Here’s a swell new Onion interview with writer John Hodgman.He’s the dowdy “PC” on Apple TV ads, and a regular on Jon Stewart’s show. He’s also the author of the fake-trivia books The Areas of My Expertise and More Information Than You Require.
A reader writes:George Burns: did he make it to 100? I can’t believe his name is not listed. Thanks.Too true: Surprising that we don’t have Burns and Gracie Allen both. We’ve added them to our to-do list for the coming year.Yes, George Burns was exactly 100 when he died in 1996. He just barely made it: He was born on January 20th of 1896, and died on March 9th in 1996. So he got there with 49 days to spare. (1996 was a leap year.)
Unexpected photos from The Honolulu Advertiser.Barack Obama, in jeans and flip-flops, takes a brief stroll through the alleys of his old neighborhood. He looks, for a brief moment, like an unknown local. (Notes the story, “Obama appeared solemn when he spotted his traveling press running toward him.”)
Editor Paul Hehn, at the Modern Poetry desk, has posted a new profile of tricorn hat-wearing poet Marianne Moore.
The newest gapper for our files: Harper Lee, author of the classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Editor Paul Hehn, at the Southern Literature desk, has written a fine new profile. (And dang it, Truman Capote did NOT write her book.)
…because she died five years ago, along with Warren Zevon and Keiko the whale.Ederle was a lot more famous than either of them in her day. She was the first woman to swim the 35 miles across the English Channel. She pulled herself across in 14 hours and 39 minutes on a summer’s day in 1926. (Top that, Keiko!)
Just caught up with this obituary from Sunday’s NY Times: Lefty Rosenthal, the gambler who inspired Robert De Niro’s character in Casino. As The Times notes, Rosenthal was never quite the same after surviving a car bomb outside a Tony Roma’s in Las Vegas in 1982.
The LA Times recaps the college years of Sarah Palin.The full sequence, beginning in the fall of 1982, is: University of Hawaii at Hilo (arrived but never enrolled), Hawaii Pacific University, North Idaho College, University of Idaho, Matanuska-Susitna College (Alaska, one term), then University of Idaho again (graduating in 1987).
Director J.J. Abrams grapples with Capt. Kirk over the upcoming Star Trek movie.
“Mr. Blackwell, the acerbic designer whose annual worst-dressed list skewered the fashion felonies of celebrities from Zsa Zsa Gabor to Britney Spears, has died. He was 86.” -The Associated PressHis real name was Richard Sylvan Selzer and he was born in 1922.
We’ve posted new profiles of Sasha and Malia Obama, the daughters of presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.Both girls gave us a bit of trouble with their birthdays.
The Japanese papers are struggling to read the kimchi leaves about the health of Kim Jong-Il.
“I’m not going to Vegas or anything like that.”-High School Musical heartthrob Zac Efron on turning 21 this weekend.
One bit of good news out of the Guy Ritchie divorce chatter: Turns out Ritchie is busy filming a new Sherlock Holmes feature, with Robert Downey Jr. starring as the grand old detective. (Plus Jude Law as Dr. Watson!)
The full transcript of last night’s Alfred E. Smith dinner, with jokes by both John McCain and Barack Obama.Whaddya know: Both men came out looking like real human beings.
Two days after the debate, Google News still has 3400+ stories for “Joe the Plumber.” Joe isn’t playing so well in Chicago.One surprise: joetheplumber.com is not a parked domain that someone set up overnight. It’s the website of a actual plumber in Amarillo, Texas.
Congressional Quarterly has it.
“You’re right about Bayh’s birthplace and we’ve changed our bio accordingly. As you mentioned, Shirkieville is listed on most of the official sources, but Bayh’s own words provide the correct answer. Good catch.”Thanks to the staff of The Indianapolis Star for that new comment on our blog post, Shirkieville or Terre Haute?
Funny comment thread on this baseball report from The Washington Post.
Courtesy of Politico.