McCain Thinks You're Racist Too

Oops.

On Tuesday, John McCain accidentally agreed with John Murtha's (warranted) accusations that Western Pennsylvania is a racist area.

McCain's attempts to recover are even more confusing, though it seems like the crowd didn't care all that much.

I think pepaw was a little sleepy when he made this slip.

Check The Huffington Post for more.

Is That Play Legal?

As if we needed any more help losing football games, this recent loss another heart-breaker to #11 LSU at Williams-Brice last Saturday night, this referee decided to take matters into his own hands and play a little defense on the Tigers' behalf. The back judge literally moves in sync with Stephen Garcia, moves towards him, and then decleats him. I suppose this didn't get that much attention because Mike Davis ran in for a (controversial) touchdown 2 plays later on 4th and Goal...but the question still begs to be asked what this Referee/Linebacker had at stake in a Gamecock loss.

All conspiracy theories aside, Steve Spurrier and Co. managed only 42 yards of total offense in the entire second half. You can't beat anyone putting up sorry numbers like that. Same shit, different year.

Go Fuckin' Cocks...

Keep Moving Kids...

When you go trick-or-treating this Halloween, don't stop at any houses that have one of theses signs on your door unless you want to be offended. Sexually offended.

Fox News reports.

The Head Ball Coach Pees Where He Damn Well Pleases

God love him.

This is old news (2007), but it's new to me. I happened upon it while searching Deadspin for Steve Spurrier. Says Deadspin's Will Leitch, "When you are Steve Spurrier, you piss where you damned well please."

Damn right.

Apparently, while playing a round at August National last year, the HBC just couldn't hold it until he finished the hole.

The comments on this page are particularly delectable. I especially like the one that says "You can't spell urinate without UT." Take that, Rocky Top. Of course, you also can't spell 'suck' without USC.

Nevertheless, he's a class act, ol' SS...that's for damn sure. I'm so glad he's our coach.

Go Cocks.

I'll See You In Detention

Classic. Thanks Kent.

Tigers in Turmoil

Thanks to Deadspin for this.

There is no sweeter sound on the planet than the sound of a Clemson Tiger fan's tears. It sends shivers of ecstasy racing down my spine. Tiger Tears make me harder, better, faster, stronger.

Bye bye, Tammy.

Go Cocks.

Radiohead: Live at Lollapalooza 2008

Someone went and did something awesome. This guy rc529rdhd, a YouTube user, recorded Radiohead's ENTIRE set at Lollapalooza'08, a show I was also at (albeit about 150 - 200 yards from the stage amongst the sea of thousands). RC (for short) also recorded Thom Yorke and Co.'s set at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and also a smattering of other bands at Lolla '08 (Check out Holy Fuck...you will not be disappointed. They live up to their name.) Check out his YouTube channel here. I further recommend visiting his page because you can watch all of the videos I've embedded here in higher quality. If I ever see you, buddy, you're getting a huge hug from me.

To all of you who didn't get a chance to see Radiohead on this last tour (shame on you), or for those of you that did see them but didn't get to see them live at Lolla '08 like me (and tens of thousands of other people)...enjoy.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. 15 Step


2. Airbag


3. There There


4. All I Need


5. Nude


6. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi


7. The Gloaming


8. The National Anthem


9. Faust Arp


10. No Surprises


11. Jigsaw Falling Into Place


12. Reckoner


13. Lucky


14. The Bends


15. Everything In Its Right Place


16. Fake Plastic Trees


17. Bodysnatchers


18. Videotape


19. Paranoid Android


20. Dollars & Cents


21. House of Cards


22. Optimistic


23. 2+2=5


24. Idioteque

Again, check out the higher quality videos at rc529rdhd's YouTube channel. And thank him for being so awesome. And thank Radiohead too.

Reckoner

Find more videos like this on w.a.s.t.e. central

The official new video...hand picked from fan submissions. Pretty incredible animation. And the song's not bad either ;)

Ten Things Theaters Need to Do Right Now to Save Themselves

Brendan Kiley of Seattle's the Stranger has written an interesting article that makes some valid points about how theatres can help themselves avoid extinction. I'm always up for "state of the union" talks like these and I think more conversation needs to happen on the subject. Times are getting more and more dire and the arts risk being moved from the backseat and being tied up in the trunk of the car.

Check out Brendan's article here.

I posted a personal response on CTCC (Columbia Theatre Community Central [though I think the final 'C' should stand for Collective]) as to how the suggestions in this article can benefit my hometown of Columbia. Here it is.

"Ah yes...this is the stuff I love to talk about...that which interests
me most these days.

Great article. A lot of valid points. I'm in agreeance on the
Shakespeare situation. I don't think it should be banned, but I think
it should have its own little happy land...like Disneyworld. A place
where you can always go visit it if you want to, but you can also
avoid it at all costs.

Definitely agree on the premiere thing. Seems like Trustus (including
NiA et al) and the former Imperfect Theatre company are (were) the
only two groups in Columbia doing new work or at least "regional
premieres". Workshop occasionally pulls out something that hasn't been
done around these parts (a la Urinetown and The Full Monty). This is
the only thing that will keep people coming to the theatre and
revitalize the audience with new, younger theatregoers. I love
Williams, O'Neill, and Miller, (and hope to do some more of their
work...soon please!) but that is only going to keep the old veterans
in the seats.

Obviously, bringing in a younger audience is something EVERY theatre
is currently focusing on (and if you're not...good luck). I think
there are MANY ways to do that. Building on the BAR issue...this is
something Mr. Harley and I have talked to great lengths about. Don't
just give people a place to buy a drink...give them a place to
hangout. If only it were possible to have the bar open ALL the
time...to have it as an extra business in addendum to the theatre. The
Annoyance is a comedy theatre here in Chicago and they have PERFECTED
the theatre bar. The bar is open every night, regardless of what's
going on (though there is ALWAYS something going on there) and the bar
is open throughout the shows...it opens early and stays open late.
It's a phenomenal set up and one that certainly adds to their revenue
as well as their audience pool. Furthermore, producing sketch or
improv comedy on a regular basis (we're talking several nights a week)
is a GREAT way to bring in younger people and GREAT source of revenue.
Comedy is CHEAP to produce and if you build a following (as Armed
Chair at Trustus has done), you can make some serious money off of a
small investment. That really adds up.

The Child Care issue is another great point. This is something that is
gaining steam here in Chicago. The theatre I was at last night seeing
Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice (read it) and where I take classes, Victory
Gardens, offers child care for their shows. I really think this would
take off in Columbia. Theatres, if you have the space, seriously
consider a child care program. The article makes a great point for it,
serving as a day care (night care?) service as well as a part of your
education program. Simply brilliant. Get on this immediately. There
are gains to be had here.

As for the final points...I can't say I encourage dropping out of grad
school. I myself am hoping to avoid grad school. I'd rather just make
theatre (or whatever), but I'm not ruling it out as a stepping stone
on my way to a career. And as far as expecting poverty is concerned,
that is simply unacceptable. Financial success is by no means
guaranteed in our business, but financial failure should never be an
unavoidable reality. I refuse to accept this and so should you. I know
the economy is a in a graveyard spiral right now, but there are LOTS
of ways to make a living in the arts. I agree that unions hinder us
more than help us (its unfortunate but true...and the unions seem
unavoidable if you DO want to make a living in the theatre) and
changes need to be made there. There is money to be made through the
arts (though not much!). Poverty is not necessary.

For further reading, I agree with Steven in seeking out Mike Daisey's
writings. He's performing here in Chicago this weekend! He is a great
voice in the contemporary theatre landscape and he makes a lot of
great points about the direction of the art form. Funny enough, his
website currently discusses this same article we are talking about:
http://www.mikedaisey.com/

Keep fighting the good fight everybody. If I can help out at all back
home, please do not hesitate to let me know. I'm always ready to help
my friends."

Furthermore, I saw Eurydice with Daria and Don Hall last night at Victory Gardens and I definitely recommend it. The performances are great and the production value alone is worth the price of admission. Thanks Don!

Mark Wahlberg Talks To Animals

"Now I'ma talk to a goat."

I was reluctant to like any of the newest SNLers, especially Andy Samberg, but I think I've officially been won over. This sketch is pretty effin' funny and Samberg does a damn good Mark Wahlberg impression.

And if you're the girl who goes "WOO!" when Andy is talking to the chicken...I hope you feel good about yourself. You're so novel! Now die.

"Say hi to your mother for me, alright?"

Brady Quinn is a Douchebag

And apparently, a Republican (boo, hiss), just like the rest of Ohio (which is one of those states that gets in the way of everything else...like progress...or driving from Chicago to Pittsburgh).

As if we needed any more proof that the titular statement was true, Deadspin breaks this story and it all becomes abundantly clear. Have fun riding the pine this Sunday, Brady. Good luck with that.

Go G-Men.

How Now, Dow Jones

In honor of the ongoing financial crisis our nation is beset by, I present catharsis through musical theater. I give you the 1967 musical comedy about Wall Street...How Now, Dow Jones.

The best thing to come out of this musical (besides a Tony for Hiram Sherman) is the song Step to the Rear, which was adapted into the University of South Carolina fight song! Go Cocks!

I propose a revival of this Broadway failure due to topical relevance. I smell another Tony.

You Got The Touch

This is probably the single greatest music video ever made. Stan Bush's The Touch is flawless, though Mark Wahlberg's rendition in Boogie Nights is a close second (Good Lord, John C. Reilly is awesome).

By the way, at approximately 4:20 (heh) into the video, Bush shoots a laser beam out of his guitar. Awesome. I don't know about you, but I got to get me one of those.

This video is brought to you by seibertron.com. Don't worry. You'll be bombarded with reminders.

Nietzsche Family Circus

"Finally, something to make Family Circus relevant to my life."
- Ben Compton
__________________________________________________________________________

If there is something to pardon in everything, there is also something to condemn.
__________________________________________________________________________

From losanjealous.com:

"The Nietzsche Family Circus pairs a randomized Family Circus cartoon with a randomized Friedrich Nietzsche quote."

Plenty more of these gems here.

Punch-Out!! Wii

Fuck. Yes.

Who Watches the Watchmen?

I know I certainly will.

I can't even begin to describe just how excited I am about this movie coming out. If you haven't read the book, shame on you. It is a masterpiece. Probably the finest superhero story ever...just gripping, compelling writing.

This is an article from Collider about a recent invite-only press conference where the director, Zack Snyder, showed about 25 minutes worth of footage including the opening scene (with The Comedian) and credits, the origin of Dr. Manhattan, and the Rorschach prison escape (Insert heavenly choir with epic underscore here).

Can't. Hardly. Wait. (Ethan Embry not included.)

Fantasy Baseball 2008: The Final Insult

It's over. Thank God.

It's been a long and frustrating season and I'm glad to see this one come to end. It didn't end with a slow burn but rather with a bang. I was in three finals and one heated race for second place. I came out on top once. One out of four ain't bad, but it sure is disappointing.

The Rentals steamrolled through the playoffs in Yahoo Winner 288574 and defeated Polish Piper 6 -2. It was an unexciting victory. I led this league all year long and was never down to Piper at any point during our two week playoff. Also, this was the league I cared LEAST about. But I won it. Yippee.

My Cubby Bears in ESPN lost a real nail-biter. I was down by a large margin to Rocky Hardman all throughout our two week final, but I pulled dead even with him on a couple of days in the final week. When the dust cleared, he was the winner by a 6 - 4 margin. I have to say that had he not picked up Odalis Perez on Sunday morning and gotten the 5 Ks he provided, I would have won the strikeout column. That would have put us at a 5 - 5 tie, and because I was leading in ERA, the tiebreaking category, the win would've gone to me. Unfortunately, in ESPN, you can pick up and drop players instantly, which is more realistic, but a little annoying. Had I chosen to do the same and pick up a pitcher or two on the last day to pad my stats, maybe the story would be different... but I believe that to be a cheap tactic (which I will discuss later, boy will I ever) so I did not do it. I really wanted to win this league, but I will not begrudge him the victory. It was hard fought. He led through the entire matchup. It was a miracle that my team fough back to contend and he probably should've won. Bastard.

The Shams floundered right to the end. After leading NL Only for pretty much the entire season, I slipped into a battle for first place for about a month and then, with about three weeks remaining, fell into a struggle for 4th. I lost said struggle and ended up finishing 5th. This was a major disappointment. After drafting what I thought to be a shitty team (I'm never drafting Bill Hall again, ever), I was in second place for the first few weeks and then shot up to first, holding almost a 20 point lead at one point. I had a stranglehold on this league until about midway through August when I began to be challenged by Medfield Monarchs. My team slowly but surely got worser and worser and the result is what you see here. Oh well. I hate roto. Fuck it.

And now here's the kicker. I had the chance to win it all in Yahoo Public 198023. My beloved Let's Pet Puppies were down 6 -4 going into the final day and I had the lead in ERA. All I needed was to tie MADDSKILLZ in one category and victory would be mine. Much like the NL Only league, I dominated this league all. year. long. As a matter of fact, out of 22 weeks of regular season matchups, I only had 5 losses and 2 ties. I dominated. MADDSKILLZ did not slip in any of his categories and I couldn't put up the numbers to catch him in a category, so I lost. But what made the loss really insulting is that he felt he needed to CHEAT to assure the victory. This asshole engaged in a practice we call "streaming" which is adding probable pitchers for only the day they are scheduled to pitch in order to pad your pitching stats. This douchebag added SEVEN starting pitchers to his lineup for the final day. They gave him an additional 3 wins and 31 Ks. Now, as I said, I wouldn't have caught him in Ks or wins anyway, but it made me so angry that he thought he had to resort to cheating in order to beat me that I was just as pissed as if it had actually mattered in deciding the outcome. Boys and girls: do not stream. It's fucking lame. Man up and play with some ethics. Maybe I'm asking too much, but I would never engage in this kind of activity.

And that brings the 2008 Fantasy Baseball season to a close. I'm glad to see it go, and I'm ready to get some serious fucking revenge next year. Game on, bitches.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fantasy Baseball 2008 MVP

Nate McLouth

Duh. McLouth was the surprise of the season and I had him on my teams early. He delivered solid production in every category throughout the year. Here's hoping the Pirates don't give the evil Yankees their wish and trade him over. Way to go Nate!