New York Juan

i am an american!

2010-02-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

ignorance is bliss. maybe.

2010-02-24T07:38:00.004-05:00

a study finds that 60 million Americans don't care, don't want broadband, don't want to pay for it, and find the internet either offensive or dangerous.

so, for the FCC to "achieve US global leadership in high-speed Internet", they just need to build the infrastructure, then give to everyone it to everyone for free. its their choice if they don't want to get online.

2010-02-23T12:14:00.001-05:00

uh, there's always YouPorn, right?

update: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

suuuuuuuuuuuuuuure.

2010-02-20T07:52:00.004-05:00

"reading his apology"? how does that sound like a contrite man? no, fool, you ain't convincing anybody with your junk.

oh wait ... you did.

to those fans: what, are you his girlfriends too?

i think the collective reaction should be it would be hysterically funny if we either weren't angry or didn't care.

hah!

2010-02-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

and this is what we've evolved into

2010-02-18T07:55:00.001-05:00

(via newzonfire)

i, too, have no plans to do such a thing.

2010-02-17T14:03:00.002-05:00

but then again, i'm not the chairman of a car company that has been negligent in quality control and customer safety.

used to be Japanese people fell on their swords to redeem their honor, no?

Hitler would approve. not.

2010-02-16T12:40:00.000-05:00

2010-02-15T13:40:00.000-05:00

R.I.P. Doug Fieger.

2010-02-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

oh, it had to be a Filipina, eh?

ma humps

2010-02-11T10:25:00.002-05:00

yes, it was the O-line that threw the interception to Tracy Porter.

not by George!

2010-02-10T08:09:00.003-05:00

uh, people .. he doesn't give a shit. he just grunted and went back to sleep under his huge pile of hundred dollar bills.

best. film. review. ever.

2010-02-09T21:11:00.001-05:00

ok, that's a little old, but still ...

never have i been so happy for people i don't know

2010-02-09T07:19:00.001-05:00

pigskin finale: SuperBowl XLIV

2010-02-06T23:17:00.001-05:00

and here we are. the big game. the fried food. the beer. the ads. the humongous finish. before another long six months and the cycle starts all over again.

Colts vs Saints
conventional wisdom, supported by the numbers and just plain instinct as well, gives the advantage to Pey Pey and the Colts offensive machine to win their 2nd SuperBowl in 4 years. and really, there's not much argument against that. they're not playing in the Superdome. Pey Pey is akin to a robot, computing all scenarios and possibilities to win, and a stickler for preparation. of course, am not calling the Saints lazy. but facts are facts.

and that's why am going against convention and pick Dem Saints, primarily for Nawlins, and to wipe out the angst and hurt of the last 5 years and get that chip off their shoulder and rejoin the rest of world. and after that we won't have to treat them with kid gloves, and going to Bourbon Street would be a guilt-free experience once again.
stupid projection: Saints 37, Colts 34

one thing though: The Who? at halftime? yeah, we respect our elders but ... geez. what's next? the resurrected carcass of Frank Sinatra???

2010-02-03T07:28:00.001-05:00

worst. movie. taglines. ever.

J, E,T,S ... Jets, Jets, Jets!!!

2010-02-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

padded

2010-01-27T16:58:00.003-05:00

do i need it? no.

but do i want it?

yeah.

it may even break my rule against early adopting, especially Apple products. i've managed to wait till the iPod became Windows-friendly, and the iPhone wind down its Gen 1.0 period. didn't spring for the iTouch, nor when the iPhone became 3G/3GS.

will it replace my laptops? no.

will it cut down my time on my laptops? yes.

will it replace my phone? no.

will it make me kill and waste time? hell to the yeah.

i'm not a voracious e-book reader. i'm pretty sure i can hold off being tempted by all the e-books that the iTunes store might sell. that being said, within the next year or so, am sure someone's gonna be able to provide readable books (though not as extensive as Amazon's offerings), right after they hack the iPad.

listening to music should be done only because i want to flick through Cover Flow with my fingertips - but my iPod already holds about 60 Gb worth and fat chance even moving half of that to the iPad. it's going to be like a "greatest hits" only kind of playlist.

the one thing i'd be more concerned about - and would prefer - is playing video files (movies and TV shows). this being Apple, now we're stuck with the MP4 format - and now I have to waste time either looking for those files or reconverting what I have (but even so, it may not be in the native resolution and all that). watching videos is a much more practical use for the iPad, especially if you don't have to be wired to the Web all the time.

the one other thing i may go crazy for are the apps. i didn't join the app revolution on the iPhone. i may do so here. at least for those worth the dollar and the use.

i thought the price point was going to be much higher. but 16 Gb is really bare-bones minimum these days. if an MP4 is already a Gb, 16 Gb would be gone in half a day. and i would rather not do file transfers that often. for an extra $100 or $200 you double or quadruple that.

there's also the question of sticking with Wi-Fi or getting a dedicated 3G link. being tethered to the web is the future, and the future is now. but then again, looking at the costs, do i really need it? maybe not now, but for later, perhaps?

given that Apple reduced iPhone prices previously to the consternation of early adopters, there's still a chance that could happen. so maybe patience is a virtue here ... until Christmas this year. maybe.

goddamn ye merry gentlemen

2010-01-26T22:18:00.001-05:00

Republicans for Rape. holla atcha, BOY!

astig

2010-01-26T22:10:00.000-05:00

a shout out to an old pal, BJP. may we all shoot like you.

fever pitch

2010-01-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

McGraw-Hill CEO confirms Apple Tablet.

also, why would Steve Jobs not work with anyone who jumps the gun? it's not like its a very closely-guarded secret and comes out of the blue. that being said, get that iPhone out of Jobs' ass.

and also that being said, if i agree with the price point, i might be an early adopter. maybe within a couple of months.

was it because of that cellphone stunt?

2010-01-26T20:59:00.002-05:00

Saints on Joe Horn: who dat?

pigskin: NFL Conference Championships

2010-01-23T04:29:00.000-05:00

more craptastic predictions coming your way. rooted for the Jets all the way, even as I projected the Chargers to win (just like almost everyone else). the only thing i got right were the Saints. hoooo boy.

Jets at Colts
the team that gave them a chance is now blocking their way towards their first SuperBowl appearance since 1968. things have fallen into place so far for the brash Rex Ryan and the team he molded in his image (send a thank you card to Eric Mangenius, guys). on the other side of the field is the main Manning brother, who are probably thankful as well that they're not facing the Chargers. the Indy faithful, dissed out of a chance to celebrate a perfect season, should get back on the wagon as the Colts are healthy and are the favorites to stop the upstart Jets. once again, i'll pick the Colts to win but root against them.
stupid projection: Colts 30, Jets 20

Vikings at Saints
the consensus SuperBowl early in the season was Colts vs. Saints, and there's nothing here so far that really says otherwise. it would be a shock really to have any team in other than those two. that being said, the Vikings defense is scary and Drew Brees and his O-line will be challenged. Brett Favre seems to have found another case of youth juice and is making all his critics shoot themselves in the head (not me, i don't have a gun). this could be the shootout we projected earlier with the Saints/Cardinals.
stupid projection: Saints 45, Vikings 42

2010-01-22T07:56:00.001-05:00

it's gonna be the next Thriller ... promise.

he just can't wait to be king!

2010-01-20T14:45:00.003-05:00

fool us once, shame on you. fool us twice, shame on us.

and we've been fooled so many goddamned times already, we really deserve it.

aw HELL NO!

2010-01-16T13:26:00.002-05:00

there is only one BIG GAME JAMES.

there is ONLY ONE KING JAMES.

that poseur/loser up there is neither. stick with the "Big Daddy James", Mr. Boy Toy.

/principle prevents me from editing this page outright. i might go berserk.

pigskin: NFL Divisional Playoffs

2010-01-15T22:03:00.004-05:00

considering the craptastic predictions i made last week, i have no qualms making another post on the matter. of the four games, i only got the Jets winning, and that's because of homerism, and not even the right margin. in my defense, in the other three games i was going conservative and probably leaned more towards convention (well, except Dallas). am sure more than half of so-called sports journalists also got it all wrong. at the end of the day, its my blog and i'll crap if i want to.

Cardinals at Saints
this is the first i'm-kinda-torn-here-situation in the divisional round, where i have my Madden 10 team versus the team i pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. apparently, Mister Grocery Bag Boy isn't ready to hang up his cleats yet, and barring an early injury (hey there, Colt McCoy), the Cardinals look to be in their second shootout in 7 days. the Saints took some heat for their three losses after teasing us with an unbeaten season, and now the fire in their belly should be back. let's say their offenses cancel each other out. now its up to the defenses and who can cause and capitalize on turnovers. which again, doesn't really give us anything definite. ay-yah!
stupid projection: Saints 40, Cardinals 37

Ravens at Colts
with one Manning brother left alone in the playoffs, its time for the plucky Ravens, fresh off their demolition of the Belichick Patriots, to knock off another of last decade's powerhouses. plus you can say they have to win this for their marching band, left behind in Baltimore when the original Colts packed up and moved to Indianapolis. if you watched that ESPN 30 for 30 episode, you'd know what i'm talking about.
stupid projection: Ravens 35, Colts 33

Jets at Chargers
and here's the second of my who-do-i-root-for dilemmas, as i will be wearing my Jets onfield knit hat all week, but when at home, i have those warm fluffy Chargers slipons for my feet. Chargers better be warned though - the Jets are primed to KILL. well, at least in accordance to the world of KSK.
stupid projection: Chargers 24, Jets 20

Cowboys at Vikings
the old gunslinger versus the new one. Peter King will spontaneously combust, especially when these two hug each other before and/or after the game. that's all i'm gonna say. ok, maybe not. it's time for the new gunslinger to send the old one off into the sunset, or else am still calling him Tony Homo.
stupid projection: Cowboys 34, Vikings 31

ANNOUNCEMENT

2010-01-15T09:37:00.002-05:00

to my three readers, be advised that Jay Leno will be taking over this blog at 11:35. not sure if its PM or AM.

how long til JetBlue and Southwest succumb?

2010-01-14T14:16:00.001-05:00

Big Airlines raising checked bag fees. pretty soon, we'll just buy clothes at our destinations. or not fly entirely.

help Haiti now

2010-01-14T07:28:00.001-05:00

go here or here.

also, do not give Pat Robertson handjobs.

Never Break Chin

2010-01-12T17:01:00.003-05:00

we know where NBC's loyalties lie. this is a complete snafu of epic proportions. Team Conan all the way!

french connection

2010-01-11T09:56:00.004-05:00

anything with Luc Besson's name attached should be always be checked out.

John Travolta plays another cartoon character but hey, face it, he excels in these roles since Face/Off.

que cera cera

2010-01-10T10:27:00.000-05:00

and for the amount of money he makes, you'd still want to be him.

pigskin: NFL wild card weekend

2010-01-08T22:39:00.006-05:00

that 17 weeks just blew by us, didn't they? now a cold snap has taken hold of the whole US of A, and that's totally depressing except for the part that it's time for the best football of the season.

Jets at Bengals
the Jets should exercise caution, despite Rex Ryan's claiming the mantle of favorites. Cincy is favored by 3 based on current lines, and that may as well be the final difference. they kept their cards close to the vest in the final game of the season, roll out a solid D, and have the home crowd on their side, which will no doubt be fired up in memory of Chris Henry. on the Jets' side, its a bit scary to rely on shaky rookie QB Mark Sanchez to win a road game in January. they can run, but you can't be one-dimensional in the playoffs. i'll be a homer of course, but i won't be stunned if they get mauled by the Bengals.
stupid projection: Jets 20, Cincinnati 17

Eagles at Cowboys
i sure hope the Eagles faked out the 'Boys last week, because this is a rematch and it would be humiliating to fall again to their hated NFC East rival. i prefer a knockdown, drag out fight, or a high-scoring can-you-top-this affair. Philly certainly has the horses for that. wait, what i really want is another Romo meltdown. oh please, please, please, football gods.
stupid projection: Eagles 28, Cowboys 27

Ravens at Patriots
the Patriots' luster has faded over recent years - Spygate, Bill Belichick's off-field shenanigans, 18-1, 4th and 2 - and their success arc this decade sort of mirrors the national leadership in the same timeline. consider: they rose to prominence after 9/11, winning three Super Bowls as the Republicans consolidated their power and started a couple of wars and named their playbook to control the American public - what else - the Patriot Act, then nosedived to Earth with allegations of cheating, and culminated with a humiliating loss in Super Bowl XLII that ruined their perfect season. wait, it actually culminated when golden boy Tom Brady blew his knee the season thereafter. okay, maybe it hasn't culminated yet, but the Pats have not been back to the Promised Land since Obama took office and the USA rehabbed its image to the world. will this year be different and buck the trend? (note: reliable slot receiver and All-American white boy Wes Welker is currently preparing to sue Bernard Pollard) not if the Ravens and Stabby McStabby say different. Joe Flacco needs to dial back to his 2008-09 playoff self. but to whom is he gonna throw to? Vegas says the Pats are favored by 3.5. oh well.
stupid projection: Patriots 33, Ravens 24

Packers at Cardinals
i've been playing the Cardinals for so long on Madden 10, that its automatic i'll be rooting for them here. their 10-6 finish isn't that impressive and they've been mostly average statistically. certainly a far cry from the rampaging team i guided in Madden. anyhoo, the Packers have quietly begun to come together and won 7 out of their last 8 heading to this weekend. it would certainly be exciting to watch them exact revenge on Brett Favre later down the line for the two losses he inflicted on them in the regular season. which means they need to survive an indoor battle. that shouldn't be a problem for the Lambeau gang. and oh, since the 'Madden curse' already knocked Troy Polamalu (and the Steelers) out of the playoffs, Larry Fitzgerald got lucky so far, but who knows?
stupid projection: Packers 31, Cardinals 28

requiem for a Texan

2010-01-08T22:07:00.005-05:00

i actually missed the part where he got hurt last night, which was 5 plays into their opening drive. the rest is now history.

here's hoping he manages to recover enough for a decent professional career, along with the other Colt i follow, currently toiling anonymously in D.C. as a Redskin.

by the way, here's an excellent insight into the passing of the Longhorn torch, albeit in the worst-possible situation. (thanks, @mikechoi)

photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

kill your television

2010-01-08T16:32:00.003-05:00

and the first post of the new year is about ... TV.

having finally taken the plunge on cable (and HD) around the end of summer last year, i figured the costs would still be affordable. my bro-in-law handed down his first HDTV to us, allowing me to hold off buying one for some time. plus, i was finally able to reap the benefits of my longtime PS3, in terms of gaming, media streaming and finally being able to watch Blu-Ray discs for real. and as a Time Warner customer for 5 years (Road Runner only, plus some public cable channels), didn't make sense to go somewhere else - i locked myself in for two years at a lower rate, then took their basic HDTV lineup. i really didn't need HBO or any other movie channels. just give me my basic channels, ESPN, NatGeo, Discovery, Travel, History, and for my wife: Food Network, HGTV, TLC, and all in HD - am good. the other channels are part and parcel of the lineup and nothing can be done about this, for now.

too bad they don't have real a la carte, where you can just pay only for the channels you really want, not package deals. no one in the cable industry and TV networks has the balls to do this. because all that matters is the bottom line. they've become fat and lazy, because with the customer having the power to choose which channel to really watch, they'll be forced to produce really quality shows that would be worthy of the customer's dollars. and i guess that's too much work for them.

and the entry of online streaming, as an alternative to traditional TV, should only serve to make them wise up, instead of trying to maintain the status quo and gouge existing customers for more. with the Comcast deal with NBC Universal, and Fox holding Time Warner hostage for more fees, you have to wonder how much the impact is for the average subscriber, especially in terms of money coming out of their wallets. Hulu may be the business model for the coming times, but free content can only last or may be sufficient for so long. either way, you have to pay, regardless of the method you want to get your entertainment. eventually, you'll be watching your shows online on your current HDTVs or wireless TVs hooked to the router. the traditional hardwired cable connections won't go away, but that's dependent whether our home internet can eventually handle the bandwidth required for full cable programming.

the game changers has been High Def and content. i doubt if anybody wants to go back to their old TVs after getting a taste of HD (especially for movies and sports. reality TV and porn? ehhhh.). i know i can't. am not sure if 3DTV is up my alley yet, but that's where things are headed as well. oh crap, does that mean Blu-Ray will be obsolete in two years?

i only hope at this point that the new TW/Fox deal doesn't mean they're going to change my locked-in rate. there's gonna be war if that happens. maybe at some point i'll need to wean myself off the dependence on cable - or maybe not.

2009-12-30T07:56:00.001-05:00

and we're the uncultured barbarians? F.U.

now you see it, now you don't

2009-12-29T13:52:00.000-05:00

2009-12-27T16:16:00.001-05:00

perfect for my Jakarta-bound colleagues.

which measures do you prefer?

2009-12-27T11:23:00.001-05:00

i really don't know why.

2009-12-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

... some people are just plain naive.

yo, jihadists!,

2009-12-21T10:11:00.002-05:00

actual terrorism is passe. there are alternatives.

separated at birth

2009-12-19T19:50:00.002-05:00

Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt (ZsaZsa Gabor's current husband and media asshole) vs Ross Perot (Texan billionaire and failed Presidential candidate)

downhill

2009-12-13T20:31:00.001-05:00

and you think Accenture executives are clean???

a darker night

2009-11-22T14:53:00.000-05:00

holy Team Edward crap!

looking forward to it. NOT!

2009-11-22T14:48:00.002-05:00

2009-11-21T10:40:00.001-05:00

world vs new video game

see, Dirk, there are good choices ...

2009-11-19T11:46:00.002-05:00

... when finding a lady. like the sideline reporter interviewing you, for example.

5 for playing: Tears For Fears

2009-11-18T09:31:00.011-05:00

blending psychology with pop music, Tears for Fears burst into the music scene categorized under the New Wave banner. international success came easy as hit after hit followed, blowing that category to smithereens as TFF made danceable, thoughtful pop songs that slightly differed from the norm. but their shining moment was coming out after their long break with their third album, The Seeds of Love, where they scrapped their psychology-driven songwriting and just listened to the pulse of the world. a big bonus: the discovery of Oleta Adams (which explains the song on the top of my list here). their overall body of work is respectable, and you're a hypocrite if you say you don't love great pop hooks.

5. Mothers Talk, Songs from the Big Chair (1985)

4. Break It Down Again, Elemental (1993)

3. Change, The Hurting (1983)

2. Head Over Heels, Songs from the Big Chair (1985)

1. Woman in Chains, The Seeds of Love (1989)

2009-10-29T09:17:00.000-04:00

so, do we need a revolution?

really, CNN?

2009-09-22T16:47:00.001-04:00

somewhere out there, CNN execs are laughing.

no you can't unleash him

2009-09-14T16:48:00.001-04:00

hanging it up

2009-09-07T16:51:00.002-04:00

bad news for female voyeurs ... i mean, voters.

2009-09-07T16:48:00.000-04:00

it's so obvious you're all scared.

look at him! he looks like it!

2009-09-03T00:44:00.001-04:00

are some people just really dumb?

2009-09-02T07:53:00.001-04:00

almost wish it was true.

wait, ... what -?!

2009-09-01T21:54:00.001-04:00

2009-08-30T16:05:00.001-04:00

well, the idiots aren't listening anyway.

2009-08-29T00:19:00.000-04:00

all for a font.

democracy in the flesh

2009-08-19T18:35:00.000-04:00

go, Barney, go!

if you were rich

2009-08-19T18:20:00.003-04:00

... U2 can "save the environment and the world", while not really meaning or doing what you say.

2009-08-10T13:13:00.001-04:00

yes, this is our life now.

the credit conundrum(s)

2009-08-07T06:55:00.002-04:00

if you don't have any credit history yet, and you need to have a credit card to start establishing that history, they reject your application because you don't have sufficient credit history.

if you're jobless, and completely demolished your credit history with unpaid bills, collection claims, and bankruptcy, and your prospective employers pull their offers once they see these red flags via credit checks, then you have no way of repaying your bills and rebuilding your credit history now, do you?

who invented credit ratings and credit history, again?

thank you for your time and efforts

2009-08-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

... to discover the good in us. paalam, Tita Cory!

you know what would be awesome?

2009-08-04T11:10:00.003-04:00

Kim Jong Il feeds Clinton to the sharks in the tank, then Prez Obama launches a covert attack, sending Team America to kick the kimchi out of the NoKors. woooohooooooooo!!!

the difficulty of putting thoughts down (or not)

2009-07-31T22:02:00.003-04:00

damn, haven't blogged in a while. maybe the blog is largely dead.

ever since i started using a PC, my pencraft has completely deteriorated. i used to write prose and poetry with ink and paper. now i've done away with all of them (including the prose and poetry part).

blogging solved the itch to write somewhat, even if i was just doing it for myself (my comic blog has lots of funny gems - well, to me that is). but the volume of that does rival or exceed anything i wrote pre-computer era.

but at the same time, you run into the risk of not being able to put anything interesting (again, primarily to yourself) on your blog, with time considerations, and if it isn't your bread and butter. or you go into a funk and brood with writer's block.

recently, i've found myself reborn in a way with twitter, microblogging as much of my thoughts as i can. i had a great run tweeting inside an ER, and i was wondering if my friends were actually witnessing my death via the internet.

the loss of lengthy exposition, both in reading and writing, is pretty much the sign of the times. nothing much holds our attention span for so long, and we can't even write a decent email at times. i try to compensate by committing thoughts to the web, but even that requires you fire up the computer. in the last holdouts i see, my wife is fond of sending actual cards to family, even with just a few written words meant to connect somehow.

despite twitter's 140 character limit, i find myself not being hampered by it, and expanding my train of thoughts to several tweets. of course, this may be the issue with text messages, because you're actually paying for it, and thus are constrained to squeeze in as much info as you can in one message. which is crap because so much is lost in the message, you run the risk of being misunderstood, and also not to mention, you perpetuate the devolution of spelling, grammar and punctuation. i try not to fall into that trap with twitter.

perhaps soon we will just be down to communicating with mashed letters, numbers and symbols (u a$$!). the spoken word could devolve into grunting. oh, the irony.

2009-07-24T22:52:00.000-04:00

you don't say.

2009-07-21T07:46:00.001-04:00

huh. and i thought it was another Palin article.

and we didn't know it that time

2009-07-18T18:18:00.002-04:00

look who we saw in Coney Island one sunny June afternoon in Coney Island ...

and look who made the cut in America's Got Talent (NYC auditions) last July 14th.

Hulu clip here; full episode here (starts at 14:20).

Pirate Bay is Officially Dead

2009-07-17T14:56:00.002-04:00

Coconut News Ngayon

2009-07-17T11:24:00.003-04:00

stupid headlines

what else startles Judge Sotomayor? hyperactive court rulings?? or crickets and cicadas??

what's next?

"Obama feels the joy of NCAA Final Four"

"Prez senses criminal activity! with great powers come great responsibility!"

"Bam perceives the great taste of McDonald's French Fries"

"Obama senses tension between Sarkozy and Bruni over ogling"

ooohhh ... i see dead people. quick, put it on the front page!!

2009-07-15T16:11:00.000-04:00

and we leave our money to these assholes??

2009-07-13T22:52:00.001-04:00

Safe Fox

2009-07-12T20:14:00.001-04:00

Gold, Man Sucks.

2009-07-12T17:33:00.000-04:00

can't somebody whip these people into reforming themselves!?

2009-07-11T07:54:00.000-04:00

Gizmodo vs. Best Buy

2009-07-10T09:31:00.000-04:00

women's lib? what a joke.

2009-07-09T17:44:00.001-04:00

and there's the backlash.

Jordan would've dunked right back.

2009-07-09T09:31:00.001-04:00

about 11 times. and trash-talked the poor sap to demoralization.

2009-07-08T16:59:00.000-04:00

wasn't that obvious right from the start?

2009-07-08T11:45:00.000-04:00

soon to be the new monopoly?

2009-07-08T11:42:00.000-04:00

who is surprised?

deep in the AIG mess

2009-07-07T12:53:00.001-04:00

the man behind it all. [thanks, Bill]

storms are brewin' in your head!

2009-07-05T13:01:00.001-04:00

Saraaaaahahahahahahaha!

JC, superstar

2009-07-04T15:14:00.002-04:00

moments before the Hurl

congrats again to 3xDog Eating champ, Joey Chesnut.

happy 4th of July, Republicans

2009-07-04T12:34:00.001-04:00

something fishy in Alaska - hey, its your former Party savior.

if it fits, you must quit

2009-07-03T14:44:00.001-04:00

now, now, Michael Jackson wouldn't like the competition ...

2009-07-01T23:03:00.000-04:00

the Republican plane still in a tailspin

2009-07-01T12:36:00.000-04:00

throw th' bum out!

does he hate waking up?

2009-06-30T13:02:00.001-04:00

really? how does he feel about it? how 'bout his dad?

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-gh!

2009-06-30T12:32:00.000-04:00

The Pirate Bay is dead.

diff'rent strokes

2009-06-28T08:32:00.002-04:00

would you get married to a woman with her longtime ex in attendance? especially if that ex built his career on squiring a line of women longer than US 20?

2009-06-28T08:19:00.000-04:00

ohnono. do not taunt the SAS.

this made me laugh

2009-06-27T11:19:00.002-04:00

yeah, around the early '60s, maybe.

there's about a hundred reasons that prove otherwise, so stop saying that.

2009-06-27T00:18:00.001-04:00

let's say it again: EFF YOU, Fox News.

5 for playing: Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T10:39:00.002-04:00

yes, we do have to make a tribute to the Peter Pan who mesmerized and confounded the world in the last 30 years. i'm sure this is like the eleventieth million blog to do so at this very moment.

let's start with my most-remembered Thriller moment. back in early '83, i was over at our landlord's listening to the seminal album, the coolest thing to have back then, that would go on to become the best-selling album of all time (and maybe will even gallop much further away after this). they had a stereo radio/cassette player (which i didn't). somebody said to rewind the song that just played. Jeremy, the landlord's youngest son, immediately pressed the Rewind button without stopping the song first (anybody who grew up with mp3 players will go "what's the big deal?"). that action ate the tape, and i told Jeremy not to do that and he should press the Stop button first. Jeremy, being a 6 year old prick at that time, snarkily blamed me for not teaching him that before he pressed the Rewind button. prick.

oh, and the 2nd-most remembered Thriller moment: 2nd year high school, group dancing field demonstration, dancing to Thriller, much, much earlier than those Cebu inmates.

here's a fact ... Prince songs outnumbers Jacko's on my iPod 3-to-1. and the reason is obvious. Prince went for long-term, sustained excellence, with highs and lows, for his career. which is why he's still making songs now, and even made a SuperBowl halftime appearance two years ago. Michael Jackson's star, brilliant as it was, peaked with Thriller. therein lies the irony: his best work burdened him and forced every succeeding album to be, unfairly or not, compared against this bar. considering his gifts, he could have been still making records at this time. who knows what might have been if despite his unhappy childhood, the early notoriety and fame, he managed to keep his head straight and just churned out music? i guess musical star celebrities need to go out in a spectacular tragic way (the list is long) - after craving and crawling and climbing their way up that mountain, there's nowhere else to go.

well, fans should just be thankful he wasn't found lifeless along with 10 other dead kids [insert other details here].

in this episode of 5 for Playing, we double the songs, because, well ... he is who he is. no need to embed YouTube vids here.

10. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Thriller (1982)

9. Billie Jean, Thriller (1982)

8. Beat It, Thriller (1982)

7. Human Nature, Thriller (1982)

6. Rock With You, Off The Wall (1979)

5. One Day in Your Life, Forever, Michael (1975)

4. Thriller, Thriller (1982)

3. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Off The Wall (1979)

2. Smooth Criminal, Bad (1987)

1. Wanna Be Startin' Something, Thriller (1982)

hey, Fox News

2009-06-26T07:45:00.001-04:00

here's a guide for you. hint: they're all Republicans.

[via Talking Points Memo]

goodbye, childhood

2009-06-25T16:14:00.000-04:00

because Twitter depantsed them?

2009-06-24T15:09:00.002-04:00

and the CNN tagline makes it look like Facebook is actually physically trying to beat the crap out of Iran to get it to tell the truth. yep, Facebook cares. and CNN wants to let you know it does. whooopeee.

2009-06-24T14:57:00.000-04:00

another Republican bites the dust.