Kevin Costner is promoting "The BodyGuard" -- an idea "hatched on the back patio of my (Kevin's) house." Hatched not by Kevin, but by a music video producer. So it might actually gross some money.
It's kinda like a batman glove, with a stungun, camera, laser pointer and flashlight.
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2011-05/2011-invention-awards-stunning-development
Slightly less painful than the movie, I'm sure.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Late Night Calls, Ch. 3
“This is Todd, your tipster… got a four-alarmer over in Cambridge!”
Tipster Todd refers to himself as just that. He listens to his scanner, every night, and calls with the goods.
I actually like Tipster Todd. At first I thought he was annoying as f---. But as one of the few regular callers who actually relays factual information, he’s gotten to be a relief. I mean, compare him to that other lady who calls up to recite some political talking points -- I mean, literally reading them off some print-out from her tiny church or action committee -- and Todd’s a Godsend. Despite my editors’ efforts, I’ve tried hard to stay in a job where I report on anything but politics -- and Todd’s my man.
I often wonder what Todd gets out of it. I mean, he’s not paid; he never stays on the line long enough to thank him. He gruffly gives his facts and moves on to the next scanner scrap.
Tipster Todd refers to himself as just that. He listens to his scanner, every night, and calls with the goods.
I actually like Tipster Todd. At first I thought he was annoying as f---. But as one of the few regular callers who actually relays factual information, he’s gotten to be a relief. I mean, compare him to that other lady who calls up to recite some political talking points -- I mean, literally reading them off some print-out from her tiny church or action committee -- and Todd’s a Godsend. Despite my editors’ efforts, I’ve tried hard to stay in a job where I report on anything but politics -- and Todd’s my man.
I often wonder what Todd gets out of it. I mean, he’s not paid; he never stays on the line long enough to thank him. He gruffly gives his facts and moves on to the next scanner scrap.
Cops: the whiners and the pros
I always get a kick out of attending a press conference and listening to some sheriff or police chief complain about how cops are portrayed on television. What televisions shows do these guys watch?
Shows I’ve seen, they’re pretty much a combination of Clooney, Schwarzenegger, and Gandhi with a gun. Well maybe not the Gandhi part. Across the river Styx, journalists are portrayed as scheming weasels that can't wait to butcher granny in the back so they can talk about how it changed the town forever. If anyone at a press conference should be complaining about how they’re portrayed in the media, it’s the media.
You know how helpful a ranking law enforcement official will be by how many words it takes them to answer a simple fucking question. There are some that reach for a manual when you ask if they have cream in their coffee.
The guys that have been sipping cold sludge for years know the world won’t end if you release the name of the suspect old Danno just booked -- like they're supposed to under the law. The folks that haven't, well, they’re the ones that are always talking about the media and how horrible it is.
Shows I’ve seen, they’re pretty much a combination of Clooney, Schwarzenegger, and Gandhi with a gun. Well maybe not the Gandhi part. Across the river Styx, journalists are portrayed as scheming weasels that can't wait to butcher granny in the back so they can talk about how it changed the town forever. If anyone at a press conference should be complaining about how they’re portrayed in the media, it’s the media.
You know how helpful a ranking law enforcement official will be by how many words it takes them to answer a simple fucking question. There are some that reach for a manual when you ask if they have cream in their coffee.
The guys that have been sipping cold sludge for years know the world won’t end if you release the name of the suspect old Danno just booked -- like they're supposed to under the law. The folks that haven't, well, they’re the ones that are always talking about the media and how horrible it is.
Crime scene etiquette 101
Never brandish your “reporter notebook.” It’s a sure way to piss people off. Avoid vulture-like questions or mannerisms, like “how does it feel?” Never smile. Don’t stand around with other reporters and joke. Don’t be afraid to shed a tear or two on occasion -- you’ll feel the need, and when you don’t, get another job.
“What happened?” is the best conversation starter. People often mistake me for a cop; I look a little like one, and don’t discourage it. Swearing is pretty much mandatory in most instances. When I say I’m a reporter, I often add that I just want the basics. It’s mostly true: the copyeditors really don’t WANT a big story to break up their neatly arranged pages late at night. It’s the biggest misconception most people have about us: that we really WANT that piece of misery. Believe me: we’ve written dozens of stories about shootings; we’re not dying for another one.
Out of the dozens, perhaps hundreds of late-night crime scenes I’ve visited, the first story I’m told is true about a third of the time. Kids and teenagers are easily convinced gossips: the least trustworthy. Curious, elderly neighbors are only a bit better -- they’re opinionated, but know the neighborhoods, know when people moved in, and who plays loud music, and who fights. Plus, they'll invite you in.
“What happened?” is the best conversation starter. People often mistake me for a cop; I look a little like one, and don’t discourage it. Swearing is pretty much mandatory in most instances. When I say I’m a reporter, I often add that I just want the basics. It’s mostly true: the copyeditors really don’t WANT a big story to break up their neatly arranged pages late at night. It’s the biggest misconception most people have about us: that we really WANT that piece of misery. Believe me: we’ve written dozens of stories about shootings; we’re not dying for another one.
Out of the dozens, perhaps hundreds of late-night crime scenes I’ve visited, the first story I’m told is true about a third of the time. Kids and teenagers are easily convinced gossips: the least trustworthy. Curious, elderly neighbors are only a bit better -- they’re opinionated, but know the neighborhoods, know when people moved in, and who plays loud music, and who fights. Plus, they'll invite you in.
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