Buzz Blog

My call on 'The Marriage Ref' -- Foul

2010-03-04T19:13:49Z

"The Marriage Ref" is established on sporting principles (based on the lengthy animated introduction with Jerry Seinfeld). Unfortunately, the performance of this panel show that debuts tonight on NBC (KNVN 24) is more XFL than NFL.

I'll be short because other viewers and TV critics have already eviscerated this show. One critic snarked about a future when networks could get instant feedback and cancel a show in progress.

Based on the 30-minute preview that aired Sunday, I find myself dreading an entire hour of this banality.

If the "Ref" were a pitcher, there were months of wind up (including endless commercials), but the pitch is a roller in the dirt. If the "Ref" were batter, it's probably going to quickly strike out.

But "Ref" is neither pitcher nor batter, it's a simple show that would be at home on basic cable if it weren't for the celebrity friends Seinfeld has gotten to join him as panelists for the actual ref, Tom Papa.

The premise of the show is relatively straightforward -- footage of a couple bickering over a meaningless trifle is shown before a panel of celebrities. The celebrities pick apart the couple's dilemma and hopefully make a few good jokes before Papa makes the call on which spouse is right.

Humor ensues, or it's supposed to. However, as some critics pointed out, there may be some elements of the show that might work, but the execution is wrong.

The panel of celebrities are amusing, but they definitely aren't as funny as they think they are. Some have accused the show of elitism -- where the well-to-do celebs mock people from outside New York City. I didn't necessarily get that feeling, but there was a sense of insincerity around the endeavor.

First - When Papa brings the couple back for the verdict, he says we're going to meet the "real" couple. But the audience already saw a realistic depiction of the dispute earlier. Does that mean that it was faked with actors? That's pretty lame. Update: I watched a small part of Thursday's show. Apparently the couples are real throughout the program. Papa seems to say "actual" as a verbal tick (like "It's the 'actual' David Blaine."). Still lame.

Second - While cracking wise, the panel has made some pretty valid points about the relationships -- like how one silly dispute may be due to a lack of intimacy. Does this get back to the couples? Not during taping, but maybe they'll see it when/if it airs.

The whole thing reminded me of the goofy shows that Comedy Central aired in the past two decades, like "Win Ben Stein's Money," "Beat the Geeks," or "Root of All Evil." These shows are often a string of jokes built around an extremely flimsy premise.

When they live in the fringes of cable, the shows are enough to keep people amused for 30 minutes. But mild amusement isn't enough to sustain a show that is shoved into the relatively bright light of network primetime for an entire hour.

Betty White an unlikely SNL fit, but could do well with backups

2010-02-23T05:17:03Z

One of the latest Internet campaigns that seems to be gaining traction is a push to get comedienne Betty White to host an upcoming episode of "Saturday Night Live." While she showed some toughness and strong comedic chops in a Super Bowl ad, I don't know if the 88-year-old would want to go through the grueling, week-long gauntlet of live television.

The discussion kicked on Super Bowl Sunday when White appeared in a Snickers ad as a player of a rough game of pick-up football. She gets bullied about until she eats a Snickers candy bar and turns into a younger player. The spot, which also featured a Pleasant Valley High grad, ranked highly by USA Today's Ad Meter.

Since then, people have been pushing for "Saturday Night Live" to offer White a hosting gig. A Facebook fan page had more than 441,000 fans, as of this writing. Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker imagined how the show might go.

The effort seems to be gathering strength, according to EWs Michael Ausiello.

I'm kinda excited about her getting this opportunity, but I was initially leery about her shouldering the entire show herself. Thankfully, it seems like SNL may give her a bench of relief pitchers, so to speak.

Ausiello reports that SNL producers are close to a deal with a possible catch -- that White is teamed up to host with a "Women of Comedy" dream team. Names bandied about include Molly Shannon, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler -- all good choices, but I hope they cast a wider net than just former SNL alumni.

Having a dream team co-host with Betty makes a lot of sense. It could be better than my idea of just having her pop up in a few Digital Shorts (which I think could still be funny and work well as viral video).

Betty is a trooper -- she deserves to be the starter and should be the star attraction. However, hosting the show can be a grind. This is based on what I've read of the production -- including the epic book "Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live" by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller. NPR's "Fresh Air" also apparently has an interview with Tina Fey discussing behind-the-scenes of the show.

During any given show week, there are days of work of turning ideas into tangible sketches for broadcast. On Saturday, there are rehearsals leading to an 8 p.m. dress rehearsal filmed before a live studio audience. Based on that rehearsal, executive producer Lorne Michaels determines which sketches will air live at 11:35 p.m.

If Betty hosts, she would need to be "on" for more than 6 hours on Saturday (the two performances and additional morning rehearsals). That's a lot to ask of anybody, but if anybody can do it, White can.

What White may lack compared to the pretty faces hosting this year, she makes up for with moxie, a proven history of performing in live situations, and sharp sense of humor that has stayed fresh over the years.

NHL players needed in the Olympics

2010-02-19T21:38:19Z

There has been some talk about the National Hockey League not participating in the Olympics after this year. The National Hockey League has only agreed to provide players through the Vancouver Games. And, according to numerous sources like the CBC, the league hasn't committed to future tournaments.

As a fan, the Olympic tournament offers many more pluses for the sport of hockey, the NHL, the players and for the fans.

If it wasn't for the Olympics, I may not be interested in hockey until the Stanley Cup playoffs begin in mid-April. I think the NHL season is already too long to sustain a general fan's interest -- it lasts three-quarters of a year, for crying out loud. A relatively short, two-week tournament is a great tonic to a 82-game slog.

The Games are a great showcase for hockey. I've watched more games in the past three days of the Games than I have in the past three months. In the early rounds, there are lots of games on the air (and they don't air at 9 a.m. on Sunday, iike many of NBC's weekly NHL games). Some of them turned into nail biters, like Thursday's Canada-Switzerland squeaker.

The players also seem to enjoy playing in the tournament. There seems to be a much different attitude now than when the professionals were first introduced during the 1998 Nagano Games when Team USA players trashed their rooms after an early exit. At least, I hope there is a better attitude.

The benefits to the NHL seem less direct. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league's presence in the Games is primarily because it helps "our game." I would definitely think it helps build the global audience for hockey. Building such an audience is something the NHL has been working on for years -- at least that's why I think the league opened its season in Europe for the third year in a row.

The NHL does have some valid concerns -- including the possibility of player injuries affecting a team's playoff prospects -- and they are putting a lot on the line in the form of the players. The worries about injury also concern columnists in Chicago and Sacramento. Some of the possible discussion points -- such as a greater say in the tangled web of Olympic broadcasting rights -- may create complications that may make the Gordian knot seem like a Sudoku puzzle on Monday.

While some of these concerns may be daunting, I hope the league and the international hockey federation find a way to work together to keep the players in future tournaments.

The airing of Vancouver Olympic grievances - a list

2010-02-18T20:48:31Z

I'm generally enjoying the Vancouver Games as it enters the seventh day of competition, but some things are sticking in my mind. Please share your "grievances" in the comments.

The fence around the Olympic Flame: I think the organizers were caught flatfooted by the fact that people may want to be close to the beautiful outdoor Olympic Cauldron. At the very least, the image of a chainlink fence in front of a symbol of peaceful competition is disconcerting.

Kudos for the organizers for making changes and creating more viewing opportunities (according to this CBC News article). However, I didn't necessarily care for one of the organizers' excuses:

Organizers said the cauldron is far closer to the public than Olympic flames of past Games, where they've usually been located in or atop stadiums.

The cauldron at the 1996 Atlanta Games was outside Centennial Olympic Stadium and it was generally accessible to the public (at the very least it wasn't blocked by a massive fence). I remember having lunch and taking photos mere yards from that Olympic Flame along with many spectators and families.

The Lack of Curling on NBC: This is a minor gripe at most, but it is sad when FOX has more curling on a 30-minute episode of "The Simpsons" than NBC will have in two weeks on its main network. Yes, curling is available on cable channels (that I don't have) and is streaming live online (which I don't have access to because I don't have the right cable package). In recent years, curling almost always gets praised as a pleasant surprise of the Games. Maybe it's not a primetime event, but it's lame that NBC couldn't find time to at least air the gold metal match on broadcast (like in the afternoon).

Shoddy online coverage: There's a huge difference between the online coverage of the 2008 Beijing Games and in Vancouver. Just two years ago, many non-marquee events were streamed live and in their entirety. Now, it's mostly hockey and curling aired live (with other events posted after NBC has aired them in primetime). Hockey and curling are both fine sports, but the offerings are like night and day.

Tape Delay: It's a gripe as old as NBC's coverage of the Games. It is certainly frustrating that NBC insists on starting its primetime program right at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central) even though there are live events taking place at 5 p.m. Vancouver time. And, of course, Vancouver time is the same time as Chico and the entire West Coast which just compounds the silliness.

NBC didn't have to do this. It could have emulated a model from Canada that I thought could work fairly well here. In previous games, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation would air its primetime program live nationwide. After the end of that broadcast, the CBC would offer a special West Coast-only highlight package to help round out the night. I don't know what the current Canadian broadcaster, CTV, is doing.

Media coverage of "the glitches": I'm sure some of the criticism of the Vancouver organizing committee's operation of the Games is justified, but the howling has seemed ferocious at times. The situation has drawn many comparisons to the Atlanta Games in 1996 when the media lambasted ACOG's miscues, particularly regarding transportation (as this 1996 New York Times article details).

The disconcerting thing about the Atlanta criticism and the Vancouver gripes is that these woes somehow become part of the "legacy" of the Games. I was in Atlanta for the Games, and the woes weren't my "highlight" of those Olympics. Yes, it wasn't pleasant at times -- I had to brave the crushing crowds on MARTA and I once had to give directions and a map to a bus driver so we could get to our destination. However, it pales in comparison to witnessing the opening ceremonies, watching track stars break world records and enjoying some of the finest art and music in my life.

Bruce Arthur of the National Post offers a nice perspective on the criticism. While acknowledging that Vancouver has been far from perfect, Arthur points out how there are at least three different views of the Games:

There is the Olympics that we in the media experience, the one the athletes experiences, and the one the public experiences. But only one of us write the verdict on the Olympics in question.

For another take on the Olympics' legacy on host cities, The Independent looked at how cities capitalized on the infrastructure changes made for the Games. Atlanta seemed to fare much better on that score and I hope Vancouver does too.

Seasons greetings with the 2009 Christmas card

2009-12-25T09:00:53Z

Another Christmas is upon us. To celebrate 2009, I created a new card for friends and family.

I sent most of the cards on Monday, and I hope they were received by today. If not, I'm sharing the card with everyone here.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish everyone the merriest of Christmases.

Sharing was this year's theme. Last year, I tried to combine something uniquely Chico with the holidays and came up with the yo-yo card.

I thought about revisiting the Chico themes for 2009, but I didn't feel I could pull anything off in time.

I still liked the Sierra Nevada Santa idea, but I grew a little reticent. After all, it seemed a little less than wholesome, but it could be pulled off if it was done tastefully. I worried about my ability to do so.

It's still an idea I may do in future years.

I settled on "spreading a little holiday cheer" because I wanted to do something active beyond the traditional holiday photo. I settled on the tree because I thought it was an unlikely object one would give, but it's also an icon that embodies the spirit of the season.

So with many, many test shots in my apartment's small hallway and some Photoshop magic, here is this year's card. Merry Christmas.

The four stages of listening to Christmas music

2009-12-18T01:30:29Z

It can be fun to deck the halls, roast chestnuts or go on sleigh rides, but when it comes to a-wassailing, I find that there are four stages to enjoying or singing Christmas music.

These stages could be circled on the calendar, just like the big day itself:

Pre-Thanksgiving: Like holiday displays, it's far too early to hear Christmas music in early November. A telling example -- hearing tunes as early as the first week of November ... at a Panda Express Chinese restaurant.
Post-Thanksgiving: It's all right to slowly ramp up the music. I hosted "Evening Jazz" during the first really cold night of the year (Dec. 7). It was appropriate to play winter-y tunes, but I stayed away from the more Christmas-themed songs until ...
Dec. 11: Two weeks before Christmas, it's appropriate to crank up those favorite tunes. I played a few during my Friday radio show. It is strangely all right to have two radio stations in a small media market dedicated exclusively to holiday music.
Post-Dec. 25: Enough's enough. Christmas has come and gone. It's time to put those albums back on the shelve until next year when we repeat the cycle again.

As Christmas shopping days tick away, check this tip list twice

2009-12-16T01:03:37Z

With Christmas just days away, I'm offering some holiday shopping advice. Thinking of gifts can be pretty stressful, so my list is a slightly humorous take on the tradition. Here's a sample:

Christmas shopping tip #001--while there is _huge_ difference between "The Clapper" and the clap, neither is a welcome holiday gift.

It started with that one and I was inspired to keep going. I'm dishing these tips every day on my Twitter account, but you can also view all of them on this page.

I hope to have a tip every day up until Christmas, but coming up with them can be tough (especially if I was trying to be funny). If you have any ideas, please share them in the comments.

Cold snap may turn City Plaza fountain into skating rink

2009-12-09T04:46:22Z

With overnight temperatures in Chico dropping into the low-20s, the fountain in City Plaza may be turning into an accidental skating rink after the sun sets. During the summer, the fountain is a ground-level delight for children and adults to splash in, but it may be a potential safety hazard when the thermometer drops below 32º.

By its very nature, the fountain creates a wet surface that doesn't drain completely when it is shut off at night. The remaining water freezes in the evening's chill.

It's hard to say how big of deal it is. When I walked across City Plaza to head home after an early Tuesday meal, there were only a few patches of ice over the fountain. I stepped on a few patches to glide along on the friction-reduced ice, but they ended quickly.

One element that may reduce the patches is the roughened surface caused by what appears to be pebbles and textured concrete.

It's fun to shuffle along and pretend I'm ice skating, but I am concerned some reckless person may slip and injure themselves. It's possible people may not notice that the fountain has frozen -- at night, the plaza is often illuminated solely by street lights (and during December by the Community Tree).

I noticed this issue a couple of years ago. I called the police to let them know about the safety concern. They indifferently brushed the matter off, suggesting that I call the city's blandly-named General Services Department the following morning. I never did pursue the matter.

This seems to be an issue that comes up just once or twice a year, but the early cold snap has piqued my curiosity.

Speaking of skating rinks, seeing the ice in the center of City Plaza reminded me of all the cities that have outdoor rinks in the winter. I've seen setups in colder cities, like Salt Lake City, Chicago and New York City, but they've also cropped up in warmer places like Sacramento and San Diego.

It might be cool to put a small rink in the center of Chico City Plaza for a few weeks every year. By my eye, an oval stretching about a half-block might be possible in the shadow of the Community Tree.

It's unlikely for a number of reasons -- including cost and the generally warm temperatures -- but it would definitely add a strong touch of winter fun to our city (especially because we don't currently have any ice rinks at all).

Photo: Chico City Plaza's fountain is depicted in part of a photomontage I created over the summer. I find it funny how subjects show up multiple times.

A graphic example of recycling plastic bags

2009-12-04T22:16:53Z

The time arrived last week to recycle all the plastic bags in my apartment. It's funny how this time just happens to coincide with a family visit.

I hate to throw things away that I know can be easily recycled. It's led to some messy stashes around my apartment because my landlord doesn't offer multifamily recycling (in flagrant violation of Chico city code).

As I waited to take plastic bags to the recycling center (or supermarket), I've tossed them in a old mattress bag in my bedroom. Over the past 18 months, this bag has gotten stuffed from the numerous places I get bags -- grocery stores, convenience stores, newspapers, etc.

By the time, I threw the bundle in the car, it was about four feet tall. The bag was almost like its own entity -- it certainly had more presence in my apartment than almost anything else.

Half of the bag filled one of the store's recycle bins. I planned to return later to drop off the remaining bags.

I had mixed feelings having so many plastic bags. Part of me is glad that I'm keeping these out of the landfills or in that giant plastic mass in the Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, I know I should reduce the number of plastic bags I take while shopping.

Already, I refuse bags when I buy just a handful of items. I can easily carry those to and fro.

I also have a ChicoBag and other reusable bags for larger purchases, but I don't always have them handy. For the ChicoBag, I recently found mine in my car trunk, being used to wrap up a pub glass.

Hopefully, I'll keep reducing the plastic I use and it will take a lot longer than 18 months to fill the bag again.

Photo: A mattress bag stuffed with plastic bags on display outside a downtown Chico business on West First Street on Sun., Nov. 29, 2009.

Google's holiday WiFi gift - 15 of 47 airports already had free Internet

2009-11-11T04:00:09Z

I love free stuff -- lots of people do. That's probably one big reason why Google's offer of free WiFi at 47 participating airports during the holidays (through Jan. 15) sounds so nice. But looks can be deceiving.

I didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I peeked at the list of airports and was intrigued at what I saw -- several airports where I knew they already offered free Internet (including Las Vegas, Sacramento and San Diego).

A couple dozen Google searches revealed that nearly a third of the 47 airports participating in Google's program had pre-existing free WiFi in place (view the list). Two more airports (Seattle-Tacoma and Burbank) stated they would participate in Google's program and then continue offering free service after Jan. 15.

Part of this rubbed me the wrong way -- could Google claim credit for offering free WiFi at airports where it already existed? Could it also claim that it was offering free WiFi at other airports with free Internet (like at Chico, Calif. and Hancock, Mich.)?

According to AirportWiFiGuide.com, many airports not on Google's list offer free Internet. Even that list is incomplete (I noticed that Chico and Hancock aren't listed).

To be fair, someone has to pay for Internet access that is offered for "free" to the end user. According to Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, the San Jose airport has had free Internet since May 2008. Officials said Google was offsetting the cost of offering the free service during the holidays.

Ultimately, I can be more jolly than Grinch-y about Google's gift. For a limited time, Google is offering free Internet at more than 30 airports where there currently is a fee (typically about $8/day). Hopefully, more airports will pursue free Internet solutions in the future.

Also, Google will match up to $250,000 worth of donations made over the WiFi networks to three charities.

A list of the airports participating in the Google Free Holiday WiFi is available after the jump.

]]> Airport names and if they offered free Internet

Austin (AUS) - Yes, four free kiosks
Baltimore (BWI) - No
Billings (BIL) - No
Boston (BOS) - No
Bozeman (BZN) - No
Buffalo (BUF) - No
Burbank (BUR) - No (at least through Oct. 2008, Free in future)
Central Wisconsin (CWA) - No
Charlotte (CLT) - Yes
Des Moines (DSM) - No
El Paso (ELP) - No
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - Yes
Fort Myers/SW (RSW) - Yes
Greensboro (GSO) - No
Houston (HOU) - No
Houston Bush (IAH) - No
Indianapolis (IND) - Yes
Jacksonville (JAX) - Yes
Kalamazoo (AZO) - No
Las Vegas (LAS) - Yes
Louisville (SDF) - No
Madison (MSN) - No
Memphis (MEM) - No
Miami (MIA) - No
Milwaukee (MKE) - No
Monterey (MRY) - No
Nashville (BNA) - No
Newport News (PHF) - No
Norfolk (ORF) - ??? (Probably No)
Oklahoma City (OKC) - No
Omaha (OMA) - Yes
Orlando (MCO) - Yes
Panama City (PFN) - ???
Pittsburgh (PIT) - Yes
Portland (PWM) - No
Sacramento (SMF) - Yes
San Antonio (SAT) - Yes
San Diego (SAN) - Yes
San Jose (SJC) - Yes
Seattle (SEA) - No (free in future)
South Bend (SBN) - No
Spokane (GEG) - No
St. Louis (STL) - No
State College (SCE) - No
Toledo (TOL) - No
Traverse City (TVC) - No
West Palm Beach (PBI) - Yes

Rupert Murdoch takes on Google, fair-use guidelines

2009-11-10T21:31:24Z

Every time I see an article about copyright laws, I usually gripe about how the discussion excludes fair-use guidelines -- those loose rules that outline how people can legally use selections of copyrighted works in their own productions.

Well, my wish was granted, but in a fairly horrible way -- News Corp. honcho Rupert Murdoch said he believes his company can challenge fair use and have the courts strike it down.

Murdoch was speaking with Sky News Australia, a segment of which is reposted in this Boing Boing article. The Boing Boing article is a pretty strident commentary.

BBC News also had a summary of Murdoch's comments to Sky News. Apparently, he's willing to pursue the matter slowly.

"There's a doctrine called 'fair use', which we believe to be challenged in the courts and would bar it altogether," Mr Murdoch told the TV channel. "But we'll take that slowly."

Murdoch also tilted toward the search engine windmill. He is still on a course to seek payments for News Corp. Web sites and may seek to have the sites' information removed from Google and other search sites.

Many on the Internet (like Boing Boing) think that Murdoch's moves may be folly. Although he thinks it unlikely to succeed, longtime tech writer Harry McCracken urges Murdoch to block Google.

Some of the criticism is wrapped up in a dislike of the political leanings of Murdoch's holdings (the News Corp. umbrella includes the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, UK and U.S. tabloids, etc.).

Setting aside the party politics, it wouldn't be wise to underestimate Murdoch. Some of his successes have changed the industry (including the dismantling of newspaper unions in England, launching the populist FOX TV network in the United States, etc.). Even his efforts that have come up short have been spectacular.

While Murdoch's possible moves against Google may be getting the most ink, it's the idea of gutting fair use that concerns me most. Having News Corp. block search engines only affects the one company (and those that may follow this decision). Eliminating fair use affects everyone.

Murdoch is willing to play the long game to strip the general public of a key component of copyright law. Scrapping fair use would be detrimental to research, news gatherers and the general public.

The fair-use guidelines aren't perfect, but at least they set some ground rules for those wishing to be legit. If these guidelines are cut, there are at least two possible outcomes:

Someone approaches a copyright holder for a blessing anytime he wants to use even a scintilla of information. This would give the copyright holder direct control over who uses even a little bit of their content -- like the Sky News quote used in the BBC News article and this blog post.

Someone uses content without permission and exposes himself to prosecution. Even under fair use, there is a possibility of prosecution if copyright is flagrantly disregarded. Without fair use, the consumer/producer would have little to no protection.

NBC's big Leno gamble isn't a huge risk

2009-09-15T00:20:58Z

In about an hour, the next step in Jay Leno's career begins with his new series. Every weeknight at 10 p.m. viewers will get a dose of Leno -- if they're tuned to NBC. Chances are viewers will be tuned to another channel or doing something else entirely.

Clearly there's been a lot of talk about whether "The Jay Leno Show" reflects the changing reality of television or if it will crash and burn. Newsweek's Pop Vox blog has some insight and how results might end up being mixed.

While I lament the loss of potentially five hours of scripted television, I never really thought that NBC was taking that huge of a risk by airing Leno five nights a week. As others have helpfully pointed out, producing Leno's show is likely a lot cheaper than filming an hour-long drama. The downside is that these cheaper shows may not have the same rating draw as a drama.

Also, the "Jay Leno Show" isn't necessarily a revolutionary move on NBC's part. After all, it was nearly 20 years ago when NBC and the other networks used cheaply produced newsmagazines to plug in gaps in their schedules.

I don't think NBC ever aired "Dateline NBC" five nights a week on a consistent basis, but it certainly felt like it on some weeks.

We've seen networks try to save money amid increasing competition with regularly scheduled and cheap newsmagazines. This is just another link in the chain.

'Glee' success depends on how it's sweetened

2009-09-09T22:47:07Z

As "Glee" starts its first season tonight on FOX, I think a lot of the show's success depends on how this fun show is developed.

The show's creators have thrown in a lot of cane sugar -- I enjoyed the story about high school students and their teacher working to revive a show choir. There's something sincere about the effort to succeed in a harmless endeavor even if it isn't popular or well regarded by other students.

On the other hand, the "Glee" chefs have also stirred in a ton of artificial corn syrup -- including really blatant fake singing that detracts from the show's impact. I'm not talking about normal dubbing, which I think happened in some of the songs from the pilot. I'm talking about fake singing on the scale of the "Nick & Jessica's Family Christmas" special featuring Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey.

The show choir's big number in the pilot -- a performance of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" -- sounded overdubbed and had way too many voices for what is supposed to be a group of six singers. The vocals from the male lead sounded like they were lightly processed by an auto-tuner. That definitely detracts from a character who is supposed to have great talent.

Plus, the backing music supposedly from a jazz band sounded like a synthesizer from the 1980s. As a former band-o, this is unforgivable.

Far better critics than I (like Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune) have noted how "Glee" is trying to strike a balance between sincerity and irony.

As the show gets launched tonight, I think that it will need to balance a lot of things. Yes, sincerity and irony but also providing a semi-real slice of high school while providing enough entertainment to keep viewers tuned in.

I hope they find their sweet spot because this is a show that I could be interested in.

Get ready for 09-09-09

2009-09-09T07:00:52Z

Remember how people made a huge deal out of 07-07-07? And then, a year, a month and a day later, when 08-08-08 was a hullabaloo?

Today is the next day in the sequence, and I wonder if people will mark the day for any particular reason.

Since the millennium started, I've been getting e-mails to mark days like 01/02/03. I was also forewarned about problems on 06/06/06, although nothing much happened.

That fateful date in 2006 was the first time I recall that we marked the repeating single-digit phenomenon. I don't recall a lot of people marking 05/05/05. Who would celebrate it, aside from someone who plays slots too much?

Apparently, some people are marking 09/09/09. Depending on who you ask, the number 9 is either lucky and evil.

While no one is saying it, I think 09/09/09 is an evil date. After all, "999" is just "666" turned upside down. On the other hand, maybe upending that number might negate its effects.

Although this type of numerology can be fun, it's a little silly to me. It's possible some external factors in play, I believe we assign our own beliefs and myths to the greater world.

The disharmony of Feng Shui wasabi peanuts

2009-09-01T18:19:31Z

Alternative title: Consumer Culture Confusion

I was browsing the snack section at a 7-Eleven in Colorado Springs when my eyes fell upon a product called Feng Shui wasabi peanuts.

There's something a little ... off about this product, and it took me a second to realize what it was. I asked my Twitter and Facebook friends if they knew what was wrong, but didn't get any responses.

The problem I have with this product is that feng shui and wasabi come from two distinct cultures. Feng shui is an aesthetics system originally developed by the Chinese while wasabi is a traditional condiment of Japanese cuisine (often seen as the hot green paste served with sushi).

I'm trying to think of other products that have so marred the lines between different cultures, like Euclidean crepes or Kaiser's Own Bangers and Mash.

I suppose Feng Shui wasabi peanuts could be an intentional blending of Japanese and Chinese elements. I was talking with a colleague last week about fusions of food and other aspects of diverse cultures.

On the other hand, this could be a product of pure laziness or lame branding where the product's creators at the American Roland Food Corp. just threw some names up on the wall and decided the name feng shui sounded all right next to a product about wasabi-flavored peanuts.

Apparently Roland thought highly enough of feng shui to slap the name on all of its Asian food products, including rice crackers and wasabi peas. The rice cracker products include strong Japanese references to nori (Japanese seaweed), Maki rolls (a type of sushi) and wasabi.

I passed on buying the peanuts so I have no idea if the combination of wasabi and peanuts (and "Rice Flour, Sugar, Salt, Wheat Flour, Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Salt") are "a perfect balance" as the bag touts.

I'm also curious what actual feng shui practitioners might think about the product and its packaging. Does a product touting feng shui actually follow its tenets?

Somehow, I doubt it.

Photo: The aforementioned Feng Shui-brand wasabi peanuts at a 7-Eleven on Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs.