“This Has Been Tougher Than Finding a Commerce Secretary”
First Dog update: It’s down to labradoodle vs. Portuguese water dog.
The Who2 Blog
Dr. King’s Premonition
Last year The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran a 40th anniversary feature on the death of Martin Luther King. It’s well worth a visit on this week of Dr. King’s 80th birthday. The feature is packed full of photos, story archives, links, and videos like the one below, with his friends talking about the days before he died.
Arne Duncan, the Hoop-Shooting Secretary of Education
Here’s a great 10-minute interview with Arne Duncan, the new Secretary of Education-to-be. (Courtesy of the education site Edutopia.)Duncan’s a fascinating guy. His basketball history has gotten quite a bit of coverage, and rightfully so: After starring at Harvard, he went to Australia and played pro ball from 1987-91.
Greatest Inaugural Story Lede So Far
“Thank God that Doris Kearns Goodwin didn’t write a profile of Montezuma’s cabinet. Otherwise they’d be eating human flesh at Barack Obama’s inauguration!”Political Machine chuckling about the Lincoln-oriented menu for Inauguration Day.
Brady Proposes to Bundchen for Record Seventh Time
People swears that it’s not like last time. This time it’s absolutely, positively for certain: Tom Brady is marrying Gisele Bündchen.”The couple is discussing a huge fashionista event in the spring or a more intimate and quicker ceremony in Costa Rica, where Gisele has a home.”
Telly Savalas Was Born in 1922, Not 1924
We had 1924 as the birth year for Telly Savalas, but our friends at Answers.com asked us to double-check the date.We did, by writing to CMG Worldwide, the management company that runs the official Telly Savalas website and manages his image for his estate. Their reply:Hello, thank you for your inquiry on Telly Savalas. I have confirmed his birthdate was Jan. 21, 1922. Thank you for you time and concern. Regards,Matt Graves
“My Fellow Americans, God Bless America”
That was the complete six-word inaugural address of the Barack Obama stand-in at today’s practice inauguration.Obama was played by an Army staff sergeant wearing a sign reading “Pres.-Elect Obama”; Michelle Obama’s stand-in was a Navy yeoman.Stars and Stripes has photos.
The ‘Star Wars’ Audition Tapes
Blast from the distant past: Kurt Russell tries out for the part of Han Solo in Star Wars…
Not-So-Nice Inspiration for Dylan Song Dies
William Zantzinger, the villain in Bob Dylan’s 1964 song “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll,” has died at age 69.
A Salute to the American Presidency Project
While researching our new profile of CIA nominee Leon Panetta, we came across this great resource from UC Santa Barbara: The American Presidency ProjectIt’s a monster collection of public papers of the presidents, plus assorted proclamations, remarks, press briefings, election notes, audio and video. (Want to hear Herbert Hoover address the Puerto Rican legislature?
You May Now Retire, Jimmy Page
You’re 65 today.
Diane Keaton Collects Creepy Clown Paintings
Strange, but true.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.