Thursday, July 18, 2013

Can a show that's only on Netflix win an Emmy?

Hollywood announced the Emmy nominations this morning and "House of Cards" which airs exclusively on Netflix received nine nominations.  Broadcast and cable networks should pay heed, there's a new "sheriff" in town.

Nelson Mandela celebrated his 95th birthday today amid reports that his condition continues to improve.

The City of Detroit filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection today in the largest municipal bankruptcy ever.  Reports place the city's long-term debt at somewhere between $14 billion and $20 billion.

Stephen "Stippo" Rakes was found dead outside of Boston.  He was expected to testify in the trial of James "Whitey" Bulger.  There were no obvious signs of trauma.

A surgeon at the UCLA medical school will collect $4.5 million to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Board of Regents.  He claimed to have been retaliated against for filing complaints through normal channels and subsequently being denied teaching opportunities.   His lawsuit also claimed that a photo of the doctor was shown at a resident graduation event.  The altered photo showed the doctor's head on the body of a gorilla that was being sodomized by a department chairman.  UC acknowledged that "an inappropriate slide" was shown.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating allegations that some deputies may have cheated on a recent promotional examination.

A former student at Cal State San Marcos will spend a year in jail after pleading guilty to wire fraud, identity theft and unauthorized access of a computer.  He stole the passwords of over 700 fellow students in order to rig the election so he could become student body president.  Check and see if he's from Chicago.

In Fort Worth a man stopped by to check on a house he owned and found nothing but a concrete slab.  A contractor hired by the city had demolished the wrong house.

Comic Con 2013 is underway in San Diego and it's the full crowd scene.

A rabbi in New York was arrested three separate times within a 19 hour period for impersonating a police officer, allegedly due to road rage.  Reports are that he flashed a phony badge and tried to pull people over who had upset him with their driving.

Some people think that Miley Cyrus became a bit of a tomboy when she cut her hair.  She says it is exactly the opposite and that she's become much bolder in her fashion choices since she chopped her locks.

Did a Pakistani Taliban leader really send a letter to Malala, expressing regret over her being shot and advising her to return home?  Why, so they can shoot her again?

New York City restaurants that are adding an "automatic gratuity" to the checks handed to diners are being sued for $5.5 billion over the practice.  NYC law prohibits adding a gratuity except for parties of eight or more.

The clerk at a gas station in Pima County, AZ was probably a surprised when the off-duty policeman walked in without a shirt but with a bulletproof vest on.  Then when the cop pulled his gun, he was probably shocked. 

A charity in Dallas that helps out children who've lost a parent, are part of a family suffering from a loss of income, or have health problems has been the victim of a heartless thief.  The thief stole one of their two trucks used for picking up supplies and donations.  I hope they catch this jerk.

Apparently video game developers are having trouble dealing with how good LeBron James is playing these days.  What a shame for them.

Never heard of this kind of camp.  Four days for $1,000 for girls 12 to 18 to learn modeling. 

Story City, Iowa is home to a McDonald's restaurant where 92 year old Sara Dappen has been working for five years now.  She may well be the oldest employee working at a McDonald's anywhere in the world.

Loose lips sink ships is a phrase that originated here in America, but it is a British law firm that's learning the lesson of late.  One of the firm's partners let it slip to his wife that J. K. Rowling had written a mystery novel under a nom de plume and the wife put it out on Twitter.  Her Twitter account has since been deleted. 

A monk in Thailand has become a fugitive following revelations that he has accumulated one billion Baht (about $32 million US) in assets.  A YouTube video of him in orange robe, aviator sunglasses and carrying a Louis Vuitton carry-on while taking a ride on a private jet was his undoing.

Kris Jenner took time out from her new talk show to appear on "The Talk" and defend her son-in-law Kanye West for verbally abusing a photographer at LAX.   She has no future as a defense attorney.  Good thing she's "Queen of the F*****g World".

TMZ Sports is looking for someone to do on-camera work as a sports reporter.  Sorry guys, I don't do on-camera.