Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 448

October 12, 2013: The Thanksgiving Menu! My Aching Back! Early results for our Fantasy Pilot Television League! Do Dogs Have Brains?

Alrighty.  All set!  I picked up the turducken this afternoon.  Tomorrow morning, I’ll be up at six a.m. to ensure it’s roasted and ready for lunch.  I’ll be serving the triple bird with a side of Joel Robuchon-style mashed potatoes (basically, 50% butter) and Ivon’s homemade Brussel sprouts.  And, for dessert: PIECAKEN, a pecan pie baked inside a chocolate cake (Thanks to T for the suggestion)!

Hmmm.  This lower back issue has dragged into week three.  Despite two visits to a massage therapist, it hasn’t gotten any better.  In fact, I’d say it’s actually gotten worse, stiffening up whenever I stand up.  Time for a third opinion.  And an x-ray.   I think I’ll set aside my entire Monday.  And bring a book for the waiting room.  I just started Flannery O’Connor: The Complete Stories.  At 550+ pages, it should last me through the wait.  Shouldn’t it?  In the meantime, I’m doing a comparison of two different treatments to see which one does a better job of alleviating the pain.  Today, it’s Advil; tomorrow, Booker’s small batch bourbon.  I’ll keep you updated on my scientific findings.

To those of you who signed on for Lawren’s Fantasy Pilot Television League, the early results are in.  Great news for those of you picked Sleepy Hollow to get a second season pick-up.  Bad news for those of you who picked Lucky 7 and We Are Men.  Things look very promising for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  On the other hand, it’s looking dire for Welcome to the Family, Brooklyn 9-9, Trophy Wife, Ironside, Sean Saves the World, Dads, Hostages, Mom, and Betrayal.  How are your picks faring?

Checked out any of the new fall shows?  Any you’re particularly enjoying?  Enjoying at all?

That recent article about dogs possessing the sentience of human children (Dogs are people too? We don’t need scientists to tell us that) has sparked plenty of debate.  Here, this student of philosophy asks the age-old question: “Do dogs have brains?”

October 11, 2013: How’d that telemarketer get your cell phone number? More than likely, from a company you do business with!

About a year ago, I started receiving nuisance calls to my cell phone.  I couldn’t understand it because, unlike my home phone number (which has long since been retired alongside the likes of VHS tapes, VCR’s, and Freddie Prinze Jr.), it’s a number I never gave out.  Or so I assumed.  Back in the day, I wouldn’t think twice about giving up my home phone number because, the truth was, I never answered my home phone.  In the last few years of its life, it’s only practical function was to act as the high-tech equivalent of a bug-zapper or roach motel except, instead of annoying insects, it was attracting and neutralizing telemarketers.  And then, something changed.  I noticed it started to happen to me a couple of years ago after I signed up with Shaw as my home internet provider.  Suddenly, I started receiving calls out of the blue, not from friends or family, but from Shaw representatives with fantastic deals which would allow me to bundle my pre-existing internet services with their basic cable package.  It would undoubtedly have saved me a few bucks but I refused for two reasons: 1. A number of my fellow producers on Stargate had the Shaw cable package and they had nothing but bad things to say about the Shaw home service.  2.  I don’t contribute to charities that come to my house soliciting donations so, by extension, I don’t sign up for offers from companies that call me up on my private cell phone number.  Fed up, I in essence told Shaw to “knock it off”.  And they did.

Over the past year, however, I’ve started receiving calls from mysterious third parties offering everything from travel giveaways to insurance.  As a rule, I don’t answer unknown calls from any number who’s area code is more than a half hour drive from my place.  Sometimes, however, I answer on reflex and end up in an, albeit brief, conversation with these mysterious third party shillers.  One such call came the other day from a company offering me – ironically enough – password protection and piece of mind for my online banking.  I turned them down and though nothing of it – until this afternoon when I noticed a missed call from an unfamiliar number: (855) 465-4016.

A quick internet search of the number revealed several online discussions from individuals who felt harassed by theses nuisance calls that originated from a company called Zedd Solutions.  It is, apparently, a marketing agency that works for companies like Rogers Communications and, as it turns out, my bank.  When I phoned up my bank’s customer service center for some clarification of the issue – and, more importantly, an answer to the question: “Why did you give these people my number?” – the person I spoke to played dumb but said he’d received a similar complaint that morning and would be happy to put me in touch with Zedd Solutions to ensure my name was removed from their call list.  And so, I was put in touch with a rep from Zedd Solutions who told me he’d be happy to remove my number from their call list for the “password protection” offer they were currently calling about.  I told him I wanted to have my number removed from ALL future calls and he informed me that wasn’t possible.

Annoyed, I asked him how the hell he got my number.  He demurred, then claimed he wasn’t, technically, with the call center so he wasn’t privy to that sort of information.  I called bullshit on that answer and pressed him.  Finally, reluctantly, he confirmed that Zedd Solutions got my phone number from my bank.  ”Should I go ahead and remove your list from that promotion?”he asked me.

“Don’t bother,”I told him because, really, removing my number from one promotion wouldn’t stop the cold calling.  No.  It became readily apparently to me that there was only one way to stop the cold calling.

Tomorrow, I’m going to my local bank branch and closing my existing accounts.

Presumably, they can’t offer me deals on a service I’m no longer using.

Can they?

 

Tagged: telemarketers, telemarketing, Zedd Solutions

October 10, 2013: News of note!

A heads up to all those who knew cherluvya.  This from blog regular PBMom:

“In honor of Cheryl Ann McCabe, on Friday night (tomorrow), Oct 11, 2013 we are going to watch the final 3 episodes of SGU and talk about the show and our memories of Cheryl, funny stories, her words of wisdom. Come join us. It is 1 a.m. BST, which is 8 p.m. Eastern time, 7 p.m. Central Time, 6 p.m. Mountain Time, 5 p.m. Pacific Time. I’m not sure what it would be in other countries though. Here is the link: http://sgurewind.com/chats/“

“The ability to experience positive emotions, like love and attachment, would mean that dogs have a level of sentience comparable to that of a human child.”: Dogs are people too? We don’t need scientists to tell us that

Is it time Hollywood started rethinking its big budget pic strategy?  The answer is “Yes, obviously!”.  The real question should be: “Will they?”  http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/5-top-grossing-paramount-films-that-barely-made-a-profit.html/?ref=YF

Oh those little rascals!  5 of the Worst Failures in the History of Adult Supervision 

The director and co-writer of the execrable Natural Born Killers criticizes the Breaking Bad finale for being too violent: Oliver Stone Slams “Ridiculous” Violence In ‘Breaking Bad’ Finale

I know airline food is bad, but really!  Air China Serves Expired In-Flight Food; 50 Fall Ill

Just in time for my trip to Tokyo: 11 unique experiences for tourists to Japan

Weatherman accidentally eats cat vomit.  What more can I say?  http://bigfrog104.com/watch-weatherman-who-accidentally-eats-cat-vomit-during-live-broadcast-video/

October 9, 2013: In memory of Cheryl

Some sad news to pass along.  This morning, I learned that a member of our extended blog family passed away.    Cheryl, or cherluvya, as many of you knew her, was a longtime Stargate fan who frequented this blog on a regular basis.  In the all-too short time we spent with Cheryl, we got to know her as a kind and generous soul who placed her family above all.  Diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2010, she underwent treatments that taxed her physically, at one point affecting her ability to read.  And yet, despite her difficulties, she remained unflaggingly positive, both here and on twitter (https://twitter.com/cherluvya) where her cheerful attitude and positive outlook buoyed the spirits of all who knew her.

I suspect she was a very private person and, for that reason, only truly discussed her health issues on her personal blog.  There is a September 2010 entry detailing the initial diagnosis:

September 2010

And then, in October, an account of a near-death experience:

October 2010

In addition to our conversations on this blog, Cheryl and I also exchanged the occasional emails – the first not long after her cancer diagnosis, another late last year when she told me she was working on a book series inspired by her grandchildren.  The last one I received was a little over a month ago following the wedding of her youngest daughter.  She updated me on the progress of her book, forwarded pictures of her grandkids, and left me with the following observation from Dr. Bob Moorehead:

SOMETHING TO PONDER

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. 
 
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. 
 
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
 
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things. 
 
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. 
 
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete. 
 
Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
 
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. 
 
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.
 
Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
 
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
 
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
 
And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

October 8, 2013: Celebrating in the grand American tradition! In Canada!

To the casual observer, Canadians and Americans are practically indistinguishable from one another.  I mean, sure, there are the odd physical disparities (ie. our eleventh toe, the fact that our hearts are located approximately three inches lower than that of the average American’s) but, for the most part, it’s very hard to pick a non-sandal-wearing Canadian out of a Taco Bell line-up.  Closer scrutiny, however, reveals notable cultural differences between the two countries.  Our money is more colorful, for instance, providing a more level playing field for near-sighted pickpockets and inspiring such uniquely Canadian terms as “She’s as blue as a fiver” or “Pink as a fifty!”.  Our professional footballs are fatter, given that they were originally modelled on a pregnant woman’s abdomen, and thus easier to kick blindfolded.  In Canada, ambulances are called “hospital limos” and their sirens are only half as deafening as their American counterparts because, let’s face it, they don’t need to be THAT loud.  Most interestingly of all are the slight variances between our respective national holidays.  Whereas our southern neighbors commemorate Arbor Day by planting trees, we commerate Armoire Days by cutting down trees and using their wood to build ornate standing closets.  Rather than celebrate the politically incorrect Christmas Holi-(Holy/Holly)-days, we celebrate the less offensive religious/gender-neutral Gazpacho Days.  In the U.S., Americans give thanks on the fourth Thursday of every November, a day called Thanksgiving.  In Canada, Canadians give thanks on the second Monday in October, a day called Thanksgiving as well.  Also, Sorry Monday.

Yes, Canadian Thanksgiving is next Monday, so I thought I’d do something special to mark the occasion, something that would incorporate the traditions of both countries.  For starters, instead of celebrating October 14th or waiting for November 28th, I decided to split the difference (more or less) and celebrate on Sunday, October 13th.  This way, my football buddies can partake in that most American of Thanksgiving holiday traditions…the turducken!

via 4505meats.com

And what, pray tell, is a turducken?  ”Turducken is a dish consisting of a de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which is in turn stuffed into a de-boned turkey.” (Wikipedia).

The first time I ever laid eyes on a turducken was when former football analyst John Madden prepared one prior to a game.  A chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey.  I mean, you couldn’t get more Madden than that.  And then, the more I thought about it, the more I thought: “Why stop there?”  Why not get a pheasant in there?  And inside the pheasant, a cornish game hen?  And inside the game hen, a squab?  And inside the squab, a quail?  How awesome would THAT be? The correct answer is: VERY!

But maybe I get a little ahead of myself.  First thing’s first.  Let’s start with the simple turducken.  And I do mean “simple”.  I won’t be doing any of the actual deboning and stuffing myself.  I’ve ordered one up for next weekend from my local butcher.  All I’ll have to do is pop it in the oven for 5-6 hours and then enjoy with a side of Joel Robuchon mashed potatoes (the secret is in the butter and LOTS of it) and maybe something Canadian as well.  Maple fudge? I don’t know yet.

So, how many of you have tried your hands at turducken?  Any suggestions?  Tips?  Warnings?  Do I roast it?  Or do I incorporate yet another most American of traditions and drop it into a giant pot of boiling oil?

Tagged: Thanksgiving, turducken

October 7, 2013: Just ignore it and it’ll go away! Unless it’s a back ache! Friends of this blog!

Well, hmmm.  It’s been almost three weeks and I’m still dealing with this back issue. I’d call it more of an ache than a pain that comes and goes, reminding me of its presence whenever I’m walking or rising from a sitting position.  The two doctors I’ve been to suspect it’s a muscular problem but it feels more like a bone issue to me, localized on the back of my right hip.  Also, I can’t imagine what I could have done to trigger it since I was actually taking some time off from my weight training when the issue first cropped up.  So what could have caused it?  The only instant that comes to mind – and, to be honest, I don’t recall if it happened BEFORE or AFTER my back started hurting – was the searing pain I experienced in the exact spot the moment I attempted to drag Jelly’s dog bed into the kitchen – using only my right foot.  Could that have been it?

Anyway, I went to see a massage therapist last week.  I suspect that her former gig was as a lead interrogator at Abu Ghraib.  Curiously, she didn’t address the problem area directly.  Instead, she poked and prodded and kneaded and, at one point, even applied the Vulcan nerve pinch to the bordering regions.  ”You’re quite sensitive,”she noted as I squirmed under her attempt to reach inside me and pull out my spleen. “Well, yes,”I said.  ”I’m an artist after all.”

So, that was days ago and I still don’t feel any better.  In fact, I feel a little worse. Not my lower back, mind you.  That’s no more or less problematic than it was.  I refer to my bruised hips.  I’m scheduled to go back again on Thursday morning when, no doubt, I’ll probably give up all my secret contacts and the location of the safe house.

I figure I’ll give it a couple of more days and then go to the hospital for a third opinion.  And x-ray.

Hey, Das.  You asked for Akemi’s chickpea salad recipe.  Well, here it is:

Check out all Akemi’s other recipes here: Peasnatch Akemi

And keeping you updated on the exploits of the friends of this blog:

MIPCOM: Don Carmody Television Hires ‘Stargate’s Carl Binder for ‘Echoes’ Pilot (Exclusive) (Carl Binder, Mark Savela, and Ken Kabatoff start development on a new SF project)

http://www.sfwa.org/2013/10/event-michael-burstein-imagines-technical-communication-2073/ (Michael A. Burstein imagines technical communications in 2073)

Jennifer Finnigan To Star In FX Pilot ‘Tyrant’ (Jennifer Finnigan lands the female lead in FX’s Tyrant)

Diana Theatrical Trailer – Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews – HD (2013) (Cas Anvar’s new movie, Diana, opens November 1st)

October 6, 2013: Let’s Get Controversial!

Wow.  It feels like forever since I’ve said anything remotely controversial on this blog.

And so, at the risk of offending those people who foolishly disagree with my opinion, here are my thoughts on some recent controversies in the news…

THE CAPTAIN PHILLIPS CONTROVERSY

A movie called Captain Phillips opens on October 11th.  It’s a dramatization of the true-life hijacking of an American cargo ship by Somali pirates.  Tom Hanks plays the role of Captain Phillips, a man who – if Hollywood is to be believed – showed great bravery in the face of danger and was responsible for saving the lives of his crew. EXCEPT…according to the crew members of the MV Maersk Alabama, the movie is complete and utter bullshit.  They claim that rather than being the hero portrayed in the movie, Captain Phillips was directly responsible for their being hijacked in the first place:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2439561/Captain-Phillips-lawsuit-says-risked-Maersk-Alabama-crews-lives.html

According to them “Phillips captained his ship against more than seven maritime warnings and his own men’s pleas, sailing deep into waters notorious for pirate attack.”  According to their lawyer: “It is galling for them to see Captain Phillips being set up as a hero. It is just horrendous and they’re angry.”  And here’s the thing. We’re just hearing about this now thanks to the movie.  The eleven crew members launched their lawsuit back in 2009.

Granted, nothing has been proven.  On the one hand, the crew may be right and Captain Phillips intentionally put their lives in danger, bearing significant responsibility for what happened to them.  On the other hand, it could simply be a case of massive ineptitude on the part of Captain Phillips who, despite warnings to keep 600 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, mistakenly sailed within 250 nautical miles of the coast.  Whichever the case, it’s pretty clear that this movie offers a little more than a “dramatization of events”.

I’ll be giving this movie a pass.

THE BULLY BIKERS CONTROVERY

A couple and their two year old child have their range rover swarmed by a bunch of bikers in downtown Manhattan.  The driver is pulled out of the car and beaten in front of his family.  But wait!  The bikers claim there was a good reason they were beating the guy up.  The driver was apparently “driving like a maniac”.  He ran over one of their friends and they were merely giving chase after the fact.

Well…yes and no as a video of the incident reveals…

What the video shows is a bunch of bikers passing a range rover on the highway. Suddenly, one of the bikers cuts in front of the range rover and brake checks him, coming to a FULL STOP.  The range rover slows down and comes to a stop, but not before nudging the motorcycle.  As a result, all of the bikers stop, blocking in the range rover, and proceed to vandalize the vehicle.  No doubt fearing for his safety and that of his family, the driver did what I suspect most people in his position would have done: he floored it, hitting and injuring a biker who was blocking him in.

Eventually, the bikers catch up with him in traffic, smash in his window, drag him from his range rover, and beat him.

In an interview on CNN, one of the bikers claimed THEY were the innocent victims. Also, the media was incorrect in characterizing them as a “gang”.  When the interviewer asked him how HE would describe the group, the biker replied: “Family.” Well, as it so happened, the police were hoping to identify some of those family members from the above footage.  Did HE recognize any of those meting out the beat?  Alas, no. I suppose those two would be the familial equivalent of very distant cousins.

It’s tragic that people got hurt, but even more tragic that bikers assume they own the roads (and, in some instances, the sidewalks), free to intimidate drivers and pedestrians alike.  I have no idea how this is going to play out, but judging from the online comments, the court of public opinion has come down squarely against these bullies on bikes.

THE U.S. INTERVENTION CONTROVERSY

Two recent American raids on terrorist targets in Libya and Somalia have engendered some controversy given that these operations took place on the soil of purported “friends” of the West.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/06/us-security-africa-raids-idUSBRE99502Z20131006

What business does the U.S. have mounting these ops without permission of the local governments?  Well, to that I would answer: “If you can’t clean your own house, someone far more capable is going to do it for you.”  I’m reminded of Pakistan, our “ally in the war on terror”, that would constantly complain about American ops straying into their country.  Bin Laden was hiding out in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, after all.  How dare the U.S. impugn their sovereignty by…uh.  Oh.  Bin Laden was actually IN PAKISTAN when they found him?  My, how embarrassing, no?

Well, no.  Despite the fact that the world’s most wanted terrorist was living right under their noses, the Pakistan government were positively indignant that they were made to look like fools  such an operation would take place on their soil without permission.  Presumably, they would have gotten him.  Eventually.

My advice to countries seeking to avoid similar injury to their national pride: CLEAN YOUR OWN DAMN HOUSE!

THE CAPTIOL HILL SHOOTING CONTROVERSY

Another tragedy the other day, this one in the nation’s capitol, when a young mother with mental issues was gunned down after leading police on a high-speed car chase.  People are now questioning whether the police used excessive force in dealing with the situation.  The woman was, after all, unarmed.  She didn’t have a weapon.  Unless, of course, one counts the 1.2 ton vehicle she was racing through the streets of D.C….

Capitol Hill shooting: Use of deadly force questioned

It’s very sad this woman lost her life.  That being said, I think it’s all too easy to reconsider options long after the fact.  If you check out the video, you’ll see that, at one point, the vehicle is surrounded.  The driver is instructed to get out of the car. Instead, she peals out in reverse, narrowly missing some of the officers, and drives off.  Were there alternate ways the police could have defused the situation?  Maybe if they’d let her go and mailed her a bill for the damages?  Waited for her to run out of gas?  Certainly the video shows that reasoning with her was out of the question.

In the end, questioning these officers in hindsight is easy.  Dealing with an unknown entity with your life on the life isn’t.

To those of you asking about our Supermovie of the Week Club – okay, to gforce who asks – I’ve decided to give our long-suffering film critic a much-needed vacation. He’ll be back to review Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Kick-Ass 2, and Thor: The Dark World before giving of his list of The Tp 10 Superhero Movies of All Time.

October 5, 2013: My Top 10 Funniest/Strangest/Most Annoying Script Notes!

10. We need more action before the tease.

9. P.37 – This episode really starts hitting its stride here.

8. Her line: “Oh my god, fire!” is a bit on the nose.

7. Funnier?

6. The final scene of the episode is a little cliff-hangery.  Was this intentional?

5. We need a few more, and more succinct, George Kennedy moments

4. Is this Earth’s moon? (Note on a third season script for a series set in another galaxy).

3. Would Mrs. Garson use the term “missiles”?  Sounds too professional.

2. Let’s find an alternative to “doggy-style”.  It’s all we see these days.

1. Maybe is she refers to her bitch later on, they assume she is talking about her dog but she is in fact talking about her mother who she has a bad relationship with.

October 4, 2013: The Be All My Sins Remember’d Art Department Package!

Check it out.  Just a part of the prep and planning that went into every episode…

 

 

 

 

Tagged: Atlantis, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis

October 3, 2013: Dogs! Banana! Mailbag!

Lulu enjoys some banana.  And so does Bubba.

Mailbag:

fsmn36 writes: “Did you naturally just like the Batman villains more (for their writing or whatever) or were the villain issues released heavily skewed to Batman villains?”

Answer: My selections were based on the writing.  I wasn’t all that familiar with the likes of Ocean Master, Zod, Clayface, or Count Vertigo prior to picking up their books but was mightily impressed by their respective stories.

fsmn36 also writes: “These reviews are interesting to me as I’m not a fan of (most of) Batman’s villains. They tend to seem ridiculous and like they shouldn’t be a challenge (well, ok, I give Clayface his transformation power).”

Answer: Well, it really depends on the villain.  The Penguin is a crime lord and has the resources of his criminal empire to draw from.  The Riddler is brilliant.  The Joker is psychotic and completely unpredictable.  The Scarecrow can trigger one’s innermost fears.  Mr. Freeze – well, he can freeze people.

fsmn36 also writes: “Also, why can’t Gotham Police ever keep them in jail/Arkham for more than a day?”

Answer: True.  You’d think that after the fiftieth breakout, they might want to consider yanking its license and moving the prisoners to more secure locations like Belle Reve or Hypermax…which haven’t fared any better this month.

Mike from Canada writes: “I finished watching Suisei No Gargantia, which I enjoyed, and am now watching Bakemonogatari, which I’m not sure what to think of.”

Answer: Akemi and I just completed the first season of Attack on Titan.  Overall, I found the lack of answers incredibly frustrating.  It’s been a long while since I actually watched an anime series I thoroughly enjoyed.  Steins Gate was fine.  The first two-thirds of the first season of Sword Art Online was also fine.  Would love to find something great.

PBMom writes: “Promise to catch up, but I have the first news of pilots renewed. Sleepy Hollow is a YES.”

Answer: Yep.  Congratulations to everyone (and myself) who predicted it would get a second season pick-up.  Now let’s wait and see how the other shows fare.  The Blacklist and Agents of SHIELD are looking good.  Lucky 7 and Ironside, not so much.

arcticgoddess writes: “Are you going to tell us about the making of the SGU episodes? I, for one, would like the backstory.”

Answer: Hey, you’re right.  Thanks for reminding me.  I’ve got to get around to doing a Days of Stargate Universe Past!