Central Arkansas Confidential

Well, the long the hiatus is over, I'm back, by unpopular demand!

 

Here's a bunch of little stuff I've missed over the break:

 

- I was totally sick for all my time off, it was awful. Started Christmas Eve and I'm still not completely over it.  Was it all that holiday Heroin..maybe..more likely it was exposure to children under 15 with runny noses.  The only good thing was being away from work for a week.  Even sick, it was better than any day at the desk. 

 

- Having been sick, I'm totally behind on all the movies I wished to see at the theaters...

 

- While I was sick, I watch me some of that daytime T.V.  Two interesting reruns I saw:  Ellen Degeneress had President Bill Clinton on (apparently sometime during Thanksgiving originally) and to make matters better, she had called some one who lived across the street from the studio in to visit, who brought her baby, and when the mom wheeled out on to the set Clinton scooped the kid up like he was on the campaign again.  No matter what you feel about that man, he is one of the smoothest operators you will ever see, he had the entire audience in the palm of his hand in a matter of twelve seconds.  Sure it was middle-aged women, but still, impressive. 

 

 

I also watched an episode of Oprah in which she and Anderson Cooper with the help of other hi-profile reporters did an expose on "America's Poor", showing the three sides of American Poverty:  1. The inner-city, minority, single parent who may or may not be a recovering drug addict; 2. the Appalachian country family, out of work, living on food stamps and well water with the stereotypical mountain accent and the 3. "working poor" who have jobs, etc. but just barely as they make too little to be secure and too much to qualify for government assistance.  It was all very compelling as multi-millionaire, old money familied, reporters took time out of their lives to tip toe through the lives and homes of these people and then get back on their Leer jets. 

   While I believe in drawing attention to the issue of our own countries poor, Winfrey and her many guests didn't offer any suggestions on how we combat this problem, no experts, no government officials, nada.  Oprah said she was personally fighting poverty through education iniatives (she has a luxury private school in South Africa that is being criticized for being too nice and elitest) and Cooper mearly shook his head in agreement, probably still on a high after Oprah called him "one of my new best friends". 

   Oprah can "urge" me all she wants, but I don't have almost a billion dollars in personal wealth, homes in Chicago, Malibu, Maui, London, South Africa, NYC, and a global enterainment empire through which to do that good, she does, I would like to see her use it on a larger scale instead of "My Favorite Things You Can't Afford" shows.  Follow Bill Gates lead.

 

 

-  According to a David Koon article in last week's Ark. Times  Sen. John McCain wants to stop child internet pornography by cracking down on any website with questionable content.  While a little liberally slanted, I especially liked "knuckle-dragging Republican", Mr. Koon brings up a good point that this type of legislation makes it possible for the regular, all be it somewhat sick, individual to wage cyber terrorism on a website.  I have submitted an inquiry to the McCain office for a formal explanation.  Witty staffer banter is on the way, I'm sure.  That's right, I'm not from your state, but I'm still watching... and my Aunt lives there so, there...okay...don't look at me that way....

 

 

- Did the Razorbacks really lose the last three games of the season?  Has the wildcat formation run out of steam, as opposing offenses know that's the only passing threat we have?  Is there a kicker in the state of Arkansas who can hit a field goal?  Please?  The only thing that stemmed the agony of the defeat by Wisconsin was the ridiculous game played by Boise State to upset a weak, but still heavily gunned, Okalahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.  That was the best college football game of 2007... pending Florida pulling out some magic against OSU.  Mark my words, best game of 2007, who has a set lateral pass play that they use, then a statue of liberty reversal to go for 2, in overtime, of the Fiesta Bowl, against Oklahoma?!  It was insane.  I haven't cheered out loud at a non-Hogs game in a long time.  The sad part, no one will schedule BSU out of conference now...

 

 [FX - Tuesdays - 9PM CST] - well another one of the "Friends" has decided to head back to television.  The latest attempted reincarnation has Courtney Cox as the head of a Los Angeles tabloid magazine called "dirt" and follows the ins and outs of the business, the celebs it follows, etc. If a tenth of the action that happened in the pilot actually happens in real life, the Inquirer may be the best place to work in America.  There was so much sex, drugs and roll camera action in the pilot I got a little dizzy.  Cox has the dirt on everyone in Hollywood, but boohoo, can't find someone to love her in a town full of people that hate her.  Her main source, a schizophrenic paparazzi, is a strange bird and the most entertaining thing in the show so far.  Some minor actors portray "big time stars" with big time secrets, some selling one another out for good press in dirt.

   The cast is okay, it's obvious they are spending the bulk of the money on Cox and hubby Arquette's exec. producing than on other big name talent.  Which is a staple of FX shows, they build around one or two people. Regrettably, basketball star turned sub-par actor Rick Fox, has a requiring role as, you guessed it,  an NBA basketball player with some secrets.  Fox just didn't have any spark to him, we'll see how long he sticks around.  I can't say that I enjoyed this new series, but whatever gets us through to Rescue Me and the Shield I'll give it a chance.

 

-  I plan to start my TV blogging again, someone has to do it, but my list of shows will be cut down dramatically, I've decided I have to focus up.  Battelstar Gallactica, Dirt, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, LOST, Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty, The Office, 30 Rock, The One That I Want and a few others are still in the mix.  SciFi has some interesting new things developing, yes, interesting... 

 

- Still waiting on people who need advice, I guess the whole dream of an pseudo advice column has stalled... oh wellzville, that means my op-eds on second world financial theory will have to replace it... you're the ones not writing to caconfidential@gmail.com....

 

 

 

 

 

- I plan to head down to White Water soon to check out the "under new management", though I've heard nothings changed, thank the good Lord.

 

-  Theater watch is gearing back up, right now all I'm sure of is West Side Story at The Weekend Theater and Noises Off at Community Theater of Little Rock.  More on those, later....

 

So, beware, I'm back until they cancel me or those lotto numbers hit...Confidentially hoping 2007 is new and improved, Mr. Ricky

 

 PS:  While sitting here, some dude just walked by with a cowlick that was at least four inches tall, if he had freckles, I'd have to have made an Alfalpha reference....