samhexum

SVU & OZ vet Mike Doyle was in last night's episode. His mom used to complain that he was always getting killed onscreen (in both of those shows, included) but last night it was his hubby that was killed. Rockmond Dunbar, who was Athena's gay hubby on 911, was also in the episode. It was directed by handsome actor (& NYC native) Nestor Carbonell. It was a big night for actors directing network TV episodes... Robin Givens directed ELSBETH.

I did a search of the phrase "little voice" before I started this thread and somebody once posted that they had seen that production, along with approximately 700 million other productions they listed that they had seen.

I noticed that Robin Givens directed tonight's episode.

Jaywalking is now legal in NYC— lifting 66-year ban that was scarcely enforced BULLSHIT! I got a $10 ticket 23ish years ago for crossing Queens Blvd where Main St begins, and I had to go to court (which was only a few blocks over, ironically) along with all the other poor souls who'd been caught up in a crackdown by the city.

Formerly-Abused Rescue Dog Has Hard Time Adjusting Until Mom Gets Him Foster Kitten to Love When you welcome a foster or rescue animal into your home, you may not know what they have been through before coming to live with you. Some animals adjust quickly to their new environs. I’ve had foster dogs who were ready to join the family within a few hours. Others take a longer time to warm up. When we rescued our cats, it was a whole year before we were able to catch them snuggling with us while we slept. All of which is to say, it very much depends on the animal how long it takes for them to open up and be their true selves. And sometimes they need a little help, like this formerly abused rescue dog whose heart opened when he got the opportunity to care for foster kittens of his very own. A woman in Houston chose Chapo from the shelter when he was on the list to be euthanized. She described the pit bull mix as “the saddest dog in the shelter” and the many scars on his beautiful brown face were a testament to the terrible times he had been through before coming to live with her. But despite the fact that Chapo was now in a safe, loving home, he still seemed depressed. “For months, progress was slow, and I was beginning to worry about him,” she writes in the captions. “Until I fostered a kitten.” It seems like the key to making her rescue dog happy was letting him rescue kittens. In the video, you can see how gentle and calm he is with these tiny creatures, allowing them to sleep pressed up next to his giant body, nuzzling them with his big snout, and softly mouthing them when they get rambunctious. A better foster dad you couldn’t hope to find. Over the years, Chapo has helped him mom foster many kittens and the results have been rewarding for everyone involved. Dogs and Cats Though the stereotype says that dogs and cats don’t get along, situations like Chapo’s are more of the norm than otherwise, In truth, most dogs can get along just fine with the other animals in their house, whether they are other dogs, cats, birds or anything else. The process of having your dog bond with other animals will differ depending on your individual dog’s personality. Some dogs are instantly curious and happy about having another animal in the house—like this one. Other dogs need to be taught how to be gentle and respectful of fellow creature’s space and little bodies. When first introducing your dog to new pets, it pays to make sure you supervise and know what kind of interaction to expect. Foster Animal Timelines When a rescue animal first comes to a new home, it may take a while for them to adjust to their surroundings and relax. Many rescues advise thinking of the animals as being on a “3-3-3” timeline. According to this rule, it will normally take a foster or rescue dog three days to stop feeling terrorized, three weeks to let their real personality shine through, and three months to accept the place they are living in as their new home. During this time period, it’s important to be gentle with them, avoid throwing too many new experiences and people at them, and being patient as they test boundaries and try to figure out the rules of their new home. And maybe, as Chapo proved, they just need a pet of their own to love. jingle_dogs.wav

He was absolutely adorable.

I watched an AbFab reunion special from earlier this year on YouTube yesterday, then watched a couple of videos of bloopers from the series, then looked up a couple of the actresses on Wikipedia. I was reminded of a movie that I wanted to watch, but never got around to, called Little Voice, which was based on a play called The rise and fall of Little Voice, which was written specifically for Jane Horrocks (Bubble on AbFab). It turns out she has an amazing ability to mimic female singers of the 20th century, from Marlena Dietrich to Billie Holliday to Shirley Bassey to Judy Garland, and even Marilyn Monroe, both singing and speaking. The film was interesting enough that I watched it all the way through despite the fact that there were commercials. I could only find it on Pluto TV. Brenda Blethyn, Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, and 27-year-old Ewan McGregor were also in the cast.

Dear Abby: I dated a colleague when I was 22 but broke it off because I couldn’t deal with the fact that he was several inches shorter than me. I did not tell him why. I just said, “It’s me, not you.” I am now in my 60s, have had a very successful career, never married and see online that he became a distinguished researcher. In his online picture, he looks like a sweet older man now, and I would give anything to reconnect with him. Would this be foolish? Was I too insensitive at 22 to understand that I likely hurt him? Do you think he would forgive me if I got in touch with him now? He lives far away, so an in-person meeting would be out of the question in the near term. Would an email be OK? He’s in his early 70s and not married. — Stupid Then in Ohio Dear ‘Stupid;’ At 22, you weren’t insensitive; you were shallow A BITCH. Look at this from that man’s perspective. What is he supposed to think when he receives an email 40 years after a colleague BITCH dumped him by saying, “It’s me, not you”? Remember, as successful as he is now, he is not any taller. My advice is to leave it alone, find someone you can be physically attracted to who lives geographically closer, appreciates how successful you have been in your career and is open to a relationship AND BUY A VIBRATOR AND A CAT. Dear Abby: I am a childless 70-year-old man. Every year around the anniversary of my brother’s death, some relatives get together and travel to his hometown to celebrate him. We have a remembrance at the cemetery and go to Mass together on Sunday. We also go out for meals and drinks. There are three generations involved now, the youngest of the kids being 10. This year, my cousin’s son and his wife had a baby. We’re all happy for them. A couple of days ago, I sent a group text on our family thread saying I didn’t think it was a good idea to take an infant on this trip. I explained that I felt it would distract from the purpose of the get-together. Well, my cousin is offended and won’t tell me why. I carefully worded my message so I didn’t say anything negative. Was I wrong? — Traditionalist in Pennsylvania Dear Traditionalist ASSHOLE: You wrote that the purpose of this get- together is for the family to honor your deceased brother and celebrate his life together. When you posted your message on the family thread, did you expect your cousin’s son and his wife to skip the event and stay home with their baby? Their baby is part of the family and may be too young to be without their mother. While your carefully worded message reflects your feelings, it was out of line, and I can see why it upset your cousin. YES, YOU $&%#ING MORON! A NOTE TO PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN: If your little ones will be out trick-or-treating tonight, please be sure they are supervised to assure they are safe STAY OFF MY $&%#ING LAWN! Happy Halloween everyone! LOVE, ABBY

Wedding gifts are often costly, but the one Hope Carew gave her brother on his wedding day was priceless: a reading of his long-tucked-away childhood fantasy of an extravagant proposal. Hope’s gift was nearly a decade in the making and was finally revealed to her older brother, Griffin Carew, 32, on Oct. 11 after his wedding to Alyssa Carew, 31, at Arrowhead Park in Monroe, New York. Before wedding guests and her brother’s new wife, Hope Carew read aloud a globe-trotting engagement plan — filled with private jets, yachts and a $130 million diamond ring — that the groom wrote when he was 9. “Found my brother’s proposal plan from when he was 9,” Hope Carew wrote in a TikTok video of her reading it at the reception. As if the wedding guests weren’t already a large enough audience, the post went viral, wracking up 8.8 million views within five days of being shared. The video shows Hope Carew standing at the microphone during her brother’s wedding reception, grinning as she says, “Don’t kill me,” before reading from the piece of paper he wrote as a child. “We are 25, and I am a multi-billionaire,” she reads her brother’s opening line, prompting a roar of laughter from the room. Laughter fills the room as Hope Carew shares her brother’s childhood vision of himself as the ultimate smooth operator: “sneaking” his future fiancée onto a private jet at midnight, giving her a kiss only to whisper, “Everything’s taken care of.” His plan continues with dreams of butlers, trips to Cabo San Lucas, French Polynesia and Paris. “We drink a few glasses, then begin to make out, dot, dot, dot, dot, dot, dot,” Hope Carew reads. “He had more date-planning ability at 9 than most men have now at 30,” one TikToker commented on the post. “Your brother wanted to grow up and become a book boyfriend,” another replied. Speaking to TODAY.com, Hope Carew says she suspects her brother’s big plan might have been inspired by one of their favorite childhood movies, “Blank Check.” The 1994 family comedy follows a boy who goes on an ungodly spending spree after filling out a criminal’s blank check for a million dollars. Years later, Hope Carew’s discovery of her brother's proposal plan felt just as fun. She remembers struggling to contain her laughter when she found the paper tucked into his 2002 yearbook while she was in college. “I think I found it in, like, 2014,” Hope Carew explains, recalling how she stumbled upon it in a box of old items her father had given her. “I was going through (my brother's) yearbook … flipping through it, and this, like, folded-up piece of loose-leaf paper fell out of it, and I read it, and I was, like, dying laughing.” It was then that she decided she would hold onto it for the perfect moment. “I’m gonna save this, and I’m gonna read this at his wedding,” she recalls telling herself at the time. Cut to the present, where her brother’s reaction was everything Hope Carew hoped for. “He immediately went beet red,” she recalls. “He, like, put his head down on the table at one point.” Still, Hope Carew wasn’t too worried about upsetting him. She knew he would take it in stride. “He’s not the type to be embarrassed. We’re all kind of big personalities in my family, so not really a shy type.” Though Griffin Carew wasn’t above trying to save face at first. “He was like, ‘I didn’t write that.’ And then he, like, looked at the handwriting and was like, ‘That is undeniably my handwriting,’” Hope Carew recalls. On social media, users couldn’t get enough of the family’s humor and close bond. “I’ve had the nicest comment section on TikTok and Instagram,” she says. “Not a mean comment to be found, which is crazy because I was expecting there to be some hate, and so far, it’s just been nothing but love and support.” Reflecting on her brother’s real-life proposal, Hope Carew says that, while it lacked the extravagant price tag of his childhood vision, it was unforgettable and romantic all the same. Particularly for Griffin Carew, who fulfilled his dream of proposing abroad, getting down on one knee on a cliffside with a picturesque view. “They went to Portugal,” Hope Carew explains. “They’re both really into traveling, so they’re well matched on that.” And for the question we’re all dying to have answered? “He is not a billionaire,” Hope Carew says. “He doesn’t have a yacht or a jet or a butler.” Still, as Hope Carew points out, her brother ultimately got what he wanted most from his plan: the woman of his dreams. “She’s really awesome,” Hope Carew adds, noting that the couple decided to skip a big honeymoon so the bride could run in the New York City Marathon to support the Navy SEAL Foundation. applause.wav excellent.wav Thank you, precious!.wav tradition.wav

You're gonna have to mud wrestle @sync coated in vegetable oil for him.

There. Are you happy now? Austin Barnes' backup homered. Just don't let Jada catch you.

Getting ready to not watch what will probably be the last world series game of Aaron Judge's career, unless he approves a trade to restock the farm system and reset the luxury tax after Cole opts out and is allowed to leave and Soto signs elsewhere.

what is it that you do do.wav

Canines and their two-legged friends had a howling good time at the 26th annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest in Fort Greene Park on Oct. 26.This pooch brings Brooklyn nostalgia to life as the Coney Island Cyclone, complete with mini cars and a roller coaster look that would make any thrill-seeker proudA pup dressed as the Barclays Center pays tribute to the newly crowned WNBA champions, the LibertyQueen Daenerys Targaryen keeps a watchful eye out for her dragons.This dynamic duo steals the show as Kermit & Miss Piggy PUPkin event manager Alana Davis told Brooklyn Paper that the contest serves a fundraiser for the Fort Greene Park Users and Pets Society, a nonprofit supporting the community’s 1,500-plus dog owners. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to donate, and there is a $20 entry fee for participants. “We provide poop bags, water bowls — we’re part of the lawn rotation program in Fort Greene Park. We make the park safe for dog owners and non-dog owners [and] provide puppy training,” Davis said, calling the contest “a nice fall day in Brooklyn.” A pug named Beast, dressed as a $1 billion Powerball winner (complete with a Ferrari prop), placed third. Pooch Otter took second, channeling Liberace in a costume adorned with lace, sequins and pearls, seated by a toy piano. The grand prize went to Gemma, an audience favorite dressed as a Babybel cheese, who wowed the crowd with tricks. Gemma, dressed as a Babybel cheese, steals hearts (& the grand prize) with her tricks & crowd-pleasing stunts Channeling Liberace, Otter sparkles in sequins and lace beside a miniature piano. Cruising to win: $1 billion Powerball winner Pug “Beast” placed third Council Member Hudson, a judge for the fourth year, evaluated costumes on creativity, ingenuity, originality and individuality. “It’s always such an amazing time,” Hudson told Brooklyn Paper. “And Brooklynites really come out and come through with the best costumes for their dogs.” Newlyweds Lexie Ludlam-Ketel and Alex Ketel, along with their terrier-mix Sushi, dressed as characters from “Beetlejuice” — Miss Argentina and Beetlejuice, with Sushi in the role of a sandworm. The couple adopted Sushi from Animal Heaven in August. A “tripod” who lost a leg due to injury, Sushi now lives her best dog life, running and playing fetch, her owners said. Newlyweds Lexie Ludlam-Ketel and Alex Ketel and their terrier-mix Sushi dressed up as ‘Beetlejuice’ characters. This adorable pair brings Broadway to Brooklyn as Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks. This pup elevated from wiener to ‘brat.’ Taking ‘business class’ to new heights! This pup channels Mayor Eric Adams on a Turkish Airlines flight, giving a nod to recent headlines. Four-legged Sherlock Holmes solves every crime. This pup guarantees your mail will never go missing again! The ‘everything’ Beagle paid homage to a New York City staple. applause.wav drum.wav what a bad boy you are.wav what's new pussycat.wav jingle_dogs.wav

CNN bans conservative guest for telling Muslim journalist 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off' Ryan Girdusky made the comment during a heated debate with Mehdi Hasan, a prominent British-American broadcaster and an outspoken critic of Israel's war in Gaza, on "CNN Newsnight" with host Abby Phillip

ELON'S coming (hide your heart, girl)... Elon Musk is reportedly planning to open a Tesla facility in Queens. The electric car manufacturer leased the 150,000-square-foot space at 30-02 Whitestone Expwy. in College Point, according to an industrial report released earlier this month. The site was previously home to Toys “R” Us, Party WOW and the College Point Multiplex Cinemas.

She was 79.

Happy last day of the 2024 baseball season.

Getting ready to not watch the next-to-last Yankee game of the year... I bet he struck out three times during the Halloween parade.

As @MysticMenace would say, YAY MATH!

DEAR ABBY: I’m the mom of an 18-year-old daughter, “Leia.” We have always tried to keep the lines of communication open with our children, and we have what I think is a strong, positive familial bond. My best friend recently informed me that Leia has an Instagram account that’s publicly accessible. I can’t find her account when I search, which means she has me blocked. The account was created three years ago when she was a minor. I’m not happy with this. When asked back then, Leia told us repeatedly she didn’t have an Instagram account — but I always suspected she did, as most young people her age are engaged in social media. I would like Leia to unblock me so I can see her beautiful pictures. I’m not a harsh critic or negative person, though Leia often interprets my comments that way. I think she has blocked me because she considers any observations or comments I might make to be parental surveillance. I’ve told her, repeatedly, that I’m not trying to keep tabs on her. We have always given our kids what we think is a high level of personal freedom. I just want to see the beautiful images she posts. How do I gently bring this up to her, and ask her to allow me to see her account? — BLOCKED IN NEW YORK DEAR BLOCKED OVERBEARING BATTLE-AXE: I don’t advise you to ask your now-adult daughter to unblock you from her social media. You stated that Leia often interprets your comments and observations as critical and invasive, which may be the reason she blocked you in the first place. Because you long to see her “beautiful pictures,” ask your good friend to show them to you on her computer or her cellphone. That way your curiosity will be assuaged, and Leia won’t feel invaded. AN INDICATION OF WHAT AN AWFUL MOTHER YOU HAVE BEEN… KEEP IT UP AND YOU’LL NEVER GET TO SEE ANY ‘BEAUTIFUL PICTURES’ OF YOUR FUTURE GRANDKIDS. DEAR ABBY: I have been married to “Ellis,” a wonderful man, for a year and a half. This is a second marriage for each of us. My older children are on their own. Ellis has three boys (ages 15, 21 and 23) who live with us. The oldest is autistic. Mia is supposed to have the kids two days a week and every other weekend. We have the children come to our house after school because she works and the law is, if there is child care, both parents must pay equally. Mia takes full advantage of our kindness and usually doesn’t pick the kids up until 9 p.m. on her nights. Sometimes, she doesn’t show up at all, which leaves us all hanging. Ellis refuses to talk to Mia about this because it ends up in an argument and he says he can’t make her do anything. He also won’t go back to court to make her responsible because of the cost and the fact that he doesn’t want the boys to see him take their mother to court. This situation is taxing, and Ellis gets upset with me when I tell him he needs to confront Mia or arrange to drop the kids off at her work on her days. I am exhausted, and this is putting a huge strain on our marriage. I’m not sure it will survive if this keeps up. Please tell me what to do. — STRESSED STEPMOM DEAR STEPMOM: Does your husband know how strongly you feel about this? You two are overdue for a frank conversation. As much as your husband doesn’t want to spend the money, the answer to this problem may lie in a lawyer’s office. Two of their “children” are adults now. Has there been any discussion about when and if they will live independently? The youngest is only a year away from being able to legally drive himself to his mother’s if she can’t pick him up. All of the responsibility for them should not be falling on you. GOSH, I’M STUMPED! I DON’T KNOW WHETHER YOU SHOULD KILL MIA, ELLIS, OR BOTH. DEAR ABBY: What do you think of a situation in which close family members and close friends misspell my daughter’s name? She is now 22. We recently celebrated her college graduation, and I was appalled to see her name botched on cards. This has been done to her over the years. Abby, her name sounds similar to a more common name, and I have deliberately written her name out on invitations and texts, etc. It upsets me, and she already struggles teaching others how to pronounce her name, let alone write it properly. I feel a lack of care or respect that they don’t take the time to be sure. Am I right? –– MISSPELLED IN NEW JERSEY DEAR MISSPELLED STUPID ASSHOLE WHO GAVE THEIR DAUGHTER A RIDICULOUS NAME: How do these friends and relatives treat your daughter? If they treat her well, forgive the mutilation of the name you gave her. She’s an adult now, so let her fight her own battles from now on rather than alienate her from folks who care about her. I HOPE, WHEN THE TIME COMES, SHE STICKS YOU IN A NURSING HOME WITH A NAME NOBODY CAN SPELL OR PRONOUNCE SO NOBODY CAN VISIT YOU. A groom’s mother crossed an unspeakable line by bringing her son’s ex-girlfriend as her plus-one on the day of his wedding, insisting that they should get back together as true “soulmates.” The cringe-worthy tale, posted to Reddit recently by the 30-year-old man, revealed that the newlywed’s mother “never really liked” his 29-year-old wife, June. “The main [reason] being the fact that June didn’t let my mom push her around. She kept firm boundaries, which I really admired, and she even helped me do the same,” he wrote. “My mom hated this, calling June controlling and wishing I hadn’t broken up with my previous girlfriend Margo, who my mom loved,” he recalled. “I was with Margo for 5 years and it was horrible.” He described Margo as being “very controlling and manipulative” and as someone who used lots of guilt to push him into things he wasn’t on board with. It was only from supportive friends and his sister that he found the courage to leave her. While the man admitted that his “life has improved since,” that wasn’t good enough for mommy dearest, despite her keeping a strong poker face — until the nuptials. “When June and I announced our engagement my mom didn’t freak out, which was weird considering my mom hates June,” he added, noting that his parents split after college and were given respective plus ones to the big day. Of course, he assumed that invitation to the small ceremony of close loved ones would go to their spouses. “After the ceremony, me and June went to take pictures and then met back with everyone we invited to the reception which was pretty big,” he wrote. “When we got there, my sister and June’s best friend/maid of honor ran up to us in a panic. Before they even said anything I spotted it. My mom was at the table with my dad, my dad’s wife, and Margo.” The well-composed bride kept her new hubby calm, but he still took drastic action during the heated moment. “I walked over, pulled them both aside, and simply told them to leave,” the groom claimed. “My mom tried to explain Margo and I are soulmates and June is just in the way of true love, but I wasn’t hearing it. I didn’t care.” While the man put things out of his mind in the short term, upon returning from their honeymoon he was inundated with “hundreds of texts from multiple family members.” “Some think I could have just ignored Margo and didn’t have to ‘freak out’,” he said. “A few others, including my dad, think I should have just kicked Margo and let my mom stay but after the stunt my mom pulled, I didn’t want her there either.” If only he hadn’t left his gun home because it clashed with his tux! DEAR ABBY: My wife of 15 years cheated on me with a man 20 years her senior. I never so much as winked at another woman. We are divorced now, but I know we still love each other. She calls me from her new house in the middle of the night if she’s scared, even though she plans to marry him. She knows I’m the love of her life. Am I crazy for holding on? I can’t help but still love her. Is she just using me? Is there any hope? — IN LIMBO IN IDAHO DEAR IN LIMBO: The divorce is final. That she is planning to marry the man she cheated with should be sending you a strong message — and it isn’t that she still loves you. If she gets scared in the middle of the night, remind her that she now has a fiance to protect her. Then change your number. DID YOUR WIFE GET YOUR BALLS IN THE DIVORCE? DEAR ABBY: My wife continually dirties the floors in our home because she refuses to stop wearing shoes in the house. She’ll be out all day — at work, running errands, etc. — and then come home and keep her same shoes on. She has even done yard work and then come inside wearing those same shoes! It’s a family trait for her — her mother does the same thing in her house. We recently visited her aunt and uncle — both of whom were wearing outdoor shoes indoors! How do I convince my wife that our house is dirty specifically because of this? — IN MY SLIPPERS DEAR SLIPPERS: According to the August 2024 issue of Consumer Reports, half of household dust is tracked or carried into homes from outside. The soles of our shoes can also carry viruses as well as other unhealthy and unpleasant substances. Instituting an indoor/outdoor policy might help to keep your house cleaner, but the habits of a lifetime are hard to break, and your wife may have trouble changing. A workable compromise might be to have a doormat outside for scraping dust and debris off shoes. Suggest it to her as a possible solution. KILL YOUR WIFE AND BURY HER IN THE YARD. JUST MAKE SURE TO REMOVE YOUR SHOES BEFORE YOU GO BACK INSIDE. DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are drafting our wills. Our sticking point is my son’s wife. She has had affairs and spends money like crazy that they don’t have. Is there any way we can shelter from her any inheritance he might receive from us? We considered hiring a private investigator but wouldn’t know what we’d do should a current affair be discovered. We couldn’t tell our son. Please help us decide. — TACTFUL IN TEXAS DEAR TACTFUL: Because the laws vary from state to state, the person who should answer this question would be your attorney or your CPA. They can advise you on how to word your wills and estate plans. P.S. Because your daughter-in-law has a history of infidelity, if you hire a P.I. and he or she finds evidence that she’s cheating again, you should let your son know and the context in which the discovery was made. KILL YOUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND BURY HER IN THE YARD. JUST MAKE SURE TO REMOVE YOUR SHOES BEFORE YOU GO BACK INSIDE. DEAR ABBY: My stepson has invited my husband and me to his home for Thanksgiving this year. After agreeing to go, I found out that the meal will consist of vegetarian lasagna. I feel this is inconsiderate of my stepson and his wife because they know my husband and I have always enjoyed traditional Thanksgiving (including the Thanksgiving meal of roasted turkey). Please, what is your opinion? I feel like it’s just not Thanksgiving without the turkey. — WANTING A FEAST IN THE SOUTH DEAR WANTING: I’m so glad you asked. The Thanksgiving celebration is a tradition in which families and friends join together to give thanks for being together and enjoy food, friendship and the freedoms we are privileged to have in this country. If you need protein, have some before you go. TELL YOUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TO KILL HER MOTHER-IN-LAW AND BURY HER IN THE YARD AND TO JUST MAKE SURE TO REMOVE HER SHOES BEFORE GOING BACK INSIDE.

You mean I'll never get my $8?