Almost went on an iPhone hunt this morning...

But I resisted.

Why? Because the iPhone doesn't currently support MMS messaging. Since I end up doing so much posting from my cell phone, it would be pointless to get a $500 phone that can't do what my Treo and enV can already do - post pictures from the road.

I might still go to The Grove to check out the hype this weekend, but I think I'll be able to resist.

Even though I'm eavesdropping on a 20 minute conversation solely focused on the iPhone right now between a group while I'm waiting for our table. I think I have the willpower to resist the phone's charms.
-via Treo

Finally trying it out - Toast!

Today's brunch spot of choice? Toast Bakery Cafe in West LA.

Very few breakfast places seem to be as well known or carry as much hype as Toast, so I decided it was time to check it out with my friend Angelica.

People complain about the service, so far I have been jumped in line for a table by one really good looking girl who hugged the host. I can live with that. Hopefully the food is good! While it is known as a people watching spot, it is a restaurant at the end of the day.

This could very well be one of the more confusing parking regulation conglomerates that I have ever seen. Hopefully I return to the car without a ticket on the windshield.

UPDATE: I just got my first parking ticket ever in life. $45. I suppose that "NO PARKING ANY TIME" takes precedence over all the other ones. Pretty bummed about it.

Way overboard on the restaurants this week.

Finally checking out Natalee Thai on Venice tonight.

I read about the LG/Billboard Mobile Beat contest while I was at work a couple weeks ago. I skimmed over an article talking about how "about 30" concert-loving individuals were going to get the opportunity to write for Billboard this summer. Like most, I initially dismissed the idea of actually entering, let alone winning the contest.

Minutes later, my good friend Rose Ahn sent me an IM saying "This is so you!" with a link to the contest, encouraging me to give it a shot. I told her that I had already heard about the contest, but I'd think about it. Between my full-time job, personal blog, and second job that I recently took up after my car was stolen, I was definitely "swamped," not yet overwhelmed, but moderately intrigued.

The night before the contest officially ended, I accidentally fell asleep (not a fan of napping) face down on our living room couch, only to be awakened by the epiphany - "Tonight is the last possible night that I could enter that Mobile Blogger contest..." I scrambled to put together two photo mash-ups for my submission with the help and limited (not that I'm not grateful for them) Photoshop skills of my roommate Ryan Fujitani long after most normal people had gone to bed. I churned out a 90-something word essay and with inspirational Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway"-like lyrics in my optimistic mind, I sent out my application through my spotty wireless connection in our West LA apartment.

I gave it a shot. In my groggy state, I knew that I could live with the fact that I gave it a shot.

That same night, my fortune cookie from Panda Express read, "Great things await you in the coming month." While I'm not one to base my life around delicious, yet dry and tasteless desserts that come in plastic single serve packets, that fortune cookie just might have made my summer.

Some people are great at Photoshop. We are ok at resizing pictures.

Four days later, I received an email from Billboard's Marketing Director with a subject line that read: "Congratulations, You Have Been Chosen as a Winner of the Billboard/LG Mobile Beat Contest."

My first thought was, "No freakin' way, dude..." (how I've turned so "West Coast" in five years is still beyond me). I thought someone read my blog, thought he was funny and decided to play a trick on me.

And now, a week and a half later, I have my Verizon LG enV cell phone in hand and I'm waiting on confirmation for my first assignment. Really, it's a cliche' to say it at this point, but it's all pretty unbelievable.

If you've found this blog, chances are you love music. Most of us love music of some kind and really, very few people don't like going to concerts. For me, I love music (when you live in LA, music is your friend for hours on end when you're parked on the 405) like everyone who won this contest. What's a little weird about all this for me is that I'm excited about this experience because I just love blogging. Who says something like that? Apparently, I do.

I can't wait for the shows and the experiences that await, but I'm just as much looking forward to sharing this experience with the Mobile Beat readers and other Mobloggers this summer.

For now, the anticipation continues and I'm pretty ok with that.

Thanks for checking in.
-dc

Playboy gets in on the iPhone action

Suddenly, I want an iPhone

June 27th, 2007, filed by Sinead Carew

Apple’s upcoming iPhone is being hailed by many as the sexiest new gadget in years. Now, Hugh Hefner’s Playboy is looking to add a dollop of real sex to the combination cell phone, video player and Internet access device.

The lifestyle brand company that was built out of a glossy girlie magazine is offering a free set of 12 wallpapers featuring scantily clad Playmates to anybody who buys the device.

The magazine, which is of course most famous for its articles, is offering iPhoners the suggestive but non-nude images, an episode of its radio show “The Playmate Hour” and a Playboy video.
Playboy, which didn’t work with Apple on the offer, normally sells cell phone wallpapers for about $2 a pop. So can the pictures be downloaded to a rival cell phone?

“It’s sized for the iPhone,” Playboy spokesman Matt Kalinowski said.

No word if Playboy is exploring innovative uses for the iPhone’s touch-sensitive screen.

Link

And so it begins...

My Billboard Mobile Beat Personal Blog Page.

Before I won the Billboard contest, I got a fortune that said great things were going to happen to me in the next month, about a month before I won.

Coincidence? Definitely.

Still cool.

Dinner in the Valley and my first assignment?

I'm in the Valley tonight to hang out with my friend Mitra. it's one of the only times I've been out here just to hang out., but it wasn't a bad drive from Beverly Hills. As always, I'm early so I thought I would take the time to continue to familiarize myself with blogging via the enV. What takes me seconds on the Treo takes me minutes on the enV, but i can tell that I'm slowly getting used to it.

Why the rush? I am tentatively scheduled to cover the Fall Out Boy concert in Anaheim next Monday for Billboard and I'm hoping to blog live from the concert, which means that I should pretty much be able to use this thing with my eyes closed. This is one of the shows I really wanted to go to this summer, so I hope that it works out!

Sorry for the lack of updates today all, real life started to take over today. I am going to dual blog for Billboard and my blog at the same time from the concerts, so it should be an adventure!

I don't know if camera phones can capture sunsets like they're supposed to look, but I always try. For the first time in a while, I'm just realizing how lucky I am to be where I'm at right now and I'm just grateful for it, despite the recent setbacks.

You have new Picture Mail!

Has anyone ever seen a BMW like this? I saw it when I was driving home and had never seen one before.

Trailer for Disney's new movie: Enchanted

Enchanted

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Kind of a slow news day today, so I thought I'd post this trailer. Looks like a fun movie and near-guaranteed winner of the 2007 holiday season.

I didn't think that Ratatouille could be beat in terms of pre-move excitement (come on, a rat cooking French food? Amazing!), but this has the potential to get hyped even more inside my own brain.

In honor of Paris Hilton's release from prison, I had to post Paris in Jail: The Music Video.

PARIS IN JAIL: The Music Video

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Here's me yesterday, I think I'm fielding a ball at our company softball game.

My first outing as our team pitcher? I gave up 17 runs (It's a hitter's league! I just underhand over the middle of the plate!).

Why 55? Who doesn't love Dikembe Mutombo?

I went 2 for 3, but it still hurts to give up 17 runs.

WWE denies reports that Chris Benoit murder-suicide is tied to steroid use (source ESPN.com).

A triumphant, but now very sad picture of the late-Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero.

The WWE says reports speculating that steroids played a role in the apparent murder-suicide of professional wrestler Chris Benoit, whom police say killed his wife and son before taking his own life, are "sensationalistic" and are not supported by evidence in the case.

Authorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Chris Benoit, above, his wife and child.But a link emerged connecting Benoit to a Florida company charged with selling performance-enhancing drugs, as the Albany County, N.Y., district attorney's office said Benoit had received deliveries from the pharmacy. And prosecutors, lacking a suicide note and lacking a motive, still want to know if side effects from performance-enhancing drugs could possibly explain what might have caused Benoit to kill two members of his family and take his own life.


Toxicology test results may not be available to investigators for weeks. As for whether steroids played a role in the crime, Fayette County, Ga. District Attorney Scott Ballard said: "We don't know yet. That's one of the things we'll be looking at."


The WWE, in a news release on its Web site, pointed out that according to police, the steroids found in Benoit's suburban Atlana home were from legal prescriptions; that in the absence of toxicology tests, there was no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body; that Benoit tested negative for steroids in April; and that the physical evidence from the home and the time that passed between the two killings and Benoit's suicide suggest deliberate acts, rather than an act of rage.

The WWE "strongly suggests that it is entirely wrong for speculators to suggest that steroids had anything to do with these senseless acts, especially when the authorities plainly stated that there is no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body, pending the toxicological reports, and that they had no evidence at this time as to the motive for these acts," the Stamford, Conn.-based company said.

Benoit strangled his wife Nancy, 43, suffocated his 7-year-old son Daniel and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine pulley, authorities said Tuesday.



Investigators said they found steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscle man nicknamed "The Canadian Crippler" was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as "roid rage." Steroids have been linked to the deaths of several professional wrestlers in recent years.

Benoit's personal physician said he saw him hours before he allegedly killed his wife and he showed no signs of distress or range.

Dr. Phil Astin said Benoit was in his office on Friday -- just to stop by and to see his staff.
Astin said he was Benoit's longtime friend and physician. He said he had prescribed testosterone to Benoit because he suffered from low amounts of the hormone. He said the condition likely originated from previous steroid use. He would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed the day of the meeting.

Benoit received drug deliveries from a Florida business that sold steroids, human growth hormone and testosterone on the Internet, according to the Albany County, N.Y., District Attorney's Office, which is investigating the business, MedXLife.com.

Six people, including two of the pharmacy's owners, have pleaded guilty in the investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists.

On Saturday, Benoit called a co-worker to say he had missed a flight and would be late for a wrestling event in Texas, WWE said in a timeline posted Tuesday on its Web site. The co-worker said Benoit sounded tired and groggy and said "I love you," which the co-worker found "out of context," WWE said.

When a co-worker who usually travels with Benoit called him later from the Houston airport, Benoit told the co-worker his wife, Nancy, was throwing up blood and that his son, Daniel, also was throwing up. Benoit said he thought it was food poisoning, according to WWE.
After Benoit talked to a WWE Talent Relations representative, the representative suggested Benoit try to make it to a pay-per-view event in Houston since he would not be able to make it to the live event in Beaumont, Texas.

But early Sunday, two co-workers received a series of text messages from the cell phones of Benoit and his wife. Most stated his home address in Fayetteville, about 20 miles south of Atlanta. One message from Benoit's phone said: "The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open," according to WWE.


The text messages led WWE to ask authorities to check on Benoit and his family.
Ballard said the messages appeared to be an attempt by Benoit to get someone to the home to find the bodies after his suicide.

"In a community like this it's bizarre to have a murder-suicide, especially involving the death of a 7-year-old," Ballard said. "I don't think we'll ever be able to wrap our minds around this."
He said Benoit's 43-year-old wife was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, and her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle. Daniel was probably killed late Saturday or early Sunday, and his body was found in his bed, the district attorney said.

Benoit, 40, apparently hanged himself hours later, Ballard said. His body was found in a downstairs weight room hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment.
The prosecutor said it appeared the wrestler remained in the house for up to a day with the bodies.

The boy had old needle marks in his arms, Ballard said. He said he had been told the parents considered him undersized and had given him growth hormones.


"The boy was very small, even dwarfed," Ballard said.


Full article can be found here.

Many have talked about how it's ironic that the WWE was currently playing out angle where they staged the death of Vince McMahon. Thankfully, under the circumstances, the WWE dropped the angle by having McMahon on Monday Night RAW.

All hail the iPhone.

Before its release date this Friday at 6:00 PM, the iPhone is creating more than its share of buzz in the industry.

"Apple Inc.'s iPhone is a ``beautiful and breakthrough'' mobile device that lives up to the hype.
That's the word from reviewers for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today, who praised the software and design of Apple's melded mobile phone and iPod media player. The iPhone's strengths outweigh its spotty network service and price of as much as $600, they said."

Hype out the box.
More from Reuters after the jump.

i wanted to test out the enV (VX 9900) that i received from Billboard earlier today. Needless to say the picture quality trumps that of my Treo 650. It's no iPhone, but it's free and so far I love this phone. It'll be a great summer companion.

Best FedEx Ever.

I just received a package from Billboard for being chosen as a winner for this year's LG/Billboard Mobile Beat contest. Inside the goody bag...

- Billboard branded bag
- LG enV cell phone with service through September
- Mobile Beat t-shirt
- Welcome letter
- Introductory CD-ROM
- Lots of LG ads
- LG foam football
- Billboard magazine and 3 month free subscription
- Phone cleaning kits
- Billboard hat

Pics to come when I get home. I think this package is cool enough that I don't want to use the cell phone camera phone to show all the goodies inside.

Please support my blog on the Billboard webpage once it launches! I could use all your support!

As always, thanks for stopping by and checking out the blog. Soon, you'll have a new blog to check out as I parade around at various LA area concerts for Billboard.com!

Lukewarm reception for American Idol Season One winner Kelly Clarkson's new CD - "My December"

After feuding with Clive Davis and cancelling a summer tour (which I personally felt like was at too big of venues for her), hopefully Clarkson is ready to take control of her career at this point where she seems to be wanting more of that control.

With her previous success, anything short of a #1 album would be a disappointment when the numbers come out later this week. "Never Again" has already stalled short of becoming another #1 single, but hopefully the album has track after track of radio-friendly singles that have defined her first two albums.

Went to lunch at Nate 'n Al's in Beverly Hills today. 3 new restaurants in the past week, way ahead of pace.

TMZ.com reports that Chris Benoit had a history of domestic violence.

"...law enforcement sources tell TMZ they believe Benoit strangled his wife on Saturday, smothered his son on Sunday and then hanged himself on Monday."

More details come out on the night that could end Adam 'Pacman' Jones' NFL career (Source: AP)

Suspended for a year? Or banned for life?

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A bouncer who was shot and said his left ankle was bitten by Adam "Pacman" Jones in a strip club melee sued the suspended NFL player and other members of his entourage for civil damages Monday.

The lawsuit for an unspecified amount was filed with the Clark County District Court on behalf of Aaron Cudworth three days after the Tennessee Titans cornerback surrendered in Las Vegas on two felony charges of coercion and posted $20,000 in bail.

Facts about the Feb. 19 melee and shooting, which paralyzed another strip club bouncer and wounded one other person, were confirmed in charges that the district attorney filed against Jones on Wednesday, said Cudworth's lawyer, Richard Schonfeld.

"When they made their filing, it confirmed what I was looking for," Schonfeld said. The civil case can proceed independently of the criminal trial, he said.

Jones' Las Vegas attorney, Robert Langford, said he had not seen the lawsuit and declined to comment late Monday. A message left after business hours at the Atlanta office of one of Jones' attorneys, Manny Arora, was not immediately returned.

The melee at Minxx Gentleman's Club on NBA All-Star weekend was sparked after Jones threw cash from a plastic trash bag on stage to "make it rain" for dancers as tips, according to the lawsuit.

When two dancers began to fight over the cash at about 4:30 a.m., Jones grabbed one by the hair and punched her in the face two or three times, the lawsuit says.

Cudworth wrapped his arms around Jones from behind, but let go when the club manager was escorting the former West Virginia standout outside. Jones jumped back on stage, vowing not to leave, cursing Cudworth and threatening to kill him, the lawsuit says.

After Cudworth again tried to restrain Jones, the lawsuit says he was knocked over by Jones' 400-pound bodyguard, Robert Reid, 37, of Compton, Calif. Jones took a swing at Cudworth, who restrained Jones, the lawsuit says. That's when Jones bit Cudworth on the ankle, according to the lawsuit.

Jones escaped, and when Cudworth pursued him, Sadia Morrison, 25, of New York, allegedly smashed a champagne bottle over the bouncer's head, cutting him.

Cudworth finally forced Jones outside, where he says Jones threatened to shoot him and acted as if he was reaching for a weapon in his waistband. The lawsuit says a witness heard Jones tell another member of his group, "Let's smoke this fool."

Later, the lawsuit alleges that a member of Jones' group fired a black semiautomatic handgun five or six times toward Cudworth, hitting him in the chest and left arm, causing him permanent injury. Another bouncer, Thomas Urbanski, was shot in the left hand and the torso, and was left paralyzed from the waist down. A female club patron was wounded in the head.

Cudworth is suing Jones, Reid, Morrison and others for assault, battery, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Schonfeld said Cudworth underwent "multiple surgeries" and lost wages as a result.

Jones, 23, who has been suspended by the NFL for the 2007 season, is scheduled to return to Las Vegas on July 23 to face criminal charges that carry a maximum of 12 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if he is convicted.

Once again, players gotta stay out of the strip clubs. If this story holds true, Jones should never play in the league again.

Chris Benoit's death being called a murder-suicide by authorities

What happened?

I missed the Benoit tribute last night on RAW because I went out to dinner, but this Benoit story gets more twisted as it develops. Since no gun was involved, it's hard to believe that someone came into the house and took out a professional wrestler and his family. While Benoit did "play fight" for a living, there are likely very few people that would have been able to take him out one on one because the guy was a trained grappler and was no doubt a really strong guy. I highly doubt that some Rampage Jackson-like MMA fighter came in and just destroyed Benoit and his whole family, but at this point, that might not be that big a shock.

However, if no guns, knives, etc. were found, how did Benoit kill himself? (if he even killed himself?) It will be interesting to see the results of the autopsy if they are made public.

UPDATE: Reports are saying that Benoit apparently strangled his wife, smothered his son, and hung himself in his weight room. So I guess that's how it happened.

Paris Hilton is free... at least from jail.

Gotta love the pink lip gloss even when she's leaving jail.

Amidst a busy brick lined walkway of paparazzi, media, and police, Hilton walked down a twisted version of her own red carpet into the awaiting arms of her mother, father, and Hilton bodyguards this morning.

I never noticed that Paris kind of resembles a fellow former inmate celebrity, Martha Stewart, without her full face of makeup on.

Congratulations to the World's Ugliest Dog of 2007

Not as bad as I thought it would be.

WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and his family found dead in Atlanta, Georgia

RIP Chris "The Crippler" Benoit.

Tonight's Monday Night RAW will be a tribute to Benoit.

Hot Dog Eating Champion Takeru Kobayashi Sidelined with Jaw Arthritis.

Thousands of hot dogs rejoice.

Safe for now... Dancing hot dog, safe for now.

Justin Timberlake seems to have a newfound love for the "F-Word" - singer accused of spitting on fans and verbally assaulting others.

Is JT just fed up? Or has he just turned way too gangsta?

State Port Pilot (North Carolina newspaper) article on 16 Year Old Windy Hagar from November 2006.

Windy Hagar.

The story has some interesting quotations regarding her cross country coach Brent Wuchae that seem suspicious now in hindsight. An innocent article at the time, but after their recent marriage, this small town news story is a little creepy.

Text pasted below:

South’s Hager, Higgins enjoy solid performances at state cross country meet
By Keith T. Barber Sports Editor

Windy Hager understands the strength to finish the race comes from within, yet she attributes much of her motivation to South Brunswick cross country coach Brent Wuchae. “He’s very encouraging. He’s always telling us how proud he is,” the South Brunswick sophomore said.

“I’m proud of where I finished but he seems to be even more proud of me. He’s always been encouraging.That’s what makes him a great coach. He’s always motivated us; he’s always out there helping us.”

Wuchae had much to be proud of during the state cross country championships at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons last Saturday.Hager and teammate Josh Higgins enjoyed excellent performances going up against an experienced field of runners from every corner of the state.Hager finished 36th out of 126 runners with her time of 21:32, while Higgins, a sophomore, finished 85th out of 127 runners with his time of 18:55. North Brunswick’s Oscar Hernandez carried the banner for the Scorpions’ program, finishing in 54th place with his time of 18:11 over the 3.1-mile course.

“I was extremely tickled with both of them,” Wuchae said. “They’ve both come a long way. I’m very proud of their accomplishments this year. Windy finishing in the top 25-percent was just outstanding. That was a little higher than I thought she would, but she did well and Josh finishing 85th in the state, considering the boys had a little stiffer competition.”

Hager said her experience at the state meet has given her specific goals for next season, goals she feels are within her grasp.“You always think about next year; you want to make it better,” she said. “That’s what gives me the drive.”

Wuchae said Hager and Higgins have attained the status of conquering heroes among their peers, a positive sign for the program’s growth in the seasons to come.

“The[y] love it,” Wuchae said of the adulation.“It’s just overwhelming the support they’re getting here at South. We’re trying to build here and if we can get the exposure — these kids going up there and just seeing what it’s like this year — next year, they’ll know what the competition is going to be and how hard they’re going to have to work to get to the next level.”

CNN.com Beta = CNN.com light?

I checked out CNN.com Beta this morning and took some screenshots to compare the old versus the new. CNN.com Beta has a much less busy layout that I initially wasn't a huge fan of, but I suppose I never really noticed how busy the CNN.com page actually is until I saw it as a screenshot.

If CNN is ok with its "partners," not getting the same amount of exposure by putting them at the bottom of the page, it's a decent redesign, but that's a lot of white space! I feel like I've gotten used to that cluttered blue text.

The Old.

The New.

You have new Picture Mail!

Had breakfast at Doughboy's this morning in West LA. Pretty good!

You have new Picture Mail!

I might be posting only via Treo today. I decided to check out Spiderman 3 tonight. If you've never seen a studio lot before, here's some pics!

The fish pond at the Warehouse in Marina del Rey... and my finger.

You have new Picture Mail!

My feet in the sand at the beach. A great beach day.

You have new Picture Mail!

Spending the day at the beach in Marina Del Rey today.

You have new Picture Mail!

Still great the third time.

You have new Picture Mail!

Still tight after 15 years.

You have new Picture Mail!

Boyz II Men!

You have new Picture Mail!

Inside the House of Blues in Anaheim.

You have new Picture Mail!

Boyz II Men can still pull a crowd that arrives early.

Girl's feet are severed from Superman Tower of Power ride at Six Flags

This kind of ride (the one where you go really high up, sit for a minute, then drop back down, only to do it again) used to be my favorite kind of ride until I read this story. What's weird is that no one can figure out just how this happened.

Adam "Pac-Man" Jones surrenders to police. Jones will plead "not guilty" to felony charges.

Basically, NFL players need to stop going to strip clubs if they want to stay out of trouble. It seems like at least once a month, we hear a story about an athlete who gets in some kind of trouble at a strip club.

While Roger Goodell is trying to clean up the league's image and set examples by suspending players like Jones and Cincinnati's Chris Henry for the season and half the season respectively, hopefully the players try and take themselves out of these situations and out of the strip clubs.

Skunkiest fire ever? - 2,000 pounds of marijuana goes up in flames.

Report says that firefighters would fail drug tests after breathing in fumes. With the paranoia that sometimes [allegedly! Or so I've heard...] sets in after a session, this must have been one tough fire to fight.

All joking aside, I hope that no one was hurt as a result of this fire. However, I can't help but wonder if the firefighters had some Doritos and drank insane amounts of liquids while recounting in depth about just how crazy it was that they just put out a "freakin' huge fire, bro."

40 Year Old Track Coach Brenton Wuchae Marries 16 Year Old Track Runner Windy Hagar

And people thought R. Kelly and Aaliyah was controversial... (Photo Credit: ABCNews.com)

When reading this story, I couldn't help but read the words and actually feel the shock and disappointment through the parents' quotations. This isn't some MySpace or chat room scare story, but with all the same shock factor for something that seems like it would happen more often.

Who was more unintelligible?

The Ultimate Warrior?


Or... Mike Tyson?



It's funny, I never really noticed how crazy the Ultimate Warrior was until Ryan pointed this video out to me.

Unintelligible? Or some of the greatest quotations of our time?

Here are some videos I've taken recently that I posted and added to the seemingly useless, yet mildly entertaining world of YouTube.

Biking along the beach in Santa Monica/Venice


Mobile advertising? Or road hazard?

Kelly Clarkson recently canceled her summer due to low ticket sales.

The singer has made news recently by firing her manager as well, but hopefully good things are in store for the original American Idol.

No tour, but Never Again is still a great jam in the car.

Clarkson's new CD - My December - is scheduled for release on June 26th, but according to Best Buy, my pre-ordered copy was shipped two days ago.

I went to the So You Think You Can Dance taping earlier tonight and had a great time with my friend Carolyn. I'll try and find a clear shot of both of us on the DVR since we're on TV a bunch, but I have to say that was the longest taping I've ever been to. We arrived at CBS Studios in Hollywood at 2:30 PM and didn't leave until 7:00 PM. In comparison, we reported to American Idol at 3:00 PM and left at 6:00. It was a good show, but I wish that I went to a show a little later in the season where I was a little more attached to the characters. Regardless, it was great to take in the show, even though we didn't get to hear a trademark Mary Murphy scream live.

Amidst pressure and lawsuits regarding picture copyrights, Perez Hilton's (Mario Lavandeira) site is dropped from its main webhost.

The site went dark for a few hours before it went back up under another server. While the lawsuits are clearly bad for PerezHilton.com, it's amazing that he is that much of a big deal.

You have new Picture Mail!

Do I have a favorite couple before I go tomorrow's taping? Why yes I do.

You have new Picture Mail!

Bringing TV to Life. My Internet is down at home, so this is the only way I can post tonight. I'm heading to the So You Think You Can Dance? taping tomorrow!

Don't fall for the online "hitman" scam.

If someone says they're going to kill you unless you give them money, make sure they're real first.

Doctors say sand is more deadly than sharks.

The best quote in this story?

On Martha's Vineyard, lifeguards are instructed to order children and adults out of any hole deeper than a child's waist, and to kick sand in to fill them, Arnold said.

Occasionally, some parents protest. "They'll say 'You're ruining my kids' day!' I say 'I don't care,"' Arnold said.

"I don't care"??

This guy is gangsta.

iPhone sweetens the deal.

Well, at least, the $499 (4GB) and $599 (8GB) deal. While I'm sure the early adopters will be lining up to get their hands on the iPhone, which now features:

"...Significantly longer battery life when it ships on June 29 than was originally estimated when iPhone was unveiled in January. iPhone will feature up to 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback.* In addition, iPhone will feature up to 250 hours—more than 10 days—of standby time. Apple also announced that the entire top surface of iPhone, including its stunning 3.5-inch display, has been upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity."

$499 - $599 of Nerdy Goodness.

Mmmm, optical clarity... stunning display... tempted...but I'm not ready to jump in at least until a 20GB and 40GB, non-buggy iPhone comes out (or something equivalent, inevitably) at the same price down the road.

On June 29th, the iPhone tries to take over the world.

MySpace Minisode Network has Pamela Anderson in VIP.


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Does anyone else feel like VIP was the action-packed version of Ghost Whisperer?

Ghost Whisperer is just an hour long tribute to how hot Jennifer Love Hewitt is, VIP was a tribute to Pamela Anderson's hotness. Finally, the show is immortalized on MySpace in neat little minisodes (thank goodness!).

If I were a ghost, I too, would say I was troubled so I could hang out with JLH too.

Hopefully this post does not result in a bevy of Pamela Anderson sex tape ads running at the top of the screen, but that might be more relevant than the bodyguard training.

Former Yahoo! CEO leaves company with $500 million.

Ousted Yahoo! chief executive Terry Semel pocketed more than half a billion dollars before he was removed from office on Monday.

He made the money from shares and option gains over his six years at the helm. His personal profit works out at a stunning $282,000 a day.

Two hundred and eighty-two thousand dollars. Every day. Including Sunday.

What I would give for one of those Sundays...maybe two...

Google backs development of plug-in electric cars

Fending off the ladies in the plug-in hybrid.

In theory, this is a great idea to get people driving cars that don't depend on fossil fuels, nor pollute the air. Maybe it's the reality loving side of me, but I'm just thinking that....

a) The only people who could own these cars are people with garages because some jackass would inevitably cut your power cord overnight if you lived in an apartment and plugged in, making you late to your job interview, wedding day, etc. It's just Murphy's Law at that point.
b) Unless charging goes really fast, you're not going to be able to go to a "plug-in station" at night if you live in the hood.
c) Neighbors will get into fights when they realize their next door neighbor has been plugging into their outdoor outlets while they're at work.
d) Window rattling sound systems inside the car will become less cool.
e) The plug in cords are going to have to be really, really strong because people are definitely going to rip them out from the outlets by the cord itself, like we were taught NOT to do as children.

Other than that, this is a great idea, but it's just another reason to fuel the infernos of worry about Google taking over the world.

If they take over the world, at least search will be really, really good.

I see that Google Adsense has now decided to send targeted advertisements about lucrative career possibilities as a personal bodyguard to my readers. Wonderful! Obviously, the best place to find huge, intimidating people to study to become bodyguards would be on the website of an undersized Asian who at times struggles to make it on some roller coasters with height requirements. (Yes, I am kidding...)

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Considering I still have a little over a gallon of gas left on an 11 gallon tank, that's pretty good!

MySpace Minisode Network launches on the popular social networking site.

The Minisode Network chops down full episodes of shows into shorter, more web-friendly lengths. The quality is great and the shows are a nice throwback as well.

I was checking out "Who's the Boss?" and couldn't help but notice this in the opening credits.

Bud Wiser? Really?

Touching Equals Detention in One Virginia Area School

Hugging was 13-year-old Hal Beaulieu's crime when he sat next to his girlfriend at lunch a few months ago and put his arm around her shoulder. He was let off with a warning, but the cost of a repeat offense could be detention.

A rule against physical contact at Kilmer Middle School, about 10 miles west of Washington, is so strict that students can be sent to the principal's office for hugging, holding hands or even high-fiving.

"I think hugging is a good thing," said Hal, a seventh-grader. "I put my arm around her. It was like for 15 seconds. I didn't think it would be a big deal."

Hal, I think hugging is a good thing too, bro. What is this, are we living in Demolition Man?

"Be well, Hal Beaulieu."

This is the most playa-hatin' rule I've ever heard of in my life. Put your arm around that secret crush and handle it, homey.

What does the basketball team do to celebrate after games? Do they do the air-high five and "wax on, wax off" like Demolition Man? I remember when middle school was fun.

Australian Helicopter (Black Hawk) Crashes While Trying to Land on Aircraft Carrier



One of the most unreal, yet so real videos that I've seen of late. This video was recently released and it's a chilling reminder of how dangerous so much in the military is and how much of a sacrifice these servicemen make by dedicating their lives to serving their countries.

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Went to the Daily Grill in Brentwood today for the first time. Pretty good! I don't know if food could be more American.

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A reanactment of my shock when I got the email from Billboard.

So we all know that "all Asians look alike," but apparently, all Black people do too!

At least according to some news outlets. ABC News recently accidentally ran a picture of former Washington mayor Marion Barry, who is Black, during a story on Roy Pearson, a Black man suing a dry cleaner for $54 million for losing his pants.

ABC News has since apologized for the error.

This is bad, but is it as bad as this was?

Remember when this took over the Internet?

Jon Stewart to host The Tonight Show?

Maybe, maybe not. Either way, the Peacock is interested.

Would NBC really turn its back on Conan O'Brien, who has long been promised The Tonight Show seat, to let Jon Stewart take over the 11:30 late night spot?

This wouldn't be an ok move in my book, but it's not my money. Personally, I switched over to The Colbert Report months ago from The Daily Show and never looked back. If NBC turns its back on Conan, I have very little doubt that his dedicated fans would do the same.

It really annoys me when people say "more people get their news from Jon Stewart than the evening news."

No, they don't. Less people have cable TV than we think, but in Los Angeles, for some reason people think that the whole world has cable, DVR, and TiVo.

It's just something that people who like to sound "hip and trendy" like to say so that it seems like they're cool.

I just got chosen to be a Moblogger (mobile blogger) for Billboard's Mobile Beat!

I could not be more excited!! Billboard is sending me a cell phone, then hopefully I get some press access to cover summer concerts for them all over the Los Angeles Area.

Thanks again to Ryan for helping me with my photo mashup!

And of course, a big thanks to Rose, who sent me a link and said, "This is so you!"

Now, apparently it is.

Who ever wins these things anyways?? Completely in shock.

ABC World News Tonight versus CBS Evening News - A Comparison

This weekend, I watched Friday broadcasts of both the ABC News and CBS News to see why one (ABC) was the leader, while the other (CBS) is pulling its lowest ratings of all time. Unfortunately, CBS' biggest free agent signing, Katie Couric, was not in the broadcaster's chair this week to go up against current network news leader Charles Gibson.

Primarily, I was interested in seeing how many stories each of the networks had and how many of the stories overlapped between networks. For the stories that were only on one broadcast, I wanted to look at the nature of the story to see if there were differences in the newscasts.

Why did I take the time to do what could essentially be a middle schooler's homework assignment? I don't really know, but I thought it would be interesting.

The Current Champion: ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson (Dun dun dah daaaah!!)

The Lineup:
1) D.A. on Trial - Durham, NC District Attorney Michael Nifong resigns.
2) Trouble in Space - The battle to save the International Space Station's computer systems.
3) Surgery in Space - Astronaut fixing a tear in Space Shuttle Atlantis' insulation.
4) Defense secretary Robert Gates takes a surprise trip to Iraq and says things need to get better.
5) General Peter Pace (former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff) says that he was forced out of his position.
6) Hamas Takeover - Details on recent Palestinian conflicts.
7) Immigration Deal - Immigration reform bills are going back to legislative branch.
8) A Closer Look - Weight Loss Frenzy: Details on "Alli" a new diet drug approved for over the counter sales. Alli stops 25% of fat from being absorbed by the body, but that fat still needs to be "purged," which can lead to "extreme intestinal discomfort" (AKA: "The Runs").
9) ABCNews.com call out.
10) Wall Street numbers.
11) Fathers' Days - Gender roles and gender convergence in America in regards to roles at home.
12) Time Capsule - A brand new 50 year old Plymouth Belvedere was lifted from the ground.
13) Person of the Week: Amanda Dunbar - Story about an artist who has become a philanthropist.
14) ABCNews.com call out.

Bringing up the caboose: CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

1) The Duke Case - Durham, NC District Attorney Michael Nifong resigns (much more dramatic than ABC version).
2) Trouble in Space - The battle to save the International Space Station's computer systems (same story title as ABC? Skeptical about it being produced by either network with original material). Coverage of the Atlantis insulation fix was covered as well.
3) Palestinians Divided - Coverage of the conflict between Hamas and Fatah. Why is this called "Palestinians Divided" on CBS, while ABC calls it a "Hamas Takeover?"
4) Barak - There is a new defense minister in Israel.
5) Robert Gates pays a surprise visit to Iraq.
6) F-16 crashes near Baghdad, soldiers whereabouts unknown.
7) 5 soldiers killed in Kirkut.
8) Toll of War - Mental health problems of soldiers and shortcomings of government to assist with post-traumatic stress disorder.
9) Delayed Delivery - 4,500 pieces of mail dating back to last Spring were not delivered to Walter Reed patients.
10) Convicted - James Ford Seale, a Klansman, is convicted and going to jail.
11) Wall Street numbers.
12) Resignation - Senior justice official resigns.
13) Our Economy - Inflation concerns.
14) % Mortgage Rates - Housing correction is going on and will continue to be relevant.
15) Time Capsule - Plymouth Belvedere is unearthed.
16) Assignment America: Painter with disease sells paintings to sponsor Make a Wish Foundation

I was actually surprised to see how many stories were original to each network because I thought each network was just going to have the same content with a different talking head. CBS' broadcast was much faster paced and even felt rushed at times. The "Eye" had significantly more coverage on the War in Iraq and was overall much more negative than ABC World News Tonight, in terms of the stories it chose to present this past Friday. CBS recently said that it is trying to go with more of a "hard news" format and I wonder if the extensive war coverage and realities of a slumping economy stories come as a result of this change. Interesting that CBS chose not to cover the "Alli" diet drug story while ABC chose to do an extensive feature on it.

What's funny is that both the networks ended with an upbeat, "fluff" story that both happened to be on young, female painters doing philanthropic works for other people. Does anyone else think this is too big a coincidence? Something tells me that there was a leak somewhere and they just tried to one up each other on similar topics. Without Couric in the chair, it's unfair to judge the performance of the anchors, but I was actually a little disappointed in the lack of warmth from Charles Gibson in the ABC broadcast compared to how he was on Good Morning America. The same goes for Couric and it's unfortunate how these morning anchors seem to have the life sucked out of them as soon as they hit the Evening News circuit.

Not to say that Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, and Peter Jennings were huggable stuffed animals on the air, but I always felt like they had a strong identity that went well beyond reading a teleprompter that came through on their broadcasts. Gibson and Couric are both relatively new to being on the Evening News circuit, but I hope they start to find their identities and connect with viewers soon because while I think the news is important, unfortunately, ratings might be more important. The day that there is no network evening news on in the United States would truly be the day when selling out for advertisers might go a little too far.

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Congrats, Azil! Law school awaits!

Flattery by Realtor.

I had an interesting experience and revelation today.

This morning, I went on a run from my apartment, hoping to make it to Beverly Hills. I stopped a little short of where I believe Beverly Hills officially begins (Olympic Boulevard and Beverly Drive) because I was literally on the verge of throwing up because I haven't run in more months that I'm comfortable admitting. As I was walking back, cursing myself for wussing out and not making the last jog down the hill to make it to my goal, I saw an open house sign and decided to walk in - dressed in my basketball shorts I've had since high school, running shoes, and sweaty Intervarsity Christian fellowship t-shirt. Clearly, I looked like I was "in the market" to buy.

Why did I stop? Well, during this run, I decided that I want to buy a house somehow, someway in Beverlywood or Cheviot Hills. I don't know how it's going to happen, but I'm going to try and make it happen. I didn't think I was going to be able to buy a flat panel TV and that happened. I didn't think I was going to be able to afford a new car, and well, after my car got stolen, that had to happen. And now, a house. This goal will take a little bit more planning, time, and cash flow than the others, but it's something to shoot for. I was intimidated by all the BMWs, Lexuses (Lexi?), and Benzes in the driveways, but figured my Scion could one day fit in just fine.

I wandered into this house, which was quite possibly the weirdest layout of a house I've ever seen in my life. Immediately, I thought, "No," but figured I'd walk around anyways because it's not like I had the money to buy and really, being inside a house, out of the sun, while I was trying to catch my breath after my run was a nice break. There were bedrooms on top of bedrooms, a washing machine room right in the middle of the house, no matching floors, no matching paint, two bathrooms that were the polar opposite of each other (with two entrances to each bathroom, a huge pet peeve of mine. People worry if one bathroom door is locked, if you have to think about two, that just makes it even worse). The house was just all bad and it was on the market for $1.2 million. Yikes.

I was greeted by Ron, a Realtor who was sitting in for the day because the regular guy assigned to the house was taking father's day off. We exchanged pleasantries and he echoed some of my comments about the layout of the house. All in all, great guy. What was interesting about our conversation was how it began.

"Are you a doctor?"

"No. Why? Because of my handwriting?" (I thought it might be because I looked so tired after my 2.3 mile run, according to Google Maps)

"Oh, sorry. Do you have your Master's?"

"That I do." (I'm sure he meant MBA, but technically, I still do have one)

"I can tell. You just have that demeanor."

Oh Ron, I know you're trying to flatter me - a 23 year old sweaty kid with eye boogers who randomly walked into a house on a Sunday morning - and I appreciated it. I think not shaving for two days makes me look like I have a Master's. I'm going to look like Castaway pretty soon if this is how people react to me.

Remember to wish your respective fathers a happy father's day today!

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Some sanity and perspective found in SD. Making the all too familiar drive back to LA.

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Best spooning ever.

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Hi Gunny!

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This guy thinks that bumping the same rap song over and over in his Dodge Magnum makes food come faster.