The Probulator

What I suspected has now been offically released by the BBC.  David Tennant is leaving Doctor Who at the end of the 2009 Specials.  I’m guessing that this news is the reason that the Doctor Who Forum is experiencing major difficulties in delivering its content.   I thought David made an excellent Doctor.  His incredible level of energy and sense of fun made the show more entertaining than at time in its long history.  His three years with the show allowed him to develop and evolve the 10th Doctor’s personality.  Christopher Eccleston’s 9th Doctor didn’t quite get that chance.  (Yes, I know it was Eccleston’s choice to leave the role.)  Although, too much of the whole “immortal with eternal survivor’s guilt” thing would probably have gotten old very quickly. I find it interesting that the “serious” 9th Doctor had less serious stories than the “fun” 10th Doctor.  Russell T. Davies may not be the greatest of writers, but I think this shows an understated genius in his running the show.

I imagine the news will disappoint a good number of fans who expected their favorite Doctor to have a run of Tom Baker endurance.  While I certainly enjoyed Tennant’s run immensely, I find myself welcoming this news. Ever since William Hartnell was forced out bowed out of the role, it’s been designed to be handed down from actor to actor, allowing the show to evolve in a way that no other show can.  When the original series was canceled in 1989, Sylvester McCoy was determined to hand the role over to his successor at some point.  He had that opportunity to do so in the 1996 TV movie.  Yes, the movie was sub-par, but at least he was able to do so.  Now we’ll get to see it passed on again right at the time a new team takes over the production.  I think we’ll see a fresh start and some great originality.  (Hopefully part of that includes giving the Daleks a rest.  They need to bow out for a few years at least.)  A new Doctor is always a fun ride.  My only hope is Stephen Moffett allows the show to keep its gay sensibility.

I will stay out of any speculation on who should/will inherit the role.  It’s a British Institution and I’m not British.  There will be plenty of others posting their ideas all over the internet until the successor is announced.  Until then, there will be five more specials for us to appeciate Doctor Number 10.

Tags: British, Doctor Who, Drama, Entertainment, Science Fiction, Television, gay by Dean
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No diatribe this time.  Just remember to VOTE next Tuesday.  If you can vote early (I can’t) then do it.  Make sure you’re registered and don’t let anyone intimidate you!

Tags: General by Dean
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Way back when (in the early eighties) my family first got cable, the embryonic childrens’ channel Nickelodeon aired an anthology show they called “The Third Eye“.  The nearly budgetless fledgling network bought old shows from our former mother country England.  While many remember “The Tomorrow People” which ran before Nick ran commercials during their shows, fewer remember this show which recycled BBC and ITV childrens’ serials.

The show endlessly reran the episodes of four (a fifth was added just before the anthology was cancelled) serials most likely purchased on the cheap.  The oldest of the shows, “Children of the Stones“, a mid seventies relic, ran alongside it’s early eighties cousins: “The Haunting of Cassie Palmer“, “Under the Mountain“, and my favorite, “Into the Labyrinth“.

“Children of the Stones” wasn’t the most entertaining of the series, but it was unique amongst its bretheren.  Where the other shows followed the typical children run away, find some strangers and have some adventures, the father and son team of “Children” had an unusual, open and equal relationship.  For what may be the first time on television aimed at children, a parent and his offspring treated each other with the level of intelligence and responsiblity they both knew each had.  The somewhat outlandish claims made by the son weren’t immediately dismissed by Dad.  He even took the time to investigate, and when necessary, defend them against the more closed minded opinions of the villiagers.

The production values of the show were typical of the low budget British drama with a mix of videotaped studio material and 16mm film location shots.  Yes, it looks cheap, but the cast makes up for this by being at worst competent and at best, a pleasure to watch.  A year after this, star Gareth Thomas would get his own ongoing series playing Roj Blake in Terry Nation’s attempt to make an adult Doctor Who called Blake’s 7.

The good news is that there is finally a Region One DVD release forthcoming in January.  After nearly a quarter century absence from American television screens, we’ll be able to watch this gem again.

Tags: British, DVD, Entertainment, Science Fiction, Seventies, Television by Dean
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This is a great little read.  Parody news magazine, “The Onion” published this article mere days before president Bush was first inaugurated.  While written as a joke, the article predicted many of this president’s major actions.  It’s quite amazing.  Perhaps we should have read more closely and paid attention.

Tags: General by Dean
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About a year ago, on November 14th, 2007, the following appeared in the UK newspaper, The Independent.

The following exchange took place on Craigslist, the New York community message board:

“What am I doing wrong?

I’m tired of beating around the bush. I’m a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25-year-old girl. I’m articulate and classy. I’m not from New York. I’m looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City so I don’t think I’m over-reaching at all. Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a businessman who made around 200-250K. But that’s where I seem to hit a roadblock. $250,000 won’t get me to Central Park West. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker, and lives in Tribeca. She’s not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? Here are my questions specifically:

• Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics - bars, restaurants, gyms.
• What are you looking for in a mate?
• Is there an age range I should be targeting?
• Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the Upper East Side so plain? What’s the story there?
• Lawyers, investment bankers, doctors. How much do those guys really make? And where do the hedge fund guys hang out?
• How do you rich guys decide on marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY.”

An Investment Banker’s Response:

“I qualify as a guy who fits your bill - I make more than $500K per year. Here’s how I see it: Your offer is a plain and simple crappy business deal. What you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here’s the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity - in fact, it is very likely that my income will increase, but it is an absolute certainty that you won’t be getting any more beautiful! So, in economic terms, you are a depreciating asset. In Wall Street terms, we’d call you a trading position - not a buy and hold. It doesn’t make good business sense to ‘buy you’ (which is what you’re asking) - so I’d rather lease. The deal that makes sense for me is dating, not marriage.”

Now, despite the revulsion and disgust that was my immediate response, part of me has to admire the obvious naked (he he) truth of this (spectacularly beautiful) girl’s request.  You do have to wonder if she realizes that in addition to coming across as selfish and greedy, she’s incredibly shallow.  The only thing she offers is her beauty.  She even points out that her yoga classmate bagged someone better than she was ever able to.  So, does this girl have a personality, or is she basically a lifetime prostitute bought like a single premium annuity.

Now, the businessman’s response is classic.  “The only thing you offer is your looks, so I think I’ll try you out and them dump you on the curb when those crows feet set in.  Heck, you don’t even mention if you’re any good when getting nailed or if you spit or swallow.  By the way, the guys you want consider you too old since you’re way past your sell date for Barely Legal.”

Am I just being mean when one of the the “I’m pretty therefore better than you” crowd gets put in her place?

Now, I’m told there was a further response from Ms. I have no marketable skills and must gold dig to survive.  I’ve not been able to find it but if you’ve read it, please let me know.

Tags: golddigging whores, intelligent businessmen by Dean
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The McCain-Palin campaign needs some positive ads that accentuate the candidates’ qualities rather than harp on the opponents’ questionable negatives.  Here is a suggestion:

Tags: Alaska, Arizona, Disasterous Performances, McCain, Politics, conservatives, palin by Dean
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Just in time to close out Banned Books Week a christian conservative group complains that librarians are “banning” books that present their “side” of the homosexuality “issue”.  When you look closer, you find that the librarians are evaluating all their books by certain standards and these aren’t passing.  Little things like poor scholarship, dodgey research, etc… are keeping them out of the libraries.

Since the conservative groups are buying these books and donating them, I say they should be accepted.  Please, spend all your money and donate them to every library in the country.  The message is weak and these books only preach to the choir.  Their best use is for freedom loving people (liberals) to use them as resources to discredit the faulty ideas they contain.  They won’t have to spend their own money to do this.

What can be better than for the conservatives to finance their own downfall?

Tags: Banned Books Week, Literature, Politics, Religion, censorship, conservatives by Dean
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Watching the vice presidential debate is like watching a manic depressive.  It’s been excruciating at times and it’s been highly entertaining at other time.  Senator Biden hardly jumps off the screen, but Governor Palin hasn’t constructed a single original thought throughout this incredibly long hour and a half.  I wish I had the time and patience to put together clips of the couple of interviews and speechs she’s been allowed to give and edit them next to clips from this debate showing she merely rebates herself.  If you’re reading this, have the time and patience, and do this, I won’t try to claim any credit!

Gwen Ifill is better today than she was during the Chaney/Edwards debate in 2004, but she is giving too many passes to Palin, especially on the gay marriage questions where Palin outright lied about her support.  At least she did a better job than Jim Leher who did not attempt to control the debate and made the disasterous attempt to try and make the candidates talk to each other.  Hopefully Tom Brokow will do better with the next one.

In conclusion, Palin is an attention whore with a grating voice.  Biden isn’t Mr. Warmth, but he’s Mr. Intelligent and Mr. Competent.

Tags: Biden, Democratic Senators, Disasterous Performances, GOP Hypocrites, Health Insurance, News, Politics, attention whore, palin by Dean
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