Sunday, November 27, 2005
"we gathered together....
to eat a bunch of turkey." That is my friend Hana and me, at the Meriwether restaurant in Southfield on thanksgiving day. And yes, we remembered to be thankful for our [recalcitrant] families and friends, furry friends, fun news groups and web sites, fellow bloggers and plenty of food. A low key, but completely satisfactory thanksgiving.
Also said a word of gratitude for the programmers at FNC who saw fit to give us an almost full week of Brian Wilson filling in for Brit Hume (we were still stuck with that wily Jim A on Friday). Brian was his usual spirited and humorous self, and I wished again that we could see more of him more often.
I'm watching his Sunday afternoon 2 hours right now, and am wondering something. Brian used to talk about how the various reporters from around the world would be debriefing us on their various stories. Then one day a few months ago, he rather defiantly (at least I thought so) said that (paraphrasing here) "no matter what anyone says, we will continue to talk about reporter defriefs". After that, I've never heard him talk about debriefing reporters again. Did a higher up just find this sort of talk too sexy or what?
Posted by Kate ::
12:50 PM ::
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Thursday, November 24, 2005
"Over a coupla Great Lakes and through the woods...
...to Foxhouse Kate's we go! " OK, best friend, difficult nephews and troublesome others--you're gone, history. Make your own box of Stovetop. You too Iain. Maybe you can get a turkey haggis in Edinburgh. Maybe Denny's or the local IHOP will be open. I'm cooking for my FNC favorites. I'll play fair, and won't invite them all. Just an even exchange for you losers, but I get to still be me.
Hosting help and guest of honor (have fun on the golf course Iain!): if youve read my blog before, you already know that this chair falls to Brian Wilson. Brian, I'd love it if you could bring some of your special cornbread stuffing (make enough to share please), because you won't like my oyster version. I pick him because he looks like he's not too shy around a dinner table and strikes me as an affable guy, able to keep peace amongst the various guests. Also because I wear my Kiss the Cook apron on TDay.
Since Mom will be likely slouched on a sofa trying not to be miserable, I'm saving her share of the turkey for Martha MacCallum. Mom is always most concerned that everyone gets plenty to eat and is comfortable and happy, and Martha seems like she could do that. If Martha can't make it on short notice, I want Jane Skinner to be mom. She too seems to be a kind and caretaking soul, and I bet she'd bring an extra dessert.
I dont like Juliet Huddy much, partly because she reminds me of me in some of the ways I don't like about myself; she comes off as vapid, arrogant, vain and shallow. But she too seems fun-loving and self-assured, so I'm having her stand in for sis. I expect we'll argue and annoy each other, possibly throw a little food, and 'mom' will be embarrassed of both of us. We all three (I think) are real blondes, and are all that natural looking, cheerful, girl-next door type. However, both sis and I would kill to be as tall and long-leggedy as Juliet.
Mike Jerrick will be standing in for the bro-in-law, so he and Juliet will be comfortable together. Mike and bro-in-law are both sophisticated and polished, but slightly jaded and world weary types. A few too many wives and a few too many inhalations, as our illustrious erstwhile ambassador Joe Wilson likes to say of himself, applies here too. Like my family member, Mike probably works too little, parties too hard, flirts too often and grooms himself a bit too seriously. Loveable nonetheless.
My best friend will be played by Lauren Hill. Maybe because were both musicians, I feel a real affinity for Lauren Hill. She tends to be serious when everyone else is laughing riotously, but then toss out a one-liner that's over everyone else's head, and I bet she isn't afraid to help load up a dishwasher and kvetch about everyone else. I expect that her usually serious demeanor hides a subversive humor that rears its head when she's relaxed, so I'll make sure that either Brian or I keep her wine glass filled.
E.D. Hill is standing in for best friend's mom. E.D. seems absolutely competent: she'll be right to the minute about when the turkey is done, she'll carve the turkey herself is Brian isn't doing it properly, she'll know exactly how much flour to add to the drippings to make gravy and she'll tell you when the mashed potatoes have enough butter and salt. If you can't do it properly, she can and will. Just get out the way. Oh, and buy her book.
I call my older godson perfect boy. He potty trained himself, hes never sassed his mom in all of his 15.5 years, he's tall and handsome, he makes all A's even in honors classes, is president of the Robotics Club (really!), plays a super game of baseball, sings in his church choir (by choice!), plays the piano WELL, is a budding chessmaster and is planning to start up his own business this coming summer. And he has a sly, wicked sense of humor. I'm inviting James Rosen to fill in for perfect boy. He looks like he may have made more mischief than perfect boy, but he projects that all-round-nice-guy, menschy quality that my godson has.
The 12 year old godson will be played by Brian Kilmeade. I bet his mother could tell us plenty about his teenage problems, but he turned out AOK. Hes intelligent, cute, funny (of course theres that Man-Bag issue) and is a best selling author. Buy his book too.
The Rhodesian Ridgeback will be replaced by Steve Doocy's dog. I've chosen his dog, only because I can't remember anyone else mentioning one. Don't know what kind it is, but as long as Tallis will tolerate him, he'll do.
This is my fantasy replacement guest list. Will let you know how my day actually turned out.
Dont forget to be thankful. We all have a lot more than we usually remember to appreciate. Enjoy even your irritating family members-youll miss them when they're dead. Don't give turkey bones to the dogs, but make sure they get something special too (mine have already had popcorn). Put the leftovers away as soon as youre done eating. Help the hosts with a spot of cleanup duty before collapsing on the sofa.
A blessed Thanksgiving Day to all.
Posted by Kate ::
10:20 AM ::
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Wednesday, November 23, 2005
it just won't be thanksgiving...
...without any of the guests who were planning to come to my feast. Ive spent the past two months supervising landscapers, wallpaper strippers, painters and various other fixer upper types of workpeople just to make sure that every nook and cranny in my house was sparkling and freshly tended. I ordered lots of new furniture, new fireplace insert and accoutrements, new rugs, had a decorator in to make it all work-- all since mid-September. OK, you're right-- I did nothing at all toward making the estate a better place to live in the 10 previous months. Still I've been manic for the last two.
Counting myself, I was having 9 friends and family members for the weekend. Last week, my best friend in the whole world,who responsibly maintains one of those pesky things called a job, realized that even though her position is a lofty one, she still ought, at least as a courtesy to the CEO, to get official sign-off for her taking a very long weekend away. Well guess what? During the past year, the business had shed itself of one layer of middle management, leaving her presence at work on those big retail days imperative. So as of last week, TDay fell short one best friend, one 15 year old godson, one best friend's mother and the sweetest Rhodesian Ridgeback youd ever want to meet.
That makes it just me and my family for dinner, shopping and snarfing up leftovers. Still a houseful, still lots of fun, right? However, as of yesterday, my family's enthusiasm for the 4 hour ride has become tenuous and tentative. My mom had an MRI last Monday, hoping to get a diagnosis of a mysterious pain (they're thinking pinched nerve, or something similar) along with satisfactory medication, but for some reason, we have been as yet unable to get results. It's a week later, come on! And the 12 year old nephew/godson has missed most of this past week's school for a sinus infection. And sis is stretched to her limits trying to deal with a mom in pain, a sick son, a bunch of Dr visits and a big sis who keeps calling up and saying: "Waaah! I don't know whether to buy a turkey and oysters or not. Waahh". And now even the person I counted on for helping with kitchen and hosting duties here may be off early to Scotland. I know just how that guy in the Scream painting feels.
But even as I mourn this fast fading vision of family togetherness, replete with holiday joy and copious quantities of food, my mind keeps wandering, and the old familiar strains of that ever popular holiday ballad "I'm dreaming of a Foxy TDay" are running persistently through my head......
To be continued.
Posted by Kate ::
4:03 PM ::
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Friday, November 11, 2005
thank god science is there for us
Thought I'd poke my nose in as Kate is gearing up for a busy weekend that might keep her away from blogging.
Browsing the news today, I came across two articles that made me thankful that scientists are out there, delving into the questions of the universe and providing us with deep, insightful conclusions. In particular:
- Scientists: Sleepy Students Perform Worse
- Psychological distress tied to bullying
How surprising! How unexpected! In each case, who amongst us could have possibly come up with these conclusions? Certainly not I!
Your tax dollars at work.
Posted by Renaldo ::
12:53 PM ::
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my new look
After much angst and wringing of the hands, i have finally launched a new design for this blog. Some of you may have seen some changes come and go as we were tweaking some layouts over the past week or so. It's nice to finally shake of the shackles of the Blogger standard design templates. (Thanks to Caz for making his great template designs available.)
So what do you think? Better or worse? Leave your comments at the link below.
Posted by Kate ::
10:43 AM ::
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Wednesday, November 09, 2005
a leg up on fox and friends 1st
I happened to notice today on fox & friends 1st that everyone has a laptop on the coffee table in front of them, but Kiran always seems to have the screen on hers folded back. She reaches down and pulls it up when she needs to read it, but pushes it right back down when she's finished. It seemed like an innocent quirk at first, until i realized that the screen blocks the view of her legs when it's up. Does fox have a policy that requires their glam anchors to keep their gams on display? At least Kiran's got a leg to stand on if that's the case.
Posted by Kate ::
9:55 AM ::
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Tuesday, November 08, 2005
no, no, no MSNBC--wrong "M" word!
The "M" was supposed to stand for "Middle", not "Maury" (see post of 11/2). Why would you expect that out of the clear blue sky people are wondering how they can learn more about Maury Povich and Connie Chung? FNC, an established ratings winner, could put this on and we'd at least give it a fair shake because they have built a bank of good will with their viewers. CNN could run it, and we'd give it a shot because it would at least be a break from Wolf and Coop. But no one is going to get out their satellite or cable guide to find where you are just so they can see "smart conversation" between people who have been married for 20 years. I'm not sure that people who have been married for 20 years have smart conversations anyway. You just might want to rethink that "middle" idea I tossed your way. I don't think you'd be sorry.
Posted by Kate ::
3:20 PM ::
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now we can pay to watch TV for free
Sometimes you just have to wonder where the proofreaders are:
"LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A pair of separate deals announced Monday between CBS and Comcast, as well as NBC Universal and DirecTV, soon will allow viewers to pay to watch current primetime broadcast hits just hours after they air for free."
Full story here.
Posted by Kate ::
11:23 AM ::
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Saturday, November 05, 2005
coop and aaron
I have never really like Aaron Brown, no, not for one minute, but I've always respected his thoughty, haughty style. And I've liked Anderson Cooper from the day he started on CNN (only partly for that great hair and upper-crust background), and saw him as a wave of the future type anchor, but never thought there wasn't plenty of room for both of them.
There's no question that FNC is currently the big winner in the TV News Channel Wars, and I saw Coop as CNN's attempt to develop their own Shepard Smith--couldn't blame them for trying. Both Shep and Coop did great reporting from the Katrina Zone, and while Shep is already a major star at FNC, one couldn't fault Klein (CNN's newbie big cheese) for trying to capitalize on the current Cooper buzz. Shep has already paid his dues both as reporter and anchor, and those who liked the passion and empathy he brought to his Katrina reporting had a framework of respect for his long term body of work at FNC on which to hang it. Coop too brought an emotional quality to Katrina days that we wouldn't have seen in your father's anchormen or reporters. The difference between Shep and Coop is that Cooper has been at CNN for only a few years, and has made 360 well worth watching, but has few basic anchoring and reporting credentials, beside his looks (Oh, I'm forgetting that reality show that he hosted). So boiled down to simplest (and highly subjective terms), Cooper has been given the keys to CNN because he can display emotion with the best of them. Well, being able to cry on command does not a successful anchor make, nor does that in itself make for continued solid reporting. Shep showed sadness, even indignation, for the victims of Katrina, but emoting is certainly not part of his normal palette of expressions as an anchor. Let's see what Anderson Cooper has beside the ability to cry on cue.
N.B. I couldn't provide you with CNN's link to Aaron Brown because it's already gone.
Posted by Kate ::
7:07 AM ::
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it's not only because they think jerry lewis is brilliant
What is going on in France? I thought they were all supposed to be happy campers looking down on our cowboy ways?
Posted by Kate ::
6:54 AM ::
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Thursday, November 03, 2005
an example of gracious senatorial leadership
(Please do not reply to this email)
Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
I receive a large volume of E-mails, phone calls, faxes and letters every
week from concerned citizens like yourself.
Unfortunately, due to the high volume of mail, I can only respond if
you're a resident of Pennsylvania. If you need to find out who your U.S.
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If you are a resident of Pennsylvania, and still recieving this message,
it simply means that I need you to use my web form to send your message to
me. Please go to http://www.specter.senate.gov/, click on the link "Contact Info"
and then click on "Contact Form".
Posted by Kate ::
6:19 PM ::
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should karl resign?
My trusty, usually infallible moral compass is failing me on the ethics of this one. A resignation should certainly not be tendered because the dems didn't get the bloodletting they were hoping for when only Libby was indicted, and certainly not because of any speculation on what exactly his lawyer offered to Fitzgerald.
But maybe because of W's strong stance on saying that anyone connected to a leak would be history, and maybe because Karl's really not needed in this White House any longer. Karl's greatest genius is in orchestrating elections, not necessarily in developing programs or policy. Indubitably, we're in the very predictable second term doldrums, and without a doubt, this White House admin needs some new ideas and new faces. If a shake up replaced Karl with say, Ken Mehlman, Karl would be free to begin orchestrating the next winning presidential campaign, perhaps best behind the scenes as he waits to find out when and on whom Fitz will drop the other shoe? How do he and Condi get along? Rudi? Jeb?
Posted by Kate ::
12:28 PM ::
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all wolf all the time
Memo to FNC:
Shep is terrific; there's no one like him, but please do not build your schedule around his talents, as CNN seems to be doing for Wolf . Overexposure is the quickest way to wear out an enthusiastic welcome, as legions of pop singers and teeny idols can tell you. Oddest thing is, CNN's Klein trying to shove Coop in everywhere seems to have lead to this overdose of Wolf-of-the-many-screens. Can't wait to see how this plays out. And Kyra--not good enough to want to see for 2 hours, especially with that peculiar shade of red she's currently sporting on her head.
Aaron Brown, didn't much like your style, but thought you were classy and intelligent. Hope you land on your feet. I hear they're in the market for a grown up style anchor at CBS and ABC, and MSNBC could certainly use a dose of class. Good luck
Posted by Kate ::
9:46 AM ::
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Wednesday, November 02, 2005
who puts that twinkle in shep's eyes?
My bet is that it's Ciba with their pearlescent contact lenses.
When people first notice Shep, they tend to first notice his stunning eyes. Men say, "I like that Smith OK, but what creepy eyes!", women, "that Shep has such a sparkle and twinkle to his eyes--adorable". When recently shopping for contacts, I strayed a bit afield from the tinted-just- so-you-don't-lose-them, and tried on some of the more novel effects. As soon as I tried on the shimmers, I knew (or at least thought I knew) Shep's secret.
Posted by Kate ::
8:02 PM ::
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help for MSNBC
I blog to be helpful, and I give good advice, I know. If Harriet had just listened to me about the make-up and clothes on the very day of her nomination, she might be on her way to confirmation even now. If Lauren Green had taken my advice and had her photo on the FNC web site updated to make her look less like an 8mile hooker, she might be getting the on-air time that Kiran Chetry is. If some of the FNC personnel took half of the Lady MacBethian ideas I send them via email seriously, they would be ruling FNC's world today.
Now I have some helpful words for MSNBC. Remember them? They were going to be the first truly interactive (with their audience) news source, and all of the hip-hoppers were going to flock to them to see their hot and trendsetting star anchor, Soledad O'Brien. Well, CNN now has Wolf's personal multiplex, and Soledad is now their pearl strand wearing, middle aged mommy morning host (with much more in common with Jane Pauley than with Shep Smith), FNC has masterered viewer interaction and cornered the youngish male market with its swift pace and knockout female news anchors and reporters, and MSNBC is still the news channel of also-ran wannabes.
MSNBC, there is still a way in which you can succeed and make your own bold mark on this business, and although it may not sound the most glamorous route, when the advertisers line up to pay top rates for time on your network, you can buy all the glamour you want:
- Find a middle road that speaks to middle-everything America: middle age, middle class, middle geographically, middle-brow (that may be a step up from the competition). Here's a free slogan idea for you: "MSNBC. The M stands for Middle". Have your marketing team play with it.
- This middle road has to be cultural and physical as well as political. Big, splashy art exhibits open in art museums other than the Met (yes there are major American cities with major American art museums west of the Hudson), first tier musical companies exist out here and performances of musical and dramatic works debut on the frontier. During the recent spate of heavy rains in the the northeast, I heard a FNC talking head say, "Oh no-more rain-well not rain all across the country, just rain in the Northeast where everybody lives". I lived on the east coast for long enough to be very familiar with the deeply held belief that beyond Philadelphia no civilization actually exists--but it does, and remarks like this are not only annoying to those of us west of Phila, they are alienating. To make this middle road real, rather than seem condescending, you're going to need to move your headquarters. Chicago would probably work well as your mother-ship, or how 'bout Detroit (property is cheap and business incentives are really good now), with maybe a secondary facility in Omaha, or DeMoines? These cities will be the center of the MSNBC universe from now on--when it's raining there, it's raining everywhere.
- The political middle road may be harder to find, but it will fall somewhere between FNC's take and CNN's. You'll need to study voting patterns to get a better feel, but your tone will be closer to conservative than liberal. Split the difference between the two big players, take the center, forcing them to be more extreme in order to differentiate themselves, and carve out a bigger share for yourself.
- I'm overgeneralizing here, but the youth market watches FNC and the oldsters CNN. You can woo the boomers and the older gen xers. You won't want the cutting edge newsguys of the future anchors like Shep or Anderson, but you can have the cream of the crop of the 40 something men and women who never quite made it to the top tier. These transitional type anchors are engaged in their stories, but don't want to project the touchy feely passion that viewers have come to admire in Shep and Anderson, nor do they project the stiff upper lipness of Cronkite. Brian Wilson of FNC would be the perfect candidate for your star anchorman. He projects heartland common sense, has a gracious style with guests, an appropriately wacky sense of humor and plays as the all 'round mensch we like here west of civilization. You can keep Lester if you must, but he will need to be sort of a specialty anchor, perhaps he can be a news anchor with a particular twist.
- That other John Roberts reminded us of a phrase most of us (one hopes) haven't heard since high school, "Sloppy Seconds", when asking about Sam Alito. Forget that phrase. What you want to do is hire the really good, but non a-listers away from CNN and FNC. They already have a track record and their own followings, and if CNN and FNC didn't know they were good, they wouldn't keep them around. These are the really competent news people who either have already passed their star turns at their respective stations, or will never reach them there, usually because they're a few years too old, a few pounds too chubby or just not hip enough. Tucker Carlson should have brought you more viewers than he has, but you were on the right track when you snapped up Rita Cosby from FNC, and she's bringing in the numbers . Get her advice on who else you might snatch away from FNC, and in addition to Brian Wilson, take a good look at Lauren Green, Kelly Wright, Donna Fiducia, Carol Iovanna (all currently working for FNC), Aaron Brown (but wait till he completes his fall from grace--he'll be cheaper) and Carol Costello (both of CNN). You'll want diversity in both ethnic background and age in reaching the vast middle.
You'll have to take it from here, but I've given you a good game plan. Find me right here if you need any further help.
Posted by Kate ::
7:43 AM ::
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liberal bias
Although I'm currently a FNC watcher, I've rarely seen the rabidly pro-liberal bias in CNN that some cite, and usually discount minimal slants on their part as the price paid for having news researched and reported by real people (as I do for FNC). I continue to have a great deal of respect for CNN, both for being the parent of FNC and MSNBC, and for its flexibility in changing with changing times.
But twice in the past week, I have seriously questioned their neutrality in presenting news stories, and found their spin to be egregiously in error both times. On the Miers de-nomination, CNN's breaking news headline was worded to reflect that Harriet's name was being withdrawn by W, rather than by Ms Miers. Of course we all think we know the reality behind Harriet going back to her old job, but the officially correct version of the story was that Harriet Miers withdrew her own name from consideration. Secondly, I switched from Cavuto to Situation yesterday when CNN seemed to be giving more attention to Harry Reid's hissy fit and Bill Frist's emoting scene than was FNC. During Situation, Jack Cafferty did a spot of reading viewer email regarding the news of Tom Delay getting his wish for a new judge granted. His mail largely reflected the uninformed sentiment of viewers who believed that Delay simply did not want a Dem judge, and was able to have a switch because the defendant and judge would be of differing political parties. Certainly, the pic was larger than this, and to be fair, Wolf-of-the-many-screens tried to nudge Jack to acknowledge this to no avail. Thus the impression that Cafferty tried to convey stood.
There's a terrific blog that takes a neutral stance while it tries to compare the way CNN and FNC present the same stories. It's called CNN vs. FOX. Check it out and encourage that blogger to write more often!
Posted by Kate ::
7:12 AM ::
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