Three's Company - S2 E2 - Jack Looks For A Job

Three's Company
Season 2
Episode 2
Jack Looks For A Job


Overview
Jack needs a job but all he can find is a job that requires him to show his butt. So he tries to sell encyclopedias and instead buys a set. In the end, he gets a job in the restaurant industry.

Physical Comedy
Chrissy swinging the straight razor around was classic. But the balloon with shaving cream was even better. The nude model scene was great. Jack dropping his pants, barging in on a female model. Loved it. And Janet blowing in Jack's ear was great too. The contract confetti was funny too but I'm still drawn to the couch being the central source of comedy on the show.



STEM
As I started searching for how art impacts STEM, I found a movement to include art in STEM to make it STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. I was hoping to find more information on how science and art coincide and coexist but instead I found STEAM. And not the source of computer games. I know I've seen things before that talk about angles and circles and what-not but can't seem to find them. So what do you think, should STEM because STEAM? How is art related to science?

Teacher Resources:

• http://stemtosteam.org/
• http://steam-notstem.com/

Magnum PI - S1 E7 - The Ugliest Dog In Hawaii

Magnum PI
Season 1
Episode 7
The Ugliest Dog In Hawaii


Overview
Magnum guards Sir Algernon Farnsworth, an important member of, oh who am I kidding. Sir Algernon is a dog. Some rich lady owns him. And some Mobster wants him. And Magnum is hired to protect him. Yeah, sounds a little campy and goofy but hey, it's the 1980s. While it's only somewhat related to the plot, we see a new vehicle for Magnum to drive, a GMC Jimmy with the plate ROBIN 3.

Cell Phones
As Magnum discovers he has a tail on the road, he has to stop at a gas station to call TC ask for help. Could have been a lot easier if he had a cell phone. I'm guessing only the Audi has a cell phone and not the Jimmy.

Fashion
The old man, the "mustache," had a sweet velour/fleece/terry cloth zippered short sleeve jacket. And he wore it with the zipper down and a hat. With shorts. His two younger partners at least wore some fairly nice clothes that could still pass for modern day fashion.

But the kids? Their outfits were totally 70s/80s era styles. The tall tube socks, the flat tennis shoes, and the graphic tees. All classic styles of the era.

Magnum's bell bottoms give a hint of his Navy service. Even though they aren't quite full blown bell bottoms. And the bad guys chasing him through the banana groves reverted back to some typical 80s fashion with their suits. And the marijuana growers have some hideously large sunglasses.

The shorts on Rick at the end are just, wow. Just wow.

Hawaiian Shirt
The Hawaiians wearing Hawaiian shirts were okay and more muted than Magnum's but they still look pretty cool. Magnums shirt though looked pretty decent. This episode's shirt is a call back to the pilot episode. It's a dark shirt with white flowers. It's not as flashy of the red shirts we've seen before but still looks nice.

Moo Moo Buckaroo

Got my 4 miles in this morning in my new team uniform. Or gear. Or kit. Or whatever you want to call it. It was long overdue in arriving but well worth the wait. Glad I had the chance to test it out before I left on my trip. The cycle jersey looked like it would fit but it was snug. I know it's supposed to be snug but I didn't expect my arms to be so big. Made me feel a little like the Incredible Hulk - one flex and I'd rip a seam. But I didn't. And I know cycle people are usually smaller than me (more aerodynamic, right?) but I still felt like a stuffed sausage in there.

The shorts were a little surprising. They looked way too small (size XL) but they fit quite nicely. So that was cool. No chafing after 4 miles, which was even cooler.

The rest of the run was filled with horse flies, neighbors, and lots of sweating.

The rest of the day was filled with sitting in the car driving to my moms. Once there, it was time to talk, eat dinner, film the cows, and stay up late.

Almost forgot! So I got a message today from an old running friend. She saw my photo and both she and her husband commented on how much weight I had lost. Totally made my day! Thank you Royanna! And, on top of that, yesterday I did my monthly measurements. I was a few days behind schedule because I was sick, but here are the numbers:

Weight - 233.2 pounds (down from 246.2 right before I quit work)
Waist - 101.5 cm (down from 110 cm)
Total cm Measurements - 650.5 cm (down from 677 cm)

Photos:

Video:

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Humidity was high. Sky was overcast. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Nothing before the run. Plain water during the run. Ran out of water after 3 miles. Recovery was coffee followed by an egg white sammich thingie from the gas station with a few, ONLY A FEW DAMMIT, hashbrowns.

Aches and Pains:
The sleeves on the jersey bunched a little but once fixed there was no pain. Right shoe probably wasn't tied tight enough so I felt some chafing on the heel.

Gear:
Shorts and cycle jersey.

Today's Motivation:
I knew I wouldn't get a run in after I got to my mom's so I got up early and got it done.

Naughty Neil:
The gas station food wasn't a great choice but it was a good choice in what I chose. Lunch today was light and dinner was fairly healthy. I'm doing much better. But I still had some McDonalds fries. But only a medium!

Splits:
As I ran, I realized what names I had come up with for the neighborhood routes I use. I created them, used them a few times, then forgot them. And instead of going back to find them, I just ignored them and called them the "loop" when I should have used the proper word. So, a "loop" is a full 1.5 mile loop around the hood. A "lollipop" is 1.25 miles, and skips one of the dead ends. A "circle" is 1 mile and skips both dead ends. If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry. A lot of what I think of doesn't make sense to me either.
Loop - 18:34
Loop - 18:46
Circle - 10:48
Finish - 48:09

Horse Fly War

Today's run was well needed. Down right necessary. And although I was slower than I wanted to be, I survived, didn't get bit, and feel pretty damn good right now.

The weather yesterday was very wet and very stormy when I woke up so I just went back to bed and skipped my run. For a few minutes I thought about going after work but I ended up cooking dinner for the kids which meant some creativity in the kitchen. Pancakes are tricky to cook.

So today I needed to stay true to my word and get my run in. And I did. And I even did my workout, although not as many reps/sets as I wanted to.

Anyway, the run was nice. The weather wasn't. Warm and muggy and the flies were out. Yuck. Saw my dad finishing his walk as I was starting mine. Also saw Mrs. Sparbel out getting her workout done.

And there might be a horse fly war brewing. Details to follow.

Photo:
The angry hawk.

Yesterday's Video:

Weather:
Temps were around 80F or 85F. Humidity was moderate to high. No wind. Sky was slightly overcast.

Fluids and Fuel:
Nothing before the run. Plain water during the run. Overflowing oatmeal, one egg, and two sausage for breakfast.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing really. Still a bit wheezy but not really short of breath.

Gear:
Wore shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
Most of my motivation was because I didn't want to disappoint my coach. I told her yesterday I was really going to get my run in today. So I did. Felt much better after I got it done.

Naughty Neil:
I've been doing really good on the food. It's hard as shit and I really wanted a Whopper for dinner tonight. But instead I had shrimp tacos and tortillas. Lots of tortillas. And dip.

Splits:
Time is an estimate because I'm too lazy to go back upstairs to get my watch. But it's close.
Loop 1 - 18:00
Loop 2 - 19:30
Finish - 37:30

Three's Company - S2 E1 - Ground Rules

Three's Company
Season 2
Episode 1
Ground Rules


Overview
With privacy at a premium, Jack, Janet, and Chrissy fight to get some quality alone time. But most interesting to me is the beginning itself. Turns out, Season 1 was just a short, mid-season series with very little hope of continuing past the first six season. When the series was picked up, well, they came back for a full season. In addition to that, the format of the opening changed. It got a little longer and the music changed a little too. I also noticed some changes in how the camera shots are set up. There seems to be more close-up head shots.

Physical Comedy
I think this episode shows the birth of the sloth-like cretin that John Ritter does. I don't know how to describe it other than hilarious.

My favorite gag though is the wind-up hand at the table in the Regal Beagle. I think I've used it before with my kids but I could never remember where I learned it from. I guess the mystery is solved.


STEM
Since the whole male vs. female libido probably isn't appropriate for kids, let's look at schedules instead. The best I could find were a bunch of examples of a daily schedule for STEM teachers or a schedule for a STEM school. All I was left with was some ideas on how to implement STEM in a school. Not the best, but better than nothing.

Teacher Resources:
http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/ccr/elementary-and-middles-school-stem-implementationv2.pdf

Don't Be A Dead Turtle

As I did my best to make my way around the neighborhood this morning without sounding like I had emphysema, I came across a dead turtle. Finding road kill while you run on the road is a normal occurrence. Usually you smell it well before you see it and make your way around it but in this case, it didn't smell until I was right up next to it. At first I thought it was still alive and just hidden in it's shell (it was upside down) but as I got closer, I could see the flies and knew it was dead.

Which got me to thinking about death. Roadkill does that to me it seems. Makes me think about death that is. As I ran past the turtle, I began to think about being slow and doing nothing and how it can kill. Well, being slow is okay I think. Just because you're slow doesn't mean you'll die. But doing nothing or sitting back too much, that kind of slow, now that I believe can kill. Since leaving work I've been moving a lot more and it's left me feeling better about things.

So I guess I should be thankful for the dead turtle in the road. It reminded me to keep moving or risk death.

Morbidity aside, the run was uneventful. I did feel a little winded at times but I also felt pretty healthy at times. It was weird.

Weather:
Temps were about 85F. Humidity was high. Sky was overcast. Winds were light to moderate.

Fluids and Fuel:
I had breakfast before the run, then let it set for a while before running. Breakfast was two egg whites, two slices of bread, and two sausage patties. And coffee. Always assume I'm drinking coffee. Plain water during the run. Recovery was a lunch of leftover spaghetti, salmon, and brocolli.

Aches and Pains:
Other than the wheezy chest, things felt fine.

Gear:
Wore shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
Nothing like a little domestic strife to motivate you to go for a run. I'm so glad this kind of therapy is free.

Naughty Neil:
My after-dinner snack yesterday probably wasn't the best choice. But I felt like I needed something to eat. Even though I'm sure I didn't.

Splits:
Loop 1 - 15:50
Loop 2 - 17:27
Finish - 33:17

Magnum PI - S1 E6 - Never Again...Never Again

Magnum PI
Season 1
Episode 6
Never Again...Never Again


Overview
Magnum fights Nazis! An older couple, Holocaust survivors, try to run from some Nazis. Seriously. Nazis.

Cell Phones
Some sort of tracking device would have helped find Saul, the husband half of the older couple.

The cell phone in the Audi returns! It must be a new Audi since the other one blew up in the last episode. But that's beside the point. Magnum is hounded by the guard dogs on the Masters estate and is forced to call Higgins from the Audi so he can come inside. I'm sure it was quite the gag then and it's still funny now. But the ironic part of it is that nowadays, calling or texting from the driveway with your cell phone is normal.

There could be an argument here that social media solved this case. The photo of the old couple was the break in the case Magnum needed. While the photo was on a wall, it was on the mirror. But still, photos from the past came back to haunt them.

Fashion
There's fashion galore here as the old couple runs a t-shirt shop that appears to double as a custom tailor. But the tailor's shirt is itself a bit of a nightmare. It looks like a polyester, seer-sucker, wide collar, ugly striped shirt.

And Rick is wearing straight-up 70s red corduroy pants with heeled boots. Or are they shoes? At least his shirt looks nice. Except for those epaulets.

Not a lot of outfit changes in this episode. Which is a little disappointing. But those camo shorts at the end, ouch. Almost makes you want to go back to the jeans.

Hawaiian Shirt
There are none for Magnum. And that makes me sad.

Murky Weather

Today's run was slow and a bit dreadful. On the flip side though, I did get to spend some time walking around with my dad. I saw my neighbors, their kids, their kids' kids, Mrs. Brown, and the Halls.

Long story short about the Halls, they are the oldest, most consistent runners I know in the area. And they are always nice, wave to you, smile, say hello, and all that jazz. Great people.


Yesterday's Video:

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Sky was murky. Humidity was high. High enough that I could see water droplets floating around. Not falling like rain, just drifting like motes of dust.

Fluids and Fuel:
Nothing before the run. Plain water during the run. Recovery was half an avocado and two egg whites and two sausage links on toast. And coffee of course.

Aches and Pains:
None.

Gear:
Wore shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
Felt tired this morning. Probably because of all the pasta I had last night. And that I didn't want to get out of bed. But I knew I wouldn't run after work and that I had a limited amount of time. I almost gave up on the run several times but after walking with my dad and getting so close to the 3 mile mark I eventually just toughed it up and finished.

Naughty Neil:
Hmm...Nothing comes to mind right now.

Splits:
Finish - 43:30 (I did the full 3 miles but in an odd route that didn't allow for splits)

Three's Company - S1 E6 - It's Only Money

Three's Company
Season 1
Episode 6
It's Only Money


Overview
With their rent money stolen, Jack, Janet, and Chrissy try to avoid Mr. Roper. This is also the end of the first season. The show was a mid-season premier that was picked up for a full season the following fall.

Physical Comedy

• It's a minor gag but Jack's heavy breathing face is hilarious.
• Jack jumping into the bathroom like a frog.
• Jack's "bathing suit."
• Jack and the banana. You just know something's coming.

STEM
When their rent money was stolen, my first thought was just like everybody else, that somebody left the door unlocked. But I quickly began to wonder if somebody picked the lock. It didn't look like there was a deadbolt on the door, so it would have been a simple door knob lock to bypass.

Of course we learn later the lock wasn't picked, but I'm now wondering about new technology being used to bypass old technology. For example, a simple picture of your key could allow somebody to use a 3D printer to print a copy of your key. So has the modern 3D printer made it easier to bypass a simple door lock? Or is picking a lock faster?

Teacher Resources:

• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10996131/Lost-your-house-keys-Just-3D-print-another....html
• https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0ahUKEwj2xe2cgOTMAhVGbz4KHfQXBMoQFgg7MAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cimetrixsolutions.com%2Ffiles%2Fdownload%2F236bdc1f779202d&usg=AFQjCNFMfvIJMggt0drbhCw1JQB4XDy8Hg&sig2=JpKkpv5gonmcZf0yTEIGgw&bvm=bv.122129774,d.cWw&cad=rja
• http://www.nsta.org/docs/2013SeptemberReports.pdf
• http://www.math.ucsd.edu/~crypto/Projects/MichaelLee/LockPicking.pdf

A Mixed Bag

Today's run was a mixed bag of sorts. Last night's dinner seems to have caught up to me and my daughter. More than likely it's dessert that got us (fried ice cream). But we survived. She cut her practice short and I cut my run short. But we survived.

I was lucky enough to have my son come along with me this morning. He rode his bike while I ran (and walked). It was pretty slow but still nice to get out and get some stuff done. Of course we experimented with the GoPro. We also ran into a former classmate of mine who's back in the neighborhood taking care of his mom.

And that was about it for our run this morning.

Yesterday's VLOG:

Weather:
Temps were about 75F. Sky was clear. Wind was light. Humidity was moderate.

Fluids and Fuel:
I ate breakfast before the run. It was two eggs, two slices of toast, two sausage patties, and coffee. During the run I had plain water. Recovery was nothing. That was later followed by half a banana. Then later followed by two prosciutto wraps. And water. And tea. Basically I didn't have lunch. Dinner was tacos with blueberry muffins.

Aches and Pains:
None. But the stomach was grumbly.

Gear:
Wore shorts and t-shirt.

Splits:
Loop 1 - 15:41
Checking in on my daughter - 2:48
Loop 2 - 17:35
Finish - 36:05

Magnum PI - S1 E5 - Skin Deep

Magnum PI
Season 1
Episode 5
Skin Deep


Overview
Magnum takes a case investigating the suicide of an actress. Some think it was staged. While he's investigating her death, Magnum has a lot of flash backs to his time in Vietnam. The combination of helicopters, gun shots, and jungle terrain kicks in the PTSD pretty damn heavy. And not just for Magnum either, TC has some flashbacks as well. In the end, they have what I'd guess is about the best discussion about PTSD you can get between two guys that have seen action.

Cell Phones
Well, cell phones could have been great. At least until Magnum jumps from the helicopter into the ocean. Although I suppose a new Samsung Galaxy S7 could survive seeing as it's waterproof. Magnum could have used it earlier in his investigation though as he was researching the actress and her work. Although I doubt she would have put a lot of that material on YouTube.

Fashion
It has nothing to do with the outfit, but the camera equipment and the actress smoking a cigarette in the opening scene are totally old school. The track pants could be from today but that blouse looks very 1970s.

As an old high school friend, and fellow TV nerd, pointed out a few weeks ago, many of Magnum's outfits feature subtle hints of his former military career. I saw some of it before but never really paid much attention. Well, now I am. We see Magnum wearing a military style webbed belt with one of those buckles that I always thought was cool. Probably because I always wanted to be an Army guy when I was a kid. He also sports a khaki shirt that looks awfully militaristic.

David, played by Ian McShane, is wearing what I can only describe as a woman's shirt. Yes, the buttons are on the right side (as in both the correct side and the opposite of the left side). But the pleating on the chest just looks feminine. It's almost like it's been darted but it's not, it's more of an accordion pleat. Anyway, it just doesn't look right.

Hawaiian Shirt
Right out of the gate we have black shirt with red birds and purple, that's right, purple, palm trees. I'm not a big fan of it. Too dark and a little unsettling on the eyes. However, that red and white shirt behind the bar is awesome.

History Lesson

Today's run was sluggish. I mean slow as a snail going through pine tar on a broken escalator. But it was still nice to get out there and get at least some miles in before the day started. How I got out there before 0700, I don't know. But it was nice to feel a little pride in something, especially considering how slow I felt.

Okay, enough with the slow talk. The run was warm and sticky. The first loop was fairly decent but then things started to warm up enough to make it sticky icky humid.

Nothing too terribly exciting until I was nearly done with the run. I stopped and talked to a near-neighbor. I specifically wanted to know more about the road we live on and if it went by a different name. It didn't but it was interesting because the newspaper said it did. Anyway, she gave some additional details about the neighborhood which I didn't know which really helped fill in some of the blanks left from reading the articles the other day.

Anyway, after about a 10 minute chat with her, I just hoofed it home and skipped the last quarter mile of my run. And I didn't really feel like going that extra quarter of a mile. So it all worked out in the end.

Weather:
Temps were probably 75F. Humidity was moderate to high. Light wind. Full sun with only a few clouds.

Fluids and Fuel:
About 3 sips of coffee before the run. Plain water during the run. Recovery was three donuts and coffee. I wanted something better but there was a swim team meeting this morning and I knew I'd eat there and the donuts were the only thing that looked good and I ate 2 then my wife didn't eat one of hers so instead of throwing it away like I should have I ate it.

Aches and Pains:
None really.

Gear:
Wore shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
Didn't really feel like I had any. But I somehow managed to get out there.

Naughty Neil:
See "Fluids and Fuel."

Splits:
Loop 1 - 20:00
Loop 2 - 20:00
Finish - 40:00

Three's Company - S1 E5 - Jack The Giant Killer

Three's Company
Season 1
Episode 5
Jack The Giant Killer


Overview
Mr. Roper shows he's more of a man than Jack by dealing with a disruptive man at the Regal Beagle. Jack feels emasculated and mopes around the next day. When he finally does make it to the bar to stand up for himself, he gets some unexpected help.

Physical Comedy

• Janet and Chrissy trying to fix the couch.
• Jack putting tacks in his mouth and then the girls hitting him with pillows.
• Jack getting his foot caught under the couch.
• Jack taking a drink of whiskey.
• Jack tipping over at the table.

STEM
Mr. Roper has a bad tooth, likely a cavity. Which made me think of when I went off to college and began drinking sodas every day. Shortly thereafter, I began getting cavities. A few years later, I learned about "Mt. Dew Mouth" and the impact sodas can have on your teeth. Sadly, I learned at my daughter's expense that juice often has as much sugar as soda.

So is it the acid in the soda that causes the tooth enamel to decay or the sugar or both? I think a science experiment is in order to figure that out.

Teacher Resources:

• http://www.mylearning.org/learning/investigate/Dental%20Disasters.pdf
• http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/print_project_1166_40
• http://www.projects.juliantrubin.com/science_fair_project/medicine/tooth_decay.html
• http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/site/Default.aspx?PageType=6&SiteID=1&SearchString=colby%20sanders

Magnum PI - S1 E4 - No Need To Know

Magnum PI
Season 1
Episode 4
No Need To Know


Overview
Magnum is caught in the middle, again, of a grand conspiracy. This one involves the IRA and British Army. And the American Secret Service. With the IRA trying to kill the British General, Higgins, along with the British Army, tries to keep him safe. Meanwhile, the Secret Service is trying to keep him safe too but without the British knowing about it. And of course Magnum is in the middle of it all.

Cell Phones
Another pay phone. The Secret Service would certainly have a cell phone of their own to call Magnum. No need for a pay phone.

Magnum's big beef in this episode is the lack of communication between the security and intelligence agencies. Cell phones would help but I think a smart phone would be ideal for this case. Photos, emails, and texts could be shared rather quickly and by sharing that intelligence, the various agencies could have easily put things together fast enough to prevent an attack.

Not to mention the climax car chase scene could have been prevented entirely with a simple phone call.

Fashion
Yep, bikinis in a solid color are timeless. Men's fashion has thankfully changed when it comes to swim suits. Those super short trunks looks so uncomfortable. But those tight pants and tight shorts and shiny dress shoes just scream tourist.

And the tall socks. Why the tall socks? Sure, they go with the dress shoes but you don't wear dress shoes and over the calf socks with shorts. My eyes hurt.

The women's dresses in this episode are at least appealing. Nothing too dated. Not exactly fashionable and hip but they were at least stylish.

And Rick is wearing that goofy shirt with bananas and burgers again. Love it!

Hawaiian Shirt
A nice dark shirt with white flowers. They look like irises or daffodils or something. Either way, I liked the darker color. Much more subtle.