Lost

Alright, kiddies. Lost just completed its second season and now I get to weigh in
with what I think is going on:

This is what we've learned:

• The button WAS important. Apparently, it helps vent built up magnetic energy due to an crack in the Swan station.
• Desmond's neglect brought 815 down.
• Henry Gale (or NotHenry, as he's being referred to on many boards) is an important Other.
• There's a way to get to freedom (presumably... Mr. Gale's not known for telling the truth).
• The outside world still exists and can pick up massive electromagnetic pulses.

So, given that, here's my latest theory:

• The island is cloaked. Most likely by the magnetic field, which I think existed long before the Dharma project got there. In fact, I think its the islands "unique" energy that attracted the Dharma Initiative in the first place. That would explain why very old boats (in other words, The Black Rock) were there.
• Locke, Eko, and Desmond aren't dead. That bright light wasn't really an explosion. I think the "fail safe" was a way to fully discharge or blow away the magnetic field. Hence, the busted hatch door was repelled by the polarity reversal.
• Widmore is bankrolling the whole thing.
• The mysterious food drop a few episodes earlier -- given the cloaking properties of the magnetic field prevented the plane from being seen or heard. Yet, they had the ability to pierce the field to make the drop -- just like how Henry told Michael the proper location to get free, there may be other weak spots in the shield.

What's totally throwing me is: what's up with the four-toed statue foot?

Save Starting Over - Part II

From www.startingovertalk.com:

NBC has created a special viewer line for Starting Over --- 818-777-0244. If viewers wish to call to voice their opinion regarding Starting Over this is THE BEST number to call. All calls will be logged and counted. Callers MUST call 818-777-0244 for their voice to be heard.

Looks like NBC is willing to leave it up to the viewing public if Season 4 is a reality (no pun intended).

Tommy Hilfiger: PUNK!!

Tommy Hilfiger repeatedly smacks Axl Rose (Yes... THE Axl Rose of Guns n' Roses) repeatedly at a party for moving a drink.

You can't THINK stuff like this up.

Read the article

Guy Goma

This is just too funny.

This poor guy goes to the BBC to interview for a tech job and ends up live on the air being asked questions about the Apple Computer vs. Apple Records judgement.

His reaction on air is priceless. PRICELESS.



Here's the article

A Very Good SNL

Last night's SNL (Saturday, May 14th, 2006 -- I guess by Monday, "Last night" really won't work anymore) was one of the best in awhile.

The show has always been hit-or-miss. A good skit here. A bad skit there. But on a rare occasion, the entire episode can be good. Last night's was one of those episodes. The host was Julia Louie-Dreyfus and the musical guest was Paul Simon (who's looking oooooold) *.

There were two skits in particular that stood out. One was the opening with Al Gore as the President talking about how great everything's going (too much oil, huge budget surplus, friendly with all the countries in the Middle East). It was a funny skit, yet... made me kind of think "what if...". What if the 2000 election had ended up the way it SHOULD have ended up.

The other skit of note was about a class for using MySpace.com. It was funny because, with the exception of one mother who wanted to help her daughter set up an account, the rest of the class was filled with stalkers and pervs. Hysterical (yet, unfortunately, true).

* -- About Mr. Simon. I listened to his album a few times now and I think it's one of the best albums he's done in a long time. Brian Eno's production tricks definitely went a long way towards raising the bar on an already strong set of songs.

Music Ho Finally

Been a long time. Some new stuff:

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Stadium Arcadium"



Good album. The Chili Peppers, for being a band full of white guys, can lay down some serious funk grooves. Maybe two discs a little bit overkill, but great overall.

Paul Simon - "Surprise"



I gotta listen to this some more before weighing judgement. One listen while at work didn't really help. But from what I heard, it's a great album. Definitely sounds like a traditional Paul Simon album decorated with the sonic ticks and tweaks from Brian Eno. Manages to pull a standard Simon album into new territory, like Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints. (When I picked this CD up, my wife thought Paul had recorded an album full of nursery rhymes because of the baby on the cover).

Pearl Jam



A great return for this band. I managed to keep up with them through "Yield", but lost interest as the band starting getting more interested in their own sonic noodlings than in writing good songs. This album amps the rock and volume back up and has some good, solid songs. Not as good as Ten, or Vs., or Vitology, but the best one in a long time.

John Lennon - "Live Peace In Toronto"



This is one half good album and one half challenging album. The live tracks from Lennon (with a backup band that included Eric Clapton) are loose, raw, and fun. The live tracks from Yoko Ono are challenging. It definitely supports the argument that she was a trailblazer for the avant garde, but what in the hell made her think to caterwaul and shriek through a ten minute song??

Gerry Mulligan - "Gerry Mulligan Meets Scott Hamilton: Soft Lights & Sweet Music"



Good jazz. Nothing special. Nothing remarkable. But not bad either. Very straightforward, enjoyable session. Great addition for Mulligan fans.

American Idol: Why Chris Leaving Was A Good Thing

Shock! Horror! Gasp!

America voted Chris off! Has everyone lost their minds? He was supposed to be the next American Idol!!!



(Wait... wait... okay.)

America didn't vote Chris off. America saved Chris. Had Chris been voted American Idol, his first CD would have been one of those slick, pop-oriented, written-by-committee deals that every winner has been saddled with. In other words, something completely counter to Chris' strengths. Chris will have a great career in music. Heck, the band Fuel wants him as their lead singer. But Chris' first album needs to be something full-on rock n' roll. Not ballads. Not pop. Rock. Creed. Fuel. Guns n' Roses. ROCK.

Now that he's not bound by the laws of American Idol, he'll get that freedom to do the music he was born to do.

So, thank you America -- you saved a talented one.

Choxie!

What do you think of when I say "Target" (as in the store?)

Obviously, those of you who don't have a Target in your area are thinking "Huh?". But those of you who do are thinking it's a lot like Wal-Mart, only smaller and a bit more upscale. However, you really wouldn't pin the word "gourmet" to it, would you?

Well, I've tried their new upscale candy line, Choxie, for the second time and I'm quite impressed.



The first thing I tried was some Chocolate Truffles. For such low-priced candy, it was very good. Almost on par with some of the bigger candy chains (still not as good as the ultra-gourmet stuff [Leonidas, anyone?], but good nonetheless).

Tonight, I bought a Peppermint Marbled Crunch Thin (the description -- commence drooling: "the smoothest, richest dark chocolate with a peppermint crunch and white chocolate marble swirl". Okay, wipe your chin). It tastes like a chocolate covered candy cane. Very, very tasty.

Next time you're thinking of having some candy and want something fancier with out the associated price tag, check out Choxie. You may be quite surprised.

Long Time. No Post

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted something.

Been too busy switching positions at work to think of something witty or profound to say or to notice any sites that are of interested to post up on here.

Hey, Summer is coming so that'll be fun!

It's time for a big Music Ho post methinks.