- Maybe I should be excited about the prospect of televisions capable of creating three-dimensional images becoming available to consumers by the end of next year, but I’m just not. Sony and Panasonic say they will release home 3-D television systems in 2010, while Mitsubishi and JVC aren’t far behind."TV finally becomes real" in three dimensions, said Robert Perry, an executive vice president at Panasonic. "You're in it. It's the next frontier." Whatever you say, Bobby. You may think that people are going to line up to pay thousands of dollars for these systems and to slam on those ridiculous 3-D glasses so they can see shows jump off the screen at them, but I think you’re wrong. Your claim that the 3-D transition is on par with the switch from black-and-white to color television and the shift from standard- to high-definition images is ridiculous at best. Yes, ESPN is test-recording some sporting events in 3-D, but this concept just seems too balky and cumbersome to really catch on. Seeing football players in hi-def is one thing, but having them jump off the screen and into your living room isn't something I want or need. Plus, television makers haven't released specifics on the price of 3-D TV, although (shocker), it will requires a new television, broadcasting content and 3-D glasses. In other words, let’s say you just ponied up for a new HD television and spent a couple thousand dollars for it. If you want 3-D television, you’d then have to find even more money in your bank account to pay for something that will also require you to look like a total ass by putting on red-and-blue 3-D glasses every time you want to watch a three-dimensional program. Oh, and there are concerns that 3-D broadcasts, which require twice the data, will gobble up an unworkable amount of television bandwidth, which isn't cool either. If you’re every worn 3-D glasses, you probably know that many people get headaches from wearing them and who wants that? Different companies will approach 3-D TV in different ways, of course, but in my not-so-humble opinion, they’re all going to end up at the same inevitable destination: realizing that 3-D TV isn't the next big thing, but rather a ridiculous phenomenon that simply won't catch on - ever…………..
- He’s now been captured, but I would love to know the thought process that went into allowing legally insane killer Phillip Paul to go on a supervised field trip to a county fair Thursday. The guy had been confined in a mental institution because of a murder confession, but he was allowed to be a part of a field trip and managed to escape while on said trip? Not cool. Paul escaped from the fair around noon, triggering a massive manhunt that didn’t end until late in the day Sunday. In the meantime, this loon was roaming free and sending waves of panic and terror throughout Spokane County. After all, Paul also escaped briefly in 1991 and assaulted a law enforcement officer, so he’s not exactly a reformed, rehabilitated non-threat to society. "These incidents, separate and coincidental, have raised serious questions about the security readiness of our two state psychiatric hospitals," said Susan Dreyfus, secretary of the state's Department of Social and Health Services, referring to Paul’s escape and other inmates who have also been able to escape under similar circumstances. So just what sort of psychopath was free for nearly 36 hours, roaming through Spokane County? Well, Paul was committed to Eastern State Hospital after admitting he strangled and slit the throat of community activist Ruth Motley in 1987 because he believed Motley was a witch and killed her in response to voices in his head. Oh, and after the murder, dude burned a deer carcass as a sacrifice, so there’s that too. To get a thorough picture of just how demented this guy is, realize that the extent of Paul's illness was disturbing even to mental health professionals. "He's the only paranoid schizophrenic -- I've seen hundreds, maybe thousands of them -- that frightened me," Dr. Frank Hardy, a licensed psychiatrist, said. "The first time I took one look at him -- and I've never done this before or since -- I asked the jailer to remain in the room while I examined him.” And that’s the kind of person who is going on field trips to the local fair in your area, Spokane! Thankfully Paul was captured by the end of the day Sunday, but what say we revise the policies and procedures allowing this sort of whacko to be out on field trips in the first place, Spokane County correctional authorities? Thanks………
- Where’s Ron Burgundy’s dog Baxter when you need him? Baxter saved the most legendary anchorman in the history of fictional movies about legendary anchormen, along with Ron’s lady friend Veronica Corningstone, from an angry bear in the bear exhibit at the San Diego Zoo, so I’m guessing Baxter could also have been of assistance in averting the disaster that struck when a bear injured nine people at highway rest stop in central Japan before being shot dead in a souvenir shop. The black bear meandered into the rest stop in Nyukawa, a small mountain town about 140 miles west of Tokyo, and proceeded to attack people it encountered at a bus parking lot. Once the bear had its fill of ripping human flesh in the parking lot, it then entered a lodge where it stormed the souvenir shop, possibly enraged by the ridiculous price of the useless trinkets that are sold in every souvenir shop in every corner of the world, proceeded to tear the place up and attack a few more people. Ultimately, the 4-foot-tall bear was trapped in the souvenir shop and shot dead by a hunter. Thankfully no one suffered life-threatening injuries in the attack in spite of the fact that the entire incident lasted about an hour. What’s interesting is that in the midst of the chaos, someone at the site decided that rather than attempt to help one of the people who was attacked by the bear, it would be a good idea to take a picture of the bear mauling that person while he lay prone in a parking lot and another man attempted to scare the animal off. Officials insist that bear attacks are extremely rare in the area even though the rest stop is on a mountainous road that is open during summer months to licensed buses and taxis and is popular with tourists for its scenic views. Perhaps this rest stop should find its own Baxter, who can then talk to the bears in their own language and assure them that the humans mean them no harm………..
- Coming off of the college football weekend, the one thought that sticks with me is that the “surprising upsets” of the weekend weren’t all that surprising. Third-ranked USC was coming off of the sort of big game (last weekend’s 18-15 win over Ohio State) that it always wins and up next on the schedule was the sort of game USC always loses - a ho-hum game against a mediocre conference opponent coming on the heels of said big win. The ho-hum opponent was Washington and with USC starting quarterback Matt Barkley sidelined with injury, the Huskies uglied up the game, held USC’s offense in check and won a 16-13 decision that will definitely boost the credibility of first-year head coach Steve Sarkesian with fans and players alike. Fact is, USC coach Pete Carroll can get his team ready for big games like no other and he always wins those games, but his teams inevitably have a letdown in a game where they are clearly more talented, stronger, faster and more athletic. The question now is whether the loss will keep USC out of the national championship picture, which I’m guessing it will. The other non-surprise surprise was No. 7 BYU, riding high after a couple of wins to start the season and at the center of the BCS-busting hopes for every sane, IQ-rich college football fan who is rooting for the demise of the Big Crap Shoot (BCS) and the creation of a playoff system. The Cougars entered the weekend 2-0 and ranked in the top 10, but they left it 2-1 and on the receiving end of a 54-28 beatdown from unranked Florida State in a home game for BYU. FSU busted out of the gate like a freaking tornado, built a huge lead and never really allowed BYU to get back into the game. Fact is, BYU had a win over then-No. 3 Oklahoma after the Sooners lost Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford to a shoulder injury just before halftime and then wiped out an overmatched Tulane team the following week. The Cougars were wildly overrated and a so-so ACC team went on the road and exposed them as such. The losses by USC and BYU were something we all should have seen coming, period. What wasn’t so easy to see was Lane Kiffin taking his Tennessee team on the road and actually being competitive enough to stay within 10 points at Florida. Kiffin no sooner accepted the Tennessee job than he began taking verbal shots at UF coach Urban Meyer, accusing him of cheating in the recruiting process and vowing to sing “Rocky Top,” the Tennessee fight song, after the Vols beat Florida this year. Well, the Vols didn’t win the game, but they were able to all but shut down all-everything quarterback Tim Tebow and the potent UF offense, losing 23-13 but proving that as a program, they’ve taken a definite step forward under Kiffin. The other noteworthy games of the weekend included: Notre Dame saving Charlie Weis’ job with closer-than-it-should-have been, 33-30 win at home against Michigan State, California getting four touchdowns from darkhorse Heisman candidate Jahvid Best to win 35-21 at Minnesota and BYU’s fellow Mountain West and Utah resident school, the University of Utah, further letting the conference down by going on the road and losing to unranked Oregon. The Utes had been No. 18 heading into the game, but the loss knocked them right out of the polls. Not a good weekend for the Mountain West, nor for the Mid-American Conference, whose teams played a slate of games against teams far better than they were and were universally beaten to a mid-major pulp by day’s end. All told, not a lot of surprises to take in, but not every college football weekend can be a legendary work of art, I suppose……….
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