Chesley Sullenberger is a Thin Slices hero
2/6/2009"...as human beings we are capable of making sense of situations based on the thinnest slice of experience."
Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink and The Tipping Point.
THIS IS GREAT STUFF: As details emerge of Chesley B. Sullenberger's brilliant decision to land his plane full of 155 passengers in the Hudson River, you can't escape the fact that the guy's not only a true hero, but he's darn cool, too. Check out these excerpts of his radio traffic with the control tower. Doesn''t sound like he even broke a sweat. (RL)
DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: After watching Mickey Rourke s tour de force Oscar-nominated performance in The Wrestler, I m feeling nostalgic for some of his great work in the 1980s, when he was considered a Marlon Brando in the making. My favorite film of that era in his career is 1982 s Diner, which features a cast of then-unknowns who were destined for big things: Steve Guttenberg, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser, Ellen Barkin, Daniel Stern, as well as first-time director Barry Levinson. Set in 1959 in Baltimore, it is the story of a group of college-age friends who resist growing up for fear of the changes that come with it. Levinson wrote the screenplay, which is based on his own group of pals growing up. Rourke is great, too, as the ultra-suave Boogie, whose popcorn prank remains a classic of cinema not so much for the stunt itself, but how he coolly talks his way out of trouble. (KB)
MORE PERSPECTIVE ON BALE: So the actor may have gone berserk on the set of Terminator: Salvation, all conveniently captured on digital tape, but apparently he had a reason. The Director of Photography was being kind of a pill and it was a big day on the set because Bale was shooting a particularly emotional scene. (RL)
ROCKING: Eddie Van Halen busts up guitars, the old-fashioned way: he uses them. But, being the inventive type he is, not only does come up with new riffs; Van Halen has actually invented a new guitar, one that is nearly indestructible. (RL)
MONEY MAKERS: You want more proof that Einstein was smarter than you? He's been dead for years and he still makes millions more today than you do. Click here to see some of the top dead celebrity earners, from Kurt Cobain to Dr. Seuss. (RS)
BEST JOB EVER: Time to update that resume. How does being paid $100,000 to blog, snorkel, and stroll the lovely beaches on an Australian island sound? Makes a career change sound pretty good, eh? (RS)
SHOOTING THE MOON: Toledo native Alyson Stoner has worked with the Jonas Brothers and Eminem. Now she shares screen time with dogs in space in her music video "Dancing in the Moonlight" for the Disney DVD Space Buddies, released Tuesday. (RS)
DOUBLE FEATURE: Another Toledo showstopper, Adrianne Palicki, of Friday Night Lights, will appear in a movie with Josh Brolin called Women in Trouble that will show at the upcoming South by Southwest festival in Austin. (RS)
BOOOOO: This is so lame: Jennifer Hudson and Faith Hill both lip-synced their performances before the Super Bowl Sunday. Lame, lame, lame. The producer says that this is necessary because you don't want these highly-paid professional singers "flubbing" their lines. Please. If they can't sing it live then they shouldn't be singing it at all. (RL)
BONNAROO!!!: This year's festival is an embarrassment of musical riches with Phish, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Nine Inch Nails, Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne and a crazy assortment of other bands and solo acts. The lineup was just announced, and tickets go on sale this weekend. (RL)
THIS IS THE DAY: The music died. It's been 50 years since Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash and here's a pretty cool look at what happened to the music after that tragedy. (RL)
WE AGREE WITH THIS GUY: Our take on the Super Bowl ads can be summed up in one word: underwhelming. As this critic says, Sunday night's ads were either cartoonish, sappy or just plain dumb. Good thing the game was interesting. (RL)
LIGHTEN UP, ALREADY: The New York Times review of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's half-time show was way too serious. Note to the Times: Springsteen was having fun. You should try it. (RL)
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