Naked and Wet

John Francis Daley

22 year-old John Francis Daley, who shined in NBC's Freaks and Geeks, has grown up to be one hot kid. Still, he seems have way to many teeth in his mouth, but got to love those cheekbones.

Anyways, he'll be joining the cast of Bones, FOX's procedural drama that airs on Tuesdays.

Imagine that

Things that I like

Where art thou Gavin DeGraw?

Back in May of 2003, I was handed by my friend Marc a five song CD sampler from Gavin DeGraw called "Chariot". Marc, as I may've mentioned before here, knows what I like, so he knew I would like this.

Well, yes, I did fall in love with the CD, though I would have to eventually wait until July of that year to pick up the full album. Soon after, Marc told me DeGraw would be appearing at the Borders on State Street, so you know, I had to go.

I enjoyed the songs, learned the lyrics and when later I saw him at said Borders, I could sing along. I also got a chance then to see him at The House of Blues later for free, where I actually got to meet him, to fawn all over him (cause he is hawt). As I said, I liked the CD a lot and continued to keep it in rotation on my CD player.

The, in an interesting, but very confusing marketing strategy, a year after "Chariot" came out, they released a "stripped" version of the album, which was just the like the first version recorded on one take in the studio. No new songs were added

After the release of "Chariot", DeGraw popped up on many TV shows like Jay Leno and Carson Daly and Live with Regis and Kelly. He also had cameo appearances in such TV shows as American Dreams and Dead Like Me. He also appeared in One Tree Hill, the former WB show that used his song "I Don’t Want To Be" as its opening theme.

But there's been nothing since. Why does this up and coming singer/songwriter not release a new CD of music in over 4 ½ years?

I had heard back in the fall of 2006, he was going back into the studio to record a new album, but as of right now, and according to his “under construction” web site, a CD is in the works, with the nebulas Fall/Winter timeframe.

I’m unsure what the issue is, though I’m guessing he did not become the huge hit everyone at J Records thought he would. But that’s fine with me, I just like him and his music.

I have faith in him, but close to five years is way too long between CD's. It’s almost an eternity.

Hairy Chested Thursday

Writers Strike gives me a reason never to turn on TV

In someways, this writers strike -and the probable actors/director strike in June 2008 - might make the final decision I’ve been mulling for a few years. First, I believe the writers, actor and directors are entitled to the monies that come from the new media, the DVD sales and what-not that is posted on the internet. Even if -as they claim - its only a few dollars here and there.

But as I’ve gotten older, as the studios rely more heavily on demographics that place more stock in plot driven stories instead of character driven ones, the more they’ve alienated me. The more they’ve wasted air time with craptacular programs such as Survivor, Dancing with the Stars and Deal or No Deal, the more they push me to turning the TV off for good. The more they choose to let good shows -such as Arrested Development, as an example - go because it did not have spectacular numbers out of the gate, the more I want to say screw you.

I’ve already stopped going to movies, even though I can see them free, thanks to a house mate who works for the movie theaters. I think I’ve only seen no more than five films this year, and not one of them was Spider-Man 3 or Transformers. I just can’t seem to waste my time sitting through TV commercials on the big screen, endless previews for more franchise films than anything close to original and people who think they’re in their homes, giving them a right to talk aloud -or, for that matter, chat on their mobile phones.

I’ve let my reading lapse, because of the magical idiot box and hundreds of stations. I’ve sacrificed a good number of waking hours to stupid shows that five minutes after their off, I could not tell you what they’re about. I’ve let gas prices get in the way of actually getting out of the house and do something that does not involve watching TV. I’ve gotten fat, because when I come home from work, it was easier to turn on the tube instead of doing something with friends.
As far as I’m concerned, this strike could provide me with the best reason yet to not to turn it on any time soon. And as I already spend too much time on the internet, if there is a TV show that has great buzz, and its something I might want to watch, I can always wait for it on DVD.

I can wait.

But my life cannot. Sorry, TV, but along with going to the movies, you’ve outlived your usefulness.

Self Pic's 7

It's Friday, Bitches! Have a laid back weekend!!

Feet

Wow!!!

Free Hugs

Fire in SolCal

I may not be near any fire, but the air is just full of bad stuff. The sun is up, but covered by smoke. It reminds me of the old western tin types from the 1800's.

And everytime I lick my lips, I feel like I'm taking in chalk. My nose is dry, as I enhale the stale air it tickles. Just nasty.

The fire that is burning in San Bernadino hills -click here- near where the 15 and 215 intersect (Lake Arrowhead and Green Valley Lake) has grown and the smoke, blown by the westerly winds, is now covering my area. Even the hills north of me are now shrouded in gray smoke, only they where clear this morning when I left for work at 5:30am.

There was a two fires in Ontario, but they've been contained.

But tragically, the Harris and Witch Fire in San Diego have merged now covering 12 square miles, has forced close to half a million people to be evacuated. 2 people have been killed and that fire was arson.

This has also effected my work, as at least 1 employee could not get out of the area in San Bernardino. Plus, the mall is nearly dead and we've not made plan. Every Sunday, we are always over plan, but this past we almost made it. I'm unsure how this will work, when the company asks us to cut hours.

Thankfully, the winds have died, and beginning Thursday, on on shore flow begins, which will bring temps down to normal, plus bring up the relative humidity up. There is light now at the end of this dark tunnel. But the cost may be more than anyone can afford.

The Canyon Fire 2007, Part 2

The one good thing is that the heat they said would come with these Santa Anna winds has not developed. So, while the low humidity is factorying here (some as low as 3%, but hovering around 10%), Malibu, Agua Dulce and five other locations around LA County are still at the mercy of the winds.

And its being reported that 1 person down in San Diego has been killed in a brush fire there.

Here, where I sit, the wind has picked up since this morning, but once again, I have no fear of fire.

The Red Flag warning will continue through Tuesday, and probably into Wednesday. Hopefully, with the temps not as hot as they once said, maybe the heat will not factor into tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Hero by Perry Moore

Author Perry Moore says he wrote this book after being upset by a Marvel Comic. In X-Men: Age of Apocalypse #2, the gay superhero Northstar was killed by Wolverine. Moore believed that having one of Marvel’s biggest superheroes murder its most prominent gay character sent the wrong message to readers. Moore subsequently created a list of GLBTQ superheroes who have met with torture, rape, disembowelment, decapitation, had their genitalia disfigured or removed..His growing awareness of the poor treatment of GLBT superhero characters led him to write Hero to present a more positive image.

Thom Creed is a high school basketball star. His mother abandoned the family and his father is a former masked crimefighter who retired in disgrace following a national incident and now works as a lowly worker in a factory. Thom's own superpowers are beginning to manifest themselves, as is his homosexuality. But Thom must keep his powers a secret, for fear of further disgracing his father and risking his hometown's homophobic wrath.

Much like the Austin Grossman novel Soon I Will be Invincible that I read back in July, Hero takes on many of the same themes. But this novel decides to more serious and less, wink, wink, nudge nudge. It’s not as snarky, I guess, as Grossman’s book. The novel is well written, if overlong, and it does take time getting going, but I applaud Moore for expanding the superhero genre by adding a GLBT main character.

There are some inspired moments in here, including a scene of Thom masturbating to superhero internet porn. In many ways, while not perfect, it hits many good points. And, as a young adult novel, it will open the door to other books that can show a positive, non-outcast teen who accepts who he is.

At least one can hope.

The Canyon Fire 2007

The fire season has begun.

The Santa Anna winds began to blow early this morning, and around 5 am this morning, winds blew some power lines down, that started a brush fire that quickly spread as the winds were clocked at 50 plus mile an hour. Whittier Peak recorded a gust of 108 -hurricane style winds.

Plus, the temps are on the upswing, while the humidity are hitting big time lows. The heat will be with us until at least Thursday. LA's normal temp during this time is 79. It could be in the 90's today and the rest of the working week. The valley's and the IE could see temps in the 100's by Tuesday -record breaking to be sure.

Sitting here, in my house there is no wind, but I live on the edge of the San Gabriel Valley, thus we are not in a narrow area where the wind blows. It's going to get hot, but there is no danger of fire.

The biggest problem with Malibu fire now is that because of the wind -the way it's blowing with some area's reporting 85 MPH gust - is causing the fires to jump around, with the firefighters not able to keep up with them. Malibu is only a mile wide, and six miles long, and so you can guess at the problems these firefigthers are having with the fire. Hills and valleys, one lane roads create problems in fighting this current fire. Adding the swirling winds and you have a huge problem.

The cast of Star Trek: The Reboot

Karl Urban as Young McCoy

Chris Pine as Young Kirk

John Cho as Young Sulu

Simon Pegg as Young Scotty

Anton Yelchin as Young Chekov

Zoe Saldana as Young Uhura

Zachary Quinto as Young Spock

Leonard Nimoy as Spock

Fetish 3

Errr...

Star Trek XI cast nearly finished?

Casting for the Star Trek reboot seems to nearly finished, as production is scheduled to begin next month.

Already confirmed is:

Leonard Nimoy as Old Spock
Zachary Quinto as Young Spock
Zoe Saldana as Uhura
Anton Yelchin as Chekov
John Cho as Sulu
Simon Pegg as Scotty
Eric Bana as the Romulan Nero

Look for Paramount to confirm soon that Lord of the Rings actor Karl Urban will play McCoy, while relative newcomer Chris Pine will play Kirk.

The story (rumored) revolves around the Romulans of the 24th Century who want to alter the past, and prevent the rise of Starfleet and the Federation. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) becomes aware of plot, and travels back in time to the 23rd Century-not long after Romulan time agents do - and interacts with his younger self (Zachary Quinto).

Another rumor is that the Romulans will succeed in their plans, somewhat. Thus, by applying the Back to the Future II plot line, the timeline we've grown up with for the last 40 years will cease to exist, and a new timeline will be created - a timeline where events will unravel in a different fashion.

This will, essentially, give writers of future Trek movies more room to create stories. No more worry about continuity issues established in TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT because this Trek will be an alternate timeline.