Monday, December 22, 2008
Hiatus
I'm going on hiatus until further notice. I will be back soon. Until then please enjoy the archives.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Martin Klimas @ Foley Gallery
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Don’t cry—it wasn’t an heirloom, and it’s easily replaceable. And don’t get mad at Martin Klimas, the German photographer responsible for this soon-to- be mess: His images, which he creates by firing a small projectile into his unsuspecting, blossom-bearing subjects and then capturing the results with a high-speed camera, are as wickedly delightful as they are distressing.
— Miranda Siegel\via NY Mag
Foley Gallery
547 W. 27th St., 5th fl, New York, NY 10001
nr. Tenth Ave
Thru 1/17/09 Tue-Sat, 11am-6pm
Don’t cry—it wasn’t an heirloom, and it’s easily replaceable. And don’t get mad at Martin Klimas, the German photographer responsible for this soon-to- be mess: His images, which he creates by firing a small projectile into his unsuspecting, blossom-bearing subjects and then capturing the results with a high-speed camera, are as wickedly delightful as they are distressing.
— Miranda Siegel\via NY Mag
Foley Gallery
547 W. 27th St., 5th fl, New York, NY 10001
nr. Tenth Ave
Thru 1/17/09 Tue-Sat, 11am-6pm
Online-Only Reporting Eligible for Pulitzer
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Pulitzer
From PulitzerNew York, Dec. 8, 2008 – The Pulitzer Prizes in journalism, which honor the work of American newspapers appearing in print, have been expanded to include many text-based newspapers and news organizations that publish only on the Internet, the Pulitzer Prize Board announced today.
The Board also has decided to allow entries made up entirely of online content to be submitted in all 14 Pulitzer journalism categories.
While broadening the competition, the Board stressed that all entered material -- whether online or in print -- should come from United States newspapers or news organizations that publish at least weekly, that are "primarily dedicated to original news reporting and coverage of ongoing stories," and that "adhere to the highest journalistic principles.”
Consistent with its historic focus on daily and weekly newspapers, the Board will continue to exclude entries from printed magazines and broadcast media and their respective Web sites.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Augusten Burroughs' Mom is Writing a Memoir
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
... literary agent David Kuhn is selling a memoir by Margaret Robison, the mother of Augusten Burroughs.
Ms. Robison, a poet and a writer in her own right, was portrayed brutally in her son's 2002 book Running With Scissors as a self-obsessed, negligent mother. That book created more than a few bad feelings within Mr. Burroughs' family—both biological and adoptive—not to mention a lawsuit...
Ms. Robison has spoken calmly about her son's book it in interviews since, insisting that she does not hold her son's book against him but making clear that she has issues with certain facets of his account.
"I've had to forgive myself for many things," Ms. Robison told NPR in 2006. "To forgive my son. I have worked a long time with forgiveness." She also said that Running with Scissors "offered [her] the opportunity to grow spiritually in a way that nothing had" before.
... literary agent David Kuhn is selling a memoir by Margaret Robison, the mother of Augusten Burroughs.
Ms. Robison, a poet and a writer in her own right, was portrayed brutally in her son's 2002 book Running With Scissors as a self-obsessed, negligent mother. That book created more than a few bad feelings within Mr. Burroughs' family—both biological and adoptive—not to mention a lawsuit...
Ms. Robison has spoken calmly about her son's book it in interviews since, insisting that she does not hold her son's book against him but making clear that she has issues with certain facets of his account.
"I've had to forgive myself for many things," Ms. Robison told NPR in 2006. "To forgive my son. I have worked a long time with forgiveness." She also said that Running with Scissors "offered [her] the opportunity to grow spiritually in a way that nothing had" before.
Bloomberg on East River Toll Idea
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Rich Schapiro\Daily News
A state commission is considering adding tolls to the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and 59th Street bridges to ease the MTA's billion-dollar budget hole, sources said.
With nearly half a million cars and trucks crossing the four East River bridges every day, the proposed tolls could raise up to $1 billion for the cash-strapped MTA, sources said.
The proposal wouldn't go into effect overnight - or without a vicious fight.
Both City Hall and Albany would have to approve the wallet-busting plan because the city owns the four bridges and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is a state agency.
By Graham T. Beck\Gotham Gazette
Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared at the press conference announcing the report, he has not issued a full-fledge endorsement, saying instead that it is up to the legislature "to come up with solutions."
By Rich Schapiro\Daily News
A state commission is considering adding tolls to the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and 59th Street bridges to ease the MTA's billion-dollar budget hole, sources said.
With nearly half a million cars and trucks crossing the four East River bridges every day, the proposed tolls could raise up to $1 billion for the cash-strapped MTA, sources said.
The proposal wouldn't go into effect overnight - or without a vicious fight.
Both City Hall and Albany would have to approve the wallet-busting plan because the city owns the four bridges and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is a state agency.
By Graham T. Beck\Gotham Gazette
Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared at the press conference announcing the report, he has not issued a full-fledge endorsement, saying instead that it is up to the legislature "to come up with solutions."
Monday, December 15, 2008
Julian Schnabel Gets Hostile on "60 Minutes"
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Schnabel gets hostile near the 8:00 minute mark in the clip when Morley Safer mentions the art critic Robert Hughes.
Schnabel gets hostile near the 8:00 minute mark in the clip when Morley Safer mentions the art critic Robert Hughes.
Nine Broadway Theaters Not Booked for Spring 2009
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Julia Boorstin\Seeking Alpha
The Great White Way is facing a long, cold, and very challenging winter. Broadway tickets are pricey and sure to be hit by the economic downturn. Ticket sales and attendance at Broadway shows started slipping in mid-October, no surprise.
A number of big, award-winning shows, including "Hairspray," "Spamalot" and "Young Frankenstein" are set to close in January. Though projections for the holiday season have remained relatively strong, the period between January and March, which is always a weak time, is only going to be bleaker this coming year.
The solution? Deep discounts. Today Disney is launching a "kids go free" promotion. If you buy a ticket to one of 200 performances in January, February and March, you get a free ticket for a kid age 18 and below. Disney's expecting this to give the shows a real boost during what's traditionally their weakest period. The Broadway League is launching its annual "Season of Savings" program on Broadway and Off Broadway shows in early 2009.
By Julia Boorstin\Seeking Alpha
The Great White Way is facing a long, cold, and very challenging winter. Broadway tickets are pricey and sure to be hit by the economic downturn. Ticket sales and attendance at Broadway shows started slipping in mid-October, no surprise.
A number of big, award-winning shows, including "Hairspray," "Spamalot" and "Young Frankenstein" are set to close in January. Though projections for the holiday season have remained relatively strong, the period between January and March, which is always a weak time, is only going to be bleaker this coming year.
The solution? Deep discounts. Today Disney is launching a "kids go free" promotion. If you buy a ticket to one of 200 performances in January, February and March, you get a free ticket for a kid age 18 and below. Disney's expecting this to give the shows a real boost during what's traditionally their weakest period. The Broadway League is launching its annual "Season of Savings" program on Broadway and Off Broadway shows in early 2009.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition
4th\SW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
The Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition game combines the best of classic Monopoly with updated electronic transactions. As with the original version, players still operate with money, learn real-world economics, competition and strategy, try to stay out of jail, and try their best to get filthy rich. But this version has been updated to reflect changes in how the real world uses money: All transactions are conducted with Monopoly's new banking card system. Anyone from age 8 and up will enjoy this updated version of one of the world's most famous games.
-- Source: Amazon
The Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition game combines the best of classic Monopoly with updated electronic transactions. As with the original version, players still operate with money, learn real-world economics, competition and strategy, try to stay out of jail, and try their best to get filthy rich. But this version has been updated to reflect changes in how the real world uses money: All transactions are conducted with Monopoly's new banking card system. Anyone from age 8 and up will enjoy this updated version of one of the world's most famous games.
-- Source: Amazon
TV Linked to Childhood Obesity and Unhappiness
4th\SW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Science Daily
Are happy or unhappy people more attracted to television? This question is addressed by a new 30-year analysis1 of US national data of nearly 30,000 adults by John Robinson and Steven Martin from the University of Maryland in the US. Examining the activity patterns of happy and less happy people in the General Social Survey (GSS) between 1975 and 2006, the authors found that happy people were more socially active, attended more religious services, voted more and read more newspapers.
In contrast, unhappy people watched significantly more television in their spare time.
By RONI CARYN RABIN\New York Times
Banning fast food advertisements from children’s television programs would reduce the number of overweight children in the U.S. by 18 percent and decrease the number of overweight teens by 14 percent, economists have estimated in a new study.
The researchers used several statistical models to link obesity rates to the amount of time spent viewing fast food advertising, finding that viewing more fast food commercials on television raises the risk of obesity in children. The study appears in this month’s issue of The Journal of Law and Economics.
From Science DailyAre happy or unhappy people more attracted to television? This question is addressed by a new 30-year analysis1 of US national data of nearly 30,000 adults by John Robinson and Steven Martin from the University of Maryland in the US. Examining the activity patterns of happy and less happy people in the General Social Survey (GSS) between 1975 and 2006, the authors found that happy people were more socially active, attended more religious services, voted more and read more newspapers.
In contrast, unhappy people watched significantly more television in their spare time.
By RONI CARYN RABIN\New York Times
Banning fast food advertisements from children’s television programs would reduce the number of overweight children in the U.S. by 18 percent and decrease the number of overweight teens by 14 percent, economists have estimated in a new study.
The researchers used several statistical models to link obesity rates to the amount of time spent viewing fast food advertising, finding that viewing more fast food commercials on television raises the risk of obesity in children. The study appears in this month’s issue of The Journal of Law and Economics.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
50 Cent vs Taco Bell
3rd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From 96WEFM
50 Cent is not too happy about an offer from Taco Bell, who wants him to adopt a new name.
To promote its new “Why Pay More” value menu, Taco Bell sent 50 Cent an offer letter, asking him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for one day this summer.
Taco Bell President Greg Creed, who made the proposal to 50 Cent's agent, also wrote that his company would make a ten thousand dollars donation to a charity of the rapper’s choice, if he accepts the request. As part of the deal, 50 Cent would also have to make an appearance at any Taco Bell location around the country he chooses and rap his order in the drive thru with his new name.
However, 50 Cent didn’t find any humor in the offer.
He said when his legal team is finished, Taco Bell is going to have a new corporate slogan: 'We messed with the bull and got the horns.'
50 Cent is not too happy about an offer from Taco Bell, who wants him to adopt a new name.
To promote its new “Why Pay More” value menu, Taco Bell sent 50 Cent an offer letter, asking him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for one day this summer.
Taco Bell President Greg Creed, who made the proposal to 50 Cent's agent, also wrote that his company would make a ten thousand dollars donation to a charity of the rapper’s choice, if he accepts the request. As part of the deal, 50 Cent would also have to make an appearance at any Taco Bell location around the country he chooses and rap his order in the drive thru with his new name.
However, 50 Cent didn’t find any humor in the offer.
He said when his legal team is finished, Taco Bell is going to have a new corporate slogan: 'We messed with the bull and got the horns.'
Julia Christensen's "Big Box Reuse"
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Publishers Weekly
Since 1962, big-box stores of 20,000 to 28,000 square feet have dotted the American landscape, their bare-boned appearance, according to artist Christensen, promising bare-boned bargains. But after the box is vacated, sometimes after only a few years, a community is left with a decision about what to do with the structure.
Christensen focuses on empty Wal-Mart and Kmart stores to discuss 10 imaginative and successful projects converting boxes into a library, a Head Start center and a senior resource center, among others. Charter schools have moved into empty big boxes, as have churches, for whom, Christensen says, the big box may be the revival tent of the twenty-first century.
Christensen's stories can become repetitive, but the themes she draws from her investigations carry conviction and a sense of urgency. She argues that eventual reuse should be a part of a big box's original design, and that information on reuse should be disseminated so municipalities can make informed decisions. But she also questions whether we should want a future landscape of renovated big box stores: We are what we build, she says. 77 color photos. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Jumbo Trons in Central Park for Obama Inauguration?
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Posted by Roy Edroso\Village Voice
[C]ouncilmember Eric Gioia has asked Mayor Bloomberg to "erect large, jumbotron-style video screens in City Hall Park, Central Park, or wherever feasible" so that New Yorkers can ... watch Obama get sworn in on January 20. He says the big TVs would be financed by private donations...
Gioia's office says this would be "in the tradition of New Yorkers celebrating historic achievements together like the end of World War II, the moon landings, and countless sports titles..."
Posted by Roy Edroso\Village Voice
[C]ouncilmember Eric Gioia has asked Mayor Bloomberg to "erect large, jumbotron-style video screens in City Hall Park, Central Park, or wherever feasible" so that New Yorkers can ... watch Obama get sworn in on January 20. He says the big TVs would be financed by private donations...
Gioia's office says this would be "in the tradition of New Yorkers celebrating historic achievements together like the end of World War II, the moon landings, and countless sports titles..."
"The Elegance of the Hedgehog"
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Barnes & Noble
Synopsis of The enthralling international bestseller.
We are in the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. Renée, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, unbeknownst to her employers, Renée is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With humor and intelligence she scrutinizes the lives of the building’s tenants, who for their part are barely aware of her existence.
Then there’s Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on the sixteenth of June, her thirteenth birthday. Until then she will continue behaving as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.
Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma’s trust and to see through Renée’s timeworn disguise to the secret that haunts her. This is a moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us.
From Barnes & Noble
Synopsis of The enthralling international bestseller.
We are in the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. Renée, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, unbeknownst to her employers, Renée is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With humor and intelligence she scrutinizes the lives of the building’s tenants, who for their part are barely aware of her existence.
Then there’s Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on the sixteenth of June, her thirteenth birthday. Until then she will continue behaving as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.
Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma’s trust and to see through Renée’s timeworn disguise to the secret that haunts her. This is a moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us.
"Dark Streets" Opening in New York December 12
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From the New York Times
DARK STREETS Murder and music in 1930s New York, where a nightclub entrepreneur (Gabriel Mann) begins to suspect that his father, a powerful industrialist said to have committed suicide, might really have been killed. Meanwhile, he tries to juggle his affection for his star singer (Bijou Phillips) with his attraction to an up-and-coming chanteuse (Izabella Miko). With 12 original songs by James Compton, Tim Brown and Tony DeMeur, performed by Dr. John, Etta James, Natalie Cole, Aaron Neville, Solomon Burke, Chaka Khan and others. Rachel Samuels directed.
From the New York Times
DARK STREETS Murder and music in 1930s New York, where a nightclub entrepreneur (Gabriel Mann) begins to suspect that his father, a powerful industrialist said to have committed suicide, might really have been killed. Meanwhile, he tries to juggle his affection for his star singer (Bijou Phillips) with his attraction to an up-and-coming chanteuse (Izabella Miko). With 12 original songs by James Compton, Tim Brown and Tony DeMeur, performed by Dr. John, Etta James, Natalie Cole, Aaron Neville, Solomon Burke, Chaka Khan and others. Rachel Samuels directed.
Monday, December 1, 2008
The $1500 Marc Jacobs for Bugaboo Stroller
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Daddy Types
[The $1500 Marc Jacobs for Bugabooa stroller is] special all-black Cameleon with a canopy and bassinet cover out of Little Marc signature fabric.
There are 15 of them. Starting Nov. 26th, four will be at Colette in Paris; Selfridge's and London and the Marc Jacobs boutique in Dubai get two apiece; One will be for sale in Amsterdam. And six will be for sale at Marc Jacobs NY.
From Daddy Types
[The $1500 Marc Jacobs for Bugabooa stroller is] special all-black Cameleon with a canopy and bassinet cover out of Little Marc signature fabric.
There are 15 of them. Starting Nov. 26th, four will be at Colette in Paris; Selfridge's and London and the Marc Jacobs boutique in Dubai get two apiece; One will be for sale in Amsterdam. And six will be for sale at Marc Jacobs NY.
Eric Clapton's $100,000 Hermes Guitar Case
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Jared Paul Stern\Luxist
... we now present Eric Clapton's ultra-luxurious, custom-made crocodile guitar case from Hermès (above).
Clapton's case was specially made to hold his Martin 00028 EC acoustic guitar, the rock star's signature model ("EC" are his initials) which he helped to design. The shell of the case, which is covered in the world's finest matte-finish crocodile skin, is handmade of poplar wood from Nazareth, Pennsylvania and the whole is lined in blue silk velvet. While we don't know what Clapton paid for the one-of-a-kind case, it is likely to have cost at least $100,000.
By Jared Paul Stern\Luxist
... we now present Eric Clapton's ultra-luxurious, custom-made crocodile guitar case from Hermès (above).
Clapton's case was specially made to hold his Martin 00028 EC acoustic guitar, the rock star's signature model ("EC" are his initials) which he helped to design. The shell of the case, which is covered in the world's finest matte-finish crocodile skin, is handmade of poplar wood from Nazareth, Pennsylvania and the whole is lined in blue silk velvet. While we don't know what Clapton paid for the one-of-a-kind case, it is likely to have cost at least $100,000.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Not Acquiring Manuscripts
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Leon Neyfakh\The New York Observor
Publishers Weekly reports that editors at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have been instructed to stop acquiring books until further notice ... the freeze is not permanent, though no date has been set for when it might lift.
"In this case it’s a symbol of doing things smarter; it’s not an indicator of the end of literature," he is quoted as saying in the PW item.
Whether or not the policy extends to books written by authors who already publish with HMH— or whether they're all going to have to find new publishers once they finish the books they've already been paid for—is unclear.
Reached for comment, Mr. Blumenfeld said he wants to stress that HMH will continue acquiring "some" manuscripts, but that projects will be subject to more scrutiny than before. "We still have an acquisitions committee," he said. "They're still considering manuscripts." Mr. Blumenfeld nevertheless referred to the new policy as a "freeze."
He said that "anything that's already in the pipeline that's already been contracted for or paid for will be published," he said.
By Leon Neyfakh\The New York ObservorPublishers Weekly reports that editors at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have been instructed to stop acquiring books until further notice ... the freeze is not permanent, though no date has been set for when it might lift.
"In this case it’s a symbol of doing things smarter; it’s not an indicator of the end of literature," he is quoted as saying in the PW item.
Whether or not the policy extends to books written by authors who already publish with HMH— or whether they're all going to have to find new publishers once they finish the books they've already been paid for—is unclear.
Reached for comment, Mr. Blumenfeld said he wants to stress that HMH will continue acquiring "some" manuscripts, but that projects will be subject to more scrutiny than before. "We still have an acquisitions committee," he said. "They're still considering manuscripts." Mr. Blumenfeld nevertheless referred to the new policy as a "freeze."
He said that "anything that's already in the pipeline that's already been contracted for or paid for will be published," he said.
Friday, November 28, 2008
"Celebutards"
4th\SW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Synopsis: Celebutards. A compound of celebrity, debutante, and retard, this blunt term describes lazy and egotistical stars with too much money, fame, leisure time, and media attention, but too little common sense or knowledge, who love to spout off on topics about which they have zero expertise.
A longtime observer of the celebutard species, award-winning New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser warns us that, in an age in which fabulousness is too often mistaken for gravitas, we must be ever vigilant of the hypocrites who walk among us. With razor-sharp wit, she explodes the absurdities of the celebutard culture, showing how a dull thinker such as Madonna becomes a self-appointed sage on matters of faith; Rosie O'Donnell transforms from a shrill, gay mom into a physics expert who blames the tragedy of 9/11 on the U.S. government; singer Sheryl Crow urges us to use a single square of toilet paper per wipe while she racks up mileage in her gas-guzzling caravan of SUVs; and hothead Sean Penn morphs into an expert on international diplomacy as he brazenly breaks bread with enemies of his own country like Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.
Always outspoken, never pulling any punches, Andrea Peyser shows why it's vitally important that these mental midgets and media whores are exposed for the often dangerous phonies they are. In these pages, she gives us everything we need to recognize and uncover celebutards in our midst.
-- Source: B&N
Synopsis: Celebutards. A compound of celebrity, debutante, and retard, this blunt term describes lazy and egotistical stars with too much money, fame, leisure time, and media attention, but too little common sense or knowledge, who love to spout off on topics about which they have zero expertise.
A longtime observer of the celebutard species, award-winning New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser warns us that, in an age in which fabulousness is too often mistaken for gravitas, we must be ever vigilant of the hypocrites who walk among us. With razor-sharp wit, she explodes the absurdities of the celebutard culture, showing how a dull thinker such as Madonna becomes a self-appointed sage on matters of faith; Rosie O'Donnell transforms from a shrill, gay mom into a physics expert who blames the tragedy of 9/11 on the U.S. government; singer Sheryl Crow urges us to use a single square of toilet paper per wipe while she racks up mileage in her gas-guzzling caravan of SUVs; and hothead Sean Penn morphs into an expert on international diplomacy as he brazenly breaks bread with enemies of his own country like Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.
Always outspoken, never pulling any punches, Andrea Peyser shows why it's vitally important that these mental midgets and media whores are exposed for the often dangerous phonies they are. In these pages, she gives us everything we need to recognize and uncover celebutards in our midst.
-- Source: B&N
Forbes' Hottest Celebrity Infants
4th\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Lacey Rose and Lauren Streib\Forbes
To determine which tykes were tops, we looked at both press clippings and Web presence for more than 50 A-list kiddies (5-years-old and younger) over the course of a year. Then, with a whittled down list, we reached out to Los Angeles, Calif.-based polling firm E-Poll Market Research for both awareness data for the kids and consumer appeal rankings for their celebrity parents.
No. 1 Suri Cruise Age: 2 years
Parents: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
No. 2 Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Age: 2 years
Parents: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
No. 3 Zahara Jolie-Pitt Age: 3 years
Parents: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
No. 4 Pax Jolie-Pitt Age: 4 years
Parents: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
No. 5 Sam Alexis Woods Age: 1 year
Parents: Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren Woods
No. 6 Cruz Beckham Age: 3 years
Parents: David and Victoria Beckham
No. 7 Matilda Rose Ledger Age: 3 years
Parents: Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger
No. 8 David Banda Age: 3 years
Parents: Madonna and Guy Ritchie
No. 9 Sean Preston Federline Age: 3 years
Parents: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline
No. 10 Sam Sheen Age: 4 years
Parents: Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen
By Lacey Rose and Lauren Streib\Forbes
To determine which tykes were tops, we looked at both press clippings and Web presence for more than 50 A-list kiddies (5-years-old and younger) over the course of a year. Then, with a whittled down list, we reached out to Los Angeles, Calif.-based polling firm E-Poll Market Research for both awareness data for the kids and consumer appeal rankings for their celebrity parents.
No. 1 Suri Cruise Age: 2 years
Parents: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
No. 2 Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Age: 2 years
Parents: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
No. 3 Zahara Jolie-Pitt Age: 3 years
Parents: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
No. 4 Pax Jolie-Pitt Age: 4 years
Parents: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt
No. 5 Sam Alexis Woods Age: 1 year
Parents: Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren Woods
No. 6 Cruz Beckham Age: 3 years
Parents: David and Victoria Beckham
No. 7 Matilda Rose Ledger Age: 3 years
Parents: Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger
No. 8 David Banda Age: 3 years
Parents: Madonna and Guy Ritchie
No. 9 Sean Preston Federline Age: 3 years
Parents: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline
No. 10 Sam Sheen Age: 4 years
Parents: Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen
Overweight Women More Likely 2 B Criminals?
4th\SW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Jessica\Jezebel
The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut spent a year studying the detailed diaries of 41,218 adults, and they found that significantly overweight women suffer the highest levels of stress — including, perhaps, the stress of bank heists.
The Telegraph reports that "overweight women are more likely to lose their jobs, be a victim of crime and have money troubles. They are also more likely to be criminals themselves." And that's not all: "obese women were more likely to face the death of a friend or relative [and] be sacked or made redundant…the workplace was where women experienced the highest level of stress, saying that they felt more discriminated against than their overweight male colleagues."
...discrimination could play a huge part in these findings. "Discrimination leads to low self-esteem which means the victims do not stand up for themselves, losing out on promotion or being first in line when redundancies occur."
The overweight women were also least likely to break up with a longterm partner or get a divorce.
By Jessica\JezebelThe Department of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut spent a year studying the detailed diaries of 41,218 adults, and they found that significantly overweight women suffer the highest levels of stress — including, perhaps, the stress of bank heists.
The Telegraph reports that "overweight women are more likely to lose their jobs, be a victim of crime and have money troubles. They are also more likely to be criminals themselves." And that's not all: "obese women were more likely to face the death of a friend or relative [and] be sacked or made redundant…the workplace was where women experienced the highest level of stress, saying that they felt more discriminated against than their overweight male colleagues."
...discrimination could play a huge part in these findings. "Discrimination leads to low self-esteem which means the victims do not stand up for themselves, losing out on promotion or being first in line when redundancies occur."
The overweight women were also least likely to break up with a longterm partner or get a divorce.
Tims Tams Come to America
3rd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By: Alexandra Vallis\NY Mag
[Tim Tams] come in chocolate crème or caramel flavors and then are coated in chocolate. Though the Campbell Soup Co. owns both Pepperidge Farm and Tim Tam's Australian parent, Arnott's, this is the first time the cookies will be sold in the U.S. Head to the nearest Target and hoard away — Tim Tams are here for only a limited time [from November 2008 through March 2009 at Target stores nationwide, with a suggested retail price of $3.39.]!
Australians consume over 400 million Tim Tam biscuits each year -- that's 35 million packs. And earlier this year, a joint poll by The Times in the United Kingdom and news.com.au in Australia ranked Tim Tam as one of the best inventions since sliced bread.
-- Source: MarketWatch
By: Alexandra Vallis\NY Mag[Tim Tams] come in chocolate crème or caramel flavors and then are coated in chocolate. Though the Campbell Soup Co. owns both Pepperidge Farm and Tim Tam's Australian parent, Arnott's, this is the first time the cookies will be sold in the U.S. Head to the nearest Target and hoard away — Tim Tams are here for only a limited time [from November 2008 through March 2009 at Target stores nationwide, with a suggested retail price of $3.39.]!
-- Source: MarketWatch
"Furbys" Discovered in Indonesia
3rd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By Alan Boyle\MSNBC
A primate species that looks like a living, breathing version of the Furby electronic toy has been found alive in the forested highlands of an Indonesian island for the first time in more than 70 years, scientists announced Tuesday.
Three specimens of the pygmy tarsier, a nocturnal creature about the size of a small mouse, were trapped and tracked this summer on Mount Rorekatimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in Central Sulawesi, Texas A&M University reported.
Texas A&M anthropologist Sharon Gursky-Doyen, leader of the expedition, said the tarsiers were found on mountainsides above 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) in elevation, amid damp, dangerous terrain.
Pygmy tarsiers rank among the rarest of the many tarsier species in Asia and the Pacific — and in fact some primatologists had written them off as extinct.
By Alan Boyle\MSNBC
A primate species that looks like a living, breathing version of the Furby electronic toy has been found alive in the forested highlands of an Indonesian island for the first time in more than 70 years, scientists announced Tuesday.
Three specimens of the pygmy tarsier, a nocturnal creature about the size of a small mouse, were trapped and tracked this summer on Mount Rorekatimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in Central Sulawesi, Texas A&M University reported.
Texas A&M anthropologist Sharon Gursky-Doyen, leader of the expedition, said the tarsiers were found on mountainsides above 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) in elevation, amid damp, dangerous terrain.
Pygmy tarsiers rank among the rarest of the many tarsier species in Asia and the Pacific — and in fact some primatologists had written them off as extinct.
"Let The Right One In"
3rd\SE Quadrant:The Approval Matrix
Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other peoples blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982.
-- Source: IMDb\Written by John Nordling, Producer
"Let The Right One In" TRAILER
Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other peoples blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982.
-- Source: IMDb\Written by John Nordling, Producer
"Let The Right One In" TRAILER
Republican-CBS Conspiracy Against Dan Rather
2nd\NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By JACQUES STEINBERG\New York Times
...Dan Rather filed suit against CBS 14 months ago — claiming, among other things, that his former employer had commissioned a politically biased investigation into his work on a “60 Minutes” segment about President Bush’s National Guard service ...
So far, Mr. Rather has spent more than $2 million of his own money on the suit. And according to documents filed recently in court, he may be getting something for his money.
Using tools unavailable to him as a reporter — including the power of subpoena and the threat of punishment against witnesses who lie under oath — he has unearthed evidence that would seem to support his assertion that CBS intended its investigation, at least in part, to quell Republican criticism of the network.
Among the materials ... are internal CBS memorandums turned over to his lawyers, showing that network executives used Republican operatives to vet the names of potential members of a panel that had been billed as independent and charged with investigating the “60 Minutes” segment.
By JACQUES STEINBERG\New York Times
...Dan Rather filed suit against CBS 14 months ago — claiming, among other things, that his former employer had commissioned a politically biased investigation into his work on a “60 Minutes” segment about President Bush’s National Guard service ...
So far, Mr. Rather has spent more than $2 million of his own money on the suit. And according to documents filed recently in court, he may be getting something for his money.
Using tools unavailable to him as a reporter — including the power of subpoena and the threat of punishment against witnesses who lie under oath — he has unearthed evidence that would seem to support his assertion that CBS intended its investigation, at least in part, to quell Republican criticism of the network.
Among the materials ... are internal CBS memorandums turned over to his lawyers, showing that network executives used Republican operatives to vet the names of potential members of a panel that had been billed as independent and charged with investigating the “60 Minutes” segment.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Jeffrey Deitch Wants a Basquiat in the White House
2nd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By: Andrew Goldstein\NY MAg
While Barack Obama continues to put together his Cabinet in Washington, the downtown dealer Jeffrey Deitch and some of his art-world colleagues are working to install one of their own at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Jean-Michel Basquiat.
"We want to get a great Basquiat painting in the White House," Deitch said
Already the dealer is pulling strings through friends who worked on the campaign, which features a national arts-policy committee that includes New York art figures like Chuck Close and Agnes Gund.
"We're making inquiries, but it's premature," he says. Aside from the obvious fact that Obama and Basquiat are both black, are there any other resonances between the two men that make the pairing appropriate?
"No, no, no," said Deitch, a longtime friend and dealer of Basquiat who delivered the eulogy after the artist overdosed in 1988.
By: Andrew Goldstein\NY MAg
While Barack Obama continues to put together his Cabinet in Washington, the downtown dealer Jeffrey Deitch and some of his art-world colleagues are working to install one of their own at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Jean-Michel Basquiat.
"We want to get a great Basquiat painting in the White House," Deitch said
Already the dealer is pulling strings through friends who worked on the campaign, which features a national arts-policy committee that includes New York art figures like Chuck Close and Agnes Gund.
"We're making inquiries, but it's premature," he says. Aside from the obvious fact that Obama and Basquiat are both black, are there any other resonances between the two men that make the pairing appropriate?
"No, no, no," said Deitch, a longtime friend and dealer of Basquiat who delivered the eulogy after the artist overdosed in 1988.
NYC's New Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve Designed Bike Racks
2nd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From NY City Racks
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Paul Warwick Thompson, Director of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and Paul White of Transportation Alternatives announced the winners of the CityRacks Design Competition.
The design of Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve (Bettlelab), based in Copenhagen, Denmark, was selected as the first-place winner in the outdoor competition that attracted over 200 entrants from around the world. Their design was one of ten prototypes installed and tested at Astor Place since September 30. DOT intends to use Mahaffy and De Greeve’s design as the new standard bicycle rack installed on New York City’s sidewalks. The jury also recognized second-place winner Andrew Lang and Harry Dobbs of London and third-place winner Ignacio Ciocchini of New York. Mahaffy and De Greeve will receive a $10,000 prize courtesy of Transportation Alternatives, Dobbs and Lang a $3,000 prize and Ciocchini a $2,000 prize.
From NY City Racks
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Paul Warwick Thompson, Director of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and Paul White of Transportation Alternatives announced the winners of the CityRacks Design Competition.
The design of Ian Mahaffy and Maarten De Greeve (Bettlelab), based in Copenhagen, Denmark, was selected as the first-place winner in the outdoor competition that attracted over 200 entrants from around the world. Their design was one of ten prototypes installed and tested at Astor Place since September 30. DOT intends to use Mahaffy and De Greeve’s design as the new standard bicycle rack installed on New York City’s sidewalks. The jury also recognized second-place winner Andrew Lang and Harry Dobbs of London and third-place winner Ignacio Ciocchini of New York. Mahaffy and De Greeve will receive a $10,000 prize courtesy of Transportation Alternatives, Dobbs and Lang a $3,000 prize and Ciocchini a $2,000 prize.
Jean Paul Gaultier Introducing Children's Line
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
by Miles Socha \WWD
Jean Paul Gaultier, the enfant terrible of French fashion, has signed a license agreement for children’s wear with France’s Zannier Group.
The first collection, consisting of about 120 pieces for girls and boys ages two to 14, is to be unveiled to the trade in January for fall 2009. The name of the collection, and other details, have yet to be disclosed. Zannier, founded in 1962, produces and distributes kids’ wear under about 20 brands, including Little Marc Jacobs, Levi’s, Kenzo and Oxbow.
by Miles Socha \WWDJean Paul Gaultier, the enfant terrible of French fashion, has signed a license agreement for children’s wear with France’s Zannier Group.
The first collection, consisting of about 120 pieces for girls and boys ages two to 14, is to be unveiled to the trade in January for fall 2009. The name of the collection, and other details, have yet to be disclosed. Zannier, founded in 1962, produces and distributes kids’ wear under about 20 brands, including Little Marc Jacobs, Levi’s, Kenzo and Oxbow.
2009 Oscars Best Documentary Shortlist
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Posted by Sean\Film Junk
This week [November 18th, 2008 ] the Academy unveiled their shortlist of the 15 documentaries that are potential nominees, and while I’ve only seen a few of them, I am definitely surprised by some of the omissions.
I may be jumping to conclusions here, but from looking at a lot of the other titles, it seems like another line-up of documentaries chosen more for their subject matter than their artistic merit.
Posted by Sean\Film JunkThis week [November 18th, 2008 ] the Academy unveiled their shortlist of the 15 documentaries that are potential nominees, and while I’ve only seen a few of them, I am definitely surprised by some of the omissions.
I may be jumping to conclusions here, but from looking at a lot of the other titles, it seems like another line-up of documentaries chosen more for their subject matter than their artistic merit.
- At the Death House Door
- The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
- Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh
- Encounters at the End of the World
- Fuel
- The Garden
- Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
- I.O.U.S.A.
- In a Dream
- Made in America
- Man on Wire
- Pray the Devil Back to Hell
- Standard Operating Procedure
- They Killed Sister Dorothy
- Trouble the Water
Monday, November 24, 2008
Vavelta Wrinkle Cream Derived from Baby Foreskins
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
BY ROSEMARY BLACK \NY Daily News
The newest wrinkle in anti-aging treatments might make some youth-obsessed oldsters think twice about leaping into the treatment face first.
Vavelta is a clear liquid derived from baby foreskins, donated by mothers whose babies have just been circumcised. The liquid is injected into adult skin damaged by acne or burns.
Vavelta, developed by a British biomedical company called Intercytex, is at least four years away from being available in the U.S. If it does win FDA approval, chances are Vavelta would be used only in the treatment of burns and acne, at least initially, a company spokesperson says.
BY ROSEMARY BLACK \NY Daily News
The newest wrinkle in anti-aging treatments might make some youth-obsessed oldsters think twice about leaping into the treatment face first.
Vavelta is a clear liquid derived from baby foreskins, donated by mothers whose babies have just been circumcised. The liquid is injected into adult skin damaged by acne or burns.
Vavelta, developed by a British biomedical company called Intercytex, is at least four years away from being available in the U.S. If it does win FDA approval, chances are Vavelta would be used only in the treatment of burns and acne, at least initially, a company spokesperson says.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Jennifer Aniston Calls Angelina Jolie "really uncool."
4th\SW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Reuters\Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Todd Eastham
In the three years since Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston ended their Hollywood marriage, Aniston has barely said a word about the break-up and the woman who stole Pitt's heart, Angelina Jolie.
But in an interview for the December issue of Vogue magazine, Aniston finally talks about the split and the Oscar-winning actress who is now Pitt's companion, saying the way Jolie revealed details of her relationship with "Ocean's Eleven" star was "really uncool."
Aniston, 39, told Vogue Jolie should not have given a detailed account of how her relationship with Pitt developed on the set of the 2005 movie
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith," when Aniston and Pitt were still together. Those details were revealed in Jolie's 2007 interview with Vogue.
"There was stuff printed there that was definitely from a time when I was unaware that it was happening," Aniston said.
"That stuff about how she couldn't wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool," said Aniston.
"That stuff about how she couldn't wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool," said Aniston.
From Reuters\Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Todd Eastham In the three years since Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston ended their Hollywood marriage, Aniston has barely said a word about the break-up and the woman who stole Pitt's heart, Angelina Jolie.
But in an interview for the December issue of Vogue magazine, Aniston finally talks about the split and the Oscar-winning actress who is now Pitt's companion, saying the way Jolie revealed details of her relationship with "Ocean's Eleven" star was "really uncool."
Aniston, 39, told Vogue Jolie should not have given a detailed account of how her relationship with Pitt developed on the set of the 2005 movie
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith," when Aniston and Pitt were still together. Those details were revealed in Jolie's 2007 interview with Vogue.
"There was stuff printed there that was definitely from a time when I was unaware that it was happening," Aniston said.
"That stuff about how she couldn't wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool," said Aniston.
"That stuff about how she couldn't wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool," said Aniston.
"The Real Housewives of Atlanta"
4th\SW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is an American reality television series on the Bravo cable television network, premiering in the Fall of 2008. It is the network's third series in this format, following The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York City.
The series follows the professional, social and family lives of five primarily wealthy Atlanta, Georgia women:
NeNe Leakes -- A Duluth resident and founder of The Twisted Hearts Foundation, which addresses domestic violence against women. She lives in the Stonebrier at Sugarloaf gated community on Sugarloaf Parkway. She has two sons, one of whom is attending Clark Atlanta University, and a real estate entrepreneur husband named Gregg. She once was good friends with Kim Zolciak.
DeShawn Snow -- Originally from Detroit, she is a current resident of the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta in the Manor Golf and Country Club. She has three children and is the wife of Cleveland Cavaliers professional NBA basketball player Eric Snow. Her main focus is the DeShawn Snow Foundation, an organization dedicated to the welfare of the self-esteem of teenage girls.
Sheree Whitfield -- She was born in Ohio and now resides in Sandy Springs, the ex-wife of NFL professional football player Bob Whitfield with whom she has three children. She is attempting to develop a clothing line called "She by Sheree" and has a feud with castmate NeNe Leakes.
Lisa Wu-Hartwell -- Also a Duluth, Ga. resident, she is the wife of NFL professional football player Edgerton Hartwell and ex-wife of R&B singer-Keith Sweat, with whom she has two children that live with Keith. She has also gone by the names: Sharon Millette Wu, Sharon Lisa Sweat, and Lisa Wu-Sweat when she filed chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2007 despite her mantra during the introduction of the show, "If it doesn't make me money, I don't do it." She lives in the exclusive gated community St. Marlo Country Club. Her father is Chinese and her mother is African American, and she works with the Hartwell and Associates real estate firm and has a jewelry line and baby clothing line.
Kim Zolciak -- She is a Connecticut native and Duluth resident, a divorced mother of two who is attempting to pursue a career as a country singer. She had a "sugar daddy", whom she mysteriously referred to as "Big Poppa", who chose not to be aired on the show for personal and privacy reasons. He funded her somewhat lavish lifestyle, buying her $14,000 diamonds and a $60,000 Escalade. Kim and Big Poppa broke up in the last episode of season one.
Atlanta was chosen as the focus for this new television series because of its status as a haven for successful African-Americans. Each of the women lives in northern metro-Atlanta suburbs situated in north Fulton and Gwinnett counties. The show was originally planned to follow the lives of five black women, but Leakes's good friend Zolciak impressed the producers with her personality.
-- Wikipedia
Sneek Peek
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is an American reality television series on the Bravo cable television network, premiering in the Fall of 2008. It is the network's third series in this format, following The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York City. The series follows the professional, social and family lives of five primarily wealthy Atlanta, Georgia women:
NeNe Leakes -- A Duluth resident and founder of The Twisted Hearts Foundation, which addresses domestic violence against women. She lives in the Stonebrier at Sugarloaf gated community on Sugarloaf Parkway. She has two sons, one of whom is attending Clark Atlanta University, and a real estate entrepreneur husband named Gregg. She once was good friends with Kim Zolciak.
DeShawn Snow -- Originally from Detroit, she is a current resident of the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta in the Manor Golf and Country Club. She has three children and is the wife of Cleveland Cavaliers professional NBA basketball player Eric Snow. Her main focus is the DeShawn Snow Foundation, an organization dedicated to the welfare of the self-esteem of teenage girls.
Sheree Whitfield -- She was born in Ohio and now resides in Sandy Springs, the ex-wife of NFL professional football player Bob Whitfield with whom she has three children. She is attempting to develop a clothing line called "She by Sheree" and has a feud with castmate NeNe Leakes.
Lisa Wu-Hartwell -- Also a Duluth, Ga. resident, she is the wife of NFL professional football player Edgerton Hartwell and ex-wife of R&B singer-Keith Sweat, with whom she has two children that live with Keith. She has also gone by the names: Sharon Millette Wu, Sharon Lisa Sweat, and Lisa Wu-Sweat when she filed chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2007 despite her mantra during the introduction of the show, "If it doesn't make me money, I don't do it." She lives in the exclusive gated community St. Marlo Country Club. Her father is Chinese and her mother is African American, and she works with the Hartwell and Associates real estate firm and has a jewelry line and baby clothing line.
Kim Zolciak -- She is a Connecticut native and Duluth resident, a divorced mother of two who is attempting to pursue a career as a country singer. She had a "sugar daddy", whom she mysteriously referred to as "Big Poppa", who chose not to be aired on the show for personal and privacy reasons. He funded her somewhat lavish lifestyle, buying her $14,000 diamonds and a $60,000 Escalade. Kim and Big Poppa broke up in the last episode of season one.
Atlanta was chosen as the focus for this new television series because of its status as a haven for successful African-Americans. Each of the women lives in northern metro-Atlanta suburbs situated in north Fulton and Gwinnett counties. The show was originally planned to follow the lives of five black women, but Leakes's good friend Zolciak impressed the producers with her personality.
-- Wikipedia
Sneek Peek
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Mike Birbiglia's "Sleepwalk With Me"
3rd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Sleep Walk with Mike
Sleepwalk With Me, a new comedy written by and starring Mike Birbiglia, will play The Bleecker Street Theater, off Broadway (45 Bleecker Street just East of Lafayette Street) beginning October 17th with the official opening scheduled for November 11th. The show is produced by Nathan Lane and Eli Gonda and Ryan Scott Warren of QuasiWorld Entertainment.
From Sleep Walk with MikeSleepwalk With Me, a new comedy written by and starring Mike Birbiglia, will play The Bleecker Street Theater, off Broadway (45 Bleecker Street just East of Lafayette Street) beginning October 17th with the official opening scheduled for November 11th. The show is produced by Nathan Lane and Eli Gonda and Ryan Scott Warren of QuasiWorld Entertainment.
In his theatrical debut, comedian Mike Birbiglia takes the audience on a hysterically funny and intensely personal journey through his struggles with sleepwalking and his reluctance to confront his fears of love, honesty and growing up.
Sleepwalk With Me is the rare collision of comedy and theatre that touches your funny bone and tickles your heart.
“Every once in a while, someone comes along who renews your faith in the art of stand-up comedy. It happened when I first saw Mitch Hedberg, and it happened again when I saw Mike Birbiglia” said Nathan Lane. “The energy in the room changes, and you realize you’re in the presence of a fresh and original voice. And that is very rare. You know you’re getting the real turtle soup, not merely the mock. Like any great comedian, it’s hard to categorize Mike - he is his own unique creation. You should definitely just go see him, and get lost in his world. It’s a fun and hilarious place to be.”
MTVs "Sex ... with Mom and Dad."
3rd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Sex ... with Mom and Dad Trailer
From MTV
Sex may be everywhere in American media, but that doesn't mean American families are talking about it. While most teens could learn a thing or two from talking candidly with their parents about sex... and most parents would benefit greatly from opening up about sex with their kids-- it's simply easier said than done. Much, much easier. That is, until Sex ...with Mom and Dad.
In each half-hour episode, Loveline's Sex and Relationship Expert Dr. Drew will help a teen and their parents work through their problems about sex, dating and relationships. Maybe a dad is worried that his daughter uses her sexuality to get attention; a son is concerned that ever since he came out of the closet, his parents haven't acted the same towards him; or a son's "ladies man" M.O. has mom worried that sex, and the girls he sleeps with, mean nothing to him.
Whatever the issue, Dr. Drew will get the family talking -- often for the very first time -- about sex and intimate relationships. Initially, the family meets with him in a neutral setting to get the conversation started and pinpoint the family's main issue. At the end of the session, he'll send the family on their way with two fun yet daunting tasks, tailored specifically to their issue, and designed to get them to open up about their sexual beliefs and experiences. The journey ends with a final therapy session with Dr. Drew, in which the family typically realizes that while the journey was tough, in the end, they were ultimately able to get to know each other and respect each other in a completely new and different way. Shockingly frank, upbeat, and funny, Sex ..with Mom and Dad proves that if families can talk about sex, they can talk about anything -- ultimately breaking down barriers and improving relationships in the process.
Sex ... with Mom and Dad Trailer
Dr. Zizmor Ad in Fake New York Times
3rd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From US Law
The Times reports on the spoof, Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof: "In an elaborate hoax, pranksters distributed thousands of free copies of a spoof edition of The New York Times on Wednesday morning at busy subway stations around the city, including Grand Central Terminal, Washington and Union Squares, the 14th and 23rd Street stations along Eighth Avenue, and Pacific Street in Brooklyn, among others.
Romanesko posted a press release from the people behind the distribution, "In an elaborate operation six months in the planning, 1.2 million papers were printed at six different presses and driven to prearranged pickup locations, where thousands of volunteers stood ready to pass them out on the street."
Gawker links this to the Yes Men, "The email address that sent out this message was linked to the site of The Yes Men, longtime liberal prank group that has been doing things just as complex and finely tuned as this for years. The Yes Men run the Because We Want It site, through which they set up this prank. They wanted to be anonymous for a while allegedly, but too late."
In addition to articles like "Bush Resumes Golf Game" and "High Speed Internet Hits Fast Track to Appalachia," this edition of "All the News We Hope to Print" includes "ads" for Monsanto, KBR, ExxonMobil, DeBeers, GM, McDonalds, and New York subway advertising icon Dr. Zizmor.
From US LawThe Times reports on the spoof, Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof: "In an elaborate hoax, pranksters distributed thousands of free copies of a spoof edition of The New York Times on Wednesday morning at busy subway stations around the city, including Grand Central Terminal, Washington and Union Squares, the 14th and 23rd Street stations along Eighth Avenue, and Pacific Street in Brooklyn, among others.
Romanesko posted a press release from the people behind the distribution, "In an elaborate operation six months in the planning, 1.2 million papers were printed at six different presses and driven to prearranged pickup locations, where thousands of volunteers stood ready to pass them out on the street."
Gawker links this to the Yes Men, "The email address that sent out this message was linked to the site of The Yes Men, longtime liberal prank group that has been doing things just as complex and finely tuned as this for years. The Yes Men run the Because We Want It site, through which they set up this prank. They wanted to be anonymous for a while allegedly, but too late."
In addition to articles like "Bush Resumes Golf Game" and "High Speed Internet Hits Fast Track to Appalachia," this edition of "All the News We Hope to Print" includes "ads" for Monsanto, KBR, ExxonMobil, DeBeers, GM, McDonalds, and New York subway advertising icon Dr. Zizmor.
Russ & Daughters' Lox Populi Blog
2nd/NE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
About Lox Populi
Lox Populi is the place to head for daily updates about all things related to Russ & Daughters: bits of history, tastes of new treats, recipes, customer stories, traditions, anecdotes, kvetching, and kvelling.
But we can’t do it without the lox and we can’t do it without the people. So, please send us your stories and photos. Tell us about that time you met your spouse while waiting here, all morning, in a holiday line. Show us exactly what you are going to do with the six pounds of sturgeon you just ordered. Explain the incident, in 1955, with the herring barrel. Talk about the time you tried to work on your slicing skills. Share the ways you prepare bagel sandwiches at home. We want to know who you eat with, what you have, how it all happens, and why you keep coming back. And we want to feature your stories here on our blog.
-- Source: Lox Populi
About Lox Populi
Lox Populi is the place to head for daily updates about all things related to Russ & Daughters: bits of history, tastes of new treats, recipes, customer stories, traditions, anecdotes, kvetching, and kvelling.
But we can’t do it without the lox and we can’t do it without the people. So, please send us your stories and photos. Tell us about that time you met your spouse while waiting here, all morning, in a holiday line. Show us exactly what you are going to do with the six pounds of sturgeon you just ordered. Explain the incident, in 1955, with the herring barrel. Talk about the time you tried to work on your slicing skills. Share the ways you prepare bagel sandwiches at home. We want to know who you eat with, what you have, how it all happens, and why you keep coming back. And we want to feature your stories here on our blog.
-- Source: Lox Populi
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Shelby Steele Defends "Why Obama Can’t Win" Subtitle
2nd\SE Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
By NOAM COHEN\New York Times
Many an author has come to incorrect conclusions, but only a few have had the courage to make a prediction in a title that could be directly contradicted.
Mr. Steele, a prolific author on racial issues in America and a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said he had had plenty of time to get used to the snickering about the title of his book, which was published late last year by the Free Press, part of Simon & Schuster, and officially contradicted last week.
“My feeling is that I stand by every word of the analysis — what is between the covers of the book,” he said in a telephone interview. “For the year I have had to apologize for the stupid, silly subtitle that was slapped on to the book.”
He made it clear that he was the one who slapped the subtitle onto the book — “in about 30 seconds” when Barack Obama was trailing Hillary Rodham Clinton by about 25 percentage points. But, he added, “subtitles are marketing devices — I hate them. I’ve always hated them.”
By NOAM COHEN\New York TimesMany an author has come to incorrect conclusions, but only a few have had the courage to make a prediction in a title that could be directly contradicted.
Mr. Steele, a prolific author on racial issues in America and a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said he had had plenty of time to get used to the snickering about the title of his book, which was published late last year by the Free Press, part of Simon & Schuster, and officially contradicted last week.
“My feeling is that I stand by every word of the analysis — what is between the covers of the book,” he said in a telephone interview. “For the year I have had to apologize for the stupid, silly subtitle that was slapped on to the book.”
He made it clear that he was the one who slapped the subtitle onto the book — “in about 30 seconds” when Barack Obama was trailing Hillary Rodham Clinton by about 25 percentage points. But, he added, “subtitles are marketing devices — I hate them. I’ve always hated them.”
CBS's Saturn Financed "Novel Adventures"
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
NEW YORK CBS has partnered with Saturn to launch Novel Adventures, an original branded-entertainment series on the Web about four women who participate in a book club.
The show, which stars former Melrose Place regular Daphne Zuniga, will premiere Nov. 3. Each of the eight planned episodes will first be exclusively available on CBS.com, TheInsider.com and TV.com for 48 hours, after which they will be rolled out across the CBS Audience Network, which includes AOL, Yahoo!, Veoh and other sites.
Each episode will feature the four thrill-seeking female friends embarking on various adventures after being inspired by books they read in their club.
For example, in the premiere episode the group takes a deep-sea fishing trip after reading Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. In a later episode, the group attends spy school after reading several of Robert Ludlum-penned Jason Bourne thrillers.
"Novel Adventures" Trailer
NEW YORK CBS has partnered with Saturn to launch Novel Adventures, an original branded-entertainment series on the Web about four women who participate in a book club.
The show, which stars former Melrose Place regular Daphne Zuniga, will premiere Nov. 3. Each of the eight planned episodes will first be exclusively available on CBS.com, TheInsider.com and TV.com for 48 hours, after which they will be rolled out across the CBS Audience Network, which includes AOL, Yahoo!, Veoh and other sites.
Each episode will feature the four thrill-seeking female friends embarking on various adventures after being inspired by books they read in their club.
For example, in the premiere episode the group takes a deep-sea fishing trip after reading Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. In a later episode, the group attends spy school after reading several of Robert Ludlum-penned Jason Bourne thrillers.
"Novel Adventures" Trailer
Monday, November 17, 2008
"Spain on the Road Again"
1st\NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Ride along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Chef Mario Batali, Author/Journalist Mark Bittman and Actress Claudia Bassols on the unscripted, anything-goes, cross-country road-trip, Spain...on the road Again on WMFE TV!
The premise is simple: the two men, single-minded food- and wine-obsessed fiends, are constantly on the lookout for their next great meal. The two women also like to eat and drink but they have their own agenda: enjoying Spain's infinite other pleasures — museums, shopping, music, spas and nightlife.
Put the four of them on a cross-country trip and the result is a showcase of Spain as it's never been seen before — the intense beauty of Spanish food and culture mixed with all the hazards of male-female relationships and spontaneous, wacky road trip adventures.
Ride along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Chef Mario Batali, Author/Journalist Mark Bittman and Actress Claudia Bassols on the unscripted, anything-goes, cross-country road-trip, Spain...on the road Again on WMFE TV!
The premise is simple: the two men, single-minded food- and wine-obsessed fiends, are constantly on the lookout for their next great meal. The two women also like to eat and drink but they have their own agenda: enjoying Spain's infinite other pleasures — museums, shopping, music, spas and nightlife.
Put the four of them on a cross-country trip and the result is a showcase of Spain as it's never been seen before — the intense beauty of Spanish food and culture mixed with all the hazards of male-female relationships and spontaneous, wacky road trip adventures.
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