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When looking through the TV Guide Fall Preview issues that came out between 1977-1990, I find all sorts of little nostalgic gems, not to mention a parade of stars that I know and love.  Even when a lot of the new shows don't last, the stars do, eventually going on to successful series and some even making the jump to film.  But for some reason 1983 just doesn't seem to be a big year for television, at least not in terms of classic shows starting up or getting any before-they-were-stars insights.   It's not totally devoid, but it's a little sparse on excitement.

The first thing that really jumped out at me was the introduction of the A-Team, which is by far the most notable new show that year (at least in my skewed perception.)  Sure there are a few other notable shows making their debuts, namely Webster, Hardcastle & McCormick, and Scarecrow and Mrs. King, but the A-Team is really where it's at, at least in the iconic television department.  Honestly, I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that 1982 had twice as many lasting and memorable debuts (Cagney & Lacey, Knightrider, T.J. Hooker, Remington Steele, Cheers, Silver Spoons, Family Ties, St. Elsewhere, and Newhart)?  Maybe with all of those shows still on the air, as well as shows that had been going from years prior (Simon & Simon, the Fall Guy, Gimmie a Break, Hill Street Blues, Too Close For Comfort, and Magnum P.I. just to name some of the shows from the previous two years) there wasn't a real big push for new programming in 1983.   Of course, 1984, when we get to it, will introduce like thirteen long-lasting and memorable series, so I guess '83 was just a dud.

That isn't to say there aren't a few interesting faces popping up in some of these short lived new shows.  In Goodnight, Beantown we get to see Bill Bixby looking for his third hit show (after the Incredible Hulk and the Courtship of Eddie's Father.)  Alec Baldwin pops up in his first adult performance as Dr. Hal Wexler, part of a trio a doctors in Cutter to Houston (which sounds like the core plot of Northern Exposure six years before it would premier on television.)  Jim Varney, in a rare pre-Ernst role, rounded out the cast of The Rousters about a family of carnies (sounds like he still plays for the same kind of Ernst laughs though.)  Cybill Shepherd, David Soul, and Sam Elliot star in The Yellow Rose, a failed attempt (looking back 27 years later) at taking on Dallas.  Richard Dean Anderson makes a pre-MacGyver appearance in Emerald Point N.A.S., a naval romance set somewhere on the coast of the Southern U.S.  Madeline Kahn got her own titular show Oh Madeline.   We also get to see a pre-NYPD Blue Dennis Franz in the Bay City Blues.   The star-studded Hotel makes its debut featuring a young Connie Sellecca alongside James Brolin and Bette Davis.   Bill Bixby wasn't the only Incredible Hulk star looking for work after the show ended, Lou Ferrigno stars as paramedic John Six in the emergency room drama Medstar.   All in all 1983 feels like the eye of a hurricane (the hurricane of 80s television history that is.)

Joining the ranks of the almost forgotten, yet interesting shows of TVs past is slightly odd entry called Manimal, a Glen A. Larsen production (who also brought us Knight Rider, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, BJ and the Bear, and Magnum P.I.)  The series centered on animal behavior professor Jonathon Chase who had the unique ability to shape-shift into animal (including mammal, reptile, or fish), which he uses to fight crime, secretly helping out plainclothes cop Brooke McKenzie.   Even though the series was cancelled after eight episodes, it has developed a pretty strong cult following over the years.  From what I can gather the special effects were pretty good, which shouldn't come as a surprise as they were crafted by master artist Stan Winston.  I'd be willing to bet that had the show managed to hang on a little longer, and given a slightly larger production budget, Manimal could have easily become the next Knight Rider.

There were some other fun tidbits in the issue though including an interesting ad for the Atari Service Centers.  At first blush it makes total sense, I mean 1983 was pretty much the peak of their domination and it was just before the crash of the home video game market.  It seems strange though that they were so successful that they could afford to run and staff 1,600 locations across the country.  I'm assuming it was in conjunction with another established company and maybe Warner/Atari either certified/trained some existing staff or maybe just had one employee placed at an existing electronics repair shops.  Seriously though, didn't it make more sense to have customers mail in their systems for repair, even 27 years ago?

Also, I've talked about this before, but I miss all of the spot illustrations that used to pepper magazines, not to mention the paintings for movie posters and advertisements.   There's an awesome watercolor portrait ad for the flick Between Friends, an HBO film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Carol Burnett in this issue.  In the 70s, TV Guide used to have a ton of Jack Davis style illustrations (drawn by Dave Arke) done for movies and specials premiering on the local affiliates that were just awesome, but some time in the early to mid 80s there was a switch to cut & pasted photo collages that were just sort of fugly.  Ever since there's been a steady progression of perfecting the superimposed photo and integrating CG artwork that’s just made most magazine ads and movie posters boring and homogenous.  In addition to the Between Friends art, there's alao a couple of pieces of Arke work, one for the season premiere of Real People and a second for the debut of the show We Got It Made.  Just look at that insanity!

Even though 1983 wasn't all that big for live action television debuts, it was freaking huge for the world of animation, in particular syndicated weekday after-school fare.  Not only did He-Man and the Masters of the Universe start running all over the country (though it's strangely absent from my TV Guide copy so I guess the Canoga Park, California local affiliates didn't carry it), but '83 also saw the debut of the original G.I. Joe sunbow miniseries.  This was the beginning of a boom that would rock the world of animation and usher in hundreds of shows throughout the rest of the 80s and on to today.  If you're curious about that first G.I. Joe mini series you can listen to me wax nostalgic about it with my co-hosts Jerzy Drozd and Kevin Cross in a two-part special of the Saturday Supercast.

One of the things that I completely missed out on in the 80s were a series of prime time specials that gave a sneak preview of the Saturday morning cartoons starting that season.  1983 featured a couple (though one of them is billed as an awards show), one on CBS hosted by Scott Baio fresh off the set of Joni Loves Chachi while the other aired on NBC and was called the Yummy Awards (which was hosted by both Dwight "Howling Mad Murdock" Schultz and Ricky Schroder.)  The CBS special also featured Sorrell Booke and James Best (I'm sure as their Dukes of Hazzard characters Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane), as well as previews of shows like the Saturday Supercade line-up (Donkey Kong, Q*Bert, and Frogger), Dungeons and Dragons, and the Biskitts.  The NBC special was a bit more star-studded featuring appearances by Mr. T, Kim "Tootie" Fields & Mindy "Natalie" Cohn from the Facts of Life, Justine Bateman, Bozo, and Gumby.

Also, repeated from the 1982 issue, there's another ad for Beefeater's Delight.  To keep from misquoting myself I'll just provide an excerpt from that previous post:

"Probably the weirdest ad I've seen so far in any of these TV Guides was the small one above called Beefeaters Delight!   From what I can gather the ad is for entire sides of hanging beef at amazing prices, but what I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around is the idea that it's being presented to the general public instead of in another more industry-centric fashion.   I mean, I realize there are a ton of hunters out there that kill, keep and eat entire deer carcasses, but seriously, who invests in an entire half cow?  That's why we have supermarkets right?  I do have to say that the insert advertising 5lbs of hotdogs or Bacon for $.99 a pound is mighty tempting.   I wonder what that would work out to in 2008 dollars?"

Lastly, I found it kind of interesting that the real life husband and wife duo of Alex Karras and Susan Clark not only had the debut of their new sitcom Webster, but also a made-for-TV movie called Maid in America that they also produced.   I guess it was a big year for the couple.

Next time I'll take a look at the 1984 issue which is jam packed with classic TV debuts…

Welcome to the latest installment of “Superstar RADvice,” our advice column written by a superstar. This week, punk icon, spoken-word artist and human locomotive Henry Rollins takes your questions. Please Hank, don’t hurt ’em.

Everyone’s always on my case because I don’t feel like doing a damn thing. If I manage to pour myself a bowl of cereal in a day, that’s a major accomplishment. What’s wrong with me? How do I get myself motivated? - J. Spicoli

My first inclination was to say you’re a pathetic fucking loser. But I'll let you in on a little secret: Deep down inside I’m as soft as an 8-week-old kitten and as lazy as a tree sloth. In a perfect world I would sleep 14 hours a day and be a total wastoid. However, I was cursed with being born with the most intense-looking face in the history of mankind. When my parents showed people my baby pictures, they’d tremble in fear. They knew I was destined to be an Army drill sergeant or a homicidal maniac. Or a crazed punk-rock singer. Or a hyper-agitated dude who rants on stages and on your TV screen for hours on end. When you have a perma-scowl like this, you can’t just be a bum. So I forced myself to be productive. I trained my body and mind hard—27 hours a day, 428 days a year. You know when I sleep? From 1 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. You know what I did this morning? I bench-pressed 500 pounds for three hours. Then I came up with a screed about how shitty Nickelback and Harry Potter books are. Then I read a 900-page biography of Ché Guevara. Then I wrote 12 poems. Are they any good? Fuck no. But I did it. And maybe the 12 poems I’ll write tomorrow will be good. Anyway, I did all that before 5 a.m. In the past year I’ve traveled to every country on earth, and when I ran out of countries I invented a few more and traveled to them, too.

I might have to get in a fight with this dude named Glenn Danzig who just moved in next door, but I’m not that tough. Any suggestions how I can win? – C. Carrabba

Funny you should bring that up—over the years, a lot of people have even wondered who would win if Danzig and I ever got into a fight. The thing is, I believe in nonviolence. But if you must fight him, I suggest getting in a quick punch to the jaw before he can use that black magic of his to put you in a real world of hurt. The other thing is, Glenn and I are actually friends. So I’ll give him a call and see if I can get him to leave you alone.

My wife says I dress too casual. She wants me to start buying nicer clothes and be more stylish. Do you have any good fashion tips? – M. Moore

Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve spent the better part of my adult life being seen in public with little more than a pair of black shorts. I’m like Richard Simmons except way more buff and way more straight. Getting dressed up means wearing a black T-shirt and some really basic dark pants. If that gets me into the What Not To Wear Hall of Shame, so be it. Fuck clothes. The more time you spend worrying about clothes, the less time you have to grab life by the balls. You ever see a cheetah obsess over scarves and pocket squares? No. You see a cheetah bolt 70 miles an hour to take down a gazelle and shred it to fucking pieces. Be the cheetah.

Thurs., March 11, 7pm. $20. First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, 2125 Chestnut St. r5productions.com

This is our second full day at sea. I’m sitting in a corner at the back of the Augustus conference room on Deck 5 of the Costa Fortuna, trying to be inconspicuous. Kitty Mervine is preparing to give a lecture on — what? Who knows? I suspect pirates will be involved. The lectures have been unpredictable so far, and better for it. Today we’ve had talks on parliamentary procedure (which was actually exciting, believe it or not), “political bias in skepticism,” and —

(By the way, Kitty just said this: “How much does a pirate charge for an ear-piercing? A buccaneer!”  Haha! It’s difficult to concentrate with comedy of this caliber being committed within earshot, but I shall persevere.)

Ah. Kitty just began her lecture, and it’s about what she’s learned since creating her website, Bad Alien. She’s a really fantastic lecturer. Prepared, confident, funny, and wise.

So, today there have been lectures on health care, parliamentary procedure, “political bias in skepticism,” The Million Dollar Challenge, and Sniffex. Yesterday we enjoyed lectures on the nature of faith and the similarities between cognition and Tetris before Randi took the stage for a kind of skeptical This Is Your Life. While Jeff Wagg projected photographs from Randi’s eight decades on Earth across our projector screen, Randi — who hadn’t previously seen the images — riffed on the pictured scenes. At some point, Randi, D.J., Bart and I took part in a panel about the future of the JREF within the broader skeptical movement. Jeff emceed. A thrilling moment: When asked who in attendance were part of a skeptical group in their hometowns, the vast majority of audients threw up their hands. There was much talk of the importance of grassroots skepticism, and how the JREF can integrate more effectively with grassroots skeptical efforts to bring about ch —

(Oh, Kitty just finished her talk. Here’s the scoop: She’s been working for several years now with self-proclaimed alien abductees, and she’s learned a helluvalot. She emphasizes, and says she cannot emphasize enough, the importance of kindness, courtesy, and patience when working with the deluded. She made the obvious-but-not-obvious-enough point that those to whom we show respect are more likely to respect us, and our viewpoints, in turn. Worth keeping in mind.)

The Costa Fortuna is both extremely Italian and extremely anachronistic. A lot of vessels try to bow you over with luxury, and the Fortuna is no exception, but its luxury seems imported from some 1940s vessel-that-never-was. It’s the kind of boat that makes you want to drink dry gin martinis, or maybe Campari. (Alas, most people seem to prefer fruitier fare. A popular selection is a pina colada made with bananas and Bailey’s.) Everything is rococo, brown, and marble. Though twice the size of the Titanic, the boat’s been rocking: the Caribbean has been uncommonly restive this week. We had two mild cases of seasickness in the early going, but everybody seems alright now.

We gather in the evenings in the Michaelangelo dining room. Last night was formal night; my partner and I mowed on Ossobucco with saffron risotto and chatted with a lovely skeptic named Gail about Carol Tavris’s new book. The previous night, the first on the boat, I sat next to Randi as he magically transformed a salt-shaker into an engagement, which he handed to our shipmate, Gordon, who in turn proposed to his girlfriend, Robin. She said yes. There was much applause, and this skeptic got a little weepy.

The lectures have been fine and the dinners have been good, but I think the real work of this cruise is happening in less formal environs. After closing down the Vulcania Disco at 3 a.m.; at the lunch buffet; over coffee in the morning; at a nearly deserted pool bar near the back of the ship. Folks from Singapore, Australia, the UK, the US, and places with less easily placeable accents are getting together, sharing ideas, comparing notes, making fellowship, hatching plans, and getting inspired. It’s a heady feeling.

Tomorrow we spend the day in St. Thomas. Then it’s on to Puerto Rico and Grand Turk. D.J. and/or Jeff and I will keep you posted. ‘Til then, we wish you were here, and hope you’re having a lovely week wherever you are. And we hope you’ll forgive us if we’re taking a while answering your emails. Affordable internet access is hard to come by on the high seas.

March 10

East Hundred
One of our fair city’s freshest unsigned bands, East Hundred combines an ’80s new-wave vibe with a modern alt-progressive rock edge. Vivacious lead vocalist Beril Guceri shows off her dynamic vocal range on emphatic choruses wrought with heartache. “We walk up through rivers of fire / High tides try to kill off desire,” she wails on “Slow Burning Crimes,” the opener from the band’s golden, self-released LP
Passenger from 2009. Brothers and co-founders Brooke and Will Blair add warm guitars and spasmodic drums to the mix, respectively, with bass and keys rounding out the sound. The
five-piece band’s live performances are as undeniably precise as they are mesmerizingly uplifting. -Kevin Brosky

8pm. $15. With Company of Thieves and Civil Twilight. Theater of the Living Arts, 334 South St. 215.922.1011. livenation.com

The Invisible Ray
To celebrate the opening of their new mad-science exhibit “Marvels and Ciphers: A Look Inside the Flask,” the Chemical Heritage Foundation is teaming up with The Secret Cinema for an ongoing science-fiction film series. Tonight’s feature is Lambert Hillyer’s The Invisible Ray, a rare pairing of Universal horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi from 1936. In it they play Doctors Rukh and Benet, rival scientists in pursuit of a strange cosmic ore that has crash-landed in Africa. One man uses the mysterious “Radium X” to cure the blind, while the other becomes infected and turns to grizzly murder. Secret Cinema projects the lost classic as well as a few shorts from the period on sizzling 16mm film. Afterward, Penn sociology professor David Grazian leads a follow-up discussion on all the kookiness. The popcorn, drinks and B-movie thrills are all on them. -Paul F. Montgomery

6:30pm. Free. Chemical Heritage Foundation, 315 Chestnut St. 215.742.4224. thesecretcinema.com

March 11

These Are Powers
When Pat Noecker left Liars, a great deal of the thump went out of their funk-punk mayhem. But not to worry, it has resurfaced in the noisy, chaotic These Are Powers. Granted, Noecker has adapted his bass so that it sounds very un-bass-like, but the hard rhythmic parameters of “Double Double Yolk” will sound familiar to anyone who has spent time with They Buried Us In a Trench. Over top, frontwoman Anna Barie (ex of Knife Skills) squalls and squeals and whispers in vocal extensions that are part Jarboe, part Karen O. Drummer Bill Salas fills out the trio, straddling traditional kit drums and electronically aided knobs and dials to create booming, post-moderntribal beats. -Jennifer Kelly

7pm. $10. With Lemonade + MNDR. Barbary, 951 N. Frankford Ave. 215.634.7400. r5productions.com

Take Me Out
Imagine if Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels or any other Phillies superstars
suddenly announced mid-way through the season that they were gay. Would the Phils’ legions of fans embrace a homosexual sports hero?  A similar scenario is imagined by playwright Richard Greenberg in his Tony Award-winning drama Take Me Out, which opens March 11 in a new production from the city’s longest continually operating theater, Plays
& Players. Set against the backdrop of America’s pastime, Greenberg’s outrageously funny and provocative play explores topics ranging from homophobia to hero-worship. The story focuses on Darren, a handsome baseball star who is as confident with his sexuality as he is with a bat and glove. Filled with memorable characters (Darren’s publicity agent Mason is one of the great roles in modern theater), Take Me Out is a must-see for fans of baseball and great American shows. -J. Cooper Robb

8pm. $15-$20. Plays & Players Theater, 1714 Delancey St. 215.735.0630. playsandplayers.org

March 12

The Low Anthem
For countrified indie folk fans, this is a dream lineup. Three rising stars in a mysteriously regionless genre, country boots get wedged on by Low Anthem in R.I., Annie & the Beekeepers in Boston and Lissie in L.A. Anthem has sold out big shows supporting the Avett Brothers and it’s no surprise that their gorgeous, soulful approaches to songwriting go together like hootin’ and hollerin’. Main man Ben Knox Miller is infectious on their big summer release Oh My God, Charlie Darwin. And to top it off, Lissie is the next big thing in folksy indie rock á la Jenny Lewis and Neko Case. -Bill Chenevert

8pm. $13. With Annie & the Beekeepers + Lissie. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St. 215.821.7575. r5productions.com

Rent
Team America: World Police totally ruined Rent for me. Previously a show I held near and dear, I am now unable to think of the Pultizer Prize and Tony Award-winning show without hearing “Everyone has AIDS,” a song from the Rent parody in the stupid-funny movie by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Temple University’s production of the famed Jonathan Larson play runs this month and while it won’t include Parker and Stone’s line-crossing tune, it’s a cheap way to get a theater fix. The show chronicles the story of eight friends living la vie boheme in New York City in the early 1990s. While everyone does not, in fact, have AIDS AIDS AIDS, as the song implies, more than half the characters do, which lays the foundation for a musical that is both heartbreaking and empowering. Rent, based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème, closed on Broadway in September 2008, so this is a rare opportunity to see it produced. -Erica Palan

Through April 11. $20-$25. Tomlinson Theater, 1301 W. Norris St. 215.204.1334. temple.edu/sct/theater

March 13

Looking at Animals
There are plenty of coffee-table books devoted to the grace and power of wild animals, but photographer Henry Horenstein isn’t so concerned with the way animals move or how they interact with their environment. He simply documents their strange, sometimes otherworldly anatomical design, warts and all. Through May 16, the Academy of Natural Sciences showcases an array of Horenstein’s haunting and humorous black-and-white wildlife images in an exhibit called “Looking at Animals.” The series highlights the form and texture of snouts, tongues, tusks, feathers and water-logged rumps with the same sense of awe and mystery as a glamour pictorial. Photos are paired with specimens from the museum’s collection of more than 17 million animals and plants, including live birds and reptiles. It’s the best way to get a closer look at the wild and woolly without hopping a fence at the zoo. -P.F.M.

10am-5pm. $10-$12. Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.  215.299.1060. ansp.org

Oh! Pears
Frontman, vocalist and songwriter Corey Duncan, with his crew of up to a dozen bandmates, is prepared to stun Philadelphia’s music scene with the release of Oh! Pears’ first album. The five-song Fill Your Lungs EP is a beautiful collection of songs—honest-to-goodness, fully composed—that bring the listener on an emotional journey. There’s something operatic about the expressive vocals and instrumentals, the obviously well-written and formally structured songs, and the mysterious force that pushes each song to its climax. Think a more orchestral, less Pitchfork-inspired Arcade Fire or Vampire Weekend. The detailed nuances of the songs even translate live, and with the visual treat of three acoustic guitarists, some string players, a flutist and a trumpet player and a host of other characters. -Katherine Silkaitis

9pm. $10. With Inlets + the Mural and the Mint. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684. johnnybrendas.com

March 14

Black 47
Black 47 have been plying its big-band, Celtic rock sound for 20 years now. Never strict traditionalists, their best-known hit “Funky Ceili” in 1993 was a jam band rampage, and they’ve also dabbled in rap, reggae and blue-eyed soul. Still there’s always something Irish going on, whether it’s the tootle of pennywhistle, the jig of fiddle or the hard political protest embedded in their party-friendly songs. Bankers and Gangsters, out this month, continues the fight with swipes at mortgage lenders, college costs, corruption and incompetence. Fight the power or drink green beer—who ever said you had to choose? -J.K.

6:30pm. $21-$34. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 215.222.1400. worldcafelive.com

The Brewers Plate
You don’t have to be a dirty hippie to understand that eating local is the best decision for your body, your community and the planet. It can get a little pricey, but you can shine your halo up real nice knowing you’re making the right choice. Reward yourself at the sixth annual Brewers Plate, where Philadelphia’s craft breweries team up with local restaurants for a tasting event to benefit Fair Foods. Local faves, including South Philadelphia Tap Room, Royal Tavern, El Vez and Bar Ferdinand, will be there along with suburban representatives from the Allentown Brew Works and Southampton Publick House. Booze will be supplied by Bluecoat Gin, Flying Fish Brewery, Sly Fox, Philadelphia Brewing Company and all your other local favorites. The evening will be infused with tunes from Hoppin’ John Orchestra, but get your tickets soon—the event has sold out every year. -Erica Palan

5pm. $65. Penn Museum, 3260 South St. 215.386.5211. thebrewersplate.org

March 15

Working Together for Haiti Benefit Concert
The news cycle (and the human attention span) is usually such that horrifying events—such as January’s devastating earthquake in Haiti—grab our attention for a little while ... and then we move on to the next thing. However, a gaggle of prominent local R&B, soul and hip-hop artists are determined to keep Haiti’s ongoing struggle at the forefront of people’s minds with tonight’s benefit concert for Elite Rescue, Recovery and Rebuilding (ER3) and Haiti Professionals of Philadelphia. On hand will be Grammy-nominated songstress Jazmine Sullivan, neo-soul man Bilal, Jaguar Wright, Dice Raw, Chubb Rock, Eric Roberson, Jean Baylor, Antoinette Costa, Jim Stephens, Selina Carerra, Kuf Knotz, Mic Wrecka, Hezekiah, WyldLyfe, Meek Millz and more—all together for a cause that mustn’t be forgotten. -M.A.G.

7pm. $24-$26. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. 215.222.1400. worldcafelive.com

March 16

Hockey + The Constellations
Hockey frontman Ben Gruber is the barfly that’s a bit too slick for his own good. The Portlander’s coy hipster patter drips self-aware irony and his moves are a cagey amalgamation of familiar touchstones—burbling new wave, serrated funk-punk, skittering post-punk insouciance, indietronic precocity. Though deftly crafted, its affected cool is a tad too frictionless, sliding across the palate without much taste at all, making it more ideal for charts and buzz than general consumption. Atlanta’s Constellations possess a more idiosyncratic personality. Their grimy late-night grooves emanate carnivalesque psych-tinged allure that singer Elijah Jones presides over like a cocksure barker promoting a freak show. -Chris Parker

9pm. $10. With The Postelles. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684. johnnybrendas.com

Ranking the top angel investors. A couple years ago, we told you about a start-up called YouNoodle that claimed it came up with an algorithm that could tell you what your company's worth. Now YouNoodle's teamed up with BusinessWeek to use the same vetting process on angel investors, with some surprises. Ex-Googlers Chris Sacca, Aydin Senkut, and Andrea Zurek--all relatively unknown outside the industry--are some of the best performers. And Hunch confound Chris Dixon, who may not be a top tier influencer, does have the most diverse portfolio, as well as YouNoodle's endorsement as the top investor in tech.

Web analytics, the sketchy way. Ever wonder how the different web analytics companies get their data? TechCrunch has the lowdown on one practice said to be used by Compete. And it feels a little dirty.

New service allows brands to build their own Yelp. We already written about how to make money on Foursquare and how Yelp can be a boon to business owners but what if your company's needs don't mesh with these outside services. Well, Ad Age reports that a new service called Socialight allows companies and brands to build their own versions of Yelp, Foursquare, and Gowalla, kind of like Ning but for location based services. Our article on online review and answer sites has some pointers on whether you're ready for your own branded community.

As VCs get skittish, start-ups suffer. The Wall Street Journal reports this morning on what one venture capitalist is calling an "unprecedented level of syndicate failure," which occurs when a VC decides not to invest in a start-up at the last minute, effectively scuttling the deal. "Syndicates" are groups of venture capital firms that invest together to cut down on the risk that a start-up doesn't pan out; they're the norm in most VC investments. But some firms have been so risk-averse during this recession that they've been getting cold feet and leaving entrepreneurs at the altar. This creates an awkward situation where the start-up must hastily explain to its employees and customers why it didn't raise the money, and in some cases must shut down. The Journal notes that better established VC firms are usually able to kick in more cash when a syndicate collapses, which is a good reason to make sure that you're investors are financially sound before you sign a term sheet.

Do B-Schools set up entrepreneurs to fail? Tech entrepreneur and consultant Sramana Mitra certainly thinks so. In a column today at Forbes, she argues that the tendency of most business schools to focus on raising funds, especially VC funding, rather than the more fundamental aspects of launching a business is doing entrepreneur students a disservice. As she explains, "I have come to observe that most business school programs have an extensive emphasis on fundraising, especially from venture capitalists, and very little pragmatic understanding of what it really takes to get a venture off the ground. As a result, business schools launch students into the real world with completely unrealistic expectations, set up to fail." Her idea to fix it? Give students a crash course in bootstrapping.

Jobs still on the fritz, but not for temp workers. For four months straight, companies have hired more temporary workers -- but that doesn't bring the omen of recovery that it used to, according to an article by the Associated Press (via the L.A. Times). While it was once considered a preface to the hiring of permanent workers, the phenomenon is now viewed as one of many signs of low confidence in an unstable economy. "Even companies that are boosting production seem inclined to get by with their existing workers, plus temporary staff if necessary," the article says. Check out this article by Inc.com contributor J.J. McCorvey for more info on temporary hires, and one start-up that's cashing in on the uptick.

Lawyer turned cupcake entrepreneur When David Arrick got laid off from a Wall Street law firm in 2008, he thought he would end up in real estate. But he ended up in cupcakes, or, more precisely, "mancakes." Last December, he started an online delivery service that makes cupcakes with manly flavors, like beer-infused cake with beer buttercream. The WSJ<</span>!> has full details on the sweet startup, which Arrick plans to expand into Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles within the next year.

reinventing their business, especially in a downturn. USA Today has come up with five suggestions on how to get your company back on track after a period of transition, including recognizing new opportunities, leveraging your current assets by developing new products or services, and learning to juggle, by developing a strategic plan to help you shift your resources.

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The latest Newark Airport security breacher? A kitty! The 25-pounder lodged itself under a bomb-detection machine yesterday morning, causing other passengers to be directed to a different security screening area.

The unnamed tabby was stuck for about 20 minutes when Port Authority police used a hydraulic device to lift the heavy machine (which weighs a few thousand pounds) and free it. According to NJ.com, "the portly cat that had worked its way under 4 inches of clearance." It was removed from its carrier which needed to go through an X-ray machine.

One Port Authority officer said the cat "looked relaxed" throughout the whole ordeal. Typical. As for the humans, they missed their flight and will be attempting to fly out of the same airport today.

• Sundays 5-SS, G/45
• Mondays 4-SS, G/25 (1st &amp; 2nd weeks of the month)
• Tuesdays 3-Round Quads, G/30
• Wednesdays 4-SS, G/30
• Friday 4-SS, 30 moves in 90 + SD/60 (one game per week)
• Saturday 4-SS, G/60 for U2400s