Issue #2
Disinfotainment Today
By Michael Dare
From 'TBH Politoons'
Great Site!
Thanks, again, Tim!
Weekly Review
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW
May 14, 2002
The House Appropriations Committee passed a measure authorizing the
President to use force to free any American detained by the new
International Criminal Court, which Tom DeLay, the majority whip from
Texas, called a "rump" and a "rogue" court. After noticing that some
members of the committee seemed ignorant of the court's location,
David Obey, a Democrat from Minnesota, pointed out that "we would be
sending troops to invade the Netherlands."
The measure also bans
military aid to countries that ratify the treaty creating the court
(which President Bush "unsigned" last week) but specifically exempts
NATO countries and other major allies, all of whom have ratified it.
Government security auditors reported that several important federal
agencies have done little or nothing to secure their facilities
against terrorist attack: the Department of Agriculture, for example,
was unable to account for three billion doses of a dangerous virus,
and the Energy Department has lost track of nuclear material that it
lent to foreign countries.
Tom Ridge, the head of "homeland security,"
showed off his office's new situation room to the news media.
Pim Fortuyn, a gay, right-wing, anti-immigrant politician, was assassinated
in the Netherlands; police arrested an animal-rights activist in
connection with the murder.
In two footnotes filed with the Supreme
Court, the Justice Department reversed 60 years of government policy
and asserted that the Second Amendment to the Constitution "broadly"
guarantees the right of individuals to own firearms, thus challenging
the court's current understanding that the Constitution protects only
those gun rights that have "some reasonable relationship to the
preservation of efficiency of a well regulated militia."
It was pointed out that in 1999, the most recent year for which statistics
are available, 28,874 Americans were killed with guns.
Continued at www.harpers.org/weekly-review
--Roger D. Hodge
Reader Comment
Re: 'Six Feet Under'
Anybody but me think that "Six Feet Under," after a spectacular first season, has really hit the wall in the middle of season 2?
I'm beginning not to care about ANY of the characters. This is common in politics, but a supposed no-no in drama.
~ Lar
Lar-
Seriously, I dated an undertaker's apprentice ~ I'll provide any gory details you wish on Saturday - but, for now, YES, you are
right, they lost the spirit of the show in the 2nd season. ; )
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
The pickings were so slim opted for 'Dinotopia' again. YUCK! And, I see it's also a series for ABC in the fall.
Jeez.
Watched 'Scrubs' and really liked the 4-part harmony on the theme to 'Underdog'. Damn. There was a fine cartoon! Wally Cox rules!
Tonight, Wednesday, it's fresh on CBS with '60 Minutes II' and 2-hours of 'Amazing Race'.
Scheduled on a fresh Dave is Alec Baldwin.
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers are Laura Innes, Hal Sparks, and Michelle Branch.
It's all fresh on NBC with 'Ed', 'West Wing' and 'Law & Order'.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Reese Witherspoon, Jules Sylvester (Spider Expert), and The Calling.
Conan is still in reruns, with Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs.
Scheduled on a fresh Carson Daly are Jon Favreau and Ben Harper.
It's even fresh on ABC with 'My Wife & Kids', 'Jim', 'Drew Carey' and then 90-minutes of 'PrimeTime Special Edition'.
Scheduled on a fresh Bill Maher are Recording Artist Angelique Kidjo; Actor Michael Chiklis; Actor Daryl "Chill" Mitchell; Columnist Maggie Gallagher.
The WB is fresh with 'Dawson's Creek' and 'Felicity'.
Faux pulls a 'magic special' out, 'Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed: Escape From The Ice', followed by an hour-long fresh, season-ending episode of the
always wonderful 'Bernie Mac'.
UPN has 2 hours of 'Enterprise'. The first hour is fresh. The 2nd hour isn't.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
For 5/14 - 6/21, 2002
Celestial Sass!
By Gare Galbraith
Scorpio
Scorpio 10/23 - 11/22 We are now creeping out of your most challenging time of the year.... think back.... have you ever prospered under the Bull? Hell, no... you don't prosper under anything or anybody unless it was of your own making in the 1st place. But you don't get much satisfying symbiotice action/reaction in the Bovine time. You will have some relief of frustration from 8:38pm (EST) 5/23 thru 8:20pm 5:25. Rather than pushing for what you DESIRE then, contemplate and draw up plans that will serve you well in starting on 6/20 and/or 6/21. Then we will be out of the pesky Merc Retrograde and you can sell your plans without the fog of misunderstanding. Dare you not (I'm watching an old Roman movie now) to be pushy from 7:07pm 6/6 thru 5:29am 6/9 (i hate to "/" between those 2 #s), as what you want will be ignored, taunted or tainted. Observe and realize, as you amongst all signs know, that anything worth obtaining is worth waiting and working for.
1st Decan Scorpio 10/23 - 11/1 Your subconscious will be swirling during the Merc Retro.... It will be deja vu all under again. Did what you just hear happen in a dream or vice versa? Write down any inspiration, but don't follow up on it til after 6/9. Overuse of booze and drugs in this time will lead to lamentable confusion.
2nd Decan Scorpio 11/2 - 11/12 Enjoy the nurturing warmth of genuine friendship in this time... it could lead you to better fortune. Don't be calculating about it, let it come naturally. Fear not your intense feelings (oh, those gladiator epics), but have some good times with fellow soldiers in a cause that truly drives you. Doors will open for you that you thought could only come from mass mailing of resume`s.
3rd Decan Scorpio Ahhh... this week, until we leave Taurus on 5/22, will be quite the clenching bite on the tit. And not the good kind that is requested in personal ads. Delay all "big pushes" til after 6/9.... (that one keeps popping up... titter). What you DESIRE is imperative to you, but to push now will yield frustration and detouring. And don't come pouting to me if you try it anyway.
,br>
~ Thanks, Gare!
Great Quote
Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne is coming perilously close to respectability. First the demonic rocker schmoozes with President Bush in Washington. Then former Veep Dan Quayle
hails him as a model husband. Now Queen Elizabeth has invited him to perform at her Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace on June 3. "I'm not proud of everything
I've done," the venerated ex-Black Sabbath star has said on his MTV show. "I'm not proud of all the drugs and booze, or biting the head off a few animals. But I
was young. ... Still, it could be worse. I could be Sting" ...
Ozzy Osbourne
Good Thing The Grown-Ups Are In Charge
More Compassion & Dignitude
A flyer used by the National Republican Congressional Committee, showing three-pictures, including one of President Bush talking to Vice President Dick Cheney from Air Force One on Sept. 11, 2001, right, that
the committee promises to anyone who donates $150 or more to attend their joint fund-raising dinner next month. The White House does not object to the Republican Party's making money from the photo, an
administration spokesman said Tuesday. Democrats branded the tactic "grotesque."
Sunbather Mistaken for Kournikova
The 'Nipples' Defense?
A St. Louis jewelry salesman who sold Penthouse Magazine a video of a topless sunbather misidentified as Anna Kournikova testified on Tuesday he mistook the woman
for the tennis star because of the diameter of her nipples.
Frank Ramaesiri, the salesman, testified at a hearing to determine whether Penthouse will be forced to recall unsold issues of June magazine which carries about a
dozen photos of the sunbather, who is actually Judith Soltesz-Benetton, the daughter-in-law of Italian fashion designer Luciano Benetton.
Last week Penthouse, which is owned by financially troubled General Media Communications, acknowledged its mistake and issued a public apology. However both women
are pursuing cases against the magazine, whose circulation has dropped to about 650,000 a month from almost 5 million.
Guccione testified that he spent five or six days comparing the video to Internet photos of Kournikova. Although Burstein seemed incredulous his client could be mistaken for Kournikova,
Guccione maintained there were similarities in their faces, rib cages and how they extended their pinkies.
Ramaesiri, who is not a professional photographer, testified that he had videotaped some topless sunbathers several years ago. When he was reviewing the tape earlier this year, he
saw a woman he thought was Kournikova and contacted Penthouse. "I couldn't believe it, it was a match," he testified.
The 'Nipples' Defense?
Interesting Link
Re: Bill Maher
Re: Bill Maher
Finally Coming Back
''Sopranos''
Da good news for youse viewers: The Sopranos will finally be back for a fourth season on September 15.
The long-coming new season will premiere nearly a year and a half since the third season ended in May 2001. The seemingly interminable delay
has been blamed on series mastermind David Chase's perfectionistic ways.
For those who may have forgotten what happened when last we saw the Jersey boys at the end of season three (which will be released as a DVD box set on August 27):
Jackie Jr. (Jason Cerbone) had gone to sleep with the fishes, Soprano made men Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) and Christopher (Michael Imperioli) were out on bail after
getting pinched on gambling charges, and young AJ (real-life mischief-maker Robert Iler) had narrowly avoided being shipped off to military school when he appeared
to suffer from the same panic attacks that sent Tony into therapy.
As for the new season, originally set to debut this spring but pushed back when series creator David Chase asked for more production time, cast and crew risk the
need to join the Witness Protection Program if they spill snippets of upcoming storylines.
'Sopranos' Returning
Watch Fetches $1.5 Million
Duke Ellington
A gold wristwatch which belonged to Duke Ellington sold for 2.5 million Swiss francs ($1.56 million) in Geneva where the legendary American jazz musician bought
it, the auction house said on Tuesday.
A Swiss private museum bought the Patek Philippe chronograph which fetched about twice its pre-sale estimate at Monday evening's sale, according to Phillips, de Pury & Luxembourg.
Duke Ellington
Useful Link
Fat Chuck's
Fat Chuck's - Banned Books Index
Cancellations & New Series
ABC
The beleaguered ABC television network on Tuesday unveiled a fall prime-time roster heavy on lighthearted family fare, benching some urban programs and setting
its once-golden game show franchise, "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," to return only in mid-season spurts.
Returning shows include "The Drew Carey Show," which moves to Monday at 8 p.m., veteran police drama "NYPD Blue," and ABC's entire Sunday lineup, anchored by
legal thriller "The Practice."
Gone are long-time comedy favorites "Dharma & Greg" and "Spin City," last year's legal newcomer "Philly," and comedian Bill Maher's controversial late-night
round-table talk show "Politically Incorrect."
"Millionaire" will return as a special-event program, similar to when it debuted in 1999, in consecutive nightly installments.
ABC said it will market its daily 8-9 p.m. programming block as "Happy Hour," driven by the returning shows "My Wife and Kids," with Damon Wayans, on Wednesday; 13-year-old
series "America's Funniest Home Videos" on Friday; and on Tuesday, "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" a new show starring John Ritter of "Three's Company" fame.
Some of the network's new shows are thrust against established winners. On Tuesday, half-hour comedy "Life With Bonnie," starring Bonnie Hunt, takes on NBC's "Frasier." ABC
hopes that "Dinotopia," a spin-off of the mini-series, will woo families tired of CBS's "Survivor" and NBC's "Friends."
ABC's Cancellations & New Line Up
In Paris
Jenna
President Bush's daughter Jenna adjusts her glasses on her head as she leaves a Paris shop Tuesday, May 14, 2002. Jenna and her mother, first lady Laura Bush,
are in France in part of a tour that will also take them to the Czech Republic and Hungary.
Photo by Francois Mori
Snarky Gossip
Sir Ian McKellen
Hunky male model Nick Cuthell turned heads when he accompanied Oscar nominee Sir Ian McKellen to the Academy Awards. But a spy told us when the 22-year-old
Kiwi isn't working the knight shift, he's in bars hitting on women, boasting he's only dating McKellen "for the lifestyle." Not true, says a rep, who said "Nick
is in a loving, committed relationship with Ian." She also dodged reports that Cuthell admitted having a girlfriend in New Zealand. "Women are always throwing
themselves at him. Maybe he said that to resist the attention."
Sir Ian McKellen
Awarded Degree
Johnny B. Goode
Johnnie Johnson created memorable lyrics in collaboration with Chuck Berry, but words left the blues pianist after he received an honorary college degree.
"You are now looking at a man who is at a loss for words. I cannot find the words to express the way that I feel right now," Johnson said Saturday at
Fairmont State College's commencement.
"This is more than I could ever explain," said Johnson, who was given an honorary doctorate in music.
Born July 8, 1924, in Fairmont, Johnson was the son of a coal miner. He taught himself how to play the piano, absorbing the sounds of big-band jazz,
swing and country-western that he heard on the radio.
He later formed a band called the Johnnie Johnson Trio, which Berry joined in 1952. In 1955, Johnson let Berry take over the band but continued to write
and perform with him. Together they created "Roll Over Beethoven," "Sweet Little Sixteen" and other tunes.
Berry wrote "Johnny B. Goode" as a tribute to Johnson, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Johnny B. Goode
Graduating CSULB - The Local Spin
Steven Spielberg
If Steven Spielberg's college career were a Hollywood movie, you might say it started off OK but the ending didn't really go anywhere.
That's because after three years at Cal State Long Beach, Spielberg left in 1969 to pursue a professional filmmaking career. (It's hard to question his decision,
since his resume could easily be mistaken for a list of the highest-grossing flicks ever.)
But after more than three decades of directing mega-blockbusters such as "E.T.," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List" and the "Indiana Jones" trilogy, Spielberg
opted to go back and re-edit his university experience. And after quietly accumulating enough credits at CSULB, the legendary storyteller will finally be able
to add a college diploma to a cache of honors that includes three Academy Awards.
Spielberg, 55, plans to take part in CSULB's College of the Arts' annual commencement ceremony May 31 in Long Beach, where he'll be awarded his bachelor's degree
in film and electronic arts, according to university officials and a spokesman for the director.
Spielberg re-enrolled in CSULB's Department of Film and Electronic Arts last spring, working independently - and secretly - off campus while maintaining direct contact with his professors.
Spielberg started at Cal State Long Beach in 1965, but left three years later to pursue what he hoped would be a successful filmmaking career. The following year, his 22-minute short "Amblin"
was shown at the Atlanta Film Festival, and he soon became the youngest director to sign a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio.
For more details, Spielberg Graduating CSULB - The Local Spin
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Olga & Darva; John & Joey; Refrigerator & Manute
More Celebrity Boxing
Fox goes with 2nd round of 'Celebrity Boxing' -- Olga Korbut, John Wayne Bobbitt on card
The Fox television network will air its second installment of 'Celebrity Boxing' on May 22, luring celebrity, athletic and newsmaker has-beens into the ring.
Former Olympic gold medal gymnast Olga Korbut will take on Darva Conger, the short-lived selection on TV's "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?"
Other matches: John Wayne Bobbitt (his wife cut off his penis) vs. Joey Buffafuoco (his wife took a bullet from his mistress), and former Bears lineman William Perry (he's
big, very big) vs. former NBA center Manute Bol (he's tall, very tall).
More Celebrity Boxing
From The Smoking Gun.Com
The Finleys
Firing back at her baseball star husband, Tawny Kitaen contends that Cleveland Indians pitcher Chuck Finley is a heavy boozer who frequently smokes marijuana, injects illegal
steroids, and has "bragged" that he knows how to "get around drug testing within the baseball league." Kitaen leveled these charges in a May 1 declaration filed in the couple's
ongoing divorce case in California's Superior Court (the declaration was filed in connection with Kitaen's request that Finley return the couple's two daughters to their Orange
County home from a temporary Cleveland residence).
For all the gory details, The Smoking Gun: Kitaen: Finley Abuses Booze, Pot, Steroids
Flew Over The House Tuesday!
Stones Zeppelin
That big yellow-and-red blimp bearing the tongue-out-of-cheek logo that's been seen floating over Big Town and its surrounding hamlets since Friday is the band's way of announcing
its latest U.S. tour.
Meanwhile, the Long Beach Airport-based Stones zep will zip around local skies at least through Wednesday and possibly longer.
Stones Zeppelin Rocks L.B. skies - By Tim Grobaty
BartCop TV!
Suing Virgin Over Fatal Crash
Aaliyah's Parents
The parents of Aaliyah filed a lawsuit against Virgin Records and others on Monday, alleging they were negligent in not preventing the plane crash that killed the
singer and actress and members of her entourage last year.
Aaliyah and eight others died last Aug. 25 when their twin-engine Cessna crashed just after takeoff in the Bahamas, where the 22-year-old R&B star had been shooting a music video.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of Aaliyah's parents, Diane and Michael Haughton, in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that the overloaded plane was the wrong one
for the charter flight to Florida and that the pilot was unqualified to fly it.
The suit was filed just two days after a report the Bahamian government was wrapping up its investigation and planned to cite pilot error, inexperience and
excess weight as the three main contributing factors to the crash.
Aaliyah's Parents
Get 'Em While They're Hot
Bush Moon Cards
Get Your Bush Moon Cards
Stepmom Drops Suit
Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli's 94-year-old stepmother has dropped her lawsuit accusing the entertainer of elder abuse and breach of contract.
In the action filed last month, Minnelli claimed that her late husband, Vincente Minnelli, guaranteed her housing in his will, but her stepdaughter
recently sold the Beverly Hills home where she'd lived for 40 years and instructed her representatives to remove her stepmother by "whatever means necessary."
The diminutive woman, who came to court in a wheelchair, told the judge she knew dropping the lawsuit could result in her having to move, but her attorney,
Tamara Green, said she didn't believe that was clear to Minnelli.
Green added that her client had been influenced by a phone call from her stepdaughter on Monday. Outside court, Minnelli acknowledged the entertainer had called her.
Liza Minnelli
Man With An Opinion
Eminem
Vice President Cheney may want to find a secure, undisclosed location where he and his wife, Lynne, won't be in danger of hearing Eminem's new CD.
Injured by the Second Lady's criticism of his artistry, the bleached-blond rapper sprays her with obscenities on his track "White America."
"[Bleep] you, Miss Cheney!" Slim Shady rants on the song, according to the Drudge Report. "[Bleep] you with the freeness of speech this Divided States
of Embarrassment will allow you to have! [Bleep] you!"
"White America" is Eminem's second assault on the Cheneys. Desperate for controversy, he raps about the Veep's heart problem on "Without Me." The song's
video features a mock electrocution of the vice president. Both cuts can be found on the CD "The Eminem Show."
Eminem
Auction News At Faux
Ally & Jack
Fox's quirky and often-dumped "Ally McBeal" may be headed for the dust bin of television history, but fans can still get a piece of the show before its scheduled May 20 finale.
The necklace to be worn by Calista Flockhart's character Ally -- better known for her high-cut miniskirts and sorry love life than her jewelry -- will soon go on the block at
a Fox site hosted by online auctioneer eBay Inc. .
The 18-karat gold necklace laced with diamonds, sapphires and onyx is the only item from the show up for sale, and will go on sale on Tuesday at (http://www.allymcbealauction.com). Proceeds
will benefit the World Trade Center School Relief Fund.
Concurrently, Fox, a unit of News Corp. Ltd. , will also auction off three pieces of its "real time" series "24," the critically acclaimed action drama whose fate is
up the air as network officials prepare to announce their schedule for the upcoming fall season later this week.
The three "24," items available at (http://www.24-auction.com) include a shirt worn by the characters Kim Bauer, a tie worn by David Palmer, and the Rolex watch worn
by Jack Bauer, the main character played by Kiefer Sutherland.
Ally & Jack
Warning!
Scheduled Yahoo! GeoCities Maintenance
Friday 5/17/02 9PM PST (GMT-7)
GeoCities will be performing scheduled maintenance starting
Friday, May 17th, 2002 at 9:00 pm PST (GMT-7). Service will
be restored the morning of Sunday, May 19th, 2002.
Still Seeking Volunteers
'The Osbournes'
Recently updated. Page 2 Coming Soon!
Put up a page devoted to 'The Osbournes'
C'mon....send your thoughts, your impressions, your views, your favorite quotes...
Scroll down for lots of addys to pick from (or 'from which to pick', for the truly anal retentive).
