It was October 17, 1989 just before 5:00 PM and all was well. My 19-month-old daughter was taking a late nap, dinner was warming in the
microwave, the TV tuned for the World Series, and my husband would be home soon. Then without warning it all changed in seconds.

The TV flickered and then almost simultaneously everything was in motion. Books fell off of the shelves, the microwave cart started to move from the kitchen to the front room, and I was running for my daughter. Fortunately my family suffered no injuries.

The sorry plight of the people trapped in the Cyprus Freeway collapse made quite an impression, so I do carry bottled water in the car. But this many years later I am not prepared for the next big one. Is anyone?

Tomorrow morning we can participate in “The Great California Shake Out” and learn to help keep ourselves safe.

Radio & TV Broadcasts
October 15th at 10:15 AM

* KCBS 740 AM – 106.9 FM

* KPIX TV 5

San Jose: The Tech Museum is the epicenter for Northern California.

As the key ShakeOut venue, the museum will be staged to carry out the “drop,
cover, hold on” drill with more than 400 student visitors and other guests
including Matthew Bettenhausen, acting secretary of the state’s Emergency
Management Agency, Karen Baker, secretary of Service and Volunteering for
California Volunteers, museum President Peter Friess and officials with the
USGS, American Red Cross, San Jose police and fire officials, among others.

More than 400 visitors participate in an actual earthquake drill in
three museum locations. The museum earthquake platform will be shaking all
day with eight different simulated earthquakes from around the world –
including the Loma Prieta. An ambulance and police and fire vehicles will be
stationed outside the museum along with the “Big Shaker,” an earthquake
simulator where visitors are rattled for up to 10 seconds in what feels like
an 8.0 quake.

1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake – KTVU TV 8:15pm

USGS twitter

By 5 PM this Sunday afternoon the chores should be completed, the pizza on its way, the adult beverages good and cold, and the TV tuned to NBC as San Jose’s own NFL Referee, Bill Leavy, will be getting ready for the 2009 Hall of Fame game coin toss.

When I get the chance I’ll ask Bill about the new rules for 2009.

* The initial force of a blindside block can’t be delivered by a helmet, forearm or shoulder to an opponent’s head or neck. An illegal blindside block – a 15-yard penalty.

* Initial contact to the head of a defenseless receiver – will draw a 15-yard penalty

* On kickoffs, no blocking wedge of more than two players will be allowed – it will be a 15-yard penalty.

* On kickoffs, the kicking team can’t have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick – a team 5 yards.

To learn more about the community which is Willow Glen, take a look at a site created by Kevin Swanson.

Willow Glen In Motion lets us look and listen in on what makes this neighborhood tick.

View it on your computer or Comcast. The current episode can be seen on Comcast channel 15 on Wednesdays at 9:30pm.

No one wants to be a loser unless it is The Biggest Loser. Being on the show would be like a vacation! Just think about it, no job to go to and no housework. Sure Jillian might make you cry (would me), but the results… A chance to lose all that ugly fat, and win big bucks, too.

There are a few rules:
Candidates must be at least 18 years of age – legal residents of the United States.
Casting producers are looking for family teams of two with outgoing personalities.
Bring a non-returnable photo of you and your partner.
Individuals who don’t have a partner can audition on their own.
People will not be allowed to line up prior to three hours before the start of the open call. (No camping out overnight)

Now casting for Season 9 – See upper right on site for details.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH

SAN JOSE
24 HOUR FITNESS
1610 CRANE CT
SAN JOSE, CA 95112
10 AM – 6 PM

Joe Claus on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer

Just saw San Jose photographer Joe Claus, who we’ve mentioned here a couple of times before, was interviewed on PBS’s News Hour with Jim Lehrer. It looks like they interviewed him while he was shooting his series “Let Go”, which you can see printed in CONTENT Magazine’s “Dirt” issue. A written article connected to the televised report is available online.

Jeffrey James Lippold

With the convenience of NETFLIX I just don’t get out to the movie theater much. But when my daughter, with her connections, invited me to see the controversial ‘Angels & Demons’ free with her, I said, “OK”. Then remembering that Jeffrey had a part (Carabinieri Captain) in the film, I had to say, “Yes!, When can we go.” I met Jeffrey (Jeffrey James Lippold) at Cinequest 19. He starred in ‘Samurai Avenger: Blind Wolf’, and I became an instant fan…

I’ll get my mind off of Jeffrey and offer this advice for enjoying ‘Angels & Demons’: Get your popcorn and soda before taking your theater seat. Once Harvard symbolist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) takes on the secret of the Illuminati; the killing of Catholic cardinals, you won’t want to miss a scene. My daughter’s visit to Rome caused her to whisper, “I was there!” as the film took us to the architecture along the ‘Path of Illumination’.

Angels & Demons is now in the saved section of my NETFLIX Queue – I will see it again.

Angels & Demons Decoded: A study of Dan Brown’s novel.
Tue, May 26, 8:00p and Wed, May 27, 12:00m
Comcast – Channel – 62

iTunes Angels & Demons game application $4.99

Woz left home to Dance with the Stars!

See him tonight @ 8 PM – and give him your vote!

Tonight Los Gatos, California chef David Kinch will test his culinary expertise when he goes up against chef Bobby Flay.

The Iron Chef competitors must turn out dishes created using the “secret ingredient.” For Kinch this shouldn’t be all that hard. Creative is what customers of the world famous Manresa restaurant have come to expect.

Food Network – Iron Chef America:
Mar 15, 2009
9:00 PM ET/PT
Mar 16, 2009
12:00 AM ET/PT
Mar 19, 2009
9:00 PM ET/PT

Channel 35 on Comcast
110 on the Dish
DirecTV on 231

The PBS series Antiques Roadshow is coming to the San Jose convention center Saturday, August 15.

Get those antiques and collectibles out and dusted off for a free appraisal.

If you wish to attend, you will need to apply for tickets and have one or two items for an appraisal. Ticket recipients are selected by random drawing. You may apply online or by postcard for two tickets. Postcard applications must be received by Monday, April 20 and the deadline for online ticket applications is 8:59 pm PDT April 20. Check the ticket info here along with rules and regulations here.

The Roadshow is also looking for a few large pieces of furniture. Only furniture located within a 50-mile radius of the Antiques Roadshow event will be considered. If you have a large hunk of wood you would like to submit, check here.

The Antiques Roadshow FAQ has a wealth of information.

Watch the Antiques Roadshow on KTEH.

Though I have found past seasons of Dancing with the Stars entertaining, I have never set it on my DVR in fear of missing it.

This season will be different, because there is no way I’m missing Steve “The Woz” Wozniak twirling across the dance floor!

Dancing with the Stars premieres on March 9th.