'Best of TBH Politoons'
M Is For MASHUP - March 1 2007
Ape Lusby
By DJ Useo (Literally)
Reader Suggestion
Karl Rove vid
Hey, I saw this today and nearly spit up my coffee. It's a video "kicking
Karl Rove when he's down" based on an Eminem video. I thought you'd enjoy
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
David Podvin: EXIT STRATEGY (makethemaccountable.com)
When George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13303 that effectively transferred Iraqi oil into American custody it constituted history's greatest acquisition of wealth. Iraq contains proven oil reserves of 115 billion barrels, and geological surveys indicate that a similar amount of unconfirmed petroleum deposits exist. At current prices, the oil that lies beneath the Iraqi sand is worth approximately fourteen trillion dollars.
REPORT: Undervote Rate Plummets 85% in New Mexico's Native American Precincts (bradblog.com)
Details now out from New Mexico reveal that undervote rates dropped precipitously in both Native American and Hispanic areas after the state moved from DRE (Direct Recording Electronic touch-screen) voting systems in 2004 to paper-based optical-scan systems in 2006. In Native American areas, undervote rates plummeted some 85%. In Hispanic communities, the rate dropped by 6% according to the precinct data reviewed by EDA, VotersUnite.org and VoteTrustUSA.org.
Annalee Newitz: Men Are Not Men (alternet.org)
A Stanford graduate student "proved" that men in online virtual worlds behave just like men in real life. But do they really?
Lewis Whittington: Lesbian Crusader: An appreciation of Barbara Gittings (citypaper.net)
Gay Americans, sexual minorities and all Americans who cherish liberty should pause in memoriam at the passing of gay civil rights pioneer Barbara Gittings She died Sunday at 75, after a long battle with breast cancer. Kay Lahusen, her partner of 45 years, was with her when she died.
Mark Morford: Are new Parents Utterly Insane? (sfgate.com)
Thus spake the older generation: Thank God we don't have to raise kids today. Are they right?
The only way is out (guardian.co.uk)
Does the fact that Ellen DeGeneres hosted this year's Oscars mean gay women are now completely accepted by mainstream society? Stella Duffy is not convinced.
Miles Raymer: Not Even Music Execs Still Think They Can Stop Piracy (chicagoreader.com)
Steve Jobs bucks the Big Four, who are losing the digital rights management battle.
David Downs: Venus in Fists (eastbayexpress.com)
Lou Reed gets all healthful and New Age-y, but cross him and you might still lose an eye.
The final curtain (guardian.co.uk)
Michael Billington looks back at 75 years of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as it prepares to close, while its stars recall their finest moments.
Cory!! Strode
Ghost Rider
The Ghost Rider movie has been a much bigger hit than anyone expected, and I would imagine that Marvel Comics is among those who are surprised that so many people wanted to see it. Ghost Rider is a character who was a mild success back in the 70's, and had a huge rebirth in the early 90's, but each time, the character couldn't sustain a comic, and neither incarnation of the character made it to 100 issues.
Marvel has reprinted the first appearances and 50 issues of the series from the 70's in two volumes of "The Essential Ghost Rider", and as I read through them over the last couple of weeks, it's amazing that the series in the 70's lasted 81 issues after reading through the second volume, but the first volume is worth the $17 for 500+ pages, if only barely.
Back in the 70's, Marvel was the #1 comics publisher, and was trying to expand its output, so whatever fad came along, they tried to figure out a way to tie in to it. They had Kung Fu comics to tie in to that fad. Horror comics with Dracula, Frankenstein and werewolves for the classic horror fad. There were also a LOT of comics that seemed to exist because "The Exorcist" became the biggest moneymaking movie of all time when it was released. Every comic company seemed to be putting out stories about exorcism or Satanists, and Marvel was no exception.
Ghost Rider was a mix of two fads: Stunt cycle riding and the occult. Reading the first story, it's easy to see that Evel Knievel was in their minds as Johnny Blaze's costume and look were similar to his. In the story, Johnny sells his soul to the Devil to save his guardian/father figure, who has been diagnosed with cancer. As most of the "bargain with the Devil" stories turn out, Johnny was given what he asked for, but didn't get what he actually wanted. So, instead of being taken to Hell, Johnny is turned into the Ghost Rider, and fights with Demons and guys in poorly designed super-villain outfits ensue.
The early stories are typical 70's super-hero fare, with The Devil taking the place of Dr. Doom or Lex Luthor as the mastermind behind most of the issue to issue foes. The creators didn't quite know how they wanted his power to work, for a while, Johnny turns into Ghost Rider at night, other times he turns when there is evil around, and even later he can change at will. Explanations are tossed off as to why, but it doesn't much matter as the series goes through a series of writers for its early run. Stories also show whatever fad was hot at the time: Ghost Rider fights a shark (presaging Fonzie's jumping of a shark tank by 3 years) the year "Jaws" came out, he fights a returning WWI flying ace to tie in with that nostalgia, and of course, fighting whatever other Marvel hero was hot at the time (usually The Hulk).
The last 1/3rd of the book is probably the best run of stories as long-time comics writer Tony Isabella takes over as writer. Isabella is a Christian liberal (remember those? They're pretty much an endangered species in today's Bushified climate), and he takes the series in a strong story direction as Johnny Blaze slowly finds a way out of his Faustian bargain. The story could have been painfully bad as most Christian fiction tends to be. However, the Christina aspects take a back seat to a good, solid story and Isabella uses the premise of the series to try to bring it away from being a book based on a dying fad and turn it into a more viable super-hero comic. Her even uses one of Marvel's silliest 70's characters (The Son of Satan, who had his own comic for 8 issues as the Most Powerful Exorcist in History! And no, I'm not kidding) Isabella says that he feels the ending was botched by editorial interference. However, even with the meddling, it's an above average storyline in what had been a painfully average 70's comic.
The volume ends with another solid story involving DareDevil, showing the new "super-hero" direction the book was supposed to take, with Johnny pretending the "Ghost Rider" is an evil spirit to try and scare villains. It has all of the hallmarks of Marvel's style in the 70's: romantic subplots, interesting villains and lots of fight scenes to move the story along. It's a welcome change from the series's focus on
Although, as seen in Volume 2, it didn't take long for Marvel to go back to the Devil as the main influence by having Johnny be possessed by a Demon that he could only barely control.
The other reason Ghost Rider has been a mild hit at times is the visual. The character design is striking, and even though the series goes though a LARGE number of artists, the idea of a flaming skull headed biker seemed to bring out the best in the artists working on the book. In particular, the issues drawn by Mike Ploog and Tom Sutton are a treat to look at, and even though the stories they drew were bland, the art is some of the best of its time on a mainstream comic.
All in all, Essential Ghost Rider is a good way of seeing what pop culture was like in the 70's. A few of the stories in this volume are great, but mostly it's a nice collection of the kind of comics you'd pick up if you had already read Spider-Man, Hulk or other, more popular comics. Essential Ghost Rider Volume 1 gets a 3 out of 5, and while I didn't review the inferior Essential Ghost Rider Volume 2 in detail, if you are interested, it gets a 2 out of 5.
Cory!! Strode has been reviewing comics longer than the world wide web has been around, and also writes essays, commentary, jokes for comedians and a news parody called the Weekly News Update that has just celebrated it's tenth anniversary. You can see all of it at
www.solitairerose.com.
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny, but cold.
Celebrates 75th Birthday
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor, decked out in diamonds and fur, arrived fashionably late to her 75th birthday party.
The Hollywood icon was in a wheelchair when she came down the red carpet Tuesday at a Las Vegas-area resort. She was escorted by her 52-year-old son, Christopher Wilding, who shares the same birthday.
Guests including Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher; magicians Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn; and model Kathy Ireland turned out for the private party at the Medici Cafe and Terrace at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas.
Elizabeth Taylor
Visits Refugee Camp In Chad
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie made a two-day trip to a camp in eastern Chad this week, where she visited refugees from neighboring Sudan's Darfur region.
"It's always hard to see decent people, families, living in such difficult conditions," said Jolie, who reached the 26,000-person Oure-Cassoni camp after crossing a Saharan sandstorm.
"What is most upsetting is how long it is taking the international community to answer this crisis," she said in a statement released Wednesday by the Geneva-based U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Jolie said it is about time that those responsible for crimes against humanity in Darfur face international justice.
Angelina Jolie
Details Darfur Border Situation
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow says she encountered burned villages and terrified refugees with no help in sight on her recent trip to Central African Republic and Chad.
At a news conference Tuesday, the 62-year-old actress and U.N. goodwill ambassador recalled impressions from her visits earlier this month to villages and refugee camps along border areas where violence has spilled over from Sudan's Darfur region.
She said she heard that people were living along the roadside, even though the area appeared to be uninhabited, and that they might appear if the unarmed convoy paused.
After waiting silently for 15 minutes, people began to emerge "like specters, emaciated, with remnants of clothes or no clothes at all, terrified," she told a U.N. news conference.
Mia Farrow
Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood will receive this year's grand prize at the annual Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival.
The $10,000 prize is awarded for a lifetime achievement in literature. "Margaret Atwood is the pre-eminent writer from Canada," said Linda Leith, founder and artistic director of the festival. Leith said Atwood has, over the past four decades, delved into a broad range of writing.
Atwood is the author of numerous award-winning works, including The Handmaid's Tale and, most recently, Moral Disorder.
Margaret Atwood
Dress Builds Schools
Audrey Hepburn
A school in eastern India built with money raised in the auction of Audrey Hepburn's iconic black dress was inaugurated Wednesday by French author and philanthropist Dominique Lapierre.
Some 200 children will be able to attend the school in Bishnupur, a village nearly 30 miles south of Calcutta, the capital of the West Bengal state.
The school is one of 15 to be built in the state with $807,000 paid by high bidder Givenchy, now a division of LVMH, at an auction in December at Christie's in London.
Lapierre had received the dress as a gift from designer Hubert de Givenchy. The company repurchased it to support both the City of Joy Foundation, run by Lapierre to help India's poor, and the heritage of the brand.
Audrey Hepburn
Drops Out Of 'Dancing With The Stars'
Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore, who played a tough-guy mobster in the early years of "The Sopranos,' has dropped out of "Dancing With the Stars" after a week of training.
"I didn't realize just how physically demanding it would be for me. Unable to put forth my best effort, I felt it appropriate to step aside and give someone else the opportunity," Pastore said in a statement Wednesday.
The 60-year-old actor had joined 10 other celebrities for the fourth season of ABC's 10-week dance competition, which returns March 19.
Vincent Pastore
Hospital News
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley was recuperating Wednesday from back surgery at a Manhattan hospital, her publicist said.
"Last evening Christie Brinkley underwent emergency back surgery," said publicist Marcia Horowitz.
Brinkley hurt her back during a ski trip in Aspen, Colo., in December "and (it) worsened in the past few days," Horowitz said.
Cast Changes
'Las Vegas'
NBC's casino drama "Las Vegas" is set to return for a fifth season in the fall without two of its stars, James Caan and Nikki Cox.
Caan wants to return to movies, while Cox's departure is said to stem from budget cuts. The show boasts a large ensemble cast and has moved from Mondays to Fridays, where viewership levels are lower.
In a 2005 Playboy interview with Playboy, Caan was less than enthusiastic about the show, saying that he never watched it, and that it sometimes strained credibility.
'Las Vegas'
Catering Hepatitis A
Wolfgang Puck
An employee of Wolfgang Puck Catering diagnosed with the hepatitis A virus may have exposed guests at several events, including Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue party, health officials said.
The virus is found in the feces of infected people and can be spread through contaminated food and water. It attacks the liver and can cause fever, diarrhea and jaundice. It is rarely fatal.
Puck's restaurants and prepackaged foods were not affected, nor were any parties after Feb. 20, including Sunday's post- Oscars Governors Ball.
Wolfgang Puck
Works Stolen From Granddaughter
Picasso
At least two Picasso paintings worth a total of nearly $66 million were stolen from the house of the artist's granddaughter in Paris, police said Wednesday.
The paintings, "Maya and the Doll" and "Portrait of Jacqueline," disappeared overnight Monday to Tuesday from the chic 7th arrondissement, or district, a Paris police official said.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said they were worth nearly $66 million, and that there were signs of breaking and entering in the house.
Picasso
Loses Court Appeal
Seal
Seal lost his bid Wednesday to overturn a British court ruling ordering the Grammy-winning singer to pay his ex-manager commissions on earnings from his first two albums.
Court of Appeal Judge Roger Toulson dismissed Seal's challenge to a High Court ruling in June that his former manager John Wadlow was entitled to unpaid commissions due under a 1995 agreement.
Both of the albums in question were recorded before that date. In June, the court had ordered Seal to make an interim payment of $922,000.
Seal
Record Amount Paid For Baseball Card
Honus Wagner
The "Mona Lisa" of baseball cards has sold for a record $2.35 million(1.2 million pounds).
The T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is considered the most valuable baseball card in existence, according to SCP Auctions, the new minority owners of the card. SCP said on Tuesday the primary purchaser, a Southern California collector, wished to remain anonymous.
Originally released in 1909, there are no more than 60 known cards in existence. The card just sold is believed to be in the best condition of all the known Wagner cards.
Honus Wagner
Novel To Be Published
'The Mickey Mantle Novel'
A racy novel about baseball great Mickey Mantle has found a new home after being canceled in the wake of publisher Judith Regan's firing.
Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press that publishes many sports books, will release Peter Golenbock's "7: The Mickey Mantle Novel" on April 3, with a planned first printing of 250,000.
Regan's ReganBooks, an imprint of HarperCollins, was supposed to publish the Mantle book in March. But Regan had been strongly criticized for her attempted O.J. Simpson project, "If I Did It," and "7" was endangered after family members and former teammates of Mantle's objected to the novel, which includes an imagined tryst with Marilyn Monroe.
'The Mickey Mantle Novel'
Broke Probation
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton could have her probation revoked - possibly resulting in jail time - if she is found to have been driving with a suspended license because it would violate conditions of her previous sentence for reckless driving, authorities said Wednesday.
The 26-year-old hotel heiress and star of "The Simple Life" was ticketed for misdemeanor driving with a suspended license after her blue Bentley Continental GTC was pulled over on Sunset Boulevard on Tuesday, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Duane Allen Jr. said.
She was stopped about 11 p.m. after authorities saw the car speeding with its headlights off, Allen said.
Paris Hilton
Dems Seek Testimony
Fired Attorneys
Democrats are moving to compel some of the eight U.S. attorneys who have been ousted to tell their stories publicly, under oath, after a federal prosecutor claimed he was fired for political reasons.
A House subcommittee is slated to vote Thursday on subpoenas for four of the eight dismissed U.S. attorneys. The Senate Judiciary Committee, meanwhile, will send letters to those fired before voting next week on compelling their testimony, according to officials with both panels.
House subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sanchez said her panel will vote on subpoenas for fired prosecutors Carol Lam of California, David Iglesias of New Mexico, H.E. "Bud" Cummins of Arkansas and John McKay of Washington.
Spurring the developments was a new report that one of the eight, New Mexico's David Iglesias, claims to have been forced out after refusing a request by two congressmen to rush an indictment that might have helped Republicans in the 2006 election.
Fired Attorneys
Accused Of Battery
Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Sean "Diddy" Combs was accused of battery at a Hollywood hotel the day of the Academy Awards, police said Tuesday.
Police took a report from someone who accused Combs of battery at the famed Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Sunday, said Officer Jason Lee, a police spokesman.
The celebrity news Web site TMZ.com reported that the complaint was filed by real estate agent Gerard Rechnitzer, 27.
According to a document posted on the site, Rechnitzer was punched shortly after 2:30 a.m. Sunday on the right side of his face by someone who had talked to his girlfriend.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Little Room For Doubt
Mysterious Briefer
The senior Bush administration official who briefed anonymously on Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan sounded suspiciously like, well, Cheney himself.
The White House transcript of the Tuesday briefing left little room for doubt as to the official's identity, including this opening sentence:
"The reason the president wanted me to come, obviously, is because of the continuing threat that exists in this part of the world on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border," the official said.
"Let me just make one editorial comment here. I've seen some press reporting (that) says, 'Cheney went in to beat up on them, threaten them.' That's not the way I work," the official said.
Mysterious Briefer
Appeals Verdict
Robert Blake
Robert Blake's attorney on Wednesday appealed a $30 million wrongful death verdict against the actor, saying jurors discussed O.J. Simpson, ignored the lack of evidence that Blake killed his wife and decided to "send a message that celebrities and rich people cannot get away with murder."
The award to the family of Bonny Lee Bakley was the result of prejudice and jury misconduct and should be reversed, attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach wrote in the 55-page appeal.
In the document filed Wednesday with the California 2nd District Court of Appeal, Schwartzbach cited detailed post-trial affidavits from three jurors who also said that one juror cited the Bible as the basis for a finding of liability and another concealed that her daughter was under life sentence in a murder case.
Robert Blake
In Memory
Herman Brix AKA: Bruce Bennett
Herman Brix, who used the name Bruce Bennett for many of his movies, an Olympic shot putter who played Tarzan in a 1935 movie, has died. He was 100.
Brix is said to have been a leading candidate to play Tarzan for MGM, but he was sidelined by a broken shoulder he suffered while filming a football movie. The injury also hurt his bid to qualify for the 1932 Olympic trials.
Olympic swimmer Johnny Weismuller got the Tarzan role in the 1932 movie and went on to appear in a string of sequels.
However, "Tarzan" author Edgar Rice Burroughs picked Brix to star in another Tarzan movie two years later, the independently produced movie "The New Adventures of Tarzan."
Brix went on to appear in more than a dozen movies but he was concerned that his Tarzan appearance had typecast him in action roles. He began working under the name of Bruce Bennett.
Under that name, he appeared in dozens of movies. In 1948's "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," he played a prospector who encounters Humphrey Bogart's character and later is killed by bandits. He also did TV guest appearances in series such as "The Virginian" and "Perry Mason."
Besides his son Christopher, Brix is survived by a daughter, Christina Katich, three grandchildren and two-great-grandchildren.
Herman Brix AKA: Bruce Bennett
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