L.R. and his trusty steed Silver Return with us now to those thrilling days of the Old West. A gang of outlaws led by the brutal Butch Cavendish has ambushed a group of Texas Rangers, killing five of six of them. The survivor, barely alive, was nursed back to health by a Native American warrior. When fully recovered, that lone ranger donned a mask to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. It's a story familiar to millions, and it all began on January 30, 1933, when WXYZ radio in Detroit broadcast the first of 2,956 episodes of "The Lone Ranger." The Lone Ranger may have been the world's first costumed superhero (beating The Phantom by three years and Superman by five), and he’s been a familiar presence in American culture for over three-quarters of a century. That presence is due in large part to the many pieces of Ranger lore: The faithful sidekick Tonto (actually created so the Ranger could fill radio time with dialogue); the black domino mask (cut from the vest of his dead brother, murdered in the Cavendish ambush); the silver bullets (to remind the Ranger of the preciousness of human life); and the "fiery horse with the speed of light." Most associated with the Lone Ranger was his theme song, Rossini's "William Tell" Overture. For generations of Americans, it is impossible to hear the opening notes of the Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger and Tonto. The Ranger’s radio longevity translated into other areas as well. Most obviously, there was the long-running television series starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels, but there have also been comic books, serials, and the notorious 1981 feature film, "The Legend of the Lone Ranger," starring the forgettable Klinton Spilsbury, whose performance was so bad that all his dialogue was dubbed by James Keach. Even that movie wasn’t enough to kill the Ranger (though it's taken nearly thirty years to recover); Disney is planning a new film featuring Johnny Depp (as Tonto, apparently). While some of the conventions of the Lone Ranger may seem a little dated, there’s something about the basic decency, honesty, and bravery of the character that is as timeless as mom, the flag, and apple pie. "Hi-yo, Silver! Away!" Suggested Sites... You Tube: Jay Thomas' "Lone Ranger" Story - the greatest talk show story ever: Clayton Moore, a Volvo, and a car accident. The Lone Ranger Fan Club - dedicated to the lone gunman of the plains. Clayton Moore - tribute to the "Lone Ranger" actor by his nephew. Wikipedia: The Lone Ranger - lots of information about the Ranger in all media. OTR.Network Library: The Lone Ranger - listen to radio episodes from the '30s to the '50s.

Directory categories: The Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore, Western Movies, Western TV Shows, Radio History

Archived under: 1930s, Anniversaries, Comic Books, Comic Strips, Cowboys and Cowgirls, Detroit, Entertainment, Gunslingers, Law Enforcement, Movies, Nostalgia, Old West, Radio, Superheroes, Texas, The Lone Ranger, Westerns

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The Jesus Lizard (From their shiny new MySpace page) In spite of his collapsed lung last year, David Yow and the original lineup of his seminal noise rock band, The Jesus Lizard, are planning a reunion tour this year. What is this "Noise Rock," you say? In order to get a sense of the term, mix up the loudness and precision of Metal, the humorous insanity of Punk and Hardcore, the experimental side of Experimental music, and the self-awareness of Indie Rock until you get a brown, gooey, passionate, and innovative mess. Often naked on stage and sometimes drunk as can be, Noise Rock innovators like The Jesus Lizard begat Nirvana, Hole, Tool, and the grunge music that would come to define an entire radio format. Click around below for other pioneers of angrily transcendent Noise Rock legends featured in the Yahoo! Directory... Suggested Sites... Yahoo! Directory: The Jesus Lizard - "Tight and Shiny" as ever. Yahoo! Directory: Sonic Youth - still "Rather Ripped." Yahoo! Directory: Steve Albini - member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Shellac. Wikipedia: Noise Music - astonishingly good article from Wikipedia: a description and history of Noise Rock.

Directory categories: Metal Music, Punk and Hardcore Music, Post Rock/Experimental Music, Indie Rock

Archived under: 1980s, 1990s, Concerts, Entertainment, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, Music, Music History, Musicians, Punk, Rock and Roll

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(Photo by Nick Della Mora) On this day in 1958, LEGO patented their famous brick; the toy that kids of all ages still know and love today. Fifty-plus years later, the LEGO empire is much more than just boxes of plastic toys that parents step on in darkened rooms. In recent years, the company has launched a series of successful video games based on three popular franchises: "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones," and, most recently, "Batman." Their theme park, Legoland, has locations in four different countries, and their catalog of LEGO toys includes much more than your basic police cars and dump trucks. One thing for sure about LEGOs -- they're not just for kids. In fact, many adults build LEGO models for their main hobby. To them, they're not just "toys," but rather material to create their art. They spend dozens of hours building elaborate sculptures or "scenes," many of which are custom-built -- meaning built from their own imaginations as opposed to a store-bought kit with instructions. Some LEGO artists like to recreate classic works of art, such as "The Last Supper" or "Nighthawks," or recreate a scene from a classic film like "Casablanca," or maybe piece together a portrait of our new President. The Legoland theme parks have possibly the most detailed sculptures of all, in an area called "Miniland," which features several incredibly-detailed miniature recreations of popular cities and monuments, including Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, and San Francisco. Another form of art created with LEGOs are stop-motion short films. Some are done in the form of movie trailers, like a shot-by-shot recreation of "The Dark Knight" trailer, or are original, such as the award-winning "Star Wars Episode III: Rise of the Empire." Several of these films are most impressive, such as the web favorite, "Spider-Man: The Peril of Doc Ock." But, of course, we also have the amateur hour "films," like the heavy metal Batman Christmas greeting. Animated short films, theme parks, and video games now help make up the world of LEGO. And you can bet your bricks it won't end there. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: History of LEGO - history of the company, with a link to a timeline. Nathan Sawaya: The Art of the Brick - LEGO master artist who created a full-size replica of Han Solo in carbonite, a portrait of President Obama, and many other amazing works. Flickr: LEGO - results for all photos tagged with "LEGO." SPIKE: LEGO Films - collection of animated LEGO films. Brickshelf - large image database of LEGO creations by enthusiasts.

Directory categories: LEGO, Star Wars LEGOs, LEGO Animations

Archived under: Animation, Arts, Hobbies, LEGO, Movies, Theme Parks, Toys, Video Games

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Andre "the Giant" Rene Roussimoff (From WWE.com) André René Roussimoff was a man of great size and stature; so much so, in fact, that he was sometimes called the "Eighth Wonder of the World." It's no wonder then, that after leaving his hometown of Grenoble, France as a teenager to start a career as a wrestler, he would come to be known around the world simply as "André the Giant." André garnered fame challenging wrestlers across the globe, but his greatest success came in the U.S. as one of the WWF's (now WWE) most popular "faces" throughout the 70s and early 80s. His notable feuds with such wrestlers as Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd fueled his legend, but perhaps it's his career outside of the "squared circle" that cemented André the Giant's immovable place in popular culture. Starting in the mid-70s, André branched out into acting on TV shows like "The Six Million Dollar Man" (as a Sasquatch) and "The Greatest American Hero" (as a monster), but he's most fondly remembered for his portrayal of the rhyming giant Fezzik in the immensely popular 1987 film, "The Princess Bride." Around that same time, graphic designer Shepard Fairey used André's image in a street art campaign called "Andre the Giant Has a Posse." Playing with the concept of phenomenology, Fairey printed images of André on stickers and posters that were adopted and disseminated by skateboarders worldwide. Eventually, the campaign would evolve into Obey Giant, a global brand offering clothing, prints, stickers, videos, and music. André's exceptional size is attributed to acromegaly, a syndrome that causes the pituitary gland to excrete an overabundance of growth hormone. His actual height is still disputed, but estimates place him somewhere between 6'10" and 7'4". Doctors told him he probably wouldn't live to see the age of 40 and, unfortunately, they weren't far off. He died from congestive heart failure (most likely a result of the acromegaly) on this day in 1993. He was 46. Today, we think you should take a moment to remember a truly big man. We mean it. Anybody want a peanut? Suggested Sites... WWE.com: Andre the Giant - World Wrestling Entertainment's official page for Hall of Fame inductee André the Giant. Obey Giant - includes wheat pasting, guerrilla-style street art, stencil painting, stickering, and the "André the Giant has a Posse" campaign. Fezzik Fanlisting - for fans of the character André the Giant portrayed in "The Princess Bride." TheGiant.org - source for information on the Obey Giant campaign, by world renowned artist Shepard Fairey. YouTube.com: Andre: Heart of the Giant Trailer - trailer for the much maligned biopic written and directed by Rokki James Hollywood.

Directory categories: André the Giant (1946-1993), Professional Wrestling, The Princess Bride, Graffiti and Stencil Art

Archived under: 1970s, 1980s, Actors, Anniversaries, Athletes, Biographies, Biology, Celebrities, Contemporary Art, Dead Celebrities, Entertainment, Giants, Movies, Nicknames, WWE, Wrestlers, Wrestling

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Chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls (Photo by Joy) There was a time when only the peanut-allergic had to shy away from the delectable goodness we call peanut butter; a time when the choice of chunky or smooth was the biggest dilemma in your lunchtime drama; when your only fear in life was of developing a sensitivity to legumes. Some days you had arguments with fellow peanut butter-loving kids about which brand was better: Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan (whose jingle may sound mysteriously familiar to DriveShaft's "(You All) Everybody," to all you "Lost" fans). But as you matured and your palate developed, you probably longed for flavors more exotic and hot. My, how all that has changed! Peanut butter has come a long way from the product originally created in the late 1800s for the toothless (who were not able to chew properly), and as a protein substitute for vegetarians. Sure, peanuts had been used in cooking for countless generations prior, but it was a handful of paste creators that brought about the evolution of what we presently refer to as "peanut butter." Since then, culinary experts have concocted many gourmet combinations, flavors, and textures of our beloved spread. Today, two days beyond a very low-key National Peanut Butter Day, it seems we're questioning every peanut-based product in our pantry. And the recall list keeps growing -- now your dog's treats may be affected, too! The current outbreak of Salmonella began many months ago and has infected hundreds of people and possibly caused six deaths, but it's just been a matter of weeks since they discovered the strain originated with a basic peanut paste distributed widely. Thankfully, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appears to be on top of things, and it's a good thing too, lest we start seeing too many television commercials for lawyers handling such cases. Hopefully all this will be cleared up -- and the public's faith restored -- by the time Peanut Butter Lover's Day (March 1) and Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (April 2) roll around! Suggested Sites... Search for Peanut Butter Product Recalls - database of products recalled for safety purposes, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Adventures of Buddy McNutty Time Warped! - from the National Peanut Board. Peanut Butter & Co. - visit the New York City peanut butter sandwich shop.

Directory categories: Peanut Butter Makers, Peanut Allergy, Salmonella, Foodbourne Illnesses

Archived under: Allergies, Celebrations, Disease, Epidemics, Events, Food and Drink, Health, Nutrition, Recalls, Sandwiches

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