The 11th Doctor

I like him. Didn't expect to. But did.

Really nice to have some new Doctor Who episodes to watch again. Hooray! (And new Graham Norton right after. Fun!)

New sonic screwdriver as well. Green?!?

A creative endorsement, with nostalgia.

There have been some unusual endorsements so far this election, like Colin Powell, Christopher Buckley, and Scott McClellan. But the one below gets high marks for style and originality! If you can't trust Opie or Richie Cunningham, who can you trust? How about Sheriff Andy Taylor and the Fonz? Aaaaaaaay.

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

I read the Bigfoot articles so you don't have to.

It happened (allegedly) near my neck of the woods. Another couple of idiots claim to have found Bigfoot. It's all pretty standard, as Bigfoot stories go. "Evidence" so thin you can see through it. Ever-changing narratives. So-called "experts" that are anything but. In case you missed it, here it the latest claim in a nutshell.

Three different stories about how the finders are now in possession of a Bigfoot body: It was (a) shot by a felon and these guys followed it into the woods, (b) they found a whole family of Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) and bagged one, and/or (c) they were hiking in the north Georgia woods and stumbled upon a dead one.

They've had the body (allegedly) in a freezer for a month. Won't let anyone have a look, except for their own hand-picked "scientists", one of whom turned out to be the (non-scientist) brother of one of the finders. (They claim they were "just having some fun.") The low quality photo that was posted to the internet looks like an ape suit wadded up in a big Styrofoam cooler.

To match the three tales of the capture of the Bigfoot corpse, there were three DNA samples analyzed. Results? (a)human, (b) possum, and (c) cannot be determined due to technical problems.

Most damning sign that this is a hoax? These yokels are now charging $499 to lead weekend "Bigfoot hunts" in north Georgia. Because (allegedly) our woods are just chock full of Bigfeet (Bigfoots?) awaiting discovery.

So unless you think that Bigfoot is a cross between man and opossum, this probably isn't the discovery you've been waiting for.

But this does remind me of those TV specials from my childhood, about Bigfoot, UFOs, or the Loch Ness Monster. I loved those shows. Part of the magic was that these specials were fairly rare. They were not your ordinary TV fare. It wasn't as if you could hop onto the internet and indulge your taste for the paranormal. No, back then it was An Event. And back then, you could almost believe...

Suburban Widowed Pot-Dealing Mom

Five simple words successfully used to pitch TV show Weeds to the execs at Showtime, according to an interview with the show's creator, Jenji Kohan.

It's back for a fourth season starting tonight. I'll be watching. The plot twists are wildly absurd and silly. While this show makes light of heavy topics, it does so without ever taking them lightly. If that makes any sense. And it probably doesn't, if you haven't seen it. Great cast, unpredictable show. Yeah, I will definitely be watching. Good TV is hard to find.

Not The Same, But Still Funny

I stayed up late last night to watch The Daily Show and Colbert Report. Or "A Daily Show", as Stewart renamed the interim writer-free shows. Both shows were different than they were before the strike. Stripped down, for one thing. But what I like the most about them was still there, only more of it - the opening monologues and the interviews. I enjoyed seeing Andrew Sullivan on Colbert, but laughed more during Jon Stewart's monologue (or "improv" opening statement, or whatever we should call it when it technically cannot be scripted in advance - even by Colbert or Stewart). Although Colbert did note that Stewart's monologue (or whatever) seemed alarmingly well prepared:



I've missed these shows, especially The/A Daily Show, and am glad they are back because there is so much to poke fun at. If you missed it, Stewart's bit on the Writers' Strike was hilarious!

Changes

Fall is a time of changes. Weatherwise, the changes in Atlanta are subtle this time of year. There is not a hint of color in the trees, nor will there be frost for a long time. But it is noticeably cooler at night, more comfortable (yet still warm) during the day, and best of all - it is far less humid most of the time. We can finally turn off our air conditioners and rely on fresh air from the windows. Still summery, but with that indefinable "something" in the air that hints of things to come.

Some things don't change, unfortunately. Georgia's extreme drought conditions are projected to worsen over the next few months. The long-term forecast calls for a warmer and drier winter than normal, extending our rain deficit into next year. Usually we can count on a wet fall and winter to help refill reservoirs, lakes and streams. Not this year. The persistence of sunny days has led to a change in outdoor water use restrictions. The tight restrictions have been replaced with a total outdoor watering ban for the entire northern third of the state. I'll miss the gardening I would have done - autumn is a great time to plant new perennials - but the region needs to conserve water for drinking and power generation. We are also obligated by law to release a certain amount of water downstream, and this far exceeds the reduced inflow to the lakes. Our water sources are at historically low levels. Lake Lanier is likely to reach a low not seen since it was first filled.

Yesterday was no exception to the fair fall weather pattern. Sunny skies and a warm, but not hot, afternoon made for excellent football weather. I had low expectations for this game. Change was in the air at sold-out Bobby Dodd Stadium, where Georgia Tech was able to engineer a reversal of fortune over their previous two games. The victory over formerly undefeated Clemson was a much-needed confidence builder for us. Our passing game still needs work, but special teams and the defense were spot on! Running back Choice was back to his normal performance, gaining 145 yards in spite of his injured hamstring. The team pulled together to overcome a bad start in our conference this year and to avenge last year's loss to Clemson. Close games are exciting, but difficult to watch when you care about the outcome. The fans of both teams were rocking the house during the entire game. We were finally able to relax with some cold fried chicken and beer at an impromptu post-game celebratory tailgate party. An added bonus was the hassle free exit from campus, long after most of the crowd had dispersed.

There is more change afoot in the sporting world: TBS will no longer broadcast Braves games nationwide. "America's Team" has been canceled due to declining ratings and a changing TV landscape. We will still be able to see them on TV here in Atlanta and in much of the southeast, but for the first time since 1977, the Braves will no longer be a big part of nationwide baseball programming. I can't help but feel sad about this. During my 12+ years living in New England, being able to turn on the TV and find a Braves game helped me feel less homesick. Even when I was too busy to watch, I would sometimes leave the game on just to hear the familiar voices from back home. The Braves on TBS made me feel more at home and less alone.

And speaking of television, the changeover from summer programming to fall programming is in full swing. Monk, Psych, and Rescue Me are on seasonal hiatus. Eureka and Doctor Who end this coming week. Heroes arrived again last week, along with newcomers Chuck and Journeyman. Looks like Monday is our new "couch potato night". This week brings the return of Dexter, and new show "Pushing Daisies" looks interesting.

And last but certainly not least, there are big changes in the works at my job. It has been handled rather strangely. We have a new physics schedule starting on Monday, and all of us know what it is from the grapevine, but I have yet to see any official notice/memo/email regarding the change. They usually have a short meeting to announce big changes, but not this time. I am going back to the schedule I like most (100% at the main location, so no more switching back and forth). Because this is what I wanted, I was afraid to get my hopes up about it until getting the official word. But official or not, apparently it is a go. I can't help but cynically feel that it will change again in the future, and I will once again get an assignment I don't care for. All I can do to fight that is to work my butt off at the main location and try to become indispensable. The rest of it is out of my control.

Edited to add: Speaking of changes, I have cleaned up my links list and added some people that I have been reading for some time now. They are in no particular order, so please don't anyone get your feelings hurt. Some day I will shuffle them into alphabetical order or whatnot. Don't hold your breath. I've been meaning to spiff up the graphics for nearly a year now, and the blog is still black and plain.

The War

I'm a little behind on posts, but I definitely wanted to get to this one. PDM and I started watching the new Ken Burns documentary The War on Sunday night. The series focuses on four American towns and how they experienced WWII. Early on in Part I, the narrator says something to the effect that this war touched every family in America. My first thought was something like "Wow. That's quite a statement." And then the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was probably true.

My family certainly changed as a result of the war. Big Daddy's brother Johnny was killed. (Big Daddy is my grandfather on my mother's side.) From family lore, Uncle Johnny was reputed to be funnier than Big Daddy and his other brother Warren put together, and that is really saying something! Uncle Johnny looks so kind and handsome and down-to-earth in the photo of him in uniform. I wish I could have met him. My Dad's father came back a changed man, which eventually led to his divorce from my grandmother and estrangement from Dad, who never forgave him for deserting his family. He returned from the war with some very bad habits. An alcoholic, he died alone, of cirrhosis of the liver. I never met the man, even though he lived nearby when I was growing up. Such a waste, and so much sadness all around. Other family members served as well. I have vintage photos and mementos from my Uncle Robert's time in Europe, including a photo of Bob Hope performing for the troops.

It really does seem like no one could have lived through that time and come out unscathed. Surely everyone would have had a family member or friend who was dramatically changed by that war. It was such a defining moment for our country and the world. Events so enormous as to be nearly beyond comprehension, while at the same time, the effects were so intensely personal.

"All due respect..."

I just uncorked a bottle of chianti in preparation for the last new episode of the The Sopranos. For the last couple of months, this is how we spent our Sunday nights. I can't say it has been a routine - settling in with a nice meal and a bottle of chianti - only because the show isn't on often enough for it to seem that way. It wasn't unusual to have to wait well over a year between seasons.

I'm curious about how they will end the show. The mood that has been building this season is ominous and dark. I don't have a preference - just hope that it will be the usual high quality, meaty fare.

Rather than mourning the loss, I appreciate what The Sopranos has done for TV. It has shown what is possible in this medium when the creators are free from network interference, ratings worries, the need to be an instant success, and broadcast standards and regulations. The result is a TV series that plays out more like a novel than a dramatic series. Add in lush cinematography, brilliant musical soundtrack choices, excellent writing and acting, and you have got one helluva show. I am sure that HBO was rewarded with many new subscribers who came because of this show, and stayed because of all the other great series: Six Feet Under, Sex and the City, ROME, Carnivale, and Deadwood, just to name my personal favorites.

Friday CatBlogging

Zima, basking in the blue glow of the TV. Perfect spot for a belly rub...

Happy Friday, y'all.

It's time to save the world.

Heroes is back on tonight!

Not just TV, it's HDTV.

WOW! Huge difference.

We got the Big Damn TV two months ago, but just now got HDTV. Holy crap!! Watching 'Galapagos' on the National Geographic Channel right now, and it is just gorgeous. Also caught some NCAA action (not all that good for my bracket, thankyouverymuch, but so crisp and clean), and a movie on HBO. All eye-poppin' good.

We're not early adopters. We wait until the cost is reasonable. But if you are on the fence about it - we say DO IT! Now is a good time.

American Idol Still Sucks

At the end of the first new House episode in weeks, I find out that due to American Fucking Idol there are no new House episodes until March 27. Sigh. That show just sucks the life out of everything around it.

Meet the people I dumped Jack Bauer for...

Heroes is, without a doubt, the best show on television. The choice was easy. Besides, with the incredibly detailed minute-by-minute plot summary on the 24 website you can get caught up in just a few minutes without ever watching the show. Problem solved.

I enjoy 24. It is entertaining, but I cannot get through a single episode without yelling "Oh, come ON!" at the television multiple times, each time I have to suspend disbelief in order to accept the latest plot device. That show relies on the most absurd coincidences, mistakes that would never be made, bizarre and convoluted plot twists, smart characters displaying very bad judgement, cliffhangers every hour on the hour, humans who can make it through 24 hours without sleeping, eating, or peeing, and incredibly bad luck to move the story forward.

You might be thinking, "Hey! Don't you have to suspend disbelief to watch a show about people with superpowers?" Well, sure! Obviously people can't really fly, heal themselves, become invisible, read minds, create radioactivity, erase memories, melt metals, paint the future, or control time, to name just a few. But you need only accept the single premise about the emergence of these super powers and the rest of the story becomes completely believable. That is one big difference between the shows.

Another difference is that Heroes is better at fleshing out its characters. 24 has some interesting characters, but there are so many players and so much action that the audience doesn't get to really know many of them. The characters on Heroes are much more three-dimensional. No one is 100% good or evil (except maybe Mr. Linderman). Introduced slowly and featured in small subsets, Heroes lets you spend a lot of time with each character. As the mysteries get deeper, you are learning what makes these people tick and starting to care about them. Even some of the ones you think might be bad guys. The plots on 24 remind me of a Rube Goldberg contraption. The plots on Heroes are more like peeling the layers of an onion. With everything you learn, there is some deeper mystery at the core, but it all works together and it all makes sense (once you are in on it). Instead of "Huh? WTF!?", you have "Ah ha!". Much more satisfying.

Heroes has done the impossible: it makes me look forward to Mondays!

Prime Time Ain't So Prime Any More

...At least not for the next couple of weeks.

No House tonight. No Bones tomorrow night. No House or Bones next week either. And why are these two fine shows not on the air? Because that cesspool of the airwaves, American Idol, has entered a bloated new phase in its seemingly never-ending crap fest. Television that doesn't suck will have to wait until they insult and remove enough 'contestants' to knock AI back down to a one-hour timeslot again.

I hate that show with the fire of a thousand suns.

57 Channels and Nothin' On?

Friday CatBlogging: No matter how big your TV is, your cat will always find a way to obstruct the view.