'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Reader Comment
from mark
For at least twenty years, I've been screaming when I see Xmas stuph
before Thanksgiving. For at least the last dozen, when they appear in
the stores before Halloween, I've advocated (imaginary) varying degrees of mayhem upon the store (when
no one is there, of course).
Xian country? No, that's $ian country.
To quote Phineas, from the Fabulous Furry Freak Bros, "long live the
Fineus van der Luub International Mayhem Society!"
mark "but Pagans have to worry if they wear a pentacle to work
or school"
--
"You may not be interested in war, but war is
interested in you."
-- Leon Trotsky
"You may not be interested in politics, but
politics is interested in you."
-- mark
Thanks, Mark - I think I get the drift... ; )
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
It was 'open house' (although they now call it 'back-to-school) night. 'We' have a new principal, but I've been grateful we've had no need to meet to this point (by the 2nd week of kindergarten, the old principal & I had met several times - also by the same date in 1st, 2nd & 3rd grades, too).
Did anyone else watch 'Twilight Zone'? Well-written, if depressing - sadly missing Rod Serlings' touch.
Today the kid brought home a ''Week Day Released Time Religious Education' form. First time I've seen it. The form claims that my child will receive 'bible' classes, and he will be transported up to 40 minutes away, and that this after-class-hours situation will teach
him 'the bible', in a way ''non-denominational'' and ''non-sectarian'', (to) help the children in character development as they learn practical values, taught from an evangelical perspective.''
This form was approved by (the) Assistant Superintendent, Elementary Schools, Long Beach, CA.
''Non-denominational'' & ''non-sectarian'' from an 'evangelical perspective'....
Koresh - those words don't work in the same sentence.
Tonight, Thursday, CBS has the series premiere of 'Survivor: Thailand', followed by a fresh 'Big Brother 3', and topped with a rerun 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'.
On a rerun Dave, the scheduled guests are Mike Myers and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers are Cam'ron.
NBC has an hour-long rerun of 'Friends', an hour-long rerun of 'Will & Grace', and then a rerun of 'ER'.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Goldie Hawn, Carson Daly, and Penn and Teller.
On a rerun Conan (from 7/9/02), the scheduled guests are Tom Hanks and Paul Westerberg.
Scheduled on a fresh Carson Daly are Piper Perabo and Maroon 5.
ABC must have prayed that 'Push, Nevada' would play well Tuesday because they're rerunning the opening episode, and then following it
with a fresh episode. (Remember the schedule is set a couple of weeks in advance [most of the time] - have to give the TV guides time to print) 'PrimeTime Thursday' follows.
The WB has a fresh 'Family Affair' followed by the series premiere of 'Do Over', then the series premiere of 'Kennedy' followed by the season premiere of 'Off Centre'.
Faux has the movie 'The Rats'.
UPN has 'WWE Smackdown!'.
TCM offers up a great movie from the 1950's - Them! (1954)
James Whitmore (Police Sgt. Ben Peterson) and
James Arness (Robert Graham), with the guidance of ant expert
Edmund Gwenn (Dr. Harold Medford) and his able assistant (and daughter),
Joan Weldon (Dr. Patricia 'Pat' Medford) battle freaking giant
mutant ants in the LA sewer system! I love this movie!
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
'The Oprah Winfrey Show'
Bono & Oprah
Irish rock star Bono, left, sports lipstick from talk show host Oprah Winfrey during taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2002, in Chicago. The two talked about their mutual concerns
about issues confronting Africa. Earlier this year Bono took a 10-day tour of Sub-Saharan Africa. The show is scheduled to air Friday.
Photo by George Burns
Wedding News
Stefani - Rossdale
No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani, dressed in a white-and-pink silk faille gown by John Galliano for Christian Dior, married Gavin Rossdale of Bush in London last weekend.
"She looked very beautiful," Galliano told Us magazine for its Sept. 30 issue. The wedding took place Saturday at St. Paul's church, with friends and family
attending the hour-long ceremony, the magazine said.
It was the first marriage for both singers.
Stefani - Rossdale
No Doubt Web site
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
U2 Exhibit
John Lennon is a tough act to follow, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is counting on U2 to come through.
The Irish rock band will be the subject of an exhibit to open in January or February, after the rock hall's John Lennon exhibit closes in December, ending a 26-month run,
chief curator Jim Henke said this week.
Henke said it's uncertain whether U2 singer Bono or other band members will be on hand for the start of the exhibit. But he said there will be plenty for U2 fans to see.
"We have about 25 pieces of clothing, going back to outfits from the "Red Rocks" show to costumes from their most recent tours," Henke said. "We have some instruments,
too, and we're hoping to get some of Bono's handwritten lyrics."
U2 Exhibit
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
U2 Web site
China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe
'My Dream II'
Members of the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe rehearse for their latest performance, "My Dream II," in Beijing September 18, 2002. Established 15 years ago, the troupe has visited
and performed in more than 30 countries. There are about 60 million persons with disabilities such as visual impairment, hearing and speech impairment, physical disability, mental retardation,
and mental disorder in China, which accounts for about 5% of the total population and covers 18% of families.
Photo by Wilson Chu
Plan Charity Duet
McCartney & Wilson
Two of rock music's greatest living songwriters -- former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and Beach Boy Brian Wilson -- will sing two of their best known hits together at a rare benefit performance on Wednesday, organizers said.
They plan to duet on "God Only Knows" from the Beach Boys' seminal 1966 album "Pet Sounds" and on the title song from the Beatles' 1970 "Let It Be" collection at a fund-raiser for the anti-land mines
charity supported by McCartney and his wife, Heather.
The duets promise to be the highlight of a show that will include separate sets from Wilson and McCartney. Their respective work more than 35 years ago on "Pet Sounds" and the Beatles' landmark "Sgt. Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band" revolutionized rock music.
The charity event, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, comes as McCartney and his band prepare for the next leg of their U.S. tour, which opens in Milwaukee on Saturday.
McCartney & Wilson
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Weatherman ''Quits'' 'Early Show'
Mark McEwen
Citing the changing winds at the "The Early Show," weatherman Mark McEwen and the CBS breakfastcast will be parting company.
A veteran of the show for almost 16 years, McEwen will likely take time off to write a book. He is also said to be in discussions for future projects with the
network and its Viacom parent company. His contract ends in October.
Insiders say that the decision was mutually agreed upon after the network decided to make significant changes to the format of the program.
McEwen's departure date has not been announced.
Mark McEwen
La Aurora Zoo in Guatemala City
Guicho
A six-week-old male lion named Guicho rests on the shoulder of veterinarian Gustavo Gonzalez at the Guatemala City zoo, September 18, 2002. Gonzalez is nurturing Guicho and his two
sisters, born last July at La Aurora Zoo in Guatemala City, after the three lion cubs were rejected for natural feeding by their mother. The three cubs, being fed with imported milk,
will eventually be shipped to other zoos around the world.
Photo by Jorge Silva
Agrees to Plea Bargain
Tawny Kitaen
Actress Tawny Kitaen agreed Wednesday to a plea bargain on spousal abuse and battery charges alleging she attacked her husband, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chuck Finley.
Under the deal, Kitaen didn't admit guilt but agreed to enter a spousal battery counseling program. If she completes the program and other conditions of the deal, the case could eventually be dropped.
Kitaen, 40, also must avoid contact with her husband and make a $500 donation to a battered-women's shelter. If convicted of the two misdemeanor counts, she faced up to a year in jail.
Finley and Kitaen were married in 1997.
Tawny Kitaen
Pulls Plug on Magazine
Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell abruptly quit her namesake magazine Wednesday, citing a deteriorating relationship with the magazine's publisher Gruner + Jahr USA.
The former talk show host said G+J had been gradually taking editorial control away from her in violation of their contract, and it was no longer possible for
the magazine to continue. The last issue will be in December.
A legal battle is a possibility, although no lawsuits have been filed yet. Both sides have been bitterly feuding for months and have hired lawyers. In a memo sent
to employees, G+J said that the magazine would have been profitable soon and that O'Donnell's sudden departure was "shocking and disappointing."
"Gruner + Jahr USA is caught in the maelstrom of Rosie O'Donnell apparently abandoning her past," chief marketing officer Cindy Spengler wrote. "She has walked
away from her television show, her brand, her public personality, her civility — and now her fans, the advertising community, her business partner and her contractual responsibilities."
The magazine debuted in April 2001, as part of a partnership to revive struggling McCall's magazine. The joint venture gave O'Donnell and G+J each a 50 percent
stake in the business. No financial figures were released on the costs of the breakup.
Rosie O'Donnell
Guess who is Rosie's lawyer in this adventure? The ever-cunning Mary Jo White!
BartCop TV!
'Harsh' Reality Show
ABC
ABC will spend 15 consecutive nights this midseason giving famous names who are used to the pampered life a dose of harsh reality.
The network has picked up a domestic version of the hit British reality entry "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!"
The show will take eight celebs -- entertainers, sports stars, newsmakers -- and drop them in a remote location, where they'll only be given rations of rice and water a la "Survivor."
It will also boast an interactive element a la "American Idol." Viewers will vote on which celebrity each night must take part in a physical challenge to win food for the
group; lowest-rated members will be kicked out. The contestants will ultimately play for a charity of their choice.
For the U.S. version, which could be ready as soon as February sweeps, the producers will hunt for a broad mix of celebs and convince them to do it for the good of their charity.
ABC
British Columbia
Sand Mandala
A Tibetan monk, from the Gaden Jangtse Monastery in southern India, uses his hand to sweep away a sand mandala during a ceremony in the Surrey Art Gallery in British Columbia west of Vancouver, September 11, 2002. Unique to Tibetan
buddhism, mandalas can take days or weeks to construct using millions of grains of colored sand painstakingly placed into intricate designs on a flat surface. The works of art, soon after completion, is swept up to symbolize the
impermanence of existence. Tradition says the sand is then poured into water such as a river, lake or sea. Photo taken September 11, 2002.
Photo by Andy Clark
'Spirited Away'
Hayao Miyazaki
Don't try telling Hayao Miyazaki, the famed animator often called Japan's Walt Disney, that children's movies must be simple to succeed.
Not after he smashed box office records in Japan with his latest animated film, "Spirited Away," the tangled tale of a 10-year-old trapped as a servant in a haunted
bath house while she tries to restore her parents to human form and help a river god remember his name.
"Making children's movies ... means presenting the very essence of a complicated world," Miyazaki said recently. "Children understand the complexity and uncertainty
of things almost with their skin. They can't be underestimated."
"Spirited Away," which debuts in the United States on Friday, is a magical mystery tour in the tradition of "Alice in Wonderland," the story of a young heroine swept
into a secret world that tests and ultimately transforms her.
Along the way, the film touches on such themes as the power of language, importance of perseverance and magic of first love.
Fans of Miyazaki's work, which includes such "anime" classics as 1988's "My Neighbor Totoro" (Tonari no Totoro) and 1997's "Princess Mononoke" (Mononoke Hime) will
recognize his signature fascinations, including lost places, otherworldly creatures and pigs.
For a bit more, Hayao Miyazaki
Web Scrub Raises Concerns
No URL Left Behind?
The Department of Education is in the process of a massive overhaul of its Web site to make it easier to use and to remove outdated data—and ensure that material on the site meshes with the Bush administration's political philosophy.
The department will strip its ed.gov site of thousands of files, many of them old and inaccessible from the site's home page. Sometime this fall, the new Web site will be unveiled, with special sections for teachers and researchers, parents and policy wonks.
But some researchers and government watchdogs say the department's decision to scrap some information based on whether it comports with Bush administration initiatives could set an unsettling precedent. The redesign thus highlights yet another question emerging
from new technology: Just what responsibility do political officials have to preserve the products of those who came before, particularly if their predecessors saw the issues in a different light?
"This is somewhat new and uncharted territory," said John P. Bailey, the department's director of education technology, who is overseeing the current project. "Our goal is to make as much information as possible current and relevant, while keeping that historical data and perspective.'
A housecleaning is overdue, said Mr. Bailey, a Bush appointee. A directive that went to senior staff members and the Web site office at the end of May mapped out just how that sweep would take place. Some of the problems with the site, according to the memo, include
difficulties with navigation, mediocre graphics, and information that is either outdated or "does not reflect the priorities, philosophies, or goals of the present administration."
For the rest, No URL Left Behind? Web Scrub Raises Concerns
In Memory
James Gregory
Character actor James Gregory, who played Inspector Luger for eight seasons on the TV show
"Barney Miller" in the 1970s and '80s, died Monday of an undisclosed illness. He was 90.
Gregory also appeared in 25 Broadway shows, including a stint as Biff in "Death of a Salesman."
Among the actor's 30 film credits were the Elvis Presley vehicle
"Clambake" in 1967 and the 1965 western
"Sons of Katie Elder" with John Wayne and Dean Martin.
In 1962, Gregory played Sen. John Iselin in the acclaimed
"The Manchurian Candidate."
James Gregory
Vietnam
Gibbons
Deux Gibbons à tête blanche
Un groupe de Gibbons à crêtes noires, que l'on pensait disparus depuis plus de 30 ans, a été découvert dans le nord du Vietnam et des mesures urgentes sont nécessaires pour protéger ces animaux.
Photo by Roslan Rahman.
'The Osbournes'
Updated! 'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
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