I have no idea what you can expect to find here, but if it ever turns out that my sanity is one of those things, would you be so kind as to gently lay it in a nice box, dim the lights, speak in a soft voice and return it to me? Ever so grateful!

• 25Apr 09

  Bea Arthur 1922 - 2009 RIP

  Sad news today for anyone who grew up on quality TV like "All in the Family" which gave birth to Maude and "Golden Girls" which gave birth to Dorothy Zbornak, Bea Arthur has passed.

  She won a Tony Award for the musical "Mame"

  In 2008, when Arthur was inducted in the TV Academy Hall of Fame

  Among her movie credits are: "That Kind of Woman" (1959), "Lovers and Other Strangers" (1970), Mel Brooks' "The History of the World: Part I" (1981), "For Better or Worse" (1995)

  She was a wonderful comedian with an impeccable talent and I will truly miss her. May she rest in peace.

  • Posted Apr 25, 2009 2:34 pm PT
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• 9Feb 09

  Up in Smoke

  As I write this, a huge building that is part of the iconic CCTV tower here in Beijing is going up a flames. Early reports lean heavily to fireworks being the cause and it isn't hard to believe.

  It is not quite 11pm and the sounds outside resemble what best can be described as a war zone.

  This is the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, called in English "The Lantern Festival" and it is also (until midnight) the last time fireworks can be discharged in the city legally.

  If this is anything like years gone by, the sounds, smoke and lights will end sometime after dawn.

  It is not the two legged main tower structure (thankfully) that has gone up, but rather (sadly enough) the hotel/recording studio building that is part of the complex.

  At its worst, flames shot several hundred feet into the air and were visible for miles.

  It is hard for anyone who has never lived over here and seen it first-hand to understand just how seriously the Chinese take their fireworks. They light them off with a celebratory recklessness that has always left me stupefied as to how more aren't seriously injured and more property damage isn't done.

  However this year has seen far more than its fair share of fire trucks racing off to a variety of locations within my general view. My new apartment is much more centrally located here in Beijing and it has left me feeling simultaneously happy to see the fireworks at their best (when they light up the night sky as if day and make the closing of Disneyland look like some high school production) and their worst (as people have been injured and even vehicles have gone up in flames).

  But now this.

  This will be hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. And it will no doubt see a return to the ban on fireworks within the city year-round. The ban had been tried in the past, but was lifted in 2006 under great public pressure.

  However, now this year with so much damage and so much loss, it will be no too hard to sell to the general public the need for some sort of restraint.

  For my part, I will miss the fireworks if the ban does come through. They are truly something to watch. Having said that, I do admit that this year left me more nervous than in years gone by as people seemed quite careless with their use of them.

  Tonight, driving back from dinner with the in-laws is a perfect example. I had to swerve out and pass a car in front of me, since I no longer wanted to be behind the idiot who had a passenger lighting fireworks and tossing them out the vehicle as he drove down the street.

  Not to mention the night a while back, when I was at a KTV bar with friends (Karaoke) and another bright bulb lit off fireworks in one of the closed rooms to celebrate his friend's birthday. Hearing recently of a nightclub fire (for the exact same reason - indoor use of fireworks) which resulted in tragic loss of life, I guess I will have to reluctantly admit that for some people at least, common sense is apparently neither.

  I have just gotten off the phone with CTV's National News Desk, the did an over the phone interview with me about what I could see and hear from here.

  I wish there was some way to attach sound to this and that way you could hear what I am hearing, but they told me the sounds of the explosions were very audible during the phone interview.

  Its too bad something with so much potential for fun has now turned into something so costly. I only hope when the news finally gets through all told, that no one lost their lives tonight. If there was anyone on the upper floors of that building, it will be hard to imagine how they got out. The building went up in flames with astonishing speed.

  Sad, truly sad.

  • Posted Feb 9, 2009 7:43 am PT
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• 7Feb 09

  My Name Spinoff - Idol Conspiracy

  Watching the latest episode of My Name Is Earl has left me feeling like maybe the show is about to spin-off Joy, Darnell and the kids into their own show.

  They have them situated in what appears to be the perfect place to do just that. And I have to say that at the moment, with the way the show has been going, I would probably be more interested to see what they could do with those characters in their new setting than I am with the current state of affairs.

  So Season 8 of American Idol is well under way, and I smell a conspiracy. What do you do when you hold auditions in Utah and an Osmond shows up? Well you do a little vignette with him, show that he has the trademark smile and usher him off to Hollywood of course.

  But wait, after the judges' role in calling the shots gets diminished and things are left to the voting American public to see who goes forward, then what? Surely an Osmond would have copious amounts of potential voters all locked up. From devoted Mormons who worship the family as the epitome of what good Mormon values are all about, to devoted fans who still remain enraptured with the brothers, as well as Donny and Marie.

  Don't get me wrong, the guy could sing (pretty much would have to considering the gene pool he swam out of) and he had a great heart-tugging story (his dad and him both battling MS), so it didn't make any sense that he got cut from Hollywood week (without much camera time at all).

  Until I thought about the whole legions of potential voters and the show turning into Osmond Idol. Then it all made sense. Use him for some good screen time and then cut him loose. After all, the guy's an Osmond, he'll have plenty of chances to pursue a singing career without any help from Simon, Paula, Randy and Kara, right?

  But if so, why bother including him at all?

  Oh right, initial ratings and all.

  So why cut him (he had as much talent and looks as many of the others who remain)?

  Oh right, he might actually have more power than we (American Idol Producers) could hope to control.

  Besides, imagine the backlash of Simon cutting down an Osmond on national TV.

  The whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth and while I am not a major Osmond fanatic (of any sort), I do feel like the guy got played.

  Just my humble opinion.

  But then isn't that what blogs are for?

  Go back to your Cheerios now, there is nothing left to see

  Oh and by the way, my life is slowing down a bit now and I still have not resigned myself to this blinding white background......

  ......just sayin'

  • Posted Feb 7, 2009 6:02 am PT
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