accidentally broadcasting a picture of Prince William in which an obscene doodle has been drawn onto his head.
Eagle-eyed viewers caught a glimpse of a picture of the prince with a penis drawn on his head on Thursday morning.
The image flashed up during a music video for a song titled "I Could Have Married Kate" by comedy singing group Barbershopera.
The BBC said "the material was provided by Barbershopera but we failed to spot the offending material within it. We apologize for this."
BBC
Education Chief Resigns
Florida
Florida's education commissioner resigned Thursday amid allegations that he changed the grade of a charter school run by a major Republican donor during his previous job as Indiana's school chief.
Commissioner Tony Bennett (R-Puto) announced his resignation, effective immediately, at a news conference. He said that while he did nothing wrong he didn't want to be a distraction to ongoing efforts to overhaul Florida's education system.
Emails published by The Associated Press this week show that Bennett and his Indiana staff scrambled last fall to ensure Republican donor's Christel DeHaan's school received an A, despite poor 10th-grade algebra scores that initially earned it a C.
Bennett lost his re-election bid last November in Indiana. He was hired a month later by Florida as its education commissioner, a nonelected post that pays $275,000.
Florida
Living With Their Parents
Young Adults
More than a third of young adults lived at their parents' home in 2012, the highest rate in at least four decades, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.
Thirty-six percent of America's so-called Millennial generation - young adults aged 18 to 31 - lived at home last year, compared with 32 percent in 2007, prior to the Great Recession. In 2009, the year the recession officially ended, 34 percent of Millennials lived at home.
"The steady rise in the share of young adults who live in their parents' home appears to be driven by a combination of economic, educational and cultural factors," the Pew report states.
Key among those factors are declining employment, rising college enrollment, and declining marriage rates, according to the report.
Young Adults
Top 20
Concert Tours
The Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America. The previous week's ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.
1. (1) The Rolling Stones; $7,969,276; $346.09.
2. (2) Taylor Swift; $3,092,783; $86.73.
3. (3) Kenny Chesney; $2,157,820; $74.97.
4. (4) Fleetwood Mac; $1,367,517; $107.85.
5. (5) Dave Matthews Band; $1,209,646; $54.43.
6. (6) Justin Bieber; $1,165,093; $80.54.
7. (7) Jason Aldean; $1,017,425; $61.43.
8. (8) New Kids On The Block; $830,439; $65.06.
9. (9) Tim McGraw; $578,200; $37.60.
10. (10) Brad Paisley; $568,346; $36.19.
11. (11) Carrie Underwood; $520,651; $65.05.
12. (12) Widespread Panic; $391,954; $46.27.
13. (13) Barry Manilow; $350,088; $61.19.
14. (14) Mötley Crüe; $329,192; $75.94.
15. (15) Styx / REO Speedwagon / Ted Nugent; $208,359; $37.85.
16. (New) Hillsong United; $197,990; $31.04.
17. (New) Darius Rucker; $191,717; $39.60.
18. (16) Bassnectar; $171,548; $34.95.
19. (18) Il Divo; $162,835; $81.55.
20. (17) Willie Nelson; $160,635; $55.43.
Concert Tours
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