Annie Lennox Mashup Video (DJEarWorm)

I'm an Annie Lennox fan from way back, so I found this video to be extremely cool. "Mashup" songs and videos can be hit or miss. Sometimes, only a few things fit, and the rest is just tedious. But this video is masterful. Songs from Walking on Broken Glass to Shining Light, to Little Bird (my personal favorite), and No More I Love Yous are squished together to make a whole new song, and video. Wonderful.

Nirvana Gets Rick Rolled

I love this. Rick Astley, king of the "Rick Roll," an unfairly derided 80s star gets mashed up with 90s rock gods Nirvana. Kurt Cobain joined Jim Morrison as the deified rocker who "died too soon" who probably would have become a retro novelty act had he not died young. I always thought that Nirvana and the whole grunge "scene" was highly over-rated. But then, I thought the same thing about Bono and U2. So, what do I know? In any event, this is brilliant. . .

Frivolity Break: In the Mood for Love?

This is a commercial for Durex condoms that is--surprisingly--safe for work. Very cute, and makes you wonder exactly what happened next in several cases (particularly the woman in a room full of people!). I liked the ersatz ABBA tune too. Enjoy.



Found at: Joe.My.God.

DC Comics to Join Marvel With Full Movie Slate?

Image from source, Bam! Kapow!

I got a little too excited when I first read the headline for the article excerpted below. For years (and several times here on the blog) I have lamented that the movie treatments for DC Comics heroes have been sparse. Sure, Batman gets lots of box office love, and Superman didn't do badly at all, despite what you've heard. But several of the big DC projects have been stuck in development hell, much to the consternation of this ageing comic book fan.

But the article below doesn't cheer me too much. Several of the projects are titles I was never a fan of, and others (like The Flash and Shazam!) are as nebulous as ever. What baffles me is that DC's movie studio is frakkin' Warner Brothers. Why is it so difficult to take these established characters with thousands of pages, and several decades worth of stories, and put them into decent movies? The Marvel Comics-based Iron Man was a smash, and that is one of the least believable (and not relatively well known) heroes they could have picked! I hope these movies come to pass, and are successful, to stop Warner from being so timid.

[Excerpt]

Watch Out Marvel! DC Is Coming!

DC Comics’ movie adaptations are a force to be reckoned with…

If you thought the Marvel movie lineup for the next 4 years was impressive, wait’ll you get a load of DC.

Scheduled for release are:
The Losers, which begins filming this week in Puerto Rico;
Jonah Hex, which recently wrapped;
Green Lantern, which now stars Ryan Reynolds;
Red, starring Bruce Willis (and recently added Morgan Freeman). . .

Read more at: Bam! Kapow!

Rachel Maddow Clarifies Pat Buchanan Appearance

The other day, Pat Buchanan appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show, and showed himself to hold some. . .wait for it. . .spectacularly racist views. I know, I was shocked too. But Rachel is known for correcting the record when something on her show turns out to be untrue. So she had her hands rather full undoing "Uncle Pat's" long list of "facts."

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Disgusting Ads Cross Line Into Self Parody

Since sometime early this year, I have been irritated by all those annoying web ads for whiter teeth and for diet aids. I thought they all started popping up because of new year's resolutions or something. But they never went away. Blubbery people and gross teeth seemed to be popping up everywhere, sometimes (shudder) animated.

But on my most recent visit to The Raw Story, one of my favorite blog/news/forums (or whatever you call that kind of site), there was a cluster of ads for both weight loss and tooth whitening. I've copied the ads here (and presume they won't mind the free advertising). If I didn't know better, I'd assume it was a graphic for an Onion parody.

(Click to embiggen)

Children of a Stupid God

It's been a long time since I wrote a post about my religion, or rather my lack of one. And I'm not really going to write much here. I don't need to, because Pat Condell, the guy in the video below, has said it all, and better than I could!

Now, fair warning, while this video is highly entertaining, it is not for the religious person who believes that one should never question religion. It is not for someone who skims the Bible, skipping the death and destruction and "vengeful God" portions, either. But if you want to get a little insight on why a person might be an atheist (or like me, a slightly reserved--but not much--agnostic), this guy will explain it pretty well.

Newt Gingrich Still Using Politics of Fear

My theory is that Newt Gingrich spent the weekend watching Jessica Alba's short-lived sci-fi series, Dark Angel, on DVD. That show, besides featuring the sexy young Ms. Alba, was about a dystopian future, where the US became a wasteland after an electronic pulse rendered all of our technology inert. The show was a hoot, and Alba kicked ass. But I wouldn't try to build our foreign policy around it.

[Excerpt]

Gingrich Still Clinging To Fiction Novels As The Basis For His Foreign Policy Ideas



. . .This morning, during a speech at the Heritage Foundation, Gingrich was at it again. He lamented how the world’s democracies “hid from reality” in the 1920s and 30s and failed to confront the emerging threat in Europe and East Asia. Citing what he had read in “novels,” he then linked that to his perceived EMP threat and deplored the “failure to translate the ability of the imagination into public policy.” “We are living at the edge of a catastrophe,” he said. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Frivolity Break: Paula Abdul May Not Return to Idol

Image from source, Huffington Post

It's very late on Sunday night as I type this, so I need to get something posted for Monday morning before bedtime. Often times, I stumble upon just the thing, or there is a new edition of Top 10 Conservative Idiots to link to. Other times, I find something like this.

It's not that American Idol isn't interesting, it's just embarrassing. It's the kind of show I usually follow, but only with one eye. I have to be reading, or working, or doing the dishes, or surfing the 'net--anything to avoid giving the show my undivided attention. I'd just feel too guilty.

But one of the pleasures of viewing, is watching Paula Abdul's spastic gyrations and incoherent critiques. She surprises when she is lucid and cogent, and delights when she's flailing about. She is, as far as I'm concerned, every bit as crucial as Simon Cowell. Ryan's probably replaceable, despite his new $45 million contract. And Randy Jackson? Dawg, he hasn't said or done anything new in years. Dawg.

[Excerpt]

Paula Abdul 'Idol' Drama: She May Not Return

Paula Abdul's (ab-DOOL') new manager says she may not be returning to "American Idol. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

Death Can be Funny: A Hearse at Big Lots

I always wished my blog had enough of a following to allow "open threads," which are places for the readers to congregate and discuss anything going on that day. One of my favorite types of open thread is the "caption this" photo.

I went to Big Lots today, since I had a 20% off of everything coupon. I didn't need anything, mind you. I still spent $40. When I returned to the car with my booty of useless stuff, I saw this early 80s Lincoln Town Car refashioned into a hearse. There was something darkly comical about such a car positioned below the Big Lots sign.

Latest Faux Outrage: Who Czar All These People?

Image from MSNBC

The current right-wing bogeyman is apparently the "czar." Whenever anybody is put in charge of anything in the government, for some reason the media--and some politicians--have taken to calling them czars. Why not tsars? I don't know. But somebody in right-wing world has done a count, and there are apparently 32 czars operating under the Obama Administration. Thanks to the ramblings of people like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, this has the wingnuts in a lather. How--in 'Murica--can we allow this to happen?

I personally don't particularly like the word, and have wondered how it is we ever adopted it, given its Russian connotations. But to think this is a further step in President Obama's road to fascism/socialism/communism/Muslim/whatever, is to disregard not only history, but recent history:

Bush calls for intelligence czar CNN - Aug 2, 2004 (Ed: That headline is a hoot!)

Bush's Selection of War Czar Is Attempt at Cutting Red Tape FOXNews - May 16, 2007

BUSH'S DRUG CZAR VOWS TO SNUFF HIS CIGARETTES Deseret News - NewsBank - Jan 14, 1989

Wanted: Car Czar to Revive an Auto Industry FOXNews - Dec 10, 2008

Those are all from the Bush era, and there are more. Please note also, that three of those stories come from decidedly right-wing sources. So can this incredibly stupid faux outrage be stopped now, or must we pretend the last eight years never happened? Can we at least kill this issue unless Obama designates someone a Viceroy?

Tax Farmers, Mercenaries and Viceroys New York Times - Aug 21, 2006

Bill Maher: Mark Sanford's vs. Mark Foley's Lurid Prose

From this weekend's Real Time with Bill Maher, this clip has Bill comparing and contrasting Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) and former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and their styles of lurid writing to their respective objects of desire. Funny stuff.

JFK, 9/11, Obama's Birth Certificate and the Moon

Image from source, AOL News

Conspiracy theories come in many flavors, and theorists com in all political stripes. As far as I know, people who don't believe the "official" story on John F. Kennedy's assassination don't fit any particular political beliefs as a whole. "9/11 truthers" are likely mostly left-wing, though I'm sure there are a few libertarians in there. The people who claim that Barack Obama is not a "natrual born citizen" (known as "birthers") are mostly conservative. Make that far right wing, as I'm not sure they fit the traditional definition of conservative.

The politics of moon landing deniers aren't at the forefront of their movement. But their belief in the theory that the moon shots were faked is every bit as fervent as some truthers'* or birthers' beliefs. And today, it would seem that we have proof that we really did land on the moon. The question is, will the conspiracy therorists believe it? Or will they just add a whole new chapter (on how this was faked too) to their theory?

[Excerpt]

Apollo Sites Spotted by Lunar Scout

For stubborn folks who still believe the Apollo astronauts never landed on the moon, NASA has new images — definitive proof — that clearly show the Apollo 11 lander that carried the first astronauts to the lunar surface 40 years ago. . .

Read more at: AOL News

*Full disclosure: Of these theories, the only one I have any adherence to is the 9/11 Truth movement, and only to parts of that. I don't like to assign my own storyline to 9/11, and I don't think the planes were fake, or any of that. I just don't buy the official story as written. So I guess I'm a "Truther Lite."

Bill Maher's New Rules, July 17, 2009

I always appreciate where Bill Maher is coming from, even if I'm not 100% on the same page with him. His analogy between the US as a whole and the sad fate of Michael Jackson is brilliant, even though it treads over the line here and there. And calling Sarah Palin "Quit for Brains?" Perfect!

Funny Picture of the Day: Las Vegas Marquee Fail

I've begun to realize that as a Las Vegas blogger, I probably ought to post a few more Vegas-centric items here. I may even start a regular feature on Las Vegas and Nevada-related news. in the meantime, I found this shot hilarious, both as a Las Vegan and as a computer "guru."

Source: FailBlog.org

Walter Cronkite Dead, and That's the Way it Is

Image from source, CBS News

I remember when Walter Cronkite was still regarded as THE news. The problem is, I was to young at the time to much care about the news. In fact, Cronkite retired and perhaps the same time that I actually started paying attention to world events. For me, it was NBC News Overnight with Linda Elerbee that woke me up to the important things going on in the world.

But I realize that Cronkite was to news pretty much what Michael Jackson was to music video. He made the template for what network news still is today. I'm glad he got to live a long, full life after retiring, something not everybody gets to do.

[Excerpt]

CBS Legend Walter Cronkite Dies

Walter Cronkite, who personified television journalism for more than a generation as anchor and managing editor of the "CBS Evening News," has died. CBS vice president Linda Mason says Cronkite died at 7:42 p.m. Friday with his family by his side at his home in New York after a long illness. He was 92. . .

Read more at: CBS News

Back From the Dentist, One Tooth Fewer

Well, I'm down to 27 teeth. That's certainly better than the "worst case scenarios" that were rattling around in my head. When I was a teenager, I had two bicuspids removed, to make room for my eye teeth. Then about six years ago, I had my right wisdom teeth out (one was extruded, one was impacted). Today, it was the upper left wisdom that had to go.

It turns out that what I'd been supposing was true. My wisdom tooth was trying to extract itself. My mouth was never quite big enough for it, and it was crowded to the outer reaches of bone. It hung in there for a heck of a long time, but it just gave up. So, since it was trying to let go, and by closing my mouth I would push it back in, an abscess formed, which is what was torturing me.

I'm relieved to say that my dentist, Dr. David Mahon at Gentle Dental was very kind, and patient with my phobia, and he managed to live up to the name of the practice. The five or six shots I got were virtually painless, and the extraction itself? Except for a little pressure, no big deal at all. Really, there wasn't much to it. I'm back at home, and the bleeding has stopped. I feel some minor discomfort, but nothing too bad--certainly better than before. I've got some soft food lined up for today, and I am practiced at being very careful after having had previous extractions (though I was unconscious before) and periodontal surgery.

Now, mind you, I'm on hydrocodone at the moment, so things could change! But I have to tell you, dental-phobia is all about anticipation. During and after, it really isn't that bad. Periodontal-phobia? Whole different story. It sucks on every level. But thankfully, Dr. Mahon says I'm looking good gum-wise. Woohoo!

Rachel Maddow vs. "Uncle" Pat Buchanan on Sotomayer

One of the best contrasts between The Rachel Maddow Show and shows like Hardball with Chris Matthews, Hannity or The O'Reilly Factor is that Rachel's show is not a free-for-all. I remember when she was a regular panelist on Race to the Whitehouse, she seemed not only out of her element, but uncomfortable in her "Hollywood Squares" box arguing with blowhards.

Unlike many things you may have read at--say--Fox Nation or TVNewser, Rachel is not the flip side of a right-wing blowhard. So, it is interesting when she has a guest like "Uncle" Pat Buchanan, who is a right-wing blowhard. I think Rachel acquitted herself well, without losing her top. And it is unlikely that she'd have many foes more button-pushing than Buchanan.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Blogger Down! Blogger Down! Crippled by Toothache!

My mind is not on blogging tonight, but on my current dental woes. I related last week that I was worried about one of my wisdom teeth. But after a cleaning on Friday that seemed to turn up nothing--though, to be honest I didn't press the issue--it started to hurt. A lot. And it's been a weird pain too, going from intense to annoying to nothing and back in odd cycles. Mornings have been the worst. Tuesday, things seemed to be getting better, and then Wednesday, full-on, skull-shattering pain.

Today hasn't been a picnic either, but I have to say, the sensation has been nearly entirely different each day. And oddly, though I'm pretty sure it's just one tooth that is the problem, the pain can extend across my top left molars, and occasionally the bottom ones too. I have a feeling that the pain from the one tooth is sort of sending out pain-waves that are confusing the rest of my mouth. Because the only pain I feel by actual stimulation is the one tooth.

It's kind of like when you have something lodged between your teeth, but can't find it with a toothpick. Confused mouth nerves. I don't know. I don't want to know. But I have a dental appointment in the morning, where I'm sure that the very best news I'll get is a single extraction. I won't be surprised to find that they want to take the bottom wisdom tooth too, which will make me unhappy. And if there's anything in addition to that? Well, I'll just be stone-cold terrified.

I hate dental procedures, even cleanings. Several years ago, I had lapsed in going to the dentist for a very long time. When I finally got back, I endured a very long cleaning, and surprisingly no cavities. The dentist told me that I had great teeth--and what a shame it was that they were all going to fall out. He was exaggerating, but it turns out I have periodontal disease, and bone loss.

So, I dutifully showed up for cleanings every three months for a year or so. And since I wasn't getting enough progress, I was sent to a periodontist. That evil man cut away and restitched my gums over three procedures. I went to see him a couple more times, but when it was time to transition back to the regular dentist, there was a scheduling snafu, followed by another lapse. As stupid as it was, procrastinating was easier than going back.

But that was a year ago. Since then, I've seen the dentist and the hygienist four or five times, most recently on Friday. So, you'd think that whatever is wrong, they'd have seen it coming. Not that any of that matters. My tooth hurts, and it must be addressed. I just wish I had some anxiety medication or something!

I'm sure--unless I'm too overloaded, or the news is too horrifying--I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with an update. For now, I can't promise any new posts unless I stumble upon something fun or interesting.

UPDATE: If you want to see how it all turned out, go here.

Michael Jackson's Pepsi Accident on Video

Yeah, I'm late to the party on this one, and this is posted all over the inter-tubes. But not everyone who reads my blog reads the ones I do, so I thought I'd go ahead and post this. I remember vividly (could it really be 25 years ago?) when this happened, but we never actually got to see it before. It wasn't just a little thing, as you'll see if you watch. I'm surprised it took him so long to realize what was going on.