It was cocaine that killed one of the Righteous Brothers. It's hard to believe that Bill Medley didn't know Hatfield was using cocaine, esepecially if he was using enough to essentially kill himself. And usually, one doesn't get to be that age (63) and start using - he must have been battling addiction for a while now.

Whatever, it's too bad they never learn.

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Home: "The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has captured its first color image of Mars. It is the highest resolution picture ever taken of another planet"

Keep returning to this page to check for the latest images from Spirit.

I am completely addicted to Text Twist.

Is this the Sea of Tranquility? Sea of Tranquility?

NASA rover finds Earth in Martian sky: "By all accounts, the robot ship made a nearly flawless landing late Saturday, far surpassing even the most optimistic predictions of precision to hit its landing target.

Within hours of touchdown, Spirit beamed back black and white images from its new home, including a stunning panorama complete with a nearly setting sun and a possible cliff face along a depression or mini-crater inside the crater. "

Just look at the photo they're talking about. (I wish I had 3D glasses!) I get goosebumps when I look at it. Just awe-inspiring, and my imagination is running wild. I keep expecting someone/something to wander into the frame. Keep those photos coming, Spirit.

Rose admits to betting on baseball: "'I didn't think I'd get caught.'"

Too little, too late, pal. You'll be lucky if anyone believes anything you say from now on.

Britney Spears Marries in Vegas: "The 22-year-old singer married Jason Allen Alexander of Kentwood, La., early Saturday at the Little White Wedding Chapel on the Strip, according to People.com, the Web site for People magazine. "

No alcohol involved in that scenario, huh?

Speaking of alcohol, Happy New Year! It completely slipped my mind to post new year wishes here. This is my second 4-day weekend in a row and my mind, I think, is stagnating, lol. I hope your 2004 is filled with happiness and prosperity, and maybe even a quickie wedding in Vegas.

Slain Pregnant Woman Was 'Trusting': "Police say the gruesome slaying was the work of 37-year-old Effie Goodson, a woman who knew Simpson and who had convinced her husband and friends that she, too, was pregnant. "

This story is just so horrifying.

So, how's everyone holding up during this, the most wonderful time of the year? Our Christmas was nice and quiet, just the way I like it. The weather has been gorgeous, although a bit warm for this time of year. People should not be walking around outside in shortsleeves in the middle of winter. I'm not really complaining, though - just look at these poor people.

And now comes the New Year. Any exciting plans? Sheila and I are going to head down to Anna Liffey's, a 3- or 4-years-running tradition now. Being the last-minute queens that we are, Sheila will be driving down to AL's tonight to buy the tickets and I will be heading to the mall to try to find something to wear.

FBI Issues Alert Against Almanac Carriers: "The FBI (news - web sites) is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning. "

I'm sure this alert is based on intelligence indicating terrorists are using almanacs, but it still seems a bit ridiculous to me. "Halt! Federal Officer! Put..the almanac...down!"

Something to smile about in the midst of so much death and devastation. I read this morning that the death toll from the earthquake has reached 28,000. Beyond my comprehension.

Dottie Cleared of Attack on Queen Elizabeth's Dog.

Dottie was framed!

M&M's to lose color during contest: "In a marketing gimmick reminiscent of the gold ticket in 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,' M&M's will run a contest in 2004 which will offer six grand prizes and for a brief period offer the world-famous candy in only black and white. "

Man trapped under mountain of books, papers: "His landlord discovered him Monday after coming to the apartment to give Moore a small loan and heard a strange voice inside. The landlord pried the door open with a crowbar, found Moore trapped and alerted the fire department. "

Sounds like my office here at work. Why won't any firefighters come and rescue me?

Fire victim believed dead, discovered alive in hospital. I feel bad for the man who thought he was visiting his daughter in the hospital, only to find out that she was dead.

Seven killed during police chase. What a freaking waste.

Thieves drive victim home for Christmas: "Despite being armed with guns and wearing balaclavas, the thieves showed some seasonal goodwill when they asked their victim where he lived, explaining 'we don't want you to have too far to walk', according to police sources."

Rhode Island Cat Turns Up in Seattle: "Jefferson, a 5-year-old orange tabby, somehow escaped from his carrier as he was being loaded on a Delta Air Lines flight at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The cat was flying with his kin, McKinley, to the East Coast, while the O'Connors were driving."

"Eddie is a big Lord of the Rings fan, so when our Customer Services Manager, Hugh Clark, offered him the chance to come along and see some of New Zealand's most fantastic scenery and see Lord of the Rings Film locations, Eddie and his tour crew took the chance to have a well earned break. "

Two of my favorite things - Eddie Izzard and LOTR - converge. OK, now I like him even more.

All hail Pottersville!: "There's just one problem: Pottersville rocks! "

Yahoo! Top Picks of 2003: Yahoo!'s 25 favorite websites of the year.

Queen 'devastated' by corgi death: "Pharos the corgi was savaged at Sandringham by Dotty, the same dog which attacked two children in Windsor Great Park, according to newspaper reports. "

Oo, Princess Anne is in trouble now.

An Interview of Namath Comes Under Scrutiny: "'I want to kiss you,' he said. 'I couldn't care less about the team struggling. What we know is we can improve. Chad Pennington, our quarterback, missed the first part of the season and we struggled. We're looking to next season. We're looking to make noise now and I want to kiss you.' "

Step away from the eggnog, Joe.

"RotK EE Rumored 'longer than 4 hours and 50 min'".

Holy SoreBottom!

I saw ROTK last night. Just exquisite. Here's what I wrote in an e-mail last night (easier than thinking of something else to say here, lol): I do not exaggerate when I say I cried for just about the entire last hour. To see the struggles, the defeats, and the victories finally fully realized on the screen - what a payoff. Just stunning. How lucky Tolkien fans are to have had someone like Peter Jackson, who loves the material (and especially the characters) as much as they do, as the creative force behind these movies. I can't wait to see it again. Actually, I can't wait until I can sit and watch all three together, as one complete work.

I have to add that Howard Shore's score was astounding, one of the things that stuck with me after the film was over.

I'm hoping the ROTK EE will have some of the House of Healing and the relationship between Faramir and Eowyn as well as Saruman's final scene. Funny, I found that I didn't miss the scouring of the Shire at all. Which is good, since Jackson never filmed it (it was his least favorite part of the book). How about continuing the discussion in the comments, so as not to spoil? What were your favorite parts?

It's a sad day - Mrs. Muir has died.

Fa La La La La

I finally went Christmas shopping today, and I managed to get all of it done. I even wrote out all of my cards tonight. While doing my laundry. Productivity is exhausting.

Right now I'm watching the most bizarre, revisionist Rankin & Bass Christmas special - I think it's called "Rudolph & Frosty's Christmas in July". There's a very scary Winter king who rides in a sleigh pulled by snakes; Ethel Merman as a wild west ringmaster of the "Circus by the Sea"; Frosty and his wife and kids are about to melt if they don't get out of a seaside town before the last firework goes off (it's the Fourth of July, of all things); and Rudolph has somehow made friends with an ice cream man named Milton who flies around in a hot air balloon. Oh, and there's an evil reindeer named Scratcher, who was living in a rundown hotel (apparently in the skid row section of the North Pole) and not paying his rent according to the sleazy landlord, before the Winter King hired him to corrupt Rudolph. Someone at Rankin & Bass was taking some serious drugs.

"A costumed figure stands in a doorway at Hampton Court Palace in southwest London in this image caught on closed circuit television and released by the Palace Friday, Dec. 19, 2003."

Awesome.

I don't think I will ever tire of looking at photos like these.

Those miserable folks (and I say that affectionately) over at teevee.org have come up with a Celebrity Holiday Playlist, wherein they list the Christmas songs they hate the most, along with a few that they actually like. I have to say, I agree with a lot on the list (although I have a soft spot for the Bowie/der Bingle duet), and one song in particular - The Christmas Shoes :

"When we were driving from Baltimore to Fredericksburg for the Christmas pilgrimage in '00, we were listening to WASH-FM, a local station that plays Christmas music non-stop from mid-November to midnight, December 25. After suffering through any one of the songs listed above, we heard this one: a treacly ditty about some smug yuppie who gets the real meaning of Christmas when the filthy little urchin in front of him requests help buying a pair of shoes for his momma so she'll meet the dress code in Heaven. 'I knew that God had sent that little boy to remind me what Christmas is all about,' the narrator warbles, apparently forgetting that a woman has been sent to an early grave just so he can be reminded to not be such a grump around the holidays. The Lord works in mysterious ways, we guess.

After hearing this song for the first time, we had to pull over to I-95's shoulder, lest our laughter cause us to drive into a tree. Later, when recounting this horrible song to our parents and/or in-laws, we noticed their faces grew ashen -- _they actually liked the song!_ And they weren't alone; apparently, when it comes to hating 'The Christmas Shoes' and all it stands for, we are squarely in the minority."

You are not alone guys. I HATE that song, for all of the reasons they state, and a few more. Down with The Christmas Shoes!

U.S. court nixes Net music subpoenas: "In a surprise setback for the recording industry, a U.S. appeals court said Friday its methods for tracking down those who copy its music over the Internet are not authorized by law. "

Verizon wins one for the little guy.

As Rival Gains, MTV Locks Up New Videos...

...and stores them away in some dusty broom closet and only drags them out to air in the middle of the night. "Music" Television, my ass.

Wanted: Bad sex writing!: "We don't mean writing about bad sex -- although there is probably a lot of that out there. What we mean is wonderfully, marvelously, deliciously terrible writing about sex in published work that is actually trying to be good. "

Well, you know what they say, even bad sex writing is better than no sex writing at all. Unless it's Bill O'Reilly writing about sex. I think I've been seriously traumatized by his excerpt. God, I can't get it out of my head!

You are not going to believe what little ditty has been running through my infantile mind...

The Addams Family started
When Uncle Fester farted
They all became retarded
The A-ddams Fam-i-ly.

CNN.com - Shoe plant workers get up to $20,000 bonuses - Dec. 16, 2003: "The company this year awarded its employees with bonuses of $1,000 for every year worked at the company. Even those who had worked less than a year got $500 each. "

Please pass the smeeling salts. I almost passed out while reading about it.

Soldier surprises mom with early holiday gift: "She found her gift -- almost 6 feet tall and wrapped in a desert camouflage uniform -- among the holiday decorations at a local shopping mall."

Sweet.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and gaaay!

Cockney rebel: "Michael Caine talks about playing an aging Nazi in 'The Statement,' why he hates nude scenes, what he learned from Laurence Olivier, and whether he'll ever win that best-actor Oscar he wants."

One of my favorite actors talks to Salon.com. (viewing of ad for free day pass required)

Triumph Tinged With Regret

"The Return of the King", which just won the New York Film Critics Circle Best Picture Award, gets a rave review from Elvis Mitchell at The New York Times.

Strom Thurmond's family confirms paternity claim - Dec. 16, 2003: "An attorney for the family of former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina on Monday confirmed that at the age of 22, Thurmond fathered a child with a teenaged African-American housekeeper in 1925."

Wow, she looks just like him.

Camera Down the Hole, and the World Follows It: "So how did the United States military pull it off? That is, not how did they make that we-got-him video ricochet around the world, but how did they get the shot? Who invaded, with camera, not only Mr. Hussein's spider-hole existence, but also his private lice check? "

U.S. to ’Work With Iraqis’ to Decide How to Bring Justice: "'I've got my own personal views about how he ought to be treated, but that's up to the Iraqi citizens,' Mr. Bush told reporters at a late-morning news conference. And while Mr. Hussein will continue to be questioned by his captors, Mr. Bush said he doubted that the answers would be truthful."

I have not heard more welcome news in a long time. I was up very early on Sunday morning, and I sat down with my cereal and turned on the TV at about 7:00. I do not kid you when I say that I sat blinking at the television screen, not believing what I was hearing. Congratulations and thanks to the soldiers who found him and brought him in successfully.

Along with everyone else, I've been wondering what affect his capture will have on the developing government as well as the violent opposition attacks. Not all of the "insurgents" are pro-Saddam, so his capture will probably not affect their activities at all. Will the certain knowledge that Saddam can no longer hurt them change the way Iraqis view coalition forces? Will things be easier for us now, or will they get worse?

I also wonder if the French, the Russians and the Germans are squirming at the thought of what Saddam might reveal in order to save his own skin. He's a coward, a megalomaniacal coward, so I think he'll let spill certain things he thinks will save his ass. Which is why he didn't kill himself, I think. All the better for us - if he had killed himself during the raid, he would have died a martyr. This way, he will be held accountable for his crimes, and all the world - most importantly the people of Iraq - will be able to see what a despicable and pathetic human being he is.

Poor People Pretty Much Fucked: "Although poor people have never had it particularly sweet, America has long been considered the land of opportunity, where upward class mobility is hard work's reward,' Park said. 'However, our study shows that limited access to quality education and a shortage of employment opportunities in depressed areas all but ensure that, once fucked, an individual tends to stay fucked."

Keiko's long journey has ended.

He Gave Life to Gollum: "Computer-Graphics Supervisor Describes How Team Created `Lord Of The Rings' Character"

A Connecticut connection to LOTR.

'Batman' Bags Bad Guy.

Christian Bale as Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred, and Cillian Murphy as a bad guy? Might this actually be a good Batman movie? And have they moved Gotham City to England?

Ralphie Parker didn't turn out so bad.

CDC to monitor children's flu complications: "Children's Medical Center in Dallas has seen more than 500 kids with the flu since October. One day last week, two dozen more appeared, most with enough lung disease to be put on ventilators, said Dr. Jane Siegel. "

Gosh, this is so scary. I think people tend to forget how truly dangerous influenza is, how dangerous it has always been. A report on All Things Considered last night predicted a possible flu pandemic in the near future, similar to the pandemic earlier last century, in 1918, where a good percentage of the world's population had the flu, and millions died. From the CDC:

The Spanish Influenza pandemic is the catastrophe against which all modern pandemics are measured. It is estimated that approximately 20 to 40 percent of the worldwide population became ill and that over 20 million people died. Between September 1918 and April 1919, approximately 500,000 deaths from the flu occurred in the U.S. alone. Many people died from this very quickly. Some people who felt well in the morning became sick by noon, and were dead by nightfall. Those who did not succumb to the disease within the first few days often died of complications from the flu (such as pneumonia) caused by bacteria.

That's not to say that millions of people would die in this day and age - medicine has advanced quite a bit in almost one hundred years - but it still gives one pause, doesn't it?

Get wound up, '24' fans: devious Sherry will return: "To the delight of 24 fans everywhere, the much-missed Penny Johnson Jerald has returned to work as President Palmer's ex-wife Sherry, the conniver America loves to hate. It's 7 p.m. now on Fox's time-driven hit series; look for Sherry to show up at 10 on Jan. 13. "

Woohoo!

Cannibal 'murder' shown to court: "The two-hour tape showed the 42-year-old ex-soldier stabbing, decapitating and devouring Bernd Juergen Brandes."

Wow, that is about as horrific as anything I've ever read.

Woman 'hasn't slept for eight years'.

Now I can't complain because I had a bad night's sleep! What's left?

Pilot survives 24 hours in subfreezing weather: "After swimming ashore, Strahan battled the frigid conditions -- temperatures ranging between zero and 10 degrees above zero -- and hiked to the trapper's cabin, never able to remove the frozen shoes from his feet. "

Now I feel badly about complaining about this weekend's cold. What a snowstorm! I don't think we ended up with quite as much snow as they had predicted, but the 14 inches we did get is quite enough, thank you. It sure is pretty.

We also put up our Christmas tree yesterday, which only fell over once! Our saving grace: it wasn't decorated at the time.

Jagger knighthood: Richards rages: "Richards' own chances of arising Sir Keith, already thought slim after 59 years of hard living, will have receded even further. "

And I don't think he really cares. He's a nutter, but good for him for speaking his mind. That's what rock stars are supposed to about, right? All that anit-establishment stuff. He's the real thing, that's for sure.

Terrance Martin, Aged 7, Corrects Bush. Cute story.

Alleged cannibal tried for murder: "A German computer technician accused of killing, dismembering and eating the flesh of a man who agreed to the deal over the Internet has gone on trial for murder. "

Read the search warrant application filed after the report of an alleged rape at the current "Real World" house: "Two days after the attack, MTV producer Kevin Lee told cops that, after talking with several cast members, he believed that the woman was attacked in one of the home's two bathrooms. But it does not appear that MTV staff, cast members, or the show's producers, Bunim-Murray, reported their rape suspicions to police. In fact, after the incident, the entire production traveled to Mexico to film there. "

I found a virus on my computer last night - the W32.Welchia.Worm. I'm embarrassed to say that the reason I contracted this virus was that I practicing unsafe computing. I had completely forgotten to reinstall Norton AntiVirus after I upgraded to XP. You play with fire, you're gonna get burned.

Portly dates popular in Portland: "Are you chubby and looking for love? A good destination might be Portland, Oregon, where, more than any other place in the United States, men and women state a preference for going out with someone who carries 'a few extra pounds.' "

Packing my bags as we speak.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

'Master' and 'slave' computer labels unacceptable, officials say: "Los Angeles officials have asked that manufacturers, suppliers and contractors stop using the terms 'master' and 'slave' on computer equipment, saying such terms are unacceptable and offensive. "

Absurd. Just plain absurd.

"It wants to be found."

I have a silver ring that I wear on my left ring finger. It's nothing special, has no real sentimental value - I just like it. It's one of those rings that look like the handle of a spoon that's been bent.

Anyway, I went shopping on Friday night for birthday presents for my niece and my father. I tried on black leather gloves (for myself, of course), found a pair I liked, threw them in the carriage and went on with my shopping. I went to 2 more stores after that, and then home.

When I took off my jewelry before getting into bed I realized that the ring was gone. My precious was lost. Oh well, I thought, it must be in the ring finger of one of those gloves I tried on.

So, last night I was dusting the baker's rack in the kitchen. I stopped to shake out the dust rag when I heard a distinctive clink as something fell from the rag onto the floor. My ring! We founds it!

And no, I have no idea how it got there; I have no memory of putting it on the baker's rack and the dust towel I used was taken from the back of one of the kitchen drawers that we never go into.

I'm just happy to have it back on my finger, so pretty, so perfect, so preciooouusssss.

Gig cancelled after bassist saws himself out of tree: "The accident occurred when, in Harold Lloyd style, the bass man sawed through the branch he was hanging onto. The fall resulted in a badly-sprained wrist, which made playing impossible."

I bet he feels stupid. If he doesn't, he should!

CNN.com - Participant at KKK initiation wounded after shots fired into sky - Nov. 25, 2003: "About 10 people, including two children, had gathered for the ceremony. The man who was being initiated was blindfolded, tied with a noose to a tree and shot with paintball guns as Freeman fired a pistol in the air to provide the sound of real gunfire, Sheriff Fred Phillips said. "

This really does go without saying, but I'll say it anyway. What a bunch of morons. Maybe they'll do the world a favor and get rid of themselves.

Women plagued by 200 orgasms a day: "Office manager Jean said: 'I looked at him in the face and said: 'How would you like to walk around on the verge of an orgasm every second?' "

I just want to say, if I hear another word about JFK or Michael Jackson, somebody's gonna get hurt.

Aragorn Leads the Dead.

This is an incredibly spoilery photo, but it's awesome, and since it's going to be on the cover of Newsweek, you'll probably end up seeing it whether you want to or not. You can read the Newsweek article here. It's not too spoilery (if you've read the book - if not, you might want to stay away), and raves about ROTK.

Male enlargement ads prompt spam rage: "Booher threatened to send a 'package full of Anthrax spores' to the company, to 'disable' an employee with a bullet and torture him with a power drill and ice pick; and to hunt down and castrate the employees unless they removed him from their e-mail list, prosecutors said."

I can't say I blame the guy. And today I've been getting some particularly sickening porn spam. I didn't open any of the messages, the subject lines were gross enough. Sorry, no examples - I don't need any weirdos googling their way here.

$6 million hidden with dinner rolls: "Authorities found boxes filled with millions of dollars when they searched an 18-wheeler because its paperwork “didn’t add up” during a routine inspection."

That alone is strange, but the cryptic statement at the end that "he or his relatives could be in danger" sort ups the offbeat quotient.

Michael Jackson mugshot: "On Thursday, November 20, 2003, Michael Jackson arrived by private jet at Santa Barbara Airport around noon. He was taken into custody by Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department personnel by prearrangement at the airport and transported to the Main Jail to be booked on the arrest warrant. "

Five foot eleven and 120 pounds? It's all just so sad and scary. This is going to be such a circus.

It's Official.

From TPTB at savefarscape.com

Savefarscape.com is now free to confirm that the rumors swirling have their basis in fact. Farscape, cancelled last year by the SCI FI Channel, will return as a 4 hour mini-series. While we can't currently name the source of this information, please know that we wouldn't post this news without a trustworthy and solid source. Also, please note that the Jim Henson Company has made no official announcement as of yet.
Filming will begin in December and the mini-series is expected to air next year. There is no current word on distribution. Ben Browder and Claudia Black will reprise their roles as Commander John Crichton and Officer Aeryn Sun.

A Jim Henson Company production, Farscape was aired for four seasons on the SCI FI Channel before being cancelled in September 2002. The fourth season finale and last new episode aired at the end of March 2003.

The fans reacted immediately to news of the cancellation and began one of the most impressive fan campaigns in television history. Through a strength of spirit and ideals of community and family, the fans of Farscape have created something fabulous and achieved something that should have been impossible.

Take a bow Scapers, you did it. You saved Farscape and don't let anybody tell you differently. This is all yours. You kept the hope alive, you kept Farscape alive, until the people behind Farscape could get back to work on telling us the rest of the tale again.

Breaking News from CNN:

"Authorities issue arrest warrant for Michael Jackson, source close to investigation says. Details soon."

Oo.

NPR : Remembering Jonestown: "The Jonestown massacre began later that day. NPR's Melissa Block talks with survivor Laura Johnston Kohl, who was in the Guyanese capital, Georgetown, the day of the mass suicide. In her interview with Block, Kohl looks back on what went wrong, and the pain and regret she lives with. "

I listened to this interview on the way home last night, and I recommend it to you. It's incredible how near to the surface this woman's pain, regret and sorrow remain, even after 25 years.

The Frellin' Suspense is Killing Me.

Could it be true? Oh please, can it please be true? According to tvguide.com:

SO NEAR, SO FARSCAPE: Frellin' awesome!! As reported in next week's TV Guide magazine, the Jim Henson Company is producing a four-hour Farscape miniseries that will tie up the loose ends left dangling when the cult hit was prematurely axed last year by Sci Fi Channel. "It's an epic conclusion to the series," confides a source. The project — which will reunite leads Ben Browder and Claudia Black — will start shooting in December in Australia. Since the telefilm is unlikely to air on Sci Fi, word is it may be sold into syndication. So there!

However, there has been no official announcement from
The Jim Henson Company, and this is what the folks at savefarscape.com have to say, for now:

Savefarscape.com can't confirm this or any other rumor at this time, as there has not yet been any sort of official announcement from The Jim Henson Company. I ask, once again, for your patience and I thank you for your continued support of our site and of Farscape.

I'll honestly and truly believe it when I hear it from them. In the meantime, appendages will be crossed.

Released today!

I learned something new today. I already knew that the Los Angeles Dodgers used to be the Brooklyn Dodgers, as most people do. What I learned this morning was that the Brooklyn Dodgers were orginally called the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers, because of the abundance of trolleys on the streets of Brooklyn at the time (late 1880s).

I did a little research when I got to work and found that before Trolly Dodgers, they were called Bridegrooms, because so many had gotten married that year. Trolley Dodgers was a better choice, I think.

Uh, okay.

I went out to walk Petie at 8:30 last night. It was chilly, and fully dark. As I walked to the field beyond our backyard, my peripheral vision caught something off to the right. The kid from next door, about 14 or 15 years old, was lying sprawled on his back in his backyard. I stopped, ready to go over to check on him, when he moved his arm, lifted his head (to look at me, I think), and put his head back down. "He's alive, go about your business," I thought.

Another 5 minutes went by and he was still lying there, in the exact same position, when I got back inside. I decided I needed to go check on him - what if the kid was diabetic or something? I went back out, worked my way across the yard, and when I got to the point where our yards met I asked, "Are you alright?" He sat straight up and said, "Yeah, I'm resting, thanks. Sorry." He then got up off the ground and went inside his house.

Just resting. Sprawled like a chalk outline on the cold ground, in the dark. O-K.

Spy vs. spy: "'Alias' never pretends to reality as it joyously celebrates the genre that brought us James Bond, Honey West, and, yes, Austin Powers. It's a comic-book explosion of global fashion, cloned villains, kickboxing babes, and fierce emotionality."

I think he's a little harsh on "24", but I am in complete agreement with his assessment of "Alias". Watch out for spoilers for season 3 (which I have yet to see) - they're scattered throughout the article like little mines.

Overheard on the radio yesterday afternoon:

"It's extremely windy out there today. So windy that a woman gave birth to the same baby twice."

The Onion | Mom Finds Out About Blog: "'I know enough not to tell Mom that I'm seeing a girl until it's serious,' Widmar said. 'Now, she's going to know exactly who I hang out with, where I go, and what I spend my time doing on a daily basis. I am so in hell right now.'"

What should you do if your mother discovers your blog? Blogger Support has the answer.

Fla. Woman Crashes Into DMV Building: "A 69-year-old woman crashed her car into the Department of Motor Vehicles building where she intended to renew her driver's license. "

I'm surprised that doesn't happen more often down there.

Dice Clay Craps Out in Blowup at CNNfn: "While being interviewed on CNNfn, Clay went into a rage, cursed out the anchorman and stormed off the set. He went into his tirade when anchor Allan Chernoff asked him about his experience working in a gym while he was out of the comic circuit. "

Am I the only one who wonders what the hell he was doing on CNNfn??

Chic, Power Station drummer dead at 48. John and Andy had better watch their backs.

Remember the "Bambi" Bembenek murder case? She was a former police officer/Playboy model who was accused of killing her ex-husband's wife, and during her imprisonment she escaped and ran away to Canada? There was a TV movie, I remember, and the story's been covered over and over on shows like American Justice and Investigative Reports. Well, she's back in the news - she's suing the Dr. Phil Show, claiming they are responsible for the amputation of her leg.

You can't make up stuff like this.

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lands in New York. And it's from my state.

From the back of my bite-size Snickers wrapper:

Silly Science Fact:

The only mammal with four knees is also the only mammal that cannot jump...the elephant.

Awful Plastic Surgery: Jocelyn Wildenstein. I know she did that to herself, but my God, the poor woman. She looks like The Beast!

This is a fun site - take the time to check out all of your favorite modified celebritites - Melanie Griffith, Bruce Jenner, Mary Tyler Moore, among others - and decide for yourself whether they went under the knife or not. Personally, I don't think Sarah Jessica Parker had anything done. And I'm surprised I didn't seen anything about Sting - he looks completely different!

Man Crashes Big Rig While Changing Clothes: "A witness told investigators she found Gilmore naked when she went to check on him right after the accident. "

Hello, ball!

Goodbye, Art.

CNN.com's front page had this blurb for tonight's Anderson Cooper 360°:

Sleepless in America: We look at a new technique that could possibly keep soldiers up for days at a time.

Sound familiar, guys?

N.Y. millionaire Durst not guilty of murder: "A jury found eccentric New York millionaire Robert Durst innocent Tuesday of murdering an elderly neighbor, whose dismembered body was thrown into Galveston Bay. "

Wow. I can't believe it. I don't think, in all the annals of crime, there has ever been anyone who acted as suspiciously as this guy. And the fact that he is under suspicion for the murders of his wife in 1982 and of a woman who was a witness against him in that case? I wonder if prosecutors were allowed to present that information during the trial, or if it would have been considered prejudicial? How many people have to die at his hands before he actually gets punished?

South Africa socialite killed on way to murder trial: "Hazel Crane, who regularly appeared in South African society pages and was known as a close friend of Nelson Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was clearly targeted for assassination, police spokesman Chris Wilken said. "

Madikizela-Mandela is a bit of a shady character herself, and I find it interesting that she just happened to not be there that day.

How about a caption for this one?

Caption this photo.

Two 'Partridge' Series Hatched for VH1: "An updated version of the 1970s sitcom favorite 'The Partridge Family' is being hatched at VH1."

Leave my childhood shows alone and think up something for yourself, you lazy gits!

Jury set to deliberate child decapitation case.

Just when I think I've heard everything.

'I killed so many women'

The Green River Killer confessed today.

What the bloody hell happened on MI-5 last night?? I can't believe Tom shot Harry!. And I can't believe how easily Danny and eventually Zoe, turned on Tom. I'm still hoping that Christine is behind this frameup of Tom - I've never liked her. Although we last saw Tom floating in the sea, it's just not possible that he actually killed himself - he's the star of the show, and still has to prove that he was framed. Which is how I suppose they will spend the next few episodes, with Tom on the run, out to prove his innocence. Even thought it'll break his heart, I hope Christine is implicated; if not then maybe she'll die saving him. Yeah, that'll do.

Fox cancels 'Skin' after three airings: "Fox has canceled prolific producer Jerry Bruckheimer's new series 'Skin' after three low-rated airings. "

Wow, I really thought this show was going to be a hit, a la "Nip/Tuck" and "The O.C.", but I don't watch either of those shows so what do I know? Personally, I don't think networks should be allowed to cancel a show so early - give it at least 13 episodes to find an audience for crying out loud. Imagine if we had never had "Cheers", "Seinfeld" or "The X-Files" - these shows were all very low-rated but were given an entire season to prove themselves. Sometimes more. If we used today's criteria back then, they wouldn't have lasted the 3 airings that "Skin" was given.

It sounds like it's a nut house over there at FOX, doesn't it? Good luck finding a FOX show you like this month. Like a little greased pig, right when you think you've got a hold of one, it'll slip right through your fingers.

U.N. workers say thousands raped in Congo: "'These are women and girls from 5 to 80 years old who have been systematically raped a number of times, tortured and shot.'"

Not many news items bring me to tears, but this short article did. We stick our noses into so many places in the world, whether we are welcome or not, in order to protect our own interests. We claim that when we insinuate ourselves into the affairs of another nation, we are protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and freedom. Well, if that was really the case, we would have intervened, without or without the UN, in the Congo a long time ago. Instead, these people have suffered unimaginable atrocities and we hear very little about it. I wonder if that would be the case if the area in question was rich in some sort of natural resource? Or, dare I say, if its inhabitants were a little less dark-skinned? I am not naive, and I know that the world of foreign policy is delicate and complex one, but I would love for someone to explain to me the moral justification for not helping those who have suffered so greatly.

Oops.

I was mistaken in an ealier post when I stated that "24" was not going to be shown in November. It was the 8:00 slot that FOX was needing to fill, not 9:00. So, the season premiere of "24" will be repeated at 8:00 tonight, followed immediately by episode 2 (brand new).

Now's your chance!

Attack of the Killer Guinea Pigs

On Saturday morning, I dreamt I was driving down the road, chased by a black and white guinea pig.