Since I haven't blogged much in the past couple of weeks, I've been accumulating observations about stuff seen on the television and the interwebs. Too lazy to post about them in detail, I'll just collect them all here.
1. Finally saw Iron Man on DVD last week. I was very impressed, almost shocked at how well effectively Robert Downey Jr delivered his one-liners. I guess he's back on track to super-stardom.
2. Johnny Depp signs on for Pirates of the Carribean 4? Wonder if Trey Parker and Matt Stone will treat him with the same respect they had for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg . . .
3. The Office is back and I'm impressed. Even though some feared that the culmination of the Pam&Jim relationship would spell disaster for the show, thus far it is showing that the diversity of the characters are what really carries the story-lines. If you're not watching . . . why do you read my blog?
4. Speaking of things you should be watching, if you gave up on Saturday Night Live another chance. Even though the show is getting a lot of pub for Tina Fey's Sarah Palin imitation, there's much more going here. After a slow start [let's face it: Michael Phelps just isn't funny] the show has regained some of the ground lost since Will Ferrell's departure. This summer I was skeptical that the show would be able to keep it up once Amy Poehler leaves, but as things look now, this cast really is coming together and they should be OK. Kristen Wiig can fill her shoes.
5. How can Major League Baseball executives sleep at night when kids have to sleep instead of watching play-off games? Saturday night's Tampa Bay-Boston game ended near 1:30am. When an East Coast game, even one with a lot of scoring, goes that late, it's the future of the sport that loses. Say what you will about the NFL, but it's biggest game is usually concluded by 10pm. It's sad.
6. And since I'm talking sports, how far into the depths has Michigan football fallen? First there was last year's debacle losing at home to Appalachian State, and then they lose at home this past Saturday to 1-4 Toledo at home. As bad as the Buckeyes have been in national championship games, I'd much rather prefer those drubbings than what UM has gone through.
7. Not at all shocking: the fact that Howard Stern has become irrelevant. Sure, his move to satellite radio ensured that he has more money than he'll ever need, but nobody care. Even though the FCC limited what he said on the radio airwaves, it is what actually defined him as a "shock jock." So even though Stern most likely says even more controversial things now, there is nothing that prevents him from doing so and, therefore, the edge is gone. I think this ultimately proves that no matter how good satellite radio is, its popularity is limited to those hardcore business travelers/commuters. I doubt it will ever claim a preferred place among the many media options.
8. With the financial crisis, I've actually been watching CNBC. Yep, I'm a nerd.
9. Like the entire country, I'm eagerly anticipating November 5th when we'll be rid of the political commercials. While we're all sick of all these personal attacks, it's important to remember that McCain and Obama are actually upholding a time-honored political tradition in our country: mudslinging. My favorite: the journalist who called John Adams a hermaphrodite.
10. And finally, the best random quote I read recently: "I've gotten to the point where kittens and the internet have intertwined— you can't have one without the other."