Friday, May 30, 2008

Off The Wall---Yet Again

I have to laugh at myself, ---as you all know (if ya read my earlier posts) I installed the required TV decoder box so allow us to continue to watch TV, come next February. The installation now allows us about 15-16 new channels which we didn't get before. giving us a total of some 28-30 channels. What makes me laugh is the line from the Bruce Willis move, "The KID"----its a complex plot to explain, but basically its about an adult having a midlife crisis, and next thing he knows he is talking to this kid, who as it turns out is himself as a kid---the kid finds the TV in the house, starts flipping channels, and the line he speaks is, "Geez, 99 channels and nothing to watch!!!".

I'm so old, I remember when Hollywood and broadcast TV had a war with those pushing Cable, or as it was known then, " Pay TV". Well as it turned out Pay TV finally won. Broadcast TV, is reduced to running mindless "reality" programing with no writers, and the good stuff is on the premium Pay TV channels

Over 52% of homes are now signed up for Cable---the rest of us 48 % get the bad shows, or worse shows with no writers at all. Movies offered are cut and slashed to fit the broadcast time slot shown and then cut into Lil pieces to allow the insertion of about 100 commercials. Which of course destroys whatever mood and plot lines the original movie had tried to set up. In short broadcast TV is reduced to being the entertainment choice of those that can't afford cable, or the gas to drive to the theatres---and I don't even want to talk about the price of theatre tickets----

Right now I get my entertainment from Netflix movies , and the thousands of books available at the Library----am an avid "Who dun it" reader. However I only get three movies at a time from Netflix----between mailing them back and them sending me the next on my Que (28 moves in my current list), I have gaps when I have no new movies to watch, their being nothing on broadcast TV, so the LP and I take turns choosing a movie classic from our 700 plus movies on the wall to watch---last night was one of those "OFF THE WALL" nights again, ---the movie, "Close Encounters of The 3rd Kind"

Tonight, we will have a Netflix disc, and start watching the second season of the British TV show , "The House of Elliot", (there are four discs in this series, to cover the 12+ episodes for that year,with 3 episodes per disc (roughly two hours of viewing time per disc). The show takes place in the early years of the 20Th century, and is about two young women , whose parents have died, and are making their way in the world, one becoming a designer of women's clothing, the other becoming something of a business mgr----its a fun series and I can highly recommend it ---best of course to start with the first season of the show. I imagine it can be rented through blockbuster as well as Netflix.

Tonight's dinner will be the ever popular twice baked Potatoes, with Avocado/Tomato Salad with Ken's Steakhouse, Country French dressing. (This old dude ain't exactly a complete novice in the kitchen heh, heh, heh!!)

6 comments:

  1. Recipe please..
    that's sounds really good!

    Have a great weekend:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. As requested:
    2 big potatos, put in oven at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

    while potatoes oare baking, cook avbout 7-8 strips of Oscar Meyer precooked bacon, so they ar nice and crispy ---set aside.

    dice up a half dozen lil green onions , including a goodly portion of the dark green stems.---set aside

    grate up about 1/2 a bar of crackle barrel extry sharp cheese--set aside

    When Potatos are done, take from oven (make full use of oven mitts, or hot pads), and cut off the top 1/3 (lengthwise) of baked potatoes, set tops aside.

    Scoop out meat of the potatoes, being careful not to break the outter skins, put in a bowl

    add tall the set asides above, mix, mix, mix-----during this mixing add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

    Spoon mixture back into potato shells and put the top 1/3's on top, and return to oven (still at 350F---let cook til cheese melts and assembled potatoe is heateed through--voila!!

    Serve with peeled, halved avocado's drenched in Ken's steakhouse brand country french dressing----enjoy

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am going to try this recipe tomorrow:)
    I think it was the avocado and tomato that caught my eye.

    Thanks again.."Old Dude"

    ReplyDelete
  4. ---HEY, go for the Ken's Steakhouse, country french dressing----and enjoy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gary, I remember when cable first came to our little town. Half the town was up in arms that they were gonna have to PAY just to watch TV and COMMERCIALS!! Up til then it had been FREE!!

    The first day it finally reached our neighborhood and we got CABLE, the FIRST thing on the screen was A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. I was sitting there in total SHOCK and embarrassment while the technician was hooking it up. There was NUDITY on the TV!!! OMG!!!

    And then..........THEN........the "F" word! Loud and clear!! I hopped across the room and turned down the sound and told my 8 year old daughter to "leave the room!"

    I was mortified!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ken's Steakhouse Country French dressing is my favorite dressing!!

    We do have ALOT in common!!!

    If you haven't visited, Sue has updated her blog.

    Hope you have fun at the party!

    ReplyDelete

Speak up, don't be a nebish---your opinions do count.