The Enjoyable Trouble with Time Travel

I'm a Progressive Libertarian

A Peek at my Graduate Class at Fordham Last Night, Talking about the New York Times Spoof

Lie to Me in Afghanistan
Shawn Ryan - most famously creator, writer, show-runner of The Shield, easily one of the best shows ever on television, and arguably the best - was brought aboard Lie to Me this season to add some visceral punch to the intellectual power Lie to Me already had. This was never more apparent, and successful, than in Lie to Me 2.8 this past Monday.This could have been an episode of The Unit, another great show executive produced by Ryan. Lightman takes a trip to Afghanistan, to sort through an apparently American Taliban, who may or may not be telling the truth to his American captors - that is, our soldiers, who are under attack.Back home, Foster's doing her best to k

V 1.4: Good Medicine for Television
An outstanding 2009 finale of V, Season 1, Part 1 tonight - episode 1.4 - with not more to come until close to the Ides of March, 2010.V previously attacked Obama's health care reform, and tonight took a swipe at the swine flu vaccine - it's apparently being spiked with some Visitor drug on V. I support health care reform, and have no reason to think the flu vaccine is subject to some sort of conspiracy in our world, so I disagree with the political connotations of V while enjoying its daring as a television show. That is, the progressive in me (I'm a progressive libertarian), a

House 6.8 and the Reverse of Flowers for Algernon
"Flowers for Algernon," correctly thought by many to be one of the best novelettes ever written, turned into a novel and movies and soon a movie starring Will Smith, tells the story of mentally disadvantaged Charley, given an operation that turns him into a genius, only to slip excruciatingly back to his lower intelligence, when he and we learn that the treatment doesn't last. Daniel Keyes's 1959 masterpiece tugs at every heart string known to humanity, and leaves you gasping for air at the end. There's not a better depiction of what it feels like to understand something very important one day, one minute, and j

Dexter 4.9: Trinity's Surprising Daughter
This season of Dexter has been exulting in surprises ... Debra and Lundy being gunned down ... the Trinity killer not the man who fired that gun, after all ... and tonight's Episode 4.9 pulled out a last-minute stunner at the top of its league ...The set up: a tale of two Thanksgivings - at chez Dexter and chez Trinity killer - and Dex is at both of them (not at the same time - this isn't Fringe - but even so).At Dex's, Rita allows the pain-in-the-A neighbor to kiss her, and Vince sees it. I never liked Rita, as I've said here before. I admit she looks great this season, but her character is like fingernails on the blackboard. But even she's preferabl

Twice Upon a Rhyme in Rockit Scientist Records NYC and Rockaway Records LA
Been a truly banner week for Twice Upon a Rhyme, my 1972 LP, in both New York City and Los Angeles.Here's how this tale of two coasts happened:You may recall I mentioned the tasty lunch and great conversation I had at the City Diner in Manhattan last month with Evan LeVine, appreciator of fine 1960s music and all-around significant popular culture.Well, after the conversation, Evan's perambulations took him to the Rockit Scientist Record store on St. Mark's