Bringing the Truthiness!

Thanks to Lisa over at Lam(b) I was informed that the great Stephen Colbert addressed the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Thankfully I was able to find the speech on YouTube. I hear C-Span will be replaying it but I'd recommend just catching the greatness at your leisure over at YouTube. They have the video split up into 3 parts. Here are the links in sequence:

Colbert@WHDinner Part 1

Colbert@WHDinner Part 2

Colbert@WHDinner Part 3


And what everyone has been waiting for ... an NBA Playoffs rundown. Two games in the books today and two exceptional matches. First the Baby Bulls (I'm on the bandwagon) played one hell of a game to even up the series with the struggling Heat. Yes the Heat have the talent but, the way I see it, they're not playing well together and are definitely vulnerable (re: my earlier post). And the Suns vs the Lakeshow was a nail-bitter that went into overtime. The Lakers won on some big shots but Nash was totally fouled --- hello!?!?!?! Hah. I guess it can't be the playoffs in the refs aren't involved.

Dare Not to Laugh

Below is the funniest thing since Ashlee Simpson. After you check out the video head on over to their blog: The Dormitory Boys

Yes, I'm Jealous

So the publishing world is aflame after Harvard Sophmore Kaavya Viswanathan was discovered to have gratuitously borrowed from the writings of teen-lit author Megan McCafferty. Plagiarism is always bad, but what strikes me from all this hubbub is that she was reportedly given $500k for her book deal (which includes two books, one of which she has just completed). 500 grand?!?!? She's like 19. Who is she, Shakespeare over here!?!? Man, when I was 19 I was playing video games and watching the NBA Playoffs. Anyway, stealing other people's ideas and work is bad. But paying a 19 year-old $500k to write two books about how girls are mean and image isn't everything ... well that just ain't right. Either that or I'm just jealous.

Anyway, for more on this check out Slate's wonderful piece by Ann Hulbert on how Viswanathan's publishers and agents may have helped in nudging her to "borrow."

Speaking of the NBA Playoffs, how about dem Bulls? I love how they play and I think Miami is vulnerable. I see this series going 6 or 7. Sacto almost stole a game from the defending champs (the Spurs). But after such a heartbreak loss, I think the Kings are done. The Lakers and Suns is definitely the series to watch. I thought the Suns would win in 5 or 6 but now that the Lakeshow has home court advantage, the Suns are in some trouble. Both Cavs/Wizards and Nets/Pacers seem like they'll be heading for the long haul. Hopefully LeBron will pull his team to victory and the Pacers will outlast the Nets.

Monopoly

So the Hasbro people are going to update Monopoly in a "Here and Now" edition. That means the Railroads will become Airports and the streets will become famous landmarks from across the country. The cool thing is that they're letting people vote on the landmarks. So head on over to the website and vote!

Network Neutrality

I'm not sure how many of you out there are following the Network Neutrality debate but I thought I'd drop a post about it with some nice links so people can look into the issue on their own.

Basically, Network Neutrality means all data that transfers over the internet is treated equally. No particular data stream (such as from a company that pays a broadband company a premium) gets special, faster access. Broadband Internet companies (DSL and Cable) want to favor certain data and then charge a premium to companies that want access to this more efficient data stream.

Personally, I find this egregious. The internet is a simple network that treats all data the same. To turn it into a complex system with a premium priced fast track lane is anathema to what the world wide web embodies.

Before I go any further, I'd like to post two great links. For some general info, check out Wikipedia's Network Neutrality article (esp the advocates and opponents section). For my money, Bob Cringely knows technology. Check out his thoughts on the subject in this Feb column.

And for those of you that decide Network Neutrality is a good thing, please head on over to Moveon.org and sign a petition that tells Congress we don't want the DSL and Cable companies gutting Network Neutrality.

The Blog Down

I just wanted to post a round up, if you will, of the great blogs I peruse regularly and a couple I've recently added.

The Great Lisa Manzi over at Lam(b) has posted two of her piercing and enchanting poems. The poems will be published in Amoskeag: The Journal of Southern New Hampshire University. If you have the chance, head on over and check them out. You will truly enjoy them.

Next, I'd like to point you to a couple new blogs. The Grumpy Owl has it all. Science. Fiction. And Science Fiction. And some of the wittiest commentary this side of Episelon Sigma. Get it ... get it? That's me doing a sci-fi joke. Lame? Yes. Funny? No. But I sold it.

And if you enjoy handy tips in an off-kilter manner, then Norm's your guy over at The Post and Beam.

And finally, get your Wilson fix (this dog is a cuddle magnet) over at The Idle Receptionist. And get your Marse fix over at The Pink Shoe. And your Sage fix over at Musings.

NBA Playoffs - Day 1

It's Playoff time in the NBA and there are some very intriguing matchups. Day 1 (yesterday) was pretty interesting. For those of you that missed it, here's a rundown.

The Cavs beat the Wizards and King James recorded a triple-double in his first playoff game. This is a good matchup because in the regular season the Wizards took the series 3 to 1. But with Bron-Bron playing his A game, the Wizards are going to have a hard time getting the best of this playoff series.

The Spurs looked incredible in their dominating performance against the Kings. They won by close to 40 points.

The Clippers beat the Nuggets in last night's late game. I did not catch it but apparently the Clips had a 10 point lead near the end but coughed it up, only to eek out victory in the end. Even though the Nuggets are the higher seed, the Clippers have the better record and in my opinion are the stronger team. But if the first game was close, it may mean the entire series will be close.

The Heat beat the Bulls in a very competitive game. If you ask me, the Heat look a bit iffy and a hot team like the Bulls might be able to pull out the upset. I saw this game and it was great. The Bulls kept it close for the entire game and just fell a little short at the end. A good deal of that had to do with the Heat's Wade and O'Neal who played exceptionally. Gordon, Hinrich, and Nocioni of the Bulls put in stellar performances. I hope this series is close. And if the first game is any indication, it will be a marvelous series to watch.

Pet Corner

I don't have any pets but some time in the future I think I'll bond with a pup from the pound/shelter. Nevertheless, I like to think of myself as a big animal lover ... especially dogs. Watching PBS the other day I was able to come across a wonderful program called "Pets: A Very Natural History". The program mixed a short history of animal domestication with a couple insightful real life human/pet events. If this program airs on your local PBS station, I definitely recommend checking it out.

Two of the real life stories dealt with the uncanny bond between a human and a dog. In the first, a 6 foot, 180 pound man collapsed in a field near his house due to a heart attack. His 45 pound English Setter, Sadie, was able to drag his in-and-out of consciousness body for nearly two hours. She dragged him right up to his porch.

In the second story, a man's Golden Retriever, Dakota, was able to predict his heart attack seconds before it happened. The program mentioned that it is likely Dakota's sense of smell is so advanced that she was able to detect a change in her owner's sweat that precedes a heart attack. Dakota even predicted a co-worker's heart attack.

When I was younger I naturally wanted a pet but I wasn't willing to be responsible for it. And when I would hear other people talk about their pets as a member of the family I would (honestly now) find it a little strange. But I think that's perfectly normal now. When you care for a pet and it returns limitless affection and love ... and when such a friend actually saves your life ... not only is it natural to think of that pet as a member of the family but it seems strange not to.

Dimming the Sun

Tomorrow's NOVA will tackle Global Warming and make the argument the planet is heating up faster than estimated. As someone who doesn't know much about Global Warming, only of it's singular importance and that I should know more about it, watching PBS' preeminent science show discuss this issue is appointment television. If any of you out there in the blogverse are interested, this will undoubtedly be a great watch.

Does this mean I have to smoke hash?

So I found this pretty cool quiz on PondPerspective (via The Grumpy Owl) and I had to post it. First off, you know you want to do the quiz ... Do the quiz! Hah.

Seriously, I thought this quiz would turn out badly (cough*Paris*cough --- sorry ladies) but I was pleasantly surprised. I just hope this place survives the rise of the ocean thanks to global warming. PS - more on global warming in a second post.

You Belong in Amsterdam

A little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam. Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).

What European City Do You Belong In?

Mentos and Diet Coke: The Geyser Maker

So I was listening to NPR yesterday and this tidbit comes on. Apparently this is all the rage with the young whipper-snappers. For some reason (if you listen to the piece they explain it but I've already forgotten but it has something to do with carbon dioxide and other sciencey stuff) when one combines Mentos and a 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke a 12 foot geyser of coke is the result. Definitely check out the Google Video link, in fact I'll also link to it seperately.


NPR - Mentos and Diet Coke
Google Video by Joshua Wise

How Hairy Am I?

Below is a photo of my cheek. First off people, get your mind out of the gutter. Second off, guess how many days' beard growth that is on my cheek. I think most of you will be completely surprised. Plus I'm rather curious as to your guesses. Thanks for participating. The winner will get a comment from me on their blog. 2nd place through 50th place will get a comment from me on their blog.

Film Rec

The Sage man has a great review on Werner Herzog's GRIZZLY MAN on his blog. You should definitely check it out.

Recently I was able to catch ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN for the first time. As a cynical idealist who believes certain conspiracies exist this film was amazingly enjoyable for me (surprise, surprise). One part docudrama and one part journalistic X-File, this skillfully crafted film takes you inside the Watergate Scandal as Washington Post reporters Woodward and Bernstein uncover a high-ranking illegal conspiracy in the Nixon Administration. As someone who knew a slight bit about Watergate, the film is not only entertaining but also informative. Unfortunately the film ends lacklusterly with only a hint of the stature of the conspiracy and a tidy recap of convictions and Nixon's resignation. It would have been stellar for the film to end with the conclusion of Woodward and Bernstein's piercing investigation but I'm guessing the studio heads were asked to soft pedal things. I'd be happy with at least something on the Nixon tapes. Nevertheless the film is wonderfully set in a noir-ish DC and revered screenwriter William Goldman injects some funny, memorable lines into a decently adapted script (what about the ending though Goldman!?!?! Hah.) Anyway, if Redford and Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein piques your curiousity you'll have a wonderful time with the film. Afterwards make sure to head on over to Wikipedia's Watergate Scandal article to pique your curiousity further.


PS - I saw "Grey's Anatomy" again and I'm officially on the bandwagon. GA lives up to the hype and there's a lovely sweetness to it that you don't see very often on tv ... at least in a genuine sense. Usually there's a cloying fakeness to it. Not so with GA --- you go Shonda, you go. Hah, I can't believe I typed the "you go" bit ... I am sooooo gay.

PPS - Is "Sons & Daughters" not the funniest thing on tv right now?!?!?! (Hmmm, yesterday's "The Simpsons" was pretty damn funny) Like GA, there's an underlying sweetness ... greatly exemplified in last week's episode in which Cameron and Sharon's biological father returned. But it also has another thing going for it ... that it is bat-guano insanely hilarious.

PPPS - Watch tomorrow's FRONTLINE! It's on China and the extraordinary Tankman --- the protestor who stood infront of the procession of tanks. That man (whoever he is) is a personal hero of mine.

Welcome to the Future

I don't believe in race. Let me elaborate. Race is a man-made system of categorization. We cannot scientifically measure race to any significant degree and as $200 DNA tests of your cheek cells will show most of us are multi-racial. In a few years we're all going to be Tiger Woods. Well, except we'll suck at golf.


Over in merry ol' England a special pair of fraternal twin sisters are about to turn one. Born to multi or bi-racial parents, one of the sisters basically looks black and the other basically looks white. While it is a genetic rarity it is entirely possible and seems to have occurred with these two cute little girls.



I bet you Mother Nature and Gawd (if they are seperate people/entities/beings/whatever) are smiling brightly at the sight of this. For people on this planet to think that human beings are different because of the color of their skin is sad, and false, and wrongheaded. If they need more proof to the error of their thinking, I ask them to simply gaze upon the blonde and raven haired twin sisters and dare to think they are different races.

Don't Hate

I'm a bit of a news junkie and part of that is an embarrassing addiction to celebrity news and gossip. Recently, I've been much better in curbing this habit ... but a recent tidbit has popped up that I must comment on.

Thanks to Dlisted and The Green Straw I was able to find out that David Spade and Heather Locklear are dating.

I like this pairing and I'm here to back up the Spade-man. All the commentary seems to be how the not-so-tall, not-so-manly Spade pulled the stun-a-licious Locklear. First of all Spade is hilarious. All you ladies talk about is "I want someone to make me laugh" or "I can never find a guy with a great sense of humor" yadda yadda. Second, Spade has good hair and boyish good looks. Don't you women go crazy for those boyish looks? And finally, Spade is 3 years younger than Locklear. She's practically robbing the cradle ... hah ... okay she's not. Anyway, score one for the Spade-man ... I like this couple ... they'll last 3 weeks.

Mess With Texas

Corrupt politician (and most probably Satan's minion) Tom DeLay backed out of his re-election campaign. DeLay basically stated that any other Republican would have an easy time in his heavily right-leaning district. DeLay did win the Republican primary.

I'm a registered Green Party member and my politics are all over the ideological map. However, how in the hell did DeLay win the primary?!?!?! I mean how blind to the corruption scandal does one have to be to vote for this guy.

I hate to jump to conclusions but I think this proves that people in Texas are insane.

Film Rec

The other day in school I was able to watch an insightful, touching film titled MARIA FULL OF GRACE. The story follows a 17 year-old Columbian girl on her decision to become a drug mule and her journey into the US. The writer/director, Joshua Marston, paints a portrait of a young girl that is at once alien to us as well as thoroughly familiar. And the teenager is superbly portrayed by actress Catalina Sandino Moreno who was nominated for an Oscar last year. Moreno brings a toughness to the role that is as gritty and believeable as the film itself. If you can catch this great film on DVD, I highly recommend it.


PS - I saw another episode of "Grey's Anatomy" yesterday. While I enjoyed it I'm still not completely sold. I'll keep everyone updated since I'm sure my opinion of Grey's Anatomy is on everyone's mind, hah.

Mmmmmm, The Simpsons Movie, mmmmmmmm

There's a teaser trailer out for the film version of The Simpsons. It will be out next July. I love The Simpsons and the movie version will be outstanding. I'm not sure if there is any plot or story information out there yet, but as soon as I find something I'll be sure to post. If anyone hears anything please leave a comment, thanks.