Kate Luther's Blog
Posted by Kate Luther
Sometime on Friday, July 22, 2007, police say Chris Benoit strangled his wife and 7 year old son. On Sunday, he then hung himself in their Atlanta, GA home. The bodies were discovered on Monday, after co-workers became worried and called police. An apparent murder-suicide it seemed, although Benoit left no note, nothing to explain what had gone wrong.
On Thursday, federal drug agents raided the office of Dr. Phil Astin, Benoit's physician who had prescribed testosterone to Benoit in the past. No arrests were made and still no explanation for what happened. In fact, according to Astin, Benoit stopped by on Friday, what would have been just hours before the fatal events would be set in motion and seemed "fine". No signs of distress, no anger, nothing to alert the staff that there might be a problem.
And then, according to records released to police, Benoit called coworkers on Saturday to say that he would be late to the Beaumont, TX match. At first he had overslept, but then in another call, his wife and son were sick. Early Sunday morning, he sent text messages to the same coworkers, one of which stated "Dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage door is open." The rest just contained his home address.
If that isn't weird enough, police now say that Benoit's Wikipedia page was altered on Monday, hours before the bodies were discovered. The new posting said that Benoit had missed the weekend wrestling matches due to the death of his wife. The IP address shows to be registered in Stamford, CT, home to the WWE.
Posted by Kate Luther
On July 20, 2007, Hairspray will make yet another comeback, this time with John Travolta playing the part of Tracy Turnblad's mom, Edna. That's right... John Travolta plays Edna.
But that's not the point of this post. The upcoming July release is a remake of the 1988 flick, also by the same name and just as Hollywood seems fascinated by turning old TV series into full-featured films, they also seem to have a hard time letting go films they've already done.
Wings of Desire (1987) became City of Angels (1998) and although Damiel was transformed into Seth and Marion the circus star evolved into Maggie the doctor, the storyline was still pretty much the same. And who could forget Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)? Apparently not Hollywood since they partnered up with Johnny Depp to make Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005.
Cape Fear in 1991? Also Cape Fear in 1962. The Fly in 1986? The same Fly in 1958. And do I even need to mention how many times Dracula has been redone? Yes, the names may have changed, the stars may be new but the movie... been there, done that, bought the popcorn.
Not to say that there haven't been some really good remakes over the years. City of Angels in fact, was one of my favorites and James Cameron's Titanic (1997) even made it to my top all-time list. But still... isn't it great when someone pulls out something completely new? Remember the first time you saw The Matrix? Not 2 or 3... I mean the first Matrix.. the original. Didn't you walk out of the theater in complete awe? The concept was fresh, the perspective was unheard of, and we were left with that whole "now why didn't I think of that" elation.
So, no... I don't mind a few remakes here and there... especially when they're even better than the first. But I'd still like to be blown away by something that hasn't been done yet. I know its hard... we seemed to have tapped out our idea box. But II still have hope. And patiently I'll wait. While I watch John Travolta dance around in a dress.
Posted by Kate Luther
When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, I remember going to see Grease for the very first time. Me and my entourage of best friends went in my mom's big green station wagon. We had popcorn, we drank cokes and we watched in complete awe as Frenchy helped Sandy go from super-sweet to super-WOW. We loved the idea of the Pink Ladies (hey, we were fifth-grade girls... what do you expect?) and we relished the idea of our own major transformation into womanhood... all the better if the pink satin jacket came with it.
Its movies like Grease that stay with us, whether its because of a particular character, a too-close-to-home storyline or just the simple fact that our favorite fantasy date happens to be the star of the show. Remember Dirty Dancing? Perhaps one of the cheesiest movies of all time and to tell the truth, I had forgotten all about it. But here lately, its been running on Starz and I have to admit, I can't get enough of it. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner," said the leather-bound Patrick Swayze and I instantly remembered just how much I could swoon.
I also caught a late-night run of The Breakfast Club on TBS (or A&E... who can remember?) the other night and I was instantly teleported back to those horribly awkward days of high school. Oh, the drama...if only I had known then what I so painfully know now.
Okay, so these weren't "deep" films but during those impressionable years, they captured everything we knew to be true. And isn't that the point?
Today, I'm a mom, a wife and a responsible member of the community... blah, blah, blah... you know the drill. And I've left all the social drama behind where it belongs. But between you and me, I still wouldn't mind one of those pink jackets.
What movie changed your world? Here's my top all-time greats.
Posted by Kate Luther
Done. Finished. As in, Sopranos no more. But if you watched the series finale, then you know that it was anything but final. (Spoiler warning: I'm going to give away the gold here).
This is so wrong. Granted the whole point was to find out who got it in the end - Tony or Phil. And bravo to the writer's for adding in that lovely little extra dig to Phil after he was shot, complete with a sickening audio for full effect (if you watched, you know what I'm talking about). But after Phil's gone, there's a full 30 minutes more of build up. Everything seems to be normal, everyone's acting normal, but.... obviously, something is still up. Something's about to happen. It always does. This is after all, The Sopranos.
Five minutes left and the family gathers at a restaurant for some grub. In walks a fisherman-looking guy and the creators make a point of showing him to us a few more times. Then in walk two more guys - they've got "hit man" written all over them. Meadow arrives but has trouble parking her car. The camera clips back to the fisherman and then to the two hit men sitting at the counter. They eye Tony. He glances back. The camera clips to Meadow. Still can't quite parallel park that car, huh? Back to the restaurant. Two more guys walk in and they hang out by a display case. Back to Meadow and her unbelievably bad driving. Any minute now... its coming, I tell you. Can't you feel the tension? One of the guys from the counter gets up and walks Tony's way. Tony sees him but then goes back to his menu. Are you crazy? Pay attention, man! You're about to get shot! Another glimpse of the fisherman guy and then, well, whatd'ya know? Meadow parked the car and she's running across the street. The hit man passes Tony and heads to the restroom. Meadow reaches the door. The little bell rings. Tony looks up and ....
That's it.
Can you believe it? That's it???! You can't leave us hanging like that... its just not right. This is the series finale, guys, not the season finale. You were supposed to give us some closure, something that would let us sleep at night. Sure, we'll miss the Sopranos either way, but at least we'd know that Tony and his family had gotten a new start. Or not. But at least we'd know.
All we have now is that stupid little doorbell and the chaotic workings of our own imagination.
Ah well.. you know what they say... its not TV... its HBO.
Posted by Kate Luther
What music blared from your speakers in the 1990's? How about Sinead O'Connor, Smash Mouth and lest we not forget, our beloved Britney.
Here's a look at the top hits from the 1990's:
Top Albums:
Rhythm Naiton, Janet Jackson
In Utero, Nirvana
The Chronic, Dr. Dre
Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins
Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, M.C. Hammer
Johnny Gill, Johnny Gill
Dookie, Green Day
Soul Provider, Billy Joel
Check Your Head, Beastie Boys
Back on the Block, Quincy Jones
Storm Front, Billy Joel
Billboard Top 10
- Because I Love You, Stevie B
- The Power, Snap
- Cradle of Love, Billy Idol
- Pray, M.C. Hammer
- Hold On, Wilson Phillips
- Unskinny Bop, Poison
- Step by Step, New Kids on the Block
- Pump Up the Jam, Technotronic
- I Wish It Would Rain Down, Phil Collins
- Love and Affection, Nelson
For more 1990's goodies, read my tribute here.
Posted by Kate Luther
With all the buzz going on about The Secret, I can't help but feel a little smug. I've known this stuff for years, being an avid reader of all the new age greats. Positive thinking is in fact, a simple and effective way to draw good things into your life. I know this... I've seen it in action. And being that I'm the eternal "blue-sky" girl as my mother used to say, it would make sense if mastering the Law of Attraction was, well... second nature for me.
But the truth is, I struggle to maintain any kind of real focus on the positive stuff. Oh, I can be bright and cheery sure enough, but my attention doesn't last long enough to achieve any kind of meditative state. Instead, my mind is running full-speed 24/7, filled with bills that need to be paid, phone calls that should be made and of course, all those lovely little chores to do around the house. I have a to-do list that's multiple pages long and the sad thing is - most of it is self-inflicted. Am I ADD? An Over-Achiever? Perhaps. But aren't those requirements in today's society?
What I would give for five minutes of complete and total silence in my head...hmm... check that... three minutes... I need the other two to draft out a new article idea I just had :)
In any event, if you want to see just how powerful some positive thinking can be, here's a great study on how good thoughts can benefit your health.
Posted by Kate Luther
Just a few years ago, building a web community meant adding a chat room or forum to your web site. But that's all changed.
Today's web communities have branched out into a whole new breed, one that is just as active on the Internet as they are in the community.
Known as social bookmarking, these community sites offer users to share the best of the web as well as interact with each other. Find a cool article on your favorite celebrity? Bookmark it and share it with the world. Users also have the opportunity to give "props" to those that really search out the good stuff. Using a variety of voting systems, readers can "vote up" or "vote down" a particular post to rate its worthiness.
For more on social bookmarking, check out this article in Pop Culture Trends.
Posted by Kate Luther
Visit the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Wednesday and Thursday and you'll find rhinestone-studded costumes, a note from Brando, Janet Jackson's Mae West dress and the 1987 contract that made Michael the owner of "Neverland".
These are just a few of the items going up for sale at Michael Jackson's auction in Vegas this week. After a lengthy court battle between Jackson and his attorney's, the group reached a settlement that allowed Jackson to sell off thousands of his belongings. Jackson has had financial problems for quite some time, reportedly spending millions more than he had for the past several years. The pop star's legal battles added to the troubles as did his surreal and extravagant lifestyle.
The items are expected to bring millions of dollars from bidders from around the world.
Posted by Kate Luther
In just 8 months, Rosie O'Donnell has brought ABC's The View from mediocre ratings to a star-studded event. Her controversial and outspoken manner turned what used to be a fading daytime talk show into the talk of the town. Feuds with Donald Trump dominated the gossip columns and it wasn't long before the ratings began to skyrocket. There's been talk that Rosie would leave the show in June, unable "to come to a new contract agreement", but the media speculated on whether her departure would really come to light.
But now, after a nasty bout with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Wednesday, Rosie has asked ABC to release her from her contract and ABC agreed.
Last week, O'Donnell made a statement on the show about the Iraqi war: "655,000 Iraqi civilians have died. Who are the terrorists?" Critics immediately lashed out at O'Donnell, suggesting that she was calling U.S. Troops "terrorists". O'Donnell fired back at Hasselbeck for not speaking out in Rosie's defense. Barbara Walters, the show's creator, says that she fully appreciates the contributions that Rosie has made to The View and that "our close and affectionate relationship will not change".
Posted by Kate Luther
If you're looking to lose fat, you don't have to look far. Forget the diet shakes and fat-burning pills. Yahoo! Health columnist David Zinczenko has posted his list of the "Power 12", 12 superfoods that help your body burn fat naturally, without chemicals and dangerous side-effects.
On the list? Things like almonds, eggs and yes, even instant oatmeal. These foods, Zinczenko says are "energy-efficient" allowing your body to stay fit and trim without calorie counting.
Editor-in-chief of Men's Health, Zinczenko is also the author of the New York Times bestselling "Abs Diet" program that promises to give you that coveted six-pack stomach through exercise and balanced nutrition.
So, just what are the 12 Powerfoods? Find out in David's column here.
Posted by Kate Luther
There's a new Die Hard in town and its coming to a theater near you.
Scheduled to release nationwide on June 27, 2007, Die Hard III features names like Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q and Jeffrey Wright... along with our loveable Mr. Willis of course. In the 3rd installment of the Die Hard saga, a nasty techie villain attacks the U.S. infrastructure, bringing the nation to its knees. But what he didn't count on was renegade cowboy Officer John - aka YippeKiA - McClane putting a stop to his plans for world domination.
Okay, so you have to wait until June to see it. But you can grab a sneak peek at the trailer here.
Posted by Kate Luther
From the Museum of Hoaxes comes the Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time. On the list are such notables as the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest, the Taco Liberty Bell and the year the State of Alabama changed the value of Pi.
Kidzworld has some pretty devious pranks including a forever-on sink sprayer, food coloring in the milk and gummy worms in the fresh fruit in your fridge.
The Prank Institute has quite a collection as well, from a shocking door knob, jello toilets and something with vinegar and baking soda that I probably don't want to know.
Want to know how April Fool's Day got started? Read my little history lesson here.
Posted by Kate Luther
I don't know what it is about me and television shows. Every time I find a show I really like, the network decides to pull the plug. They did it with Freaky Links, they did it with Dark Angel and Oz. And now? It looks like Rome has become the latest victim of my curse.
After watching my favorite epic drama on HBO this past Sunday, I hung around as I always do to see the previews for next week's show. Here come the clips, highlighting those oh-so-dramatic points in the show and then the Rome screen with "series finale" shown below.
Not again!
But alas, I've done my checking and its true. HBO has decided to pull the plug after just two seasons, the rumor being that Rome is just too expensive to produce.
Okay, so I realize that cable television doesn't get all those advertising dollars like their network brethren but come on... this is HBO. Isn't that their tagline? Its not just television... its HBO. We're talking the big boys here, aren't we?
But there you go. HBO is cancelling Rome and it looks like this Sunday's episode will be its last. Ah well... et tu HBO?
If you want more Rome, check out these links:
- Rome - Official HBO Website
- RomeFans.com
- Rome at TV.com
- Rome Forum at HBO
- Rome Episode Guide at TV IV
- Rome on Wikipedia
And of course, my own personal tribute.
Posted by Kate Luther
According to a post at Yahoo! Music, Brad Delp, lead singer for the 1970's rock band Boston, was found dead in his New Hampshire home.
Police reportedly responded to a call for help at 1:20pm but Delp was already dead. Officials say there is no evidence of foul play but are also not clear as to what caused his death.
Brad Delp joined Boston back in 1975, providing lead vocals for the smash hit albums, Boston and Don't Look Back. Boston's hits included More Than A Feeling, Long Time, Don't Look Back and Peace of Mind. The band's official website - http://bandboston.com - was taken down and replaced with just one sentence:
We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll.
Brad Delp was 55 years old.
For more about the legendary band, Boston, check out their music profile.
Posted by Kate Luther
Forget John Smith. Or Mr. & Mrs. Smith for that matter. These days, celebrities flex their creative muscles when it comes to picking a fake name for the hotel registry. Brad Pitt? Carlo Con Carne. Johnny Depp? Mr. Donkey Penis himself.
What name does your favorite celebrity use when they're trying to go incognito? Test your matching skills here.
Posted by Kate Luther
If you haven't already heard about the REAL ID Act, you will. Set to go into effect in 2008, the REAL ID Act authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to require all states to comply with a national ID system. This system will feature a card that contains your usual name, address and birthdate along with some form of biometric data for identification and a "common machine-readable technology" such as RFID chips.
This means your information - ALL of your information - will be contained in this one little card. The government has said that the national ID card is voluntary, therefore it doesn't violate any privacy rights guaranteed by the Constitution. But if you don't comply? You can't open a bank account, drive a car, board a plane, collect social security... and the list just goes on and on.
Want to see the potential of the REAL ID Act? Click here to read more and check out this video on YouTube.
Posted by Kate Luther
15 year-old Jennifer Mee got the hiccpus. Five weeks ago. And they just wouldn't stop. She tried holding her breath, drinking juice and getting hypnotized in an effort to make the hiccups go away but nothing worked.
Until now.
According to a post in Yahoo! News, Ms. Mee is finally free of the hiccups. Her cure? They just stopped all on their own.
Posted by Kate Luther
Topping the list is Antonella Barba, the lovely 20 year-old American Idol contestant who's recently had to endure an ugly scandal involving some private pictures allegedly posted by an angry ex. But according to various news sources, the woman in the photos has yet to be positively identified.
And while we're on the subject of American Idol, it ranked right up there in the search engines as well. From the scandal I mentioned above to the four contestants that were just released, everyone is buzzing about Idol.
Britney Spears is still making the charts, with her recent apparent meltdown and rehab escapades. And did I mention there's rumors of a reconciliation with hubby K-Fed?
Its tax time again and apparently you know it too since the IRS made the top ten list on all the search engines. Points of interest? The telephone excise tax and fraudulent refunds via identity theft.
Posted by Kate Luther
Anna Nicole Smith died suddenly on February 8, 2007. Even stranger was the collection of men that came forward to claim paternity to her infant daughter, Dannielynn. But perhaps the most troubling aspect of all is her burial.
Anna Nicole hasn't had one yet.
Instead, she's been lying in state in the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office for the past three weeks while family members battled in court over where she should be buried. Boyfriend Howard K Stern wanted to bury her next to her son, Daniel at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Nassau, Bahamas. Smith's mother however, wanted to take her daughter's body back to Mexia, Texas.
The two went to court and Stern won, but Mom Vergie Arthur appealed and so Anna had to wait some more.
But today, the Appellate Court upheld the original ruling, and Stern has announced that Smith will be buried on Friday, March 2nd at 10:30am. A private service will follow at 11:30 am and Anna will finally be laid to rest next to her son Daniel.
Posted by Kate Luther
Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith died on Thursday (2/8/07) after she was found unresponsive in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Florida.
The 39 year-old celebrity was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The call came into the Hollywood, FL fire department around 2pm EST. Paramedics performed CPR but Smith did not respond.
No word as to the cause of death yet.
Posted by Kate Luther
Soul singer James Brown died from heart failure on December 25, 2006. His funeral services have been held, but the body remains locked in his Beech Island home while family members try to work out his estate and come to an agreement on where he should be buried.
"The room where his body is being held is being kept at a controlled temperature," said Charles Reid, manager of the C.A. Reid Funeral Home in Georgia.
No specifics have been given on what exactly is at issue but attorney Thornton Morris said that "the hope is that all parties can sit down and figure out what the problem is and what the challenges are..."
Brown's partner and mother to his 5 year old son found herself locked of of their home as a result of the family squabble. No word on whether she plans to file a suit.
You can read the full story at Yahoo! Music.
Posted by Kate Luther
Ever think "That movie is so bad, I wouldn't see it if they paid me?"
Well, ShareTheTruth.com won't pay you, but they will send you the DVD for free. Just fill out the requested information on this form and they'll mail you a copy of the DVD at no charge.
Just what is An Inconvenient Truth?
In a nutshell, its a compilation of Al Gore's campaign around the country to make people more aware of global warming.
Sound boring? Don't be so sure.
I haven't seen the movie yet but I did catch several of the trailers and they're incredible, amazing and scary as hell. I've ordered my copy and I'll review the movie for you when I receive it.
In the meantime, I wanted to let you grab your free DVD while the "getting is still good".
Posted by Kate Luther
Although the two have called it quits, Whitney still faces a whopping $200,000 debt. To remedy the situation, she's decided to auction off some of hers and soon-to-be-ex hubby Bobby Brown's personal belongings.
The sale will be handled by A.J. Wilner Auctions out of New Jersey and will feature some 400+ items including Versace and Donna Karan costumes, studio equipment, a see-through grand piano and yes, even some of Whitney's pricey underwear.
Think you'd like to bid?
According to a representative of Wilner Auctions, the auction is open to the public but only for qualified bidders. You'll have to cough up $100 bucks just to walk through the door and deposit at least 25% of the auction price the minute you win an item.
For more information, read the Yahoo! Music article here.
Posted by Kate Luther
To be honest, I could use any of the popular resolutions and do just fine. I'd like to drop about 10 to 15 pounds and start working out to regain that body that I know I had, but just can't seem to recall where I left it. And I seriously need to get organized - from my office buried in paper and files to my garage that's filled with boxes and crates.
But there's no imagination in that list and if you know me at all, you know I like to be creative. So here's my list of resolutions for 2007 - feel free to let me know what you think :)
- Learn Japanese - Why Japanese? Because its challenging. Because its different. And because in addition to my work here at Suite 101 and other freelancing gigs, I also manage an anime site. Wouldn't it be great to be able to read all those Japanese sites I run across when browsing for stories?
- Learn to play guitar - I took piano lessons as a kid and loved it. In fact, I still miss it today. The problem is, we don't have a piano and to be honest, I don't know where I'd put one if we did. On the other hand, my son has an acoustic guitar that he rarely plays. So I'm thinking - why not put it to good use? Besides, I turn 40 tomorrow and they say that playing a musical instrument can help ward off senility and alzheimer's. I figure I might as well start now.
- Get ready for retirement - Yes, its still a way's away but you can never start too soon. I don't want to be 67 and still wondering when my "golden years" are going to start. To do this, I'm going to have to revamp my spending, start saving like crazy and bump up my income, which leads me to number 4...
- Step up my freelancing - I've been writing on a freelance basis for several years now and I love it. I've had all kinds of gigs for all kinds of products, services and topics, but I'm still doing it on a part-time basis. If I'm going to master my retirement, now's the time to step things up a bit.
- Learn to ride my horse - We moved to the country back in April. A die-hard city girl, I now live out in the boonies and am the proud owner of three horses, three dogs and two chickens named Fred and Ethel. I can saddle my horse, I can walk my horse and I can even lope my horse if we're going in a straight line. The problem is, I haven't made that "leap" and really learned to just ride my horse so that's what this resolution is for. Swallow my fear (whatever it might be) and learn to keep my feet under me so I don't land on my butt. Am I nervous? Yeah... more than I care to admit, but I hate the idea of quitting so this is the only way to go.
- Sleep in on Saturdays - Or Sundays, or whatever day happens to be available. I'm averaging about five to six hours sleep and I have to be honest, its kicking my butt. For 2007, I promise to make an effort to sleep in whenever the occassion presents itself, preferably on a weekly basis.
- Paint my toes - I had a pedicure once, complete with a lower leg massage and foot bath. It was absolutely awesome. For this resolution, I promise to fork over the $25 bucks at least once every few months to get the works and then figure out a DIY at-home spa to keep me content in between visits.
- Write more books - I've written one so far - The Working Girl's Guide to Financial Freedom - but I haven't kicked any out since. So for 2007, I promise to produce at least two more books - maybe Guides, maybe something else - just as long as I finish at least two.
- Do 10 situps - Or 5 pushups, or whatever strikes me at the moment. I know I said I didn't want to use any predictable resolutions on this list but I've got to be honest - I miss have a flat tummy and my "bye-bye" arms are really waving these days.
- Be grateful - While the rest of this list might have a little sarcasm to it, I do want to use at least one resolution in a selfless fashion. Gratitude is something we could all use, especially in our 90-to-nothing rat-race of a life. I promise to be grateful for all the wonderful things and people in my life and to enjoy them immensely during 2007.
What resolutions did you make this year? For tips on making and better yet, keeping your resolutions, check out this article on How to Get the Most from the New Year.
Happy New Year everyone! May your days and nights always make you smile :)