We’re a Nielsen family!

If you’ve never watched television or you’ve lived under the proverbial rock for sixty years, you might have no idea what a Nielsen family is. Nielsen is a company that samples television viewing households to determine what television shows Americans are watching. Nielsen describes a Nielsen family as panelists that enrich their “… view of the marketplace and ensures that our research accurately reflects consumers' shopping and media habits.”

According to Nielsen Ratings TV History, the ratings service originated in 1930 to measure radio program audiences. In 1950, it evolved to measure television audiences.

Usually ratings are collected via metered sets in selected households. The target family receives a device that connects to the television set that transmits actual channel selections to the Nielsen headquarters on a daily basis.

A second collection method is the TV Viewing Diary. We received the TV Viewing Diary. It asks a variety of questions including race, gender and age of the household viewers, number of TVs in the home and method of broadcast signal (cable, dish or over-the-air).

The diary requests that we capture our viewings for seven, twenty four hour days. Nielsen wants to know who’s watching which program on what station. Also, if the TV is on and no one is watching, they’d like us to record this as well.

There’s a section at the back of the diary to list program information for shows that are recorded for viewing at a later time. If we watch a recorded show, we list it in the viewing log and annotate it as a recorded program. (We’re even listing shows we watch on Netflix and Hulu.)

We’re completing the diary for our most used television in the house. Nielsen asks that we keep a separate log of programs viewed on the other TVs (I created a spreadsheet to collect this data).

On the surface it’s seems like a lot of work, but it’s not.

When we received the diary, I thought of an episode of Night Court (I am unable to find the episode number) where a guy was on the witness stand and revealed that his family was a Nielsen family. He was upset because he and his family went out for the evening and didn’t watch a particular program. He believed his night out was the reason Punky Brewster was cancelled.

I’m not that obsessive, though I’ve been accused of taking the survey too seriously. It’s just that I subscribe to the theory that garbage in equals garbage out, so I’m trying to make the diary as accurate as possible. Besides, maybe my participation could get the Kardashians cancelled. (I can dream, can’t I?)

Has anyone else been involved in a Nielsen survey? Let me know how it went for you.

New Spy Plane on the Drawing Board

Courtesy Google Images

Fans of Marvel Comics’ X-Men are familiar with the team’s SR-71 Blackbird. However, marvel-movies.wikia.com surmises that movie franchise dropped the term Blackbird in favor of the X-Jet. X-MEN FILMS speculates that the X-Jet will make an appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past due out in May, 2014.

When I was a kid, I didn’t realize the Blackbird was a real plane. I just thought it looked really cool!

The Blackbird is an actual stealth aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin. According to Lockheed Martin.com, the Blackbird (so named because it was painted black to help dissipate heat) was conceived by a team of developers at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works® in Burbank,California.

The first iteration of the Blackbird is the A-12 which had its maiden flight on April 30, 1962.

The next production model Blackbird is the SR-71 whose maiden flight was December 22, 1964.

SR-71 Courtesy Google Images

According to U2SR71Patches.co, the Blackbirds operated out of Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan from March 9, 1968 to January 21, 1990. When I was stationed in Japan in 1982 I never had an opportunity to view an SR-71 up close. But the locals always seemed to know when a bird was preparing for takeoff. Many Japanese lined the outer perimeter of the runway, off base property, and photographed a plane as it launched.

SR -71.org says the SR-71 had its final flight in October 1999.

Skunk Works® is in the process of developing the next generation of spy plane, and you know what? It looks really cool!

SR-72 Courtesy Google Images

Lockheed has dubbed the plane the SR-72. ExtremeTech.com reports that conceptually, it will about 100 feet long, unpiloted, and reach an altitude of 80,000 feet. It will be capable of traveling at 4,567 miles per hour—Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound. Holy crap! That’s faster than anything that isn’t attached to a rocket.

I can envision the military applications. The obvious use being aerial reconnaissance. ExtremeTech.com states that if the SR-72 were deployed aboard aircraft carriers, we’d have what would essentially be a giant drone that could provide surveillance of any part of the world in about an hour. The technology used to propel the SR-72 has the capability of reaching Mach 10 (7,612 miles per hour). The website also reports that Lockheed hasn’t secured funding, but still hopes to have one built for test by 2030.

I wonder if there are commercial applications. Imagine getting from Los Angeles to New York in about 30 minutes … that … would be cool!

What do you think? What applications are there for a craft that can travel at Mach 6 and beyond? Is it possible an SR-72 will replace the SR-71 X-Jet in future X-Men movies?

Copper to Clean Smog

According to Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, there are 100 easy ways you can improve the environment. For example, to conserve energy in your home you can use warm or cold water instead of hot water to wash clothes, or you can lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees.

Remember my October 2012 post Not Captain Kangaroo’s Green Jeans? I wrote about the possibility of wearing jeans sprayed with microscopic particles of titanium oxide as a pollution buster. Researchers are continuously attempting to find innovative ways to cleanse the environment. The jeans are still under research but we may be changing the way we dress in the future.

So what’s the latest idea?

Treehugger.com reports that Dutch artist/designer, Daan Roosegaarde, has developed a device that he hopes will suck the smog from the atmosphere. His idea is to bury copper coils in the ground and use an electrostatic charge to attract the smog particles to the coils. Gizmodo.com states that once the particles are pulled from the sky they can be compressed and repurposed.

The theory is sound. According to Pocket-lint.com, scientists at the University of Delft in The Netherlands have cleared the air of one cubic meter in a five cubic meter room.

Beijing smog – Courtesy Google Images

It would be impractical to try and build a smog-sucker large enough to clear an entire city. Therefore, Roosegaarde plans to install the system in a section of a city park in Beijing, China, and clear a small sector of Beijing sky. According to Gizmodo.com, the device should be able to create a 22,500 square foot area of clear sky and Roosegaarde, hopes it will show the locals what life could be like without the pollutants.

Beijing is among the smoggiest cities in the world. I’m sure any relief would probably be welcomed.

How cool would it be if technology advanced to the point where we could build super-sized smog suckers? I know this isn’t a solution to the problem of air pollution but in combination with prevention efforts, maybe my grandkids’ kids won’t have to worry about wearing respirators to play outside.

I wonder, could the copper coil/electrical currents have adverse effects on other parts of the environment? Is clean air a pie in the sky dream?

Disney World adds Avatar Land

“Two great tastes that taste great together.” That was the Reeses’s Peanut Butter Cup’s slogan thirty-plus years ago. And they’re right … who doesn’t enjoy peanut butter and chocolate (unless you’re allergic)?

Courtesy Google Images

When I saw a news report that Disney was going to create an attraction based on James Cameron’s Avatar my first thought was, “Two great tastes that taste great together.”

I love Disney World in Orlando, FL. When we visit the in-laws in Dade City, FL, we make a point to get to Disney World for at least one day. (My bride’s favorite park is EPCOT; mine is Disney Hollywood Studios.)

I really enjoyed Avatar. (I’m looking forward to the three sequels … the first being Avatar 2 in 2016.) I like the world that Cameron created and when the movie ended, I wanted to know more about Pandora and its people and culture.

The expansion of the Avatar lore will be furthered explored in a series of books by Steven Charles Gould (author of the Jumper series). According to avatarmovie.com James Cameron has tapped “… noted science fiction author Steven Charles Gould to write four novels base upon Avatar and its three sequels.”

Courtesy Google Images

And now Disney and Avatar will be joined … just like peanut butter and chocolate. The Avatar attraction will become a part of Animal Kingdom. According to FOX NEWS, it will be the largest expansion in the history of the park.

Of all the Disney World parks in Orlando, Animal Kingdom is my least favorite. I think it’s claustrophobic. The main walks are lined with vegetation and if you happen to be going “upstream” when a show lets out, the mass of humanity coming at you can be overwhelming.

WDWMAGIC.com reports that Avatar Land is expected to open in 2016. The addition of Avatar Land might just be enough to entice me to return to Animal Kingdom.

Anyone interested in planning a trip to Orlando in 2016? Take me with you.

Snow Fun

The first day of winter is December 21st but as New Englanders, we are all too aware that the seasons don’t pay attention to the calendar. It’s just as likely to snow in October (2011 ring a bell?) as it is in December. Therefore, it’s not too early to think about winter preparedness.

We have our generator in place (finally got that hooked up) so we won’t be powerless for an extended period of time. Now, it’s time to focus on a snow blower.

I had a 2003, Toro, 6.5 HP snow thrower. I abused that thing and not in a bad way. That snow thrower got me through the winter of 2010-2011. Remember that winter? It seemed like it snowed every other day. The piles of snow bordering my driveway were up to my chest. But that little Toro performed admirably. It finally died on February 9, 2013, the day after an epic snowfall. Unfortunately, I had just started clearing the driveway and had to finish with shovels (fortunately, the kids were visiting so I wasn’t stuck shoveling by my lonesome).

I discovered there are a lot of snow blowers on the market, such as Honda, Cub Cadet, Toro  Craftsman, Ariens, Husqvarna and Snapper. I had no preconceived notions regarding the manufacturer. All I knew was I wanted something capable of clearing 6 – 8 inches of snow.

Ariens - Courtesy Google Images

I am not an expert when it comes to anything with an engine. I pretty much rely on the opinions/knowledge of friends and online comparison sites, such as Consumer Reports and Top Snow Blowers.

I evaluated the posted opinions of purported snow blower users and compared prices and reliability reports of various brands.

Cost was a huge factor. I wanted reliability but I didn’t want to “break the bank” getting it. I narrowed it down to the Ariens Compact 24 inch Two-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower and the Toro Power Max 724 OE 24 inch Two-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower. They were comparable in price and performance.

My New Toro

I settled on the Toro for two reasons.

1) The performance and reliability of my previous Toro
2) Toro’s S’NO Risk™ Guarantee
According to Toro.com, “If it snows less than 10% of your market's average this winter, you get your money back and you keep your Toro snowblower.
If it snows less than 50% of your market's average, you get a 10% refund and keep your Toro snowblower.”

Considering how much I despise winter and snow, I have a dual incentive to root for a mild winter.

Check out this short video for a fellow who found an interesting snow removal tool.

Fall 2013 Science FictionTV to Watch

The best show on TV … I’ve heard this from many different sources; my kids, some co-workers, my friends and television pundits. No … not Breaking Bad … The Walking Dead. The fourth season of The Walking Dead premieres on Sunday, 10/13/13 and I’m somewhat ashamed to admit I’ve yet to watch an episode. I’d always thought it was a show about zombies and I’ve never been a big fan of zombie movies because I’m not a big fan of gore. I can only recall watching two zombie movies: Warm Bodies (2013) and Shaun of the Dead (2004).

Many people have told me that The Walking Dead is less about zombies and more about more about relationships. Is this accurate? I don’t know, but I like character driven shows so I guess I’m going to have to get caught up via Netflix.

I probably watch way too much TV and the following are four science fiction shows that I plan to follow this season so I doubt I can fit in another show, even one as allegedly good as The Walking Dead.

Courtesy Google Images

1. Revolution, NBC, 2nd season debut 9/25/13
Revolution takes place fifteen years after a world-wide blackout. The U.S government has collapsed, and multiple factions are vying for control of the country. I like this show because no character is safe. During the last few weeks of the spring 2013 season two main characters got terminated. I think it adds an element of suspense when the viewer isn’t certain who will survive.

Courtesy Google Images

2. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, ABC, 1st season debut 9/24/13
This show takes place after the battle for New York in the 2012 movie, The Avengers. Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) leads a section of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Their mission seems to be hunting down powerful artifacts and potentially dangerous individuals before said items or persons can menace society.

I’ve seen two shows. I think there’s room for the show to grow. I’m not certain if the show’s creators plan to focus on action and gizmos or character development. I hope they opt for character development and allow the “tech” to supplement the story not drive it.  But, since the show is part of the Marvel universe and is directed by Joss Whedon I’m willing to give it a little leeway.

Courtesy Google Images

3. Arrow, CW, 2nd season debut 10/9/13
Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) has returned to Starling City after being stranded on an island for five years. He assumes the guise of the vigilante the Arrow (Arrow is Green Arrow of DC Comics). The show has grown on me. It has gotten better with age; the creators have allowed for growth in the characters of Arrow and Oliver Queen.

Courtesy Google Images

4. Grimm, NBC, 3rd season debut 10/25/13
A detective, Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he is the descendant from a long line of Grimms, hunters of creatures that come straight out of the Grimm Fairy Tales. I like the show; there’s ample suspense and construction of character relationships and the continuing story arc links each episode. It makes me want to come back next week to find out what happened.

I think the four shows I’ve presented are worth a view. But, I probably watch too much TV as it is so I ask you … should I make room for another show and add The Walking Dead to my viewing line-up?

Does anyone wish to share a show they’re looking forward to? (It doesn’t have to be science fiction.)

The Devil You Know - Episode X

WHAT’S GONE BEFORE: In Episode IX Videl informs Barney that he has discovered Barney’s deception.

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

“Wait, are you saying if you beat the Devil you have to work for the Devil?” Barney asked.

“Not quite,” replied Videl. “I’m saying, you beat the Devil you become the Devil.”

Barney was stunned. He was certain he had misheard Videl.

Videl continued, “Throughout the ages, many men and women have assumed the role of the Devil. You’ll just be another in the line of succession.”

“I never agreed to this,” complained Barney.

“It was implied when you opted to craft your own agreement.” Videl flipped the pages of the guidebook. “It’s in here.”

“That’s not fair. I didn’t know it existed.”

“You didn’t ask.”

“Because I didn’t know.”

“No one can possibly know everything where the Devil is concerned. In all that literature you consulted, did you read anything that indicated anyone has ever won? You may have beaten me . . . but you did not win!”

“I won’t do it,” Barney avowed.

Videl nodded knowingly. “Oh, at first you’ll try to shirk your responsibilities; we all did. But, trust me; it’s not a viable option.” Videl paused and shuddered. “The pain will be excruciating.” He lowered his voice, “It’s like nothing you’ve ever imagined. The more you fight, the more intense the agony.

“Eventually, you’ll immerse yourself in the . . . role. Each new soul decreases your pain and increases your pleasure until you’ll manage to relegate thoughts of your former life to the depths of your unconscious mind. You’ll revel in your conquests until you become wholly and solely the Devil.

“But the desire to return to a normal human lies at the periphery, waiting for that moment of reclamation. I’ve been watching you for a very long time, Barney. I knew you had the potential to be my One when you acquiesced to Dirk so easily.” Videl nodded his head. “It was time.”

“But,” stammered Barney, “I’m a child; an innocent.”

“Ha, young you may be but”—Videl’s eyes widened—“innocent you are not.”

“I’ve never harmed anyone,” said Barney.

“What about Dirk and his friends? You never once considered their fate.”

“That was you.”

“At your behest.” Videl pressed, “Do you care about their families’ anguish? Their friends? You never asked what happened to them.”

“I’ve been busy with school; I didn’t even go home for the summer; I’ve been out of touch.”

“Excuses. Truth is, you don’t care. You got what you wanted and everything else be damned. You will make a fine successor.”

Barney’s shoulders slumped. He hadn’t given a thought about Dirk or his friends. That doesn’t make me . . . evil?

Artwork Credit: Matt Ryan

Barney hardly noticed that Raz walked past Videl and took up station to Barney’s right, a few paces behind. He wouldn’t have even noted the handoff had he not felt a slight tingle travel from his hand though his entire body when his fingers wrapped around the guidebook’s binding.

He felt dampness on his hand; the snow was falling and the wind picked up as the temperature dropped. The winter thaw ended as abruptly as it had begun.

Pain began to radiate through Barney’s body as Videl strode away. He watched each step until Videl wasn’t even a pinprick on the horizon. He waited for a flash of light or a puff of smoke but it never occurred; Videl just disappeared and Barney knew it would be forever this time.

END – THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

Barney was so close to attaining his dream but when you play with fire… well, you know the rest.

Did you enjoy The Devil You Know? Please, let me know what you think.