Who2 Editorial Blog

Notes and Commentary from the Editors

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Bushisms

"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?"

"It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber."

"They misunderestimated me."

The BBC lines 'em up.

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 6:34 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Hentoff's Last Riff

"I used to say, 'I've been at the Voice since the Civil War.' But now I'm off to other combats."

Nat Hentoff, expert columnist on law, politics and jazz, moves on after 50 years at The Village Voice.

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 3:13 PM 0 comments

Obama's New Limo is an Armored "Cocoon"

Made by Cadillac.

"One news agency, noting its 8-inch-thick doors, says the limo can withstand a 'direct hit from an asteroid.' But GM spokeswoman Joanne K. Krell laughed off the comments. 'And it will fix you a latte if you ask,' she jokes."

A $25 billion latte, if you include the cost of the GM buyout.

Meanwhile, a historical side note:

"In 1965, Lyndon Johnson was the first president to ride in a bulletproof limo in an inaugural parade, less than two years after his predecessor, John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed while riding in an open car."

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 11:53 AM 0 comments

A Brief Explanation of Why A California Actress Would Want To Name One Twin Daughter After A Country Singer from Locust Ridge, Tennessee

We read often yesterday that Rebecca Romijn had named a daughter for country singer Dolly Parton... but no mention of why she would want to name a daughter after Dolly Parton.

(Just to recap: Romijn had twin daughters: Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip. Fraternal twins, not identical, says People.)

A little digging turns up this Romijn quote from last August:

"I have been a Dolly fan all of my life. She is a wonderful woman. I really connect with her music and I can't think of a better role model for my children."

Well, OK.

But why not name the other twin for Porter Wagoner?

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 7:35 AM 0 comments

Nicolas Cage is Only 45 Years Old Today

Doesn't he seem older?

Born in 1964. His first big role was in Valley Girl in 1983. (A year earlier he played "Brad's Bud" in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.)

That's 26 years on the big screen.

Others born the same year as Cage: Sarah Palin, Keanu Reeves, and Willy Wonka.

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 7:19 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Hilda Solis is Class of '79, Not Class of '80

Secretary of Labor nominee Hilda Solis graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 1979, in case there was any question.

There's a bit of confusion about the date online; a few sources say 1980. The Cal Poly website itself said 1980, which led Who2 editor Hans Holznagel to write them for clarification.

Here's the very nice reply from Dr. Ron Fremont of university relations:

Thanks for writing to us. We have made a correction. Hilda Solis graduated in 1979.

We therefore say 1979 in our Solis profile.

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 8:01 PM 0 comments

Bobby Fischer's First Big Match

"On Bobby's scorecard that day, it all looked so simple, so preordained. When it was over, in his typically illegible hand, he scrawled 'Mate' (it looked like 'Mute') -- and then put on his jacket and left with his mom."

Remembering the 1956 match of chess prodigy Bobby Fischer and Donald Byrne.

Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 7:53 PM 0 comments

Reports: Jett Travolta Died of a Seizure

The death certificate of Jett Travolta, the son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston, says he died of a seizure. So reports ABC News.

Reportedly there was no sign of trauma to his head. Earlier reports had suggested he died after hitting his head on a bathtub.

An autopsy on Travolta was completed yesterday. The results have not been made public, and may never be.

Jett Travolta has now been cremated and his family has returned to Florida, says The Times.

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