In 1996, Tiny Tim had just performed his trademark tune — “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” — for a women’s benefit in Minnesota when he was stricken with a fatal heart attack. Many would say it was the perfect way for him to go. Except at age 64, Tim might have protested. Nonetheless, his demise is …

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On Election Day, here’s how Montgomery Burnssees it.

You don’t usually expect to see 15- to 20-foot waves in Maryland. Or people tow-in surfing in Miami. But hurricanes do weird things. Local surfer/photographer Mike Jones, who owns the Azhiaziam surf shop in Morro Bay, always gets to places where the action is in the surf world, and last week was no exception. He …

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As soon as I heard that a surfer had been killed by a great white shark in Lompoc last week, I said, “Well, I guess I’ll be hearing from my mom soon.” Because she does follow the news. And even when there isn’t news of a shark-induced fatality 40-50 miles away, she tells me I …

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Many SLO County locals are familiar with the “Ali Baba Bunny” cartoon in which Bugs Bunny memorably pays homage to Pismo Beach. But a year later, a Hanna-Barbera favorite — Yogi Bear — paid tribute to Pismo in a 1958 episode titled “Tally Ho Ho Ho.” I know this thanks to my daughter, Sunny, who’s …

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With news of today’s fatal shark attack in Lompoc, the Central Coast is sure to get a reputation as being a deadly shark zone, considering the fact that three of the last five shark fatalities from the Pacific Ocean have occured in a 50-mile stretch between Avila Beach and Lompoc. According to our story, a …

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In 2006, I wrote a story about some of our county’s top surfers, which began “If you’re a surfer, you’ll recognize names like Greg Noll, Kelly Slater and Rob Machado. But you might not have heard of Dustin Ray, even though he’s a terrific surfer who lives in your neighborhood.” Ray not only had success …

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I was listening to comic Tim Bedore on the radio this morning, and he had an entire bit about this billboard he saw while driving through Chicago. The Billboard extolled the virtues of surfing in Sheboygan. As in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Home of the Dairyland Classic. After looking up more info about it, he learned they …

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Jeff Bridges is The Dude. Sure, he’s starred in many great films, many of which fared better critically and financially than “The Big Lebowski,” the movie that spawned His Dudeness. But when he performed the first of two shows at SLO Brew Thursday night, fans didn’t shout “Bad Blake!” the name of the country singer …

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In one of many memorable scenes from “The Big Lebowski,” The Dude — played by Jeff Bridges — is sitting in a cab after an encounter with Malibu’s chief of police. As “Peaceful Easy Feeling” by the Eagles plays on the stereo, the Dude complains, “Jesus, man — can you change the channel?” Then he …

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