November 2010

Leslie Nielsen, R. I. P.

The actor Leslie Nielsen, who appeared in over "100 films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying over 220 characters died," yesterday, Sunday, from complications from pneumonia, in a hospital Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 84.

He is best known as a deadpan comic actor, the star of the very funny 1980 movie "Airplane!" and of the equally funny "Naked Gun" series of movies.

Fifty Days At Sea Adrift

Fifty days at sea adrift in a tiny, boat., and rescued. Three teenagers, one 14 and the other two both 15. Eating fish and a sea gulls, and drinking rain water. Surviving after given up for dead. Saved by a tuna boat off course. What a great story!

Reports the Associated Press -- "Three teenage boys who spent 50 days adrift in a tiny boat in the South Pacific walked ashore on shaky legs Friday after their chance rescue -- celebrated on their home island hundreds of miles (kilometers) away as a miracle that brought them back from the dead ... The boys (are) recovering from their ordeal in a military hospital."

The Kissmass Tree

Another sign on the net that it is the Christmas season -- the item from ITN News on the Kissmass Tree.

In many cities, in many lands, it is the time for the lighting of the Christmas Tee, and in the city of London, it is time for the lighting of the Kissmass Tree. The Kissmass Tree?

From ITN News -- "Couples in London's Covent Garden can use their passion to ignite the lights on the Kissmass -- Christmas - Tree -- by creating a circuit that lights up over 50,000 lights on a Christmas tree. It lights up when people close the circuit with a kiss." See th video.

World's largest Gingerbread Village

It is the holiday season. It's the day after Thanksgiving, the last days of November, and pre-Christmas has begun. Folks in lots of places are rolling out their Christmas stuff.

An interesting item appeared on the net this morning --

ITN News reported that in Norway, in the city of Bergen, school children have built the world's largest gingerbread village. It's been dubbed the "world's sweetest village."

The village has a model train that runs its way through it. It has " hundreds of houses and other structures, " and "features an oil rig -- a common sight off the coast of Norway."

The gingerbread village is put on display annually. This is the twentieth year.

Cookie Monster Hosting SNL?

No. No way. No.

The Cookie Monster, the little bug-eyed monster, whose claim to fame is that he loves cookies and has been on the PBS children's show, Sesame Street, for years and years, wants to host on Saturday Night Live? This monster has put out an audition video. See the video.

Not unexpected -- A lot of former Sesame Street watchers are trying to help the dude get the gig. They are twittering like crazy. They must think the Cookie Monster is the new Betty White, and have joined in the craven Internet campaign to lobby the SNL suits to give the cookie eating fiend his big night time break.

Okay, his audition video has laughs -- But!

10 Uses for Squinkies

Squinkies, those ridiculous squishy, tiny toys that are all the rage right now for no apparent reason other than heavy marketing, have entered my home. My daughter loves tiny toys, so it was no surprise when she saw them at the store, wanted them, and got some from friends and family for her recent fifth birthday. The things are mildly cute, sure, but when you have them all over the house they get pretty annoying—especially when you step on them.

If you’ve got a squinky surplus in your house, or if your child is gifted duplicates, here are some ideas for what to do with them.

10. Re-Gift

If it’s the exact same set your child has, just leave it sealed and wrap it to give to another child.

9. Donate

Bieber Is King of the AMAs

Justin Bieber is still very hot, extremely popular, with the teen ladies and the preteen ladies. His popularity translated into four American Music Awards. He had four nominations and got four wins, dominating the AMA show. The winner is voted on by the music buyers, and as a result, the personality who rises to the top of this public opinion poll wins,

Young Mr.Bieber four wins, includes the top prize, Entertainer of the Year. In addition to winning the top prize he won for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Male and Favorite Pop/Rock Album for "My World 2.0." . This was his time in the American Music Awards balloting.

Dr Who for Christmas?

The BBC has put on the web -- "A special preview of the 2010 Christmas special of Doctor Who, A Christmas Carol, featuring Matt Smith as the Time Lord."

The BBC promo is to get Dr. Who fans to - donate money for the BBC annual Children in Need drive that benefits disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. It's Christmas time. Yes, Christmas begins in November before Thanksgivings these days. As a Dr Who fan in America, I doubt if the good doctor would mind, if we Americans donated to an American charity helping our kids in need.

Brian Williams, So Pleased With Himself

Royal Gossip Monger?

Tonight on television, on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams  program, Brian Williams could barely sit in his chair. He was in danger of floating off into happy fluffy land. During this week of royal hype in the English speaking world, following the announcement of the Prince William of Wales and the Miss. Kate Middleton's marriage, Mr. Williams finds himself with a scoop -- a snoop scoop -- which is of interest in England, America, and in the Commonwealth countries.

No the scoop has nothing to do with this marriage, but with that marriage. The marriage five or so odd years ago between Prince Charles and the then Lady Camilla, the present Duchess of Cornwall.

"The Onion" Exposes it ALL on Facebook (by "ALL" I mean only breasts)

At first I thought "Oh I must be drunk still" until the reality set in that there was, indeed, bare breasts on my facebook page. There was also bare  breasts right on "the onion" facebook page. It seemed like there was breasts everywhere and I hadn't even had my cup of coffee yet. I wonder what will happen to all the people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time checking their facebook at work. I guess they shouldn't have been doing that - should they? That will show them! Ah, good times. In case you were wondering , the screen shot I took above I have personally modified - there was originally boobs in that white box.

Jill Clayburgh, R. I. P.

Jill Clayburgh has died. She was sixty six. The Associated Press reports that she died at her home in Lakeville, Conn. The cause of her death was leukemia.

Ms Clayburgh was a stage and screen actress. Her best known movie is the 1978 film An Unmarried Woman, which brought her an Oscar nomination. She played "women who were confident and capable yet not completely flawless."