Linkfest - RIP Dick Clark

Dick Clark Dead at 82
The legendary TV entertainer Dick Clark died today of a heart attack at the age of 82. Dick Clark was probably known to most as the host of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve. For me, he became part of my weekly television rituals as host of TVs Bloopers & Practical Jokes and various versions of Pyramid. He also hosted American Bandstand for nearly three decades. It is his good humor, goof feelings hosting style that became the norm for television and emulated today by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Ryan Seacrest. His last television performance was New Year's 2011. I watched him for most of my life every New Year’s Eve. This year's New Year celebration will just not be the same without him.

Final Flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery
Hit the link before for a video of the final flight of Discovery as it was given a bit of the red carpet treatment by being allowed to fly low in Washington, DC as it heads to its final resting place at the Smithsonian. Normally the airspace in DC is restricted to pretty much all flights but the President so brief change was a kind of way for the nation to tip its hat for 30 years of service and the end of the current shuttle missions and really the space program for the foreseeable future.

The Avengers B-Roll and Footage
Hit the link for two videos around the upcoming Avengers movie. The first video is 20 minutes of B-roll which is madly edited footage that shows filming on the set but really doesn't provide the usual (mostly useless) commentary that comes with it. The second video is a minute long trailer for the movie.

Republicans Block Buffett Rule
Once again Republicans prove who their real masters are buy blocking the Buffet Rule that would have closed multiple tax loopholes that only the wealthy get the enjoy. While the rule would not have fixed many our nation's problems, it could have helped considering it would raise an estimated $4.7 billion per year in additional revenue. However the GOP has only one master and that is the rich. While they make noise pretending to care about others, I just remind you that the only time they put their foot down is when it negatively impacts the wealthy. Everyone else is only good for the votes that keep them in office but the GOP has never and will never care about the other 99% of the country.

Frasier's Celebrity Callers
Below is a montage of the many famous people that called into the Frasier radio "show".