Gail Collins - Count Those Blessings - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Count Those Blessings - NYTimes.com: "Time to give thanks. Let’s get cracking."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kenneth C. Davis - A French Connection - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Contributor - A French Connection - NYTimes.com: "Our history is littered with bleak tableaus that show what happens when righteous certitude is mixed with fearful ignorance. Which is why this Thanksgiving, as we express gratitude for America’s bounty and promise, we would do well to reflect on all our histories, including a forgotten French one that began on Florida’s shores so many years ago."

Mister X: Still Sleepless After All These Years - Publishers Weekly

Mister X: Still Sleepless After All These Years - 11/24/2008 4:50:00 PM - Publishers Weekly: "One of the gems of early 1980s independent comics, Mister X was a trailblazing book in several ways. Mister X sported impeccable design, lavish production values, and a creative line-up of artists who would later be known as masters of the medium, including Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, Seth, Ty Templeton and Dave McKean. The Mister X Archives hardcover collection is set to release on 11/26 from Dark Horse and an all-new Mister X limited-series, Mister X: Condemned, by series creator Dean Motterwill premiere in December, also from Dark Horse. Motter spoke with PWCW about the book's history and future."

Dean Motter is one of the good guys! Congrats on all this.

Ben Smith's Blog: Wright looks back - Politico.com

Ben Smith's Blog: Wright looks back - Politico.com: "Jeremiah Wright, in a rare media appearance, told Sirius XM Satellite Radio's Mark Thompson that he understands why Obama distanced himself from him, but doesn't forgive the media the way it covered him.

His reaction to Obama's victory, he said, was a 'mixed bag of being proud of him and being blessed to have lived' through the moment, and pain at being 'put up by the media' as a 'weapon of mass destruction to destroy his candidacy.'"

A Whisper, Perhaps, From the Universe’s Dark Side - NYTimes.com

A Whisper, Perhaps, From the Universe’s Dark Side - NYTimes.com: "A concatenation of puzzling results from an alphabet soup of satellites and experiments has led a growing number of astronomers and physicists to suspect that they are getting signals from a shadow universe of dark matter that makes up a quarter of creation but has eluded direct detection until now.

Maybe."

Bond and Obama: Deadly sin slayers - Roanoke.com

Bond and Obama: Deadly sin slayers - Benjamin Pratt - Roanoke.com: "The big question buzzing through American households after the euphoria of our barrier-breaking presidential election is an uneasy awareness of the enormity of our crises: What do we do next? We need not only political and economic wisdom, we need spiritual guidance to restore our moral authority.

Comparisons between the Barack Obama election and Abraham Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt are popping up everywhere. But, right now, we're being handed a most unlikely gift of moral and spiritual guidance: the debut of Bond ... James Bond, 007, in the long-awaited 'Quantum of Solace.' As that movie draws millions, it also will draw many back to the surprising moral compass to be found in the original Ian Fleming novels."

The Screens Issue - Moments That Mattered - NYTimes.com

The Screens Issue - Moments That Mattered - NYTimes.com

Twelve writers, directors and bloggers describe the year’s most memorable clips, scenes, shows, videos and computer graphics.

For a Thrifty Audience, Buying DVDs Is So 2004 - NYTimes.com

Scene Stealer - For a Thrifty Audience, Buying DVDs Is So 2004 - NYTimes.com: The economic crisis has almost certainly accelerated the move to cheaper ways of seeing movies and TV shows on the Web.

The 40 Best TV Theme Songs of All Time - Paste

The 40 Best TV Theme Songs of All Time :: List of the Day :: Paste: "It's fashionable to lament the state of the TV theme song. Gone are the days when a show's whole premise was summed up in musical verse before every episode. Now we have Lost and it's single chord. And though I actually like Lost's simple spooky chime and have recently highlighted the 12 Best TV Theme Songs From Current Shows, there's no denying we're past the golden age of the TV show theme song. Take a look at the following list, and let me know where I'm wrong. I've included music without words, but I skipped over shows that used already popularized tunes like 'The William Tell Overture' from The Lone Ranger and 'Stand' from Get a Life."

Churches Vie to Attract The Newest First Family - washingtonpost.com

Churches Vie to Attract The Newest First Family - washingtonpost.com: "It's part of the spirited competition among Washington churches to land the most sought-after Christians in town: the Obama family.

Methodist, Baptist, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, Episcopal -- all have been courting the Obamas to be regulars in their pews on Sunday mornings."

Gail Collins - Time for Him to Go - NYTimes.com

Gail Collins - Time for Him to Go - NYTimes.com: "Putting Barack Obama in charge immediately isn’t impossible. Dick Cheney, obviously, would have to quit as well as Bush. In fact, just to be on the safe side, the vice president ought to turn in his resignation first. (We’re desperate, but not crazy.) Then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would become president until Jan. 20. Obviously, she’d defer to her party’s incoming chief executive, and Barack Obama could begin governing.

As a bonus, the Pelosi presidency would put a woman in the White House this year after all. On the downside, a few right-wing talk-show hosts might succumb to apoplexy. That would, of course, be terrible, but I’m afraid we might have to take the risk in the name of a greater good.

Can I see a show of hands? How many people want George W. out and Barack in?"

Jazz News: Soupy's on... at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia

Jazz News: Soupy's on... at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia: "Soupy Sales was presented with a medal and certificate for his “advancement and preservation of jazz” during “Brownie Speaks,' a celebration of the legacy of Clifford Brown at The University of the Arts."

Jazz News: Soupy's on... at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia

Jazz News: Soupy's on... at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia: "Soupy Sales was presented with a medal and certificate for his “advancement and preservation of jazz” during “Brownie Speaks,' a celebration of the legacy of Clifford Brown at The University of the Arts."

DIAL B for BLOG - Secret Origins of Thor!

DIAL B for BLOG: Robbie takes a look at the secret origins of Thor.

Mike Allred Hits All The Right Notes- PW

Mike Allred Hits All The Right Notes - 11/17/2008 12:45:00 PM - Publishers Weekly: "Ten years ago, Mike Allred woke up from a vivid dream with the inspiration for a comic book series, a movie and an album. He quickly set to work, creating the sci-fi/rock 'n' roll story Red Rocket 7, a labor of love that manages to integrate aliens, spaceships, robots and clones into the history of rock n’ roll from the 1950s right up until today. Originally published as a series by Dark Horse in the late 1990s, the dark days of the comics industry, the book is back in print now in a .45-record-sized collection from Image (Allred’s low-budget companion film, Astroesque, has yet to be picked up by Criterion). In an interview with PW Comics Week, Allred reflected on the original publication of Red Rocket 7 as well as this new edition; his love of rock ‘n’ roll and he looked forward to an a full slate of new projects. Those projects include the ongoing Madman series at Image, the slow-going development of a Madman film, a Marvel collaboration with Matt Fraction as well as a mysterious team-up planned with Neil Gaiman."

The Amazing Spider-Maps

Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!: The Amazing Spider-Maps: "Over the past forty-six years (46! Gosh, Pete's old), the world of Spider-Man has been chronicled in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, Marvel Team-Up, Web of Spider-Man, Everybody Loves Spider-Man, Spider-Man Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Gossip Gwen, and many other fine Marvel Comics publications. But even for a visual medium, it's sometimes hard to picture the setting of Spidey's many amazing (spectacular, webbish) adventures in and around Manhattan, New York, the place so nice they named it...Manhattan.

Once in a great while, however, Stan, Steve, JR and the gang o' Bullpen Buddies at Marvel flesh out the New York City of Pete Parker and his pleasant pals and Spider-Friends by providing us, the gentle readers, with maps or views of where ol' Pete lives, works, hangs out, or watches the love of his life plummet from a bridge. Hop on the F train of Earth-616 and journey with us now to the Manhattan of Spider-Man:"

John Lennon interview animated - Very Short List

I Met the Walrus - Josh Raskin - Very Short List: "Thirty-nine years ago, a 14-year-old named Jerry Levitan managed to talk his way into John Lennon’s Toronto hotel room. Impressed by the kid’s chutzpah, Lennon obliged him with a five-minute chat that covered war, peace, and the newly arrived Bee Gees.
Last year, Levitan teamed up with filmmaker Josh Raskin to make “I Met the Walrus” — a charming animated film that turns Lennon’s thoughts into concrete images. The results are trippy but cogent, and no less interesting than what the Beatle had to say. Lennon himself would have loved it."

Editorial - Flunking the Electoral College - NYTimes.com

Editorial - Flunking the Electoral College - NYTimes.com: "The Electoral College is more than just an antiquated institution: it actively disenfranchises voters and occasionally (think 2000) makes the candidate with fewer popular votes president. American democracy would be far stronger without it."

Book Prizes Awarded With Nod to History - NYTimes.com

Book Prizes Awarded With Nod to History - NYTimes.com: National Book Awards announced.

Mark Evanier has more on Stan's medal

news from me - ARCHIVES: "The relevant speechifying of the day found a Military Aide (that's what he's called in the transcript) announcing, 'The 2008 National Medal of Arts to Stan Lee, for his groundbreaking work as one of America's most prolific storytellers, recreating the American comic book. His complex plots and humane super heroes celebrate courage, honesty, and the importance of helping the less fortunate, reflecting America's inherent goodness.' Not a bad way to put it...but I'll bet Stan would still have rather received this next January 21."

Yep. One of my favorite people (left) with one of my least faves.

Exclusive First Listen: Paul McCartney : NPR Music

Exclusive First Listen: Paul McCartney : NPR Music: "ear The Entire Album, Featuring McCartney And Youth As The Fireman"

Stan Lee receives National Medal of Arts

Blog@Newsarama - Stan Lee receives National Medal of Arts: "Comics legend Stan Lee was among those presented today at the White House with the National Medal of Arts.

The medal is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the U.S. government.

“I wonder what took so long,” the 85-year-old Lee told The Washington Post. “Say ‘He said it with a laugh’ or I’ll shoot you.”

Others receiving the honor today from President Bush included actress Olivia de Havilland, jazz pianist Hank Jones, sculptor Jesus Moroles, and songwriting brothers Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman, who penned It’s a Small World (After All) and other works for Disney.

The ceremony also included the presentation of the National Humanities Medal."

King Features launching new comics platform for online newspapers

USATODAY.com: "Hearst-owned King Features hopes to give comic-strip fans and newspaper publishers a reason to smile today when it unveils what it calls the most ambitious effort yet to turn 'the funnies' into a revenue-generating attraction for newspaper websites.

One of the largest comics syndicators — which has Blondie, Zits, Beetle Bailey, Baby Blues, Hagar the Horrible and Mutts among the 10 most widely sold strips — will introduce Comics Kingdom, a digital platform that newspapers can embed on their sites."

911callers.com - Real 911 Phone Calls

911callers.com - Real 911 Phone Calls: "The goal of our site is to educate the public about 911 emergency phone calls by posting real calls online, so people know what to expect if they ever need to 911. We also showcase dozens of stupid and wacky 911 calls as examples of how people abuse the 911 system. It is estimated that 35% of all 911 calls are illegitimate (pranks, hangups, non-emergencies)."

Today in history

It's Mickey Mouse's birthday! Walt Disney released Steamboat Willie today in 1928. The simple cartoon became the benchmark for animation of the time, and sparked the success of the Disney company.

The first-ever comic strip of Calvin and Hobbes was published today in 1985. Based on a boy and his tiger, it was unique in that it transcended jokes and invited the reader to ponder deeper questions about the world.

--Odyssey Networks Daybook

75 comics being made into films - Den of Geek

75 comics being made into films - Den of Geek: Amazing list! Of course, they won't all be made, right?

Rather’s Lawsuit Shows Role of G.O.P. in Inquiry at CBS - NYTimes.com

Rather’s Lawsuit Shows Role of G.O.P. in Inquiry at CBS - NYTimes.com: "So far, Mr. Rather has spent more than $2 million of his own money on the suit. And according to documents filed recently in court, he may be getting something for his money.

Using tools unavailable to him as a reporter — including the power of subpoena and the threat of punishment against witnesses who lie under oath — he has unearthed evidence that would seem to support his assertion that CBS intended its investigation, at least in part, to quell Republican criticism of the network."

Tech Puts JFK Conspiracy Theories to Rest : Discovery News

Tech Puts JFK Conspiracy Theories to Rest : Discovery News: "A team of experts assembled by the Discovery Channel has recreated the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Using modern blood spatter analysis, new artificial human body surrogates, and 3-D computer simulations, the team determined that the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository was the most likely origin of the shot that killed the 35th president of the United States."

Paul McCartney Hopes To Release 14-Minute Beatles Track

Paul McCartney Hopes To Release 14-Minute Beatles Track: "Paul McCartney says it's time an experimental Beatles track saw the light of day.

McCartney says he wants to release 'Carnival of Light,' a 14-minute experimental track the Fab Four recorded in 1967 but never released.

The band played the recording for an audience just once, at an electronic music festival in London. It reportedly includes distorted guitar, organ sounds, gargling and shouts of 'Barcelona!' and 'Are you all right?' from McCartney and John Lennon."

Say Goodbye to BlackBerry? If Obama Has to, Yes He Can - NYTimes.com

Say Goodbye to BlackBerry? If Obama Has to, Yes He Can - NYTimes.com: "For years, like legions of other professionals, Mr. Obama has been all but addicted to his BlackBerry. The device has rarely been far from his side — on most days, it was fastened to his belt — to provide a singular conduit to the outside world as the bubble around him grew tighter and tighter throughout his campaign.

“How about that?” Mr. Obama replied to a friend’s congratulatory e-mail message on the night of his victory.

But before he arrives at the White House, he will probably be forced to sign off. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas. A decision has not been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful."

Barack & me: Too close for coincidence?

Barack & me: Too close for coincidence? by Tony Norman: "When Mr. Obama takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, he will be the first president in history to have Peter Parker's mantra -- penned by Stan Lee -- going through his head: 'With great power comes great responsibility.'"

Election’s Over, So What’s Next for the Cable News Channels? - NYTimes.com

Election’s Over, So What’s Next for the Cable News Channels? - NYTimes.com: "For cable channels with strong points of view, it was a very good election.

But for all the news media outlets that set viewership records in recent months, the looming question after Senator Obama’s election is: what happens now?"

World asked to help craft online charter for religious harmony

World asked to help craft online charter for religious harmony: "A website launched Friday with the backing of technology industry and Hollywood elite urges people worldwide to help craft a framework for harmony between all religions.
The Charter for Compassion project on the Internet at www.charterforcompassion.org springs from a 'wish' granted this year to religious scholar Karen Armstrong at a premier Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conference in California."

Thor Animated Series coming

TVBizWire - TVWeek: "Marvel Animation is working on a new animated TV series based on the upcoming 'Thor' theatrical release, the Hollywood Reporter says. Marvel will self-produce the 26-episode series and plans on debuting the show in the fall of 2010 after the big-screen version makes its theater run earlier in that year, the trade paper says."

Newsarama.com : James Bond: History of a Comic Book Hero

Newsarama.com : James Bond: History of a Comic Book Hero: "James Bond is back...and he's in print.

Daniel Craig’s second outing as James Bond in Quantum of Solace opens in the US this Friday. Created by Ian Fleming in 1953, James Bond starred in 12 novels and two short story collections, as well as 22 films in the EON Productions series (the “official” Bond films), two independent films (the comedy version of Casino Royale and Never Say Never Again) and one episode of a television show (CBS’ Climax! adapted Casino Royale in 1954). But those are the James Bond outings that everyone knows about.

What about James Bond’s comic strip and comic book adventures?"

'Leave It to Beaver' actor to show at the Louvre - Yahoo! News

'Leave It to Beaver' actor to show at the Louvre - Yahoo! News: "Eat your heart out, Eddie Haskell.
Tony Dow, best known as the actor who portrayed The Beav's big brother, Wally, in the '50s TV series 'Leave It to Beaver,' will have one of his abstract sculptures on display at the Louvre. Several sculptors from the Karen Lynne Gallery — including Dow — will have their works shown at the historic art museum in Paris as part of the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition."

Todd Klein on Batman logos through the years

Todd’s Blog - Logo Study: Batman Part 1: "Here we go with a lengthy look at the logos of Batman from his creation to the present."

Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com: "In an elaborate hoax, pranksters distributed thousands of free copies of a spoof edition of The New York Times on Wednesday morning at busy subway stations around the city, including Grand Central Terminal, Washington and Union Squares, the 14th and 23rd Street stations along Eighth Avenue, and Pacific Street in Brooklyn, among others.

The spurious 14-page papers — with a headline “IRAQ WAR ENDS” — surprised commuters, many of whom took the free copies thinking they were legitimate.

The paper is dated July 4, 2009, and imagines a liberal utopia of national health care, a rebuilt economy, progressive taxation, a national oil fund to study climate change, and other goals of progressive politics."

Times Executive Resigns to Lead NPR - NYTimes.com

Times Executive Resigns to Lead NPR - NYTimes.com: "Vivian Schiller, who heads the online operations of The New York Times, will leave the paper to become the president and chief executive of National Public Radio, the network announced on Tuesday.

Ms. Schiller, 47, will take over NPR on Jan. 5, heading a nonprofit corporation with a budget of more than $150 million and an endowment of more than $240 million. It provides news and entertainment programming to more than 800 public radio stations around the country and claims an audience of 26 million people."

Sirius-XM: A Long, Challenging Road Ahead - BusinessWeek

Sirius-XM: A Long, Challenging Road Ahead - BusinessWeek: "Subscribers are up, but the recently merged satellite radio provider lost nearly $5 billion last quarter and still faces a host of questions"

'Captain America' recruits director

'Captain America' recruits director: "Joe Johnston has inked a deal to direct 'First Avenger: Captain America,' Marvel Studios' take on its classic comic book character. Marvel's Kevin Feige is producing.

No writers are on board, but the studio, which is hearing pitches, expects to hire shortly.

Johnston first met with Marvel two years ago. When the two parties clicked, general talks turned into Captain America-specific meetings, with much of the project's current direction resulting from those early conversations.

'This is a guy who designed the vehicles for 'Star Wars,' who storyboarded the convoy action sequence for 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' ' Feige said. 'From 'Rocketeer' to 'October Sky' to 'The Wolfman,' you can look at pieces of his movies and see how they lead to this one.'"

Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know - Telegraph

Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know - Telegraph: "He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics"

This Math Whiz Called It for Obama Months Ago - NYTimes.com

This Math Whiz Called It for Obama Months Ago - NYTimes.com: "In an election season of unlikely outcomes, [Nate] Silver, 30, is perhaps the most unlikely media star to emerge. A baseball statistician who began analyzing political polls only last year, he introduced his site, FiveThirtyEight.com, in March, where he used his own formula to predict federal and state results and run Election Day possibilities based on a host of factors."

MGM to Post Full Movies and TV Shows to YouTube - NYTimes.com

MGM to Post Full Movies and TV Shows to YouTube - NYTimes.com: "With critical plaudits and advertising dollars flowing to Hulu, the popular online hub for television shows and feature films, YouTube finds itself in the unanticipated position of playing catch-up.

On Monday, YouTube will move forward a little, announcing an agreement to show some full-length television shows and films from MGM, the financially troubled 84-year-old film studio.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios will kick off the partnership by posting episodes of its decade-old “American Gladiators” program to YouTube, along with full-length action films like “Bulletproof Monk” and “The Magnificent Seven” and clips from popular movies like “Legally Blonde.” These will be free to watch, with ads running alongside the video."

Google Signs a Deal to e-Publish Out-of-Print Books - NYTimes.com

Google Signs a Deal to e-Publish Out-of-Print Books - NYTimes.com: "Last week, American authors and publishers reached an agreement with Google to settle lawsuits over Google’s Book Search program, which scans millions of books and makes their contents available on the Internet. The deal lets Google sell electronic versions of copyrighted works that have gone out of print.

“Almost overnight, not only has the largest publishing deal been struck, but the largest bookshop in the world has been built, even if it is not quite open for business yet,” wrote Neill Denny, editor of The Bookseller, a trade publication based in London, on his blog."

DIAL B for BLOG - The Story of Goofus and Gallant

DIAL B for BLOG - THE WORLD'S GREATEST COMIC BLOGAZINE: "Goofus and Gallant made their debut in Highlights magazine, in 1946. The feature, drawn by Anni Matsick, stars the ill-mannered Goofus and the prissy do-gooder Gallant.

Created by child psychologist Garry Cleveland Myers, editor of Highlights magazine, the cartoon series shows how each boy acts in the same situation. Goofus invariably chooses a selfish or irresponsible path, while Gallant always responds with kindness and generosity."

World's Oldest Temple Discovered In Turkey, Archaeologist Claims (PHOTOS)

World's Oldest Temple Discovered In Turkey, Archaeologist Claims (PHOTOS): "Six miles from Urfa, an ancient city in southeastern Turkey, Klaus Schmidt has made one of the most startling archaeological discoveries of our time: massive carved stones about 11,000 years old, crafted and arranged by prehistoric people who had not yet developed metal tools or even pottery. The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it's the site of the world's oldest temple..."

Looking Back on ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000,’ the Show That Turned the Mockery Into the Message - NYTimes.com

DVD - Looking Back on ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000,’ the Show That Turned the Mockery Into the Message - NYTimes.com: "It was more than two decades ago that Mr. Hodgson walked away from a thriving stand-up comedy career, retreating to Minnesota to build sculptures of robots. There Mr. Hodgson, now 48, discovered that his eccentric hobby of building automatons, and especially his aptitude for finding the flaws in mass media, could be combined into something greater.

“There was kind of an invitation there,” he said, “that if you can see the seams in this, you can figure out how to make a TV show.” The show Mr. Hodgson and a cadre of like-minded Midwesterners came up with in 1988 was “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (“MST3K” for short), surely the only comedy series about an outer-space castaway and his robots, who provide a steady stream of quips and comebacks while watching low-budget films."

Frank Rich - It Still Felt Good the Morning After - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - It Still Felt Good the Morning After - NYTimes.com: "ON the morning after a black man won the White House, America’s tears of catharsis gave way to unadulterated joy.

Our nation was still in the same ditch it had been the day before, but the atmosphere was giddy. We felt good not only because we had breached a racial barrier as old as the Republic. Dawn also brought the realization that we were at last emerging from an abusive relationship with our country’s 21st-century leaders. The festive scenes of liberation that Dick Cheney had once imagined for Iraq were finally taking place — in cities all over America."

Remembering Tuesday night

Obama shifted some church voters | ajc.com

Obama shifted some church voters | ajc.com: "President-elect Barack Obama’s effort to swing religious voters his way and close the God gap with Republicans worked.

While he did not win every religious group of voters, he made gains from each compared with the 2004 election, exit polls reveal. He swept some by impressive numbers, and he gained notably among young evangelicals, who have been Republican stalwarts."

'Mutts like me' - Obama shows ease discussing race - Yahoo! News

'Mutts like me' - Obama shows ease discussing race - Yahoo! News: "It popped out casually, a throwaway line as he talked to reporters about finding the right puppy for his young daughters.
But with just three offhanded words in his first news conference as president-elect, Barack Obama reminded everyone how thoroughly different his administration — and inevitably, this country — will be.
'Mutts like me.'
By now, almost everyone knows that Obama's mother was white and father was black, putting him on track to become the nation's first African-American president. But there was something startling, and telling, about hearing his self-description — particularly in how offhandedly he used it.
The message seemed clear — here is a president who will be quite at ease discussing race, a complex issue as unresolved as it is uncomfortable for many to talk about openly. And at a time when whites in the country are not many years from becoming the minority."

Explore the Spirit: A new Bible study with Bond ... James Bond

Explore the Spirit: 295: Today, we proudly introduce — a new Web site, a new book, a new Bible study with Bond ... James Bond: "unlike many 'Gospel According to ...' Bible studies that add a biblical analysis after the fact, Ian Fleming truly did set out to explore a range of powerful spiritual themes in his stories about secret agent James Bond. Author Benjamin Pratt—a retired pastor and a lifelong literary scholar—has tracked down the connections between Fleming, James Bond, Bond's colorful villains and timeless biblical wisdom in this new book.

It's geat for groups! And, starting today, our brand new Web site, http://www.BondBibleStudy.info, is the global 'home' for men and women eager to take this new adventure."

Movies on YouTube coming? TV Week

TVBizWire - TVWeek: "YouTube soon will be not just for those with short attention spans. The online video site reportedly plans said to offer streaming, ad-supported feature films by at least one of the major movie studios, possibly as early as next month, CNET reports. “It’s not imminent, but it’s going to happen,” said an anonymous movie studio executive privy to the negotiations between YouTube’s parent company, Google, and the major movie companies."

TV Week also reports that YouTube will soon be streaming live programming.

Robin TV show scrapped - TV Week

TVBizWire - TVWeek: "Plans for a series about how Batman's sidekick Robin grew up have been scrapped by the CW and Warner Bros. TV, Daily Variety reports. 'The Graysons' had been given a put pilot commitment, but 'the concept didn't fit the current strategy for the Batman franchise,' the studio said in a statement."

Daily Kos: Myths and Tall Tales Of the 2008 Election

Daily Kos: Myths and Tall Tales Of the 2008 Election: Fascinating insights about the vote.

Paul Krugman - The Obama Agenda - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - The Obama Agenda - NYTimes.com: "Can Barack Obama really usher in a new era of progressive policies? Yes, he can.

Right now, many commentators are urging Mr. Obama to think small. Some make the case on political grounds: America, they say, is still a conservative country, and voters will punish Democrats if they move to the left. Others say that the financial and economic crisis leaves no room for action on, say, health care reform.

Let’s hope that Mr. Obama has the good sense to ignore this advice."

Maureen Dowd - Bring on the Puppy and the Rookie - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Bring on the Puppy and the Rookie - NYTimes.com: "I walked over to the White House Tuesday night and leaned against the fence. How can such a lovely house make so many of its inhabitants nuts?"

Candace Chellew-Hodge: Why is My Life Still Up for a Vote? | Election 2008 | ReligionDispatches

Op-Ed: Why is My Life Still Up for a Vote? | Election 2008 | ReligionDispatches: "While many Americans are celebrating a groundbreaking first, the election of an African American president, I find my mood tempered by another history-making moment at the ballot box—the denial of marriage equality to gay and lesbian citizens in Arizona, Florida, and California.

It must be unprecedented for so many states to put the civil rights of other citizens on the ballot to be voted up or down like special sales taxes or zoning decisions. It must be nice to be in such a spot of special privilege in this country that you believe it's fitting for you to have the power to say what another human being can do with their lives—how they can live it and who they can live it with."

TCR: Comics.com revamped and free

The Comics Reporter: "United Media launched their revamped Comics.com site, which has gone to a free model that stresses a huge amount of archived content -- you can now see 21,000-plus Peanuts strip on the site -- an interface that I believe is designed to feature advertising, and a few bells and whistles set to encourage on-line social interaction and dissemination, including the eyebrow-raising option of anyone being able to embed them without paying to run them."

Election Night Top Moments - TVGuide.com

Election Night Top Moments - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com: "It was a historic night, and the networks mostly made us proud -- except for a handful of gaffes and some sci-fi-like technology they should maybe save for a brighter tomorrow. Here's our look at the most powerful, ridiculous, and notable moments of Election Night 2008."

Behind The Scenes: Newsweek On McCain In The Dark, Obama Threats, And More

Behind The Scenes: Newsweek On McCain In The Dark, Obama Threats, And More: "Newsweek has released highlights of its Special Election Project, which allowed reporters to gather behind-the-scenes information on the presidential campaigns with an agreement that none of their reporting would be published until after Election Day.

Below, some key excerpts -- including news about a cyber attack from an 'unknown entity' that hit the presidential campaigns' computers in the summer, prompting an FBI investigation; McCain's advisers fuming at Palin's shopping spree, which was apparently far more extensive than originally reported; and Palin being blocked from speaking on election night by top McCain aide Steve Schmidt."

Rush blathers on...

From Aircheck radio newsletter:

Rush: "I Am Ready For Battle!"
That's the word today from Talk radio's most listened to conservative host Rush Limbaugh in the wake of last night's election of Democrat Barack Obama to the White House. "We're being told today that we need to be gracious in defeat," said El Rushbo on his Premiere Radio Networks show today (11/5). "My answer to that is, screw defeat! This is a war that there are skirmishes and battles in and we just lost a battle. We've got to be honest with ourselves about why we lost. Anytime you fail, if you don't examine yourself first, you will never understand what happened. The core of the problem is that that the Republican Party, for some inexplicable reason that I don't care about now, decided to abandon conservatism. We've now demonstrated to one and all how to lose." Noting the substantial number of people who voted for Republican John McCain vs. Obama Limbaugh added, "I for one do not think it wise to abandon 57 million Americans who want no part of an Obama agenda and I, for one, will not abandon them."

Michael Crichton dies of cancer | AccessAtlanta

Family: Michael Crichton dies of cancer | AccessAtlanta: "he family of Michael Crichton, the million-selling author of such historic and prehistoric science fantasies as 'Jurassic Park,' 'Timeline' and 'The Andromeda Strain,' says the author has died in Los Angeles.

Crichton died Tuesday at age 66. He had been privately battling cancer, his family said."

Obama Wins! Editorial cartoonists on the outcome

Obama Wins!

Nora Ephron: Thinking About Bill

Nora Ephron: Thinking About Bill

Norah Ephron would miss hating Bill Kristol. She started reading him religiously every Monday in the Times. "And slowly but surely, I became infatuated with him. How could I not? The man could not write his way out of a paper bag. His column was simply awful. ...There are rumors that the New York Times is not going to renew his contract. I just pray they're not true."

The monster years - Paul Krugman - Op-Ed Columnist - New York Times Blog

The monster years - Paul Krugman - Op-Ed Columnist - New York Times Blog: "Last night wasn’t just a victory for tolerance; it wasn’t just a mandate for progressive change; it was also, I hope, the end of the monster years.

What I mean by that is that for the past 14 years America’s political life has been largely dominated by, well, monsters. Monsters like Tom DeLay, who suggested that the shootings at Columbine happened because schools teach students the theory of evolution. Monsters like Karl Rove, who declared that liberals wanted to offer “therapy and understanding” to terrorists. Monsters like Dick Cheney, who saw 9/11 as an opportunity to start torturing people."

Op-Ed Contributors - The Measure of Democracy - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Contributors - The Measure of Democracy - NYTimes.com: "What's left to say after this seemingly endless campaign? The Op-Ed editors asked five poets to answer that question."

Editorial - The Next President - NYTimes.com

Editorial - The Next President - NYTimes.com: "An American with the name Barack Hussein Obama, the son of a white woman and a black man he barely knew, raised by his grandparents far outside the stream of American power and wealth, has been elected the 44th president of the United States."

F.C.C. to Open Radio Spectrum - NYTimes.com

F.C.C. to Open Radio Spectrum - NYTimes.com: "Over the objections of television broadcasters and other groups, federal regulators set aside a disputed slice of radio spectrum for public use on Tuesday, hoping it would lead to low-cost, high-speed Internet access and new wireless devices."

Obama!

Here's the president-elect's speech last night:

Jon Meacham: How to Read Like a President - NYTimes.com

Essay - How to Read Like a President - NYTimes.com: "You can tell a lot about a president — or a presidential candidate — by what he reads, or says he reads."

Peanuts reborn on Web | ajc.com

Peanuts reborn on Web | ajc.com: "In a batch of 20 new “Webisodes,” Charlie Brown and the gang have been brought back to animated life, much in the style of their classic holiday TV specials. But Lucy, Snoopy and others have been remade for the Web in 3- to 4-minute videos taken directly from 1964 comic strips."

Joaquin Phoenix confirms he's done with movies - Yahoo! News

Joaquin Phoenix confirms he's done with movies - Yahoo! News: "The writing on Joaquin Phoenix's fists said it all.

The words 'Good Bye' were penned on the actor's knuckles at a premiere Saturday night for his latest film, 'Two Lovers,' and Phoenix confirmed a surprise announcement he made last week: He's giving up movies.

'I think it's just moving on. It's rediscovering something else,' said Phoenix, 34, said in an interview with Associated Press Television News before Saturday's American Film Institute festival, which also premiered 'Che,' starring Benicio Del Toro.

'Two Lovers' is his last film, he said. His publicist had disclosed Friday that the actor intended to focus on music."

Composer with the midas touch - Entertainment News, Billion-Dollar Composer: John Barry, Media - Variety

Composer with the midas touch - Entertainment News, Billion-Dollar Composer: John Barry, Media - Variety: "John Barry turns 75 today. The composer of 'Out of Africa,' 'Dances With Wolves,' 'Born Free,' 'Midnight Cowboy' and 'The Lion in Winter' -- as well as such iconic James Bond themes as 'Goldfinger,' 'You Only Live Twice' and 'Diamonds Are Forever' -- is believed to be the sole Brit to have won as many as five Academy Awards.
True, he's scored only three movies in the last 10 years (the last was 'Enigma' in 2001), but he's still waiting for another great one to come along.

And in the meantime, he's writing a piece for orchestra that says something about where he is in his life. 'It's about how the seasons of the year affect us,' he says. 'It's not really about nature, it's more of a personal thing,' he adds, sitting in his comfortable living room in Oyster Bay, N.Y., where he has lived since 1980."

John Barry reflects on 10 of his scores - Variety

John Barry reflects on 10 of his scores - Entertainment News, Billion-Dollar Composer: John Barry, Media - Variety

Gail Collins - Our Election Whopper - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Our Election Whopper - NYTimes.com: "Our two-year presidential campaign now ends with a monthlong vote, followed by weeks of litigation over provisional ballots. After that, the new president is sworn in and given 100 days to accomplish his legislative agenda, after which everyone will start plotting for 2012."

THomas Lynch: A Date With the Departed - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Contributor - A Date With the Departed - NYTimes.com: "All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are time set aside to broker peace between the living and the dead. Whether you are pagan or religious, Celt or Christian, New Age believer or doubter-at-large, these are the days when you traditionally acknowledge that the gone are not forgotten. The seasonal metaphors of reaping and rotting, harvest and darkness, leaf-fall and killing frost supply us with plentiful memento mori. Whatever is or isn’t there when we die, death both frightens and excites us.

Thus, throughout most of the Western world, graves are decorated on these first days of November with candles and fresh flowers. Picnics are held among the old stones and markers, relatives gather round family plots to give the dead their due of prayers and remembrances."