I never got around to posting about last week's episode, which was quite good, and was regretting it for quite a bit of tonight's show, which did not seem as strong. But "Mad Men" sure knows how to end an episode. …

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He is 63 today. From vinyl to tape to CD to mp3, he has been in my head and lightened my heart. I used to sing "Tupelo Honey" as a lullaby for my sons. "Bright Side of the Road," "Days Like This," "It's All in the Game," "Crazy Love," "The Eternal Kansas City" and on and on and on … He gets me through.

There are some nice Van clips at Vanmorrison.com.

This morning I started another college class en route to becoming a teacher again, and I cannot begin to tell you how jazzed I am. There was something about sitting in a room with a bunch of literature-minded, whip-smart people, talking about Emily Dickinson, Ernest Hemingway and other writers. It's not that newspaper writing isn't stimulating enough. But this is a whole different set of muscles, another kind of thinking. I kept scribbling down names of books I hadn't read or didn't know, wanting to feed the appetite the class had whetted.

Show host JD Roth

The word from Channel 5 is below. But, having just talked to a rep from the show, I should clarify: This is not going to be a segment for telecast in the program. This is part of a promotional tour for the show, and on a somewhat smaller scale than segments being made for TV. There will be the hoopla described in the release below.

ABC’s highly-anticipated game show “Opportunity Knocks” is on its way to Canton, and Jon and Kim Compson are the stars! The Compson family neighborhood is the chosen site of “Opportunity Knocks,” the show that quizzes families about how well they know each other. The general public is encouraged to attend and cheer for the Compson family as they compete for big prizes. “We are just ecstatic and never guessed in a million years that this would happen to us,” explains Jon Compson. “This is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The tv show team will set up a block party in front of the Compson family home (2413 Midvale Road, Canton) on Friday, September 5th. Be there as activities begin at 4PM with the show concluding around 7PM. Free food and drinks, giveaways, and entertainment will be provided. Supplies are limited, so come early! Your favorite NewsChannel 5 on-air personalities will also be on hand to join the fun, as well as local radio stations armed with additional chances to win prizes.
From the playful mind of Ashton Kutcher, Opportunity Knocks arrives in Canton with a truck full of mind-blowing prizes and gifts — flat screen TVs, designer furniture and cold hard cash. As soon as the host shows up at the Compson house, the game begins!

(Chicago Tribune photo)

I haven't watched much of the Democratic convention. I had work commitments a couple of nights, for one thing. But I wanted to see Barack Obama's acceptance speech. Not because of how I'm voting, but because this was history.

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Remember Don the skydiving instructor?

Originally aired Jan. 24, 1991. Brandon gets some lessons in parenthood, Brenda takes a leap. …

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The last day or so has consisted of work interrupted for long drives. Was in Cleveland last night for a screening of "Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys," which included an in-person introduction by Perry himself. This morning saw me on the road again to Cleveland, this time to join a small group of reporters interviewing Perry. Which I found plenty interesting. Tonight, I return to Cleveland for another movie screening, this time of "The Express," the movie about football star Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. I hope it's good. I also hope to get back to some other blog topics soon. Next up on "Beverly Hills, 90210" Flashback: "One Man and a Baby," Jan. 24, 1991. Brandon gets involved with a young single mother.

Full announcement after the jump.

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Originally aired Jan. 10, 1991. Brenda and Brandon deal with alcohol, Dylan offers another biographical tidbit.

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Here's the brief from Lionsgate:

Meet Satan's biggest tools. The first season of the hilarious comedy series "Reaper," which was declared "devilishly fun" by the San Francisco Chronicle, will be available on DVD this November. Reaper: Season One includes all 18 episodes from the freshman season and is loaded with special bonus materials including deleted scenes and commentary with cast and crew. Starring Bret Harrison (TV's "Grounded for Life") and Ray Wise (TV's "Twin Peaks"), who received a TCA Award nomination for Individual Achievement for his performance, "Reaper" follows the turbulent life of Sam (Harrison), a slacker whose world turns upside down on his 21st birthday when he learns that his parents sold his soul to the Devil (Wise). Forced to be Hell's bounty hunter, Sam, with the aid of his goofball friends, must track down evil-doers and send them back where they belong. "Reaper" originally aired during the 2007-2008 season on The CW, and season two is slated for a mid-season premiere. Pricing: DVD $39.98 (5-disc set)

I've been meaning to post some other things tonight, including thoughts about Sunday's "Mad Men" and tonight's "Saving Grace" and "The Closer."
And I wanted to get in another "Beverly Hills, 90210." But the brain isn't finely tuned this evening, so it will all have to wait. My apologies.

Someone passed on to me a story about the Beloit College mindset list, which of course sent me to the list itself. It deals with things that would be part of the consciousness of the college Class of 2012, mainly people born in 1990. A few highlights, in case you don't want to go to the whole list:

– Coke and Pepsi have always used recycled plastic bottles.

– Clarence Thomas has always sat on the Supreme Court.

– IBM has never made typewriters.

– There has always been Pearl Jam.

– Students always had Goosebumps.

– Stevie Ray Vaughan and Sammy Davis Jr. (photo above, from sammydavis-jr.com) have always been dead.

– "The Tonight Show" has always been hosted by Jay Leno.

Hey, Misty May-Treanor, you just won a gold medal at the Olympics. Now what? "I'm going on 'Dancing With the Stars!' "

Naw, just doesn't sound right. Complete cast list after the jump. Starts Sept. 22.

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She's songwriter Kara DioGuardi.

The Fox announcement pointedly says she will be joining Simon, Randy AND Paula. But with more than enough time taken up by three judges' comments, I have to wonder how long it will be before they either drop another judge entirely — whether Paula or Randy — or they use a rotation of judges, with three chairs filled by a selection from the four. (Sounds as if Paula is hearing footsteps.

Am skeptical of how well the four-judge system would work. When they have included a celeb in the fourth chair, it has not for the most part been a rousing success, since the celebs have for the most part proven reluctant to criticize. (The mentor system has the same problem.) And the last attempt at a fourth judge — Angie Martinez — was extremely short-lived.

But it's interesting that this announcement comes after Nigel Lythgoe announced he's stepping back from the show.

Usually early on Monday mornings, I'm doing a little Web browsing, catching up on the stuff on DVR, checking reader mail and generally planning how I will face the week. Today, I tried to do all those things but kept thinking, "Hey, I have a class." Which I of course attended, and took copious notes, and never once thought about the need for pizza in our time. Toughest part of it: The 32 minutes it took to get out of the school parking deck.

Originally aired Jan. 3, 1991. Brenda and Dylan get closer. Steve learns a valuable lesson.

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