This Just Offends Me

Classless and obnoxious.

Who really gets suckered into this blatant bullsh*t?

www.911twenty.com


Watch the video... inuslting.

Balloonfest 2008

So Balloonfest didn't disappoint this year and the highlight of the night was rocking out like it was 1993 again with the Gin Blossoms.

Here are some of the videos that I took.

Hey Jealousy Part I...



Hey Jealousy Part II...



My shoes had to dance...



Allison Road...



Found Out About You... (Please note the Rutgers hat... WOO HOOO!)

Book 51 of 52 -- Junot Diaz' The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

I read this book based on the Amazon reviews and I really liked it a lot because his writing style is different from what one is probably used to reading, but once I understood what he was doing, I really enjoyed it.

The book is very conversational in the way the story is told.

The book, while very funny, has a melancholy tone to it that is throughout (which I also like).

He tells the story thru many different characters eyes, and you get all of their back stories so no matter how flawed the character is, you feel for them.

He does a great job of developing all the main characters which is almost everything in a story to me.

It's definitely worth reading.

Besides -- it doesn't hurt to have it set in the area I live so that I am able to get a much better picture of what Diaz is trying to do.

The Moley Mole in Week Eight

After this week, we will know who the finalists are... and have a 33% chance of knowing who the Mole is...

Previously... On... THE MOLE.... Clay was eliminated. Thank goodness.

We get to see a confessional for each player and they are all annoyingly annoying. They are at $331,000 in the pot and the first challenge is called "How's the View?" and it is worth $64,000.

They need two "young at heart" players and they form two teams where each team has at least one young at heart player... Thus... Paul (YAH) and Mark & Nicole and Craig (YAH). They have to perform an obstacle course with cameras on their eyes... and the partner has to shoot the path where they have to go... It is incredibly easy to understand but impossible to understand....

First game -- put pieces into a child's toy.
Mark and Paul are up first. They earn $3000 in the first challenge.
Nicole and Craig are up second. They earn ... $2000 when Nicole accidentally answers a question when she isn't allowed to speak.

Second game -- kick soccer balls into nets.
Mark and Paul get nothing.
Craig and Nicole earn..NOTHING.

Third game -- tea party... fill up tea cups and no spilling!
Mark and Paul earn... $5000
Craig and Nicole earn... $2500.

Fourth game -- walk across a platform two stories high and copy what's on the chalkboard.
Mark and Paul earn... $10,000
Craig and Nicole earn... nothing because Craig is about to fall off... a lot.

For the whole game... they earned... $22,500 for a grand total of $353,500.

They go to dinner and they strategize a bunch...they wake up and now... we have a new game... and day... and there are lots of discussions about exemptions...

It's time for another game... as the final exemption is in play. "Cell Out" is the name of the game. There are four cells and they will all go into one and it is locked. They will have to solve a word puzzle to free themselves... the first person to free themselves is the sniper with a paint ball gun... the other three players must get to the end without getting shot. One of the three players will have an exemption and if the sniper shoots that person... they win the exemption.

Confused? So am I... I can say that they get $15,000 for each person that makes it across...

Mark is first one out. He picks up the paint ball gun and announces that he has never shot a paint ball gun.

Craig is second & Nicole is third. Paul can't spell so he is in there forever. Nicole and Craig wait for Paul since he knows the game. They start running in... and it's a commercial.

We are back and during the game... Mark almost has a mental breakdown. Even soooo... he takes out Nicole and Paul makes it through. He whacks Craig too. $15,000 is added to the pot. They are now revealing who had the exemptions... Nicole didn't have it... Craig is going to reveal and it goes to commercial...

We are back and Craig reveals that he had the exemption so Mark gets it and guarantees himself a spot in the finals.

It's time for another meal and they are all starting to like each other a lot more. Paul announces that he doesn't think it is Nicole... no way. Why do I feel like that is Paul's automatic ticket home?

"It's time for the quiz..."

It's time for the results of the quiz.

Paul is up first. He is executed.

PHEW! I didn't lose another person!!!!

Who Will Win?

I Am The Mo
Victoria -- EXECUTED NIGHT FOUR
Craig
Paul -- EXECUTED NIGHT EIGHT

Team 360°
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Nicole
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE

Tucker’s Nuts
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Mark
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Who is the Mole?

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Paul -- EXECUTED NIGHT EIGHT
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE

Tucker’s Nuts
Victoria -- EXECTUTED NIGHT FOUR
Nicole
Mark

Team 360°
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Craig
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I Am The Mo
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Book 50 of 52 -- Ted Kerasote's Merle's Door: Lessons From a Freethiking Dog

First, the cold facts -- Ted Kerasote has an uncanny ability to mix the sociology and history of dogs with humans and the very personal story of his life with his extraordinary Labrador mix, Merle, and makes it work like no other dog book I've read (and that's a lot of books).

He is such a good writer that it's fun to read science part, but what really makes Merle's Door sing, or howl, is the poignant love story of Ted and Merle as they get to know more about each other over the years.

Merle's story as told through Ted, who can put the words on the page since Merle could not, rings so true.

When you read this book you are reading the story of two friends who share a life of adventure and love that is simply all too short.

Millions of humans have had loving relationships with our canine halves, and never has it been so eloquently distilled in a single volume as this book.

Read it, shed some tears of joy, give it to your friends, this is a magical book.

Wall*E Movie Going Experience

The Regal First Look was a "Play" edition... obviously oriented at the little kid lot.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Meet Dave

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Pink Panther 2 (One of the worst previews... EVER...)

Bolt

Bumper Sticker I just saw...

He Who Laughs Last, Thinks Slowest...

The Celebrating Farmer... Funniest Joke I Have Heard in Awhile

A chicken farmer went to a local bar... sat next to a woman and ordered a glass of champagne. The woman perks up and says, "How about that? I just ordered a glass of champagne, too!"

"What a coincidence," the farmer says, "This is a special day for me, I'm celebrating."

"This is a special day for me too, I'm also celebrating!" Says the woman.

"What a coincidence," says the man. As they clinked glasses the farmer asked, "What are you celebrating?"

"My husband and I have been trying to have a child, and today my gynecologist told me that I'm pregnant!"

"What a coincidence," says the man. "I'm a chicken farmer, and for years all my hens were infertile, but today they're finally laying fertilized eggs."

"That's great!" Says the woman, "How did your chickens become fertile?"

"I used a different cock," he replied.

The woman smiled and said, "What a coincidence..."

Lalalalalalalalalalalala

Crap.. It's almost August.

Book 49 of 52 -- Stephen L. Carter's Palace Council

"Palace Council" is Carter's third novel.

His first, "Emperor of Ocean Park" was a wonderful novel about the wealthy and influential African-American community.

Those who lived on Sugar Hill in Harlem and summered at Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard.

Doctors, lawyers, university professors, the cream of African-American society, and his second book, "New England White" depicted the same crowd - a little less successfully, I thought - and both books were set, more or less, in the present.

In the new book, Carter writes about a different time-frame - the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies - and incorporates real figures - Langston Hughes, Richard Nixon, J Edgar Hoover, among others - with his fictional ones, many revisited from his previous two novels.

The book is ambitious, long, but not at all rambling and everything fits together, as a good story should.

You're interested enough in the characters to care about what happens to them and I thoroughly enjoyed it as much as I did his first book.

Book 48 of 52 -- Janet Evanovich's Fearless Fourteen

Although many readers seem to be tired of this series, I still enjoy my yearly "fix" of Stephanie Plum.

Janet Evanovich still makes me laugh when she creates characters like Gary, the stalker psychic and Zook, the teenage video game king.

I still laugh at Lula's antics, which in this book include planning a wedding without any input from the groom.

The involvement of Grandma Mazur was a bit far-fetched in this entry, but I got a few chuckles from her new persona as a video game player.

The usual suspects are still involved, including Morelli, Bob, and Ranger, and they all have their moments.

This series never claims to be great literature, but it's always good for a laugh.

Must be after the All Star Break

The Yankees are winning regularly.

Book 47 of 52 -- James Patterson's Sail

SAIL opens well; a dysfunctional family is taking an extended vacation in an attempt to reconnect, a successful new husband won't be coming along, then we are introduced to elements of the underworld.

The way these entities become knitted together makes for an appealling, fast read.

For a novel of this sort, the characters are well developed; though the book does seem to scream "Make me a TV-movie!"

Unfortunately, just when we could see some real action and edge-of-your-seat suspense, the authors take a wrong turn.

As for the writing, Patterson and Roughan rely much too heavily on vulgar wordsand it makes one wonder who the book was written for.

Obviously, the criminal element isn't going to use nice language, but to "hear" a constant stream flowing from the family, especially pre-trauma, is unreasonable.

The book is a quick read, but how much time can one spare for vulgarity and a story that doesn't come through?

Maybe I am just getting annoyed at James Patterson cashing checks when he should worry about the quality.

Thank goodness I got it at the library.

The Dark Knight Movie Going Experience

In the loudest movie theater on the planet... we saw The Dark Knight.

There was a couple with a crying baby AND their cell phone rang at least twice.

It was too loud to see if they answered it.

There were a whole bunch of movie previews.

Bolt (Looks Awesome)
Tropic Thunder
The Day the Earth Stood Still (It can't be good -- Keanu is in it.)
Quantum of Solace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Watchmen
Body of Lies
Terminator Salvation

The Dark KNight was incredible!!!!

Week Seven of.... THE MOLE....

Previously on the MOLE... We are down to five and it is an amazing world to be in... Alex was booted... too bad.

Go Figure and they must pick smart and dumb people. They have to answer clues and get numbers to enter into the computer. They must remember the numbers and the DUMB players must remember five numbers (Nicole and Craig). The smart members (Mark, Clay, and Paul) have to only remember three numbers. Ha ha.

There is much craziness... there is much moley behavior... remember... the non-moles are now trying to look like the mole so that people will vote for them. So everyone but Mark is really trying to look like the mole.

The Smart team got lost and barely make it back in time. They enter the numbers and one player (Nicole) is sent out to refigure the number... if she fails, there is no money earned. THere is a lot of drama at the end since the men want to disregard her answer and they are correct to do so... as Clay was able to figure out a pattern.

There is a lot of bonding between Clay and Mark. Clay then sneaks into the room of Nicole to get her feelings on issues... right after Clay and Mark agree that it is probably Nicole as the Mole. See? Lots of intrigue and then a commercial.

They are now shipped to Buenos Aires... They are all to announce the person they think they can trust the most. Weird answers come out... and then John Kelley shows them their loved ones...

Paul has his wife and kids.
Mark has his wife
Nicole has his mother.
Craig has his friend.
Clay has his wife.

Ticket to Ride is the name of the game. There are 30 questions and the Trusted person has to answer 3 of 5 questions correctly so that the person will get time to see the person/loved one. For drama, they are on a subway car and if the person got the 3 questions right, the doors will open. They get 30 minutes to spend with the person to get the "answers."

Craig chose Clay. Clay answers the questions and ... Craig is off in the distance... THe train pulls up and "Brendi"... is allowed out. Good job Clay.

Clay choose Nicole. Nicole answers the questions and ... The train pulls up and "Kim"... is allowed out after some nutty editting....

Nicole chose Mark. Mark answers the questions and ... The train pulls up and "Ledora" ... is allowed out. Good job Mark...

Mark chose Clay. Clay answers the questions and ... The train pulls up and "Brenda" ... is a mess and crying her eyes out... and TW gets a bit emotional. Clay did good. Good job Clay...

Finally.... Paul chose Mark. The editting shows that Paul messes up a bunch and it looks hopeless for Mark since Paul "Skipped" a bunch of questions. Mark answers the questions and ... The train pulls up and Paul's wife and daughter are allowed out! Good job Mark...e ven with Paul severely handicapping you.

We get time with the family/loved ones and Nicole goes insane and says that she is going to self execute. That is insane... since she is getting empowered by her mother... but there is a funny moment where Nicole makes her mother incredibly incredible.

Time for the quiz... Nicole is int he confessional announcing that she is going to throw the quiz... if she is going to wear the red dress like that... she should go home.

In the Square of Nights... the players are ready to be executed and they are sitting with their loved ones...

Paul is up first. He is safe.
Nicole is up second. She is safe. She "blew" it.
Clay is up third. He is DEAD! WOOO HOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FInally!!!!!!!!!!

Who Will Win?

I Am The Mo
Victoria -- EXECUTED NIGHT FOUR
Craig
Paul

Team 360°
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Nicole
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE

Tucker’s Nuts
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Mark
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Who is the Mole?

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Paul
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE

Tucker’s Nuts
Victoria -- EXECTUTED NIGHT FOUR
Nicole
Mark

Team 360°
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Craig
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I Am The Mo
Clay -- EXECUTED NIGHT SEVEN
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

The World Is a Changin'

You know the priorities of the world are changing when there is a significant article in the paper about the lay out changes of FACEBOOK.

Book 46 of 52 -- Bill Maher's The New Rules

Television humorist pokes fun at modern culture, politics, and fads.

These are from his HBO TV series where he does a segment called "New Rules".

Targets include advertising, cell phones, Starbucks, homeland security, and the movies.

There is strong language in this book.

It is funny, but is much better when he tells them live.

He is not always right, he is cruel, but he is thoughtful in his rants.

But if you cannot see him perform live, and can get past the lewd language, the rants are topical and humorist -- even for 2005... now 2008.

Mariano Arrives

You could barely hear his music, the cheering was so loud.

It wasn't his best performance because he game up a run to the A's that let him go ahead.

All in all, it was a good game because the Yanks finally won in the 12th (4-3) against the A's.

Funny Road Sign

"Patriotic" Jokes and Puns

What would you get if you crossed the first signer of the Declaration of Independence with a rooster?
John Hancock-a-doodle-doo!

What quacks, has webbed feet, and betrays his country?
Beneduck Arnold!

What did Paul Revere say at the end of his ride?
"I gotta get a softer saddle!"

What protest by a group of dogs occurred in 1773?
The Boston Flea Party!

What happened as a result of the Stamp Act?
The Americans licked the British!

Why did Paul Revere ride his horse from Boston to Lexington?
Because the horse was too heavy to carry!

Why did the British cross the Atlantic?
To get to the other tide!

What do you call a parade of German mercenaries?
A Hessian procession!

What would you get if you crossed a patriot with a small curly-haired dog?
Yankee Poodle!

Did you hear the one about the Liberty Bell?
Yeah, it cracked me up!

Book 45 of 52 -- Jasper Fforde's The Fourth Bear

If you have ever thought to yourself that "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" seemed incomplete, here's a book that will satisfy you.

Fforde's writing, funny and sharp as usual, is a star on its own.

While not exactly his Thursday Next series, this should appeal to the same set of readers.

The plot of this book is not quite as meandering as it predecessor, The Big Over Easy, and is much more satisfying at the end.

I would reccomend this to anyone with an appreciation of literature and a sense of humor (if you lack one, don't read this).

Screw You Favre

What to screw up your legacy.

I hope the Packers bench you for the whole season.

A High School Kid's Misguided Attempt at Fashion 1992 Edition

I actually thought that looked good.

Book 44 of 52 -- Leonie Swann's Three Bags Full

What a great mystery!

Author Leonie Swann brings us into the collective minds and hearts of a herd of sheep, without ever becoming precious or twee.

Set in Ireland, the mystery itself is quite good (unlike some animal-based mysteries.)

Swann's writing is witty without being pretentious.

The sheep are definitely clever and heroic, while staying true to their ovine species, and even the humans are well-rounded and carefully done.

A real winner (and you'll never look at a sheep in quite the same way again!)

Book 43 of 52 -- Abigail Thomas' A Three Dog Life

This book is sweet, poignant, and beautiful.

It is also gut-wrenchingly honest and realistic about the author's attempts to cope with her life after her husband has a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).

He gets hit by a car while walking their dog and their lives are never the same.

This memoir is about the author's life and marriage after the accident and for the next five years, until the present day.

I loved reading it and I haven't really ever read a book like it.

The author builds herself a life, accompanied by what ends up being three dogs altogether.

She still takes joy in her marriage, such as it is and I wish I could put into words how beautiful this book is, but I can't.

It is a lovely book with mature topics (grieving, survivor guilt, etc.) for adults or especially mature teens. Highest recommendations.

One Year Anniversary

Congrats kids.

One year is a lot... especially when my brother is involved!

;-)

The Moley Mole Returns For Week Six

Fantastic... it's been two weeks and I have missed The Mole since it took last week off. We are treated to an hour long special reminding us of what has happened in the past and some unseen footage.

The highlight? More BOOBY O and his "Gaydar" advantage.

So we are relatively live in a brand new episode (Pssst... mad props to Tangentwoman for playing MLB 2K8 while we killed commercial time -- God Bless DVR.)

Here's my quick update... I like Paul because I think he is playing a fun tough game, Clay is an absolute pretentious asshole, Alex is... fine enough, Nicole is the epitome of drama, Mark is frigging insane, and Craig is still a dope.

Oh yeah... we only have one woman left and boy is she proud of herself...

The final six arrive in Mendoza, Argentina. I like this show, but dammit... why does John Kelly have to try so hard? Regardless, the pot is up to $177,000.

For the first challenge, they pick three runners and three thinkers. They have to find seven bottles of wine in a vineyard. The thinkers have to answer questions to get coordinates and if the answers are wrong, the coordinates are wrong. The game is over when Mark (on a treadmill) stops running and as each bottle is found, the treadmill goes faster. Clay and Alex are in the field taking the coordinates looking for the bottles and Paul communicates the coordinates that Craig and Nicole are earning to Clay and Alex. (Mark is allowed to help with the questions and appears to be the smartest.)

Three bottles are found and Paul and Nicole fight... It looks like Nicole is trying to sabotage by doing some small stuff.

This is really a great challenge... (Mission) I think... as it goes to commercial.

More stuff happens and they find the fourth, fifth, and sixth bottle. The drama builds as they find the seventh bottle, but they must get back before Mark (running on a maxed out treadmill) quits... Drama... Drama... Drama... they did it...

The total pot is up to $247,000 -- the most earned in any challenge so far.

Now we get lots of discussions and Mole guessing... that are both funny and grating. My favorite is that Mark is lying on a soccer ball pillow -- he's a teacher and soccer coach. There is also a lot of attention paid to the fact that Alex drinks a lot. Fascinating.

The next mission involves a huge gorge and is called "Swing Out" and can earn $60,000. They will be asked to bungee jump from a plank. As they fall, they drop a bag of tea into a bullseye where varying amounts of money $2000 to $10,000 can be earned depending on how close they hit it.

Mark is up first and is asked if he is up for an exemption. Whomever guesses the closest to what the group will earn gets it. Mark's guess is $10,000 and he earns $0.00.
Paul is up second and he guesses (UNREVEALED!) and he earns $0.00.
Clay is up third and he guesses (UNREVEALED!) and he earns $0.00.
Craig is up fourth and he guesses (UNREVEALED!) and he earns $.... COMMERCIAL! as it cuts to our other players all upset and saying... "Oh My God!" $0.00
Alex is up fifth and he guesses (UNREVEALED!) and he earns $4,000.
Nicole is up sixth and she guesses (UNREVEALED!) and she earns $0.00
Total amount earned? $4,000 (Total is $251,000). Who was the closest?

Mark guessed $10,000. Paul guessed $12,000. Clay guessed $14,000. Craig guessed $20,000. Alex guessed $15,000. Nicole guessed $28,000. So no one won the exemption. Suckers

Time to review everyone's behavior... and take the quiz. (P.S. Alex is drinking like crazy... Unless they bring this up some more later... it seemed like some really horrible editting...)

Time for the execution... let's get to the eliminations... (Can I have at least one night where I don't lose someone?)

Alex is up first... and eliminated. Nope... I lost someone.

Who Will Win?

I Am The Mo
Victoria -- EXECUTED NIGHT FOUR
Craig
Paul

Team 360°
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Nicole
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE

Tucker’s Nuts
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Mark
Clay
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Who is the Mole?

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Paul
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE

Tucker’s Nuts
Victoria -- EXECTUTED NIGHT FOUR
Nicole
Mark

Team 360°
Alex -- EXECUTED NIGHT SIX
Craig
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I Am The Mo
Clay
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Book 42 of 52 -- David Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames

A very enjoyable read, with a couple of pieces that may be among Sedaris' very best.

It does however, feel like there are couple of essays that should have been left out of this collection-pieces that did not add to the book as a whole, or seemed too similar to each other.

I do think that "Solution to Saturday's Puzzle" is one of the great pieces of humorous writing, up on a level with Wodehouse's "Clicking of Cuthbert," which it resembles in almost no way.

Frankly, the book is worth it for the giggles and guffaws to be found in that story alone, the rest of the collection is icing on the literary cake (though perhaps occasionally spread a bit too thick).

Buy this book and enjoy the sharp hilarity of our dreary lives...

Happy Anniversary Muh Lady

:)

It's been quite a hike.

Bad Enough

It's bad enough that you are wearing you tan shorts with a green scrubs shirt at the Plays in the Park outdoor production of the Producers -- but did you really have to tuck it in?

Three Word Movie Reviews

The Art of Failure: Chuck Connelly Not For Sale -- Whiny Bastard Biopic

Botched (uncut) -- Surprisingly Entertaining... Silly

Casino Royale -- Craig Rules... Awesome

Charlie Bartlett -- Quirky Yet Decent

Chaos Theory -- Not Entirely Horrible

Chop Shop -- Powerful Brutal Film

Definitely, Maybe -- Predictably Obvious, Definitely

Drillbit Taylor -- Crap... I Laughed.

Exorcist -- Still Scares Me

Exorcist 2: The Heretic -- Pretty Stupid Sequel

Flawless -- Far From Flawless

Fletch Lives -- This Ruins Fletch

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days -- Searing Communism Portrayal

Ganja Queen -- She Did It

The Hammer -- Thoroughly Enjoyed. Wow

Hard Times at Douglass High -- Real...THE WIRE

Honeydripper -- Good, Quality, Deep

In Bruges -- Seriously Good Movie

Jekyll -- Oh This's Good

Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten -- Whiny Jerk. Boring.

Just Add Water -- Surprised Me. Charming.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith -- Icky. Stylistic Poo.

My Blueberry Nights -- It Never Ended...

The Onion Movie -- Couldn't Be Worse

The Other Boleyn Girl -- Good Version... Interesting

The Ruins -- Oof. Bad Horror.

The Spiderwick Chronicles -- Lame Kid's Drivel

Super High Me -- Still Smiling, Entertaining.

10,000 B.C. -- Not The Best

Terminator -- Stands Time Test

Terminator 2 -- Best of Bunch

Vantage Point -- Really Good. Fun.

Playing Stupid With a Pornographer

I was at work when I got this IM yesterday.

I am annoying a computer generated user.

Hope TW doesn't mind.

elwoodwall32: Hello?
smelmooo: yello
elwoodwall32: Hey smelmooo, how r u?
smelmooo: who are you?
elwoodwall32: u remember me?
smelmooo: nope
elwoodwall32: it's, Ashley!
smelmooo: Ashley who?
elwoodwall32: Hey smelmooo, how r u?
smelmooo: who
elwoodwall32: u remember me?
smelmooo: nope
elwoodwall32: it's, Marissa!
smelmooo: Marissa who?
elwoodwall32: wanna go out sometime this week?gzcwtwe can meet up somewhere close by
smelmooo: like Ashley's house?
elwoodwall32: here is my pic http://www.%61%64u%6c%74h%6fok-up%73%2e%6e%65%74 do u think i'm cute?
smelmooo: Not as cute as Ashley
smelmooo: I miss you Marissa.
elwoodwall32: do u remember me?
smelmooo: nope
elwoodwall32: it's, Sara!
smelmooo: Sara who?
elwoodwall32: wanna go out sometime this week?vkvwxwe can meet up somewhere close by
smelmooo: How about Marissa's house? She is cuter than Sara
elwoodwall32: here is my pic http://www.h%6f%6fk%2d%75%70s%2d%72-%75%73%2ecom do u think i'm cute?
smelmooo: Oops... I mean Ashley.
elwoodwall32: here is my pic http://www.ho%6fk%2d%75p%73%2dr%2du%73%2ec%6f%6d do u think i'm cute?
smelmooo: almost as cute as Ashley.
elwoodwall32: check out my profile 4 my contact info http://www.%61%64%75l%74h%6fo%6b%2d%75p%73.n%65t
smelmooo: Oh Susanna...
smelmooo: Now you are just getting aggressive...

Book 41 of 52 -- Sebastian Faulks' Devil May Care

(My SURPRISE! Vacation was far more productive than Steakbellie or FBT's wife would like for it to have been for me...)

It's hard to find tremendous fault with DEVIL MAY CARE largely because author Sebastian Faulks -- writing as Ian Fleming -- returns Bond to his original era -- that of the Cold War -- where villains were easily identifiable if not only for their nefarious deeds but also by simple geography.

It's a quick read -- crackling with suspense at the right moments and a plot about Bond reaching mid-life and recovering his sense of purpose and love of danger -- and feels comfortable ... like a wonderful guilty pleasure come to print just in time to be a fabulous summer read for men and boys alike.

If there's any strong criticism of the tale, then I'd have to offer the fact that DEVIL feels far more like a great Sean Connery film Bond than it does a pure Ian Fleming novel adventure.

I have heard that other attempts to rejuvenate the Bond franchise of books have gone to great lengths to contemporize Bond, turning him into a post-Glastnost era operative 'licensed to kill' on behalf of the Queen while eating at Chilis ... so I, for one, welcome the return to martinis and Walther PPKs.

Book 40 of 52 -- Stephen King's Duma Key

This is one of the best books ever from one of the best American writers.

Stephen King knows what scares us, and he's been proving it for thirty years, but this new novel adds a layer of humanity to the fantasy that makes it all the more surprising.

Though the protagonist of DUMA KEY is ostensibly a divorced construction engineer with a latent talent for drawing, he is also clearly a stand-in for the author himself, making this arguably his most personal narrative.

I won't reveal the hypnotically readable plot--it must be experienced to be appreciated--but I will say that Edgar Freemantle's living nightmare plainly echoes events in Mr. King's recent history.

A life-threatening accident, like an illness or the loss of a loved one, puts many things in perspective, and DUMA KEY sometimes seems like a personal statement, a portrait of the artist that is as thrilling as it is vivid.

For all its entertaining terrors, it is ultimately a celebration of life itself.

I urge you to read it.

Highly, highly recommended.

I Love When Tucker Sleeps

So Cute....

Book 39 of 52 -- Jeff Lindsay's Dexter in the Dark

The Dexter books have kept me fascinated and I couldn't wait for this one to be at the top of my book pile after reading the first two.

However it's been working its way slowly up my pile of to be read.

Well I finally read it and I'm a little disappointed.

I wanted it to be so much more.

I think that the concept of this series is so interesting - Dexter is a lovable serial killer but in this book he's almost annoying.

I understand that he lost what made him who he is but come on, let's try a little harder to find it.

I didn't enjoy the killer in this book and found him not to be as smarter or smarter than Dexter.

His girlfriend is pushing him to get married and be a daddy.

I just felt like Jeff Lindsay didn't take his time with this book.

The ending didn't make a lot of sense in the grand scope of the Dexter series. Maybe Mr. Lindsay is just too into the TV series or something.

I really hope the next one is better.

Sundays

Are the best.

Just the best....

Simply the best....

Almost like a secret every day of the week.

Littering

Keep the garbage in your car until you get home or to your destination.

Why... why do you wait until a red light to just toss the big huge McDonald's bag out the window?

Seriously.

That's just obnoxious.

Happy Fourth of July

It's a glorious (snicker) day out.

Enjoy it and don't blow your fingers off your hands.

Book 38 of 52 -- Ben Mezrich's Bringing Down the House

This is a great story and the writing stands up to the quality of the story itself.

It leads the reader through the rise and ultimate fall of a team that approaches Blackjack as if it were a sport that can be trained for and mastered rather than a game of chance.

Absolutely great.

Could have given greater perspective on those who developed the card counting methods that the MIT team built upon, but that's just a nit pick.

Read this book if you have any affinity to playing games!

New Hobby -- Tattoos!

So... I have a new hobby.

I go to sporting events pretty regularly and sometimes I get distracted.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

So I have to admit that I am getting pretty ambitious with my camera taking pictures of people's tattoos.

Here are some from a recently really hot Yankees game and the Dover race in June.

These people scare me a little and I almost feel wrong for taking the pictures, but hey... they put them on their skin... and then didn't wear a shirt to cover it... now did they?

The Mole -- Week 5... Still Enjoying It

I took off last week frm writing about the Mole since we were in NC and watching it from our awesome little oceanfront room, but we were sad to see that both TW and I lost a player this week in a very endearing Victoria.

Let's get to this week's episode...



We were reminded of who lost... Clay almost died... Craig loves Jesus... Paul is purposely ticking people off... and now they arrive at their first challenge. It's cold outside.

They arrive at an abandoned train station for their mission. They are all chained up to some steel bars since it's where prisoners used to be chained. They must all work together and get a key to set themselves free. The only way to get the key is have everyone move into position to let someone reach the key. It's a game of talking everyone into letting you go get the key and not the exemption. Next to the key is an exemption and if someone takes it... everyone left will sleep in the cold and no money will be won.

They all talk and Craig offers himself since he's cold and almost died the day before. Clay is a pain in the ass.

Craig is freed... and leaves the exemption. There are some incredibly tense conversations between Kristen and Clay... Paul and Clay... Alex and Clay... Eventually... they push and Kristen gets to stretch out and grab a key... and leaves the exemption. Paul is next... and we go to commercial as he reaches above the exemption... we come back... and we see that Paul actually grabs the... key (since he swore on his daughter's life.) More conversations are left for Alex, Clay, Mark, and Nicole. Who's next? Clay goes next and grabs the key even though he is scared that Mark will take the exemption.

Mark is a pain in the ass and now Nicole walks up and takes the key... not the exemption so we are down to Alex and Mark. Alex goes up and takes the key and Mark is left behind... will he take the key and $25,000 for the pot or the exemption. He walkes up and stares at both. It could turn the game either way... "Make him look like the Mole or a player..." He reaches.... Of course... commercial.

He walks into dinner after everyone guesses... Mark makes them tell him what they thought he would do before he tells them. He took the key so no one knows who the Mole is from this game.

They get new journals and Mark is still an odd bird. They are going to Mendoza, Argentina next. The car ride is tense again and Paul and Clay are still fighting. Really fighting. Paul and Clay are horrible to each other. Extremely horrible. There is some physical stuff too with stuff being thrown. They switch vans and it's annoying as songs are sung...

Finally...another mission called Travelers where they have to go 5.5 miles to a statue. For each team to get there, they get $10,000 so this challenge is worth $30,000. Criag gets a chance as he has to give a mode of trasnportation to each team. If no one reaches it in time, he gets an exemption and no money. He makes the following assignments as he admits that he is going for the exemption:

Alex must dress up as a conquistador with a donkey and Mark as a scuba diver with flippers.
Paul and Nicole were going to be dressed up as a llama with Nicole as the head.
Clay and Kristen are a team. Kristen will be on the stilts and Clay will be on a unicycle.

Mark, Nicole, and Paul opt out real quickly... that forces the other pairs to quit as well. Kristen, Alex, and Clay all quit too and they all talk horribly about Craig so they get in the van and drive up to the statue and act as children.

I hope the rest of the season is this good... everyone's just super pissed off at everyone. It's kind of awesome and why the show is pretty awesome.

Craig thinks that he is sane and surrounded by all crazy people and at dinner, they all talk about how much they miss home. Oh well... it's time for the next exam... and that means... a commercial....................

They take the quiz... Time to get the results. Craig can't go home and once again, they have a tie and the difference in time was ONE SECOND. Phew... that sucks.

Alex is up first.... He is... safe.
Paul is up second... He is... safe.
Kristen is up third... She is... executed.

Who Will Win?

I Am The Mo
Victoria -- EXECUTED NIGHT FOUR
Craig
Paul

Team 360°
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Nicole
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE

Tucker’s Nuts
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE
Alex
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Mark
Clay
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE

Who is the Mole?

I HEART Anderson Cooper
Paul
Marcie -- EXECUTED NIGHT ONE
Kristen -- EXECUTED NIGHT FIVE

Tucker’s Nuts
Victoria -- EXECTUTED NIGHT FOUR
Nicole
Mark

Team 360°
Alex
Craig
Liz -- EXECUTED NIGHT TWO

I Am The Mo
Clay
Bobby -- EXECUTED NIGHT THREE
Ali -- QUITS NIGHT THREE