I did something the other day that I wasn't expecting to do, ever: I joined Facebook.

I wasn't particularly resistant to joining, but I didn't have much interest in doing so, either. Then a friend from high school sent an email with a link to her profile, and I figured joining would be an easy way to keep tabs.

Don't expect to do too much over there, though I have set up a couple of applications, one a map showing where I've been and the other a book listing deal where I'm trying to put in every book I've ever read (an attempt that's doomed to failure but will be entertainingly futile).

I've not made a great deal of outreach to add friends, but that may change as I poach people off of the friend lists of those of you lucky enough to have made the cut so far. I'm resisting the urge to friend my eldest niece, though there'd probably be some comedic value in it.

Trio Trophy - DAY TWENTY-FOUR RESULTS


(1) Police Squad! d. (3) The Critic, 9-0

That was less competitive than Walter Mondale in '84. And similarly not surprising. Leslie Nielsen will now accept the Trio Trophy from the president of the Scheinhardt Wig Company... as soon as we can figure out who that is.

Hope you had fun with this. I had a reasonable amount of fun, at least when I wasn't writing the first round synopses.

We now return you to the daily routine of book logs and other such scintillating entries.

Book Log 2008 #30: Major by Todd Balf

In a time where cycling is hardly a blip on the American sporting landscape, it's hard to believe that there was a point in our history where cycling was a major draw. Even harder to believe is that, for a period of time around the turn of the 20th century, the most successful rider was African-American. But both are apparently true, as demonstrated in this combination of biography and sport/social history.

Race is an obvious theme of the book, given the unlikely nature of Taylor becoming a star at a time when African Americans were banned from baseball (it helped that Taylor could race abroad, where cycling was also big and race not as much of an issue). But it's also the story of an athlete looking to reach the pinnacle of performance and success, and the ways in which that can shape and change the athlete's life. The story is spiced up by the influence of Taylor's mentor, bicycle builder Birdie Munger, and main rival Floyd McFarland.

A few years ago I read a "biography" of Honus Wagner that was more about the Pirates than Wagner himself, substituting his personal history with a year by year account of the team and how Wagner fared for the season. I worried about something similar here, but was happily proven wrong. A recommended read if you want something sporty but different.

Book Log 2008 #29: What's the Matter With Kansas? by Thomas Frank

I'd wanted to read this when it came out in 2004, but didn't get around to it and eventually forgot about it... until the next Presidential election came around and I saw it in an election-themed bookstore display.

Hard to say how I felt exactly about the book. I tend to think there's something to his general thesis, but I'd like to have seen how these folks have fared with recent downturns in the economy and support for the Iraq war. There were a couple placed where the book felt a bit padded, most notably a chapter about a Kansan who claims to be the Pope. By the time the chapter came up Frank had been pretty clear about the unusual ways Kansas and religion mix, and I don't the chapter added much.

I guess I found it interesting but vaguely off-putting, for reasons I can't particularly express a couple of months after reading it.

Trio Trophy - Day Twenty-Four

So it all comes down to this. Your final:

(1) Police Squad! v. (3) The Critic

How they got here:

Police Squad!
Round 1: defeated Bakersfield PD, 11-0
Round 2: defeated Love, Sidney, 7-0
Round 3: defeated Andy Richter Controls the Universe, 3-1
QFinals: defeated Max Headroom, 7-0
Semis: defeated Sports Night 7-1

The Critic
Round 1: defeated Voyagers!, 11-3
Round 2: defeated Freaks and Geeks, 3-1
Round 3: defeated Kolchak the Night Stalker, 3-2
QFinals: defeated The Greatest American Hero, 3-3
Semis: defeated Twin Peaks, 5-3

Trio Trophy - DAY TWENTY-TWO AND TWENTY-THREE RESULTS

I know, I promised you a final today. You'll get it tomorrow instead, with voting allowed through the end of the week.

First semifinal:

(1) Police Squad! d. (1) Sports Night, 7-1

Quote of the Match: "Police Squad! - at least it had the good sense to kill off its special guest stars before they could do too much damage - see Paula Marshall and Ted McGinley." - The Grim Reaper

And the other semifinal:

(3) The Critic d. (1) Twin Peaks, 5-3

Quote of the Match: "The Critic. Fun fact: Franklin Sherman was based on Ernie Harwell." - Mike via anomymity

As I mentioned in passing over the weekend, I was away for a while last week. The wife and I had a vacation planned, but shortly before going she got the word that she'd have to travel for work. So, instead of neither of us going on vacation I still took the week off and traveled with her.

Which is how I spent my vacation week (mostly) in Indiana. And while it wasn't the sort of nightmare scenario one might expect, I can't say that I'd be the poster child for the Indiana Tourism Board, either.

This may or may not get recapped, though as I never recapped last summer's trip to England (or this spring's trip to the Dominican), don't expect anything soon. Or at all.

Trio Trophy - Day Twenty-Three

Your other semifinal:

(3) The Critic v. (1)Twin Peaks

How they got here:

The Critic
Round 1: defeated Voyagers!, 11-3
Round 2: defeated Freaks and Geeks, 3-1
Round 3: defeated Kolchak the Night Stalker, 3-2
QFinals: defeated The Greatest American Hero, 3-3

Twin Peaks
Round 1: defeated The Slap Maxwell Story, 6-1
Round 2: defeated Cupid, 4-3
Round 3: defeated The Outer Limits, 3-2
QFinals: defeated Sledge Hammer!, 3-3

Trio Trophy - Day Twenty-Two

The first of the semifinals, with the second coming Wednesday.

(1) Sports Night v. (1) Police Squad!

How they got here:

Sports Night
Round 1: defeated Idiot Savants, 7-2
Round 2: defeated The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., 5-2
Round 3: defeated Buffalo Bill, 3-1
QFinals: defeated The Tick, 5-2

Police Squad!
Round 1: defeated Bakersfield PD, 11-0
Round 2: defeated Love, Sidney, 7-0
Round 3: defeated Andy Richter Controls the Universe, 3-1
QFinals: defeated Max Headroom, 7-0

Book Log 2008 #28: The Sunrise Lands by S. M. Stirling

The Change that put an end to electricity as we know it continues, but now with a new generation taking the lead. This is the first of a four book series that follows Rudi Mackenzie, the son of two leaders in post-Change Oregon, as he travels east with a group of new and familiar characters to go to Nantucket, where all of this Change business seems to have started.

Not sure if I'm fully on board with this jump yet, but I do like that it opens up more of what happened across the US. A fair bit of this book (and of the one to come, at least) deals with a church/cult that's taken hold in Montana and is growing in strength thanks to the involvement of Ted Kaczynski.

If you've read the previous series you might as well read this one.

Book Log 2008 #28: Dough by Morris Zachter

This interesting little volume tells the story of Zachter's family, his two bachelor uncles who ran a "bakery" in New York City that didn't actually bake anything (he often refers to it as "the day old bread store") and his mom, their sister, who left teaching to take an upaid role in helping them run the store. What makes things so interesting is when Zachter learns that the uncles (only one of whom is living in the book's present day, and he with dementia) are millionaires. This is a total surprise to Zachter, and sparks both wonder at why his uncles continued to live and work as they did and anger at how they let their sister give up her career to work for them gratis.

The book reminds me quite a bit of Sweet and Low, though that book's story is much more contentious. I think it's also a somewhat better book, in that I never quite felt that Zachter got the answers he was looking for. Not sure if he ever could have, really. So at the end I still felt a bit unsure as to what, if anything, I should take from the story. There are certainly things to take from it's portrayal of working Americans and New York City, but I could have used a little more resolution.

Trio Trophy - DAY EIGHTEEN THROUGH DAY TWENTY-ONE RESULTS


Hello all, we were away for a few days and without the Internets. So you get all your results at one go.

From the Turn On bracket:

(1)Sports Night d. (10) The Tick, 5-2

Quote of the Match: SportsNight - This show was doomed well before Paula Marshall. Sorry, but the curse attached in Episode 4, when Ted McGinley first appeared." - JB*

From the South of Sunset bracket:

(1) Police Squad! d. (2) Max Headroom, 7-0

Quote of the Match: "Police Squad! -

Mayor: I don't want any more trouble with you like I had on the cyberside last year.

Drebin: When I see a guy wearing a mask and sunglasses in cyberspace, I shoot the bastard!

Mayor: That was a production of "Headroom in the Server", you moron! You killed 5 avatars! Good ones!

Well, I tried. I am not nearly witty nor do I have enough tech proficiency to make this work, but I tried." - Baron Von Rotten

From the Co-Ed Fever bracket:

(3) The Critic d. (4) The Greatest American Hero, 3-3

Quote of the Match: "Even though it opened the door for the animated flashback/cutaway that Family Guy and American Dad have made their life's blood, and even though Jon Lovitz keeps following us around and reminding us he's no Phil Hartman and even though it means agreeing with Baron... nope can't do it. I'll vote with the show I loved as a kid over the show I enjoyed but never embraced as an adult - GAH." - Grim Reaper

(The MacFarlane references almost bring me back to the side of the pajamas. Almost.)

From the Public Morals bracket:

(1) Twin Peaks d. (14) Sledge Hammer!, 3-3

Quote of the Match: "This would have been a tough one. However, I watch the pilot for Sledgehammer the other day, and it just wasn't that good.

Also, Sherilyn Fenn was on the cover of the first Playboy I ever purchased, so I'll have to go with Twin Peaks." - Pastorerik

(I look forward to you working that bit of personal history into your next sermon.)

Trio Trophy - Day Twenty-One

We finish the week with the Public Morals bracket final. Monay we'll have a semi-final pitting the Turn On winner versus the South of Sunset winner, while Wednesday will have the Co-Ed Fever winner taking on the victor between:

(1) Twin Peaks v. (14) Sledge Hammer!

How they got here:

Twin Peaks
Round 1: defeated The Slap Maxwell Story, 6-1
Round 2: defeated Cupid, 4-3
Round 3: defeated The Outer Limits, 3-2

Sledge Hammer!
Round 1: defeated The Ben Stiller Show, 8-6
Round 2: defeated Square Pegs, 3-1
Round 3: defeated Andy Barker, P.I., 3-2

Marked for Death: No question on the Twin Peaks front, thanks to Madchen Amick. Take your pick: Central Park West, the Fantasy Island remake, Jake in Progress, Joey, Freddie, Kidnapped, Viva Laughlin and Shark. As for Sledge Hammer!, we can start right at the top thanks to David Rasche. He followed up his starring role with runs on Nurses, High Society, and DAG. Does he really know what he's doing?

Trio Trophy - Day Twenty

And now, the Co-Ed Fever bracket finalists:

(3) The Critic v. (4) The Greatest American Hero

How they got here:

The Critic
Round 1: defeated Voyagers!, 11-3
Round 2: defeated Freaks and Geeks, 3-1
Round 3: defeated Kolchak the Night Stalker, 3-2

The Greatest American Hero
Round 1: defeated G v. E, 6-3
Round 2: defeated Battlestar Galactica, 4-1
Round 3: defeated I'll Fly Away, 4-1

Marked for Death: It's hard to come up with a show killer for an animated program, as the voice actors tend to get a lot of work, if not long-term roles. Also, most of the folks who worked on The Critic have also worked on The Simpsons, which is apparently unkillable. But there is a decent candidate in Park Overall, who was on the inexplicably popular Empty Nest before a small recurring role on its short-lived spin-off Nurses and later roles on Ladies Man and Reba. As for The Greatest American Hero, you can probably go with Faye Grant, who played one of Ralph's students before they were written out. She'd go on to get roles on the series V and Time of Your Life, where she couldn't Jennifer Love Hewitt and her two co-stars.

Trio Trophy - Day Nineteen

Your South of Sunset bracket finalists:

(1) Police Squad! v. (2) Max Headroom

How they got here:

Police Squad!
Round 1: defeated Bakersfield PD, 11-0
Round 2: defeated Love, Sidney, 7-0
Round 3: defeated Andy Richter Controls the Universe, 3-1

Max Headroom
Round 1: defeated QED, 8-2
Round 2: defeated Get a Life, 3-0
Round 3: defeated TV Nation, 5-1

Marked for Death: While it's hard to say that there was any one show killer on Police Squad!, Alan North, who played Captain Ed Hocken, went from this show to playing Judge Mort Harris on Love, Sidney, which couldn't have helped its chances. While several of Max Headroom's cast members have had long careers with its share of stumbles, you'd have to give the nod to Ric Ducommun, whose two episodes set him up to take out Ink, The Wayans Bros., Shasta McNasty and Normal, Ohio.

Trio Trophy - Day Eighteen

Bracket finals this week, we'll do a bracket a day with the usual two days to vote. Semifinals next week (Monday and Wednesday), with the finals match-up the following week.

Today, the Turn On bracket final:

(1) Sports Night v. (10) The Tick

How they got here:

Sports Night
Round 1: defeated Idiot Savants, 7-2
Round 2: defeated The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., 5-2
Round 3: defeated Buffalo Bill, 3-1

The Tick
Round 1: defeated Stacatto, 5-3
Round 2: defeated My So Called Life, 3-0
Round 3: defeated Black Sheep Squadron, 4-2

Marked for Death: Sports Night removed all doubt over a short run when it brought on Paula Marshall to play Jenny, a porn star who is apparently goofy for sports nerds based on her interest in Jeremy Goodwin. The Tick's dead show walking status was confirmed when Liz Vassey was cast as Captain Liberty. While she's not lured CSI onto the rocks just yet, her pre-Tick resume includes Pig Sty, Maximum Bob, the Fantasy Island revival, Push, Nevada and Veritas: the Quest.

Trio Trophy - DAY SEVENTEEN RESULTS

From the Co-Ed Fever bracket:

(4)The Greatest American Hero d. (1) I'll Fly Away, 4-1

Quote of the Match: "The Greatest American Hero - It was either vote against I'll Fly Away, or just drop out of this thing entirely to maintain some level of self resepect (Ok. I left the door is wide open. Bring it.)" - mingusmonk

(I'm not sure that The Greatest American Hero and self-respect go arm in arm, but I'll give you a pass, it's a holiday weekend.)

From the Public Morals bracket:

(1) Twin Peaks d. (4) The Outer Limits, 3-2

Quote of the Match: "The Outer Limits - People had stopped watching Twin Peaks after the mystery was solved. I remember the show going out with a whimper. Sure, it gripped the country, but isn't it better off with a Prisoner-esque mythos?" - Baron Von Rotten

(Agreed, especially as I'd rather have one movie about The Prisoner than two based on Twin Peaks)

Book Log 2008 #27: The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry

Cotton Malone is back, and this time he's set on the trail of Alexander the Great's resting place, which is alluded to in ancient texts as the place where one can also find a cure for a mysterious "fever" that seems a lot like HIV. Competing against Malone is the prime minister of a new country formed out of several current central Asian nations, who wants the cure as part of a power play that will see her unleash biological weapons against bordering countries.

The book follows the usual template for entries in this series - lots of international travel and chases - but it's better than The Alexandria Link, which had too much of both to actually care about plot. Not that you'll mistake this for War and Peace, but it's a reasonably entertaining thriller more in line with Berry's earlier books, if still not quite as good as them.

Book Log 2008 #26: Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

Larson writes in the introduction to this book that it's not only about the connection between the murderer H. H. Crippen and the invention of wireless radio, but also a look at life during the Edwardian period. This statement signals, I think, the realization that the connection between crime and technology isn't as strong here as it was in The Devil in the White City. There, the Columbian Exposition and H. H. Holmes (aside - don't name your kid something with double Hs, it seems to up the odds of them becoming homicidal) grew together, with the grandeur of the former inversley translated into the horrors of the latter.

You don't get that in Thunderstruck. The connection is there - Crippen wouldn't have been apprehended so easily without wireless - but there's clearly not the same immediate connection between the two. Thus the pettifoggery about the book also being about the Edwardians, which is kind of disappointing as it doesn't feel like there's any special discussion of the era outside of the occasional remark about how Edward VII liked the theater and his cigars.

It's not a bad book per se, but I think it pales in comparison to The Devil in the White City, with which it can't help but be compared. Worth a read if you're interested in the period, but not something you'd need to seek out.

Book Log 2008 #25: The Big Killing by Robert Wilson

The second book in the Bruce Medway series, this time the action revolves around a series of apparently tribal killings that are in some way related to the Liberian civil war and the diamond trade. Medway gets pulled in when he picks up two jobs: one to act as courier for a mysterious videotape, the other to babysit a prospective diamond trader.

I didn't think this was as good as the first book in the series, as the writing at times tries to hard to deliver the noirish quality with which the first book was often credited. The supporting cast from the first book is much less in evidence in the second, which is also to the book's detriment.

That being said, it's still a quality mystery and worth the read.