Gameweek 14 reaches us as we start the middle third of the season. Week 13 saw few surprises though we did get the highest ever individual score. I made the error of having Fabregas as captain which I didn’t especially feel comfortable with but didn’t have many other options with Lampard and Drogba out injured, and Rooney out of form.

I did have David Dunn but didn’t fancy him due to two away games. In the event he proved me wrong. I regret not bringing in Bullard or Dempsey as I was looking at both pre-deadline. Sometimes it’s better to take the four point hit for the rewards it can bring. Don’t even get me started on having Thomas Sorensen’s 14 points left on the bench…

Gameweek 13 Top Gun (aka Tom Cruise Approves):

When I was looking back over the top scores from last week, I had a moment of panic when I thought there was a three-way 18 point tie for 1^st and I’d have to find another Top Gun character to join Maverick and Goose.

Then I remembered that someone called Jermain Defoe scored five goals against Wigan. Yes, the pint-sized striker scored a full handful of goals and picked up three bonus points. It might just be me but it almost feels like 25 points isn’t enough reward for such a feat. I guess that’s what happens with just four points for a striker’s goal. I’m sure the people who had him as captain weren’t complaining – 50 points was only two off my whole total for the week. Anyway, it’s the highest score ever from one game, even Ronaldo never got that.

As mentioned previously, following Defoe you had Dempsey Hunt and Lennon all with 18 points. The former two took advantage of playing twice while Lennon was the provider of three Defoe goals as well as getting one for himself in that 9-1 victory. A mention too for Michael Essien who scored 16 via two goals and his third man of the match award of the season.

Maverick should really be using all five hand digits to approve of Defoe's performance.

Three Captain Choices:

1. Adebayor/Man City – Every run has to come to an end and I think Man City might finally stop their run of six consecutive draws and beat Hull at home. Hull have picked up since Bullard’s return with two wins and a draw but they’re still leaky at the back while Adebayor scored his first goal in two months against Liverpool. He tends to feast on weaker defences, get bonus points when City play well and thus is a good shout for captain this weekend.

2. Drogba/Chelsea – The best defence faces the best attack this weekend as Chelsea face Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday. Normally I wouldn’t suggest picking someone from this fixture but Drogba loves playing Arsenal and has terrorised them down the years. What scares me even more is that due to Gallas being doubtful, there’s a tiny, tiny chance we might see Big Phil Senderos make an appearance. I’m shuddering at the thought, Drogba owns him.

3. Rooney/Man Utd – Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Slightly trickier now that Pompey have Avram Grant newly installed but Rooney and Man Utd should still have more than enough to beat Portsmouth.

Gets a Captain's tick.

Three suggested transfers in:

1. Evra/Man Utd - The French left back has been putting together a good season and in his last few games has picked up and assist and three bonus points. Man Utd should be good for a clean sheet against Portsmouth and after that Man Utd face West Ham, Villa, Wolves and Fulham which should provide a few more opportunities.

2. Johnson or Dann/Birmingham - I’m sure many of you already Joe Hart in your team but why not add Roger Johnson or Scott Dann to your side too? The two centre backs were a newly formed partnership at the start of the season having both been signed from Championship clubs but have adapted to the Premier League well. Johnson is the pricier of the two and more likely to get bonus points but Dann is just £3.9m leaving you plenty of case for elsewhere.

3. Hunt/Hull - Some people’s form rating is skewed by one massive week whereas others are a bit more consistent. If Bullard is out of your price range then Stephen Hunt is a good option having scored five points or more in four of the last five gameweeks.

Might be worth a pick.

Three to avoid:

1. Everton players - They were woeful against Hull and have generally struggled this season. There have been bright spots like Baines and Saha but they have a tough three games (Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea) coming up and then no fixture in week 17. Avoid for now.

2. Gibbs/Arsenal – Just as soon as he was becoming a cheap option while Clichy was out, he breaks a metatarsal and is now out for three months.

3. Owen/Man Utd - Just 24 points so far. The goal against Man City is literally the single good thing he’s done this season. Diouf, N’Gog and Ghilas all have more points. Having said that, what better opponent than Portsmouth to prove me wrong.

Are you taking the mick?

T.

Reconozco que soy un verdadero fanático del futbol, durante algunos años mi única obsesión era llegar a ser comentarista deportivo y reunirme con los otros “ases” del mundo del periodismo deportivo en las tertulias tipo “punto pelota”.

Lamentablemente de igual forma que mi locura por llegar a ser el nuevo “Manolo Lama” se esfumó, poco a poco voy perdiendo el interés por el futbol profesional. Hay una cosa que me irrita y que esta propiciando todo este desencanto anunciado: la falta de educación que muestran clubes y jugadores.

Veamos, antes recuerdo que pensaba en los jugadores como una especie de mezcla entre Tom Cruise en Top Gun y Sylvester Stallone en Rocky, es decir, personajes ambiciosos, luchadores y de buen corazón. Al menos en su mayoría. Los técnicos eran para mi algo así como Samuel L. Jackson en Coach Carter y mi abuelo Pepe jugando a las cartas, duros pero comprensivos, inteligentes y motivadores.

Entonces comencé a fijarme más en el día a día del futbol. Peinetas de técnicos a aficionados, insultos de jugadores a aficiones rivales, desamores de la grada hacia las estrellas acompañados de insultos denigrantes, peleas entre compañeros, malas artes…

Creo que el futbol había perdido muchos puntos para mi. Además lejos de recriminar actitudes como esa parece que cada vez se van viendo como algo más normal. ¿La ultima? Apoño, jugador del Málaga durante el encuentro que enfrento al Málaga y al Zaragoza llamó “negro” al jugador Ewerthon después de que el brasileño insultara a su madre.

En 20minutos.es tenéis la noticia entera, pero me deja “pasmao” como el jugador del Málaga se justifica. Sinceramente creo que va llegando el momento de que la FIFA tome medidas mas serias con el comportamiento de quienes representan el oficio de actores de este inmenso circo que genera tanto dinero y beneficios que es el futbol.

Se deben acabar las muestras de violencia desmedida por medio de entradas brutales, los insultos a rivales, compañeros, aficionados… la prepotencia de técnicos y dirigentes, la arrogancia de algunos cracks…

OJO!!!!

Entiendo que los clubes son empresas privadas que buscan maximizar beneficios, pero no deberían olvidar que el futbol lo hacen entre todos y que si quieren seguir llegando al público, ser los ídolos de los niños y en definitiva que yo “esporádicamente” me gaste mi dinero en ir a verles a algún estadio, deben crear alguna forma de control mas allá de las ridículas multas que cualquier profesional del futbol puede pagar hasta con los ojos cerrados.

Nadie espera que Messi sea un modelo de conducta, entre otras cosas porque es un chaval que lo único que hace durante el día es ir de entrenamiento en entrenamiento y de partido en partido, pero al menos que no vaya dando mal ejemplo a niños y mayores (que no lo hace porque el comportamiento del Argentino es muy bueno).

¿Hasta cuando tendremos los aficionados tener que seguir aguantando como este tipo de cosas siguen dándose en nuestro futbol?

Se dice que el futbol es el opio del pueblo, que sirve para tener tranquilos y doblegados a las masas e impedir que gasten las energías en cosas más importantes, creo que la cosa no es tan maquiavélica, que simplemente el futbol es algo pensado para mover dinero, con millonarios intereses escondidos en las espaldas de “supuestos cracks” que a veces firman contratos escapando de la miseria de sus países.

Sin embargo deberían empezar a preocuparse quienes  financian este negocio, entre amaños, estafas y “cosas feas” cada vez se va descubriendo un futbol mas alejado de el que nos quieren vender y eso al final repercute en “la pela” que es lo que mas les duele a los que mueven este percal.

Un abrazo

Top Gun is one of my all time favorite movies. Maverick and Goose, Ice Man and Charlie, Cruise and Kilmer,etc. Near the end of the movie, shortly after the climactic dog fight, Kilmer and Cruise meet on the deck of the carrier. After a brief stare down, Kilmer tells Cruise, “you are still dangerous,” adding that he could still be his wingman. Then we have the macho man  hug and action continues.

According to some well-known folks, there is  a dangerous person running amok around the country today. She has been to Ft Bragg, to Roanoke,Va, to Columbus and Cincinnati, Oh among others. Organizing for America director Mitch Stewart calls her dangerous as does well-known style arbiter Martha Stewart, presumably not related. Ms Stewart, apparently with her verbal claws sharpened also threw in the descriptive words confused  and boring. Doubtless Tina Fey had something to say also, but I don’t care.

Of course, we speak of Sarah Palin as she tours the country to promote her book which sold some 300,000 copies on day 1. I will say up front that unlike a number of my conservative brethren, I am uncertain as to whether Ms Palin would make  a good president of presidential candidate even. But I am certainly enjoying the angst that is surfacing  among those who are not fans. Is she dangerous? Dangerous to what and to whom, don’t know. I don’t really think so. It was amusing to note Martha Stewart’s comments. I  am unsure how one can be boring and dangerous simultaneously. If you are dangerous, you are certainly not boring are you? Why does Martha even care?

Anyway, the Obamacare folks should applaud her media attention. She is probably diverting some attention from all the machinations and payouts occurring in the Senate to obtain the votes of wavering Democrats. Whatever it takes, though. Sen Schumer said, we can’t not succeed. Parse that phrase, all you grammarians.

Last note. McCain has read her book and liked it. Obama says he probably will not read it.

Quentin Tarantino is a fuckin genius. Kill Bill is one of the most stylistically perfect films of the past twenty years (Inglorious Basterds is not too shabby either) but alongside all that brilliant filmmaking, he routinely delivers fantastic, nail-on-the-fucking-head film analysis and criticism.

Film criticism, at least at the university I went to, was pretty dry stuff. Everyone was still hung up on the ‘auteur’ theory and half the teachers were militant feminists. My buddy Sean got us (me, him, and Joe Abernathy) banned from any and all womens’ studies programs (not that we minded) for saying “Why is that when there’s a guy on the screen it’s just a guy on the screen, but throw a woman up there and suddenly it’s a STATEMENT???”

The Lab Teacher flipped on him (and me and Joe for laughing into our overpriced film theory text books) but it turns out, when there’s a guy on the screen, it’s also a statement. As Tarantino explains in this clip.

Holy shit, if there’s a film with US military propaganda more blatant than the likes of Top Gun, show it to me, because I haven’t seen it. I have distinct childhood memories of watching this movie and immediately thinking, “being a fighter pilot would be cool; where’s the Air Force Academy?”. If that’s not successful marketing and branding, there’s no such thing! This movie is the standard.

And don’t be fooled. I am not criticizing the film-makers and producers at all. Their influential messages betray an admirable skill! They zapped me good. And it was hard to convince me in those days (let alone today, muahaha), because I was so independently driven to purchase commercial toys and movies and video games, that clearly they had to use wily box office schemes to get past my…. parents’ limited income critical consumer taste.

But again, I’m sure you’re asking yourself why THIS movie, why not 300 or Rambo 200x or Transformers or whatever other great US comrade-based stuff has been piped down the Holywood tubes as of late. And what “scheme” am I even talking about? Simple — this movie is still effectively manipulative now (despite being unbelievably terrible in a non-appealing way — whereas terrible-but-appealing would be, say… Weekend at Bernie’s or maybe Steven Seagal movies), due to the music. Don’t you think the catchy pop single on the soundtrack, “Highway to the Danger Zone”, is supremely rocking? Ahaha, well I sure hope not — because then you’d be a complete and utter tool! No, it’s a successfully evocative film because of Harold Faltermeyer’s keyboard score. And Tom Skerritt’s mustache.

As example, take any one of these brilliant score pieces, like say… oh I don’t know, “Memories”. With this masterwork, does Faltermeyer not prove himself to be the J.S. Bach of the mid-late 1980s? I mean, the synthesizer is like the organ or clavier of the latter half of the 20th century, is it not? Now sure, calling someone the J.S. Bach of the ’80s may not actually mean anything at all, in a scholarly musical sense. Nay, all I meant is that this song kinda can remind you of a Bach piece. AGAIN, BY NO ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT, or even fine musical taste, but simply by virtue of the emotional engagement. It sounds like church music, from when church involved tangible spiritual experience — and was gothic and frightening. *

And hey, really, it’s kind of chuckle-worthy ironic that Faltermeyer had to write intense musical propaganda for the Reagan war machine, whereas Bach had to write intense musical propaganda for the Church… and…

*sigh* Okay, look, I’m obviously not an academic or objective scholar by any stretch. I’m here for one reason, and one reason only: to plug military films!

I assume this track is titled, “Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooose!”

_______

*Going by the choral music they composed for church in Bach’s lifetime time, we can assume it was a melancholy, slightly macabre era, but the graceful bloodlust found in the works of Palestrina and Byrd is a whole ‘nother realm of sadness.

Our next assignment in web design was to create a design comp for a movie pre-1990, aka, before movies had their own web sites. I decided to create mine around the 1986 movie, Top Gun, staring Tom Cruise. A requirement for this design comp was to create a video player within one of the pages with the skin resembling or complimenting the rest of the site design.

Here are the home and internal pages of my design comp. I downloaded the font I used in order to give it a more digitized feel, combined with the bright green I was hoping to get the feel that you were looking through the high tech helmet of a fighter pilot…or at least the look of a simulator.

After what’s seemed like an age since the last Premier League matches, we return to domestic action after the international break. Plenty to consider this gameweek as four teams play twice and a host of stars are injured. More on that later.

Last time round saw an above average score of 52 for myself but this was still quite far off the high score of 107. I was not helped by Drogba and Rooney predictably doing nothing in the big clash between Chelsea and Man Utd; while I also had 13 points marooned on the bench via Joe Hart and Scott Dann, who I hadn’t thought would do much vs Liverpool.

Our captain choices did well, with Fabregas having another big week while RVP and Adebayor also had fair contributions. If you had gone with the suggested transfer of Clint Dempsey, he would have scored you seven points too.

Gameweek 12 Top Gun (aka Tom Cruise Approves):

Maverick thinks John Terry is a fool, but his fantasy score last week was good.

Yep, John Terry was Gameweek 12’s Top Gun with the now ubiquitous defender’s score of 15 points for winning goal, clean sheet and three bonus points. The number of times this has happened is ridiculous but fair play if you’ve reaped the benefit.

But wait I hear you cry, there was someone else who also scored 15 points last week. Yes dear readers, for the first time this season we had a tie for highest score of the week. John Carew almost double his season’s score with a goal, two assists and three bonus points in Aston Villa’s 5-1 destruction of Bolton. This means Maverick needs some help in approving so what better person to have than his co-pilot Goose:

Goose approves of being involved in such silliness.

It was a struggle bringing him back from the dead, but through the powers of Google search and Photoshop I managed to do it. Maybe next time Iceman will muscle his way in on the show… Elsewhere Gomes saved a penalty to score 14 for Spurs while Wright-Phillips and Fabregas both got 13, the latter getting his fifth straight man of the match award.

On to this week.

Three Captain Choices:

With Torres and Drogba very doubtful and Van Persie and Lampard definitely out, the usual field of captain choices is substantially narrowed. In addition to that Hull, Blackburn, Fulham and Everton all play twice so it might be time for some leftfield thinking in terms of captain this week.

1. Bullard/Hull – Feeling brave? Quite the gamble this one but it could well pay off. Bullard is a good player but has been injured pretty much the whole time he’s been at Hull. He made a belated home debut last week and was the key figure in a win over Stoke scoring an assist and three bonus. Now one whole game isn’t much to go on but with Hull having two games at the KC Stadium, one against lowly West Ham you’d assume he would play a part in anything good Hull may do.

2. Anelka/Chelsea - With Drogba doubtful after Jonny Evans’ kung-fu kick to his ribs, and Fat Frank injured after attempting to sprint in England training, it leaves Nicolas Anelka as the most likely source of points for Chelsea this weekend. They face a home tie against Wolves which is as near to a gimme as you can get. I fully expect a comfortable home win with a goal or two from the Frenchman.

3. Fabregas/Arsenal - Fabregas is fast becoming the new Ronaldo of fantasy football. If in doubt for a captain choice, go with him. Sunderland away is the not the easiest place to go this season, but Arsenal have a good record there in recent years and should have enough to win, even without Robin van Persie.

Gets a Captain's tick.

Three Suggested Transfers In:

1. Eduardo/Arsenal - Now that Van Persie is out for several weeks, joining the already injured Bendtner, the onus falls on Eduardo to lead the line for the leading scorers in the team. He has had a very stop start season so far but has still got two goals and two assists in just over 300 minutes of action, which isn’t bad at all. With full fitness and a new contract in the back of his pocket, he should do well over the next couple of months.

2. Etherington/Stoke – He’s kind of slipped beneath my radar but is one of the form players of the last few weeks. In his last five games he has three assists and two goals as well as a few bonus points. Over the next four weeks, only Arsenal is a game which you would class as tough for Stoke.

3. Alexander/Burnley – His price has gone right up now but as long as Burnley keep getting penalties, he’s still worth it I’d say.

Might be worth a pick.

Three To Avoid:

1. Van Persie/Arsenal - Out for a couple of months in case it wasn’t already clear. Let’s hope he doesn’t rush back from injury like he has done in the past.

2. Benayoun/Liverpool - Has been in great from this season but has tweaked his hamstring. Also, knowing Rafa he’ll probably find a way to drop the Israeli now that Aquilani is approaching full fitness.

3. Bolton players – Bottom of the team stats with just 345 points between them.

Are you taking the mick?!

T.

Saccomanno’s Pizza, Pasta, and Deli

10208 127 Avenue, Edmonton

Recently, my friend Jared agreed to take me out for pizza, and I suggested that we take in a slice at Saccomanno’s. He had once been on a date to the restaurant/deli, and was very interested in a second visit. I was more than willing to make this date number 2.

Saccomanno’s Pizza, Pasta and Deli is exactly what its name says it is: an Italian delicatessen, a pizza restaurant and a pasta restaurant. The Pizza side of things is very simple. One size available (14 inches) and about half a dozen pizza choices. All thin crust. We settled on the capricciosa pizza, which had prosciutto cotto, olives, cheese (lots of cheese) and very little sauce.

Both Jared and I agree that the pizza was very good and highly recommendable. The thick cheese and thin sauce were definitely worth noting though. Just saying.

A serious highlight of  Saccomanno’s is its deli slash grocery. Jared and I grabbed our bottles and Peroni and took a stroll through the aisles (still very much a date at this point), picking up a few necessities such as deli meat, baby clams and couscous (please note the sarcasm. These things are neither necessities nor in my budget). It was great to finally be able to drink in a grocery store without worrying about store security though.

Jared was a complete gentleman. Not once did I feel that he was coming on too strong and he was more than willing to go dutch on the bill. Conversation was mostly about shinny and men’s hockey leagues. Mr. Saccomanno (we can only assume, really) was also a gentleman, thanking us personally for our patronage on our way out.

Despite the thin sauce, the only possible downside to the joint is its less-than-spectacular location. As long as the east-bound Yellowhead exit is as complicating as it is though, I think Mr Saccomanno’s will be just fine.

(quick note: I may have down-played the quality of the ‘za a little bit. It was really good. Better than most places, in fact. Was it the best of the best? Sliceoflife does not operate like Top Gun. I will say this though: “there are 2 C’s in Saccomanno, boys“……… Top Gun jokes.)

So, I’m sitting here watching Maverick, Goose and the Ice Man (yeah, nothing better to do than watch Top Gun for the umpteenth time) with an empty Subway pizza container.  Kelly McGillis really sort of looked like a dude to me… don’t get me wrong, her homely looks kind of worked as an Amish chick in Witness (and that chemistry with Harrison Ford….mmmm…yummy- you just wanted them to get all sexed up over a butter churner or chicken coop), but she’s just weird in this movie.  Eh, Tom Cruise is ugly too.  Is there anything better to do with my time?   No.  I’m knee-deep in a Tuesday night funk.  I just drove an hour and a half to meet a kid I met, like a total ass, on Craigslist and TRUSTED he was meeting me and selling me tickets to an event.  Ever-naive Ang.  We kept texting each other  (Ugh- this onscreen kiss is unbelievably gross….yuck!) throughout….even as I waited in the parking lot for the little ball-less ba$tard, I believed he was simply late.  Then his texts got strange and I knew I had been duped.  Wonder-emo kid Ang cried and turned the car around for home.

What really sucks is that I’m not even hungry, but stress subjects me to a keen sensitivity to starch and sources of insignificant nutrition, hence the polished off pizza.  Sigh.  I’m sad today.  PMS?  Naw- not yet, but similar- eating…far-away stares…  I think my boobs are bigger?  Are they bigger (I’m simultaneously grabbing each with a little  shake…like feeling fruit for firmness…but you can’t see that, can ya?)?  My clothes fit fine, but I feel soft… or bloaty. Ick.   I hope it’s not a fat girl re emerging- she was a depressing creature.  Gotta run, run, run (Val Kilmer is ridiculous in this movie.   I just can’t take his acting prowess seriously…although I totally wanted him in the movie Real Genius when I was, like, ten.  He suffers from the Keneau Reeves Syndrome.) 

I’m quickly at the conclusion that 2009 is making it’s closing remarks.  I don’t like it’s argument, either, as the year is wrapping up much differently than it premiered.  Hope in a snow globe- soft, blinding fool’s hope- light and wispy.  Now, the holidays are on us and I can see that it’s not hope, but a confusing white-out.   I’m such a Debbie Downer….I’m going to mapquest “Bright Side” and go looking for it.   (Goose has passed, ladies and gentlemen) 

Violet’s at a party….a Senior BOY’s party at his house.  (Tom Cruise in his tighty-whities… puke)  I’m sinking into her heating blanket on her bed… “What do I get out of this?  I always try, I always miss….”  (New Order) 

This has been a test of the Emergency Emo Random System…

Tom Cruise is perfectly normal…except for the one small part of his brain that makes him an absolute lunatic. For the love of his Scientology…he supposedly was all about beating people up. What?

Marty Rathbun, once one of Miscavige’s most trusted lieutenants, tells us he has a witness who can corroborate his account of a bloody beating at the church’s 500-acre compound in Hemet, Calif. Furthermore, he’s brought it to the attention of Cruise’s attorney, Bert Fields.
On the day before the actor’s visit a couple of years ago, the compound’s managers took part in “the Tom Cruise arrival preparation drill,” which required “orchestrating every action they perform … in the presence of Cruise,” Rathbun recently wrote Fields.
But Miscavige wasn’t happy when he addressed 80 to 100 managers at a prisonlike facility, known as “The Hole,” where three insubordinate officials — Marc Yager, Guillaume Leserve and Ray Mithoff — were “incarcerated,” according to Rathbun.
“Miscavige berated [the managers] for being far too light in their demands for confessions” from the three, Rathbun alleges in his letter, “because they refused to beat [them] … to pulps. Miscavige said that Tom … had vowed to come to the Hole and personally ‘beat the living [bleep]‘ out of Yager, Leserve and Mithoff if the managers failed to do so themselves.
“In response, the mob rushed at the three targeted gentlemen,” Rathbun claimed. “Fists flew and feet kicked into the three. They continued to pound until … each had two black eyes.”

This makes perfect sense when you think about it. But, then you think about the fact that Tom Cruise is about 5′2″ with lifts and it makes it kind of funny and then very sad. It would be like getting attacked by an angry Hobbit. It’s not very threatening…but you never know if they have some kind of medieval axe or something in their tiny backpack. Which reminds me that I once got into a fight when I was in 7th grade over a bowl of Jell-o. You never know what is worth fighting for until someone wants your Cherry flavored Jell-o. Then my friends, these fists turn into Jewish hammers of fury…and the only thing that will stop me is a nice cold diet coke.

Douchebag line.

Rad movie.

Weirdo.

Todo mundo só lembra daquela música melosa da banda Berlin, mas o que tira o meu fôlego é Danger Zone, com o Kenny Loggins,

e , principalmente, a instrumentral Top Gun Anthem.

Embora You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, do Righteous Brothers, faça parte da trilha, a cena leva por Melhor Karaokê (ou seria Vergonha Alheia?).

PS1: A Academia não concorda com este blog, porque eles concederam o prêmio para Take My Breath Away. Isso foi em 1987.

PS2: Essas músicas também podem ser escutadas no Blip dos Indicados. Clique aqui.

PS3: Tá lembrado da paródia do Top Gun, com o Charlie Sheen? Não? Veja de novo: http://tinyurl.com/yjda28v

PS4: Quer ver o trailer?

I feel the need…the need for speed!

If its Friday, then it must be time for our gang (gaggle?) of GonzoGeeks to take you on a trip through the wonderful world of the web as seen through our seriously skewed worldview.

But before we set off on our journey, let me offer you a slice of cheesecake.  This week, its Daffney, TNA superstar and all around cool chick.

Why you may ask?

The answer is quite simple.  Before it was cancelled, this was the scheduled weekend for Wizard World Texas, an event Stephe and I attended for all of its years, including last year where we met Daffney and convinced her to be our first celebrity interview.  Since then, Daffney has gone on to play The Governor (TNA’s parody of Sarah Palin) and emerge on the other side as the goth chick she was meant to be.  She’s currently rehabbing a broken arm.

***UPDATE 11/20/09 – Got an email from Daffney yesterday.  It wasn’t a broken arm, but rather a very serious concussion.  The injury is corrected but the sentiment remains the same.***

Get well soon Daff!

Now, on to the links.

1.  Everyone’s favorite uncle…Television!
2. More cool custom toys!
3. A toy Stephe says he must have!
4. The latest from the Mayor of Parts Unknown.
5. Sean Salisbury is suing DeadSpin.  Could be a watershed case when it comes to the blogosphere.
6. One of John’s favorite angles from the territorial days of wrestling.
7. This week’s episode of PWF internet TV.
8. This joke by Tommy West about Lane Kiffin has Tennessee players fired up for some unfathomable reason.  It’s barely a decent joke.
9. Rob Zombie calls Hollywood chicken.
10. Still a loner.  Still a rebel.
11. John Stewart does Glenn Beck.
12. I would have been far more surprised to find out Tim Lincecum didn’t smoke dope.
13. Stay classy Joe!
14. All this and yet no Canyonero.
15. Rastaman litigations.
16. As someone who just completed the American Community Survey, I say thanks Ron.
17. Continuing last week’s crytozoology theme.
18. Was his name Goose?
19. Christopher Walken sings Lady Gaga’s Poker Face.
20. Do you know who was the original choice to play Indiana Jones?
21. Surely Marc Singer wasn’t busy.
22. Josh Whedon wants to buy the Terminator franchise.
23. A zombie film currently in production in Tennessee.
24. Can’t be any worse than the prequels.
25. Oh the irony.  Mexico dealing with aliens.
26. Before I delete the bookmark, here’s the story that was the basis for American Gangster.
27. Our weekly link to David’s Iraq deployment blog.
28. And, if you like what you see, then become a fan on Facebook.

• You do not sleep well when The Husband is not at home.
• Look on the bright side, at least CMT was airing “Top Gun” one night.
• Find a way to say “Son, your ego is writing checks that your body can’t cash” sometime soon.
• If you’re ever watching it again, remember to mute the movie whenever Val Kilmer is on, because he smacks his gum, and mouth noises are really yucky.
• When you haven’t gotten much sleep over a four-night period, you are going to be TIRED.
• So, knowing that, if The Husband goes out of town for work again, and there is an opportunity to volunteer at Big Sister’s school, you might want to take an afternoon shift.
• Volunteering from the time you drop her off until the time you pick her up makes for a long day.
• Even longer when you’re outside for all of it.
• And even longer when much of the day your station was closest to the stereo that was playing a Radio Disney CD.
• You liked it a little too much when the music changed and you were singing along to “I’m Walking on Sunshine”.
• You almost started dancing.
• Thankfully, you hid it well by hula hooping.
• Buy a hula hoop.  No one has to know that it’s not for your daughters. 
• Or you could get a Wii Fit and do the hula hoop thing on that.
• An actual hula hoop is probably a lot cheaper.
• And you can go outside to use it.
• And your neighbors can marvel at your mad hula hooping skillz.
• As will The Husband.
• And then you will probably not get much sleep over a four-night period.

Have a great weekend!

Aprovechando el motivo del 20 aniversario de la caída del muro de Berlin, la noche del 4 de noviembre la cadena  MTV organizó un concierto gratuito en la puerta de Brandenburgo con la participación del grupo irlandés U2. Este acto sirvió como precedente para la entrega de los premios MTV que se han entregado esta noche. U2, Beyoncé y Eminem han sido los triunfadores de la gala.  Aquí tenéis diferentes momentos de la actuación que duró alrededor de 30 minutos.

Desde aquí también queremos celebrar la efemérides del fin del telón de acero y para ello os hemos preparado una serie de videos relacionados con la ciudad germana. Pero antes vamos a recordar lo que sucedió aquella noche del 9 de noviembre de 1989 con este breve introducción:

Nos metemos ya de lleno con nuestra colección de canciones. 8 meses después de la caída del “muro de la vergüenza”, el 21 de julio de 1990 Roger Waters organizó una grandiosa actuación conmemorando el suceso que terminaba con la división de las dos Alemanias. Como ya contamos en nuestro post sobre la música de aquel año, el ex- Pink Floyd contó con invitados de lujo para la ocasión. Con Cindy Lauper interpretó el clásico Another Brick In The Wall, que le iba como anillo al dedo a tal evento.

Para hacer su aclamado disco Achtung Baby! los irlandeses U2 se trasladaron a Berlin para grabarlo en los estudios Hansa. Brian Eno volvía a la misma ciudad con la que plasmó en los 70 la etapa berlinesa de Bowie, esta vez como productor. En el álbum había diferentes guiños a la ciudad, como la canción Zoo Station que  hacía referencia a la línea de metro del Zoo que casualmente se llama U2. La continuación fue Zooropa que incluía una canción que aparecería en la película Tan Lejos, Tan Cerca del cineasta alemán Wim Wenders. El video, que lo dirigió el mismo Wenders, está ambientado en Berlin y  junto a Londres y Belfast, también se menciona en la letra.

Se conoce como la “trilogía berlinesa” a los tres discos que David Bowie inmortalizó en Berlin a finales de los 70: Low (1977), Heroes (1978) y Lodger (1979). Producidos todos por Tony Visconti y con la participación estelar de Brian Eno, el “duque blanco” se empapó de diversas influencias germanas tanto artísticas (Kraftwerk, el grupo precursor del tecno) como socio-políticas (división este-oeste del país, etc). Una de sus mejores canciones contaba una historia de unos amantes con el muro de telón de fondo.  En este mismo blog la comparamos con unas versiones que seleccionamos de las muchas que se han hecho. Se titula Heroes y el video es de la época de su Glass Spider Tour.

En 1986 un grupo de nombre Berlin consiguió que uno de sus singles fuera mundialmente conocido gracias a la banda sonora de la película Top Gun. Protagonizada entre otros por Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer y Meg Ryan, el film siempre será recordado con los acordes de fondo de  Take My Breath Away.

Y para terminar qué mejor que hacerlo con una de igual título que la misma ciudad. En 1973 Lou Reed se pegó un enorme batacazo comercial con su disco conceptual Berlin. Durante 33 años no lo tocó nunca en directo. Hoy en día es considerado como una obra maestra a pesar de la desesperanza que respira. La relación entre dos jonkis sirve al neoyorkino para presentarnos un panorama desolador.

I’m not wearing a tie.

OOOOOHHHH YEEAAHAHAHAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

That’s right, ladies! It’s “Aggressive Thursday” and I’ve got no motherfucking tie on! I’m rocking no tie! This dog’s got no leash! This car’s got no breaks! This prisoner’s got no shackles! This something that is usually loosely bound by some form of restraint is now not wearing that restraint which is a metaphor that in reality is just a piece of colorful matching silk that is worn around the neck…. FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!

I’m actually a little sad that I’m not wearing tie. Here are the four following reasons why I don’t like that I’m not wearing a tie:

1. Mork

I’m going to write the next paragraph in a Masonic code I learned from Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. I hope everyone will be able to follow it because it is very elaborate and complicated.

I write this blog and I don’t know if you have noticed, but I don’t get paid for it. That is where “mork” comes in. Like most of you, I have a real yob in the real world and my yob is what pays me so I can live. I write this blog at my yob everyone morning seemingly when I should be morking. Nevertheless, I’m good at my yob and still get my mork done, usually. Anyway, recently there has been a lot of turmoil going on at mork. I don’t completely want to tell you who I mork for because one of you may end up becoming vengeful for me stopping this blog and if I’m still morking for this yob then you’ll just call up the company and tell them to fire me because all I do is write about Lirsten Lewart and her twanting tit.

So, the company I mork for is under schnew schmanagement. They do not wear suits. My previous schmanagement made us wear suits everyday at mork. A lot of people are still wearing suits at mork today and I’ve already seen a couple wearing ties. I’m still wearing the rest of the suit, but I feel like I’ve sold out a little to the new kibosses and schmanagement with the no tie. Also I have no khaki pants and regular button up shirts to dress worporate wasual, so I have to wear a suit unless sweatpants become acceptable.

2. Pajamas

I don’t own/wear pajamas. By pajamas, I don’t mean sweatpants and a t-shirt or whatever. I mean the man pajamas or manajamas that pretty much look like you are just wearing a dress shirt and dress pants, but they’re made of the exact same material. I’ve never worn those and I couldn’t imagine wearing those. But when I don’t wear a tie with a suit, I feel like I’m wearing manajamas pretty much. So I feel real weird right now.

3. Sternal Head

I’m showing a lot of sternal head right now. I can’t find and I’m going to stop looking. because I have so mork for my yob I need to do, the term for the area of skin that covers the sternal head. Either way, it is completely out there and I’m not into it. I like to keep my sternal head covered and feels weird having it graphically nude at the moment. I wear wife beater undershirts which provide no cover for my sternal head. Is there a draft in here!?! My sternal head is freezing! My sternal head is so sensitive to the cold. I really need something to keep my sternal head warm. Some would say, “why don’t you just button the top button of your shirt?” And those people would be idiots. I can’t button the top button of my shirt with no tie! I would look like some crazy person! Nothing is more of a red flag for social awkwardness than a guy buttoning the top button of his shirt with no tie.

That is unless you only have the top button buttoned and the rest is unbuttoned. At this point everyone will know you are either a member of the Latin Kings or in another Hispanic gang that rivals the Latin Kings. Or at least you are throwing it out there that you are willing to join one of those gangs.

4. I own a ton of ties

Like 30 ties! What are they going to do? Just stay locked in my closet and appreciate with age!?! They’re not wine or a sex slave.

James Cameron + Kristen Stewart

So as I keep pulling up my shirt to shield my white, baby soft skin that covers my sternal head from those uncomfortably longing and sensual stares I keep receiving, I have been thinking a lot about James Cameron recently. They have recently started airing a lot of TV spots for his forthcoming action epic Avatar. I’m definitely seeing it and I’m definitely planning on seeing it opening day. But I’m not really sold on the movie. It looks cool, but it also looks so much like a whole bunch of other stuff. For the most part it looks like it will be the greatest videogame movie adaptation for a game that does not exist. They are actually making a videogame based on the movie, which will probably suck.

James Cameron is an amazing director. There is no way the movie will be bad considering it is going to be a lot of alien jungle fights versus machine gunning robots. That is phenomenal as is, but will it live up to the hype is the question. Regardless, what if the movie had a certain actress in it? What if Kristen Stewart was in Avatar? How would that change the outcome of the movie? Also, what if Kristen Stewart was in all of James Cameron’s movies? How would the presence of the sprightly teen Queen of wanting it affect the conclusions of James Cameron’s much heralded films?

Terminator

I’m assuming Kristen is a good guy in the movie. I feel like that is a safe assumption because she is so cute and likeable in real life and because God would never allow her to be portrayed to the world as a bad guy because she is God’s vessel of want. Also, the bad guy in the movie is a robot and I have already discussed how I do not believe it is possible for man to create a robot or clone of Kristen Stewart that would be able to emit the same want. As a good guy, I think Kristen could arguably replace Bess Motta as Linda Hamilton’s friend Ginger and/or she could be Michael Biehn’s tandem time traveling terminator tussling teammate.

We all remember that the Terminator shows up to Sarah and Ginger’s apartment looking for Sarah. Sarah is not there. Ginger is there with her big swinging ahem boyfriend Matt played by Rick Rossovich who everyone knows best as the Ice Man’s co-pilot, Slider, in Top Gun. I love Top Gun. The Terminator comes in and beats the piss out of Matt then kills him and kills Ginger. What if Kristen Stewart was Ginger? Well I would imagine Kristen would be wanting it on all cylinders with a half naked Slider running around her apartment. I think the Terminator would kick down the door and be first met Kristen. The amount of want pouring out of her would be way too much for a robot, even from the future, to process. He would be flooded with so much want that his circuits would become wildly over heated and burst into flames.

The Terminator now engulfed in an internal electrical fired caused by a slim 19 year old who wants it so bad, he would promptly throw himself out the window in an effort to kill himself before the flames eat him from the inside. The fall doesn’t kill him, so he lays in agony until the fire finally consumes him. Then Slider would come out of the shower from the noise and look at Kristen and ask what happened. She would shrug “nothing that hasn’t happened a 100 times before, dude.”

If she was Kyle Reese’s assistant, the two of them would actively search out the Terminator. I would imagine that in a future of endless war we would have trained Kristen to use her want like an ion cannon. When they found the Terminator, Reese would whisper the Kristen Stewart go code “pumpernickel” and then dive out of the way. She would fire off a want blast that would explode like a Hydrogen bomb on Arnold, thus ending the movie maybe 10 minutes in.

Aliens

Most of Aliens is crazy ass explosions anyway, so there is a chance that Kristen Stewart wouldn’t need to use her want it powers. Plus I don’t think it is safe to send Kristen Stewart in space. I’m just a doctor and just an amateur scientist, but there are a lot of weird things people in space cannot do. I feel like Kristen Stewart’s want would be a liability on a spaceship. This is just a theory, I think Kristen Stewart radiates so much want that it would cause too much strain on the fragile spaceship structure that there would be too high of a chance of mishap. So I don’t think Kristen should be up in space no matter if she is up there to fight aliens or not.

Kristen and the planet Earth would be much better served if she was paid to keep watch on sky for aggressive alien space craft trying to enter the Earth’s atmosphere. If she sees one then she has carte blanche to zap them out of the air like she’s a human death star of want.

The Abyss

I like The Abyss now. When I was a kid I was scared by it for some reason. What a pussy, right? I really don’t know why I was scared by it. I must’ve watched it a bunch of times when I was kid even though it did scared me. Anyway, this movie wouldn’t even exist if Kristen Stewart was in it. If there were aliens that lived at the bottom of the ocean floor and Kristen Stewart and her want were around, they would leave this planet. Aliens can sense her immense want even at the bottom depths of the ocean. Soon as Ed Harris gets to the bottom of the ocean and chills with the aliens for a minute they leave. I think the aliens either would sense Kristen Stewart’s want and be scared to death of it and jet. Or they would surface, meet the beacon of want, be terrified of her power, and leave. So, K-Stew saves the day again and no deep sea drilling scientists have to die.

True Lies

I guess Kristen could replace Eliza Dushku as Arnold and Jamie Lee’s daughter. Does everyone know that Eliza Dushku is going out with Rick Fox? Does everyone know who Rick Fox is? More like does anyone know who Rick Fox is? Right? Cause you’re ladies and ladies don’t know athletes. I’m not sure if they are going out or not, but I saw a picture of the two of them together and it is so random to imagine the two of them being in a picture together at all that I have to assume the wildest and that they are going out. How on Earth did the two of them meet?

We all know that True Lies is perfect. Simply perfect. So I would want Kristen to just follow whatever the terrorists asked her to do like a good little hostage. I don’t want to her get involved because if she did then we wouldn’t have not only the amazing action of Arnold killing fools, but we would miss out on utterly flawless scenarios like Arnold on horseback, Arnold scaring Bill Paxton, Arnold and Tom Arnold’s hilarious dialogue exchanges, Jamie Lee Curtis stripping, the interrogation scene which Arnold should have at least won a Golden Globe for, Arnold piloting a harrier jet, and so on. I guess the only thing that could be added is after the whole movie plays out and the three of them (Arnold, Jamie and now Kristen) are on the bridge celebrating, a terrorist could pop up out of nowhere with an AK-47 poised to fire. Kristen would turn and want it and he would explode into bits.

That’s thee ole’ classic K-Stew 3 point blow ‘em up:

Step 1: Turn

Step 2: Want it

Step 3: Continue to want it until the target blows up like a bomb sending blood and guts every where.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

She’s a good guy in this one as well. The T-1000 was destroyed by molten hot liquid and the destruction of the remaining Terminator pieces. I’m starting to tear up saying this, but I don’t think there is anyway Arnold doesn’t die and give us the thumbs up in this scenario. WHY!?!?!?!?! OH JESUS!?!?! Why does he have to die so gracefully and beautifully? He’s just a robot, right? Why am I so emotionally attached? I think Kristen could easily handle the T-1000 with her want. She would keep him in a constant state of destruction. Kristen would let loose her heat beam want on the T-1000 melting him. I believe that he would try to form his liquid metal self to look like her thinking he could counteract her want, but fail. Meanwhile, Sarah, John and the Terminator would still have to get the original chip and Terminator hand from Dyson. Then as much as it pains me, Kristen would have melt Arnold, the chip and the hand with her want as well as the T-1000 to rid the world of the evils of Skynet. This one is sad.

Titanic

An iceberg? Are you kidding me? Kristen would want the shit out of that thing and melt it to an ice cube. She could stand at the bow of the boat just let the heat of her want go. She would be like a giant microwave warming the waters. Melting all the icebergs may cause severe flooding everywhere else in the world though. But who cares? Kristen is safe because she’s on a boat!

Avatar

Hmmm… well the aliens seem to turn out to be the good guys. But the “bad guys” are just misguided space marines. Kristen Stewart isn’t going to kill American soldiers. I think she could just enter the battle and shine her wanting it light until they are drawn to tears and humbled, both man and alien together.

But if those aliens turn out to be bad, Kristen Stewart will want it like an optic beam razor and decapitate those motherfuckers one by one.

Just think about James Cameron. The movie doesn’t come out for another 40 some odd days. You could do some re-shoots. Either way, you need to paint Kristen Stewart blue like the aliens just for the hell of it.

Also, if I had photoshop I would take a picture of Kristen and make her blue. I can’t do that in MS-Paint and make it look good. But I did this yesterday when I was bored at mork.

“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Primal Rape

This is an unsolicited “music video” I made yesterday for my friends’ band, Primal Rape, based out of Austin, Texas. It’s a pseudo-cover of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. The idea came out of nowhere, and I pursued it until the end, no questions asked. I’m happy to say that I achieved exactly what I set out to accomplish. How that reflects upon me is an altogether different consideration of happiness. I’ll let you all decide.

You can check out current and future videos of Primal Rape at primalrape.com or on their YouTube Channel.

Come l’anno scorso, invito chi di dovere a cambiare l’immagine del nostro esercito, puntando su Nabila, per esempio.

Consideriamola la punta di un iceberg: tra l’altro c’è chi propone di “accorciare il periodo di attesa per ottenere la cittadinanza, ad esempio per quegli immigrati che decidano di arruolarsi nell’esercito”.

Per chi non lo sapesse, il 4 novembre è il giorno delle forze armate italiane e ques’anno vengono celebrate anche con questo video di dubbio gusto.

Qualcuno potrebbe informarli che il periodo in cui si comunicava l’esercito cool alla Top Gun è finito?

When I was in  elementary school I LOVED Top Gun. Besides the fact that Tom Cruise was soooooo cute (I say in my best 10 year old crooning voice), I thought it would be super cool to fly planes like Iceman, Slider, Hollywood, and Merlin or get a job like Kelly McGillis had. If you watched the trailer above, you saw the planes doing lots of tricky maneuvers – spins, flips, sharp stops, etc.  There is one HUGE problem with my dream of flying Naval jets and working as a flight instructor – I get terribly motion sick! That would create a significant limitation in my ability to fly a plane, flip it around, or be effective as a fighter pilot. 

You see, as children, we are often told that we can be anything we want to be.  At risk of ruffling a lot of feathers, I don’t think we can be anything we WANT to be.  We can only be the best versions of who we are DESIGNED to be.  I was not DESIGNED to be a pilot.  No amount of dreaming, training, practicing or goal setting would have allowed me to overcome my physical reaction to being in a plane that moves like fighter jets do.  However, I am a really good teacher;  I excel in positions where my organizational skills, attention to detail, and customer service focus are keys to success;  I have a passion to learn.  I am focused on my strengths, talents, and abilities and am becoming (day by day) the best version of who I was designed to be.

I will continue to experience professional (and personal) success because I am chosing a Deliberate Direction for my career that is based upon, among other things, my DESIGN.  How about you?

Dedicado a Ángel, Chacal, Hijo de la Bohemia y toda la santa cofradía de la conferencia episcopal.

Halloween ha llegado un año más a nuestras vidas. Aquí se vive de una forma muy intensa, por estos lares se disfraza todo el mundo, inclusive el viernes ya acudió gente con sus mejores galas a clase. El que podéis disfrutar fue importado por Kike, según declaraba en su blog el pasado viernes, pero a pesar de que el muchacho ha puesto todo su empeño, creo que no se parecen en nada. 

Este año me desplacé hasta la localidad de Provincetown para disfrutar de esta curiosa festividad. Halloween posee en común con las Fallas suelen poner de relevancia a personajes o hechos acontecidos durante el año. El año pasado fue Sarah Palin la que ganó sin despeinarse. Un servidor pensaba que los honores este año ser los llevaría Michael Jackson o su anestesista. Pero me han sorprendido una vez más y ha sido…

The Swine Flu, también conocida como Gripe A.

 Todo el mundo coincidía al día siguiente que había sido el Halloween más loco y más divertido de los celebrados en Provincetown, todo favorecido por las excelentes condiciones metereológicas, un día soleado pero un aire frío curioso que no amedrentó a nadie. Ante la carencia de hechos relevantes o personajes a criticar, todos nos lanzamos al cine como fuente de inspiración. Un servidor como no podía ser de otra manera escogió a Maverick de “TOP GUN”, salvando las distancias con mi estimado Tom Cruise, porque evidentemente soy mucho más alto y guapo, a dónde vamos a ir a parar. A lo largo de la noche me fui encontrando con otros personajes del séptimo arte.

Pedro Picapiedra, más conocido aquí como Fred Flinstone

"La novia cadaver" me intentó seducir

Clark Kent, más conocido como Superman

El hombre lobo

Peter Parker, pero sólo respondía al nombre de Spiderman

Brian, el perro escritor y alcohólico

Me encontré hasta con Neo

Al equipo de Anatomía de Grey

Las langostas asesinas

Abejas asesinas

Pero con lo que no contaba es que se hiciera realidad el clásico de Romero “La noche de los muertos vivientes”. Tras la cena, los muertos salieron de sus tumbas y comenzaron a andar y a comerse a todos.

Monsieur Copépodo por no haberse leído bien los sabios consejos apocalípticos de Zombi y Bloger in the Shadows, feneció luchando como todo un valiente. En cambio salí corriendo y me refugié en el Atlantic House donde unas bellas mozas me atraparon…

Hasta que llegó Walter Sobchak y me tome con él como unas quince cervezas…

Así al día siguiente hasta el muñeco de Halloween estaba afectado…

Menos mal que tocaba cambio horario y pudimos dormir un rato más, y levantarnos para tomar un brunch supervitaminado y mineralizado.

The Orange Film Adverts really have become part of the cinema experience over the past few years now. Wondering when it is eventually going to change after months and months of the same advert, telling you to switch off your mobile phone. So I thought I would have a little trip down memory lane and pick out my top 10 of the adverts. This could be amusing and annoying, having a look back through the adverts which you do talk about a lot. It is very good to see the actors allowing their movies or parts to be made fun of in jest.

10. Darth Vader

Got to be slightly amused at Darth Vader being told no, haha.

9. Val Kilmer

Trying to get text messages into a Western . . . only in an Orange advert. “Val’s lost that lovin’ feelin”

8. Snoop Dogg

All amusing just for the Orange guys trying to sound cool and rap.

7. Macaulay Culkin

“How old are now, 15?” “I’m 26″ that is just fantastic as everyone still sees him as the “Home Alone” kid.

6. Verne Troyer

 The obvious joke, yep Dr Evil. Fantastic!

5. Patrick Swayze

The late Patrick Swayze, is just brilliant when they all start quoting his movies “no one puts Swayze in the corner” and the use of “ditto”.

4. Steven Seagal

Just having Steven Seagal saying romantic comedy is pure brilliance.

3. Anjelica Huston

The whole Addams Family refrence and “Huston, we have a problem” fantastic.

2. Sean Astin

I always loved this one being a LOTR geek and everything. Its just hilarious at the end making it appear Sean is really Hobbit size.

1. Rob Lowe

I just love the curly haired guy “OMG Rob Lowe just looked right at me” what a classic moment and I am not joking that I laughed at this every time for the probable 6 months it was on for.

Which is your favorite?

No social media in Iowa?  That’s what our newfound friends and rivals – MediaTwoPointOh in North Carolina – say in one of their latest blog postings:

“They’re in Iowa … There’s no social media in Iowa yet – is there?”

and …

“Seriously people – they’re in Iowa.  Everyone in New York knows you need to be in New York to be a “real” agency.  And we’re closer to New York than Iowa!”

Here is our video response to the false accusations about Iowa’s social media game – which you can also watch on YouTube

If you don’t know the back-story, the AdMavericks blog was selected by advertising consultant Michael Gass’ Fuel Lines website to be included in a blog-of-the-month vote among 45 different ad agencies across the U.S. Using some social media savvy, we were able to jump out to a quick lead in the voting. Obviously, this caught the attention of some of our competitors, specifically those at Media Two, who decided it was time try to shoot down the high-flyin’ AdMavericks.

Me, Goose and the rest of the squad are used to the heat of battle.  But when our whole state is being dissed?  Well, now you’re entering the “Danger Zone“.

Fellow Iowans … this isn’t just personal anymore … this is about our whole state.  Let’s let our friends in Carolina know that Iowa isn’t just another fly-over state … it’s the center of the social media universe!  A vote for AdMavericks isn’t just a vote for our blog anymore …  it’s a vote for the whole social media lovin’ state of Iowa!

Media Two Point Oh? How about Media Two Point Oh No? Congrats to our new friends in Carolina … In defense of the great state of Iowa, we’ve lost that lovin’ feelin for Media Two and we affectionately name you our worst of the week!

Author: AdMavericks
www.lessingflynn.com

P.S. This is just the tip of the iceberg for social media in Iowa. Sorry we couldn’t mention more people, attention spans being what they are.
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Images: hotflick
Add a touch of unforgettable style in your wardrobe this season,like Kelly McGillis’ sassy character “Charlie” in 1986’s blockbuster Top Gun.
Achieve her sexy silhouette with a pencil skirt, team with a statement jacket and a hot pair of aviators. Our picks below:

L’Wren Scott Military pencil $399skirt at outnet

Chloé’s Satin-crepe longline jacket, $2,065 at Net-A-Porter

“Top Gun” USN-spec Goatskin G-1 at Us Wings

Ray-Ban’s Mirrored aviator metal sunglasses $135 at Net-A-Porter

The bulk of musicians are lamentably crap at being politically conscious. Take Green Day for example: from listening to two albums full of charged political continent we know one thing; that they are against war and that they are rubbish at conveying even the most basic of political sentiments through the medium of song.

The point is: musicians should stick to what they know. That has never been a mantra of Ian Brown, who in the past bemoaned the lack of young musicians who were politically active in their music.

Now Brown is ‘calling on’ schools to start showing films like ‘Notorious‘, ‘8 Mile’ and ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ because they can inspire young people to ‘great things’.

‘Notorious’ isn’t the best example, after all who wants to inspire children to die aged 24 in a hail of bullets?

Schools are unlikely to be too taken with the idea either. I’ve not seen these films but I doubt they feature lengthy segments about Eminem and 50 Cent studying for high school exams. You never hear rappers saying stuff like ‘I got 8 GCSEs, English, Maths and History‘.

He says kids should be ‘made’ to watch these films because there isn’t enough about working class success stories and claims that the working class have been cut out of history. Which is bullshit. What history has he been studying? The history of the Hapsburg Empire?

Why stop there? Why not replace the whole syllabus with Hollywood blockbusters?

Top Gun: Kids! Don’t go to school, become a pilot instead! Halloween: Don’t have sex, because when you do, you’ll be killed by an escaped lunatic.

Why not? Because it’s a terrible idea, obviously.

Do you remember being 12 years old and thinking that Mad Magazine was the height of comedy? I had a cherished collection that I just knew was going to bring me a million dollars when I grew up because I had just seen an episode of Amazing Stories in which the protagonist cashed in on all his childhood junk. That was going to be me.

Then my sister shattered my Mad riches scheme when she lent my collection (without my permission!) to the next-door neighbor, whose two-year-old brother proceeded to rip off all of the covers. That was a tragic afternoon.

Anyhow, I’ve gotten over it. Sort of.

Mom brought over what remains of my collection, which apparently had been sitting in a closet in her house for the last 23 years. Among the issues was December 1986, which spoofed Top Gun. I read through and discovered three separate panels in the spoof joking about how “old” Kelly McGillis was. So I looked her up on IMBD.

She was 29.

Seriously? I guess 29 is “old” when your audience is 12.

The reason I bring up middle-school humor is that I recently discovered a hilarious series of books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. These graphic novels follow the life of Greg, a 7th-grader who agrees to keep a journal in exchange for getting out of scrubbing the toilets at home.

Jeff Kinney (who now has multiple #1 books on the New York Times bestseller list and still keeps a day job) wrote the Diary for adults and has been surprised at the books’ popularity among children. Speaking from the adult perspective, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a delight. It is really, really funny.

You can check it out for free here. Be prepared to kill a few hours.