We did see Up finally this weekend, in 3D, which is the new popular thing, I guess. I don’t know if the 3D was a big deal to this movie — it was nice, but it didn’t particularly seem important. I would say that Coraline was a better experience in 3D than Up. I liked Up, I just think it would probably have been fine either way. Anyway, wow what a tearjerker! If you told me that Jodi Picoult or Nicholas Sparks or some other such writer wrote the original story, it wouldn’t've surprised me! I thought the movie was good though, especially the silent montage, which I cried through. I was warned, and I’m warning you now, all the people who read this who haven’t seen the movie (what is that, 0?), but honestly if you are at all prone to crying in a movie, well, you’ll probably bawl. So go watch, and bring tissue. By the way, Ebert liked it too.

So refutation, from 3 Smart Things About Sleeping Late (more details in the article):
1. You may need more sleep than you think.
2. Night owls are more creative.
3. Rising early is stressful.

“Until the invention of the lightbulb (damn you, Edison!), the average person slumbered 10 hours a night.” Didn’t know that, didya? (I totally didn’t, myself.) Take that, early-bird, six-or-seven-hours-a-night people! Haha, Benjamin Franklin quoting, Leonardo da Vinci factoid spewing folks! :) [via Caterina.net]

I think it’s pretty representative of what we did. Lessee, there was a big Christmas Eve dinner with the extended family, including some Wii and some Taboo and some cards (of course), there was birthday party for misa, there was a lot of eating, more games, sister got her ears pierced, etcetc. About the only thing not covered was the shopping. CT kept taking us shopping and somehow we ended up closing down multiple malls on multiple days. Honestly, she’s talented. I just started to whine and talk about how I’d rather just steal her stuff. (“Bad sister!”)

Monday: Gossip Girl (WB), Heroes (NBC), also The Closer (TNT) but that season’s ended (summer show).
Tuesday: House (Fox), Fringe (Fox)
Wednesday: America’s Next Top Model (WB), Project Runway (Bravo), Top Design (Bravo)
Thursday: Survivor (CBS)

Plus, it’s not just the tv watching. On Wednesday after I watch Project Runway, I try and read Tim’s Take on Bravo (although the formatting is terrible, and it didn’t used to be so bad), then I check Project Rungay throughout the week, and on Sunday or Monday I read fourfour for his take on America’s Next Top Model. By the way, even if you can’t imagine ever watching ANTM, you should read fourfour. He’s funny, and really, it’d be too bad to completely miss out on Tyra’s crazies. :)

I’m also looking forward to Pushing Daisies (ABC, starting Oct. 1) Lost, and Battlestar Galactica whenever they start. So am I missing out on any good shows? :)

BUT (and there’s always a but, no?), there was this one part where someone needs information from someone else and OF COURSE the way to get this information was to beat his fingers with a mug. I am starting to wonder if shows on Fox have a contract where they are supposed to show some sort of torture or physical duress and have it Save Lives at least once per season. In the last season of 24 there was a scene that was so gruesome I could not watch it, but Jack got the information he needed in the time available, so I guess I’m supposed to think it was ok. Yes in Fringe, it was just a mug banged a couple of times, but really? This is ok?

The difference between Fox and other stations is especially stark because when other networks broadcast instances of torture or brutality, there are usually consequences that show that this sort of behavior isn’t ok, or doesn’t work. Like (speaking of Star Trek), when Captain Picard was captured by the Cardassians (Chain of Command, parts 1 and 2): after they realized that Picard wasn’t going to give them any strategic information, the Cardassians nevertheless kept asking him how many lights were on a particular fixture, and insisting that there were five when there were really four lights. Despite the torture, Picard truthfully said that there were four lights every time. Towards the end of the episode, he was offered a choice: the torture could stop, all he had to do was to say that there were five lights or the torture could continue, if he was obstinate. He later admitted that, “I was ready to tell him anything he wanted… anything at all.” Picard had proven his own point, that “torture has never been a reliable means of extracting information. It is ultimately self-defeating as a means of control.” Even if Picard had given them information, it would have been useless — he was ready to say that there were five lights, even though there were four.

This episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation aired in 1992, but I remember it pretty well. And I think that’s the insidious thing about the shows that are airing on Fox. They are portraying torture as a legitimate means to an end in the case of an emergency, and in the instances that I can think of, there are NO consequences for these actions, or maybe even some amount of admiration for the people willing to get their hands dirty, and Do the Hard Thing to Save Lives. Yes, it’s just a tv show, but to some degree television is a reflection on our culture, which makes this trend disturbing.

But today was the season premiere! And I just watched the show! And I made many comments! And Yut said, “Uh huh” a lot! But he paid enough attention to turn on my computer! SO WHERE IS TIM’S TAKE?!

ZOMG!

Speaking of hunger though, the other day I was meeting misa for lunch, and I got to the place a little faster than she did, so I was waiting and looking down the (wrong) street for her when I realized I was kinda rubbing my belly thinking about what I was gonna eat! In public! Gah! Who does that!?

It’s like the woman who was auditioning for Beauty and the Geek and she kept unconsciously laughing nervously and it was kind of not so good.

Check around 8:25 into the clip.

But you know what’s the freakiest thing? I had a weird dream about Heroes this week too. I don’t remember the dream but I definitely remember it was about Heroes cos I woke up long enough to tell Yut. It’s premiering next week, so that must be why. Also cos I have excellent taste in TV. :P