3 more things about made-up languages

NEWS ITEM The linguist hired for "Avatar" describes the constructed language he created, admits he's the sole fluent user.

• • • Klingon -- Trekker couple tried to raise their son as a native speaker; decided he wanted a normal life instead.

• • • Esperanto -- A language constructed to unify European languages, and George Soros is a native speaker. Dec. 15 is the 150th birthday of its creator. There's a prog-rock band (I own an LP... go figure); the fact their site has English and French versions says a lot about constructed languages.

• • • Elvish -- J.R.R. Tolkien's books inspire obsession over Elves.

3 more things about going from prison to the presidency

NEWS ITEM In Uruguay, former imprisoned dissident wins election to high office.

• • • Czech Republic --Vaclav Havel, playwright and former imprisoned dissident, won election to high office.

• • • South Africa -- Nelson Mandela, former lawyer and imprisoned dissident, won election to high office.

• • • Boston --"From Prison To President," an album by Mike Boston, Christian hip-hop artist

3 more things to do through next week

NEWS ITEM Hear NoHo, emerging artists musical festival, is Thursday, featuring among others The Flutterbies.

• • • Unique Los Angeles -- Dec. 5 & 6 at Calif Mart, via LAist.

• • • Divine Design -- Marketplace is Dec. 3-7 at the Beverly Hilton, benefits Project Angel Food, via Los Angeles Magazine.

• • • Dick Dale -- Dec. 5 at Jon Lovitz Comedy Club at Universal CityWalk, via LA Weekly.

3 more things deemed unfit for TV

NEWS ITEM Adam Lambert kisses a man during the American Music Awards.

• • • Elvis Presley -- His first number on Ed Sullivan was cropped close, though he and his hips got plenty of air time previously on other shows, and later during that same CBS show.

• • • Rolling Stones -- On their second appearance on Ed Sullivan, despite the host swearing they'd never appear again after their first performance, Mick Jagger tweaked the "lewd" lyrics to "Let's Spend Some Time Together."

• • • Bob Dylan -- When told he couldn't perform "Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues" during his scheduled Ed Sullivan performance, Dylan cancelled.

3 more things about boxers outside of the box

NEWS ITEM After Manny Pacquiao proved he's among the greatest boxers ever, two hours later he sang at a previously scheduled concert.

• • • Oscar De La Hoya -- His pretty decent CD came out in 2000.

• • • George Foreman -- Yes, he was a champion prizefighter before he was an appliance salesman, yet not a cook like Jack King.

• • • Tex Cobb -- He can not only take a punch but he can take direction, being an awesome nemesis in "Raising Arizona."

3 more things with Sparks

NEWS ITEM FDA may ban caffeinated alcohol; Beer-maker decaffeinated Sparks last year.

• • • Basketball -- Newly retired Sparks superstar Lisa Leslie will be feted at a Lakers/Pistons game on Nov 17.

• • • Band -- Almost impossible to describe how influential the Mael brothers have been, despite some of the most astute people in music literally betting against them.

• • • Burg -- They're aiming for sustainability.

3 more things about evolution

NEWS ITEM Examples of humans still amid evolution

• • • H1N1 -- If influenza didn't evolve, it might well be extinct.

• • • Beauty -- Author asserts aesthetics are a side affect of our drive to survive.

• • • Deniers -- The lyrics show that people who don't understand the facts are quick to dismiss the basics; a snippet:

"Your uncle was a monkey, he was swinging through the trees,
he lived on green bannanas, and his arms swung to his knees.
He spoke with such conviction, it really made me think,
Maybe my teacher, He's the missing link!
He said...
I believe in evolution,
ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies."

3 more things about zombies

NEWS ITEM Before "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" things were dreadful.

• • • Zombie Squad-- on the list of survivalist groups, because if a zombie attack isn't a crisis, then nothing is.

• • • Creating zombies -- Haiti made it illegal in 1835

• • • Of course there's a musical -- "A new musical that will eat your face off!" -- no relation to Rod Argent's band.

3 more examples of posturing

NEWS ITEM Something vaguely familiar about the imagery and how evocative it is

• • • Michael Flatley -- lord of a type







• • • Michael Phelps -- didn't get acclaim for walking on water.




• • • W -- really, what's more to say?

3 more reasons to love the internet

CONTEXT A reader asks for a mashup of the themes of this blog: "I want to see the overlap of pop culture, gardening and trivia, perhaps in the form of topiary."

• • • Disney

• • • Sesame Street

• • • Beatles

3 more musicians who didn't die from a gun, drugs or a crash

NEWS ITEM Folk singer eaten by coyotes

• • •Yardbirds' Keith Relf -- electrocuted playing guitar in tub

• • •Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny -- brain hemorrhage after a fall down stairs

• • • Carpenters' Karen Carpenter-- effects of anorexia

3 more Christmas albums by Members of the Tribe

NEWS ITEM Bob Dylan's Christmas record "bad for Jews"

• • • Barbra Streisand

• • • Kenny G

• • • Neil Diamond

3 more people who aren't who they seem to be

NEWS ITEM Howard Stern faces charges in death of Anna Nicole Smith

• • • Joe Jackson -- neither music great nor baseball legend

• • • John Madden -- director not football coach and commentator

• • • Jerry West -- children's author not basketball great

3 more things with 3s

• • • The Three Stooges

• • • Three Dog Night

• • • Three Doors Down