5 Things Not To Do On A Romantic Getaway In Japan

Above, the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RocketNews24 has an interesting article on the five things NOT to do when vacationing in Japan with your souse or "significant other."

They start with:

Who doesn’t want to take a vacation alone with their special someone? Couples’ vacations are quite popular in Japan with both the young and old. In a country that boasts a wealth of hot springs, rustic townships, and even big tourist-centered cities, there is no end to exotic places to visit. Shared vacations can be a great way to learn more about the local areas and spend some time with your Japanese boyfriend or girlfriend. 

But what happens after the first couple days of excitement wear off? What do you do when he starts snoring too loudly or she takes too much time picking out an outfit to wear for the evening? 

Here are some helpful hints for couples looking to take a trip with their Japanese partner.

I had a good laugh at number 4. A lot of these things can apply to romantic getaways anywhere.

To see the five things, go here. 

No More Vichy Republicans!

This post at Twitter by Chuck Wollery gave me an idea. So I decided to have some fun with it.

The Vichy French collaborated with their German Nazi masters.  The RINO Republicans are the same.  The two most prominent Vichy Republicans in the Senate are Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain.  

I am not the first to come up with term Vichy Republican. It has been around for a while.  

Eric Erickson wrote in the Free Republic in 2009:

The ground has not shifted to the left. They have shifted to the left. They have become Vichy Republicans — not Republicans in Name Only. The difference is that they stand on their bona fides as Republicans, patted on the back by other Republicans of unquestioned party affiliation, to sell out the party by collaborating with the Democrats. 

McCain has been working closely with the White House and a handful of Democrats in the Senate in recent weeks. Graham's collaboration with the Democrats on immigration reform has ticked off the GOP base enough that he might face a primary challenge.

Then I came up with this:

Gundam At Hong Kong Times Square

Figure.Fm posted some photos of Gundam at Times Square, Hong Kong.  They remind me of my 2005 visit to the Bandai Museum where, in meeting a challenge from G-fan Stan Hyde, I squeezed (barely) into a costume and posed on the Gundam Lift.

Here's one of the photos of me on the Gundam Lift:

Now, to see the photos of Gundam at Hong Kong's Times Square, go here.

"Adventures of Superman" Plaque Fundraising: Almost There!

Above, a location shoot near the 7th Street Bridge in Los Angeles in 1953.

We are now just a little over $60 away from meeting our goal of raising $1,000 for the plaque-making for the dedication next year in Tarzana.

According to The Adventures Continue website, we are now at $937.35.

Again, many thanks to the contributors!

Fukushima Tourism Rebounds To 77% of Pre-Quake Levels

Above, Fukushima Airport's banner on their Ultraman exhibit.

Considering the media misinformation about the nuclear power plant accident, tourism to the Fukushima region has risen.

According to Kyodo News:

The number of tourists to Fukushima Prefecture rose 26.3 percent in 2012 from the previous year to 44.46 million, rebounding to 77.8 percent of 2010, the year before the triple disaster -- an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear meltdown -- struck, the prefectural government said Monday. 

Tourism "steadily recovered due to restoration of tourist facilities and declining misinformation about the nuclear power plant accident," an official at the prefecture said.

For kaiju fans, the only item of interest in the region is the Ultraman statue that stands in Fukushima Airport's terminal building. The statue is three meters tall and was erected to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the airport's opening.

Combined with scenes depicting other monsters and clothing used in the filming of Ultraman, it is the first permanent display of its kind in Japan. It is listed on page 18 of The Monster movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To see the Fukushima Airport's Ultraman page (in Japanese), go here.

To read the full story, go here.

How Hollywood Helped Hitler

The Hollywood Reporter has published an excerpt from a new book on how Hollywood helped Adolf Hitler in the 1930s, "The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler" (Harvard University Press, on sale Sept. 9) by Ben Urwand.

They wrote:

In devastating detail, an excerpt from a controversial new book reveals how the big studios, desperate to protect German business, let Nazis censor scripts, remove credits from Jews, get movies stopped and even force one MGM executive to divorce his Jewish wife.

The Hollywood moguls sold their collective souls to make more money with the devil (Hitler's Germany).

To read the excerpt, go here. 

Odaiba May Get A Duty-Free Shopping Facility

Above, a view of Odaiba's Statue of Liberty, Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower
(in the distance) from the Aqua City shopping complex.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Odaiba, the man-made landfill island in Tokyo Bay that first garnered fan attention thirteen years ago in Godzilla x Megaguirus, is in the news again. 

The majority of the battles between Godzilla and Megaguirus took place in Odaiba. The Fuji Television Building and the shopping complex Aqua City were prominently displayed in the movie as was the Rainbow Bridge, the main route to get into Odaiba.

The Japanese government is considering allowing a duty-free shopping facility in Odaiba. It is considered one of Tokyo's major tourist areas.

According to The Japan News:

The move is part of the government’s efforts to more than triple the annual number of foreign tourists to Japan to more than 30 million by 2030, the sources said.

Odaiba is also featured in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read the full article, go here.

My Comic Strip Art: "Catalyst"

Back in the early 1990s, I did a stint as the illustrator for a comic strip called "Catalyst" for a remote-controlled modeling newspaper American Modeler, Scale Modeling News & Features.

I found some copies of it the other day and here's some samples of what I did:

This lasted until the checks started bouncing.  But it was fun to do while it lasted.

Bedford Today: "Speeding up to slow down in Japan"

Above, a view of Tokyo after stepping out of Tokyo Station.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The United Kingdom's Bedford Today (Bedford Times & Citizen) has posted a travel article on experiencing two different Japans.

First, is the futuristic city of Tokyo and then the former capital of Japan, Kyoto.

The article starts with:

Think of Japan, and normally one image springs to mind - a futuristic one. 

Landing at Narita airport, you don’t have to wait long to see it. There are glowing neon signs, space-age toilets complete with sound effects and seat heaters, tempting vending machines... not to mention hi-tech air-conditioned trains waiting to whizz passengers out to destinations all over the country. 

Arrive in Tokyo, and again it’s as you hoped it would be; like sci-fi come to life.

To read the article, go here.

John Crotty, R.I.P.

Learned some sad news today. A fellow Hawthorne High School alumni, John Crotty, has passed away. John and I had some fun at the Cougartown (the Hawthorne High School alumni website) Feedback forum over the years. We also exchanged some great emails.

John was a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and one of the school's "jocks."

A few years ago, I posted about an E Clampus Vitus joke about the San Pedro & Catalina Railroad and it generated this response from John:

Name: John Crotty ~~~~~~~~~~ Wed-Dec 12, 2007, 11:51 am - HHS Time
Message: Wait a minute!!!! There was actually a train that went to Catalina???? In all my days I have never heard of that before Armand's post. I'm being had aren't I? I get it....December Fools!!!!!!!John, you poor gullible bastard ........

His daughter Amanda has posted this tribute video in John's honor.

R.I.P., JC. 

Mount Fuji Eruption Possible

From OneWayJapan.com News:

Mt. Fuji has erupted and discharged lava at least 43 times in the past 2,000 years, according to a study by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

The findings are a result of geological surveys over a 15-year period aimed at revising Mt. Fuji's geological map, which currently has many gaps. The AIST, based in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, unveiled a draft of an updated geological map at an international conference in Kagoshima last week. The draft reflected newly found indications of past eruptions. 

To read more, go here.

Seven Essentials According To Japanese Tourists

Above, a lot of my stuff in my hotel room in Sasebo.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RocketNews24 has posted an interesting article on the top seven items that Japanese travelers recommend bringing along on vacation trips.

There's some real cool gadgets (some of which I've never heard of before) that Japanese people would probably feel lost without.

The article starts with:

Do you love to travel? I do! I even love long plane flights, since you’re basically free to eat, sleep or watch as many movies as you like while flying. In fact, the only aspect of traveling I’m not keen on is having to lug around heavy pieces of luggage, and I can certainly understand if some people out there prefer to travel as light as possible. However, there may be some useful items that are worth taking with you on trips, even if it means your luggage becomes slightly heavier. According to a post on Japanese information compilation site Naver Matome, here are seven such items that experienced Japanese travelers say can be a godsend, which they recommend you pack with you on your next trip!

To see the seven items, go here. 

JapanTourist: Spotlight on Sendai Station

Above, Sendai Station.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

JR Sendai Station is spotlighted by a fellow contributor at JapanTourist.  It is the gateway into Tohoku and is only an hour and a half away from Tokyo Station via shinkansen.

It was also the detonation point of the Legion flower pod explosion in Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996) that obliterated Sendai. It was also briefly featured in Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II (1993) during a flyover scene by Fire Rodan.

Above, Fire Rodan flies over Sendai Station in
"Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla II."  Photo: Toho Co., Ltd.

According to the article by Jeremy Yap in JapanTourist:

JR Sendai Station connects the Tohoku Main Line, Senzao Line, Senseki Line, Joban Line, Sendai Airport Access Line, Tohoku Shinkansen Line, Akita Shinkansen Line and Nanboku subway all together in one spot. This makes Sendai a really busy station and as such, there is a great ecosystem of stores, shops and convenience stores located all within the station.

Above, a hurt Gamera amid the rubble of Sendai
Station in "Gamera 2." Photo: Daiei Motion Picture Co.

I visited Sendai in 2004 while on a bit of a "sentimental journey" to see the city my father was briefly stationed during the Korean War and nearby Matsushima Bay.

Sendai and Sendai Station are featured on pages 16-17 in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read the full JapanTourist article, go here.

"Adventures of Superman" Plaque: Closing In On Our Goal!

We are now a little over $200 away from meeting our goal to raise $1,000 for the Adventures of Superman plaque that will be dedication in Tarzana, California in August 2014.

According to The Adventures Continue website, we are now at $792.35 in contributions!  Not bad for three days of getting the word out!

We have to thank the fans (we really can't thank them enough) for the great response to this project.  $1,000 is a lot easier to raise than the $30,000 it costs for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, although all of the show's stars deserve one (George Reeves has one).

We also have to thank the Superman Super Site for getting the word out. To see their notice, go here. The Superman Super Site is a news and information website for all things Superman, including comic books, movies, television shows, collectibles, etc.

The Top 25 Things In Japan Most Likely To Blow Foreigner’s Minds

Above, a Kirin beer vending machine in front of Toho Sound Studio.  There's
a vending machine for just about anything in Japan.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This article at RocketNews24 came out a little over a year ago, but it is good to read as there are many things I've noticed about Japan are on the list.

It is on "The Top 25 Things In Japan Most Likely To Blow Foreigner’s Minds."

The item at top is on the list, as is the one below.

Above, a Tokyo 100-Yen shop.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They start it off with:

The following is a list of things in Japan that have surprised, fascinated, and shocked the outside world.  Some of these things you’ll wish you had in your home country and a few you may never want to see in person.  So, without further ado, here are the top 25 Japanese things, from obscure to notorious, that leave foreigners mouths agape.

To see the 25 items, go here.

Superman Plaque News in JapanTourist Daily

Most readers of this blog know that I contribute travel articles to JapanTourist. As such, I get their regular JapanTourist Daily via email.

While perusing today's edition, I saw that they picked up the article on the Adventures of Superman plaque news (above) with Bob Shayne, John Hamilton and George Reeves pictured.

To read today's Daily, go here.

Warner Bros. Studios In The Early Morning

Above, Looney Tunes and super-heroes of DC Comics adorn this building at Warner Bros.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was early morning outside of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.  I took a few shots as I passed by.

Above, Warner Bros. along Pass Ave.  Signs featuring current and upcoming movies and television
shows can be seen on the buildings. "Godzilla" should be up soon.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the sign celebrating the partnership between Clint Eastwood
and Warner Bros. with a special DVD set.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a closer view of DC Comics and Looney Tunes characters.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"Adventures of Superman" Plaque Fundraising Is Going Great!

I just checked The Adventures Continue website on the fundraising progress for the plaque to be placed next year in Tarzana, California.

Amazingly, we are now a little over $300 from our goal of $1,000!  And we just started fundraising Friday afternoon!

A big, hearty thank-you to all contributors!

For details, go here.

Chrissy & Ziggy

It has been said that families don't get together except for weddings and funerals.

Fortunately, this time it was for a wedding.

Above, Aunt Glo, Cousin Julie and I.

Above, daughter Amber and I.

Above, Cousin Maria and Amber.

Above, Ashley's speech to the bride and groom.

Above, Aunt Glo stlll dancin' in her 80s.

Above, Audrey and Amber blowing bubbles.

Above, the couple's first dance.

"Adventures of Superman" Plaque Progress Report #3

Above, behind the scenes in 1953.

It was only yesterday afternoon that the word was put out that we need to raise $1,000 for the Adventures of Superman "The Man Who Could Read Minds" plaque.

The fans responded enthusiastically and, by evening, we raised (at present) $442.35. That is almost half of what's needed!  The cost will include the tablet, photo-engraving, lawnmower-proofing, taxes and concrete to anchor it in.

The plaque will be 28" x 16", made of granite (as a bronze one would be too tempting for thieves to steal for the metal), three inches thick, will be lawnmower-proof and will include a photo with the inscription. We have not as yet decided on the inscription or the photo to be used. We would prefer a photo of the entire five cast members (George Reeves, John Hamilton, Noel Neill, Jack Larson and Robert Shayne).  If we are unable to locate a suitable photo with all five, then we will probably settle for one of just George Reeves as Superman. We are checking with several sources for a good black & white cast photo.

So we're off to a great start for the August 16, 2014 morning plaque dedication to be held in Tarzana, California!

For details, go here.

Oliver Stone's "Alternative Perspective" On Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Above, the A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Leave it to director Oliver Stone to skew history to fit in with his leftist politics.

First he did it in JFK, in which he tried to make a hero out of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison (played by Kevin Costner) and misstated the facts surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Now he his aiming his sights on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by portraying that the bombings were unnecessary and we could have forced Japan to surrender without them.

According to the Asahi Shimbun's Asia & Japan Watch (AJW):

Last year, Stone produced a TV documentary series, “The Untold History of the United States,” which depicts contemporary U.S. history, ranging from the 1930s to the inauguration of President Barack Obama, from an alternative perspective. 

He wrote the series jointly with Peter Kuznick, 65, associate professor of history at American University. 

The documentary series consists of 10 episodes, one of which is devoted entirely to the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

According to the episode, many officials in the Truman administration were opposed to the idea of dropping nuclear weapons on Japan. The episode also took the position that it was possible to force Japan to surrender without the use of the atomic bomb. Despite the misgivings, the U.S. government used the weapons. 

Revealing the process that led to the decision to drop the bombs, Stone cast doubts on the generally accepted U.S. position that the bombings were necessary to end the war and that they prevented the need to invade mainland Japan with conventional forces and, as a result, saved many lives.

It is interesting that the common catchword for revisionism of history, "alternative perspective," is used in the article. I have no doubt that there may have been some members of the Harry Truman Administration and possibly in the military opposed to using the atomic bomb to end World War II, but if true to form, Stone will likely enlarge those people out of proportion and skew or change facts (and even make up stuff) to revise history to fit with his leftist thesis. Of course, some stupid people will believe the drivel Stone is spewing.

Even back then, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was concerned about revisionism on World War II. He wanted to make sure that everything was well-documented as he said:

“Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses - because somewhere down the road of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened.”  

It looks like "some bastard" is trying again to revise history in the form of an "alternative perspective" documentary.

To read the full article, go here. 

Super Superman Fans!

It has only been a few hours (if that long) that we put the word out about the Adventures of Superman plaque dedication and already we are almost at 25% of our goal of raising $1,000!

Jim Nolt posted:

Superman fans are just super!

Superman Plaque Dedication

Above, Robert Shayne, John Hamilton and George Reeves in Tarzana.

Jim Nolt has posted at The Adventures Continue website a notice on the Adventures of Superman plaque dedication celebrating "the one-hundredth birthdays of George Reeves, Jerry Siegel, and Joe Shuster; 60 years of the Adventures of Superman; and twenty-five years of The Adventures Continue."

The dedication will take place on August 16, 2014 in Tarzana, California. The public is invited.

Above, the plaque location.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The location of the plaque was chosen as it was the only location shoot featuring all five stars of the show: George Reeves, Jack Larson, Noel Neill, John Hamilton and Robert Shayne.

The cost of the plaque and installation is $1,000. Donations are now being accepted and the progress toward our goal will be reported here. Contributions may be made by check or money order:

Jim Nolt
6-L Foal Court
Lancaster, PA 17602

or via Pay Pal at my alternate e-mail address: JIMNOLT@COMCAST.NET

 

JapanTourist: Atami For Kaiju

Above, a view of Atami City.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My latest travel article for JapanTourist has been approved and posted.

It is titled, "Atami For Kaiju."  It is best known for the ending of King Kong vs. Godzilla, but the Gappas paid a visit there as well.

To view it, go here.

The Difference Between Japanese and Western Styles of Sushi

Above, an inviting display of sushi and other dishes at a restaurant in Asakusa,
Tokyo. It isn't edible, though.  It's made of plastic.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ever wondered what are the differences between sushi made in Japan and sushi made in the west?  There are some differences.

In Los Angeles, there seems to be sushi restaurants everywhere. I've been told that most of them are Korean-owned.  In the San Fernando Valley, there seems to be a sushi restaurant on Ventura Blvd. on almost every other block. Well, that's an exaggeration, but there are many of them on the boulevard.

Living Green Magazine's website has an article that will tell you the differences.

They begin it with:

Editor’s Note:  Whether you eat sushi or eschew it, this article offers a glimpse into Japanese culture and how a food changes when it crosses the ocean. 

The culinary phenomenon that is sushi began life in Japan as far back as the 8^th century, with the dish beginning to be enjoyed in the West by the 1950s. But have these two versions inevitably taken different paths? 

Cultural factors and taste preferences have both played a role in shaping sushi as we know it in the West today. Let’s look at what’s remained the same and what has become very, very different.

Read more at http://livinggreenmag.com/2013/07/25/food-health/culture-and-sushi-the-difference-between-japanese-and-western-styles/#VZA9lmUERw8KIQvZ.99

Atami Article Submitted To JapanTourist

Above, perched atop a hill overlooking Atami harbor, is Atami Castle.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Finally, after being busy with other stuff for the past two months, I submitted my latest Japan travel article to JapanTourist.

It is on King Kong's and Godzilla's favorite Japanese seaside resort town: Atami.

Godzilla fans are aware that Atami was the final battleground of King Kong and Godzilla in 1962's King Kong vs. Godzilla. After demolishing Atami Castle, both Kong and Godzilla toppled into the ocean at the end of the movie. Kong surfaced and swam back to Faro Island while Godzilla disappeared under the waves leaving fans wondering for the past 51 years, "Who won?"

Once the article is approved and posted, I will post a notice on this blog.

Atami is spotlighted on page 35 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

Japan's Tourism Numbers Hit Record High During First Half of 2013

Above, the gardens at Nijo Castle in Kyoto.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported that a record number of foreign visitors to Japan rose to a record high during the first half of this year.

According to Jiji Press:

Tokyo, July 24 (Jiji Press)--The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January-June rose 22.8 pct from a year before to an estimated 4,954,600, hitting a record high for the first-half period, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. 

The increase came as the yen's recent weakening made travel to Japan cheaper, according to the government-affiliated agency. Also behind the growth were service launches by new low-cost carriers.

To read the full story, go here. 

An Invite To "Judge Mathis"

Federal Express showed up at my door today with a thin cardboard envelope.  My immediate thought was that it was some bad news or something on that order.

Instead, it was a letter from the producer of the Judge Mathis how.  They were asking if I would litigate my Small Claims case on their show.

I have never watched Judge Mathis, but it is something like Judge Judy in which litigants bring their cases to litigate on television instead of in a normal Small Claims Court.

They saw that I filed a Small Claims Court suit against a co-worker who, while acting stupid, knocked over his soft drink onto my laptop computer.  He refuses to pay the $90 it cost to repair it, so I had to file.

Admittedly, I was tempted as the show offers all travel expenses to and from Chicago (where the show is taped), pays an appearance fee and, should I win, guaranteed payment of my award within 30 days. Initially, it sounded like it could be fun.

However, I checked with a friend who is a prosecutor for her opinion (among other things, she said, "I would never agree to do that simply because I wonder if they intentionally sensationalize the incidents to make the parties look like jerks and make more of it than there is. So much of that is staged, sensationalized and just edited to make much ado about nothing."). She came up with points that I hadn't considered. I also re-read Stuart Galbraith IV's experience on Judge Judy (to read it, go here).  His blog article reinforced what my friend said.

Additionally, I "met" Judge Mathis a year ago and he didn't exactly leave me with a positive impression of him. I wonder if he'd recognize me if I appeared.

I decided that I really don't need to make anything more out of the case than what it is and I can't see myself over-dramatizing on national syndicated television.  I don't need the publicity or be dogged by a possible disastrous appearance on the show, especially with re-runs and YouTube around.

Accordingly, I will stick with the normal Small Claims Court route.

Hall of Justice Renovation/Restoration Project

Above, the Hall of Justice in 2008.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Years ago, I went inside the stripped and gutted Los Angeles County Hall of Justice.

There was nothing inside but bare concrete walls and floors. Marble tiles, that once made up the ornate walls were all stacked on pallets in the basement. The basement once housed the County Coroner's facilities. Celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and George Reeves were autopsied there.

Above, the bare basement of the Hall of Justice in 2008.  The
County Coroner once occupied this area.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thankfully, funding had been allocated and the project to restore the Hall of Justice is proceeding. The project is supposed to be completed next year.

Here's the website of the contractor who is handling the restoration.

21 Themed Hotel Rooms In Japan You Won't Believe

Above, you won't find this giant Gundam in any hotel room, but
there are Gundam-themed rooms for visitors to stay in.

RocketNews24 has an article on 21 different themed hotel rooms. They range from Gundam to Hello Kitty to Kamen Rider. And then some!

They start it with:

When choosing a place to stay while traveling, most people look for very specific things in hotels: location, price, continental breakfasts that are open until ten so that lazy people like us can still get some food. 

But others want a little bit more out of the their hotel, like intricately detailed themed rooms! 

Here are some of the best themed hotel rooms Japan has to offer! (Note: links to Japanese-language websites.)

To see the rooms, go here.

The Rise of the Attorneys...

Above, the Godzilla statue in Hibiya.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Shortly before 4:00 PM today, I received an email from an attorney representing Legendary Entertainment.

In the email, I was requested to remove the screen captures of a video that someone took last Sunday at the Godzilla Encounter exhibit, which was part of the Comic Con in San Diego.  I had posted them on this blog.

I promptly complied with the request as I figured that they were well within their rights as copyright holders of the images to make such a request.  I also anticipated the request to begin with. I never planned to post the leaked video.

After notifying them that I will comply with their request, their response was, "Thanks!"  No muss, no fuss!

About five hours have passed since I received the message and I noticed that there are still many sites that have either the leaked video or image captures of the video posted. Either the website owners have not been contacted or they are ignoring their request.

From here on, all future blog articles on Godzilla will be accompanied with my images or the posters that Legendary Pictures has released.

Weinergate II

It appears that ex-New York Congressman Anthony Weiner didn't learn his lesson when the had to resign for sexting lewd photos of his "junk" to several women.

He apparently kept on with his little hobby (using "Carlos Danger" as his Twitter handle) for six months or longer after his resignation. He is now running for mayor of New York City.

Is it a coincidence that this all got exposed on National Hot Dog Day?

Adventures of Superman Plaque Progress Report #2

Above, we can't put at plaque at the Tip-Top Club, but we will put one at the
stakeout location for the phantom burglar.  Montage by Richard Potter.

Tomorrow, I will be checking the different plaque styles for the Adventures of Superman plaque to be placed at the location of Inspector Henderson's (Bob Shayne) stakeout in Tarzana in the 1953 episode, "The Man Who Could Read Minds."

The show's entire cast were at this filming location in June 1953.

I will be bringing my camera along to photograph the different plaque styles and send them to Jim Nolt. We will then put our heads together (as George Reeves said in "The Mystery of the Broken Statues," "Like I always say, two heads are better than one!") and decide on the style.

Once a style is chosen, and we price out everything, the fundraising will begin.

Jack Larson has indicated that he will be at the plaque dedication ceremony. Perhaps we can get him to either re-enact his fight with the phantom burglar or his tango skills.