SUBTERRAIN.NET

And he's out! After a long, arduous stay in sex rehab, David Duchovny and his wife, Tea Leoni, were snapped at the Czech Street Festival in New York City this weekend. Roger Friedman will be pleased by his choice of coasts, though the actor will certainly have to return to Los Angeles at some point to shoot the soon-to-be-awkward third season of Californication. Tea, might we recommend the newest in fully-transparent glass Star Waggons? [ONTD]

The Observer has video of Representative Anthony Weiner trying to make a Sarah Palin joke. But it's just terrible (and terribly sexist): Referring to the VP debate, Weiner says, "Undeniably, undeniably, we saw a vice presidential candidate who had nice legs. I won’t dispute that... but we also saw a vice-presidential candidate who tried to explain her running mate’s health care position.”

Weiner's spokesman later emailed the Observer, "It was a misguided attempt at humor and Anthony apologizes for it." Other Weiner factoids: He dates the easy-on-the-eyes (and Hillary Clinton aide) Huma Abedin and wants to help international models get visas. Related: The Daily Show's Katie Couric-Sarah Palin buddy show, Gams & Gammer.

Tyler Perry's crisp white tuxedo was a bold choice of attire at the opening of his new studio Saturday night, when the mogul was dodging the worst of his fired former writers' union-busting accusations reported here last week. The WGA came through with its picket line on behalf of Kellie Griffin, Christopher Moore, Teri Brown-Jackson, and Lamont Ferrell — the House Of Payne Four whom Perry allegedly let go for their attempts to unionize the show's writing staff. One reported list of attendees had Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poitier and several illustrious others crossing the picket line Saturday night, while the WGA sent word late Saturday that a second protest was planned for another, smaller event at Perry's Atlanta mansion on Sunday morning. So what does it all mean besides Oprah scabbing her way to free drinks and having a drunken Madea-Off with Poitier and Ruby Dee?

Nikki Finke evidently thinks this will have some bearing on the presidential race; more usefully, she also passed along an open letter from a small army of showrunners including Tina Fey, Mad Men creator Matt Weiner and TV legend Larry Gelbart:

This season, scripted television programming will consist of about 150 shows employing 1,200 writers.

Of that universe, 149 shows and 1,193 writers will produce shows covered by the Writers Guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement. The MBA guarantees minimum compensation, residuals, health coverage, and pension in addition to other benefits.

The big exception? Tyler Perry's House of Payne and the seven writers who, collectively, played a key role in producing over 100 episodes of one of television's most successful sitcoms. [...]

We all know that producing television is a tough and uncertain business. But some things are simply not acceptable.

Like not sending Tina Fey an invitation to the opening of Tyler Perry Studios. Even Barry Bonds got invited! Why shouldn't WGA be pissed?

• WGA Pickets Tyler Perry Studios [DHD]

Every NYC movie/tv show can create a new pop culture landmark and tourist destination. Serious Eats points out that When Harry Met Sally had Katz's and Sex and the City had Magnolia, and now Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist has staked a claim on Veselka. Owner Tom Birchard told SE that they were "slammed all weekend" with folks allegedly wanting to recreate the scene where Michael Cera and Kat Dennings enjoy some pierogies at the 24-hour eatery (the address is even given in the dialogue). No word on if Arlene's Grocery also saw an influx of customers, but our very own Billy Parker was at Veselka on Saturday at 10 p.m. and says it was "definitely not" crowded, nor was the clientele younger than usual. In fact, he says, "two middle aged-men were sitting alone on either side of me. It reminded me that romance is usually best left to the movies."

The video of this young Korean gamer who launches into a 5 and a half minute long diatribe against Chinese gamers and their supposed lack of game knowledge and gaming ethics has riled thousands of Chinese netizens, and apparently a few of their Korean counterparts are not amused either. Read translations of comments from Chinese and Korean gamers here.

Photograph of trader Arthur Cashin wearing a "Dow 10,000" hat--one that was given out when the Dow Jones Industrial Average first hit 10,000 on March 29, 1999-- today by Richard Drew/AP

Continuing the chain reaction of global markets falling--due to worries about the banking and credit crisis--the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen below 10,000 for the first time in four years. The NY Times reports " The index has lost more than 1,100 points — or about 10 percent — in slightly more than a week." The S&P 500 is currently down alost 5% and the Nasdaq is down over 5% (check here).

The Wall Street Journal spoke to Johnson Research Group president Chris Johnson, who utters the f-word, "It's hard to be bullish based on monetary policy or bailouts alone. It doesn't address the fundamentals of the stock market, which have some very deep problems right now." (The WSJ also has an article about how the credit crisis hits everyone, not just corporations.)

Update 3 p.m.: Earlier the Dow fell over 700 points, to the below-9,600 territory, but is currently above 9,600. Right now, it's down 650 points (6.3%), and the Nasdaq is down 7.21% and S&P 500 is down 6.78%.

This Week In London’s History

• Monday – 6th October 1985: Police Constable Keith Blakelock, whilst protecting firefighters during a riot in Tottenham, trips over and falls to the ground. Before he can regain his feet, he is hacked to death by a mob carrying knives and machetes.
  
• Tuesday – 7th October 2000: The last ever competitive football match to take place at the old Wembley Stadium results in England losing 1-0 to Germany.
  
• Wednesday – 8th October 1965: The Post Office Tower (now known as the BT Tower) in Fitzrovia becomes operational as a major hub for national microwave telecommunications.
  
• Thursday – 9th October 1975: An IRA bomb explodes at a bus stop near Green Park tube station, killing one person and injuring many others.
  
• Friday – 10th October 1881: The Savoy Theatre is opened on the Strand, becoming the first public building in the world to be entirely lit by electricity.

Random London Quote Of The Week
Cities give us collision. 'Tis said, London and New York take the nonsense out of a man.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Conduct of Life

London’s Weather This Week
Well it’s going to piss with rain for much of tomorrow, but the rest of the week might not be too awful for the time of year.

Picture taken from buckaroo kid’s Flickr photostream via the Londonist Flickr pool.

Noah and the Whale will be opening for Kenan Bell tonight at Spaceland | Photo via Noah and the Whale's Myspace

Our Pick: Kenan Bell, Noah and the Whale, Lindi Ortega @ Spaceland (Free!)

Following a particularly boisterous weekend of exhaustive shows, Los Angeles will remain relatively mum. Liz Phair will be concluding a two-date stint at the Troubadour, revisiting Exile in Guyville in its entirety once more. NPR is currently streaming last night's performance. And as per usual, we've got the free Monday Night Residency at the Echo and Spaceland. Fresno-based indie rock act Rademacher (LAist Review) will be headlining the Echo with other noteworthy local acts Radars to the Sky (LAist Review) and Light FM. But we recommend heading over to Spaceland to see English folk rockers Noah and the Whale. Tonight will be the band's final performance in the States before returning to their side of the pond.

Noah and the Whale - "5 Years Time"

Manhattan Murder Mystery, The Health Club, Blue Jungle, Die Rockers Die @ Mr. T's Bowl
Rademacher, Radars to the Sky, Light FM, Broken Remotes @ The Echo (Free!)
Kenan Bell, Noah and the Whale, Lindi Ortega @ Spaceland (Free!)
Sean Carnage Presents Mincemeat or Tenspeed, Ilo Mar, Team Andrew, Black Church @ Pehrspace
Liz Phair @ The Troubadour (Sold-Out)
Black Apples @ The Silver Lake Lounge
The Happy Hollows, Brookline @ Detroit Bar

Around 7:15 a.m. this morning, six people were found dead inside a gated community home in Porter Ranch, a neighborhood in the Northwest San Fernando Valley between Chatsworth and Granada Hills. LAPD detectives suspect that the incident at the 20600 block of Como Lane to be a murder-suicide with initial reports saying all victims were from one family.

"A Los Angeles Police Department source, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the case was under investigation, said the gunman apparently had financial problems and killed his mother, wife and three children before taking his own life," reported the LA Times.

A press conference to announce further details has been set for 12:30 p.m. this afternoon.

Photo by CarbonNYC via Flickr

For all too long, Sherri Shepherd has stayed relatively quiet on The View, keeping a low profile (except for the occasional blow-up at Bill Maher) and generally avoiding the sort of "flat earth" gaffes that would draw the pity spotlight away from her cohost Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Today, though, in the midst of another Hasselbeck political rant about Barack Obama's association with William Ayers, a surprisingly prepared Shepherd jumped in to rebut the show's token conservative with a "Wait, wait, wait — no you don't!"

Following her interruption with a laundry list of facts, dates, and counterpoints, Shepherd was eventually cut off by Barbara Walters, who was not ready for the cohost to do anything but smile beatifically and occasionally chirp, "Ludacris!" Is our little Sherri all grown up and ready for war? Watch out, Elisabeth: Sherri Shepherd's got a whole fleet of angel-babies at her command — and they're hungry!

• The View [ABC]

Boomp3.com

At the premiere of Body Of Lies, Russell Crowe was shocked to hear that one of the reporters on the red carpet was not a fan of cheese. The rough and tumble Aussie actor couldn’t believe that the reporter did not enjoy one of the finest things in life. Crowe said, “Perhaps, this woman has been given the wrong cheese and maybe I’m the person to teach her about the ways of proper cheese consumption. I love CHEESE! Give me a nice slice of Havarti and a beautiful Bordeaux and I’m as tame as a baby kitten.”

[Photo Credit: WENN]

*A Call To The Bullpen is a work of fiction. Although the pictures we use are most certainly real, Defamer does not purport that any of the incidents or quotations you see in this piece actually happened. Lighten up, people ... it's a joke.

It's probably one of the least heard of tickets, especially given to a bicyclist. But a ticket for signaling and then not turning was apparently handed out to one Critical Mass rider in Santa Monica on Friday night. Fellow rider to the cyclist and a photographer Alex Thompson said it was "biased enforcement."

Santa Monica Critical Mass and Santa Monica Police have a history of meeting up every first Friday of the month. Hundreds of cyclist show up with a few to fifteen officers trailing behind. In August, the department spent over $3,000 for sixteen officers to monitor the ride.

Today, the NY Times reports that billionaire Ronald Lauder opposes Mayor Bloomberg's and the City Council's plan for legislation to permanently extend term limits from two four-year terms to three four-year terms. But the NY Post reports\ that Lauder, who help fund the initiatives to introduce term limits in the first place, made a deal with Bloomberg where Lauder would "support legislation...in exchange for a guaranteed seat on a Charter-revision commission."

Lauder told the Times, "If there is a permanent change, I will fight it. As far as I am concerned, it’s a one-time only exception. That is it. It took a lot of emotion even to extend term limits this once. I was opposed to even extending it once." And he referred to his somewhat bombshell announcement that he wanted Bloomberg to come back for another term, in spite of his opposition to extending term limits, "For the love of this city, I will do it once, but that is it.” Gee, thanks! But anyway, it seems that changing term limits for one term only might not stand up to the legal challenge.

The Post has this Lauder quote: "I believe we can make a once-only exception. If they try to make it a permanent three terms, the voters, by referendum, would have to vote it back to two terms - and I would put my money behind making sure that happens." And, from the Daily News: "The voters of New York by a margin of 75% want two terms and nothing more. I want Mayor Bloomberg to have a third term. The city needs him."

Maybe City Councilman John Liu put it best, when he told the Post, "Obviously, one billionaire is bending over backwards to get another billionaire on board. Never before have I seen such a vivid exposure of how much control the New York elite still tries to exert." And when the Observer asked political consultant Hank Sheinkopf about the matter, he explained, “Billionaires talk to billionaires in a common language that you and I don’t understand."

His Coke Rewards. Former Roseanne Barr-satisfier Tom Arnold is grappling with an addiction to Diet Coke and Nicorette: "I've had 30 Diet Cokes in 12 hours on set and then I'll eat a whole cake. After I quit cigars, I got addicted to Nicorette. I've been on a cleanse...The first three days I was hallucinating. It was way worse than rehab for drugs. In rehab they give you a little something to take." It might sound like an innocuous enough addiction, but the truth is Diet Coke really is the devil's fizzy, 1-calorie candy. We'll never forget a story from The Black Table about DC addiction with one of the most chills-inducing ledes we've ever read: "Iva-Marie Palmer quite literally wakes up with a Diet Coke, downing her first one of the day while still in the shower." [Daily Star]

The story is told by Robert Earle, who used to be a software executive. Now he's a hand-tool using carpenter living in a town in upstate New York without Internet, TV, or newspapers. The electricity comes on every couple of weeks for a few minutes at a time. When that happens, nothing's on the radio but hysterical religious talk. Rumors of goings-on in the rest of the world are vague.

There's no fuel or rubber tires left for cars, and even if there were, the roads and bridges are shot. Earle can't afford a horse or donkey, so when he needs to buy carpentry supplies, he takes his hand cart to a compound on the outskirts of town called Karptown. It's a trailer park next to the dump that's been taken over by a dangerous gang of former bikers and motorheads who roam the neighborhoods salvaging scrap materials from abandoned houses and buildings.

The town is loosely run by a group of 15 men (no women) who half-heartedly try to maintain law and order, which is hard because no one wants to stand up to troublemakers like the folks at Karptown, who conduct occasional raids on people's homes.

The story kicks off when Earle (who lost his wife and daughter in the plague and hasn't seen his 19-year-old son since the boy took off a couple of years earlier to find out what's happened in the rest of the country) is elected mayor and joins a search party to look for a freight boat and its crew, which disappeared on its way to Albany. Their horse-mounted odyssey takes them on a tour through a post-apocalyptic world of insanity, greed, kindness, corruption, and ingenuity.

While life in Kunstler's world is lawless and harsh and populated with opportunistic characters that make Boss Tweed look like Glinda the Good, it's not without charms. Local communities are active and productive. Neighbors all know each other and look after one another. People grow and trade their own produce and livestock, and meals are tasty -- lots of buttery corn bread, eggs, chicken, vegetables, streaks, fish. They get together and play music a lot, and because people aren't stuck in their living rooms watching TV, they actually attend live performances.

As a budding urban homesteader, I found the way of life in World Made By Hand, fascinating. No one can predict the future, and I doubt our future will be much like the one depicted here, but I think its possible that Kunstler has come closer to showing us what's in store than anyone else. Buy World Made by Hand on Amazon