CHiPs Flashbacks

Via Netflix, I’ve been watching CHiPs – The Complete First Season the past few weeks. Yes, Ponch and Jon are fighting crime in Southern California. I’m amazed at how far crime fighting, safety guidelines, and vehicle safety has come. I don’t think I ever saw old TV as a time capsule of society. Examples:

  • no one is wearing seat belts
  • tons of people smoke, even in public buildings
  • women at headquarters are hit on by Ponch, in what surely today would be seen as harassment
  • Jon and Ponch walk right up to the front of the drive’s window of a car they’ve pulled over. Today, the officer would stay back near the back seat door to force the driver to turn around
  • Jon and Ponch move accident victims when there isn’t a risk of fire or explosion.
  • Jon and Ponch frequently pull someone over, then park their bikes in or near a travel lane

All that said, I’m enjoying the shows. They’re a bit cheesy, but I am amazed at how many of the episodes I remember. Some of the episodes I don’t think I’ve seen since they were originally aired, and the plot floods back to me. I guess the shows made more of an impression on my ten year old self than I would have thought.

I also really like the closing credit sequence. The scene is played out with a few seconds of the characters doing something, then the camera freezes, and some of the credits appear on screen. It makes you watch the closing credits. Has any other TV show ever done something like that?

I’m in the LA times

One of my other web sites, Christmas Music 24/7, was mentioned several times in an article in the Los Angeles Times: Web DJs silenced by royalty fees.

Every day was Christmas for Michael Clark, but now the holiday’s over.

From the attic of his condo in Woodbridge, Va., the 38-year-old Web developer ran an Internet radio station that spun his beloved Christmas carols all year long. Then in March, a panel of federal judges sharply increased the royalty charges for playing music online.

Since then, it’s been one long, silent night for Clark and his hundreds of listeners at christmasmusic247.com. His site and hundreds of other free Internet radio stations already have shut down. Most others say they will stop when the rates kick in Sunday.

“It really isn’t fair,” said Clark, who pulled the plug when he realized he could owe more than $20,000 in royalties if he continued.

Exchange Names for Phone Numbers

You know how in older TV shows (I Love Lucy) or movies, people would give their phone number as Jupiter 5-1234? You can look up the official names for the first two digits of your phone number at Ma Bell’s Officially Recommended Exchange Names. Pretty neat. It reminds of an old joke:

A little girl answers the phone, and says her mommy isn’t there. The caller asks her to take a message. “Please have you mommy call me at Capital 2-3456.” The little girl says “I don’t know how to make a capital 2.”

Busch Gardens visit

My wife and I actually had a free weekend from shows (we review live theatre in the Washington DC region, so pretty much every Friday, Saturday and Sunday is booked for us for the next 6 months) , so we visited my family in Tidewater Virginia. We were lucky and missed a lot of the Friday afternoon traffic on I-95 south, but we did the Route 17 “shortcut” to miss the heavier traffic.

On Sunday we visited Busch Gardens. My parents work at the park, so we got two free day passes. That was a nice savings of $55 each. We did have to pay for parking ($10), lunch ($25 for three slices of pizza, melon, and two drinks), a slurpee drink (~$4), and a lemonade (~$4). Be aware there are water fountains around, but you have to search for them. They are usually near the restrooms.

Our adventures included: several rides: the skyride (got a great view of the Griffon), Curse of DarKastle, the Big Bad Wolf (me), the swings (Laura), the bumper cars, Roman Rapids, Escape from Pompeii, (which broke down while we were in line), the Griffon (me), the train, the log flume, Corkscrew Hill. We also saw the Pirates 4D show (a huge waste of time unless your party has members under 10 years old).

The Griffon rollercoaster was pretty cool. It has a gorgeous view after you go up the hill. You can see for miles. Then at the crest before dropping straight down (a 90 degrees drop!) the coaster stops! There are three rows, with ten people per row. The first row actually hangs straight down. Then a loop, you roll back upright, go up again, down another 90 degree drop, loop again, spin around, go through some water, and you’re done. It takes 90 seconds for the entire ride. Oddly, enough if you take pictures or video from the ride itself, they’ll throw you out of the park.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Busch Gardens. I had my first job there, I spent 4 years working there (1985 through 1988) and have lots of memories of growing up at Busch. My family went to the park very early in the year it opened. I remember there being more trees, and just in general being less commercial. Now it seems like everything there you have to pay for. Want a picture of yourself with a bald eagle? $12. Want to see your expression as you went down the huge hill on the Griffon? $12. Busch Gardens is missing a huge marketing opportunity with these photos. They need to give everyone that comes into the park a coupon for one or two free photos that can be emailed to the address of your choice. Heck, give every photo for free via email. I’m sure they could easily embed the Busch Gardens name and logo and URL into the corner of each photo. Then people will share the photos online, in blogs, etc…. I know I would have posted the photos here so you could see the look of joy/terror on my face on the Griffon (or the flume). Talk about free advertising! Plus they could then ask if people would like to be added to the BG mailing list. Instant ability to gain repeat customers.

The people (cast or team members) were very friendly, not quite outgoing, but friendly and helpful. I had a good time, and will go back, but probably not without a discounted ticket of some sort. Definitely plan to pay about double for food what you’d pay at a fast food place. And allow plenty of time for standing in lines, stay hydrated. If possible, download the park map before hand and have a plan of attack for the park. If you have yungins, don’t be too ambitious with your goals for the day. It is supposed to be fun.

I’m in Blogathon 2007!

I am officially registered for Blogathon 2007. I’ll be blogging at least once every 30 minutes starting at 9am (Eastern) July 28th, until 9am on the 29th. I’m hoping that people will sponsor me, as I am raising money for the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation. Pledges can be a lump sum if I make it through the entire 24 hours; or a per hour basis ($1/hour is $24, $5/hour is $120). I don’t make any money off of this, I am just supporting a wonderful organization that has helped my sister-in-love, brother-in-love, and niece. I’ll have more specific information later about what I’ll be blogging about, and the contest I’ll be running.

Thank God You’re Here! Is No Reason to Give Thanks

My wife and I watched the new NBC TV show Thank God You’re Here! this evening while we were waiting for the silly FBI warnings to scroll by on the DVD. The basic premise of the show is to get a well known actor to play an improvised scene with several other actors. The well known actor has no idea what the scene will be, other than whatever clues he can gather from his costume. Improvisation is really fun to watch. And to perform. It is tricky.

Basically the actors are supposed to accept whatever is thrown at them. If I walk into a classroom and am asked my opinion of how Chris is doing, and I say “he is blah blah blah” you are now stuck with him being a boy. You do not have a script that says “Chris is our daughter.” But on Thank God You’re Here! the ensemble has a script, which is designed to make the actor confused. Or to point out that the actor didn’t get it right.

The show is not improv. It is merely an attempt to get some cheap laughs at the expense of the actors. I won’t be watching again. I don’t recommend you watch it either.

Don’t vote for Delegate McQuigg (VA-51)

My wonderful state delegate, Michele McQuigg, still thinks it is ok for her to email me. She has switched ISPs, which is why my block isn’t working. Way back in March 2006, I didn’t mention her by name, but too late. She’s now sharing my email address with other Republicans.

Why do politicians find it so difficult to do what their constituents ask them to do? It’s not like I’m asking for a multi-million dollar grant or something. I simply don’t want Del. McQuigg to email me anymore. But she (or her staff) can’t follow this simple request. Yet, she’s helping shape technology policy affecting 6 million Virginians.

I hereby endorse anyone else for any office that Ms. McQuigg is running for. Hopefully she will not be unopposed.

I do find it interesting that she is running for the Clerk’s seat. This is for an 8 (eight!) year term. Boy, talk about job security. In 2005, she won releection 8,313 to 7,107. I wonder if she thinks she will lose this election.