And He Thought Bedding Sean Penn on Film Was Tough . . .

James Franco, set to join the cast of General Hospital for a few months.

That takes guts, few actors who already have both pop success (in Spiderman films) and critical success (in Milk) would dare to do a daytime soap.

He's crazy enough to make this work.

(it's not crazy enough to make me record that show, though)

Market Predictions

I meant to post this last night after reading all the doom and gloom stories about the big downturns in Europe and Asia, but here's my prediction for Dow Jones, it'll close above 12,500 as of close this Friday.

On top of that, by the end of February it will be above 13,500 again.

A lot of stocks are getting caught up in the downward frenzy, even when there's no reason for people to be down on a particular company. That means there are big buying opportunities, and there are enough buyers who will see bargains and take them. Some stocks will lose big over the next 6 weeks (based on the fundamentals of that company's business situation), but many more stocks will go up by 10% or more.

After plunging 400 points at opening, looks like the market may close about even or maybe even higher by the end of the day (there's even a chance for triple digit gains if the current trend continues). Best to ignore days like this and remember that the market is best thought of as a 20 year play, rather than short term gamble. If you want to lose your money on short term risks, then nothing beats sports betting, trying to time the market can only lead to trouble.

Planet Killer of the Month, (Possibly Year)

I nominate Jimmy Kimmel for Planet Killer of the Month.

He's filling in for Regis on Live with Regis and Kelly in NYC next week, but he's not taking any time off from his other job as host of Jimmy Kimmel Live from Hollywood, CA.

He's flying back and forth twice daily the whole week. Ten transcontinental flights in one week. He'll make the baby Goracle cry salty tears.

I'm in awe. His carbon footprint for that week will be off the chart.

I don't normally watch Live with Regis and Kelly, but I'll be watching that week (or maybe not watch, but at least I'll record it and fast forward through most of it).

Bravo, Jimmy, keep up the good work.

I doubt he's flying commercial (he can't afford getting delayed and dealing with all that, it'd be a lot easier to fly in and out of regional airports capable of handling private jets like Teterboro Airport and Santa Monica Airport), so if he's Gulfstreaming it ten times in one week on the Disney Corporate jet, that's even better.

I'm Well On My Way to Becoming Steven Weber's Biggest Fan!!!

If it's the case -- and hell, we're talking about the Bush administration here! -- then that can only mean the short, exciting life of the United States is almost at an end. Because it is become insane. And its leaders are amoral. And its actions are erratic. And its last days will be spent cringing angrily, clinging to souvenirs of victories past.

From Steven Weber's HuffPo post about Pat Tillman. I couldn't dream of coming up with rhetoric that ridiculous while satirizing insane left-think in a million years. I am in awe of his lack of reality (wait, sorry, he's 'reality based').

I think he's secretly a conservative, and only pretends to be an insane lefty in order to discredit that viewpoint. I can't explain this level of hatred otherwise. In a few short paragraphs his incandescent, unhinged, unreasoning, and immature tantrum about the current administration perfectly distills all that's wrong with 'progressive' America-hating paranoia.

Bravo to you Mr. Weber, you are the Maestro, again, Bravo!, Bravo!!, Bravo!!!

Yeah, Makes Sense, Cause There's Nothing Sexual About an Adult Man Sucking at the Teat of an Adult Woman . . .

He argued that if a man nursed from a co-worker, it would establish a family bond between them and allow the two to work side-by-side without raising suspicion of an illicit sexual relation.

(hat tip LGF)

Interesting theoretical backflips done to come up with that fatwa.

So let me try and understand this, as long as the woman in question is "expressive" (in a lactating sort of way) then it would be familial, but if she weren't "expressive", then it becomes tawdry and dirty?

Does this mean only lactating women can work outside of home in mixed company?

If we were to follow this edict in the United States, would the pay disparity between men and women evaporate?

Would women mention in their resumes the sweetness and nutritional content of their milk as part one of their selling points?