DramatistDreamer

'86 was such a fun year, even Colleen McDermott's unfortunate acting couldn't spoil how good that year was. Lust, love, murder, mayhem, humor, slapstick, pathos, sadness, joy, deception, revenge, awakenings- it was all there.

Yes, Lucinda was a snake. I'm not sure why she seemed to want to ruin Steve, not even her then esteemed son-in-law Tonio could change her mind. Babs was quite busy making mischief for for several people in town. I do appreciate that eventually Bab's schemes started to come undone one by one and she was squeezed by Tad Channing all through the summer. It would take longer for Lucinda's deceptions to be revealed. I do wish that the episode where Steve realizes Tonio's hand in his personal undoing but it's nowhere to be found online. There is that interesting scene where Barbara's both Tonio and Duncan show up at Fashion's and Tad Channing, snickering in the background, wonders what it is that Barbara does that has men beating a path to her door and proposes when he's finished blackmailing her that they have an affair! Larry Pine's Channing was really a creepy letch!

Salon has been pretty bad for quite awhile, cannot remember the last time I ventured onto that site. HuffPo also better watch their step for different reason- their site just seems like such a bother to load. This news out of Trumpville may be much ado about nothing but I hope it's true- apparently the campaign is in a bit of chaos with paranoia reigning and GOP operatives worried that Trump is no longer in it to win it: Donald Trump’s Campaign Stumbles as It Tries to Go Big

When I think of ATWT, the *real* ATWT, I always think of the original grand, sweeping theme. TIIC for the last decade of the show simply did not understand its legacy, did not care about preserving it, and/or were too incompetent to manage the series well. Katie mourning for Nancy while Penny, Don, and Ellen were MIA says it all, alas. You don't know how much I've wished I could wave a magic wand and flush most of the stories from the show's last decade and re-write a whole new set of stories! TIIC then didn't seem to realize that you didn't need an exhoribant budget to write a good show, you needed talent, creativity, some imagination and a healthy respect for you characters and fidelity to the characters' histories.

There are what I can only refer to as Berniebros all over social media championing this Fox News debate. Had HRC done this, she would've been called presumptuous and getting ahead of herself but since it's sanctimonious shouty Bernie, I guess it's okay?

I agree with you @DRW50, the 80s them was suitable to the times and it had its charms (and I happened to be quite fond of the 80s theme). The 70s theme was sweeping and majestic, but as the time changed, it might have seemed a bit too grandiose for everyday viewing- (I couldn't imagine hearing the 70s theme when ATWT's budget started to nosedive and longtime characters disappeared or became unrecognizable) which is why I suggested that it be used for special occasions like an Anniversary show. Given that TPTB at ATWT knew when their last season was approaching, it would've been nice to do a variation of the various ATWT, I mean, even if they were on a tight budget, if someone on You Tube can do it, why couldn't they? I just think that by the show's last decade, TPTB could truly care less about adding special touches like that.

Interesting Op-Ed by a Princeton Poli-Sci Professor on the aspect of Sander's supporters, (particularly the young ones) not truly supporting his policies. Do Sanders Supporters Favor His Policies?

I grew up on the 80s theme, so I admit to having a fondness for it but was it was 2nd best compared to the previous one. I would rather either one of those than the cornfield one with music best suited to a Crest toothpaste commercial.

We knew that the Sanders campaign was having money issues because of all the staffers that were fired but it seems that his money problems may be here to stay: Money is becoming a challenge for Bernie Sanders

Apparently there is a L'Equipe interview that gives more insight into why Amelie and Andy parted ways and it wasn't just about her wanting to spend more time with her son. "Andy is complex. On court, he can be the opposite of what he is in regular life. That can be unsettling. I was there to help him. I had the feeling that I couldn't make things progress any more." -Amelie Mauresmo Some are interpreting it as Andy being verbally abusive but I wonder whether that is true and if so, to whom is he being verbally abusive? We know that Andy does a lot of yelling at himself and toward his box during intense matches, that alone would probably be a challenge to deal with but does this behavior extend to training sessions?

OMG, Lamman Rucker (ex Marshall Travers, ATWT) witnessed a shooting today near the White House: Actor Lamman Rucker Witnessed Shooting Near White House

I try not to get too ahead of myself, as things can change really fast. World events can intervene and it can upend thinking. Even though I haven't read it, I know that some are deriding this op-ed article dismissing polls but frankly, I thought everyone knew the weakness of polling. It's usually a very small sampling and with quite a noticeable margin for error. I still remember being alarmed yet dubious of the polls which predicted a Romney win over Obama with a healthy margin 2012. When the actual results came in, those same prognosticators were left scratching their heads and asking "How did we get it so wrong?! For now, I'm going to wait and see how things look by the summertime, after the primaries have concluded and each party has had its convention, as well as what world events occur in the meantime.

Marland was very good at improvisational writing. I think it was a Catch-22 for him, particularly in the 80s. He wrote some very compelling work for a number of actors, some of whom would leave their roles for various reasons and he had to write in response to what he had. At some point, it was probably becoming clear that Marx wanted out and Marland had to adjust the writing for that reality. Based on the fact that he had put Hal as a third (or was it 4th?) party in the earlier story between Barbara/Tom/Margo, it must have seemed natural to put Hal and Margo together (even temporarily) much later when it became obvious that Marx would not be returning the next year- had it been the other way around, had Marx decided to stay- NO way would Hal and Margo have consummated their attraction, let alone have Margo get pregnant with Hal's baby. HBS and BH had great chemistry and could even tilt it toward romance but Gregg and Hillary were smokin' HOT and as good a writer as Marland was, even he could never truly write a believable storyline with HBS' Margo choosing Hal over Marx's Tom. As it was, Margo started seeing Hal because she needed a shoulder to lean on when she felt betrayed by the affair that she believed took place between Tom and Barbara. Margo and Tom even reconciled before it was revealed to them that Barbara lied about the whole thing. So even thinking that Tom cheated, Margo eventually chose Tom. Even when they were supposedly going through a divorce, they still conceived a child (which ended in miscarriage). It was after Marx left that the writing decided to play up this inescapble attraction that Margo and Hal were said to have for each other. Every Tom and Margo afterward operated on that premise until the writers ultimately dropped it.

Monfils also out of the French Open with a virus The top half of the Women's Draw looks like a complete clusterf*ck! If they both make it, Nadal is expected to meet Thiem in the Round of 16. I'm hoping that on the Men's side, in particular, that someone will emerge out of nowhere to take it this year. I'm tired of seeing the same names in the SFs and Finals.

This has to be the first time in ages that Federer will miss the French. I'm sure that many of Nadal's would be opponents in the top 20 are glad that he can get one notch higher and father away from meeting them in the earlier rounds.

I heard Sharapova's hearing was today at an undisclosed location. I have no idea what happened and I doubt there will be any specifics of what occurred today, but I've heard that we can expect a judgement by Wimbledon. Oh, have you seen this? http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/15499354/tennis-players-weigh-maria-sharapova-serena-williams-roger-federer

They're divorced now though, like many of the ATWT alums who were once married. I'd say that must've been some interesting time, the 80s.

I would agree that Sanders supporters are not as vitriolic as Trump supporters, but I disagree that some Sanders supporters aren't racists. If their posts on social media are any indication, they are condescending and over the line toward racist as they say that if Blacks knew what was good for them, they'd vote for Sanders and calling anyone of color, in particular, who doesn't vote for Sanders, ignorant and uneducated. Bernie did himself no favors making that ridiculous 'deep South' statement. I know quite a few people of color who were Sanders supporters who dropped off one by one after this series of occurences, and after this latest incident, they have fallen silent in regards to him. I myself, for over a decade used to watch and admire him when I used to hear him speak but I've been completely turned off after seeing the way he's run his campaign. Can you imagine what would've happened to Obama had he run his campaign this way?! Names like thug would've been bandied about openly. Sanders tries to align himself with the underdog while operating from a position of privilege- this is the main reason that many voters of color are not really voting for him in earnest and his stubborn refusal to speak to the rabid wing of his supporters speaks to this privilege and how he wields it.

@John I wouldn't be surprised if Bryggman did it out of regard for Liz Hubbard and the show's history. @Soapsuds, Yeah, the list of significant others and marriages between actors from ATWT is pretty interesting. I knew about Finn and Steven, the one that kind of surprised me was Bill Shanks and Ashley Crow.

Yeah, there was an article about how Andy was trying but not very optimistic about his chances. I think the traveling and time away was a major issue for Ivan. Caroline doesn't surprise me at all, she's been carrying an injury and looks in absolutely no rush to return to the courts any time soon. I hope those whistleblowers can stay safe. Russia doesn't mess around, people tend to go missing and wind up dead or slowly poisoned by radioactive substances!

Good question, although part of me is thankful that they never bothered to try to get her back because I don't believe she and Hunt Block ever would've worked together well (she liked to play the subtleties and he was way too hammy) and the writing at that stage had occasional moments of entertainment but was beyond messy. I generally like Mary Beth Evans but with her and Hunt in the role, I could pretend that they were playing two characters formerly known as Sierra and Craig. Also, up until a few years ago, wasn't she still occasionally doing appearances on primetime TV shows? I do miss Finn Carter. I'd even watch one of those wretched web series if she were to make an appearance on one. I'd love for Hillary Bailey to produce something where she can work with Scott Bryce again and they convince Finn to appear as well. It doesn't look as if Gregg Marx ever wants to act again but maybe if they let him sing?

Soderling was a quirky player and watching him was never boring. His loss has definitely been Stan's gain since Magnus Norman used to coach Soderling. This meldonium drug situation is looking more and more like state sanctioned doping. The New York Times investigation did a detailed report on how elaborate the lengths that the Russian testing lab went to dope athletes and then cover positive tests. It is crazy! Russian Insider Says State-Run Doping Fueled Olympic Gold 60 Minutes supposedly did a report interviewing the former head of the testing lab who left Russia out of fear and is now living in the U.S. I'm going to see if I can find that interview and watch. Almost every day, I'm reading headlines about some Russian athlete (and a few Eastern Europeans) having a positive test for meldonium! I don't see how Sharapova can possibly get off without some form of punishment when every day it looks more and more like state sponsored doping of Russian athletes and the drug of choice seems to be Meldonium!

Here is a sample of the death threats that Roberta Lange received from Sanders fanatics by voicemail: http://linkis.com/ralstonreports.com/wWUbr

Yeah @cassadine1991, when Craig initially went to Montega to find her (those episodes are interesting with Sierra concealing her identity dressed as a boy until Craig discovered that she was a woman) to the time she initially came to Oakdale, TPTB had her talk with an accent, I'm glad she evebtually dropped that accent though because it was a bit awkward at times. Marland should've just said that her father gave her an American tutor to make sure that she spoke perfect English as he know that her mother was American and habored hopes that her mother would return to Montega and reunite with Sierra one day (or something like that) but I guess the whole disguising herself as a Montegan boy might not have worked out with any sort of logic. Recently, I've been trying to watch 1994 episodes and although there are some interesting scenes and characters, the storylines are as boring AF! Is there any murder mystery or something to look forward to? It's such a notable drop in continuity and quality from previous years. I don't know if it is the way I'm watching episodes but the storylines seem so choppy.

Yes @Soapsuds, like Lendl, Martina would not put up with 'Mopey Murray' and his antics like oncourt sulking. I notice that neither one of us has mentioned who we think Berdych should have coaching him. I don't know what to think but a person of his level, so many years in the Top 10, I agree the change would have to come from him, no coach can get it done for him. Earlier on in Berdych's pro career, many compared him to Marat Safin (who I've always ) and in a sense, I could see this in the early days, but now I can't even accept that comparison. It's debatable whether Safin underachieved but the point is, with two Majors, Safin did manage to achieve. I know you have had Roger, Rafa and now Novak but then you have Andy, Stan got two, even Cilic got one, so as many years as Berdych's been in the Top 10 with all his physical gifts (taller than Ferrer and Nishikori who have to work so hard against bigger stronger opponents), it's very strange that he hasn't managed to grab a Major. Heck Robin Soderling made it to more GS Finals than Berdych.