3/27/2004
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snap culture: March 2004
3/24/2004
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Someone publishes this article every year on how many basketball players in the Sweet 16 graduate college. There's something about these articles that is depressing, enlightening, and at the same time hollow, because we all know that most of these kids are only going to college to play sports and dream of playing professionally (at least at the programs they mention). I've been a long-time supporter of a basketball minor leagues, only attached to universities in name alone. It could be like Division I-$$ or something. Sure, something is wrong with the numbers that these experts present on graduation rates, but when all that we talk about is what great athletes they are, what do you expect?
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3/23/2004
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For some strange reason, I am really upset by this. I can think of a few other people they could get rid of first to "refresh" their broadcasts....
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3/21/2004
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Down goes The Vet in Philly. What's the next stadium you want to see imploded? My vote is for U.S. Cellular Field, a.k.a. "the new Comiskey Park." Anyone have other suggestions?
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3/20/2004
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Two articles about naming things and the ownership of names, first from the New York Times magazine on Web Addresses, among other things, and one on where the heck those three-letter airport codes come from. Fun fact: Chicago's O'Hare International got its "ORD" from the original name of the airport, Orchard Field.
(Second link via Boing Boing)
(Second link via Boing Boing)
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3/19/2004
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Manchester United is coming back to United States this summer. Damn they must have made a ton of money last year. Let's see if they keep this up and maybe force people like ESPN to pay attention to European soccer.
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3/18/2004
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I'm sure this has been written about before--even by conservative groups--but UK's Guardian is promoting Marge Simpson as the best mother in public life. This continues a long tradition of extolling America's most famous dysfunctionally functional family as a model for love and living in modern times.
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3/16/2004
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The WashPost has an extended look at improv this morning. For those who know something about it, the article is only mildly interesting. For those that don't, it's worth a read to get a glimpse into that world.
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3/16/2004
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Okay, so it's not gear from the now-defunct XFL or my superb Salvation-Army-purchased Hartford Whalers t-shirt, but now seems to be the right time to get your hands on some already-kitsch Dennis Kucinich Campaign Memorabilia. You also can buy stuff at the Dean Store, Lieberman Store, Clark Store, and pretty much anyone who's ever considered a run for office has campaign crap available at DemStore.com. Watch their value rise as hipsters of the future demand Kucinich and Dean t-shirts. Not such a bad idea...except that Urban Outfitters will probably make $40 knock-off retro versions anyways.
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3/13/2004
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Newly discovered ancient texts may tell us more about Jesus's life and times, in particular his teenage years otherwise undocumented in the bible.
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3/12/2004
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I'm still puzzled by the porn/hip-hop synergy trend.
The other night Dave Chappelle put on a game-show entitled I Know Black People wherein real people claiming to be down with black culture (including a white African-American studies professor) answered such questions as, Why do black people like menthol cigarettes? What did the dad do on Good Times? and (finally) How can black people rise up and overcome?
Fat people are having a tough week. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc), sponsor of the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act declared: "This bill says, Don't run off and file a lawsuit if you are fat. Look in the mirror because you're the one to blame."
Mmm, Kool cigarettes now come in Caribbean Chill, Midnight Berry, Mocha Taboo and Mintrigue flavors.
British scientists baffled by three-headed, six-legged frog.
The other night Dave Chappelle put on a game-show entitled I Know Black People wherein real people claiming to be down with black culture (including a white African-American studies professor) answered such questions as, Why do black people like menthol cigarettes? What did the dad do on Good Times? and (finally) How can black people rise up and overcome?
Fat people are having a tough week. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc), sponsor of the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act declared: "This bill says, Don't run off and file a lawsuit if you are fat. Look in the mirror because you're the one to blame."
Mmm, Kool cigarettes now come in Caribbean Chill, Midnight Berry, Mocha Taboo and Mintrigue flavors.
British scientists baffled by three-headed, six-legged frog.
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3/10/2004
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I bet the good folks who thought of putting DVD-players in minivans never imagined that they would be used for watching pornos. But now you can expect states to enforce tough in-car porn laws (it's illegal to exhibit sexually explicit material in public places) if windows aren't tinted enough. The best part of this article is the name of the porn the guy was watching, "Chocolate Foam."
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3/09/2004
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An American opera singer was declared "too fat" for a role in London.
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3/09/2004
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Apologies for the lateness in posting these. (News from the U.S. travels slower to Europe.) A number of interesting articles in the NYT recently with a common education theme. First, Northern Virginia's Patrick Henry College, a Christian college for home-schooled students, is grooming the next generation of Christian conservative political leaders. A startling total of 7 White House interns comes from this tiny school of 240 in Purcellville, Va. In a sidebar to the article, author David Kirkpatrick discusses the school's rules, which include that students may only hold hands (with members of the opposite sex, of course) while walking. Once they stop, they must separate.
In less scary news, there was a recent article about men being the scout/practice teams for NCAA women's hoops teams.
In less scary news, there was a recent article about men being the scout/practice teams for NCAA women's hoops teams.
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3/08/2004
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Arr, mateys! O.J. Simpson charged with piracy. of DirecTV. Expect a mention on late-night t.v. This joke writes itself: Simpson declared his innocence and vowed to find the 'real' pirates.
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3/07/2004
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The digitally re-mastered, widescreen, 20th anniversary Police Academy DVD will be released in April. With a cast reunion feature and commentary by Steve Guttenberg and Michael Winslow (the sound effects guy).
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3/07/2004
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Imagine that you buy a new cell phone, but the number used to be Chris Rock's old number, and lots of his friends don't have his new number yet. So you field some wrong number calls from Adam Sandler, Spike Lee, Ken Burns, and assistants to Jerry Seinfeld and Jack Nicholson. Hilarity (or at least genuine amusement) ensues.
I bet some Hollywood-types are furiously pounding out screenplays for this premise as I speak. I'd cast Jason Biggs as the ordinary guy who got the cell phone, and Chris Rock as the guy whose number it used to be. And then maybe Biggs tries to ruin Chris Rock's career by pretending to turn down job offers, or throw in some mobsters or something who are looking for Chris Rock. It'd be a hit...trust me. Get me Charlie Kaufman! These things write themselves!
(link via metafilter)
I bet some Hollywood-types are furiously pounding out screenplays for this premise as I speak. I'd cast Jason Biggs as the ordinary guy who got the cell phone, and Chris Rock as the guy whose number it used to be. And then maybe Biggs tries to ruin Chris Rock's career by pretending to turn down job offers, or throw in some mobsters or something who are looking for Chris Rock. It'd be a hit...trust me. Get me Charlie Kaufman! These things write themselves!
(link via metafilter)
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3/06/2004
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It was only a matter of time before movie studios started fighting over the legal rights to The Hobbit. As we all know, everyone loves prequels!
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3/05/2004
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The Prius-Hummer War continues, but this time...it's personal. No, wait, it's just celebrity-filled.
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3/05/2004
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Hey ladies! It's 'Mee-ster Nepal: 2060' as the red script informs us. 2060 because Nepal uses a calendar that started 56 years before the birth of Christ (they also are 15 minutes off GMT, and have the only non-rectangle flag, they just like being different).
I think my favorite is fourth from the right, back row--he just looks like some dude with his shirt off. And does anyone else think that farthest to the right, back row looks a little like Derek Jeter? Just a little? Others may have their own favorite--Mr. Turquoise 'springs' to mind. Perhaps we could start an adopt a developing world male beauty contest contestant program, for just a few cents a day you can keep your contestant's hair well gelled, his chest relatively hairless...
I think my favorite is fourth from the right, back row--he just looks like some dude with his shirt off. And does anyone else think that farthest to the right, back row looks a little like Derek Jeter? Just a little? Others may have their own favorite--Mr. Turquoise 'springs' to mind. Perhaps we could start an adopt a developing world male beauty contest contestant program, for just a few cents a day you can keep your contestant's hair well gelled, his chest relatively hairless...
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3/05/2004
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Enjoy "top 100" lists, but don't think they're chosen by true experts? If anyone knows anything about soccer, Pele does. He was required to make it a FIFA "living legends" list, so it seems very oriented to players from the 90s and today (I was pleased with myself for how many names I knew...but why no "Cap Anson" type legends lists?).
It's a top-125, as Pele said he could have chosen 100 great Brazilians alone, and about as international as you can get, but he goes way too heavy on the modern French players. Don't get me wrong, they're great, but Desailly, Deschamps, Thuram, and Vieira seems like a little much to me.
Also to include some younger less proven stars was surprising, Ballack, Owen, Ronaldinho, and most of all Saviola were all surprises to me. Throwing a bone to Japan (Nakata), South Korea (Myung-bo), and a number of other small countries was nice, but the U.S. only gets two female players, the only females on the list, Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm. Pele's list is diplomatic but it still feels like he's thumbing his nose at the U.S. men's players. Who do you think was left off or shouldn't have been included? Discuss!
It's a top-125, as Pele said he could have chosen 100 great Brazilians alone, and about as international as you can get, but he goes way too heavy on the modern French players. Don't get me wrong, they're great, but Desailly, Deschamps, Thuram, and Vieira seems like a little much to me.
Also to include some younger less proven stars was surprising, Ballack, Owen, Ronaldinho, and most of all Saviola were all surprises to me. Throwing a bone to Japan (Nakata), South Korea (Myung-bo), and a number of other small countries was nice, but the U.S. only gets two female players, the only females on the list, Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm. Pele's list is diplomatic but it still feels like he's thumbing his nose at the U.S. men's players. Who do you think was left off or shouldn't have been included? Discuss!
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3/03/2004
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What I would like to know is how can the judge take this case seriously. Or how can the defense attorney argue this case without laughing? Better yet, how can the jury not giggle when the defense attorney tries this one: "His pants could have been down because he wasn't feeling well." Wow.
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3/03/2004
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Brilliant stuff from The Onion: New Nietzschean Diet Lets You Eat Whatever You Fear Most. Featuring the classic paragraph: 
One must strive to eat dangerously as one comes into the Will to Power Oneself Thin," Nietzsche wrote. "What do you fear? By this are you truly Fattened. You must embrace your Fears, as well as your Fat, and learn to Laugh as you consume them, along with Generous Portions of Simple Salad. Remember, as you stare into the lettuce, the lettuce stares also into you."
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3/02/2004
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Ben, I think you could go far in this new field of ludology. Maybe one day a week ... I bet you'd be publishing before you get your economics degree.
No animals were harmed during the making of this film: check your local listings for G-SPROUT, a short film in which
No animals were harmed during the making of this film: check your local listings for G-SPROUT, a short film in which
a cyberspace encounter turns into a trans-polysexual-vegan-docu-porno featuring urban veggie lovers speaking out on dating, intimacy, and sex in a meat-centered culture.Achtung! there are some explicit vegan images at the bottom of the page.
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3/02/2004
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This year's oscars ceremony was a great symbolic victory for white people with white people winning many--if not all--of the top awards.
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