I'll be away this weekend, too, at a completely different type of
gathering than the RNC. More audio and pictures on
barondave.livejournal.com/ when I get back.
--////
"What doesn't have credibility today is the truth." -- Bill Moyers, The Daily Show, 6/22/05
Anthony Lewis: Official American Sadism (nybooks.com)
Since the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib was exposed, in April 2004, the Bush administration has maintained that any mistreatment was the work of a few "bad apples." No action has been taken against any higher-up, military or civilian. But a steady accumulation of disclosures, capped in June by a Senate committee report and hearing, has made it clear that abusive treatment of prisoners was a deliberate policy that came from the top ....
Garrison Keillor: A misdirection in Minnesota (chicagotribune.com)
The Republicans are meeting down the hill from my house, helicopters are pounding the air, and there are more suits on the streets and big black SUVs and a brownish cloud venting from the hockey arena where the convention is assembled.
The tormented torso (guardian.co.uk)
He's played sword-swinging warriors and gun-toting geezers. But, finds Catherine Shoard, Gerard Butler is a very reluctant all-action hero.
TUNKU VARADARAJAN: An Interview with Paul Theroux (wsj.com)
I knew Paul Theroux could turn a phrase, but I hadn't realized that he could turn heads, too. As we walk to dinner at the restaurant at the Taj Boston hotel -- formerly the dowdy old Ritz, now elegantly restored to world-class panache -- a number of ladies of a certain age are . . . how else to put it? . . . checking him out.
What beverage was originally called "Brad's Drink"?
A: Pepsi
B: RC Cola
C: 7 Up
D: Sprite
E: Vernor's Ginger Ale
Source
Alan J was first, and correct, with:
Pepsi
Charlie answered:
I never drink any of that stuff unless it's mixed with liquor. "Brad's Drink" was the original
A: Pepsi
Sally said:
Pepsi Cola (A) was originally called "Brad's Drink."
When Caleb Bradham first created his own carbonated soft drink to serve fountain customers at his drugstore, he called it, "Brad's Drink." Soon thereafter, he renamed his popular invention, "Pepsi-Cola."
Cola trivia: Sprite was marketed with the slogan "Obey Your Thirst."
IBC Root Beer was developed in 1919 by the Independent Breweries Company in St. Louis as an alternative to alcoholic beverages during prohibition.
Mountain Dew was originally invented by two brothers, for use as a mixer with whiskey. Mountain Dew is actually slang for "moonshine."
When 7-UP was first introduced to the world in 1929, it was called, "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda." Although there were already more than 600 lemon-lime soft drinks on the market, the new brand sold well enough to keep the inventor afloat - even through the stock market crash occurred just two weeks after the drink was introduced. Thankfully, the name was changed to, the much easier to pronounce, "7-UP."
PS: Anyone remember an original "Pepsi Cola" jingle? Hint, it starts: "Pepsi Cola Hits the Spot..."
Jim from CA responded:
Brad's drink is Pepsi...
Marian the Teacher replied:
Pepsi Cola
And, Ned said:
Brad's Drink - Pepsi
Caleb Bradham of New Bern, North Carolina was a pharmacist.
Like many pharmacists at the turn of the century he had a
soda fountain in his drugstore, where he served his customers
refreshing drinks, that he created himself.
His most popular beverage was something he called "Brad's drink"
made of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils, pepsin and cola nuts.
"Brad's drink", created in the summer of 1893,
was later renamed Pepsi Cola in 1898 after the
pepsin and cola nuts used in the recipe.
Thanks to Charlie for the picture.
Coming Tuesday! - 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour' on DVD!
This 4 DVD set includes 11 star packed episodes from the third and final season of the hour-long variety show, uncensored, just as they were originally meant to be aired. The guest list reads like a '60s who's who, including comedy stars like George Carlin, Bob Newhart, Steve Martin, Jackie Mason, Jonathan Winters, David Steinberg and musical performances by The Doors, Ike & Tina Turner, Donovan, Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Liberace, Joan Baez, the cast of Hair and more.
Yes, I know I said the Smothers Brothers DVD give away would start today, but I'm just too damn tired to think up
any decent questions.
My computer was invaded by a nasty trojan last Wednesday, but I didn't realize it til Friday.
It kinda explains why nothing has been working right, computer-wise.
It also explains why I've been staying up past 5am the last few nights, and still don't have all the artwork loaded from last week.
Got everything straightened out now (I hope), so we'll start the contest tomorrow.
CBS opens the night with a RERUN'Big Bang Theory', followed by a RERUN'How I Met Your Mother', then a RERUN'2½ Men', followed by a RERUN'Old Christine', then a RERUN'CSI: The 2nd One'.
Scheduled on a FRESHDave are Keira Knightley and Thomas Friedman.
Scheduled on a FRESHCraig are Neil Patrick Harris and Sophia Myles.
NBC begins the night with a FRESH'Deal Or No Deal', followed by a FRESH'America's Toughest Jobs', then 'Dateline'.
Scheduled on a FRESHLeno are Michael Phelps, J.B. Smoove, and Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon.
Scheduled on a FRESHConan are Howie Mandel, Nastia Liukin, and Bon Iver.
On a RERUNCarson 'The Scab' Daly (from 6/16/08) are Penn & Teller and Katy Perry.
ABC starts the night with the FRESH infomercial 'High School Musical: Get In The Picture', followed by the FRESH'CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock'.
On a RERUNJimmy Kimmel (from 8/27/08) are Don Cheadle, Emma Stone, and Lady Antebellum.
The CW offers the SEASON PREMIERE'Gossip Girl', followed by the SEASON PREMIERE'One Tree Hill'.
Faux has the SEASON PREMIERE'Sarah Connor Chronicles', followed by a FRESH'Prison Break'.
MY has 'Celebrity Expose', followed by another Celebrity Expose'.
A&E has 'CSI: The 2nd One', 'Intervention', followed by a FRESH'Intervention', and 'Paranormal State'.
AMC offers the movie 'Geronimo: An American Legend', followed by the movie 'Alexander'.
BBC -
[12:00 PM] How Clean Is Your House? - Episode 7
[12:30 PM] How Clean Is Your House? - Episode 8
[1:00 PM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep 5 Sandgate
[2:00 PM] Cash in the Attic - Ep 12 Anderson
[3:00 PM] Bargain Hunt - Ep. 36 Carmarthen
[3:30 PM] Bargain Hunt - Ep. 1 Harrogate
[4:00 PM] You Are What You Eat - Episode 5
[4:30 PM] You Are What You Eat - Episode 6
[5:00 PM] How Clean Is Your House? - Episode 9
[5:30 PM] How Clean Is Your House? - Episode 10
[6:00 PM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep. 4 Moore Place
[7:00 PM] BBC World News America
[8:00 PM] Top Gear - Episode 9
[9:00 PM] Top Gear - Episode 8
[10:00 PM] BBC World News America
[11:00 PM] Top Gear - Episode 9
[12:00 AM] Top Gear - Episode 8
[1:00 AM] Top Gear - Episode 5
[2:00 AM] Top Gear - Episode 6
[3:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - Ep 12 James Nesbitt, Catherine Tate and The Kook
[4:00 AM] Bargain Hunt - Ep. 25 Shepton Mallet
[4:30 AM] Bargain Hunt - Ep. 26 Kedleston 69
[5:00 AM] Cash in the Attic - Ep. 18 Springthorpe
[5:30 AM] Cash in the Attic - Ep. 19 Lovell
[6:00 AM] BBC World News (ALL TIMES EDT)
Bravo has 'Top Design', 'Project Runway', another 'Project Runway', and a FRESH'Date My Ex'.
Comedy Central has 'Scrubs', another 'Scrubs', an old 'Jon Stewart', an old 'Colbert Report', 'Futurama', 'South Park', 'Futurama', and another 'Futurama'.
On a RERUNJon Stewart (from 8/28/08) is Sen. Evan. Bayh
On a RERUNColbert Report (from 9/3/08) are Susan Eisenhower and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
FX has 'The Bernie Mac Show', another 'The Bernie Mac Show', followed by the movie '13 Going On 30', then the movie 'Little Black Book'.
History has 'Modern Marvels', 'The Kennedy Assassination: Beyond Conspiracy', and '911 Conspiracies: Fact Or Ficttion?'.
IFC -
[6:35 AM] The Endless Summer II
[8:30 AM] The Prince of Pennsylvania
[10:10 AM] IFC News Uncut 2008
[10:15 AM] Mondays in the Sun
[12:15 PM] IFC Short Film Showcase
[1:15 PM] The Endless Summer II
[3:10 PM] The Prince of Pennsylvania
[4:45 PM] Mondays in the Sun
[6:45 PM] Second Best
[8:20 PM] IFC in Theaters
[8:30 PM] The Whitest Kids U'Know
[9:00 PM] Brothers
[11:00 PM] Spring Forward
[1:00 AM] Brothers
[3:00 AM] Spring Forward
[4:55 AM] The Whitest Kids U'Know
[5:20 AM] Second Best (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[05:45 AM] Drop Back Ten
[07:15 AM] Eve & the Fire Horse
[09:00 AM] House of Boateng: Episode 6
[09:30 AM] Big Girl's Blouse: Episode 1
[10:00 AM] Mr. Reliable
[12:00 PM] The Best of Secter & the Rest of Secter
[01:00 PM] The Origins of AIDS
[02:35 PM] Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Impassioned Eye
[04:00 PM] Follow My Voice: With the Music of Hedwig
[06:00 PM] Godless in America
[07:00 PM] Deliver Us From Evil
[09:00 PM] Flipping Out
[10:30 PM] Heavy Metal Jr.
[11:00 PM] On the Road in America: Episode 2 - New York
[11:30 PM] Architecture School: Episode 3
[12:00 AM] Iconoclasts - Season 1: Tom Ford on Jeff Koons
[01:00 AM] Regular Lovers
[04:00 AM] The Staircase: Chapter 6. The prosecution's revenge
[05:00 AM] Eco Documentaries - Season 1: Crapshoot: The Gamble With Our Wastes (ALL TIMES EST)
Documentary film "Religulous" narrator Bill Maher and director Larry Charles (R) pose for a portrait during the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival September 7, 2008.
Photo by Mark Blinch
Woody Allen had just made his successful debut as an opera director Saturday, creating a hilarious and memorable production of "Gianni Schicchi," the third of the one-act presentations in Puccini's "Il Trittico." The Los Angeles Opera's opening-night audience at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion kept applauding, wanting to see the 72-year-old filmmaker join the cast and conductor James Conlon for the curtain call.
But Allen remained out of view, unwilling to come onstage because of shyness, the company said.
With the music world celebrating December's 150th anniversary of Puccini's birth, director William Friedkin started the night with dark stagings of "Il Tabarro" and "Suor Angelica." Allen immediately brought laughter from the auditorium when he began "Gianni Schicchi" by having credits projected in black and white onto a movie screen. The names were nonsensical, such as Giuseppe Prosciutto, Aldo Melone and Vitello Tonato, to mention three of the more printable.
Then, when the madcap action unfolded, it was clear he viewed the opera, which takes place in 1299, as an old Italian film. Santo Loquasto's sets, with Florence's Duomo in the background, were in black and white and grey. So were the costumes and the laundry clipped to clothing lines throughout. The only deviations from the colour scheme were the singers' faces and a few yellow lamps.
Taboo arrives at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards held at Paramount Pictures Studio Lot on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008, in Los Angeles.
Photo by Chris Pizzello
Spurred by an historic telethon Friday night, viewers stood up to cancer and pushed total donations for research to battle the disease past the $100 million mark.
That dollar figure reflects contributions from viewers of the telethon, "Stand Up to Cancer," as well as money raised since late May, when the Stand Up to Cancer initiative was launched, according to Lisa Paulsen, head of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, the charitable organization behind Stand Up to Cancer.
Jack Black, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry and Keanu Reeves - along with presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama - were among the celebrities participating in the hourlong show aired from Los Angeles.
It featured musical segments by performers including James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and Monica Mancini. Serving as co-emcees, rival network news anchors Katie Couric, Charles Gibson and Brian Williams discussed advances in cancer research. And sitcom star Brad Garrett underwent an on-the-air prostate exam.
Since Scottish songstress KT Tunstall became engaged on Christmas Day, the 33-year-old has spoken of her excitement at getting hitched. And on Saturday, her dreams came true as she and her drummer beau Luke Bullen exchanged vows in her homeland.
Wearing a fitted strapless gown covered in crystals, the Suddenly I See singer wed Luke, who plays in her band, in a marquee on the beautiful Isle of Skye, off the north-west coast of Scotland.
Around 150 friends and family descended on the secluded Flodigarry Country House Hotel for the couple's special day. After saying their "I dos", the couple were piped out from the ceremony to the cheers of their loved ones.
Director Spike Lee poses for a photograph during a news conference for the film 'Miracle at St. Anna' during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 in Toronto.
Photo by Nathan Denette
Maasai warrior Lempuris Lalasho went to Kenya's tourist haven Mombasa to find a white woman to marry, but he ended up working as a hairdresser, a profession that is taboo in his culture.
His story opens a window on the strains faced by this ancient tribe as it adjusts to modern life in east Africa's largest economy, whose Indian Ocean beaches lure thousands of tourists, including women seeking sex.
Maasai warriors, or moran, are a familiar sight on Kenya's beaches and in its renowned safari parks -- dressed in distinctive red robes and wearing beaded jewellery, they often act as guides or work in security.
Lalasho's status as a moran means he is charged with protecting and providing for his people, and it makes his transgression all the more serious.
Maasai warriors are not allowed to touch a woman's head: it is regarded as demeaning in the patriarchal culture. Moran who become hairdressers risk a curse from the elders, or could even be expelled from the community.
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has agreed to sit down with ABC's Charles Gibson (R-Corporate Whore) later this week for her first television interview since John McCain chose her as his running mate more than a week ago.
Palin will sit down for multiple interviews with Gibson in Alaska over two days, most likely Thursday and Friday, said McCain adviser Mark Salter.
The interview is a coup for Gibson, who also had the only sit-down with McCain during the Republican National Convention. During that interview, he did not question McCain about Palin's family, a decision that he fretted about for hours, Gibson said in a Web log posted last week.
Actor Alan Alda laughs during a press conference for the film 'Flash of Genius' during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 in Toronto.
Photo by Nathan Denette
John McCain made a quick stop at the Capitol one day last spring to sit in on Senate negotiations on the big immigration bill, and John Cornyn was not pleased.
Cornyn, a mild-mannered Texas Republican, saw a loophole in the bill that he thought would allow felons to pursue a path to citizenship.
McCain called Cornyn's claim "chicken-s---," according to people familiar with the meeting, and charged that the Texan was looking for an excuse to scuttle the bill. Cornyn grimly told McCain he had a lot of nerve to suddenly show up and inject himself into the sensitive negotiations.
"F--- you," McCain told Cornyn, in front of about 40 witnesses.
There's a lengthy list of similar outbursts through the years: McCain pushing a woman in a wheelchair, trying to get an Arizona Republican aide fired from three different jobs, berating a young GOP activist on the night of his own 1986 Senate election and many more.
U.S. director, screenwriter and actress Zoe Cassavetes arrives for the screening of the movie 'Lakeview Terrace' at the 34th American Film Festival in Deauville, Normandy, France, Sunday Sept. 7, 2008.
Photo by Michel Spingler
A British MP trekking in Colombia was held at gunpoint in the jungle and forced to eat coffee whitener from a jar in his backpack after soldiers mistook it for cocaine.
Michael Fabricant was on a walking holiday in South America with a friend when they were stopped by a group of gun-toting men in camouflage uniforms.
"In order to demonstrate that it wasn't cocaine, I had to take a whole pile of it and throw it down my throat," the Conservative member for Lichfield in Staffordshire told BBC television.
"Because I didn't say anything too weird, they came to the conclusion that it wasn't the case and they let me go."
Australian koalas are dying by the thousands as a result of land clearing in the country's northeast, while millions of birds and reptiles are also perishing, conservation group WWF said Sunday.
The environmental body warned that unless urgent action was taken to stop trees being felled, some species would be pushed to the brink of extinction.
In an annual statement, Queensland state last week revealed that 375,000 hectares of bush were cleared in 2005-06 -- a figure WWF said would have resulted in the deaths of two million mammals.
Among those that perished as a result of loss of habitat would have been 9,000 tree-hugging koalas, WWF Australia spokesman Nick Heath said.
A portrait of Francis Bacon by Lucian Freud is seen in this handout photograph received in London on September 8, 2008. The portrait of Bacon -- one of only two Freud ever painted of his friend and the only one whose whereabouts is known -- goes under the hammer at the Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art sale in London next month with a price tag of up to seven million pounds ($12.4 million).
When reports circulated over the weekend of a last-minute deal to keep Coney Island's historic Astroland amusement park open for another year, owner Carol Hill Albert was not amused.
Indeed, her tone was bitter as she described plans to close the park Sunday night in lieu of an agreement with the city or with private developer Thor Equities, which have competing plans for the 3-acre Brooklyn site.
"Despite rumors to the contrary, there are absolutely no negotiations going on, and there never were," said Albert, whose family has owned Astroland for more than four decades.
She said uncertainty about Astroland's future had created stress for its 400 employees and hampered the acquisition of spare parts for the rides, and that the park would close permanently.
The Nicolas Cage action-thriller "Bangkok Dangerous" needed just $7.8 million to take the top spot at the box office in what was the slowest movie weekend in five years, according to studio estimates released Sunday.
The total weekend box office gross was expected to reach just $66 million, slightly less than the $66.7 million reported for the same weekend in September 2003.
This weekend's low figures also mark the seventh consecutive weekend that the box office gross has been sliding as compared to a year ago.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
A polar bear, its fur stained with algae, stands in its cage at Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, central Japan, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008. Three polar bears at the zoo changed their colors in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae, prompting many questions from visitors concerned about whether the animals are sick or carrying mold, a zoo official said.
Photo by Shuzo Shikano
You have reached the Home page of BartCop Entertainment.
Make yourself home, take your shoes off...
Go ahead, scratch it if it itches.
The idea is to have fun.
Do you have something to say?
Anything that increased your blood pressure, or, even better,
amused or entertained?
Do you have a great album no one's heard?
How about a favorite TV show, movie, book, play, cartoon, or legal amusement?
A popular artist that just plain pisses you off?
A box set the whole world should own?
Vile, filthy rumors about Republican musicians?
Just plain vile, filthy rumors?
This is your place.
