Raw, but c*nsored blabbing and blogging of a young journalista
and local news producer in Southern New England.
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Saturday, November 27, 2004

They're Toasted! [UPDATED]

(And so are you if you smoke them, right?)

Here's an old TV commercial every gay boi should appreciate. I recently bought some great DVDs at Dollar Tree featuring old TV shows; three episodes each of Burns and Allen (America's Own Contented Couple pushing Milk from Contented Cows), Martin and Lewis (on the Colgate Comedy Hour) and the Jack Benny show (sponsored by Lucky Strike), which is where this commercial was. You'd appreciate it more if you see Dorothy Collins's little up-and-down shimmies with kettle drums whenever the Male Chorus sang. Sadly, you must imagine them:

DOROTHY: I'm Dorothy Collins. Smoking enjoyment is all a matter of taste. And the fact of the matter is...

(singing)
Luckies taste better!

MALE CHORUS: Cleaner, fresher, smoother!

DOROTHY: Luckies taste better!

MALE CHORUS: Cleaner, fresher, smoother!

DOROTHY & CHORUS: For Lucky Strike means fine tobacco,
Richer tasting, fine tobacco,

DOROTHY: Luckies taste better!

MALE CHORUS: Cleaner, fresher, smoother!

FEMALE CHORUS: Deedle-deet!

ALL: Lucky Strike!

FEMALE CHORUS: Deedle-deet!

ALL: Lucky Strike!

DOROTHY: Sure, Luckies taste better. Everybody knows Lucky Strike means fine tobacco. Fine, mild tobacco that just naturally tastes better. And Luckies are made better. They're round and firm, and fully packed, to draw freely and smoke evenly. With fine tobacco, in a better made cigarette... Golly, you're just bound to get better taste! Smoking enjoyment is all a matter of taste, you know. And the fact of the matter is...

Luckies taste better!

MALE CHORUS: Cleaner, fresher, smoother!

FEMALE CHORUS: Deedle-deet!

MALE CHORUS: Lucky Strike!

FEMALE CHORUS: Deedle-deet!

ALL: Lucky Strike!

And here Dorothy Collins, in the bullseye of the Lucky Strike logo, pulled down a shade reading "LUCKY STRIKE... THEY'RE TOASTED!"

I know, it's not much. It's just odd.

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/27/2004 04:21:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Blogroll test

I'm trying Blogrolling instead of Bloglines for my blogroll, but only in this entry. Let's see how it works:

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/27/2004 12:21:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Sweeps discoveries

TV people should all know all about the Nielsens. Like this: Sweep Dates for current Season

Did you know sweeps periods are going on all the bloody time? There's a sweeps period happening SOMEWHERE every month. The typical sweeps periods are February, May, July, and November. Certain markets have extra ones, apparently, in other months; reading the list linked above shows some sweeps periods cover around 20 markets only, and some only do "LPMs," or Local People Meter markets. Boston is one of these.

Oooh, check out the top 10 weekly show lists.

Also note how Nielsen had problems launching the Local People Meters.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/24/2004 07:52:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Sick

Ugh. I swear I have the flu. I wish it could just kill me now and get it over with. When I'm not having hot flashes (?) where I can't sweat -- it feels like all my pores are clogged -- I'm drenched in cold sweats. My stomach doesn't know what to do. Neither does my brain. My body just aches unless I ply myself with ibuprofen. Considering Thanksgiving is almost here I have no idea what I'm going to do for the plans I had to meet friends for Turkey Day dinner.... since I'm officially out sick today. I don't even know if I'm contagious or anything. I'm just not going to be able to win here for quite some time.

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/23/2004 09:42:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Dorothy Lucey's gone too

Dish at Dorothy's Domain.

It took me a while to really catch on to the fact that Dorothy Lucey had been dumped from "Good Day Live" because the Fox affiliate in Providence dumped Good Day Live about the same time they dumped Dorothy -- in favor of "Just Shoot Me" reruns (blecch). Coincidence? These days my only way to watch it is to see it an hour earlier, at noon, through a hazy off-air signal of Boston's Fox 25.

From what little I've seen I can just about stand Debbie Matenopolos (like most people can -- unless they simply hate her) and Arthel Neville doesn't leave me with anything memorable. Whereas, who can forget Dorothy Lucey's husky voice? It sounds like a smoker's dusky tones, but she didn't seem like the smoking type. (shrug)

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/20/2004 06:16:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Back home

I am now home safe and sound. Thanks for asking. 8^) Nothing more happened with the cute guy my height with the black pinstripe shirt and the cute little vandyke beard (all around the mouth?) and the cute butt who bought me a shot that I shared with him and a bartender. I happened to catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and saw how awful my hair had gotten over the course of the night (jeeeeeeezus, I need a haircut) and had to bail on that basis. I know, I'm a wuss. Well, anyway.

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/14/2004 02:25:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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On Loc: Dark Lady

Whoo. Drunk. Have I mentioned I love people watching?

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/14/2004 12:44:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Who's that character on the front of The New Yorker?

Eleggua.com's report on the year 1925 says this about that snooty old battleaxe-looking man with the monocle:

The first issue of the New Yorker magazine, founded by Harold Ross, hit the newsstands [on February 21st, 1925]. The top hatted character Eustace Tilley appeared on the cover of the first issue and every anniversary issue. In 1999 Mary F. Corey published "The World Through a Monocle: The New Yorker at Midcentury." In 2000 Ben Yagoda authored "About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made." In 2000 Ranata Adler authored "Gone: The Last Days of the New Yorker."

Why Ranata Adler wrote that escapes me, because it seems to still be publishing.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/13/2004 01:16:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Boston Globe: WHDH whiffs again

One of my best friends says this first paragraph of a Boston Globe article says it all about the latest move by Channel 7's management:

"News stories, at their core, are about people.

So what does it mean when Channel 7, which rules local news at 11 p.m., keeps casting aside its people as if they're consumables and disposables? From this seat, it's a sad commentary, cruel and unusual working conditions, and a corporate policy that ignores the dignity of its most high-profile employees."

UPDATE: I did not mean to imply that Channel 7's (executive) management were "perpetually gun-barrel-to-the-nape-of-the-neck evil and ruthless." They take care of creating that image themselves.

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/13/2004 01:07:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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What if they threw a civil war and nobody came?

F*ck the South

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/10/2004 07:40:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Where's Sam Walton's Grave, Anyway?

New York Post Online Edition: Store Wars

As I write this I'm missing the CNBC documentary because I don't have cable and I found out too late. I also don't know when the Frontline will be on channel 36.

I should add that the last thing I significantly remember buying at Wal-Mart is an air conditioner. Still, is the second summer in a row I did not put an air conditioner in the window out of sheer laziness.

Anybody want to buy it?

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/10/2004 07:27:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Fascinating

http://thechrisproject.com/images/map_nowvsthen.jpg

I thought this would be a map of 2004 election returns vs. 2000 election returns. Little did I know it's much worse than that.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/10/2004 07:05:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Best site EVER!

http://toolbox.academicpriority.co.il/recommend.php/en/

And what does it do?

It lets you email a web address to somebody. How simple! How necessary!

What's more, if you fiddle around with the Academic Priority website you can even put it on a toolbar, as I have now done. Hurrah!

Remind me to put a link in the sidebar....

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/09/2004 01:54:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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On Canada's Monopoly board, I'm "Just Visiting"

This morning a bunch of Canadian pharmacists told Rhode Island they don't want Ocean Staters to buy from them -- for fear of breaking laws and other reasons.

The Boston Globe's Alex Beam tells us Canada doesn't want people in the United States to come live there either, in "If Canada's never sounded so good, this one's for you".

On a slightly related note I am now torn. I was hoping to go Toronto-wards at the end of November Sweeps, when I have a day off, to visit one of my best friends. The weekend right after that is the office Christmas Party. And the weekend right after that I plan to go home to the Northwest to visit the folks because I won't be home for Christmas ... again.

But now the weekend I was hoping to go to Toronto, there's going to be a big party for someone who's leaving, and I want to be there to wish her well -- as well as join in the festivities. Tough call. This is going to be the second or third office party I'll miss because I was out of town. Feh!

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... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/09/2004 12:15:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Believing in the BBC

Okay, all you *ssholes who think I'm the devil incarnate because I work for a Fox Television Network affiliate:

Here's a site for you. Did you know Rupert Murdoch was waging war on the British Broadcasting Corporation? And from what this site says, that Tony Blair was lapping it up like so much gin and tonic, as poured by George W. Bush?

And yet it's all about the mere slip of a thing I barely even read months and months ago of allegations about the Beeb's incorrect and/or biased writing and reporting. C'mon, sit down at the bar next to "60 Minutes" and drink up.

Well, you can now, anyway.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/07/2004 06:58:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Honeytom

I'm quoting here: "Honeytom has a thing for Scottish boys."

To use the words of my co-worker, yum yum. (Especially Sean Biggerstaff, who can show me a thing or two about Quidditch balls any day.)

As usual, just by reading a few entries I can see this 23-year-old Briton has more brains between his ears than I ever will display, or time for the blog -- in a bog. Ah, well.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/07/2004 03:56:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Christmas Present Ideas....

Aha! I hope my parents can use a couple of fun T-shirts from geelove. I'll have to pick the ones that, alas, are not dated "before" the election.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/07/2004 03:25:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Red-End

I'm also bringing to a close the brief period of celebrating the Red Sox with the red motif. It's finally Sunday, even if it is 2:23 AM, so here we go.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/07/2004 02:16:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Writes, Reads and Leaves

I'm reading Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves right now, which is highly recommended if you have a sense of humor about punctuation. I wish I could afford to buy everyone in the newsroom a copy.

And then force them to read it.

And then test them on it.

But I've just now been distressed by what she said about the ellipsis. I guess I've been using it in scripts incorrectly, more for the newsreader than the visual reader. I will write, for example:

BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF RHODE ISLAND HAS NOT MADE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THEIR NEXT PLANS...
UNITED HEALTHCARE TAKES OVER THE STATE CONTRACT STARTING JANUARY FIRST.

because there is an air of mystery to be had in the BCBSRI sentence. BCBSRI were (if you consider THEM a GROUP as the British do) (and in fact, if you don't, THEIR in that sentence should probably be ITS; fine, whatever) very anxious to keep the huge contract to supply Rhode Island's state workers and former state workers their health insurance, and now that they've (it has) lost the battle (assuming of course that Judge Procaccini, or whomever it was, decided in United's favor on Friday, since people I talked to speculated that BCBSRI didn't have a crutch to stand on let alone a leg; and because I can't remember what was decided), people might be wondering what the hell it's (they're) going to do next.

Whew!

So you see I was kind of trailing that concept off in a theatrical, "intriguing manner," as Lynne Truss says. It also kind of leads the newsreader or anchor into the next sentence. Other people in the newsroom have an affinity for the dash or hyphen in the same way:

JUDGE CAPRIO HAS NOT PAID THE FINE YET -
HIS LAWYER SAYS THEY WILL APPEAL.

That's all right I suppose -- would be even better if the hyphen at the end of Caprio's sentence was two hyphens, like this -- but some scripts I've seen have peppered them throughout as though that is the only punctuation mark available:

A CAR CRASH IN PROVIDENCE -
THIS WAS ABOUT 2:15 EARLY THIS MORNING, WHEN THE GREEN VOLKSWAGEN JETTA YOU SEE HERE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE -
POLICE SAY THE DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL - BUT THE DRIVER TELLS TopStoryLive NEWS HE HAD AN OPEN CONTAINER OF JACK DANIELS IN THE CAR.
POLICE DISPUTE THE STORY -
THEY SAY THE DRIVER IS SIMPLY LOOKING FOR TROUBLE-

That just gets annoying. Lynne Truss says some people are using the hyphen too much (especially in text messaging) because it's easier to see, but on the computer or a prompter screen it doesn't make a difference to me. It just sounds like it would be confusing for the reader. Granted, some periods, some commas, fall off the face of the earth, especially on a prompter, but that is the anchor's fault for not pre-reading. Right?

I have a feeling I should send this entry to Lynne Truss and have her rip it apart. What do you think? 8^D

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/07/2004 02:16:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Ubiquitous Plastic Payment [UPDATED]

Gotta love paying with a credit card at the drive thru. I started doing it once I got a miles card and saw my friend with a miles card using it for every little thing ("because every dollar you spend, that's another mile"). This of course has also led to me eating way too much Wendy's because they all take credit cards.

Which brings me to a comment I left on AndiCandiLand for the entry Can't Have It Your Way where an order had to be split. First of all I was a dum-dum and didn't see WHY the order had to be split. But still.

Commenting on other people's blogs is fun.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/06/2004 01:05:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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"Damn, that goat is looking good."

Even if he does live in Nashville, home of country music, Stumblemouth does know him some funny. These office quotes rival the pointy-haired boss quotes on my page-a-day calendar, "CUBICLE HELL: Scott Adams Shares True Tales Of Bad Business."

Remind me someday to start an office quote wall. Which, in my office, could easily include weird ad-libs, or weird lines from scripts.

P.S.: Yeah, I know the red-hot Red Sox colors are getting wicked hahd to read. I'll go back in the black on like Sunday or Monday.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/06/2004 08:33:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Referrers

Cute little toys abound on the web these days for your blog. I've just added a kewl referrers list from trueFresco.org. Thanks to bosh for the idea. You never know what you'll come across when you click "NEXT BLOG>>" at the top of the page.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/05/2004 02:15:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Kerry Loses; Bush Wins; Freedom Hospitalized In Serious Condition

I say Kerry gave up too fast. Jerk. Maybe it's all Teresa's fault. She's easy to blame things on. George W. Bush just does not seem trustable or competent. Apparently about half the country agrees with me and half does not.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/04/2004 11:11:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Red Sox Win! (Delayed)

I'm writing this several days after the fact but I just wanted to turn the blog Red to celebrate the fact that THE RED SOX WON! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY! It's too bad they couldn't do it at home but surely that would have sent people completely crazy. Can you imagine? Such a happy victory. It's too sad to think of what came next for Massachusetts....

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 11/04/2004 10:58:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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