First Lady Michelle Obama plants a garden with Big Bird and Elmo as part of Sesame Street's 40th season. Photo by Richard Termine I've always been a big "Sesame Street" fan, but it took me a long time to truly understand how good it is. As a kid, I thought it was just entertainment. Sure, I learned about letters and numbers and sharing and things, but it was mostly a fun show full of characters so vivid they felt like friends: there was a helpful monster who avoided contractions, a filthy curmudgeon, a meticulous bachelor and his infuriatingly perky roommate, an omnivorous monster with impulse control problems, a surprisingly cuddly vampiric numerophile, and a little kid who happened to be an eight-foot-two-inch-tall bird -- and his (still invisible at that point) friend. Now, as a mom, I think I'm finally able to fully appreciate "Sesame Street" for what it is: the most loving, carefully crafted, far-reaching educational project on the planet. If you've never considered how big "Sesame Street" is, that might sound ludicrous. But consider its goals and its impact. Back in 1969, when it debuted, it was designed to help urban, low-income, and minority preschoolers be more prepared for school (though its appeal ended up being far wider than that). Studies have shown that it succeeded. In addition to teaching letters and numbers, "Sesame Street" also teaches kids to have a positive attitude toward learning in general. But the show teaches even greater social lessons. Beyond the obvious ones like sharing and telling the truth, it has a deeper message of tolerance, empathy, diversity, and acceptance. Today, 140 versions of the show exist around the world, each crafted to suit its local audience in format, curriculum, and tone. In South Africa, "Takalani Sesame" features an HIV-positive Muppet. On Egypt's "Alam Simsim," an inquisitive female Muppet encourages girls to break gender stereotypes. And in recent years in America, the show has helped children of military personnel deal with parents' deployment and homecoming, and has helped teach kids affected by the dismal economy how to cope. In its four decades, "Sesame Street" has changed with the times to keep up with entertainment styles, educational demands, and social needs. Today, as the show celebrates 40 years of excellent educational television, millions of kids and parents will tune in to a new season that will focus on things like healthy eating and green living, but without fundamentally changing from its original educational goals. I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do, though I haven't seen much of the show lately (and, admittedly, the last time I watched, I found Elmo rather annoying). My daughter is still too young for TV, but I'm excited about rediscovering my old friends with her when she's a little older. Suggested Sites... Sesame Street - official site of the show that's won an astonishing 122 Emmy Awards. It’s All New and Better Than Ever as Sesame Street Turns 40! - Sesame Workshop outlines the changes you'll see on the next season of "Sesame Street." Muppet Wiki: Sesame Street - Muppet enthusiasts' knowledge of all things Sesame. The New York Times: Sesame Street - a highbrow look at kids' TV. Reaching the Next Generation With 'Muppet Diplomacy' - CNN article on "Sesame Street's" international message of understanding and tolerance.

Directory categories: Sesame Street, Sesame Street Characters, Jim Henson, The Muppets, Children's Television

Archived under: Anniversaries, Children, Children´s TV, Education, Entertainment, Muppets, Sesame Street, TV

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Dracula, Prince of Wallachia Long before Lestat, Bill Compton, Angel, and Edward Cullen took their first bites, there was the original vampire: Dracula. Unlike the aforementioned bloodsuckers, Dracula didn't wrestle with his conscience, delve into politics, help the helpless, or (God forbid) sparkle. Both the "real life" and fictional Draculas were violent and merciless -- not brooding, self-aware emo kids. The "real" Dracula is believed to be a Wallachian (not Transylvanian) prince named Vlad Tepes who lived during the mid-15th century. Vlad lived during a time of great political turmoil for his homeland. The ever-expanding Ottoman Empire was determined to conquer Romania and Vlad led the resistance to turn them away. Vlad used guerilla warfare and what amounted to martial law to keep the Turks out and the local nobility from rebelling. He became known as "Vlad the Impaler" for his particular brutal torture and execution tactics. According to legend, anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000 were killed by Vlad's forces, leading to his reputation as a bloodthirsty tyrant. But Vlad's actions should be placed in the context of the violent and war-torn era in which he lived. In fact, many modern Romanians consider him to be a national hero. The Dracula of fiction was probably inspired by the legend of Vlad Tepes. It is debatable how aware writer Bram Stoker was of old Vlad's biography; he may have just liked the sound of "Dracula" for his villain. And Dracula was quite a villain. In between murdering and brainwashing, Dracula also plots world domination. He is apparently defeated by Dr. Van Helsing and his allies at the end of Stoker's novel by being stabbed in his coffin. However, as Hollywood has shown us, this death certainly wasn't permanent. In the Universal Studios Dracula films of the 1930s and '40s (made famous by Bela Lugosi) and the Hammer Films movies of the '60s and '70s (with Christopher "Saruman" Lee), Dracula always lives to kill another day. The popularity of these films further cemented Dracula's place in pop culture history. The last few years have seen vampires come back into vogue, thanks primarily to the TV shows "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "True Blood," and "The Vampire Diaries," and the Twilight books and movies. But Dracula has largely been absent, save a cameo on "Buffy" and a role in the 2004 film "Van Helsing." But as we all know, Dracula always comes back. This year, Bram Stoker's great grand-nephew will publish "The Undead," a sequel to "Dracula" based on Stoker's original notes and material not included in the original novel. With this release and the ceaseless popularity of vampire books, movies, and TV shows, it probably won't be long before Dracula rises again. But please: no sparkling.   Suggested Sites... Dracula: 1897 Original Text - read the original 1897 version of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" online at Internet Archive. Dracula's Castle - visit Dracula's Castle in Brasov, Romania and learn about other Dracula-related places in Romania. Romania Tourism; Dracula - discover more about Dracula (a.k.a. Vlad Tepes) and learn more about Dracula's place in Romanian history from the official tourism website of Romania. The Dracula Society - the foremost organization devoted to learning more about the real and fictional Dracula, as well as other supernatural beings.

Directory categories: Count Dracula, Vampires, Vlad Tepes, Bram Stoker, Romania

Archived under: Biographies, Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, European History, Fiction, Horror, Horror Films, Literature, Movies, Mythology and Folklore, Paranormal, TV, Vampires, Villains

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If not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled. Humility is rarely a virtue associated with notable artists (Kayne West take note), but P. G. Wodehouse was not a man to let his many successes give him delusions of grandeur. When the gritty socialist Irish dramatist Sean O'Casey bestowed the "performing flea" moniker on Wodehouse, he took it remarkably in his stride. While many would have considered the label an insult, a damning indictment on a literary career that spanned almost 80 years and at least five different genres, Wodehouse chose instead to adopt the slur as the title for a collection of letters to a friend he was later to publish. Wodehouse acknowledged that he "went in for light writing" and that consequently he was "sneered at and looked down on by the intelligentsia." But when you can count amongst your fans such modern literary bigwigs as Douglas Adams, Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, and Terry Pratchett, then you must have been doing something right. Nowadays perhaps most of us remember Wodehouse for his tales of Jeeves and Wooster, the hilarious accounts of a dim-witted self-indulgent toff who is continually rescued and extricated from an abundance of social blunders by his sage and worldly -- but crucially also socially inferior -- butler. The characters were joyously brought to screen by ex-Cambridge Univeristy Footlights duo Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. (Note to all readers that enjoy Mr. Laurie as the curmudgeonly House but have not seen his irrepressible performances in Jeeves & Wooster, then please do so... immediately.) Perversely, it appears that the vehicle that brought his work into the lives and hearts of many (the aforementioned TV adaptation), is not something that Wodehouse himself would have approved of. I would, however, be presumptuous enough to assume that he would have relished the irony. You see, Wodehouse was a theatre man who had little interest in movies and television, much less seeing his works adapted for the media. Of course, there were offers for syndication, and lucrative ones at that: television, theatre, comic strips, and even advertising. But Wodehouse knew that Jeeves' place was between the pages of a book. So how did he handle the offers to crowbar his characters into any and all media vehicles? A huge thespian hissy fit? Of course not. In his own words: "It only needed Jeeves' deprecating cough and his murmured 'I would scarcely advocate it, sir.'" Suggested Sites... P.G. Wodehouse at Project Gutenberg - a selected archive of the man's work. The Wodehouse Society - what I suspect would today be called "The Official Fanclub." P.G. Wodehouse Books - your complete guide to P.G. Wodehouse. Biblia Wodehousiana - The Wodehouse Bible.

Directory categories: Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, Yahoo! Groups about P.G. Wodehouse, Jeeves and Wooster TV Show, Authors, Literature

Archived under: Authors, Books, England, Fiction, Literature, P.G. Wodehouse, TV

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"I don't believe what I just saw!" (Photo by tree & j hensdill) What is the rabid sports fan to do, once he or she leaves the home territories -- the "Friendly Confines," if you will -- of their favorite team? When you become attached to a team, you want to -- you need to -- follow its exploits and discuss its chances with like-minded fans who are eager to praise it or damn it -- as necessary. But what to do if you're a member of Steeler Nation who moves to Seattle, or if you're a Packer Backer in Pensacola? Fear not, for the sports bar has made it possible for you to gather with your fellow fanatics and root, root, root for the home team -- even if that ballclub is a continent away. The tavern dedicated to athletic endeavors is not a new phenomenon; saloons such as Toots Shor and Jack Dempsey's in Manhattan were all the rage in the 1920s. But satellite TV, the collaborative nature of the Internet, and the leagues themselves have made it possible to watch far-away games as they happen. So while you may not be able to find a place where "everybody knows your name," you can certainly find a watering hole where everybody knows that that idiot on the sidelines needs to be fired. Suggested Sites... SportsTavern.com - find a sports bar near you. SportsBars.com - broken down by state or zip code. Soccer Bars.com - for watching the other kind of football. ESPN: Baseball's Top 10 Bars and Grills - the best of the best for the horsehide crowd. Didital City: Best Sports Bars in America - the fans have spoken!

Directory categories: Bars, Pubs, and Clubs, Fantasy Sports, Sports TV Networks, Sports News and Media, Sports Chats and Forums

Archived under: 1920s, Athletes, Baseball, Basketball, College Basketball, College Football, College Sports, Communities, Entertainment, Fanatics, Fantasy Sports, Football, Hockey, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NFL, NHL, New York, Restaurants, Soccer, Sports, Sports Bars, TV, United States

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All aboard -- for romance! The year is 1977. It's late September, the weather is warm and inviting, and the conditions are perfect for cruising. Lucky TV audiences are about to be treated to "love, exciting and new," in the form of a madcap romantic sitcom with a nautical twist. "The Love Boat" is set about to set sail and she "promises something for everyone."  Indeed ... That first episode, airing on September 24, perfectly set the tone for the 248 to follow. All the major players were there: the unflappable Captain Stubing; Doc and Gopher, who usually spent more time wooing passengers than actually working; Isaac, the eternally cool bartender; and the constantly pert and perky Julie McCoy, your cruise director. Later, of course, we would meet Vicki, the precocious daughter of Capt. Stubing; Ace, the ship's photographer; and Judy McCoy, Julie's sister and her replacement as cruise director after actress Lauren Tewes was fired for drug use. Scandal and intrigue were always inevitable on board! Toss in a bevy of well-known B-list celebs (not to discount the sporadic and jaw-dropping A-lister), a deliciously catchy theme song, and storylines featuring a ménage a trois of love and romance, soap opera-esque drama, and madcap antics. Throw in the occasional musical number, and you've got an instant classic, with strong sea-legs to boot! Despite an initially lackluster critical reception, the show lasted until 1986 in its original form, with a sequel, a German remake, and a fourth TV movie (the first three were prequels to the initial series) following in later years. It's no wonder, considering "The Love Boat" was the brainchild of television legend Aaron Spelling, whose shows defined television in the '70s, '80s and '90s. Unforgettable classics such as "Starsky and Hutch," "Charlie's Angels," "Magnum P.I.," "Dynasty," "Beverly Hills 90210," and of course, "Fantasy Island" (which was tethered to "The Love Boat" on Saturday nights until 1984) are the epitome of "guilty pleasures." And why not? We all need a dose of frivolity and fluff every now and again. So on this, the anniversary of her maiden voyage, we invite you "to set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance. Welcome aboard! It's love!" Suggested Sites... CBS.com: The Love Boat - watch complete episodes of "The Love Boat" online. Amazon.com: Love Boats by Jeraldine Saunders - the book that started it all. ABC News: The Love Boat, Where Are They Now? - see what the cast is up to these days. Princess Cruises - official site of the actual "Love Boat" cruise line. Love Boat Episode Guide - lists titles and air dates of all episodes of "The Love Boat."

Directory categories: The Love Boat, Love Boat: The Next Wave, Aaron Spelling, Cruises, Television Shows

Archived under: 1970s, 1980s, Anniversaries, Boating, Entertainment, History, Nostalgia, Romance, Sitcoms, TV

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