Only the good (or intelligent) get canceled young

Once again, the ratings gods have taken an intelligent television show down for the count. TNT announced that, despite Emmy and Peabody awards, despite showing a sign of male bonding not often seen on network television, despite having a strong African-American character who is not portraying a cop, they were canceling Ray Romano's wonderful "Men of a Certain Age." What a shame to lose this show.

This show was one of the few to feature intelligent writing for men - middle aged men to be exact. A demographic that is, apparently, not big enough to warrant supporting the show (despite the flurry of ads for erectile dysfunction and men's hair color that seem to pour out of just about every corner of the TV universe these days). This was finally a show that men could look forward to on a weekly basis that had nothing to do with guns, cops, robbers, or any of the other more unseemly sides of everyday life in imaginary cities that just happen to look like New York.

So rather than quality television, we will probably have still another CSI spinoff to look forward to - what are we up to now, "CSI: Greenville, SC"? Or maybe another doctor show because God knows we haven't seen these same stories told over and over again.

Much like another show I've written about before - "October Road" - this was a show that stuck with you after the hour was over. It made you think, not cringe, like so much of today's television. In today's TV universe, if your show can't stand financially on its own, it's out the door. Unlike in years past when a show, especially a quality show, would be given time to actually survive. Surely TNT must be making enough money from other, less expensive, less intelligent shows to keep this one going.

I seem to remember George Clooney explaining, years ago, why he did "Oceans 11", "12" and "13". The reason, he explained, was that making those movies (and bringing in the untold millions of dollars that they did) allowed him to make movies that were a lot more intelligent (but less profitable), like "Good Night, and Good Luck" or "Up In the Air." Too bad TV executives don't buy into that logic.

Oh well, I guess this will free up more time for me to read. They are still publishing books, right?

So did you hear the one about the governor who was late for a baseball game. . . .

So Governor Christie, the great savior of New Jersey, the man who will remove waste from the state budget, eliminate all those cushy public service jobs and then presumably walk on water, had a baseball game to get to. His son's game. A high school game.

So how does he get there? Why, by helicopter, of course. A 55 foot, $12.5 million helicopter designed for homeland security purposes. This is what the great fiscal savior does in his spare time.

And, once he gets there, does he walk the 300 feet from the helicopter to the baseball field? Oh no, he gets driven there in his black car with dark tinted windows. Explain this obesity epidemic again??

Yes, this is the $175,000 man. The man who is upset because school superintendents make more money than he does. Only they don't get the choppers, the cars, the mansion.

Once again, do as I say, and not as I do. Isn't that right, Mr. Christie?

Can't wait to hear him explain this one away.

Random thoughts on a Saturday

Was reading in the paper this morning that there are protests in California to raise taxes (or at least keep current tax rates) rather than cut education spending again. In typical fashion, the article paints the teachers (and parents) as being the greedy ones who are always looking for another buck to better educate their children - the bastards!!

But it did point out an interesting statistic - approximately 80% of the spending on education goes to salary and benefits. This is the same as it was about 8 years ago. But, to quote the Wall Street Journal, "more and more tax dollars are being diverted for teacher benefits. The Lost Angeles Unified School District is paying 11% more for teacher health benefits than it did two years ago."

My question - why?? Are LA's teachers getting 11% sicker now than they were two years ago? Or, as I suspect, have we simply given the insurance companies and healthcare companies a pass on being able to charge whatever the hell they like, with no explanation necessary.

Folks, we can keep going around and around on this issue and blame high taxes on everything from the cost of pensions to the possibility that the world will end on May 21 (more on that later), but the reality of it is that until we get our hands around the issue of healthcare, and the outrageous costs associated with that, we will never win the public-funding arguments. We NEED to start demanding that our elected officials start asking the tough questions of executives at these companies, and start doing something to start bringing these costs back in line. Reduce health care costs and you WILL lower local taxes, that I promise.

--------------------------
$85 million dollars. I keep saying the number to myself because I almost can't believe it. $85 million dollars. That's how much the chairman of Viacom made LAST YEAR! Himself! $85 million dollars!!

I spent a long time in the private sector before jumping to public education, so I do support the free enterprise system, but I guess I also have a conscience. $85 million dollars seems like crazy money to me for one man (or woman - no discrimination here, although I don't see many women on this highest-paid list. Ladies, where is the outrage??).

All this talk about how rich we have it in the public sector by those that work for companies like Viacom. They complain that we have health benefits. They complain about how we have pensions. We don't have that, they cry. Why should you??

Hey, idiots, wake the hell up. You HAD all of these things and you gave them up for 401(k) plans - a bad bet if ever there was one. And while you toil and work for no raise and pay more and more of your health care costs and fund your own retirements, your chairman is making - get ready - $85 million!! Why don't you storm your own company's annual meeting and give him the same hell that you've been giving the teachers, firemen, policemen and other public workers. Ask him how many houses he needs, or cars, or planes or whatever the hell he's buying.

Just imagine if he took, oh I don't know, $30 million LESS and put it all into employee health care. Imagine how little YOU'D be paying.

Private sector America, it's time to pull your heads out of your own asses and start asking questions of your own corporate chiefs!!

----------------------------
I hear there's a bunch of religious zealots who are saying that the world is going to end on May 21. Does that mean I don't have to do lesson plans for the following week??

I'm a little skeptical, but just in case, I'm moving my math test to May 20. I need the grades!

-----------------------------
Was listening to the Led Zeppelin album "Houses of the Holy" just a little while ago and had these two thoughts:

1. This is a great album. How I regret not being "into" Led Zeppelin during my younger days - I missed out on a lot of good listening. If you haven't heard it, buy it (don't steal - it's not nice) and really listen to it and tell me it isn't one of the most timeless rock and roll albums of all time. Who's doing this kind of stuff now??

2. If Led Zeppelin tried to release this album with this album cover today, they'd be accused of child pornography and the album would be released in a plain brown bag. I really don't understand what the cover art has to DO with the album, but in my opinion, it's essential to this album.

Give it a listen.

-----------------------------
So Ashton Kutcher is going to be the new man on "Two and a half Men" this fall. And I keep asking myself - is there anyone luckier in Hollywood than Ashton Kutcher??

Good for him. Let's hope the show continues to be as funny as it has been. Choosing Ashton should almost ensure that.

Charlie Sheen - really??

So let me understand - I am supposed to care about some overgrown child who earned nearly $2 million per episode for what was, admittedly, a funny show but was, nonetheless, a television show, while people go hungry at night, schools struggle for funding, and the middle class slowly disappears, just because he chose to throw his entire career away with drugs and drink???

Tell me we don't have our priorities screwed up.

What's next - having a freedom march for Michael Vick because he wasn't allowed to do a commercial for the ASPCA??

Wake up and figure out just what the hell is really important in the world. And here's a hint - you won't find it in Hollywood. Or on the football field. Or the basketball court.

But look in your own backyard - and there you are.

Schools, no. Pension, no. Casinos. . .YES!!

OK, so let me see if I have this straight. Governor Christie is claiming that the state is broke. So broke that it can't afford to keep up aide for local towns or, heaven forbid, public schools, but he can find $216 Million to fund a casino! I mean, of all things, a casino!?!

What is he thinking - that perhaps in a city where even the most experienced casino operators can't find a way to turn a profit, he's going to figure this out? Really??

I have a better idea. Why not take the $216 million and bring it to one of the currently OPEN casinos, go to a roulette table and place it all on red. Or black. Whatever. You have just as much of a chance of seeing a return on your money that way as you do by investing it IN a casino.

And THIS is the man the Republicans want to run for President. Starting to make Sarah Palin look like a goddamn Rhodes scholar! And to think we've all been making fun of Snookie all this time!!

And now you know why living in New Jersey isn't a way of life, it's a life sentence.

Enjoying the holidays. . .with family?

It's been said that one of the great oxymorons of all time is the phrase "Government Intelligence." And while that may be true, I find another phrase equally oxymoronic - or just moronic depending on your interpretation.

"Enjoying the holidays with family."

Really? Enjoying the holidays? With family??

That may be the case with the Waltons or the Ricardos or the Cunninghams, but around here lately it's more like a bad episode of "Roseanne."

Who doesn't talk to whom. Who WON'T talk to whom. Phony smiles. Phony embraces. Bad gifts. Or worse, no gifts at all.

Sometimes I have to wonder, who needs it? Maybe Mary and Joseph had the right idea. Travel off, on your own, with only your spouse and, as it turns out,your own child (work with me on this one!!). No visitors - at least not until 12 days later. No big feast. No fancy trappings. Just what really matters at the time.

Not every family is like mine - and I hope that's the case at your house. And we've tried it the other way too - nobody to visit on Christmas Eve. And there were nothing but complaints that way too.

So maybe the term "enjoying" takes on a different meaning in late December. Maybe "enjoying" really means more like "enduring." Because family is what family is - individuals, all with their own idiosyncracies, sharing the same space, be it physical or hypothetical, for as long as we can stand each other.

Enjoy your holidays - and, if possible, your family - and keep in touch. Just don't stay too long.

Pink Nail Polish

Ten
tiny pieces of
bubblegum

Glowing at the ends
of long
slender
fingers.

Reminds me of
the sticky sweetness
that is
the flavor of my youth.

And of you.