William Blake’s Heavenly Imagination
Fans of poet-painter (and engraver) William Blake will appreciate all the detail in the long review of a new exhibit at New York’s Morgan Gallery.
The Who2 Blog
Goodbye to ‘The Equalizer’
British actor Edward Woodward has died in England of “various illnesses, including pneumonia.” He was 79.
Book Review: ‘Road Dogs’ by Elmore Leonard
Here’s a funny moment from Road Dogs, the latest novel by veteran crime writer Elmore Leonard.The setup: Road Dogs brings back Jack Foley, the charming bank robber from Leonard’s 1996 book Out of Sight. This time Foley is on Venice Beach, hanging out in the mansion of a former prison buddy. Page 233:
The Screenwriter Who Saved Christmas — Again and Again
Dig the filmography of Romeo Muller, the guy who wrote the now-classic holiday TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.From The Reluctant Dragon and Mr. Toad Show through Strawberry Shortcake in the Big Apple City and on to Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody… watta career!
The Beatles Rock Band Trailers
These animated trailers for the Rock Band game that features The Beatles are great.
The Esquire Experiment
I can’t remember the last time I wanted to go out and buy a magazine, but this Esquire “starring” Robert Downey, Jr. is tempting:
Jan and Kjeld
It sure is amusing.
James Bond Hates Foie Gras?
It seems to me that I distinctly remember James Bond liking foie gras. Nonetheless, here he was protesting it in Britain over the weekend.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Sir Ben Kingsley.
Tim Burton at the MOMA
Filmmaker Tim Burton will be the subject of a five-week exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, beginning November 22nd.
Happy 404th Fail Day, Guy Fawkes!
You should have tried to look less guilty.
Sesame Street Opens, Then and Now
As Google notes today, the 40th anniversary season of Seasame Street is coming right up. The first show airs on November 10th.Herewith, the colorful hi-tech show opener for season 40, followed by the decidedly low-tech opener for season 1 in 1969 — where “special effects” means camera zooms at 0:19 and 0:42.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin to Host the Oscars
Martin: “I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin.”More from the LA Times and the Academy.
The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Hello Kitty Creative Director
If you’ve ever wondered what the minds behind Hello Kitty might look like, this is your lucky day.
Halloween With the Stars
Three costumes from Halloween 2009…Heidi Klum as a raven…Pop singer Debbie Gibson as a devil…
‘Colonel Sanders’ Invades United Nations Building
The tricky devil.
“The Loin In Winter”
Headline of the day, from a NY Times article on the aging Hugh Hefner.Comes with a slide show with shots of a young, intense-looking Hef.
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin: The Patent
Today’s document from the National Archives is the patent application for Eli Whitney’s cotton gin.Whitney applied for a patent on October 28, 1793 and on March 14th of the following year was granted a U.S. patent for his machine, which removed seeds from the cotton fiber.
What’s the Correct Way to Wish Happy Birthday to a Dead Person?
On this day in 1872 Emily Post was born. Post set etiquette standards for Americans for most of the 20th century by adapting high society rules of behavior for a wider class of people — but class was still the operative word. Women were “ladies” and men were “gentlemen,” and her books on etiquette still presumed a level of education and sophistication associated with higher incomes and bigger cities.
United Employee Flies Pan Am First Class In His Garage
Anthony Toth has built a replica of a Pan Am 747 first-class cabin in his garage, complete with original seats, swizzle sticks, and spiral staircase. Good for him!