Awesome pork

NOTE: The following post contains horrible misuses of the word "awesome."

Internet savvy and awesome Sen. John McCain used his awesome Twitter account to post an awesome list (with awesome comments) of the "TOP TEN PORKIEST PROJECTS" in Congress' awesome spending bill. It is awesome.

#1. $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa.

#2. $2 million “for the promotion of astronomy” in Hawaii - because nothing says new jobs for average Americans like investing in astronomy.

#3. $332,000 for the design and construction of a school sidewalk in Franklin, Texas - not enough $ for schools in the stimulus?.


#4. $2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York - quick peel me a grape.

#5. $650,000 for beaver management in North Carolina and Mississippi.

#6. $1 million for mormon cricket control in Utah - is that the species of cricket or a game played by the brits?

#7. $300,000 for the Montana World Trade Center - enough said.

#8. $200,000 "tattoo removal violence outreach program to could help gang members or others shed visible signs of their past" REALLY?

#9. $475,000 to build a parking garage in Provo City, Utah.

#10. $1.7M "for a honey bee factory" in Weslaco, TX.



The Arizona senator edited the original entry for beaver management. I wonder why.

The photographer and the pawnshop

The New York Times's Allen Salkin reported on Tuesday that photographer of the stars Annie Liebovitz has recently borrowed a lot of money, putting her house in Rhinebeck and other assets - including her famous photos - as collateral.

"In other words," The Times article reads, "according to loan documents filed with the city, one of the world’s most successful photographers essentially pawned every snap of the shutter she had made or will make until the loans are paid off."

She took $15.5 million from the pawnshop, I mean, Art Capital Group.

That amount, coincidentally, is exactly how much money I needed to coat my Chevy with gold, diamonds and $100 bills which would themselves have been coated with gold, diamonds and $50 bills, because that's how I roll.

So I feel her pain, and I'm pretty sure Freeman readers who are in serious need of $15.5 million do too.

I wonder how much money I could get for my car's AM-FM radio.

Liebovitz has recently been signing her ($40) book, "Annie Liebovitz at Work," at Merrit Bookstore in Millbrook and at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck.

All speech, no talking heads.

Obama Speech, live (and C-Span-style)

Click on the "Live Now" button below the Freeman's banner.

NOW!

10 p.m. Update: Missed it? Here's the full text of the speech.

Jimmy Fallon talks to local press

And the local press is us!

The 1992 Saugerties High School grad talked to the Freeman's Bonnie Langston on Monday, and he even made reference in one of his Twitter posts, above.

But you'll have to wait until Tuesday to read about that.

I'm mean like that.

UPDATE: OK. So it's Tuesday. The story is up.

TANGENT: Twitter stalker Owen Thomas of the gossip site Gawker didn't like Fallon's post where he "schmoozed the Twitter-loving press" as he "uttered Twitter gibberish." (like Owen's use of "Twitteronia" and "Twitteratti"). I sort-of understand the anger. Twitter would be a horrible beat to cover.

LOCAL TANGENT: New Paltz-based band Ratboy might like the Freeman's story.

BONUS: In this clip from Monday, Fallon shows off some of "the coolest kids, out there, working for free, while I reap all the credit."

Arrivals — Melissa Leo

Melissa Leo, nominated for an Oscar for best actress in a leading role for her work in "Frozen River," arrives for the 81st Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

All AP photos, by the way.

UPDATE: The award went to Kate Winslet, for "The Reader." Leo herself kind-of called that one when he talked to the Freeman last Friday.

Arrivals — Courtney Hunt

Chatham resident Courtney Hunt, seen here arriving at the Oscars, was up for an award for "Frozen River" in the Best Original Screenplay category.

UPDATE: The award went to "Milk."

Arrivals — Philippe Petit

French tight-rope walker and Shokan resident Philippe Petit, the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Man on Wire," arrives for the 81st Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

10:15 update: "Man on Wire" won Best Documentary Feature.

Boiceville's Steve Heller makes news again

Boiceville artist Steve Heller's Marquis de Soto was voted Collectible Car of the Year by the New York Times.

The Times has a nice slideshow with audio.

Heller was the subject of the documentary "Dinosaurs and Rocketships," which premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival in Octover.

He is also a staple of the annual Soapbox Derby in Kingston and the Kingston Sculpture Biennial (his T-rex adorns the corner of Chandler Drive and Ulster Avenue in the city).

Here's Heller at last year's Soapbox Derby.



He's married to interviewer of the stars Martha Frankel, a writer whose first book, a memoir called “Hats and Eyeglasses,” was released in paperback by Tarcher last week.

The Times also wrote about her recently.

Stone Ridge resident Leo wins Spirit Award

Stone Ridge actress Melissa Leo holds her award for best female lead for "Frozen River" backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Saturday. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

The Freeman has the details.

Pets 2009, composition e-mail submissions

Pet Pals 2009, e-mail submissions

Pets 2009, e-mailed outfit submissions

Pets 2009, best expression e-mail submissions

Best Looking Pets 2009, e-mail submissions, Part 2

What's a "dummy," dummy?

As poorly described in "A window into a windowless newsroom," here is an image of an old dummy (no offense to senior idiots intended):



And this is what it does:


Only one earth-carrying human was harmed in the making of the April 20, 2008, page.

The press

Here's a very short clip of the Freeman's presses doing their thing shortly after midnight, running Tuesday's paper. It's loud, but it's really a sight to behold.

Best Looking Pets 2009, e-mail submissions, Part 1

Freeman Pets 2009 -- Winners

Are they real?

For those doubting the awful reality of the Valentine's Day gifts catalogued in "'Be mine' and other parole violations," here's a quick rundown.



* The Burger King wants you to smell like his Flame Body Spray, which you can get for only $3.99. The official site offers disturbing videos (the image above will give you an idea).

* Go venereal with a herpes plush doll for only $4.95. There are more at http://www.giantmicrobes.com

* You can buy four absinthe lollipops for $10. You can also get maple bacon.



* If you feel like just getting the heart-shaped blade of the heart hoe, you'll need $20.



* The 2-Carat Cup is only $14.99.



* The custom hand-made toilet paper that reads "I love you from top to bottom" is, unfortunately, not the only one.

There's also "Will You Marry Me?" and "I Do."

There is no "I don't."

Tommy Tutone is angry

According to the Wall Street Journal, Tommy Tutone, the creator of "867-5309/Jenny" is not to happy with 1998 Kingston High School grad Spencer Potter.

“If it wasn’t for me, the number wouldn’t be worth anything,” Tutone told the Journal's Carl Bialik. “I think he needs to talk to me. He’s dealing in something that I made famous, and trademarked. It’s not a real number. My number is the real number.”

Tutone put his own auction for the number on eBay, starting at $20,000.

The eBay post says, "Tommy will create a voice message for the new owner and 'sing' the name of your choice along with 'Hi This is Tommy Tutone you have reached 867-5309 and then your company’s message.'"

Tutone will not create anything. The auction expired today. There were no bids.

Another auction that expired today was for the domain name www.spencerpotter.com, which was not put on eBay by Potter. The auction closed Tuesday at $2,475.