Archive for the 'Other News' Category

01
Jan

Phantom of…Coney Island?!?

By derek 10 Comments
Categories: Other News
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Back in 2007 the world learned that Andrew Lloyd Webber was writing a sequel to his world famous musical, The Phantom of the Opera.  At that time he revealed the setting would be New York rather than Paris, the setting of the original story.  Little more than that was known (at least by me) until last Sunday when he revealed more details including the possible move of opening in three places at once at the end of 2009.  Also revealed was the location in New York as well as the reunion of the Phantom and Christine Daaé, as the title, Phantom: Love Never Dies, suggests.  I can’t get over the location though- Coney Island.  I guess this quote from the man himself explains this choice:

“It was the place,” Lloyd Webber said. “Even Freud went because it was so extraordinary … people who were freaks and oddities were drawn towards it because it was a place where they could be themselves.”

In the article he also mentions the role of the phantom is as good as cast, but left the name a mystery.  Any ideas?  As I haven’t been part of the musical theatre scene for a while I offer no guess of my own.  Anyway, read the article at msnbc for more info:

‘Phantom of the Opera’ sequel due in 2009

23
Dec

Curiosity didn’t kill the horse, but…

By derek 5 Comments
Categories: Other News
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Raise your hand if you remember Winnie the Pooh and his tendency to get his head stuck in the pot of “hunny.”  Okay, you can put your hands down now.  This story isn’t about Winnie the Pooh, but rather Gracie the horse.  I honestly can’t say I have ever heard before of something like this happening.  Fortunately the horse is relatively unharmed from her ordeal.  Story below picture.  Click picture or headline for original story with a second picture.

Having a mare: The horse who got its head stuck in a tree

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:00 AM on 21st October 2008

They say curiosity killed the cat. It didn’t do this poor filly any favours either.

When she managed to squeeze her head into a hole in a tree she had been keen for a good nose around.

The only problem was she couldn’t get it out again. Tired of trying, and stuck fast, she looked as silly as Winnie the Pooh with his head in the honey pot.

Finally, neighbour Jason Harschbarger heard her dismayed whinnying across the fields in Pullman, West Virginia, and came to her rescue.

Gracie, as the horse is called, was left with a dislocated jaw and a few cuts and scrapes from her ordeal.

The tree, however, was considerably worse for wear.

Mr Harschbarger had to resort to a chainsaw to cut Gracie free.

He said: ‘She has a few cuts on her face and ear.

‘Last I heard her jaw was a little dislocated but I think it is healing up and she can eat on her own again.’

I guess that’s what happens when you start horsing around!

28
Nov

Wish list for the movie buffs

By derek 9 Comments
Categories: Other News
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So you don’t know what to ask your wealthy friends and family members for for Christmas.  Well, how about Indiana Jones’s whip or fedora from Temple of Doom?  Or how about that light saber used by Mark Hamill in the original Star Wars movie?  Now you know why I said wealthy friends and family, because no ordinary person is going to be able to afford these things, but if you are one of those who can, the auction is December 11.  There are some things for ordinary mortals too (though still starting at $1000 for most), but don’t expect to get some of the more famous stuff including the above mentioned items for less than 100 grand, and no- the chocolate bar won’t work as payment. :P

The place to find more information is Profiles in History and what to look for there is Hollywood Auction 33.  Besides the two films above by Mr. Lucas, you can find items from films like Harry Potter, Gremlins, Men in Black, Terminator, and many more.  What are you waiting for?  Go and check it out.  Be sure to get something to catch that drool first…  The first bunch of items are photos, but after those the good stuff starts.  I downloaded the catalog at 24 megs, but you can view the lots on the web too.  Indiana Jones starts at lot 368.  Star Wars at 346.

27
Nov

The expected post :)

By derek 1 Comment
Categories: Other News
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This is the post you were expecting today.  Happy Thanksgiving!  My mother, my grandmother, my uncle, and I got together on this fine day for our nonstandard (read: restaurant) meal, followed by pumpkin and apple pie at home.  My brother and nephew always spend this day with Alex’s relatives on his mom’s side, so they didn’t join us.  Not a big gathering as you can see, so there is not much to say unlike my fellow blogger Jamiahsh.  As such, I will just say thank you God for my family, my job, my friends, and my salvation through Jesus who died on the cross for my sin.  Now I will end with a couple of Thanksgiving videos I pulled from Godtube.  They are sort of related to the theme of my site too, as they involve kids.  Enjoy!

[godtube]http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e7a4e540c5408f9820be[/godtube]

[godtube]http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=63b7e045fc2964c6ed23[/godtube]

27
Nov

A real piece of spyware

By derek 1 Comment
Categories: Other News
Tags: , , , ,

This is one to be appreciated by spy show enthusiasts everywhere.  Apparently someone in Italy was caught with a gun disguised as a cell phone.  Read on:

A 28 year old man was arrested by the Italian police in a Naples suburb. He was caught with a gun disguised as a phone. The phone gun - complete with a dummy display - holds four .22 bullets. The phone transformed into a gun by sliding the keypad section.The stubby antenna is the barrel, and a touch on a particular key fires a bullet. A gun disguised as a mobile phone, the Cool gun! A police spokesman said: ‘This is the first time such a weapon has been seized and shows the sophistication that the crime syndicates are turning to.

Article with pictures and video can be found at this Likecool.com link.  Well, since the video is hosted at youtube, why don’t I just post it here:

If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it's missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe.

Oh, and happy Thanksgiving!  I think among the important things like my family and Jesus Christ’s free gift to me, I can be thankful this was found half a world from me and not here… :o

30
Sep

End of an era

By derek 0 Comments
Categories: Other News
Tags: , , ,

Today marks the end of an era.  No, I am not writing about the 102 years it has been since both Chicago MLB teams were last in the playoffs.  I will leave that blog post to a more sports-interested blogger.  I am referring to the end of Randhurst Mall.  Today was the last day for all the stores inside the mall.  According to the article I read they will soon start tearing it down inside, but the reconstuction won’t begin in earnest until next year (as the anchor stores that remain open breathe a sigh of relief for the holidays).  I wan’t alive when it first opened in the sixties, but I do remember going there as a child.  I remember the Kresge’s that used to be there a long time ago.  I remember before they rebuilt the center and replaced the merry-go-round with a food court.  I remember as a teen visiting the arcade known as Supercade.  I even worked at two stores over there at different times- Circuit City and Software Etc.  All gone now.  I knew about this day coming and I could kick myself for not getting over there to take some pictures.  I got busy and forgot I guess.  Oh well.  It’s not as if I’ve never visited a virtual ghost-town mall before- I remember the last days of Meadows Mall before they tore it down to make way for a Walmart and Sam’s Club- but I should have gotten pictures for this blog.  They say the new so-called “lifestyle center” will be completed in 2010.  I’ll probably visit it once just to see, but it just won’t be the same.

They are moving the movie theaters in the process, so I wonder what they will do to improve them, as I’m sure AMC won’t miss the opportunity.  They didn’t build the theaters after all, merely purchased General Cinemas, who had the original theaters there.  They were already rebuilt once after large-capacity theaters went out of style and they replaced four theaters with sixteen smaller ones.  I wonder what AMC will do to put their own mark on it?

Well, I guess you will be wanting a link to the story I mentioned.  It even contains a few pictures that I fully do not take credit for as I missed my opportunity. :P

Randhurst Shopping Center reaches the end

18
Aug

Poll

By derek 0 Comments
Categories: Other News
Tags: , ,

As a Christian, I believe we, as individuals and as a country, should put our trust in the Almighty God.  That’s why I was a bit disappointed to see that, though not a majority, a large number of people in this country do not believe this trust should be shown on our money.  This is the email forward I got today.  I removed some of the message, such as email addresses and other comments except the last.  Yeah, I know- where have I been.  Well, I’ve just been taking a break I guess.  Regular posting will resume soon.

MSNBC is taking a poll on weather we should remove In God We Trust from our currency.   Thought you might want to give your opinion too.  As Greg says a little lower, I am saddened by the results of this pole.

Here’s your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation. NBC is taking a poll on ‘In God We Trust’ to stay on our American currency. Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off the web page.
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MSNBC poll is still open so you can vote.

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VOTE SEE RESULTS HERE:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

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