Unfortunately "There Goes the Neighborhood"

The only question I had after watching this hour long show last night was "Why!"  Why did they make this show, why did I watch it, and why is anybody going to watch the remaining episodes.

"There Goes the Neighborhood" takes place a few miles from where I live in Metro Atlanta.  It takes place in Kennesaw, in a nice development called Legacy Park.  I drove by and saw the wall after it started getting talked about in the Atlanta newspaper.  It pits family vs. family and the last family standing stands to win a cool $250,000.  The families were blocked off from the world and all extras taken away from them.  it's a good premise, but CBS fails to pull this reality show off.

The ratings were average, it came in third on Sunday Night TV behind a rerun of "Family Guy", and a preseason football game.  That doesn't look good for this show in the coming weeks when real football starts, and people wrap up their Summer vacations heading into Labor Day.  I haven't read one even semi favorable review of this show, and I have to wonder if all of the remaining episodes will be shown on network television.  I won't be wasting anymore of my time tuning in.

John Hughes Will be Missed

Part of my childhood and teen years, and adult years were spent watching John Hughes movies.  Many of today's youth may not know John Hughes, but they know his movies although he hasn't directed anything of note since Uncle Buck in 1989.

From Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club to Planes, Trains & Automobiles and the remake of 101 Dalmations, what John Hughes game to my generation was every bit as important as as what Michael Jackson did.

Even though I have seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off maybe 75 times, anytime I stumble across it on cable I can't turn it off.  I even named one of my fantasy football teams "The Sausage King" as a tribute to Abe Frohman, the fictional sausage king of Chicago Ferris claimed to be at Chez Quis French Restaurant.

John Hughes wrote the National Lampoon Vacation movies, and other scripts like Mr. Mom and Weird Science.  Many times I felt like he wrote these movies for me, they were funny, they were serious.  Hughes' commentary on the Ferris Bueller DVD gives great insight to what a genius he was.

Hughes was a very private man who bolted Hollywood and moved to the State where I grew up, Wisconsin in 1994.  I wonder if he ever missed Hollywood as much as it missed him.  Save Ferris!

Radio Shack Re-branding itself as "The Shack"

Nice try!

 The electronics retailer RadioShack will now and forever be known as "The Shack". While I like this better than Pizza Hut being called "The Hut", the company formerly known as the Tandy Corporation is trying to rescue itself from becoming the next Circuit City. RadioShack was once the "Go To" place to find obscure electronics parts and supplies. Anyone else have a free-battery card? Now to me, it is kind of an afterthought. I can't remember the last time I was in the RadioShack about 2 miles from where I live. For "The Shack" to survive they have to determine who they are. Are they going to be a smaller version of Best Buy or Circuit City? Are they going to go back to what they were in the 70's and 80's? They have a partnership with T-Moble, but big deal. They sell name brand netbooks and computer supplies, but so what. What is "The Shack" going to be able to do for me? They have to figure this out fast. Oh, and by the way, Lance Armstrong next year will be racing on a cycling team with its main sponsor being "The Shack".

Reading Old Magazines in Google Books is Fun

I spent some time on Google Books last night and today just poking around and having some fun.  What I really ot a kick out of is reading some of the old periodicals and magazines that are availble in their entirety to viewing.
 
When I was a kid I loved going to the bookstore and picking up the latest Baseball and Football Digest.  In this day of instant news and reporting on the internet these magazines we grew up with are all but gone.  Here's a Basball Digest from 1975 with Johnny Bench on the cover.  I loved he Big Red Machine of the 1970's, and this issue brought back memories.  Great to look at the old ads in there as well.

It’s Time to Leave Erin Andrews Alone

Ok, I think everyone has had their fun with the Erin Andrews situation. On no less than three Atlanta radio stations, in a five minute span, they played her 911 call to local police after reporters were seen in her gated community, and it made a difficult situation even worse for the ESPN reporter.

When Andrews mentioned in her 911 call that they are treating her like Britney Spears she was not far from the truth. Why there hasn’t been more vocal support for Andrews is troubling to me. She has done nothing wrong, and she is the victim of being videotaped naked in her hotel room. I’ve even heard some of her colleague’s even say that she is to blame.

Andrews right is on a break from her ESPN duties and while she is absent until the start of college football season everyone needs to giver her some space and let her address it on her own timetable. I can’t imagine how she feels; I would be scared and paranoid the next time I checked into a hotel room. I’m sure she might be terrified.

For he times being, lets everyone leave her alone and out of the news.