Blergh

Yet the planets are so spread out that while it takes only eight minutes for the light of the Sun to reach Earth, it takes FOUR HOURS for it to reach Neptune! I wonder how long it would take to get any kind of tan there ( if one didn't freeze or suffocate).

Cute episode with Jen's med school friend and her kids spending the weekend at Casa Klein. However; why no mention of the friend's kids' male DNA donor? I mean, would it have killed the flow to have either had one sentence explaining 'Sorry Larry had to work this weekend and couldn't make it' OR 'She's had to work extra hard to juggle since their split/his death''. Bill seemed the odd man out in that he had no one to pal around his own age/gender that weekend while all the others did (and the friend's son seemed rather happy to be able to play with another boy even factoring Will's youth, smallness, etc.).

I wonder how long John Turturro's maternal grandfather was married to his African-American 3rd wife and was she still alive when he was born? I guess one way or the other she no longer was in the picture when Mr. Turturro was born or else his mother wouldn't have been able to have totally hidden the woman's existence from her son. Also, too bad nothing was mentioned re what happened to the troubled uncle who the authorities insisted on staying in the orphanage rather than letting the African-American stepmother raise him. Lastly, why nothing about the guests' DNA this episode? I mean the episode had good stories re all the guests (and no surprise Miss Johannson's more distant paternal ancestors were Swedish instead of Danish due to name ending) but it didn't seem to cover as much as others had.

Maybe it's a little late to get in the game but, speaking of "Close Encounters", where was Melinda Dillon's toddler's male DNA donor when their son got abducted by aliens? ALL the ever said was that she was a single parent but whether this was due to distance or death was never mentioned. Even if the unmentioned male DNA donor was breathing but had wanted nothing more to do with Miss Dillon's character after their split, why wouldn't he have at least been supportive of trying to find out what had happened to their son if not helped her do so? And if he was dead, how tough would it have been for her to have said so instead of leaving his whereabouts as mysterious as their son's?

Dandelions NOT native plants to North America. They actually were SHIPPED OVER by European immigrants who yearned for their leaves in salads and in dandelion wine but via the wind blowing the seeds, became a weed which the immigrants' descendants had no idea what to do with. Oh, and their name means 'lion's teeth' due to how their leaves appear.

Sometimes I wonder why established performers accept roles with folks who are irrefutably despicable or just plain annoying. Case in point: John Lithgow has an impressive body of work and seems to be one of the nicest folks in the business (AFIK), but he signed up to play Will Ferrell's father in "Daddy's Home 2"? Why he want to work with either Messrs. Gibson or Walberg whom it's public record have said and done despicable things or Mr. Ferrell who just seems annoying? Would it have killed him to turn down that part? I just don't get it.

I kind of wish Dr. Gates had tried to make the point to Miss DuVerney that her ancestor DID have to flee his home to emigrate to an entirely new land and become a refugee- twice ,so for that reason alone, it would have been nice to have had a little compassion! Not to mention that the ancestral DuVerney ALSO acknowledged his offspring by the biracial companion so he wasn't entirely without redeeming features. And, why was there no mention of her mother's side whatsoever- just her father and stepfather's sides? Also, interesting story of Mr. Coates's family in Virginia and Maryland (with him admitting that he DID know that his Maryland relatives had managed to be comfortable and independent for quite some time). . I wonder where he got his given name from (and what it means). At least Miss Mock did understand that her direct paternal ancestor must have felt some identification with his onetime owner's family to have kept the name after Emancipation. Also interesting that Miss Mock's maternal side seems to have been largely Native Hawaiian (which may not have entirely been happy with her mother marrying ANY non Hawaiian).

I wonder if he and Robert Guillaume ever crossed paths? I guess he preferred the tag Fats to his given name of 'Antoine, Jr.'. Still, I think it's fitting that he got to make his exit in the same place as he came into this world- the Crescent City! RIP, on that hill, Mr. Domino.

I'm grateful that a bus driver actually spotted my dropped wallet, followed me inside to my destination then gave it to me. I didn't even know it had been missing and, of course, it would have been a disaster had it been stolen! Anyway, it's good to know that there are still honest folks out there (and he left before I could get his name).

I should be used to junk mail by now but I just got one that really peeved. Not only did it try to egg me to sell them a house I don't own but it claimed that they'd enjoyed 'talking with me' ! NOPE! I did NOT talk with them or anyone else on this subject because it's not something I'm interested in. As best I can tell, they may have left a pestering message on my voice mail which I deleted ASAP and didn't bother to reply to. I have to wonder if anyone actually gets one of these thinking 'Hmm, I don't remember talking to them but maybe I did since the letter says so. I guess I'd better call them back to confirm it'.

Agree! AFAIC, it's ONLY virtue is that it's filmed in quite stunning settings but one can save the trouble of having to watch the show by just surfing the 'Net for travel pics (or [cough] looking at post cards and brochures).

I'd read about Mrs. Hutchinson's trial and fate way back when but I was under the impression that when she was slaughtered, virtually all her children died with her so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Mr. Danson's descent proved that she did leave behind at least one surviving child who themselves had progeny. Even though she and her immediate family had a tragic ending, it was an inspirational story of someone defying incredible odds to forget their own way. BTW, Mrs. Hutchinson had borne 15 children!

I've been there and you're right! Well, I thank you for your contribution and I think I may take up some others' suggestions re carrying extra paper towels in a sealed plastic bag to help ensure getting to dry my newly clean hands on clean surfaces!

OK, I hate that it's getting harder to find public bathrooms with easy access paper towels instead of those electronic 'automatic' rolls that often don't work OR those 'automatic' blow driers that just blast hot air if they work at all. The latter especially are frustrating if one has to touch the door handle to exit and one has to use one's hands ,geniuses ! ARGH!

The custom for hearses to driving slowly had to do with the days of them being lit by candles and this being the best way to keep the candles from blowing out.

Judi Dench reprises her role depicting the pint-sized monarch in her twilight years who becomes newly enthralled with the Indian subcontinent beyond it being the jewel of her empire- thanks in no small part to her interest via the Indian servant named Abdul (Ali Fazal). Of course, this is not something her government, court or family are happy with.

I agree that Mr. Armisten's Korean grandfather passing as a Japanese in Germany and other Axis countries then visiting his son in the US was quite fascinating but too bad that nothing was mentioned what became of Mr. Armisten's German grandmother who bore a nonmarital child (Fred's father) when WWII was raging. Ironically, German women were ENCOURAGED to have as many babies as possible by the NAZIs regardless of marital status (even given medals for doing so) . However; this was done to expand the number of 'Aryans' and I'm not sure the authorities would have been entirely pleased re her giving birth to a biracial baby even via one supposedly Japanese man (to say nothing of her own family and 'neighbors'). Quite a number of mothers who gave birth in that place and time with all the 'boxes checked' did NOT survive- to say nothing of their babies due to air raids, mass starvation,etc., so this makes the odds of how Mr. Armisted's father surviving childhood more daunting. Also, it would have good to have found out whether either grandparent eventually married other folks and/or had other known offspring (to say nothing of when/how Mr. Armisted's father emigrated here). Still, I agree that finding out all that re the grandfather was amazing and it was great his talent proved enough to get his adopted country to honor him with his very own museum (and I wonder if THEY already knew his Korean origins). Miss Simon's grandmother as well as Mr. Walken's parents were great mysteries too (and I wonder what became of Mr. Walken's uncle after WWII and did his father ever contact him after the War?).

Bob Schiller who helped hone "I Love Lucy" and would have a very prolific screenwriting career until his retirement in 1988, has died at age 98. It's hard to imagine what that and so many other shows would have been like without his unique contributions. RIP, Mr. Schiller. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-schiller-dead-i-love-lucy-writer-was-98-1047459

I guess you're right! My 80 something mother to this day has to start her day with orange juice made from watering frozen concentrate and instant coffee- having no use for fresh squeezed orange juice or fresh brewed coffee! I guess she got to used to those WWII rations when fresh anything not grown in one's victory garden was unheard of! LOL

George, Lord Byron (who, by his most famous paramour Lady Caroline Lamb's account, was 'mad, bad and dangerous to know') nonetheless did get married and had a single daughter before separating shortly after the child's birth. Lady Ada Byron Lovelace would grow up to become would become a skilled mathematician who is credited with inventing one of the earliest computers.

Since it's roughly a month and a half before the big T Day, I fess that I LOVE canned cranberry gel (and always smile when I hear the swoosh and gloop sounds from the can opening to it sliding into the dish). However, I can only eat the tiniest amounts of fresh cranberries or cranberry relish before I get bored with it. Isn't that odd?

OK, since I think we've covered a great many angles re what folks are termed for the time being, I think I'll see if anyone agrees with me re the usage of the word 'sick'. Today, I was standing in line at a restaurant and heard some collegiate say they'd finished some tests and the response from their colleague was 'That's SICK!' instead 'Great!' or 'Congratulations'. Really? Why?

OK, let me state that I'm very sorry that Tom Petty died and will always admire his music and have no major issues with him as a person- and I know he's dead and what's done can't be undone. And yes, what I'm about to say is an Unpopular Opinion (in the get off my lawn whippersnappers category). However; I have to wonder what was he thinking re attending a private Oval Office invite at the behest of then- President Obama wearing a vest, white-collared shirt- with jeans and laceless pink chucks? I know he was a musician but surely he could have tried to find more apt attire for this rare privilege meeting . Did he not have a pair of dress slacks he could have worn? And, instead of sneakers, there ARE loafers and other dress shoes for men as soft and supple as moccasins he could have worn that would have made him look as classy as the occasion called for but still had been quite comfortable.

Is it too much to ask that we (as people) just do our best to call individuals whatever they would prefer to be called and not try to dis them or guilt them for objecting to terminology they may dislike for whatever reasons- regardless of how 'silly' we may think they're being or how 'harmless' the term/s may have been to the caller/s?

shapeshifter, There were less openly rude folks back then than nowadays but they've always existed and it would only take ONE rude person to try to rhyme the original name in her presence. Actually, I agree with Snarklepuss re a possible reason. Too bad she didn't even mention that she'd changed it to her son (and one has to wonder if she actually legally changed it or did she simply start signing EVERYTHING 'Rose' and count on folks not bothering to verify whether it was her original name).