Iraq and 24
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: Isaak -- Always got tonight
Topic: Miscellaneous goings-on
I just read about the accident in Iraq with the helicopter firing on the wedding party... I remember when this same thing happened in Afghanistan. I also read that this occurred near a place that still has holdouts of rebel fighters.

Now I understand that it is a tradition in the middle east to fire weapons in the air to celebrate. Wouldn't you think to curtail that when you're in the middle of a war? I mean, come on!! If I hear gunfire, I'm going to think somebody is shooting at me. The Iraqi people can start shooting their guns in the air again when we're finished over there - now is NOT a good time.

I also read that there have been rebels firing weapons out of windows at a shrine. Now they're mad because we destroyed their shrine. What the hell do you think we're gonna do?? Yeah, sure... go ahead and fire at us, you're safe since you're in a holy place. Kind of like being on "base" when you're playing tag.

It's a shame that there are so many scandals going on over there right now. What we need is Jack Bauer! If David Palmer were our President and we had Jack in charge of CTU, this shit wouldn't be happening.

Speaking of Jack, 24 was incredible as always last night. Sherry Palmer and Julia Milliken are dead... it's about time they took Sherry out, that meddlesome woman! Now if only they'd get rid of Kim and stop wasting our time. I think that the pictures I posted yesterday aren't going to happen. I think that they were put out on the `net just to throw people off. Someone posted on a messageboard that they even filmed an entirely different ending last season just to throw the extras off. Pretty sneaky! On the preview of next week's (finale) episode, it showed a shot of Jack asking "Are you ready?" to Chase... but then it cuts to a shot of a red wire being clipped.

I wonder who will die in episode 24?

Tonight I'm meeting Kurt after work at DuClaw (he's been in the Frederick office most of the week). Haven't been there in AGES! So much for the diet. Maybe it will start this weekend!

24... only 2 hours left! Don't sleep on it!!
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: incubus
Topic: TV, music, movies, etc.
Tuesdays at 9 on Fox! If you haven't been watching, you might as well not watch the next two episodes and instead rent seasons 1 & 2 to watch... then watch season 3 reruns (probably showing during the summer) and pick up with season 4 -- yes, there will be a season 4. :)


I've got some great spoiler pictures for the final episode of 24... of course it remains to be seen whether or not these scenes will really happen... but it looks like Julia is going to kill Sherrie Palmer tonight - YAY! That'll take care of that meddlesome bitch. Then maybe that pill bottle will just conveniently disappear. ;-)

I'm wondering if Jack will really cut off Chase's arm? I know that he's hardcore enough to do it, but maybe they'll be able to somehow diffuse the bomb. If Jack cuts off his arm, Chase will probably have to retire as a field agent and raise that baby with Kim like she suggested.

Wonder what's going to happen with Chloe? I know that she'll have some impact on tonight's episode... she is really a priceless character. That's it for now, I have to get back to work.

More Idol stuff.
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: LMP -- Important
Topic: TV, music, movies, etc.

http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=158533



Report: Jammed Phones Skew 'Idol' Tallies
May 16, 9:55 AM EST
The Associated Press
Many would-be "American Idol" voters are disenfranchised by overburdened phone lines and by "power dialers" who hog the system, the magazine Broadcasting & Cable reported.
According to the magazine's issue being released Monday, "the only people choosing the next 'American Idol" are the ones lucky enough to get through -- or skilled enough to get around -- tremendously overtaxed phone lines."
Fox TV, which airs the talent contest, has failed to address the difficulties viewers must overcome to log votes, the magazine said.
The show is a ratings winner and valuable property for its producers and Fox, but Broadcasting & Cable said the network is alienating viewers who repeatedly get a busy signal when they try to call in their votes.
The voting system has been called into question in recent weeks as contestants who appeared to be front-runners were dumped in favor of others who many viewers have complained were lesser performers.
Last week, favorite La Toya London was voted off while Jasmine Trias survived a shaky performance.
Fox said both it and the show's producers have "gone to great lengths" to ensure the integrity of the voting process.
"While acknowledging that dedicated fans may be unhappy with the outcome, the system only reports the decision of the voting public," the network said in a statement.
The contest winner, who gets a record contract, will be decided in the series finale May 25-26. Trias, Fantasia Barrino and Diana DeGarmo are still in the running.
Questions about "Idol" voting are nothing new.
In last year's finale between Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, a total of 24 million votes were recorded, with Studdard declared the winner by a slim 134,000-vote margin.
But on the same night, Verizon, the nation's largest phone company, saw its daily volume increase by 116 million calls while SBC reported a call-volume increase of 115 million, according to Broadcasting & Cable.
That indicates a logjam in which millions of potential voters never got through, the magazine said.
Fox dismissed the allegation as speculative.
Viewers are allowed to vote repeatedly by phone during a two-hour window following the Tuesday show. Votes also can be cast by text messaging, which hasn't seen the same problems, the report said.
Jammed local phone lines, not the long-distance carrier network, creates the problem for callers, AT&T told the magazine.
Fox acknowledged there are times the phone network can't handle all calls due to the volume, but said it is using "the most sophisticated system available in the nation."
Ratings and call volume have risen over the show's three seasons.
Broadcasting & Cable said so-called power-dialers, who use fast Internet connections and computer autodialing software, also affect the outcome by the number of votes they are able to cast and by tying up lines so that others can't vote.
The magazine cited an August 2002 story by The Associated Press in which "American Idol" producers acknowledged power-dialers were casting thousands of votes.
In its statement Sunday, Fox said there are procedures in place to prevent individuals from "unfairly influencing the outcome of the voting," adding that producers can remove votes identified as power-dialing.

From the AI message board:
There will be a TWIST on Finale night... if you saw the latest AMerican Idol promo commercial it said there will be a "TWIST" on finale night...
wonder what the twist could be???

Here are some mb members speculating on the twist:
It could be a twist similar to the 'Survivor' twist at the end.
One winner is declared. And then they will let another winner be picked by America from all the other eleven contestants. Both will get instant contracts. (I like this one)
or maybe we can vote off the judges (Not a bad idea, either... except for Simon!)
The producers hand selected Idol will win; It was said from the beginning that the winner will definitely be a black female; and it is obvious who she is now; It was posted before the season even began; Everyone keep raging about the public voting when they really don't count anyway. The reason Jasmine is still there is because it's how the producers set it up. It had NOTHING to do with her getting so many votes for any reason at all. They want people to believe that and it is working just as they planned. Although Fantasia has been in the bottom votes a few times; Is'nt it ironic how she will all of a sudden win in the end; So go figure...it does'nt take much of a brain to do so. (Another conspiracy theory, this person is obviously adding fuel to the racism fire, stupid.)
the twist should be a duet with a famous singer (that would be VERY cool)
Maybe simon will do a little strip-tease.. (I'd pay to see that... how funny)
Yup, the last show will switch over to Fear Factor...the AI's face off! Whoever eats the highest volume in pig intestines wins! Woo Hoo!...oh wait...that's NBC...maybe they'll just let Alex decide which one he'd rather marry....but they only win if they correctly decide whether or not the groom is gay, LMAO.
maybe they will reveal that Paula is not a woman. simon is william hung's long lost father. randy and ryan are lovers (hehe)
How about they let the remaining girls fight it out? First Fantasia and Diana would go at it and the one left standing would face Jasmine since she is probably the weakest of the three. The method of fighting would be either boxing or mud wrestling. What y'all think? :-) (that would be great!)
maybe fantasia will get kicked off this week, and then on finale night they'll tell the truth and say that jennifer, latoya, and fantasia were the real top three and have an honest vote amongst the three. that would sure cause a big ol' hub-bub.
I heard they're bringing LaToya back for another chance..apparently there was some errors in reporting the votes (if only this were true...)
jasmine will gonna win the AI. do you remember when she was in the bottom 2 with camille and george she sing also, no one ever in the bottom 2 sings with the voted off finalists. it was only jasmine so far who were privileged to sing. therefore, jasmine will be the next AI, she is bankable because of her millions of solid fan base who is faithful to her all over the world. I for one is waiting for her single and album to come out. Mark my word, she will be the next AI 2004. no doubt and it is very true. (grrrrrrrrrreat, now if only she could teach her fan base proper use of the engrish...er, english language)


Yet another article:
Will your 'Idol' phone
vote really count?

By BILL HUTCHINSON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Millions of fans desperate to vote for the next "American Idol" are being thwarted - and frustrated - by busy signals when they try to call the hit show.
And Broadcasting & Cable magazine says the next songbird to become "American Idol" is more likely to be picked by computer geeks called "phone phreakers" than by fans with a run-of-the-mill phone.
That's because the average fan of the Fox TV blockbuster is getting outfoxed by computer-assisted speed dialers, the magazine reported.
"It's a bandwidth problem. There's only so much volume they can run through that pipe at one time," said Tom Cobbs of Database Systems Corp., which designs complex telephone networks.
Hundreds of so-called phone phreakers have rigged their computers to flood the show's switchboard automatically with votes using high-speed Internet connections and auto-dialing software, leaving even phone speed-dialers in the dust.
"This is thousands upon thousands of moderately tech-savvy fans who really get emotionally compelled to do something about who they want to win," Kurt Knutson, a high-tech expert on TV's "Cyberguy," told the magazine.
"They're not only using the system to vote for whomever they want, they're using it to tie up the lines so that other people can't vote," Knutson said. The show's lines are open for two hours after broadcast.
But the show's producers insist the voting system is not problem-plagued.
"The producers and network have gone to great lengths to ensure the integrity of the voting process on American Idol," Fox officials said in a statement. "America votes, an independent company calculates the tally and the show reports those results."
The focus on fair play got foggier last week when fan favorite LaToya London was ousted from the show, while lesser-liked Jasmine Trias moved on to join Fantasia Barrino and Diana DeGarmo for a big showdown tomorrow night. The contest winner, who gets a record contract, will be decided in the series finale, May 25-26.
Viewers were still E-mailing the show's Web site yesterday to complain about getting shut out of the voting.
"I had my phone set on speed dial for Latoya and never once got thru. And I dialed and dialed!!!! Something is wrong with the voting system and it needs to be corrected or the country will [lose] complete interest in the show!!" one fan wrote.

Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Weekend happenings
My weekend was much calmer than last... not much going on, just a lot of running around today.

The tastefully simple party on Friday night was a lot of fun, I've decided that I'm going to have a party myself. I scheduled it for June 18th, but I'm going to have to choose another date because we have too much going on that week and Kurt wants to redo the bathroom before I have the party. :-P~ Fine with me, I guess. We seem to be on a big home improvement kick lately -- the neighbors must be in shock! On the tastefully simple note, the thought has crossed my mind about being a distributor -- or whatever they call them! It seems like something I wouldn't feel bad trying to sell people, because I think that the products are really good... I'm also thinking that if I can't get financial aid, then that might be a good way to supplement my income.

Speaking of school, I checked on classes for the fall and found the perfect combo -- on Mondays and Wednesdays, there is an Intro to Psych class from 5:30 to 6:45 and and Eng Lit & Comp class from 7 to 8:15! Yay! That'll be good that I can mix it up -- I was a little concerned that I would have to take a two and a half-three hour class one day a week of each subject... an hour and fifteen minutes is a lot more bearable. :) Not to mention that I'll still have my Tuesdays for 24 and Thursdays for Survivor, hehe. I'm so bad! Knowing my luck, my shows will be switched to different days. Oh well, that's what a VCR is for.

Well, it's getting late, so I must sign off... hopefully I'll post tomorrow.

At least America got something right!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Isaak
Topic: Miscellaneous goings-on
Rupert won the million bucks voted on by the American public. Johnny Fairplay won "best villain" and was in the audience last night. I still can't believe the dead grandmother story!! The next Survivor is taking place somewhere in the south Pacific, it looks pretty cool.

The rumors are still flying about American Idol. Everyone knows that Latoya was robbed -- I know that I'm still bitter! Hopefully something will be done about the voting system. I'm sure that Latoya will become more famous than any of the other contestants - she is truly a class act! Jasmine's behavior has been bugging me. She solidifies my opinion that kids can't handle the pressure of AI... I saw it at auditions! I could barely deal with the rejection and stress of it all - I don't know how a 16 or 17 year old kid can do it.

There's not much left in the way of TV (ugh, McAnnoying is stomping around - it's a nice Friday afternoon, why can't he just leave and go play golf or something and leave me alone???) this summer. That's kind of a bummer!

This weekend we might be painting the fence and the shed... I don't know if I want to do it just to have it over with, though. I think that this weekend would be nice to take a break from housework. Tonight our neighbors Keith & Andrea are having a tastefully simple party... I think I'm going to get some stuff... probably book my own party, too.

That's it for today, I believe. Don't have much time... hopefully I'll get a chance to post over the weekend. I'm posting some of the latest stuff from Engrish.com.

AI3 has gone to hell!
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: Isaak
Topic: TV, music, movies, etc.
American Idol has gone to hell...

And everyone is fighting about it.
If you haven't heard already, Latoya London - the most talented person on AI3 was voted off last night. Kurt and I have been rooting for her from the beginning. Now I must fess up - I have not been voting. The reason that I have not been voting? My vote doesn't count. That's right, it doesn't. And if you vote, yours doesn't count, either. That is - if you only vote once. For your vote to really count, you have to sit on the phone for 2 hours straight hitting redial. Unfortunately, there are several hundred thousand teeny-boppers who have the time to vote a hundred times each for their favorite idol - who is usually someone closer to their age. I think that Latoya wasn't one of the teenager's favorites because they couldn't relate to someone like her. They prefer the screeching teenagers that are left. The three who are left are Fantasia (too Macy Gray for me), Jasmine (Ugh! Why is she still there??) and Diana. Diana has come a long way and if anyone left deserves to win, it is probably her. Jasmine was definitely the worst Tuesday night - she was HORRENDOUS and the judges all agreed. I thought for sure she was going home. Apparently her tears made everyone feel sorry for her and vote her through. Oh well, she'll see how good she is when nobody buys her album.
Here is the problem: everyone thinks that racism is involved, and it's really starting to piss me off. It's frustrating for me, because ALL of the people I know wanted either Latoya or Fantasia to win - and the majority of those people are white! So go figure. I want the best person to win and I don't care what color they are. It's become a popularity/obsessed fans contest, not a talent contest. How sad. That's not going to stop me from auditioning again this year, though, haha!
I'll copy and paste some comments from the American Idol message board that I've come across today. It's really insane. Funny thing though is that the majority of the people writing this crap only have a few posts - not the 350 or so posts that I have. :-P~ They're probably just trying to stir up trouble. The other ironic thing about people saying AI is racist is that only 2 of the last 6 contestants were white! The first 4 or 5 people voted off were all white!

You better believe it. It's not a talent contest it's a color of your skin contest

are u ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! la toya is gone!!!!!!!! and u cant change what happens!!!!!! the main reason why jasmine is still there is bcoz of her star potential!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! blacks are out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! asians are in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ha ha ha ha!!!!

I am very upset that Latoya, Jennifer and George is gone and I know that Fantasia is next to go next week. Do I think that this is racially motivated?-YES! Every since last year when Ruben won and Clay didn't. "People" rather see someone other than black win! Remember the upset of how Clay didn't win and how he is still in the for-front! Why did he perform last night and not the winner, Ruben? I am 28 years old and have been studying music and singing myself, since I was 3yrs old. I know vocal talent when I hear it and this competition is not focusing on that but the race/image of these people. How dare they also allow children, "America", to vote. There aren't any adults willing to stay up til 11pm est, calling in to vote or have any interest in text messaging in a vote.

Definately, will not watch the rest of this season. We have failed to recognize what the show/competition is all about. A large number of viewers are either incapable of recognizing talent or simply expressing our deep rooted racial prejudices.

I think "America" needs to heed to the words sung by the Final 4: "FREE YOUR MIND, AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW...BE COLOR BLIND, DON'T BE SO SHALLOW!" - EnVogue.

Clearly, Fantasia and LaToya "are in their own league" (superior to the others) but are being subjected to America's dirty and shameful institutionalized and systematic racist culture. The fact that John Stevens remained as long as he did, and Jennifer Hudson was voted off way too early, is only a testament that racism is alive and well in America.

Now lets get down to the one that's left that has all the talent in the world Ms. Fantasia Barrino,now if she don't win this show,I as one will never grace my television with the likes of AI again. I really think went they do auditions for next year's AI,all African-Americans should avoid their auditions and let it be just like they want it all along. The White People's American Idol. Some people may say so what that's not going to hurt a thing,but it would because they get their ratings from all races. So we will see what happens next week. I'm out

Yes i'm upset that Latoya has be voted off the show... It still shows that America belongs to the white folks.... The blacks always have to stay in the back.. while the whites do what the hell they want... This was more outrageous than when Jenifer got voted off....

I think the viewers of the show are racist and that no way in hell should Jasmine or Diana should still be in the top 3. I think they tried to rob Ruben last year and he still has not gotten all the fame and success as Kellie Clarkson. This show has blatant Racism and I will never watch it again if Fantastia does not win

You mean everytime a deserving talented black don't win.. See the problem is this... All the people that are advancing are the non talented whites. Thats why we proud*BLACKS* can see that is is hidden racism.

(this is one of my favorites from "HappyAsian"- - >) BLAMED IT ON ALL OF YOU STUPID AMERICANS !


Well, that's it for now. I'll have to post some more messages later, they are just too ridiculous.

either Roxy is possessed or Honda has a special feature...
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: Pink Floyd - Learning to fly
Was running low on gas yesterday when A/C went out. Got gas today at lunch -- A/C is now working fine. It still wasn't working when I tested it on the drive TO the gas station, but when I left, I tested it again (on a hunch) and it's now working fine. I guess to conserve gas, Honda has put some kind of shut-off feature on the A/C when you are low on fuel and try to use it?

I've been trying to look it up, but haven't found any info yet. Very strange.

rejoice! it's friday!
Mood:  party time!
Now Playing: 3rd eye blind
Topic: Miscellaneous goings-on
It's about damn time!

I've been wishing for a good thunderstorm and hopefully we'll be getting one of those today or tonight........ you can check out my two favorite weather jpg's of the day below. We were supposed to have severe thunderstorms Sunday night... I heard a tiny rumble and a flash of lightning just as I was closing the windows. Then it just drizzled for the next few hours. Very lame. There was a nice storm in Baltimore and DC on Wednesday, but it skipped right over Aspen Park! Go figure.

Today work has been on the crappy side. Give `em an inch and they'll take a mile! I've been really busy for the past week and this morning like most other this week has been hectic. I was working on a 10 page description for Survey, had a proposal for Ron and some stuff for the Frederick office to do and of course, here comes my buddy Captain Jackass...... I was incredibly nice to him and very accommodating. He handed me a proposal at 10:10 and said that he needed the final by noon. I explained to him that I had a lot of work to do, but to be nice I would do his right then. Wouldn't you know that when I gave him the finals he handed me 3 more and told me he needed them by the end of the day!?>!!?!? And then Joe (from survey) drops another description in my inbox to be typed, lol. I'll copy & paste the email I sent Kurtis, it sums up my frustration better.

You're right about seeing how long I could deal with Capt. Jackass today. He was just over here asking me how his other 3 proposals are coming along. He explained that he needed them done so that "Diana (he said Diana, not Dianne - not to mention that Brenda is the one who does the invoices, what an idiot) could drop off the proposals and invoices." Oh yeah, like Dianne -- a VP, is going to leave here late on a Friday afternoon and drive down to Greenbelt. To drop something off that the client won't even look at until Monday morning.

The first thing he gave me, he needed by noon - I explained to him that although I wasn't happy doing it, I would bump his job to first and do it right then, even though I had a 10 page description to do for Joe, various Frederick stuff, and a proposal from Ron. So then he gives me 3 more proposals and tells me he needs them by the end of the day. Well, gee... I just got done the first one before lunch and here it is 30 minutes after I'm back from lunch and he thinks I have them DONE???????!!!!!!!!!!?!?!!? ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Sorry, just had to vent.

Well that's it for now... it's looking like it might rain, and that could mean that the power is going out and I'll lose everything that I typed!! Hope everyone has a good weekend.

today
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Friends and Family
Tiffer isn't coming until later on today, so I decided to not go to Towson... too much driving and my throat is a little sore. It'll be hard enough for me to stay up late tonight as it is -- I don't need to be out in the sun all day.

The sod is all done -- looks great. Now if we can only stop the neighbor's kids from walking on it... we were thinking of one of those electric dog fences, but that means putting collars on all the kids. That might be a little too obvious.

I'm probably going to run out for a little bit and do some shopping. I've been wanting to buy a pair of those cute ballet flats... they look pretty comfortable and they're fashionable... comfy and fashionable rarely go hand-in-hand, so I'm going to jump on this opportunity! Way to go, fashionistas for finally making something comfortable also stylish!! yay! I love wearing heels, but they give my ankle a lot of trouble and I just don't think that I should be in pain just to look good.

Well I'm hungry, so I must go forage for lunch....... hope everyone is having a good weekend!

P.S. Congrats to Jeff on his new baby girl Rebecca Rose! She's a cutie!!

weekend & stuff
Mood:  rushed
Topic: Weekend happenings
It never fails... when Teddra (our receptionist) is out, my day just goes crazy... today has been absolutely insane. She's out today and Monday... Bonnie and I are splitting the days, I'm taking afternoons and she's taking the mornings. Tons of descriptions, proposals... it's timesheet day. Yep, everyone just HAD to do all of their work today ASAP, dump it all on me so that you can go home early while I have to sit here and explain to the clients why you're not here!! Thanks a lot! Ugh. This is a typical sunny Friday afternoon at Harms & Associates - everyone leaves. Now I'm not saying that I don't leave early on a nice Friday occasionally, but there are SOME people who leave early pretty much every Friday. Oh well. I'm just jealous! Someday I'll have a job where I can do whatever the hell I want WHEN I want.

I stayed up too late last night reading... I started a Dean Koontz book Wednesday afternoon and I finished it at 1 this morning. Once I start reading those things I just can't put them down! So I'm a little tired today.

Sodding the lawn has become a major fiasco. Our neighbor (who is none too bright at times) had told us that it would only be $60 or so to sod... well, Home Depot ran out of sod today so Kurtis had to call around to see who had it. Our neighbor just wanted to cruise around from store to store until they found a place! I find out later in the day that it's not going to be $60, it's going to be more like $300! As you can imagine, Kurt was not at all happy to hear that. I think that the best thing to do would probably have been to just put down grass seed and say the hell with it. It might take longer to grow in and it might not look as nice, but at least it doesn't cost $300! I haven't gotten an update in a few hours, so I don't know what's happening, but I can imagine I'll be stopping to pick up some nice cold beer on the way home. A nice cold beer sounds pretty good anyway, honestly. Ah--just got an update. The bill came in at just under $200... still more than 3 times the original quote, but at least it's better than $300.

Tomorrow Tiffer is coming up and we're going to the Towsontown Festival... hopefully the rain will hold off. Or at least hold off for most of the day. We're supposed to go see LC and Kelly Bell tomorrow night, too... hopefully I'll have the energy to keep going, hehe. I'm thinking that the smart thing to do is buy tickets at the box office while we're there... I imagine that we'll come back home between the festival and the night show. It's been a while since I've seen KBB.

Well, that's it for now... I have to compose a few emails before the end of the day... I probably won't update tomorrow, but I'll try to find some time on Sunday.