6.30.2006

Catch Up on Deadwood Tonight

HBO is airing the first three Deadwood episodes of this season tonight, beginning at 8:00 P.M.

Also, this week's recap coming soon.

Who needs to hear it when reading about it is this funny?

The Sweet, Sweet Sounds of Larry King's Ass.

I need to find a way to use "shooting a bunny" over the weekend.

"All of a sudden, you're Joan Lunden."

How much fun has it been to watch Star Jones Reynolds commit career suicide? Girl should have known - you mess with Barbara Walters, she will disappear you.

The woman, however, just cannot keep her mouth shut, and has now moved from self-immolation to actually
picking up a shovel and digging her own grave.

I love it!

6.29.2006

Scary Berries.


Scary Berries.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

The Wedding II


The Wedding II
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Karen and Jim, June 17, 2006

I made this with the intention of printing it and putting it in a frame as a gift for the happy couple, but the maximum good quality print that I can get (because of the resolution) is 5x5. That's tiny!

Damn.

Where the sun don't shine...

A lightbulb will have to do!

6.28.2006

Who Is Ken Jennings?

Confessions of a Trivial Mind: "Barbara Walters named him one of the ten most fascinating people of the year. The Christian Science Monitor called him "the king of Trivia Nation" and Slate magazine dubbed him "the Michael Jordan of trivia, the Seabiscuit of geekdom." ESPN: The Magazine called him "smarmy (and) punchable," with "the personality of a hall monitor," thus continuing America's long national struggle between jocks and nerds."

6.27.2006

I wonder what he'll wear?

Boy George ordered to Sanitation Dept: "The singer born George O'Dowd, who has struggled with drug problems for years, was ordered to do community service after pleading guilty in March to false reporting of an incident. He called police with a bogus report of a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment last October, and the responding officers found cocaine inside."

Oh baby when you talk like that...

Hilarious? Frightening? You decide.

You fly back to school now, little starling. Fly, fly, fly...

First Steps.

Prepare yourself, this is awfully cute.

I Was Singing this All Night.

Someone Tell Sam Jackson He's My Bro.

Thanks, Mike!

6.26.2006

Disturbing Image Warning.

"Homophobia Makes You Crazy"

Yeah, and if that photo is any indication, so does being gay!

Working Like a Dog.


Working Like a Dog.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Marty had a pretty good day at the office on Friday. Here you see him balancing one of our accounts.

Even though he got lots of attention and was spoiled by everyone in the office, he was still out of sorts. He couldn't understand why we weren't leaving and after only a half hour looked at me as if to say, "You mean I gotta sit here ALL DAY?" I brought his bed and his babies and he wanted nothing to do with them. If I wasn't holding him, he was lying on the floor in front of my desk, at my door, as if on strike.

Or maybe he was just waiting for Jill to come back with more Goldfish crackers.

Wires and Lights in a Box.

The film Good Night, and Good Luck was bookended by a keynote speech that Edward R. Murrow gave at the 1958 Radio-Television News Directors Association & Foundation (RTNDAF) Convention. Even though it needs to be said just as much now as it did 50 years ago, probably even moreso, I don't imagine there is anyone in the news business today who would have the integrity to say what he said to that room. I've copied an excerpt below.

Murrow Speech:

"We are to a large extent an imitative society. If one or two or three corporations would undertake to devote just a small fraction of their advertising appropriation along the lines that I have suggested, the procedure would grow by contagion; the economic burden would be bearable, and there might ensue a most exciting adventure--exposure to ideas and the bringing of reality into the homes of the nation.

To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost.

This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful. "

Drive Thru Reviews

Good Night, and Good Luck - Very good movie about Edward R. Murrow's fight to take down Senator Joe McCarthy and end his Communist witch hunt in the 50s, that also works well as a warning to us, in the present day, on two fronts: 1) the misuse of the power of television (specifically the news divisions) and 2) the suppression of an individual's right to dissent. I found the film riveting, especially considering our current cultural and politcal climate. George Clooney wrote and directed it (and plays a supporting role). And David Straithairn is fantastic as Murrow.

The Upside of Anger - Gosh this was a bad movie. I should have known, considering it was written and directed by Mike Binder, who couldn't write a decent female character if his life counted on it. And this movie was full of poorly written women. I don't think I liked any of the characters, and so I didn't really care what happened to them. None of the scenes seemed to come from the same movie, and while I think Joan Allen is an excellent actress, I don't think comedy is her forte.

Veronica Mars, Season 1, Disc 1 - I'm late getting on this train and I'm glad I'm finally able to see what all the fuss is about. I watched 4 episodes in a row on Saturday night, and I love it. Combine Buffy with Alias and you get Veronica. The next 3 discs can't come soon enough!

6.25.2006

"Change calls the tune we dance to."




I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For

It's the following day in Deadwood, and the battle between Hearst and Al is about to turn into a war.

Actually, we begin with Al lying awake in bed in the pre-dawn hours. As he lies there, a drunk hooplehead climbs onto the speech platform and yells out the first words of the episode: "I am not the fine man you take me for." Al listens as he exclaims that he came to the town to make a life for himself but wound up gambling, whoring and drinking it all away. The hooplehead then passes out and falls over the edge of the platform, breaking his neck when he lands. I wonder, is the hoople representative of the 'old Deadwood'? And does his death serve as a warning to Al that the end of his rule in Deadwood may also be coming to an end?

After standing up to Hearst the night before by cancelling the speeches, Al is waiting for Hearst's response. He doesn't have to wait for long. Captain Turner delivers a cryptic note to the Gem, in the form of a crudely drawn map. It's of the inside of the Gem and the Xs represent men that Hearst is sending to kill Al and his men. It's all very complex and confusing, but the gist of it is that Hearst is giving Al a heads up and the opportunity to dispatch these men before they can dispatch Al. As to the specific message he's sending, well, I can't say I'm sure - I can kill you but I won't? I was going to kill you but now I'm not? Al, being the brilliant strategist that he is, does understand the message. He and Dan kill two of the men and send the other two back to tell Hearst that the speeches are back on for that night.

Captain Turner returns to the Gem to deliver yet another note to Al. This time it is an invitation to join Hearst that evening to watch the speeches from his veranda. Hearst has taken up his sledgehammer again, tearing down the outer wall of the hotel for passage to the roof over the hotel's porch. Al accepts his invitation and goes to meet Hearst without bringing a 'second' with him, despite the protests of Dan, Johnny and Adams. Having Dan or Adams along would send the wrong message to Hearst, be too confrontational, I suppose.

As the speeches start, it becomes quite clear that after all of the hubbub surrounding their importance in the forward movement of the camp, they are really inconsequential after all. The real moving and shaking is happening on Hearst's 'veranda' as he and Al talk. He tells Al that the purpose of his demonstration in the Gem earlier that day was to show him "the virtue of consolidating interests." Al will have none of that and he throws down the gauntlet: "What the strong call consolidatin' [is] bending the weak to their will." Oh, Al, RUN! They return to Hearst's hotel room, with Al under Captain Turner's gun. Things deteriorate quickly as Al refuses to help Hearst gain access to Alma Garrett's claim. To my disbelieving eyes, Turner knocks Al over the head and grabs him around the neck. Still defiant, Al refuses to help Hearst and is paid for it by getting a big pick ax brought down on his hand.

Before I get to the fantastic ending, I'll quickly recap the other developments in the camp:

Alma and Ellsworth - Alma has taken a turn for the worse. Doc tells her that she will lose the baby and they need to take action (perform an abortion) before she miscarries and likely bleeds to death. Before the procedure, Alma lets her bequests be known: She names Sophia as her inheritor and names Bullock as the steward now to Sophia's interests, essentially removing any claim that Ellsworth may have to little Sophia, who he dearly loves. Alma survives the procedure, so Sophia's guardianship remains the responsibility of Alma, but I think her dying wishes will breed some resentment in Ellsworth toward her.

Jane - Jane takes a bath! And gives her speech to the schoolkids about her work with General Custer. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for her to slip into her more familiar colorful language, but Jane does fine. Quite well, in fact. She spends the day sober - could this be turning point for her?

Joanie/Cy/Charlie - Joanie comes back to the Bella Union to look in on Cy again, but can barely contain her distress. She tells the despicable Cy that she tried to kill herself and he selfishly tells her that she feels she should die because she doesn't have anything to keep her busy, like caring for him and the girls. Thank heaven for Charlie. During the speeches, as he and Joanie listen and wait outside Alma's for news about her, Charlie consoles Joanie in the sweetest way, telling her that they way she thinks about herself is not the way that other people see her. The evening ends on a positive note for Joanie, as she tells Lila, "Nothin's over yet." As far as Cy goes, I don't know what to think about his antics. Personally, I thought his entire holy-roller-overcome-by-the-holy-spirit routine was a show put on for Andy Cramed and he would have shot him dead if his stupid cronies didn't barge in and interrupt.

Okay, so, back to the end. As the crowd that gathered for the speeches disperse, we see Al leaving the Grand Hotel looking horrible and with his left hand tucked under his suit coat. Bullock sees him and runs to his side. Al, though clearly in terrible pain, proudly holds himself up and will not give Hearst, who is standing on his veranda and looking down on the thoroughfare the way that Al normally does, the satisfaction of seeing an affect on him. As he leans on Bullock for support, Bullock tells him he wants to go and kill Hearst himself. Al tells him to hold back, and not seek revenge, yet: "I'm having mine served cold. "

And so, as many have already said, it is ON.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Would you close your flap, that I don't forego my boiled eggs?" ~ Al to Johnny

"Chang ain't looking for friends. Change calls the tune we dance to." ~ Al

"When you speak, I feel like it's the Devil talkin'." ~ Joanie to Cy

"I am, for the day, off the bottle and about to bathe."
"Camp get up a petition?" ~ Jane and Mose

"Could you have been born, Richardson, and not egg-hatched as I'd always assumed?" ~ E.B. to Richardson

"Listen, and you won't get scalped! And don't look at yourself too much in the mirror." ~ Jane's lesson to the schoolchildren

"That'd knock a buzzard off a shit-wagon." ~Johnny

"If he was trailin' water we might get took for ducklings." ~ Adams

"Overturnin' turtles is my specialty." ~ Harry Manning's taunter

"I'm having mine served cold." ~ Al

6.24.2006

Feed Me, Seymour.

Would you like to be notified whenever I post something new here? You can now that I've set up a Feedburner feed for this site, finally! Just click on one of the chicklets I've added to the top of the sidebar to subscribe to my feed using your favorite feed reader (My Yahoo, Google, AOL, etc.).

If you need help doing this, let me know in the comments.

6.23.2006

What Made The Hasselhoff Cry?

Hasselhoff Defends Emotional 'Idol' Scene: "What moved me was the person sitting next to me is my best friend--he has brain cancer. It was his birthday and this was his present. When Taylor Hicks won I said, 'Isn't that cool? A guy gets the American Dream.' Then I look over at my best friend who says, 'Isn't it great to be alive?' "

Funny, that's exactly what I was thinking at the same moment. It was the perfect way to end the show.

6.22.2006

BTW

Expect this week's Deadwood recap tomorrow night. I was going to work on it tonight, but it's just too damn late!

LOST for the Summer

So here we are with summer finally underway, and no new LOST episodes to look forward to for some time. Well despair not, my fellow fanatics, we have the LOST Experience to tide us over the summer months.

It's an alternate reality web game that was kicked off, as I'm sure you know, in May, with a commercial advertising the Hanso Foundation that gave us a phone number to call and a website to visit. Every week brings new information for the player - a website, a puzzle or even an impossibly obscure hexadecimal code to decrypt.

I'm not going to recap the entire game so far - too much time has passed for that to be a reasonable option - but I thought I would list some of the website URLs we have been given so far, as well as links to a couple of sites that you can use as walkthroughs when you are stumped. (and yes, I use them! a lot!)

The game is begun by calling 1-877-HANSORG (426-7674). Listen to the recording to get a password (you may need to call a few times before you get it) and then go to the main site and find a place to plug it in.

The main site for the game is

http://www.thehansofoundation.org

Here are the sites that have been created for the game and that will yield clues and or passwords for you to use at the main Hanso site:

http://www.sublymonal.com
http://www.letyourcompassguideyou.com
http://www.hansocareers.com
http://www.retrieversoftruth.com
http://persephone.thehansofoundation.org
http://hole.thehansofoundation.org
http://hole2.thehansofoundation.org
http://hole3.thehansofoundation.org

Here are some Guides, Walkthroughs and Tools:

http://www.thelostexperience.com
http://www.insidetheexperience.com
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos
http://www.lost-pedia.com
http://www.lost-links.net

Most helpful to me has been a walkthrough I found by going to http://emri.perception.net. When you go to this site, an old Hanso Foundation home page will load. Click on "ACCESS DISABLED INDEFINITELY" and you'll be brought to a Hanso walkthrough. You have no idea how happy I was when I found this! There are clues hidden so deep in some of these sites that there is no way I would have found them on my own.

I believe new information is released on Wednesdays. I've only played through last week, so I need to do some catching up.

If you're playing, please feel free to discuss in the comments.

Namaste!

Just keep Little Carmine out of it, please!

James Gandolfini puts muscle on "Sopranos" pals: "Gandolfini, whose own bitter contract squabble with HBO three years ago escalated into a court battle before it was settled, is hosting a sit-down this weekend with co-stars Steven Van Zandt and Tony Sirico, according to sources."

WWJD?

Shoot first and ask questions later, probably.

I think I mentioned this before, but just in case I didn't...FOX is re-running season 5 this summer on Friday nights, airing 2 consecutive episodes each Friday beginning last week, the 16th. Being me, I neither watched nor taped it, forgetting about the one show outside of Deadwood that I'll be watching this summer. Thanks to iTunes and T1 at work, I downloaded the eps, burned them to a CD and brought it home to watch the other night.

I'm spoiled on the big twists - the deaths in the premiere and the President Logan thing - how could I not be? - but that didn't lessen my enjoyment in the least. Not one bit. It's good to be watching this show again. It's good to be watching Kiefer again.

Let's go to work!


Are we home yet?
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Tomorrow, Friday June 23, is the eighth annual Take Your Dog to Work Day and I would really love to bring Marty to the office with me. Normally, he would go with Sheila, but she'll be golfing for most of the day and won't be in her office (poor thing).

Our two senior partners are going to be gone on vacation tomorrow, though...maybe I can use my powers of persuasion on the remaining partner...

UPDATE: Grab your briefcase Marty, because you're comin' to work!

6.21.2006

Sweetie.


Sweetie.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Can you tell he's looking at his mother?

Storm over the city.


Storm over the city.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Taken from my front yard last night.

6.20.2006

Quote of the Day.

Judge spares life of Lewis the Cat.

He will also be able to stay in Connecticut (albeit always inside the house), even though some nice Utah people said he could come and stay with them:

"'I live with a cat just like Lewis, and I live with danger every time I go home at night,' he said, adding, 'I'm from South Jersey, so I don't take any crap from a cat.'"

Are we there yet?


Maine
Originally uploaded by gina64.

First Dance.


First Dance.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Congratulations, Jim and Karen!

6.19.2006

Girl, you got a centerpiece on your head!


Girl, you got a centerpiece on your head!
Originally uploaded by gina64.

Kids, take this as a warning: Too much Corona and wedding centerpieces do not mix.

6.16.2006

I wish I thought of this.

TVgasm - Kitty Porn or Cat House?: "TVgasm has exclusive stills from the first 48 of the show's taping. It's amazing the lengths Animal Planet will go to boost their ratings."

Hockney Summer


Hockney Summer
Originally uploaded by gina64.

I wouldn't believe it.

And then I saw this.

All I can say is,

What Will They Think of Next?



Meow Mix House: The first reality show starring...cats. Think "Real World", but with a slightly more intellectual cast that you can actually bear to watch for more than 5 minutes.

Actually, the house is filled with 9 shelter cats from around the country who will be voted off (adopted) over the course of the show, which begins tonight at 9:10 on Animal Planet.

One of the show's stars, Belle has already been adopted. Check out her bio page. And don't miss the live webcam!

6.15.2006

"Every day takes figurin' out all over again how to f*ckin' live."

This post contains SPOILERS

Tell Your God To Ready For Blood



Finally, one of the finest shows I have ever watched has returned, for its third and, regrettably, final season. Deadwood is a magical confluence of superb acting, beautiful cinematography and brilliant writing that I doubt we will see on television again for a very long time.

Before I recap, I just wanted to mention how perfectly the show's opening credits reflect both the beauty and the brutality of the show and its dialogue.

We pick up the story about 6 weeks from the end of season 2 and are plopped down right in the middle of the action. Hearst is still ensconced in the hotel he bought from E.B. and the town's first elections are fast approaching. A school has been established for the town's children in Joanie's former brothel, with Martha Bullock teaching the students. Deadwood is growing fast and with that growth comes civilization. For the most part. The first words of the season are spoken by Dan Dority, and I wonder if they are a sign of things to come: "Fetching toward a bloody outcome, boss."

Dan's prediction comes true only minutes later when a Cornishman, who works for Hearst, is murdered in the Gem. Al correctly surmises that Hearst is behind the murder; by ordering a man killed in Al's saloon he's letting him know that he can basically do whatever he wants. Al also knows that this is a test for Bullock, who is running for Sheriff. He warns Bullock not to pursue the matter with Hearst when he meets with him. The brilliant Al knows that if Bullock looks the other way, Hearst will back his candidacy.

Bullock does his best to contain his temper during the meeting with Hearst, and does not pursue the question of the murder, but something else sets him off: Hearst asks what sort of influence Bullock has with Alma Garrett Ellsworth regarding her claim. Bullock thinks this means that Hearst knows about their affair and is using it to influence and control him. He barely contains his anger as he cuts the meeting short and storms into the lobby of the hotel, where he finds E.B. Farnum, who in his mind is the most likely person to have told Hearst about him and the widow. Bullock completely loses his shit and beats the living daylights out of E.B. While E.B. deserves a beating for so many other transgressions, this time he is innocent. Bullock has tipped his hand, however, and now Hearst knows what he may have only suspected.

I have to say that while the beating was ferocious, I couldn't help but laugh out loud as Richardson, on his way to "get the law", grabs his trusty antlers, runs to Al, and yells, "The Sheriff is beatin' up the Mayor!" That pretty much sums up what it's like to watch this show.

After breaking up the fight and getting E.B. situated, Al returns to meet with Hearst in a wonderful scene that is very hard to describe. Without directly accusing him, Al tells Hearst that he does not take kindly to people being murdered in his establishment, especially without his permission, and until that "insult" has been repaired, Al can cause a lot of trouble for Hearst, by "tearing things down." He starts by telling him that the night's election speeches have been cancelled. Hearst takes the warning for what it is and tells Al that he hopes then that the insult will have been erased by the following day. The scene is masterful, a battle of wits between two brilliant and dangerous men, and my description pales in comparison.

This is fetching toward a bloody outcome, and Al knows it. He goes to Bullock's house to aprise him of the situation and to warn him to be ready for trouble. When Bullock asks him if he'd like him to accompany him back to the Gem, Al says no but adds, "It won't be just yet. He'll be wanting to marshal his cutthroats. Do stay in hailing distance."

That was the main storyline, but the episode also touched on just about every character and brought us up to speed on their lives:

The Bullocks - As I've already mentioned, Marth has started a school for the town's children. Her relationship with Seth is still tentative, but they do seem to have gotten more comfortable around each other.

The Ellsworths - Ellsworth, Alma and Sophia are still setting up house. After Ellsworth leaves in the morning to take Sophia to school, Alma faints. Doc prescribes complete bedrest for the duration of the pregnancy, and laudanum for her pain. Alma, having just recently kicked her laudanum addiction, is not too eager to get that monkey on her back again.

Joanie - Joanie is in a bad way. She is without a place or a purpose. She vacates her former brothel during the day while school is being conducted and spends hours sitting in a room she rents from Shaugnessy's, contemplating and coming close to committing suicide. She doesn't want to return to the Bella Union, but Cy is doing his best to manipulate her into coming back. He's still bedridden, recovering from the stabbing by Andy Cramed, and Joanie goes to him every day to nurse him and check on the whores. (By the way, I think Cy's newfound religious devotion is a crock and that he is not as ill as he seems.) The Bella is a mere shadow of what it used to be, and the whores are strung out on dope. The temptation to return is more than Joanie can withstand. As she sits in her rented room with a gun to her head, she asks, "What am I Lord, that I'm so helpless?"

Sol and Trixie - Sol is running for mayor against E.B. Trixie is still with him, but she's none to pleased - Al wants Sol living in a respectable house and not "whore-f*cking" in his place of business. If all goes Al's way, Sol will take over Adams' house and Trixie will live in a rented room at Shaugnessy's, adjacent to Sol's new house and where Al has arranged for a hole to be cut in the wall in order to, as Trixie so delicatley puts it, "to ease my f*ckin' f*ckin' you!"

Jane - Finally, Jane, the heart of the show for me. It was so good to see more of her after so little last season. She's still drinking, unfortunately, but Martha has asked her to come to the school and speak to the children about her days as a scout for Custer. She tells Martha no at first, but later confides to Joanie about Martha's request and it seems she has reconsidered. I hope so. Jane's still staying at Joanie's at night and have continued their unlikely but sweet friendship.

Oh, and The Gimp - Jewell is back! In one of my favorite scenes, she's scrubbing the Cornishman's bloodstain from the floor of the Gem when Al walks in. She stands and asks, "Breakfast?" Al just looks at her. She kneels back down (not an easy feat for her), and Al yells, "Bacon and eggs!" She gets up, looks at him and says, "You could have said that before I went down!" And she storms off. I think he did that so she would leave and he could wash the floor himself.

I'll finish up with my favorite quotes from the episode:

"Do not instruct me how to spend my day. Or to itemize for you my crowded itinerary!" ~ Jane

"I keep my ruddy color not asking Al his reasons." ~Adams

"Loopy c*nt!!" ~Al to Trixie

"Has the body been eaten?" ~ Bullock (which reminds me, where is Wu?!)

"Leave the demons to God and trust the pain to me." ~Doc to Alma

"Don't I yearn for the days a draw across the throat made f*ckin' resolution." ~Al to Dan

"I will profane your f*ckin' remains, E.B. Gabriel's Trumpet will produce you from the ass of a pig." ~Al

"F*ckin' pagan. Tell your God to ready for blood." ~Al to Richardson

"Custer was a c*nt!! The End." ~ Jane

"Every day takes figurin' out all over again how to f*ckin' live." ~Jane

Amen, Jane.

6.14.2006

Drive Thru Reviews

Memoirs of a Geisha - I have not read the book, so I had none of the expectations a reader would have going into seeing the movie. Still, I found it lacking. It was visually stunning, and the acting was good, but there was something missing. I should have connected more emotionally with Sayuri and instead I felt like a detached observer.

A History of Violence - Now I was anything but detached while watching this. An extremely well-acted, well-directed and altogether unsettling look at violence in all its forms: in our homes, in our culture, in ourselves. One of the questions posed, I think, is "Are we born violent, or are we made that way?" To paraphrase one of the characters, "I remember trying to strangle you in your crib, but Momma caught me and gave me a beating...I guess all kids try to do that." Well, actually, no they don't...but did he exhibit violent tendencies because he was born that way, or because his mother beat him? What about Jack Stall? He was raised in a loving, pacifist family, yet when he is finally pushed too far by the bullies in school, he unleashes a beatdown that Jet Li would be proud of. Is his talent for brutal violence just another inherited trait? I keep running through scenes in my head today. Great movie.

Creepy photos of alleged self-inflicted bruises on Michael Jackson's arms being touched by a little kid's hand. In a hotel room bathroom.

Yeah, you heard me right:

Michael Jackson: Exclusive Photos, Bruising Story

6.13.2006

Fugly Like the Wolf

Go Fug Yourself: Fugan Fugan: The Scrolldown: "...there is no need for Mr. Le Bon to be channeling Chevy Chase in Vacation, when he puts on the hideous white loafers Randy Quaid gave him and goes to the dingy motel bar in search of Christie Brinkley. That ended in watery embarrassment."

Oh Simon, what in the world were you thinking??

How Deadwood Almost Died.

'Deadwood' Gets a New Lease on Life: "Mr. Milch, the creator and executive producer of 'Deadwood,' recalled that his reaction to the decision was cordial, but very disappointed. 'It seemed to me that some sort of partial order for the show would make it impossible to do anything but superimpose all sort of interpretations that would deprive it of its own emotion,' he said, in typical Milch fashion. 'The viewer would come to it with all sorts of second agendas, and I didn't want to do that.'"

I still don't understand how both Milch and HBO could so quickly give up on their best show. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Well, at least we get the 4 hours to wrap things up.

Karl "Teflon" Rove.

Leak Counsel Won't Charge Rove, Lawyer Announces: "The prosecutor in the C.I.A. leak case on Monday advised Karl Rove, the senior White House adviser, that he would not be charged with any wrongdoing, effectively ending the nearly three-year criminal investigation that had at times focused intensely on Mr. Rove."

Or perhaps "greased pig" is a more fitting.

Bertie.


Time to get some souvenirs!
Originally uploaded by gina64.

I have a new traveling companion. He likes to read, he's not a big talker and he wants to visit all the places that I want to - perfect!

You can see the whole set here.

He's Thuper!

Superman probably isn't any gayer now than in any other incarnation we've seen, but I have to say that this has me seriously wondering.

What were they thinking?!

6.09.2006

The Gods Must Be Crazy.

Oh no, did the little bushman die?!

Sorry,
obscure movie reference.

It's been nearly a year already!

I got the braces put on July 15, 2005, almost a year ago already. Wow. And the change in that short amount of time is amazing. Not only have my teeth moved a lot, but the entire lower part of my face looks different. I have my chin back!

And for the first time in my life, my nose looks huge.

Daydreaming.


Beachcombing.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

I was just telling a co-worker that I feel like I have a raging case of 'senioritis' - you know, that last month or so of high school, when teachers have to practically set themselves on fire to get your attention because you really don't care anymore? That's how I feel today. Which amazes me because I am a LONG way from high school.

My mind has been wandering to annual trip up to Maine in July (that's my niece Hannah on the beach in front of our house), and that certainly is not helping matters. I really can't believe that it's only a little over a month away! I can smell the sea already, hear the waves, feel the cool sea mist, taste the lobster...

6.07.2006

Diversionary Tactic Fails.

Gay marriage amendment fails in Senate.

The amendment now moves to the House, where Republicans hope to keep it in the public's eye long enough to divert our attention from the real problems facing our country in the run-up to the election. Why take on a true moral quagmire like war and its collateral damage of innocent civilians, or the raping of our wallets by the oil companies, when you can stir up a sandstorm of religious paranoia and righteous indignation of such proportions that all other issues are obscured?

Deadwood Not Dead Yet.

Variety Reports: 'Deadwood' rides again: "After a month of what seemed like public negotiating, HBO and 'Deadwood' creator-exec producer David MilchDavid Milch have kissed and made up, as it were, agreeing to produce a pair of two-hour specials that will serve as the show's series finale."

Good news.

The third season of Deadwood premieres on HBO this Sunday at 9:00 P.M. - don't forget! Since I have no other show on my must-see list this summer (besides the re-runs of 24 on Friday nights - don't forget that, either!), I'm going to attempt to recap the show here. Check back during the week after the premiere for the first one.

In the meantime, and in preparation for the season premiere, check out Matt Zoeller's excellent Deadweek series of episode recaps, essays and character studies at The House Next Door .

(thanks, tvtattle)

6.05.2006

American Idol

Here's another late post - hey, it was a busy couple of weeks! - and because of the delay, I won't do my usual recap of the show. It's not like there's any suspense involved at this point, and even though I took two and a half pages of notes, they're pretty sketchy and my memory does not serve me well, ever. So I will transcribe my notes for you instead. If I can decipher them.

Oh, yeah, before I start: Taylor won.

Carrie and Taylor and Kat and the rest of the Top 12 are all in white, singing I Made It Through The Rain...Carrie's gorgeous...

"better than Ryan" - what the hell did I mean by that?...

There's Ben Stiller again...and Heather Locklear

Videos about each judge...Randy: says the same thing all the time...Paula: gets so emotional, baby...Simon: feels himself up

The O'Donoghue Twins are in Alabama with tons of Hicks fans...Tamyra Gray is with McPhee fans...clever camera work

Paris and Al Jareau singing We're In This Love Together...she sounds hoarse, but good

Chris and Live... that's got to be cool for him...Ed's hot...Chris is really short

Puck and Pickler...oh brother

Meatloaf and Katharine...It's All Coming Back to Me Now...whoa! what's wrong with him...black dress is hot...(I read later on that he was suffering from incredible stage fright and thought he was having a heart attack. Well, I thought he was having one, too! He says he can't remember performing that night)

Oo, there's Angel with a little mini-Angel

First Annual Golden Idols...you've got to be kidding me...Dave Hoover...you're wasting our time!

Guys' Medley...Kevin, Chris, Ace (still sucks!), Elliot, Bucky...Taylor on harmonica

Claudette - Proudest Parent...that makes me happy

Rhonetta wins the Jackson Award...Ryan says Rhonetta couldn't be here tonight to accept her award because she's working...zing!

Taylor and Toni Braxton sing "In the Ghetto"...can hardly hear her...she's all over him and it's kinda sexy but kinda scary, too

Girls Medley (I think I took a cigarette break here)

Michael Sandecki wins the Golden Idol for Strangest Moment...God, he's going to sing...Hey, it's Clay!...I think Michael just messed himself

Burt Bacharach Medley...he wrote a LOT of songs...Covais sings "Puthy cat puthy cat, I love you", the funniest moment of the night...hey it's Dionne Warwick...she looks pretty good...doesn't sound so good, though, needs practice

Brokenote Cowboys...*yawn*...at least Garrett got to sing on the big stage

PRINCE...awesome, worth watching the whole thing for that moment alone

T & K sing I Had the Time of My Life...awkward but cute...let's get this over with!

Ryan says over 63 million votes were tallied, more than in any presidential election (where you have to be 18 and can only vote once, Ryan)...and the winner is...Taylor Hicks!

David Hasselhoff is crying!!

Smells like carrots, brotha. [LOST SPOILERS]

Remember that the next time you're marooned on a creepy desert island. Hey, you never know.

Because I'm over a week late with this, it won't be a recap of LOST's fantastically fantastic season finale. You all have probably either re-watched it or read other recaps by now. If not, head over to TWoP or TVGasm. Or both.

Instead, I thought I'd take a look at some of the new information, as well as some new questions. Alwasy new questions with this show.

Live Together, Die Alone

Alot of the new information, or answers to questions, came to us in Desmond's flashback. BTW, I think Desmond's my new favorite character. He's cute, he's got a Scottish accent and he's such a romantic. And I like his hair long.

From Desmond we learned:

Desmond spent time in a military prison and was dishonorably discharged. He was/is in love with Penny Widmore, the daughter of Charles Widmore of Widmore Industries, which is in cahoots in some way with the Hanso Foundation.

Desmond's favorite book that he's never read but carries everywhere with him is Charles Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend", a story about two lovers, a large inheritance and mistaken identity.

When he was shipwrecked on the island, Desmond was sailing in a race that was sponsored by Widmore, in a boat given to him by Libby. Whoa! She tells Desmond that the boat had belonged to her recently departed husband David. Is it just a coincidence that Hurley's imaginary friend was named Dave and that Hurley and Libby were in the institution together? Is Libby a Hanso employee? Was she setting Desmond up? Oh, and I gathered that Desmond did not take Widmore's cash because otherwise he would have been able to buy a boat himself.

So, remember Kelvin? Desmond's dead roommate and fellow button-pusher? Kelvin was Sayid's torture trainer! Clancy Brown! Apparently he signed up to work for the DHARMA Initiative after leaving the military and was sent to the island to push the button. Or at least that's the story he gave Desmond. It was him who fixed Desmond's boat and he died accidentally when Desmond pushed him in a fight over it.

The blast door map was drawn in liquid detergent - which, it seems, glows in black light - by Kelvin's former roommate, Radzinski, and was being updated by Kelvin after Radzinski blew his own brains out. They lowered the blast doors by hotwiring something.

From the present day Island:

Remember the pneumatic tube in the Pearl Station that the observers of Swan Station were using to send their notes off to whoever was observing them? Jack, et al came across a very large pile of cylinders with notebooks in them, all apparently ignored. It seems the Pearl Station was the experiment, not the Swan Station. Also, Sawyer found Locke's little copy of the blast door map in the pile. I wonder if that will have any significance next season.

Henry Gale appears to be the leader of the Others. Was Henry talking about himself when he spoke of "Him"?


The button does do something. I'm so glad they resolved this. It was getting a little old. Pushing the button vents a built-up electromagnetic charge before it becomes dangerous. When the codes are not entered in time, an EM anomaly occurs that results in things like flying cutlery and dumbbells and planes falling from the sky.

Yes, Desmond caused the plane crash. After killing Kelvin, he didn't make it back to the hatch before the countdown hit zero. Shit started hitting the fan (and the walls) and Des eventually got the codes entered, but not before the system failure caused the plane to crash on the island.

Some quick questions:
  • What the heck was that bird? I thought it was a pterodactyl or something, but it had feathers. And it did sound to me like it said Hurley's name.
  • The weirdest moment with the best line: "I don't know which is more disturbing: that the rest of the statue is missing or that the foot only has 4 toes."
  • What do the Others want with Kate, Jack and Sawyer?
  • What was that look that passed between Jack and Kate right before the hoods were pulled over their heads?
  • What will happen to Walt and Michael? Actually, I'm not so sure I care too much about that.
  • What happened to Eko, Locke and Desmond? The three coolest characters on this show had better not be dead. Charlie survived, but they were at ground zero. I don't think they are dead, but they must have been affected in some way. Charlie was behaving very strangely when he joined the rest of the group on the beach, way too cavalier.
  • How will having 2 boats (the Elizabeth and her dinghy) affect things next year?
  • What about the vaccine and quarantine? Is it all fake? Then what about Rousseau's crew?

  • Who were those Portugese guys at the end? Where were they? Antarctica? How did Penny know to look for an EM anomaly when looking for Desmond? I totally thought the guy in the orange coat was Matthew Fox in makeup
Just one more thing. When Desmond used the fail safe key to shut down the EM system thingy, Henry Gale did not look surprised or like he didn't know what was happening. He looked pissed:



If you have any thoughts or theories you'd like to share, or if there were things I missed that you want to discuss, please comment. And apologies for the delay!

Welcoming Committe.


Welcoming Committe.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

We had a bear on our porch on our first night at Mohawk over Memorial Day Weekend. The photo isn't great because we were all sort of freaking out and he was getting sort of aggressive so I wasn't thinking straight.

We were a little worried about his aggressiveness, but he never returned.

6.01.2006

Tower at Mount Greylock


Tower at Mount Greylock
Originally uploaded by gina64.

This is the Veterans War Memorial atop Mount Greylock Reservation in Massachusetts. It looked like it sprang fully formed from the computer game Myst. Click here to see what I mean.

This Freaked My Sh*t Right Out!


Namaste.
Originally uploaded by gina64.

The Hanso Foundation has people everywhere. This was taken in Shelburne Falls, MA.

Namaste.

Who's Your SpyDaddy?

Jack Bristow may have made the ultimate sacrifice on the Alias series finale, but glarkware's "who's your spy daddy" t-shirt lives to see another day! Woo Hoo!

I have the original recipe shirt, but you know I have to get the red one. An homage to Jack and Clifford the Big Red Ball (tm TWoP).

Yay!

My Summer with Jack.

I didn't get on board for the season of 24 that just ended, but I knew that I would eventually want to watch it on DVD. Well, FOX has saved me the trouble of waiting for the DVD release while also providing me with a show I can watch over the summer: Two back-to-back episodes of 24 will air every Friday night, beginning June 15.

Bring on the implausible plot twists and indiscriminate dispensing of brutal torture!

David Milch is a Selfish C*cks*cker.

It's Official: Deadwood Is Dead ...: "David Milch has penned a statement that pretty much confirms our worst fears: TV's best acted, written, directed, costumed and photographed show will end after its upcoming third season - and before its natural conclusion. "

I agree with Ausiello - how selfish and unforgivable.