January 2009
310 posts
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I... →
Remember the craziness that happened on January 1st, 2000, and how the internet crashed, and our nation’s economy collapsed, and how there was looting and pillaging in the streets and oh thank heavens we bought all that bottled water and canned food and bomb shelters and tin foil for the windows to keep the aliens from stealing our brain waves?!
On that note, Wired brings us an (very...
December 2008
188 posts
I lied! →
Okay, I lied. But seriously, THIS is the last “best books of 2008” list. I swear.
This one is from The Economist, is broken down by category, and each one has a short one sentence summary/review. Looks like some really interesting stuff on this list.
No more. No more talk of literacy, or books, or reading, or bettering oneself by picking up a book. I’m done (if my mother...
Buzzwords of 08. (Caribou barbie?) →
Here’s one opinion of some of the buzzwords of 2008. Personally, if we’re picking nicknames for Sarah Palin, I’d vote “Sarah America” over “Caribou Barbie,” but just a personal preference there. Some other words on the list include:
-Obamanation
-Fail!
-Frugalista
-Staycation
(Via Kottke)
The best TV episodes of 2008 →
Here’s a list of some of the best episodes of 2008, according to the good people at the A/V Club. Cheers to them on including 30 Rock’s “Cooter,” which was sheer brilliance, and apart from being really funny, was the least annoying piece of political commentary I’ve seen in quite a while.
(Also glad that they showed some love for Mad Men and Lost).
11 Gadgets to rock your New Year's Eve →
Just be prepared for the slew of New Year’s and “Best of 2008” posts that are coming today- I have to get them all out of my system, starting with this one.
This article from Wired includes a breathalyzer, a cocktail fountain, an LED mirror disco ball, and oh so much more. Ring in the new year, the right way.
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
– JRR Tolkien
A lotta latkes? →
Listen, I’m going to be honest. I’m not totally clear on what a latke is (a potato pancake, I think?), or who eats them (eastern europeans?), or why (I think it has to do with communism?), but for some odd, odd reason, I would really like to make and/or eat them. Any insight or direction in my latke quest is more than welcome.
1 tag
I pity the fool (who doesn't look at this). →
A Mr. T Virtual playset that allows me to adorn virtual Mr. T with a hardhat, funny sunglasses, and different facial hair? Merry late Christmas to me!
Sweet, Sweet Chick-fil-A →
For those lucky enough to live within 100 miles of a Chick-Fil-A (creator of possibly the finest sausage biscuit and sweet tea around), you will get a free chicken biscuit with any purchase on January 1st. I can’t think of a better way to ring in 2009.
Obama: Young, Handsome, and Tanned →
“The whole world cringed when Italian President Silvio Berlusconi congratulated President-elect Obama on his victory, describing him as “young, handsome and tanned.”
Oops.
Germ Myths.... EXPOSED! →
Who doesn’t love a good germ myth exposure photo essay? I know I do. Check out this piece from ABC News Online to see which urban (germ-related) myths are true and which are heinous, horrible, germ-infested dirty lies.
Cheers to oenophila!
Well, big news here: I learned a new word today! (Thank you NY Times). Oenophilia, originally from Greek, is the love (philia) of wine (oinos). An oenophile is a lover of wine.
They say “you learn something everyday.” Well, that was mine.
2008.... in 40 seconds. →
Eirik Solheim created this mesmerizing video of images taken from one spot for a whole year. You can see the seasons come and go- the change from winter to spring is gorgeous. Very Planet Earth-y (I say, having seen zero episodes), and completely mesmerizing. (Via Snarkmarket).
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““Well, technology is a glittering lure; but, there is the rare occasion...”
– Jon Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men
Barber poles.... muah ha ha ha! →
Who knew that barber poles had such a sordid (and bloody) past? I had no idea about their history. This short article is interesting and worth a read. (Via D.W.)
The Price is (Exactly) Right →
I missed this one, since I haven’t watched the Price is Right since I was about 11, and home sick from school, but this guy guessed his Showcase Showdown dollar amount exactly right. It apparently hasn’t happened in over 35 years. Only interesting if you’re a fan of The Price is Right, or Bob Barker (ah the show will never be the same).
(Even More [Yet Again]) Best books of 2008 →
You caught me. Yet another best books of 2008 list. I don’t know why I’m so drawn to them, but I am. A book that I see making a large majority of the best of lists is Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth. I can’t wait to read it. Interpreter of Maladies was so wonderful, and she’s a fantastic writer. Okay, no more best of 2008 book lists (I think.).
In a word: Woot! →
Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean I can’t give you this gift. If you don’t know about Woot! then you should. They describe themselves as ” an online store and community that focuses on selling cool stuff cheap.”
They sell one new product every day- usually things that are overstocks from elsewhere, thus are sold at a discount on Woot. They sell everything...
Area Man Looking For Whatever the Hell Is Beeping →
One of those Onion articles that won me over just by the title (it had me at hello? Eh, I immediately retract that statement.)
H-E-R-S-H-E-Y-S →
Take a look at all the Hershey bar wrappers through out the years, from 1900 through the present day wrapper. Maybe only interesting to me because I heart chocolate so much, but still. (Via Quips)
Shoe throwing.... or whatever.
I suppose the world has moved on from the shoe-throwing at George Bush incident, but the media continually reminded us that “In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of deep contempt.”
But, I do have to defer to Cyn-C on this, and ask in response: In which culture exactly is throwing shoes at a person’s head a sign of respect?
My name is David, but my friends call me Captain... →
A UK teenager legally changed his name to: Captain Fantastic Faster Than Superman Spiderman Batman Wolverine Hulk And The Flash Combined.
No further commentary necessary.
Please, please, please yes. →
Will Arnett talks about the continuing possibility of the Arrested Development movie. ”It’ll be fun to get back together with everybody and work on it,” says Arnett. “It’s been so long now, we almost have to do it. It’s like we have to finish the joke.” It’s all I want for Christmas.
“This is how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New York said, ‘Gee,...”
– Richard Jeni
10 things that won't survive the recession: →
-Free tech support
-Wi-Fi you have to pay for
-Landline phones
-Movie rental stores
-Web 2.0 companies without a business plan
-Most companies in Silicon Valley
-Palm Inc.
-Yahoo
-Half of all retail stores
-Satellite Radio
List according to Mike Elgan. Not really wild predictions, because we’re moving in the direction of these things, but interesting article (via J-Walk).
Cheering for the right (wrong) team. →
An outstanding article by the always thought-provoking columnist for ESPN, Rick Reilly. Even if you don’t like sports at all, you’ll probably get something out of this piece.
Missing woman, 55, found alive and buried in snow →
This is kind of my unspoken fear about Chicago winters. That I’ll go out for baking supplies, and then be found buried under 60 cm of snow (which, if I’m doing my math correctly is roughly 45 feet, give or take).
Couple accuse United Airlines of overserving... →
True story. These lawsuits are getting more and more ridiculous. So, this guy drinks too much on his flight, beats the tar out of his wife at the airport once they arrive, and has the gall to sue the airline? No soapbox-ing intended, but when did we cease to take any personal responsibility? What’s next suing McDonald’s for making coffee too hot, and for making food that makes people...
“The chess world has truly lost a beloved Jew-hating, vitriol-spewing,...”
– The Onion, on the death of Chess Champion Bobby Fischer
Christmas means dancing R2D2s. →
Don’t know exactly what motivates these people to take the time, money, and energy to create worthless crap like this. I mean, it’s impressive, but how long did this take? And do they look on on it as time well spent? My guess is no. There’s also a high propensity for Hawaiian shirts here too, take that for what it’s worth.
A guide to the least essential albums of the year. →
In a 2008 that was pretty mediocre for film and music, The A.V. Club presents a list of the albums you just don’t need. From the Vanilla Ice comeback album to the lullaby renditions of George Strait. Just spend your money (if you have any left) this Christmas on something else.
I’ve already proclaimed myself to be a...
Stuff White People (really do) Like →
You’ve either heard of this site, or you’ve been living in some land where the internet hasn’t quite become a necessity- like the moon, or Ohio or something.
I guess one more thing is a chance to be self-aware, and ironic, and hip, and blah blah blah. Enter Stuff White People Like! Which is great. Until it hits a little too close to home. But I still heart my peacoat,...
Four bucks is dumb →
Great new advertising campaign to get the word out about McDonald’s now serving espresso.
Rick Warren.... who cares? →
I can easily think of about 9000 things I care more about than Rick Warren, but there’s so much buzz about Rick Warren and Obama, I felt compelled to post a link. Feel free to read the article from Time, and feel equally free to join me in my apathy.
We have our own Google frontpage! →
Thanks to “Google My Way,” you can make your own mock Google front page. Click on the link above, and see ours.
Steve Martin- what doesn't he do? →
Great video of Steve Martin playing the banjo. He’s extremely talented, and he’s very fun to watch.
The Poptimist.... with bacon!! →
Just click the link.
Let me Axe you this... →
Another example of brilliant marketing. At a 5K race that was for women only, Axe had a guy with an Axe t-shirt spray himself with the product, and then run ahead of the pack, giving it the appearance that thousands of women were chasing him. Truly creative and fantastic.
There's honesty.... and then there's this. →
This Craigslist ad is brutally and absolutely honest. What if people did this about all of their personal faults and shortcomings?
Wow.
Was I the only one that didn’t know that Jon Favreau (Obama’s speechwriter) is 27 years old?
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The stars at night, are big and bright.... →
If you’re a Texan, then I absolutely know you finished the above line in your head, and inserted the claps into the right places. If you’re not from Texas, just find any Texan, repeat that line to them, and I swear to you on everything I own that they’ll know what to do.
Check out this list of the “Top 10 Texas books.” Some of them are definitely coffee table...
The best of the worst: band names of 2008 →
We love playing the “oh- that would make a great band name” game. It usually starts with one of us saying something random, and the the other pointing out that it would be a great pop/punk/electronica/whatever band name. Our latest creation: Breezeway to Nowhere. (It’s an punk-electronica duo… obviously). (And “The Deception of Raisins”- thanks Jenny).
All...
For the girl who has everything.... →
You know that family member that says they want “oh, nothing” for Christmas? Now you can give them just that. There’s an online (British) store selling “nothing.” Here’s part of the product description (Via J-Walk):
What better present for the person who has everything than a poignant reminder that they want for nothing? This lovingly crafted vial of...
The Mini Cooper- like you've never seen it before. →
This is just the perfect example of really great advertising married with very cool technology. This ad agency developed a print ad that you hold up to your computer’s webcam, and a 3D image of the new Mini Cooper appears. Hard to describe, but fairly mind-blowing when you see it.
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This week in utterly ridiculous movie trailers →
As 2008 slowly circles the drain, it’s only natural to start wondering what 2009 holds for us. More specifically, will 2009 be the year that our cell phones finally turn against us? Judging by this trailer, the answer is yes. In 2009, cell phones are like really vindictive genies.
Cell phones: Who knows what they want? It’s like one minute they’re all, “Collect your...