The Death of the Video Store???

Apparently so.  I noticed that the two Hollywood Video stores in my area have Store Closing signs on them.  I just read an article to verify that yes, they are filing for bankruptcy and closing a lot of stores.  Their excuse?  Netflix and RedBox.  I didn't know this, but it seems that Movie Gallery bought out Hollywood Video (I thought they were just two different versions of the same place) and before they did this round of store closures, the Parent companies original stores, Movie Gallery, were the one's being closed first.  I don't think you can blame NetFlix or RedBox really.  It's the store management I blame.  They keep trying to shove this new "Powerplay" thing down your throat EVERY SINGLE TIME you go into the store and you literally have to tell them a dozen time "No, I'm not interested...thanks anyway."  I guess they were giving employees incentives to sign people up or something. Look, if I wanted to pay a monthly fee to rent movies I'd join Netflix.  Why should I pay a monthly fee to a brick and mortar store that I have to drive to and sometime come away empty handed from because what I want to rent isn't there?   So I pay you a monthly fee so you will lower your prices and then I get to keep the movie as long as I want........I have an idea, although it's obviously too late,  why not just lower your prices......See NetFlix charges a flat fee a month and not rental fee on top of that....you were trying to charge a flat fee plus a rental fee.   Bad idea.   If you want to really compete with the competition, Walmart them.   Walmart loves to sell the same item for 5 cents cheaper....Wii Fit Plus normally retails for 19.99...Walmart had it for 19.94.   Very deceiving....not really, it's a typical Marketing ploy.  People buy more things at 19.95/19.99 than they'd do at 20 dollars.  It's a perception thing.  They think they are getting a "Great Deal!!!" but after sales tax they really aren't.  Sad to see Hollywood Video going away, where else am I going to rent Wii games to see if I want to buy them or not??? Yeah I know, Gamefly, but I don't like paying monthly fees for crap I don't use that often.  It's too bad Corporations don't see the big picture sometime. 

When does Rush's plane board?

Click on the blog title link to go to the blog of Zennie Abraham....a very astute blogger attached to SFGate.com.  He's asking the same thing I'm asking.....when's Limbaugh leaving the country?  C'mon Rush, you said if Health Care Reform passes you'd go to Costa Rica....so when's your plane leaving?  C'mon big mouth, man up.  You said you'd leave...get the fuck out already.  Ciao, buh bye.   Oh that's right, I forgot; you won't leave because you are a coward.  A lying, drug addicted, hate mongering, coward who doesn't have the balls to own up to the crap he spews.  If I was one of your listeners I'd be pissed at what a big liar you are.....oh yeah, those folks can't think for themselves...how silly of me to forget that.  They need you and Beck to tell them their opinions.  I'm serious Rush; tell me when and where and I'll be there with a nice fruit basket doing my best Bugs Bunny impression: "Toodle oo, bon voy-agy...hor revor..."

Generation PunkAss

You remember the Baby Boomers and Gen X and even Gen Y....I have a new one for you: Generation PunkAss.   In a conversation I had the other night with a friend I haven't spoken to in years we both came to the conclusion that Teenage Boys are dumbasses.   I remember back to my teen days and realize that nothing has changed, it's that we didn't get away with it.....or weren't allowed to anyway.   I've mentioned the Airsoft Forum and Field I frequent before, and there are a more than enough incidents of Teen Boy Dumbassery to back up my theory.   Teen Males tend to be mouthy, punks, etc but can usually be put in their places....it's called Good Parenting....see when I was a dumbass, my Father would call me on it and straighten my shit out.   Or other adults would call me on it and if my Father was around those adults would have to get in line to straighten my shit out.  One of the topics on our forum is gaming, i.e. video gaming.  There's this one 14 year old dumbass who never knows when to shut his trap.  He is an XBOX convert...it's the best system ever, your opinion sucks, your an ass if you don't like it....blah blah blah.  When he is bombarded with facts he basically resorts to a digital middle finger and keeps running his mouth.   He's just 1 example of his generation.   They are all like that.  Seriously it's true.  One reason not to get an Xbox would be Xbox Live....a link to an online multiplayer area where you can play the same game with hundreds/thousands of other Xbox folks.   The problem with Xbox Live is it's populated by 12-14 year old males who are real tough guys behind the anonymity of the internet.  It's a constant trash talking, bullying, punkass environment.  A little friendly competition is one thing...i.e.  Dude you're going down....but these kids don't do that.  They take it to extremes.  I guess you can say that Ashton Kutcher is kind of the poster child for their generation.  Punk'd is the most annoying show ever.  Seriously Ashton....try some of that shit on me and a lawyer will be knocking on your door and I'll own everything you and your Mom...I mean Wife have.  I fear for my future....I really do.

Is it Just Me?

In the News Today:  1 out of 10 Tennesseeans is a Teabagger.  Really?  I thought anything closely related to being Gay was a sin?  That means that 1 out of 10 Tennesseeans is a hypocrite.  Oh wait, I think that number is probably bigger.   :)

In the News Today: More Global Warming "facts debunked" or something like that.  I get really sick of this shit.  I won't fully buy into Al Gore's Power Point Presentation of Doom and Gloom, but I do know a few things that I believe in:

A. 100+ years of heavy industrialization have screwed up our planet.  Period, Exclamation point.  We have been slowly taking steps to improve such things and I think we are doing a good job.

B.  The Anti-Global Warming folks' line about "If the planet is warming up then why is it so damn cold lately???"  is just plain stupid.   Think about it dumbasses.  Have you ever been swimming in a lake in the summer time?  The surface of the lake is hot and the temperature of the water gets cooler the deeper you are.  Every fisherman knows that if you want a chance at catching any fish at Noon on a summer day, you better make sure your bait goes real deep...that's where the fish are hiding where it's cool.  Our planet is experiencing the same thing.  The hotter the upper atmosphere gets, the colder it is closer to the surface of the planet.   That's why we are having what seems to be mini-Ice Ages. 

C. Why, oh why is it so bad of an idea to want to be more ecological in the way we deal with the environment?  Seriously you freaking monkies why are you so against this crap?   Give me a damn car that runs on waste water and I'll buy the bloody thing.  Imagine, a car that runs off of all the dirty rinse water in your sink, from your laundry.   Oh darn, that would put the Oil Companies out of business....gee I'm so heartbroken.  What's wrong with just using bamboo for building material?  A bamboo forest only takes a year or two to fully regrow......just think about how much product they could sell?  They wouldn't have the government up their asses with regulations, no eco-terrorists putting nails in trees to damage saw blades etc.  Seriously guys, you'd be more productive and make craploads more money on the sheer volume alone!  Hell if the damn Paper mills would grow fields of Soy Beans they would have more than enough product to produce paper.....you wouldn't have to use damn trees.  Would it cost that much to re-tool?  What's the hold up?

Is it just me, or are you tired of all these jackasses who "don't want the Government in their business"?  Really, you are tired of the Government in your lives huh?  Okay fucktards.....so you are straight on all of this, if you don't want the Government in your lives then do the following:

A. Stop trying to have Gay Marriage outlawed.  You are basically asking the Government to sponsor discrimination......so I guess if you want something outlawed you are okay with the Government being involved huh?

B. The next time your house catches fire, don't call the fire department.   That's a Government mandated organization and since you don't want the Government in you life and you are so better off without then get off of your lazy ass, grab your hose and put your own fire out.

C. Next time your family feels threatened, or you get into an accident or need an authority to deal with something, don't call the Police.  They are a Government mandated organization. 

D. Call the Post Office and refuse any mail service.  That's right, that damn Post Office is a Government Agency and they are just screwing up your life by their interference.   Good luck getting that birthday card with money in it from Grandma.

E. Speaking of money.....take all your money out of the bank.  Now!  It's an Evil organization regulated by the Government for your protection.  Yep those banks are just messing with your lives.  Good luck paying your non-local bills.  Especially since you can't use the bank's bill pay service and since you aren't mailing out those checks because you don't want that Evil Government Post Office in your life. 

F. Call the food manufacturers and farm co-ops and tell them you don't care what they put in your food or that you don't care if the farm/factory worker washes his hands while dealing with your food.  After all, those standards, etc are mandated by Government Interference......

G. Tell your boss that you don't want overtime. Actually work 24 hours a day if you want.  That's right, that 40 hour work week that you enjoy is there because of Government interference.  We can't have that now can we?

H. Cutoff your municpal water service.  Dig a well and deal with what comes out of that.  The purity of your tap water is, of course, mandated by Government interference. 

I. Call the sewage treatment plant and have them release the untreated water back to your house.  That's right, the Government has mandated that all sewage be treated and the water cleaned and purified.  So since you don't want that pesky Government in your lives, deal with your own shit an piss you flush away.  Good luck with that too.

and finally....

J. If you don't want the Government involved, then move the fuck out!  Go live in Somali or in Mexico (where the Government will do your bidding for the right price) or better yet, move your ass to an Island somewhere in the Pacific and see just how well you survive without the Government Interfering in your lives...

Is it just me?

Is it just me, or is being married and middle aged kind of fun?  Seriously, I do enjoy being the age I am and being married.  I know, sounds odd coming from a guy (essentially we are supposed to want to fight old age to the bitter end and want to sleep with anything that moves), but I really do enjoy where I am in life right now.   My Wife and I have a good marriage, we are comfortable with each other and genuinely enjoy each other's company.   I know people who have that "she's the old ball and chain" attitude, but that's not me.  I will be 45 this year, and you know what; who cares?  Seriously, it's a number.   What has driven me to write this is constant "war on aging" that television slams us with.  Toyota (poor Toyota) has been showing these commercials for the Sienna mini-van that show a 40 something couple in complete denial that they are married parents who bought a mini-van by using terms like "Mom-Like" and "Dad-Like".  Sorry folks, you did the deed, had the kids, are raising them, etc.  You are Mom and Dad; i.e. Parents.   Deal with it and move on.   Dove has some great anti "war on aging" commericals out now.  They are selling their body wash for men by saying "after all the macho bs is done and you are now comfortable".....essentially saying, hey we came up with a product that won't dry out your skin and get you clean and you won't be considered a pansy or a wimp for using it because you're an old guy.  

I feel sorry for single folks, I really do.  Not the one's in relationships; technically you're not single then.  No, I'm talking about the "serial daters"; the ones that are constantly with someone new.  That's got to suck.  Yeah I know the whole "you eat saltines all your life then you have a ritz and it's like a whole new world opens up", but my attitude is "it's a damn cracker".  Unsalted, lightly salted, spiced up, whatever; deep down inside, under all the layers it's still a cracker.   I believe that if you communicate well in your relationships, you can eat an flavor of cracker you want; and it will all come out of the same box. 

Damn I'm hungry now......

Spam, Spam, Spam Spam....

Not the canned meat product of the Gods.....no, no not that kind, the Electronic kind.  It honestly makes me wonder how people fall for this crap.  Here's a few examples from my current Spam folder:

Good Day,.




I hope my letter meets you in good health. I am a former bank staff here in Istanbul-Turkey. I'd apparently contacted you due to similarity with your location as compared with one of our late client's supposed grantee holder. I humbly wish to request your help to be presented as the (Grantee) to the deposit so that the it can be safely transferred out of Turkey before it is foreclosed upon. If agreed all back up documents will be provided to you for official Notary purpose at your local notary office which will enable all procedures be carried out legally.



Further information will be forwarded to you on receipt of a positive response from you.



Sincerely Yours

K. D. Emin
 
WTF?????  The above paragraph doesn't even make sense.  But yet, there is some monkey out there who will think that someone in Turkey is going to give them money.   Wait, it gets better. 
 
How's it going Sue




can't believe i'm really doing this, logged into %%site%% and thought of u.



if ur not busy can you give me your opinion on this come see it over here,
 
luv, you know who


Huh?????  There was a link but I'm not going to give the spamming asshole the satisfaction.  Okay, who the Hell is Sue and who is "you know who"?  Who pays these schmucks to send this crap, and do they realize it's just wasted money as no intelligent person is going to click on the link.   Here's another:
 
was that you at the bar




i was in red and black



click here

Another link attached which I have chosen to not include here.   Let's see, I was at the Y last night with my Wife and Step-Daughter then after that I was home watching Survivor so no it wasn't me at the bar.   Even if I was a single guy who went out to bars everynight I wouldn't fall for this.  Unless you give someone your email address, no strange woman is going to magically get it and email you. 
 
 
Just found these particularly interesting.

TV Recommendations, Weird Commercials and Please go away Sorehead Failin'

Leverage just wrapped up it's winter season and will be back in the summer.  If you aren't watching this show, why?  Damages is back as well, and this season the big case is ripped from the headlines.  Great shows both, I highly suggest checking them out.

In the category of "How not to sell stuff to people" we find CVS Pharmacies.   They have this new spokesperson, a white haired Grandma who is pitching their products.  Okay, little old ladies have been used before to good effect (The Wendy's "Where's the Beef" lady comes to mind) but this one isn't working for me.  Frankly she scares me.   She looks like that grumpy old bitch that lived down the street from you when you were a kid.  You know, the one that personified the grumpy old person mantle.  "Get off my lawn" would be heard alot.  All her lights were off on Halloween and she never gave out anything.   The new spokesperson also reminds me of that ancient Substitute teacher that you'd get no matter what grade you were in.  You need to find a nicer Grandma figure CVS.

In the category of "They are so mean to me.." comes the darling of the GOP Sorehead Failin' and her newest bout of outrage and something she thinks is aimed at her.   Okay, this one did make a reference to "my Mother is a former Governer of Alaska", but still.   Apparently the show "Family Guy" (one of the non-funniest shows on TV) had a character that was "special" that had become the love interest of Chris, one of the characters on the show.  She talked about herself and mentioned the above line regarding her mother's past.  Now Failin' has a Down Syndrome Child, but the child is an infant and a male.  It's also probably her oldest slut's...I mean daughter's child but I digress.  (That's right GOP, you have your "he's a Kenyan not an American" and we have our "That's not her child that's her Grandchild".)  I got news for you Sorehead:

A. Family Guy has humor as tasteless and biting as South Park (although South Park is just damn funny in comparison.).  Family Guy often illicits that "Oh No they didn't?" response.  
B. You are now employed by Fox.  Fox produces Family Guy, airs the show and makes a mint off of the advertising and marketing from the show.  In other words, you are pissing in your own Cheerios dumb ass.

Oh Lord, please make this stupid Bitch go away.....

Hey at least Joe the Plumber has finally admitted he was a tool.......

GOP=Grainy Old Phonograph

That's right, I said Grainy Old Phonograph.  You know, Broken Record.   Seriously you mouth breathing, mentally deficient, Right Wing, Nut Jobs need to to shut the Hell up about two things in particular:

1. The Whole "teleprompter" thing.  Everyone uses a teleprompter you dumbasses.  W used to have an earpiece with someone talking into his ear when a teleprompter wasn't available.  Glenn Beck and Hannity who rail against the President do so by reading those same words off of, you guessed it, a teleprompter.   Holy Christ folks.  You hate a man because he reads words off of a screen?

2. "He's not a citizen."  Okay dumbasses, when a person runs for office like Senator or Congress or President, an independent, non-partisan panel checks that very fact out.  So I guess President Obama has to show his birth certificate but John McCain didn't have to?  Oh yeah, it's because McCain is white...I forgot that part. 

The GOP has become the party of the Broken Record.  It's become the party of hatemonger and lies.  They rail and rant and demean but yet they don't come up with any solution other than "leave things alone".  Oh yeah, that's good.  Things are so great the way they are. 

Another thing, Democrats, get off your asses and stop letting the freaking Right Wing, Nutjobs control the conversation!!!  Seriously, you dumbasses do this all the time.  You had the majority, then you just sat there on your laurels letting the Teabaggers, Hannitys, O'Reilys, Becks and Palins of the world stir up the Country.  Jesus you dipshits, wake the Hell up!!!!

I was expecting this to happen.....

I just didn't know it was as wide spread as it is.  Click on the blog title to be taken to the Sacramento United Coalition of Reason's website.  Here's there billboard

They are a group that tells people it's okay "not to believe".  As most readers of this blog know, I'm not too fond of organized religions.   I find them controlling, unreasonable, xenophobic and full of hypocrisy.  I also think that they give people excuses to act like animals sometimes and to feel more "holier than thou".  I expected something this to happen eventually.  When W. was President, he pretty much catered to the Religious Right.  For 8 years we saw an increased blurring of the lines between Church and State.  It's good to see there are others out there who are seeing the "light" (or not seeing the "light" because that's a religious reference after all.)

Social Networking

I just read an article in today's Tennessean (an extreme, right leaning newspaper much like the SF Chronicle leans left) about folks "signing off" of Social Networking sites.   These people claim that it eats up too much of their lives, etc.   These are obviously people with no self control.   I personally use Facebook as it's a bit more Adult Oriented.  No, not that way you pervs, there are more adults on Facebook than on any other Social Network site.   I love it personally.  My eldest Step-Daughter and her Husband send me little blurbs, etc all the time.  I've reconnected with Family members that have lost touch, old High School friends and the like.   For awhile there we didn't have any home computer at all.  The Desktop died, the laptop died so we were stuck.  Even then, I would log on once in a blue moon and check my Facebook page and not be all stressed because it had been a few weeks or months since the last time I check.  No one gave me grief for it, nor do I feel it's sucking my life away.   These sites are great tools and with a bit of self-control, you will be just fine.    I don't use Myspace because it's populated by Teens; I have a 15 year old Step-Daughter, I get enough of Teen "drama" without having to go to a webpage with blasting music and banners flashing you to an epileptic seizure.  No thanks, I'll stick with my simple, clean Facebook page any day.  The one I don't think is really useful, for at least myself anyway, is Twitter.   Honestly, my friends and the world do not need to know my every move at all times of the day.   I don't know of many of the GoG that use Twitter.  I'm glad they don't because I can jus see the Tweets now:

The Warden:  "Just took a massive shit.  Man it stunk.  It was approximately 18 inches long and curled nicely as it evacuated itself from my ass."

The Discourser: "Just declared biological warfare on the room.  Man that was a stinky one!!!  I think the Professor's face is turning blue."

The Perfect Line: "Just finished banging a hot chick.  Damn she has nice tits.....we took pictures.  I will show them to you at our next gaming session."

And these would be the tame ones from the GoG, trust me. 

---

WTF is that White Stuff????

This is my front yard from a couple of weeks ago.  The white area past the tree in the background is the street that runs outside my front yard......oh wait, what Street!?!?!?!  Exactly.   This looks like an alien landscape to me.  I mean in Cali the only places that ever got snow was way up North in Shasta area and the Tahoe area.   You know in Shasta where they have that cheap property that Eric Estrada pitches.  Some paradise huh?  

Teabaggers: Morons to the extreme.+

The Tea Party movement, or as I sarcastically like to call them "Tea Baggers", started as a way of being frustrated at the Government's treatment of the little man.  It has now evolved into the crazy arm of the right wing repugnican propaganda machine that is still being powered by sour grapes.   Seriously you retards, get the Hell over it.  Your Dude lost.   Look the "Bush Stole the Election" people were annoying after awhile too okay.  Jesus, shut the Hell up already.   Anyway, I digress.  The Tea Baggers held their first National Convention in Nashville recently and they only pulled in about 600 people.   You get about 6,000 at a Star Trek Convention as a comparison.  I guess the Geeks have more conviction than a bunch of mouth breathing whiners.   The Tea Baggers have become Anti-Obama and stopped being Anti Government like they used to be.  What these talking monkies don't realize is that it's their favorite party, the GOP, that is really the issue.  The President hasn't had a chance to do anything yet because the GOP is pitching a fit at every little thing.  Instead of bitching about the health care bill, try coming up with a solution.  The loudest Republican opponents of anything the President does never offer a solution; they just rail and rant because that's their job apparently.   Bob Corker, Tennessee Senator, is useless as a Legislator.   All he does is pull out his GOP Sour Grape scented flash cards and says things like "Tax and Spend Democrat" "Socialist", etc etc.  These jackholes still think there is a free market out there.  I have news for you, there isn't.   The only markets where true competition exists is the goods and services retail markets and the auto markets.   In retail you have your choice: You can buy clothes at the high end Department stores, go to Ross or TJ Maxx and find the same clothes at close-out prices, find similar items with off brand names for a crapload cheaper at Old Navy, Target or WalMart.   These are your choices.  The range of prices goes from 100 dollars to 5 dollars depending on where and what.  That is true competition.  Car dealers are the same.  What you get for equivalent dollars at one place may not be the same speed wise, luxury wise, etc, but it's still a vehicle that gets you from point A to Point B.   Have you shopped for health insurance?  I have, and trust me there is little difference in price whatsoever.   The Health insurance industry has evolved into a money making machine for stockholders; that's it.   The customer has to pay so much more out of pocket it makes one ask "why do I need insurance anyway?"   If I have to pay 5K out of pocket on top of a monthly premium before the Insurance Company pays a dime, then why pay the Insurance Company?  Right?  You have to because the Doctors are all in bed with the Insurance Co's.   If you don't have insurance, Doctors treat you like you have the freaking plague and need to be put down.  No competition, no free market there.  They have you by the short hairs and they know it.  It's like the Oil Companies.  Gas prices fluctuate depending on what City/Area of the World you are in, but within your town, there's not that much difference.  It's an industry that raises and lowers their prices on a whim, and come up with creative and mind blowing reasons as to why.  Not a free market, not even close.  I'd have more respect for the Tea Baggers if they actually were for a better Government, but they aren't.  Hell their Keynote Speaker was Sorehead Palin for Christsakes!!!  C'mon folks, that bitch is a joke.

Children's "Beauty" Pageants or Didn't they learn anything from Jon Bennet Ramsey????

There's a new show on Bravo I believe that's about parents who enroll their small children, we are talking toddlers here, in these kiddie beauty pageants.  Or as I like to call them Pedophile Victim Shopping markets.  Now the only time I watch Bravo is when Top Chef is on; it's a pretty good show.  Other than that, this is the official network of the Attention Whore.  Real Housewives of "insert big city" here.  These stupid wretches wouldn't know housework if it sat on their faces and wiggled.  Please...they should rename it the Real Gold digging bitches that whine and complain all day.   Sorry I don't feel sorry for your plight in this world one bit.  Try living in Haiti right about now....then I'd feel sorry for you.  Back to the main point shall we.....I guess these nimrod parents didn't learn anything from the whole Jon Bennet Ramsey situation.....little children should not be made up to be "sex" symbols.   Oh but Mr. Ranter, Jon Bennet looked so adorable in her little Cowboy Outfit...no, she didn't.  She looked like a miniature Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader.....not something someone under 18 needs to look like.   I wish they'd ban these damn things all together.  Ladies look, there's more to life than being a pretty face okay.  Most pageant queens, either Miss Teen, Miss American whatever, all end up nobodies in the end.  Some get lucky and act or get into showbiz in some form or another, but most don't.   They end up having to scramble to find something to fall back on it life, and hopefully they use the scholarship they receive as winners to go get an actual education......something they can use to earn a paycheck for the rest of their lives.....hey I may be wrong and dear commenters please correct me if I am, but it's just not worth it anymore in this day and age.  Women are desperately trying to break the mold and make their own way in the world...I know, still sheesh.....but it's better than it was.  Crap like these shows just make women look like catty, good for only one thing, gold digging, can't exist without a rich husband to care for them no good losers.  Kind of like Paris Hilton or those Kardashian Hos..... ;)  Ladies, Men are still in charge of everything because you let them........trust me you'd be able to take over real easy, and we just might let you because as you know we Men are inherently lazy......

The Best Show on TV....

Remember way back when I was gaga over Heroes?  Yeah not so much anymore.  It lost it's spot as "Best Show on TV" awhile ago.  I still watch it, and this season it's getting better, but it's just not the same.  I think they need to wrap it up soon before it becomes irrelevant.  Hell, the network it's on already is irrelevant.  NBC tried an experiment that has ended up sending them reeling for something to save their asses.  If you don't know, it was when they took Leno off of the Tonight Show and let him have his own variety type hour at 10 pm....the slot normally reserved for more mature dramas just before the nightly news.  It sucked, and frankly it wasn't the time slot....it is all about Leno just not being funny.  Period.  This is the same network that chased off David Letterman...yeah I be they are smacking themselves silly still over that move.  Anyway, back to the point of this entry; namely the Best Show on TV. 

(Drum roll please......)

Burn Notice.   Hands down one of the most fun hours of TV you will enjoy.  Interestingly it's on USA, which is a division of NBC Universal.  I just don't get how the same company can churn out gold on USA, Monk, Burn Notice, White Collar, etc, and crap on it's main Network?  Boggles the mind honestly.  For those that haven't seen Burn Notice, and honestly why haven't you....., it's a show about a former CIA Operative named Michael Westin who was "burned" by his bosses.  This means you don't exist anymore and if they want to they can off you at a moment's notice.  For now the CIA is content to strand Michael in Miami.  He gets by as a kind of Robin Hood who helps folks in need by employing elaborate schemes and uses all his skills as a CIA Spy to get the job done.  He has two partners that help him out, Fiona GlenAnne and Sam Axe.  Fiona is his ex-girlfriend and a former member of the IRA.  Her solution to most things is by shooting or blowing up the problem.   In one episode when they are trying to figure out how to handle something Fiona says "Can't we just shoot them?"  Sam is a former Navy SEAL and now mooches off retired widows with money while wearing pretty much nothing but Hawaiian Shirts and drinking lots of Mojitos.   Sharon Gless, of Cagney and Lacey fame, plays Michael's Mom.....she's the cigarette smoking, hard drinking kind of Mother who still has her Motherly side.   The banter between the characters is well done, and there is genuine chemistry that makes it chuckle producing.   Many a time we have laughed out loud watching the show.  The show employs great little bits that help the humor.  Michael Westin narrates at various points (played by Jeffery Donovan who was the star of a series I liked alot but was cancelled.  It was called Touching Evil.  Look it up, it was a really interesting series.) and the comments he makes are damn funny.  Also present is the use of onscreen labels to point out who's who.  One episode I was just watching the characters were talking about two potential bad guys they were going to mess with in the episode.  Fiona says one is So and So, the annoying little weasel.  The Camera pauses and the characters name appears across the screen and underneath it says "Annoying little weasel".   Or when someone becomes the gang's client it says "Barry.  The Client."   It adds a small touch of humor to a show with plenty of humor and action in it already.  Fiona is played by Gabriella Anwar and Sam is played by Bruce Campbell (one of my favorite B Movie actors ever.....what honestly drove me to watch the show in the first place.)  It's a bit MacGyver, bit Equalizer, bit Rockford Files all combined.  Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Welcome to 2010

So I guess Arthur C. Clarke got it wrong...I mean in 2001 there was no black monolith on the moon or a computer named HAL that killed everyone off on the International Space Station.  Heck here it is 2010 and the Planet Jupiter hasn't imploded and become a second sun and we haven't been warned to not touch Titan for some reason.......oh...am I the only that remembers that movie?  Anyway I digress...here is the first Rant of 2010:

Fitness is a big issue for people in the first 3 months of the new year.  Everyone and his Brother seems to make the resolution to "go to the gym and lose X pounds, etc".  They fork out big bucks to join the gym, go until March, then quit come April.  I personally use two programs on the Wii, My Fitness Coach by Ubisoft and Wii Fit Plus.   My Fitness Coach is more like an interactive work out video than it is a "game".  You set up a profile; weight, height, age, etc then the program sets up a program for you...i.e. weight loss, cardio, etc and you pick the amount of time you work out each time it schedules you.  There are 500+ exercizes built in and they change each time.  You can earn different music and workout locations.....well at least where your Personal Trainer Maya works out at....it's a good program.  I pair it with Wii Fit Plus using the Balance Board.  Some good strength exercizes and yoga too.  The "games" they give you to play really work you out, I especially like the rhythm Kung Fu and and the Biking and the Running.  Although we may look into a gym, for now we have our Wii and our bikes (yet it's too damn cold to go out riding at the present time.).

Okay Steve...where's the Rant....I know I know...getting to it....

Because we are a nation of fatasses, and have you noticed that the stuff that's good for you costs an arm and a leg and the crap is cheap...bastards!!!, there is a huge market for "systems" and gadgets that will get you into shape.  Miracle pills, etc that are available all for "5 easy payments of xxx.xx".   Half of it's crap....okay the majority of it is crap.   I remember one of the first ones I saw....Suzanne Somers and her AbMaster....a spring thing you put between your legs and squeeze them together and it was supposed to tone you up.  Okay...sure it does.  From what I've heard, the Total Gym (hey Chuck Norris pushes it.....) and Bowflex are two of the best machines you can buy for your home.   Have you noticed, that when some yahoo puts out a "system" they bill themselves as a "Fitness Celebrity".  Really?  If it wasn't for your stupid ass being on an infomercial constantly no one would know your name.   Remember the video tapes called "Fitness Made Simple"?   They were in the '90s.  It was a series of work out tapes being pitched by "Fitness Celebrity" John Basedow.   Who????  Never heard of your ass before you started pitching tapes.  I guess not much of a celebrity.  Billy Mays, that's a celebrity, Anthony Sullivan that's a celebrity.  You saw those guys walking down the street, you'd know them...well not Billy Mays anymore, RIP Pitchman.....you saw John Basedow walking down the street you wouldn't know it.  Hell if you saw Billy Blanks...you know the Tae Bo "Fitness Celebrity"....you'd probably not recognize him.   There's only one Fitness Celebrity and that's Jack LaLane.  There's this new chick out now hawking this ab swing thing....it looks like a round disc on a stand with handle bars and from a central spot extends two knee rests.  You kneel on this thing, grab the handle bars, and rock your hips from side to side.   The machine comes with the "Ab Rocker System" developed by "Fitness Celebrity" Something Nicole Lee.........again with the title of "Fitness Celebrity"........honestly folks, from what I hear the best exercize is to walk a half hour each day.   And watch what you eat....yeah I know easier said than done...trust me I haven't met food I didn't like.   Remember Daisy Fuentes?   Thankfully that talentless hack we haven't heard from in awhile.   Oh yes, she was a model I think.....I believe she was a beach volleyball champion too, which is great, but when you think that qualifies you to be on MTV....okay, any monkey with half a pulse could have been on MTV.....or to sing/act/be a host of a show.....sorry no.  For some reason ABC decided to add her to "America's Funniest, Cruel, Embarassing, Attention Whoring Moments caught on tape" because I guess Bob Sagget just wasn't cutting it enough.  Yeah, she killed that show, just like adding Carmen Electra to Battlebots pretty much sent that show to the shit heap.  Side note: Battlebots was a show for Geeks.  Yes Geeks like looking at hot chicks, but when said hot chick....Carmen Electra...not so much.....demands more airtime it kills the show.   We wanted to see robots battling robots not "Carmen Electra's Battlebots 101".  Ummmm these are machines built by guys like Grant Imahara of Mythbusters and yet Carmen Electra is going to tell me in a hair tossing, breathless voice how to build one of these things.   Not likely.  This chick couldn't operate a can opener let alone know how to build a robot.  Side note done....now back to your regularly scheduled rant.

Daisy Fuentes...that's where we were.  So after Daisy lost every job she ever had on TV she decided to go into clothing design and pitching something called "Windsor Pilates".   When I first saw that word written before I ever heard it pronounced I thought it was Windsor Pilate....(pilot), you know, Brother of Pontias.......I still wondered what the hell a Windsor Pilate was.......essentially it's stretching and pulsing in those stretches to work out targeted muscle groups.  Windsor apparently is the person who decided to take stretching and call it someting else...Pilates.   I just don't understand.  

How about all those "magic" pills.....you know the Fat Blocker ones.  Or Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem.    Kirstie Alley is a prime example of what happens when you go off of Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem, you end up gaining it all back.   Valerie Bertinelli is managing to stay slim because she exercizes and eats right...she learned the maintenance others don't.  Not saying these systems don't work, but you have to eat their pre-prepared food and you don't learn how to eat out or make it yourself to continue to maintain your weight after you are done with their programs.  Weight Watchers is the best of them I think.  They teach you to eat real food and how much of and what types of food to eat.    The one that scares me is the Alli pill.  A friend's wife started the Alli system.   You take a pill with each meal, up to three a day, and follow their plan and you will lose weight.  Apparently the book that comes with the program is 100 pages long and filled with warnings.  What these pills do is block the body's absorption of a percentage of fat.  The plan says you can only eat so much fat a day based off of what's left after the pill has blocked what it's going to block.  If you eat over that amount, the rest of the fat comes out of your ass as the runs.......yes, this pill punishes you for cheating on "The Program" by making you piss out of your ass.   Nice.   Sounds like what happens when one of the GoG eats dairy.......not mentioning names, he knows who he is.  

More Christmas Buzzkill by concerned Dumbasses.

So a news blurb I heard walking out the door this morning stated and I quote "His belly jiggled like a bowl full of jelly....Is Santa Claus' lifestyle giving the wrong impression to our kids?".....I paused at the door, shook my head, and kept walking to the car.  Not sure who/whom the jackass/jackasses are that prompted this whole line of questioning?  Whomever you are, I have one thing to say to you....."Shut the Fuck Up!!"  Buzzkill, politically correct, assholes just need to shut up right now.   Do you want to know what is giving the wrong impression to our kids?  Their damn sorry excuses for parents, that's who.   If Jr. is fat, it's probably because Mom and Dad are heifers.  If you shove shit down his throat all day you will get an unhealthy child.  Garbage in, garbage out.  Kids don't want to be fat, trust me on this.  Other kids are cruel and will make fun of them and no kid wants that.  Tell Jr...."hey if you don't get off your ass and go out and play you will get fat and the other kids will make fun of you" then Jr. will get off his ass and go play.   Or perhaps be a parent and tell Jr. "I'm sorry, only an hour of video games after school then it's outside for you to play." or get Jr. a Wii and Wii Fit so he has to get up off the couch and be active.  And for God's sake do yourself a favor and eat better crap and give it to Jr so he won't be unhealthy.

Tom Brady: The New Douchebag Champion.

Last time I wrote an entry like this it was to proclaim Kanye West the Douchebag of the Year.  Sorry Kanye, I'm going to let you finish but Tom Brady has that honor at this time.

As the readers of this blog may or may not know I'm a fan of the Oakland Raiders Football Team.  A team that won't ever be good again until Al Davis dies, but I digress.  Back almost a decade or so ago there was a playoff game with the Raiders vs. Patriots where the game was decided in the Pats favor by a questionable call.  Tom Douchey was in the pocket about ready to throw; he pump faked and brought the ball back, as he was bringing the ball back he was hit by a Raider defender and sacked, coughing up the ball which the Raiders recovered.   The turnover was overturned because the Official on the field said it was a forward pass and not a pump fake.  Everyone else, except Pats fans of course, says they saw a tuck and not forward pass.  There's the background of my dislike for Brady....although this is not what makes him the Douchebag of the year.  Oh no.  He has gained that title for his lack of caring about the crotchfruit he keeps spawning with various women.  Okay with two women....that we know about anyway!  So Doucheboy is dating some actress...don't care about the name honestly there's too much of this going around Hollywood lately.  Let's have unprotected sex and spawn!!!  Yay what fun!!!!  Folks have more money than sense.  While she is pregnant with his crotchfruit he dumps her for some Supermodel.....I hate that term.  Honestly I've never seen any of these bimbos in a cape flying through the air saving the day.   Someone needs to save them from being in a Skeletor look alike contest.  Three Words Bimbos: Five Dollar Footlong.   His son Jack is born but never once have you seen Doucheboy acknowledge the lad's existence.  Not once.  The kid is two now, and yet Doucheboy still acts like he doesn't give two shits about the kid.  Apparently Jack's Daddy is a check.  At least a check only disappoints when it bounces.  Now he and Bimbo Barbie have just had a child together.  They had a name picked out, but bimbo didn't like it and she's waiting for Doucheboy to have 2 minutes out of his "busy day" (you throw a damn ball Dude....how freaking busy can you be?  Besides, this isn't a pet it's a Human Freaking Being) to help her nail down another name.  It's been a week now.  Seven fricking days and this asshole's excuse is "Well I'm busy reviewing game tape and preparing for next weeks game...I just don't have time."  I got a name for the kid.  How about "Daddy don't give a shit about me" Brady or "Daddy just can't pull out in time" Brady or perhaps "Let the Nanny name it because she's going to be the one actually raising it" Brady. 

Update:  Yay!!!!! Karma has bitten Mr. Douche in the ass.  The Pats are out of the playoffs.......poor poor Douchey Boy......

The Christmas Truce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

Click on the link to read one of the best stories of WWI.  I like to post this link at this time of year because it's a great story for the Season.

Creepy Christmas Commercial

Belk's, a Department Store chain that has a few locations here in Tennessee, has a new Christmas commercials with some creepy, almost incestuous overtones going on.  The whole commercial is done to the song "Santa Baby" and features a 5 year old "Diva in Training" looking like the perfect WASP child with hints of Jon Bennet Ramsey skipping down the stairs and wherever she passes festive holiday decorations appear (most likely bought a Belk's).  Her perfect WASP parents are in the kitchen beaming at their little baby Beauty Queen and a perfect WASP boy of about 7-8 is lounging on the floor near the Family's Christmas tree.   From the commercial you get the impression that the little boy is her brother, yet when Ms. Diva skips into the living room she gives the brother a wink and a nod which prompts him to go into the other room and bring her a gift of a stuffed animal hidden behind his back.  He approaches her, shuffling his feet like a nervous suitor.  She responds with a shy smile while the Parents seem to encourage this behavior from the kitchen.   I turned to my Wife and said "kind of creepy commercial there huh?"  She agreed, especially with the part about the brother acting like a suitor to his sister.    Can I ask, who the Hell greenlights these things?  Seriously, did they hire the only ad agency run by Pedophiles on Madison Ave or something?  It was very surrealistic and creepy.   It's also funny to see the utter desperation of the retail establishments this time of year.  The Christmas season has started already for those not paying attention.  Hell it started shortly before Halloween.   Nintendo is sure marketing the Hell out of the Wii this Christmas I noticed.  Half the commercials on TV last night were for the Wii and Wii related games and peripherals.    I've also notice that yet again WalMart is on a rampage to convince America that we can save sooo much money by shopping at their stores.   One of their latest commercials claims that Grandpa can afford a ticket to fly out and see the family during the Holidays because he shopped at WalMart.   Really?  Not with the prices the airlines charge, and the fact that the Grandpa in the commercial has a suitcase that needs checking.  They claim they have "unbeatable" prices on Wii and Wii games.  No you don't.  Nintendo Wii's have a MSRP of 199.99.  That's anywhere you buy one.....anywhere that's legitimate of course.  There's nothing "unbeatable" about that really.  Target charges that price, Best Buy does, etc.  You're not beating anyone when the manufacturer suggests a price....which is business legalese for "you will charge this much for our product in your store or we will sue you....".  It's not price fixing, but it is close.  Actually Game Stop will sell you one for 149.99 when you sell them back two "qualifying" used games.   Not sure what games qualify but I'm sure it's not that crappy "Block Party" game we have for the Wii.   Must remember to always check Amazon's user reviews before purchasing another game.  Anyway, here's to a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all.  Just remember, shop smart, and don't go into debt.

Movie, Book and TV Recommendations

Since our 15 year old Daughter decided to go Trick or Treating this year (hey why the Hell not...it's free candy!) the Wife and I decided to rent some movies and kick back at home relaxing.  We rented Halloween Favorite "Hocus Pocus".  It's a great, goofy movie and I discovered that the part of Thackery Binks, the boy from Colonial times who gets turned into a cat, was played by none other than Sean Murray...for you who are fans of NCIS, that's the actor that plays McGee.  Highly recommend it as well as "Nightmare Before Christmas".  You should also check out "Coraline".  It's a Tim Burton directed stop moton animation movie of a Children's story that Neil Gaiman wrote for his Daughter.  Creepy fun for all ages.   I rented "Donnie Darko" for myself.  Love this movie.  I had seen it before and had to see it again because it's one of those movies that requires multiple watchings to "get it".   Trippy movie about a teen with borderlin multiple personality disorder who can travel through time.  His nemesis is a 6 foot evil rabbit named Frank.   Told you it was weird.  Next up is an odd little straight to DVD movie we saw called "The Maiden Heist".  It stars Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken and Willam H Macy.  That cast right there made the Wife and I want to check it out.   It's about 3 Security Guards in a New York museum who each becomes obssessed with a particular piece of art.  They've been working there for 30+ years and they find themselves every day staring at their particular piece of art.  Two paintings and a sculpture.  Along comes this new Avant Garde Curator who wants to change the entire Museum from a classical one to a Modern Art showcase.  A Gallery in Copenhagen has agreed to buy all the pieces in the Museum.  This apalls the 3 gents and they plot to steal their particular piece of art in order to save it.  I won't tell you more as the details would ruin the movie.  It was a funny film, even the Daughter loved it. 

As for books, if you haven't already read it yet, pick up a copy of the two books that have become to be known as the "first action novels ever".  I'm talking about "The Odyssey" and "The Illiad" by some guy named Homer.... ;)  not Simpson, just some Greek guy.  Next on the list is "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road" by Neil Peart.   It's a tale of finding oneself on a long distance Motorcycle journey from Canada, Across the US and down to Costa Rica and back.  Neil Peart, the Drummer from Rock Band "Rush" had two personal tragedies befall him in the space of 10 months.  His wife of 20+ years had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  Their only child, a 19 year old Daughter, died in a solo spin out crash after hitting some ice and then a few months later his Wife succumbed to her cancer.   These events would leave anyone a ruin.  He decided to set out on a journey to lose himself and hopefully find himself again along the way.  The man writes great lyrics and I'm dying to read this book. 

For TV Shows let me recommend "White Collar" on USA.  It's a story of an FBI Agent who is the only one to catch a slick, con man/forger who then gets him released to his custody in the hopes of using the crook to catch crooks just like him.  The chemistry between the main characters is great and makes the show fun to watch.