'Best of TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Reader Contribution
The Bushisms Quiz
Few presidents have mangled the English language with as much dexterity as the George Bushes. Try as we might to read their lips, they often leave us searching for meaning, not to mention nouns and verbs.
Can you discern a George W. Bushism from a George H.W. Bushism? Take our
quiz and find out.
- Bruce
Thanks, Bruce!
from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
Reader Contribution
Re: Jesse Ventura
In 2001, former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura had occasion to meet
with the Dalai Lama. "I asked him the most important question that I
think you could ask," Ventura later declared. The question? "Have you
ever seen Caddyshack?"
Source: www.anecdotage.com
~ Bruce
Thanks, Bruce!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny & mild.
5 of the kittens had a bath today - it was a flea-thing. The bathroom is still drying out.
Talked to dear old Dad - he wants to see 'Fahrenheit 9/11', but it'd take him nearly 4 hours to drive to a theater where it's being shown.
New batch of very pretty, very vacuous news-readers on several of the local TV stations. When did stupidity become a virtue?
Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal of the group No Doubt pose for photos on the red carpet before the premiere of 'Anchorman-The Legend of Ron Burgundy,' Monday, June 28, 2004, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Photo by Rene Macura
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
San Francisco Gives Warm Welcome
The Clintons
The heavily Democratic San Francisco Bay area welcomed two of its political darlings Monday, with former President Clinton continuing his blockbuster book tour and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton headlining a campaign fund-raiser.
Joining other Democratic women senators at an event for Sen. Barbara Boxer, who's seeking re-election, Hillary Clinton told hundreds of party faithful to expect to lose some of the tax cuts passed under President Bush if Democrats take control in Washington next year.
Blocks away at San Francisco's historic Ferry Building, President Clinton promoted his best-selling "My Life," signing books for at least 3,000 people.
The Clintons
Rowling Announces Title of Book 6
'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince'
No word yet on when the next Harry Potter book comes out, but at least there's a title: "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince."
"Well the door opened at last and I showed you the title of book six - the genuine title, the title that will appear on the published book, the title I have been using in my head for ages and ages," author J.K. Rowling wrote on her Web site.
'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince'
Thanks, Alex!
Boosts Interest in Iraq
'Fahrenheit 9/11'
Michael Moore's record-breaking documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" is a pop culture phenomenon that is raising public interest in the Iraq war just as the United States is attempting a crucial handoff of power to Iraqis.
The movie, an indictment of resident Bush's leadership and his decision to go to war in Iraq after the 2001 terrorist attacks, took in $23.9 million to become the first documentary to debut as Hollywood's top weekend film. Theater owners in cities large and small reported sellout crowds.
Recent polls suggest public sentiment is souring on Iraq with a majority saying last week for the first time that the war was a mistake. By a 2-to-1 margin, those surveyed said the transfer of limited power to Iraqis was not a sign of the success of U.S. policy because it was on schedule, but a sign of failure because Iraq is not stable.
'Fahrenheit 9/11'
Suzanne Conrad of Findlay, Ohio, poses with her grand prize-winning recipe, Oats n Honey Granola Pie, in Los Angeles, Calif., Monday, June 28, 2004. Conrad, who won the one million dollar grand prize, was one of 100 contestants competing at the 41st Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Monday, June 28, 2004, in Hollywood, Calif.
Photo by Cheryl Himmelstein
GI's Mom Lets Media Cover Coffin Arrival
Nadia McCaffrey
The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq invited news coverage of the arrival of her son's flag-draped casket at Sacramento International Airport.
Nearly a dozen reporters, photographers and television crews were present when the coffin of Army Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey, 34, was transferred to a hearse outside a cargo terminal late Sunday. The scene was in stark contrast with Pentagon policy banning photographs of the coffins of dead military personnel while they are on military facilities.
McCaffrey "did not die for nothing. ... The way he lived needs to be talked about. Patrick was not a fighter, he was a peacemaker," his mother, Nadia McCaffrey, told the Los Angeles Times.
While she said the invitation to the media wasn't a political protest, she planned to continue speaking out against the war.
"This is enough," she told the Times. "We have to react."
For more, Nadia McCaffrey
Hosting 'I Hate My Job'
Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton, who failed in his last bid for a new job - president of the United States - now has a job on a reality TV show that guides people on career makeovers. Spike TV, the Viacom cable channel that targets a young male audience, said Sharpton will host "I Hate My Job," premiering in the fall.
The eight male contestants in the show will quit their jobs and work with two "life counselors," Sharpton and California psychologist Stephanie Raye, who will give them advice and weekly assignments. A panel will decide which contestants will continue each week.
Al Sharpton
Communes with UFO Enthusiasts
Merle Haggard
For the second year in a row, honky tonk singer Merle Haggard will entertain conspiracy theorists and extraterrestrial fans at the UFO Music Fest, set for Saturday (July 3) in Roswell, N.M.
Some believe the area was the site of a UFO crash in 1947. Joining the 67-year-old country music legend is longtime friend Willie Nelson, along with openers Michael D. and Lacy J. Dalton.
Always known for speaking his mind, Haggard stirred up political controversy last year with his lead single "That's the News," which pondered that if the war in Iraq was over, why were more soldiers dying every day?
"I hoped, if nothing else, it would cause the (news) editors to look at the clock and say, 'Should we run Laci Peterson's story or should we run about the boys that got killed today?"' asks Haggard. "It seems to me that when we are fighting for freedom all over the world, we should have a sense of duty to give the news on the troops instead of worrying if somebody is going to get off (in) a murder case."
Merle Haggard
Utah Artist Hails Court Win
Tom Forsythe
A Utah artist who won a five-year legal battle with Mattel Inc. over his photographs of Barbie dolls sometimes naked and paired with kitchen appliances on Tuesday said the court decision cleared the way for other parodies of iconic American brands.
Utah-based artist Tom Forsythe said on Tuesday he was "amazed and truly ecstatic" at the judge's ruling that Mattel should reimburse the $1.8 million he had spent defending his work against a copyright lawsuit launched in 1999.
Forsythe incurred Mattel's wrath with his "Food Chain Barbie" series of 78 photographs featuring the popular plastic doll in kitchen appliances ranging from a martini glass to a fondue pot. Other photos showed the doll stuffed into a tortilla, a fondue pot and a blender.
Tom Forsythe
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Controversial Commemoration
Princess Diana
Britain unveiled the first permanent memorial to the late Princess Diana Tuesday, a full seven years after her death in a Paris car crash.
The memorial takes the form of a 690-foot-long water sculpture -- essentially a circular trough of moving water -- set in London's Hyde Park. It will double as a children's water park.
American designer Kathryn Gustafson said it aimed to mirror Diana's character.
Princess Diana
A demonstrator dressed up as prisoner marches through central Madrid during a protest against the Iraq occupation, June 29, 2004. The United States handed over sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government on Monday, formally ending a 14-month occupation two days earlier than expected to try to forestall guerrilla attacks.
Photo by Andrea Comas
Finland Cancels Art Exhibition
Salvador Dali
An exhibition of Salvador Dali's art was canceled as police stepped in to confiscate the works, several of which they suspected to be counterfeit.
The Helsinki exhibition, which commemorated what would have been the Spanish artist's 100th birthday, was set up by Helsinki-based Artco Scandinavia. It began in late May and was due to end Wednesday. It featured Dali's works from several periods, including sculptures and etchings.
All of the roughly 400 works displayed at the exhibition are under investigation.
Salvador Dali
Kin Resume Court Battle
Jimi Hendrix
Relatives of the late guitar legend Jimi Hendrix returned to court Monday to begin another legal battle over which family members should receive money from the musician's posthumous releases, royalties and merchandise.
The case, the latest of several that have entangled the Hendrix estate in the last decade, concerns the last will of Jimi's father, Al Hendrix, who inherited the rights to Jimi's music when the rock star died in 1970.
Jimi's brother, Leon, says he was unfairly written out of the will at the behest of his stepsister, Janie Hendrix, who runs the company in charge of the estate, Experience Hendrix LLC, with Jimi's cousin, Robert Hendrix.
Jimi Hendrix
Nostalgic for Bad Old Days
Rick James
After a tribute that carefully avoided any mention of his jail stint for violent crimes, funk pioneer Rick James wasted no time alluding to his dark days as he picked up a lifetime achievement award in Beverly Hills on Monday.
"Years ago, I would have used this for something totally different. Cocaine is a hell of a drug," James said, surveying the smooth glass surface of the Heritage Award statuette bestowed upon him by performing rights group ASCAP during its 17th annual Rhythm & Soul Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
At Monday's ceremony, James, 56, paid tribute to people who helped him become a star, such as Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. and flamboyant bass virtuoso Bootsy Collins, who were both present, as well as his recently deceased parents.
Rick James
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Settles Lawsuit
Marlon Brando
Lawyers for Oscar-winning actor Marlon Brando and his former personal assistant have agreed to settle a lawsuit involving a contentious $185,000 gift, according to court documents.
The case brought by Caroline Barrett will be dismissed following successful completion of terms of the settlement agreement. The notice of settlement was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and is expected to be finalized in about 60 days.
Barrett, who quit working for Brando in 2001, filed a lawsuit in February 2003 claiming the actor tried to retaliate by seeking repayment of a $185,000 loan that she said was given as a gift, documents said.
Marlon Brando
British Consul to Beirut Karen Kavanagh holds an urn containing the ashes of Lady Hester Stanhope, which were scattered in Lebanon 165 years after her death, in Joun village in south Lebanon. She was known as the Queen of the East, cast as both tyrant and heroine, an English adventurer lured by the Orient who ultimately died an eccentric recluse in the remote hills of Lebanon. Lady Hester was a legend in her own lifetime, a 19th century femme fatale whose name conjured images of intrigue, decadence and romance. Picture taken June 23, 2004.
Photo by Mohamed Azakir
Struggling With All-Season Scheduling
Faux
Fox is preaching patience as its attempt to run more original summer programming has yet to be embraced by viewers.
The network finished fourth in the ratings last week, behind even ABC, which Fox routinely beat during the winter months. Fox came in third among viewers aged 18 to 49, the demographic it most cares about.
Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's "The Simple Life 2," which finished just out of Nielsen Media Research's top 10 last week with 9.3 million viewers, is Fox's summer highlight.
None of Fox's five other new shows are doing well, including the one by usually reliable reality producer Mark Burnett. His look at Las Vegas in "Casino" was seen by fewer than 5 million people last week.
Faux
Judge Scolds For Late Court Arrival
Courtney Love
Courtney Love showed up five hours late to a New York court hearing on a reckless endangerment charge on Monday, drawing a sharp rebuke from the judge, who warned the dazed-looking rocker that she narrowly missed being deemed a fugitive.
A visibly annoyed New York Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson admonished the 39-year-old singer that she was about to issue a bench warrant for Love's arrest for being tardy.
"I want to make it clear to you that you are supposed to be in court at 9:30, not 3 o'clock," Jackson said. "Three o'clock is not acceptable. The rule applies to you, the same as it does to everyone else."
Taking a box of cigarettes from her purse as she stood in the courtroom, and seemingly bewildered in pink spike heels, Love barely mustered an apology to the judge, replying, "Sorry."
Courtney Love
Holding Auditions
Stand-Up Comedy TV
Stand-Up Comedy TV, a proposed 24-hour cable network, has started holding auditions for three comedy series on its drawing boards: one devoted to new comedians, an animated comedy and a live comedy-news show.
Joseph J. Fox, co-chairman of the board of Stand-Up Comedy TV, said his goal is to launch the net in January from its headquarters in Chicago. No cable operators or satellite distributors are on board yet, but Fox said he's putting together the venture capital financing for the channel.
For more, Stand-Up Comedy TV
Relinquishing Control of Magazine
William F. Buckley Jr
William F. Buckley Jr. is giving up ownership of the National Review, the conservative magazine he founded nearly a half-century ago, the magazine said Tuesday.
Buckley, 78, will relinquish his controlling shares in the magazine to a board of trustees he has selected. The magazine will continue to publish his column.
William F. Buckley Jr
Mission To Save Trees Of Bangladesh
Kartik Paramanik
A Bangladeshi barber has spent more than half a century wandering the countryside planting and tending saplings in a lone campaign against the rampant deforestation that threatens to wipe out the nation's woodlands.
Kartik Paramanik, who began planting trees when he was 10 years-old, was nowhere to be seen at a recent series of nationwide events to highlight the problem of deforestation.
But officials describe the 62-year-old barber from the Rajshahi region of Bangladesh as a model citizen and say they hope others will follow his example and take up the habit of planting trees.
"He is a very quiet, modest man who has been planting trees and nurturing them at his own initiative and expense for 52 years. He is an example to all of us," Mizanur Rahman Minu, the mayor of Rajshahi, a city 210 kilometres (130 miles) northwest of Dhaka, told AFP.
Kartik Paramanik
Prime-Time Nielsen
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of June 21-27. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.
1. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 15.3 million viewers.
2. (12) "Without a Trace," CBS, 12.6 million viewers.
3. (X) "American Film Institute's 100 Years and 100 Songs," CBS, 12.3 million viewers.
4. (13) "Law & Order," NBC, 11.9 million viewers.
5. (8) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 11.8 million viewers.
6. (15) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 11.3 million viewers.
7. (49) "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 11.3 million viewers.
8. (17) "60 Minutes," CBS, 10.9 million viewers.
9. (17) "Cold Case," CBS, 10.2 million viewers.
10. (X) "Law & Order," NBC, 10.1 million viewers.
11. (X) "Without a Trace," CBS, 9.6 million viewers.
12. (53) "The Simple Life 2," Fox, 9.3 million viewers.
13. (23) "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC, 9.3 million viewers.
14. (20) "Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit," NBC, 9.2 million viewers.
15. (26) "Crossing Jordan," NBC, 9 million viewers.
16. (34) "CBS Sunday Movie: The Soul Collector," CBS, 8.8 million viewers.
17. (29) "Fear Factor," NBC, 8.7 million viewers.
18. (64) "Last Comic Standing," NBC, 8.5 million viewers.
19. (39) "60 Minutes"-Wednesday, CBS, 7.9 million viewers.
20. (86) "Who Wants to Mary My Dad?," NBC, 7.9 million viewers.
Ratings
An endangered hooded crane chick nestles under the protective wing of its mother at SeaWorld San Diego, Calif., Tuesday, June 29, 2004. The chick, hatched on June 14, becomes the 33rd hooded crane in the North American zoological population. Hooded cranes typically nest in bogs in northern China and eastern Siberia and most of the 9,500 hooded cranes in existence winter in Japan.
Photo by Mike Aguilera
'The Osbournes'
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