Lawrence has just informed me of the passing of Robert Bork. Obits to come.
Archive for December, 2012
Obit watch take two.
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012Random notes: December 19, 2012.
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012And I said, “What about ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’?”
She said, “I think that’s just been added to the National Film Registry.”
“And as I recall, we both kind of liked it.”
And I said, “Well, that’s the one thing we’ve got.”
(For those of you who have forgotten your one-hit wonders, reference explained here.)
(“The Matrix”? Whoa. But I’m pretty happy about “Dirty Harry” and “A Christmas Story”. I have the Criterion editions of both “Two-Lane Blacktop
The NYT finally got around to publishing an obit for Reinhold Weege, the creator of “Night Court” whose death we noted previously.
Alex Sanchez was the executive director of Homies Unidos, an anti-gang organization, when he was indicted in 2009 on Federal charges of “racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder”. The government alleged he had ties to the MS-13 gang.
Yesterday, the government asked that the charges be dismissed “without prejudice”, which gives them the right to refile those charges in the future.
TMQ Watch: December 18, 2012.
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012For various reasons – some obvious, some that we’re keeping to ourselves – we’re having a hard time getting in the Christmas spirit this year. This might help a little bit:
Or possibly not. After the jump, this week’s TMO…
More obit watch.
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012Frank Pastore, former major-league pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins, later turned talk-show host in LA.
Mr. Pastore died as a result of injuries sustained on November 19th, when his motorcycle was struck by another car that swerved into him as he was riding in the car pool lane on the freeway.
Random notes and obit watch: December 18, 2012.
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012Remember Pat Lykos, former Harris County DA, unceremoniously tossed from office in this past election cycle? Remember the whole BAT Van scandal? (If you don’t, the “HCDA” category” will provide you with a historical overview.)
Anyway, Amanda Culbertson and Jorge Wong, two of the people who brought up the problems with the BAT Vans, are suing Ms. Lykos, Rachel Palmer (another prosecutor in the DA’s office) and Harris County itself.
The NYT informs us that there hasn’t been a big hit book this holiday season. (Apparently, last year’s big hit was Steve Jobs
Obit watch: Senator Daniel K. Inouye.
Maurice Herzog, noted French climber.
Herzog died of natural causes at the age of 93.
The last dive bar.
Friday, December 14th, 2012There’s an interesting article in today’s LAT about the King Eddy Saloon. The King Eddy opened in 1933 and was a favorite bar for folks like John Fante, James M. Cain, and Charles Bukowski. When it first opened, it was in a commercial district that has since evolved into Skid Row.
($4 beer and burritos? On a busy night, this place must smell like a mustard gas attack.)
The property that the King Eddy sits on has changed ownership. The new owners (the “Acme Bar Group”) plan to remodel the bar. The current “regulars” are convinced that the remodel is going to push them out – no more $4 beer and burritos – in favor of a more “yuppie” crowd.
Which may very well be true. I don’t live in LA, so I’m not sure I can comment with authority. It’s worth noting that the King Eddy is located in a residential hotel, that there are more residential hotels in the area, and that “a moratorium prohibits the conversion of residential hotels in the area to upscale housing until 2063”. So it isn’t like this area is going to become gentrified any time in the near future. It does seem to me that a “yuppie” bar on Skid Row is going to be a hard sell.
Art, damn it, art! watch (#33 in a series).
Friday, December 14th, 2012Atlanta has this thing called “Living Walls”, which the NYT describes as “an annual gathering of street artists from around the world who paint on walls and buildings”.
Some of these paintings are in “blighted” areas; the theory seems to be that these paintings will make things look a little nicer.
The punchline?
But this had nothing to do with “artistic value”, according to the DoT: rather, they claim that the artist didn’t have the proper permits for public art. (Other “Living Walls” paintings are on private property; the NYT doesn’t make this clear, but it looks like the alligator mural was painted along the side of a road.)
And:
“an allegory about the brutality of capitalism”. By the way, “Living Walls” sponsors include “a prominent law firm, the Museum of Design Atlanta and the W Hotel”.
Medal of Honor followup.
Thursday, December 13th, 2012I’ve written previously about the case of Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism in combat. Sgt. Peralta’s family, and other folks, believe Sgt. Peralta should receive the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Updating this story, the Secretary of Defense has declined to award Sgt. Peralta the Medal of Honor. Former secretary Gates initially ruled against awarding the MoH to Sgt. Peralta, but current secretary Panetta was asked to reconsider the decision, and chose not to overrule Gates.
Speaking of Christmas…
Wednesday, December 12th, 2012He was stopped after running a red light, “nitially declined to provide his identity” until the cops said they’d fingerprint him, and, oh, by the way, the police also searched his car and found meth.
Also:
Interesting. I can, as of 8:11 PM local time on December 12, 2012, pull up their website. I can also click on the big “PayPal” button, but doing that results in a message from PayPal stating “This recipient is currently unable to receive money.”
(Previously.)
Banana republicans followup: December 12, 2012.
Wednesday, December 12th, 2012Christmas is coming, so let me give you a gift that keeps on giving.
A while back, I noted the case of San Fernando councilman Mario Hernandez and councilwoman Maribel de la Torre. In brief, the two were involved in an extra-marital affair that went sour, there were accusations of domestic violence by both parties, Hernandez later asked that his charges against de la Torre be withdrawn, and the DA refused.
Ms. de la Torre (who, along with Mr. Hernandez, is no longer a councilperson) went on trial today.
The charges were dismissed “after Deputy Dist. Atty. Ruby Arias announced that she would not be able to proceed”.
Why couldn’t she proceed?
It seems pretty clear that this was a deliberate act on the part of Hernandez. The thing I wonder about (because I am not a lawyer) is: what now? With the charges dismissed, is there still an active bench warrant for Hernandez? Can he still be hauled before a judge? If so, could he face contempt charges? Can the charges be re-filed if Hernandez is found? The dismissal was “without prejudice” so I think the answer to that last question is “yes”, but, again, I Am Not A Lawyer.
I also wonder if this is really worth pursuing any more. It appears that Hernandez doesn’t want it pursued, I’m sure de la Torre is delighted by this turn of events, and both of them (along with the mayor) are no longer in office. Should the DA just call it an unfortunate series of events and move on?
Obit watch: December 12, 2012.
Wednesday, December 12th, 2012The great Ravi Shankar. (LAT. NYT. A/V Club.)
When I was in school the first time around, I became a big Ravi Shankar fan. I went to see him in concert when he came through Austin, and bought several of his albums. “Live at Monterey – 1967
Edited to add: updated with the A/V Club obit. Also: A/V Club obit for Reinhold Weege, creator of “Night Court”.
That soft, wet sound you heard earlier today?
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012That was the sound of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s head exploding, as well as the heads of many other Chicago politicians.
TMQ Watch: December 11, 2012.
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012TMQ was oddly silent last week about Kansas City. TMQ is oddly silent this week about Dallas. TMQ loves him some Patriot offense.
We actually watched last night’s game at the home of some friends. (Those friends shall remain nameless to protect their privacy, but thank you, nameless friends for hosting us!) We have not seen a Monday night game since the contract moved to ESPN, and we were amazed at just how awful the commentary was. We were also amazed at how much time was spent talking about Every. Single. Little. Aspect. Of the New England Patriots (especially Brady) and how little time was spent discussing the Texans.
We’re not that upset the Texans lost. A win would have been nice, but 11-2 is pretty good, and it isn’t like they lost to an incompetent team.
Additional note: as we write this, news is breaking that Paulie Tags has thrown out the New Orleans Saints player suspensions. We’re not sure what to make of this, or how this is going to play out. We need some time to think about it.
After the jump, this week’s TMQ….
Gratuitous snark.
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012<sarcasm>
If only we outlawed fireplaces, natural gas, razor blades, and speaker wire, Dr. Cecilia Chang would be alive today.
</sarcasm>
Setting aside the point (that people who want to kill themselves are going to do it, with or without guns), this NYT story is interesting reading.
Dr. Chang was basically a rainmaker for the university: she brought in millions of dollars in donations. Many of those donations were from what we might call “questionable” people. (One person who was awarded a honorary degree from St. John’s is currently a fugitive from justice.)
Dr. Chang took the stand at her trial. It did not go well for her, according to the NYT account, and she killed herself shortly thereafter.
Connally.
Monday, December 10th, 2012
(I don’t remember why I had such an odd angle on this picture. Maybe I couldn’t get a better one, or I was trying to shoot around something else that was in the way.)
(Biographical information on John Connally from the Handbook of Texas Online.)
Edited to add: I like my mother’s version of this better than my own.
Hard to believe…
Saturday, December 8th, 2012….that, at one point, this man was probably the most hated person in the state of Texas.
(HouChron obit, which explains some of the background to that comment.)
Morris, Weingarten, and MacDonald.
Friday, December 7th, 2012I have written before about my complicated relationship with Gene Weingarten and his writing.
I have a tremendous admiration for Errol Morris as a filmmaker.
I own, but have not yet read, A Wilderness of Error: The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald
The intersection of these three things: Weingarten in the WP profiling Brian Murtagh, the federal prosecutor in the MacDonald case. And, in the process, taking on Morris and his book. Weingarten believes MacDonald is guilty:
So Weingarten should maybe be taken with at least a small grain of salt. But he does bring up several places where Morris himself admits problems. For example, a woman named Helena Stoeckley allegedly confessed to a federal marshal, Jimmy Britt, that she was present when the killings took place. Britt filed a sworn affidavit stating that Stoeckley confessed while he was transporting her to the trial. Both Britt and Stoeckley are now dead.
More:
Punchline: it wasn’t broken. And:
The entire article is pretty long, but I commend it to your attention if you have any interest in the MacDonald case.
(Hattip: Ted Frank by way of Popehat on the Twitter.)
Quiet, modest people.
Friday, December 7th, 2012If you ask me, “Professor, Librarian, Mentor” is a pretty darn good way to be remembered.
Also, if you served honorably in our country’s military – especially if you fought at the Battle of the Bulge, or were at Pearl Harbor, or any number of other great battles – yeah, that should be all over your tombstone.
(Dr. Mersky isn’t as famous as some of the other folks I’ve posted about, but I found this very nice conference announcement/tribute to Dr. Mersky, with an awesome picture of the gentleman in life. He sounds very much like someone I would have enjoyed knowing.)
Random notes: December 7, 2012.
Friday, December 7th, 2012Happy Pearl Harbor Day. On this date, as always, I will pause for a moment of silence to remember the Japanese-American graduate of Texas A&M who, on December 7, 1941, bombed Pearl Bailey.
Jim Letten, the chief federal prosecutor in New Orleans, has resigned over the comments scandal in his office. For those who weren’t following the story: two of the prosecutors in his office, including his top assistant, were exposed as the authors of pseudonymous comments about active cases on nola.com.
Oh, isn’t that special? The Danzinger Bridge convictions might get tossed because a couple of prosecutors couldn’t behave themselves online. Thanks, guys.
Random notes: December 6, 2012.
Thursday, December 6th, 2012“…with the eyes wide open”
Thursday, December 6th, 2012Something about the state cemetery that I didn’t realize until I went there; many of the monuments are, for want of a better work, architecturally interesting.
There are quite a few standard flat tombstones (especially in the section for the Confederate dead) but it seems like many people have the attitude of “This is the state cemetery; let’s make it interesting.”
I wish the focus had come out a little better on this one. I think it works, but in retrospect, it would have been better if i had taken another shot with a smaller aperture to get better depth of field.
(And call me a sentimental old fool, but I like the inscription.)
(Tom Lea Institute. The Tom Lea Collection at the University of Texas.)
Random notes: December 5, 2012.
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012So has anyone been following the Indian Olympic Committee story? In brief: India wants to elect people to their national Olympic Committee following their rules, the IOC says “No, you’ve got to follow our rules”, and suspends the Indian committee. Suspension means that Indian athletes can’t compete in IOC sanctioned events, there will be no IOC funding for Indian athletes, and Indian sports officials can’t attend international meetings.
The Indian committee has basically said “F you” and elected Lalit Bhanot secretary general of the committee. Bhanot was unopposed.
Bhanot also spent 11 months in jail before he managed to make bail. Why? Corruption charges, specifically related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
“to $8 billion from $75 million”? Wow. That’s corruption on an epic level: gold medal worthy corruption, if you ask me.
And speaking of corruption, the NYT explains how a Ferrari crash led to a change in the leadership of the party:
“The Maid of the Mist” folks, who run the tours on the NY side of Niagara Falls, have made a new deal with the state that should keep the boats running. (Previously. Also.)
“Restaurant Impossible: The Musical!” All singing, all dancing, all Robert Irvine!
Okay, we kid. Slightly. But Adam Gopnick of the New Yorker is working with some other folks on a musical based on Gopnick’s book The Table Comes First: Family, France, and the Meaning of Food
As long as we’re on the theatre beat:
It is a little late now, but perhaps, if we’re lucky, this will free up Ms. Gifford for more Christmas specials.
Also closing: “The Anarchist”, David Mamet’s latest play.
Tom Landry’s hat!
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
(Tom Landry is part of that group of folks I referred to earlier; the ones who have monuments in the state cemetery, but are actually buried someplace else. Here’s his actual grave from Find a Grave.)
(I wonder if winning a national championship in any sport is enough to get you a slot at the state cemetery. Darrell Royal has his. Will Jody Conradt and Rudy Tomjanovich get one? Seems to me they’re deserving.)
(Subject line hat tip. (Ha!))
Darden, Darden, Darden…
Tuesday, December 4th, 2012Also blamed: global warming and the vertical integration of the broiler industry.
Mostly, though, we’re using this as a transparent excuse to link to the legendary tale of Red Lobster and the all-you-can-eat crab fiasco. It nearly put the chain out of business, but it also has provided us with laughs for the past decade.
TMQ watch: December 4, 2012.
Tuesday, December 4th, 2012We apologize for the lateness of this post. We are dealing with some personal issues that put us a little behind this afternoon.
Let’s just go ahead and jump into this week’s TMQ. Before we get started, though, we’d like to note something that strikes us as unusual: there is no mention of Jovan Belcher or Saturday’s events in this week’s column. We don’t think TMQ is the type of person who would say “Everyone else has said it better, so there’s no point in my saying it”, so his silence strikes us as unusual.
After the jump…