Oh. My. God.

You just can't make this stuff up:

John Denver karaoke sparks Thai killing spree

iGeek

Yesterday, I got an iPhone.



Niiiiice. I mean NIIIIIICE. This phone is awesome. I spent last night loading on a whole pile of webapps from Apple, including ones to find cheap gas and report any traffic problems (which we used to great effect today when we hit some heavy traffic on the 101).

This is not a phone. It's the holy grail of geeky, nerdy devices. It's one of those rare "how did I live without this?" devices.

I'm in iHeaven right now.

Some Good Listening

I haven't posted anything about recent music purchases for awhile, so why not now...

Sheryl Crow - Detours



Best album in awhile. It's no accident that pairing up with Bill Bottrell would make this album sound similar to Tuesday Night Music Club. That's a good thing.

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static



Lenny Kravitz - It's Time For A Love Revolution



One comment fits both: If you liked their previous albums, you'll like these. Both are artists that have shown absolutely no growth from their first album to their newest -- each one sounds like a continuation of the previous one. Good thing is both are very talented artists and their cadre of albums are all top notch.

Vampire Weekend



Still digesting this one, but "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" is one of the best songs this year so far.

Happy Valentines Day

Hey, all!

Happy Valentines Day!!

I have two words for you: Dr. Phil.

(Huh? You ask...)

More to come...

I'll Take "Duh" For $1,000 Alex

So, the following is only being discovered NOW? Study finds U.S. music awash in booze and drugs

Speaking of "Duh", I tried out for Jeopardy. The initial test is an online quiz where you're given 50 questions with 15 seconds to answer each question. 15 seconds is not a lot of time. I know I don't have a chance of moving forward. Questions I knew the answer to under normal circumstances (i.e. had more than 15 seconds to answer), became strange, foreign, bizarre questions with answers that eluded me. By the end of the quiz, which took no more than 13 minutes, left me tired and disoriented.

You'd be able to tell me if I made it on the show -- I would be the one with the "deer caught in headlights" stare, answering "What is pudding?" to every question.

Well, Hello There Blog

Let's catch up on a dark and stormy night...

Wow, so many celebrity deaths these past few weeks -- some sad, some tragic -- Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro, Suzanne Pleshette.

This election year is rockin' the house. Obama wins. Clinton wins. Obama wins. I'm still for Obama, but I feel we're in a win-win-win situation with the Dems. I'll be equally happy if Clinton or Edwards wins. Just as long as we get a four year break from a hideously corrupt government.

Saw not one, not two, but three tapings of Dr. Phil in one day. That was fun!

Almost totally back up to speed from my bronchitis - pneumonia - bronchitis experience. My voice is almost (allllmost) back to normal and my coughing has decreased considerably. I've managing to start working full days again and come home to cook (I love cooking). Next up - doing some housework.

Lost premiers this coming Thursday. BOOYAH!

Me and my wife are taking the on-line challenge for Jeopardy this week to see if we have at least the minimum amount of brainpower to answers questions about Potent Potables (maybe) and The Bible (not a chance).

Where's That Elmers?

Well, apparently, humanity's resolution not to do silly things in 2008 has already broken...

Mexican boy glues self to bed to avoid school

Happy 2008

Yes, it's been awhile since I last blogged. Instead of blogging, I thought December would be better served by getting a nasty case of bronchitis that quickly spiraled into pneumonia and a 6 day stay in the hospital. Fortunately, I got out the day before Christmas and have been getting better ever since!

So, it's 2008! Aren't you excited it's 2008?

You know what's great about 2008? A little sumpin' sumpin' in November called the Presidential Elections! Eight years of neverending abuse of the country is coming to an end. And my boy, Barack, has already won one caucus (Iowa) and is the front runner in New Hampshire. I've not felt this much hope for our country since Bill Clinton first ran for President.

Let's hope this means 2009 brings about the beginning of the end of our travesties in Iraq and the safe return of our troops.

2008 also brings a fresh Summer Olympics. Of course, I don't watch a single event. I'm one of those "watch the opening ceremonies, watch the closing ceremonies, keep up with the medal counts in the paper" kind of people. But still, here's to the Olympics being safe and successful. If atheletes from around the world can play and co-exist peacefully, why can't governments?

The end of this month finally brings Season 4 of Lost. Of course, the writers strike has cut the season in half. But even a little taste is better than no taste at all.

Here's wishing your 2008 turns out to the be the best year you ever had!

And Where Are YOU Staying, Part II

Right now I'm posting a small blog entry from the Maile Treehouse that I mentioned a few posts back.

Let's just say it's even more incredible than the website gives it credit for.

Pictures to come...

Let's Do The Timewarp Again...

Ugh. Can't stand the Daylight Savings / Standard Time shift.

It's like making your own jet lag without having to travel. Who says Hiro from "Heroes" is the only one who can time travel? I can do it twice a year!

That extra hour of sleep is pointless if you end up spending the next several days trying to get your internal clock to readjust. It's now 7 PM... oh, 6 PM. It's 8 PM... oh, no, it's 7 PM.

Welcome To Hollywood

I've always found it surreal to be affected by Hollywood issues in a greater way than those who don't live in Los Angeles.

For example, a golden rule here is to never, ever drive through Hollywood on Oscar night. I made this mistake once. Because the Oscars are held at the Kodak theatre, the city takes over Highland Blvd from Hollywood Blvd to Santa Monica Blvd (Santa who? Hollywhat? Go look up the streets on Google Maps) and turns it into the world's largest limo parking lot. Adds hours to your travel time.

Right now the writers are on strike. Again, while I'm affected like the rest of you by having to watch reruns of Letterman and Leno and brace for the fact that the current TV season may get drastically shorter, it's bizarre to see the picket lines. I'm within a five minute drive of NBC, Disney, and Warner Brothers.

I work at a studio. Yesterday, we got a memo from studio security informing us to make the necessary extra accommodations when trying to enter and exit the studio since there will be strikers outside. Again, surreal.

Surreal. Surreal. Surreal. And I love every minute of it!

And Where Are YOU Staying?

We're going to Hawaii in three weeks (from the date of this post).

Most of the time will be spent with friends and family on Oahu. However we're going to take a three-day jaunt to the Big Island.

Wanna see where we're staying?

Of COURSE you do.



It's called The Maile Tree House.

Aren't you feeling relaxed just looking at it? I know I am....ZZZZZZZZZZ

So Post Something Already

Wow, I haven't posted anything in almost a month.

There. I posted something.

Things that are good right now:

- It's October. Summer is officially dead and buried. If we get a 100+ degree day this month, that means earth has shifted closer to the sun and we're all toast.
- It's my birthday this month.
- I'm going to Hawaii next month.
- It's all new stuff on TV again. New Heroes. New Supernatural. New Lost... oh, not 'til February. Best NEW new show? Reaper.

Hope all is good for you!

Big Zach Attack

Was it me or did Zach's nomination speech on Sunday sound like a little kid who never got picked for the team or asked to go to parties and was the one who always ended up eating lunch alone at school.

Zack, would you like some bitter cheese to go with the bitter wine made from your bitter grapes?



I'm not sure if I want you representin' Burbank anymore.

Also, while Dick has made for a Summer of good television, he's living in Delusionland if he thinks he can win. His abrasive game playing pretty much sealed his fate in the game. If he's in the final two (and there's a very good chance he might be), there's no way anybody on the jury would dispassionately think "Well, he did play a good game. He deserves my vote." Instead, the jury will vote by emotion, boiling the vote down to "I will vote for anybody other than Dick."

Indiana Jones

Next year's new Indiana Jones movie now has a title:




Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Ooooooh.

Yeah, yeah. I know Indy (Harrison Ford) is getting a little long in the tooth, but with Spielberg behind the wheel and the fact that Ford could kick the crap out of whippersnappers half his age, this looks to be some good fixins next year.

Those Aren't Cramps...

Woman has 23 needles in body

Ouch!

I'm glad all my Grandmother did was buy me clothes at Christmas.

New iPods!

This past Wednesday, Apple announced new ways to liberate me from my money: New iPods!

First was the iPod Touch -- an iPhone without the phone. Same cool touch-screen interface, including WiFi connectivity and the Safari browser. I have no interest in this one. Why? The two storage capacity options were 8 GB and 16 GB models. I currently have an 80 GB iPod and have loaded almost 50 GB of music on it already.

Second was the new Nano. Looks like the baby brother to the regular iPod. Again, not enough storage room.

Now came the one that made me go "oooooh". The revised (and renamed) iPod Classic. In two delicious options of 80 GB (been there. done that) and 160 GB. 40,000 SONGS. 160 GB. Whoa. Plus a new interface with album cover flows and other fancy stuff.

I'm sure you're thinking, "Dude. You already have an 80 GB that's not filled up. Why do you need another iPod?". Because it's fancy and it has 160 GB of storage space! I would transfer all my music from the 80 GB to the 160 GB, then use the 80 GB to back up all my Mobile Fidelity CDs (90% of which are loooong out of print) -- that way I can listen to the music without risking losing the CDs. Some of those CDs are now well over $200 on eBay to replace.

First, though, I think I'll get an iPhone -- especially now that Apple shaved $200 off the 8 GB model (the 4 GB has been discontinued). And, hey, somebody's 40th birthday is coming up. And, hey, my wife reads these posts. Hmmm. Hint. Hint.

It's Official: Los Angeles To Be Renamed Los Fuegos

(Psst. Los Fuegos means "The Fires".)

The past week, Los Angeles has been freezing. Frigid. Cold. Icy.

How cold?

105 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT COLD.



It has been so hot that within five minutes of going outside, your will to live has melted away, leaving you a wasted, useless wreck the rest of the day.

Usually, Labor Day is a great three-day weekend to get out, barbeque, have fun, and bid adieu to Summer. This year it's a three-day weekend to cower near the air conditioner, barbeque (using an oven), barbeque (yourself. Not food), and watch small children and the elderly burst into flames when they step outside.

It. Is. Miserable.

Right now, it is 11:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time and Burbank is a brisk 91 DEGREES. Where's my jacket?? (Straightjacket, that is).

Big Brother Mayhem

Lots of stuff to cover...

First off: So long Amber. The house will be a lot dryer without you. I actually found a picture of the jury house Amber's going to:



(Yes, I know it closed in 1997, but you get the point).

Seriously, Amber needs help. Anybody who cries at the thought of crying is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. If she doesn't get some help, she is going to end up snapping, tracking down the other houseguests, and "evicting" them in some brutal and inhuman ways.

You know who I feel really, really bad for? Dustin. He's now stuck in the jury house with Jen and Amber -- the two looniest ladies in Big Brother 8. Suicide watch, anyone?

Is it me, or does everybody think Eric is the biggest dweeb on TV right now? I've been watching "Big Brother After Dark" on Showtime and he's starting to grate on my nerves. Is it to late to choose a new America's Player? Everytime he talks to Jessica, he exhibits every dweeby, geeky never-seen-a-girl-naked tic in the book. The nervous laughter. The odd faces. If Jessica were to flash her breasts at him, he'd go fetal and join Amber at the special "jury house". Have you noticed sometimes when Eric talks to Jessica, Jessica has that far-away look on her face?


"I'm sorry Jessica, but it is illogical for a Vulcan to fall in love with a human."

Dick. Stop spitting. That has to be the single most disgusting nervous habit I've ever seen. Ick.

The Grinch Who Stole Big Brother 8

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I present:

"Dr. Seuss's Dick Donato!"

YouTube Link