Dwight Howard Taking Flight into Superstardom

Please watch this, it is only 53 seconds long.



Did you see how he THREW the ball in! That's how high he was!

Have a good weekend,
--Luis A.

Scrubs Fate

I've been wondering when and how exactly Scrubs will end its run. Yes, NBC is planning on bringing it back on April 10. However, the show had five episodes already in the can. Therefore, this does not mean that these are meant to be the series finale but just five regular episodes.

Here is where it gets interesting:

Bill Lawrence, creator of Scrubs, was set on shooting four more episodes to give it a proper send off. However, NBC insisted that this would play out on, get this, DVD! Obviously, Lawrence was very upset about this.

Now there are talks that the show will come back for another season of 18 episodes on...ABC! Scrubs is owned by Touchstone, which is owned by ABC. I was really ready to part with this show in May. However, if the show was going to get such a crappy farewell, I'm glad it is coming back. If it does.

Happy Thursday,
--Luis A.

Random Notes

Well, the strike is now officially over as of today. Yes, it ended two weeks ago (?!) but it was formalized today with the ratification of the deal.

Other notes: Yao out for the year. If any year was the Rockets year, this was it. They had won 12 consecutive games.

Also, the Lost fourth season finale is slated for May 22, 10p.m. This is fucking great news. Primarily because I graduate the following day. What a fucking gift.

Happy Free Lunch Wednesday!!
--Luis A.

And the 2008 NBA champions are...

2007-08 Power Rankings: Week 18
RANK (LAST WK) TEAM REC. COMMENT
1 (5) Lakers 39-17 If our new BFFs from The Onion thought it was gutsy a few weeks back when we moved the Lakers from No. 4 to No. 3, what will they say when they see our mea culpa promotion of Kobe and Co. from No. 5 to No. 1?
2 (1) Pistons 41-15 Sunday's clinic in Phoenix almost made you forget dreadful Ls to Orlando and Milwaukee coming out of the break and gave Detroit the rare privilege of being the second straight team to hold the Suns under 90 points.
3 (8) Spurs 37-17 We're not quite sure how you say "snubbed" in Argentinean, but Manu sure seems intent on making West coaches and pundits nationwide feel foolish for leaving him off their real (and pretend) All-Star reserve ballots.

Eat shit, bitch.
--Luis A.

Robinson Crusoe rescues NBC?

A few years ago, ABC was totally hopeless. Then Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, AND Desperate Housewives made ABC the hottest network.

Could Robinson Crusoe be that show for NBC?

For those who don't read Greek, the novel was published on 1719.

For the uninitiated, Robinson Crusoe is the first English novel ever published. It is about a man on an island where weird occurrences transpire. I know, this sounds a lot like Lost. However, I am absolutely psyched about this. Since NBC has done away with pilots, instead opting to send pitches straight into production, Crusoe is a go for the fall. I am seriously interested in seeing what this show looks like.

Parenthetically, this is much the same way I initially felt about Bionic Woman.

Boom. Robinson Crusoe.
--Luis A.

Scene It!

Here is by far my favorite scene of There Will Be Blood...

Oscar Predictions

I'll probably be incorrect on half of these but whatever:

Best Supporting Actress:
Who Should Win: Amy Ryan
Who Will Win: Tilda Swinton

Best Supporting Actor:
Who Should and Will Win: Javier Bardem

Best Actress:
Who Will Win: Julie Christie
Who Should Win: I don't know, since I've only seen Juno, so please.

Best Actor:
Who Should and Will Win: Daniel Day Lewis

Best Director:
Who Should Win: Paul Thomas Anderson
Who Will Win: Joel and Ethan Coen

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Who Should Win: There Will Be Blood
Who Will Win: No Country for Old Men

Best Original Screenplay:
Who Should Win: Ratatouille
Who Will Win: Juno

Best Picture:
Who Should Win: There Will Be Blood
Who Will Win: No Country for Old Men

Basically, I think There Will Be Blood is better than No Country for Old Men, but No Country will sweep the Oscars.

--Luis A.

Battle of greusome precocious twosome

Imagine if Dakota Fanning and Abigail Breslin got into a big argument during the Oscars. Dakota Fanning would say hello to Abigail Breslin and Breslin, surrounded by the press, blinded by the camera flashes, would not hear her. Then, in a moment of fury, Fanning would yell to Breslin, "what, you think you are better than me because you were nominated for an Oscar, bitch?!" "Step off!," Breslin would shout back fearlessly. Then they would get into a bitch fight!

VS.

I'm just saying.

--Luis A.

It appears that we will have 5 more episodes of Lost this season. That is the good news. The great news: we will have a pairing of Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, which will be continued past this season. The other good news is that Scrubs will not end its run on DVD. Instead, we will have 9 episodes to end the season.

Awesome
--Luis A.

Read Below____________

The Strike Is Over: Welcome Back, TV!

I figured I would never see those words. Those words are on the front pages of Variety, Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly and Zap2It, among many, many others, I'm sure!!! I couldn't be happier. Although it had become apparent that the end was eminent, nothing is a sure thing. Also, the strike was suppose to be back way back in November and again in December. Well, it's over, baby. The WGA voted 92.5% to end the strike (well, more precisely, voted yes on the proposed contract).

(My TV has been repaired)

News are already coming out about how this will impact the shows we all love. The main show I am concerned about is Lost. Carlton Cuse already gave an interview to TVGuide where he said that Lost will be filming five more episodes. He said that since they had a story arc in mind for this season, they will cram in 8 episodes in 5. This could be a good thing and a bad thing: good since the episodes are more exciting, and bad since it might be too much. He also said that after this current run of eight episodes, the show will take a 4 week respite and then come back with the final five. I am so glad that, as it has been for the last three years, the Lost finale will close out the season.

Obviously, I couldn't be happier by all of this!
--Luis A.

Winehouse dominates Grammy's, almost.

Amy Winehouse almost pulled off yesterday what has only been done once in Grammy's history, and that is win the four major awards: New Artist, Best Record, Best Song, and Best Album. She didn't win the last one. Whatever. The Grammy's are famous for pulling this shit. A few years back, Eminem, Radiohead, and Beck were nominated and Steely Dan (?!) won! Bullshit. Similarly, when U2 was nominated for All That You Can't Leave Behind, it lost to Oh Brother Where Art Thou? Again, the Grammy's being old.

Anywho, here is a picture of my latest fascination:

I love you, Amy...
--Luis A.

At long last, a strike chart you can get excited about!

With an end to the three-month-old WGA strike imminent (yay!), the networks have quietly begun outlining plans to salvage what's left of the current TV season. At the same time, I've been quietly picking at my moles to get a preview of those plans — the results of which appear in chart form below.

(Obviously, I left out only the ones I care about and the ones you care about. Oh yeah, please read what it says for what was the most hyped new show of the season, Bionic Woman. Pretty pathetic. Almost as pathetic as Giuliani. Almost.)

24

Expected to return this fall or January '09.

30 Rock

Expected to shoot 5 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May.

Bionic Woman

No new episodes expected. Ever.

Chuck

No new episodes until fall.

CSI

Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

Desperate Housewives

Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May.

Dirty Sexy Money

No new episodes planned until fall; three remaining pre-strike episodes will undergo some tweaking and kick off fall run.

Everybody Hates Chris

Twelve pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season.

Friday Night Lights

No new episodes expected for this season. Future TBD.

Grey's Anatomy

Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May

Heroes

TBD.

How I Met Your Mother

Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

House

Expected to shoot 4 to 6 new episodes to air in April/May.

Lost

Six pre-strike episodes remain. Six additional episodes could air this season.

My Name Is Earl

Expected to shoot 8 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May.

The New Adventures of Old Christine

Seven pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected this season.

The Office

Expected to shoot 5 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May.

Pushing Daisies

No new episodes until fall.

Scrubs

Four pre-strike episodes remain. Four additional episodes will likely be shot; unclear whether they'll air on NBC or go straight to DVD.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Five pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

Ugly Betty

Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May.

Have a great Friday!
--Luis A.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Dies at 91

The Indian guru who introduced the Beatles to Transcendental Meditation passed away at his home in the Netherlands on Tuesday

Awesome article from the AP that concisely gives you were the two Dems. stand. I purposely left McCain's position so that you can see how much of a lib. he really is. Oh yeah, I cut out Huckabee and the Romster because they stand for a mentality that is very much aligned with the Bush camp. In fact, if the Romster wins, we are all fucked.

Candidates on the Issues

By CALVIN WOODWARD – 10 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The stands of these 2008 presidential candidates on a selection of issues: New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, Democrats; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Republicans.

___

ABORTION: Favor abortion rights?

Clinton: Yes.

Obama: Yes.

McCain: No. Says Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

ECONOMIC STIMULUS:

A $161 billion package worked out by President Bush and lawmakers would provide tax rebates of up to $600 a worker or $1,200 a working couple, plus $300 a child. The package passed the House and is pending in the Senate, where some want to expand it.

Clinton: $110 billion stimulus, including $40 billion in tax rebates of $250 for low- and middle-income taxpayers.

Obama: $250 rebates to low and middle-income earners and $250 bonuses to Social Security recipients.

McCain: Cut corporate tax to 25 percent, let companies expense investments in equipment and technology in year of purchase instead of spread out.

EDUCATION:

Clinton: $10 billion for universal preschool. More money for special education. Opposes performance-based merit pay for teachers, favors incentives for teachers who work in places and on subjects where shortages exist. Supported No Child Left Behind accountability law but says it has not been properly financed or run, and should be replaced. $10,000 higher education scholarships for all who engage in national service full-time for a year. Raise value of tuition tax credit to a maximum $3,500 from $1,650. :

Obama: Encourage but not require universal pre-kindergarten programs, expand teacher mentoring programs and reward teachers with higher pay not tied to standardized test scores, in $18 billion plan to be paid for in part by delaying elements of moon and Mars missions. Change No Child Left Behind "so that we're not just teaching to a test and crowding out programs like art and music." Tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of college expenses for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year.

McCain: Favors parental choice of schools, including vouchers for private schools when approved by local officials, and right of parents to choose home schooling. More money for community college education.

GAY MARRIAGE: Prohibit it with constitutional amendment?

Clinton: No.

Obama: No.

McCain: No.

GLOBAL WARMING:

Clinton: $150 billion, 10-year energy package, including $50 billion "strategic energy fund" to develop new sources of fuel, to be paid for by eliminating tax subsidies for oil companies. Tougher fuel efficiency standards financed in part by $20 billion in "green vehicle bonds." Backed stringent caps on greenhouse gas emissions.

Obama: Ten-year, $150 billion program to produce "climate friendly" energy supplies that he'd pay for with a carbon auction requiring businesses to bid competitively for the right to pollute. Joined McCain in sponsoring legislation that would set mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions. Supports tougher fuel efficiency standards.

McCain: Led Senate effort to cap greenhouse gas emissions; favors tougher fuel efficiency.

GUN CONTROL:

Clinton: Voted for ban on assault-type weapons and to require background checks at gun shows. Favored leaving gun-makers and dealers open to civil suits. Also, in 2000 supported proposals for a federal requirement for state-issued photo gun licenses, as well as a national registry for handgun sales.

Obama: Voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to suit. Also, as Illinois state lawmaker, supported ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms.

McCain: Voted against ban on assault-type weapons, but in favor of requiring background checks at gun shows. Voted to shield gun-makers and dealers from civil suits.

HEALTH INSURANCE:

Clinton: Mandatory universal coverage in first term. Tax credits for working families to make insurance more affordable — ensuring premiums do not exceed a percentage of income. Business would be required to offer insurance to employees or pay into a pool for people without it. Expand Medicare and federal employees' health insurance plan to cover those without adequate workplace insurance. Raise taxes on wealthier families to help pay estimated cost of $110 billion a year. Also, raise taxes on a portion of "very generous" plans covering people making more than $250,000.

Obama: Mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for all. Aim for universal coverage by requiring employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal employees. Says package would cost up to $65 billion a year after unspecified savings from making system more efficient. Raise taxes on wealthier families to pay the cost.

McCain: $2,500 refundable tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for families, to make health insurance more affordable. No mandate for universal coverage. In gaining the tax credit, workers could not deduct the portion of their workplace health insurance paid by their employers.

IMMIGRATION: Support legal status for illegal aliens?

Clinton: Voted for 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship, and supported border fence.

Obama: Voted for 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens; backed border fence.

McCain: Sponsored 2006 bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S., work and apply to become legal residents after learning English, paying fines and back taxes and clearing a background check. Now says he would secure the border first. Supports border fence.

IRAQ:

Clinton: Voted for war, opposed troop increase, has not committed to withdrawal timetable.

Obama: "Our combat troops out within 16 months." Opposed troop increase, spoke against war at start.

McCain: Opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal, saying latest strategy is succeeding. Supported decision to go to war, but was early critic of the manner in which administration prosecuted it. Key backer of the troop increase.

SOCIAL SECURITY:

Clinton: Noncommittal on raising the $97,500 income cap on Social Security. Proposes a federal match of up to $1,000 per person to help people set up 401(k) plans in program costing $25 billion a year, to be paid for by freezing the estate tax at 2009 levels.

Obama: Proposes raising cap with an unspecified "small adjustment" that would subject a portion of higher incomes to Social Security taxes.

McCain: Would consider "almost anything" as part of a compromise to save Social Security, yet rules out higher payroll taxes for now.

STEM CELL RESEARCH: Relax restrictions on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research?

Clinton: Yes.

Obama: Yes.

McCain: Yes.

TAXES:

Clinton: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and keep estate tax on them. Higher tax breaks for college. Also, would tax a portion of health insurance benefits provided to workers making more than $250,000. $1 billion paid family leave program to be financed by eliminating some tax shelters.

Obama: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and their capital gains and dividends taxes. Raise corporate taxes. $80 billion in tax breaks mainly for poor workers and elderly, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credit for larger families. Eliminate tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000. A mortgage-interest credit could be used by lower-income homeowners who do not take the mortgage interest deduction because they do not itemize their taxes.

McCain: Twice opposed Bush's tax cuts, at first because he said they were tilted to the wealthiest and again because of the unknown costs of Iraq war. Now says those tax cuts, expiring in 2010, should be permanent. Proposes cutting corporate tax rate to 25 percent.

TRADE:

Clinton: Seek to reopen North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards.

Obama: Seek to reopen NAFTA to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards.

McCain: Free trade advocate.

Under Watchful Eyes
The AC Nielsen numbers are in, and in terms of viewership, Giants-Patriots was the M*A*S*H finale of Super Bowls. The best of the most-watched matchups:
Most viewers, Super Bowl history


Millions
XLII (2008)
Giants-Patriots
97.5
XXX (1996)
Cowboys-Steelers
94.08
XLI (2007)
Colts-Bears
93.18
XX (1986)
Bears-Patriots
92.57
XXVII (1993)
Cowboys-Bills
90.99

Super Giant Win!!!

An improbable win largely aided by this improbable catch helped the Giants pull a surprising win over the not-anymore-undefeated New England Patriots.

Eli Manning Superbowl XLII MVP

--Luis A.

Barack N' Roll

“The time to fix our broken immigration system is now… We need stronger enforcement on the border and at the workplace… But for reform to work, we also must respond to what pulls people to America… Where we can reunite families, we should. Where we can bring in more foreign-born workers with the skills our economy needs, we should”

— Barack Obama, Statement on U.S. Senate Floor, May 23, 2007