October 30, 2006
From the USA Today:
"This fall, episodes of many series, including the biggest hits and newest shows, are available online for free as networks try to hold on to audiences while finding new business in new technologies.
"We need to think of ourselves not just as a broadcast network, but a network or platform where ABC connects its viewers to its shows across any technology. It could be through online, cellphone, portable media player or television," says Albert Cheng, who oversees digital media for Disney-ABC Television Group."
There is something here we need to listen to, I think?
October 17, 2006
Posted At : 5:14 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
Boy, am I out of touch. Have you seen this site,
Urban Dictionary? From the web site description: Urban Dictionary is a slang dictionary with your definitions.
Define your world. So I guess this is how it works. Slang words are posted, and then web site visitors provide the definitions. Is this the ultimate in sharing ignorance, or is it the ultimate in translating and defining culture? I'll leave that distinction up to you. By the way, have you overhead any conversations between teenagers these days? Scary...
September 15, 2006
Posted At : 6:33 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
It certainly is controversial. Survivor, the top rated CBS reality show in its 13th season, has chosen to divide the survivors into tribes based on racial classifications. Some advertisers have pulled the plug. The show was full of contestants commenting on the nature of the classification.
Using words like “social experiment,” and “ethnicity.” I am trying to remember the last time these came up in daily conversation. Clearly the producers are trying to calm the controversy. Interestingly, the first person voted off was the bossiest player of the African-American tribe. It may be controversial, but it is pretty good TV.
CB
September 12, 2006
Posted At : 6:25 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
A
Harvard Public School of Health professor has concluded that where you live, along with race and income are important factors in determining how long you will live. According to Dr. Christopher Murray’s study, Asian women living in Bergen County, New Jersey live the longest, frequently reaching the age of 91. For a state by state breakdown,
click here.
CB
September 6, 2006
Posted At : 6:33 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
You remember Steve Irwin, the enthusiastic, irrepressible Crocodile Hunter? He was in some trouble a while back when he was feeding a croc while holding his infant. His quest for adventure put him in a place where he had no place to hide. A sting ray lashed out and struck him through the heart. Very sad. Dead at the age of 44. Now the big controversy, should the tape that records his death blow be shown on TV?
CB
September 4, 2006
Posted At : 5:29 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
Tom Cruise made a special appearance at Brooke Shields’ home last Thursday to deliver a “heartfelt” apology, the actress said during her appearance on NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno last Friday night. For those of you who live under a rock, Tom had drawn considerable criticism for his remarks concerning Shields’ use of anti-depressants in her treatment of post-partem depression.
Clearly Cruise is seeking to rehabilitate his position as the number one film star in the world after recent approval ratings showed his popularity had dropped 40%.
According to a Cruise spokesman, while his friendship with Shields has been mended he has not changed his position concerning the dangers of anti-depressants. A Scientologist, Cruise has continued to maintain his opinion that psychiatry is a “pseudo-science.”
CB
August 31, 2006
Posted At : 6:41 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
Accepted is a movie about a guy who couldn’t get into college and decided to fool his parents by creating a fictitious college. On his way to accomplishing this swindle, he picks up about 300 other students.
At one point, Justin Long playing Bartleby Gaines, makes an impassioned speech about following your dreams, learning to learn and points out that higher education tends to drain the dreams right out of students in its rush to maintain standards with "general education." You may remember Mr. Long as one of the high school students from the TV series, Ed. At last he has graduated from playing high school students and now is well-cast as the slick, but clumsy co-founder of the college, South Harmon Institute of Technology.
Now, if you can buy the premise, and you are at all critical of higher education, you will probably walk away from this highly improbable film with a smile on your face. I know I did.
August 30, 2006
Posted At : 12:01 AM | Posted By : charlie
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I am a sucker for this kind of story. You know the kind, underdog overcomes incredible odds to become a success. The context is football in Philadelphia in the mid-70s. The depressed area has had a losing football team for a number of years. A new coach decides to shake things up by holding open tryouts. A 30 yr. old bartender, who has never played college ball, tries out and gets a spot at the training camp. While predictable, and not likely to garner any acting awards, I really enjoyed this film.
CasualBuzz
August 29, 2006
Posted At : 6:54 AM | Posted By : charlie
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Culture
Disasters are so sad. Sunday’s commuter plane crash which appears to be due to insufficient runway, is one example. Unfortunate that Conan O’Brien was doing a ‘Lost’ takeoff that involved a plane crash scene to open the Emmy Awards show.
One year later the pundits prognisticate about Katrina. Has the aid come quick enough? Where has all the money gone? Why is the rebuilding taking so long? Couldn’t we cleanup and repair the damage of the worst natural disaster in American history in three months? Where has the administration failed?
And then along comes Ernesto, a tropical storm-hurricane, that seems to be named after a favorite uncle. Florida is battening down the hatches. The shuttle launch is scrubbed and by the weekend we will be surveying the aftermath of this latest natural disaster.
casualbuzz.com
May 13, 2006
David Frost was hosting a public television special tonight, entitled Billy Graham, God’s Ambassador. And there it was in black and white film. Rev. Graham passionately inviting listeners to come forward and “give their lives to Christ.”
I wondered, as I was watching, if it is possible for any contemporary group, with such a passionately proclaimed message, to have the kind of popular impact that Rev. Graham had in those years when he presented an 8 week crusade in Los Angeles, and multiple week crusade in New York’s Madison Square Garden, and a night after night of turn-away crowds in London, England.
To say it was highly unusual for it's time is an understatement. Is today’s culture immune to such a message.
You have heard of the game six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon? The game where one attempts to connect an actor in a film in some way to a film in which Kevin Bacon has appeared. I think it is quite possible, especially in the United States, that the degrees of separation from Billy Graham, and a decision made while Just as I Am was being sung by a choir, might be less than 3 or 4 for most practicing Christians.
I pray that God will raise up a multitude of ambassadors for Christ in our culture.
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