Nitpicks & Rumors - January

Nitpicks

Below contains older postings (and some elaborated) from an obsolete personal blog which ran in December '05 except for the last three posts which were from late February '06.
Gripe - Lost
I heard on the radio that 8 cast members on the show "Lost" in the last year have been pulled over for speeding (80 in a 30, etc), DUI's, and driving with suspended licenses. I don't watch the show, but this is not encouraging me to. Stupid dumbass bastards! Each and everyone of them. Sometimes you just wish for the safety of other people that their TV personalities were true...the streets would be far better if they were all stranded on some island.
Gripe - Bjork Dee Bork Bork
I heard the most amazing thing the other day. Some way, somehow, Bjork has crafted another song. Yes, this Enya wanna be takes another dive into a blender along with whatever nick nacks (glass, or other non-music making objects) and poured a nice tall glass of puke. Ugh! I can recognize the fact that she has some sort of talent, but dang...I cannot stand any of her stuff.
Gripe - The Bambi Name
About a month ago I was watching the movie "Bambi" and I thought to myself...hmm...there really haven't been too many boys named "Bambi" since that movie came out. I also wondered about the harldy ever seen father...does the sinle parent raised Bambi potentially have siblings all over the forest? In any event, bambi II comes out on February 7, 2006 dirct to DVD!
Gripe - Jovial
For some reason while I was shaving this morning (12.14.05), I thought, "Man the word jovial really bugs me." It never has before, or even since...just at that moment.
Pick - Hot Death Uno
My poor pocket PC. I am truly addicted to the non-politically correct game Hot Death Uno. You just want to take the bastards (the three computer players) out with some of those cards, and when you do it feels so good! you can get the free download for Pocket PC here.
Pick - NetFlix
Our NetFlix account came at a time when I was all about ranking and rating, leading into Krock, Yahoo Answers, and my Launchcast Station. Aside from the sweet service of movies mailed to your home, I became a dork and rated roughly 25,000 flicks by mid-March. If you have NetFlix let me know, and then we could join the friends lists for recommendations.
Pick - Yahoo
Yahoo which had always kinda been a b-side email for me, suddenly jumped up in my ranks (even though I love all the Google stuff, Google Reader, Gmail, etc). I found myself making an Avatar (the word is still new to me) and for a while I drowned in the development of my own LaunchCast Station. (if you have one, let me know) Within 24 hours I achieved the "Addict" status, which comes from making 5,000 rankings...and I only reached the letter N in my personal CD collection (not including a massive amount of other material and favorite monthly lists). Sadly it doesn't allow you the ability to write about each artist, or a blog...but oh well. Being able to stream it is cool. For a little while I liked the 360 blog because MySpace was really annoying me. Yahoo's Answers pulled me right on in as well. I liked answering questions, learning stuff and so on, having this and KRock'd really killed some time. If you haven't tried it yet, seriously check it out. All of these were explored back in December. In February I was lured into Podcasts and enjoy them as well.
Pick - KRock'd Answers
Lately I have been pulled into the contests available at KRock2. Answering a few quizzes, trivia questions etc and collecting enough points to bid on various prizes. It became somewhat addicting because of it's simplicity. I had been brought into that when 100.7 the Buzz of Seattle decided to go with the rancid new format of continuous ear bleeding country music. So, I looked for a couple other locations to stream music from while I was at work (see my other favorites), and I was happy with what I had been hearing at KRock2.
Pick - Forget You
These two elementary school aged girls were running around outside giggling and having a good time. At one point one girl said playfully, "forget you!" Wow! Talk about flashback. I haven't heard anyone say something like that in a very long time. (Let alone a kid!)
Pick - Living Arrangements
I would not mind living in a home connected to other homes with my friends in them. Then, we could all meet in the hallway whenever we wanted, maybe with a conference room set-up for pool or with a pool, bathrooms etc. That would be great.
Pick - NetLibrary
Wouldn't it be nice to have a library send you a book you checked out, then you send them back to receive whatever book was next in Que? I know...won't ever happen. Mailing costs would simply be too high, the internet provides a lot of info already, and the cost to setup a system as such is just not reasonable.
Gripe - Parking at Home
Well, this weekend it came close to happening yet again. Only months ago we were told we must pay for a garage at the apartment we live at (trust me, much debate about this, long story short), and after we used it with our very own code, our car was towed! Apparently it was still someone else's. We no longer have to worry about the garage anymore...
Last Friday I parked out front. Came home later that night to find a bright colored sticker on the window saying that if I was still in the handicapped spot by noon the car would be towed. The spot is not even painted. You have to stare for a long time to barely see traces of a tiny section of what could be an inch or two curve of a wheelchair wheel. It's pathetic.
To top it off, an additional parking spot had been added right next to it, with a solid white line indicating that it is in fact a parking spot. Why not paint the handicap parking icon?
There is a sign directly in front of a painted handicap spot...and it is barely to the side as if to indicate it represents more than one spot. But it does not. Given the way problems are horribly resolved for this place, I'm not sure about the response. needless to say, the spot should be clearly painted to best serve the public. I am not the first to have used the spot, it is constantly filled by other non-handicapped vehicles.
Threatening to tow is a bunch of crap when the space is not properly indicated. Yet, I don't feel like I should have to tow my car to prove this point. Fortunately, now I do not have to. The incidents had reached their escalated peak, and parking there is no longer a problem.
Gripe - Only in Theaters
So last night I was triggered by an ad which said something along the lines of some movie being released, "only in theaters." It makes me feel so stupid when they say that. I would prefer that they didn't say the line at all. Understandably, if its a dvd, say its a dvd or show it...but really...I am tired of that line. Maybe it is the word "only" and the way it is used. "Now in theaters" works just fine for me, but only makes it feel snobby or something.
Gripe - Olympics
Has it always been this way? Screw the US team. I am very disappointed with the contenders. Whatever happened to team spirit. Back in the early 90's I was not much of a skateboarder fan, except when I saw some competitions. The one's I though would have the biggest rivalry with one another still gave hi-fives and congratulations.
This past week, watching the US team is like watching basketball. Everyone playing for themselves. Some people went as far as to be shrugging the Olympics as no big deal. Of course its a big deal! Instead I am ashamed at "the best of our best" being a bunch of losers. For those that are good sports, that is great, love them for it...there just seems to be a bigger rise in ego-heads these days.
Pick - My Favorite Super Bowl XL Commercials
View what I had to say about last years Super Bowl Ads in Picks & Grips 2005 under February-Super Bowl Ads. FedEx-Stick, Bud Light-Hidden, Budweiser-Superfan, Degree-Stunt City (Extended), MasterCard-MacGyver, Sprint-Locker Room, Sprint-Couch, Budweiser-Clydesdale Dream, Burger King-America's Favorite, Or the ever classic...Chicago Bears-Super Bowl Shuffle.Overall, not the best year for ads, but they still had some entertainment to them.
Gripe - Jeeves Leaves
Jeeves was the best part about Ask.com. He used to answer questions you specifically asked him, like how are you doing today and so on. Now the friendliness is gone. Taken from AdJab: Tom Biro stated that Jeeves, the butler icon of the Ask Jeeves network, would soon be retired. There was a campaign launched to save the guy but that, alas, has proven fruitless. After a decade of service to searchers the butler will be shown the door (instead of the other way around) at the end of this month. It's part of an overall rebranding effort by the search engine that will see it labeled simply as "Ask." The delay between the announcement and the actual firing was to see how users felt about the decision.

Gripe - Syndication

First I saw it had happened with Alf, and now it has happened with The Cosby Show and 3^rd Rock From the Sun. Listen up studios, fans don't want syndicated season sets. It's a complete rip off. I already hate the fact that music has been changed (due to licensing and royalty issues, I understand) but come on, distributing syndicated season sets just creates a package of pure garbage, and a waste of money for the studio and potential customers. I refuse to purchase syndicated nonsense, and hope that this changes before it affects other season sets I am interested in.

PS-I really don't like the crummy Sliders (Season 1 & 2) box design. I wanted it, but, seeing the lousy box discouraged me. The same as the WTF Simpsons Complete Season 6 (Homers head). Hey, if I want a clunky-cluttered-space-consuming billboard of a dvd box I will ask for it. Meanwhile, keep that trash away. Pimping a box is not what sells me.

Rumors

Movies

Evan Almighty

Who thought a spin-off of "Bruce Almighty" starring Steve Carell reprising his role of Evan Baxter was a good idea before he won the Golden Globe? Its in the works. Carell has also mentioned that Director Tom Shadyac (who also helmed "Bruce"), is looking at turning the "Almighty" touch to others down the line - "I know Tom Shadyac is hoping that it is a series, and then a couple of years down the road ... Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller or somebody else..."
David Fincher
Todd McFarlane & David Fincher will produce the film Torso. Torso tells the true story of Treasury Department agent Eliot Ness' time after he helped put Al Capone behind bars. This relatively unknown story centers around Ness after he moved to Cleveland to be the city's public safety officer. Human torsos began appearing around town, and Ness began receiving notes from the killer challenging Ness to catch him. It was this case, which garnered national headlines, which arguably created America's first true serial killer. Torso was optioned by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane after a comic company he co-owns published the original graphic novel. Murphy came aboard later and went to Mechanic, who brought in Fincher. Fincher directed Fight Club for Mechanic when Mechanic was head of 20th Century Fox. Kruger's credits include The Ring and The Ring Two, Arlington Road and more recently The Skeleton Key. Fincher is well-acquainted with the serial killer underworld, having directed the cult hit Se7en. He is shooting Zodiac, the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer about the 1970s San Francisco serial killer, which will be distributed domestically by Paramount.
Friday the 13th Prequel Sequel
According to Variety, New Line studio is working on a prequel to “Friday the 13th”, which would tell of hockey-masked Jason Voorhees’ early years. They are targeting for a release on Friday, October 13.Thing is, haven’t we seen enough of the guy’s younger years on film before? “Freddy Vs.Jason” covered enough of the big guys back-story, and several of the “Friday” sequels also covered that ground. What’s left to tell?
Grudge 2
Amber Tamblyn, star of the short-lived "Joan or Arcadia", has been cast in the lead role in "The Grudge 2". She'll play Sarah Michelle Gellar's characters's sister. Sarah Michelle Gellar will have a cameo role in the film.
Jackass 2-The Sequel
Paramount President Gail Berman has been on the job for only five months and has told Variety that the studio has asked politely for a sequel to 2003's "Jackass: The Movie." That feature, based on the popular MTV stunt and gag show, cost an estimated $5 million to make and delivered nearly $65 million in domestic box office. Berman says that Paramount's goal is to have "Jackass II" in theaters in the holiday season of 2006.
Magnum PI
Rawson Marshall Thurber, writer of "Dodgeball : A True Underdog story", has been tapped to write the big-screen version. Apparently the plan is for original star Tom Selleck to don the Hawaiian shirt again for the movie. George Clooney is someone they've also considered (for the role). At one stage, Selleck and close friend author Tom Clancy ("Patriot Games") had discussed doing the movie together. Selleck, starring, and Clancy, penning the screenplay. "This movie, written by Tom Clancy, with the original cast, set in Hong Kong during the transfer of power to the Chinese, with North Koreans getting plutonium for a bomb. Tell me that wouldn't have been a hit?", Selleck asked in a 1997 interview. Unfortunately, the studio had 'bigger' plans.
Marley & Me
Variety reports that the film rights to "Marley & Me," the newly released book by John Grogan, have been picked up by Fox 2000.
Franka Potente
The movie “Che”, Steven Soderbergh’s biopic on the Latin American Political revolutionary, has also cast Franka Potente (Run Lola Run).
Punisher 2
A user on the ThomasJane.com says he met The Punisher star and has an update on the sequel: "My friend Tony and I just returned to St. Louis from Cape Girardeau and we were lucky enough to have met Tom last night. We waited in the hotel lobby for him and when he arrived he was the nicest celebrity I've ever met. He signed all of our stuff and posed for pictures. He said he really appreciated us waiting to meet him and he also confirmed that Punisher 2 will begin filming this summer."
Scream 4
Scream 4 is about to get off the ground at the newly-formed Weinstein company. Unfortunately, Wes Craven hasn't been asked to be a part of it. Craven said he'd be much more interested in doing a sequel to last year's airplane thriller "Red Eye". Recent whispers suggested that Courteney Cox and David Arquette have already agreed to reprise their roles from the first three "Scream" films for the newest one. If Campbell agrees to come back, and at first she wasn't going to return, then they'll possibly have to retool the script – because I believe it centred around the Cox-Arquette's characters.
Star Trek XI
Patrick Stewart was tight lipped but did say there was "great interest" in getting the TNG cast together again as well as including characters from the other series . Stewart reveals, "It has been raised. Apparently there's interest in bringing the Next Generation cast together with actors from different Star Trek series." Then they asked him if this meant Captain James T. Kirk would return, and he replied that he hoped so because William Shatner was a good friend. "I would love that. I'm very fond of William Shatner." he said.
Toy Story 3
Plans for "Toy Story 3" have been scrapped. Though a second sequel to the mac-created hit was theoretically full-speed ahead, Pixar and Disney animation studios have now announced they won't be going ahead with another film. Animation Nation says that the studio just wasn't happy enough with the script. "They said that sequels should only be made if there is a really great story that demands it, and should be the domain of those who created the original film". Bradley Raymond was tapped to direct "Toy Story 3", which would've seen Buzz Lightyear being recalled to Taiwan after a series of malfunctions. Learning of a product wide recall, all the toys in Andy's room, under Woody's leadership, head to Taiwan to save Buzz from doom.

Television

Matthew Perry & Aaron Sorkin
Matthew Perry has been avoiding signing on for Aaron 'West Wing' Sorkin's new series – but finally caved in this week, says The Hollywood Reporter. Perry will headline Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme's new untitled drama for NBC, previously known as "Studio 7." The ensemble show is set behind the scenes at a fictional long-running sketch-comedy series in the mold of "Saturday Night Live." Sorkin wrote the part with Perry in mind.

Music

Nothing at present time