Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Sports: Quotes of 2008

Mark emailed us this Guardian blog post with a sports quote of the year:
His classic reply to a journalist who asked "What does Chris Hoy think of Chris Hoy?" - "Chris Hoy thinks that the day Chris Hoy refers to Chris Hoy in the third person is the day that Chris Hoy disappears up his own arse."

(The item at the end of the post about Lance Armstrong is even better.)

The Irish Times has their sports quote of the year. Best Colemanballs quote:

"Paul Maloney has a look between his legs and he will like what he sees." - Channel 4's Derek Thompson on a race at Taunton. Lest you were wondering, Maloney's nag was leading by a distance.

Best put-down of an individual:
"Dirk Kuyt is earning himself the reputation as Anfield's Prince Harry - in the frontline for three months and no one knows anything about it." - Sun reporter Phil Thomas on Liverpool's hit-and-miss Dutchman.

Best put-down of a nation:
"They've won 40 per cent of their medals in cycling - if only there was snooker, darts and a dog show." - NBC presenter Jim Lampley on Britain's success at the Olympic Games.

Best joke by a septuagenarian:
"Ooh, Carol Vorderman, I like her. I was watching Countdown last week and I got aroused . . . seven letters wasn't a bad score, I thought." - BBC golf commentator Peter Alliss very, very nearly causing us to lose our lunch.

For more US-centric quotes, try the Chicago Daily Herald:

Herman Edwards, coach of the struggling Kansas City Chiefs, on whether he's a candidate for the job at San Diego State: "I've got a college team now."

Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics coach, after being asked how long Kevin Garnett would be out with a strained abdominal muscle: "You know Doc's a nickname, correct?"

This Arsenal fan site has a few good ones:

'They've kicked our backsides. Now we've got to lick our wounds' - Steve Bruce gives an unedifying image.

The BBC has their list, too:

"Brock's a big bloke, isn't he? If you found him in bed with your girlfriend, you'd tuck him in!" Ricky Hatton during the Brock Lesnar-Randy Couture Mixed Martial Arts fight.

"I've never been one for stats and milestones, I just try to do the best for my team. I'm the third fastest person in the history of the game to get 10,000." Ricky Ponting showed remarkable knowledge for someone who was not one for stats and milestones.

John Motson: "Bramall Lane is a fantastic place, and I believe one of the only grounds to host an FA Cup final and Test Match cricket." Mark Lawrenson: "Stay in last night did you, John?" During Sheffield United v Middlesbrough

The O.C. Register has a slideshow:

"I can't screw up Alabama. We're 48th in everything and Arkansas and Mississippi aren't going anywhere." - Charles Barkley, on his plans to run for governor.

"Manny Ramirez is not here. His grandmother must have died again." - President George W. Bush, at the White House ceremony honoring the champion Red Sox.

Music: Gramercy Arms

The always reliable Chromewaves recommends (somewhat lukewarmly) Gramercy Arms. Perfect listening for this lull between Christmas and New Years. (Co-produced by Nathan Larson, who is Mr. Nina Persson. Very excited about the new A Camp record coming to the US on April 28th.)

Gramercy Arms even have a Christmas song with the singer from Mascott.

Probably unrelated: Rick Danko and Robbie Robertson stayed at the Gramercy Arms Hotel.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Covers: "Jailbreak"

Norway's Susanna (of Susanna and the Magical Orchestra) has recorded a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Jailbreak" on her new CD. Bonnie "Prince" Billy is on backing vocals.

The Cardigans covered "The Boys Are Back In Town", so we can infer that all female Scandinavian singers like Thin Lizzy.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

YouTube: "This Old House"

Songs called "This Old House" (or "Ole" or "Ol'").

Sports: Coach Facial Expressions

Shells adds the scowl of an old college basketball coach, Eddie Sutton.

Monday, November 24, 2008

YouTube: "Whole Wide World"

This is a little gem: Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby live in Dallas playing his biggest song, "Whole Wide World", as seen in "Stranger Than Fiction".

The original - how young he was when he was young!

Cover by Irish singer Gemma Hayes - "Ah, shite!"

Cover by the Monkees - is that Mickey singing?

Cover by the Proclaimers, proving (despite what Mike Myers might say) that something can be Scottish AND crap.

Cover by Laptop - at least he's trying to do something different with it.

Guitar lesson - only two chords!

Sports: NFL Coach Facial Expressions

Sure, Bill Cowher's scowl was disturbing, the way the down-turned corners of his mouth appeared to go all the way to the edge of his face, like a pissed off Beaker.

And Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden has a really scary angry face.

But the one that gives me the willies is Saints coach Sean Payton when he sucks in his cheeks and purses his lips. (Yeah, he does look like Kenny Chesney. And I guess the look might be stolen from Zoolander.)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

YouTube: Local 80s Acts

Hey, remember the '80s? Doctor Proctor, Kansas City, MO band on local TV, circa 1984. Worth it just to see the lead singer. Wonder whatever happened to the bass player?

Here's a more sophisticated Connecticut band, Disturbance, from 1983.

Maryland, 1985, and Butch Willis and the Rocks - you have to see the back-up singer's technique. This may be the best song I've heard today.

In a different league is this Atlanta band, The Raves - good McCartney impression!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Nitpicking: "Literally" 2

Okay, we've been here before, but Eric emailed me this Jerry Jones quote about Adam Jones: "He's literally on a high wire without a net."

And on "The Daily Show" tonight, conservative author Christopher Buckley said that after he publicly backed Obama, "quite literally, all hell broke loose."

And in the Obama piece, he writes about his editor, "As for Kathleen, she has to date received 12,000 (quite literally) foam-at-the-mouth hate-emails."

I can't decide if misusing "quite literally" is worse than misusing plain "literally", or not. Depends if you're speaking American English or English English:

Quite is used differently in English English and American English. American English tends to use the old meaning of 'absolutely, completely', whereas English English tends to use quite as a sort of begrudging 'fairly, adequately but...'.

There is a blog tracking misuse of "Literally", but they haven't posted since August.

(A Joe Biden speech - and may I say that Biden's prediction of an international crisis early in an Obama presidency was a huge gaffe, not because of any doubts that may be planted in voters' minds about Obama but because it confirms what a self-important windbag old Joe is. "Mark my words...Remember I said it standing here, if you don't remember anything else I said...I promise you it will occur. As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it's going happen. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate." The CNN report ends with: Biden appeared to forget Sunday night's fundraiser wasn't closed to reporters, saying, "I probably shouldn't have said all this because it dawned on me that the press is here." It's not too late to dump Biden and pick Marlee Matlin.)

Small Towns: Hutchinson, KS

Wow! Someone actually walks in Hutchinson, Kansas! "If they're having dinner out, she and her husband walk to the restaurant just like a couple in New York City." Goll-ee! Demerit for using the phrase "more unique".

The courthouse in Reno County had a bad smell. "Some witnesses, including Schroeder, an Oklahoma grad, likened it to a dead KU Jayhawk." Now why would a Kansan go to OU? That doesn't make sense.

Hutch (as I like to call it) was the birthplace for composer Steven Stucky. He's on YouTube!

And look! A cute college girl from Hutch!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Beverages: Zima

RIP Zima. Used as the punchline in 9 Top Ten lists, most in 1994 and 1995. Never tried it.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

YouTube: Road Songs

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Lyrics Quiz: Save

Here's one I've been "saving" up. #1-7 have "Save" or "Saving" in the title. #8-12 don't.

  1. "And you wanted to dance, so I asked you to dance. But fear is in your soul. Some people call it a one night stand. But we can call it paradise."
  2. "We try to hustle them, try to bustle them, try to cuss them. The cops want someone to bust down on Orleans Avenue."
  3. "When I think of those East End lights, muggy nights. The curtains drawn in the little room downstairs. Prima Donna. Lord, you really should have been there. Sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair."
  4. "Sooner or later, your legs give way, you hit the ground."
  5. "Its not very easy, living all alone. My friends try and tell me, find a man of my own. But each time I try, I just break down and cry, 'cause Id rather be home feeling blue."
  6. "Go on and close the curtains, 'cause all we need is candle light. You and me and a bottle of wine. Going to hold you tonight. Well we know I'm going away, and how I wish, I wish it weren't so. So take this wine and drink with me. Let's delay our misery."
  7. "Though it hurts to go away, it's impossible to stay. But there's one thing I must say before I go. I love You (I love you). You know." (Video clue)
  8. "There are many things that I would like to say to you, but I don't know how. Because maybe you're gonna be the one who saves me."
  9. "Jack, he is a banker. And Jane, she is a clerk. And both of them save their money when they come home from work."
  10. "And some have sailed from a distant shore. And the company takes what the company wants. And nothing's as precious as a hole in the ground. Who's gonna save me?" (Not "Who's gonna shave me?" as some thought at the time.)
  11. "Like a worm on a hook. Like a knight from some old fashioned book. I have saved all my ribbons for thee."
  12. "Don’t help me - I can save myself. If I’m incomplete, don’t fill the gaps. Save me from the people who would save me from myself."

Bonus: The Triffids, "Save What You Can" video.
Well it doesn't look much like we'll see the New Year,
'Cos all the bright young faces are here.
And I can't see us rising to their occasion any more.
No, not their Christmas cheer.

Time is against us, even love conspires to disgrace us.
And with things being what they are ...
Yes and things being what they are

Oh my friend, we used to walk in the flames.
Now somebody's taken my arms.
The shadows are taller, you're missing your halo.
With your face in the half-light you look like a stranger.

You made me catch my breath just then,
You made me catch my breath.
Is that you... is that still you?

If you cannot run, then crawl.
If you can leave, then leave it all.
If you don't get caught, then steal it all.
If you don't get caught, then steal it all.
Steal it all.

The final time we touch,
I watch as you enter the church.
You turn and you wave, then you kneel and you pray.
And you save of yourself what you can save.

If you cannot run, then crawl.
If you can leave, then leave it all.
If you don't get caught, then steal it all.
If you don't get caught, then steal it all.
Steal it all.

And between ourselves, and the end at hand,
Save what you can.

(Official website)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Music: Dukes

Monday, October 13, 2008

Advertising: Sharp

Why is Sharp using that freaky albino scientist (Dr. Gerard Fasel, in their TV ads? He's almost as creepy as the Lipitor guy. Apparently, he'll play an albino security guard in a movie.

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Internet: Google 2001

Google is celebrating their 10th anniversary by allowing users to search their oldest available index (from January 2001). A search for "Sarah Palin" returns zero matches. "Paris Hilton" returns one result about the "teen beauty" followed by many results for the hotel.

Video: "Take On Me"

Literal version of aHa's "Take On Me".

Religion: Yom Kippur

Last year on Yom Kippur, I went to see a Keira Knightley movie with a rabbi and the Prime Minister of Israel. The ticket collector at the cinema let them in, but then put out her arm to stop me following. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, "but this is the Jewish day of 'Atonement'."

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Obituaries: Jerry Reed

Reuters obituary for country singer Jerry Reed. Live performances of "When You're Hot, You're Hot" and "A Thing Called Love". He was in "Smokey And The Bandit" (as well as performing the theme song). And he even appeared in Scooby Doo.

Obituaries: Don LaFontaine

Washington Post tribute to movie trailer voiceover artiste Don LaFontaine. (Via The Rich Girls Are Weeping.)

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Politics: Sarah Palin


  • Sarah Palin's Vlog (actually, comedian Sara Benincasa). "I'm a mother of five..five children I had myself." (Via Wonkette, which has taken to calling her a "snowbilly".)
  • Fake blog: The PalinDrome (cute). Guest post from "Todd", addressed to his pregnant daughter: "I will admit I was worried at first about this fiancey of yours. I mean Levi, thats not a normal name like Trapper or Hunter or Trigger or Scout."
  • The Guardian offers two actual palindromes.
  • The L.A. Times asks who'll play her in inevitable TV movie. No surprise - Tina Fey has a commanding lead.
  • Did McCain wince when he heard her screechy voice for the first time? Check out this video at about the 2:05 mark. And 4:12. She needs the same voice training they gave Margaret Thatcher. And why does McCain keep tugging on his ring finger?
  • The Anchorage Daily News has an article about her ex-brother-in-law, State Trooper Mike Wooten. Worth reading just for the subheading, "TASING THE STEPSON". That sounds like it should be a euphemism for something.
  • Updated 9/3: McCain has called Palin "spectacular". Must be a "Seinfeld" fan.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Lyrics Quiz: Mystery Theme 4

A "mystery theme" quiz from Eric:

  1. Mid-west farmer's daughters really make you feel all right.
  2. Stopped into a church, I passed along the way. Well I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray.
  3. They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast.
  4. Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow, I think I might be sinking.
  5. Marry me girl, be my fairy to the world, be my very own constellation.

Bonus: alphabetical lyrics quiz by Matthew Baldwin. I don't know about you, but this quiz really does a number on my brain!

Friday, August 29, 2008

Internet: Sexy People

OK, this is just mean: Sexy People - but the picture of the Cousins will bring a smile to your face. And what's with these Dutch girls with tiara and sceptre? (Via Defamer.)

Saturday, August 23, 2008

YouTube: Neil Diamond Covers

Covers of Neil Diamond songs.

Models: Sunshine Tutt

Eric broke the sad news that ex-SNL star Chris Kattan is separating from his model wife of two months, Sunshine Tutt.

Signs that the marriage was doomed from the start:

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Sports: Appropriate Olympics Names

Eric points out that Men's 100m winner Usain Bolt has a most appropriate name. Although Dolt would suit him better. I cannot understand why you would ease up at the end of a race, no matter how big your lead. Wanker.

There's a female US runner (400m) called DeeDee Trotter.

New Zealand has a rower named George Bridgewater.

Australia has a Shooting competitor (a marksman) named Russell Mark. (Thank God he's not called Mark Russell.)

French cyclist Cecile Rode.

Does British swimmer Liam Tancock practise the backstroke in the nude? Perhaps with Aussie swimmer Natalie Titcume?

I hope Japan's kayaker Yuriko Takeshita does not have an appropriate name (even if Lisa Simpson could make an anagram out of it).

Music: Ryan Adams

Ryan Adams has a new place for his crazy shit: drawings, tributes to his guitars, old photos, strange videos, incomprehensible gibberish. Here is a supposed Heavy Metal song, "Love Woman" by Sleazy Handshake - presumably Ryan his own self. "Stand Up (On My Nuts)" is better.

Sunday, August 03, 2008

YouTube: Recent Videos

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Thursday Miscellany

Mixum-gatherum of stories from around the web, with a heavy porn flavour.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Harpists: Merry Miller

Remember that embarrassing cable TV interview with Holly Hunter from a year ago? The interviewer, Merry Miller, is also an accomplished harpist. She makes music for babies.

I hope this new endeavour helps her overcome her moment of infamy. Sadly, it didn't work for Bill Buckner when he released an album of sea shanties played on the spoons.

Blogs: Patanoia

Time for a new slogan for Patanoia, and time to retire "Compressed knitters humbling formica - reassured against the against, again with the sideswipe." It had a good run.

Emergency Calls: Drunk British Woman

Gizmodo has audio of a drunk British woman calling 999 and asking when the internet started, "me darlin'". As they say, the operator is amazingly polite.

More Avon & Somerset Police videos.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Lyrics Quiz: Remember


  1. Do you remember there was a time (ahaha) when people on the street were walking hand in hand in hand. They used to talk about the weather, making plans together. Days would last forever.
  2. Think of me as one you'd never figured would fade away so young, with so much left undone. Remember me to my love, I know I'll miss her.
  3. That's 'Retha Franklin. She don't remember the Queen of Soul.
  4. For the life of me, I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise.
  5. I remember way back then, when everything was true, and when we would have such a very good time. Such a fine time. Such a happy time.
  6. I've played all kinds of palaces, and laid all kinds of girls. I can't remember faces, I don't remember names. Ah, but what the hell. You know it's just as well, 'cause after a while and a thousand miles it all becomes the same.
  7. I can almost remember their funny faces that time you told them that you were going to be marrying.
  8. Here as I sit at this empty cafe thinking of you, I remember all those moments lost in wonder that we'll never find again.
  9. So long ago, I don't remember when, that's when they say I lost my only friend. Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease, as I listened through the cemetery trees.
  10. Remember what the dormouse said. Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head.

Monday, June 30, 2008

YouTube: Pop Stars Falling


Bonus: models falling down.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Sports: Euro 2008

A Euro 2008 round-up.

  • I had blamed ESPN for the useless statistics flashed on-screen, but now that I'm back in Ireland, I realise they are part of the official TV feed. A typical example showed that one team led the other 4-3 in being caught Offside. And what's up with showing how many kilometers a player has covered during the game? And how do they measure it?
  • At least I have escaped Tommy Smyth. Choice Tommy quote: "It's amazing the way the game can change with the flick of an eye."
  • Now I can hear proper football commentary - a rollcall of players' names as they pass the ball around. Just the way God meant it to be.
  • All the commentators were very careful how they pronounced the name of Russian midfielder Zhirkov. Hard to hear it without thinking of the joke about the manager who told the player he'd pull him off at half time. Too bad Zhirkov didn't get to play in Bern's Wankdorf Stadium.
  • I do think it's highly insensitive of ESPN to call their Spanish-language channel ESPN Deportees. The vast majority of Latinos in the US are there legally.
  • Match the players with their country.
    Petit   Germany
    Roger Guerreiro   Sweden
    Lukas Podolski   Poland
    Zlatan Ibrahimović   Portugal

  • Lookalike: Italian coach (already fired) Roberto Donadoni and Flaming Lips leader Wayne Coyne.
  • I was going to post another lookalike of Franck Ribery and the face-melting Nazi from Indiana Jones, but apparently Ribery was in a bad car accident when he was a kid. As a result, he can only grow a sideburn on one side of his head.
  • Football is being ruined by one thing: shirt-pulling. There should be an immediate red card for anyone caught tugging another player's shirt. Video replays should be used to enforce the rule. The only alternative is that all players must wear oven mitts.
  • None of the kits blew me away. I liked the retro look of the German kit. And the numbers on the Dutch shirts crack me up - they look like someone made them from strips of electrical tape. The English Premier League has a standard set of numbers that everyone must use. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was delighted by Germany's typeface in Euro 1996. (But he doesn't like the Dutch "toilet paper numbers.)
  • Best ESPN quote was from Adrian Healey when the Netherlands added a fourth goal against France: "It's a Dutch Oven, and the French are toast."

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Music: Action Biker

I'm not mad about her synthy backing music, but I'm smitten with the Swedish singer who goes by the name Action Biker (born Sarah Nyberg Pergament). In the second half of this video she conjugates French verbs to a ye-ye beat. (You can hear it at her MySpace too.) She sings three songs in this video, just her head singing to the camera. (The first song reminds me very much of early Cardigans.)

One of her many other projects is The Dreamers.

Unrelated: a 3-year-old explains "Star Wars".

Quiz: Presidential Relatives

Eric supplies this quiz. Name the President (or Predidential candidate) who is associated with each relative (some of these are merely metaphorical):

  1. Crazy Uncle in the attic
  2. Crazy Aunt in the basement
  3. Uncle Joe
  4. Straying Sisters
  5. Billy Beer

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Literature: Clandestine

Read At Work offers a clever interface to read public domain poems and short stories at work. (Via Largehearted Boy.)

Monday, May 26, 2008

Lyrics Quiz: I'm Not


  1. "I'm not aware of too many things. I know what I know, if you know what I mean."
  2. "I'm not the kind of girl who gives up just like that. Oh, no."
  3. "I'm not big on social graces. Think I'll slip on down to the Oasis."
  4. "Well I'm not the world's most physical guy, but when she sqeezed me tight she
    nearly broke my spine."
  5. "I'm not a drowning man! And I'm not a burning building! (I'm a tumbler!)"
  6. "I'm not sleeping - oh, no, no."
  7. "And I'm not a man who likes to swear, but I never cared for the sound of bein' alone."
  8. "I'm not a prophet or a stone age man. Just a mortal with the potential of a superman."
  9. "I'm not the kind that needs to tell you just what you want me to."
  10. "I'm not sayin' this just to be nasty. I sincerely wanna f*** the taste outta your mouth."

Eric adds:

11. I'm not the one who's coming back for more. You know why, been through this so many times.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Baseball: Promotions

Best sports promotion ever: miniature bathroom stall with a "bobblefoot" being given out by the St. Paul Saints. (They're having a "Moment Of Noise" tribute to Marcel Marceaut tonight.) One of these giveaways is already on eBay, and bidding is currently at $102.50.

Sports Illustrated (from 2004) lists the Top 10 Minor League Promotions, half of which were run by Mike Veeck teams.

Mental Floss lists "Five Ballpark Promotions That Went Wrong". Includes the Cleveland Indians' "10 Cent Beer Night" for a game against your Texas Rangers.

YouTube: Recent Music

After those nostalgic "Remember The Eighties?" videos, how about some brand spanking new ones?

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

YouTube: 80s Acts

I suddenly had a hankering to hear "Driving Away From Home" by It's Immaterial, and luckily YouTube was there to satisfy. ("Ed's Funky Diner" is also worth hearing.)

And while we're in Liverpool in the '80s, "Hollow Horse" by the Icicle Works.

I could only find this version of "Soul Train" by Swansway - interesting, but not as good as the single version. Two of them later formed Scarlet Fantastic and had a hit with "No Memory".

Another great '80s single: "Heart And Soul" by T'Pau. (Didn't know that was a Star Trek reference.)

Roddy Frame covers "Jump".

This doesn't have a proper video, but it's such a great song: "Return To Yesterday" by the Lilac Time.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Lyrics Quiz: Alliteration

A little alliteration can really enliven a lyric. Which artists recorded these gems?

  1. "Some silicone sister with a manager mister told me I got what it takes."
  2. "It's not 'natural', 'normal' or kind, the flesh you so fancifully fry."
  3. "And if it snows, that stretch down south won't ever stand the strain."
  4. "We got the bubble-headed bleach-blonde who comes on at five."
  5. "Chickity China the Chinese chicken. You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin'."
  6. "Wordlessly watching, he waits by the window and wonders at the empty place inside."
  7. "A little old lady got mutilated late last night."
  8. "FDA, big bankers buying. Fake computer crashes, dining."

Music: Camille

Recommended if you like French pop, art-funk and quirky vocals: Camille and her new album "Music Hole". She was one of the vocalists for Nouvelle Vague.

She's well represented on YouTube:

Sunday, May 11, 2008

YouTube: Tindersticks

Tindersticks have a new album out, "The Hungry Saw" (but not in the US yet).

Here's a selection of videos to tide us over.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Lookalikes: Ron Wilson

Here's a coaching lookalike that Shell can't pooh-pooh. San Jose Sharks coach Ron Wilson and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" actor Jamey Sheridan.

On the subject of ice hockey, who has the worst broken nose in the sport? Stéphane Robidas. (I tried translating this French blog into English using Babel Fish, and the name "Pat Brisson" came out as "Stalemate Brisson". Also, the Stars "occupy at present the 3e row of Pacifique division behind powerful Ducks d' Anaheim and Sharks de San Jose"

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Movie Quote Quiz: God


  1. "God has a hard-on for Marines, because we kill everything we see. He plays His games, we play ours."
  2. "You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do."
  3. "Blame is for God and small children."
  4. "The Christians are so poor..." "How poor are they?" "Thank you. They are so poor that they only have one God. But we Romans are rich. We've got a lot of gods. We've got a god for everything. The only thing we don't have a god for is premature ejaculation...but I hear that's coming quickly."
  5. "We're on a mission from God."
  6. "Whether or not what we experienced was an According to Hoyle miracle is insignificant. What is significant is that I felt the touch of God. God got involved."
  7. "The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer Colonel Nathan R. Jessup and the Lord our God."
  8. "If someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES!"
  9. "How shall we fuck off, O Lord?"
  10. "In Limerick, you are only allowed to say you love God, and babies, and horses that win. Anything else is softness in the head."

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Band List: Bands Named After Songs

Bands named after another artist's song:

Any others?

(Wikipedia has a comprehensive list.)

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Business; Consumer Issues

Consumer stories from Consumerist.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Hot Chicks: G4

Which network has the hottest chicks? The geeks' network, G4. (I only stumbled upon it because it's next to Comedy Central - honest, guv.)

Bonus video from today's "Attack Of The Show", hilarious office pranks.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Cover Versions: Old People

Copy, Right? has a video of Dame Shirley Bassey covering Pink's "Get The Party Started". They've made Dame Shirley look pretty good for a septuagenarian.

Can you put these cover versions in order of age disparity between original artist and the old fart making a desperate attempt at cred (from high to low)?


  1. Dame Shirley covering Pink (M&S ad version, with women who aren't Shirley Bassey in lingerie)
  2. Tom Jones covering Prince
  3. Peggy Lee covering George Harrison ("fanvid" for the TV show "House")
  4. Frank Sinatra covering Billy Joel (static shot of record player)

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Lyrics Quiz: Saturday

Numbers 1-8 have "Saturday" in the title. Numbers 9 and 10 are just there to make up the numbers.

  1. "People dancing, people laughing. A man selling ice cream, singing Italian songs."
  2. "Don't give us none of your aggravation, we've had it with your discipline."
  3. "His name was always Buddy, and he'd shrug and ask to stay. She'd sigh like Twig the Wonder Kid, and turn her face away."
  4. "Now another fella told me he had a sister who looked just fine. Instead of being my deliverance, she had a strange resemblance to a cat named Frankenstein."
  5. "Two feets they come a-creepin', like a black cat do. And two bodies are lyin' naked. Creeper think he got nothin' to lose."
  6. "Well you gassed her up behind the wheel, with your arm around your sweet one in your Oldsmobile, barrelin' down the boulevard."
  7. "There's an Elvis movie on the marquee sign, we've all seen at least three times. Everybody's broke, Bobby's got a buck. Put a dollars worth of gas in his pickup truck."
  8. "Save up their money for a holiday, to Selsey Bill or Bracklesham Bay. Think about the future when they'll settle down. Marry the girl next door - with one on the way."
  9. "No April rain, no flowers bloom. No wedding Saturday within the month of June."
  10. "Oh, oh, oh, something tells me that you're really gone. You said we could be friends, but that's not what I want. And, anyway, my TV dinner's almost done. It's a lonely Saturday night."

Sunday, February 24, 2008

YouTube: Korean Toddler

Korean toddler singing "Hey Jude" enthusiastically.

His name is Hero, and there is a short piece from Korean TV about him. (No English translation, but there is a bio in the "About this video" section which states, "I was born in Seoul, Korea on Sept.2003. I am not only extreme mania of The Beatles who is the greatest musician, immortal idol of the mankind but also well-informed on autocars beyond just mania." And it shows.

(Via Copy, Right?)

Monday, February 18, 2008

TV: FiOS Guide

The weirdest thing about Verizon's FiOS TV service is the descriptions of the late night talk shows in their on-screen guide. "Affable comic Jimmy Kimmel interviews a varied lineup of guests." Affable? "Cunning late night talk show host Conan O'Brien interviews leading entertainers and provides national exposure to alternative music acts." Cunning? Carson Daly is described as "the young, hip and eccentric MTV personality". Hip and eccentric? And guess who is "the edgy Emmy-winning comedian" who "builds on his predecessors' successes"? Jay Leno? And finally, "using his own zany brand of comedy, talk show host David Letterman interviews popular celebrities and entertains late-night viewers."

Whoever writes these is either really bored or really stoned. Or both.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

History: Internet

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I'm sure both of my regular readers have missed me. I've been busy moving house. During the move, I found an old copy of British music mag Mojo. Try to guess the year they printed this guide to the Internet. The answer may surprise you!
Unless you are a member of the Amish, fear is usually the reason for holding out against new technology, but these days the Internet is no longer difficult to master. If you can get money out of a bank machine, then you can send and receive e-mail and browse the World Wide Web; all it entails is pointing and clicking.

1. You need a computer, of course. An Apple Macintosh is easiest to use...

2. You need a modem to connect your computer to a phone line. You need a fast one, 28.8kbps or more...

3. You need a service provider to connect you to the internet. This is just a phone number that your computer dials when you click on the Internet icon...It doesn't matter where in the world you travel on the Internet, you only pay for the local phone call to your server.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Video: HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray

In yet another "Downfall" repurposing, Hitler rants about the high-def DVD formats. (Subtitles NSFW.)

Here's a Arsenal 3 - Tottenham Hotspur 1 version. Subtitles very NSFW, with gratuitous dig at Steve Nash.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Advertising: Lipitor

Have you seen that Lipitor commercial starring Dr. Robert Jarvik, supposed inventor of the artificial heart? How creepy is that guy? (Sample comments on YouTube: "I don't know why but I don't like this guy." "You suck! Quit scammin' sweet old ladies you ass!!" "He likes man.") There's another ad that shows him with his son, as if to emphasize that he's not gay, but he's still creepy.

Jarvik reminded me of someone and I couldn't put my finger on it. There's a little John Malkovich there, maybe a little Spalding Gray. But then it hit me: he should be lowering the medicine in a bucket down a well and saying, "It takes the Lipitor and it reduces its bad cholestrol."

The good news is that the House Energy and Commerce committee is including him in their investigation of prescription medicine marketing.

He's married to that Marilyn vos Savant woman. (Looks like the son that commercial is actually hers from a previous marriage.)

Monday, January 07, 2008

Sports: June Jones

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Celebrities: Priscilla Ceballos

Priscilla Ceballos, the Garland mother whose daughter won a Hannah Montana essay contest, has apologized for making up her eyebrows. "I apologize to anyone who saw the thin dark lines above my eyes and thought they might be real brows. I apologize to anyone who has been having nightmares about my eyebrows. I apologize especially to our armed forces who are fighting to give me the right to shave off my real brows and replace them with with sideways parentheses."

Thursday, January 03, 2008

TV News: Cynthia

I didn't realize that Channel 8's new morning anchor, Cynthia Izaguirre, was the newswoman in the infamous clip where she previews an item about a blind mountaineer by saying, "But he's gay. I mean, he's gay. Excuse me, he's blind". She has another uncomfortable YouTube moment with a drunk Dale Hansen from New Year's Eve.

Why does everyone make such a big deal about her last name? Even her old station does in this farewell.

Speaking of news bloopers, I hadn't heard about this one from 2006 until recently. BBC News 24 was due to interview an internet expert about the Apple Computers vs Beatles lawsuit. Instead, they ended up with Guy Goma who had shown up for a job interview. The look on his face when he's introduced is priceless. He gamely tries to answer her questions, and she is obviously not listening to his answers or can't understand his accent.

Art: Science As Art

You can download desktop images from the Materials Research Society "Science As Art" contest. The nano-explosions are freaky.