Ramblin' with Roger

In Monday’s edition, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, announced that Muthannā is the “first province to assume complete responsibility for its law enforcement and security, independent of multinational forces.” That’s great. Really, it is, although it had been under the authority of non-U.S. troops. But look at the map of Iraq. As the Wikipedia says, “Iraq is divided into 18 governorates or provinces (muhafazah)”, which are:
Baghdād (بغداد)
Salāh ad-Dīn (صلاح الدين)
Diyālā (ديالى)
Wāsit (واسط)
Maysān (ميسان)
Al-Basrah (البصرة)
Dhī Qār (ذي قار)
Al-Muthannā (المثنى)
Al-Qādisiyyah (القادسية)
Bābil (بابل)
Al-Karbalā’ (كربلاء)
An-Najaf (النجف)
Al-Anbar (الأنبار)
Nīnawā (نينوى)
Dahūk (دهوك)
Arbīl (أربيل)
Kirkuk (التاميم)
As-Sulaymāniyyah (السليمانية)
All during the war, I’ve been reading about how X, (X being something positive) has happened in 8 or 12 or 14 of 18 provinces. Almost invariably, however, those 4 “other” provinces include Anbar, that large western province (#13), where the U.S. is moving troops from, it was announced this week, and Baghdād (#1), which has over 1/5 of the country’s population, and where additional U.S. forces are moving to. I’m afraid I’m not convinced that success in one relatively stable southern province will mean peace is just around the corner. Of course, this guy would likely disagree; naturally, I read about him in the WSJ this week.

The other piece was by Suze Orman in last weekend’s edition, about identity theft. There is pending legislation called the Financial Data Protection Act of 2006, H.R.3997. I’m always impressed how Congress comes up with such comforting names of legislation – USA PATIOT Act, anyone? Her point is about Section 6 of the bill:
(a) Preemption of State Information Security Laws- This Act supersedes any provision of a statute, regulation, or rule of a State or political subdivision of a State, with respect to those entities covered by the regulations issued pursuant to this Act, that expressly–
(1) requires information security practices and treatment of data in electronic form containing personal information similar to any of those required under section 2; and
(2) requires notification to individuals of a breach of security resulting in unauthorized acquisition of data in electronic form containing personal information.

You can read reviews in lots of places. Here are my reactions:

1) I left the theater angry, not about global warming – I was already ticked about that – but how I wished that Al Gore were more personable six years ago, rather than sounding like a policy wonk, talking about the Social Security “lockbox”. Maybe he would have won Tennessee, his home state, and what happened in Florida would have been irrelevant.

2) The film merely confirmed what I had been thinking for years: that the government’s low standards on highway mileage, which included setting standards then letting Detroit postpone them as “too expensive”, is why Ford and GM are in such trouble today.

3) I wish I could better explain to someone why the excessive rain in the Northeast earlier this month, and 118 in Phoenix earlier this week are caused by the same phenomenon.

4) Someone hissed when W briefly appeared on the screen. It wasn’t by me, but it could have been.

5) Carol and I had already agreed that we need better insulation for our house.

6) Mass transit is a solution, but how do we do that amidst urban sprawl? The issue of that aspect of development, not touched on in the film if I recall correctly, is a huge problem.

7) I feel sorry for Jimmy Carter, and for Al Gore too. When Carter was President, declared a Moral Equivalent of War (MEOW) on the energy crisis, and wore a sweater in the White House, it just wasn’t the message people wanted to hear at that point. Gore has had this same message for three decades before just recently started getting any real traction.

8) Not directly from the film: I had long thought that it would take $3/gallon gasoline before consumption in the U.S. would really change, I mean lower usage for a sustained period. What IS the price point, $4/gallon?

9) Go to the website here.

Networks: A is ABC, C is CBS, N is NBC, D is Dumont

On All Four Networks:

The Arthur Murray Party
Down You Go
The Original Amateur Hour
Pantomime Quiz

On Three Networks

The Adventures of Ellery Queen-D,A,N&
The Andy Williams Show-A,C,N*
Animal World-N,C,A
Author Meets the Critics-N,A,D
Bachelor Father-C,N,A
Big Town-C,D,N
Blind Date (Your Big Moment)-A,N,D
Break the Bank-A,N,C
Candid Camera-A,N,C
Charlie Wild, Private Detective-C,A,D
Dollar a Second–D,N,A
The Eddy Arnold Show-C,N,A*
Ethel and Albert-N,C,A
Father Knows Best-C,N,A
Ford Theater-C,N,A
The Goldbergs-C,N,D
Life Begins at Eighty-N,A,D
Man Against Crime-C,D,N
Mary Kay and Johnny-D,N,C
Masquerade Party-N,C,A
The Price Is Right-N,A,C*
The Sammy Kaye Show (So You Want to Lead a Band, Music from Manhattan)-N,C,A
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (The Smothers Brothers Summer Show, The Smothers Brothers Show)*
The Steve Allen Show-C,N&,A
The Ted Steele Show–N,D,C
Tom Corbett:Space Cadet-C,A,N
Topper-C,A,N
Twenty Questions-N,A,D
Walt Disney-A,N,C
The Wendy Barrie Show (Inside Photoplay, Photoplay Time, Through Wendy’s Window)-D,A,N

On Two Networks

Actor’s Studio (The Play’s The Thing)-A,C
Adventure Theater-N,C&
The Alan Dale Show-D,C
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (The Alfred Hitchcock Hour)-C,N
The Amazing Dunninger (The Dunninger Show)-A,N
Armstrong Circle Theater-N,C
Bank on the Stars-C,N
The Battle of the Ages-D,C
The Bigelow Show-N,C
Bigelow Theater-C,D
The Bionic Woman-A,N
The Black Saddle-N,A
Blondie-C,N&
The Bob Cummings Show-N,C
Bosom Buddies-A,N2
Cavalcade of America (DuPont Cavalcade Theater, DuPont Theater)-N,A
Celebrity Time (Goodrich celebrity Time)-C,A
Chance of a Lifetime-A,D
The Charlie Farrell Show- C,N2
Circus Boy-N,A
Claudia, the Story of a Marriage-N,C
The Clock-N,A
Columbo-N,A*
The Continental-C,A
The Court of Last Resort-N,A2
Dan August-A,C2
The Danny Thomas Show (Make Rom for Daddy)-A,C
Davis Rules-A,C
The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (Robert Taylor’s Detectives)-A,N
Diff’rent Strokes-N,A
Doorway to Danger-N,A
The Dotty Mack Show (Girl Alone)-D,A
Drew Pearson (A,D)
The Earl Wrightson Show (Earl Wrightson at Home, The At Home Show, The Masland at Home Party)-A,C
The Eddie Capra Mysteries-N,C2
Eddie Condon’s Floor show-N,C
Empire-N,A2
Ensign O’Toole-N,A2
The Ernie Kovacs Show-C,N*
The Family Holvak-N,C
Famous Fights-D,A*
The Father Dowling Mysteries-N,A
The Faye Emerson Show (Fifteen with Faye)–C,N
Fireside Theater-N,A2
The Gale Storm show-C,A
The George Gobel Show-N,C
Get Smart-N,C
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir-N,A
Harbourmaster-C,A
Hawk-A,N2
Hazel-N,C
The Herb Shriner Show-C,A*
Hey Jeannie-C,A2
The Hogan Family-N,C
Hollywood Opening Night-C,N
The Hunter-C,N*
It Pays to Be Ignorant-C,N*
The Jack Benny Show-C,N*
The Jimmy Dean Show-C,A&
The Jimmy Durante Show-N,C2
The Joey Bishop Show-N,C
The John Davidson Show-A,N&
The Johnny Cash show-A,C&
Johnny Staccato-N,A2
The Johns Hopkins Science Review-C,D
The Joseph Cotten Show (On Trial)-N,C2
Juvenile Jury-N,C
Keep Talking-C,A
Kojak-C,A&
Kraft Television Theatre-N,A
Kukla, Fran & Ollie-N,A*
Law of the Plainsman-N,A
Leave It to Beaver-C,A
Leave It to the Girls-N,A*
Let’s Make a Deal–N,A
The Liberace Show-N,C&
Life Is Worth Living-D,A
Live Like a Millionaire-C,A
Lux Video Theatre (Lux Playhouse)–C,N
Madison Square Garden Highlights–A,D
Mark Saber-A,N (recast-think Doctor Who)
Meet McGraw-N,A2
Meet Your Congress-N,D*
Midweestern Hayride-N,A
The Milton Berle Show-N,A&
Mission: Impossible-C,A&
Mr. & Mrs. North-C,N
The Morey Amsterdam Show–C,D
My Friend Flicka–C,N2
My Little Margie-C,N
My Three Sons-A,C
My World and Welcome to It-N,C2
Name That Tune-N,C
Navy Log–C,A
Omnibus-C,A
On the Line with Considine-N,A
On Your Way-D,A
The Perry Como Show (The Chesterfield Supper Club)-N,C
Peter Gunn-N,A
Pick the Winner-C,D (simultaneous)
Place the Face-N,C
Police Squad–A,C2
Police Story-N,A*
Press Conference (Martha Rountree’s Press Conference)-N,A
The Pride of the Family-A,C2
Private Secretary–C,N2
Quiz Kids-N,C
The Real McCoys–A,C
The Rebel-A,N2
Rebound-A,D
Red Barber’s Corner (Red Barber’s Clubhouse, The Peak of the Sports News)-C,N
The Red Buttons Show-C,N
The Red Skelton Show-N,C
Revlon Mirror Theatre-N,C
Richard Diamond, Private Detective-C,N
Say It with Acting-N,A
Screen director’s Playhouse-N,A
Shirley Temple’s Storybook-A,N
Somerset Maugham TV Theatre (Teller of Tales)-C,N
The Spike Jones Show-N,C*
Steve Canyon–N,A2
The Stork Club-C,A
Stud’s Place–N,A
Tarzan-N.C2
Taxi-A,N
Telephone Time-C.A
Tex and Jinx-N.C
They Stand Accused-C,D
This Is Show Business-C,N*
This Is The Life-D,A
The Tony Randall Show-C,A
Treasure Hunt-A,N
Treasury Men in Action-A,N
Truth or Consequences-C,N*
21 Beacon Street-N,A2
Two for the Money-N,C
The U.S. Steel Hour-A,C
The Vaughn Monroe Show-C,N*
Versitile Varieties-N,A
The Voice of Firestone-N,A
Wagon Train-N,A
We, the People-C,N
The Web-C,N*
The West Point Story-C,A
What’s It Worth (Trash or Treasure, Treasure Hunt)-C,D*
What’s Your Bid-A,D
Who Said That?-N,A
Wonder Woman-A,C
You Asked for It-D,A
Your Hit Parade-N,C
Your Play Time-C,N2
Youth on the March-A,D

The items in red I would suggest don’t belong on the list at all, either because the second network merely ran reruns of the first network programs (or, for anthologies, even reruns of other shows) – those shows are designated with a 2, OR the show is essentially a different show with the same name (two different attempts to create a series out of the comic strip Blondie, e.g.). The & sign suggests a totally different show. However, the shows with a * are shows with gaps of 18 months or more which I’ve determined are essentially the same show.

A Tosy meme.

1.Have you ever been searched by the cops?

Yes, in May 1972.

2. Do you close your eyes on roller coasters?

Generally not.

3. When’s the last time you’ve been sledding?

Pre-Lydia, i don’t remember.

4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone?

Depends on who, I reckon.

5. Do you believe in ghosts?

Maybe.

6. Do you consider yourself creative?

Didn’t use to. Now, maybe, I think I might be.

7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife?

Don’t know. I followed this case about as little as one could and still live in the United States.

8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie?

To do what?

9. Do you stay friends with your exes?

Many of them, yes. I think I invited at least four to my wedding with Carol, and at least two came. But my most recent ex, I have no contact with, even though she lives 30 minutes away

10. Do you know how to play poker?

Perfunctorally.

11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?

Yes, cramming for a calculus final exam my freshman year of college, which I passed; I was going to fail the course if I failed the exam. I looked at the calculus textbook a couple weeks later and understood almost nothing.

12. What’s your favorite commercial?

Ever? I don’t know. Probablty a Rice Krispies commercial where Snap, Crackle and Pop sing all the words to the song, and on the fourth verse all sing together.

13. What are you allergic to?

Penicillin, naprocyn, probably some grasses that give me hay fever.

14. If you’re driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around do you run red lights?

No. But the last time I drove in the middle of the night, I didn’t have a license. (The satatue of limitations HAS passed on this.)

15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you?

Yes.

16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees?

Let’s go, Mets!

17. Have you ever been Ice Skating?

Yes. I’m really bad at it. In fact, the only reason I went last time I did was to woo Carol. (And it worked.)

18. How often do you remember your dreams?

When I sleep well, almost never. When I sleep poorly, almost always.

19. When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?

Don’t remember, but it’s not a totally unheard of thing for me to do.

20. Can you name 5 songs by The Beatles?

Yes.

I saw here standing there, penny lane, strawberry foields forever, got to get you into my life, tomorrow never knows were the first ones off the top. I can give you about 155 more.

21. What’s the one thing on your mind now?

Paying my oral surgeon’s bill.

22. Do you know who Ghetto-ass Barbie is?

Thankfully, no.

23. Do you always wear your seat belt?

Yes. I HAVE been in cars when it was broken (usually in the back seat, ansd some years ago) – HATED that.

24. What cell service do you use?

None currently. Had Verizon Wireless, which cost WAY too much for the infrequent number of times we used it.

25. Do you like Sushi?

Not a lot. I’ll eat it. My wife LOVES it.

26. Have you ever narrowly avoided a fatal accident?

Yes, and I’m glad I had a seat belt on. My friend Lynn was driving in New Paltz on Route 32, heading south, and I’m in the passenger seat, when this car, which had been waiting for several seconds, sudddenly makes a left turn right into us. Lynn had a neck brace for six weeks. I was OK.

27. What do you wear to bed?

Depends on the weather. Usually T-shirt and pajama bottoms.

28. Been caught stealing?

Yes, candy or gum from a grocery store when I was about 6. My mother found it at home, and I had to bring it back and apologize. How mortifying.

29. What shoe size do you have?

10

30. Do you truly hate anyone?

Don’t think so, but let me think on that.

31. Classic Rock or Rap?

Given my lack of understanding of quite a bit of rap, though I loved the really early stuff, I guess classic rock, though certain songs can become so overplayed as to really irritate me.

32. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be?

Hmmm. I think this is a question more suited to Tom the Dog.

33. Favorite Song?

Oh, I can’t have A favorite song. It’s so dependent on mood, what I’ve listened to recently. It’ll change every time. This moment: As by Stevie Wonder, especially the “preach” part.

34. Have you ever sang in front of the mirror?

Yes, but not at the Y.

35. What food do you find disgusting?

Canned beets.

36. Do you sing in the shower?

Yes, but not at the Y.

37. Did you ever play, “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours?”

Yeah, I was comparing scars with someone.

38. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back?

Probably, but no more so than I would to their faces.

39. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?

Yes, or didn’t know at all.

40. Have you ever been punched in the face?