I am sitting with my wife on the couch watching "Golden Girls". It's not one of my favorite shows from the past, but with all the junk that's on anymore, I will watch an oldie, ANY oldie. And a show about 4 oldies just seemed appropriate.Did I enjoy watching it? HECK NO! Don't get me wrong, I had no problem with the program, at least WHEN THEY SHOWED IT! I swear, every five minutes there was a commercial break that lasted almost as long as the show segment that preceded it. If Golden Girls was originally a half-hour program that had a runtime of about 22 minutes, we did NOT see 22 minutes of this show, it felt like 10-15!
Of course, this all depends on the TV channel one happens to be watching. If I turn to Hub to see "Batman" (and I mean classic Adam West here), little to none of the show is cut! I actually enjoy watching that as opposed to when the show was on FX, Family Channel, and TVLand. Those channels put cuts in the show to make time for ads. I do understand when a buck has to be made, but why the heck does the viewer have to suffer? I guess my question is, bottom line, why air the show at all?
Here's another example: one of my favorite shows growing up was "WKRP in Cincinnati." It was funny and had Loni Anderson, what more can a growing boy ask for? The reruns in syndication were not cut. After they took it off for a VERY long time, one cable channel brought it back. I watched it and still liked it, but something was very different....they used to have rock riffs playing in the background and scene segues...and they were now replaced with elevator music pieces! They tried to sell the first season of the show in that state, but it must not have sold well because no other seasons were on sale!
Here is one more example: Warner Bros. cartoons! Growing up, I was subjected to a lot of horrible, non-PC cartoons from this studio, and I was psychologically damaged as a result! Well, at least the powers that be believe so. Personally, I thought I was watching a lot of funny stuff that I could relate to with friends. The truth is, I WAS NOT DAMAGED! We watch Warner Bros. cartoons at home, and while some of the shorts are good, Cartoon Network consistently airs a lot of the same LAME ones. They haven't even shown any Pepe LePew! Is that because the lovable skunk is regarded as anti-French? Well, many of us are anyway, what's one cartoon character going to damage?
So, I guess in this not-so- brand -new century, we have not moved so forward as we thought we would. Back in the day (I'm nearly 40, I can say back in the day!) we thought there'd be smellevision, video games would be mind-controlled, there'd be colonies on the moon AND Mars, two guys named Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest would be career dishwashers, and nothing would be cut on TV for "sensitivities."
OK, commercial break is over....I'll be back in 3 minutes.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Happy anniversary!
This year, my wife and I will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. I have loved Vickie for about 9 months longer than that. When it comes to deciding how to celebrate it this year, we are not sure what we will do yet. However, we will make sure it is fun for us, and hopefully include our little girl. In other words, it will be a truly happy occasion.
On the other hand, there will be a 10th anniversary of a different nature this year, and I am dreading it. I think a lot of other people are as well...yes, the 10th anniversary of the 4th season of "Charmed" is upon us! No, seriously, I am of course referring to the day that has shaped government policy and spending, not to mention the impact on American people's lives, loss of privacy and, for many out there a fear that the enemy was on our soil. There is no sense in denying that September 11, 2001 was a crippling day for our nation. My question is, why relive it?
Now, I am only 38, and therefore I have seen what I consider to be a small amount of historical experiences when compared to the experiences of others older than myself. In my lifetime, I have seen a President shot, a near-World War 3 panic when a Korean airliner was shot down by the Soviets, my favorite weatherman Jim O'Brien killed in a parachuting accident (my PA friends should remember that time!), the shuttel Challenger exploding, the Iran-Contra hearings that interrupted my game shows in 1987, the Berlin Wall coming down and later the fall of the Soviet Union, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait that ended decent gasoline prices forever, the retirement of Johnny Carson, the cancellation of the Tempestt Bledsoe talk show and, in 2001, the destruction of the twin towers in New York City as well as a secondary crash into the Pentagon. I later got to enjoy the capture of Saddam Hussein and death of Osama Bin Laden.
OK, I guess I've seen a lot after all, and will experience more events that shape our world. If I really wanted to be smarmy, I'd claim that I saw Watergate unravel before my eyes, but since I was an infant and toddler at the time, I don't recall, and that's what my lawyer told me to say! No, actually, my world view began around the time Reagan was elected and the hostages in Iran were released.
This September, I am sure there will be dedications, speeches, new walls erected, and other memorial efforts to make sure we do not forget 9/11. How can we forget? Ask anyone about to fly on a commercial jet if they forget 9/11 as they are being strip-searched because a nail clipper was found in their carry-on bag. Chances are, they have a good recollection. Ask our beloved soldiers (and I do mean that sincerely) if they have forgotten that day.
Let me be clear right now: I know that loved ones were lost in that tragedy (and to call it a tragedy is a severe understatement), and I will never demean their memories. If we lost our daughter, it would be a permanent hole in our hearts that could never be healed. It has occurred to me, however, especially when the smoke cleared, that there were probably some people who lost their lives that were not good people. This was Wall Street, after all. It is quite possible that some dishonest traders lost their lives prior to losing clients' life savings. It does not make the deaths justified, but I bet that never dawned on anyone but maybe a dozen or so people besides me (I always fall into that minority!).
I guess the real question on 9/11/11, in my mind anyway, will be this: have we moved on as a nation? Have we banded together as a whole to conquer the evil that struck us and emerge victorious? Sadly, the answer is no. People are going crazy out there. Lost jobs, home foreclosures, military families separated from their loved ones, and an endless barrage of Federal fighting amongst themselves in D.C. are turning people against their neighbors and sometimes loved ones. I'm scared, to be honest! I could go to the store tomorrow and get broadsided by a car driven by a person who just lost their home.
So, I'll stay home and watch some "Gunsmoke", or maybe "All in the Family" (I do stick to classics). Whatever tragedies happen on these shows, they are usually resolved and rarely if ever spoken of again. To throw another ball from left field, look at Japan. We nuked them twice in 1945. I wonder if they memorialized those bombings every year or ten years? I suspect they didn't. I listen for their stories on my Japanese-made stereo or watch for them on my Japanese-made TV. I think, somehow, they moved on economically and spiritually.
To conclude, let 9/11/11 be a day where we can vow as a nation to move to the future together instead of looking back in rage just to have an excuse to be angry. Happy Anniversary! I mean it!
On the other hand, there will be a 10th anniversary of a different nature this year, and I am dreading it. I think a lot of other people are as well...yes, the 10th anniversary of the 4th season of "Charmed" is upon us! No, seriously, I am of course referring to the day that has shaped government policy and spending, not to mention the impact on American people's lives, loss of privacy and, for many out there a fear that the enemy was on our soil. There is no sense in denying that September 11, 2001 was a crippling day for our nation. My question is, why relive it?
Now, I am only 38, and therefore I have seen what I consider to be a small amount of historical experiences when compared to the experiences of others older than myself. In my lifetime, I have seen a President shot, a near-World War 3 panic when a Korean airliner was shot down by the Soviets, my favorite weatherman Jim O'Brien killed in a parachuting accident (my PA friends should remember that time!), the shuttel Challenger exploding, the Iran-Contra hearings that interrupted my game shows in 1987, the Berlin Wall coming down and later the fall of the Soviet Union, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait that ended decent gasoline prices forever, the retirement of Johnny Carson, the cancellation of the Tempestt Bledsoe talk show and, in 2001, the destruction of the twin towers in New York City as well as a secondary crash into the Pentagon. I later got to enjoy the capture of Saddam Hussein and death of Osama Bin Laden.
OK, I guess I've seen a lot after all, and will experience more events that shape our world. If I really wanted to be smarmy, I'd claim that I saw Watergate unravel before my eyes, but since I was an infant and toddler at the time, I don't recall, and that's what my lawyer told me to say! No, actually, my world view began around the time Reagan was elected and the hostages in Iran were released.
This September, I am sure there will be dedications, speeches, new walls erected, and other memorial efforts to make sure we do not forget 9/11. How can we forget? Ask anyone about to fly on a commercial jet if they forget 9/11 as they are being strip-searched because a nail clipper was found in their carry-on bag. Chances are, they have a good recollection. Ask our beloved soldiers (and I do mean that sincerely) if they have forgotten that day.
Let me be clear right now: I know that loved ones were lost in that tragedy (and to call it a tragedy is a severe understatement), and I will never demean their memories. If we lost our daughter, it would be a permanent hole in our hearts that could never be healed. It has occurred to me, however, especially when the smoke cleared, that there were probably some people who lost their lives that were not good people. This was Wall Street, after all. It is quite possible that some dishonest traders lost their lives prior to losing clients' life savings. It does not make the deaths justified, but I bet that never dawned on anyone but maybe a dozen or so people besides me (I always fall into that minority!).
I guess the real question on 9/11/11, in my mind anyway, will be this: have we moved on as a nation? Have we banded together as a whole to conquer the evil that struck us and emerge victorious? Sadly, the answer is no. People are going crazy out there. Lost jobs, home foreclosures, military families separated from their loved ones, and an endless barrage of Federal fighting amongst themselves in D.C. are turning people against their neighbors and sometimes loved ones. I'm scared, to be honest! I could go to the store tomorrow and get broadsided by a car driven by a person who just lost their home.
So, I'll stay home and watch some "Gunsmoke", or maybe "All in the Family" (I do stick to classics). Whatever tragedies happen on these shows, they are usually resolved and rarely if ever spoken of again. To throw another ball from left field, look at Japan. We nuked them twice in 1945. I wonder if they memorialized those bombings every year or ten years? I suspect they didn't. I listen for their stories on my Japanese-made stereo or watch for them on my Japanese-made TV. I think, somehow, they moved on economically and spiritually.
To conclude, let 9/11/11 be a day where we can vow as a nation to move to the future together instead of looking back in rage just to have an excuse to be angry. Happy Anniversary! I mean it!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Yosemite...in less than a day!
Is it possible? Can what is possibly the greatest national park in, well, our nation, be done in a day? It sure can! All you need is a guide to the park's best activities or attractions, pick 2, and stick with them. It also helps to have flight reservations at either Reno or San Francisco airports for the next day to motivate your speed!
Did I put my own family through this? Absolutely not! However, my dad did a long time ago. Around the mid-80s, my father's engineering firm in Reading, Pennsylvania was running out of work for him in the office, so they sent him on out-of-town assignments that went for weeks or even months. In the summer, he would make up lost time to my sister and me by taking us to the towns where he was working, stick us in a motel room together for the day, then take us to dinner and show us the sights.
He had the best intentions in the world. However, there was one fact he forgot: my sister and I made for the worst roommate combo in the history of the earth (well, not exactly, there was one year in the college dorms I will discuss at another time). Putting it simply, keeping us cooped in one room for a day was like keeping a Lions fan and a Bears fan in a cage together...not a pretty picture!
The first year my dad tried this experiment was in Homosassa Springs, Florida (it's as pretty as it sounds!), about 50 miles north of Tampa. I'd say the best part of this trip was seeing Back to the Future at the local theater. Apart from that, it was less than satisfactory. Florida in the summer is a practice in patience for any traveler.
The second experiment was a year later, but in Berkeley, California. At least we got to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Sausalito, and other Bay Area attractions. Apart from the hotel room confinement, I had a much better time than in Florida. However, my dad had a surprise for us at the end. After wrapping up his work in the morning, he took us in the rental car, a state-of-the-crap Chevette, out to the Central Valley (akin to taking a pet for a "drive to the country") and into the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a little taste of Yosemite National Park.
As reservations inside the park are made decades in advance, we were lucky to find shelter at the Yosemite View Inn, just outside the park entrance. It was actually just right for the 3 of us. The next day, my dad had a plan: pick 2 activities in the park, do them, and leave for the Bay Area where we had flight reservations for the next day. All-righty then! We first rented some bikes and rode around the valley for about an hour. Then, we did some rafting on the Merced River. This was where I ran into some conflict with my dad. I wasn't an experienced rafter, much less rower. Yet, he wanted me to row a strong and as fast as I could, as though we were rowing to the airport!
Somehow, we made it to the end of the course, hopped into the Chevettemobile, and took the windy way back to the Bay Area. The next day, my sister flew down to San Diego to continue her vacation while Dad and I flew home. What made up for that wacky experience was that the whole family went to Yosemite the next year and spent about a week there. Luckily for us, the Yosemite View Inn held our reservations for a whole year! I think they were anticipating their closure at the time just to humor us, but they were indeed open the following summer.
What also makes up for that experience is that, like many other family memories that weren't quite so fun at the time, it is truly laughed about today! I hear the horn, so I'd better go. My Chevette doesn't like to be kept waiting!
Did I put my own family through this? Absolutely not! However, my dad did a long time ago. Around the mid-80s, my father's engineering firm in Reading, Pennsylvania was running out of work for him in the office, so they sent him on out-of-town assignments that went for weeks or even months. In the summer, he would make up lost time to my sister and me by taking us to the towns where he was working, stick us in a motel room together for the day, then take us to dinner and show us the sights.
He had the best intentions in the world. However, there was one fact he forgot: my sister and I made for the worst roommate combo in the history of the earth (well, not exactly, there was one year in the college dorms I will discuss at another time). Putting it simply, keeping us cooped in one room for a day was like keeping a Lions fan and a Bears fan in a cage together...not a pretty picture!
The first year my dad tried this experiment was in Homosassa Springs, Florida (it's as pretty as it sounds!), about 50 miles north of Tampa. I'd say the best part of this trip was seeing Back to the Future at the local theater. Apart from that, it was less than satisfactory. Florida in the summer is a practice in patience for any traveler.
The second experiment was a year later, but in Berkeley, California. At least we got to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Sausalito, and other Bay Area attractions. Apart from the hotel room confinement, I had a much better time than in Florida. However, my dad had a surprise for us at the end. After wrapping up his work in the morning, he took us in the rental car, a state-of-the-crap Chevette, out to the Central Valley (akin to taking a pet for a "drive to the country") and into the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a little taste of Yosemite National Park.
As reservations inside the park are made decades in advance, we were lucky to find shelter at the Yosemite View Inn, just outside the park entrance. It was actually just right for the 3 of us. The next day, my dad had a plan: pick 2 activities in the park, do them, and leave for the Bay Area where we had flight reservations for the next day. All-righty then! We first rented some bikes and rode around the valley for about an hour. Then, we did some rafting on the Merced River. This was where I ran into some conflict with my dad. I wasn't an experienced rafter, much less rower. Yet, he wanted me to row a strong and as fast as I could, as though we were rowing to the airport!
Somehow, we made it to the end of the course, hopped into the Chevettemobile, and took the windy way back to the Bay Area. The next day, my sister flew down to San Diego to continue her vacation while Dad and I flew home. What made up for that wacky experience was that the whole family went to Yosemite the next year and spent about a week there. Luckily for us, the Yosemite View Inn held our reservations for a whole year! I think they were anticipating their closure at the time just to humor us, but they were indeed open the following summer.
What also makes up for that experience is that, like many other family memories that weren't quite so fun at the time, it is truly laughed about today! I hear the horn, so I'd better go. My Chevette doesn't like to be kept waiting!
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