Greeen! It's a great idea, but do they really need to combine it with having the models pick the material? If they had given the designers more time, maybe they could have dyed hemp in interesting colors instead of shiny baby poop brown. At least we get to see more of the models -- they're usually so anonymous. Last season they were really lousy.
Stella is the biggest whiner. Actually the whole group is whiny.
Stella: "Whine, whine, whine, whiiiiine, urban, whine." At the beginning of the last show, Stella, didn't you say you wanted to break out of your leather mold? So much for that. "More whine."
Oooo, Blayne, you are so not funny. Darthalicious, ark, ark ark. How many nights did you stay up thinking about that lame line?
Suede likes to talk in third person. Moo finds it very annoying. So does prime human, Lou. Leanne is so funny. Now I'm cheering for Leanne even though I can' tell her from Jennifer, Emily or Kennley. "Leanne likes Suede but Suede needs to stop talking in third person." Too true.
Tim is giving cogent advice again, but I'm not seeing the charm of Suede's creation. And Leanne is getting a loser edit. Whenever someone disregards Tim's advice it's the harbinger of doom.
I hate to admit it but the leather exchange between Steeeellaaaa and Blayne was amusing. The first time Blayne was being real. He's still too orange.
Tim is being drill sergeant again. Is he impatient with this crew?
Jerrell was funny: team ugly brown fabric was an amusing observe.
Just about every dress was short, short, short. Guess models aren't good at estimating fabric needs.
I loved Terri's dress and I can't believe she once more was ignored by the judges. Hope it's a Michael Knight thing.
New words to live by: Shiny tight and short is the quickest way to look cheap.
OK Suede's turned out better than I expected, so Tim showed his unerring eye. I liked Kennley's much better. And I don't understand why Whinella is up there.
Poor Korte. Nina loved her so much last week and now she's so disappointed. Wesley "shorts" dress looks pretty hideous. It looks badly sewn, so maybe Leanne will live to see another day.
Ick Suede won. Third person talk will rule for another episode. But he was sweet to Korte when she came back.
Leanne looks 16 as Heidi tells her her outfit looked like a school project.
Poor Wesley. He did look as though he had potential, but oh well.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Jury Duty Part II
Was just describing this to S. I said being a juror was like playing blindman's buff. That's exactly how I felt. Or the blind men with the elephant.
Jury Duty
So after 10 years of living in DC and being called for jury duty, the last two times, I actually got put on trials.
And based on those two experiences, I have to say there must be a lot of questionable lawyers in DC. The first case was someone who refused to move out of a house that was foreclosed and bought by someone else. The buyer sued the previous owner to evacuate the premises. The case left us jurors with more questions than answers. We ended up voting to evict the previous owner, but the new owner's attorney certainly didn't completely settle our questions. And if the previous owner had a better attorney, he may well have won. Or maybe lawyers in civil cases are so busy obfuscating the facts that they leave jurors full of contempt. Maybe the guy didn't have a case.
Now, this second case. A slip and fall. It ended up settled, so the jury didn't have to do a thing. Lucky for everyone. The case was pathetic. The cement stairs crumbled underneath the guy as he came down them and he broke his leg. Then he suffered an infection and had to have his leg amputated. The defense tried to throw up smoke screens. The man didn't have a great relationship with the mother of his children and they had lots of arguments. She swore out a warrant for his arrest, so the guy was dodging the police by going down those stairs. They also threw in the remote possibility he might be drunk. And that it was not well lit. They even questioned why he didn't come straight down the hill instead of using the stairs (because there was a 10-foot retaining wall. did they even do their homework?!) The question still remained: did the stair crumble? Pictures were taken, but we weren't shown them. And despite his possible shadiness, the fact remained: if the stairs were in bad shape, the victim could have been a 10-year-old running down them and having them crumble. So did they crumble? That's what we wanted to know.
The witnesses, including the plaintiff himself, were ill-prepared. The one witness we would have liked to have seen was only on videotape. Actually they should have had other witnesses, such as, oh, a building inspector, research on DC codes, etc.
The defense appeared not to have any witnesses. Not that we knew because they never presented. We spent more time staring at the walls in the jury room than in the courtroom. After the plaintiff rested, we erupted in the jury room with whaaaat the -----???? One very funny juror said, "I could have done a better job."
But we still felt sympathy for the guy and may very well have ruled in his favor, depending on the defense. But it wouldn't be because of his attorneys, who clearly did as little preparation as possible. It didn't even seem as though they had the plaintiff -- or his relatives -- review their own damned depos.
OTOH, I have to say the courtroom staff, judge and clerk, were wonderful in both cases. I rather thought the judge in this case was trying very hard to keep his temper in check. The previous case's judge was marvelously patient with the ineptitude. I wonder how much time these judges have to spend working through incomplete, shoddily put together cases.
And both juries I served on were full of amazingly smart people. It gave me faith in the people who actually serve on these things.
So if it isn't ineptitude, if it is just plain trying to hide facts from the jurors, dear personal injury attorneys, you're causing citizens to lose respect for you and your profession.
And based on those two experiences, I have to say there must be a lot of questionable lawyers in DC. The first case was someone who refused to move out of a house that was foreclosed and bought by someone else. The buyer sued the previous owner to evacuate the premises. The case left us jurors with more questions than answers. We ended up voting to evict the previous owner, but the new owner's attorney certainly didn't completely settle our questions. And if the previous owner had a better attorney, he may well have won. Or maybe lawyers in civil cases are so busy obfuscating the facts that they leave jurors full of contempt. Maybe the guy didn't have a case.
Now, this second case. A slip and fall. It ended up settled, so the jury didn't have to do a thing. Lucky for everyone. The case was pathetic. The cement stairs crumbled underneath the guy as he came down them and he broke his leg. Then he suffered an infection and had to have his leg amputated. The defense tried to throw up smoke screens. The man didn't have a great relationship with the mother of his children and they had lots of arguments. She swore out a warrant for his arrest, so the guy was dodging the police by going down those stairs. They also threw in the remote possibility he might be drunk. And that it was not well lit. They even questioned why he didn't come straight down the hill instead of using the stairs (because there was a 10-foot retaining wall. did they even do their homework?!) The question still remained: did the stair crumble? Pictures were taken, but we weren't shown them. And despite his possible shadiness, the fact remained: if the stairs were in bad shape, the victim could have been a 10-year-old running down them and having them crumble. So did they crumble? That's what we wanted to know.
The witnesses, including the plaintiff himself, were ill-prepared. The one witness we would have liked to have seen was only on videotape. Actually they should have had other witnesses, such as, oh, a building inspector, research on DC codes, etc.
The defense appeared not to have any witnesses. Not that we knew because they never presented. We spent more time staring at the walls in the jury room than in the courtroom. After the plaintiff rested, we erupted in the jury room with whaaaat the -----???? One very funny juror said, "I could have done a better job."
But we still felt sympathy for the guy and may very well have ruled in his favor, depending on the defense. But it wouldn't be because of his attorneys, who clearly did as little preparation as possible. It didn't even seem as though they had the plaintiff -- or his relatives -- review their own damned depos.
OTOH, I have to say the courtroom staff, judge and clerk, were wonderful in both cases. I rather thought the judge in this case was trying very hard to keep his temper in check. The previous case's judge was marvelously patient with the ineptitude. I wonder how much time these judges have to spend working through incomplete, shoddily put together cases.
And both juries I served on were full of amazingly smart people. It gave me faith in the people who actually serve on these things.
So if it isn't ineptitude, if it is just plain trying to hide facts from the jurors, dear personal injury attorneys, you're causing citizens to lose respect for you and your profession.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Project Runway 5.1
So it begins, the final season on Bravo -- and I'm soooo worried about the move to Lifetime. You know it might not be so bad to move to LA or Lifetime because apparently it's trying to become more hip. But the Magical Elves won't be involved and some reality tv producer who is more known for sleeze is taking over. So I'm not optimistic. And the darlings over at Project Rungay report a vile rumor about the finale judge that, if true, is a big giant FU to Weinstein.
On to the show.
I didn't take notes, so some of the designers are a blur -- especially since Bravo kept them under wraps until Monday. But of the designers not in the top 3 or bottom 3, I was impressed with Terri and her mop crochet, the woman who made the paper towel dress, and the married guy with the pasta dress. The married guy I think of as Kevin II -- straight and bearded. The paper towel dress girl I couldn't identify in a police lineup. All those little twentysomething girls became a big blur.
They could have made a triple elimination and I wouldn't protest. All three designs were h-i-d-e-o-u-s. I felt for Jerry...but those gloves, those galoshes, that gauze. Stella was pretty defeatist. If she spent as much time in her design as she did futzing about the trash bags, she might have done something cool. And Blayne is tiresome -- and tangerine orange. As Robin Givhan of the WashPost said, he's Christian without the talent. Heidi was right. Butt ugly.
Of the finalists, I thought Koti (sp?) made the final three because she actually used produce. I loved Daniel's innovation and thought he pulled it off really well. Kelly's -- loved the skirt, hated the top. Have to say that I was wowed by the back and the way she used notebook clasps as her hooks. That was innovative. Either one winning was fine. Was it me, or was Nina less...incisive this time?
Overall, a good intro, except there are just too many designers.
On to the show.
I didn't take notes, so some of the designers are a blur -- especially since Bravo kept them under wraps until Monday. But of the designers not in the top 3 or bottom 3, I was impressed with Terri and her mop crochet, the woman who made the paper towel dress, and the married guy with the pasta dress. The married guy I think of as Kevin II -- straight and bearded. The paper towel dress girl I couldn't identify in a police lineup. All those little twentysomething girls became a big blur.
They could have made a triple elimination and I wouldn't protest. All three designs were h-i-d-e-o-u-s. I felt for Jerry...but those gloves, those galoshes, that gauze. Stella was pretty defeatist. If she spent as much time in her design as she did futzing about the trash bags, she might have done something cool. And Blayne is tiresome -- and tangerine orange. As Robin Givhan of the WashPost said, he's Christian without the talent. Heidi was right. Butt ugly.
Of the finalists, I thought Koti (sp?) made the final three because she actually used produce. I loved Daniel's innovation and thought he pulled it off really well. Kelly's -- loved the skirt, hated the top. Have to say that I was wowed by the back and the way she used notebook clasps as her hooks. That was innovative. Either one winning was fine. Was it me, or was Nina less...incisive this time?
Overall, a good intro, except there are just too many designers.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Battle Star Galactica Finale 08
Hmmm. I didn't get a good glimpse but...was that the Jefferson Memorial? or something else.
The way to earth -- don't think these guys know. Are the cylons in for a big sorry surprise. Dream on Anders.
So Tory wants to give in to her cylon feelings. also, surprise, surprise.
So who is number 5? and why does D'Anna know there's only four? and what does it mean that she's been in communication?
And this really is the last eppy until 2009. Dang.
This is the Tory bitch we saw who killed Callie. I'm just a wee bit bummed that it's the lone female cylon who fully embraces her dark side.
o.my. eru. what does this mean about Kara?
I have to say, Tighe is cool beyond words. Airlock them? That'll learn D'Anna. hah! Will Bill go along? Will Anders and Chief? And Tighe sounded so proud of it. The teeth gritting of Adama wasn't in reaction to Tighe confessing and him attacking. Then again Tighe gives in pretty quickly on giving the names of the other cylons.
And Baltar is being a good guy?!!! Of course using his b.s. artistry. I mean last week he even tried to convert a centurion and that was pretty hilarious. He's definitely my favorite character because of all his sleezy survivalist glory.
These three fracking cylons gave us earth. Tighe shows some suicidal tendencies, doesn't he? And actually some good acting because Anders and Chief also look relieved to be found out.
And Lee is acting pretty presidential.
So all the celebration and there has to be a catch. A nuclear winter? is this really earth?
The way to earth -- don't think these guys know. Are the cylons in for a big sorry surprise. Dream on Anders.
So Tory wants to give in to her cylon feelings. also, surprise, surprise.
So who is number 5? and why does D'Anna know there's only four? and what does it mean that she's been in communication?
And this really is the last eppy until 2009. Dang.
This is the Tory bitch we saw who killed Callie. I'm just a wee bit bummed that it's the lone female cylon who fully embraces her dark side.
o.my. eru. what does this mean about Kara?
I have to say, Tighe is cool beyond words. Airlock them? That'll learn D'Anna. hah! Will Bill go along? Will Anders and Chief? And Tighe sounded so proud of it. The teeth gritting of Adama wasn't in reaction to Tighe confessing and him attacking. Then again Tighe gives in pretty quickly on giving the names of the other cylons.
And Baltar is being a good guy?!!! Of course using his b.s. artistry. I mean last week he even tried to convert a centurion and that was pretty hilarious. He's definitely my favorite character because of all his sleezy survivalist glory.
These three fracking cylons gave us earth. Tighe shows some suicidal tendencies, doesn't he? And actually some good acting because Anders and Chief also look relieved to be found out.
And Lee is acting pretty presidential.
So all the celebration and there has to be a catch. A nuclear winter? is this really earth?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Top Chef 4 Finale
Will the wicked witch die? Will a woman finally win TC? Will Richard Blais plow determinedly to win not just a car but 100K?
We find out! What is Gail shocked that Richard says?
Yeah, you sure did get here by the skin of your teeth, Ms Lisa "Wendy Pepper" Fernandes!
Eric Ripert, I love Eric Ripert. Anthony Bourdain throws his name around a lot. I just like looking at him.
If April of Spotted Pig is who I think it is, she's a hero to other chefs...according to Bourdain, again, and I think Heat.
Smart girl, Stephanie. Eric Reeepaaare looks as though he's gaining weight, though. Obviously not going out and dancing to techno music to all hours of the night (per Bourdain -- hey I just got through reading a book of his, so I am going to be quoting him heavily.)
Yeah, Lisa, what a professional. Can only cook when you're happy.
Oh, ugh. I'm really going to hate it if Lisa brings on her game at the finale after fracking up all season long. C'mon, guys, this is Top Chef and unless her food is all that much better, she hasn't shown herself much of a leader!
And I hate that the show has manipulated me into hating her so bad.
Uh, oh, the other shoe drops. No more celeb sous chef.
Shite, Lisa is getting the winner's edit. Won't be watching repeats again if she is.
Steph is so getting the loser's edit. ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh don't know if I can continue watching.
Shew. Steph wins the first round. Richard went back to his overcomplicated stuff.
Uh oh. Lisa's getting lots of praise.
uh oh. Steph's leeks bad.
Richard looks like he's coming in third.
Steph's getting lots of praise for dish 3. Richard is definitely number 3. depends on dessert!
Richard is doing something he's done before...
It's definitely between Steph and Lisa. Pleeeeeeeeaaaase not Lisa! I disliked Tiffani but I'd vote for her way before Lisa. Whatever you could say, she was very talented.
Shite, if they think Lisa took the first, then she's won. heck, hades, hack,
Lisa's winning, that's obvious. don't know why they're dragging it out.
There will be rotten tomatoes flung at Bravo if they're coming to the decision they are obviously coming to. So why the hell did they give her such a villain edit since they knew she was going to win? It's more fun to have the controversial person win? Taking Hung to the next degree? You know, even though he was a donkeyhole, he so obviously loves being a chef that no one really minded him winning. Everyone will mind Lisa winning.
Oh, thank Eru. The editors were playing with us. Stephanie wins!!! yay!!! Her dessert must not have been that bad. I bet we'll see interviews with Lisa tomorrow saying she wuz robbed. The female version of Harold, the highest class person who won consistently, earned the Title of Top Chef.
We find out! What is Gail shocked that Richard says?
Yeah, you sure did get here by the skin of your teeth, Ms Lisa "Wendy Pepper" Fernandes!
Eric Ripert, I love Eric Ripert. Anthony Bourdain throws his name around a lot. I just like looking at him.
If April of Spotted Pig is who I think it is, she's a hero to other chefs...according to Bourdain, again, and I think Heat.
Smart girl, Stephanie. Eric Reeepaaare looks as though he's gaining weight, though. Obviously not going out and dancing to techno music to all hours of the night (per Bourdain -- hey I just got through reading a book of his, so I am going to be quoting him heavily.)
Yeah, Lisa, what a professional. Can only cook when you're happy.
Oh, ugh. I'm really going to hate it if Lisa brings on her game at the finale after fracking up all season long. C'mon, guys, this is Top Chef and unless her food is all that much better, she hasn't shown herself much of a leader!
And I hate that the show has manipulated me into hating her so bad.
Uh, oh, the other shoe drops. No more celeb sous chef.
Shite, Lisa is getting the winner's edit. Won't be watching repeats again if she is.
Steph is so getting the loser's edit. ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh don't know if I can continue watching.
Shew. Steph wins the first round. Richard went back to his overcomplicated stuff.
Uh oh. Lisa's getting lots of praise.
uh oh. Steph's leeks bad.
Richard looks like he's coming in third.
Steph's getting lots of praise for dish 3. Richard is definitely number 3. depends on dessert!
Richard is doing something he's done before...
It's definitely between Steph and Lisa. Pleeeeeeeeaaaase not Lisa! I disliked Tiffani but I'd vote for her way before Lisa. Whatever you could say, she was very talented.
Shite, if they think Lisa took the first, then she's won. heck, hades, hack,
Lisa's winning, that's obvious. don't know why they're dragging it out.
There will be rotten tomatoes flung at Bravo if they're coming to the decision they are obviously coming to. So why the hell did they give her such a villain edit since they knew she was going to win? It's more fun to have the controversial person win? Taking Hung to the next degree? You know, even though he was a donkeyhole, he so obviously loves being a chef that no one really minded him winning. Everyone will mind Lisa winning.
Oh, thank Eru. The editors were playing with us. Stephanie wins!!! yay!!! Her dessert must not have been that bad. I bet we'll see interviews with Lisa tomorrow saying she wuz robbed. The female version of Harold, the highest class person who won consistently, earned the Title of Top Chef.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Top Chef finale Part I
Loved the steak eppy in previous season and I wish they had had more challenges like that this season. There were waaaaay too many team challenges this season. I noticed that with Project Runway as well. And I learned something about scallops. And my second least-favorite person left. Didn't like Dale either, but did believe he deserved to be in final four. I can't believe Lisa is there.
Lisa looks better with short hair. Puerto Rico is getting some great free advertising. I love plantains, so cool challenge. Wow, Stephanie has never won a QF before?! She's won so many elimination challenges.
Richard made one of his rare catty remarks and it came back to bite him in the patootie. I don't know all that much about plantains, but I kinda think you are supposed to cook them, so definitely a mistake on Richard's part.
Oo, Richard is being v. negative. I thought the producers pulled a nasty trick on the cheftestants by having their sous chefs go buy the produce while they butcher. I think if I were Richard, I'd rather have Spike do the butchering.
Dale is a flake. Forgetting to put away pork belly? of course, Steph should have checked on him. but what a professional. Instead of assigning blame (Lisa, cough, cough) she works through it. I hope that works.
Rice seems to be the bane of everyone's existence.
Please, please, please let Lisa be the one that goes home. My peeps are Steph and Blais though. People like to make fun of him because he's a total dork and he's been uncharacteristically bad-mouthy, but overall he's been pretty classy. So has Stephanie. Had she been Spike, she would have paired Dale with Lisa, Richard with Nikki. I think she must have forgotten about the clash between Lisa and Andrew, was probably trying to avoid clashes. Then again, Dale was the best of the losers. How did Nikki make it that far again?
Yay! the rumors aren't true about Richard getting eliminated! yay!
I wish they had had more judge discussion about winners because you didn't get any real sense of what they liked and didn't. that actually has been a problem all season long.
Lisa has the bouncer defensive look again.
She's from South Florida? Really?
Heck, it's looking grim for Antonia. No more Lisa!
The question is will Antonia's undercooked beans and undersophisticated cooking send her home or will Lisa's panoply of mistakes?? argh.
Ack, ick, bleh, yuck, pooey. It's like Wendy Pepper of Top Chef is in the final three.
Addendum: Lisa, you are a sore, sore, sore winner. I hope you go down in flames.
Lisa looks better with short hair. Puerto Rico is getting some great free advertising. I love plantains, so cool challenge. Wow, Stephanie has never won a QF before?! She's won so many elimination challenges.
Richard made one of his rare catty remarks and it came back to bite him in the patootie. I don't know all that much about plantains, but I kinda think you are supposed to cook them, so definitely a mistake on Richard's part.
Oo, Richard is being v. negative. I thought the producers pulled a nasty trick on the cheftestants by having their sous chefs go buy the produce while they butcher. I think if I were Richard, I'd rather have Spike do the butchering.
Dale is a flake. Forgetting to put away pork belly? of course, Steph should have checked on him. but what a professional. Instead of assigning blame (Lisa, cough, cough) she works through it. I hope that works.
Rice seems to be the bane of everyone's existence.
Please, please, please let Lisa be the one that goes home. My peeps are Steph and Blais though. People like to make fun of him because he's a total dork and he's been uncharacteristically bad-mouthy, but overall he's been pretty classy. So has Stephanie. Had she been Spike, she would have paired Dale with Lisa, Richard with Nikki. I think she must have forgotten about the clash between Lisa and Andrew, was probably trying to avoid clashes. Then again, Dale was the best of the losers. How did Nikki make it that far again?
Yay! the rumors aren't true about Richard getting eliminated! yay!
I wish they had had more judge discussion about winners because you didn't get any real sense of what they liked and didn't. that actually has been a problem all season long.
Lisa has the bouncer defensive look again.
She's from South Florida? Really?
Heck, it's looking grim for Antonia. No more Lisa!
The question is will Antonia's undercooked beans and undersophisticated cooking send her home or will Lisa's panoply of mistakes?? argh.
Ack, ick, bleh, yuck, pooey. It's like Wendy Pepper of Top Chef is in the final three.
Addendum: Lisa, you are a sore, sore, sore winner. I hope you go down in flames.
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