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Plane Crazy 1

Jan

16

2009

I was completely mesmerized by the insane events in New York today, with the plane that ditched in the Hudson after BOTH ENGINES got knocked out by bird strikes and somehow managed to get every last person out alive. I’ve been reading and reading and reading coverage, and I think I found one guy whose ...

Televised Sea Change

Dec

9

2008

As someone working in scripted TV production…holy shit, this is bad news: NBC is replacing its entire 10pm hour with a nightly prime-time hour of Jay Leno. If you look purely at the numbers, it absolutely makes sense for fourth-place NBC, whose ratings have completely tanked this year due to the fact that they put ...

We’ve Come A Long Way, With A Ways To Go 3

Nov

5

2008

Last night was like the end of a marathon. The elation and ecstatic reaction after Obama finally won the Presidency was surreal, like crossing the finish line first when you barely thought you had a chance. And then, watching Prop 8 pass was like having someone walk up to that same theoretical marathoner and punching ...

It Could Be Worse 1

Jan

14

2008

I could have worked for a company that used Axium for its payroll services, since they just declared Chapter 7, leaving many creditors (including the IRS) with questions about where all the money went. Defamer has been covering the whole mess pretty well (with “Rhymes With Shmembezzelment” being one of my favorite tags they’ve ever ...

Oops!

Nov

20

2007

If you thought the incidents where various American companies lost laptops with 300,000 or 400,000 people’s financial information were bad, then be very thankful you don’t live in Britain.

Eep

Sep

13

2007

I will worship whatever god or gods I need to, I will even sacrifice a goat on the tarmac if need be, but I really hope that what’s been happening in Indonesia over the last few days doesn’t happen in L.A. while I’m still alive to have it scare the shit out of me. Reading ...

Department of Explanations

Aug

3

2007

Usually it’s somewhat reassuring to see behaviors of yours replicated in various studies, so you know you’re not alone. In this case, however, it’s a bit depressing.

Way Ahead of You

Mar

11

2007

No need for anyone to send me this story about what I can only imagine is Chaplin’s long-lost brother. The detail that it was a black and white cat was not lost on me.

I Am Turning Into My Mother

Oct

16

2006

I love my mom, but one of her odder habits is that she hums Christmas carols. Like, 365 days a year. And not even the whole tune, but one phrase, over and over and over again (specifically the title phrase of “Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland”). I’m not even sure she’s aware she’s doing it, ...

Signs That Perhaps I Watch Too Much Television 6

Aug

24

2006

I had to create a spreadsheet, with the aid of the Futon Critic’s schedule, to figure out which TiVo to use to record which show for the upcoming fall season. While doing that, I determined that, if I permanently add every show I’m trying out, I will be recording 25.5 hours of television a WEEK. ...