Monday, May 15, 2006

Live Fish

Hey, it's been a while since we checked to see if Abe Vigoda is still alive.

• Posted at 11:17 PM · LINK

Neighborhood Watch

About two blocks from where I used to live, there's an apartment complex that looks like something transplanted from New Mexico. The buildings are painted in shades of brown and orange, and where you'd expect to find a lawn, there are volcanic rock chips and cactus plants. It all looks very nice — a bit out of place but very nice. Several of my friends will know exactly the location I'm describing and they might be interested in this article about it.

• Posted at 6:52 PM · LINK

Today's Political Thought

I have no firm opinion of George W. Bush's plans to seal our borders from invading aliens. My suspicion — and this has little to do with Bush or the present administration — is that it's one of those problems that cannot be effectively eliminated. You can put on a show and make it look like you're making a dent in the situation. You can force the violators to take the long way around and not be so visible once they're here. You can even make a few busts, publicize the hell out of them and juggle statistics to argue you're making real progress. That's how "The Drug Problem" has been fought at times, appeasing political constituencies without actually doing much.

I guess I have the feeling that if the Gonzales family in El Salvador wants to live in America badly enough to pick grapes for six bucks an hour — and if some grape growers in the San Joaquin Valley want to pay no more than that to get their crops harvested — a little thing like the National Guard won't keep them apart. Especially since the National Guard is already being strained to the breaking point and this administration ain't so great on the follow-through.

• Posted at 6:19 PM · LINK

Things I'm Not Buying - #6 in a series

Johnny Carson's home in Malibu. A 7,100 square-foot mansion (with a 2,700 square-foot guesthouse plus a tennis court and God knows what else) on four acres of very expensive land.

Asking price? $42 million and that doesn't include Ed or Doc.

• Posted at 4:22 PM · LINK

Pufnstuf Producers

My occasional employers Sid and Marty Krofft will be honored as part of the Makor "Televisionaries" series in New York on Monday, May 22. They'll be present to answer your questions and those of moderator Craig Shemin, plus there'll be clips from Krofft shows like H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost and The Bugaloos. The festivities start at 7:30 and Craig (a fellow Krofft scribe and Mad World enthusiast) says that if you use the discount code "PCM" when you order, you can save five bucks a ticket. Such a deal. I'm sure it'll be fascinating, as everything about the Kroffts is. I think this link will get you there.

• Posted at 4:03 PM · LINK

Do Not Pass Go...

The Boardwalk Casino in Las Vegas is no more. It has ceased to be. We told you here of its impending demise and last Tuesday morning, it blowed up real good. On this page, you can see video of the roof and walls being collapsed by explosives. And if you look real hard through the dust and debris, you may be able to see the buffet, relatively unchanged.

• Posted at 3:47 PM · LINK

Recommended Reading

Tyler Cowen on that rare creature, the independent bookseller. Many are dying out and some don't deserve to live.

• Posted at 8:40 AM · LINK

Today's Video Link

I don't know much (anything, really) about the person or persons responsible for this...and the bit reminds me a lot of one done a few years ago on Conan O'Brien's show. Still, I laughed out loud at this 2-minute spoof of David Copperfield. I'm putting it up here in the hope that you will enjoy it, too.

• Posted at 1:14 AM · LINK