Man Who Shot Pope John Paul II Released From Prison
Mehmet Ali Agca, the man who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II back in 1981, has been released from a Turkish prison, according to this article in the Guardian.
Biographies
The Faces of Hand Models
Our man Mike Duffy passes along this nice slideshow of Faces Behind Famous Hands.Now you can find out what those hand models look like. Our favorite slide is the one of Pamela Moses, whose hands replaced those of Transformers star Megan Fox in a television ad for Motorola.
Did Branwell Brontë Die Standing Up?
Did Branwell Bronte really die standing up?So says Somerset Maugham.We mentioned earlier that Maugham lists Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights in his book on the 10 greatest novels of all time. Emily was preceded in death (barely) by her older brother Branwell, and Maugham relates a curious anecdote about his death.
Oscar Wrap-Up
The LA Times blog The Envelope has it all pretty well covered.
California Sen. Roy Ashburn: ‘I’m Gay’
If the aftermath of a politician being arrested for drunk driving can be called refreshing, this story is refreshing:”I’m gay,” [Sen. Roy] Ashburn told KERN host Inga Barks in an interview this morning. “Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long.” Ashburn made the admission even though he has a long history of voting against gay rights. Can’t have been easy; good for him.
Crucial Oscar News About Kathy Ireland
Kathy Ireland says she “wasn’t on meds” at the 2010 Oscars. So take that, critics! [[wysiwyg_imageupload:321:]]See our biography of Kathy Ireland »Photo: WENN
Best Picture Oscar: Hooray for 10 Nominees!
Whatever happens at the Oscars tonight, having 10 best picture nominees is already a huge win. It’s such a relief. It’s SO much more fun. Adding five movies doesn’t really dilute the field, first of all. 417 movies were released in the U.S. in 2009, so with 10 total nominees we’re still above the 97th percentile.What we gain is color, unpredictability, and that all-American theme of plucky underdogs getting their shot at the big prize.
Christopher Walken Reads Lady Gaga
Another fine performance by Christopher Walken, reading Lady GaGa’s “Poker Face” on BBC. The video is here.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Cameo Appearances
Alfred Hitchcock cameos from (nearly) all his films, courtesy of fan Roy van der Zwaan:
The Ten Greatest Novels of All Time (1948 Edition)
I am holding in my hand (courtesy of Cincinnati’s Mercantile Library) a first edition of Great Novelists and Their Novels, in which author W. Somerset Maugham names his 10 greatest novels of all time.