Wednesday, April 27, 2005

A great many things to discuss

I have been putting this off and putting it off, but there are many things that I want to blog about and so I will probably throw them all together into one massively incoherent post tonight.

Sorry about that.

So now I'll try to break them down McLaughlin Group style.

Issue 1: You might notice that the post below this one looks a bit different. It's an "audioblog" and that means what you think it means. Now, if I feel like it I can inflict my southern drawl upon you. You can't escape me! You can read more about the format and theory here, if you like. As to the title of that post--well, apparently everyone's favorite Wesley Crusher has also been know to audioblog. And if he can do it, then so can I. Ideally I wanted to explain all this in that post, but I am still learning how to do this new thing and so it is a bit rough around the edges. But, hey, the Model T wasn't a Rolls Royce right off the assembly line, now was it?

Issue 2: The New York Times Magazine had an interesting article this past weekend. I didn't read it since I let my NYT subscription lapse a long time ago, but thanks goes to Flip for bringing it to my attention. (Incidentally, she promises to have another post ready soon, so keep looking for it.)
Anyway, the article claims that watching TV can make you smarter--as long as you watch the right shows. (Of course, I ONLY watch the right shows, don't I?). You can read the entire article here (and a rebuttal of the article here.) I am not versed in the science of all of this, but I have watched a lot of Star Trek over the years and devoted more time that is strictly necessary to unraveling the mysteries of Alias and LOST. So, I should be about the smartest person that a lot of you know, right . . . RIGHT?!!

But, if you are feeling dumber, maybe you should stop watching crap TV like According to Jim or maybe quit reading all those emails. And I quote: "This is a very real and widespread phenomenon. We have found this obsession with looking at messages, if unchecked, will damage a worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness."--Dr. Glenn Wilson, on a study that found that those who tried to juggle work and e-mail experienced an IQ drop more than twice that of marijuana smokers.

(I know this is all old news, but I've got to react to it somehow. I've been too busy at work juggling emails and smoking dope to blog--plus I might get fired for it, right?) Thanks, by the way, to Jam Master J for bringing this news item to "our" collective attention first the other day.

Issue #3: This one is a bit painful--and while it is old news, I've definitely got stuff to say. Jack Thunder first alerted me to this horrible bit of news last week when I was away from the office and looking after Ariel. Newsweek ran this image (see below) in the May 2, 2005 issue on p. 73.

You might or might not be able to read all of the copy in this item, so let me provide you with the pertinent information and my own reactions to that. . . .

. . .

You know what? I don't have anything to say. When I first read the thing, I thought of many witty, bitter things to say. But just now, I don't remember them. Am I going soft? Have I given up my hopes of ever convincing Jennifer to wise up? I suppose . . . I AM married (happily) you know. And even though we might have found a common link through our high school band years and our Southern heritage, anyone willing to pledge their troth to Affleck, well, they might as well be related to The Gyllenhaal as far as I am concerned.

. . .

(I take it back Jen . . . really! I'll always love you! We'll always have Rimbaldi, won't we?

Issue #4: Smallville was good again tonight! At least they didn't wipe Chloe's memory--as I was sure they were going to. But, honestly do Al and Miles (show producers) think up new ways to kick her in the teeth every week? She's getting along with CK and then Lana walks into the room, artfully backlit with a fan blowing wind through her hair . . . and Clark, who remembers NOTHING about anything (memory wipe) is struck dumb at the sight of her. Simply inexcusable on the part of the writers! I am very upset and if now for the many funny HoYay references in tonight's episode I might pledge to never watch the show again, ever! (Ok, not really.)

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