This is really smart. I wish I wrote it.

Pass the Popcorn: The Informant!

How could it not be good? There's an exclamation point at the end of the title. Matt Damon plays Mark Whitacre, a big wig in the agro business who decides to blow the whistle on price fixing. Despite being a fairly forgettable movie, Damon's off-beat portrayal is top notch. Reminiscent to Burn After Reading, you can't help but be drawn into some people's psyche. Whitacre's bumbling sense of being engaged me throughout. It just took me three days to remember I had watched it. It's basically like an SNL version of The Insider with Russell Crowe.

Pandora Nostalgia

Today I'm listening to a Pandora station inspired by Blues Traveler. It's full 90s alternative soft rock, which brings be back a bit. I can't believe it's been 16 years since I first rocked out to Mr. Jones (the album released in 93 but it didn't hook me until 94). It brings a smile to face for sure, but it also just makes me feel a little old. That's the power of Pandora.

Pass the Popcorn: Moon

Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut at the end of his three-year tenure on a moon station. But is he really alone? I knew the plot line going into Moon, so I didn't spend any time playing out scenarios in my head. My wife, on the other hand, enjoyed the guessing game.

The quietness of the movie pulls you in if you're in the mood for a low key musing. Rockwell does a good job being just about the only person you see the entire movie, and Kevin Spacey voices the robitic GERTY in similar fashion to HAL 9000 in the 2001 Space Odyssy.

It was thought provoking on the service but at it's core, it felt a little empty. I can't put my finger on why that is. I just don't think it built enough emotional tension to be considered great. Ultimately, I was expecting more but was happy with what I got.

It's kind of a mixture between Cast Away, 2001: Space Odyssy, and perhaps Solaris. If those float your boat, it worth the rent.

USA!

We might not have won, but it was a hell of a game to watch.

Brewing Beer with Steve on a Saturday afternoon.

Pass the Popcorn: The Invention of Lying

Ricky Gervais is funny. The Invention of Lying wasn't. Okay, fine. It had several funny moments but by the time the third act started, I checked out. Too much nonsensical babble and not enough emotional weight.

I will say this though, Gervais had one really good scene where he showed some actual depth. I liked that.

The And1.com Refresh Launched Today

The latest fruit of my team's labor. Copy writing is fun. Check out the new refresh.

Mexico's Naica Mine Crystals

They put those science store souvenirs to shame.

The Foot Locker Unlocked Page we created for the Advance Mid

Home Shopping Porn: The Shake Weight

This thing is ridiculous. But you can't ignore the smiles on all those women's faces as they "get in shape." The best part is that it's designed to be a 6-minute workout. Really! Maybe five and a half.

The Who = Who Cares!

A. I didn't realize that The Who monopolized every single CSI intro song. Crazy.
B. If the coolest part of the Super Bowl Halftime Show is the stage, something was obviously missing.
C. The NFL needs to quit going older for this gig. Nipple gate was like seven years ago. Make the singers sign a "I won't f**k with the FCC" contract and put some life back into this once exciting event.

Australian Banker Caught on Camera...looking at an inappropriate email at work. Subtle but Hilarious.

Compassion for those around you meets cruelty in pursuit of self preservation

"PORT-AU-PRINCE (AFP) – The death toll in the Haiti quake has topped 200,000, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said Wednesday as angry protests over the slow arrival of aid flared on the rubble-strewn streets."

I don't want to sound like I don't care. I'm just dismayed at how disasters bring out the best and worst of people.

I get it. Haiti has suffered a tragedy on a planetary scale. However, many countries are doing a great deal to help them as much as they can. It was a fractured region before the disaster, which doesn't make coming to the rescue any easier. The U.S. alone has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to the relief effort, yet, all we hear about is how pissed off everyone is regarding the efforts.

You can only bring in so much aid when people are mobbing the streets in anger. They can be mad at their own government but blaming all of the other countries that are trying to help is ridiculous.

As a civil person, I think we should help those around us as much as we can. But it's not a governmental obligation. Don't loot everyone around you. Don't set fire to the streets. And don't get pissed off at the people who are trying to help.

I would never wish a disaster upon any nation, but I can't stand the mob mentality that takes over once one happens. It creates a collision between humanities best and worst attributes - Compassion for those around you and cruelty in pursuit of self preservation.

Greg Oden! Please. That's not even a scandal these days.

Portland Trail Blazers often injured Greg Oden apologized profusely yesterday after nude photos surfaced. Photos he took a year and a half ago and sent to his girlfriend. Of course, after the recent Tiger Woods scandal, most people simply chuckled to themselves and said, "Oh Greg. Look at him being all young and foolish."

By the end of the week, no one will even care. Thanks Tiger.

Pass the Popcorn: Up in the Air

It amazes me how many times I've told people that I saw Up in the Air this weekend and they say, "Isn't that dog just adorable."

Up in the Air is about a middle-aged man who's spent his whole life flying from city to city firing employees from companies that don't have the balls to do it themselves. George Clooney stars while Vera Farmiga of the Departed and Anna Kendrick of Twilight fame pick up the supporting duties - all of which, do a great job. Oscar great? I don't think so, but that's not taking anything away from their performances.

The movie itself was a lot of fun too. It took me a little while to settle into the pacing since my expectations had been set artificially high from good reviews and award nominations. But once the plot points began playing out, I really enjoyed the slow-rolling vibe of it all. It's a "coming of middle-aged" film that might not resonate with everyone, but should entertain most.

Is it Oscar worthy? Probably not. I don't think it tugs at enough heart strings to convince voters that it's solid script and quirky sensibilities are top notch. But it is good and definitely worth watching.

Pass the Popcorn: Avatar 3-D

I finally gave into the hype and decided to see Avatar this weekend in 3-D. I was a little skeptical because of all the praise it's been getting over the last month. That much hype usually leads to disappointment at the theater. That being said, it was a very enjoyable movie.

The 3-D experience, however, is what sealed the deal. It really made all of the colors come to life. When I watched the trailer earlier this year, I felt like the whole world of Pandora looked too video game like to work with real actors. But when you watch it on the big screen in 3-D, you don't notice a lot of those criticisms. And it doesn't hurt that there's not a lot of real set pieces, which makes the transition between elements less jarring.

Sure, it's a glorified love story with political overtones. But everything fits within the context of the script, so it doesn't seem too forced like many critics have said. I do think the movie drug on during a couple of scenes. There was simply too much set up and too much second act for my liking, but when you're that entrenched in the world you created, it's hard to fault Cameron for not cutting more out. And I'm still not sure how well the whole thing will hold up in 2-D. But as far as the 3-D experience is concerned, it was worth the price of admission.

A.A. Bondy in P-Town

Last night I went to see A.A. Bondy play in the trendy Mississippi St. area of Portland. The experience reminded me of two things.

1. I totally dig the indie folk vibe when it comes to music.
2. Having two kids makes you really old, really fast.

The opening acts started at 9 p.m., which after a long week at work already seemed a little late. Regardless, some friends (who also have kids) and I showed up at the Mississippi Studios, only to find that there were only a handful of seats in the entire place. The whiny D-bag inside of me started to sing.

Shortly after the first act, I was already drained from standing around. It was at this moment that I realized how old I felt. Don't get me wrong. The entire crowd was in their late 20s and early 30s, so I fit right in on the outside. But on the inside...yup, this guy has turned into a party animal Nancy pants.

Shortly after the second act, my dogs were barking. I'm talking full on yapper-dog barking. Not even the micro brews could distract me. I kept thinking, "man, this music is good. But it would be so much better if I were sitting down." Check that, I actually kept saying those words out loud much to my friend's displeasure.

And halfway through A.A. Bondy, who was fantastic by the way, my Saucony Courageous sneakers weren't making me feel courageous anymore. I left before the show was completely over.

Last night, I discovered my limit for standing in bar at 29-years-old while listening to music; three hours. I used to get dropped onto the top of a mountain by helicopter, hike 2 miles to put out a forest fire, sleep over night without provisions, and walk the remaining 4 miles out in the morning without breaking a sweat, but at the ripe old age of 29; three hours of standing in a bar was too much. Like I said, having kids ages you quickly.

Finally, I've got to give Donnie a shout out for his music suggestions. Good stuff. Despite being an old man, I had a great time.

Pass the Popcorn: Terminator Salvation

McG's version of the Terminator tries to be everything the last one wasn't. Unfortunately, trying doesn't equal succeeding. Despite some slick CGI and decent action scenes, this version of the Terminator was less than convincing. I have a sinking feeling it fell victim to scenes left on the editing room floor, which never helps a movie's cause. There were at least three different times when a scene jumped from one to the next without any explanation of who, what, when, where, and why.

There were also some serious plot point issues that simply weren't explained. John Conner, you must save your father. Who, by the way, is younger than you. Why? We don't feel like telling you.

And the twist that happens three quarters of the way through was obvious one quarter of the way through.

As much as I was holding on to he hope that this Terminator would bring us back to the brilliance originals, I was left empty handed. If this is all the next sequels will have to offer, then I don't really care if "they'll be back."

Get Your Game Face On!

I'm hoping Eric and Amber can buckle down and confirm a sitter for Friday night, so we can all go see A.A. Bondy in concert...even though, he's not really their cup of tea. Drink my tea!

Lame!

I lost a little respect for our local sports talk radio station today. They just got done devoting a lengthy segment to a WWF wrestler that was in the studio. WWF wrestlers have to be in shape and all, but anything that's scripted isn't a sport. Thus, it doesn't belong on sports talk radio. Let's class it up a little 95.5.

Pass the Popcorn: The Hurt Locker

The Iraq War has spawned a lot of movies over the years - some good, some bad, and many forgettable. The Hurt Locker falls into the category of Good. It's found most of its traction with film critics but only because general audiences haven't seen it yet. It's intense, a little depressing, but definitely worth watching. I don't want to hype it up and set your expectations too high because that's not the type of movie it is. It's more subtle (maybe not exactly the right word). Regardless, it's not in your face like a lot of war-time dramas, which seem to be driven by heavy anti-war themes instead of character insights.

Pass the Popcorn: Extract

Extract is full of unlikable people doing bad things and trying to be likable, which in all seriousness, is unlikable. In fact, the only likable character is Kristen Wig, who is the only character that's introduced as being unlikable. Are you still with me?

To make matters worse, they all eventually got what they want. The idea had potential but potential doesn't equal good.

Duck and Cover

I love how after every major earthquake or tsunami, all of the local papers and news stations run the same story about Western Oregon being susceptible to such a catastrophe - as if the findings from 5, 10, or 20 years ago have somehow changed, and we suddenly aren't part of the ring of fire. Thanks, local news, for saving our lives with that nugget of wisdom.

I got two double-hole belts for Christmas this year. I'm definitely digging them. In fact, I used one of my old belts the other day, and it just felt inadequate.

The History Channel's Pawn Stars

It's the Antique Road Show for the MTV generation. At first glance you would think, "really, a show about dudes in a pawn shop." But after watching Rick Harrison and his Old Man, you realize that these guys are more than just average Joes. They're actually really smart. Of course, just to balance it out, we get to see Rick's son and his childhood friend man the front of the store; two characters that are below average Joes.

The premiss is simple. People bring in odd items to sell. Rick appraises each unique item and makes an offer. But it's more than just a transaction. With each purchase, we get to learn a little bit about the history of the products ranging from 1700s money to a 1960 Les Paul Custom. Did you know that they didn't started crafting the Les Pauls with a two-piece body until 1969. Well they did. And that bit of information could mean the difference between a $3,000 guitar and $100,000 one.

Hilarious! J.R. Smith thinks the ball goes in and takes it out of bounds.

Pass the Popcorn: My Sister's Keeper

I finally gave into my wife's pleas to watch a movie that chronicled a young girl's fight with cancer. It was profoundly sad. It definitely isn't a movie for everyone. If you don't have kids, you might yawn your way through it. If you do have kids, you may cry your way through it. Regardless, if you're able to connect with the story on any level, it will affect you.



As far as movies go, it started to drag towards the end. But the performances were strong, which can be tough to find when dealing with young actors. And by the time the credits role, you can't help but take another look at your loved ones and your life to make sure your priorities are aligned.

Pass the Popcorn: Julie & Julia

I had no desire to watch a movie based on the true story of whiny women who found herself by cooking her way through Julia Child's famous French Cookbook. However, I did have the desire to be prepared for this Award’s Season, so Julie & Julia made its way into my queue.

I was bored at first while each character was being developed, but at least I wasn’t bothered. As the movie progressed, Meryl Streep’s interpretation of Julia Child really drew me in. She was engaging and spot on. Unfortunately, as the movie progressed, Amy Adams’ Character, Julie Powell, became increasingly annoying and undeserving. Overall, it was a good movie because of Streep’s performance but that’s about it.

Pass the Popcorn: Public Enemies

I wanted to like it, but it ultimately was boring and unimaginative. It was also anti-climatic and historically inaccurate. Sorry Michael Mann. I still like Collateral.

MagicJack Goes After Cell Phones

Yeah, you've probably heard of the MagicJack - plug it into your computer and get free phone service for a full year...And all for $19.99. Now the MagicJack has created a device that plugs into your computer and acts like a tiny cellphone tower. Use your phone all you want in your house but keep your minutes.

I would say that MagicJack is sticking it to the man, but they made $110 million dollars last year. So in all reality, they are also the man. Oh yeah, the man sticking it to the man. That got a little homo-erotic.

Mariah Drunk at an awards show.

Does God have a Tim Tebow complex?

These ridiculous statements were cool when they were made about Chuck Norris, but that was like 5 years ago. Now that the sports world has been rehashing them for the last two, they've become as over used as the Got Milk campaign...Got Jesus...Got (insert product here). No, Superman doesn't wear Tim Tebow pajamas because he's still wearing Chucks. And the next talentless hack that thinks about revolving their campaign/news story around such a headline should be fired.

Pass the Popcorn: District 9

By now most moviegoers know the back-story to this “low-budget” success story. The director, Neill Blomkamp, was plucked from obscurity by Peter Jackson to direct Halo but was later taken off the project. So Jackson decided they would make their own movie. District 9 was the result.

Blomkamp lengthened one of his previous shorts and rest is history. This 30-million dollar gem raked in loads at the box office by under playing it’s special effects and trudging through political themes on racial discrimination, etc., etc. It’s a worthy film that explores depressing topics and character arcs but ultimately prevails.

Pass the Popcorn: 500 Days of Summer

“This isn’t a love story. This is a story of boy meets girl.” 500 Days of Summer is really a story about life and relationships. It wonderfully shows the progression of a two young professionals as they meet, court, and start dating; all while having two different viewpoints on love, which realistically come from their upbringing. It’s constructed in the now popular jigsaw timeline technique, but jumping from day 429 to 19 to 325 isn’t simply for style. It actually helps the story build momentum. The characters have their quirks but aren’t too quirky while the dialogue is smart without being obnoxious. It’s a script I would aspire write and a movie that gets better days after you watch it.

Turn it up: Steel Train

This Jersey band was the opening act for Ben Folds when he came to the Roseland Theater this last year. Their indie folk rock grabbed me when they were on stage, so I purchased their newest release Trampoline. The album has been in constant rotation on my iPod playlist because of its driving harmonies that are backed up by a myriad of instruments. It's full, fun, and hardly misses. Give "Alone at Sea," "Women I belong to," and "Firecracker" a listen.

Since buying Trampoline, I've also tried out one of their early albums, Twilight Tales fromt the Prairies of the Sun. It's heartfelt with strong songwriting but lacks some of the punch of Trampoline. It's a less evolved version of the band but still worth listening to.

Clash of the Titans! I hope this one doesn't disappoint. I was a huge fan of the original stop-animation version from 1981, so my expectations will be high. Sign me up though. I'm one of the few film critics (self-appointed title) that believes remakes can be a wonderful thing. They just have to be done right.

Noooooooooooooo! What's next, a Goonies remake?

**Here's a fun alternative to the Christmas card I helped concept and write at work**

The Frank Holiday Chain Letter

At Frank Creative (the place of my employment) we wanted to wish everyone on Earth a Happy Holiday Season. Unfortunately, we don't know everyone on Earth. But we wouldn't let a silly thing like that stop us from trying. So don't break the chain...or else! Happy Holidays to all.

(Click the image to read the Frank Holiday Chain Letter)

Pass the Popcorn: Inglorious Bastards

This is a quick two-part review for Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Bastards.


Part 1: As a general movie goer, Bastards has some real appeal. It's funny, quirky, suspenseful at times, and not as gory as I was lead to believe. Definitely worth the rent.

Part 2: As a reluctant film critic, I was disappointed in each character's depth. I really liked what Tarantino brought to the screen, but I didn't get to know anyone, thus, I didn't really care if or when they died. Sure, Tarantino's ability to build suspense around a conversation (that ultimately leads to excitement) plays out nicely in this fictional war-time movie, but that alone can't carry the film. I also understand Tarantino's desire to be quirky, hence the miss-casting of Mike Myers and the guy who played Hitler, but again, it felt like a misfire.

Perhaps I should have seen Bastards when it first came out. Waiting in anticipation until a movie hits DVD can often lead to high expectations followed by disappointment, but what's a parent to do? In the end, I enjoyed Inglorious Bastards, but I was hoping for more.

I'm grooming my son to be a 49er fan. This includes reminding him of better days, setting him up for failure, almost succeeding year in and year out, and making him cry so he can get used to the pain. If I do my job right, he'll be grateful by the time they start playing better.

The Nike Trainer 1 Tiger Woods PE - These are some sweet shoes.

This would be a hilarious ad promoting used BMWs if the girl didn't look 15.

A new Robin Hood movie. I'm all in.

Great PSA.

I want a leather-wrapped whiskey glass. I don't even drink whiskey, but the glass is a nostalgic piece I would like to have. If you know where I can find a cool one, let me know.

Add it to the list:
Rudy Fernandez has surgery on his back and will be sidelined for 6 weeks. Go Blazers! Oh yeah, and apparently Tiger Woods has been big pimpin' for quite some time.

Pass the Popcorn: G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra

"And knowing is half the battle." These are the types of lines that made the cartoon so good. But for live action...not so much. It's too bad. The franchise could have really benefited from a Batman Begins vibe, but instead, we got a lesser Transformers. The graphics were lame and over-the-top, the acting was mostly forced, and there might have been more flashbacks than actual movie. As much as it pains me to say it, I don't recommend wasting your time on G.I. Joe. And knowing is half the battle.

Oden Goes Down

Greg Oden became the Trail Blazers' latest injury bug victim. Hell, even Coach McMillen ruptured his right achilles tendon just so he wouldn't feel left out. What was once the deepest (albeit young) team in the league is now scrambling to fill its roster. Oden's injury, however, hurts the most as it's yet another reminder that even though he's a dominant big man when healthy, the Blazers probably can't build a team around him. I'm not going to dog on GO's talent. He's a force in the paint. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how good you are if you're on the sidelines more than on the court.

I don't know where the Blazers go from here. But no matter how they get there, it's going to be an uphill battle.

Pass the Popcorn: Star Trek

J.J. Abrams did a good job at injecting new life into an old franchise. You know a movie is well made when it's almost over and it feels like it just started. He handled the back stories well and didn't get too bogged down in computer animation. A good time all across the board. The special features also give serious movie fans some good insight on his craft.

Fantasy Football, Son!

After week 13, I should be 10-3. I've racked up the most league points, sit comfortably in second place (maybe even 1st after tonight), and am locked into the playoffs. Unfortunately, my running back core is inconsistent, which can be playoff death. It has forced my to lean heavily on my receivers for big points. Will I continue my streak of dominance? We shall see.

Pass the Popcorn: The Goods

Even though used car sales holds a special place in my bitter heart, The Goods was bad. It had a couple of laugh out loud moments, but too many over-the-top jokes dulled its wit. If you're really bored or drunk, it will suffice. But I can't recommend it in any other capacity.

Redneck Humor is Fun

Oregon vs Oregon State

It's amazing how crazy people get about the Civil War game. I dig it. It's a lot of fun, but since I didn't go to either school, it doesn't rule my day. If I have to listen one more guy who used to play at either school fumble his way through a generic interview on sports talk radio, I'm gonna shoot myself. Or quit listening to sports talk radio.

Seriously, I don't think I've heard a single ex-athlete interview that actually added any insight on the game. If you don't have enough real content to cover two weeks of pre-game converage, talk about something else.

GO DUCKS!

Pass the Popcorn: New Moon

I took my wife to see New Moon on Sunday. It sucked. And 30-year-old women shouldn't be pining over a 17-year-old wolfman. That's statutory rape with your eyes and it's disturbing. And Robert Pattinson had to paint-on abs for his shirtless scene - douche. Did I mention that the movie sucked? No pun intended.

Is it just me or is Adam Lambert nothing more than a gay Madonna.

Pass the Popcorn: Paranormal Activity

The little movie that could has ridden the underground wave of cult popularity thanks to a college campus marketing scheme that costs pennies on the dollar. The 14K indie has turned over millions upon millions, so it has to be good, right?

Nope. It's all hype. Perhaps if you watch it in a packed theater in the middle of the night, it might startle you. But if you watch it for what it is, you'll see an incredibly monotonous first and second act, actors that aren't trained at improvising dialogue, and a payoff that's so-so, at best.

A little bit of fun sandwiched between an hour and a half of the same nonsensical whining doesn't cut the mustard. I would recommend writing a script next time for a sharper delivery on a promising idea.

The new Yahoo - m.www.yahoo.com - sucks.

I can't stand the huge-ass vertical subnavs that take up the whole page on rollover. Maybe if it was a click function. Regardless, it they always pop up when I don't want them to and don't go away quick enough. I'm not opposed to change, but I am opposed to this.

Is it just me or does Avatar look lame?

With a combined budget of nearly 500 million dollars (300 mil to make, 150 mil to market, 50 mil for petty cash), Avatar looks like an overblown video game. I get trying new things and all, but I hate it when special effects push aside realism - one of the main reasons the second two Matrix movies sucked. It brings up the age-old question, "Just because we can, does that really mean we should?"

I don't want to judge a book by its cover, but I'm not opposed to judging a movie by its trailer. And my judgment on Avatar is that someone is going to lose a lot of money followed by a lot of someones losing their jobs.

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm usually not. Check out the trailer and you decide. Avatar Trailer.

Pass the Popcorn: The Taking of Pelham 123

The Taking of Pelham 123 TOOK an hour and a half from me that I can't get back. The acting was good but the movie was just lame. Skip it if you can. And if you can't, try the original instead. At least it had some suspense at the end.

Pass the Popcorn: UP

Pixar's UP was fun but a lot sadder than I had expected. I recommend it.

Nice Try Captain

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum has had some fairly clever campaigns of late. They've also had a few fall flat like the dudes in the bar impersonating doctors and male book cover models. No, no, Captain. Try again.

They did recently step outside the box with a campaign that would have donated money to an NFL charity for every time an NFL player struck the Captain Morgan pose during a game. I used "donated" in the past tense because it was cut ceremoniously short today. Despite being an ingenious guerrilla marketing campaign, it was also a violation of NFL rules. Read more about the specifics here.

NFL players may have a little Captain in them, but they better not show it during NFL games.

No Excuses

My current immersion in And1's social media campaign has caused me to completely neglect my own social media. My Facebook and Twitter profiles lay dormant and my blog is collecting dust. I know it sounds like an excuse and it is. I'm so deep in all of these other profiles that I can't see my own. Such is life. I will, however, try harder. Like Avis.

Go Yankees!

Blazer Woes

Despite the new additions to the team, the Blazers are looking a bit rough this season. Luckily, it's early, so they have plenty of time to pull out of it, but they really need to find a rhythm between the first and second string. It's close. You can see it in flashes of greatness, but they just haven't settled in yet.

On a positive note, Brandon Roy is playing with a lot more confidence this year, and Greg Oden hasn't got hurt yet, which is nice. It's a long season, so there's no reason to sound the alarms just yet. But we should have the button ready just in case.

When I'm an Old (Man), I Shall Wear Purple

I'll be the first to say that Brett Favre has been way too melodramatic over the last couple of years. I get it. He's at a major cross roads in his life. That's tough for anyone. It doesn't make his actions right, but it doesn't make them condemnatory either. I'll also be the first to say that he's playing out of his mind this year. He's not only putting up great numbers, but he looks like he's cherishing every minute of it too. He's a great competitor. I root for him every week now. And when I'm an old man, I hope I can wear purple too.

Go Yankees!

ESPN's First Take talked about the Yankees being a tough team to like this morning because of the scandals, bloated salaries, and egos. Of course, Skip is a Red Sox fan. Personally, I don't think it's because of the off-field antics as much as it is the revolving door of stars.

I started liking the Yankees after they got bounced out of the ALCS by the Red Sox and grew to like them even more after my two years living in Manhattan. Since I'm not a lifelong Yankee fan, I can see the bitter side of the coin. However, I can also say that if the they keep winning with this unit for several more years, their allegiance will grow. And this is why.

Teams sign athletes to huge contracts all of the time. Unfortunately with the Yankees, they've signed several big names over the past couple of years who only played for a year or two and left. The result is that the team doesn't feel much like a team. Instead, it just looks like owners trying to buy championships.

But if this current crop of superstars play out their contracts together, they'll create a new persona for the Yankees. They won't be CC from the Pirates, AJ Burnett from the Jays, etc, etc, etc. They'll be the Yankees - a team of good athletes that make a lot of money but still enjoy the game.

You can already see it happening with every genuine smile Mark Teixeira has when A-Rod hits an RBI. They're starting to have fun as players instead of simply winning like superstars. People want to watch teams win, not athletes whine. So the more they win as a team, the more people will accept them. Ultimately, the Yankees are good guys. They don't get into fights, throw equipment, and yell at the refs all of the time. And soon, baseball fans will start to see this.

A Sports Night For the Ages

Saturday night (Halloween) will be good for more than just ghosts and goblins. The kids will get the candy, but sports fans will get the treat. Listen to this lineup: Oregon Ducks vs USC, Blazers vs the Rockets, and game three of the World Series, Yankees vs Phillies. The only thing that would make it better is if all of these gems didn't overlap in some capacity. I only have two TVs for crying out loud. Having this many game options is a high-class problem to have. But I'll manage.

Words from a two-year-old

At breakfast this morning, my daughter looked up from her bowl of Fruit Loops and proceeded to say, "Dad, you're a guy."

"Yes I am," I replied.

"You're a good guy."

"Well, thank you Sophia."

"You're my favorite guy."

And the she grabbed her spoon and continued eating her cereal.

And1 Tai Chi Heritage Video

I wrote and produced this at work for the And1 Tai Chi launch. We were able to get a great video made on a limited budget and time.

And1 Tai Chi Heritage Video from And1 Basketball on Vimeo.

And1.com Gets Flashy

The fruits of my recent labor, I was the copywriter and project manager on the And1.com launch. The new And1.com combines old school wisdom with new school fresh. Frank created a layered homepage that invites you into the world of the Tai Chi Prophet, a new character that interacts with consumers and spreads the wisdom of ball. You can discover the Tai Chi Mid, find a retail location, or follow the Prophet on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. At the very least, the Prophet allows you send smack talk messages or inspirational proverbs to your friends. Listen to his words and your game will follow.

I need new music

I'm looking for some good new music. The last recommendation that really paid off for me was Donnie's insight on "The Everbodyfields." I still dig those Tennessee tunes. Mr. Strahl is not allowed to make suggestions because no matter how hard he tries, we're just not on the same wavelength regarding what's good. I guess one man's ceiling is another man's soiree of mediocrity.

I know I dogged the 49ers' Michael Crabtree for being a money-grubbing punk but winning heals all wounds. If he blows up this weekend, I will forgive his stupidity. Yes, I'm a fickle fan. But fan is short for fanatic, so I guess that makes sense.

4-Day Work Week Please

Utah went to a 4-day work week for government employees last year and saved over 4-million dollars on the state's spending. I would love to only work for 4 days a week. My wife works three 12s. Granted it's hard work being a nurse, but anytime you have more days off than you have on, you're not doing that bad. I'm jealous.

I love Danner Boots.

Halo Cloud Explained...Kind of.

A crazy looking halo cloud appeared over Moscow Russia last week. Scientists said they had a perfectly normal explanation for it. They said, "Several fronts have been passing through Moscow recently, there was an intrusion of the Arctic air too, the sun was shining from the west — this is how the effect was produced."

Oh really. Thanks for that insightful pile of bull. I was hoping that the scientific explanation would include actual scientific information - like the angle of refracted light through air temperatures less than 23 degrees combined with a mirroring effect of crystallized water droplets that couldn't escape a strong upcurrent always produce accentuated effervescence. I would have believed that.

Instead, we get some Russian meteorologist blame it on the intrusion of arctic air and the sun shining from the west. Thanks Russia for keeping us wary of your ability to be truthful. Perhaps if this happened over Brazil, we could believe it. But coming from Russia...I don't know.

Cool Product. Funny Ad.

Obama Gets Paid

Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize for... making a good speech. Yeah, it was inspiring and all. And sure, if half the stuff he promised gets accomplished, it would be pretty cool. I just thought that winning the Peace Prize meant you've actually accomplished something. Don't get me wrong. I know he's trying, but my daughter is also trying to draw faces. That doesn't mean her faces still don't look like jacked-up amoebas with one eye.

All I'm saying is if you want to give the guy an award, let's wait a year. Then if all his efforts start paying off, you can give him all of the metals you want. Because anybody can stand up in front of a mic and spout world peace and denuclearization. Hell, the homeless guy outside my office does it every day.

By these standards this could easily be tomorrow's sports page headline: After a rousing pregame speech by Derek Jeter, MLB decides to crown Yankees World Series Champs before game two even starts.

I just burnt my mouth on a Bunk meatball sandwich. The pain was worth it. Delicious.

Underwhelmed

I just came across the first ad for the 2011 Portland Timbers Soccer Team, and I have to admit that I was completely underwhelmed. I know I'm biased because we came in second to the company that got the gig, but I was hoping to be blown away by their stuff because of that. I wanted to see something that justified us losing the client, but I didn't.

It's not like the ad is bad. It's just a little generic. It could be the ad for any sports team in any country. If you swap out the city or logo, the ad and messaging stay the same. So I will take this as a lesson learned. No matter how creative you want to get with pitches, it may serve you well to include a standard concept. Duly noted. Point taken. This is my pity party.

The copy said "Liverpool. Milan. Barcelona. Madrid. Portland. Finally, we're on the world's pitch." It could have easily been the words on the back of an airport tourist t-shirt. "Liverpool. Milan. Barcelona. Portland. Culture lives here....This ad was paid for by the tourism board of Oregon."


Who knows? Maybe the next ad will have a bigger payoff. Perhaps this is a layered campaign that slowly builds to the genius level. Or maybe sports teams just don't like to take risks when it comes to their advertising. Either way, it doesn't do me any good to sulk.

Up in the Air - Looks Fun

Fantasyland

After posting the the second highest points total for the first three weeks, I was faced with an abysmal 1-2 start. Unfortunately, the last two douches I faced had the best weeks of their lives, thus screwing over my record. So this week I was out for blood. I'd say I had my revenge.

Yes, my team is Ax Man.

CNN Heroes

Voting for CNN's Heroe of the Year is going on right now, and apparently my work fixing the covered up exterior light on my back patio has gone unnoticed. My family can now enjoy that space at dusk, but I guess that doesn't really compete with Jordan Thomas, who lost both his legs in a boating accident. Whatever CNN. You can ignore my day spent under my house, knee deep in smelling compost water too. It doesn't bother me.

Ohhh, nevermind. It's for ordinary people who do extraordinary things. No wonder they didn't come knocking on my door. I'm an extraordinary person just living life. I get it now.

Don't Fall Asleep. Freddy's back.

In the constant rehashing of old horror movies, "A Nightmare on Elm Street" gets its number called. Will it strike fear in the hearts of a new audience or fall flat like the unimaginative "Freddy vs. Jason?" I'm sure a less campy take on the cheese horror franchise will serve well for producer Michael Bay. It's just too bad it isn't being released in time for Halloween. Instead, we're stuck with yet another Saw movie. Yawn.

The "2012" trailer makes the movie look like it's one over-produced, special effects laced scene after another.

Selective Memory

Hollywood has fractured it's normally unified stance on almost everything in regards the recent Roman Polanski arrest. Many stars are petitioning for his immediate release while others are less quick to forget that he plead guilty to sexually assaulting a minor. Whoopie Goldberg went as far as to say that it's not like it was "rape-rape." No Whoopie, it was only getting a 13-year-old girl drunk and drugged up so he could anally and orally penetrate her. No matter how I look at it, that sounds like rape. Just because someone isn't actively fighting back in a dark alley, doesn't mean the crime didn't happen.

And let's not look past the fact that the girl was thirteen. That's seventh grade age. Most people forget how young kids are mentally and physically at that age. Thirteen is too young to drive or watch rated R movies. Just becuase it ends in "teen" doesn't make it any further away from twelve. Even if the girl had consented to the act, it still would have been statutory rape because she was thirteen!

The guy made good films and had his fair share of hard times but that's no excuse. Michael Jackson was raked over the coals for allegedly having inappropriate relations with kids and he wasn't even found guilty. Polanski admits to it and people just look the other way. Not cool, Hollywood.

Pass the Popcorn: State of Play

Russel Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, and Jason Bateman all signed on to make what they probably thought would be the next "All of the President's Men." What they ended up making was an expensive two-hour episode of Law and Order. State of Play follows a team of investigative reporters as they try to solve the murder of a congressman's mistress. And of course, the plot thickens from there. It was good enough to rent but a let down considering the cast. If you've already seen everything on your DVR, give it a try.

Saturn to close its doors.

I've never driven a Saturn but I almost did. The quality of their rigs has gone up a lot over the last couple of years. Enough, that I was considering buying one in the future. I guess not.

It's weird that sign language is the only universal language that means the same thing regardless of what country it's used in. Whether you speak English, Japanese, or Spanish, the sign language stays the same. However, it's probably the least known form of communication out there. Wrap your head around that one.

Is Flash Forward in my future?

Maybe. ABC's new drama, Flash Forward, definitely has an interesting premises. If you get a glimpse into your future, are you destined to create that glimpse or can you change it? Well shot and well acted, the premiere episode was enjoyable. But coming from the creators of Lost, I can't help but wonder if the show is going to ask more questions that it answers every week. That's exactly why I don't watch Lost.


I don't have the wherewithal to sit through a series for 8 years without any resolution. Crime dramas have become so popular because they have a steady plot but each episode focuses on a problem then resolves it. Viewers are drawn to the big picture but can leave every episode with a sense of gratification.

So while Flash Forward might have all of the making of series hit, unless it establishes a formula that allows for instant gratification, I won't be sitting through it every week.

When in Roman

Roman Polanski was finally arrested this weekend in Switzerland after being on the run since 1978. Well he wasn’t really on the run. Even though he was accused of drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl, the U.S. did very little to actually try to capture the aging film director when he fled to France.

If you know nothing about the Oscar winner, I recommend reading some of the recent articles about him. He grew up in the Polish ghettos during WWII, was married to “it girl” Sharon Tate when she was brutally murdered by Charles Manson followers, won awards, and got young girls drunk for his pleasure.

The Tales of Woe

Last week I came home to my wife incessantly telling me that something in the bathroom stank. Well duh, it’s a bathroom. Stanky things go on in there. But she wasn’t buying it. Something else had to be the matter. After investigating the slightly mildewy smell, I decided to have a looksy under the house. It had only been a month since I had taken a peek at our crawl space, so I wasn’t expecting much. Of course, this is what I found.

And this is what it looked like every time we turned the water on.

And this is me pretending to enjoying taking a day off of work to buy a pump and crawl under my house knee deep in sludge.

But I got to it.

And now we have shiny new plastic pipes.

The Book of Eli

Denzel Washington becomes a badass again. Looks post-apocalyptic cool. Wo where as "The Road" is post-apocalyptic depressing. Check out the trailer here.

Hindsight

I wouldn't mind making mistakes if my hindsight was 20/20. Unfortunately, my hindsight seems to register at around 20/40.

Sometimes #2 feels better than #1

After coming up a little short in a recent soccer pitch at work, Frank is packing away the voodoo dolls and pouring out the holy water. We’re not sore losers here. We don’t need to cast spells or wish ill will on the winners…Right?

We can forget about the multiple late night refinements that led to the early morning printing and binding session. We can laugh off the hours spent on three unique graphic executions and fully flushed out 18-month marketing plan. And we’ll simply digest the countless pots of coffee that kept the creative juices flowing because this is the life we chose.

Besides, we watched “The Bachelor” last season. We know what happens to #1s and #2s. You see, Melissa was picked #1 and offered a proposal while Molly was rejected and left asking “why?” on national TV. Of course a couple months later, #2 Molly was asked back and #1 Melissa was dumped, making her the actual #2 and Molly the new #1. And when “Dancing with the Stars” heard about the now #2 Melissa, they asked her to be on their #1 hit show where she made bank. And the first #2, who eventually became #1, is still in love, which is worth more than money - kind of like ideas. You can’t put a price on good one.

So sometimes #2 feels better than #1. And at the very least, 2 is twice as many as 1, which seems like a step up if you’re still doing the math. You know what I mean?

Is Jim Mora Jr. really a Wahlberg brother?

Mark Wahlberg

Jim Mora Jr.

Samsung Rogue

This is the phone I'm gonna get in October. Touch screen, full web browser, and you still get the flip out keyboard. I will finally be able to text without dealing with the T9 functionality.

New Internet Sensation - Michael Jackson Remix

Michael Jackson remix @ Yahoo! Video

I would like to give a shout out to Donovan McNabb for being made of glass. Way to make through half a game this year.