Wednesday, September 21, 2011

New Fall TV Shows; “The Ringer.” Should be disconnected, “The Secret Circle,” Puts a spell on you.

   Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to TV after starring on “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” for 7 seasons. Unfortunately she has decided to return to TV in the badly written snore fest titled “The Ringer.” SMG plays sisters, one rich, one poor-all bore. Basically the poor one takes over for the rich when the rich pretends she’s dead. The poor one was a hooker/stripper and is running from the mob but is the “nice and sweet one” (who was her pimp, Mr. Rogers?) also wasted is the great Nestor Carbonell from “Lost” (who has better eyelashes than any Maybelline chick in a commercial) Carbonell isn’t given much to do but look bewildered and stare at papers most of the shows.

Geller is miscast here and it painfully shows; though she plays twins, Geller plays the roles boringly the same with the only difference being outfit changes; lame; you'd think she would sass it up as the sleezy one, but no. Catching up with the show as of 2012 shows they have at least givin Geller a blonder wig to play the slutty, or is that nutty twin?

In the end I have to say who cares about any of it. This show will go down faster than Dina Lohan after the bar is closed; I look forward to the next great thing SMG does; she deserves better. If you’re out of Ambien try watching “The Ringer.”


I have to say I’m never been a fan of TV shows starring a bunch of generic teenagers who all look alike, so I was apprehensive in watching the pilot for “The Secret Circle.” To my surprise “Circle” is fun, interesting and highly watchable, unlike The Ringer; you care about these characters and want to find out what happens next.

Unlike most youth centered shows “Circle” has fresh faces that do more than pout through their scenes. “Cassie Blake’s” mother dies under mysterious circumstances so she returns to her mother’s hometown, and finds out she is a witch with secret powers; she must stay in a witch’s coven to protect herself from various baddies, one being the great Gale Howard, who gives nasty a new name.

As of 2012 the show is still good; of course there is a stupid storyline with one of the twink witches going to a psychic (a cute psychis at that but corny) Also great was seeing Stepfanie Kramer from "Hunter" fame, pop up as sexy-maybe bad-maybe good witch grandma (The Secret Garden has the hottest looking parents and grannies you've ever seen on TV)

If “Circle” can keep up the twist and turns it will have a permanent place in my DVR, and my nightmares.

The Ringer airs Tuesday’s @ 9: pm on CW

The Secret Circle airs Thursday’s @ 9: pm on CW

Update: May 2012. Both shows were cancelled after just one season.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Like Apple Juice? Like The Arsenic That’s In It?

   Recent product safety tests commissioned by the New York consumer advocacy group, Empire State Consumer Project, showed high ass levels of arsenic in a sample of Mott’s brand apple juice to be more than 5 times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s legal limit for safe drinking water. Apple juice, a favorite of many, is especially given to children and the very old; so if we don’t kill you when you’re a baby, we’ll get you on your way out.

Arsenic is a natural substance and can be found naturally at very low levels in soil, plants and drinking water, and most people in the world are exposed to minute amounts of this naturally-occurring arsenic without serious consequences. However, factory pollution and repeated agricultural use of animal poisons and pesticides containing arsenic can cause water and soil to become contaminated with levels of arsenic well above the natural norm.

The EPA limits arsenic in drinking water to 10 parts per billion; the Empire State Consumer Project tests revealed one sample of Mott’s juice to contain 55 parts per billion of arsenic — well above the EPA’s “safe” level for water. Chronic exposure to sub-poisonous levels of arsenic has been linked to an increased risk of skin cancer, lung cancer, liver damage and birth defects in children.

Many U.S. distributors of apple sauce and apple juice — including some organic brands and many brands that are marketed directly to children — source some or all of their apples from Chinese orchards. China is the world’s largest apple producer and controls an estimated 80% of the world’s apple export market. So what the hell are all of these farms in the USA growing these days if most of our fruit comes from China? Oh that’s right instead of fruit and vegetables; a lot of farms you drive by in places like Allentown Pennsylvania and Missouri grow Puppies; so instead of corn on the cob, Ma and Pa Kettle are breeding poor animals, with the mother dogs kept in cages their whole life breeding babies until they die. Some dogs get rewarded by getting let out of their cages to get shot in the head when their “growing season” is over. I guess that’s the reason why the barn is always painted red; hides blood stains.

So what do you do? Stop drinking apple juice? I think it's a good idea to read your juice labels. I dont' think i'd drink any juice not made in the USA knowing this information; maybe it’s best to buy only organic or just drink water with fruit juice in it. So if you have kids and they have only one juice a day, the levels of arsenic won’t be too bad; but what if you have a child who loves to have their “Juicy Juice” or “Cuddle Bear Juice,” 3 or 5 times a day?

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the host of "The Dr. Oz Show," aired a segment Tuesday on his popular TV show about high levels of Arsenic in Apple Juice. Dr. OZ wondered why the FDA hasn't set a limit on arsenic in apple juice.

The FDA fired back at Dr. Oz on both its website and Facebook page, saying there is some arsenic in apple juice, but most of it occurs naturally and is safe and delicious.

Dr. Oz countered that claim, saying even adults need to be careful.

Zachary Adam Cohen-My Fox NY reported, Cohen a noted strategist and local foods advocate, agreed. He said trying to figure out where the apples in your juice come from is especially tough. He said a lot of processed food labels won't say where the ingredients are grown and picked. So I guess in the end it’s up to us to decide what’s safe or not.

The FDA states that the apple juice is fine and we always want to believe everything the government says right...right?

I wonder how many servings of apple juice the employee’s of the FDA give their children?

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Blondie Panic Of Girls new album; 5 Stars.

                    
BLONDIE IS BACK with a brand new album titled Panic of Girls. Unlike some classic groups who seem satisfied with singing for their supper with old hits; Blondie refreshes themselves by putting out a new album that keeps their classic sound, without seeming dated or forced; which pretty much means, the competition can kiss their age.

New hot singles “Mother,” and “What I Heard.” shows Blondie has no trouble being in 2011 and can churn out better singles then most of their younger contemporaries and should get radio play. Hot tracks like, “Wipe Off My Sweat.” sung in Spanish and “Le Bleu” sung in French should have the gay boys dancing and crying at the bars soon. "D-Day" shows the spark left in Blondie and one of the best songs EVER made.

Blondie has always been a group that is hard to place; I think that’s why they have trouble getting recognized for their unique talent to sing so many styles without sounding foolish.

   
Debbie Harry 2011

Debbie Harry 1978

Tracks like “Love Doesn’t Frighten Me.” And “D-Day.” show Blondie in a sassy Rock mood and it comes off swimmingly well.

No other group has had so many hits in different genres of music than Blondie, “In The Flesh,” 1960’s girl group twang with a punk edge; “Heart of Glass.” Dance floor Disco-take your birth control; “One Way or Another,” A rocking obsessive odyssey; “Sunday Girl,” Easy Listening at its sexiest; “Call Me,” European Dance Rock & back again; “Tide is High,” Reggae tell off pop. “Rapture,” Slow & sexy Rap, and the first Rap song to go number 1; “Maria,” pure pop at its finest; “Good Boys,” Club Music for sex in a bathroom stall.

Of course part of the success and sometimes failure of Blondie can be attributed to Debbie Harry; who at 66-years old looks younger than a 25-year-old Lindsey Lohan. Mrs. Harry might have a couple of new wrinkles and not dance very well on stage, but listening to her voice makes you think of grade A honey and like a fine wine has gotten better with age.



Debbie Harry 2011

Some other stand out tracks on Panic of Girls include, “Girlie Girlie,” & “Sunday Smile”. “China Shoes.” is another brilliant song that should get Blondie the “Grammy” they deserve; Lady Gaga has announced that “China Shoes.” is her favorite and people should buy Panic of Girls just alone for it.



Blondie 2011

Blondie’s new album is just as good as their classics, if not better. Another problem with Blondie is people don’t give their new stuff proper listen, as their classics get pumped out every couple of years with new Greatest Hits cds; many Blondie songs are still played in current movies, TV ads, radio and back seats of cars as horny teenagers played doctor.

Will this CD hit? Probably not, given Blondie's shitty managment and radio's ignorance with any singer over 50-years-old. So lets support bands like Blondie; they don't make them like this anymore.

Panic of Girls arrives in stores and online September 13; buy it, download it, just get a hold of it.