Snubbed by magazines, Melania Trump is embraced by pornographers

A recent report by Inside Edition questioned why First Lady Melania Trump has not been featured on the cover of any major women’s magazines.
“She has been first lady for more than a year. In past administrations, the first lady would have already been splashed all over the national publications,” Inside Edition staff wrote.
Possible explanations include her husband’s divisive politics and her desire for privacy, the report said.
While Melania hasn’t been on the cover of any major women’s magazines since moving to the White House, she has already been depicted in eight porn movies, most recently by adult actress Catalina Cruz in “Melania’s Revenge.”
In the fictional world of porn parodies, Melania has had dalliances with secret service agents, Russian President Vladimir Putin and former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, in addition to her husband President Donald Trump.

Related article:

Top real-life targets for porn parodies and exploitation

Photos: Catalina Cruz in porn parodies “Melania’s Revenge” (top) and “The First Lady.”

Bucket lists for travel

Some people have bucket lists for new experiences, like skydiving or running a marathon. Others have bucket lists for travel destinations.
I’ve taken an interest in travel bucket lists lately and I’ve started compiling my own, starting with visiting all 50 states. I’d also like to see the northern lights (aurora borealis), attend Oktoberfest in Munich and tour Ireland.
Thinking of starting your own, here are some suggestions:

28 Places to See Before You Die – the Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon and More (Smithsonian; January 2008)

Finally, the definitive bucket list: The Temples of Angkor, Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu lead the places you MUST see, say Lonely Planet’s adventure experts (The Daily Mail; Jan. 31, 2016)

The Great American Bucket List: 50 Things to Do in the US Before You Die (Thrillist; April 9, 2016)

The Great American Travel Bucket List (Popsugar; Nov. 27, 2017)

The 50 Most Unforgettable Things You Have to Do Abroad Before You Die (Thrillist; July 28, 2017)

The All-American Bucket List: 50 Iconic Adventures for Each of the 50 States (Reader’s Digest)

The Ultimate Gamer Bucket List (Mr. Gamez)

Photo: Oktoberfest in Munich.

Travel goal: Visiting all 50 U.S. states

Many people in the U.S. have a goal of traveling to all 50 U.S. states. I’ve decided to be one of them, but I’ve got my work cut out for me.
I’ve visited just 36 states, leaving 14 untouched.
In the Eastern U.S., I still have to visit South Carolina and Vermont. I hope to pass through South Carolina on a road trip this summer. I’ll save Vermont for an autumn leaves excursion sometime later.
In the Deep South, I have yet to visit Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Vacationing in New Orleans shouldn’t be too difficult. But I’ve had no reason to visit Arkansas and Mississippi before.
In the Plain States, I haven’t set foot in Kansas, Nebraska or Oklahoma. I should be able to pick off a couple of those if I ever do a tornado chasing tour.
That leaves Alaska, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and Oregon. The hardest one of those to justify will be North Dakota.
There’s even a website for people who want to document their travels: All Fifty States Club.
If you just want a U.S. map with the states you’ve visited and those left on your travel list, check out amCharts, Gas Food No Lodging, MapLoco and Visited Countries.

Midseason TV premieres for sci-fi, fantasy, horror fans

The explosion of television shows known as “peak TV” has made keeping up with new programs difficult, even for people like me who largely gravitate to science-fiction, fantasy and horror genre shows.
While I’m caught up on my broadcast and cable TV favorites, I’ve still got a bunch of streaming shows I’d like to watch, including “Star Trek Discovery” on CBS All Access and “Altered Carbon” and “Dark” on Netflix.
What follows is a list of TV show premieres I’m looking forward to catching in the weeks and months ahead:

• Feb. 25: “The Walking Dead,” second half of season eight on AMC
• Feb. 26: “iZombie,” season four on the CW
• March 2: “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD,” second half of season five on ABC
• March 8: “Marvel’s Jessica Jones,” season two on Netflix
• March 26: “The Terror” on AMC
• April 2: “The Crossing” on ABC
• April 3: “Legion,” season two on FX
• April 22: “Westworld,” season two on HBO
• April 24: “The 100,” season five on the CW
• Spring: “The Rain” on Netflix
• Summer: “12 Monkeys,” fourth and final season on Syfy
• Mid-2018: “The Last Ship,” season five on TNT
• 2018: “Colony,” season three on USA Network

Photos: Promotional art for “Legion” and “12 Monkeys.”

Lou Malnati’s Pizza shipped to displaced Chicagoans

Having grown up in the Chicago area, I occasionally long for things from home that I can’t get where I currently live in the Washington, D.C., area.
One of those things is Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza. It’s my favorite pizza by far. Just thinking about their pepperoni pizza makes me salivate.
Fortunately they ship nationwide. The pizzas come cold-packed with dry ice in foam coolers.
I ordered some Lou Malnati’s pizzas in time for the Super Bowl. And I was a happy camper.
Lou Malnati’s Tastes of Chicago website also sells other Chicago delicacies, such as Vienna Beef hot dogs, Portillo’s Italian Beef, Eli’s cheesecake and Nuts on Clark popcorn.
That’s an uncompensated, personal plug, meant as a public service.

Photo: Lou Malnati's deep-dish pizza.

Halls of fame for caddies, baseball park groundskeepers, Christmas tree growers

Halls of fame aren’t just for professional sports and major music genres. There are over 400 physical halls of fame in the North America and likely hundreds more virtual halls of fame that exist online.
I’ve documented some interesting virtual halls of fame on Tech-media-tainment. (See links at bottom of this article.) In this article, I’ll document 13 more.

Caddie Hall of Fame

The Caddie Hall of Fame was created in 1999 by the Professional Caddies Association. The Western Golf Association took over administration of the hall in 2011.
Notable members of the Caddie Hall of Fame include: Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Charles “Chick” Evans, and the Murray brothers (Andy, Bill, Brian, Ed, Joel and John Murray’s experiences as caddies at Indian Hill Club in Winnetka, Illinois, inspired the 1980 comedy classic “Caddyshack.”)
“The Caddie Hall of Fame highlights the tradition and importance of caddying by recognizing and celebrating individuals who have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or by supporting the role of caddies,” the organization’s website says.

Major League Baseball Groundskeepers Hall of Fame

The Association of Major League Baseball Groundskeepers has a hall of fame.
“To be considered for induction to the Major League Baseball Groundskeepers Hall of Fame, a person must have ceased employment in the profession for at least five years, and have made a significant contribution to groundskeeping and/or the sports turf industry at the Major League level. An individual’s impact on the community is also considered,” the association says.
Last month, the group announced that it will induct Steve Wightman, a longtime former groundskeeper and Sports Turf Managers Association past-president as its newest hall of fame member.
(Photo: Nicole Sherry, head groundskeeper for the Baltimore Orioles, in May 2012. Photo by Keith Allison.)

Christmas Tree Growers Hall of Fame

Christmas tree farming is a big business in Michigan and it has its own hall of fame. The Michigan Christmas Tree Association Growers Hall of Fame most recently inducted the late Rudy Fuehring for his lifetime of service to Michigan’s Christmas tree industry. (See article by Oceana’s Herald-Journal in Oceana County, Michigan.)

Waterfowlers Hall of Fame

Established in 1990, the Waterfowlers Hall of Fame honors individuals who have actively displayed sportsmanship and sponsored or participated in the sport of waterfowl hunting and conservation, in and around the Squaw Creed National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri.

California Outdoors Hall of Fame

The California Outdoors Hall of Fame honors individuals for achievements in the great outdoors that have impacted others and improved the lives of Californians. It inducted its first class of inductees in 2002.
The most recent inductees included world champion archer Paige Pearce-Gore and noted rock climber Royal Robbins. (See article by the San Francisco Chronicle.)

Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame

The Society of Illustrators has chosen artists for its hall of fame since 1958. Artists are selected by former presidents of the Society and are chosen based on their body of work and the impact it has made on the field of illustration.
The 2017 class of the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame included Mort Drucker, Bart Forbes, Burne Hogarth, Anita Kunz, George Petty, Ralph Steadman and Gustaf Tenggren.

Gaming Hall of Fame

The American Gaming Association’s Gaming Hall of Fame honors achievements and contributions to the gambling industry.
The most recent inductees included John Breeding, the visionary behind the electronic card shuffler and proprietary table games, and Joe Kaminkow, the legendary slot game designer who pioneered the industry in licensing branded games such as “Wheel of Fortune.” (See press release and article by Las Vegas Review-Journal.)

World Waterpark Association Hall of Fame

The World Waterpark Association Hall of Fame honors people who have made noteworthy achievements in the development and advancement of the water attractions industry.

International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions has a hall of fame to honor people who have made significant and lasting contributions to the worldwide attractions industry.
The IAAPA Hall of Fame was established in 1990 and includes such honorees as Walt Disney, Milton Hershey of Hersheypark and Jay Stein of Universal Studios Florida. It inducted its most recent class in November.

World Floor Covering Association Hall of Fame

The World Floor Covering Association Hall of Fame acknowledges individuals who have made a lasting impact on the industry.
In December, the group inducted Jeffrey Lorberbaum, chairman and chief executive officer of Mohawk Industries, the world's biggest floorcovering company. (See article by the Chattanooga, Tenn., Times Free Press.)

New Mexico Film & TV Hall of Fame

The New Mexico Film & TV Hall of Fame will honor its first class of inductees on Feb. 11 at a ceremony in Santa Fe. The group honors people who have helped build the New Mexico film and television industry, along with the industry’s rising stars. The inaugural class includes New Mexico screenwriter and author George R. R. Martin and the makers of TV series “Breaking Bad.”

Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency honors individuals in the geospatial intelligence enterprise with its Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame. Its most recent class included six former leaders and geospatial pioneers.

Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame

The Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame honors individuals in the U.S. military forces that provide air mobility services required to implement national security strategy and to provide humanitarian relief.

Related articles:

10 interesting virtual halls of fame, 2017 edition (July 15, 2017)

10 more unusual virtual halls of fame (Feb. 26, 2016)

12 unusual virtual halls of fame (Feb. 20, 2016)