Tornado Hunter
By Stefan Bechtel with Tim Samaras
Hardcover, 272 pages ($24)
Amazon 1426203020
While most people take shelter from a storm, a handful of others try to get as close as possible—especially when it involves the most violent, freakish windstorms on Earth. The United States has more tornadoes than any place in the world, and “tornado hunters” are passionate in their quest to learn more about them. Come along for the windy ride with these wild tales of close encounters with funnel clouds, a look at the men who chase them and an explanation of what makes tornadoes so destructive, deadly…and fascinating.
—Neil Pond, American Profile
Live at the
Meadowlands Frank SinatraCD
($18.98)Amazon B001RTCOZ2
One of Ol’ Blue Eye’s most sought-after live recordings, never commercially available until now, has finally been re-discovered, re-mastered and released by his estate. Taped in 1986 in front of a revved-up “homecoming” crowd inside New Jersey’s legendary Meadowlands arena, it’s a tuxedo-smooth, jazzy-snazzy swagger through “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “New York, New York,” “For Once in My Life,” and 16 other tunes spanning a career that by then had stretched across four decades—a Sinatra smorgasbord!
—Neil Pond, American Profile
American Originals
DVD ($99.95)
Amazon B001IB2ZB2
They’re part of a new breed of hero—men whose “extreme,” dangerous jobs have made them stars on reality TV. This muscular box practically oozes testosterone with 14 DVDs featuring the entire first seasons of the History Channel’s “Ice Road Truckers,” “Ax Men” and “Tougher in Alaska,” plus eight episodes of “Dangerous Missions,” which profiles rescue swimmers, hostage negotiators, U.S Marine Raiders and others who put their lives on the line for the greater good. As the tag line says, America’s frontier never closed—it just got tougher.
—Neil Pond, American Profile
The Norman Lear Collection
DVD ($159.95)
Amazon B00227A7V6
What do “All in the Family,” “Good Times,” “The Jeffersons,” “Maude,” “One Day at a Time,” “Sanford and Son” and “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” have in common? They were all created by legendary producer Norman Lear, whose master’s touch broke new prime-time ground with controversial subjects, unforgettable characters and some of TV’s most memorable moments of the ’70s. This television treasure trove includes all first-season episodes of all seven of those Emmy-winning shows, plus six hours of interviews and featurettes, and the never-released “All in the Family” pilot. Those were the days, indeed.
—Neil Pond, American Profile
Entertainment
Entertainment Picks (June 19, 2009)
4 Things to check out this weekend
- Entertainment
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VIDEO: 'Ring of fire' solar eclipse
The solar eclipse that took place Sunday evening was an annular eclipse, one in which the moon blocks almost all of the sun. Some of the best viewing was in Asia, as with this video filmed in Japan.
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Hope Notes reception for donors, volunteers, school personnel and those involved in this project May 15 at 6 p.m. at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
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Viral video: Zoo lion goes crazy over zebra-striped baby
A baby boy wearing black and white stripes -- like a zebra -- looked awfully tempting to a lioness at the zoo in Portland, Ore. this week. His parents captured video of the big cat pawing at her glass cage, trying to eat him.
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Viral video: Family sings 'Bohemian Rhapsody' on way to school
One dad starts the weekdays off right by staging a sing-along to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" with his three kids during their morning ride to school.
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Viral video: Bears interrupt weather report at Pa. TV station
A mama bear and three of her cubs were caught on camera at a northeastern Pennsylvania television station seconds before a live weather report was about to begin.
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Photo tribute: 100 years of baseball at Fenway Park
This year Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, celebrates its 100th anniversary as America's oldest Major League stadium -- and the setting for some of baseball's greatest players, historic wins and crushing losses. That sacred magic is captured in two exhibits at the 20-year-old Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, a Boston suburb.
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Viral video: High school prom spills into street for 'Footloose' dance
A group of high school students from Oklahoma made their prom memorable by staging a choreographed dance to "Footloose" in the middle of the street. The video of students from Hennessey High School in Hennessey, Okla., was shot Saturday night and is quickly going viral.
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Viral video: Rain delay antics at college baseball game
Fans aren't the only ones who get bored during rain delays in college baseball -- the players do too. But the teams from the Southern Miss and Ole Miss found some creative ways to pass the time this week during an extended delay at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.
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100th anniversary of sinking of titanic special coverage
Online coverage begins today will include fascinating and emotional stories, slideshows and videos. Content updated daily.
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DJ "Dr. Don," The Big 98 and Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park to revive Bluegrass Radio Show
The first show with The Big 98.1 will be broadcast from The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park Radio Studio this Sunday, April 1, from 5 - 7 p.m.
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