Tim's Black Friday memories/pickups

I hate Black Friday shopping with a passion. I used to work for Wal-Mart in the electronics section and always had to "open" on Black Friday, which meant I had to wake up extra early and deal with throngs of deal seeking "people." I use that term loosely because for some reason cheap TVs and other crap bring out the worst in people. I have seen it all from yelling, fighting, tugs of war over clothes to shopping carts being rammed into heels for people not moving fast enough.

During one year you could hear the rumbling of feet and carts coming from the front of the store. It sounded like a stampede, as if it were the Perris California running of the bulls or something. Another year all I did was fill the row in front of the department with 19 inch televisions, go to the back, load up more and repeat... for 3 hours. And, I apparently, wasn't going fast enough.

This, and an aversion to super large crowds, has helped me avoid going out for Black Friday door busters or sales only from 5 a.m. to noon. One exception is Target, who has done away with door busters in favor of two day sales. Meaning I can stroll in say around 10:30 a.m. get what I want and leave, without having to wait in line... like what happened this morning.

I picked up season 2 of "Psych" for $13.98, which I believe, is a great deal. The Target receipt says it normally costs $39.99. A good basis for comparison is the uber-cheap Web site Deep Discount DVD, which lists "Psych: Season 2" for $39.96. I'll take a $25 savings any day.

Another good deal, sort of, was the "I Am Legend" DVD for $3.98. I say sort of because it is the bare bones version with no real extra features other than some comics. Target lists it as originally costing $13 and Deep Discount DVD has it for $6.58. So I saved about $3.


Now you must excuse me so I can go watch Shawn and Gus perform "Shout."

Goodbye to the best show on television

So last night was the series finale of "The Shield" and wow it was a blockbuster of an episode to end the seven year run of the show.

For a show that started with one cop killing another in cold blood, "The Shield" is known for not pulling any punches and shocking viewers by going further than most shows would dare.

Last night was no different. If the shocks and plot twists throughout the span of the show were slaps across your face, then last night was a steel toe'd boot kick to the gut (including the wind being knocked out of you).

Characters died, some in shocking ways, and in the end everyone got what they deserved. For the real main characters (The Strike Team members) who were just bad people, well, they were basically really evil people, each in the end went out in ways they probably deserved.

I won't spoil it for those who watch it on DVD or have it saved on DVRs, but the last few minutes are both reflective and satisfying.

At a time where there isn't much on television that is worth watching (Yes, I am talking to you NBC) "The Shield" is a reminder that great television is possible and that there is Emmy worthy acting in strange places.

Best Bond girls

To many a Bond girl is just the woman James Bond sleeps with on his way to catching the bad guy, but the best Bond girls are the ones who can hold their own against Bond and don't always fall right into his arms.

Hands down the best Bond girl ever is Honor Blackman in "Goldfinger." She could win just for her name alone, Pussy Galore, however, she is also a pilot for Goldfinger who isn't charmed by Bond. She's not a blind follower of the villain, she just enjoys being paid well. You can't help but admire her independent spirit. She does eventually succumb to Bond's charms, because, well, he is James Bond.

Running a close second is Michelle Yeoh in "Tomorrow Never Dies." She plays Bond's Chinese counterpart Wai Lin. Yeoh is probably the only Bond girl to kick butt better than Bond. When she uses her extensive martial arts skills to take down several bad guys in a Chinese safe house, it is one of the best Bond fight scenes ever.

Finally there is Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp in "Goldeneye." As villainous Bond girls go, she is the best. She uses her sex appeal to lure unsuspecting victims and she takes a lot of pleasure in her job. When she and Bond face off, he gets the upper hand, but I always assumed it was because she wanted him to have it. She completely steals the spotlight from Izabella Scorupco.

I'm sure there will be plenty of arguing, but then again, it's not exactly a bad topic to argue about.

Bond, Bauer or Bourne

There was a time when James Bond was the only secret agent that mattered. However, now his crown is being challenged by new heroes Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne.

So the question is, who's the best secret agent? Let's start by examining their qualifications.

James Bond is a oo-agent with MI6, he has a license to kill, a gadget for every occasion and can make any woman change sides with just a wink or a smile.

Jack Bauer is a former Counter Terrorist Unit agent who has stopped assassinations and nuclear threats and has sacrificed himself and his family for his country.

Jason Bourne was an assassin for the CIA, since losing his memory he has used his skills to evade the government and get at the truth behind his past.

Best Kill: Bourne, he once killed a guy during a fight with a magazine. Honorable Mention: Bond has the most kills, so he does have the longest list to choose from.

Best Interrogator: Bauer, if you need information from the enemy, nobody tortures a guy like Jack. Honorable Mention: Bond's techniques are more fun if a woman is involved.

Best Undercover Agent: Bond, he will always find a way to infiltrate the villain's organization, whether it's by sleeping with the bad guy's girl or just knocking someone out and stealing their uniform.

Best One-Liners: Bond by a mile, Bauer takes himself very serious and Bourne doesn't even talk half the time.

Better Villains: Bauer, in this new world, his bad guys are more realistic.

The Winner: Bond, while Bourne and Bauer are a little single-minded during their missions, Bond always has time for some romance or maybe a little gambling.

His ability to multi-task while saving the world makes him the clear choice, plus he has the experience having been a spy a good 40 years longer than the other guys.

He should watch his back though, because Bauer and Bourne are closing in on him.

Best James Bond villains

As much as I enjoyed Goldfinger in "Goldfinger," my favorite old-school James Bond villain is Jaws from "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker."

He was superior to Bond in both size and strength which made him a menacing opponent, much more than Mathieu Almalric's screaming like a girl Dominic Greene from "Quantum of Solace." Plus, as a child I was scared of Jaws' metal teeth. Those kinds of things stay with you. Yes he was a bumbling idiot, but he also was sort of Jason Vorhees like where no matter what happened to him like falling from great distances he would always just get up and keep going.


More recently, I would say that Sean Bean's Alec Trevelyan from "Goldeneye"
was my favorite. He was a former 00 agent like Bond and was a formitable foe by being Bond's equal in brains and athletic ability. I think that is what the Daniel Craig versions are missing, one main person to stand up to Bond and not get killed in a few seconds. And no Mr. White does not count.

Best James Bond movies

Without a doubt my favorite James Bond movie is "Goldfinger." Great action, plot, Bond girl, henchman Oddjob and evil villain Goldfinger. It was the most well-rounded of those pre-90s Bond films. It also has one the coolest deaths and iconic scenes in the Bond films where Shirley Eaton was covered in gold paint. So iconic in fact that the new Bond film "Quantum of Solace" does their own version of that scene.

Of the more recent films I like "Goldeneye." Seems as if I have a facination with gold in the titles. Note to producers, make the next Bond film have the word gold somewhere in the title.

Best James Bond Actors

For me you can't really beat Sean Connery at all. But, I believe that Pierce Brosnan gets really close. His performance in "Goldeneye" was great and he nailed it right out of the gate. He could pull off the action and make you smirk at the things that were kind of funny.

Sure "The World is Not Enough" is a stinker of a Bond film, but it was not due to Brosnan as Bond. He did the best with what he had to work with, kind of like George Clooney in "Batman and Robin." He also had great chemistry with the Bond girls and Judi Dench as M.

Let the hate mail begin!

'Heroes!'

This week on "Heroes" we saw...

Wait, really, I am just going to bash it again.

Is there a point of continuing to kick someone while they are down? Beating a dead horse?

'Happy' Halloween?

I don't know if it's just me, but wow has Halloween changed since I was a child.

Sure we still carve pumpkins and people still hand out candy, but everything else just seems to be wonky.

Some Halloween night observations from me sitting out in front of my house:

1. A lot of children/teenagers with no costumes trick or treating. I even saw two 10-12 year olds with no costumes, but chatting on their cell phones. Can have a cell phone, but no costumes?

2. Two older ladies trick or treating, no costumes.

3. A teenage girl wearing a skimpy maid outfit. She wasn't carrying a bag, so she lifted up her skirt up to carry the candy around. Very inappropriate. Sad thing? Her parents were with her...

4. A car pulls up, a kid in a "Scream" outfit jumps out and runs up to get some candy. He runs back to the car, the car pulls away and stops two houses down. Rinse and repeat a few more times. My jaw was on the floor. I have never witnessed lazy trick or treating before.

5. Wearing a mask over regular clothes is NOT a costume!

One thing that did impress me was the amounts of "Thank you's" that I got. That, for sure, made up for all of the above annoying things.

Viewpoints on... "The Office'

Check out the staff members of Viewpoints take on the latest episode of "The Office." Join the funniest panel of writers covering the funniest show on television! And not sad funny like "Heroes."

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Viewpoints on 'Heroes'

Check out the staff members of Viewpoints take on the latest episode of "Heroes." Nothing is safe from making fun of, even time traveling heroes!

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E for All Video Game Expo

I'm live from the E for All gaming expo where the emphasis this year is on accessories. Don't get me wrong there's plenty of video games to be found, but it seems as though manufacturers have decided accessories are where the money is at.

All the top games are represented here somehow, with "Guitar Hero 3" and "Rock Band 2" being the most popular. These games are made for someone like me who likes to hang out and play with friends, but has no hand-eye-coordination.

As a matter of fact I just tried out "Guitar Hero 3" and it was loads of fun. It includes a lot of the songs that you always wished were on "Rock Band." For about three and a half minutes I really thought I was the lead singer of Bon Jovi.

E for All isn't just about playing games, there are several colleges here with information on Gaming development and graphic design programs. There is also a full day of career seminars about breaking into the gaming industry.

Apparently in these uncertain times one thing never changes and that is the public's desire to become a rock star and blow stuff up.

Why America needs Ricky Gervais

After sitting through the atrocity that was the Emmys, one thing became abundantly clear. America should steal Ricky Gervais from Britain.

Gervais was the only funny thing in an extremely unfunny show. Now there are rumors floating around that producers want Gervais to host the Oscars.

Having watched his hilarious job hosting the BAFTA's (Britain's Oscars,) all I can say is someone offer him any amount of money he wants to make this happen.

Right now Hollywood is saturated with remakes and updates of old properties and Gervais is one of the few actors doing original material. From "The Office" to "Extras" everything he does is funny, so why not have him put his unique slant on a ridiculously long and boring show. You know the Academy does not want the kind of reviews and bad press that the Emmys had to deal with.

By the way if you haven't seen the British version of "The Office" you should immediately head to Netflix and put it at the top of your list.

NBC is ruining the Olympics

Several years ago NBC paid an exorbitant amount of money for the exclusive TV rights to the Olympic games. With its stable of cable channels and 24 hour Internet access NBC advertised that they would have 3600 hours of coverage. They failed to mention that it would be 3600 hours of awful coverage.

First of all I understand that NBC can't control a 15 hour time difference. What they can do is show me live events as they happen. They had the entire Olympics rescheduled just so they could televise gymnastics, swimming and other top sports live. Unfortunately, they meant only live on the east coast. For those of us on the west coast, we get a tape delay.

This is nothing new for us west coasters, we generally get everything on tape delay. Everything but top sporting events and the Oscars. If only the Olympics were important enough to equal the Oscars. They only happen every four years, that's not that special.

So while the rest of the country was enjoying Michael Phelps amazing feats live, I was watching ESPN waiting for an update about an event that I would have to wait three hours to see. By the way, NBC has the audacity to leave that "Live" marker in the corner to mock me. The only time anything is ever actually live is at 2 in the morning when they're showing women's handball.

I love the Olympics. I love the spectacle, the sports, and the stories. All I want is for NBC to consider allowing me the privilege of enjoying it live.

Alicia Sacramone, Olympic champion

Women's gymnastics has always been the headlining attraction during week one of the Olympics. In recent years the men's competition has gained more exposure, making it just as fascinating. At these games head to head battles with China have made gymnastics one of the most anticipated events of the games.

Monday night the US men won bronze paving the way for the women to defend their World Champion titles. The women were literally doing direct battle with China because they were competing on the same rotation. The US started off strong on vault and uneven bars, but then came the balance beam. At just four inches wide it is considered the make or break apparatus. The Chinese were up first and they were really shaky, leaving the door wide open for the US. Unfortunately, team captain Alicia Sacramone fell off the beam during her opening move. Just like that the US's hopes to strike back against the Chinese were gone. It should be noted here that even with all the mistakes they made the Chinese were still given remarkably high scores. While the host country always receives a bump, these scores were out of control. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson recovered enough to keep the US in contention, but they would need a huge effort in the floor exercise.

This time the Americans would compete first and once again Alicia Sacramone would lead the way. She appeared ready to redeem herself until a disastrous second tumbling pass where she landed on her back closed the door on the gold. As she left the floor team coach Marta Karoly seemed unable or perhaps unwilling to comfort Sacramone who looked for a private moment that the cameras would not give her.

The US won the silver and the Chinese took gold, leaving Russia with the bronze. Many will call this a failure by the Americans, however I think it is an example in how to lose with class and grace. Sacramone, who at 20 is the oldest member of the team, took all the blame on herself and didn't fail to answer the questions of a rabid press ready to point out her every flaw. To me that is the measure of a true team captain and champion.

So while many will remember how Alicia Sacramone fell, I will remember how she stood up with her teammates as they won the silver medal.

Michael Phelps Backlash

Michael Phelps is great. There's no denying it, the guy can swim. However, he's not single-handedly saving the world or anything. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan, but according to NBC he's the second coming.

After the US's amazing comeback in the 4x100 meter relay all anyone talked about was how his hopes for 8 gold medals were still alive. I felt like this was a slap in the face to the other swimmers on the team. They didn't even have a shot at gold until Jason Lesak's fantastic swim on the anchor leg. Sure Lesak got some press, but it was still all about Phelps. No one even mentioned Cullen Jones or Garret Weber-Gale. They were the other guys on the team in case you were wondering.

Phelps is already being called the greatest Olympian ever, which is ridiculous when you consider the complete history of the Olympics. For my money I don't think he'd make the top ten at this point.

At the moment NBC is like a 13 year old girl who just met The Jonas Brothers. They can't contain their love for Phelps. My question is where is the love for the US men's gymnastics team or Togo's Benjamin Boukpeti?

The gymnastics team was spot on last night when they won the bronze medal. Everyone nailed their routines and there was a real camaraderie evident. Boukpeti won Togo's first ever Summer Olympics medal by taking the bronze in men's single kayak slalom. However, these stories are overshadowed by Phelps quest for 8 gold medals. If NBC isn't careful they will be ground zero for an outbreak of Phelps backlash.

Are the Olympics still relevant?

There have been a lot of questions recently about whether the Olympics still matter in today's world. Last night's opening ceremonies answered those questions with a resounding yes. Between athletes carrying in their countries' flags with pride and million dollar superstars experiencing a pride they don't get from their day jobs, these ceremonies had a story for everyone.

Generally the opening ceremonies are a chance for the host country to showcase why it was awarded the honor of putting on the games. China chose to showcase the beauty of its history and its people. The artistry and precision of an ancient culture was displayed with a nod to the advancements of a modern society.

As the parade of nations began commentators wondered if the politics of the world would impact the recepetion of certain countries. The answer to that question was no, as all 11,000 athletes were welcomed with cheers. Even countries like Japan and Taiwan, who China has long and storied conflicts with, were greeted warmly. Athletes from Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan marched proudly, momentarily forgetting the war zones they left behind.

Finally the moment came that 1.3 billion people had been waiting for when the Chinese delegation entered the stadium. They were led by flag bearer and basketball superstar Yao Ming. He was led by a 9 year old earthquake survivor who not only dug himself out of the rubble but returned to free two classmates. When asked why he went back, the young hero replied that he was a class leader and hall monitor and that it was his responsibility. Stories like that prove how relevant the Olympic games are to our world.

The cauldron was lit in breathtaking fashion as gymnastics champion Li Ning danced around the top of the stadium on a LED screen that revealed the torch's progress to that spectacular moment. The majesty of that moment proved that the Olympic games gives the world reason to hope that our similarities can outweigh our differences.

Why TV executives are dumb

Recently the major networks held their upfronts. This is when they announce new shows and officially cancel failed shows from the previous season. With the invention of Tivo/DVR and the rise of original cable programming the networks have been in bad shape lately, and you can bet that writer's strike didn't help.

Of course all the hits are sure things, "Heroes," "Grey's Anatomy" and the various CSIs all get immediate pickups.

New shows with breakout stars or big numbers are also in. Shows like "Private Practice" and "Dirty Sexy Money," are also in.

There were a few high profile flops this season, among them "Bionic Woman" and "Cane." Upon first glance these shows seemed like sure things. They had casts full of big name talent and their respective networks were throwing tons of cash into them. Unfortunately, money can't buy success and they're both gone.

The most nerve wracking part of upfronts week is the wait to see whether your favorite show on the bubble will be renewed.

Because of the strike there was a lack of material and it was said that networks would be kinder to bubble shows. For fans of "Moonlight," "New Amsterdam" and "Jericho" this wasn't quite true.

Fox decided to axe "New Amsterdam" to make room for the future classic "The Moment of Truth." I suppose they have a one cult sci-fi show per season rule over there and this year "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" got the nod.

CBS canceled "Moonlight" and "Jericho" but kept "The Big Bang Theory." Are the inmates running the asylum over there? Oh and two more "Survivors" I can hardly wait. It's not like they've done the same show 16 times already. We get it they're in the jungle and there's backstabbing.

In a truly confounding move ABC is renewing "According to Jim." Has anyone ever heard another person say hey did you see "According to Jim" last night? I didn't think so. That makes me wonder who on this planet could possibly be watching that show. I don't think Jim Belushi is even watching.

NBC is trying to be different and claim that they have new programming all summer long. What they're really saying is that they're loading up on reality shows for three months until they can bring back "Heroes" and "The Office."

Another revelation discovered at the upfronts is that American TV producers have run out of ideas. Almost every network has at least one or two British shows being developed for America. British shows are great, BBC America is a fantastic channel. However, if I've already seen the original "Life on Mars" why do I need to watch ABC's copy.

The upfronts aren't all bad news. Some the new shows sound really interesting. FOX has the latest Joss Whedon project titled "Dollhouse." They also have J.J. Abrams's new show called "Fringe." The CW has already announced the return of a a little show called "90210."

The lesson of all this is to not get too attached because next year we may be talking about the failure of "90210," or how FOX pulled "Dollhouse" without airing the final six episodes.

I guess we could always turn off the TV and read a book, not likely though.

Huzzah!

I did it; I finally watched the entire second season of "Torchwood."

Unlike Stephanie I'm a Tivo junkie and spent the better part of my spring break catching up on Torchwood.

Things got a lot darker the second time around. But this doesn't mean they were all great ("Out of the rain")

Doctor Who: Partners In Crime

This was the first official episode of the new season and it felt great to see my old friend The Doctor back in action. After suffering some losses in the Christmas episode, it was time to lighten up. Cue Catherine Tate.

Last night's episode re-introduced Tate as The Doctor's new companion Donna Noble. Catherine Tate is very popular in England for her sketch comedy show and her comedic timing and sassy sensibility is a welcome addition to The Doctor's universe.

In the best scene last night, The Doctor and Donna get reacquainted from across a room using only hilarious sign language to communicate.

Based on this first outing and upcoming episodes Tate will bring a lot more comedy to The Doctor's world. She will also provide more balance as a companion because she will not be bogged down by hero worship like his previous companions.

I felt this was a great start to the new season, and with the surprise cameo at the end it appears we are in for a very interesting story arc.

Next week our heroes visit Pompeii and are faced with an impossible choice.