Not a one-size-fits-all

In theory, this Outdoor Research Yukon hat looks like it fits in the outdoors. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that it doesn't. One of the companies I write for used it in a recent photo shoot. It single handily ruined 50% of the shots taken. I wish I would've been there to stop the madness, but I wasn't.  Now, my shot selection is cut in half for any and all ads/catalogs we will be creating. Not cool.

Pass the Popcorn: Hanna

A 16-year-old girl destined to be a killer gets her chance when she's faced with the person responsible for making her that way. Sounds like it could be a fun ride, but the meandering detours from introduction to revenge don't help the pace and story.

Hanna director Joe Wright adds too many stylized camera tricks and slick cuts to make this action flick feel honest. It's probably because the script lacks enough backbone to stand on its own. It's hard to buy the motivations of the father who's trying to protect his daughter and the CIA agent who's trying to kill her. So when the second act starts dragging, the movie starts failing.

While there's some interesting action in Hanna, it falls well short of movies like The Bourne Identity and Mission Impossible.

Explore or Rove?

I know Ford is basically responsible for making Range Rovers, but they need to do a little more to separate their high-end brand from their regular brand. The new Ford Explorer and the new Range Rover have an awful lot in common for the $15K price difference.

Nike Better World

Nike has always created good spots. They are more than commercials. Commercials sell things. Nike sells inspiration, ideas, and ambition. You see, there's a big difference between a commercial and what Nike does. Commercials are 30 seconds long. Nike uses as much time as it needs. Commercial have scripts. Nike tells stories. Commercials are discarded and forgotten while Nike can save what it creates, reuse it, and still make something that resonates beyond the norm. It's a pretty amazing thing.

Three for One

A high school football player gets the trifecta - kick block/interception/touchdown. You don't see that everyday.

Penfield 'Rockford' Down Jacket

A hint of western flare combined with modern styling. I'm all in. 

Mid-Season NFL MVP Goes to…

Peyton Manning! Sure, you can make a good case for Aaron Rodgers with 20 TDs and only 3 interceptions. He’s coming off of a Super Bowl victory and has his team in position to win the NFC North at 6-0 this year. You might even throw Tom Brady into the mix. He’s already accumulated nearly 2,200 yards and has 16 TDs of his own. And at 5-1, the Patriots are looking pretty strong, too.

But let’s take a look at Peyton Manning and the woeful Colts. Indianapolis was able to amass some of the best regular season records of the last 5 years – 10 wins, 14 wins, 12 wins, 13 wins, and 12 wins with a Super Bowl victory to boot. He’s been the face of the franchise and a coach on the field. Of course this year, as we all know, he’s out. And the Colts have ZERO wins. They’ve struggled to get first downs let alone W’s.

The Colts roster looks very similar to its past contending rosters yet they are failing beyond imagination. The only difference is that #18 is on the sidelines. This season has proven how valuable one player can be to a franchise.

Other teams have been able to manage without their signal caller under center. Last year, the Steelers held up nicely while Big Ben sat out due to suspension. But the Colts have done nothing of the sort.

So who’s to say you have to be playing to be the most valuable player to your team and to the league. By not playing, Manning’s shown that he is virtually irreplaceable. The Colts are losing and almost unwatchable, which hurts their fanbase and the NFL's bottom line. And that’s why he’s my 2011/12 NFL MVP.

Rank and File

It's been a tough decade to be a 49er fan. There has been a lot of L's over the years. A lot could've, would've, should'ves. So when the power rankings came out this week, I almost dropped a load in my shorts to see them at #4. That might be as good as it gets this year. But one thing's for sure, their future looks bright.

Levi's Cords

The life of corduroy has been that of ebbs and flows. I've always been a fan of the boot cut Levi's, but I can say that you won't always find a pair in my closet. Unlike bell bottoms, it's hard to know when exactly this look goes out of style. One day they're in GQ and the next day you can't find them anyway. Well, today they are in GQ. So if you have a pair on the bottom shelf, dust 'em off and slip 'em on. Hopefully, they still fit.

Lign Golf: For dudes who play

I've never actually bought a Lign shirt, but I still hit up their site every once in awhile. I dig the vibe and style of the brand. Of course, if the fit and wear aren't any good, they won't progress.

Regardless, I think they're hitting a consumer segment that's only going to grow - dudes who play golf. Not guys who play but dudes. Not retirees with nest eggs or Porsche drivers who live on the hill. But the dudes who serve you drinks at the bar and design your websites. The dudes who play Tiger Woods on the PS3 when it rains and hit the links when it's sunny. The dudes who have etiquette but don't get bogged down in the rules. It's tempered rebellion. It's generation now.

Tim Tebow (Question Mark)

Tebow is one of the only players in the NFL who can prove his critics right and wrong at the same time. Is he widely inaccurate? Of course he is. You saw the stats for the first three quarters of the game this weekend. He couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. But can he win games? Technically, yes they won. He orchestrated a final drive and threw a game-tying touchdown pass. Of course, no one is giving Prater any love for the final field goal. But that's another story.

The fact of the matter is that Tebow's game is like an alcoholic who gets sober. Everyone pats him on the back for not taking a drink in a year. But if he wasn't an alcoholic to begin with, he could've skipped the 12 steps altogether. Get my drift?

Cool

See More Here

Pass the Popcorn: Bad Teacher

I actually turned it off halfway through. I don't do that very often. But I couldn't find a single reason to root for the main character. I tried but couldn't. Bad Teacher was simply bad.

Nike Zoom Kobe VII

The new Kobe's look to be more understated as far combining multiple patterns in the upper. But that doesn't mean Nike isn't still playing with unique textures (note the subtle horizontal ribbing).

The shoe looks like it has a super-reinforced heel clip but the removable insole/ankle support is the most noticeable addition. Regardless, I like the nod to a more classic silhouette.

Pass the Popcorn: Hood to Coast

197 miles separates those who talk big stories and those who live them. Hood to Coast does what every good documentary should; it takes an interesting event and humanizes it. Whether you're a runner or not, you'll be inspired by average people doing something more.

Parenting Vault: The Hammer

My kids were having a tough time listening last night, so I had to use the "Daddy Voice" and settle the situation down. Of course, after I use the "Daddy Voice," I like explain to my kids why I needed to be the bad guy.

Last night, after our little "Daddy Voice" time, I said to my daughter, "You know why I got angry? When you and your brother don't listen, I have to put my foot down. I'm not a push over like your mom, dear. If you don't listen to me when I need you to, I'll drop the hammer."

Then I followed it up by asking if she knew what I meant. She replied, "Yes. If me and Henry don't listen to you, and you have have a hammer, you will drop it on us."

Apparently, 4-year-olds don't quite grasp the idea of metaphors. Although, I think it was equally effective.

Converse Chuck Taylor Thinsulate

These Chuck Taylors come with 3M Thinsulate - the same type of insulation most outdoor brands use for their cold weather hiking, hunting, and everything in-between boots. They don't say how many grams are packed inside, so I wouldn't expect that there's much. However, with Thinsulate, a little goes a long way.

Kudos to Converse for letting us look cool while staying warm.

Next up, the kettle will call the pot black.

VW Beetle

There's always a fine line between losing where you came from and ending up where you need to be. I think the new VW Beetle rides the line nicely. And in a time of SMART cars and the Mini Cooper, the redesign might make the Beetle relevant again..

The Avengers

I'm still not sure about this one.

Boom

Pine State Biscuit Bliss

Right around Belmont Street and 37th Ave in Portland, there's a whole-in-the-wall biscuit joint that serves nothing but happiness. Pine State Biscuit offers a range of biscuit dishes from traditional biscuits and gravy to The Reggie Deluxe (see below).  Piled high with goodness, the food at this place is well worth the effort.

Hi-Tec Rainier Event WPi Boots

My nightstand clock says 5:15 a.m. In 15 minutes the alarm will go off, but there's no sense in waiting around. It may be the second weekend of hunting season, but it's the first chance I've had to test out my new Hi-Tec Rainier Event WPi hiking boots.

A light drizzle has been coating the Tillamook State Forest for the past 24 hours, so I'm excited to see how effective the Hi-Tec ion-mask waterproof technology holds up to the Oregon rain. According to the shoe tag, ion-mask is a plasma coating that penetrates all exposed surfaces of the boot, allowing it to repel water, dirt, and mud. The process means there's no uptake of moisture in the fabric itself, which makes the boot highly water repellent and stain resistant.

The first thing I notice as I lace up the Hi-Tec Rainier boots is how durable the rustproof hardware feels. As I cinch down the laces, I can feel the TPU heel locking system around my ankles. The height of the TPU feels a little uncomfortable at first, but after walking around a bit, the leather starts breaking into my stride and evening out.

By the time I reach the Tillamook State Forest, the rain has stopped and the fog is settling in. While the ground is soaking wet, the temperature isn't much colder than 60 degrees, so I'm glad this version of Hi-Tec hiker isn't insulated.

The instant cushion of the 4:SYS, six density PU / CMEVA backpacking midsole doesn't disappoint. While the leather around the ankle needs to be broken in a bit, the midsole and insole are comfortable right out of the box.

My first trek takes me up a 4-wheeler trail beneath a transmission line. It's mixture of wet, packed mud and large, slick rocks are the perfect test for the Rainier's exclusive Vibram® backpacking outsole. The boot's lugs grip the terrain well. The mud cakes a bit but releases as I make my way up. And while my pants slowly start soaking up moisture, the waterproof, full-grain leather upper stays nice and dry.

Several hours later, I find myself trudging up a near vertical hill full of downfall. The slope, which looks seemingly innocent from a distance, turns out to be knee-high vines, dead trees, and shrubs. The Hi-Tec Rainier's Stabila-flex elite, contoured thermo-plastic bi-fit board keeps me sure footed as I make the ascent. It wasn't till the descent a little later that I felt my back heel start rubbing a little - something that's to be expected when you're testing a backpacking boot with zero break-in period.

All in all, the boots are great. They're comfortable, stable, and keep my feet dry. They're the second pair of Hi-Tec boots in my closet - the first being the Jackson Hole 400s. Hi-Tec's instant cushion combined with stable platform continues to win me over, especially in their upper-tiered product.

Probably.

Long Live Michael

The man in the Hathaway shirt

 The man in the Hathaway shirt is the original Most Interesting Man in the World; except he let the eye patch do the talking for him.

Remember When?

Remember when men knew how to do manly things. We could change a tire in snow storm and manually adjust a carburetor. We didn't reference Google to know how to countersink a screw. And if we wore skinnier jeans, it was because we herded cattle on horseback and the jeans were Wranglers.

We had feelings but didn't feel the need to share them. We were strong because we worked hard, not buff because we counted calories and spent every waking moment at the gym. That's back when men were men, and we were proud of it.

A Quote From My Mouth

"I've got good news and bad news. Unfortunately, the good news is that I'm optimistic about the bad news."

I Love Cats?

This would be funnier if the original video didn't feel like a fake. In the original version, it sounds like someone laughs at 2:20. Good try though.

Pass the Popcorn: Hesher

Hesher, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is supposed to be about an out-of-control youth who happens upon a grief-stricken family. His crazy antics supposedly help this dysfunctional family get past their grief and start to move on. It's supposed to make you see the good in someone no matter how messed up they are. Unfortunately, none of that actually came to fruition.

While Gordon-Levitt does a fine job of acting like a greasy-haired loner, the script's backbone fell apart during the second act. The quirkiness that pulled you in during the first 30 minutes starts to fade when you realize you're not going to learn any more about Hesher's motivations, which makes the rest of the film feel forced at best.

I kind of wonder if writer Spencer Susser had a couple of interesting characters and funny scenes in his head, so he tried to make a movie about them - as opposed to having an interesting story and creating scenes and characters to correspond.

Regardless, Hesher had a couple of great moments, but mostly, it was off color, slightly inappropriate, and left you feeling uneasy. But I'm all of those things, too. So saying it completely sucked would make me a hypocrite.

I'm a sucker for Nike ACGs

Nike ACG Takos Low LE sneaker

Ridiculous or Ridiculously Cool?

I'd say both.

Listening to and Liking: Middle Brother

I think these guys are going to be good.

Corporate Displeasure

I hate that if you accidentally make a late payment to a company, they instantly charge you a late fee. But if a company charges your debit card incorrectly, they can take 30-45 days to reimburse you. And that's just the way it is.

I want the ability to start charging companies every time they screw something up. If my satellite company doesn't cancel my service when I call them the first time, they should get charged. If the service guy tells me that they will send out the return box, but never actually puts the order in, they should get a late fee. If they decide to randomly charge my debit card for an installation that didn't happen 40 days ago because I don't actually have their service, I should be able to bill them extra.

But instead, they simply say, "Oh, we're sorry for the inconvenience. Deal with it." It just doesn't sit right with me.

Yeah, I'm talking to you Direct TV. 

Great Movie Poster

Not New but Still Sweet

Nike ACG Air Pegasus

Good Karma. Good Creative. Thanks Creature.

I stumbled upon this sweet Cave Singers poster in last month’s Communication Arts. A couple of the guys at my office have been digging the band for the last two months now, so I really wanted to hook them up with this unique wild posting.

I found out the artwork was designed by Creature (an agency in Seattle), so I emailed them and asked for a copy. Luckily, they had one left stowed away in the basement.

An account guy told me I had to sell him on why he should give it to me. I recounted how the Cave Singers, beer, and Red Bull got us through a myriad of late night pushes and that the poster would fit nicely with the new routine. He agreed and sent it my way.

Thanks for being awesome, Creature.

More

What's in a name anyway?

Who had the better name change; Ron Artest to Metta World Peace or Chad Johnson to Chad Ochocinco?

Regardless of what you think, Artest showed more commitment. Ochocinco can still go by Chad. But Artest is stuck with Metta. Not to mention, Chad forgot to add a space in-between the Ocho and the Cinco.

On those two arguments alone, I'm going with Artest. That dude's crazy.

Pass the Popcorn: Edge of Darkness

Edge of Darkness has been on my list of movies to watch for awhile now, but for some reason it kept slipping through the cracks. Darkness is about an old crotchety detective who's daughter is murdered, sending him on a mission to find out why. I came into it thinking that it was going to be a revenge driven blood fest, but it's actually more politically charged... or at least tries to be.

Over all, it was just okay - the right movie for a night if you have nothing else to do. I was hoping for more.

Vans Wingtips

See More

Cool Art

4-Eyed, Buck-Toothed Bottle Opener

My grandma gave me one of these as a kid. I have no idea what happened to it. Apparently, they're collectible.

Teva B-1 Britania

The Marty McFly

Perhaps the success of the Air Yeezy got Nike thinking. Why create a show that looks like it was inspired by the McFly's when you can simply make the McFly's? They're supposed to have a patented automatic lacing system and trippy lights. We'll see. Regardless, they'll be a nice homage to the Back to the Future fans out there.

Super Intrigued

R.I.P.

New Duck Uniforms

You can't go wrong with matte black.

Listening to and Liking:

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

The Exploding Whale

Duh

Sometimes, I think people ask questions just because they want to be lied to. They know the answer. They may not like it, but they know it. So what do they do? They ask anyway. Don't get me wrong, I prefer to be as honest as possible, so in most cases I let my silence lie for me. But every once in awhile, self preservation kicks in, and I open my mouth and lie.

Such is life, my friends. Truth only lives in actions, not words. And the sooner people understand that, the sooner they will stop lying to themselves, as well.

Watch the Throne

Kanye West is alright and Jay Z obviously holds his own. But when they sample and collaborate together, they're damn good. Check out their project Watch the Throne.

The Head and the Heart

I would like to be there for this one. The Head and the Heart having growing on me over the last couple weeks. Good stuff.

Under Armour Charge RC

 

I could see this design taking off. I've haven't looked into, so I don't know if they're pushing the Charge as a trainer, runner, or a recovery shoe,  but it's got an interesting look. I would love to slip on a pair to see how it performs. Check it out here.

Fandom

My buddy asked me if I was excited that the 49ers finally got a "big name" receiver. I said that I was about as excited as I would be about getting my driver's license without owning a car.

I love that the 49ers finally have a name to throw to, but unless Alex Smith figures out how to be successful in the NFL, it won't matter.

Vintage-Style DC

Listening to and Liking: The Head and the Heart

Portland Style or lack there of.

All I ever see in Portland are dudes wearing tight jean shorts rolled up at the knee. When did guys decide it was okay to start dressing like chicks?

I'll be the first to admit that I don't have the best style. But I would rather have no style than awful style. Call it what you want call, but the sissy hipster look has got to go. It's time for men to start acting like men again.

Battleship the movie?????

I guess you can basically create any story you want about ships shooting at each other and call it Battleship. But the question still begs to be asked, do we really need a big-budget movie based off of a game that has literally requires no strategy? I think not.

My prediction: The movie is as boring as the game.

Demetri Martin = Funny

I'm surprised it took me this long to stumble across this cat. He's good at what he does, and he inspires me to make charts.

Olympus XZ-1

I want this camera. Why? I will tell you. I want to take professional looking pictures and video, but I don't want to deal with something big and bulky. I want my wife to be able to use it without being confused about lenses and complicated setting. I want to be able to control the aperture and F-stop. Unfortunately, I don't want to pay $500 bucks for a camera right now. But maybe someday I will. And when I do, I will look for this one.

Pressure Check

Japan flipped the script on the U.S. to take the World Cup Finals. It felt very similar to the U.S. vs Brazil game, only this time, the U.S. was on the receiving end. You have to feel good for Japan and their story. But you can't help but know that the U.S. team missed a giant opportunity.

It's hard to keep the momentum after so many botched first half goals. The ladies still put on a good show. And according to my wife, had way better uniforms.

Young the Giant

Good find D to the K to the J. This is a great track.

The Cave Singers: Summer Light

Saw them live last week. The music was good but the show would have been better in a smaller venue.

Friendship Bracelets

GQ is trying to convince me that dudes should be trying to pull off the wristband thing. I'm not buying it, especially when half of their top picks cost over $100... for a wristband! No thanks.Watches? Yes. Braided fabric? No.

America!

Nothing beats the 4th of July in small town. When you're in the city, it can often feel like an obligation. But in the country, it always feels a little more genuine.

Obsurd Signs

Straight from HappyPlace.com, here are signs for stupid people, made by stupid people. Who know how many of them are actually real. Furthermore, who really cares? They're funny. Click on the link to read them all.