Bottom Of The Barrel: July 2006

SM3 Desktop

Topher Grace becoming Venom! Click here for a larger version of this image [for your very own desktop].

Slugging it to work

Slugging is a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in the Washington, DC area sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It's unique because people commuting into the city stop to pickup other passengers even though they are total strangers! However, slugging is a very organized system with its own set of rules, proper etiquette, and specific pickup and drop-off locations. It has thousands of vehicles at its disposal, moves thousands of commuters daily, and the best part, it’s free! Not only is it free, but it gets people to and from work faster than the typical bus, metro, or train. This would seem to be a very odd and dangerous system however it has been in existence for more than 25 years and seems to work very very well. So slug on sluggers!

You are my Density...

Population density is a measurement of the total amount of people who live within a specific geographical area [calculated by dividing population by total area]. So where in the world in the densest populated city? Is it New York? Tokyo? Delhi? Bangkok? Paris? Cairo? Barcelona?

Actually the densest city in the world is Malé, Maldives which is located in the Indian Ocean and is the capitol of the Republic of Maldives. This island has been nearly completely urbanized and its density level is an amazing 48,000 people per square kilometer. Can you image taking all of the residents of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and having them all live on Cape Cod? It would be about the same. Check out this picture of Malé:

click here to see a larger version of this picture

Head on over to Wikipedia to read a list of selected cities by population density. Also be kind to your neighbor this weekend because if you lived in Malé, Maldives you would have a lot more to deal with then the few that are on your street.

Who do you look like?

The website MyHeritage.com applies advanced face recognition technology to personal photos to build a family tree and history. The really cool part of their site is the "Find the celebrity in you" feature. I uploaded a picture of Lisa and I [from our cruise this spring] and got the following results [note only the matches from the proper sex, use link above to see all matches]:

Lisa:

Anastacia
Sofia Coppola
Meryl Streep
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Judit Polgar
Kristie Alley

Ed:

Dean Cain
George Clooney
John Ritter
Jesse Metcalfe
Cesar Franck
Lars von Trier
David Hasselhoff
Cliff Richard
Chris Noth

I'm not sure how accurate this list is but I'll take being compared to Dean, George, and Jesse. Try it out for yourself and leave a comment with your link for all to see. =)

Too much news...

Matt Amorello resigned
Lance Bass announced he is gay
Metallica is now selling on iTunes
Prince is getting a divorce
Kazaa settles lawsuit
Steely Dan is upset with Dupree

What a morning...

You[Tube] spoke, and they listened

NBC has announced that it is resurrecting "Nobody's Watching" and have ordered six scripts of the project from creators Bill Lawrence, Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan. Due to the overwhelming demand for the pilot on YouTube and a ground swell of support for the show, it appears we have not seen the last of Derrick and Will.

Chris Rock: HTNGYAKBTP

This is a classic Chris Rock skit on How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police. Remember:

obey the law
use common sense
stop immediately
turn that shit off
be polite
shut the fuck up
get a white friend
don't ride with a mad woman

Click her to Play Video

That which was once old, is now new

With the impending theatrical release of Miami Vice, which by the way looks horrible, I felt it was time to post two 2007 movies also with their roots from the 1980's.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - being dubbed TMNT - hits the big screen 3/30/07. This CGI-animated movie follows Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Zen Master Splinter as they take on strange events that are occurring in New York City. Check out the teaser trailer here. This is not a film that I am interested in but the animation does look pretty good.

Transformers has staked claim to next summers July 4th weekend opening on 7/04/07 [a Wednesday next year] which is being directed by Michael Bay [Pearl Harbor, Armageddon, The Rock, Bad Boys] with executive producer Steven Spielberg [The Legend of Zorro, Men In Black, Twister, Back to the Future]. The live action movie documents dueling alien races, the Autobots and the Decepticons, bring their battle to Earth, leaving the future of humankind hanging in the balance. Here is the movie site which contains a teaser trailer. At first I wasn't so sure about a live action film which will require such intense CGI production for the main characters [transformers] however after seeing a Citroen C4 commercial, I am very exited for this film. This could be the film of 07 and change, i.e The Matrix, the way high end movies are made into the future.

Sweet Combination

What do you get when you mix Diet Coke and Mentos? An explosive good time, that's what. Stephen Voltz and Fritz Grobe have become Netbrities [internet celebrities] with there homemade videos of them mixing 2 liter Diet Coke with several Mentos. Click the picture below to check out there video. Looks like something I'd like to try out myself.

Cock Punch List

This is my first ever list of people who probably need or have needed cock punches. I first heard this idea of a Cock Punch from my friend Liz and I have further found a blog which is dedicated to this type of stuff. Here's today's list:

1. Lenny of Worcester
2. Tim Allen
3. Big Dig chief Matt Amorello
4. Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, again
5. Lenny of Worcester [yup he needs one that bad]

Same sex, same result

In a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling, same sex couples were allowed to marry under the term marriage and on May 18, 2004 many did just that. Sadly the right that was fought so hard for is also one that can be discarded just as easily as it can be for heterosexual couples. Today's Boston Globe is reporting that Julie and Hillary Goodridge, lead plaintiffs in the state's landmark gay marriage case, are splitting. This issue of same sex marriage is will be one for debate well into the next presidential election and I think that if the state [or country] allowed civil unions [such that is done in Vermont] there would be much less hype and political [and religious] debate than if there is a continued push for the use of the term marriage. TheWino's definitions:

Marriage: Boy + Girl
Civil Union: Boy + Boy or Girl + Girl

[I won't even begin to comment on polygamy or the Mormons]

Under this definition, all couples would benefit from "marriage" rules such as insurance, medical rights and adoptions however the traditional term of marriage would refer to men and women only thus keeping the faithful, well full of faith.

Just my $0.02 on the issue.

Superhero's Everywhere

In preparation for SciFi's new reality show Who Wants To Be A Superhero?, they have put together an online "game" called HeroMachine where you can virtually create your own superhero. The show takes 11 people who have created their own superhero [as their own alter-ego] and puts them together in a secret lair and the winner gets their character immortalized in a new comic book developed with the legendary Stan Lee. As for the game, you could spend hours trying all of the different combinations - have fun.

Also keep a watch out for DC superhero's at the Post Office. Today the UPSP has issued their Super Hero stamps featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash and others. It will be fun to get mail with the man of steel in the upper right hand corner.

B.A.A. Half Marathon

Don't forget to register for the 6th annual B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, today. Only 4,500 applicants will be accepted and this event has sold out each year. See ya in October in and around the Emerald Necklace.

All we need is love...

Please take a moment out today and tell your family, friends and loved ones that you care for them. Thanks to all who read this regularly and today I'm sending out my love to everyone out there.

50 albums that changed music

The Observer has published what they believe to be the 50 albums that changed music. Some of the more notable/interesting albums on their list are:

2 The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
4 NWA - Straight Outta Compton (1989)
9 Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (1956)
18 The Clash - London Calling (1979)
19 Mary J Blige - What's the 411? (1992)
21 The Spice Girls - Spice (1996)
25 James Brown - Live at the Apollo (1963)
27 Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced (1967)
28 Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
29 Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
34 Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970)
35 The Ramones - The Ramones (1976)
36 The Who - My Generation (1965)
39 Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)
40 Run DMC - Run DMC (1984)
46 The Human League - Dare (1981)
47 Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)

One band that is [remarkably] missing from this list is Led Zeppelin. One could argue that not a single album alone but rather their discography is what made them the rock legends that they were. However I say the 4th Untitled Album, some call this Album Zeppelin IV or Zoso for the symbols on the album, with track # 4 - Stairway To Heaven - is enough to place them on this list.

Was it muggy or raining?

The Marathon Sports 5-Miler came and went last night and man was it humid out. After running five miles around some pretty large shacks in Weston, I looked and felt like it had been raining the whole time. That maybe partly due to the fact that I poured two cups of water over my head at the last water station - even though I was soaked, it felt great. I have to give the race organizers credit - it was well run and very well sponsored. The one thing I would change is the running on the grass around the high school. There are plenty of roads there and there is no real reason to run out in the [slick] wet grass. Steve was our fastest guy [again] coming in at 39:35, I finished behind him at 43:17 and Kym finished up at 50:20 - note all times are unofficial at this point. Next stop Boston Half Marathon???

Street Magic? You decide

This is a video has some truely amazing street magic. Based on Blonathan Pars work, I am thinking of taking it up as well. What is your biggest fear? Are you sure it's not clowns?

Boston Today: Good, Bad and Ugly

Good: The American League won the All-Star game last night 3 to 2 which will give our Boston Red Sox home field advantage in the World Series this October - hey you have to have faith in the BoSox!

Bad: The Big Dig has taken another hit when 38-year-old Milena Del Valle of Jamaica Plain [mom of three] was killed Monday night. [add this to a list of problems such as gusher burst in 2004, 189 defective wall panels in 2005, & 9 billion dollars over original cost - last 14 years] Driving through the I-90 connector at 11:05 pm, a 3-ton slab of concrete fell from the roof of the tunnel and onto her car. A tragedy in every sense of the word.

Ugly: Governor Mitt Romney has been asking for embattled Turnpike Authority chairman Matthew Amorello's resignation for sometime now but after Monday's "accident", Governor Romney now has Attorney General Tom Reilly and the local media outlets all calling for a new chairman to be put into place. This is going to be a messy political battle [on Beacon Hill].

Hootie: A Concert Review

Hootie & the Blowfish played Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field [home of the Worcester Tornadoes] on Saturday night and put on a great show. The park is quite small but is excellent for concerts, only if they could tear down Route 290 which is all you can see when you look over the fence in left field - Big Dig Part 2??? Anyway, Darius and the boys put on a really good 90 minute show covering some new tracks from their latest release Looking For Lucky as well as their classics like Time, Hold My Hand, and Let Her Cry. The highlight of the show was the final set which included a jam session style cover of Mustang Sally and a great version of I Only Want To Be With You including Add It Up thrown in at the song break near the end. The only other song I wished they played was their cover of Zeppelin's Hey Hey What Can I Do? - just a personal favorite of mine, plus the show could have gone more toward the 2 hour mark.

All in all, a really good show and I would offer to Hootie & The Blowfish to be the house band for ANP08. I'm sure the white house has room for them and wouldn't official state events be livelier with good ole southern boys playing the room? I think so.

United 93: A Movie Review

United 93 is the real-time story of the 4th plane hijacked on September 11, which failed to reach it's target and crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The film is shot using mainly hand held cameras to give it a more intimate feel and used many back stories such as the co-pilot at home, relatives of the passengers during the flight and FAA centers around the east coast to give the film more life. The director creates [or recreates] a truly terrifying situation that at times had my heart racing as I watched the events unfold. At many points the viewer is brought to tears especially watching the people calling home to say goodbye and even more mind numbing was a touching recital of the Lord's Prayer - you may never think of it in the same way again.

The film makes some obvious assumptions about what really happened that morning, but I feel they [with the help of the 40 families of those lost on flight 93] gave an honest portrayal of some very brave men and women who helped stop what would was surly to be a 4th flying bomb headed to Washington DC.

100 and counting...

This marks my 100 post to the BOTB and for this momentous occasion, I am posting a cartoon that shows how arguments start, enjoy and Happy Friday!

Running For President

No this is not a clever play on words about running but it is about a serious topic, birthdays. My 35th birthday recently passed and it marks one of the last real notable birthdays for me [as I see it]. Here are some of the important birthdays in ones life:

0 - Birth [most important because without this one, you wouldn't exist]
1 - Finally can be referred to in years instead of months [and PS I really find children being referred to as 20 months to be annoying and if that's the case, I would like to be referred to as 423 months old]
13 - Finally a teenager and no longer a child, except for the fact the 13 year olds are still children 16 - Can obtain a drivers license, although this law in Massachusetts is currently under heavy scrutiny
18 - This a double dip birthday, now you can vote and [for men] you have to register for the draft
21 - One word: A L C O H O L
25 - Now you can rent a car [to go buy alcohol on your way to vote]

Which brings us to 35: Age which you must be to run for President of the United States.

[Although Lisa added that at 55 I can apply for AARP, thanks hun!]

If Christopher Walken, Condoleezza Rice [who is not actually running], and General Zod [not sure a fictional character can run but ok] can have a website for their campaigns, why not Bottom Of The Barrel for mine? Actually I have created a new site on google pages which I will use to store all of my presidental writings, of course after they have been posted here first for my loyal daily readers of the BOTB.

While I was considering running for the Commander and Chief job, I have considered which political party to be aligned with and I was not happy with the Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, Green, Constitution or Reform Parties. So it occured to me that I would have to start my own called:

The All Night Party!

This will be the new party of the people. Or maybe the new party with the people? Everyday folks will help run the All Night Party.
My first big issue to takle is a running mate. Who would make a great Vice President? Who could you trust to be "a heartbeat" away from becoming the next leader of the free world? This is a difficult decision and I will look to my trusted advisors to give me some names of those who would compliment my personality and lack of military and political experience.

Thank you for all of the support I have received so far [I have secured 4 votes for 2008 and I want to give a big thanks to Kym, Scott and Lisa for their votes - I of course will vote for myself as well]. 4 votes down, only 62 million to go.

This is one hot list

LifeScience [which is a terrific science releated website] has produced a list of the top 100 sweatiest cities in the US. I know your asking yourself, how would you measure such a thing? Well I am glad you asked. The results were based on the amount of sweat an adult of average height and weight would produce while walking for an hour in the average high temperatures, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.

Drum roll please, and the top 10 sweatiest cities are:

Phoenix, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tucson, Arizona
Dallas, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Austin, Texas
Shreveport, Louisiana
Houston, Texas
Waco, Texas

Where does Boston list? 86th, which is probably about right but here is the real question, do we need a list like this and don't we already know it's hot in the south/south west? I say no and yes.

Stay Cool!

Happy 4th

We've been travelling far, Without a home
But not without a star, Only want to be free
We huddle close, Hang on to a dream
On the boats and on the planes, They're coming to America
Never looking back again, They're coming to America

- Neil Diamond

[Played at the finally of the Fourth of July concert on the Charles River Esplanade, Boston MA]

Bottom Of The Barrel