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How Not To Date

  • Dec. 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Shake It
This is one of best videos I've seen in a long time. It also sheds light on the level if ridiculous in some of these dating schemes/books/programs. There are so many 'solutions' to the problem of meeting a quality person that you almost wonder if the solutions are part of the problem. Either way, this video is hilarious. I love mental_floss.

SweetBlckCherry Book Challenge

  • Dec. 1st, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Reading
Remember how I previously mentioned doing a personal book challenge over the course of one year? Well, here it is. As I mentioned previously, I own close to 500 books but have only read about 40% of what I own. This challenge is designed to help that percentage.

I have one year to read one book from each category listed below. It’s 42 in all. Why 42 you say? Because it’s the meaning of life, the universe and everything. For those of you who have not partaken in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, you should. Then you’ll actually get the reference and enjoy one of the most famed books in contemporary western culture. I digress.


Unless otherwise stated, the book will be something I own but have not previously read. If anyone wishes to join me on this ride, the more the merrier. Leave a comment. This goes until December 1, 2010. The list is as follows:


SweetBlckCherry Book Challenge


1. Long – Exactly what it sounds like, a long book. It must be at least 400 pages or more.


2. Short – Nothing over 150 pages. A novella or gift book would be optimal.


3. Cover – A book with a memorable cover. It can be memorable because it was beautiful, bland, ugly, or just weird.


4. Animal – A book with an important focus on one animal or many animals. It can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. Fantasy/Urban Fantasy – It can be semi-scifi, young adult, adult, hardcore, comic, alternate history, whatever. It just has to have a basis in another reality.


6. Used – Something that was previously read/owned by someone else. It can be borrowed or purchased.


7. New – Something that has never been read by someone else before.


8. Domesticity – A book with a focus on cooking, cleaning, gardening, family life, marriage and/or parenting. It can be fiction or nonfiction.
On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts


9. Biography/Memoir – It has to tell part or all of a person or group’s life story. Ideally, it will be told in the first person.


10. Near – the events of the book is relatively close to my local area (what is local is will be considered subjective).


11. Far – The events of the book take place from a relatively far away local (again, far is subjective)
.

12. Young Adult – Something geared toward teenagers/young adults
.

13. Children’s book – It can be something from my childhood, a new kid’s book, what have you. It just has to be geared toward children.


14. Travel – A book about someone’s travels or a generic travel, sightseeing book.


15. MISC Information – A book that compiles miscellaneous information, factoids, trivia…You get the idea.


16. Pop Science – A book about science but written in a way that’s accessible for a mass audience or, in some cases, dumbed down for the general population.


17. Horror – A book in the horror genre.


18. Mystery – A book in the mystery genre.


19. Love – A book of some kind that deals with romantic love. That should be easy to find.


20. Nonfiction – I’ll keep that one open and see what happens.


21. Fiction – Also leaving that open.


22. Feminist – Since I subscribe to this as personal politics, I should read something that applies to this.


23. Humor – Some type of book that is labeled or sold in the humor section. Also, it should be funny.


24. Celebrity Memoir – A memoir written by someone of reasonable fame/infamy.


25. Literary Classic – Any book that seems to regularly get labeled as a classic. One of those you-must-read-before-you-die type of books.


26. Hated – I will reread a book that I read before and hated/seriously disliked. I get to read it again and review why.


27. Loved – I will reread a book that I loved and remember what made it so awesome in the first place.


28. Free – A book I got for free. It could be a gift, a prize, something the cashier forgot to ring up so long as I didn’t pay for it (and yes, that last one has actually happened to me).


29. New Author – The first book by a new writer.


30. Wild Card – Whatever I want, any length, any genre, any previous history, any target audience.


31. Science Fiction – A novel from the science fiction genre.


32. Short Stories – A book of short stories. Any genre, any writer, any theme.


33. Christmas – A book that has a focus on Christmas.


34. Chick Lit – Any book that qualifies as Chick Lit. That should be cake to find.

35. Essays – Exactly what is sounds like: a book of essays.

36. Dust – Something I’ve had for a while that’s simply gathering dust.


37. Dating and/or Relationships – Something almost all of us has experience with. Why not read about someone else’s experience or how to do it better?


38. Movies or TV – A book about movies or making movies. A behind-the-scenes sort of deal.


39. History – A book that tells a factual history.


40. Jane Austen – While she produced only a limited number of books, I have only read one from start to finish. I feel like chanigng this is a requirement for a female bibliophile.


41. Movie Book – Unlike a book about a movie or TV show or filming, this will be a book that was turned into a movie. It started its life as an unassuming book but was then optioned and catapulted into the world of major motion picture.


42. Zombie/Vampire/Monster – Given the immense popularity about vampires, zombies, werewolves and other creatures of the night, I will pick a book that centers on them. It will be something new since I’ve already read the Twilight Saga.

I am currently working on #8 Domesticity. (Clearly, going in order is not important.) It's Sheila Robert's book On Strike for Christmas. I'm pretty early in but two women are fed up with their husbands' attitudes toward the holidays. One is a total scrooge who puts in 2 hours at family gatherings and then tries his hardest to herd his wife out the door. The other is extremely social but doesn't actually help with the running, prepping or most of the cleaning from the party. This year, they decide if their husbands want Christmas, they can do it all themselves. It looked like fun since most men have no idea how much their wives actually do. Like my mother always said, the dad may drive the kid to school but the mom packed the lunch, checked the homework and made sure the backpack was properly stocked. I'll let you know how it is.

DogEar Challenge Round 5

  • Nov. 25th, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Reading
I have finished the DogEar Reading Challenge. My last book was Marley and Me and I just finished that yesterday. The entire 5 are:

1. A book featuring an animal Marley and Me by John Grogan
2. An adult fantasy book The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. A YA or juvenile fiction book Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
4. A non-fiction book on an obscure topic (or something you don't usually read about) Infernal Device by Erik Ruhling
5. A book about plants, gardening, or food Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell

Marley and Me is definitely for dog lovers. There are just some things in that book that only a pet owner or former pet owner can truly appreciate. He talks about how Marley is a terrible dog and I have to heartily agree. I had a wonderful dog for 12 years and we didn’t have a fraction of the problems they had including jumping, slobbering, shedding, garbage raiding, food stealing, leash pulling, disobedience, random property damage, and anxiety. It also helped that my dog was smaller but still.

Marley is a big, loveable lug who just can’t seem to learn certain things. While it’s easy to understand the massive frustrations, you also feel the love and appreciation they have for that dog and the other way around. One time when John Grogan is out of town for business, his wife and kids notice how Marley just seems restless in his inability to locate him. It’s a sweet dopey thing that dogs do when they miss you and want you home. I won’t say too much more since the book is better left read.

It’s not a great work of literature and it won’t change your life but it was a very nice read. It’s a fun romp for pet owners since, no matter how wonderful you dog is or was, they have done at least one of the things Marley has done.

I’m glad I did this challenge. It helped to motivate me to read with a good amount of variety. I worked my way through several very interesting books in my vast collection. It gives me an idea for a personal book challenge. I will either post it at the start of next month of January. I’m leaning toward starting in December though. It will be long but anyone who is willing to join me for the ride is welcome. There will be no prizes or anything like that. I’m doing this because I own a very large number of books and, with the help of GoodReads.com, I’ve calculated that I’ve only read about 40% of what I own. I’m going to spend a year trying to change that.

Magic Circles on Facebook

  • Nov. 16th, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Dancing
My friend had this as her facebook status:

TRY IT: THE FACEBOOK TRICK: press up,up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Enter key, then right click then press up and down and magic crcles will appear. The only way to get rid of them are to log off or refresh the page...IT WILL WORK! put this as your status if it works


I did this and it seriously does work. It's rather neat. Apparently, it's a form of
Konami Code. It's a well known cheat code that has it origins in a Nintendo game from 1986. This code is just one more thing we can thank the Japanese for. This was all very new to me since I consider myself a techno-bimbo. I have only impressed people many years my senior with my skills which is no major feat really. I can't even get my own computer to consistently work.

It reminds me of a
bit I heard comedian Kyle Cease
do:
"The best part of Nintendo were the codes. We had codes that got us to the end of the game immediately. Why can't we have that in real life? Just once I'd like to be on a date with a chick, when she starts talking about her cats and she's like, 'And this cat likes corn, and this one has diarrhea, and this one can fight crime...', I can be like, 'Up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-select-start.' And then I'm in bed with her -- no more cats." I guess he's heard of it too

How do programmers think of this stuff? How do people think to try it? I mean someone had to think of using it on FB before they actually mention it on Wiki. Who was it? Probably some very nerdy teenager/college guy who was futzing around in chat rooms at 3 AM. At least, that's the image I have in my head. I wonder if this does anything on LJ or MySpace...


LOLs!

  • Nov. 4th, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Rhymes With Orange
Life has been rather dull lately so I think I'll post some LOLs.  All images and fun coutresy of icanhascheezburger.com






































Can Spock Get A Green Card?

  • Oct. 21st, 2009 at 10:29 AM
Rhymes With Orange
I found this on msnbc.com.  It's an article about an "offensive" Halloween costume.  It's an orange prison jumpsuit with "Illegal Alien" written on the chest, a (space) alien mask and a green card.  There was a big uproar in Miami about how this costume was racially offensive and discriminatory. 

In all honesty, I found the pun funny.  It's more about social satire than offending people (as far as I can tell) but companies are responding since it's the safe road for corporate America.  Latinos are not the only group who live in this country illegally.  While it's the stereotype, there are other groups of people including including Asians, Africans, Australians, Europeans and even Canadians.  I read an article in Marie Claire some years ago about an Irish bartender who was here illegally.  She's not what you expect but it's the reality.  Latinos are not the only ones who have the right to be upset but they seem to be making the most noise since they are the stereotype.  That bugs me that only one group of people seems to be upset about this.  What about every other racial group/nationality?  We haven't heard a peep from them.  Maybe that's the numbers but everyone seems to forget that even white people can be illegal immigrants.

I can see the point that someone finds it unfunny because of the resemblance to the jumpsuits aliens wear in detention centers.  I would feel a little offended then and I can see that point.  It is fully within every citizens right to complain about that but it's also in other citizens right to wear it and find the humor in it.  I truly don't think it's that bad.  It's certainly in better taste that Prince Harry's Nazi costume.  Since I was born here and am not Hispanic (despite the semi-regular confusions otherwise), I can't fully grasp the empathy for the other side.  I'm sure it sucks to be illegal or have everyone assume you are.  But where do we draw the line to just loosen up and find the humor?

No one made this costume with the intent to offend.  It was probably made to make light of the political situation or just to have fun.  If you try hard enough (which is minimal effort), witch and vampire costumes are offensive.  Ask half the Bible belt and Harry Potter and She Devil costumes are highly offensive.  Michael Jackson costumes, if done wrong, will probably cause a number of bar fights this year.  I'm sure several of my friends whose families immigrated here from other countries would find this at least a little funny.  Even Don King, who is half Cuban, doesn't really care.  I can see where some people would be offended but I can also see where some people need to lighten up a little.  It's a fine line but I've seen worse on Halloween.

My Hero

  • Oct. 16th, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Dancing
These Guys are my heroes.  I am now addicted to this show.

Oct. 12th, 2009

  • 11:52 AM
Sweet Lips
It's that time of year again.  Witches, vampires, black cats, and pumpkins.  And soundtracks for trick or' treaters or your Halloween party.  I have seen several soundtracks but something I found in our garage when I was younger is stuck in my mind.  All the soundtracks out there are instrumentals or sound effects.  The one I found as a kid was a cassette tape that gave tours of a haunted house and graveyard etc.  There were sound effects but there was also an creepy narrator not unlike the voice on Disney's Haunted Mansion ride.  I don't know if we still have and would have to clean out the garage to find out any how.  I have never seen anything like and was wondering if anyone else had.

DogEar Book Challenge Round 4

  • Oct. 8th, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Reading
I have completed book 4 in the DogEar Challenge.

1. A book featuring an animal  Marley and Me
2. An adult fantasy book The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. A YA or juvenile fiction book Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
4. A non-fiction book on an obscure topic (or something you don't usually read about)  Infernal Device
5. A book about plants, gardening, or food  Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell

I found it very interesting and slightly disturbing but that's what you get when you read a book about torture.  As part of the disinformation series, I believe it is very upfront and honest in its presentation.  It gives you a short history about each device and adding details for uses and variations in various countries.  Ruhling also used 3D imaging software to create very realistic images of what the devices would/do look like.  I would not say it's the definitive book but an excellent introduction. 

It gives you the history of well known devices such as the iron maiden, the rack, thumbscrews and the guillotine.  It also details slightly lesser known devices such as the heretic's fork (seen in an episode of Criminal Minds), St. Elmo's belt, the garrote (seen in a James Bond movie), the gibbet (any pirate movie ever probably) and the interrogation chair (the cover art).  It also provides miscellaneous information such as the origins of the phrase "Sacre bleu!" Given the caliber of most modern horror movies, this book fits right in with Halloween.  Given its upfront telling and graphic nature, I found it best read in small doses.


There is something slightly fitting that the fourth book I read was actually number four on the list.  I don't think the order in which I read these books is too important.  I'll tackle Marley and Me next month.  I've got at least two dystopia novels begging to be read.


Brick By Boring Brick

  • Oct. 5th, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Sweet Lips
I really like this band and I really love this new CD.  It's a very different side of Paramore than on their previous two albums.  One of my absolute favorites on the CD is "Brick By Boring Brick."  I first heard them perform this on a clip I saw from MTV Unplugged.  It was a pretty good show from the clips I saw.  I think you should definitely give this song a listen even if you're not a big fan of the band.

She lives in a fairy tale
Somewhere too far for us to find
Forgotten the taste and smell
Of the world that she's left behind
It's all about the exposure the lens I told her
The angles were all wrong now
She's ripping wings off of butterflies

With her feet on the ground
And her head in the clouds

Well go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
Ba da ba da ba

So one day he found her crying
Coiled up on the dirty ground
Her prince finally came to save her
And the rest you can figure out
But it was a trick
And the clock struck 12
Well make sure to build your house brick by boring brick
or the wolves gonna blow it down

With her feet on the ground
And her head in the clouds

Well go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle

Well you built up a world of magic
Because your real life is tragic
Yeah you built up a world of magic
If it's not real
You can't see it with your eyes
You can't feel it with your heart
And I won't believe it
Cause if it's true
You can see it with your eyes
Even in the dark
And that's where I want to be, yeah

Go get your shovel
We'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle
Ba da ba da ba...

DogEar Challenge Update

  • Oct. 4th, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Reading

I'm working my way through one of the books I'm reading for the DogEar Challenge.  As of my last update, I only had two left to go.

1. A book featuring an animal  Marley and Me
2. An adult fantasy book The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. A YA or juvenile fiction book Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
4. A non-fiction book on an obscure topic (or something you don't usually read about)  Infernal Device
5. A book about plants, gardening, or food  Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell

I still have multiple books going at this time but Infernal Devices shouldn’t take me especially long.  I was originally going to do something by Michio Kaku (a popular talking head for Discovery and History Channel shows) but I just don’t think I would be able to keep myself motivated and interested with the lack of stimulation in my life at present.  Most science books tend to be on the dryer side and it always takes me longer to finish them than a novel.  It’s difficult to get yourself lost in statistics over a plot sometimes.  I will read them but not for this challenge.  Besides, I think a book about torture devices better fits the criteria anyway.  While most people don’t read about astrophysics, it’s not too difficult to find a book about it.  Torture devices might actually take some work to locate at the local booksellers.  So far it’s pretty interesting and just a tad bit disturbing.

Tips for Sexual Criminals

  • Sep. 23rd, 2009 at 7:49 PM
Bucky Slap!
My friend found this in the interwebs and posted it on facebook.  I absolutely love this! 

1. Don’t put drugs in people’s drinks in order to control their behavior.

2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!

3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to assault them!

4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.

5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON’T ASSAULT THEM!

6. Remember, people go to laundry to do their laundry, do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.

7. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.

8. Always be honest with people! Don’t pretend to be a caring friend in order to gain the trust of someone you want to assault. Consider telling them you plan to assault them. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the other person may take that as a sign that you do not plan to rape them.

9. Don’t forget: you can’t have sex with someone unless they are awake!

10. Carry a whistle! If you are worried you might assault someone “on accident” you can hand it to the person you are with, so they can blow it if you do.

And, ALWAYS REMEMBER: if you didn’t ask permission and then respect the answer the first time, you are commiting a crime--no matter how “into it” others appear to be.


Women always seemed to get blamed for these crimes because we weren't watching our drink closely enough, we walked home by ourselves, we were dressed a certain way, or we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Why is it someway, somehow at least partly our fault?  It should be the fault of the men who think it's OK in the first place.  I've heard that since people don't date anymore but hook-up instead, sexual assaults have increased.  I don't have any hard data but it's a logical statement. 

A few years back I read a book called Unhooked about hook-up culture where one girl went on a date (it was like a dance or something), he assaulted her but she felt partly responsible for not saying "No" loudly enough or something of that nature.  It was rape.  Pure and simple.  Unfortunately, she didn't see it that way and just called it "A really bad situation."  In Pledged, one of the sorority sisters was assaulted when a frat brother she was familiar with gave her 'a ride home.'  Later in the book, some of his fellow frat brothers cornered a guy she was talking to at a party and said she had sex with a frat brother and "changed her mind."  Yeah, because saying "No!" doesn't actually mean "No! Stop! This is officially a crime." 

Since sex and other things have become normal and expected for no reason other than the person is there, people don't realize they aren't entitled to, well, anything.  Now, it's par for the course for boys to expect blowjobs simply because they ask.  If you say no, you may be pressured and be called a prude and other obnoxious things.  I know this is not all guys but it is definitely not a limited minority.  While a minority of men commit these crimes, the sense of sexual entitlement is a new, growing, very disturbing phenomenon. 

Sex is a privilege, not a right.  It is really that simple.  Just because you take me out doesn't mean I owe you anything physical.  Last I heard, hookers cost a few hundred bucks.  I normally don't go to restaurants that cost that much so the cost of taking me out and getting a hooker don't really balance out.  If I don't want to do anything with you, that's my choice and your problem.  Shell out the extra money you need for a solution or find a girl who is willing to do what you want.  I think any man who knowingly and deliberately commits sexual assault deserves to have the favor repaid in jail.  If he doesn't know what he did wrong or even claims for a second that, "She was into it," he deserves a taste of his own medicine.

Personally, I think by hooking up, we women are selling ourselves short.  If all you want is a boy toy with no strings, that's your choice.  For everyone else, holding out may make it easier to find a quality person and relationship.  Good things come to those who wait and you won't appreciate what you don't have to work for.  Plus, it weeds out the lame guys who only want easy sex, not us as people.  Like Kelly Clarkson, I do not hook up.  There are no muddy waters for me so it makes it easier in a lot of ways.

Flipped Fairy Tales and Superheroes

  • Sep. 22nd, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Forbidden Fruit
I am a combination of impressed at the talent and creativity, amused by the incongruity, and vaguely disturbed.

Aged Super Heroes

Dark and Sinister Disney Princesses

You Favorite Heroes As Girls

Naughty Fairy Tale Girls

Why are there no sexy men on this website?  Again, I'm impressed with the talent and find the inverse of mythic figures/damsels in ways, but the last two sort of bug me.  Why are only the women sexed up?  It's like Halloween on Sorority Row.  Can we not sex up some of the other gender?  I say if we objectify women, the least we can do is return the favor to the men of fiction.  I mostly included the last two as part of the rant but also to show the other way innocent fairy tales were slipped.  One was dark, creepy and required more originality.  The second required talent but not much more imagination than knowledge of the original Disney-fied tales and a trip to the naughty section of the costume store.  The sexed up she-comic heroes don't surprise me as much.  From what I have seen of comics, it's more or less par for the course (give or take the amount of visible boob depending on the comic).  I'm still a little disappointed and irked but not as perturbed. Oh, well.  What else would I expect for a website 'for guys?'  Heteronormative gender stereotypes, I suppose.  Either way, it's interesting to see the flip from the original we're accustomed to.

Frank Lloyd Wright, Horror Movie Come to Life

  • Sep. 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Highway
Frank Lloyd Wright is famous for many things like his architecture and personal life.  One thing I think should be more well known is his brush with a horror movie reality.  When I first heard this on an episode of Gilmore Girls I thought Lorelai/the writers made it up.  It looks like I was wrong.

Apparently, he ticked off one of his servants something fierce.  The servant set fire to the place using essentially lighter fluid and when people tried the doors and windows, they found them blocked.  The only unobscured way out had the disgruntled servant hacking away at the escapees with an ax.

The Gory Details

PBS Article

A Brief Mention on Wiki

I think calling it 'one hell of a dinner party' would be a very bad pun but it definitely gets the point across.

DogEar Book Challenge Update

  • Sep. 15th, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Reading

I have a conundrum.  I’m not sure what to read next for the DogEar Challenge.  I know Marley and Me will be my animal book but I have come into possession of three books that would work for obscure knowledge.  I have Witsec, Infernal Device, and Parallel Universes.  I’m leaning toward Infernal Device since it would be a good book for October to get into the spirit of Halloween.  I think I’ll go with that.

1. A book featuring an animal  Marley and Me
2. An adult fantasy book The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
3. A YA or juvenile fiction book Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
4. A non-fiction book on an obscure topic (or something you don't usually read about)  Infernal Device
5. A book about plants, gardening, or food  Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell

I haven’t started either one yet but I have several books going right now and I just got reminded that I pre-ordered The Lost Symbol.  It’s not a great work of literature but it has fun factoids, is a fun read, and might have a lot more going down on my home turf.  Plus I got a good price so I was so in.

2009 MTV VMA Drama Courtesy Kanye

  • Sep. 13th, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Bucky Slap!

While the VMAs are far from over, there has already been noteworthy drama.  The first award delivered was for Best Female Video.  The nominees included Taylor Swift - "You Belong With Me," Lady Gaga - "Pokerface," Beyonce - "Single Ladies," Kelly Clarkson - "My Life Would Suck Without You," Pink - "So What!" and Katy Perry - "Hot n Cold." All great talent and all videos were well done.  Too bad the drama hit a really undeserving target.

Prior to the awards show, Taylor Swift was interviewed on the red carpet as saying that she was going up against Lady Gaga and Beyonce and didn't expect to win against that talent.  She was happy to be nominated.  She stayed true to the sweet, earnest, good girl-next-door image she has and has managed to hang on to.  In Hollywood, that deserves some props.  Maybe her modesty helped her in life since she won the award.

When they switched from the presenters to Taylor for the reaction shot, she looked completely shocked and ecstatic.  Her friend wrapped her in a bear hug and she went to get her award.  She said that she dreamed of winning a moon man but never believed it would happen since she sang country music.  She thanked everyone.  Then, in the midst of her glorious moment, in comes Kanye West who proclaims "Excuse me.  Taylor I will let you finish but I have to say that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.  Of all time!"  I think Taylor Swift was so disappointed that Kanye did that that she didn’t say anything else.  Some of the crowd jumped up and started cheering, including Taylor’s friend. 

I’m sure there are thousands of people out there who think Beyonce deserved to win over Taylor Swift.  That is their opinion and they are more than entitled to it.  But going up on stage to proclaim that you think the winner didn’t deserve to win is simply a shitty thing to do.  This is their moment, their glory.  That girl was generally dumbfounded that she won.  She literally said she didn’t think it would happen.  Then some arrogant jackass goes up onstage to say that she didn’t deserve to win at all, taking her moment and ruining it.  What idiot let Kanye up on that stage and gave him a mike?  Proclaim your opinion from the high heavens, make signs, write blogs, personalize a shirt, whatever you want.  But do it on your own time, in your own moment.  Don’t ruin someone else’s happiness because you’re an asshole.

Right after the scene, MTV switches to a reaction shot from Beyonce and she has an expression that appears to be a combination of confusion and discomfort and muttering "No he didn't."  It was a “Did that just happen?” kind of a face.  I don’t follow Beyonce especially closely but from what I’ve seen, she seems to be a class act.  She remains relatively scandal free with her personal and professional life, always steps out looking good, and carries herself with dignity and grace.  As far as I can see, she’s a class act.  There is no doubt in my mind she felt bad that mess with Kanye and his big mouth had to happen.  I’m sure she sees Taylor trying to enjoy her moment on stage and then Kanye ruins it in her honor.  I’m sure Beyonce felt terrible for Taylor and had the smallest urge to slap Kanye.  I know I did but I hate melodramatic bitches.

And Kanye just got booed by almost the entire theater.  Diddy was presenting and talking about how the various members of the hiphop community gives back to new protégés.  He got to Kanye and there was an impressive chorus of boos.  Diddy asks “What did I say?”  Then the crowd started chanting “Taylor!  Taylor!”  I’d feel bad if the dude didn’t earn it.  He can think what he thinks and is entitled to his own opinion but Taylor Swift won.  I hope when he has his moment of unexpected glory, someone comes along to ruin it.

BTW, I did some searching.  The VMA winners are decided based on how their songs and videos perform on the Billboard charts and the like.  I had a very hard time finding a straight answer but the point I’m aiming at here is that Swift didn’t bribe a judge.  She’s popular and likeable and therefore sold well.  Maybe she’s one of those few ‘nice’ people that don’t fall behind.

Update: It was getting late so I watched the rest of the show from bed.  Beyonce won video of the year, came up to accept and said that she remembered winning her first moon man with Destiny's Child.  She said it was one of the biggest moments of her life which was why she thought Taylor Swift should come back out and have her moment.  The crowd cheered.  Taylor Swift came out and said "Maybe we could try this again."  She got to do her thank yous and have her moment.  It was really beautiful and sweet.  Beyonce is definitely a class act and Taylor Swift seems really sweet.  Yay for them!  Kanye West seems like a melodramatic bitch and I hope the next time he has a moment, someone steals it away.  I'm really glad he didn't win a moon man.

Popcorn Factoids

  • Sep. 12th, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Brain
I was cleaning out my desk and I found a little fact sheet that came with a pack of free popcorn.  The popcorn is now gone but I thought I would post some of the information so I can share the wisdom before tossing the fact-pack.

Before Columbus discovered the 'new world' all those centuries ago, the Arawak and Carib Indians using popcorn for decoration and food in the West Indies.  Pre-Cortez the Aztecs adorned necklaces and ceremonial headdresses.  During an excavation in the Bat Cave of West Central New Mexico they discovered popcorn nearly 5,600 years old.

Movie theaters didn't originally sell popcorn when they gained popularity in the 1920's.  Instead, vendors outside would sell bags of popcorn on the street before people entered the theater.  Eventually, theaters took on the minimal expense and those who didn't rapidly went out of business.  During the Great Depression, popcorn sales actually went up since 5 or 10 cent bags of popcorn were all the luxuries many families could afford.

-October is National Popcorn Popping Month to celebrate the fall harvest
-Americans consume on average17 billion quarts of popped popcorn in a year.  The average American eats 54 quarts annually.
-A popcorn kernel can pop up to 3 feet in the air.
-According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the World's Largest Popcorn Ball was 12 feet in diameter, contained 2,000 pounds of corn, 40,000 pounds of sugar, 280 gallons of corn syrup, and 400 gallons of water.
-To make a trail of popcorn from to New York to L.A. would require more than 352,028,160 popped kernels.


Don't say I never told you anything new.  Sorry if you now have a major yen for popcorn.

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The Chicken that Started the Phrase

  • Sep. 10th, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Brain
I just read something very interesting/disturbing in a mental_floss book.  I don't know if he actually started the phrase but it wouldn't surprise me.  Back in 1945, a family on a Colorado farm picked a young rooster to slaughter for dinner.  Knowing how much his mother-in-law loved the neck of the chicken, the husband/man-of-the-farm cut as close to the chin as he could.  The result?  A rooster that had no head, most of its brain stem, one ear, and an exposed esophagus.  For some reason the little bugger didn't bleed to death and his brain stem controlled most of his reflex actions.  They owners were able to feed him with an eye dropper directly down his throat.  They kept alive for 18 months touring the country and making a pretty profit off Headless Mike until something got lodged in his exposed throat and he choked to death.  There's even an annual festival in his honor.  Don't believe me?

Mike The Headless Chicken's Homepage

The Wiki Page

And, just disturbing enough, Photos

I'll be spending the rest of the week getting that out of my head, no pun or joke intended.

Abstinence Only Sex Education

  • Sep. 7th, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Sweet Lips
I think this is one of the top five stupidest things I've ever heard.  Let's stop teens from having sex by telling them birth control fails, lots of people get horrible diseases, have babies, get abortions, don't go to college because they become mommies...If we scare them and tell them the only truly safe way is to not have sex until you're married, they'll stop having sex.  If I have learned anything about people in the past few years, they will do what they want whether you think they should or not.

Teens across the country will continue to have sex and they will do so in an uninformed manner.  I always heard that condoms have a 97% success rate in preventing pregnancy and if you use lubricant and only wear one, the odds of them breaking are very low.  they also do an excellent job in protecting against diseases.  The pill, when taken correctly, has a 99% success rate in protecting against pregnancy.  It doesn't do anything for diseases since it's a pill and most diseases are spread by direct contact. 

Yes, the only way to be 100% safe is to abstain from sex and we should tell teens that but there's a much better scare tactic.  Don't use personal examples unless they are real but general information about diseases should work.  I know the idea of having crabs is enough to make me leery of random hook-ups.  Add all of the other diseases and what they do and how long they last (like herpes which lasts forever), you shouldn't need a "condoms suck" tactic.  If teens do choose to have sex, they know what they're getting themselves into.

If teens choose to have sex, and many will, they should be informed.  If they aren't, what happens to them is partly the fault of the teens and partly the fault of the people who didn't tell them the whole truth.  My kids will know all the options and all the fun side-effects.  I will show my kids pictures if need be but I'll tell them the whole truth.  If they make a poorly informed choice, it won't be because I told them some "Just Say No" propaganda.

Website of Fun Cuteness

  • Sep. 7th, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Sweet Lips
I found super cute earrings on this website.  In addition to the fries and cheeseburger earrings that I am totally in love with, there's also cameras, lollipops, fortune cookies, sushi, chicks (as in baby chickens, not women) and several other interesting earrings.  They also have some neat jewelry like a compass and something like an old time pocket watch.  They also have a cute robot plush with earbuds in.  I would buy more stuff from here if I actually had money to spend.  Even if you can't buy anything, it's still fun to look.

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