What's up with that?

[Colleen Thomas]

Anyone notice a huge increase in the "what if" doom tv? I mean, the proliferation of shows showing natural disater possibilites? I was just channel surfing and hit four in a coupl eo fhours, from ice storms, to volcanos to eathquakes and tsunamis. If it just a general awareness? Or is this some kind of lingering effect of the Tsunami and the heavy hurricane season?

 

[entitled]

They do that once every few months or so. The History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic and another one... forgot which.

 

[cloudy]

I think it's a combination of what you mentioned, Colly, and the season. Tornado season has started, and hurricane season is coming up fast.

 

[zeb1094]

It just to get you used to things like that happening so we can all blame it on the president!

 

[cantdog]

Very funny, Zeb.

 

[Guest]

It just to get you used to things like that happening so we can all blame it on the president!

Hey.

I'd do that anyway.

 

[RogueLurker]

Anyone notice a huge increase in the "what if" doom tv? I mean, the proliferation of shows showing natural disater possibilites? I was just channel surfing and hit four in a coupl eo fhours, from ice storms, to volcanos to eathquakes and tsunamis. If it just a general awareness? Or is this some kind of lingering effect of the Tsunami and the heavy hurricane season?

In our house, we call those shows "weather porn" ...

I know I've watched back to back episodes of Storm Chasers or Tornado Alley ... I'm fascinated by the phenomena, horrified by the random destruction and grateful that I don't live in an area that is affected by it. You see live/up to the minute reports on natural disasters in far away places (or sometimes in your own backyard) and I think that its human nature to want to try to understand/rationalize what happened, why it happened and whether it will every be able to be controlled ... hence the TLC and Discovery specials that focus on these types of phenomena.

And if you're talking about a rise of fictionalized movie-of-the week kind of shows ... disaster movies seem to go in phases. In the 70s there were all the Airport movies, the Towering Inferno, the Posiedon Adventure, etc

 

[JessMalarkey]

Who knows?

 

[Guest]

In our house, we call those shows "weather porn" ...

I know I've watched back to back episodes of Storm Chasers or Tornado Alley ... I'm fascinated by the phenomena, horrified by the random destruction and grateful that I don't live in an area that is affected by it. You see live/up to the minute reports on natural disasters in far away places (or sometimes in your own backyard) and I think that its human nature to want to try to understand/rationalize what happened, why it happened and whether it will every be able to be controlled ... hence the TLC and Discovery specials that focus on these types of phenomena.

And if you're talking about a rise of fictionalized movie-of-the week kind of shows ... disaster movies seem to go in phases. In the 70s there were all the Airport movies, the Towering Inferno, the Posiedon Adventure, etc

*snicker*

Weather porn!

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

You're all wrong.

It's a sure sign the "End of Days" is approaching, during which all those who have failed to fork over a sizable contribution to The First Church of the Burning Bush and Discount House of Lickers will be in deep doo-doo. However, the GOOD NEWS is the Right Rev. Rumple Foreskin, head figurehead, collector of all tithes, and dispenser of Sacred Safe Passes from the Apocalypse is available for consultation.

(just a friendly hint, not a solicitation)

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin

 

[Guest]

You're all wrong.

It's a sure sign the "End of Days" is approaching, during which all those who have failed to fork over a sizable contribution to The First Church of the Burning Bush and Discount House of Lickers will be in deep doo-doo. However, the GOOD NEWS is the Right Rev. Rumple Foreskin, head figurehead, collector of all tithes, and dispenser of Sacred Safe Passes from the Apocalypse is available for consultation.

(just a friendly hint, not a solicitation)

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.

Really, really a lot.

 

[cloudy]

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.

Really, really a lot.

come sin with me

 

[Guest]

come sin with me

Ooooh.

Thought you'd never ask.

 

[cloudy]

Ooooh.

Thought you'd never ask.

We can give Rumple our confessions later.

 

[Guest]

We can give Rumple our confessions later.

He'll want us to recite them over and over.

He's such a good reverend.

*sigh*

 

[Tom Collins]

You're all wrong.

It's a sure sign the "End of Days" is approaching, during which all those who have failed to fork over a sizable contribution to The First Church of the Burning Bush and Discount House of Lickers will be in deep doo-doo. However, the GOOD NEWS is the Right Rev. Rumple Foreskin, head figurehead, collector of all tithes, and dispenser of Sacred Safe Passes from the Apocalypse is available for consultation.

(just a friendly hint, not a solicitation)

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin

Is that "figurehead" or "mushroomhead", Rev?

Actually, it's cuz the government knows that Global Warming is for real and they're getting us accostomed to the idea that there's another Ice Age on the way.

 

[Samandiriel]

California is going to crack off the edge of the states and fall into the ocean due to earthquakes.
Tornados will rampage through mobile home parks.
Wild fires will burn everything burnable.
Sand will gather in the major cracks of all beach goers who dare to wear thongs and speedos.
Ice will form in plastic cups and be reduced to nothing through the use of carbonated beverages.
Starbucks will be discovered to be alien meeting places.
Denny's will be open 23 hours instead of 24.
Strong winds will knock over my garbage cans.
An ancient text will be discovered and the world will hear the Gospel of Zippy the 13th apostle.
Jessica Simpson will explore deep space.

 

[Belegon]

come sin with me

Ooooh.

Thought you'd never ask.

Awww, I wanna come with....

finally, a religious retreat I can enjoy and do well at...

 

[Belegon]

Jessica Simpson will explore deep space.

You mean Jessica is going to try and become self analytical?

 

[zeb1094]

You're all wrong.

It's a sure sign the "End of Days" is approaching, during which all those who have failed to fork over a sizable contribution to The First Church of the Burning Bush and Discount House of Lickers will be in deep doo-doo. However, the GOOD NEWS is the Right Rev. Rumple Foreskin, head figurehead, collector of all tithes, and dispenser of Sacred Safe Passes from the Apocalypse is available for consultation.

(just a friendly hint, not a solicitation)

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin

Phoowy!

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Phoowy!

"Phoowy" not lest ye be Phoowied.

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin http://bestsmileys.com/religous/1.gif

 

[ABSTRUSE]

You mean Jessica is going to try and become self analytical?

Jessica will feed the space monkey.

 

[zeb1094]

"Phoowy" not lest ye be Phoowied.

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin http://bestsmileys.com/religous/1.gif

I'm just waiting for the apocolypse so I pee in his eye! http://bestsmileys.com/peeing/5.gif

 

[Weird Harold]

Anyone notice a huge increase in the "what if" doom tv?

Yes, I've noticed.

I'm not sure why they've suddenly become an epidemic -- they used to be one or two a month, now they're regular series.

The accuracy of the pre-Katrina episode about the danger New Orleans was in from major hurricane probably has something to do with it. But I think there is a large element of "Damn I'm glad I don't live there" to the popularity of such shows.

I think they're a "good thing" on the whole -- the populace does need to be shaken out of its "Nothing bad can happen here" mindset about natural disasters. But I sometimes have doubts about the effectiveness of the "worst case or nothing" tone to most of them; it seems to me that if you constantly predict that nothing can be done, people won't try to do what might be done.

 

[CharleyH]

Anyone notice a huge increase in the "what if" doom tv? I mean, the proliferation of shows showing natural disater possibilites? I was just channel surfing and hit four in a coupl eo fhours, from ice storms, to volcanos to eathquakes and tsunamis. If it just a general awareness? Or is this some kind of lingering effect of the Tsunami and the heavy hurricane season?

All I know is American Idol needs to go and also COPS, Top American Model, Survivour and the numerous so called REALITY TV shows need to get lost so I can watch LOST for a change! As for doom tv? It has not reached me, except on public broadcasting everyday, but they are docos and have been here for years.