VR is dead! long live VR!

I'm not an engineer, my daily manipulation of microwave receiver dishes notwithstanding. I have a degree in professional writing, my blog posts notwithstanding. The point is, when the VR went down today, I didn't know what to do to fix it, how to help in the interim, and exactly what it did in the first place.

Instead of a quick lesson on technical equipment of a newsroom, I opted to do something every journalist gets a chance to do at some point; whatever is needed to be done. Scott the Evil Producer was coordinating with editors, who were copying stories onto tapes to give to the directors, who were adding them to the show for the producers, who were giving cues to the anchors, who were talking to all of you like nothing in the world was wrong at all. If you were watching this morning, and I know you were because you are all awesome like that, you may have noticed a slightly different look here and there, but overall the show looked relatively normal.

Nothing was normal. Chaos was everywhere. Constant updates, everyone chipping in, and extra help at every turn. In a word; teamwork. That's how TV gets made. That's how anchors bring the news to you each morning. Coordinated, unabbreviated, unapologetic teamwork.

Things calm down, however, and fun begins anew. Sharon, with Lee today so Brian can get home at a normal hour (poor guy comes in at 11pm!) was at the Tulsa Zoo, where the talk today was about surely the next great feat in feeding primates: Monkey Chow! Now, I won't be trying that simian slop anytime soon, but I have to admit, there was something primally delicious-looking about the whole mess. If I had something to fling, say poo for instance, in order to garner the favor of those who control the distribution of such gourmet goodness, I might have to just get a-flingin'.

Wow, that may have went too far. Here's some links to keep your mind off the flung..... stuff.

* India has gone to the moon! I understand there's some satisfaction in being a country with the ability to travel to the moon. After all, the US and the Russia have been in space so many times already it's starting to make it look like no one else is even trying. Still, the moon? Last I checked, the moon was a lifeless rock. Has that changed? No, then let's set the bar a little higher.

* French President Nicolas Sarkozy is upset over a "voodoo doll" in his image. This man leads one of the most important countries in the world. It seems silly for him to care about this. Okay, maybe France isn't one of the most important countries in the world. How about "one of the most important countries that touches Spain." That will work.

* The Austrian man who was found with his own 24-year old daughter imprisoned in his basement says he was "born to rape." I'm okay with this, as long as I'm allowed to be "born to kick his ass."

* This may be why there are no red folders in the newsroom.

* Chinese Democracy is coming! Oh, no, I'm sorry, I don't mean the important and necessary change in government half a world away. I just mean some lousy Guns n' Roses album. Sorry for the confusion.

* Need a fun Halloween recipe? Try these yummy mummys!

* This week in Batman: Someone builds important scenes from the life of Harvey "Two-Face" Dent in Lego!