CNN News

Tonight on ‘One Tree Hill’, another band gets its moment in the Toobworld spotlight when The Honorary Title (from Brooklyn) performs at the bar club Tric.

This folk/pop/punk band debuted on Warner Music last summer with “Scream And Light Up The Sky” and music from that album will figure in tonight’s episode. While The Honorary Title is playing up on the Tric stage, the travails of the show’s main characters will play out throughout the club. For instance, Carrie will use the night out as a way to get closer to Nathan; Mouth gets forced by Brooke to go on a blind date; and Lindsey gets all up in Lucas’ face about sneaking off to see Peyton.

Apt name - it’s a regular ‘Peyton Place’ in ‘One Tree Hill’!

After tonight, The Honorary Title will have televersions of themselves. Maybe not as cool as having your own action figures, but it’s the best we can supply at Toobworld Central. (Pictured here is a fan-snap of the band as they performed before the crowd at Tric.)

‘One Tree Hill’ airs on the CW at 9 pm EST, 8 pm Central.

While American Idol contestants are well inclined to make the US Billboard charts, so too are the songs that they sing.  During the Hollywood competitions, the songs that gained the most search inquiries were “How Do I Get You Alone” or better known as “Alone” by the hot 80’s group, Heart, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

Searches for “Alone” received “volcanic” inquiries following Tuesday night’s American Idol competition.

“Alone” is a song composed in 1983 by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg. It was first recorded by American rock band Heart in 1987, reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Bohemian Rhapsody (help·info) is a song written by Freddie Mercury and originally recorded by the band Queen for their 1975 album A Night at the Opera. The song is in the style of a stream-of-consciousness nightmare, and has a very unusual musical structure for a piece of popular music (it has no chorus, instead consisting of various seemingly disjunct sections including operatic segments and an a cappella and heavy metal part). Despite this, it was released as a single and became a huge commercial success. In addition, the song is widely hailed as Queen’s magnum opus, and it marked a decisive point in the band’s career and setting them on the way to become one of the world’s most popular music groups.

We may even have a gambling theme going here with Queen of Hearts.

And since we’re on the subject of gambling, let’s consider an important little American Idol tidbit.  These songs were heavily searched probably because the individual or individuals who sang them stood out among viewers.  Something to consider when contemplating future elimination bets

Carrie Underwood covered Heart’s “Alone” during one of the “Idol” episodes, and it was such an amazing performance that Simon Cowell said to her, “I’m going to make a prediction: you are not only to win this competition, but you’re going to sell millions of records”.

“Alone” was sung by a British national who first had to overcome being turned down for a visa after moving on to the Hollywood round during Season 5.  This year she discovered an allergy to her dog that makes the British singer’s voice hoarse.  A mask was worn around Fido to cure her voice and, apparently, it did the trick.

Australian Michal Johns performed “Bohemian Rhapsody.  Should Johns make it into the final 24, he could be earmarked by bookmakers as the favorite to win.

Simon told him it was the best audition of the day. He got three yes votes. Foreigners were doing well with the competition as Irish girl Carly Smithson also got three yes votes. Also getting a vote of confidence was Asia’h Epperson.

One of my last visits in Burgundy was with Etienne de Montille of Domaine de Montille, Deux Montille (the négociant business he runs with his sister Alix) and Domaine du Château de Puligny-Montrachet, where he is the estate manager.

De Montille has just finished reorganizing the domaine, where he and Alix are now the owners. He is in charge of vinifying the reds, she the whites for both the domaine and the négoce business.

None of the reds had been bottled. One group had been racked into tank in early November for bottling in March. Two cuvées were just racked two weeks prior to my visit for bottling in April. The third group was still in barrel and yet to be racked. They are scheduled for bottling in May or June.

De Montille’s insight into winemaking is fascinating to hear (see video). “I adapt every year,” he said. “With white wine, people are more careful, but with reds, people are more systematic each year. But I think it’s just as important to adapt the maturation for reds too,” he added.

For example, he will bottle the 2006s earlier than the ’05s, which saw 21 months in barrel, two months in tank and were bottled just before the 2007 harvest.

The Beaune Grèves, with 40 percent of the stems retained, was closed on the nose, but long, rich and fruity, offering cherry, mineral and spice notes (88–91). Also with 40 percent of the stems, the Pommard Pezerolles showed elegance for the appellation. It was dense and solid, with cherry and iron flavors. Perhaps a tad less complex than above today (88–91).

The Volnay Mitans revealed aromatic floral and red currant aromas and elegance. Its tannins were just a little coarse on the finish from the racking and filtering, but this was very Volnay (88-91). The Corton Clos du Roi, an approximate blend from barrel, was more stern, with wild garrigue scents, yet pure, mineral and racy with a long, cherry and spice aftertaste (90–93).

“There was a big gap between the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits at the beginning, but the Côte de Beaune is catching up,” de Montille said. “They won’t have the structure, roundness and profundity of the Côte de Nuits, but they will have the complexity and character.”

From the Côte de Nuits, the Nuits-St.-Georges Aux St.-Juliens is a new wine for the domaine in 2006. It offered blackberry and black currant flavors in a fresh, elegant, charming way (87–90). Its premier cru big brother, the Nuits-St.-Georges Les Thoreys, from further up the slope, was still in barrel. It featured blackberry and black cherry notes in a classy, refined manner (89–92).

There are two Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts chez de Montille, as of the 2005 vintage. The “normale” dished up a huge nose of black pepper, cinnamon, rose and red currant, with elegance, depth and length (90–93). The Christiane, from older vines, was deeper, sappier and more silky, a backward red with more structure and mineral than the regular bottling (91–94).

Several 2006 whites stood out. From the Deux Montille range, there was a fresh Meursault Tessons, showing honey, citrus and mineral flavors (88–91) and a riper, peach-, lemon- and mineral-tinged St.-Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien (88–91). Under the Domaine Montille label, the Puligny-Montrachet Caillerets was full of passion fruit and mineral notes. It’s a linear white, very long and complete (90–93). The Corton-Charlemagne, from the first commercial release after grafting from Pinot Noir, displayed great intensity and mineral character, along with lemon, floral and apple flavors. A tensile white and very long in the mouth (92–95).

We then drove over to Château de Puligny-Montrachet, where we tasted a range of 2006s from tank and a few 2007s from barrel. “This [2006] is the first vintage since I have been here that we are close to what we want to do in the vineyards and cellar,” said de Montille.

The ’06s are impressive. I particularly liked the Puligny-Montrachet, a lively, straight-laced, hazelnut- and mineral-infused white (88–91). The St.-Aubin En Remilly was richer, with floral, peach and pear notes and a chalky, mineral finish (88–91).

The Puligny-Montrachet Chalumeaux was round and honeyed, with floral and peach flavors and a hint of orange blossom on the fresh finish (89–92). The Folatières also had floral and orange blossom notes on an elegant, harmonious frame (89–92). The Meursault Perrières was cut from different cloth: Stone, apple and chalk elements were coiled tightly in the lean, tensile structure. It was very intense and long (91–94).

“Boston Legal” star Candice Bergen and sci-fi actor Scott Bakula have a history together. The two shared a romance on Bergen’s show “Murphy Brown” in the 90’s, and will reunite on “Boston Legal” on Tuesday.

Best known for starring in the sci-fi television series “Quantum Leap” and “Star Trek: Enterprise,” Bakula shared chemistry with Bergen during their “Murphy Brown” run. Between 1994 and 1996, Bakula appeared on 14 episodes of the show.

Bakula will renew his chemistry with Bergen’s character Shirley on the Legal episode entitled “Glow in the Dark.” He will play Jack, Shirley’s former law school love.

Bakula grew up in Missouri where he had lead roles in his church productions of “Godspell” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Before becoming a favorite of sci-fi fans, he also played the role of Tevye in his high school’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Bakula will appear at the 20th -anniversary convention for Quantum.

Gary Coleman revealed today that he’s tied the knot, and it’s not just his first marriage — it’s his first time ever being in love.

The 40-year-old former child actor told “Inside Edition” that he secretly wed Shannon Price, 22, on Aug. 28 after the couple met on a movie set.

“I never got the opportunity to be romantic or feel romantic with anyone,” the “Diff’rent Strokes” star said. “I wasn’t saving myself; she just happened to be the one.”

Price, who’s about 5œ feet tall, said neither their height nor their age difference deterred her from falling for the 4-foot-8 actor.

“He was 10 feet tall to me because he was sweet and I really liked his personality,” she said.

Price, who now sells Coleman memorabilia on the Internet, said she hopes to be known for more than her household name of a husband.

“She’s a great eBayer,” Coleman said. She’s a fabulous eBayer. I hope she gets famous for that.”

“Inside Edition” will have more about the couple at 3 p.m. today on WLS-Channel 7.

Marisa Miller (born August 6, 1978[1]) is an American supermodel. She is known for her many appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues and Victoria’s Secret catalogs. She is the cover model for the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Birth name     Marisa Bertetta
Date of birth     August 6, 1978 (1978-08-06) (age 29)
Place of birth     Flag of the United States Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Height     5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Hair color     Blonde
Eye color     Hazel
Measurements     34D-23-35 (US)
86-58-88 (EU)
Weight     110 lb (50 kg/7.9 st)
Dress size     2 (US), 32 (EU), 5 (UK)
Shoe size     7 (US), 37½ (EU), 4½ (UK)
Agency     Elite Model Management
Spouse(s)     Jim Miller (ca. 2000–ca. 2002)
Griffin Guess (2006–present)

Biography

Early life and career start

Born Marisa Bertetta in Santa Cruz, California, she was first “discovered” at age 16 walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian modeling agents.[2] After talking to her mom Krista Bertetta, she was on a plane to Italy with her mom a few months later. Marisa says that the most valuable thing that her mom has ever told her was “You can always go back to school but you may not always be able to model.” Marisa took her mom’s advice and soon gained attention when she appeared in a 1997 issue of Perfect 10 magazine. Although she came in third behind Ashley Degenford and Monica Hansen in Perfect 10 magazine’s first annual model search, she was repeatedly showcased in following issues, including the covers of the Winter 1998, Aug/Sept 1999, and Fall 2004 editions. She has two sisters and attended Monte Vista Christian School[3] in Watsonville, California.

Career highlights

Atypically, Marisa was able to move from a start as an amateur magazine model to high profile mainstream work after she was spotted by fashion photographer Mario Testino in Manhattan Beach, California in 2001.[4] Noticing Marisa, Mario snapped pictures of her and approached her for a job offer. Soon after, Marisa worked with the likes of Victoria’s Secret and has appeared in every issue of the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue since 2002. In particular, she was featured in the 2004 and 2005 editions’ sections of body painting. Raphael Mazzucco’s photograph of Marisa wearing nothing but an iPod in the 2007 edition became one of the most famous photos ever published in that magazine. She’s also appeared in other magazines such as Fitness, Shape, and Vogue, as well as working on campaigns for Nordstrom, J.Crew, and Tommy Hilfiger. In 2004, she served as a modeling judge in the short-lived reality television series Manhunt: The Search for America’s Most Gorgeous Male Model.[5] In the same year she also appeared in Puddle of Mudd’s music video for “Spin You Around”.

In 2007, Marisa shot her first television commercial for Victoria’s Secret with fellow supermodel Heidi Klum, causing quite a stir unexpectedly drawing more attention than Klum, as well as appearing in a cameo on the HBO show Entourage. Marisa was also featured as a model on the pilot episode of the new VH1 reality show The Shot.

On November 26, 2007, Marisa made a special guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother (episode: “The Yips”) with her fellow Victoria’s Secret supermodels (Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Selita Ebanks, Miranda Kerr, and Heidi Klum).

On December 4, 2007, Marisa made her debut at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.[6]

On the February 11, 2008 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman it was announced that Marisa would grace the cover of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

Personal life

Marisa married Jim Miller, a Los Angeles surfing contest promoter and lifeguard from California in 2000 and separated from him in 2002. They divorced soon after. She married Hollywood producer Griffin Guess on April 15, 2006.[7] Marisa enjoys football, muscle cars, cooking, and boxing. From an early age she loved surfing, was a standout volleyball player on her high school team, and has long been a big sports fan in general. She’s said that if she weren’t a model she would be a sportscaster.

Lennon Anne Murphy, named after rock and roll legend John Lennon [1], is a singer/songwriter from Hendersonville, Tennessee, United States. Born in Ronkonkoma, Long Island, New York on March 31, 1982, Lennon and her mother moved to Hendersonville when she was four years old. Lennon began playing piano at a young age and performed her first gig in front of people when she was fifteen.

One day, Lennon came home after school to find her mother, her only parent, dead in her closet from an allergic reaction to some pills she had taken. This was just a few days after Lennon’s eighteenth birthday and just before she signed with Arista records.

Still Lennon prevailed, fighting for custody of her younger sister Mariella (which she eventually won) and releasing her debut album, 5:30 Saturday Morning, on the historic date of September 11, 2001. Her only single from that album was a song called “Brake of your Car”. Lennon ended up leaving Arista because, “I wanted a career as a rock act, and an album I could be proud of, and staying with Arista I really didn’t see that happening,”.

In 2004, Lennon released 2 albums and a DVD. One album is a strictly acoustic release entitled Career Suicide, released on September 24, 2004. It was just Lennon and her piano, which makes sense since Lennon has said, “I write on piano, which I’ve been playing all my life”. Most songs were remakes of songs from 5:30 Saturday Morning but the new ones were also well received. On December 27, 2004, she released another album entitled I Am. She also released a DVD entitled My Crazy Life. She released them all independently on John Galt Entertainment, a record label she founded with her manager.

On September 5, 2006, Lennon kicked off a tour opening for Aerosmith and Mötley Crüe to support the September 19, 2006 release of her album Damaged Goods. The lead single is the track Where Do I Fit In?, which is a revamp of the track My Beautiful from her Arista debut. While on tour, she is also headlining gigs at local clubs along the way. Often those who hold tickets for the Aerosmith/Mötley Crüe show in the area can get into the smaller venue to see Lennon for free.

Lennon has completed her new album with producer Jason Suecof (Trivium, DevilDriver, Chimaira). Lennon will reportedly be taking a more guitar-heavy approach with her newer material. [2] The album will be released in 2008.

Trivia

Lennon enjoys watching Law and Order, Wonton Soup, Disney’s Aladdin, and playing onstage.[3]

Lennon has, at times, driven her own tour bus. [4]

Lennon’s opinion on the music industry: “In an industry where you have four weeks to hit and then they move on to the next thing, a career is the last thing corporate America is considering. By putting the DVD, I Am and Damaged Goods out through my own company, I want to give myself the chance of still being around in 10 years.”

Background information
Birth name     Lennon Anne Murphy
Born     March 31, 1982 (1982-03-31) (age 25)
Origin     Hendersonville, Tennessee
Years active     2001 - present
Label(s)     John Galt Entertainment

The Iceman Cometh is a play written by Eugene O’Neill in 1939. First published in 1940 and first produced on Broadway in 1946, it is considered one of the author’s finest works. The play was later adapted into a TV movie in 1960 as well as a big screen motion picture in 1973, both by the same name.

Characters

The following is the list of characters as printed in the 1988 Library of America edition.

* Harry Hope, proprietor of a saloon and rooming house*
* Ed Mosher, Hope’s brother-in-law, one-time circus man*
* Pat McGloin, one-time Police Lieutenant*
* Willie Oban, a Harvard Law School alumnus*
* Joe Mott, a one-time proprietor of a Negro gambling house
* Piet Wetjoen, (”The General”), one-time leader of a Boer commando*
* Cecil Lewis, (”The Captain”), one-time Captain of British infantry*
* James Cameron (”Jimmy Tomorrow”), one-time Boer War correspondent*
* Hugo Kalmar, one-time editor of Anarchist periodicals
* Larry Slade, one-time Syndicalist-Anarchist
* Rocky Pioggi, night bartender*
* Don Parritt*
* Pearl, street walker*
* Margie, street walker*
* Cora, street walker
* Chuck Morello, day bartender*
* Theodore Hickman (Hickey), a hardware salesman
* Moran
* Lieb

(* Roomers at Harry Hope’s)

Plot

It is set in Harry Hope’s decidedly downmarket Greenwich Village saloon and rooming house, in 1912. The patrons, who are all men except for three women who are prostitutes, are all dead-end alcoholics who spend every possible moment seeking oblivion in each others’ company and trying to con or wheedle free drinks from Harry and the bartenders. They tend to focus much of their anticipation on the semi-regular visits of the salesman Theodore Hickman, known to them as Hickey. When Hickey finishes a tour of his business territory, which is apparently a wide expanse of the East Coast, he typically turns up at the saloon and starts the party. He buys drinks for everyone, regales them with jokes and stories, and goes on a bender of several days until his money runs out. As the play opens, the regulars are expecting Hickey to turn up soon and plan to throw Harry a surprise birthday party. The entire first act introduces the various characters and shows them bickering amongst each other, showing just how drunk and delusional they are, all the while waiting for the arrival of Hickey.

One of the focuses of this act is a dialogue between two of the characters, Larry Slade and Don Parrit. Don’s mother, a member of an anarchy movement, has recently been arrested, apparently as a result of an informant. Larry was dating Don’s mother for the majority of Don’s childhood and Don is preoccupied with getting Larry, who has resigned himself to a detached state, to admit his continued belief in the movement.

Joe Mott is the only African American member of the group and is the former owner of a black casino. He insists he will soon re-open the casino.

Cecil “The Captain” Lewis is a former infantryman of the British Army who fought with Piet “The General” Wetjoen, a Boer during the Boer War. The two are now good friends. The two insist they’ll soon go back to their nations of origin.

Willie Oban is a Harvard graduate who says he will soon get a job at the DA’s office.

Harry Hope is the proprietor of the bar and, though he is constantly saying otherwise, has a tendency to give out free drinks. He has not left the bar since his wife Bess’s death 20 years ago. He promises that he’ll take a walk around the block on his birthday, the next day.

Pat McGloin is a former police lieutenant who was convicted on criminal charges and kicked out of the force. He says he is hoping to appeal, but is waiting for the right moment.

Rocky Pioggi is the night bartender, but is paid little and makes his living mostly off of allowing Pearl and Margie stay at the bar in exchange for all the money they make. He despises being called a pimp.

Ed Mosher is Harry’s brother-in-law, Bess’s brother. He is a former circus box-office man and con-man who prides himself on his ability to give incorrect change. He kept to much of his illegitimate profits to himself and was fired, but says he will get his job back someday.

Hugo Kalmar is a former anarchist and often quotes the bible. He is drunk and passed out for a majority of the play and is constantly asking the other patrons to buy him a drink.

James “Jimmy Tomorrow” Cameron is a former British newspaper correspondent. He is constantly procrastinating getting a job, hence his nickname.

Chuck Morello is the day bartender and Cora’s boyfriend. He says that he will marry her tomorrow.

Pearl and Margie and two prostitutes that work for Rocky.

Cora is a third prostitute and is Chuck’s girlfriend.

Finally Hickey arrives and his behavior throws the other characters into turmoil. He insists, with as much charisma as ever, but now lumped together with the zeal of a recent convert, that he sees life clearly now as never before, because he is sober. He hectors his former drinking companions that they are meaninglessly clinging to “pipe dreams” of some kind of positive change in their lives, while continuing to drown their sorrows exactly as before. (This is true; the ex-cop and carny hustler tell each other they will ask for their old jobs back on the police force or with the circus, the bartender says he will marry his prostitute girlfriend, etc., with seemingly no chance of any of this coming to pass. One character is even nicknamed Jimmy Tomorrow for his constant protestations.) Hickey wants the characters to cast away their delusions and embrace the hopelessness of their fates. He takes on this task with a near-maniacal fervor. How he goes about his mission, how the other characters respond, and their efforts to find out what has wrought this change in Hickey take over four hours to resolve.

During and after Harry’s birthday party most seem to have been somewhat affected by Hickey’s ramblings. Harry, Lewis and Wetjoen all leave the bar, though Harry comes running back with the (untrue) excuse that he was almost run over by a passing car and they all come back later in the day. Larry pretends to be unaffected but when Don reveals he was the informant Larry rages at him and, Willie decides McGloin’s appeal will be his first case and Rocky admits he is a pimp.

Eventually, they all return and are jolted by a sudden revelation. Hickey, who had earlier told the other characters that his wife had died and that she was murdered, admits that he is the one who actually killed her. The police arrive, apparently called by Hickey himself, and Hickey justifies the murder in a dramatic monologue, saying that he did it out of love for her.

When Hickey was a child his father made a living as an evangelical, which led Hickey to become a salesman. He met his wife, Evelyn and Evelyn’s family forbade her to associate with Hickey, something she ignored. After Hickey left to become a salesman he promised he would marry Evelyn as soon as he was able. He became a successful salesman, then sent for her and the two were very happy until Hickey got tired of his wife always forgiving him for his whore-mongering and began to feel guilty. He contemplated both divorcing her and killing himself, but believed both would convince Evelyn he didn’t love her, so he looked for another way out. He thought it would be better if she just didn’t wake up while watching her sleep, so he shot her in the head with her revolver. He next recounts how he taunted her and, in realizing he said this, realizes that he went insane and that people need their empty dreams to keep them going. The others agree and decide to testify for insanity during Hickey’s trial despite Hickey begging them to let him get the death sentence.

The others all go back to their empty promises and pipe dreams except for Don who compares Evelyn’s murder with his selling the Movement out, but worse saying that his mother has to live with the knowledge that her son “killed” her. He runs up to his room with the intention of jumping off the fire escape. Larry grimaces and listens at the window with his eyes closed. Don jumps and Larry at first seems to be relieved.

The play ends with everyone singing in dissonance happily except for Larry who stares straight ahead in horror as the curtain falls.

Political content

The play contains many allusions to political topics, particularly anarchism and socialism. Hugo, Larry and Don are former members of an anarchist movement. Larry, who is now a bitter man who claims to be waiting for death, is approached by his ex-girlfriend’s son, Don, at the beginning of the play, and Don remains at the bar. Don admits that he informed the police of the illegal activities of his mother and other anarchists. He gives several reasons for this but later admits that they are not the real ones. He claims that he did it out of patriotism and then that he wanted the money, but finally admits that he did it because he hated his mother, who was so obsessed with her own freedom that she became too self-centered and often either ignored or dominated him. The conversations between Don and Larry, are among the most emotional in the play. Some of these conversations also often involve Hickey, whose actions somewhat parallel Don’s.

Two other characters are veterans of the Second Boer War. One is British and one is Dutch. They alternately defend and insult each other, and there are many allusions to events in South Africa. Both wish to return to South Africa, but their families do not want them there.

There is also an African-American character named Joe, who gives several speeches about racial differences.

Productions

The play is certainly O’Neill’s most ambitious work, and bears the impression of having been written from a perspective of profound despair. It expresses the playwright’s disillusionment with the American ideals of success and aspiration, and suggests that much of human behavior is driven by bitterness, envy and revenge. Despite the emotional difficulty of this play which may have decreased its popularity, fans of the play believe that all the characters are so well explored, with measured doses of wry humor, that the best productions are compelling. The suspense of discovering the true meaning and intentions of Hickey’s character usually maintains the audience’s interest.

This massive undertaking is seldom staged. Even when O’Neill was alive, he delayed its performance on Broadway for seven years, fearing American audiences would reject it. O’Neill was at the height of his fame when he relented in 1946, and the production was a commercial success, though it received mixed reviews. The realistic, seedy language of some of its ne’er-do-well characters was a departure for O’Neill, who was known for writing plays with high-flown and melodramatic dialogue. This play tends to preserve O’Neill’s typical passion and intensity while losing some of its aestheticism in the language, and risks a certain amount of redundancy as a result, so it is not surprising that some critics did not fully embrace it at first.

Another problem may have been the performance of James Barton as Hickey. Barton was reportedly not up to the massive emotional and physical demands of such a titanic part, sometimes forgetting his lines or wearing out his voice. Interestingly, the young Marlon Brando was offered the part of Don Parritt in the original Broadway production, but famously turned it down. Brando later claimed to have read only a few pages of the script the producers gave him, and to have started an argument at the audition about the worth of the play and O’Neill’s writing style – which ended with his rejecting the part, apparently in order just to seem consistent – rather than admit to his laziness.

The play was mounted again Off-Broadway in 1956, after O’Neill’s death. This production, starring Jason Robards as Hickey and directed by José Quintero, was massively acclaimed, and the play was accepted as a true masterpiece. Robards won multiple awards for his performance, and went on to distinguish himself throughout his life as the leading interpreter of O’Neill’s great male roles. He was most widely known for his film roles but repeatedly devoted his most serious energies to theatrical roles, and especially to O’Neill. Robards was in a 1960 live television version of the play, and returned to it in a 1985 Broadway production again directed by Quintero and featuring a cast that included Barnard Hughes as Harry Hope and Donald Moffat as Larry Slade.

Other noteworthy actors to play the role of Hickey include Lee Marvin, in a 1973 film version directed by John Frankenheimer; James Earl Jones, in a 1973 revival at the Circle in the Square Theatre that was edited for length and criticized for the weakness of its supporting cast; and Kevin Spacey, who was lauded for his 1998-1999 stage rendition of the part on London’s West End and then on Broadway. The play is now widely considered to have the dimensions of a true tragedy, whereas many of O’Neill’s earlier works would be more accurately characterized as melodrama.

The 1973 film version featured many notable character actors besides Lee Marvin, including Fredric March as Harry, Robert Ryan as Larry, Jeff Bridges as Don, and Moses Gunn as Joe.

The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia at Pemberton Place, is billed as the “world’s largest aquarium” with more than 8.1 million US gallons (30,662 m³; 30,661,835 liters) of marine and fresh water housing more than 100,000 animals of 500 different species. The aquarium’s notable specimens include four young whale sharks (Alice, Trixie, Yushan, and Taroko) and four beluga whales (Nico, Natasha, Marina, and Maris). Marina died in the early hours of December 1, 2007 from unknown causes. Funded mostly by a $250 million donation from Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus, the aquarium was built on a 20 acre (81,000 m²; 8 ha) site north of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Marcus credited his 60th birthday dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1990 as among the inspirations behind his desire to build an aquarium in Atlanta.

Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium
Date opened     2005
Location     Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Number of Animals     120,000
Number of Species     500
Accreditations/
Memberships

History and admissions

In November of 2001, Bernard Marcus announced his idea to build an aquarium as a present to Atlanta, Georgia that would encourage both education and economic growth. Marcus and his wife, Billi visited 56 aquariums in 13 countries to research and design a structure and finally, donated $250 million toward Georgia Aquarium’s construction. Due to financial contributions from AirTran Airways, BellSouth, Georgia- Pacific, The Home Depot, Southern Company, Turner Broadcasting System, UPS, and the Coca- Cola Company, the company opened debt free. After 27 months and with 60 animal habitats, 16,400 square feet (1,520 m²) of ball room space, 2 food service kitchens, gift shops, a 4-D theater, an on-site restaurant, and a parking lot, the Georgia Aquarium opened first on November 21, 2005 to annual pass holders and then on November 23, 2005 to the general public. At $27.00 per adult, $21.50 for Seniors, and $19.50 for Children, the price of admission to the non-profit aquarium is among the most expensive in the country. The aquarium has nevertheless far exceeded visitor expectations, welcoming its millionth guest on March 1, 2006, only ninety-eight days after opening. The aquarium sold over 290,000 annual passes for its first year, before sales were halted (to avoid a “private club” atmosphere, according to Aquarium Executive Director Jeff Swanagan).[1] The Georgia Aquarium welcomed its three millionth guest on August 24, 2006 and its five millionth on May 23, 2007.[2]

Collection
Whale shark in the viewing theatre
Whale shark in the viewing theatre

The Georgia Aquarium contains between 100,000 to 120,000 fish and other sea creatures, representing more than five hundred species. On June 14, 2005, the total number of specimens was unveiled after having previously being reported as “over 55,000″. Marcus was quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as saying: “I have been saying that we would have more than 55,000 fish; I just never said how many more.” The fish were transported from Taiwan to the aquarium by UPS, which is headquartered in nearby Sandy Springs in 42 tanks aboard an MD-11. UPS donated the cost of the shipping, estimated at over US$200,000.

The aquarium’s most famous specimens were four young whale sharks from Taiwan named Ralph, Norton, Alice and Trixie after the primary characters from The Honeymooners. Ralph, died from peritonitis on January 11, 2007, and Norton followed on June 13, 2007 when the aquarium made the decision to euthanize him after he had shown signs of erratic swimming and had stopped eating.[3] Ralph and Norton were with the Georgia Aquarium at its opening; Alice and Trixie joined the aquarium June 3, 2006. This is the first time whale sharks have been kept in an aquarium outside of Asia. The sharks are kept in a 6.3 million gallon (23.8 million liter) exhibit. On May 25, 2007, Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency announced the Aquarium had been approved to receive two more whale sharks before Taiwan bans the animals’ capture in 2008.[3] On June 1, 2007 the two new whale sharks arrived at the aquarium. The two sharks, caught earlier in 2007, are named Taroko, commemorating Taroko Gorge National Park, and Yushan after Taiwan’s Jade Mountain. [4]

The aquarium is currently the only one in the United States to exhibit a Great Hammerhead Shark.

The aquarium was also home to five 11 foot (3 m) long beluga whales. Two males named Nico and Gasper were rescued from a Mexico City amusement park where they lived under a roller coaster. Because of insufficient weight, skin lesions, and a bone disease, on January 2, 2007, Gasper was euthanized.[5] Marina died on December 1, 2007 of what may have been natural causes (she was 25 years old). The remaining females (Natasha and Maris) are on breeding loan from the New York Aquarium. The aquarium is among six other US aquariums, including Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, with belugas in their collections.

Exhibits
The Ocean Voyager exhibit tunnel
The Ocean Voyager exhibit tunnel
Five Beluga Whales
Five Beluga Whales

The aquatic animals are displayed in five different galleries, Georgia Explorer, Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold- Water Quest, and River Scout. They each correspond to a specific environment. At the left as one enters the aquarium is the Georgia Explorer exhibit, geared especially towards children. It features a number of touch tanks with rays and sharks as well as exhibits featuring sea turtles and the wildlife of Gray’s Reef - a National Marine Sanctuary off the Georgia Coast. The second exhibit, River Scout, also reflects regional environments. It features an overhead river where visitors can see North American fish from the bottom up. In addition to local specimens, exhibits display piranha, electric fish, and other unusual freshwater life. The third section of the aquarium, Cold Water Quest, features animals from the polar regions of the world and contains most of the mammals in the aquarium’s collection. This exhibit includes beluga whales in the aquarium’s second largest habitat, California sea lions, Japanese spider crabs, and African black-footed penguins. The fourth exhibit, entitled Ocean Voyager, includes the vast majority of the aquarium’s water and almost 100,000 fish. This exhibit is designed to feature the life of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, and showcases the aquarium’s whale sharks, as well as a 100 foot (30 m) underwater tunnel and the world’s second largest viewing window. The final exhibit takes an artistic turn, as the Tropical Diver exhibit features many curious and haunting forms of aquatic life including a living reef with live coral. The aquarium also features a “4D” movie and other attractions, including in the Ocean Voyager - Journey With Giants exhibit hall where the Chedd-Angier-Lewis production company, with Electrosonic Inc., has produced the Open Ocean Touchwall, a dynamic, interactive projection for species identification. This is a virtual aquarium where larger than life, fully articulated 3-D renderings of Open Ocean fish swim across six panels assembled to simulate a tank. Guests are invited to reach out and place hands or fingers on the fish. As they do so, fun and informative content bubbles appear to educate the guest about the particular species they have chosen.

The aquarium development was managed by Heery International who served as the Program Manager / Owner’s representative for the Georgia Aquarium. The base building was designed by Atlanta-based architecture firm Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates (TVS). In addition, TVS Interiors did the interior design of the facility as well as the design of the two retail shops located inside the aquarium. The aquarium galleries were designed by the St. Louis based firm of PGAV.

Conservation
Cuttlefish at the aquarium
Cuttlefish at the aquarium

According to aquarium founder Bernard Marcus, the aquarium’s conservation and environmental mission is just as important as its status as an attraction. Long before opening, the aquarium was already working with Georgia Tech and Georgia State University in Atlanta and the University of Georgia in Athens to help save endangered species through education and research programs.

The acquisition of the male beluga whales, previously suffering in an inadequate environment, was hailed by Marcus as a prime example of the type of conservation activities the Aquarium should be involved with. Approximately 100 tarpon stranded in a tidal pool at Skidaway Island, off the Georgia coast, were rescued for the collection. Coral used in exhibits at the Aquarium is manmade in a collaboration between Georgia Tech and the University of the South Pacific, produced by suspending blocks of pumice over a reef near the village of Tagaqe, Fiji for eight months so that seaweeds and reef invertebrates could establish colonies.

Facilities
The petting tank featuring bonnethead sharks and cownose rays
The petting tank featuring bonnethead sharks and cownose rays

The Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest at the time of its opening in November 2005, encompasses 550,000 sq ft (11.6 acres; 4.7 hectares) of covered space and includes 328 tons of acrylic windows, 290 plumbing fixtures, 200 floor drains, 53 roof tops, 61 miles (98 km) of wires and pipes and 100,000 yards (91,000 m) of concrete in the structure. It holds eight million gallons (thirty million litres) of fresh and salt water (conditioned with 1.5 million pounds of Instant Ocean(TM) sea salt mix) and houses more than 100,000 fish and animals. The blue metal and glass exterior of the aquarium was designed to resemble a giant ark breaking through a wave. The ship’s hull appears to emerge from two large buildings that feature curved, flowing roofs that were designed to represent ocean swells. The record for largest aquarium in the world is highly contested; however, Dubai’s three story Dubai Mall aquarium claims to be the world’s largest when it opens in the new Burj Dubai project.

With an accelerated 27-month schedule, the project timeline for the construction of the aquarium was aggressive. To facilitate the phased construction activities that were essential to meeting the project schedule, two-ply asphalt BUR was installed over a lightweight concrete deck. This temporary roof allowed for expedited construction and the associated roof traffic. The final stage included installation of the light gray FiberTite roofing system, which was selected to match the gray wall panels. Construction of the aquarium was contracted by Brasfield & Gorrie, a General Contractor headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.

In addition to the massive habitats that are the core of the aquarium, the facility includes the 16,400 square foot (1,520 m²) Oceans Ballroom - a banquet hall that can host events for up to 1100 seated or 1600 at a reception. The hall features two 10 x 28 foot (3 x 9 meter) windows into the exhibits housing the whale sharks and beluga whales. It can also be subdivided into three smaller spaces for events. Chef Wolfgang Puck’s company will manage catering services for this facility. The aquarium also includes a fairly large food court with tables extending into the main lobby. The costs of building the aquarium escalated beyond Marcus’ original US$250 million donation. To complete the facility without scaling back plans, six local companies — AirTran Airways, BellSouth, Georgia-Pacific, The Home Depot, Southern Company, and SunTrust Banks — signed on as presenting sponsors for exhibits.

Location
Aerial view of the aquarium
Aerial view of the aquarium

Originally proposed for the Atlantic Station development in Midtown Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium is located in downtown Atlanta, just north of Centennial Olympic Park. In addition to the Park and the Aquarium, within a short distance are the Georgia Dome, the Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena, and CNN Center. The Coca-Cola Company donated 9 acres (40,000 m²; 4 ha) of land to the site and opened a new World of Coca-Cola attraction on property adjacent to the aquarium. The site is named Pemberton Place in honor of Coca-Cola creator John Pemberton.

Even before opening, the Georgia Aquarium helped drive new development in the area aiding efforts by the City of Atlanta and Central Atlanta Progress, a group of local business leaders, to revitalize downtown. In December 2004, a $300 million office and hotel development was announced for a nearby site. The complex is named Allen Plaza in commemoration of former Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen Jr and includes office space for the Southern Company and accounting firm Ernst & Young, as well as W Hotel.

Gallery

Tunnel to view whale shark exhibit

Tropical reef exhibit at the Georgia aquarium

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Beluga Whale, one of four

Whale Shark overhead in the tunnel

Sawfish in the viewing theatre

Seahorse

Sea Star

Anemones in a touch tank

Guitarfish in the Ocean Voyager tunnel

Diver cleaning some of the glass

The “Recognition Rotunda” in the commons area of the complex.

Jellyfish in Topical Diver

Petting tank: bonnethead sharks and cownose rays

Garibaldi Damsel

A jellyfish swimming in its habitat

A big announcement is expected from the top six mortgage lenders in USA – an announcement of a plan to stop borrowers in danger of defaulting on loans from losing their homes.

How’s this plan called? Project Lifeline.

The top lenders, which include Bank of America and Citigroup, are expected to offer a 30-day freeze on foreclosures, this would help loan refinancing. The announcement is supposedly today in Washington at 4:15 GMT.

The name “Project Lifeline” is given because it will give the lender’s customers a lifeline in case they can’t afford to make the payments.

This is all responding to the hard times the Us economy is having this year. Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who heads the House Financial Services Committee, said yesterday: “We are now in the midst of one of the most serious economic crises we have seen in recent years.”

Let’s hope this is a true move to help people.