It used to be so uncool. In my younger days, friends and schoolmates would ask me what I liked on television. There would be the typical early '80s answers, but then I would pipe up with "Doctor Who". By far the majority would ask, "What the heck is that?" But I would watch episodes on our local PBS affiliate with Tom Baker as the toothy and bescarved Doctor, traipsing throughout time and space in a small blue box, outwitting rubbery fake-looking monsters and overacting evil-doers with panache and an offer of "jelly babies". The writing was always imaginative, though, and the Doctor and his companions were always fun.
Once the 7th actor to play the Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, left the air, there was a long gap in the program's existence until some folks in the U.S. tried a Doctor Who made-for-tv movie with Paul McGann as the Doctor. The movie wasn't great, but it was so wonderful to see the Doctor again that I didn't care. I taped (yes...taped) it and watched it many times.
Fast forward to 6 years ago, when the Doctor returned to the BBC, and Christopher Eccleston took on the role, and the show hasn't looked back. David Tenant and his somewhat out-of-place, enthusiastic cry of allons-y added a huge number of fans, both male and female. Finally, the newest and youngest actor to play the role, Matt Smith, along with Karen Gillan as companion Amy Pond (come along, Pond!) have moved the show into the stratosphere. At the most recent San Diego ComicCon, 6500 fans crowded a room to hear the two stars chat about the program. And that 6500 was standing room only. A coworker attended and loved it. ("She is so thin!")
The show, broadcast over BBC America, constantly draws huge numbers. A recent poll in England determined that the average British person's television show to watch is Doctor Who. The terms "sonic screwdriver", "regeneration", "TARDIS", and "fezzes are cool" are no longer met with blank stares 100 % of the time. Now it's closer to 60%, I suppose. Still, even though I hate the idea of being a "hipster" who loved Doctor Who before Doctor Who was cool, I am happy that I recognized the fun of the show long ago, and take pleasure at seeing each new incarnation of the Doctor. Being a Whovian isn't so strange anymore.
Now, grab yourself a bag of jelly babies, a banana ("bananas are good"), put on your fez or Stetson, and sit down in front of your telly and either grab the dvd for Doctor Who season 1 with Eccleston, or join in when the show returns in August. Old-timers like me will welcome you with open arms.
Even if, upon seeing the show for the first time, you will ask (as all companions and visitors do), "How is the TARDIS bigger on the inside than the outside?" You'll see...and you'll love it.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
What a Weekend
I had to ask myself a question: How do I look at the events of this weekend and find any semblance of sanity in the world? The answer? I can't.
Let's start with the worst of it all - Norway. The details are still coming out, but the gist is that a lunatic blew up a government building and the same lunatic, or a cohort, went to a youth camp and killed a large number of young people. His excuse seems to be that he was trying to alert everyone to the dangers of Islam. The dangers of Islam? When you shot a bunch of young people? Instead, what we see is the dangers of overreacting, hatred, guns, extremism, etc., etc.
It's amazing that anyone could try to justify such a reaction in their own mind. This guy thought that he was helping to wake up Norway to the dangers of a religion by killing people who weren't even of that religion. And yet, we see similar attitudes (although not taken to that level) in right wing fundamentalists, extreme left-wingers, zealots, and others. These folks should be asking themselves if they aren't a little bit wacko themselves. And Glenn Beck should be ashamed, as should his sponsors, for opening his big yap by saying that the youth camp in Norway "sounds a little like the Hitler youth". Really? These guys were training for antisemitism and concentration camps? Really? Why does anyone even listen to this moron?
Folks...this gunman is nuts. He thinks he has done a favor to the world. Instead, he has just proven the sickness that exists in the minds of extremists.
How about another story? Amy Winehouse. Is anyone shocked? I mean, are you really shocked that she died young? The woman may have had talent, but she was a walking billboard for the dangers of drug abuse. It is sad, and the people that enabled her drug habit should be ashamed and held accountable. But people, when you are checking TMZ for stories on drug abusing celebrities and drool over each tidbit of info that comes out, don't be surprised when they pop up dead on a regular basis. It's another example of the sickness pervading this world.
Finally, let's look at football and the U.S. government. Football...labor deal...arguing over billions...while how many people are unemployed? You people stink. Not because you are trying to make a living in the sports / entertainment industry, but because you lose sight of the big picture. People are suffering out there, and you are more concerned with getting your "fair share" of billions. That's sick.
Along with that, the Republicans and the Democrats are so focused on getting reelected by their extremist money-donating base of voters, that they don't see what they are doing to Joe Average who needs a job. Again I say...you people stink. Get off your ego trip and do what is right. Everyone...and I mean everyone...who has the means needs to pay their fair share. And it is disgusting that a single human being in this country should go hungry or go without medical care or a place to eat when CEOs and other muckity-mucks are raking in millions of dollars in salaries every year. Is their job tougher or more demanding than that of the guy trying to earn a living pulling weeds? I'm not saying they should be equal, but the government needs to remember that people are hurting, and that cutting the most needy never fixes the problem.
What's the point of all of the ranting THIS time? Go back and read the "model prayer", also known as the "Lord's prayer". You wonder why Jehovah's Witnesses go door to door telling people that God's Kingdom is the only solution that will work? Read the news from this weekend again. I dare you to ask that question.
Let's start with the worst of it all - Norway. The details are still coming out, but the gist is that a lunatic blew up a government building and the same lunatic, or a cohort, went to a youth camp and killed a large number of young people. His excuse seems to be that he was trying to alert everyone to the dangers of Islam. The dangers of Islam? When you shot a bunch of young people? Instead, what we see is the dangers of overreacting, hatred, guns, extremism, etc., etc.
It's amazing that anyone could try to justify such a reaction in their own mind. This guy thought that he was helping to wake up Norway to the dangers of a religion by killing people who weren't even of that religion. And yet, we see similar attitudes (although not taken to that level) in right wing fundamentalists, extreme left-wingers, zealots, and others. These folks should be asking themselves if they aren't a little bit wacko themselves. And Glenn Beck should be ashamed, as should his sponsors, for opening his big yap by saying that the youth camp in Norway "sounds a little like the Hitler youth". Really? These guys were training for antisemitism and concentration camps? Really? Why does anyone even listen to this moron?
Folks...this gunman is nuts. He thinks he has done a favor to the world. Instead, he has just proven the sickness that exists in the minds of extremists.
How about another story? Amy Winehouse. Is anyone shocked? I mean, are you really shocked that she died young? The woman may have had talent, but she was a walking billboard for the dangers of drug abuse. It is sad, and the people that enabled her drug habit should be ashamed and held accountable. But people, when you are checking TMZ for stories on drug abusing celebrities and drool over each tidbit of info that comes out, don't be surprised when they pop up dead on a regular basis. It's another example of the sickness pervading this world.
Finally, let's look at football and the U.S. government. Football...labor deal...arguing over billions...while how many people are unemployed? You people stink. Not because you are trying to make a living in the sports / entertainment industry, but because you lose sight of the big picture. People are suffering out there, and you are more concerned with getting your "fair share" of billions. That's sick.
Along with that, the Republicans and the Democrats are so focused on getting reelected by their extremist money-donating base of voters, that they don't see what they are doing to Joe Average who needs a job. Again I say...you people stink. Get off your ego trip and do what is right. Everyone...and I mean everyone...who has the means needs to pay their fair share. And it is disgusting that a single human being in this country should go hungry or go without medical care or a place to eat when CEOs and other muckity-mucks are raking in millions of dollars in salaries every year. Is their job tougher or more demanding than that of the guy trying to earn a living pulling weeds? I'm not saying they should be equal, but the government needs to remember that people are hurting, and that cutting the most needy never fixes the problem.
What's the point of all of the ranting THIS time? Go back and read the "model prayer", also known as the "Lord's prayer". You wonder why Jehovah's Witnesses go door to door telling people that God's Kingdom is the only solution that will work? Read the news from this weekend again. I dare you to ask that question.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Summertime Blues
The United States is currently sweltering under a massive heat wave. This meteorological misery is causing temperatures to feel like it is 115 degrees or more when you add the humidity. Roads are even buckling in some places due to the heat. (To those who don't believe that man can affect the environment adversely, I say "bleah"!)
Here in the Central Valley of California, we have dealt with late rains, relatively mild heat, and a strangely mild summer. What that means to most people is a more comfortable visit to the California State Fair, less sweating, and more drownings in local rivers because people are too stupid to take precautions against cold, fast currents.
What it means for me is that it is still too hot. I hate summer. I hate heat. I hate sweat. And I happen to live with two people who love the sun. I'll be calling the authorities on them soon to have them checked for insanity.
It also means higher utility bills, as I am one of those insane people willing to plop down an extra $50 or so a month to remain comfortable in my "man cave". Let other people fan themselves and perspire. I want air conditioning, and I want it now! Sadly, it also means that I am probably contributing to the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. (Great! Now I have guilt! - Rex from Toy Story)
I'm not sure what point I'm trying to make here. Is it just for the purpose of blogging? Perhaps. But perhaps it is also to point out to all of those "sun worshipers" out there that not everyone likes the heat. It is also to send out an invitation to the following people:
River recreation folks who don't take precautions
People who go out for hours and hours in the sun without sunscreen
People who think that hot weather calls for riding motorcycles in t-shirts and shorts
The Darwin Awards are accepting applications.
Here in the Central Valley of California, we have dealt with late rains, relatively mild heat, and a strangely mild summer. What that means to most people is a more comfortable visit to the California State Fair, less sweating, and more drownings in local rivers because people are too stupid to take precautions against cold, fast currents.
What it means for me is that it is still too hot. I hate summer. I hate heat. I hate sweat. And I happen to live with two people who love the sun. I'll be calling the authorities on them soon to have them checked for insanity.
It also means higher utility bills, as I am one of those insane people willing to plop down an extra $50 or so a month to remain comfortable in my "man cave". Let other people fan themselves and perspire. I want air conditioning, and I want it now! Sadly, it also means that I am probably contributing to the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. (Great! Now I have guilt! - Rex from Toy Story)
I'm not sure what point I'm trying to make here. Is it just for the purpose of blogging? Perhaps. But perhaps it is also to point out to all of those "sun worshipers" out there that not everyone likes the heat. It is also to send out an invitation to the following people:
River recreation folks who don't take precautions
People who go out for hours and hours in the sun without sunscreen
People who think that hot weather calls for riding motorcycles in t-shirts and shorts
The Darwin Awards are accepting applications.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Shows I Watch
It's been a little while since I discussed television shows, so now, without further ado (or further adon't) it my list of currently watched television shows. You may feel free to disagree with my choices, but you would be wrong.
Leverage: This season has started out a bit weakly, but the chemistry between the characters is still strong. I would like to contrast this show with another one that I immediately decided was not for me: Alphas. As I watched that show, I decided that I would rather have all of the characters violated by the TSA rather than root for them to succeed. The characters were all intensely dislikable, and thus an interesting concept landed with an overwhelming SPLAT.
Deadliest Catch: Why? Why? Why do I continue to watch this show? I hate reality shows, and this one is about crab fishing...every season. And yet, I watch. I watch, and I cannot resist. I will be petitioning the FCC to determine if this show is adding subliminal messages causing me to keep watching.
Top Gear: Do I really need to explain? I'm just waiting for season 17 to begin so that I can get my fix. If you haven't watched this on BBC America, you are a fool. I hereby assign you to do penance by watching either the Bachelorette or Basketball Wives for 3 hours straight. At which point, you will die. Or wish you were dead. Instead, watch Top Gear and be a very happy camper.
Burn Notice (with a caveat): This show is very close to jumping the shark. I am watching suspiciously, but something had better change. And soon.
Eureka: One of the most imaginative shows on the air....again. I just watched the first episode of the new season and it is still great. I just hated waiting so long for it to return. Where else could you find an artificially intelligent robot deputy wanting to marry a house endowed with artificial intelligence. What...she wasn't ready to settle down? On top of that, the Sheriff rode off with his injured robot deputy on the back of a horse to save the day and what do we hear? The deputy (Andy) yelling, "I'm on a horse!" Classic.
Doctor Who: On break until the end of summer. Nooooooooo!!! I need my fix!!! Now!!!
That's it for now. Other shows that make honorable mention are NCIS (on break), NCIS:LA (on break), Top Gear USA (need new presenters), and Psych (on break...otherwise it goes to near the top of the list!)
Don't like my choices? Let's debate! Oh...you lose.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Budget Battles
Does anyone really think that the people in charge of the government have people's best interests at heart? There they are...meeting and cajoling and meeting and digging in, and they can't come to any kind of agreement. Why is that?
The simple reason is that they are only interested in doing what gets them reelected. Period. They have to appeal to the most extreme end of their political base so that they get the fringe element, while hoping that those toward the center will choose them as the least harmful choice when election time arrives. In the end, though, it is Joe Lunchbox who gets the shaft.
It's funny. The Bible teaches us to pay to Caesar what is Caesar's, and that includes taxes. Yet the people that are elected to decide how the money is spent stops caring about those who are giving the money, unless of course you are talking about the top 1/2% of wage earners who give a big chunk to campaigns, or big companies that prop up this stupidity.
The model prayer in the Bible teaches us to pray for God's Kingdom to come. And yet there are those who think that humans can do the job. Take a look at the news this evening. I dare you to come back to me and believe that they can. But if you do watch the news, avoid Fox. They might be tapping your phone to see what you think about them.
The simple reason is that they are only interested in doing what gets them reelected. Period. They have to appeal to the most extreme end of their political base so that they get the fringe element, while hoping that those toward the center will choose them as the least harmful choice when election time arrives. In the end, though, it is Joe Lunchbox who gets the shaft.
It's funny. The Bible teaches us to pay to Caesar what is Caesar's, and that includes taxes. Yet the people that are elected to decide how the money is spent stops caring about those who are giving the money, unless of course you are talking about the top 1/2% of wage earners who give a big chunk to campaigns, or big companies that prop up this stupidity.
The model prayer in the Bible teaches us to pray for God's Kingdom to come. And yet there are those who think that humans can do the job. Take a look at the news this evening. I dare you to come back to me and believe that they can. But if you do watch the news, avoid Fox. They might be tapping your phone to see what you think about them.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
No Responses
I don't blame anyone but myself. I'd be shocked if anyone even looked at this blog more than once a month. Still, the offer still stands.
On other notes...here's a look at some of the topics that have caught my eye:
Rupert Murdoch: Come on now...is anyone REALLY surprised that this guy is a scumball? Really?
NFL Lockout: Lots of people making lots of money. Getting organized is important, but the rookie wage scale needs fixing. (See: Russell, JaMarcus) Also, they need to take care of the guys who are done with the game who can't even dress themselves or remember their families.
NBA Lockout: Two words will fix most of the problems: revenue sharing. Do you really want 4 teams each in NY, LA, and Chicago? That's where this is heading if small markets like Sacramento can't compete financially.
iPad 2: Got mine. Love it. Only complaints are that I can't afford 3G in addition to my iPhone (when do we get tethering??) and I really wish this "Flash" issue would get resolved.
Cars: (real cars...not the movie) Does anyone else think that the influx of boxes on wheels is ridiculous? I mean, come on...the Scion xB, the Nissan Cube, etc., etc. I really like small cars with some personality: e.g., Mini Cooper S, Fiat 500, or even the Ford Fiesta. You want boxes on wheels? Go back to the U.S. made cars of the 70s.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading.
On other notes...here's a look at some of the topics that have caught my eye:
Rupert Murdoch: Come on now...is anyone REALLY surprised that this guy is a scumball? Really?
NFL Lockout: Lots of people making lots of money. Getting organized is important, but the rookie wage scale needs fixing. (See: Russell, JaMarcus) Also, they need to take care of the guys who are done with the game who can't even dress themselves or remember their families.
NBA Lockout: Two words will fix most of the problems: revenue sharing. Do you really want 4 teams each in NY, LA, and Chicago? That's where this is heading if small markets like Sacramento can't compete financially.
iPad 2: Got mine. Love it. Only complaints are that I can't afford 3G in addition to my iPhone (when do we get tethering??) and I really wish this "Flash" issue would get resolved.
Cars: (real cars...not the movie) Does anyone else think that the influx of boxes on wheels is ridiculous? I mean, come on...the Scion xB, the Nissan Cube, etc., etc. I really like small cars with some personality: e.g., Mini Cooper S, Fiat 500, or even the Ford Fiesta. You want boxes on wheels? Go back to the U.S. made cars of the 70s.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
This Is It
I'm tired of this. I'm tired of starting to write...stopping for awhile...remembering that I have a blog...etc., etc.
How do I get myself excited about writing a blog? And more to the point, how do people decide what to write about?
I've been told that I am a decent writer, and I would really like to write a book. I tried to write a few chapters of the "France" book I had in mind, but it never really took off in my heart. I just couldn't get excited about it. So now I'm stumped.
I'm sarcastic, but I don't want to write a book sarcastically, as that would get annoying to readers, I think. I love the way that Douglas Adams wrote. There is no way that I could or would duplicate his style, and a series like "Hitchhiker's Guide" only comes along once in a lifetime. So what do I do?
I am pleased to note that in the past I have had upwards of 3 readers of my blog. Three! Count 'em! OK...I'm done counting already. But perhaps if those three would tell others, I could get some more people reading and I would be inclined to write more. I would also love it if I could get some brainstorming ideas of what would make a good book for my writing style.
So here is my challenge: anyone who is reading this post...please get another 2 people to read it. Then, I would like it if those folks would comment by either clicking on the "comment" link or by clicking on my profile and sending me an email. I would really be grateful for ... note the following ... useful comments.
Thanks in advance. I'm gone.
How do I get myself excited about writing a blog? And more to the point, how do people decide what to write about?
I've been told that I am a decent writer, and I would really like to write a book. I tried to write a few chapters of the "France" book I had in mind, but it never really took off in my heart. I just couldn't get excited about it. So now I'm stumped.
I'm sarcastic, but I don't want to write a book sarcastically, as that would get annoying to readers, I think. I love the way that Douglas Adams wrote. There is no way that I could or would duplicate his style, and a series like "Hitchhiker's Guide" only comes along once in a lifetime. So what do I do?
I am pleased to note that in the past I have had upwards of 3 readers of my blog. Three! Count 'em! OK...I'm done counting already. But perhaps if those three would tell others, I could get some more people reading and I would be inclined to write more. I would also love it if I could get some brainstorming ideas of what would make a good book for my writing style.
So here is my challenge: anyone who is reading this post...please get another 2 people to read it. Then, I would like it if those folks would comment by either clicking on the "comment" link or by clicking on my profile and sending me an email. I would really be grateful for ... note the following ... useful comments.
Thanks in advance. I'm gone.
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