happy new year

as i sit in my office listening to edith piaf's hymne l'amour, slightly buzzed from a lunch filled with victory's hop devil, i realize that 2009 is going to present a world of change. not only will i be a father for the first and hopefully last time....

okay it is now a day later, i got busy with work mid thought, had to go play chess, race home to have dinner with wife, went to east side for a bach concert, and then headed back to the westside brewing co for it's last day.

i have no idea where i was going with that first paragraph so i'll leave it the way kafka left the castle, in the

random thoughts of stuff and what nots

football- well the football season has come to a close as the final games kickoff sometime today. my steelers play a meaningless game against the sad sad browns. a game which does not change the playoffs for us one bit however if somehow we lose this game i will be sick to my groin knowing that everyone in cleveland is as happy as can be. if i were mike tomlin i would sit a few players for the whole game: james harrison, ryan clark, troy, and perhaps willie parker. i would play big ben at least for the 1st quarter. by the second half, i expect to see all back-ups, even anthony smith.

baby- so the wife and i bought a stroller the other day...some kind of frog buggaboo or something. it's a little weird seeing that thing everyday. i told her not to be surprised if she comes home to find me drunk and pushing myself in the stroller.

guinea- i must admit i am quite intrigued by capt camara. i hope he turns out to be the real deal and doesn't let the power go to his head like every single military leader that's ever taken over a country especially in africa.

westside brewing company- my beloved bar is closing down on new year's eve after years of internal bitching between the two owners, and a dick for a landlord. ah the good times i had over the years: chess games, 12 hour drinking sessions, random making out with women i normally would never ever ever kiss, guitar playing on the patio, and the 12 o'clock noon beer while i'm suppose to be at work. not to mention my food and drinks were always half-off.

sag- i received another residual check for michael clayton! okay, this is getting silly. my union is talking about a strike, due to the whole internet thing and fighting for a fair contract. i don't know the details as much as i should but i know i don't want to strike, but i also don't want to get fucked over. on another note, i have to cast my votes for the sag awards by january 23rd, and my vote does go to the highest bidder.

how did i not see this???- vader sessions

ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS

predictions in bold

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

RICHARD JENKINS / Walter Vale - “THE VISITOR” (Overture Films)
FRANK LANGELLA / Richard Nixon - “FROST/NIXON” (Universal Pictures)
SEAN PENN / Harvey Milk - “MILK” (Focus Features)
BRAD PITT / Benjamin Button - “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” (Paramount Pictures)
MICKEY ROURKE / Randy - “THE WRESTLER” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

ANNE HATHAWAY / Kym - “RACHEL GETTING MARRIED” (Sony Pictures Classics)
ANGELINA JOLIE / Christine Collins - “CHANGELING” (Universal Pictures)
MELISSA LEO / Ray Eddy - “FROZEN RIVER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
MERYL STREEP / Sister Aloysius Beauvier - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
KATE WINSLET / April Wheeler - “REVOLUTIONARY ROAD” (Paramount Vantage)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

JOSH BROLIN / Dan White - “MILK” (Focus Features)
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR. / Kirk Lazarus - “TROPIC THUNDER” (Paramount Pictures)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Father Brendan Flynn - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
HEATH LEDGER / Joker - “THE DARK KNIGHT” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
DEV PATEL / Older Jamal - “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

AMY ADAMS / Sister James - “DOUBT” (Miramax Flms)
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Maria Elena - “VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA” (The Weinstein Company)
VIOLA DAVIS / Mrs. Miller - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
TARAJI P. HENSON / Queenie - “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” (Paramount Pictures)
KATE WINSLET / Hanna Schmitz - “THE READER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

DOUBT (Miramax)
FROST/NIXON (Universal Pictures)
MILK (Focus Features)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Paramount Pictures)

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

RALPH FIENNES / Bernard Lafferty - “BERNARD AND DORIS” (HBO)
PAUL GIAMATTI / John Adams - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Ron Klain - “RECOUNT” (HBO)
KIEFER SUTHERLAND / Jack Bauer - “24: REDEMPTION” (FOX)
TOM WILKINSON / Benjamin Franklin - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

LAURA DERN / Katherine Harris - “RECOUNT” (HBO)
LAURA LINNEY / Abigail Adams - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)
SHIRLEY MacLAINE / Coco Chanel - “COCO CHANEL” (Lifetime)
PHYLICIA RASHAD / Lena Younger - “A RAISIN IN THE SUN” (Lifetime)
SUSAN SARANDON / Doris Duke - “BERNARD AND DORIS” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - “DEXTER” (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper - “MAD MEN” (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / Gregory House - “HOUSE” (FOX)
WILLIAM SHATNER / Denny Crane - “BOSTON LEGAL” (ABC)
JAMES SPADER / Alan Shore - “BOSTON LEGAL” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

SALLY FIELD / Nora Walker - “BROTHERS & SISTERS” (ABC)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson - “LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko - “SAVING GRACE” (TNT)
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson - “MAD MEN” (AMC)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson - “THE CLOSER” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - “THE OFFICE” (NBC)
DAVID DUCHOVNY / Hank Moody - “CALIFORNICATION” (Showtime)
JEREMY PIVEN / Ari Gold - “ENTOURAGE” (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - “MONK” (USA)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly - “SAMANTHA WHO?” (ABC)
AMERICA FERRERA / Betty Suarez - “UGLY BETTY” (ABC)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
MARY-LOUISE PARKER / Nancy Botwin - “WEEDS” (Showtime)
TRACEY ULLMAN / Various Characters - “TRACEY ULLMAN’S STATE OF THE UNION” (Showtime)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
DEXTER (Showtime)
HOUSE (Fox)
MAD MEN (AMC)
THE CLOSER (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
WEEDS (Showtime)

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

THE DARK KNIGHT (Warner Bros. Pictures)
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (Universal Pictures)
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (Paramount Pictures)
IRON MAN (Paramount Pictures)
WANTED (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (NBC)
HEROES (NBC)
PRISON BREAK (FOX)
THE UNIT (CBS)
THE CLOSER (TNT)

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD’S 45th LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

James Earl Jones

quiz: bbc style

woe is me i managed a simple three.

best t-shirt ever

orders yours today at compress merch.

quiz: bbc style

the score is four, can you correctly guess more?

death by karaoke

a malaysian man has been stabbed to death at a bar in sandakan, a town in east borneo, for refusing to hand over the mic and stop singing. witnesses told police the fight went into the street where the 23 year-old was punched and stabbed.

i guess he was simply dying to express himself. perhaps he was singing mack the knife. or maybe he was out of tune with the audiences needs.

too soon?

quiz: bbc style

a three. i guess it's better than a two, which in turn is better than a one.

It's on Bitch!

Let the recount begin!! Long time racist and senator, Saxby Chambliss, is racing a run-off election today against Jim Martin, who looked quite awkward thanking hip hop artists T.I., Jeezy, and Ludacris for their support during a rally in the ATL.

Palin reared her pretty head all over Georgia campaigning and firing up the base- an Republican strategist confessed she only did it for the sax. Chambliss should have no problem winning today as run-offs are based on turnout and I don't see Black folks coming out today the way they did on November 3rd, not to mention the fact that Libertarian candidate, Allen Buckley, will not (I think) be on the ballot.

In other news Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of the great state of Louisiana, gave his best Obama impression which leads many to assume he'll be the front runner in 2012 (sorry Sarah): "I think the American people are tired of campaigns and politics," Jindal said. "We need to get behind our new president and our new Congress, support them, and stop being Democrats and Republicans."