On the first day of the Writers Guild of America strike, memories of the 1988 strike are returning to me in the form of “Hal Gurnee’s Network Time Killers” on Late Night with David Letterman. After suffering several months of reruns, Letterman returned to Late Night in the odd position of being a striking writer himself, but willing to keep the rest of the show’s staff employed and happily occupied with creative time fillers that kept the random nature of the program at top form. Unfortunately the same strike lowered the coffin lid on my favorite show at the time, Moonlighting, as it ended its 4th season with a rendition of “Wooly Bully” to fill in the remaining time (see it on YouTube).

“The Farnsworth Invention,” Aaron Sorkin’s new play opening on Broadway next week, was originally intended for the silver screen. But Sorkin, whose dialogue-driven style is, at heart, closer to theater than TV or film, decided to write his Farnsworth script using the stage-play format of Final Draft software and soon he and his agent were buying back the movie rights from New Line and preparing for his return to Broadway. The topic, the invention of the television and its champions’ utopian vision for it, is one that Sorkin certainly has the perspective to mine for the outmost of irony. But he considers it “an optimistic story about the spirit of exploration.” The movie rights for the play have already been sold, so Sorkin will have to consider how to get his play back into the screenplay format. (source: NY Times)

Newsweek cover story: kids and food allergies. An accurate article with various studies cited, but nothing new for those of us parents who’ve done our Internet research over and over.

Before I went to college my dad told me that although I was brought up to believe that the world should be a fair place, life would always be more difficult for me just because I’m female. I remember not wanting to believe it at the time, because I wanted so much to change it, not live with it. Since then I’ve realized that it’s not just other people who have to change, I had to change too, in positive ways. This N.Y. Times article, which I hope is making the rounds given that it’s topping the “most emailed” list, touches on every critical realization in my career (and it cites the studies that show I’m not unique). 1) Displaying negative emotions (anger, sadness) at work has more detrimental results for a woman than a man. 2) Women are worse than men at asking for raises and promotions, and often don’t even realize they need to ask or they won’t receive. 3) A woman’s clothes and appearance will get noticed, for better or worse. No, life isn’t fair, but at least we have some clues about how to even the playing field.

Spreading the word, though you’ve probably heard: Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku have an agreement with Fox for 7 episodes of a new series called Dollhouse. Details and interviews with both Joss & Eliza.

This article previews of some of the wacky stunts appearing on Mythbusters in the next couple months. What happens when a plane takes off from a conveyor belt? Can Tory wakeboard from the back of a cruise ship? Will his pants catch on fire while being dragged behind a horse? But no news on whether motion-sickness-prone Grant will have to lose it into a trashcan again all in the name of science.

Fup, resident cat at Powell’s Technical Books, has passed away after 19 comfy years in the company of shelves, staff and shoppers. She will be much missed.

Homeowners with the means can have their very own firefighting service. Insurance company AIG offers a Wildfire Protection Unit for its most expensive properties, partnering with Firebreak Spray Systems. The company will come out to spray fire retardant around the property when fire is encroaching. It’s worth it to AIG when even one multi-million dollar home is saved.

Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo has named their baby giraffe (cute!) Sox in honor of the World Series Champions. Sox was born the morning after Game 1, measuring in at 154 pounds, 6 feet 2 inches tall.

I’ve always considered the miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to be tastier than their regular-sized siblings, and I’m not the only one. These guys actually decided to do scientific testing to figure out the truth behind the better tasting mini-Reese’s. After cutting, core samples, and, of course, taste testing, their initial hypothesis was proven: the smaller cups have a larger ratio of chocolate, and are therefore yummier. I suppose if you enjoy the peanut butter more, you may be in favor of the “big cup” instead. (via Candy Addict)