Monday, February 28, 2011

And The Oscar Goes to...


TRENT REZNOR!! Unbelievable. All those years we rocked out to Nine Inch Nails we NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS thought Trent would be up for an Oscar and actually win! Trent wrote the music for The Social Network, one of the only Oscars for that movie. Awesome!!

James Franco totally sucked. We are so disappointed with him. He looked worse than stoned, he looked almost dead or corpse like. It was like he had the Peter Brady Syndrome, so when the red light came on he froze like a deer in headlights. TERRIBLE! His only good joke was about Charlie Sheen, who totally doesn't deserve to be mentioned at all. Anne Hathaway did her best but without her co-host helping out the entire program was just horrible. She sings pretty good though. It was great when she made fun of Hugh Jackman. Otherwise, the duo failed in every way. So sad!

The acceptance speeches were god awful, too. Except for Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actor. His speech was awesome. And Rick Baker winning Best Makeup for The Wolfman. That guy is a class act all the way. So nice! The Wolfman is a decent movie too by the way. Benecio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. You can't go wrong with Anthony Hopkins...ever. He should have been there last night.

The stage was nice. That's about it. The show was dull and lifeless. Oh James, why did you let us down?!

Matthew McConaughey looked great as a presenter as did Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin. Reese Witherspoon, Penelope Cruz and Mila Kunis were hands down the best dressed actresses.

Best presenters of the night were Russell Brand and Helen Mirren for Best Foreign Film. They were great.

Kirk Douglas. A legend. A movie Icon. In his heyday, hell he was Spartacus! They should have left it at that. We're not going to say more. We just can't.


The Oscar winners we are happy about include CHRISTIAN BALE finally getting an Oscar. Forget The Fighter, for which he won, have you ever seen 3:10 to Yuma, The Machinist, Reign of Fire, Rescue Dawn, The Prestige, Terminator: Salvation or American Psycho? He is THE best actor of our generation.

Natalie Portman deserves it for Black Swan, but remember her movie debut in The Professional with one of our favorite actors, Jean Reno? Or what about V for Vendetta? She killed in that and should have gotten the nod that year. That's one of our favorite movies of all time.

Colin Firth, whatever. He's about as exciting as watching paint dry. Mark Wahlberg didn't even get the nom and if he did, he should have won. Melissa Leo proves once again, she has no class. We can't stand her.

Tom Hooper for Director? Are you kidding? Chris Nolan should have won for Inception. He's clearly one of the best directors out there. What did Tom Hooper have to direct, The King's Speech...paaleeese!


Without further ado, the Oscars went to:

1. Best Picture: "The King's Speech."

2. Actor: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech."

3. Actress: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan."

4. Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, "The Fighter."

5. Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, "The Fighter."

6. Directing: Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech."

7. Foreign Language Film: "In a Better World," Denmark.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, "The Social Network."

9. Original Screenplay: David Seidler, "The King's Speech."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Toy Story 3."

11. Art Direction: "Alice in Wonderland."

12. Cinematography: "Inception."

13. Sound Mixing: "Inception."

14. Sound Editing: "Inception."

15. Original Score: "The Social Network," Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

16. Original Song: "We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3," Randy Newman.

17. Costume Design: "Alice in Wonderland."

18. Documentary Feature: "Inside Job."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Strangers No More."

20. Film Editing: "The Social Network."

21. Makeup: "The Wolfman."

22. Animated Short Film: "The Lost Thing."

23. Live Action Short Film: "God of Love."

24. Visual Effects: "Inception."


In honor of Trent's win, here's some vintage NIN. Turn it up and rock out!

NINE INCH NAILS: Head Like a Hole

"Bow down before the one you serve, you're gonna get what you deserve"

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Ozti's New Face

Ozti (pronounced Ertzi), The Ice Man, has been given a new forensic face. According to experts, this is what he really looked liked:



Ozti was discovered by hikers September 19, 1991 when a glacier melt exposed his body. The hikers thought they had come upon a missing hiker or perhaps a murder but then realized the body was far older than that.


Otzi lived 5,300 years ago and is Europe's oldest natural human mummy. To put this in perspective, Otzi lived and died 3,300 years before Christ. He is near perfect condition, except for the body parts that were damaged during exhumation.

He gives an unprecedented glimpse into Copper Age Europeans. The artifacts found with Otzi are AMAZING.



From Wiki:

"Ötzi's clothes were sophisticated. He wore a cloak made of woven grass and a coat, a belt, a pair of leggings, a loincloth and shoes, all made of leather of different skins. He also wore a bearskin cap with a leather chin strap. The shoes were waterproof and wide, seemingly designed for walking across the snow; they were constructed using bearskin for the soles, deer hide for the top panels, and a netting made of tree bark. Soft grass went around the foot and in the shoe and functioned like modern socks. The coat, belt, leggings and loincloth were constructed of vertical strips of leather sewn together with sinew. His belt had a pouch sewn to it that contained a cache of useful items: a scraper, drill, flint flake, bone awl and a dried fungus.

The shoes have since been reproduced by a Czech academic, who said that "because the shoes are actually quite complex, I'm convinced that even 5,300 years ago, people had the equivalent of a cobbler who made shoes for other people".

Other items found with the Iceman were a copper axe with a yew handle, a flint-bladed knife with an ash handle and a quiver of 14 arrows with viburnum and dogwood shafts. Two of the arrows, which were broken, were tipped with flint and had fletching. while the other 12 were unfinished and untipped. The arrows were found in a quiver with what is presumed to be a bow string, an unidentified tool, and an antler tool which might have been used for sharpening arrow points. There was also an unfinished yew longbow that was 72 in long.

In addition, among Ötzi's possessions were berries, two birch bark baskets, and two species of polypore mushrooms with leather strings through them. One of these, the birch fungus, is known to have antibacterial properties, and was likely used for medicinal purposes. The other was a type of tinder fungus, included with part of what appeared to be a complex firestarting kit. The kit featured pieces of over a dozen different plants, in addition to flint and pyrite for creating sparks.

Ötzi's copper axe was of particular interest, as it is the only complete prehistoric axe so far discovered. 24 in. long, the axe's haft was made from yew tree bark, while the handle of the axe was made from yew branch and leather binding. The copper axe blade extended out of the leather binding and was 9.5 cm long. Ötzi lived 5,300 years ago, and humans were not thought to have discovered copper for another 1,000 years, forcing archaeologists to re-date the copper age."



There are all kinds of theories surrounding how Otzi died. He was shot by an arrow that was still lodged in his shoulder when found. Otzi is amazing and has been studied since his discovery.

You can visit the model March 1 through Jan. 15, 2012, at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy which is his museum. The body is kept there permanently in cold storage.


News Link

Friday, February 25, 2011

Alexander Supertramp: "I Now Walk Into The Wild"


Alexander Supertramp was the alter ego nickname that Christoper McCandless gave himself that fateful summer he took off for Alaska.

Chris would have turned 43 on February 12, but sadly died of starvation when he was just 24 years old. We're sorry we missed his actual birthday, so we are doing this post today in memoriam.

Chris is the subject of the awesome book "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer and the movie of the same title, directed by Sean Penn.

From the website: ChristopherMccandless.info

"Shortly after graduation, he gave the remaining money from his education fund to Oxfam. The cheque written by Chris on 15th May 1990, totalled $24,000. He then left quietly from home to begin his adventures and assumed the name Alexander Supertramp of which he got from the book The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by William H. Davies from 1908. When asked by someone where his family were, he would reply that he didn't have a family anymore.

He travelled through various states of America in his car (which he left after it was caught in a flash flood) and by train, hiking, canoeing and of course walking. The challenge to himself was to travel with the least amount of belongings as possible and as little money as possible. He had no map and no agenda, just the will to travel.

His dream was the Alaskan adventure and he would tell this to those he met along the way. Some people he worked for on odd jobs would try to convince him to stay and some would insist on giving him supplies to help with the journey. He seldom accepted.

He reached his final destination on April 28, 1992 in Fairbanks Alaska.

Four months later he would perish from a combination of errors and his body was found in an abandoned old Fairbanks City Transit Bus numbered 142 which was located on the Stampede Trail.

He kept a journal along the way and took self portraits now and then. His final self portrait was a picture of him holding a farewell note in his left hand and waving with his right hand. He was but 30kg in weight and eventually died of starvation and possibly poisoning from fungus on some fruit he had eaten."


What makes Chris's story so heartbreaking was that he gave away his money to charity (ironically a food bank) and took off on an adventure.

He thought he would be safe in Alaska. The errors he made weren't many but they were HUGE.

First, he crossed over what was a small stream in the spring, when he tried to cross back over a few weeks later, the small stream had morphed from spring rains into a raging river almost a mile wide. He was forced to turn back to his bus.

Secondly, the food situation. One of the first things he did was go hunting. He shot and killed a moose. At first, he was elated to have provided for himself. Then he was shocked and saddened to realize he had no way to preserve the meat. It rotted away in huge clumps. This depressed him because he had killed a beautiful creature for nothing. He decided to only kill smaller animals and eat plants to get him through. He had a guide book that he thought would be useful. Almost at the point of starvation, he finally found plants he thought were okay to eat, but it turned out to be too early in summer for them, they hadn't matured and the plant was poisonous. He was weakened to the point where he could not leave the bus to hunt or get water and he starved to death.

We were always touched by Chris's story. He had the fortitude to give up everything and try to live FREE.

We're not the only ones...Chris is now a legend and will forever live on...in the wild.

Here is a letter found years later on Bus #142. A letter for Chris.


Click to enlarge.

"The Magic Bus" has taken on a life if its own. From the website: ChristopherMccandless.info

"The Stampede Trail to Bus 142 is becoming a more popular hiking destination these days. Virtually unheard of, to anyone outside the state of Alaska before Krakauer’s article in Outside Magazine, the trail has seen a vast increase in traffic since the release of Sean Penn’s film in 2007.

The story of Christopher McCandless, restless and footloose, stirs within many of us a hunger for adventure that is hard to quiet. I can’t begin to recall how many times I’ve heard, “Oh Man! I read that book! I really want to get out to that bus someday!” or “That movie was really great. I really want to see the bus.” The desire to see the bus, is often equated (in the minds of many Alaskans) to some kind of worship of Chris, or a celebration of naiveté. I feel this is an unfair characterization. For me, the desire to see the bus was rooted in my will to better understand his story.
"

Please visit that website for all the info you need to get to Denali National Park and the pilgramage to Bus #142 of the Fairbanks City Transit System, Chris's final home...





"We want a good life like human beings, not like animals"

An Iraqi Day Of Rage has struck in Baghdad, with thousands of protestors filling the streets.

"In two northern Iraqi cities, security forces trying to push back crowds opened fire, killing six demonstrators. In the capital of Baghdad, demonstrators knocked down blast walls, threw rocks and scuffled with club-wielding troops.

The protests, billed as a "Day of Rage, were fueled by anger over corruption, chronic unemployment and shoddy public services.

"We want a good life like human beings, not like animals," said Khalil Ibrahim, 44, one of about 3,000 protesters in the capital Baghdad.

Like many Iraqis, he railed against a government that locks itself in the highly fortified Green Zone, home to the parliament and the U.S. Embassy, and is viewed by most of its citizens as more interested in personal gain than public service.

In the south, about 4,000 people demonstrated in front of the office of Gov. Sheltagh Aboud al-Mayahi in the port city of Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad. They knocked over one of the concrete barriers and demanded his resignation, saying he'd done nothing to improve city services."

We are in awe of what's happening around the world right now.

In Honor of all the Rage...Here's the World's Greatest Band -
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE...TESTIFY

"Mr. Anchor assure me that Baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing
..."



The movie ran through me
The glamour subdued me
The tabloid untied me
I'm empty please fill me
Mister anchor assure me
That Baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing
I need you my witness
To dress this up so bloodless
To numb me and purge me now
Of thoughts of blaming you
Yes the car is our wheelchair
My witness your coughing
Oily silence mocks the legless boys
Who travel now in coffins
On the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside your door

Now testify
Now testify
It's right outside your door

With precision you feed me
My witness I'm hungry
Your temple it calms me
So I can carry on
My slaving sweating the skin right off my bones
On a bed of fire I'm choking on the smoke that fills my home
The wrecking ball is rushing
Witness your blushing
The pipeline is gushing
While here we lie in tombs
While on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside your door

Now testify
Yeah testify
It's right outside your door

Mass graves for the pump and the price is set
And the price is set

Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now controls the past
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now?

Now testify
Testify
It's right outside your door



This is the perfect Revolution theme song -
TAKE THE POWER BACK!



Gotta get it, gotta get it together then
Like the motherfuckin' weathermen
To expose and close the doors on those who try
To strangle and mangle the truth
'Cause the circle of hatred continues unless we react
We gotta take the power back




Bring that shit in! Uggh!

Yeah, the movement's in motion with mass militant poetry
Now check this out...uggh!

In the right light, study becomes insight
But the system that dissed us
Teaches us to read and right

So called facts are fraud
They want us to allege and pledge
And bow down to their God
Lost the culture, the culture lost
Spun our minds and through time
Ignorance has taken over
Yo, we gotta take the power back!
Bam! Here's the plan
Motherfuck Uncle Sam
Step back, I know who I am
Raise up your ear, I'll drop the style and clear
It's the beats and the lyrics they fear
The rage is relentless
We need a movement with a quickness
You are the witness of change
And to counteract
We gotta take the power back

Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back

The present curriculum
I put my fist in 'em
Eurocentric every last one of 'em
See right through the red, white and blue disguise
With lecture I puncture the structure of lies
Installed in our minds and attempting
To hold us back
We've got to take it back
Holes in our spirit causin' tears and fears
One-sided stories for years and years and years
I'm inferior? Who's inferior?
Yeah, we need to check the interior
Of the system that cares about only one culture
And that is why
We gotta take the power back

Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back

Hey yo check, we're gonna have to break it, break it,
break it down
Awww shit!

Uggh!

And like this...uggh!

Come on, yeah! Bring it back the other way!

The teacher stands in front of the class
But the lesson plan he can't recall
The student's eyes don't perceive the lies
Bouning off every fucking wall
His composure is well kept
I guess he fears playing the fool
The complacent students sit and listen to some of that
Bullshit that he learned in school

Europe ain't my rope to swing on
Can't learn a thing from it
Yet we hang from it
Gotta get it, gotta get it together then
Like the motherfuckin' weathermen
To expose and close the doors on those who try
To strangle and mangle the truth
'Cause the circle of hatred continues unless we react
We gotta take the power back


No more lies

Take it back y'all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back y'all, come on!

The Thumbs Up Cat

While we're on the subject of pussy furry, watch this adorable little guy give his owner the Thumbs Up and then Thumbs Down at :31


Jeopardy FAIL

The Jeopardy teen tournament is still going on this week. Right now they are in the semi-finals. Last night one of the answers given was a Beaut!

Check this out:

PUSSY FURRY

Thursday, February 24, 2011

The Battle of Los Angelos

We're talking about the actual event, not the new sci-fi movie coming out and sadly, not the EXCELLENT Rage Against the Machine album.

Today marks the 69th anniversary of the event known as The Battle of Los Angeles and also The Great Los Angeles Air Raid.

On the night of February 24, 1942 air raid sirens went off and the city of LA was ordered into a blackout. Just three months after Pearl Harbor everyone thought that Japanese planes had been spotted and were on their way to bomb the city.

Los Angeles Times, February 26, 1942 -
This is an actual picture published in the newspaper


"At 3:16 a.m. the 37th Coast Artillery Brigade began firing 12.8-pound anti-aircraft shells into the air at reported aircraft; over 1,400 shells would eventually be fired. Pilots of the 4th Interceptor Command were alerted but their aircraft remained grounded. The artillery fire continued sporadically until 4:14 a.m. The "all clear" was sounded and the blackout order lifted at 7:21 a.m."

What was the United States firing at? It wasn't the Japs. For all these years it's been thought that is was a giant UFO the guns were targeting. And of course as in the Roswell case, the official explanation is that is was "meteorological balloons." Again, those damn weather balloons to the rescue. What a convenient excuse.

Wow, Shep, We Didn't Think You Had it in Ya

To tell the truth!

In an interview that will probably get him in trouble with his whacked out network Fox news, Shepard Smith had this to say about the whole Wisconsin thing:

FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST ARTICLE:

On Wednesday's "Studio B," Shepard Smith said the battle over union rights in Wisconsin was all about busting unions and securing Republican political power, not about the state's budget deficit

"There is no budget crisis in Wisconsin," he said, adding that the unions "[have] given concessions." The real point of the fight, Smith said, could be found in the list of the top ten donors to political campaigns. Seven out of the ten donated to Republicans; the other three were unions donating to Democrats.

"Bust the unions, and it's over," Smith said. He then brought up the Koch brothers, the billionaires who have bankrolled much of the anti-union pushback in Wisconsin. The fight, Smith said, "started" with the Kochs, who he said were trying to get a return on the money they donated to Walker's campaign.

"I'm not taking a side on this, I'm just telling you what's going on...to pretend this is about a fiscal crisis in the state of Wisconsin is malarkey," Smith said

WTG, Shep!

SURVIVOR: There's a Sasquatch in Camp - UPDATED

This season is shaping up to be one of the best ever. It was only the second episode of the season and it rocked. First we had Ralph the Redneck Sasquatch find another Immunity Idol, we had a confrontation between Russell and Ralph leading to the narrowing of Russell's eyes (or are they always that way?). We had an Immunity Idol played at Tribal on day friggin' 5 and a total and complete blindside in the vote.

Well, where do we start? We're going to make this brief and only touch on a couple of points.

First of all, Ralph is so covered in hair that it was impossible to actually hear the confrontation between him and Russell for the hidden Immunity Idol clue over the voice in our head saying "Oh my God! Look at all that hair!" The guy is walking Sasquatch. It's complete head to toe body hair and it's thick and curly. You just want to dip him in Nair. Ugggh!

Secondly, Russell was manipulating like crazy this episode but we've got to talk Boston Rob. WOW! This guy knows how to handle anyone. So does Russell, but in two polar opposite ways. Russell is all muscle and Rob is a sweet talker. He has a way of making you feel like he's your best friend. Ask Coach from the last time Rob was on. BROMANCE CITY.

This season it's Phillip, aka The Crazy Federal Agent, who is in love with Rob. He said to Rob last night, "You have my vote, man." "Tell me who to vote for." Jeez! For a Fed, this guy is about as slick as the Atacama Desert. In other words, not at all.

Rob didn't tell him anything for fear he'd blab like last week. Instead Rob gave him a code and used it at Tribal. Phillip fell for it and voted for who Rob wanted him to. Meanwhile Rob and his true alliance of 3 peeps, voted out Matt. Matt did not see it coming and was completed stunned - totally like - deer in the headlights - stunned.

Matt's sin? After losing the reward/immunity challenge, Matt walked over to the opposing tribe and hugged and congratulated them. There have been much dumber things done on Survivor, but that was pretty much up there. Dude, what the hell were you thinking?

Next week is Redemption Island showdown #1. Francesca vs. Matt.

UPDATE: We're not the only ones completely repulsed by Ralph's body carpet. Read Tallulah's Survivor Blog...she's calling him Mansweater. We like Sasquatch better, though.

"I demonstrated with the people in Tahrir Square and they love me"


He's BAAAACK! The Last Great Pharaoh of Egypt is back again and doing well.

He's posted on his blog a number of statements regarding the last few weeks. Including our title in which he says he protested in Tahrir Square with everyone else and that the people love him.

Dr. Hawass says that HIS department is not and was not ever corrupt, emphatically stating that his has always been an HONEST department.

Also under his administration he, "raised salaries three times, created a social club for SCA staff, started the Festival of Archaeologists (which recognizes the achievements of Egyptian archaeologists at all levels), assisted employees in getting into university programs abroad and started many training programs for young archaeologists in Egypt."

Well, that should shut everyone up. A Festival! Why didn't he just say that in the first place!

Oh and to top it off, "Hawass also said he met yesterday with a group of young archaeologists representing the protestors picketing his headquarters. He said they offered him flowers and an apology for not understanding that the ministry is "trying to increase the number of jobs available for newly qualified archaeologists and restorers."

Flowers! Well it was just Valentine's Day - One Two dozen red roses for Dr. Hawass please with a note that reads, "I Heart Zahi"...

The article concluded with: " I hope that I will keep my new position because I believe that the monuments and museums of Egypt need me..."

Awww...We need you too, Pharaoh. Somewhere deep in our hearts we couldn't live without you!

Read the entire article...
Science Mag.com article

It's All Chinese in NY'S Little Italy

Well, the 2010 Census has a surprise for all you Guidos and Guidettes out there...Surprise, there are none of you left in New York's famed Litte Italy!

The Census survey reveals that in the 12 block radius of Little Italy, only 5% of residents said they were Italian-American and ZERO were Italian born.

In fact, Little Italy is putting it correctly. Once the area spanned over 50 city blocks, but today it is only 12 blocks and that is dwindling FAST.

"In March, the City Planning Commission is likely to vote for the creation of a Chinatown Business Improvement District, which would include all but two blocks of Little Italy, a neighborhood that once encompassed 50 square blocks. It's really all Chinatown now.."

We'd have to research whether or not Hell's Kitchen is still there in the same size and proportion of "the old days", but it seems all the little ethnic neighborhoods of NY are dying out. Even Harlem isn't the same.

It's to be expected really. The waves of immigration that once drenched New York City died out just one hundred years ago. We live in a different time and place.

Huff Post article

And in the Two Faced News Department

Iranian Dictator dick President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who has continuously slaughtered his own people for any and all anti-government protests has come out and given a statement that shows what a two-faced son of a bitch he is.

Ahmadinejad "strongly recommended such leaders to let their peoples express their opinions... He further urged those leaders of regional countries who respond to the demands of their nations and their revolutionary uprisings with hot bullets to join their peoples' movements instead of creating blood baths."

He kills his own people and then blasts others for doing the same thing! Can you believe this guy?

Okay. Reading between the lines here, we can see that although this is a two-faced out right lie and that his people are lying dead all over the streets of Tehran, what Mahmoud really wants is to stay in power. He will do or say anything to retain the Presidency of Iran even it means "selling out" other Middle East leaders.

This guy is no fool. He is one of the only Middle Eastern dictators leaders to come repeatedly to New York City and address the United Nations personally. This guy wants to join the party so to speak. As long as the party is a fundamentalist Islamic one where they get to kill Jews and destroy Israel.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Revolution Heard Round The World

We are witnessing history. For the first time ever, countries and cities all over the Middle East, Africa, Europe, China and HERE are rising up against the dictators that have held an iron grip on them for decades and also against well...everything!

There are always people that are fearful of change. If you listen (and please don't! and too many people do) to stupid Glenn Beck, you'd be hiding in your bomb shelter right now. An uprising doesn't automatically qualify as a fundamentalist Islamic takeover. The vast majority of these people are protesting living under barbaric conditions, secret prisons, torture, "marshall" laws and the inability to live, work and trade as they want to.

In this country, there are battles being fought over labor practices and rights and a war brewing between all political parties.

Here is the list of countries that are in the streets protesting now as we speak:

BAHRAIN

CAMEROON

YEMEN

EGYPT

LIBYA

ALGERIA

DJIBOUTI - We never heard of it either

IRAN

IRAQ

JORDAN

KUWAIT

SUDAN

SYRIA

MOROCCO

TUNISIA

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

GREECE

AMERICA -
Madison, Wisconsin
Columbus, Ohio
New York, NY - At the UN building
Indianapolis, Indiana

CHINA

Iran has shut down all international press and there is no way to see what is happening there. Brave people have been calling into Anderson Cooper every night and telling their stories, though. They are so afraid to march during the day, that every night thousands of people are screaming "Death to the dictator" out of their windows. Can you imagine? One woman saw her friend gunned down by pro-government forces and vowed to keep protesting until either everyone is killed or they are free.

This is great article that describes each and every country that is uprising and why.

CNN.com


Tom Morello to the Rescue


Rage Against the Machine guitarist and Harvard University Graduate Tom Morello is joining the good folks in Madison for the anti-governor protests.

We wouldn't expect any less of this socially conscious artist.

"Tom Morello, 46, says he will play for protesters one day after Republican Governor Scott Walker pledged he would not compromise on the ‘union-busting’ bill.

He will perform under his solo identity as The Nightwatchman and claims the proposed budget law is ‘unjust’, calling Mr Walker the ‘Mubarak of the Midwest’

Mr Morello said he will join ‘teachers, students, fire fighters, policemen, Green Bay Packers, nurses, steel workers, construction workers and religious groups that are filling the streets to protest. History is happening in the streets of Madison, Wisconsin, and I'm going to be there. Wherever The Nightwatchman is needed, The Nightwatchman will be.’

Mr Morello called Mr Walker the ‘Mubarak of the Midwest’ in reference to Egypt's leader ousted by protests and said he will ‘rob American workers of their fundamental rights

Mr Morello's decision comes after a Facebook campaign by fans who said they ‘needed his voice’, reported the Huffington Post."

LIBYA: Warships Defy Gadhafi - UPDATED

Which one of these two sings Black Magic Woman?

Mommar "I'm a flamboyant psycho" Gadhafi has brought in hired African mercenaries to take up arms against his own people as his own Libyan army continues to defect from right out under his nose.

Another great sign, is that TWO Libyan warships refused to train their guns on the coast and target civilians. Also, his top officials have turned against him as well and literally quit and walked out of their offices.

However, things are still horrible as pro-government forces continue to fire at will on any civilian in the street and people are hiding out for their lives. They are estimating that over 1,000 people have died already in this conflict.

A defiant, because he's fucking crazy, Gadhafi, took to the TV the other night to issue a long-winded and incoherent statement to the people. He accuses the protesters of being "on drugs" (hey, they didn't get into Paris Hilton's absinthe cake did they) and of course, blames the US and other countries for foreign interference. What an asshole.

UPDATE: A Libyan fighter jet has deliberately crashed after pilots refused to bomb the city of Benghazi. The pilots ejected before the crash. WTG, guys! Also, "The eastern port of Tobruk has declared itself free while Libyan soldiers were quoted as saying they were no longer loyal to the dictator and that the east was out of his control."

Excellent In-Depth article

Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth


Ghost Hunters featuring TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) returns tonight for it's 7th season! SyFy is having a marathon of episodes today to lead up to the season premiere. GH is the nation's most highly rated paranormal reality series. Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures is probably a close second, though.

Recent polls show that over 35% of Americans believe in ghosts and that almost 25% of Americans have seen or experienced something paranormal.

Tune in tonight at 9pm.

Ghost Hunters Official Site at SyFy Channel



Also on SyFY, coming soon is The Destination Truth LIVE show on St. Patrick's Day. The DT crew will be featuring Chris and Barry from Ghost Hunters International. The locale is Ireland where they will investigating the legend of the Banshee Ghost at some giant castle. Barry, of course, is an Irish bloke and will be right at home. He will probably second the investigation after Josh Gates, the often hilarious and super-funny host of the show. If you've never seen Destination Truth, it's not to late to get hooked.

Tune in 3/17 at 7pm on SyFy channel.

Destination Truth Live Website

Let Them Eat Cake


Last week at Paris Hilton's 30th birthday party, a drunken guy named Paz somehow got past security, crashed the party, drank Paris's liquor and then STOLE HER $2,000 BIRTHDAY CAKE. He literally just picked it up and when no one was watching, just waltzed out of the building with it.

We thought this story was hilarious because Paris Hilton is a self-indulgent scumbag that deserves to have her cake stolen.

The news this morning is that the stolen cake has shown up! And you'll never guess where...

A LOS ANGELES HOMELESS SHELTER where is was "eaten down to the last crumb."

"[It] was carved into 125 delicious slices and served to the homeless of downtown Los Angeles on white paper plates."

This guy Paz put the entire thing on Facebook. He even posted pics of the homeless dudes lined up for a piece.

This means he'll probably face felony theft charges..but man was that worth it!

Oh, and the cake...not only did it cost more than your monthly mortgage payment, it was a custom made absinthe laced cake. Just an extra hallucinatory bonus for the LA homeless!

The Parrot That Clucks Like a Chicken

This story is amazing.

A British pet parrot named Jack went missing in November 2010 and his owners of ten years of course feared he was dead.

Two months later they received a call that the parrot had been found. Safe and sound. Sounding like a chicken that is!

The parrot was found outside an aviary at the Chester Zoo, where he had been attracted to the young parrots singing inside. A caretaker fed him a grape to get him to come down from the tree he was hiding in.

Then the parrot started to cluck like a chicken. They think he spent time keeping warm this winter in a chicken coop and learned to mimic the chickens!

Someone at the zoo took him in and nurtured him until they recognized Jack from his missing posters and called the owners. He was thus reunited with them.

The owners are calling their new time with Jack "QPT" - Quality Parrot Time and have made a generous donation to the aviary at the Chester Zoo.

And they all lived happily ever after!

Read more:
Article Link

Tennis News

Serena Williams is catching shit for another tournament no show. She has committed and cancelled everything since her "foot" injury last year after Wimbledon. Fans, players and officials are getting tired of her cancelling routine. She shouldn't commit if she has no intention of showing up and should just retire already.

Read this article


Andy Roddick won his 30th career title yesterday in his 50th career final. One shot was so amazing it has been making Internet rounds. Roddick called it "the best shot I've ever hit n my life, considering the circumstances." Circumstances being that he is sick with the flu, still managed to play and win.

Watch it here

A tale of two Djokovic's

There are TWO Djokovic's! Novak has a younger brother, Marko, playing doubles with him in the Dubai tournament this week. They lost, though. Still, Novak is out to defend this two-time title for himself.

Says Novac: “The main purpose for [Marko] here and in any professional event he plays is to learn. To get as much practice, as much experience as he can, and then use it afterwards. It's a huge inspiration for him to see the best players in the world, and motivation.”

Who knew?


Also, Caroline Wozniacki takes the Number #1 spot after winning the Dubai Open Final. She really needs to win a major though. Look for her to triumph this year at at least one of them.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Score One For The Turtle

This is friggin' hilarious!!!!



Who knew turtles were that fast? And so nippy?
And so cute!

The Oldest Woman Who Never Lived

A 103 year old British woman confesses that she is still a virgin and attributes that to her longevity.

She also said that she never smoked, drank or did drugs of any kind, even prescription ones.

Apparently she never heard of the Erma Bombeck phrase:

Life is not a journey to the grave
With the intention of
Arriving safely in a pretty
And well preserved body,
But rather to skid in broadside,
Thoroughly used up,
Totally worn out,
And loudly proclaiming,
WOW !!!! What a ride!

We openly condone smoking, drinking, sex, rock and roll and drugs of all kinds. Of course, in moderation - you don't want to be a cancer ridden, drunken, herpes induced mess. But you only live once so actually LIVE!

Like Phyllis Diller once said, "Go out on the town, have a few drinks, a few steaks, a few smokes and a few sailors."

Well, that having been said, good for this woman, who has no idea what she's missed...

Article Link

George Washington - UPDATED

Washington at prayer

Today marks the 279th Birthday of George Washington, the first American President. George led the Continental Army to victory over British forces winning the Revolutionary War and he also presided over the writing of our Constitution.

Although he was a slave owner, having inherited his first 10 slaves from his father, Augustine, he later grew to oppose slavery. He did not free his slaves in his lifetime and at times shuttled them back and forth from Philadelphia to Virginia. This was to ensure that they would remain in slavery because at that time, in the 1700's, Pennsylvania had a law that any slave was to be set free after six months.

Washington did leave instructions that after his wife Martha died, all his slaves were to be set free. And in time all 124 slaves were freed. Washington is the only President to have done this. The other 7 Presidents that owned slaves in their time did not do so. Apparently the only exception to Washington's slaves is that he set at least one of them free immediately after the Revolutionary War as reward for serving by his side during the conflict.

We've always admired George Washington and the more you learn about him the more interesting it gets. In his youth he did not cut down a cherry tree, that is all myth. He traveled with his older brother Lawrence to Barbados to try and cure Lawrence's tuberculosis, but instead contracted smallpox which left him sterile and unable to have children of his own.

He married Martha Custis on January 6, 1759 at the White House plantation and he raised Martha's two children and eventually her grandchildren. She was a wealthy widow at the time of their marriage. Martha was a Custis by her first marriage and her great-grandaughter, Mary Anna Randolph Custis, married General Robert E. Lee in 1831.

Martha and George Washington held great parties at their Mount Vernon estate, which George inherited when his brother Lawrence passed away. He liked to dance and was considered very good. Washington also was known to play cards, backgammon, and billiards, as well.

It was heavy British taxation that led him to oppose British occupation and led to him convene the Continental Congress. Washington had wealth, power, friends and status which made him an easy candidate to lead at this time. He was nominated to lead the Continental Army by John Adams. His Chief-of-Staff was Alexander Hamilton. A young 19-year old French nobleman sought him out as a father figure and fought hard to be included in the American Revolution. This young fellow wrote numerous letters home to the King of France urging France to help the Americans out. His name was The Marquis de Lafayette and you can visit his headquarters in Valley Forge National Park. The Marquis named his first born son George Washington Lafayette. And when he was buried in France upon his death, there was American soil laid over his grave.

For a while, the Continental Army suffered huge losses. At the battle of Brandywine, on today's Route 202 in PA, for example, the loss was so great, that it left the City of Philadelphia undefended allowing the British Army to move right in where it occupied Philadelphia until June of 1778.

One of Washington's greatest victories (and there were as many victories as losses), was the surprise Christmas Day attack of the Hessian* forces at Trenton, New Jersey in 1776. The Hessians were German mercenary soldiers hired by the British to fight the Continental Army and instill fear and dread into them. Washington took his men in to the frigid dark of night, crossed The Delaware River, the largest river East of the Mississippi, and practically destroyed the Hessians in the midnight attack. Even hired mercenaries never expected a dead-of-night Christmas confrontation.

Washington actually crossed THREE times. The third time he took his men and defeated a brigade of British soldiers under Lord Cornwallis's command at Princeton, New Jersey, known today as the Battle of Princeton on January 2, 1777.

A stained glass window at Washington Memorial Chapel
in Valley Forge, PA, depicting Washington at prayer there

The winter encampment at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777 was critical for George and the army. Washington enlisted a German Baron named Von Steuben to come to the encampment and teach the fledgling army of farmers to fight like soldiers. The Baron Von Steuben conducted daily drills with the men teaching them many maneuvers. At this time, Washington gave The Marquis de Lafayette a field promotion and command of his own division. Note: The Marquis was a gifted military commander, even at such a young age, and his "guerrilla" tactics against the British are astounding.

Read more about the historical victory of American over Britain:
Revolutionary War

After the war, Washington received 100% of the Electoral vote to become President. He won 100% the second time as well, and remains to this day the only person ever nominated to receive all 100% of the votes.

What makes Washington great, is that the country asked him to become a KING. He declined and in doing so set a great precedent of democracy for America. How many people would turn down absolute power? Not in this day and age and not back then either. He was a most remarkable and admirable man.

George Washington died following a short illness on December 14, 1799. He had been inspecting his farms on December 12th in inclement weather and having not changed out of his wet clothes became very sick. Upon his death, Martha burned all of their correspondence to keep them private. Only three letters between the couple remain to this day.

Napoleon declared ten days of mourning for the country of France. Americans were heartbroken and mourned for months.

A funeral was held at Mount Vernon On December 18, 1799, where his body was interred.

UPDATE: It's been "discovered" that George Washington was worth $525 Million dollars in today's figures. He owned 5 productive wheat and tobacco farms and over 8,000 acres in land, plus he made more money than the average President - in 1789, his annual salary was worth two per cent of the entire U.S. budget. The second Pres to come close to that was Thomas Jefferson at just over $200 million (in today's figures).

George Washington

Visit Valley Forge

*The General Wayne Inn is haunted to this day by Hessian soldiers.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Mexican Open

The "largest tennis tournament in Latin America", The Mexican Open, is due to begin in Acapulco this coming Monday.

Players are being warned however to take caution there due to ever escalating drug cartel violence. In fact "The professional men's tennis association, the ATP, cautioned against travelling outside hotels. Players were advised to leave the city immediately after being eliminated from the tournament."

Jeez!

In Mexico, 34,000 people have been killed since 2006. THIRTY-FOUR THOUSAND.

Several major players have expressed their own safety concerns at playing there. David Nalbandian said "We (players) are a bit scared about this and we're trying to decide what to do."

"Mexico's government has assured the ATP that appropriate security measures have been put in place. Several arrests have been made following a recent spate of drug-related violence in the city.

A weekend of attacks on taxis in the city left 12 drivers or passengers dead, the Associated Press news agency quotes local police as saying. Dozens of cars have also been burned in recent days but the motives were not clear, AP reported. In January, the bodies of 15 headless men were found outside a shopping centre in the resort."

Sounds like a great place for a tennis tournament. These drug cartels have really ruined Mexico as a tourist destination. The government seems helpless or hopeless or hopelessly on the take.

When will the Mexican people feel safe again? 34,000 people killed in less than 5 years is a hideous statistic.


Anonymous Warns Westboro Church of Hate

WE ARE LOVING THIS!!!

People have been trying to stand up to this red-neck fundamentalist crazy church for a while now. At the Arizona funerals 2 months ago, there were good people with 8 foot angel wings on to block the funeral protests by this so-called "church." Also there are motorcycle gangs that will come to military funerals and pretty much do the same thing - block the protestors out, sans angel wings.

NOW HOWEVER, a new group of people have come out to warn Westboro to stop it already.

Read this:

"We, the collective super-consciousness known as ANONYMOUS - the Voice of Free Speech & the Advocate of the People - have long heard you issue your venomous statements of hatred, and we have witnessed your flagrant and absurd displays of inimitable bigotry and intolerant fanaticism. We have always regarded you and your ilk as an assembly of graceless sociopaths and maniacal chauvinists & religious zealots, however benign, who act out for the sake of attention & in the name of religion.

Being such aggressive proponents for the Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Information as we are, we have hitherto allowed you to continue preaching your benighted gospel of hatred and your theatrical exhibitions of, not only your fascist views, but your utter lack of Christ-like attributes. You have condemned the men and women who serve, fight, and perish in the armed forces of your nation; you have prayed for and celebrated the deaths of young children, who are without fault; you have stood outside the United States National Holocaust Museum, condemning the men, women, and children who, despite their innocence, were annihilated by a tyrannical embodiment of fascism and unsubstantiated repugnance. Rather than allowing the deceased some degree of peace and respect, you instead choose to torment, harass, and assault those who grieve.

Your demonstrations and your unrelenting cascade of disparaging slurs, unfounded judgments, and prejudicial innuendos, which apparently apply to every individual numbered amongst the race of Man - except for yourselves - has frequently crossed the line which separates Freedom of Speech from deliberately utilizing the same tactics and methods of intimidation and mental & emotional abuse that have been previously exploited and employed by tyrants and dictators, fascists and terrorist organizations throughout history.

ANONYMOUS cannot abide this behavior any longer. The time for us to be idle spectators in your inhumane treatment of fellow Man has reached its apex, and we shall now be moved to action. Thus, we give you a warning: Cease & desist your protest campaign in the year 2011, return to your homes in Kansas, & close your public Web sites. Should you ignore this warning, you will meet with the vicious retaliatory arm of ANONYMOUS: We will target your public Websites, and the propaganda & detestable doctrine that you promote will be eradicated; the damage incurred will be irreversible, and neither your institution nor your congregation will ever be able to fully recover. It is in your best interest to comply now, while the option to do so is still being offered, because we will not relent until you cease the conduction & promotion of all your bigoted operations & doctrines. The warning has been given. What happens from here shall be determined by you."

You know, we don't condone violence or anything like that, but this Westboro church has been hate mongering for years and this letter is pretty much just giving them back what they have been spewing. KARMA IS A FUCKING BITCH.

YEE-HA! We wish Anonymous all the luck in the world. Shut those despicable mo-fo's down for good! Imagine having the gall to protest visitors of the National Holocaust Museum and to viciously harass grieving parents at funerals. Westboro is proud to hold up signs that read "Thank God for dead soldiers." What scumbags they are.

We wish Anonymous had a donate button. We'd be all in!

Go get 'em. Send them back to their slime pit in Kansas where they belong.

Happy Birthday Alan Rickman!


Happy 60th to Alan Rickman, another one of favorite actors. Rickman has been in over 30 movies. Known for being "The Villian" in most of them - "Die Hard", "Robin Hood", "Harry Potter", he also has an impressive romantic comedy side - "Truly, Madly, Deeply", "Love Actually" AND a hysterically funny side - "Galaxy Quest".

He's been in some of our favorite movies of all time. He stole the entire Robin Hood movie, as the Sherriff of Nottingham, right out from Kevin Costner. We love his line - "Cut his heart out with a spoon! - It'll hurt more!"

This may not be his greatest scene in Galaxy Quest, but by Grapthor's Hammer, it's still good! Check out the all-star cast...





Liam Neeson is #1


The Liam Neeson movie Unknown took the Number One spot in box office sales this weekend.

He is BY FAR one of our favorite actors ever. He's up there with Errol Flynn and Viggo Mortensen.

Some of our favorite Liam Neeson movies include:
Excalibur

The Bounty - A MUST SEE! Anthony Hopkins is at his best as Capt. Bligh

Schindler's List - How can you ever forget the final scene when he breaks down. "I should have done more!"

Nell - This movie gets knocked around a bit, but it's a really great story. And the movie where he met his late wife Natasha Richardson.

Rob Roy - Liam Neeson in a kilt. Need we say more?

Before and After - Another must see! Meryl Streep plays his wife and Neeson is at his peak.

K-19

Batman Begins - What a surprise to see him in this movie. Scene stealer!

Taken

The A-Team - No offense to the ghost of George Peppard but Neeson is at his best as Hannibal Smith

Just last week there was a great article on his voice:

"The Oracle"

Most notable: Liam Neeson

This is the old sage, the gentle authoritarian, the kung fu master, the wise grandfather or God. He can boom omnisciently when he needs to but generally he gives off solid comfort and warmth. Neeson in particular is so authoritative that he never has to trade in his Irish accent to be another nationality. He’s the perfect avenging power dad in schlock like “Taken," a distraught doctor in the upcoming “Unknown," and he’s got Aslan down tight in the “Narnia” films. His vocal performance offers the perfect combination of warm, Jesus-like assurance and moral certainty with the power to roar if the forces of evil rise."

We'll watch or listen to anything he is in...




Neeson's IMDB profile


We're not the only ones who love him. Check out this short but great article out on EW.Com

Sunday, February 20, 2011

America's Most Wanted


We watched America's Most Wanted Saturday night for the first time in over 10 years. Although we never usually watch it, a part of us is happy that the show is still on and continues to catch criminals.

This weeks show was dedicated to catching a few serial killers and although the stories were compelling, The Zodiac Killer, The I-65 Killer, The Grim Sleeper Killer etc., it's sad that these psychos on still on the loose. The Zodiac has been wanted for over 40 years and is still active case. One of the longest in law enforcement history.

The show itself has been on the air continuously for TWENTY THREE YEARS! The total number of thugs caught worldwide is 1,143!

A thousand or so guys may not seem like much but it's over eleven hundred murders, rapists and thugs that are not in your neighborhood or mine anymore. KUDOS to John Walsh.

We couldn't love John Walsh any more than we do. This guy is a true hero. All that is missing is the mask and cape because he is a Superhero.

When his son Adam was beheaded in 1981, he lost his son and in the worst way a parent can lose a child - to the hands of a serial murderer. But to sum it up, that guy really fucked with the wrong guy. Because of that one guys actions, we gained a supreme force of good in the world. John Walsh has spent the last 30 years fighting for YOUR child to make sure it doesn't happen to you or anyone's kid.

He almost single handedly formed and founded The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. God Bless John Walsh. We're sorry for Adam Walsh but its amazing that so good could have come from something so bad.

John Walsh is a suburb example of what a person can accomplish when they set their mind to something. He is "using his powers for good". He is an exemplary American and human being.

Everytime Fox threatens to cancel AMW, law enforcement petitions to keep the show on. They say it is an invaluable resource to catching criminals.

Tune in next Saturday night for America's Most Wanted "50 in 50" where they will profile 50 killers in all 50 states.

http://www.amw.com/

Friday, February 18, 2011

Whale Wars Update

"FUCK YOU, JAPAN"

With the unbelievably awesome news that the Japanese whaling fleet has turned back and OFFICIALLY ended their killing season, what next for Whale Wars?

Well, for one, Paul Watson, Captain of the Sea Shepard fleet has repeatedly said that he is the only reality show star trying to put himself out of business. He'd like nothing more than to know that the whales are safe.

However, like any executive in the world, Animal Planet execs are turning their eyes to the new Sea Sheperd conservation effort...dolphins.

Thanks in part to stars like Hayden Panitierre and the movie The Cove, people around the world were horrified to see the wholesale slaughter of dolphins by the Japanese people. The Japanese have no shame.

The Sea Shepherds are not backing off the whale fleet yet, they are still hot on their tail all the way back to Toyoko, just in case this is an elaborate ruse by the Japanese. Seriously. It wouldn't be beyond them to officially cancel the season, turn around, wait for the Shepherds to leave and then come back for the kill. So the Shepherds are keeping The Bob Barker hot on the trail.

Still, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has recently turned its attention to dolphin hunting in Taiji, Japan. They will be raising public awareness, starting a new campaign and getting the ball rolling in stopping the destruction of the dolphins.

The Sea Shepherds are TRUE HEROES. They risk their lives protecting living things and the idea of something bigger than themselves. Anyone who has been on a sightseeing trip for whales and has seen their majestic beauty knows that there is something wonderful, mystical about these creatures. The same with dolphins. Many a day we've spent at the Jersey Shore (Hey Sitch!) and seen the dolphins swimming the shoreline, gracefully leaping in and out of the water. They are magical. And certainly worth fighting and dying for.

In the meantime, Japan has called on Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands to take "effective measures" against the anti-whaling group, Sea Shepherd. These guys actually want the world to take pity on THEM and are asking that the Sea Shepherds be labeled as terrorists.

The good news is that Australia is taking legal action in the International Court of Justice against Tokyo over whaling.

We all play a part in what happens in our small world. The Southern Ocean may be 12 thousand miles away, but it's really our backyard.

Donate to the Sea Shepherds and make a difference!



What Happened to Beyonce?





<-This is how Beyonce used to look


This is Beyonce today.->


WTF happened to her? Is she going to claim vitaligo like Michael Jackson?

This controversy is causing a lot of anger. People are saying that she is BEY-traying her true race by turning herself in to a white woman.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Last Acceptable Racism

Read the following article on Native Americans and American Society.
It's awesome.

The Last Acceptable Racism



I Went to a Fight and a Hockey Game Broke Out

The NHL is taking a lot of shit lately for it's downward spiral into the 70's fight like no tomorrow culture it used to be.

Once, a lifetime ago, Wayne Gretzky took a lot of flak for decrying the fighting nature in hockey. Mario Lemieux did the same almost 20 years ago and he did again this week. He even said he would step away from the sport if things didn't change.

Since February 2, there have been (this is from an SI article - link below):
a) two goalie fights;
b) three bouts in the first four minutes of a Stars-Bruins game that also included a vicious blindside hit;
c) unbridled brawling between two Original 6 rivals, the Bruins and Canadiens, that included the son of the NHL's dean of discipline as a major combatant flailing away as his elbow pad flapped;
d) a match between the Penguins and Islanders featuring 346 penalty minutes that would have been better handled by a SWAT team than two referees and two linesmen...

That last one was funny as hell. But it leaves the question, what is happening?

For a while, hockey was too politically correct and in a way it does seem strange in this time and age that in the middle of a sporting event it's normal to just drop the gloves and punch someone's lights out. But we like it that way. We remember screaming for blood like a spectator at a Roman Gladiator match...and we are normal civilized people. Aren't we? And it's just the way hockey is..right?


Read more: HERE

Hippopotamus Saves the Day

In a set of unbelievable photos the often maligned Bad Boy of the jungle, the hippopotamus, is shown SAVING a wildebeest that was stuck in the mud of a raging river.

The annual wildebeest migration is underway in Africa and one of the poor fellows got terribly stuck in the mud.

A passing hippo took pity on it and literally bumped it and lifted it out by biting on its neck so it got unstuck.

You have to see it to believe it. And the hippo is MASSIVE. We also think it's a mom as the one picture shows two smaller hippos next to it.

Article Link

Thorpe Park Ghost

An amusement park in England is having troubles with...ghosts.

Thorpe Park is the largest amusement park in England. It's a modern place with roller coasters and everything ala Six Flags here in the US.

The trouble is that parts of it are built on old burial grounds and the entire park is close to the ruins of an old Abbey called Chertsey Abbey. A haunted old Abbey.

There's even an old path called The Monks Walk and that's where the ghostly occurrences are happening.

Work has begun on a new ride on the Monks Walk and the workers there are reporting all kinds of things. So much so that a paranormal group has been called in to help.

"The rides foundations would have been over an area of the park where stone coffins have previously been excavated."

"Managers at the park decided to relocate the ride to another area of the park and also called in a forensic team to carry out further investigations."


Is this all a publicity stunt for the new ride and the park itself? Maybe so. It's also possible the place really is haunted. England reports the highest number of paranormal/ghost sightings in the entire world.

Read the article: News Link

SURVIVOR: Idol Found on First Day + Immediate Sell Out

"Hi, I'm a former federal Agent, wear red underwear,
will annoy you instantly and sell you out at
the first opportunity. Nice to meet you"

You know, we never get bored saying this...Survivor continues to amaze us!

Since we first saw the promos for this show ten years ago, we've never gotten tired of it, never missed an episode and all for good reason. Survivor is the best competitive reality show on television.

First of all, the new tribes didn't seem thrilled to see Russell Hantz drop into their midst. And, oh boy, did Russell have the look of the devil on his face. The tribes looked alternately disgusted and scared of him. On the other side, Boston Rob was greeted as a returning Survivor God. His tribe worships him already and call him their "leader".

Secondly, for the first time ever, a new contestant found the Immunity Idol on the very first day. Of course, she was stupid with it. She shared the Idol secret with another woman, Francesca, and that was okay. Then she showed it to Mr. Crazy. Mr. Crazy is Phillip, a former Federal Agent, who is one of the most annoying Survivors ever. We can't even go into it. You have to see it to believe it. You should have seen him standing all crazy in his red droopy underwear telling everyone what to do. It was a WTF moment.

Kristina, the woman that found the idol on Rob's tribe, showed the idol to Mr. Crazy thinking that as a Federal Agent he'd be able to keep a secret. WRONGO!

In what was the most entertaining Tribal Council of all time (and there have been plenty) Phillip got mad at Kristina and Francesca and told everyone Kristina had the idol and wanted to send Rob home. Way to go, dude. Everyone's jaw just about hit the ground, including Jeff Probst. It was fucking crazy. Kristina looked like she wanted to kill Phillip and then just die. He sold out his alliance at the very first opportunity. And at Tribal! What a complete asshole. No wonder he is a "former" Federal Agent. He probably got on the phone with Saddam Hussein to argue about a sandwich and told him the whole "shock and awe" thing was going to happen.

All hell broke loose and then Boston Rob asked her for the idol. Just out and out said "Give it to me and you won't go home." Kristina actually handed the idol to Rob and when she turned down his offer, he gave it back. She got three votes at Tribal and probably would've have gone home but everyone thought she would play the idol and didn't waste all their votes on her. She didn't play the idol, held onto it and her friend, the other woman, Francesca, went home instead. Why they didn't vote out Phillip, AKA Mr. Crazy is beyond comprehension.

Meanwhile, the funny thing throughout Tribal was the fact that Mr. Secret Agent, couldn't pronounce the name Francesca. He kept stumbling all over it. This guy is a pisser.

Now, Francesca awaits the next cast-off at Redemption Island.

Back to Russell, for a moment. He's up to his old tricks and his tribe is onto him. The majority want him off asap. They even call him a "cancerous poison" But Russell still has luck on his side. His tribe won the challenge, did not go to Tribal and the longer he stays, the more castaways he'll ensnare in his trap. They didn't get Russell voted out that minute and so he'll be sticking around. We like it that way. Man is he fun to watch. What an arrogant, amusing SOB.


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

SURVIVOR: Redemption Island Tonight



Be sure to tune in to another season of SURVIVOR tonight on CBS 8pm EST...

Boston Rob, Russell Hantz + 16 other new contestants will vie for the million dollar prize.

The twist: When a Survivor gets voted off, they go to Redemption Island and await the next voted off castaway. Then the two will compete to stay in the game and on Redemption Island. Last castaway still standing on Redemption Island will be let back into the game to try again for the million.

Also in returning reality TV: Amazing Race will be back this Sunday night on CBS at 8pm EST and on March 6th a new Celebrity Apprentice. This one looks to be VERY good. The promos are off the hook. No one usually messes with Gary Busey but they are showing commercials with Meatloaf just screaming his head off at him. Can't wait!

Ronnie James Dio: Spectrum Live 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

This is the GREATEST ROCK ANTHEM OF ALL TIME.

Two things to note here:
1) The Title of his special is on this video:
"DIO, A Special from The Spectrum" and
2) At the end, he gives a little speech to Philly about how he loved us and always opened and closed his tours here.

WE LOVE YOU RONNIE! R.I.P. RJD
\m/
MAY YOU REST IN PEACE and MAY GOD BE AS GREAT TO YOU AS YOU WERE TO US!

Our thoughts are with your beloved widow, Wendy and your late cat Jack with whom you were reunited with on the other side...You fucking rock and are the BEST OF ALL TIME!

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "STAND UP AND SHOUT"

You've got desire -So let it out
You've got the fire -Stand up and shout!
You are the strongest chain
And not just some reflection
So never hide again
You are the driver- You own the road
You are the fire go on explode!





Note: We personally met Dio at the Tower Theater back in 1991. He was the most gracious celebrity we have ever met. He signed things for us and thanked us for being fans. I told him he was a master lyricist and the best ever and repeatedly tried to thank him. He just hugged me and said "thank you, thank you. It's you I have to thank". We left walking on air and bragged about it for MONTHS. We're so very thankful for that experience and will never forget. To think that that was 20 years ago just completely blows my mind.

Our hero worship for DIO is on the next level. We will forever do a DIO tribute twice a year - on his birthday (7/10) and anniversary of passing (5/16).

Ronnie James Dio: Spectrum Live 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "Egypt: The Chains Are On"

Regarding the fact the Egypt has been in the news every night for the last 2 weeks, this song is super-appropriate. No one does anything better than DIO!

Ronnie James Dio: Spectrum Live 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's is the one and only, the great "Last in Line"

This is our favorite Dio song of all time. We dare you to not rock out!

BREAKING NEWS: JAPAN SUSPENDS WHALE HUNT!

The whaling ship Yushin Maru


We interrupt our Ronnie James Dio Spectrum tribute to bring you the BEST BREAKING NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Sea Sheperd's have successfully SHUT DOWN JAPANS WHALING HUNT!

Of course, the Japanese plan on re-starting "as soon as its safe."
News Flash: It will never be safe as long as the Sheperds are around!

NEWS ARTICLE

From SEA SHEPERD.org

Japanese Whalers Escorted out of the Whaling Grounds
The Japanese whaling fleet is heading eastward at full speed and is now east of the boundary for their whaling grounds. The eastern boundary of the Japanese whaling operations is 145 degrees west. The whaling ships and the two Sea Shepherd ships are now at 72 degrees south and 133 degrees west on a course of 145 degrees. With the Bob Barker and the Gojira in pursuit, the Nisshin Maru continues to head eastward at 14 knots.

Both the whaling ships and the Sea Shepherd ships Bob Barker and the Gojira are now closer to South America than to New Zealand and Australia. This position is 3000 nautical miles southeast of Hobart, Australia and 1700 miles southwest of Patagonia, Argentina.

The Nisshin Maru is making erratic course changes. “It’s like they spin the bottle every watch to see what course to set,” said Captain of the Bob Barker Alex Cornelissen. “There is no rationality in these course changes. They go east, then south, then west, then north and then back east again. In short, they are burning quite a bit of fuel, going absolutely nowhere, and without being able to kill a single whale.”

The Steve Irwin is southeast bound, out of Wellington, en route to rendezvous in about a week with the other two Sea Shepherd ships and the Japanese whaling fleet."


THIS IS FUCKING AWESOME!
WE ARE WHOLEHEARTEDLY CELEBRATING!
Congrats to Captain Paul and his brave fleet!

Thanks to the Sheperds HUNDREDS of whales will NOT be killed and are now free to enjoy their sanctuary.

Ronnie James Dio: Spectrum Live 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "Heaven and Hell" This is from his Black Sabbath years and one of Sabbath's greatest songs. Ronnie replaced Ozzy Osbourne when Sabbath kicked Ozzy out of the band.

Ronnie's guitar player is the great Vivian Campbell. One of the best!

Ronnie James Dio: The Spectrum 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "Don't Talk to Strangers".

HANDS DOWN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE DIO SONGS EVER!
He really rocks it out in this one...
Look for the slow start and then BAM! HEAVY METAL BITE AND CRUNCH!

"Don't write in starlight for the words may come out real"

Ronnie James Dio: The Spectrum 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

This song was Ronnie's most successful commercial effort so even the non metal-heads amongst you might recognize it.

Here's "Rainbow in the Dark"

Ronnie James Dio: The Spectrum 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "WE ROCK" - One of the best anthems ever!

Ronnie James Dio: The Spectrum 1984

In honor of The Spectrum and Ronnie James Dio we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "The Mob Rules"


Ronnie James Dio: Spectrum Live 1984

No one...NO ONE...was as talented, awesome and respected as the Great Ronnie James Dio. His voice stands alone as the best in the business. Deep, resonant and sincere, Ronnie's voice has the ability to lift your spirit. In fact, his voice is universally accepted as the MOST powerful in all of heavy metal. His music, his incomparable music, is as inspiring and just as great today as it was back when he composed it. He was talented in every way. No one loved their fans more than Ronnie and he showed it and proved it time and again. He was the consummate showman.

He will forever be missed more than he could ever imagine or more than we could even imagine, for when we listen to his music we are again transported into his world - a world of magic and mystery - and we want to stay there and relive it over and over again.

R.I.P Ronnie James Dio - you will LIVE FOREVER!

In honor of The Spectrum and Ronnie we are posting all of his YouTube Spectrum footage today.

TURN IT UP AND ENJOY!

Here's "MYSTERY"

The Philadelphia Spectrum


All Hail The Spectrum! Currently undergoing a not-so-successful demolition because that bad ass building is as tough as the Broad Street Bullies, the Philadelphia Spectrum will forever live on for fans of sport and music.

We went to so many events at the Spectrum we could never count them. Season ticket holders for both the Flyers and the Phantoms hockey teams saw us there sometimes 5 times a month.

We were too young to attend the games where the Flyers won the Stanley Cup and the never-to-forget games where the Flyers beat the hell out of the then indomitable Red Army. In fact, at that game, the Flyers slammed the Russians so hard, the entire Red Army walked off the ice saying "they don't want to even play hockey, they just want to fight." This was years before the Miracle on Ice game at the Olympics and in the hey day of the Broad Street Bullies.

Kate Smith made the song "God Bless America" cool again there and there was and still is a movement to make that song our National Anthem. God Bless Kate Smith.

The Philadelphia Wings won most of their Championship Tournaments there.

We did however, see the Phantoms win the Calder Cup there, TWICE!, and that was AMAZING! Have you ever hugged and partied with 23,000 strangers that became instant friends?

We also saw so many AWESOME concerts there including the great Iron Maiden concert with the giant sailing ship constructed just for "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" and we swear that thing was 100 feet long if it was one.

Not to mention the great censorship concert by Rage Against the Machine in which the band stripped down naked, putting duck tape over their mouths and just stood there for half an hour. Classic!

But there were so many more concerts: The Who, Cream (playing their last show ever), The Doors (It was recorded and released as Doors Live in Philadelphia 1970), Yes played 32 times there!, Aerosmith 23 times!, Bruce Springsteen practically made it his home and the night after John Lennon was killed he played a marathon 3 1/2 hour concert dedicating it to John and ending the show with a one time performance of "Twist and Shout", Genesis with Phil Collins played there frequently in the 1980's, Kiss, Billy Joel (he played there so often he had a banner hung from the rafters), AC/DC, Adam Ant, Skid Row, Alice in Chains with Van Halen, Anthrax, The Beach Boys, The Beastie Boys, Chuck Berry, Black Sabbath, Tina Turner, Boston, Quiet Riot, David Bowie, Johnny Cash (played twice in the '70s), Ray Charles (6 times!), Snoop Dog with Eminem, The Scorpions with Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, THE GRATEFUL DEAD, and of course, the great Ronnie James Dio. EVERYONE PLAYED THERE!

Here is the full list and dates of the ALL the Spectrum concerts

We were fortunate enough to see Dio there in '87. The concert with the giant fighting robots. You just don't get that kind of show anymore.

In tribute to The Spectrum and the Great Ronnie James Dio we will be posting his 1984 Spectrum concert footage - ALL DAY.

God Bless America and Long Live The Spectrum!


REMEMBER THE SPECTRUM

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Is The Pharaoh in Trouble? - UPDATED - Yes, He is in Deep S***


Headlining The Daily Grail Front Page is the story of how The Big Z might be facing his last days in office!? This is good and bad. We know Dr. Zahi Hawass is the worst technical archaeologist on record and is arrogant and racist. We also know that he is totally unique and has such zeal and passion it has to be admired. He is also a tough son of a bitch and at 70+ years old can still trek 8 miles across the desert while bitching at others to shut the hell up and keep moving.

If he leaves the world will never be the same! Who will we write about every day with such simultaneous revulsion and affection?

"An acquaintance of his who visited him today at his office while protesters outside bayed for his downfall described the usually supremely confident archaeologist as "shattered" by recent events, and said most of his books and personal papers have already been moved out of the office."

OH NO!

Read the article "The Fall of The Pharaoh" HERE at The Daily Grail

UPDATE:
It's worse than we thought! The Mubarak corruption has left Egyptian archaeologists out of work for so long they are now storming the gates of the Ministry of Antiquities. In fact, all labor unions are on strike.

From Sky News at News.sky.com:

"Inside we were trying to interview celebrity Egyptologist turned government minister Dr Zahi Hawass. Our interview was interrupted by his secretary.

"The crowd is trying to break down the gates and climb in," she told him anxiously.

Dr Hawass phoned the army to ask for protection and then the Interior Ministry. He told the army commander the mob had been organised by the Muslim Brotherhood.

"It's chaos," he told us. "The revolution will destroy Egypt. It's happening everywhere. How can I suddenly give all these people jobs."

As we left the crowd forced the gates and stormed the forecourt shouting: "Give us work." "


Full article Here


“Get out,” chanted a crowd of 150 archaeology graduates outside Hawass’ office on Monday. The protest was highly personal: demonstrators called Hawass a “showman” who seeks publicity and has little regard for the thousands of archaeology students who are unable to find work in their field.

This certainly spells doom for Zahi. If he makes it out of this one, he will forever be cemented into the annals of history as the True Pharaoh of Egypt. Allahu Akbar!


MORE UPDATES:

"The rally was raucous but peaceful. Several soldiers blocked protesters from entering the Supreme Council of Antiquities building in the Zamalek district on an island in the Nile that was largely spared the chaos that gripped Cairo. An armored personnel carrier parked in the street, a helmeted soldier poking out of a hatch.

The minister did not appear, and a roar of disapproval swept the crowd when someone said he had slipped out the back door. Then there was a rumor, unconfirmed but no less damaging to his image, that his car had clipped a pedestrian. The protesters dispersed at dusk, and promised to return.

The graduates said the antiquities ministry had offered them three-month contracts at 450 Egyptian pounds ($75) a month, hardly enough to survive. They noted that Egypt's tourism industry is a major foreign currency earner, and yet it was unclear how exactly the government was spending the income.

A foreign tourist spends up to 160 Egyptian pounds ($27) to visit the pyramids of Giza and descend into a tomb there, said 25-year-old Said Hamid. Multiply that, he said, by the thousands who used to visit daily until upheaval drove away foreign visitors and plunged the lucrative industry into crisis.

"Where is the money?" said Hamid, a 2007 graduate who works in a travel agency but specialized in restoration of artifacts as a student."

The people are calling for his resignation. This Hamid, makes a spectacular point. Where is the money, Dr. Hawass? In the Swiss vault next to Mubarak's? WOW!