GM wimps out on Survivor

I don't know what's more racist: Survivor deciding to focus on racial competition on its newcoming season, or GM burying its head in the sand and pretending the mere mention of race is worthy of marketing ostracism.

Just to get it all out of the way: How long do you think it will take before the Asians start constructing a space station while the Latinos engage in dancing and knife fights? Hell, maybe an enterprising Latino will become an "illegal alien" and join the white team. Sheesh.

Do we truly think this show will be groundbreaking? It's nothing more than a publicity stunt, and that's the mantra I intend on repeating to myself between mouthfuls of popcorn.

GM is shooting itself in the foot with this one. And by the time the season is over, no one will care one way or another.

Note: Is it just me, or is it difficult to even tell the races apart on the website? Talk about irony.

Russian Propaganda

Website featuring Russian Propaganda, because we love our propaganda here at the Propaganda Sifter.

Website: GigaSize

Send mega-size (up to 1.5 GB) files using this website. Files are stored for up to 90 days. This is by far the best website on the web for this service. [GigaSize].

Punk-O-Matic

Make your own punk rock song using a rudimentary music-making program. Punk-o-Matic.

Pictures from a Bolivian Prison

Here's a bizarre Bolivian prison system.

The Drug Calculator

The money I spend on drugs could have bought me this:

VCR	$150.0000
DVD Player	$200.0000
Palm Pilot	$350.0000
Digital Camcoder	$500.0000
State-of-the-Art Surround Sound System	$600.0000
36" Color Television	$800.0000
Dell Personal Home Computer	$1200.0000

Apparently, I need to quit smoking and drinking. The problem is, I already HAVE all that stuff anyway! How am I supposed to be persuaded with carrots I already possess? Okay, so maybe I don't own a camcorder.... But if I bought a camcorder, there wouldn't be anything funny to film if I was sober. Hm, a conundrum.

Check Your Political Compass

No better time than just before a stolen election, eh? [Check your Political Compass here].

Game: Gauntlet (PS2)

I can't begin to tell you how much of my childhood was wasted in the local Malibu Sport's Center feeding this videogame. Were I enterprising, I could have probably paid for tapdancing lessons and become this generation's answer to Gregory Hines. But alas, I chose the dark path of strung out gamer junkies and derelict underground arcades.

When this game first appeared at the local video store, I was a little wary, knowing there was no way a modern knock off could withstand the original power and ambition this game originally possessed. I vividly remember dreaming as that ghoulish voice chortled "Red Elf Needs Food!"

Anyway, I finally decided to give the modern version a try. Sure, it's pretty, it's up-t0-date, it's fast and modernized. It stays true to the classic. But that's where my love affair ends.

See, the game isn't the problem anymore. I am.

I've learned over the years to truly enjoy gaming. It's a part of who I am. I enjoy solving intricate puzzles; I love the skills required to time something perfectly; hell, I even like resorting to the occasional button-mashing marathon to pull out the win.

But that's the problem: this game fails to peak my interests anymore. Sure, back when I was 11, this game was fun. It was challenging to kill, and kill, and kill somemore, as your hero inevitably became overwhelmed by ghouls and goblins. The modern version of this game hasn't changed that old methodology of gaming at all, so much as it's draped it in modern 3d graphics. But new duds do not a great game make.

One major problem is something I'll call Masher Creep. That's the annoying tendency of developers to create games with new levels of complexity and difficulty. No longer does it suffice to press one or two buttons to achieve a desired affect (Yes, that means you, oh jerky developers of Mortal Kombat). Now, you have to twist your fingers into pretzels just to make a dude jump!

The average age of gamers is 30+. Anyone who remembers the original Gauntlet is certainly around that age. For someone who is old and decrepit and suffering from the beginnings of arthritis, having to press more than one or two buttons at most is simply irritating (not to mention stress-inducing). It doesn't add to gameplay when you have to make your fingers do the Macarena to be succesful. The best games out there have simple controls. There are about 12 buttons that can be used on a typical PS2 controller, so why do I have to resort to pressing two of them in some arcane sequence to make something happen? Get with the program, people!

I suspect Gauntlet would be fun in a group environment, maybe at a party. But for a lone gamer like myself, It became boring (not to mention a bit challenging--even on the Easy level!) 30 minutes into my session. If you're the type who enjoys playing with (or against) friends, this might be a bit more exciting for you. For me, Gauntlet was merely a passing, wistful attempt to recapture my idiotic youth. I wonder if I can learn to tapdance by playing DDR?

Sifted: 6 nah, more like 4/10

An Open Letter to Ramada Hotels

A few days ago, I posted a link to this wonderful letter regarding a skanky Travelodge in Santa Cruz. Now for my own horror story. To this day, I have never received a response regarding my ordeal.

---

PORTLAND, OR 97217
September 6, 2004
Lawrence P. Horwitz
NORTHWEST LODGING INTERNATIONAL INC.
PO BOX 19167
Seattle, WA 98109

Dear Lawrence P. Horwitz,

On a recent trip to Seattle over Labor Day weekend, I had the opportunity to stay at the downtown Seattle Ramada. My fiancee and I were very satisfied with the location, being just a few blocks from both the Space Needle and the waterfront. The price of the room seemed a relative bargain, and we were happy to find there were rooms still available, despite the busy weekend and the fact that the Bumbershoot music festival was taking place just a few blocks away. We paid $109 and checked into room #205 on 9/4 for an overnight stay. The manager was very pleasant and helpful at directing us to a nearby restaurant. The customer service was exceptionally nice, on par with the very best Ramada has to offer.

Within a few hours after checking in and settling into our room, we began noticing several problems with the room we were given. At first, these problems were minimal inconveniences, nothing worth complaining about, certainly not worthy of our re-packing to change rooms. I have stayed at other Ramada hotels across the country and I am aware of the quality level of the rooms, knowing that a bargain can sometimes mean a lack of luxury or quality. Nevertheless, my other stays have always been enjoyable. Not so this time, however.

Upon entering the room, everything appeared adequate. My first disappointment, however, was with the size of the television: it was incredibly small, considering most hotel televisions are at least 19" or larger. This one looked about 17", hardly good for watching a game. Of course, our stay in Seattle wasn't about watching television, and I'm not one to nitpick about something unimportant, so that didn't really matter. I thought maybe my expectations were too large, considering the price of the room, location, and the quality of other Ramada hotels I've stayed at. We settled into our room and thought nothing of it, noticing the curtains and several of the lampshades had "yellowed" and looked a little dingy. Not a big deal. That sometimes happens, even in 5-star hotels.

Next, after turning down the bed, we discovered several cigarette burns in the blanket. Considering it was a smoking room, that was to be expected, and though we found it a bit tacky for a hotel of the Ramada's caliber to re-use a burned blanket, we continued to enjoy our stay. We are by no means pretentious people, having stayed in places such as Motel 6 in our past, so we chalked it up to an unlucky room and left it at that.

Overnight, we noticed the air conditioner was broken. It would work properly for several minutes, and then it would shut down and make a wild racket. Luckily, it wasn't that hot, so I shut it off and turned on the fan. Once again, no big deal. Having kicked off the comforter on the bed, I turned and encountered the biggest, most horrible-looking, unsavory stain on the box spring. In all my life I have never knowingly slept on something so disgusting. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was all over the box spring, the highest concentration at the foot of the bed. Clearly, this was something that could have been avoided by using a box spring cover. Needless to say, my night was ruined and I could not sleep, knowing I was sleeping on something so disgusting and utterly filthy.

Of course, I became hyper-aware of the nature of our room after that point. I noticed the bathroom wall had unsightly stains next to the toilet, at eye level, where someone had apparently used the wall as a snot rag. The maid, unfortunately, ignored this fact entirely. The shower had some disturbing-looking reddish stains on the back wall. There was also a filthy stain on the entry wall, where someone had apparently spilled a soda or something. Finally, when my fiancee decided she needed to iron a shirt that next morning, she was treated to a stained ironing board that looked as if someone had used it as a toilet.

Needless to say, our stay at the downtown Ramada was a horrifying experience. We had grown to expect something better from Ramada hotels. Certainly, for $109 a night, we thought we would at least be staying in a clean room, rather than something equitable to a sleazy motel. We were very, very disappointed with our stay. Had the manager asked us, I would have alerted him that the room was in need of a good deep cleaning, but he was busy when we checked out and we are not the types to make a scene.

It is highly unlikely that I would recommend that particular Ramada location to any of our associates, despite its great location and customer service. As time passes, I am increasingly angered that my trip to Seattle was essentially dashed because of lack of sleep. I was considerably unenergetic the next day and we were forced to cut our trip short. We often visit Seattle and usually stay at the Springhill by Marriott or, occasionally, the Summerfield Suites. Unfortunately, those other hotels were overbooked this time and we were forced to find something quickly in the vicinity. In the future, it will be a good idea for us to stay elsewhere.

I have no doubt the manager of this particular location is doing a great job: his customer service skills were wonderful. However, whoever is in charge of housecleaning at the Ramada is not performing proper inspections. I have no doubt Ramada's standards are much higher than what we encountered on our recent stay. I am alerting you about this fact because I'm afraid your name brand hotel is in jeopardy of becoming something equitable to a sleazy sex motel on Skid Row.

Respectfully yours,

[Noir]

---

It's safe to say I'll never stay at a Ramada again, or recommend it to anyone I know. In fact, I will go out of my way to convince anyone I can to find a better place to stay. Funny, all of this could have been avoided by simply replying to my letter. Notice, I didn't ask for anything at all; not a free stay, not a credit. Nevertheless, a simple reply would have gone a long way toward maintaining my goodwill.

CBS Premiere Dates

Because CBS is where it's at in TV lately.

Check out their list of fall premieres.

Having a Bad Day?

Have a look at these pics of someone having a worse day than you.

And Now, Please Pause for This Special Message....

This has been a test of the Emergency Bunnycasting System. Chill out, this was only a test.

Mad Skanky Santa Cruz Travelodge

This gives me wicked deja vu. I had a similar experience in a Seattle Ramada recently. I will post the letter as soon as I locate it.

Can You Pass the 3rd Grade?

Test your geography skillz.
Okay, so it took me a second time, and I only got it at the very last second. You gotta be quick or you don't stand a chance.

10,000 Reasons Civilization is Doomed

Only 10,000? This is a seriously entertaining website.
Read reason #1318, my personal favorite.

Japanese Paper Guns

Stationary given the Origami treatment to create killing machines beautiful art.
Here's my favorite. It even has a removable clip!

The website features several more that are just as compelling to look at. Now, if only they can learn how to take pics against a white background!

But the funniest part is the mangled Engrish descriptions they've given for each gun.

Mesmerizing poetry from the website: "You say that the magazine is before the trigger, one wind it is the gun which changes.

That much, it is not large, it is, but opposing to the eye which was seen, it was easy to make, is.
It was worry, whether it can make the roundness of the grip part good, it is, but
Rather than thinking, it was finished cleanly.
In addition, the ring part of grip lower part calls well enough and it is feeling.
Perhaps connecting the barrel to the substance just a little serious.
Somehow please try inserting."

Game: Kessen III (PS2)

How to Conquer Japan While Pulling Your Hair Out

Strategy games hold a special place in my heart. If I were independently wealthy, I would spend all my time engaging in mock war games, as a matter of fact. Practicing for the real thing, obviously, pshaw!

I have experienced the sheer joy of conqeuring Feudal Japan not once, but twice before, in Kessen I and II, respectively. This third time, however, has proven to be intensely difficult. Maybe it is finally time to drop my wakizashi and take the masks off my ninjas, because Kessen III has finally gotten so tedious that it is no longer fun to bring the pain.

You get to control multiple armies in your attempt to unify feudal Japan. The gameplay is sheer fun. Have total control over how your horsemen attack on the field; place your archers and aim precisely into the opposing army, watching as your enemies lie before you on the battlefield.

The problem stems from a wild camera that wants to force you into top-down view of your armies. The camera will cause you to lose any number of battles, in fact, as you jockey with it, trying to get the right view. Find it and feel sheer joy for two seconds, until it resets itself! ARGH!

This is 2006. Game developers should not be putting out games with wild camera work. Note to developers: Either give us complete control over the view, or do what you want with it. This hybrid of moving an army and trying to control what you see on the screen at the same time is sheerly maddening.

If you can get past that assinine design flaw, imagine a dentist drill as you try to equip your officers. The user interface is so stupid you will eventually start bypassing it entirely, running into battle ill-equipped.

This game is sad, really. This was a chance for KOEI to make a leap into strategy gaming that would diminish the attempts of all their competitors, once and for all. Instead, they have left us twiddling with cameras like this was 2001. Some QA would have gone a long way with this one. Instead of producing a flawed, mediocre game, they could have had the strategy game of the year!

Even if you enjoy strategy gaming, you should not bother picking this one up in the used game bin. Do not be a fool and pay full price, unless you want to ponder real life hara-kiri.

Sifted: 3/10 (the 3 for high production value. The game is quite pretty to look at, but painful to play).

Note: If you want a better strategy game, go for Dai Senryaku. Yes, it is turn-based, but you cannot have it all….

Movie: V for Vendetta (2005)

Maybe P for Pancetta would be a better title?







Perhaps a good Italian dinner would have been much better than a movie that uselessly muses over fascism and political intrigue?

V for Vendetta is a stylistic masterpiece, with decent acting and a strong story line. Yet, it refrains from coming together properly. Much of the problem lies with the convoluted dialog, most of it muffled through the mask of the hero, V. We hate to say it, but Vendetta could have used some considerable dumbing down, especially if it intends to truly speak to the masses in sharing its vision of revolution. The underlying message of the film is that the masses are good and can overthrow a fascist government via explosions and pretty fireworks. Unfortunately, the masses will not understand (or appreciate) most of the dialog in this film.

P for Pancetta. Maybe they shoulda just called it bacon?

Sifted: 6/10

Movie: Nightwatch (2005)

Few foreign films ever handle the subject of vampires without ladling out the cheese; Nightwatch is a pleasant exception. Nightwatch wants desperately to reinvent the vampire myth and succeeds, to a certain degree.

The gyst of this film is the old story of good vs. evil, light vs. dark. On one side you have the dark, evil vampires, and on the other you have the good Nightwatch. These two feuding groups have come to a truce, until now. Perhaps the plot is a bit stunted and predictable, but there’s enough here to entertain the passing cinema-goer.

Though Nightwatch doesn’t manage to push the envelope much, it is a shocking surprise that it emerged from Russia and viewers will enjoy the dystopic, dark backdrop that seems to infect the very celluloid of this film. If you are a vampire junkie or someone with more than passing interest in Foreign cinema, this movie is a must-see.

Sifted: 7/10

Movie: Oldboy (2004)

The Greatest Revenge Movie Ever Made?

Imagine a film containing: a dreary, lame attempt to dig your way out of a cell over several years using nothing but a chopstick; hallucinations of ants that will literally make your skin crawl; blood, and more blood; the ugliest wallpaper you've ever seen; an octopus eaten alive; one of the most insane acts of revenge ever filmed; a character who cuts off his own tongue (there's gotta be a word for that somewhere); and the best fight scene filmed in years, as the main character–armed with only a hammer–takes on an entire gang in the confines of a very narrow hallway in such a way that reminds you of The Last Supper.

Imagine you've been imprisoned for 15 years. You haven't had any contact with another human being in that entire time. Just you in a room, watching tv, seeing yourself framed for your wife's murder.

Finally, you are released back into the world, a fugitive, with only one thing on your mind: finding the people who did this to you and making them pay. Sure, it sounds cliche, but the plot congeals.

Thus begins the best revenge story ever made.

Sifted: 9/10

Note: It would have scored a perfect 10, were it not for a few things lost in translation. Fortunately, it's been dubbed fairly well, so you won't have to squint to read subtitles.

This is a film that begs to be remade stateside. Pay attention Hollywood!

Reality TV 3.0: How to Kill a Genre

What is happening to Reality TV these days? As the 3rd generation of Reality TV rolls out of the networks, I can't help but wonder what the future holds for Reality TV. Third generation, you may be asking. What's that? Well, here's a brief history of Reality TV to get you caught up.

Reality TV (The Formative Years)

Arguably, the roots of reality TV go back to the earliest days of television. Shows like Candid Camera and What's My Line? were adept at displaying the reactions of victims as far back as the '50s. Although these shows were good (for their time), they were little more than trendy game shows and comedy skits. They focused on amusing observations about people, often utilizing secret cameras. They had not yet acquired the characteristics of true Reality TV 1.0 shows: the ability to actually create a story and even celebrity.

In the 70's, there was An American Family on PBS, a show that focused on the chaotic lives of an average family. Special? Not really. Although, it did make the leap from merely observing people to creating a story about them via creative editing. It garnered 10 million viewers, which was probably admirable at the time, but it didn't really start a trend in programming for the masses.

Reality TV 1.0

The first true generation of modern reality TV programming started in the late '80s. America's Most Wanted (1988) focused on capturing criminals. Cops and Rescue 911 (1989) both focused on observing people in less fortunate moments by taking the viewer into typically forbidden realms of viewing—essentially, voyeurism. America's Funniest Home Videos in 1990 was the logical offshoot of Candid Camera, with a twist: now it was the viewers capturing themselves to be viewed and laughed at by the world. These early versions of reality TV programming can be credited with originating the genre of the modern Reality TV show.

The Rise of The Real World

None of these shows, however, can be called the granddaddy of Reality TV 1.0 programming. That award goes to The Real World (1992). This show was special because it was all contrived, not accidental. A stage was created for the creation of reality. Arguably the template for every decent reality show that followed, The Real World is the certifiable father of Reality TV. Everything from the clever casting to the staged dramatic conflicts of current reality shows began here. It spawned an entire genre of programming. There is no arguing about it.

Of course, with the success of The Real World came a ton of other reality shows, many of them more successful and polished. Survivor and Big Brother (both from 2000) were the logical offshoots of The Real World and quickly became the reigning lords of Reality TV, but the next generation was quick to unseat them.

The Apprentice builds a bridge

What's different about The Apprentice? I like to think of it as the bridge between 1.0 and 2.0 programming. The contestants are all fairly average, but they also harbor hidden talents that are displayed during the show and (usually) help them to win, thereby not only winning them a job working for Trump, but also garnering them huge celebrity. In terms of the timeline of programming, The Apprentice also seems to fall directly in the middle of the passing of the guard, between the generations.

Reality TV 2.0

So what is Reality TV 2.0, you might be asking? Well, It's the current generation of Reality TV. Whereas 1.0 generation programming was effective at gathering normal, average people and putting them in any number of stressful situations to create drama and fly-by-night celebrity, Reality TV 2.0 is slightly different from that rubric. Reality TV 2.0 programming focuses on people who already have talent (and often celebrity of their own). In effect, Reality TV 2.0 is seeking to brand and amplify celebrity using the talents of the individuals on display. Doing this strengthens not only the contestants, but the shows as well, because celebrities are now created, promoted, and contracted by the reality programs themselves. These shows currently rule the programming schedules, and there is some overlap with legacy 1.0 programs, but for the most part, 2.0 programming already dominates primetime.

Examples of Reality TV 2.0 programming include:

American Idol - Where pretty decent singers compete for bragging rights and the chance to be locked into draconian recording contracts.

Top Chef - Where chefs convene to present their culinary masterpieces and tenderize their competition like tough beef.

America's Next Top Model - Where tall, lanky girls get a start in doing coke being supermodels.

Project Runway - Where all the kids who knew how to use the sewing machines in Home Ec ended up.

So You Think You Can Dance? - Where good dancers stand a chance to finally get music video gigs.

Making The Band - Where pop divalettes are manipulated by Puff Daddy for the amusement of all.

The Surreal Life - Where has-beens get a second chance before they finally crawl under a rock.

The Contender - Trying, oh so desperately, to revive boxing from the knockout Don King delivered to it in the 90's.

Ultimate Fighter - Arguably my favorite (and the best) Reality TV 2.0 program of all. Why? Well, it's simple, really. All good Reality TV is essentially about contests and drama. What better show is there than one where the contestants display the tedious dramas of living together, then literally go to blows every week on their quest to get a contract with the UFC? This program is Reality TV 2.0 at its best!

Reality TV 3.0

There are really two ways of looking at 3^rd gen Reality TV programming, which is still in its infancy.

• On one hand, you have "staged reality." Shows like MTV's Laguna Beach and The Hills fall into this genre. They aren't really Reality TV, but they're made to look like Reality TV in such a way that you begin to question what is real and what is contrived. Yes, it turns the entire genre of Reality TV inside out. And yes, I hate it. It's garbage. It hasn't been well-executed and it stands to destroy everything we hold dear about Reality TV because it begs the question: how much actual Reality TV is staged as well? If shows like this continue to be produced, we will soon invariably be inundated with shows that can't decide if they are real or not. Can you imagine a Survivor made entirely in a Hollywood studio by paid actors? I hope not.

• On the other hand, you have shows being produced by complete amateurs on sites like YouTube. Perhaps the next generation celebrity of Reality TV will not be produced by the networks at all? If so, I hope something better than people lip-synching in dormitories is what we have to look forward to.

Snakes in a Theater During Snakes on a Plane!

Two rattlesnakes let loose in Arizona theater during screening of SOAP. That's so snakes on a plane.

Restaurant Gift Certificates CHEAP

Get gift certificates to popular local restaurants for pennies on the dollar.

Top 10 Most Beautiful Cell Phones

Gorgeous!

ABC Sanitizes Spike Lee Katrina Interview

Apparently, ABC doesn't want to air the truth if it includes political opinions.

Next Country to Invade?

American people talking about geography... ugh. Maybe we should ask if George Bush should be elected a third time?

Ronald Reagan Map of The World

Brilliant.

Game: Civilization IV: Warlords

Just as addictive as the series it's based upon. There are 6 new civilizations you can control (including the Vikings, the Celts, and the Zulu) and several new units. Gameplay has changed slightly, but there are no real notable changes that will destroy your playing strategy. Perhaps the best part is that Civilization seems to be 100% more stable now. Video cut scenes now run cleanly and there is a lot less stuttering in the gameplay. While I am certain to stay up late with this one for at least a week, I'm not sure there's enough here that's truly compelling. This is an expansion pack, so the $29 price point is perfect. If I had paid more, I would have felt ripped off. I would have liked to have seen some better additions to the civilizations: the Apache (could have extreme advantages in desert warfare), the Inuit (could be skilled at playing in cold regions), the Visigoths, the Samoans, the Phoenicians.... I would have also liked to have seen some additions to the playable maps. But this is ultimately satisfying anyway.

Note: there were some installation issues. It aborted installation when it got hung up on installing a patch. Just go to the website and download the latest patch; install it before Warlords and you should be good to go.

Sifted: 7/10

Writers need to rejoice

Writely is an excellent tool for writers. Now, instead of keeping your writing in one computer at home, you can keep it on the net. Import and export of files is simple and efficient in just about all the important formats (HTML, WORD, PDF, ODT, and a few other acronyms of relative importance to no one....). You can even create an RSS feed.

From their site: Offsite storage plus data backup every 10 seconds makes hard drive failures and power outages no longer an issue.

This will forever change the way writing gets done. If you are a writer, you should definitely have a look and sign up.

Kitty Bling

So gangsta!!?!?

Now for the space race of pet couture.

Maybe they'll even spinoff a reality tv program where contestants dress their pets in hip-hop gear.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Japanese probably already did it.

I better train my breakdancing, prada-wearing monkey NOW!

Movie: Cache (2005) 10/10!

Cache (2005) Directed by Michael Haneke Writing credits Michael Haneke (screenplay)

I am not a fan of highbrow cinema, or movies that bombard me with pseudo-intellectual banter and boring interactions between banal characters. That said, Cache was nothing short of brilliant, compelling moviemaking the likes of which I have rarely seen. Yes, it's French. Yes, there are subtitles. Yes, you will be left at the end of the movie with a feeling of disappointment. But this is a very subtle, thought-provoking film.

Don't bother watching this if you feel like watching the typical shoot-em-up American action movie. This is not a Hollywood turd, after all. This is fine French cinema.

The plot has to do with a family being harrassed by an anonymous stalker who sends them numerous videos of themselves living their mundane lives. They begin to feel a sense of dread as they realize they are under surveillance by someone with the ability to remain completely hidden. As the story progresses, the father begins to realize there may be a connection with someone from his past. The end will likely leave most Americans bewildered. When you rent this DVD, make sure to watch the interview with the director after watching the film; it goes a long way to explain the befuddling ending and making you feel at peace with the open-endedness of this fine piece of work.

Don't expect anyone to get shot; it's not that kind of movie. The psychological tautness is what this story is really about. But you can expect to cringe and exclaim "WTF!" during one scene that is sure to make your mouth drop.

----
Addendum: Aug, 18th, 1:30 PM:

On second thought, after having time to reflect on this film's utter genius, I have decided to give it a 10/10 rating. Not trying to be pretentious, just sayin': Yeah, it's that good.

But note: you really have to be in the mood for something melancholy, slow-paced, and fixated with somewhat mundane parts of life. Paraphrasing the director in the interview: "This is a story that can be told in any country. Every country has this story to tell."

Sifted: 10/10

TV: Rockstar Supernova

Okay, so I am embarrassed to admit I've been hooked by this show. Tonight featured Supernova playing live for the first time. They chose one of the competitors to front the band (Dilana). Unfortunately, Supernova is a band composed of has-beens that have lost all their innovation. It would be beneficial for most of these competitors to go off on their own and start their own band (do you hear me Zayira?). Sure, Tommy Lee and Jason Newstead carry some heavy rockstar credibility, but what have they done for us lately?

The performance by Dilana was, as always, impeccable. She is truly the only singer with the pipes and the stage presence to front this band(as well as the age to mesh well with this group of semi-geriatrics). If these guys know what's best for them, they'll kick off all the rest of the chumps and sign this chick now.

The song Supernova played was pretty stupid. Someone who shall remain nameless referred to it as "white-trash, muscle-car" music. Unfortunately, this is the age of the hybrid, folks. Pop Hard Rock should be left to angst-ridden teeny boppers, not a bunch of guys trying to make a comeback.

In all honesty, I can't recommend this show to anyone. It's an American Idol rip-off trying to have teeth but ending up displaying nothing but a cheesy grin.

TV: Dog Whisperer

Dog Whisperer is a great show that's now in its second season on the National Geographic Channel, Mondays at 9 PM. It was a surprise how good this show really is. Cesar Millan is a much-needed example of a positive latino role model on television. If you get the chance to tune into this, it's well worth watching, whether you have a dog or not.

TV: Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (BBC)

Now that Hell's Kitchen is over, you can still get your Gordon Ramsay fix by watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (BBC). This show is one of my new favorites. Unlike Hell's Kitchen, Ramsay is much more sedate as he helps troubled restaurants in England to get back 0n their feet. His attitude is still excessive and abusive, but this show is tremendously addictive and a far-cry from the histrionics that are Hell's Kitchen. Ramsay's advice is solid and you get a genuine feel for how restaurants succeed or fail. This is definitely one to watch.

Movie Review: Feed (2005)

Directed by
Brett Leonard

Writing credits
Kieran Galvin (written by)

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Feed is a very disturbing film out of Australia. The plot revolves around a detective who tracks down an online sexual deviant who has created a website featuring obese women. The moral and ethical implications of what it means to feed someone to death are examined at a level that will leave most people squirming with discomfort. This film is thoroughly disgusting and likely to haunt you for several meals after viewing.

Sifter Rating: 7/10.

Bike Messengers Are on Crack

Here's some very cool video of Bike Messengers in New York just doing their job. Crazy, exhilirating, dangerous.

Britney on Speed

It's the talk of the town. Video of Britney rambling like an idiot, taken by her genius of a husband, K-Fed.

Stop an Ant Problem with Nutrasweet.

Seriously? Aspartame is apparently lethal to ants. Who knew?

Some Cool Tech Toys

Only 164 shopping days left until Christmas!

From TecheBlog, the Top 5 Strangest Tech Toys.

How Not to Release a Leopard Back Into the Wild

Muhahahaha!

6 Best Places to Nuke

From Accelerating Future. Six Places to Nuke When You're Serious.

Top 10 6-figure jobs (from Forbes)

Seriously?

The Gray Cieling Affecting Generation X

Excellent article about the Gray Ceiling. How Boomers are keeping Generation X from realizing its full potential.

Guy gets cold-cocked in McDonalds

Yet another reason to start eating at Wendy's.
Watch Video Clip

Annihilation [flipbook animation]

Clever video by film school student.

Product: Zen - Beer Made with Green Tea

Beer made with green tea! Now there's no excuse. Zen.

Website: Send Faxes to US and Canada for FREE

Using Fax Zero, you can send a fax to the US or Canada via your internet connection for FREE. There are some limitations: Ad on the cover page, max. 2 faxes per day, max. 3 pages per fax. Limited to Doc and PDF files (though you can also send Text files).

This is a great service for those times when you need to send a fax on the fly.

A Picture a Day, for 3 Years.

It's very interesting to watch someone age 3 years in a span of a couple of minutes. The problem here is that the girl doesn't seem to change much. Regardless, the music is really good.

Me

Website: Zillow Mobile

I have a profound affection for Zillow. Now, you can text the website with an address and it will bounce back home value straight to your phone! Great for those times when you're driving around and just want to see how the other half lives.

Zillow Mobile

From the website:

How does it work?

1. From your mobile device, send a text message to z@labs.zillow.com.
2. In the message field or subject line, enter an address for which you want a Zestimate, then send the message.

   Examples:

   2911 W Boston St Seattle WA

   2911 W Boston St 98199

   Tip: The format is not case sensitive and you do not need to use punctuation.

3. A text message from Zillow will be returned to your mobile device within a few seconds or slightly longer, depending on the network or your mobile phone provider.
4. The return message will contain the home's address, the Zestimate, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, square footage and year built.

Shining Star of the Neo Cyberpunk Movement

Chris Nakashima-Brown is an author who is hot in the media lately. His brand of Postcyberpunk fiction is more modern, more humorous, and just as cynical as the originals. He is being hailed as a ringleader of "Neo Cyberpunk." You can find plenty of free fiction on his website.

...meanwhile, Tivo Going Straight to Hell.

Tivo is steadily maneuvering itself toward complete and total deprecation. Based on this, I wouldn't use a Tivo if the company PAID me to.

HD DVD Coming to DirecTV Soon

The time to switch may be approaching soon. From Ars Technica.

New York Flash Map of the Stars

Now it's simple to stalk your favorite celebrity! NY Flash Map of the Stars.

Food: Why to avoid Fat Free Pringles

Hilarious.

43 Things Not to do in a McDonald's

That's it. I'm eating at Wendy's from now on.

Apparently, she pulled the post. So It has been recreated here.

Wikimapia - North Portland

I must confess: I'm addicted to Wikimapia. I spent a few hours on this site a while back just entering businesses and other landmarks relating to North Portland. After a while, I couldn't help but branch out into other cities, listing favorite businesses and landmarks. Now, it's simple to embed a wikimapia into your own webpage. Here is a sample of the many links I've entered for North Portland:

Website: Book Mooch

Okay, so I have to credit Boing Boing with finding this one first (and probably causing the homepage to crash), but this website is truly excellent, so I need to share it.

BookMooch is a book trading site. It works as follows:

• Give or receive books: Every time you give someone a book, you earn a point and can get any book you want from anyone else at BookMooch. Once you've read a book, you can keep it forever or put it back into BookMooch for someone else.


• No cost: It's FREE. The only cost to you is what you spend to mail your books to someone.
  


• Points for adding books: you receive 1/10th of a point for every book you type into the system, and one point each time you give a book away. Note: to keep receiving books, you need to give away at least one book for every two you receive.


• Help charities: you can also give your points to charities they work with, such as children's hospitals (so a sick kid can get a free book delivered to their bed), Library fund, African literacy, or to the site to thank them for running the web site .
  

How Popular is Your Last Name in the U.S.?

Check it out [here]. I'm in the Top 30! Smith is #1. So I guess they beat out the Joneses (#4).

Marilyn Manson on The O'Reily Factor

Oh my. I thought Marilyn Manson was dead! Way to keep up with the times, O'Reily! [belch]

Paris Hilton - Kingston Town

Paris Hilton Rips off UB40! Check out this mashup video and see for yourself. Let's hope UB40 get properly compensated for this blatant music jacking.

Chad Vader - Day Shift Manager (episode 2)

Part II is just as good as the first episode!

Darth Vader Being a Smartass

Too funny!

The Fudge Report

Exposing the GOP's lies isn't going to get the Democrats very far. Logic and truth don't seem to be staples of this government, regardless of which partisan camp you choose. But at least we can all get some joy from this: The Fudge Report.

Website boasts Coming Attractions

Have a look at films coming out in 2007. If this is any indicator, Hollywood may be working towards a good vintage.

Detroit Spewing Stupid Ads

Is it just me, or does Dr. Z really suck? Who are these ads made for? The problem is not the advertising, people. The problem is poor, boring designs that don't appeal to anyone. You can roll out 10,000 Dr. Z's and you're still going to have a crappy product that doesn't sell.

Frank Caliendo - Impressions

Excellent Impressions

Amazing Stop Motion Video - www.2BlogGadgets.com

Excellent! Great music and use of video game sound fx.

Robot Chicken - Office Fight Tournament

Robot Chicken is often quite funny. Seth Green has outdone himself with this one.

A Highlander fix

Just in case you were jonesing for it.

Big Black Women in the Media

This New York Times article, linked from Agenda Inc., does a great job at analyzing the racial stereotype of the big black woman that seems to have grown ubiquitous in the media lately.

Big Wheels now illegal in Oregon!

Fixie bikes considered illegal by Multnomah County Court. I'm not surprised. This is the court that found me guilty for stopping in the middle of an intersection instead of plowing over a jaywalking pedestrian.

Movie Review: Clerks II

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation / The Weinstein Company
Rated: R

GENRE(S):	Comedy
WRITTEN BY:	Kevin Smith
DIRECTED BY:	Kevin Smith
RELEASE DATE:	July 21, 2006
RUNNING TIME:	98 minutes Color
ORIGIN:	USA

Viewers are once again treated to the bleak New Jersey existence of Dante and Randal as they try to continue their slack lives, this time behind the counter at a fast food joint after the Quick Stop burns down. Jay & Silent Bob are here as well, tossing in their own brand of wicked humor. And though the annoying girlfriend role has been replaced this time, Rosario Dawson only adds to the flavor of the film by being the one actor present with actual skillz.

There is plenty of perverse humor and you can never let it be said that Kevin Smith doesn't like to shock people. Yes, it's a bit vulgar and sophomoric; we giggled all-knowingly as two old ladies ran for the door once Randal started talking about the Donkey Show. And yes, the acting is somewhat unfavorable, with both Dante and Randal sort of spitting their lines like a pukefest, but that's part of the rakish humor that makes Clerks (and now Clerks 2) so charming.

Overall, the underlying story is a warm, heartfelt exercise in tried and true cynicism that anyone under 40 is likely to find entertaining.

There were no real action sequences that demanded this be watched on the big screen. It is definitely, however, worthy of rental if you should miss it in the theater.

Propaganda Sifted: 8/10