Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) marries Dr. Leo Marvin's sister, Lily Marvin, (aka Fran Brill) in this church at the end of the 1991 film, What About Bob?

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On Interstate 10 near the west Texas town of Sierra Blanca, the border patrol has set up a quasi-legal checkpoint with drug-sniffing dogs that has been a boon to the local economy. Lawyers in the area specialize in defending drug arrests.

Among the celebrities to have been arrested in Sierra Blanca for marijuana possession include Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Fiona Apple, and the first guy to hack the iPhone and the PS3, "geohot" (aka George Hotz).

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The impressive short film Grounded by Kevin Margo was also filmed at Death Valley. Here's hoping the guy gets a sci-fi picture deal soon...

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Although most of it was filmed overseas, some key shots of Star Wars were filmed in Death Valley. Not surprisingly, the filming locations were intended to represent Luke's home planet, Tatooine. When Return of the Jedi was made, the crew returned to the famous national park. A self-guided walking tour (with pictures!) can be found at this site.

A more complete list of the many films shot at Death Valley can be found on the nps.gov website.

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On Sept 17, 1862, the bloodiest battle in American history occurred. On that day, 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat at the Battle of Antietam. The battle ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North, and it led to Abraham Lincoln's issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Named after Antitam Creek (and also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, especially in the South), the battle was also the first recorded instance of war photography. Scottish-born Alexander Gardner created a number of images of body-strewn battlefields, leaders and soldiers in tents, and layouts of important locations from the battle. In essence, it was a founding moment of photojournalism.

Garnder worked for the studio of New York portrait photographer Matthew Brady, who claimed sole credit for the photos in subsequent show. When Brady showcased the photos in New York, it caused lines around the block to see them. The Times said, “If he has not brought bodies and laid them in our dooryards and along the streets, he has done something very like it.”

Gardner formed his own photography studio in 1863, and continued to document the war. On some occasions, he was known to have hired assistants use blood red paint to enhance injuries and to move bodies to more dramatic locations for photos. Maybe he should be considered the first Photoshop-er as well.

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