BORN TO RERUN FOR MYLES AND MYLES

Reincarnation in Toobworld is an accepted fact of the afterlife, thanks to the theme song of 'My Mother The Car'. In the past, I posited my theory that country squire Ross 'Poldark' and his gypsy wife Demelza were reborn to meet once again in the 20th Century as Greg Montgomery and his hippie bride Dharma Finkelstein. Also, it's my belief that Roman Emperor Claudius was reborn as Dr. Bob Hartley of Chicago.

Madame de Pompadour, once one of the most powerful women in all of France, was visited throughout her life by a mysterious protector who was not exactly human. I think it's possible that "Reinette" was reborn, not only her soul but her physical appearance. And even in her new life as Buzzwire reporter Beth Turner, she is being protected yet again by a mysterious stranger who's not exactly human.
However, it's not a dual reincarnation as was the case with Poldark and Demelza. I don't think it will ever be possible that Mick St. John is the Doctor reborn.....

SHOWS CITED:
'Moonlight'
'Doctor Who'
'I, Claudius'
'The Bob Newhart Show'
'Poldark'
'Dharma & Greg'
'My Mother The Car'

BCnU!
Toby OB

BLOODLINES

I had the identity of the killer in the pilot episode of 'Moonlight' sussed out before the characters left the cemetary scene. The purpose of the pilot was to establish the characters, so I could give it a pass on delivering a decent mystery. I'm an easy guy. But they better come up with more complex mysteries in future episodes.

One of the suspects was Christian Ellis, a mythological anthropology professor at Hearst College. Professor Ellis claimed to be a vampire, but one whiff of his scent was all that private eye Mick St. John, a real vampire, needed to debunk Ellis' claim. Which is a shame, because had he been a real vampire, Christian Ellis theoretically could have completed a Toobworld trifecta for the greatest of all vampires - Dracula!

Christian Ellis was portrayed by Rudolf Martin, and there's just something about Martin that screams "Dracula" to casting directors. For a TV movie, he played Vlad Tepes, the Romanian warlord who, according to legend, would become the undead Dracul after his death. And in an episode of 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer', Martin embodied the legend, updated in manner and style for the 21st Century.
Christian Ellis wasn't a vampire, but with the Toobworld science of telegenetics, we can still make a theoretical link to Rudolf Martin's appearances as Dracula. It's not out of the realm of likelihood that Vlad Tepes sired bastard offspring before he died. (As a vampire, Dracula shouldn't have been able to produce an heir, if my understanding of vampire lore is correct. 'Moonlight' seemed to suggest as much when Coraline kidnapped little Beth Turner to be embraced as a child vampire for her and Mick to raise as their own child. 'Angel' had a son, but I think a lot of technobabble went into splainin how that occurred.)

Christian Ellis could be the latest in a long line of direct descendants to Dracula. And with tele-genetics, an exact duplicate of his DNA could have been reproduced, even hundreds of generations later. Daughters as well as sons could have been in that direct line of descent, so the family name of Tepe - or even of Dracula - would never have survived. But even if it had, there could be a good reason as to why he bore the name of "Ellis": one Romanian ancestor arrived in America around 1900 or so and decided to cut off ties to his Romanian past and embrace his new life in America. To do so, he might have cast off the name Tepes or Dracula or Jipa, whatever, and took as his new name that of the island which was his port of entry into the new world.

The best part of this Toobworld theory? It can't be proven but since it's unlikely to ever come up again in 'Moonlight', it can't be debunked either!

BCnU!
Toby OB

Mayans in Guatemala: No compromise, halt gold mining

By Brenda Norrell

Sipakapa is not for sale, Mayan community turned down corporate mining cash

TUCSON, Ariz. – Gold and silver mining in the Mayan homelands in northern Guatemala, near the border with Chiapas, Mexico, is poisoning the water and explosives are destroying the homes in the rural farming community of Sipakapa, Guatemala.

“While the gold mine is there and operating, there is no solution. The only solution is to stop the mining,” said Mario Tema, Mayan from Sipakapa, during an interview at the Western Mining Action Network Conference in Tucson on Sept. 29.

Goldcorp (formerly Glamis Gold) is mining silver and gold at the open-pit Marlin Mine, between two Mayan communities, Sipakapa and San Miguel Ixtahuacan in the San Marcos highlands.

Speaking through a translator, Tema said, “There is a new mine in Guatemala. It is the first of its kind. It has created many problems in our community, especially social problems.
“The government is supporting the mine politically. It makes our organizing very difficult, because it means people are speaking out not just against the mine, but against the government.”
Tema said the mine has been in operation for two years and is causing impacts, both environmental and social impacts.
“We know there is acid mine drainage in the river. There are heavy metals in the river near one mine site. There are also social impacts from the explosives. People are living 500 meters from the explosives used at the mine and there are cracks in their houses. Now, their roofs are leaking. Seventy-two homes have been damaged. We’re talking about 72 families, with an average of six people in each family.”
“The mining company must take responsibility for helping them repair their homes.”
Tema points out there are 22 different Mayan languages in the region. The mine will not just harm the Sipakapense speaking Mayans in Sipakapa and Mam speaking Mayans in San Miguel, but will affect the entire western highlands region of Guatemala now targeted as a mining district.
MineWatch Canada reports that promoters of the mining industry -- the World Bank, Glamis Gold (now Goldcorp) and the governments of Guatemala, Canada and the United States -- promoted the Marlin mine as a "development" project. In reality, however, the mine is simply a business that enriches an international corporation at the expense of the good development of communities.
After the World Bank’s $45 million loan to Glamis, the government of Guatemala began militarization and repression. On January 11, 2005, the government sent more 1,200 soldiers and 400 police agents to Los Encuentros, Sololá, to protect the passage of a cylinder destined for the Marlin Mine. The State forces used tear gas and bullets against the Kaqchikel brothers and sisters who for weeks had been detaining the transportation of the cylinder in protest. Raúl Castro Bocel was murdered by State security forces and more than 20 were injured.
The gold mining company brought in an Israeli security company, which killed one of the people. In San Miguel Ixtahuacán, on March 23, 2005, an employee of the private Israeli security company hired by Glamis Gold, the Golan Group, shot and killed Alvaro Benigno Sánchez, leaving four children without their father.
In Tucson, Tema said the people in his community of Sipakapa have responded with consultation and an overwhelming “No” vote to mining.
“People are also in conflict with their local authorities. The opposition has taken the form of organizing community consultation. Community members were asked to respond, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on the issue of mining. The people said ‘No.’”
“But the mining companies try to divide the people. It is always generating more conflict in our community."
In Tema’s community, there are 15,000 people and 92 percent are Mayans, with 8 percent of mixed ancestry. There is no commercial industry and people survive from family farms. Some have cows, but no more than six.
In Tucson, Tema said the benefit of attending the Western Mining Action Network Conference came from sharing with other people impacted by mining and discovering how they are working to halt mining. He particularly learned a great deal from Western Shoshone Carrie Dann, leading the fight for Western Shoshone land rights as corporations seize Shoshone territory in Nevada for nuclear testing and gold mining.
Meanwhile, in Guatemala, elections have been underway. Tema said candidates from the civic committee, born out of resistance to mining, did well in municipal elections. The newly elected officials take office January 15, 2008, for a period of four years.
“We have municipal support. We can make decisions and continue to resist this mining project. We can start to make laws and regulations to protect our territories,” Tema said.
“We can engage in our strength in a legal and political way. We have public power in our hands. We have ‘people power’ to work for the benefit of the people in the community.”
Although activist Rigoberta Menchu did not receive enough votes to remain in the race for President of Guatemala, her effort was celebrated.
“For any Indigenous person to stand up and run for president, it is important. We need to pay attention to it,” Tema said.
“In the case of Rigoberta Menchu, it is an historic event. There has not been an Indigenous person running for president since the establishment of the national government in 1821. There has never been an Indigenous person running for President of Guatemala.”
Meanwhile, MiningWatch Canada reports that the Marlin silver-gold mine was discovered by Francisco Gold and developed by Glamis Gold, through its fully owned subsidiary Montana Exploradora de Guatemala. There has been serious and prolonged protest by Mayan villages in the San Miguel Ixtahuacan, which comprises 19 villages, and Sipacapa, which comprises 13 villages, in Guatemala’s highlands department of San Marcos.
Over the past two years, villages in San Miguel Ixtahuacan have been transformed into an open pit mine, which will eventually encompass five square kilometers. Eighty-five percent of the total expanse of the mine is in San Miguel Ixtahuacan and 15 percent is in Sipacapa.
The municipality of San Miguel Ixtahuacan has a population of 39,000, most of whom are Mam Maya farmers who depend on farming to survive. Before production at the mine began, there were numerous protests.
In 2006, Goldcorp predecessor Glamis paid for workers from its Marlin Mine to participate in pro-mining demonstrations.
Two years ago, when residents of Sipacapa heard about the mine, they organized a referendum (Consulta) using the International Labour Organization’s Convention 169, which affirms the right of Indigenous communities to be consulted in good faith before industrial activity take place on their lands. The people of Sipacapa voted overwhelming against the mine.
Montana Exploradora de Guatemala filed an unconstitutionality suit, as well as an appeal, against the Consulta in 2005. On May 8, 2007, the Guatemalan Constitutional Court ruled that the Consulta was unconstitutional.
In early 2007, the company offered the municipality a “gift,” of $150,000 CDN. It was refused.
--Goldcorp mining in Indigenous territories in the Americas
Goldcorp has gold mining interests in Indigenous territories, including mines in Canada (Red Lake Complex in northwestern Ontario; Musslewhite in Ontario and Porcupine in northeastern Ontario.)
Goldcorp mining interests include mines in Argentina (Bajo de la Alumbrera), Australia (Peak Gold Mine), Brazil (Amapari mine in the northern state of Anapa), Chile (La Coipa gold and silver mine) Guatemala (Marlin Mine and Cerro Blanco), Dominican Republic (Pueblo Viejo) and Honduras (San Martin Mine.)
In Mexico, Goldcorp’s interest include Los Filos/Bermejal and Nukay mines, both in the state of Guerrero, El Sauzal in Chihuahua in the northern state and Penasquito in Zacatecas.
In the United States, Goldcorp has 66.7 percent interest in the Glamis Marigold Mining Company in Humboldt County, Nevada. Goldcorp owns Wharf open pit gold mine in the Bald Mountain mining district of South Dakota.
The Imperial Project is a proposed open pit gold mining operation in the Imperial Valley in southern California. The Quechan Nation is battling Goldcorp/Glamis Gold over the proposed open pit cyanide leaching gold operation, which would violate their sacred Spirit Trail and a wilderness area.

Photo: Mario Tema with Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone. Photo Brenda Norrell
Please see first in series: "Peru’s Indigenous Peoples arise in defense of Earth from mining"
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

A HEARST IS A HEARST

With its debut episode, 'Moonlight' linked itself to 'Veronica Mars'. The new series is about a vampire in Los Angeles working as a private investigator - true, a combination of 'Angel' and 'Forever Knight', but I think the premise could stand another in the field. And vampire Mick St. John's case in the premiere was that of a murdered coed from Hearst College.

This is the same college which Veronica and her friends attended in the final scene of 'Veronica Mars'.

For that show, Hearst College was located not far outside the environs of Neptune, California. In 'Moonlight', I suppose it was to be assumed that Hearst was in Los Angeles. But there was nothing I noticed that nailed that down. It could be that the victim, Kelly Foster, commuted down to Neptune for classes.

Or it could be that Hearst College had several campuses. I went to the University of Connecticut - my first year at the Hartford branch, the next three in Storrs. UConn also has campuses in Waterbury, down near Groton and at least two others (I think). The same situation could have applied here.

"Buzzwire" reporter Beth Turner went undercover at Hearst to learn more about the victim and her connection to Professor Christian Ellis, whose specialty was in mythological anthropology and who taught a course on vampire lore. That's a picture of her wearing a Hearst College cap.......

I liked the show, not that it matters. There had been a lot of troubles in reshooting the pilot to accommodate a new cast, so I won't judge it on that. I think it will shake out the glitches as the season progresses. But in the meantime, it's already found itself a home in the TV Universe by using Hearst College.

BCnU!
Toby OB

Empowered: Indigenous Peoples organize to halt mining in Americas

By Brenda Norrell

http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Indigenous Peoples from throughout the Americas fighting mining gathered to organize and support one another to halt the mining destroying their communities and the environment.

The first in the series of articles focuses on the delegation from Peru, fighting copper mining and the poisoning of water sources.

Coal, gold, silver, copper and uranium mining in Indigenous territories has reached the level of a global crisis. Nikos Pastos of Alaska's Big Village Network said climate change and melting ice, combined with oil drilling, result in unprecedented dangers for polar bears, walruses and whales.

On the Navajo Nation and near its borders, proposals for new uranium mines, coal mining and the Desert Rock Power Plant pose threats to land and air already heavy with toxins. Manny Pino, Acoma Pueblo, said the sacred sites endangered by new proposed uranium mining include Mount Taylor in New Mexico, sacred to Pueblos, Navajos and other tribes in the region.

At the root of the problem, says Western Shoshone Carried Dann, are the IRA tribal governments who are acting in the best interest of energy companies, rather than the best interest of the people.

Louise Benally, Navajo from Big Mountains, Ariz., said the Earth is being "butchered" by mining and elected leaders at both the tribal and federal level are responsible and must be replaced.

In a story which repeats itself in every geographic region of the Americas, mining is rupturing communities and poisoning the environment, including the First Nations in Canada, Mayan in Guatemala and the Spokane Nation in Washington.

The series begins today.

Photos: Banquet at the Western Mining Action Network Conference in Tucson: Navajos Leona Morgan, Robert Tohe; Nikos Pastos and Manny Pino; Hunter Red Day and band. Photos Brenda Norrell

Hopi's 'Water is Life,' message carried by runners

"Hopi, Water is Life," is the message on the shirts of both Hunter Red Day, Navajo/Dakota and Manny Pino, Acoma Pueblo, attending the Western Mining Action Network Conference 2007 in Tucson today. During Hopi sacred runs, runners have carried the message of the sacred nature of water. Native people attending the mining action conference said the contamination of drinking water by uranium, coal, copper, gold and silver mining corporatons has created a global crisis for Indigenous Peoples. Photo Brenda Norrell

HER BIG BROWN EYES... AND POINTY HORNS

Must be 'Reaper' Day in our Toobworld Fall Season Guide!

Although it was never stated explicitly in the series, it is believed that 'Dead Like Me' takes place in Seattle. With its first episode, the new series 'Reaper' is definitely situated in the "Emerald City" - Sam Oliver's brother was reading a Seattle newspaper in one of the opening scenes.

In 'Dead Like Me', Christine Willes played George's boss at the temp agency, Delores Herbig - as in "her big" brown eyes - and she appeared in the 'Reaper' pilot as well. She was Gladys, the Devil's minion at the DMV, which of course is literally Hell on Earth.

Even though 'Dead Like Me' is canceled as a series, it will be coming back as a direct-to-DVD movie next year. So the DMV clerk and Delores can't be one and the same, with "Gladys" being an alias. Besides, Delores hardly seems like the type to be making deals with the Devil or committing any sin that might get her soul sent packing to Hell. But despite her horns, Gladys did look enough like Delores to suggest that they might be related.

Sadly, I think the Devil's Minion at the DMV is Delores' Mom!

DM DM DM!

I've only just started watching 'Dead Like Me' and so far I don't remember any mention of Delores' parents being still alive, nor what their names might have been. And we've seen in other shows - like 'Maverick', 'The Brady Bunch', 'The Odd Couple', 'Wiseguy', and 'F Troop' - that a parent could look exactly like their offspring.

So here's my theory of "relateeveety" - Gladys Herbig made a deal with the devil and is now paying it off by being his servant at the DMV. Of course, it could have been a situation like Sam's, in which her parents bartered away her soul which the Devil collected after she began her own family. (He probably conscripted her into service when she was about the same age as her daughter Delores is now and that's why she still looks to be that age.)

According to Ms. Willes' profile at the William Davis Centre, it looks as though her role as Gladys will be recurring on 'Reaper'. If we don't learn too much more about her personal life and background, then this theory should hold up......

BCnU!
Toby OB

THE DEVIL, YOU SAY

Describe the basic premise of 'Reaper' to somebody who knows their TV, and you should get this response: "That already was a TV show, called 'Brimstone'!"

There are a lot of differences, however. And the big one is that 'Brimstone' was too dark and depressing; 'Reaper' is light-hearted fun.

But even so, somebody might want to call out 'Reaper' as being a copy. But as Toobworld's Ambassador without portfolio, I'd say it's a continuation of the premise.

The Devil, as played by Ray Wise, is the same guy as portrayed by John Glover in 'Brimstone'. And the mission is still the same, just nine years later. Being the Devil, he can assume any visage he wants. Old Scratch probably figured the latter day Rat Pack look would make for a better mentor to Sam instead of that skeevy, long-haired look he sported while dealing with Zeke Stone.

It would seem that the Devil's problem with souls escaping from Hell is growing. Originally the number was 113. (And thanks to a suggestion by my "Iddiette" friend, Listener Mara, we can count the vampire 'Angel' among their number.) But now he's got so many loose on Earth Prime-Time that he's had to open branch offices and "hire" on more bounty hunters.

Miami and Dallas might make for interesting locations if Sam Oliver ever has to take his act on the road.... JR Ewing once had to confront his own personal demon, but I don't think that was a different guise for THE Devil. I think "Adam" used to be the personal Christmas Past for an Ebenezer Scrooge in some TV dimension. After Scrooge finally died, Adam needed to find employment elsewhere.

And the Devil probably has a couple of bounty hunters working around the clock in Cleveland. According to Rupert Giles, Cleveland was located right over a Hellmouth......

SHOWS CITED:
'Reaper'
'Brimstone'
'Dallas'
'Buffy The Vampire Slayer'
'Angel'
"A Christmas Carol"

BCnU!
Toby OB

THE GREAT BALLANTINE

I'm two days late in this. I just read the news over in Mark Evanier's "News From ME" site. (Link to the left)

Thursday was Carl Ballantine's 85th birthday.

All the best to Lester Gruber of 'McHale's Navy' as well as to the Great Ballantine!

BCnU!
Toby OB

Peru's Indigenous Peoples arise in defense of Earth from mining

Andean Indigenous Peoples organize in defense of land, prepare for mobilization on 'Day of Genocide,' October 12

By Brenda Norrell

TUCSON, Ariz. – Indigenous Peoples from Peru say that while their country’s leaders have endorsed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the international level, at home the federal government is preparing to forcibly claim Indigenous lands for mining.

Indigenous Peoples are now struggling to protect their territories from a proposed law that would claim the right to appropriate Indigenous territories based on the Peruvian government’s claim that it is a matter of “national interest.”

Speaking out against mining, Quechua leader Miguel Palacin of Lima, Peru, said Andean Peoples from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina have organized to protect Indigenous territories in this region. Palacin is coordinator of the Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indigenas (Andean Federation of Indigenous Organizations.)

“This group is working to protect Indigenous rights,” Palacin said, speaking through a translator during an interview at the Western Mining Action Network Conference 2007, held in Tucson on Sept. 28 – 29.

Palacin said the concept of Indigenous territories does not only refer to the lands of Indigenous Peoples, but also to Indigenous' languages, cultures, values and clothing. Indigenous territories include the right to autonomy and self-governance based on Indigenous Peoples’ own legal systems and principles.

“This is a fundamental right, a right that is being offended by the politics of globalization, the invasion of transnational corporations and the contamination that is damaging the life and culture.”

Palacin said it is essential to grow in visibility and expose the mining, energy and hydroelectric corporations seizing Indigenous territories for profit.

He said Indigenous territories are under attack by governments. “The governments are campaigning against the social movement.” This is particularly true in Colombia, where Indigenous Peoples are confronted by the federal government, FARC and the paramilitaries.

“In Colombia, there has been a lot of death and displacement.”

However, Palacin said there is also hope. In both Bolivia and Ecuador, new Constitutional reforms propose changes that respect Indigenous Peoples rights.

Further, the Andean Federation of Indigenous Organizations is now proposing the establishment of Indigenous Diplomats, to meet with governments to explain their positions. These include opposition to Free Trade agreements and militarization. Further, concerns are arising because of new visa and passport requirements.

In support of these struggles, Indigenous Peoples plan mobilizations throughout South America on the “Day of Genocide,” October 12, followed by a delegation to Europe on Oct. 13, he said.

“The Indigenous movement has power in the south. We want to be included in the transformation of our countries. Indigenous Peoples have the right to govern their countries," Palacin said.

Attorney Javier Aroca of Lima, Peru, said the government of Peru has criminalized the social movement to protect the land. “Mining is very strong. The government really supports this industry because they view it as a means of receiving a lot of revenues.

“Whoever opposes mining is seen as a terrorist and anti-patriotic,” Aroca said, during an interview in Tucson.

At issue now are the mining companies who obtain their leases from leaders without consultation of the community, including copper mines.

“The biggest concern is water,” Aroca said, pointing out that water from the mountain tops flows throughout the region. Where copper mine exploration is being carried out, there are natural protected reserves in the high mountain region.

“These mountain top areas are the source of water.”

Aroca said the Peruvian government supported the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right to free, informed and prior consent and Indigenous Peoples' rights to their territories.

“But in practice, the Peruvian government is doing the opposite.”

Currently, opposition is mounting to oppose a law in the Peruvian Congress, which would allow Indigenous lands to be appropriated in the name of “national interest,” Aroca said.

“If this law is passed, it would trash eight years of work in support of Indigenous Peoples rights.”

The representatives from Peru joined Indigenous Peoples from throughout the Americas at the Western Mining Action Network conference, including Western Shoshone Carrie Dann; Navajo Louise Benally from Big Mountain, Ariz.; Manny Pino, Acoma Pueblo and member of the International Indian Treaty Council; Tom Goldtooth, Navajo/Dakota director of the Indigenous Environmental Network; Twa-le Abrahamson of the Shawl Society Spokane Nation, Wash.; Flora Natomagan, Hatchet Lake Band of First Nations from Canada who served previously as chief; Dailan Long, Navajo from Dine' CARE, Wahleah Johns, Navajo from the Black Mesa Water Coalition and other Indigenous Peoples whose communities have been devastated by uranium mining, coal mining, power plants, copper mining and other natural resource extractions and contaminating energy development.

Miguel Palacin, Quechua, is the first coordinator of the Andean Federation of Indigenous Organizations. He is originally from Vicco in the central Andes of Peru. Earlier, in 1999, he founded the National Federation of Peruvian Communities Affected by Mining, CONACAMI, an organization that defends the rights of communities affected by mining.

Javier Aroca is an attorney specializing in Indigenous Peoples, rural communities and Native Rights law. He is currently the Regional Coordinator for Oxfam America’s Extractive Industries Program at the South American Regional Office.

Photo: Quechua leader Miguel Palacin in Tucson. Photo 2: Oxfam's Laura Inouye; translator Sofia Vergara; Javier Aroca, attorney from Lima, Peru; Quechua Miguel Palacin from Peru. Photos Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

Mining focus of Indigenous gathered in Tucson

Indigenous from the Americas are gathered in Tucson to discuss the impacts of mining. Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone, is among those here to speak out about Indigenous territories and the destruction of nuclear testing and gold mining. Coal mining and copper mining are the focus of Navajos from Arizona and Indigenous from Peru. Watch for articles in Navajo Times and the U.N. OBSERVER & International Report next week.

--Brenda Norrell

US jet full of cocaine, used for Guantanamo, crashes in Mexico

Who owned drug plane that crashed in Mexico?
By Jay Root and Kevin G. Hall McClatchy Newspapers
September 27, 2007
MEXICO CITY — U.S. authorities are assisting the Mexican government in the investigation of an American business jet that crashed in Cancun this week with four tons of cocaine on board, officials said Thursday. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/20060.html

SARAH JANE AND THE SLITHEEN

Since 'Doctor Who' returned to the airwaves back in 2005, I've been able to see the episodes long before they reach the USA by way of... Magic & Mystery as well as by Something Else Really Good & Clever. The same holds true for 'Torchwood' and the special hour-long episode of 'The Sarah Jane Adventures'. But now I can state where I found the first regular series episode of 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' - someone has posted them up on YouTube - not only the first half-hour episode which aired Monday, but the conclusion to the two-parter which won't be airing until this coming Monday over in the UK.

(Just type in "Sarah Jane" and Slitheen - you'll get all the chapters.)

It's not giving anything away to say that the Clan Slitheen made a return appearance, as their name appears in the episode title, "The Revenge Of The Slitheen". But I won't give anything else away of major importance for the many who have yet to see it. However, I will say that the show tackles a moral quandary near the end that I think an American production would have taken the opposite approach, ignoring the details of the character's past. And Maria gets off a risque joke that seemed out of place for what is supposed to be a children's show. ('Doctor Who' is supposed to be a children's show as well, but I think they've tossed that concept aside long ago; they know who their true audience is!)

I have to admit though that the joke was pretty funny and probably something a 14 year old girl would have said......

Sarah Jane Smith is already a member of the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, as of this past May, and with this episode two more candidates emerged for eventual inlcusion should they complete the requirements with a third appearance on another series.

First up is the actress Lachele Carl, who appears in the second episode as the American news anchor for the news network AMNN. She has appeared four times in that role on 'Doctor Who', and it's likely she could pop up again in 'Torchwood' someday.

And then there are the Slitheen Family, of the calcium-based alien race from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius. Members of the Clan Slitheen have appeared in three episodes of 'Doctor Who' and now in these two episodes of 'The Sarah Jane Adventures'. If they show up in 'Torchwood', the Raxacoricofallapatorians will be just as eligible as an alien race to be inducted into the Hall as are the Vulcans and Klingons. (I'm hoping I'll be able to add the Minbari to that list as well. Anybody know if that's possible yet?)

You know "Inner Toob" isn't really supposed to be about reviews; that's not why you come visit here. But I will say that it looks to me as though 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' will be a worthy member of the 'Doctor Who' franchise, finding its mark straight off (unlike 'Torchwood' which didn't have a handle on what it really wanted to be by the end of its first season).

There was also a Zonk that must be dealt with. Maria's airhead mother complained about the time that the lights went out when she was a kid and she was watching 'Manimal'. (She was devastated.)

'Manimal', no matter that it's recognized as one of the worst concepts for a TV show (a man can turn into any animal to fight crime), is an accepted part of the TV Universe. It also is linked to the series 'Nightman' with an actual crossover. So we can't just dismiss out of hand this reference to the TV show as a TV show.

Of course, the easiest thing to do would be to just dismiss it because 'Manimal' is definitely in the main Toobworld, whereas 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' could be located in an alternate dimension like the current incarnation of 'Doctor Who'. The parent series had to finally be shipped off to a "mirror universe" (not the original series, however) because of all of its deviations from the world of the main Toobworld - like Prime Ministers Harriet Jones and Harold Saxon and the death of Prime Minister Tony Blair.

However, until such time as 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' forces the issue - by dealing with or even just by mentioning those Prime Ministers - I'm inclined to view the series as returning to the main dimension of Earth Prime-Time. Even though the Slitheen appeared in 'Doctor Who' and therefore were also in that alternate TV Land, it's my contention that the events of the new 'Doctor Who' still also took place in the main Toobworld... but without all of those Zonking deviations.

I know. It gets pretty damned confusing.

So getting back to 'Manimal', here's an option: news of Professor Jonathan Chase's ability to transform himself into animals must have eventually leaked out after the series ended. (If secrets were easy to keep, Nixon would never have resigned.) So some enterprising hotshot producer in Hollywood decided to capitalize on the idea and created a version of Chase's story. That producer may have even coined the word "manimal" to describe his main character, who didn't necessarily have to be Jonathan Chase.

Since Maria's mom wasn't forthcoming with details about the show, that splainin should hold.......

I'm hoping for two things in the future for this show: one, that at some point - perhaps in the second season - the Doctor should make a crossover visit. Sarah Jane certainly held out hope that he might someday. And secondly, that an American network won't take too long to pick up this series. My blogging buddy Rob over in the UK suggested Nickelodeon and I think that would be perfect. Or maybe even Noggin and especially its night-time version "N".

But in the meantime, if you want to see it, head over to YouTube. I'm not sure for how much longer the shows might be allowed to stay up there!

BCnU!
Toby OB

Israeli firms providing most sensitive security in US

Why are Israeli firms providing the most sensitive security in the US?

By Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

ARIVACA, Ariz. -- Censored Blog reported this summer that Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense contractor working on the Apartheid Wall in Palestine, was subcontracted by Boeing to provide security systems for the spy towers at the Arizona/Mexico border. Those nine spy towers located on Tohono O'odham tribal land and around the towns of Arivaca and Sasabe, still aren't functioning.
Now, Magal Security Systems, a private company which grew out of Israeli government security, is receiving contracts to secure nuclear power plants and other sensitive areas of the U.S. Also, Magal markets border security as among its specialties.
On Sept. 19, Magal received a $1.5 million contract for U.S. security, but isn't revealing for what.
Further, the buses waiting to deport migrants at the US/Mexico border are not owned by a US company either. Wackenhut Transportation, whose drivers deport migrants, is owned by G4S global security, traded on the stock exchanges in England and Denmark.
With all the jargon in Washington about "securing the nation's borders" against foreigners, you would think those corporations carrying out border security and deportation would be US companies.

Read from the news:
Sept 19, 2007
NEW YORK - Magal Security Systems Ltd., an Israeli maker of computerized security systems, said Wednesday that its U.S.-based subsidiary received a $1.5 million order from an unidentified customer to upgrade existing equipment.
"Anti-Terror, Inc."
MSN (2001 Newsweek)
http://www.mafhoum.com/press2/71T41.htm
While others experienced financial losses after 9/11, "Magal Security Systems, an Israeli company, saw its share price double that day. Best known for its 'smart' fences, the company was created in the 1960s in response to an Israel Defense Forces request for a method of securing the country’s borders. Founded as a unit of Israel Aircraft Industries, it was spun off and now has a market cap of $70 million and 2001 revenues estimated at $40 million.
Israel’s borders with its Arab neighbors are secured with Magal fencing—though not the West Bank, because of uncertainty about where to draw the borders. The company installed security systems at Buckingham Palace, is just completing work at Chicago’s O’Hare airport and has installed equipment at more than 400 U.S. correctional facilities. ... They can track an interloper’s movements, using such sensing systems as motion detectors, vibration detectors and microphonic cable disturbance. Magal also builds night-vision systems and offers fences that can secure waterways and sewer pipes."
http://www.mafhoum.com/press2/71T41.htm

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Being “Guarded” by Israel
"Magal's American outreach is expected to increase substantially, especially now that firm has set up a Washington, D.C. office which will promote its products to federal agencies and to the members of Congress who provide funding for federally-supervised security projects across the country at all levels: local, state and national.
And with current U.S. Homeland Security Chief, Michael Chertoff, not only a strong supporter of Israel but also the son of a woman who has strong Israeli ties-even including service with El Al, the national airline of Israel-Magal, owned in party by Israeli Aircraft Industries-will be a clear-cut favorite in the eyes of the power brokers in official Washington who have the power to grant lucrative security contracts.
At the moment, Magal has four U.S.-based subsidiaries: two in California, Stellar Security Products, Inc. and Perimeter Products Inc., as well as the New York-based Smart Interactive Systems, Inc., and the Virginia-based Dominion Wireless, Inc.
All told, the Israeli company holds a 40% share in the worldwide market in perimeter intrusion detection systems and is working to expand its business in the protection of oil pipelines.
Magal is also said to be quite interested in guarding water lines around the globe, particularly in the United States. In fact, Magal may have an inside shot at getting a monopoly in guarding America's water supplies.
On July 19, the Bush administration's Environmental Protection Agency announced a "partnership" with the Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructures to improve what they called "water supply system security in the United States and Israel." Since Magal is so highly respected in Israel, it's an even bet that Magal will soon be guarding the U.S. water supply. "
http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2007/09/26/8910.shtml

Magal Reports the Acquisition of a European Security Systems Integration Company
Acquisition Expected to Contribute to Improved Revenues and Income
September 05, 2007: 07:00 AM EST
YAHUD, Israel, September 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Magal Security Systems, Ltd. (TASE: MAGS), today announced the acquisition of a European company involved in the installation and integration of security systems. The consideration consists of a cash payment of 6.8 million Euros and additional consideration that will be based on performance and will be payable over the next five years. The acquired company is active in geographic areas where Magal has limited activity.
About Magal Security Systems, Ltd.:
Magal Security Systems Ltd. is engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of computerized security systems, which automatically detect, locate and identify the nature of unauthorized intrusions. Magal also supplies video monitoring services through Smart Interactive Systems, Inc., a subsidiary in the U.S. The Company's products are currently used in more than 70 countries worldwide to protect national borders, airports, correctional facilities, nuclear power stations and other sensitive facilities from terrorism, theft and other threats.
Magal trades under the symbol MAGS in the U.S. on the NASDAQ Global Market and in Israel on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/UKW02905092007-1.htm

Censored Blog exclusive: Maps of the federal spy tower locations on Tohono O'odham tribal land
These maps are from the Boeing/US environmental impact statement for the Secure Border Initiative at the Arivaca library:
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2007/09/censored-blog-exclusive-us-spy-tower.html

Mohawks: Haudenosaunee women are decision makers of land

Mohawk Nations News:
Six Nations Spokespersons "Suckered" by Politicians & Lawyers
The original Haudenosaunee Law is based on clear thinking and not on emotion or fear.The Six Nations Confederacy Royaner [chiefs] who follow the Handsome Lake religion are an emotional people. It’s a Christian based revitalization movement of the early 1800s that was brought into the longhouse.
Read article:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2007/09/mohawks-haudenosaunee-women-are.html

Evo Morales, Bolivian style outshines US puppet government

By Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

NEW YORK -- While visiting the United States, Bolivian President Evo Morales distinguished himself by exposing the US Embassy in Bolivia for fueling opposition support and stating that sovereign nations do not have the military bases of other nations in their countries.
So, Bolivia will be ridding itself of US military occupations and establishing the country of Bolivia with the principle of non-violence and non-participation in war.
Further, Morales urged the United Nations to move its headquarters out of the United States, where he felt unwelcome.
"I don't know how all of you managed to come here to the United States," Morales told the General Assembly. "At least my delegation had a great deal of visa problems."

http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2007/09/evo-morales-bolivian-style-outshines-us.html

ECCE PROMO: GETTING BUGGED

Promos for TV shows are just as much a part of the TV Universe as are commercials. And no network does a better job in integrating their shows in the same world than the USA Network. Small plays have been acted out with characters from their various shows mingling with each other, and for the most part these jibe with the established realm of Earth Prime-Time: Shawn Spencer and Adrian Monk arguing over the benefits and advantages of the numbers 9 and 10. (For the audience, the debate dealt with timeslots for their shows. But within the context of that interstitial, the main characters of 'Psych' and 'Monk' may as well have been arguing over their rankings as police consultants, or even an episode of 'Sesame Street'.)

When it comes to the promos that have united Mr. Monk with John Smith, then we have to accept that this is not the Adrian Monk of Earth Prime-Time, but rather from an alternate dimension where 'The Dead Zone' takes place. The adaptation of the Stephen King novel was chugging along nicely in the main Toobworld until last season, when they decided to create their own President and Vice President of the United States. And then they killed off the Veep so that Greg Stillson could be maneuvered into the office. So now 'The Dead Zone' is out there on its own in its own TV dimension.

But as I said, that show now has an alternate version of 'Monk' to keep it company.

With 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' moving from NBC to USA, Detectives Goren, Eames, and Logan have been exposed for their own "promoscuity". To trumpet their network change, scenes of the detectives at work have been interrupted by moving men who come in to remove all the props, including a corpse. Although they seem angered and confused by the disruptions, they're not traumatized by it at all. So it's probable that, like many TV characters like David Addison of 'Moonlighting', they have a touch of tele-cognizance. (They understand that they live in a universe based on Television.)

They've also been intercut and super-imposed into scenes with other USA Network characters. Goren and Eames are seen entering Monk's apartment for some reason and remarking on how nice the place looks, much to Adrian's delight. (It reminded me of the scene in "Hadley's Hunters", an episode of 'Maverick' in which Bart tried to hail down 'Cheyenne' Bodie as he rode past.)

But best of all is the shot of Mike Logan being given directions by Jordan Collier of 'The 4400' in the background because they share the same shot.

There's another promo I like a lot for 'Criminal Intent' in which characters from the main Toobworld finally acknowledge the presence of those annoying ID "bugs" in the corner of the screen. This has happened plenty of times in the past with shows like 'Family Guy' and 'The Simpsons', but those take place in the Tooniverse, not on Earth Prime-Time, and they subscribe to the laws of "quantoon phsyics".

Once 'Criminal Intent' has settled into its new home, maybe we'll be seeing a new batch of promos in which Goren and Monk share screen time, or Logan butts heads with Shawn Spencer.

The great thing about Toobworld - always something to look forward to.......

BCnU!
Toby OB

College newspaper: 'Taser this ... F--- Bush'

Truth telling is expensive

FORT COLLINS , Colorado – Rocky Mountain Collegian Editor J. David McSwane is under fire for publishing an editorial, "Taser this... F--- Bush."
It was a costly article, with advertisers pulling $30,000 to $50,000 in ads.
But, what the heck, you're only young once.
One student referred to Texas Gov. George Bush's use of the expletive in a magazine interview. Kristopher Hite said, "I'm here to tell you that the editor of a student newspaper should not be held to a higher standard than the president of the United States of America." Applause followed by students who turned out to support McSwane.
No Collegian editor has ever been fired in its 116-year history.
... Read article ...
http://www.9news.com/news/top-article.aspx?storyid=78048

Censored Blog: "Taser me down or suffocate me later"
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2007/09/taser-me-down-or-suffocate-me-later.html

Western Shoshone Carrie Dann in Tucson

Indian Right Advocate's Talk Can be Heard by All, Thanks to UA Program
UA News

By La Monica Everett-Haynes, University Communications UA News
.
Carrie Dann, one of the most prolific advocates of indigenous peoples rights, is coming to Tucson to speak about current environmental threats to Western Shoshone land and her ongoing legal actions before international human rights courts.
Her discussion, slated for 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, will be broadcast live on the Web by a University of Arizona program.
“I will be talking about the land and the beliefs of the Western Shoshone people and how the two are connected,” says Dann. “America doesn’t know the history – the actual history of the indigenous peoples and their situation.” Read more:
http://uanews.org/node/16053
Listen to broadcast, Sept. 28, at 3:30 pm online:
http://www.arizonanativenet.com/
Dann will be available for interviews after her presentation.
To learn more about the Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program, visit http://www.law.arizona/edu/depts/iplp

PLAYA AZUL'S THE THING

In order to protect themselves from a real sugar and rum-producing Cuban family in Florida, the producers of 'Cane' moved the location of the series from Palm Beach to Playa Azul, only to be found in Toobworld.

If the location is developed properly, it may overtake Deepwater (from the series 'Maximum Bob') as the best fictional Florida town in Toobworld!

BCnU!
Toby OB

'Blackfire' pick at Rolling Stone

Congratulations to Blackfire, and not just for their music, but for sounding out the struggles of Indigenous Peoples, and besides they're just really good people.

Fricke's Picks at Rolling Stone

Native American Punks Blackfire are a punk-rock family — brothers Klee and Clayson Benally and their sister Jeneda, on guitar, drums and bass, respectively — with a direct line to another. CJ Ramone produced their 1994 EP, and Joey Ramone’s final recordings were his guest vocals on 2002’s One Nation Under. Blackfire are also Navajo Indians who connect their distortion-warrior originals to the traditional songs of their people on [Silence] Is a Weapon (Tacoho), produced by Ed Stasium (who did the same for the Ramones). One disc is pure Navajo, ceremonial vocal-and-drum music. The second disc is pure ire, CBGB-hardcore-matinee protest with jolts of ancient chorale. Of special note: “Alien,” written by Indian folk singer Peter LaFarge (as “I’m an Indian”) for his 1965 LP On the Warpath — a title that describes the way Blackfire raise their voices, like a painted-desert X, for anyone with a righteous fight on their hands.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/09/11/frickes-picks-blackfire-pearl-jam-and-eyvind-kang/

SIMPLY DARLING

'Dirty, Sexy Money' premiered tonight on ABC. I'm too lazy to get off my Jabba the Hut butt to go into the other room and see if I "divvered" it or not, but I had already seen the pilot at the Paley Center about a month ago on their ABC Preview Party night. Short analysis - I liked it, I may come back to it, but it's not a must-see.

But then, you don't come to visit Toobworld for reviews.......

As often noted here in the past, tele-genetics are strong in Toobworld. Genetic combinations repeat far more often in the TV Universe than they do in the "Trueniverse". That's why 'Columbo' kept running into so many people who looked like an actor named Vito Scotti.

And they can repeat down through countless generations.

But they don't always have to be an exact match, just close enough so that we can recognize that there must be some kind of family tie.

And having the same family name certainly helps in that argument.

There is a clan of music-loving, moonshine-swilling backwoods folk in the hills surrounding Mayberry, North Carolina, who go by the name of Darling. Back in the 1960s, Briscoe Darling was the patriarch of the clan and for alls I know, he may yet be. (Breaking out of the moment for a moment, the actor who played him - Denver Pyle - has passed away.)

At some point back in the late 1800s, it's my contention that someone in the Darling clan decided to head north to seek his fortune in the big city. (That would be, of course, New York City, not Big Town of 'Captain Nice'.) Down through the ensuing generations, the two branches of the Darling family lost contact with each other, and more than likely neither side would have felt any inclination to re-establish the family bond as they had become so different from each other.

The New York Darlings gained their fortune long ago and probably found a way to hold onto it through the Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression. By 2007, the Darling wealth was looked upon as "old money", with Patrick "Tripp" Darling III held up as the patriarch of the family.

Meanwhile, the Darlings of North Carolina continued with their simpler lives and were probably the richer for it in comparison to their northern kinfolk.

However, there appears to have been a hiccup in the genetic mix-n-match lottery; so that near-perfect facsimile of some common Darling ancestor was reborn to both branches of the families. Take a look at the two patriarchs, Tripp and Briscoe Darling:
Not exact matches, but just enough of a resemblance to suggest that they shared the same branch in the family tree once upon a time.......

The family name of "Darling" looks to be quite popular this season. We've also met Chuck Darling, the Pittsburgh anchorman at WURG Channel 9. I'm thinking that at best he may be a second cousin to the New York Darlings - close enough to perhaps trade on the family name but without the fortune, and yet distant enough so that he never interacts with those members of the family.

Also - unless there were significant changes to the 'Pushing Daisies' pilot after I saw it at that ABC Preview Party - there are these two weird sisters named Vivian and Lily Darling. They used to have a synchronized swimming act known as the Darling Mermaid Darlings, until Lily lost an eye in a tragic cat litter accident.

I'm not sure where Couer de Couer - the town in which they live - is located, but I think the Darling sisters would be more closely related to the Darlings from the North Carolina hills.

Isn't that all just Darling?

BCnU!
Toby OB

"JOURNEYMAN" & "TREK": THE REGISTERED LINK

It looks like we're still being paper-trained for Toobworld links with the new fall season of shows.....

Dan Vasser is a reporter for the San Francisco Register, which has its headquarters on Market Street in the televersion of Frisco. The newspaper has been around since at least the 1890s, as Lt. Commander Data found a copy of the newspaper when he was stranded in the year 1893. (One of its headlines mentioned a recent cholera outbreak.)

In 1986, other time-traveling members of Starfleet wanted to retrieve an edition of the Register from a vendor box on the street, but none of them had any currency of the time period.
Even in other TV dimensions, the San Francisco Register exists. For example, when Quinn Mallory and his dimensional sliding friends landed in a San Francisco in which the United States were still a Crown Colony for England, the headline on the Register read:

"King Thomas Missing in French War!
Sheriff of San Francisco named Acting Regent of Western British States
until Prince Harold crowned next week."

I looked through my copy of the 'Murder, She Wrote' episode guide book, and there were about eleven episodes that took place in San Francisco. But only one newspaper was mentioned, that of the Daily Union. A reporter was killed in tele-Frisco in one of the episodes, but I don't know for which publication he was working.

With all of the time travel that seems to be associated with the newspaper, I'm wondering if there's somebody in the Bay area who gets a copy of the San Francisco Register one day early so that he or she is able to alter future events.....

SHOWS (AND MOVIES) CITED:
'Journeyman'
'Star Trek: The Next Generation'
"Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"
'Sliders'
'Murder, She Wrote'
'Early Edition'

BCnU!
Toby OB

Today's new articles

A Meeting of Indigenous Peoples in Caracas
By Brenda Norrell
CounterPunch
http://www.counterpunch.org/norrell09252007.html

Katrina's Flood: Apartheid and Ethnic Cleansing in New Orleans
by Brenda Norrell
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
http://www.unobserver.com/

Navajos urged to oppose uranium mining Thursday in Gallup, NM

Navajos are urged to oppose new uranium mining in Gallup, NM, on Thursday. The targeted area is the same where the devastating U.S. uranium mill spill took place in Church Rock, N.M. in 1979, contaminating Navajo water supplies. The Bush Administration has targeted numerous American Indian communities for new uranium mining, power plants and toxic dumping.
.
Read article:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2007/09/navajos-urged-to-oppose-uranium-mining.html
Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007. Beginning at 6 P.M: Best Western Inn and Suites, 3009 West Hwy 66, Gallup , NM. Phone (505) 722-2221.

MATRICULATIN' RHYTHM

Bryce Larkin had been Chuck Bartowski's roommate at Stanford when they were both going there in the early 2000s. Although they lost touch over the years, Chuck thought that maybe Bryce had become an accountant.....

In fact, Bryce Larkin had been a spy who had gone rogue. Before he died, Bryce downloaded all of the government's secrets into Chuck's brain via a powerful email.

To get into Stanford, it probably helped if Bryce had excelled at a prestigious high school back in Connecticut. This is why I think it's pozz'ble, just pozz'ble that Bryce went to school at the Chilton Academy, not far from Hartford.

Therefore, just as a suggestion, mind you, but until proven otherwise by the writers of 'Chuck' in some upcoming episode, I'm declaring the late Bryce Larkin to have been a Chilton Preparatory Academy alumnus.


SHOWS CITED:
'Chuck'
'Gilmore Girls'

BCnU!
Toby OB

Censored's Hall of Fame and Shame

By Brenda Norrell

It is a great day not to be working on staff at a newspaper where I have to hype Nike or anyone else. Thanks to Klee Benally for his article on Nike's profiteering. A special thanks to Common Ground and filmmakers in New Orleans for their videos shown at the University of Arizona last night, resulting in the article, "Katrina's Flood: Apartheid and ethnic cleansing in New Orleans."
The Hall of Shame award today goes to National Public Radio, for their excrements promoting military service and their broadcast fueling religious prejudice and racism toward Muslims in prison.
NPR's program promoted the official US notion that having religious books in prison will lead Muslims to convert innocent inmates into terrorists:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14728199

It's disheartening

to be a blogger sometimes.

Or rather, to be a blogger who says out her views.

(Warning: Super long blog entry...)

I haven't been reading the comments, but I'm presuming that loads of you must be asking me to blog out my next entry - but I just don't feel like it.

I am saddened and hurt by something that happened some time ago - and I decided not to blog about it, but yet, I keep getting abused for nothing, and it's time for me to defend myself.

Some time ago I wrote a blog entry about my Just Shoot 3 (it's a Chinese talkshow) appearance.

In that blog entry, I mentioned the questions that were posed to me, as well as commenting that some of the questions were asked rather rudely.

Of all people to respond, I never expected host Dasmond Koh to, because he was the most civil to me that day, and I liked him and thought he would be neutral about me too.

His post is here, read it.

I read his article with my jaw open. Seriously?

I mean, what was so offensive about what I wrote on my previous blog entry?

I merely stated out the questions that were asked - I WASN'T COMPLAINING, WHINING, OR OTHERWISE DISGRUNTLED about the questions.

Obviously, I knew difficult questions were going to be asked before I got on the damn programme, and I was prepared to answer everything.

The only seemingly bad thing I wrote was (besides about Steven Lim, but that's taken for granted that everyone writes bad things about him...) that the questions were asked to me in a rather rude way.

AND THEY WERE.

You can view the clips:

Part 1


Part 2

To say that I don't use my brains when I blog and then snigger, isn't that rude? IT IS WHAT. **


But the rude questions were not asked by Dasmond - they were asked by the fat pock-marked bespectacled man who knows nothing yet talks about everything, and the scrawny ex-councilor who tries to teach others important life morals.

I felt really upset because this was one entry I didn't expect backlash from - its content being all innocuous - but yet I still got it.

Let me give you an example.

How would you feel, if one day, you said, "Wow, the weather is so hot today!"

... and immediately, people all sneer at you, saying loudly, "SO HOT FUCKING GET OUT OF SINGAPORE LA! Apparently even the bloody weather is not good enough for the fucking princess! Spoilt bitch."

Won't be upset meh?

It's just a bloody innocent comment I made leh!

However, I understood that Dasmond might have thought that I was referring to him as rude and got offended by what he misconstrued as my complaining, so I wrote him a long comment.

In the comment I wrote for him, I stated the following points (although by now I have almost forgotten what I wrote).

- What I wrote on my previous blog post was not meant to be complaining about the questions asked me but merely stating for my readers what they can expect from the show if they watch it.

- I like Dasmond and Quan Yifeng very much and I understand that they were just doing their job of asking questions...


And lastly, I told Dasmond I was sorry for spelling his name wrongly, for I've always known his name to be Zhen Rong - back in 1996 when he was my favourite DJ in 93.3 and his Xian Ge Ji Yi show always brightened up my nights.

I posted the comment, feeling an influx of emotions due to nostalgia... Here is Zhen Rong, a celebrity I've liked since I was so young, disliking me. Am I really so disgusting? I merely sat on that stool that day and answered all questions shot at me, rude or otherwise, with a (I think) rather benign demeanour. Not so unlikeable what. And I definitely would never have said anything bad about Dasmond.

Below his seemingly mild blog entry were venomous comments - most of them banking on what he said...

What's most scathing is that... these comments were all approved by Dasmond.

Going on his programme and getting accused at is not enough - I had to get all these things written about me... Looks, intregrity, baseless libel... it was as if I raped a young child to deserve all these, but what I did was to just go onto a damn programme.

Some said I can't handle people being straight-forward towards me, some said I had my comeuppance for being rude to others, some fucking absurd guy said I edit my comments even though I haven't even read them for ages.

Honestly, I can't even be bothered to refute these comments.

(Even got Maia and her "friend" commenting lor! They are fucking full of nonsense.)

I only cared that Dasmond would see the comment and understand that I meant no harm.

The next day, my comment was not approved (it was moderated), and there was an influx of even worse comments appearing.

I'd never know if Dasmond didn't receive the comment, or he deleted it...

Perhaps he would kindly let me know, but until he does so, the most possible thing I can presume is that he deleted it, and that, my readers, is most disheartening.

I'm heartily bothered and I keep thinking I don't want to blog because I don't want to get attacked for some innocent thing I write about again.


**Mr Cai Shen Jiang, if you fucking think you, or any other person, can do any better than me at blogging, than I cordially invite you to fucking set up a blog and TRY.

You know, you act like Steven Lim and I are morons - vapid and fake.

I don't know about Steven, but since I presume you have never read my blog, your presumptions about me are all based on the fact that you know I periodically criticise people.

If you think about it, YOU AND I HAVE BASED OUR CAREER ON ENTIRELY THE SAME THING - criticising people and getting our opinions heard.

You and I are not so different, you know. (We might even have came from the same institution in our youthful years - when our morals values were most strongly imbued into us)

You think your opinions are more valid than mine - but they are merely different.

People have different interests, yours is perhaps in editing Chinese news, playing the gu zhen, or perhaps role-playing as Chang Er this festive season with your pet rabbit, I don't know.

But just because my interests lie in frivolous stuff doesn't mean I AM NOT CAPABLE of being as knowledgeable, or as intellectual as you like to act like you are. I am just interested in other things.

Perhaps it is time for you to learn that not everything that is different from you is bad.

And try as you might, I would bet you can never write a blog more awesome than mine, so you know what? Don't underestimate what I have achieved, and SHUT THE FUCK UP.

*************

Digressing, let's talk about feelings.

I'm gonna talk about Harry Potter again.

Often, in the book, Draco Malfoy insults Hermione and looks down on her being a Muggle-born, just because he thinks that by virtue of the fact that his ancestors were all magical, he is somehow more qualified as a wizard.

There was once he shouted at her to shut up, saying, "Nobody is asking for your opinion, Mudblood!" or something like that. I felt soooo unjustified for Hermione that I almost punched the book - which didn't cease my anger at all, so I punched Mike.

That's complete BULLSHIT, because who knows, Draco's mother might have been a horny slut and fucked the muggle postman thus giving birth to him, and people would be none the wiser (memory charm obviously done to the postman).

Hermione's mom might have also been, perhaps, a more discriminating horny slut too, and fucked the last heir of Ravenclaw (I know she is a girl, but imagine la...), thus giving her the same blood status as Voldemort.

But whatever, all these doesn't matter, because as Hagrid said, "They haven't invented a spell that our Hermione can't do," thus making Hermione blush maroon or something.

How do you feel when somebody unworthy looks down on you?

Like how Umbridge was talking down to Hagrid and acting like he is a retarded person - when she herself is so prejudiced and cowardly and evil! Just feels so... URGHHH! for Hermione and Hagrid, you know?

I get that fucking feeling all the time.

I don't (always) feel like I am superior to whoever is talking down to me, but most certainly I don't think people like Cai Shen Jiang has a right to criticise my flaws when he has not proven himself worthy, you know?

Is he the best at what he is doing? No, he is not, unless you count being most irritating on television, in which he has a good few contenders. What was he even doing at the age of 18? By that age, I've started to entertain thousands with my writing - so who is he to be yakking so much?

I don't mind if some smart professor insults me lor...

But these unknown online critics? Who the FUCK are they?

My point is just that there should be a word for this sort of feeling you get when you get looked down on by an worthy person!!

Imagine it is "orapple" or something... (mixed orange with apple...)

A sentence could go like,

"I'm feeling super fucking orapple because today the road sweeper told me that me graduating from Harvard is easy and he could have done it."

Yup, the English (and come think of it, even Chinese) language doesn't seem to be complete.

Another word I always wanted to be included in the dictionary is the disgruntled feeling you get when you think somebody is unworthy of credit.

Often, people call this particular feeling "jealousy", but it is not! Jealousy is when you wish to be the same, but in this situation, you are obviously not looking forward to BEING like this person because you think this person is not even good enough.

Paris Hilton, for example, seems to evoke this reaction mostly among men, who are often saying she is unworthy of fame or adoration because she is a talentless whore.

This feeling, let's call it "oranana" for now, often creates feelings of bitter dislike for the subject, especially after hearing prolonged praise about the subject.


Example:

Guy A: "This fucking F4 (boy band) is fucking gay. I don't understand why you stupid girls are so interested in them. They are not even good-looking!"

Girl B: "Oh, cmon... You are just jealous of their smothering good looks!"

Guy A: "I AM NOT JEALOUS. I am just oranana. Hate them."

Well, if you there are existing words that you know which can aptly enough be used for orapple and oranana, please let me know!



Moving swiftly on to happier and more frivolous things... PHOTOS!

Beef fillets pan-fried with red wine and garlic,
mushroom ragout and mashed potatoes mixed with pumpkin

(the pumpkin recipe credits to Shuyin and Weili)

COOKED BY MOI!


I AM A HOUSEWIFE AUNTIE CAN??

Mike was complaining that I don't cook for him anymore, so I made my way to NTUC White Sands (renovating some more, so irritating) to buy groceries!!

Last time every time I go into a supermarket I always think that aunties will look at us young 'uns like we were wrecking havoc at their territory, but I don't know whether it is me... the aunties all seem to have accepted me as one of them now!!

Bah.

Weili and Shuyin are even more auntie and uncle lor... That day for our Mid-autumn celebrations, the duo decided they would cook and Weili taught me two important new supermarket rules:

1) We were looking for something, when I found it and grabbed the first one that I saw.

Weili smacked me on the hand smartly, put my item back, and took another brand two rows below.

"Items on the eye level shelves are the most expensive!" he proclaimed with the wisdom of a age-old supermarketer.

"Perhaps not your eye level..." he added unnecessarily.

2) "I want to eat watermelons!" Weili announced to the entire fruit-shopping clientele at Giant Tampines. I told him I am very anal one, if watermelon not sweet I don't eat.

Thinking this would persuade him not to buy a watermelon which I am not keen on, I was proven wrong immediately when he happily said, "OK! I choose sweet one!"

I thought maybe the darker green the sweeter, but was greeted with a funny sight at the watermelon bin.

A mass array of aunties were curiously smacking the watermelons while having their ears near to them, as if the watermelons have been quite naughty and didn't dare to protest above a whisper.

Weili made a beeline and took up an melon which had just let an auntie down, smacking it with his fingers. "Hear! Got hollow hollow and will reverberate one then is sweet!"

"Ahhh.... This one not bad. I find one not sweet one for you..."

"SEE! This one not sweet! Not hollow hollow one!"

I asked enthusiastically, "I want got fen fen (powdery) inside one leh... Can you pick those out for me???!"

Weili ignored me.

Aye, the things one can learn when one becomes auntie.

Just in case you think Weili seems more auntie than Shuyin, you would be proven wrong now because Shuyin once said if you want to wash coloured clothes that run, just pour vinegar into the water and the colour won't come out lor!

AUNTIE!!! Auntie with shrill voice.

Back to my cooking! The beef looks very raw but Mike says he liked it! He ate 4 pieces of it. -_-

Pink saucepan (Shuyin buy for me one...)!


Loosening noodles...


Boiling chicken...


Hungry boyfriend...


Beansprouts plucked while watching E!

I am making laksa!

Although the egg is not cut properly and the sauce is a premix, I am still very proud of myself coz it is so delicious!

There was a bit of sauce leftover and I put maggi mee inside... YUMMY!

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Plastered outside the greasy walls of Mustafa was a random Nokia poster...

I walked past it and did a double take.

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See anything funny?













Completely looks like our Prime Minister la!!!

I'm sure it is not him, but still? That smile, the nose and the bowl-cut hair... quite handsome hor!!

To think our Prime minister can be Nokia model lor!

*chuckles to oneself*

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Ming invited me to a Charity dinner organised by food blogger cum doctor Leslie Tay, whose food blog is getting increasingly popular!

I also wanted to come up with food blog last time but my whole point was to eat free food and earn money - but I don't seem how I can be completely honest when I earn money/get free things so I dropped the idea.

But I really admire these foodies, they can really take the effort to travel to different places to eat and actually pay for their food lor! (Or don't they??)

I can't stand being hungry - if you asked me to go look for some particular restaurant all the time before I can eat I will confirm become super grumpy one. Mike is scared of my "hunger anger".

So, the charity dinner! Ming bought 6 tickets on behalf of Nuffnang.

My hair is uncharacteristically horrible for event standards. I washed it before going out, and the fucking hair won't dry fast enough for me to curl it! Grrr...

With me is Estee, and we are designing placards! There is a compeition, so I took it very seriously lor!

See? Adding final touches...

(photoshopped the arm a bit too skinny)


Estee too


Our cards!

I think Mine is chioer than the winner's lor (not shown), whose card admittedly had a lot of effort put in but look a bit like a garden, haha!

Is it very sore loser ah? haha... But I don't love my own artwork who will, right? :D

Ming's card! He draw the Nuffnang logo super warped lor...

The food at the newly opened Aston something something (so sorry I forgot!!) is at Joo Chiat (you can check Dr Leslie's site if you really want to know) and the food there is fab!

My caesar salad - super good!


Everyone else had prawn cocktail


Succulent prawns! The prawns are super HUGE and fresh!


Minestrone soup. Yummy!


My clam chowder... Hmmm, not that great.
The cream tastes a bit like bottled cream sauce kind.


"Take photo!!!"

"Oei! Serious one leh!"


"Better!"




Cam-whoring


Pretty drinks



SUPER DUPER YUMMY PRIME RIB OF BEEF!!

Oh man, the beef is so fresh and it just melts on your mouth, and there's such a thick slab of it!

Selling at $46 (I think) with red wine sauce.

(Don't worry la Indulgz, I still love you all the most, different price range mah!!)

Estee's salmon

I honestly think this is the best salmon I've ever had. It's so fatty, the bloody thing just brings you right into heaven can? I rate it 700/10.

Yeah la yeah la, I can't be a food critic coz my judgements are always so extreme.

Lastly, Estee and I with the good doctor!

He raised like $7000 plus that day for charity lor!

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Mike's 26th birthday!

I organised a surprise BBQ party for him.

You know how much the bill from Giant came up to?

$251.

That's right! I bought SOOOOO much stuff (which, fairly enough, also included bed sheets and some lingerie), and all these bottles of soft drinks/beer/raw food were all chunked into the over-stuffed fridge the night before.

MIKE NEVER NOTICED A THING!

He just thought I bought all the groceries like I do normally!

One hour before he reached home, he was still under the impression that he and I were going to have a quiet dinner at Al Forno's and messaged me "Super can't wait to go to Al Forno's, baby!".

He is damn kua kua lor!

I didn't take a lot of pics coz I was busy bbq-ing, not to mention sweaty, sun-burnt and ugly.

Can see immediately that it's a girl who did this hor? Judging from the coals la, dumbass, I'm not talking about her hands!

None other than Miss Fan QQ lor!

Damn tak glam.

The boyfriend...

Lying on my couch as lazy as the U zap next to him.

Stop asking me if U zap works! I never use it enough to know leh... Stupid purchase.

Kelvin is a changed man lor. He is now a reliable workaholic!

By night...

See our guests all using pink plastic cutlery!! :D

Wah... I really worked damn hard for this, ok?

I scurried around the whole day, marinating the salmon, mushrooms, prawns, scallops (chopped garlic, lump of Plantas butter, slice of cheese) and cleaning the house myself!

Thankfully got QQ who came early to help me lor! AI NI!

Me giving the cake to the birthday boy...

By the time he blew the candles, he had drank about 20 or so cans or beer (I might be exaggerating, but I think it's close) and the alcohol transformed him from quiet geeky engineer to loud life-of-the-party.

It's a remarkable sight that everyone was giggling at lor.

At one point he even stood in front of everyone and announced his pleasure that they had all come to give him an excuse for his intoxication.

While speaking animatedly, he splashed some beer on the floor ("oops!") and continued by candidly announcing, "If you all want to splash beer on the floor, you are welcome to as well!"

I gave everybody a look that plainly said if they do so, I will personally see that their family clans are eradicated, then screamed at Mike to clean it up.

That belligerent drunk merely informed me that the beer will evaporate soon enough, and I had to stop my mahjong game to clean it lor!

ANGRY! Thus explaining the explosion graphic on my face.

I don't think he noticed that there was cream on his face until several hours later, but he was indeed very, very happy that night.

Happy birthday BB!

Thanks to everyone who helped, especially QQ, TSY and Uncle Robert for bbq-ing!

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I got inspired by this:

From fafi.net, so I decided to paint my room!


Around the toilet light switch!


Adding in the details...

I know it's not very symmetrical, but freehand mah!

It's the best I can do.

Almost done, but it's already 6 in the morning (I started at midnight) so I'm damn sleepy!

The whites need to be touched up, they are not opaque enough.

With the rest of the room...

Mike drilled up my mirror yesterday! I am super happy. Soon you guys can see it when it's completed!

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Are you saddened because you are reaching the end of my blog entry, where your internet experience becomes bland and pointless again? Fret not! There's always internet TV Xiaxue to watch!

NEW EPISODES!!

Xiaxue's Guide to Life

If you are bored of waiting for me to blog, at least you know that every week my show will confirm be shown on Click Network!

This week's ep is fucking funny (in my opinion la) and involves me and Kay Kay bimbo-shopping for slutty clothes at City Plaza!

Just in case you are wondering, when I was asking for sexy clothes from the shop auntie I was MAKING FUN OF THE AUNTIE, OK! Not serious one hor!

News Asia on the Net

Hosted by Debbie Wong and Howard Lo (such newscasters' names), and I can't get enough of their mad China news la! This ep is about a fake China Disneyland and the top 10 men desired by Cheena women.

Go watch!!

It has just started raining! I shall go read some more Harry Potter and sleep!

p/s: My mood changed drastically throughout the writing of this blog post.

UPDATE: Zhen Rong messaged me to clear up the misunderstanding (although I keep forgetting to reply, sorry!!!). As it turns out, my comment for him somehow got into his spam folder, it wasn't that he deleted it.

No hard feelings dude... Please stop insulting his entire family in the comments la!

Meanwhile, Cai Shen Jiang wrote some beautiful prose in Mandarin about a metaphorical "xia xue"!

I shall unabashedly presume he is talking about me, or rather, my stupid internet nickname.

Blah blah blah, say what snow used to be pure and innocent, but after being downtrodden by the city and its vices, became... eh... a puddle of evil water!! HAHAHA!! My literal translation!!

And he concluded in his moral superiority that snow is dirty and shameful - or something to that effect la.

You know what old fart?

FUCK OFF LA!

Don't act like you fucking know me so well lor! What cb pure and innocent at heart. Well... fuck you! I'm evil and horrible at heart! And stop acting like people's mother la, want to insult just do it la, must whimper around and talk in circles. I spit uncivilisedly on the parquet flooring of my room.

I love being childish to people who act so dignified. HEHE