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Saturday, August 31, 2002
Best way to describe this debacle -- Yuck! I guess it will be a long season after all. Thankfully I was watching at work instead of at the usual location or else I would've been long gone by halftime. But I guess there's still time to see how things progress.
posted at 8:10 PM
I know my politics sort of lean to the right, but I suppose I feel good about being that way after reading this nugget (which would still be floating around if these people had their way). Then again, I wouldn't be blogging or doing the job I'm doing or most of anything else if they had their way.
posted at 8:04 PM
I'm not so hung up on old pop/rock songs being used for commercials, but it was odd hearing Genius of Love in a commercial for Kia cars. Couldn't they have at least sold out for a better car?
posted at 11:14 AM
As I continue to read the train wrecks that are letters to the editor and message boards, remember this one thing -- coverage of something is biased if it's something with which you don't agree.
posted at 11:01 AM
Don't mess with Hootie
Well, the Masters sent out a message to everyone: Screw you, we'll do things our way. They don't the money that badly, at least enough that they can dictate their own rules. I just wonder how it will be to watch commercial-free golf? You need to give David Feherty and the gang some rest every few minutes, right?
posted at 10:56 AM
Friday, August 30, 2002
In lieu of my lack of photography skills (that is, hardly taking pictures even when I have a camera), I have to thank my friend Larry for providing pictures from Sam's stateside wedding ceremony from last week.
posted at 12:38 AM
Whatever did happen to Michael Penn?
Having caught bits and pieces of the MTV Video Music Awards, I'm actually stunned that I've heard of about half of the artists nominated. Granted, I could care less about most of them, but I was happy to see Eminem take Video of the Year and Michelle Branch win Viewer's Choice (which was slightly surprising to me, but then again she probably fits the demographic of those voting for the award best, not to mention whatever N'Sync video that was in the mix sucking). Can't give too much of a review of the rest since I was floating among tons of things on the tube as well.
However, one very interesting related programming note: MTV2 was back to its old purpose -- showing videos of all stripes -- while the mother network is repeating the VMAs about 20 times this weekend. Flipping by the network during the days leading up to the VMAs, MTV2 was turning into an MTV clone instead of keeping its own identity. But then again, maybe I felt good seeing a Beth Orton video for something a bit different.
posted at 12:16 AM
Thursday, August 29, 2002
Net gains
It took me a day, but I'm now into U.S. Open mode, as I usually am at this time of year. It's definitely my favorite grand slam tennis event. However, I was bit excited yet disturbed to hear the old ECW theme music being used to promote an Andy Roddick match.
A disappointing part of Anna Kournikova's loss was that she was playing better leading up to the Open. No matter -- she's now part of many tennis fans' dream team with Martina Hingis (welcome back, although what in the world was Sergio Garcia wearing in the crowd).
A few other notes about the women's game. (The men's game is a bit dull for me to comment at this point):
--I'm surprised there hasn't been as much Anna-like attention lavished on Jelena Dokic (although it sounds like she's getting there, at least according to some of my colleagues). Her loss was rather disappointing to some admirers. However, I can't help but think she's just a curvier version of Mena Suvari (who I think is rather overrated).
--Let's not go overboard in trying to paint Ashley Harkleroad as another Anna. Sure, she's cute and she's got game. But let everything develop before trotting out the PR machine. She's only 17. At least this year she was appropriately dressed, as opposed to last year's outfits.
posted at 12:08 AM
Monday, August 26, 2002
Additional travel notes
I suppose this entry works better after my most recent travelblogue, but bear with me. After spending time in Dallas and Chicago in "fancier" hotels while staying at a lot more basic place in Durham, I've realized that it seems like the "lesser" hotels often have better phone and TV service. The fancy places have their in-house TV systems with a chance to see your account on TV, check out of the room, plus pay-per-view movies/TV shows/video games/WebTV. However, the selection of actual channels is often lacking. Sure, you've got your basic major networks as well as ESPN (sometimes ESPN2 as well), CNN and Headline News, Weather Channel, and maybe a movie channel, but good luck trying to find Comedy Central, Food Network, Cartoon Network, etc. (Maybe because I'm spoiled huge by my digital cable) on there. However, it seems like a lot of the "lesser" hotels go with a local basic cable package plus an HBO or Showtime, but minus the rest of the premium stuff. Thus, instead of about 15-20 channels, you end up with 35-40 and more.
On a similar note, you hardly see ads for free local calls at the fancier hotels, where as the motels often have it (although some tack on a small daily service charge on the bill to cover such calls). It matters to me only because of things like this where I can log in thanks to the wealth of local numbers on Earthlink. It's interesting that I'll have a handful of 50-cent or one-dollar charges for each local call just to add to whatever charges are already there (thankfully I don't bother with the eight-dollar beer in the minifridges). And in the case of the Doubletree Rosemont, you get free local calls only for a handful of exchanges in the immediate vicinity of the hotel -- everything else is at least a dollar, even for calls just a couple of miles beyond the boundaries.
I suppose for staying in the lap of luxury, you'd be willing to pay for anything and everything (Thankfully the Doubletree didn't charge me for the cookie at check-in). And yet some of the most effective tools for travelers are easier to find at a basic motel/hotel. Weird, I suppose. Then again, I'm a bit more used to staying on the cheap, so maybe all of this stuff is just a bit strange for me.
posted at 12:34 AM
Travels with JQ
I'm heading down the homestretch of my multiple travels. This is coming from pretty much halfway between the Duke and North Carolina campuses. Kinda neat how reasonably close both places are. Did get to see both campuses just driving around after my friend's Sam's wedding today. Got a little glimpse of the Dean Dome and saw a lot of the Duke campus -- including Cameron Indoor Stadium and Krzyzewskiville. Also amusing to find myself on the Duke campus just as freshmen were starting to move in -- at least it made the campus looked lived in.
The wedding (or more specifically, the ceremony celebrating the wedding since Sam and his wife Anya were married in Moscow last month) was a nice occasion at a pretty fancy garden/inn/restaurant complex south of Durham/Chapel Hill. If anything, it was nice to reunite with my old roommates from my senior year at college. This was the first time we had everyone together in a couple of years (for another wedding).
Before the wedding was a jaunt to Chicago for some fantasy football conferences. The trade event was pretty good -- it was good to network with a bunch of other people in the industry. Just too bad, the consumer part wasn't as well attended, and that I didn't get a chance to take part in one of the expert drafts because of a lack of time. I suppose the consumer conference is a decent idea, although it was a bit interesting to see about 50 or so fantasy fanatics sitting through a few hours worth of "expert" seminars talking all about fantasy football.
However, since I was in Chicago, I was able to get a few things done/people to see/etc. Got to spend some time with Alexis (in her really nice new apartment), hop back to the alma mater and load up on more gear, including some good stuff here (right across the street from the stadium facility formerly known as Dyche Stadium) , and see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind with Alexis, Greg and Kirsti. I hadn't see it in more than five years and it's still as good and goofy as ever.
Obviously things change a lot over time. I've kept up with a lot of changes at Northwestern and Evanston via The Daily, but I hadn't realized how much things seemed to have change in Chicago itself. There seemed to be a lot of very new-looking apartments/lofts/condos, especially down Belmont somewhat west of the main drag off the El. There were also plenty of newer looking shopping plazas. I suppose there are enough more options out there should I ever happen to move back.
Still got a little bit more of the actual "travel" portion, but it looks like this trip seemed to work our reasonably well. As always, it's good that it seems like I know people almost no matter where I go on business.
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