Paris Rocks

Bon Jour Everyone - Debbie and I are still enjoying our trip to Europe. We had the best time in London, but now we're scoping out Paris. For the past five days, we've been running around this city...checking out everything from the Eiffel Tower to Versailles. Paris is absolutely incredible...and we've walked 5000 miles. Cue the music! Who knew traveling abroad could be such great exercise?!?

I think by now, we've also become quite good at navigating around via the metro. If only LA could build an underground system like Paris. While exploring the city, I've discovered my new favorite snack...crepes with Nutella and banana. Nutella is very popular here in Europe...it's like a peanut-butter/chocolate spread. Good thing for all this walking or I'd come back 200 pounds heavier. The only landmark we haven't seen yet is the Louvre, but we plan to hit that up tomorrow. We have five more days in Paris, and we plan to rock this city until the very last minute. MG

Greetings from London

London is incredible! This picture was taken while I was standing on the London Bridge. To get there, I took the subway, but here they call it the Tube. It's amazing how quickly you can get around town by using the London Underground system. One thing I found interesting...there are signs everywhere in the Tube stations that say "Mind the Gap". At first, you have no idea what they're talking about. The phrase refers to the area between the subway entrance and where people stand before getting on. Last year, there were 57 deaths involving people falling into the gap onto the electric rails below, or they'd get hit by the subway car itself. Yeah, that would suck, but you really have to not be paying attention for this to happen. If you don't hear the subway coming, then you have issues! I'm sure those that have been hit were tourists, because the locals know the underground system inside and out.

But the city overall is amazing...as well as the night life. Last night, we cruised through SoHo and Camden Square...and the clubs were packed. One thing you ought to know before coming here is that it's beyond expensive. One pound = $2 American dollars. So when the cover for the club is 20 pounds....you do the math. Wow...prepare to be broke! You may recall hearing about the Camden Lock Market. That's where the huge fire was recently. It burned down a couple of cafes and stores...apparantly a few favorites of celebrities. The locals aren't into all the hype. They say, "we don't fancy celebrities". "Fancy" is their word for "like".

We still have several days to enjoy this great city, then it's off to Paris. There's nothing like international travel...especially meeting fascinating people from other countries. Cheers!

Lights, Camera, Action

After three months (which felt like three years), the Hollywood writers' strike is over! Today, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the strike that started back on November 5th. So here are some details on the proposed deal: Unions will have jurisdiction over projects created for the Internet based on certain guidelines, and writers will see at least a 3% increase in residuals for downloaded movies and TV programs. And there's more, but bottom line...the internet will finally become profitable. The writers' deal is similar to one reached last month by the Directors Guild of America.

But this strike has definitely taken it's toll on Hollywood. According to Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, the strike has set Los Angeles County back by 3.2 billion dollars. It's been brutal...but tomorrow, many writers will be back at work. Time to start a new chapter in a book that's already half-read.

So what does this mean for TV viewers like you and me? Yep, we'll finally get to see new episodes of our favorite shows. But it's going to take awhile. New episodes of ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" and NBC's "Chuck," aren't expected until fall. As for other shows like Fox's "24", it most likely won't be back until early 2009. And the number of episodes will be cut short, since we're already so far in the season. Bummer.

The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers released this statement: "This is a day of relief and optimism for everyone in the entertainment industry."

Amen to that.

A Beef with Beef

Where’s the beef? Probably not in your kid’s school lunch. A disturbing undercover video shot by the Humane Society found that the Westland Meat Company in Chino had some employees who were mistreating downed or ill cows...and possibly allowing them to enter the meat supply. The USDA won’t allow downed cow meat into the food system because this beef is more susceptible to diseases like mad cow disease. This can ultimately cause disease in humans who eat contaminated cow’s meat.

As a result, a ban on beef products from the Westland Meat Company in Chino, and its partner Hallmark Meat Packing Company, is in effect for 150 school districts across the country. Also, two popular fast food chains, In N Out and Jack in the Box, have also decided to not continue doing business with this Chino slaughterhouse . In N Out has discontinued their business relationship with Westland Meat Company, and has since removed all beef suspected of being tainted. Jack and the Box released this statement..."We definitely have very strict animal welfare guidelines that we expect our suppliers to follow."


President of Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, Steve Mendell, has released this statement..."Words cannot accurately express how shocked and horrified I was at the depictions contained on the video that was taken by an individual who worked at our facility from October 3 thru November 14, 2007. We have taken swift action regarding the two employees identified on the video and have already implemented aggressive measures to ensure all employees follow our humane handling policies and procedures. We have voluntarily suspended our operations pending the completion of the USDA investigation."

I've posted this story, not to scare you, but to make you aware.

Hollywood or Hollyweird?

This weekend on the night of the cancelled Golden Globes, my story for the night involved getting reaction from local residents about whether they cared or not that the show had been reduced to a press conference. Honestly, the majority that I spoke to said no...they don't care. More people wanted to talk about Britney Spears...and all her drama. People knew every detail about Brit's life...from her marriage, to her kids, to her wild dating life. Wow...People Magazine and Us Weekly have become the modern day newspaper! Come on now...are you surprised? I'm not. Will Britney's real-life reality show end with a happy ending...or a funeral? I guess we'll have to wait and watch.

Ready for 2008

Hope the year has started off well for all of you. Can't tell you how excited I am to be working here at KTLA...and living in Pasadena with my wife, Debbie. My first story of 2008...resolutions for the new year. One of my resolutions is to write regulary in my blog. But it looks like the stats are against me. Studies show only 10 percent of people who make resolutions actually succeed...so we'll have to see! One thing's for sure...the rainfall over the weekend was insane. Rockin' the hooded jacket and getting soaked on live shots is a new one for me. After working at stations in Arizona and Texas...even Palm Springs, I'm used to the desert sun and temperatures reaching 115 plus. What a welcomed change...being soaked...and not because I'm sweating! Cheers to a great rest of the month!

Goodbye KMIR

This past weekend, I anchored my final show at KMIR in Palm Springs. It was hard to leave the friends I've made at NBC 6, but I know that I'll be keeping in contact with many of them. A bunch of co-workers turned out at the Yard House after my final newscast to say goodbye...over a couple of beers and then some. Debbie and I packed up our belongings yesterday and U-Hauled it to Pasadena. It was great to finally wake up this morning at our apartment...and actually be living in the same city. I'm extremely excited about my first day at KTLA...which is tomorrow. Being with my wife and finally working in the city I love...things couldn't be better!