The reports were coming from everywhere about Natasha's condition: "She's brain dead", "She's going to be taken off life support", "No, wait. She's being flown to New York and then taken off life support", "Liam was spotted kneeling over his wife in the ambulance", "Vanessa Redgrave (Natasha's mother) was seen going into a hospital". It was so ridiculous I was waiting to read that there were twitter updates from the helicopter pilot flying her to New York.

The disturbing part of all this is that respectable news sites were not helping the situation, mainly the Huffington Post who were doing hourly updates and even started relaying news that a gossip site was publishing.

Why are people so hungry for this sort of news? Does the injury of someone you don't know give meaning to your life? Is this filling a void? Is it easier to express feelings for strangers that you can't express to people in your own life?

I understand the attachment aspect people have for those they admire but what I saw yesterday went way beyond attachment.

Adults and their need to be seen and heard has gotten worse over the years and one could blame it on the unstable times we're living in, but I've come to the conclusion that people just don't give a shit anymore and they are going to get their way no matter what. This getting what I want no matter what attitude can result in some pretty pathetic situations, two recent incidents I saw of this attitude being played out to the fullest.

Had to take my mother to the emergency room Tuesday night around 1:00am. The place was busy but patients were being admitted at a decent pace and sitting next to my mother and I was this young man who had a ice pack on the side of his face - he had no swelling or wounds and was just having a mild irritation (keep in mind my mother, who is 77, had a blood pressure reading of 222/70, she was calm and sat there patiently.) Ice pack man got pissed cause he had to wait for awhile and proceeded to go up to the nurse and scream at her because he had not been admitted. After security escorts him back to the waiting room the young man begins to cry and his wife suggests they leave - he gets up and does the worst passing out scene I've ever seen - PLOP - there he is on the floor all sprawled out looking like a beached whale and the nurses and security are just standing over him asking why he did that.

Did any of this do him any good? No. They got him up and put him in a wheelchair and told him he could leave if he wants. Now here is an example of an adult not getting his way and would take the chance of doing more harm to himself just to get his way. Hilarious and sad.

The next incident involved me and my mother. Yesterday I took her to the dentist and there was a young woman who was holding a baby. I overheard her in the waiting room telling the other adult who was with her that she had better be seen because she did not want to miss her shows. Fifteen minutes later this woman is getting pissed and is yelling out that her toothache was killing her. The yelling does not produce any results so what does she do? She gets up, while still holding the baby, and - PLOP - she's on the floor.

This woman did not get in to see the dentist, she got her sorry ass put in a police car due to endangering her baby. I found out from one of the nurses that this woman had a history with dentists/doctors in the neighborhood. This incident was pathetic.

What I watched while writing this Ringo Starr: Off the Record (HBO West) I've always had a soft spot for Ringo and this interview is delightful. He's so bubbly and positive, I just hope he doesn't PLOP

Obligatory baby picture

Courage - 7 years

Some great music from the first track to the last. Van the Man has had a long and interesting career and I first took notice of him in The Last Waltz. His performance in that documentary was one of the highlights. The song he performed that evening is on this CD.

Television

I've burnt out on the CSI series and have been spending my viewing time watching this one. Great stuff.

Snack

Man, talk about a treat and to top it off they are easy to make. Just mix water with ingredients, heat in microwave for 90 seconds. Yummy Yummy.

DVD's

I posted a poll on the forum and had voters decide my next purchase. This is what won and getting this in the mail two days ago was a nice treat that I am going to enjoy over the weekend.

My next DVD review is for this movie and although the marketing is misleading in every way, I still found myself enjoying it just a bit.

This will be the next contest item I'll be putting up this weekend. The Dragon Dynasty movies have always been one of the more popular contests I've held and I'm sure this will be no exception.










On my birthday I got in the mail two great gifts. An Indy 4 poster and an Indy whip. Talk about putting a smile on my face!

13 inches cost me $20 just to get some of it removed.

This bush survives the onslaught of 13 inches,  mine got frozen.

Whenever he appears on an awards show or interview segments I get a little nervous because for the last few years he has not done so well at these events. He usually has trouble pronouncing words or getting nominees names right and after he appears the internet is filled with comments about how Harrison appeared drunk or stoned. Last night was an exception

Barbara Walters special Even though a couple of stories have been told too many times Harrison was terrific. He came across relaxed and positive. He did great considering the fact he was being interviewed by Homunculus.

Oscar presenter This is where he usually messes up stumbling over names, but not this night.

Jimmy Kimmel "I'm F%#king Ben Affleck" video Who would have thought that one would see Harrison in a parody video blowing kisses at Ben and Kimmel plus sporting a big gold chain? Certainly not me and I have to say his spot was the funniest and the bumper sticker was a nice touch.

Last night I got to see Harrison having fun, relaxed and happy. You done good Harrison.

My marathon consisted of Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, The Jewish Americans, Hawaii Five-O Season 3, Pioneers of Television (Talk shows, Variety programs, Game shows), and Dark Chamber.

Right now what is floating through my head just might show up in my reviews:

• McGarrett and Jackie Gleason booking Dano and the Jews - Sid Caesar escapes and joins the Flying Saucers and his schtick causes them to laugh so much which causes them to turn the entire planet into one big variety show hosted by Jim Nabors.

• Jack Parr and Carol Burnett are abducted by Aliens (easter egg features Harryhausen cackling in the background as they are beamed up one frame at a time)

• Lucille Ball, Chin Ho and Perry Como arrive in a small town and are pursued by satanists. Perry joins them and discovers that Bob Hope is in charge and his torture technique are jokes he's told over the last 100 years of his natural life.

It should be interesting.

Two days ago I was feeling like shit and was in a foul mood to begin with and had to get some necessary items at the grocery store. The store is less than 5 minutes away and figured I'd just throw on a coat and get what I had to get and be done with it. I just hopped in the car and when I got to the store discovered that not only did I forget to brush my hair but that I still had on my old pajama bottoms (the most comfortable things in existence but not something one would wear in public). In other words I looked like hell. Decided to head into the store because with the invention of U-Scan my time in there would be two minutes and if I saw someone I knew I could wiggle my way into another aisle.

U-Scan was packed and instead of two minutes I was stuck in line for 15! Sure enough someone from my past (a co-worker) JUST HAPPENED to be there waving and yelling to get my attention and everyone within ear shot was looking right at me! Keep in mind this person is the sort who thinks she is better than anyone else and just happens to still work with some people I've known and have not seen in a couple of years. Of course I could not ignore her so I just gave the obligatory wave and smile muttering to myself "of all people to see me at my worst". I just knew what she was going to do the next day at work, "Hey I saw Eileen at the store and she looked like shit. Man she has really let herself go."

Of all people to see me it had to be her. Why couldn't it have been the co-worker who had no teeth?

Me looking like shit brought back some memories of my Aunt who lived with us for a few years. She was older (in her early 70's at the time) and always looked like a million dollars. She was the type that loved going to thrift stores and purchasing clothes and was also the type that after working on said clothes made them look like brand new. Very fashionable woman and everyone always complimented her (rightfully so). I enjoyed taking her to the thrift store just to see her work magic on the clothes but there was something she always did there that I'll never forget. Here was this older woman who took pride in her appearance in public and yet every single time she was at the thrift store she would always back up into a clothes rack and let off the loudest fart I've ever heard!