'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Weekly Review
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW
December 24, 2002
North Korea began removing United Nations monitoring devices
from its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and from its stockpile of
plutonium; experts said that North Korea could potentially
build a small nuclear arsenal within a year. Russia's deputy
foreign minister blamed George W. Bush for the crisis: "How
should a small country feel when it is told that it is all
but part of forces of evil of biblical proportions and
should be fought against until total annihilation?"
Secretary of State Colin Powell declared that Iraq has
already committed a "material breach" of the latest Security
Council resolutions by failing to disclose information about
its putative weapons-of-mass-destruction programs. Powell
was described by one widely-quoted Republican as having
shown "the talons of the dove."
America agreed after many
requests to share intelligence on suspected Iraqi arms
sites with the United Nation's weapons inspectors, who keep
insisting that their work has only just begun.
The United
States, which edited Iraq's weapons declaration before
distributing it to other members of the U.N. Security
Council, removed the names of 150 companies that were listed
as contributors to Iraq's arms programs.
Two prominent
teaching hospitals, apparently unconvinced that a smallpox
attack is suddenly a real danger, refused to allow their
employees to be vaccinated for smallpox, saying that the
risks of side effects, including death, are too great.
Wall
Street's largest brokerage firms agreed to pay almost $1
billion in fines for misleading clients during the
stock-market bubble.
In Israel, the Likud party was being
damaged by revelations that the party's central committee
forced parliamentary candidates to buy their seats and that
mafia figures bought spots for their allies.
George Soros
was convicted of insider trading in France.
Baghdad Stock Index was up 50 percent.
Senator Trent Lott, in what was widely described as a "coup"
organized by the White House, was forced to resign as Senate
majority leader even after coming out in favor of
affirmative action "across the board" and promising to make
the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation a national
holiday.
The dexterity with which the president's men
eliminated Lott so impressed Washington insiders that they
were able to view the whole scandal as an unambiguous
victory for the president rather than a national
embarrassment for the Republican Party.
Continued at www.harpers.org/weekly-review
-- Roger D. Hodge
Another Fresh One!
The Worried Shrimp
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Fairly overcast most of the day.
Baking more pies, but this time it's for home consumption. Some of the 'Bachelor Boys' will be by for dinner, so we're going to have a proper dessert. Having ham, too - haven't puzzled out the rest, yet.
The tree has intrigued the cats. They just love to walk around it, and so far, no ornaments have gotten in their way.
Tonight, Wednesday, there's nothing fresh on CBS - first, the Burl Ives narrated 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer', then a RERUN - the tv-movie 'The Christmas Secret'.
On a RERUN Dave (11/18/02), the guests are Kevin James and Matchbox Twenty.
On a RERUN Craiggers are LL Cool J and Elisha Cuthbert.
NBC opens the night with a fresh 'special - 'Sarah Hughes: A Life In Balance', then a RERUN 'West Wing' followed by a RERUN 'Law & Order'.
On a RERUN Jay are Hugh Grant, fruitcake lady Marie Rudisill, and LeAnn Womack.
On a RERUN Conan are Tom Hanks and Kelly Ripa.
On a RERUN Carson Daly (11/6/02), are Julianna Margulies and Tori Amos.
ABC has basketball infringing on prime-time, so expect local programming.
The WB offers a RERUN 'Sabrina', a RERUN 'Greetings From Tucson', then a RERUN 'Reba', and caps the night with a RERUN 'Jamie Kennedy'.
Faux has the movie 'Anastasia'.
UPN has a RERUN 'Enterprise', and a RERUN 'Twilight Zone'.
TNT shows Jean Shepherd's
A Christmas Story (1983), with
Darren McGavin
(Kolchak, himself), for 24 hours.
Bravo offers a Buon Natale and celebrates
Francis Ford Coppola's
masterpieces,
The Godfather (1972) and
The Godfather: Part II (1974), and more! (Pass the canoli's, please)
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
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C-SPAN to Broadcast Entire Course
Bill Clinton
The C-SPAN public affairs cable network will broadcast every class of "The Clinton Presidency," a new course at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that will
examine the former president's achievements and scandals.
Guest lecturers will include longtime Clinton lawyer David Kendall, Clinton confidant and counsel Bruce Lindsey, former NATO commander Wesley Clark and the former
president himself. Clinton critics, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, also have been invited.
"The nation continues to be obsessed with the Clinton years," said political science professor Margaret Scranton, who will teach the course. "But the tabloid times
are past ... In the classroom, our job is to reflect on the deeper meaning and the perspective that time can give us."
The course, which begins Jan. 16, will examine Clinton's impeachment, his campaign style and his rise from a Southern governor to a political powerhouse, as well as
issues such as foreign policy, health care and the economy.
Bill Clinton
Thanks Muncie for Alley Honor
David Letterman
David Letterman has sent city officials a note of thanks for naming a downtown alley after him.
The idea to name the passageway "Dave's Alley" came after Letterman asked Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson to rename Interstate 465, the highway that
encircles the city, the David Letterman Expressway in October.
Mayor Dan Canan recently received a note from Letterman, thanking the people of Muncie for the honor.
"I couldn't be more proud to have an alley bearing my name," Letterman wrote.
The alley is near a bar and a parking lot and between a comedy club and United American Appraisal. It was dedicated Dec. 5.
David Letterman
Muncie, Indiana
Dave's Alley
A demostrator dressed as Garfield protests the dedication of Dave's Alley Thursday night, Dec. 5, 2002, in downtown Muncie, Ind. The protest was done in fun as part
of Muncie's dedication of an alley to Ball State University graduate and late night talk show host David Letterman. Though Letterman only lived in Muncie while attending
Ball State, cartoonist Jim Davis, who created Garfield, is a Delaware County resident.
Photo by Kurt Hostetler
Denies Engagement Rumors
Matt Damon
Rumors of Matt Damon's engagement have been greatly exaggerated, according to the actor's publicist, who says he and Odessa Whitmire are only dating.
"The rumor that he's getting engaged has been fabricated over the past couple of weeks, but it's not true," Damon's publicist, Jennifer Allen, said Monday.
"He is dating Ms. Whitmire," Allen said. "But he is not engaged."
The couple met when Whitmire was working as an assistant to Damon's friend and "Good Will Hunting" co-star, Ben Affleck.
Matt Damon
'Two Towers' Takes Liberties
Arwen
Any "Lord of the Rings" fan can tell you that Arwen isn't in the second installment of the trilogy. So why is Liv Tyler in "The Two Towers?" Because director Peter Jackson thought the
fans loved Arwen and he wanted to give them as much of her as he could. So Jackson and two of the screenwriters studied what Tolkien wrote about Arwen and Aragorn's love affair and came up with new scenes.
"There is a beautiful story in the appendix, which is the complete love story of Aragorn and Arwen, and it's very detailed," Tyler said. "We just drew from that and wrote scenes around
that. It's a really beautiful part of the story. I guess Peter and (writer) Fran (Walsh) and Phillipa (Boyens) wanted to incorporate it more, and I'm glad they did."
"People come up to me and say 'What's it like to be an elf?' And I'm like 'I'm not actually one.'
"Viggo's favorite thing to do was to spring on me the night before that he had had a long talk with Fran and Peter and he really wanted the whole scene
to be in Elvish," she said. "And I love to speak Elvish, but I was like arrggghh. But I'm glad he did push that because it added a beautiful depth and quality to their relationship.
But language isn't the only thing that fascinated her co-star.
"Viggo really likes the ears. He would always stroke them in the scenes. He thought the fans were going to have some elven ear obsession. So he had to throw
a stroke of the ear in every shot that he could."
Arwen
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Sues Shoemaker Skechers
Britney Spears
Britney Spears has sued Skechers for breach of agreement, claiming the shoemaker failed to pay her adequately for marketing a line of roller skates and accessories.
The $1.5 million federal lawsuit, filed Monday, claims the company failed to find outside businesses to manufacture accessories for the line. Instead, Skechers
used the pop singer's presence in advertisements to increase sales of its own similar skate products, according to the lawsuit.
As a result, Spears did not receive expected bonuses for sales of her line, the lawsuit said.
The action also claims that ads featuring Spears ran before skates from her collection were available, causing customers to buy Skechers' skates instead.
Britney Spears
Panama's Darien Gap
El Encanto
The ruins of a Spanish fortress on the island of El Encanto (Enchantment) overlook the Pacific Ocean, in Panama's Darien Gap, December 24, 2002. The fortress, which dates back 500 years,
was discovered by locals looking for treasures that were buried by the Spanish conquistadors who used the Darien as a thruway to transport their loot.
Photo by Alberto Lowe
Reprising 'Vincent Vega'
John Travolta
Now that John Travolta's career is as cold as it was when Quentin Tarantino defrosted him in 1994's "Pulp Fiction," it's time for another comeback. Travolta
is set to reprise his role as Vincent Vega in Tarantino's "The Vega Brothers," a prequel to "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs" that pairs Travolta with Michael Madsen, who played sadistic Vic Vega in "Reservoir Dogs." The flick, which follows the brothers' exploits while running a nightclub in the late '80s, goes before cameras next summer.
John Travolta
Jailed for Parole Violation
Suge Knight
Rap mogul Suge Knight, the founder of Death Row Records, was arrested on Monday for violating the terms of his parole and jailed.
In November, police raided the Beverly Hills offices of Knight's record company, now known as Tha Row, and several luxury condominiums he maintained.
KCAL TV reported that police found evidence of four unspecified parole violations by Knight, 37, during those searches.
In 1992, Knight was convicted of assault and weapons violations, but sentenced to probation.
In 1996, he was arrested for violating his probation in connection with a fight in a Las Vegas casino that preceded the shooting death of rap legend Tupac Shakur. Those violations
resulted in a five-year prison sentence for Knight.
Since his release last year, the burly and bearded Knight has vowed to stay out of trouble and said he was writing a tell-all memoir.
As a condition of his parole, Knight is forbidden from associating with gang members.
Suge Knight
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Subject Of Special
Shirley Temple Black
Shirley Temple Black may be 74, but she's still as energetic and adorable as when her famous dimples and curly red hair captivated the country decades ago.
On Christmas Day, Fox Movie Channel will show "ShirleyMania," a documentary about the continuing phenomenon of "the best little girl in the world."
She has seen the program and laughed at the idea that she might have practiced tap-dancing with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson at the Roosevelt Hotel.
"All of my tap-dancing was done at Fox Studios," she told the San Francisco Chronicle. She also marveled at the cute little girl and "those big blue eyes. Of course, mine were brown."
Shirley Temple Black
'If/Then'
Ken Feingold
Artist Ken Feingold represents the newest of media at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington from Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002, at an exhibit entitled 'Fantasy Underfoot'. Feingold's multimedia installation, 'If/Then', 2001, consists of two female heads with the mouth of each placed close to the ear of the other, lying in a box filled with plastic packing foam.
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Exec Resigns
Entertainment Industry Development Corp
The embattled leader of an agency in charge of luring movie and television production to Southern California has resigned after being placed on paid administrative leave pending the conclusion of a criminal investigation.
The District Attorney's Office is looking into whether Cody Cluff misused funds in his role as president of the Entertainment Industry Development Corp.
Cluff on Saturday accepted a $287,000 severance package, which includes $200,000 for future legal expenses and $87,000 in salary and fringe benefits. Board Chairman Frank Scherma signed the agreement
Monday on behalf of the executive committee. The resignation is retroactive to Dec. 16.
The agreement ended a monthlong standoff between Cluff and the agency after the executive committee voted Nov. 22 to place him on paid leave. Cluff refused to step down until an executive committee audit.
The nonprofit EIDC was formed in 1995, when the City Council and county Board of Supervisors consolidated their film-permitting functions into a single agency.
The EIDC woos filmmakers to the area and issues the $450 permits they need to film in public places. It also acts as a troubleshooter when movie producers have difficulty
gaining access to public property or clash with neighbors.
Entertainment Industry Development Corp
U.S. Group Bought Stake
Muppets
German media company EM.TV said Tuesday it has signed a letter of intent to sell a U.S. investor group a 49.9 percent stake in the Jim Henson Co., creator of Kermit the Frog and the Muppets.
EM.TV, which bought the Jim Henson Co. and rights to the Muppets in February 2000 for $680 million in cash and stock, expects to finalize the deal next month. The investment group
is led by former UPN president Dean Valentine and investment company Europlay Capital Advisors.
The German company said that following the sale Valentine, who stepped down earlier this year as head of UPN, would be in charge of operations at the Los Angeles-based Jim Henson Co.
EM.TV first expressed interesting in selling Jim Henson Co. more than a year ago in May 2001. Aside from being financially strapped, EM.TV said it was finding it too difficult
to manage Jim Henson Co.'s production studios in the United States from its headquarters in Germany.
Muppets
Workers Admit Stealing
Moon Rocks
Three student employees at the Johnson Space Center in Houston have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to steal moon rocks collected by Apollo astronauts.
Tiffany Fowler, Thad Roberts and Shae Saur pleaded guilty in federal court in Orlando last week to conspiracy to commit theft and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Undercover FBI agents arrested Roberts, 25, Fowler, 22, and a fourth defendant, Gordon McWhorter, 26, in Orlando in July. Saur, 19, was arrested in Houston the
same day. The student workers were fired after the arrests.
Investigators say the group placed an ad in May on the Web site of the Mineralogy Club of Antwerp, Belgium, offering to sell "priceless moon rocks" collected by
Apollo astronauts in 1969 and the early 1970s for $1,000 to $5,000 a gram.
Moon Rocks
'TBH Politoons'
(from April)
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 4
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
