Idol Top 5: Results

And the Neil Diamond massacre continues with the group sing. I think the fact that I'm gunning for Archuleta so badly is beginning to ruin my enjoyment of the show. All I see is his dopey face and all I hear is his dopey voice.

Ryan does damage control for Paula's flub last night by not addressing it at all and simply saying that Paula is a part of their family and is not going anywhere. OK. Whatever.

Ryan puts the first two safe singers on the couch: David A. (no surprise) and Jason, and that does surprise me. His fan base must have been power voting last night after the Second Song debacle.

And then he adds Cook to the sofa and the Bottom 2 are Syesha and Brooke. I think it's a toss up as to who goes home.

Mr. Diamond sings something new, "Pretty Amazing Grace" and he sounds great. Really mellow, but really great.

Alrighty, which girl is going to go? Ryan says...Tonight is the night that Brooke leaves us. It's not a surprise, but I will miss her. A lot. And I think that was the saddest singout I have ever seen. *sniff*

David Cook is the only keeping my interest anymore.

I'll be in New Orleans next week, so there won't be a recap from me. You're on your own!

Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies.

Last night's Idol bugged me so much that I've gone to You Tube to listen to some vintage Neil Diamond and soothe my poor, violated ears. And I found some good stuff.

I was only two when this clip first aired, but I like the song. And look at how young he is!





Neil chats with Johnny Cash and sings "Brother Love's Travelin' Salvation Show" (and looks really hot) 1970:



And one more, from Hot August Night, Cherry Cherry, 1972:



Sooooo many wasted opportunities last night.

TV Talk

I love the Discovery Channel:



However, my tolerance for gore was stretched to the limit last night. After watching a greenhorn on Deadliest Catch poke a hole in his injured fingernail and squeeze the bloody pus out and a deckhand sucker punch a flopping fish, and people on The Alaska Experiment clubbing live salmon in the head and shooting and skinning a mountain goat, well, I was a little on edge. That was some hardcore nature show stuff.

For the details on how Paula completely lost her mind last night, read this.

Paula gets confused on Idol.

I've read that the judges normally listen to the dress rehearsals and base a lot of the their critiques on that on not the live performance, but I'm not sure the powers that be want that cat out of the bag. There will major damage control tonight.

I may not watch - I need to really start organizing my stuff for my NOLA trip - but I will post the results.

Ew, ew, ew, ew. EW.

Huge squid has world's largest eye, say scientists: "Scientists studying the carcass of what they call the heaviest squid ever found have discovered it has eyes as big as soccer balls -- reportedly the largest in the world."

Oh, Warrick.

You make me sad.

You're probably a complete d*ck in real life, but this makes me sad, nonetheless.

Idol Top 5: Performances

OK, are we ready for effin' Neil Diamond night? No one is wearing the trademark sparkly shirt, thank God.

Each singer gets to perform two songs, and in a change of pace they won't be judged until after both performances.

Round One

Jason - "Forever in Blue Jeans"- He does a serviceable job, but it's pretty rote. It feels like I'm watching a kids' show from the 70s.

David C. - "I'm Alive" - He gives ND goosebumps, but it's a very poppy song that I don't really know. And it's probably Cook's most forgettable performance.

Brooke - "I'm a Believer" - Ooo, I don't think this was a good song choice for her. She looks terrified! I don't want to sound like Randy but I think she ended up pulling it together in the end and it actually sounded like a different song by the time she finished.

I'm thinking that either Neil Diamond songs are hard to make your own, or he was not a very good mentor because so far, I am not impressed. And they're not singing good Neil Diamond songs, either.

David A. - "Sweet Caroline" - I just don't know what to say about this kid anymore. I cannot STAND him and my dislike is bordering on the irrational.

Syesha - "Hello Again" - She makes it sound like a song from "Pocahontas" or something. I know Neil Diamond is sort of cheesy, but is he really this cheesy?

Ryan asks for a quick critique of Round 1 from all of the judges and Oh my God Paula goes totally off the rails and starts talking about Jason's second song. The song he hasn't sung yet. Does she even know where she is?

Round 2

I don't think I'm ready for this. Why are they singing all of the syrupy stuff?

Jason - "September Morn" - Could he act like he cared LESS about being up there? Maybe he doesn't. Talk about not connecting with a song.

David C. - "All I Really Need Is You" - OK, finally. This I like. FINALLY. Someone connects with a song.

Brooke - "I Am I Said" - I get so nervous when she sings now. Much better than the first song, and she did a really nice job with it.

David A. - "America" - I just can't. Jesus. Atrocious. David, you are no Kristy Lee Cook. The judges love it and I am going to PUKE.

Syesha - "Thank the Lord for the Nighttime" - Very Supremes-ish and it feels like the beat is too slow. Corny.

Man, who would have thought that Neil Diamond night would have been such a nightmare? Tonight was, for the most part, excruciating. I am so disappointed. I need to go listen to "Live at the Greek".

The best of the night: David Cook and Brooke on their second songs.

My predictions for the Bottom 2: Syesha and Jason. Find out tomorrow night who goes home.

Oo, BAD Otto.

Why do I think Otto gets away with a lot of bad stuff? ;-)

Those screaming girls aren't helping matters, either.

Idol haters, your savior is here: "David Archuleta is being positioned as a teen heartthrob, but he’s ill-suited for the job because (1) he’s not cute enough and (2) he’s an enormous cheeseball. And, yes, you can be too big of a cheeseball to be a teen idol. Even the Jonas Brothers could kick David Archuleta’s ass. (One at a time, no less.) David Archuleta’s likely demographic would be kids under the age of 10 and women over the age of 80. Maybe he can carve out a career there, but at best he’ll be a marginal attraction at the second-tier county fairs in your area."

Tonight's Neil Diamond night. How much you wanna bet Archuleta sings "Turn On Your Heartlight"?

Well, nevermind him. Don't you think David Cook could do a good emo-rock version of "I Am"? It's too bad Carly's gone - she could have killed with "Brother Love's Travelin' Salvation Show".

2500 Desire Street

That's where I'm heading next week: 2500 Desire Street, New Orleans, LA. I'm volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, along with 2 friends, and we'll be working in the Upper Ninth Ward from Tuesday through Friday. Our worksite is just a stone's throw from Musician's Village, and I'm looking forward to seeing what work has been done there so far.

The 4-year anniversary of my father's death is this Saturday, and I am taking this trip in his honor. He was a master carpenter and doing what he did so well (as if I know what I'm doing!) in order to help others is nice way to honor his memory, I think.

We'll be in New Orleans from Saturday, May 3 through Sunday, May 11, so we have a few days off in which we can tour the area and visit the French Quarter and the Garden District and eat po' boys and beignets and muffuletta sandwiches and listen to the music and drink some drinks. I'm really looking forward to it. Instead of a hotel, we've opted to immerse ourselves in the full volunteer experience (and save some money) and stay at Camp Hope, a dormitory-style converted school that houses hundreds of volunteers at a time. It should be quite the experience!

I'll be keeping a journal while I'm there and taking a bajillion photos, so prepare yourself to hear all about it when I get back.

XF2 Stuff

More promotional photos from the movie [No Spoilers]:

Today's Gas Prices.

See that $48.41? That's what it cost to fill my CRV today, and I had about an eighth of a tank in there already. And that was regular grade gas.

I visited gasbuddy.com this weekend and do you know that on the Lowest Gas Price by State List, that Connecticut is 4th from the bottom. That means our gas prices are the 4th highest in the country, after Alaska, Hawaii and California. Unbelievable.

I bet regular gas will hit $4.00 before the summer starts here.

Drive Thru Reviews

28 Weeks Later - Definitely tense, definitely scary. And definitely one of the bloodiest, most gruesome movies I have ever seen. And I liked 28 Days Later. One scene in particular, involving helicopter rotor blades and some Benny Hana style chopping had me and Sheila screaming our heads off.

No Country for Old Men - I have always enjoyed the Coen Brothers' movies - Raizing Arizona being about the only movie in which I can stand Nicholas Cage - and this one was no exception. I can't say whether or not this movie deserved its Oscars more than the other films nominated because I haven't seen any of them, but I can say that this one was Oscar-worthy. A great morality tale and a story about men in a world on the cusp of change, and the harbinger of that change is Anton Chigurgh. It was another violent movie, but after 28 Weeks Later, this one was a cake walk. Can you say "de-sensitized"? Anyway, I'd like to rewatch this some day to pick up on all the threads of the metaphor and get a better sense of what the Coen Brothers were trying to say.

Today's lunch.

I ran errands at lunch and on the way back to work I had to pick up something for lunch that was soft and easy to chew. My orthodontist has me back to wearing an elastic band and my teeth are killing me. So I got one of those KFC bowls and Sweet Jesus! This must be what God eats in Heaven.

And if that wasn't reason enought to smile, the meal comes with a spork and that reminded me of this classic scene from Alias:

Marshall: Oh god. It's oozing. It's oozing everywhere, sir.
Jack: (via cell phone) That means you've ruptured the macula. The eye is useless, abandon it. Approach the second one gently, like a soft-boiled egg. You're going to need a digging instrument to assist with this.
Marshall: I've got a spork.
Jack: What's a spork?
Marshall: It's like a half-spoon... half-fork, will that do?
Jack: That will work

Can't afford a video game system?

This guys has the answer - make one yourself:

Killer Quiz

Programming Language Inventor or Serial Killer? It's hard to tell.

LOST: Episode 4.09 (Discussion)

The Shape of Things to Come

Holy Smoke Monster! Was that episode jam-packed with plot or what?? From what I understand, that's a result of the reduction in the number of post-strike episodes - they have to cram a lot into a shorter period of time. With that much action, it sure was exciting. It didn't feel like a straight-up LOST episode, but I still liked it.

• Benry, Benry, Benry. You lay one hand on Penny, you'll break Desmond's heart, and that means I will have to come after you and hurt you. And you know I don't want to do that.


• The flash forward had my mind spinning! Where did Benry come from when he "landed" in Tunisia? Why was he wearing a DHARMA parka (with the name "Halliwax" on it) and what was the injury to his arm? I think we'll be seeing what led up to that jump soon. Re: the parka - note that the polar bear remains that were found earlier this season were discovered in Tunisia.


• I realized while watching Sawyer sweep Claire up into his arms and run with her back to Benry's house that I could never be rescued in such a romantic way. He'd have to do the fireman's carry to get me out of there and that's just not swoon-inducing at all.


• Speaking of Sawyer, he was really great in this episode, so very brave and considerate. And speaking of Claire, come on, how did she survive that? Maybe she's like Michael and the island doesn't want her to die?


• I was STUNNED when Keamy killed Alex.


• And then I was STUNNED again when the smoke monster attacked. That was amazing! Where did Benry go to summon it? He was covered in black dirt or soot or something when he came back from his secret closet. Does the smoke monster have a lair or something?


• Where did Benry get his fightin' skillz? He just keeps unfolding like a little pink, puffy flower, doesn't he?


• Poor Sayid. After all this time he finally gets to be with Nadia, only to lose her again, this time permanently. I guess it's no wonder that Sayid would fall so easily into the vengeance trap that Benry seemed to set for him. This made Sayid a willing participant at first, and the reason makes sense. After seeing him turn Michael over to the Captain for working for Benry, I couldn't imagine what Benry could offer him that would turn him around so completely. Revenge for Nadia's murder is a pretty powerful enticement.

Alas, there was no Desmond this week, and thus no screencap to savor -- I mean, share. How about I dig into my Desmond Archives...

There, that's better.

I stand corrected.

Or updated.

Stimulus payments to go out ahead of schedule: "As of next week, 800,000 tax filers daily will begin to have their checks directly deposited Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No checks will be distributed Thursday, and 5 million payments will be made Friday.

The payments will go out ahead of schedule because of a new computer program that updates records daily - faster than an older program that updates weekly, according to Andrew DeSouza, a Treasury spokesman."

This should make you smile.

I don't know where the I was when all of this went down originally, but I'm just now finding out about Paul Potts after watching "The Top 40 Most Amazing Reality TV Moments", or whatever it was called, on VH1 this week.

This is Paul's first audition on Simon Cowell's "Britain's Got Talent" show way back in...God, I don't know. Some time in the summer of 2007, I think:



I won't add anything else because I think the video speaks for itself, except to say that he won the whole thing. And it makes me cry every time I watch it.

I'm such a sap sometimes.

NYT Article

Timetable Energizes What Once Was ‘Lost’: "Setting an end date “changed everything,” Mr. Lindelof said. “It was nothing less than the difference between not wanting to do it anymore and being thrilled to do it to the very end. It had become such an arduous task: how can we start working toward any of the things we’ve been doing for the last three years if we don’t know when we get to do them?”"

What the Frak is going on? - - The LOST version.

Prepare yourself for tonight's LOST episode with this great video:



"Gotta love Des", indeed.

Enjoy the show tonight, and don't forget it's on at 10:00 PM!!

Wondering when you'll get your rebate check?

The IRS has a page that answers that question.

I'll copy their chart here for a quick reference:

Kittens. Lots and lots of kittens.

Idol Top 6: Results

I'm preparing myself to say goodbye to Brooke tonight. I think there are some more talented singers left, but I really like her style and I think she's a nice person. She just doesn't have the nerves for this anymore, if she ever really had them at all. I just hope that if she does go, we don't get a complete meltdown.

The group song is "All I Ask of You" and it's a good thing that Carly didn't sing it last night. What a snoozer that would have been.

Andrew Lloyd Weber joins Ryan onstage for a little chat about the singers and the performances last night and it's really nice for a change. ALW pretty much tells it like it is. Sir Andrew, can you take Randy's place, please?

OK, so, we have a Bottom 2 tonight. I say it'll be Jason and Brooke. Let's see if I'm right...

The first person in the Bottom 2 is...Syesha or Brooke...Oh my GOD, it's NOT BROOKE. I am shocked. Shocked. Sort of happy, but shocked nonetheless.

And the other person is...Carly. Oh, that is SO WRONG. The Bottom 2 is Syesha and Carly, two of the best three performers last night. Shit. It's got to be Syesha going home, right?

Shit. Carly is going home. She gets some serious props from the judges, and shows a lot of class as she says goodbye. She's much more forgiving than I am right now.

Sigh.

The silver lining? Next week's mentor is effin' Neil Diamond.

Idol Top 6: Performances

It's musical theater night, with songs from Andrew Lloyd Weber, the guy who did Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita...just a ton of stuff. This ought to be interesting.

Oo! Mulder's in the audience! Hee! Maybe he can investigate the unexplained phenomenon of David Archuleta's appeal.

Syesha - "One Rock & Roll Too Many" - Syesha's an actress, I think she's in her element tonight. And she sounds good. And she looks amazing. I still don't like her personality, but being good at musical theater didn't exactly hurt Jennifer Hudson's career.

Jason - "Memories", from Cats - He's no "ancient glamour puss", but he sang it very prettily. It's definitely not up his alley, but he didn't bomb.

Brooke - "You Must Love Me", from Evita - Yikes, a false start, wow. Awkward. That threw her off, but I think she ended up doing an admirable job, especially with her nerves the way they are. I think she did a great job of conveying the emotion in the song, and that's where she's the strongest. But I don't think it was enough to save her this week.

David A. - "Think of Me", from Phantom of the Opera - They bring up all these little girls to hug him and I think I'm going to puke. Anyway, the performance...ALW's advice: he must keep his eyes open when he sings. Ha! OK, so the performance...YAWN. Am I imaginging things or has this kid sung this song a couple of times already? Simon, you are so right - it's forgettable.

Carly - "Jesus Christ Superstar" - She wanted to sing some slow song, but ALW told her she's more suited to JCS. Good advice, Sir Andrew. Very good advice. That was one of her best performances, IMO. Wow. Carly just brought the house down. Good for her.

David C. - "Music of the Night", from Phantom of the Opera - Now that's how you sing a ballad, Little David. I'm surprised he sang it straight, but I think he needed to in order to show he can sing. And he really can.

Results tomorrow night. I'll take a guess and say the Bottom 3 will be Syesha, Brooke and Jason, with Brooke going home.

LOST is back on Thursday! Don't forget!

[SPOILERS]

When last we saw LOST, we found out how Michael ended up on the freighter, Karl got killed, Sayid totally ratted out Michael and the French lady got shot. Is she dead? Who shot her and Karl? Did Benry set them up? What's going to happen to Michael? Where's Waaaaaaalt?

The last five episodes of the season start airing on Thursday night in a new time slot, 10:00 P.M. Check your DVRs!

To help pass the time until Thursday night, check out LOSTScape, a new online interactive game from ABC.

Live? Real? For American Idol, it's all relative.

If Only Reality Were as Organized as ‘American Idol’: "A mystery that has occurred to at least one frequent viewer of “American Idol” is just how the show manages to draw so many homogeneously attractive, well-dressed women to pack the mosh pit, where they produce high-pitched squeals that could probably perk up the ears of dogs in the San Fernando Valley.

The answer: They are recruited.

In early April it was the turn of the women of Alpha Phi, a sorority at the University of California, Los Angeles. About 25 members trekked to the studio one Tuesday, said Rachel Lorack, a member from Half Moon Bay, Calif., and another two dozen were to attend the following week. Last week it was the Delta Gamma and Delta Delta Delta sororities.

The perk is a recruitment tool for some sororities as well. “We sometimes talk about this at rush,” said Courtney Lauwereins, a member from Laguna Beach, Calif. “Join Alpha Phi, and you might get to go to ‘American Idol.’ ”

The show, of course, does not just throw a bevy of sorority women in front of the cameras and allow them to cluster as they may. Stage assistants choose specific women and place them where the hand-held cameras will swoop during performances."

I wonder who they're told to scream the loudest for? Any guesses?

An Engineer's Guide to Cats

This is CNN on meth.

CNN reporter Richard Quest arrested in Central Park: "Quest was initially busted for loitering, the source said. Aside from the oddly configured rope, the search also turned up a sex toy inside of his boot, and a small bag of methamphetamine in his left jacket pocket.

It wasn't immediately clear what the rope was for.

The criminal complaint says the officer at the scene was able to ID the drug because of 'his prior experience as a police officer in drug arrests, observation of packaging which is characteristic of this type of drug, and defendant's statements that . . . 'I've got some meth in my pocket.' '"

You have to read the article to find out how the rope was "configured".

Rose cupcakes

Rose cupcakes, originally uploaded by gina64.

Our cousin Karen is getting married in May, in Nashville, and we went to her bridal shower yesterday. It was great to see her and it was a really nice party.

Sheila made these beautiful rose cupcakes and I wanted to share a photo of them with you. They were white cake with white Italian merengue buttercream frosting and the roses she made by hand from white chocolate and corn syrup. They were delicious.

When it rains, it pours.

04-19-2008 031, originally uploaded by gina64.

And then it comes through the roof.

We knew we were going to have to address the roof at some point this year after shingles started flying off during a particularly windy storm about a month ago. Then the water started dripping through the bathroom ceiling and it became clear that we'd need to get it replaced sooner rather than later.

The thing is, we also began remodeling our bathroom last week.


The roof was unexpected, but we couldn't really push the schedule for the bathroom back at all because we have company coming mid-May and want it to at least be in working order at that point. So, we had both work crews on Friday and our house basically looked like it had exploded, inside and out. However, the roof crew consisted of my brother and two cousins and the bathroom crew are friends of mine (and are the same guys who did the kitchen), so it was actually nice to have them all there.

The roof should be done in a few days, and the bathroom job will take another few weeks, probably. I'll be posting more photos here as the jobs progress, and you can also follow things by checking out my Flickr sets for each project:

Bathroom Makeover
Roof

Ah, the joys of homeownership.

Whoa!

Oklahoma sheriff charged with using inmates as sex slaves: "Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess resigned Wednesday just as state prosecutors filed 35 felony charges against him, including 14 counts of second-degree rape, seven counts of forcible oral sodomy and five counts of bribery by a public official."

Yeah, this is the guy. He doesn't look like he's even had sex before!

I kid. Seriously, though, how is it possible that no one else in that sheriff's department has been brought up on charges?

Wild boys Duran Duran cool at last?

What do you mean, "at last"?: "Once panned for being pretty boys who used enough hairspray to blow a hole in the ozone layer, the British band have become a reference point for many of today's chart-topping acts, such as indie rockers Arctic Monkeys and American outfit The Killers."

Idol Top 7: Results

Gosh, there is just so much filler in this show. I'm sorry for how abrupt these results show posts are but, there's just not much worth recapping.

So, short and sweet it will be.

Elliot! It's so good to have you back. He makes me cry with the "We Miss You Mom" written on his hand.

Then Mariah Carey comes out with her sparkly microphone and sings some song about saying Bye-Bye to people you love who have died. I hope Elliot wasn't listening. Hey, do you think she's got a little person who follows her around with a wind machine?

Oh, that's right, it's the Top 7 so that means Ryan's going to do that "split them into two groups and ask some poor slob to choose which is the Bottom 3" thing.

One by one, the singers are brought out and put into two groups:

Syesha, Carly and Jason
David C., Kristy Lee Cook and Brooke

Great. That means David A. is going to have to choose which group he belongs in. I'm not sure he's going to be able to deal with this. Or even understand it. He's just so...dim.

Oo, then Ryan switches Syesha and David C. and tells David A. to go stand with the group he thinks is safe and he does the Bo thing and sits down on the stage, but then Ryan tells him that if he moved toward the group with David C. that he would be safe and Dim David doesn't get it so David C., Carly and Jason come out to meet him. Oy.

OK, so the bottom line is the Bottom 3 is Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha and Brooke. All women, like I said last night. And the person going home is...I've got a bad feeling that Brooke is going home...Oh my gosh! Kristy has finally used up the last of her nine lives. Bye-bye, Kristy. I hope you get your horse back.

Hmm, I guess there was more to recap this week than usual!

Next week: Andrew Lloyd Weber.

More XF Scraps!

First, the new movie finally has a title! It is, appropriately enough, The X-Files: I Want To Believe.

Second, here's a good article written by someone who toured the set during filming. Some things might be considered spoilery by some, but I didn't think so. Here's a snippet:

So, what is Mulder and Scully up against this time...an alien menace, more government spooks, Scully's offspring back for revenge like the Davies baby? Try an X-file that has never been covered before. Hard to believe, I know. "I have to say it was challenging after 202 hours to find something that wasn't done," admits Spotnitz. "That isn't to say there are not elements - there will always be [familiar] elements - but the fundamental idea is different from anything we had done in the show. What we also wanted was an X-file, however fractured, that could serve as a mirror to Mulder and Scully - we were looking for a case that could expose things about them."

There are links to interviews with Duchovny and Anderson at the bottom of that article, too.

Last but not least, another still from the movie:

Idol Top 7: Performances

It's Mariah Carey night and all I can think of is that Michael Johns would have been singing a bluesy version of "Vision of Love" and it probably would have been incredible.

I can also think of how sick I STILL feel (diagnosis: bronchitis), and how much I don't feel like doing this, or even watching this. I just took a couple of hits off of an inhaler for the first time, so this might be actually be interesting.

David A. - "When You Believe" - Huh. An inspirational, quasi-religious message song. Who'da thunk it? That whoosh noise you hear is the sound of his appeal going right over my head.

Carly - "Without You" - Points for Carly: I love this song (the Harry Nilsson version mostly). And finally, a nice outfit. I think she did a pretty good job, but it's not quite what it should have been. I liked the beginning, with the lower notes, but this song is all about the big high notes at the end and I don't think she hit them.

Syesha - "Vanishing" - I don't know this song, but I thought she sounded good, if a little shouty. Who knows, maybe MC was shouty on this song, too. Syesha, if you keep following the camera like that, your head will spin completely off of your neck.

Brooke - "Hero" - That was nice, and she did what she had to do to make the song different, and her own. She was a little nervous, and maybe a little quick at the end, but it was a nice, stripped-down version. Does she seem to be getting more nervous with each passing week?

Kristy Lee Cook - "Forever" - I'm sort of scared. This doesn't sound so bad sung in her countrified way, but is it just me or is she hitting some really bum notes? No matter, she's not going anywhere. In fact, I bet she's going to end up in the top 3. I think her true talent lies in picking the right song.

David C. - "Always Be My Baby" - He does a really nice rock version of that song, believe it or not. That could easily be a single. David's brother, who is dying of brain cancer, is in the audience watching him receive much deserved praise from all of the judges, and we are in tears.

Jason - "I Don't Wanna Cry" - He's got a tough act to follow, but this is pretty good. Like an Enrique Iglesias single.

I think the guys outshone the girls tonight, even though I think David A. stunk up the joint like he always does, and the Bottom 3 will be all women tomorrow night.

Chicken Soup for the Geeky Soul

So, yeah, I'm still sick. In fact, I'm waiting for a call back from the doctor as we speak, and hoping that he'll call in an antibiotic or something. I need SLEEP and this cough is KILLING ME.

I found some new pictures from the XF2 movie, though, and they made me feel a little better.

Idol Top 8: Results

Idol Gives Back finishes up tonight, and Ryan says that so far, IGB has raised over $60 million. That's great.

Unlike last year, no one gets a breather this week, and someone will be sent packing tonight. I think. That Ryan is a sneaky one, you know.

The Bottom 3 are, as I predicted: Carly, Syesha and Michael

After short speeches from Bono, Clinton, McCain and Obama, Ryan gives us the results:

Wow. Ryan must be kidding, right? He's being sneaky, right? In the first really disappointing elimination of the season for me, Michael Johns is sent home. But he has an awesome singout and gets major props and hugs from the judges, something you don't usually see. Or at least it's something I've never seen. Wow. That sucks.

Here's Michael's best moment, one more time:

BSG: Episode 4.01 (SPOILERS)

He That Believeth In Me

It's been a loooong 53 weeks without any new Battlestar Galactica. Fifty-three weeks, people! That is just wrong. But guess what? In case you haven't heard (ha!), season 4 premiered last Friday night. Mhm. And it was incredible.

• While I knew that Tigh wasn't really shooting Adama, that didn't lessen the impact of seeing him do it. I thought that was a great way of showing what is probably Tigh's greatest fear - that he would do what he saw Boomer do.
• How about Sam getting scanned by the raider? What do you think happened when his eye went red? Was he involuntarily sending a message to the raider, or was the raider somehow "activating" him? I think it was the first option, that Sam's programming clicked in when the raider was scanning him and he came up "positive" and that's why the Cylons bugged out.
• So where (or when) has Starbuck been all of this time? Why was she flying a brand new viper? The viper she was flying was most certainly destroyed, so where did she get this one? Did she really die and resurrect? The title comes from the biblical story of Lazarus: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Who will believe Starbuck in the end? And will believing in Starbuck bring them to their end?
• At first the idea of Baltar having his own cult following was a bit over the top for me; but when it turned out that it was more like the Manson Family with that crazy chick getting medieval on that guy's ass in the bathroom, I thought yes, that's more like it, that's the kind of girl Baltar would attract. He's still a major horndog, but I do believe he experienced some sort of spiritual awakening in this episode and that he was truly willing to give his life for the boy.

As the end nears (it's over after this 20-episode season), I'm becoming increasingly worried how things will end up. Will they ever find Earth? If they do, what Earth will it be? Present-day Earth? I don't think so. Pre-historic Earth? Maybe. Future Earth? Possibly. But will they all make it there? I have a bad feeling and that bad feeling tells me no.

Idol Top 8: Performances

It's Idol Gives Back week, and according to the TVGuide: "The eight remaining finalists perform inspirational songs". Oy VAY. David A. must be wetting his pants in anticipation. All I know is I'm sick and I don't feel like doing this to begin with and the last thing I need is an hour of inspirational songs. This isn't going to be pretty.

Quick word about the judges: Simon looks like he has a suburn and Paula's corset is a little tight. Paula's ladyberries are up to her chin in that getup.

Michael - "Dream On" - OK, so maybe these "inspirational" songs won't be too hard to listen to. He's got the ascot on again, but I don't think he's working it tonight. And those pants do nothing for him. He did a good job with the song, but I prefer the style of last week's performance.

Syesha - "I Believe" - She chooses another song that's going to draw comparisons (to Fantasia this week). Oo, that was all over the place and really? Kind of bad. Paula's just going to be nice to everyone tonight, I guess.

Jason - "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" - Oh, very pretty. I love this version. Very, very nice. He still needs to let out his inseam or something.

Kristy Lee Cookroach - "Anyway" - a Martina McBride song. That's a pretty song. I think that was probably a good song choice for her.

David C. - "Innocent" - Poor, poor song choice. I liked the "give back" on his hand. Simon's going to say it was self-induglent -- actually, he says it was pompous. It wasn't his best.

Carly - "The Show Must Go On" - Another really odd song choice. I agree with Simon - she does come off more angry than inspired.

David A.- "Angel" - Oh, I love this Robbie Williams song. Of course, David takes all of the soul out of it. And he's hitting some really bum notes. Oh geez, he really massacred that song. Just one more reason for me to not like you, David. Of course, the judges love him and I do not GET IT.

Brooke - "You've Got A Friend" - I like the way she just sings a song, without all of the acrobatics, Syesha. I liked it better than the judges did.

My favorites of the night: Jason and Brooke. I think the Bottom 3 will be Carly, Michael and Syesha. Brooke might end up there. We'll find out on Thursday night - tomorrow night is Idol Gives Back. Grab your kleenex, folks.

*cough* *cough*

04-08-2008 002, originally uploaded by gina64.

After being sick with a cold for a couple of weeks, I came down with another virus this weekend. The doctor said it's probably an adenovirus, and I could even come down with pink eye. Ew! I hope that doesn't happen.

So, I've been home from work for two days, taking massive drugs and sleeping alot, and that's why I've been so quiet. This one is really kicking my ass.

MMMMMoses.

Charlton Heston Dies at 83: "“I have played three presidents, three saints and two geniuses. If that doesn’t create an ego problem, nothing does.”"

Mr. Heston stood for a lot of things that I disagreed with, but I grew up watching his movies and couldn't let his death pass by without mentioning it here. It wasn't Easter in our house without The Ten Commandments - heck, I even watched it this year. And we actually had the Ben Hur soundtrack album when I was a kid. Really.

So, rest in peace Mr. Heston. Thank you for giving us so many memorable cinematic moments like this one:

Only 7 hours and 45 minutes to go...

I know I've been flooding you with BSG stuff this week, and I'm sorry about that, but I'm so excited about the season premiere tonight and I want everyone I know (and don't know) to watch this show, too.

For those of you who do watch, a couple of clips to get you psyched. Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched through S3.

Saul interrogates Six:



A replay of What the Frak is Going On?, in case you forgot:



And here's a great scene I have no memory of:



Hmmm...Anyway, to those of you watching: Enjoy the show tonight!

Nothing I can come up with would be better than this picture.

Reuters Photo

If she's this vile in public, how monstrous must she be in private?

Naomi Campbell released on bail : "Witnesses said Campbell was aboard a British Airways plane due to depart for Los Angeles when she became involved in a dispute because one of her bags had been lost. During the dispute, Campbell allegedly spit on the officer."

April Fool's on the BBC

(thanks, mike)

One day, 10 hours to go...

TWoP has posted an excellent recap of the recent BSG press conference and "upfronts" party.

Cylons and Hotties and Writers… Oh My!: "I'm sitting in the auditorium where the BSG press conference is going to start, I got there early so I had a pretty prime seat. While I'm pondering the miracle that is magnetic name tags (seriously, why didn't someone think of this before...or heck, why didn't I think of it? And could the Eureka peeps have had anything to do with it). When I realize that the library is not only the Morgan Library, but also the J. Pierpont Morgan library, which makes me think of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Megan Mullally singing 'J. Pierpont...' to Matthew Broderick, then I suddenly realize to myself that I'm not only a big sci-fi geek, but probably lame for knowing this random fact. Thank the gods I didn't start singing. I seriously need a life.

I try focusing on the nice ethereal BSG music that's playing and start looking around the rather large auditorium and wonder why more people aren't here. Don't they get it? Hopefully the lack of attendees will boost my chances of meeting either of the two Adamas, or if I'm really lucky Madame President herself."

Perdidos.

Viral Marketing for LOST in Lisbon, Portugal.

Chace Crawford Is 'Doing Okay' After Breakup, Says Sis

Thank GOD. I was so worried about him.

Seriously, who the frak is Chace Crawford, and why am I supposed to CARE?

Wow.

I don't pretend to have any clue what it's about. I just know that Bjork's Wanderlust video is equal parts weird, beautiful, frightening and brilliant.

Sort of like her.

(thanks, defamer)

The best drummer in the world.

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

Awesome.

Idol Top 9: Results Show

OK, here we go, blogged as I watched...

I think the group song, "9 to 5" this week, gets cheesier with each passing week. Am I right? And how could Michael be so drop dead sexy last night and so downright dorktastic tonight? Too funny.

Speaking of Michael, I love his Dolly t-shirt! Oh and David A., quit it with the messages! Jesus! Just relax and be a 17-year-old and leave the message songs for Idol Gives Back.

[Stupid question and answer segment and a weird country trio and the Ford Ad]

I wonder how David C. is feeling tonight? Better, I hope, because he's coming out now. Thankfully, Ryan doesn't risk a heart attack and tells him he's safe right away.

Bo! We were just wondering how he was doing. I'm glad he's doing well.

Bottom 3: Ramiele, Kristy Lee Cook, and Brooke - all roommates!

Brooke must have magic powers - she gets Simon to apologize to pretty much everyone in the room, including Carly. You're forgiven, Simon.

Christ, that story about the Ethopian street kids is heartbreaking. Just heartbreaking. Carly and David C. wipe tears from their eyes.

Dolly doesn't sound so great, but damn she is irrepressible.

Aaaaand, Ramiele is going home. As it should be. And like many others before her, she sounds miles better in her sing out.

Til next week.

Guess who loves Battlestar Galactica?

That guy from Anthrax, Seth Green and the Robot Chicken guys, the guy who made Buffy and Firefly, Joel McHale, Law & Order people...



Season 4 premieres on SciFi on Friday night at 10:00 P.M.

Just tell me sexy, lovin' lies.

In the words of a TWoP poster: I think my panties wanted to throw themselves at the TV last night.

Idol: Top 9 Performances

It's Dolly Parton night.

Brooke - "Jolene" - Good song choice for her, but I think she lacked the gravitas the song needed. This'll get lost in the bunch, especially since she's first.

David C. - "Little Sparrow" - This time he does his own arrangement and it's really good. He's very confident, as well he should be. He deserves to be voted for based on the new haircut alone. Yay for the new haircut!

Ramiele - "[?] " - Oops, I missed the name of the song. Wow, Ramiele has become unglued from the stage! She showed more personality this time around, and she managed to move (clumsily) around the stage but...eh. Yeah, she's adorable, but when she opens her mouth, well, not so adorable anymore. She's got to be one of the most uninteresting contestants I've ever seen on this show.

Jason - "Travelin' Through" - Better than last week. Much better. Great, folksy song choice for him, it has a great laid back, groovy vibe. I usually agree with Simon, but not on this - Simon's wrong. And just a note, Jason: If you plan on having kids some time in the future, you might want to ease up on the painted on jeans. Just saying.

Carly - "Here You Come Again" - GOD, she needs a stylist. Or if she has one, she should be fired. However, that aside, she was great. Nice showcase for her voice. Beautiful rendition of that song. Wait -- Oh, Simon, that was just wrong. I mean, yeah, I made mention of her bad clothes but no one reads this blog! I can't believe he told her she needs to work on her appearance, in front of millions of people. Carly looked like she wanted to cry and I can't blame her one bit. People are going to be burning up the phone lines for her tonight. Last week she had to stand up in front of America and say "No, I'm not pregnant", which is basically saying "I'm just fat." And now this.

Simon must hate Dolly Parton's music because he's a bitch tonight.

David A. - "Smoky Mountain Memories" - He sings it really nicely, but this kid just doesn't do it for me. YAWN.

Kristy Lee Cook - "Coat of Many Colors" - Alright, she should be in her element tonight. She acquits herself nicely, but she seemed to have some problems getting her breath when she was singing. Not as much of a home run as it should have been. And not a good idea to sass Simon, Kristy, especially tonight when he's got a serious stick up his ass.

Syesha - "I Will Always Love You" - Will she sing the low-key Dolly version or Whitney the hell out of it? She does a little bit of both and you know what, I think she did a pretty good job. I'm not digging the way she's always on and knows exactly where the camera is at all times, but that wasn't as much of a mess as I thought it might have been.

Michael - "[?]" - Oh MY. H-O-T. Yes, Michael, you can use me for a while. Oo, did I say that out loud? Sweet Jesus, I am downloading this from iTunes, and I have never done that before. DAYUM. I got so worked up I missed the name of the song.

Results tomorrow night. Ramiele, your time is up.

Countdown: 3 days, 8 hours to go...

Wow! I can't wait!

Watching this season of Battlestar Galactica is going to be an entirely new experience for me. Since the end of last season I have managed to recruit no less than 4 new viewers, possibly 5. Three of them have completed all 3 seasons on DVD, can you believe it? I will actually have someone to talk to about the show! Yay!