The Unusual Suspects Blog

Blogspot Banter: Post Card A Day

2010-10-29T13:58:00.004-04:00

Our final installment of Blogspot Banter (and, I add parenthetically, the final installment of this blog all together) comes from Post Card A Day, a blog that is exactly how it sounds: A site that displays a post card each day. We wanted to get a bit if international flare into the equation, and there really couldn't have been a better blog to center such a thing around. To see what all this is about, we encourage you to click here.

Much like each of our other Blogspot Banter subjects, this particular blog was named a Blog Of Note. And, much like each of our other Blogspot Banter subjects, the blog has hundreds of followers, something we, even on our way out, will never be able to claim. The Los Angeles Times has given the blog coverage, and, more important than any of this, it's simply a neat idea for a blog. Really. It is.

Below, you will find answers to how important a comments section can actually be for a blog that doesn't lend itself to commenters because of its simple nature, the nature of networking and the entire notion of making a career out of blogging (not the best idea, she says). We sincerely hope you've had as much fun reading these things as much as we've had putting them together, and again, if there is one last thing you do before navigating your way away from this particular site forever, be sure to check out Post Card A Day. You won't regret it!

Q: How long have you had the A Post Card A Day blog? Can you explain what the main focus of your blog is and what inspired you to begin this particular blog? We think it's a really neat idea for a blog, but is there a particular audience you are trying to reach with the topics you cover on your blog?

A: I've had the blog since March 2008, or thereabouts, but I can't for the life of me remember my thought processes at the time. Postcards, that's all it is, postcards. Some old, some new. Some from home, some from far away. All I was doing was making a record of the postcards I had, maybe to share them but that was a side issue. Looking back at the earlier entries, it seems to me they're all or almost all ones my father collected. Originally my audience was myself. When I realised other people did appear to be interested, I started to write a bit more and to make some attempt to widen the appeal by covering as many countries as possible, especially beyond Europe. People are on the whole more interested in seeing places they know and those aren't necessarily the ones I'm interested in.

Q: A Post Card A Day was recently named a Blog of Note by Blogspot. How did it feel to be recognized like that? Did you ever know or think it was coming? What can you attribute to obtaining such status within the Blogspot world?

A: It was both an honour and a shock to be named as a Blog of Note. Of course I was very happy about it, then as I watched my stats I was amazed, then stunned. I was nearly overwhelmed with all the comments and related spam. I had no idea it was coming but I can only assume someone read the LA Times coverage of my blog the weekend before. Or maybe it was the Creative Prose article naming A Postcard a Day as "Wacky Website of the Week" (I was less enthusiastic about that!) All that happened within the space of a few days.

Q: Your blog has over 800 followers, and you seem to have a reach that extends all the way around the world. What advice would you give to a blogger starting out in regards to how to gain readership? Were there any struggles you had to begin with, and how did you overcome them?

A: Gaining readership is slow when you're starting out. Networking is the best way to find readers, but it's a long and slow process. You have to read a lot of blogs and join forums, find some that interest you and hope the interest is returned. I've noticed the vast majority of people who've left comments since APAD became a Blog of Note have just started blogging, so that's obviously one way. I will visit their blogs at least once, and follow if they seem interesting. I can't really say that I've had too many struggles. I had no great expectations when I started out. Now though, I feel I have some sort of standard to maintain though I've no idea what that is. My struggles may be about to start.

Q: This blog appears to be something you enjoy doing for fun. What is it you do as a profession (if you don't mind us asking), and how do you balance a career and blogging - especially with the demand of posting a postcard a day can bring? Would you ever consider trying to make blogging an entire career, or just a hobby? If just a hobby - why just a hobby? If a career - what extra steps would you take?

A: I do enjoy blogging and it is for fun. I'm not formally employed now, though I was when I started. It isn't so difficult to appear to post every day because I schedule the posts. I generally do at least a week's worth at a time. Make a career out of it? I don't think so, I don't think it's possible these days.

Q: How important is the comments section/rea-dership numbers to you? Is this something that you only find gratification in when you know other people are reading? That said, have you become discouraged and have you ever considered giving up your blog because you thought no one cared/read? If so, how did you overcome those feelings?

A: The comments section is an interesting thing. his blog doesn't really lend itself to commenting very much. What can people say? Mostly just "nice card" or variations on that, but just occasionally I get something great and it makes it all worthwhile. I had a comment on one of my early cards, the Mark Twain Clopper, from someone who had been in the picture 23 years ago. That was exceptional but there have been others. Readers are a different matter and I've become accustomed to watching my stats. It's a great boost to see follower and reader numbers climbing.

Q: How important do you think a name can be when beginning one’s own blog? Did you have designed-minded ideas when you came up with the name of your blog or was it something that all fell together in place? That said, how important do you think a blog’s design is? Is the use of things such as videos and photos essentials to the success of a blog, or do you believe good writing is the key?

A: I think the blog's name is a useful indicator of what to expect but not all-important. The design is more so, because I can't tell you the number of blogs I close as soon as I open if they offend my eyes or even my ears. That said, I'm using a very old basic template and I know it could and should be improved. If I ever do earn any money from it, that will be the first thing I do - pay a designer. Obviously a picture per post is inevitable with my subject matter. I try to strike a balance between the writing and the picture. I don't like a string of postcards with little to say about them but at the same time I don't think people want to read huge chunks of text, no matter how fascinating I think it is.

Quick 5:
Q: What’s your favorite movie?
A: Educating Rita
Q: Favorite food?
A: Chocolate cake
Q: Favorite television show?
A: Masterchef, UK edition
Q: When you are not working or blogging, what do you enjoy doing the most?
A: Walking, photography, reading
Q: What’s your favorite blog?
A: How can I possibly say? I've made some excellent friends over the years and they are all my favourites.

Farewell! How... anti-climactic .

2010-10-28T10:44:00.000-04:00

As my blogging better half Colin mentioned on Monday, tomorrow will be the last entry from our little corner of the blogosphere. And how fitting that it will be a Blogspot Banter - the one post per week that requires little-to-no creativity on our part.

I kid, I kid. But seriously.

It's funny... When Colin and I originally talked about starting a blog, I was thinking each of us could post once a week, giving us ample time to develop a witty, fresh, unique perspective on something that a far better writer had previously discussed. Wouldn't you know, a week later he convinced me we need to post twice a day, every day - and I had to fight him to just get weekends off.

Luckily, thanks to my half a dozen years of higher education, during which I mastered both the art AND science of lying (as he so politely put it on Monday), I was able craft a persuasive-enough message to convince Colin that he would be responsible for 85% of the content... but that if we ever put advertisements on the page, we would, of course, split the profits 50/50.

Well, for those who are curious and have actually continued reading up until this point, my name is Frank, and I'm an alcoholic... Not really, but I can see the appeal sometimes. I've got my bachelor's in mass communication and my master's in (are you ready for this) integrated marketing communication. I work in PR and marketing communication for a nonprofit healthcare provider in western PA and, as Colin said, do some freelance magazine writing as well.

I have an awesome, b-e-a-utiful wife named Darcy, two cats named Jimmy and Lydia and an adopted Shepherd/Lab mix named Ginger who we're dogsitting for three years or so while her dad (Darcy's older brother) is serving in Afghanistan. I love Pittsburgh, hate Cleveland and LOVE going on vacation to North Carolina.

Colin and I have played in a few bands together, he as a drummer, myself as a singer. Coincidentally, our partnership in music is much the opposite of this blog - I do most of the work, carry him on my back and do everything I can to keep him motivated. So far, we typically have played power pop kind of stuff, but we'll see what comes next.

I'm not sure how we became best man-friends, but I'm glad we did. It's nice.

What's anti-climactic about my post today, is that Colin was the frontline soldier of this little blog. As the main contributor, he was the face, if you will. I was like the wizard behind the curtain. The silent partner in a business deal. The guy on PTI that wasn't Tony or Michael. And who really cares about that dude anyways?

But for what it's worth, thank you so much for keeping up with us and throwing in your two cents. This was fun, ay?

Hi. My name is.

2010-10-25T09:30:00.002-04:00

So, alas all good things must come to an end. Or, well, depending on how you view us, all moderately-OK things must come to an end. That's right, friends. As I alluded to last week, we here at The Unusual Suspects blog are throwing in the towel after seven months of work and over 9,000 hits by various individuals all around this fine world.

To be honest, either of us would have been happy if we knew just nine people would have stumbled across this corner of the blogosphere. So to think that this page has been viewed nearly 10,000 times within almost half a year is something that I can honestly say I'll hold near and dear to the strings of my heart forever (especially when you consider my initial personal goal was somewhere around 3,500 in the first year).

Because we are in complete awe of these particular numbers - and because we wanted to do anything we possibly could to try and convey how happy it makes us to think so many people read our silly ramblings without sending each person a check for 50 cents - we'd like to take a moment to introduce ourselves as we make our way to the door. How self indulgent, you say. And you'd be correct. But having peeked our heads in the comments section now and again to find that some of you may have wondered who we are and where we come from, we thought this was something that has been long overdue, and something you, as the pretty loyal readers you are, deserve.

My name is Colin McGuire. I have been responsible for everything you have seen on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I have also been responsible for every Double Feature you may have read, the Blogspot Banters and yes, every single ...For The Ride Home post. That's me. Working 'round the clock to provide you with links you could find anywhere else, shallow movie reviews on films I haven't seen yet and a glimpse into the everyday trials and tribulations a life such as mine can bring.

Unlike my partner who has his master's degree in lying (or, well, public relations) - and, who I may add will pen his own post surrounding the same type of thing later this week - I went to college to earn degree in journalism. Yes. I know. It's like getting a degree in barista-ology. Him and I both freelance for a couple magazines rooted in, of all things, military actions and the job world. I work a regular job as a Night Editor at a small town newspaper in Pennsylvania and, for the last three years, I've been lucky enough to have a column in said newspaper (so, well, you could call me a "columnist" as well). Finally - and before this sounds too much like a match.com profile - I am an Associate Editor at a Web site called Popmatters, a kind-of-big-deal place that offers CD, movie, book, and anything else reviews, along with interviews, profiles, commentaries, and other such pop culture things. For those interested (though I couldn't imagine any of you are) you can view the work I have done there if you click here.

When we started this blog, we wanted it to be fun, sarcastic, subversive, informational, intelligent and reliable. Whether or not you can associate any of those words with us is still up in the air, but even if we failed miserably, you at least now know what exactly it was we were aiming for. It is for this reason as to why the final thing you will see posted is one last Blogspot Banter set to go live Friday. I always wanted to at least try and provide any possible reader with insight from other, more popular bloggers, and that's why I'm more proud of the Blogspot Banters than anything else I've done for this particular outlet.

So why now, right? Well, to be honest, it's simply become too much. By no means am I complaining at all, but being responsible for as many things as I was when it came to this blog - and considering my natural stubbornness and insistence upon always maintaining at least a semi-professional product with the nature of consistency the features appeared - I have come to acknowledge and realize the amount of time it has taken up in my life. Again, this is no knock on the other half of this operation at all (so please don't perceive this in any such way), but the Rides, and movies, and posts, and interviews honestly began ruling my life for a second or six.

What else? Well, I love evolving. Growing. Maturing. Learning. Our lives are nothing but snapshots. That's all. And sometimes we get lucky enough to catch a perfect night. A perfect relationship. A perfect afternoon. A perfect five minutes. A perfect five days. A perfect five years. And with that said, I've honestly felt as though we have begun the process of spinning our tires in circles. Neither of us could afford to add anything to the already-consuming nature of this project, and, at least from my standpoint, there wasn't too much left to do when it came to this. And I hate that. I felt myself stagnant when it came to this blog, and that was when I knew it was time to semi-gracefully bow out.

So alas, this is my goodbye with the hopes that something new and exciting will be lurking around the corner. I honestly, honestly, and honestly can not thank you guys enough for caring so much as to stop by and check out what we've had to offer. It's been just so much fun, sharing my love for romantic comedies, touching on the intolerance of bullying, corresponding with other bloggers, corresponding with commenters and, of course, meeting people who I would have never, ever come across had I never been involved with this blog.

Thank you. Thank you times infinity. I hope I run into you soon. Somewhere. Somehow. The below video is only added as a final offering. I love her, and I love this record. Really. You ought to check it out. Pretty good. Pretty bitter. Pretty lovely.

But now, for the very last time, and from the absolute deepest and bottomest my heart has ever seen, please don't forget from now until 50 years from now when you think back to that silly little blogspot blog that you used to check out from time to time, please do not forget that....

I'll always love you. I'll always miss you.

Still here...

2010-10-19T07:17:00.002-04:00

Hi friends, just a note to say we'll have a full post soon enough. Unfortunately, I have no witty list of reasons why... Just one excuse: I have to get a physical today and I didn't have the chance to get a post ready for your viewing pleasure in advance.

I always feel intimidated before getting a physical - is that normal? I'm under 30, so I still feel like they're kind of pointless, yet I still get butterflies in my stomach when entering the office.

Here's something fun for you - Steeler fans will especially appreciate it, but it's for everyone. Like me. Sort of. Have a great day!

These six things I know are true

2010-10-18T10:44:00.001-04:00

1. I spent a lot of time with "Recovery" this weekend. The above video plays a song that literally made me laugh out loud. Damn, he's good.
2. I am going to take a breather from these parts this week. I cannot speak for my better half, though, so you may want to check back Tuesday and Thursday to see what he's got to offer. Though I love you dearly, I have a few things to focus in on this week that have nothing to do with a silly little blog that nobody really reads, anyways. Many reasons are behind that, but none too particularly interesting.
3. There was no Ride Friday, and I apologize for that. The InterWebs crashed and access to such things became non-existent for myself.
4. I had a fabulous weekend.
5. Yes, I know the season finale to "Mad Men" was last night, and because there will clearly be no Ride today, I will be sure to give the entire season/last episode its proper due with a full post - but only if the following doesn't get in the way...
6. I'm not really sure if I'll be back. If such a thing occurs, I will most definitely poke my head in to offer a proper goodbye, and remind you lovely, fantastic, loyal readers that I heart you more than Valentine's Day candy. If such a thing does not occur, then I plan on seeing your pretty virtual faces back here, smiling and shiny one week from today. Either way, because I was unable to be around Friday (and because I will not be around this coming Friday as well), I must remind you once again that though I'll be stepping away from the computer for the next couple days, you can not forget that I love you, miss you!

Double Feature: Red & Hereafter

2010-10-15T10:39:00.001-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

Red

It's an odd week for movies, really. Both this and the below feature are two flicks I probably won't take the time to see in theaters unless if I find myself in a situation that says "Gee, I'd really like to go to the movies today," which is a notion I simply never have the time for these days. And even with that said, when both of these movies inevitably come in the mail through Netflix, I know I won't be excited. But there's something about both of these that I'm attracted to. For this first movie, I think it's safe to say I enjoy pretty much everyone involved here. It seems a bit cheesy, but that's what these sometimes-terrific actors seem to be aiming for more so these days than ever. Helen Miren is still getting it done. Like, really. Getting. It. Done. And we all love Morgan Freeman, right? This movie seems like the perfect fit...for a weekend sitting at home sick in January while the remote control is too far away to reach and change the channel from USA. A couple gags here. A few lines there. Can't fault these dudes for wanting a pay check.

Hereafter

This is a call to the 12 people who read this blog: Can you please, please, please explain to me what this movie is supposed to be about? I don't get it. If you know, please kindly take to the comments section with thoughts and information. I know this is a limited release this week, but it's about to go wide, and when it does, people will flock to it as though Matt Damon is starring in it and Clint Eastwood is directing it. Oh, wait. Why I'm skeptical: "Invictus" wasn't really that good, and not only does this feature the same star and the same 80-year-old director, but it also features the same behind-the-scenes crew. Why I'm curious: Matt Damn is simply lovely. He was on David Letterman's talk show earlier this week and was utterly charming. I can't think of a movie I've seen him in that I've hated. "The Informant!" and Invictus" are two that weren't all that good, but hate is not a word that's applicable. Another wait for DVD situation? Sure. That is, unless if one of you can tell me what the hell is going on here.

...For The Ride Home: CNN beats Fox News at something, Perez Hilton is a bully and more Brett Favre, of course

2010-10-14T15:32:00.002-04:00

This is your official reminder that the best show on television these days is going to do something unprecedented tonight: Broadcast a live show. That's right. "30 Rock" is going all "SNL" on us, and it's going to have a go at live television. I eagerly await this, though I have no idea if I'll actually be able to see it as it's happening, and that upsets me. It should be interesting, though. In any case, hello Thursday. How do you do? I got a good workout in this morning, though I feel as though there was more to do. I hate that type of feeling when you are coming home from the gym, don't you? Oh, you do? Good. We have something in common. Tomorrow marks the final day of the week, and the final day before a weekend that is supposed to be "fun" for me. But never invest too much into one thing, friends. You never quite know how it could turn out. Before the weekend comes, though, we must tread our way through today, and today means a few links for you to consider before you can finally let loose on the days that matter most. We sincerely hope you enjoy at least two of the following and from the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we hope you have a fantastic Thursday evening.

A round-up of what everybody has said about the Brett Favre situation. It’s worth a look. (Deadspin)

A documentary about dubstep. I foresee this in my Netflix que sometime within the next year. (Pitchfork)

We said yesterday that the folks at NPR are not allowed at the upcoming Stewart and Colbert rallies. Today, the Washington Post weighs in. (Yahoo)

Aiming to change the idea that men are only interested in women and booze. Well, duh. Men like sports, too. (Good Men Project)

More people watched CNN than Fox News when the first miner came to the surface. Take that, Bill, Glen and the cast of “Red Eye.” (The Hollywood Reporter)

The 125 best albums of the last 25 years. Lists are so, so fun. No. 1 is admittedly a bit surprising. (Spin)

Hey, here’s a good point: With all this bullying talk, why hasn’t Perez Hilton been criticized for partaking in such things? He’s downright cruel when it comes to some celebrities. (Salon)

The Academy Awards will stay with a late-February date in 2012. That’s assuming we are all still alive, of course. Doesn’t it seem just a bit late? You nearly make it to March before you find out who had the best movie of the previous year. (Los Angeles Times)

Chilean miners’ disaster response shows us how it SHOULD be done

2010-10-14T12:12:00.001-04:00

I had a post all ready to go about how Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year, but in an effort to add to the already extreme number of blogs talking about the Chile miners’ rescue, I’d like to give my two cents.

This topic does kind of ties in with Halloween though, the more I think about it. Thirty-three guys, undoubtedly dirty and ornery, trapped in an area that comfortably holds 10, in total darkness for the better part of two-plus months – that sounds like a nightmare I had once after a night of mixing red wine and spiced rum then devouring a Tony’s frozen pizza right before bed.

There are many factors you can point to throughout this process that are awe-inspiring, or at the very least, amazing. One thing I found pretty astonishing was the considerable lack of BS on the part of those involved with the accident, i.e. the government, the unions, management and “concerned citizen groups.”

The mantra throughout this ordeal was that a tragedy occurred and lives were at stake – so let’s get it done by any means necessary. We’ll worry about the particulars AFTER the 33 human lives are saved. I’m not so sure we could have pulled this effort off in the U.S. to be quite frank.

I’m not trying to be anti-patriotic here by any means, but it’s a fact that disasters such as these are breeding grounds for the most, shall I say, “opportunistic” of people, and that’s unfortunate. I’m also not saying this sentiment is exclusive to the U.S., but it seems to be pretty ubiquitous around here.

There wasn’t weeks of finger pointing before deciding who would be responsible for the cost of extracting the miners, there was no oversight committee that needed to make a recommendation, there was no considering NOT taking help from a foreign country for fear of having to return a favor… it was let’s pool whatever resources available and get these men out. And that was refreshing, even if it took 10 weeks because of the depth and the fact that there was no precedent.

A radio show host yesterday asked his listeners what’s the first thing they do after exiting that steel transport structure, after being entombed for 69 days. He had his serious callers (hug and kiss your family), comical callers (have a pizza delivered to the rescue site and go to town on it) and realistic callers (shield your eyes from the flashes of the cameras). I posed the same question to my wife and had to laugh at her response, because it’s so right on: “I’m going to a freaking doctor and then sitting in a hyperbaric chamber for a month.” Yeah, she’s in the medical field.

It’s true, the struggle for these guys is nowhere near over as they begin to deal with the physical and emotional tolls this experience put on them. But surely they’ve all come out of this with a better appreciation for life. Hopefully everyone else did too.

Come on back at 4 p.m. for the Ride.

...For The Ride Home: Gavin Rossdale comes out of the closet (kind of), Mel Kiper may be in trouble and a correction from yesterday

2010-10-13T14:46:00.004-04:00

I spent Tuesday night with this. It's good. I won't give anything away, but if you dig these kinds of films, it's worth a shot. The whole thing felt like Michael Clayton-lite. If you happen to think movies such as that, or, say, "Breach" are a bit too tough to follow, the movie to the left does a good job to go out of its way to make sure you understand exactly what is going on at all times. And that can be good. It's certainly the best role I've seen Mr. Trainspotting in. Ever. He even looks like Jason Bateman at times, which, of course I love. Moving right along, it's Wednesday, and it's the middle of the week. I'm tried. Really tired, actually, so I'm going to cut this a bit short (that, and, well, I have a big, big soccer game tonight of which I have to be prepared for). So alas, here's to hoping you have a wonderful Wednesday after you check out a few of the links below. Be nice to others.

Late on this, but still: A woman reporter mistypes something. No editors catch it. And boom goes the dynamite. (TBD)

The better half of this blog, in an e-mail offering this link for today’s Ride: Excuse me while I wipe this egg off my face. (Ad Age)

A list of 15 people you should not be friends with on Facebook. Because I have no idea how that stuff works, I’ll simply just use this time to say you really should go see “The Social Network” tonight. (The Frisky)

Wow. Check this out. No hints. Just check it out. (Cracked)

Now, this is interesting. The agent that came clean to Sports Illustrated may be connected to Mel Kiper Jr. If that’s the case, we’ll finally know why Ryan Leaf was scouted so high. (The Big Lead)

NPR reporters will not be allowed to attend the Jon Stewart, Steve Colbert rallies. But why? (Dan Kennedy)

Gavin Rossdale was gay. No, really. He was. (Lime Life)

The difference between love and romance. (CNN)

Once you check in to the FantasyLand Hotel, you can never check out.

2010-10-13T11:28:00.001-04:00

Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings took on the New York Jets. Having been a life-long Jets fan myself, I was very, very, very, very interested in the outcome of the game. Forget the Favre sexting angle. Forget Randy Moss’ return to the team he one starred on. Forget “Hard Knocks.” Forget a Minnesota team most thought was going to excel this season that came into the game with a record of 1-3. I just wanted to see the Jets apply a stranglehold on the AFC, which they subsequently did, winning the game and moving to a tied-for-conference-best record of 4-1.

The problem? Going into Monday night’s game, I was winning a fantasy league game by the score of 111-105. My opponent had one player left to play this week, and that one player was the New York Jets’ LaDainian Tomlinson. In a second league I participate in with family members, my opponent had Shonn Greene, another running back for the Jets. Naturally, I lost the former match-up and pulled out the win in the latter, evening my night, even though my favorite football team ultimately ended up winning, suggesting that my happiness be overridden by such an accomplishment.

But it wasn’t. I needed that win to become tied for first in the league. I now sit at 3-2 and a tie with 3,091 other people for second place.

Ahh, yes, ladies and gentlemen. The wonderful world of fantasy sports. It’s peculiar, don’t you think? I only began participating in such an activity a couple years ago when the guys at work asked me if I would be interested in joining a league. That then spawned off into another league with the better half of this blog, a championship in an NBA fantasy league on ESPN, and an on-going search for some type of fantasy soccer league I still can’t find.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. After leading nearly all of the regular season before succumbing to defeat in the playoffs in my first year, I immediately became annoyed and frustrated. Then, after much the same scenario occurred in the league with the other half of this blog before seeing him ultimately win the title two years in a row, I all but promised I would never indulge in such mind-numbing, unrealistic, shotty-scoring-system-driven game play ever again.

But alas I did when my uncle inquired about jumping in a league with him, and the guys at work went along business as usual when our team names were saved from last year and the league was already set up. It’s a love/hate relationship I have with these things, really. Being in fantasy leagues makes you pay much more attention to the sport as a whole, but it provides conflict of interest whenever your favorite team is involved (and yes, this happens with everybody – no matter how much you try to deny that you secretly weren’t rooting for your most-liked team’s running back to sprain an ankle because you couldn’t give up the points, you know that it would dampen your mood if it cost you a fantasy league championship).

In reality, I need to get away from these things. They make me feel two things: Nerdy and disloyal. I still feel gooey from rooting against Tomlinson, and I feel stupid for refreshing my fantasy game’s score 1,045 times at work whenever I got a chance. But will I ultimately breathe a breath of reality and step away from such activities once next season rolls around? That depends. When can I begin drafting for an NBA squad?

Hey, it could be worse. I could be this guy…

...For The Ride Home: Everybody wants a divorce, why journalists and PR people hate each other and the fastest selling video game is...

2010-10-12T15:11:00.005-04:00

...Because I know there's somebody out there who may appreciate this more than others. And I really, really like this song. I know the critics semi trashed it (and by critics, of course, I don't necessarily mean a certain Associate Editor. Hey a six is better than anything one through five, right?), but I've really found peace with Mr. Gray's latest record. Plus, I'm telling you, if you fill out that peak he has on the top of his head, that's pretty much how I look, and that excites me. Oh, and I love the way he bobbs his head. It's adorable! Anyways, I watched "August Rush" last night because 1) many people told me I should see it and 2) Wal-Mart has new $5 movies! The exclamation point is used to portray my excitement. Not only was I able to pick up "Four Brothers" (a total steal), but my roommate insisted on buying this with the express purpose of me watching it with him last night. The kid's great. He's not good. He's great. The rest of the movie? Eh. It's hard to do music right on the big screen. And though I know I've only been watching movies for a few years now, I can honestly say that with the exception of "Cadillac Records," "This Is Spinal Tap" and "Once," it's hard for me to get into any music-driven movie (even when yes, we all know how much music has played a gigantic part in my life). In any case, the kid's good. Damn good. And maybe even worth checking the movie out for. Maybe. In any case, it is Tuesday and it is a nice day. So perk up and enjoy it friends! Now!

Now, this is great. And we can thank the better half of this blog for such a link, too! Ten things journalists and public relation people hate about each other. (Ereleases)

Yahoo asks the question that’s been on all of our minds: Where have all the fun jobs gone? Honestly, though. (Yahoo)

Hey, hey, hey. The latest FIFA video game has become the fastest selling sports video game…ever. Take that (American) football, basketball, baseball and hockey. (The 90th Minute)

Copying and fashion. Read this. (Popmatters)

Christina Aguilera is back on the market. Always thought she was way prettier than the other poplets of that time. Still do, actually. Don’t you think she’d go great with Justin Timberlake? Ohhh. And ahhhh. (TMZ)

…And the same could be said about Courtney Cox. Turns out, dude from “Scream” slept with a bartender. Doesn’t anybody stay together anymore? Damn. I thought these two couples got it right, too. Shall there be no faith in anything anymore? (Fox News)

NPR hires people to monitor its comment boards. Keep in mind, new comment board police men: All things written are said in a monotone, serious voice, and shall be written with words containing no less than nine letters. (NPR)

Andy Richter is coming back with Conan. If only Max was listening. (Entertainment Weekly)

Gap logo change = disaster

2010-10-12T13:02:00.004-04:00

If you’ve been paying attention to our little corner of the blogosphere, one thing you know is what my counterpart and I do to make our modest (MODEST) livings – he’s a journalist and I’m in public relations and marketing. Funny, right? We’re supposed to hate each other according to the standards set by our respective trades. But hey, we’re all about breaking barriers and building bridges here at The Unusual Suspects camp.

One hot topic in the PR/marketing world right now is retail giant Gap changing its logo (as you can see). A logo change from a huge corporation is always big news – it’s kind of like a celebrity undergoing major plastic surgery, only more extreme. No one is sure why they did it, everyone wonders how it will affect their personality and there’s sure to be mishaps along the way.

Typically, a logo change will take months from the idea phase to the unveiling of the new design and brand promise. The company usually employs an ad firm that does extensive research on consumer trends, demographics, emerging trends, psychological predispositions, purchasing behaviors, organizational culture, blah blah blah, and eventually, after hours of research, brainstorming and architecting, brings the client the IDEA.

The client then gives the ad firm a dozen reasons why the IDEA isn’t correct.

After much back and forth between the two parties, a watered down, often bastardized version of the initial IDEA comes to fruition. And this, mind you, is after seven or eight people from the client company, who have little-to-no educated insight into branding, have weighed in.

The Gap logo in its most recent form undoubtedly fell victim to this process. In a recent poll of PR and marketing executives, 88 percent of the 300+ respondents just plain don’t like it, and for many different reasons. One creative director said it’s the worst he’s ever seen. Ever. Ouch.

So on to the fun part: Gap’s response to the criticism. On its Facebook page last week, the company stated “We know this logo created a lot of buzz, and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project.”

How does this sit with you? I suppose there are two ways you can look at it: 1) Gap is making a noble attempt at engaging its audience and fostering a two way conversation with those who proudly wear its clothing. OR 2) Gap, a major corporation, probably worth billions, is looking for free design work. Like they’re some local, nonprofit health and wellness center, funded solely by grants and donations.

I’m somewhere in the middle of the road on this issue. One of the main reasons companies get involved with social media is to get people talking about its brand. So when a conversation is started, it only makes sense to get involved and contribute to said conversation, hopefully guiding it to a positive outcome. But asking users to submit their ideas? For free no less?

Hundreds of companies use needles and threads to manufacture shirts… but people don’t purchase shirts per se. The logo is the face of the brand, which, like it or not, is what people purchase. So what exactly is the IDEA worth to a company like Gap? Obviously not much if they’re asking for it for nothing. It’s a sad message to send to those who make a living off their creativity.

See you right back here at 4 p.m. EST.

...For The Ride Home: Harper calls it quits, Ashton and Demi don't, and the world loses an R&B icon

2010-10-11T14:54:00.004-04:00

We get the whole group together for the second-to-last photo of the season (and yes, I know this is an old image). First and foremost, Roger earned back all the cool points he lost last week. A couple great lines can do that for a dude with awesome white hair. Instead of offering a stream of conscious, all encompassing take, I am going to say this: Something about everything that's going on doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem interesting. What we are boiling down to is almost exactly the way last season ended, and if we end up seeing that they need to start over - AGAIN - when next season starts, I may jump the shark. When is Matthew Wiener going to write around a different plot line than "Oh goodness, what are we going to do as a company?!" Seeing everybody get fired was admittedly sad. But watching Bert leave felt so anti-climactic, you felt as though it was just another day. And that shouldn't happen. His last name is Cooper, for God's sake. Besides, do you really think he's gone for good? Really? Come on, now. Watching Don give away money - or be charitable in any fashion, for that matter - is becoming grating. So what? We get it. You have a ton of money and you don't mind parting with it for people who may need it (though there was no reason to buy that painting, if you ask me). His idea? It was fine. Of course it's going to result in something wonderful for the company, and of course it's going to make sure this season doesn't end on an apocalyptic note. But, blah. Give us something earth-shattering next week, Matt. Please. I'm begging you. Nice to meet you, Week 29.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Jason Whitlock think the Brett Favre story is made up. Really? (Deadspin)

Solomon Burke died over the weekend, and if you fancy yourself a rhythm & blues fan, you should care about this. Rest in peace, big fella. (Rolling Stone)

Goodness. The Huffington Post is going to spend a quarter of a million dollars on shuttle buses for Jon Stewart’s rally. Wow. (The Wrap)

So, has anyone watched “Parker Spitzer” yet? I caught a few minutes and it was…not good. Kathleen Parker needs to really, really hone her television skills. (Wall Street Journal)

Ashton and Demi: Still going strong. (New York Post)

Dame Dash and Jay-Z back together? (All Hip-Hop)

Laura Dern and Ben Harper are getting a divorce. Wait. Laura Dern and Ben Harper were married? (The Daily Mail)

Your weekly “Mad Men” link. (Entertainment Weekly)

Drinking & Driving: Not a good idea.

2010-10-11T10:25:00.002-04:00

So, I golfed this past weekend. Honestly. I did. The last time I did such a thing, I was with the better half of this blog, and it was forever ago. Like for-ev-er. And by forever, I mean something like May, of course. And though I hit the best seven-iron of my life that day, it wasn't enough to raise my interest in perusing more golf outings more often this summer.

Why? Because I'm awful. Like, super awful. And I can't get better. Like, at all. The summer before last was easily the summer in which I played the most golf, and by the time August rolled around, I contemplated selling my clubs.

It's an odd thing, golf is. All men seem to want to learn how to play it after they pass a certain age, and more often than not, end up becoming good enough to continue playing through springs, summers and falls. It's a display of power, actually. A lot of business deals get done on the golf course (or at least in my small, little mind, they do. Kind of like in the same way I've now become convinced that all big-time athletes cheat on their wives in some underground secret world that only pretty people are allowed into. Thanks Brett Favre.)

All that said, this particular golf outing was a bit different for me. And why is that, you ask? No, it wasn't because I got an actual, true, honest-to-goodness bogey on the fifth hole, silly. It was because I clocked in some overtime on my Man Clock by drinking beer while partaking in such golf-like activities. That's right: A dude who hit a ball with a stick up and down a pretty-looking forrest who was drinking cans of Miller Lite. That's me. A man amongst men.

The result was exactly what I thought it would be (and also, I may add, a big reason as to why I've never done such a thing before): Awful. Never mind the fact that we could get through only 15 holes before the sun subsided for the day, and neither of us could actually see. Never mind the fact that by the 11th hole, I had lost all of the balls I had purchased that very day before hitting the links. And never mind the added pressure of betting a dollar on each hole with the guy I was playing with (wow, that's three! Golfing. Drinking. Gambling. Put me in a Ford commercial!).

Fatigue. That's all. When I drink, I get tired (unless if singing and dancing is involved, of course). And I knew that if I ever decided to try and mix the game of golf with such a thing, I'd be suffering. And boy, was I suffering. The sun setting didn't help, either. Fifteen more minutes and I would have cuddled up on the back of the cart for a two hour nap. By the time we made it back to the car - and I noticed it was only seven at night - I felt as though the only thing left to aspire for was a ball of yarn and a rocking chair, and you could have mistaken me for an 85-year-old grandmother. It killed me.

The lesson learned here? Don't drink and drive (get it?! That's so punny!). Does this mean I'll give up golf for the rest of the year? Probably (if for no other reason than the fact that I left my clubs in the back of his car). Does it mean I'll be one of the first people at a driving range once winter subsides and the weather becomes warmer next April? Absolutely. And, of course, the biggest question: Does this mean I'll be able to further the quality of my golf game next summer now that I have done the one thing I've never done on the golf course?

Not a chance. But hey. At least I don't look like this guy...

...For The Ride Home: Figuring out much online writers get paid, Brett Favre is awfully close to a mess and if John Lennon were still alive

2010-10-08T14:31:00.007-04:00

I don't care what you are doing tonight. I don't care if you have plans you couldn't wait to come across for months. I don't care if it's going to be a first date. A blind date. A second, "well, we will be able to tell if this is going to work out after this" date. A night with your loved one. A night with your children. A night out with your boys. A night out with your girls. Call whoever it is you need to call and cancel those plans. Walk to the nearest bankrupt Blockbuster and rent this movie. Now. Rent it. If "Up In The Air" was 2009's 1A, this was 1B. Colin Firth is utterly captivating. Cap-ti-vating. Goodness, gracious. No wonder 2010's movies have sucked. 2009 was playing way above its own pay-grade. "Up In The Air." "A Single Man." "An Education." Hell, even "Crazy Heart" was probably better than anything out so far this year (and that's not to diminish "The Social Network" or "The Kids Are All Right," either). One more time. Go. Rent. This. Movie. OK. We say goodnight (because it means goodbye) to Week 28 differently, considering I plastered a movie poster up here rather than a nifty jingle to send you party animals into the party wild. Alas, I shall never let you down, though, as you will find a video at the bottom of this particular post. And while it may not be much of a jingle, it is far funnier than whatever the normal, well-adjusted people consider is funny. In fact, if there was a Venn Diagram for what is indeed is funny, this would be on it. Before you get to that video, though, you must power your way through the following links, links we offer for you fabulous people to ponder through an October weekend. We hope to see you back here bright eyed and bushy tailed Monday morning for more funtastic fun. Until then, though, enjoy a pretty autumn weekend, try to get a few more rounds of golf in before the weather becomes unbearable, and as always, love you, miss you.

Pretty much the most comprehensive roundup you’ll find today concerning all of this Brett Favre, Jenn Sterger, naked photos, sexual voice mails business. (The Big Lead)

Ohhh. So I guess I’ll have to begin checking for new “60 Minutes” podcasts now that a new season has begun, eh? (Detroit News)

Very, very interesting: How writers get paid on one of the bigger entertainment Web sites. $10 per thousand new visitors is a good place to start. (Business Insider)

And now Rick Sanchez says Jon Stewart is the classiest dude in the world. (ABC News)

The Page Six editor is leaving, and that caps off a shake-em-up week in the world of print media. Naturally, Donald Trump weighs in. (The Daily Beast)

I link this only because of my unrequited love for Genesis and Phil Collins. (Popmatters)

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is moving to “Good Morning America.” Has there ever been a more meteoric rise for someone who literally came from nowhere? (People)

Tomorrow would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday. No word on whether or not he would have shown up on any of McCartney’s latest dates had he been alive. Somewhere, Ringo thanks God once again for being the luckiest man in the history of music. (USA Today)

Oh. Oh. I think I want to buy this. (Alternative Press)

...And if you don't think this is funny...

Double Feature: It's Kind Of A Funny Story & Life As We Know It

2010-10-08T09:35:00.002-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

It's Kind Of A Funny Story

I have high hopes for this. I am not one of those people who seem to think Zach Galifianakis is funny, interesting or entertaining on any level (and yes, this includes "The Hangover"). But this seems to be the first time he's going to try and take himself seriously, and for some odd, inexplicable reason, this intrigues me. It's like Will Ferrell in "Stranger Than Fiction." I've never liked the dude, but that's a movie I enjoyed so much, I decided to buy. And it's that very reason that parlays "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" into "I kind of want to see this" territory. Well, that and it seems as though there is a romance beneath all of this. And, much like a four-year-old who will always smile at the thought of ice cream, when you incorporate a love story into any flick, I'll be interested. It won't be opening wide this weekend, but with any luck, it'll do well enough to make it into a theater near me soon. Though, as always, if you happen to come across it, all comments and reviews are welcome.

Life As We Know It

Boy, if I didn't dislike Katherine Heigl as much as I do, this seems a movie tailor-made for people such as myself. I thought Josh Duhamel was the best part of "When In Rome," and even though he's been steppin' out on Fergie, he's quickly becoming one of my favorites as a male lead in a rom-com. Let me guess: They start out hating each other. An hour-and-a-half, three pee breaks and a bag of popcorn later, they are madly in love and decide to raise a kid that isn't their own in a happily-ever-after world. This, in turn, inspires Fergie's hubby and Josh Kelly's wifey to try and pro-create on their own, and the movie ends with plans on having a child of their own. Just a guess. Better question: What's a better song - "London Bridge," or "Amazing?" If you don't remember the latter, look it up - you'll know what I'm talking about. Replace Heigl with Jen Anniston or Amy Adams and I'm in. Way in.

...For The Ride Home: The hockey season begins tonight, a new couple definitely worth rooting for and Roy Halladay is good

2010-10-07T16:04:00.002-04:00

I've already babbled endlessly about NPR's "Fresh Air." Another program I am always sure to keep my iPod filled with is "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me." It's been that way for years and years and years, actually. And on Jimmy Fallon's show last night, both of these men appeared, and such an action thrilled me to death. I've seen Peter on Craig Ferguson's show a couple times before, but never Carl. And knowing the show will be in Philly in only a matter of weeks now - while knowing there is no possible way for me to attend - breaks my heart beyond belief. If you've never listened to the show, log into your iTunes, search NPR's page, do yourself a favor, and download the most recent episode. And if you don't enjoy listening to things that are podcasted, listen to your local NPR station anytime this weekend, really. It should be there. So hello, Thursday. You know what you mean? You mean that there is only one more day left in the week! Yay! What are you going to do with your weekend? I hope it's something fun. Weekends are always reserved for fun, right? Here's hoping you and your object of affection have a fun-like weekend, and here's hoping you enjoy a link or six below. Have a fantastic Thursday!

Roy Halladay pitched the second no-hitter in postseason history last night. The Phillies beat the Reds to go up 1-0. More impressive? Dude also drove in a run. (Philly Inquirer)

Seventeen cheap dates that women will like. Hey. They said it. (Esquire)

No. No. No. Half the reason why we do what we do is so we can get free food! (Star Tribune)

Newsweek was sold for one dollar. I told you we could have done this had we put our money together. (New York Times)

Lou Dobbs: Hypocrite. (The Nation)

The basketball season begins in less than a month and all the GMs believe the Lakers will win the title and Kevin Durant will win the league MVP. Here's hoping. (Yahoo)

…And hockey season begins tonight. Three of the eight people who read this blog are excited about that. And for you, we offer this. (Sporting News)

Rachael McAdams and Michael Sheen is definitely a couple I could get behind. (Showbiz Spy)

What's more stereotypical than Oktoberfest? St. Patrick's Day maybe?

2010-10-07T10:45:00.001-04:00

What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say Germany? Hopefully you skip over that terrible period around World War II and jumped right to beer and bratwurst.

Last weekend I had the distinct pleasure of working an Oktoberfest celebration (hint: I work in PR, so event management is part of the gig). We had all the German cliches: saurbraten, pretzels, dark beer, spaetzle & cabbage and even some lederhosen. The band played brass and polka, the tables were covered in Bavarian blue and white and overall a fabulous time was had by all.

But it did get me thinking about what stereotypical events like this do to the culture in question. I'm part German and my wife is damn near 100% -- should we be offended at the characterization of our heritage? After all, it would be AWFUL to take the stereotypical traits and behaviors of a minority and fashion a hyped-up event around it, right?

Same question as the beginning, only change it to Irish - what do you got? Again, skip over that whole nasty IRA thing (I'm now on a terror alert list just for typing that) and hopefully you land on beer and corned beef. Is it right? Probably not, but it makes for one heck of a bender each year on St. Paddy's Day

By the way, I know another half of this blog who just may fall into this category. He's pale, too. Really pale.

Am I saying I'm personally offended by the celebration of these broad generalizations, based purely on a life of excess and indulgence? Absolutely not - I'm the first one in line at the beer tent. But I CAN say I can see where you could be.

Now for my final question: Which cultural bastardization is more fun in your book - the German Oktoberfest or the Irish St. Paddy's Day? My man and I will be fighting this out next weekend after a few pints I'm sure, but we'd love your input.

Maybe this will help.

See you right back here at 4 p.m. to get you link on. Hope to hear from you, hehe.

...For The Ride Home: Randy Moss is going back to Minnesota, non-fiction writers you need to know about and our hearts go out to Mr. Levitt

2010-10-06T14:27:00.005-04:00

This is the best movie of 2010. So far, at least. This puts "The Kids Are All Right" at No. 2. Forget your Inceptions. Forget your The Towns. This is it, right here. I still think it's a down year for movies, though. If this ends up lasting another three months in its position, and I'm forced to consider this the best movie of 2010 in my tiny, little brain, then yes, this is a slow movie year. It's still really, really good, though. Eisenberg should get an Oscar nod for this. Honestly, though. In much the same way Clooney was born to play the lead in "Up In the Air," Eisenberg was definitely born to play the lead in this particular flick. It's smart, and sitting right next to romantic comedies, those are my favorite kinds of movies. I don't - and still don't, for that matter - know anything about Facebook, including how to use it. But that doesn't really matter when considering "The Social Network." Dialogue-driven movies: They're the best. And the opening sequence? Goodness, gracious. Fantastic. I feel as though I've been sitting on his end of the table way too many times in my life, acting the exact same way: Scatter-brained, unsure, skeptical, obsessive, quick-speaking, subject-changing, smarmy. Wow, I'm awful, aren't I? I could go on for another 6,000,000 words, but I'll digress for now. Instead, I'll offer the following links, and remind you that the more you are nice to others, others will be nice to you. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Randy Moss is going back to the Minnesota Vikings. Hmm. (NESN)

The five best new artists for October, as determined by Spin. (Spin)

There are only three plausible scenarios for the future of newspapers. And this guy talked about them. (The Herald Times)

Ohhhhh. And. Ahhhhhh. Twenty non-fiction writers under the age of 40 that you should pay attention to. (New Haven Review)

As we said yesterday, Howie Kurtz is out at the Washington Post. And here is what some people think The Post should go after when trying to replace him. (Columbia Journalism Review)

Sooooo, the naked cowboy is going to run for president? Really? (TMZ)

Christina Hendricks: Women hit on her just as much as men do. Side: I love her – don’t get me wrong – but outside of “Mad Men,” it’s hard to find pictures of her in which she looks nearly as good. Side No. 2: I love her voice. (CNN)

This is sad. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s brother dies. He was 36. Saw the movie star on Carson Daly’s show last night, promoting the fabulous hitRECord Web site, and he’s just someone to root for. Once came across a tweet from a dude I went to college with who was totally trashing him because he saw Levitt perform his music somewhere. No need for that. Joe seems like a nice kid. (People)

What does the Monopoly game at McDonald’s and going to the gym have in common?

2010-10-06T11:03:00.002-04:00

Nothing, really, aside from the fact that the two will be intertwined in this particular blog post. But hey, the headline got your attention, right?

This week, I decided that after a year-and-a-half away from the gym (though not away from running – if you remember correctly), that I would once again gain membership and begin consciously trying to better my physical health by both keeping up with the running and adding a few lifting rituals into the mix.

The problem with all of this? Yesterday marked the beginning of McDonald’s Monopoly game for the year! That’s right. Twenty-seven Big Macs, 52 Angus burgers and a whole bunch of chicken nuggets could mean a brand new television, a shiny car or millions upon gamillions of dollars for me to waste on DVDs of television shows (I’m looking at you, “House.”)

So…what to do? I haven’t a clue. I’ve kept my mind pretty open about wrestling with the gym this time around (don’t over-do it, don’t get burned out quickly, don’t hate running on treadmills, and no, I won’t have an eight-pack of abs by the end of the week, no matter how many miles I put in), but the entire notion of waking up early to run and lift, while capping that off with an extra value meal at McDonald’s later in the day seems to be a bit counterintuitive, don’t you think?

But the game is just so much fun! Of all the fast food restaurant games, this one’s easily the best. In fact, it’s so good, most all other fast food chains have simply just given up on promotions all together (aside from that silly football game Wendy’s seems to be offering again). Come on, now. You’d be lying if you say you’ve never thought of the implications of picking up a large order of french fries and possibly finding that one missing piece you’ve been waiting to come across that would provide you with a free small soft drink or, well, $50,000 in cash.

It’s great, really. I just haven’t decided how to tackle it, though. And that’s why I turn to you, my dear, dear, blogtastic friends. Should I stop working out? Should I give up on my Monopoly dreams? Should I pay for other people’s meals and take their pieces? Should I ignore the temptations? Should I plan my funeral, considering my arteries will be plugged within six months if I plan to move forward with the McDonald’s angle? So many questions. So few answers.

That said, if anybody happens across any McDonald’s Monopoly pieces, and doesn’t wish to indulge themselves in such game-playing foolishness (or, for that matter, if you are willing to trade one of your eight New York Avenues for one of my 14 Baltic Avenues), remember you can always e-mail us at theunusualsuspectsblog@gmail.com. And if that doesn’t work, we are always available in the comments section.

And remember, any of these things could happen to me, should I decide to strictly go with weight lifting and nothing else…

…And that would be painful.

...For The Ride Home: Howie Kurtz lands a new job, Beiber is the next Ashton Kutcher and an awfully good remix of an XX song

2010-10-05T15:04:00.006-04:00

Watch this now. I don't care what you are doing tonight, but there is really no excuse to not cancel all your plans and sit at home with this movie (unless if you are coaching a soccer game and then going to see "The Social Network" much like myself. Then you'd have good excuses). I got home from work and saw this began on AMC, and even though I HATE watching movies on television (commercials completely ruin everything), this began what hopes to be an impressive week of movies. Goodness, gracious. For someone who loves, loves, loves romantic comedies, this thing is perfection. It's a "Love, Actually" situation, really. Wow. Cuddle up with someone you love, cook some tea and do yourself a favor by giving this movie a shot if you haven't already seen it. Fabulous. So, hello, Tuesday. It's rainy and it's cold. Actually, it hasn't stopped being rainy and cold for a few days now. And I think I may be getting sick. But then again, I've been thinking I was about to get sick for about three weeks now. It has to come eventually, right? Especially in October. Before I get sick, though - and before you run to the nearest almost-closed Blockbuster to rent "You've Got Mail" - check out a couple links below, and enjoy the autumn weather. That is, if you like enjoying autumn weather.

Now that baseball’s regular season is over (and the Pirates were again awful), these guys take a look at how all of the “experts” did with preseason predictions. Here’s a hint: Not well. (The Big Lead)

The name of Kanye West’s next CD? My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. (Rolling Stone)

Wooooooooowwwww. Someone who we have linked before in these parts – Washington Post columnist Howie Kurtz – is leaving the paper to work for The Daily Beast. Wow. That’s a hit. (TBD)

Wooooooooowwwww (part two). Michael Ausiello is leaving Entertainment Weekly. Goodness, what has gotten into all these people today? (Deadline)

This guy says there will be no more news anchors who get gabillions of dollars thrown at them. Good. (Mark Coddington)

“Punk’d” is coming back. And Justin Bieber is going to host it. (Popeater)

Four Tet remixes The XX. Turn off all your lights and listen to this magical nine minute piece of work. (Pitchfork)

Because there is a Fashion Week going on. And it’s in Paris. And you should care. (The Guardian)

One hundred and five losses. That’s a lot.

2010-10-05T12:26:00.002-04:00

Side: For something really, really interesting in regards to this particular topic, follow this link. You won't be disappointed.

As the regular season of Major League Baseball wrapped up, we fans of America’s pastime gear up for the intensity that is the playoffs. That edge of your seat thrill ride where every pitch is a nail biting endeavor; where there is no such thing as a safe lead; where heroes emerge from the unlikeliest of places.

But that intensity is hard to understand for those of us who cheer for the Pittsburgh Pirates, seeing as how it’s been 18 years since the team has even sniffed a playoff berth. When the clock struck midnight on the Buccos season the other night, they managed to eclipse the elusive 100+ loss plateau, tie for the worst away record in history (17-64) and even commit a fashion faux paus that generated the attention of ESPN, Yahoo Sports and every other sports outlet looking for a light-hearted sidebar to their “Playoff Baseball!” center spread. Please tell me you heard about this:

Pirates shortstop Ronny Cedeno trotted onto the field Sunday against the Florida Marlins wearing, you guessed it, the wrong uniform. To make matters worse, it wasn’t until the third inning – and a home run by Cedeno – that the mistake was realized.

Even funnier, the uniform Cedeno had on was a different color AND IN SPANISH.

That’s right, emblazoned in big bold letters across the front of his jersey was “Piratas” – it may as well have said “here’s one more thing for our fans to be embarrassed about.”

I try to have a sense of humor with this stuff, I really do. And by all accounts, whether this was a prank or an oversight, it’s pretty funny. But pranks are a whole lot funnier when you’re winning… even a little bit. Even like half the time.

So here’s to you, my beloved Bucs. Thank you for another losing season. I look forward to the false sense of hope you will inevitably try to instill upon me and the other suckers who cling to the thought that one day we’ll be the ones laughing.

Oh wait, we already are. Because if we’re not laughing, we’ll probably start crying.

And to think: It once looked so promising...

See you in a few hours for your daily links to live by. Muah.

...For The Ride Home: Fox News is your new source for all Tea Party information, Zuckerberg could sue movie makers and the U.S. goes down hard

2010-10-04T14:43:00.004-04:00

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Roger. What the hell do you think you are doing? Lies, lies and more lies, and we see how far this gets you. With only two episodes left, "Mad Men" has left nothing but doom and gloom talk to be had as this fourth season winds down. For really the first time this season (or at least, that's how it feels), we finally get to see Don Draper work as the boat his company resides in keeps sinking further and further into the sea. I was shocked (shocked!) to see Peggy end up with that creep she dismissed a couple weeks ago. That was...disappointing. We saw the beginnings of a youth movement, though, as Ms. Olson went into a meeting and got a deal done in quintessential Don Draper fashion. And speaking of Mr. Draper: Oh the humanity! What are you thinking, my man? You see what sleeping with secretaries does to your life, so why turn down that road again? That said, I still don't support his relationship with Faye. Don't know why, either. Just can't get behind that. In some odd, inexplicable way, I root for things to actually progress with this new secretary. But man, does she have some messed up teeth, or what? And that answer isn't what. Bold prediction: Pete leaves by the end of the season, Roger finds some way out of the company, and everything becomes all blown up. They have to do that, right? After last year's dog and pony show of a season finale. Good day, Week 28. Let's see what you can offer.

The Europeans won the Ryder Cup this morning. It was the first time in almost 20 years the competition came down to the final match. So, so sad. (ESPN)

Did anyone catch “Saturday Night Live” this weekend? Kanye West thanks any and everyone around for the success of his performance. Bigger story: “What Up With That” returned. (MTV)

Terry Gross, who, if you remember correctly, I love and ran into at a record store in Philly last May, sits down with Jon Stewart. (NPR)

People StyleWatch is the magazine of the year. Or so says these guys. (Ad Age)

Fox News: The official television network of the Tea Party. (New York Times)

First movies. Then television. And now music is going to have a stab at 3-D. (Pollstar)

Zuckerberg and the thought of suing the producers of “The Social Network.” T-minus 18 hours until I finally sit down with what Rolling Stone says is the best movie of the year. (The Hollywood Reporter)

A “Mad Men” recap. Only two episodes left! Frown face. (Entertainment Weekly)

Suicide is never an answer. Ever.

2010-10-04T11:16:00.000-04:00

As if you haven't figured out by now, I work at a newspaper for a living. Actually, I'm a columnist and editor. The recent suicide of Tyler Clementi sparked something within me that all but demanded a piece on it. After taking time over the weekend to write about it, I decided that I want to share that particular column with you, a column that will appear in my newspaper's Friday edition this week. There are no cute photos - no cute videos. Just writing here (I know - I'm sorry. I just didn't think any bells and whistles were appropriate). Any comments are encouraged, and I promise that we will pick business up again later with today's Ride. I sincerely hope you enjoy the following andm if nothing else, remember to always take into consideration the seriousness of your words when interacting with others.

No matter how bad you think you have it, somebody else in this world always has it worse.

That’s what my near and dear friend Ryan told me during a late night walk when I was a freshman in college. He would know. He lost both of his parents within a three-year stretch, and the toll that it took on him both mentally and physically ultimately led him to give up on a one-time promising basketball career, eventually forcing him to withdraw from school all together because he was unable to juggle both sports and academics while his personal life was taking such a hit.

It helped me. In fact, it still helps me. As someone who has struggled with depression for over 26 years now, those words have proven to be valuable on more than one occasion. Yes, particularly difficult stretches of days still occur from time to time, and sure, I have let myself sink so far below sea level that I’ve been the cause of concern for those who love me, but I ultimately flash back to that spring night whenever I’m confronted with those feelings anymore. It’s not a full-proof mechanism, but it certainly adds enough to help me see things through.

Someone who could have used that advice was Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University who killed himself a couple weeks ago by jumping off the George Washington bridge. The suicide occurred after his college roommate, Dharan Ravi, posted a live feed of Clementi participating in a sexual encounter with another male student, thus leading to an outcry from activists around the globe concerning acceptance, bullying, bigotry and tolerance.

“Things will get easier. People’s minds will change and you should be alive to see it,” talk show host Ellen DeGeneres said in a video last week.
“I wished I could talk to him for five minutes,” Washington Post columnist Dan Savage added. “I wished I could tell him that things change – that things get better.”

What’s missing from these statements is levity – a sense of gravity that is most always ignored whenever hindsight is added to the equation. Sometimes five minutes isn’t enough. Sometimes things don’t get easier. And sometimes, people’s minds really never end up changing. And then what do you do? How do you react? How do you deal?

It’s much easier to look back on such a tragic action with rose colored glasses that formulate an idealistic world that could have been. But what those who may have never been exposed to such emotions aren’t taking into consideration is the complete and utter feeling of hopelessness, and the tight grip it has on someone who finds him or herself confronted with feelings of despair, loneliness, failure or misery.

The experience is crippling. Actually, it’s irrational. This is proven when these irrational acts can result in an outcome that impacts other people’s futures. I’m sure Clementi didn’t do what he did to spite the people he loved. He did it because he saw it as a way out. He never had any ill will or vindictive intention by doing what he did. He was just unable to see his emotions through. At that moment in time, he was unable to consider the lasting affect his death would have on his friends and family, let alone an entire nation.
 
For a few minutes or hours, the entire notion of suicide seemed rational, and that’s when we as individuals are at our most dangerous: When irrationality blurs into rationality and the two are mistaken for one another. In fact, I’d be willing to bet Clementi was able to convince himself before he jumped off that bridge that what he was about to do was the most rational thing he could have possibly done in his position.

Unfortunately, though, he was wrong. Suicide is never – and will never – be the answer to anybody’s problems. What truly sets these actions off are enablers that surround us on a daily basis. Our personal reactions to these enablers become the most important factor when trying to dissect the mind of someone who has sunk so low, he or she feels such an action is the only reasonable outcome. They can be the biggest of things. They can be the smallest of things. They all have different affects and spark different emotions in each and every one of us.

For Clementi, it was an act of despicable nature from a guy he probably knew almost nothing about during one of the hardest times anyone can go through: A freshman year in college. For Seth Walsh, a Tehachapi, Calif., 13-year-old, it was being forced to endure the taunting his classmates put him through because of his sexual orientation. He died days after trying to hang himself from a tree in his backyard. For Asher Brown, a Texas teen who shot himself to death, it was comment after comment from his classmates that drove him to end his life prematurely. Insults regarding his small stature, religion and suspected sexual orientation simply proved to be too much.

And that’s my point: We as a society can be utterly ignorant of the impact we truly have on other people’s personal lives. One meaningless joke to you may keep someone else up for five straight nights, stressing over the intention of such a comment. One off-hand statement that may slip from your mouth could easily force someone else to spend an entire evening crying, locked in a bedroom. One act of rudeness can be magnified, and one insult or act of invasive disrespect – we have now learned - can literally be deadly.

Your irrational statements may be the driving force behind another’s irrational actions.

It’s a shame. These teenagers were cheated out of lives. They were cheated out of futures. Out of happiness. Out of potential. Out of an entire world filled with beautiful, loving people - people they were unable to consider when they should have, and people they were unable to find when they needed them the most.

I thank God I was able to find one of those beautiful people. And now, in the wake of these incredulous tragedies, it’s up to us to spread that beauty as far and wide as we possibly can.

Because no matter how bad you may think you have it, it’s true: Someone else always has it worse.

...For The Ride Home: Somebody says something mean about Katy Perry, 10 acts to check out at the ACL music fest and America is winning the Ryder Cup!

2010-10-01T15:10:00.006-04:00

So, Jay kills it here. He really does. If you happen to be around speakers, and you fancy yourself a hip-hop fan, you really ought to consider giving this a listen. But none of that is the story, actually. The reason you should take note of this song is because...wait...for...it...OK: This is the track that MC Hammer is so upset about. Mr. Carter doesn't even really diss him here, but the "You Can't Touch This" mastermind is trying to promote a new album. So alas, if you've read about the controversy, or happen to be a super duper MC Hammer fan, and haven't heard what all the fuss is about, now you know. It's not like we didn't love you, Week 27, it's just that we must move on for ourselves. Please don't take it personal. It was a good week, you know. It's not you, really. It's us. Hopefully we can leave the door open for future get-togethers. Is that OK, Week 27? All right. Good. Welcome to October, and welcome to a 31 day month. It always seems so daunting when you say it like that, doesn't it? Who's going to see "The Social Network" this weekend? I may have to wait until early next week to see it, so no spoilers, please. Whether or not you venture to the theater this weekend, though, we here at The Unusual Suspects would like to offer our best wishes your way and we sincerely hope, from the bottom of our hearts, that you are able to enjoy the first weekend of October to its fullest. Until Monday, read a few of the links below, cuddle up with someone you love if it happens to get cold, and don't forget that just like the previous 26 weeks, we love you, miss you.

LeBron James blames race for the backlash against his decision to play for Miami. This was what we in the trade like to say something you can “put on a tee” for Mr. Jason Whitlock. Read this. (Fox Sports)

“I heard she put out a song about me, or about some old habits or whatever. I look at it like this: I’m just stoked that she finally has a song with some substance on her record. Good job.” (MTV)

The lesson learned here? Don’t look at porn or gambling sites while at work. (Stars And Stripes)

Someone from Kansas State took home the Rolling Stone College Journalism Award. Our hats go off to you, sir. (The Collegian)

I’m going to keep linking stories about The Boston Globe’s latest idea only because I am utterly fascinated with it. Will it work? If it works, what will the implications be for the future of journalism? This should be taught in college courses. Professors out there, take note. (Media Nation)

Hey, hey. The United States is winning after the first day of the Ryder Cup! Remember to tune in this weekend after you stumble home from the bar to watch live coverage! (BBC)

A list of acts you should check out if you are lucky enough to make it to the Austin City Limits festival next weekend. May we humbly add Norah Jones to the list. She’s such a doll. (Spin)

Larry David talks about the NFL. That’s all you really need to know. (NFL)

“Titanic” in 3D. Now that’s an idea. (ABC News)

Double Feature: The Social Network & Speed Dating

2010-10-01T11:18:00.002-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

The Social Network

Never have I turned so quickly and so swiftly on a movie until now. This began as a film I thought I may wind up coming across on DVD someday. Now, I have plans to see it during its first week in theaters. I've been (kind of) accidentally keeping tabs on the press the two stars have done for this, and it's safe to say if Justin Timberlake or Jesse Eisenberg weren't both in this movie, I may not have as much interest. They say it makes Zuckerberg look awful, but I tend to like awful people from time to time. Will this make me finally buckle down and begin my own Facebook page? Absolutely not. But will it teach me something about the origin of where the phenomenon came from? It seems that way, and that's why I'm as drawn to it as I am. Well, that and Rashida Jones, the prettiest girl Jim Halpert ever dated, also plays a role somewhere within the walls of this movie. This may be the most surprisingly good movie of the year. And now that I'm finally willing to go into it with an open mind, the sky's the limit, friends. Now go update your status to "excited."

Speed Dating

We could have went with that horror flick that Renee Zellweger is starring in, but I don't have any idea what it's about. So I thought to myself: If I'm going to really have to write about a movie I have no interest in (or no knowledge about), I might as well make it about a movie absolutely nobody has heard of. So alas, we land on "Speed Dating," a pseudo romantic comedy (yay!) starring a slew of African-American actors I've never seen before. There are familiar faces here (and even a Tom Green sighting!), though I will force you actually play the trailer below to find out who they are. Is this going to open anywhere near you? Of course not. Will it be on DVD by next Thursday? Sure looks like it. But this is a hell of a lot better than another "Well, it's almost Halloween, so we must put out a scary movie with a pretty face in it" film that will be polluting theaters for the next four weeks. Yes, this is cheesy, but at least no one dies (or at least, we think no one dies).

...For The Ride Home: Anderson Cooper has himself a new show, what the 'like' button really means and rest in peace Greg Giraldo

2010-09-30T16:05:00.003-04:00

Why Phil Collins today, you ask? Well, after writing that Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame post yesterday, the lovely people at the Hall decided to follow us on Twitter (something you fantastic friends should do as well!). This, in turn - and because we are nice people - led us to start following them. The result? Well, today those fine people tweeted that on this day in rock history, Mr. Collins joined Genesis! That's right. Little did the world know that 40 years ago on this very day, the history of music would forever be rewritten as one (if not THE) greatest band in the storied history of the musical universe would undergo a lineup change. It's such a landmark day, you know. It's also a rainy day (at least at The Unusual Suspects world headquarters). And I like that. No. Wait. I love that. Rainy days are my favorite, and if I could only come across one during which I didn't actually have to work, my mind could be at ease. But alas, that's what we grown-up people do. Work hard for the money. Whether or not it is raining wherever you are, we suggest taking a few minutes to click on a link or two, check out our take on the latest and greatest NFL prank and cuddle up with a nice, loving lover. Because nice, loving lovers are the best. They really are.

Anybody out there see yesterday’s comments from Bubba Watson about this year’s Ryder Cup? Check this out and I dare you to tell us you aren’t rooting for the United States now. (ESPN)

Oh, wow. Don’t know if this is the right move. The Boston Globe will begin to offer two Web sites – one you have to pay for, the other will remain free. (Boston Globe)

Anderson Cooper is going to have a daytime talk show. And I’ll bet it’s good. (New York Times)

Recession-proof style. What more could you want? (GQ)

I admittedly know absolutely nothing about this kind of stuff. So this, to me, at least, is interesting: What the “like” button means in regards to Web traffic. (CNN)

So, someone from The XX is already putting out a solo album? Damn. Who do these dudes think they are? (Pitchfork)

Greg Giraldo died yesterday. That’s sad. (People)

Spencer and Heidi: Love perseveres. (TMZ)

NFL rookie hazing prank damages players’ reputation, my ego

2010-09-30T12:41:00.002-04:00

Football season = fun season in The Unusual Suspects camp (seasonal depression notwith-standing). And with the huge, HUGE Steelers v. Ravens game set to start around 72 hours from now, it’s safe to say I’m in the zone. Is there a bigger rivalry in the sport today? Methinksnot. I would be happy to debate that point with whomever, just keep it clean.

Anyways, as much as I love professional football, there’s occasionally a story that makes my skin crawl – see Roethlisberger’s hijinks, Ray Lewis walking after committing murder and the rampant citations for domestic abuse. Add to that list the story of Dez Bryant, rookie wideout for the Dallas Cowgirls. Boom.

As the story goes, Bryant refused to carry shoulder pads for the team’s veterans after practice earlier this year, which is apparently something all first year Cowboys are supposed to do; a hazing of sorts. The act of rebellion caused a slight stir in the media after those veteran players spoke out against the pompous rookie.

So to get back at Bryant, his teammates did what any reasonable fraternity of overgrown men would do: they stuck him with a team dinner bill of nearly $55,000!! According to Tweets from the players and staff, everything on the menu was ordered (some items multiple times) and many bottles of wine were purchased to go. Obviously, this wasn’t the Olive Garden.

Now I know, who am I to judge how anyone, much less a multi-million-dollar-earning NFL player, spends their money? Typically, I could care less. But there are two things that grind my gears about this situation.

1. There’s a lot of talk about a potential NFL lockout next season if owners and the players union can’t agree on some new terms. One of those terms, obviously, is more money for the players… What kind of message does this prank send the owners? I realize this stuff is common in NFL locker rooms, but giving the owners public PR gaffes like this is just like giving them dozens of rounds of live ammunition at the negotiating table. I don’t want to see replacement players next year and I sure as heck don’t want a lockout.

2. Stories like this expose what a shallow, resentful, jealous person I can be, as I can’t help but gag at the thought of this kid, probably five years younger than myself, shelling out in one night more than I make in a year - as a part of a joke no less! I know these guys make huge bank, but millions of dollars doesn’t mean anything to me… that’s not even real. But to hear $55,000, a hopefully reachable figure at some point in life for the common Joe with a college degree, it’s so… deflating I guess is the best word.

So until next time, let’s keep these fun little stories under wraps, ay boys? My pride needs some time to recover.

See you at 4 p.m. for The Ride Home.

...For The Ride Home: 'Deadliest Catch' guys walk off show, soccer star gets caught in sex scandal and an interview with Ben Folds

2010-09-29T14:49:00.007-04:00

This was good. Really, though. It was. I know it opened to bad reviews, and anyone who had seen it before me advised I stay away from it. But I enjoyed it. Of course it's not a candidate for Movie Of The Year or any such nonsense. But it's really worth a watch if you dig 1960s rock & roll, Mr. Hoffman or any of the people you see in one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, "In The Loop." Honestly. Check it out. Welcome to Wednesday, or, well, hump day as many dirty minds may suggest. How are you doing? September is nearly gone and October looms its head right around the corner. While driving today, the forecast on the radio said that temperatures are set to peak in the 50s throughout the weekend, so for those of you who may still be clinging to the last scraps of summer, you may be hit with a firm dose of fall within the next week or so. Cold weather. Rain. Dark. Dreary. Not to sound too depressing, but... Yeah. You get it. In any case, maybe a few of the following links may help ease the pain colder weather can bring. If not, maybe a look at who will possibly be in 2011's class of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame could do the trick. Either way, here's hoping you and yours have a wonderful evening.

Am interview with Ben Folds. That should be enough to get you to click, right? (Popmatters)

Fulham defender meets transsexual. And, then, well… (Deadspin)

The Washington Post will no longer run ads for (possible) prostitution. I thought of a few different jokes, but none seemed fit to print. (Washington Post)

Still can’t understand this: The Academy Is… and a photo gallery of their tour with Kiss. (Alternative Press)

“Deadliest Catch” stars quit the show. Does this mean the dudes on “Ice Road Truckers” are going to call it a day, too? That’d be sad. (Yahoo)

The Rider Cup begins this week. This is interesting only because Tiger made some “we are a team” comments yesterday. Maybe this year will be worth watching. (Fox Sports)

“American Idol” judges come together for first try at being judges. Somewhere, Kara weeps. (USA Today)

The Grande Ole Opry is back. Having spent a few days in Nashville over the summer, I can confidently tell you I am happy about this. Good for them. (Pollstar)

Let's look at this year's possible Rock & Roll Fall Of Fame inductees.

2010-09-29T09:08:00.002-04:00

Every year, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame announces its final list of nominees before the list is dwindled down to a smaller number in December. And every year (for the past three years) I’ve been called upon to dissect the list for the various outlets I happen to write for. That said, it is with great pleasure that I note that this is the first year I will be able to do that while having a blog as well.

Because the only group I ever truly wanted to see get in got in last year (Genesis), my rails against Jann Wenner and the Hall Of Fame are going to be tamed now more than ever. Yes, there are still some injustices when it comes to this thing, but hey, as long as Phil Collins and Peter Grabriel can now call themselves members of this particular exclusive club, I feel as though most other atrocities can be justified.

But alas, here we are. Prepare yourselves for a long post with a few videos sprinkled in here and there for your viewing pleasure. What you get is a paragraph, a percentage of how much I think they will indeed get voted in when the final votes come in a couple months, and a percentage of how much I think they should get in when the final votes come in a couple months. Feel free to argue, agree, leave a comment or six, complain about how Rush or Kiss still aren’t in the Hall, or offer your own suggestions in the comments section. Why? Because we love you and we value your pretty opinions.

Now, without further delays…

Alice Cooper
This isn’t the first time the shock rocker has made it this far in the voting process, and because this year’s class is a bit weaker than in previous years, it’s hard to argue him getting in this time around. I mean, come on. This guy was at the forefront of a lot of musical theatrics we see today. Granted, I’m not the biggest hair metal fan, but if Cooper hadn’t done what he had done in the ‘70s, I’m not so sure the road for Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Motley Crue and all those boys would have been as easy. Plus, the dude always had a snake. That’s rough. Snakes are scary.
Percentage he gets in: 75 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 90 percent.

The Beastie Boys
If you are going to put in Grandmaster Flash (which the voters did) and Run DMC (which the voters did), you have to put in the Beasties. I’ve long rallied against hip-hop being in the “Rock And Roll” Fall Of Fame (even though I am a gigantic hip-hop fan. Hey, get your own Hall Of Fame, people), but if we are going to carve out a spot for this type of music, these guys have to get in. Huge pioneers of the music, the Beastie Boys can say they once wrote one of the classic hip-hop albums…ever: “Paul’s Boutique.” And not a lot of people can say that. Just ask Sisqo. Still not enough? Try getting this out of your head…

Percentage they get in: 78 percent.
Percentage they should get in: 90 percent.

Bon Jovi
Ugh. I knew this day would come. They’ve sold over 120 million albums and have had a tremendous second act as a group with “It’s My Life” and that silly song they re-released with the lady from Sugarland. Anybody who has ever tried to learn how to play guitar somehow tries to master “Wanted Dead Or Alive” before even learning how to tune the thing. I understand they’ve had an enormous impact on pop rock, and for that, they should be saluted. But man, I hate these guys. There’s just something so inherently cheesy about them, and this comes from a dude who likes his cheesy music. Those things said, I can’t deny their legacy within popular music over the last three decades. And, well, I like Jon’s hair. That counts for something, right?
Percentage they get in: 60 percent.
Percentage they should get in: 65 percent.

Chic
When are Nile Rodgers and his boys finally going to get in? Goodness, you have to feel for the man. They’ve made the cut so many times, but just can’t seem to get over the hump. How many times has “Good Times” been sampled? Somewhere between five and 10 billion. Chic should get in. Important. Funky. Influential. And they brought a bit of soul to disco music, thrusting the genre into a more credible sounding music. Come on, friends. Give the band a break and let them through.
Percentage they get in: 64 percent.
Percentage they should get in: 79 percent.

Neil Diamond
He’s got to go, right? Don’t believe me? This ring a bell…

Percentage he gets in: 80 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 89 percent.

Donovan
This is sort of tricky. It just kind of feels as though some of the other artists on this list should get in before him. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be in, all together. Goodness, legend has it, he taught John Lennon and Paul McCartney how to play guitar. He seems to be the definition of “love him or hate him” to a lot of people, and from what I understand the “hate him” faction is bigger than I would think. Sure, he’s folksy and maybe a bit too mellow for listeners at times, but he was a pretty big part of the meditation, “let’s all feel really good” movement that had a stranglehold on the late 1960s. I don’t think this is his year, but let’s hope he gets back to have another shot at it.
Percentage he gets in: 52 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 59 percent.

Dr. John
If there was a sentimental favorite of mine this year, it would have to be Dr. John. “Right Place Wrong Time” is one of my favorite songs ever written, and the influence I feel he’s had on southern soul/R&B music is immeasurable. And in addition to all of that, he bleeds New Orleans, a city that is in desperate need of a victory, even after the Saints won the Super Bowl. Oh, and his magnum opus of a record, “Gris-Gris,” needs to be in every rhythm & blues music fan’s orbit, or else he or she really isn’t a rhythm & blues music fan. I’m just glad this gives me the opportunity to show this…

Percentage he gets in: 42 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 79 percent.

LL Cool J
If we have to get a hip-hop artist in this year, we already established who that should be. Not that James wasn’t influential in his own right – he’s been behind some of the most classic hip-hop tracks music has ever seen. But that’s just the point: Classic tracks. Not classic records. And the Beasties were behind a rap masterpiece. This may not be your year, LL, but don’t fret. As long as you keep starring on that CBS show, you should sway voters your way in no time.
Percentage he gets in: 29 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 34 percent.

Darlene Love
I don’t know how many years I’m going to have to write about her before she gets in (Because I just know all those important rock and roll people hinge on my every word, you know. I kid. I kid). I don’t really know what more I could say that I haven’t already said. But if I’m not mistaken, Letterman still has her on each year to sing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on Christmas night, and if you haven’t seen it, it’s certainly something to check out. She’s been in this position so many times, and because of the others surrounding her, she hasn’t been able to seal the deal. Sadly, it seems this year will be no different.
Percentage she gets in: 54 percent.
Percentage she should get in: 81 percent.

Laura Nyro
Remember everything I just wrote about Darlene Love? Substitute the words “Darlene” and “Love” in with “Laura” and “Nyro,” and you’ll get my point. My goodness, she’s one of the most influential singer/songwriters…ever. She died young, she had more passion in her voice than five Lady Gagas and six Keshas combined, and everyone from Elvis Costello to Elton John has been stumping for her to get the recognition she deserves. But will it happen this year? Unfortunately, and unjustly, probably not.
Percentage she gets in: 49 percent.
Percentage she should get in: 89 percent.

Donna Summer
I thought she was getting in last year, so silly me, eh? She has all the numbers and she has all the record sales. She even has an iconic hit or two - “She Works Hard For The Money” is inescapable. Four No. 1 hits. Twenty Top 40 singles. It’s just hard to justify putting her in while ignoring the previous two women. She was a Disco Duck, and someone who was a product of how powerful the music industry can be. That’s not to say she isn’t talented. That’s just saying if you can’t put Ms. Nyro and Ms. Love in, you can’t feasibly argue for Ms. Summer to be amongst music’s best and most legendary artists.
Percentage she gets in: 39 percent.
Percentage she should get in: 46 percent.

Joe Tex
How's this: The pallbearers at his funeral included Wilson Pickett, Ben E. King and Percy Mayfield. This is a neat nomination, actually. While I must say that of the 15 finalists this year, this particular artist is the only one I didn’t previously know much about (though a quick Google search and a few YouTube visits later, I now know enough to at least form an opinion), I have to follow that up by mentioning how much I love whatever I hear. The giant Jerry Wexler was behind a lot of his career (or so the Inter Webs say) and that alone inclines me to think highly of him. Will he get in? Doubtful. But if he would have made his way to Stax Studios, rather than FAME studios, he may have a bigger part of my heart.
Percentage he gets in: 32 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 39 percent.

Tom Waits
All the indie darlings and hipsters will cringe at the thought of him not getting in. And the reality is that, well, he probably should be in. Will he make it this year? Well, if Bon Jovi happens to make it through while Mr. Waits is left on the outside looking in, let’s just say there will be riots by all the thick-framed glasses and ugly sweater-wearing misfits in the world (and that includes me). Just think of the dude’s voice. I mean, come on now. It’s just so darn recognizable, a voice fit for something like a Hall Of Fame. Still not sold? He wrote this…

And that was the theme song to the second best television show ever. EVER!
Percentage he gets in: 70 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 82 percent.

Chuck Willis
“Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes.” “What Am I Living For.” “It’s Too Late.” Classics. Nothing but hits. His songs were covered by everybody. Ray Charles. Jerry Lee Lewis. Buddy Holly. Otis Redding. He sang these songs before the legends did. He just died too young. Thirty years old is a tragedy, really. Imagine if he would have made it through the classic, timeless soul music of the 1960s. He could have been mentioned with all the others – Pickett, Redding, Sam, Dave, Charles, Gaye, Wonder, Robinson, Mayfield, Brown, Booker T. But alas, his was cut short and we are left to wonder what could have been. No doubt he should get in. Oh, wait. I forgot Bon Jovi was up this year! Goodness, these voters can be so stupid sometimes.
Percentage he gets in: 63 percent.
Percentage he should get in: 91 percent.

...For The Ride Home: Rita's new show debuts tonight, the top 10 love triangles and the Boston Celtics are funny

2010-09-28T15:52:00.004-04:00

Landed a phone interview with the particular gentleman you see to the left. For those of you who do not know, this is Brandon Flowers, the lead singer of a band called The Killers. He recently put out a solo record and because one of the 52 jobs I have allows me to speak with big stars on occasion, I will be dialing his number within the next few weeks (something you may not know: These things takes for-ev-er to finally come to fruition). I bring this up why, you ask? Well, I need questions. Because I am certain whatever interaction we have, I will probably write about on this here blog, I figured it would be nice to extend the invitation to see if anyone out there has ever wanted to ask Mr. Flowers a question. And please, friends: No Killers questions. He's promoting his solo album. The band will be back in 2011. He's not going to want to talk about it. You know where to leave them, and as always, any words are incredibly appreciated. Anyways, welcome to Tuesday. I can't stop sleeping. It's odd, actually. I'm certain it has to do with the season and the rain, but it's still unsettling. Back to the gym next month and then that shall change. This week? Well, this week means more sleep and bad food than one could ever dream of. Oh, well, sleep, bad food, and blogging, of course. Here's hoping you have a wonderful rest of the day as you check out a couple links below, and until tomorrow, do not forgot to keep your bathrooms clean. Because when they get messy, boy do they get messy.

The Boston Celtics are becoming lovable. They really are. (The Big Lead)

Phil Collins has another No. 1 record. And on the day when the exclusive club his band was let in a mere year ago announces finalists for its next class (more on that tomorrow). (BBC)

Congratulations are in order to CBS for winning seven news Emmys. (Broadcasting & Cable)

David Simon, who used to work at the Baltimore Sun and, more importantly, created “The Wire,” wins “Genius” award. Yay! (Baltimore Sun)

Finally got around to catching up on this season’s first episode of “30 Rock” last night. Brilliant. In related news, Jenna touches on the live “30 Rock” that’s set to take place in a couple weeks. Should be interesting. (Popeater)

The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams in baseball and nobody in Tampa cares. It’s sad. (ESPN)

The top 10 love triangles. When “Casablanca” is mentioned, I’m listening. (Time)

This show starts tonight. We root because Rita is in it. Can’t think it lasts more than four episodes. (New York Daily News)

Bringing back the block party

2010-09-28T10:45:00.002-04:00

There’s a conversation that’s surely been had millions of times between the youngins and the old timers in any given culture: Are things better now or back in the day? The answer to this question is simple… it depends on who you ask.

This past weekend the neighborhood I live in engaged in what I believe to be a decidedly old-school activity – a neighborhood block party. That’s right. 2010. Neighborhood block party.

Now depending on where you’re at in life, this may sound like either the biggest drag or a pretty good time. My wife and I, prior to the event, fell somewhere in the middle. We know our next door neighbors names, we have a general idea of how old their kids are, we think we know what they do for a living… beyond that, do we really care?

I mean let’s face it, most people don’t know or want to take the time to get to know the people they share a street name with. We have our group of friends, be they college pals, work associates, church groups or bar buds. We know if nothing else, we have THAT starting point to jump off of to enjoy one another’s company.

But neighbors? What common ground do we have to at least START a conversation? Property tax? Local road work? Whose yard looks like crap?

But the idea of a block party – this throwback to a simpler time – was way too intriguing to pass up, even with the possibility of awkward conversation looking us straight in the face. So we made our side dish (cheesy hashbrown casserole topped with French friend onions), loaded the cooler and made the trek one block up our street.

Man was I glad we did.

After the initial small talk, subsequent adult beverages and “entertainment” (a 12 year old pageant girl singing Taylor Swift, Amy Grant and “I’m proud to be an American” into a crappy karaoke machine – believe me, I could dedicate an entire post to how awkward yet hilarious this was), we had an awesome time.

It got me thinking, what happened to this age old American tradition? Why did the block party disappear? Have we all become so jaded that we can’t even see the usefulness of trusting the people you live around? I know I did, but my eyes are open. Viva la block party.

I seriously feel closer to my neighbors than ever before, but not in some annoying, clingy way… more like in an “I won’t be annoyed next time I feel obligated to ask how you’re doing when I walk my dog” kind of way.

Maybe the block party has become social networking. Maybe it’s just too personal, in a face to face way, for people to embrace. But I’m telling you, if you’re lucky enough to get the chance to attend one, go for it.

What’s the worst that could happen? You find out your neighbors are annoying, shallow or weird? You already knew that anyways.

Have fun guys and gals, hugs and kisses as always. See you back here at 4 p.m. for your essential daily links.

...For The Ride Home: Vincent Chase makes a movie about celebrities, Fox News controls the world and is 'Family Guy' in trouble?

2010-09-27T15:01:00.005-04:00

Who could have ever thunk this guy would ever be lauded as heroic for his actions? Not this particular blogger. Episode 10 brought it last night, and it was met with a gigantic "It's about time," from, well, me, and those who I speak with about such things. We finally saw the "Mad Men" crew pick up the action on last night's episode as Don lets yet another individual in on his deepest, darkest secret. Dude was shook. He clearly couldn't take the thought of losing everything, which must lead us to ask the following question: Exactly how confident and how sure is the real Don Draper (or, well, Dick Whitman)? He exudes such emotions on a consistent basis so much that it's simply weird to see him act the way he did last night (the acting, though, was utterly incredible. Who says Jon Hamm isn't one of the best in the game?). Betty, on the other hand, came across in the same light as Mr. Campbell - nice. They both went to bat for Don when both of them clearly had the chance to bring everything he's worked for down. Oddly enough (and because the "Mad Men" writers are smarter and better at what they do for a living than most of us), they were also the two people who could have benefited the most from Don going away for good. Or could they? Joanie and Roger's saga continues, and to be completely honest, I was hoping Joan would have kept it. Something within me still longs for those two to be together permanently. And Lane! Oh, Lane, you poor, poor thing. He just needs to catch a break. Any break. As always, comments, thoughts, arguments are encouraged in the section so designed to display such a thing, and as always, I'll be checking back throughout the day to partake in such an activity. For now, though, hello Week 27, and hello links.

A 25 year old and a 26 year old land jobs at The New Yorker. I will now proceed to drink until Thursday. (Splitsider)

Vinnie Chase made a movie! Vinnie Chase made a movie! (Popmatters)

This writer left The Huffington post because she wasn’t getting paid. That seems fair, right? (Mayhill Flower)

Fox News holds all the clout in political media. In related, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this is true” news, seasonal change can bring upon seasonal sicknesses such as colds, sore throats or ear infections. (Politico)

A little late on this, but it’s still sad: Max Weinberg will not be back with Conan when he starts his new show. (Rolling Stone)

Mindy Kaling: Still one of the funniest women on television (Twitter)

My God, Peyton Manning is good. (Yahoo)

Is this the beginning of the end for “Family Guy?” (Hollywood Reporter)

Your “Mad Men” recap, friends. (Entertainment Weekly)

Six months ago, we started this blog. It's time to celebrate!

2010-09-27T11:42:00.003-04:00

Six months ago today, this thing appeared out of nowhere. While it was our first official post, it must be noted that this wandered its way onto the Internet a few days before. Little did we know that when we said "End Date: Nowhere in sight," that we actually meant it because lo and behold, one half of one year later, we find ourselves continuing to offer various ramblings and rants about everything from Wii parties to an "Arrested Development" movie.

Even more so, who would have thunk that in these short six months, this blog would have been viewed more than 8,000 times? Certainly not the two of us. Especially when we (or should I say, I) once offered this clunky, awkward no-knowledge take on Cannes fashion. Goodness, what was I thinking?

Remember the first Ride? How about the first Blogspot Banter? How about the profession of love for Harry Potter? It seems like forever ago, doesn't it?

But alas, here we are, still churning out posts about movies we haven't seen, and making new friends each and every day. Neither of us thought in our wildest dreams that any more than three people would have ever stumbled across this thing, and even more so, would have left a comment or two while they were at it.

So from the bottom of our bottomest hearts, on a day when we celebrate exactly six months of existence, this post is dedicated to nothing but a big, emotional, wet, thank you virtual kiss from us to you, the fantastically beautiful reader. Here's to six more months and 8,000 more page views. And here's to celebrating by rocking this appropriate jam...

...For The Ride Home: A new kind of "Hard Knocks," "Goodfellas" turns 20 and everybody from ever major network is now looking for work

2010-09-24T15:16:00.005-04:00

We say goodbye to Week 26 with Drake, Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kanye West and "Forever," an old song that I inexplicably thought to offer up in the wake of October looming around the corner. Whew! It's warm out, right? Or, at least, warmer than it feels like it should be at this point in the year. I've played more tennis this September than any other September in my life. So how was your week? Was it good? That's good. It's always nice if you can manage to squeeze out a good week every now and then. Did you happen to check out today's Blogspot Banter? If you didn't, may I suggest you do so. Scott was super kind to carve out a bit of time to answers some questions we had for him, and for that we will forever be grateful. In fact, go follow him. Read his stuff. Forget about silly us. In any case, we celebrate six months next week, so be prepared for something incredibly incredible. Who would have thunk we would still be going strong after half a year? Goodness, gracious. Before we get there, though, we must deal with here. And what here provides us is a few links for your consideration, and a bunch of hopes that you and yours have a fabulous late September weekend. Until Monday, friends, as always, please don't forget as you may be out enjoying the beauty fall can sometimes bring, love you, miss you.

I haven’t purchased this yet, but it’s been one of my most anticipated records for the year. John Legend and The Roots perform in New York. Gabillions of people show up. (MTV)

HBO is going to do a version of “Hard Knocks” with the Pens/Caps Winter Classic. This should make a lot of people I know happy. (Post Gazette)

Pretty neat. How NBC’s morning news anchors wake up in the morning. Meredith Vieira wakes up at 2:30 a.m.! (CNN)

In today’s CNN is in major trouble news: President Jonathan Klein doesn’t have a job anymore. …(New York Magazine)

… And in related actions, NBC’s CEO says he’s saying goodbye as well. (New York Times)

Drake vs. Kanye West. (All Hip-Hop)

The 50 loudest college football stadiums. Room for debate? Of course. (Bleacher Report)

We’ll get to this more when it hits theaters, but for now, Jesse Eisenberg (who I looooovvvveee) doesn’t use Facebook. Irony? He’s the lead in the new Facebook movie. (Popeater)

It’s been 20 years since “Goodfellas.” GQ wrote about it. And you should read it (especially if you read this earlier in the week). (GQ)

Blogspot Banter: Scott's Tip Of The Day

2010-09-24T11:58:00.004-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen. Friends of all ages. This month's Blogspot Banter takes us to Scott Solomon, the man behind Scott's Tip Of The Day, a blog that was recently named (much like others we have profiled in the past) a Blog Of Note by Blogspot, the lovely people who provide us the tools to offer these wonderful corners of the Inter Webs. Though Solomon hasn't had his blog as long as some of the others we have spoken with, he has still carved out an incredible following in an awfully short amount of time.

The blog, which you can find if you click here, is exactly what it says it is: A site that offers tips (often humorously, if we may add) on everything a life can offer, from where the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chefs have gone (a question we have all pondered from time to time), to junk mail from credit card companies. It's all there, fully equipped with pictures, videos, and other various interesting and neat things a blog may offer.

His story is kind of neat, as you will see below. Considering the short amount of time he has been doing this (and, well, the fact that he admits to not knowing a thing about blogging before he got involved with his site), his achievements and amassed following have all grown to add up to be pretty darn impressive. Also below, you may find a few movie recommendations you'll enjoy (he is a film expert, and by expert we mean he probably knows way more about such things than us), the importance of adequate response, and, of course, how to juggle a successful blog while holding down a real honest-to-goodness day job (he's an attorney, for God's sake!).

But alas, enough from us. Please take some time to enjoy the following interview with Scott Solomon from Scott's Tip Of The Day.

Q: How long have you had the Scott's Tip Of The Day blog?

A: My first blog post was on August 28, 2008, so I have been blogging for a little over two years.

Q: Can you explain what the main focus of your blog is and what inspired you to begin this particular blog?

A: I have a pretty serious day job as an attorney, but I have always had a creative side to myself as well. Although I enjoy my job, it's not creative at all. I was looking for an outlet to express myself and I thought blogging would be a great way to share my unusual thoughts with the world. I also wanted to improve my creative writing skills. I found my writing style emulated whatever author I had read last. Some of these influences I found seeping through include Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Wolfe and Brett Easton Ellis. I was searching for my own voice. Getting into the habit of writing about random things, many of them topical, forced me to develop a unique voice of my own. My blog's main focus is sharing my thoughts with the world in a humorous way. I use it as an outlet to discuss whatever is on my mind. Sometimes it's something I read in the news, sometimes it's just a random thought. I try to keep it fun, I try to keep it entertaining and I try not to get too preachy.

Q: It seems to showcase things that interest you, and it seems to be mostly comedic, but is there a particular audience you are trying to reach with the topics you cover on your blog?

A: I don't target my material toward any specific audience. I may be more popular with certain demographics than others but I never really explored this in great depth. I use my blog as a way to express myself. It might resonate with certain types of people more than others but I think if you took a cross section of my followers you would find my audience is pretty diverse.

Q: Scott's Tip Of The Day was recently named a Blog of Note by Blogspot. How did it feel to be recognized like that? Did you ever know or think it was coming? What can you attribute to obtaining such status within the Blogspot world?

A: I had no idea it was coming. One day I noticed that people were leaving way more comments than usual on my blog. Some of these comments congratulated me on making the Blog of Note list. I checked out Blog of Note and when I saw what it was all about I was blown away. Chosen by Blogger? As the Blog of The Day? I was flattered. It felt great. There are so many blogs on the internet and so many talented writers. I was really honored to be the only Blog of Note for the day.

I attribute my success to a few things. First off, when I first started my blog, I contacted a lot of humor bloggers who I thought were funny. I knew nothing about blogging. I was looking for any advice I could get. I asked these bloggers for tips on building a base of readers. I also asked if they would be kind enough to exchange links and add me to their blogroll. This had mixed results, but some people really went out of their way to help me. Chris Illuminati was one of these people, (http://chrisilluminati.tumblr.com/), and I probably wouldn't have made it this far if people like Chris didn't patiently answer question after question of mine. Yeah. I had a lot of questions.

I also attribute my success to my unique perspective on life. A friend of mine once told me "Scott, I don't think you're wired like the rest of us." That very well might be true. The gears in my head are always turning. I'm extremely curious, I love to procrastinate and I absorb useless trivial knowledge like a sponge. I also love to talk a lot and have a problem interrupting people when crazy ideas occur to me. (Over the years this has frustrated almost all of my friends. Haha.) I'd also like to think I have a good sense of humor. I did win Best Sense of Humor Superlative in my High School Yearbook (Go class of 2000!) Combine all of these traits and you have someone who has a lot of amusing stuff to say about nothing in particular.

Q: Your blog has over 400 followers, and your profile says it has been viewed around 2,500 times. Those are pretty good numbers. What advice would you give to a blogger starting out in regards to how to gain readership? Were there any struggles you had to begin with, and how did you overcome them?

A: Like I said earlier, I would look for successful bloggers who write about things you're interested in. Contact them. Pick their brain. You may find some jerks, but you'll find a few who are willing to help. Since Scott's Tip Of The Day became a blog of note I've been getting a lot of emails asking for advice. I responded to EVERY SINGLE ONE. Some bloggers were nice enough to help me and I wouldn't be where I am without them. I am a strong believer in Ben Franklin's concept of paying it forward. I'm also a big believer in karma. I'll answer your questions, even if no one else will.

If you can find a way to get onto a popular blog's blogroll, that's not a bad way to start gaining viewers. It's slow going at first but if you update your blog regularly and reach out to a lot of people you will slowly build a following.

Sometimes the process gets frustrating. My blog definitely didn't blow up immediately. It took a lot of time and hard work. If you believe in what you're doing and you pour your heart into it, good things will come. The internet is a big place. You will find people on your wavelength who are interested in what you have to say. It takes a lot of time and effort though.

Q: It also states in your profile that you are an attorney. How do you find time to blog around your professional career? Would you like to make a career around your blog and/or blogging if you haven’t already, or is Scott's Tip Of The Day something you might like to make a career out of someday?

A: Being an attorney is pretty time consuming. Sometimes I have more time to blog than others. Sometimes I am feeling very creative and other times I have writer's block. These variables definitely shape how often I write and how much I write in each entry. If you love something, you will find time to do it. I have friends who work during the day, go to school for their M.B.A. at night and still find time to go out for dinner and drinks with me in-between. If they can do that, I can post a blog entry every now and then.

If I could build a career around my blog, I would. I don't know how realistic that is. Advertisers definitely aren't spending as much money selling ads as they were before the economy tanked. I would have a long way to go before I got to that point. I have a great deal of respect for Shit My Dad Says. He turned his tweets into a book. Now there is a show based on his website starring William Shatner! Crazy! If I ever had the opportunity to do something like that I would. I have been toying with the idea of writing fiction and/or a screenplay or two. Not really blog-related, but I can't imagine having more fun than writing for a living.

Q: How important is the comments section/readership numbers to you? Is this blog up and running for fun, and your own personal enjoyment, or is this something that you only find gratification in when you know other people are reading? That said, have you become discouraged and have you ever considered giving up your blog because you thought no one cared/read? If so, how did you overcome those feelings?

A: I think all creative people want to be recognized for their work. I think most performers, writers, entertainers do what they do because something inside them compels them. I think it's something they feel they have to do. But I also think there's a part of these people that seeks third party approval. I would be lying if I said my readership/comments numbers weren't important to me. I put effort into the blog and it's definitely gratifying when I receive a positive feedback.

There have been times when I thought my blog peaked. Before I was selected as a Blog of Note my readership had kind of plateaued. Even so, I still had people reading my blog regularly and they enjoyed it... and I enjoyed writing it. So I wasn't that discouraged, but I had accepted the fact it was probably never going to be huge. It felt really great to be chosen as a Blog of Note and now I am inspired to up my game. I can be better. My blog can be better. I'm going to use this as motivation to take my blog up a level.

Q: How important do you think a name can be when beginning one’s own blog? Did you have designed-minded ideas when you came up with the name of your blog or was it something that all fell together in place? That said, how important do you think a blog’s design is? Is the use of things such as videos and photos essentials to the success of a blog, or do you believe good writing is the key?

A: Name/Format is very important. I wanted to come up with something unique. I asked myself what I thought I could put together that was appealing to the reader but not on a scale so large that I realistically couldn't tackle updating it regularly. I figured OK, I use at least one picture for every post and I make it a tip of the day. I keep the format simple and consistent so people can read it easily and relate to it. K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Stupid. That's the best advice I can give. Being witty and clever never hurt either.I think using pictures or video is important but don't have to use it to excess. It's quality not quantity. I want to grab the reader's attention but I don't want to distract him from the focus of my blog entry. It's a balancing act. I write a humor blog, though. If I was a painter and I had a blog on painting, I might be giving different advice.

Quick 5:
Q: What’s your favorite movie?
A: One favorite movie? I'm a film buff. I have way too many. Here are a few obscure ones I would recommend checking out, though:
- "The Lives Of Others"
- "City of God"
- "Le Professionnel"
- "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
Q: Favorite food?
A: Scallops
Q: Favorite television show?
A: A few: "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Eastbound and Down," "Life and Times of Tim," "Family Guy," "Peep Show" and "Louie."
Q: When you are not working or blogging, what do you enjoy doing the most?
A: I DJ for fun. I spin house music. I also love going to New York Yankees Games, exploring New York City and good food & drink with good friends.
Q: What’s your favorite blog?
A: Engrish.com

Double Feature: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps & You Again

2010-09-24T07:52:00.002-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Around a week ago, I put the first installment of this movie in my Netflix que, and since then I have received "When In Rome" and "Youth In Revolt." Sure, I know it says "very long wait," but how long exactly is that wait, damnit? Anyways, I, much like anyone else who has gone to a theater in the last six months, began seeing trailers for this so, so long ago. Initially, I had no interest. But as the commercials kept playing, and as the grumblings regarding how great the first one was became louder, I became sold on wanting to see this. The problem, though, is that I feel it's essential to see the first one before I move forward with this. It's worth it, right? All of that stuff aside, the definition of a perfect woman (according to, well, me), Carey Mulligan is featured here, and the more I become infatuated with her, and the more copies of Vogue I buy simply because she graces the cover, the more it makes me want to catch this in the theaters. Unfortunately, I have a long way to go until I get there, though. Quick question (and most importantly): Is seeing the first one essential to seeing this one? To those out there who are capable of answering such a thing, your comments are treasured.

You Again

I still don't entirely understand the premise of this movie. I've seen a zillion previews for it - both in a theater and in front of a television - and I can't quite understand what this movie's endgame is. I discovered Kristin Bell can't carry a movie on her own this past week when I took in "When In Rome," but nobody's asking her to here. Jamie Lee Curtis seems to be someone I should like, though I can't say I know too much about her. While seeing a commercial for this, a roommate of mine said, "you're going to see that someday," to which I replied, "I really don't think so." Why? I...don't know. I mean, don't get me wrong. I dig these kinds of cheese ball teenage girl angst flicks, but there is something about this that seems off-putting. That said, though, if any of you out there happen upon this movie over the weekend and enjoy it, I could be swayed (hint, hint). Regardless, Ms. Bell will never look better than she did in "Couples Retreat." Ever.

...For The Ride Home: Weezer announces tour dates, ESPN ombudsman reacts to things and how to talk like a vampire

2010-09-23T15:56:00.002-04:00

For as long as Michael Cera continues to make movies, I will continue to go out of my way to make sure I see them. It may have taken nine months to get to it, but alas, I finally was able to take in an evening with the accompanying flick last night. It was pretty Michael Cera-ish. Had no idea it had such an interesting cast, though, which was a pleasant surprise. If you don't like Michael Cera, don't see this movie. But if you like him, well, hey. Why not? Welcome to Thursday. We here at The Unusual Suspects sincerely hope you are having a wonderful day-before-the-final-day-of-the-work-week. This is your reminder that we will indeed offer our next installment of Blogspot Banter tomorrow, so be sure to check back for that (in addition to the always-wonderful post about movies we haven't seen yet, of course). "30 Rock" flies its way back onto your television sets this evening, so this is your friendly reminder that yes, it is the best show on television today, and yes, you ought to check it out at 8:30 (new time!). And finally, well, "Outsourced" looks awful. If you think it's mildly interesting, rent the movie and then shun the television show. OK. Now that we've done all that, we encourage you to click a few links and have a fabulous rest of your Thursday.

ESPN ombudsman finally speaks about all the madness that’s been happening. And it appears as though no one is happy about the things he said. (Deadspin)

If you pass along links, we will use them, friends. “…off in the open field, no bricks in sight, stands Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger with 37 million readers online wondering whether he could soon run the largest newspaper site in the world.” (Buzz Machine)

David Gregory speaks. News junkies listen. (Washington News Council)

Hey! Hey! Tomorrow is National Punctuation Day! (St. Petersburg Times)

Never, ever got into them. But I know there are gabillions of you who did. Weezer announce the first batch of dates for the tour in which they will play their albums from front to back. (Pitchfork)

How to talk like a vampire. That’s pretty much all you need to know. (CNN)

I was happy I got to see it last night as it happened. Letterman made it awkward, I thought, after harping on what he harped on for as long as he did. It was still worth seeing, though. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBA players want to know how much money commissioner David Stern is getting paid. So, this means we don’t already know? Hmmm. (TMZ)

Woody Paige. Suicide. And depression. Read this. (Denver Post)

Network TV be bringing the A-game this season

2010-09-23T11:15:00.000-04:00

You know it's funny, when I was a teenager, I thought network TV was awful. Back then, had you given me a choice on any given day, I would have taken MTV over ABC, CBS or NBC without hesitation (Fox was still a fringe channel at the time). Come to think of it, I don't remember a single piece of television during my formative teenage years that didn't involve the words Real, World, Road or Rules.

How did I turn out even moderately well adjusted?

Anyways, so here we are, midway through week one of the new network television season, and I have to say - so far so good. Here are a few of the high points from what I was able to catch:

"The Event"
Anytime a show has this much hype, it's gotta be bad, right? I mean, those teasers bordered on laughable at times with the whole "this show is so mysterious thing." I have to say though, I liked episode one. The show jumps around a lot and has a "Lost" meets "24" vibe. Jason Ritter is really good (although he looks a little creepy to me), the rest of the cast is good (but someone please tell Ritter's girlfriend to eat something) and the cliffhanging storyline really has me looking forward to next week. Just make sure you're situated when you sit down to watch it - if you miss even a minute you might be left behind.

"Modern Family"
The season premier was just like every other episode - hilarious, heartwarming and over too soon. Phil and Claire's crew prepare for the sale of the old family station wagon, Cam, Mitchell and Jay build a castle and Gloria competes with Manny's latest love interest - need I say more? With characters like these the jokes write themselves. This is the one show on television that makes me laugh out loud multiple times.

"House"
Ok, I think everyone has mixed reviews of this one. The episode took place immediately after House and Cuddy return to his place after they lose the patient in last season's finale, and as expected, they get together... and keep "getting together" throughout the entire episode. At one point, I swear the director was telling the camera guys, "All right, $50 for whoever can come the closest to showing Cuddy's lady parts on natioanl television." I root for House and Cuddy, the couple - I have no clue how it would ever work though. Damn you for being right again House... Also, the 13 story intrigues me, despite the fact that she wouldn't do you know what with you know who. Come on! They would make some beautiful babies with AWESOME accents, am I right?

Other random comments:
1. "Law & Order SVU" needs to stop. 2. Did anyone watch "Mike and Molly" by chance? The lead character (Billy Gardell) is really funny but I didn't catch the show. 3. "Mike and Molly" notwithstanding, CBS could stop being a network and I would not even blink. I just can't get into anything on that channel. Sorry "Big Bang Theory" fans. 4. Can't wait for "30 Rock," hope you're with me. 5. The Hoff is off... of "Dancing With The Stars" that is. America and I collectively rejoice. 6. Was it just me, or did "Biggest Loser" seem extra cruel this week? I haven't been that uncomfortable since... (insert "Family Guy" flashback scene here). 7. Jimmy Smits: what are you thinking with this new show "Outlaw?" You're ruining whatever cred you earned after Dexter.

I watch too much TV.

See you at 4 p.m. for you Ride Home links. xoxoxo

...For The Ride Home: Klinsmann speaks, the lead singer from Staind has carved out a nice little life and Jen & John back together?

2010-09-22T14:24:00.005-04:00

Saw this last night. It was...good. Fine. Sure. Adequate. A nice night at the movies. For those who want to begin Oscar chatter, though, please keep it to yourself. No way this thing should be up for anything (and the same goes for "Inception," crazy people). Two highlights: One, seeing Vicky from "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona" do a wonderful job with the female lead. Hopefully, Rebeca Hall can become a huge star as a result of this particular flick. Two, though it took around 45 minutes, once I was able to look at Jon Hamm without thinking of the words "Don" and "Draper," I was completely sold on him as a good actor. I was a bit worried he wouldn't translate well onto the movie screen, but he held his own. It's all right. And that's all. Hello, Wednesday, and hello to you. Did you check out our goodbye to the summer? There has admittedly been some dispute over which day is indeed the first day of fall (today or tomorrow), but I keep hearing/reading conflicting reports, so we must go with what we first discovered. Besides, regardless of if the official first today is today or tomorrow, we can all agree that it's here, and that's all that really matters. Sad, sad times. In any case, before you move on with your final day of summer or first day of autumn, we invite you to click on a few links below and have a wonderful Wednesday evening. Be good, friends.

Juergen Klinsmann speaks about why he wasn’t hired as the U.S.’s manager moving forward after this year’s World Cup. Ut. Oh. (Fox Sports)

Wow. How many times does Scott Weiland have to pull stunts like this before people stop going to Stone Temple Pilots shows? I mean, my God. He’s ruined so many things and people still flock to him for some reason. (Rolling Stone)

Words of advice, writers: Go to grad school. (The New Yorker)

Have you ever wondered about all those anonymous sources celebrity magazines cite? Read this. (Los Angeles Times)

Jen Aniston and John Mayer back together? (Showbiz Spy)

If you would have told me the lead singer from Staind was going to begin charity work and eventually establish himself as a prominent acoustic act that can tour at will 10 years ago, I would have blasted “Mudshovel” at 11 and turned the other way. Good for him. (Pollstar)

What is going on with Ashton and Demi, anyways? (USA Today)

Casey Affleck talks to Jay Leno about the Joaquin Phoenix mess. Remember: The dude is back on Letterman’s show tonight. (Entertainment Weekly)

Goodbye summer. Hello fall.

2010-09-22T12:11:00.002-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen. Children of all ages. Brothers and sisters. Friends and enemies. Haves and Have-nots. Stupid people and smart people. The old. The young. The fat. The skinny. The somebodys. The nobodys. The six people who read this blog on a consistent basis.

Yesterday was the final day of the summer. No. Really. It was. Yes, I know you thought that particular day was a few weeks ago, the morning you realized that the previous day was the last Monday you were going to have off until Memorial Day. But alas, that’s not true. The first day of autumn began at 12:01 this morning. And it was from that point on, we can now shy away from all social interactions, plans on improving our lives and, most importantly, happiness.

I have a tough time with the fall. But you know that already. It’s just not something I look forward to. I understand an individual’s position when he or she proclaims September through December as “beautiful” or “romantic.” But I just can’t ever bring myself to buy into such a notion.

Think about it: The fall is filled with awfulness. Daylight becomes shorter (so much so, they delete an hour’s worth within the next few weeks!). The weather becomes decidedly colder, no matter where you are. Once beautiful trees or other assorted foliage are reduced to nothingness, left as bare as your soul feels. You feel your pocketbook become lighter as the money for your heating/gas bill has overtaken all “fun” spending. And, most importantly of all, it sets up holidays that always, always, always bring upon loneliness (especially if you happen to work in the media field).

Me? Well, ironically enough, I find myself in a place that I’ve never been while going into autumn. For some reason, I’ve been so determined to work on myself over the course of the last eight or nine months, that I’ve been awaiting this day to promptly hit the ground running. I have high hopes that this could be the first fall I don’t quite literally psychologically stumble myself. This type of seasonal depression has been something I’ve only recently admitted to myself, so maybe now I can battle it with a little more authority than before. Right? Wait. Right?

In any case, as long as this blog continues to exist, and as long as I know there are at least three people reading this each day, then I suppose I can use y’all as a crutch to help carry me through the upcoming months. You don’t mind too much, do you? Good. All comments (even mean comments, mind you) are welcome. Anything to get me through the impending doom fall has always brought me. But this year’s going to be different. Right? Wait, again. Right?!

Step one? Be sure to put this song far, far away so I can’t torture myself by listening periodically while wallowing in self-pity…

Goodness, Train can be so sad when they want to be. And yes, I am fully aware that the credibility meter just took a huge hit.

...For The Ride Home: Reggie Bush is out for six weeks, Kanye is going to be on SNL and Wyclef says goodbye to presidential hopes

2010-09-21T14:57:00.005-04:00

I love me some romantic comedies. And per recommendation from the people who read this particular blog, I threw this in my Netflix que, and had the opportunity to cuddle up with it Sunday evening. It was...just OK. Not great by any means, and may have wandered into "good" territory from time to time. The way things came to ahead near the end (when she has the four dudes in front of her) was touching, I suppose. It's all about love, you know. Next up? I'm not quite sure, actually. I've had the first "Wall Street" in the position, but nobody wants to send it to me yet. So we shall see. Hello, friends. Welcome to Tuesday, and welcome to an abnormally warm day for late September. That's a good thing, though. Right? I stumbled upon La La's new show in VH1 last night and yes, I am officially hooked. I'm fairly certain I was a middle-aged house wife in all my other lives. What I'm doing in a morose mid-20s dude-body kind of baffles me. Hope to see "The Town" tonight, though that, as always, is up in the air. But people say it's good. People say it's super good, actually. Can't wait for DVD on that one. In the meantime and in-between-time, follow a few links, enjoy a nice glass of Kool Aid, and try to think positive. Because positive things happen to positive people, right?

Wow. Beginning to wonder about Reggie Bush. He’s got a ring. But he isn’t nearly as good as everyone planned. And now he’s out for six weeks with a broken leg. (Fox Sports)

Elisabeth Moss officially files for divorce from Fred Armisen. Damn. I was so rooting for them. (People)

People spend more than half their day consuming media. My, how times have changed. (The Wrap)

Muck Rack Daily: Your source for all journalist tweets. (Media Memo)

Kanye West will be on SNL in a few weeks. So, here is what we have so far: This Saturday, Amy Poehler and Katy Perry. The following week, Kanye West and Bryan Cranston. After that, we see Jane Lynch and Bruno Mars. And then following all of that is Jon Hamm. What ever happened to being excited to find out who is going to be on “Saturday Night Live?” (MTV)

13 bands who became legends in four years or less. (Alternative Press)

I told you The Presidents of the United States of America have the best attitude ever. (Twitter)

Wyclef Jean officially ends his bid to become president of Haiti. Does this mean a new Fugees album is near? (New York Daily News)

Top 5 Mob Movies… and none involve Christian Slater

2010-09-21T12:32:00.001-04:00

There's something so intriguing, so mysterious, so downright sexy about the idea of "the mob" (as I alluded to last week) I can get lost for hours watching even the most mediocre tale of racketeering. And by mediocre I of course mean "Mobsters," starring Christian Slater.

And dammit, I root for Christian Slater. Loved him in the Kevin Costner version of "Robin Hood."

Anyways, we're not here today to talk about the most mediocre gangster movies; what kind of post would that be? No no friends, let's talk about the best... or at least my favorite productions to cover the world or organized crime.

The Godfather
I have to start with "The Godfather" because... well that's where you have to start with mob movies, right? Brando, Pacino, Caan, Duvall - all at their finest. This movie set the framework for the dozens of pretenders that would follow. There was a sense of urgency in this movie that I don’t think has ever been replicated. What role will Michael play in the family business? How and when will Don Corleone meet his demise? Who or what will be the circumstance of Sonny’s temper? I could keep going, but I think you get the point.

Goodfellas
I saw this before "The Godfather" and thought it was the end all, be all... all right maybe I jumped the gun, but it still is a pretty awesome movie. Ray Liotta plays the outside man, turned almost inside man to a T, and Pesci's famous "how am I funny" scene is still one of my favorite cinematic moments of all time. This movie also really highlighted the notion that to become a made guy, you need to have Sicilian roots, which is cool to me.

Scarface
This Brian de Palma classic strikes a different chord every time I see it; most recently, the movie reminded me why to this day I don't like Michelle Pfeiffer: because she played that unlikable, junky b-word so perfectly. And odds are you're lying if you claim to have never quoted "Say hello to my little friend." Most underrated scene in mob movie history: the scene where Tony Montana is being kicked out of the club, yelling at the other diners about how they need bad guys like him to feel better about themselves. Classic.

Reservoir Dogs
While it’s not your run of the mill mob movie, this was nothing if not organized crime at its finest. To this day I throw up in my mouth a little every time the cop gets his ear cut off. Just brilliant. The dialogue is just so killer in this movie, as is to be expected from Tarantino, and the plot is twisty and turny. PS - Steve Buschemi rocks in this one, as usual. PPS - The tipping scene below is priceless.

The Sopranos
Not a movie you say? Well who asked you? I kid I kid, but seriously, "The Sopranos" is without question my favorite mob production of all time. Between the writing, the characters, the plot, the scenery, the music, the sub plots... it is as close to perfection as a show will ever get in my book for my tastes. Does this sound cliche? Possibly. But I really believe if and when the full length feature is made, it just might shake the top of this current list up a bit.

Comments would be lovely. Where did I miss the mark? What did I leave out? Top 5 is NOT easy in this category… let’s talk.

Until later, friends, I bid you adieu. xoxoxo

...For The Ride Home: Why the Celtics signed Shaq, Letterman talks Twitter and you should pay more attention to Bill Withers

2010-09-20T14:21:00.005-04:00

So, I thought episode eight was great. In fact, both seven and eight are easily my two favorite episodes of "Man Men" thus far this season. But the more people I talk to about it (and people, who, I may add, have opinions I fully respect and seek), the more I find that episode eight wasn't an episode that people entirely loved. I find myself disagreeing more and more with the "smart" "Mad Men" fans - the ones who claim to love the show for all the "hip" reasons (if that makes any sense). And that bothers me. Makes me feel like a "stupid" "Mad Men" fan. Now, with all of that said, I didn't much care for episode nine. Naturally, this leads me to believe most of the fans of the show will think it was brilliant, or it was one of their favorite episodes. It's like I'm on the outside looking in to the inside in which I already reside. Sally Draper. Sally Draper. Sally Draper. We love you, sweetheart, but enough it enough. By the end of the hour, I was begging for the show to end simply because I couldn't stand her brat-like demeanor. She's got to go live with Don eventually, right? I mean, come on now. That writing is on the wall. Even the doc was annoying, complaining about children and "failing tests." Goodness, people. How much whining can one "Mad Men" episode hold? The most redeeming factor? Roger Sterling was a big part of this go-around. And if you noticed, he didn't make any appearance last week. Also, I sort of root for him and Joan to work things out (which is why you see the above picture). Side: How many of you also thought he would take that gun from the hooligan and fight for his and Joan's stuff? I was on the edge of my seat. No way that dude got away, I thought. And just when I was beginning to warm up to Miss Blankenship...Boom. The final 20 seconds were fabulous as you saw Peggy get into the elevator with Joanie and the doc and you just have to smile at all the metaphors being thrown into your eyes. Goodness, I babble, don't I? In any case, welcome to Week 26, all your comments regarding "Mad Men" are welcome and encouraged (I'll be checking!), and we hope you have a fantastic rest of the day.

Half of this blog is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. And this play was pretty neat. (The Big Lead)

A writer talks with the directors of “Still Bill,” a movie catching up with the man who wrote the greatest song ever written, Bill Withers. Months ago, I had the idea for this exact story, pitched it to a friend, who responded with a “well, I don’t really think you’ll be able to pull that off” kind of statement. Three months later, not only has someone else thought of it, but it’s someone who writes for the same Web site that I do! This is equal parts saddening, infuriating, disappointing and heart-breaking. (Popmatters)

The New York Times profiles Jason Whitlock. I can’t understand why Le Batard’s quote is getting so much traction. The same thing was said about Keith Olbermann nearly a decade ago. (The New York Times)

David Letterman talks about Twitter. We know he’s not perfect, but you have to love Letterman. You just have to. (The Star Press)

English is dead. Read this. Now. (Washington Post)

Eddie Vedder got married Saturday. Though I can admit I’m not the biggest Pearl Jam fan you could find, he looks happy here, and I’m happy for him. Tim Robbins was the best man. (Rolling Stone)

This may be a post someday: I kind of find myself rooting for Michael Vick to do well. Come on, now. We all love a redemption story. And as long as he keeps saying he knows he’s the back-up (which he admittedly didn’t always say), you ought to root for him. (ESPN)

Kobe said he had one more ring than Shaq. And that’s why the Boston Celtics signed him. (Yahoo)

Your weekly “Mad Men” recap. RIP Ms. Blankenship. (Entertainment Weekly)

A recap of the 2010 WHFS awesomer than awesome festival

2010-09-20T10:28:00.003-04:00

Remember radio festivals? Way back in the deep, dark and distant late-1990s or early-2000s, the concerts - mostly spearheaded by alternative rock radio stations - were all the rage. They featured all the bands you loved, most of the bands you kind of liked and a few bands which offered a song or two you totally dug for somewhere around seven minutes. Going to these things gave everyone an opportunity to see bands they wouldn't normally seek out to watch perform. They were great.

So....where did they go? That's a good question. Alt rock stations began to die. Most of the bands that were festival regulars proved to be no more than a one or two-hit-wonder. Hard rock got replaced with emo or pop-punk. The music industry revolutionized the way it handles itself with things like iTunes and the death of the compact disc. And, well, everybody stopped attending these kinds of concerts.

But alas, this past weekend, the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area revived the radio festival - if only for a night - when the premier rock radio fest, WHFS' HFStival returned with a dream line-up for anybody still living in 1999. Third Eye Blind. Everclear. Billy Idol. The Presidents Of The United States Of America. Lit. The lead singer from Live. Fuel. Naughty By Nature. Marcy's Playgounrd. And, of course, Jimmie's Chicken Shack.

I was fortunate enough to be on hand for such an event, and because I love you more than words can say, I will now take this opportunity to offer a few short musings. I would try and write an all-encompassing piece that begins and ends cleverly, but alas, this is a blog, damnit. You don't want writing. You want short, to-the-point rumblings. And that's what you shall receive...

- It was really good to see Lit again. They mentioned something about a new record they plan to release, and I honestly hope it brings them success. A.J. and Jeremy amazingly looked the same as they did nearly a decade ago. Oh, and I completely forgot they wrote this song...

- The dude from Live is insufferable. I hear he's not the most pleasant person, either.

- Fuel was probably the surprise of the day. Sure, Brett had a completely different band behind him, but they played something like four songs off Sunburn, easily the group's best (and first) album. Never thought I'd hear "Bittersweat" live again. And wow, people still like them. I was completely struck by the amount of people who gathered to see them. People still like Fuel. And that surprises me.

- The Presidents Of The United States Of America have the best attitude in the history of music. After setting up and sound-checking their gear, the lead singer offered the following: "OK. We are going to go do some coke now and come back to play for you." Funny.

- Art stopped his band's performance of "A.M. Radio" because he forgot the words. "It's pathetic when you can't remember the words to your own song," he said. "So we are going to play this instead," he added before launching into this...

- Third Eye Blind claims a new record will be out soon. Nobody believed that. But Mr. Jenkins grew his hair out. Yah! for long hair.

- Naughty By Nature was a pleasant surprise. Why? Because I'm down with OPP.

- And finally, while thousands were rocking to Billy Idol, me and 67 of my closest friends gathered around the local stage to watch Jimmie's Chicken Shack's headlining set. No way could I have asked for a better set selection. It was absolutely heart-breaking to see Jimi Haha barely able to walk because of his knees, though. I was completely unaware that they had a new record out (and by new, I mean from 2008), and the track they played from it was fabulous. The final song? What else could it possibly be...

...For The Ride Home: Chuck Norris finds himself on a hockey mask, Conan's old studio gets a makeover and 'I'm Still Here' is fake

2010-09-17T14:40:00.007-04:00

For those who wonder why we offer this video to end out Week 25, simply follow the final link below. Hello, Friday, and hello to you, the wonderfully loyal and attractive reader. How was your week? Typical September, it's-almost-fall kind of week? Well, those don't always have to be awful, you know. I mean, after all, it did feature a pretty neat recap of this year's VMAs. Oh. That still wasn't enough to bring your week around to goodness? How about knowing this Sunday will feature the premier of that new HBO show everybody wants to see? Ahh, that's right. I knew that would work. Side: Did anyone out there see last night's episode of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia?" I missed it, and I'm wondering if the gang got this season started off correctly. Those who may know are oh so welcome to leave an opinion or six in the comments section. Before you do that, though, we would like to offer the following links to send you into the weekend with. From the deepest of our most sincerest emotions, we hope you and yours have a lovely September weekend by doing whatever it is you do (and that may include seeing one of the hopefully-great movies). We hope to see you back here excited and rejuvenated Monday morning. Until then, though, and much like the previous 24 weeks, you must remember: Love you, miss you.

So, that Joaquin Phoenix movie? Yeah, it was staged. Now a Web site asks: Is he the new Andy Kaufman? (Popeater)

Penn State receives $88 million gift. Promptly begins hockey program. (ESPN)

Harry Shearer is mad at NPR. NPR sticks up for itself. All this really does is plant the seed back in my head that I need to watch “This Is Spinal Tap” again. (NPR)

The Daily Beast and Newsweek together? (New York Post)

Have you ever stopped to wonder what NBC is going to do with Conan’s old studio? Well, in case you have, they are going to…turn it into a newsroom. Sorry, Carson. I know you had your eyes set on that new “Last Call” set. (Los Angeles Times)

Dallas Stars goalie puts Chuck Norris on his mask. This is your opportunity to make one of those fabulous Chuck Norris jokes in the comments section. Related: I actually saw a few minutes of “Walker, Texas Ranger” this morning for the first time in my life. (Yahoo)

Sacha Baron Cohen is going to play Freddy Mercury in a biopic. What does Borat think of this? (Rolling Stone)

Watched this last night, so I must mention it today now that it has been parlayed into actual news. Jon Hamm is going to host Saturday Night Live again this year. (Entertainment Weekly)

Who else is going to party with me at this thing all weekend? (WHFS)

Double Feature: Jack Goes Boating & The Town

2010-09-17T09:50:00.001-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

Jack Goes Boating

A lot of movies out this week that I would normally use this space to talk about. But I've been following the evolution of this movie for over a year now, and though I realize it is only a limited release this week (it opens wide next week, though I am sure that will mean going from seven theaters to, oh, say, like 19), I feel as though it is my duty to tackle this one now, the day it finally comes out (even if it is to only a handful of places). As I said yesterday, Philip Seymour Hoffman has forever been, and will forever be, my favoritest actor ever. "The Office" has never been better than it was when Amy Ryan became Michael Scott's love interest for 58 seconds (oh, and she was also phenomenal in something called "Gone Baby Gone"). It has all the elements to be the best movie released this year, and it has all the potential to be one of my top whatever movies in the history of forever. It's love. It's loss. It looks like it has the tone of "Savages." It's sad. It's happy. It's slow. It looks to be every single thing I look for in a great movie. Here's hoping 1) it doesn't let me down and 2) it opens within 200 miles of where I live. Really don't want to have to wait for the DVD on this one. Really, really don't.

The Town

I've been seeing previews for this thing for months upon months upon months now. Jeremy Renner. Jon Hamm. And though I'm not as hot on Ben Affleck as others may be, I think I liked "Extract" a lot more than most, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that he was in it. The surprise? People are actually talking Oscar when it comes to this, a movie that appears to be nothing more than a simple smarty pants action flick. So this just has to be great, right? It has all the big names attached to it (the studio that brought you "The Departed" and, not to mention, some kind of tie into the aforementioned fabulous "Gone Baby Gone"), and we finally get to see the guy who starred in last year's Best Picture winner in another movie, something that felt like it should have happened months ago. But alas, I trust him. I trust Don Draper. And I trust the previews I've seen. This is a great weekend for movies. Don't waste it, friends.

...For The Ride Home: The final Jay-Z/Eminem concert link, Speidi is back on and what have you played the most on your music listening device?

2010-09-16T15:39:00.000-04:00

OK, so this is my favorite actor. It's always been this way. I have other crushes. Clooney. Ruffalo. Renner. Hamm. Just to name a few. But this guy has always been at the top of my list for as long as I've been watching movies (which, by the way, is really only five minutes). He happened to be on Craig Ferguson's talk show the other night promoting a movie he's in (a movie we will most certainly get to tomorrow), and he couldn't have come off looking any better than he did in that particular interview. In honor of that, I must offer this photo for your viewing pleasure. So, hello. How do you do? It's Thursday. I did, indeed, get a chance to watch "The Messenger" a couple nights ago, and it was...fan-tas-tic. Really, really one of the better movies of last year. I'm even willing to contend that it may be a better movie than "The Hurt Locker." You can't touch "Up In The Air" or "An Education." But "The Messenger" certainly falls in last year's top five, possibly top three. Woody's great, and the main character is wonderful, too. Don't know a thing about him, either. Hey, if it's raining wherever you are (much like it is where we are), you'd really be best served if you took this final Thursday before the regular television programming begins to sit down with this particular movie. You can thank me later if not now. Before you come to any conclusions on what may be happening this evening, though, may I suggest you have a click or two on a few links below. Hey - cold rainy days are the best days to sit with a couple nicely written pieces, don't you think? Of course! OK. Remember to be good and until Friday, be respectful to others if you want to receive respect yourself.

Jason Whitlock and the Ines Sainz situation. (Fox Sports)

OK. This will be the final Jay-Z/Eminem concert link. Had to get a wrap-up piece in there, though. (Rolling Stone)

No more Tweeting or blogging during Washington Redskins practice. Wow. First no signs and now this. It’s like a dictatorship. (TBD)

The Miami Herald cuts nearly 50 positions. I’m never going to find a job outside of this town, am I? (Miami Herald)

Yeah. So Heidi and Spencer never broke up. Surprise! (Showbiz Spy)

Blockbuster and going out of business. Damn you, Netflix. (Esquire)

Emma Stone suffered an asthma attack during sex scenes in that new movie of hers. I kind of like her. Come on, now. If you were in “Superbad,” you have to be cool, right? (OK!)

Looking at what tops your library when your library is sorted by play count. Kind of neat. (NPR)

Will "Boardwalk Empire" live up to my expectations? I believe so.

2010-09-16T11:00:00.001-04:00

Hello again friends… and by again, I mean hello for the first time this week. My deepest apologies for a non-post Tuesday – I’m feeling the grind at work and I unfairly took it out on you. You know, I’m sort of like that kind of cool, kind of annoying friend who won’t finalize plans until the last minute, so you’re not sure if said plans are actually going to happen.

I’m not a big fan of friends like that, so again, sorry about that.

Anyways, on to the subject at hand… and this is a big one for me. Sunday marks the debut of what I believe will be a big show for HBO and pop culture in general. The show was written by a Soprano, directed/produced by a legend, boasts a killer cast and is centered around quite possibly the coolest concept in American film history, the mob… this show was, simply put, created for me. I’m of course talking about “Boardwalk Empire” (if the headline of this post didn't clue you in already).

Gang/mob/mafia/organized crime stories fascinate me, plain and simple. It’s a rough, gritty world that I would never have the gall to participate in, but would love to have been a part of in another life… like if I was bigger and stronger and meaner and able to hit someone in the face without getting a weird, freaked out feeling beforehand.

I think what draws me to that world though isn’t the physicality of it – it’s the strategy, the emotion, the action. But it’s also the code of values, broken as they often are. Call me cliché, but I love my family and I love the concept of family in general, and I know that when everyone else in the world is gone, I can still believe in that.

I’m the guy who loved Tony Soprano because of his family-first mantra, even after he curb-stomped some poor schmuck who couldn’t pay up one week for “protection.” I’m the guy who shed a tear when I realized that Fredo Corleone was about to get whacked by his own brother (indirectly of course)... His. Own. Brother.

ANYWAYS, based in Atlantic City during the start of prohibition, "Boardwalk Empire" follows Nucky Thompson – one part politician, one part gangster, all parts awesome – played by Steve Buschemi, who did some of his best work on “The Sopranos” and “Reservoir Dogs.” The cast also includes a few faces I absolutely adore seeing on any screen, namely Michael Pitt, who I (and possibly only I) LOVED in “Funny Games.” Michael Kenneth Williams from “The Wire” is also on the show, which should make my blogging counterpart squeal with delight.

For more on “Boardwalk Empire,” here’s a link that can explain it better than I.

Now, in the interest of leaving you wanting more, I’m going to cut this rant off by letting you know what Tuesday’s noontime post will be: top gang/mob/mafia/organized crime productions according to me (I haven’t picked a number, hehe). And while I doubt “Boardwalk Empire” will make the list after one episode, stranger things have happened, right? I mean my partner in crime on this very blog actually thought Taylor Swift’s VMA performance was anything but mediocre.

Boom.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll leave some love for Steve Buschemi here in the comments section. I’ll be thinking about you, we’ll see you at 4 p.m. for The Ride. xoxoxo

...For The Ride Home: Bill Simmons is starting a blog, Carey Mulligan is still an absolute doll and is the end of mixtapes here?

2010-09-15T15:10:00.004-04:00

If you happen to wander over to a particular pop culture Web site (that may or may not rhyme with Schmop Smatters), you will find a review for this man's latest record, Foundling. That review may or may not have been written by myself recently. Because I couldn't find much from that particular album online, I offer to you, the fabulous reader, a video for the lead single from the man's album-before-the-most-recent, "Fugitive." Love how he shakes his head when he sings. Also love hearing from a publicist that the piece was "nicely written." Hate it when the review is played four reviews down, though. Makes me feel as though my work simply wasn't good enough. Frustrating day, this has been. I'll tell you what. In any case, welcome to Wednesday. It's the middle day of the week. Did you happen to check out our recap of this year's Video Music Awards? You ought to, you know. We've already started some great conversation, and I know you want to join in. Come on, now. You know you do. Before you add your two cents, we suggest clicking on a link or two below. Why? Because we would never steer you, the fantastically beautiful reader, wrong. Until tomorrow friends, be nice when other people aren't around. That's what honest nice people do. And we all want to be an honest nice person, right?

So…Bill Simmons is starting a blog? Under ESPN’s dime? (The Big Lead)

Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate will play the same show. My head is spinning just writing that. (Alternative Press)

A vote for “Nightline” to go back to the way it was. As opposed to where it is today. (Chicago Tribune)

Oh, wow. Apple wants to dabble into subscriptions for newspapers. And basically steal all the money made. (San Jose Mercury News)

Three of the Interweb’s most awkward phrases. (CNN)

Edwin Newman, newsman, dies. He was 91. (New York Times)

The end of the mixtape era. Very interesting. (All Hip-Hop)

When Carey Mulligan speaks, we must listen. Love, love the blonde hair. She’s a doll. Absolute doll. (Wall Street Journal)

Recapping the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards

2010-09-15T10:32:00.006-04:00

For those of you who may not know, for the last three years, I have been called upon to recap the MTV Video Music Awards for certain outlets. The rules are simple - I break the show into five parts and grade each based upon a curve I have set for the world of popular music. It's a very scientific curve, you know. No, actually, it's not.

Regardless, the following is my take on this year's VMAs, a ceremony that was indeed a little off its game this year (by VMA standards, of course). Enjoy, friends.

Performances: B-

Down from last year's A and the previous year's A-, this year's set of performers are actually lucky to end up with anything above a C. The West/Swift pout-off simply seemed icky. Yes. Icky. Not to dismiss the artists' songs — Swift's track was typical Taylor Swift-like awesomeness, and West was in the running for performance of the year until the second half of his set, when he turned the effects on and his words were completely drowned out. It also must be mentioned that I believe the way the two of them went about things was 100 percent perfect — playing the video before her song was exactly the right thing Swift needed to do, and West yelling from the top of the mountains that he is a laundry list of words I'm not allowed to reprint was, in my opinion, probably the correct way to go. But the whole thing felt a little too put on. We all knew she wanted to address it, but she didn't need to cite lines talking about how he's 32 and needs to grow up. We all knew he wanted to address it, but he didn't need to roll out the 808 to force everyone to watch how he presses buttons to make pretty sounds. Simply put, it could have been done better.

The rest of the night was...bad. Yes. Bad. Linkin Park completely alienated its fan-base with a song that just didn't fit. Robyn playing the show into a break was embarrassing. And what is Florence And The Machine again? Sure, Eminem was inspiring, and yes, Haley Williams makes it impossible to not love her and her band, but even Drake seemed off his game a little (by the way, whatever happened to him taking over the hip-hop world?). Oh, and while Justin Bieber's admittedly interesting arrangement of "Baby" was exciting enough, the dude dropped his drum stick when going for the big drum solo, ironically showcasing a microcosm for how the performance aspect of this year's awards ceremony can be viewed as: Disappointing.
• Best Moment: Eminem rocking "Not Afraid" and "Love The Way You Lie" with more passion than I've ever seen him offer. Ever. No. Like, EVER. Dude sold those songs, and when you add a real, live Rihanna to the mix, it can't get much more sincere when it comes to performing those songs. Everything from them seemed just a tad more honest than anything form anyone else.
• Worst Moment: Linkin Park trying desperately to gain credibility with this new look/sound/approach. Stop, fellas. People don't want you to yell and play fast. They want you to melodically hard rock their depression to the wayside with four-bar raps and industrialized pop. Silly, Linkin Park.

Host: D-
"This is actually making me look forward to Linkin Park," my roommate said no more than two minutes into Chelsea Handler's opening monologue. This should be an F. I just can't bring myself to fail someone so quickly when the individual has only had one shot at trying. I wrote this last year, and I'm going to say it again: The suits should have given Russell Brand a third shot. His effort last year was noticeably better the second time around, and if you would have put him out there for a third year, he had the potential to be memorable. This year? Well, though I can admit I'm not the world's biggest Chelsea Handler fan, I think it was pretty obvious how her night was going to go when we saw her awkwardly prance from one end of the stage to the other during her opening monologue. Yuck. There was nothing about her that seemed polarizing — nothing seemed interesting. Her jokes were either too obscene or too boring. She clearly didn't know how to work the crowd, and while it took me a few minutes to notice, I began obsessing and wondering why the cameras wouldn't pan away to whoever she was talking about whenever she was talking about them. Were the targets of her jokes not in attendance? Did the network not want you to see that no one in the crowd was laughing? Did she make people angry (and if she did, so what? That's the point of opening monologues, anyways) ? Bad idea, MTV. For not having a woman host this thing since 1994, you owe us a good female host next year, now.
• Best Moment: "Don't give it up for the cast of 'Jersey Shore,'" Handler told the crowd at one point. "They're the reason MTV doesn't play your videos."
• Worst Moment: That taped opening bit featuring everybody slapping Handler's butt. How can you incorporate Lindsey Lohan and not be funny at this point? She showed us how.

Stage: C-
The white was actually kind of neat, I thought. When the cameras panned to the first wide shot of the stage, I audibly make a noise for reasons I can't really explain. It simply just took me by surprise, I suppose. All of that said, it still fell so flat in certain areas. It was clear the money shot was the camera they had perched above the dot in the center of the circular stage, and the network went to that way too often. I mean, my goodness. It felt like nearly half of Kanye West's performance was shot form that angle. It was easy to understand what the production team was trying to go for — less is more, let's try and be as "arty" as possible — but some of this show's best performances historically came when the special effects were over the top (i.e. a few years ago in Los Angeles). This is the kind of show that celebrates pomp and circumstance. Why stop now?
• Best Moment: The beginning of Eminem's performance. Before walking onto the round set, they created the illusion of him being in a club. Yes, I know. Pretty uninteresting for a "Best Moment."
• Worst Moment: Usher. I hate to say that, actually. I full-heartedly believe there is something to be said about his longevity within the business (think about it: Who else from 1997's world of pop music is still around so prominently?), but this time around, something felt as though it was missing from his dance moves, song arrangements, lip synching, etc. He tried to use the circle to his advantage, but in the end, it just made me dizzy.

Presenters: B
Sans Kesha, this year's set of presenters was probably the best thing about the production. Jesse Eisenberg. "Modern Family's" Sofia Vergara. A "oh, where have you been?" Justin Timberlake. Emma Stone and her adorable lisp. And Ellen. Yes. Ellen. Coming out to present the Best Female Video seconds after Handler completely bombed, Ellen was the first individual I saw on the television that made me genuinely laugh. The only real problem this year? Having the headlining appearance come from...Cher. Honestly? Cher? You couldn't get anybody else to man that position? Like, anyone? You were in L.A. Why not grab a movie star? Hell, why not grab, oh, say, anyone other than Cher? I mean, my goodness. She must have talked for five minutes and I think I saw her lips move a grand total of four times. Spooky.
• Best Moment: It's a tie. 1) Seeing Jesse Eisenberg look utterly uncomfortable on stage. 2) Seeing Al Bundy's new TV wife glow with enthusiasm for no apparent reason.
• Worst Moment: Well. Cher.

Awards: F
And yes, I am justified in offering a failing grade in this position. Come on, MTV. You've had nearly 30 years to do this, and you still feel like 30 Seconds To Mars put out the best rock video of the last 12 months? What's your problem? I can ignore your disgusting love affair with Lady Gaga (who didn't see those awards coming?). But you nominate B.o.B. for 58 awards and you can't bring yourselves to give him something — anything — to go home with? Not that it hasn't already been hard enough to trust that the "M" in MTV stands for "Music," with its constant adolescent, dumb-minded programming, but using its marquee event as a platform to profess love for a second-rate Madonna is a cheap way to appease the masses that the network only makes stupider with every "Real World" marathon. Digressing from music as a whole can be understood when you are in business for as long as MTV has been. And offering gutless, shallow and gross television shows from time to time can even be forgiven when one considers how viewers must understand that this thing is a "business" over everything else. But why even hold such an awards ceremony when you aren't going to give the non-mainstream pop world a shot, MTV? Who cares if you put Broken Bells in the Best New Artist category? It's like giving a child a bottle to suck on when you know its only a quarter of the way full to begin with: The child's going to start crying again in five minutes, when it realizes the parent has no intention of fulfilling its suggested need.
• Best Moment: The two awards Eminem took home.
• Worst Moment: That meat-y Lady Gaga dress. Really? You had to do that while an 89-year-old Cher is standing a few feet away from you in the same outfit she mistakenly thought she looked good in 25 years ago?

Whew. That's a lot to digest, I know. Of the three years I've been recapping the show, this year's installment is easily MTV's worst. Does it get better next year? Well, MTV will need to find a new host, for starters. Moving back to New York may help, too. The network could maybe get a few more performers worthy of being showcased on the most influential music station's biggest night of the year. Oh, and maybe most importantly, Lady Gaga's next record will have to wait another year to come out. Onward and upward to February's Grammies. In the meantime, feel free to kill me in the comments section. All are always welcome.

...For The Ride Home: John Mayer quits Twitter, the New York Jets say goodbye to a Super Bowl run and Penelope Cruz is pregnant

2010-09-14T14:36:00.006-04:00

Hope to sit down with this tonight. Woody was up for an Academy Award last year for his performance, so it's got to be good, right? I hate having those "well, I kind of want to watch this only because I know I should watch this and there is a possibility I may really like it, but not love it" kind of movies come through Netflix. It seems I've come through a patch of those types, too. Hello, Tuesday. First and foremost, I must apologize on behalf of this blog's other brain. He seemingly fell out of touch with his schedule and was unable to offer anything to you lovely, pretty faces this morning. Send all of your hate mail to him. That said, though, I will more than make up for today's lack of a post tomorrow when I offer up the big, old comprehensive review of this year's Video Music Awards. And when I say it's going to be long, goodness, it's going to be long. Promise. Until we get to tomorrow, though, we must offer up these links for your reading pleasure, and relay our most sincere wishes that you and yours have a lovely middle-of-September evening. Enjoy it, friends. The warm days are slowly disappearing.

Oh, when it rains, it pours. Kris Jenkins is out for the rest of the season after last night’s loss to the Ravens. Now, there’s even talk of his career being in jeopardy. (ESPN)

Jay-Z and Eminem began their stint in New York last night. Who wants to make the trip for tonight’s finale with me? (MTV)

Interesting: Reporters and the notion of outing somebody who is gay. Not quite sure what to make of the dude from ESPN. (Bay Area Reporter)

Fox News executive winds up on airplane with three pretty big-name news anchors. Fox News executive complains. (New York Times)

Penelope Cruz is pregnant. Good for her. Watch “Vicky, Christina, Barcelona” tonight. Tonight. (People)

Mike Scioscia thinks the Major League Baseball season should be cut from 162 games to 158. How about, like, 94? (Bleacher Report)

John Mayer quits Twitter. Sad to see him go, actually. We linked a few Tweets from him, I believe. Dude can be funny when he doesn’t get in his own way. Yes, I know we just lost 50 cool points for admitting that. (New York Daily News)

Vince Vaughn and Kevin James are going to tour together. Hmm. (Pollstar)

...For The Ride Home: Sarah Palin needs to shut up, Joaquin Phoenix is going back to see Dave and goodness, 'Mad Men' is great

2010-09-13T14:57:00.005-04:00

"People tell you who they are, but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be." Had a "Mad Men" crunch over the last two hours. Why? Because I love you, silly. Caught up on the last two episodes (as you know, I missed last week, and last night was the VMAs. More on that later, though), and I know I end up saying these kinds of statements week after week, but the most recent two episodes may be some of the best the show has seen. The inner monologues with Don add an element of reflection and tone to the show that frankly somehow hasn't been there before. We saw last night that he wants to start living his life in a better manner, and while we all know one of the biggest attractions the show has is Don's struggle with alcoholism and, well, his life in general, there is something within me that actually wants to see him get better. You really have to wonder if people will turn against the show because of this (assuming this particular story line continues to progress, of course). Hell, even Betty earned a few points when she picked the baby up, gave it Don, and walked away (though, if I may interject for one moment, the look on her face as she saw how Don was with the kid reminded me - for whatever reason - of the end of "The Graduate." Was that regret on her face? Did she really mean it when she told Henry that "they have everything?"). The other fabulous quote from this episode? Again, a line coming from Don's disembodied voice: "We're flawed because we get those things and wish for what we had." This comes after he spends a couple minutes looking back upon what people want from their lives and how ungrateful we all can be once we get those things. And finally (from the episode before the most recent), the more Peggy and Don interact the way they did the night of her birthday, the more I will fall haplessly in love with the show even more. And then he grabs her hand! Yes, that exclamation point was used to show enthusiasm. Whew. This has been a lot. You know where to share the comments. All are welcome. Hello Week 25, and hello links.

Expect a full post (and it will be long) regarding the VMAs Wednesday. That is, if the better half of this operation isn’t planning on tackling it first tomorrow. In the meantime, here is all you need to know in 60 seconds. (MTV)

So, Deadspin hates Tony Dungy. That’s kind of mean. (Deadspin)

The New York Football Jets kick off their season this evening. One of the few nights I regret getting into newspapers in the first place. Oh, and just in case if you were wondering, they apologized to that female reporter. Silly Jets. (USA Today)

Advertising spending is up nearly six percent. If only those ads could be used on print media. Come on, now. Just some of them. (Market Watch)

Oh, Sarah Palin. Will you please just stop. (Missoula Editor)

Floyd Mayweather wants to kill an NBA player. Fifty bucks to anyone who could tell me what team he plays on without looking. (TMZ)

Joaquin Phoenix is going back on David Letterman. This should be interesting. (Popeater)

J-Lo is going to “American Idol.” And those crazy demands reported? These guys say they really weren’t all that crazy. (New York Magazine)

And of course. Your normal "Mad Men" recap. (Entertainment Weekly)

Sundays. Sad days.

2010-09-13T11:18:00.002-04:00

All right. So, I'm not the happiest person you'll ever meet. Those who know me the best know that. That said, though, those individuals also know I have the capabilities of being one of the nicest, smartest, caring-est and fun-est dudes they can come across, and that's why I'm lucky enough to have a larger-than-normal core group of really, really great friends. Sure, I may be a bit too sarcastic or cynical from time to time, but as those aforementioned people can attest to, once you figure out what lies underneath of all that, you can simply giggle it off while knowing who I really am, how much love I have in my heart, or how far I've managed to come in this often-complicated life.

But I have a confession to make. I hate Sundays.

No, but really. I do.

They are just so hard, don't you think? There was a months-long span that I consistently said to the same people every Sunday the following: "If I could just have one good Sunday, that's all. That's all I need. Just one." I've since stopped offering such opinions simply because I know everyone is sick of hearing it.

What's wrong with Sundays? Well, it's the beginning of the week, for one. Nobody can do anything on a Sunday without thinking of what it is he or she has to accomplish within the week ahead (and it's not that there's something wrong with having things to accomplish. It's just the feeling of knowing those things aren't done yet. Impatience plays a key role in this, you know). Secondly, Sundays can be often spent as a day of reflection, whether it be while attending some type of church, recovering from a weekend-enduced hangover, saying goodbye to someone you are only allowed to see on weekends, or making that long drive home from wherever it was you spent the previous couple days forgetting about the normal hustle and bustle a life can offer.

Those reasons shutter in comparison to the biggest emotion Sundays are typically accompanied with: Loneliness. As I tweeted this past weekend (which was, by the way, a pretty clever tweet if you happen to enjoy John Mayer from time to time), I am beginning to realize that while alone-time is essential in one's life, knowing you don't have someone else to share certain moments with can weigh heavily on you. Sure, we all want to believe we aren't effected by the notion of loneliness. But the reality is that too much isolation can bring upon too much (possible) sadness. Even someone as independent, stubborn, selfish and ego-driven as myself can admit that I'd love to have a partner in crime when it comes to simplistic day-to-day idiosyncrasies. And Sundays tend to highlight those moments more than any other days a week may hold. It's like a synonym for depression. Sundays make you want to hold someone more than ever while realizing more intensely than ever that, well, you don't really have anyone to hold.

The only thing worse than Sundays? Sundays in the fall. But we'll get back to that once fall officially arrives. In the meantime, I suggest enjoying the only thing a Sunday is good for - the inspiration behind this song, a song that is, by my calculation, the fourth best song ever written...

Thank God for Mondays, right?

...For The Ride Home: Tim Allen throws his hat in for 'The Office,' the NFL does a crazy number, Dave can't stop touring and don's forget the VMAs

2010-09-10T14:53:00.004-04:00

We say farewell to a short Week 24 with Eminem and Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie." Can't seem to get this CD out of my car this week, and I even won a poker game last night while listening to the entire thing from front to back. I've said it before and I will offer it now to you, my friends: Rihanna really plays the sympathetic woman part awfully well. It's completely awful what she had to go through to get there, but there's something about hearing that voice sing those words that makes it feel a bit more sincere than when the others sing it. Anyways, how are you? It seems like we never had a chance to catch up all week, right? The usual seasonal depression is setting in and when you couple that with my recent failures at the only things I deem important in life - a career, a family, love - it suggests this fall may be a bit worse than others in the past. Now, I'm not saying I want to jump off a bridge, or any such nonsense, but if I happened to be walking on one and someone nudged me the right way, I wouldn't fight it. Anyways, what all of this also means is that the NFL season begins this weekend. Or, well, it began last night. But the first weekend is this weekend. Some of us will be rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some of us will be rooting for the New York Jets. Others, well, others will not matter. From the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we sincerely hope you have a wonderful September weekend, and before we get ready to meet back here Monday, again, we must remind you, love you, miss you.

Don’t forget: Sunday, the Video Music Awards go down. Expect something about that at some point on this here blog. In the meantime, check out Eminem – the man who is set to open the show – and the five greatest VMA performances he’s offered. (MTV)

Yep. The NFL is the most popular sport in America. Last night’s game’s numbers were outstanding. (Sports Illustrated)

High school journalism funds are cut. “They feel the money can be used in better ways.” For what? Catering prom? (The Topeka Capital-Journal)

A social news service? Hmm. (New York Times)

The Vandals vs. Variety. (Reuters)

Your weekly “who is going to replace Michael Scott” update. Today’s edition? Tim Allen. (Third Age)

I know I’m only a season in, and I know it’s been spoiled to see that she’s not on “House” anymore. But I love Jennifer Morrison. Love, love, love her. And now, she’s taking her talents to… “How I Met Your Mother.” (Showbiz Spy)

Wow. Said last night how disappointed I was knowing I wasn’t able to catch Dave Matthews this year while knowing the band is taking next year off. Today, fall tour dates are announced. Happy day. (Pollstar)

Guess who said it: “I don’t smoke pot. I’m not gay.” (USA Today)

Double Feature: I'm Still Here & Lovely, Still

2010-09-10T10:40:00.002-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

I'm Still Here

Intriguing, intriguing set of movies released this week (and the last week before one of the more anticipated movies I've seen previewed — "The Town" — finally comes out. How great does that look? Jeremy Renner. Jon Hamm. Are you kidding me?) So, this is what Joaquin Phoenix was up to all this time, eh? I have a sneaky suspicion this thing isn't going to open within 500 miles of me, so if anyone happens across it throughout the weekend, any comments left would be oh, so greatly appreciated. Casey Affleck is the only other name attached to this, so it must be great, right? Though I know I won't be able to catch it until it hits DVD, the hopes for this lie somewhere next to "Spinal Tap." Weather or not it turns out to be a music-y "Borat," remains to be seen, but we can at least keep our fingers crossed that these two dudes know what they are doing. Besides, you've seen "Walk The Line" and "Gone Baby Gone," right?

Lovely, Still

This was recommended to me weeks ago. I had no idea it was this close to actually coming out. Martin Landau (who, by the way, is absolutely fabulous in "Entourage") plays an old guy who falls in love with an old lady. Or, at least, so the previews suggest. Why would anybody want to see this? That's a great question. Why would I want to see it? Because it seems cute, silly! Love stories are the best (though only when they pan out, which is something I, in 26 years, have personally been unable to see through). The best part? Kids can double date with their parents. As the elders take in this particular film, the teens can sit in on a screening of "Going The Distance," though make sure you are over 18 because dang, that movie is crude. In any case, if you love love (something I've been guilty of way more often than a man should), give this a shot. If for no other reason because all people above the age of 60 are better than you. Honestly.

...For The Ride Home: 'The Wire,' Tevez is about to call it quits and LFO lead singer dies

2010-09-09T13:49:00.004-04:00

Saw this the other day. It was...fine. The movie itself was actually a bit funnier than I had anticipated. The story, though? Not so much. Charlie Day completely steals the movie, but that's expected. It felt as though it dragged a bit, too. And that's odd, considering it's a romantic comedy, for God's sake. In any case, welcome to Thursday and the middle of September. I'm going to cut this short because, well, I'm out of time. Work calls, friends. Work calls.

“The Wire” as American Noir. If there would have been a Ride yesterday, this would have been there. (Popmatters)

Tom Brady was in a car accident. This would be a good time to remind you that the NFL season kicks off tonight. (WEEI)

OK. If anybody shuts down “Fresh Air,” they need to resign as soon as possible, anyways. (Jackson Free Press)

LFO frontman dies. Sad. (MTV)

Justin Bieber takes up three percent of Twitter. Honestly? (The Telegraph)

Carlos Tevez is thinking about quitting international soccer. (Deadspin)

American Dream or American Nightmare? Experiences of a first time home-buyer

2010-09-09T13:23:00.003-04:00

“This too shall pass.” Many people who are many times brighter than I have said it… King Solomon, Abraham Lincoln, a bunch of poets… but I say it again today, just to reiterate its relevance.

That's kind of a halfway decent segue into today's post. Not really, but sort of.

Saw this story yesterday and felt compelled to write something about my experience as a first time home-buyer. As I mentioned on Tuesday, I recently celebrated my two-year anniversary with my wife. With that milestone comes the near-two-year anniversary of beginning our quest for the “American Dream” - home ownership.

Two years ago we bought a little red brick ranch in one of those housing plans that developed in the mid 1950s. After 50+ years of wear 'n tear and a prior inhabitant that couldn't maintain the home the way it needed, we had some work to do.

Wait, scratch that - someone had some work to do. I'm about as handy as a left foot.

Within the first couple months we got new windows, new insulation, new carpet (it was Exorcist puke green with weird orange stains here and there), an exhaust fan, updated electric (they still had two prong outlets, seriously), a nice deck and a radon regulator… I'm still not sure if I think radon actually exists or if it's just a brilliant marketing ploy, but I digress.

After an initial project like that, I was convinced I had a good five years before I needed to do anything. I mean, that's a lot of stuff.

Of course, I could not have been any more wrong.

Since then it's one thing after another - some things are obviously bigger than others. New doors, shutters (holy crap were those a pain), some landscaping, dehumidifier for the basement, hornet's nest the size of a football under the deck (puke), gutter issues, yard and insect issues, etc, etc, etc.

Am I happy with being a homeowner? Of course I am. It makes more sense financially and it's great having a place to call your own (even if the bank technically owns it until 2038). What's not great is having to fix or pay someone else to fix all this crap.

And now, with a kitchen re-do looming (we currently have worn plastic pink countertops and the original cabinets from 1955 that have just a hint of old people odor), I once again ask myself, is this really worth it? Is this truly the “American Dream?”

So I turn to you, the trusted friends/readers - what have been those projects that made foreclosure sound pretty damn appealing? Renters, feel free to chime in as well - misery loves company.

That's all for now guys and gals - I hope to read a few comments when I get home later on tonight. They make the day so much brighter. Until then, toodloo.

No Ride Home

2010-09-08T15:42:00.001-04:00

Sorry, friends. No Ride today. Simply not enough time. Instead, though, we offer you, by my personal calculations, the third greatest song ever written. Be nice to others, now. Always.

The Wire + Toy Story = greatness.

2010-09-08T13:19:00.000-04:00

Plans of a new feature fell through today. And yes, it's too much to get into to explain. So alas, we offer this, the "Toy Story" and "The Wire" mash-up that is dripping with fabulous-ness. Check it out. See you for The Ride!

...For The Ride Home: Letterman visits 'The View,' The Anvil gets arrested and more from the Mike Wise situation

2010-09-07T15:43:00.007-04:00

Saw this last night. Watched it with two other people, and without any doubt, I was the one who enjoyed it the most (one of the others had already seen it, though). It was...better than I thought it would be. Actually moderately-to-a-lot better than I thought it was going to be. And it's hard to be funny. But there were moments that I thought were genuinely funny. If I thought only three of those moments were going to occur going in, it turned out that somewhere around five actually happened. That's a good ratio. Anyways, hello Week 24. How do you do? First and foremost, we here at The Unusual Suspects headquarters would like to offer sincere apologizes for not offering up a "Mad Men" recap this week, but 1) I wasn't able to watch it yet, 2) It's Tuesday, so it's too old to speak of now and 3) There will indeed be a link below that leads you to our usual "Mad Men" recap piece penned by Entertainment Weekly. To make it up to you, though, we would like to point out that there may or may not be something brand new that is brewing for tomorrow. Could it be a new feature? Could it be a huge announcement? Could it be wonderful? Could it make you love us that much more? Goodness, so many questions to be answered. You'll have to check back to see what all the fuss is about. Before that gets here, though, check out a few links, enjoy this September afternoon and think back to all the fantastic memories you made over Labor Day weekend.

The Anvil gets arrested for drug possession. I defy you to come up with five names of former professional wrestlers who adjusted to normal life easily. (Tampa Tribune)

Boise State clinched a national title berth last night. Today, they gain seven first-place votes in the AP poll. (ESPN)

Nobody buys newspaper advertisements anymore. Oh, this is bad. (Editor & Publisher)

Editor is charged by coroner for two interviews. Funny. (Twitter)

More from the Mike Wise fallout. Now, the Post’s ombudsman takes his shots. (Washington Post)

ABC News loses its leader. Get those resumes ready. (CNN)

Barbara Walters comes back to “The View.” David Letterman visits. (USA Today)

And here is your weekly “Mad Men” wrap-up. Need to catch up before this Sunday. (Entertainment Weekly)

When is the last time a pick up line worked?

2010-09-07T12:37:00.001-04:00

There was a story on Yahoo’s main page yesterday that was entertaining if nothing else. It was all about conversation starters for singles, with valuable tips such as “be casual and friendly,” (duh) “accidentally eavesdrop” (creepy) and “show your sense of humor” (as long as it’s not too sadistic, I imagine).

Let’s be honest, when they say “conversation starters” they really mean pick up lines.

Pick up lines are always funny to me for some reason, although I must admit I don’t remember ever using one. I always got the impression that the people who used them spent more time perfecting their pitch than focusing on their extreme character flaws… but I digress.

Here’s a few of the classics off the top of my head – those tried and true pick up lines that have stood the test of time… and most likely never got anyone a real phone number in the process. I hope you get a few chuckles out of these:

- Did it hurt? You know, when you fell from heaven?
- What's the problem with the alphabet? You and I aren't together.
- Are you religious? Because you are the answer to my prayers.
- Falling for you would be a very short trip.
- Remember me? Oh, that's right. I've only met you in my dreams.
- Want to play conductor? You be the engineer and I'll go choo choo.
- I'm feeling a little off today. Would you like to turn me on?
- You're like pizza. Even when you're bad, you're good.
- Do your feet hurt? Because you’ve been running through my mind all night.

I’ve clearly been out of the game for a little while and don’t know some of the better ones… but surely you do, and can leave them in the form of comments below, hehe.

Now for the point of this post - I have not needed to think of a good pick up line in quite some time, seeing as how my beautiful wife and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary yesterday! Oh that’s right, an exclamation point friends.

For those of you who are curious, we were pretty low key. We went on a 10 mile bike ride (no, we’re not hippies, we just like to bike ride), packed a picnic lunch then later we grilled some PERFECT Delmonico steaks. My wife planned the day… she is awesome.

And just so you know, the picture above is NOT us. Thank you Google images.

Don’t forget to leave some love and pick up lines – see ya’ll at 4 p.m. for The Ride Home. Exes and Ohs.

...For The Ride Home: Love finds Jesse James again, Christians and sex, China is the future of journalism and the biggest concert ever in Detroit

2010-09-03T14:51:00.006-04:00

Wanted to give you "Monster" with 'Ye, Jay, and...Bon Iver. But there wasn't a damn video on YouTube that actually worked. That's awfully annoying. Instead, we offer you the remix to "Power" to send you off into the (cue the creepy music) last weekend of summer. It also concludes Week 23 here at The Unusual Suspects headquarters. It was a fun week, don't you think? In addition to picking up a few new friends on Twitter, we talked about tailgating, Bob Bradley's contract extension, Chinese food and, of course, two movies I really can't wait to see (side: "Invictus" is not worth your time). It was a busy, busy week for myself, though now that I find myself at Friday, I am a mere few hours away from finally getting to where I want to be. Per tradition, we will not be stopping by Monday as we all celebrate the notion of labor, but we sincerely hope each and every one of you have a fantastic holiday weekend, and that you spend it wisely by saying goodbye to the summer of 2010 with a bang. We will be back to hang out/beg for advice on such things as food, life, movies and television/offer some links/smile/laugh/cry/love with each and every one of you on Tuesday. Until then, check out a few stories below, don't forget to grab this weekend by the gonads and live life to its fullest and, never could I forget: Love you, miss you.

Everybody. And I mean eve-ery-body was at the first Jay-Z/Eminem show last night. Also, a quick happy birthday to Beyonce this weekend, as well. Fabulous. (All Hip-Hop)

Reporter covers murder trial. Police investigate reporter. (State Journal-Register)

Really, though. Investigative journalism can’t die. It just can’t. (American Journalism Review)

So…now China is the future of journalism? (Newsweek)

Jerry Lewis wants to smack Lindsay Lohan. Oh. And his telethon is this weekend, too. (ThirdAge)

John Feinstein weighs in on the Mike Wise debacle at the Washington Post. Didn’t know they were friends. (Feinstein On The Brink)

Wow. Kat Von D is in love with Jesse James. Wonder how Sandy feels. (New York Daily News)

When you stumble across a headline such as this, you have to click it: “How Christians spoil sex.” (CNN)

“Rock Band” will now feature Snoop Dogg. So, does anyone still buy those games anymore? No one, right? That’s what I thought. (Pollstar)

Double Feature: Going The Distance & The American

2010-09-03T10:24:00.002-04:00

Each Friday, we will offer up two movies that are scheduled to be released within the accompanying weekend. We know, we know. It’s hard to come across blogs who ever actually get movie talk right. That’s why we won’t say much. A trailer. A paragraph. And boom – all you need to know about what new movies you can take your beautiful object of affection to see this weekend. It's like going to the drive-in movie theater. Remember those? So much fun. Thank us later, not now.

Going The Distance

It's been feast or famine this summer for movies and I. Fortunately, this weekend is looking particularly feast-like. I saw the preview for this first while on vacation and taking in "The Kids Are All Right," and was immediately drawn to it. Jason Sudeikis. Charlie Day. Drew Barrymore. And though I'm not even in the large faction of people who seem to love Justin Long, he looks likable in the sections I've seen of this flick on television. Good news, too. It's even opening to good reviews! It's romantic. It's a comedy. And considering I've already worn my heart upon my sleeve while gushing over the (not so typically loved) "Leap Year," this thing has to be right up my alley, right? Besides, this is the first time we get to see Charlie from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" on the big screen. And you have to root for that, even if he simply plays an extension of his character from the aforementioned television show (which the previews suggest he does). No way this movie doesn't get two milk-stakes up. Anything less would be a crime.

The American

It's a dude movie. Action. Clooney. What else do you want? Much like the above, there are plenty of reviewers who believe in this, and that makes me happy. After "Up In The Air," George could remake "Aladdin" in anime, release it in 3D only and somehow incorporate the next UFC pay-per-view, and I'd want to be at a theater on opening night. Also rumored in this flick: A Clooney with no shirt. Not too sure how I feel about that. Watching him act his just so easy, and he's been one of the few to never feel the need to expose his body in a movie. OK. That sounded a bit too prude-ish. Never mind. Go ahead, George. Do what you want. This appears to be the weekend to kick off a string of good-to-great movie weekends from now until the end of the year simply because Oscar season is slowly, yet surely, creeping in. And thank God. No way would I be able to stand another weekend like this.

...For The Ride Home: A new candidate for Michael Scott, Jay-Z & Eminem kick off their stint tonight and hello, college football. How are you?

2010-09-02T15:19:00.003-04:00

A montage of "Saved By The Bell" photos. For no reason. I'm just tired. Really tired, actually. I can't understand why. Something about today that feels lackadaisical. It's hot. Really hot. In fact, it hasn't really been this hot since June, which, on some level is good because that means I didn't have to suffer through the hotness all summer. But it's bad right now, because, well, it's that hot. That said, I can't complain too much about the hotness. Much prefer hot over cold. And as we all know, cold is on its way. Anyways, hello, hello. Welcome to Thursday, the second-to-last day of the week, a week I have simply been begging to be finished with. One more day and then we sing, dance, take our clothes off, drink, eat, smile, laugh, and enjoy the other fabulous things life can offer from time to time. Until we get there, though, we must offer a few links for you lovely readers to ponder. From the bottom of our bottom-est hearts, we here at The Unusual Suspects headquarters hope that you have a wonderful evening and that you have sured up some Labor Day weekend plans, in spite of a possible hurricane that may just ruin lives. Be well, friends.

The college football season officially begins tonight. Here’s a look at USC before they travel to face Hawaii this evening. Man, the Trojans had an awful off-season. (SB Nation)

The other big thing going on tonight? Jay-Z and Eminem kick off their very limited string of dates in Detroit. Here they are, by the numbers. (MTV)

Interesting find: Paywall subscribers are worth a quarter of print readers. (Paid Content)

New York Times executive editor slams the Wall Street Journal. Love media fights. (Vanity Fair)

Late on this, but it’s a big deal: Paste calls it quits. (Journal-Constitution)

T.I. got arrested on drug charges. My goodness. After this guy tries so hard to recuperate his imagine with that idiotic MTV show, this happens. Joke city. (Billboard)

Ahhh, yes. Today is 90210 day. (Time)

Harvey Keitel throws his name in the hat to replace Michael Scott on “The Office.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Tailgating Essentials - What's on your menu?

2010-09-02T10:42:00.000-04:00

I was recently lucky enough to get my hands on a couple Pittsburgh Steeler tickets for today's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. I know, I know - it's only preseason, the fourth game doesn't matter, we'll probably rest the starters, blah blah blah the game will suck blah. But trust me, that doesn't mean I don't plan on having a rock-awesome time... during and especially BEFORE the game.

Parking lots open five hours before kickoff, which gives plenty of time for tailgating shenanigans - and by shenanigans I of course mean food and adult beverage consumption. And cornhole... I really like playing cornhole (bean bag toss game). But really, it's about the food and brew.

I've got a pretty sweet little menu today, if I do say so myself. Today we'll be indulging in some slow cooked Italian Beef, creamy macaroni salad and salt and vinegar potato chips. Believe me when I tell you, this beef melts in your mouth. And it's so easy (1 lb. lunchmeat roast beef from deli, italian dressingseasoning packet, jar of sliced pepperoncinis (drained) and jar of beef broth - slow cooker for a few hours - heaven).

My question today is what are some of your favorite tailgating foods? As you can see from my menu, I'm not messing with bringing a charcoal grill out to the middle of a parking lot when it's 90+ degrees, so the opportunities are endless. Below are my five faves, based on the following characteristics: not too expensive, not too hard to transport, not too time-consuming to make and good with beer. Allow me to apologize in advance to any vegetarians - you're cool, but I like meat (thatswhatshesaid). Here you go...

Kielbasa and Saurkraut
I like it best when you slow cook in with brown sugar and caraway, then finish it on the grille if possible, just to get some char on there.

Cocktail Meatballs
So many possibilities: sweet and sour, barbecue, italian... my wife makes a killer meatball sauce that is sort of a hybrid between sweet and sour and barbecue. My mouth is currently watering.

Burgers and Dogs
Simple, classic, delicious. The only thing I don't like about these American staples from a tailgaing sense is the necessity for condiments.

Sloppy Joes/Ham BBQ
I'm not sure why these go together, but they do for me for some reason. Like my Italian Beef, they can be made early, put in a slow cooker and busted out in the parking lot, ready to enjoy.

Homemade Dips
A few of my favorites are buffalo chicken, sloppy joe, spinach and mexican. Again, all can be made early and make for an awesome side or appetizer.

It would be great if you would add to this list, friends, winkwink. I'm positive you have better, more creative ideas that can help this wonderful little community get their eat on before gametime.

Until next time, let's go Steelers, hugs and kisses all around. Come back at 4 p.m. for your Ride links.

...For The Ride Home: Burger King is up for sale, CBS News to lay off tons of more workers and Eminem finally falls from the top

2010-09-01T14:22:00.004-04:00

So, this sits on my DVD player in a Netflix envelope, waiting to be placed into the movie-playing device. Opened it to find it runs nearly two-and-a-half hours. That kind of got in the way. One billion doubts about this movie, but we will see how it turns out, I suppose. Matt Damon. Morgan Freeman. Have to trust them, right? Anyways, welcome to Wednesday, and, more importantly, welcome to September. That's correct, friends. School is back in session for most every high school and, I think (though it seems like it's been decades since I've been there) some colleges even. The leaves will begin to turn. The weather will get colder. The days become shorter. The fall depresses me. No, honestly. That can be a post someday. But it does. It's going to be hard to get through the next few months. Still frantically trying to catch myself up on 437 things that need to be caught up on before this weekend, so for the second straight day in a row, I must cut this paragraph short. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. Besides, it should give you some extra time to reflect back on the "Dancing With The Stars" cast, and the decision to keep Bob Bradley as coach of the United States Men's Soccer Team. And we all know how much you'd like to put that time to use. So go, friends, go!

First and foremost (and because it’s always good to keep this in the family): A collection of art for you to check out. And it’s even on Blogspot to boot! (Portfolio)

So, about that new show on FX based around Louis CK… Here’s a commentary. (Popmatters)

The Washington Post is going to put out an iPad app. And people seem to really care. (Yahoo)

If you work at CBS News, update your resume. (The Daily Beast)

This is long, but it’s a fantastic read. Yes, TMZ has changed everything. Everything. And, as something I’ve been saying now for quite a while, they get it first. Yes, they may pay for the news, and yes, they brake hundreds of ethics codes, but they get it first, and they get it right. There’s something to be said for that. (Village Voice)

Mo Williams and LeBron kiss. Make up. (Deadspin)

So, who wants to buy Burger King and shut every single one down in the world with me? (Forbes)

Conan names his new show after himself. How egotistical! (ABC News)

Katy Perry ends Eminem’s run at the top. Dude had a good run. Actually, a great run during these days. Irony: Finally received my copy of Recovery in the mail today, too. (Billboard)

Bob Bradley's extension proves the United States is fine with just being the United States

2010-09-01T11:31:00.005-04:00

I was sitting at my desk at work Monday night when the sports editor at my newspaper got up from his desk, walked down the isle and quietly asked, “Did you hear they re-signed Bradley?” I had no idea what he was talking about, never once even considering that he could have been speaking of the United States Men’s Soccer Team’s Bob Bradley. Especially after this post we had a few weeks ago.

But alas, it was him. The news broke that the manager received a four year extension on his contract, solidifying him as the leader of America’s 2014 squad at the next World Cup. From the press release announcing he signed an extension…

CHICAGO (Aug. 30, 2010) – U.S. Soccer has agreed to a four-year contract extension with U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley. Bradley led the U.S. to an undefeated record in group play at the 2010 FIFA World for the first time en route to a first-place group finish for the first time in 80 years. After finishing the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying cycle with more goals than any other team in the world, Bradley will again be at the helm through qualifying and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Well, that’s one way too look at it. For another…

…The question now remains if this was the right move or should USA Soccer have gone after (German legend, Jurgen) Klinsmann or someone else. Well, while I may be proven wrong in four years, here is why I think that Klinsmann would have been the better choice.
1. It’s Time For A Change – Even if a manager wins a World Cup, it’s almost necessary to make a change with a national team every four years. Bradley did a good job in his four years but it’s clear that there were mistakes during the 2010 World Cup and a need to change it up. The history of coaches staying on for two consecutive World Cup is not good and most do worse in their second World Cup (just remember Bruce Arena). Bringing in someone new (like Klinsmann) would help to bring new energy and life into the team.
2. Klinsmann Is No Stranger To USA Soccer – Many have argued that Klinsmann would not work out because he’s German and it’s best to have a manager who’s American. This kind of thinking is a bit simplistic and not always true. While Klinsmann is German, he’s been living in the USA for several years, and even helped out with the Galaxy for a bit. It wouldn’t be the same as a manager who has been with a club in Europe and he knows about the national team. Klinsmann is probably the most Americanized foreign manager that USA Soccer could hire.

There are more reasons and much more expansion from the piece if you click here (which really is a must-click if you care at all about this kind of stuff). The above material and subsequent list as to why the choice was wrong is the popular opinion. It seems that the general consensus is that if this wasn’t an all-out “bad” move, then it was certainly a “safe” move. And depending on your outlook, “safe” is nothing more than a synonym for “bad,” anyways.

Me? Count me in the majority. One aspect of this not listed in the above material is the United States’ reluctance to decide on Bradley quickly. If they were going to stay with him, they should have signed him on immediately after the World Cup concluded. If they were going to get rid of him, they should have made that clear by the time we got crushed in that friendly against Brazil. To wait like this shows that the people behind the scenes didn’t and don’t have the utmost confidence that Bradley is the right guy. And that’s a problem. Especially when you have someone like Klinsmann – one of the greatest international players of the last 20 years – waiting in the wings. Who cares if he is German? Honestly, though.

This is a pure sign of being content with mediocrity. The Americans set getting out of group play as the biggest and only goal at the 2010 World Cup. That happened, but not with assurance. Yes, the United States won its group for the first time in 80 years, but Bradley and his boys could have easily been on the outside looking in. The poor performance in the knockout stage only reiterated how far away we are from the rest of the world in terms of advancement of skill. It should now be unacceptable to not win a match in the second round of a World Cup. Extending Bradley only extends an unfair (to fans) rationale that suggests a best-case scenario that features losing. And if he continues to refuse to move away from that 4-4-2 formation, advancing in any tournament will not be guaranteed. That was proven by two instances in July in which he was forced to make substitutes early in the second half, a clear admittance that his initial decisions were poor.

All that said, at least he was at the head of a team that gave us this..

Best sports moment of the year. Without any doubt.

...For The Ride Home: Mariotti's recent troubles discussed on television, Demi Moore dances and your obligatory "'Modern Family' is great" piece

2010-08-31T14:56:00.005-04:00

"It's the perfect song. A good drum intro. Great groove. And the lyrics are even a little bit romantic." That's what my dad said over the weekend as we revisited this band and a bootleg we made of them when we once saw them, what now seems like decades ago. Oh, how we miss you, The Urge. For those who like horns, reggae-ish music, funkiness, a little bit of soul and a lotta bit of a great voice, check them out. Way too bad they gave it up. So, hello to you, our dear, dear friends who are always here for support. It's the final day of August and that's bizarre. September is a mere few hours away and the end of summer 2010 is upon us. Big weekend coming up, and I only recently realized how many things I need to get done within the next, oh, say, like 36 hours. And it's because of that, that I will keep this introduction short. From the bottom of our hearts, we sincerely hope you enjoy the final day of (supposedly) the warmest month of the year, and we will see you back here, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, tomorrow morning. Remember: Always be respectful to others.

“Around The Horn” talked about the Mariotti business. Interesting. (The Big Lead)

Bob Bradley had his contract extended last night. Yes, that will be tomorrow’s post. (Boston Globe)

The New York Times and using the F-word. (New Yorker)

Mike Wise gets suspended for a month from the Washington Post for claiming Big Ben’s suspension was reduced to five games. On Twitter. (Pro Football Talk)

Something that is often looked over, but never should be: A newspaper is now going to recognize same-sex marriages in its wedding announcements. (Editor And Publisher)

It’s just sort of funny. Demi Moore dances like she’s 22 and out after finals week. (TMZ)

Green Day is going to release a live album. People still like them, right? (Alternative Press)

Because I couldn’t really elaborate how happy I was with “Modern Family" and the Emmys yesterday. Check this out. (New York Times)

“Dancing With The Stars” contestants announced - It’s all downhill from here.

2010-08-31T10:47:00.003-04:00

Hello friends/readers (in that order) – a little apology is due. Last Thursday I neglected to post for our regular noontime rant about the lesser important things in life. And while I wish I had some dramatic, tug-at-the-heartstrings excuse for you – like I was rescuing a group of girl scouts from a burning building or concocting the cure for the common cold – alas, my reason for abandoning my post (get it, get it?!) was barely noteworthy…

I thought it was Wednesday. Seriously. Ever have one of those days?

Either way, this is me offering my sincerest apology. You can send virtual bags of dog doodoo to my virtual front porch in the form of comments… or you can reassure me and tell me you’re CURRENTLY having one of those days. I’ll still love you either way. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

ABC recently announced the lineup for this season’s “Dancing With The Stars,” and I must say it’s a pretty intriguing one to me. This show has seemed to develop an odd respect in the entertainment industry – it can clean the slate of someone with a less than reputable past, it can revive the career of a former star and it can introduce a niche celebrity to the masses.

For those reasons, I find the selection of the “Stars” to be much more interesting than the show itself. Truth be told, I haven’t watched a full episode in a few seasons now, but I eagerly await the blogs and stories that stem from it (the romance, betrayals and scandals, oh my!).

So onto the task at hand: Below are this year’s “Stars” and a little diddy about each. Of course your comments are much more valuable than the words I have to write, so please, give your thoughts.

Florence Henderson
As long as the former Carol Brady isn’t extremely rhythmically-challenged, she should do great in this competition. She’ll get the mom/grandma vote, the “lets vote for the old lady” vote and the nostalgia vote. Look for her to go deep into the season and land more than a few show/movie offers afterward. Maybe the next Betty White?

Kurt Warner
Much like his football playing counterparts in the past (Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice, NOT Chad Ochocinco), this former Arizona Cardinals QB should do great. He’s got the good looks, I’m sure he’s pretty nimble and a great rags-to-riches back-story. He’ll get the man vote, the ESPN vote and the “he’s come so far” vote.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino
Yuck. If rumors about this “Jersey Shore” cast member are true, the DWTS crew will need to stock up on Febreeze and air fresheners. I don’t like him going too far in the competition, unless by some freak chance he’s a really good ballroom dancer… can’t wait to see how he works showing his abs into his routines (sarcasm). He’ll get the MTV vote, the meathead vote and the “lets bang chicks” vote… so maybe he’ll go farther than I think.

Bristol Palin
The jury’s out on this chick. She’s been so hot and cold in the media over the last couple years, it’s hard to say if she’ll get viewers’ sympathy or vengeance. She’ll probably get the republican vote, the teenage pregnancy vote and the “I feel bad for the freak show life she’s had” vote.

Michael Bolton
“Why don’t you change your name to Mike? – Why should I change? He’s the one who sucks.” “For my money it doesn’t get any better than when he belts out ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’… I celebrate the guy’s entire catalog.” Ah “Office Space,” how you bring such joy into my life. Bolton will do OK; he’ll get the secretary vote and the former heartthrob vote. If he can poke some fun at his old hairstyle he’ll do even better.

Margaret Cho
This comedian-actress probably won’t do too great. She looks like she has very little coordination and she’s never had a huge following to my knowledge. But she’ll get the funny vote and maybe the underdog vote. Eh.

Rick Fox
The former LA Laker could be a sleeper. Like I said with Warner, athletes seem to do pretty well in this competition, and LA is a pretty big market if he’s still popular there. He’ll get the NBA vote and the weird facial hair vote.

Jennifer Grey
Ummm… she’ll do good… she’s a lady… she’s probably kind of attractive… all right I’m busted. I know nothing about this woman other than she was in “Dirty Dancing.” Knowing that and that alone, she’ll get the college dance major vote, the chick-flick vote and my wife’s vote.

David Hasselhoff
Aren’t we over this guy yet? How many career reinventions can we possibly give him before he reverts to 3 a.m. infomercials? Alas, he’ll still make it at least a few rounds deep and we’ll have to listen to him put “hoff” into words that clearly should not share connotation with this has-been (hoff-tastic? Really?). He’ll get the “wouldn’t it be funny if” vote, the drunk vote and the hilarious attempt at eating a burger while hammered vote.

Kyle Massey
I would have to refer to the better half of this blog for info about this Disney star, as he could punch me in the face right now and I would still not recognize him. He’ll get the kid vote, the “how cute” vote and the “trying so hard” vote. Yawn.

Brandy Norwood
Apparently she’s a singer-actress. Apparently she won’t go far unless she’s a great dancer. She’ll get the “I bought her record” vote… but that’ll probably be it.

Audrina Patridge
This chick is on “The Hills,” which means she probably won’t do too hot either. The MTV vote is already going to The Situation since that show’s hotter now, so Patridge may be doomed from the get-go. She’ll get the “I hate ‘Jersey Shore’” vote and the “I love ‘The Hills’” vote.

We’ll be missing you until you come back at 4 p.m. for The Ride.

...For The Ride Home: Doc's kid makes John Wall look silly, Emmys fashion and movies you may want to check out this month

2010-08-30T15:06:00.006-04:00

To begin Week 23, we offer a picture of both Jan Jones and Christina Hendricks at last year's Emmy Awards ceremony. And that, naturally, segues us into Monday's official "Mad Men" recap (as always, any and all suggestions/comments are welcome in the forum below). Before I begin - and because this was brought to my attention by the better half of this blog - keep in mind these recaps will contain spoilers. If you don't want to know what's going on with the show, kindly scroll to the links. You there yet? OK. Good. So last night, we got to relive when Don and Roger first met, and this, to me, provided some of the greatest moments of the entire series. To see how eager and wide-eyed Don was initially, and to see how dismissive Sterling was to him, was simply fantastic. Now to the award. Oddly enough, I felt this was the first real time we got to see Don's drinking (kind of) get in the way of his professional life. When he rushes back from the awards ceremony to pitch ideas to LIFE, all you can do is cringe as he mindlessly throws ideas against the wall to have nothing turn out well. And yes, the writers are way too smart for you to even begin to think that showing that kind of episode on the same night as the Emmys wasn't done on purpose. Peggy continues her "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore" moments, but - and I honestly hate to say this - there are times when she simply becomes more annoying than confident or empowering. For as bad as she treated Don's former secretary when she "needed to get over" the fact that Don slept with her and she wasn't happy with the fallout from that, Peggy needs to consider getting over a few things herself instead of pouting all the time. Still love her, though. And finally, Pete stood up for himself and laid a little bit of the law down. "He always looks like he's over-acting," my roommate said. He's right, but at this point, you have to think it's done on purpose. Have to. Whew. That was a lot. As you digest that, take some time to click on a few links and enjoy the second to last day of August. Be happy, friends.

John Wall gets crossed the eff up by Doc’s kid. Remember when I talked about ooking a kid a bunch of months ago? Yeah, watch this video. (The Big Lead)

A look at the best movies September will offer. Mildly excited for the new Clooney movie. (Popmatters)

Ooohhhh. ESPN travels to high school and treats everyone and the town like poo. You HAVE to read this. (Sacramento Bee)

So, exactly how many people turned out to that rally in D.C. over the weekend again? Depends on who you talk to, really. (Yahoo)

Emmys fashion. The young girl from “Modern Family” looked fab. Absolutely. (NBC)

It’s a Monday tradition. Your “Mad Men” recap. (Entertainment Weekly)

And speaking of both of those above things, Ms. Christina Hendricks talks about how hard it is for her to find dresses these days. (New York Daily News)

Tiger stumbled back to assure himself another week on the tour Sunday afternoon. Here’s a recap of the People article that his ex-wife granted. (Bleacher Report)

Chinese food: A tale of love and hate

2010-08-30T10:53:00.002-04:00

So, Chinese food. You dig it? I do. Well, kind of. Actually, I don't really even know if I do, to be honest. I find myself eventually opting for the stuff on days in which I am suffering through a bad hangover - Sundays, really. I don't know why, either. There's something about it that works after drinking an entire bottle of whiskey the night before.

What do I get? A C-1 to me, an order of General Tso's chicken to you (with white rice, mind you). And that's it. I've tried other dishes at other times, but to get an entire order filled with any of them would be too big of a risk, I believe. Besides, there is no consistency within any of the orders I receive. Sometimes, the chicken is crisp. Sometimes, it's mushy. Sometimes, the sauce is spicy. Sometimes, it's bland.

And that's why I'm writing this. I am the definition of "hot and cold" when it comes to Chinese food. The days I enjoy it, I enjoy it a bunch. The days I could do without it, I tell myself I'm never going to try it again (and this, in and of itself, is odd in its own right simply because I stayed away from this kind of food for the first 20-plus years of my life).

This all got me wondering what you think. Is there anyone out there who can honestly say they have a passion for Chinese food? Over steak? Spaghetti? A five-star, four-course meal? Is there anyone who views Chinese food much like people typically view fast food burger joints such as McDonald's or Wendy's? Can't be, right? I mean, honestly. Who could ever crave this kind of food on such a consistent basis that you eat it daily (unless, of course, you happen to be of Chinese ethnicity. Then, of course, this particular conversation probably doesn't apply to you).

All of that said, I was wondering if there are any dishes out there aside from General Tso's chicken that you enjoy? And what are they? And why do you enjoy them? Seems to me some of that stuff can be dicey. But there has to be at least one dish that could catch my eye. Something meat-y? Vegetable-y? Come on, now. I'm way sick of having to order the same thing every single time I get in the mood to order such food.

But speaking of such food, when you call yourself "The definitive General Tso's chicken page," you most certainly deserve a link (especially when the top of your page reads "Tso what?") So, well, here. You need to check that out. And for those of you wondering how to make the dish yourself...

...For The Ride Home: The Emmys are Sunday, older people love social media and 20 years ago today, Stevie Ray Vaughan died

2010-08-27T14:40:00.006-04:00

I usually try to send you off into the weekend with a nice, "kick off your shoes, put on your dancing hat and let's have some fun because it's Friday and the weekend!" offering. Not that Mr. Rob Thomas can't do such a thing, but I had the weirdest dream last night about how I was informed he had died. It was super odd. Because it has stuck with me all day, I now offer this, a live version of a song I had no idea was, at one point, a single, "Mockingbird." Huge place in my heart for Mr. Thomas. Today, we say goodbye to Week 22 and to let you in behind the curtains for a few seconds (and only because we are all best friends around here, you know), this was tossed around as being the very final day of this blog's existence. If you haven't noticed, today, we celebrate our five month anniversary, and, it should be noted for those who are counting, that this is our 201st post. Over 200 posts, five months and thousands of page views (can't thank you guys enough for that), and because of other obligations, we contemplated the notion of giving it up. But alas, love prevailed in the end, and we shall push through until...well, until you guys stop reading. So, this is good news, right? You don't want us to do away, right? Come on, now. We need a little bit of our ego fed (more so than words can say), so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. All of that said, here's to another five months, eh? Now with the curtain swiftly being pulled in front of us again, we'd like to offer the following links to kick off the last weekend of August. Did you remember to check out today's Blogspot Banter? It's a goodie, you know. Give that a read, follow Ms. Indy Grrrl to her site to see what she has to offer, and as we wait to find you back here, ready to go Monday morning, I must remind you, the people who truly keep this operation going, love you, miss you.

So, Melo is gone, we know that. But he wants his extension, too? And Denver is honestly willing to blow the entire operation up once he leaves? Don’t really know if that’s necessary. (Yahoo)

Oh, college newspapers. You crazy. (Independent Florida Alligator)

Remember the Fox News guy we linked earlier in the week? You know, the one who was leaving to go to print? Yep. There’s a pay cut involved. (Media Matters)

People 50 and over love Facebook, too! Actually, they do, though. There are numbers to prove it. (Pew Research Center)

Good. Question. (Salon)

What would you give for lower concert ticket prices? (Pollstar)

Twenty years ago today, Stevie Ray Vaughan died. Way too young. (Contact Music)

The Emmys are Sunday. Don’t forget. We root for “Dexter,” “30 Rock,” “Mad Men” and “House.” And “Modern Family” got robbed. (NPR)

OH! Levi’s mad at Bristol! Levi’s mad at Bristol! (CNN)

Mike Lupica’s take on Tiger. I find myself feeling more bad for him each day. I shouldn’t. But I do. Weird. (New York Daily News)