About once per decade, the medical profession takes a careful look back at Thailand’s plethora of penile amputations.

may have visited Thailand once

The first great reckoning appeared in a 1983 issue of the American Journal of Surgery. Surgical Management of an Epidemic of Penile Amputations in Siam, by Kasian Bhanganada and four fellow physicians at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, introduces the subject: “It became fashionable in the decade after 1970 for the humiliated Thai wife to wait until her [philandering] husband fell asleep so that she could quickly sever his penis with a kitchen knife. A traditional Thai home is elevated on pilings and the windows are open to allow for ventilation. The area under the house is the home of the family pigs, chickens, and ducks. Thus, it is quite usual that an amputated penis is tossed out of an open window, where it may be captured by a duck.”

The report explains, for readers in other countries: “The Thai saying, ‘I better get home or the ducks will have something to eat,’ is therefore a common joke and immediately understood at all levels of society”.

The bulk of the paper reports how the doctors and their colleagues learned, over the course of attempting 18 reimplantations, how to improve the necessary surgical techniques. Unambiguous photographs supplement the text.

“Interestingly”, the physicians remark at the very end, “none of our patients filed a criminal complaint against their attackers.”

An article called Factors Associated with Penile Amputation in Thailand, published in 1998 in the journal NursingConnections, explores the reasons behind that. Gregory Bechtel and Cecilia Tiller, from the Medical College of Georgia (in Atlanta), gathered data from three couples who had been part of the epidemic. The couples, by then divorced, discussed their experience calmly. Bechtel and Tiller report that in each case, three things had happened during the week prior to dismemberment: (1) a financial crisis; (2) “ingestion of drugs or alcohol by the husband immediately prior to the event; and (3) public humiliation of the wife owing to the presence of a second ‘wife’ or concubine”.

In 2008, the Journal of Urology carried a retrospective by Drs Genoa Ferguson and Steven Brandes of the Washington University in St Louis, called The Epidemic of Penile Amputation in Thailand in the 1970s. Ferguson and Brandes conclude that: “Women publicly encouraging and inciting other scorned women to commit this act worsened the epidemic. The vast majority of worldwide reports of penile replantation, to this day, are a result of what became a trendy form of retribution in a country in which fidelity is a strongly appreciated value.”

A man is being divorced by his wife after his penis extension snapped off during sex.

‘my other penis extension looks like a cock’

Doctors in Voronezh, southern Russia, had fitted the special prosthetic when Grigory Toporov, 47, told them he didn’t measure up to his wife’s expectations in the bedroom.

But she was horrified when the extension broke off during a wild sex session.

“I told her I would get a new one but she wasn’t having any of it. She said she was fed up with my failures in bed and wants a divorce,” said Toporov.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/241571-man-faces-divorce-after-penis-extension-breaks-during-sex#ixzz2C8m1fjIc

Round 1 – 1997 vs. 1998

Snake Eyes vs. Broken Arrow

We watched Snake Eyes first. Brian De Palma produced and directed it. I recognized the name and had to ask if Brian De Palma also produced Basic Instinct. Sorry to my movie friend nerds, but it turns out that every name that I recognize didn’t produce Basic Instinct, which was Paul Verhoeven of Showgirls fame. Get your movies right, Yops.

Anyway, this movie actually wasn’t that bad. I had never seen it until today. I feel like I was presented with watching it in college when I told my college boyfriend, “how about you watch that and I do something else?” My overall review is that it’s a polished shitty movie by an acclaimed director and that Lt. Dan is a real dick.

Best line: “This casino has bitchin’ technology.”

Runner up: That’s what she was there for, to give you a boner.”

Next up was Broken Arrow. Uh, I don’t really have to even declare a winner here as that bell rang as soon as I remembered that Christian Slater was in this. Let’s just say that my 8-year-old self may have creamed her 31-year-old self’s tights three times (or humped a bunch of pillows) upon seeing Mr. Slater.

For real, though, Broken Arrow was better. Thoughts: shit’s corrupt, y’all. No, no. There were more explosions, wittier lines and that Christian Slater trying to do right in world.

Best line: “Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons?”

Runner up: “You da man.”

WINNER: Broken Arrow

Round 2 – Babies vs. Babies

Raising Arizona vs. Look Who’s Talking Too

Okay, okay. It’s really not fair to compare a Coen Brothers movie to well anything with thoughts of babies and toddlers, especially movies that are voiced by Roseanne with babies and toddlers. I get that, BUT they both have babies so here we go.

Raising Arizona was really good. I had never seen this movie until now either. I may have seen bits and pieces as a kid, but I didn’t actually understand anything that was going on. Overall, the direction was spot on while having an endearing story and Nicolas Cage’s acting wasn’t all that bad.

Best line: “These balloons blow up into any funny shapes and all?”

Runner up: “Edwina’s insides were a rocky place where my seed could find no purchase.”

On the other side of the coin there’s Look Who’s Talking Too, a cinematic masterpiece to say the least. You’ve got skinny-ish Kirstie Alley, Johnny T., Gilbert Gottfried and babies speaking with warbly mouths while voiced by Bruce Willis, Roseanne and Damon Wayans. Sounds like a winner to me. A winner if it wasn’t so god damn embarrassing that I actually laughed out loud while watching this. Cripes.

It’s a heartfelt movie about the trials and tribulations of having a second child. There are issues with income and potty training. And there’s Gilbert Gottfried. Plus, there’s that whole thing of Living Colour’s “Glamour Boys” on the soundtrack. Throwback!

Best line: “Don’t you just hate it when you get your head caught in your placenta?”

Runner up: “Mr. Toilet Man eats your doo doo and your pee pee.”

Honorable mention: “They thought it would be a good idea to call their restaurant Eat Me Raw.”

WINNER: As much as it pains me, I’ll let my artier side show. Raising Arizona. There’s really no competition here.

Round 3 – Shitty vs. Shitty

Ghost Rider vs. Battlefield Earth

Whelp, I think we all know who the clear winner is here. Spoiler alert: I fell asleep during Battlefield Earth. I did stay awake long enough to see Johnny’s T’s dirty, dirty dreads, but that’s about it.

Ghost Rider (not to be confused with Ghostwriter. Word.) was a comic book movie that I really couldn’t care less about. I guess the graphics were cool, but that’s because it was the only movie past the 90s that we watched. All I could really think about was a literal ghost riding the whip and that he could do cool tricks. The main character also liked the Carpenters. A little “Rainy Days & Mondays” hurt no one. Not even an over whisperer in a leather jumpsuit.

Best line: “You touch the Carpenters and the chimp video again, and we’re going to have a scrap on our hands.”

Runner up: Whatever was said before Johnny Blaze drank hot coffee straight from the pot.

Finally, we watched Battlefield Earth. Well, I kind of tried to fight sleeping and then just gave into the Zs.  I got nuthin’. The graphics in this movie were worse than Xena: Warrior Princess and the plot wasn’t much better either. I also fell asleep before I even got to see Cowboy Curtis.

WINNER: Ghost Rider

After all of this, you would think that Nicolas Cage was ultimately in Johnny T’s face. Given their overall careers I’m not sure that is the case. Maybe I should waste another 12 hours of my life to find out. I leave you now as Johnny T would leave you in Face/Off. Imagine me grazing your face slowly (but through the Internet) and I’ll have you know that I work on my hair a really long time and, and he hits it. He hits my hair.

A raccoon has bitten off a pervert’s penis as he was trying to rape the animal.

No means no

Alexander Kirilov, 44, was on a drunken weekend with pals when he leapt on the terrified animal.

“When I saw the raccoon I thought I’d have some fun,” he told stunned casualty surgeons in Moscow.

Now Russian plastic surgeons are trying to restore his mangled manhood.

“He’s been told they can get things working again but they can’t sew back on what the raccoon bit off.

“That’s gone forever so there isn’t going to be much for them to work with,” said one friend.

A woman who chopped off her partner’s penis to stop him impregnating other women will serve less than four years in jail.

Jian Chen was this morning sentenced to a minimum of three years and nine months in jail after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of her ex partner Xian Peng at her North Ryde home in February 2011.

The court accepted the guilty plea to the lesser charge, and withdrew the murder charge, because Chen was suffering from an “abnormality of the mind” due to mental illness and the belief Peng was going to take their child to China.

Chen believed her husband was “a conman” who wanted to impregnate wealthy woman to get money off them, the court heard.

The Supreme Court was told today Chen “laced” Peng’s soup dinner with sleeping tablets and then castrated him when he woke several hours later.

He died in hospital the following night from his injuries.

Psychiatric reports tendered to the court say Chen now accepts the killing was wrong.

“But at the time he was a monster to me…his face was twisted,” she told a psychiatrist in an interview done before today’s sentencing.

Justice Monika Schmidt gave her a 25 per cent reduction for the guilty plea.

Allowing for the time she has already spent in jail, she will be eligible for parole in November 2014.

Chen dabbed at her eyes with a tissue throughout the one-hour sentencing and said “thank you Your Honour” when Justice Schmidt finished.

ZAGREB (Reuters) – A drunken Croat flasher got more excitement than he bargained for when he pushed his penis through a woman’s fence and her dog bit it, local newspapers said on Friday.

The visibly drunk man was walking down the street and started swearing and shouting at the woman for no reason. He then shoved his penis through her fence, unaware her dog was on the other side, police said.

The bitten man himself reported the incident to the police.

A survey found that around a third of the adult population – about 18 million people – has suffered an ache or strain either during or after bouts of passion.

‘Yeah, I fell 40 feet out of her vagina’

I was constantly being fed information to inspire me while writing songs or coming up with ideas for film or television shows.  Many of the actors would also show up to find out what I was working on which might inspire them as well.

One such piece information had been about the Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young writing the song ”Broken Arrow” and recorded by Buffalo Springfield in 1967.  Of course, I was being told about Neil Young due to Def Leppard borrowing lyrics from his song “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” for Rock of Ages, “It’s better to burn out than fade away”.

In 1996, Neil Young with Crazy Horse released the album Broken Arrow.  The same year John Travolta and Christian Slater would star in the film Broken Arrow.

Travolta would go on to appear in Face/Off with Nicolas Cage which I inspired one day while working with Michael Hutchence.

I would write the song “Broken Arrow” recorded by the English artist known as Pixie Lott and released on her debut album Turn It Up.  The album title was for the The Alan Parsons Project song of the same name.

The song would be featured in the film “Beastly”.  The idea for the film started many years ago while I talked to Michael Jackson about the television show Beauty and the Beast (1987) which starred James Cameron’s ex-wife Linda Hamilton.  This also inspired the 1991, Walt Disney produced musical animated film titled Beauty and the Beast based on the fairy tale.

What do you do when you’re stuck,
Because the one that you love,
Has pushed you away,
And you can’t deal with the pain,
And now you’re trying to fix me,
Mend what he did,
I’ll find the piece that I’m missing,
But I still miss him,
I miss him, I’m missing him,
Oh I miss him, I miss him, I’m missng him

And you’re sitting in the front row,
Wanna be first in line,
Waiting by my window,
Giving me all your time,
You could be my hero,
If only I could let go,
But his love is still in me,
Like a broken arrow.
Like a broken arrow.

He’s the thorn in my flesh
That I can’t take out
He’s stealing my breath
When you’re around,
And now you’re trying to convince me,
He wasn’t worth it,
But you can’t complete me,
He’s the part that is missing,
I miss him, I’m missing him,
Oh I miss him I miss him, I’m missing him,

And you’re sitting in the front row,
Wanna be first in line,
Waiting by my window,
Giving me all your time,
You could be my hero,
If only I could let go,
But his love is still in me,
Like a broken arrow.
Like a broken arrow.

What do you do
When your hearts in two places?
You feel great but you’re torn inside.
You feel love but you just can’t embrace it,
When you found the right one at the wrong time.

And you’re sitting in the front row,
Wanna be first in line,
Waiting by my window,
Giving me all your time,
You could be my hero,
If only I could let go,
But his love is still in me,
Like a broken arrow.
Like a broken arrow.

A long-time herbicide salesman and Madison resident, was a part of the so-called swinger lifestyle. Swingers as they are known engage in consensual group sex. [Plaintiff] developed a sexual relationship with a Vicksburg couple, family practice doctor… and his wife [a nurse].

need a stiffner love?

Plaintiff alleged that the three were “swinging” in 2006 when the nurse gave him a shot in his penis that caused an erection. For 4 days.

By the time the plaintiff sought treatment, his penis had suffered arterial damage and he was permanently impotent.

Plaintiff sued the swinging doctor and nurse for medical malpractice.

The Circuit Court of Warren County directed a verdict for the defendants on the grounds that plaintiff failed to produce a standard of care expert.

Judge James Chaney presided in the case. John Holaday of Flowood represented the plaintiff. Reeve Jacobus and Heber Simmons of Ridgeland represented the defendants.

http://www.mslitigationreview.com/2012/06/articles/verdicts/plaintiff-injured-while-swinging-with-another-couple-loses-lawsuit-/

This weekend I rode down to Milwaukee to pic up some archery gear from Broken Arrow. As I rode into town I discovered four blocks of the place is occupied by Dark Hoarse comics. The two full size Aliens and Predator in the middle threw me off but I put it all together. Apparently Things Of Another World is a comic shop owned by Dark Hoarse Comics. They treated me well and gave me some free comics. Things Of Another World also has a creator discount for published comic creators, including self published.

I finally got myself to Broken Arrow. Service wasn’t that great but they seemed to be busy even though the sales floor itself was kind of empty. I’ll just have to do more research now that I know what they keep on stock.

Altogether it was a nice easy ride and I plan on visiting the town again.

Images from both PC North vs US Grant & PC vs Broken Arrow are now online!

Go to http://www.sportshotsokc.com to view images from both games.

John Roberts Simon

Thank you everyone for your support!  A big thank you also to everyone who bought a commemorative team poster at your respective game.

(Aside. I wish they had a Pandora-esque site for movies. Like, “I really want to watch ’The Rock’ right now, but not.” And a computer – boop-boop-boop-boop-boop – would make computer noises somewhere out there among the series of tubes and tell me that I might also enjoy watching “Broken Arrow,” “Con Air,” or “Face Off.” But it might throw a wild card in there too like “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” because it knows what I really want is Sean Connery being awesome.)

So, Billy Joel. Back on task.

I find that listening to the Billy Joel “station” is the best mix for me throughout a work day. You get some Billy Joel (naturally), Elton John, Beatles, Journey, Duran Duran, Cyndi Lauper, etc. It’s mostly upbeat, I know a significant portion[1] of the lyrics and there’s a sense of suspense and mystery. So this morning started off with Billy Joel’s “Big Shot.” Great. That’s an acceptable way to kick things off.

And then I realized I’ve been singing it wrong since the 80s. Originally released in 1978, the lyrics to the chorus are as follows:

Because you had to be a big shot, didn’t cha
You had to open up your mouth
You had to be a big shot, didn’t cha
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
You know what everything’s about
You had to have a white hot spotlight
You had to be a big shot last night

This song, I realized, has absolutely nothing to do with some know-it-all teacher out late at night causing a ruckus. No, instead the misheard portion is the rhetorical, ”didn’t cha.”

I’ll add that to the list of things I’ve been wrong about forever.

[1] Mind you, I said “significant,” and despite my endearing confusion, I stand by that quantification.

“A town manager’s life is precarious at best.”–Kevin O’Donnell, Town Manager, Great Barrington, Massachusetts since 2008, whose contract, which expires in April 2013, will not be renewed

Burbank, California (population 103,340): Burbank City Manager Mike Flad announced on Monday plans to leave the Media City and take the top post at the city of South Gate, stunning city officials who expected him to retire in the city where he had spent more than two decades building his career. Flad, now 46, became the second-youngest city manager in Burbank’s history when he assumed the top job in 2008 and has worked for the city for nearly 23 years. In February, the city extended Flad’s contract for five years to December 2016, with an initial salary of $18,117 per month and an annual 3% increase after two years. The most notable of those challenges was overseeing a police department roiled by outside investigations into excessive use-of-force, and lawsuits filed by current and former officers. Flad said Tuesday that he was approached about six weeks ago by a recruiter for the position in South Gate — a much poorer city than Burbank. The hiring process included a written application and four interviews. His contract could be finalized in time for a vote by the South Gate City Council on Sept. 25, in which case he estimated his last day at Burbank would be Oct. 26. The terms of the contract, which are still being negotiated, are very similar to his current contract with Burbank, Flad said. If the move comes to pass, it will be a much different landscape — from movie studios and a solid economy with low crime rates to a South L.A. bedroom community sandwiched between Lynwood and Cudahy. South Gate, with a population of 94,396, is similar in size to Burbank, but different in demographics. South Gate is 94.8% Latino — compared to Burbank’s roughly 24% Latino population — and has an unemployment rate of 11.4%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. If the contract with South Gate is finalized, Flad would be replacing George Troxcil, who was appointed to the post just eight months ago after a nearly year-long stint as the interim city manager. Troxcil had taken on the dual interim role while also serving as the city’s police chief — a post he held for two years after a 30-year career with the department. The news of Flad’s move comes as Burbank continues the process of finding a permanent police chief, meaning the city may have to fill two top executive jobs at the same time. And since the city manager supervises the police chief, that recruitment could be difficult, city officials said. That’s just as well for Gordon, who had been advocating holding off on the police chief recruitment. Burbank also has a City Council election coming up in the spring, with three seats up for contention.

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (population 98,850): The search for a city manager is over, according to the Tulsa World. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to offer the job to Greenville, N.C., Assistant City Manager Thom Moton, who was a finalist for the position along with Branson, Mo., City Administrator Dean Kruithof. Moton was appointed city manger in an unofficial capacity until salary negotiations are complete. City councilors interviewed Moton and Kruithof individually on Friday, and the finalists met with city staff and school representatives on Thursday. The final interviews and feedback from those groups tipped a close race to Moton’s favor, city councilors said. Moton would take over for Human Resources Director Russell Gale, who was appointed acting city manager in April after the City Council fired David Wooden amid controversy over a proposed Indian casino. Although both Moton and Kruithof are qualified for the position, Moton’s enthusiasm and knowledge made him stand out, city councilors said. He served as interim city manager of Greenville for five months after its previous city manager retired in March, and his previous positions include assistant city manager of University City, Mo., and Corsicana, Texas. Officials have said his expertise includes downtown and economic development — both of which are priorities for the city. Councilor Jill Norman said she believes the city would also benefit from the “visionary qualities” he has demonstrated during past jobs. Moton and Kruithof were recruited by Affion Public LLC, a management consulting firm that also recruited Broken Arrow’s current police and fire chiefs. The firm has been discussing salary and benefit expectations with both candidates, and it appears that the city could afford either one, city attorney Beth Anne Wilkening told the City Council. City spokeswoman Stephanie Higgins said the city would not immediately say how much it planned to offer Moton. His salary would be public record once he is hired. City councilors voted to draft an employment agreement for their next meeting Oct. 2.

Eagan, Minnesota (population 64,206): After plenty of jokes and a few emotional moments, longtime Eagan City Administrator Tom Hedges—widely considered one of the city’s most influential leaders—announced at Wednesday’s Eagan City Council meeting that he plans to retire in early 2013, according to the EaganPatch. Hedges, Eagan’s first and only city administrator, was hired in 1976 at the age of 27 and has served for 36 years as the city’s highest appointed official. Before coming to Eagan, he was employed as the city administrator of St. Peter. After accepting Hedges’ retirement notice, the Eagan City Council approved a $12,900-plus-expenses contract with recruitment firm Brimeyer Fursman to assist in the search for a new city administrator. Hedges told council members at the meeting that he plans to continue in his role as adminstrator until Feb. 1, 2013. A handful of elected officials expressed sadness at Hedges’ announcement, including Eagan City Councilors Paul Bakken and Cyndee Fields, who jokingly discussed voting to reject Hedges’ retirement letter and keep him working as a city employee. Hedges, 63, said he is looking forward to having more flexibility in life, and plans to travel following his retirement as city administrator. He may continue to work limited hours as a consultant, he said. The city administrator is one in a long list of top Eagan officials who have recently retired or announced their intent to retire. Eagan’s longtime public works director, Tom Colbert, retired earlier this year, and Eagan Director of Administrative Services Gene VanOverbeke is expected to retire in December. A number of veteran police officers have also turned in their badges this year. Earlier this year, in the city’s annual “State of the City” address, Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire identified the turnover of aging city staff as one of Eagan’s challenges in the near future. Hedges, who received an applause following his announcement on Wednesday, thanked past and present elected officials, the community and his wife, Debbie.

Upson County, Georgia (population 27,153): During a press conference Monday afternoon, Upson County Commission Chairman Maurice Raines confirmed suspicions that County Manager Kyle Hood is in fact resigning from his post effective September 28, according to the Thomaston Times. Hood has accepted a similar position as the Town Manager of Tyrone, Georgia and will begin his new job the first of next month. The rest of the board echoed Raines’s sentiments and wished Hood the best of luck with his new venture. Hood announced that he would be releasing a formal statement at the next Board of Commissioners meeting, but the short version is he agrees it has been a good four years and the decision to leave was not one that he took lightly. He also noted that until his departure he plans to continue to serve the citizens of this community. Beginning on September 28, Pam Fuentes will be appointed Interim County Clerk and the board plans to move quickly to fill the position of County Manager.

Stoughton, Massachusetts (population 26,962): After interviewing the three finalists for the position of permanent Town Manager and then voting on which finalist was their top choice, the Stoughton Board of Selectmen are now one step closer to naming Stoughton’s next chief municipal employee, according to the CantonPatch.The Board voted unanimously, 5-0, Sept. 18 to express interest in Canton resident Michael Hartman becoming Stoughton’s next permanent Town Manager, pending a background investigation and contract negotiations. Hartman is the current Town Manager in Jaffrey, New Hampshire (2007-present). Prior to his job in Jaffrey, he worked in municipal government in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Iowa and Illinois. Selectman Cynthia Walsh nominated Hartman. No other Board member made a nomination, with all five selectmen – Walsh, John Anzivino, Steve Anastos, Bob O’Regan and Chairman John Stagnone supporting the nomination of Hartman. Paul Shew of Franklin and Kenneth Fields of Boca Raton, Florida were the other finalists Selectmen interviewed, along with Hartman, on September 13. If the background investigation and initial negotiaions do not result in a formal job offer and contract for Hartman, Stagnone said the Board can look at one of the other finalists or start the search process over again. At the start of Tuesday’s meeting, Stagnone said the five-member Town Manager search committee (appointed by selectmen) and the consulting firm, Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI), were charged with the task of finding a highly qualified and experienced candidate. Selectmen were looking for someone with a graduate degree in public administration or a related field; 7-10 years of local government experience; a willingness to commit to the job for more than five years; strong public speaking skills; experience in downtown revitalization; long-range planning experience; collective bargaining and human resources experience; and strong finance and analytical skills. Prior to fielding nominations, selectmen discussed their take on the September 13 interviews with the three finalists and what they were looking for in a Town Manager. O’Regan said the town needed a focused, professional, hands-on manager – someone willing to get his knuckles dirty; someone dedicated to making systems work more efficiently and effectively; and someone committed to capital planning with strong budgeting and management skills. Anzivino said having an experienced manager with a “good strong background in municipal government” was key. Walsh didn’t support the process or cost of hiring a consulting firm (about $20,000), but said she could not argue with the results. She said the decision to select a final candidate “has to be a leap of faith; there are no guarantees.” When it came time for the nominations, Walsh put her faith in Hartman, and when no other nominations were made, it became clear he was the candidate Selectmen felt best fit their criteria. There were 55 applicants for the position. Less than 30 were sent essay questions. Telephone interviews were conducted with the final 13 candidates. Then, on September 12, a final group of seven candidates were interviewed by three separate panels – the Town Manager Search Committee; Stoughton Department Heads; and a group representing MRI. Following these panel interviews, which were not open to the public, the field of seven was narrowed down to three – Hartman, Shew and Fields. Each of the three finalists have held management positions in multiple communities, but Stagnone said that to call any of the candidates “retreads” was an “unfair characterization of town managers in general.” During the September 18 meeting, held in the Yaitanes Room on the third floor of the Town Hall, selectmen held a conference call with Don Jutton of MRI prior to making their nomination. Jutton said the position of Town Manager has been “nomadic in nature” with the average tenure about four years when the economy was stronger and now about six years with a struggling economy making it more difficult to relocate. He said Town Managers might seek a job in another town because they want to manage a larger community or because the complexion of the town’s elected board has changed. Jutton said people “should not draw negative conclusions based on the number of jobs they had.” MRI will assist the town and the selectmen in conducting a background check and with contract negotiations. Stagnone and Anzivino will represent the Board during this process. A finite date for Selectmen to make a formal job offer to Hartman has not been set, although the contract of Interim Town Manager Joesph D. Feaster Jr. expires November 30. Feaster became the interim Town Manager on April 1 of this year and was sworn in on April 3. Feaster was one of the final seven candidates, but was not one of the three finalists selectmen interviewed on September 13. Feaster succeeded Crimmins who had served for two years as Stoughton’s Town Manager, before announcing his resignation in January 2012. Crimmins’ last day in office was March 31.

Wilmington, Massachusetts (population 22,325): During Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, members officially approved the contract of incoming Town Manager Jeff Hull, who currently serves as Assistant Town Manager, according to the WilmingtonPatch. Hull’s starting salary will be $133,200 with scheduled increases of 2.5 percent slated for the second and third years of the agreement. As a part of the agreement, Hull waived an early retirement incentive and agreed not to require longevity payments.

Las Animas County, Colorado (population 15,507): Leslee Fresquez resigned from her position as Las Animas County administrator late Tuesday afternoon after, she says, the county commissioners told her they wanted to demote her to the position of manager of the county airport, even though that position is currently filled, according to The Trinidad Times Independent. In a written statement issued Thursday, Fresquez said commissioners told her they wanted someone who had more experience than she did to fill the administrator’s position. She admits that she had no experience as a county administrator before taking the job, but cited her 14 years of experience working in government as being enough to qualify her for the administrator’s job. She had held the position since being unanimously appointed by the county board of commissioners in December 2011. She took over from former county administrator Bill Cordova, who resigned in October 2011. In her statement, Fresquez said she couldn’t understand why a dedicated civil servant like Cordova would have resigned. She said that after what happened to her recently as Cordova’s successor, she now understands why he quit. Fresquez’s resignation notice gave a two-months notice to the county commissioners, who then placed her on two-months paid administrative leave. Fresquez wrote that during her six years working for Las Animas County, she was never formally disciplined or reprimanded for her work efforts, even though the county has such disciplinary procedures in place. She said she was not treated in the same way as other county employees in regard to her work performance. Fresquez said that when she was hired, she was expected to perform all her previous duties as deputy administrator, with the additional tasks of being county administrator. She said she had to do all this while being paid $30,000 less per year than her predecessor. She said that as a woman, she was not treated as fairly as her male predecessor had been. She said that after she became administrator, the frequency of county meetings was increased from two to four per month, thus increasing her workload without providing her with more professional office support until late in her tenure. Fresquez said she twice requested a formal evaluation process from the board to identify areas where she might need to improve, something she said is required under county policy. She said the board did not honor her requests. She said the board members told her she needed to make herself more accessible by phone, but said she felt the weekly meetings were sufficient to discuss all relevant county issues. Fresquez said current commissioners preferred to rely on e-mail communication with her, but she felt that was an inadequate form of communication, leading to disjointed discussion of policy questions, and insisted that the weekly meetings were a better means of communication. Fresquez said commissioners never established a “standard of expectation nor laid forth goals and objectives I was to achieve as county administrator, and not for my lack of asking for such. I had no defined charge except to ‘get it done.’” Commissioner Jim Vigil said Fresquez resigned by her own choice. Vigil said he wished her good luck in the future. Commission Chairman Gary Hill said that on legal advice he would have no comment on Fresquez’s resignation, other than to say he wished her well with her future plans. Commissioner Mack Louden could not be reached for comment Thursday. Leeann Fabec, county finance director, said she was appointed by the board to act as interim county administrator while the hiring process for a new administrator moves forward. Fabec said she wished Fresquez all the best for her future plans.

Callaway, Florida (population 14,405): Commission members extended a job offer for a new City Manager of Callaway, according to the News Herald. After rounds of questions, the three-hour interview process produced a candidate the board could agree on: Marcus Collins. In Collins’ application to the city, he listed his experience as Public Services Director in Mount Dora for five years before becoming City Manager of Crescent City for around four years. His most recent occupation was as president of the council in Williston until he retired in 2011. Collins said budgeting and economic development were among his strong suits. Four other applicants answered questions before the board and public in the commission chambers of the Callaway Arts and Conference Center. During the interviews, commissioners asked questions in regard to CRA experience, opinions of the four-day versus five-day work week and economic development opinions. However, the more pertinent issue which commissioners addressed directly after the meeting was of salary. Commissioners held a vote after the meeting to set the manager’s salary at $70,000, the lowest figure the board advertised.

Whitewater, Wisconsin (population 14,390): The Whitewater City Council has selected Cameron L. Clapper to serve as city manager, according to The Janesville Gazette. The unanimous choice was made Saturday after interviewing five candidates for the post, according to a news release from the city. Clapper has served as interim city manager since the departure of former City Manager Kevin Brunner. Brunner left to become director of public services in Walworth County. The decision comes after two days of interviews, tours, a reception and public forum. The other candidates included village administrators/clerks and a city manager. Clapper started work with the city in April 2010 as assistant city manager. He previously worked as assistant to the administrator in the village of Waunakee. Clapper has a master’s degree in public administration from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He also has a bachelor’s degree in international studies. The council is working on an employment agreement and will vote on that agreement at its Oct. 2 meeting. Clapper and his family live in Whitewater.

Oneonta, New York (population 13,901): Oneonta swore in its first city manager at a special meeting of the Common Council, according to The Daily Star.  Michael H. Long, 56, city administrator of Poughkeepsie, will start the $115,000-a-year position by Oct. 1. The post was created by the city charter that voters approved in November and took affect Jan. 1. The city’s Common Council Human Resource Committee, chaired by Maureen Hennessy, worked with a national recruiter and city personnel director Kathy Wolverton, to narrow the 50 applicants for the post to three finalists. They were interviewed by a group that included council members, department heads and representatives from the community. Long will take over the day-to-day operations of running the city, Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller said. This leaves Miller to serve as the head of government for all official and ceremonial purposes, preside over the Common Council, and other duties spelled out in the charter. Long serves at the pleasure of the council and Miller will be his principal liaison and work with the council to establish performance objectives for the manager. Long holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in landscape architecture from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science at Syracuse. He holds a Master’s of Arts in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He has served in his current position since 2008. Before that, he held positions of increasing responsibility in the Cayuga County Planning Board and for the city of Auburn over a 28-year span, according to a city media release. After he was sworn in, Long thanked the council for its vote of confidence. Long said he took the new position because he was ready for a new challenge and noted the community spirit that he said will be helpful in tackling such issues as improving downtown. His first step will be orienting himself to the position and spending time with council members and department heads to identify what each sees as important issues. In his first 30 days, he said, he expects to be able to set an action plan. Long said that he is seeking an apartment in the city and will decide later on long-term living arrangements. The city charter does not require him to live in the city. He was joined at the meeting by his wife, Diane Long, who is chair and associate professor of the department of occupational therapy at Ithaca College. Miller said he was confident that Long will help the city achieve savings in operations and will help secure grants.

Ogdensburg, New York (population 11,128): Ogdensburg has a new city manager, according to the Watertown Daily Times. City Council members unanimously appointed John M. Pinkerton as city manager at a special meeting last week. Mr. Pinkerton will start his new role Oct. 15 under a three-year contract. He was chosen out of 41 applicants after a seven-month search. Mr. Pinkerton, an Ogdensburg native, has 31 years of experience in private enterprise, and currently works as a business adviser at CITEC, a business development company based at Clarkson University, Potsdam. He is also co-owner of Adirondack Professional Cleaners and has worked as a consultant and manager for Newell-Rubbermaid. Mr. Pinkerton said he counts his past and current business experience as one of his greatest assets as city manager. During the hiring process, the council was impressed with Mr. Pinkerton’s knowledge of the city’s issues, Mayor William D. Nelson said. Mr. Pinkerton said his first goal as manager will be to establish a vision for the city. Mr. Pinkerton said he is looking forward to helping the city commercialize and develop its waterfront. Mr. Pinkerton will earn $84,000 a year as city manager. He declined the use of a city vehicle.

Tomah, Wisconsin (population 9,093): Tomah city administrator Jim Bialecki will retire Dec. 5, according to the La Crosse Tribune. Bialecki, who has been the city administrator since 2008 and is the former mayor of Onalaska, Tuesday announced plans to retire. Bialecki submitted his 90-day notice to the Tomah City Council Sept. 4. Bialecki said he  has enjoyed his time as administrator, largely because the council has remained above partisan politics and united in working in the best interests of the city. Bialecki, 62, has been in the workforce for 46 years.  His administrative career began in 1976 in the hospital field. He worked at long-term care, assisted living, independent living and Catholic charities in Lincoln, Portage and La Crosse counties before he began his career with the city of Onalaska in 1985. Bialecki was the president of the Onalaska City Council from 1985 to 2000 and the city’s first full-time mayor from 2000 to 2008. Bialecki’s plans include taking some time to visit his family in southern California.

Great Barrington, Massachusetts (population 7,104): Following two consecutive failing job performance evaluations, the Board of Selectmen last week informed Town Manager Kevin O’Donnell that they have decided not to renew his contract when it expires next April, according to The Berkshire Eagle. Multiple members confirmed that the board arrived at its decision while discussing the matter in executive session last week. But the information didn’t come out until this week after O’Donnell met privately with representatives of the board. Those representatives, board chairman Sean Stanton and vice-chair Deborah Phillips, reportedly gave O’Donnell the option of resigning prior to the vote on his contract, but O’Donnell declined the offer. O’Donnell said he was disappointed by the board’s decision. None of the board members who spoke with The Eagle agreed to speak publicly about their decision because they said they wanted to respect the confidentiality of what was discussed during executive session. But the board has made clear publicly in the past that they it hasn’t been thrilled with O’Donnell’s performance. In June, O’Donnell received his second subsequent negative employment evaluation in nine months when he was given only 64 of a maximum 125 points. Those numbers resulted in a rating equivalent to 51.2 percent, which is lower than the 67 percent O’Donnell received on his previous evaluation in September 2011. The lowest mark on O’Donnell’s most recent evaluation was in customer satisfaction where he received 10 of a possible 25 points. In the anonymous comments included in this year’s evaluation, board members stated that O’Donnell groused about the board’s decision, feeling the Selectmen were an impediment to his job. Comments also stated that O’Connell disregarded the Selectmen’s role, and doesn’t follow through on the board’s direction. O’Donnell pledged to improve his relationship with the Selectmen and indicated that he would focus on better communication. Last week, O’Donnell said that he had followed through on those issues, and lamented that the board hadn’t given him more concrete criteria to focus his efforts. O’Donnell was hired by the town in 2008. He signed his current contract in 2011 following performance reviews with scores equivalent to 90 and 84 percent. Those scores were submitted by a board with a significantly different makeup than the current one. O’Donnell said he ís proud of what he has achieved in his years as town manager. He said he managed to get the town’s bond rating increased during a severe recession, and reduced borrowing costs by about $60,000 annually. No matter what happens, O’Donnell said that he plans to continue working through the end of his term, and intends to wrap up the major projects currently facing the town, which include planning for the reconstruction of Main Street, and closing the sale of the old firehouse on Castle Street.

Tyrone, Georgia (population 6,879): Tyrone is about to get a new Town Manager by way of Upson County, according to The Citizen. The Town Council approved the hire of Upson County Manager Kyle Hood, who is expected to begin his new job next month. Hood’s arrival will mean that interim Town Manager and Tyrone Police Chief Brandon Perkins can return to his full-time duties with the police department. Hood has served as Upson County Manager since July 2008 and has also served as project manager for the Wilkinson County Commission and as a research and teaching assistant in Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville. The 28 year-old Hood earned a Master of Public Administration from GCSU in 2008 and, in 2011, earned a certification as a local government official from the Carl Vinson Institute at the University of Georgia. Hood is expected to begin the job in early October. Mayor Eric Dial said Hood’s job as county manager in Upson County is one where he managed approximately 100 employees. Dial in his comments Thursday was quick to acknowledge the work of interim Town Manager Brandon Perkins who, for nearly a year, has functioned in that position while maintaining his responsibilities as Tyrone Police Chief. Dial’s comments are noteworthy because few in municipal management or law enforcement administration are ever called on to take on the responsibility of a dual administrative function. Though his first calling is law enforcement, Perkins was the exception to the rule when he stepped forward in November 2011 to take on the responsibilities of town management to help out in a time of need.

Normandy Park, Washington (population 6,335): Normandy Park City Manager Doug Schulze was selected Wednesday night, Sept. 19 to become the city manager of Bainbridge Island, according to The Highline Times. The town has a population of 23,000, considerably larger than Normandy Park’s 6,000. While Schulze is going west to Bainbridge Island, Burien Community Director Scott Greenberg is headed east to another island, Mercer Island where he will be Development Services director. Schulze denies that Normandy Park’s financial woes led him to bail out of the city. Instead, Schulze noted, that after managing smaller cities for the majority of his career, he was looking to head a larger organization. He said he has been admiring the 26 square-mile city for a number of years. Pending successful negotiation of a contract, the Bainbridge Island City Council is scheduled to formally hire Schulze at its Sept. 26 meeting. If so, Schulze is planning to give his 30-day notice on Sept. 27 with Halloween, Oct. 31 being his last day on the job in Normandy Park. Schulze admitted there were “gloomy faces around city hall,” the day after the Bainbridge Island council announced its pick. He said he is leaving with “mixed emotions” after developing many positive relationships in his six years with the city. Schulze is leaving Normandy Park at a time when the city is facing a severe financial crisis. This summer the tranquil town was rocked by reports from news media of Normandy Park’s possible demise as a separate city, either through disincorporation or annexation to Burien or Des Moines. Schulze responded that city officials had not considered those drastic options but the City Council did place on the November ballot a property tax levy lid that would raise residents’ tax rate from $1.31 per 1,000 of assessed value to $1.60. The city manager said property tax restrictions had particularly hit the city hard because the taxes account for about 60 percent of its tax revenues. The city also does not have a lot of room along First Avenue South, its commercial district, for large tax revenue raising businesses. In 2008 when the recession hit, “it was like falling off a cliff for the city’s revenues,” Schulze said. Normandy Park’s general fund reserves have been depleted to the point where they are projected to be gone in three years without serious action, he noted. City staff has been reduced by 33 percent and Normandy Park has deferred maintenance and replacing equipment, Schulze reported. Before coming to Normandy Park in 2006, Schulze was city manager in another affluent Seattle suburban city, Medina, home of Microsoft founder Bill Gates. He was also city administrator in Sandstone, Minn. from 1992 to 1996. According to the Kitsap Sun, Schulze will also face daunting challenges in Bainbridge Island where roads are failing and the city does not have funds to maintain them. Schulze will also need to hire a new Bainbridge Island police chief after the current chief quit two weeks ago. On Sept. 1, Schulze announced Chris Gaddis as Normandy Park’s permanent police chief replacing long-time chief Rick Keiffer, who retired. Schulze will replace a former city manager, who was ousted in March, according to the Sun.

Russell, Kansas (population 4,506): City Manager Ralph Wise has accepted a position as administrator of Hebron, Ohio, according to The Hays Daily News. While the community has fewer than 5,000 residents, slightly smaller than Russell, it’s home to the Central Ohio Industrial Park. There are 32 manufacturing operations in the industrial park, and that opens up possibilities for his wife, Wise said. Notably, Hebron doesn’t have its own electric generation plant, something Russell does have. Wise, who has been Russell city manager since 2008, also admits a side benefit is Hebron is only 15 minutes away from his grandchildren. Wise tendered his resignation from the city manager’s spot at Russell nearly two weeks ago, but had kept his future job a closely held secret. He announced where he’ll be heading at last week’s Russell City Council meeting, after Hebron officials confirmed his appointment. He also was waiting for confirmation Hebron would reimburse Russell for expenses already paid for Wise to attend a conference this fall. The Russell council voted to name Russell Police Chief Jon Quinday as interim city manager while a search for a replacement is under way. But providing the opportunity for his wife to get back in her field of expertise was a strong draw.

Mulberry, Florida (population 3,817): After interviewing two candidates Wednesday night, city commissioners in Mulberry gave top ranking to a Dundee city commissioner with a background as a corrections officer and no experience in city management. But Richard Johnson said he’s confident in his ability to run the city, despite his limited experience. Mulberry commissioners voted 3-2 Wednesday to begin negotiating a contract with Johnson, 52. Commissioner Terry Evers opposed the motion, but not because he didn’t think Johnson would make a good city manager. He wanted the opportunity to ask the candidates more questions. During Wednesday’s interviews, candidates fielded prepared questions that commissioners had previously approved. Evers, however, wanted to know whether the new manager would review each employee on the city’s payroll to determine whether he or she is working to his or her potential, and what would happen to those who weren’t performing well. Commissioner Collins Smith cast the other opposing vote, saying he supported the other candidate, Larry Strickland of Valrico, a management analyst for the city of Zephyrhills. A third finalist for the job, Judith Jankosky of Lady Lake, the interim city administrator in Arcadia, withdrew her application Wednesday morning. Johnson, who’s been a commissioner in Dundee since 2005, said he already had decided not to seek a fifth two-year term on the commission in April. Mulberry’s charter requires the city manager to move into the city, which would mandate that Johnson resign from Dundee’s governing board. Johnson completed his master’s degree in non-profit management and public administration last year at the University of Central Florida. He’s currently working as an employment specialist with the deaf service bureau in Polk County. He spent 20 years with the Connecticut Department of Corrections, rising to the rank of lieutenant before retiring in 2001. Mulberry commissioners will begin negotiating a contract with Johnson, to include salary and benefits, which must be approved before he can start working. Commissioners have budgeted $63,000 for the job. If he’s hired, Johnson would replace Frank Satchel Jr., who was fired in May following his arrest on forgery charges. He was accused of altering employee time cards.

Troutman, North Carolina (population 2,383): After Ann Bailie graduated from Syracuse University in 1974 with a dual degree in English and photojournalism, she first spent a semester abroad in London taking graduate courses in English and photojournalism, then went to work for a newspaper in Florida, according to The Charlotte Observer. Becoming town manager for a small North Carolina town was about the furthest thing from her mind. Life is full of twists and turns, however, and in the mid-1990s, when her husband, photographer and historian Bob Zeller, got a job with the Greensboro News & Record covering NASCAR, they moved to North Carolina. Bailie then became involved with the successful effort to incorporate a small Guilford County community called Pleasant Garden. In 1997, when Pleasant Garden officially became a municipality, Bailie was its first (and for several years only) employee: town clerk, finance officer and budget officer. That sparked her interest in local government administration and prompted a career change to public affairs. Since 2002, all her jobs have been working for government, including almost nine years as the top executive in Trinity. She’s already started to apply that experience as Troutman’s new town manager, with an annual salary of $86,000. As for the town itself, she sees great potential. Bailie said the town’s population had been expected to increase significantly until the economy took a downturn in 2008. She said town leaders have used that time wisely. She cites the town’s participation in the state Department of Commerce’s Small Town Main Street program, which provides on-site technical assistance for downtown development and promotion, as a major plus. In addition, the town’s self-funded façade program, which provides grants to downtown property owners for sprucing up storefronts, is another town initiative Bailie likes. The 60-year-old Illinois native has some big shoes to fill. Former town manager David Saleeby was a hands-on manager, involved in all aspects of the town’s operation. Bailie suggested that her style may be a little different. After Saleeby retired in February, the town Board of Aldermen began an exhaustive search for his replacement, working with the Centralina Council of Governments. Spath believes Bailie has done a good job thus far, even as she continues to evaluate the major issues facing the town. One of those major issues involves the town finances. She’s also been very impressed, even somewhat surprised, with the level of civil engagement in the town.

East Jordan, Michigan (population 2,351): The historic cottage filled up with city officials and residents and the group chatted over appetizers prepared by East Jordan Public Schools cooks, according to The Northern Michigan Review. “I’m so excited to welcome my new team members,” said Mary Faculak, East Jordan Chamber of Commerce director. The team she is referring to is “Team EJ” a long standing partnership between the chamber, schools, city and community. Chris Yonker is the new East Jordan city administrator. He started the new job Aug. 20 and is responsible for the administration of all city affairs. Yonker is a native of west Michigan and graduated from Spring Lake High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences and land use planning from Grand Valley State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Roosevelt University in Chicago, Ill. Before becoming the East Jordan administrator, Yonker served for two and a half years as the city manager of Wayland, 15 years as the city manager of Fremont and 10 years as the capital budget officer for the city of Evanston, Ill. Yonker recently relocated to East Jordan with his wife, Diane, who was the director of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce for 17 years. The couple has three children.

Oakboro, North Carolina (population 1,859): Oakboro’s Board of Commissioners met on Monday at 8:15 a.m. in a special meeting, according to The Stanly News and Press. Part of the reason the Board needed to meet was to discuss what to do with the office of Town Administrator. Ross Holshouser, previous Town Administrator, was let go over the weekend. The first order of business was to appoint a new Town Clerk. Taffy Smith, previously acting as Deputy Town Clerk, was raised to the position by Commissioner Georgia Harvey. It is believed that Smith’s appointment will help alleviate some of the pressure placed on the offices of Oakboro Town Hall in the wake of Holshouser’s dismissal. The next item on the agenda was in regards to finances. In the Town Administrator’s absence, the Board voted to have any financial expenditure exceeding $500 be brought before the Town Board before it can proceed. Beginning Oct. 1, Doug Burgess will act as Interim Town Administrator until a more permanent candidate can be located.

North Topsail Beach, North Carolina (population 743): North Topsail Beach Town Manager Steve Foster is headed for a new job but won’t be going too far, according to the Jacksonville Daily News. Foster submitted a letter of resignation Wednesday and will be taking a job as manager for the Town of Oak Island. His last day with the Onslow County town will be Oct. 25. Mayor Daniel Tuman said Foster has a permanent residence in Oak Island, making the move a good opportunity for him personally and professionally. But he will be missed. Tuman said Foster worked well with the town board as well as the town staff. Foster has worked for the town since February 2010 and has served in municipal management off and on for more than 35 years. According to a report in the StarNews of Wilmington, the Oak Island town council selected Foster as town manager at its Tuesday night meeting by a 4-1 vote. He will be paid a salary of $95,000. Tuman said Oak Island will be gaining a good manager. Foster said he leaves grateful for his time in North Topsail Beach. Tuman said North Topsail Beach will immediately begin a search for a new manager.

When Christian Slater came onto the scene, he was compared to a young Jack Nicholson.  In the late 80′s and early 90′s he starred in a string of cult classics and box office hits.  He also made headlines with his run-ins with the law.  Eventually, the hits dried up.  In 2011, the internet was buzzing with rumors that he was dead.  What the hell happened?

Slater’s first role on the big screen was opposite 80′s superbabe (and Supergirl) Helen Slater in the teen rebellion comedy/drama, The Legend of Billie Jean.

Following 1984′s Supergirl, it was assumed that Helen Slater would become a star like Christopher Reeve.  Unfortunately, that movie tanked.   The next year, many assumed that Billie Jean would make Helen Slater a household name.  But that didn’t happen either.

Reportedly, Helen Slater was already something of a prima donna on the set despite not yet being a star.  Apparently she was so certain of her future stardom that she started behaving like a diva early.  Christian Slater, who was not related to Helen despite the shared last name, developed a crush on his co-star.  He later said in an interview that he took their shared last name to be a sign they would one day marry.

Alas, despite a strong marketing push, The Legend of Billie Jean was not the hit it was supposed to be.  Helen Slater never became a star.  And the two Slaters never married.

In 1986, Slater appeared alongside the legendary Sean Connery in The Name of the Rose.

Our own Daffystardust has a story about this movie.  But I will leave it to him to tell it. 

In The Name of the Rose, Connery played a Franciscan monk investigating a murder.  Slater played the monk’s assistant.  At the time, Connery was still in a post-Bond career slump.  American audiences weren’t especially keen on seeing a bald James Bond play a Franciscan monk.  In spite of mostly positive reviews, The Name of the Rose bombed in the US.  Fortunately, it fared better overseas.

In 1988, Slater got a small role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Tucker: A Man and His Dream.

The long-titled drama starred Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker, a visionary automobile manufacturer in the 40′s.  Slater played Preston Jr.  In spite of mostly positive reviews, Tucker was another bomb for Slater.

1989 would be a very big year for Slater.  He appeared in four movies that year.  But before he could be catapulted to stardom in a cult movie classic, he starred in a couple of low-budget movies.  The first was the skate-boarder flick, Gleaming the Cube.  Although Gleaming only received a small theatrical release, it has built up a following as the skateboarding craze caught on.

Slater also appeared in the low-budget sci-fi drama, Beyond the Stars co-starring Martin Sheen and Sharon Stone.

Later that year, Slater appeared opposite Winona Ryder in the cult classic dark comedy, Heathers.

It’s easy to forget just how dark Heathers was.  It frequently gets compared to movies like Mean Girls for its depiction of high school politics.  But Heathers was actually about a pair of teens who killed their classmates and made the killings look like suicides.  It wasn’t exactly mainstream stuff.

Slater played JD, the teen rebel with a murderous streak.  He delivered his performance with an attitude borrowed from Jack Nicholson.  Although the movie was too small to make much of an impression at the box office, it made Slater a teen heart-throb.

Slater finished the year with a supporting role in the feature-length Nintendo commercial, The Wizard, opposite Beau Bridges and Fred Savage.

The Wizard was basically Rain Man for the Nintendo crowd.  The reviews were terrible.

As Slater was settling into the good life, he also started having regular run-ins with the law.  In 1989, he was chased by a Hollywood police car while driving drunk.  He eventually slammed his car into a telephone pole.  Slater tried to escape and kicked a police officer.  He was charged with drunk driving and assault.  Slater was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

By 1990, Slater had  worked with some great actors and directors.  He had become a teen idol and appeared in some well-reviewed films.  A couple of them had cult followings.  But Slater still hadn’t been in a hit.  Slater released three movies that year to try to change that.

The first was the horror anthology, Tales From the Darkside based on a Twilight Zone-like TV show.  Slater had actually appeared in an episode of the TV show before he made the jump to movies.  Slater’s segment of the movie co-starred Steve Buscemi and Julianne Moore.  Despite bad reviews, Tales From the Darkside was a modest hit.

Later that year, Slater saddled up for the Brat Pack Western, Young Guns 2.

The original Young Guns had been a surprise hit a couple of years before.  Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips returned from the original.  But Charlie Sheen left a bad-boy shaped hole  in the cast which Slater was hired to fill.

Like the first film, Young Guns 2 got mixed reviews and performed reasonably well at the box office.

A couple of weeks after Young Guns 2 was released, Slater starred in Pump Up the Volume.

Slater played a high school student who leads a double life as a pirate radio DJ.  Much like The Legend of Billie Jean, Pump Up the Volume was about a teenage rebellion.  While it was not a hit, Pump Up the Volume got good reviews and developed a cult following.

In 1990, Slater finally appeared in a bona fide smash hit with a supporting role in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner.

Costner was on fire at the time.  And his star power made Robin Hood the movie of the summer.  But Slater’s supporting role allowed him to bask in the reflected glory.

Later that summer, Slater appeared in the mafia drama, Mobsters.

Mobsters was basically a repackaged Young Guns.  It starred a cast of promising young actors.  Slater costarred with Patrick Dempsey, Richard Grieco, Chris Penn, Lara Flynn Boyle.  If Estevez and Sutherland were B-list, the cast of Mobsters was C-list.  Slater was the biggest star of the bunch.

Mobsters got bad reviews and bombed at the box office.  Slater was nominated for a Golden Raspberry for Worst Supporting Actor.

Slater finished the year with a cameo appearance in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. 

Undiscovered Country was the last film in the series to star the entire original cast.  Slater’s role was just a cameo.  Reportedly, Slater was a big Star Trek fan.  Also, his mother was the casting agent on the film.

Legend has it that as a child, Slater shaved his eyebrows in an attempt to look like Mr. Spock.  Supposedly the eyebrows never grew back in which resulted in his signature uneven look.

In 1992, Slater attempted another lead role in the cop comedy/drama Kuffs.

Kuffs was written with Slater in mind.  It centers on a unique style of San Francisco law enforcement, Patrol Special police franchises.  It co-starred Milla Jovovich and featured Ashley Judd in her first big screen appearance.

The critics were not kind to Kuffs and it did so-so at the box office.

 Slater also did voice-over work for the environmentally minded animated film, FernGully: The Last Rainforest.

FernGully also featured the voices of Slater’s Pump Up the Volume co-star, Samantha Mathis and Robin Williams.  Despite decent reviews, it bombed at the box office.  These days, it is frequently mentioned by those critical of Avatar which had similar environmental themes.

In 1993, Slater continued to trying to establish himself as a leading man.  First, he tried to reinvent himself as a romantic lead with a sensitive performance opposite Marisa Tomei in Untamed Heart.

Untamed Heart is a pretty ridiculous melodrama about a waitress who falls in love with a shy busboy with a heart defect.  It got mixed reviews.  Some critics cut it some slack for being sincere.  Audiences did not fall in love with the sappy romance.

Later that year, Slater starred opposite Patricia Arquette in Tony Scott’s crime thriller, True Romance.

True Romance was one of Quentin Tarantino’s early scripts.  Tarantino originally intended to direct True Romance himself, but ultimately sold the script instead.  Scott changed the script’s non-linear story structure and slapped on a happy ending.

The movie is quirky fun for those who enjoy Tarantino’s brand of crime stories and Scott’s slick direction.  It includes several celebrity cameos from the likes of Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt and Christopher Walken.

Despite positive reviews, True Romance was a box office failure.  But it built up a cult following over the years.

In 1994, Slater starred opposite Joe Pesci in the Hollywood crime comedy, Jimmy Hollywood.

Jimmy Hollywood was written and directed by Barry Levinson.  It had a premise similar to Get Shorty.  But unlike that film, Jimmy Hollywood was a flop.

Later that year, Slater had a small role in Neil Jordan’s big screen adaptation of Anne Rice’s best-selling novel, Interview With the Vampire. 

The movie was actually subtitled “The Vampire Chronicles” which is funny because they never really followed up on the promise of sequels.  Eventually, the third book in the series was adapted into Queen of the Damned.  But it had no real ties to Interview.

Slater played a human who lucks into an interview with Brad Pitt’s reflective vampire, Louis.  Slater inherited the role from his friend, River Phoenix.  Phoenix died of a drug overdose four weeks before filming was to begin.  Slater stepped in and donated his salary from the film to Phoenix’s favorite charities.

In 1994, Slater got into more legal trouble.  This time, he was arrested for trying to board a commercial plane with a gun in his luggage.  He was sentenced to community service.

In 1995, Slater co-starred opposite Kevin Bacon and Gary Oldman in the courtroom drama, Murder in the First.  It was another box office bomb.

In 1995, Slater tried romance once more opposite Mary Stuart Masterson in Bed of Roses.

Bed of Roses was a pretty forgettable romance.  I know I saw it because I was a pretty big fan of Masterson at the time.  But I can’t remember much about it.  Like Untamed Heart before it, Bed of Roses disappointed at the box office.

Later that year, Slater appeared opposite John Travolta in John Woo’s Broken Arrow.

Travolta was on a roll at the time and his showy performance as a villain made the film a modest hit.  Although it didn’t do so well in the US, it was a hit overseas.

In 1997, Slater got into the deepest legal trouble yet.  He was arrested again for attacking his girlfriend while he was high on cocaine.  Once again, he assaulted the arresting officer.  This time, Slater actually bit the officer on the stomach!  He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, of which he served 59.

In 1998, Slater starred opposite Morgan Freeman and Minnie Driver in the disaster film, Hard Rain.

Hard Rain was about a heist that goes awry during a rainstorm.  John Woo was originally attached to the project, but he backed off to direct Face/Off instead.  Reviews were mixed, but Hard Rain turned out to be one of the biggest flops of the year.

Slater could not promote Hard Rain because at the time of its release, he was doing hard time in jail.

Later that year, Slater appeared as part of the ensemble in Peter Berg’s black comedy, Very Bad Things.

The cast of Very Bad Things inluded Jon Favreau, Cameron Diaz, Jeremy Piven and Daniel Stern.  It was too dark for many.  Roger Ebert called it “a reprehensible movie”.  Despite the cast, it was another misfire at the box office.

In 2000, Slater had a supporting role in the political drama, The Contender.

Slater appeared opposite Gary Oldman, Joan Allen and Jeff Bridges in the story of a female vice presidential nominee.  The Contender got mixed to positive reviews but was flat at the box office.

In 2001, Slater reunited with his Robin Hood co-star, Kevin Costner, for the Elvis-themed heist movie, 3000 Miles to Graceland.

Once again, Costner was the star and Slater had a small supporting role.  But unlike Robin Hood, Graceland was not a hit.  Far from it.  Reviews were bad and the movie bombed at the box office.

In 2002, Slater finally reteamed with his Broken Arrow director, John Woo, after Woo backed out of Hard Rain.

This time, Slater co-starred with Nicolas Cage in the World War II drama, The Windtalkers.  The Windtalker’s release date was pushed back repeatedly.  When it was finally released, it got negative reviews and bombed at the box office.

That same year, Slater starred in a little-seen action movie, Hard Cash. 

Honestly, the only reason I am even mentioning Hard Cash is that it co-starred WTHH favorite, Val Kilmer.  I don’t pass up on opportunities to reference the Ice Man.  Especially when Slater’s career fall-out so neatly dovetails with that of the former Batman.

In 2003, Slater had another brush with the law.  But this time, he was the one being assaulted.  Slater and his wife got into a fight in a Las Vegas hotel rooms.  Slater’s wife, Ryan Haddon, reportedly threw a glass bottle which gashed Slater’s neck.  Haddon was arrested and Slater was taken to the emergency room for stitches.

Slater’s acting career was in a direct-to-video death spiral.  He hit what could only be considered rock bottom in 2005 with the video-game adaptation, Alone in the Dark.

Alone in the Dark was directed by the infamously awful, Uwe Boll.  Awful video game adaptations are what Boll has made his name on.  And Alone in the Dark is known as one of his lesser films. 

How bad is Alone in the Dark?  Tara Reid co-stars as the least believable scientist in movie history.

Meanwhile, Slater’s rocky marriage started coming apart.  Slater and Haddon separated.  Slater responded by drinking heavily.  He made headlines for falling off the roof of a party thrown by Paris Hilton. 

Slater was also arrested for allegedly grabbing a woman’s butt.  He was charged with third degree sexual abuse.  Slater was held by the police, but denied the charges.

In 2006, Slater appeared as part of an ensemble in the historical drama, Bobby.

Bobby was written and directed by Slater’s Young Guns2 co-star, Emilio Estevez.  The fictional retelling of the final hours of Bobby Kennedy keeps popping up in WTHH articles.  It co-stars Heather Graham, Helen Hunt, Demi Moore and Sharon Stone.  Plus a few other actors who are sure to be featured in future articles.

In 2006, Slater co-starred in a direct-to-video sequel to The Hollow Man.  No further commentary should be needed.

As a rule, I don’t generally cover voice work or direct-to-video movies in these articles.  For the last several years, that has been the bulk of Slater’s film work.  He has gotten a surprising amount of TV work considering that all of his shows have been canceled after one season.

In 2008, he starred in the aptly titled TV show, My Own Worst Enemy which lasted 9 episodes.  In 2009, he starred in The Forgotton which lasted 17 episodes.  It was, however, forgotton.  In 2011, he starred in Breaking In which failed to break into … aw screw it.  It got canceled too.  It lasted a personal best, 20 episodes.

In 2013, Slater returns to the big screen opposite Sylvester Stallone in Walter Hill’s action film, Bullet to the Head.

So, what the hell happened?  Slater’s fame definitely got the better of him.  He imploded personally and professionally before he really got a chance to establish himself as an A-list actor.  Hollywood will tolerate some of that kind of behavior.  But unlike Val Kilmer, Slater hadn’t made his Batman yet.  So when the arrests started piling up on each other, he was pretty disposable.

These days, Slater has managed to keep his nose clean.  And he’s been rewarded with several chances to reinvent himself as a TV star.  A comeback seems unlikely, but you never know. 

More “What the Hell Happened?”

Kim Basinger        Thora Birch     Matthew Broderick     Nicolas Cage     Chevy Chase     Kevin Costner        Geena Davis        Bridget Fonda        Brendan Fraser     Mel Gibson        Cuba Gooding Jr.     Heather Graham        Melanie Griffith     Steve Guttenberg        Daryl Hannah        Helen Hunt        Michael Keaton        Nicole Kidman     Val Kilmer        Jude Law       Jennifer Jason Leigh        Penelope Ann Miller        Demi Moore        Rick Moranis        Eddie Murphy        Mike Myers        Michelle Pfeiffer        Molly Ringwald     Meg Ryan        Winona Ryder       Arnold Schwarzenegger     Steven Seagal     Elisabeth Shue        Alicia Silverstone        Christian Slater        Mira Sorvino        Wesley Snipes        Sharon Stone        Mena Suvari        Uma Thurman     John Travolta        Kathleen Turner        Robin Williams     Debra Winger     Sean Young     Renee Zellweger

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – A New Jersey woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to causing a man’s death with an injection of silicone he hoped would enlarge his penis – a procedure experts cautioned doesn’t work.

The injector or is it the lion from The Wizard of Oz?

Kasia Rivera, 35, could face up to ten years in prison if convicted of reckless manslaughter in the death of 22-year-old Justin Street.

Street, a father of two, had gone to Rivera on May 5 seeking a penile enlargement procedure, which prosecutors say Rivera advertised for in fliers posted at local businesses. Rivera, who performed the procedures in her apartment, allegedly with no medical license or training, administered a silicone shot to Street’s penis, according to prosecutors.

Street died the next day. His death was ruled a homicide following an investigation and a medical examiner’s determination that he died of a silicone embolism. Rivera was indicted by a grand jury last month.

Investigators believe Rivera may have conducted similar unauthorized procedures out of her East Orange apartment, but prosecutors said a search for witnesses, and a public plea for people to step forward, had not yielded any other clients to date.

Rivera, who remains free on $75,000 bail, declined to comment through her court-appointed attorney Tuesday. Both Rivera and Street were from East Orange, and the case is being heard in Superior Court in neighboring Newark.

Dr. Daniel S. Elliott, an associate professor of urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said it was the first case he’d heard of involving a silicone injection to the penis, but he’s dealt with similar cases where patients had attempted to enlarge their penises with injections of fat or other substances.

None of it works, Elliott emphasized, adding that there is no medical justification for the procedure.

“If there were a legitimate method for penile lengthening, Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer would have bought it up and made billions and billions of dollars worldwide,” Elliott said. “The fact that they don’t means it does not exist.”

Enhancement procedures performed by unlicensed practitioners or people with no medical training are more commonly seen among women, Elliott said.

Liquid silicone is sought on the black market by women seeking to enhance their figures, even though it is not approved for cosmetic injections. Besides liquid silicone, injections of substances including paraffin, petroleum jelly and hydrogel have been illegally used to enlarge women’s breasts, hips and buttocks.

In February 2011, a woman from London died after receiving cosmetic injections to enlarge her buttocks at a hotel near Philadelphia International Airport. Philadelphia police said 20-year-old Claudia Aderotimi died after she and a friend arranged online to receive injections. Aderotimi died after complaining of chest pain and difficulty breathing following the procedure.

Although Elliott emphasized that he wasn’t familiar with the details of the New Jersey case, he said someone believing the substances used to enlarge lips or buttocks might have the same effect on the penis would be making a serious mistake. The penis is an extremely vascular organ, Elliott said, and anything injected into it goes directly into the blood stream and can result in a painful death.

“It’s a tragic, preventable mistake of vanity,” he said.

They sing so well, and I love and thank them to pieces for making such great music for my life.

They have a new album, #3. It came out at Sptember 10th. Being a massive Script fan, I couldn’t wait thirty seconds and was just going to buy it online, but then my mom persuaded me to buy the CD; I finally went over when she said she’d buy me the deluxe edition with two more new songs and the live performnces and the original copy of one song without the rapper dude rapping along with the band.

I waited two long days of torture. But after my long horrendoous wait, I’d finally got the album. I tried to download it on my computer, then my phone, but the stupid computer will only show up as “Unknown Album” or “Unknown Artist” or “Track 1″ as the titles. Don’t do this to me, computer. Do you know how much this thing cost and your giving that stupid message to me?

Angry at my stupid computer, I bring my moms at put it on i tunes and wait anothr four hours.

When my mom comes, however, she says she doesn’t know and blames me for using her computer too long. But, with my super intelligent and oversized brain, I find a way to convert the m4a files to mp3. Now I have the titles, album name and artist on my phone.Yay!!!!

For the next few days, I’ve been listening to that album on repeat.

I especially love the song, “Broken Arrow”. At the start, its just so sweet and lovely and sad all at the same time. I scream it out loud as well: “doo loo doo, doo loo doo, doo loo doo doo doo loo loo”, but it isn’t the same and it sounds if I’ve gone crazy or something.

There songs are really good. You should listen to it.

No, you MUST listen.

And fall in love with their amazing voices and instruments.

A husband pleasured his wife so passionately he broke his penis. Robert McClenahan, 38, was left writhing in agony after his mishap.

‘We were having sex and he missed and broke his willy,’ said his 32-year-old wife, Emma.

wood that has splintered

‘We turned on the light and it was bent.’

Mr. & Mrs Balsa Cock

The couple, from Colchester, Essex, went to hospital and Mr McClenahan ended up having surgery two days later.

‘He laughs about it now, but he didn’t at the time,’ said his wife.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/40887-honey-i-broke-my-penis#ixzz26RDfhL66

His sex life has gone down the drain… A Peruvian woman allegedly cut off her sleeping boyfriend’s penis, then tossed it into the toilet.

Julia Muñoz Huaman, 41, reportedly used a kitchen knife tocut off the penis of 46-year-old Ramon Arias Apaico before flushing the severed appendage, according to the Digital Journal. The two were staying at a hostel in Brena, Peru at the time.

Peruvian male who still has all his bits

Huaman attempted to leave the hostel, but was stopped by staff members, who contacted authorities after allegedly hearing Apaico’s cries of pain, La FM reports.

Police claim Muñoz confessed to the crime, saying she made the slice after learning Apaico had cheated on her, according to MSN.

‘You can have a bit of mine, I’ve enough for two’

Apaico was transported to a hospital in Lima, according to Peru 21. Arias remains partially intact, urologist Zarela Solis told the station, and is expected to remain in the hospital 10 days.

He will likely need psychological treatment for several months.