It's a Man Pillow, Baby.

In Japan, Women Can Doze With Man Pillow: "Linen maker Kameo Corp.'s new 'Boyfriend's Arm Pillow', which consists of a headless torso and a stuffed arm that curls around the sleeper, might make some people uneasy."

Uh, YEAH.

Lost

So, I watched the second episode of "Lost" last night, on ABC. Which is quite remarkable, since I cannot recall the last time I got past the first episode of a new show (that wasn't on HBO), or even cared enough to remember to watch the following week. Wait, yes I can - it was "Arrested Development". I've been waiting to see something about the AD season premiere - has anyone heard anything about it?

Anyhoo. The pace of "Lost" has slackened a bit, but it was still compelling. From bits that I've read, it looks like the "monster" will be revealed soon and the show will concentrate on character development more. And that particular onion started to peel last night, as we discovered new information on the background of some of the characters (I won't give anything away, since I know there are some of you who are planning on watching the show - but I will in future, so consider yourselves warned). I think it's a great idea - we start at the same point as all of the characters - we will learn who these people are right along with everyone on the show. And since it's JJ Abrahams (sp?), I'm sure there will be a few cool surprises along the way.

If you haven't seen the show and you want to catch up, ABC is airing the first 2 episodes this Saturday night.

Patty, the Cartoon Lesbian

It's not who you think it is.

Hey Hey Hey!!

Bear ransacks kitchen, steals chocolate: "A paralyzed man in Aspen, Colorado, lay helplessly in bed for two hours while a black bear known as 'Fat Albert' went through his kitchen breaking dishes and looking for a tasty snack."

Alias Cartoon

Alias latest to make cartoon leap: "The seven-minute 'Animated Alias' on the new third-season DVD of the ABC thriller is the latest example of a renaissance in the short-cartoon format inspired by the success of 2003's 'The Animatrix.'"

Oo, I wouldn't mind seeing this. The art work featured in the article is nice.

Hung Over

OK, your 15 minutes are up, pal. Take a hike.

Bye, Freddy.

Have a nice life!

Step Away From the Phone.

Loud cell phone call leads to pregnant woman's arrest: "Aaron said the officer approached her as she walked to catch a bus, telling her to keep her voice down. She twice tried to break away, but he caught her arm, then placed her face down, handcuffed her, and charged her with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest."

A little rough, considering she's pregnant, but I wish sometimes I could make a citizen's arrest and take 'em down, too. Like I want to hear all about your day, or about the idiot at your job, or be privvy to the stupid things you and your significant other fight about. Just shut the f*** up, already.

"...the most promising new television show of the fall season."

And that would be? According to a reviewer on NPR, it's ABC's new show, "Lost". And while I haven't seen any other new fall series (nor do I really have any desire to), and have nothing to compare it to, and so am in no place to be making judgments, I will anyway. I need to watch a couple more episodes before I know for sure, but I think he may be right.

I stumbled upon the show on Wednesday night (it airs Wednesdays at 8:00 P.M., a little early, I think) and it was compelling enough to keep me watching til the end. For those of you who don't know what it's about, the premise is as follows: 48 survivors of a plane crash on a deserted South Pacific island have to contend not only with each other and the forces of nature, but also with very scary (and so far unseen) creatures who are roaming the jungle, roaring and tearing down trees and mauling people. Among the cast are Matthew Fox (from Party of Five), great character actor Terry O'Quinn (much seen in X-Files and Millennium) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry from Lord of the Rings) and the interactions between the characters are fraught with the strangeness of it all; for example, when one of the female passengers has to remove a pair of hiking shoes from a dead body so she can have good shoes to walk around the island in, she is obviously distressed at the gruesome task. The camera cuts to a shot of O'Quinn walking by and looking at her sort of sweetly, with a half smile, like he understands. Then he lets his smile widen and he has the rind of an orange completely covering his teeth and what would have been funny at another time is clearly inappropriate here. The show is full of moments like that, that make you feel uncomfortable and are the sort of thing that keeps this show from sinking into cliche.

I think one of the best things "Lost" has going for it is also what may spell its doom - it is unlike anything else on television, and we all know how far originality and creativity go in network TV. Hopefully this one will make it.

*chirp* *chirp* *chirp*

Real life is keeping me away again. We're installing new computers here at the office, so I've actually had to work, God forbid, and I've been housesitting/dogsitting since last Friday, so my blogging time has been severly restricted. Things should quiet down a bit at work soon, but I'll be housesitting for another week, so things won't be as active around here.

I'll do my best to poke in as often as I can. In the meantime, thanks for being so patient!

Spears Marries Dancer in L.A. Ceremony: "At the Emmys, Dennis Haysbert, who plays President Palmer on Fox's '24,' joked, 'I was just getting used to the other guy.'"

First: Mmmm, Dennis Haysbert.

second: According to CNN: "The couple exchanged rings and danced to Journey's "Lights," the tabloid reported. Guests reportedly dined on chicken fingers, crab cakes, ribs and Waldorf salad."

Some things just write themselves.

Want Fries with That Ice Cream? Ah, You're Pregnant.

I love dipping McDonald's fries into a chocolate milkshake. Just imagine what I'd be eating if I was pregnant.

Man Tries to Sue Wife for 5-Day Sex Denial.

He'd probably kill himself if he were me.

Salon reviews "Mr. 3000": "'Mr. 3000' is smart, funny and shaped meticulously but seamlessly, an example of the great work that can come out of Hollywood when it puts the right people to work on the right material. Stone instinctively understands the difference between reaching out to an audience and stooping to it. His movie feels like a present, not a product. It makes the multiplex feel like home again. "

Wow. I've been cracking up at the trailers, but I had no idea.

Rick James Autopsy Shocker: "In addition to cocaine and crystal meth, the Los Angeles county coroner's report noted the presence of seven other drugs found during the autopsy--specifically Xanax, Valium, Wellbutrin, Celexa, Digoxin, Chlorpheniramine and Vicodin. No single drug was found in quantities that would establish lethal quantities, hence the accidental death ruling."

I think "shocker" may be a bit of an exaggeration. And I think the toxicology report reveals something much more important - Rick James is the reason for the success of those drug offer spam e-mails!

Hamm Brothers Met by Screaming Girls.

Authorities later realized that the screaming girls were, in fact, the Hamm brothers.

LaToya Jackson is now whiter than me.

Awesome photo.

Which Peanuts Character Are You?


You are Rerun!

[The one Peanuts charcter I have never heard of!]

(thanks, popculturejunkmail.com)

Don't mess with the Bushes: "The first President Bush is presented as a weak yes man, driven not by political vision but a savage preppy spirit of competition instilled in him by his whirlwind of a mother. But it is his wife, Barbara (whom the ex-wife of White House counsel C. Boyden Gray calls 'bull-dyke tough'), and their eldest son, George, who are the true pieces of work in Kelley's book, a mother and son team brimming with such spite and ambition they would give the ruthless duo in 'The Manchurian Candidate' the shivers. In one of the creepier passages of the book, a family gathering from hell at Kennebunkport, Maine, Barbara is shown mercilessly baiting her dry-drunk son, then governor of Texas, as a teetotaling 'Chosen One,' while he keeps pleading to skip the cocktails and put on the feed bag, and his elderly father 'drools over [TV newswoman] Paula Zahn's legs.'"

True or not, I have to read this book.

President Bush thwarted our attempts at every turn: "Watching the convention on television, Breitweiser felt not teary-eyed, she said, but frightened. She found the speakers angry and bellicose, and she worried that the Bush administration seemed to revel in war. 'I am scared [by] the mentality that my daughter, who is 5 years old, is being handed a tomorrow that will be a war for a lifetime. My husband was killed on 9/11. I do not want to lose my daughter 18 years from now when she's walking or living in a large city, and it's payback for our actions in Iraq,' Breitweiser said."

Martha Stewart to do time now: "The homemaking expert and entrepreneur said the decision was a hard but necessary one for her to get on with her life and her business, and that she was anxious to get back to work as soon as she could. "

I honestly can't say I blame her for not wanting this hanging over her head. An appeal could last far longer than the 5 months of prison time and be unsuccessful, with the result that she goes to prison anyway. Better to do your time and pay for what you did and get on with the rest of your life.

OK, who's that woman on the car, and what did she do with Oprah?

Actress Tracey Gold Nabbed For Drunk Driving. (includes mug shot)

I was going to make a joke, but then I read that her husband and 3 kids were in the car when she lost control and rolled it, and the seven-year-old was injured. Wonder if the husband was even more drunk than she was.

Well, that wasn't too bad.

I still need to clean up and categorize the archives by month, add some color to the page, fix comments, etc., but I think I'll go with this template.

Men At Work

Well, just me, really. I've been thinking about changing the look of this place again, and some of the templates provided by Blogger are kinda nice. So, please excuse me while I tear the place down and try to put it back up again.

Be back soon.

I hope.

'Batman' protest at queen's palace: "The campaign group Fathers 4 Justice said the man scaled the palace's outer fence helped by a would-be accomplice dressed as comic hero Batman's sidekick Robin.

Meanwhile, other protesters distracted the attention of armed police by climbing on the front gate.

The group said police had threatened to shoot Robin unless he got down from the fence, 'which we think is unacceptable because this is a peaceful, non-violent protest.' Police declined to comment on the incident. "

Heehee.

A brand new car -- for everybody!: "In other segments on the show, taped Thursday, Winfrey surprised a 20-year-old girl who had spent years in foster care and homeless shelters with a four-year college scholarship, a makeover and $10,000 in clothes. And a family with eight foster children who were going to be kicked out of their house were given $130,000 to buy and repair the home."

Nice.

On a failed paintball mission with William Shatner: "'I called `Medic!' a lot, got wiped a lot,' he says. 'It reminded me of my babyhood: call for help, get wiped, press on.'"

VH1 Gets More 'Surreal': "Spurred by the boffo early numbers, Cronin says he is already working on a series project revolving around 'Surreal Life' housemates rapper Flava Flav and action star Brigitte Nielsen. "

Just the idea scares me. I missed last night's ep - was too engrossed in my Alias game. I do want to catch it during the week, though.

Ivan satellite photo. Run for your lives!!

Naomi Campbell Goes Public About Her Drug Addiction: "'This is a very good day for lying, drug-abusing prima donnas who want to have their cake with the media, and the right to then shamelessly guzzle it with their Cristal champagne,' he said in a statement."

Oh, MEE-OW. I love it when people say stuff like this about other people in the press. Especially when they deserve it.

Expelliarmus!

I have finally caved and started on the Potter books. I had to skip the first one since it's out on loan to a friend of Sheila's. I started with The Chamber of Secrets last week and tore through that and The Prisoner of Azkhaban and by last night I was dipping into The Goblet of Fire. Good fun.

Pup shoots man, saves litter mates: "Bradford said he decided to shoot the 3-month-old shepherd-mix dogs in the head because he couldn't find them a home, according to the sheriff's office."

"Crrrrazy Beetch!"

Time for a confession. I got home last night from the hairdresser to find that Sheila had The Surreal Life on. You know, the show that throws a handful of B-List celebrities into a house, makes them live together and waits for the hilarity to ensue. This season the housemates are: Brigitte Nielsen, Dave Coulier ("Full House"), Flava Flav, Jordan Knight (New Kids on the Block), Ryan Starr (American Idol, first season) and Charro. I swear to God, I never thought I'd laugh so hard at such a stupid show, but I did. Mostly at the expense of Brigitte Nielsen, clearly a raging alcoholic who Charro calls "a crrrrrrrazy beetch", and who likes to parade around the house clad only in a white apron and a black thong.

Observations: Knight is a complete d*ck, Starr is a little too nice and normal for this crowd and I'm not sure she will last, and Charro must have been cryogenically preserved - she hasn't changed at all.

The season premiere reruns tonight, with a new episode on Sunday night, on VH1. Beware: In Sunday's previews, Nielsen and Flav get pretty damn cuddly. God, my eyes.

ROTK:EE Street Date: December 14th!

(Translation: the extended edition of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is being released on December 14th and includes 50 minutes of extra footage)

Devastating Hurricane Ivan eyes Jamaica: "Ivan -- the most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean in nearly a decade -- has damaged 90 percent of Grenada's homes and destroyed a prison that left criminals running loose, officials said Wednesday. "

I can't believe no one has called it Ivan the Terrible yet. Grab onto something and hold tight, Florida.

Space capsule crashes to Earth after 3-year mission to the sun.

Oo, someone's in trouble now.

Bacall Balks After Kidman Called 'Legend': "'She's not a legend,' Bacall said, cutting off interviewer Jenni Falconer in mid-sentence. 'She's a beginner. What is this 'legend'? She can't be a legend at whatever age she is. She can't be a legend, you have to be older.'"

Good for her.

School Siege: Russia Grieves for Children and Putin Vents His Fury: "'Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace?' he said, according to The Guardian. 'You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?'"

I'm not sure who from our country suggested that the Russian government have talks with the Chechen separatists after last week's tragedy, but whoever it was has some nerve. Quite frankly, I don't blame Putin for being pissed off.

I'm going to the Lord of the Rings Exhibit at the Museum of Science in Boston on Saturday. Woohoo!!

Exhausted but Proud, Hugh Jackman Retires His Sequins: "ITH its pharmacopeia of teas, powders, pills and soothing cinnamon candles, Hugh Jackman's dressing room at the Imperial Theater is little more than a pit stop for his eight-times-a-week endurance marathon. Singing in 20 of the 27 numbers in 'The Boy From Oz,' he is onstage for all but three or four minutes. Critics reviewing the opening last October were glad of his omnipresence, applauding his Broadway debut as the flamboyant performer and songwriter Peter Allen, while panning almost everything else about the show, especially its schematic and sometimes cringe-inducing book. But Mr. Jackman's charm made the production (which improved with time) a hit anyway; when it closes next Sunday, after 32 previews and 365 regular performances, it will have recouped its initial investment of $8.25 million on gross ticket sales of more than $42 million. Astonishingly, when Mr. Jackman sat down for a conversation a few weeks before closing, he had not missed even one of those performances, a feat that gave him, he said, a masochistic thrill but had also taken its toll."

I called my brother Tommy on his cell phone this morning. He's a Broward County Deputy Sheriff down in Flordia, so I was checking to see what they expecting from hurricane Frances and to make sure that he stays safe. He said that they weren't all that worried, that they had put up their shutters last night and that the worst of the storm was supposed to hit about 60 miles north of them in Palm Beach. He gets off duty at 6:00 tonight, so he'll be able to ride it out at home, and then deal with the cleanup when he goes back on duty.

Toward the end of the call, he says, "No, it's okay, I've got a rag here in the car" to someone there. "What are you talking about," I asked. "Oh, nothing. I'm on a call and I've got fingerprint dust on my forehead."

Dork.

Oops!

Danny Kaye, James Beard and me: "When he got here, he walked straight into the kitchen. The drawer I keep sharp knives in was open. Kaye saw it and immediately screamed, 'That's no way to keep knives! No! No! No! They bump into each other and they chip.' He picked up a few knives and looked at them closely, and then he had a fit. He ran into the living room, jumped up on the couch, and did a kind of tribal war dance back and forth on the cushions -- all the time yelling that you should never keep kitchen knives in a drawer. "

Good little story. I loved Danny Kaye, too. And I never thought I'd say this, but that onion sandwich sounds good.

(requires viewing of ad and includes the recipe for the onion sandwich)

Soldiers Storm Russian School; Fate of Hostages Is Unclear: "As the battle began hundreds of relatives standing at the security cordon around the school began to scream and sob with despair, only to regain hope as children emerged alive. Two girls emerged from the back seat of a car, their clothes tattered and stained with dried blood, and raced into their family's courtyard near the school, where they met and hugged a woman who appeared to be their mother."

God, I knew it wouldn't end well. In fact, the ending is still ongoing, with military and rebel forces still fighting in and around the school. The images of the bloodied, bruised children fleeing the scene in just their underwear are ones I won't quickly forget.

I'm sick of crying over news stories. The bombings, the shootings, the plane crashes, the exploding buses, the murdered families. I heard my first Amber Alert this morning, for an 18-pound one-year-old after her mother was found stabbed to death and stuffed into a garbage bag. What drives us to such cruelty?

I need distraction. Maybe there is some good news out there.

Judge drops charge against Bryant.

What a colossal waste of everyone's time, money and energy. And okay, what the hell is this supposed to mean:

"Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did."

Wha? The only thing I can figure is he likes it rough and she doesn't?

Anyway, at least we'll have a break from the incessant coverage for a while, until the civil trial starts up. If it does, I should say - they may settle yet.

Follow Up

Family of decapitated rider pleads for driver: "'It's just a horrific accident, and we are all just in mourning right now,' said Margaret Hutcherson, the driver's mother. She said the victim was 'a part of our family, just like Johnny was a part of their family. I feel like I've lost a son.'"

This is just a sad story, all around. They still haven't explained how he didn't notice the headless body next to him or the blood on his own clothes. I'm assuming he was just as drunk as his unfortunate friend.

Hostage Crisis Unfolds in Russia as Guerrillas Seize School: "It was not immediately clear how many guerrillas were involved nor how many hostages were being held, though officials estimated there were as many as 200 hostages in the school's gymnasium. Middle School No. 1 in Beslan has nearly 900 students overall and 59 teachers, officials said. "

God, this is not going to end well. The picture of the soldier rescuing the little girl made my heart skip a beat and put a lump in my throat. Those poor children.