Made some screencapscaps for this, another tantalizing WEEDS (SHO) Promo spot for season 8 which drops on July 1. Canada Day! I'll probably be here in the States but I had Showtime added to the new cable at the cottage on Maple Lake, too. I have no idea how long I'm staying--in total probably a good, long while, so we must have Showtime. Will have Showtime. Weeds is a very fun 30 minutes, one of the very few comedies I watch. Most/all? are on Showtime.
Weeds : Season 8: Writer's Room Tease 3-in-1 VIDEO:
(1 minute, 10 seconds)
'Dearborn Again' = SEASON 6, Episode 10 screencap of tabletop 'found' script (above) won't be a lot of help in getting an idea of whodunit. I would think season 8 episode 1 or 2 could help greatly, tho'.
MARY-LOUSIE PARKER as 'Nancy' the matriarch of the Botwin family in WEEDS on Showtime starting July 1. Perfect summertime show.
All screencaps: (SHO)
Official WEEDS Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Weedsonshowtime Official WEEDS Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHO_weeds Official WEEDS Series Site: http://www.sho.com/site/weeds/
There have been a lot of remembrances of Jonathan which have appeared on the Internet since yesterday. I’m proud and honored that mine has been quoted and linked to by many sites. But I want to share two posts I read this morning which are special and revealing.
The first is from Jonathan’s hometown newspaper The Spec and includes wonderful quotes from Jonathan’s nephews and friends about Jonathan’s everyday life in Ancaster.
The second is from The Plain Dealer. Mark Dawidziak writes with such insight. It really is the best appreciation of Jonathan that I’ve read so far.
Jonathan Frid, best known for playing vampire Barnabas Collins on ABC's Dark Shadows, has died. He was 87. The actor died on April 13 of natural causes at Juravinski Hospital in Ontario, Canada, according to Digital Spy.
Dark Shadows, a gothic soap opera, aired from 1966 to 1971 and drew nearly 20 million viewers at the height of its popularity. Frid joined the show in 1967 as Barnabas Collins, a vampire returning to his family's estate, and quickly became the star of the show.
Above: On the set of Dark Shadows - Jonathan Frid, Kathryn Leigh Scott, John Karlen
"May Jonathan Frid, 'our reluctant vampire,' live on in our hearts!" Frid's co-star, Kathryn Leigh Scott, wrote on her website. "How blessed I am to have known this dear man and to have such wonderful memories of him, both on screen and off. ... He was irascible, irreverent, funny, caring, lovable and thoroughly professional, and in the end became the whole reason why kids ran home from school to watch Dark Shadows."
Before his death, Frid, who also starred in the TV movie The Devil's Daughter and the horror film, Seizure, filmed a cameo appearance for Tim Burton's forthcoming big-screen remake of Dark Shadows, in which Johnny Depp will play Barnabas. The film is set to be released May 11.
Johnny Depp on Jonathan Frid's Death:
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Johnny Depp paid tribute to his "Dark Shadows" predecessor Jonathan Frid on Thursday, telling the Los Angeles Times that the first time he met Frid was "elegant and magical." Frid, who played vampire Barnabas Collins from 1967 to 1971 on the soap opera, died April 13 at the age of 87, though news of his death began to filter out on Thursday. "Jonathan Frid was the reason I used to run home from school to watch ‘Dark Shadows,'" Depp told the paper. "His elegance and grace was an inspiration then and will continue to remain one forever more. When I had the honor to finally meet him... generously passed the torch of Barnabas." Depp, who called Frid "a true original," plays Collins in the big-screen adaptation of "Dark Shadows," which hits theaters on May 11.
Frid has a bit part in the film, as a party guest. According to Depp, when he met Frid, the elder actor was " elegant and magical as I had always imagined."
'I won’t ever forget the moment when the two Barnabas Collinses met, one in his late 80s and the other in his mid-40s, each with their wolf’s head canes. Jonathan took his time scrutinizing his successor’s appearance. “I see you’ve done the hair,” Jonathan said to Johnny Depp, “but a few more spikes.” Depp, entirely in character, replied, “Yes, we’re doing things a bit differently.' -KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT
OMG. The abs on that man. Everyone looks terrific and happy!
Is this not the. cutest. twosome?
I love, love, love these two onscreen together! Miss them!
Would love to see both Tahmoh Penikett and Katee Sackhoff together in a super-awesome series. I could see them in a 'Friends'-like comedy/drama but better---sci-fi or not. It's entirely possible. I cannot believe smart casting peeps do not see the chemistry here?!
Some great, sort-of- recent news about Katee Sackoff:
Well, there’s one Battlestar Galactica vet who won’t be joining Ron Moore’sfrak pack-heavy NBC supernatural procedural 17th Precinct: Katee Sackhoff.
The badass formerly known as Starbuck has landed the female lead in the A&E pilot 'Longmire.' Based on the Walt Longmire Mystery series of novels by Craig Johnson, the project centers on a charismatic, dry-witted Wyoming sheriff , played by 'Matrix' actor Robert Taylor ('Agent Smith's' collegue-in-code--'till Neo killed him). Sackhoff will play 'Vic', one of his deputies.
Sackhoff is coming off a recurring role as' Det. Frankie Reed' on CSI. Also cast on Longmire, Deadline reports, are Cassidy Freeman (Smallville), as Longmire’s daughter; Lou Diamond Phillips (Numb3rs) as his best friend; and Bailey Chase (Saving Grace) as another deputy.
Update/ 4.16.11 Does anyone know if the shows have been picked up or do we have to wait until May for the anouncement? I think I read somewhere, 'Not 'till May! Boo! But yay! They are in the running!
Today would have been my mother's 84th birthday. She passed away on January 12 of this year:
Mom at Ocean World late 1970's
Peggy didn't make a big deal out of her birthday--but she did other people's. On April 9th she'd acknowledge that yes, it was her birthday but also her niece Patti as well as (now my memory fails me) deceased dear friend from childhood. It was their birthday, too. She was really, really good at remembering birthdays and anniversaries and such.
I've been sifting through the mountainous pile of photographs in my mother's collection trying to cull the most suitable for her remembrance service at Maple Lake this August 25.* Most of them are from a time before I was born so though they are indeed photos of Peggy, they are not pics of the woman I knew as 'Mom.' This one is however very much how I remember my mother.
Notice the camera on her wrist? Ubiquitous when we went somewhere. :)
*Tentatively--still need to firm it up
The photos here are but a fraction of the many my mother took (there are a few exceptions--obviously, the ones with her in them, for example). My mom loved to shoot snapshots of her family and friends. I remember sometimes getting impatient for her to hurry up and get it over with. I was shortsighted where she was not. I will be forever grateful to her for preserving memories that would otherwise be lost to us. On January 12 of this year my mom died at the age of 83. She spent a great deal of time with my Dad at Maple Lake so we will have a remembrance gathering at Maple Lake for her on Wednesday, August 25, 2011. We still have many photographs from her collection to sort through and we have her to thank for the privilege of doing so.
Sookie Stackhouse Home on True Blood Set - Where Reality and Fantasy Meet:
Very interesting little piece over at the HBO True Blood series' production blog which provides a neat glimpse into the place--the Stackhouse home--where reality and fantasty blur. Check it out in the link below as well as this sweet comment from True Blood showrunner/creator Alan Ball:
This (here) is a shot of Alan Ball's mom from the 1930s. "I like having her on set," Alan said, "there is a picture of my mom and dad and brothers on the piano, and my Uncle Bud is over the fireplace in the dining room."
Source Inside True Blood Blog - 'Secrets of the Set: Things You Didn't Know About Gran's House'
I also have an album of detailed photos that were previously released of the Stackhouse home's interior as well as a few shots of both the exterior and Bill's home: Sookie's home - before the Maenad.
Thirty years ago: All My Children 'Jenny Gardner' w/ 'Greg' (Lawerence Lau)
Kim Delaney and Lawrence Lau as Jenny & Greg on All My Children 1983 (ABC)
Hey! That's Jenny from "All My Children"! I haven't seen seen her her since then. The years have been kind. ~Her Brother
Yep! She's gotten better looking and she always was cute. You watched All My Children? I've always sort of followed her career and she's done okay (except she's had a DUI or two. *ouch*) So here's an excuse for a bit of Jenny Gardner a/k/a Kim Delaney (who happens to have been born on my two years-old birthday (think for a sec), formerly of the soap opera AMC on American TV network, ABC.*
Update 2011: As of 2006, Kim had again entered alcohol rehab. The mid- '00's were not so great for her.
Poor, dead Jenny. Anything to get away from that drip of a husband, Greg. *shudder*
Greg Nelson (Lawrence Lau) returns to Pine Valley for Angie and Jesse's wedding. The three go to Jenny's grave... complete with flashbacks w/ Kim Delaney!
Not a bad Santa, tho' he looks as if he's a tad warm in that suit.
Below: A family Christmas get-together from about 1967. I have cousins and an aunt (my dad's sis) and uncle and my dad as the adults in this pic. There's me, my brother, and my cousins after that. No one in the kitchen one looks happy. My brother, the 2nd littlest, looks fearful. We may have just gotten yelled at by the host (not kidding!) It is after all, the kid's table.
Update/ This never crossed my mind until today and by then I was sure the speculators got their hooks into it. (They have.)
Yes, 'Dexter' and 'Lumen' made a great couple in the Showtime drama "Dexter."
But do you really, really think that because of this and no other info. that the two of them are the reason for MCH (Dexter) and Jennifer Carpenter (Deb) breaking up, IRL? Really? C'os they didn't split when he married 'Rita' or when she dated the now-dead 'Agent Lundy' or, depending on the actual time frame of their romance--which we will never know--any of the other bf's 'Deb' has had in the last couple years.
Do you really believe that what is being acted out on your television is real life? If you do, you are silly and shallow. It's a possibility, sure, but are you certain Stiles isn't in a serious relationship with someone already or maybe has a 'thing' against hooking up with married guys? So many assumptions! And now of course it will be Stiles for whom every doubter looks askance and wonders,"Did she bust up the Hall-Carpenter union?
Note: In attempting to gather some solid news on the impending divorce of Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter, I came across a little bit of what may be factual info.: 'Carpenter was the one who filed for divorce,' 'Carpenter is said to have complained about MCH to castmates on the set this season. Said castmates are 'concerned' about season 6.' 'Hall and Carpenter have been 'apart' for some time now and were in general, cool toward one another for the entire filming of season 5.'
Make of it what you will but don't expect any tell-all sob stories from Hall, Carpenter or Stiles. None of them are particularly outgoing or into the H'wood scene.
I'm sure there will be a variety of reactions to this but one that springs to mind is that some of your audience just got fully comfortable with the image of you going home to your wife who plays your sister on Dexter along with mastering the ability to not think that you guys are married IRL and now. NOW you split up?!
I admit at first when Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter were in a scene together post-marriage anouncement, I'd watch for any sign that they were not acting.
This is sad news-- and after such a short go of it. I wonder what's next for the two of them and of course, the same question on everyone lips besides 'Why did they split?'
BTW, the timing on the announcement of this split is just plain weird. Whose idea was it to wait until the Dexter season 5 ended and do so within a few hours?
Will there still be a season 6 Dexter?
After nearly two years of marriage, Dexter stars Michael C. Hall, 39, and Jennifer Carpenter, 31, are divorcing. An exclusive joint statement to EW from their representatives read: “Having been separated for some time, Jennifer Carpenter and Michael C. Hall have filed for divorce.” Both reps add that the split was amicable. The couple — who met on the set of the Showtime drama, in which she plays his foster sister — married on December 31, 2008. Hall completed treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma earlier this year.
13 2010 07:27 PM ET EW exclusive-'Dexter' stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter file for divorce '
Update Oct 22, 2010
Goebbert's Farm, 40 W. Higgins Rd., South Barrington, IL, USA
-
We go every year because it is a local, fun outside thing to do. http://www.pumpkinfarms.com/
We started going to Goebbert's prior to the common use of digital cameras--so I have tons of photos--in boxes that I should scan to add to this bunch which only cover the last five Octobers.***
We always try to pick an Indian summer-type day to stroll around Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm. The best day to go is a weekday for the thinner crowds--and you save $ on anything that takes tickets.
I guess because I'm not a farmer's market get-up-at-dawn-type, I really savour being able to pick through the many mini gourds at Goebbert's until I find the right colour and texture combo for my cornucopia, now on the table in the living room. The kids have always liked finding the weirdest or ugliest ones they could find, too. Just a really pleasant, relaxing couple of hours, always finished off with yummy baked apple or pumpkin goods.
***Found a bunch. As soon as I have a better than Blackberry connection, they'll be posted, say by Sunday.
Where were you in the fall of 1969? Just a couple of months past "the summer of love," at Maple Lake in the Haliburton Highlands in Ontario pictorial evidence suggests that "everything (was) beautiful."*
As I've talked about before, my mom was not the best photographer in the world (nor am I) but she often had her camera at the ready and I'm so very thankful to her that she did. Again Mom, sorry I complained so much about having to stop playing for a few minutes so you could snap a shot that I now realize preserved moments that are ever-increasingly from long ago.
I'm so glad that we can savour these photos in the here and now.
I'm one of nine first cousins that spent our summers when growing up living on Maple Lake. However in the mid-1960's my father's work compelled us to move to the eastern United States, 500 miles from our former home in Toronto. In the early years we traveled home many times a year-- summertime of course, but Easter, Canadian Thanksgiving, and Christmas, too.
The photo here is of 7 of 9 of the cousins in what was called the "back field." What is striking to me now is just how few birch trees remain. I don't know if they simply aged or if a blight took them or a combination or neither. I love the pretty white birches but I'll never forget my grandfather admonishing us to never peel bark from their trunks. Funny thing is I don't recall anyone EVER doing so that we'd need to be warned but to this day my thought process goes like this: Oh, pretty birches -->image of my grandfather --> don't peel the bark off them!
***those who know the family dynamic know better--another story for another day.
OK. If I were a true-blue geek I'd have known that this character alignment chart is an idea taken from Dungeons and Dragons. But I'm not that geeky-cool, I'm just a BSG fangirl and I thought this handy-dandy chart pretty awesome.
It also gives me a chance yet again to remind all TRUE Battlestar Galactica fans that two of the women who made the show utterly unforgetttable, Tricia Helfer as "Six" and Katee Sackoff as "Starbuck" are pretty badass IRL, too. How many other ladies do you know who would climb onto their motorcycles andmake a grueling 2500-mile trip across country from Los Angeles to Louisiana, dubbed the "LA-La" trip, to help rasie awareness and funds for the sickened Gulf? It all begins on Oct 22 and culminates 10 days later...
"The LA La Ride" is a charity ride to raise money and awareness for the Gulf in regards to the BP oil spill disaster and is in conjunction with the Gulf Restoration Network. BMW has graciously donated the bikes Katee and Tricia will be riding.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is an outdoor work of art conceived by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon. It is situated on Viðey Island in Reykjavík, Iceland. The artwork was dedicated to John by Yoko at its unveiling on October 9th 2007, John Lennons 67th birthday.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER symbolizes Lennons and Onos continuing campaign for world peace - which began in the sixties, was sealed by their marriage in 1969 and will continue forever.
The words IMAGINE PEACE are inscribed on the Well in 24 different languages.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is composed of a tall shimmering tower of light that will appear every year and be visible from October 9th (Johns birthday) until December 8th (the anniversary of his passing).
In addition, the Tower will illuminate from Winter Solstice (December 21st 28th), on New Years Eve (December 31st) and the first week of spring (March 21st -28th). It is lit from 2 hours after sunset until midnight, and until dawn on New Years Day.
On 9th October, John Lennons birthday, Yoko Ono asks the people of Iceland to join her and many others across the rest of the world in praying for peace and stability.
At 8pm, as IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is illuminated on the island of Viðey, in Reykjavik, Iceland, she asks everyone to join together and let the power of light and prayer become a collective expression of the desire for peace and harmony on our planet.
Dear Friends,
Please join me not only in remembering John on October 9th but also in spreading the message of peace. This is something that was so important to John - the fact that we could all work together for the positive good of our planet. He would have loved how we are all mobilizing ourselves in thought and in action.
It's time for Action and the Action is PEACE!
with love, yoko
Thirty years later, I still can't get through listening to "Imagine" w/out crying. I couldn't get through Yoko's message tear-free either, but it is a critical one sp please listen. Its not about "just" ending war against one another, its about ending our destruction of planet Earth in every way. I cannot phrase it any better than Yoko does when she says, "we (can) all work together for the positive good of our planet." We must.
I made this blend of Tupac's "Better Dayz" with Marvin Gaye's jam "Inner City Blues" after a request from Afeni Shakur (Tupac's mom!). It's supposed to be a conversation between the two artists... Hope you enjoy it... credits released 13 September 2010
Perfect timing on this FREE download. I think Tupac & John Lennon could have made some amazing music together. This song just gets better upon repeat listening, in no small part due to the seamless mixing of the legendary Marvin Gaye's contribution of "Inner City Blues." Enjoy it and hare!
Join us in celebrating John Lennon's 70th birthday!
Give peace a chance.
Please join Yoko in dedicating this light tower in honor of John Lennon. In 1967, he conveyed his wishes to Yoko for a light tower to be constructed in his garden. In Yoko's words, it just came together in the past few years. Watch the video and you will see why she chose this place for the light tower. John's 70th birthday would have been tomorrow, October 9. Thanks.
Honestly, I think the EW 12 different-collectible covers and this dead portrait thing is uninspired. It does nothing for me and it's missing Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) and Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) while inserting nominally important people like "Naomi" (in the afro) and "Libby."
We've been hit over the head for years now with a shoulders-up shot of Locke in a coffin--so this seems just like more of the same--minus any tie-in to the actual LOST storyline.
If they were going to fish around on the "C" or "D"- lists why not go with someone like Neil Frogurt?
Whether
it was her strength and fearlessness in the challenges, her youth
& radiant beauty or her strategical play in SURVIVOR, Amanda Kimmel
was/is a wonderful role model of a strong, fit young woman--and a true hottie.
Her niceness and her willingness to share her feelings with the camera
made Amanda a sympathetic "character," though in truth, she is as Jeff
Probst has said more than once, constantly strategizing.
I'm
amazed when people complain that she cries sometimes. You go live
outside with no food for 100 days and see if you don't cry
occasionally, is what I have to say to that dumb line of complaint about
her.
Side note: When she started
this installment of the game Amanda Kimmel weighed 144 lbs. which
many people would knock
as "fat." In
case you are curious she only shed 12 pounds in 30 days in Samoa. If
you look at her next to most all the women and about half or more of the
men she's as tall or taller. She looks to be maybe 6' tall -- so 144
lbs.? Pfft!
As
noted, Amanda Kimmel "strategized" herself into over 100 days on
Survivor with two trips to the final jury vote (getting no votes, sadly,
due to her inability to articulate why she deserved to win). She set
some records and in sum, was one of the better players ever, IMO.
Since
she is now only 25 years old, I'd love to see her in say, 5 years.That I
think is the biggest thing that knocked Amanda down--her wavering
certitude in her own "greatness." Confidence could have taken Amanda
farther in the game and if she were to gain that--and going from age 25
to
say, 30 will help a great deal--and play again, I would
tune in a few years just to see her.
In other news, I'm not going
to spoil it here but the boot list I saw has been exactly right since
day 1. Much like LOST, ironically the show modeled on SURVIVOR it seems
there have been major leaks in what went on as the SURVIVOR Heroes vs.
Villains game played on. This edition (20) of SURVIVOR was made last
summer. That's a really long time to ask the multitudes involved with
the show to not talk amongst themselves, never mind others.
Revelation of the day: Mark Pellegrino, who’s most recognizable these days as Jacob on “Lost,” also played the Blond Treehorn Thug in The Big Lebowski. So if you’re a Hollywood casting agent and you need an actor who can forcibly dunk a guy in water, Pellegrino’s your man. Up next for him: a role as a superhuman Southern Baptist preacher on “True Blood” who baptizes vampires by force.
I've been wanting to find a way to tie two of the shows that I'm most invested in, LOST and True Blood together and I think Mark Pellegrino may be my ticket. Can someone call True Blood casting and make this happen? This guy has perfected forced dunking! (links go to my WordPress-hosted blogs)
Sears (now Willis) Tower as seen from the Kennedy Expressway.
The other tall building around here--the John Hancock has the unfortunate distinction of having been the tallest structure in the USA--then it lost it's title to the World Trade Center. I'm guessing I don't have to say more other than the John Hancock Tower is the tallest man-made structure in the USA.
Just a quick homage to my 2003 Zinc Yellow Mustang GT.
I think I took my last top down ride for the year--that was two in the first week of November.
People hesitate to buy a convertible whilst living in a place like
here with less than ideal--crap--weather for a good chunk of the year.
The answer is a) it's too fun not to, and b) you can do it 7 months of
the year.
I love my car for what it is every. single. ride. A fun machine.
(Repost above from 11/2006)
2.18.10
I realize I don't post _anything_ personal anymore. I remember enjoying interacting with the dozens of people I met online and regarded as friends. Now I think I need to "say something" before I blog and think if I wrote what I feel I'd offend so I self-censor. Conversely, if I don't write what I feel I get no feedback nor satisfaction having gotten it down.
Yes. I suppose I am feeling reflective and conflicted.
The episode started with a great challenge, a violent fight in the dirt
that left Sugar to run to the finish line topless (Sandra unclipped her
bikini top when they were wrestling, as if it was possible to love
Sandra even more) and saw Colby dragging Coach and then Coach dragging
Colby, never mind JT mounting Randy and Cirie throwing people to the
ground left and right. More significantly, Rupert broke his toe and
Stephenie dislocated her shoulder as Courtney encouraged Parvati to
“break her shoulder.” Medical popped it back into place, which was more
horrifying than whatever Tyson was wearing as underwear.
Q:Let’s talk about your big topless scene. First off, was Sandra trying to undo your bra or did it just come undone...? Sugar -
A:
Unless we were making love, no. She totally undid it, and I literally said, “Don’t undo my bra, bitch!” I remember thinking, she thinks I’m going to put my bra back on and that she’s got me and just has to worry about them. So I was like, roll out of it, grab the bag and make the point. So that’s what I did because I wanted to prove that I was trying to win this time — that I was going to do my damnedest in the challenges to prove myself. I thought that would work.
Q: Who exactly were you flipping off?
Sandra?
All the Villains?
Jeff Probst?
Sugar: I was looking at everybody. It was supposed to be toward Sandra, but I was kinda shooting everybody off. [Laughs] Yeah, I was totally flipping off Jeff. He knows it and he knows why.
Q: So the situation with Colby: They really made you out to be a stalker in that scene.
Sugar: They want to make me look like Jerri No. 2. That’s fine with me. Yeah, that was like five seconds out of three days that I was there. That’s cool. I don’t mind my edit.
In the first challenge of the season, the Heroes take on the Villains to win fire in the form of flint
With ten of the most beloved players in Survivor history pitted against
ten of the most villainous, there was never a doubt that the opening
episode of Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains would be anything less than
explosive! Unfortunately for Heroes Tribe member Jessica ‘Sugar’ Kiper,
her return to the show ended abruptly last night as she became the
first castaway to get the boot at Tribal Council. We caught up with the
singer and actress – who finished second runner-up on Survivor: Gabon –
to find out how she was feeling.
Was there anyone you were starstruck to be playing with?
“Yeah, me! I was like, ‘How am I on this season with all of these
awesome people?! Rupert and Sugar!’ It’s kind of crazy! I wanted to get
to know a lot of people because...
..."I didn’t know a lot of people because I
didn’t know most of their seasons. I went in blind. Blonde and blind!”
What was going through your mind, leading up to tribal council?
A. Sugar: I felt like I was at the Sugar Shack but there was no food
and nobody liked me. I was so alone but yet, there were people all
around me. I don’t think Colby tried to understand me. That whole thing
with him is hilarious that it looked like that. I don’t even like him
for that. I had the hots for JT, but not anymore!
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains / Survivor: Heroes vs Villains - James
I was totally was not going to watch Survivor: Heroes vs. Villians as I quit Survivor in the edition in which Coach, Randy & Courtney were a part. Overall, I really dig the show though, the locales are pretty, a lot of it is edited to be funny, so when I saw that James, Amanda, Stephenie, Sugar, Colby and his arch nemesis from the Australian Outback Jerri was on board I asked spouse if he was interested. He was so we watched the premiere, S20x01 tonight. Also, I have a lot of previous material on some of these players if you are looking for more photos of them or background in general--which could clue you in to what they may be playing like--or not. Just use the Lijit Wijit Search in my sidebar--or click those links there right above to find out more about the players I mentioned and a few more.
Much more later.
Survivor: Heroes vs Villains - Reward Challenge (Episode 1)
Next time on Survivor E20x02,
“It’s Getting the Best of Me” – Backstabbing and dissension run
rampant in one tribe as a castaway reveals that old grudges die hard
and makes a move to put a former ally on the chopping block. Meanwhile,
one Villain pushes so hard to provide for the tribe that he passes out
cold, on SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS, Thursday, Feb. 18 (8:00-9:00
PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
CASTAWAYS:
Castaways competing on SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS (in alphabetical order separated by tribes):
HEROES VILLAINS
RUPERT BONEHAM TYSON APOSTOL
JAMES CLEMENT RANDY BAILEY
COLBY DONALDSON DANIELLE DILORENZO
CIRIE FIELDS RUSSELL HANTZ
AMANDA KIMMEL JERRI MANTHEY
JESSICA “Sugar” KIPER (1st voted out) ROBERT MARIANO
About the video; "Following Saturday's appearance at the Glastonbury Festival, Bruce appeared on Sunday, June 28, at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London's Hyde Park. Like Glastonbury, this turned into another magical show making the back-to-back U.K. festival appearances an all time highlight for Bruce and the Band. Here, in full, is the opening song from Bruce's set, "London Calling." (Joe Strummer/Mick Jones)."
Bruce and E Street crank out a credible version of the Clash's classic call to arms.
It's Bruce Springsteen's 60th birthday today and I have no idea what a popular culture icon/music master such as he could possibly want or need as a gift. He's shared with me and millions of others so much of himself over the past 40 years. Not being able to offer him anything for his 60th b-day, instead I'll share some of what he's shared in his sublime command of imagery and artistry.
Bruce does indeed grace the September/October issue of AARP, the Magazine, published by the organization formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, now simply known by their initials. "Red, White, and Bruce" here.
Two Springsteen-based re-posts of mine:
Now that it's 2008 I can say that I'm seeing Bruce in the spring which is something that makes me happy. This is one of my favourite of his many songs that touched me--maybe more so now than years ago. Anyway, the lyrics started playing in my head tonight, especially these:
Oh girl that feeling of safety that you prize Well it comes at a hard hard price You can't shut off the risk and the pain Without losing the love that remains Were all riders on this train
<awesome guitar break>
So you've been broken and youve been hurt Show me somebody who ain't Yeah, I know I ain't nobodys bargain But, hell, a little touch up and a little paint...
The entire lyrics are after the video which has a definite mid-1980's feel to it. Bruce does look pretty great in it though I miss "Miami" Steve Van Zant and Clarence Clemons on camera. I'm curious too who is doing the female vocals. edit/checked--some were (now wife) Patti's.
You and me we were the pretenders We let it all slip away In the end what you don't surrender Well the world just strips away
Girl, aint no kindness in the face of strangers Aint gonna find no miracles here Well you can wait on your blesses my darlin' But I got a deal for you right here
I ain't looking for praise or pity I ain't coming 'round searchin' for a crutch I just want someone to talk to And a little of that Human Touch Just a little of that Human Touch
Ain't no mercy on the streets of this town Ain't no bread from heavenly skies Ain't nobody drawing wine from this blood Its just you and me tonight
Tell me, in a world without pity Do you think what I'm askin's too much I just want something to hold on to And a little of that Human Touch Just a little of that Human Touch
Oh girl that feeling of safety that you prize Well it comes at a hard hard price You can't shut off the risk and the pain Without losin' the love that remains We're all riders on this train
So you've been broken and you've been hurt Show me somebody who ain't Yeah, I know I ain't nobody's bargain But, hell, a little touch up and a little paint...
You might need somethin' to hold on to When all the answers, they don't amount to much Somebody that you could just to talk to And a little of that Human Touch
Baby, in a world without pity Do you think what I'm askin's too much I just want to feel you in my arms Share a little of that Human Touch Feel a little of that Human Touch Give me a little of that Human Touch
Puff the Magic Dragon was probably the first of Peter, Paul and Mary's string of folk song hits that those of us of a certain age remember hearing as children. I was in the playroom basement of my cousin's house when this first came on the radio, catching my fancy. Many years later I heard that "Puff" was an allusion to smoking pot, getting high but my childhood impression of it as a simple, catchy pop-folk song never changed.
I remember belting this out in grade school chorus.
cschoon1213 | August 12, 2009 | 91 likes, 0 dislikes
Peter Paul and Mary, If I Had A Hammer
Lyrics:
If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning I'd hammer in the evening, All over this land I'd hammer out danger, I'd hammer out a warning, I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters, All over this land. If I had a bell, I'd ring it in the morning, I'd ring it in the evening, All over this land I'd ring out danger, I'd ring out a warning I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters, All over this land. If I had a song, I'd sing it in the morning, I'd sing it in the evening, All over this land I'd sing out danger, I'd sing out a warning I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters, All over this land. Well I got a hammer, And I got a bell, And I got a song to sing, all over this land. It's the hammer of Justice, It's the bell of Freedom, It's the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters, All over this land. It's the hammer of Justice, It's the bell of Freedom, It's the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters, All over this land.
The real deal. Born and bred in Greenwich Village, NY, here Mary Travers is shown at an anti war news conference in 1967.
Mary Travers, whose ringing, earnest vocals with the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary made songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “If I Had a Hammer” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” enduring anthems of the 1960s protest movement, died on Wednesday at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut. She was 72 and lived in Redding, Conn.
The cause was complications from chemotherapy associated with a bone-marrow transplant she had several years ago after developing leukemia, said Heather Lylis, a spokeswoman.
Ms. Travers brought a powerful voice and an unfeigned urgency to music that resonated with mainstream listeners. With her straight blond hair and willowy figure and two bearded guitar players by her side, she looked exactly like what she was, a Greenwich Villager directly from the clubs and the coffeehouses that nourished the folk-music revival. NYTimes.com
In an effort to console fans of True Blood's "Godric," played by 20 year-old Danish actor, Allan Hyde, HBO has released a series of downloadable photographs styled to appear as memorial cards, each with quotes from the 2000 year-old vampire adjacent to a True Blood scene in which Godric appeared.
Really hard to know if these were planned prior to the huge fan response to Godric but it is probably a moot point as fans just love this kind of stuff. (I outta know!)
You can download them as a zip file, presumably to make it easier to share with fellow Godric-loving Trubies.
Here is the page link on the HBO site for the 7 Godric memorial cards.
I've posted all seven Godric cards here as well. Click to embiggen them.
One question. Why did they Photoshop Eric's bloody tears out? Or were they Photoshopped in for the episode?
...when you have a classic True Blood scene from season 2 to remember fondly.
Love the range of emotions 'Jessica' (Deborah Ann Woll) especially, goes through. Mortification, anger and incredulity. Embarrassment, relief and puppy love eyes when Hoyt (Jim Parrack) says he believes Jessica, not Bill (Stephen Moyer). Indignation and anger, when she tells Bill off first for turning her and feeling "like shit" for it--an insightful call for a 17-y.o.--then for not being fair by assuming she was "hunting" Hoyt, when she was having her very first kiss, and then embarrassment again when she complains to Bill that she did not know that her fangs came out when she got turned on. Nicely played by Deborah Ann Woll. Of course we have the ever-lovely Anna Paquin in her classic Fangtasia shirt, too. A win all 'round!
Michelle Forbes (Maryann) Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte): Credit HBO, inc.
I admire Michelle Forbes for several reasons but none more so than her willingness to be candid about how she thinks and feels--despite criticism for making "bad" career choices. An early example of this was when she was cast as Ensign Ro Laren on the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation. Ensign Ro, a Bajoran, was well-liked by Star Trek: TNG fans who were dumbfounded when just as her role on the show was expanding Forbes feared being typecast and she bolted, leaving the Star Trek universe behind.
Michelle Forbes as Ensign Ro on Star Trek:The Next Generation
I must admit, I too was kind of peeved with her because she was darn good!
It didn't stop me from enjoying the times that I found her on the small screen. The role I enjoyed her in most (though admittedly, I've not seen quite a bit of her TV work--she's done a lot of it) was as Admiral Cain of the Pegasus on Battlestar Galactica in the telefilm "Razor" (Michelle was the razor!). She should have gotten an award for that performance which included both the film and a multi-episode arc but alas (to my knowledge), she did not.
Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain in Razor, a SciFi BSG telefilm
Now comes True Blood and by every account I've seen she's a fan favourite. Now too comes an in-depth interview by TVGuide.com and kudos to them because they did an excellent job of getting the kind of details that fans of the show clamour for.
But Michelle being who she is went ahead and stated her feelings in the interview about "book-ies"--those of us that have read Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series which the show is based on, and some of us who expect the series to be true to the books. I would think "book-ies," who love the show but hate that it doesn't reproduce the books line-for-line are in the minority.
Just the same, Michelle using the term 'book-ies" sounds sort of like they are a little cult (kind of like Trekkies) though within context it sounds like she meant no derision. Still, but I feel a backlash coming. "Where does she get off blah, blah. Who does she think she is!? And so on.
I say let it go. Michelle plays wicked strong women who we love to watch. Offstage, she sounds like a strong woman, firm in her opinions and able to articulate them quite intelligently. For lack of better terminology you have to take the whole package. I don't think there was anything wrong with what she said to to TVGuide which was:
TVGuide.com: Were you a fan of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels?
"I'd never even heard of them. I bought them, read the first one and then put them down because we are telling our own story. For the "book-ies" out there, everyone has to remember that it's an adaptation, not a translation."
I really enjoyed reading the interview and felt I came away more enlightened about the show. A couple of my favourite quotes are below (be sure to click through to read the article in full).
How Forbes sums up True Blood:
"You have this landscape for social commentary, for questioning injustice, compassion and our pack-mentality thinking allegorically."
About Maryann being rather Zen in her outlook on life:
"She's happy; she's happier than all of us. It pisses me off actually."
About what she like the most about inhabiting Maryann as a character: ...
"... it has been liberating playing Maryann. There is a sense of contentment that was, to be honest, initially horrifying and frightening to me. She's not afraid of anything, and not in that clichéd way, she's truly just OK. She's not afraid. She can eat what she likes, she can have sex with whom she likes, she can play with whom she likes. She can dress in beautiful clothes. She has everything at her fingertips. There's nothing she doesn't need."
And quite amusingingly, she describes exactly how her wardrobe helps her channel Maryann:
"She is that Ibiza party girl. She's the girl who never left the party, but it hasn't hurt her. Those people are usually quite tragic, but she's not. She doesn't give one blink as to what people think of her. She's free of all those constraints."
And one SPOILER about just what Maryann is:
Q:So Maryann is a hybrid of some sort?
Forbes: 'Yes. With these characters, you can do as much research as you want, but you're not going to find out that vampires sometimes wear tracksuits and flip-flops.'
..or at least that's how it feels. In a good way! There are just all kinds of new features that the talented, smart, and creative team at Six Apart have been offering up that really lend themselves to easy and painless customization and making and joining conversation with some fascinating folks and other good stuff--like this fun Q and A from TypePad.
I think it's another new feature here at TypePad but I loved a similar one at Vox (which I must say I'm not getting over to as much as I 'd like).
Here's the Q: Blockbuster season starts this weekend with the release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Next up: Angels & Demons, The Transformers, Harry Potter, Star Trek and Land of the Lost. Which summer mega-hit are you most looking forward to?
Star
Trek: My dad, nerdy science dude that he is/was "force-fed" the
original Star Trek series to me. It was on in the morning, I think on a
UHF station(!) The concept of a peaceful universe, beaming up and
phasers and the Prime Directive was cool but I was not a big fan of the
show. Later, I enjoyed most of TNG and the often-ignored Deep Space
Nine. I didn't initially watch the first season of Star Trek: The Next
Generation because I disliked the original Star Trek, most especially
Shatner as Kirk. I'm being truthful when I say he makes me gag. Spock
was always cool and Scotty and McCoy were amusing. Not seeing it unless
someone I know is dying to see it.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine: How big a part does Dom Monaghan have? I
miss him since he was killed off LOST. Hugh Jackman is cute n' angsty
but he alone couldn't get me in the theater to watch it. Possibly, I
may take my kid if he wants to go. The one Jackman did with Anna Paquin
(were there two?) was OK.
Transformers: Probably yeah 'cos my first son was devoted to the
original TV show when he was little so I watched, too (spent a fortune
on transforming cars and trucks) and I've seen newer incarnations
through my younger son. I've always dug the transforming sound and that
cars and trucks could turn into robots. It was a pretty cool show. I'm
curious to know if they'll keep Shia's seriously busted-up hand hidden
as he broke it off-set, but while filming, I believe. Still gets
surgery on it. Yikes.
Angels & Demons: No.
Harry Potter: Have read and watched the film series so far so, yes.
EDIT/Igot this confused with Land of the Giants.
The plot of land of the Lost appears the similar except this is a Will Ferrell comedy./end edit
Land of the Lost: Did not even hear about this one 'till the other day.
I watched the teevee show (again, in the mornings on UHF, the public
television channel). Depends on who is in it and what the reviews are
like. I haven't missed the show but they could probably do some cool
things with it.
TVGuide video interview with Dom Monaghan about Wolverine and his "Easter Egg" part in it.
Last big family trip until the youngest is done with uni. Thank the powers that we have Maple Lake.
I'll put up a few more after I go through them. There are some interesting ones of the open-in-2012 "Cars" section of the park. Nifty models and colour plans.
My new favourite Disneyland (California Adventure) ride- "Pixar's Toy Story Midway Madness." <exhale> Mr.
Potato Head is animatronic and interactive. Keeps you company in the
line--which we found later can be bypassed by riding single rider--no
line at all. I sucked at this paintball shooting game but it was big
fun. Lots of people said they liked it more than Buzz Lightyear's Astro
Blasters in Disneyland but they are really different. I love Disney but I could have stayed here for a week, just chillin'. It's south Laguna Beach at sunset.
I have a ton of Disneyland shots but this too is in Disney's California
Adventure whcih they are in the process of a near-complete makeover
after only 8 years(!).There were flowers everywhere and after the long
Chicago winter everything looked so _alive_.
The previously announced project from Starz Media,
"Spartacus: Blood and Sand," will feature the New Zealand-bred thesp,
who starred in "Xena" from 1995-2001, as the proprietor of a camp for
gladiators.
Australian thesp Andy Whitfield will play the title role.
(The) project, which goes into production in April, is set to bow on the Starz premium cabler in January, 2010.
Bear McCreary is the composer of the epic musical score for Battlestar Galactica. In his own blog he explained as only Bear can what went into the making of the Season 4.5 episode "Someone to Watch Over Me" and this clip gives you a feel for what he said. Be sure to click the link to Bear's Battlestar Blog and read much more about it.
On "Battlestar Galactica,"
Cylon couple Saul and Ellen Tigh manage their troubles, which range
from garden-variety marital discord to discovering they’re really
members of a robotic race, by hitting the bottle.
Often.
So with the acclaimed Sci Fi Channel drama coming to an end Friday,
the Canadian actors who portray the Tighs, Michael Hogan and Kate
Vernon, took coping cues from their small-screen alter egos.
Over cigarettes and pale ale Monday night at the Four Seasons Hotel
in Beverly Hills, Hogan said the pair was –- to use the show’s favorite
curse word –- pretty "frakked up" about it. "I don't know if I'll ever
be able to growl 'gods damnit' ever again," he said.
Vernon sipped Chardonnay and recalled how surreal it was playing
Ellen, who was "ripped" during her entire first episode. "It was
drunkalogue after drunkalogue after drunkalogue," she said.
"There seems to be this hidden supply of booze and cigarettes aboard
Battlestar Galactica. We're totally out of food, we're on the run, but
still we have booze," joked Hogan. "When Ellen came back, it was like,
thank God, we know we're going to have more booze."
(cont. after jump)
From TVGuide: Who at TVGuide.com attended the Battlestar Galactica press screening on Monday night? And what's the frakkin' word? — Danny ..."we sent TVGuide.com Nerd High
Priestess Erin Fox. Once Doc Cottle revived her with smelling salts,
she said this: "The first hour-and-a-half of the finale is so intense,
you'll find it difficult to breathe. So many questions will be answered
— including some you probably thought wouldn't be addressed due to time
constraints. Also, if Mary McDonnell
isn't recognized by the Emmys this year, it'll be a frakkin' shame. She
had the crowd in tears more than once with her brilliant performance."
Erin then hugged her Cylon toaster to her chest, placed a paper bag
over her mouth and nose and breathed gently until it was safe to stand
again."
Vernon was recently revealed to be the mother of all Cylons — "I'm
the OctoCylon!" she said — and admitted difficulty letting go of the
show. She's been hosting viewing parties for the final batch of
episodes in her Sherman Oaks home for the show's Los Angeles-based cast
and crew.
"Everybody on the show was a fan," she said."I love watching with the episodes with Michael. We hold hands and go, 'Awwww.'"
When the actress learned Sci Fi Channel would be changing its name
to SyFy in hopes of appealing to a less geeky demographic, she scoffed.
"It never even occurred to me that we were shooting a science-fiction
show," she said. "Never. It's always been just good drama."
I want it to be rescheduled, rethought, removed and recalled.
Tomorrow
the story will be over, my tale having been told, and never again will
there be the sweet anticipation of waiting for the next episode to be
shown to fans and friends. The thought of it makes my heart ache even
as swells with pride.
All I know is that today there is a show called Battlestar Galactica and tomorrow there was.
There
will be joy in that too, I’m sure, touching the thread of memory and
feeling it resonate all the way back to soundstages, locations, cutting
rooms, writers’ rooms, and sound bays where I lived for all these years
and being comforted by the knowledge that a part of me will never truly
leave those places. There will be reunions and retrospectives, special
editions and extended cuts, interviews and seminars. Solace can be
found.
We’d called the last season Senior Year and here, today,
as I prepare to present the final episode to an audience of friends,
colleagues, and family, I find myself feeling the same way I did on
Graduation day at Chowchilla Union High, all those years ago. The
mosaic of faces I’d grown accustomed to seeing day after day would
regroup for one last event, one last celebration of our lives together
and what we’d done, and then it would be gone but for the transcendent
threads of memory waiting to resonant down through the years. I didn’t
want that day to happen either and fervently wished for it to be
rescheduled, rethought, removed and recalled.
Somehow I get the
feeling that today’s wish will not be granted either. So this day, like
that one, will wax and wane and all I can do is ride the wave and let
it carry me where it will.
Thank you, all of you for coming here
through the years. The shippers and the haters, and everyone in
between; you’ve watched and you’ve posted and you’ve been a touchstone
for my experience with the audience ever since that night back in 2003
when we first declared that the Cylons were created by Man and things
were going to be different. It’s been a genuine pleasure to surf your
thoughts, rants, questions, snarks, complaints, praise, and humor as
you watched our story play out and rest assured I will be here again
tomorrow poring through the posts, laughing, cursing, sometimes just
shrugging at what you take away from this crazy show.
It’s been an honor to be your storyteller.
Ronald D. Moore About to be former Executive Producer of Battlestar Galactica
That is Gaius and he is with the rest of the volunteer rescue group. Or not.
Seems like he's learned his way around a gun in the last few years in exile/war.
Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5 Season Final Part 2 Screen Caps
I made these screen caps from the promo/preview--credit is in the video above. I altered some because I'm trying to discern what is going on in each scene. In one for example, it took me a few moments to discern that there were three John Cavils on camera for that shot. I think. We'll find out. It's the scene with Doral springing into a defence gesture with a rifle and Cavil (or the Cavils, depending) looking like he's going to duck. Did you watch The Last Frakking Battlestar Galactica Special tonight? It was pretty great. A nice send-off. Katee can't think of anything about the show that she's glad about. Then she breaks into giggles. Tricia is glad to have made friends firstly and gotten lots of work opportunities as well. She smiles a lot. They are both cute.
I'm going to watch it again as someone in my house chose to do laundry and the laundry area is really close to the teevee area. It's a small place.<grumble.> Also, the dialogue and music on the show were not synced well. (Dialogue was swimming in the score making it hard to hear every single word.)
Add to that Jamie Bamber (Lee) especially who seemed to go out of his way to be incomprehensible--though James Callis (Baltar) got difficult for certain words as well. Notably absent from the interviews in the show: Aaron Douglas (Chief). It's America guys. When you speak about yourself/your show in interviews using sound and no text* you simply must speak American for your Canadian or American audience. Mmk? Thx.
Oh yes. Unless they are frakking with us, that is Gaius (above) on the same turf as the people who volunteered on the attempted rescue mission. So I'm not supposing.
Also in the "BSG Last Frakking Special" tonight creator Ron Moore says quite plainly that Chip/Head!Six/Six in the Red Dress as well as other "Head!" characters, plus one assumes, Adama's house, were "angels," not chips (nor hallucinations).
I don't want to comment too much yet about last night's Battlestar Galactica "Part 1" of "Daybreak" as it was meant to be shown as a two-hour episode and the writer's strike and network shirts contributed to the timing of it's airing being fraked up. Just the same there were some very strong moments (above) along with the frustrating, seemingly nonsensical ones (Lee and the pigeon).
The show opens with a gorgeous zoom in from a galaxy to an Earth-like planet all the way down to "Caprica City: Before The Fall."
My heart immediately leapt into my throat.
Scene of William Adama with some official who tells him that a "desk job" interview will take but an hour of his time as Adama reluctantly complies while he ticks off where his real talents lie.
Cut to Laura Roslin, tipsy on champagne having just celebrated her "baby sister's" baby shower along with her other younger sister.
Cut to Kara nervously prepping dinner in her apartment that we recognize from Seasons previous. It turns out her guest is not Zak but Lee Adama who rings her doorbell. She invites him in and then Zak makes his appearance. it appears that Kara and Zak are living together.
Cut to Gaius Baltar in a stretch limo with Caprica Six. Apparently this is the day they first met. He has forgotten her name but it matters not as they begin to get intimate. A phone rings. He argues with the person on the line, telling them to stay where they are angrily telling them that he'll be right there.
"Right there" turns out to be a stereotypical old person house, cluttered and dog-eared. His father sits belligerently in a chair and argues with Gaius. Six stands behind Gaius and his father calls her out as a hooker. None of this seems to bother her, not even when Gaius tells her he told her to stay in the car. Gaius is in tears now. He cannot find a nurse who can tolerate his father's dangerous antics.
Cut to yet another scene of Roslin, the next day. She's awakened by her doorbell. Two police officers ask to come in. They quickly state their reason for being there: Last night on their way home both her sisters and her father(?) were killed in a bizarre car crash. In a monotone voice, Laura tells them that they can leave now. She appears to be in deep shock as she makes her way still clad in her nightgown and robe, to a public fountain and climbs into it, walking to the center where she allows the fountain to pour over her and her tears.
A scene three months later has her on the phone refusing to get involved with Adar's presidential campaign because she "hates politics" but very reluctantly agrees to a blind date (with Adar, apparently).
Cut to a drunken Lee Adama staggering in to his apartment, muttering about something. A pigeon has found it's way into his apartment and he takes a broom, attempting to shoo it out. He swears as he continues to fumble unsuccessfully.
Gaius brings a female guest to his home on the water--the one we've seen so many times. He is shocked to find Caprica Six already inside his home. He tells his lady friend to go upstairs, that he will be right there and then orders Six from his home.She seems completely nonplussed by his threats.He picks up the phone and tells her he's calling the police when she quietly discloses to him that she's taken care of his father. She's found a beautiful, upper-class old folks home where Gaius's father a former farmer, can even keep his own garden. She says when she took his father on a tour of the place he seemed happy. Gaius can only respond with his jaw hanging.
Below: The Cylon Colony
Battlestar Galactica: The Final Episodes *SPOILERS* Promo Photos, Behind the Scenes:
Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, James Callis, Edward James Olmos, and Mary McDonnell of Battlestar Galactica at their TV Guide Magazine Cover shoot. (Issue March 11, 2008.)
Also from TVGuide:
With only two more episodes left of Battlestar Galactica, fans are feeling quite emotional about the show's end. In this video, BSG stars Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos
take some time to praise the intelligent, well-spoken and respectful
fans they've met throughout their journey on the show. Olmos also
discusses how BSG became the subject of a book that analyzes how the show evolved in a surprising way. It'll blow your mind!
LavaLampBlob Starbuck fan video: "A tribute to everyone's favorite colonial warrior, possible
cylon, possible being of light, etc etc etc Music is "More Than Human"
by Paul Oakenfold, vocals by Jan Johnston.
Rihanna and Chris Brown on Feb. 7Photo by: Lester Cohen / WireImage
Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.
The pair have reunited almost three weeks after Brown, 19,
allegedly battered the "Umbrella" singer on Feb. 8, a source tells
PEOPLE.
"They're together again. They care for each other," says the
source. The on-again couple are currently spending time together at one
of Sean "Diddy" Combs's homes, on Miami Beach's Star Island.
Taking a break from my usual fanwanking I'm going to say the only thing I've said about this case of a guy beating up a girl.
After weeks went by with no word from Rihanna regarding Chris Brown I was pretty sure she'd go back to him. I'd hope not but experience told me differently.
I let a guy beat me repeatedly over a 3 ½ year period. I even married him. Once a man beats a woman he does not stop. He takes breaks. HE DOES NOT STOP.
Rihanna is one year younger than I was when I got into an extremely abusive situation and as "horrific" as her police domestic violence shot is, I had the same type of injuries many times over. The thug that does this to his woman does not stop a beating until he has thoroughly messed her up. Her exterior is a mirror of his interior.
Trust me on this one. Rihanna is NOT stupid. She is allowing herself to be victimized. My guess is at some time in her youth she was victimized in some fashion. Am I saying someone beat her? That is possible but just as possible is sexual abuse, neglect, verbal abuse or some awful combination. She'll stay with Chris Brown until something drastic changes. And when and if she chooses to leave him she'd best have a bodyguard with her when she does.
This upsets me not so much for Rihanna as for kids for whom both she and Brown are role models.
I don't know about you but I am missing HBO's True Blood something fierce. I've kept myself partially occupied reading the entire Sookie Stackhouse series, except the last one which should be at my door step any day now.
Charlaine Harris has indeed created a memorable heroine in Sookie Stackhouse, who she puts in some truly other-worldly situations. Her heroine however remains firmly down to earth.
Since I'll be watching True Blood faithfully and blogging about it I thought it necessary to get my hands on the source material. That did help somewhat in the first season of True Blood as producer Alan Ball more or less stuck with the book(s) version(s). He changed up a few things plus he dipped into the second book in the series, "Living Dead In Dallas," so there would have been no way of knowing how much of the original Sookie Stackhouse stories he was using and how much of his own unique stamp he was putting on the series without reading the books.
With the exception of Book IV, which just did not gel for me, it would be great if Ball took as much of Charlaine Harris's original material and turned it into True Blood material. She just has the most fanciful imagination and her Stackhouse books are compulsively readable.
There has not been too much news about the production of Season Two of True Blood though this tidbit is very, very welcome news:
"True Blood is resurrecting Sookie's Gram (played by the sublime Lois Smith) in season 2! And by "resurrecting" I mean "returning in newly-created flashback scenes!" (Thanks to the Best spoiler source evar!)
For trivia buffs, Lois Smith (Gran) made her film debut with James Dean in 1955's "East Of Eden."
I am so, so glad that Lois Smith is going to be featured in True Blood again. Hers was such a welcome presence. She owned every scene she was in. Furthermore, Sookie often remembers things her grandmother said or did as she was a huge influence on Sookie so in my mind it would be completely natural to bring her back in flashback or other form as the series warrants.
Here are the the names of the first two episodes of True Blood: Season 2.
True Blood - Episode 2.01 - Nothing But The Blood
True Blood - Episode 2.02 - Keep This Party Going
I hope to have more True Blood news soon as production was to resume this month (January 2009). As soon as I know the official start date I'll post it as thus far we've only been told "summer 2009."
I have a blog with a name that was in inspired by the Beatles song The End from the last line--though to my dismay it seems that it was a McCartney song with little input from Lennon though as usual, credit went to both: "Lennon-McCartney." I’d chosen it for my first WordPress blog after about 8 years with it for my email addy. The blog, which is about a year old is The Love You Make.
John Lennon was killed about a week after my 21st birthday–which sort of took the wind of that milestone. It was years before I could listen to a song of his without thinking of how he died.
The line “And, in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make” is essentially the Beatles closing statement. It is the last lyric on the last album they recorded. Let It Be was the last album they released, but it was recorded earlier. This contains the only drum solo Ringo ever performed. He hates solos and had to be persuaded to do it. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison took turns doing guitar solos. Each had a distinctive style which McCartney felt reflected their personalities. “Love You” is repeated 24 times. This starts over the end of “Carry That Weight.” It is the last song in a suite at the end of Abbey Road. This ends with a 30-piece orchestra.
Though previous speculation about who would wear the cat suit in the Dark Knight Batman franchise indicated that Angelina Jolie would take the role, it sounds like previous buzz was way off base.
The 62-year-old singer-actress Cher who earned an Academy Award for Best Actress for 1987's "Moonstruck" --is reported to be in talks to play Catwoman opposite Christian Bale in the third Batman film from British director Christopher Nolan.
"Cher is Nolan's first choice to play Catwoman. He wants to her to portray her like a vamp in her twilight years.
"The new Catwoman will be the absolute opposite of Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry's purring creations."
The working title for the Dark Knight film is "The Caped Crusader" and it is to begin shooting in Vancouver, CA in early 2009.
Johnny Depp has already been cast in the film as The Riddler.
Catwoman has had many incarnations both on the small and large screens. The big-screen versions were previously portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry.
Four of them have and I've not got a lot to show for it. Took son school supply shopping ostensibly for just his engineering class. Dropped $50 in the blink of a eye. Haven't gotten the supply lists for other classes but he thinks that we may not have to purchase 4 extra books for English again this year (we didn't have to but it was suggested so that when mid-term test time rolled around he'd have the books from which a chunk of it was based on). Remember when all you needed to purchase for school supplies was a pencil and later, a pen? No? Then you are too young to relate. Modern parents buy a tons of stuff and then pay hundreds in book fees.
The second day home I took son and two of his long-times buddies to Gameworks from early afternoon through evening.
Son's 16th birthday and first day of school were yesterday and by then I felt like a wet dish-rag. The long drive home alone from the doesn't really hit me until a day or two later--and that's when (in my fantasies) I chill at home leisurely unpacking. There's been no chilling and nothing leisurely. Also no unpacking.
However I was reminded today of how much I missed the school-day "debriefings" son and I do immediately after school. I get to hear the news of the day whilst it is still fresh and he reinforces what is on his plate for each class. He really doesn't seem to mind it though it came about as a way for him to be better organized/us better informed.
So far, he's really digging his AP Physics and AP Trig and Calc classes. With the exception of one or two friends he's got a goodly amount in each class so the social aspect seems to be off to a good start, too. Apologies to anyone who I've neglected online. It's just a pretty big deal to go away for a month but leave one person here--one person who does not really clean--yet didn't do anything strikingly bad either. I just have to wipe off everything before I touch it which was exactly as I did for the first week in the cottage after it was sealed up tightly for nine months. Plus, no person of the male persuation in this house can "see" dust collecting EVERYWHERE. Housework should be called house hard labour.
So OK, here I am about to attack the gmail. Stay tuned for some graphics of why my drive home took 1.5 hours longer than it should have (14 hours, total). From Battle Creek to Climax to Kalamazoo, Michigan--one lane highway--many big trucks--top speed 20 mph. Usually 5 or 10 mph. The truckers, me, and other souls who had to shift gears were not really thrilled with this. Burned a quarter tank of gas.
Oh Detroit, what can one say that hasn't already been said? Who made the detour so I had to fear for my life to be able to get back in to the US? It's just a big circle! And my, what a lovely little tour of the city one gets! The construction mini-highway signs seemed to be directing me correctly but as I saw the last choice --94 East and no sign that said 94 West, I pulled into a well-lit Marathon station. The bullet-proof glass looked like it would be highly effective. The nice man inside quickly verified that I just needed to continue down the road and the on-ramp would be on my left. Then he added a grave-sounding "Be careful!" Holy moley. I was being careful--did not need confirmation that this was a scary place. I was sincerely trying get the heck out of there as quickly as my 5-speed would let me. So home is where I am, feeling sort of normal, finally. Still haven't unpacked my suitcase though I've been cheating and getting clothes to wear each day from it so I'll have less to drag out of there.
The "little guy" turned 16 year-old today--plus started his first day of junior year in high school.
School seemed uneventful. I was a bit annoyed that we didn't coordinates things so Chris could get something to eat at school. He has no official lunch period--just half of AP physics, second half--and no one remembered that his lunch card, paid up as it is, wasn't usable until he'd gotten a new mugshot and that was later in the day, during gym class.
He seemed to have a good time with his two good buds yesterday when everyone got an all you can spend card for Gameworks. Plus they left after over 3 hours of play and still had more than half the game time available to them on their game cards--for another day.
Amanda Kimmel : "Into The Blue 2: The Reef" Premiere
Amanda Lee Kimmel (born August 3, 1984) is a beauty queen from Billings, Montana who has competed in the Miss USA and Miss Earth pageants. Kimmel was a runner-up contestant on both Survivor: China and Survivor: Micronesia, breaking several Survivor records in the process.
Roosevelt University: Across the street from Cloud Gate
I think Roosevelt University, a private university based in Chicago, shown in the right of the photograph above, should get an award for the choice of this eye-catching oversize postcard sent to my 15-y.o. son, who is currently finishing his sophomore year in high school, hopefully passing all :cough:advancedchemistry:cough: classes. The photograph which comprises the postcard is of a public art piece done by Anish Kapoor, Cloud Gate, also called The Bean or The Jelly Bean, installed here in Chicago in July, 2004. The one with the seams is a much-copied photo from my collection. I find it all over the Internets, LOL. Sometimes they even attribute it to me (yay!)
I have a photo album of the opening of Millennium Park, of it's beginnings when they unveiled it before it was done. Even parts of the huge gardens in Millennium Park had been put in the night before the grand opening to the public.
Anyway, the whole point of Roosevelt University sending this to us was to "make us look" which we both did, him exclaiming, "Cool!" showing me, and me doing the same.
We, I actually, heh, have a little love affair with The Bean (but so do lots of other people). People appreciate the work and talent that went into it and the fun parts--which is enjoying it a different way each time you see it.
Back in '04 I was using a 2.1 pixel Canon Powershot. I still swear by Powershot, now 8.1 pixel.
These are some of my favourite day shots of Cloud Gate that I took. The weather here is more cloudy than not so it's hard trying for a shot of gray building, a silver-coloured subject (The Bean) and lovely, grey skies. :p
"Fourth Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" featuring Danny Federici, Bruce and E Street, Indianapolis 3/2008.
Danny rejoined the band one last time.
Hard to watch but lovely performance. At the very end of the song Bruces gives Danny a buss on the cheek and says "I love you."
When I saw Springsteen and The E Street Band last month in Milwaukee it was clear to me that I'd missed my last chance to see and hear Danny Federici with the full band.
When Bruce spoke about Danny, he did so briefly but meaningfully. I happened to be watching the monitor with the huge image of Bruce from the shoulders up as he took a short break to explain Danny's absence and to urge folks in the audience to give to the Food Bank in the lobby. When he mentioned that they "hoped" to have Danny "back on the next leg of the tour," a flash of sadness etched Bruce's face. I knew in that moment just about a month ago, that Springsteen knew how grave Danny's condition was. Even when you "know" someone will be dying soon, you often still hope against hope for a miracle. It truly appeared that Bruce was heartbroken but showman that he is, he stashed away that part of himself for the show's duration.
Sadly, Danny Federici's life and so his gift of music, was truncated after he succumbed on Thursday after years of battling melanoma.
RIP (Rock on In Peace), Danny
Federici, left, with the E Street Band.
Photo: Supplied
April 18, 2008 - 2:49PM
Danny Federici, the longtime keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen whose stylish work helped define the E Street Band's sound on hits from Hungry Heart through The Rising has died. He was 58.
Federici, who had battled melanoma for three years, died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York on Thursday.
News of his death was posted on Springsteen's official website.
He last performed with Springsteen and the band last month, appearing during portions of a March 20 show in Indianapolis.
"Danny and I worked together for 40 years - he was the most wonderfully fluid keyboard player and a pure natural musician. I loved him very much ... we grew up together," Springsteen said in a statement posted on his website.
Springsteen concerts scheduled for Friday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Saturday in Orlando were postponed.
Federici was born in Flemington, New Jersey, a long car ride from the Jersey shore haunts where he first met kindred musical spirit Springsteen in the late 1960s.
The pair often jammed at the Upstage Club in Asbury Park, New Jersey, a now-defunct after-hours club that hosted the best musicians in the state.
It was Federici, along with original E Street Band drummer Vini Lopez, who first invited Springsteen to join their band.
By 1969, the self-effacing Federici - often introduced in concert by Springsteen as Phantom Dan - was playing with the Boss in a band called Child.
Over the years, Federici joined his friend in acclaimed shore bands Steel Mill, Dr Zoom and the Sonic Boom and the Bruce Springsteen Band.
Federici became a stalwart in the E Street Band as Springsteen rocketed from the boardwalk to international stardom. Springsteen split from the E Streeters in the late '80s, but they reunited for a hugely successful tour in 1999.
"Bruce has been supportive throughout my life," Federici said in a recent interview with Backstreets magazine.
"I've had my ups and downs, and I've certainly given him a run for his money, and he's always been there for me."
Federici played accordion on the wistful 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) from Springsteen's second album, and his organ solo was a highlight of Springsteen's first top 10 hit, Hungry Heart.
His organ coda on the 9/11-inspired Springsteen song You're Missing provided one of the more heart-wrenching moments on The Rising in 2002.
In a band with larger-than-life characters such as saxophonist Clarence Clemons and bandanna-wrapped guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt, Federici was content to play in his familiar position to the side of the stage. But his playing was as vital to Springsteen's live show as any instrument in the band.
Remembering times with loved ones departed and working to restore and share photographs of them covering the past 75 years.
I don’t know why but whenever I think of my Great Aunt Jessie, I think of her in this blue suit–and it’s not because of this pic, either. I can see her in my mind’s eye sitting at the table in the porch of the main cottage carrying on a conversation with another family member. This was after her sister Alice (my grandmother) had died and I remember feeling a mixture of sadness and gratitude that someone that resembled my grandma was still here with us.
Even though she was visiting us at Maple Lake, one would never see Jessie in shorts like her sister. She was quite a lady. Both of them were, in fact.
Great Aunt Jessie and my grandmother, Alice, circa late 1960's
Until I became an online entity my name was Cindy.
Much like the Debbie's, Vicki's, Sandy's and Susie's of the world, my parents gave me a full name, Cynthia, then promptly used it's diminutive.
There's never been anything "very small" about me and though being called Cindy didn't bother me, I reverted back to Cynthia in grad school and in the work world after graduation.
While I was growing up I never insisted upon not being called Cindy even though I knew that...
Dad, Cindy, and Pug
..."Cindy" was first my parent's dog's name.
When I was old enough to halfway comprehend that I was named after someone, I understood "that" someone was Cindy the dog and I would unintentionally puzzle people when I told them that "I use to be a dog named Cindy." I'm sure Mom and Dad got a few chuckles out of it and eventually I figured out what being named after someone meant (though I suppose, since Cindy died before I was born I could be her reincarnated).
Our front yard, step, looking up the street. Near lower middle is a railing, one of two on either side of our front stoop. Near buried--and of course, how does one get out?!
What winter means to me is past-tense, really. Lots of snow and snow-related fun.
This is my alone time. Even the dog has been put to bed for the night.
I am a little emotional. Also I'm thinking with ♥ about several Vox friends having some particularly tough days right now.
I'm glad though, for those that sound like they are having a good time of it. (Anyone for some Spicy Guacamole Pringles?)
Below: Took remote webcam pics today of where I used to live. Where my heart is. Still. I had such fun (back then, too)!
I :heart: being in and on the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii was the best (So far. I have much more of the world to see.). In H.B., once of the places I lived was on a corner-floor apartment on 2nd street--walking distance from this shot.
There are no fires in Huntington Beach or big hills that slide into the ocean. There is Disneyland just a bit about 25 miles inland. Not too close or far. Just right at the time. :)
Yes I know, I've been back--"it's changed." Bummer is some steps on which I used to sit when I lived on 14th St.late at night and enjoy the surf and sky are now gone.
There's way too much asphalt. :/ And not just in CA.
I admit that there was a big storm a number of years ago but I'd already moved to Illinois by then. It did sort of take down the wooden pier which was pretty rustic-looking. (I took a walk on the Pier every night when I lived on 2nd St. ) Actually, the storm-when-I-didn't-live-there took off just the end of the Pier; Other piers, like the one in Malibu (if I remember correctly) were completely demolished. But that's not going to happen again as you can see below. The whole thing is like this--concrete, including the benches--much less charm but safer. For the next hugetastic storm! :p
Conditions were considered "clear." today. To me, the sky has smokey hue. Also the camera has, to put it delicately, bird and other residue on it, mucking with the otherwise nice view.
Allow me to feel a wee bit sorry for myself for about five minutes.
My heart failure specialist up and took a great job on the east coast (I'm in the Midwest US). I'd trusted him for years with my health which in general, has been good. Before he left he made sure I had another doctor and set my appointment 6 months down the road. Last night around 10 p.m., as we were walking the dog, spouse joked about how early I'd have to get up today. I was pretty mystified until he explained that there was a VM message from the doc's office last night confirming my appointment for this morning.
Shit!
New doctor.
A million questions later he's ordered a sleep study (not again!) blood work, an echo cardiogram, and a return office visit in two months. Also, he doesn't like the life extension drug I'm on--wants to go back to a better one--Coreg which made me sick as they raised the levels on it when I first tried it. I didn't argue as body chemistry changes.<shrug>
And Dad, if you read this, despite not ever meeting you, my new heart failure specialist is convinced that you have sleep apnea and need treatment ASAP! Plus he'll recommend a "brilliant doctor" out of Johns Hopkins!
He was very big on genetic connections which is interesting and all but I'm more of a big picture gal.
Damn. I'm such a baby. Scrutinized. Analyzed, How much did I weigh when I graduated high school? (I went through a horrible breakup with my first love just prior to graduation and had lost weight--which number means something? I hate this stuff!)
I will give myself an ever-so-slight pat on the back as I went and got stabbed directly from the doctor's office so the blood work was done but the phlebotomist was awful! Huge stabby pain, ginormous bruise now.
I had to page the sleep study doctor to make an appointment (wha?). To his credit, he returned my call fairly quickly.
Okay. I'm done with my bitch-and-moan-fest. I'll save the rest for post-sleep study.
Meanwhile, feel free to refer to me as the human guinea pig.
This was fun--though quite a challenge as on this day my son and spouse went to Casa Loma in Toronto but due to the Hotel policy of not leaving your dog alone for more than 10 minutes, plus it was quite muggy and warm so the state of the car even if we could manage to find shade may have been too much for the dog, I stayed back at our hotel and dog sat. I requested that spouse and son take "lots of shots." Armed with a camera each they did and I've been putting off trying to do justice to them ever since. The day was very overcast--grey castle against a grey sky--plus-- there were renovations with great chunks of the castle in a "pardon our dust" state.
Star Trek: My dad, nerdy science dude that he is/was "force-fed" the original Star Trek series to me. It was on in the morning, I think on a UHF station(!) The concept of a peaceful universe, beaming up and phasers and the Prime Directive was cool but I was not a big fan of the show. Later, I enjoyed most of TNG and the often-ignored Deep Space Nine. I didn't initially watch the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation because I disliked the original Star Trek, most especially Shatner as Kirk. I'm being truthful when I say he makes me gag. Spock was always cool and Scotty and McCoy were amusing. Not seeing it unless someone I know is dying to see it.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine: How big a part does Dom Monaghan have? I miss him since he was killed off LOST. Hugh Jackman is cute n' angsty but he alone couldn't get me in the theater to watch it. Possibly, I may take my kid if he wants to go. The one Jackman did with Anna Paquin (were there two?) was OK.
Transformers: Probably yeah 'cos my first son was devoted to the original TV show when he was little so I watched, too (spent a fortune on transforming cars and trucks) and I've seen newer incarnations through my younger son. I've always dug the transforming sound and that cars and trucks could turn into robots. It was a pretty cool show. I'm curious to know if they'll keep Shia's seriously busted-up hand hidden as he broke it off-set, but while filming, I believe. Still gets surgery on it. Yikes.
Angels & Demons: No.
Harry Potter: Have read and watched the film series so far so, yes.
EDIT/Igot this confused with Land of the Giants.
The plot of land of the Lost appears the similar except this is a Will Ferrell comedy./end edit
Land of the Lost: Did not even hear about this one 'till the other day.
I watched the teevee show (again, in the mornings on UHF, the public television channel). Depends on who is in it and what the reviews are like. I haven't missed the show but they could probably do some cool things with it.