The world of televised carpet commercials will never be the same.

Today Empire Today® is saddened by the loss of Elmer Lynn Hauldren, better known as the inspiration for the Empire Man character. Hauldren was known to millions of consumers as the Empire Man through Empire’s television advertising since the 1970s. Throughout the evolution of the company’s advertising, he provided the voice for the famous character known as Empire’s mascot. Hauldren continued to work with the company until ultimately his passing.

In the 1970s, Hauldren was one of the advertising copywriting forces behind the Empire brand. The company’s owner during the time requested that Hauldren serve as the on-air talent for the spots after unsuccessfully auditioning several other people for the role. This decision launched him into pop culture stardom. Hauldren went on to serve as the inspiration for today’s Empire Today brand. He helped to launch the signature 800-588-2300® jingle into recognition as one of the nation’s most popular jingles.

“Lynn was truly passionate about the Empire brand,” said Steve Silvers, chief executive officer for Empire. “He has made an indelible mark on advertising history with his creativity and warmth. Lynn will always have a special place in the hearts of many. Our thoughts are with his family during this time.”

Hauldren was a decorated World War II veteran who continued to lend his voiceover talent to Empire’s commercials until his passing. In addition, he was known as a key singer in the barbershop quartet arena, recording several albums with the quartet Chordiac Arrest. He has appeared in local theater and short videos and has a permanent place in advertising history. Hauldren’s contribution to the brand was monumental.

[Business Wire]

Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? screens tonight at the Loft Cinema (3233 E. Speedway Blvd.) at 7:30 p.m.

Information from a press release:

Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us? is a profound, alternative look at the global bee crisis from Taggart Siegel, acclaimed director of the grass-roots hit The Real Dirt on Farmer John.

Winner of numerous International Film Festivals, Queen of the Sun takes us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, weaving together dramatic stories of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world.

The film has been reviewed by San Francisco Chronicle, The Seattle Times, The Oregonian, Variety, and Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Roger Ebert will be reviewing the film for the April 29th theatrical release in Chicago. Box Office Magazine calls Queen of the Sun, "the feel-good advocacy movie of the year."

Austin Counts, a former Weekly intern and current contributor (check out "Tea Party Pooper" here), is seeking funds to continue production of his film The Border: Issues in the Arizona-Sonora Borderlands.

More details below:

A lot has happened in Southern Arizona over the past year and two UA journalism students want to bring that story to the silver screen, but need your help.

Opposing views over issues like SB 1070 and TUSD ethnic studies reached a fever pitch last year, putting Arizona in the national media spotlight. In turn, these issues have resulted in some negative consequences for people living on both sides of the border.

Austin Counts and Curtis Prendergast have been documenting these events and others for their upcoming film, THE BORDER: Issues in the Arizona-Sonora Borderlands, over the past year.

The project is being funded through www.Kickstarter.com, a website that connects people who have a creative project with those that want to fund creative projects. Counts and Prendergast have already raised their minimum goal of $1,500 to continue pursuing the project. However, in order to properly produce and distribute the documentary on the lowest possible budget, an additional $3,000-$4,000 is needed.

Just wondering, because that’s what the guy at Birria Los Cuates (643 W. Ajo Way) charged me yesterday. I didn’t want to be a cheapskate and complain if that’s a fair price, so I thought I’d ask first.

My other question is: What in the hell is going on at Birria Los Cuates? When I walked in, the entire staff was sitting in the booths in the front room, and nobody would get up to take my order or let me sit down. It was so weird. Eventually, the oldest guy got up and served me a bowl of birria and a plate of tortillas. He then took his seat again, leaving me to fend for myself in the loneliest, mustiest dining room ever.

And what is all of that mail doing on the counter next to the cash register? Like, stacks and stacks of it all over the place. It looks like somebody is living there. That would be awesome to live in a Mexican restaurant, but it probably gets old fast.

So ... if the people who own Birria Los Cuates read this, the next time I come in, could the four of you at least split two booths, and let me have one? That way, I can watch soap operas with you while all of us ignore the customers.

Thank you.

Although it doesn't come out until October 11th and my daughter will almost be four at that point, I know what children's book is in her future*.

* Not really, but the book is still a funny idea.

From the University of Arizona Police Department:

On Tuesday 12/21/2010 at approximately 12:11 a.m., a Nissan X-Terra was seen traveling eastbound on Speedway and an occupant of the vehicle is suspected of breaking a window at the Architecture Building, located at 1160 E. Speedway Blvd. An unknown individual in the front passenger side of the vehicle can be seen holding a slingshot type device out of the window while passing in front of the Architecture Building. The license plate number and color of the vehicle are unknown at this time. A light-colored cross/crucifix decal can be seen on the lower left side of the rear window.

On Saturday 04/09/11 at approximately 2:10 a.m., another window was broken at the Architecture Building. In this case, video surveillance shows what appears to be the same Nissan X-Terra from the incident on 12/21/2010, traveling eastbound on Speedway. As in the previous incident, a person in the front passenger seat can be seen with what appears to be a slingshot pointed in the direction of the Architecture Building.

The University of Arizona Police Department is requesting assistance from the community in identifying the vehicle and person(s) responsible for these crimes. If you have any information regarding these incidents please call the University of Arizona Police Department by dialing 9-1-1 or 88-CRIME.

While we wait for Jon Stewart and company to relentlessly mock the Baja Arizona movement, he's doing the sort of satirical work we expect from the Daily Show, destroying Florida congressman Cliff Stearns for proposing that 9/11 responders who are receiving money for their health care be checked against a terrorist watchlist:

I was running a little late getting to the Tucson Unified School District governing board meeting last night from work, so I'm not sure how the very beginning of what took place transpired — how 10 TUSD students from the UNIDOS student coalition came into the board room at TUSD headquarters and chained themselves together on the dais where governing board members usually sit to conduct the district meetings.

Here is a video posted this morning by Three Sonorans’ blogger David Abie Morales that shows exactly what happened:

They placed a large white banner on the front of the dais—UNIDOS Presents The Youth School Board—and that's when, essentially, the students took over the board room and last night's meeting.

Governing board president Mark Stegeman was scheduled to present a resolution to the board with major changes to ethnic-studies classes, particularly those in the Mexican-American studies program, which would change the status of social science classes from core credit to electives.

As I walked inside the district building, about 100 to 150 people stood outside and in the building lobby. I had to squeeze inside, and it was obvious immediately that the air conditioner was off, and the board room was more than a typically packed house. It's important to note here—especially because ethnic studies supporters are often characterized by those against the classes and state Attorney General Tom Horne (who lobbied the state for the anti-ethnic studies law) as "thugs"—that everyone I had to squeeze by to get into the room was cordial, easy-going and smiling as I moved forward.

The students led the crowd in chants using mega-phones—"Our education is under attack, what do we do? Fight back." Inside the packed board room, there were easily another 200 people. Other students, not part of the group chained on the dais, stood and sat toward the front and middle of the room. At one point toward the end of the takeover, two students brought out a button-box accordion and a guitar and led the crowd in a few songs. It was a festive protest which ended with the students declaring victory and picking up trash on their way out of the building.

Oh, and I'll be there too, moderating the affair and trying to stay out of the way tonight:

In an effort to inform community members about the legalities and realities of Arizona’s recently passed medical marijuana law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona’s Southern Chapter will host a community forum on Wednesday, April 27th entitled Medical Marijuana: Making Proposition 203 Work.
“Prop 203 reflects the fact that the majority of Arizona voters support common-sense, responsible and compassionate drug policies, and we want to make sure people are fully informed of the government's process for implementing the law in a way that protects patients and respects confidentiality,” said Tod Zelickson, president of the ACLU of Arizona’s Southern Chapter.

The event, which will feature guest speakers from the Arizona Department of Health Services and various city and county agencies from Tucson and Pima County, will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 at Pima College Downtown, Amethyst Room, Building CC, located at 1255 North Stone Avenue, in Tucson. For more information, contact Addy Bareiss at 602-773-6015 or [email protected]. The event is free and open to the public. For sign language interpretation, captioning, or other accommodations, please contact the ACLU of Arizona office at 602-650-1854, ext. 115. Providing 72 hours notice will help to ensure availability.

Dan Gibson, of the Tucson Weekly, will moderate the panel discussion, featuring these speakers: Tom Salow, Manager of the Office of Administrative Counsel and Rules, Arizona Department of Health Services; Mike Rankin, Tucson City Attorney; Amelia Cramer, Assistant Pima County Attorney; Richard Elias, Pima County Supervisor; and Andrew Myers, Arizona Medical Marijuana Project; and Karin Uhlich, Ward 3 City Council Member.

They will address statewide medical marijuana rules, covering everything from opening up a patient dispensary to obtaining a patient identification card. In addition, speakers will discuss misconceptions and realities about the law and efforts to ensure medical marijuana patients’ rights are protected. Panelists also will provide updates on several legislative proposals intended to curb medical marijuana patients’ rights, including H.B. 2541, which would make it easier for employers to fire medical marijuana patients, and H.B. 2585, which would add confidential medical marijuana patient data to the controlled substances prescription monitoring program.