The Art of M&M's

A prison artist in California who uses the dye from M&M’s for paint has been disciplined for what a prison official yesterday called “unauthorized business dealings” in the sale of his paintings. The prison has also barred the prisoner, Donny Johnson, from sending his paintings through the mail.

Mr. Johnson’s work has been on display for the last several weeks at a gallery in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Twenty of his paintings have been sold, for $500 each.

Mr. Johnson had donated the paintings to the Pelican Bay Prison Project, a charity which says it will honor Mr. Johnson’s wish that it use the proceeds from the show to help the children of prisoners.

Mr. Johnson, who is 46, is serving three life sentences. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 1980 for a drug-related killing, drawing a sentence of 15 years to life. In 1989, he was convicted of slashing the throat of one guard and assaulting another. Those crimes resulted in two additional sentences of nine years to life.

He has been in solitary confinement in a small concrete cell for almost two decades. He paints with a brush he created with plastic wrap, foil and his own hair. He makes paint by leaching the colors from M&M’s in little plastic containers that once held packets of grape jelly. His canvases are postcards.

from an article by Adam Liptak appearing August 4, 2006 in The New York Times

Still Chasing After the Clipper

Can anyone ever touch Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, what some believe to be the greatest baseball feat of all time?

Chase Utley is the latest to try. Philadelphia's All-Star second baseman has now hit safely in 34 games.

Only Pete Rose has broken 40--he hit in 44 consecutive games in 1978. Paul Molitor hit in 39 straight games in 1987.

Carlos Delgado of the Mets said . .

"There are so many obstacles. One day you're facing a guy throwing 95, then 85 (miles per hour). Then they bring in a lefty, and then a sidearmer. There are so many outside elements, and that's what makes doing it day after day so impressive."

Not to mention the pressure of being compared to the great Yankee Clipper.

from a column by Murray Chass appearing August 4, 2006 in The New York Times

On His Broad Shoulders

Brad Gilbert, owner of a mediocre professional tennis career, has been called upon to revive the flagging spirits of British tennis.

Gilbert's best performance at a Grand Slam tournament was at the 1987 U.S. Open, where he reached the quarter-finals. Since retiring as a player, though, he has made quite a name for himself as a coach.

Coach to Andre Agassi for eight years from 1994 to 2002, during which Agassi won six Grand Slam singles titles, he shared in the most successful coach-player partnership in the Open era--along side Tony Roche's period as coach of Ivan Lendl. Agassi described Gilbert as "the greatest coach of all time" as a result of the pair's highly successful relationship.

On 26 July 2006, Gilbert was announced as taking over the coaching duties of Scottish teenage sensation Andy Murray through the auspices of the Lawn Tennis Association.

Could this be the beginning of England's return to top form in world tennis?

Dog Mauls Elvis Teddy Bear

LONDON -- At a tourist attraction called Wookey Hole Caves in western England, Barney, a Doberman pinscher guard dog, briefly went berserk, running amok among a collection of teddy bears, including a 1909 German Steiff bear called Mabel reputed to have belonged to Elvis Presley.

A spokesman said . .

"It's a bit ironic, really. A German dog destroying a German bear."

from an article by Alan Cowell appearing in The New York Times August 4, 2006

Well, Hello Castro

MIAMI, Florida -- Recent, sizable discoveries of oil in the North Cuba Basin--deep-water fields that have drawn the interest of companies from China, India, Norway, Spain, Canada, Venezuela, and Brazil--may finally force the U.S. to shelve its economic embargo of Cuba.

Since the discovery of quality oil in Cuban waters in 2004, the country divided the area into 59 exploration blocks. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates they contain up to 9.3 billion barrels of oil and 21.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Exploration blocks have already been leased by Canadian and Spanish companies, while Venezuela has put $100 million into pipeline upgrades across Cuba.

from an Associated Press article appearing July 30, 2006

They've Already Got ID

Since 1871 Mexico has been issuing 'matricula consular' cards to nationals residing in the United States. About 40 banks and 250 police departments around the country accept the document as a valid form of identification.

The Mexican government works very hard to make the I.D. counterfeit-proof. It has 17 visible and invisible security features.

phony Mexican identification card

from an article by Juan Antonio Lizama appearing in the Richmond Times-Dispatch July 30, 2006

It's On the Church

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida -- Michael J. Fay, the former pastor of St. John Roman Catholic Church in Darien, Connecticut, is under investigation for using church money to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself and his boyfriend.

Fay is accused of misspending $200,000 in parish funds, using the parish American Express card to charge personal items.

According to Broward County, Florida property records, Fay owns a condo with a Clifford Fantini at the Vue, an oceanfront complex with units selling for between $400,000 and $1,000,000. Records show Fay and Fantini paid $449,100 for theirs.

from an article by Phil LaPadula appearing in The Washington Blade, July 28, 2006