Two Series Picked Up

Two series have been picked up for an additional season new year by the CW. Smallville will be back for a ninth season. This is a season that has a few dips now and than but overall I've enjoyed quite a bit. I'm glad to see it continue now, even though they've pretty much moved the action from Smallville to Metropolis. Maybe a name change is in order.

Also being picked up is Supernatural for its fifth season. From what I've read of the creator the fifth season should be the final, as he said from the start he had a fiver year plan for the series. This year has been really interesting with Dean's rescue from Hell by an Angel. Things are really heating up for the Winchester boys.

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New Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks' newest album is coming out next month. I was a big fan of him on American Idol and was thrilled when he won. I bought his first album and while I have liked it more over time, I still don't feel it was the best he was capable of. You can preview his new album here. I haven't listened to all of it yet, but from what I hear I'm really liking this one. The first song on the album "The Distance" is already the best thing I think I've heard from him. I'm getting excited about this album now.

Update: Since just writing the above I've listened to "Seven Mile Breakdown" and have to say this is really, really good. This is the type of music that I always imagined Taylor to be capable of making. I love this song.

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Things I'm So Tired Of

The Octomom who has to be living in her own little delusional world. I think she figures all these kids will get people to give her money and stuff so she doesn't have to work. And it makes her a public figure, getting her on TV and in magazines. Her own personal path to celebrity. Whatever I'm tired of reading and listening about her.

State of the Union

Even though President Obama doesn't have to deliver a State of the Union since he just took over the state tonight's speech was essentially that. After a lot of speeches telling the public how dangerous the economic crisis is tonight's speech was one that focused more on hope. He didn't get into specifics, but mainly wanted to let the American people know that no matter how bad the situation was the country would prevail.

It's nice that we have a President that can actually put words together to form coherent sentences.

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Next Republican Candidate

Think we're looking at the next Republican candidate for President? For giving the Republican counter point to President Obama's speech he made sure to highlight his life and achievements as Governor of my state. I think someone mentioned he's already been to Iowa recently. He's starting to run for President pretty early.

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In Memoriam

The Police

I just finished reading Andy Summer's book Last Train about his days as musician before and with the Police. At least half of the book deals with his life before he joined the group and even after he joined the book isn't one of those books that tell all these dark secrets and such of the group. He really doesn't get into a lot of the behind the scene stuff with the Police. He mentions drugs and groupies and fights but mostly in an offhanded way that doesn't tell you a lot. He talks more about his early days with groups like the Animals and breaking in as a musician. He's actually a good writer and most of this book is very good. I tend to get bored when he started talking about some of his drug trips and my eyes would glaze over. He doesn't try to paint himself as the hero and everyone else the villain of the piece. He takes his lumps and admits to being something of a jerk, especially during the heights of fame during the Police.

The Police are one of those groups that when they were first around I was in love with. I saw them in concert and bought up each album as it came out. But somehow over time I find myself less in love with them. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that I'm not that in love with them anymore. I have the same situation with the Eagles, another group that at one time I was very into and now don't really care as much for. I like the Police still, but for me they haven't held up over time as well as others.

It's Not The Destination, It's The Journey

Image via Wikipedia

I did something today that I thought I would never do. I bought a Journey album. I've never been a fan of the group. Back in their heyday I openly hated them. When friends were going to a Journey concert, I was nowhere around. I just couldn't stand their sound.

It was strange when Steve Perry released his first solo album I actually liked what I heard. I never bought the album but the songs I heard on the radio and MTV at the time I enjoyed.

So today found me buying their greatest hits. Maybe I've mellowed. I can't say I've become a big fan, but there is something about the songs. And there's something I'm writing where one of the characters is a Journey fan so I guess I can claim I bought it for research.

So now I own something I once thought I'd never own. A Journey album.

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Old School Fridays: Jackson 5

Some early stuff, check out how young they look and Dick Clark looks like he always does.



This meme was developed by Marvalus View and Ms. Grapevine. The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate; any music genre
2. Old School is defined as music created before 1999
3. No offensive words allowed, please use edited radio version
4. Post a video of your favorite Old School song to take us back down memory lane
5. Add your name to the meme list so that others can check you out
6. Have fun & don't forget to leave comments for other participants

Balloon Ear

I came home from work yesterday and when I went to pet Buffy I noticed one of her ears looked like a balloon. Her left ear had swollen up like a balloon. I immediately got on the phone to her vet to find out what was going on. Regular readers might remember Buffy has ear problems, which is compounded by the fact that she won't let me clean her ears, I have to bring her in to the vet to get her ears cleaned. Well, it seems that he more recent ear problems are caused by her shaking her head. The blood vessels in her ear have pretty much broken and her ear is filled with blood and who knows what else, causing it to balloon. The vet gave me some medicine that hopefully will help. She said what usually ends up happening is surgery where they have to cut into the ear to drain the buildup. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, and her head shaking is almost gone, so hopefully when I come home from work tonight her ear will be a little smaller. One side affect of this can be her ear literally exploding. It's not as bad as it sounds from what the vet says. Basically all that blood needs someplace to go and it does. The blood is thinned with whatever else is in her ear so it will be thin and very messy the vet said. What's worse when this happens of course the dog starts shaking her head, throwing this mixture all over. I'm really hoping this doesn't happen with Buffy.

She's lying next to me as I type these words, seeming all right with the world for the moment.

The Dresden Files

Image by Mirka23 via Flickr

I love the series of novels featuring Harry Dresden that are written by Jim Butcher. This is one of my favorite series. I don't have the sci-fi channel so I didn't catch the television series that was made from the books. I finally picked up the DVD series when it went on sale.

Now in a lot of ways this tv series is not the series that was featured in the books. Harry is never seen in his trademark duster. His beloved blue beetle is missing. Murphy is not blonde (which might seem a minor point, but I think the writer made her blonde for a point, lightness against Harry's darkness), Bob is too much a good guy...I could go on, but you get the point. The first show or two I watched was slow getting through. In fact I started watching the series so many times over a period of time that I kept starting over with the first episode that I must have seen it half a dozen times. But I finally decided to sit down and watch a few more episodes.

And you know what? Even though I still can't connect this Dresden with the one in the books I ended up liking the tv series. It had a heart of its own. It's not going to become one of my top shows, Buffy has nothing to worry about, but it is a nice, quirky little show that I would have liked to see continue. I think towards the end the writers, actors and producers were just starting to find their voice for the show.

It only lasted one season which is a shame.

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Lost Tonight

I've missed the last few episodes of Lost, having to work. I forgot that they show last weeks' episode before the new one, so I didn't turn in until nine to catch the new episode.

So now they're back on the island. They go back to the island to save the others left behind, right? So they were ready to sacrifice a planeload of innocent people to get back to the island. I have trouble with that. I find it hard to believe that they all wanted to get back to the island that bad. Ben, yes. In fact his comment to Jack on the plane was on target for him. But Jack, Hurley, Kate, Sun, Sayid....all willing to have all those others die to get back to the island. Not sure I buy that. But as it looks the others on the plane didn't die. Jack, Kate and Hurley appear on the island, no sign of a plane crash. I think somehow they just vanished from the plane to appear on the island.

Otherwise that did everyone else think about this episode?

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Snooks Eaglin

Snooks Eaglin, a New Orleans treasure died today. Eaglin began his career in 1947 at the age of 11. Snooks has been blind since his first birthday. His first recordings under his own name were done when he was a street musicain in New Orleans.

Snooks played r&b, blues and pretty much anything. I've seen him countless times over the years and he has always been a wonder. He played pretty much every year at Jazz Fest and I think I probably seen him every year I went.

At the first Jazz Fest after Katrian, when the Edge from U2 came down this was picture I took at Snooks show. Edge wanted to see this man play his music.


This is a video he did at the Rock n Bowl with George Porter from the Meters. That was Snooks, just as quick to talk to the auidence as sing, he was always a joy to watch. His like will not be seen again.

Need A Glove?

Image via Wikipedia

Did you want that glove Michael Jackson used to wear? How about one his gold albums? His American Award for Thriller? Now's your chance to get them. Evidently Michael is really hard up for some extra cash and is auctioning these and a lot more off. Go see what you'd like to bid for here.

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More Troops To War

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

President Obama just ordered 17,000 more troops into Afghanistan today. They're part of a surge that could raise the amount of American troops in the area to 60,000 before long. Read more about it here. I know the plan is to take the troops from Iraq, I just hope we're not going to shift them over to Afghanistan. I really hope that the President has a plan to not keep these American men and women in harm's way indefinitely. I have a lot of respect for our current President so I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in this situation and hope he knows what he's doing.

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Analog to Digital

Go here and read more about the whole mess.

Word of the Day: Sniper

Image via Wikipedia

Sniper: The snipe, a Eurasian bird common in wetlands and marshes, isn't the easiest thing to catch. A hunter generally sneaked up on it, disguised to blend in with the scenery, begrimed in mud and damp, and took a shot from as close as possible without alarming the bird. The term transferred to the hunting of humans in war or crime in the early nineteenth century, and the connection to the bird has been all but forgotten.

No, I'm not going back to do a word a day, but thought this was interesting and will post some once in awhile.

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The Cramps

I missed posting about this when it happened but thought I'd post something now. Lux Interior, founder of the band the Cramps, died on Feb 4. He was 62. He started life as Erick Purkhiser. He met his future wife while she was hitchhiking in California. She changed her name from Kristy Wallace to Poison Ivy and they formed the band the Cramps. They moved from there to Ohio and than to New York City where they were part of the beginning of punk music. They called their music pyshcobilly.

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Stormy For Senate

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Stormy Daniels, a porn star, is thinking about running for the Senate seat now occupied by David Vitter. Vitter is the Republican hypocrite that was caught in the D.C. Madame sting. At least we will know about Stormy's sexual escapades upfront. Read more about it here or go sign the petition for Stormy for Senate here. How serious all this is I'm not sure, but as always Louisiana politics is never boring.

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Film Maker Daughter

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The Speaker of the House is Nancy Pelosi. Her daughter is a documentary film maker. She made a film called Journeys With George, which was about the campaign of the second Bush to occupy the White House. She's made a new documentary. To read more about it go here.

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