Wife thought limo driver was stretching truth: "When it was all over, Wayne Gethers took out a six-month restraining order against his wife, but then posted her $300 bail and expressed hope they could work out their differences. "

Pardon my French, but that's some funny shit.

(via fark.com)

Claudia Black talks about the upcoming Farscape miniseries: "'There was at least another year or two left of that arc of us and the world of Farscape,' Black said. 'For it to have stopped when it did, it brought additional attention to the show when it was canceled. So the miniseries has upped its value in doing another four hours of television based on that momentum. ... There were so many elements of the story that they needed to service for the fans to finish off this particular part of the story arc.'"

The miniseries begins on October 17, at 9:00 P.M. I wonder if Sci-Fi will schedule a lot of Farscape in the weeks leading up to the miniseries so that people can get re-acquainted or see what all the fuss is about. 'Twould be nice.

Update: Just read this at the Farscape site:

08.05.04 – Gear up for the new miniseries by watching all 88 episodes of Farscape during SCI FI's Daytime Rotation, Monday through Friday, 9AM-4PM, from Friday, Oct. 1, through Friday, Oct. 15.

Damn! That's awesome! God, I need Tivo or something...

Adoption Reunites Birth Mother and Teen Daughter: "'She gave me a great life like two times now. How do you thank somebody for that, you know? It's just kind of like 'I love you' just doesn't quite cut it anymore.'"

Nice story.

'Fat tax' plan aims to trim Mainers' girth: "Maine has the highest rate of overweight people and obesity in New England, with about two-thirds of all adults weighing more than they should. Of children entering kindergarten, third grade and fifth grade last year, 36 percent were overweight or obese. About 25 percent of high school students are overweight or obese. "

I can't say whether I think this will work or not, but I can see why they feel the need to do something. I noticed this year that most of the local women I saw were quite overweight, and I wondered if it was just something I never noticed or if it there had indeed been an increase in overweight people in the state. Looks like I wasn't imagining things.

Witch doctors arrested in raid on fetish shrines: "The priests may have killed the people for ritual, or to obtain their property by false pretense..."

Ya think? I find it amazing that this stuff still goes on in this day and age.

Help wanted: Court jester: "An ad appearing in Thursday's editions of The Times laid out the qualifications: 'Must be mirthful and prepared to work summer weekends in 2005. Must have own outfit (with bells). Bladder on stick provided if required.'"

Hmm, let's see...

The pellet with the poison
Is in the vessel with the pestle;
The flagon with the dragon
Has the brew that is true?

No no!

The pellet with the poison
Is in the flagon with the dragon;
The vessel with the pestle
Has the brew that is true!

Or was that the chalice from the palace?

Man's chainsaw tumble kills wife: "A British man was being treated for shock on Wednesday after he fell from a ladder while pruning trees, accidentally killing his wife with his chainsaw, police said."

My God, that poor poor man.

Witness: Iraq Abuse Photos 'Just for Fun': "He was especially angry about testimony about additional photos for which England is charged showing her engaged in 'oral sodomy' with a soldier, nude by a pool, and waving her breasts in front of a sleeping soldier.

Hernandez said they were 'private intimate photos that should have been kept that way,' adding they were no worse than what someone might see at Mardi Gras or spring break.
.
.
Spc. Charles A. Graner Jr., 35, another soldier in England's unit, also has been charged with abuses and was involved in a romantic relationship with England; he faces adultery charges for allegedly having sex with England last October. England's lawyers have said she is pregnant with Graner's child."

What a goddamned mess. I think she enjoyed every minute of her participation in those prisoner photos, orders or no orders.

Maggots Make Medical Comeback: "How did they feel? On day 2, when the maggots were fat, 'I could feel them moving, because they were ready to come out,' she recalls. But, 'if you're faced with amputation or the maggots, I think most people would try the maggots.'"

Probably, but still...*GAG*.

My stepmother's cable provider offers Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a channel I have been coveting for years and thought I would have on my new digital system, but do not. I was pleasantly surprised to find last night that TCM is showcasing a different actor every day of this month. Via tvtattle.com, I came across this great blog, called Out of Focus, which has posted a list of the most noteworthy films being shown this month. It's a very helpful guide for those of you who have TCM but have never seen some of these classics. I agree with almost all of his recommendations, and would add:

Aug 6 - Lucille Ball - "The Long Long Trailer", just for the scene where Lucy tries to cook dinner in the trailer while Desi tows it.
Aug 8 - Katharine Hepburn - Watch everything, but especially "The Philadelphia Story", "The Lion in Winter" and "Bringing Up Baby".
Aug 16 - Elvis Presley - "Follow That Dream" for a sweet, simple and sexy Elvis.
Aug 21 - Jimmy Stewart - "Bell Book and Candle" with Kim Novak (and the inspiration I believe for "Bewitched" - not sure on that score, though) and "You Can't Take It With You", a very funny Frank Capra movie.
Aug 25 - Shirley MacLaine - "The Children's Hour" with Audrey Hepburn, about 2 teachers at a private girl's school, one of whom falls for the other.
Aug 27 - Cary Grant - "Notorious" with Ingrid Bergman. Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Raines, Alfred Hitchcock and Nazis? Perfection.

I caught "The Lady Eve" last night, with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda, a movie I have always wanted to see but never got around to viewing. Very funny and sweet and very smart and witty. They really don't write roles for women like they used to, and there aren't many actresses around like Stanwyck anymore. How ironic that roles for women were more fully realized and smarter way back in the day than they are now.

Anyhoo, check out the listing at Out of Focus - it's a wonderful guide for all you classic movie lovers.

Damn. Well, he is a funny man.

Hello. I'm back in town and trying to catch up on things. Life is still not quite back to normal - I'm staying at my stepmother's house this week, dogsitting and housesitting. It isn't easy, being surrounded by constant reminders of my father, and the memories of all the visits over the years, but it's only to the end of the week and then life will hopefully settle down again.

The trip to Maine was a bittersweet one. Daddy's internment on Saturday was a small affair, with immediate family and a few people from the point attending. Very, very sad day, of course. In order to make room for others in the cabin, I took a campsite at a nearyby campground, Mainayr on Joy Cove, a really beautiful little campground that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to camp in the area. I was glad I had the campsite - the cabin was stuffed to the rafters with people and the site provided a place to go for some much needed peace and quiet.

I moved back to the cabin on Monday, after a portion of the group had to leave for home. The rest of the week was filled with almost constant activity - hiking, cooking, eating, card playing, shopping, etc. - and friends and family. It wasn't as quiet and relaxing a trip as I usually enjoy, but it was a nice visit.

Ah, but I am forgetting the highlight of the trip! On Saturday, the day before we left, Sheila, Mary, Tommy (sisters and brother) and myself entered the annual Great Codfish Relay Race in Milbridge. We had decided a couple of years ago that we would enter, and since the race was a favorite of Daddy's, there was no question - we were running the race. We practiced that morning, carrying a log and running back and forth along the dirt road behind the house. The neighbors, what few we have, must have been wondering what the hell we were up to. I really would have been happy to have simply finished the race without falling down but surprisingly enough we did even better - we placed! Third place, only 10 seconds behind the champs 4 years running. Not bad. Not bad at all. And I know Daddy was there, cheering us on and laughing his ass off.

So, that's pretty much the week. I will have photos to post, once I get home at the end of the week. Missed you all and good to be back.

Maine, the way life should be, and where I'm headed to tonight. I'll be back in about 10 days. See you then and have a great week!

Sneeze May Have Caused Accident: "Omaha police said Leo Ferzley, 54, was driving eastbound on Interstate 80 when he swerved onto the 60th Street exit ramp. He continued to drive his pickup truck down an embankment through a chain link fence, across 66th street, down another embankment, then crossed Papio Trail. The Dodge Ram then was airborne for almost 7 feet before crashing into the creek."

Oh man, I have had some sneezes like that and they are awesome. As long as you're not driving.

The hysterical skies: "She survived a flight with 14 harmless Syrian musicians -- then spread 3,000 bigoted and paranoid words across the Internet. As a pilot and an American, I'm appalled."

I hadn't gotten wind of the article this column refers to, but apparently even major news outlets were referring to it. I agree with the columnist's assessment that Jacobsen's article was a highly irresponsible piece of "journalism." What's even more disheartening to me is the columnist's experience during an appearance on a conservative talk radio show. Even when presented with the truth, people still can't see past their own prejudices and fears.

(viewing of ad for free day pass required)

Four Inmates Flee Jail, Return With Beer: "Ridgy Dean Coleman, Jimmy Joe Stapleton, David Wayne Blizzard and David Allen Hopkins escaped Thursday night when their cell block doors were unlocked and a faulty control panel failed to alert jailers, Rimer said."

My God, they couldn't have made up better names.

Report: Jackson to be father of quadruplets.

Will someone please STOP HIM.

What's your Japanese name?

My japanese name is Fujiwara (wisteria fields) Miharu (beautiful clear sky).

(thanks, popculturejunkmail.com)

The Eagle Has Landed.

Thirty-five years ago today, the Apollo 11 mission successfully put a man (two men, actually) on the moon. Even though I was five years old at the time, I have absolutely no recollection of the event. Which is odd, considering I was in the first generation to be raised by television. However, in keeping with the television connection, what I always think of in connection with the Apollo mission is this scene from "The X-Files" episode "Max":

SCULLY: I actually was thinking about, uh...

(She looks down at the Apollo keychain.)

SCULLY: This gift that you gave me for my birthday. You never
got to tell me why you gave it to me or what it means... but I
think I know. I think that you appreciate that there are extraordinary
men and women and... extraordinary moments when history leaps
forward on the backs of these individuals... that what can be imagined
can be achieved... that you must dare to dream... but that there's
no substitute for perseverance and hard work... and teamwork...
because no one gets there alone... and that, while we commemorate
the... the greatness of these events and the individuals who achieve
them, we cannot forget the sacrifice of those who make these
achievements and leaps possible.

MULDER: I just thought it was a pretty cool keychain.

If someone was curious about the show and its characters, that moment pretty much tells them all they would need to know.

Casino ejects Ronstadt over 'Fahrenheit' praise: "Ronstadt, who had been hired for a one-show engagement Saturday night at the Las Vegas Strip casino, dedicated a performance of 'Desperado' to Moore and his controversial documentary, which criticizes President Bush and the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

That dedication angered some Aladdin guests who spilled drinks, tore down posters and demanded their money back, said casino spokeswoman Sara Gorgon."

I wonder how many of those guests have actually seen the movie? And I wonder if Rondstadt was signed on for an extended run at the Aladdin, if it would have been legal for them to summarily dismiss her? As it is, it was a one-time concert, and she was finished, and they have every right to not sign her again, whether or not you agree with their reasons. (I don't.)

And wasn't Gorgon the name of the island that the toys came from in "Small Soldiers"? Weren't they called Gorgonites?

Good Morning!
 
I'm just peeking in this morning on my way out the door.  I'll be around even less over the next 10 days or so, I'm afraid - I'll be at our cabin in Maine from Thursday night through Sunday, August 1.  It's partly a vacation and partly a sad occasion.  We'll be burying our father's ashes at the small community church on the point, All Souls by the Sea.  The burial is at 1:00 this Saturday.
 
But we will also be camping, hiking, eating, drinking, playing - all the things we loved to do together.  And sharing memories of Daddy, I'm sure.
 
Until then, I'll try to post a few items.  And I promise, promise, promise photos when I return - I just bought a new digital camera, so I have no excuse!
 
Have a good day.
 
 

Nude man caught covered in nacho cheese: "Authorities said the man had apparently scaled an 8-foot tall fence while naked and covered in nacho cheese and was seen running toward a Jeep in which officers found clothing and an open bottle of vodka."

Aw, give the guy a break - it was his birthday!

Mich. Authorities Misidentify 2 in Crash: "Authorities misidentified two teens in an auto crash that killed one and left the other in critical condition, stunning parents who realized their son was alive after seeing the wrong body in the casket. "

Wow. Just unimaginable.

So you think Big Brother (UK) has become too explicit...: "The contestants will be screened 24 hours a day as they produce their own X-rated porn film. The five men in the show, including one Briton, will be judged on their abilities to perform sexually with the women. Those judged to have done most poorly will be voted out, one by one, until a winner emerges. He will be awarded a full-time contract with a porn film producer."

It always amazes me how British television produces some of the most highbrow and lowbrow programs in existence. Can you imagine if they tried to put something like that on TV here?? Even on a pay channel?

Paris Hilton attacked: "Store worker David Rashid said: 'He immediately started going on about Paris, called her a whore and said that he doesn't like Americans.'"

And the big deal is?

Sir Ian impresses on nudist beach: "Sir Ian and actor Alan Cumming, visited Vancouver's Wreck Beach while filming in Canada, says The Sun."

Oh my word. Alright, bring on the staff jokes...

On a related note - are they filming the new X-Men movie already? Or is this an old quote? I may have to check this out.

Two-day shooting spree injures 5: "Five people in New Haven have been hospitalized since Sunday in apparently random shootings involving the same gun, police said Tuesday."

Yikes! I'm planning on going out in New Haven on Friday night. I hope they catch the guy by then.

Making myself scarce.

But not on purpose! There's just been too much going on. I turned 40 over the weekend, and my sister's threw me the most amazing surprise party. As if cleaning up after and recovering from that wasn't enough, we've got our niece and nephew for the week, so the nights are taken up with kid time. I'll do my best to get back into things properly, but posting will probably be erratic for a while. Thanks for hanging in there!

Couple had sex on stage at rock festival: "Ellingsen and Johansson are members of an organisation called F*** for Forest which is dedicated to having sex in public to save the environment."

Okaaaaaay. I saw this story at fark yesterday, along with various photos of the act. Freaks! Although with a band named C*mshots, I can't say the audience should have been surprised.

issing U.S. Marine at Embassy in Beirut: "NBC reported the Navy was investigating whether his disappearance may be part of a kidnapping hoax. A Marine spokesman confirmed the Navy investigation remains open."

There are too many inconsistencies and unanswered questions in this case, don't you think? I mean, come on - they let him go free as long as he promised not to go back to the US military? Give me a break. If this was a straightfoward kidnapping, like the others, he's be sans head by now. It's great that he's alive - no one deserves to be kidnapped and beheaded - but I hope this all wan't just a ruse to get out of the military.

Fans slam George Michael in his chat room: "'It's a fans' forum, it's freedom of speech and I don't think it's down to George to take his ball home and say 'I'm not playing any more,'' one fan wrote."

Bull! It is so down to him - it's his site, his "ball" to take home if he wants to. That doesn't make his response the adult response, but it's his place to do with as he pleases.

Road Trip!

Star names join Python on Broadway:" David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry and Hank Azaria were named Wednesday as the leading trio for next year's Broadway-bound production of Monty Python's "Spamalot."

"Spamalot," to be directed by Oscar and Tony Award winner Mike Nichols, is billed as "the musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture, 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,"' the 1975 comedy directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones.

It tells the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail. A chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and one legless knight are featured."

The show opens on Broadway in February 2005. We are going.

Viral Ads Gain Respect as Marketing Tool: "Though he could not quantify the impact exactly, Burger King's chief marketing officer, Russ Klein, attributed much of the success of the company's new TenderCrisp Chicken Sandwich to people's obsession with the subservient chicken. "

I think that's a stretch. I was not aware that subservientchicken.com was a Burger King site until the third time, I think it was, that I visited it. And I can't tell you the last time I actually stepped inside of a Burger King. How many of you knew that was a Burger King ad when you first were sent there?

Can I go back?

We had a lovely time this weekend. We camped at the Mohawk Trail State Forest in northwestern Massachusetts, where my friend Holly's been camping since she was a little girl. It's a beautiful spot, nestled in the Berkshires near the Cold and Deerfield rivers. Holly shared with us her favorite places to explore as a child, along with family camping stories from over the years. We had a couple of hardy camping breakfasts, including sausage made at the local general store, Avery's. The weather was perfect (until the quick downpour on the morning we left), our campfires lit easily every night and burned strongly and we played cards and relaxed. Like I said, we had a lovely time.

Oh, let us not forget the bears! We had at least 4 sightings of black bears - a couple near our site, one on a riverbank while we were exploring the river and another at the dumpster. I never went around a corner without checking first. While I was anxious when I first got there (and saw a bear within a couple of hours, walking right through our camping area), by the time we were ready to leave I felt more relaxed - on the lookout for them but not scared.

Thanks for inviting me along, Hol!

Losers name their kid ESPN. More than one. I kid you not.

Anybody wanna kitty?

What a beautiful photo. It looks more like an illustration from a Rudyard Kipling story, or a matte background from an Indian Jones movie.

Drive-By

Now you see me, now you don't. I've just enough time to say that I'm going to be away for even longer. Life got the better of me this past week - I was sick with a sinus infection, and I had to put my 17-year-old cat Winnie to sleep on Monday night - so I wasn't up to posting here. But now that I am, I'm going away! Going camping in the woods of Massachusetts with friends Holly and Krys, and I can't wait. Photos to follow eventually, and if I can figure out how to get my scanner to work with XP.

Have a fun and safe Fourth of July, everyone! Back on Tuesday.

Mirren to reprise Prime Suspect role.

I missed parts 4, 5 and 6 somehow. I'll need to rent them soon, I think. If you've never seen any of the acclaimed British series, please try to - it's worth the effort.

Sir Ian McKellen enters the realm of reality TV: "The Lord of the Rings actor, 65, has allowed a camera crew from British South Bank Show - to record his life at work, on the road and at home."

I'm not sure which is more worthy of comment - this reality show (which I wouldn't mind seeing on BBC America) or the fact there's a website called wizardnews.com.

Spears "panic-stricken" after accident: "She she was so upset she had to be calmed down by a paramedic before he went on to treat the injured man."

Oh, just shut up and get a f***in' grip.

Farrell's penis 'too distracting' for audiences: "'All you could hear were gasps when Colin appeared in his full-frontal pose. The women were over-excited and the men looked really uncomfortable. It was such a sight it made it difficult to concentrate on the plot, so the decision was made to get rid of it.'"

Get rid of it?! No!!

U.S. hostage Johnson apparently beheaded.

Not really unexpected, but Christ Almighty.

Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing.

You guys have got to check this site out (thanks, popculturejunkmail.com). The site is a compilation of actual posts from baby-naming message boards, with running commentary from the site's owner. Just one example:

"I think it's good to name your baby a name different from anyone else baby, because there is so many people who have the same name your baby have or it's very difficult. Also, it's hard to name your baby a different name, because when you think that no-one have that name there will be someone who have the same name your baby have when think you have named your baby different. so, you really can't have any name that's different from anyone unless it's something made up."

Judging from this entry, I think this person named their child, 'Have.' "

Well, maybe another:

"I am 7 months pregnant, and I am having a boy. I think i'm going to name my son Kakinston , What do you think... ??

Besides sounding like a former Central Asian Soviet republic bordering Uzbekistan, it aids small bullies immensely starting the kid's name with KACK.

I've wasted the last half hour of my workday laughing at this stuff, and I'm only on Part III.

"Covered in beeeees!"

'F*CKING' villagers vote against name change: "Everyone here knows what it means in English, but for us F*cking is F*cking - and it`s going to stay F*cking - even though the signs keep getting stolen."

LOL.

(thanks, fark.com for last 2 links)

Anonymous Kidney Donor Wins Va. Lottery.

You reap what you sow.

Dirty Litter Secret - Me against the cat pee.: "Since I had a small fenced backyard, Lipscomb suggested I try putting them outside. I read that part of their elimination problem might be that they were so bored, peeing on the rug became the highpoint of the day. I let them out and they immediately ran into the spider-infested crawl space under the house like a pair of deposed Iraqi dictators."

Very funny article.

Duran Duran Regrouping for a New Album.

Yay!

Hoffman: C-Word Once 'Term Of Endearment': "When asked if it could ever be used in a polite context, Hoffman replied, 'Yes, I've actually heard it used as a term of endearment.'"

OK, Whoa! To much information.

New Grad Gift: Breast Implants: "Aubrie Wills, 17, says she expects to get breast implants in August, before she goes to college. "

What the hell. Well, at least she'll have a good time on Spring Break.

Hero Dog Leads Lost Boy Out of Mountains: "'She deserves special treats every day for the rest of her life,' Gaudin said. 'She's a good dog.' "

T-Boz files for divorce, claims abuse.

I look at the accomanying photo and wonder how she could have thought it would end any other way.

State Department awaits criticism on Bush policy: "Oakley said the group's members are senior, former government officials who 'have spent their lives working to erect the stature and posture of the U.S. as a leader in the world ... and we simply see that edifice crumbling.'"

OK, teeny bit scared.

Hepburn Auction Tops $5 Million.

I had a feeling they were going to make a lot more money than they had originally estimated.

Woman marries a month after being stabbed by husband: "A Warwickshire woman married a man just a month after he stabbed her for having pre-wedding jitters."

I guess she got the point. Hehe.

Scientists devise perfect joke formula: "As well as being scientists, the pair are also stand-up comedians who make up the Comedy Research Project. They run this in collaboration with the Science Museum's Dana Centre in London."

Leave it to a couple of math geeks to take the funny out of funny.

Detroit, City Of Short Fuses: "Increasingly, I have come to believe that we live in a nation of pantywaists and mollycoddles, and incidents like this are just more evidence for the file. It used to be that lightweight, not-terribly-original slights like Kimmel's were either laughed off, met with an eye-roll or - best of all - utterly ignored by their intended target. These days, every insult, real or perceived, must be met with cries of outrage and calls for vengeance. If we're ever going to advance as a people, we're going to have to start making a serious effort to learn when to let shit go."

Amen, Philip.

Hepburn's bronze bust sells for nearly 200K.

I wish I could get a copy of the Sotheby's catalogue of this stuff. I would love to see it.

UPDATE: You can view the items online here, as well as purchase the catalogue.

This is an awfully long goodbye.

Reagan worship: "'I think when somebody dies there's a tendency for the press to view them through rose-colored glasses. It's only polite,' says Alex Jones, director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. 'But I think they're doing a great disservice by making this totally positive and uncritical coverage. In fact, Ronald Reagan was a very controversial president, and journalists should be trying to offer something that resembles an honest look back at Reagan's administration.' "

I was astonished that the remembrance was encompassing almost an entire week; it seemed slightly excessive to me. Especially considering this week of remembrance, mourning and the state funeral was carefully planned by Reagan people. I did not know that a president can choose between a state funeral and a private one. Probably because Nixon was the only president to die during my lifetime (or at least the lifetime I can remember - I can't recall anything about Johnson), and I just assumed his funeral was private because he had resigned.

I feel a little less crazy after reading this article. While I understand that he was a genuinely nice and funny man, and I do not begrudge him the affection many feel toward him, I've been remembering those 8 years of his presidency quite differently than the way the media has been presenting it this week. I hope that we will soon be hearing an honest and balanced commentary on Mr. Reagan's presidency and legacy, including both his strengths and his weaknesses, his successes along with his failures. It's what he, and we, deserve.

May he rest in peace, at last.

Teacher suspended for washing student's mouth out with soap: "She took the boy to the nurse's office, she said, 'put a drop of soap of his lower lip, washed it out immediately and told him I never wanted to hear filth like that coming out of his mouth again.'"

She says in the article, "...old fashioned ways work." You know, I agree with her: some of them do work. I hope she's reinstated.

Hepburn items show us a vivid story: "There is, for instance, a silver cigarette box 'for Katharine with love' engraved with the names of the cast, including Van Heflin and Joseph Cotten, in the legit version of 'The Philadelphia Story'; there are several original Hirschfelds; two paintings of Hepburn by Cecil Beaton; a wooden director's chair with 'Miss Hepburn' written on its canvas back and, just to make sure there's no mistake who should be sitting in it, also an engraved plate saying 'Miss Hepburn' on its right armrest. "

If I only had the money...

He vas...my BOYFRIEND!!!

Holly got our tickets today for the Lord of the Rings Exhibit at the Museum of Science in Boston. yay! For those of you who don't want to pay to see the exhibit, you can always apply to be a LOTR Exhibit Interpreter. It doesn't pay much (or at all), but you can get up close and personal with some of the stuff.

Assault with a deadly weapon? I know some who have eaten Taco Bell would agree with me...

From the abcnews.com Crimeblotter:

D E S M O I N E S, Iowa — A man apparently upset that he didn't get the taco he ordered has been charged with assaulting a Taco Bell clerk with a chalupa.

Police say that on June 3, Taco Bell employee Nancy Harrison was working at the restaurant's drive-through window when Christopher Lame ordered food.

Later, Harrison said, Lame returned to the restaurant and complained that he got a chalupa instead of the taco he said he had ordered. (A chalupa, for the uninitiated, is similar to a taco but a different shell.) Harrison asked Lame for a receipt, and he went back to his car and came back with the bag that contained his order. Lame, police were told, grew upset when Harrison told him the restaurant was about to close. Harrison said that as she began to turn away, the irate customer threw a chalupa that hit her in the face, near her right eye.

Lame allegedly then fled but Harrison took down his license plate number as he drove away. Authorities tracked down and identified Lame through the license plate number.

Lame has been charged with assault and is scheduled to appear in court on June 15.

Couple Charged With Child Pornography: "A convicted sex offender allegedly recorded his wife engaging in sex acts with her two young sons and posted the images on the Internet, authorities said Wednesday. "

People just get sicker and sicker by they day.

The Fisher Family is back this Sunday, with the season 4 premiere of HBO's Six Feet Under. I as a bit apprehensive about tuning back in with the show after my father died, but now I think I'll be OK. Which makes me happy, because I really love that show.

Man surprised rampage plan wasn't discovered: "A man who spent months armoring a bulldozer before he went on a rampage through a small mountain town and then killed himself was surprised no one discovered his plans beforehand, according to notes found by investigators."

I had no idea this had happened. I have been so disconnected lately.

Man making tea sees body in fridge: "Police have launched a murder inquiry after a man found the dismembered remains of his daughter-in-law inside his son's refrigerator while looking for milk, according to police and newspaper reports."

The article says the man is now receiving counseling. Uh, yeah!

The Man Who Fell To Earth

He must have fallen to earth, because he certainly didn't come from around here. David Bowie is without doubt the coolest man on the planet. He didn't just play his old hits, he re-invented them, as he has re-invented himself many times, and the new interpretations made them sound as fresh as the day they were first released. Looking fit at 57 in tight jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt, and with a full, strong voice, he puts most of today's pop and rock performers to shame. He was relaxed and funny, at one point teasing the crowd about how old they all were - there were an astonishing number of hands raised when he asked how many were over 50. His artistic range is amazing, including hard rock, soul, dance, rock and roll and even old-fashioned crooning. The playlist, as posted at davidbowie.com:

01 Rebel Rebel
02 Queen Bitch
03 Cactus
04 Sister Midnight
05 New Killer Star
06 All The Young Dudes
07 China Girl
08 The Loneliest Guy
09 The Man Who Sold The World
10 Battle For Britain (The Letter)
11 Pablo Picasso
12 Heathen (The Rays)
13 The Supermen
14 Hallo Spaceboy
15 Under Pressure
16 Station To Station
17 Fantastic Voyage
18 Ashes To Ashes
19 Quicksand
20 Modern Love
21 Let's Dance
22 I'm Afraid Of Americans
23 "Heroes"

(Encore)
24 Diamond Dogs
25 Ziggy Stardust

(you can also find photos from our show at that link)

He began "Let's Dance" as a slow song, and when the chorus finally kicked in, the place went nuts. "Heroes" was the usual crowd-pleaser, and I was happy to see that he took as much pleasure in singing the older hits as he did singing the ones off the new CD, Reality (which I will be buying soon). When he came back for the encore, he introduced "Diamond Dogs" by saying, "This is what we called rock and roll in the 70s." And man did they rock the place. I loved that they finished with "Ziggy", and that final "Ziggy played guuuitaaaar" was sung deeper than in the released version and made a great way to end the show.

And, just so you know, my college crush on David Bowie has been re-ignited.

I must tell you about the opening act, The Polyphonic Spree. You'd have to figure the opening act for David Bowie is likely to be somewhat eclectic, and, well, you'd be right. I can't say I didn't like the music - it was pretty good, in a Godspell/Jesus Christ Superstar/Psychedlic way. There are 25 people in the group, and that includes an 8 or 9 person choir. They all wear colorful choir robes or empire waist dresses, and look like they just walked off the commune. I even noticed that a couple of the women in the choir were pregnant. The instruments included a harp, a french horn, a trumpet and a flute, along with a couple of keyboardists, electric guitar, a percussionist and a drummer. Very big sound with a "the sun makes me shine" sort of message. Definitely an acquired taste.

All in all it was a great night, and a concert that I will remember for a very long time.

Hot Tramp, I Love You So

With all that has been going on in my life, I managed to forget (until my online calendar reminded me yesterday) that the David Bowie concert is tonight! Sheila and I are going together; hopefully, we'll be able to grab something to eat at the casino before the show. I'll let you know how it was as soon as I can, maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, check this out. Hee.

Jackman Wins Astaire Award for Dancing. "The Boy From Oz" is the only show I've seen in years, and I'm having a hard time remembering the dancing. The singing, yes, but the dancing? He could shake that booty, though, I remember that.

Queer Eye's Carson takes pride in rural roots: "`I knew I had made it as a celebrity when I could wrench Charlize Theron's Oscar out of her hands and say, `Let me look at that,' and she let me do it,'' he said. "

The new season of Queer eye premieres tonight, on Bravo at 10:00. I may be watching ROTK - if not, I'll watch this.

Does it mean I'm pathetic, that this news makes me happy? Her personal life has been such crap that I guess it's nice to hear some good news, I guess.

Scrambled eggs shut down highway: "'They brought us scrambled eggs, you believe that?' Babb said. 'Sick sense of humor, these people.'"

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

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

Away From It All

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

Just plain spectacular.

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

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

When clowns go bad.

Relative Badness

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

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

(BEWARE: SPOILERS, BIG TIME)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OK, why??

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Darwin Awards should be coming out soon, right?

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

Talk about a life well-lived.

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

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

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

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

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

So, posting shall begin soon...