Monthly Archives: November 2007

Good news to talk about

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One of the things that I dislike about the current mainstream news on the networks and cable news networks is the lack of good news.

They are always reporting on OJ Simpson, Iraq, Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, or some latest murder or crash.  Never someone doing something good.

Well that was different on CBS Sunday Morning this morning.  They had a great story by Steve Hartman on “Reporting the Good News“.  It focused on three positive stories; a young boy who is working to clean-up city park in New Orleans; a top brain surgeon who came to America as an illegal immigrant and worked the fields in California, and a man who has kept his first car he bought in 1937 and the memories who went with the car.

I think my favorite story was the man who kept the car.  He bought it with $10 he saved from salvaging junk from garbage piles and he got it to go by stealing his dad’s moonshine.  But his best memories are of him and his wife in the car.

From having his first kiss in front of her house to the many trips they took together.  Even though she passed away in 1998, he has the memories, especially her initials carved in the steering wheel.

This is what good about this country.  It is always nice to see positive stories on the news and news shows.  I just wish they would put more of them on.

I guess that is why I like CBS Sunday Morning.  It is a nice relaxing look at news and it is full of fun, positive news stories and I always learn something.  Keep it up.

Twitter Updates for 2007-11-24

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  • Off to play Chutes and Ladders with the kids before bed. We are all tired. Days off are sure busy. #
  • Heading out to watch the Idaho Vandals play the Utah State this afternoon on TV. Hopefully the Vandals can win its second game today. #
  • in the 2nd quarter, Idaho leads 10-7 against Utah State. Go Vandals! #
  • At Blake Street Tavern in Denver & watching great college football. Kentucky-Tennessee is an incredible college game. #
  • idaho is now down 24-19 with 5:42 to go. Stop the Aggies and get the ball back. Go Vandals! #

What is quarterlife?

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Just found this site that is producing a network-quality series for the Internet called quarterlife.

It is from the producers of the “My So-Called Life” and seems to be similar to the movie Singles. In addition, they are setting it up a social network for “doers, thinkers and artists.”

Even though I am not in my twenties any more, this show intrigues me and I will probably watch a few episodes.  I am also interested in watching the social network side of this project.  Getting twenty-somethings to discuss wide-ranging issues that affect them.

They have a few episodes and new ones are released on “blogging” about her life.  It helps to explain the series and I am sure will help when I start watching the episoeds.

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Let me know what you think.  Does this series grab your attention?

Effects of Writer’s and Stagehand Strike Beginning to Show

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We’re Struck Dumb – washingtonpost.com

This is a great article by Robin Givhan the Washington Post talking about the writers strike affecting broadcast media and the stagehand strike affecting Broadway.

According to the article:

In a complicated, multilayered world, we need simplistic, linear storytelling, jokes that call out for a rimshot and one-liners that require no sense of irony or familiarity with world events. There is a place for silliness that splashes across the surface and provides easy, painless amusement. And there is something cozy and reassuring about entertainment that can be summed up in a tiny, simple word: fun.

We are losing our outlet to just sit and re-charge our brains. No sitting down and laughing to Jon Stewart or Leno, I need my new episodes of the Office, and it would be nice to go to Broadway and have a sing-a-long to Abba at Mama Mia. No wait a minute. See what the strikes are doing to my brain?

The good thing is that I now have alternatives compared to previous strikes. Video podcasts/netcasts are plenty and there is great content out there. If this strike goes on, I may not go back to watching all the shows before. I will just watch for free the shows the independent content producers are developing.

We need to get the producers together with the respective writers or stagehand union and settle this thing. Otherwise there won’t be an industry to come back to and the television networks will roll-out endless garbage like American Gladiator.  Wait, they are already doing that.

Twitter Updates for 2007-11-23

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  • Opened a bottle of wine and the cork just pushed right into the bottle shooting all over me. It was not a fun experience. Glad I was home. #
  • I am watching the USC-Arizona State game. It is so nice to see Dennis Erickson lose. He is such a loser! #
  • October Road is back. I thought they were done and cancelled last spring. It is good to see it back. #
  • Watching a re-run of Leno and the Marine Sergeant had a tough time identifying a photo of Iwo Jima. #
  • Going shopping at a ridiculously early hour. Why are we doing this? #
  • fighting the masses at JcPenny’s and not finding what we are looking for. #
  • Well we have survived JcPenny twice, Sears, & Target. Heading home to relax. We are done! #
  • Watching the Colorado – Nebraska game. I am glad that Colorado came back and is dominating the game. Nebraska is going down. #