Fear the Future

I was playfully dismissed by a friend earlier when I explained that the new novel Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson.

By the end of 2007, a UN report found that there were 4.1 million robots around the world working in homes. That is, there were more robots than the entire population of Ireland. But the projection for growth is even more startling. In 2004 the number of robots was 2 million. By 2007 it had doubled. Looking forward we see the numbers expanding at even a higher rate. By 2010 groups see 55 million personal robots in the world. And this is the beginning...

South Korea announced that it wants to put a robot in every home by 2013.

One in ten auto workers is a robot. And Toyota has made known that it wants ALL of its workers to be robotic in the future.

No one has to look to far from the nightly news and you will see numerous reports of robotic attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq. It maybe one thing to robotize factories but putting robots into the military has far reaching ramifications. One of those things will be the divorcing of the impact of war from the warrior. Will conflict be easier because it? Or will war be less bloody for the evolution of mechanical? The increasing reliance of robots by the US military in the Long War and, I am certain, in future wars.

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10 Reasons to Run

1. Running is the most efficient path to cardiovascular fitness. Thirty minutes a day, four days a week will yield an excellent level of fitness in the shortest possible time.

2. Running is great for your heart. After a few months of running, your heart's walls thicken and the ventricles (internal chambers) increase in size. As a result, more blood is sent to your lungs with each heartbeat, and your resting pulse can decline by 20 per cent or more. What's more, if you run for 145 minutes per week, you are on average 40 per cent less likely to have a heart attack.

3. Running is inexpensive and simple to learn. Other than decent shoes and basic clothing, all you need to run is enthusiasm. Everyone knows how to run and information on training is widely available.

4. Running is the best method of stress reduction around. Thirty minutes of running will work wonders in dissolving stress accumulated at work.

5. Running is accessible to everyone. No matter where you live or travel, an excellent area for running is almost always close by.

6. Running is an excellent component of any weight-control programme. Few activities burn calories more quickly.

7. Running is a flexible method of training. You can run at your own pace, with or without company, at whatever time of day suits you.

8. Running makes you feel good. Your fitness, self-esteem and confidence will all increase with a regular running programme.

9. Running offers a unique opportunity for recreational runners to mix with world-class athletes. You can't play in the FA Cup final or a test match, but on almost every weekend, runners compete in the very same events as the fastest human beings on the planet. The Flora London Marathon remains one of the country's premier sports events.

10. Running is for families and individuals of all ages. There are running programmes for children and over-40s, and most races have events that are geared towards families.

Taken from www.runnersworld.co.uk



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Distance Running in Madrid

So I started to input my few runs into a website called Runtrackr.com, which was pointed out to me by a friend. It uses google maps to calculate your distance in kilometers or miles and your caloric burn depending on your weight.

I found, to my surprise, no routes for Madrid. I thought maybe because it was a new site, but no it has been around since 2008. So I put down my few runs for all to use.

Now then I was shocked that my long run was only 11.4 k. I had thought that would have been longer, especially after nearly killing myself on Friday. I think it's the two hills on the run, one a full k and the other half a k long. They make it so much harder to get through.

So I played with the map...

I ended up creating a 16+ k run through Casa de Campo. I'm going to try it out on Friday. Though I'm going to buy a water bottle belt before, it is really hot now in the direct sun. I'm hoping to get one of my friends to go for it. Haha. Probably not.

There's also some shorter 3-6 k that I put on the website. They're going through parque oeste and very easy on the eyes. The 3.5 k is my morning run. The One Hill run is great for repeats and close to home.

As it stands I am thirsty to go for a run today. I missed my morning run because Sofia's mom is in town and dinner plans. Also same tonight. I am hoping tomorrow to get back on track. Slow growth back to every day runs.

Happy runs to all. If you're in Madrid let me know if you want to run together.

R


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Hamburger War heats up...

Bristol Bar has an amazing burger called an Afrikaans Hamburger. It's pricey. 12 €. But if your open to spending a bit for a truly good burger, I say that Bristol has raised the bar her with a wonderful opening shot. I will have to try one of the others to see what else is on the menu.


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Madrid Running

You shouldn't be surprised when YOU surprise someone from Madrid by running at 6am ....or 11am ....or 5pm. This city is still getting used to people being healthy.

Also, be aware that you may need to stop and go well around people who will hog the ENTIRE sidewalk, even as you heavy breathing behind them and ready to steamroll them over.

You are an alien! You are a stranger in a strange land. You are a runner in Madrid!


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Knowing a runner...

As I was explaining to Mary on Sunday, one way to tell a real runner from a lifter for example is the calves. Overly developed calf muscles don't come from running. Running brings a leaner look. Now cardio work is good for you so you will see the gym boys and girls out on the trail.

Another is mechanics. A coached runner will have those bad mechanics ironed out of their strides and movements. It's not hard to tell the competitive runners of the past and those who simply love to run. (as a note, I fall into the later, and have horrid mechanics.)

Finally, today, you can tell a runner by the gear they wear. Too much or too little. And how they take it off, and why they keep it on. A bit too much to explain here and now, but those who are runners will understand what I mean.

Well, off again to teach and teach. Ugh. Perhaps a bit more on the Metro Madrid Project blog if I have some incredible insights as I am trapped on the metro.

Ciao


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TV pilots try an edgier approach

By Gary Levin, USA TODAY

Updated 7h 49m ago |

A time-traveling family heads to the dinosaur age to save Earth. Pan Am stewardesses and Playboy bunnies relive the '60s, while that era's prisoners of Alcatraz reappear in the present day.

These are just a few of the out-there premises among the 81 pilots vying for a handful of spots on next fall's network TV lineups. After a sleepy 2010-2011 season that has taken few risks — and yielded fewer hits — programmers are simultaneously ginning up more escapist eye candy and more ambitious fare for fall.

Last year, "the networks were being very conservative and were going for standard meat-and-potatoes fare; they were just trying to get back to basics," says Carolyn Finger, president of TVtracker.com, which monitors development trends. The resulting "lackluster season" has been "respectable, but there's nothing that's in the zeitgeist," she says. "They have to have stuff that gets people excited."

Networks' risk tolerance tends to flow in cycles and often is a direct result of their competitive position. ABC was in the tank in the ratings in 2004 when it rolled the dice on groundbreaking mystery Lostand comic soap Desperate Housewives.

This season, all four major networks have lost some audience, and new shows drawing respectable crowds, such as CBS' Hawaii Five-0, aren't generating much excitement.

NBC and ABC — each with new top programming executives — are most aggressive in courting concepts outside the traditional cops, docs and courtrooms.

NBC has Grimm, a cop drama with characters "inspired" by fairy tales, and REM, an Inception-style story about a detective with parallel lives following a deadly car accident. ABC might try Poe, in which the author is an investigative reporter helping to solve crimes, and Once Upon a Time, another fairy-tale-inspired series.

"We are looking to take some risks and be louder and more provocative," says ABC development chief Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs. "We're looking at what put us on the map."

Fox is mulling Alcatraz, a crime drama from Lost producer J.J. Abrams, and has already ordered Terra Nova, a big-budget Steven Spielberg production in which a family travels back to the dinosaur age to save future Earth. It was originally supposed to premiere in May; a delay until fall was blamed on the elaborate special effects.

It's all part of a network development process, beginning each fall, in which pitches lead to script deals and, for some, sample episodes. Those are screened by networks, tested with focus groups and weighed against current on-the-fence series, all vying for slots on the fall schedules that will be announced in mid-May.

Of course, many of these seemingly risky bets won't ever make it to the TV screen; only about one in four pilots do. And those that do make the cut have an even smaller shot at success — just look at ABC's fanciful Pushing Daisies, CBS' short-lived musical Viva Laughlin and last fall's biggest bomb, Fox's Lone Star, about a con man living a double life.

But analysts say competition from edgier cable fare and the continued erosion of network audiences compels them to reach outside their safety zones.

Other trends:

•Period dramas. Many of the riskiest projects include period dramas, including Poe and Reconstruction, which follows the post-Civil War resettlement of a soldier. NBC's Playboy returns to the long-shuttered Chicago club, its bunnies and colorful customers; ABC's soapy Pan Am tackles the same era's stewardesses and pilots in the Jet Age. "It's Mad Menfor the masses," says Patmore-Gibbs, and speaks to ABC's target demographic by "looking at that historical context from a female perspective."

•Familiar faces. Networks aren't just embracing riskier concepts to get viewers' attention. Familiar faces from former TV hits remain in demand, even if their recent track records are spotty. Tim Allen might return to ABC with his first series since Home Improvement, in a comedy about a man surviving in a world dominated by women. Kiefer Sutherland, Debra Messing, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christina Applegate, Jenna Elfman, Minnie Driver, Heather Locklear and Damon Wayans also have bagged lead roles in pilots. So have Michael Chiklis and Jimmy Smits, fresh off failures this season (No Ordinary Family and Outlaw, respectively).

And hello, Betty White! Actors of a certain age are in demand: Don Johnson plays a celebrity hairstylist in NBC's A Mann's World; Christine Lahti joins her family's medical practice in CBS' The Doctors; Annie Potts is among the Dallas clan in an ABC soap whose current religiously offensive title is sure to change. And 1980s stars Cybill Shepherd and Judith Light play grandmas on proposed ABC family sitcoms.

•More laughs. Everyone's looking for comedy after a season that saw plenty of whiffs and only one new hit — CBS' Mike & Molly —which was helped greatly by having a now Charlie Sheen-lessTwo and a Half Men as its lead-in. Chalk up the lack of Modern Family and The Middle wannabes to the lag time in television development and a "super-frustrating" lack of pitches, says Patmore-Gibbs.

This year, there are plenty of multigenerational contenders in the works, and not just on ABC, which hopes to add an hour of laughs on a new night. NBC wants to expand its stable of arch workplace comedies with more centered on relationships, while CBS is heading in the opposite direction, eyeing contenders about employees of a venture-capital firm, a sports-radio show and a celebrity couple.

For sitcoms in particular, the potential rewards are great. Fewer hits have left a void in the lucrative syndication market, leaving local stations to depend more heavily on long-canceled series such as Seinfeldand Friends. Next fall, only CBS' The Big Bang Theorywill enter the rerun market.

•Remakes. Networks are fond of freshening well-known TV shows or movies with easily promoted updates (Hawaii Five-0 and 90210), and this pilot season is no exception. ABC has relocated Charlie's Angels to Miami, where Robert Wagner is the unseen boss. NBC is looking at an update of Wonder Woman (now sporting skintight long pants), produced by David E. Kelley, and a long-gestating remake of British detective series Prime Suspect.

Fox has already picked up an animated spinoff of Napoleon Dynamite, featuring the voices of the cult film's original cast. And the network has next season's only potential spinoff in The Finder, featuring a character to be introduced on Bones in the April 21 episode.

Star Trek 2 news

Paul Giamatti 'would love' to be a Klingon in Star Trek 2

Great Bible Facts

Five Things Everyone Should Know About The Bible, Believe It or Not

The Bible is a peculiar book, and it's hard to get straight information about it. If you're one of those people with a nagging feeling that you should know more about the Bible than you do -- or even if you can recite chapter and verse (but don't know that those chapters and verses come from a 13th century archbishop of Canterbury and a 16th century Parisian, respectively) -- then these five basic things will catapult you to a new level of biblical literacy. Though I might be handing you clunky corrective eyewear instead of sexy kitten glasses, I promise that they will change the way you look at the Good Book, clarifying and focusing your understanding. 

1. Every Bible is actually a collection of books. The word itself means something like "little library." Many of the Bible's books developed over a long period of time and include the input of a lot of people (ancient Israelites, Babylonian Jews and Greek pastors, to name a few), reflecting particular places (urban Jerusalem, the northern Galilee, rural Judah and ancient Persia, for example) and times (spanning as much as 1,000 years for the Old Testament and a couple of centuries for the New Testament). Plus, the collection as a whole developed over centuries. This helps to explain the tremendous variety of theological perspectives, literary style, and sometimes perplexing preoccupations (which animal parts go to which parties in which categories of sacrifices, e.g.), as well as why some texts disagree with others.

2. Not everyone who believes in it has the same Bible. There are actually different bibles, though they all started with Jews (but before Judaism, per se). The Christian bible includes and depends upon the Jewish bible -- the Protestant Christian Old Testament is composed of the same books as the Jewish Hebrew Bible, arranged in a different order; and non-Protestant Christians include a few more books and parts of books (which also originated in Jewish circles) in their Old Testaments. The books of the Christian New Testament reflect the process of Jesus' followers gradually distinguishing themselves from his religion, Judaism.

3. The Bible came after the literature it comprises. In other words, the material that became biblical wasn't written in order to be part of a Bible. This helps to explain the existence of a book of erotic love poetry (Song of Songs), one that doesn't mention God (Esther), another of intimate personal correspondence (Paul's letter to Philemon) and maybe why none of it was written by Jesus. The biblical texts are not disinterested reporting of objective facts but come from people of faith informed by particular beliefs.

4. If you're reading the Bible in English, you're reading a translation. With the exception of a small minority of Aramaic texts, the books of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible were all written in Hebrew. The books of the New Testament were written in Greek. Every translation is by nature interpretation. If you've ever studied a foreign language, you know that it's impossible to convert exactly and for all time the literature or speech of any given language into another. A translator has to make choices. There are often several ways to render the original text, and changes in English affect the meaning we read as well.

5. Finally, this information about the Bible is compatible with belief in it. A person can simultaneously accept these truths about the Bible and the Bible as the Word of God. Doing so may require recalibrating assumptions, though, to allow for the possibility that God patiently works through people and time, enjoys a good debate and prefers inviting conversation over issuing absolutes. (Even the Ten Commandments, which would seem to be as absolute as anything, show up in two places in the Bible -- and with some differences.)

The Bible's endurance is astonishing. It continues to instruct and to inspire (in all sorts of interpretations and ways) the millions of people for whom it is their sacred and authoritative text. And it continues to ignite the imagination and enrich the speech, literature and art of people outside of the biblical faiths, too. Knowing the few bits of information provided here, as plain and pedantic as they may seem, makes it possible to make sense of the Bible -- its uses and abuses -- for yourself. It's like having the kind of friend who you know will keep you straight, surprise and delight you and encourage you to keep becoming exactly you. This information is more than a starting point. It's also a companion along the way, enabling new insights, providing correctives, and allowing space for the dynamism of your own ideas and learning.

Kristin Swenson is the author of Bible Babel: Making Sense of the Most Talked About Book of All Time (Harper, 2010; Harper Perennial, 2011) now available in paperback! She is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The Complete Pilot Report for Fall 2011

The Complete Pilot Report: Kiefer Sutherland, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Wonder Woman and More!

Mar 7, 2011 09:46 PM ET

by Natalie Abrams48 Comments

Sarah Michelle Gellar

The fall TV season is taking shape. Networks have ordered dozens of new pilots starring familiar faces like Tim Allen, Chelsea Handler, Debra Messing, and from proven producers like Josh Schwartz, J.J. Abrams and Ron Moore (Battlestar Galactica).

To keep track of who's doing what, read our complete list of all the series projects in contention and check back for updates on their status.

ABC

Apartment 23 (formerly known as Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) (Comedy)

A bright-eyed Midwestern girl (Dreama Walker) moves to New York, where she finds herself living with her worst nightmare (Krysten Ritter). American Dad's Nahnatchka Khan wrote the pilot. James Van Der Beek, Eric Andre and Michael Blaiklock will also star.

Bad Mom (Comedy)

Julia Lacey (Jenna Elfman) has to re-assume custody of her children when their caretaker, Julia's mother (Frances Conroy), wants her life back. Aaron Kaplan (Terra Nova) will executive-produce. Sharon Horgan will also star.

Charlie's Angels (Drama) 

Based on the iconic 1970s TV show, this remake will be set in modern-day Miami and star Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh as the Angels, and Ramon Rodriguez as Bosley. The project comes from the original series' producer Leonard Goldberg, film Angel Drew Barrymore and Smallville producers Miles Millar and Al Gough. Robert Wagner will provide the voice of Charlie.

Damage Control (Drama)

Kerry Washington plays a professional "fixer," based on the career of Judy Smith, the crisis management consultant who has guided such public figures as Monica Lewinsky and Michael Vick. Shonda Rhimes and Grey's Anatomy's Betsy Beers will executive-produce. Co-stars include Lost's Henry Ian Cusick, Katie Lowes, Guillermo Diaz, Tony Goldwyn, Darby Stanchfield, Jeff Perry, Liza Weil and Columbus Short.

Georgetown (Drama)

This sexy soap follows the young people (Jimmy Wolk, Katie Cassidy, Daisy Betts, Joe Mazello) who work for the power brokers of Washington, D.C. Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) will executive-produce. Condola Rashad will also star.

Grace (Drama)

Eric Roberts and Abigail Spencer star in this dysfunctional family drama set in the world of professional dance. Produced by Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba and Krista Vernoff (Grey's Anatomy). Sherri Saum, Will Kemp, Chantz Simpson, Eion Bailey, Chris Carmack, Robert Hoffman  and Anabelle Acosta will also star. Debbie Allen will guest-star in the pilot.

Good Christian B----es! (Drama)

Former high school mean girl Amanda (Leslie Bibb) returns to Dallas after her marriage ends in scandal, hoping for a second chance with those she once bullied. Darren Star (Sex and the City) is among the executive producers. Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Aspen, Miriam Shor, Marisol Nichols and Annie Potts also star.

Hallelujah (Drama)

In a Tennessee town being torn apart by the forces of good and evil, a stranger arrives to restore the residents' faith. Desperate Housewives boss Marc Cherry will executive-produce. Jesse L. Martin, Donal Logue, Terry O'Quinn, Arielle Kebbel, Della Reese, Zoey Deutch and Frances O'Connor will star.

Identity (Drama)

This cop drama centers on an elite unit formed to combat identity-related crime. John Glenn, Mark Gordon and Deb Spera will executive-produce. Angela Bassett, Orlando Jones, Colin O'Donoghue, Bree Turner and Jay Paulson will star.

Lost and Found (Comedy)

A narcissistic New York City bartender and party girl has her life turned upside-down when the conservative son (Gary Clayton) she gave up for adoption 18 years ago shows up on her doorstep. Marisa Coughlan (Boston Legal) will produce. Diana Maria Riva and Josh Casaubon will star.

Man Up (Comedy)

A unique look at what it takes to survive as a modern man, as told through the eyes of three best friends (Chris Moynihan, Mather Zickel and Dan Fogler) and the women in their lives. Moynihan (A Mighty Wind), Ron West (Backdraft) and Kelly Kulchak (Psych) will executive-produce. Teri Polo, Amanda Detmer, Jake Johnson and Henry Simmons also star.

My Freakin' Family (Comedy)

A young couple (Ellen Woglom and Ravi Patel) with a new baby experiences radical life changes when their parents, who have different cultural backgrounds, fight for the soul of their grandchild. Erica Rivinoja and Peter Traugott (Samantha Who?) will executive-produce. Christopher Rich, Mo Gaffney, Cybill Shepherd and Harish Patel will also star.

Once Upon a Time (Drama)

A woman (Jennifer Morrison) travels to a town where fairy tales are real. Lost's Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wrote the pilot and will executive-produce. Big Love's Ginnifer Goodwin will play Snow White, while Lana Parrilla will play the Evil Queen. Robert Carlyle, Josh Dallas, Raphael Sbarge, Jamie Dornan and Jared Gilmore will also star.

Other People's Kids (Comedy)

A 32-year-old guy (Jesse Bradford) with no responsibilities suddenly finds himself in love with an older woman (Bonnie Somerville) who has two kids, an ex-husband (Johnny Sneed), and ex-in-laws. Stacy Traub (Notes From the Underbelly) and Peter Traugott are executive producers. Malcolm Barrett, Judith Light and Claire Engler will also star.

Pan Am (Drama)

The stewardesses and pilots of the titular airline are the stars of this soap set in the Jet Age of the 1960s. Jack Orman (ER) wrote the pilot and will executive-produce with Nancy Hult Ganis and Tommy Schlamme (The West Wing). Jonah Lotan, Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Kelli Garner, Karine Vanasse and Michael Mosley will star.

Partners (Drama)

Two female police detectives (Scottie Thompson and Annie Wersching) are fiercely loyal to one another... because they're also secretly sisters. Criminal Minds' Edward Allen Bernero created the project. Frances Fisher, Michael Beach, Kenneth Mitchell, Nestor Serrano and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. will also star.

Poe (Drama)

Edgar Allan Poe (Chris Egan) is reimagined in this period crime procedural as a sleuth who uses unconventional methods to investigate dark mysteries in 1840s Boston. Chris Hollier (Alias) wrote the pilot and will produce along with Dan Lin (Sherlock Holmes). Natalie Dormer, Leslie Odom Jr., Tabrett Bethell and Kevin McNally also star.

Revenge (Drama)

A woman (Emily VanCamp) harboring a dangerous secret rents a house in the Hamptons for the summer. Mike Kelley (Swingtown) wrote the script and will executive-produce. Ashley Madekwe, Gabriel Mann, Christa B. Allen, Connor Paolo and Nick Wechsler will star.

The River (Drama)

When a famed adventurer and TV personality (Bruce Greenwood) goes missing in the Amazon, his family (among them, Joe Anderson and Leslie Hope) tries to find him. Project comes from the team behind Paranormal Activity. Oren Peli and Jason Blum will executive-produce. Eloise Mumford, Paulina Gaitan, Paul Blackthorne and Shaun Parkes will also star.

Smothered (Comedy)

A young couple (Kyle Howard and Brooke D'Orsay) struggles to deal with their respective parents in this sitcom from Friends writers Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, who based it on their real-life experiences. Marcia Gay Harden, John C. McGinley and Julie White star.

Suburgatory (Comedy)

A New York City girl (Jane Levy) moves to a cookie-cutter community — only to find that the suburbs are much scarier than any horror movie she's seen. Emily Kapnek (Hung) wrote the pilot and will produce. Jeremy Sisto, Alan Tudyk, Cheryl Hines, Carly Chaikin and Allie Grant will also star.

Untitled Tim Allen Project (formerly known as The Last Days of Man) (Comedy)

Tim Fitzgerald (Tim Allen) is fighting for his manhood in a world that is being increasingly dominated by women. 30 Rock's Jack Burditt and Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) will executive-produce.

Work It (Comedy)

Two unemployed car salesmen (Amaury Nolasco and Ben Koldyke) decide that in order to succeed, they must dress as women to get jobs as pharmaceutical reps. Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen (Friends) wrote the project and will executive-produce. John Carapulo, Kristin Eggers and Rebecca Mader will also star.

CBS

The Assistants (Comedy)

Four assistants work for a difficult celebrity couple. Tucker Cawley (Parks and Recreation) wrote the pilot and will executive-produce with Eric and Kim Tannenbaum (Two and a Half Men). Emily Rutherford, Lamorne Morris and TJ Miller will star.

The Doctor (Drama)

A mother (Christine Lahti) reconnects with her adult children when she joins the family medical practice. Privileged creator Rina Mimoun will write and executive-produce. Eva Amurri, Scott Foley, Kyle MacLachlan and Michael Boatman will also star.

Hail Mary (Drama)

An Atlanta-set P.I. drama tells the story of a suburban single mom (Minnie Driver) who teams up with a street hustler (Brandon T. Jackson) to solve crimes. Jeff Wadlow will write and executive-produce with Joel Silver and The L Word creator Ilene Chaiken. Enrique Murciano, Noureen DeWulf and Stephen Tobolowsky will also star.

Home Game (Comedy) 

Inspired by the life of three-time Super Bowl champion and NFL pro Mark Schlereth, the show focuses on a retired professional football player (Rob Riggle) who returns home to his family Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson will executive-produce. Constance Zimmer and Jenn Proske also star.

How to Be a Gentleman (Comedy)

An uptight guy (David Hornsby) learns to live his life with the help of an old high school friend. The project comes from Hornsby (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Dave Foley, Nancy Lenehan and Rhys Darby will also star.

Person of Interest (Drama)

A presumed-dead CIA agent (Jim Caviezel) is recruited by a billionaire (Michael Emerson) to catch violent criminals in New York City. Memento's Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams will executive-produce. Taraji P. Henson will also star.

Ringer (Drama)

A troubled young woman on the run (Sarah Michelle Gellar) hides out by living the life of her wealthy twin sister. One problem: Her sibling has a bounty on her head as well. Eric Carmelo and Nicole Snyder (Supernatural) will executive-produce. Nestor Carbonell, Kristoffer Polaha, Tara Summers, Mike Colter and Ioan Gruffudd will also star.

Rookies (Drama)

Six new NYPD cops try to balance their personal lives while working the mean streets of Manhattan. Robert De Niro, crime novelist Richard Price (Clockers) and Little Fockers producer Jane Rosenthal will executive-produce. Adam Goldberg, Leelee Sobieski, Judy Marte, Tom Reed, Terry Kinney and Stark Sands star.

Two Broke Girls (Comedy)

Two girls (Beth Behrs and Kat Dennings) from very different backgrounds work as waitresses, hoping to start their own business. The project was co-written by Michael Patrick King and Whitney Cummings, who will also executive produce.

Untitled Ed Redlich-John Bellucci Project (Drama)

Inspired by J. Robert Lennon's short story The Rememberer, a female NYPD detective (Poppy Montgomery) has the special ability to remember everything. Ed Redlich and John Bellucci will executive-produce. Michael Gaston, Daya Vaidya and Kevin Rankin will also star.

Untitled ESPN Project (Comedy)

This sitcom is inspired by ESPN personality Colin Cowherd's talk show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd. Bill Martin and Mike Schiff will write and executive-produce, along with Eric and Kim Tannenbaum. Danny Comden will star.

Untitled Filgos Project (formerly known as Homegrown) (Comedy)

Four generations of blue-collar Midwesterners live under the same roof. The project comes from That '70s Show alums Jeff and Jackie Filgo. Ugly Betty's Becki Newton and Shane McRae will star.

Untitled Peter Knight Project (Comedy)

An ensemble of young assistants and junior executives juggle love and the struggles of climbing the corporate ladder. Peter Knight and Doug Robinson (Rules of Engagement) will executive-produce. Larry Wilmore will star.

Untitled Rob Schneider Project (Comedy)

A lonely bachelor (Rob Schneider) marries into a large, tight-knit Mexican-American family (including Ugly Betty's Tony Plana, Nadine Velazquez and Lupe Ontiveros). Fellow SNL alum Lew Morton co-wrote the script, and will also executive-produce alongside Schneider and Two and a Half Men's Eric and Kim Tannenbaum.

Untitled Susannah Grant Project (Drama)

The life of an ultra-competitive surgeon (Patrick Wilson) is changed forever when his ex-wife (Jennifer Ehle) dies and begins teaching him about life from the hereafter. Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) is executive-producing. Julie Benz and Afton Williamson will also star.

Vince Uncensored (Comedy)

A man (Michael Chiklis) tries to take a more honest approach to his life, work and family after a life-changing experience. Phoef Sutton (Cheers) and Conan O'Brien will executive-produce. 

CW

Awakening (Drama)

Two sisters (Lucy Griffiths and Meredith Hagner) face off during a zombie uprising. William Laurin, Glenn Davis, Howard T. Owens, Carolyn Bernstein and Todd Cohen will executive-produce. Brian Hallisay will also star. Brian Hallisay and Titus Welliver will also star.

Cooper and Stone (Drama)

Two young female Chicago detectives (Alex Breckenridge and Vanessa Ferlito) find a balance between discussing fashion and catching criminals. Laurie Arent will executive-produce. Riley Smith will also star.

Danni Lowinski (Drama)

After being brushed off by big law firms, recent grad Danni decides to open her own practice in a shopping mall kiosk. The project comes from 90210's Jennie Snyder Urman. Amanda Walsh, Carla Gallo, Neal Bledsoe, George Dzundza and Utkarsh Ambudkar will star.

Heavenly (Drama)

A young female attorney and a former angel-turned-human (Ben Aldridge) take on cases at a legal-aid clinic. Richard Hatem, Rob Doherty and Ross Fineman executive-produce. Elizabeth Ho will also star.

Hart of Dixie (Drama)

A New York City doctor (Rachel Bilson) inherits a small medical practice in the South. Gossip Girl's Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage will executive-produce. Jaime King, Cress Williams, Nancy Travis and Wilson Bethel will also star.

Secret Circle (Drama) 

Based on the three-book series from The Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith, a young witch (Britt Robertson) is the key to a battle between good and evil. Diaries' Kevin Williamson will executive-produce. Thomas Dekker and Phoebe Tonkin will also star.

Fox

Alcatraz (Drama)

A cop (Sarah Jones) and a team of FBI agents track down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day after disappearing 30 years earlier. J.J. Abrams will executive-produce and Liz Sarnoff (Lost) will be the showrunner. Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill, Jonny Coyne, Jason Butler Harner, Parminder Nagra, Santiago Cabrera and Robert Forster also star.

The Council of Dads (Comedy)

Based on the non-fiction book by Bruce Feiler, a man who learns he's dying enlists five men to help his wife raise their two children. The project comes from Rescue Me creator Peter Tolan. Kyle Bornheimer, Diane Farr, Patrick Breen, Rick Gomez, Richard T. Jones and Ken Howard will star.

Exit Strategy (Drama)

This series stars Ethan Hawke as the leader of a CIA extraction team. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Fringe, Hawaii Five-0) will produce. Megan Dodds, Tom Sizemore, Lina Esco, Lily Rabe and Elyes Gabel also star.

Family Album (Comedy)

A headstrong patriarch (Mike O'Malley) embarks on a vacation with his extended family. The project comes from Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. Rachael Harris, Rob Huebel, Damaris Diaz and Joy Osmanski also star.

The Finder (Drama)

Based on The Locator books by Richard Greener, this Bones spin-off follows a former military policeman (Geoff Stults) with the ability to find anything. Saffron Burrows and Michael Clarke Duncan also star. Hart Hanson wrote the pilot and will executive-produce.

Iceland (Comedy)

A group of friends help each other after the death of one of their fiancés. The project comes from writer-executive producer Andy Bobrow. Kerry Bishe, Zach Gilford, John Boyd and Krysta Rodriguez will star.

I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Comedy)

Two women (Jaime Pressly and Katie Finneran) fret that their daughters are turning into the type of girls who picked on them in high school. Sherry Bilsing-Graham and Ellen Kreamer will executive-produce. Eric Sheffer Stevens will also star.

Little in Common (Comedy)

This project revolves around families whose children play Little League together. Veronica Mars' Rob Thomas will write and executive-produce. Rob Corddry, Paula Marshall, Kevin Hart and Gabrielle Union star.

Locke & Key (Drama)

Based on Joe Hill's comic, widow Nina Locke and her three kids (among them Jesse McCartney) return to live in their old family home after patriarch Rendell Locke is brutally murdered. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci will executive-produce. Miranda Otto, Nick Stahl, Sara Bolger, Skylar Gaetner and Harrison Thomas also star.

Outnumbered (Comedy)

Based on the British comedy, this project centers on a set of parents (Ana Ortiz and Cliff Chamberlain) outnumbered by their three kids. Barbara Wallace wrote the pilot and will executive-produce with Peter Chernin and Tom Wolfe. Cheech Marin, Mateus Ward, Gibson Sjobeck and Ava Acres also star.

Tagged (Comedy)

This workplace comedy is set in a coroner's office. The project comes from writers-executive producers David Guarascio and Moses Port. Gary Cole, Tommy Dewey, BJ Bales, Lindsay Kraft, Mel Rodriguez, Bret Ernst and Robin Givens will star.

Touch (Drama)

A father (Kiefer Sutherland) learns his autistic, mute son is psychic. Heroes creator Tim Kring will executive-produce.

Untitled Liz Meriwether Project (Comedy)

This comedy explores the sexual politics of young men and women. No Strings Attached scribe Liz Meriwether wrote the pilot and will executive-produce alongside Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope. Zooey Deschanel, Hannah Simone, Jake M. Johnson and Max Greenfield will star.  

Weekends at Bellevue (Drama)

Lauren Ambrose stars as a psychiatrist in charge of the weekend shift of Bellevue Hospital's psychiatric unit. The project, based on Dr. Julie Holland's memoir, comes from ER writer-producer Lisa Zwerling. Amber Stevens, Eric Winter and Janet McTeer will also star.

NBC

17th Precinct (Drama)

Battlestar Galactica executive producer Ron Moore created this supernatural police drama set in the fictional town of Excelsior. Battlestar vets Jamie Bamber, James Callis and Tricia Helfer, along with Eamonn Walker, Matt Long and Stockard Channing, will star. Kristin Kreuk will guest-star in the pilot.

A Mann's World (Drama)

Allan Mann, a celebrity Los Angeles hair stylist (Don Johnson), struggles to stay young and relevant. The project comes from Sex and the City executive producer Michael Patrick King. The Vampire Diaries' Taylor Kinney, Mario Cantone, Jesse Jones, Kelly Hu, Sandra Vergara, JR Bourne and Caitlin Crosby will also star. Ellen Barkin will guest-star in the pilot.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea (Comedy)

Based on Chelsea Handler's best-selling book of the same name, a group of twentysomethings — led by an outspoken young woman (Laura Prepon) — live and work together. Handler will play her older sister and executive-produce. Mark Povinelli, Jo Koy, Natalie Morales, Angela Laketa Moore and Lauren Lapkus will also star.

Bent (Comedy)

A recently divorced, "type-A" mom (Amanda Peet) tries her best not to fall for the sexy surfer dude-contractor (David Walton) who's redoing her kitchen. The project comes from writer and executive producer Tad Quill (Scrubs). Joey King, Margo Harshman and Jeffrey Tambor will also star.

Brave New World (Comedy)

The project centers on a  group of characters at Pilgrim Village, a theme park that recreates 1637 New England. Peter Tolan (Rescue Me) wrote the pilot and will executive-produce with Michael Wimer (2012). Ed Begley Jr., Nick Braun, Will Greenberg, Jazz Raycole, Robbie Benson and Anna Popplewell will star.

Free Agents (Comedy)

A talent agency is the setting for two rebounding colleagues — one who just lost a fiancé, the other a recent divorcé (Hank Azaria) — to fall in love. John Enbom, Todd Holland, Karey Burke and Kenton Allen will executive-produce.

Ghost Angeles (Comedy)

A young woman talks to dead people. The project comes from Gossip Girl executive producer Josh Schwartz.

Grimm (Drama)

A dark, fantastical cop drama features characters inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales. The pilot was written and executive-produced by Jim Kouf and Greenwalt (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel). David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, Reggie Lee and Bitsie Tulloch will star. Kate Burton will guest-star in the pilot.

I Hate That I Love You (Comedy)

A straight couple introduces two of their lesbian friends. The project comes from Will & Grace alum Jhoni Marchinko. Anna Camp and Nick Thune will star.

Lovelives (Comedy)

Two couples navigate love and infidelity. The project come from Family Guy writer-executive producer Chris Sheridan, Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope. Ryan Hansen, Amanda Loncar and Sean Maguire will star.

My Life As an Experiment (Comedy)

A magazine writer (Jon Dore) immerses himself and his family in strange situations for his stories. Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith ('Til Death) wrote the pilot and will executive-produce. Actor Jack Black also will be an executive producer. Paget Brewster and Adam Campbell will star.

Playboy (Drama)

At the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963, "bunnies" (incuding Amber Heard and Naturi Naughton) flirt with danger. Chad Hodge and Apollo 13's Brian Grazer will executive-produce. Eddie Cibrian, Laura Benanti, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Leah Renee, David Krumholtz, Wes Ramsey and Sean Maher also star.

Prime Suspect (Drama)

An adaptation of the British miniseries centers on a tough female detective (Maria Bello) who has to make her bones in a tough New York precinct dominated by men. Sarah Aubrey and Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) will executive-produce. Aidan Quinn, Kirk Avevedo, Tim Griffin, Toby Stephens, Brian O'Bryne and Joe Nieves will also star.

Reconstruction (formerly known as The Crossing) (Drama)

In the aftermath of the Civil War, a soldier (Martin Henderson) crosses the country and settles in a complicated town where he is welcomed as its savior — whether he likes it or not. St. Elsewhere co-creator Josh Brand wrote the pilot. Bill Sage, Claire Wellin, Emma Bell and Rachelle Lefevre will also star.

REM (Drama) 

A police detective (Jason Isaacs) who's involved in a traumatic car accident wakes up in two fractured realities. The project comes from Kyle Killen, creator of Fox's short-lived Lone Star, and 24's Howard Gordon will also executive-produce. Wilmer Valderrama, Steve Harris, B.D. Wong, Laura Allen and Dylan Minnette will also star.

Special Investigations L.A. (Drama)

The project looks at Los Angeles through multiple perspectives, including law enforcement, the justice system, city hall and the criminal underworld. The project comes from Traffic screenwriter Stephen Gaghan. Madchen Amick, Noah Emmerich, Daniella Alonso, Danny Pino and Matthew Levy will star.

Smash (Drama)

A group of people (including Debra Messing and Katharine McPhee) come together to put on a Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe. Steven Spielberg (E.T., Jurassic Park) will executive-produce. Anjelica Huston, Raza Jaffrey, Jack Davenport, Christian Borle, Brian d'Arcy James and Megan Hilty also star.

Untitled Dan Goor Project (Comedy)

A young doctor (Andrew J. West) must juggle the needs of his family and his patients when he joins his parents' medical practice. Jean Smart plays his mother.  The project comes from Parks and Recreation writer Dan Goor. Brad Morris will also star.

Untitled Emily Spivey Project (Comedy) 

The project is an irreverent look at parenthood from the perspectives of an acerbic working mother, her stay-at-home husband and her outspoken parents. Parks and Recreation writer Emily Spivey wrote the pilot and will produce with Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels.

Untitled Kari Lizer Project (Comedy)

A relationship-challenged woman (Sarah Paulson) guides people through unexpected career transitions and downsizings with the help of her co-workers. The project comes from The New Adventures of Old Christine creator Kari Lizer. James Adomian and Tim Meadows will also star.

Untitled Parham-St. Clair Project (Comedy)

A woman and her live-in boyfriend take in her best friend after a divorce. The project comes from actresses Lennon Parham (Accidentally on Purpose) and Jessica St. Clair (Worst Week).

Untitled Whitney Cummings Project (Comedy)

A young couple (creator Whitney Cummings and Chris D'Elia) weathers the ups and downs of modern-day committed relationships. My Boys' creator Betsy Thomas will also executive-produce. Zoe Lister-Jones and Beverly D'Angelo will also star.

Wonder Woman (Drama)

In this reboot of the 1970s series, vigilante superhero Wonder Woman (Adrianne Palicki) juggles two other identities, Diana Themyscira, a shrewd corporate executive and Diana Prince, an assistant at Themyscira Industries. Ally McBeal's David E. Kelley wrote the pilot and will executive-produce. Elizabeth Hurley, Tracie Thoms, Pedro Pascal and Cary Elwes also star.

new purpose here...

This blog will center more on the experience of "living" on the metro and what it takes to keep sane on the nearly 4 hours of daily travel some of us endure.

New music

I finally got around to Grammy winners. I got lady antebellum and lady gaga. Both songs, need you now and born this way are great.


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