Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Discovering the Morning Show in Apple TV

This posting is inspired after I finished watching Season 1 of the Show just this week. Looking forward for the next 4 Seasons.

**Discovering The Morning Show: A Late but Joyful Arrival to Apple TV’s Signature Drama**

Every now and then, a television series comes along that makes you wonder how you managed to miss it the first time. That was my experience this week when I discovered The Morning Show, Apple TV’s flagship drama starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, and an ensemble that delivers some of the most electric acting I’ve seen on television in years.

As someone who has lived through major national crises, worked inside federal systems, and watched media shape public perception in real time, I find The Morning Show gripping in a way that goes beyond entertainment. It’s a drama about power, truth, and the fragile machinery of American institutions, themes that resonate deeply with anyone who has spent time inside government, health agencies, or the regulatory world.

A Show That Pulls You In From the First Scene

Unlike many series that take a few episodes to warm up, The Morning Show charges out of the gate. The central storyline, a powerful broadcast anchor embroiled in a #MeToo scandal, becomes a lens through which the series explores workplace culture, ethics, ambition, and the quiet compromises people make to survive in high-pressure environments.

Every episode feels current, relevant, and uncomfortably real. The boardroom scenes, the crisis-management meetings, the scramble to control a narrative before sunrise; if you’ve ever worked in a federal agency or any large institution, you’ll recognize the cadence of those moments.

What Makes the Show So Addictive

1. The acting is extraordinary

Jennifer Aniston delivers some of the most nuanced work of her career. Her character, Alex Levy, is brilliant, flawed, vulnerable, and fierce, often within the same five minutes. Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson brings moral tension and emotional complexity. And Billy Crudup? His performance as Cory Ellison is a masterclass in charismatic chaos.

2. The newsroom dynamics are stunningly realistic

The show captures the controlled chaos of broadcast journalism, the countdown clocks, the egos, the split-second decisions that can alter careers and national conversations. These scenes remind me how much pressure sits behind every public message, whether on a morning broadcast or an FDA press briefing.

3. The themes hit close to home

The series dives into sexual misconduct, corporate cover-ups, political manipulation, public health crises, and in later seasons the early days of COVID-19. Watching the pandemic storyline unfold brought back memories of my own FDA years, when decisions often had life-changing consequences and every hour demanded clarity, collaboration, and calm under pressure.

The Show’s Emotional Power

What I didn’t expect was how emotionally layered the storytelling would be. Beneath the bright studio lights and glamorous Manhattan skyline is a world full of people trying, often failing to do the right thing. The show captures the loneliness of leadership, the grief of betrayal, the courage it takes to speak up, and the complicated nature of truth.

There are moments that feel so honest, so human, that they stay with you long after the episode ends.

Watching It in 2025 Adds a New Perspective

Discovering The Morning Show years after its debut is its own kind of gift. I’m watching it with hindsight, not just in terms of news cycles, but with the perspective of age, experience, and, in my case, the lived understanding of how institutions function behind the scenes.

It reminds me why transparency matters. Why ethical leadership matters. And why the stories we tell in the media, in government, in our communities shape how people see the world.

A Show I’m Glad I Found Late

I may have come to The Morning Show long after its premiere, but I’m enjoying every moment. It’s a rare series that entertains, challenges, and provokes reflection all at once.

For anyone who appreciates sharp writing, powerful performances, and thoughtful commentary on the hidden machinery of modern America, this series is absolutely worth diving into whether for the first time or the third.

And for me, discovering it now feels like reconnecting with an old part of myself: the professional years spent navigating crises, communicating honestly, and watching the intersection of media, policy, and public trust unfold in real time.

Meanwhile, here's what Wikipedia says of the Morning Show- 5 Seasons

The Morning Show, also known as Morning Wars in Australia and Indonesia, is an American drama television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Billy Crudup. The series premiered on Apple TV on November 1, 2019. The series is inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The show examines the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program. After allegations of sexual misconduct, the male co-anchor of the program is forced off the show. Aspects of the #MeToo movement are examined from multiple perspectives as more information comes out regarding the misconduct. Subsequent seasons focus on other political topics and current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequality, the Capitol insurrection, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The second season premiered on September 17, 2021. In January 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on September 13, 2023. The series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on September 17, 2025.The series was renewed for a fifth season on September 16, 2025, ahead of the premiere of the fourth season.

The series has received accolades, including 27 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, ten Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and nine Golden Globe Award nominations. Jennifer Aniston and Billy Crudup have received particular acclaim for their performances, with Aniston winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in 2020 and earning two nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Crudup winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2020 and 2024.

Premise

Alex Levy co-anchors The Morning Show (TMS), a popular morning newsprogram broadcast from Manhattan on the UBA network, which has excellent viewership ratings and is perceived to have changed the face of American television.

In the first season, after her on-air partner of 15 years, Mitch Kessler, is fired amid a sexual misconduct scandal, Alex fights to retain her job as a top news anchor while paired with a new partner, Bradley Jackson, a field reporter whose series of impulsive decisions increasingly threatens the network.

In the second season, the network CEO attempts to convince Alex to return to TMS as the COVID-19 pandemic engulfs the United States and the show itself. Meanwhile, Bradley deals with an identity crisis.

In the third season, the network struggles for viewers for its subscription service and contemplates a takeover by tech titan Paul Marks.

In the fourth season, the newly merged UBN attempts to further its ambitions, while Bradley investigates a cover-up at the hands of the former UBA.

Whether The Morning Show is worth watching depends on your tolerance for drama and evolving quality; many suggest the first season is excellent and worth watching for its performances, but later seasons have drawn criticism for being messy or losing focus, though they remain compulsively watchable for some. The show is praised for its ambitious attempt to tackle real-world issues and its star-studded cast, but some critics argue its plotting and tone can be inconsistent.

Arguments for watching

Compelling performances:
The acting, particularly from Jennifer Aniston and Billy Crudup, is frequently cited as a major strength. Crudup's portrayal of Cory Ellison is often singled out as a highlight.
Ambitious subject matter:
The show tackles significant themes like the #MeToo movement and the challenges of modern journalism, often with high-stakes drama and a fast pace.
Addictive quality:
Despite its flaws, many find the show to be "addictively entertaining" and "compulsively watchable".

Arguments for being cautious

Varying season quality:
While the first season is often praised, some viewers and critics feel subsequent seasons are not as good, becoming more convoluted or messy.
Inconsistent tone and plotting:
Reviews mention that the show's tone can fluctuate, and later seasons have been described as having too many storylines that don't quite come together.
May not hold up for everyone:
If you are not a fan of constant, high-intensity drama, the show's "exhausting exercise" in melodrama might not be for you.

How to decide

Watch the first season:
Many reviewers suggest watching the first season as it is often considered a strong, self-contained story worth experiencing on its own.
Consider your taste:
If you enjoy glossy, star-studded dramas with high production value and are willing to overlook some plot inconsistencies, the show might be a good fit.
Manage expectations for later seasons:
If you continue past the first season, be prepared for the show to become more chaotic and less focused, as many viewers have experienced.

Daily Reading Can Reduced Risk of AZD

A daily reading habit may do far more than sharpen the mind; it could actually protect it. Recent research shows that reading a book for as little as six minutes a day can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, enhance memory, and improve communication skills by keeping the brain active and resilient.

Scientists explain that reading engages multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, language processing, memory recall, imagination, and emotional regulation, creating a kind of mental workout that strengthens neural connections. Over time, this activity builds what researchers call cognitive reserve, a buffer that helps the brain resist age-related decline and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Just six minutes of focused reading has also been shown to lower stress levels by up to 68%, calm heart rate, and reduce muscle tension. This mental relaxation enhances overall brain function, making it easier to retain information, express ideas clearly, and manage emotions effectively.

Unlike scrolling or passive media, reading demands deep focus, stimulating both hemispheres of the brain and promoting new neuron growth. The result is improved memory retention, stronger vocabulary, and better emotional intelligence, even in older adults.

The takeaway is simple: reading doesn’t just expand knowledge, it preserves it. A few quiet minutes with a good book can help strengthen memory, sharpen communication, and build long-term brain protection, one page at a time.

Meanwhile,  here's a more personal write-up on the topic. I titled it,  Six Minutes to RememberEvery morning, before the day gathers its noise, I sit quietly with a book or a newspaper. Sometimes it’s a few pages of poetry, sometimes an article that stirs the mind and specifically AI technology news. It rarely lasts more than a few minutes, six perhaps and yet those six minutes have become my daily act of renewal.
A recent study says that reading for just six minutes a day can sharpen memory and even lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. I smiled when I read that. Science is finally confirming what the soul has long known that attention, curiosity, and imagination keep us alive in ways no medicine can.
When I read, I feel my mind stretch and soften at the same time. Words reach into places I didn’t know needed light. They pull me out of the narrowness of self and into the wider landscape of human thought. Each sentence is a gentle electric current, keeping the circuits of the mind alive.
And when I write these small daily reflections, my blog entries born of quiet mornings, it feels like the return half of the same breath. Reading fills me; writing releases me. One feeds memory, the other meaning. Together, they weave the fabric of my inner life.
Perhaps that’s why I read and write every day not merely to remember facts, but to remember myself. To remember what it feels like to be awake, to be moved, to still care about beauty and truth in a world that hurries past them.
Six minutes a day, that’s all it takes, they say. But maybe it’s not about time at all. Maybe it’s about the willingness to pause, to listen, to let the mind wander and wonder. In those brief moments, memory becomes more than a function of the brain, it becomes a quiet hymn to being alive.
For as long as I can read, and as long as I can write, I will not forget who I am.
My Food For Thought For Today:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3913322285638878
Lastly, Moral of the Story



Finally, Here are five of the biggest news stories today:
Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in DC — Donald Trump is welcoming MBS to the White House for a major two-day visit. Talks are expected around defense deals (including F-35 jets) and a large Saudi investment pledge. The Guardian+2AP News+2
UN Endorses Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan — The U.N. Security Council has approved a resolution backing Trump’s proposal, which includes deploying an international stabilization force and a potential pathway toward a Palestinian state. The Guardian+1
Global Markets Rocked by Tech Volatility — Tech stocks dropped, Bitcoin slid, and investor concern spiked over high valuations and leverage. Nvidia is in focus ahead of its earnings. Reuters
$60B Wiped From Australia’s Stock Market — The ASX fell sharply, driven by weak investor sentiment, and the sell-off rippled through major sectors. The Guardian
COP30 Launches Without U.S. Participation — The 30th UN Climate Change Conference begins in Brazil, notably missing the U.S., raising questions about global climate action. Financial Times

Monday, November 17, 2025

Two of My Favorite Japanese Restaurants in Walnut Creek

How to Make Nigiri Sushi - Crafty Cookbook

What is Nigiri Sushi? A Guide to Popular Types

How to Make Nigiri Sushi - Beginner-friendly guide - Sushi ...

View all

For Details Visit Tatsu Sushi website: https://www.tatsusushiwalnutcreek.com/

The second restaurant, I just discovered recently ( via recommendation of Fellow

residents here at THD) is Tanoshi Bistro in Oak Grove Rd and Citrus. Ditas and I

had dinner there last Sunday night. We were impressed by the Food Offerings and

the prices were very reasonable compared to Tatsu.

I took some photos during our dinner as follows:

Ditas and I came into the restaurant ONE minute before 5PM. We were seated in a

more private area. We were served immediately our green tea with toasted rice💚.

After 5:15PM,

the restaurant was filled with diners. By the time we finished our

dinner at around 6PM, there was a line of 10 diners waiting outside and another

10 diners were waiting inside. For Details, visit their website:

https://www.tanoshibistro.com/

Meanwhile, here are the Japanese food terms you should

know: Nigiri, sashimi and

sushi

rolls.

Nigiri is a type of sushi consisting of a hand-pressed oval of vinegared rice topped with a slice of raw or cooked seafood or other ingredients. The name "nigiri" means "hand-pressed" in Japanese, and it is a classic style of sushi known for its simplicity, showcasing the balance between the rice and the topping.

Construction:
A chef uses their hands to shape a small amount of sticky, vinegared rice into an oblong mound. A slice of topping, most often raw fish like tuna, salmon, or yellowtail, is then pressed onto the rice.
Ingredients:
The topping is often fish, but can also include cooked seafood like shrimp or eel, or even vegetables or egg. A small dab of wasabi is sometimes placed between the rice and the topping, and a garnish may be added.
Distinction from other sushi:
Nigiri is different from sashimi, which is just raw fish without rice. It also differs from sushi rolls, which are typically wrapped in seaweed and contain multiple ingredients inside.

Artistry:

Nigiri is considered a true test of a sushi chef's skill, as it requires years of practice to consistently shape the rice and press the topping together to create a perfectly balanced, melt-in-your-mouth piece.

💚Green tea with toasted rice is called

Genmaicha, a popular Japanese green tea

that combines green tea leaves with roasted brown rice. The toasting process gives

the rice a nutty flavor that balances the grassy notes of the green tea, creating a

unique, comforting taste that is often described as having hints of popcorn or toast.

Meanwhile, My Photo of the Day_ Trump ( Banksy Art)

Finally, My Food For Thought For Today:

Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like: