Caribbean Eats!

I was flipping the channels the other day and I ran across a new 4 part series that is being aired on The Food Network -- Feasting on Waves -- and it caught my eye. Alton Brown, the amusingly nerdy but adventurous chef, is sailing across the Caribbean, in search of all the delicious local cuisine that the region has to offer. And the cool thing is, he is not just going to restaurants, but also to local dives, roadside stands, farms etc. to really learn about the local ingredients and flavors and get an idea of what food the locals enjoy on a daily basis. I wonder if they will delve into the intracacies of roasted/fried breadfruit, ackee, and guinep along the way?



Check for show information and schedule here.

Olympic Fever

I'll admit it.... I have Olympic fever....

The second ever black person, Cullen Jones, is on the Olympic swimming team this year. He learned to swim after he almost drowned at the bottom of a water slide when he was 5. He just won a gold medal as part of the World Record setting Men's 4x100 relay team.

Dara Torres has become the oldest person to win an Olympic medal at age 41

Why is the time that Bush has spent at the Olypmics ( 4 days total) the longest time he has spent in any country since he has been president......

I think it is interesting how instrumentals of popular hiphop songs have become the background music for the montages and feature stories during major sporting events -- I have heard Take a Bow by Rihanna, Superstar by Lupe Fiasco (a favorite -- it was also used heavily during the Superbowl) and Apologize by One Republic and Timbaland so far.

Gotta go.... more Olympics to watch!

My Sunday evening theraputic TV....

With the addition of a new show to the Sunday line-up a few weeks ago, I have realized that 3 shows that I regularly watch on Sunday night end up being really theraputic for me and help put me in the right mindset for the week.

60 Minutes
I inherited my penchant for watching 60 Minutes from my parents. For as long as I can remember, they have watched the show every Sunday night. I used to sort of watch it as a kid and even thought it was interesting then. The mixture of insightful investigative new and one of a kind entertainment stories just make it great thought-provoking television. Plus, I really remember the pride and comfort I took at seeing Ed Bradley on the show each week.

Extreme Makeover, Home Edition

Okay, this show always makes me cry --- like a snotting, blubbering cry. I don't know what it is, but I always cry at happy things. Each week, the lives of a deserving family who has faced or is facing serious struggles, is dramatically changed by the grand gesture of a brand new home, tailored to their specific needs built in a miraculous 7 days. I am always inspired by the love and perseverance that these families have and how gratified they are to have their struggle recognized and their lives improved.

The Big Give
How can you not be inspired by a giving reality show. The participants are going around to different cities on giving challenges --- being given money and a set amount of time to find deserving people to help. Some gestures are big, some are smaller but you can never underestimate the impact an act of kindness can have on the lives of the recipient.

I have actually thought about doing some community service and giving some of my time to help others a lot lately. I had intended to do something while I was out of work but didn't get to it unfortunately. Eventhough I have less time now, there is so much that you can gain by giving of your time. I am going to work to integrate something like that into my regular routine. Stay tuned for what I arrange to do soon!

Our disability - In the words of Patrick Henry Hughes

I was watching one of my guilty pleasures last night, Extreme Makeover Home Edition when I heard some very profound words from a young man who has overcome a lot of odds. There is something about giving these families a chance at a better life that sucks me in and almost every time I see a show I end up bawling at the end --- It never fails!

Yesterday, i watched the show as they built a new house for Patrick Henry Hughes and his family. Now, I had heard of Patrick before. He was in a story on CBS's Sunday Morning program sometime last year. See, Patrick was born without eyes and with only limited ability to straighten his arms and legs. He lives his life in a wheelchair. But despite this, he became a music prodigy. He can play a number of instruments, including the piano, and, with the help of his father who pushes him around into formation, is a member of the University of Louisville marching band, playing the trumpet.

I was expecting to get the normal teary emotional boost I normally get from the show but then, during the pre-construction interview, Patrick explained his viewpoint on his disabilities. He said that he actually views sighted people with the disability because, by not having sight, he is not distracted by physical appearance. He does not know what red, black, or yellow looks like. He only gets to know what a person is like on the inside and that is something that he considers as an advantage.

Wow! Such an eloquent point and a inspiring viewpoint.

What I have learned from daytime TV....

I seem to not have the patience to watch soap operas anymore. I basically don't watch anything between 12-3 because there are not any other choices besides soap operas (and maybe judge shows) and I really could be doing something more productive with my time. But I have learned a few things from the shows that come on during the other hours of the day.

1. From Montel Williams - Coconut water is really good for you. In fact, it is a great natural energy drink. It s excellent for replacing lost electrolytes from exercise and illness. It actually has 15 times the amount of potassium as most sports and energy drinks which helps regulate blood pressure and heart function. It also regulates the functioning of the intestine which can help to promote digestive health and can can help promote smoother, more hydrated skin. Another odd and interesting fact: The electrolyte profile of the coconut water is similar to human plasma. In World War II and the Vietnam War coconut water saved many soldiers lives. Doctors used coconut water as an intravenous solution to prolong life on the battlefield when IV solutions were in short supply. Coconut water was also injected directly into the blood stream to prevent dehydration. Coconut water can be found at health food stores and stores like Whole Foods.
   
2. From Rachel Ray - Black Vinegar has a hearty taste like balsamic vinegar and is great in salad dressings. It is also good for reducing high blood pressure and drinking a dose of vinegar each day became a popular health trend in Asia, so much so that vinegar bars started to become all the rage in Tokyo. In fact, drinking 15 milliliters of vinegar each day has been shown to lower high blood pressure. The compound also suppresses the buildup of lactic acid, which helps people to recover from fatigue; promotes secretion of saliva, which aids digestion; and contains antifungal agents. Black vinegar can be found at Asian markets.
3. From Suze Orman on Oprah - A messy house is an indicator that there is disorder and something unsettled in your life that needs attention. She was actually helping a family stop bailing out a sister/daughter who was using them as her own emergency fund and an excuse to not exercise her own fiscal responsibility. But I find that I do this when I am troubled, overwhelmed, or stressed by something in my life. I lose the energy to clean up and put away things. But it is important for me to take that time because it is an indicator about how I feel about myself.

So I guess daytime television is not all bad!

A funny Journeyman coincidence?

An article on Yahoo News about a recently re-opened FBI case where a man hijacked a plane and parachute jumped out of it with a briefcase of money, alluding authority sounds extremely familiar to all of us Journeyman watchers! Um, can you say Dylan McCleen?!?!?

This story smack of an episode on Journeyman, The Legend of Dylan McCleen, about a soldier from Vietnam who jumps from a plan with $150,000 never to been seen again and how Dan Vasser, the shows main character, ends up rendezvousing with him throughout time.

So this is interesting because we have a family friend who is in business development for a TV production studio in LA (at least through the end of January -- if this writer's strike continues she will be out of work in February but that is another story!) Anyway, her job is to not only read new scripts that come into the studio but also to look for interesting news stories etc that might make good ideas for new shows. I guess the writers of Journeyman follow a similar process to get ideas for new episodes. I think what they came up with sounds a little more interesting than this true story, although I am amazed that this guy was actually allowed to hijack a commercial airliner, submit demands and actually get them.

Watch episode 105, The Legend of Dylan McCleen here on NBC.com

No, no, no! We must save Journeyman!!!

http://www.candorville.com/wordpress/2008/01/01/journeyman/

I am upset! You may remember in my post about visiting LA a few months ago I mentioned seeing the pilot for a new show named Journeyman that is on NBC. On the surface this show seemed a little Quantum Leap-esque but week after week I continued to get drawn into this show! It is not often that I like a new show so much right off. I mean, I let a whole season of Lost go by and it wasn't until the summer season re-run that I got interested in that show. But Journeyman is really pretty intriguing and smart. It is not a corny travel back in time show. It really shows a more "realistic" viewpoint of what might happen if you mysteriously started traveling back in time randomly with little control, what it would do to you, the effect it would have on your family and job, what would happen if you were tempted to try to change things about your life, what would happen if you left things from the future in the past etc....

I mean this is really interesting stuff! And I have been sitting rivoted to my TV (or Tivo) after Heroes every Monday just to see the next installment. Now there are very strong rumors that the show has been canceled by NBC, right in the midst of this writer's strike and the show's ardent fans (I am starting to become one of those as well) are launching a multi-faceted campaign to let NBC and other networks know how much we like the show.
Prong 1: Spreading comments across numerous message boards, comment areas etc, sharing our enthusiasm for the show and our disappointment at a possible cancellation, especially NBC messageboards. Here is a listing of a few key ones to hit:

http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showforum=93
http://save-journeyman.blogspot.com/
http://www.ew.com/ew

imdb.com Journeyman message board

youtube.com (search and comment on journeyman videos)
digg.com (search for Journeyman articles, digg them and comment. If you don’t already have a digg account, it’s really quick to create one and very easy to use)

Prong 2: Sending Rice-a-Roni boxes to NBC in support/protest because since Journeyman is set in San Francisco, we think of it as the latest"San Francisco treat!" Corny, I know.... but effective. When tons of Rice-a-Roni boxes show up at NBC studios, someone is going to notice. Info on where to send the boxes can be found here: http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showtopic=779766

Prong 3: Organized download-aramas organizing fans to download episodes from NBC.com at organized times to show NBC how big the fan base is. The first one is scheduled for today, January 7 at 10pm (the regular time for the show, which is not airing today.) Fans, those interested in finding out what the show is about etc should download/stream/watch the first episode of the season "Love of a Lifetime" at 10pm from NBC.com

It just upsets me that in this age where what is real TV is being increasingly replaced by meaningless reality dribble like he return of American Gladiators, any number of the new mindless gameshows based strictly on luck or chance, oh, and lets not forget the karaoke shows, or the 50 million shows about the real life of some rapper or celebrity du jour (Irv Gotti, the Kardasians, Kimora Lee Simmons, Snoop -- do I really need to see their everyday life on a weekly basis!?!?) that a show that is complex, detail oriented, smart and intriguing can be canceled while shows like Fear Factor are allowed to live on in perpetuity!

I urge you, if you are a fan of Journeyman, let your voice be heard. If you have not ever watched an episode, check them out at NBC.com. But please people, let the studio know that we actually care to see well-written, suspenseful fiction protrayed by professional actors on our TVs!


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080101/ap_on_re_us/looking_for_cooper

Spotlight on Cathy Hughes

Watching the movie, Talk to Me, influenced me to do some more research on Cathy Hughes and her company, Radio One. Although an ancilliary story to the movie, the movie really introduces us to the beginnings of an African-American radio empire, that many may not know anything about.

Radio One is the seventh largest radio broadcasting company in the country which targets African American and urban markets and owns 70 stations in 22 cities. It was the first African-American woman-owned company to be traded on the stock exchange. It is responsible for the syndicated Russ Parr Morning Show

Additionally, in a joint venture with Comcast Corporation, the company created TVOne with lifestyle and entertainment oriented programming for African American adults.

But all these amazing accomplishments underpin an impressive personal story. Cathy Hughes was born and grew up in a housing project in Omaha, Nebraska. Extremely smart and ingenuious, she was the first African-American to attend a pretegious catholic school in the area and had a job at the age of 14 with the local African-American newspaper selling classified ads. However, when she found herself pregnant at age 16, her dreams became derailed....temporarily. Fueled by the determination to provide a good life for her son, she turned her passion for urban owned media into a media empire. For more information on her inspiring life story, read this profile on the Nebraska State Education Association website.

So it has happened......

We have gotten to the point in the season when American Idol annoys me and I stop watching.....

This is typically the point when the popularity contest portion of the show overweighs the talent/singing component......

I started to lose some interest when Sabrina got voted off a few weeks ago.... But I am officially disengaged now. Stephanie, who has one of the best voices, got voted off yesterday and Sanjaya and Hailey are still on the show....... The pre-pubescent white boys and girls of America are deciding this competition......

I guess I shouldn't be surprised..... this is, after all, season 6! But for some reason I keep holding out the hope that the one with the most talent will actually win one of these seasons.... (Well, Fantasia was good....)

I suppose I should be happy for Stephanie, she has escape the "Top Ten" and I think that means that she won't be obligated to tour with this group for the next year or make a record with these folks, after the show is over..... I mean, look what Jennifer Hudson did with her ticket back home.....

So Stephanie goes the way of Tamyra Gray and LaToya London...... Hopefully she will get some good management out of this opportunity and use it as a stepping stone. Everyone seems to forgot that she is only 19!

And I think, even though I still love LaKisha, Melinda & Jordan (and even Blake) and would be happy if one of them won it all, I don't think that I will be watching the show so much anymore....

I am......disillusioned once again......