Iconic Actor Charlton Heston Dies At 84

So long...so very long....

I haven't posted on here in forever. So much crap is going on. I'm busier than I don't know what. This KISS Karnival I'm doing for my birthday in July has taken on a life of it's own. The official KISS website, KISS Online is going to be covering it on their page. They're also coming out the actual event and setting up a booth. How cool is that?

The IndyFest is going great as well. Seems like we're going to have more people this time than at the other events.

Still haven't had time to post a ton of pictures I have from Fear Fest 2, Thomas The Train Tour (got my picture taken with Sir Toppham Hat - oh, yeah!), Destroyer at Six Flags, and a ton of other things I've been doing. I'm doing my best. I'm sure I'll post again in a couple of years. Just keep checking back.

Lucas Is Still The Man

This picture was taken yesterday, so we know that he is still alive and well writing and producing and hasn't been put in the Head Museum from Futurama yet.

Here's the trailer:

Texas Frightmare Weekend

I went to Texas Frightmare Weekend about two weeks ago. It was such a blast, but I was so busy with other junk, I just now got a chance to upload my photos and post about it. The photos are up in my photo section at www.myspace.com/ericshirey. Lots of cool pics of people I met. The one I posted above is of grown up antichrist Harvey Stephens. He played our little devil Damien Thorn in the original Omen film. When I met him, I told him I had to shake hands with the devil. Haha - bet he hasn't heard that a million times. I talked to Jason Lively (Rusty Griswald from European Vacation) quite a bit about what he's been up to in the last few years. He was a really nice guy. The reason he was at TFW was because he was in the cult zombie classic Night Of The Creeps.

Tom Atkins (The Fog, Escape From New York, Halloween III: Season Of The Witch) was there, as well. Very cool meeting him, as he is in one of my favorite ghost story films of all time - The Fog.

I also met the subliminal demon face lady from The Exorcist. I found out she was also in one of the most under-rated TV shows ever - the Planet Of The Apes TV series. She was a little off-putting to me. I asked her where lived and she answered "Hollywood". Who says they live in "Hollywood"? Come on.

I hung out with Ed Neal (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Future-Kill, Power Rangers) to get to know him a little better, as he is going to be a guest at IndyFest in May. Very fun guy.

I also ran into Russ Cogdell from ZAO, who I've known for years. I never expected to see him at TFW in a million years. It was good catching up with him a little.

I found a vendor that sells My Bloody Valentine t-shirts, which is pretty cool. They were also giving away free TFW / Prom Night bags. Very cool.

I also got a chance to see Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Star Trek: Generations, Heroes, etc.), Dee Wallace Stone (E.T., Cujo, The Howling, etc.),

Busy, busy, busy - In a new position at work

I got a new position at work. I am now "officially" the Online Video Sales Manager for Multiview. This means that I get people to put video on their listings in the different association guides we do. I know you don't care. I'm just telling you why I haven't been as active in updating this thing. Here's some cool stuff I found. A Spaceballs animated TV series would be very cool, but there's rumors it got cancelled. I guess only time will tell. Here's the trailer:



Also, they just released the news that Star Wars - Clone Wars - The Animated Series will be released as a feature into theaters on August 15th before the series starts on television. Very cool! A new Star Wars film in the theater - you can't beat that. I knew Georgie wouldn't be able to let it go. Click here to see the trailer.

Jaws actor Roy Scheider passes away

Roy Scheider, a two-time Oscar nominee best known for his role as a police chief in the blockbuster movie "Jaws," died Sunday. He was 75.

What has the world come to?

Pot Vending Machines Take Root in LA By DAISY NGUYEN

LOS ANGELES - The city that popularized the fast food drive-thru has a new innovation: 24-hour medical marijuana vending machines.

Patients suffering from chronic pain, loss of appetite and other ailments that marijuana is said to alleviate can get their pot with a dose of convenience at the Herbal Nutrition Center, where a large machine will dole out the drug around the clock.

"Convenient access, lower prices, safety, anonymity," inventor and owner Vincent Mehdizadeh said, extolling the benefits of the machine.

But federal drug agents say the invention may need unplugging.

"Somebody owns (it), it's on a property and somebody fills it," said DEA Special Agent Jose Martinez. "Once we find out where it's at, we'll look into it and see if they're violating laws."

At least three dispensaries in the city, including two belonging to Mehdizadeh, have installed vending machines to distribute the drug to people who carry cards authorizing marijuana use.

Mehdizadeh said he spent seven months to develop and patent the black, armored box, which he calls the "PVM," or prescription vending machine.

A sliding fence protects the tinted windows of his dispensary, barely distinguishing it from a busy thoroughfare of strip malls, automobile dealers and furniture shops. A box resembling a large refrigerator stands inside the nearly empty shop, near a few shelves stocked with vitamins and herbs.

A guard in a black T-shirt emblazoned with the word "Security" on the front stands at the door. A poster of Bob Marley decorates a back room.

The computerized machine requires fingerprint identification and a prepaid card with a magnetic stripe. Once the card and fingerprint are verified, a bright green envelope with the pot drops down a slot.

Mehdizadeh says any user approved for medical marijuana and registered in a computer database at his dispensaries can pre-purchase the drug and then use the machine to pick up.

The process provides convenience and privacy for users who may otherwise feel uncomfortable about buying marijuana, Mehdizadeh said.

At the Timothy Leary Medical Dispensary in the San Fernando Valley, the vending machine is accessible only during business hours. An employee there said the machine was introduced about five months ago, and provides speedy service.

"It helps a lot of patients who are in a lot of pain and don't want to wait around to get help," Robert Schwartz said. "It's been working out great."

Mehdizadeh said he sought the advice of doctors, and decided to limit the amount of marijuana per user to an ounce per week. Each purchase from the machine yields 1/8th or 2/8th of an ounce. By eliminating a vendor behind the counter, he said, the machine offers users lower drug prices. The 1/8th ounce packet would cost about $40 - $20 lower than the average price at other dispensaries.

A spokesman for a marijuana advocacy group said the machine also benefits dispensary owners.

"It limits the number of workers in the store in the event of a raid, and it'll make it harder for theft," said Nathan Sands, of The Compassionate Coalition.

Marijuana use is illegal under federal law, which does not recognize the medical marijuana laws in California and 11 other states.

The Drug Enforcement Agency and other federal agencies have been actively shutting down major medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state over the last two years and charging their operators with felony distribution charges.

Mehdizadeh said the Herbal Nutrition Center was the target of a federal raid in December. He said no arrests were made and no charges have been filed against him.

Kris Hermes, a spokesman for advocacy group Americans for Safe Access, said the machine might benefit those who already know how much and what strain of marijuana they're looking for. But he said others will want to see and smell the drug before they buy it.

A man who said he has been authorized to use medical marijuana as part of his anger management therapy said the vending machine's security measures would at least protect against illicit use of the drug.

"You have kids that want to get high and that's not what marijuana is for," Robert Miko said. "It's to medicate."

Some cool stuff

From KISSONLINE.com:

Thirty five years ago today - January 30, 1973, KISS performed their very first concert at Popcorn (The Coventry) in Queens, NY. The band performed 2 sets at the club that night for a crowd of under 10 people.

Earlier this week, Gene recalled how that show came about:

1973 was the beginning.

Wicked Lester had just finished its album for EPIC RECORDS. There were five members in the band, including Paul and myself. Though we had a real recording contract with a major label, and though we had finished an entire album, we were depressed. It just wasn't what we had envisioned.

So, we started again. We tried firing the other three guys in Wicked Lester, but some wouldn't leave.
So, we quit.

We started again with a vision. "Let's put together the band we never saw on stage."

We got a manager named LOU LINET, who managed JF MURPHY AND FREE FLOWING SALT and DIANA MARCOVITZ (or something like that)...and when he heard the newborn baby -- KISS. He thought it was the worst crap he had ever heard. Needless to say, he was gone immediately.
So, we were managerless.

I put together a bio kit, while I worked at the Puerto Rican Interagency Council, as assistant to the Director. Peter's friend owned a printing press and printed up our invites.

But, where to play?
We didn't have a manager.
We didn't have an agent.
We never had.

I made a phone call cold to a place called Popcorn in Queens, NY and on the phone convinced the guy to hire a band, who would soon be changing their name from WICKED LESTER to KISS.

We got the gig -- three nights -- Wed, Thurs and Fri for the sum total of $150.

That was the beginning.


New article coming out with this cool pic and more info about the new Indy film. You can check it out at http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=21881.

Pics up at MySpace

Added some cool pics like the one above to my Photo Album on MySpace. You can check them out at www.myspace.com/ericshirey.

Here it is - drum roll please - my big part with Matthew Perry in Serving Sara

Watch closely - I'm the Santa.