Recommended Reading
from Bruce
roger ebert's journal: Talking 'bout my generation
Ten years ago I was the emcee of my high school class reunion. This year I sat and watched. It was better this way. As I'd walked into the room I realized I knew almost everyone on first sight. Now, as they passed in review, called up one by one, I saw a double image: The same person in 1960 and 2010.
Rachel Maddow: Must-See TV
The last time a President accomplished this much in office, booze was illegal.
GAIL COLLINS: The Age of Nancy (nytimes.com)
The speaker of the House is certainly on a run lately. Just look at what she accomplished this week.
John McWhorter: Review of "Acting White: The Ironic Legacy of Desegregation" by Stuart Buck (tnr.com)
In 2000, in a book called 'Losing the Race,' I argued that much of the reason for the gap between the grades and test scores of black students and white students was that black teens often equated doing well in school with "acting white." I knew that a book which did not focus on racism's role in this problem would attract bitter criticism.
The Death -- or the Evolution -- of the Midlist Author? (popmatters.com)
If you've ever walked around a bookstore, chances are you've picked up a midlist book. Midlist books take up the majority of the shelf space, filling in the gaps between bestsellers and popular books we love to hate (*cough* Twilight Saga *cough*).
"Nimo's War, Emma's War: Making Feminist Sense of the Iraq War" by Cynthia Enloe: A review by Robin L. Riley
Over a long career as a scholar of international relations, Cynthia Enloe has been preoccupied with the query Where are the women? Without asking questions about gender, she warns, we can't get a complete picture of international politics. In 'Nimo's War, Emma's War,' she uses the experiences of four Iraqi and four American women as jumping-off points to examine the price women have paid (and continue to pay) in the Iraq War.
Juliet Rix: "Ben Okri: My family values" (guardian.co.uk)
The writer talks about his family.
"The Shaking Woman or a History of My Nerves" by Siri Hustvedt: A review by Scott F. Parker
Writing a speech she would give at a memorial for her father, Siri Hustvedt heard her father's voice and felt like she was tapping into the humor that had made him a lively and adept public speaker in his life as a professor of Norwegian.
Sean O'Hagan: Slavoj Zizek Interview (guardian.co.uk)
The Marxist provocateur and bestselling philosopher on communism, poststructural theory and his reluctance to play poster boy for the fashionable European left.
Mario Tarradell: Steve Miller's roots are showing on 'pop-rock-blues' CD 'Bingo!' (The Dallas Morning News)
The blues. Rock 'n' roll. Dallas, Texas. That's Steve Miller's DNA.
Will Hodgkinson: Christine Tobin weaves a new 'Tapestry' (guardian.co.uk)
Why has jazz singer Christine Tobin attempted the impossible: reworking Carole King's note-perfect masterpiece 'Tapestry'?
Shahesta Shaitly: "This much I know: Rolf Harris" (guardian.co.uk)
The artist, 80, on semi-precious stones, kangaroos, and being dragged in a carriage by runaway horses.
The Weekly Poll
Summer Sabbatical
I've decided to take a short 'sabbatical' from the Poll thing for some R&R (fishing, easy hiking, campfires... that sort of thing) and spend some time contemplating the errors of my ways, haha... You might see, from time to time, trivia responses and the odd article or picture from me. I have a laptop and an 'air-card' so if I can get a cell signal, I can access the web. Do not despair though (yeah, right!)... I'm like a bad penny. I'll turn up again...
As always, Yer the Best!
BadToTheBoneBob
"Best Friend", written and performed by Harry Nilsson, was the theme song for what TV series?
wrote:
answered:
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
Reader Comment
Salmon-Flavor Vodka
Marty,
OK, here's an example of what they're up to in Wasilla - salmon flavored vodka:
Is there something wrong with these people? Did you read in the article how they produce the vodka? I'm glad I don't drink...
Mick
Thanks, Mick!
Since Wasilla is the meth capital of AK, guess we should be grateful that they didn't take that route.
OTOH, salmon (in or out of season) is cheaper than meat in AK - and easier to poach (not that I ever did anything like that).
Cripes, used to substitute it in a lot of meals - for breakfast, it was eggs & salmon; for lunch, it was salmon,
lettuce and tomato sandwiches; and for supper it'd be
spaghetti and salmonballs or salmonburgers. Then there was salmon salad, salmon tacos and even salmon lasagna.
The idea of drinking it, too, on a salmon-heavy diet, well, I'd be afraid of sprouting gills.
After I moved back to the lower 48, took years (and years) before I had any desire to eat salmon again.
Oh, and whoever wrote that story needs a dictionary - it says the employees masticate the fish - ewwww, gross. Think they meant macerate.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Lovely marine layer hung on til late afternoon.
Ending Show
Larry King
Larry King, who has interviewed statesmen and stars from a prime-time perch at CNN for 25 years but has seen his ratings sag recently, said Tuesday that he will step down this fall from his nightly show.
"It's time to hang up my nightly suspenders," King said in a message sent to fans via Twitter.
King said he will do occasional specials for CNN. He reached his 25-year anniversary this month and takes pride in a Guinness Book of World Records citation for hosting the longest-running show on the same network in the same time slot.
King said he felt no pressure from CNN to leave. He said he began thinking about stepping down as his 25th anniversary week ended, after he interviewed LeBron James, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga and President Barack Obama.
Larry King
Gulf Show Postponed
Jimmy Buffett
Tourism is taking another hit on Alabama's coast following the postponement of a free Jimmy Buffett concert that was scheduled this week.
Business on the coast was already off by about half from the oil spill. Promoters hoped the Thursday show on the beach at Gulf Shores would boost visitors for the Fourth of July weekend.
But organizers had to postpone the show until July 11 because of the threat of high surf from Tropical Storm Alex. The storm is approaching the coast of Texas and Mexico.
Phones at hotel front desks and condominium reservation offices began ringing almost immediately after organizers announced the delay. Many people are putting off their trips until later, but some are canceling altogether.
Jimmy Buffett
Archive To British Museum
Ray Harryhausen
The special effects maestro behind the army of skeletons in "Jason of the Argonauts" and the terrifying Medusa in "Clash of the Titans" handed over his collection to a British museum Tuesday.
Ray Harryhausen, 90, who perfected the art of stop-motion animation from the 1950s to the 1980s, said he was "pleased and honoured" that the National Media Museum in northern England would take over managing his archive.
It includes the skeleton warriors that fought the eponymous hero in the classic 1963 adventure film "Jason and the Argonauts", and the snake-haired Medusa and fiery sea-god Kraken from 1981's "Clash of the Titans".
Before being transferred to their final home, the models, drawings and equipment in the collection are being shown at an exhibition at the London Film Museum which opened Tuesday -- Harryhausen's 90th birthday -- for a year.
Ray Harryhausen
Hits Blu-ray This October
Humphrey Bogart
Good news for classic film fans.
Humphrey Bogart gets a huge Blu-ray push this fall when Warner Home Video releases classics "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" on the format for the very first time.
At the same time, the studio also is releasing "Humphrey Borgart: The Essential Collection," which presents 24 Bogart movies on 12 discs.
"Essential Collection" contains "The Petrified Forest" (1936), "Black Legion" (1937), "Kid Galahad" (1937), "Marked Woman" (1937), "San Quentin" (1937), "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" (1938), "Dark Victory" (1939), "The Roaring Twenties" (1939), "Invisible Stripes" (1939), "Brother Orchid" (1940), "They Drive by Night" (1940), "Virginia City" (1940), "All Through the Night" (1941), "High Sierra" (1941), "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), "Casablanca" (1942), "Across the Pacific" (1942), "Action in the North Atlantic" (1943), "Passage to Marseille" (1944), "To Have and Have Not" (1944), "The Big Sleep" (1946), "Dark Passage" (1947), "Key Largo" (1948), and "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948). There's also a documentary on Warner Bros., "The Brothers Warner."
Bogie hits Blu-ray October 5. That same time, TCM will also play a slew of his movies on TV.
Humphrey Bogart
"Democrat in politics, Episcopalian by upbringing, dissenter by disposition." ~ Humphrey Bogart - Biography
Label To Reissue 's 1978 Album
Sen. Byrd
A Virginia record label plans to reissue a bluegrass album recorded by the late U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd.
The West Virginia Democrat was the longest-serving member of the Senate. He died Monday at 92.
The 1978 "Mountain Fiddler" album features Byrd performing old-time and bluegrass songs on fiddle, along with Country Gentlemen band members Doyle Lawson on guitar, James Bailey on banjo, and Spider Gilliam on bass.
County Records owner Dave Freeman says the reissue project had been in the works for about 18 months. The CD will be available nationally July 27.
Sen. Byrd
Wedding News
Fox - Green
Megan Fox has tied the knot with longtime boyfriend Brian Austin Green.
Fox's publicist Dominique Appel said Tuesday the couple was "happily married."
The 24-year-old actress became engaged to Green earlier this month for the second time. The pair was previously engaged in 2006.
Fox and Green, 36, have been dating for several years. It's the first marriage for both.
Fox - Green
Split Turns Bitter
Mel "Sugar Tits" Gibson
Mel Gibson's breakup from Russian singer Oksana Grigorieva was supposed to be a quiet affair, but a confidential settlement and sealed court case haven't kept the former couple's troubles from hitting the spotlight.
The latest flare-up began last week when Grigorieva apparently named Gibson in a child custody case, which is sealed and will likely remain out of the public domain.
The seal hasn't kept the breakup out of headlines, though, continuing Gibson's streak in recent years of making news more for his personal life than his film career.
On Monday, the actor-director's attorney issued a statement revealing that the couple in May reached a custody agreement for their 7-month-old daughter, Lucia.
Mel "Sugar Tits" Gibson
No Plea Deal In Extortion Case
John Stamos
A northern Michigan man charged with conspiring to extort $680,000 from John Stamos said Tuesday there was nothing illegal about his plan to sell unflattering photos of the actor.
The government contends that no embarrassing photos ever existed. Scott Sippola, however, insists the FBI lost or destroyed the pictures that he planned to peddle to magazines if Stamos didn't buy them.
Sippola offered his defense in a court filing on the same day that a codefendant's deadline for a plea bargain expired. A federal judge had given lawyers until Tuesday morning to iron out an agreement with Allison Coss, but a spokeswoman for prosecutors said nothing happened.
Sippola and Coss are scheduled for trial July 12 in Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on charges of conspiracy and other crimes.
John Stamos
Starts Up Subscription Service
Hulu
Free video website Hulu is trying its hand at a paid subscription model, unveiling a monthly payment plan called Hulu Plus that will give users access to full seasons of everything from "Glee" to "The Office."
Hulu Chief Executive Jason Kilar said on Tuesday that the service would be priced at $9.99 a month and be made available on Apple Inc devices iPhone, iPad and iTouch; Samsung Electronics Co Ltd televisions and Blu-ray players; and, eventually, Sony Corp's PlayStation 3.
Hulu -- which is owned by Fox owner News Corp, General Electric Co's NBC Universal, ABC owner Walt Disney Co and Providence Equity Partners -- generated an estimated $100 million in advertising revenue last year. But like all media companies, Hulu is trying to strike a balance between paid and advertising-supported content.
CBS Corp is the only major broadcast network without an ownership stake in Hulu. The company declined to comment on whether it would participate in the paid service.
Hulu
Czechs Oppose Statue
Michael Jackson
Thousands of Czechs are protesting plans to place a Michael Jackson statue in Prague.
A group of fans plans to erect a 6-foot column with a bronze bust of the King of Pop in Letna Park, where Jackson held a concert in 1996. They want to unveil it Aug. 29 to mark Jackson's 52nd birthday.
City authorities have approved the project.
By Tuesday, more than 2,000 people had joined a Facebook protest claiming it makes no sense to put the statue in the park because Jackson had no connection with the Czech Republic.
Michael Jackson
Mo's Boy's Moscow Exhibit
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Artist and reformer Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the Libyan leader's son credited with brokering Tripoli's stand-off with the West, kept Russian relations warm on Monday when he showed off his paintings.
"It is good here, we are friends," said the shaven-headed 38-year-old, before guiding Russian officials through the exhibit "The Desert is Not Silent," made up of around 50 of his own paintings along with Roman and Libyan antiques.
Traveling through western cities from London to Montreal over the last eight years, the exhibit is a tribute to the rich landscapes and animals of Libya, said Saif al-Islam, who was educated in Britain and has a fondness for pet tigers.
"Paper Tiger," from 2001, depicts his beloved, now-deceased big cat Fredo clawing his way out of a white canvas. Many others show the outlines of pre-historic animals spread across the golden and crimson hues of the Libyan desert.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Gold Drum To Be Displayed
Ringo Starr
New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art will display Ringo Starr's gold-plated snare drum in a special exhibition honoring his 70th birthday.
The museum said Tuesday the drum will be shown from July 7 - Starr's birthday - through December.
The instrument was presented to the drummer by the Ludwig Drum Company in Chicago during the Beatles' 1964 U.S. tour. It was given to him in appreciation for popularizing the Ludwig name. Starr played on a Ludwig oyster black pearl drum set during the Fab Fours' 1964 appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Starr also will start the second season of the PBS series "Live From the Artists Den" with a performance taped at the Met. It will be shown the week of his birthday.
Ringo Starr
Prime-Time Nielsens
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by the Nielsen Co. for June 21-27. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.
1. "America's Got Talent" (Wednesday, 9 p.m.), NBC, 12.37 million.
2. "America's Got Talent" (Tuesday), NBC, 11.65 million.
3. "NCIS," CBS, 9.72 million.
4. "Wipeout" (Tuesday), ABC, 9.51 million.
5. "The Mentalist," CBS, 8.87 million.
6. "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 8.54 million.
7. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 8.32 million.
8. "The Bachelorette," ABC, 8.26 million.
9. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 8.18 million.
10. "Wipeout" (Thursday), ABC, 7.88 million.
11. "60 Minutes," CBS, 7.57 million.
12. "CSI: Miami," CBS, 7.56 million.
13. "America's Got Talent" (Wednesday, 8 p.m.), NBC, 7.36 million.
14. "Rookie Blue," ABC, 7.24 million.
15. "CSI: NY," CBS, 6.98 million.
16. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 6.84 million.
17. "So You Think You Can Dance" (Thursday), Fox, 6.43 million.
18. "Hell's Kitchen" (Tuesday, 9 p.m.), Fox, 6.378 million.
19. "So You Think You Can Dance" (Wednesday), Fox, 6.377 million.
20. "Flashpoint," CBS, 8.28 million.
Ratings
In Memory
Allyn Ferguson
Allyn Ferguson, an Emmy-winning composer who co-wrote the themes for the 1970s TV shows "Charlie's Angels" and "Barney Miller," has died at 85.
Ferguson died at his home in Westlake Village near Los Angeles on June 23, said his daughter, Jill Ferguson.
Ferguson wrote scores for dozens of TV episodes in the 1970s and 1980s but he may be best-known for the "Charlie's Angels" and Barney Miller" themes he co-wrote with Jack Elliott.
He received eight Emmy nominations, winning the award for music composition in 1985 for scoring a television adaptation of the classic novel "Camille."
Ferguson also conducted and was musical co-director for Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy shows.
During his career, Ferguson also was an arranger or musical director for artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and Julie Andrews.
He wrote the arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra's 1998 Grammy-winning album, "Count Plays Duke."
In addition to his daughter, Ferguson is survived by his wife, Joline; sons, Dan and Todd; his sister, Marilyn Dallman; and six grandchildren.
Allyn Ferguson
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