Established A.D. 2000, March 19. Now in our fourth calendar year!
Number 185 (Vol. 4, No. 41). This edition is for the week of October 6--12, 2003.
SMOKIN'! And back online!
Also...
• Governor Ah-nold
• Suicide band aftermath
• The Bucs
• Colorful Payday
• Montecore & Roy |
 The main problems I was having with the XP upgrade to my office computer were quickly resolved over the last couple days when after two weeks of replacing programs and drivers, and uninstalling and reinstalling everything four times over, Corey decided he wanted to rule out the new modem as the cause of our inability to connect to the internet.
Switching out a brand-new Creative Broadxent 56K/V92 Fax/Modem with a three-year-old Generic turned the tide. Neither of us saw that coming, that it could possibly be that because it was a modem "tuned" for XP (V92 vs V90, etc.). The Control Panel showed it perfectly configured. The only problem is it never worked! Now the network connection does work, due to the V92 being replaced with an older, supposedly inferior V90 model. (In all fairness, I used that same "Creative" brand with my old Win98SE machine for over three years with no problems.) Computers will be the death of me yet.
Governor Ah-nold
I had one of those visions last week, you know, the ones where a certain situation happening to you at the moment reminds you of a very similar scene you once saw on television? After I heard all of Arnold Schwarzenegger's "I apologize to all the women I've groped before" speeches, I couldn't help but be reminded of Jimmy Swaggart's fairly similar performance from the '80s:
you remember the televangelist who was caught red-handed with a carload of pornography and a hooker in the passenger seat?
He had to humble himself mightily if he was going to keep his lucractive TV show and ministry.
He went on TV in front of millions of viewers, and giving his all in a near Oscar-winning performance looked skyward and cried, "Oh Lord, I HAVE SINNED!"
Arnold's repeated apologies for feeling up women in his youth, to say nothing about rumors of old family ties to the Nazi party became his battle cry over the last couple weeks as the historic California recall of Gray Davis swung into full bore and reached its climax Tuesday, when Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator himself, was elected Governor of California. To say this case is controversial would be an understatement. No clear opponent could stand aginst him in the end, dubious past behaviors notwithstanding. Is he up to the position? Can he lead a state out of serious debt and other problems and put them back on top? He is certainly surrounded with a small army of political blood to rely on for advice. For some reason, I've always found him to be likable even in his own arrogance, because he seems honest. Maybe in the end, that's what will make the difference.
Suicide band aftermath
The internet site mentioned last week, www.hellonearth.net, that was supposed to host a live suicide last Saturday was attacked by hackers and went down just before showtime. According to Hell On Earth frontman Billy Turtelot, the band had decided to split up the show and the suicide was taking place at a different location than the band's performance was. As of Sunday morning he still didn't know if his friend was alive or dead. Repeated visits to the site revealed a re-direct to a dark-themed sister site, then finally to the City of St. Pete website! I have no idea what actually happened.
THE BUCS
Monday night.....I can't believe it....still doesn't make sense......hard to talk about it. BUCS winning 21--0 at halftime. Still 35--14 towards the end with only 5 minutes left in the game. It ain't over till it's over as [former Bucs' coach Tony Dungy's] Indianapolis Colts come from behind to stomp us 38--35 in overtime. The details are irrelevant right now, you've no doubt all heard it on TV. Once again we set a foolish record--no team in history has scored 21+ points in 4 minutes to win a game. Wonderful. And at a home game. And on Dungy's birthday.
COLORFUL PAYDAY
Thursday may be your payday, or perhaps the more traditional Friday, but whichever, your pay envelope should contain some colorful surprises as the new $20 bill makes its debut. Designed to more aggressively thwart counterfeiters, the multi-colored note also sports new watermarks, an absent frame around Andrew Jackson, and special color shade-changing inks that reflect differently under lights. The $20 bill is the most-counterfeited bank note in America. Overseas, it's the $100 that gets all the attention. Between now and 2005, the $50 and $100 dollar bills will also get the new facelift.
WISHING ROY A SPEEDY RECOVERY
Of course all of us at PCR wish Roy Horn of the Las Vegas staple, Siegfried & Roy, a speedy recovery after being mauled by Montecore, a white tiger appearing with Horn about midway through a show last Friday. Horn is still listed in serious condition, but is slowly improving. Siegfried says they will return to the act as soon as practical, but The Mirage hotel where the show is held decided to suspend production indefinitely affecting some 267 employees.
On NBC Today, Siegfried said apparently the tiger was reacting in some "protective" mode when Roy stumbled during the act, but got confused and violent. Montecore is still quarantined at The Mirage. Minutes after being mauled, Roy was heard to mumble "please don't shoot..or hurt...the cat." Man after my own heart.
Will's TV Picks, Week One by William Moriaty
Last week was the basic debut of the Fall TV season and here's my take on some of the series I discussed in La Fla, issue #182.
Karen Sisco
Looks like Tubbs and Crockett will have to finally step aside and let in the new millenium and "Karen Sisco", a hottie Federal Marshall on ABC at 10 P.M. on Wednesday nights. Unlike the catatonic "CSI Miami", "Karen Sisco" is the best thing to rock Miami since "Miami Vice". Sarasota native Carla Gugino is a knock out whether her sun glasses are on or not. The acting is great and due to its Elmore Leonard roots and Danny DiVito production is wonderfully quirky and fast paced. Much like "Vice", "Karen Sisco" has whats been lacking in Miami based shows for years now - - artistic flair! There's slow motion, good use of color and the intro is a wonderful almost 60's retro graphics piece. Sisc's gots looks, brains and charisma, but appears to be a cellar dweller in the love department.This week's episode will have Agent Sisco protecting two goobers that seem to be right out of a "Joe Dirt" movie paying homage to "Lynrd Skynrd!" The episode will feature DiVito and his wife Rhea Pearlman. This is a nine of ten stars, and definitely the coolest show on TV. Will this make me give up my Sonny Crockett threads? Naaaah! Watch it!
Smallville
This show just gets better and better! Tom Weller's acting abilities are maturing and the story line continues to take turns I'm just not expecting. Clark is now living in Metropolis, shunning his family and love, Lana Lang, back in Smallville, due to the effects of Red Kryptonite and the programming of his biological parents to fulfill his promise of greatness. Lex Luthor was involved in a plane crash, presumed dead, but alive and not so well on a deserted island - - that sure wasn't Tom Hanks he was stuck with! This week will have Jonathan Kent paying Clark a visit in order to bring him back home to Smallville, and his senses. Be prepared to see John Schneider kick some serious Krypton booty. Eight of ten stars. Watch for it on the WB at 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday.
Good Morning Miami
A new night (Tuesday on NBC at 9:30 P.M.), a new boss, and a wait and see attitude. I warmed up to this show last year as it was a cute, light hearted comedy, a little racy at times, but not out of control. This season opened with Jake finally having his way with Dylan and Gavin having his way with Penny ("three times!"). Sadly it seemed to evolve from being good natured to sleezy. In addition the station, has a new smarmy dictatorial wench for a boss. Jake is now thinking of packing (or is that shacking?) up with Dylan and heading up to the Big Apple (so much for Miami). This week's episode will portray this relocation along with their new domicile being the subject of a "Queer Eye for a Straight Guy" visit. I'll give this show a few more chances, but I hope I don't end up having to eighty-six this sucker like I did the abyssmal "CSI Miami". Four stars out of ten.
Friday, October 24, 2003. -- Tampa's original sci-fi experimental band "Strange Agents" (Dr. Mayhem Inc., Agent Orange, and Agent Delirious) will be holding a one night only reunion performance at the gallery opening of "Black Velvet Pelvis, The Speed of Dark" at Covivant Art Gallery, 4906 N. Florida Ave, Tampa Fl., www.covivant.com, from 8pm to midnight. Strange Agents will be performing two sets, the first being "The Grid's Gone Down" a performance art piece, and a second set comprising of classic Strange Agent hits.
Also opening at the gallery are the following: "The Drowning World" oil paintings by local artist Matt Pasquarello.
"The Horrors of War", James Hall's Special Tampa Collection. This is the original collection of paintings that were seen in the Resident's Bad Day on the Midway CD-ROM game from the E.S. Toy Show.
"Faces Of Leigh" Originator of "The Horrors of War", California artist, Leigh Barbier will be exhibiting new works: eyeless doll heads and pencil on paper sketches from the Mothers of Mushroomville series. Barbier has been collaborating with The Residents for the past 15 years, and will be present for the opening reception.
Web page updates:
Bessel Function video added to website:
http://www.strangeagents.com/multimedia.htm
See what Former Presidents are saying about strangeagents.com
http://www.strangeagents.com/prez.htm
View clip of Roast Beef Americana, a short film by Agent Slye:
http://www.strangeagents.com/roastbeef.htm
"Mike's Rant" is ©2003 by Michael A. Smith "Matt's Rail" is ©2003 by Matthew Drinnenberg "La Floridiana" is ©2003 by William Moriaty "This Week's Movie Review" is ©2003 by Michael A. Smith "Ashley's Hollywood" is ©2003 by Ashley Lauren Lewis "Creature's Corner" is ©2003 by John Lewis "Couch Potato Confessions" is ©2003 by Vinnie Blesi "Murder on the Woo Woo Express" is ©2003 by Patty G. Henderson All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2003 by Nolan B. Canova
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