In several of the reviews for 'Over There', mention was made of the fact that this drama about the War in Iraq is probably the first to be actually made and broadcast during the war it depicts.
As an example, here is what Alessandra Stanley, Queen of the Obscure References had to say in her New York Times article:
"Until now, television shows also dramatized fighting from a safe remove: series about World War II like "The Rat Patrol" and "Hogan's Heroes" were made in the 1960's. (The true horrors of war were veiled even in dramas, like "Combat!," also made in the 60's and now on DVD and in reruns on cable.) The antiwar comedy "M*A*S*H" began in 1972 before the Vietnam War was over, but it was set in Korea. "China Beach," a dark-edged series about nurses in Vietnam, went on the air in 1988."
There are built-in hazards to making 'Over There' a contemporary look at the war. And one of those problems is something I hope we're all rooting for.....
"The top military commander in Iraq set a tentative timetable for 'fairly substantial' U.S. troop reductions by next spring - if Iraqi forces are able to pick up the slack.
Gen. George Casey said drawing down the 135,000 U.S. troops in Iraq will also depend on establishing an Iraqi constitution by October and successful elections in December.
'If the political process continues to go positively, if the developments with [Iraqi] security forces continue to go as [they are] going, I do believe we will still be able to make fairly substantial reductions after these elections - in the spring and summer of next year,' he said in Baghdad.
At a joint news conference with visiting Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari welcomed Casey's words, saying, 'We desire speed in that regard.' "
- from several news sources
So if the troops do start coming home sooner than Bochco might hope - for a long-running series, that is, I suppose the series could then focus on the post-traumatic stress the returning soldiers might experience.
Or they could be spun-off into other series......
I've only seen the pilot episode so far, same as most folks. And most of the characters so far seem to be kind of cliched.
But Erik Palladino is a cool actor, (I thought it was a mistake to lose him from 'Joan Of Arcadia'), and I like what he has to offer as Sgt. Scream in this show.
I could see him become a tough cop with lingering emotional problems; sort of an upgrade to the idea from 'Blind Justice'.
But Bochco blew it with that show, and 'NYPD Blue' was 86'd last season. So perhaps Sgt. Scream could be farmed out to one of the procedurals. 'CSI: NY', 'Law & Order', 'The Closer', 'Cold Case', or 'Wanted'.
The sergeant doesn't seem the type to have been an FBI agent before being called into service, so I don't think he'd be part of 'Without A Trace' or 'The Inside' - oops, sorry. As much as I liked that show, it's already been cancelled.
I suppose Bochco could go all out and create a gimmick show like 'The A-Team' and 'Broken Badges'. He could
keep the entire squad together back in the States and they fight crime under their war nicknames of "Angel", "Double-Wide", "Mrs. B", "Dim", and "Beau" - and all led by Sgt. Scream.
I can see it now: "The Scream Team".
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Ministers, burgers, and fresh air!
Some time ago, I was thinking to myself that I like double cheeseburgers and I don't like normal cheese burgers.
So I thought - Why?
I decided it is because the ratio of bread to patty is just way too much for a normal cheeseburger to taste good.
With this thought, I voiced out loud to Shuyin (or it could be June, I cannot remember), "Why the thing that kiap the patty must be bread leh? Why cannot have patties kiap bread?" I asked, pointing to a burger photo.
Shuyin gave me a look of forced patience, and mockingly said yeah hor, why she never think of it, or something to that effect. She also explained that THAT IS BECAUSE IF PATTY KIAP BREAD THEN ALL THE JUICES WILL FLOW OUT AND IT WILL BE VERY STICKY LAH, DUH!
Now, we all know that Mos burger is always trying to be funny with the burger buns. People all quite happy with bread, they go and make burger buns using rice.
Woot! I like it a lot.
Then VOILA!
They came up with a new combination! Usually, it is bread/rice kiap lettuce and chicken patty right?
Hmm... Maybe they thought... Nowadays stupid girls don't like to eat carbo, then what else can kiap the chicken patty and lettuce?
Ham pieces? Maybe seaweed? Then it hit them. Lettuce will kiap the lettuce and chicken patty.
Behold:
A burger of lettuce and chicken wrapped in lettuce!
It is sibeh ho seh for a dieting girl like me! I WILL BUY IT, even if stupid lettuce only 30c in market!
I think it is actually quite nice leh! Except that it is super messy, so don't eat it with a date.
So anyway, some of you might have seen me on TV yesterday... Wanyi told me I was on Channel 8 news, and also on CNA!
I have been approached to be one of the ambassadors for an Anti-smoking campaign!
The campaign is called Fresh Air for Women, and its targetted group are women aged 18-29, and to help them quit, by being friends of these smokers.
I really hope that females smokers reading this will quit... I don't think it is worth it you know, it affects your baby's health in future, and it makes you so much less beautiful.
As for younger readers, don't start!!! Howard says smelly girls are unattractive! =) You can save $5,000 a year! With that money you can go for RHINOPLASTY even!
Who is this Howard person, you people ask... Some of you already know lah, and he is the only guy in that CNA photo... Howard Lo, of Eye for a Guy II fame, is the last eliminated contestant.
EVERYBODY SAY AWWWWWWwwww.... Damn you, Denise Keller! He's such a sweetie! Although he is very rude to me. I think it is because I ate all of his Ben & Jerry Cherry Garcia ice cream. Damn.
He was showing me the video and saying out his thoughts (vs the TV's speech) and it was damn funny. But I cannot tell you what he said! He made me swear against a loved one's life.
So anyway, Howard.
It is damn funny, actually. Now I know Howard way before he got famous. We were at Thumper, and his friend was talking to Eileen Tan (or maybe to me, I cannot remember, but later on he did talk to Eileen Tan). So the two of us were kinda bored.
And we started talking.
I was having fun, trying to pretend like I am a mysterious young lady. It didn't work, because Howard is a GEEK. What do geeks do? They get on the computer, and when they have done enough programming for the day, they do something more relaxing and surf 300 blogs (mrbrown does that too). They gently criticise among themselves how these blogs could have better RSS and firewalls and etc computer jargons.
So back to the trying to be mysterious part.
I failed miserably, because Howard has seen my blog before and he knows everything about me there is to know, except maybe a clear view of my molars. Hmmm, maybe I should put up a photo of them one day.
The night was ending, Eileen wanted to go, and I was like, DAMN, this fucking Howard guy hasn't asked my number.
Bye Howard!
Ok, he is ok with me going... Maybe he's gonna email me. Is it because my molars are unattractive?
I cannot remember how, but I remember we exchanged numbers before I cruised off in a taxi at the last minute.
But we are just friends now! Hey please lah, look at people's taste - DENISE KELLER OK!? Me is who? Just a small-time blogger nia...
So anyway, fast forward a few months, HOWARD BECOMES FAMOUS!!! Woohoo! He actually has his female fans from the show can?
Can I hao lian something? IT WAS HOWARD I WAS OUT WITH ON V DAY!!! I didn't mention his name coz I've always thought he is a very private person, but since go on TV liao, there is no more privacy to talk about lah, hor?
I found out that Howard is also an ambassador for Fresh Air for Women!
And right before me, he was also on Class 95's blind dates! How coincidental is that?
Paiseh ah, I know this is a bit late, but here are the photos for the media briefing...
When I first arrived, I thought media briefing means that we are just meeting the PR company to talk about what will happen during the press conference.
To my horror, I was late, dressed in a mourning black crumply dress, and walked smack into a multitude of reporters and cameras.
Thank you very much, but the big table is sibeh intimidating. Thank goodness Howard was there, because...
EUNICE OLSON AND JAMIE YEO COULDN'T COME, but there, standing beside my seat making small talk with someone, is MISS CLAIRE CHIANG!
People is the founder and Executive Director of Banyan Tree! I am not worthy to sit beside her!!!!
She smiled at me and was perfectly friendly. I like her a lot! She told Howard and I about her teenage daughter, who seemed a have accomplished a lot more than most 19 year olds.
And of course, the lady in pale blue...
She graced the room's carpet by walking in, and as she walked, people popped up from their sitting positions machiam Kallang Wave as she neared them. An unwavering smile to everyone, and firm shakes with all the hands, complete with a personalised greeting each...
There is no mistake it is an MP - it is Dr Lily Neo.
Hell, the first thing I can think of it, Wah, sibeh chio.
I handed my camera to one of the PR girls (thank you so much for taking the photos for me!!), but none of the shots of Dr Lily Neo turned out clear... But personally, I think she looks like Fann Wong, albeit older?
She was very nice too, no airs, but then I am sure all our government's MPs are like that, for they have sufficient training at all the GRC meetings where they meet the people.
No smoking = better skin! =)
Ms Claire talking...
And my turn... I was damn nervous coz I didn't prepare my speech beforehand ... Blabbering... (Dr Neo listening to me!!!)
Still blabbering.
Now Howard's turn...
He loves me.
Group photo!
I was perusing the photos when Howard and I were having dinner (Japanese, but no raw clams) after this, and I said, "Oh dear, the only group shot I have, Dr Lily Neo is closing her eyes leh!"
"So?" Howard said.
"Huh, then I cannot put it up on my blog!"
"Why not?"
"She will get angry what, it's so ugly!"
"You think she reads your blog?"
"Oh yeah hor..."
So there you go.
We were given tee shirts to wear on the official launching day for FAFW, and Howard was making a big fuss about wearing pink stuff - ok, not just pink stuff, but a lady's cut tee with pink flowers splashed across the chest.
Like this!
I only managed to take one photo, was a bit shou mang jiao luan with helping to give out things! The girls were helping out today, and one of them is so tall...! Erm, tell me if you don't want your photo here k, I'll take it off.
If you wanna see more pics can check out the papers I guess. =)
But I don't think there will be much news about me, for compared to the rest of the ambassadors I am really nothing. BUT I WILL STILL JIA YOU AND SPREAD THE MESSAGE!!! Quit smoking!!!
Speaking of ministers, I suddenly remembered the day when I met a certain someone for the first time! So I went to dig out the photos!
It was during a charity event which Eileen Wee brought me to, and it was organised by this socialite called Celena, which I very likely spelt wrongly (the name). Selena? Selina? Celina? I DUNNO!
She is nearing 40 I believe, and still as gorgeous as ever!!! When I am old, I also wanna be like that! She made her fortune (IF I AM NOT WRONG) as a stockbroker, made a hefty sum, and now she has her own jewellery line!
Help me I am surrounded by very gorgeous people!
I casually walked pass a table, and I was like, "FUCK! Eileen! Who is that?! WAH LAU, VERY CUTE!!"
Referring to the guy who is thumbing rudely at something.
Eileen laughed and told me.
Later, Eileen left me sitting on a chair because she went to buy drinks. She didn't come back for very long, and when I looked for her, she was talking to the guy! WAH, SIAO LIAO!
I immediately pounced.
I covered the guy in a double mosquito net and he is held captive now, and is mopping the floor.
I WISH!
Instead...
"Hey, Wendy, come, join us!" Eileen said, and she made the necessary introductions. Being the nice, thoughtful girl she is, she conveniently walked away, leaving me and the guy to talk to each other.
There was a moment of awkward silence, and the first damn thing I said was, "Isn't that palm tree tickling your neck?"
For indeed, the guy was tall, and he was standing underneath a certain protuding fake palm tree, its leaves on the back of his neck.
Very brilliant pick-up line Wendy, very smart. First thing you talk about is a damned palm tree.
"Oh yeah it is," he mumbled and laughed, hopping from underneath the tree, where the poor thing had to pretend it wasn't ticklish when he was doing polite small talk with Eileen just now.
I liked him immediately because he laughed at my joke.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Hiyah cheh, ONLY ADRIAN LAH. The start machiam so romantic, now we are just friends, good friends. Time flies! It has been 6 months since that day, hor? OMG THE PALM TREE! You can see the palm tree right?
Wah, I was damn fair last time ok!
I feel cheated by Adrian. He is very sloppy lor, when he is not in suits! His hair is messy and he is forever in those CK berms. When I asked him why when I first met him he is so handsome and now he so ugly, he grunted and asked me how come when he first met me I looked like that and now I so ugly also.
OEI! I am not ugly now ok? I am just tanner!
The whole point of the minister talk is this precious photo lah:
Woot! Mr Mah Bow Tan and his wife Dr Sheryn Mah.
They are both super nice people!!
I got some more stuff to blog about, but I think I shall go sleep, I am so super tired, it is 7am by the time I finish this, and I have to wake up for a shoot tomorrow, for Lime magazine.
HOW COOL IS THAT? =)
I love professionally taken photos!! T-shirt, of course, by Localbrand. Bloody Turodrique hasn't updated the site, I am gonna holler at him.
So I thought - Why?
I decided it is because the ratio of bread to patty is just way too much for a normal cheeseburger to taste good.
With this thought, I voiced out loud to Shuyin (or it could be June, I cannot remember), "Why the thing that kiap the patty must be bread leh? Why cannot have patties kiap bread?" I asked, pointing to a burger photo.
Shuyin gave me a look of forced patience, and mockingly said yeah hor, why she never think of it, or something to that effect. She also explained that THAT IS BECAUSE IF PATTY KIAP BREAD THEN ALL THE JUICES WILL FLOW OUT AND IT WILL BE VERY STICKY LAH, DUH!
Now, we all know that Mos burger is always trying to be funny with the burger buns. People all quite happy with bread, they go and make burger buns using rice.
Woot! I like it a lot.
Then VOILA!
They came up with a new combination! Usually, it is bread/rice kiap lettuce and chicken patty right?
Hmm... Maybe they thought... Nowadays stupid girls don't like to eat carbo, then what else can kiap the chicken patty and lettuce?
Ham pieces? Maybe seaweed? Then it hit them. Lettuce will kiap the lettuce and chicken patty.
Behold:
A burger of lettuce and chicken wrapped in lettuce!
It is sibeh ho seh for a dieting girl like me! I WILL BUY IT, even if stupid lettuce only 30c in market!
I think it is actually quite nice leh! Except that it is super messy, so don't eat it with a date.
So anyway, some of you might have seen me on TV yesterday... Wanyi told me I was on Channel 8 news, and also on CNA!
I have been approached to be one of the ambassadors for an Anti-smoking campaign!
The campaign is called Fresh Air for Women, and its targetted group are women aged 18-29, and to help them quit, by being friends of these smokers.
I really hope that females smokers reading this will quit... I don't think it is worth it you know, it affects your baby's health in future, and it makes you so much less beautiful.
As for younger readers, don't start!!! Howard says smelly girls are unattractive! =) You can save $5,000 a year! With that money you can go for RHINOPLASTY even!
Who is this Howard person, you people ask... Some of you already know lah, and he is the only guy in that CNA photo... Howard Lo, of Eye for a Guy II fame, is the last eliminated contestant.
EVERYBODY SAY AWWWWWWwwww.... Damn you, Denise Keller! He's such a sweetie! Although he is very rude to me. I think it is because I ate all of his Ben & Jerry Cherry Garcia ice cream. Damn.
He was showing me the video and saying out his thoughts (vs the TV's speech) and it was damn funny. But I cannot tell you what he said! He made me swear against a loved one's life.
So anyway, Howard.
It is damn funny, actually. Now I know Howard way before he got famous. We were at Thumper, and his friend was talking to Eileen Tan (or maybe to me, I cannot remember, but later on he did talk to Eileen Tan). So the two of us were kinda bored.
And we started talking.
I was having fun, trying to pretend like I am a mysterious young lady. It didn't work, because Howard is a GEEK. What do geeks do? They get on the computer, and when they have done enough programming for the day, they do something more relaxing and surf 300 blogs (mrbrown does that too). They gently criticise among themselves how these blogs could have better RSS and firewalls and etc computer jargons.
So back to the trying to be mysterious part.
I failed miserably, because Howard has seen my blog before and he knows everything about me there is to know, except maybe a clear view of my molars. Hmmm, maybe I should put up a photo of them one day.
The night was ending, Eileen wanted to go, and I was like, DAMN, this fucking Howard guy hasn't asked my number.
Bye Howard!
Ok, he is ok with me going... Maybe he's gonna email me. Is it because my molars are unattractive?
I cannot remember how, but I remember we exchanged numbers before I cruised off in a taxi at the last minute.
But we are just friends now! Hey please lah, look at people's taste - DENISE KELLER OK!? Me is who? Just a small-time blogger nia...
So anyway, fast forward a few months, HOWARD BECOMES FAMOUS!!! Woohoo! He actually has his female fans from the show can?
Can I hao lian something? IT WAS HOWARD I WAS OUT WITH ON V DAY!!! I didn't mention his name coz I've always thought he is a very private person, but since go on TV liao, there is no more privacy to talk about lah, hor?
I found out that Howard is also an ambassador for Fresh Air for Women!
And right before me, he was also on Class 95's blind dates! How coincidental is that?
Paiseh ah, I know this is a bit late, but here are the photos for the media briefing...
When I first arrived, I thought media briefing means that we are just meeting the PR company to talk about what will happen during the press conference.
To my horror, I was late, dressed in a mourning black crumply dress, and walked smack into a multitude of reporters and cameras.
Thank you very much, but the big table is sibeh intimidating. Thank goodness Howard was there, because...
EUNICE OLSON AND JAMIE YEO COULDN'T COME, but there, standing beside my seat making small talk with someone, is MISS CLAIRE CHIANG!
People is the founder and Executive Director of Banyan Tree! I am not worthy to sit beside her!!!!
She smiled at me and was perfectly friendly. I like her a lot! She told Howard and I about her teenage daughter, who seemed a have accomplished a lot more than most 19 year olds.
And of course, the lady in pale blue...
She graced the room's carpet by walking in, and as she walked, people popped up from their sitting positions machiam Kallang Wave as she neared them. An unwavering smile to everyone, and firm shakes with all the hands, complete with a personalised greeting each...
There is no mistake it is an MP - it is Dr Lily Neo.
Hell, the first thing I can think of it, Wah, sibeh chio.
I handed my camera to one of the PR girls (thank you so much for taking the photos for me!!), but none of the shots of Dr Lily Neo turned out clear... But personally, I think she looks like Fann Wong, albeit older?
She was very nice too, no airs, but then I am sure all our government's MPs are like that, for they have sufficient training at all the GRC meetings where they meet the people.
No smoking = better skin! =)
Ms Claire talking...
And my turn... I was damn nervous coz I didn't prepare my speech beforehand ... Blabbering... (Dr Neo listening to me!!!)
Still blabbering.
Now Howard's turn...
He loves me.
Group photo!
I was perusing the photos when Howard and I were having dinner (Japanese, but no raw clams) after this, and I said, "Oh dear, the only group shot I have, Dr Lily Neo is closing her eyes leh!"
"So?" Howard said.
"Huh, then I cannot put it up on my blog!"
"Why not?"
"She will get angry what, it's so ugly!"
"You think she reads your blog?"
"Oh yeah hor..."
So there you go.
We were given tee shirts to wear on the official launching day for FAFW, and Howard was making a big fuss about wearing pink stuff - ok, not just pink stuff, but a lady's cut tee with pink flowers splashed across the chest.
Like this!
I only managed to take one photo, was a bit shou mang jiao luan with helping to give out things! The girls were helping out today, and one of them is so tall...! Erm, tell me if you don't want your photo here k, I'll take it off.
If you wanna see more pics can check out the papers I guess. =)
But I don't think there will be much news about me, for compared to the rest of the ambassadors I am really nothing. BUT I WILL STILL JIA YOU AND SPREAD THE MESSAGE!!! Quit smoking!!!
Speaking of ministers, I suddenly remembered the day when I met a certain someone for the first time! So I went to dig out the photos!
It was during a charity event which Eileen Wee brought me to, and it was organised by this socialite called Celena, which I very likely spelt wrongly (the name). Selena? Selina? Celina? I DUNNO!
She is nearing 40 I believe, and still as gorgeous as ever!!! When I am old, I also wanna be like that! She made her fortune (IF I AM NOT WRONG) as a stockbroker, made a hefty sum, and now she has her own jewellery line!
Help me I am surrounded by very gorgeous people!
I casually walked pass a table, and I was like, "FUCK! Eileen! Who is that?! WAH LAU, VERY CUTE!!"
Referring to the guy who is thumbing rudely at something.
Eileen laughed and told me.
Later, Eileen left me sitting on a chair because she went to buy drinks. She didn't come back for very long, and when I looked for her, she was talking to the guy! WAH, SIAO LIAO!
I immediately pounced.
I covered the guy in a double mosquito net and he is held captive now, and is mopping the floor.
I WISH!
Instead...
"Hey, Wendy, come, join us!" Eileen said, and she made the necessary introductions. Being the nice, thoughtful girl she is, she conveniently walked away, leaving me and the guy to talk to each other.
There was a moment of awkward silence, and the first damn thing I said was, "Isn't that palm tree tickling your neck?"
For indeed, the guy was tall, and he was standing underneath a certain protuding fake palm tree, its leaves on the back of his neck.
Very brilliant pick-up line Wendy, very smart. First thing you talk about is a damned palm tree.
"Oh yeah it is," he mumbled and laughed, hopping from underneath the tree, where the poor thing had to pretend it wasn't ticklish when he was doing polite small talk with Eileen just now.
I liked him immediately because he laughed at my joke.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Hiyah cheh, ONLY ADRIAN LAH. The start machiam so romantic, now we are just friends, good friends. Time flies! It has been 6 months since that day, hor? OMG THE PALM TREE! You can see the palm tree right?
Wah, I was damn fair last time ok!
I feel cheated by Adrian. He is very sloppy lor, when he is not in suits! His hair is messy and he is forever in those CK berms. When I asked him why when I first met him he is so handsome and now he so ugly, he grunted and asked me how come when he first met me I looked like that and now I so ugly also.
OEI! I am not ugly now ok? I am just tanner!
The whole point of the minister talk is this precious photo lah:
Woot! Mr Mah Bow Tan and his wife Dr Sheryn Mah.
They are both super nice people!!
I got some more stuff to blog about, but I think I shall go sleep, I am so super tired, it is 7am by the time I finish this, and I have to wake up for a shoot tomorrow, for Lime magazine.
HOW COOL IS THAT? =)
I love professionally taken photos!! T-shirt, of course, by Localbrand. Bloody Turodrique hasn't updated the site, I am gonna holler at him.
I don't even want to talk about it.
You, and a bunch of friends, tell me that there are 18 planets altogether. You say you have proof that there are indeed 18, and when I tell you current scientific evidence points otherwise, you say that I have not studied the subject deep enough. "Did you even read the damn thick and cheam science book?" you ask.
My answer is no.
You ask me to join the official 18-planets-believers club. To join and be a member, I must go to your house everyday to gaze at the "planets" with your bunch of friends.
I am to call myself a 18-er.
I said I won't, because I don't really believe you. You try to show me, by reading me physics notes, and maybe, even positioning the telescope. Are those planets? Or are those normal stars? I don't know, and frankly speaking - I AM JUST NOT FUCKING INTERESTED.
Again and again your friends try to badger me to listen to them explain about the planets (reading physics notes and telescoping again), and be an 18-er.
Wow, you have 50 people joining, and so many cannot be wrong.
When one day, you ask me to listen to you talk about the 18 planets again, I am so agitated, that I said I have listened enough, and if you don't mind, I just will not join the club.
In fact, unless you tell me for sure that those are not mere stars, I don't even have enough belief in the 18 planets to confidently announce I join the club, and put my heart and soul into going to your house everyday to gaze.
When I reject or disagree with your views, you say I am close-minded.
My friend, please do not get angry with me. It is not because your opinion counts for less than those in your club, nor did I mean to be obstinate.
True, I am indeed rejecting to listen, but that is because WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE 18 PLANETS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO ME, plus I am sick of hearing about the 18 planets.
I don't give a shit about them, and I am not interested to waste my time arguing and defending my opinions.
I know that finding these 18 planets are very important to you, but you must understand that it is not important or significant to me at all.
Yes, maybe they exist. Who knows for sure, right? But if you ask me to bet my life on whether there are indeed 18 planets, I'll probably say no.
Even if they do, I don't believe I have to do anything about them being there. They do not affect my life - I have enough proof of that, for I have been living 21 years under disbelief/ignorance, and I am fine.
As for the club - I do not like your friends, nor do I believe the planets must be gazed at daily. And because being an 18-er means not only believing your word that there are 18 planets. Because being an 18-er also means I am part of a planet-gazing commodity, where there are certain rules I have to adhere to.
So pardon me, if I do not join your club.
My answer is no.
You ask me to join the official 18-planets-believers club. To join and be a member, I must go to your house everyday to gaze at the "planets" with your bunch of friends.
I am to call myself a 18-er.
I said I won't, because I don't really believe you. You try to show me, by reading me physics notes, and maybe, even positioning the telescope. Are those planets? Or are those normal stars? I don't know, and frankly speaking - I AM JUST NOT FUCKING INTERESTED.
Again and again your friends try to badger me to listen to them explain about the planets (reading physics notes and telescoping again), and be an 18-er.
Wow, you have 50 people joining, and so many cannot be wrong.
When one day, you ask me to listen to you talk about the 18 planets again, I am so agitated, that I said I have listened enough, and if you don't mind, I just will not join the club.
In fact, unless you tell me for sure that those are not mere stars, I don't even have enough belief in the 18 planets to confidently announce I join the club, and put my heart and soul into going to your house everyday to gaze.
When I reject or disagree with your views, you say I am close-minded.
My friend, please do not get angry with me. It is not because your opinion counts for less than those in your club, nor did I mean to be obstinate.
True, I am indeed rejecting to listen, but that is because WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE 18 PLANETS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO ME, plus I am sick of hearing about the 18 planets.
I don't give a shit about them, and I am not interested to waste my time arguing and defending my opinions.
I know that finding these 18 planets are very important to you, but you must understand that it is not important or significant to me at all.
Yes, maybe they exist. Who knows for sure, right? But if you ask me to bet my life on whether there are indeed 18 planets, I'll probably say no.
Even if they do, I don't believe I have to do anything about them being there. They do not affect my life - I have enough proof of that, for I have been living 21 years under disbelief/ignorance, and I am fine.
As for the club - I do not like your friends, nor do I believe the planets must be gazed at daily. And because being an 18-er means not only believing your word that there are 18 planets. Because being an 18-er also means I am part of a planet-gazing commodity, where there are certain rules I have to adhere to.
So pardon me, if I do not join your club.
Friday, July 29, 2005
FEAR OF A BLACK TV LAND
Back in February, I wrote about the idea that there might be an alternate TV dimension in which characters we know of as being white are instead black. An Earth Prime-Time-BET.
And then, back in May, Suits made sure that it wouldn't become a standard practice.....
[Sun May 22,10:34 AM ET ]
A black Huck Finn and a white Jim might be OK for a high school production of Mark Twain's classic tale — but those performances had to be edited out of a C-Span talent show after the copyright holder objected to the cross-casting.
Jay Frisby, a black student who played Huck, and Nick Lehan, a white student who played Jim, taped their performance of the song "Muddy Water" for 'Close Up', a weekly show that highlights high school excellence.
When the program aired Friday, the two Glenelg Country School seniors were introduced, but viewers were told that 'Close Up' could not show their performance because of "copyright restrictions."
Lehan and Frisby had played the roles of Jim and Huck in the school's production of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" without complaint. But when the show's executive producer asked for the right to air the students' performance, permission was denied.
Bert Fink, a spokesman for R&H Theatricals — the Rodgers & Hammerstein organization, which holds the license to the play — said his organization is not against cross-casting in general.
"But when you're dealing with a theatrical work and race or ethnicity is a key factor, many authors or playwrights feel strongly that ethnicity has to be reflected in the actors who portray the characters," he said.
"In the books, Jim is a runaway slave. He is clearly in the novel an African-American man. And Huck is a free white man — that is central to the story. To ignore that component or to comment on it by switching is not faithful to the story."
Frisby's father, Washington attorney Russell Frisby, said he was appalled by the decision.
"The only rationale for it is that someone in New York believes Huck Finn can't be played by an African-American. I thought we were past the days of 'whites only' clauses," the elder Frisby said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050522/ap_en_tv/theater_mark_twain_race/nc:763
And then, back in May, Suits made sure that it wouldn't become a standard practice.....
[Sun May 22,10:34 AM ET ]
A black Huck Finn and a white Jim might be OK for a high school production of Mark Twain's classic tale — but those performances had to be edited out of a C-Span talent show after the copyright holder objected to the cross-casting.
Jay Frisby, a black student who played Huck, and Nick Lehan, a white student who played Jim, taped their performance of the song "Muddy Water" for 'Close Up', a weekly show that highlights high school excellence.
When the program aired Friday, the two Glenelg Country School seniors were introduced, but viewers were told that 'Close Up' could not show their performance because of "copyright restrictions."
Lehan and Frisby had played the roles of Jim and Huck in the school's production of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" without complaint. But when the show's executive producer asked for the right to air the students' performance, permission was denied.
Bert Fink, a spokesman for R&H Theatricals — the Rodgers & Hammerstein organization, which holds the license to the play — said his organization is not against cross-casting in general.
"But when you're dealing with a theatrical work and race or ethnicity is a key factor, many authors or playwrights feel strongly that ethnicity has to be reflected in the actors who portray the characters," he said.
"In the books, Jim is a runaway slave. He is clearly in the novel an African-American man. And Huck is a free white man — that is central to the story. To ignore that component or to comment on it by switching is not faithful to the story."
Frisby's father, Washington attorney Russell Frisby, said he was appalled by the decision.
"The only rationale for it is that someone in New York believes Huck Finn can't be played by an African-American. I thought we were past the days of 'whites only' clauses," the elder Frisby said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050522/ap_en_tv/theater_mark_twain_race/nc:763
Since no one create for me, I create myself lor
As you can see, I am a self-proclaimed celebrity. Ahem. From this moment onwards, I will no longer be a self-proclaimed one, because I now have the one thing which all celebrities have:
Their very own biography page/fan site!
How cool is that?
Ok lah, I was damn boh liao so I did it for fun, copying Fann Wong's and Jolin Tsai's formats.
Little did I know I have so much things to write. Go and create your own also, then you will be an instant celebrity!
Have fun. CLICK!
Their very own biography page/fan site!
How cool is that?
Ok lah, I was damn boh liao so I did it for fun, copying Fann Wong's and Jolin Tsai's formats.
Little did I know I have so much things to write. Go and create your own also, then you will be an instant celebrity!
Have fun. CLICK!
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Club Momo, Mom Momo
I just got back from Club Momo with Kelvin, Ann and Kel's friends.... Sibeh tired. His friends are very cute, of one them kena engineering for Singapore Sewage for his internship, then his job is literally full of shit! WAHAHAHA! I am very amused.
He say got this big tank, it is 2 metres high and full of "brown colour things lah" ("Huh, can see the shit and all that ah?!" "I don't know lah, I NEVER GO AND SEE!") and he wears a gas mark with a full body suit to work.
Damn funny, where got people take engineering course then really so suay kena this kinda job one?! WHAAHHA...
So anyway, those who know me a little better might be laughing at the CLUB MOMO thing. When I first found out that there was a club called Momo, I kept laughing my head off, coz Momo is what I call my mom!!
Me: MOMO! I am going out! Kelvin say he introduce cute guys to me!!!
Momo: Where are you going? Please don't be so desperate hor!
Me: I am going to Momo!
Momo: Don't be rude.
Me: Really! The club is called Momo!
Momo: Really ah?
Sibeh funny lah! Momo used to be very angry whenever I call her Momo, coz she say that's not her name and she doesn't like it. Now she accepts it, and even gets upset that a club copies her name! =)
I love my Momo.
On a completely irrelevant note, I've learnt how to spin the hoola hoop infinitely, and I think that renders me a very sexy person indeed. However, while I spin I realise that I will be facing a completely opposite direction after 2 minutes. =(
Smelly, who mastered the hoop a few days before I did (Momo bought the hoop in hope of a slimmer waist but never mastered it... kua kua kua), said that I am lousy.
When I asked him why he say that, he proudly proclaimed that he can dance to She Bangs while hoolahooping. WTF? Why my brother so gay? I told him to show me, and I wanted to video tape to show you all, but he saw through my plans and ran inside Momo's room to hide and promptly fell asleep.
Cloudy (my dog) is very stupid. When I was still learning how to spin the hoop, he would come near me, underneath the hoop, to kpo and see what is that shimmery purple thing I am spinning (or attempting to spin).
He would wag his tail and stare up at me enquiringly. Rather cute, actually.
I tried to kick him away, but I know it will make me drop the hoop, so I can only endure his mocking face. I'm sure he thinks that he can spin better.
Being amateur with the hoop then, the hoop constantly drops onto Cloudy, whereby he would yelp in shock that a shimmery purple thing can suddenly fall on him, and go hide underneath the computer table, bullied by the big bad hoola hoop.
Again and again he does this. -_- My friends are right, Cloudy is indeed very stupid.
More blogging tomorrow, complete with ministers' (plural, mind you) photos. I am so tireeeeeeeed!
He say got this big tank, it is 2 metres high and full of "brown colour things lah" ("Huh, can see the shit and all that ah?!" "I don't know lah, I NEVER GO AND SEE!") and he wears a gas mark with a full body suit to work.
Damn funny, where got people take engineering course then really so suay kena this kinda job one?! WHAAHHA...
So anyway, those who know me a little better might be laughing at the CLUB MOMO thing. When I first found out that there was a club called Momo, I kept laughing my head off, coz Momo is what I call my mom!!
Me: MOMO! I am going out! Kelvin say he introduce cute guys to me!!!
Momo: Where are you going? Please don't be so desperate hor!
Me: I am going to Momo!
Momo: Don't be rude.
Me: Really! The club is called Momo!
Momo: Really ah?
Sibeh funny lah! Momo used to be very angry whenever I call her Momo, coz she say that's not her name and she doesn't like it. Now she accepts it, and even gets upset that a club copies her name! =)
I love my Momo.
On a completely irrelevant note, I've learnt how to spin the hoola hoop infinitely, and I think that renders me a very sexy person indeed. However, while I spin I realise that I will be facing a completely opposite direction after 2 minutes. =(
Smelly, who mastered the hoop a few days before I did (Momo bought the hoop in hope of a slimmer waist but never mastered it... kua kua kua), said that I am lousy.
When I asked him why he say that, he proudly proclaimed that he can dance to She Bangs while hoolahooping. WTF? Why my brother so gay? I told him to show me, and I wanted to video tape to show you all, but he saw through my plans and ran inside Momo's room to hide and promptly fell asleep.
Cloudy (my dog) is very stupid. When I was still learning how to spin the hoop, he would come near me, underneath the hoop, to kpo and see what is that shimmery purple thing I am spinning (or attempting to spin).
He would wag his tail and stare up at me enquiringly. Rather cute, actually.
I tried to kick him away, but I know it will make me drop the hoop, so I can only endure his mocking face. I'm sure he thinks that he can spin better.
Being amateur with the hoop then, the hoop constantly drops onto Cloudy, whereby he would yelp in shock that a shimmery purple thing can suddenly fall on him, and go hide underneath the computer table, bullied by the big bad hoola hoop.
Again and again he does this. -_- My friends are right, Cloudy is indeed very stupid.
More blogging tomorrow, complete with ministers' (plural, mind you) photos. I am so tireeeeeeeed!
"COLUMBO", "THE FUGITIVE"
We've seen with TV episodes like "Trials And Tribble-ations" on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' that old clips inserted into new shows can become part of a new scenario.
I'm not sure this actually should be of any significance or not, but I did find it interesting. The following posts come from the excellent website which celebrates 'Columbo', The Ultimate Lieutenant Columbo Site:
Subject: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: Headache2112
Date Posted: Apr 13, 05 - 4:09 PM
Message: This was pretty weird. This past Sunday, I decided to watch "A Friend In Deed". If you watch that episode, we first encounter the Commish at his "club". The establishing shot of the club is that of a spanish-style building (spanish type arches). The building has a circular drive in front of it and cars parked in front. This shot goes past very quickly.
After watching the episode, I decided to get my tapes of "The Fugitive" out of the bin they've been sitting in for the past six years. I have all the episodes on about 25 VHS tapes I taped off the A&E network about 14 years ago.
I chose a tape at random and popped it into my VCR. I can't recall the title of the episode right now, but it featured Jack Lord as a weasel who with some forced help, plans to kill his wheel-chair bound wealthy wife and frame Dr. Kimble for the murder.
Anywho, I pop in the tape and the episode begins. The first thing I see? The same spanish-style building with the spanish type arches and the circular driveway and cars parked out in front.
No, this isn't much of anything. I realize that. I just thought it was pretty weird that I just happened to choose these two episodes to watch, one after the other and both featured the exact same building. "The Fugitive" episode was a color episode, so that means it was from 1967. "A Friend In Deed" was long after that.
Of little more interest, Halperin's club seen in "Deed" was not the true interior of that spanish-style building. "The Fugitive" episode was actually filmed on location, and we follow David Janssen and Jack Lord from the outside of the building right into the lobby of the building.
I didn't see Columbo's car parked anywhere near the building though in the "Fugitive" episode!
Subject: Re: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: Headache2112
Date Posted: Apr 13, 05 - 4:48 PM
Message: The title of the "Fugitive" episode was "Goodbye My Love".
Subject: Re: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: Headache2112
Date Posted: Apr 15, 05 - 5:10 PM
Message: About those clips from "A Friend In Deed" and "The Fugitive". I checked it out thoroughly. It's somewhat interesting. The clip used in "Deed" (which goes by in about 4 seconds) is indeed from "The Fugitive". But interestingly enough, it's not the "exact" same clip.
At the beginning of the "Fugitive" episode, we see a Cadillac pulling around the circular drive and stopping in front of the entrance to the spanish-style-arched building. And that's it. The scene changes to the interior of the building.
Interestingly enough, the clip from "Columbo/Deed" follows on immediately from the point the "Fugitive" scene ended!
The Cadillac is stopped in front of the spanish-style-arched building. A guy wearing a light blue jacket gets out of the Cadillac and walks around the front of the car to the passenger side. That is where the "Columbo" scene ends.
But get this, that guy wearing the light blue jacket? Guess who that is? DAVID JANSSEN!
I know this, because back in the "Fugitive" episode, even though we didn't see the driver get out of the Cadillac, when the action switches to the interior of the spanish building, Janssen (as Dr. Richard Kimble) enters the building and is wearing that light blue jacket. The character is employed at that club (a golf course club) and one of his jobs is to valet park the golfer's cars.
So isn't that interesting? Now we can indeed say that David Janssen did in fact appear in an episode of "Columbo"! (But no, he's too far from the camera to be seen clearly. And because he is, it could just be a stand-in.)
Subject: Re: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: cassavetes45
Date Posted: Apr 15, 05 - 5:27 PM
And as far as the clips are concerned...Wow! that is something else...so of course I had to go to the video tape!! And this time I wasn't standing in the kitchen, I put the tape on in my living room, because we have a 51 incher and I wanted to see it better...and there was the guy with the light blue jacket!! Amazing! I would tend to think that it was a stand-in..only for the reason that the guy had a bit of a spring to his step...and Janssen never really revealed that side of himself to me. For me, he has always followed the motto.."Slow and Steady, Wins The Race."
~~~~~~~
As for me, I was all set to whip up a few hypotheticals to deal with this trivial information. Perhaps, after "the running stopped", Dr. Kimble and his new wife retired to the sunny climes of California. Perhaps he then became a member of the same club to which Police Commissioner Mark Halperin belonged.
But then I figured, ah, let it go. I've already got Dr. Kimble linked to the TV Universe through one of his last episodes, in which he passed the U.N.C.L.E. headquarters located in Seattle. Lt. Columbo's connections include a hypothetical concerning the robot Double-M7 ("Mind Over Mayhem") and tele-versions of certain celebrities playing themselves.
And yet... it would be nice to have that direct link as well........
At any rate, that bit of trivial info adds another layer of interest for the 'Columbo' episode, which would probably be found in my top five faves.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
For those who are interested in visiting The Ultimate Lieutenant Columbo Site, here's the URL:
http://www.columbo-site.freeuk.com/
It's a fantastic site!
I'm not sure this actually should be of any significance or not, but I did find it interesting. The following posts come from the excellent website which celebrates 'Columbo', The Ultimate Lieutenant Columbo Site:
Subject: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: Headache2112
Date Posted: Apr 13, 05 - 4:09 PM
Message: This was pretty weird. This past Sunday, I decided to watch "A Friend In Deed". If you watch that episode, we first encounter the Commish at his "club". The establishing shot of the club is that of a spanish-style building (spanish type arches). The building has a circular drive in front of it and cars parked in front. This shot goes past very quickly.
After watching the episode, I decided to get my tapes of "The Fugitive" out of the bin they've been sitting in for the past six years. I have all the episodes on about 25 VHS tapes I taped off the A&E network about 14 years ago.
I chose a tape at random and popped it into my VCR. I can't recall the title of the episode right now, but it featured Jack Lord as a weasel who with some forced help, plans to kill his wheel-chair bound wealthy wife and frame Dr. Kimble for the murder.
Anywho, I pop in the tape and the episode begins. The first thing I see? The same spanish-style building with the spanish type arches and the circular driveway and cars parked out in front.
No, this isn't much of anything. I realize that. I just thought it was pretty weird that I just happened to choose these two episodes to watch, one after the other and both featured the exact same building. "The Fugitive" episode was a color episode, so that means it was from 1967. "A Friend In Deed" was long after that.
Of little more interest, Halperin's club seen in "Deed" was not the true interior of that spanish-style building. "The Fugitive" episode was actually filmed on location, and we follow David Janssen and Jack Lord from the outside of the building right into the lobby of the building.
I didn't see Columbo's car parked anywhere near the building though in the "Fugitive" episode!
Subject: Re: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: Headache2112
Date Posted: Apr 13, 05 - 4:48 PM
Message: The title of the "Fugitive" episode was "Goodbye My Love".
Subject: Re: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: Headache2112
Date Posted: Apr 15, 05 - 5:10 PM
Message: About those clips from "A Friend In Deed" and "The Fugitive". I checked it out thoroughly. It's somewhat interesting. The clip used in "Deed" (which goes by in about 4 seconds) is indeed from "The Fugitive". But interestingly enough, it's not the "exact" same clip.
At the beginning of the "Fugitive" episode, we see a Cadillac pulling around the circular drive and stopping in front of the entrance to the spanish-style-arched building. And that's it. The scene changes to the interior of the building.
Interestingly enough, the clip from "Columbo/Deed" follows on immediately from the point the "Fugitive" scene ended!
The Cadillac is stopped in front of the spanish-style-arched building. A guy wearing a light blue jacket gets out of the Cadillac and walks around the front of the car to the passenger side. That is where the "Columbo" scene ends.
But get this, that guy wearing the light blue jacket? Guess who that is? DAVID JANSSEN!
I know this, because back in the "Fugitive" episode, even though we didn't see the driver get out of the Cadillac, when the action switches to the interior of the spanish building, Janssen (as Dr. Richard Kimble) enters the building and is wearing that light blue jacket. The character is employed at that club (a golf course club) and one of his jobs is to valet park the golfer's cars.
So isn't that interesting? Now we can indeed say that David Janssen did in fact appear in an episode of "Columbo"! (But no, he's too far from the camera to be seen clearly. And because he is, it could just be a stand-in.)
Subject: Re: Columbo/The Fugitive
Name: cassavetes45
Date Posted: Apr 15, 05 - 5:27 PM
And as far as the clips are concerned...Wow! that is something else...so of course I had to go to the video tape!! And this time I wasn't standing in the kitchen, I put the tape on in my living room, because we have a 51 incher and I wanted to see it better...and there was the guy with the light blue jacket!! Amazing! I would tend to think that it was a stand-in..only for the reason that the guy had a bit of a spring to his step...and Janssen never really revealed that side of himself to me. For me, he has always followed the motto.."Slow and Steady, Wins The Race."
~~~~~~~
As for me, I was all set to whip up a few hypotheticals to deal with this trivial information. Perhaps, after "the running stopped", Dr. Kimble and his new wife retired to the sunny climes of California. Perhaps he then became a member of the same club to which Police Commissioner Mark Halperin belonged.
But then I figured, ah, let it go. I've already got Dr. Kimble linked to the TV Universe through one of his last episodes, in which he passed the U.N.C.L.E. headquarters located in Seattle. Lt. Columbo's connections include a hypothetical concerning the robot Double-M7 ("Mind Over Mayhem") and tele-versions of certain celebrities playing themselves.
And yet... it would be nice to have that direct link as well........
At any rate, that bit of trivial info adds another layer of interest for the 'Columbo' episode, which would probably be found in my top five faves.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
For those who are interested in visiting The Ultimate Lieutenant Columbo Site, here's the URL:
http://www.columbo-site.freeuk.com/
It's a fantastic site!
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
IMMERSED IN "MORSE"
Kevin Whately is to reprise his Inspector Morse role in a new spin-off show for ITV.
Filming on 'Lewis' is due to begin this month - three years after the death of actor John Thaw who played Morse.
In the two-hour film, Whately reprises his role of Robbie Lewis, with his very own sidekick, Det Sgt James Hathaway.
Whately said it would be "very strange" returning to the role. He appeared alongside Thaw in the popular drama for 13 years.
He said: "I know it's going to be strange returning to the character of Lewis without John, but Morse's spirit pervades a great new script and I am looking forward to filming it and to seeing what has happened in Lewis' life and career."
Michele Buck, controller of Granada Drama, London, said Inspector Morse was a "television institution" that came to a natural end with the death of Morse in 2000.
He said: "I am delighted that Kevin has agreed to return as Lewis in a terrific story, which will re-unite many of the team behind Morse, and which will have the same high production values."
Five years after the death of Morse, Lewis - who is now an inspector - returns to the Thames Valley police and the university city of Oxford.
Lewis is joined by Cambridge graduate Det Sgt James Hathaway, played by Laurence Fox, and reporting to new boss Chief Supt Jean Innocent.
Also reprising her Morse role in the drama will be Clare Holman, who was introduced as pathologist Laura Hobson in the 1995 film "The Way Through The Woods" and subsequently appeared in four Morse films.
The last 'Inspector Morse' - "The Remorseful Day" - was broadcast in November 2000.
In the episode, Morse collapsed in an Oxford college quad and later died in hospital.
John Thaw died in February 2002 at the age of 60 after suffering from cancer.
So both Inspector Lewis and Laura Hobson will be two-thirds of the way towards qualifying for the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Filming on 'Lewis' is due to begin this month - three years after the death of actor John Thaw who played Morse.
In the two-hour film, Whately reprises his role of Robbie Lewis, with his very own sidekick, Det Sgt James Hathaway.
Whately said it would be "very strange" returning to the role. He appeared alongside Thaw in the popular drama for 13 years.
He said: "I know it's going to be strange returning to the character of Lewis without John, but Morse's spirit pervades a great new script and I am looking forward to filming it and to seeing what has happened in Lewis' life and career."
Michele Buck, controller of Granada Drama, London, said Inspector Morse was a "television institution" that came to a natural end with the death of Morse in 2000.
He said: "I am delighted that Kevin has agreed to return as Lewis in a terrific story, which will re-unite many of the team behind Morse, and which will have the same high production values."
Five years after the death of Morse, Lewis - who is now an inspector - returns to the Thames Valley police and the university city of Oxford.
Lewis is joined by Cambridge graduate Det Sgt James Hathaway, played by Laurence Fox, and reporting to new boss Chief Supt Jean Innocent.
Also reprising her Morse role in the drama will be Clare Holman, who was introduced as pathologist Laura Hobson in the 1995 film "The Way Through The Woods" and subsequently appeared in four Morse films.
The last 'Inspector Morse' - "The Remorseful Day" - was broadcast in November 2000.
In the episode, Morse collapsed in an Oxford college quad and later died in hospital.
John Thaw died in February 2002 at the age of 60 after suffering from cancer.
So both Inspector Lewis and Laura Hobson will be two-thirds of the way towards qualifying for the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
SPIKED AGAIN?
Currently working on 'Smallville' as the latest incarnation for "Brainiac", James Marsters may yet fulfill the minimal requirement to gain entry into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame as his most famous character, the vampire Spike.
At the Television Critics Association press tour, the Big Kahuna for The WB, David Janollari, said he would "gladly" do a TV movie featuring the Spike character... if Marsters and "Buffy"/"Angel" creator Joss Whedon want to do one.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
At the Television Critics Association press tour, the Big Kahuna for The WB, David Janollari, said he would "gladly" do a TV movie featuring the Spike character... if Marsters and "Buffy"/"Angel" creator Joss Whedon want to do one.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
CROSSOVER OF THE WEEK!
'Doctor Who' is back on Earth!
Fifteen years after the last regular episode, six years after the one TV movie for the Eighth Doctor, we've had a full series of thirteen episodes featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Incarnation.
The final episode for this year has aired, signaling the end of Eccleston's tenure and marking the debut of David Tennant in the role.
And so to celebrate, most of my essays and all of the Crossovers will be dedicated to the Doctor for the rest of the summer.
Be forewarned: In my essays during this summer salute to 'Doctor Who', there will be spoilers for each of the episodes, especially in regard to summaries.....
First off, here's a recap of the episode:
Location: Beneath the Utah Desert
Date: 2012
Enemy: Dalek soldier
The Doctor and Rose find themselves in an underground museum in Utah in the year 2012. The museum houses all kinds of extraterrestrial artifacts; the only living exhibit being one of the Doctor's oldest enemies - a Dalek!
[Thanks to TV.com]
Beneath the Salt Plains of Utah, the billionaire collector Henry Van Statten holds the last relic of an alien race. When the Doctor and Rose investigate, they discover that the Doctor’s oldest and most deadly enemy is about to break free. It’s a fight to the death, with Rose caught in the middle.
[Thanks to The Doctor Who Reference Guide]
We owe the quartet of connections to this week's episode to the fact that the "Owner of the Internet", Henry Van Statten, is a collector of alien artifacts and relics.
In his collection there was the mileometer from the alien spacecraft that crashed at Roswell back in 1947. And these four shows touched on that crash without risking being banished to an alternate TV dimension for mucking about with an established timeline.
This is why 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' is not included for its episode that touched on the Roswell incident. By sending three Ferengi back in Time to alter the original chain of events, a new timeline was created. With the other four series, a bit of finagling and dancing with logic can keep them tied together to the same event, in the same TV Land.
Because it was the crustacean Dr. Zoidberg who was the alien back in time, 'Futurama' also creates an alternate timeline. But then again, that series could be set in the Tooniverse.....
Anyway, the ship that contained the three alien pods (who would grow up to become Max, Michael, and Isabel) crashed in Roswell in 1947. The cover-up was instigated by the clandestine group known as Majestic 12, many of whose members would one day become famous in the world of politics.
Probably among the later staff members (quickly to become one of the most powerful) was known as the Cigarette Smoking Man. He would have been brought into the cabal during the 1960s, and probably after the death of Major Frank Bach.
The aliens that were known about initially from the crash were probably just guards-for-hire for the three alien embryo pods. Those guards probably served as meta-McGuffins, whose deaths and alien autopsies drew attention away while the embryos were secreted away to a hidden cave to develop in secrecy.
Luckily they were removed before they could be discovered, as the wreckage was combed over for any technological advances that might have helped Mankind. Van Statten mentions in "Dalek" that broadband was one of the benefits which derived from the Roswell debris.
But another marvel retrieved from Roswell was the ability to go back in Time seven days, which Operation Backstep used for a covert government project to rewrite History (but of course for only the most dire of emergencies).
Van Statten also made mention of the medical find his researchers recovered from the mysterious crater that had been created by some sort of seismic blast in 1908 Russia - the cure for the common cold. (Of course, his corporation decided to keep that a secret for fear of ruining the cold & flu medicinal industry.)
Scientists are still baffled as to what may have caused that crater, but some sort of extraterrestrial blast has always been a popular theory. And according to FBI Agent Fox Mulder's personal experiences, the alien black oil could be traced back to the site.
(It's also one of the Toobworld hypotheticals that another alien involved in that blast {and survived} had been a Conehead from Remulac. This Conehead, whether it was a male or a female somehow fit into the human society during the early stages of Soviet Russia and even fathered a half-human hybrid child who grew up to become an arch-villain in Gotham City.... Egghead.)
So that's where we find the links for this episode of 'Doctor Who'. It was set in Utah, but we had to travel to Roswell, New Mexico.
Shows cited:
'Doctor Who'
'Roswell'
'Dark Skies'
'7 Days'
'The X-Files'
'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'
'Futurama'
'Saturday Night Live'
'Batman'
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Fifteen years after the last regular episode, six years after the one TV movie for the Eighth Doctor, we've had a full series of thirteen episodes featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Incarnation.
The final episode for this year has aired, signaling the end of Eccleston's tenure and marking the debut of David Tennant in the role.
And so to celebrate, most of my essays and all of the Crossovers will be dedicated to the Doctor for the rest of the summer.
Be forewarned: In my essays during this summer salute to 'Doctor Who', there will be spoilers for each of the episodes, especially in regard to summaries.....
First off, here's a recap of the episode:
Location: Beneath the Utah Desert
Date: 2012
Enemy: Dalek soldier
The Doctor and Rose find themselves in an underground museum in Utah in the year 2012. The museum houses all kinds of extraterrestrial artifacts; the only living exhibit being one of the Doctor's oldest enemies - a Dalek!
[Thanks to TV.com]
Beneath the Salt Plains of Utah, the billionaire collector Henry Van Statten holds the last relic of an alien race. When the Doctor and Rose investigate, they discover that the Doctor’s oldest and most deadly enemy is about to break free. It’s a fight to the death, with Rose caught in the middle.
[Thanks to The Doctor Who Reference Guide]
CROSSOVER OF THE WEEK
'DOCTOR WHO' - "DALEK"
&
'ROSWELL', 'DARK SKIES', '7 DAYS' & 'THE X-FILES'
'DOCTOR WHO' - "DALEK"
&
'ROSWELL', 'DARK SKIES', '7 DAYS' & 'THE X-FILES'
We owe the quartet of connections to this week's episode to the fact that the "Owner of the Internet", Henry Van Statten, is a collector of alien artifacts and relics.
In his collection there was the mileometer from the alien spacecraft that crashed at Roswell back in 1947. And these four shows touched on that crash without risking being banished to an alternate TV dimension for mucking about with an established timeline.
This is why 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' is not included for its episode that touched on the Roswell incident. By sending three Ferengi back in Time to alter the original chain of events, a new timeline was created. With the other four series, a bit of finagling and dancing with logic can keep them tied together to the same event, in the same TV Land.
Because it was the crustacean Dr. Zoidberg who was the alien back in time, 'Futurama' also creates an alternate timeline. But then again, that series could be set in the Tooniverse.....
Anyway, the ship that contained the three alien pods (who would grow up to become Max, Michael, and Isabel) crashed in Roswell in 1947. The cover-up was instigated by the clandestine group known as Majestic 12, many of whose members would one day become famous in the world of politics.
Probably among the later staff members (quickly to become one of the most powerful) was known as the Cigarette Smoking Man. He would have been brought into the cabal during the 1960s, and probably after the death of Major Frank Bach.
The aliens that were known about initially from the crash were probably just guards-for-hire for the three alien embryo pods. Those guards probably served as meta-McGuffins, whose deaths and alien autopsies drew attention away while the embryos were secreted away to a hidden cave to develop in secrecy.
Luckily they were removed before they could be discovered, as the wreckage was combed over for any technological advances that might have helped Mankind. Van Statten mentions in "Dalek" that broadband was one of the benefits which derived from the Roswell debris.
But another marvel retrieved from Roswell was the ability to go back in Time seven days, which Operation Backstep used for a covert government project to rewrite History (but of course for only the most dire of emergencies).
Van Statten also made mention of the medical find his researchers recovered from the mysterious crater that had been created by some sort of seismic blast in 1908 Russia - the cure for the common cold. (Of course, his corporation decided to keep that a secret for fear of ruining the cold & flu medicinal industry.)
Scientists are still baffled as to what may have caused that crater, but some sort of extraterrestrial blast has always been a popular theory. And according to FBI Agent Fox Mulder's personal experiences, the alien black oil could be traced back to the site.
(It's also one of the Toobworld hypotheticals that another alien involved in that blast {and survived} had been a Conehead from Remulac. This Conehead, whether it was a male or a female somehow fit into the human society during the early stages of Soviet Russia and even fathered a half-human hybrid child who grew up to become an arch-villain in Gotham City.... Egghead.)
So that's where we find the links for this episode of 'Doctor Who'. It was set in Utah, but we had to travel to Roswell, New Mexico.
Shows cited:
'Doctor Who'
'Roswell'
'Dark Skies'
'7 Days'
'The X-Files'
'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'
'Futurama'
'Saturday Night Live'
'Batman'
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
MISSING LINKS: "MARS"/"MONK"
"With Milton Hershey's success came a profound sense of moral responsibility and benevolence. His ambitions were not limited to producing chocolate: Hershey envisioned a complete new community around his factory.
He built a model town for his employees that included comfortable homes, an inexpensive public transportation system, a quality public school system and extensive recreational and cultural opportunities. Unlike other industrialists of his time, Hershey avoided building a faceless company town with row houses. He wanted a "real home town" with tree-lined streets, single- and two-family brick houses, and manicured lawns.
He was concerned about providing adequate recreation and diversions, so he built a park that opened on April 24, 1907, and expanded rapidly over the next several years. Amusement rides, a swimming pool, and a ballroom were added. Soon, trolley cars and trains were bringing thousands of out-of-town visitors to the park.
Many of the town's impressive structures were built during the Great Depression, as part of Milton Hershey's "Great Building Campaign," to provide jobs. It was then that monumental structures such as the community center, theatre, sports arena and stadium were constructed, transforming the town into a major tourist attraction that continues to grow in popularity each year.
The town of Hershey continues to be a special place for its residents and a popular attraction for millions of visitors annually."
With the 'Monk' episode "Mr. Monk Goes Home Again", the producers had no trouble using the name of a real trash bag company; they even showed a close-up of the product. Since that scene was followed immediately by a commercial for that same trash bag, it was obviously a very overt case of product placement.
But God forbid the candy bar that played a pivotal role in the episode be a real chocolate bar! The fact that the chocolate was poisoned probably played a prime role in the decision.
(Ya think?)
So a fictitious one was created - the Neptune bar.
The first connection would be to think of the Mars Bar which is no longer officially on the shelves in this country.
But I started thinking in terms of the Hershey Company as well, and that they had a whole town with the name of the chocolate bar named after it.
Could something similar have happened with the fictitious Neptune bar?
Instead of the town being named after the chocolate, perhaps the chocolate took its name from the town in which it was first produced.
Neptune, California, 90909.
And that's the town where 'Veronica Mars' has hung her shingle to be a high schoolin' private eye.
Like many of the crossovers I bring up here in the Inner Toob, it's just a hypothetical link. Nothing to confirm it.
But I gotta figure Neptune's a big enough suburb of Los Angeles that we'd never learn that there WASN'T a Neptune Chocolate Bar Company in town.....
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
He built a model town for his employees that included comfortable homes, an inexpensive public transportation system, a quality public school system and extensive recreational and cultural opportunities. Unlike other industrialists of his time, Hershey avoided building a faceless company town with row houses. He wanted a "real home town" with tree-lined streets, single- and two-family brick houses, and manicured lawns.
He was concerned about providing adequate recreation and diversions, so he built a park that opened on April 24, 1907, and expanded rapidly over the next several years. Amusement rides, a swimming pool, and a ballroom were added. Soon, trolley cars and trains were bringing thousands of out-of-town visitors to the park.
Many of the town's impressive structures were built during the Great Depression, as part of Milton Hershey's "Great Building Campaign," to provide jobs. It was then that monumental structures such as the community center, theatre, sports arena and stadium were constructed, transforming the town into a major tourist attraction that continues to grow in popularity each year.
The town of Hershey continues to be a special place for its residents and a popular attraction for millions of visitors annually."
- from the Hershey website
Here endeth the history lesson.With the 'Monk' episode "Mr. Monk Goes Home Again", the producers had no trouble using the name of a real trash bag company; they even showed a close-up of the product. Since that scene was followed immediately by a commercial for that same trash bag, it was obviously a very overt case of product placement.
But God forbid the candy bar that played a pivotal role in the episode be a real chocolate bar! The fact that the chocolate was poisoned probably played a prime role in the decision.
(Ya think?)
So a fictitious one was created - the Neptune bar.
The first connection would be to think of the Mars Bar which is no longer officially on the shelves in this country.
But I started thinking in terms of the Hershey Company as well, and that they had a whole town with the name of the chocolate bar named after it.
Could something similar have happened with the fictitious Neptune bar?
Instead of the town being named after the chocolate, perhaps the chocolate took its name from the town in which it was first produced.
Neptune, California, 90909.
And that's the town where 'Veronica Mars' has hung her shingle to be a high schoolin' private eye.
Like many of the crossovers I bring up here in the Inner Toob, it's just a hypothetical link. Nothing to confirm it.
But I gotta figure Neptune's a big enough suburb of Los Angeles that we'd never learn that there WASN'T a Neptune Chocolate Bar Company in town.....
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
LEGAL SURROUNDINGS
The set for 'Law & Order: Trial By Jury' has not been struck, even though the show itself was struck down. It's getting a new lease on life now that the network is developing a new series from Dick Wolf about assistant district attorneys in New York.
The 'Trial By Jury' set will remain standing for at least a year in New York to be used in the production on the planned ADA series, which was pitched to NBC brass late last week.
"I fully expect to be in production within the time period" of the agreement on keeping the sets up, Wolf said.
Wolf said the new show would be much more character-driven with closed-end story lines and less of the procedural format of Wolf's 'Law & Order', and its offshoots 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent'. He said the show also would be part of a youth movement at the franchise, with the average age of Manhattan assistant district attorneys being 28.
"It will be much more of an ensemble than the other shows, with time spent not necessarily on their personal lives but how they're driven, what made them, who they will become," Wolf said. "It's a very transitional age."
Yeah, not necessarily personal.... but maybe there'll still be some sex in the offices. Hey, it's time to bring back that 'L.A. Law' licentiousness!
But still, just having the set alone works for me in making a crossover for this un-named show. And what I'd like to see would be the return of Amy Carlson as ADA Kelly Gaffney.
I suppose at - what? 38 by then? - the other ADAs would be calling her Granny......
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
The 'Trial By Jury' set will remain standing for at least a year in New York to be used in the production on the planned ADA series, which was pitched to NBC brass late last week.
"I fully expect to be in production within the time period" of the agreement on keeping the sets up, Wolf said.
Wolf said the new show would be much more character-driven with closed-end story lines and less of the procedural format of Wolf's 'Law & Order', and its offshoots 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent'. He said the show also would be part of a youth movement at the franchise, with the average age of Manhattan assistant district attorneys being 28.
"It will be much more of an ensemble than the other shows, with time spent not necessarily on their personal lives but how they're driven, what made them, who they will become," Wolf said. "It's a very transitional age."
Yeah, not necessarily personal.... but maybe there'll still be some sex in the offices. Hey, it's time to bring back that 'L.A. Law' licentiousness!
But still, just having the set alone works for me in making a crossover for this un-named show. And what I'd like to see would be the return of Amy Carlson as ADA Kelly Gaffney.
I suppose at - what? 38 by then? - the other ADAs would be calling her Granny......
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
I don't want to sound rude, but...
Who are you to force me to take your advice and tell me how I should blog?
There is no un-arrogant way to go about this, but I have to say it... I've been blogging since April 2003. I am the one winning several blogging awards, not you.
I am not trying to be hao lian, I am only being honest here.
Don't you think, trying to teach me the correct ways of blogging is akin to teaching dumbledore(excellent site for fans!) how to cast a spell?
Not that I am as old, funny or intelligent as he is lah, but I will take Andrew Sullivan's advice on how to blog... I will take Maddox's. I will take Mrbrown's.
But who are you?
Anyone can give advice, yes, and I agree that sometimes ... pang guan zhe qing. I will of course listen to people telling me their opinions, or telling me what kinda of blog entries are generally more well-received and so on. I know that there are many smarter people around me who are concerned and give me their feedback, and I appreciate that a lot. I thank you all for kind reminders...
But what about self-righteous pompous fools?
There are many rude (and apparently stupid) people who try to force blogging advice down my throat, like they know any better.
Let me ask you this question: Who are you to attempt to teach Xiaxue how to blog?
Before you give someone advice, do you not think of whether you are an expert in your field? Do you teach Brad Pitt to act? Do you tell Mariah Carey how to sing properly? Do you demand that Lao Lee should govern the country with your methods?
You can tell these people they are not doing a good job and how they can improve yes, but you are not qualified to teach, demand or instruct them to do anything, for they are have proven themselves to be far better in their various fields than you ever can be.
Well, do you even have a BLOG??
If you are good enough to be advising people at this blogging shit, why are you not the one being recognised for your blog?
One reader once emailed to me, telling me that my style of writing sucks, and I should follow her style of writing.
I told her, "No thank you, if I followed your style my blog will be as disgustingly mediocre as yours."
She also gave dire warnings that should I change, (YOU FUCKING LISTEN TO ME XIAXUE!) I will soon lose all my readers, blah blah. Alas, I lost all my mails or I can copy her mail here.
I told her - One day, when you become as accomplished as me in the blogosphere, then I will listen to you! But unfortunately when that day comes, I will be like super accomplished, so I guess I still won't listen.
She never replied.
So my point being: Stupid people, please stop teaching me how to blog. Why should I listen to you? You show me that first.
p/s: Stupid people will still take this post as absurd arrogance on my part. Smart people will know that I only mean not to take ill-mannered advice from losers who are in no position to teach anyone anything. So fuck those stupid people, I don't give a shit what they think.
There is no un-arrogant way to go about this, but I have to say it... I've been blogging since April 2003. I am the one winning several blogging awards, not you.
I am not trying to be hao lian, I am only being honest here.
Don't you think, trying to teach me the correct ways of blogging is akin to teaching dumbledore(excellent site for fans!) how to cast a spell?
Not that I am as old, funny or intelligent as he is lah, but I will take Andrew Sullivan's advice on how to blog... I will take Maddox's. I will take Mrbrown's.
But who are you?
Anyone can give advice, yes, and I agree that sometimes ... pang guan zhe qing. I will of course listen to people telling me their opinions, or telling me what kinda of blog entries are generally more well-received and so on. I know that there are many smarter people around me who are concerned and give me their feedback, and I appreciate that a lot. I thank you all for kind reminders...
But what about self-righteous pompous fools?
There are many rude (and apparently stupid) people who try to force blogging advice down my throat, like they know any better.
Let me ask you this question: Who are you to attempt to teach Xiaxue how to blog?
Before you give someone advice, do you not think of whether you are an expert in your field? Do you teach Brad Pitt to act? Do you tell Mariah Carey how to sing properly? Do you demand that Lao Lee should govern the country with your methods?
You can tell these people they are not doing a good job and how they can improve yes, but you are not qualified to teach, demand or instruct them to do anything, for they are have proven themselves to be far better in their various fields than you ever can be.
Well, do you even have a BLOG??
If you are good enough to be advising people at this blogging shit, why are you not the one being recognised for your blog?
One reader once emailed to me, telling me that my style of writing sucks, and I should follow her style of writing.
I told her, "No thank you, if I followed your style my blog will be as disgustingly mediocre as yours."
She also gave dire warnings that should I change, (YOU FUCKING LISTEN TO ME XIAXUE!) I will soon lose all my readers, blah blah. Alas, I lost all my mails or I can copy her mail here.
I told her - One day, when you become as accomplished as me in the blogosphere, then I will listen to you! But unfortunately when that day comes, I will be like super accomplished, so I guess I still won't listen.
She never replied.
So my point being: Stupid people, please stop teaching me how to blog. Why should I listen to you? You show me that first.
p/s: Stupid people will still take this post as absurd arrogance on my part. Smart people will know that I only mean not to take ill-mannered advice from losers who are in no position to teach anyone anything. So fuck those stupid people, I don't give a shit what they think.
VIVA LAS JORDAN
Once again, a murder with Boston and Las Vegas connections will bring together the casts of NBC's 'Crossing Jordan' and 'Las Vegas'. NBC has announced that the popular Sunday and Monday dramas will reprise their successful crossover collaboration this October.
Jill Hennessy and Jerry O'Connell from 'Crossing Jordan' and Josh Duhamel and Vanessa Marcil from 'Las Vegas' will appear in both episodes.
According to Zap2It.com, the crime begins when a Las Vegas showgirl appears in the morgue in Boston. The only clue is an employee ID from the Montecito Casino, leading Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh to call Danny McCoy for an assist. Danny comes to Boston to help Jordan as Detective Woody Hoyt goes to Las Vegas to work with Sam Marquez.
So there is some slight variation in where the characters go, but not in which characters are used. Personally, I'd have used at least one of the other women from the show to interact with Woody, particularly Big Ed's daughter. It might have led to a fun interaction between O'Connell and James Caan as a very protective father.
But I'd also have liked to have seen Garrett Macy in Las Vegas, and the chance to see Miguel Ferrer get a piece of the crossover pie with a few scenes with new cast member Lara Flynn Boyle.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Jill Hennessy and Jerry O'Connell from 'Crossing Jordan' and Josh Duhamel and Vanessa Marcil from 'Las Vegas' will appear in both episodes.
According to Zap2It.com, the crime begins when a Las Vegas showgirl appears in the morgue in Boston. The only clue is an employee ID from the Montecito Casino, leading Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh to call Danny McCoy for an assist. Danny comes to Boston to help Jordan as Detective Woody Hoyt goes to Las Vegas to work with Sam Marquez.
So there is some slight variation in where the characters go, but not in which characters are used. Personally, I'd have used at least one of the other women from the show to interact with Woody, particularly Big Ed's daughter. It might have led to a fun interaction between O'Connell and James Caan as a very protective father.
But I'd also have liked to have seen Garrett Macy in Las Vegas, and the chance to see Miguel Ferrer get a piece of the crossover pie with a few scenes with new cast member Lara Flynn Boyle.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
LOI ET ORDRE: INTENTION CRIMINELLE
'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' has been sold to TF1's Alma Productions to launch a localized French version of the popular NBC drama. This begins the expansion of the 'Law & Order' brand into the world market, making it truly Toobworldian.
The French version of 'Criminal Intent', which will get its own native tongue title, should go into production with an eye toward a 2006 premiere on TF1. The scripts will be adapted from the original U.S. stories, though they will be transplanted to Paris and adjusted for language, culture and considerations of the Napoleonic Code. Producer Dick Wolf said that the absence of courtroom emphasis in 'Criminal Intent' made it ideal for this translation.
"For many years, 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent,' as well as 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,' has been a huge success for TF1,' says the French network's head of drama Takis Candilis. "Taking these unique characters created by Dick Wolf and adapting them for French viewers in primetime will enable a whole new, and much larger, audience to enjoy this great drama. We're sure that it's the beginning of a long story."
So here's the thing......
The French know Detectives Goren and Eames from watching the originals (either dubbed or sub-titled). Therefore, why not a crossover episode once the TF1 version is up and running? At the very least, actors Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe should appear on the new show for the benefit of the Parisian audience.
We may never get to see it over here, but knowing it had been broadcast, I'd still be able to declare the show an official part of the TV Universe.
And who knows? Maybe a show like this might be just the thing to help launch a Franco channel on cable over here, in much the same way the Beeb did with BBC-America. Sure, there are stumbling blocks, not least among them the language barrier and of course there's always that anti-French attitude out there.
But there are lots of original productions broadcast in France, many of them of literary classics. And there are other versions of the great Inspector Maigret by Simenon as well, not just the British production which starred Michael Gambon.
So here's to a successful launch of the French version of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent', in the hopes of making Toobworld even more international.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
The French version of 'Criminal Intent', which will get its own native tongue title, should go into production with an eye toward a 2006 premiere on TF1. The scripts will be adapted from the original U.S. stories, though they will be transplanted to Paris and adjusted for language, culture and considerations of the Napoleonic Code. Producer Dick Wolf said that the absence of courtroom emphasis in 'Criminal Intent' made it ideal for this translation.
"For many years, 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent,' as well as 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,' has been a huge success for TF1,' says the French network's head of drama Takis Candilis. "Taking these unique characters created by Dick Wolf and adapting them for French viewers in primetime will enable a whole new, and much larger, audience to enjoy this great drama. We're sure that it's the beginning of a long story."
So here's the thing......
The French know Detectives Goren and Eames from watching the originals (either dubbed or sub-titled). Therefore, why not a crossover episode once the TF1 version is up and running? At the very least, actors Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe should appear on the new show for the benefit of the Parisian audience.
We may never get to see it over here, but knowing it had been broadcast, I'd still be able to declare the show an official part of the TV Universe.
And who knows? Maybe a show like this might be just the thing to help launch a Franco channel on cable over here, in much the same way the Beeb did with BBC-America. Sure, there are stumbling blocks, not least among them the language barrier and of course there's always that anti-French attitude out there.
But there are lots of original productions broadcast in France, many of them of literary classics. And there are other versions of the great Inspector Maigret by Simenon as well, not just the British production which starred Michael Gambon.
So here's to a successful launch of the French version of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent', in the hopes of making Toobworld even more international.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
TIP O' THE HAT SQUAD: GERALDINE FITZGERALD
Geraldine Fitzgerald was better known for her work in the movies, but she made her mark in Toobworld as well, especially with such connecter shows like 'The Golden Girls' and the great hub, 'St. Elsewhere'. And along with her participation in many tele-versions of classic theater, Ms. Fitzgerald also portrayed the Kennedy Matriarch, Rose Kennedy.
TV MOVIES & MINI-SERIES
Night of Courage (1987) (TV) .... Abby Abelsen
Circle of Violence: A Family Drama (1986) (TV) .... Charlotte Kessling
Do You Remember Love (1985) (TV) .... Lorraine Wyatt
"Kennedy" (1983) (mini) TV Series .... Rose Kennedy
Dixie: Changing Habits (1983) (TV) .... Sister Agnes
The Jilting of Granny Weatherall (1980) (TV) .... Granny Weatherall
Tartuffe (1978) (TV) .... Madame Pernelle
The Quinns (1977) (TV) .... Peggy Quinn
Yesterday's Child (1977) (TV) .... Emma Talbot
Ah, Wilderness! (1976) (TV) .... Essie Miller
Beyond the Horizon (1975) (TV) .... Mrs. Atkins
Forget-Me-Not-Lane (1975) (TV) .... Amy Bisley
The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (1974/I) (TV) .... Grandmother
Untold Damage (1971) (TV)
"The Best of Everything" (1970) TV Series .... Violet Jordan (1970)
The Moon and Sixpence (1959) (TV) .... Amy Strickland
NOTABLE TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"The Golden Girls" playing "Martha Lamont" in episode: "Not Another Monday" (episode # 5.7) 2 November 1989
"The Golden Girls" playing "Anna" in episode: "Mother's Day" (episode # 3.25) 7 May 1988
"Vacation Playhouse" playing "Mabel Oberdine" in episode: "Mabel and Max" (episode # 1.1) 31 July 1987
"St. Elsewhere" playing "Margaret Ryan" in episode: "Jose, Can You See?" (episode # 5.16) 4 February 1987
"Cagney & Lacey" playing "Grace McAffe" in episode: "Con Games" (episode # 4.20) 11 March 1985
"Trapper John, M.D." in episode: "High Time" (episode # 6.17) 3 March 1985
"St. Elsewhere" playing "Margaret Ryan" in episode: "Attack" (episode # 2.15) 22 February 1984
"Oh Madeline" playing "Madeline's Mother" in episode: "My Mother the Carnal" (episode # 1.16) 31 January 1984
"Lou Grant" playing "Peggy Donovan" in episode: "Dying" (episode # 2.6) 6 November 1978
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" playing "Agatha" in episode: "Power of Attorney" (episode # 3.24) 5 April 1965
"The Defenders" playing "Lila Windell" in episode: "A Voice Loud and Clear" (episode # 4.12) 17 December 1964
"The Nurses" playing "Nurse Carrie Bruno" in episode: "For the Mice and the Rabbits" (episode # 2.23) 27 February 1964
"Naked City" playing "Lillian" in episode: "Today the Man Who Kills Ants Is Coming" (episode # 3.21) 7 March 1962
"Naked City" playing "Brigid Delito" in episode: "Take Off Your Hat When a Funeral Passes" (episode # 3.1) 27 September 1961
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" playing "Elizabeth Burton" in episode: "A Woman's Help" (episode # 6.24) 28 March 1961
"Shirley Temple's Storybook" playing "Aunt Rosa" in episode: "The Black Sheep" (episode # 2.13) 18 December 1960
"Producers' Showcase" in episode: "Dodsworth" (episode # 2.9) 30 April 1956
"Studio One" playing "Duchess" in episode: "Flower of Pride" (episode # 8.26) 12 March 1956
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Isobel" (episode # 7.11) 21 November 1955
"Studio One" playing "Marian McNeill" in episode: "Like Father, Like Son" (episode # 8.1) 19 September 1955
"Climax!" playing "Miriam Lambert" in episode: "The Healer" (episode # 1.33) 21 July 1955
"Front Row Center" in episode: "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (episode # 1.2) 8 June 1955
"Armstrong Circle Theatre" in episode: "The Secret of Emily du Vane" (episode # 5.32) 19 April 1955
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "The Iron Cobweb" (episode # 6.28) 28 March 1955
"Justice" in episode: "The Frightened Clown" (episode # 2.3) 30 September 1954
"Goodyear Television Playhouse" in episode: "The Lawn Party" (episode # 3.18) 23 May 1954
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Love Story" (episode # 5.35) 26 April 1954
"Studio One" playing "Charlotte Bell Wheeler" in episode: "Dark Possession" (episode # 6.22) 15 February 1954
"Suspense" in episode: "The Others" (episode # 6.5) 27 October 1953
"ABC Album" in episode: "The Split Second" (episode # 1.9) 7 June 1953
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Summer Tempest" (episode # 4.35) 27 April 1953
"Lux Video Theatre" playing "Doraleen Perkins" in episode: "The Orchard" (episode # 2.51) 11 August 1952
"Suspense" in episode: "Home of Masks" (episode # 4.38) 10 June 1952
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" in episode: "Fear" (episode # 1.30) 25 April 1952
"Studio One" playing "Procula - Wife of Pilate" in episode: "Pontius Pilate" (episode # 4.30) 7 April 1952
"CBS Television Workshop" in episode: "The Gallows Tree" (episode # 1.11) 23 March 1952
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Sheppy" (episode # 3.16) 18 February 1952
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" playing "Mary Todd Lincoln" in episode: "The Daughter" (episode # 1.19) 8 February 1952
"Somerset Maugham TV Theatre" in episode: "Before the Party" (episode # 3.5) 12 November 1951
"Armstrong Circle Theatre" in episode: "Night Song" (episode # 2.7) 30 October 1951
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "To Walk the Night" (episode # 3.3) 8 October 1951
BCnU....
Tele-Toby
TV MOVIES & MINI-SERIES
Night of Courage (1987) (TV) .... Abby Abelsen
Circle of Violence: A Family Drama (1986) (TV) .... Charlotte Kessling
Do You Remember Love (1985) (TV) .... Lorraine Wyatt
"Kennedy" (1983) (mini) TV Series .... Rose Kennedy
Dixie: Changing Habits (1983) (TV) .... Sister Agnes
The Jilting of Granny Weatherall (1980) (TV) .... Granny Weatherall
Tartuffe (1978) (TV) .... Madame Pernelle
The Quinns (1977) (TV) .... Peggy Quinn
Yesterday's Child (1977) (TV) .... Emma Talbot
Ah, Wilderness! (1976) (TV) .... Essie Miller
Beyond the Horizon (1975) (TV) .... Mrs. Atkins
Forget-Me-Not-Lane (1975) (TV) .... Amy Bisley
The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (1974/I) (TV) .... Grandmother
Untold Damage (1971) (TV)
"The Best of Everything" (1970) TV Series .... Violet Jordan (1970)
The Moon and Sixpence (1959) (TV) .... Amy Strickland
NOTABLE TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"The Golden Girls" playing "Martha Lamont" in episode: "Not Another Monday" (episode # 5.7) 2 November 1989
"The Golden Girls" playing "Anna" in episode: "Mother's Day" (episode # 3.25) 7 May 1988
"Vacation Playhouse" playing "Mabel Oberdine" in episode: "Mabel and Max" (episode # 1.1) 31 July 1987
"St. Elsewhere" playing "Margaret Ryan" in episode: "Jose, Can You See?" (episode # 5.16) 4 February 1987
"Cagney & Lacey" playing "Grace McAffe" in episode: "Con Games" (episode # 4.20) 11 March 1985
"Trapper John, M.D." in episode: "High Time" (episode # 6.17) 3 March 1985
"St. Elsewhere" playing "Margaret Ryan" in episode: "Attack" (episode # 2.15) 22 February 1984
"Oh Madeline" playing "Madeline's Mother" in episode: "My Mother the Carnal" (episode # 1.16) 31 January 1984
"Lou Grant" playing "Peggy Donovan" in episode: "Dying" (episode # 2.6) 6 November 1978
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" playing "Agatha" in episode: "Power of Attorney" (episode # 3.24) 5 April 1965
"The Defenders" playing "Lila Windell" in episode: "A Voice Loud and Clear" (episode # 4.12) 17 December 1964
"The Nurses" playing "Nurse Carrie Bruno" in episode: "For the Mice and the Rabbits" (episode # 2.23) 27 February 1964
"Naked City" playing "Lillian" in episode: "Today the Man Who Kills Ants Is Coming" (episode # 3.21) 7 March 1962
"Naked City" playing "Brigid Delito" in episode: "Take Off Your Hat When a Funeral Passes" (episode # 3.1) 27 September 1961
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" playing "Elizabeth Burton" in episode: "A Woman's Help" (episode # 6.24) 28 March 1961
"Shirley Temple's Storybook" playing "Aunt Rosa" in episode: "The Black Sheep" (episode # 2.13) 18 December 1960
"Producers' Showcase" in episode: "Dodsworth" (episode # 2.9) 30 April 1956
"Studio One" playing "Duchess" in episode: "Flower of Pride" (episode # 8.26) 12 March 1956
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Isobel" (episode # 7.11) 21 November 1955
"Studio One" playing "Marian McNeill" in episode: "Like Father, Like Son" (episode # 8.1) 19 September 1955
"Climax!" playing "Miriam Lambert" in episode: "The Healer" (episode # 1.33) 21 July 1955
"Front Row Center" in episode: "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (episode # 1.2) 8 June 1955
"Armstrong Circle Theatre" in episode: "The Secret of Emily du Vane" (episode # 5.32) 19 April 1955
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "The Iron Cobweb" (episode # 6.28) 28 March 1955
"Justice" in episode: "The Frightened Clown" (episode # 2.3) 30 September 1954
"Goodyear Television Playhouse" in episode: "The Lawn Party" (episode # 3.18) 23 May 1954
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Love Story" (episode # 5.35) 26 April 1954
"Studio One" playing "Charlotte Bell Wheeler" in episode: "Dark Possession" (episode # 6.22) 15 February 1954
"Suspense" in episode: "The Others" (episode # 6.5) 27 October 1953
"ABC Album" in episode: "The Split Second" (episode # 1.9) 7 June 1953
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Summer Tempest" (episode # 4.35) 27 April 1953
"Lux Video Theatre" playing "Doraleen Perkins" in episode: "The Orchard" (episode # 2.51) 11 August 1952
"Suspense" in episode: "Home of Masks" (episode # 4.38) 10 June 1952
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" in episode: "Fear" (episode # 1.30) 25 April 1952
"Studio One" playing "Procula - Wife of Pilate" in episode: "Pontius Pilate" (episode # 4.30) 7 April 1952
"CBS Television Workshop" in episode: "The Gallows Tree" (episode # 1.11) 23 March 1952
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "Sheppy" (episode # 3.16) 18 February 1952
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" playing "Mary Todd Lincoln" in episode: "The Daughter" (episode # 1.19) 8 February 1952
"Somerset Maugham TV Theatre" in episode: "Before the Party" (episode # 3.5) 12 November 1951
"Armstrong Circle Theatre" in episode: "Night Song" (episode # 2.7) 30 October 1951
"Robert Montgomery Presents" in episode: "To Walk the Night" (episode # 3.3) 8 October 1951
BCnU....
Tele-Toby
"LAW & ORDER": AS YOU LIKE IT
My fellow Iddiot Nora Lee, who's also very vocal in support of quality Television (unlike me who thinks it's all good!), had a Toobworldian moment while brushing up her Shakespeare....
We saw free "As You Like It" at the Delacorte last night after a rain delay - and I didn't even have to look at the credits to realize that Orlando was Sam Waterston's son (not that it says that in the Playbill, other than his name).
He sure looks like a taller, rangier version of his dad when he was young, though with a higher voice. They could do a good 'Cold Case' episode of young/old murderer or witness.
-- from 'The Idiot's Delight Digest'
I think it was Fred Allen who once said the sincerest form of flattery is Television. So even though it's not likely we'll ever see Nora Lee's suggestion come to pass on CBS' 'Cold Case', perhaps Dick Wolf should steal that little conceit from the show and use it on 'Law & Order'.
In the past, we never dealt very much with the histories of the characters on the original show in the franchise. (It's obviously different with the 'Criminal Intent' and 'Special Victims Unit'.) But as the years have gone by, we have learned little bits and pieces of the long-term characters' pasts. Briscoe's failed marriages and the loss of his daughter, the illness of Curtis' wife, and Jack McCoy's indiscretions and the accusations against him of sexual harrassment.
After fifteen years, 'Law & Order' might be facing danger from calcification and fosselization. It had its first major threat from a competitor at the beginning of the season from 'CSI: NY' on CBS. An episode in which Jack McCoy's past comes back to haunt him, and which is acted out with Waterston's son as the younger version of his father's role, might be just the thing to make old-time viewers take notice and come back to the show.
Just an idea, and my thanks to Nora Lee for inspiring it.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
http://www.topica.com/lists/idd/read
We saw free "As You Like It" at the Delacorte last night after a rain delay - and I didn't even have to look at the credits to realize that Orlando was Sam Waterston's son (not that it says that in the Playbill, other than his name).
He sure looks like a taller, rangier version of his dad when he was young, though with a higher voice. They could do a good 'Cold Case' episode of young/old murderer or witness.
-- from 'The Idiot's Delight Digest'
I think it was Fred Allen who once said the sincerest form of flattery is Television. So even though it's not likely we'll ever see Nora Lee's suggestion come to pass on CBS' 'Cold Case', perhaps Dick Wolf should steal that little conceit from the show and use it on 'Law & Order'.
In the past, we never dealt very much with the histories of the characters on the original show in the franchise. (It's obviously different with the 'Criminal Intent' and 'Special Victims Unit'.) But as the years have gone by, we have learned little bits and pieces of the long-term characters' pasts. Briscoe's failed marriages and the loss of his daughter, the illness of Curtis' wife, and Jack McCoy's indiscretions and the accusations against him of sexual harrassment.
After fifteen years, 'Law & Order' might be facing danger from calcification and fosselization. It had its first major threat from a competitor at the beginning of the season from 'CSI: NY' on CBS. An episode in which Jack McCoy's past comes back to haunt him, and which is acted out with Waterston's son as the younger version of his father's role, might be just the thing to make old-time viewers take notice and come back to the show.
Just an idea, and my thanks to Nora Lee for inspiring it.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
http://www.topica.com/lists/idd/read
Monday, July 25, 2005
DOMESTIC CYBILLIZATION
Marisa Guthrie reports in the NY Daily News that Cybill Shepherd would welcome the opportunity to play Martha Stewart again for a third TV movie.
Her latest portrayal of the "domestic goddess", 'Martha Behind Bars', will air on CBS in September. Apparently it's not as "campy" as the first tele-flick, 'Martha, Inc.: The Story Of Martha Stewart'.
And what of the third attempt?
"I could do 'Martha: The Musical.' I'm thinking about that."
Well, even as goofy as that idea may be, it would certainly qualify her tele-version of Martha for the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.
But I'd much rather see her complete her trifecta by doing the TV-movie version of that 'Saturday Night Live' sketch about the Martha Stewart Topless Holiday Special!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Her latest portrayal of the "domestic goddess", 'Martha Behind Bars', will air on CBS in September. Apparently it's not as "campy" as the first tele-flick, 'Martha, Inc.: The Story Of Martha Stewart'.
And what of the third attempt?
"I could do 'Martha: The Musical.' I'm thinking about that."
Well, even as goofy as that idea may be, it would certainly qualify her tele-version of Martha for the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.
But I'd much rather see her complete her trifecta by doing the TV-movie version of that 'Saturday Night Live' sketch about the Martha Stewart Topless Holiday Special!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
I am happy!
Very happy! But I cannot tell you why. X) See my face? It is the happy-until-constipated look.
WAHAHAHHA!! I am a shalala happy bird! So many good things are happening to me! Many many! Okok... I've also gotten many companies approach me recently and it means I will be RICH WOOHOO $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ A LOT OF $$$$$$$$
I also started this private blog a few days ago, and I love writing in it. It is really sad that I have to mask everything here. My English is really lousy on the new blog, I don't give a shit about offending anyone, I can say all the vulgarities I want, and I don't even have to punctuate if I don't want to!
Best is I can insult the world and nobody will scold me, yay!
I read the site, and, having given the address to a few close friends, and they all agreed that it is so much better than my writing here. Sigh. So I shall try to be a bit more natural here. The best way is to actually stop having comments, because reading the comments upset me, especially when people ACCUSE me. BAH!
Hiyah, you don't try to kpo ok? As I said, the new blog is not only password protected, it is also anonymous and all my friends' names are changed. =D
I like it!
I like everything today! It is all good! As I am writing this, the weather outside is rainy! I love rain! But I only love rain because it waters the poor farmers' crops and gives them life. JUST KIDDING! WHO CARES ABOUT FARMERS?! Me like rain coz I don't have a fucking aircon remember?
I wish it would rain whenever I am sleeping, and have super strong sun whenever I feel like sun tanning. Sigh... Tan is fading off... NOT EILEEN TAN LAH YOU STUPID, tan as in opposite of fair! BOM! SUMMON SUN!!!
Recently, I have been using this sentence a lot, on this particular person whom everyone is saying is very pretty and all, but I FIND HER VERY PLAIN INDEED!
So, everytime I hear ... "GirlA is very pretty right?" I take out a sliver of cow liver out of my pocket** and slap the person around a bit with the liver sliver until he chokes. And then I trottle him with a periodic table.
**I put it there just in case I hear that sentence
JUST JOKING LAH. I am not so violent! I am a kind-hearted girl. As I was saying, due to the frequency in which I hear "GirlA is very pretty right?" I came up with a saying to retort that.
I think it is very funny. When I do say it to you, you must laugh ok?
Here goes:
"She is so plain, if she were a waffle people will attempt to put kaya on her!!!"
WAHAHHAHAHAHA! FUNNY NOT? I think it is sibeh FUNNY CAN?? Wah, cannot stand it. I think I am Charlie Chaplin reincarnated, I am so hilarious, only colour version, of course. And no funny mustache.
Ok,I can imagine people like Wong and Wanyi (OMG, WANYI'S SURNAME ALSO WONG!) rolling their eyes coz I kept saying that sentence recently (due to the fact that I think it is very funny).
So anyway, I am very happy today, did I already say that? I DID, I DID! But I am bubububursting with happiness! I imagine, if I were to be a mood, I would be happy! I imagine, if I were to be a colour, I will be sunburst yellow!
If I were to be a carebear, I will be Gloomy bear - JUST KIDDING, OF COURSE THE HAPPY BEAR!
If I were to be a few letters on the keyboard, I will be H A P and Y!
If I were to be a person, I will be me!
Tralala!!
My friend told me that he is appalled by TT Durai's pay and he thinks that Durai quitted because he damn paiseh to announce to the world that his pay is so low. My friend also tripled his donations to NKF after the incident, and demanded that they pay T.T more money!
THAT ASIDE!
Kinda weird to be blogging this out when I am so happy, since it is actually quite an angry incident.
WAH! I AM SO HAPPY!!! *hugs the whole internet world* I hug Xialanxue and my haters and even my hacker muacks!!! I am a happy girl! Pardon me for a while, I have to jump up and down in joy while squealing all the time!
Shit, my neighbour upstairs threw a soiled diaper into my room. I poke him with a broomstick!
Okok I ask you this - it has been a question I've been thinking about since ages ago:
You have a guy friend (Guy) and you have a female friend (Girl). Guy and Girl are both very close friends to you.
Guy drives, Girl does not.
One day, Guy say that he is interested in Girl, and you arrange for them both to meet up in a group outing with you.
Guy drives you (and you are female) and Girl around, but Guy and Girl are still barely friends right? So of course, you sit in the front seat, Girl sits at the back.
Later on, Guy and Girl get along among themselves, and they start to contact each other and all. Guy likes Girl. He is chasing her.
Herein lies the problem: The next time there is a group outing, who sits at the back seat?
ME!!! KNNBCCB, I always kena pushed to the back seat, why? *mumble grumble* It is not so much so of the front or back seat, it is the relationship it symbolises!
Ok, I cannot blog that out angrily enough because...
I AM VERY HAPPY WHAT!
I hope nothing spoils my mood! I shall go sleep now, and friends, you can check out the private blog to see what happened!
WOOT!!! If I knew how to yodel, I will yodel at the top of my voice!
YODEL LEI YODEL LEI!!!
WAHAHAHHA!! I am a shalala happy bird! So many good things are happening to me! Many many! Okok... I've also gotten many companies approach me recently and it means I will be RICH WOOHOO $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ A LOT OF $$$$$$$$
I also started this private blog a few days ago, and I love writing in it. It is really sad that I have to mask everything here. My English is really lousy on the new blog, I don't give a shit about offending anyone, I can say all the vulgarities I want, and I don't even have to punctuate if I don't want to!
Best is I can insult the world and nobody will scold me, yay!
I read the site, and, having given the address to a few close friends, and they all agreed that it is so much better than my writing here. Sigh. So I shall try to be a bit more natural here. The best way is to actually stop having comments, because reading the comments upset me, especially when people ACCUSE me. BAH!
Hiyah, you don't try to kpo ok? As I said, the new blog is not only password protected, it is also anonymous and all my friends' names are changed. =D
I like it!
I like everything today! It is all good! As I am writing this, the weather outside is rainy! I love rain! But I only love rain because it waters the poor farmers' crops and gives them life. JUST KIDDING! WHO CARES ABOUT FARMERS?! Me like rain coz I don't have a fucking aircon remember?
I wish it would rain whenever I am sleeping, and have super strong sun whenever I feel like sun tanning. Sigh... Tan is fading off... NOT EILEEN TAN LAH YOU STUPID, tan as in opposite of fair! BOM! SUMMON SUN!!!
Recently, I have been using this sentence a lot, on this particular person whom everyone is saying is very pretty and all, but I FIND HER VERY PLAIN INDEED!
So, everytime I hear ... "GirlA is very pretty right?" I take out a sliver of cow liver out of my pocket** and slap the person around a bit with the liver sliver until he chokes. And then I trottle him with a periodic table.
**I put it there just in case I hear that sentence
JUST JOKING LAH. I am not so violent! I am a kind-hearted girl. As I was saying, due to the frequency in which I hear "GirlA is very pretty right?" I came up with a saying to retort that.
I think it is very funny. When I do say it to you, you must laugh ok?
Here goes:
"She is so plain, if she were a waffle people will attempt to put kaya on her!!!"
WAHAHHAHAHAHA! FUNNY NOT? I think it is sibeh FUNNY CAN?? Wah, cannot stand it. I think I am Charlie Chaplin reincarnated, I am so hilarious, only colour version, of course. And no funny mustache.
Ok,I can imagine people like Wong and Wanyi (OMG, WANYI'S SURNAME ALSO WONG!) rolling their eyes coz I kept saying that sentence recently (due to the fact that I think it is very funny).
So anyway, I am very happy today, did I already say that? I DID, I DID! But I am bubububursting with happiness! I imagine, if I were to be a mood, I would be happy! I imagine, if I were to be a colour, I will be sunburst yellow!
If I were to be a carebear, I will be Gloomy bear - JUST KIDDING, OF COURSE THE HAPPY BEAR!
If I were to be a few letters on the keyboard, I will be H A P and Y!
If I were to be a person, I will be me!
Tralala!!
My friend told me that he is appalled by TT Durai's pay and he thinks that Durai quitted because he damn paiseh to announce to the world that his pay is so low. My friend also tripled his donations to NKF after the incident, and demanded that they pay T.T more money!
THAT ASIDE!
Kinda weird to be blogging this out when I am so happy, since it is actually quite an angry incident.
WAH! I AM SO HAPPY!!! *hugs the whole internet world* I hug Xialanxue and my haters and even my hacker muacks!!! I am a happy girl! Pardon me for a while, I have to jump up and down in joy while squealing all the time!
Shit, my neighbour upstairs threw a soiled diaper into my room. I poke him with a broomstick!
Okok I ask you this - it has been a question I've been thinking about since ages ago:
You have a guy friend (Guy) and you have a female friend (Girl). Guy and Girl are both very close friends to you.
Guy drives, Girl does not.
One day, Guy say that he is interested in Girl, and you arrange for them both to meet up in a group outing with you.
Guy drives you (and you are female) and Girl around, but Guy and Girl are still barely friends right? So of course, you sit in the front seat, Girl sits at the back.
Later on, Guy and Girl get along among themselves, and they start to contact each other and all. Guy likes Girl. He is chasing her.
Herein lies the problem: The next time there is a group outing, who sits at the back seat?
ME!!! KNNBCCB, I always kena pushed to the back seat, why? *mumble grumble* It is not so much so of the front or back seat, it is the relationship it symbolises!
Ok, I cannot blog that out angrily enough because...
I AM VERY HAPPY WHAT!
I hope nothing spoils my mood! I shall go sleep now, and friends, you can check out the private blog to see what happened!
WOOT!!! If I knew how to yodel, I will yodel at the top of my voice!
YODEL LEI YODEL LEI!!!
BAT/MATT BEGINS
The world of 'Gunsmoke' was pretty much self-contained, and even after twenty years, there was only the one true spin-off from the series, 'Dirty Sally'.
But even though the residents of Dodge City, TV-style, were isolated from the outside world for the most part, that world still found its way into their lives.
A good example came up a few weekends ago as I was watching an episode during the TV Land mini-marathon. "The Fires Of Ignorance" featured three of my favorite stalwarts among Toobworld players - dependable heavy John Vernon, who passed away earlier this year, Allen Garfield, a roly-poly actor not normally known for western roles, and one of my character actor legends, Herb Vigran as the Judge.
At one point during the episode, Doctor Galen Adams mentioned that when Dodge City came into being, there was nobody practicing medicine there until he came along. And he said it was pretty much a lawless place until Matt Dillon showed up to be Marshall.
I knew right away that was a clash with the history of the Real World. (Not that such a problem has ever been a major stumbling block for Toobworld!) But the conflict butted heads with a major legend of the Old West, not only on Earth Prime but also Earth Prime-Time: Bat Masterson.
By 1877, Bat Masterson was the Deputy Sheriff of Dodge City but he soon ascended to be the top law enforcer in town. However, he lost the election two years later and then moved to Kansas City. He didn't return to Dodge until 1883.
During the episode "The Fires of Ignorance", much of the action took place in the Dodge City court-house. And there hanging over the head of the Judge was a portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States.
Anybody who watches 'Law & Order' on a regular basis knows that a timeline for the series could be established based on the portraits of the country's Chief Executives in the D.A.'s office. And the same could be done with this example, even from over 130 years ago.
Grant was the eighteenth President of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877, the same year when Bat Masterson became Sheriff in Dodge City.
So the twenty year reign of 'Gunsmoke' at the top of the ratings should be squeezed in before Masterson became Sheriff.
As we know from 'M*A*S*H' and 'LOST', real time and TV seasons have no real bearing on the time that passes within the show itself. So even though 'Gunsmoke' was on our screens for twenty seasons, its timeline can be condensed. (Of course when it comes to 'That 70s Show', the timeline could also be expanded... and twisted around.)
But there's another train of thought. If I'm not mistaken, the position of Marshall is a federal posting, whereas the job of Sheriff is one elected by the populace of the town. So it's possible that Matt Dillon and Bat Masterson were co-existing in Dodge City long after 'The Fires Of Ignorance', and President Grant's term of office, had come to their conclusions.
Just seems strange that neither one of them ever ran into the other......
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
But even though the residents of Dodge City, TV-style, were isolated from the outside world for the most part, that world still found its way into their lives.
A good example came up a few weekends ago as I was watching an episode during the TV Land mini-marathon. "The Fires Of Ignorance" featured three of my favorite stalwarts among Toobworld players - dependable heavy John Vernon, who passed away earlier this year, Allen Garfield, a roly-poly actor not normally known for western roles, and one of my character actor legends, Herb Vigran as the Judge.
At one point during the episode, Doctor Galen Adams mentioned that when Dodge City came into being, there was nobody practicing medicine there until he came along. And he said it was pretty much a lawless place until Matt Dillon showed up to be Marshall.
I knew right away that was a clash with the history of the Real World. (Not that such a problem has ever been a major stumbling block for Toobworld!) But the conflict butted heads with a major legend of the Old West, not only on Earth Prime but also Earth Prime-Time: Bat Masterson.
By 1877, Bat Masterson was the Deputy Sheriff of Dodge City but he soon ascended to be the top law enforcer in town. However, he lost the election two years later and then moved to Kansas City. He didn't return to Dodge until 1883.
During the episode "The Fires of Ignorance", much of the action took place in the Dodge City court-house. And there hanging over the head of the Judge was a portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States.
Anybody who watches 'Law & Order' on a regular basis knows that a timeline for the series could be established based on the portraits of the country's Chief Executives in the D.A.'s office. And the same could be done with this example, even from over 130 years ago.
Grant was the eighteenth President of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877, the same year when Bat Masterson became Sheriff in Dodge City.
So the twenty year reign of 'Gunsmoke' at the top of the ratings should be squeezed in before Masterson became Sheriff.
As we know from 'M*A*S*H' and 'LOST', real time and TV seasons have no real bearing on the time that passes within the show itself. So even though 'Gunsmoke' was on our screens for twenty seasons, its timeline can be condensed. (Of course when it comes to 'That 70s Show', the timeline could also be expanded... and twisted around.)
But there's another train of thought. If I'm not mistaken, the position of Marshall is a federal posting, whereas the job of Sheriff is one elected by the populace of the town. So it's possible that Matt Dillon and Bat Masterson were co-existing in Dodge City long after 'The Fires Of Ignorance', and President Grant's term of office, had come to their conclusions.
Just seems strange that neither one of them ever ran into the other......
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Friday, July 22, 2005
I can go down, but I get up again, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA BRING ME DOWN
Repeat title 10 times, complete with a mambo jigg!
Warning: Super long blog entry with a blow-by-blow account of what happened!
A big big thank you HUG FOR EVERYONE WHO TRIED TO HELP ME! I don't care if you skinny or fat, sweaty or clean, female or male! I hug everyone! MUACKS! I am sorry if I was unable to reply some of your kind emails, but I was overwhelmed with all that's happening, and the mails were simply too many to reply.
To the people who say I have this coming, I would like to fart in your face! POOOT! Smelly not? I hope it is. I know it's really childish, but I cannot resist this. Stupid people are all around!
Since what goes around comes around you say...
..
..
..
I must be a really nice person! I HAVE EXTREMELY GOOD KARMA! See what I told you? Buy Good-Karma tissues, it works! Amazing, really, the good luck that I had.. you would think I drank Felix Felicis.
This is a more detailed (and funnier) account of what happened.
At around 430am, my IE wasn't working, so I used Mozilla to log into my Gmail. I clicked on the link and was immediately logged in. To my surprise, I only had 2 emails inside, both unread.
I thought, siao liao, must be this stupid Gmail cock up. I laughed. I really laughed, because my gmail account looks so stupid with only 2 mails in them. I refreshed the page; Gmail logged me out.
Still smiling a bit, I tried to log in, but obviously cannot.
-PANIC-
My heart going 'pong pong pong' (just like the sound that SKII girl makes), I clicked on "forgot your password?" and Gmail said they will send a mail to my secondary email, which I have no fucking idea what it is.
Already, I was close to tears because I knew that the 2 emails I saw was because the rest were deleted.
Hyperventilating, I clicked onto Blogger.com, expecting, hoping, that the site will load up.
KNN! Was logged out.
I started to break out in cold sweat, which is no mean feat in the non-airconditioned room that I stay in.
Fingers trembling, I tried once, twice, thrice to log into blogger, and I cannot.
I clicked on Blogger's "forgot your password?" was forced into tears, because blogger sends the password to my gmail account! FUCK!
Next: xiaxue.blogspot.com - When I saw the white background load, a small part of me died. The small part belongs to somewhere along the length of my legs, which explains why I am so short.
And then I broke down completely.
I called Turodrique (with some difficulty mine you, as fingers weren't really working), because he is always so rational... Phone off.
Called Kenny, yes, in Malaysia. Apparently he sleeping.
Called Shuyin... A GOD-INDUCED MIRACLE! She picked up! I blabbled incoherently, while she gave sympathetic notes and asked me questions.
This is the mark of a true friend. Instead of going back to sleep, she stayed awake with me, talking on MSN and helping me check facts and refreshing the hacked site to read the comments for clues, all the way till morning.
Meanwhile, I was feeling more and more helpless by the minute. It all seemed very bleak! I didn't receive any emails from Gmail to my other email accounts, and to get back your email without going through the secondary email you must answer a few questions.
Besides the usual location, name etc, Gmail also asked these very ridiculous questions to verify I am me.
- What's your security question?
- When did u start using Gmail?
- What's the URL on your gmail invite?
LIKE WTF?? I mean seriously, got so many security questions, how I know it's which one? Can be "What is your ugliest pet?" or "Who's your daddy?!" right? Wah rau! And when did I start using gmail?
CAN YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU STARTED USING UR EMAIL ACCOUNT? AND WHAT URL? WHAT RUBBISH ARE THEY ASKING?
Gmail said that if questions are unanswered they might not be able to give me my account back. I was quite horrified at this.
They said that I can try clicking on the 'forgot password' thing after five days, and get back my account by answering my own security question.
HELLO, YOU STUPID OR WHAT, THE HACKER CAN CHANGE THE SECURITY QUESTION RIGHT?!?
In a flurry of blind panic, I emailed both Gmail Support (a machine that doesn't work) and also Blogger Support... As a last resort, I even added BloggerBuzz as well as Biz Stone himself.
If you are interested, this was my email:
Obviously the email was written in a state of hysterics. I cannot even begin to think properly.
The reason why the email to them sounded so arrogant and so eager to prove who I am is because I am scared that they ignore me. Blogger, which is owned by Google, is a really big American company with millions of blogs under their name. I am merely one of those many, I'm sure, who got hacked the day before.
That's why I stressed so much that my blog is an established one, hoping they will at least take notice. It was a last resort that I used.
I emailed myself on my xiaxue gmail account, pleading with the hacker to return me me blog. God, I sounded so pathetic.
He never read these mails...
....
Time passed, and the tears stopped. I have resigned to the fact that the blog is gone.
I took heart that I have saved my entries till May 2005, and I was determined to do up the site again, even if I had to put into entry by entry and re-uploading all my photos.
....
It was 730am, and I decided there is nothing more I can do, so I off-ed the computer. Minutes later, I realised my MSN password is the same as my gmail's!
I hastily turned on again, agitated that the hacker is causing me so much trouble.
Out of habit, I clicked on IE, and out of a very lucky habit again, I clicked on Gmail, which was on my favourites.
VOILA! I got in!
I sat there and I couldn't believe my good luck. This time, I didn't gong gong go and refresh the page, but hastily set a new password. With this, I got back my blogger account again, but all the blogs were gone, except for xiaxue.blogspot.com, which was horribly tainted.
REJOICE!!! I have gotten back everything that belongs to me! Well except the blogs and 3,000 emails, all deleted.
Brown cow called me, and gave me grandfatherly advice on choosing passwords properly. Thanks also James, for helping though you were in Japan, and you too Daryl and TT! My fellow Tomorrow editors are SWELL! I never felt so cared for by a team of IT experts!
***********
I couldn't sleep, so I checked my other mails again (to see if anyone responded). I was doubtful that Gmail or Blogger replied, BUT Holy Mayonnaise! Biz Stone himself replied! Within 2 hours!
I couldn't believe my eyes:
I peed in my Pjs in joy, and Cloudy (my cute dog), who was sleeping underneath my chair, looked up quizzically at the sudden wetness.
It was then that I had a clear look at the Cloud...I realised, he didn't look like the usual fair and white Cloudy... He looked:
I wonder what this means. It is clearly symbolic of something!
Never mind, I still hugged the newly dark Cloud and skipped around the room in joy!
I got Biz Stone helping me! NOW WHO CAN BULLY ME, HUH, WHO?!
I got to sleep at 11am, Momo being extra nice to me (she was very worried too), and dream fretfully of shipping ridiculously expensive presents over to the US for Biz and the rest of the Blogger team, like Graham and John P. For the next two days, I didn't off my computer.
Holy shit, I slept for 2 hours and reporters were calling in from Today, ST and Newpaper!! Wah lau.
Rest of the day was spent taking photos for the newspapers and getting interviewed. Kinda felt good coz I can abuse the culprit - the reporters were only too glad too listen! Yay!
Apparently, my ST article was supposed to be on front page. I didn't even know the magnitude of the event! When I arrived at the very big SPH, I saw, at the hotel-like lobby, a serious-looking LED black screen with a scrolling marquee of red words, reciting the headline news of the day.
It was grandly situated above the receptionists' heads, alerting the world of important events unfolding as we read it here first.
What stock is dropping, Bloomberg this, reuters that, terrorists and accidents.
AND THEN I SAW IT:
HACKER DELETES ALL OF XIAXUE'S BLOG ENTRIES
Happily scrolling at the severe LED screen, as if it was worthy. MY NAME LEH (albeit a fake one), among others like Bush and our dear Mr Mah Bow Tan! I AM NOT WORTHY!!
MUST.
TAKE.
PICTURE!
I waited for a while to get the shot, waiting for the headlines to scroll back again, but all was black. The receptionist told me that the one I saw was the last time the headlines rolled for the day - it stops at 545 sharp.
GOT SO SUAY OR NOT YOU TELL ME? THAT I HAPPEN TO SEE IT FOR THE LAST TIME? Nonetheless:
You can ownself imagine lah hor.
*******************
Next day, articles:
From Today
And... Dare I show it?
Courtesy of ST
KNNBCCB!!
I look fucking fat can? We took so many photos, and many were not fat lor! They had to catch me when I was not sucking in, and obviously that stupid pose the tummy will drop to the side right. Chee...ken mcnugget.
Yeah lah, you are saying if I know I am fat then I don't wear like that lah! But hor, Newpaper wanted to do any article on sexy females, then they asked me to wear sexier what! How I know stupid ST also wanted a photoshoot that day?
I took photos in another red dress (very nice one, you will see on Sunday Newpaper!!) but ST HAD to choose this fugly one.
I think ST is out to sabo me. Throughout the article, I don't see the link to my webpage.
I don't know if this is delibrate, but WHAT IS THE POINT OF TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT A SITE IF YOU DON'T LINK THE SITE? A bit stupid right?
A bit of photoshop would have salvaged the photo, but did they bother? NO. Jerks!
Alas. London got bombed, so the article got pushed to page 16 instead of cover. My condolences to those affected, but that's another entry altogether.
........................
The police report:
Smell accompanied me to the local police station to file a report. Him, covering himself with my fat article.
Together we can fight Crime!
Wah, our president looking down upon us, bestowing his infinite wisdom and sense of justice. Criminals see liao also scared.
While I give my report, Smelly (he is not really smelly by the way) reads the article for the first time...
"I look very fat in that photo hor?"
"You have always been fat what, since when you got thin before?"
"Wah lau you."
"Yeah lah, who ask you go wear like that... So fat still dare to wear like that."
And he pinches me on my side tummy and laughed. The policeman kindly lent me his baton and I whacked Smelly's head with it. He cried.
Smelly and I found this postcard, it is very funny!
I like the beng at the right leh! Don't you think his expression is damn realistic? And he really looks beng! So funny! The little boy at the back looks like a xiao gin nah.
(As we were very bored with the cop taking such a long time,) Smell said that the guy in the middle looks like he is very shocked.
I said, No, he looks like he is standing up to want to fight!
I imitated getting out of my chair suddenly with a shout of "NOT HAPPY AH?!" and I scared my friendly neighbourhood police. He stared at me.
-_-
Smell had a look at the postcard, and had at look at my article, and he said,
"JIE! Your black face looks like one of them leh!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
I have to say I thoroughly agree.
Later, after a lot of scrutiny at the photo, we also discovered something...
Atas bengs! Hahhahah lousy producer!
Ok now for the real thing! Check out the police report... It is actually damn funny coz the cop's grammar is... Here's a feast for those of you who say mine is bad!
Click to enlarge
Funny not? Hahaha...
Now I'm waiting for blogger and gmail's responses. You die, fucker! I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!
Ok this is a super long blog entry... I've got to go out soon, so i'll write just a bit more...
Analysing what the hacker did, I do not think he really hates me (how can he hate me when he doesnt even know me?) but was in for some fun (though it was malicious and at my expense) and attention.
How do I know? Because he could have done a lot worse if he sincerely disliked me to the core. Well, either that or he is really stupid.
Imagine the harm done should he publish all my private emails? Imagine if he didn't delete the blog, but mimicked a real blog entry that said I am closing down the site (to make me lose readers)?
But no. His actions were symbolic of a frisky teen who managed to get into an account of a famous person (I am famous coz I was on the ST scrolling marquee!), and rubbing his hands in glee.
Without thinking, he did what he thought was the most damaging: Deleting my mails and blogs.
He also, childishly, changed my gmail name to Mr Tan Kok Wan, and urged people to give him attention by allowing comments on my blog - even to the extent of writing such a childish blog entry.
He tried to cause me trauma by losing all my stuff. He tried to kill the online personality Xiaxue...
But what he did achieve in the end:
- That I emerge stronger than before
- He made me realise I have so many readers who care for me, and
- So many real-life friends who will be there for me
- Blogger will always be there for their consumers - me included, so I can rest assured.
- My blog is back, exactly the same before he tainted it
- Publicity from various newspapers, priceless. Readership is up to 15,000 a day now, unique visitors - and some new readers are bound to like me.
- Best of all, he himself being in jeopardy of going to jail for his mischief.
So now, the only thing that happened which is bad, is that my mails are all gone. Which is kinda ok, alot of junk inside anyway. =)
...............
Last bit: There has been a lot of Anti-Xiaxue sentiments going on recently, and it kinda irks me because I feel that a lot of readers, from reading their comments, don't even know what is going on.
They simply jump onto the bandwagon and decide they don't like me, without substantial reasons.
For example, I read somewhere that someone thinks I deserve, and should have expected to be hacked because
1) I don't give up my seat to pregnant ladies
2) I was mean to taxi-snatching girl
3) I was mean to SPG and her fans surely took revenge.
OK let me explain myself once and for all.
1) I do give up seats to everyone who is needy. Please read that old, old article properly before accusing me - I am sick of explaining myself.
2) Cab-girl snatched my cab, and when online to a forum to say mean things about me, and these were FALSE mean things. She started it, geddit? I merely defended myself. What's wrong with that? Don't tell me you will swallow it if people accuse you like that.
3) I am sick sick sick of the SPG thing. I believe people who get themselves agitated over the SPG issue are in actual fact, non-readers of Izzy.
Those who read Izzy's blog, and sincerely appreciate it, I believe, are educated and mature individuals - not the slimeballs that talk so much. How do I know? Because she WRITES most of the time, and not just strip. Her prose is far too... dare I say that word again, cheam, for these stupid empty vessels who have so much to say.
Furthermore, readers of Izzy will realise that she herself is not upset over what I wrote - on both occasions no less.
I will say this in a very big font lest you miss it:
I AM OK WITH IT, SHE IS OK WITH IT, WHO ARE YOU TO TALK SO MUCH?
Well, that's all I have to say regarding my haters. Stop jumping on to the bandwagon like that, and do not assume what you read from other people's blogs (about me) are indeed true. Take some time, read through my archives - if you still find me so loathesome, go ahead and dislike me.
I am not that bad, really. I do think I am a nice girl - just a little more frank and hot-headed than any other girl on the streets - but essentially the same.
AND KENNY AND I ARE STILL GOOD FRIENDS, THANKS FOR YOUR CONCERN! We've talked things out, and I believe this has made us understand each other a little better. =)
Last but not least - I'm super late - I'm on Class95's blind dates!
How cool is that? Well, ignore that very arrogant little description of myself, I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. =)
If you want to have a fully paid dinner with me (shiok, they will book the whole place!), please write in to join. I am really not that scary in real life, I promise. Just a wee bit bitchier than most girls maybe... But I am definitely interesting and I think, quite funny. Hahaha...
And also, I will not blog about you if you don't allow me to.
Tata! I'm going out for dinner, and I'm in a mighty good mood! I hope you are too!
Warning: Super long blog entry with a blow-by-blow account of what happened!
A big big thank you HUG FOR EVERYONE WHO TRIED TO HELP ME! I don't care if you skinny or fat, sweaty or clean, female or male! I hug everyone! MUACKS! I am sorry if I was unable to reply some of your kind emails, but I was overwhelmed with all that's happening, and the mails were simply too many to reply.
To the people who say I have this coming, I would like to fart in your face! POOOT! Smelly not? I hope it is. I know it's really childish, but I cannot resist this. Stupid people are all around!
Since what goes around comes around you say...
..
..
..
I must be a really nice person! I HAVE EXTREMELY GOOD KARMA! See what I told you? Buy Good-Karma tissues, it works! Amazing, really, the good luck that I had.. you would think I drank Felix Felicis.
This is a more detailed (and funnier) account of what happened.
At around 430am, my IE wasn't working, so I used Mozilla to log into my Gmail. I clicked on the link and was immediately logged in. To my surprise, I only had 2 emails inside, both unread.
I thought, siao liao, must be this stupid Gmail cock up. I laughed. I really laughed, because my gmail account looks so stupid with only 2 mails in them. I refreshed the page; Gmail logged me out.
Still smiling a bit, I tried to log in, but obviously cannot.
-PANIC-
My heart going 'pong pong pong' (just like the sound that SKII girl makes), I clicked on "forgot your password?" and Gmail said they will send a mail to my secondary email, which I have no fucking idea what it is.
Already, I was close to tears because I knew that the 2 emails I saw was because the rest were deleted.
Hyperventilating, I clicked onto Blogger.com, expecting, hoping, that the site will load up.
KNN! Was logged out.
I started to break out in cold sweat, which is no mean feat in the non-airconditioned room that I stay in.
Fingers trembling, I tried once, twice, thrice to log into blogger, and I cannot.
I clicked on Blogger's "forgot your password?" was forced into tears, because blogger sends the password to my gmail account! FUCK!
Next: xiaxue.blogspot.com - When I saw the white background load, a small part of me died. The small part belongs to somewhere along the length of my legs, which explains why I am so short.
And then I broke down completely.
I called Turodrique (with some difficulty mine you, as fingers weren't really working), because he is always so rational... Phone off.
Called Kenny, yes, in Malaysia. Apparently he sleeping.
Called Shuyin... A GOD-INDUCED MIRACLE! She picked up! I blabbled incoherently, while she gave sympathetic notes and asked me questions.
This is the mark of a true friend. Instead of going back to sleep, she stayed awake with me, talking on MSN and helping me check facts and refreshing the hacked site to read the comments for clues, all the way till morning.
Meanwhile, I was feeling more and more helpless by the minute. It all seemed very bleak! I didn't receive any emails from Gmail to my other email accounts, and to get back your email without going through the secondary email you must answer a few questions.
Besides the usual location, name etc, Gmail also asked these very ridiculous questions to verify I am me.
- What's your security question?
- When did u start using Gmail?
- What's the URL on your gmail invite?
LIKE WTF?? I mean seriously, got so many security questions, how I know it's which one? Can be "What is your ugliest pet?" or "Who's your daddy?!" right? Wah rau! And when did I start using gmail?
CAN YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU STARTED USING UR EMAIL ACCOUNT? AND WHAT URL? WHAT RUBBISH ARE THEY ASKING?
Gmail said that if questions are unanswered they might not be able to give me my account back. I was quite horrified at this.
They said that I can try clicking on the 'forgot password' thing after five days, and get back my account by answering my own security question.
HELLO, YOU STUPID OR WHAT, THE HACKER CAN CHANGE THE SECURITY QUESTION RIGHT?!?
In a flurry of blind panic, I emailed both Gmail Support (a machine that doesn't work) and also Blogger Support... As a last resort, I even added BloggerBuzz as well as Biz Stone himself.
If you are interested, this was my email:
Hi you guys,
I am xiaxue, or Wendy Cheng, also known as the author of xiaxue.blogspot.com. My website is the Best Asian Blog 2004 and 2005 (www.bloggies.com). I've been featured on bloggerbuzz once as I am the first blogger to get a t-shirt endorsement deal.
Here's the article: http://buzz.blogger.com/2005/03/ambassador-xiaxue.html
My website, very unfortunately for me, as been hacked. If you care to look into xiaxue.blogspot.com, you can see what happened to it.
Very stupidly of me, my email account, which was xiaxue@gmail.com, has been hacked into as well.
I need to wait for gmail's confirmation to get back my gmail account, as for some reason it didn't send the password to my secondary email address. Therefore, unable to retrieve my blogger password from my email, I cannot log in.
I am pleading for help here. Can blogger help to recover my files, can it return me my password?
If you guys don't believe it is me, can I do anything, anything at all to verify myself? Call me! I'll even show you my id card. Anything! Because I am the real xiaxue! My livelihood is through my blog now, and it is so very very important to me. 2 years of hard work!!! I blogged so much, and it's all gone!
I hope blogger can help me with this. Despite having a readership of 10,000 a day and having many blogging platforms approach me, I stuck to using blogger and many people have followed suit.
If blogger cannot give me the account, then can it at least.... to the very least...make sure no one takes the username xiaxue until I get my account back? Which I most definitely will, once I get my gmail account back!
Biz, I am writing this email to you too, because I know you once left a comment on my blog, saying you like the blog.
I really hope you guys can help me.
Wendy
Obviously the email was written in a state of hysterics. I cannot even begin to think properly.
The reason why the email to them sounded so arrogant and so eager to prove who I am is because I am scared that they ignore me. Blogger, which is owned by Google, is a really big American company with millions of blogs under their name. I am merely one of those many, I'm sure, who got hacked the day before.
That's why I stressed so much that my blog is an established one, hoping they will at least take notice. It was a last resort that I used.
I emailed myself on my xiaxue gmail account, pleading with the hacker to return me me blog. God, I sounded so pathetic.
He never read these mails...
....
Time passed, and the tears stopped. I have resigned to the fact that the blog is gone.
I took heart that I have saved my entries till May 2005, and I was determined to do up the site again, even if I had to put into entry by entry and re-uploading all my photos.
....
It was 730am, and I decided there is nothing more I can do, so I off-ed the computer. Minutes later, I realised my MSN password is the same as my gmail's!
I hastily turned on again, agitated that the hacker is causing me so much trouble.
Out of habit, I clicked on IE, and out of a very lucky habit again, I clicked on Gmail, which was on my favourites.
VOILA! I got in!
I sat there and I couldn't believe my good luck. This time, I didn't gong gong go and refresh the page, but hastily set a new password. With this, I got back my blogger account again, but all the blogs were gone, except for xiaxue.blogspot.com, which was horribly tainted.
REJOICE!!! I have gotten back everything that belongs to me! Well except the blogs and 3,000 emails, all deleted.
Brown cow called me, and gave me grandfatherly advice on choosing passwords properly. Thanks also James, for helping though you were in Japan, and you too Daryl and TT! My fellow Tomorrow editors are SWELL! I never felt so cared for by a team of IT experts!
***********
I couldn't sleep, so I checked my other mails again (to see if anyone responded). I was doubtful that Gmail or Blogger replied, BUT Holy Mayonnaise! Biz Stone himself replied! Within 2 hours!
I couldn't believe my eyes:
I peed in my Pjs in joy, and Cloudy (my cute dog), who was sleeping underneath my chair, looked up quizzically at the sudden wetness.
It was then that I had a clear look at the Cloud...I realised, he didn't look like the usual fair and white Cloudy... He looked:
I wonder what this means. It is clearly symbolic of something!
Never mind, I still hugged the newly dark Cloud and skipped around the room in joy!
I got Biz Stone helping me! NOW WHO CAN BULLY ME, HUH, WHO?!
I got to sleep at 11am, Momo being extra nice to me (she was very worried too), and dream fretfully of shipping ridiculously expensive presents over to the US for Biz and the rest of the Blogger team, like Graham and John P. For the next two days, I didn't off my computer.
Holy shit, I slept for 2 hours and reporters were calling in from Today, ST and Newpaper!! Wah lau.
Rest of the day was spent taking photos for the newspapers and getting interviewed. Kinda felt good coz I can abuse the culprit - the reporters were only too glad too listen! Yay!
Apparently, my ST article was supposed to be on front page. I didn't even know the magnitude of the event! When I arrived at the very big SPH, I saw, at the hotel-like lobby, a serious-looking LED black screen with a scrolling marquee of red words, reciting the headline news of the day.
It was grandly situated above the receptionists' heads, alerting the world of important events unfolding as we read it here first.
What stock is dropping, Bloomberg this, reuters that, terrorists and accidents.
AND THEN I SAW IT:
HACKER DELETES ALL OF XIAXUE'S BLOG ENTRIES
Happily scrolling at the severe LED screen, as if it was worthy. MY NAME LEH (albeit a fake one), among others like Bush and our dear Mr Mah Bow Tan! I AM NOT WORTHY!!
MUST.
TAKE.
PICTURE!
I waited for a while to get the shot, waiting for the headlines to scroll back again, but all was black. The receptionist told me that the one I saw was the last time the headlines rolled for the day - it stops at 545 sharp.
GOT SO SUAY OR NOT YOU TELL ME? THAT I HAPPEN TO SEE IT FOR THE LAST TIME? Nonetheless:
You can ownself imagine lah hor.
*******************
Next day, articles:
From Today
And... Dare I show it?
Courtesy of ST
KNNBCCB!!
I look fucking fat can? We took so many photos, and many were not fat lor! They had to catch me when I was not sucking in, and obviously that stupid pose the tummy will drop to the side right. Chee...ken mcnugget.
Yeah lah, you are saying if I know I am fat then I don't wear like that lah! But hor, Newpaper wanted to do any article on sexy females, then they asked me to wear sexier what! How I know stupid ST also wanted a photoshoot that day?
I took photos in another red dress (very nice one, you will see on Sunday Newpaper!!) but ST HAD to choose this fugly one.
I think ST is out to sabo me. Throughout the article, I don't see the link to my webpage.
I don't know if this is delibrate, but WHAT IS THE POINT OF TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT A SITE IF YOU DON'T LINK THE SITE? A bit stupid right?
A bit of photoshop would have salvaged the photo, but did they bother? NO. Jerks!
Alas. London got bombed, so the article got pushed to page 16 instead of cover. My condolences to those affected, but that's another entry altogether.
........................
The police report:
Smell accompanied me to the local police station to file a report. Him, covering himself with my fat article.
Together we can fight Crime!
Wah, our president looking down upon us, bestowing his infinite wisdom and sense of justice. Criminals see liao also scared.
While I give my report, Smelly (he is not really smelly by the way) reads the article for the first time...
"I look very fat in that photo hor?"
"You have always been fat what, since when you got thin before?"
"Wah lau you."
"Yeah lah, who ask you go wear like that... So fat still dare to wear like that."
And he pinches me on my side tummy and laughed. The policeman kindly lent me his baton and I whacked Smelly's head with it. He cried.
Smelly and I found this postcard, it is very funny!
I like the beng at the right leh! Don't you think his expression is damn realistic? And he really looks beng! So funny! The little boy at the back looks like a xiao gin nah.
(As we were very bored with the cop taking such a long time,) Smell said that the guy in the middle looks like he is very shocked.
I said, No, he looks like he is standing up to want to fight!
I imitated getting out of my chair suddenly with a shout of "NOT HAPPY AH?!" and I scared my friendly neighbourhood police. He stared at me.
-_-
Smell had a look at the postcard, and had at look at my article, and he said,
"JIE! Your black face looks like one of them leh!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
I have to say I thoroughly agree.
Later, after a lot of scrutiny at the photo, we also discovered something...
Atas bengs! Hahhahah lousy producer!
Ok now for the real thing! Check out the police report... It is actually damn funny coz the cop's grammar is... Here's a feast for those of you who say mine is bad!
Click to enlarge
Funny not? Hahaha...
Now I'm waiting for blogger and gmail's responses. You die, fucker! I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!
Ok this is a super long blog entry... I've got to go out soon, so i'll write just a bit more...
Analysing what the hacker did, I do not think he really hates me (how can he hate me when he doesnt even know me?) but was in for some fun (though it was malicious and at my expense) and attention.
How do I know? Because he could have done a lot worse if he sincerely disliked me to the core. Well, either that or he is really stupid.
Imagine the harm done should he publish all my private emails? Imagine if he didn't delete the blog, but mimicked a real blog entry that said I am closing down the site (to make me lose readers)?
But no. His actions were symbolic of a frisky teen who managed to get into an account of a famous person (I am famous coz I was on the ST scrolling marquee!), and rubbing his hands in glee.
Without thinking, he did what he thought was the most damaging: Deleting my mails and blogs.
He also, childishly, changed my gmail name to Mr Tan Kok Wan, and urged people to give him attention by allowing comments on my blog - even to the extent of writing such a childish blog entry.
He tried to cause me trauma by losing all my stuff. He tried to kill the online personality Xiaxue...
But what he did achieve in the end:
- That I emerge stronger than before
- He made me realise I have so many readers who care for me, and
- So many real-life friends who will be there for me
- Blogger will always be there for their consumers - me included, so I can rest assured.
- My blog is back, exactly the same before he tainted it
- Publicity from various newspapers, priceless. Readership is up to 15,000 a day now, unique visitors - and some new readers are bound to like me.
- Best of all, he himself being in jeopardy of going to jail for his mischief.
So now, the only thing that happened which is bad, is that my mails are all gone. Which is kinda ok, alot of junk inside anyway. =)
...............
Last bit: There has been a lot of Anti-Xiaxue sentiments going on recently, and it kinda irks me because I feel that a lot of readers, from reading their comments, don't even know what is going on.
They simply jump onto the bandwagon and decide they don't like me, without substantial reasons.
For example, I read somewhere that someone thinks I deserve, and should have expected to be hacked because
1) I don't give up my seat to pregnant ladies
2) I was mean to taxi-snatching girl
3) I was mean to SPG and her fans surely took revenge.
OK let me explain myself once and for all.
1) I do give up seats to everyone who is needy. Please read that old, old article properly before accusing me - I am sick of explaining myself.
2) Cab-girl snatched my cab, and when online to a forum to say mean things about me, and these were FALSE mean things. She started it, geddit? I merely defended myself. What's wrong with that? Don't tell me you will swallow it if people accuse you like that.
3) I am sick sick sick of the SPG thing. I believe people who get themselves agitated over the SPG issue are in actual fact, non-readers of Izzy.
Those who read Izzy's blog, and sincerely appreciate it, I believe, are educated and mature individuals - not the slimeballs that talk so much. How do I know? Because she WRITES most of the time, and not just strip. Her prose is far too... dare I say that word again, cheam, for these stupid empty vessels who have so much to say.
Furthermore, readers of Izzy will realise that she herself is not upset over what I wrote - on both occasions no less.
I will say this in a very big font lest you miss it:
I AM OK WITH IT, SHE IS OK WITH IT, WHO ARE YOU TO TALK SO MUCH?
Well, that's all I have to say regarding my haters. Stop jumping on to the bandwagon like that, and do not assume what you read from other people's blogs (about me) are indeed true. Take some time, read through my archives - if you still find me so loathesome, go ahead and dislike me.
I am not that bad, really. I do think I am a nice girl - just a little more frank and hot-headed than any other girl on the streets - but essentially the same.
AND KENNY AND I ARE STILL GOOD FRIENDS, THANKS FOR YOUR CONCERN! We've talked things out, and I believe this has made us understand each other a little better. =)
Last but not least - I'm super late - I'm on Class95's blind dates!
How cool is that? Well, ignore that very arrogant little description of myself, I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. =)
If you want to have a fully paid dinner with me (shiok, they will book the whole place!), please write in to join. I am really not that scary in real life, I promise. Just a wee bit bitchier than most girls maybe... But I am definitely interesting and I think, quite funny. Hahaha...
And also, I will not blog about you if you don't allow me to.
Tata! I'm going out for dinner, and I'm in a mighty good mood! I hope you are too!
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