Monthly Archives: November 2009
Police Called to Break Up Hamster Feud!
Really???? A hamster???? These things sell for upwards of $50 on Amazon. What happened to the days when people called radio stations and bid thousands of dollars on Tickle Me Elmo. Elmo talked and laughed. And now you want a robot hamster??? You can get a live hamster for probably 10 bucks at the pet store.
No Richard Gere jokes please…
INDIANAPOLIS – A scuffle over this year’s hottest holiday toy brought police to an Indianapolis store to calm Black Friday shoppers. 
Sgt. Paul Thompson says police responded to a reported disturbance early Friday at a Toys “R” Us store in the city’s northside Castleton neighborhood.
The Indianapolis Star reports fighting broke out about midnight as people lined up in the parking lot looking to buy the robotic hamsters known as Zhu Zhu Pets.
Store manager B.J. Chavez says the hamsters are the hottest toys this season and the store generally sells out within 10 minutes.
Thompson says police also were called to a Toys “R” Us store near the southside suburb of Greenwood for crowd control.
Both stores sold out of the robotic toys.
He Kissed a Boy and He Liked It
Why do we care that Adam Lambert kissed a boy last night on the AMA’s? And why the heck was it censored for the west coast feed? Hello?!? California is as gay as it gets, people. Here’s a bit of the gossip from OMG!
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Even before Adam Lambert‘s show-stopping performance at the 2009 American Music Awards was edited for the west coast feed of the awards show, the singer told Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson that he felt censoring his performance would be wrong.
“You know honestly, if I offended some people… it’s apples and oranges. I’m not an artist that does things for every single person,” Adam told Access’ Shaun backstage following his racy performance of “For Your Entertainment,” where he kissed male keyboardist Tommy Ratliff, who is straight.
“I believe in artistic freedom and expression, I believe in honoring the lyrics of a song, and those lyrics aren’t really for everybody either,” he continued.
And before his performance was edited, he told Access the thought of changing what happened on stage for the other half of the country would be a double standard.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 2009 American Music Awards
“If it’s edited, that’s discrimination,” Adam said. “I will be a little disappointed because there is a little bit of discrimination going in this country. There’s a big double standard, female pop artists have been doing things provocative like that for years, and the fact that I’m a male, and I’ll be edited and discriminated against could be a problem.”
The singer did admit that an edited down performance would not shock him.
“I’m not going to be surprised that they edit it,” he continued. “People are scared and it’s really sad, I just wish people could open their minds up and enjoy things, it’s all for a laugh, it’s really not that big of a deal.”
What freaking century are we in? Men kiss all the time in soap operas and on sitcoms! Get over it. While I didn’t care much for the performance myself, it’s not because I was offended. But get real….this would be like censoring Tammy Faye in the Bible belt because your religion doesn’t allow you to wear make-up!
One step forward for another performer for pushing the boundaries…
One step backward for Americans and their TV sets.
24 Down and 1 to Go!
Just a few days ago I finished book 24 of 25 for the year. One of my resolutions this year, and probably the only one I’ve really kept throughout the whole year, was to read 25 books, if not more. I kept a list of them using the Amazon.com Listmania feature. You can view my list here. I don’t know if I will do this again next year. I mean, of course, I will definitely continue to read. I always have. I just don’t know if I will set a goal and try to stick with it. 2010 is already shaping up to be a busy year.
As far as the weight loss New Year’s resolution, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That never got started.
But as far as my coupon clipping/money saving goal, I did continue to clip and use coupons this entire year. I did NOT put all of that money into savings though. Maybe I’ll try to do better with this one next year!
In Cold Blood: 50 Years Later
Fifty years ago today, the Clutter family was brutally murdered in their home by ex-convicts Perry Smith and Dick Hickock in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas.
Artist: Steve Schapiro
After driving across the state of Kansas on Saturday, November 14, 1959, Hickock and Smith located the Clutter home, entering while the family slept. After rousing the family, and discovering that there was no money to be found at the Clutters’ home, Smith, notoriously unstable and sociopathic, became enraged and slit Herb Clutter’s throat and then shot him in the head. As Smith recounted later, “I didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat.”Kenyon, then Nancy, and then Bonnie were murdered, each by single shotgun blasts to the head.
The next day, the New York Times published an account of the murders. A thirty-five year old eccentric writer by the name of Truman Capote read the article and was instantly intrigued by it. With his childhood friend, Harper Lee, he got on a train and traveled to Kansas to interview the locals and record the story and investigation. After the murderers were captured, Capote even interviewed them and would later witness their executions.
Capote’s account of the murders, investigation, and trial would become the 1966 bestseller known today as In Cold Blood. In began as a four part serial in the New Yorker which ran the first section in 1965. The book form was released by Random House in January 1966, nine months after the convicted were hanged.
The plot weaves a complicated psychological story of two parolees who together commit a mass murder, an act they were not capable of individually. Capote’s book also details the lives of the victims and the effect the crime had on the community where they lived. A large part of the story involves the dynamic psychological relationship of the two felons that culminated in this senseless crime. In Cold Blood is often regarded by critics as a pioneering work of true crime.
Through the years, the story itself along with Capote’s journey in conceiving it has inspired many films, Infamous being one of my favorites. Many argue it was probably Capote’s best work, and In Cold Blood definitely set the path for true crime writing today. And as they say, the rest is history…
True Vampires
I meant to post this last week for Halloween but forgot about it till tonight. Since my NaNo Novel is about vampires (a different kind of vampire, mind you) and with the release of Twilight’s New Moon later this month, I thought this pic was still very appropriate!
One Year Ago Today: The Day of the Dead
A year ago today J and I visited Bellefontaine Cemetery and captured some awesome pics of the fall foliage and statues. I remember that day well.
Check out some of my photos here and here.
I’d still like to go back some day to the cemetery adjacent to Bellefontaine and pay a visit to Mr. Tennessee Williams.
