So three times already in the last couple months we've been told THE BIG STORM IS COMING! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR WINTER SAFETY KIT IN THE CAR! RUSH THE GROCERY STORE! BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! IT'S THE STORM OF THE ... oh, you get the idea. And three times we got, at most, a dusting of the white stuff.
Yes, it's always a good idea to be prepared for a big winter storm, and I guess that's especially true for me since I have a 20 mile drive to my work. But I have to wonder if the TV news media doesn't make a bigger deal about it all than is really necessary. I mean, one of the local news stations even started off the 10 p.m. newscast with a story about how they make the same report about "the big storm" year after year after year after year.
So what's the deal? Is it all about ratings? Is everybody trying to be the Weather Channel, with their heroic, daring on-the-scene reporters? Probably. It just seems like everybody's trying to outdo each other on the local weather. I have to laugh when I watch one of the other Wichita stations and their weather guy is literally surrounded by a bank of monitors. None of which seem to actually be showing anything, by the way.
It's been snowing lightly most of the day, and, depending on where you look, we'll get anywhere from a trace to 12+ inches of snow by tomorrow night. Whatever.
Guess I'll go make sure I've got a blanket and stuff in the car. You never know, after all.
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Monday, December 07, 2009
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Roadshow pic
Finally, here's our pic from the Antiques Roadshow (I think they caught me before I was really ready):
Saturday, July 12, 2008
That was fast
Well, our "Antiques Roadshow" experience is over. It's really pretty fast and efficient the way they have it set up. Our ticket entry time was 8 a.m., although we went early, getting to there about 7:15 (in the pouring rain) or so, and we were done by 8:30. I imagine that later in the day, you probably end up waiting a lot more, though, as they had the place set up so lines could wind around and around and around before you get to the actual appraisal area.
I took the sketchbook of the African safari, and the appraiser was real interested in it, but she also had a time making out the artist's signature. She had a laptop to look up information, and found someone who might be the artist, but that's not 100 percent certain, since she couldn't compare the signatures on the computer images too well with what was on the book. But she liked the detail of the work in the book, and appraised it at a decent number. Not enough to quit my job, or even pay off the car if I wanted to sell it (which I don't), but it gives me an idea.
She also looked at Mom's watercolor painting, and she really liked that. She conferred with another appraiser, and for a moment I thought they might want to put her TV with it, but it didn't turn out that way. Mom also had some family jewelry looked at, and that turned out about the way she thought, she said. So no big surprise treasures for us, but we had a good time.
The local PBS station was there, and we had our photo taken. They'll have that available for download late next week, so check back Thursday or Friday to see! And I won an Antiques Roadshow tour T-shirt!
Afterwards, we walked around Wichita's Old Town for awhile and had breakfast at a little soda fountain/cafe that's been there since the early 30s. It's ironic we have to go east to Wichita to find a good dish with New Mexico green chiles. Now we're just crashing in the camper and maybe we'll do something later on.
I took the sketchbook of the African safari, and the appraiser was real interested in it, but she also had a time making out the artist's signature. She had a laptop to look up information, and found someone who might be the artist, but that's not 100 percent certain, since she couldn't compare the signatures on the computer images too well with what was on the book. But she liked the detail of the work in the book, and appraised it at a decent number. Not enough to quit my job, or even pay off the car if I wanted to sell it (which I don't), but it gives me an idea.
She also looked at Mom's watercolor painting, and she really liked that. She conferred with another appraiser, and for a moment I thought they might want to put her TV with it, but it didn't turn out that way. Mom also had some family jewelry looked at, and that turned out about the way she thought, she said. So no big surprise treasures for us, but we had a good time.
The local PBS station was there, and we had our photo taken. They'll have that available for download late next week, so check back Thursday or Friday to see! And I won an Antiques Roadshow tour T-shirt!
Afterwards, we walked around Wichita's Old Town for awhile and had breakfast at a little soda fountain/cafe that's been there since the early 30s. It's ironic we have to go east to Wichita to find a good dish with New Mexico green chiles. Now we're just crashing in the camper and maybe we'll do something later on.
Monday, April 21, 2008
F*@#$% brilliant
I don't watch a lot of "South Park" anymore -- too many dull episodes and it got to full of itself after a few years -- but the episode I caught last night, where they lost the Internet, was terrific. One of the kids' families threw everything they owned onto the family SUV because they heard there was still Internet "out Californey way." The "Grapes of Wrath" spin was brilliant.
Even better, though, was the TV newspeople, who had nothing to say because they had no Internet and the anchors resorted to fighting over a fax machine set between them for information to read on the air.
Even better, though, was the TV newspeople, who had nothing to say because they had no Internet and the anchors resorted to fighting over a fax machine set between them for information to read on the air.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Just where the hell is Jericho?
I don't know if I'll actually stick with this show. The concept is certainly intriguing, but there's just too much crap to nitpick on. **SPOILER ALERT**
First, where is Jericho? This map on the CBS Web site shows Jericho being on Interstate 70 where U.S. Highway 83 meets it and U.S. 40 divides from the interstate. Although the roads don't match exactly, in reality that would mean Jericho is standing in for Oakley, Kansas, a town of about 2,000.
However, at the end of tonight's episode, as Mysterious Big City Guy is putting pins in his map (presumably of where other nukes have hit), he starts somewhere southeast of Oakley before putting his pin at Denver. That would actually fit with the idea that townspeople were taken to a salt mine to hide out from the fallout, as there are salt mines at Hutchinson.
Hutch, however, is more than 450 miles from Denver -- much too far away to see a mushroom cloud. Let alone the damn mountains. Plus, Hutch is only about 50 miles from Wichita, which doesn't fit in with the mileage sign shown in the beginning of the first episode. Oakley is about 250 miles from Denver, still too far away to see a mushroom cloud or the damn mountains. Kanorado (on the state line) is about 180 miles from Denver. Still too far to see the damn mountains, at least.
Second, Jake's ex-girlfriend is living up to her blondeness. She's walking along the road for gas when a patrol car from her home county's sheriff's office stops to help and she doesn't realize that the two guys wearing the uniforms are people she's never seen before? Trust me, in a town the size Jericho is supposed to be (I believe the mayor said about 3,000), you would know who all the people in uniform are. I didn't get the impression she had also just arrived back in Jericho. And some guy who needs a shave and has skanky teeth would be a big tip off. Especially when he doesn't know where the nearest gas station is.
The Mysterious Big City Guy: Really, one black family in a small, rural town isn't that unbelievable. Neither is that he would act like he knows everything and the bumpkins no nothing. I've known plenty of big-city types who come out here acting like they've been sent from God to save us from our own hickness, only to turn tail and run when they can't cut it out here. Can't live without theater or opera or jazz clubs or one-hour eyeglasses or sushi or drive-through everything? Fine. Seeya. Just what this guy is still remains to be seen, though.
Oh, and just because cops or fire fighters are out in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean they don't get training and education from Homeland Security. Where do you think a good portion of food in your kitchen and favorite restaraunts comes from? Don't you think that'd make a good target? Pass the smallpox, please.
And just what is Jake's story? This (and some of the other characters) might be the only thing that keeps me watching. He's vague about where he's been, but he seems to have some medical training, and he "knew someone" who knew something about explosives. He did something to disgrace his family, but something they were able to keep secret (not an easy trick in a small town). And something that didn't bother his grandfather enough to disown him. That could be anything from prison to being grand marshal of a gay pride parade. If they reveal these stories slowly, it might make it worth it to put up with the stupid parts.
I'm sure I could go on, but that's enough for now.
First, where is Jericho? This map on the CBS Web site shows Jericho being on Interstate 70 where U.S. Highway 83 meets it and U.S. 40 divides from the interstate. Although the roads don't match exactly, in reality that would mean Jericho is standing in for Oakley, Kansas, a town of about 2,000.
However, at the end of tonight's episode, as Mysterious Big City Guy is putting pins in his map (presumably of where other nukes have hit), he starts somewhere southeast of Oakley before putting his pin at Denver. That would actually fit with the idea that townspeople were taken to a salt mine to hide out from the fallout, as there are salt mines at Hutchinson.
Hutch, however, is more than 450 miles from Denver -- much too far away to see a mushroom cloud. Let alone the damn mountains. Plus, Hutch is only about 50 miles from Wichita, which doesn't fit in with the mileage sign shown in the beginning of the first episode. Oakley is about 250 miles from Denver, still too far away to see a mushroom cloud or the damn mountains. Kanorado (on the state line) is about 180 miles from Denver. Still too far to see the damn mountains, at least.
Second, Jake's ex-girlfriend is living up to her blondeness. She's walking along the road for gas when a patrol car from her home county's sheriff's office stops to help and she doesn't realize that the two guys wearing the uniforms are people she's never seen before? Trust me, in a town the size Jericho is supposed to be (I believe the mayor said about 3,000), you would know who all the people in uniform are. I didn't get the impression she had also just arrived back in Jericho. And some guy who needs a shave and has skanky teeth would be a big tip off. Especially when he doesn't know where the nearest gas station is.
The Mysterious Big City Guy: Really, one black family in a small, rural town isn't that unbelievable. Neither is that he would act like he knows everything and the bumpkins no nothing. I've known plenty of big-city types who come out here acting like they've been sent from God to save us from our own hickness, only to turn tail and run when they can't cut it out here. Can't live without theater or opera or jazz clubs or one-hour eyeglasses or sushi or drive-through everything? Fine. Seeya. Just what this guy is still remains to be seen, though.
Oh, and just because cops or fire fighters are out in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean they don't get training and education from Homeland Security. Where do you think a good portion of food in your kitchen and favorite restaraunts comes from? Don't you think that'd make a good target? Pass the smallpox, please.
And just what is Jake's story? This (and some of the other characters) might be the only thing that keeps me watching. He's vague about where he's been, but he seems to have some medical training, and he "knew someone" who knew something about explosives. He did something to disgrace his family, but something they were able to keep secret (not an easy trick in a small town). And something that didn't bother his grandfather enough to disown him. That could be anything from prison to being grand marshal of a gay pride parade. If they reveal these stories slowly, it might make it worth it to put up with the stupid parts.
I'm sure I could go on, but that's enough for now.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The TV season so far
OK, so the new TV season is under way. Here's some thoughts:
Sunday:
Amazing Race: Off to a great start, although what could have been two of the more interesting teams got eliminated right off. And a new twist -- one team was eliminated before the first pit stop! Obviously, they won't be doing that every week, or else the season would last only a few weeks. But Phil said other surprises are in store.
Monday
The Class: I think I'll skip this one. Maybe if you work in Hollywood, and your new TV show is being touted as "the next (insert name of past hit show here)," you shouldn't quit your day job.
How I Met Your Mother: So far, so good.
Didn't watch much of Two and a Half Men, but saw The New Adventures of Old Christine. I do like that one, so if Heroes turns out to be good, I might tape this one. I've always lliked Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, and the main characters aren't just stereotypes.
I already saw the pilot for Studio 60, but I didn't pay much attention to CSI: Miami.
Tuesday
NCIS: I suppose eventually they're going to make Mark Harmon shave and cut his hair. Darn it. Anyway, it's interesting to see the team acting in a new way under DiNozzo's leadership. And how's he going to act when Jethro comes back? (you know he will).
Wednesday:
Jericho: You know I had to say something. And ... it wasn't at awful as I thought it might be. The landscape, other than the one shot of the mountains, didn't look too bad (typical TV Kansas landscape. It's not perfectly flat out here, but there's more bluffs in western Kansas than hills.) There wasn't too much else that made me roll my eyes, and the story was kind of interesting. I'll tune back in next week.
CSI: New York: Bungee sex?!?
More later in the week.
Sunday:
Amazing Race: Off to a great start, although what could have been two of the more interesting teams got eliminated right off. And a new twist -- one team was eliminated before the first pit stop! Obviously, they won't be doing that every week, or else the season would last only a few weeks. But Phil said other surprises are in store.
Monday
The Class: I think I'll skip this one. Maybe if you work in Hollywood, and your new TV show is being touted as "the next (insert name of past hit show here)," you shouldn't quit your day job.
How I Met Your Mother: So far, so good.
Didn't watch much of Two and a Half Men, but saw The New Adventures of Old Christine. I do like that one, so if Heroes turns out to be good, I might tape this one. I've always lliked Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, and the main characters aren't just stereotypes.
I already saw the pilot for Studio 60, but I didn't pay much attention to CSI: Miami.
Tuesday
NCIS: I suppose eventually they're going to make Mark Harmon shave and cut his hair. Darn it. Anyway, it's interesting to see the team acting in a new way under DiNozzo's leadership. And how's he going to act when Jethro comes back? (you know he will).
Wednesday:
Jericho: You know I had to say something. And ... it wasn't at awful as I thought it might be. The landscape, other than the one shot of the mountains, didn't look too bad (typical TV Kansas landscape. It's not perfectly flat out here, but there's more bluffs in western Kansas than hills.) There wasn't too much else that made me roll my eyes, and the story was kind of interesting. I'll tune back in next week.
CSI: New York: Bungee sex?!?
More later in the week.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
It gets even dumber and dumber ...
I am getting less and less interested in watching the CBS show "Jerico." Now they're appearantly planning a "Jericho" promotion in Lawrence. Lawrence? What the hell? Because Lawrence is a small town, just like Jericho? Hello, Lawrence has about 80,000 people! Hardly a representation of small-town anywhere. Not to mention it's in eastern Kansas, so definatley NO MOUNTAINS in sight.
If they wanted to promote the feel of the show, why not choose a town that could be Jericho? There's plenty of small towns in western Kansas that would welcome the publicity and fit the bill (even if you can't see mountains). The town of Speed (population between 30 and 40, depending on who you talk to and if you count dogs and cats) recently hosted an event with Mattel's Hot Wheels that brought around 10,000 people to town.
So there.
If they wanted to promote the feel of the show, why not choose a town that could be Jericho? There's plenty of small towns in western Kansas that would welcome the publicity and fit the bill (even if you can't see mountains). The town of Speed (population between 30 and 40, depending on who you talk to and if you count dogs and cats) recently hosted an event with Mattel's Hot Wheels that brought around 10,000 people to town.
So there.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
I'll watch, but ...
Check out CBS' info page about one if its new shows, "Jericho." Look closely at the picture on the left side of the page. What's wrong with it?
Don't get it? Read the first part of the show's description:
Now, look at that picture again. Get it? No? Here's a small clue:
Was that subtle enough for you?
The producers, in a video interview on the CBS Web site, say they were going for a sense of reality for this show. Well, then they should have done some homework. Or come to Kansas, stood on the freakin' border and looked with their own damn eyes.
Yes, I am a bit peeved about this ... does it show?
Still, the premise of the show is interesting. So I'll watch, and I'll grit my teeth whenever there's mountains on the horizon. Or whatever uneducated bunk or hick cliche shows up.
As long as there's not a girl named Dorothy with a dog named Toto, I'll give it a chance.
Don't get it? Read the first part of the show's description:
JERICHO is a drama about what happens when a nuclear mushroom cloud suddenly appears on the horizon, plunging the residents of a small, peaceful Kansas town into chaos, leaving them completely isolated and wondering if they're the only Americans left alive.
Now, look at that picture again. Get it? No? Here's a small clue:
YOU CANNOT SEE THE DAMN ROCKY MOUNTAINS FROM KANSAS!
Was that subtle enough for you?
The producers, in a video interview on the CBS Web site, say they were going for a sense of reality for this show. Well, then they should have done some homework. Or come to Kansas, stood on the freakin' border and looked with their own damn eyes.
Yes, I am a bit peeved about this ... does it show?
Still, the premise of the show is interesting. So I'll watch, and I'll grit my teeth whenever there's mountains on the horizon. Or whatever uneducated bunk or hick cliche shows up.
As long as there's not a girl named Dorothy with a dog named Toto, I'll give it a chance.
Fall TV
So the days are getting shorter, the kids will be back in school next week and that turns one's thoughts to ... the new fall TV season!
I watched the pilot of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," the new show from "The West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin (courtesy of Netflix), and I liked it. If it keeps up that quality, I'll probably stick with it. I haven't watched the pilot for "Kidnapped," which is on the same disk, yet. The preview for "Heroes" looked interesting, too. Not a football fan, so "Friday Night Lights" is out for me.
So looking at the networks' fall lineup, here's what will probably be my viewing schedule, at least in the beginning:
Monday
7 p.m. The Amazing Race, CBS. Can't do without my Race fix!
The rest of the night kind of sucks.
Monday
7 p.m. The Class, CBS. I'll give this one a shot.
7:30 p.m. How I Met Your Mother, CBS. Better than most sitcoms that have come along in the last few years. But this hour might be my Web-surfing-while-watching hour.
8 p.m. Heroes, NBC. The preview looked interesting. If it tanks, I stick with CBS with Two and Half Men and The New Adventures of Old Christine. I didn't watch these often last year, but what I saw was good.
9 p.m. Watch Studio 60, tape CSI: Miami.
Tuesday
7 p.m. NCIS. Mark Harmon. Need I say more?
The rest of the night looks dull. Maybe House, on Fox. Maybe a movie night after NCIS. Unless CBS gets smart and puts Amazing Race back here.
Wednesday
7 p.m. Jericho, CBS. Depsite the fact the producers are too dumb to know geography, I'll check this one out.
8 p.m. Lost, ABC. Seven episodes will air in the fall, then the series will resume with 15 new episodes in the spring. That episode No. 7 better be DAMN good.
9 p.m. Probably CSI:NY, CBS, unless I get hooked on Kidnapped on NBC. Then tape CSI and watch later.
Thursday
7 p.m. Survivor, CBS. Hopefully it hasn't jumped the shark. Or maybe it has, but I'm just still hooked.
8 p.m. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS. I'm starting to get tired of CSI shows on about every other chanel all day, but at least they don't change the cast around like Law & Order.
9 p.m. Maybe Six Degrees on ABC or Shark on CBS. Don't know yet.
Friday
Except for Numbers on CBS at 9 p.m., looks like Friday will suck this year again.
Saturday
College football and reruns? Who's in charge of programming this crap? Not everyone goes out, you know.
I watched the pilot of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," the new show from "The West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin (courtesy of Netflix), and I liked it. If it keeps up that quality, I'll probably stick with it. I haven't watched the pilot for "Kidnapped," which is on the same disk, yet. The preview for "Heroes" looked interesting, too. Not a football fan, so "Friday Night Lights" is out for me.
So looking at the networks' fall lineup, here's what will probably be my viewing schedule, at least in the beginning:
Monday
7 p.m. The Amazing Race, CBS. Can't do without my Race fix!
The rest of the night kind of sucks.
Monday
7 p.m. The Class, CBS. I'll give this one a shot.
7:30 p.m. How I Met Your Mother, CBS. Better than most sitcoms that have come along in the last few years. But this hour might be my Web-surfing-while-watching hour.
8 p.m. Heroes, NBC. The preview looked interesting. If it tanks, I stick with CBS with Two and Half Men and The New Adventures of Old Christine. I didn't watch these often last year, but what I saw was good.
9 p.m. Watch Studio 60, tape CSI: Miami.
Tuesday
7 p.m. NCIS. Mark Harmon. Need I say more?
The rest of the night looks dull. Maybe House, on Fox. Maybe a movie night after NCIS. Unless CBS gets smart and puts Amazing Race back here.
Wednesday
7 p.m. Jericho, CBS. Depsite the fact the producers are too dumb to know geography, I'll check this one out.
8 p.m. Lost, ABC. Seven episodes will air in the fall, then the series will resume with 15 new episodes in the spring. That episode No. 7 better be DAMN good.
9 p.m. Probably CSI:NY, CBS, unless I get hooked on Kidnapped on NBC. Then tape CSI and watch later.
Thursday
7 p.m. Survivor, CBS. Hopefully it hasn't jumped the shark. Or maybe it has, but I'm just still hooked.
8 p.m. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS. I'm starting to get tired of CSI shows on about every other chanel all day, but at least they don't change the cast around like Law & Order.
9 p.m. Maybe Six Degrees on ABC or Shark on CBS. Don't know yet.
Friday
Except for Numbers on CBS at 9 p.m., looks like Friday will suck this year again.
Saturday
College football and reruns? Who's in charge of programming this crap? Not everyone goes out, you know.
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