Every so often I write something to try to get some of the lurkers, who read my blog, to stop and say hi. This is another of those posts.

I am a numbers person, so I am fascinated by the statistics that are generated for this blog. Some topics seem to bring more people. Books, Haunted houses, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Moon Landings are all big draws. Big of course is a relative term. This blog has been averaging about 15 readers per day. My maximum in 1 day (that I know of) was just over 80. The average this week was around 25. I realize that some of the ‘readers’ I am seeing are just robots or data mining sites, but when they find something that, in the programming, is found interesting, they leave blog replies. Some of the people who come to read just won’t do it.

I know a couple of the ‘shy’ people, and I don’t really expect replies from them (they know who they are). There are others that I think would be very interesting to hear from.

Things I would like to know about you. How did you find this blog? What do you want to read here? What country/state are you from? Do you come back often? Am I boring you? Just pop in to say hello. Again, until you are ‘vetted’ (good political term, no?) your replies will only be seen by me, or maybe the owner of the place, he once ‘hacked’ in for a April Fools joke… But he is a good friend of mine, almost like a long lost brother. So if you don’t want them to be seen, let me know in the response, and I’ll get rid of it. Me, I’m just curious…

Other things I want to know. Why is a site in Russia interested in my blogs on Superman Movies? Why isn’t the same site interested in Batman? Just wondering..

This is just stuff I was thinking about this Saturday morning…

Loaded with tags, just for fun? Just having a bit of fun, that’s what blogging is all about.

There’s a story that’s been in the news lately that I think would make an awesome play…  now I just have to get my husband, an accomplished playwright, to pen it…

Have you heard the one about the dueling newscasters?  For 4 years, Larry Mendte and Alycia Lane co-anchored the evening news together at KYW-TV, the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia.  Last December, Lane was fired because she allegedly got into a scuffle with an NYPD officer.  Somehow, details of her arrest were leaked to a Philadelphia Daily News reporter, along with other details of her personal life which has included 2 divorces.  She complained to the tv station that someone was reading her emails, but they treated her as if she was paranoid.

It turns out that her co-anchor, Mr. Mendte, had bought a keystroke-logging device to get her passwords in August 2006 and was intercepting e-mails from Lane’s two personal accounts and one work account.  He was fired also – a shame because the duo was making gains on their competitor, longtime leader news leader WPVI-TV, the ABC affiliate in the area.  Mendte is now facing criminal charges and has pleaded guilty to one count of illegally accessing a computer.  His motivation?  Jealousy over his co-anchor’s $780,000 yearly salary because his was only a measly $700,000.  I had no idea news anchors make that much!  But anyway, there’s an extra little tidbit to this story that wouldn’t even need to be embelished when writing it into a play: Mendte’s wife Dawn Stensland is also a news anchor; she works at the Fox affiliate in Philadelphia.  Coming to a stage near you!

One of the most beloved stories and movies is about to be presented at one of Ohio’s most acclaimed professional dinner theatres. Beginning August 27, you can join the Carousel Dinner Theatre in Akron as they transport audiences “Over the Rainbow” along the yellow brick road to the land of Oz. This interpretation promises to be faithful in essence to the 1939 cinematic masterpiece but at the same time feature new elements that have never before been seen. One of these is the use of puppets. The press-release also promises an audience interactive as Dorothy enters the Emerald City. As the artistic director, Sean Cercone states:

We (the creative team) have to understand that when the audience comes to see the show, you are entering with a certain expectation of what you are going to see and experience. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN DEVELOPING THIS SHOW FOR THE CAROUSEL STAGE.

Indeed, there have to be very few people with access to television, movie screen, or books who have before never encountered the fantasy created by Lyman Frank Baum and first published in 1900. As with any high profile and well-known work, audience expectations will be enormous.

You can follow the creative team on their quest to create their vision of The Wizard of Oz by reading Mr. Cercone’s blog. Plus find ticket information on the theatre’s website.

The classic board game Clue is getting a makeover.  Sure, there’s been lots of variations of it over the years; among them Simpsons Clue, Disney’s Haunted Mansion Clue, Dvd Clue, and Clue Jr.  But now they are giving the game a more modern look by changing characters, weapons, and rooms.  Here are some of the changes:

 – Colonel Mustard is now Jack Mustard, a former football player
 – Professor Plum is now Victor Plum, a billionaire video game designer
 – Mr. Green is now Jacob Green, an African-American
 – New Rooms: theater, spa and guest house
 – Weapons: Hasbro replaced the lead pipe, revolver and wrench with a dumbbell, trophy and poison
 – Each of the characters has a special sleuthing power

Hmm, I’m not so sure about this.  I tend to like things the way they are.  I’ve played both versions of a few board games that have been modernized, like Pay Day and Life, and I strongly prefer the original versions.  I guess we’ll have to see, although it will probably be a long time before I try the new Clue because I buy my games at the thrift store.  The only way the new Clue will get to the thrift store super quick is if it really stinks!

Catoptrophobia (the fear of mirrors)

Eisoptrophobia (the fear of mirrors or of seeing oneself in the mirror)

After going to see MiRRors with a friend, I was curious to learn the term for the malady and was intrigued to learn that while there is one slight difference, it is enough to have two different phobias. The movie itself was a lot of fun and held your attention once it got going. The plot concerns a former NYPD detective (played by Kiefer Sutherland) working as a night watchman at an abandoned department store in which the mirrors seem to play horrible tricks on people. The most horrible trick involved the lead character’s sister (played by Amy Smart).

My complaints with the experience had nothing to do with the movie itself. It seemed that there was a group of about 10 young high school girls who insisted upon whispering throughout and giggling at the most inappropriate times. There was also a young boy across the aisle who seemed to be more interested in the game on his cell phone than the movie. Yet, these youngsters (who must not enjoy high school football) did not distract too much.

So, if you are in the mood for a decent horror flick that will not put you to sleep (unlike the last one I saw in the theatre that I have dubbed Asleep) look into Mirrors.  Although we were both interested in seeing the movie, taylhis did provide enough of a recommendation to make us want to see it even more.

Enter to win free movie tickets for an entire year on Fandango!

Ok, I was scanning the news this evening and ran across this headline (on CNN if you must know) “Britney Reveals Hot New Body”. Now my first thoughts were “Who Cares?” Then I thought did she steal it? Then can I get a new body too, my knees aren’t what they used to be. And again with that thought, How did they attach it and why not a new brain? All that from one little headline.

Now over the years, I’ve noticed many headlines that can be read in more than one way. Most of this is due to the fact that headlines are rarely punctuated. Good punctuation can define what the sentence means, bad punctuation can give another meaning entirely. Words with multiple meanings can be used to misinterpret the meaning too.

This tendency in headlines has even given the late night talk show hosts something to ‘talk’ about. And they just keep showing up in the papers, and now on line. You would think that avoiding this would be taught in Journalism schools. Or not, maybe it sells more papers. So news day, add a heading that people will take different than intended, It should sell more papers…

I guess it wouldn’t be fair to just leave you with one headline would it?

So for your pleasure

The Funny Pages

Witty Quotes

And finally

Headline Humor

Enjoy…

Not exactly, I just never sat down to write a review on this movie, but my “Clone Wars” review made me think of it again.

First question asked and answered. Is it a Mummy Sequel? They say so, but I really didn’t think so. This guy was not a mummy, he was cursed and turned into a statue. Low and Behold somebody had a way to bring him back to life… Hmm

This movie was fun. The time in the theater just flew by. Statue people, unearth skeletons, and even Yetis. (Now where and why did they every find Yetis???)

Fun action flick, lots of comedy to keep it lighter, great scenery, and the good guys win. But best of all NO BUGS. The only thing that really bother me about the other Mummy movies were the various bugs that crawled into or around people. Just enough to make you itch… This movie no bugs.

Fun matinee movie, or a good rental. Don’t bother (and I think it is gone anyway) going to the superplex for this one.

Of course you do, who doesn’t?  Besides, it’s Friday night, and you’re at home reading my blog!  😉  I guess you could be reading this at a later time…  But anyway, if you’re around my age or older, then you remember Molly Ringwald, a popular actress in the 1980’s from many teen-themed movies such as Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and the iconic The Breakfast Club.  If you were a fan of these movies as a teen or young adult yourself, you will probably feel old when I tell you that Molly Ringwald is playing a grandmother in her next role.  That’s right – grandma.  A woman whose kid has a kid.  Sigh.  While we’re on the subject of feeling old, I read an article the other day that had some interesting facts about the lives of students entering college this fall.  Each August for the past 11 years, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., has released the Beloit College Mindset List.  It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college.  For these students, Sammy Davis Jr., Jim Henson, Ryan White, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy Krueger have always been dead.  Here is some food for thought with the rest of the list:

1. Harry Potter could be a classmate, playing on their Quidditch team.
2. Since they were in diapers, karaoke machines have been annoying people at parties.
3. They have always been looking for Carmen Sandiego.
4. GPS satellite navigation systems have always been available.
5. Coke and Pepsi have always used recycled plastic bottles.
6. Shampoo and conditioner have always been available in the same bottle.
7. Gas stations have never fixed flats, but most serve cappuccino.
8. Their parents may have dropped them in shock when they heard George Bush announce “tax revenue increases.”
9. Electronic filing of tax returns has always been an option.
10. Girls in head scarves have always been part of the school fashion scene.
11. All have had a relative–or known about a friend’s relative–who died comfortably at home with Hospice.
12. As a precursor to “whatever,” they have recognized that some people “just don’t get it.”
13. Universal Studios has always offered an alternative to Mickey in Orlando.
14. Grandma has always had wheels on her walker.
15. Martha Stewart Living has always been setting the style.
16. Haagen-Dazs ice cream has always come in quarts.
17. Club Med resorts have always been places to take the whole family.
18. WWW has never stood for World Wide Wrestling.
19. Films have never been X rated, only NC-17.
20. The Warsaw Pact is as hazy for them as the League of Nations was for their parents.
21. Students have always been “Rocking the Vote.”
22. Clarence Thomas has always sat on the Supreme Court.
23. Schools have always been concerned about multiculturalism.
24. We have always known that “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
25. There have always been gay rabbis.
26. Wayne Newton has never had a mustache.
27. College grads have always been able to Teach for America.
28. IBM has never made typewriters.
29. Roseanne Barr has never been invited to sing the National Anthem again.
30. McDonald’s and Burger King have always used vegetable oil for cooking french fries.
31. They have never been able to color a tree using a raw umber Crayola.
32. There has always been Pearl Jam.
33. The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno and started at 11:35 EST.
34. Pee-Wee has never been in his playhouse during the day.
35. They never tasted Benefit Cereal with psyllium.
36. They may have been given a Nintendo Game Boy to play with in the crib.
37. Authorities have always been building a wall across the Mexican border.
38. Lenin’s name has never been on a major city in Russia.
39. Employers have always been able to do credit checks on employees.
40. Balsamic vinegar has always been available in the U.S.
41. Macaulay Culkin has always been Home Alone.
42. Their parents may have watched The American Gladiators on TV the day they were born.
43. Personal privacy has always been threatened.
44. Caller ID has always been available on phones.
45. Living wills have always been asked for at hospital check-ins.
46. The Green Bay Packers (almost) always had the same starting quarterback.
47. They never heard an attendant ask “Want me to check under the hood?”
48. Iced tea has always come in cans and bottles.
49. Soft drink refills have always been free.
50. They have never known life without Seinfeld references from a show about “nothing.”
51. Windows 3.0 operating system made IBM PCs user-friendly the year they were born.
52. Muscovites have always been able to buy Big Macs.
53. The Royal New Zealand Navy has never been permitted a daily ration of rum.
54. The Hubble Space Telescope has always been eavesdropping on the heavens.
55. 98.6 F or otherwise has always been confirmed in the ear.
56. Michael Milken has always been a philanthropist promoting prostate cancer research.
57. Off-shore oil drilling in the United States has always been prohibited.
58. Radio stations have never been required to present both sides of public issues.
59. There have always been charter schools.
60. Students always had Goosebumps.

I hope I didn’t depress you, but remember, it’s not my list, so blame Beloit College and Molly Ringwald if you feel like an old geezer.  Why don’t we just forget about the list and toast our recycled bottles of Coke to life experience.

When I saw the news story the other day about an orphaned baby humpback whale, I was tempted to put it in my blog, but I didn’t because I had a feeling it wouldn’t end well.  I’m sorry to say that I was right, and I’m only writing about it now because the saga is over.

There was a baby humpback whale off the coast of Australia who was trying to suckle from yachts; they estimated him to be about 1 or 2 months old.  For some reason, he had been abandoned by his mother, even though he was obviously still nursing.  They tried to help him; they tried leading him out to sea, integrating him into another pod of whales, and they speculated about what to feed him.  But because he was still nursing, they didn’t know how to take care of a 12 foot orphaned whale.  Throughout his plight, Australians following the story grew attached to the “little” guy, and they affectionately named him Colin.  They watched as Colin grew weak with hunger as the days went by until sadly, the decision was made to euthanize him.  Suddenly, he was no where to be found….  but I guess it was just the darkness cloaking him because they did find him the next day, and they pulled him ashore and administered a lethal injection.

As an animal lover, this story was very sad for me to read, but mostly, I just don’t get it.  Why did humans have to take it upon themselves to euthanize the whale?  Why couldn’t they have at least tried to feed him?  It’s not that I think any animal should suffer, but this was nature…  it wasn’t humans who injured the baby whale, so why not let nature continue taking its course and just leave him alone?  Who knows, maybe he would have found a pod of whales to nurse him back to health before it was too late.  But no, the humans just had to intervene – they had to drag a baby whale out of the water, his natural habitat, and kill him.  They didn’t want him to suffer starving to death in the ocean, but what about the terror he felt when he was captured and dragged out of the water?  And let’s not even talk about how much all this costs.  Seems like they could have fed a few starving people, put a roof over someone’s head for a few nights, or provided medical care to the sick if they had extra money laying around to execute a whale.  After all, every little bit helps, right?  But what’s done is done; the saga of Colin the whale is over.  Maybe humans will eventually realize that their constant meddling with nature sometimes brings more harm than good. 

I was sick of reading the horrible news stories on CNN, so I went to thesmokinggun.com in search of some comedic relief.  The following story is more amazing than funny – it’s amazing that they put this poor girl through this, and it’s amazing that they wasted tax payers’ dollars in doing so.

From thesmokinggun.com:

AUGUST 21–The next time you forget to return a couple of library books (and ignore those annoying letters about the overdue status of said volumes), think of Heidi Dalibor. The Wisconsin woman, 20, was arrested earlier this month in connection with a pair of books overdue for several months. Dalibor, who made the mistake of ignoring a court citation issued after she failed to respond to letters and phone calls from the Grafton library, was busted August 6 for failing to return copies of Janet Fitch’s best-seller “White Oleander” (a 1999 Oprah Book Club selection) and “Angels & Demons,” author Dan Brown’s precursor to “The Da Vinci Code.” According to a police report, Dalibor was apprehended at her family’s home, cuffed and stuffed in a cruiser, and booked for violating the “overdue library materials” ordinance.  Dalibor subsequently settled with the library by paying her overdue fines and reimbursing it for the cost of the two novels, which totaled around $180. Dalibor’s mother Patty said that her daughter was “a good kid” who works two jobs. She is also now the owner of the Fitch and Brown books, which Dalibor got to keep as a result of paying off her library levies.