I’m officially getting old, because I just don’t get shows geared towards Teens and Tweens. While I understand that most of them attempt to be humorous, I do not get the kind of snarky or stupid humor that most shows seem to play off. I do know that these are the shows that are most popular with those in the 9-12 and 13-15 age groups and I guess that should be the thing that matters. Now I know what my parents meant when they said they didn’t “get” what I was watching on television as a teenager.

That being said, I had the chance to review the first episode of a new series on Nickelodeon. The show, iCarly, is geared towards teens and tweens, with humor that has carried shows on the network such as Drake and Josh and Zoey 101. This is probably because the same creator of these shows is behind iCarly. The show is unique in that it is the first show of its kind to have a show within a show, where real kids can send in videos to be aired on the iCarly on-air webcast.

Let me tell you, the audience the show is geared for are going to love the show. Meanwhile, parents may laugh at the occasional funny moments, but the overall “hyper action” that makes the show what it is won’t make this show popular with an adult crowd. While I watched this show with my 12 year old son, who loved it and laughed hysterically the entire show, I spent most of the episode acting like a cantankerous adult who wanted to show these wayward kids what it is like to have a little parental supervision in their lives.

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Work - It’s a word that many people do not like to hear. For some it means doing something that you do not like to do. For others, the lucky ones, it means doing what they love. However, like it or hate it, work is a word that brings up some strong opinions. When it comes to environmental matters it might seem that work and the environment might not mix, but the experts on The Green are here to tell you otherwise. Like past subjects that include sports and youth education, work can be an environmentally friendly part of life, as well.

Work is one of the most negative influences on the environment. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. The fact that Americans work more than any other country in the world shows that we need to do something to protect our environment where work is concerned. As it has been said, we are nature. Wthout the proper changes, the world is not the only thing that will suffer. We will suffer, as well.

Commercial buildings account for 17% of our global warming emissions in the Unites States. In Santa Monica, David Hertz is an architect working on an environmental friendly building project. The goal is to show people that you can build green. With green renovation, which is renovating an existing building and making it eco-friendly, you save costs and damages that could come with new construction.

By going green, you save yourself money on energy costs, which also helps the environment. For example, recycled denim is now used for insulation, which saves on heating. Florescent grade light bulbs save money because they last ten times longer and they help the environment. The benefits are equal and yet immeasurable based on the good that you are doing.

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Sports is a vast area, which can include something as non-offensive as bowling to something as high impact as skateboarding, football, and/or skiing. Whether you are working in the concession stand, sitting in the stands, or playing on the field it is hard to deny that sports have a serious effect (whether positive or negative remains to be seen) on our environment. However, the effect does not need to be negative. With the threat of global warming, winter sports are threatened, and something needs to be done.

Calfee Designs has attempted to help the cause by creating a bamboo bike. Bamboo makes an excellent source for bikes because not only is it amazingly strong, it’s also able to grow quick enough to be one of the best renewable resources on the planet for this kind of thing. Based on professional bikers that have ridden the bike, bamboo offers the smoothest ride out there that you will find. It’s also the best option for our planet. In fact, professional biker, Dorothy Wong was able to place 4th in a race using one of these fabulous bikes and she mentioned her willingness to use them again thanks to the flexibility and smooth ride that other bikes do not offer.

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Fox celebrated The Simpsons’s season finale and 400^th episode with great fanfare. This hour long extravaganza included guest stars Kiefer Sutherland and Ludacris. It was a nice tribute to a long running show and evidence that its writing is still fresh enough to withstand several more seasons.

Bart drove towards Jimbo’s lair in Principal Skinner’s car. At the same time, The Bullies began testing their stinky concoction on mice and Ralph Wiggum. Bart entered Jimbo’s basement in time to find Ralph incapacitated and The Bullies gone. He called to report the news to Lisa, but he mistakenly dialed Jack Bauer. Jack demanded the identity of his mysterious caller, and Bart responded “Ahmed Aduddie.” Jack called his command center for a profile on “Ahmed Aduddie,” and learned he had been tricked.

Marge finished her cake just in time for the bake sale, and Homer and Milhouse’s dumpster slid to a stop in front of the school, in time for some culinary delights. Meanwhile, The Bullies slipped into the school ventilation room dressed as janitors. Groundskeeper Willie tried to stop The Bullies from releasing their toxic stink bomb, but he was quickly overtaken.

Bart radioed Lisa just as Martin, working as a double agent, whacked him on the head with a tuba. He dragged him to the ventilation room and tied him to a chair with Willie. The Bullies set the bomb and left the room in delight. Bart soon realized his only chance for escape was to short circuit the ceiling fan with hotdog wastewater.

The room quickly filled with murky water. Bart and Willy floated closer and closer to the ceiling fan. In a desperate attempt to escape, Bart floated up to a window that overlooked the ongoing bake sale. He pounded on the glass, alerting everyone to their plight. Chief Wiggum attempted to free Bart and Willie by shooting through the window, but only Marge’s dense, bake sale, cake could crack the glass. Lisa dismantled the bomb, and all looked well until Jack Bauer and the S.W.A.T. team arrived.

He relieved all of his agents from the assigned duties in order to track down his phone prankster. Just as Jack Bauer realized this might have been a little hasty, a bomb exploded in the background, and Shelbyville went up in flames.

“You Kent Always Get What You Want”

This episode opened with a reminder of how far The Simpsons have come since the Tracy Ulman show 20 years ago. The Simpson family tried to get the perfect family photograph, but each attempt was thwarted by fate or Bart’s antics.

Marge and Maggie spent the school day with Selma and Patty playing Pictionary. Surprised by the time, Marge and Maggie had to dash home in time to trick Bart, Lisa and Homer into going to the dentist.

The dental visit went well, and Lisa was introduced to the new oral hygiene educational video featuring “Ludacrest.” In the video, Ludacris, dressed as a tube of toothpaste, helped defend a mouth against the dangers of tooth decay.

To celebrate their dental health, Homer took the family to the ice cream parlor, where he ordered the store’s 1 millionth ice cream cone. A celebration ensued, and in honor of this achievement, Homer was invited to recount his victory on air with Kent Brockman. The interview went well, until Homer spilled hot coffee on Kent’s lap.

In pain, Kent exclaimed a curse word so terrible his network was significantly fined, and Kent was fired. He boxed up his possession and left the studio in the rain.

Kent was invited to live with The Simpsons after Marge feared he’d kill himself over his termination. While spending his days on the couch, Kent began to observe the confusion over Fox’s liberal network programming and Fox News’ ultra-conservative reporting. He remarked that the Fox channel was intentionally outrageous in order to levy hefty fines paid directly to Republican politicians. Outraged, Lisa offered to help Kent expose this arrangement, and she set up an internet news site. The internet site proved so provocative that Kent’s network quickly rehired him and offered him a significant raise. He left Lisa disenchanted, as he jumped into a limo, anxious to return to his old life.

As Lisa returned to the house, she began to discuss with Homer the evils she learned about the Fox network. Just as she was about to air Fox’s dirty laundry, a voice-over interrupted, and it ensured Fox’s viewers that they were enjoying quality family entertainment. As Homer screamed that he would not be silenced about Fox’s atrocities, the episode ended.

I enjoyed this 400^th episode. The Simpsons have become a television icon, and it’s fascinating to realize that this year’s high school graduates have not known a world without The Simpsons.

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Written by Amanda - Visit Website

This episode was a wonderful season finale. There was closure to the last several episodes, but enough questions remained to leave me excited for next season.

After work, Davolis heard whispering in his office. He opened the door to find VanDyke making a deal with Walter Paxton and his attorney. Walter Paxton sought $50 million in damages for wrongful imprisonment. VanDyke had been enlisted by the Governor and the Mayor to negotiation a quick and discrete settlement. As Davolis left his office, he found his office door locked behind him.

The next morning, Joe met with his attorney. He hoped to reach a settlement with Aerodytech as compensation for the hostage situation. In frustration, his attorney told Joe to drop all hopes of a lawsuit. He did not feel that he could convince a jury to award money to a man who believed his wife was a psychic.

That night, Debra met Walter Paxton at a bar. She wanted to turn his wrongful conviction into a book deal. She offered him quick money and acknowledged that his accounts had been frozen. She, also, alluded that he may have gambling debts that needed to be addressed. She admitted that his lawsuit with the city would not be settled quickly, and he needed money to live on in. In anger, Walter stormed from the bar.

When Allison returned home from work, she found her family in disarray. Ariel had been teased at school, and Allison found Joe hiding under his pillow. He anxiously awaited a phone call from his boss, inviting him to return to work. Allison admitted that DA Davolis had disappeared, and VanDyke had informed her that her services would no longer be needed.

That night Allison dreamt of Pamela Franklin dressed as a maid. Pamela entered the room of the third victim, carrying the head of the second. Allison watched as Pamela, the maid, murdered the third victim in the bath tub.

Allison awoke and called Detective Scanlon. He angrily told her that no one wanted to hear about her dreams. After she began to cry, he agreed to listen to her theory that Pamela Franklin was the second Recapitator. He dismissed her theory, and he stated that they would solve these murders with old fashioned detective work.

After her conversation with Detective Scanlon, she realized that Debra may still be in danger. She rushed to her apartment to convince her to move elsewhere. As Allison began to talk, Debra turned on her phone. To Allison’s quizzical look, she admitted that her phone was also a voice recorder. Allison tried to convince Debra that she was still in danger. She stated the fourth victim’s head had never been completely removed, and the third victim’s head had never been left behind.

Therefore the third victim’s head could still be placed on Debra’s body. Debra refused to heed Allison’s warning, and she ridiculed her psychic abilities. Allison left dejected.

Joe decided to sign his liability waiver, and he took it directly to Marcus, his boss. Uncomfortably, Marcus admitted that his insurance company would not allow Joe to return to work. Despite Joe’s protests, Marcus remained resolved, and Joe left in a daze.

That night, Joe and Allison discussed how they would make ends meet without either having employment. In depression, Allison fell asleep. In her dream she saw Walter Paxton having an affair with Pamela Franklin. As they made love, Pamela and Walter described the genius of their plot. Walter killed his wife and left her head with Pamela. As he sat in jail, she murdered the second victim and placed his wife’s head upon her body. She killed a third victim and kept the head to strike fear into the Phoenix community.

This plan allowed Walter to be released from prison, get his wife’s inheritance, marry Pamela and sue the city for false imprisonment. As Pamela gloated and demanded that Walter marry her soon, he slit her throat. He pulled the fire alarm and calmly walked out of the room.

The next morning, Joe and Allison read in the newspaper that Debra had been murdered in her hotel room. Allison, distraught, called Detective Scanlon. He admitted was right, and he agreed to let Allison investigate Debra’s hotel room. She paced Debra’s room looking for clues, until she stumbled upon her phone. She searched through Debra’s audio recordings until she heard Walter Paxton’s voice.

Walter had entered Debra’s hotel room under the pretense of agreeing to an interview. Debra, wisely, set her phone to record, and she questioned Walter until he admitted to the murders. The phone continued to record as he murdered her.

As in Allison’s dream, VanDyke held a press conference where he announced himself the new District Attorney of Phoenix. As he belittled the law enforcement for allowing a serial killer to roam free, Allison entered the room. She stated that Walter Paxton was responsible for the death of Debra/P.D. McCall, and she handed the DA the recording. She sneered, “You can thank me later,” and walked out of the room.

This episode was a wonderful conclusion to this season. I have to admit I took joy in the demise of Neve Campbel’s character. She played a self-serving reporter a little too well. I’m intrigued to see how different next season will be now that Allison’s secret is out, and Joe is unemployed. I guess we’ll have to wait for next fall.

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Written by Amanda - Visit Website

So, it’s finally the end. No more Gilmore Girls.

I thought I was prepared, given our two-week notice and the slow decline in quality, but really, can a fan be prepared for the end of one of the best TV shows of all time? I’m sniffling and puffy-eyed, but let’s get to it, shall we?

In the teaser, Rory comes face-to-face with her idol, Christiane Amanpour. Lorelai (back in her jeep, YAY!) brings a PJ-clad Rory to meet her Christiane. In his last “snarcastic” exchange ever, Michel tells Lorelai to not be “embarrassing” in front of their esteemed guest, like she usually is in front of celebrities. Ah, Michel. You will be missed. Rory gets some words of encouragement from Christiane and also snags her business card. Score!

Rory and Lorelai plan to take a roller coaster trip while she continues to look for a job. While attending Friday Night Dinner (the last one we will see, SNIFF!), Emily tries to encourage Lorelai to put a spa at the Inn, but Lorelai is hesitant. Rory (in a fab outfit…oh, how I will miss the beautiful dresses these girls wear to FND) comes in to announce that she got a job as a political reporter for an online magazine, following the campaign trail of Barack Obama, and she’s leaving in three days.

Although they are all encouraging, Emily, Richard and Lorelai are also upset and if you’re not crying yet, the tears in first Lorelai’s and then Richard’s eyes will do it to you. Emily says “So, this is it?” and Lorelai prolongs the night a bit by agreeing to stay for after-dinner drinks.

Liz (sans the annoying TJ, YAY!) visits Luke to see how he did giving the necklace to Lorelai. He tells her he bought it as a back-up gift for Rory and that he and Lorelai are just friends. We all know this is so not true, but Liz lets it go, instead prompting Luke to whip up a banana/sweet potato meal for his niece, Doula. I like fatherly Luke. He’s still gruff at times, but the sweet Luke and in several instances tonight, even excited Luke we see is a testament to the progression his character has gone through over seven seasons.

In the diner, Lorelai breaks the news of Rory’s impending trip to the townsfolk, who are bummed not to see a re-enactment of her graduation. Lorelai and Rory improvise a humorous one, with Lorelai giving Rory a “diploma” (Luke’s menu) and Rory accepting saying, “Summa Cum Luke.” Luke has a half smile on his face as the townies look upset, and you just know he’s going to don his invisible tights and cape and do something to save the day.

Luke visits Sookie at the Dragonfly (the last view of Sookie’s amazing kitchen! SNIFF!) and suggests throwing a surprise “Bon Voyage” party for Rory. In her sweet but frantic way, Sookie says it’s a great idea and even compliments Luke on how this will make both Rory and Lorelai happy. This reminds me of the beginning of Season #5 when Sookie was so ecstatic that Lorelai and Luke had finally kissed (“Just call me Belinda, cause my lips are sealed.”). She’s a great cheerleader and has long been the most important voice of reason and encouragement regarding our favorite couple.

Two moments stood out tonight as terrific examples of the “little things” that made this show great. While Lorelai and Rory are traveling around Stars Hollow buying things that Rory needs for her trip, they end up at Miss Patty’s, who suspiciously has her dance studio doors locked and pops her head out to say how she is connecting with her muse “alone.” We then cut to the principal townies huddled against the door, hiding from view. It appears there is a secret town meeting going on. Ah, the last town meeting! (Sniff!) Taylor is, of course, rattling on and on about all of the town codes they are breaking, but Luke finally takes charge and rallies the troops.

The second little but big moment is when Lorelai and Rory are talking in the square and are oblivious to the fact that about 25 townies are carrying tables and chairs right towards them. The townies quickly turn around, but the humor of this quiet scene is felt. Unlike the “high-concept” shows of today, this show didn’t need explosions or special affects to show us its quiet, charming style. It just needed moments like these.

Lane and Rory have a nice scene on her front porch where their friendship comes full circle, even if we haven’t seen them interact much since Rory went to college. But, that’s the way it is in real life, right? You may not see a person as much as you used to, but they can still be a significant force in your life. Although Lane and Rory have diverged on two very different paths, it was nice to see them connect here. After Rory begins freaking out about her new job, Lane gives her some great advice by acknowledging her fortune in having a mom who she is going to miss. Rory: “What kind of reporter does that make me?” Lane: “The lucky kind.” The two girls’ parting comments of “Mrs. VanDerBick [I think this is what Zach’s last name is, I couldn’t make it out.] and Ms. Gilmore” was a nice, sweet touch.

As the town prepares for the party, we get some great moments (Jackson’s veggie centerpieces) but none equals Babette running across the town square squawking Luke’s name. Her hair may be 50/50 in its predictions, but her ankles are swollen, signaling the certainty of rain for the party.

The best scene of the episode and one of the best of the series, in my humble opinion, happens here. Lorelai goes into Rory’s room to watch her daughter sleep. The tears in Lorelai’s eyes (and Sam Phillips’ “la las”) as she silently covers Rory with her quilt says all that needs to be said. This is definitely the best scene ever of the series.

On this same night we see Luke, all alone in the diner, sewing (YAY!) to make a tent for the party. He goes into a drawer to get something and ends up taking out the necklace and putting it in his back pocket. You just know he’s going to give it to Lorelai!

The time for the party arrives as Lorelai and Rory pull into town to see the most valuable players of Stars Hollow huddled up under the tent. Kirk’s made Rory a sash (out of his mother’s nightie, ugh! But YAY! Because it’s so Kirk) and she’s asked to say a few words. After gushing about the town, Rory gives a lovely shout-out to Lorelai, who gets teary and, for this fan, it’s waterworks until the end of the show.

Lorelai sees Richard and Emily at the party (I had hoped for a scene with Luke inviting them, but apparently they heard about it from Sookie). Richard pays Lorelai an enormous compliment by saying that this party is a testament to her and the wonderful life she has built here for herself and her Rory. The schmaltziness is kept in check by Emily’s attempts to stop any conversation that has Richard referencing his heart attack and how because of it, he’s been having sentimental thoughts. I always loved the snippy but affectionate spats between Richard and Emily.

Emily again asks Lorelai about a spa and suggests that she and Richard finance it. We finally “see” that Emily is using this as a way to get Lorelai to keep coming to FND. Lorelai says that they can discuss it over dinner, i.e. Emily has nothing to worry about because she was still planning on seeing her parents, with or without Rory. It wouldn’t be a Lorelai/Emily discussion if it didn’t end on a snarky note. Emily: “Don’t be late and don’t wear jeans.” Lorelai: “Okay, I’ll be there in spandex and a tube top.”

Emily then pays her granddaughter a beautiful compliment saying, “It’s an honor to be your grandmother, Rory Gilmore.” Ah, more tears. Emily Gilmore will go down as being on of the greatest characters in the history of television.

Lorelai thanks Sookie for the party and Sookie finally tells her that it was all Luke. And it’s the last we will see of Sookie! (Sniff!) Lorelai, after interacting with several townies who are their usual, funny, great selves (Babette: “Lorelai, wanna make a Morey sandwich?”) goes to the diner. In the street where they’ve had so many discussions/arguments/banter over the years, Lorelai thanks Luke and he, as usual, says it was no big deal. After a quiet “Luke” from Lorelai, Luke says his greatest line ever, which sums up all of his actions over the last 7 years when it comes to Lorelai Gilmore. “I just like to see you happy.” The two kiss and the shot pans out to the town partying.

And finally we find Rory on the morning of her departure. Lorelai’s rambling on about all the things Rory should do. Don’t wear shorts, sit in the back of the bus, be chatty. Rory stops her and says maybe her best line ever: “You’ve given me all I need.” This sums up the entire reason for this show very nicely.

And on to the last scene, which rightly mirrors the final scene of the pilot episode from seven years ago. I hate to pat myself on the back here, but I’ve hoped for this parallel since we heard from ASP about her “four words” ending. I just knew, whether we heard her four words or not, that Gilmore Girls would end with Rory and Lorelai chatting at Luke’s, while he worked in the background.

In the scene, Luke fills their coffee cups while the two girls sweetly banter about the “lovely” menu, with its nice fonts and lack of pictures. Lorelai tells Luke that they’ll need a minute to choose their breakfast and he smiles and responds, “Take all the time you need.” Definitely a double meaning to this and you know these two are going to get married, have babies and live their happily ever after in Stars Hollow. Unfortunately, we just won’t be around to see it. Rory knows this too and has a joyous smile on her face.

While Luke goes to make “appetizers,” Rory compliments Lorelai on her necklace (aw, he did give it to her! YAY!) and the two discuss Lorelai making a “World’s Best Reporter” hat that Rory conveniently left at home. We fade out on this conversation and I’m a sniffling, blubbering mess.

Was it a quick way to end the series? Maybe. Would I have loved to see ASP close out her own show? Sure. Would I have liked to see Lorelai and Luke’s wedding? Of course. Did the finale showcase the charm, characters, storylines and heart of this show? Absolutely. Godspeed Gilmores. I will miss you girls and your wonderful family and friends.

And with a full and grateful heart for the seven years I had with this glorious show, I leave you with Lorelai’s introduction to “Gilmore Girls Beginnings” that aired on the WB years ago. After 7 years, I think this show and its characters ended up someplace good.

Lorelai: “There are many paths in life. There’s the “Hey, you’re cute, sure, I’ll marry you after graduation and med school” and the “Can you drive Susie to soccer today, ’cause I’ve got a pedicure?” path. And then there’s my path, where I found myself 16 and pregnant and I realized “I have to get a job, I have to raise a kid and being me, I have to do it all by myself.” Not easy. But the thing with my path was, when I reached the end, I turned around and realized I’d ended up someplace really good.”

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Written by DiDean - Visit Website

This episode was a continuation from the previous two. The writing was much more enjoyable, and it was both playful and intense. I felt this episode was the perfect build-up to the season finale.

Later that morning, Debra called, and Allison tried, delicately, to convince her that she maybe the Recapitator’s next target. Debra refused to believe that she was in any danger, and Allison hung up, distressed.

Across town, Joe met with the attorney. Cooper promised millions of dollars from Joe’s employer. Joe questioned whether his employer was a victim, too. He felt guilty that the killer had used his security pass to enter the office. Cooper responded that as a company accepting huge government contracts, Aerodytech should have provided better security than an unmanned security check-point. Joe left the meeting with a lot to consider.

That night, Joe told Allison about his meeting with Cooper. He was intrigued by what Cooper had to say, but he felt disloyal to his company. Allison listened intently, until they fell asleep. In a dream completely devoid of color, she saw a new District Attorney replacing Davolis, and she learned that there would be a fifth murder.

When Allison relayed her dream to Joe, he stated her problem could be solved with simple math. If she could keep Debra alive, then the Recapitator would not have a head for his fifth victim. She could save her friend and the DA’s job. Allison called Detective Scanlon and asked him to put Debra under protection.

oe met with his boss, Marcus, for lunch. Marcus offered him a significant bonus and his job back. He stated that Joe’s progress with the company psychiatrist was significant, but Joe could have more time off if he needed it. At the end of the conversation, Marcus slyly mentioned that Joe could not return to work until he signed a release of liability for Aerodytech’s insurance company. Joe took the release for his lawyer to review, and he stormed out of the restaurant.

At home, Joe and Allison discussed what to do with Marcus’s liability waiver. Joe begged Allison to dream about their future and tell him what to do. Unfortunately, Allison dreamt of a dead body in a hotel bathtub instead. She soon learned the dream was reality.

On the scene of the crime, Allison discovered that the woman in the tub was the owner of the head she had seen placed on Debra’s body in her dream. DA Davolis and Detective Scanlon begged Allison to meet with Debra, again. They wanted Allison to convince Debra that her life was in danger without betraying her psychic abilities.

Allison went to Debra’s motel room and begged her to leave town. Debra listened to her friend’s concern, but she refused to heed her warning. In desperation, Allison told her that she was a psychic who solved crimes with the District Attorney. Debra asked Allison what clothing she was wearing when she was murdered, and Allison responded bar attire. Debra flippantly stated that if she slept in her bathrobe, she should be fine, and she demanded that Allison leave her room.

This plot will conclude, next week, with the Season Finale. Hopefully, it will be as amusing as this episode. Although a shameless plug for the network, I loved the Deal or No Deal dream sequence.

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Written by Amanda - Visit Website

After Marge read an article in Smothering Mother Magazine about pacifiers leading to under achievement, she disposed of all of Maggie’s. Maggie became violent and unhappy. After several days of crying, Marge agreed that Maggie was not ready to be parted from her pacifier. She sent Homer to the store for replacements, but he was unable to find her brand. In desperation, Santa’s Little Helper gave Maggie his squeaky chew- toy. She took the toy and began chewing with delight. Unfortunately, the squeak kept Homer awake at night. During a night of restlessness, he saw a commercial for Nappien and quickly got a prescription.