Miscellaneous, etc.

I have yet to say anything about the Writer’s Guild of America strike, because of two key points:

1. I don’t watch a whole lot of TV any more that isn’t syndicated cooking shows, and
2. I don’t know anything about it.

Yes, I get that the key issue is residual payments for digitally-distributed content; yep, I’m up to speed on the fact that studios, producers and distributors have screwed writers on similar points in the past.  So the writers are out picketing, the studios are churning out reality and animated shows, and actors and politicians are on the news discussing the strike an awful lot.

But I can’t tell you why this is a more important strike than any other, unless you want to discuss the broad rightness-or-wrongness of organized labor — which experience has taught me is basically impossible.  Union conversations are a zesty mix of politics, economics and personality, with a time-to-faith interval (measuring the time between the start of the conversation and the use of the phrase, “I believe”) that is perilously short.

I will not even touch on the topic of sympathy, so popular among those who feel labor actions are only for coal-miners or auto workers or, say, Go Transit bus drivers – in other words, people whose work is visibly risky or unvalued, laborious or unglamourous.  Should hockey players or stage actors expect the same public regard as mine workers or firefighters?  Beats me, but I guess it all comes down to the theater of the strike — sure, Sandra Oh is out pounding her fist on a podium, but where are the inflatable rats? 

Perhaps now we’ll find out:  The late-night talk shows all went back on-air Wednesday, with generally un-exciting results.  Letterman’s production cut a deal with the WGA; Leno’s didn’t. Letterman’s show was more highly-produced and scripted, including a song-and-dance number about striking writers; Leno’s wasn’t.  Neither show was so spectacular that it would prompt a huge shift in audience, but the important thing appears to be that it’s given everyone one more thing to fight about: 

Leno revealed he had prepared a monologue he used on Wednesday night. The union says that’s in contravention of its strike rules as Leno himself is a member of the WGA.

That’s right, folks.  Leno’s a scab.  Sure, you thought he was all friendly with his super-softball interviews and his interest in classic cars, but now you see the truth.  If you’re looking for the giant inflatable strike rat in this affair, I think I’ve finally found you one:

Finally, I can take a side!

• A pageant queen in Arizona has been charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and assault after being accused of kidnapping an ex-boyfriend.  25 year-old Kumari Fulbright (allegedly) lured her ex to her apartment, and then excused herself to shower while three other men (including ex-boyfriend #2) tied the victim up with plastic and then threatened him with knives and guns.  The victim had (allegedly) stolen jewelry given to Fulbright by ex-boyfriend #2 – the abduction and subsequent shit-kicking represented a recovery effort.  Helping Fulbright’s case is her community standing as a beauty queen and a law student at Arizona University; harming her public image is this image, most commonly associated with her story:

But my finger isn’t on the trigger, so I’m playful!

• A single trader is likely responsible for oil surpassing $100 a barrel, by overpaying and then immediately selling at a loss.  “..one floor trader bought 1,000 barrels, the smallest amount permitted, and sold it immediately for $99.40 at a $600 loss.”They absolutely overpaid,” [Stephen Schork] told Radio Four’s Today Programme. “He paid $600 for the right to tell his grandchildren that he was the first in the world to buy $100 oil.”  But not, I think, the last.
• Obama won Iowa!  And so did Huckabee!  While it doesn’t promise that either of these men will be the final candidates for their respective parties, what it does forebode is a long, hard fight for both nominations.  I love the smell of political blood in the water.
• Step aside, Major League Baseball and The Olympics!  You aren’t the only ones working on a doping scandal these days!  Tennis, the cruellest of all sports, wants a seat at the table, starting with Martina Hingis (warning: scary-ass fan site) getting nailed for playing Wimbledon while she was coked out.  Since she’s already retired, the penalty involves back-dating her suspension, nullifying some of her match results, and revoking over $120,000 in snortin’ prize money.
• And, just because I love him so much, we close the week once again with the Chacarron guy:

…but, you know, way way better to actually win.

Meg was kind enough to point out that some generous soul put me in for Best Personal Blog in the Canadian Blog Awards.  Typically Canadian, it’s being run on a free platform by a the kind of volunteers who are thrilled that they got a mention on regional radio — which actually makes it more flattering.  This seems like a much more earnest effort than many of the “vote 10,000 times for your favorite site!  Oh and click these text ads too maybe okay guys thanks!” contests around.

So:

Thank you, mysterious nominator!  I’m flattered you think I should be on any list that doesn’t start with “TO KILL:“!

And welcome to you, the poor sad committee member sent to judge me!  Consider your grim sentence of having to read this as a work of positive karma, to be rewarded in your future life as an electric guitar-playing multi-billionaire jet pilot.

I look forward to my victory speech.

I hope you partied as much as this guy:

Remember, everybody: Mun-uh-may-may-may… Chacarron.

While I’m off for the next couple of days, nowhere near a computer screen and hopefully swimming in food, wine and family, let me wish you all the merriest Christmas and happiest holidays.

May you all get just exactly what you hoped for this year.