5.28.2004

Turn off Rush, turn on Salon: "The most robust democracies are built on an informed citizenry. And nowhere is this free flow of information more essential than in the armed forces, whose men and women risk their lives to make sure our nation's highest principles are not written on air, but have blood and sinew. We hope our simple gesture opens another channel into this bastion of American democracy. "

Salon offers free one year subscriptions to Salon Premium to active duty military personnel, in an effort to counteract Rush Limbaugh's stronghold on Armed Forces Radio.

Away From It All

I'll be visiting friends in Massachusetts this weekend(you know who you are), taking a much needed break from my life. Blogging should resume on Tuesday. Have a good weekend!

Just plain spectacular.

5.27.2004

'Queen of E!' May See Early End to Hollywood Story: "As soon as today, Herman's four-year reign as chief executive of E! Networks could come to an abrupt but lucrative end, according to well-placed sources. Among other things, she has been accused of abusing her power and behaving in decidedly undignified ways, including brawling in the parking lot of a Hollywood burlesque club."

You watch, she'll get her $20 million severance package and then get hired by another network she'll make unbearable to watch. She sounds like quite the shrew, though, huh?

5.26.2004

When clowns go bad.

Relative Badness

I wanted to comment on this week's Sopranos episode, which I was finally able to watch last night after catching up on the last 4 episodes (thank you, krys!). But since I'm actually supposed to be working and not blogging, I'll just cut and paste what I said in an e-mail earlier today:

(I was spoiled on the big plot point in the episode by a headline posted at tvtattle.com on Monday, which has since been changed. I still love tvtattle, though.)

(BEWARE: SPOILERS, BIG TIME)

I finally saw it last night. The spoiler I read said something like, "Adrianna gets bumped off." But while I knew what was coming, the episode was so brilliant that the spoiler only detracted minimally from my enjoyment of it.

My heart broke for her, as it always has - she seemed to me the only person on the show, including Carmela, who did not have an agenda. As misguided as they were, her wishes were pretty simple - to marry Chrissy and have a nice, happy family life. I think she would have gladly given up the money if it would have saved her and "Christophuh". I'm really going to miss her.

I wonder what the ep title was - "Money Changes Everything", perhaps? (It was actually "Long Term Parking", referring to the parking lot at the airport where Chris left Ade's car, I guess). Chrissy sold Ade out for money, even when it seemed as if he had seen the light; and Carmela used extortion to get that property from Tony. I am so disappointed in her. Just when I think Tony has sunk to a new low (like what he did to Janice in the anger management ep), the people around him act in ways that show that they are no better than him (including his children). I guess when everyone is morally corrupt, badness is a relative thing.

I'm glad Tony B. is still alive. I'm a big fan of Buscemi, and he has brought a lot to this season. And I'm really looking forward to the Johnny Sack war that's building up.

The scene where Chrissy nearly strangles Adrianna and then breaks down and cries with her was astounding. If neither de Matteo nor Imperioli receive a nomination, well, I guess it won't really mean anything. The Emmys became irrelevant a very long time ago.

Even though we all know Adrianna couldn't last the season, that knowledge didn't make it any easier to see her done in. Poor, poor Adrianna.


A thrillingly reckless "24": "And on the third day mayhem ensued, and it was good: Jack swings a mean axe, loses the suspect for the umpteenth time and then weeps -- along, surely, with countless fans at home."

I really liked last night's finale. The show almost lost me mid-season, but once the virus was actually released, the show turned gripping (for the most part). Jack had a pretty bad day (I would say the worst one so far, but I think his wife dying at the end of Day 1 supercedes anything this season) - he was trying to kick heroin, he had to kill Ryan Chappelle, he broke up with his girlfriend, he broke a drug dealer out of prison, and he had to chop off the hand of his daughter's fiance with an axe (and those are only the things that I can remember right now). It's no wonder he was crying at the end. Seriously, I thought that was a touching, simple way to end the season, injecting a little reality into a fairly unrealistic show.

Good news: According to the article, Kim (along with Chase, Tony and Michelle) will not be a regular next season. Yay! I do hope that, while he will no longer be president, David Palmer will play a large role in the next season. I just like him.

'Killer swan on the loose': "Two dogs swimming in the pond in Warsop have gone missing, and witnesses say they saw one of them being drowned by the cob, or male swan."

He'll probably blame his current murderous tendencies on the trauma he experienced when he was bullied and picked on as an ugly duckling.

Cops caught moonlighting in porn film: "The male and female officers starred in a 45-minute film called Bus Stop Whores."

5.25.2004

Men Arrested for Lewd Bathroom Conduct: "'We chase them around from park to park,' Francis said. "

Does "Benny Hill" come to anyone else's mind?

OK, why??

I got it! Return of the King, at Target, for $14.99, baby.

Saturn SL Is Most-Stolen Vehicle in U.S.

I can't quite wrap my brain around that. Although, I must keep in mind that I have had 2 cars stolen, both unlikely candidates for a car thief: a Ford Festiva and my mother's 80-something Cutlass Cierra I had borrowed. I got them both back, so maybe that says something.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.: "on Tuesday reported its first quarterly net loss since going public four years ago and cut the number of planned new stores as the low-carb diet craze stifles appetites for doughnuts. "

Damn you Atkins people! If I don't get a Krispy Kreme near me because of you...

5.24.2004

Hamster 'saved by being too fat': "According to the Daily Express Rusher, a nine-month old hamster, had escaped from his cage and was sucked up while Amanda Horniman, from Tibberton in Gloucestershire, was cleaning her son's bedroom."

Okay, who are these people and what did they do with Harry, Ron and Hermoine?

Newsflash: Clipping hedges does a number on your body. Ouch.

5.20.2004

Before I go any further I feel the need to clarify something: I am an American Idol viewer-by-association. I had vowed to never watch that show, and the reality-tv snob in me would have nothing to do with it. However, while my mother lived with me in the old apartment, she was completely absorbed and wanted me to watch along with her. I would occasionally, and I got to know who was who; then I moved into the house with Sheila, and she's a watcher, so now I end up watching the end of most episodes. And I have to say, last night, they finally got it right.

The New Yorker Fiction: Hell-Heaven, by Jhumpa Kahiri: "It is clear to me now that my mother was in love with him. He wooed her as no other man had, with the innocent affection of a brother-in-law. In my mind, he was just a family member, a cross between an uncle and a much older brother, for in certain respects my parents sheltered and cared for him in much the same way they cared for me. "

I read this piece in the New Yorker yesterday afternoon while I was waiting in the lobby of a law firm (my stepmother had to give a deposition in an ongoing case involving her grandmother's will). It is so good, that I swear I didn't know until I read the heading on the webpage that it is a piece of fiction.

Ice-T to produce Hasselhoff rap album: "Ice-T added: 'He's gonna come out as Hassle The Hoff - I promise you. The Hoff will surprise people with his rap skills and humour.'"

There are so many things wrong with that, I don't know where to begin.

Tony Randall, Bright, Zestful And Always Endearing: "At the end of Randall's testimony to the House subcommittee, its chairman, Rep. William H. Natcher (D-Ky.), said it was too bad there were no immediate palpable rewards for generous charitable work such as his. But, Natcher told Randall, 'Forty or 50 years from now, they'll let you sit in the front row in heaven.' Actually, it would be only 23 years, but the rest of Natcher's prediction was probably correct. "

I nice tribute to the late Tony Randall. I used to love it when he was on the $20,000 Pyramid - anyone remember the Pyramid where Tony and the (female) contestant won the final round and he grabbed her and kissed her? Very funny.

5.18.2004

Student drinks lab chemical on a dare: "The student was found last Wednesday in a school hallway, bleeding from the nose and mouth."

The Darwin Awards should be coming out soon, right?

Tony Randall dead at 84: "In a tribute to the actor, also known for his work on stage, lights at all Broadway theaters were to be dimmed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to The Associated Press."

Talk about a life well-lived.

Murder in the Peace Corps: "In 1976, a young Peace Corps worker in Tonga stabbed Deborah Gardner, another volunteer, 22 times, and went free, with the help of the U.S. government. The killer is alive and well and living in New York City. "

It's a long article, but well worth the read.

I don't know how to start this post, or even what I want to say.

On May 3, my father was killed in an accident at his work site. It's still too painful to even type those words. So there will be no eulogy to Daddy here, not yet. Maybe some time in the near future I will be able to talk about him here; I really hope so. But I thought it was time that I did 2 things: 1) let those of you who don't know me personally (are there any of you?) know the reason why I've been away; and 2) resume blogging.

Rest assured, I am doing well, or as well as can be expected. I am back at work, and I've turned my attention now to projects for the new house. Thank you to all of you who have provided such wonderful support these past 2 weeks, and to my family. I love you all very much.

So, posting shall begin soon...