The most recent writers contract negotiations with the producers have once again fallen apart, and the strike continues on. It looks like those scripted programming that are suppose to either continue on, begin their mid-season run, or start their series premieres are going to be compromised. It's come to the point that rumors are suggesting that networks are going to call the rest of the season a wash, and we can only just hope for the Fall 2008 season for our next TV fix. Ofcourse the networks have reality, variety, and game shows to tide us over, not to mention sports and reruns as well.

Some people have wondered how they can support the writers on strike, and asked what's the course of action they can do to participate. The detractors suggest that we all should just stop watching TV completely, which is just patronizing in the fact that most people can't simply do that. The real support when it comes to watching TV is simply this, do not support the alternative programming that the networks are putting up to replace the WGA scripted shows on hiatus. Make sure to avoid watching those reality tv shows, because those are actually the main alternative programming choice against scripted shows. Also make sure to watch as many of the very last WGA related scripted shows before they go into reruns. Reruns are actually not too bad to watch, because it will give the networks the idea that you want to watch those particular scripted shows, and are really just waiting for new episodes. That will tell the networks and producers that we want WGA related scripted shows on our TV, and not the alternative programming they hope will satisfy us. Simply make the producers need the writers.

You're The Random One

the grammy award nominees (link)

Facebook, sorry about webtracking (link)

the chintendo Vii (video)

high five hollywood (video)

Ralph's rant about E-vite (audio)

Mushroom Kingdom Massacre (video)

Norton Anti-Virus Fighter (video)

Is Shia LaBeouf a good actor? (video)

Sherri Shepherd, Historian (video)

Dog Pwn3s Gamer (video)

once again, placeholder for my blog post on KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas Night Two...

...and in this next morning, I'm still currently uploading videos from Night One, so I'm still chugging away. Almost Acoustic Christmas Night Two at the Gibson Amphitheater was another great charity event (for Para Los Ninos). Unlike Night One however, Night Two is a little more calmer since the line-up is a little less hard rock. That doesn't mean it was bad though, what with the bands being Spoon, Feist, Silversun Pickups, The Shins, Modest Mouse, Jimmy Eat World, and Muse headlining, not to mention a surprise band performance (I'll get to that later), it was still a great night. Since I have not seen any of the bands scheduled to perform, I was in for a new experience in everything.

Spoon was good, very much a traditional rock band. Feist's performance was entertaining and quite enjoyable. Silversun Pickups would scoff at my notion that it was "less hard rock" that night, because they definitely rocked hard. The Shins were also pretty good, and currently one of the corner stones on what makes an indie rock band.

Then came a surprise band performance by none other than, the Killers! They performed four songs total, and wow were they great. I could say they stole the show, because once people saw them on stage, everyone practically stood up in excitement. Wow, what a nice surprise that was.

Modest Mouse was up next, and I've got to say that they are pretty damn great loud (didn't play "Float On" though). Jimmy Eat World had a great set, playing a lot of favorites and simply rocking out like there's no tomorrow. Muse was the band I was really looking forward to see, and they did not disappoint. Talk about talent, and they deserve the headlining bill (didn't play my favorite song though, "Invincible").

KROQ, thank you for having yet another concert event that I need to attend every year. Hopefully this is the start of an annual tradition for me, because wow did I have a good time. The KROQ audience were also really cool, and a lot of the girls in attendance were simply hot hot hot (especially when they dance to the music). There were less marijuana smokers around me this night, but the aroma of people eating food was making me hungry (didn't want to leave my seat though). I also understand why they insist on keeping the venue at this size, because the whole experience did feel more intimate than it would have been in the bigger venues out there.

Will edit this entry later, you will see why

...and over 15 hours later.... alright, just woke up. Real quick, the reason I couldn't update my blog was because I was at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles, for the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Night One as I was able to go this year. I actually couldn't do the "place holder post" by myself either, because for some reason my phone doesn't allow me to log in xanga anymore.

The KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas charity concert is something I've been wanting to go to for years. Because the radio station wants it to be a "more intimate" concert experience, they chose the large but not that big Gibson Amphitheater. There's always more demand than this venue can hold, so tickets usually sell out practically right at the minute they go on sale. Every year they try and sell it just a little differently to curtail the ticket scalpers, so selling it two days before the event (Thursday) is what they did. Online only sale, local southern California residents only, and only to the "KROQ street team members."

"Cameras / recording devices not allowed" was the policy at this charity concert (for the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center), but I brought my digital camera anyway just in case. They let me take it in, because they were really just looking for SLRs or "professional" cameras. I'm currently uploading some videos to my youtube website, so if I lose my account in the next days or weeks, it could be because of this reason.

The Kevin & Bean show was helping with the live broadcast at this event, so seeing them in person this time around, with the celebrity interviews, and the appearance of Kassidy; the newly crowned 2008 Miss Double D-Cember, kinda made up for what happened last week when I tried to get in to another event of theirs.

The whole concert itself was awesome, and the lineup was really good. Paramore, Angels & Airwaves, Serj Tankian, Rise Against, Avenged Sevenfold, Bad Religion, and Linkin Park headlining. I've seen three of those acts before, but I was really excited to finally see Linkin Park in concert, and they were really good playing lots of their big hits and even added extra bits like school drummers and choir groups.

Paramore has always been a great live act, and a lot of their fans were in the audience to support them. Angels & Airwaves has always been a mixed bag to me, and in part it's because lead singer Tom Delonge always came off as having too much of an ego. Serj Tankian was very entertaining playing music from his solo album.

Rise Against wasn't a band I cared for too much, and that's when I took the time to take a break. While on break I noticed the display for the movie "Juno" which I actually just saw prior to the concert (review on that in a few days). Better yet, I ran into Miss Double D-cember Kassidy herself, chatted a bit, and ofcourse took a picture with her. She was very cool and friendly. For her very first gig in the new role she showed that she'll do a really good job. If you can believe it, this is her very first concert ever too! Afterwards I went in to catch Rise Against's last song, which incidentally you could play in Guitar Hero III.

Avenged Sevenfold was next, and they were good keeping the crowd going, although I only knew their big hits. Bad Religion went afterwards, and because they are the oldest band in the bill, I noticed a lot of the kids did not know who they were. Linkin Park was ofcourse last as the headliner, and it was a great way to end the night.

Throughout the whole event, I noticed that my vision was getting a tad bit "skewed," so I kept wiping my glasses clean. It wasn't until I got in my car and was driving that I noticed that it probably wasn't my glasses. In fact it was probably the effect of getting second hand smoke from all the marijuna smokers around me. heh

Outta Of My Random Way

newest GTAIV trailer (video)

The 2008 Miss Double D-Cember Pageant (video)

guide to toxic toys released (link)

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Trailer (video)

game companies Blizzard and Activision to merge (link)

is Europe a country? (video)

pay phone extinction imminent (link)

instant ice (video)

9 most racist Disney characters (link)

best hidden character in a fighting game (link)

So another shooting by a Teenager? This time however it's not in a school, but in a very public place called the shopping mall. From all the news I've seen so far, there's been surprisingly little on the blame game that mostly happens with this kind of event. "blame the media! blame video games! blame violence in TV/movies! blame the music he listens to!" There's none of that so far. The simple truth is just being said, the shooter was emotionally unstable, and felt "lost" in the world. It also reestablishes an importance to a parent's influence on kids like these, because this guy was supposedly kicked out of his home. So parents complaining that they "don't have time" to look over what their child is doing? Screw your excuses and be a responsible parent! If you do not have time to take care of your children, then don't have any! Also, where did he get the guns? Is it *that* easy to obtain an SKS assault rifle in the US? Doesn't this country love it's right to bear arms a little too much?

As for emotional kids like this, for the love of all things good, keep your problems to yourself! Either get help or... get help! That's your only choice. Don't bring other people into your mess; especially by violent means. For you kids out there, if you see somebody emotionally unstable like this, please don't try to make it worse by picking on them. Are shopping malls now going to be scrutinized for how safe they are? Are those rent-a-cops now going to be real police officers in the near future? It's Christmas time too, so are people going to stop shopping all of a sudden? When I was younger, I heard that "adults fear the young," and that was like a metaphor for something else entirely. Now at my older age, and in the times we live in, a whole new meaning is added to that saying.

This kind of tragedy is just frustrating, and it makes such a negative impact in a world that already has so much negativity. It's sad to say but things just seem to be getting worse as the world turns. Everybody is a victim.

I don't know if you already know this fact or not, but those advertising displays you see in stores? Like movie posters or even those life size cardboard cut out displays? Most of the time the store just throws them away to the trash after they are done with them. Sometimes the company would like their advertising back, but not all the time. Because of that, after the store is done with the display, it's technically up for grabs for anybody to take. Usually the employees of the store do claims for certain displays, but when they don't, a regular customer like myself can ask for it.

It's been awhile though, since I've made a real effort to obtain a display. Lately however, there was a display of a band (Meg & Dia) that I really wanted, and it was a promotion for some clothing wear in Hot Topic. As time went by, the display seemed to stay there for a couple of months already, and I had no idea when they would be done with it. By the time I noticed it was off the display window however, they have already thrown it away (I don't go to Hot Topic enough to know when it was gone). I think what annoyed me a little was the fact that it ended up being thrown away, and that somebody else didn't do a claim on it. I know the band isn't that popular, but c'mon now....

Anyway, if you see a display that you like, it doesn't hurt to ask for it when the store is done with it. Who knows, with ebay being as prominent as it is nowadays, you might even make some extra cash out of this. I know I looked in ebay for that Meg & Dia display, but it's unfortunately not there.... I would have gladly paid for it too!

Get Up Random And Go

skateboard tube rolls away (video)

Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments II - The Domino Effect (video)

Cherry Chocolate Rain (video)

hand drawn (video)

disappearing car doors (video)

water bottle chug (video)

Potter Puppet Pals in "Wizard Swears" (video)

Street Fighter The Later Years Pt.6 - NSFW (video)

Charts and graphs of rap song lyrics (pics)

top 20 coolest artists of all time? (link)

Movies I've Seen Recently...

No Country For Old Men  (2007)  A-

Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, with their screenplay of the book with the same title; "No Country For Old Men" definitely feels like "a Coen Brothers film" if you know what I mean. Most of their films are pretty much in the unconventional manner, and this movie doesn't stray too far from that formula, but you know that you will be very much engaged with the plot. The main draw of the movie is the cat and mouse game between Josh Brolin's everyday man that's in over his head and Javier Bardem's psychopathic killer with one of the most unique weapons in films. Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh is in a very absolute stand out role, and is undoubtedly the baddest baddass in movies this year. Like other Coen Brothers movies though, the ending will leave you with a "what the hell just happened there" moment, but it doesn't completely detracts from the film's enjoyment.

Dan In Real Life  (2007)  B

This movie really is more or less a standard TV situation comedy done in movie format. Rather conventional, and kinda predictable, but the strength of Steve Carell's work here makes "Dan In Real Life" quite enjoyable. The rest of the cast are also pretty good, and I'm a little surprised that in today's day and age of movies, the family in this story is a lot more functional than the usual disfunctional schtick you've seen a lot lately. It's also a rather nice story about a widow dad with three daughters who after many years have finally met a woman played by Juliette Binoche that he can fall in love with. However, there is a catch with that woman, and hilarity ensues. It's a little charmer of a movie, and I rather enjoyed it very much.

Futurama : Bender's Big Score  (2007)  B

Futurama was a cancelled TV show from the creator of "the Simpsons," and it shares the kind of humor that can be expected from that pedigree, except this is a little more "out there" from the fact that the setting of the show is based in the 30th century. "Bender's Big Score" brings back this motley cast of characters, and it's a welcome return indeed. Sure that just like "the Simpsons movie," this Futurama movie feels like a TV episode story stretched to a movie length format. However things are a lot more ambitious here, with it's complex time traveling plot, and an extreme parody of people getting scammed. Also something like every five seconds in the movie there is a joke, parody, or any kind of humorous scene, that you can tell that the writers themselves were pushing themselves to produce a lot of content for this straight to DVD experience.