Jim Hightower: DO APPLES REALLY NEED A BIOTECH REMAKE?
Wow! - another astonishing scientific breakthrough has been made! "The benefit is something that can be identified just about by everybody," exulted Neal Carter, who helped produce this long-awaited advance for humankind.
Susan Estrich: Birthdays (Creators Syndicate)
By the time you read this, it won't be my birthday anymore. Thankfully. But it is right now, and birthdays don't get easier as you get older.
GRETCHEN REYNOLDS: "Phys Ed: The Workout Enigma" (New York Times)
Even if you do not increase your VO2max, Dr. Timmons said, you are likely to be deriving other benefits, both big and small, from working out. Exercise does still remain, "on average," he said, "one of the best 'health' treatments we have."
The Death of Cool
A collection of young writers gazes in the mirror and attempts to answer the question 'What Was the Hipster?' Christopher Byrd joins the investigation.
20 Questions: James McManus (PopMatters)
[President Obama] told us that the prime minister of the Netherlands had recently asked him, "Mr. President, you extend healthcare coverage to millions more of your citizens, make it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions or to cancel people who get sick, and they hold up signs calling you a Nazi?" All we could do was nod, groan and sadly shake our heads.
David Bruce has 39 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $39 you can buy 9,750 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," and "Maximum Cool."
The 'Holiday Season A/V Attractions and Distractions' Edition...
There's a bazillion (at least) movies, songs and commercials connected to the 'Holiday Season' that are streamed non-stop out over the ether this time of year celebrating all manner of things spiritual, secular and avaricious... Yes, I know that you are not shocked at that statement, so don't write and say that you are (haha)... Ahem... Moving right along... All righty then...
Share with us, if'n ya please, yer favorites as well as the ones that make ya want to get yer Scrooge on... I'll tell ya mine, if'n you tell me yours...
Mistletoe is the common name for a group of hemi-parasitic plants in the order Santalales that grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.
Subtropical and tropical climates have markedly more Mistletoe species; Australia has 85, of which 71 are in Loranthaceae, and 14 in Santalaceae.
Source * See notes from Charlie, Sally & Marianne.
Alan J was first with:
85
Marian replied:
90 but only 89 are recognized.
Adam wrote:
90 species of mistletoe are native to Australia of which 71 are endemic to Australia i.e. only found in Australia
Jim from CA, retired to ID, answered:
90 species of mistletoe are native to Australia of which 71 are endemic to
Australia i.e. only found in Australia
Charlie responded:
Wikipedia says Australia has 85 species, but this may be a can of worms since the Australian Government website on noxious weeds claims 90. If one looked hard enough one might find other numbers, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if there were unidentified species out there.
Sally said:
"A kiss on the hand is quite continental," but one under the mistletoe is okay too... :)
Jeeze, I've spent the last half-hour perusing various Mistletoe sites, and come up with anywhere between 74 to 98 species found in Australia! That being said, I guess my answer is that I am not sure... Ordinarily, I would look some more, but I am really pressed for time right now... For the first time, I will be sending out more Holiday Cards online rather than snail mail... Since I have a lot of online friends, I had better get with it - oh, and I still have to write out cards for the computerless and PDQ! Kind of sounds like a charity, huh? "Give to cards for the computerless..." Yeah, I like that one.
I did find out there is a "Mistletoe" bird, as pictured here. He is pretty, kitties would find him easy to spot... (I can just see MAM shuttering here...) (Love you, MAM!)
MAM wrote:
90 species of mistletoe are native to Australia, of which 71 are only found in Australia.
And, Joe S answered:
Wikipedia states that there are 85 species found in Australia but several other sites, including North West Weeds an Australian site, state there are 90 species. I'm going with 90, Australians should know how many species they have.
The handy mistletoe hat
(thanks Sally)
When I was a little kid, about 4 years old, I liked to run away from home. I would announce to my mother and all the world that I was running away and no one could stop me. So my mother would get my little red wagon and a small cardboard box. She would make a peanut butter sandwich, quarter it, wrap it in waxed paper and put in the box along with a clean pair of socks and a tee shirt. I was under the impression you couldn't run away from home without food and clean clothes. Mom would put the box in my wagon and suggest that I run away to Aunty Bertha's house because it wasn't too far away, but far enough, and I would certainly want to get where I was going before lunch time.
So off I would go to Aunty Bertha's house where I would eat my peanut butter sandwich and if lucky a nice slice of blueberry pie. There would always be cake, or pie or cookies and fresh milk. I drank only goat's milk in those days, cow's milk didn't agree with me and Aunty Bertha always had goat's milk. After a while of lunching and maybe a story or two Aunty Bertha would ask me if I would take a couple of quarts of tomato juice to my mother, it seems Mom was out of juice. I was happy to comply as Aunty Bertha made the best tomato juice I've ever tasted. She would put two quarts of juice in my cardboard box and wedge the socks and tee shirt between them mentioning how lucky it was that I had decided to run away and bring clean clothes because the cloths would prevent the jars from bouncing together and breaking. I did this about once a week.
From: The Cold War Chronicles of a Cold Warrior, an unpublished and unwritten narrative by Joe
CBS starts the night with '60 Minutes', followed by the SEASON FINALE'Survivor: Nicaragua'.
NBC fills the night with FRESH'Sunday Night Football', then pads the left coast with local crap and maybe an old 'Dateline'.
ABC the movie 'The Santa Clause 2', followed by the movie 'The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause'.
The CW offers a RERUN'Vampire Diaries', followed by another RERUN'Vampire Diaries'.
Faux has a RERUN'Simpsons', followed by another RERUN'Simpsons', then still another RERUN'Simpsons', followed by a RERUN'Cleveland Show', then a RERUN hourlong "Family Guy'.
MY has an old 'The Closer', followed by another old 'The Closer'.
AMC offers the movie 'Prancer', followed by the movie 'Miracle On 34th Street', then the movie 'Miracle On 34th Street', again.
BBC -
[2:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - 7- Professor Brian Cox, Ann Widdecombe, Sean Lock, KT Tunstall
[3:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - Ep 6 Jackie Chan, Dawn French and Duffy
[4:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - Ep 8 Susan Sarandon and The Feeling
[5:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - 7- Professor Brian Cox, Ann Widdecombe, Sean Lock, KT Tunstall
[6:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - Ep 9 Gordon Ramsay, Juliette Binoche and Scouting for Girls
[7:00 AM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep 7 Oscars
[8:00 AM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep 5 The Mixing Bowl
[9:00 AM] Ramsay's Best Restaurant - Ep 2 Indian
[10:00 AM] Top Gear - Episode 1
[11:00 AM] Top Gear - Episode 5
[12:00 PM] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ep 5 The Bonding
[1:00 PM] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ep 6 Booby Trap
[2:00 PM] Where Do Monkeys Come From?
[3:00 PM] The Life of Mammals - Meat Eaters
[4:00 PM] Elephants of Samburu
[5:00 PM] Lion: Spy in the Den
[6:00 PM] Amazon: Super River
[7:00 PM] A Penguin's Story
[7:30 PM] Imagine: John Lennon
[10:00 PM] The Beatles: From Liverpool to San Francisco
[11:00 PM] Imagine: John Lennon - Imagine: John Lennon (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', another 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', still another 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', followed by a FRESH'Real Housewives Of Atlanta'.
Comedy Central has themovie 'Strange Wilderness', followed by the movie 'Jackass Number 2'.
FX has the movie 'Kung Fu Panda', followed by the movie 'Horton Hears A Who!'.
History has 'Top Gear''Ax Men', followed by a FRESH'Ax Men', then a FRESH'Top Gear'.
IFC -
[6:00 AM] Trans
[7:45 AM] The Clearing
[9:45 AM] Where God Left His Shoes
[12:00 PM] Arrested Development
[12:30 PM] Arrested Development
[1:00 PM] Arrested Development
[1:30 PM] Arrested Development
[2:00 PM] Arrested Development
[2:30 PM] Far Harbor
[4:45 PM] The Grid
[5:00 PM] The Clearing
[7:00 PM] Sling Blade
[10:00 PM] Undeclared
[10:30 PM] Undeclared
[11:00 PM] The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
[11:30 PM] Arrested Development
[12:00 AM] Crank
[1:45 AM] Sling Blade
[4:45 AM] Undeclared
[5:15 AM] Undeclared
[5:45 AM] The Grid (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[6:50 AM] Romance & Cigarettes
[8:40 AM] E2: DESIGN II - The Druk White Lotus School
[9:10 AM] E2: DESIGN II - Greening the Federal Government
[9:35 AM] Flow: For The Love Of Water
[11:00 AM] ICONOCLASTS - David Blaine + Chuck Close (Episode 6, Season 5)
[12:00 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - The Perfect Couple (Episode 1, Season 1)
[12:30 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Three's a Crowd (Episode 2, Season 1)
[1:00 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Baby On My Mind (Episode 3, Season 1)
[1:30 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Matchmaker Matchmaker (Episode 4, Season 1)
[2:00 PM] THE COMEBACK - The Comeback (Episode 1, Season 1)
[2:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Triumphs at the Upfronts (Episode 2, Season 1)
[3:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Bonds With the Cast (Episode 3, Season 1)
[3:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Stands Up for Aunt Sassy (Episode 4, Season 1)
[4:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Demands Dignity (Episode 5, Season 1)
[4:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Saves the Show (Episode 6, Season 1)
[5:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Gets a Very Special Episode (Episode 7, Season 1)
[5:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Relaxes in Palm Springs (Episode 8, Season 1)
[6:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Hangs With the Cool Kids (Episode 9, Season 1)
[6:40 PM] Romance & Cigarettes
[8:35 PM] Blind Date
[10:00 PM] Highwaymen
[11:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - The Comeback (Episode 1, Season 1)
[12:10 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Triumphs at the Upfronts (Episode 2, Season 1)
[12:40 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Bonds With the Cast (Episode 3, Season 1)
[1:10 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Stands Up for Aunt Sassy (Episode 4, Season 1)
[1:40 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Demands Dignity (Episode 5, Season 1)
[2:10 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Saves the Show (Episode 6, Season 1)
[2:40 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Gets a Very Special Episode (Episode 7, Season 1)
[3:10 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Relaxes in Palm Springs (Episode 8, Season 1)
[3:40 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Hangs With the Cool Kids (Episode 9, Season 1)
[4:10 AM] Tokyo!
[6:00 AM] The Tunnel Dwellers of New York (ALL TIMES EST)
SyFy has the movie 'Against The Dark', followed by the movie 'Toolbox Murders'.
Jack Black, right, and his wife Tanya Haden arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of Gulliver's Travels at Grauman's Chinese Theater on Saturday Dec. 18, 2010, in Los Angeles.
Photo by Katy Winn
Some 100 Finns braved freezing winds in Helsinki Friday to demand that Conan O'Brien's new show be aired here, as the US talk show host joked about foregoing Finnish foods until it hit the airwaves.
"Arise my people, arise as one, and demand that my show appear in my beloved Finland!" cried O'Brien in a pre-recorded video which was shown at the rally.
O'Brien's new show "Conan" has not appeared in Finland, despite the great popularity of his previous show "Late Night with Conan O'Brien".
During the Late Night show, O'Brien developed a rapport with his Finnish fans, sometimes referring to himself as Finland's "golden god" and even pretending to campaign for the re-election of Finnish President Tarja Halonen, whom he has claimed is his look-alike double.
Robert Carlyle's sci-fi TV show Stargate Universe has been cancelled after two seasons.
The series, a spin-off from popular 1994 film Stargate, will come to an end in the spring following the broadcast of the final episodes of season two.
Carlyle won a Best Actor prize for his role in the show at the 2010 Gemini Awards.
The news comes following the axe of another show on America's Syfy network, Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica, which was halted mid-season in October due to falling ratings, with the final episodes due for broadcast in January.
Fans of tragic Kung Fu and Kill Bill star David Carradine are set for a festive treasure trove of offerings from the star's estate - his belongings and designs are to be sold on eBay.com in the coming weeks.
Memorabilia and other items of interest that are currently up on the auction website include his leather vest worn in TV and film productions, an engagement ring and a plaster and bronze cast of his lips.
Also up for grabs, his autobiography, Endless Highway, signed to his fourth wife, Marina Anderson, which comes complete with a cigarette burn on the front cover.
Upcoming items include a sterling silver dragon pin with ruby eyes which Carradine designed and crafted.
Singer Natalie Cole autographs books for fans at a book signing for her recently released memoir 'LOVE BROUGHT ME BACK: A Journey of Loss and Gain' in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010.
Photo by Dan Steinberg
Former newspaper editor Piers Morgan said he felt he was "flying the flag" for Britain as he prepared to take over from veteran talk-show host Larry King, who will take his final bow on Thursday evening.
CNN's "Larry King Live" has earned its place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running show with the same host in the same time slot, but the mantle will pass to Morgan in January.
"The whole of America will be waiting to see what I do with it. I don't want to let down Britain; I feel like I'm flying the flag a bit," said Morgan.
Talking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Morgan said he hoped to put his own stamp on the show: "I'm a different kind of interviewer."
A&E Networks and Steven Seagal have suffered a setback in the multi-million dollar idea-theft lawsuit over Seagal's hit reality show "Steven Seagal: Lawman."
A Los Angeles judge has denied A&E and Seagal's efforts to dismiss key claims on summary judgment.
Principals of a company called Idea Factory met with Seagal back in 2007 and pitched the idea of a reality show about the action star.
They also took the pitch to A&E, where the idea was allegedly first broached about focusing a show on Seagal's work in his spare time with the Jefferson Parish Sherrif's department.
But the pitches never went anywhere. Then litigation erupted in August 2009, just before the premiere of A&E's "Lawman," which Idea Factory claimed in a multi-million dollar lawsuit is ripped off from its idea.
Paris Hilton poses during the presentation of the new Super Martxe VIP Paris Hilton 125cc racing team in Madrid, Saturday Dec. 18, 2010.
Photo by Paul White
A former psychiatric patient convicted of stalking Uma Thurman was jailed Friday after he was charged with again trying to contact the Oscar-nominated actress.
Jack Jordan was arraigned on charges of stalking and criminal contempt for violating a restraining order. Jordan pleaded not guilty in front of the same judge who warned the 39-year-old he would go to jail if he tried to contact Thurman after his 2008 conviction for stalking the "Kill Bill" actress.
Prosecutors said he made several calls to Thurman on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30. He was arrested shortly before Thanksgiving at his family's home in North Potomac, Md. A police spokeswoman with the suburban Washington, D.C., department said officers sent to arrest Jordan found him sitting in front of a computer with Thurman's name in a Google search box.
Jordan was extradited to New York on Thursday. He told police, according to prosecutors, that the calls were a drunken mistake.
Actress/singer Zooey Deschanel sued shoemaker Steve Madden on Friday claiming she's owed $2 million from an August endorsement deal she signed with the company.
In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the "500 Days of Summer" star claims her CAA agent Christian Carino negotiated an oral $2 million deal with Madden for the company to use the actress's name and likeness in connection with shoes and accessories.
When the company later tried to re-negotiate the deal down to $1.5 million, Deschanel agreed but the company allegedly never paid her.
She claims she's owed her fee plus up to 5% of profits.
Acrobats perform in front of Pope Benedict XVI, during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010. The 'Pellegrini brothers' took off their shirts as they came on stage Wednesday to begin their show, which lasted a few minutes. They lifted each other in different acrobatic poses, keeping balance with their bodies often supported only by their arms.
Photo by Pier Paolo Cito
"The Young and the Restless" actor Eric Braeden pulled out of a "How I Met Your Mother" guest starring role last minute -- and Neil Patrick Harris is none too pleased.
"Eric Braeden is a D-Bag," Harris fumed on Twitter Friday. "The actor, (Robin's dad) agreed to a cameo, then last night bailed, saying the part wasn't 'substantial' enough."
Added Harris, "We've recast with Ray Wise, a fantastic actor who makes any part 'substantial'. Super excited to welcome him to the family!"
Braeden appeared in a 2008 episode as Robin Scherbatsky's (played by Cobie Smulders) father.
Three bone fragments found on a deserted South Pacific island are being analyzed to determine if they belong to Amelia Earhart - tests that could finally prove she died as a castaway after failing in her 1937 quest to become the first woman to fly around the world.
Scientists at the University of Oklahoma hope to extract DNA from the bones, which were found earlier this year by a Delaware group dedicated to the recovery of historic aircraft.
"There's no guarantee," said Ric Gillespie, director of the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery in Delaware. "You only have to say you have a bone that may be human and may be linked to Earhart and people get excited. But it is true that, if they can get DNA, and if they can match it to Amelia Earhart's DNA, that's pretty good."
The remains turned up in May and June at what seemed to be an abandoned campsite near where native work crews found skeletal remains in 1940. The pieces appear to be from a cervical bone, a neck bone and a finger.
Two of the seven lion cubs born at the National Zoo are greeted by their mother at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park in Washington Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010, the day of their public debut.
Photo by Jacquelyn Martin
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 hypocrites?
Just plain vile, filthy rumors?
This is your place.
wrote:
answered:
