Ervolino

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

 Please keep us all posted on your activities, below...

Palin to resign

Basking in the media spotlight apparently agrees with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has announced she will step down this month as governor. The onetime veep nominee has said she would prefer to effect change outside of her current office, which is apparently some sort of code for, 'need to set up office for my 2012 campaign.' At the moment, it seems hard to believe that Ms. Palin would be her party's choice for anything, but she certainly has all the name recognition she needs to build up a war chest, while she -- hopefully -- smoothes up the rough edges that got her in trouble the first time around. So, is the GOP interested? Don't be ridiculous! They've got...uh...uh...

 UPDATE: I'm watching the resignation speech now on MSNBC, and beneath it is a headline noting that sources say Mrs. Palin has no plans to run for anything -- which probably means she has a nice job lined up with (presumably) an organization connected to the GOPs hard-right base.

Remember...

...There's always light at end of the tunnel. (And thanks to Nan for sending this along...)

In other news: Did anyone die today? 

Going up?

I went to see the Statue of Liberty as a kid, but don't remember much about the trip except for the pushing and shoving. I do know that the statue reopened a while ago, and now I read that the crown/observation deck is also open to visitors. Have you gone? Will you go? My favorite memory of the statue is zipping around it at 90-degree angles in a two-seater jet with a member of the Snowbirds (of the Royal Canadian Air Force). We then adjourned (with the other jets) to Coney Island to perform in an show. And, yes, all of this made me greener than Lady Lib.

Just a kid. And a dog.

Too Much Information

 The long, strange saga of Gov. Mark Sanford continues to unfold, making everyone in its wake profoundly uncomfortable. When the reporters in your own state are saying you're talking too much, then it's probably time to shut up. There was a chance that Sanford could have salvaged his reputation and held onto his job if he had hidden in his mansion for a week or two. (CNN has seemed more interested in finding Bubbles the chimp than revisiting the Sanford affair.) But the Governor's AP interview, in which he came off like a love-struck ninny, reminded me of Prince Charles' rather revolting Camilla fantasies. Will he ever shut up about all this, or must we wait until his wife whacks him over the head with a frying pan?

Karl Malden, 97

One of Hollywood's all-time great "supporting" actors, Malden appeared in "A Streetcar Named Desire," "On the Waterfront," "Patton" and the TV series "The Streets of San Francisco." He was in so many terrific movies, you'd need two pages just to list their titles. And even in the not-so-terrific movies, like "Gypsy," he made an indelible impression. According to reports, he died suddenly of natural causes, after being in failing health for some time.

 And yes, considering everyone else we've lost in the past couple of days, this may be remembered as the creepiest week in show business history.

Still Kickin'! Lena Horne turns 92

With all this bad news floating around, I'm happy to tell you that Lena Horne turned 92 yesterday, and good for her! A marvelous singer, and one of the classiest ladies ever, Horne is shown above in a still from "'Til The Clouds Roll By." 

The Winner...Finally

The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled AT LAST that Al Franken has won his senate race over incumbent Norm Coleman. So, help me count this: November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July...

Thank God this is over with, I was running out of fingers...

The children

After the interview she gave to the UK's News of the World, it's hard to believe that Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of Michael Jackson's two oldest children, has a snowball's chance in hell of gaining custody of the kids. (Never mind that she admitted Jackson was not the biological father, noting that she was artificially inseminated by an anonymous donor.) All of this could change, of course. These kids are bazillion dollar babies. Despite the half billion dollars of debt left after Jackson's death, there is no end to the income his estate can bring in during the next 10-20 years. So now the big question is, what happens to the children?

 If Rowe does want the kids -- and although the interview I read indicated that she didn't, she apparently asked to have her parental rights restored after Jackson's 2005 molestation trial -- her claim has to carry some weight with the courts. On the other hand...well, I think it's safe to assume that Jackson was a loving father. But, the life his kids have known up until now was probably so unusual it would be hard for anyone -- including Jackson's own family -- to pick up where he left off.

 Michael's mother Katherine has temporary custody of the children, and there are all sorts of questions now about a will. (With or without a will, though, it seems unlikely that this estate will be settled anytime soon.)

I realize none of us know any of these people, but I'm still curious what you think should happen with these kids. Considering that Rowe walked away from her marriage and kids for less than $10 million, I don't think she was ever motivated by money. (She said Jackson was desperate to have a family and she offered her 'services' to him out of friendship.)

 Michael loved his mother dearly, but she's 79 years old. We all knew there would be many messes associated with Jackson's death, but the fate of his children has to be the messiest and most serious one of all.

 

Get outta here

 

 The 1982 film "Lookin' to Get Out" is coming out on video on June 28. The film starred Ann-Margret, Jon Voight, Burt Young and this cute 7-year-old, listed in the credits as ... Angelina Jolie Voight.

Gale Storm, 87

I promised myself not to post another death notice on this blog for at least two months, but, darn it, I really liked Gale Storm, the star of the 1950s sit-com "My Little Margie" and its successor, "O Susannah!" I confounded a few of my younger co-workers last year when I told them I had purchased a bunch of "Margie" episodes on DVD. (They were pretty inexpensive on Amazon.com.) Storm was also a singer and enjoyed a decent recording career . But the actress, who died at 87, was primarily known as a light comedienne with a great smile and plenty of pluck. 

Monday, Monday

 Looks as though the book was thrown at Madoff, not that anyone suspected he would get off with a slap ont he wrist. As I've said on previous occasions, I feel for this man, because I think some crimes are so vile that they defy categorization. If there is such a thing as a soul, his is fried. There was no chance of there being a death penalty in a case like this, but I think I'd rather be dead than have years to sit and think about the horrible things I did to so many people.

 In other stories, some experts are dismissing the airplane incident in connection with Billy Mays' death yesterday, although I suppose it's still to early to know precisely what happened.

 I didn't catch the BET Awards last night. I was hoping it would be rerun after midnight so I could see the Michael Jackson tribute, but it wasn't. Any of you watch it?

 NJ.com is reporting that Peregrine falcons, all but wiped out because of DDT use in the 1950s and '60s, have made a comeback. In fact, some of the falcons have been spotted in Hackensack.

 In ruling for the white firefighters in New Haven (reversing the decision of Sonia Sotomayor), the Supreme Court has reminded us that there are still issues of race in this country in need of serious untangling.

Bring your dog to work week

Dom Nizza writes a business newsletter and today's theme (suggested by a reader) was "Bring Your Dog to Work Week." (Ha! A whole week!) I don't anticipate this becoming a federally-sanctioned holiday, but Dom had some fun pics to illustrate how dogs could -- without proper supervision -- take your job away from you.

Another obit?

Oxi-Clean pitchman Billy Mays was found dead in his Tampa, Florida home this morning. Mays, 50, was found by his wife. The cause of death was not known. Weird.

Looks like...

Another winner today! I need an oil change. Then...I'm not sure what I'm doing.... I'll check in later, though. ENJOY.

What a...

beautiful day....

North Jersey was a steambath when I left this morning, but once I hit the Southern State Parkway on Long Island, I could feel a nice cool breeze. Overall, a terrific day, weather-wise. Bright and sunny, warm... plus, that breeze.

 Perfect! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

 For those of you who live in some other part of the country where it's been warm and sunny for the last two months, I hope you had that rain you've been praying for.

 If we can send you anymore, please let us know.

"Bruno" and LaToya

 A scene featuring LaToya Jackson was snipped out of the Sacha Baron Cohen movie "Bruno" just in time for the film's premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday night, hours after it was learned that her brother had died. (The scene, in which the unsuspecting Ms. Jackson was interviewed by the fictional Bruno, also involved him trying to get Michael's phone number.)

The New York Times' Brooks Barnes reports another bit of oddness, though: The red carpet used for the premiere was (unintentionally) covering Michael's star on the Walk of Fame, confusing fans who had come to gather there.

 IN OTHER NEWS, there apparently is no other news. Jackson's death -- a story that will dominate our lives for at least another week -- has eclipsed everything else going on in the world. Gov. Sanford? Iran? They've been reduced to footnotes on most cable news channels and the Jackson story is a multi-headed hydra that is going to go on in so many different directions (the drugs, the doctors, the kids, the memorabilia, the enablers, the family, etc.) that everything else will shrink in its wake.

 Iranian-Americans are particularly outraged and disappointed by all of this, as the events happening in Iran could shape the future of that country. Meanwhile, Gov. Sanford has gone back to work because -- ha-ha -- no one's paying attention to his marital problems, anymore.

 And what about that sweeping climate change bill approved by the House of Representatives on Friday? Well, you probably never even heard about it.

 One piece of news, I did catch, though: It's going to be raining, on and off, for the next seven days.

 

"I just wanted to save him..."

 THIS POST on Lisa Marie Presley's myspace page provides some moving insights into the private life of Michael Jackson. I suspect we'll be reading a lot more like this in the days to come. Despite the overkill on television (which was to be expected, of course) I don't think this loss has sunk in yet for many of us. I'm guessing the next few days will be pretty crazy. 

Another goodbye...sniff, sniff...

Was to sad to hear yesterday that Mikey's pup had passed on. Now, I've just received an email from our blogger bud Lanie that her Samantha died this morning. As Lanie wrote, "She died naturally, at home, in my little boy's arms....just as he wanted." Lanie wanted to thank those of you who had expressed concern and since it appears we're all pet lovers here, I want to share this shot of Samantha. 

 Now, since I think we could all use a smile, how about sharing some special memories of a pet -- past or present?

 Jasper (my dog) sleeps wrapped up in a blanket every night and sometimes she gets a little TOO wrapped up in it. I think my favorite sight in the world is waking up to her trying to extricate herself from her blanket. She's halfway across the room and the blanket is still wrapped around her head like some endless bridal veil and she looks at me with that, "I'm sorry, can you help me out, here" look on her face.

 It's priceless.

Afterthoughts...

 Sorry to be Missing In Action, but I had friends here last night, we went out to dinner, and then switched around the various news channels catching updates and interviews.

 I was obviously shocked to hear of Michael Jackson's passing. That lasted for about an hour. Then, I felt...

 Well, to be honest, I'm not sure what I felt.

 Legal woes aside -- And he was acquitted of them, wasn't he? -- I think Michael spent the second half of his life consumed by what appeared to be deep emotional problems and some PR-fueled desire to be perceived as a living, breathing fairy tale character.

 I've always been in awe of his talents, but having grown up hearing and reading about the tragic lives of onetime child stars (going back to the MGM days), I've always been sensitive to the fact that many of these pint-sized legends grow up to be unhappy and perhaps even delusional adults.

 It makes things doubly painful to think that he was about to embark on a tour that could have resuscitated his musical career and given him an opportunity to rework his image. The first chapter of that career began in the late 60s, as that adorable kid with the big voice and all the right moves. In the '80s, after a brief absence from the public eye, he re-emerged as a full-fledged superstar, brimming with style and sophisticated musicianship. But, the third chapter of his life was simply creepy -- a case of everything going wrong that could go wrong.

 Ask anyone who had it all at an early age and they will tell you, in retrospect, what hell it was to be surrounded by people who lived off their talents, praised them endlessly, and never said NO to them.

 Michael's physical transformation was shocking and disturbing. I can recall seeing interviews with plastic surgeons who said they would never have consented to the multiple procedures that Michael obviously underwent. (Procedures that were dutifully denied by certain family members and business associates.) 

In the early '90s, as his behavior became more erratic and unpredictable, it was hard to resist reading some little squib about What Wacky Michael Did This Time. But, after a while, the "unpredictable" became sadly predictable, and what was once bizarre and amusing began to seem repulsive.

 I don't wish to speak ill of him as a person. I think that despite his problems, he was a loving man who sincerely cared about others. And as a talent, he was extraordinary. (I saw him at Madison Square Garden in the 1980s, at the height of his powers, and he blew me away.) But, there is something not quite right about someone who seemingly has it all and then manages to disintegrate in plain view of the world.

I mourn his loss and it makes me cringe to think what his children are now going through. But, beyond that, I think I will always remember him as an alienated youngster who grew up with a desire to reach out and care for others, without ever learning how to take care of himself.

 I'm hopeful that in the next few days, those who knew and loved him will share what they knew, and in the process "humanize" him for us once again. Because, as strange as this may sound, seeing him the last 10 years or so made me far sadder than learning yesterday that he had died.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for confirmation

As I write this, CNN is still awaiting confirmation on what the LA Times and other news outlets are reporting as fact, that singer Michael Jackson has died at age 50 in California after suffering cardiac arrest.

Yikes.

(AP Photo)

Rest in peace

The lovely and talented Farrah Fawcett has lost her battle with cancer. She fought the good fight, and will always be remembered for her spirit and courage...

(Photo: AP)

Scorchers

 

We're expected a hot sunny day today, so be still, my beating heart.

Another shocking sex scandal for Rebublicans with the Sanford case, although this one seems a little more interesting than some of the others. Many details are forthcoming and I suppose I will read all about them like everyone else. 

 Of course, sex scandals only interest me because they're about SEX. I don't think anyone should lose their job and their life over an affair, although this one seems as if there was much more going on. Did Sanford love this woman? That's what it sounded like to me, but his bizarre behavior, compounded by that press conference, have pretty much dashed any chances he had of running for president in 2012.

 Yesterday, Chris Matthews compared the fortunes of the 2012 GOP hopefuls to the folks who opened King Tut's tomb and then proceeded to drop dead, one after the other.

 At the moment it looks as if the party's real frontrunners for 2012 will be the same ones from 2008, and isn't that a fine kettle of fish?

 The flames are still raging out of control in Iran, and I'm not sure what you tell you about that mess. I honestly don't get the complaints about Obama with regard to all of this, except -- as some suspect -- it is part of a political campaign to paint him as weak on foreign policy.

 Uh...hello?

 Not a true scorcher, but a genuine surprise that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is going to expand this year's Best Picture field to 10 nominees, instead of five. This is how it was in the olden days, and I'm guessing it could increase interest in the Oscar telecast, pick up things at the box office (nominees usually experience a bump in business) and make things a little more interesting. Although, as always, only one picture can win, so it shouldn't effect the outcome too much.

(Photo by Greenwood Today)

 

Wednesday 6-24-09

What's new, pussycats?

 I have a ton of work to do, here, and haven't even looked at the wires yet, so I can't tell you who died, who did something stupid, or which country appears to be on the verge of collapse.

 I DO know, however, that it doesn't look to appetizing outside. But, I wasn't expecting a beach day.

 I'll be checking in later, but hopefully one of you will pick a suitable hot topic until I return. Have a nice day, whatever you're doing... 

Ed, Farrah, Neda

I guess we all heard yesterday that Farrah Fawcett is back in hospital, and -- in Ryan O'Neal's words - "fighting for her life." (Barbara Walters has apparently put together a special on Farrah that will air Friday on "20/20.")

 The news today that Ed McMahon died at 86 was not unexpected but still a bit sad for those of us who had him in our living rooms for so many years. 

 For days, we've also been seeing photos and videos of Neda, the young Iranian killed during the ongoing protests in Iran. Her death has been so widely reported around the world, despite a media blackout, that there are (so far) two stories here: one, that that she was killed at all, and the other being the technology that allows "citizen journalists" to send these images around the world in the blink of an eye.

 I'm never sure what to make of CNN and the other networks airing "raw footage" this way. Aside from the fact that some of these videos are incredibly graphic, they are often shown with little or no context. This, in turn, colors how we see the larger news story, and how the protesters themselves perceive their cause.

 Causes can always use a powerful symbol and Neda has become one. Of course, in the case of her death, a whole lot of context isn't necessary. But I've seen some videos on CNN (and elsewhere) that could be anything. I have no idea what I'm looking at.

 The irony here is that in an attempt to "control" this story, the Iranian government has lost all control over it. Watching some of the coverage, I'm also reminded of the lead-up to the Iraq war, when Iraqis in this country made the news channel rounds and told us -- a bit too over-enthusiastically -- that their countrymen would welcome our troops with open arms.

 I suppose part of the story is better than no story at all, but I'm not crazy about the coverage we've been getting, and I worry about where it could lead.

 

Coming in 2010

 No one has ever accused of Tim Burton of not having a sense of style. This pics, from the director's upcoming "Alice in Wonderland" show Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter with Mia Wasikowsky and Michael Sheen, below, as Alice and the White Rabbit, respectively. Looks like fun...

Monday, Monday

We had a nice Fathers Day celebration at my brother's house yesterday, and a brief patch of sunshine! I don't see any sun today, but what else is new? I'm hoping to take my father to see "The Taking of Pelham 123" this afternoon.  And that's about all the news I can share at the moment.

Happy

Father's 

Day

Iranian Opposition Plans New Demonstration

Supreme Leader is pissed.

We're pulling for you, Walter!

Despite reports that 92-year-old veteran newsman Walter Cronkite is "gravely ill" after a recent illness, the longtime CBS anchor's representatives say that he is "recuperating" and that stories to the contrary have been overstated. Here's hoping that he is, indeed, getting better. For many years, Cronkite topped lists of the most trusted people in America. We trust he's fighting the good fight now. 

WHEELIE

Just came home to an email from a reader who said he was watching my old Wheel of Fortune episode on the Game Show Network. I missed it but I know they run a few episodes a day so maybe I'll be repeated. I have an old VCR tape of the show but nothing to watch it on...

; (

bzzz

Heading out shortly to discuss mosquitoes with the experts. Have you had a skeeter problem yet this year?

Feeling nostalgic?

 

 I'm not, although it was kind of fun to look at some of the photos on this link which will bring you back to the era of 1955-1965. (Hmm...is that Apple Betty?) Thanks to LWT for sending it my way...

More housewives

 For those of you who missed Tuesday night's trashy finale of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," the episode will repeat at 9 p.m. tonight on Bravo, followed by a BONUS hour that will flesh out one of the most memorable dinner parties ever captured on film, or tape, or whatever they're using nowadays. The first half hour of the finale was nothing special. But the second half, which takes place in a restaurant, is a wildly entertaining showdown in which Danielle takes on Dina, Caroline, Therese and the entire state of New Jersey. Moral: It is not nice to spread gossip at the beauty parlor.

 By this point in our story it seems almost preposterous that these women would all get together in one place, since there is so much bad blood between them. And this, of course, is always the fly in the ointment of reality television. Viewers are never quite sure what's real and what isn't. 

 On the other hand, even if the get-together itself seems forced, the argument that ensues is quite believable. (For those who have watched every episode, it also contains some surprises.)

 I'm not sure what more we'll find out during the 10 p.m. bonus round, but I'll be there. Smirking.

It is...

raining, again....

just thought i'd let u know.

No apology

 First Dave sort of apologized to the Palin family. Then, he seriously apologized. They accepted. Then, he joked about it again. Then...Oh, I don't know. How come nobody apologized to A-Rod?

Getting REAL

For sheer insanity (and fun) it was hard to top the last half hour of Tuesday night's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" finale. Lots of screaming, accusations, overturned tables... and seafood! Sounds like dinner at my house. 

To Virginia V

Hi Virginia, I got your email. My father's eye condition is called Bonnet Syndrome, named for Charles Bonnet. You can Google it and get lots of information about it.

Vegetative states

Dumont Library

 Yes, I will be appearing this Wednesday at the Dixon Homestead Library in Dumont at 7 p.m. but it appears as if there are no seats available. I'm not sure if there is a waiting list or anything but their number is 201 384-2030.

Spielbergian

  

Perhaps you've heard about the clouds today. Jane Wiggins, the paralegal from Cedar Rapids who took the above photo in 2006 called them "Armageddon" clouds. (Although, to me, they look more like something out of Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters.") Now, meteorologists are debating whether or not to name a new cloud variety -- the first since 1951. Proposed name: undulus asperatus, Latin for "turbulent undulation."

 Apparently, these undulating cloud masses have been popping up around the world with increasing frequency, giving all of this a certain sci-fi vibe. According to USA Today, the chief executive of the UK's Royal Meteorological Society has called the formations "astonishing" and a four-person committee has been set up to study these clouds and their characteristics.

 I think I have seen formations like this, although not to the degree captured in this photo. Far stranger, though, is the amount of space lately that we've been using to discuss the weather. Makes it hard not to think that something weird is going on up there.

(Photo by Jane Wiggins/AP)

HAVE YOU SEEN ME?

 If you have seen THE SUN or have any information about his whereabouts please call 555-4592.

On fire

For those of you into fiery karate action (as discussed in the thread below) Lanie sent along her husband (who she neglected to name) whacking a burning board. I'm guessing this is where white-hot knuckles come from.

I HAVE DECIDED TO...

...remain in Jersey for the weekend.
Alert the media.

Knocked up?

 In case anyone is interested, I did think David Letterman's remarks concerning the (wrong) Palin daughter were tasteless and not particularly funny. But, Gov. Palin's response has been weird and a little over-the-top. I don't think Bristol Palin is off-limits to comedians; she's 18 years old and her public life has been spilling all over the place for almost a year now. (The snag in all of this, as I'm sure you all know by now is that it was the governor's other daughter, 14-year-old Willow, who was at the ballgame, blah-blah-blah.)

 Just hearing the governor talking about the New York/Hollywood mindset gave me that nauseous feeling that I seemed to have every day in the last eight years. The folks who criticize the current GOP say it's negative and devoid of ideas. (Correct.) I've been supportive of Palin in the past, and I think her discomfort with that misguided joke was totally understandable. But, nothing else she has said leads me to believe that she gets the idea that she's spouting junk that most of the country is sick of hearing.

 

The next Mr. Bono

 

 OK, this is one of those stories that makes your head spin, even when you should know better. And I suppose it's particularly surreal to those of us who still vividly remember little Chastity Bono (at age 3 or thereabouts) frolicking around with her parents on "The Sonny and Cher Show" in the early 1970s. Chastity would later say, on numerous occasions, that she had little or no recollection of those walk-ons, which she did wearing an assortment of frilly little outfits, but perhaps if we were to look back at them today, we'd see just how uncomfortable she was to be dressed as a girl.

 An out lesbian for most of her adult life, Chastity apparently wasn't a lesbian, after all. At least, not according to the stories today that one of the most beloved of celebrity offspring is in the midst of gender reassignment.

 I'm guessing those who have known Chastity well for these many years were not surprised to discover that the former Miss Bono has never considered herself to be particularly female. The rest of us, have been mildly shocked in the last few hours to read that Chastity is now Chaz and that even mainstream media outlets (such as ABC News) are using male pronouns to describe...him.

 Sorry, for the discomfort, but this is going to take a while to get used to.

 Not that this is HIS problem. Right now, it's mine. And it reminds me of how -- all too often -- we see people on television and get it into our kooky heads that we actually know them.

 I've never met Chastity or Chaz. I'm guessing most of you haven't, either. But as far as I can recall, this is the first time I've heard about a gender reassignment that involved someone I THOUGHT I knew. And, it feels... odd.

 A handful of people have become famous after changing genders, but I'm having a hard time thinking of someone who was this well known beforehand. Of course, to do something so urgent -- and this is not a decision anyone could make lightly -- with the knowledge that so many people are going to be gawking over it, requires an extraordinary amount of courage. 

 I would also think it requires a rock-solid support system. 

 So, I apologize for being a little confused today, and of course I wish him the best. 

 I expect to recover from this gigantic HUH? moment in a few minutes or so. And, I will. I promise.

 

From mikeymike

"Redneck Fire Alarm"

"It's raining, it's pouring...."

 Opening line of the Barbra Streisand/Donna Summer duet "Enough Is Enough."

Top Chef Masters

Any of you watch the new Top Chef series last night? No Padma! And a whole different format involving more established "master" chefs who get to see, up close, how grueling these competitions can be. I really enjoyed it.