iTunes has a short scene from Superman Returns available as a free download this week. I’m sort of nervous about how this film will be (not loving the awful haircut they’ve given him, for instance), but the scene sure works for me, especially the choice to use the music from the Christopher Reeve films.
- There are also free episodes of Everyone Loves Philadelphia, Kyle XY and not-working-at-the-moment Invader Zim.
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Although it doesn’t quite scale the same heights as The Shield, The Closer has to be one of the smartest and most interesting police shows on television.
Kyra Sedgwick’s often-unlikable deputy chief careens through Los Angeles crime like a bull in a china shop, with a bemused (or outraged) crowd of law enforcement officials in her wake. She’s ably supported by a great line-up of actors, including veterans like J. K. Simmons (who will eventually appear in every crime/cop/law show) and James Avery.
The middle of the season lags at times, when Kyra’s character is implausibly romanced despite not being the only woman in Los Angeles, but the crimes are always interesting and the ways she deals with seemingly intractable suspects is always worth watching. By the end of the season, it’s clear the creative team has found their voice, suggesting that season two will be even better.
Strongly recommended for fans of cop shows, Kyra Sedgwick or J. K. Simmons.
From the Idaho Statesman:
Aubrey Matthews likes to swim, ride bikes and eat enchiladas. But the 6-year-old’s real passion is being a superhero.
The imagination of the Cole Elementary first-grader came to life Friday when the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Idaho, Windermere Real Estate and others orchestrated Aubrey’s wish to be a superhero for a day.
Aubrey, aka “Star,” has optic glioma, a brain tumor behind her eyes. But it didn’t stop her as she foiled crimes and chased her arch-nemesis, Black (named for the character on Neighborhood Watch signs), through the city of Boise, followed by a cavalcade of police cars.
With a determined look on her face, Aubrey used her super powers of X-ray vision, super strength, fast speed and blowing power to rescue a hostage from Black’s grip and tie the villain to the replica Liberty Bell in front of the Statehouse at about noon.
Hundreds of fans cheered her on.
“I’d like to thank you for your extreme bravery in capturing Black,” Mayor David Bieter said on the Statehouse steps after Black’s arrest.
“You have shown extraordinary crime-fighting skills,” Boise Police Chief Mike Masterson said before presenting her with a custom-made police uniform, badge and all.
Bieter proclaimed June 16 Make-A-Wish Day and Star Day, and swore her in as an honorary Boise police officer.
Aubrey also received a medal and pin from the city.
If you can read the whole story without tearing up, you’re clearly a supervillain.
More on Aubrey and her adventures as Star:
J. K. Rowling is hard at work on the final Harry Potter book, which readers can’t expect until at least 2007. I’d bet a chocolate frog on 2008, myself. (The article has some solid speculation, though.)
In the meantime, there is a new Harry Potter book out, If Harry Potter Ran General Electric. Although such business books do very healthy business as a rule (and this one may well do even better, given the HP cachet), it’s hard to imagine many 10-year-olds getting excited about this one.
Because my mom loves to make me nervous:
Unseen danger in bagged salads
It was Roi Dahl’s leftover lettuce that cracked the case. At the lab, scientists showed us how they were able to extract and isolate E.coli 0157 in the lettuce, then, using DNA markers, they compared it to the strain of E.coli that sickened Dahl, Amber Brister and the others. It was a perfect match.
Like a lot of Americans, we have multiple bags of pre-made salads in our refrigerator at home.
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