Are Laws Meaningless?
Trolling through the news today, it is clear that this country has a problem. People, and companies made up of people, are not willing to accept the rules that are made for them. Forget Paris Hilton, just for today. In this case, I am talking about the passport regulations that the Bush Administration is “suspending” in order to allow people to go on their vacations to places like Bermuda, Mexico, or parts of the Carribean. I guess the State Department is backed up in processing lots of passport applications, and the government of course doesn’t want to inconvenience anyone’s travel plans. So the people can show a receipt that they are waiting on the application. I pose this question: what would be easier for terrorists to forge: a passport, or a receipt claiming the passport was in the mail? I am thinking the latter. But Bush and his cronies would have us believe that it is worth that risk of less security, so that we can make sure some people who were not keeping their passports up to date properly, can go to Bermuda for some fun in the sun.
This is not an isolated incident. I recall cases like major car manufacturers balking on California emissions/fuel economy regulations. The government will pass tough laws, then people or companies will complain that they “don’t have time” to comply, or that it would be too tough to do it in the time frame dictated. So the government, acting like the big wimp that it is, will often turn tail, and bow to the demands of the corporations, or the complainers. I usually lean liberal/libertarian, but Republicans have been talking about this problem for years. Enforcement of laws is not consistent, and needs to be taken more seriously. Before we change laws or “relax” them, let’s try enforcing them, and then see where we get with that strategy. I will not right now espouse how border/immigration law enforcements might be a good solution to the immigration debate. After all, I need some yard work done this weekend, and I want to pay cash under the table. Ssshh!
Cartoonish Justice
Sigh…I guess I should have seen this coming. Paris Hilton was released from jail today. Apparently, the waifish celebutante was refusing to eat her prison rations, and this “medical condition” caused her to be sent home for house arrest. There are thousands of people who would pay lots of money to live in Paris’ house for 45 days. Obviously, the system is being bent over and spanked by a rich and powerful family. Is there any way that us little people who don’t own hotel chains can find justice?
What is justice really? According to dictionary.com, justice is the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness. In Paris’ case, there is not much fairness or rightness about her being allowed to break the law and then go home because she doesn’t like jail food. In many cases these days, it seems that personal responsibility is not only being ignored, but the system is encouraging just that. Lewis Libby is going to jail for lying to the authorities in the Valerie Plame case. But no one has been charged with leaking her name to the press, which is an obvious breach of national security. So where is the justice in that? An undercover CIA agent is exposed, and we yawn. So If we are not going to hold our political leaders to high standards for behavior, why should we hold tabloid celebrities to any standard at all?
The problem is that the fault in these matters falls directly on YOU, the reader! And me, of course. All of us who have not written letters to elected officials, or marched in a public demonstration have not done their part in the process. Are we not a government by the people and for the people? Posting on a message board is nice, but ultimately not enough. When CBS cancelled the television show “Jericho”, fans were outraged, and sent 25 tons of peanuts to the network, prompting them to rethink their decision. So it is obvious what we need to do. If you don’t like the Plame investigation, send outraged letters to your local Congressmen and Senators. It sounds played, but you can make a difference if you get involved. Here is a link to the LA country Sheriff’s Department website, where they have listings for all sorts of people you can voice your distress to. Me? I am thinking about whether or not to mail them boxes of cashews or walnuts. Probably the cashews, since they look like deformed peanuts, and (can you feel it coming?), this situation is an example of DEFORMED justice. Snap!
UPDATE: According to TMZ, the release of this prisoner was to prevent her having a nervous breakdown. LA top Sheriff Lee Baca signed off on this, so this goes to show the idiocy goes straight to the top. Because there is no way other prisoners are sitting in their cells being nervous. Is Lee going to send them all home?
UPDATE #2: She’s going back in the clink! Hurray for Cashews! And the filter, for making it happen, of course.
No bully could spell like this!
Ah, it’s springtime again. Time for picnics, college lacrosse, and the best thing of all…children who can spell antidisestablishmentarianism! The Scripps National Spelling Bee concluded yesterday, with the championship going to California’s own Evan O’Dorney. O’Dorney beat out many other pretenders to the crown, and become the latest in the annals of superstar spellers.
Each year I get jazzed for the Bee. There are two main things that thrill me about it. The first is the pure competition. These young people are under tremendous pressure, studying spelling for years just for this purpose. Jonathan Horton, one of the favorites, had been in the Bee for years, studying hours a day, and then he got the boot on his first word of the final round. Since this was his last year of eligibility…that’s it. His competitive spelling career is essentially over, and he is not even fifteen years old. So watching these kids live and die by the dictionary has a certain appeal.
My favorite example of this is when Akshay Buddiga fainted on stage right in the middle of his turn. A lesser competitor might have accepted help or medical aid, but Akshay had the resolve to get right up and nail the word! This is guts and glory at its finest. And it is not just the kids that take this seriously. This year the parents of ousted favorite Samir Patel appealed his elimination, claiming a pronunciation variation cost him his chance at the title. The appeal was, thankfully, rejected. After all, the Bee was made for winners, not whiners!
The second reason to love the Bee, which I suspect is the main reason for many people watching, is the personalities of the spellers. Many of these kids are home-schooled, and that makes for some interesting sound bytes. The most famous, and one of my favorites, is Rebecca Sealfon, the champion of the 1997 Bee. Rebecca just oozes personality and enthusiasm, as you can see in her spelling the championship word, “euonym”. She knew this word, as she started to celebrate before she actually spelled it. If she had made an error, it would have been similar to Lindsey Jacobellis botching her gold medal in the 2006 Olympics. Thankfully for Rebecca, spelling doesn’t have as much opportunity for showboating. Check out Rebecca’s post game interview. A true classic. And sometimes these kids are funny on purpose too.
My only real complaint with the Bee is that they need to stop buying all the kids’ shirts in the same size. Can’t the National Spelling Bee afford to buy a variety of rugby shirt sizes? Good lord, some of these kids are basically wearing dresses. Sadly, the Bee is now over, and we are left waiting another twelve months for the next generation of whiz kids to make us laugh, cry, cheer, and feel stupid. I for one, cannot wait until next spring. And if I mis-spelled any words in this column, don’t blame me. I went to public skool.
Would Josh be proud of his Dad?
I am sure that by now many people are familiar with the tragic death of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock. If you have followed this story, you are likely aware that the 29 year-old had more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit when he crashed his car into a tow-truck. Read further, and you learn he was also talking on his cell phone when the crash happened. On top of that, he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt. So there are at least 3 things (*read on for #’s 4 and 5) that Josh did wrong that night. And he paid the price for it with his life.
At first, I thought it was sad that Josh made these fatal mistakes. But today I found out that this death really wasn’t his fault. I feel so stupid, since I always thought people should not drink in excess. I mean, unless someone is forcing you to drink (let’s say with an IV in your arm) you are pretty much supposed to know when you have had too much. I also feel dumb for thinking that cell phones impair your ability to drive. There are many states that are passing laws about driving while taking; but I guess I mistook that for common sense. Oh, and I also had to call up Bobby Hurley, and ask him why he preached wearing a seatbelt in all those PSA’s after he was almost killed. I am embarrassed that I believed in Bobby, when I guess wearing your seatbelt isn’t something that results in bodily injury.
If you are not detecting my sarcasm, then you likely find nothing wrong with the lawsuit that Josh Hancock’s father has filed in regard to his son’s death. He is suing the bar that served Josh drinks. I have heard of this before, where bartenders are held accountable for serving drinks to drunks. I don’t agree with it, but I have heard of it. The thing that really sticks out is that not only is Mr. Hancock suing the bar, he is suing the towing company that owns the tow-truck his son hit, AND the driver of the car that was being towed. Let’s review this again, so all the kids can learn a good lesson. He is suing the driver of the car that was in need of assistance, because his drunk son was talking on his cell phone, while not wearing a seatbelt, and crashed his car into the tow-truck. And died.
Where has common sense gone? Where has personal responsibility gone? Does Mrs. Hancock actually believe that this person whose car was stalled caused his son’s death? According to the police report, the car stalled after being spun out when some other bad driver cut him off. So if we continue Mr. Hancock’s line of thinking, we need to locate that driver, and sue them for spinning this other guy out to begin with. And while we are doing that, shouldn’t we sue that driver’s driving instructor from high school, who obviously didn’t teach him not to cut people off?
Ideally, the judge or jury involved in this case will see past this ridiculous grab for post mortem satisfaction, and throw the case out. I had a family member (my 22 year old cousin) who died from blunt head trauma after getting dunk and falling off a bridge. I guess when my family came to the realization that it was a sad event, and we wished my cousin hadn’t had so much to drink, we were misplacing our grief. Maybe if Mr. Hancock was in the family, we would have channeled our grief into anger, and sued the city where this happened. Or better yet, the inventor of gravity!
*And if you want to know about Josh Hancock’s 4 and 5 mistakes:
I read that Josh was speeding at the time of the crash, and police found 8.55 grams of marijuana in his vehicle. But I am sure Mr. Hancock will find the people other than his son that are responsible for that as well. As for me, I will expect to be contacted by Mr. Hancock’s lawyers in the next few days. But in court I plan to blame my parents for instilling the values in me that made me write this column. Then I will sue them.
Put me in Coach! I’m ready to fight fight fight…cops
The Mahoning Valley HitMen are an indoor football team based in Ohio. Their incoming running back Maurice Clarett was arrested this morning after being maced by police. Seems Clarett had a number of loaded guns in his vehicle at the time, and was non-cooperative with officers. Without getting into a long drawn out discussion of why Clarett is a dunderhead, let’s discuss his new coach. Jim Terry, who also owns the team, had a reaction of: “I’ve seen far worse situations than this.” He added that the encounter Clarett had with the cops will not affect his status with the team. Way to go coach! Way to enable more potentially dangerous men to have no professional ramifications from wrongdoing! Sure we’ve all seen worse, but driving around with many loaded guns and getting into skirmishes with police is not exactly jaywalking.
What is Terry’s motivation here? On the cynical side, we might assume that Terry simply doesn’t care about people with dangerous weapons mixing it up with police, and wants a running back to gain lots of yards and score touchdowns. That might sound believable, but Clarett stinks these days last I heard. Then again, I suppose a team that is offering open tryouts to anyone could embrace a player that had at least one great college season, instead of a local bartender looking to live out his dream. (That sounds like a movie I heard of) On the hopeful side, maybe Terry thinks that by giving Clarett another chance, he can finally get his life sorted out. While the first idea is irresponsible, this one seems merely stupid. If a guy like Clarett is in trouble in his life, the place for him is with a therapist or doctor of mental health, not on some football field where anger and aggression can be rewarded. If society thinks a man like Clarett is worthy of being saved, we should be trying to get him emotional help, not ask him to carry a team of the Eastern Indoor Football League. Ironically, on the HitMen website, using the mouse to select different menu options produces a sound effect like a gunshot. I should mention that Clarett was originally tazered, but was wearing a bulletproof vest, so the police then had to mace him. Looks like Mo really was fixing to be a real hit-man. And, you know, his coach is cool with that.
Yankers Pull A Boner
It is common knowledge that George Steinbrenner does not like the World Baseball Classic. Recently a sign was put up at Yankees spring training, which you can see here. I guess the Yankee fans that were expecting to see Derek, A-Rod, and Johnny Damon are miffed that their heroes are not there, but the Yankees employees are sick of answering their questions. Steinbrenner, never one to pass up a chance to be whiny, denied (through a spokesperson) that he had the sign put up. It has since been taken down. Who knows if the Boss ordered this, but he is “The Boss”, so he gets the fingers pointed at him for what happens in his organization.
I don’t like the WBC, but for far different reasons than Georgie boy. He doesn’t want his prima donnas getting hurt. But I think there is something fishy about a tournament where many players who are American citizens are playing for countries like The Netherlands or Italy. Even in the Olympics, when players try to compete for countries they are not from, they are at least switching citizenship, like Tanith Belbin went through before this year’s Turin Games. If players can just switch around, depending on their grandparents, then what is the point of claiming there are different countries participating at all? The passport should be the ultimate determinant as to what country you are allowed to play for.
Super domes
Bald dudes have been kicking some serious ass lately.
If you watched “The Daily Show” last night, you might have noticed shiny-topped Rob Corddry, typically the best correspondent on the show, filling in for host Jon Stewart. Stewart is great and all with his clever wit and sarcasm, but the weird thing is Corddry was a breath of fresh air to a show getting a tad bit stale, even if his Hitler-Anne Frank joke went over like Danish cartoons in the Muslim world and his Will Arnette interview was way too buddy-buddy (they do get points from mentioning the Burlington Mall though).
Now comes news that Corddry has landed the title role in Fox’s pilot “Becoming Glen,” which is described by the Hollywood Reporter like this:
“Becoming Glen” centers on a successful fortysomething man who looks back at 1994, when he was a 32-year-old slacker (Corddry) living with his parents and spending all his time lying on the couch watching TV.
OK, a little “Get A Life,” but still, Corddry’s involved. Continues after the jump »
The ultimate tech geek gifts?
I was on FARK.com scouring for some fun and weird news and I came across Fosfor Gadgets’ Top 10 Wierdest USB Devices Ever list. I can’t help but ask, “Why oh why do some of these products exist?” Then I realized, with geeks like The Filter’s Chris Coleman, there is always a market for anything that plugs into a ‘puter.
One of the items that I think could be lots of fun is The USB Air Darts (pictured above). Though I do not work in a cubicle-type office setting, I’d imagine these could really come in handy if I did. I assume I’d be a Jim Halpert type if I were to work in that type of setting, and if there was a Dwight that I could torment with USB Air Darts, I certainly would… a bargain at only around $35, I’d pay much more because you can’t put a price on shooting darts at your co-workers with your computer. Continues after the jump »
This just in: Thinking is outlawed!
Ok, so maybe I am going a bit far and I am admittedly quite the left-leaning Commie Pinko… but as we approach the inevitable appointment of another NeoCon to the high courts, I am very weary that our civil liberties are just about ready to take another hit. The fillibuster launched by Senator John Kerry failed and the final vote will be taking placed today… in fact, by the time you read this, Mr. Alito will probably be slated to officially be inducted as Supreme Court Justice Alito.
It’s a really rough trade off to be gaining Samuel Alito, an obviously biased man with a questionable history in the public eye, in exchange for Sandra Day O’Connor, a very fair-minded woman who did not show much (if any) political bias during her very successful run in Supreme Court. With another uber-Consersative already recently appointed to Chief Justice, the balance is shifting towards some very one-sided decisions coming from this new justice league. Continues after the jump »
Land of chocolate
Last week, my boy Jeff alerted me to comments made by New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin (video). I’m sorry I’m a little late in posting them, but better late than never.
First off, when the following remarks get to be regarded as the less-crazy statements, you know you’ve got a problem.
“Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it’s destroyed and put stress on this country,” Nagin, who is black, said as he and other city leaders marked Martin Luther King Day.
“Surely he doesn’t approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We’re not taking care of ourselves.”
Almighty, my ass
Why oh why must Hollywood milk things on every opportunity? Some movies do not need sequels… for instance Bruce Almighty. I know I may be late in learning of plans for the sequel, Evan Almighty, but that doesn’t make it any less of a bad idea now than it was when it was first announced. And, furthermore, the director apparently intends on turning it into a series. On CHUD.com Steve Carell says:
“I know Tom Shadyac is hoping that it is a series, and then a couple of years down the road … Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller or somebody else, God comes to them and they need to achieve something and sort of learn, and it’ll be a very sweet movie. It’ll be a nice family movie.”
The future installments are beyond where my concern can be focused at this point… I am way to worried about this Evan flick. True, Carell is awesome… I could watch The Office day and night… 40 Year Old Virgin was outstanding… but Evan was a dry and static character. I mean, he served his purpose in Bruce Almighty and Carell played him well. Is he worthy of his own movie? The clear answer is, “NO”.
How many movies can we ruin with sequels that shouldn’t exist? It’s a question not much unlike “How many licks does it to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?” The world may never know.
How to ‘Trump’ an Author
Donald Trump has decided to sue someone, who claims that he’s not a billionaire, for 5 BILLION DOLLARS.
What better way to ensure you’re a billionaire than by suing someone for an amount that would guarantee you’re just that at the end of the hearing. Net worth is such an arbitrary thing anyhow.
This is like suing someone, who says you haven’t slept with a supermodel, for 5 supermodels.
It’s totally superficial, and guarantees the results you want.
Tony Robbins, take note!
Step in the wrong direction
I’m not a dog owner, never have been and never have pretended to be one (besides those couple times back in 1997). But I do know this: dogs don’t need steps.
The people at Doggy Steps would disagree with me. Apparently dogs of all sorts, but mostly the turd ones, have trouble jumping onto couches and beds and into cars and trucks. Honestly, I don’t know why you’d want dogs jumping onto couches and beds and into cars and trucks. If anything, someone should invent Doggy Wall to prevent Fido from dirtying up your new sofa. Continues after the jump »
The customer is always an ASSHOLE!
Verizon, this middle finger is for you. Apparently someone over in your office took Ben Affleck words in Mallrats to heart, “The customer is always an asshole.” What ever happened to “The Customer is always right”? Seriously, I guess I wasn’t “mistreated” by those I got on the phone today when calling about a new DSL deal, but I can say that I have spoke with a total of 8 people and have yet to actually discuss what I called to discuss. Their website was useless, so there is no decent solution. My “Customer Service” calls yesterday sounded something like this:
1st Call:
Phone rings several times, then voice answering system picks up.
Phone System: Please enter your Verizon telephone number starting with the area code.
I enter my number.
Phone System: Please tell me why you are calling.
Me: I am interested in the new DSL deal for 14.95/month.
Phone System: You are inquiring about a payment, is that correct?
Me: No.
So I go through about 10 more minutes of this automated crap, before getting put through to a person… and after holding for a person for about another 10 minutes, it tells me to hang up and call back later due to high caller traffic. Continues after the jump »
Abuse of white power
And you all thought that skit from the first season of “Chappelle’s Show” about a white black supremicist was for comical purposes. Turns out it was a history lesson.
The Deseret Morning News explains.
About 25 years ago, Ron Stallworth was asked to lead the Ku Klux Klan chapter in Colorado Springs.
Problem was, the outgoing Klan leader didn’t know that Stallworth is black.
“He asked me to take over the lead because I was a good, loyal Klansman,” said Stallworth, who had been in constant phone contact with the Klan leader while leading a yearlong Colorado Springs police investigation into the Klan.
They never had a Ku.
Stallworth, who oddly enough lives in Utah now, still carries his Klan membership card, which is signed by David Duke. What would that fetch on eBay?
If I’m Stallworth, besides doing up the eBay thing, I’m suing the balls off Chappelle for stealing my story. Balls or whatever cash Chappelle has left.
Pop Culture 101 at Brown?
An article over on SI.com is claiming that Brown University is now the coolest of all institutions of higher education. That’s because it has been the benefactor of a slew of pop culture references lately and has ties to some hot commodities in the biz and elsewhere.
Overall, it was a pretty hot fall semester for Brown. Not only did the school grab the 12-24 demographic, thanks to [Seth and Summer applying to Brown University on] The O.C., but also Brian the dog on The Family Guy returned to campus to finish his degree in a November episode. Alumnus Rafe Judkins (‘05) appeared on Survivor; Joe Paterno (‘50) experienced a renaissance at the age of 79, and the Brown football team captured its first outright Ivy League title in school history.
The real world that is modeling
Yeah so I’m flipping through a J Crew catalog, which I recently got in the mail, hoping to find out all the kids will be wearing this spring and who should I stumble across but Mallory from “The Real World: Paris” in various swim suits.
She’s a model? What ever happened to her promising career in the “Real World vs. Road Rules Challenge” industry?
After some research online I discovered that she’s also done spreads for Abercrombie & Fitch and was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue!
Where have I been?
A better quesion might be, how the hell is a former MTV reality star actually attaining a successful and respectable career?
Wait, I just looked at her pictures again. OK, that’s how.
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, because time’s almost up
This is just a quick followup on the indoor smoking ban piece that I wrote on Friday. It got some decent attention, since it is a somewhat controversial subject after all.
Well, it looks like New Jersey managed to prove that it’s not the taint of the nation by passing the ban today, just as I predicted.
The vote ended up being 64-12, which ain’t too bad. Less than 19% of the lawmakers voted against the ban. That speaks for itself. That’s even lower than the percentage of smokers out there, so statistically speaking, at least some smokers in the Assembly had to vote for it. For those of you keeping score, that’s 11 states that now ban smoking in bars and restaurants. Spain and Ireland are on board too.
As you might have guessed, I’m really happy about this. I’m happy for the waiters, musicians and patrons of bars and restaurants in New Jersey. But what really makes me happy is the fact that this is an in-your-face mandate that all of you smokers can go go to hell… or at least outside. Most people don’t want your smoke. Keep your emphysema and lung cancer and awful stench to yourselves. If I got to a bar, I’m going there to drink, not smell your smoke, and most people agree with me. Nobody’s stopping you from killing yourselves. Feel free to do that.
I’ll promise not to vomit up all of my stomach contents on you in an alcoholic haze if you just keep your smoke to yourselves.
Thank you.
Direct TV encourages bad parenting
I’m amazed more people aren’t outraged by this commercial.
The ad I’m referring to is the Direct TV DVR spot (watch it here) in which a kid and his father bond while stopping and starting the action of a football game on TV. I saw it most recently while Eli Manning was throwing the Giants’ season away.
Here’s the setup. A kid — let’s say 3 or 4 years old — enters a room where his father is watching a football game and asks, “Dad, can you read me a story?” After noticing his father’s lack of interest in his query, he turns his head to find out what has sucked away his love and affection and remarks, “Oh, football.” But the worst is yet to come. Continues after the jump »
More smoke up your ass from Jersey
Yeah, I live in New Jersey now, technically, but I don’t really consider myself a Jerseyan, as I don’t use hair spray or still wear acid-wash jeans. And who would want to align themselves with a state that paid a marketing company $250,000 to come up with a slogan that ironically didn’t win anybody over: “New Jersey: We’ll Win You Over.”
The futile public relations effort didn’t stop there. The state followed up by asking its residents to submit their slogans to invigorate New Jersey tourism. The list has since been whittled down to five finalists.
“New Jersey: Expect the Unexpected.”
“New Jersey: Love at First Sight.”
“New Jersey: Come See for Yourself.” Continues after the jump »
Cowbell Status update
As previously reported by the always cuddly Mark Bodenrader, “Lazy Sunday” is aspiring to “cowbell” status. But there’s a bump in the road. Last night/this morning on ESPN’s Sportscenter, Scott Van Pelt used a quote from the popular SNL sketch. While showing a highlight from the Michigan State/Illinois basketball game, Van Pelt said that Mr. Pibb plus Red Vines equals crazy delicious.
Sadly, this sketch is exploding way too fast. I love the sketch, but something doesn’t reach cult status unless it simmers under the radar a little, and gains popularity in the youth/subculture. At this rate, it’s going to be like the Simpsons episode where Bart becomes famous for saying “I didn’t do it.” Let’s hope the Lonely Island Boys continue to be as funny as I think they are. I don’t want a one-hit wonder to burn them out.
Time to clear the air in N.J. and D.C.
If there’s one thing I’m a fan of, it’s good, clean air. Nobody ever got lung cancer from it. Nobody ever acquired an offensive odor from it. And nobody would ever try to ban it. Or would they?
Washington, D.C. just passed a smoking ban, which goes into effect next year. Good for them. They’ve taken a great step toward improving and protecting the health of restaurant and bar workers.
I don’t spend enough time in bars to really have an indoor smoking have much of an effect on my health, but it does have plenty of nice bonuses. After a particularly bad night, it’s certainly not unusual to need to wash my hair more than once just just to get the smell out. But it’s not just hair, it’s everything. On more than one occasion, I’ve shivered my way to the bar, sans-jacket, in the middle of winter, so I wouldn’t have to clean it the next day. And as a guy with a severely limited wardrobe, Febreze, which is nearly as offensive as the smoke, just isn’t an option. Why should 22.5 percent of the people in a bar get to decide that the other 77.5 percent should smell like wet shit? Continues after the jump »
Nike sells sneakers?
The greatest thing about TiVo? Probably that you can skip over the ads. I used to be able to stomach them, but they just don’t make any sense anymore. I find it odd that in an industry where your key purpose is just to get your name across that these 30-second spots on TV are all so post-modern.
It all started with the absurd attempts at creativity that were being thrown around during Super Bowls, which reached ridiculous levels of abstraction during the dot-com era (Remember the cowboys rounding up cats? Now, do you remember the company?). Now those once-a-year spectacles have infiltrated the normal rotation.
Seth Stevenson of Slate.com agrees with me. He’s perplexed by the new LeBron James ad campaign — The LeBrons — by Nike. Continues after the jump »
Killing in the name of
People wonder why I am against the death penalty. Well, for starters check out CNN’s article about Roger Coleman of VA.
If the tests show Roger Keith Coleman did not rape and murder his sister-in-law in 1981, it will mark the first time in the United States an executed person has been scientifically proved innocent, say death penalty opponents, who are keenly aware that such a result could have a powerful effect on public opinion.
Not so sure I agree that it is the first time someone was proven innocent after being put to death, although perhaps it is the first where it is conclusive. I recall in my previous research that in NJ alone there were something like 23 cases (as of a few years back) where evidence was found post execution that linked other people to the crimes people were executed for. The distinction between those cases that I’d previously researched and this current case is that now may be the first time someone who has been put to death is going to be conclusively proven not guilty. Continues after the jump »
Year of the dog
Thank the Lord that 2005 is over… a year in which I held two awful jobs (one I am currently vying to leave), TO and injuries ripped my Birds to pieces, annoying dance-rock and Houston shit-hop wouldn’t go away, Dave Chappelle was driven out of America by Oprah and the Nation of Islam, the fat suit became a household phenomenon, TomKat got pregnant, and Nick and Jessica called it quits (if those crazy kids can’t make it, who can?). 2006 (Chinese “Year of the Dog”) has come to the rescue, and here are some of my predictions:
2006 will usher in some musical trends that both don’t suck and aren’t disgustingly repetitive. Sure some dance-rock acts were great this past year, but if I have to hear Banquet by Bloc Party one more time, I may puke… and half of the bands playing this type of music can’t be decyphered from one another. Maybe more underground hip-hop artists will rise and take out Houston (minus Scarface, you can’t take him out because real gangsta-ass niggas play they cards right). AND MAYBE, FINALLY, musical trends ending in “-core” and/or related to overproduced, undertalented emo/pop-punk can die out… but first someone needs to tell Victory Records that Hawthorne Heights sucks. Continues after the jump »
This complex issue is very simple
Relax Andy and my loyal following (mom and dad), I was not supporting torture. I was looking at the bigger picture, and, well, being idealistic like our boy KentuckyFriedCruelty.com.
Yes, torture is totally unethical, but isn’t war even more unethical, and doesn’t torture primarily arise from war?
Just think how illogical it is to have rules of war; total oxymoron. “I want to wipe you off the Earth, you want to wipe out me, but first let’s set up some ground rules.”
All’s fair in love and war, so if a country or a group of people feel its livelyhood is threatened, it’s only natural to use any means necessary to survive. However, in the case of the Iraq war, I think we can agree that America is not being threatened, therefore torture is not necessary. Continues after the jump »
Give me a clucking break
I admit it, I was a pretty idealistic kid in my younger days. I refused to drink Pepsi because I was a Coke guy. I… well, I guess that’s about it.
Anyway, it seems I have been topped by a 19-year-old from Virginia who has just officially changed his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com. Of course, you can read about his tale over on KentuckyFriedCruelty.com.
Deciding to make a statement every time he’s asked for or signs his name, a 19-year-old PETA staff member—formerly known as Chris Garnett—has legally changed his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com, the same name as PETA’s Web site that gives the lowdown on KFC’s refusal to eliminate the worst abuses of chickens raised and killed to fill its buckets. The former Dover Plains, New York, resident and current Street Team coordinator of peta2—PETA’s youth division—has the official state papers and driver’s license to prove it. His parents—who have been supportive since he went vegan at age 15—were a little shocked at first, but although they insist on still calling him Chris, they’ve accepted the change.
Hey, it beats being named Apple. Continues after the jump »
The real apprentice
From the New York Daily News comes the news that Donald Trump is considering a run for governor of the Empire State.
Republican sources said The Donald - who in 1999 toyed with the idea of running for the White House on the Reform Party line - is mulling a bid to persuade New Yorkers to hire him as their next governor.
Senate GOP leader Joseph Bruno tantalized reporters yesterday by declaring a wealthy mystery candidate is “thinking” about seeking the party’s backing to replace Gov. Pataki.
If you were wondering, yup, The Donald was the first reference made to Trump in the Daily News article. Continues after the jump »
Totally ‘Lost’ on this one
Count me as one of those that totally missed the “Lost” boat (or plane I guess is more fitting). I tried to watch the first season and got bored of it by the third episode. As my brother says, throw a little mysticism into anything and all of the sudden people get all giddy. All I saw with “Lost” is a show pandering to the sci-fi crowd and suffering the most common problem of TV dramas — stretching out plots way too long (and thin) to keep people watching.
However, I understand the show reached phenomenon status in 2005, so I’m not totally distraught that Entertainment Weekly named the cast of the ABC hit as the Entertainers of the Year. Michelle Rodriguez herself was pretty entertaining in ‘05. Continues after the jump »
Diggin’ on the news
“For the people, by the people.” Not a new concept, but in today’s media we are fed whatever the moguls and powers-that-be want us to hear and see. The liberals feed us their garbage and the conservatives force their crap on us. The liberals think they’re smarter (and, for the most part, I agree… probably because I’m a liberal) and the conservatives take the so-called moral higher ground. But anyone who thinks for themselves should know it’s all bullshit. How long has the battle for the airwaves gone on? Long before our time, that’s for sure. Isn’t it about time that we can present the news to one another and not let the moguls decide which stories and pieces of culture are important?
Two sites that I recently have gotten into reading think so, reddit.com and digg.com. Both sites present a democratic and systematic way of deciding what news is important, reddit through ratings and digg through how many “diggs” an article gets. These sites allow people to subimt articles and based upon your rating or number of “diggs”, you can get to the front page… it’s not some editor or big business mogul that decides what gets press.
Here’s a quick breakdown of their similarities and differences:
-digg has no negative ratings, but does allow you to report issues with a post
-digg is meant to be specifically about technology based articles
-reddit users do not look kindly upon self-posting, so don’t post your own articles (unless you do so anonymously)
-both seem put high value on useful and/or witty articles
I personally have become more involved with digg in the past few weeks, but I wouldn’t say one is better than the other. Go check them out and see for yourself. And if you use other similar sites, please comment here and let us know to check them out.
Gap is no fan of ad, success
There’s actually a Gap ad out there directed by Spike Jonze that you’ll probably never see on TV.
Thank God for the Internet.
An article over on Slate.com (with a link to the ad) details how the best and the brightest over at the Gap decided not to run a national campaign for a clever commercial (an oxymoron, I know) about the company’s quest to reshape its image by redesigning its stores.
Instead of running the “”Pardon Our Dust” spot in just a couple of markets, and tying it exclusively to the remodeling effort, Gap should have used this ad as the centerpiece of a national campaign. Directed by Spike Jonze (the man behind Being John Malkovich and Adaptation), the spot is hilariously funny. I love the way it takes its time at first, allowing the petty transgressions to mount. Only after a woman snaps a hanger, with an explosion of plastic shards, does the camera zoom in frenetically and signal that all hell is about to break loose. From here, it’s a wild romp, wonderfully executed.
Granted, the thing isn’t “Sabotage” or “Buddy Holly,” but it’s still an entertaining 30 seconds or so… for a commercial.
Katie had her birthday where?
Just watch as Crap Filter seemlessly turns into Star magazine before your eyes. Hey, everyone else is doing it.
I don’t know what’s weirder here: Katie Holmes having her birthday bash at FAO Schwartz and Central Park or allowing a photographer from People to shoot the event.
Are Holmes and Tom Cruise this desperate to prove to people that they are indeed a real couple? And doesn’t such an obvious attempt make them a fake couple?
Take that human misery!
So when you look back on the year 2005, what comes to mind? Charity, right?
No, you say? Well, I’m with you.
Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono, or the Good Samaritans, have been named Time magazine’s Persons of the Year. We’re bogged down in war (Iraq), devastation (Hurricane Katrina), corruption (Tom Delay, Valerie Plame, etc.) and incompetence (White House, FEMA), but it’s a rock star, a computer giant and his wife who really transformed things this year? Continues after the jump »
If he dies, he dies
Holy shit am I glad I didn’t take up boxing. That’s because Russia has bred the scariest thing to hit the sport since Ivan Drago.
Nikolay Valuev, a 7-foot, 330-pound freak of nature (I think he’s the one on the left in the photo), is set to battle WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz on Saturday. Valuev has accumulated a 43-0 record with 31 knockouts, according to the AP, but still comes into the match carrying the aura of the unknown.
Meanwhile, Ruiz (42-5-1) is only 6-2 and around 240 and I’m guessing he’ll be at a disadvantage when it comes to reach.
But there are some downsides to being a monster in the squared circle.
“He’s got a head the size of a Volkswagen,” Ruiz said Wednesday. “I can’t miss hitting him.”
True, and it’s not like this guy is going to float like a butterfly or anything, although he used to play basketball and his footwork is supposedly decent. Still, he’s 32 years old, likely has a few satellites orbiting his head and has a totally lame nickname: “The Beast from the East.”
UPDATE: Down goes Ruiz.
I know kids are stupid, but come on
Not to make too much of a big deal about trivial sports training products, but oh my God, have you seen these TV ads from Pro Performance Sports?
Since it’s safe to say that Pro Performance Sports will probably never advertise on Crap Filter, it’s about time somebody tore these guys to shreds.
For those of you who don’t watch “Mike and the Mad Dog” on the YES Network during the day, PPS has been trying to sell the youth of America these horrendous gadgets for a while now, be it for baseball, soccer, tennis or football. The ads are done in the same cheesy manner as those Tom Emanski instructional video commercials, which used to constantly run on ESPN from about 1991 until 2003. The PPS ones air about once every ad break or so it seems. Continues after the jump »
The Liberty Bell ain’t the only thing that’s cracked…
Okay I admit it, I am biased. I went to Syracuse University when Donovan McNabb was there. So sure, I am going to lean towards his side on most stories. But seriously, when did he become the nice guy for everyone in Philadelphia to pick on? Recently a bunch of his Eagles teammates chose to go to Terrell Owens’ birthday party in Atlantic City. This is the baby that ruined the Eagles’ season, by the way. Jevon Kearse actually called Terrell Owens a “wonderful teammate”. Is this Bizarro world? McNabb is the good teammate! Owens is the evil one!
And the smearing of McNabb goes beyond the Eagles’ locker-room. A few years ago Rush “Pill-Popper” Limbaugh bashed him on national television. And now the president of the Philadelphia NAACP is calling McNabb out. I know nothing about J. Whyatt Mondesire, but it seems to me that people that lead civil rights organizations shouldn’t be calling out quarterbacks for selling out their race based on the way they play football. McNabb has always been thought of as a “company man”. People like Terrell Owens don’t like this, because they apparently think he is not black enough, since he is working in a manner the white boss likes. “The Man” and all that…you know how it goes. Like the “racist” dress code of the NBA. According to Jermaine O’Neal, a necktie is the noose of the white devil!
Maybe Donovan just needs to get out of Philly. These are the fans that booed him when he was drafted. And everyone knows they also booed Santa Claus. So is it just that he had the misfortune of being drafted into a place that is crazy? Boston and New York Fans are tough, but that is because it sometimes generates results. Philly fans want to be known as the people that hope for hemorrhoids, just to prove they can take the pain. Donovan McNabb needs to get the heck out of Dodge, and go be the model quarterback in a city that appreciates him. Too bad Syracuse doesn’t have an NFL team…
UPDATE: The real head of the NAACP has issued a message condemning the statements by the Philadelphia blowhard.
Napoleon just may save this country
Be it resolved that this is the most prolific and important bill of our time. WHEREAS, Napoleon Dynamite is one of the greatest movies in the past decade and this is real bill.
In Idaho, a real bill was put forth in their state legislature that resolved to exonerate the creators of Napoleon Dynamite for their vision, as well as bringing tourism and proper values to the great potato state.
WHEREAS, tater tots figure prominently in this film thus promoting Idaho’s most famous export; and
WHEREAS, the friendship between Napoleon and Pedro has furthered multiethnic relationships; and
WHEREAS, Uncle Rico’s football skills are a testament to Idaho athletics; and
WHEREAS, Napoleon’s bicycle and Kip’s skateboard promote better air quality and carpooling as alternatives to fuel-dependent methods of transportation;
Moreover, “any members of the House of Representatives or the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Idaho who choose to vote “Nay” on this concurrent resolution are “FREAKIN’ IDIOTS!” and run the risk of having the “Worst Day of Their Lives!”
Cruise using his star powers
I’m not sure whether or not Tom Cruise is crazy or just misunderstood. Probably crazy, but prior to this past year I wouldn’t have said so, or maybe I just wouldn’t have cared because all that stuff just fills up time on “Extra” anyway. Plus, I’m willing to ignore his failings as a human being because his movies are typically above average.
But Christ if he doesn’t keep upping the ante. Take for example this tidbit from today’s PAGE SIX of the New York Post.
Cruise will make a rare personal appearance tonight at the Tribeca Rooftop to raise money for a controversial Church of Scientology program that claims to be healing firefighters and rescue workers who breathed toxic smoke on 9/11.
Return of cartoon violence?
“The Simpsons” took yet another swipe at “Family Guy” Sunday night, once again insinuating that the main character of the revived Fox show — Peter Griffin — is just a rip-off of Homer Simpson.
Last night’s episode of “The Simpsons” was the latest Sideshow Bob-themed show (an ongoing series that strangely never gets tiresome). The Simpsons find Bob in Italy and eventually alert the Italian police that Bob was a criminal back in the States. The police confirm this by going through a book of American criminals with their offense listed below their photo. Here’s how the progression went:
Snake - “Invasione Di Casa”
Mayor Quimby - “Drinko Drive-O”
Peter - “Plagiarismo”
American Dad - “Plagiarismo di Plagiarismo”
Sideshow Bob - “Omicidio Attentato Multiplo”
The Peter part was funny enough, but to follow it with American Dad — pure genuis. Continues after the jump »
I prefer the Grinch
I feel bad for Santa Claus, I really do. He’s one of the greatest characters ever invented, yet nobody seems to really understand him. The great thing about Santa Claus as a character is that he’s a blank slate. Over hundreds of years, just about every country that celebrates Christmas has left its mark on Santa Claus, but over the last 200 or so years, a few things have been pretty much unanimously decided.
The most basic rules concern his appearance. Although our modern perception of Santa Claus comes from a variety of sources and traditions, the classic Christmas poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas, laid out the basics:
Edward R. who?
Katie Couric needs to be stopped.
As I type she’s angling to become the anchor of “CBS Evening News,” which would mean taking over the spot from the departed Dan Rather and interim crusty newsman Bob Schieffer. And supposedly CBS is also throwing in appearances on the venerable “60 Minutes” as part of its reported $20 million per year offer.
The cast of “Today” recently held a conference call with reporters to celebrate its 520th straight week as the top-rated network morning news show, and of course all anybody wanted to talk about were rumors that Couric was leaving NBC for CBS. This column from Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune details the response from Katie, who did her best to defuse the the rumblings while keeping them alive at the same time:
“In terms of my own future, I know there’s been a great deal of speculation in the press and while I appreciate the interest—kind of—I just thought I’d say off the bat that my contract ends in May and I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do,” she said preemptively.
Yo Adrian, you got any money?
Do you have $1 million kicking around? Well then, you can buy the statue from “Rocky III.” No, not the rights to the movie “Rocky III,” the statue from it.
Again, starting bid is $1 million and it’s over on eBay, so act fast.
Created for the movie ROCKY III the statue was erected on the top steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. After the filming ended a furious debate arose in Philadelphia between the Art Museum and the City’s Art Commission over the meaning of “art.” Claiming the statue was not “art” but rather a “movie prop” the city considered various alternate locations and settled upon the front of the Spectrum sports complex in South Philadelphia. It was later returned to the Art Museum where it was used in the filming of ROCKY V, as well as MANNEQUIN (Andrew McCarthy) and PHILADELPHIA (Tom Hanks). Again it was removed to the front of the Spectrum where it stands today.
Well, it’s not the ACTUAL statue from the movie, which was created by artist A. Thomas Schomberg and still sits in front of the Spectrum. (I can confirm this to be true.) Three identical statues were cast by the sculptor, Pete McEntegart of SI.com explains, and this is one of them. Continues after the jump »
What, is there chocolate inside?
The medals for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Turin were unveiled recently to the disgust of medal fans around the globe.
Why are the medals taking such heat? Well, each one has a hole in the middle, making them look more like Employee of the Month awards from Dunkin’ Donuts rather than an honor reserved for the world’s top snowboarder. Here’s the explanation for the design.
The medal is round with an empty space at the centre, representing the Italian piazza.
Simple enough, right?
Not for SI.com Medal Analyst Mike McAllister, who for some reason gives a shit about something that he’ll never receive. Continues after the jump »
So long Tyra, Jamie Lee
I’m here to announce the end of two storied eras: The end of Tyra Banks’ modeling career and end of Jamie Lee Curtis’, well, career.
Yup, not only is Tyra appearing in her final runway show tonight as part of “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,” which airs on CBS tonight at 10 p.m., but she also claims she’s done with modeling altogether, as this article on Yahoo! Entertainment details.
“It’s my final walk ever! I’ve been modeling since I was 15, and I’m 31 now, so it’s half my life. I’m walking away from modeling in general — I might just be a little emotional.”
So will the public, Tyra, but America will just have to move on. Continues after the jump »
[QUAR] yes i think that u hot guy..
So, I am checking my email at work this morning and this made me laugh. Viagra ads in bad English, with pictures like this… how could I not share?
Though I don’t plan on buying any Viagra anytime soon, if any ad were to convince me to, it would be this one!
Yeah, that’s right, Tip O’Neill… twice!
Yet another benefit to living in the New York City area that I didn’t initially anticipate is celebrity sightings. This occured to me when my family and I were having Thanksgiving dinner in the Essex House near Central Park. Just after we entered the hotel, a man walked by us that my father swears was Tom Coughlin — head coach of the New York Giants.
Granted, not the best celebrity to kick off this piece, but a celebrity none the less.
Anyway, I wasn’t convinced, even though I never saw his face; I just caught the back of his head and thought to myself, “I know backs of people’s heads, and that’s not the back of Tom Coughlin’s head.” And besides, why would Coughlin be staying there? It just didn’t make sense, so I was very skeptical. This issue remains unsolved to this day.
Now, I understand I made the declaration in a previous article that I’m not much for idol worship, mainly because I’ve come to realize that they’re just normal people like you and me, putting their pants on one leg at a time, even though their pants are a lot more expensive than ours. But the celebrity-spotting game is a fun one, if only because you don’t expect them to happen. Continues after the jump »
The few, the proud…
Well, I am glad to know that our military has SOME standards.
Shane Stant, the “hit” man who smacked Nancy Kerrigan’s leg in 1994, wants to be a Navy Seal. Read about it here.
What a great patriot this man wants to be. After serving 14 months in prison for his assault on the skater, he now wants to be serving our country. There’s one little snag. The Naval Special Warfare Division won’t allow convicted felons to join up. Well, I think that is sensible enough. After all, the military has the highest standards, and recruits only the highest level of soldier, right? All those recruiters I have seen in the Wal-Mart and Costco parking lots are very selective.
The funny part is that this guy actually thinks he should be allowed to jump into war zones wearing a wetsuit and carrying automatic weapons. I commend Multnomah County Circuit Judge Julie Frantz for refusing to clear his record. He caused enough of a problem 11 years ago with a police baton that anyone can obtain. Methinks we might want to keep his busy hands away from the C-4.
Pipe bomb
Michael Irvin always had great timing on his routes when he was a star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, and that sense of great timing has continued in his post-playing days.
Irvin, who is a semifinalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has been charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Plano police officers found the “paraphernalia” while searching his vehicle during a traffic stop. Irvin told the Associated Press that the “paraphernalia” belonged to a friend of his. Continues after the jump »
Black Friday
It’s official. Friday, November 25, 2005, was indeed one of the saddest days in the history of the world. Besides the news of “Collision Course” star Pat Morita’s death, the Boston Celtics, for the first time in their storied existence, wore alternate uniforms (that weren’t retro).
According to a Celtics press release, these new uniforms “capture the energy of today’s team” — whatever the fuck that means.
Granted, I am not totally surprised that the most traditional franchise in the history of the NBA donned green unis with black trim Friday night in their one-point win over the Charlotte Bobcats. The NBA has been a marketing clusterfuck ever since Michael Jordan stopped being “Like Mike” in the late 90’s. For instance, the league has a team named the Charlotte Bobcats. Continues after the jump »
Wax on, wax off this mortal coil
It is with great sadness that I pass along news of the death of Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, best known to many as Mr. Miyagi.
Pat Morita was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid movies, and I think that anybody who grew up during the ’80s will miss his character’s slightly sadistic sense of humor/training style.
The story mentions the demeaning roles he played before his big break as Arnold in Happy Days. He played Oriental #2 in Thoroughly Modern Millie. You’ve got to have a sense of humor to go for a role like that.
Sweep the leg!
This aggression will not stand, man
Colin over at The Uber Geeks has an excellent post about how studios have been releasing DVDs with few or no extra features these days. I was all set just to comment over there before I realized I had a lot to say on this topic.
Stuff like this is due to a few things. One is pressure from rental companies like Netflix and Blockbuster. Features give you added value, and a reason to buy instead of rent. Think back to the VHS days… only the biggest movies got a heavy push for VHS sales. Most VHS tapes cost around $100 each because they were intended for the rental market, not home purchase.
The other big reason behind removing features is greed. DVD sales are gravy for the studios. The few thousand dollars it might cost to put together a DVD is pocket change to a movie studio. In most cases these movies paid for themselves in their theater run long ago.
Studios are keeping the features off to get people to buy them twice, plain and simple. They’re not looking out for consumers at all. Continues after the jump »
My prediction’s in ‘Flux’
I can’t decide if I want to see Aeon Flux or not. It looks like it might be half decent. The cartoons on MTV were good, in an “I’m not quite sure what the hell is going on” sort of way, but it was never the sort of thing I’d go out of my way to catch.
The fact that it’s being released in December instead of June or July sort of gives me some hope for it. I would guess that it’s coming out now instead of last summer due to the filming delays from when Charlize Theron got injured during filming last year, but I wouldn’t know for sure. I suppose it’s possible that the studio sees it as an end-of-the-year art film.
The show never had too much of a plot; usually it was just Aeon breaking into some secure bunker or assassinating someone. It looks like the movie’s going to be more of the same; I just hope they can make it work for a full-length movie without destroying the essence of the show.
The Real Story has an interesting little piece on the look of the film. I’m impressed by what I’ve seen in the trailer and constant TV spots. The technology in the movie looks pretty interesting too. I especially like the “smart grass” blades that stand up to stop intruders. Seems like a good pair of shoes might foil that security system though.
All the cool technology in the world won’t be able to save the movie if it’s got a lame plot. It does have Charlize Theron, and I would hope that she’d have the sense not to sign on to a blockbuster-style bomb after winning an Oscar for Monster.
Normally it’s pretty obvious which one are going to be especially bad, but I’m just not getting that out of this one. For now, the movie looks like a big question mark for me.
‘Superman Returns’ teaser hits THEATERS
Okay, so with in all due respect to the esteemed Chris Coleman, I must offer a differing opinion of the release of the teaser for “Superman Returns,” which is hitting theaters yesterday and today, in front of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” I am just now home, after seeing that movie, and said teaser. Here in Los Angeles, we are 3 hours late, so forgive the tardiness. Before we talk about the teaser, a little backround:
I have never been a big fan of Superman myself. The character, as Chris mentions, is too powerful. It is too easy for him to be heroic and dashing. He doesn’t have the same flaws that Spider-Man or Batman have. For this reason, he can be a bit of a dull guy.
Clark Kent is not the most interesting character either. I mean, would you rather be a millionaire playboy like Bruce Wayne, or would you rather schlep your way to the office to be a reporter like Clark Kent? Most people would choose to be Bruce in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, you cannot be Bruce without being Batman, and you cannot be Clark without being Superman. They are the same person. And this is the part that gets tricky. The immortal Christopher Reeve put it best in an interview. (I will have to paraphrase.) He basically said that Batman has a cool car and all, but Superman… he can fly. Continues after the jump »
Like Eagles through the hourglass…
Back in the spring of 1994 I was injured in a soccer game in Wilmington, Massachusetts. My tibia and fibula were fractured in one fell swoop. To this day I am angry someone wasn’t videotaping the game, since I think it could have rivaled the Joe Theisman video.
Anyway, with my leg in shambles, I was taken to the hospital for a week’s worth of bed-pans and catheters. Good times. It was also during this time of confinement that I fell upon the joy that is “Days of Our Lives.” Oh man, I really had a