Blergh

The original definition of 'companion' meant someone whom one broke bread with. Breaking bread has always been a hallmark of a close bond almost as long as bread's been around!

Kel, I actually think that it was the execs who shot themselves in the foot by not just telling Mr. Leno to GO AWAY after his he'd ALREADY said he had retired instead of catering to his whims at the expense of Mr. O'Brien! Yes, Mr. O'Brien may not get as much exposure but he's STILL working in TV despite not playing along. Hooray for Mr. O'Brien!

Look at the bright side, it won't be too long before they get old enough for their kids to give them ALL the attention they gave their offspring when they were small- NONE and dump them into the worst nursing home they can find!

I watched both shows to the bitter end (and I do mean bitter). Oddly enough, I liked Miss Carter's depiction of the 2nd Mrs. Drummond better than Miss Mobley's inasmuch as she more willing to not let her own son OR Arnold attempt to overwhelm their newly formed family. The only thing is that Miss Mobley had better chemistry with both Mr. Bain and the performer who played her son than did Miss Carter but she was too focused on getting everyone to like her than Miss Carter had been. If it's any consolation, there was a wonderful clawfest on "Designing Women" when Miss Mobley guested and tried to make Miss Carter's Julia's family into crude stereotypes for profits but, alas, Miss Mobley would only be on once (I think). As for Miss Leachman's turn on FOL? As much as I like her, the ONLY warmth Beverly Ann showed to any of the cast was to her sister Mrs. G. when she was leaving to become Mrs. Some Other Letter- and that's because Miss Leachman and Miss Rae had been great friends from way back! I'd always wished there'd been either a Rhoda from "MTM" or Mother Dexter from "Phyllis" to show up and call her on her stuff since Beverly Ann was even less likable than Phyllis Lindstrom! Moreover, even Miss Leachman has admitted that her character had no real purpose on the show.

Interesting points, Luv. Although we have no way of knowing for sure since Henry's no longer living (and I'm not sure Tina's mother gave her the unadulterated truth or will give her it at this late date), I think it needs to be said that Henry could have ONLY supported them up to the Fall of Saigon in April, 1975. After that, all monies would have been cut off by the Vietnamese authorities regardless of the needs of the children and desires of the US American fathers. Yes, it must have been awkward for Lesley to have learned of Henry's bond with Tina's mother while Henry was dying the last year of his life (with her mother STILL married to him and living). Also, for all her professed joy at Tina finding her, there doesn't seem to have been any effort on Lesley's part of have sought HER out even after both of her parents had died. I'm glad that Nam was able to find Gary AND that Gary was able to appreciate how at least one person he had tried to save for a perilous fate not only survived but actually THRIVED and it must have made him feel proud that Nam actually considered him a positive role model re how to survive in an entirely new nation.

Zola, Unless one has decided that one's companion's other attributes make their quirks and annoyances worth enduring (and vice versa re the companion) , I would advise against planning any kind of wedding just yet! That said; however, since bonds between two folks of the same gender being considered having legal rights is unconventional in itself, I would suggest that that would give you and whoever you choose to spend the rest of your life with the options of being unconventional re the ceremony commemorating this . Lily Tomlin once claimed that she and her longtime companion Jane Wagner would don chicken costumes for the ceremony but I'm not sure they went through with this when they actually got married. Perhaps you and whomever you should decide to wed could ask the officiator to pronounce the two of you ' loving, official companions'. Oh, to keep this ontopic, I much prefer the term 'companion' to 'partner' re folks living together who have not gotten married. I mean, the former sounds more dedicated and intimate, IMO.

I usually liked her but Caroline could be annoying by promising Laura would 'be appropriately punished' then wind up doing zilch! Cases in point "Harriet's Happenings" when Harriet storms into Casa Ingalls to rail at Laura and Albert for changing the news type to get back at Harriet and Nellie, Caroline says they'll be 'appropriately punished' which Harriet shrieks how to which Caroline replies that they 'can't work for the paper any more' . I mean, Charles had ALREADY pulled them off the paper's staff and they were waiting for him to retrieve them when they pulled their stunt so that means not only was there no punishment but it hadn't done anything to stop them! Also, in "Back to School" after Harriet calls out Laura for the cayenne pepper chicken, Caroline says Laura will be 'appropriately punished' but, again, no parental consequences happen to Laura even after Laura runs off without a word where she's gone late into the night and after she muddies Nellie! Why doesn't Caroline just tell Harriet she's not going to do squat to Laura and couldn't care less how Harriet reacts so just buzz off?

While Emily definitely had her faults and contributed to the family's problems I agree she was spot on here! Oh, and I have to agree with you why Lorelai is so unpleasant (and, let's just say that I've had folks in my life like that I've done my best to avoid).

I don't know if it's an UO or Lucas couldn't care less re viewers opinions but what was Lucas thinking switching out the 'space invader' sized X-wing fighters zooming out of the Tikal pyramid for X-wing fighters each HALF THE SIZE of the pyramid? D'oh!

LuvMyShows, Since there was no mention of any divorce between Lesley's folks and she was born before her father's time in Vietnam, I think it's quite likely that either he contracted a bigamous marriage in Vietnam to Tina's mother OR the latter just claimed that she had had a legal marriage to her daughter to spare her daughter's feelings (but, evidently, DID have a longterm bond with that soldier). I can't help think that Lesley would have had a very different reaction to Tina's existence had their mutual father been still living when Tina finally met her (to say nothing of Lesley's mother who would live to 2010 aged 93). Oh, and while Lesley is certainly entitled to feel however she feels; it was a bit curious that she'd said that she didn't know why she was still living after her parents' deaths but now that her half-sister and niece found her, she HAS a reason to live when Miss Curry stated that Lesley has a partner and two children! Nam's case was quite interesting that despite not speaking any English, he not only was able to pick up Gary's full name and get his old phone number but also that he made an impression on Gary himself for Gary to remember him out of countless refugee children! It's not only amazing that Nam was able to survive his perilous, lengthy boat journey from Vietnam back and forth to Indonesia via Singapore and make it here but also that Nam DID relocate and reunite with his parents back in Vietnam after all those years on his own from a very young age.

Look at the bright side, Zola: at least your girlfriend realized she made a terrible judgment call rather than got defensive that everyone else didn't think it was a hilarious or apt gift. I've seen friendships end due to having very different tastes and refusing to acknowledge others' rights to agree to disagree about them. Oh while we're on the subject of booze and wing dings: I don't see why there's any need to serve alcohol (and especially get drunk) where it's known that minors are attending. Either don't have minors there if one drinks or wait till they're gone to get hammered (and I'd also expand that courtesy to the elderly and others who one may have good reason to want to respect the feelings of re being exposed to altered states).

OK, if I'm trying to juggle chainsaws with an even more skeletal crew than usual and I've told you I don't have time to chat, don't try to sneak that in by claiming to want to help THEN doing nothing but relaunching the very same pointless topic that has zilch to do with what's going on at work. SHEESH!

I don't know why but I like that Purple Mattress commercial starring Goldilocks who uses 300 pound of glass dropped to see if mattresses can protect raw eggs from breakage! She has just the right 'tude and humor needed to demonstrate the product's attributes (and I hope to see that performer in other things). Still, I'm satisfied with my own mattress and not ready to dump $1000 on a new one!

I agree! It was much better when Niles was unhappily wed to the unseen Maris but had completely resigned himself to never being anything BUT married to Maris while nursing an unrequited crush on Daphne (and Daphne was, at best, a little flattered by it but didn't truly want it to go anywhere). Yeah, this couple embodied the old saying 'after you get what you want, you don't want it'.

Oddly enough, the only show I recall having a snow day getting the students sent home was "Little House on the Prairie" ( not only was that very far back but also a guarantee that things weren't going to end well for all of the one-shots).

I dislike the term 'expired' for a loved one dying- as though someone forgot to throw out a carton of milk or return a library book in time! I like to say 'no longer in this world' (and I hope no one is thinking that they've become astronauts or have been abducted by UFOs).

I know it's entirely out of my (and my employers') control but I REALLY hope flu season ends very soon. Tricky enough to juggle chainsaws with all hands on deck but now with so many out for the count with flu, it can by a bit hairy! And, yes, I realize that those who've been struck by the flu are suffering far worse than those of us who have to carry their workload until their return and for the sakes of their own health, wellbeing and their families, I hope they recover from it soon!

Zola, I hear you. I find it frustrating when folks who I am in general agreement about issues get upset when I don't share their paranoia over all those who aren't lockstep with their POV.

I'm one of the few who saw it but I thought he was brilliant playing the easygoing, peacekeeping Grandpa Jules Berger in "Brooklyn Bridge" as the perfect counterpoint to the overwhelming but well-meaning Grandma Sophie Berger played by Marion Ross. RIP, Mr. Zorich.

It was a bit puzzling how these sites named for the lost geologist David Johnston had virtually no biographical information available to researchers -even those who actually had had a personal connection to him. Was the family not involved in said sites or did they simply insist that they respect their privacy? As for the Shanghai Ghetto survivors? I'm wondering if the records of the surviving inhabitants and where they might have emigrated could have been deliberately destroyed during the Cultural Revolution (as so much of China's own history was) and that's why the current government of the People's Republic of China has categorically refused access to them. I mean, what use could they possibly have for records of folks who haven't lived there for decades.

Yep, auntlada, if one thinks folks may be related but don't want to stick one's foot in too bad, ask if they're cousins and let THEM make the clarifications! Learned that lesson when I mistook someone's son for for a granddaughter . . .

What they SHOULD have done was have an empty chair with Flo's nametag in front of it and after Jamie said 'present', then asked for Flo and have Jamie pipe up 'PAST' to the cheers of the entire table! Yep, I CAN'T STAND HER and I don't care who knows it!

Don't feel too bad. Many times I feel like a teen time traveller from the late 1970's trying to pretend to be a middle aged adult in the late 2010's. Actually, sometimes it's fun imagining how funny it would sound describing these times to those from that era!

Yay, Rhoda's back now that they're starting all over again with "Love is All Around" . Even though it was the pilot and Mary herself was supposed to be the protagonist recovering from a failed romance, one couldn't help but be more interested in Rhoda's imperfect life having had her intended apartment yanked out from under her via Mary's arrival (and Phyllis's connivance) and it was interesting how even though they were set up to be enemies at first sight by the time of the episode's end, they seemed on the verge of friendship. Ironically, even from the beginning more folks sided with Rhoda re Phyllis being an annoying pain than Mary thinking Phyllis was an actual friend.

"Backlash" was on and it definitely showed them literally barely hanging onto their last nerves as a double whammy of Bob' s bad back and Emily's flu cancelled their vacation and forced them to be stuck in their apartment only able to watch soaps! This one ended with no happy ending in sight (just as what happens with so many married couples when these things happen). I'd like to add that it can't have been easy for Mr. Newhart to pull off pretending his back was injured and barely able to move but he definitely conveyed the pain well (and I only hope that this didn't cause stiffness offstage).