Spielberg Will Produce, Not Direct Matt Helm | /Film: "Over the past 12 hours a little speculation has emerged about the next directorial effort by Steven Spielberg. A report in Variety suggested he could be taking the reigns of Matt Helm. But there were issues with relationships between studios, as Matt Helm, based on Donald Hamilton’s 1960s counter-agent who starred in a series of 27 books, was developed by Dreamworks and orphaned at Paramount when the studios split last year. The idea of Spielberg taking on a modern version of the character was interesting, but now it seems he’ll only produce."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
But Only if You Damn Kids Stay off Our Lawns
BBC NEWS | Health | People 'get happier as they age': "Most people get happier as they grow older, studies on people aged up to their mid-90s suggest.
Despite worries about ill health, income, changes in social status and bereavements, later life tends to be a golden age, according to psychologists.
They found older adults generally make the best of the time they have left and have learned to avoid situations that make them feel sad or stressed."
Despite worries about ill health, income, changes in social status and bereavements, later life tends to be a golden age, according to psychologists.
They found older adults generally make the best of the time they have left and have learned to avoid situations that make them feel sad or stressed."
Top 10 mysteries of Human Behavior
The 10 mysteries of human behaviour that science can't explain - Telegraph: "The New Scientist magazine compiled a list of the everyday aspects of life which continue to confound the world's greatest brains, including the reasons behind kissing, blushing and even picking your nose."
Oddly enough, some of these have nothing at all to do with behavior.
No Comment Department
The men transforming into female hybrids (and dab hands at dusting)
| Mail Online: "Modern women are turning their husbands into 'male-female hybrids' by ordering them to do a rising number of domestic chores, a relationship counsellor claims.
Women increasingly used to being in charge in the workplace are adopting the same policy at home, telling their men to perform traditional housewives' tasks such as the laundry, vacuuming and ironing.
As a result men are abandoning their natural manly instincts and becoming hybrids of both sexes, according to a book by relationship expert Francine Kaye."
| Mail Online: "Modern women are turning their husbands into 'male-female hybrids' by ordering them to do a rising number of domestic chores, a relationship counsellor claims.
Women increasingly used to being in charge in the workplace are adopting the same policy at home, telling their men to perform traditional housewives' tasks such as the laundry, vacuuming and ironing.
As a result men are abandoning their natural manly instincts and becoming hybrids of both sexes, according to a book by relationship expert Francine Kaye."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Woman banned from Conroe bingo hall | LOCAL NEWS | KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas: "CONROE, Texas – A Huntsville woman says she was banned from a bingo hall in Conroe after she said she noticed something fishy and started asking questions.
Veronica Smith received a letter that consisted of only one sentence: “'You are no longer eligible to play bingo in this hall or be on the premises per Commander Kenny' -- whatever his last name is,” Smith said, reading the letter aloud."
Veronica Smith received a letter that consisted of only one sentence: “'You are no longer eligible to play bingo in this hall or be on the premises per Commander Kenny' -- whatever his last name is,” Smith said, reading the letter aloud."
Friday, August 07, 2009
And Now They're Going to Re-Imagine. . .
News: Exclusive: RAIN to Awaken The Dragon? | Latino Review: "El Mayimbe here with a scoop!
About two years ago this month, the trades reported that Warner Independent Pictures has set 'The Shield' exec producer Kurt Sutter to write and make his feature directing debut on 'Awaken the Dragon.'
A noir-style remake of 'Enter the Dragon,' the 1973 martial arts classic that made Bruce Lee a global star, Sutter said he's writing 'Awaken the Dragon' as a contemporized drama about a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs."
About two years ago this month, the trades reported that Warner Independent Pictures has set 'The Shield' exec producer Kurt Sutter to write and make his feature directing debut on 'Awaken the Dragon.'
A noir-style remake of 'Enter the Dragon,' the 1973 martial arts classic that made Bruce Lee a global star, Sutter said he's writing 'Awaken the Dragon' as a contemporized drama about a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs."
Paris Hilton Update
luxist.com: [I]f you are one of Paris Hilton's many pets the dog house is the place to be. Hilton recently shared photos of her new designer doghouse on Twitter. Paris's pinkified pet playhouse has two floors. Downstairs there is a living room and upstairs there is a bedroom and a closet to stash the many outfits she has purchased for her small pets. Hilton's dogs, which bear names like Tinkerbell, Marilyn Monroe, Prince Baby Bear, Harajuku, Dolce and Prada, will feel right at home because the mini-mansion, outfitted by interior decorator Faye Resnick was designed to resemble Hilton's own home in all its pink majesty and includes miniature Philippe Starck furniture, heat, air conditioning and even a black crystal chandelier and black ceiling moldings.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Photo of doghouse at link.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Photo of doghouse at link.
Map Update
Oldest map in western Europe found engraved on 14,000-year-old chunk of rock | Mail Online: "We all rely on maps, be they the sat nav in your car or a traditional A-Z, and archaeologists have found our ancient ancestors were no different.
They have unearthed what they believe to be the oldest map in Western Europe, in a Spanish cave steeped in legend.
The complex etchings were engraved on a hand-sized rock 13,660 years ago, probably by Magdalenian hunter-gatherers."
Photo of map at the link.
They have unearthed what they believe to be the oldest map in Western Europe, in a Spanish cave steeped in legend.
The complex etchings were engraved on a hand-sized rock 13,660 years ago, probably by Magdalenian hunter-gatherers."
Photo of map at the link.
Bury Me Deep -- Harold Q. Masur
Last week I bought a copy of Megan Abbott's Bury Me Deep. Back when the title was announced, I immediately thought of Masur's book, which is a lot different from Abbott's, I'm sure.Masur was a lawyer who wanted to write a book that crossed the with of Rex Stout's books with the complicated legal stuff in Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason novels. Masur's first-person narrator is lawyer Scott Jordan, and if he's not Archie Goodwin, he's not bad. I wouldn't classify the book as hard-boiled. It's more like medium-boiled. Jordan's no tough guy, though he can do what's called for in a tough situation.
The book opens with Jordan walking into his apartment and seeing the woman pictured on the cover to the left. Within a few hours, she's dead, and Jordan is (of course) a suspect in the murder. The story's fast-moving and complex and holds up well, even though the book's over 60 years old.
Masure went on to have a long career and served as MWA president. He died only a few years ago, but now his books are mostly (and unjustly forgotten). You should pick one up and check it out.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
News on Plano / Texas police find 21 cats living in hotel room: "Texas cops say man who previously had dead animals in refrigerator found with 21 cats at hotel
A man who previously kept dead animals in cold storage and dozens more living in filthy conditions in a Dallas home was under investigation Monday after police found almost two dozen cats in his suburban motel room. Plano police stopped the man on Sunday and found he had outstanding warrants for animal cruelty and outdated animal vaccinations related to his previous case."
Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.
A man who previously kept dead animals in cold storage and dozens more living in filthy conditions in a Dallas home was under investigation Monday after police found almost two dozen cats in his suburban motel room. Plano police stopped the man on Sunday and found he had outstanding warrants for animal cruelty and outdated animal vaccinations related to his previous case."
Hat tip to Doc Quatermass.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Obese Houston inmate found with gun after 5 searches | Breaking News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "An obese Harris County jail inmate turned over a pistol that had been hidden in the folds of his skin after he went through at least five searches upon his arrest and was booked into two different local lockups, authorities said."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
John Hughes, R. I. P.
John Hughes Dies | TMZ.com: "John Hughes has died of a heart attack.
Hughes suffered the heart attack while taking a morning walk during a trip to NYC to visit family.
He directed such hits as 'The Breakfast Club,' 'Pretty in Pink,' 'Sixteen Candles' and 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.'
He was 59."
Hughes suffered the heart attack while taking a morning walk during a trip to NYC to visit family.
He directed such hits as 'The Breakfast Club,' 'Pretty in Pink,' 'Sixteen Candles' and 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.'
He was 59."
Croc, er, Human Remains Update
'Crocodile remains' human | Otago Daily Times Online: "Children spent weeks playing with human remains in a creek before a parent discovered what they were, it emerged yesterday.
Believing they had found a crocodile carcass, the children had picked up parts of a badly decomposed body in Stanmore Bay on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, north of Auckland."
Believing they had found a crocodile carcass, the children had picked up parts of a badly decomposed body in Stanmore Bay on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, north of Auckland."
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