CSN Stores Product Review Coming Soon

I am really excited to have the opportunity to do a product review for CSN Stores.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be a chic handbag, tv tables, cookware, dining room furniture, home decor, kids stuff, bookcases and much, much more!

As soon as I receive the product (still not sure what I'm ordering), I'll review it here at the ol' Wonderful Wonderblog. Stay tuned...

CSN Stores

Irvin Kershner, R.I.P.

May the Force be with you, Kersh.

From The New York Times --

Irvin Kershner, the veteran filmmaker who directed the pivotal 1980 “Star Wars” sequel “The Empire Strikes Back,” as well as big-budget features like “Never Say Never Again” and “Robocop II,” has died, Agence France-Presse reported. His goddaughter Adriana Santini told Agence France-Presse that he died in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 87.

Mr. Kershner, who taught film and photography classes at the University of Southern California, had already accumulated a lengthy résumé of film and television credits, including the 1978 thriller “Eyes of Laura Mars,” when he was chosen by George Lucas, the “Star Wars” creator and franchise godfather, to direct “Empire Strikes Back,” the first sequel to be released theatrically (though the fifth to occur chronologically) in that blockbuster space-adventure franchise.

“Empire,” in which the villainous Darth Vader reveals he is Luke Skywalker’s father and the roguish Han Solo responds to Princess Leia’s declaration of love with a winking “I know,” was a risky undertaking, financed with Mr. Lucas’s own money and filmed under difficult circumstances in California, Britain and Norway. Though it was greeted with mixed reviews, it went on to gross more than $200 million in its initial release at the United States box office, setting the stage for four more “Star Wars” sequels over the next 25 years.

In an interview with Vanity Fair in October, Mr. Kershner was asked if he was satisfied that “Empire” was deemed a classic work of science fiction in the longer historical view.

“In this case,” Mr. Kershner said, “I wanted very much for the film to succeed because I knew that George was spending his own money on it. I think the critics felt that they were going to see an extension of ‘Star Wars.’ In other words, they wanted another ‘Star Wars.’ I decided that the potential was much greater than a rerun of ‘Star Wars.’ When I finally accepted the assignment, I knew that it was going to be a dark film, with more depth to the characters than in the first film. It took a few years for the critics to catch up with the film and to see it as a fairy tale rather than a comic book.”

Leslie Nielsen, R.I.P.

From CNN.com --

Leslie Nielsen, whose longtime career as a dramatic actor took a sudden turn into comedy with spoofs like "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun," has died at age 84, his family said Sunday.

The Canadian-born Nielsen's career reached back into the early days of television, when he made frequent appearances on live drama series like "Goodyear Playhouse." He played the earnest starship captain in the 1956 science fiction classic "Forbidden Planet" and made regular appearances on a wide range of TV dramas into the 1970s.

Much of that changed in 1980, when he was cast as a doctor aboard an endangered jetliner in the gag-a-minute disaster-movie parody "Airplane!" Nielsen's deadpan delivery of lines like "I am serious -- and don't call me Shirley" helped launch a second career.

The film's producers went on to cast him in their short-lived television series "Police Squad!" and had him reprise that show's bumbling lead character, Lt. Frank Drebin, a decade later in three "Naked Gun" movies. Nielsen appeared in several similar but less-acclaimed spoofs following those films.

Nielsen died of complications of pneumonia in a hospital near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, surrounded by family and friends, a family statement said.

Meeting Joanna Wilson, Author of The Christmas TV Companion

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting author Joanna Wilson at a book signing at Square Records here in Akron. She's on a tour promoting her book The Christmas TV Companion: A Guide to Cult Classics, Strange Specials & Outrageous Oddities. Make sure you check out her blog for more info on the book, her in-store appearances and reviews of classic holiday programs.


Me and author Joanna Wilson

From the back of the book --

Christmas on TV is wilder, weirder, & more wondrous than you think! The Christmas TV Companion is a funny, engaging look beyond the same Christmas specials that air every year to the cult TV rarities, over-the-top made for TV holiday specials & bizarre, spacey shows that truly expand the notion of “Christmas spirit.” Loaded with pop culture references, this book is sure to please pop aficionados & TV junkies of all stripes. Its remarkable breadth of content covers the far-out gems of yesterday, as well as the irreverent & cutting edge Christmas material of today, from Arthur C. Clarke to South Park, and from Ed Sullivan to Squidbillies. This guide also contains practical examples for enhancing your own Christmas TV viewing.

The best inscription ever!

I really enjoyed meeting Joanna. We talked about blogging, Christmas on TV and other pop culture stuff. I've flipped through the first two chapters of the book, Macabre and Sci-Fi, and can't wait to read the whole thing. I highly recommend buying the book and meeting Joanna if you get the chance. Here's some of her upcoming appearances --

December 6 (Monday)
Mudsock Books and Curiosities, Indianapolis, IN
5:00-7:00 PM
http://www.indiebound.org/stores/mudsock-books-curiosity-shoppe

December 8 (Wednesday)
Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI
7:00 PM
http://boswell.indiebound.com/

December 15 (Wednesday)
The Book Cellar, Chicago, IL
7:00 PM
http://www.bookcellarinc.com/index.php

December 18 (Saturday)
Blue Arrow Boutique
6:00 PM
16001 Waterloo Road
Cleveland, OH, 44110

Be on the lookout for her new book coming soon Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-Themed Episodes, Specials and Made-for-TV Movies.

And set your DVR's -- Joanna is scheduled to appear in two new upcoming TV specials.

The History Channel special The Real Story of Christmas scheduled to air Nov. 30th at 8pm

and TV Guide Network's 25 Most Hilarious Holiday Moments scheduled to air Dec. 5th at 8pm

Happy Turkey Day!

Thanksgiving Day Parade Videos

Here's some YouTube clips to get you in the mood for Thanksgiving.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday Deals

At Amazon.com they don't think people should have to stand in line to get a great Black Friday deal. That's why they're starting Black Friday early -- Today November 22 -- and they'll keep adding new deals all day through November 27. You will find terrific prices on hot gift items in Cameras, Video Games, Movies, Computers, Kitchen, Sports, Toys, and more. Then they'll keep the deals coming for their two-day Cyber Monday event, Nov. 28-29, and add more for their Top Holiday Deals event, Nov. 30-Dec. 23.

Electronics

Black Friday starts early - save big on HDTVs, Blu-ray Disc players, home audio equipment and more from top brands starting on 11/22. Come back every day to see our latest deals.

Save on the 3D experience with bundles from top manufacturers: Sony, LG, Samsung, Toshiba and Panasonic will run promotions before year's end.

Toys

Save 25% or more on popular kids' gift items in the Holiday Toy List. You can find the perfect gifts for kids by age, gender, category, and price. Save on top toys, games, electronics, video games, and more in the 2010 Holiday Toy List.



Kindle

Kindle is the #1 Bestselling, #1 Most-Wished-For and #1 Most-Gifted product on Amazon.com. Click on the banner below.



Movies & TV

Black Friday Event with savings up to 70% on over 3000 eligible DVDs and Blu-ray discs from 11/22 - 11/29.

77 DVD and Blu-ray Specific Lightning Deals from 11/22 - 11/29 with savings up to 70% on eligible new releases on DVD and Blu-ray.

Books: Amazon.com Best Books of 2010

Discover Amazon.com Editors' Picks for the Top 100 Books of the Year, including the unanimous #1 favorite, Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. The Best Books of the Year is one of the most eagerly anticipated annual events in Books, and with their wide selection of editors' picks, Top 100 Customer Favorites, and Top 10 lists in nearly two dozen categories, it's a perfect destination for any holiday shopper looking for that perfect gift.



Music

Deluxe Editions: Hundreds of CDs and DVDs including the 25th anniversary edition of Michael Jackson's Thriller, with prices starting at $8.99.

Box Sets: Hundreds of box sets, including Hank Williams Sr., with prices starting at $12.99.

Greatest Hits: Hundreds of titles, including the Beatles, with prices starting at $6.49.

Clothing: Special Holiday Clothing Sales

The amazingly stocked Denim Shop is on sale from November 16-December 16, with $20 off orders of $100 or more.

In addition, starting November 11 check the Amazon Clothing Store every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT) for Clothing Lightning Deals, blink-and-you-miss-them discounts on gift-worthy apparel and accessories.

Kitchen, Home and Pets

Gifts up to 40% Off in the Kitchen, Home & Pets Holiday Gift Guide.

Black Friday Event with savings of up to 50% on a wide selection of products for the home from kitchen knives to vacuums from 11/22 - 11/27.

Cyber Monday Event with savings of up to 50% on on a wide selection of products for the home from bedding to kitchen appliances from 11/28 - 11/29.

Pet Tuesday Event with savings of up to 50% on select beds, fountains, toys, and much more on 11/30.

Sports & Outdoors

Additional $10 savings at checkout on your $50 purchase of select Swiss Army Knives (Now-December 4).

50 products or more at 50% off or more (November 22-December 5).

Additional $20 savings at checkout on your $100 purchase of select Coleman camping gear (11/28-December 5).

Sports & Outdoors Overstocks: Great deals on thousands of items (ongoing).

Endless Jewelry Store

Endless.com now offers jewelry from your favorite brands- from Nicky Hilton, Mizuki, GURHAN, Devon Leigh and other well known fashion brands to niche and unique brands that are hard to find elsewhere. With over 2,000 unique products, you’ll find the best selection of bridal, statement jewelry, and everyday fashion with free shipping and free returns. Endless will add selection continuously so check back often for the latest designs.

More Turkey Tunes

Here's a few more tunes that you can add to the Turkey Stuffing Mix. Thanks again to Stephen who sent these to me.

1. Little Birdie by Vince Guaraldi from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
2. Mayflower by Tennessee Ernie Ford from The Mouse on the Mayflower
3. The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't by Hanna Barbera from The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't

Click the link below to download --

More Turkey Tunes

Turkey Stuffing Mix 2.0

A great big thank you to Stephen for rescuing my Turkey Stuffing Mix. He even sent along a few Thanksgiving songs I didn't have so I've added them to my original mix. Thanks again Stephen.

So without further ado, Wonderful Wonderblog proudly presents - Turkey Stuffing Mix 2.0!

Track Listing
1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - George Winston
2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Dialogue 1
3. Beware Of Geese? - Bill Cullen
4. Prayer For Thanksgiving (Valerius) - Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
5. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Dialogue 2
6. It Should Really Be Called Goose Day - Bill Cullen
7. Thanksgiving At My House - Pat Godwin
8. Turkey Gobble 1
9. National Bird? Why Not The Goose? - Bill Cullen
10. Thanksgiving Canon - Girl Scouts
11. Thanksgiving Day - John McCutcheon
12. Thanksgiving Day - Bob Hope
13. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Dialogue 3
14. What's Really Traditional? You'd Be Surprised - Bill Cullen
15. Thanksgiving Day Parade - Spencer Ross
16. The Thanksgiving Song - Adam Sandler
17. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Dialogue 4
18. Turkey Dinner - Ruth Roberts
19. WKRP Turkey Drop 1
20. WKRP Turkey Drop 2
21. Turkey Gobble 2
22. Woman's Work and What a Job They Did - Bill Cullen
23. Turkey In The Straw - Erich Kunzel & The Cincinnati Pops Orch.
24. Guffy the Goofy Gobler - Gene Autry
25. A Goose for My Girl - Benny Bell
26. Garfield Thanksgiving - Lou Rawls
27. Mr. Turkey - ?
28. Little Johnny Pilgrim - Gene Autry

Click the link below to download --

Turkey Stuffing Mix 2.0

HELP!

It seems that the flash drives I stored a bunch of my music files on have been corrupted. Of course I didn't burn most of it to discs.

I've had a couple of requests to re-up some of my past holiday shares. If anyone has downloaded these from me and could share them I would really appreciate it.

Turkey Stuffing Mix

A Classic Cartoon Christmas, Three

Dino De Laurentiis, R.I.P.

From ABC News --

Famed Italian film producer Dino De Laurentiis has died in Los Angeles, ending a movie career that spanned seven decades. He was 91.

Many of his hundreds of movies were big productions. Some were big spectacles, such as the remake of "King Kong" in 1976 and "Conan the Barbarian" in 1982, starring a pre-gubernatorial Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Some had big villains, including Anthony Hopkins, who had the lead role in the chilling 2001 film "Hannibal." In the course of 70 years, many of his films were wildly successful, including "Serpico," "Three Days of the Condor" and "Blue Velvet."

The producer was born Agostino de Laurentiis in a town near Naples, Italy, Aug. 8, 1919, and grew up selling pasta made by his father. He worked on some the most notable Italian films that emerged as an artistic force after World War II.

In collaboration with Frederico Fellini, De Laurentiis produced "La Strada," starring Anthony Quinn and winning an Oscar in 1957. After he and business partner Carlo Ponti produced several Italian films together, he struck out on his own in the 1960s building a studio that eventually collapsed financially. DeLaurentiis moved to the United States in the 1970s and began to churn out films from his studio in North Carolina. They included "Death Wish," "The Shootist" and "Ragtime."

His themes were eclectic, ranging from Ingmar Bergman's "The Serpent's Egg" to the science fiction flick, "Flash Gordon," to the horror film, "Halloween II."

He also had some flops. "King of the Gypsies" and "Hurricane" are two that were panned by critics. Despite the popularity of his films, De Laurentiis struggled with failing box office numbers and soaring production expenses. He opened and closed several studios in rapid succession, trying to find financing for his film projects.

But he never quit. De Laurentiis continued to be a prolific producer through the turn of the century with six movies in the seven years between 2000 and 2007.

He was presented with the Irving Thalberg Award in 2001 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which is given to "a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production."

3 Days of 25% Off at StarWarsShop

http://shop.starwars.com/?rid=PNLTTD

Marvel: Heroes & Villains Trading Cards

I got a box of Marvel: Heroes & Villains trading cards last week. Here's the product description from Rittenhouse Archives --

Rittenhouse Archives is proud to announce our next exciting Marvel trading card set, Marvel: Heroes and Villains. Each box of this set will feature 1 Hand-Drawn, Multi-Character, Color Sketch Card from over 80 different artists! Collectors can expect to find sketch cards from some of their favorite hero and villain pairs such as Wolverine vs. Sabertooth, Daredevil vs. Bullseye, Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin, Thor vs. Loki, Captain America vs. Red Skull, Hercules vs. Ares, Iron Man vs. Whiplash, Bishop vs. Cable and many, many more!

Rounding out the chase cards are several exciting sets including :


• 81-Card parallel set (1:3 packs)
• 18 Alliances cards - Featuring some of the most heroic and villainous super-powered teams!
• 9 Wanted Posters cards - Featuring some of Marvel's most notorious villains.
• 6 Foldout Poster cards! (1:48 packs)
• 6 Lenticular Flip cards! (1:48 packs)

Here's what I actually pulled from the box --

Box# 0115 of 8000
1 full set plus 24 doubles
8 parallel cards
2 Alliances cards #A6, A16
3 Most Wanted cards #M3, M5, M7
1 Foldout Poster card #PC6
0 Lenticular Flip cards
1 sketch card - Hulk vs The Leader (it's not signed, but I believe the artist is Nick Yakimovich) This is cool, since I'm a collector of all things Hulk.

James Wall, R.I.P.

NEW YORK (AP) — James Wall, Captain Kangaroo's neighbor "Mr. Baxter" on the children's show and longtime stage manager for CBS News, has died. He was 92.
CBS News says Wall died Wednesday in New York City after a short illness.

The former vaudevillian joined the popular children's show in 1962 as a stage manager before persuading the show's producers to create its first black character in 1968.

He played Baxter and another recurring role on the show until 1978.

Wall was a stage manager for many CBS broadcasts over the years, including 60 Minutes, Face the Nation and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.

In 1994, Wall was honored with an achievement award by the Director's Guild of America.