Tabloid Wars on DVD?

Am I really the only person wishing the first (and only?) season of Tabloid Wars was on DVD? (Even CJR Daily liked it!) I know, it’s available on iTunes — I just don’t want to watch it on my computer unless I have to.

Congratulations on your new iPod, Mom

So, last year, I did a three-part series for new iPod owners during the holiday season. This year, my father got my mom one of those iPod nano (PRODUCT) REDs, here’s the breakdown of what I wrote last year at this time:

• Congratulations on your new iPod, part one (Cases and freebie content)
• Congratulations on your new iPod, part two (Podcasting software)
• Congratulations on your new iPod, part three (The podcasts I listened to in December 2005)

I’ll post an updated list of podcasts I listen to now later in the week. Peter’s out of town, so I have a lot of freaking out work to do to get next week’s paper out.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

(I know I haven’t been posting a lot this week, sorry. For the first time in my career, the news hasn’t slowed down in December. If anything, this has ended up being a pretty busy few weeks.)

At last, we know the title of the final book in the Harry Potter series:

J.K Rowling announced on Thursday that the seventh and final book in her teenage wizard saga will be called “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

No publication date has yet been set.

So what is a “hallow?” According to the Oxford English Dictionary (thanks, Nicole!), it’s “shrines or relics of saints; the gods of the heathen or their shrines.” I think it’s a good guess that this relates to Voldemort’s artifacts of power, and/or relating to Harry’s scar.

“Christmas in Victorville”

Peter’s Christmas-during-a-divorce song, “Christmas in Victorville,” is now getting theoretically international exposure, thanks to him putting it out on Podsafe Music, meaning anyone with a podcast can use it in their shows.

And now someone has: Opinionated Ramblings has played the song this week. The show’s site is located here.

Miami Vice

To be honest, I was never much of a “Miami Vice” fan when it was on TV. Even as a teenager, it was apparent to me that it was trying way too hard and that, frankly, it was all pretty silly.

Well, Michael Mann grew up and his characters put on socks. And in probably an inevitable move, he came back to “Miami Vice.” The film incarnation does not have much of a connection to the television series, for good or for ill, but more of a successor to “Heat,” “Ronin” and “Collateral,” with insanely gorgeous (digital video) cinematography is its biggest asset.

Worth a watch for Michael Mann’s modern film work. It’ll probably just be frustrating for hardcore fans of the television show, though.