1. Mystery Solved? Titanic Exhibit That Closed Due To Water Damage Was Atlanta Or Las Vegas The Huffington Post reported earlier this week on the shutdown and said it was at the Atlanta exhibition. They claimed to have spoken to someone in the ticket office that confirmed it had been closed for less than a day and water damage not serious. However NBC Nightly News ran a report that night saying the exhibit involved was the Luxor in Las Vegas. So which one is correct? Only the mummy knows for sure.
Sources:
1.Titanic Exhibition Temporarily Closed Due To Water Damage(7 Nov 2013,Huffington Post)
2. Water Damage Closes Titanic Memorabilia Collection-Video(7 Nov 2013,NBC News)
2. Celine Dion revealed in an interview that she initially did not want to sing “My Heart Will Go On” and did not like it much. She only made one recording of it, a demo, that was used in the movie and on the soundtrack. Of course she adds she has sung it “three million times after that live.” Although she has had many other hits, the song has been identified with her. But she has one request: not to play it at her funeral.
Source Celine Dion: Please Don’t Play The Titanic Theme Tune When I Die(8 Nov 2013,Radio Times)
3. Thomas Zaller, a former employee of Premiere Exhibitions that currently runs Titanic:The Artifact Exhibition, is being sued alleging he used protected information and some of Premiere’s materials to create a copy of its exhibition in Macau, China. “Premiere said Zaller used underwater videos owned by Premier and photos of Premier’s Singapore exhibition to promote its competing exhibition on the Internet, in the media and at trade shows in the United States.” Zaller sought dismissal of the suit against him and his companies claiming the federal court lacked jurisdiction and not the right venue. U.S. District Judge William Duffey Jr. ruled that the court had jurisdiction over the trademark infringement claims against Zaller and the U.S. entities, but dismissed Zaller’s Singapore-based company as a defendant, finding that it had acted outside the United States and had no interaction with U.S. consumers,” reported Courthouse News Service.
Source: Titanic Exhibit Creators Pick Up Steam in Court(7 Nov 2013,Courthouse News Service)
The first season of MasterChef Junior is over after 7 episodes. This whirlwind competition saw some really terrific cooking from some very small kids. What made this show stand-up and make people take notice is how well it was done. Other kids reality shows have gone badly, with parents being divas and kids becoming divas. And while many shows about kids tend to exploit them, MasterChef Junior choose to treat them with respect, give them encouragement, and even when they send home the losers made sure it was done right.
Fans of Hell’s Kitchen and MasterChef know that Gordon Ramsay is never afraid to say what he thinks (resulting in the usual bleep). On this show, except for one occasion when Gordon had cream dumped on his head, there was no need to bleep one word out. Joe’s stare was downgraded to a more friendly gaze and he did not dump any dishes into the trash. And Graham was mostly still Graham, though his comments less pointed than normal if the dish was below par. The judges spoke encouragingly of the kids and tried give them helpful advice.
They also avoided tricks done on other shows to elicit reactions from them (like having people lie to them to see how they react) or set-up conflicts as well. I previously commented that perhaps next season they would try to inject conflict. Thinking it over, I realize they are not likely going down that path. They simply do not need to. The formula they are using works just fine. If there is any conflict (at this is a competition so there is apt to be), it will be minimal. Doubtful we will see a younger version of MasterChef scheming characters here.
Friday we saw two rising aspiring chefs, Dara and Alexander, compete for the top prize. They used the same format as the finale for MasterChef where they set up a culinary thunder dome, have the eliminated contestants and family around, and give them 90 minutes to produce a stunning three course meal of appetizer, entrée and dessert. Unlike the regular, they only had to prepare one serving (the adults prepare three servings, one for each of the judges). During the cooking phase, Dara started having a problem feeling a bit weak and needing water. The competition stopped for a few moments (but the clock kept ticking)while water was quickly brought to her and Alexander tried to calm her down. Then the competition resumed.
The judges were floored by the food they were served. Each of them produced stunning dishes and only minor technical issues separated them in the end (Dara had a more sophisticated appetizer while Alexander’s was more simple or Dara slightly overcooked her prawns in the entrée while Alexander’s was perfectly cooked). This was very definitely a tough call which meant the winner was someone who just nicked out the win. Like one of those horse races where the winner just has the slightest edge over the other. And so Alexander became the first winner of MasterChef Junior. Dara though is by no means crying about her loss. The judges complimented her on how well she did. She walks out of there without a trophy but invaluable experience that will shape her future.
This show was overall a success and the ratings bear it out. The finale was second overall behind Undercover Boss on CBS. Last Man Standing (ABC) came in third. It never fell out of the top three during its run but I still think it runs into the believability quotient. More people watch Undercover Boss because it is more believable to them and perhaps more entertaining then watching kids cook. Also many are wondering whether or not the kids were actors, coached behind the scenes. and think the whole thing is staged. All reality shows are staged in one way or another, but how they do it makes the difference. In this case they used the tried and true MasterChef formula for selecting the kids and the challenges. And yes they use selective editing to their advantage.
Are there concerns? Yes. Parents are the ones being targeted by Fox to get their kids into the competition. It makes sense but also allows “stage parents” to offer up their kids. If you are unfamiliar with “stage parents,” these are parents that push their kids into all kinds of acting jobs often acting as their managers. Some push them into movies, or television, or even modeling at young ages. There are unfortunate examples out there of these parents who have damaged their kids so they can get fame. That being said, most parents are not in this category but they have to be careful about deciding to do this. There are plenty of people out there willing to use kids for their own purposes not to mention Internet trolls. Parents will need to really be on top of things if they go down this route. And not just the parents. The producers need to protect these kids as well and prepare them for what lies ahead. Andy Dehnart over at Reality Blurred says it best:
Producers and networks have a responsibility not just to care for their young cast members on set, but do their best to care for them after production and when the show airs, preparing them for the reality of life on and off a reality series, such as encountering criticism or ridicule from strangers online.
I began reviewing this whole show asking the question Are These Kids Really Kids? They are and they are exceptional ones at that. My other concern is that they perhaps put too much pressure on these kids to be like adult cooks. However the way they are treated on this show avoids a lot of nastiness and instead tries to induce mutual respect and good will. Cooking is one way to learn your own skills for later in life but also appreciating other cooking styles and methods. And any show that allows the three MasterChefs–Gordon, Graham and Joe–to take a cream bath knows how to tread the line between serious competition and injecting some fun into it. So I look forward to another season. I hope next year they will bring in some guest chefs like on the regular show and perhaps some past MasterChef winners as well.
Another day, another city where a Titanic exhibition may have been shut down by a water leak. The Daily Mail is reporting they think it was the Titanic exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia. That exhibition is at Atlantic Station in Atlanta, GA along with the Bodies exhibition. However Daily Mail is cautious and in the bullet points notes:
Exhibition believed to be taking place in Atlanta, USA
Not known when sign was put up or for how long exhibition was closed
Which means they are dart throwing and hoping it lands in the right place. I checked the Twitter page for this exhibition and found no mention (thus far) of any closure due to water. There are other cities out there with Titanic exhibitions. Let’s spin the wheel and see where it takes us next.
Wonder how that Titanic sinking hotel is doing these days. 🙂
Yesterday I noted that there was chatter on the Internet about a Titanic exhibition that was shut down by water damage. A sign was posted saying the exhibit was closed but failed to disclose the location. I have yet to see a full picture that shows not only the door it was on but can show exactly what building it is attached to. I have seen one picture, actually one that seems to accompany the water sign, that seems to indicate it might be the Luxor Las Vegas. Right now Titanic:The Artifact Exhibition is there and the picture also just catches the name Bodies. Bodies, another Premiere exhibition, is also at the Luxor as well. Earlier speculation is that it was either in Belfast or England.
UPI now has a story in its odd section that seems to confirm the Las Vegas angle. UPI reports “It was like 1912 all over again as a Las Vegas exhibition dedicated to displaying artifacts from the Titanic was closed due to water damage.Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition was taking place at the Luxor Hotel Casino in Las Vegas when the following sign appeared: “Titanic the Artifact exhibition is currently closed due to water damage.”
However it seems they are just relying on Tweets and blog postings. I have yet to see any concrete proof that the Titanic exhibit in Las Vegas has been shut down. I took a look at the Luxor site and then clicked on the purchase tickets section. That connects to Ticketmaster which shows tickets available for the Titanic exhibit 7 November on. There is no notice of closure. I looked at the official Luxor tweets and found no mention of the exhibit being closed either.
Now if someone out there can state exactly the date, time and place this occurred, please drop me a note here at Titanic News Channel. I suspect this is looking to be a gag since we cannot seem to find hard evidence this actually occurred. I will update when I have more information.
1. Luggage Belonging To Survivor Of Titanic And Rohilla Disasters Resurfaces(4 Nov 2013,Northern Echo) A museum planning to mark the centenary of the sinking of the hospital ship Rohilla off the North Yorkshire coast has stumbled across luggage belonging to one of its passengers – who also survived the sinking of the Titanic. Mary Roberts amazingly survived both the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the Rohilla, which sank heavy seas and gales off Whitby on October 30, 1914. Now a trunk belonging to the resilient seafarer has come into the possession of Whitby Lifeboat Museum, which is to mark the centenary of the Rohilla disaster next year. Amazingly, the trunk – presumed lost long ago to the North Sea – still has faded card luggage labels glued on, bearing the names Mary Roberts and SS Rohilla.
2. Titanic Lives On Through Louisville Artist’s Work(3 Nov 2013,CantonRep.com) In the 101 years hence, the doomed ship has continued to fascinate people such as Douglas Girton. The self-taught artist from Louisville estimates that he has drawn “thousands” of detailed pencil and watercolor images of the ship, and its artifacts. “It’s putting the story of the Titanic on paper,” he said. “One thousand five-hundred and twelve lives perished that night. There are 1,1523 stories to be told.” Girton said his interest in the Titanic was piqued in the third grade, when he saw a cover of the late Walter Lord’s 1955 bestseller, ” A Night to Remember.”
3. Titanic Sails Again (2 Nov 2013,DeSoto Times Today) The elegance and manners of a long-past era came to life on Friday in the activity room of Pleasant Hill Elementary School in Olive Branch as third grade language arts students had a formal lunch in a re-creation of the dining room of the Titanic. The youngsters entered the room on a red carpet and were greeted by “waiters” with towels over their arms. They were directed to three long rows of tables and a captain’s table that had white table cloths and decorations. Their lunches were waiting for them on the tables. The students were organized in boy-girl, boy-girl sets and the boys pulled out the chairs and seated the ladies. It was the culmination of a study unit on the Titanic, which involved reading, research and a lot of other activities, said teacher Carol Smith, who had the lead on the unit, one of six units being covered in language arts classes this year.
4. Model Of ‘Ship Of Dreams’ Centerpiece Of Titanic Family Evening (2 Nov 2013, HeraldMailmedia.com) Little was willing to exhibit the model at the museum. But first, Byers said, they would need to knock out a wall in the Hagerstown facility to accommodate the massive, intricate structure. Today, the model is on display at Discovery Station, along with numerous related artifacts and a full-scale third-class cabin. Byers said the extensive and still-growing display has become “a major attraction for our museum.” On Saturday, the museum honored Little for his contribution at Titanic Family Evening at Discovery Station.
5. True or not? Various internet postings report that the Titanic exhibition at the Luxor in Las Vegas was recently shut down by water damage. The sign posted states: Attention. Titanic The Artifact Exhibition is closed due to water damage. Our Apologies For Any Inconvenience. Now strangely when I tried to track down the source, there were not any local news articles but either blog postings or reporting of the blog postings. A quick search for actual news reporting shows nothing recently about the Luxor Titanic exhibit closing for water damage. That does not mean it did not occur, it just did not get any reporting. Some said it was in Belfast, then it was changed to possibly the Luxor in Las Vegas. So far I have not found any confirmation of this yet. So until we have a bit more proof I put this into the Not Proven category.
We are down to the final four when this episode began and it ends with the final two. It has been very fast, perhaps even rushed to meet time deadlines (like school). For the first part of the finale, it looked like it would be a typical MasterChef challenge EXCEPT that it was not. They used live props again–chickens–since it was the theme of the night. While the flightless birds pecked around the hay and kids wondering if they will need to kill and pluck them, Gordon tells them they will be cooking eggs. Gordon likes soft boiled eggs. Done right they are truly a delicious meal. Now at this point I was expecting Joe or Graham to step up as well.
Now here is what I was expecting. “Wait a minute. I am not interested in a soft boiled egg. I want a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg,” says Graham. He takes out a cloche and lifts to reveal a perfect sunny side up egg. Then Joe pipes up that he is not interested in either of those but wants a frittata. The looks on the kids faces turn even more scared. Three egg dishes, three different techniques. Good luck. No instead here is what we got: cook one soft boiled egg. The catch is no timer. Not even the MasterChef clock is working. Considering how easy it is to overcook or undercook these eggs, it is a real challenge to cook without a timer. Even experienced chefs might have a problem with this one. It is as if they wanted the kids to fail on this one. They had to know that most would underperform in this task. Not one of them got it and Troy won since his egg was the least overcooked. At least no one served up a raw egg.
Troy then gets to select what chicken parts each person will cook. He chooses the thigh, gives the wing to Dara, Jack the breast, and Alexander the liver. Needless to say, Alexander got something none of them wanted to cook. Liver has a bad reputation but I can tell you from experience that good cooked liver is delicious. And remember that when you cannot afford the prime cuts, you have to make lesser cuts taste great. So it is off to the races as now they are cooking to be the top two.
A Sad Fail
All four get cracking on their dishes. Dara is used to making chicken wings at home and is confident. Troy is taking the chicken thigh and plans to pan sear it, finish it in the oven, and serve with a Romesco sauce. Alexander decides to make chicken liver pate over garlic crostini. And Jack is the most ambitious of all. He makes a goat cheese roulade wrapped in pancetta. This is very technical dish, one that takes finesse and confidence to pull off right. Jack at one point needs to race back to the pantry not once, but twice tiring out Gordon who follows him saying it is like a marathon. Dara’s bow thing starts falling down on her eyes at one point. Finally time is up and one by one they are called up to present their dishes.
Troy brings up his chicken thigh, which was pan seared and finished in the oven. It looks good as do the accompaniments. Sadly when Gordon cuts into the thigh, it is underdone. Gordon was disappointed and Troy looked deflated as well. Joe likes the Romesco sauce and compares it favorably to his restaurant version, he also is disappointed. Troy walks back to his station knowing his days in this kitchen are numbered. His only hope is that someone else has done much worse. Sadly for Troy, that was not the case.
Dara presented soy and ginger wings with pickled vegetables. Graham likes the pickled vegetables and raves about the chicken wing. This is not your ordinary chicken wing but one, as Joe points out, that is a signature dish. Alexander brings up his chicken liver pate on garlic crostini on a wooden board for the rustic touch. Gordon loves it and asks if Alexander had tasted it. He did and liked it. Gordon was happy to learn this because it meant he was not afraid to try unfamiliar foods. He half-jokingly (I think) offers him a junior job at the Savoy in London. Alexander, of course, is thrilled but he will have to wait a few years for that to occur. Jack’s dish is a chicken breast roulade with goat cheese and pan seared with pancetta. It looks wonderful and gets rave reviews as well. It is certainly the most complicated dish presented and shows how competitive and gutsy Jack is.
Final Judgment
Three out of four dishes are successes making it difficult to decide who are the best two. The judges noted the many accomplishments Alexander, Dara, and Jack did with their dishes. In the end, Alexander and Dara are chosen as the top two. Jack in his Hawaiian shirt is sent home along with Troy. Both did very well to get this far. Troy made a fundamental mistake in cooking the thigh. In Jack’s case, it was likely close but Alexander and Dara had better techniques in their dishes.
My Thoughts
It is astonishing how these kids performed. It is not surprising the two oldest, Alexander and Dara, ended up the top two. One internet commentator speculated Alexander was a ringer as he seemed more confident and had better skills than the others. Some are going to wonder, and have wondered, whether the kids were coached behind the scenes. So far there is no evidence of that but one can assume that parents may have done so to bolster their kids chance of success. Not every parent would do this but it is not unusual for it to occur. Some picked up their skills in the family kitchen or like Sara at her grandmother’s restaurant (though I suspect some coaching there as well considering the hints she dropped).
These are not your typical kids but exceptional ones they want to replicate for another season. They have already started the process so one assumes they are going to renew it for next season. However the numbers for last Friday put MasterChef Junior in third place. According to tvbythenumbers it breaks down as follows. CBS Undercover boss won the hour with a 1.4, but was down 14% from last week at 1.6. Last Man Standing (ABC) was up to 1.4 from last week at 1.3. MasterChef Junior went down to 1.3 (7%). All ratings are for the 18-49 age demographic (an important one). So MasterChef Junior has stayed in the top three during its run thus far (I think it opened up at the top and has slid back and forth between first and second spot). Undercover Boss appears to outperform MasterChef Junior but Fox executives are probably pleased where it is. So far now renewal looks pretty certain.
My caution on this show is that the kids can be put under a microscope they are not used to. And it may draw unwanted attention from Internet trolls and other bad people on the Internet. I think parents out to think long and hard whether they want their kids on such shows. While everyone was mostly on their best behavior, do not be surprised if they also try to find a kid or two that will really irritate the other kids. This is reality television and conflicts often generate great ratings. This is not a cooking show. Then again not many shows have Gordon Ramsay utter that Alexander is perhaps Julia Child’s long lost grandchild. So the homage to greats of the past are being mentioned. If this show gets another run, one hopes they will have one or two special guests.
Coming up next: The Finale between Alexander and Dara. Ought to be pretty good. And MasterChef season 4 winner Luca Manfe is also in the house.
Titanic:The Artifact Exhibition will be at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium starting 16 November and runs to 20 April 2014. Tickets: $15 adults/$11.50 for kids 3-13/$13.50 seniors (62+). Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; weekends 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission includes Titanic exhibit and admission to rest of Science center. Further information is at sfsciencecenter.org.
Halloween is over. Decorations are still up though. Pumpkins are still out along with other scary and spooky things. Costumes have been put away but candy is not all gone yet. The leasing office where I live still has candy out and kids were dropping by today to get some. Not many trick or treaters came around this year. Many parents take their kids to Halloween parties, Haunted Houses, or other family friendly places (like malls). Pumpkins can be used for a few more days (if they are fresh, carved ones only last a few days unless you follow some complicated steps that seals it up). It was quiet where I was.
As my spooky movie for Halloween, I watched The Haunting. This 1963 classic based upon the Shirley Jackson book The Haunting of Hill House is noted for its clever camera work, mood setting, and how one character breaks down and becomes literally possessed by the house. Something that Stephen King would use as a them for his novel The Shining. While the book is more supernatural in tone, the movie makes it more of a psychological issue. There is no doubt a supernatural force. It is never seen but felt and heard in the movie. The movie has genuine scary moments and perhaps one of the most unsettling as well. A remake in 1999 starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta Jones and Owen Wilson was panned and changed the story considerably. Stephen King attempted a remake in the 1990’s pitching the title Red Rose to Steven Speilberg. It never came about although eventually a miniseries called Red Rose was made in 2002, but it had very little relation to The Haunting though it used some elements from the book.
Though it is now considered one of the scarier movies of all time, it has its problems. We are never let in as to why the people are selected (except for the relative Luke Sanderson played by Russ Tambyln). This is particularly true of Eleanor Lance. Dr. Markaway apparently wrote her to come to stay at the house as part of his team. Yet we never learn the reason why he wrote her. Theodora is a psychic, so she makes sense. But Eleanor, who was fragile and had nursed an ailing mother till she died, is a mystery. Nor what whatever spectral entity that haunts the place wanted her. And she dies in the end at the very spot the first Mrs. Crain was killed. Character motivations are not explored and its plot seems to be inconsistent. Still despite this it has genuine scares and the camera angles employed (and an excellent selection for exterior using Ettington Hall). In some ways one can argue Stephen King took the cinematic depiction of Shirley Jackson’s book and improved on it for his work The Shining. In the book and the miniseries that were made, the characters are fully developed and the reason for what happens to Jack Torrance is clear (to get to Danny).
After watching a scary movie, I like to follow up with something light. It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is a great way to do so. It has never lost its appeal to me. First you have Linus who believes the great pumpkin will arise out of a pumpkin patch and deliver presents to kids. He gets Charlie Brown’s sister to wait up in the pumpkin patch with him. Second you have Charlie Brown and the gang out for trick and treating followed up with a party (which Charlie Brown was not supposed to get invited to). And then there is Snoopy, who dons his aviator goggles and goes off to fight the Red Baron. He gets shot down and makes his way (in his imagination) across the French frontier until he comes to a party (the Halloween party that Charlie Brown and everyone else is attending). And then onward until he reaches the pumpkin patch. Needless to say, the great pumpkin never appears and Linus gets yelled at for missing tricks and treats. Ah but there is another year yet where the great pumpkin may yet appear.
Another family favorite is The Good Witch starring Catherine Bell who comes to Middleton to reclaim Grey House and ends up helping out a lot of people in the process. She is a mystery and whether she really is a witch or not is left open to interpretation. She ends up falling in love with the town’s police chief (played by Chris Potter) and helps out his kids. Of course not everyone is enamored of her and her shop (Bell, Book & Candle) so they are trying to get her out of town. Unfortunately things take an unpleasant turn when two boys, the sons of the woman seeking her ouster, end up vandalizing her store and are caught. However it all ends up well in the end. A good movie anytime of the year but Halloween is a great time to watch it.
Sadly it is now time to put away some fun decorations. I love my handlabra, a monster hand with twinkling lights on the fingers. I got a canvas of the Headless Horseman that lights up and is pretty cool. But what everyone thought was cool was the orange and black lava lamp. Lava lamps are strangely hypnotic. You watch the goo float up and then back down. It is a trade secret as to what it is though Mythbusters figured it out in dealing with various stories and myths about these lamps. The downside to these particular lamps is that they take a while to heat up and then you get the goo going up and down. You cannot run them more than 8 hours (otherwise they will get too hot). I have some glitter lava lamps that are pretty cool. One is a blue one in the bedroom and a silver one which is pretty cool around Christmas.
All Souls Day is to commemorate the faithful dead and is celebrated by special mass by Catholics and other Christian denominations. Some Christian churches celebrate it on a different day. It is not to be confused with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) which does remember friends and family who have died but is not a Catholic or Christian religious event(though it takes place from 31 Oct through 2 Nov which coincides with Halloween, All Saints and All Souls Day).
1. Mystery Solved? Titanic Exhibit That Closed Due To Water Damage Was Atlanta Or Las Vegas
