The original lineup of Duran Duran have re-united and are putting out a new CD this year and going on tour. My sisters and I were huge fans in the 80s, and we each had our own favorite (no need to share!): Simon was mine, Nick was Sheila's and Andy was Mary's. Can you say psyched?! ;)

From their official site, a current photo. They're looking pretty good, and Simon seems to be in one of his non-chubby phases.

Does Geraldo have to be the center of a controvery at all times?

Hello! It's not always about you, Geraldo.

My Knight in Shinging Armor?

Heath Ledger: You like them with a drop dead
gorgeous smile, cute accent and from the Land
Down Under.

Alright by me.



Which guy are you destined to have sex with?
brought to you by Quizilla

(thanks, snarkcake)

Bank robber shoves exploding dye pack down his pants. Insert punchline here.

Adult Film Title of the, er...Moment: A Cockwork Orange tee hee

CNN reports on the blogs of soldiers.

Connie Chung has her nights free now.

Why aren't we hearing more war protest songs?

Update: Ask a question, get an answer.

Andrew, Buffy's live-in hostage/baker/videographer, and my favorite of the Evil Trio, gets the Zap2it treatment.

And don't forget - new Buffy tonight! And a new 24! Woohoo!

Another missing girl has been found alive, traveling with the man who took her. While this story and the Smart case both have welcome happy endings (relatively happy, I guess), I do have to wonder if they haven't revived some long abandoned false hopes for some families. Even though the chances that a child that's been missing for years is still alive, could some of these parents be thinking now that maybe there is a chance that their kid, who they likely have accepted as dead by now, could be wandering around out there, somewhere all these years? How torturous that must be.

As you can see in the sidebar, I'm reading Stephen King's Dreamcatcher right now, but there was another one in between that I'd like to recommend: Harlan Coben's Gone for Good.

If you liked Tell No One, you'll love this one.

I've added a page to the site where I will be periodically posting the latest news on the effort to save Farscape. Click here to check it out.

Sir Ian McKellen is keeping an X-Men 2 diary - Magneto's Lair. I had fun trying to find Hugh Jackman in the photo on the deck at Point Grey (Patrick Stewart was easy, though).

News Fatigue

So, how are we all holding up under the "all war, all the time" coverage by cable television? I cracked some time last Thursday, I think. I'm not ignoring the war - I just get my news in other ways - NPR, news websites. I just can't stand the constant speculation and the sea of talking heads, maps and that silly pointer thingy that Charlie Gibson is always carrying around. Monty Ashy, from teevee.org, sums up my feelings on this much better than I can in this station break. Excerpt:

You know how on the Home Shopping Network, they have to talk about each object for a certain amount of time? So the anchors bring out, say, a tennis bracelet and then have to wax enthusiastic about its many fine properties for twenty minutes. Except they quickly run out of properties and are reduced to just vamping on how shiny it is. The desperate improvising is pretty painful to watch sometimes, because there's only so many times you can repeat the same things.

Constant news coverage is a lot like that. When something happens, they have something to talk about. And then it might be twelve hours before something new happens, so they're stuck talking about the same thing for twelve hours. Frankly, I'd rather wait until the whole thing is over and then read about it in some kind of overall context.

Now, on a related note...at the risk of sounding like an insensitive ass, I wanted to ask you guys a question. (and this is not meant to be funny) Now that the unfortunate but inevitable casualties are beginning to add up, does anyone else notice a pattern here? Are we our own worse enemy?

The final episode of Farscape airs tonight, Friday March 21, at 8:00 P.M on SciFi. That's just not right.

Save Farscape.

Lurid does not even come close to accurately describing testimony at the federal trial of former Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano. This article was from early yesterday, and he did indeed end up taking the stand. I haven't read any news reports, but my mother tells me that his defense is that the reason he demanded that the 8 year-old be brought to him by her prostitute aunt is that he was aroused by the idea of having the little girl in the room next door while the aunt performed oral sex on him. Nice. And bullshit.

My mother said he also admitted, with his wife in the courtroom, that he had had a relationship with the prostitute for 9 years and had engaged in 6 extramarital affairs (all meetings apparently taking place in his semen-soaked office), and he hasn't even been married for 10 years! How can his wife sit there and listen to that crap and still defend him? How can she watch videotape testimony from the little girl, in which she describes in great detail the sex acts she performed on the mayor, and still sit in the courtroom, providing moral support to her husband? What is wrong with her?

For comprehensive reporting on the case, go here. I know what I'll be reading at lunchtime.

Update: Guilty. Besides a possible life term, he has the state's sexual assault charges and federal corruption charges to look forward to; may he rot in jail.

Wow, with all the news of war bombarding me, I had no idea that Colorado just got seven feet of snow!

As the country is moved into orange mode, I just want to ask that you all keep yourselves safe, and try not to travel anywhere unless you absolutely have to, OK?

Oh my word, Dick Smothers' little boy (Dick, Jr....ahem) is a porn star.

Update: Visual aid.

Christopher Walken: America's most beloved psycho. He's one scary dude, but he is so cool. As with Gene Hackman or Michael Caine, even a crappy movie is worth watching if he's in it. (see Suicide Kings). He's the master of creepy (God, I can barely look at him in Sleepy Hollow), but I like him best when he's playing a more real person, and especially when he's being funny. He kills me every time I see him play the Continental on SNL. I bought The Dead Zone on DVD last Halloween. Might be time to watch it.

This war has been on mind constantly, as it has been for everyone. I haven't talked about it much here for a number of reasons - plenty of real-life concerns, for one; but mostly because I haven't been able to figure out where I stand on the whole issue. One of my personality traits is that I tend to see both sides of the story, and so I find it difficult to take a strong stand on many issues. I think war should be avoided whenever possible, but I am also realistic enough to know that sometimes a peaceful resolution can only acheived through war (ironically enough). I guess my problem is, is this one of those situations? Why are we so hot for this guy? I have yet to be presented with a justifiable reason for this war. I just don't think we've sufficiently made our case for going after this guy. I've heard all the reasons the Bush administration has put forward for invading Iraq yet I remain unmoved. For the most part. And the entire matter is further complicated by the fact that I am by no means a fan of this particular president or his administration. But I would like to think that if I thought this was a justified war I would support the cause despite my opinion of the president.

So I will hope and pray for a swift end to the war, for minimal loss of life, and although I may be confused as to whether I think we should be going to war, I will stand by those individuals who will be putting their lives on the line in the pursuit of a peaceful world.

Diplomacy has ended, and unless Saddam Hussein leaves Iraq within 72 hrs, war will begin. May God spare as many lives as possible, on both sides.

The St. Patrick's Day craziness begins tomorrow night, with a party at my father's yacht club. Mary's coming out with the kids, and my mother will watch them while we go partying. Then on Sunday morning it's to a friend's house for brunch with other families and then down to the parade in New Haven. Mary will head back to RI after the parade and Sheila and I will make our usual stop at Anna Liffey's.

If I had been in this job a little longer (and wasn't so incredibly busy), I would have taken Monday off. But considering we are usually home by 9 or 9:30 that night I should be in reasonably good shape on Monday. I'll try to post some more this weekend, but if I don't get a chance to, have a wonderful weekend!

This Reuters news article offers evidence that the recent arrest of Khalid Sheik Mohammed by the Pakistanis was staged, and he was in fact arrested by the Pakistanis months ago. If this is true, did we know about it? What was to be gained from keeping his capture a secret? Is he dead? If we didn't know Pakistan staged the recent capture then how could we be so foolish as to accept the video of the staged capture to be the truth? From the way it was described, even I could tell it was a fake.

And what about the Egyptian dude , believed to be an Al-Qaeda foot soldier, who was paid a $27 million reward for Mohammed's capture? How does he fit into this scenario if he was captured last month?

Lies, I tell you, it's all lies!!

Come on, you thought it was Clint Howard for a second there, I know you did.

Well, I was wrong - Clint Howard was not on Land of the Lost. Someone named Philip Paley played "Cha-Ka", and here's the mini-bio from imdb.com:

"His character Cha-Ka for the 70's TV series, Land of the Lost has become a cult icon. Many poeple do not know (or care) what Philip looks like without his Pacunni outfit -- but that's what adds to much of his mystigue and charm. There have been many women over the years claiming to date him and know him in his post Cha-Ka hay-day, but none of them can produce any proof. Just what does Philip Paley look like? Many wonder, but let's be honest -- do we really want to ruin the mystery."

Now, you know I have to try to find out what this person looked like, don't you?

This is so cool - Sid and Marty Kroft are auctioning off memorabilia from some of their shows. You can own a piece of H.R. Puffinstuff, or Lidsville. Even the Bugaloos, man! Woo hoo!

Lidsville was a little too psychedelic for me, kind of freaky, but I loved Puffinstuff (especially Charles Nelson Reilly) and the Bugaloos. Sigmund and the Sea Monster was a Kroft production, wasn't it? That was probably our all time favorite. Oh! Land of the Lost was rarely missed, either. I think Clint Howard (Ron Howard's brother) played a young caveman/monkey/red-headed primate in Land of the Lost. Anyone else remember that? Where's imdb when I need it? Oh, right. Be right back.

The cop is so serious in this picture. "Manny" seems to be enjoying himself, though.

It's snowing. *weep*

This is wild: Photos taken at a party in Salt Lake City last September show what looks very much like Elizabeth Smart, the man who took her and another woman. This is going to turn out to be quite a story, I think.

(thanks, fark)

Missing Utah girl Elizabeth Smart has been found - alive. In Utah. No link available yet.

Hmmm.

President Bush on Tuesday signed legislation creating a national “do-not-call” list intended to help consumers block unwanted telemarketing calls.

What the hell has Don Johnson gotten messed up in? Major weirdness.

The inevitable inches closer to reality. However, I found this to be somewhat heartening:

"U.S. officials said Wednesday that surrender negotiations have secretly begun with key Iraqi military officials in hopes that some military units will not fight in a possible war.

I'm sure these characters are jockeying for position in whatever post-war government is established, and they may just be evil-despots-in-training, but the non-participation/surrender of some of Iraq's military forces prior to the start of a war could help to reduce the number of casualties.

Ladies and jellyspoons, start your VCRs! I got this in my Inbox tonight, from the Eddie Izzard Yahoo Group:

"Just a quick message to let you all know that Eddie will be appearing
on US TV show, The Late Show with David Letterman, tomorrow night
(Wednesday March 12). Elvis Costello is the show's guest host
for the night. Other guests include actress Diane Lane."

I think he's opening on Broadway soon in A Day in the Life of Joe Egg. I would so love to see him in the play, but right now that seems impossible. I'll just pray for a long run.

Correction: Um, that would be, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. Sort of a crucial difference there.

The bloom is off the rose. Sunday night's Boomtown was far inferior to any of their prior episodes. Granted, the show may have suffered a bit in my estimation since it followed the wonderful Six Feet Under, and it's diminished simply by comparison. But it's more than that; this week's episode was poorly written, with cliches being hurled fast and furious, and there was no noticeable use of the show's patented multiple-time-warp-perspective. And the premise was ridiculous - scumbag on death row holds a rookie cop hostage and threatens to kill him if the Deputy D.A. doesn't arrange for a stay of execution. Maybe I can believe that through a connection within the force and his network of cronies this prisoner was able pull off this cop's abduction; but that he read a college paper by the Dep DA that condemns capital punishment? Through the magical Internet, I suppose, where all TV bad guys can simply click on a button and presto! All personal information, college GPAs (and papers, obviously), medical background, utility bills, mother's maiden name, favorite food and color - all at his fingertips. Ho-key.

Next week's had better be damn good.

I repeat, FREAKS.

EW EW EW. Freaks.

Cat goes berserk over a broom, traps its owner in the bathroom. Funny stuff.

The luckiest baby in the world. (well, except for the part about the dead parents).

A young Norwegian woman has posted a web classified ad which offers to give her father away to a "good-natured lady". Which makes sense when you consider how living with her father could interfere with a young Scandinavian's wild sex life.

Mornin'! Be back later, I promise.

Just when we thought we could put away the snow shovel, or at least say goodbye to significant accumulations, we get dumped on. Eight inches, to be precise. I had wisely chosen to take my mother's front-wheel drive car to work yesterday, but I know I only made up my hill through sheer force of will.

As I pulled into the parking garage here at the office this morning, I heard a radio ad for Tommy K's. That all seems a lifetime away.

Jesus, and I thought I looked bad in the morning.

I never knew Scandanavians were so, well, horny. It must be crazy up in those "northern countries", what with the "erotic aquaparks", the sex in the sauna and the free love on the oil rigs. I bet you can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone engaged in a "love stunt".

Now, where did I put my passport...

(thanks, fark)

BTW, I'm totally hooked on Boomtown now. And I think I'm developing a crush on Donnie Wahlberg. Will wonders never cease?

I think I showed amazing restraint while the Michael Jackson Freak Show was all anyone was talking about. But I just can't help myself this time: Jackson paid for voodoo curse on Spielberg. It almost writes itself, doesn't it?

I've got the Bravo Channel's Boomtown marathon on the TV right now. And while I'm not paying close attention, I can tell what all the fuss has been about. This is a good show, challenging with its multi-perspective structure. I'm not sure what's going on plotwise (because of distractions, not poor writing), but I can tell you this: Donnie Wahlberg sounds just like his brother.

We haven't done one of these in a while: Invisibles #116. I'm out of practice and it shows - 4 out of 8 for me.

HBO

HBO's second-happiest family is returning to the screen for their third season tonight. Six Feet Under's back tonight, at 9:00 P.M.