At 43 East Gish I found volunteers manning the front desk of the new Obama HQ. - (408) 453-4021

Event Watch Party - Oct. 7th
5:00pm
Debate: 6:00pm
RSVP: (408) 453-2135
(You may want to call first)

OBAMA

D’oh! Actually, Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons will be in town at the Le Petit Trianon this September.

He will be in conversation with Lakshmi Pratury discussing the inspiration behind the series and the impact that the Simpsons has made on pop culture. A Q&A session and book signing is scheduled to follow the discussion.

More information here.

Le Petit Trianon
72 N. Fifth Street, San Jose

Friday, September 12
6:30 pm Check-In; 7:00 pm Program

Admission:
$25 General (purchased by September 4th)
$45 General (purchased after September 4th)
Check website for other pricing

As of tonight (August 6th 2008) we can keep an eye on the San Jose Planning Commission. Meetings will be broadcast live on Comcast Cable channel 26 and online.

Meetings are held approximately every two weeks. Check the city website for time and date.

Tonight at: 6:30 pm - San Jose City Website - Look for Upcoming Events In the yellow Currently in Session box - click Planning Commission.

KTVU is celebrating 50 years of broadcasting.

KTVU began broadcasting from the old abandoned Paris Theatre in downtown Oakland on March 2, 1958. Later they would move to studios in Jack London Square.

Early programming consisted of old reruns, movies, children’s shows, and sports including the new team in San Francisco the Giants.

In 1974, with a new General Manager, the programming emphasis changed to new, popular off-network shows, and movie packages. KTVU’s Film Director insisted that Hollywood studios send only the best prints of its films to KTVU. This was at a time when broadcast television was on of the few places to see movies.

For many, recalling the early years of KTVU was when they were young and tuned in to such children’s programming like Captain Satellite with Bob March and Pat McCormick’s Charley and Humphrey.

Captain Satellite’s space ship was very high-tech for its time from pie plates fastened to the wall along with garden hose to simulate wiring. The show was live, had kids and animals, which made for some great viewing. Kids and animals on live TV, yup.

Pat McCormick wore a number of hats at KTVU from news anchor, to weatherman, to host of Dialing for Dollars, to doing the voices and puppetry for The Charley and Humphrey Show. Dialing for Dollars was an afternoon watch old movie and win money if you are called and know “the count and the amount.” Charley and Humphrey - Charley was a horse and Humphrey was a dog. Long after the show was of the air they did public service announcements on KTVU.

Bob Wilkins’ late Saturday night Creature Features in the early 70’s became very popular. Really bad movies but it was the breaks with Bob and his droll sense of humor being the reason to tune in. Bob was also the weatherman on The Ten O’clock News and later left Creature Features turning over the hosting duties to John Stanley.

If these shows were before your time, you will no doubt know Dennis Richmond.

He joined KTVU in the late 60’s and became anchor of The Ten O’Clock News in 1976. Over those 30 plus years The Ten O’Clock News has become a top rated news show. Dennis will retire this May 21.

There are videos and photo slideshows that include Captain Satellite, Charley and Humphrey, Creature Features, Dennis Richmond, and other on KTVU’s web site.

I called Spartan Stadium and asked about a rumor that the Disney Channel would be filming an episode of “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” in the Bay Area. No rumor - it’s the real deal. Extras are indeed needed. Bring the whole family out to Spartan Stadium for the tryouts.

TV Shoot “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”

Extras needed
Saturday, March 29
12Noon - 2pm

Spartan Stadium
West Side: 7th St between Humbolt and Alma
South Side: Alma St between 10th and 7th Sts
East Side: 10th St between Humbolt and Alma

Though we may not have a local team in the Super Bowl, we do have a connection.

NFL referee Mike Carey attended Santa Clara University and is now on the Board of Trustees.

Also, Tom Brady, New England Patriots, grew up in San Mateo!

Do the survivors trust the rescuers, or do they heed Charlie’s warning?

‘Lost’ is back: ABC 7 tonight from 8:00p - 9:00p and 9:00p - 10:02p
(Note the 2 minutes it will run past 10p)

Last year while covering Cinequest interviews, one of my favorites was ‘A conversation with J.J. Abrams.’

Mr. Abrams shared the surprising way in which ‘Lost’ came about. His love for his craft was apparent, as was his genius. ABC had called on J.J. to take the premise of a plane going down; stranding the passengers on an island. He was then unbelievably asked to come back in just a couple of days to present his scenario for a two-hour pilot. In twelve weeks he was able to pull the story, the characters, and the crew together-’Lost’ was a two-hour pilot, and the rest is history.

The Cinequest Film Festival promises to be even more exciting this year. To be revealed in future posts!

Clear your calendar from February 27 - March 9, 2008

Tickets are available

Silicon Valley: A unique flower that blossomed in the pleasant climate of central California when local university graduates mixed with the fertile soil of entrepreneurship.

This past Saturday I was sitting among the earth boxes in the Google Garden thinking about the last two hours spent at the Doof-A-Palooza event, for DooF - A new TV Food Show For Kids. There had been garden and kitchen tours, outdoor cooking stations manned by Google chefs - nutritious foods to sample, and some offered cooking lessons for the kids. We saw baby goats, and a Beekeeper. Alan Henninger, the owner of Henninger Hill Apiary*, gave me his thoughts on why bees have been disappearing at such an alarming rate.

There were several contests, including a food-inspired spelling bee. And another contest in which a young lady, Sophia, was happy to have named a cheese correctly while blindfolded. Her dad is with Barefoot Coffee Roasters. Seems to be a good sense of smell in that family. I spoke with Derek Rupp (Google Executive Chef) about the importance of good nutrition for kids. He and his crew made a tasty, round ball version of power bars. I met Gus Walbolt, one of the team members behind the TV Series. I expressed my hope that the show would be on daily to help kids make the best food choices. — Thanks to Google, it was a good day for all.
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Just across the street from the chic elegance of Santana Row is California Registered Historical Landmark NO. 868

WINCHESTER HOUSE - Built by Sarah Winchester, widow of rifle manufacturer William Winchester, this unique structure includes many outstanding elements of Victorian architecture and fine craftsmanship. Construction began in 1884 and continued without interruption until Mrs. Winchester’s death in 1922. The continual building and remodeling created a 160-room house covering an area of six acres.

A medium told Sarah that the ghosts of those killed by Winchester rifles had put a curse on her family. To keep living, Sarah would need to build a home for herself and her ghostly-lost souls. Sarah moved to San José, California and began to build, and build, and build.

The Winchester Mystery House is now open for guided tours. Some have found the house, though architecturally interesting, rather boring and ho-hum. But then, there are the visitors who may be more ‘in touch’ reporting strange encounters: Cold spots, hearing footsteps, moving lights, banging doors, and doorknobs that turn by themselves…

The Mystery House will be closed to the public today. A team from “Most Haunted” - The Series are in San José to investigate the mystery of the house that Sarah built. This will be an interactive broadcast with streaming live images. Will we see a ghost?

Most Haunted Live - Winchester Mystery House (The house that fear built)

Oct. 19
The Travel Channel
Comcast Channel 71
6pm - 1am

Note: Sites show 9 p.m. ET/PT as the starting time - my local Comcast Channel 71 has the program beginning at 6pm!

About the program.

Connect with the team - post comments and questions.

WINCHESTER HOUSE
Special Events Ticket Sales - 2007 Flashlight Tour Dates

I stopped by the Falafel Drive-In for one of my favorite lunches. While I was ordering a Falafel Pocket Sandwich* I noticed a familiar face on the window. There was Guy Fieri, of food network, on a leaflet about an upcoming program. Guy, the host of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, paid a visit to our very own Falafel Drive-In. The episode will air October 1st at 10pm.

Falafel Drive-In at 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd - In the Burbank area.

food network

Totally Fried

*Falafel pocket sandwich: pita bread stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and falafelballs (made of deep-fried ground chickpeas) and tahini sauce.
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