The world will stop turning in September, 2010.

After Guiding Light was canceled this year, I sort of knew this was coming, since ATWT was also a Procter & Gamble production.  Sigh.

I record the show every day, and generally have a few hours of catch-up on a weekend every couple of months, to clear out my DVR.  My grandma and I both watch this story, and I will be very sad to lose my regular escape to Oakdale.   My favorite bit of trivia about the show was that it was ATWT which was pre-empted when the death of President Kennedy was announced by Walter Cronkite.  Helen Wagner (as matriarch Nancy Hughes) was on-screen at the time, and she’s still a cast member today!  Cast members who’ve gone on to bigger and better things include Jason Biggs, Parker Posey, Marisa Tomei, and probably most famous of all, Meg Ryan.

I always appreciated that ATWT stayed old school.  While other soaps were going with vampires and demon possessions, in Oakdale the stories revolved around the tried and true favorites: baby-switching, murder trials, kidnappings, blackmail, adultery.  And let’s not forget the classic Soap Opera Villain Who Cannot be Killed No Matter How Hard Anyone Tries (in ATWT’s case, the evil James Stenbeck).

For old-school viewers like me, here’s a clip featuring a young Brian Bloom (post-Once Upon A Time In America, but pre-video game voiceovers):

Farewell, residents of Oakdale!  We’ll miss you.

It seems to me that the writers of ATWT are class-marking Ebberly by having him say “mama” instead of “mother” or “mom.”  You’ll note that the “lower class” Snyders also do this.  Imagine Rosanna Cabot saying something like that.

Ironically, Damian Grimaldi would say that because he is Italian/Maltese.

E’ il primo plurale a confondermi.

Postato da: IM

Kelly Monaco reported on Facebook that Tony Geary was in the audience for her Peep Show in Vegas last night.

And there’s casting news: Mayor Floyd is getting a wife! Read on SOS all about ATWT alum Martha Byrne joining GH.  Ok, so this chick looks JUST like Olivia in a way. Now we’ll have Olivia, Carly, Sam, Liz…Claudia…Alexis, Diane, this lady. Why MAYOR FLOYD? Is he going to be a big crime fighter now? Is the story finally coming out HE’S ‘Mr. BIG”?? AND SHE PLAYED LILY on ATWT. Is that ironic? LOL. She’d better NOT BE FOR SONNY! Why would they bump down RH’s hours and do this? Why don’t they let JZ have more airtime…or LC for that matter? How come OLTL can have Vicky and Dorian have romance? Ok, I’ll shut up. OY!

Question from the peanut gallery: anyone know? I’m not even sure it’s a real condition? It could be something the writers dreamed up. I will google it later. Karla said: Is it FVL ?

I need some help. I need to know the name of the disease that Carly has which
would prevent her from carrying her baby to term. It has something to do with
with blood clots forming that could cause a stroke or worse. Please help.
Thanks.

OLTL today: I love Scott Clifton. I so do. I also think they need to make he and Rex brothers. They are so much alike! STACEY …grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. dang it. “You trying to quit me Cowboy”?? And Rex waving around the bag o’ blood! hee hee. Roxy pulling the plug. She had an internet download on how to Pull The Plug. LOL. Rex/Gigi breaking my heart. wahhh. Todd and Vicky are so cute!

Rebecca: Rebecca Lewis… for all purposes was Todd’s first love and at the time, and was
a factor to a degree when they first attempted to redeem him. She was also
engaged to Powell Lord one of the other men that raped Marty, when he went all
crazy.

Wow, I watched back then and don’t remember her. That was long ago. Bringing back someone from that far back is a gamble isn’t it? I sure think so.

GENERAL HOSPITAL:
OMG! Don’t freak out over the HOLLY/CASSADINE RUMOR! it’s a RUMOR!!!!! The writers probably don’t even know what’s happening next month let alone this summer…all the long term arcs I’ve gotten have gone bust anyway. It’s like they sit around, put stuff out there and then go in a whole other direction!

Olivia walks in on Claudia/Ric.  Look at her, she looks like that Martha lady up there! Put Alexis in there and we’ll have everone all a twitter. Olivia and Claudia will kill each other if given a chance. LOL.

GIANT MICHAEL alert. He also looks JUST LIKE JASON! I’m sorry but he could be a kid of his!

Carly…Jason. POOR JAX!  He’s so nice to her! So sad. AND SONNY has to come in…sigh. 

MONICA ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With Jason! Love her and he together! Maxie and Jason. LOL. She’s like so selfish and but so cute. Gabbing away to Jason and he wakes up..and grabs her back. hee hee.

Life is so much better when GH is shot IN THE HOSPITAL! IN THE HOSPITAL! Anyone else notice all the vending machines they have in the background? Hope they have HEALTHY snacks in there!

Patrick needs to get off Robin’s back, I mean, I’d be yelling at GH all over for stupid stairs!! MAC DADDY ALERT! Love the sweater JJY has on. KELLY!@ isn’t that a no-no about telling Patrick about her meds? Maybe not if she signed a consent form for Patrick.

WHAT THE HELL is the POINT OF LIZ AND NIK? grrrrrrrrr. what is it? Nik’s suit is SUPER shiny!

Maxie and Spin hug..aww.

INTERVENTION TIME! Robin’s getting the A&E treatment!

The SHOW Today was pretty good!

I LOVE JELLY BELLY’S!!!!!!!!!! Popcorn, tangerine..yummmmmy. rootbeer!

IT’S NINETY HERE! 90…see, we go from freezing cold to HOT cha’cha in a nano-second!

The plot line of the kidnapping of America’s favorite gay couple Luke and Noah continues on ATWT. The boys are bound and tied up.

Van Hansis, Jake Silbermann "As The World Turns" Set JC Studios Brooklyn 8/18/08 ©Rob Mayer/jpistudios.com

America’s Most Popular Gay Couple in Soaps find themselves in the middle of a kidnapping ransom storyline….

Luke and Noah

Day Time Soap’s Most Popular Gay Couple ATWT’s Luke and Noah run into trouble with some evil twins.

Sometimes a beautiful friendship can start off on the rockiest of foundations – like when you make a complete jerk of yourself in front of someone you barely know.

We’ve all done it. Come on, admit it. You’ve been annoyed. You’ve been having a bad day. Or maybe you’re just a jerk – I wouldn’t know, I don’t know you. Either way, you’ve snapped at someone you just met. Oops. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have your own Maddie around to smooth things over, or perhaps you’re not that lucky. Either way, trying to be nice from that point on will probably prove that you’re not the world’s biggest douchbag, and a heartfelt apology wouldn’t go array either (just don’t get creepy). Hey, they might forgive you for your display of arrogant grouchiness and decide that spending time in your company might not be the suck fest they originally thought. You never know, you may well become fast friends, and perhaps something more. You might even get your own Noah.

Avoiding Someone You Like and Hoping Desperately That Your Attraction Will Go Away DOESN’T WORK

Trying to avoid someone you’re attracted to in the hopes of crushing that attraction is a surefire way to make yourself unhappy, make other people feel hurt (namely the person you are avoiding), and make everything awkward for yourself and others. Being honest about your feelings is probably the best way to go, because once it’s all out in the open it can make it easier to move on. The more you keep it all inside and dwell on it the worse things will get for you. If that’s not an option, focusing on other important things and hanging out with other friends could help. And hey, if you hide away your feelings you might just miss out on a great opportunity.

Luke was lucky, but the reality is that not everybody is going to be (it sounds awful, but I have been in this situation) and you just have to make the best of it. Being honest with yourself, with others if you want to, and getting on with your life is the best thing to do.

I half expected it to be introduced by this Paul Ryan:

Roger Howarth as Paul Ryan

Sadly, it was not to be.

Thanks to the inventor of the PVR and Time-shifting!  I don’t know how I would ever survive without them.  If this was the same person that is two miracles should they not be Sainted?  I was going to try digital cable for three months because it was free, that was back in about 1999!  Here we are 10 years later and I have every channel there is a PVR and Time-shifting.  Can you say addiction!?

 Here’s my list of what I currently watch. 

 Sunday

7PM NCIS

9pm Rock of Love!

9PM The Real Housewives of NYC (or the OC depending on what season we are on) 

10PM Brothers and Sisters  

Monday

12AM The Mentalist

1AM The Celebrity Apprentice.

7PM NCIS

8PM House

8PM Dancing with the Stars

9PM Jon and Kate plus Eight

10PM The City or The Hills (depending on what season we are on)  http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/344558/the-hills-season-5-trailer.jhtml

10PM Castle

Tuesday

7PM NCIS

8PM NCIS

8PM American Idol

9PM 18 Kids and Counting 

10PM Law and Order Special Victim’s Unit

Wednesday

12AM 90210

7PM NCIS

8PM Dancing with the Stars

8PM Criminal Minds

9PM American Idol

11PM America’s Next Top Model 

Thursday

7PM NCIS

8PM Survivor

8PM Bones

9PM Hell’s Kitchen

9PM Eleventh Hour 

Friday

7PM NCIS

8PM The Closer 

9PM Supernanny

9PM Doll House

11PM Wife Swap

11PM Ghost Whisperer

Saturday

We catch up on what is recorded.  I have an issue making it through the 9PM shows let alone the 10PM shows so I record EVERYTHING!

Daily I record As the World Turns and Coronation Street. Too!

 Yes I admit it, I have a problem!  I LOVE TV!  I can’t say it any other way I love TV.

What I miss,

 Top of my list

• THIRD WATCH!
• Family Plots,
• Charmed,
• Beverly Hills 90210
• NewPort Beach
• Melrose Place
• Party of Five
• Falcon’s Crest
•  
• Family Ties
• Laguna Beach
• Canada’s Worst Driver!
• Little House On The Prairie!
• 7^th Heaven
• Inked
• 

What I am waiting for!

April 9th – Harper’s Island!  Murder, Murder, Murder!  Woo hoo!  Can’t wait!

 June 24^th Monday 10PM The Philanthropist.

 Things I watch when I catch them or remember them!

 Lock down

• Lock up!
• DOG!  The Bounty Hunter
• The Dog Whisperer
• At the end of my Leash
• Dog City

What I cannot stand but am made to watch!  (What you do with you love someone and have to share control of the clicker!  Sorry honey I am repeating after you reeeemmmmoooootttteeee  ccccoonnnntttrrrooollllll!  Conveter!  Hee hee! I know the REMOTE CONTROL!) 

•  CAR SHOWS!
• STUPID MYTH BUSTERS
• HOW IT IS MADE!  I don’t care!

So now you know what I do with my spare time and with my money!  The worst part of it al lis after spending 12 years in the Advertising and Media buying industry I NEVER watch the commercials!  I fast them (in the immortal words of Stanley) as fast as I can! 

Luke and Noah face a homophobic landlord ( photo courtesy of AfterElton.com)

Luke and Noah, America’s favorite gay soap couple at ATWT, face discrimination from a homophobic potential landlord. After Elton.com did a recent feature on the subject. Recent news articles have shown that in certain areas, especially in the wake of proposition 8, hate crimes and discrimination against LGBT people are on the rise. Thank goodness ATWT is foward thinking enough to address issues like this one. We must not forget that there is still a lot of work to do to eliminate hate.

Apparently it was a two paci kind of day!

Be sure to go by Cheaper than Therapy to see more great photos.

So I only was able to catch a small bit of my soap because the browser player was actin’ a fool.

Anyways, I always read the comments under the player while the soap plays and there are some really disgusting sickos that are living amongst us.

Right now on ATWT there’s a gay storyline going on between Luke & Noah [well, a gay love triangle actually which also includes Brian – Luke’s “step-grandfather”—which is totally strange and creeptastical but whatever].

People really, really have a problem with this.

Like really have a serious problem.

The comment board was peppered with assholes that leave ridiculous comments like “All gay people should be executed” and “THOSE HOMOS ARE SO GROSS”.

I just don’t understand why that kind of shit is necessary.

I get that some people just aren’t comfortable with that—I understand.

But I think it’s ignorant and inappropriate to say things like that –executed?!?! really?!?!?!

Holy Mother of Barnacles—the comments were just out of control.

I consider myself a moderate liberal – I don’t really care if you’d like to have sex with a tree, go for it—but I feel like some people are mentally living in the damn stone age when it comes to civil rights.

This is exactly why I can not stand organized religion—especially all the holier than though Christians who preach that God loves everyone but really, they believe he only “loves” a few choice people and if you aren’t those few choice people, you need to repent all your sins or your going to hell and your going to burn for eternity.

One time, I heard someone I know say “Ew, gay people, yuck” and I said back to them “Ew, you’re fucking yuck!”.

It just really drives me absolutely crazy.

Like I said, I get that some people just aren’t comfortable with certain things—and I’m not saying we all need to old hands and be each other’s best friends while playing a round of Patty-Cake but come on people!

Maybe I’m just too naïve to believe that we’re all human beings and that alone should mean something for Christmas’s sake.

Dear Readers from Washington:

So there may be a “transition” going on, with some sort of “stimulus package” in the works, and maybe you’re thinking a lot about that. Or maybe you’re still thinking about Luke and Noah finally doing it on ATWT. Or you’re wondering who the Final Cylon is going to be, or how Earth got so frakked up. I dunno.

But whatever you do, think of the pandas. How are they going toget through this recession? So, check to see if you have a bamboo grove more than 100 feet from a highway. If so, donate. There is no greater crisis. I hope to see President Obama’s solution at 2 pm on Tuesday.

Nom. Nom. Nom. I need a stimulus...of food.

Invece di canzoni, cartoline d’auguri o lettere, per concludere quest’anno ecco un racconto di viaggio di Aleem Maqbool, giornalista della BBC, che ripercorre la strada da Nazareth a Betlemme.

“Why are you standing there with a donkey?” said an old Palestinian man.

“This is a nice modern city, and you’re standing there with a donkey! What are you trying to say? What’s wrong with you?”

Clearly, not everyone was as happy as I was to meet my new travelling companion in the centre of the city of Jenin.

The old man thought I was trying to show Jenin as a backward place. He refused to accept the nativity explanation, and went on his way muttering about how deceptive the foreign media is.

Per chi preferisce le immagini, c’è anche il video: parte 1, 2 e 3.

Postato da: IM

General Hospital

Ever keen to display their decision-making prowess, TPTB at GH have decided to bring Natalia Livingston back in a new role – speculation being that NotEmily will be a long lost twin sister. Uh…short stunt returns for Genie Francis/Laura… back from the dead (sorta) for NotEmily. GEEZ!

All My Children

AMC is planning a heart transplant storyline for Kendall Hart Slater. Will the donor be big brother Josh or frenemy Greenlee Smythe? Assuming Josh is the donor this storyline is not unlike the BnB storyline with Storm Logan comitting suicide in order to donate his heart to his sister Katie.

Hopefully the AMC writers will handle the storyline better. The BnB writers transformed the gut wrenching plot into a storyline about lust when recent recpient Katie had sex with her niece’s future husband, manwhore Nick Marone.

Maybe there’s something to be said about having sex with a man who won’t blow out your brand new, freshly implanted heart. What can be said, can’t be good.

As for AMC, I REALly hope Kendall gets the REAL Greenlee’s heart. The character wore out her welcome with me the first time she married Ryan Lavery to spite Kendall. Greens isn’t slated to leave the show until Spring but there’s nothing to stop her from spending the rest of her time on canvas as a ghost comforting Kendall and Jack.

As The World Turns

I’ve always loved Damiangodofall men so I’m glad to have him back. The writers have a lot of work to do to repair the character and surely they’re invested enough to do it.

I can see Damian coming back as the perfect foil against Craig who will probably want Luke’s money, next. Craig has a penchant for taking on the Walsh/Grimaldi-Snyder crowd. Is it a mere coincidence that Craig returned after Lucinda’s cancer did? Lily and Holden are too busy saving their perpetually troubled marriage to help Luke or Lucinda..

And be careful grabby grandpa Brian! Big pappa is back in town and I hope he’s a Noah fan!

There’s a great fan debate taking place on the official ATWT board about the matter. I was initially disgusted by Lucinda Walsh’s involvement in this storyline. Daytime writers seem to have a deep passion for humiliating women at midlife, in regard to romantic storylines. Midlife women are always desperate fools for love who just can’t see how unappealing they are to their partners (see BnB’s Eric and Stephanie).

I don’t trust the WT writers to have thought this one out completely- Lu and Luke’s involvement is most likely about simple sensationalism. Yet this plot has the potential to play to the show’s history with regard to Lucinda.. Ultimately she may be the perfect person for Brian to have turned to.

She was the person who welcomed Jessica and Duncan’s love as a blessing. She embraced their marriage and the birth of Bonnie. She’s treated all human behavior as it should be treated, with love. Ok, she had a hard time accepting Holden – but he proved her RIGHT!!

After a period of time of rightful pain and anger at Brian’s betrayal, she may be the one who helps Brian learn to be proud and accepting of who he is. Brian may truly love Lucinda even if his guilt prevents him from sleeping with her. He may truly love Luke even if his marriage to Lu makes it impossible for them to be together. (AHEM!!!! And let’s not forget Luke’s love for Noah)

Until Brian can undergo some sort of self-exploration, he’ll never be able to love anyone including himself. What irony if Lu is the one to get him there.

This is a much richer and complex storyline than I’d imagined. Let’s hope the writers do something amazing with it no matter where else they take this storyline.

By the way, with so many characters coming back, wouldn’t this be a perfect time for John Dixon to come back. Lu could use a shoulder to cry on. She my need some who’ll listen as she puts this all in perspective. And she deserves a man who truly loves her and only her.

Foto: © Emilio Brizzi

Il Corriere mi sorprende questa mattina con la pubblicazione di un testo di George Orwell dedicato al Natale nella letteratura (nell’ottima traduzione di Maria Sepa). Il titolo: Può un socialista essere felice?

L’incipit:

Il Natale ci fa pensare quasi automaticamente a Charles Dickens, e per due buone ragioni. La prima è che Dickens è uno dei pochi scrittori inglesi ad aver scritto sul Natale, che è la festa più amata dagli inglesi, ma ha ispirato poche opere letterarie. Ci sono i canti, i Christmas Carols, quasi tutti di origini medievali; c’è una manciata di poesie di Robert Bridges, T.S. Eliot e qualche altro, c’è Dickens; e poco di più. La seconda ragione è che tra gli scrittori moderni Dickens è uno dei pochi, quasi l’unico, a offrire un’immagine convincente della felicità.

Per leggere il resto, cliccate qui.

Postato da: IM

La tecnologia moderna permette che il processo di riproduzione sia più a buon mercato e più accessibile, facilitando la produzione di prodotti contraffatti. Le copie abbondano, sono poco costose e soddisfano l’ossessione contemporanea di impossessarsi immediatamente e facilmente di tutti i prodotti.

I falsi sono cloni imperfetti dell’originale, perché lo riciclano continuamente durante il processo produttivo. Va da sé che sono privi dell’aura, ma, a differenza dell’originale, tutti possono accedervi e possederli. Questa è la chiave del compromesso tra le imitazioni e gli originali. Il riciclaggio dell’aura massimizza la reperibilità degli originali a livello globale. Neanche la cultura sfugge a questa tendenza. Il successo di libri e film come Il codice da Vinci illustra bene il bisogno di racconti della storia dell’arte e della religione riciclati e accessibili a tutti. In modo analogo, i romanzi best-seller di ambientazione storica soddisfano il desiderio dei lettori di consumare in fretta storia e cultura, come prodotti usa e getta che consentono l’evasione dalla prigione della realtà quotidiana. La cultura diventa un prodotto commerciale e la tecnologia moderna ne offre una versione romanzata, a buon mercato, nelle librerie degli aeroporti o nei supermercati, sui siti web o sul grande schermo.

Loretta Napoleoni, Economia canaglia, Il Saggiatore, 2008, pag. 110.

La borsetta Fake nella foto è nata da un’idea di Bea Correa, designer brasiliana residente in Olanda (il suo sito è Mindwhatyouwear).

Postato da: IM

“It’s a good cause, making sure that food banks have fresh fruits and vegetables.”

-Carly, in blatant V8 product placement, ATWT, 11/25

WRONG. DO NOT BRING YOUR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO THE FOOD BANK. This is unproductive. They will spoil, and you will have wasted your time and money.

Also avoid: fish; meat; poultry; dairy.