Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Film Composer James Horner Dead In Plane Crash?

Looks like it.

Classical music abandoned the public long ago, even before the end of the 19th century, going off in various strange directions that the public wasn't willing to follow. With the advent of moving pictures and especially the beginning of "talking" films with dialog, musical soundtracks became an important component of the industry, and film composers supplied the beautiful melodies that the public had been missing.

Horner is (was?) a prolific composer, with over 100 film scores to his credit, and a bunch of awards, also, including two Oscars.

Probably my favorite work of his was Braveheart.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Gunny Ermey and a Hot Chick Shoot the Winchester '73.

Yeah, it's clickbait. So what?

Does she make the shot? Click the link to find out!

Headline of the Day

"Tourniquets now available at beach stands."

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH -- Lifeguard stands at Wrightsville Beach are equipped with new tourniquets after a donation from North American Rescue.

This probably in response to recent shark attacks at nearby Oak Island, in which two swimmers had arms bitten off.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

"Keep Hookers Off the Piers?"

Really, PETA?

OAK ISLAND – PETA plans to fly a banner behind a plane Friday throughout Oak Island that reads “KEEP HOOKERS OFF THE PIERS!” to get an anti-fishing message across following shark bite incidents Sunday that maimed two swimmers.

"Dangling blood and bait in the water is like ringing a dinner bell for sharks, who rarely attack without provocation — and the consequences can be disastrous, as they were in these cases," PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk said. "PETA's banner will remind Oak Island–area beachgoers that fishing is dangerous not only for fish, turtles, birds and dolphins, but also for swimmers and tourists visiting the beaches."


Sunday, June 14, 2015

My Sister's Favorite NC Beach Is In the News...

...in a bad sort of way, as two teens have been attacked by sharks in the last day or so, and another attack occurred last week at another NC beach just down the coast.

A teenage girl lost part of her left arm and may lose her left leg after being attacked by a shark in North Carolina, authorities confirmed Sunday, and a teenage boy may also have been badly injured in a separate shark attack.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Sir Christopher Lee, 1922-2015: R.I.P.

The death of a legend.

No one was more frightening as Dracula. He was wonderful as Rochefort, was a Bond villain with three nipples, was a Sith (of course), and was the perfect actor to play Tolkien's Saruman the White in The Lord of the Rings. War hero, singer with an operatic range, swordsman. Now he's in Heaven, no doubt greeted at the Pearly Gates by his beloved friend Peter Cushing.

Rest in Peace, Sir Christopher. Thanks for all the movie memories.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Thus Explaining the Knights Who Say "Ni!"

"Israeli researchers discover shrub that can treat diabetes."

Israeli researchers have found that a plant that grows in Israel, as well as in other parts of the Middle East, is effective in treating diabetes.

Dr. Jonathan Gorelick of the Judea Research and Development Center will present the results of his study of Chiliadenus iphionoides (sharp varthemia), an aromatic shrub that grows in Israel and throughout the Middle East, at the 25th Judea and Samaria Research Studies Conference in Ariel University on Thursday.

Dr. Gorelick and his team, who published the results of their study of sharp varthemia in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in October 2011, found that consumption of the yellow-flowering plant increased sugar absorption in skeletal muscle and fat cells and reduced blood sugar levels in animals.


Sunday, June 07, 2015

It Doesn't Take Sherlock Holmes...

...to follow this trail:

Three burglary suspects were arrested by police in Mt. Morris, New York after police followed a macaroni salad trail the crooks left during their getaway.

Thursday, June 04, 2015

Meanwhile, In McConnell, NC....

...we have the Parham-McCoy Feud:

A McConnells woman has been arrested and charged Tuesday after she allegedly hit her 81-year-old neighbor with a shovel.

Patsy Parham, 65, was charged with assault and entry onto another person’s lands or pasture after notice charges after she had allegedly hit her rural western York County neighbor, Joe Mack McCoy, 81, with a shovel two weeks prior.

The feud between Parham and McCoy has been ongoing for 20 years and both parties initially didn’t press charges against the other, according to a police report.


Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Jean Ritchie, 1923-2015: R.I.P.

She helped keep the tradition of the Appalachian Dulcimer alive, and was a wonderful preserver of old folksongs.



I acquired a dulcimer in my senior year of high school - - 1980 - - and there were very few books on the instrument back then, among them was Jean Ritchie's, which I think I still have in my library somewhere. Haven't touched the dulcimer in years, it sits in its case atop my dresser, made by Dorsey Williams of Jefferson City, Tennessee.

I'll Be Masturdating This Weekend

According to the UK Telegraph, anyway.

via Ann Althouse.

The night will end, of course, when I make a pass at myself and myself slaps myself in the face...