'Best of TBH Politoons'
Contributor Comment
Re: Light Bulb
Marty: The longest burning light bulb in history (as certified by
the Guinness Book of World Records) was turned on in 1901 and is
still burning. It may be the only light bulb with it's own web site.
. In Liverrmore, CA.
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Brennan Llinsley: Most Gitmo detainees freed after transfer (Associated Press)
Four-fifths of 'vicious killers' released after return to home countries
Barbara Hagenbaugh: Budget chief: 2007's war costs will exceed projected $110 billion (USA TODAY)
Office of Management and Budget Director Rob Portman said there was no firm estimate of the costs for fiscal 2007, which began Oct. 1. When he was asked if the $110 billion estimate was now too low, Portman said, "Yes." He said the final figure "depends on a lot of things that are not yet decided. One is the policy moving forward." Portman's statement adds fuel to speculation that the war costs will top last year's record $120 billion. Lawmakers have already approved $70 billion in supplemental spending for the Iraq war this year. The White House will issue a request for supplemental funding for the war in February.
Best of the best (guardian.co.uk)
Some remarkable women came to the fore in 2006. Here women's editor Kira Cochrane celebrates their extraordinary achievements and commemorates those we have lost.
Annalee Newitz: Wikipedia vs. Women
WikiChix was recently formed by women contributors sick of how male-dominated Wikipedia has become. The question their move raises is as old as feminism itself.
Herb Weisbaum: It's phishing season; don't get hooked (msnbc.msn.com)
Bogus e-mails are looking more and more realistic.
Robin Lloyd: Geniuses are Just Like Us (livescience.com)
Paul Erdos, one of the 20th century's greatest mathematicians and whose work laid the foundations for computer science, lived out of a suitcase and was a poor earner for most of his life. He said property was a nuisance and relied on the kindness of friends for food and clothing.
Lindsey Tanner: Brain training can have lasting benefits (The Associated Press)
Brief sessions of brain exercise can have long-lasting benefits for elderly people, helping them stay mentally fit for at least five years, one of the most rigorous tests of the "use-it-or-lose-it" theory suggests.
Drew Mackie: John Stamos Plays Gay on Wedding Wars (afterelton.com)
General Hospital. Full House. ER. These shows have little in common, except that each has given John Stamos a chance to endear himself to a different group of fans. You have to give the guy credit - by choosing to appear on shows that have staying power, he has remained in the public eye for more than two decades. Gay fans will agree that if one's eye should remain fixed on any celebrity for that long, Stamos isn't a bad pick. In addition to keeping hearts throbbing all the while, he's earned his status as a "good" celebrity: He's funny, affable and perhaps most surprisingly, humble.
ARON HELLER: Israelis dig 'Borat,' jokes in Hebrew (Associated Press)
JERUSALEM - Like moviegoing masses around the world, Israelis have crowded theaters to watch the hit spoof "Borat." But they are laughing for another reason: They actually understand what the anti-Semitic, misogynist Kazakh journalist is saying. Few realize that comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's wacky comedic creation, Borat Sagdiyev, is not speaking Kazakh or even gibberish, but rather Hebrew, the biblical language of the Jewish people.
David Bruce: Wise Up! Couples (athensnews.com)
* Even Hollywood celebrities have boyfriend trouble. Freddie Prinze, Jr., the boyfriend of Sarah Michelle Gellar, with whom he starred in the "Scoobie Doo" movies, was constantly late to his dates with her because he found it difficult to follow directions. To help solve that problem, she bought him a detailed map of Los Angeles. (By the way, they got married.)
Reader Contribution
Serge & Memorable Quotes
Memorable Quotes from Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Serge: [taking notice to Axel's interest in the artwork] I see you look at this piece.
Axel Foley: Yeah. I was wondering how much something like this went for.
Serge: One hundred thirty thousand dollar.
Axel Foley: Get the fuck out of here!
Serge: [laughing] No, I can't! I'm serious! It's very important piece.
Axel Foley: Have you ever sold one?
Serge: [proudly] Sold one yesterday to collector.
Axel Foley: Get the fuck out of here!
Serge: No! I sold it myself!
Serge: [Serge is having trouble understanding/pronouncing Axel's first
name] Donny, run and tell Miss Summers that Mister Achmed Foley is here to
see her...
Axel Foley: No, *Axel* Foley.
Serge: Achnell...? Achwell...
Axel Foley: *Axel*.
Serge: ...Foley is here to see her, he's an old acquaintance.
kevkev
Thanks, Kev!
The Wall St. Poet
Poor James Baker...
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny, clear and colder.
FBI Releases Last Of Secret Files
John Lennon
The FBI has released the last 10 documents from its secret files on slain Beatle John Lennon that had been withheld for 25 years on the ground they could prompt "military retaliation" against the United States, campaigners for their release said on Wednesday.
The files turn out to contain only well known information about Lennon's ties to left-wing leaders and antiwar groups in London in 1970 and 1971, said Jon Wiener, a history professor at the University of California, Irvine, and the Southern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
"Today we can see that the national security claims the FBI has been making for 25 years were absurd from the beginning. The Lennon FBI file is a classic case of excessive government secrecy," Wiener said in a statement.
Wiener first requested the files in 1981. After legal action under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act that went all the way to the Supreme Court, he got most of the 300 pages in the Lennon files released in 1997.
But 10 documents remained classified on the grounds of national security. The FBI told the U.S. courts in 1983 that release of those documents could "lead to foreign diplomatic, economic and military retaliation against the United States."
John Lennon
Questions FCC Authority On Cable
John Dingell
The incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is questioning whether the Federal Communications Commission has the legal authority to issue rules that would make it easier for competitors to enter the cable television business.
The commission was scheduled to vote on the issue Wednesday morning, but the meeting was delayed because FCC staff were still working on some agenda items.
In a letter, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., wrote, "It would be extremely inappropriate for the Federal Communications Commission to take action that would exceed the agency's authority and usurp congressional prerogative to reform the cable television and local franchising process."
He cited parts of the FCC's plan, cribbed from speeches by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin (R-tool) and media reports, and asked the chairman to provide "statutory and legal citations" for the proposed changes.
John Dingell
'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' Royalties
Procol Harum
The former keyboard player from rock band Procol Harum on Wednesday won a share of future earnings from seminal 1967 hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which has sold around 10 million copies worldwide.
In a written ruling at London's High Court, Judge William Blackburne said Matthew Fisher should get 40 percent of the copyright of the song.
Fisher argued that he wrote the organ music to the song and so was entitled to joint authorship of the track alongside lead singer Gary Brooker, who is credited with its copyright.
But Brooker called the ruling "A Darker Shade of Black" that could have serious repercussions for the music industry, and his lawyers said he planned to appeal.
Procol Harum
Graduates From London School of Economics
Monica Lewinsky
Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, whose relationship with U.S. President Bill Clinton led to his impeachment, has graduated from the London School of Economics, her publicist said on Wednesday.
When Lewinsky, 32, received her Masters of Science degree in Social Psychology last Thursday "the audience of students and parents erupted in spontaneous applause. ... It was a very emotional moment for her," publicist Barbara Hutson said in a statement.
She completed a thesis entitled "In Search of the Impartial Juror: An exploration of the third person effect and pre-trial publicity."
Monica Lewinsky
Auctions Star Contracts
Movie Studio
Movie studio 20th Century Fox will next month auction off more than 200 documents signed by stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando, Daily Variety reported on Wednesday.
Proceeds from the sale, set to take place in New York on January 25 through auctioneer Swann Galleries, will benefit the Motion Picture & Television Fund, a charity for Hollywood actors and other employees.
Among the offerings are a 1946 internal memo advising that Norma Jean Dougherty was changing her professional name to Marilyn Monroe; a contract allowing Presley to violate strict grooming codes and wear his hair however he saw fit for "Love Me Tender," his 1956 feature film debut; and Brando's 1951 contract for "Viva Zapata," which paid him almost $125,000 for the film, the trade paper said.
Movie Studio
Wedding News
Boyle - Thomas
Lara Flynn Boyle, known for her superskinny figure, has gotten married in Texas.
The 36-year-old actress recently married Donald Ray Thomas in San Antonio, publicist Karynne Tencer said Wednesday. No details were released.
Boyle - Thomas
Fire Destroys Home
Evangeline Lilly
Fire destroyed the rented home of "Lost" star Evangeline Lilly on Wednesday. Lilly, who plays Kate on ABC's hit drama, and her two female roommates were not home when the fire broke out sometime after 6:30 a.m.
"Unfortunately, it is true that the home she rented in Hawaii did burn down this morning," Lilly's publicist Cara Tripicchio said in an e-mail. "Evangeline was on set already when the fire occurred and luckily, her roommates were not in the house either.
Lilly's single-story Iana Street house is located in coastal community of Kailua near the Mid-Pacific Country Club. About 30 firefighters responded to the 6:43 a.m. call and conducted two searches of the home for any occupants.
Evangeline Lilly
Severs Ties With Miss Teen USA
MADD
Mothers Against Drunk Driving said Wednesday that allegations of illegal underage drinking had led it to sever ties with 18-year-old Katie Blair, the reigning Miss Teen USA.
MADD said it was "disappointed" by news reports of hard partying by Blair and Miss USA Tara Conner, who on Tuesday tearfully admitted drinking at New York nightclubs as a minor. Conner turned 21 on Monday.
"In the past, MADD has teamed with Miss Teen USA to raise awareness about the serious and often deadly consequences of underage drinking. However, we do not feel, at this time, that Ms. Blair can be an effective spokesperson on underage drinking and will not ask her to represent MADD in future initiatives," Heidi Castle, a spokeswoman for MADD, said in a statement.
MADD
For Sale
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications, the Canadian co-owner of the hit television franchise "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation", is for sale.
The Toronto-based film distributor and owner of 13 specialty television channels in Canada said in a statement Wednesday, its controlling shareholder Southhill Strategy Inc. is in talks with "selected potential buyers."
But Southhill stressed they may still opt out of a deal, saying that "no decision to sell (its) controlling interest in Alliance Atlantis has been made and that (the company) may decide not to sell its interest."
The "CSI" franchise is co-produced with US broadcaster CBS.
Alliance Atlantis
Judge Gags Lawyers
James Barbour
The Manhattan judge in the case of a prominent Broadway actor who is accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl issued a temporary gag order Wednesday, directing lawyers to refrain from talking to the news media.
State Supreme Court Justice Micki Scherer issued the order after Assistant District Attorney Maxine Rosenthal complained that lawyers for James Barbour had "made baseless claims to discredit the victim and influence prospective jurors."
Barbour, 40, who played the beast in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," pleaded not guilty Dec. 6 to charges of sexual abuse and criminal sex act against a 15-year-old aspiring actress.
Barbour was starring in "Jane Eyre" in 2001 when a high school drama teacher arranged for the girl and her parents to see the musical. The girl, now 20, came backstage alone after the show, and Barbour began touching her sexually, prosecutors said.
James Barbour
Relaunches
Stax Records
Legendary soul label Stax Records, which gave the world such stars as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and the Staple Singers, has been reactivated after a 30-year hiatus by its current owner, Concord Music Group.
The first two signings are Hayes and R&B singer Angie Stone, while the first new release will be "Interpretations," a tribute to the songs of Earth Wind & Fire mastermind Maurice White.
Los Angeles-based Concord, famed for its jazz roster, added Stax to its holdings as part of its acquisition of Fantasy Records in 2004. Stax, which takes its name from the surnames of founders Jim Stewart and his sister Estelle Axton, traces its roots back to 1957. Throughout the '60s and early '70s, the Memphis label lived up to its "Soulsville" name, offering a grittier alternative to the Motown Records assembly line. But it eventually went bust in 1975 amid shady business practices.
Film mogul Saul Zaentz's Fantasy bought the Stax master tapes for just $1.3 million at a bankruptcy auction in 1977.
Stax Records
Australia Sees Red
Pink
Australia's government is seeing red over pop star Pink's graphic Christmas campaign against Australia's wool industry.
Pink used her recent Paris concert to call on consumers worldwide to boycott products made with Australian wool in protest at the controversial practice of mulesing, where farmers cut loose skin from the backsides of sheep to discourage flies.
Australia is one of the world's top wool exporters.
Pink
Money Talks
Graham's Penstemon
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday withdrew its proposal to list as threatened a wildflower that grows only in areas of Utah and Colorado where oil shale and tar sand exploration are being done.
The decision prompted environmental groups who have fought for the listing of the Graham's penstemon to accuse the FWS and Bureau of Land Management of choosing energy development leases over a threatened species.
The FWS proposed the flower, also known as the Graham's beardtongue, for listing as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in January as part of a court ordered settlement. The Center for Native Ecosystems, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the native plant societies of Utah and Colorado and other organizations had petitioned for the flower's protection.
Graham's Penstemon
'No Tengo Futuro'
Jebbie Bush
The shadow of resident Bush seemed to loom large over his younger brother on Wednesday, as the outgoing Florida governor ruled out any plans to return to elected office.
"No tengo futuro (I have no future)," Jeb Bush told Spanish-language reporters in Miami, when asked about any possible political ambitions after he steps down next month.
The popular, two-term governor has often been touted as a savvy politician with a good chance of following both his brother and father, George H.W. Bush, into the White House.
But the unpopularity and dismal job-approval ratings of his brother may have scuttled any plans Jeb Bush may have had for a future in politics after running one of America's most crucial swing states for the past eight years.
Jebbie Bush
32 Dolls Found
Baby Jesus
Dozens of people looking for Jesus can find him at a church on Chicago's South Side. Thirty-two plastic baby Jesus dolls were stolen last week from nativity scenes in people's front yards. Then on Saturday morning a woman found all the missing Jesuses lined up along the fence on her lawn and she gave them to St. Symphorosa Church.
The Rev. Marcel Pasciak said the woman was one of his parishioners at St. Symphorosa and "panicked" when she saw the dolls.
Fourteen of the dolls' rightful owners had claimed them by Tuesday morning.
Baby Jesus
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