A Social Network Christmas

Something for Grandpa on Father's Day

Yup, that's Betty White - on a nudie deck in the 1940s (which was surely part of the war effort), looking as cute as a button.

Happy Father's Day!

All the Single Cougars

Found this today. It's Liza Minnelli doing "All the Single Ladies" for Sex and the City 2. Sadly we will have to wait for the video of Liza doing the dance, but this quote from the 64-year-old lounge classic seems promising: "It's a wonderful number ... It's rock and roll. Everything is moving! And I just got a whole new knee, so I can promise you everything is moving." Oy.

(Sorry for the weird dimensions on the vid - had to scale it to fit the post column - since it's only audio, it should be no trouble - just looks odd, is all.)

For the brave of heart (and bladder), I also recommend this version. *snicker*

weird wki thought

now that i am close to finishing, when do i get my wiki page?

i'm tired.

One of the Best Quotes Describing Teaching, Ever:

SpongeBob: Mrs Puff, may I be excused?

Mrs Puff: Why no, SpongeBob. I'm in the middle of a coffee fueled sermon right now. You can't afford to miss any of this information.

Yep. That pretty much sums it up.

The Price of Books

Sorry, but let me have a "when I was a kid" moment, here. I remember when I could pick up a new book and a snack for well under $10.

I mean, jeepers - $35 for a book? Really? That is 5% of my rent!

For a book.

True, it's a trendy hardcover, and not the pulp novels I used to buy, but even those are creeping into the double digits, slowly but surely. But, even then, I should not consider $20 a "good price." It's a book, for the love of Mike.

I do have the option of buying it in phantom electronic data bits form for around $17. Because, you know, I love to pay double-digits for 1s and 0s.

Shouldn't we be more upset about this, really? Or do we, as a culture, no longer riot when the price of bread (or books - both essentials) go too high for the masses to afford? Are we really ok with education, enlightenment and perspective belonging solely to the elite?

I suppose, one could say that only the elite want to read now. I think this is bunk, though - if the non-elite no longer want to read, the fact that they can't do so and still buy groceries might have something to do with it.

Is it a wonder people no longer read? I am not sure I can afford to do so any more.

And, if Igon was right and print is essentially dead, then lord have mercy on our pathetic souls if we as a culture (and a voting populace) are left to make do with Spike TV and Fox News.com.

Venice may finally be sinking, folks.

/end self-important, pretense-filled rant that really stems from the sour grapes of not being able to afford a book I want. Translation: wah-wah-wah.

Wake Up Call

I finally saw Coraline tonight, and I must say I enjoyed it - it was really quite well written for a 3D movie (which usually seem like they didn't have writers, only animators who hoped everyone would be too busy gasping "whoa!" and pawing the air for whatever whizzbanger appeared to be floating from the screen into their face-space to notice there was little else to the movie), and the atmosphere was captivating.

I hope to try the 3D side of the disk at some point in the near future - tonight, I correctly decided that 3D glasses would be ruined almost instantaneously by riotous toddler. Nevertheless, it was a good time without the whizzbangers.

Though, I must admit tales about a small child who escapes into a fantasy world because her parents are too busy with work (at computers) to be caring, present and enjoyable does cut a little close to home. *gulp*

Note to self: Never snap at tot over the rim of a coffee cup and across a keyboard from a pinched, bag-eyed face... In a white turtleneck sweater, at least. OK, that last part, I think I can do.

:(

Things We Have Learned from Zombies

from Necromantic Media

A New Addition to My Favourite Sites:

This one.

Movie posters are an under-appreciated art form. Also a lesser-known treasure trove of idiocy.

Sad Losses

Today, we mourn the death of Miramax, which has put out some of the better films produced over the past 31 years. So, we can all say the bum economy has truly hit us in a significant way... you know, in ways other than personal unemployment and hardships, etc.

We have also lost J.D. Salinger, writer and generational mind blower.

Also, R.I.P. Zelda Rubinstein. Walk towards the light, Zelda.

The world is a lot less cooler today.

Adventureland (2009)

_

Well, I finally broke down and hit the Blockbuster for some previously-viewed fun (see my list from Friday). I loaded up on hipster-rom-coms, with Adventureland, (500) Days of Summer and Paper Heart. After all that, I might end up shagging my hair and getting some grungy jeans with a grey hoodie. Maybe some white ear buds, too. It could be life-altering.

In any case, I finally saw Adventureland, which was one I have wanted to see for a while. Was I wrong? Not at all. I very much enjoyed Adventureland, and have no doubt that I will watch it again, and will show/lend it to others.

For those who have not seen it, Adventureland is set in a 1987 amusement park, in which a young university grad (Jesse Eisenberg) - who is a bit too nice to live in that world - seeks summer employment because his father's money issues have scuttled his hopes of Columbia grad school. Finding a resume of Renaissance lit and lawn mowing is not really pulling in the offers, this claptrap fair is about all he can get, and this is reflected in the ad hoc group of weirdos who have also taken refuge there.

The oddest thing about Adventureland is that I found myself constantly wondering how these "kids" were in bars; for some reason, my head was convinced they were all highschool grads, not college grads. Not many of them have an ounce of conventionally-measured maturity, not even the "grown up" maintenance man, played by Ryan Reynolds (who I have to admit I am finally warming up to a bit). But many of them do have heart; it's just hidden under disappointment. In the end, the film actually plays like a Punch Drunk Love for twentysomethings; a group of slightly-off people swimming in quiet desperation and various intense hatreds. But their issues are funny, so I guess it's acceptable, right?

It might not be great art, but, then, who says that is required of every film?

However, one thing it does have: Martin Starr. Where has this guy been since Freaks and Geeks, and why didn't I realize how much I missed him? Actually, he has been doing things since F&G, according to his IMDb, but I guess I didn't notice him; I have only a vague recollection of him in Knocked Up. Clearly, his roles over the past while have not been as startlingly effective for mounting for his talents as this one. I am reminded how much of a fan of this guy I really am. For that reason alone, it was worth seeing Adventureland, and I hope we get to see more of Starr, who, for me, was the real highlight (and centre of much of the drama and emotion) of this movie.

Adventureland predictable, falls into the ridiculous myth that pot is somehow an essential to transformative experiences, and commits that crime of first complicating relationship problems for drama only to over-simplify relationship problems for the conclusion, but it's still well worth watching.

So, I was correct on that one... Can't wait to see how I fare on the other two.

***
ETA: Adventureland was also worth adding to my dissertation, to beef up the 2009 film count! Happy happenstance. Gotta love that!

I've Been Watching too Closely Again

I think the over-abundance of tot-films these days have started to rot my brain a little.

I am personally offended by the fact that Harry Potter ends up with Ginny "Dull As Dish Water" Weasley. So disappointed in him for being so average and going for bland cardboard in a world where's there's Luna. I mean, Luna! WTF? I guess he wanted to be part of that family more than he wanted an interesting life. Personally, then, I would have gone with George.

Also, I am becoming extremely anti-Mr Potato Head, in terms of never wanting Dec to have one. Why? Because I can't stand that little jerk on Toy Story - so much so, I now hate the product itself. I realize this is completely irrational, but such is life. That guy's a total ass.

Also, I continue to be annoyed by the fact that Tigger never, ever gets the comeuppance he deserves. On this, I'm firmly with Rabbit.

Blue Monday

So, according to the news, today is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.

As for me, my new conclusion is in the can, in rough, and I am on my way to submitting it to my advisor soon, and I just today realized I am less than a month and a half away from being completely done the written work on my dissertation (barring any emergencies - FEB 26th BABY!), so I am not feeling very depressed at all.

I think I opt not to allow a marketing ploy choose my moods for me, thanks.

Have a great day!

To the Pink

*


There's an interesting "cultural history" of the colour pink in today's Globe and Mail, which, in part, investigates why we slather girls in pink from their first breath.

I personally abhor the practice, both as a female who had to endure pink gifts from relatives (not from my own blessed parents, who very early on understood my dislike for the colour), but also as a parent who cannot understand the heavy hand people use in gendering small children.

Pink, while actually a fairly pretty colour, represents so much more than a rosy hue - it is the crass market's way of categorizing future consumers.

However, it should not be assumed that boys are void of such things; while I have nothing against blue, personally, some aggressively-"masculine" clothing items for boys go far too far. For example, camouflage on an infant, being that it represents the governmental use of violence, inspires revulsion in me.

(Children should not be raised as mini-soldierbots in the making; I live in constant hope that the days of "dolce et decorum est" will end.)

When will people come around to the idea that a baby knows what/who it is as it grows, no matter what colours are on its back? Why continue this socially acceptable mimicry of Crips Vs Bloods through the gender gang warfare between blue and pink?

And, as a side note, when on earth did the Valtrex Queen Paris Hilton become a "role model" for little girls? The mind (and the stomach) reels.

Yes, We Can!

(Warning: May be offensive to some.)

I Love This:

Also, This Makes me Laugh:

Happy Hallowe'en, Folksies.

I...

... AM SO FRIGGING G.D. SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT MICHAEL FREAKING JACKSON. ARGH!

OK, just needed to unload that.

Carry on.

You Know What Blows My Mind?

Gordon isn't Gordon. He's really Roscoe.

WTF?