Jeff Long's Panthan Press presents
www.panthanpress.com
Dateline Jasoom Podcast Episode 22
From Windycon, a discussion of early science fiction pulps by Robert Weinberg and Jack McDevitt. Also: The Yodel Song. Props to the Podsafe Music Network. 

---

Panthan Press' Dateline Jasoom Ep. 21  Mike Resnick Interview recalling days with ERB-dom and
memories of Doc Smith, Jack Williamson, Isaac Asimov and others as well as his many trips to Africa

---

HOLLAND MEETS ERB website! Update
www.hollandmeetserb.nl
Is a Website created by Ron de Laat where you can find material concerning Edgar Rice Burroughs which was produced for the Dutch market:
The site has ongoing reports about the Dutch version of the Tarzan Musical: This week the five new Dutch Tarzan actors were presented on a show called De wereld draait door (The world keeps on turning) The feature started with clips from the Tarzan the Apeman movie 1932. (When Webmaster Ron de Laat couldn't get a copy of the movie to them in time the producers were forced to track down the film in a local DVD shop. Several clips from the movie were shown (also the leopard fight with the stuntman Bruggeman). See:
http://omroep.vara.nl/

---

Another Friday in the Jungle
CBR.cc ~ Posted by Greg Hatcher ~ November 24, 2006
There’s just no way I can cover the whole sub-genre of Tarzan knockoffs and jungle-adventure comics in a single column. . . . To start with, let’s talk a little bit about where the feral-human idea began. This is a notion that you can trace back to Romulus and Remus, if you want to get all purist college-lit professorial about it. There are lots of fine books on the subject and even several websites. . . . The odd thing is, Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book not only came before Burroughs’ Tarzan of the Apes, but it is generally better-written, more highly regarded by scholars and historians, and it only beat the ape-man to print by a couple of decades. But in terms of fame, it was Tarzan that scored big. All the loincloth-clad folks you’ll see in this column are generally known as Tarzan rip-offs, not Mowgli ones. It could be that Kipling is seen as a bit too lit’ry for readers just wanting some hardcore jungle action, or it could be that Kipling’s Mowgli is usually marketed to kids — despite, again, Kipling’s books being far more adult in theme than anything Edgar Rice Burroughs ever did. . . . for all intents and purposes, really, the guy that started the rock rolling down the hill for the massive success of jungle-adventure pulps and comics was Tarzan. He remains the template. You really have to do the research to get an idea of the STAGGERING number of noble savages that swarmed the pulp magazine racks and later, the comics racks, in the wake of Tarzan. And they were there for decades. The GCD lists some 69 books with “jungle” in the title alone. . . . The most obvious Tarzan knockoff is the official one. Korak, Son of Tarzan. Burroughs never did much with him in the books; Korak gets to star in one novel and he has a cameo in one or two of the others. . . .  More>>>

Coke unveils Conran Christmas Ad
November 13, 2006
For some the Christmas season begins with the annual Coca Cola festive ad campaign, which can be seen here first. Coca Cola's 2006 Christmas TV advert launches in the UK on 24 November and features a digitally-enhanced Father Christmas.  The advert called "The Greatest Gift" features the life of a girl who is gifted a bottle and is directed by Hollywood filmmaker, Kerry Conran, who is repped by Looking Glass Films in Los Angeles. The ad follows a young girl who meets Father Christmas who gives her a small bottle of Coke wrapped in a red bow. Santa repeats his visit at key points throughout her life as the years pass from the 1930s to the present day. 
Cathryn Sleight, marketing director of Coca-Cola Great Britain, said: “Consumers tell us that Coca-Cola advertising signifies the beginning of Christmas for them so we wanted to create an ad that captured the spirit of Christmas and the optimism that embodies this special time of year. The creative behind ‘the greatest gift’ execution also shows the authentic pleasure behind giving and to demonstrate that choosing to give instead of receive is to live on the positive, optimistic side of life.” 

Conran's last production was "Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow." He was also in line to direct Paramount's stalled "John Carter of Mars" production, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' first novel, the SciFi classic, "A Princess of Mars." 
See a clip of the new Coca-Cola Santa Ad HERE

---

The Coca-Cola Santa Returns
The Hillmans, who have featured a Bring Back Santa petition on their Coca-Cola Santa page, 
http://www.hillmanweb.com/xmas/xmascoke.html
have just received word from a Coke rep in Atlanta that the company have brought back their traditional Coca-Cola Santa ads.

---

Tarzan Cast Performs on 'The View,' November 14
BroadwayWorld.com ~ November 13, 2006
Tarzan, The Broadway Musical, will be featured on ABC’s “The View” on November 14th.  Host Rosie O’Donnell will join star Chester Gregory II and the cast of Tarzan for a performance of the song “Trashin’ the Camp.”  Tarzan fans will remember that O’Donnell played the role of “Terk” in the Disney animated film Tarzan.  Gregory plays “Terk” in the Broadway production of Tarzan. Tarzan celebrated its 200th performance on Broadway on Wednesday, November 1st. In addition to performances Wednesday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM and Thursday at 8:00PM, Tarzan plays five weekend performances:  Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, and Sunday at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM.

---

Tarzan, The Ape Man Film Trivia
* Clark Gable was widely considered for the role of Tarzan in the 1932 Tarzan, the Ape Man, but was deemed too unknown and the role went to Johnny Weissmuller.
* Tarzan, the Ape Man was filmed three times:
   1932 (Johnny Weissmuller)
   1959 (Denny Miller)
   1981 (Miles O'Keefe)
* This is the first Tarzan film to star Weissmuller, O'Sullivan and Cheetah.
* The character of Cheetah was created for this film. He did not appear in the Edgar Rice Burroughs books.
* Jane's maiden name was changed from Porter to Parker in the film.
* At no point in this, or any other Tarzan movie, is the line "Me Tarzan, you Jane" spoken.
* The film used considerable stock footage from Trader Horn (1931) also directed by W.S. Van Dyke.
* The word Umgawa was the invention of MGM screenwriter Cyril Hume. 
* The all-purpose command "Ungawa," could mean "good," "up," "down," "stop" or "go."
For More Tarzan, The Ape Man Trivia see ERBzine Silver Screen 0611

---

Tarzan-style adventure awaits in France
For those who have always longed to swing amongst the trees and play with the monkeys, the Arbre et Adventure park on the Cote Picardie will be a dream come true. Only opened recently, the Arbre et Adventure (Trees and Adventure) offers visitors the chance to see one of France's most beautiful forests from above. Footbridges and platforms suspended up to 15 metres above the forest floor allow one to swing from tree to tree exactly like Tarzan himself – of course proper safety training is provided by expert instructors before one is allowed to set foot in the park. More>>>

---

Expectations beyond Earth
DelawareOnLine.com ~ November 10, 2006
“Canals were thought to be seen on Mars just after the Suez Canal opened, and Lowell was seeing canals being built throughout the Southwest (he worked in Flagstaff, Ariz.) as it was happening then,” Only a few years after Lowell argued his point, H.G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds” appeared, with its fantastic notion that Martians, living in a world that had dried up, were desperate for water and thus turned their rheumy eyes toward Earth.

Then came those 11 books by Edgar Rice Burroughs (the author of “Tarzan”) about life on Mars – which he called Barsoom. Both Wells and Burroughs were writing blatant science fiction, of course. That would be only slightly interesting if it wasn’t for the fact that Sagan sometimes referred to Mars as Barsoom

---

Grammy Soundchecks Launches at Tarzan
BroadwayWorld.com ~ November 10, 2006
On November 3rd, Tarzan composer/lyricist Phil Collins, as well as stars Josh Strickland and Jenn Gambatese, appeared at the Grammy Soundchecks national program launch at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where the hit Disney musical plays. . . . this Grammy Foundation program hosts its first-ever Broadway event, which will offer students from the New York City area the unique opportunity to experience a special rehearsal with Phil Collins, composer and lyricist for the hit Broadway musical Tarzan," according to notes.  The SoundCheck wasfollowed by an interactive and candid question-and-answer discussion. Throughout the year, Verizon is sponsoring a series of Grammy SoundChecks with a wide range of artists on tour in cities across the country. More>>>

---

Genesis Reuniting With Phil Collins For Tour
Billboard.com ~ November 03, 2006
Mega-selling pop trio Genesis is reuniting with Phil Collins for its first tour with him since the summer of 1992. An official announcement will be made Monday (Nov. 7) in London. Genesis hasn't toured since 1998, during which Ray Wilson replaced Collins on lead vocals alongside principal members Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. More>>>

---

Writer Chuck Pogue gets his acting together again
Lexington Herald-Leader ~ Oct. 22, 2006
The last time Charles Edward Pogue was on stage as an actor, his leading lady in The Underpants, the latest production from Actors Guild of Lexington, hadn't been born. Pogue's acting career took a bit of a detour. But considering that road involved writing the screenplays for The Fly, D.O.A., Dragonheart and several other theatrical and television films, Pogue clearly had some other things to do. The posters for those three films hang in the basement office of the Georgetown home, where he and his wife, Julianne, have lived since last year. He points out that as an established writer, he has the contacts he needs and can write from anywhere, thanks to technology. Pogue was born in Cincinnati, raised in Fort Thomas and went to the University of Kentucky. At UK he was drawn into the theater by Julianne, who cast him in one of her student productions. "He was kind of a geek," says Lexington actor Roger Leasor, who formed an enduring friendship with Pogue at UK. "Not in that he wore glasses or stuff like that, but he was very bookish. He knew everything about Edgar Rice Burroughs and Sherlock Holmes. Books were what he was all about." Pogue says he's maintained a fascination with Holmes, Tarzan and the like because "that's what I grew up reading." The last time Pogue acted was in 1981, with Charlton Heston and Jeremy Brett in a Los Angeles production of the Sherlock Holmes mystery Crucifier of Blood. "It's good to get out and use those muscles again," Pogue says. "I enjoy the process. I like going out and doing it every night." More>>>

---

Brief Encounter with Disney Tarzan Producer, Thomas Schumacher
Playbill.com ~ September 19, 2006
Playbill.com: What's the marketing plan for Tarzan since the reviews weren't terrific?
TS: If you're in the theatre and you watch the show, you're having a great time, and that audience is having a fantastic time. Reviews, historically for us, have not been the indicator of whether a show is going to do well or not. . . .  The advantage I have with Tarzan is that there is a connection with the audience, the advance has been very strong, and it has not substantially eroded, which is great. . . . I have a better advance going forward to the end of year on Tarzan than for any of our other shows, other than Mary Poppins.  We've shot a commercial that ties into radio, which ties into print [plus an] enormous number of group things. Group scores are really high; groups are a big part of our business.
Playbill.com: Are there any plans for a tour of Tarzan?
TS: We're actually casting today for the [next] production. I'm going to do sit-downs, so the next one opens in Amsterdam. . . . I have to finish final casting in four weeks in Amsterdam. . . . We open Amsterdam, then we open Germany, and then I'm hoping for one more country. More>>>
www.ERBzine.com/disney

Stars Visit Holland to Launch Tarzan, The Musical
TarzanOnBroadway.com ~ October 13, 2006
Tarzan’s Broadway stars Josh Strickland (Tarzan), Jenn Gambatese (Jane) and Chester Gregory (Terk) paid a visit to Amsterdam last week to help introduce Tarzan in Holland.  The actors performed songs from Tarzan at a presentation hosted by Disney Theatrical Productions’ President Thomas Schumacher, who noted the great success of Disney Theatrical’s long relationship with Joop van den Ende and Stage Entertainment.

Stage Entertainment's production of Tarzan will open at Holland's Circustheatreon April 15, 2007 -- less than twelve months following the show's opening on Broadway. Tarzan opened on Broadway on May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre where it has set a new box office record. A third production is expected to follow in Germany in 2008. In addition, members of the Tarzan creative team from both New York and London were in Amsterdam this past week to continue auditions for the Disney Theatrical Productions and Stage Entertainment production of Tarzan. The casting process is underway in Holland, with casting decisions to be announced in the coming months.

When Tarzan opens in April, the 100-year old Circustheatre will hold the unique distinction of being the only venue in the world to host productions of all of Disney's Broadway productions to date --Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida played for eighteen months from October 2001 to April 2003 and was followed by The Lion King's record-smashing 28-month engagement. Stage Entertainment's Dutch-language tour of Beauty and the Beast is currently playing there through the end of the year.

---

Related to our ongoing news items on the Tarzan in Holland stage production:
Highlights of a recent letter to Danton Burroughs
from Dusty Bennett of Disney Theatrical Productions, Broadway, NY:
The summer has brought many triumphs for our beloved Tarzan. We broke the Richard Rodgers Theatre box office record in July and then went on to break our own record two more times throughout the course of the summer. We now are preparing for our holiday marketing campaign where we will launch our new television commercial.

We hired a fantastic director, Gregor Nicholas, from New Zealand to direct the commercial. Prior to our commercial Gregor had directed commercials for many well known companies such as Nike. You will find that the piece is athletic, handsome, and sharp.

Other efforts of interest include Weekend TODAY on NBC airing a new piece on the show that highlighted Phil's participation and work. The Laughing Place Magazine also featured the show on their cover in addition to a fantastic article. 

Plans are still being made for the Holland and German productions of Tarzan as well. Tom will be travelling to Amsterdam in October to promote the show and introduce it to their market. Rehearsal for Amsterdam will begin in January of 2007 with an opening set for April 15th -- just shy of our one year anniversary on Broadway. 

Read the entire letter at the ERBzine.com/disney site.

---

Maureen O’Sullivan: No Average Jane by David Fury
(Artist’s Press 2006, 450 pages, 100+ photos, $40)
The first full-length biography of the beloved Irish actress Maureen O’Sullivan will be published this fall by author David Fury, who has also written biographies of Burt Lancaster, Chuck Connors, and Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen’s jungle mate in six Tarzan pictures.

Her life became a storybook tale when she was chosen to co-star with Johnny Weissmuller in a series of Tarzan pictures, including Tarzan, the Ape Man (1932), the classic Tarzan and His Mate (1934), and four more jungle adventures. Maureen loved acting and never retired. She was still plying her trade as an octogenarian when her fellow actresses of the 1930s were long gone from the scene. In later years she accepted her legacy as Jane to Weissmuller’s Tarzan, but in this biography you will discover that she was "No Average Jane." (Ship date: On or about December 10, 2006)
More info: www.ArtistsPress.com ~ www.ERBzine.com/swag ~ www.Tarzan.com/emporium

---

African adventure fulfills a lifelong dream
Dallas Morning News ~ October 19, 2006
Making this fantasy hunt come true wasn't cheap, but I couldn't pass up the game of a lifetime 
SELOUS WILDLIFE REFUGE, Tanzania – For 50 years, I've dreamed of Africa. It's the Dark Continent, the Cradle of Mankind. I grew up reading Edgar Rice Burroughs' fanciful tales of an English lord raised by wild apes, then shifted gears to Hemingway, Robert Ruark and, eventually, Peter Capstick. I read every story that I saw about hunting the Big Five – elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo. For the last 20 years, I've watched from the opposite side of the planet while politics and an exploding human population threatened the Garden of Eden. Wild Africa is gone, I thought. At least that's the logic I used to rationalize why a middle-class guy with a hankering to hunt would never visit the greatest hunting continent in modern history. Then Jack Brittingham called and made me and my Austin friend, Mike Leggett, an offer neither of us could refuse. More>>>

---

Robots Staff Automated Restaurants
LiveScience.com ~ October 18, 2006
In his 1912 story A Princess of Mars, early science fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs dreamed about automated restaurants: 
"Kantos Kan led me to one of these gorgeous eating places where we were served entirely by mechanical apparatus. No hand touched the food from the time it entered the building in its raw state until it emerged hot and delicious upon the tables before the guests, in response to the touching of tiny buttons to indicate their desires."
In the past week, three important steps have been taken to take automated restaurants out of the realm of culinary fiction straight into culinary fact. Let's start with ordering your food. The Bytes restaurant in Canterbury, England is a sit-down restaurant where you order when you are ready—on touchscreen panels. How about food preparation? That will be handled by AIC-AI Cookingrobot, a robotic chef announced by Fanxing Science and Technology Co. Ltd in Shenzhen, China. Cookingrobot is able to cook delicious Chinese cuisine. Sichuan, Shandong and Canton cuisines are all programmed and ready to eat. According to the developers, this robot will be ready for home use by 2007. Finally, there is the matter of bringing food to the table. This can be handled by the new Robo Waiter 1 from Hong Kong's Cyber Robotics Technology. Robo Waiter 1 can also serve as the maitre d', leading guests to their tables. Edgar Rice Burroughs would approve.  More>>>

---

Another Stalin / Edgar Rice Burroughs Connection:
Stalin: The Court Of The Red Czar by Simon Sebag Montefiori (p. 75 pb.)
"When the Georgian Party appealed to Moscow, Stalin and Sergo supported Lakoba.  Slim and dapper, with twinkling eyes, black hair brushed back, and a hearing aid because he was partially deaf, this player strolled the streets and cafes of his little realm, like a troubador.  As the maitre d' of the elite holiday resorts, he knew everyone and was always building Stalin new homes and arranging bouquets for him- just as he is portrayed in Fasil Iskander's Abkhazian novel, Sandro of Chegem.  Stalin regarded him as a true ally:  'Me Koba,' he joked, 'you Lakoba'"

If Montefiori is right this quote would have come from the period 1932-34.  Koba was a code name of Stalin's. 
So, it's quite clear that Stalin was onto the MGM Tarzan quite early.
It is reasonable to assume that he viewed the new releases shortly after release. (Submitted by R.E. Prindle)

---

It's end of the road for the popular drive-through park 
Paradise's exotic animals up for auction
St. Louis Post-Dispatch ~ October 13, 2006
This renowned drive-through animal park on 500 rolling, tree-studded acres outside Springfield, Mo., was home to all kinds of monkeys, rare birds, tigers, llamas and zebras for 35 years. The descendants of rhesus monkeys that starred in 1930s Tarzan films roamed the land. Visitors fed animals from their car windows. It felt like a place from a different era - an increasingly bygone era of "animal theme parks," said the park's owner. Two weeks ago, Exotic Animal Paradise closed. According to regulators, this place was no paradise for animals. Now the 450 animals must go. More>>>

---

Tarzan in Hong Kong Disneyland
Market Day ~ October 8, 2006
On September 12, 2005, the newest member of the Disneyland family of theme parks and resorts opened to the public. Hong Kong Disneyland is located on the island of Lantau, positioned to look out over Penny's Bay and the Chinese Sea. Started as a joint operation between The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong SAR government, Hong Kong Disneyland brings the magic of Disney to a whole new environment, respecting the aspects of the culture of the country where it makes its home. The park boasts 2 glamorous hotels, the Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel. 

Hong Kong Disneyland has some of the attractions that will be familiar to visitors of Disney's other parks. Main Street looks like a piece of Americana transplanted, with the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad for a trip around the park. There's also Adventureland, with the exciting Jungle River Cruise and all of the animal sights and sounds. Tarzan has made his home in Adventureland, where guests can take a ride on a raft to cross to Tarzan Island where they can visit Tarzan's Tree House. More>>>
Disney hotels guide:  http://www.Disney-Hotels.org

---

Jeff "Elmo" Long's Dateline Jasoom Podcast
Episode 18 ~ Oct. 7, 2006
Special FanFic Edition
has been launched by PanthanPress.com

FEATURES:
Pastiche jungle. 
Prof. Maxon phones a friend. 
Discussion of the way pastiche and fanfic writers have approached Jane Clayton, Lady Greystoke. 
Available via podcast or at the Dateline Jasoom Archive

---

Africa: 'New News' from Africa - 
Looking Beyond Death, Disease, Disaster and Despair 
AllAfrica.com ~ October 6, 2006
My initial interest in the continent goes back to my childhood in the segregated [U.S.] south where, on weekends, the big activity was to go to what we called "the show." It was the little segregated movie theater in my town of Covington, Georgia, and it was always either "westerns" or Tarzan movies which somehow captured my imagination. At that time, there wasn't a lot of discussion about Africa, either in my household or in the community. I was so struck by the adventures of Tarzan that I used to play in my backyard, where there were lots of trees and vines hanging, and I called myself "Nyoka, Queen of the Jungle." So something in my primal memory must have been stirred by all of that. . . . In later years, I encountered the poem, "What is Africa to me, scarlet sky or copper sea?" [by Countee Cullen] It is a beautiful poem. But when I was in college, I began to see Africa as more than a poem, as more than a Tarzan movie, more than adventure. More>>>

---

Phil Collins Featured on 'Breakfast with the Arts,' Oct. 8
BroadwayWorld.com ~ October 6, 2006
Tarzan composer Phil Collins will be interviewed by Karina Huber on A&E's "Breakfast with the Arts" this Sunday, October 8th. Tarzan stars Josh Strickland and Jenn Gambatese will also be performing the song "For the First Time."  "Breakfast with the Arts" airs nationally on A&E from 8 AM to 10 AM. Tarzan opened May 10th, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it broke the box office record for three consecutive weeks, most recently by grossing $857,425 during the week of July 24 – July 30. The show also recently celebrated its 150th performance on Sunday, September 17th. An original cast recording is currently available in stores. More>>>

---

Not Many People Know This . . .
TheSun.co.uk ~ October 3, 2006
“Me Tarzan, you Jane” — Tarzan. This phrase does not appear in any Tarzan film, nor in the book by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

---

Back in San Antonio, Burnett thrills audience with humor, memories — and the yell 
MySanAntonio.com ~ October 2, 2006
Sunday night, Burnett brought "Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett: A Conversation with Carol Where the Audience Asks the Questions" to a packed Majestic Theatre. The show opened with film clips from "The Carol Burnett Show," the classic television variety show that ran for 11 years beginning in the late '60s. Among those clips were takes on Burnett's version of the Tarzan yell and bits of the question-and-answer sessions that helped set the show apart from the small-screen pack. When a woman named Annette asked that Burnett do the Tarzan yell for her husband, Fred, who is in the hospital after a heart attack, Burnett told the woman to get Fred on the telephone. With Fred on the line, Burnett said, "Let's all send Fred our love" and delivered the yell. More>>>

---

Not just 'Tarzan' anymore
Africa gets screen time in new films
Detroit Free Press ~ October 2, 2006
Africa is about to come under the Hollywood spotlight. "Hollywood has been fascinated with Africa since before 'Tarzan,' " says film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. "But these new films are a lot more realistic about the issues of the continent. A hundred, maybe a thousand, good stories could be told from there." More>>>
 
 

 
Jeff Long's Panthan Press has released 
Dateline Jasoom Podcast Episode 19
October 21, 2006
Features: Jungle traffic copter. Jim Thompson's take on the "realms" of Burroughs collecting. A slideshow for this talk can be found at Tangor's erblist. Click special features and scroll down to the link. 
Show-related links: Copter's music ~ Librivox: Princess of Mars ~ Tarzan radio (1951) ~ Tarzan and Jane video

Mars rover takes in crater view
BBC News ~ September 29, 2006
The US space agency's robotic rover Opportunity has been sending back images as it approaches the edge of an 800m-wide crater on Mars. The rover is moving towards a recess on the crater rim to get a prime view. The depression has high walls with layers of exposed rock that should reveal significant new information about the Red Planet's geological past. The researchers hope it will serve up a treasure trove of information about Martian history, particularly the role of water on the planet. The US space agency's (Nasa) second rover, Spirit, is on the other side of the Red Planet. More>>>

---

Face on Mars gets makeover
SPACE.com ~ September 22, 2006 
NASA started it all back in 1976 with an image of an interesting mountain on Mars and a caption that described it as appearing to have eyes and nostrils. Thirty years later, the "Face on Mars" still inspires myths and conspiracy theories. New images from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter will confirm for many that the features are natural, while no doubt offering tantalizing "clues" to others of an ancient intelligent civilization at work. The feature known as the Face, along another skull-like feature and pyramid-looking hills in the vicinity, are in an area called Cydonia in the Arabia Terra region.NASA scientists thought it looked like a human head, and although they knew it was just an illusion, the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued this caption:

"The speckled appearance of the image is due to missing data, called bit errors, caused by problems in transmission of the photographic data from Mars to Earth. Bit errors comprise part of one of the 'eyes' and 'nostrils' on the eroded rock that resembles a human face near the center of the image. Shadows in the rock formation give the illusion of a nose and mouth. Planetary geologists attribute the origin of the formation to purely natural processes." A strong myth developed, holding that the Face was an artificial structure built by some ancient civilization. Surrounding pyramids -- also just interesting-looking massifs -- fueled the myth. Last year, a study helped explain why: People see faces that aren't there -- on Mars or in clouds -- because we have "over-learned" to recognize the human face. Other photographs of the Face taken more recently show that from different angles, it does not look much like a face. More>>>

---

Me Tarzan, You Selam
This simian baby who was the great great-aunt of all little girls
UK Times ~ September 21, 2006
She is the world’s oldest infant. She was about three years old when she died 3.3 million years ago. Her descendant, the superstar fossil nicknamed Lucy, an adult female 100,000 years younger, was discovered nearby in 1974. In palaeoanthropology, the female of the species is evidently more durable than the male. Both Baby Selam and Lady Lucy were turned up in the badlands of Ethiopia known as Dikika. Baby Selam (Peace) is the most complete fossil of her species, Australopithecus afarensis, yet found. The top half of her body, like a young gorilla’s, and her prehensile fingers suggest that she could climb trees. But her thigh bone, connected to the shin bone connected to the foot, indicates that this little girl-monkey could walk upright even at the age of 3. Was she a foraging biped, who could climb trees when necessary, especially when young and chaste? Her brain and tongue are giving clues to that great divorce, when humans parted company from their cousins, the apes. Modern techniques are unearthing the forgotten roots of the human race. Are we descended from Hobbits or cannibal Tumais, apes or angels? More>>>
The Origin of Childhood ~ National Geographic

---

A club for the young at heart
KU tree climbers do more than just hang out
Lawrence-Journal World KS ~  September 16, 2006
If you like to play Tarzan and you’re looking for like-minded people, there is a group for you. “We started climbing trees because we thought it was fun,” said Kansas University junior Andrew Flanery. “A cop told us to get out of a tree once and we didn’t like that. We decided if it was a club, then it would be legal.” Flanery is a leader of the Tree Climbing Club, a fledgling KU student group whose members relive the childhood pastime of climbing trees. “We choose to test the limits of the human body, to see how far we can stretch ourselves or stretch the tree — whichever breaks first,” KU freshman Micah Canfield shouted from a high limb. With a sprinting start, Flanery jumped and grabbed the dangling foot of another club member in a tree. He used the foot to get him high enough to reach the lowest branches and, with his upper body, pulled himself into the tall oak. Katie Dennis, a KU junior and club member, said soaring in the branches is an alternative to going to the bars or boring parties. And the club members aren’t the type to sit around and watch television. “They’re a little adventurous,” she said. They do it for the sheer pleasure of dawdling amid the leaves and befriending squirrels. “It’s actually kind of hard to find a good tree to climb,” Simon said. “Not only does it have to be safe — away from telephone poles. It has to be big enough to actually be enjoyable to climb around — tall and wide.” Some trees are better than others. “Oaks are really hard,” Flanery said. “You have to get a boost into them. Sycamores are extremely easy. We like those. We don’t do pines — too many needles.” More>>>

---

Russ Cochran Auction Catalog Ships
September 23, 2006
Russ Cochran holds one of the best auction events in the hobby of original art. Each auction is packed with original art from daily strips, EC classics as well as artists such as Gino D'Achille. It is D'Achille's painted cover art for The Warlords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs that graces the cover of the catalog. Interested collectors can order a print copy of the catalog for $5 within the United States, $6 in Canada/Mexico, and $9 overseas.Contact comicart@russcochran.com

.
Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin
"All I ever wanted to do was be Tarzan, only a reality-based Tarzan, who is actually out there rescuing wildlife."  Steve Irwin
CNN  ~ BBC ~ September 4, 2006
SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Steve Irwin, the TV presenter known as the "Crocodile Hunter," has died after being stung by a stingray in a marine accident off Australia's north coast. Media reports say Irwin was diving in waters off Port Douglas, north of Cairns, when the incident happened on Monday morning. Irwin, 44 was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, according to Cairns police sources. Irwin was filming an underwater documentary at the time.
Mr Irwin's manager John Stainton told the BBC the stingray's barb had pierced the personality's heart. "He came over the top of a stingray and a barb, the stingray's barb went up and put a hole into his heart," he said. "We got him back within a couple of minutes to Croc 1, which is Steve's research vessel, and by 12 o'clock when the emergency crew arrived they pronounced him dead." The incident happened at Batt Reef, off Port Douglas. 

He is survived by his American-born wife Terri and their two children, Bindi Sue, born 1998, and Robert (Bob), born December 2003. Irwin became a popular figure on Australian and international television through Irwin's close handling of wildlife, most notably the capture and relocation of crocodiles. Irwin's enthusiastic approach to nature conservation and the environment won him a global following. He was known for his exuberance and use of the catch phrase "Crikey!" More>>>
OBITUARY
STEVE IRWIN IN PICTURES
VIDEO
It's a huge loss to Australia - he was a wonderful character ~ John Howard, Australian Prime Minister

---

Moon under attack Spaceweather.com ~ September 3, 2006
LUNAR FLASH:  As planned, Europe's SMART-1 spacecraft crashed into the Moon this morning, Sept. 3rd,  at 0542 UT. The resulting flash was too faint for most backyard telescopes, but a team of astronomers using the big 3.6m CFHT telescope in Hawaii did manage to photograph the explosion.  More>>>

---

Hillman Film Earns Nod
Brandon Sun ~ September 2, 2006

The History channel documentary, Bomber Boys: The Fighting Lancaster, 
whose cast includes Brandon native, Robin Hillman, is one of three television programs created by Winnipeg's Frantic Films nominated for Gemini Awards.

These nominations are a first for the company, which specializes in live action performance shows, like Pioneer Quest, Klondike: The Quest for Gold and Quest for the Sea, as well as special effects. The company has also been lauded for its special effects work in blockbuster movies like Catwoman, Scooby 2, Paycheck, X-Men 2, Storm of the Century, Superman Returns and others. The Gemini Awards will be televised November 4, on Global Television.

---

Tarzan follows Lion King to Holland
Disney ~ August 30, 2006
Following a successful two and a half year run, the Disney Theatrical and Stage Entertainment award-winning production of The Lion King ended its run at The Circustheatre, on August 27, 2006 after playing 950 performances. The show opened to rave reviews on May 4, 2004 in Scheveningen, a seaside city just outside The Hague, The Netherlands. In addition, Dutch productions of Beauty and the Beast and Tarzan are on the way. The Dutch-language production entertained nearly 1.7 million people in two and a half years, which represents 12% of the entire population of the country. As previously announced, Stage Entertainment will present the European premiere of Tarzan: The Broadway Musical at the Circustheatre on April 15, 2007.

---

BROADWAY TARZAN CAST APPEARANCES:
www.TarzanOnBroadway.com
www.erbzine.com/disney

September 2, 2006
NBC "WEEKEND TODAY"
WHO: Phil Collins
WHAT: Pre-taped feature with additional "behind-the-scenes" access
WHEN: Saturday, September 2, 7-9am
WHERE: Airs on NBC's "Weekend Today" (Check your local listings)
More Info visit NBC Weekend Today
----------------------------------------------
September 10, 2006
BROADWAY ON BROADWAY
WHO: The stars and ensemble cast of Tarzan® 
WHAT: Live outdoor cast performance
WHEN: Sunday, September 10,
WHERE: Times Square
More Info visit Broadway On Broadway
----------------------------------------------
September 16, 2006
NBC "WEEKEND TODAY"
WHO: The stars and ensemble cast of Tarzan® 
WHAT: Live broadcast of an outdoor cast performance 
More Info visit NBC Weekend Today Concert Series 
WHEN: Saturday, September 16, Concert begins at 7:00am
WHERE: Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center 

---

The Shepherd Who Lost His Voice 
Arab News ~ August 28, 2006
RIYADH — You might have seen films or flipped through comic strips about the adventures of Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan could communicate with animals but not with humans after having lived with apes and other denizens of the forest. Muhammad Iqbal, an Indian expatriate, too could not communicate with humans after tending camels for 13 years in the desert of Al-Summan in the Thumama district near Riyadh. Then, following a chance encounter with his own compatriot, he slowly regained his voice and his memory. Iqbal came to Riyadh in 1993 to work as a camel herd for his Saudi sponsor. Soon he was packed off to Al-Summan, where he tended camels and drank their milk. He was practically cut off from human contact. His exposure to camels enabled him to communicate with those animals, responding to their likes and dislikes, and carry on a symbiotic living. He had also become a denizen of the desert. His only human interface during this period was his sponsor who would come periodically to check on his camels. The only handout Iqbal would receive on such visits were packets of bread and some tomatoes. Although he had forgotten his own language, his ability to think remained intact. More>>>

Just in from George McWhorter ~ August 25, 2006
It's Official:
~ The 2007 Dum-Dum will be held in Louisville ~
with a formal dedication of the Bob Hyde Collection, and an exhibition of his ERB highlights.
A number of offers for 2008 have come in and the Board will meet later to make a decision on this.
www.BurroughsBibliophiles.com

---

Paramount Pictures have not renewed their option with ERB, Inc.
on the John Carter of Mars film project.
Paramount have recently gone through many major and somewhat baffling shake-ups.
Numerous other film companyies have long been interested in the JC property and ERB fans can look forward to ongoing and exciting new developments.

---

Cruise and Paramount sever ties 
BBC News ~ August 24, 2006
Hollywood star Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures have ended a 14-year working relationship, with both parties claiming to have chosen to sever ties. During the past decade, Cruise's films - which include the three Mission: Impossible movies - have generated more than $2 billion worldwide. But the third Mission: Impossible film put in a relatively disappointing performance at the box office. Despite this, the 44-year-old actor was named the world's most powerful celebrity by US magazine Forbes earlier this year. More>>>

 

Danton Burroughs introduces new Tarzana video on the Web:
http://www.turnhere.com/city/los_angeles/tarzana/films/85.aspx
Tarzana 
This community in California's San Fernando Valley is named in honor of Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of the Tarzan books. Burroughs bought a big chunk of land from L.A. Times founder Harrison Gray Otis and -- well, you can hear all about it from Burroughs' grandson, Danton, in Sarah Weinstein's "Tarzana." Host Marina Kolbe also shows you a $1 million fixer-upper and Le Sanglier, a French restaurant frequented by Tarzana's celebrity set. If you feel like slumming it, try the chili cheese dogs at Cupid's. More: See it here>>>

For more Tarzana features in ERBzine see: ERBzine 1161