Big Action!

Ethel, Ida, Beatrice, Lisa

This chart @ NameTrends demonstrates the historic popularity of the name Lisa.  Prior to the 50s it was nonexistent; right now less than .25% of 1000 girls are blessed with given that name.  I'm pretty sure that means young people are going to snicker at my name when I'm old.

Mayrav and Brill don't chart; John, Chris, Eric and Steve are about where you'd think.  Rick, oddly enough, is not that popular a name in the larger scheme of things...but Richard is, you know, kinda up there.  Lyn(n) and Leslie actually started out as men's names - go figure! - but are obvs more popular for the girlfolk these days. 

And, in other news (as Glenn and Mayrav could surely tell us), apparently every child on the playground is named Addison, Madison, Sophia, Emma, Jacob, Joshua, Daniel or Ethan.

Oh, those wacky Gaslins...

First, Glenn gets the whole celeb-loving community in a tizzy with his ode to the bits of Angelina Jolie. Sample comment:

Yes, why are you worshoping her?? Even, Jon Bon Jovi wouldn't as he said it "if Angelina Jolie walked in I wouldn't trade (meaning his current and only wife)" And in my opinion he makes Pitt look like the pitts

This is why democracy doesn't work, people.

Next, Mayrav is apparently the subject of her own sex-tape rumor. With Verne Troyer. That's right, Mini-Me. We're told it's not true, but ... yeah, I'm gonna hurl anyway.

All those priggish bluenoses were right: the Internet is nothing but filth.

Good Charlotte

After two sad exits, a crappy summer TV season, and the cost of gas rising to a kidney and your firstborn, it's time for some really good news.

Bill Heisel and Jennifer Heiger have a new baby girl, Charlotte Ray. 8 pounds, 8 ounces, 20 inches long. Born 6/16/08. As anyone who knows the parents will attest, this is great for everyone, not just them. For anyone else, you'll have to believe me, Bill and Jennifer are the kind of people you want more of in the world.

Shotgun Honeymoon LIVE

Breaking my self-imposed blogging ban once again, this time for a better cause than shameless self-promotion.

Rob Whalen (hubby of everyone's favorite ex-B!tchling and all-around gal Friday Gretta Parkinson) is at the House of Blues tonight with Shotgun Honeymoon. Print the flyer, bring it to the door, and you get half off the cover. They are filming this performance, so the more bodies the better. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.

(No, I won't be there. I have a newborn, and besides, as I was reminded yesterday, I am an old, old man. You kids have fun.)

Pimpage

The portion of us BA!ers who work at Zap2it are pleased as punch to have former B!tchling Korbi Ghosh on our team now.

She's writing a blog called Korbi TV, and it's full of interviewy and spoilery sorts of things that the kids (and the marginal grownups with thinning hair) like so much. Three days in, there's already stuff about The Office and Big Love and Gossip Girl (lots and lots of stuff about Gossip Girl, in fact).

Enjoy.

(Oh, and on a completely unrelated note: Nov. 15, Richmond. Bears. Y'all should come.)

Meet Ralexander, the most excellent embryo you have ever seen

Meet my new niece, or nephew.* It's too early to tell. Because he or she's only five weeks along. My brother called me at a brutal hour this morning to tell me that there is a new blastocyst in the family, or embryo, or zygote, or proto-fetus, or swimmy baby fish, or whatever stage a human is at five weeks.

My new -- and first -- niece or nephew is coming Jan. 3 or thereabouts. Let me get to the main point: (S)he is already a WORLD CLASS swimmy proto-baby-thing.

If a boy, he will be Alexander. She will be Rachel otherwise. As of this morning, Ralexander is, to me, already swimmier and googlier and more fascinating than nearly anyone else in the United States, and possibly the entire continent of North America. I need to, like, clarify the exact size of the land mass, first thing tomorrow. I'll get back to you with the specifics.

* Dramatization. Actual Gornstein embryo image not available at press time.

As Cute Overload might put it ...

OH MAH GOD WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT BEBEH. GIVE ME THAT BEBEH.

kthxbai!

ba-ba-BAH

Caroline.

Caroline.

Caroline.

Like it.

(Not sure what North Dakota's No. 1 vacation spot has to do with it).

Making New Friends

I just noticed that BA! is now included in the blogroll of Lynn Harris, AKA Breakup Girl. She dispenses advice and justice in comic format over there (along with co-creator Chris Kalb), so go check it out.

And many thanks to you, Lynn and Chris, for spreading the Action-y love.

Meet Joey. He Likes American Girls.

This guy reads Speed Street magazine. This guy loves his Scion. This guy has strong opinions on dolphins and Australian girls and, hey, now that I think about it, looks an awful lot like Kevin F. Sherry...