Enjoy.

First and foremost, Oprah Winfrey will talk on the air today about ending her iconic syndicated daytime talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” She will tell viewers that the show will end its run after 25 years on September 9, 2011. Oprah does have her own network, called OWN, launching next year, but we’re not sure what her future plans are beyond the show.

Other news, the season finale of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” starts at 9 on Sunday on HBO.

Some future premieres to talk about. ABC will start the sixth and final season of “Lost” on February 2 with a two-hour episode starting at 9 p.m. An hour-long recap of last season will start at 8, and the show will air Tuesday nights at 9 all season long. ABC will also launch an online companion for “Grey’s” addicts called “Seattle Grace: On Call.” on ABC.com. The six-webisode series will be set at Joe’s Emerald City Bar and will feature cast regulars including Gloria Garayua and Brandon Scott.

Over on NBC, “Chuck” will start its third season on January 10 with 2 episodes starting at 9 p.m. Then it will move to a regular time slot with another episode Monday January 11 at 8 p.m.

G4, the video game and Gen-Y network will start a show called “Campus PD” with a look at police on colleague campuses on Florida, Texas, California, and North Carolina. It premieres December 8 at 11 p.m.

And it’s all working.

A study shows 26 percent fewer Massachusetts low-income Medicaid participants smoke since 2006.

Researchers also found that there were 12 percent fewer claims for adverse maternal birth complications.

“It is clear from these latest findings that the Commonwealth’s efforts to help people quit smoking is a sound investment,” said Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby.

“As the nation debates the future of its health care system, the national significance of this research cannot be understated,” said Robert J. Gould, PhD, President and CEO of Partnership for Prevention. “These findings demonstrate that prudent investments in preventive health today will have a dramatic and positive effect on our health care system tomorrow.”

Smoking is, of course, the number one cause of illness and death in the United States, according to experts. More than 8,000 Massachusetts residents die annually from the effects of smoking, and tobacco use is associated with $4.3 billion in excess health care costs in Massachusetts each year.

“These early findings offer great promise,” said Nancy Brown, National CEO of the American Heart Association.

Superintendent Carol R. Johnson unveiled a five-year strategic plan for the Boston Public Schools, outlining new direction and priorities for “closing access and achievement gaps and graduating all BPS students from high school>”

“The days of business as usual are over,” said Johnson. “If we intend to see all, not just some, of our schools become centers of excellence we must take bold and swift action. Every student in our city has the right to a high-quality education. I believe this plan is the road map that will lead us to new heights, where Boston can serve as a model for every urban school district in America.”

Johnson identified 14 schools that are under-performing:

• William Blackstone Elementary School in the South End
• Paul Dever Elementary School in Dorchester
• Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School in Roxbury
• E. Greenwood K-8 School in Hyde Park
• Curtis Guild Elementary School in East Boston
• John P. Holland Elementary School in Dorchester
• John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Jamaica Plain
• William Monroe Trotter Elementary School in Dorchester
• Orchard Gardens K-8 School in Roxbury
• Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School in Roxbury
• Henry Dearborn Middle School in Roxbury
• Harbor Middle School in Dorchester
• The English High School in Jamaica Plain
• Odyssey High School in South Boston

Johnson wants to focus on strengthening teaching and leadership among school administrators, copying best practices at “working” schools and looking at ways to streamline services throughout the school district.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, fresh off his re-election victory and a recent knee injury, sent a letter to the Boston School Committee in support of the Superintendent’s proposals.

“There may be some who will find it easier and safer to sit back, to stall – to use our stretched dollars as an excuse to postpone this critical work,” Mayor Menino wrote. “To these people, I say time has run out. We can no longer wait to take action. From this day forward, we must collectively re-commit ourselves and pool our energies. With diminishing resources, it will be all the more important to think creatively and to rely on those measures that are cost effective, but reap big returns.”

According to The Associated Press, Kellogg Co. reports a nationwide shortage of Eggo frozen waffles until at least next summer after interruptions at two of the four plants that produce them.

The report says that Kellogg’s Atlanta plant was temporarily shuttered after a September rainstorm. Also, its bakery in Rossville, Tenn., has had portions shut down for repairs.

Kellogg will distribute available Eggos to stores based on their past history of sales.

• 66 percent say the love story in “New Moon” is the biggest draw in their decision to buy a ticket.
• 57 percent claim Alice Cullen (Ashley Greene) is the secondary character they’d most like to see in his or her own “Twilight” spin-off movie.
• 39 percent of moviegoers plan to take off time on Friday – from school or work – in order to see the movie.
• 27 percent of respondents surprisingly picked “Breaking Dawn” as their favorite book among Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” novels; 16 percent chose “Eclipse; 11 percent voted for the first “Twilight” and only 8 percent pegged “New Moon” as their favorite. (38 percent said they love all the “Twilight” books equally.)

“New Moon” hits theaters Friday.

In the news, MTV will have exclusive US television rights to Michael Jackson’s “This Is It.” The movie concert will start to air on MTV’s networks in 2011, so don’t hold your breath.

Discovery has another epic series coming out in March. “Life” is an 11-parter and will be narrated by Opray Winfrey.

Lorraine Bracco from “The Sopranos” was cast in a TNT drama pilot called “Rizzoli.” She will play the mother of police detective Jane Rizzoli, who will be played by Angie Harmon.

Mark Baard has a knack for fringe science and, let’s say, odd areas of technology.

The renown Boston tech writer and Boston Globe columnist will get to explore Boston’s boldest and outwardly oddest people and discoveries in the world of science, technology, gadgetry, medicine, research, and much more with today’s launch of THE SCI-TECH HERETIC on BlastMagazine.com

“Boston is home to the world’s biggest risk-takers in science. Doctors dosing their patients with “Phase 0″ super-longevity compounds. Cyborgs trolling about with augmented vision and artificial smarts — and tracking chips under their skin. College professors moonlighting as UFOlogists and crypto-zoologists,” quipped Baard. “Now, the only place to meet these people is at Blast, and The Sci-Tech Heretic. I’m here because John Guilfoil knows a bit of our future lies inside all of that ‘crazy talk’ about science.”

The blog, located at http://heretic.blastmagazine.com covers everything from Scooby-Doo’s connection to Cryptology to artificial reality. It is the latest addition to BLAST: BOSTON’S ONLINE MAGAZINE, a 250,000-reader Generation Y-themed lifestyle publication founded here in Boston.

“This is simply a perfect fit for Blast,” said John M. Guilfoil, a Boston news reporter and the founder and editor-in-chief of Blast. “Our readers have a thirst for the latest technology. The weirder, the better.”

“Mark Baard is a name in the field of sci-tech in Boston,” Guilfoil continued. “He adds to Blast his level of professionalism, expertise, and name recognition in the local scene. We’re ecstatic to have him with is.”

“Blast is an outpost for real world journalism, in a world made surreal by out-of-control technology. There is simply no other place in Boston where you will find this kind of reporting, or The Sci-Tech Heretic,” said Baard. “John is brave and smart enough to try something different.”

ABOUT BLAST:

Launched at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 2007, BlastMagazine.com, Blast: Boston’s Online Magazine, has grown like a weed for three years. It is a Generation Y publication focused on young, hip Bostonia with a global vision. Blast covers music, movies, tv, video games, fashion, food, sex, relationships, science, health, technology, and more. The site also covers world, local and national news. According to Alexa.org, Blast is the third most followed online publication in Boston behind Boston.com and BostonHerald.com. Blast has more than 100 contributing writers, bureaus in New York and San Diego, and reporters on three continents.

Food! Eating is one of the original social conventions. Here’s a list of fun food events going on around Boston.

Tandoor cooking classes at Mantra

Hit The Naan Bar on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 and just $20 will get you a hands-on cooking class, one cocktail and a sampling of naans and kebabs. Learn from Chef Brar as he describes the fascinating history of hot clay cooking and go home with recipes for yogurt-based meat marinades. Who says the holidays have to be all about turkeys?

Chef-led tours of Shalimar Indian Foods & Spices

$20 goes a long way again. Head to Central Square on the first Saturday of every month for a one hour tour explaining various exotic ingredients used in Indian foods. You’ll get tips on how to use Indian spices holistically, plus a lunch at The Dosa Factory, a little month-old spot in the back of the shop.

Four great Monday Night Wine Clubs at Ashmont Grill next month

December 7 Holiday Punch Bowls, December 14 Super Tuscans, Dec. 21 Cabernet Four Ways, Dec. 28 Sparklers. $30 buys several generous pours of wine, an on site expert to introduce patrons to new tastes, plus three small plates of matching seasonal food from chef Sam Putnam.

Tailgate Menu at Tavolo every time the Patriots play

$20 again! Try special like White Bean Chile, Max’s Meatballs and Pork Belly Sliders. Each comes with two free draft beers! Tavolo opens at noon on Sundays for football fans. Free parking across the street.

Truro Vineyards Wine Club

An excellent holiday gift that keeps on giving all year; three annual shipments of four wines each (Truro makes about ten of them) plus chef-developed recipes for dishes that pair well with them. This Cape Cod winery is now the largest in Massachusetts, and can ship to 26 states ! Full club details on the web.

Sunday Suppers at CLIO

Just a few weeks old, but gaining momentum. Chef Ken Oringer gets chick-y with a different fried chicken recipe (from southern to Korean) every Sunday from 5:30 PM. Prix fixe $35 comes with accompaniments. Regular ala carte menu also served.

It’s a final fling for Chef Chris Chung of UNI

Chung exits in a few short weeks to open his own spot in Lincoln, but meanwhile, he’s pulling out all the stops at this intimate sashimi salon in the Eliot Hotel. Yes, sashimi is seasonal, so fall flavors and vegetables are likely to appear in tandem with cold water fish, and the results are spectacular. This place also has one of the most creative cocktail lists in town.

Troquet has Boston’s Best Wine List; but the food is also divine.

It’s suckling pig season again, and Chef Scott Hebert makes it succulent with chipotle, asiago grits and honey-glazed carrots. For dessert, try Sugared Pumpkin Souffle or Milk Chocolate-Hazelnut Millefeuille. Pastry Chef Sarah Woodfine loves to make ice cream, and it shows in her fresh nutmeg, mascarpone, roasted banana and cinnamon versions. A sampler platter is $9.75

French fare for Thanksgiving or Christmas Day? Why Not?

Petit Robert Bistro’s three locations will be open from 11-9 on both holidays serving their regular menu, plus celebratory blackboard specials created by Chef Jacky Robert. A pocketbook-friendly wine list makes PRB an informed choice.

So, get out this month and enjoy all the foodie fun Boston has to offer!

Police told the television station that, of youths arrested, 55 were charged with alcohol possession after the blew above .02 percent blood-alcohol content. Others were released to their parents.

The party’s hosts, three Colby-Sawyer students, identified by the television station as Lindsey Randlett, 21, Margaux O’Connell, 21, and Kayla Flynn, 20, were charged with hosting an underage drinking party.

The three live in a house that’s owned by the college and is located 200 yards away from a police station.

Colby-Sawyer College President Thomas C. Galligan Jr. said it was not immediately known what action the college would take. He said, in an e-mail to the news station: “We are aware of the incident last night but have not had a chance to review everything that happened and have not made any decision yet about what processes the college might undertake. Our primary concern is with our students’ education, well-being and safety. We are grateful no one was hospitalized or otherwise injured and will strive. As we understand more, to use these events as an opportunity for community discussion and education. It is normally not our policy to pursue College Community Council processes with events which occur off campus; however, we have not yet determined whether what we will do in this matter. I also do not believe that the lease specifically mentions under age drinking but in my experience it is not common in residential leases to expressly mention many types of illegal conduct. That failure to expressly include does not mean the conduct is condoned.”

In news news, CNN quickly replaced Lou Dobbs with the king of the touchscreen, John King. King will host a weeknight political show at 7 p.m.

Spike has a new cars show called “Unique Autosports: Miami,” starting February 28 at 10:30 a.m. There will be eight half hour episodes combining cars, celebrities and beautiful Miami. Guests will include LeBron James, Diddy, and players from the Yankees.

A bunch of news out of SyFy today. The network formerly known as Sci-Fi has a comedy series coming out called “Outer Space Astronauts” starting December 8 at 9:30 p.m. The show is about eight quirky soldiers who travel the stars looking for adventures. It’s basically making fun of Stargate, and it shows how much the network has changed in 10 years.

SyFy got good ratings on the premiere “Ghost Hunters Academy” on Wednesday, drawing 2 million total viewers, the best ratings for a reality series on SyFy since January 2008’s “Ghost Hunters International.”

Famed author Ray Bradbury will executive produce a six-episode miniseries about six of his short stories. “The Bradbury Chronicles” hasn’t been picked up by a network yet.

The Army Criminal Investigation Command told reporters Thursday that additional charges may be pending.

Hasan is now officially the defendant in the killing of 12 soldiers and a civilian employee on November 5. He was wounded by a heroic civilian police officer who took three shots, herself.

The new vampire flick represents 75 percent of the site’s ticket sales right now.

“Ever since we started selling advance tickets to New Moon on August 31, the demand has been unstoppable, as the fan base just keeps growing every day,” said Fandango Chief Operating Officer Rick Butler. “New Moon is tracking to be Fandango’s #1 top advance ticket-seller of all time.”

The Top 5 Advance Ticket-Sellers on Fandango (as of November 12, 2009) are as follows:

1. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
3. The Dark Knight (2008)
4. New Moon (2009)
5. Twilight (2008)

According to a Fandango survey of more than 2,000 New Moon ticket-buyers, the first Twilight movie helped fuel the fan frenzy that has carried over to the other installments in the series:

• 55 percent said the first Twilight movie inspired them to read all the books by Stephenie Meyer.
• 51 percent plan to see New Moon more than once in the theater.
• 61 percent said they have read the novel New Moon more than once.

“Dollhouse,” “Hank” and “Brothers” all got the proverbial pink slip. “Dollhouse” through no fault of its own was set in no man’s land Friday night and seemed destined for failure from the start of the second season. “Hank” and “Brothers” never got off the ground.

Elsewhere, The CW will things fresh through at least May with new episodes of “One Tree Hill,” “Gossip Girl” and the new “Life UneXpected” all revolving around each others. “One Tree Hill” premieres with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. on January 18, followed by the start of “Life UneXpected” at 9 p.m.

The at-times controversial news anchor Lou Dobbs announced live on the air and unexpectedly that he was resigning from CNN immediately. Dobbs was under contract until the end of 2011, but CNN apparently released him. He was by some measure the voice of the right for CNN, though his views on immigration made him a lightning rod at times.

The innovative Joss Whedon drama’s second season was a disaster from the start with a Friday night time slot it had to share with “Stargate Universe” and the fans’ social calendars. DVR couldn’t save it, either.

A few weeks ago, FOX announced it would pull “Dollhouse” during the November sweeps period due to low ratings, and yesterday the rest of the ax came down. FOX will air all 13 episodes of the second season starting on December 4, however.

Are you a die-hard Dollhouse fan? What do you think of this? Share your thoughts below.

“In the midst of my creative journey composing The Fame Monster, there came an exciting revelation that this was in fact my sophomore album,” Lady Gaga said in a statement. “I would not add, nor take away any songs from this EP; it is a complete conceptual and musical body of work that can stand on its own two feet.”

The standard and deluxe versions of The Fame Monster will be released on November 23. The collector’s edition super-deluxe version will be released on December 15.

Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “LoveGame” and “Paparazzi” have all been #1 hits.

The 19-year-old Swift is the youngest performer to ever win the award and the first woman since Shania Twain in 1999.

“I’ll never forget this moment,” an emotional Swift said in a statement, “because at this moment everything that I have ever wanted just happened to me.” Swift also joked about her infamous Kanye West interruption experience at the VMA’s. “I want to thank every single person here tonight for not running up on stage during this speech,” she joked.

In other news, Sugarland picked up their third consecutive Vocal Duo of the Year Award.

Of several noteworthy performances, four-time Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney performed the duet “I’m Alive” with Dave Matthews.

Here are the winners:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brad Paisley

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Sugarland

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Darius Rucker

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Fearless
Taylor Swift
Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift
Big Machine Records

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“I Run To You”
Lady Antebellum
Produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley
Capitol Records Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR
“In Color”
Written by Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller and James Otto

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Start A Band”
Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban)
Arista Nashville

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Love Story”
Taylor Swift
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Mac McAnally – Guitar

Here is a statement released by organizers of the event that Levasseur was scheduled to speak at:

The U.S. Parole Commission has unexpectedly denied Ray Luc Levasseur permission to travel to Massachusetts tomorrow. Though Ray Luc Levasseur will not attend, the talk and forum entitled “The Great Western Massachusetts Sedition Trial: Twenty Years Later” will nonetheless take place on Thursday November 12 at 7:15 p.m. at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in School of Management Room 137. Participants will include sedition trial defendant Pat Levasseur, members of the 1989 Springfield sedition trial legal defense team, and a juror from the trial.

In the 2008 conversation between parents Michael and Dina Lohan, the magazine reports that Michael tells Dina that he represents the bad things in Lindsay’s life but his ex-wife interrupts him to say, “her cutting herself and hurting herself? Yeah, it’s bad Michael, it’s bad.”

It’s been a quick road downhill since “The Parent Trap.” Lindsay is the stereotype of a hot mess, and she doesn’t have the popularity of a “Britney” to dig herself out of it. Britney Spears was/is a hot mess, but all she has to do is make another song every time she needs to solve her problems — and it can be any song. She can belch into the microphone and it will to platinum.

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (Media credit: KCSPresse / Splash News Online)

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner arrived in Paris on Monday and checked into a luxurious hotel before going out for a late dinner where they met up with Fergie, People reported.

They did a press event on Tuesday and got ready to leave for the next stop on their European “New Moon” press tour.

But Robert and Kristen were among the last to leave.

“[Pattinson and Stewart] were the last ones to leave the terminal to board the plane,” one photographer on the scene told People. “Out on the tarmac, he took her hand, like young lovers. They stopped and looked at each other, their plane, the scene. They seemed very calm, in love. They continued holding hands boarding the plane.”

Let the comments begin.

In the news today, ABC made some moves, giving an order for five more episodes of “The Forgotten,” and canceling the new series “Eastwick,” which nobody watched.

ABC also nixed “Let’s Dance,” on news that Kathy Griffin was to host and celebrities weren’t flocking to join the show, according to reports. ABC will use a filler reality series in that time slot, instead of “Let’s Dance,” which was set to debut November 23.

“Lopez Tonight” scored 3.2 million viewers on TBS, TNT and truTV when it premiered Monday, beating Conan O’Brien and David Letterman in the 18-34 demographic.

truTV will launch a new reality series about professional football, going behind the scenes from draft day to the Big Game in “NFL Full Contact” produced by NFL films.

The CW will premiere “Life Unexpected” January 18, tagging in for “Gossip Girl,” until that mega-popular show returns with 12 more episodes later in 2010.

Finally, Nielsen has reported that Americans are watching more television than ever before, with an average of four hours and 49 minutes per day, per American. This is a 20 percent increase from 10 years ago. We have more choices than ever, and we can DVR anything we want. Life is good, right?

Blast takes time to remember Veteran’s Day — or Remembrance Day as it’s called in Sachin Seth’s home country Canada.

The Terra Blog reporter remembers the Christmas Eve truce during WWI. It’s a story that should be told as often as possible.

Muhammad and his teenage accomplice shot people, leaving a trail of 10 dead, as they purchased gasoline, went shopping, and mowed their lawns.

The AP said Muhammad gave no final statement before his lethal injection at a symbolic 9:11 p.m. at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va.

Of those, 34 were injured from gunshot wounds. Fifteen remained in the hospital today, and 19 have been released. Three are still in intensive care. Twelve are in recovery rooms.

A&E will premiere two episodes of “Intervention” at 9 p.m. and 9:30 followed by the second season premiere of “Hoarders” at 10 on November 30. This is the eighth season of “Intervention.”

Evolution Media, producer of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County” is working on a men’s reality series called “Boys Club: ATL.”

The event will go on next year, August 20-28, but the pen company will drop its sponsorship when its contract is up after that.

The register reported that Pilot Pen has been sponsor of the annual event, which features a men’s and women’s tournament, since 1996. It is held in downtown New Haven, near the Yale Bowl and Yale Field in the 13,000-seat Connecticut Tennis Center. The newspaper reported that Pilot Pen put up $1.4 million annually for the tournament.

“We firmly believe that Pilot Pen Corporation’s long-term support of the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament has helped us grow the sport of tennis in the Northeast and put us in a solid position to attract a new title sponsor,” tournament director Anne Worcester said in a statement “This tournament has developed into an entertainment event featuring some of the world’s best professional tennis players as well as many off-court events which have expanded our reach to all types of fans. A combined men’s and women’s tournament is a very desirable sports property and will appeal to national and regional partners alike.”

“We have enjoyed being the title sponsor of the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament” said Dennis Burleigh, President and CEO of Pilot Pen Corporation of America in the same statement. “Unfortunately, the economic recession has severely impacted our consumers and the office products industry in particular, necessitating this difficult decision.”

CID would not speculate but said it was looking for anyone who “may have inadvertently left the scene” of the November 5 shooting that left 13 people dead.

“The above mentioned individuals will greatly assist the Fort Hood office of the U.S. Army CID and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in their bullet
trajectory analysis of the scene to ensure the comprehensiveness of the ongoing investigations,” the Army said in a statement.

Twelve soldiers and one civilian employee were killed.

Lt. Col. Juanita L. Warman, 55, of Havre De Grace, Md. She was assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Mo.

Maj. Libardo Caraveo, 52, of Woodbridge, Va. He was assigned to the 467th Medical Detachment, Madison, Wis.

Capt. John P. Gaffaney, 54, of San Diego, Calif. He was assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Mo.

Capt. Russell Seager, 51, of Racine, Wis. He was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, Madison, Wis.

Staff Sgt. Justin Decrow, 32, of Plymouth, Ind. He was assigned to the 16th Signal Company, 62nd Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis. She was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, Madison, Wis.

Spc. Jason Hunt, 22, of Tillman, Okla. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, of Mountain City, Tenn. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

Pfc. Aaron Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, Utah. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolinbrook, Ill. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, Minn. He was assigned to the Forward Support Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago, Ill. She was assigned to the 15th Combat Support Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

Chief Warrant Officer retired Michael Cahill of Cameron, Texas. He was a civilian employee on Fort Hood.

News on this Monday morning, The Disney/ABC/NBC/Universal/Heart television partnership announced it was cutting 10 percent of jobs at A&E and Lifetime, which the TV group acquired in August.

While Lifetime is cutting, Showtime is adding. The premium network will be the first to air “Twilight” on January 23. On January 25, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” airs at 10 p.m. and “Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union” at 10:30. Monday will be comedy night next ytear with “Nurse Jackie” at 10 and “united States of Tara” at 10:30. Showtime also announced that the fourth and final season of “The Tudors” will premiere April 11 at 9 p.m.

Bravo announced that “The Real Housewives of Orange County” attracted nearly 50 percent more viewers on its season five opener last Thursday than it did last year.

TNT acquired the exclusive syndication rights to the CBS drama “The Mentalist” which will start airing the cable network way out in 2012. “The Mentalist” is in its second season. USA Network got exclusive cable syndication rights to the hit CBS spin-off “NCIS Los Angeles.”

A ton of A&E news today. A&E has a reality miniseries about the Jackson Family called “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty” scheduled to start December 13 at 9 p.m. with a two hour premiere. The series will focus on Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon Jackson preparing for a tour after the death of Michael. A&E also announced that it approved an hour-long pilot for “Sugarloaf” about a Chicago cop who gets fired after his captain shoots him and wrongfully accuses him of sleeping with his wife. The cop moves to Florida and joins the state police. A&E’s new drama “The Quickening” will star Jeffrey Nordling, John Heard and Michael Arden with Radha Mitchell. The show is about a cop who gets demoted to desk work after it surfaces that he’s bipolar.

Finally this morning, HBO is planning a new drama called “T” about a woman who undergoes gender transformation into a man. No word on an air date.

Locally, Representative Edward J. Markey (D), issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed a historic bill to reform the health care system Saturday night:

“This historic vote for comprehensive health care reform is exactly what I came here to Congress do,” said Markey. “Thirty three years ago, I called for comprehensive health care reform in my first congressional campaign. And today, I am proud to say we are closer than ever to fulfilling that dream.”

Quickly responding to the bill’s passage, Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO) released his own statement tonight:

“Do not be mistaken, the only thing this health care bill will do is make our nation sicker. It will cut care for our seniors, it will kill millions of jobs, it will raise taxes, and it will strangle our economy,” Coffman said,
“Also, be clear — a vote against this bill is not a vote against reform. It is a vote against reckless spending that jeopardizes our children’s future, and their children’s future. It is a vote against a trillion dollar government takeover of health care, and it is a vote against the radical liberal agenda that threatens our freedom. I cannot in good conscience support a bill our nation cannot afford and does not need – this 1,990 page monstrosity is just that.”

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America expressed their own disappointment with the bill:

“Just last week, the House Democratic Leadership unveiled a 1,990 page bill that was touted as the byproduct of months of negotiations between House Democratic Leadership and members of the moderate and more liberal factions of their caucus yet the ‘revised’ bill closely resembles the original bill,” says Robert Rusbuldt, IIABA president & CEO. “The Big ‘I’ is greatly disappointed that after months of negotiations, hearings, votes and debate in three House committees we seem to be back on square one: a bad bill that includes a ‘public option’ and deprives the American people of true choices in their health care.”

The major labor union, AFL-CIO, struck back, supporting the decision to pass the bill:

“By voting for the Affordable Health Care for America Act, the U.S. House of Representatives took a momentous step toward realizing fair, quality, affordable health care for America,” the union said. “We heard a lot of rhetoric today, but in the end it boils down to this: It is time to say “yes” to a more secure future for Americans – and that is how the majority in the House of Representatives answered. … We applaud Speaker Pelosi, the other members of the leadership and the majority in the House of Representatives for bringing us closer than ever to our long-held goal.”

NUMB3RS might be getting the boot after six years.

CBS is making some mid-season changes. It is cutting the season order of “NUMB3RS” to 16 episodes, down from 22. This is in order to make room for shows like the reality “Undercover Boss” and the dramas “Miami Trauma,” “Flashpoint,” and “The Bridge.” Numbers gets cut short in its sixth season.

The fate of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is up in the air. One report has it that Oprah will switch from broadcast to cable when her contract with CBS expires in 2011. Oprah would then be tree to move to her own cable network, which launches next fall. But CBS says they know nothing of any moves the talk-show diva is looking to make.

Also on the topic of talk shows, NBC has renewed “Maury,” “Springer,” and “Steve Wilkos” for at least three more years. Tribune, the company that syndicates these shows, also announced that some of its other shows, including “People’s Court,” “Judge Matis,” “TMZ,” “This Old House” and “Judge Jeanine Pirro” are renewed through 2012.

Scipps is purchasing a 65 percent majority stake in the Travel Channel from Cox Communications, pouring millions of dollars into the 22-year-old cable network and securing its near billion-dollar debt.

Comedy Central is teaming up with The Onion to produce a 30-minute television series inspired by The Onion Sports Network.

Finally this week, FX has a Western drama series under construction called “Reconstruction,” set in Missouri during the post-Civil War era.

ABC announced that “The Bachelor: On Wings of Love” will premiere January 4 at 8 p.m. This is the 14th edition of the reality show, and it will feature commercial airline pilot, Jake Pavelka, from Dallas, who was in the most recent “Bachelorette” only to fail.

FOX has a cool new CIA drama in the works from Chernin Entertainment, Variety reported. It’s untitled but it will be about a unit of the CIA that does “remote viewing,” finding out information using paranormal skills. No word on the cast.

In other FOX news, Colin Hanks will star in “Jack and Dan” opposite Bradley Whitford. Hanks will play Jack, a detective teamed up with a drunken maverick partner. This one will premiere in early 2010.

“Scott Brown knows that you don�t create jobs by making government bigger, letting spending get out of control and increasing taxes,� said Healey, in a statement. �Scott has been a leader in the never-ending battle to restrain state spending, and that is exactly the kind of leadership we need in Washington right now.�

Healey also said that she worked closely with Brown when she was lieutenant governor under Mitt Romney: �The Massachusetts taxpayer has a great friend in Scott Brown and he was a solid ally in our efforts to balance the budget and create new jobs.�

�I am proud to have the support of Kerry Healey, who is a strong fiscal conservative with a record of opposing taxes and higher spending,� said Brown, responding, in a statement.

Brown (Wrentham) is in his third term as a State Senator.

In addition to the thrills of Superman�s weekly adventures, each episode included a mini-segment called Superman Family Album that told the �real� story of what it was like to grow up as the most powerful boy in Smallville.

Joe Ruby and Ken Spears talked about the DVD and series recently, and the studio sent the interview over:

QUESTION: How was the title character developed for your Superman series?

JOE RUBY: �We went through a lot of different directions in development as to what kind of Superman we wanted. We had several different models � the crying/feeling Superman, the lecturing/do-gooder/save-the-day Superman, then there was the hip Superman and even the long-haired Superman. And, of course, there was the old straight-as-an-arrow Superman. Ultimately, we settled on the Christopher Reeve model � he had personality and a sense of humor, and yet he was still Superman. We figured that it worked for the films, so it would work well for us.�

QUESTION: Why were there only 13 episodes to the entire series?

JR: �I think the problem for us was our timeslot. It turned out 8:30 in the morning was a killer for Superman. Only the little kids were up, and they don�t understand Superman as well as the older kids. It wasn�t for 4- to 5-year-olds�

QUESTION: Was there a guiding theme to the series?

KEN SPEARS: �I think we were true to Superman to begin with � we produced a show that the audience expected Superman to be. He was the tried and true Superman, That�s who they wanted to see � that�s the feedback that we continue to get today.�

JR: �We basically had Superman tackling anything and everything, with the marching orders to have bigger-than-life fights.�

QUESTION: What did you see as the strength of your Superman series?

KS: �We had the best talent in the business at the time � that was our strength. They were excellent. When you first create a show, you hope your talent will be able to plus it � and they really plussed it. There are so many shots in the show that weren�t written into the script � those kind of great additions come straight from the artists and the storyboarders.

JR: �We had a pretty amazing crew � and an especially great crew of artists � including some of the best comic book guys in the business, and that made for good filmmaking. Guys like John Dorman and Gil Kane � we had an army of great talent on that show. Give credit to John Dorman � he�s a filmmaker and that�s the difference. He made sure the show had all the creative shots, the movement, some of that great left-to-right or down-angle camera moves. The show was well paced, well boarded, and I think John really put these things together well.�

QUESTION: Did splitting the production between two overseas studios in Japan and Korea cause any problems?

JR: �It was an experience for us, from a production standpoint, traveling overseas and working with two different interpreters having to translate in three different languages. They�d be answering before I�d get done with my question. It was the worst torture I ever had in my life.�

QUESTION: Looking back now, can you see how Ruby-Spears Superman fits in the canon of productions surrounding the Man of Steel?

JR: �As a kid, we all grew up with Superman. He�s the favorite, always. Your heroes stick with you. So we wanted to make the best Superman show we could, to really set it apart. I think everyone that worked on it felt that way. He�s Superman.�

KS: �It was like an honor to do something that classy and classic as Superman. He�s the No. 1 guy. We wanted to do it justice.�

Those will all get lost in the shadow of Game 6 of the World Series at 8 p.m. on FOX where the Yankees will hope to close it out against the Phillies.

In other news, CBS ordered five more episodes of “Accidentally on Purpose,” giving it an 18-episode season run so far. The show averages 8 million viewers per episode.

In an effort to draw viewers to “Lopez Tonight,” TBS announced that both TNT and truTV will simulcast the episode, which will feature guest stars Ellen DeGeneres, Eva Longoria-Parker and Kobe Bryant. Afterward, “Lopez Tonight” will air Monday through Thursday at 11 on TBS.

It was announced recently that Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will serve as dual hosts for the 82nd Academy Awards in March. That should be a treat. Martin hosted the 73rd and 75th ceremonies previously.

The FX comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” will enter syndication on at least 23 local affiliates beginning in Fall 2011. The list includes local Boston affiliate WLVI-TV, CW-56.

Kathy Griffin will host the latest new dancing reality show, “Let’s Dance,” where celebs will reenact famous dance routines. This one premieres November 23 after the “Dancing with the Stars” performance finale.

Finally today, A&E will launch a documentary series about Kirstie Alley and her continuing struggles with her weight and live as a single mom. No title or air date yet.

Happy freaking Halloween. Now listen to three of our hungover editors talk about what’s in Blast this month.

The World Series is off tonight as it returns to New York for game six, so you can expect everything to be watching “V” tonight. “NCIS” and “NCIS Los Angeles” are also on, on CBS.

The other premiere we’ll mention tonight is “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover,” which starts at 10 on Bravo. We’re so happy for Tabatha, who gave an interview with Blast shortly before her disappointing exit from “Shear Genius.”

In other news, TNT cut a deal with Warner Bros. Television to obtain NBC’s canceled “Southland.” The cable network will have exclusive rights to the 13 episodes, which includes seven unaired episodes. It will air on TNT on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. starting in January.

G4 will renew “Human Wrecking Balls,” for a second season starting November 11 at 8 p.m. The show, with the daredevil Pumphrey brothers who wreck things like helicopters and gas stations. So grab your Cheeze-Its and cola, all you hyperactive nerds, and tune into G4 for shit getting destroyed.

FOX announced that the Charles Logan character will be back on “24,” as actor Gregory Itzin is back for season eight, which starts January 17 at 9 p.m. and continues a two-night, hour-hour opener the next night at 8.

Variety reported that executive producers Ian Sander and Kim Moses have three possibly big projects in the works for ABC. In “Jane and Dick,” an all-female law firm has all sorts of fun and drama. “Police Surgeon,” is about a female cop in Chicago who’s also a doctor. Clever name. Finally, in “Ghost World,” (the duo also does “Ghost Whisperer on CBS) an female homicide detective in New York solves cases with the help of a male ghost who also needs to find out how he lived and died.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio will join USA’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” as the new captain, replacing Eric Bogosian.

PBS began as little more than a string of local educational programs. Over the last four decades, shows like “Sesame Street,” “The American Experience,” “Masterpiece” and “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” have touched the lives of many Americans.

“Over the years, PBS has built a reputation for excellent programs and objectivity,” the Census Burean said in a statement.

The Public Broadcasting System has more than 350 stations, which come together collectively to own the network.

There’s a decent amount of news on this Monday. FOX gave a full sixth season order to the animated hit “American Dad” about a CIA agent voiced by Seth MacFarlane, who also created “Family Guy.” The show airs at 9:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Discovery will order a second season of “Swords Life on the Line” about the lives of New England fishermen. Discovery Channel also approved a series called “Airplane Repo” about a team that repossesses jets and helicopters from owners who defaulted on the loans. This will start early next year.

Writer Josh Heald, who has films “Hot Tub Time Machine” and “Mardi Gras” slated for release next year, also has a few TV projects in the works. “Sausagefest,” will be a comedy on NBC about two 20-something best friends with totally different fathers — one of which will be played by Norm Macdonald. The second show will be a FOX comedy called “Sequestered,” about 12 strangers who have to live together during a long jury trial. The show will mainly focus on their time outside the courtroom where they are allowed to talk about anything except the ongoing trial.

World Series big game tonight, so ABC has “Dancing with the Stars,” FOX eventually has “So You Think You Can Dance,” and NBC has the defunct “Trauma,” What a night. Even Bostonians will be watching baseball.

It’s like Blast’s reverse PMS.

This time we’re giving yous guys 50 — FIFTY — passes to “The Men Who Stare At Goats” staring George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Spacey.

And there’s more. Each of the FIFTY passes we’re giving away admit you and a guest. That’s 100 people in Boston who are going to see a movie exclusively because you read Blast.

You know the drill by now. Register an account or log-in and post a comment saying you want tix.

The screening is November 5 at 7 p.m. at the Boston Common AMC theater.