Wilson Post Blogs

Dear Ken: What’s the lowdown on Luke Evans, who stars as Detective Fields in “The Raven”?

The 33-year-old Welsh native came from a working-class background and labored in a shoe shop during his early teen years, using the money to pay for singing and acting lessons. It paid off well as he kept busy on London’s West End from 2000 to 2008 before making the jump to the silver screen as Apollo in “Clash of the Titans.” He’s been making movies since, including “Robin Hood,” “Tamara Drewe,” “The Three Musketeers” and “Immortals.” He stars later this year in the psychological horror film “No One Lives” and has taken the role of Bard the Bowman in director Peter Jackson’s two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.” As for “The Raven,” Evans partners with John Cusack, who portrays Edgar Allen Poe, as they seek a serial killer in mid-19th-century Baltimore. Filming took place in Budapest and Serbia.

While doing my Owl Prowl at Cedars of Lebanon State Park, Buddy Ingram asked me if I could come back the following Wednesday morning and take a group of kids from Trousdale County out to see some birds. Of course, I answered. Not everyone has an interest in just one subject. That’s why “Our Feathered Friends” has certain readers, as well as “Telling Tales” and our resident fisherman and hunter, John Sloan.

Bright and fairly early, I made my way to Cedars, looking forward to hiking up the concrete walkway past Hermit Cave in hopes of locating a few birds. The school buses had taken a wrong turn and were waiting up by the swimming pool when we discovered that they would be late. Buddy had planned on breaking the school bunch into groups of 17 which made four groups. The best time to find birds, especially during migration is first light in the early morning. It was almost 10:15 a.m. before we could get started, and the first thing they wanted to do was drink from the hose pipe down on the corner by the Nature Center. The birds were too quiet and there was nothing stirring except a Red-bellied Woodpecker. We looked all over the Jackson Cave area and then went out toward the Dixon Merritt ½-mile trail. Everything there was also muted till we took a short cut off the trail into the field next to where the Ranger's horses are stabled.

It was coming.

Smothering, roasting, oppressive heat and humidity. But not just yet.

Rose streaks just beginning to show in the east. It is cool now, less than 90 but not much. Birds are starting to lift off the rookery. I have no idea where they are going. The fish are probably sweating. I know I am and I am sure Alan Clemmons is, too. Alan use to do something with some major bass tournaments. Now he is an editor for a big, deer-hunting magazine. He knows how to fish, too. He takes it too seriously but that is his business. He fishes a lot with heavy jigs and crankbaits. That too, is his business. I’m just here to fish.

Titans Coach Mike Munchak has his work cut out for him.

If he pays any attention to what Cantor Gaming in Las Vegas (Where else?) has to say about the Titans, Munchak might as well get ready for a long, disappointing season.

They could scrap Organized Team Activities. Do away with training camp. Go through the motions during preseason games.

Why?

While most Titans fans are optimistic about the team being able to put in a full off-season of work, the folks at Cantor say the numbers don’t lie.

So, before the Titans break the first sweat as a team, Cantor has offered its predictions for the coming season.

By PATRICK HALL
The Wilson Post

After eight films together, director Tim Burton and star Johnny Depp seem to have perfected how to mesh their talents, but it’s too bad their latest venture, “Dark Shadows” is pretty underwhelming and features quite a few one-note characters.

“Shadows” is the story of Barnabas Collins, a wealthy man in Maine in the late 1700s (Maine became a state in 1820), whose family built the town of Collinsport from the ground up, literally.

After spurning a young woman Angelique, (Eva Green) who turned out to be a witch, Barnabas’s true love Josette (Bella Heathcote) is bewitched to walk off a cliff and Barnabas is cursed to live as a vampire, buried for centuries.

He awakes in 1972 Collinsport to find the remnants of his family a shut-in ruin and his old home in disarray. Barnabas must learn to cope with the 20^th century and defeat the witch Angelique to return his family to their former glory.

Dear Ken: Where have I seen the actress who played the kidnapped president’s daughter opposite Guy Pearce in “Lockout”?

That would be Maggie Grace, 28, a Worthington, Ohio, native, who co-starred in “Lost” as Shannon Rutherford and was Irina in “The Twilight Saga: Parts I and II.” Among her other films are “Taken,” “Knight and Day,” “The Jane Austen Book Club,” “The Fog” and “Malice in Wonderland.” Her TV movies include “Murder in Greenwich” and “Twelve Mile Road” and she was a guest on the TV shows “CSI: Miami,” “Cold Case,” “Oliver Beene” and Law & Order: SVU.” About her current flick, she says, “I like action movies, and like them to have a sort of self-conscious humor to them. And I really liked that our leading man has a sarcasm and wit about him, and he is kind of persnickety on the fly.”

Where did it go, the sun?

All week it has been sunny and beautiful, perfect for bear hunting and running baits and hanging stands. When we took the boat into Bear Lake fishing, it was sunny and 70. When we chopped the ATV trail through the brush, it was Sunny and 65. When we set the barrel and spread the grease, it was hot and the bears hit immediately and ravaged the bait site. I have never seen a bait site hit that hard, that quickly. When we hung the camera stand, it was fantastic and when Gary climbed into the stand it, it was perfect.

One of my favorite work friends, that I worked with at Hartmann Luggage, has been at the well known super store on South Cumberland Street for several years. Gloria Denney always gives me a hug, no matter how busy she is. Gloria works with Sandra Palfreeman, whose husband Bob sent me a great photo of a Red-bellied Woodpecker that really shows the red on the belly. I hope this will print good in the Wilson Post.

After some delicious turkey burgers cooked by our friend Angie Zurawski, Maggie Whiteaker and myself took off to the meeting spot for my Owl Prowl over by theDixon Merritt Nature Center. The hay ride minus the hay, gives me an unpleasant feeling everytime we load up on the wagon. I am not afraid of too many things, but the thought of getting a splinter stuck in my backside drives me wild. It happened to me once many years ago at one of the Wrestling Matches at the Nashville Fairgrounds where some lady asked me to scoot over so she could sit down. That was the last time for scooting for me. In about two hours, and sitting side saddle in the back of a pickup truck, I had to wake my mother and get her assistance to remove what seemed to be a 2X4 plank. Come on Buddy, I'm sure the park can afford some hay bales.

While my favorite places to shop are thrift stores, vintage clothing stores and goodwill, I love browsing the designer section of department stores. No, I’m not in the market for a $700 blouse. Not long ago I was in designer apparel when a new sales girl approached. The reason I know she was new is because most of the folks who work at this particular store know it’s a complete waste of time to try and sell me anything. Before I could say, “No. Not looking for anything specific. Just browsing” She started the pitch.

“Isn’t this classic? The lines are amazing. I could totally see you in this. Everyone needs to have 2 C’s in their closet.”

“It is beautiful. I keep my college transcripts in my closet so I have WAY more than 2 C’s.”

She looked at me like I was an idiot. I started to believe she was right. Sure there is no way I could afford this frock but she didn’t know that for a fact. I could be the big sale she’d been hoping for all week. Who’s to say I couldn’t buy it to prove a point then return it the next day… pending she’s off work. 

“I’m kidding. What were you saying about the dress? I do love it but not sure where I could wear it.”

“Are you kidding? You could wear this anywhere; a date with your husband, girl’s night out, wedding, work, church. The possibilities are endless.”

The Predators are dead in the frozen water. The Memphis Grizzlies joined the Preds Sunday by losing Game 7 to the Los Angeles Clippes in their first-round NBA playoff series.

The NFL draft has come and gone. Spring practices have concluded for college football programs. Future college basketball players have decided on which school they will grace with their talent.

In other words, it is a slow time of the season if you are a sports fan.

That often prompts a flurry of various lists compiled by sportswriters around the country.

The Sporting News has released its annual list that ranks all Division I college football coaches. It is highly subjective and one of two TSN writers who compile this list is Matt Hayes. I have known Matty for years. He delights in taking jabs at fan bases known for their thin skins.

For starters, Tennessee Coach Derek Dooley is considered the worst coach in the SEC, including the coaches from Missouri and Texas A&M, who have yet to stick their toes in the SEC pool.

By PATRICK HALL
The Wilson Post

I had to see “Marvel’s The Avengers” twice over the weekend, once to fully absorb all of its splendor and a second time trying to figure out how to objectively review what is the greatest comic book movie ever and also, the most fun I’ve had in a movie theater in years.

I’m a huge comic book nerd, so I’m not even going to pretend that I won’t slip into a bias on why “Avengers” was so good, but I’ll do my best here.

Of course, if you haven’t heard, the film puts our heroes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) against Thor’s conniving brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

Loki is out to obtain the “Tesseract” or “Cosmic Cube,” a source of unlimited power, and hopes to lead an army of aliens called the “Chitauri” to conquer Earth. The heroes must assemble to stop his machinations and learn to work together in the process.

The strength of “Avengers” was on the shoulders of its writer and director Joss Whedon, to manage the actors and top tier characters in such a way that is convincing and true to the great history they have.

Whedon succeeds with flying colors in dealing with the major characters Iron Man/Tony Stark, Thor, Captain America/Steve Rodgers and most splendidly Hulk/Bruce Banner.

I love shopping for bathing suits. I love it like a cat loves a bath, like a 2 year old loves naptime or like my husband loves complete strangers giving him hugs. The very process of finding that perfect suit is poetic. There are many things to consider before purchasing a piece of material so small even the larger ones would be considered indecent in some countries. There’s the print, the color, the amount of medication you will need to feel comfortable wearing that thing in public.

Not only does it cling, it’s tiny too. I’m not talking about just the bikini. Those became a thing of the past after having my first child. Since then my tummy has more closely resembled a deflated balloon with a sad face for a belly button. And this is why I opt for a one piece, but even those don’t hide the parts I think they should.

By RAY POPE

I made another run out in the country to my friend Haskell Evans for some more feathers, or Swallow enticements. These were more of the downy type feathers, which will make a good lining for their nest. Now I know who rules the roost. The male sat on the top of a second nesting box while the female was sticking half way out of the main box. I took a small feather and held it aloft then let it catch a breeze right in front of the birds. The male sat and watched as the female took off and caught the feather in just a second. She returned to the hole, but the feather kept her from getting a grip. She then circled and flew straight to the hole and this time she went into the hole to place the feather in just the right place. I did this several times and she would always catch it. The male never gave chase, and sat there as if to say, yes dear, wherever you place it will work for me. You da' boss!

Dear Ken: What has happened to Mayim Bialik, who starred in the 1990s sitcom “Blossom”?

Bialik, 36, who starred in that 1990-1995 TV series, also portrayed the young version of the Bette Midler character in the 1989 movie “Beaches.” She has since earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience, specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder in adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome, and returned to television as Amy Farrah Fowler in “The Big Bang Theory.” She recently appeared with Joey Lawrence in Old Navy TV commercial. The mother of two sons, 6 and 3, serves as the spokesperson for the Holistic Moms Network and just released a book, “Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way.” “We need to live in a culture where people can be strong and be mothers! When a culture is so driven toward convenience, towards beauty, towards vanity, towards Me Time, towards martinis with your girlfriends. Who wouldn‘t feel like, ’Where did my life go and why am I changing diapers all day?’ When our culture doesn’t value it, we don’t,” says Bialik.

By JOHN L. SLOAN
They had many names when I was growing up. We called them specs, short for speckled perch. Bream perch and chinquapins and shell crackers were bluegill in some areas. The names just varied depending on what variety of perch we were catching. What I am referring to are fish we call crappie and bluegills here. Over most of the South, they are just referred to as perch.

Now you talk about fun to catch, mister, I mean to tell you they are. Dave Thornhill called me a few days ago and the talk reminded me of how much fun I use to have catching bluegill on Center Hill. The method I used was dissimilar to the way he catches bluegill.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees joined the thousands who showed up to mourn and honor the life of Junior Seau with a paddle out on surfboards in the ocean in front of Seau’s Oceanside home.

They chanted Seau’s number, the 55 that was on his jersey throughout his 20 years with the Chargers, Dolphins and Patroits.

Seau died in his house after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest. Two days earlier he had played in a charity golf tournament where he was the jovial, accommodating Junior Seau fans instantly connected with and loved.

The family is growing close to making a decision that would allow researchers at Boston University’s School of Medicine to study the impact that multiple concussions have on NFL players’ brains.

Seau is the third former NFL player to commit suicide in recent years. Researchers suspect a link between concussions and depression and dementia/Alzheimer’s disease.

By RAY POPE 

It’s always nice to run into old friends from the Elsie Quarterman Glade Festival, formally known as the Wildflower Pilgramage. This was my 38th year of doing programs on birds and owls. Many of the people who worked on the first one are still active.

My friend Ron Zurawski, who is the State Geologist, has been to all of the geology programs but one, and that was when his wife Angie gave birth to their daughter Melody Zurawski. Melody is going to college in Utah, and I really miss her coming to my Owl Prowl. While having dinner with the Zurawski's, Melody called and asked me if I would give her an Owl hoot for old time’s sake, which I was happy to do.

Dear Ken: What can you tell us about Henry Cavill, who will be the next Superman on film?

Cavill, who turns 29 May 5, will play Clark Kent/Superman in “Man of Steel,” set for release in June 2013. He is one of five sons born to a secretary and stockbroker on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands between England and France. He starred as Charles Brandon on the TV series “The Tudors” from 2007 to 2010 and made his film debut in 2002’s “The Count of Monte Cristo.” Other movie credits include “Red Riding Hood,” “Hellraiser: Hellworld,” “Tristan & Isolde,” “Blood Creek,” “Immortals” and he will be in “The Cold Light of Day” this fall. Cavill was dubbed “the most unlucky man in Hollywood” after he supposedly lost the roles of Batman, an earlier Superman project, James Bond and the part of Edward in “Twilight,” plus his fans pushed him heavily for the role of Cedric Diggory in one of the “Harry Potter” films. For a fellow with such near-misses, he appears to be doing fine. He is engaged to British equestrian show jumper Ellen Whitaker.

By JOHN L. SLOAN
A few  weeks ago, I was asked to write another column of nostalgic fiction. The person commented on how much “Sharp as a Memory”, jogged his memory. It has taken until this week to get the story “sitiated” in my head and transmitted to my fingers. This is partially fiction, partially fact. You may decide which is which.

Now we will see what the Nashville Predators are made of.

They find themselves on the short end of a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven series with Phoenix.

Losing the first two games of the series wasn’t easy for the Preds. They just made it look that way.

They managed to lose the first game in overtime after outplaying the Coyotes all over the stat sheet. In a must-win Game 2, the Preds left their defense at the team hotel as they allowed Phoenix to score five goals in a series in which hockey analysts predicted would be a low-scoring affair due to outstanding credentials of both teams’ goalies.