Robert is, candidly, a somewhat clumsy name. It doesn’t exactly flow trippingly off the tongue. Starting with the rolling “r,” then flipping to the explosive “b,” then ending with that hard “t” — it’s just filled with too many discordant sounds. “Robert” didn’t even sound good when actors on last season’s Game of Thrones talked [...]
Archive for the ‘TV’ Category
What’s In A Name?
Posted in Family, Humor, TV, tagged Bob, Bobby, British accents, Family, Game of Thrones, Humor, Names, Rob, Robert, TV on May 31, 2012 | 1 Comment »
The Inventor Who Changed Everything — And His Invention
Posted in America, Family, Humor, Technology, TV, tagged America, Eugene Polley, Family, Humor, Inventions, Patents, Remote Controller, Technology, TV on May 23, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Eugene Polley, 96, died on Sunday. Few Americans recognize his name, although virtually every American uses his invention on a daily — in some cases, hourly, or even more distressingly frequent — basis. Polley held 18 U.S. patents, but his crown jewel was the wireless TV remote controller. In 1955 he invented the Flash-Matic, a [...]
Last House
Posted in TV, tagged Cheers, House, Hugh Laurie, TV on May 21, 2012 | 2 Comments »
Tonight Fox will air the last episode of House. It will be a two-hour finale, and then the show will be relegated to The Happy Land of Perpetual TV Reruns. Kish and I have watched House, faithfully, from the beginning of the first season until tonight’s end. I don’t know how many TV shows I [...]
The Dreaded Double Dip
Posted in Humor, The Economy, TV, tagged Double Dip Recession, Great Britain, Humor, recession, Seinfeld, The Economy, TV on April 25, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Today Great Britain published statistics indicating that its economy has slid back into recession, making England the victim of a dreaded “double dip” recession. Economic officials in the United States are holding their breath and hoping that the American economy doesn’t suffer a similar fate. “Double dip” recessions are no laughing matter — but we [...]
Brides Beyond The Pale
Posted in America, TV, tagged America, Brides, Bridezillas, Diets, K-E Diet, TV, Weddings on April 16, 2012 | 1 Comment »
I’ve seen the show Bridezillas once or twice, and I always thought it was one of those “reality” TV shows that seems pretty darned fake. Could anyone be as obsessive and crazed about their wedding as the brides-to-be in the show? Now I’ve seen a story that makes me ask whether lunatic brides are more [...]
Touch, And Its Liberal/Conservative Messages
Posted in Humor, TV, tagged Conservative TV Shows, Danny Glover, David Mazouz, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, House, Humor, Jake Bohm, Kiefer Sutherland, Liberal TV Shows, Martin Bohm, Touch, TV on April 11, 2012 | 2 Comments »
With House drawing to a close, Kish and I are casting about for another TV show to watch on a regular basis. We’ve watched the first few episodes of the new Fox series Touch, and it’s intriguing enough that we’ll keep watching. The show’s back story is complicated. Kiefer Sutherland is Martin, a former reporter [...]
Mike Wallace Signs Off
Posted in America, TV, tagged 60 minutes, America, Bill O'Reilly, Brian Williams, CBS, Diane Sawyer, Journalism, Katie Couric, Mike Wallace, News, TV on April 9, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Mike Wallace died over the weekend. He was 93 years old, and he left behind a true broadcast journalism legacy. Wallace was synonymous with the CBS show 60 Minutes, where he was a regular contributor for more than 30 years. His hard-hitting stories helped to make the broadcast the most popular show in the land, [...]
Another Masterful Masters
Posted in sports, TV, tagged Augusta National Golf Club, Golf, sports, The Masters, TV on April 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
I don’t watch much golf on TV. I like to play the game — at least, usually I do — but watching it typically doesn’t have much appeal. The Masters is an exception, however. Every spring I tune in to watch CBS report, in whispered, measured tones, on the unfolding drama at Augusta National Golf [...]
A Pox On Both Their Houses
Posted in TV, tagged Al Gore, Cable TV, Countdown, Current TV, Keith Olbermann, MSNBC, TV on April 6, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Keith Olbermann was a lightning rod of sorts when he hosted Countdown on MSNBC. A judgmental liberal firebrand, Olbermann left MSNBC early last year under curious circumstances and promptly moved Countdown to Current TV, a network founded in part by former Vice President Al Gore. Then Olbermann dropped off the face of the Earth, because [...]
Smugrolet
Posted in America, TV, tagged America, Chevy Volt, South Park, TV, TV Commercials on March 26, 2012 | 4 Comments »
In the “life imitates South Park” category, the latest commercial for the Chevy Volt is a pretty strong contestant. South Park, you may recall, had a memorable episode about the “smug” emitted by Prius drivers. You may have seen the ad, which has been running during the NCAA Tournament games. It features an earnest if [...]
Goodbye To That Troubling Shamrock Shake Commercial
Posted in Food, Humor, TV, tagged Food, Humor, McDonald's, Shamrock Shake, St. Patrick's Day, TV, TV Commercials on March 20, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Although there is some Irish ancestry in our convoluted family tree, I don’t pay much attention to St. Patrick’s Day one way or the other. This year, though, I’m glad to see March 17 pass by, because I hope to never again see the frightening McDonald’s shamrock shake commercial. Many TV ads suggest deep back [...]
The Happy Mindlessness Of truTV
Posted in America, Humor, TV, tagged America, Danny Bonaduce, Hardcore Pawn, Humor, Lizard Lick Towing, Storage Hunters, Tonya Harding, truTV, TV, World's Dumbest on March 4, 2012 | 2 Comments »
The other day I was sitting with younger people watching TV. They were tuned in to the truTV channel and a show that featured footage of apparently drunken rednecks fighting, crashing trucks into ponds, shocking each other with dog collars, and otherwise foolishly putting their lives at risk. It was completely mindless — and I [...]
