May 09, 2008

Gossip Girlfriend

Each week, my girlfriend and I plan to discuss Gossip Girl. No, really. It's going to be awesome, and posted on Tuesdays from now on.

Three weeks ago, my girlfriend came over to watch the return of Gossip Girl, which she has become taken with: She has been reading the books and has been nice enough to regale me with awesome young adult descriptions like "a publisher of lesser-known beat poets" and a passage about buying weed in Central Park -- clearly the only way for a rich kid to get drugs.

I was, of course, immediately taken with the show as well. These girls have more drama in one day of high school than I did in four years. (And I took two AP English classes!) They drink every night (I was straight edge), have tons of sex (I was a loser) and hire people to take their SATs for them (I never had any money). It's like Degrassi with richer and prettier people! If this doesn't prove to my girlfriend how awesome American capitalism is -- I think she's some sort of socialist -- then we'll just chalk her up as a lost cause.

And, so, yes, everyone (in New York, but whatever) writes about Gossip Girl online. Why not join the party? I know what you're thinking: Dan, you kinda do dumb things, what if you do a dumb thing to your girlfriend and she breaks up with you? If you know me that well, you should also know I never plan ahead.

After the jump, a few video clips and some thoughts from the two of us.

Click here to continue reading "Gossip Girlfriend"

Posted by D-Mac at 10:59 AM | Comments (1)
Archives: Awesomeness, Fake High School Girls, Gossip Girl, Gossip Girlfriend, New York City, TV Shows

V.P. Visits Check-Printing Place

Yes, we now have video evidence of Dick Cheney actually visiting a place that prints economic stimulus checks in order to show how great the economic stimulus checks are. Fox 29's Bruce Gordon then does some fancy math to show that the price of everything has gone up since the start of the year, and so our stimulus checks aren't really all that hot overall.

Redlasso video after the jump. And yes, this includes a semi-gratuitous Kerri-Lee Halkett intro. After she wrote this, every video from now on will feature KLH.

Click here to continue reading "V.P. Visits Check-Printing Place"

Posted by D-Mac at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
Archives: Dick Cheney, Economic Stimulus Checks, Kerri-Lee Halkett, Northeast Philly

Today

I am off ("off") to work on redesign stuff for this blog. Really. I'm going to do a few posts -- including one about Gossip Girl -- so stop by a few times.

Posted by D-Mac at 09:00 AM | Comments (2)
Archives: Meta

May 08, 2008

Great Rant From Police Commissioner

Okay, this is an ESPN Instant Classic rant from Police Commissioner Charles Ramsay after an Inquirer reporter asked an annoying question, and by that I mean one that referenced Wikipedia. Ha ha, silly journalist, you're supposed to hate Wikipedia. The video does confirm the "fricking" variant said by Ramsay.

Earlier today: Wikipedia Blasted For Its Accuracy

Posted by D-Mac at 05:59 PM | Comments (2)
Archives: 'Pedias, Awesomeness, Charles Ramsay, Inquirer, Philly PD, Rants, WTF, Wikipedia

Reading Phillies' Ryan Howard Snow Globe

Now that the bobblehead doesn't guarantee huge attendance like it once did, teams have to branch out with their giveaways. Philly Edge points us to the Reading Phillies giveaway tonight, which it calls "Best. Giveaway. Ever.": A Ryan Howard snow globe. Is he wearing a Santa hat?

I'm not sure why Howard is batting with a french fry there.

Posted by D-Mac at 04:04 PM | Comments (1)
Archives: Giveaways, Phillies, Reading Phillies, Ryan Howard

Yours Truly Still Kicking It At RPS

How could someone not win a match after the first week of the season and still be in the top 10? Why, in the wonderful land of rock paper scissors!

Yes, although I haven't won a match since a final eight appearance in the first event of the season, yours truly (aka Danny Awesome) is still in the top 10 as of earlier this week. Or maybe I did win a match somewhere in there. Nevertheless, after a tremendous offseason -- one finals appearance, two other final four appearances -- I'm struggling just about midway through the 2008 City League season.

Never fear, though: Due to the rules of the City League, which encourage people to show up, it appears I have a shot at following up last year's top-8 finish at the league championships with a top-10 finish in the regular season this year. Also, I got like 10 bonus points for refereeing the tournament at the Riversharks game last week, even though I didn't have to referee at all.

Tonight's event is at 9:30 at The Dive. Seriously, it's fun, and most of the people aren't as neurotic as I am. Honest!

Philadelphia Will Do is the official sponsor of the timeouts of this year's Pabst Blue Ribbon Philadelphia Rock Paper Scissors City League Championship Series. Each week, a post about it! Hopefully I'll go tonight so I'll actually have something to write about next week.

Posted by D-Mac at 03:08 PM | Comments (1)
Archives: PWD Sponsorships, RPS City League, Rock Paper Scissors

Wikipedia Blasted For Its Accuracy

The always worthwhile Catherine Lucey chimes in with a little nugget from some anti-assault weapons press conference today:

The pols grew angry when an Inquirer reporter questioned whether the SKS Carbine was a true assault weapon, noting that the National Rifle Association disagreed with the classification and that a search on wikipedia.com would bring up information saying it was not.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey then got into the mix. "I don't care about wikipedia or any other kind of pedias," he said. "It it's not an assault weapon by definition, then add it to the freaking list."

Rendell added, "if there's any ambiguity, we will clear it up."

It's good to see the top police officer in Philadelphia has finally come out against the strong anti-'pedia lobby.

Nutter and Rendell rage about assault weapons [Clout]

Posted by D-Mac at 02:40 PM | Comments (1)
Archives: Charles Ramsay, Facts, Funny Quotes, Hilarity, Pedias, Wikipedia

Discrimination Against Sleaze Continues

The "intriguing elixir lounge" Apothecary opened to the public yesterday and Foobooz noted the house rules, which I've re-copied above. Ha ha, funny, maybe. Or perhaps they are really taking a strong stance against tomfoolery.

Posted by D-Mac at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)
Archives: Apothecary, Foobooz, House Etiquette, Sleaze, Tomfoolery

Dick Cheney In Town!

Hey, Dick Cheney was in town today, talking to people about how the economy isn't all that bad, really. Look at the people Cheney talked to who have been helped by the economic stimulus!

Cheney delivered a 10-minute speech Thursday to about 100 workers at a Northeast Philadelphia facility that prints the economic stimulus checks.

My stimulus arrived via direct deposit, so I guess I didn't do much for the economy.

Vice President Cheney In Town [AP/NBC 10]

Posted by D-Mac at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)
Archives: Check-Printing Places, Dick Cheney, Economic Stimulus Checks

Comcast To Sell You Internet Forever

Yesterday, Comcast and other companies announced plans for WiMax, the future of wireless Internet.

Apparently Brian Roberts was on a bus once and got a lot of work done on this bus, using fast Internet. So he was like, "Hey, we should all get fast Internet!"

The new technology, called WiMAX, will transmit high-speed Internet, movies, television shows, sports games, and other digital data from about 200,000 existing cellular-telephone towers to laptop computers, telephones and other devices. The deal creates a new company called Clearwire Inc. Its owners will be Comcast, Sprint Nextel Corp., Intel Corp., Google Inc., Time Warner Cable Inc. and Bright House Networks L.L.C.

They have agreed to collectively invest $3.2 billion. Comcast's share is $1.05 billion. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. "We'll be on the offensive in wireless with world-class partners. It is exciting. Our customers will know that the Comcast experience will be not just in your home but wherever you want it," Roberts said.

Hooray, super-fast Internet! Well, super-fast Internet sold to you by Comcast, so it's not really all that exciting.

Oh, yeah, everyone knew this new faster technology was coming when Wireless Philadelphia started, but nobody really seemed to care.

Comcast signs 'Internet-on-the-go' deal [Inquirer]

Posted by D-Mac at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)
Archives: Comcast, The Future, WiMax

CBS 3 Miffed Its Employees Still Remember Who Alycia Lane Is

Ha ha, apparently if your work fires your coworker you're never allowed to see that person again. Or hang out with her boyfriend, at least. Yes, CBS 3 is upset some of its on-air talent went to Chris Booker's birthday party.

Booker is, of course, the boyfriend of one Alycia Lane, who you can't possibly have forgotten by now, but, hey, who knows?

Among staffers at the party were traffic anchor Bob Kelly, reporter Todd Quinones and meteorologist Doug Kammerer. We're told that station management talked only with Kammerer, mostly for appearing in pictures on Q102's website in which he was holding drinks. While several pictures of Kammerer remain on the site, at least one was removed this morning.

Gawd. How dare we live in a world where the public is allowed to know that Doug Kammerer drinks at an Atlantic City birthday party.

Oh, yeah, Lane is still suing the station, so that could have something to do with it.

CBS 3 upset over talent attending Alycia's A.C. bash for Booker [Phillygossip]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:59 AM | Comments (1)
Archives: Alycia Lane, Atlantic City, CBS 3, Chris Booker, Doug Kammerer

The New Great White Hope

Stephen A. Smith (who else?) writes in the current ESPN Magazine that the NBA is not racist, and only has European and white players because it helps the team get better, spreads the game around the world and makes more money for the owners.

Makes some sense to me. But in yesterday's Daily News, boxing was shown openly advocating for a white American champion, writes Mark Kram:

Setting aside the question of whether or not Joey Abell can actually become what [promoter Don] Elbaum envisions, he does seem to bring something to the table other than a healthy appetite. In fact, he is a symbol of eternal longing: A heavyweight who is not just American but the color of driven snow. While it is politically incorrect to say so, even Abell understands that when it comes to forging a boxing career, the only thing he has missing at this point is a tattoo on his arm that says MOTHER. "Not to sound racist or anything, but a white heavyweight from America would be a big thing," said Abell, who would indeed be a big thing for a sport that has slipped so far out of the public consciousness that some would say it could be packed up in a pine box. Because far larger than even the raw abilities of the still unproven Abell is what someone like him represents: The possibility of a new face that can coax the sport out of the crypt.

This is why sports journalists enjoy covering boxing: None of that PC crap; it's all "yes, the sport would like a white American heavyweight champion."

Up Front [ESPNMag]
Interest in boxing bruised, not broken [Daily News]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
Archives: Boxing, Great White Hope, NBA, Stephen A. Smith, White People

Specter Asks Us To Be Nice To Ry-Ho

A letter in today's Inquirer about Ryan Howard:

Cheer Ryan Howard On Monday, I suggested on Angelo Cataldi's WIP radio talk show that Philadelphia fans should give Ryan Howard a standing ovation every time he comes to the plate. Those cheers would tell Howard that we understand the struggle, that we are with him, and that he still is the same hero in our eyes who won MVP and Rookie of the Year in successive seasons.

On Tuesday, I read that Pat Burrell attributes his success this year to confidence. From my own experience, I can attest that state of mind or confidence are crucial factors in success.

Obviously, Howard has been a big disappointment this year to the fans and to himself ("Manuel sits Howard against Big Unit, guarding progress," May 7). However, there's a good chance that a standing ovation and cheers could give him a shot in the arm and the confidence to shake out of his slump.

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter
Washington

Yes, apparently ol' Arlen is following in the footsteps of Post Game Live panelist/Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell and weighing in on the sports topics of the day. He's actually involved in all the facets of sports: Spygate, the NFL Network and Comcast, Ryan Howard's feelings. Aww, let's all be nice to Ry-Ho so he hits some dingers.

Letters to the Editor [Inquirer]

Posted by D-Mac at 09:52 AM | Comments (1)
Archives: Arlen Specter, Feelings, Letters to the Editor, Ryan Howard, WTF

Mayor Disappointed In Murder Suspect

Eric Floyd, the fugitive suspect in the slaying of police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, was captured yesterday. All good.

Then things got surreal:

Afterward, the mayor told reporters said he got within two feet of Floyd. "I looked him dead in the eye when he came in, and I told him how disappointed I was in him," Nutter said. There was no response from the suspect, the mayor added.

Ooh, you showed him, Mr. Mayor! Two feet! Maybe someone can set up a trip for the mayor to death row where he can tell every killer how disappointed he is. "Don't murder, guys! You might let the mayor down!"

Suspect caught, arraignment today [Inquirer]

Posted by D-Mac at 08:59 AM | Comments (0)
Archives: Hilarious Quotes, Michael Nutter, Philly PD, WTF

Abridged Daily News Columnists

Stu Bykofsky: Let's just quote the photo caption: "Scott Camilleri displays the rainbow-trout tattoo that covers the scar from his mastectomy surgery."

Ronnie Polaneczky: This is about a woman who gets along with her son's wife.

Michael Smerconish: Yay! With Brian Hickey no longer at City Paper, I was wondering what columnist would advocate police officers gunning down suspects indiscriminately. Thanks, Mikey! Bonus points for quoting CBS 3's Walt Hunter to show how evil the suspect the cops killed was. The last line, where you mention how the dead suspect is in Hell, though, really sells this one.

Also, Michael Smerconish:Maureen Faulkner::Christine Flowers:Duke Rape Case.

Posted by D-Mac at 08:31 AM | Comments (7)
Archives: Daily News, Michael Smerconish, Ronnie Polaneczky, Stu Bykofsky

Two Rich People Collide In Phils' Win

The Phillies rallied last night in Arizona to remain just percentage points behind Florida in the NL East, and they couldn't have done it without Shane Victorino.

Vic raced for first after a dropped third strike and crashed headfirst into Conor Jackson, leaving both of them down for a couple minutes. More importantly, it got Victorino to first; he'd score on an Eric Bruntlett double. Utley eventually singled home Bruntlett in the top of the eighth to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead. Video of Vic's crash after the jump.

Click here to continue reading "Two Rich People Collide In Phils' Win"

Posted by D-Mac at 08:21 AM | Comments (1)
Archives: Collisions, Funny Photos, Injuries, Phillies, Rich People, Shane Victorino

May 07, 2008

NBC 10 Investigates Miracle

I know the NBC 10 investigators are good, but are they good enough to investigate a miracle from St. John Neumann? Yes, that's what Lu Ann Cahn did the other night during a nearly five-minute piece: Investigate a miracle.

A woman has cancer, her husband just happens to be a previously-featured-on-NBC 10-forensic sculptor, he makes a new mask for St. John Neumann, a priest does some prayin' and -- wham! -- no more cancer. These people aren't religious, of course, and they don't say "yes" when Cahn asks them if they're going to go back to church. Score one for the nonreligious!

"Was there divine intervention?" Cahn asks, but NBC 10 can't get comments from her doctors, who are all Know-Nothings. But everyone interviewed said it's clearly a miracle, and Neumann will totally get another notch on his sainthood belt for this one. Video after the jump.

Click here to continue reading "NBC 10 Investigates Miracle"

Posted by D-Mac at 02:58 PM | Comments (5)
Archives: Know-Nothings, Legends of Philadelphia, Lu Ann Cahn, Miracles, NBC 10, Saints, St. John Neumann