I'm trying really hard not to like Pink, but dammit if she isn't making that feat damn near impossible!

Honestly, I darn near hated that girl when she first came out. "Another white girl trying to be black," is what my first impression of her was. So, I dismissed her and her music as a flash-in-the-pan fad. I remember scoffing at a fellow co-worker for having her first CD.

Then came that Lady Marmalade song from Moulin Rouge. I didn't see the video first; I don't have cable. But, the buzz was on about the video and the song hooked me. I geuninely liked that version of the song. Of course, when I saw the video... Yowser!!

Actually, this was when Pink first impressed me. I think she outsang Mya and Christina A. Lil' Kim is another story. I started listening to the song trying to pick out who sang what part. Pink was easily identifiable; she was the one belting and going on those vocal runs. That takes talent and singing talent greatly impresses me.

Her next album came out and immediately starting driving itself into my brain. An infectous groove like "Get The Party Started" will do that. Especially when it's featured on a Bally's commercial that seems to be on an endless loop. Though I've never seen the video, this song makes me want to move, like dance not just random muscle movement.

Finally, "Don't Let Me Get Me" came out. This is the song that did it for me. This is the song where Pink shows her maturity as a song writer/singer. She totally exposes all of her insecurities and tells her audience that she may be a famous rock star but she still thinks she's ugly and has low self-esteem. Ok, I don't think the video is the best thing out there. It's too dark and danky for the song. But, it makes the point, too, so I can't really fault it.

Now, her latest song is on VH1 and I imagine MTV also. And as usual, her image is slightly different form the last time we saw her. In "Just Like A Pill", she's dressed all in black, think sexy goth and her signature pink hair is dyed black with just a hint of pink highlights to it. And the song rocks the boots, too.

So, according to my rule of buying albums (I must like at least 2 songs on the album), I should have bought Missundaztood probably last month. But, it is now officially on the "next cd to buy" list.

Plus, with a smile like this, how can you not just plain old fall for this girl? (Sorry 'bout the pop-ups)

With a little luck, I can maybe get tickets (and backstage passes) when she comes to town with Lenny Kravitz. That would leave me tickled... heh... Pink.

First, jumbo squid in California beached themselves.

Now, whales around Cape Cod have too.

What does this mean? Could it possibly mean that MEG is actually happening?

Carcharodon megalodon is the extinct (or is it???) ancestor of the great white shark. Imagine if the shark in Jaws was about 10 times bigger. You'd have a meg. A predator programmed only to eat. With a bite radius of about 10 feet wide and sharp surrated teeth bigger than your hand, Meg could easily swallow a human whole.

In the story, a scientist (that would be played by Bruce Willis if I made a movie out of it) theorizes that it could be possible for this predator to still be alive today. He believes that when whatever killed the dinosaurs happened, megalodons could have survived it by diving to the incredibly deep waters of the Marianna Trench in the Pacific Ocean. They could have survived in the surprisingly warm waters of the trench (the volcanic action there keeps the bottom water warm). However, because the deeper in the ocean you go the colder it gets until you reach the magma-warmed layers of the 2 mile deep trench, such a beast could not have survived the icy trip back up. So for millions of years, meg could have survived and evolved without the human race ever noticing.

Of course, the story revovles around the scientist, Jonas (interesting name...wanna, going to the Marianna Trench and freaking out at the site of a 70 foot glowing white shark. In a bizarre accident, one meg gets tangled up in the 2 miles wiring attached to a bathosphere (I think that's the deep sea ship) while another shark lunges upward for a feeding frenzy on the tangled one. This female meg is apparently able to survive the icy trip up swimming in the trail of warm blood from her meal that's being pulled up to the surface. Once in the warm top layers of ocean, the femal megalodon wrecks havoc "jaws-style."

What I find interesting about these sea animal beaching themselves, not to mention the recent rash of shark attacks, is that is kind of what started happening in this book. Sea creatures were getting spooked by this eating-machine and changed their migration patterns and swam too close to the shore. They started beaching themselves to avoid a worse fate of being chomped to death.

So, stuff like a mass whale beaching peaks my interest because I think what if there really is a megalodon out there. How would we know if there was one out there (aside from the 10 foot dorsal fin)? And why in the heck do I think that a present-day megalodon would be kinda cool? Such is my fascination with sharks.

Is it safe to go back out in the water?

VH-1 is showing Showgirls. My question is could the "edited for TV" version" be as bad as the original or could it improve the show? 'Cause you know the only reason you actually watched it was for the nudity.

Though, perhaps the TV edit of Showgirls won't be as bad as the TV edit of one of my favorite flicks from the '80s, The Breakfast Club.

Hey, MESS you, man. MESS you!

Really, there is no reason to watch The Breakfast Club unless the profanity is... well... profane. Gimme the fucking *real* movie because it's a mess without all the fuck, shits, damns, and hot beef injections. Totally.

Y'all have a good weekend, ya hear. I'm outta town until Sunday and will be without any 'net access. Just going home to visit. Nothin' major. Though, I hope to see Jeff and my godchild, Madeline. She's such a cutey!

The Houston Texans first real practice was Monday. They're giving out free tickets to their practices at local H-E-B Food Stores. And in true American fashion, some idiots are selling their tickets on EBay. And in truer fashion, some dumbasses are willing to buy them for upwards of $56.

Who is more stupid? The jerk selling free tickets or the silly person who buys them?

The previous post came about after (yet again) a news anchor totally changed my news tease copy. Obviously, part of my job is to produce the news tease you (Houstonians, anyway) see during your favorite WB shows.

To do this, I go over the newscast and kind of single out a few stories that are probably the most interesting to our audience. Does this story have any viewer appeal ("viewer benefit" is the buzz word)? Is this a story people will stick around until 9pm to see? What makes it interesting to our target audience? Then, I write the copy in a way that will hopefully reel in the viewer. Have to make it compelling enough to draw the viewer in, yet not give away the entire story. Why should they tune in if you give it all away in the tease?

After the writing and approval process, we tape the teases with the anchor. Now, I generally don't mind when an anchor changes the copy somewhat. My writing style is a bit out there and ultimately it's the anchor's name and face on that promo. So, I understand re-writing it or a little ad-libbing to fit their style. That's absolutely understandable.

You can probably guess, if you read the previous post, which copy I wrote. If you chose Number 1, give yourself a lolly. Number 2 is what the anchor changed the copy to. In effect, he took a tease and turned it into a news story. If you saw the second tease, you already have all you need to know from the story and have no reason to tune in.

Well, I'll admit that I took too light of a tone for this particular story. I mean, two people did die. Perhaps, if they were only slightly injuried, then my approach would have probably been ok.

On the other hand, what's the point of me doing my job if the anchor can totally screw up the script? I really does no good to argue the point out. If the anchor doesn't want to read it, they ain't gonna read it. So, I just remember that ultimately it's the anchor's name and face on that promo. If they change it so drastically and we don't get viewers, well, hey boss, here's what I wrote. Not my fault.

On a side note, that night we had a pretty good night. We did an above average (for us) 3.0 in the ratings. But, we lost viewers from our 3.8 primetime lead-in. After all, there was no reason for them to watch the news. They got a 10 second glimpse of it at 8:30pm and decided we didn't have much else to offer.

Which copy entices you more? Which tease works on you? Which newscast would you watch if you saw this tease?

1) Hi, I'm [Anchor Name]. Here's what we're working on. An attempted carjacking, 3 armed suspects chase after a naked woman, plus a high speed pursuit ends with deadly results -- And that's all one story. Tonight at Nine...

2) Hi, I'm [Anchor Name]. A man and a baby are dead after getting the way of 3 suspects involved in a high speed chase with police. Tonight at Nine...

Which one?? Call it unofficial research... I'm very curious which one is more likely to get people to watch that night's newscast.

I'll elaborate more on this tomorrow...

So, what can you do when you think and feel one of your close friends is dropping you? I don't know if I'm overreacting or not, but for the past 2 months or so, I've really felt that one of my closest friends doesn't want the friendship and more.

This wouldn't bother me so much, I guess, if I could understand why. We haven't had any falling outs or fights. I know that work has severely picked up for her and that keeps her super busy. And, she's taking some classes at night. So, I can absolutely understand being too busy for much else. But what I don't understand is how someone can be so busy as to not reply to several emails over the past 2 months.

Mind you, email was our main form of communication and we used to email each other probably 3-4 times a week. Just stuff like "Work sucks here. How 'bout you?" and "Insert completely stupid random thought here." Then, she had to stop emailing from work because they were cracking down on internet usage and they gave her more responsibilities, making her even more busy.

I haven't gotten any emails from her in at least a month and a half. The last time I talked to her was just over a month ago. I called to see if she wanted us to reserve tickets for our shows. We had previously talked about her coming to town to visit and see our plays. She said she didn't know if she could make it now because she might have to travel for work that weekend. No problem. I certainly understand cancelling any plans because things come up at work. It happens and I personally think work is more important in most cases. She said she'd let me know a few days later if she could make it or not. Haven't heard anything from her since. Nothing.

A few weeks ago, I emailed her to call her on all this. Still nothing. So, I don't know what to think. Is she ignoring me and cancelling our friendship? Is she really really really busy, so busy she doesn't have 5 minutes to email me and tell me to stop overacting? Is she *GOD FORBID* dead or something? Or is it something as stupid as her home computer is broken so she can't even get her email?

I'm feeling really hurt because of all this. Not necessarily because a wonderful person could be leaving my life. Not because a valued friendship could be over. But because I don't understand or know why. That's all I want to know is why. We've had such a close friendship, it's really disrespectful of that friendship not to tell me why. That's what hurts. I don't know what else there is to say or do.

Well, I suppose I'm a bonafide Texan now, eh? Since I joined the Texas Blog Ring and whatnot...

Does it help that I have the flag hanging in my house?

I admit it. I'm hooked on American Idol. I think it's because part of me wants to be on it. This is possibly the first "reality" type show I could be on. Not that I could win, but I do think I'm better than Jim. But, it is a dream of mine to "make it" in music. Though, admittedly, Pop Star...that ain't me. I mean, have you heard of any of the folks to your left? Dem's my influences. Dem's who I likes best. Dat's the kinda music I sound best doing. And I ain't no solo artist either. I don't think I could do it without a band. But I'm trying... Trying...

Anyway, So...uh... Justin's gonna win this thing. It's a tough choice for me between him and Tamyra. Both of them have incredible voices and I'm a little jealous of them. But, I think Justin's sex appeal and prettiness will woo the female audience to call and vote for him more than Tamyra's fans.

I'm a little surprised that EJay got the boot tonight. He had a very good performance on last night's show, in my opinion. Better than RJ, Ryan Starr (Entertainment Weekly reports that in Epsiode 1, she was introduced as Tiffany Montgomery), and Nikki. And much better than Jim. I was expecting RJ to be the other cut, but he's probably got a good Spanish girl fan base to call and vote for him.

American Idol should be a total cheeseball show. I mean, Paula Abdul is one of the judges. But, then I saw her credentals (and remembered how I loved -- LOVED -- her in my teen youth), and realized she was more than qualified to judge this competition. (Paula, call me)

I have to give it up for Jim though. When he was cut, his chin was still held high. Respect that. He had to know he was on that stage because of pity votes. And he had to know he was way out of his league talent-wise. But, he still got up there and gave it his best. Where as I could see myself choking.

I like cheeseball movies. Especially, if David Arquette is in them. I friggin' love David Arquette. Not like Courtney Cox does. Not like a stalker. The guy just cracks me up. So, I was quite happy to nab some passes to a sneaky peek at his new movie, Eight Legged Freaks. And, I'm quite happy to report that it was a great time at the theater.

Recognize that the movie is complete cheese. A B-Movie with a budget. But a blast! You can see how the town will survive an attack of 200 plus mutant spiders in the first 30 minutes. But, it doesn't really matter because it's a fun friggin' movie.

Wanna guess how some little spiders become the monsterous eight-legged freaks? Can you say "toxic waste in the water?" (I knew you could) Surprise right? Well, that' s basically it. The creepy, but nice, spider farm guy feeds his arachnids insects he captures at a pond in the Middle of Nowhere, AZ. The insects were exposed to toxic waste by a barrel falling of a passing truck. Soon, the spiders begin to grow at an enormous rate. Panic and screaming ensues.

Mr. Arquette comes back to town after leaving 10 years ago. Turns out, he left because he beat up the husband of the girl he loved. She's (Kari Wuhrer) now the sheriff. He's back in this mining town because his father died and has inherited the mines he's father was...uh...mining. Something about his father finding gold, but no one would believe him. So, Arquette wants to continue mining to salvage his pap's name and save the town from becoming deserted. And he's also back to say he was sorry for kicking the sheriff's husband's booty and say that he loves her. Throughout the movie (Spolier! -- but do you care??), he tries to tell her all of that, but spider action keeps interupting his precious moment of love emotion. Until he might not make it out the mines alive and she totally spoils his moment but telling him everything he was going to tell her, including "that you love me." What a great scene! The build-up! Making the audience want this schlub to have his moment of redemption and love, only to deflate it because she already knows!

In my opinion, the shining star isn't David Arquette, however. It's Rick Overton as the Deputy. His character is the comic relief. Some of the humor is subtle, like when he's wading the the toxic-sludge pond to get the toxic barrel out of it. At the end, he takes his hat off to show that his hair is growing back...

The spiders were ultra-nasty. The CGI was done very well. You literally cringe whenever a 10 foot tall jumper springs on someone. And I've never seen so much sticky webbing and I hope I never do again. The tarantulas...Oh my God! Fear them!

If you thought Arachnophobia was a great spider action flick, then you're gonna love this. The action in Eight Legged Freaks leaves you exausted from the adrenaline rush. Just remember that it is cheese and the cheese stands alone. As I recall, this movie opens on Wednesday. Have Fun!

For some reason, when I access this place, nothing comes up... This is a test post to see if I can publish. Let me know in the comments if you can see this... Thanks for you patience.

Stop Music for Free, Pleads Record Industry

The record industry pleaded on Wednesday with consumers to stop downloading and recording music for free because piracy was strangling the multi-billion-dollar industry.

Something bothers me about this sentence...What is it? hmmmm... something about an industry being called "Multi-Billion Dollar" AND "strangling". Something's wrong about that...

"Music for free means less new music, fewer new artists, less choice, thousands less jobs," said Jay Berman, head of the industry's main trade body, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

I can understand less jobs... but how in the heck can you say getting music for free means less NEW music and FEWER NEW artists?? I would think that since its free, people who download an mp3s are more inclined to sample NEW music and NEW artists...Plus, it gives more artists a chance to have more people hear their stuff...

For the record, I don't mind people downloading music if its to sample an artist's work. If you like it, be nice enough to buy the CD. But, downloading a CD and ripping it without paying for it, I don't want to say its stealing, but something ain't right about it...

And does anyone else think that consumers would buy more CDs if the music scene today weren't filled with such crap? Better music means better sales...

You like Super Mario Bros? You like Sex? (Of course you do). Then, enjoy this flesh...I mean...flash game.

And as a bonus, you'll learn all about safe sex, which many people are clueless about...

Working for the Creative Services department for a WB Affiliate has its merits. This is one. I can watch the pilot episodes for the new fall shows. So far, I've only gotten to see two of them and here's what I think about them.

Everwood stars Treat Williams, but don't let that scare you off. Many TV critics are saying this show is perfect for him and more or less will make him cool again (I consider him cool in "Hair").

The story revolves around his family. He is a world famous neurosurgeon and has apparently worked on folks like Liz Taylor and Tiger Wood's Uncle. And, he's not a good father in the sense that he's not there for his kids all the time. For example, he misses his son's piano recital. Well, in the beginning, his wife is killed in an accident and he is empty. So, in an attempt to make up for being a bad father and to be the doctor his wife always wanted him to be, he moves the family to Everwood, CO and opens a general practice.

So, the plot for the series looks like its going to be about a father learning to cope with the loss of his wife and learning to be a good father. He seems to go a little nutso when he talks to his dead wife, but its really a flashback to previous conversations they had when they were alive. It's an interesting way to tell a story, but it confused me at first. I thought he actually talking to the memory of his wife while his daughter watched from the hall, but he was just reliving a conversation.

Now, I don't know if you'll cry - I didn't - but you should be entertained. That is if you can get past the first 15 minutes of how the good Doctor and his family moved here to Everwood. I think the WB has a good show here, but I think the audience Everwood wants doesn't watch the WB. This show seems to be aimed for the "slightly younger than the Touched By An Angel" audience. But it could be another Gilmore Girls, a hit for the WB, but cancelled on one of the Big 4. It helps that 7th Heaven, the WB's #1 show, will be its lead-in. Everwood will air on Mondays at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central in the fall.

Which brings us to Family Affair. I'll start this by saying that my wife was a big fan of the original Family Affair. This new updated version stars Tim Curry as Mr. French (hey a good actor, it has promise). Well, I had to turn it off about half way through because I was afraid of what my wife was going to do to me for making her watch it. I did chuckle a few times, but, it has a canned laugh track.... Family Affair will lead off Thursday nights at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central.

More reviews coming soon when I have a chance to watch them, including Bird of Prey...

I work with this reporter. Not that I think that's any sort of claim to fame by any stretch of the imagination. Hurry and read it before its gone....

Update (7/11/02):

I no longer work with that reporter...

Fortune Cookie from today's lunch with Eddie:

Joys are often the shadows, cast by sorrows.

Now can someone explain that one to me?

Here's some other odd fortunes from the all-knowing cookie. I've actually gotten the one that says "You Love Chinese Food."

Or maybe you'd like to get your own fortune?

My chin is cold. But that has nothing to do with yesterday's post. As soon as I get the pictures developed, I'm gonna post what I look like without any facial hair. That is if the pictures come out. By the way, I really don't like the way I look without facial hair, so I hope you realize what kind of privledge it is to have the chance at seeing my chin, or lack there of....

So, tell me. Am I inconsiderate? Am I a total ass? Do I have a pox upon my face or is the black plague resurfacing at my house? I wonder sometimes because it really seems like my house is the place to avoid going, and we are the folks not to see. Oh, where to begin....

My father-in-law has been making plans to come visit us for a while now. Most of the plans have been finalized for at least 3 weeks. Then, some college buddies emailed to let us know they'd be in town at the same time as my father-in-law. So I emailed them back and told them that because of the family visitor, we'd didn't know when, but we'd make some time to see them. They are staying with another friend of ours.

Well, as the days drew nearer, plans became more final. My father-in-law was going to stay in Beaumont Sunday night, and drive the rest of the way Monday morning. This was fine, we could see our friends on Sunday. But, I had to work and the wife had to strike her set. That's not really a big deal. Everyone could just come over to our place after the wife gets back, and I'll get home as soon as I can and we'd have a great time. That, on Saturday, is what the plan was.

My father-in-law couldn't get in touch with us on Saturday to get directions to our place and he left a message telling us he would call when he got into Beaumont so we could give him final directions. We were very busy on Saturday with my show, my family in town and the wife's show too. LONG DAY that was...but I digress.

While I'm at work on Sunday, the wife calls and lets me know that she has a flat tire. No big deal. Just put the spare on to get home and I'd bring the tire to get fixed Monday before work. It's not like we were planning to drive anywhere in it because everyone was supposed to come to our apartment. Side note: the tire is fixed.

Later, I get another call from the wife. She was at home, but everyone wanted us to go to where they were instead. She told them about the flat tire and didn't want to drive the car. They said that they could come pick her up and I could just drive there from work. Which would have been an o.k. solution, if we didn't have to wait by the phone for my father-in-law to call. I would be rather rude for us to leave him hanging on directions.

So, I call my friends and tell them that we can't come over until he calls and who knows when that will be. And I tell them that they are more than welcome to come over, as we originally planned. Suddenly, our place is too small to accomodate everyone, we live too far away, and we don't have enough places for people to sit. Nevermind that we have a couch that sits 3, a love seat that sits 2, an easy chair and a footstool that I generally sit on most of the time I'm home. That's a grand total of 7 places for people to sit. Using my fingers, there's seven adults. WOW! just enough space to comfortably fit everyone. Well, what about the 2 kids? Well, we have a kid of our own and his room has tons of things kids love to play with, even a Playstation 2 just like the one where they were staying. The only thing is you have to do is go outside to smoke.

Well, Patrick had two loads of laundry to do and Jody would have to leave early because of work the next day. So, all of them couldn't come over. I can understand Jody having to leave early for work, I have to be at work for 7:30am myself (not to mention get a flat tire fixed before hand). Laundry, I can understand, too. I do laundry myself. When I have laundry to do and people I want to see, I put the first load to wash and then start it drying. Next, I start the second load washing and leave to go see people. When I get home, I fluff the first load and fold it and put the second load to dry while I sleep. Or have my wife who has to leave early finish the drying when she gets home. Most of it's for her anyway...

Look, I'm very sorry we didn't get to see our friends, but the BOTTOM LINE is we felt we were in a position where we needed to stay by our phone. There's no reason why they (you) couldn't have come to our place, ESPECIALLY when you're willing to drive all the way over here to pick us up. I'm sorry we're so inconsiderate.

By the way, my father-in-law finally called us this morning. He's probably pulling up to the house as I type. We didn't sleep well last night worrying about him and he's sorry he didn't call earlier.

Update (07/05/02):

***I just wanted to thank Jody for being so gracious to volunteer not to come over so "the party" could have ended up at our place without everyone having to leave early. He said he could stay home and rest and everyone else could stay up forever at our place. I should have said something about that in the original post, but I didn't and I wanted to correct that because Jody rocks.***