So, I spent the last week competeing in the National Model UN conference. It's a 5 day non-stop, no sleep, competition where we work our asses off and it's all fake. The experience is great though. However, I missed a ton of TV...
Now that it's over I'm trying to catch up on my tiVo backlog...
I was going to wait until I had watched a few more shows to write a new post but, I had to comment on the first 10 minutes of House.
Dr. Kutner, played by Kal Penn, shot himself in the head a few moments after opening credits!!!
That's crazy!
Penn has stated that he wanted off the show to get involved in politics and I guess the writers let him off. Pretty intresting way to write him off the show. As far as crazy/shocking moments go this one was up there.
Write more later...can't wait for Parks & Recreations!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
NOT TV RELATED
How the stimulus plan affects me.
Right now, the $15.6 billion dollars to increase Pell Grants will directly affect me the most out of the items in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Another item in President Obama’s stimulus plan that will affect me in the future is the increased tax credit for car buyers. My car’s getting kind of old and I’ll probably get a new one in the next 2-5 years. The bill allows new car buyers to deduct the car’s sales tax from the buyers taxable income. So that’d be a nice amount of money to get back (if I can afford a new car that is.) If I decide to get a hybrid (which is really the only responsible car to buy) I can get another credit of up to $7,500.
Though it won’t directly affect myself, part of the $50 billion for green projects will go towards weatherizing homes, approximately $5 billion. This will definitely help my aunt who lives in South Florida and needs work on her house from hurricane damage.
Since I’m not eligible for unemployment the weekly increase won’t help me, but it will help my sister who hasn’t been able to find a job since the unemployment downturn.
I don’t think the $7 billion for broadband internet is necessary but who knows, it might help some Einstein in West Virginia reach his potential and invent cold fusion.
I hope I feel the affects of the $80 billion to fix roads and the general infrastructure of the country – especially if I’m driving my new hybrid.
Critics say that President Obama’s plan is just a spending bill that our children (I’m not sure if I fall into the category of parent of child in this case) will be feeling for years. I don’t know If I mind that.
Yes, it’s a lot of money.
But so far I’ve seen the way its going to help my aunt and my sister. So maybe I’m going to have to pay in the future for some things that didn’t directly help me. But it helps people I care about, so until you see me living out of my hybrid I’m going to hold the position that spending to help others will in turn help yourself because you’ll live in a better society. Guess I’m just a dumb democrat though.
Right now, the $15.6 billion dollars to increase Pell Grants will directly affect me the most out of the items in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Another item in President Obama’s stimulus plan that will affect me in the future is the increased tax credit for car buyers. My car’s getting kind of old and I’ll probably get a new one in the next 2-5 years. The bill allows new car buyers to deduct the car’s sales tax from the buyers taxable income. So that’d be a nice amount of money to get back (if I can afford a new car that is.) If I decide to get a hybrid (which is really the only responsible car to buy) I can get another credit of up to $7,500.
Though it won’t directly affect myself, part of the $50 billion for green projects will go towards weatherizing homes, approximately $5 billion. This will definitely help my aunt who lives in South Florida and needs work on her house from hurricane damage.
Since I’m not eligible for unemployment the weekly increase won’t help me, but it will help my sister who hasn’t been able to find a job since the unemployment downturn.
I don’t think the $7 billion for broadband internet is necessary but who knows, it might help some Einstein in West Virginia reach his potential and invent cold fusion.
I hope I feel the affects of the $80 billion to fix roads and the general infrastructure of the country – especially if I’m driving my new hybrid.
Critics say that President Obama’s plan is just a spending bill that our children (I’m not sure if I fall into the category of parent of child in this case) will be feeling for years. I don’t know If I mind that.
Yes, it’s a lot of money.
But so far I’ve seen the way its going to help my aunt and my sister. So maybe I’m going to have to pay in the future for some things that didn’t directly help me. But it helps people I care about, so until you see me living out of my hybrid I’m going to hold the position that spending to help others will in turn help yourself because you’ll live in a better society. Guess I’m just a dumb democrat though.
One Comeback + One Rookie = Good TV
As the season gets closer to the finale Heroes is slowly improving....
This week the Petrelli family was front and center. Nathan and Claire are hiding out in Mexico while the government chases their family and friends. Peter and Angela Petrelli are still being chased by the government but HRG helps them get away again.
Karma's hitting Angela in the face hard core after years of her messing with the future...
OOO and we find out she has a sister who's somehow connected to an angel, but we won't know til next week
We learn that Claire's healing factor let's her drink and not get drunk, just like Wolverine!!!! You'd think I'd be annoyed by a show that just bites off another one
:ahem: the mentalist :ahem: poor mans Psych :ahem:
but when its X-men comics they're biting off of I love it!
Better off ted is a really good new comedy...it's about a guy who heads the research and development department for a fictional manufacturing conglomerate...the way over the top story lines...like cryogenicly freezing their head scientist...or creating cowless beef which is grown in a lab...are hysterical.
Portia di Rossi is really funny... If you liked her in arrested development you'll like her in this... I definitely suggest checking it out.
This week the Petrelli family was front and center. Nathan and Claire are hiding out in Mexico while the government chases their family and friends. Peter and Angela Petrelli are still being chased by the government but HRG helps them get away again.
Karma's hitting Angela in the face hard core after years of her messing with the future...
OOO and we find out she has a sister who's somehow connected to an angel, but we won't know til next week
We learn that Claire's healing factor let's her drink and not get drunk, just like Wolverine!!!! You'd think I'd be annoyed by a show that just bites off another one
:ahem: the mentalist :ahem: poor mans Psych :ahem:
but when its X-men comics they're biting off of I love it!
And now Sylar is working with the Hunter collecting the abilities of every known super powered human in the US...starting with this weeks parlor trick SHAPE-SHIFTING!!!
Better off ted is a really good new comedy...it's about a guy who heads the research and development department for a fictional manufacturing conglomerate...the way over the top story lines...like cryogenicly freezing their head scientist...or creating cowless beef which is grown in a lab...are hysterical.
Portia di Rossi is really funny... If you liked her in arrested development you'll like her in this... I definitely suggest checking it out.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Is TV coming back?
Sadly the Wednesday night special episode of Survivor turned out to be just a clip show. :(
It was all over CBS for like 2 weeks. The special Wednesday night time was on commercials so much I assumed it was important. You know what my Media 180 teacher would call that? A low media literacy. Guess I trusted the advertisers more then history and instincts.
Lost was awesome! Maybe it’s the fanboy in me but I love that it’s a straight up time travel show now. What’s gonna happen now that Sayid shot young Ben? Does everything get undone? Daniel said if it didn’t happen in the past it can’t happen. Ben’s connection to the island might give him some kind of healing ability. That’s probably a bad theory since he’s always so beat up. :Shrug: I’m gonna have to wait until next week I guess.
I’ve officially dropped Greys Anatomy – I know it’s a girl show but I really liked it in the beginning because it had good characters and really good medical cases. Now it sucks 3 weeks in a row I’ve missed it, and I’m not going back. It’s not entertaining and really just dumb at this point. Goodbye Seattle Grace Hospital, good luck ignoring patients while you loathe yourselves and have random sex.
The Office was actually good this week! Michael gave his two weeks notice last week. After exuding less self control then usual. He tries to start his own paper company. Sadly for Michael he couldn’t get anyone to join him. Until the end when Pam did the whole Renee Zellweger in Jerry Maguire thing and joined him. Now Kevin’s the new receptionist! So funny! Can’t wait for the next episode in two weeks!
It was all over CBS for like 2 weeks. The special Wednesday night time was on commercials so much I assumed it was important. You know what my Media 180 teacher would call that? A low media literacy. Guess I trusted the advertisers more then history and instincts.
Lost was awesome! Maybe it’s the fanboy in me but I love that it’s a straight up time travel show now. What’s gonna happen now that Sayid shot young Ben? Does everything get undone? Daniel said if it didn’t happen in the past it can’t happen. Ben’s connection to the island might give him some kind of healing ability. That’s probably a bad theory since he’s always so beat up. :Shrug: I’m gonna have to wait until next week I guess.
I’ve officially dropped Greys Anatomy – I know it’s a girl show but I really liked it in the beginning because it had good characters and really good medical cases. Now it sucks 3 weeks in a row I’ve missed it, and I’m not going back. It’s not entertaining and really just dumb at this point. Goodbye Seattle Grace Hospital, good luck ignoring patients while you loathe yourselves and have random sex.
The Office was actually good this week! Michael gave his two weeks notice last week. After exuding less self control then usual. He tries to start his own paper company. Sadly for Michael he couldn’t get anyone to join him. Until the end when Pam did the whole Renee Zellweger in Jerry Maguire thing and joined him. Now Kevin’s the new receptionist! So funny! Can’t wait for the next episode in two weeks!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sweeps week!
It’s almost spring that means sweeps, guest appearances, and new shows for them to cancel on us after we become emotionally connected to characters – I’m talking to you Better off Ted producers. There’s a lot more to tlak about this week so lets get started.
How I Met Your Mother started the TV week off hilarious as usual. Laura Prepon, guested as Ted’s (Josh Radnor) pretentious college girlfriend and reminded us why we loved her on That 70’s Show - and October Road, for the three of us who watched it. Rumor has it she’ll be on for a few more episodes. Could she be Ted’s kid’s future mother? Chances are it’s just another tease from the writers. Can you blame them? The show’s basically over when he meets the mother.
Next on CBS, Sci-Fi vixen Summer Glau did an episode of The Big Bang Theory, a terminator on a show about archetypical nerds? I really like this show but I worry sometimes that they’ll run out of Ren-fair, comic book, and intergalactic-space-pirate jokes but for now it manages to still hold some of my attention.
24 wasn’t as good as last week. Bill Buchanan, the ex-head of CTU, sacrificed himself to save the President and the White House hostage crisis ended. Too bad it was only the 8PM to 9PM episode. The whole thing feels to forced maybe this year it should have been called 12.
At this point in the blog I’d love to be able to say that Heroes was awesome this week. Well it wasn’t even on and the last few weeks haven’t been that good. Why is it moving so slowly? Lets go heroes, hero already! Big hopes for Mondays episode which is sitting in my DVR backlog waiting to disappoint me.
weeOOOweeOOOweeOOO Reality-TV time!!! Bad Girls Club was eventful as ever Whitney aka Boston, and Ailea both went home for jumping Amber B in Mexico. A Mexican policia officero told Whitney to “leave town” before someone filed a formal complaint. How weird that must be to be told to leave town when you’re in Cancun. Those Bad Girls their like old timey outlaws. Shane! Come back Shane!
If you’re a fan of food competitions you have two options right now. Hells Kitchen is in its fifth season. Basically the premise of the show is that Celebrity-Chef Gordon Ramsey verbally abuses contestants and whoever has the thickest skin and the best ass-kissing lips get their own restaurant. Chopping Block is a new show where Marco Pierre White, the chef who trained Gordon Ramsey, verbally abuses teams of two and whichever team has the thickest skin and the best ass-kissing lips wins their own restaurant. Original.
The Celebrity Apprentice is really entertaining. KOTU (Kings of the Universe) the men’s team is terrible. They lost their third challenge in a row to Athena, the women’s team. This week Tom Green and Dennis Rodman stayed out and partied with a “model,” who may or may not have been a prostitute. I guess that’s how you loose to Khloe Kardashian’s team.
Castle’s a new show about a mystery novelist who’s partnered with a female detective while he does research for a new book. It’s smart, funny and well written. It should be cancelled shortly. It reminds me a lot of Life on NBC. Life is about a detective who was falsely convicted of murder and released after seven years in prison, and back to the police force. Life’s one of the shows I’m always cheerleading for I really hope it doesn’t get cancelled.
Kings is about a modern absolute monarchy in the US. I’m currently struggling to get through the two-hour pilot. I give it five episodes tops.
The Office was okay this week but still not so great. After Michael watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, he slips ‘golden ticket’ coupons into boxes of paper. Of course they all went to the same costumer because the boxes were right next to each other. Not writing “one per costumer,” cost the company big, and nearly cost Michael his job. You know what it cost me? A half hour of TV that wasn’t as funny as it would have been two years ago. What’s going on writers? I feel like every show I watch is suffering. You selfish bastards made us wait 16 months for new shows, and they’re not even any good!
Get your acts together people!
How I Met Your Mother started the TV week off hilarious as usual. Laura Prepon, guested as Ted’s (Josh Radnor) pretentious college girlfriend and reminded us why we loved her on That 70’s Show - and October Road, for the three of us who watched it. Rumor has it she’ll be on for a few more episodes. Could she be Ted’s kid’s future mother? Chances are it’s just another tease from the writers. Can you blame them? The show’s basically over when he meets the mother.
Next on CBS, Sci-Fi vixen Summer Glau did an episode of The Big Bang Theory, a terminator on a show about archetypical nerds? I really like this show but I worry sometimes that they’ll run out of Ren-fair, comic book, and intergalactic-space-pirate jokes but for now it manages to still hold some of my attention.
24 wasn’t as good as last week. Bill Buchanan, the ex-head of CTU, sacrificed himself to save the President and the White House hostage crisis ended. Too bad it was only the 8PM to 9PM episode. The whole thing feels to forced maybe this year it should have been called 12.
At this point in the blog I’d love to be able to say that Heroes was awesome this week. Well it wasn’t even on and the last few weeks haven’t been that good. Why is it moving so slowly? Lets go heroes, hero already! Big hopes for Mondays episode which is sitting in my DVR backlog waiting to disappoint me.
weeOOOweeOOOweeOOO Reality-TV time!!! Bad Girls Club was eventful as ever Whitney aka Boston, and Ailea both went home for jumping Amber B in Mexico. A Mexican policia officero told Whitney to “leave town” before someone filed a formal complaint. How weird that must be to be told to leave town when you’re in Cancun. Those Bad Girls their like old timey outlaws. Shane! Come back Shane!
If you’re a fan of food competitions you have two options right now. Hells Kitchen is in its fifth season. Basically the premise of the show is that Celebrity-Chef Gordon Ramsey verbally abuses contestants and whoever has the thickest skin and the best ass-kissing lips get their own restaurant. Chopping Block is a new show where Marco Pierre White, the chef who trained Gordon Ramsey, verbally abuses teams of two and whichever team has the thickest skin and the best ass-kissing lips wins their own restaurant. Original.
The Celebrity Apprentice is really entertaining. KOTU (Kings of the Universe) the men’s team is terrible. They lost their third challenge in a row to Athena, the women’s team. This week Tom Green and Dennis Rodman stayed out and partied with a “model,” who may or may not have been a prostitute. I guess that’s how you loose to Khloe Kardashian’s team.
Castle’s a new show about a mystery novelist who’s partnered with a female detective while he does research for a new book. It’s smart, funny and well written. It should be cancelled shortly. It reminds me a lot of Life on NBC. Life is about a detective who was falsely convicted of murder and released after seven years in prison, and back to the police force. Life’s one of the shows I’m always cheerleading for I really hope it doesn’t get cancelled.
Kings is about a modern absolute monarchy in the US. I’m currently struggling to get through the two-hour pilot. I give it five episodes tops.
The Office was okay this week but still not so great. After Michael watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, he slips ‘golden ticket’ coupons into boxes of paper. Of course they all went to the same costumer because the boxes were right next to each other. Not writing “one per costumer,” cost the company big, and nearly cost Michael his job. You know what it cost me? A half hour of TV that wasn’t as funny as it would have been two years ago. What’s going on writers? I feel like every show I watch is suffering. You selfish bastards made us wait 16 months for new shows, and they’re not even any good!
Get your acts together people!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
This Week in the Surf...
I know the title of these blog entries won’t be very exciting but in the interest of not being too confusing I guess this will have to do. Probably not the most active of hobbies but my biggest interest is TV. I love television and since the advent of DVR (Digital Video Recording) I don’t miss a show. Well at least not a show that I’m interested in.
This week the prize for best show is going to have to go to 24. We knew a two hour special would be exciting – even if the first half wasn’t that great -- but after terrorists took over the White House it was non-stop thrills the way only Jack Bauer can supply. General Juma, dictator of the fictional African nation of Sangala, made his last stand. Invading the White House and holding 46 hostages including the president’s daughter. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor was trapped in a safe-room seemingly helpless – if you’d call helpless being accompanied by ex-CTU (Counter Terrorism Unit) Agent and all around kick-ass spy dude Jack Bauer.
Where did the show leave us? On the edge of our seats! President Taylor surrendered herself to Juma, computer genius and Jack’s side-kick Chloe O’Brian is in holding for tampering with federal material, and the Vice President won’t authorize a rescue attempt. We’re only half way through the season and there’s this much insanity. That’s why I love this show!
Most of my other programs were lacking on content and entertainment value. The scenes from next week however are off the hook! Can anyone say SWEEPS?
As for reality programs, I didn’t watch this season of The Bachelor, but this week made me wish I had. Apparently the bachelor, Jason Mesnick, dumped the winner, Melissa Rycroft, on the reunion special. I can only imagine how Melissa would have dealt with this in the real world. Luckily Mel lives in the “reality” world and after doing a media tour fit for a feature film she has announced she’ll be on next seasons Dancing with the Stars. Ah reality-folk I hope your irrational behavior entertains you as much as it entertains the rest of us.
Speaking of irrational reality ladies this week on The Bad Girls Club, Whitney and Tiffany jumped Amber M. – yes there are two Ambers – and next week looks like they’re getting arrested. Did I mention that they were in MEXICO when they did this? Have fun being a “bad girl” in that cell, Buena suerte chicas!
This week the prize for best show is going to have to go to 24. We knew a two hour special would be exciting – even if the first half wasn’t that great -- but after terrorists took over the White House it was non-stop thrills the way only Jack Bauer can supply. General Juma, dictator of the fictional African nation of Sangala, made his last stand. Invading the White House and holding 46 hostages including the president’s daughter. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor was trapped in a safe-room seemingly helpless – if you’d call helpless being accompanied by ex-CTU (Counter Terrorism Unit) Agent and all around kick-ass spy dude Jack Bauer.
Where did the show leave us? On the edge of our seats! President Taylor surrendered herself to Juma, computer genius and Jack’s side-kick Chloe O’Brian is in holding for tampering with federal material, and the Vice President won’t authorize a rescue attempt. We’re only half way through the season and there’s this much insanity. That’s why I love this show!
Most of my other programs were lacking on content and entertainment value. The scenes from next week however are off the hook! Can anyone say SWEEPS?
As for reality programs, I didn’t watch this season of The Bachelor, but this week made me wish I had. Apparently the bachelor, Jason Mesnick, dumped the winner, Melissa Rycroft, on the reunion special. I can only imagine how Melissa would have dealt with this in the real world. Luckily Mel lives in the “reality” world and after doing a media tour fit for a feature film she has announced she’ll be on next seasons Dancing with the Stars. Ah reality-folk I hope your irrational behavior entertains you as much as it entertains the rest of us.
Speaking of irrational reality ladies this week on The Bad Girls Club, Whitney and Tiffany jumped Amber M. – yes there are two Ambers – and next week looks like they’re getting arrested. Did I mention that they were in MEXICO when they did this? Have fun being a “bad girl” in that cell, Buena suerte chicas!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
