“Rubicon” won me over at last. That last episode (written by Zack Whedon) was pretty great.
3.
amorphous
Pr0n on my computer?
4.
John Bird
Bolman & Deal have directed me to a convincing argument that Summers’s main error at Harvard was attempting to restructure a largely lateral organization all at once, which simultaneously exacerbated friction from the restructuring and minimized support he could have mustered from parties who benefited. Food for thought.
5.
General Stuck
I’ve been sanding an old kitchen table made of solid wood (mostly) that was abandoned recently. Will surface it with walnut stain and Tung oil. The sucker is huge and round and will take up half the living room. but what the hoo, it was too nice to go to the dumpster. Charlie is absolutely fascinated by the mouse sander, and has been supervising in a competent manner.
6.
JWL
I’m listening to the (SF) Giants post-game show. Unlike Friday night’s game, after which I was cloistered with my depression and its faithful ally, a six pack of beer.
This time last year (in fact every year since 2003), it was football season. This time last year I would have been watching the Niner-Eagles game. And while I intend to catch the second half, at the moment I am psyched that the Giants were down to their last strike, yet rallied to beat the Braves.
I’m watching “Genesis of the Daleks”, but I don’t suppose we’ll get a lot of discussion going on that.
9.
Steven
Watching the Rangers/Rays game, it became clear that Texas’ mistake was letting GW Bush into the stadium yesterday. Can you imagine how it took the heart out of the team and the fans to see Shrub sitting there?
I’m saving that for later. Right now, I’m watching a special on Nat’l Geographic channel. It’s about a recently discovered cave in Mexico full of giant crystals. Some of the crystals are 35 feet long.
Granted it isn’t as much fun as watching pr0n, but I’ve found I need to take a break from it once in awhile now that I’m getting older.
12.
debit
I am making a caramel apple custard pie with a sort of shortbread crust. It could be glorious, or total slop. Only time will tell. Also, too sort of watching the 49ers/Eagles game.
Dr. Who rules! Daleks rule! Come to think of it, given the way our government and our policies are shaping up, we probably are secretly ruled by Daleks.
Only a matter of time before the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats cast aside their fleshy masks and reveal themselves in their full metal-encased glory, chanting “EXTERRRRRRRRRRMINATE! EXTERRRRRRRRRRRRMINATE!”
14.
cathyx
American’s funniest home videos. What can I say? I’ve got a 12 year old.
@Yutsano: What have you seen? This is actually the first Dalek story I’ve seen from the old series (I came on board when they restarted the show in 2005).
17.
demkat620
I have the Phils on but I am switching to ‘9ers/Iggles btw innings.
Sports overload tonight.
18.
Yutsano
@TooManyJens: None, unfortunately. I’m a complete noob when it comes to the Time Lord universe.
@demkat620: Sounds like a good night to check the battery supplies. The remote(s) might get a workout.
This is actually the first Dalek story I’ve seen from the old series (I came on board when they restarted the show in 2005).
You should go back and watch the early First Doctor stuff. The early Dalek episodes are pretty cool, and the main reason the series wasn’t canceled after the first season.
@TooManyJens: that’s the first Dalek story, I believe. I’ve found tardis.wikia.com to be a useful tool in getting up to speed on the old story lines.
ETA: Dammit, no, first story involving Davros.
25.
debit
@Dave C: Here’s the thing: unless you’re in a Nielsen family, it doesn’t matter. After years of having my heart broken because a show I loved was killed, I now refuse to watch any new network tv show. Once something gets picked up for a second season, I’ll consider giving it a chance. Yes, I’m still bitter about Firefly.
I’d need a prerequisite course or at the very least a Cliff Notes version. Then maybe we could discuss properly.
Philistine. You need to be sent to a Dr. Who re-education camp and forced to watch all the Tom Baker episodes with multiple-choice quizzes at the end of every episode.
“Genesis of the Daleks” remains arguably the best story arc in the entire Dr. Who series. It starts with episode 78 from 1975 during the reign of the greatest Doctor of them all, Tom Baker, who boasted “I can make whippet shit sound like the Old Testament.” And he could.
The fourth Doctor and his companions use the TARDIS to head off to the planet Skaro, thousands of years in the future, on a mission for the Time Lords: prevent the creation of the Daleks!
On the planet Skaro, the Kaleds are waging a vicious war against the Skals. The greatest scientist among the Kaleds, a man named Davros, has been working on the ultimate weapon, designed to end the war, This ultimate weapon, as the Doctor’s companion Sarah discovers when she gets separated from the Doctor in the war-ravaged no-man’s-land on Skaro, turns out to be the Daleks.
Davros is very old and crippled and he’s confined to a motorized wheelchair — which looks identical to the bottom half of the Daleks. Davros speaks through an electronic voice synthesizer, and he has a third electronic eye, which explains why the Daleks look and sound the way they do: they’re based on Davros himself.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and his other companion Harry have been captured by the Kaleds, who discover they’re aliens. Another Kaled scientist named Ronson confides in the Doctor that the chemical weapons used during an early stage of the war has mutated the Kaleds and he and his colleagues have come to believe that the mutation is now irreversible. Apparently Davros has run a computer projection of the ultimate form the mutation will take and that’s the organism he has genetically modified to reside inside the metal bodies of the Daleks. However, Ronson and his scientific colleagues have become alarmed at the direction Davros’ research on the Daleks is taking — Ronson and his chums have become frightened that the Daleks will end up turning on the Kaleds4 because the Daleks have been genetically designed to eliminate pity or remorse and view themselves as superior to all other life forms. Ronson is scared that the Daleks could wind up destroying all life in the universe.
This, as it turns out, was exactly what the Time Lords (the Doctor’s race) sent him to Skaro to prevent…
Much more, but why provide spoilers? You can get “Genesis of the Daleks” on Netflix.
@mclaren: I have to admit, I haven’t watched a lot of the old episodes (yet), but I am really partial to the Tenth Doctor.
34.
scav
Well, if we’re going early early Daleks, I think The Dalek Invasion of Earth is better than the first first one but then as I immediately mentally linked it with The Invasion (D#2) that has Cybermen (and UNIT), I could just really like things set in London in B&W.
Davros speaks through an electronic voice synthesizer, and he has a third electronic eye, which explains why the Daleks look and sound the way they do: they’re based on Davros himself.
And Davros moonlights as a plumber, which explains the toilet plunger arm.
@debit: Oh my god. WANT! And, you live in state…#Starts plotting#
Miracles: I stumbled onto it late. I mistakenly thought it was going to be a show about God. Then, I saw the last bit of the third ep, and I was hooked. This was right before we invaded Iraq, so ABC started jerking around the schedule. I got to see one complete episode, and then it was cancelled. I bought the DVD set and watched them compulsively until I reached the last episode (13, how apropos). I couldn’t watch it for the longest time because it was the last episode ever. However, it’s the best of the series, so I’m glad I finally watched it.
@mclaren: Sarah Jane actually has her own show now, a kids DrWho . It’s got Sarah Jane, the robo dog, the computer “MrSmith”, I think and two or three kids. They fight the Slitheens and a host of other Whoverse baddies, not nearly as campy, but as silly. It’s called the Sarah Jane Adventures or Chronicles, it’s not a bad show to introduce the pre-teeny-bopper set to the Whoverse.
David Tennant is still my favorite Dr., the boy gets me all tingly.
Now, I’m gonna go walk the dogs and be responsible and stuff.
ETA: I liked the blond girl before Martha, Billie Piper, then Martha then Donna, hated Katherine’s voice. Love the new companion, not sure about the new Dr, I mean he’s no David Tennant.
The first time I saw that, I laughed so hard I injured myself.
(Jack did once say he never wanted to be pregnant again…)
41.
debit
@asiangrrlMN: Actually, I think we should have a MN BJ get together one of these days. I’m happy to host, and cook, just let me clean my house first.
42.
scav
if we’re moving to how many steps to Dr Who, Moffat and Gatiss’ Sherlock is coming up after Wallender (not tonight, later in Oct) and I’m now a Moffat follower of cult-like devotion. And if you like Tennant’s coat, you really should see Cumberbatch’s.
43.
PurpleGirl
I just turned off the TV; there wasn’t anything I wanted to watch. I decided to drop by BJ and see what was happening before taking some yarn, a hook and a crochet pattern into the bedroom to work on before going to sleep.
@TooManyJens: I must confess that I do not watch the show. AL linked that vid to me because I linked the original song. Still, I will check out your link.
ETA: Too long to download, and I probably wouldn’t get it, anyway.
For some reason, I had thought the Hartnell eps were mostly lost.
They’re more intact than the Troughton episodes, which are almost all missing. I know that the earliest First Doctor episodes, including the original Dalek episode, are available on DVD.
46.
burnspbesq
Working (writing a Freedom of Information Act appeal), and checking in on baseball periodically. It’s starting to look rather dire for Cincy.
Not watching Mad Men tonight. Will download from iTunes tomorrow morning and watch on the plane to DC tomorrow evening.
during the reign of the greatest Doctor of them all, Tom Baker,
That’s when my middle school geek friends were into Dr Who (actually during the 80s reruns, but with the same actor.) Could not stand it back then.
I will admit I saw the first two or three eps with Amy Pond, and they were pretty good. I had no use for that prat with the police box, but the rest was ok.
@scav: Oh my god. OH MY GOD. Is that out yet? I’m ALL over that! Netflix doesn’t have it yet, damn it. Has it been in the theatres yet? Damn. I have the hugest crush on her.
@debit #23: Want. I’ve done so much driving in the last few days – bet I could GPS that sucker and be there before it cools fully. Outta my way, asiangrrlMN!!
@thread (O/T of everything): I love The Bobblespeak Translations so hard. Can’t remember which worthy B-J commenter first provided the link to http://www.moonshinepatriot.blogspot.com, but I am in his/her debt forever!
A tiny sample from today:
Amanpour: Hi Bob Woodruff is reporting from remote and strange place where journalists are never allowed access
Audience: the Christine O’Donnell headquarters?
Amanpour: Bob what did you see in North Korea?
Woodruff: we saw things we never saw before – we have a failed leader passing power on to his idiot son
Amanpour: what do you know about the son of the President
Woodruff: he speaks a little English and enjoys sports
@scav: So it’s not out yet. Good to know. I may actually see it in the theatres.
@SiubhanDuinne: Isn’t that Culture of Truth? If so, s/he comments here! And, if you come to MN, I will definitely be in your way!
ETA: Meaning, I would want to meet you especially after ee gave you such high accolades.
@debit: Now THAT would be cool. Not so sure I want to go to NN, but I’m definitely up for a BJ meet (MattR, mind out of the gutter, please!).
ETA: I stopped watching the game when I realized that I couldn’t tell you the score, who was on offense, or what quarter it was.
70.
Yutsano
@debit: I dunno, but they sure iz some fickle folks down in the City by the Bay. All of a sudden they lurve him when not one series ago he was the spawn of Satan.
@asiangrrlMN: But…but…but…I was gonna bring the prophylactics! I’ll have them handy regardless but still..I had PLANZ!!
@Yutsano: Wait, you’re coming to NN? For realz? With prophylactics in hand (as it were)? This changes EVERYTHING!
TattooSydney? You out there? Come join us!
72.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I wasn’t necessarily gonna go just for THAT…but if there’s gonna be a big BJ meet-up I could be down for that. I think I’ll have enough leave earned by then that I could squeeze in a Friday off.
73.
scav
I was rather thinking that that whole mind out of the gutter thing was pretty much a complaint that the bodies weren’t there too. . .
And Davros moonlights as a plumber, which explains the toilet plunger arm.
LOL!
For those of you unfamiliar with the earlier Doctor Who series, with its cheesy papier-mache sets and spaceships models dangling by wires in front of sequin star backgrounds, here are some of the really good pre-revival old Doctor Who eps:
1. The Deadly Assassin: William Hartnell. The Doctor returns to his home planet after centuries away and learns that it’s become corrupt and vicious. A dark and violent script, it gives us some insight into the Doctor’s past and the history of his race, the Time Lords.
2. Tomb of the Cyber-men: Patrick Troughton. The very best of the cyber-men stories. Also gives us a rare glimpse into the Doctor’s past life. The only drawback? In the earlier series, the Cyber-men look like crap, basically a bunch of guys wearing tin masks. If you can get past that, a great episode.
3. City of Death: William Hartnell. Set in Paris, where the Doctor has to prevent a mad genius from entirely rewriting Earth’s history. Features Julian Glover as a classic villain.
4. The Three Doctors: Jon Pertwee. First Dr. Who to feature three incarnations. Has William Hartnell plus Patrick Troughton and Pertwee. The Time Lords find themselves under attack by the evil Time Lord Omega from the antimatter universe and they call on all three Doctors (at the time only three actors had played the Doctor) to save them.
5. Terror of the Autons: Jon Pertwee. First Dr. Who to feature the renegade Time Lord known as The Master, who travels to earth and uses his hypnotic powers to invoke a meteorite containing an evil alien life form known as the Nestene to infuse life into evil-looking plastic trolls and conquer the earth. The first Doctor Who episode of the new series in 2005 was a nod toward this classic episode.
6. The Robots Of Death: Tom Baker. Neat Agatha-Christie-type story in which members of a little group are getting killed off one by one and the Doctor has to figure out which one of them is an evil robot committing the murders.
7. The Stones of Blood: Tom Baker. The Doctor meets a resurrected Celtic Goddess, but all is not as it seems when he discovers an invisible spaceship…
8. The Ark In Space: William Hartnell. The Doctor encounters a giant spaceship containing all of mankind’s history and culture after the near-destruction of the human race, and discovers evil aliens intent on gaining control of the Ark. First appearance of the Ark, which features in a number of future episodes.
9. The Talons of Weng-Chiang: William Hartnell. The Doctors visits the 1890s and runs into Arthur Conan Doyle and winds up embroiled in sinister Victorian villainy.
10. Terror of the Zygons: William Hartnell. The Doctor versus the Loch Ness Monster, a concept so goofy it’s actually good. Big bonus points for the usual low-budget special effects.
This is just a personal list and everyone will probably have their own different favorite episodes. I’m surprised by how few Tom Baker Dr. Whos there are on here. Baker was the best Doctor, but William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton seemed to have better scripts to work with.
75.
SiubhanDuinne
@asiangrrlMN: Ooooh, what did ellaesther say? I’ve been driving since noon and am just catching up on BJ. If you point me to the thread, I’ll track down the comment. (And without seeing it, I feel safe in saying BACKATCHA ELLAESTHER! How very cool it was to have a little BJ meetup, and I just wish we could have stretched the conversation out another several hours.) If you don’t know her, let me just say ee is as funny and bright and curious and thoughtful in person as she is online. I’m proud to share (sorta) a home town with her.
For some reason, I had thought the Hartnell eps were mostly lost. I’ll have to check them out.
They’ve also got reconstructions of a number of the episodes previously thought lost. The reconstructions use stills from the productions and audio tracks, which in many cases survived. Also, the BBC is still discovering videotapes of some of the “lost” Dr. Who episodes. BBC engineers apparently took the tapes home instead of erasing ’em and they pop up every now and then.
The reconstructions have been put out on DVD. They’re surprisingly watchable, basically a series of still pictures with the original audio track. Sort of like watching radio on TV.
And now I can envision you with your Blackberry, commenting w/out benefit of access to Reply button! How was the drive, etc, etc?!
I said you were a lovely woman and anyone who can, should angle to meet you — and I was immediately presented with what amounted to a request to date you. Hold on – I’ll go look up the thread.
Ok, I know it seems like I’m hitching my fortunes to the late shift tonight — but alas! There’s the dog (my mother’s) to walk, and Grant’s Memoirs to return to.
Like US Grant himself, I will not give up until victory is mine!
Good night late shift!
85.
MikeJ
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: It was Jack, and in the comment after that, TBogg says, “It’s always all about the tits. ”
Can I *please* get a gig with fox now? this taking stuff out of context is hard.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang and Deadly Assassin and City of Death and Terror of the Zygons are also Tom Baker episodes.
88.
scav
@mclaren: I was about to say that that most of your William Hartnells were Tom Bakers which might explain your surprise at there being so few of them in your list! :) The Mind Robber is another good Troughton one, very interesting as it’s also an example of the early cheap episodes that surprisingly often turn out so very well.
Yeah, it’s not at all true to the source material, but Helen Mirren with a big gun. The only movie I haven’t liked Helen Mirren in was National Treasure: Book of Secrets which was miserable and dumb and a waste of good money and a great cast and I made the mistake of taking a dose of an AⅮHⅮ medication beforehand so I sat very still for 90 minutes and paid really, really, really close attention to the movie and logically analyzed it’s every flaw.
OK, sure, I still wanted to have sex with Helen Mirren after watching that PoS, but I would have given her such a spanking first.
very interesting as it’s also an example of the early cheap episodes that surprisingly often turn out so very well.
A good story can overcome a bad set. A number of the older stories were very good.
Seeds of Doom is a favorite episode of mine. Baker was my first Doctor–you never forget your first–and my favorite until Chris Eccleston knocked him off his perch.
@Wile E. Quixote: I haven’t read the source material, and I probably won’t before seeing the movie. But, um, yeah. Helen Mirren rocks. I have one last Prime Suspect to watch, and I can’t bring myself to do it because then there will be no more. She was fan-fucking-tastic in that series. But, even for her, I would not watch National Treasure: Book of Secrets. I just can’t do it.
Oh, and night, ee! Glad you can join us in the latish night shift from time to time.
You know, given the popularity of Doctor Who I’m surprised that a US television network hasn’t picked it up and completely and totally fucked it up improved upon it the way that they have so many other British shows, like Life on Mars or Queer as Folk.
Just think, you could have a US version of the Doctor who would be played by, wait for it, wait for it, The Rock. Who would carry a gun because damnit, he’s no namby pamby English guy from some fag country where they have gun control. He’d have to have an annoying sidekick too, who could be played by Adam Sandler, or some other incredibly annoying and washed up SNL alum, or maybe a cute robot dog or something, and in every episode right after he wasted the villain he’d make some cheesy remark like James Bond used to when he was played by Roger Moore.
Of course when you think about it it’s obvious why this has never happened, it’s because of our high marginal tax rates, the same ones that are about to make Greg Mankiw withhold his productivity from us. Just think, if we kept the Bush tax cuts and reduced capital gains taxes to zero, or even better, adopted Steve Forbes’ flat tax we could have an American version of Doctor Who.
I love Rubicon. I tell everyone I know to give it a try.
A show that I love, but shouldn’t – The Good Guys. I don’t care; Bradley Whitford has gone ALL IN with this character.
I’m also really enjoying Blue Bloods.
94.
Steeplejack
I was watching the Phillies-Reds game and later will watch Wallander from the DVR. Bummed that my Braves lost tonight after being one strike away from a victory. Ugh.
I see that Inspector Montalbano is on MHz tonight, so this seems like a good time to put in a plug for this series. It is a great Italian cop show, loosely based on the novels by Andrea Camilleri. But to say that it is a “cop show” is to do it a disservice, sort of like saying that Foyle’s War is a cop show. It’s set in (modern) Sicily, has great cinematography with eye-popping (but not touristy) views of the island, good acting and very good scripts. Also quirky but very good incidental music. If you like PBS Mystery! type stuff, you will really like this.
Promo for The Shape of Water here. And a longer clip here. The aristocratic woman tells Montalbano a political parable about the “shape of water”—i.e., it takes the shape of whatever container “they” (the powers that be) put it in.
MHz is available on some cable systems, and Inspector Montalbano is also supposedly available on Netflix streaming, although I haven’t been able to confirm that. (There is allegedly a MHz “channel.”) I think it’s only the first three episodes, in any case.
The reason I’m bringing this up now is because I discovered that MHz has released four DVD sets covering the first 12 Montalbano episodes. (There are 18 episodes in all.) And they are currently on sale at Barnes & Noble for half price—$19.99 per set (if you order on line). That’s a great deal: 20 bucks for three feature-film-length episodes. Definitely worth taking a chance on, and I predict you won’t be sorry.
(It’s not clear from the clips above, but the DVDs are in Italian with English subtitles.)
Speaking of Wallander, MHz has also released two three-episode sets of the original (Swedish) Wallander, also currently $19.99 a pop at B&N. Trailer for one of the Swedish episodes here. I like them better than the PBS Branagh Wallander.
With you on The Good Guys. It is a guilty pleasure, but a great pleasure. And it has actually improved since the first few episodes. The writing has gotten a lot tighter, and the characters are working better together.
I’ve never gotten into Doctor Who but it’s not because I don’t think I’d like it. It’s because I think I’d like it too much, you know, like Heroin or Meth. What I really like is the way they’ve kept the series going with different actors playing the Doctor and explaining it by saying that this is because the Doctor regenerates and that the process of regeneration in Time Lords causes changes in their personality and appearance. To me this makes more sense than certain standard plot elements in Star Trek such as the assumption that all aliens are humanoid, but are either swarthier human beings or have heads that look like the tip of a huge, veiny penis or that these aliens would want to fuck William Shatner or Jonathan Frakes.
101.
Comrade Kevin
Mike Singletary needs to go, like, immediately.
102.
Nikita
OMG. I can’t believe what I’m seeing on the TV. There’s a religious show on fox right now that begins with how people are questioning Obama’s religion.
It’s like a skit from the daily show only they are actually serious. They start with Obama’s statements about being a Christian and then quickly dismiss that. They then move on to what Louis Farrahkan and how he’s called Obama the savior and move on to some Muslem nation and then onto Spike Lee and Jesse Jackson jr.
OMG!!!
Edit: Now they’re talking about the fact that he has a Muslim father. Is it wrong to be astounded by seeing this in the very blue capital of a blue state?
The Mind Robber is another good Troughton one, very interesting as it’s also an example of the early cheap episodes that surprisingly often turn out so very well.
I thought The War Games was excellent. It does a good job of convincing you at first that it’s just another historical episode, with the deeper plot only coming out over time. It’s also really freaking long, which gives it plenty of time for plot twists.
Man, who’d have thought that a post that contained the words “H℮roⅰn”, “Ⅿ℮th” and the phrase “tip of a huge, veiny p℮nⅰs” would end up in moderation? This is as bad as the Washington Post refusing to print the humorous cartoon I drew of Mohammed being anaⅼⅼy raped by a strap-on wearing Pam Gellar.
The Branagh ones on PBS are pretty good, but I like the Swedish ones better because I saw them first. And they seem a little more authentic. (Duh.) Branagh gets a little too emo at times, and the focus of the show is on him a little too much because he’s a big star. The Swedish show is more “Let’s dial it down a notch–after all, we’re Swedish.”
I love all things Dalek, especially the episodes from the Tom Baker years, but I am not enough of a geek to keep them all straight. Just loved discovering Dr. Who in the ’80s when a local PBS station ran episodes late every Saturday night after an evening of “Britcoms.”
@Steeplejack: Yeah, I’m not a huge Branagh fan, so I will be watching the original.
@kommrade reproductive vigor: He’s not anti-gay? What the mofo hell does he and his staff thinks it means to be anti-gay if not this? That’s IT! I cannot take the inhumanity of the ‘baggers any longer. I am going Galt and withholding my productivity! Oh, and a man in his position might want to steer clear from making remarks on morality. Asswipe. Grr.
ETA: Andrew Cuomo is hawt and a great candidate. He has my vote (or he would if I lived in NYC).
109.
Roger Moore
@Wile E. Quixote:
I’m pretty sure it’s because Dr. Who picked up a large and vocal American audience well before it became popular to copy British shows. In that case, it’s a better bet to syndicate the existing episodes and playing to the established audience rather than trying to reproduce the show and risk turning off the established audience with the changes.
We should drive News Corpse into bankruptcy by stealing every bit of IP they have from Fox and F/X and posting on torrent sites so that no one has to give money to News Corpse or watch advertisements by Fox sponsors and so that no one will ever want to write, produce or act in any show produced by News Corpse because they’ll never see a penny of royalties.
111.
MikeJ
Will anybody still be here tomorrow? The Corner is going to allow comments. Release the avalanche of snark!
In this case, the answer seems to always be “Exemption Three.” And in this case, it’s bullshit and I know why it’s bullshit. But I’m not sure I’m going to be able to convince an Appeals Officer of that. I may be headed for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
119.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: Heh. This is why I’m happy I’m in Collections. Pay up, shut up, or get off my phone.
Less than a month on the job and you’re already turning into the RO from Hell. I’m so proud of you.
You sure the answer to every question isn’t “jeopardy assessment?”
124.
Yutsano
@MattR: Formatting seems to be fine for me (FF latest iteration, Windows). What browser are you on?
@burnspbesq: It is nice to know that even in the post season, Joe Mauer can break my heart. As long as he persists in bachelorhood I’ll keep my hopes up.
@burnspbesq: Hell no. They gotta PROVE that shit to me before I even THINK about that assessment! If IDRS shows a balance you get to writing that check!
I actually shouldn’t complain as I kinda like it without the margins (and ads) on the sides.
126.
burnspbesq
Got an email from Manchester United on Friday. I have successfully navigated their Byzantine ticket procedures, and have a primo seat for the Spurs match on October 30. This should be fun.
Front page working okay for me (Win XP, Firefox 3.6.10–but with Adblock Plus installed).
128.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: Is everybody in the universe gonna have an awesome time on my birthday except me?? Okay that’s not true, a good friend is taking me to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show. That is not all that special, except for the location. The middle of nowhere in eastern Washington. It may or may not be rather entertaining.
IDRS? Them’s fightin’ words. I’ll hit you so hard, it’ll 53 every account in your queue.
130.
MattR
@Steeplejack: Gotta be something with that particular post (I’m guessing it is the youtube code) since this post looks fine to me.
@Yutsano: Ooh. A late night double feature picture show. Sounds like it should definitely be entertaining. Do you have any idea how into it they get there?
Is it fixed for you now? Sometimes they have a bug in a post and edit it within a few minutes. But I was looking at the same front page (with DougJ’s post at the top), and I had no problems (at 1:24 EDT).
133.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: Don’t make me start assessing liens mister!
@MattR: I (mostly) get that anyway, but I run NoScript as well so that helps with a lot of the gunk.
@Steeplejack: Nope. Still broken. I’m gonna assume that I am just special :)
@Yutsano: I run NoScript and Flashblock. I usually have margins on the left and right that have ads plus links to contacts, the BJ Store, recent posts etc. Those are gone and the font is signigicantly smaller on the Keeping the Faith post and as I said before, I think I like it.
135.
Roger Moore
@Yutsano:
That’s assuming that the heavy handed moderation isn’t in place from the get go. Then again, the folks at NRO aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer, so it’s entirely possible that they don’t realize how badly they’re going to get smacked. Although the more I think about it, the more I think that the real smacking isn’t going to come from snarky DFHs. It’s going to come from the hordes of Teatard crazies who will fill the place with filth so vile even the Cornerites won’t tolerate it.
136.
MikeJ
@Yutsano: I don’t know where it’s playing in eastern washington, but the stage version is playing this month on Bainbridge Island. The only downside being that the last ferry leaves for Seattle at 10:30.
137.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: Apparently Prosser on my birthday. All the other details are somewhat vague.
138.
MikeJ
@Yutsano: Best kind of details for a bday. With any luck they’ll be equally vague afterwards too. I’m now just trying to keep the bdays themselves vague, which means celebrate anything you want and claim any age you want.
@MikeJ: I grew up hating my birthday. Not because of the aging thing–I don’t give a shit about that. I refused to tell anyone when it was, and I never celebrated it. It’s only in the last few years where I’ve become neutral about it–bipartisan, if you will. I still don’t celebrate it, though.
and despite the budgets, despite the whole kids show thing, those early shows were stunningly fearless with that electronic music and camera tricks for the title sequences.
@scav: Yes, there was a feature on the Sontaran Experiment DVDs about how they made the title sequence. The creativity and effort that went into that was amazing.
@burnspbesq: A co-worker gave me one of those to read on the bus ride home last week. It was almost like I was holding a pamphlet for a doctor’s office or something, I was shocked at how skinny it was and how the quality of the paper had degraded. I suppose if this deal works out that will be the next step for the major weekly daily magazines.
@suzanne: Curious. The links keep taking me to the main Flickr page.
148.
DaddyJ
Dang, a Doctor Who semi-thread, and me late to the party.
@scav: Hear, hear to bubble-wrap! At our house, the hapless, alien-DNA infected crewman in The Ark in Space, dramatically raising his green-painted bubble-wrapped arm into frame and screaming, is a touchstone of Doctor Who cheese. But cheesy as it is, the actor still sells it. I find the chewing-the-cheap-scenery theatricality of old Who is just as entertaining as the clever plots and seamless effects of the new incarnations.
Comments are closed.
Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!
jeffreyw
Dexter
JR
“Rubicon” won me over at last. That last episode (written by Zack Whedon) was pretty great.
amorphous
Pr0n on my computer?
John Bird
Bolman & Deal have directed me to a convincing argument that Summers’s main error at Harvard was attempting to restructure a largely lateral organization all at once, which simultaneously exacerbated friction from the restructuring and minimized support he could have mustered from parties who benefited. Food for thought.
General Stuck
I’ve been sanding an old kitchen table made of solid wood (mostly) that was abandoned recently. Will surface it with walnut stain and Tung oil. The sucker is huge and round and will take up half the living room. but what the hoo, it was too nice to go to the dumpster. Charlie is absolutely fascinated by the mouse sander, and has been supervising in a competent manner.
JWL
I’m listening to the (SF) Giants post-game show. Unlike Friday night’s game, after which I was cloistered with my depression and its faithful ally, a six pack of beer.
This time last year (in fact every year since 2003), it was football season. This time last year I would have been watching the Niner-Eagles game. And while I intend to catch the second half, at the moment I am psyched that the Giants were down to their last strike, yet rallied to beat the Braves.
gbear
I’m watching myself grow old.
TooManyJens
I’m watching “Genesis of the Daleks”, but I don’t suppose we’ll get a lot of discussion going on that.
Steven
Watching the Rangers/Rays game, it became clear that Texas’ mistake was letting GW Bush into the stadium yesterday. Can you imagine how it took the heart out of the team and the fans to see Shrub sitting there?
Yutsano
@TooManyJens:
I’d need a prerequisite course or at the very least a Cliff Notes version. Then maybe we could discuss properly.
John - A Motley Moose
@amorphous:
I’m saving that for later. Right now, I’m watching a special on Nat’l Geographic channel. It’s about a recently discovered cave in Mexico full of giant crystals. Some of the crystals are 35 feet long.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101007-lost-crystal-caves-mexico-science-mine-superman-ice-palace/
Granted it isn’t as much fun as watching pr0n, but I’ve found I need to take a break from it once in awhile now that I’m getting older.
debit
I am making a caramel apple custard pie with a sort of shortbread crust. It could be glorious, or total slop. Only time will tell. Also, too sort of watching the 49ers/Eagles game.
mclaren
@TooManyJens:
Dr. Who rules! Daleks rule! Come to think of it, given the way our government and our policies are shaping up, we probably are secretly ruled by Daleks.
Only a matter of time before the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats cast aside their fleshy masks and reveal themselves in their full metal-encased glory, chanting “EXTERRRRRRRRRRMINATE! EXTERRRRRRRRRRRRMINATE!”
cathyx
American’s funniest home videos. What can I say? I’ve got a 12 year old.
TooManyJens
@mclaren: I picture them more as Slitheen, myself.
TooManyJens
@Yutsano: What have you seen? This is actually the first Dalek story I’ve seen from the old series (I came on board when they restarted the show in 2005).
demkat620
I have the Phils on but I am switching to ‘9ers/Iggles btw innings.
Sports overload tonight.
Yutsano
@TooManyJens: None, unfortunately. I’m a complete noob when it comes to the Time Lord universe.
@demkat620: Sounds like a good night to check the battery supplies. The remote(s) might get a workout.
mcd410x
Dexter series 4, you slay me.
Roger Moore
@TooManyJens:
You should go back and watch the early First Doctor stuff. The early Dalek episodes are pretty cool, and the main reason the series wasn’t canceled after the first season.
Dave C
@JR:
This. Everybody should be watching “Rubicon” so it doesn’t get canceled.
asiangrrlMN
@debit: Need food pr0n pic to verify.
Am kinda watching SF/Iggles game. Sorta.
@gbear: That’s deep, dark, and morose. I approve.
@Yutsano: Bow chick bow bow!
cathyx
After the kid goes to bed, I’m watching Wallander. Finally there are some new ones.
KG
@TooManyJens: that’s the first Dalek story, I believe. I’ve found tardis.wikia.com to be a useful tool in getting up to speed on the old story lines.
ETA: Dammit, no, first story involving Davros.
debit
@Dave C: Here’s the thing: unless you’re in a Nielsen family, it doesn’t matter. After years of having my heart broken because a show I loved was killed, I now refuse to watch any new network tv show. Once something gets picked up for a second season, I’ll consider giving it a chance. Yes, I’m still bitter about Firefly.
KG
anyone here play fantasy basketball? Looks to be a strange year.
asiangrrlMN
@debit: I hear ya. Any show I really like inevitably gets cancelled. No, I’m not bitter about Miracles–really, I’m not.
jl
I’m feeling a little run down this evening. Think I’ll troll for scam herbal remedy infomercials. Unless Beck is the only one carrying them.
mclaren
@Yutsano:
Philistine. You need to be sent to a Dr. Who re-education camp and forced to watch all the Tom Baker episodes with multiple-choice quizzes at the end of every episode.
“Genesis of the Daleks” remains arguably the best story arc in the entire Dr. Who series. It starts with episode 78 from 1975 during the reign of the greatest Doctor of them all, Tom Baker, who boasted “I can make whippet shit sound like the Old Testament.” And he could.
The fourth Doctor and his companions use the TARDIS to head off to the planet Skaro, thousands of years in the future, on a mission for the Time Lords: prevent the creation of the Daleks!
On the planet Skaro, the Kaleds are waging a vicious war against the Skals. The greatest scientist among the Kaleds, a man named Davros, has been working on the ultimate weapon, designed to end the war, This ultimate weapon, as the Doctor’s companion Sarah discovers when she gets separated from the Doctor in the war-ravaged no-man’s-land on Skaro, turns out to be the Daleks.
Davros is very old and crippled and he’s confined to a motorized wheelchair — which looks identical to the bottom half of the Daleks. Davros speaks through an electronic voice synthesizer, and he has a third electronic eye, which explains why the Daleks look and sound the way they do: they’re based on Davros himself.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and his other companion Harry have been captured by the Kaleds, who discover they’re aliens. Another Kaled scientist named Ronson confides in the Doctor that the chemical weapons used during an early stage of the war has mutated the Kaleds and he and his colleagues have come to believe that the mutation is now irreversible. Apparently Davros has run a computer projection of the ultimate form the mutation will take and that’s the organism he has genetically modified to reside inside the metal bodies of the Daleks. However, Ronson and his scientific colleagues have become alarmed at the direction Davros’ research on the Daleks is taking — Ronson and his chums have become frightened that the Daleks will end up turning on the Kaleds4 because the Daleks have been genetically designed to eliminate pity or remorse and view themselves as superior to all other life forms. Ronson is scared that the Daleks could wind up destroying all life in the universe.
This, as it turns out, was exactly what the Time Lords (the Doctor’s race) sent him to Skaro to prevent…
Much more, but why provide spoilers? You can get “Genesis of the Daleks” on Netflix.
RSR
Phillies!
FTFY!
TooManyJens
@Roger Moore: For some reason, I had thought the Hartnell eps were mostly lost. I’ll have to check them out.
debit
@asiangrrlMN: Oh god, me too. I lobbied for the dvd release, and bought it when it came out, but still haven’t been able to watch it. :bitter:
Action shot of pie, with 15 minutes to go. I can’t believe how clean my oven is. I credit the magical cookie sheet on the bottom rack.
KG
@mclaren: I have to admit, I haven’t watched a lot of the old episodes (yet), but I am really partial to the Tenth Doctor.
scav
Well, if we’re going early early Daleks, I think The Dalek Invasion of Earth is better than the first first one but then as I immediately mentally linked it with The Invasion (D#2) that has Cybermen (and UNIT), I could just really like things set in London in B&W.
TooManyJens
@mclaren:
And Davros moonlights as a plumber, which explains the toilet plunger arm.
@KG: I still miss Donna like crazy.
asiangrrlMN
@debit: Oh my god. WANT! And, you live in state…#Starts plotting#
Miracles: I stumbled onto it late. I mistakenly thought it was going to be a show about God. Then, I saw the last bit of the third ep, and I was hooked. This was right before we invaded Iraq, so ABC started jerking around the schedule. I got to see one complete episode, and then it was cancelled. I bought the DVD set and watched them compulsively until I reached the last episode (13, how apropos). I couldn’t watch it for the longest time because it was the last episode ever. However, it’s the best of the series, so I’m glad I finally watched it.
ETA: But I’m not bitter–honest!
This is related to Dr. Who. Sorta. (h/t, Anne Laurie).
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
Solomon Burke videos.
Dude. “None of us are free is one of us is in chains.”
KG
@TooManyJens: I liked Martha better.
Dee Loralei
@mclaren: Sarah Jane actually has her own show now, a kids DrWho . It’s got Sarah Jane, the robo dog, the computer “MrSmith”, I think and two or three kids. They fight the Slitheens and a host of other Whoverse baddies, not nearly as campy, but as silly. It’s called the Sarah Jane Adventures or Chronicles, it’s not a bad show to introduce the pre-teeny-bopper set to the Whoverse.
David Tennant is still my favorite Dr., the boy gets me all tingly.
Now, I’m gonna go walk the dogs and be responsible and stuff.
ETA: I liked the blond girl before Martha, Billie Piper, then Martha then Donna, hated Katherine’s voice. Love the new companion, not sure about the new Dr, I mean he’s no David Tennant.
TooManyJens
@asiangrrlMN: Oh, well, if we’re linking to Captain Jack fanvids:
Papa Don’t Preach
The first time I saw that, I laughed so hard I injured myself.
(Jack did once say he never wanted to be pregnant again…)
debit
@asiangrrlMN: Actually, I think we should have a MN BJ get together one of these days. I’m happy to host, and cook, just let me clean my house first.
scav
if we’re moving to how many steps to Dr Who, Moffat and Gatiss’ Sherlock is coming up after Wallender (not tonight, later in Oct) and I’m now a Moffat follower of cult-like devotion. And if you like Tennant’s coat, you really should see Cumberbatch’s.
PurpleGirl
I just turned off the TV; there wasn’t anything I wanted to watch. I decided to drop by BJ and see what was happening before taking some yarn, a hook and a crochet pattern into the bedroom to work on before going to sleep.
Everyone — enjoy the rest of the night.
asiangrrlMN
@TooManyJens: I must confess that I do not watch the show. AL linked that vid to me because I linked the original song. Still, I will check out your link.
ETA: Too long to download, and I probably wouldn’t get it, anyway.
Roger Moore
@TooManyJens:
They’re more intact than the Troughton episodes, which are almost all missing. I know that the earliest First Doctor episodes, including the original Dalek episode, are available on DVD.
burnspbesq
Working (writing a Freedom of Information Act appeal), and checking in on baseball periodically. It’s starting to look rather dire for Cincy.
Not watching Mad Men tonight. Will download from iTunes tomorrow morning and watch on the plane to DC tomorrow evening.
freelancer (itouch)
Harry Brown. Michael fucking Caine is still a baddass mofo.
TooManyJens
@asiangrrlMN: No, I don’t think it would really work for you if you don’t watch the shows.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: The answer is always C.
TooManyJens
I think the Doctor just got attacked by a Cornish hen. I do love the 1970s BBC budget.
asiangrrlMN
@TooManyJens: That’s what I figured.
On a totally unrelated note, I HAVE to see this movie. Helen Mirren totin’ a big gun. Yum. Yum. I know I will hate it, but a small price to pay.
Poopyman
@debit:
Netroots Nation is in Mpls in June, and Mrs. P and I will be there.
Anybody else? C’mon! You can admit it.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: IF one of us is in chains, IF….
God damn.
Poopyman
@PurpleGirl:
Yeah, I’m ready to hit the hay so I’m half conscious at work tomorrow. If they want me fully conscious they’ll have to pay me more.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@asiangrrlMN: Am sending you email in 3,2,1…
scav
@asiangrrlMN: How ’bout Helen Mirren with a wand?
MikeJ
@mclaren:
That’s when my middle school geek friends were into Dr Who (actually during the 80s reruns, but with the same actor.) Could not stand it back then.
I will admit I saw the first two or three eps with Amy Pond, and they were pretty good. I had no use for that prat with the police box, but the rest was ok.
asiangrrlMN
@scav: Oh my god. OH MY GOD. Is that out yet? I’m ALL over that! Netflix doesn’t have it yet, damn it. Has it been in the theatres yet? Damn. I have the hugest crush on her.
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: I should be getting it in 3…2…1!
debit
@Poopyman: Awesome! There needs to be a BJ meet up during NN. I’m in.
scav
@asiangrrlMN: Dec 10 is stuck in my brain for some reason. Read about it first over at The Guardian just before it was shown in Venice.
MattR
@debit:
That sounds like fun
/mind in gutter
SiubhanDuinne
@debit #23: Want. I’ve done so much driving in the last few days – bet I could GPS that sucker and be there before it cools fully. Outta my way, asiangrrlMN!!
@thread (O/T of everything): I love The Bobblespeak Translations so hard. Can’t remember which worthy B-J commenter first provided the link to http://www.moonshinepatriot.blogspot.com, but I am in his/her debt forever!
A tiny sample from today:
Amanpour: Hi Bob Woodruff is reporting from remote and strange place where journalists are never allowed access
Audience: the Christine O’Donnell headquarters?
Amanpour: Bob what did you see in North Korea?
Woodruff: we saw things we never saw before – we have a failed leader passing power on to his idiot son
Amanpour: what do you know about the son of the President
Woodruff: he speaks a little English and enjoys sports
Amanpour: so he’s as qualified as Dubya
Kristine
@scav: I’m looking forward to Sherlock. This evening’s Wallander was good. It’s the unrelenting grim, but the stories are good.
gbear
edit: deleted
SiubhanDuinne
Oh fuck, did I do a hyphen thing? In advance, I am SO sorry!! Don’t know how to fix :(
Crza
I’m watching the Reds go down 0-3 to the Phillies. :(
Damn, Cole Hamels kicked ass tonight.
debit
Wow, I wonder what Singletary said to Davis. They went from bumbling all over the place to marching down the field and punching it in for a TD.
JWL
The Alex Smith and Mike Singletary era officially ended tonight.
Go with God…….
asiangrrlMN
@scav: So it’s not out yet. Good to know. I may actually see it in the theatres.
@SiubhanDuinne: Isn’t that Culture of Truth? If so, s/he comments here! And, if you come to MN, I will definitely be in your way!
ETA: Meaning, I would want to meet you especially after ee gave you such high accolades.
@debit: Now THAT would be cool. Not so sure I want to go to NN, but I’m definitely up for a BJ meet (MattR, mind out of the gutter, please!).
ETA: I stopped watching the game when I realized that I couldn’t tell you the score, who was on offense, or what quarter it was.
Yutsano
@debit: I dunno, but they sure iz some fickle folks down in the City by the Bay. All of a sudden they lurve him when not one series ago he was the spawn of Satan.
@asiangrrlMN: But…but…but…I was gonna bring the prophylactics! I’ll have them handy regardless but still..I had PLANZ!!
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Wait, you’re coming to NN? For realz? With prophylactics in hand (as it were)? This changes EVERYTHING!
TattooSydney? You out there? Come join us!
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I wasn’t necessarily gonna go just for THAT…but if there’s gonna be a big BJ meet-up I could be down for that. I think I’ll have enough leave earned by then that I could squeeze in a Friday off.
scav
I was rather thinking that that whole mind out of the gutter thing was pretty much a complaint that the bodies weren’t there too. . .
mclaren
@TooManyJens:
LOL!
For those of you unfamiliar with the earlier Doctor Who series, with its cheesy papier-mache sets and spaceships models dangling by wires in front of sequin star backgrounds, here are some of the really good pre-revival old Doctor Who eps:
1. The Deadly Assassin: William Hartnell. The Doctor returns to his home planet after centuries away and learns that it’s become corrupt and vicious. A dark and violent script, it gives us some insight into the Doctor’s past and the history of his race, the Time Lords.
2. Tomb of the Cyber-men: Patrick Troughton. The very best of the cyber-men stories. Also gives us a rare glimpse into the Doctor’s past life. The only drawback? In the earlier series, the Cyber-men look like crap, basically a bunch of guys wearing tin masks. If you can get past that, a great episode.
3. City of Death: William Hartnell. Set in Paris, where the Doctor has to prevent a mad genius from entirely rewriting Earth’s history. Features Julian Glover as a classic villain.
4. The Three Doctors: Jon Pertwee. First Dr. Who to feature three incarnations. Has William Hartnell plus Patrick Troughton and Pertwee. The Time Lords find themselves under attack by the evil Time Lord Omega from the antimatter universe and they call on all three Doctors (at the time only three actors had played the Doctor) to save them.
5. Terror of the Autons: Jon Pertwee. First Dr. Who to feature the renegade Time Lord known as The Master, who travels to earth and uses his hypnotic powers to invoke a meteorite containing an evil alien life form known as the Nestene to infuse life into evil-looking plastic trolls and conquer the earth. The first Doctor Who episode of the new series in 2005 was a nod toward this classic episode.
6. The Robots Of Death: Tom Baker. Neat Agatha-Christie-type story in which members of a little group are getting killed off one by one and the Doctor has to figure out which one of them is an evil robot committing the murders.
7. The Stones of Blood: Tom Baker. The Doctor meets a resurrected Celtic Goddess, but all is not as it seems when he discovers an invisible spaceship…
8. The Ark In Space: William Hartnell. The Doctor encounters a giant spaceship containing all of mankind’s history and culture after the near-destruction of the human race, and discovers evil aliens intent on gaining control of the Ark. First appearance of the Ark, which features in a number of future episodes.
9. The Talons of Weng-Chiang: William Hartnell. The Doctors visits the 1890s and runs into Arthur Conan Doyle and winds up embroiled in sinister Victorian villainy.
10. Terror of the Zygons: William Hartnell. The Doctor versus the Loch Ness Monster, a concept so goofy it’s actually good. Big bonus points for the usual low-budget special effects.
This is just a personal list and everyone will probably have their own different favorite episodes. I’m surprised by how few Tom Baker Dr. Whos there are on here. Baker was the best Doctor, but William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton seemed to have better scripts to work with.
SiubhanDuinne
@asiangrrlMN: Ooooh, what did ellaesther say? I’ve been driving since noon and am just catching up on BJ. If you point me to the thread, I’ll track down the comment. (And without seeing it, I feel safe in saying BACKATCHA ELLAESTHER! How very cool it was to have a little BJ meetup, and I just wish we could have stretched the conversation out another several hours.) If you don’t know her, let me just say ee is as funny and bright and curious and thoughtful in person as she is online. I’m proud to share (sorta) a home town with her.
TooManyJens
@mclaren: The Ark in Space was Tom Baker; we just watched that one a couple of weeks ago.
MikeJ
@SiubhanDuinne:
I don’t remember, but there was something about meeting a skunk in the same thread. That may have been Homer though.
mclaren
@TooManyJens:
They’ve also got reconstructions of a number of the episodes previously thought lost. The reconstructions use stills from the productions and audio tracks, which in many cases survived. Also, the BBC is still discovering videotapes of some of the “lost” Dr. Who episodes. BBC engineers apparently took the tapes home instead of erasing ’em and they pop up every now and then.
The reconstructions have been put out on DVD. They’re surprisingly watchable, basically a series of still pictures with the original audio track. Sort of like watching radio on TV.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@SiubhanDuinne: Hellllooooo!!
And now I can envision you with your Blackberry, commenting w/out benefit of access to Reply button! How was the drive, etc, etc?!
I said you were a lovely woman and anyone who can, should angle to meet you — and I was immediately presented with what amounted to a request to date you. Hold on – I’ll go look up the thread.
You Don't Say
@Dave C: Tonight’s the last episode. Is it returning for another season?
SiubhanDuinne
@MikeJ: LOL, but I would be humbled and honoured to share a thread with the adorable Homer, skunk or no skunk.
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
@SiubhanDuinne: Here it is: https://balloon-juice.com/2010/10/10/wheres-the-profile-of-john/
@MikeJ: And I believe it was Jack.
asiangrrlMN
@SiubhanDuinne: Here t’is. What she said. And, she said meeting you was better than meeting a skunk.
@scav: Nice thinking!
@Yutsano: AWESOME!
Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther
Ok, I know it seems like I’m hitching my fortunes to the late shift tonight — but alas! There’s the dog (my mother’s) to walk, and Grant’s Memoirs to return to.
Like US Grant himself, I will not give up until victory is mine!
Good night late shift!
MikeJ
@Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther: It was Jack, and in the comment after that, TBogg says, “It’s always all about the tits. ”
Can I *please* get a gig with fox now? this taking stuff out of context is hard.
asiangrrlMN
FYWP, repost:
@SiubhanDuinne: Here t’is. What she said. And, she said meeting you was better than meeting a skunk. That’s high praise, indeed.
@scav: I like the way you think.
Yutsy, it would be excellent to meet you in real life.
mclaren
@TooManyJens:
Thanks. I stand corrected.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang and Deadly Assassin and City of Death and Terror of the Zygons are also Tom Baker episodes.
scav
@mclaren: I was about to say that that most of your William Hartnells were Tom Bakers which might explain your surprise at there being so few of them in your list! :) The Mind Robber is another good Troughton one, very interesting as it’s also an example of the early cheap episodes that surprisingly often turn out so very well.
Wile E. Quixote
@asiangrrlMN:
Yeah, it’s not at all true to the source material, but Helen Mirren with a big gun. The only movie I haven’t liked Helen Mirren in was National Treasure: Book of Secrets which was miserable and dumb and a waste of good money and a great cast and I made the mistake of taking a dose of an AⅮHⅮ medication beforehand so I sat very still for 90 minutes and paid really, really, really close attention to the movie and logically analyzed it’s every flaw.
OK, sure, I still wanted to have sex with Helen Mirren after watching that PoS, but I would have given her such a spanking first.
Kristine
@scav:
A good story can overcome a bad set. A number of the older stories were very good.
Seeds of Doom is a favorite episode of mine. Baker was my first Doctor–you never forget your first–and my favorite until Chris Eccleston knocked him off his perch.
I like the new guy quite a bit as well.
asiangrrlMN
@Wile E. Quixote: I haven’t read the source material, and I probably won’t before seeing the movie. But, um, yeah. Helen Mirren rocks. I have one last Prime Suspect to watch, and I can’t bring myself to do it because then there will be no more. She was fan-fucking-tastic in that series. But, even for her, I would not watch National Treasure: Book of Secrets. I just can’t do it.
Oh, and night, ee! Glad you can join us in the latish night shift from time to time.
Wile E. Quixote
@mclaren:
You know, given the popularity of Doctor Who I’m surprised that a US television network hasn’t picked it up and
completely and totally fucked it upimproved upon it the way that they have so many other British shows, like Life on Mars or Queer as Folk.Just think, you could have a US version of the Doctor who would be played by, wait for it, wait for it, The Rock. Who would carry a gun because damnit, he’s no namby pamby English guy from some fag country where they have gun control. He’d have to have an annoying sidekick too, who could be played by Adam Sandler, or some other incredibly annoying and washed up SNL alum, or maybe a cute robot dog or something, and in every episode right after he wasted the villain he’d make some cheesy remark like James Bond used to when he was played by Roger Moore.
Of course when you think about it it’s obvious why this has never happened, it’s because of our high marginal tax rates, the same ones that are about to make Greg Mankiw withhold his productivity from us. Just think, if we kept the Bush tax cuts and reduced capital gains taxes to zero, or even better, adopted Steve Forbes’ flat tax we could have an American version of Doctor Who.
rikyrah
I love Rubicon. I tell everyone I know to give it a try.
A show that I love, but shouldn’t – The Good Guys. I don’t care; Bradley Whitford has gone ALL IN with this character.
I’m also really enjoying Blue Bloods.
Steeplejack
I was watching the Phillies-Reds game and later will watch Wallander from the DVR. Bummed that my Braves lost tonight after being one strike away from a victory. Ugh.
I see that Inspector Montalbano is on MHz tonight, so this seems like a good time to put in a plug for this series. It is a great Italian cop show, loosely based on the novels by Andrea Camilleri. But to say that it is a “cop show” is to do it a disservice, sort of like saying that Foyle’s War is a cop show. It’s set in (modern) Sicily, has great cinematography with eye-popping (but not touristy) views of the island, good acting and very good scripts. Also quirky but very good incidental music. If you like PBS Mystery! type stuff, you will really like this.
Promo for The Shape of Water here. And a longer clip here. The aristocratic woman tells Montalbano a political parable about the “shape of water”—i.e., it takes the shape of whatever container “they” (the powers that be) put it in.
MHz is available on some cable systems, and Inspector Montalbano is also supposedly available on Netflix streaming, although I haven’t been able to confirm that. (There is allegedly a MHz “channel.”) I think it’s only the first three episodes, in any case.
The reason I’m bringing this up now is because I discovered that MHz has released four DVD sets covering the first 12 Montalbano episodes. (There are 18 episodes in all.) And they are currently on sale at Barnes & Noble for half price—$19.99 per set (if you order on line). That’s a great deal: 20 bucks for three feature-film-length episodes. Definitely worth taking a chance on, and I predict you won’t be sorry.
(It’s not clear from the clips above, but the DVDs are in Italian with English subtitles.)
Speaking of Wallander, MHz has also released two three-episode sets of the original (Swedish) Wallander, also currently $19.99 a pop at B&N. Trailer for one of the Swedish episodes here. I like them better than the PBS Branagh Wallander.
rikyrah
anyone else seen Bitchin Kitchen?
Steeplejack
@rikyrah:
With you on The Good Guys. It is a guilty pleasure, but a great pleasure. And it has actually improved since the first few episodes. The writing has gotten a lot tighter, and the characters are working better together.
Moses2317
Outside of the Wire, there is still no more enjoyable show than the original Law & Order (though the new one set in LA sucks).
Winning Progressive
MikeJ
@rikyrah: I want to
marryspend a long weekend with her.asiangrrlMN
@Steeplejack: Damn it. I keep meaning to check out the Wallander series (I love the books).
And, I’m sorry–there’s still baseball?
@Wile E. Quixote: This was a thing of beauty. And, it demonstrates why we cannot have nice things.
Wile E. Quixote
@scav:
I’ve never gotten into Doctor Who but it’s not because I don’t think I’d like it. It’s because I think I’d like it too much, you know, like Heroin or Meth. What I really like is the way they’ve kept the series going with different actors playing the Doctor and explaining it by saying that this is because the Doctor regenerates and that the process of regeneration in Time Lords causes changes in their personality and appearance. To me this makes more sense than certain standard plot elements in Star Trek such as the assumption that all aliens are humanoid, but are either swarthier human beings or have heads that look like the tip of a huge, veiny penis or that these aliens would want to fuck William Shatner or Jonathan Frakes.
Comrade Kevin
Mike Singletary needs to go, like, immediately.
Nikita
OMG. I can’t believe what I’m seeing on the TV. There’s a religious show on fox right now that begins with how people are questioning Obama’s religion.
It’s like a skit from the daily show only they are actually serious. They start with Obama’s statements about being a Christian and then quickly dismiss that. They then move on to what Louis Farrahkan and how he’s called Obama the savior and move on to some Muslem nation and then onto Spike Lee and Jesse Jackson jr.
OMG!!!
Edit: Now they’re talking about the fact that he has a Muslim father. Is it wrong to be astounded by seeing this in the very blue capital of a blue state?
Roger Moore
@scav:
I thought The War Games was excellent. It does a good job of convincing you at first that it’s just another historical episode, with the deeper plot only coming out over time. It’s also really freaking long, which gives it plenty of time for plot twists.
Wile E. Quixote
Man, who’d have thought that a post that contained the words “H℮roⅰn”, “Ⅿ℮th” and the phrase “tip of a huge, veiny p℮nⅰs” would end up in moderation? This is as bad as the Washington Post refusing to print the humorous cartoon I drew of Mohammed being anaⅼⅼy raped by a strap-on wearing Pam Gellar.
Steeplejack
@asiangrrlMN:
The Branagh ones on PBS are pretty good, but I like the Swedish ones better because I saw them first. And they seem a little more authentic. (Duh.) Branagh gets a little too emo at times, and the focus of the show is on him a little too much because he’s a big star. The Swedish show is more “Let’s dial it down a notch–after all, we’re Swedish.”
Couple more trailers: one for Blodsband and one for Luftslottet.
kommrade reproductive vigor
Fuck Palandino with the drill they used to make the Channel Tunnel.
That is all.
Steeplejack
@TooManyJens:
I love all things Dalek, especially the episodes from the Tom Baker years, but I am not enough of a geek to keep them all straight. Just loved discovering Dr. Who in the ’80s when a local PBS station ran episodes late every Saturday night after an evening of “Britcoms.”
asiangrrlMN
@Steeplejack: Yeah, I’m not a huge Branagh fan, so I will be watching the original.
@kommrade reproductive vigor: He’s not anti-gay? What the mofo hell does he and his staff thinks it means to be anti-gay if not this? That’s IT! I cannot take the inhumanity of the ‘baggers any longer. I am going Galt and withholding my productivity! Oh, and a man in his position might want to steer clear from making remarks on morality. Asswipe. Grr.
ETA: Andrew Cuomo is hawt and a great candidate. He has my vote (or he would if I lived in NYC).
Roger Moore
@Wile E. Quixote:
I’m pretty sure it’s because Dr. Who picked up a large and vocal American audience well before it became popular to copy British shows. In that case, it’s a better bet to syndicate the existing episodes and playing to the established audience rather than trying to reproduce the show and risk turning off the established audience with the changes.
Wile E. Quixote
@Nikita:
We should drive News Corpse into bankruptcy by stealing every bit of IP they have from Fox and F/X and posting on torrent sites so that no one has to give money to News Corpse or watch advertisements by Fox sponsors and so that no one will ever want to write, produce or act in any show produced by News Corpse because they’ll never see a penny of royalties.
MikeJ
Will anybody still be here tomorrow? The Corner is going to allow comments. Release the avalanche of snark!
Wile E. Quixote
@kommrade reproductive vigor:
Don’tcha know? Carl prefers horse cock. I’m sure it won’t be long before he ends up like this guy.
Steeplejack
@TooManyJens:
Amazing what you can do with tinfoil and Jell-O.
Steeplejack
@freelancer (itouch):
Just watched (the original) Get Carter a week or so ago. Another underrated Caine gem.
Yutsano
@Steeplejack: Mmm…Jell-O. Good shtuff right there. Also a great cautionary tale about the pragmatism of rabbis.
Roger Moore
@MikeJ:
I predict that one of two things will happen:
1) They will rapidly ban anyone who doesn’t display sufficient fealty to current wingnut memes, or
2) They’ll give up on the experiment within a few days.
Dissent will not be tolerated.
Yutsano
@Roger Moore: But in the meanwhile, much hilarity will ensue.
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
In this case, the answer seems to always be “Exemption Three.” And in this case, it’s bullshit and I know why it’s bullshit. But I’m not sure I’m going to be able to convince an Appeals Officer of that. I may be headed for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: Heh. This is why I’m happy I’m in Collections. Pay up, shut up, or get off my phone.
burnspbesq
@asiangrrlMN:
Yes, there is. Shame your guys failed to show up.
MattR
Somehow the front page is broken for me. The formatting gets real weird after Doug’s paragraph. Anyone else?
asiangrrlMN
@MikeJ: Is the Corner starring Kathryn Jean Lopez as editor?
@burnspbesq: NO SHIT!
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
Less than a month on the job and you’re already turning into the RO from Hell. I’m so proud of you.
You sure the answer to every question isn’t “jeopardy assessment?”
Yutsano
@MattR: Formatting seems to be fine for me (FF latest iteration, Windows). What browser are you on?
@burnspbesq: It is nice to know that even in the post season, Joe Mauer can break my heart. As long as he persists in bachelorhood I’ll keep my hopes up.
@burnspbesq: Hell no. They gotta PROVE that shit to me before I even THINK about that assessment! If IDRS shows a balance you get to writing that check!
MattR
@Yutsano: Slightly older FF (3.0.19) on Windows.
I actually shouldn’t complain as I kinda like it without the margins (and ads) on the sides.
burnspbesq
Got an email from Manchester United on Friday. I have successfully navigated their Byzantine ticket procedures, and have a primo seat for the Spurs match on October 30. This should be fun.
Steeplejack
@MattR:
Front page working okay for me (Win XP, Firefox 3.6.10–but with Adblock Plus installed).
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: Is everybody in the universe gonna have an awesome time on my birthday except me?? Okay that’s not true, a good friend is taking me to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show. That is not all that special, except for the location. The middle of nowhere in eastern Washington. It may or may not be rather entertaining.
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
IDRS? Them’s fightin’ words. I’ll hit you so hard, it’ll 53 every account in your queue.
MattR
@Steeplejack: Gotta be something with that particular post (I’m guessing it is the youtube code) since this post looks fine to me.
@Yutsano: Ooh. A late night double feature picture show. Sounds like it should definitely be entertaining. Do you have any idea how into it they get there?
asiangrrlMN
@MattR: It’s working fine for me (Google Chrome, whatever version).
@Yutsano: I’m going to a kick-ass Halloween party, so, yes. (Check your email plz. kthxbai).
Steeplejack
@MattR:
Is it fixed for you now? Sometimes they have a bug in a post and edit it within a few minutes. But I was looking at the same front page (with DougJ’s post at the top), and I had no problems (at 1:24 EDT).
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: Don’t make me start assessing liens mister!
@MattR: I (mostly) get that anyway, but I run NoScript as well so that helps with a lot of the gunk.
@asiangrrlMN: Checked and answered.
MattR
@Steeplejack: Nope. Still broken. I’m gonna assume that I am just special :)
@Yutsano: I run NoScript and Flashblock. I usually have margins on the left and right that have ads plus links to contacts, the BJ Store, recent posts etc. Those are gone and the font is signigicantly smaller on the Keeping the Faith post and as I said before, I think I like it.
Roger Moore
@Yutsano:
That’s assuming that the heavy handed moderation isn’t in place from the get go. Then again, the folks at NRO aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer, so it’s entirely possible that they don’t realize how badly they’re going to get smacked. Although the more I think about it, the more I think that the real smacking isn’t going to come from snarky DFHs. It’s going to come from the hordes of Teatard crazies who will fill the place with filth so vile even the Cornerites won’t tolerate it.
MikeJ
@Yutsano: I don’t know where it’s playing in eastern washington, but the stage version is playing this month on Bainbridge Island. The only downside being that the last ferry leaves for Seattle at 10:30.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: Apparently Prosser on my birthday. All the other details are somewhat vague.
MikeJ
@Yutsano: Best kind of details for a bday. With any luck they’ll be equally vague afterwards too. I’m now just trying to keep the bdays themselves vague, which means celebrate anything you want and claim any age you want.
asiangrrlMN
@MikeJ: I grew up hating my birthday. Not because of the aging thing–I don’t give a shit about that. I refused to tell anyone when it was, and I never celebrated it. It’s only in the last few years where I’ve become neutral about it–bipartisan, if you will. I still don’t celebrate it, though.
scav
@Steeplejack:
And the bubblewrap . . .
and despite the budgets, despite the whole kids show thing, those early shows were stunningly fearless with that electronic music and camera tricks for the title sequences.
TooManyJens
@scav: Yes, there was a feature on the Sontaran Experiment DVDs about how they made the title sequence. The creativity and effort that went into that was amazing.
Mnemosyne
@kommrade reproductive vigor:
So gay relationships are wrong and icky, but having sex with horses is a-okay.
Ewwwww.
rikyrah
@MikeJ:
LOL
awe…that’s so sweet :)
burnspbesq
Good grief.
Apparently Newsweek and The Daily Beast are in negotiations that may lead to some sort of combination.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/10/11/business/business-us-newsweek-thedailybeast.html?hp
Yutsano
@burnspbesq: A co-worker gave me one of those to read on the bus ride home last week. It was almost like I was holding a pamphlet for a doctor’s office or something, I was shocked at how skinny it was and how the quality of the paper had degraded. I suppose if this deal works out that will be the next step for the major weekly daily magazines.
suzanne
I posted these links in the other thread, but my puppeh and kitteh are cute enough that these bear repeating.
http://www.flickr.com/#/photos…..071009006/
http://www.flickr.com/#/photos…..070395391/
Yutsano
@suzanne: Curious. The links keep taking me to the main Flickr page.
DaddyJ
Dang, a Doctor Who semi-thread, and me late to the party.
@scav: Hear, hear to bubble-wrap! At our house, the hapless, alien-DNA infected crewman in The Ark in Space, dramatically raising his green-painted bubble-wrapped arm into frame and screaming, is a touchstone of Doctor Who cheese. But cheesy as it is, the actor still sells it. I find the chewing-the-cheap-scenery theatricality of old Who is just as entertaining as the clever plots and seamless effects of the new incarnations.