Howard Zieff, a film and television commercial director whose works included "Private Benjamin" and "My Girl," has died. He was 81.

Zieff died Sunday of Parkinson's disease in Los Angeles, said his wife Ronda Gomez-Quinones.

Goldie Hawn, who received an Oscar nomination for best actress for her role in "Private Benjamin" in 1980, said Zieff "had a special talent for directing comedies, always a rare gift."

…

He is survived by his wife and his sister.

Rest In Peace, Howard.

Imagine my surprise when I saw this car on the Interstate on Friday.

After catching up with the vehicle I was quite disappointed that neither Andy nor Barney were driving. It would be kewl if everyone, whether in police, fire, or healthcare jobs, went retro for a day or so. Then again, I wouldn't want the service to be retro though.

I guess I don't live in Mayberry after all.

Whoa.

Investigators in the 2001 slaying of Chandra Levy have prepared an arrest warrant for a Salvadoran immigrant convicted of similar attacks in the park where the former intern disappeared, a person close to the investigation said Saturday.

The person told The Associated Press that Ingmar Guandique's arrest is imminent and an official announcement is expected soon. The source was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

I guess, in light of what's happening, that creep Gary Condit really was just having an affair, huh?

The R&B singer and guitarist Snooks Eaglin, who counted platinum-selling rockers among his fans, died here Wednesday. He was 72.

The cause was a heart attack he suffered after falling ill and being hospitalized last week, said John Blancher, a family friend. Mr. Eaglin learned he had prostate cancer last year.

…

Mr. Eaglin is part of 50 years’ worth of New Orleans recordings, from early folk to R&B and jazz, Mr. Davis said. “He played a six-string, a 12-string,” he said. “He could play anything with strings on it.”

The jazz bassist Peter Badie, who played with Mr. Eaglin in the 1960s at clubs on Rampart Street, said that “a lot of cats tried to copy him, the way he attacked the strings, but they couldn’t.”

Mr. Eaglin’s survivors include his wife of more than 30 years, Dorothea Eaglin, and a daughter.

Rest In Peace, Snooks.