Phantom Reflections

The Wire: Edgy Drama leads to Trendy Shopping

HBO’s The Wire is set to wrap up its final season this year. TV Squad linked to this article from the Washington Post that chronicles the final day of shooing at the studios in Columbia, Maryland.

I love The Wire. I find it to be one of the best television dramas I have ever seen. Hailing from that part of the country, and having lived in downtown Baltimore for two years, it hits really close to home—literally. I’m looking forward to the final season of the show, but it’s so good, so well written, so skillfully acted that I will miss it when it passes.

The good news in all this sadness is that the former studios will be turned into a Wegmans Supermarket. My parents will have a lot quicker ride to the uber bountiful shopping that the folks of Wegmans bring to the northeast corridor. Seriously, this supermarket puts all others to shame. It’s so big that you can get lost in it.

It’s kind of ironic that a show that chronicled the decay of the inner city would have its former home transformed into a symbol of American prosperity. Oh, I have to go... I think they have hot, fresh, and free bread samples.

Fantastic News!

Yes, the rumors are true. I saw it today at my local Whole Foods. Stone Ruination IPA now comes in a six pack! This is a hard-hitting beer with a ton of hops rated at over 100 IBU (International Bitterness Units for the uninitiated). This beer is so good that when it was a limited edition I took a drive to the brewery in San Diego just to grab a couple of the last few cases. It seems that I wasn't alone. Ruination has been available as a 22 ouncer for about five years now, but thanks to the advancements in packaging, it's time for six packs. After a long run or epic ride nothing replaces those carbs or quenches the thirst quite like a beer, and this is one of the best out there. Enjoy!

More JERICHO News

Link: Science fiction news from SyFy Portal: Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Doctor Who, and more
Click the link above, but check this out:

As of 2:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, fans had bought a total of 14,684 pounds of nuts, totaling just over $20,000. All but 3,500 pounds have been delivered to CBS' doorstep as fans demand a renewal for the post-apocalyptic drama "Jericho" that got the ax two weeks ago.

Isn't that the coolest protest ever! SyFy Portal is also reporting that CBS is having a meeting this week about the series. At least they have plenty of snacks.

Another link to check out is 'Jericho Lives.'

Landis Hearing Wrapping Up

There is so much going on with Floyd Landis's hearing that I just haven't had the time to go into all the detail. For all the latest news I check Velonews.com and also Trust But Verify, which has been posting unbelievably detailed reports. If you're a Floyd fan like me then these two sites will definitely keep you updated.

On a sad note, Velonews is reporting that Floyd Landis has all but exhausted his legal defense funds. This means that if he is found guilty, he doesn't have the cash for an appeal. You can add driving riders to poverty right after character assassination, which apparently are both in the charters of the USADA, WADA, and at least hinted at by the UCI. I'm just really glad that I'm not a professional cyclist, and yes, that is beer in my Camelback. And no, you can't have any.

JERICHO Fans Say "Nuts!" and Fight Back

Link: Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com - Studio Briefing - 22 May 2007
The cancellation of JERICHO by CBS last week was a shock not only to us fans, but apparently to those who actually produced the show. Everything looked good for a renewal and than BAM! Well the good news is that us genre fans aren't taking this lightly:

A massive campaign has been mounted by fans of Jericho, which got off to an impressive start at the beginning of the season but appeared to lose most of its audience following its winter hiatus. Those who remained loyal to the show have launched an online petition that has already been signed by more than 60,000 and have also posted thousands of messages to Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, protesting the drama's cancellation. A preamble posted on the website http://jericholives.com/fight.htm reads in part, "This show has touched us all like no other before it. It is unique. It is another high-quality show cast aside by the networks." The website suggests that the show may have "suffered for its success" since, it said, many viewers had decided to watch it on their digital video recorders and online. Tassler responded that she, too, had been a fan of the show "and we are humbled by your disappointment. In the coming weeks, we hope to develop a way to provide closure to the compelling drama that was the Jericho story."

SyFy Portal has been covering this story in detail and has been providing some of the best information. CBS has been inundated with phone calls, e-mails, letters, and even boxes of nuts to echo the last word of the season finale -- a word of defiance against an invading town. Well now nuts have become a method of protest for fans of JERICHO. SyFy Portal has an article here chronicling one nut retailer who has sent more than one ton of nuts to CBS, and that is just one nut company. As of right now Nuts Online is reporting a total of 6,019 pounds of protest nuts ordered already.

Those involved with the campaign to save JERICHO are encouraging all fans of the show to write, call, or send nuts. Here are some links to resources and associated stories:

Link: SyFy Portal - 'Jericho' Fan Campaigners Remain Optimistic
Link: http://www.savejericho.info/
Link: Save JERICHO MySpace Page
Link: SyFy Portal - Half-Ton of Nuts Heading to CBS
Link: Nuts Online
Link: SyFy Portal - Hey, CBS! I'm Nuts for 'Jericho'
Link: SyFy Portal - Will CBS Find Closure for 'Jericho'?
Link: CBS Official JERICHO Message Board
Link: Banjo's World - Save JERICHO: The Letter Writing Campaign

UPDATE 5/23: SyFy Portal is reporting that the nuts ordered for the JERICHO protest from Nuts Online now totals over 7,000 pounds! In addition to the big orders shipped earlier this week SyFy Portal notes that 4,000 pounds shipped on Tuesday and Wednesday's count is already up to 1,600 pounds. I wonder if CBS will notice.

TV Squad has also posted an article about the Save Jericho campaign and how fans are going nuts.

Chicken Bird Pants for Proto-Revolutionists

It's the blog post with no purpose. I haven't written since last week when I bitched about '24', and I didn't want to continue the downward spiral of whining and complaining. '24' seemed a bit more like itself this week with more Jack and Chloe, but Chloe seemed out of character a bit. I have no clue what happened to my favorite show this season. It kinda has me bummed out. For the past five years '24' broke new ground and kept me and a whole bunch of others glued to the small screen. It was like little one hour doses of Tom Clancy and David Baldacchi every week. Now I don't know what's going on, but I do know that I'm not alone. I think Joel Surnow should take time away from his other projects and whip the show back into shape. I don't know if Season 6 can be saved at this point. It makes me sad. I just hope the show that kept things "real" doesn't fall down the slippery slope of political correctness. That will be its end.

Yahoo announced that it was "going green." Okay, I'm not sure how you just decide to "go green." Buying a whole bunch of carbon offsets doesn't do it. The only way to truly "Go Green" is to promote and use clean sources of energy. We will continue to need more energy, especially with the emergence of India and China as economic superpowers, and promoting and advancing clean, renewable sources is the only way to truly "Go Green." Paying some company to supposedly plant trees in Ecuador because you feel guilty about flying your G5 to Paris for caviar doesn't do it. It's a feel good cocktail party conversation load of bull. Want to make a real difference? Invest some of the carbon offset money into research and development of SCIENTIFIC SOLUTIONS that will actually make a difference -- things like improved battery technology, solar power, wind power, cold fusion, bio-diesel, hybrid technologies, or really buff hamsters. The only way to truly "Go Green" and solve the problem is to bring these technologies to market as a better, more economical solution to fossil fuels. That is the challenge, and I'd rather see these big corporations investing their money into finding solutions instead of "feel good" short term publicity stunts. [End rant here.]

Other things: Can't wait for the iPhone; I really want an XBOX 360 so I can play HALO 3; I don't know why they remade HAIRSPRAY; my car is dirty; and try roasting a bulb of garlic in beer -- it's good.

The Big Blog Entry

It's been a crazy month, and I've been away from the blog. Today I'm just gonna post some random thoughts -- kinda like a Larry King column.

Amgen Tour of California
So this guy Jason Donald from team Slipstream (Right... Who, you're asking...) blew the doors off the entire field, including World and National Champs, during the thigh-ripping Prologue up Coit Tower. Only last year's winner, Levi Leipheimer, could beat him, and Levi had to pour it on at full burn to do it. Wow! I have a feeling Jason will have a ProTour contract real soon.

I forgot to set my DVR to record Stage 1, so I missed the massive crash that involved over 80 riders in the finishing circuit. The officials decided to give the field the same time even though they were outside the 3km "crash and stuff" finishing rule. I think it to be a good call. When over 70% of the race is on the ground three miles out in one turn of the finishing circuit, it's a good call.

Garmin Forerunner 305
I got one for my birthday. If you're into cycling, running, or just chasing traffic, you need to get one of these. It's simply amazing. You can upload your data and look at your route on Google Maps, plus analyze splits, average speed, elevation changes, speed on ascents and descents, and instant weather at the time of your workout. Garmin also has the Edge 305 that does the same stuff, but clips to your bike's handlebars. Multisport flunkies like me should opt for the watch-based Forerunner, but you can't use it in the water. One more thing to slap on at the transition.

Writers Writing for Writers
I've always been suspicious of this fact and there's a really good article THAT I CAN'T FIND NOW from over the weekend in the New York Times...or Post...or New Yorker...one of those. It says that poets in America now write to impress other poets. The academic inbreeding and constant need to impress each other has produced sterile and flat poetry that only pleases the pointy heads in academia, while everyone else ignores it. The writer of the article cited Hemingway as being the example that modern poets should go by. He went out and experienced life and then wrote about it -- he didn't experience writing and write about it. Some food for thought...

Depressing Movies
What the hell is up with film these days? It seems that lately all the big celebrated films are dark and depressing. I saw CHILDREN OF MEN at the Arclight in Hollywood last week, and yes, it is a brilliant piece of filmmaking from the standpoint of the art form, but DAMN! They should have had a bowl of Prozac or something for afterward. I mean the homemade caramel popcorn only goes so far. I'm really in need of a movie that makes me cheer. I've heard good things about 300.

24 and HEROES
Two of my favorite shows are on at the same time. The SF world has been analyzing the ratings to see which one is winning the race. It's true that the demographic has some overlap, but both shows attract a diverse audience. I watch 24 live and then watch HEROES later. Sorry, Jack Bauer is the man!

STUDIO 60
The LA Times, Ken Levine, and a whole bunch of people complained about how they didn't like this show so it got changed. It's now more of a romantic comedy. I liked it before. Sure, it wasn't an accurate depiction of a late night show. Sure, the writers' room wasn't realistic, but I didn't care. I liked the quirky ensemble. Now that it's focused down as a romantic comedy, you don't get to see the whole cast. Why does it have to be realistic? It's fiction! It's a show! Despite all this, I still enjoy watching, but not as much as before.

WORLD TRADE CENTER
I finally caught this Oliver Stone movie, and I also read the script. The script had nothing to do with the film. I hate that. You read a script and then what you see on the screen is completely different. Why read the script? Anyway, it was a great film, well acted, well put together, but you have to be ready to watch it. My heart still sinks every time I see the NYC skyline without those towers.

No. 10 Gin from Tanqueray
I got a bottle for my birthday. It's the best gin I've ever had.

Starbucks Coffee
I used to be a hard-core Starbucks junkie back in the day. Their coffee was so strong that you had to drink it with a fork -- ah, and remember the sandy bits of grounds between the teeth...memories... Well, over the past few years it seems that Starbucks drip coffee has gotten weaker and weaker. It's now no more thick and meaty than the metallic tasting crap at Dennys. Their espresso is worse. I've ordered lattes before and couldn't even taste the coffee -- even with four shots! So, as a public service I am hereby posting my coffee chain selections that meet or exceed the fork test:
1. Pete's Coffee - Hell, Lance drinks it!
2. Urth Coffee - LA Area - Organic and Strong
3. Tully's Coffee - Best Espresso Ever, except for Lux in Phoenix
4. Seattle's Best - Besides Tully's, it is

Overtraining, Writing, and New Shoes

Yeah, there's been stuff going on to talk about. Lots. But lets talk about training.

All writers should exercise. We spend most of our time sitting in front of a keyboard in close proximity to the kitchen and the liquor cabinet. This isn't a bad thing, but writing can add pounds. It's important to get out into the sunshine and enjoy the day, otherwise you get the whole scraggly beard pasty face thing going.

I've been training a lot lately. I've increased my distance by over 100% over the past few months and want to do a half-marathon in the summer. I'm now at that point where it takes me two to three miles to warm up. Before then my legs are as stiff as tree trunks. It has nothing to do with the stretching -- my flexibility has been good lately.

The best solution is cross training. I'll break out the bike and spend some time hiking the mountains around here. Anything to limber up.

The good news is I bought new running shoes. They're the same model and brand I always buy, but they fit so nice and feel real good. Nothin' like a new pair of shoes.

Now back to writing...

Why can't I quit you... Turkey

Ah, the Thanksgiving weekend has ended. We made so much food that our freezer is packed with enough goodies to last at least a month. Wendy and I ran a 10K Turkey Trot to burn off some fat so we could pack it back on at the dinner table later in the day. There's nothing like running 6.2 miles to get you warmed up for turkey and fixings. They actually had a guy dressed up in a turkey suit, and if you beat him you got some award or something...but this turkey was fast despite the goofy costume. I'm not a fast runner. I'm more like a diesel truck -- I can run the same speed with or without the keg on my back. The turkey kicked my ass.

I've spent most of today pondering this script I'm working on. Yup, pondering instead of writing. I have the next couple of scenes mapped out, but I guess the tryptophan has rotted my brain. But I don't get paid if I don't write, so back to work for me.

Fascism Rules In California Town of Belmont

Link: San Mateo Daily Journal - Belmont to be first U.S. city to ban all smoking
Let me be clear -- I am not a smoker, but I believe in personal liberty. Unfortunately fascism is making a big comeback in America and no one is safe.

Belmont is set to make history by becoming the first city in the nation to ban smoking on its streets and almost everywhere else.

The Belmont City Council voted unanimously last night to pursue a strict law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences.

Smoking on the street, in a park and even in one’s car will become illegal and police would have the option of handing out tickets if they catch someone.

You can't smoke in YOUR OWN CAR! Is that the most insane thing that you've ever heard? I can understand restaurants and other public places...except of course for bars. Bars should be refuges for adults to go do adult things like smoke, drink, and play pool. But banning smoking in one's own automobile? What else will they ban? Will they tell us what music to listen to, what to drink, or even legislate conversations between passengers?

Also note that smoking will be allowed only in "detached single-family homes." That means apartments and townhomes will be off limits to smokers. This is a huge slap in the face to the poor. Many people with lower incomes cannot afford "detached single-family homes" so smoking in Belmont will only be the privilege of the rich. I can't believe this! I hope it's a joke.

The Daily Journal is concurrently running a poll about this story and here is how it's shaking out as of 11:18 AM PST.

That makes me feel a little better...just a little bit.

Listen, it's only a matter of time before the Food Police are after us, counting calories on our plates, and arresting us for eating too much thus burdening the health-care system. They're gonna go after alcohol, movies, video games, fried food, mountain biking, cupcakes, and shrimp cocktail. The fascists are going to say that they're "protecting us" and "protecting the children" when all they're doing is stripping our freedoms away and taking more and more power.

Am I freaking out a bit? Maybe, but as a science fiction writer I sit and think about this stuff for stories all the time. In fact SF is filled with all the possible futures that seem to come truer everyday.

Stay vigilant people. Once freedoms are taken away, they're almost damn impossible to be reclaimed. Check your history books.  ...comments welcome...