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Monday, February 28, 2005

It's a bird, It's a plane, It's short and pudgy Batman?!

The group Fathers 4 Justice protesting in London......I'm sure they have a cause they believe in, but come on, this is the kind of thing that gives superhero comics a bad name. Besides, since when was Robin taller than Batman?! And what in the world is Batman doing on the same ledge as Captain America? Batman is DC, Captain America is Marvel. If you're going to go to the effort of dressing up like comic book heroes and standing out on a ledge in February in London England, the least you can do is get your continuity right...

Friday, February 25, 2005

Exercise helps fight depression...Hardly a surprise

Sympatico / MSN Health & Fitness : Fitness : Articles : Exercise: Nature's Prozac?

Getting exercise helps alleviate depression, a study has found. What a shock. Ironically, Chuck Norris has known this for years. I think it was in his book "The Secret Power Within", he had mentioned how exercising can really help when you're feeling bogged down or have a lot on your mind. Doing something physically demanding can help clear a mentally taxing situation. You wind up feeling better and regain focus. I wonder if it has anything to do with getting blood and oxygen to the brain...

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Go Ahead, Make My Day

CANOE -- JAM! Video: Eastwood to make gamers' day

So, Clint is going to lend his likeness and voice to a video came based on the Dirty Harry character. This should be worth checking out. However, it'll be a while, as it isn't going to be out till 2007...

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Dog Years or TV Years?

Has it been that long? I'm feeling old ;-) .......

I've watched Seinfeld, Friends, Home Improvement, Fraser, Walker Texas Ranger, and Due South come and go. This March will signal the end of Everybody Loves Raymond (tho that show was running out of gas a while ago). Then today I read that Full House (the backbone of ABC's old TGIF Friday lineup) season 1 is now out on DVD and NYPD Blue is ending its run after 12 years on March 1. I remember years ago watching 'Boy Meets World' during the TGIF lineup while reading the TV guide write up about the new NYPD Blue and how it was breaking all the rules of TV. Reading the MSN article about NYPD Blue and creator Steven Bochco's fight to get it on the air with the Adult oriented story lines, it was interesting he noted that a new series he is working on is facing the same challenges he had to fight 12 years ago. Whatever shift had happened has been quickly "pendulum-swung" the other way as nervous networks fear the wrath of the FCC. I guess the more things change, the more they remain the same...

Seriously tho - do we really need a DVD set of Full House?! It seems that if it was on TV in any form, it will be coming to a DVD near you as the company bean counters try to wring every last cent from the paying public on this medium before switching to something new and doing it all again....
later

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Recap 24-9 (Spoilers Ahead - maybe. It is two weeks old)

Well, I may be late, but I'm always on time...I tell you, this is the way to watch 24 - skip the commercials and watch a hi quality digital file on my computer :) Anyway, on with the show...

We pick it up with Driscoll and Curtis doing some posturing over the Marianne fiasco. Eventually they agree to cover up the ineptitude of the Marianne screening. Basically, they put it all on Marianne and try to cover their butts. ("We'll just leave out some of the details"...riiight)

Jack and Tony are still hanging out at the heli-pad with the dead guy, Powell. Jack's on the phone to CTU - their only lead now is the last 10 numbers the guy had called from the cell phone. (Gotta love all that archived info, right Paris Hilton?) One number of course leads to the now comatose Marianne, but they get another number that CTU starts tracking. Jack's left waiting.

Over to Navi - he's looking for his wife at her friend's place. He storms the place (which looks suspiciously like a modified set of Tony's house) and finds the woman was having an affair. The boy toy tries to get tough with Navi (BIG mistake) and winds up looking at the wrong end of a gun. Navi lets him live, but tells the woman she disgusts him as she begs him not to tell her husband. (Well, there's a few minutes of my life I'll never get back).
Meanwhile, we see "Shovel Boy" Behrooz and Mommy Dearest in a hotel room. His cell phone rings, but she tells him not to answer. We flash to Edgar tracing the number to a hotel room 10 minutes away from Jack. Jack and Tony head that way, but not before Tony tries to bug out. Jack persuades Tony that he needs his help before the nuclear reactors go boom.

We flash to the fugitives in the hotel. She tells Behrooz she's fine (Um, No, no you're not. That red stuff is supposed to be kept inside) Behrooz winds up going to a hospital where Mommy Dearest's brother works in the hopes to get some painkillers.

Back to CTU and there has been a meltdown at one of the plants. Radiation is in the air, people are trying to be evacuated, and its not looking good.

Edgar gets to his desk and calls his Mother. She's stuck at home and in the path of the oncoming radiation fallout. He tries to make some calls to get someone to get her out. She's ill, and mobility is a negative.
Heller gets Audrey to start working with the police and the National Guard to co-ordinate the Evac. Heller again states the obvious that Jack just has to find the override before the rest of the reactors have a bad day.

Jack and Tony get to the hotel and after some resistance from the SWAT leader for Tony being there, they head in. (Jack told him that he's going through the door first and he needs Tony behind him) They head to the room. Before they go through the door, Jack asks Tony: You In? Tony nods and in they go. Mommy Dearest is alone in the room, hears them coming and grabs a gun to off herself. Jack, going through the door first, sees it and makes a suicide dive across the bed to knock the gun out of her hand. The shot goes wild and the SWAT leader jumps on her trying to pound out some info. Tony is checking the other room, sees the SWAT guy going apeshit, and pulls him off before she goes into shock. Jack takes the leader out of the room and calms him down. He needs her to talk fast and the SWAT guy asks him how he's going to do it. Jack gets on the phone saying "We need to find some leverage." (Ray: "Why am I always the fulcrum?!" - Just something for those Due South fans ;-)

Behrooz meanwhile made it to the hospital and makes up a story about his Mother having back pain and not being able to reach her doc. The brother doc says he'll see what he can do to get some painkillers. Behrooz is looking pretty jumpy. The doc, sensing something amiss, calls Navi (Whoops!) to double check the story. Navi says Behrooz is on drugs and to keep him there till he gets there. (Has Behrooz's fast thinking lucky streak run out? Say it isn't so!)

Back to Edgar - he asks Audrey for help to get his Mother out. She says she'll try.

At the hotel, Jack gets the Mommy's prints back and gets an ID on her and her family. Then they get a break in the form of "Homeland Security has been archiving select phone traffic" since the threat began. They hear the earlier phone call between Behrooz and Mommy and are now in the loop. (Really freaky tho how they just recorded phone calls wherever they liked. Hello Big Brother) Jack goes back in to question Mommy. She basically tells him she believes in her cause and won't budge. He brings up her son and that she already broke her will for her cause to save his life. (A really good exchange here between these two - strong wills believing in their own causes. Her to start a war, and him to stop it.) Jack makes a deal with her to get a full pardon from the Pres for Behrooz in exchange for info that gets them the override in time. She wants to see the document, and then she'll help. Jack convinces a VERY reluctant Pres to issue the letter. However, the Pres tells his aide to make sure it is "non binding". (Legalese for snow job, I guess)

Even tho Audrey tries, they won't get Edgar's Mom out as they are putting all resources to getting the most people out. Edgar points out the obvious that if she were rich or a politician, they'd find a way. Edgar phones his Mom, and in a sad exchange, she tells him she is going to end things on her terms instead of dying from radiation poisoning. She tells him she loves him, and hangs up the phone. Edgar tries to leave CTU to go get his Mom, but Driscoll stops him. She'll arrest him before she'll let him leave. She convinces him that they need his help to get the other reactors under control before they go off. She asks him what his Mother would want him to do - help others or make what would be a futile attempt to get to his Mother. He decides to help others and returns to his desk. The 'greater good' is hard to swallow for Edgar.

Back at the hotel, Mommy calls Behrooz and tells him that Jack and team are coming to pick him up. She tells him about the pardon and that she will be there with Jack to prove it is ok. Jack tells him to go to Emerg to stay in a crowd.

Behrooz tells the brother Doc that he has to leave, but the doc stops him, thinking the kid has a drug problem. He tells Behrooz that Navi is on his way. As Behrooz rants about the nuclear threat and that Navi is involved, the doc thinks he's strung out. Behrooz makes a break for it, running through the hospital, rounding a corner and there is Navi. (Aw, crap.) Navi shoots the doc chasing Behrooz and hauls Behrooz into a stairwell. He is about to shoot his son when quick thinking Behrooz tells him that Mommy is with CTU and will tell them everything if he is killed. He tells Navi to look outside if he doubts him.

Jack and team roll up and see security guys running everywhere and know something has gone wrong. Jack heads inside, finding out that Navi has Behrooz and is headed for the parking garage. Jack runs for the stairs while Tony (with Mrs. Araz in the SUV) heads for the parking garage. Navi forces Behrooz into a car and they are mobile. Tony and team block the exits. Jack races down the stairs and into the garage as Navi drives around the corner and heads for Jack. Jack spots Navi and fires four shots at the car before bouncing off the hood, cracking the windsheild further, landing on the cement, and coming up shooting. Jack puts another five rounds in the car and takes out the rear tire as they crash. Jack's a little unsteady getting up, but shakes it off and draws down on Navi, who now has Behrooz in front as a shield. Jack wants him alive, and tries to talk him into letting Behrooz go. Navi won't have it, and takes Behrooz through another door that leads to the basement as Tony pulls up in the SUV. Behrooz spots Mommy in the car as he is pulled through the door. Jack backs off to organize the troops, knowing Navi is trapped in the basement now. Tony says they should try to negotiate. Mommy states the obvious that Navi won't negotiate and that in two hours the nuclear plants will go boom. With CTU on the phone, Jack listens to Mrs Araz as she tells him that the she still believes in her cause and that the only reason she is helping them is to save her son's life, and if they can't do that, she would be happy to see the reactors meltdown. Jack has a sober look on his face as he says into the phone "Did you get that?" and the hour ends.

Very cool ep, as we see that this war is going to have casualties. Some good acting in the dramatic scenes and tense plot points keep the best show on TV rolling on.

Friday, February 18, 2005

Smoking Kills.....with Laughter!

Yahoo! News - Man Tries to Toss Cigarette, SUV Ignites
Fri Feb 18, 8:04 AM ET Strange News - AP
SAN FRANCISCO - A man barely escaped serious injury Thursday after a lit cigarette he tried to toss out the window while driving across the Bay Bridge blew back in and ignited the vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The unidentified man was driving westbound at about 10:40 a.m. when he tossed the cigarette out the window of his Ford Expedition, said CHP Officer Shawn Chase.
Carried by the wind, the cigarette landed in his back seat and almost immediately burst into flames. The man quickly pulled to the side of the road, and leapt from the flame-filled SUV, which continued rolling into a guard rail, Chase said.
"He thought he had thrown it in park, but he didn't and it just kept going," the officer said. "It was in flames by the time he got out. He had some of his hair singed on the back of his head. It burnt down to the frame. There was nothing left."
The incident forced the closure of the Harrison Street off-ramp and one lane of traffic flowing into the city for about an hour.
He said the man will likely face a misdemeanor charge for littering.
"We see people throwing cigarettes out the window all the time but never a situation like this where it comes back in," Chase said. "This guy was lucky."

......Oh, this was funny. The irony of the thing is that he will be charged for littering when in fact his "litter" never hit the public street - it came right back in his window. I guess its the thought that counts....Or maybe, the litter turned out to be his burned out SUV on the bridge...think insurance will cover it? Me neither...(What do you mean, I don't have "Careless Cigarette Tossing" coverage?!)

This isn't good...

...but I guess it was inevitable. Cell phones are like mini computers now-a-days, so having to get anti virus software for your phone shouldn't come as a surprise. This one appears spread by Bluetooth. Oh well, just one more reason to try to stay "disconnected" from the rest of the world...

Yahoo! News - Mobile Phone Virus Found in United States

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Can't Wait for April 1st

SIN CITY

This movie is going to be COOOOOOLLL. The Sin City graphic novel was great, can't wait to see it on the big screen...only 43 more days ;)

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Stream of Consciousness

Snow falling...big flakes...straight down...quiet night...glow of the city...stray thoughts...low hum...old memories...older questions...still no answers...tired...

I think something's broken,
Cause I just been layin' 'round hopin'
That maybe any moment, I'll get on track...

I think something's broken,
All locked up and frozen
Cause I can't go forward,
And I sure can't go back...
(Something's Broken/Tim McGraw)

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Tape delay...

Lucky I planned ahead and programmed my computer to record the latest ep of 24 last night. Worked 11 hours and wasn't home to see it. Still haven't seen it. So, for this blogs regular...um...reader, the regularly scheduled recap will be delayed until I've had a chance to view the recorded bits on my hard drive...

On the plus side, I did manage to make it home in time to watch the Daily Show. They ripped into that mind-blowing, staggeringly asinine, joke of an 'art' project called "The Gates" that currently adorns a bike path in Central Park in orange sheets and wood. Not only does it look ridiculous, the real kick in the gut is that it cost 21 million dollars. Yes, that's right. A cool 21 Mil. As he cracked on the show, Jon Stewart said something along the lines of "couldn't that have been used for something like, oh I don't know, a hospital wing?!" The best crack was the tagline under a picture of the 'art' - 'Piles of Sheet'.......Yep, careful fellow squirrels, it's nuts out there...

Elsewhere, saw on a sports highlight reel a guy that surprised his girl with a marriage proposal during halftime at centre court at a recent basketball game. Oh yeah, she was surprised, but the dude and crowd got the bigger surprise when she turned and ran off the court. I think 'She Said No!' was flashed on the scoreboard. Talk about falling flat on your face. Poor dude, probably enough to keep him single the rest of his life...ha, well, only if he's smart. Reminds me of that Seinfeld line - "that's a pretty big Matzah ball hanging out there." Dude, if you don't know her well enough to predict something like that, you probably just got really lucky. Still, its gotta hurt to be in front of a crowd like that and take the equivalent of a hard kick to the matzah balls...
later

A Reverse Offeratory? Not Quite...

Yahoo! News - Okla. Pastor Hands $14,000 to Congregation

GROVE, Okla. - A pastor handed out $14,000 to congregation members to invest for seven weeks, after which they are to bring the money and profits back to the church to be used in missionary work.
"The idea has always been in the back of my mind," said Pastor Steve Dyer of the Newsong Church.
Loud gasps were heard throughout the 125-member, interdenominational church as the envelopes containing $100 and $50 bills were ripped opened after the Sunday sermon. Some members thought the bills were counterfeit. Others shook their heads in bewilderment.
Dyer had placed crisp $100 bills in red envelopes for adults and $50 bills in green envelopes for school-age children. "That is going to be a lot of fun," Dyer said. "A lot of people already have ideas."
Teacia Williams, 14, said she is going to use her $50 to purchase newspaper ads advertising her availability to baby-sit. "I plan on doubling the money," she said.
Dyer said the church isn't keeping track of who has the money, but did give one stipulation: it was not to be used to buy lottery tickets or to gamble.
When asked what the church will do if someone steals the money, Dyer replied, "That's between them and God."
Dyer preached Sunday about the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-28.
The parable is about a landowner who leaves for a trip, but before leaving gives five talents to one servant, two talents to another servant and one talent to the last servant. When he returns from his trip, the landowner finds that the servants with five and two talents have doubled their talents, but the servant with one portion hid his talent in the ground.
"A talent was worth approximately wages for 15 years," Dyer said. "So this wasn't a small assignment."
Scripture shows the servant with the one talent was afraid, he said.
"Fear paralyzed him from using his God-given creativeness," Dyer said. "I wanted to challenge our church to not be afraid."

Monday, February 14, 2005

So, What do we do?

Well, last night was in a funk again and decided to watch the movie Garden State. Good pick. Quirky comedy/drama with some laugh out loud moments at my kind of cynical, depressionistic speed ;-) Tells the story of Andrew, who goes home to Jersey from LA after 9 years to go to his mothers funeral. He makes a decision before leaving to stop taking the meds prescribed to him by his psychiatrist (and father). From there, he starts to try to shake the numbness he's felt for years. He happens to run into a girl (there's always a girl), Sam, who is dealing with issues herself. When they meet, the two are polar opposites, but it works. In four days back in the Garden State, he finds his whole life changing, maybe even for the better. He also starts to come to grips with the things in his past that seem to have determined his life's path. Interesting to watch the character go from complete numbness to his world around him to making changes and taking control of it choice by choice. The ending was cool too.

Some genuinely funny moments too. The water taps in the airport washroom, the seeing eye dog in the doctors waiting room, the wall of certificates in the doctors office and the one...um...further up, shall we say. (That was funny.) The 'new shirt' bit was hilarious. Especially the deadpan look on his face. There are plenty more funny moments too and some great dialogue including some good one liners.

Probably not for everybody, but recommended movie if you're looking for something different. Good luck with the infinite abyss...
later

Saturday, February 12, 2005

Hmm, Interesting

Interesting read...I don't think its right for the person to lose their job if they never named the company or people being discussed. Showing pics or private company data would be a different thing. But losing your job because you bad-mouthed it on a blog is pretty ridiculous. If everyone got fired for bad mouthing their jobs verbally, no one would be employed. What's the difference then with blogging it? It amounts to the same thing...

I like what the one person said - "the rage had to go somewhere." I'd much rather someone blog about their job frustrations than go postal over it.

Yahoo! News - Free Expression Can Be Costly When Bloggers Bad-Mouth Jobs

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Um, it's 'Die Even More Harder'

Wacky news just doesn't stop today...though this one I might be looking forward to...

CANOE -- JAM! Movies: Willis plans fall 'Die Hard 4.0' shoot
By JAM! Movies
Bruce Willis is getting ready to reprise his role as John McClane in the fourth installment of his popular 'Die Hard' series, according to the BBC.
''Die Hard 4.0' is being written as we speak, and if all goes well we'll be shooting it in Autumn on the east coast of the United States,' he said.
IMDB.com reports that his time around, McClane uncovers a terrorist plot while vacationing with his daughter.
Willis will be seen next in 'Sin City,' which opens April 1st."

You can't make stuff like this up...

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Female track athlete was a man
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - A prize-winning track athlete who competed in women's events was actually a man, a court in Zimbabwe has been told.
Samukaliso Sithole, who competed in domestic and regional competitions, faced charges of crimen injuria, or psychological offence, in the second city of Bulawayo, the state-run Herald newspaper reported Wednesday.
Prosecutors alleged Sithole offended the dignity and sexuality of a woman who befriended him, confided in him and felt comfortable being naked around him, all the while believing him to a woman, the newspaper said.
Sithole was identified as a man to the complainant by an acquaintance, as he and a group of women were preparing to travel by train to a track meet in Bulawayo, the court heard Tuesday.
Sithole tried to sprint away from the train station but was caught. Police then supervised a medical examination.
Sithole told the court he was born congenitally deformed. A tribal healer, known in the West as a witchdoctor, gave him 'female status' but the spell didn't work properly because his family didn't pay the healer's full fee, Sithole said.
He will reappear in court March 3 and faces a fine if convicted.
The Herald said the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe was investigating the case and Sithole would likely be stripped of his titles and prize money.
The Sithole competed in women's triple jump, javelin, shot put and running events, and brought home Zimbabwe's only gold medal from the Southern Region Athletics Championships in neighbouring Botswana last June. "


...Oh, this was funny. I mean, I feel sorry for the guy being born that way, but the article itself was funny. Can't believe the dude's last name (if one letter was in just a different spot...I wonder if the writer actually meant to start that last sentence with 'The'?) Not only that, but he tried to run away from the police and failed. Dude, you're a sprinter. That won't look good on the resume...
I guess the lesson here is that if you find yourself running after a woman and just can't seem to catch up, check the jock strap...later

'24' Storylines Getting Complaints

"Hello, political correctness, I was wondering when you'd show up. I guess you're stretched pretty thin these days, as everything under the sun needs to be complained about. No, no, I understand you're busy, I wasn't ridiculing thinness, fatness, the sun, or chronic complainers. Please don't start a campaign. In fact, I was going to suggest you maybe take a breather, and -- No, no, that wasn't sarcasm. Ok, ok, just tell me what needs to be censored and how much it's going to cost me to make you go away. By the way, where are you whenever Paris Hilton darkens the phosphous tubes of my television? Why can't I get rid of that?"

I really hope the fears of '24' being watered down aren't real...

CANOE -- JAM! Television: Islamic group wants '24' disclaimer

Good news...

Well, this is good news. Why would I buy a DVD that self destructs? Come on people, really...

Wired News: Disposable DVDs at Crossroads

Royal Pain

I'm guessing that somewhere on this planet there is someone still interested in the goings on of the Royal family. It looks like Charles and Camilla are tying the knot. Then they're going to honeymoon in Scotland. Geez, don't break the bank going on a long trip or anything...

The funny part is that this even got onto Yahoo news headlines. Twice. Who cares? Is there anything more irrelevant? Why am I even wasting good blog space on this? 'Cause I like irony, that's why...
later

Joy Ride

Boy Takes Underage Driving to New Extreme
Wed Feb 9, 9:50 AM ET Oddly Enough - Reuters

DETROIT (Reuters) - A 4-year-old Michigan boy took underage driving to new extremes by slipping behind the wheel of his mother's car for an overnight visit to the local video store.

Nile Hayden, mayor of the small town of Sand Lake in the southwest corner of the state, said the boy's joy ride, which ended with more than one fender bender, occurred about 1:30 a.m. last Friday.

He drove about a quarter mile from his home to the video store without incident, Hayden told Reuters.

The store was closed. On the boy's return home, he hit two parked vehicles before backing up into a police cruiser, Hayden said.

"Once the officers got him out of the car and sat him on the hood of our car, he started crying and saying: 'I want to go into the house. I want to go back to bed,'" Hayden said.
Hayden said the boy was unaware of the seriousness of what he had done. "How many 4-year-olds get up and wander around the house or go out (at night)?" he added, saying no charges were being filed in the case.

"What he was doing was jump down, hit the accelerator, and get back up so he could see where he was going," Hayden said, explaining how someone who was too short to reach the floor pedals was able to drive a car.

"It looked like a drunk passing in and out."

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Objection!.......Sustained!

This is rather weird...don't really want to be hearing any whooshing sounds in court...

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Judge kicked for masturbating

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Recap 24-8 (Spoilers Ahead!)

So, where are we? Well, Driscall and company give the good news to the Pres - 6 nuclear plants are out of their control and they've got one lead. The pres states the obvious and tells them to go after the lead and to start evacuating those cities. (Run! Run!)

Jack calls Heller and fills him in that they're alright and that CTU has sprung a leak. Heller keeps it to himself and starts looking for the Mole. Jack and Tony exchange some words to the effect that Tony's not a big fan, and basically just wants Jack to finish what he needs to do and get going. They head for Tony's house after Jack tells him he needs a WiFi and a hardline. (A WiFi?!? No wonder CTU has leaks)

Back to the Araz family (who put the 'fun' back in dysfunctional) and Navi is on a mission to kill his wife and son. Flash to them and it doesn't look good. Bleeding Mommy and 'Shovel Boy' Behrooz decide to risk it and head for the hospital.

At CTU, Evil Marianne goes to the ladies room, checks all the stalls and phones the bad guy who is the only lead that everyone is looking for. She tells him Bauer hasn't checked in and that she is worried about herself and he tells her she'll be taken care of. She then gets interupted by Sara in a 'mood'. (Send those reports!)

Heller and company spin some false info about Jack and put a tap on all outgoing communications to find the mole. Whoever sends out his 'whereabouts' is the mole. (Nothing can go wrong with this plan)

Jack, Audrey, and Tony get to Tony's house. As Jack does a walkthrough, Tony's girlfriend unexpectedly comes out of one of the rooms. Jack draws down on her in a lightning quick display of reflexes in close quarters, but once introductions are made, he holsters his gun. This girl Jen is a piece of work. She's a little slow on the uptake and quite the [cough, cough, ryhmes with 'itch']. Considering someone just pointed a gun at her, she's not trying to help the situation. Tony says sorry to Jack, who comes back with a great line "No, she seems's real sweet." Audrey manages to smoothes things over and they go to work on the vid files looking to make an ID. We also learn that Tony's life has gone into the crapper since we've last seen him.

Evil Marianne gets the false info at CTU, records it to a voice file, and sends it out. Little while later, Heller and company track it and Heller goes to Driscoll to inform her she's got a mole and they know who it is. Oh, she's not happy about being out of the loop. (Oh well, get over it.) Cue the tense music and the four guys walking towards Marianne. Of course, they walk right by her and arrest Sara. Oops. (How's that running total going of 24's telegraphed 'plot devices'? On the tense walkup, only the DoD guy was looking at Marianne, the 3 'extra' security guys were looking past.) Edgar the computer geek doesn't believe for a second that Sara is the mole, and starts looking at the communication left on the server, supposedly from Sara's computer. Evil Marianne points out "but it was encrypted". Edgar fires back that its an old algorithim and says in a great line "I mean, its so old school it's like saying 'Please decode me.'" Evil Marianne says Sara wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer (Pot. Kettle. Black.) and walks off. Edgar isn't buying it, and he starts his hunt for the truth.

Sara can't convince Driscoll that she's innocent, and Driscoll brings in the torture-to-truth guy and gives him the go ahead. Out comes the tazer and drugs, and Sara is about to have a bad day. (Reminds me of Riggs line in the first Lethal Weapon during the water torture scene - "Well, I guess we're in for a long night, cause I don't know shit!") Driscoll meanwhile is batting 0 for 2 on the whole "Torture-to-truth" thing today. Whoops.

So Jack is told the mole has been found, and he starts sending the ID'd vid data to CTU and the Secret Service to pick up Audrey. Jack and Tony have a little heart to heart that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Oh well, enough touchy feely. They get a name and location of the bad guy Audrey ID'd (Dude named Powell). SS picks up Audrey and Jack's about to head after the bad guy alone because Powell's about to take off in a chopper and backup will take too long. Tony offers to help (he says "Jack, it'd be pretty stupid of me to let you die right after I risked my neck to save you.") So the rule breakin' bad boys of CTU ride off in hot pursuit again.

Meanwhile, Behrooz and Mommy Dearest are at the hospital where the good Doc doesn't buy their story and reports a gunshot wound. Quick thinking Behrooz keeps his eys open and sees the cops coming. He grabs some medical supplies and hauls Mommy out of there, taking off in the car just as the police come back out. However, it looks like the police have seen the car. That won't be good for anybody...

Back to Edgar, his pursuit of the comm file continues as he tricks Evil Marianne (who I don't think he's liked from the get-go) into inputing her password which he captures. He then hacks in further and finds the real comm file she sent. (Alright! Edgar finds the mole!) Evil Marianne sees him looking over at her and calls him on it. She threatens to spill the dirt she has on him (he helped Chloe earlier help Jack against orders) and in a brilliant move he walks over to the comms cheif guy Curtis and asks him to walk with him to Driscolls office (while Marianne watches and feels the screws starting to tighten) Edgar explains to Driscoll they've got the wrong person and how Evil Marianne setup Sara. Curtis immediately heads to find Marianne and sees her running from the building. He orders lockdown and foot chase is on. She doesn't stand a chance of outrunning him, especially when she does the worst getaway move I've ever seen and tries to get her car keys out of her purse and into the lock while running up to the car. Oops. Busted! (Shoulda had the keys in her hand before starting to run. Ever try to find anything in a woman's purse?) Curis makes the bust, hands her keys to a guard, and starts to haul her off. Expendable extra #23 puts the keys in the car door and the car explodes. (I guess the bad buy Powell wasn't kidding when he said she'd be 'looked after') In a patented 24 'Aw crap' plot twist, Marianne bangs her head into another car and is out like a light. No info coming from her at the moment. Curtis just looks around in disgust.

We're almost at the end, so Powell makes it onto the chopper as Jack and Tony come driving up behind. Tony goes wide drawing their attention as Jack goes up to Powells door while the pilot is starting the engine. Jack makes the arrest of Powell and takes him back to their SUV.
We then see flashes of all the important players and where they're at including a very groggy Sara being released. Then back to Jack and Tony. In another good line, Powell offers to pay them off and asks who Tony's working for (Powell - "FBI, CIA?" Tony - "Actually, I'm currently unemployed") Tony starts to put him in the truck when Powell is shot through the chest from an unseen sniper. He goes down like a sack of potatoes and Jack yells "Damn It!" as we end the hour.


Don't know what they're going to do next time as they're only lead has just been killed and Evil Marianne is in LA-LA land. Powell was carring a bag, so that may be the only lead unless Behrooz is brought in...till next week...later

Monday, February 07, 2005

Monday wrapup...

So, what's new? The Pats win the Super Bowl...pretty good game I suppose...seen worse...but then, I'm not much of a football fan. Plus, the fact that Global blocks all the good US commercials, so what's the point of watching? Especially this year, with the whole "Sanitized -viewing-for-your-protection" thing going on. The FCC sure has the networks scared out of their minds...(it's a slippery slope, people - goodbye freedom, hello censorship)

At least the Simpsons cut loose on everything under the sun. Everybody was a target - a classic ep. Loved the "Mario Brothers" nintendo game rip at the beginning...

Not much else to report...apple juice is making kids fat, a fireman in Sydney Australia went to get a pizza with the stations only truck and missed a call, and Miami Vice is coming to DVD tomorrow. Yep, its a wacky world...
later

Saturday, February 05, 2005

If this isn't just the Stupidest thing I've ever heard...

Colorado Teens Fined for Giving Cookies to Neighbor
Fri Feb 4,10:49 PM ET Oddly Enough - Reuters

DURANGO, Colo. (Reuters) - A Colorado judge ordered two teen-age girls to pay about $900 for the distress a neighbor said they caused by giving her home-made cookies adorned with paper hearts.
The pair were ordered to pay $871.70 plus $39 in court costs after neighbor Wanita Renea Young, 49, filed a lawsuit complaining that the unsolicited cookies, left at her house after the girls knocked on her door, had triggered an anxiety attack that sent her to the hospital the next day.
Taylor Ostergaard, then 17, and Lindsey Jo Zellitte, 18, paid the judgment on Thursday after a small claims court ruling by La Plata County Court Judge Doug Walker, a court clerk said on Friday.
The girls baked cookies as a surprise for several of their rural Colorado neighbors on July 31 and dropped off small batches on their porches, accompanied by red or pink paper hearts and the message: "Have a great night."
The Denver Post newspaper reported on Friday that the girls had decided to stay home and bake the cookies rather than go to a dance where there might be cursing and drinking.
It reported that six neighbors wrote letters entered as evidence in the case thanking the girls for the cookies.
But Young said she was frightened because the two had knocked on her door at about 10:30 p.m. and run off after leaving the cookies.
She went to a hospital emergency room the next day, fearing that she had suffered a heart attack, court records said.
The judge awarded Young her medical costs, but did not award punitive damages. He said he did not think the girls had acted maliciously but that 10:30 was fairly late at night for them to be out.


..............So, I guess the lesson here is that you should never do anything for anyone. Not to mention knocking on doors can seriously affect your bank account. Give me a break! The kicker here - from what I heard on the news - is that the families offered to pay for her medical bills, but she said no and sued them instead! At least the judge didn't award any punitive damages, but he should have thrown the whole thing out of court as far as I'm concerned. I mean, if someone knocking on your door is going to give you a heartattack, maybe you should consider switching to decaf...

Friday, February 04, 2005

Thanks for nothing....

So, Bush's plans for the new budget include upping defense amounts and cutting farm funds. What the hell? So Bush winds up winning the election thanks in large part to the Red states, which as anyone who has seen the red/blue mapping realizes, is the heartland. In other words, a lot of the farmers. I'm not exactly sure who voted for who, or if the farmers were in support of Bush, but from a casual look at things, it appears the majority were. The thanks they get for getting this guy back in office is over half a billion dollars in cuts to their funds next year and $5.7 Billion (yes, with a B) over the next ten. Thanks a lot. Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, drop a bomb on him and he'll eat and cost you no more...

Yahoo! News - Bush Plan Would Up Defense, Cut Farm Funds

Thursday, February 03, 2005

...And you think you have problems...

MILFORD, Neb. (AP) - Urban dwellers who enjoy dining on filet mignon at five-star restaurants would probably just as soon not know about David Dickinson's problem But Dickinson, who makes his living in the cattle business, has an environmental problem on his hands that is vexing state officials: a 2,000-ton pile of burning cow manure. Dickinson owns and manages Midwest Feeding Co., about 20 miles west of Lincoln. It takes in as many as 12,000 cows at a time from farmers and ranchers and fattens them for market. However, the bovine byproducts from the massive operation resulted in a dung pile 100 feet long, 30 feet high and 50 feet wide that spontaneously combusted about two months ago and continues to smolder, despite attempts to douse it. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has informed Dickinson that his smoldering pile violates clean-air laws and is working with him to find the best solution to extinguish it, said agency spokesman Rich Webster. Simply dumping water on the heap is not the answer. "There would be concerns about runoff to any nearby water source," Webster said. Dickinson first tried using heavy equipment to spread out the smoldering pile. "But the problem was, it started in another spot," he said. No one is sure how the fire started, but the culprit is probably heat from decomposing manure inside the pile. Wilma Roth, who manages a restaurant along Interstate 80 about a mile north of the feedlot, said her customers have complained about the smoke, which wafts for miles. "I'd just as soon forget about it," she said. Dickinson said the smoke is not particularly malodorous - although that comes from a man who works full time around manure. "I guess it's just all perspective," he said.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

How Stupid would you have to be?

Yahoo! News - Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Beer

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Review 24-7 (Spoilers Ahead!)

So, where are we? Well, back at CTU, Jack wants to go to the Security company himself to get the tapes that may show the guy Audrey recognized at the compound. With the threat of nuclear power plants melting down within three hours, Audrey convinces Jack to take her with him to save time. Heller isn't happy, and tells Jack he'll be held responsible if anything goes wrong. (This is 24, and a line like that is pure telegraphing). So off they go, but not before an exchange with the 'husband'. (Hmmm, can you say Awkward?) Marianne finds out where the happy couple is off to, and of course reports it to the bad guys. (Man, CTU has more leaks than the Titanic.) The bad guys, as we find out, are headed by...the Mummy?!? (I guess getting your ass handed to you by Brendan Fraser, the Rock, and Agent Cody Banks isn't enough)

Elsewhere, Behrooz "Shovel Boy" Araz makes a tactical error and phones his Mommy. (Whoops). Mommy Dearest is freaked that the Father ordered the hit on their son, but seems to be going along with the 'master plan'. It is agreed the Mom will pick up Behrooz...while Navi (Father) follows and finishes the job. (Can you feel the love?)

Back at CTU, Edgar - the computer nerd with a lisp - thinks he has found a way to get around the whole "override will cause meltdown, yadda, yadda, yadda" thing with some piece of a program he has obtained. He's not exactly thrilled presenting this to Heller as a mistake could really blow things up (literally). As Heller says, "You're not exactly filling me with confidence, Edgar." (No kidding, Secretary. At this point, the nations survival rests on this guy.) However, Edgar finally shows some backbone and comes up with "If I say I can do it, I can do it." and so off he goes to try...

Back to Behrooz...Mom picks him up, then sees a train and tells him to get on it, effectively betraying Navi and the 'master plan'. Behrooz doesn't know what the hell is going on and gets out, standing there confused. Navi sees his plan going down the drain and decides to resolve the situation by shooting his wife. (Well, it is cheaper than a divorce) The windshield takes a hit, Mom takes a round, Behrooz "Think on my Feet" Araz jumps back into the car and guns it - driving from the passenger seat. He roars into traffic and gets lucky as the following Navi and company get blocked. Behrooz escapes from certain death again - Go Behrooz! (After the shovel incident, I'm rooting for this kid)

Back at CTU, Evil Marianne tells Jack to send the info he gets at the security place to her instead of Edgar cause he's too busy or something (yeah right). Jack is suspicious, but agrees with her to get off the phone. He and Audrey go check out the videos.

Edgar thinks he's got the code cracked, and Driscoll makes him run it even though he wants to at least check the headers one more time (Oh come on, check the headers man! Check the Headers!!!) But no - Driscoll says run it. (Nothing can go wrong with this plan) It looks good at first as one by one power plants are removed from the control of the override. Everyone starts cheering when - surprise! - six are left uncontrolled. (Oh no - who could have seen that coming?) Heller states the obvious that is up to Jack now to find the link to the bad guys or they are dead!

Back to Jack and Audrey...Audrey spots the guy on the video playback...Jack spots an empty guard station on the live feed (Uh-oh) Some dialogue and Jack gets nervous...time to leave. Then two bad guys come through the door, taking out the guard while Jack pushes Audrey down and hits the deck himself proceeding to take out the two bad guys. The guard is dying, but helpfully tells Jack where the Flash Memory sticks are and what to copy to them. Unfortunately the guard dies, so its just Jack and Audrey trying to get out of the building while its filling up with the other team. Jack correctly deduces that CTU must have a leak! They make it to another room, where Jack gives Audrey a gun and then pulls out his phone and calls "The only person I can trust." (Who could it be? Chase? Palmer?) Jack and Audrey make it to the garage, but are pinned down as they run out of ammo. Jack's about to make a last stand using his empty gun as a hammer when....wait for it...it's Tony Almeada to the rescue! Tony takes out the rest of the bad guys just in time. So, the rule breakin' bad boys of CTU are back together again. The hour ends with it basically being all up to Jack to save the USA from nuclear meltdown...(hmm, no pressure there Jack). till next week...