Ripping Good Yarns: How the New Fall Shows Fall

How have the new Fall TV shows fared so far?

My own ability to sample has been hampered by a busier fall calender, primarily my involvement in writing and directing Young Robin Hood. So although I intended to preview more shows for review here, I have come up short.  Thankfully, I have my fellow rippers, and hopefully you can provide input on other shows.

Each show previewed I have scored on a scale of 0 to 10 for both myself and for Alison.  A score below 5 usually indicates that one or the other of us will not be watching the show regularly.

666 Park Avenue

Set in a hotel in New York City, this show features at it's center the talented actor Terry O'Quinn (Lost's Locke), and has both ongoing stories and self-contained anthology style elements.  It is supposed to be a very scary show, but so far has been pretty mild and unsurprising,  It reminds of shows like Love Boat and Fantasy Island, but with a slightly harder edge.  It is a fragile premise and may be difficult to sustain over time.  Tom - 5.  Alison - 7.  Ratings to date; fair to poor.

Revolution

What if the power went out and didn't come back?  An interesting premise very well told.  It is building an intricate story, with many interesting layers, and some great flashbacks.  There are elements that superficially appeal to conservatives, such as local militia/dictatorship that confiscates firearms and overtaxes, and some have commented on one of the primary villains physical similarities to President Obama.  But I believe the story telling is going to be way more intricate than that.  The characters have to fully develop, and Alison feels the plotting is predictable, but I'm 100% on board - for now.  Tom - 9.  Alison - 6.  Ratings to date: good.

The Mindy Project

A nice little half hour comedy, featuring the infectiously charming and neurotic Mindy Kaling. playing a very intelligent ob-gyn doctor, who is often looking for love in all the wrong places.  They have already done a good job as well of surrounding her with a great supporting cast.  Sometimes comedies have trouble getting their sea legs down, but this one is way ahead of the curve.  Tom - 7.  Alison - 10.  Ratings to date - fair.

Animal Practice

Atrocious storytelling, with humor found (supposedly) with animals at risk, and vets suggesting impractical if not downright dangerous treatments.  Entertaining monkey, though.  Tom - 0.  Alison - 1.  Ratings to date - Abysmal.

Arrow

Based on the DC character Green Arrow, AKA Oliver Queen, this is an interesting show that virtually ignores the Green Arrow character as portrayed in Smallville.  As a long time comic fan, I have unfortunately gotten the constant reboots and do overs.  This one hints at a broader DC universe, including a character named Dinah Lance, whom I suspect at some point emerge into her Black Canary persona.  Not a bed show, but I'm not really used to seeing Green Arrow kill people, so the edge is harder than I prefer.  Tom - 7.  Alison - not watching.  Ratings to date - very good for the CW.

Elementary

This actually is not a bad show.  The premise is interesting if a little exaggerated   Almost like, what if Sheldon was pretending to be Sherlock Holmes.  Ultimately, it falls into the vast pot of crime procedurals that dominate the CBS airwaves.  Good, but not good enough to follow, with everything else we have.  Tom - 4. Alison - 4.  Ratings to date - good to fair for CBS.

Last Resort


Absolutely awesome show, with appeal across the political and storytelling spectrum.  An exciting premise that may wear thin after awhile, but who knows? The writing team behind it are very good, so maybe there are more twists to sustain it than I think.  Excellent characters and writing.  Tom - 10.  Alison - 3.  Ratings to date - poor.


We also have Nashville on DVR but have not seen it yet.  It looks like a lot more like something Alison would like than myself.  But I will let you know.

So that's what I've observed so far.  What about you, fellow rippers?  Be sure to let us know what your opinion is so far!

Miracles Continue This Weekend!

One more weekend for this fabulous and important show!

On the left, Elizabeth Beck plays Kate Keller and Nawin Hyers plays Captain Keller, the parents of Helen Keller.  Amara Grace Jeffords plays Anne Sullivan and Kayla Peacock plays Helen Keller, as pictured in the lower right corner.

These three talented young actresses are Emma Jacobs, Emily Beck and Tassie Jeffords.

A picture form the first week where Helen Keller was played by Elizabeth Beck, Kate Keller was played by Elizabeth's mother, Kimberly Beck, and the Captain was played by Nawin Hyers (who will play the same part next week).

The Most Persistent Myth in American Politics

Don't usually get my posts directly inspired by a TV show, but sometimes The Rachel Maddow Show will do that to you.  She had a great topic last night, with polling that demonstrated that the one area that people perceived Romney as slightly better than President Obama is in the area of the deficit.

The idea that Republicans are better at reducing or eliminating deficit is neither logically or factually correct.  It can be clearly demonstrated, that over the last 32 years, that the debt has grown substantially more under Republican presidencies than it has Democratic ones.

Many seem to block out that huge swarms of debt were accumulated under Reagan/Bush, Sr.  They further forget that that debt was substantially reduced by Clinton, and had actually left office with the nation in surplus.  This was completely reversed by Bush, Jr., engendered by the Bush tax cuts, two unfunded wars, a Medicare giveaway to private business, and a whole attitude that spending didn't need to match revenues.  A belief, as expressed by Vice President Dick Cheney, that "deficits don't matter".

Along comes President Obama, stuck with the worst economic slump since the Great Depression, and who, like all Presidents before, organize stimulus to try to lead us out of it.  Other than that, the direction of the deficit has been downward, and the number of federal jobs has been shrinking.  I'm not bragging that he did this.  Cutting government spending and jobs is not necessarily the smartest thing to do when we're still mired in a painfully slow recovery, but that's what's happening.

So now Governor Romney comes up with a plan that will add $5 trillion to the deficit in reduced tax revenue, and rapidly accelerate defense spending.  So, on the surface, his plan will not reduce the deficit, but will instead substantially increase it.  So how will he get things back in alignment?  How will ha eliminate the current deficit, AND make up for the increased shortfall he will create?

By roasting Big Bird on a spit?

That's like trying to eliminate a beach by removing one grain of sand.

This is what he will have choose from to balance the budget:

He says he will cut tax loopholes.  But he has ruled more out than he has ruled in (okay, in actuality he's ruled nothing in - it's all smoke and mirrors).  To really close the gap he will have to attack middle class deductions and credits, such as the mortgage deduction, child care credit, charitable deductions, and much more.  He'll have to.  He'll have no choice - if he's sincere about the deficit.

He may think he doesn't have to worry about it because the economy will just grow so gosh darn fast that it eliminates the deficit.  That is an iffy proposition at best.  You can't just say you can balance the budget simply by wishing the GDP higher.  And his deliberately increasing the budget gap just makes the ability to do this tougher.

He may go the Ryan way and strip the government of all benefits, entitlements  whatever you want to call it, aimed at the middle class, the working poor and the truly destitute.  Except for picking on the truly impoverished  I wish him luck with that politically.  The "Keep your government hands off my Medicare" crowd might suddenly wake up and realize the goose they smell being cooked is their own tea-party drenched selves!  As Pogo would say, "We have the met the enemy and he is us!" 

Finally, he may decide, as past Republican Presidents have, that what the hey?  Deficits don't really matter after all.  And with Fox News not bleating about them every few minutes, maybe people will buy it.

Will you?

Changing Times and Other Monday Musings

Benjamin's life changes starting today.

He will no longer be able to play video games or watch television on school weeknights.

What brought on this new policy?  He brought home two B's this last grading period.  He ha gotten all A's the last two years.  He is now in the crucial middle school period, and we know that is an age when people often embark on their eventual course in life.  Not their career, per se, but their basic nature.  He is more than capable of getting as, so we are going to so everything we can to structure an environment to do so.

All parents are different in their approach.  Some don't put any pressure on grades at all.  Others put even more than we do.  Some don't allow any television or other nonsense in the first place.  Some have no restrictions at all.  On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being openly hostile to school and grades and 10 being where grades are the be all and end all of existence, Alison and I are about an......8.

And with politicians continuing to chip away at the Hope Scholarship, it's going to become harder and harder for Benjamin to get Hope and to keep Hope.  And, even though we are saving towards his schooling, getting the Hope Scholarship is absolutely essential for his college attendance.

We continue to look at homes.  Two in the City of Blackshear have taken forefront.  One is a home that would need very little work at the top of our budget range, and in a neighborhood that is good but not completely ideal,  The other is a home in a premium neighborhood  for an unusually low price, but that would require a lot of work.  And I do mean A LOT of work.

I am supposed to chaperon at a Cotillion event tonight, along with Alison   I am not really thrilled by that, because I'm not really an etiquette rules guy.  I'm not rude by any means.  I consider myself polite, albeit people have sometimes confused my innate shyness for rudeness.  I'm just not sure I'm up for being told I'm not bowing right, or whatever it is that they do.

The Tigers have started their series with the damn Yankees in spectacular fashion, winning the first two games of the series at Yankee Stadium.  But this is baseball, and I won't feel really secure until the Yankees have been completely vanquished.

There is a whole lot of fussing on Facebook about politics.  Not just the back and forth going on between those supporting one politician or another, but those fuming at the idea that politics is even being discussed at all.  I do have some sympathy for those not interested in politics   I really do.  But we live in a representative democracy, and politics and making informed decisions about these things are absolutely essential to the proper functioning of that democracy.  It would be nice if so much wasn't at the school yard level ( of which I freely admit my participation and responsibility, and more about ideas.  But trust me.  I've seen the page view count differences on my blog between when I try to tackle ideas as opposed to when I try to be controversial and anti-other party, and I know which one's catch people's attention.

 It's the old dilemma.  Everybody says they want to watch good news.  And then everybody winds up watching OJ or Casey Anthony.  Human nature!  What are you going to do?

Bible Verses Important To Me 7

                      “For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me.”

Then these righteous ones will reply, “Sir, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you?  Or thirsty and give you anything to drink?  Or a stranger, and help you?  Or naked, and clothe you?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?”  And I, the King, will tell them, “When you did it to these my brothers you were doing it to me!”

From Matthew 25: 31-46

A fine example of not just what we’re supposed to believe, but what we’re supposed to actually do.

A Tax System for the 21st Century Saturday Political Soap Box 42

It may seem hard to believe, but I am a CPA (Certified Public Accountant).  In the past, I have worked mostly in general ledger/financial statement preparation and cost accounting.  But for the last almost fifteen years I have worked in small accounting firms.  Currently I am a working for a firm that I have been at 13 years 4 months and 14 days.  I have to be a broad accounting generalist working in general ledger/financial statements, audits, inventories, payroll, and yes, taxes.  I have seen the insanity of our tax system up close and personal.  For those of all political persuasions who are disgusted by it, I join in your disgust.

Ah, elections!  The time when we should be discussing issues but instead focus on birth certificates and dogs on roofs of cars.  When the latest inadvertent misstatement is more important than the direction they'll take the country.  When the election of the other guy will lead to a thousand years of darkness.  In the face of that, I will continue to try to focus on some basic issues and what I believe is the direction we should take. And yes, I am taking a sacrifice in number of page views by going this route instead of the Mittbot Thurston Howell route or that darn Kenyan Socialist route. 

I believe the tax system needs to be completely abolished and redone.  We need to enhance and preserve it's progressivism and move it into the 21st century.  Individual income tax should be eliminated.  I propose a four tier system that I cannot do justice in this brief blog post.  Just to sketch though, it involves 1) payroll taxes covering social security and medicare for all, 2) a financial transaction fee when investments are sold, purchased or exchanged, 3) a progressive sales tax that raises with the expense and/or luxury level of each item, and 4) a corporate/business fee based upon gross income, with the only deduction being from how much domestic payroll over a living wage the business pays.

Payroll taxes covering social security and medicare for all

Special notes to show how this part is different than the current system -

        - there would be no cap on either, so that it would continue to be drawn out no matter how much a person made.  Since there is no other direct form of wage taxes, the wealthy would continue to bring home mammoth portions of their paycheck

        -health insurance would be covered in full by a medicare for all plan.  Would this increase the percentage of income taken out from your wages to cover it?  Oh, yes!  But...you would have nothing...NOTHING...more that you had to pay for health care insurance....that would be your plan.  No more insurance premiums  no more worry about medical bankruptcies, no more worrying about whether something's going to be covered, no more worrying about pre-conditions or policy portability.  Stressed about freeloaders?  Well, I hate to break it to you, but you're ALREADY covering them, and as they go to the hospital or care in the most expensive way right now (ER, medical crises), you're paying A LOT more for them than you would under this plan.

     -there would need to be some mechanism so that sole proprietors, partners and S Corporations could contribute as well.

A financial transaction fee when investments are sold, purchased or exchanged

    -forget capital gains taxes.  We can stop arguing about that.  No more paying based on gain.  Conversely, no more taking losses when investments go bad.

    -this would just be a tax when money is moved from one investment to another, whether that be cash, to another stock, or to another instrument of investment.  At what rate I cannot say.

    -an example would be, you buy a stock for $1,000 you might have to pay a 1% transaction fee ($10).  If you sell the stock at, say $900, you might pay $9.  If you sell it for $1100, you might pay $11.  It is irrelevant whether you made or lost money.  You are neither punished nor rewarded,,,it is just a slight cost of investment, like a broker's fee.

    -it may be possible, given our level of computer sophistication, that individuals could be given a break or exemption for transactions under a certain dollar value, either individually or on accumulated year basis.  You could exempt the first $1,000 of each transaction, or for an individual for a year, the first $25,000 of total transactions (as an example).  But understand, the more you exempt, the higher the transaction rate would have to be to generate the same level of revenue.

A progressive sales tax that raises with the expense and/or luxury level of each item

    -since there other tiers of taxation, this may not have to be as sky high as some National Sales Taxes that have been promoted.  For us liberals, the regressive nature of this tax is rather daunting,  That is why I think the rate should be adjusted depending on the nature of each item.  BUT, everyone should pay some tax.  Even necessities should have a rate, even if it is low.  

    - an example, JUST an example, would be if someone were to buy a loaf of whole wheat bread, the tax rate might be 3%.  A $3.00 loaf of bread might then cost $3.09.  A loaf of bread that might have rare milled wheat that was shot out of the butts of cats, designed for the sophisticated gourmet, might be taxed at a higher rate, say 10%.  So this special loaf that is $7.00 would cost $7.70.  Overall, people who are willing to spend extra on luxury or status items are less concerned with cost.

    -a conservative version of this, the Fair Tax, would hand everybody a check each month to cover necessity spending.  I thought conservatives didn't like just handing people government checks, and I think my plan would avoid that while at the same time keeping some progressivity.

A corporate/business fee based upon gross income, with the only deduction being from how much domestic payroll over a living wage the business pays


    -a tax based not on a complicated tax-basis profit loss statement and balance sheet, but a corporate fee based solely on gross income.  Good lord, counties and cities do this, it shouldn't be that hard.  Again, you don't get into how much they made or lost, it's just a straight up fee.  A cost of doing business.

    -the ONLY deduction should be domestic payroll,  You hire people at a living wage, you get to take that in some fashion right directly off the fee.

   -the level of the transaction fee could vary with industry or type of business.  Again, I have seen this at the city and county level.  We are not re-inventing the wheel here.  The difference in rates could be established by regulation and/or Congress.  It would give our Congress something to do. I would hate for them to get too bored.


Is all this likely to happen?  Only if I become dictator, I guess.  But mark my word.  We can't keep going like we are.  Big changes are going to have to happen.  And whichever party gets out front of this the quickest, is likely to be the dominant party for the next generation.

So, wake up, Progressives!  This is one area where you're running behind!

We need a new, progressive tax system for the 21st century!

Somebody take up this ball and run with it!

History of the Trap: April Promises Part 5

SYNOPSIS:  After being visited in prison by Morgan LaDona Tigh, Lance Martin has agreed to Dr. Duncan's request to detail what happened in the time that Lance is calling "the Trap."  Lance begins his journal by describing the morning before the trap fell, where we learn his father was the Principal of Loren High, that Lance is a Junior, and has a sister named Diane who is a sophomore.  After a couple hours at school that morning, where we see how different is relationship with Morgan is, we also meet Lance's best friend, Artie Pentler, and their gang. Just as Lance is ready to ask Ginny Estill out, the Trap falls, and they witness the horrible death of two P. E. students as they are caught in some kind of electrical storm.  After a very rocky, scary day, the students were called to gather in the gym, where some students broke out.  After the rally, Lance and his sister meet with their father and find that he doesn't know much more than they do.  Lance spends his first night in the trap, listening to late night screams and sounds of electric zapping.  When this scene opens, it is now two weeks later, Wednesday April 30th.  

5

Final Jeopardy!

It had come down to three students.  David Yankovich, of course.  And also Lisa Carlson, Sue Boschman's very bright friend.  Finally, there was a surprise freshman, Larry Wiesman.  Larry was a small fellow, skinny with black hair and thick glasses.  He was one of only a handful of Jewish students at our school.

A few days ago two teachers, Mr. Branch and Mrs. Branch (they married last year) organized a nightly contest, tailored after the game show Jeopardy.  Mr. Gary Branch was a Government teacher and Mrs. Lisa Branch was an English teacher.  They were the only married couple to be caught in the trap together.  They were just trying to come up with something that would distract the students for awhile, let them escape into something else.  Participation had grown to be about a couple hundred.  It wasn't for everybody, but for those students of a more academic and less athletic bent, it was a fun way to pass the time.

They started out with a multiple choice question that had four choices to it.  You picked one of the four and went to a section of the cafetorium that corresponded with what you thought was the correct answer.  When the correct choice was announced, anybody who got it wrong had to step aside and just become part of the audience.

These rounds continued until there were only ten or fewer left.  These players then moved to a table in front where things became more intense.  Mr. Branch would give an "answer" and the first one to ring a bell would get to give the question.  Mrs. Branch would determine who rang first.  The first three players to get three right would go on to the next round.

Mr. Franks, our math substitute who picked the wrong day to fill in, and Mr. Bowtin, the popular Sociology and Psychology teacher, helped watch the crowd.  The students who participated in this were relatively well behaved, but there sometimes would be dispute over rules and outcomes.  Tonight there seemed to be a dispute that seemed to get so out of control that Mr. Bowtin had to come in and help Mr. Franks resolve.

But now they were down to three and they were down to final Jeopardy, with David Yankovich holding a slight lead.  The category was US Politics and the answer was....politician most famous for five o'clock shadow.  Larry and David knew the answer, but Lisa incorrectly went too far back in history and named William Henry Harrison.  David correctly bid just enough to stay ahead of Larry Weisman, emerging the tournament winner for the second time.

David Yankovich took his victory smugly, as he felt it was his rightful do.  Mrs. Branch put the medal of victory on him, a necklace with an old band medal on it.  The trumpet shaped medallion was considered the "horn of victory".

It was a night of victory and fun that would soon be forgotten.  As we left, it was the last time we saw Mr. Franks alive.  Except for the murderer, of course.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!