Television

If a Breaking Bad toy set is on your child’s Christmas list and you intended to do your Christmas shopping a little early this year, don’t expect to find what you are looking for at Toys R Us. The toy dolls, with likeness to Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, were pulled from the retailer’s shelves after a Florida mom petitioned to have it removed. Wait, Breaking Bad figurines aren’t on your child’s Christmas list?

It's that time of year for ghosts, goblins, all things orange and  lunatics sporting long, sharp knives. Read on for  some do-it-yourself costume ideas for those specifically of the geek persuasion.

It’s hard to think of our world prior to the Internet, PCs and on-demand entertainment - even though most of us have been around for the last few decades to have experienced this technological transition. In retrospect, we also wonder how TV dramas raised enough awareness without the communication push and virality tools of social media.

And then there were none... a street intersection in Qingdao, China notorious for its ridiculous cluster of 19 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras is suddenly, inexplicably, thankfully free from Big Brother's prying eyes.

For those who’ve been following the Siri versus Cortana ‘war of words’ on TV, you're most likely of the inclination that Apple dropped the ball with its iPhone 6 iteration -- because, Microsoft has been laughing all the way to the bank with its latest Windows smartphone commercials for the new HTC One®.

How does Starz network’s new TV series Outlanders set in the mid 1700s relate to modern-day social media? Well, aside from the trending tweets pertaining to the impending nuptials between the story’s lead characters, it’s really the descendants of those Outlanders and their current pursuit of independence that’s catching all the buzz.

How does one explain Dr. Who without taking into account the show’s never-waning popularity amongst it ardent followers. If the etymology of the word “fan” was derived from “fanaticism,” this show has more than it’s share of addicted fanatics. With a lead character who's lived over 2000 years, has died and been reborn 12 times into entirely different bodies (albeit, different actors) and is celebrating his 50th year anniversary. . .

Ever since Ellen Degeneres’ creative ‘selfie’ bit was introduced at the last Academy Awards ceremony, the bar has been raised for future hosts’ to use social media in more intricate and creative ways. Mark Zuckerberg and his cadre of coders at Facebook think they have just the thing to go Degeneres one better, when they debut their “Mentions Box” for celebrities during the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on August 25.

That show known for it’s badness is so damn good, it’s hard to let it go. So believes one of its award-winning costars - and we’re inclined to agree. To that end, Aaron Paul has sought out the world’s number-one mobile photo-sharing social network to help him spread the word of its departure in a very unique fashion.

It's no doubt that the summer of 2014 will be remembered as the 'Summer of Soccer.' One has only to look at the viewing audience to get a sense of its immense popularity. The coverage of this year's FIFA World Cup continues to break records in the United States alone - both on television and online.

Ever wonder how the People of Walmart got to Walmart in the first place? Wonder no longer as we present the Top Ten Cars of the People of Walmart!

As soon as a precedent emerges in the social media space, whether it's something as innocuous as sponsored tweets or more critical such as revenge porn, folks look for loopholes to circumvent the action. Such is the case with 'social media prenups,' the latest trend to be embraced by the marriage-isn't-forever crowd.

The Mad Men finale of season seven, part one bid a fond farewell in grand style, to the last of Sterling Cooper's founding partners.  Bearing in mind, producer, director, writer Matthew Weiner is no stranger to goodbyes, he also knows how to tug at our heartstrings when sending off memorable TV characters. Bearing in mind, producer, director, writer Matthew Weiner is no stranger to goodbyes. . .

Differing from a tangible invention, new virtual tools for traders are shaking up the financial industry. Michael Lewis' Flash Boys -- a top-selling treatise on the state of modern-day Wall Street -- is turning the stock market ecosystem on its head. For those who still think the hallowed halls of the stock exchange is still about alpha-male floor traders whaling in trading pits to 'buy' and 'sell' - think again -- for that world is officially DOA.

If you're a TV junkie like myself who gravitates towards fast-paced high-stakes thrillers in this new Golden Age of television, you most likely have also been schooled on the new lexicon of terms used to solve cases. Ever since the award-winning FX series Damages first premiered in 2007 with intricate plot twists, red herrings, foreshadowing and nonlinear narratives. . .

Ever since the award-winning film "Social Network" caused a stir about the digerati drawn to the Silicon Valley like moths to a flame, other would-be producers have tried to capture the zeitgeist of this lifestyle in various forms - books, movies and TV.

Little did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle realize when he first introduced "Sherlock Holmes" to the world in 1887, that some 125+ years later, the world would still not be able to get enough of this irascible literary character. Not only has there been over 100+ actors who have stepped into this famous detective's shoes on stage, screen, radio and TV since the early 1900s --  in just this past few years --  21st Century actors, the likes of Robert Downey Jr, Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch. . .

With Kmart's revenue reports heading into the toilet, it appears its TV ads might have followed suit this holiday season. Down 4.6 percent in earnings this quarter, one of the nation's largest discount retailers is taking a radical departure from it's wholesome Mom's Apple Pie image to one that replicates the blue material you might catch on late night, a la Chelsea Lately!

Rats who are compulsive gamblers have reason to celebrate today as researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) announced the first successful drug to inhibit this compulsive behavior in its test group.  The test of 32 laboratory rats over a 16-month period involved the development and deployment of the only slot machine-style rat casino in North America, a casino built by the UBC Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience.

Katie Couric is looking for all kinds of helpful inventions that will make her audience think: “Why didn’t I think of that?” You’d better hurry up though, the open call for submissions closes on October 14th!