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CBS Super Bowl Ad: Rejects Gay Dating Website Ad

I guess the executives of CBS are worried about upsetting the religious right who is beginning to flex its political muscle. I watched the commercial and don't find it that offensive. Actually, it is very tame.

CSI: NY Fourth Season

Ordered a bunch of TV series DVDs from the US which only took 9 days to get here. Love the series.

TV Series: The Closer, The Fourth Season

Just got my dvd order today. Amazon shipped it out pdq. Out on the 22nd of May and at my doorstep on the 1st of June. Pretty good if you ask me. Package shipped from Lexington.

TV Series: The Paper Chase

After many years of waiting, I finally got my hands on Season 1 of the popular tv series, The Paper Chase. Each time I watch an episode, I want to go back to school and study law. Mind you I am probably too far away from going back to law school full time. So, instead - I have been accepted to do a post-grad program in laws out of the University of London. I have until mid-2010 to send in my registration documents. I hope I can muster up the time and money to complete the program. While I have no plans on becoming an attorney, I do want to gain a deeper understanding of the law and especially, the area of contracts.

DVD: The Paper Chase, The TV Series

My long wait is finally over: Amazon will sell the television series, The Paper Chase, Season 1, from April. I am defintely going to buy a copy or two. I want my son to go to law school and see the world. I'll need to slowly leave hints for him while he is still very young. Gotta programme him now to be ready for law school. I'll watch the television shows with him. Mind you at the young age of 3, he might not understand too much of the show but, I hope he'll catch on quickly.

NCIS Season 5: Tribes

Just watched the episode: fabulous ending. I just love how Gibbs gets his revenge against the killer. Perfect ending.

MI-5: Season 4

Been watching the show on dvd. I like the new characters. Long live the Queen!

Friends: Last Episode

Finally got to see the last episode of the once-very popular television series, Friends. Great show. Long-running teIevision comedy series are quite rare. My favs have been M*A*S*H*, Cheers, Happy Days, and Seinfeld. 

Prison Break: TV Series

Watched the pilot episode of Prison Break today. It was included as a bonus feature in the DVD rental for The Fantastic Four. I really like the story line of the new television series. Very real. I mean who wouldn't do everything in their power to free a loved one from false imprisonment? Would you stand by as your brother, sister, mother or father was sent away to protect a lie? I can't wait for the whole season is available on DVD rentals.

Fox TV series: Prison Break

John Spencer: Rest in Peace

It is with great sadness that I write this blog: John Spencer, who plays Leo M, in the television series, The West Wing, died of a heart attack. I loved his television character - at times, he fought with the President and offered great counsel to him. He will be sadly missed.

The West Wing: Season Five - Gaza

Wouldn't it be nice for the UN to do something to sovle the problems of the region now before WWIII breaks out? In order to bring peace and stability to the region, would it be in the interests of the world to 'colonize the entire region'?

I really like the narration of the episode by Donna Moss (Janel Moloney). Should the world try to understand the history of the region? Or should the UN government take over the region and put all the areas under their control? And what about the US rolling its tanks into the area and taking the region by force?

The West Wing: Season Five

Episode: The Supremes

An amazing episode! A++. If only the White House now or in the future, could rally both political parties to take bold steps in bringing fairness to the USSCOJ. I hope John Wells brings back Glenn Close for more shows. She is a gifted actress and brings class to the series.

The West Wing: Season Five DVD

3-2-1 DVD is Go! I just ordered the 5th season DVD of The West Wing tonight. With international priority courier, I should have the box set on my desk by the 12th of December. A wee bit more expensive but really worth it. I'll spend the weekends and the year-end break watching the entire series at least 3-4 times.

I thought I was heading back to NYC this month but, lucky for me - I can stay on the ground in Tokyo. At least with staying behind is a great way for me to catch up on my reading and sleeping. Travelling to NYC is always hard. The 12-13 hour flight. The redoing of a day. The lack of sleep for more than 36 hours sure can drive a sane man insane.

I promised my wife that I would take her to either Disney Sea or for some Ginza shopping in the evening. Tokyo's Ginza district is beautifully lit up during the weeks around Xmas. Either way, I'll take lots of photos and post them later.

The West Wing: Season Five

Only one more week before I can order TWW5 from Amazon.com. I have read all about the fifth season: not too many fans are happy with the new direction the series has taken since Sorkin's departure from the series. I probably won't mind at all. I just love the show.

By the way, there is a really cool feature on the Amazon website for TWW superfans. Check this out!

Bull: TV Drama

Just watched the first episode of "Bull" on Super Channel. I read on the internet that the show only lasted one season in the US. Guess that the viewing audience had had enough of watching 'Young Turks' making milion-dollar salaries.

Call me a 'sucker' but I really enjoy television shows about the 'Wonderful and Wacky World of Finance'. Wall Street-type shows are always the most interesting. I finally made a visit to Wall Street this summer. It was strange walking around the area and seeing all the people who live the life of 'high stakes poker: stock markets". As I walked past the NYSE, I could not help but notice the heavy layers of security. It's good to know that the authorities are protecting the exchange. I really don't think the NYPD should allow private passenger vehicles into the area. Nor should they allow delivery trucks. The entire area should be vehicle free. Yes, even free from taxis.

I walked over to Ground Zero and could not help but be saddened by what had occurred there in 2001. I think I stood there looking past the fence and thought about nothing but that fateful morning. I was back in Tokyo, of course, and was watching CNN and FNC that evening. When the second plane struck the second tower, I thought all hell had broken loose. WWIII had begun.

Robert Novak: Bullshit on CNN

It's nice to see people like Novak explode on television. Here's some white guy who sits in front of cameras espousing his own version of history and trying to convince others of his holier-than-thou philosophy. While I did not catch his 'BS' remark live on CNN, I did see it via the web. Thanks go to those people who taped the episode and shared it with the world.

Novak and his ilk deserve to be punted from television studios. He is not more a reporter than I am an astronaut. I'm glad that TWX punted him from CNN. As a shareholder in TWX, I would have serious reservations about Dick Parsons' business judgement had CNN allowed the 'white-upper-class-XXXX' remain on the air.

I wonder if he will automatically head across town and join FNC. Probably.

BTW, why isn't Novak in jail over his role in 'outing Plame'??? Who is protecting his behind? It couldn't be you-know-who, could it? Nah... it couldn't be! Or could it???

24: Season Four

Jack's back!!! And he is going to save the world again.... Can't wait to get my hands on the DVD box set.

(Fox: 24)

Fox 24: Season Two

I just got around to watching the television series, 24 Season II, with Kiefer Sutherland. I have gotten through the first 12 shows and really believe the show should be made into a movie. A 24-hour movie marathon for die-hard fans. I definitely would pay a couple of hundred bucks to sit inside a Virgin Cinema theatre and enjoy 24 shows in a row. Mind you, I hope they would include a couple of bathroom breaks every so often just to give us fans a chance to do our stuff in the loo.

I wonder if Fox is planning such an event for the upcoming year.

(Fox Broadcasting.)

Fox News Channel on SKY PerfecTV!

I just got a notice in the mail that the Fox News Channel will terminate its service on SKY PerfecTV! at the end of July 2004. A while back they did the same but after much 'noise' from the viewers, the service was brought back; albeit at a much higher subscription cost. I wonder if the station is attempting to extract more money from the viewers in Japan again. If Fox does go ahead and terminate service, I will have to begin watching CNN. Yikes! I'll have to send a few emails to foxnews.com and voice my unhappiness with their planned actions.

The Apprentice

Do you think all Fortune 1000 companies should follow the same format as "The Apprentice"? It sure would make it really interesting...

(CBS Market Watch)

ER: Breast Shot Controversy

Aren't we getting a little carried away here? I mean the two events are not even in the same ball park. Come on. (CNN.)

CBS does a "Gilligan's Island" with Reagan Mini-Series

It appears that CBS in their infinite wisdom have distanced themselves from the the highly flammable mini-series that is sure to inflame the conservatives in the US. CBS has 'cast off' the entire production and hope and pray to God that the television audience will forget the entire episode occurred. Now that CBS has 'tossed' the production into the Showtime arena, I still think CBS will be blamed for any firestorm that ensues once it is aired. CBS and their sponsors will be targets for heavy boycotts. There is no way around this inevitable outcome. If CBS were truly wise, they would pull the project and wait until the series can be reviewed by historians and a third-party of independent researchers. And it would be nice if they waited until after former President Reagan passes. (Related story.) I would love to be in the CBS Boardroom next month to hear what the 'board' says about the entire fiasco. I wonder where the fingers will be pointed?

Republican National Committee vs CBS

The RNC is cranking up the heat on CBS and their company president, Leslie Moonves. I don't really think CBS will grant permission to US presidential historians or anyone the right to review the script prior to the airing of the mini-series. Nor will CBS display a 'banner' at the bottom of the television screen with any message. It looks like it is going to be outright 'war' between the RNC and CBS very soon. This is going to be very interesting. (Related story.)

Disney DVDs: 'Cup half full' or 'Cup half empty'???

I will have to check out the recent release of Disney DVDs to render an opinion. I can see how long-time fans are upset with the selection and quality, or lack thereof, of the cartoon.s I know that there are so many cartoons and television shows I want to get on DVD. Some of the shows I hope will come out on DVD are The Paper Chase, Magnum P.I., Rockford Files, Mannix, and Happy Days. If the television studios were nice enough to produce those DVDs, I would be happy to get whatever episodes they etched out on the discs. (Related story.) I wonder whether it is time to buy a few shares in Disney now or wait until Michael Eisner retires???

24: Season 3

I still haven't seen episodes of Season 2. Last year, I ordered the first season on DVD and watched the entire set over a two-day period. Very sleepy I was. Happy I became! Guess, I will pick up the DVD set of the 2nd season when I am back in Canada at the end of the year. I don't know how the fans of the show can watch the series one episode at a time. It would be torture! I hope Keifer doesn't get too banged up in the 3rd Season. He has sure been through hell and back, don't you think? (Related story.)