Blurb Movie Reviews- 'Around The Bend'

Quirky film about four generations of men. Michael Caine plays the eccentric grandfather, who after his death, makes his son [Christopher Walken], grandson [Josh Lucas], and great grandson [some kid], go on a trek to spread his ashes in places of meaning. All of which include stopping by KFC.

It's a great examination of the relationships between fathers and sons. Michael Caine's character is eccentric, but well meaning. Christopher's character is kind of shady, who allegdly abandoned Josh's character, who is the only normal one.

Spolier!!! So by the end of the movie when Christopher's chracter dies, you see that the men in this family have all learned to respect the man each of them are/were.

Blurb Movie Reviews- 'The Alien Saga'

Great documentary on the 'Alien' movies. It analyzes the behind the scenes construction of shots in the first film, and the concepts behind the sequels. A great film for any fans of the movies. Covers all the way through 'Alien Resurrection'.

Blurb Movie Reviews- 'Undertow'

'Undertow' is the story of two brothers played by Josh Lucas and Dermot Mulroney, who have long standing rivalry issues. Josh's character is an ex-con who feels his bro, Dermot, was the prodigal son in their father's eyes.

Josh gets out of prison, and looks up his bro, to get his half of some old coins that their father was supposed to have left them. When he gets to the house, he sees his bro is living with his two sons. He agrees to stick around to help his bro with the farm.

We then discover that Dermot's character actually hooked up with Josh's girl behind his back, and that this girl was the dead mother of Dermot's two sons. Or so we think. We find out that Dermot's oldest son is most probably Josh's character's kid.

There's a fight, and Dermot is killed. The two sons escape with the coins, and Josh tries to hunt them down.

Jamie Bell, who plays the eldest son, stole the show on this one. At first you see him as this troubled kid, but by the end, you totally sympathize with him. Over the course of the movie, you see that he is a simple guy, but who is caring and passionate for life. He helps take care of his sick younger brother while they are on the lam from Josh. He is a pretty convincing actor, and it will be interesting to see him in other projects.

Speaking of the younger bro, it is never really explained why he eats random stuff. Like the paint flake that comes off of a watering can. Or why he is sitting in a field eating latex paint. And later, dirt. I think it has something to do with him needing attention. Like he does this to make himself sick, so people will dote on him.

Overall, there are concentric metaphors between father and son, and brother's relationships with each other.

Side notes: Josh has perfected the greasy bad guy character. Dermot Mulroney knows how to fill out a pair of long johns, and actually kinda looks good being greasy as well.

Blurb Movie Reviews- 'Stealth'

Almost done with my Josh Lucas project of seeing all of his work. This one is a predictable action flick; black guy gets killed first, lead male and female hook up, the day is saved.

The best part of this movie has to be the effects. The action scenes attempt to show us something we haven't always seen before. What was funny though, was the 'rogue' stealth fighter, EDI, sounded like a sarcastic/bitchy queen to me. I can't remember any specific lines, but it always came across as if it were saying, 'talk to the hand, because the face ain't having it.

Side note: Josh's eyes look unnaturally blue in this movie. Like they CGI enhanced them to glow. Josh did as good a job with the material as he could, but I was pleasantly surprised by Jessica Biel. She was pretty convincing as an action chick.

Blurb Movie Reviews- 'Swoon'

I wanted to hate it because it moved so slowly. But by the end, it is interesting to see the dynamic between the two main characters. It is the story of these two guys, who kill this kid, as part of a kidnapping plot to extort money. Based on a true story.

While the pacing is really slow, and there is minimal dialogue, these effects almost make it look and feel like it was a movie made back during when these events took place [1920's]. It comes off as being a styish pretentious movie at first, but the feel of it becomes a character as well.

One thing that doesn't kinda of make sense, is at the beginning, you see Leo and Dick exchange rings, as if some sort of 'wedding' ritual. But by the end, Dick has turned on Leo, and tells the cops that Leo was the one whol killed the kid, even thouh it was Dick.

What was also interesting, is how matter of fact Leopold and Dick are by the time they get convicted and taken to trial. They act almost proud of what the had done. Interesting piece of film.

My Blog ....In Spanish!

[Click To Enlarge] or follow this link: 'Keane - Es Maravilla?'

Dumbasses

Drag race leaves nine high schoolers injured

The cars crashed while racing northbound on Airport Boulevard. April 28, 2006.

DENVER - Several teenagers have been injured in a drag racing crash that sent one car flying into oncoming traffic.

All of the people involved were Montbello High School students between the ages of 14 and 18 years old, according to police.

The crash happened when two cars racing northbound on Airport Blvd. collided near 13th Ave around 3 p.m. on Friday. One of the cars went into the southbound lanes, flipping five to six times before landing in the median, according to police.

Officials said the cars were driving up to 80 mph at the time of the crash.

Nine people were injured in the crash. Two appear to have more serious injuries, police said. Those injured were taken to Fitzsimons Hospital and The Medical Center of Aurora.

Northbound Airport Blvd is closed between 13th Avenue and Colfax Avenue.

9News has crews at the scene and there will be more on 9News and 9News.com throughout the evening.

Gilded Moose Post Of The Day

Colin Farrell Takes Role in New Helen Keller Flick

Poor-off

I lived on $20 a week when I lived in NYC. Geesh.

From Jane

'Like many writers (or musicians, or artists, etc), I moved to New York with a couple hundred bucks, a suitcase, and a dream (I used to joke "I still have the suitcase", but I actually don't because I lost it in a fire.)

I received no parental help other than the promise of a 1-way ticket home. Today my friend Darci (who does the comedy site Kittenpants) and I were talking about our poor-er days and naturally fell into a familiar conversation: the Poor-Off.

Here's a transcript. (Note: we are well aware that our poverty was a choice and that we could have just gone home to Florida or Texas at any time.)'

Kittenpants: I managed to live my whole first year in NYC on $10/week for food

Lindsayism: WOW.

Lindsayism: I bow before you!

Lindsayism: Let's have a POOR OFF!!

Kittenpants: I was so poor I sucked c*ck for toilet paper coupons

Lindsayism: Darci, these are supposed to be REAL!

Lindsayism: But I did steal toilet paper from my temp jobs. I have friends who still do that.

Kittenpants: I stole every office supply imaginable

Lindsayism: Did you finally realize that you were never going to use a stapler at home? I did.

Pete Doherty - Samaritan

The Sun has some funky copyright thing on their images so I will just link to the article instead:

Pete injects female fan

'DRUG fiend Pete Doherty stoops to a shocking new low in pictures showing him injecting heroin into an unconscious fan.

The junkie Babyshambles singer, who has won the heart of supermodel Kate Moss, was snapped jabbing the pretty youngster as she lay in his squalid kitchen.'

Caught!

'House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Ill., center, gets out of a Hydrogen Alternative Fueled automobile, left, as he prepares to board his SUV, which uses gasoline, after holding a news conference at a local gas station in Washington.'

Courtesy of Clay

Yahoo News

Normally I don't kill spiders....

but I'd might make an exception if I saw something like this in my place.

'So, recently I wrote a post asking about the effectiveness of those ultrasonic pest repellers for the spider metropolis we have thriving in our garage. I managed to catch one of the little buggers after I heard(yes, heard) him skittering across the floor behind me, it was like he was wearing tiny tap shoes. I think it is probably a European House Spider but I'm not sure, any arachnologists out there want to verify it for me??'

A Bad Case Of Wanderlust

Daniel Powter - 'Bad Day'

If I hear that song one more time, I am gonna fly off on a rage and go postal. I liked the song when I first heard it, about 6 months ago on BBC. But now that American radio has picked it up, it is like a rusty screw being slowly twisted in to my skull. Please make it stop!

Cute

'The Brownstein Hyatt & Farber law firm staged one of the most creative programs. It hosted a moot-court proceeding for children in which the Three Little Pigs sued the Big Bad Wolf. Kids under 10 ruled in favor of the pigs, while those over 10 ruled for the wolf.'

Denver Post

Unfortunate Name

I like their business philosophy, but couldn't they have chosen a different name? Like 'Hoyt-Stainton'?

'McStain's history dates back to 1966, when Tom and Caroline Hoyt and their friend David Stainton purchased Horizon Building Company, a small custom homebuilder in Boulder. The three changed the company name from Horizon to McStain to reflect the new ownership upon the arrival in 1972 of Stainton's brother-in-law, Jim Roser (the current chairman of the board of McStain Enterprises) as a financial partner in the company.'

McStain

Flight 93 Movie

So, there's a lot of talk of if it is too soon for this movie to come out. I say no. People need to be reminded of what happened. Not that people will forget. But I think people should remember how our lives have drastically changed since that day.

Also, those people should be celebrated for what they did.

Personally though, I am going to wait until it's on DVD, because I know I will cry like a 5 Yr. old little girl, and I don't want to be in a theater bawling my eyes out.

Funny. Betcha the bible thumpers love that.

Some NPR, Christian radio listeners complain they are hearing Stern instead

BALTIMORE (AP) - Some commuters hoping to ease into their day with National Public Radio or Christian broadcasts are hearing shock jock Howard Stern instead.

Their favorite stations aren't broadcasting Stern's show, which has moved to satellite radio provider Sirius. Instead, poorly installed or defective satellite radio units, which act as mini-FM transmitters, are being blamed.

"Usually they're upset, because they don't know what's going on. This isn't what they tuned in to (hear)," Charles W. Loughery, president of the Word FM Radio Network, a group of contemporary Christian stations in eastern Pennsylvania, told The (Baltimore) Sun.

Some of the units use FM signals to broadcast the satellite signal to the car's audio system, using frequencies low on the FM band such as 88.1, often reserved for noncommercial, religious or educational stations. The signal from the satellite system can sometimes override broadcasts from those stations for listeners in nearby cars.

And they just asked for a rate hike

Xcel profits jump

DENVER - Xcel Energy's first quarter profit rose 25 percent compared to a year ago.

The Colorado Public Interest Research Group (COPIRG) says if Xcel is making that much money, it should reduce its rates.

State regulators say one quarter doesn't make a year and an analysis of the last year shows the utility's earnings are only up 6 - 8 percent.

The Public Utitilites Commission will review Xcel's earnings from Colorado business during the next rate hearing.

Xcel recently requested a raise in monthly electricity bills which would amount to an increase of $3.57 beginning Jan. 1.

Multi-tasking

How can she be asleep, smoking crack, and high on drugs all at the same time?

Woman jumps out of window during fire

WESTMINSTER - A woman is injured after investigators say she jumped out of her 3rd-floor apartment window.

Authorities say the woman was on drugs and overreacted to the fire.

The fire at the Terrace Garden apartments at 3100 Craft Way caused about $200-$300 worth of damage Thursday after 8 p.m.

Investigators say a man and a woman were in a bedroom using a butane torch around newspapers and magazines when they accidentally started the fire.

The woman was apparently asleep and when she woke up she saw the fire between her and the door.

She was taken to St. Anthony's hospital to be treated for her injuries.

The fire was out by the time firefighters arrived.

This makes me ill

The coverage is going a bit overboard I think. It's being played out as a trashy scandal instead of news. Shame on you Paula Woodward.

Even though they shouldn't have been soliciting sex with a minor, to entrap them, video tape the sting, the arrest, the bail, and everything else, is excessive and vitriolic

Predator suspects answer questions (sort of)

JEFFERSON COUNTY - What do you say when you're bonding out of jail charged as an internet predator and a tv reporter with a camera wants to talk with you?

That was the dilemna of 14 men caught in an internet predator sting. Eight law enforcement jurisdictions and more than 100 law enforcement officers joined up in the two-night on-line operation.

The 14 arrested drove to a private residence in Jefferson County hoping to find an underage girl for sexual contact. Swat teams caught them instead. 9News documented the sting operation from the initial planning throughout the arrests and was allowed inside the on-line computer chat center and the arrest staging operation location.

The 14 men held a variety of jobs. One was in construction and visiting from Farmington, New Mexico.

There was a delivery truck driver for a local restaurant, an employee of a cable tv provider, a customer service representative of a satellite tv provider, a computer consultant who also volunteers for Summit County Rescue Group, a wrestler who was paying to train at the Olympic Center, an auto parts salesman, a self-employed window installer, an assistant manager for a national discount chain store, a lube technician for an auto parts store, a dairy worker, a student teacher, who was also licensed as a substitute teacher. The teacher is no longer working as a student teacher.'

Juxtaposition

Latest from Iraq

This image and headline, as found on CNN Netscape.

Netscape

Throwdown

Star Jones doesn't like gay people [even though she supposedly married one], and Rosie is big ol' loud lesbian. Should make for some interesting moments.

O'Donnell to Replace Vieira on 'The View'

NEW YORK (AP) - Rosie O'Donnell is expected to make a surprise return to daytime television by taking over exiting Meredith Vieira's slot on the talk show ``The View.''

O'Donnell's appointment was reported Thursday by the newsmagazine ``Extra.'' It was confirmed by a person close to the show who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because ``The View'' wanted to make the announcement on Friday's show.

Dubbed ``The Queen of Nice'' when her syndicated talk show went on the air in 1996 and became an instant hit, O'Donnell won six Daytime Emmy Awards in six years as best talk-show host. She left the show to help raise four children with her partner, Kelli Carpenter O'Donnell.

She should have no problem holding her own with the other ladies on ``The View.'' Since leaving daytime television, O'Donnell has become a strong advocate of gay and lesbian marriage and adoption. With her partner, she operates a cruise line for gay and lesbian families that was recently featured in an HBO movie.

Freaky

Scientists Probe the Use of the Tongue

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - In their quest to create the super warrior of the future, some military researchers aren't focusing on organs like muscles or hearts. They're looking at tongues.

By routing signals from helmet-mounted cameras, sonar and other equipment through the tongue to the brain, they hope to give elite soldiers superhuman senses similar to owls, snakes and fish.

Researchers at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition envision their work giving Army Rangers 360-degree unobstructed vision at night and allowing Navy SEALs to sense sonar in their heads while maintaining normal vision underwater - turning sci-fi into reality.

The device, known as ``Brain Port,'' was pioneered more than 30 years ago by Dr. Paul Bach-y-Rita, a University of Wisconsin neuroscientist. Bach-y-Rita began routing images from a camera through electrodes taped to people's backs and later discovered the tongue was a superior transmitter.

A narrow strip of red plastic connects the Brain Port to the tongue where 144 microelectrodes transmit information through nerve fibers to the brain. Instead of holding and looking at compasses and bluky-hand-held sonar devices, the divers can processes the information through their tongues, said Dr. Anil Raj, the project's lead scientist.

In testing, blind people found doorways, noticed people walking in front of them and caught balls. A version of the device, expected to be commercially marketed soon, has restored balance to those whose vestibular systems in the inner ear were destroyed by antibiotics.

'Wholeness'

I was just cleaning my desk and came across an old Kabbalah book I used to read long before Esther and celebs even knew what it was. Just for fun, I flipped to a page to see what I would see.

Found this passage that reminded me of the 'Wholeness' thing on 'So NoTORIous':

'The state of mind that we need to attain is called ayin, Nothingness. We have to be nothing in our own eyes, and therefore nonreactive [sic]. As we have just seen, we can achieve the level of ayin through the contemplative practice of bittul ha-yesh, the path of selflessness.'

'Selfless, I don't need to be selfless, I'm Tori Spelling!'

Kidding. But that kinda just reignited my interest in Judaism.

[Excerpted from 'God Is A Verb - Kabbalah And The Practice Of Mystical Judaism - Rabbi David A. Cooper Pub. 1997]

Gilded Moose Post Of The Day

Jake Gyllenhaal to Star as Gilbert Gottfried in New Biopic

[Don't know how it became Jake 'Day' on here]

Jake Gylenhall's Profile

At Movies.com

Jake

'Just try to quit me'
25 years old
Male
Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA

JAKE'S LOWDOWN

The real me is:
More Donnie Darko than Brokeback Mountain.
I hate being misunderstood as:
Confused. But I love being mistaken for Hugh Jackman.

Cool Clip - Graphically Speaking

What an arse.

A harmless prank on the USC Student Body Vice President goes horribly wrong.

Looks like....

he's carrying a 'Trucker Bomb' in this photo.

Ugh, lame pun

Rapper in Dogg house after throwing liquor bottles in airport

'LONDON (AP) - Snoop Dogg and five other men were arrested after a fracas at Heathrow Airport that injured seven police officers, British media reported Thursday.'

Is it smart.....

to put goverment people in a potential terrorist target?

The Freedom Tower -- initially designed by architect Daniel Libeskind to be a twisting glass skyscraper with an off-center spire to evoke the Statue of Liberty -- so far has no tenants committed, although the Port Authority said nearly half of it would be filled with government leases.

Long-delayed construction of Freedom Tower begins

Entrapment?

I see the need for this, but it feels like entrapment to me.

Internet predator sting nets teacher, rescue volunteer and 12 others

JEFFERSON COUNTY - Fourteen men were arrested in a recent sting operation in the metro area involving more than 100 law enforcement officers.

The sting focused on internet predators. Eight law enforcement jurisdictions participated in what's being described as a one-of-a-kind nationwide law enforcement operation.

"It's a blueprint", according to Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey, "because the entire operation involved law enforcement."

Thirty officers and district attorneys were set up on computers at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation posing as underage girls and talking on-line with men who wanted to have sex with minors. Ten miles away, 70 law enforcement officers were waiting for whoever showed up for sex with an underage girl. The operation happened during two nights in late March.

How To Raise The Deficit And Harm The Environment

No Lawmaker Wants to Be Without a Gas Plan


WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Republicans advocate sending $100 rebate checks to millions of taxpayers, and a Democrat is leading the campaign for a 60-day gasoline tax holiday.

Either way, it seems no one in Congress wants to be without a plan, however symbolic, to attack the election-year spike in gasoline prices.

A vote is possible as early as this week on the Senate GOP approach, which calls for $100 rebate checks for taxpayers to cushion the impact of higher gasoline prices. The measure seems unlikely to prevail, at least initially, since it includes a highly controversial proposal to open a portion of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

Senate Republicans also favor extending a tax break that manufacturers receive for each hybrid vehicle they make, and want President Bush to suspend deliveries to the nation's strategic petroleum reserve for six months.

George W Bush - 'Worst President Ever'

Got a chance to read this article last night. It is about a group of historians examining if, indeed, Bush is the worst president in history. It makes a great agument, and compares him to other bad presidents.

Article here: Rolling Stone

Random Photo

Random Photo

Instructional Cartoons - Fire Safety Fun!

Stole these from Logged Hours. They crack me up.

TomKitten

'The publicity-touring Tom Cruise says that he's called Katie Holmes "about a billion times" to ask her about their new daughter, even though the answer is the same each time: "Nope, still not yours."

Defamer

'There and Back: Nine Fingers to Go'

From Reality Blurred:

'While participating in NBC's Celebrity Cooking Showdown, which was pulled for its final two nights because of dismal ratings, There and Back star Ashley Parker Angel 'almost completely cut off [his] finger,' he tells Billboard’s Jaded Insider.

As a result, his finger has been injured, perhaps permanently. 'I still have no feeling in it 'cause I cut so deeply, which is making me worried,' he says. However, the bigger concern at the time was the fact, he says, that 'I lost six minutes off the clock, and my finger wouldn't stop bleeding but I still finished it. They had a doctor come down to the set, so immediately when I walked off they had someone waiting to stitch it up for me.'

Where does that leave him now? He says, 'apparently I severed the nerve in my finger. I'm so upset because I need my fingers to play piano and guitar. I need to get insurance for my hands.' Or just use this to your advantage for the second season of your MTV reality show, and call it There and Back: Nine Fingers to Go.'

Project Runway 3

Project Runway 3 will debut this summer; final three may show at fall Fashion Week

'Breaking tradition, the third season of Project Runway is scheduled to debut this summer, reality blurred has confirmed with Bravo.

With the early start, that means the final three will probably show their collections at Olympus Fashion Week this fall, not next spring. The previous two seasons have debuted in December, concluding shortly after Fashion Week in February.

The show will debut July 12, according to TVShowsOnDVD.com, which notes that it “begins airing on Bravo just a couple of weeks after the Season 2 DVD release.” That’s according to an ad in the April 24 edition of Video Business magazine, which says the season two DVD will be released “just in time for the TV premiere of season 3, airing July 12 on Bravo.”

A Bravo spokesperson just confirmed to me that the show will return this summer, but could not confirm the specific date nor the finalists’ participation in fall Fashion Week. A July start, however, would give the show about two months until Olympus Fashion Week in the fall, about the same lead time given for the past two seasons.

Casting for the third season did begin earlier than it did last year, with open calls held immediately after the second season concluded.'

Trompe L'oeil

Ok, not really. But this is a photo of a building nicknamed 'The Sinking Ship' in Seattle. The way it's build plays with the eye. Thanks to Clay for the image.

Cool Idea, If Not Creepy.

It's a great way to grab someone's attention, but I don't think they could get away with that here in the States.

'Eerie Severed Hands Teach Whispy Mustachioed Belgians About Pickpockets

'What better way to be taught about the dangers of airport pickpocketing than reaching into your purse and finding the waxy cast of a disembodied human hand lurking within?

This campaign, initiated by Brussels Airlines, attempts to alert careless travelers to pay better attention to their surroundings by dropping a plastic hand with a message about theft into the particularly vulnerable pockets, open bags or purse of travelerss. But we think this campaign may very well be too clever for its own good. After all, if you were wandering around Brussels Airport and knew there was the chance that you could walk away with a really cool rubber hand to put on your mantel, use in your sadomasochism dungeon or simply drop into a men’s room toilet, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to make yourself a mark?'

Comment:

'Waking up after a particularly savage night of partying in the bacchanalian capital we call Antwerp, I was distressed to find one of these in my pants. The truly distressing part was that the Evil Hand had somehow made off with my underwear.'

by matto

Consumerist

Random Useless Fact

Taco Bell doesn't sell coffee.

They'd better not raze it!

It is one of the few old, cool, buildings Denver has left. A bunch of beautiful old buildings were destroyed in the 70's and 80's. Denver can't be all modern.

Mayan sale lights S. Broadway

The Mayan's designation as a Denver landmark saved it from the wrecking ball in 1984. Operated by Landmark Theaters since 1986, the Mayan is one of the country's three remaining theaters designed in the Art Deco-Mayan Revival style. It has been converted into a three- screen palace with one large auditorium. The upstairs area houses two cozy theaters that feature stadium seating, a cafe and a lobby seating area.

Because of a quirk in city ordinances, the 76-year-old building still could be demolished, said Kathleen Brooker, president of Historic Denver Inc. Landmark status only gives buildings a one-year protection unless they are in a historic district. Broadway separates the Mayan from the Baker Neighborhood Historic District.

Mumps

Mumps outbreak spreads to Colorado



DENVER - The first case of mumps connected with a nationwide outbreak was confirmed in Colorado.

Additional Resources...
Tuesday the State Department of Health confirmed the first outbreak of mumps in Colorado. April 25, 2006. 5:00 p.m.

On Monday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said a 45-year-old woman from Douglas County became ill with the mumps on April 14, after making two car trips to Iowa.

The recent outbreak of mumps started in Iowa and then spread to surrounding states including Nebraska and Kansas. There are now more than 1,100 cases in Iowa alone.

The Colorado woman who became sick was visiting a sick family member in Iowa who did not have the mumps.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says the woman stayed home from work for the recommended nine days after she became ill. The health department says she was not hospitalized; has not had any complications; and her doctor says it is okay for her to return to work.

The case is the first to test positive out of 25 suspected cases in Colorado. A statewide watch of the disease has stepped up since the outbreak in Iowa.

Colorado normally has three-to-four cases of mumps every year. There were six cases in 2005 and three so far this year, including the newly confirmed case.

Mumps

Mumps or epidemic parotitis is a viral disease of humans. Prior to the development of vaccination and the introduction of MMR vaccine, it was a common childhood disease worldwide, and is still a significant threat to health in the third world.

Painful swelling of the salivary glands (classically the parotid gland) and fever is the most typical presentation. Painful testicular swelling and rash may also occur.

While symptoms are generally not severe in children, in teenagers and adults, the symptoms can be more severe and complications such as infertility or subfertility are relatively common, although still rare in absolute terms.

The disease is generally self-limiting, and there is no specific treatment apart from controlling the symptoms with painkillers.

They still don't have the toxicology report on him

Students gather in tribute to freshman who died

BOULDER - Friends of the University of Colorado freshman found dead in his dorm room earlier this month gathered on campus Tuesday to remember him.

The initial autopsy found no signs of trauma on the body of 18-year-old Jesse Gomez. Investigators are waiting for toxicology results to determine whether alcohol played a role in his death.

Meanwhile friends and family gathered to pay their last respects. It was a tearful remembrance of Gomez who was so many great things to so many people, according to those in attendance.

Many say they didn't know Gomez very well, but in some way he touched their lives.

Gomez's parents thanked the community for its support. They say their son's death still hasn't sunk in.

CD Review - Massive Attack - 'Best Of'

What can you say about this? It is a compilation of their more popular tracks. 'Modern Classics' I say. 'Teardrop', 'Unfinished Symphony', and 'Inertia Creeps' are probably my faves on this one.

I had always known them, but never purchased any of their stuff. This version comes with 2 CD's [one the regular best of, and the second is rare tracks]. Plus it comes with a DVD [both the rare tracks and DVD are on a Double DVD].

Supposedly going to see them Friday night at the Fillmore, but it is with Dave, and we're still kinda iffy around each other [I feel]. So unless, I storm off in a tirade, it should be an interesting show. Don't know how they are going to pull off the vocal tracks, unless they shipped in a singer.

CD Review - Hard Fi - 'Stars Of CCTV'

I like this one as well. I still have a love/hate relationship with the lead singer's voice. One funny thing about the CD, is how often it is mentioned about 'going out tonight'. That is said at least once in every song I think. 'Hard To Beat' is the best track.

CD Review - Stereophonics 'Language. Sex. Violence. Other?'

I dig it. One of a few albums I can listen to the whole thing. 'Dakota' is my fave on it. In fact, it was that song being played on the BBC, that made me notice them. I know they have been around for a while, but this was my first exposure.

Cool Car

Unfortunately, most of the site where I got it from is in Portuguese it looks like. I don't think the post talks about the car actually.

Gilded Moose Post Of The Day

None of Her Co-workers at Dean & Deluca Ever Acted Like This.

'The look on Felicity's face says it all (and no, we're not googling her real name, she'll always be just 'Felicity' to us.)'

Yo momma so black...

when she stands against a white wall, makes it look like it has a hallway .

Yo momma's lips so big...

Chapstick had to invent a spray.

Awesome

'We know you were too busy living your lives to actually watch the M:i:III Primetime/20-20 special, so here's another clip. This time, Tom Cruise explains how Katie Holmes got "the willies" after watching him perform a dangerous stunt involving a sixteen-wheeler skidding over his prone body.

Of course, by "the willies," Holmes actually meant, "the tantalizing, elusive thrill of knowing that she was one tanker truck mishap from freedom."

Defamer

Power of blogging

Backstory: A customer emailed Consumerist to ask whether or not a business can state a minimum purchase for using a credit card. Technically, you can't, according to the credit card companies.

But they also charge businesses fees on any credit transactions. Well, it started a shitestorm. People emailed[harrased] the business owners, blood was shed, tears fell.

Here is the latest installment of how by being blogged, the owners had to change their store signage:

UPDATE: Requiring Minimum Credit Card Purchases is a Violation

Amy’s Ice Cream has a new sign (right) that seems to say that the $10 minimum charge is suggested, not required. The sign we originally posted (left) was one a store manager had replaced the ‘official’ sign with, according to Steve.

The epic brouhaha even warranted a mention in Amy’s Ice Cream news section. For instance, did you know that, “If you buy a small ice cream with one crushin’ and charge it, the fees can be as much as 15%?”

“I would like to respond to the “craziness” that is flying around,” Steve writes The Consumerist. “First, I have attached the sign that greets consumers now in our stores. It is the original sign that was replaced by the one that was posted on your website.

One of our managers replaced his sign with the brief and too the point sign that is not our belief. We are a small mom and pop, Amy and Steve, we are 21 years old and we are not a big company, although we have 13 stores, we do the sales volume of one Chili’s restaurant in 13 locations.

If we had to do it over again, we would never have taken credit cards. Most of our transactions are small and the fees are ridiculous, as much as 10-15%. Don’t blame us, blame Visa and Mastercard.

I apologize for this misunderstanding and encourage our customers if they are really mad to send me an email steve@amysicecreams.com.”

The file Steve sent us over was titled, “NEW$10Minimum.pub”

Previously: Amy’s Ice Cream thread

Sleep Paralyzation

This has happened to me a few times. Freaky shite. Once I woke up and though someone was laying in bed with me and I couldn't move or do anything the get them out.

Another time, I 'woke' up and saw someone shadowy standing in the corner, and again, I couldn't move. Both times freaked me out and made my heart race.

'The Kentucky team found that adults who had near-death experiences were also far more likely to have a history of REM intrusion, which can include a feeling of being paralyzed when they first wake up or having visual or auditory hallucinations as they drift off to sleep or awaken, Reuters reports.

Of the 55 volunteers in this study, all of whom had a near-death experience, 60 percent had also experienced REM intrusion at some point in their lives, compared with 24 percent of the control group of 55 adults who hadn't had a near-death experience.

Neurologist Kevin R. Nelson says this suggests the brain's arousal system predisposes some of us to both phenomena--REM intrusion and near-death experience. He explained to Reuters that many features of REM intrusions parallel those of near-death experiences, including the visual centers of the brain being highly active while the body is temporarily paralyzed.

Nelson says it is possible that a REM intrusion could give visions of light along with the feeling of "being dead."

CNN Netscape

Oh, snap!

'Next, Leno asked whether Seacrest was dating Teri Hatcher since the pair had been photographed kissing. "He only kisses the mirror," said Abdul. "And honestly, do you think Teri Hatcher is that desperate of a housewife?"

Netscape

This is probably the same storm....

that gave us grape sized hail on Sunday evening:


'Tornadoes Touch Down in Central Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A powerful storm system spawned at least two tornadoes and several severe thunderstorms, causing damage in central and northeastern areas of the state Monday, authorities said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

West of Oklahoma City, two tornadoes tore through sparsely populated areas of Canadian County, damaging hangars at the municipal airport south of El Reno.

Television footage showed debris from the buildings being lifted and flung about as the tornado moved overhead. Parts of the hangars' roofs were ripped away and a couple of airplanes were moved outside.'

Topographic Map Of Colorado

[Click To Enlarge]

WorldAtlas.com

Wow, Fox news is even reporting this?

FOX Poll: Gloomy Economic Views; Bush Approval at New Low

Bush, GOP Approval Ratings Hit New Lows

NEW YORK — More Americans disapprove than approve of how George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Congress are doing their jobs, while a majority approves of Condoleezza Rice. President Bush’s approval hits a record low of 33 percent this week, clearly damaged by sinking support among Republicans.

Opinions are sharply divided on whether Rumsfeld should resign as secretary of defense. In addition, views on the economy are glum; most Americans rate the current economy negatively, and twice as many say it feels like the economy is getting worse rather than better. These are just some of the findings of the latest FOX News national poll.

President Bush’s job approval rating slipped this week and stands at a new low of 33 percent approve, down from 36 percent two weeks ago and 39 percent in mid-March. A year ago this time, 47 percent approved and two years ago 50 percent approved (April 2004).

Real World Denver - JR's - Update

Thanks to Clay, we have some investigative reporting on a previous post regarding one of the cast members working at JR's while they film:

'Clay said...

A friend told me Larry told him this was not true. No one's asked him about giving someone from the Real World a job at JRs.'

9:15 AM, April 25, 2006

No doubt, huh?

I miss those Clinton days, when all we had to worry about was hummers and interns.

Great Band Name And Songs

From Idle In London:

'What I want to know is why, when I put Disc 1 into my computer, does it come up on iTunes as titled Bukkake Ruined My Carpet, the songs are all by Cocknocker, and the song titles include ones such as 'Rusty Rim Licker' and 'Hillbilly Rectum Swap.' Methinks someone is in trouble.'

Gayest Song Ever

Wow. 1.FM just played 'You Think You're A Man' by Divine on their 80's and 90's channel. That has to be the gayest song ever. Imagine big old Tranny Divine singing over a Dead Or Alive 'You Spin Me Right Round Round' beat. Ick.

Gilded Moose Post Of The Day

'This is a REALLY hard one for us, but it is Nice Friday and we're just gonna' connonball into the deep end no matter how cold it is. Tara Reid actually looks good here. Sure, the high beams are on, but considering who we're looking at, this is like, actually respectable. It's church-wear, really. She may have turned Amish for all we know. We're just happy we're not seeing any scars.

We'll be in the kitchen, hanging ourselves in the oven.'

[Sorry, James, we know how much you love you some Tara]

Nice Fridays - The Gilded Moose

Belmont Buckingham Denver

Commented on my buddy's blog about the Belmont Buckingham. James informed me Buffalo Bill used to hold his Wild West Show on the grounds before they were built. Here are some pics of them after construction.

From Denver Public Library

Real World Denver - Working At JR's

I wouldn't go as far as saying JR's is the cities most popular hangout. I wonder if they are going to be in town for 'Pride'? Supposedly, we have one of the largest ones in the country.

Real World Denver cast reportedly includes two gay people; house photographed

The cast of The Real World Denver includes a gay man and a lesbian, according to Rocky Mountain News columnist Penny Parker.

She also reports that the gay man “will get fully immersed in Denver’s gay scene when he takes a job at JR’s as a bartender’s assistant.” His work as a bar back at “the most popular gay hangout in town” will be paid to work there, but there’s no word if the other cast members will work there too. It’s kind of odd that one cast member would land a job (that’s not the whole cast’s job) before production even begins.

Meanwhile, Denver resident Tim Pennington has photographed the house, which is still identified by the name of the pool hall that used to inhabit the location, B52.

Looking at the pictures, this new house, which was revealed last week looks remarkably familiar. In fact, it looks to me like the house in Austin. And the one in Chicago. And the second one in New York. And the house in Boston. They’re not identical, of course, but they’re all nondescript brick buildings, sort of like prisons for media whores.

Real World - Denver

Real World Denver house location revealed; it will include a baskeball court

The space that will house The Real World Denver’s seven strangers will have a hot tub, surprise surprise, and a basketball court. And we already know where it’s located.

The space is located at 1920 Market Street in Denver. That’s the former location of a place called B-52 Billiards.

Executive producer Jon Murray declined to verify the location to the Rocky Mountain News, saying, “Unlike the Today show, where people are staring in from windows, we want to film a story about seven strangers. If everybody knows where they are, it’s less likely to be real.” Oh, Jon, you’re funny. Less real. Hysterical!

At the location, “[c]onstruction on the 21,000-plus-square-foot building, which will include adding a full kitchen, basketball court, hot tub, bathrooms and bedrooms, is slated to be complete in May,” according to the Rocky Mountain News. Production on the season will begin after that, with the show being filmed this summer and fall.

Be All That You Can Kinda' Be

Young vets battle job front

Lack of civilian experience, marketability spurs 16% unemployment rate for ages 20-24

Pamela Moran, 25, a former member of an Army crew that worked on a Patriot missile battery, is frustrated that her military job skills aren't of much use in the civilian market. She is working part time and taking courses at a community college.

Crystal Foster joined the Army at 17 thinking she would learn what she needed to land a good job when she got out.

But when she was discharged in 2003, Foster found that her secretarial training from the Army wasn't enough to be all that she could be.

After more than two years of looking for work, Foster realized she needed more schooling - this time in how to market herself. "I came home from interviews crying half the time," said Foster, now 23.

Many young veterans find themselves struggling to find good jobs in an otherwise robust national economy that offers better prospects to nonveterans in the same age group.

Interesting

'Coachella, with Tool and ... Madonna?

San Francisco - Imagine if Elvis had decided to make a pit stop at Woodstock.

It's perhaps the best way to put into perspective the hotly anticipated performance by Madonna - perhaps one of the most famous faces on the planet - at this weekend's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., a three-day musical extravaganza best known for its lineup of indie-rock bands and dance-oriented DJs.

Outside of Madonna, the biggest acts on the bill are Depeche Mode and Tool - though successful, hardly on the superstar pop level of Madonna. Others include the punk-rockers Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Orthodox Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu and the electronica dance duo Daft Punk.

Certainly Madonna's appeal is universal, and organizers are pleased as punch to have her there. She brings with her, however, a magnetic megastar effect - some will want to see her simply out of curiosity.

The Madonna festival?

"Coachella this year is going to be known as the Madonna festival," said a joking Tom Smith, lead singer of Editors, an up-and-coming rock foursome hailing from England. "Good on her, I say."

Others are mystified she's there at all.'

'So noTORIous'

I am going to out myself. I like the show. It's pretty funny and has a lot of inside jokes and pop culture references. I was surprised to see them mention 'Daily Candy' on last night's episode involving Kiki and Tori's plastic surgery boyfriend.

Favorite quotes so far:

Tori: 'I wonder who would put the evil eye on me.'

Janey: 'Maybe it was Shannen. She probably knows all that witchcraft from 'Charmed'.'

Tori: 'Yah....that's where she learned it.' [rolls eyes]

---------

Tori: 'Good things are hard! Shut up you two.'

---------

Tori: 'Why don't you want my pink doughnut?'

---------

Sasan: 'I'm gay, Iranian, and Muslim. All my identities hate each other. It's a wonder my complexion is so perfect.'

---------

Sasan: 'I want to sleep with her......ish'

---------

[Tori's Prom Date]: 'This Donna Martin thing is not working for me. Neither of you put out!'

---------

Scott: 'I can'tkiss you in public. You're not relevant'

[later]

Tori : 'I'm Tori Spelling! I don't need to be relevant!]

---------

Kiki: 'Oh Toto, you know I don't wear starches. Give it to Nanny, she loves food.'

---------

Pete: 'Sas, can I borrow some mousse and a Wham CD?

Sasan: 'Where you going? 1985?'

Test

Blogger actin' funny

Spoilers - 'The Deep End'

Don't read if you don't want to know the ending!

Josh Lucas plays gay. Yay! But he is only in the movie for a short bit. We do get the honor of seeing a snippet of him nekkid, hooking up with the son of the main character [that scene must have been uncomfortable to shoot].

Interesting movie. The son, Beau [Jonathan Tucker] is involved with Darby Reese [Josh's character], but after they have a fight one night, Darby accidentally dies. The mom [played by Tilda Swinton] finds the body the next day, and comes to the assumption her son did it. So she tries to hide the body, as her son had already just been in a drunk driving accident a few days earlier, with Darby passed out in the seat.

The body gets found by the cops and the dude from 'ER' [Goran Visnjic] shows up and has a video for the mom. He has come to blackmail the mom as Darby owed he, and his partner, money. The video is of Darby and the son having sex. I don't really get why this would be something to be blackmailed by. Something about it being a small town and their reputation ruined.

Movie goes on concerning if she can come up with the money to pay the blackmailer. But eventually, Goran's character and the mom actually form a kind of bond. Eventually his partner comes to confront the mom directly, but Goran's character helps to stop him, and keep all of the deaths [Darby, and the thug partner], under wraps and gets the money back to the mom. The twist at the end is that Goran's dude, dies. But the good thing is the mom and son pretty much get away with two deaths.

I have a new respect for Josh in that he played gay. He rocks.