Television sets

I guess I come from the old school. You buy a toaster, you keep it til it breaks. You buy a stereo, you keep it and all the components until they break. I am on my fourth TV and I've been very happy with it. Planned to keep it til it broke.

Lately, however, I've noticed something is wrong. When I watch a ball game I can see the home team's score but not the visiting team's. I see a show with three people talking and the person in the middle looks okay but I can only see the right side of the face of the person sitting on the left and the left side of the face of the person sitting on the right. Either that or the program is letter boxed with a small viewing area with black on the upper and lower parts of the screen.

Yes, I have an analog TV and I feel society is pushing me to go with one of those LED deals. At least my toaster hasn't gone digital yet. Gosh darn it. One day I may even have to upgrade from Windows 95.

The silly season

First we had the story of the head of the International Monetary Farm chasing a maid up a hotel corridor at noon on a weekeday, like in a French movie. Then the news that Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child of his maid. Now the latest news that dear Queen Elizabeth is visiting a stud farm in Ireland. Sex is everywhere.

Last week I was taught about pantyliners. Although I think of myself as a man of the world, it took the Soap Net's Saturday showing of the Gilmore Girls to teach me that such a product existed. I love watching the commercials of programs that are supposed to be seen exclusively by women. It is like taking a voyeuristic look at something that older male bachelors are not supposed to know about. Now whenever I see a woman I wonder. "Is she wearing a pantyliner?" As Jean Shepherd used to say, it must be the silly season.

Yugoslavia sculpture

I discovered this blog with pictures of weird Tito era sculpture. Hot peppers go onto porch this week.

Excess baggage

I have discovered a new find. A terribly British travel show, available as pod casts (including Itunes). They have different guests each week, and it reminds me of an older time when loyal subjects visited the colonies. The show has a Graham Greene feel but it entertaining. Sometimes the accents can be a bit heavy. On BBC 4.

Saturday Night Live

Just finished watching Saturday Night Live. All I ask for is one joke.

Webinars

Nowadays, the workplace is being inundated with webinars. Every time you want to talk to someone they're glued to a computer listening to some smug speaker and webinarring. In many cases they have replaced out of office meetings.

I do have to admit that I miss those. Leaving all your patrons and their problems to your co-workers while you are having an outing. A drive and a meeting and a nice lunch. A nice way to catch up on out of town gossip. Sure beats a webinar.