'Best of TBH Politoons'
M Is FOR MASHUP - July 11 2007
The Productions Of DJ JohnnyRed
By DJ Useo
Reader Suggestion
Amazing Video
Hello Marty, thought this would interest you and BCE readers:
Most amazing video ever! Bush1 is a reptilian!
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Tim Harper: Democrats cash in as Republican woes grow (thestar.com)
Obama, Clinton both raise more than $50M in election runup, but McCain's nearly broke
Michael Tomasky: Can We Know Her? (nybooks.com)
On A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Carl Bernstein and Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Jeff Gerth and Don Van Natta Jr.
Jim Hightower: THOMPSON THE ACTOR (jimhightower.com)
Fred Thompson is not a gruff, straight-shooting district attorney - but he plays one on TV. Thompson also is not a political outsider - but he's planning to play one in the coming presidential campaign.
James Clay Fuller: "Sicko: Commenting on commentaries" (Twin Cities Daily Planet)
The reviews of Michael Moore's "Sicko" have been fascinating, the editorial and op-ed commentaries on the film even more so. Apparently there is a rule in corporate journalism that every mention of Moore and his films, or Moore without his films, must contain at least two snide observations about his biases, his ever so naughty attacks on rich and powerful but somehow -- in the eyes of the corporate journalists -- defenseless people such as the chairman of General Motors, and, if you can slide it in, Moore's physical appearance.
A long way from home (guardian.co.uk)
Chinua Achebe, 'the father of modern African literature', talks to Ed Pilkington about inventing a new language, his years in exile from his beloved Nigeria - and why he changed his name from Albert.
Lucy Mangan: The forgotten history behind nursery rhymes (guardian.co.uk)
A report yesterday revealed that parents now sing fewer nursery rhymes to their children, preferring pop songs instead.
Erik Deckers: Gobbledygook, Drivel, and Tripe, Oh My! (irascibleprofessor.com)
As we bring closure to the annual calendar, it behooves us to examine the various linguistic gaffes that occurred over the past 12 month period. See what I did there? In one sentence, I've already ticked off the folks at the Plain English Campaign. They're the language watchdogs who campaign against "gobbledygook, jargon and misleading public information." (For the record, what I said was, "As the year ends, we should look at poor language from the past 12 months.")
Beth Quinn: Wanted: A new swear word to replace 'bleep' (recordonline.com)
It appears we are in need of a new swear word. Oddly enough - and I swear I'm not picking on him here - Bush is partly to blame for this. So is Cheney.
Interview with Pete Dominick, Comedian (freetimes.com)
What comic makes you cringe right now?
Jay Leno. He's not a bad stand-up comedian. He used to be good. He's dumbed down The Tonight Show so much. It's a shame but it's because America is so uninformed. It can't have an edge. We can't say anything politically incorrect, or so we're led to believe. Fortunately, there's a Daily Show and a Colbert Report.
Matt Cibula: Fart Jokes, Nazis, and Genius: Mel Brooks as Anti-Serious Auteur (popmatters.com)
[5.Jun.06] :. Mel Brooks is one funny son of a bitch, and always was, and half these movies are classics, and the other half are really funny too, and then I make three fart noises and say that's about as serious as he gets.
Adam Besenyodi: An Interview with They Might Be Giants (popmatters.com)
John Linnell of TMBG reflects on 25 years of music-making, the joy of reading and eating at the same time, and the removal of Hillary Duff's soul in an expansive interview with PopMatters.
They Might Be Giants
Mikhaela B. Reid: "The Boiling Point" Cartoon (inthesetimes.com)
Reader Comment
Words & Oz
Hiya Marty!
Here're some words and definitions for you to use as you want, plus a COOL true story about the Wizard of Oz
[snippage]
In seeking a costume for the character Professor Marvel in the The Wizard of Oz, the MGM wardrobe department found a tattered Prince Albert coat in a secondhand store in Los Angeles.
One afternoon actor Frank Morgan turned out the coat's pocket and discovered the name "L. Frank Baum." By a bizarre coincidence, they had chosen a coat once owned by the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
This sounds dubious, I know, but cinematographer Hal Rosson, his niece Helene Bowman, and unit publicist Mary Mayer have all vouched for the story.
"We wired the tailor in Chicago and sent pictures," Mayer told Aljean Harmetz for the book The Making of The Wizard of Oz. "And the tailor sent back a notarized letter saying that the coat had been made for Frank Baum. Baum's widow identified the coat, too, and after the picture was finished we presented it to her. But I could never get anyone to believe the story."
Vic
(not quite in AK)
Thanks Vic!
Great story!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Marine layer hung around til late afternoon.
Took a quick trip out to the Valley - my pal Lois is visiting another pal, Cindy, who is moving north.
Always great to see the girls.
Springfield, Vermont Wins
`Simpsons'
It's Duff time in Springfield, Vt., which on Tuesday was proclaimed the official hometown of TV's favorite dysfunctional family, the Simpsons.
The southeastern Vermont community beat out 13 other Springfields for the honor, which includes hosting the premiere of "The Simpsons Movie" on July 26th.
The town of 9,300 was the smallest in population among the communities entered. It put together a video showing a local TV personality playing Homer Simpson and chasing a giant, pink doughnut through the town.
According to USA Today, the 13 other Springfields that participated in the contest will be given small screenings of their own the night before the movie opens nationwide July 27.
`Simpsons'
Book Due Sept. 4
Bill Clinton
Former President Clinton's planned book on citizen activism, "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World," will come out Sept. 4 with a first printing of 750,000, publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Tuesday.
Clinton, whose memoir "My Life" was a million seller, will tour nationwide to promote the book and will narrate the audio version.
Proceeds will be donated "to charities and nonprofits that are doing their part to change the world." Financial terms for the book, first announced in May 2006, were not disclosed. Clinton is said to have received $10 million-$12 million for writing "My Life," the 957-page memoir that Knopf published in 2004.
Bill Clinton
Costumes Sold In Paris
'Dallas'
Stetson hats, suede fringes and cowboy belt buckles worn in the iconic 1980s U.S. television series 'Dallas' went under the hammer on Tuesday as former cast members emptied their closets for a charity auction.
The three dozen articles of clothing worn during the shooting of the internationally popular show fetched 12,500 euros ($17,000), an organizer from Artcurial auction house on the smart Champs Elysees boulevard announced after the sale.
Some of the 200 people packing the hall rushed up the aisles to take pictures of former cast members Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Steve Kanaly, and Charlene Tilton, who opened the sale to the French version of the show's theme tune.
A white Stetson hat belonging to Hagman, 75, who once played cunning and philandering oil baron J.R. Ewing, raked in the most money for a single item -- 1,300 euros.
'Dallas'
New Words For Dictionary
'Ginormous'
It was a ginormous year for the wordsmiths at Merriam-Webster. Along with embracing the adjective that combines "gigantic" and "enormous," the dictionary publishers also got into Bollywood, sudoku and speed dating.
But their interest in India's motion-picture industry, number puzzles and trendy ways to meet people was all meant for a higher cause: updating the company's collegiate dictionary, which goes on sale this fall with about 100 newly added words.
There's "crunk," a style of Southern rap music; the abbreviated "DVR," for digital video recorder; and "IED," shorthand for the improvised explosive devices that have become common in the war in Iraq.
If it sounds as though Merriam-Webster is dropping its buttoned-down image with too much talk of "smackdowns" (contests in entertainment wrestling) and "telenovelas" (Latin-American soap operas), consider it also is adding "gray literature" (hard-to-get written material) and "microgreen" (a shoot of a standard salad plant.)
'Ginormous'
Becomes Minister Online
Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling is now available for weddings. "Yep, that's right. ... Reverend Tori Spelling! I did it last week online and my official certificate is in the mail. I'm so proud," the 34-year-old actress said in a posting Monday on the MySpace.com site she shares with her husband, Dean McDermott.
Spelling officiated at a same-sex union last weekend at Chateau La Rue, the bed-and-breakfast that she and McDermott run in Fallbrook, Calif., on their Oxygen network unscripted series, "Tori & Dean: Inn Love," her spokeswoman, Meghan Prophet, said Tuesday.
Spelling and McDermott, who were married in May 2006, will reprise their innkeeper duties for the show's second season, which premieres Aug. 14.
Tori Spelling
Sponsors Drop BET Series
`Hot Ghetto Mess'
At least two companies have pulled ads from the debut of BET's "Hot Ghetto Mess," a series that critics say puts black stereotypes on display but the channel calls "a blend of tough love and social commentary."
State Farm Insurance Cos. and Home Depot asked BET to drop their ads from the series debuting July 25, trade paper The Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday.
"Hot Ghetto Mess," also called "HGM," combines viewer-submitted home videos and BET-produced man-on-the-street interviews that the channel said in a release are intended to challenge and inspire "viewers to improve themselves and their communities."
The six-episode series is hosted by comedian Charlie Murphy ("Chappelle's Show"). It's based on a Web site that features photos of men and women, mostly black, with extreme hairstyles and clothing typically linked to hip-hop fashion.
`Hot Ghetto Mess'
Judge Orders 4 Trials
Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes, accused of attacking two men, driving drunk and driving with a suspended license, has rejected a plea deal and is facing four separate trials.
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Larry Stephen denied a motion by the prosecution Tuesday to consolidate two assault charges against Rhymes. The 35-year-old rapper is accused of beating a fan and also of beating and kicking a former employee last year.
"The two assault cases cannot be consolidated," said Rhymes' lawyer, Scott Leemon. "The decision today validated Busta's defenses to the assault cases. We detailed to the court that we have defense to these cases and the court agreed."
Assistant District Attorney Harrison Schweiloch hadn't moved to have the drunken driving and suspended license cases consolidated, so the judge allowed them to remain separate.
Busta Rhymes
Italy Threatens Sanctions
J. Paul Getty Museum
Italy's culture minister said Tuesday that he has sent the J. Paul Getty Museum a proposal to resolve a dispute over allegedly looted antiquities, and threatened the Los Angeles museum with sanctions if a deal is not reached by the end of this month.
Italian authorities have launched a worldwide campaign to recover looted treasures and are at odds with Getty over antiquities they say were illegally dug up and smuggled out of the country, despite laws making all antiquities found in Italy state property.
The museum said last year it would return 26 disputed objects - including sculptures, pottery and frescoes - but Italian officials are demanding an additional 21. The Getty museum denies knowingly buying any illegally obtained objects and has said it remains open to resuming discussions with the ministry on contested pieces.
J. Paul Getty Museum
Prime Time Nielsen
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for July 2-8. 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. (X) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10 p.m.), CBS, 9.42 million viewers.
2. (X) "Smarter Than a 5th Grader" (Thurs.), Fox, 8.47 million viewers.
3. (11) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 8.38 million viewers.
4. (28) "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.19 million viewers.
5. (18) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 8.18 million viewers.
6. (73) "Hell's Kitchen," Fox, 8.12 million viewers.
7. (31) "Smarter Than a 5th Grader," Fox, 7.86 million viewers.
8. (X) "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks," NBC, 7.58 million viewers.
9. (18) "NCIS," CBS, 7.57 million viewers.
10. (90) "Big Brother 8" (Thursday), CBS, 7.4 million viewers.
11. (21) "Without a Trace," CBS, 7.37 million viewers.
12. (25) "Cold Case," CBS, 7.24 million viewers.
13. (31) "Law And Order: Special Victim's Unit," NBC, 6.86 million viewers.
14. (38) "America's Got Talent," NBC, 6.75 million viewers.
15. (90) "48 Hours Mystery," CBS, 6.68 million viewers.
16. (X) "Boston Pops Fireworks," CBS, 6.65 million viewers.
17. (X) "Law And Order: Special Victim's Unit" (Sunday), NBC, 6.64 million viewers.
18. (X) "Dateline" (Wed.), NBC, 6.52 million viewers.
19. (X) "Family Guy" (Sun.), Fox, 6.28 million viewers.
20. (90) "20/20" (Friday), ABC, 6.07 million viewers.
Ratings
In Memory
Charles Lane
Charles Lane, the prolific character actor whose name was little known, but whose bespectacled face and crotchety persona made him instantly recognizable to generations of movie-goers, has died, his son Tom said Tuesday. He was 102.
Lane, whose career spanned more than 60 years, appeared in such film classics as "It's a Wonderful Life," "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" and "Twentieth Century."
He also had a recurring role as the scheming railroad man, Homer Beadle, on the 1960s TV sitcom "Petticoat Junction" and appeared often on television's "I Love Lucy."
His crisp, stage-trained voice and no-nonsense appearance made him a natural for playing authority figures. He was a judge in "God is My Partner," a prosecutor in "Call Northside 777," a priest in "Date With an Angel" and a member of Clark Gable's newspaper editorial board in "Teacher's Pet."
In 1934, Frank Capra, then on his rise to eminence, cast Lane in a horse racing film, "Broadway Bill." Capra liked the actor's work so much he included him in nine more movies, including "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "You Can't Take It with You."
Lane continued to act into his 90s, and when he accepted an award from cable television's TV Land channel in honor of his 100th birthday, he made a point of saying he was still available for work.
Charles Lane
In Memory
Doug Marlette
Doug Marlette, the North Carolina-born cartoonist who won a Pulitzer Prize and created the popular strip "Kudzu," was killed in a car accident Tuesday morning in Mississippi, authorities said. He was 57.
Born in Greensboro, Marlette began drawing political cartoons for The Charlotte Observer in 1972.
He won the Pulitzer in 1988 for his editorial cartooning in both Charlotte and at the Atlanta Constitution, which he had joined the year before.
He said at the time that his biting approach could be traced in part to "a grandmother bayoneted by a guardsman during a mill strike in the Carolinas. There are some rebellious genes floating around in me."
Among his books were "Shred This Book: The Scandalous Cartoons of Doug Marlette," "In Your Face: A Cartoonist at Work" and "The Bridge," his first novel, published in 2001.
Marlette is survived by his wife, Melinda, and an adult son, Jackson. He divided his time between homes in Tulsa and in Hillsborough, N.C.
Doug Marlette
CURRENT MOON lunar phases |