Andrew Tobias: THE BEST APP EVER
I searched my iPhone app store for TED. It installed free in seconds and from now on, when walking or waiting, I can listen to one astounding short lecture after another. I started with this wonderfully hopeful 16-minute talk on surgery by Quyen Nguyen, herself a surgeon. And followed it with this fascinating if sobering 18-minute analysis of the "the global power shift" by Paddy Ashdown. I have dozens more in queue for later.
Mark Morford: The Rapture is for Ninnies (SF Gate)
No matter what you call it, many believe it's coming in 2012. The transformation, that is. Something Big. Something extraordinary, something beyond what's ever come before in any other year or epoch ever, because that's just the way we like it.
Froma Harrop: Consumer Bureau Protects the Prudent, as Well (Creators Syndicate)
Let's set aside the back-and-forth over the recess appointment of Richard Cordray as chief watchdog at the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. President Obama named the former Ohio attorney general to lead the agency when the Senate was supposedly out of session, which he's allowed to do.
From Parchment to Attachment: Guest commentary by Devyani Borade (The Irascible Professor)
"We start the new year with a humorous article from a new guest commentator. Devyani Borade from the U.K. riffs eloquently about the changes that technological advances have brought to the craft of writing. And, where they have fallen short. We think you will enjoy this piece."-Mark Shapiro
National Geographic: Photo Contest 2011
As a leader in capturing our world through brilliant imagery, National Geographic sets the standard for photographic excellence. This year's entrants did not disappoint-more than 20,000 photographs were submitted to the contest from over 130 countries, with professional and amateur photographers across the globe participating. Photographs were submitted in three categories: people, places, and nature.
David Bruce has 42 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $42 you can buy 10,500 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," "Maximum Cool," and "Resist Psychic Death."
The Music Box, a 1932 short, won them an Academy Award for best short film - their only such award.
Source
The Music Box is a Laurel and Hardy short film comedy released in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, which depicts the pair attempting to move a piano up a large flight of steps, won the first Academy Award for Live Action Short Film (Comedy) in 1932. In 1997, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The steps which served as the location still exist in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles, near the "Laurel and Hardy Park". The "Music Box" steps are a public staircase, and do not lead to a single residence (as in the film), but instead connect Vendome Street (at the base of the hill) with Descanso Drive (at the top of the hill). They are located near the neighborhood where Sunset Boulevard and Silver Lake Boulevard intersect. The address is 923-935 Vendome Street near the intersection of Del Monte Street. A plaque was set into one of the lower steps between 1993 and 1995. (Google Maps link to the location.)
Source
Alan J was first, and correct, with:
One, for the Music Box
Adam answered:
The only Oscar they ever won together was for the short comedy 'The Music Box'.
Marian responded:
Together they won one Oscar.
Charlie replied:
Their film The Music Box won for "Best Comedy Short Subject" in 1932, and Stan Laurel got an honorary award in 1961.
Sally said:
I do believe that Laurel and Hardy won ONE Oscar - that's ONE too many IMHO!
the Oscar wasn't for this one, but I did enjoy this as a young child - you know, before becoming an intellectual... ;)
PS: We are having an, "Apple Festival" in town next week, and I have been researching the lowly apple for the event (handouts). I am also finding some good recipes in the search as well. Why we are doing this in JANUARY, and not in the Fall, is beyond me. Oh well, it's a fund-raiser for the Food Bank (of the county), so therefore, a worthy cause.
Dale of the Springs 'O Diamond responded:
In 1960, Laurel was given a special Academy Award for his contributions to film comedy.
Stan Laurel & Oscar Could've been Harry With Daughter
MAM wrote:
One. "The Music Box" won a well-deserved Oscar for best short comedy subject at the 1932 ceremony, the only award the team ever won Stan Laurel was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1961 for "his creative pioneering in the field of cinema comedy," three years after Hardy's death.
The Music Box
And, Joe S answered:
Only one, for The Music Box.
Now watch the video Sally and tell me it's not funny.
CBS opens the night with a FRESH'Big Bang Theory', followed by the SERIES PREMIERE'Rob', then a FRESH'Person Of Interest', followed by a FRESH'The Mentalist'.
Scheduled on a FRESHDave are Sen. John McCain and Johnny Winter.
Scheduled on a FRESHCraig is Hugh Laurie.
NBC begins the night with a FRESH'30 Rock', followed by a FRESH'Parks & Recreation', then a FRESH'The Office', followed by a FRESH'Up All Night', then a FRESH'The Firm'.
Scheduled on a FRESHLeno are Gerard Butler and Betty White.
Scheduled on a FRESHJimmy Fallon are Daniel Radcliffe, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Common.
On a RERUNCarson 'The Scab' Daly (from 9/21/11) are Richard Engel, Chris Hardwick, and Death Cab for Cutie.
ABC starts the night with a FRESH'Wipeout', followed by a FRESH'Grey's Anatomy', then a FRESH'Private Practice'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJimmy Kimmel are Meryl Streep, Stephen Merchant, and Kina Grannis.
The CW offers a FRESH'The Vampire Diaries', followed by a FRESH'The Secret Circle'.
Faux has a FRESH'Bones', followed by a FRESH'The Finder'.
MY recycles an old 'Without A Trace', followed by another old 'Without A Trace'.
A&E has 'The First 48', another 'The First 48', followed by a FRESH'The First 48', then a FRESH'Beyond Scared Straight'.
AMC offers 'CSI: The 2nd One', followed by the movie 'The Quick & The Dead', then the movie 'The Quick & The Dead', again.
BBC -
[6:00AM] BBC World News
[7:00AM] BBC World News
[8:00AM] The Graham Norton Show-Ep 8 Chris Rock, Joshua Jackson, Diana Vickers
[9:00AM] The Graham Norton Show-Ep 13 - Kate Hudson, Russell Kane, Tinie Tempah
[10:00AM] Doctor Who-7 - Amy's Choice
[11:00AM] Gordon Ramsay's F Word-Episode 10
[12:00PM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares Revisited-Episode 1
[1:00PM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares-Ep 10 Sante La Brea
[2:00PM] Gordon Ramsay's F Word-Episode 11
[3:00PM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares Revisited-Ep 2 Walnut Tree
[4:00PM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares-Ep 2 The Fenwick Arms
[5:00PM] Star Trek: The Next Generation-Ep 7 Reunion
[6:00PM] Doctor Who-Ep 9 The Family Of Blood
[7:00PM] Top Gear-Episode 3
[8:00PM] Top Gear-Episode 1
[9:00PM] Top Gear: Best Of 10-11-Episode 3
[10:00PM] Top Gear: Best Of 10-11-Episode 4
[11:00PM] Batman Returns
[1:30AM] Batman Forever
[4:00AM] Top Gear-Episode 1
[5:00AM] BBC World News (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills', 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', another 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', followed by a FRESH'Real Housewives Of Atlanta'.
Comedy Central has '30 Rock', another '30 Rock', 'Futurama', another 'Futurama', still another 'Futurama', yet another 'Futurama', and 'Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny'.
Scheduled on a FRESHJon Stewart is Dolly Parton.
Scheduled on a FRESHColbert Report is Mike Allen.
FX has 'How I Met Your Mother', another 'How I Met Your Mother', '2½ Men', another '2½ Men', still another '2½ Men', yet another '2½ Men', followed by the movie '13 Going On 30'.
History has 'American Restoration', another 'American Restoration', 'American Pickers', 'Swamp People', 'Cajun Pawn Stars', and another 'Cajun Pawn Stars'.
IFC -
[6:00AM] Bollywood Hero
[7:15AM] Portlandia-Mixology
[7:45AM] Venus
[9:45AM] D.E.B.S.
[11:45AM] Startup.com
[2:00PM] Venus
[4:00PM] D.E.B.S.
[6:00PM] Malcolm in the Middle-Bride of Ida
[6:30PM] Malcolm in the Middle-College Recruiters
[7:00PM] Malcolm in the Middle-Mono
[7:30PM] Malcolm in the Middle-Hal Grieves
[8:00PM] The Boondock Saints
[10:15PM] Layer Cake
[12:30AM] Vanishing Point
[2:45AM] The Boondock Saints
[5:00AM] Mr. Show With Bob and David-A White Man Set Them Free
[5:30AM] Mr. Show With Bob and David-Life Is Precious and God and the Bible (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[6:00A] QUIRKY: Hell Yes (Episode 5, Season 1)
[7:00A] QUIRKY: Very Messy, Very Fast (Episode 6, Season 1)
[8:00A] THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS - Singer Alanis Morissette & TOM Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie (Episode 7, Season 1)
[8:30A] THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS - Curb Your Enthusiasm's Cheryl Hines & Comedienne Margaret Cho (Episode 6, Season 1)
[9:00A] ALL ON THE LINE WITH JOE ZEE - Angelo Lambrou: Your Dream Turned Into My Nightmare (Episode 1, Season 2)
[10:00A] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Train Wreck (Nashville)
[10:30A] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Get Out of My House (Nashville - Ep. 9)
[11:00A] This Is Not A Robbery
[12:20P] On The Line
[12:50P] Return To Rajapur
[2:30P] Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
[4:15P] This Is Not A Robbery
[5:30P] Freezing
[8:00P] THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS - Singer Alanis Morissette & TOM Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie (Episode 7, Season 1)
[8:30P] THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS - Curb Your Enthusiasm's Cheryl Hines & Comedienne Margaret Cho (Episode 6, Season 1)
[9:00P] Man in the Chair
[12:15A] Alexander The Last
[1:30A] Man in the Chair
[4:45A] Alexander The Last (ALL TIMES EST)
SyFy has 'The Brothers Grimm', followed by the movie 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End'.
TBS:
Scheduled on a FRESHConan are Ricky Gervais, Wladimir Klitschko, and James Durbin.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's command center routinely monitors dozens of popular websites, including Facebook, Twitter, Hulu, WikiLeaks and news and gossip sites including the Huffington Post and Drudge Report, according to a government document.
A "privacy compliance review" issued by DHS last November says that since at least June 2010, its national operations center has been operating a "Social Networking/Media Capability" which involves regular monitoring of "publicly available online forums, blogs, public websites and message boards."
The purpose of the monitoring, says the government document, is to "collect information used in providing situational awareness and establishing a common operating picture."
The monitoring scheme also features a five-page list, attached to the privacy review document, of websites the Department's command center expected to be monitoring.
James Roday and Dule Hill will be back to solve more mysteries on a seventh season of USA Network's "Psych" -- and they had a mysterious way of revealing it Tuesday.
USA announced the renewal of the series for a 16-episode seventh season -- but not before Roday and Hill informed fans via the series' Facebook page and Twitter account.
USA released four pieces of a puzzle -- depicting a pineapple -- on Facebook and Twitter throughout the day. When the final piece of the puzzle was put in place, it unlocked a video in which Roday and Hill announced the pickup.
"Psych," which is currently USA's longest-running series on the air, delivered its strongest performance on record in 2011, delivering 2.3 million Live+7 viewers in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic.
Hollywood filmmaker and visual-effects master Douglas Trumbull is receiving an honorary Academy Award.
The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that it present its Gordon E. Sawyer Award to Trumbull, whose pioneering visual-effects credits include "2001: A Space Odyssey," ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind," ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and "Blade Runner."
The honorary Oscar will be presented to Trumbull at the academy's scientific and technical awards ceremony Feb. 11.
Trumbull is the 23rd recipient of the Sawyer Award, which honors technical contributions to Hollywood.
Back in the 80s, I was invited to
Douglas Trumbull's workspace in the Marina for a demonstration of his
Showscan process. It uses 65 mm film, but photographs and projects it at 60 frames per second - 2.5 times faster than standard movie film.
One premise of the movie was we're being shown a movie to demonstrate the process, but the film appears to catch fire and melt in the projector's gate, so the projectionist has to walk behind the screen to look for another reel of film. He then leaned against the screen, leaving a handprint that looked
like a guy really was leaning on the backside of the movie screen. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen (right up there with watching a Corvette shatter in the Alaska winter).
The film also had a ride on a roller coaster that was quite lifelike, and a lot of other interesting stuff. But that hand appearing to poke outta the screen, wow. ~marty
A flamboyant astrologer and psychic formerly known as Walter Mercado has been hospitalized in Puerto Rico for respiratory problems.
Spokeswoman Rosana Roig said that doctors on Wednesday diagnosed him with pneumonia and that he will undergo more medical tests.
She says that the astrologer was supposed to return to his home in Miami this week after visiting family in Puerto Rico.
The astrologer who now uses the name of Shanti Ananda is famous through much of Latin America for decades of television appearances. He said in a Facebook posting that he caught a cold that turned into bronchitis while celebrating the holidays in the island's southern coast.
Legendary rock band The Velvet Underground sued the Andy Warhol Foundation on Wednesday, saying the banana design created by Warhol and used by group on its first album cover in 1967 should not be used by or sold for use by others.
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan claimed the foundation slipped up when it licensed the design for use on iPhone and iPad products and has ignored repeated requests to stop licensing the banana image.
The lawsuit cited the success of the group's first record, saying it became known as "The Banana Album" because of the design and it has since become a symbol of The Velvet Underground. It asked a judge to declare that the foundation has no copyrights in the design because it is in the public domain and that the band be awarded any profits the foundation has received.
According to the lawsuit, Warhol played a role in the making of "The Velvet Underground and Nico" album, suggesting that Christa Paffgen, professionally known as Nico, sing three of the songs. And it said the band shared its $3,000 royalty advance for the album with Warhol in exchange for his furnishing of the banana illustration for the record cover.
The Velvet Underground decided to bring the lawsuit after learning last year that the Warhol Foundation has agreed to let Warhol's banana design be used in a new series of iPhone and iPad cases, sleeves and bags.
Actress Alyson Hannigan, center, actor Jason Segel, left, and co-creator/executive producer Carter Bays answer questions during the panel discussion for the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour for CBS, the CW and Showtime, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Two Dutch cable companies were ordered by a court on Wednesday to block access to the website The Pirate Bay to prevent the illegal downloading of free music, films and games in case brought on behalf of the entertainment industry.
In Sweden, where the website was founded, Pirate Bay's owners have been prosecuted and the website has been banned, but the popular site is still available online around the world.
The website, run by an unknown group, has become a popular site where users can share music and films and it has become the subject of repeated attempts by the entertainment industry to shut it down.
Cable company Ziggo, which is owned by private equity firm Cinven and U.S. fund Warburg Pincus, and a second cable provider, KPN-owned XS4ALL, must block access to The Pirate Bay or risk a fine of up to 250,000 euros ($320,000), the court said.
Tina Yothers arrives at Disney ABC Television Group Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour red carpet event at The Langham Hotel, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.
Photo by Katy Winn
A suburban Cleveland church where the father of pop star Katy Perry delivered a sermon that drew accusations of anti-Semitism has released an apology in which he says he regrets his "hurtful and ugly language."
Pastor Paul Endrei of the Church on the Rise in Westlake said Wednesday that Perry's father, the Rev. Keith Hudson, meant to compliment Jewish people's prosperity when he said having money is what it takes to make Jews jealous. Endrei says the visiting Hudson was blessing businesspeople during the Jan. 5 sermon and "just went too far."
"Even though this is wrong and it was not a right comment, he wasn't preaching about Jews, neither was he ranting against Jews," Endrei said, adding that he received only one complaint from among the roughly 300 people who heard the sermon.
He said Hudson had referred to God telling Abraham, considered the father of Judaism, that he was to be blessed. "And then he started talked about being blessed so much that you would make a Jew jealous," Endrei said.
A woman who worked as a Kentucky high school teacher and moonlights as a Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader will get to press her lawsuit against a website and its owner over lewd online comments about her that made her life at school so uncomfortable she quit her teaching job.
U.S. District Judge William O. Bertelsman set a June 4 trial date in Covington for Sarah Jones' defamation and invasion of privacy lawsuit against the website, www.thedirty.com, and its owner, Hooman Karamian, who goes by the name Nik Richie.
Two postings in 2009 prompted the case. Jones twice asked that the posts be taken down. Richie refused both times.
Jones resigned from her teaching job in November. She is still on the Bengals' roster as a cheerleading captain.
This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows an image taken from the hourly bridge camera of the Coast Guard Ice Breaker Healy as it approaches the Russian-flagged tanker vessel Renda Tuesday evening Jan. 10, 2012. Shifting ice, described as dynamic ice, has slowed the progress of the paired vessels. The ice tends to close in, cutting off the path between the two ships. When that happens, the icebreaker doubles back and makes a relief cut to take pressure off the tanker and open a pathway. Coast Guard spokesman David Mosley said the tanker Renda and the icebreaker Healy were less than 100 miles from Nome at around noon Tuesday, having made it through 53 miles of ice-covered waters Monday.
Lindsay Lohan is facing a lien for nearly $94,000 that the federal government says she owes in unpaid taxes.
Records in Los Angeles County show the lien was filed Thursday seeking payment for the 2009 tax year.
Celebrity website TMZ first reported the lien Tuesday, the same day a paparazzo sued the model-actress for being in a car that allegedly struck him in Hollywood in January 2010.
The actress is continuing to serve morgue duty to comply with her probation in a pair of misdemeanor cases.
A worker makes a Chinese lion head used for the lion dance in the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations in Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. Lion dance is an important tradition for Chinese communities in the world. Usually the lion dance is performed during Chinese festivals such as Chinese New Year which believed that the dance will brings good luck, happiness and drives away evil spirits.
Photo by Lai Seng Sin
Universal is turning 100 and to mark the milestone, the studio is rolling out a snazzy new logo and restoring classic films such as "Jaws" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
The yearlong campaign will also involve the studio's theme park, which will host what is being billed as "a specially themed entertainment experience that will celebrate Universal's heritage."
Universal announced that it plans to restore 13 films to mark the centennial, including "All Quiet on The Western Front," "The Sting," "Out of Africa," "Frankenstein," and "Schindler's List."
Universal's centennial logo will make its debut with the spring release of "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax."
A model wears a creation from the Acquastudio fall-winter fashion collection during Fashion Rio 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday Jan. 10, 2012.
Photo by Felipe Dana
Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by the Nielsen Co. for the week of Jan. 2-8. Day and start time (EST) are in parentheses:
1. Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oregon (Monday, 5:07 p.m.), ESPN, 11.67 million homes, 17.56 million viewers.
2. Rose Bowl Post-game (Monday, 8:42 p.m.), ESPN, 10.46 million homes, 15.80 million viewers.
3. Fiesta Bowl: Stanford vs. Oklahoma State (Monday, 8:47 p.m.), ESPN, 9.60 million homes, 13.68 million viewers.
4. Fiesta Bowl - conclusion (Monday, 12:28 a.m.), ESPN, 7.36 million homes, 10.11 million viewers.
5. Sugar Bowl: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech (Tuesday, 8:25 p.m.), ESPN, 6.96 million homes, 9.57 million viewers.
6. "Jersey Shore" (Thursday, 10 p.m.), MTV, 5.77 million homes, 7.58 million viewers.
7. "Wizards of Waverly Place" (Friday, 8 p.m.), Disney, 5.61 million homes, 9.76 million viewers.
8. Orange Bowl: West Virginia at Clemson (Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.), ESPN, 5.22 million homes, 7.17 million viewers.
9. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10:30 p.m.), History, 4.50 million homes, 6.47 million viewers.
10. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10 p.m.), History, 4.44 million homes, 6.55 million viewers.
11. "Jessie" (Friday, 9 p.m.), Disney, 4.35 million homes, 7.32 million viewers.
12. Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Stanford (Monday, 12:36 a.m.), ESPN, 4.03 million homes, 5.44 million viewers.
13. "American Pickers" (Monday, 9 p.m.), History, 3.94 million homes, 6.13 million viewers.
14. "Storage Wars" (Tuesday, 10:30 p.m.), A&E, 3.65 million homes, 4.90 million viewers.
15. "BCS Bowl Studio" (Monday, 4:57 p.m.), ESPN, 3.50 million homes, 4.75 million viewers.
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How about a favorite TV show, movie, book, play, cartoon, or legal amusement?
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A box set the whole world should own?
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