Category: Life

Must See Video: The Visual Style of The Wire

Everyone knows The Wire is the best show in the history of television.  It’s so good, I wish I could erase my memories of it so I could have the pleasure of watching it again for the first time.  Since I can’t do that,  unexpected pleasures like this video essay on the visual style of the show are a real treat.

omar

Here’s  Erlend Lavik, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Science and Media studies at Norway’s University of Bergen, discussing some of the techniques used in framing and filming our favorite show.

And for those stubborn few who deny themselves the pleasure of the best show ever, the montage that ended Season 2.

Awesome.

(via A.V. Club)

Happy Easter, Aliens and a Punkin in the Pulpit

The single best thing about the internets is the way it lets creative people show their work to just about anyone, anywhere, any time.  I love the clever remixes and mash-ups that come across my computer screen on a daily basis.

Have you ever wondered what if Alien was an Easter movie?  Me neither, but happily someone did.

Here’s an added bonus.  Cassidy leading her school’s Easter Chapel yesterday.

Happy Easter!

Deacon Blues: Verbal Crossovers

So, just when we think things couldn’t get any worse for Wake Forest basketball, about half the roster decides to get on the transfer bus and get the heck out of town.

For a while I was mad about the mess that AD Ron Wellman and head coach Jeff Bzdelik have made of this program.  Then, over two years of absolutely horrible basketball, it became sort of funny.

Now, I’m struggling to hold on to that humor, and avoid complete apathy.

In that regard, here’s the 7th episode of Deacon Blues.  There is an email floating around the message boards today that is allegedly from Ron Wellman to the board of directors of the Deacon Club.  I cannot believe it is real, and at this point have to believe the email is a hoax.  But either way, WFU basketball is a complete mess.

In this episode, Ron reads his (alleged) email and a helpful Deacon fan translates it for us.

Note: All characters and events in this show—even those based on real people—are entirely fictional.  All celebrity voices are impersonated…..poorly.  The following program contains coarse language and due to its content it should not be viewed by anyone.

Obviously, this is satire and humor.  No offense to any person, real or fictional, is intended.

Deacon Blues Archive: Episode 1 is here.  Episode 2 is here.  Episode 3 is here. Episode 4 is here.  Episode 5 is here.  Episode 6 is here.

Great Game of Thrones Parodies

The Song of Ice and Fire series is clearly my favorite series of books since (at least) The Lord of the Rings.  And Arya Stark is without a doubt my favorite literary character ever.

arya

Sadly, I just finished the latest book and now have to wait no telling how long for the sixth book.

The Game of Thrones television show is also just about perfect.  As we approach Season 2, HBO has released some very excellent trailers.

And others have made some equally excellent parodies.  Here are my two favorites.

The Simpsons (from the actual show)

and the Disney version

Awesome stuff.

Why Aardvarks Rock

I’m always bringing up aardvarks.  Whenever my kids tell me something about an animal, I’ll start talking about aardvarks.  It’s probably one of the reasons  most of them don’t talk to me much.  Well, that and my primordial rural-upbringing based belief that if the only time you want to talk is when you want something from me, don’t bother.

aardvark

Anyway, back to aardvarks.  If you want to experience the awesomeness of aardvarks, here you go.  A little background.

But I’m still not going to give you more money.  Or do your homework for you.  Or take you to Starbucks.

Deacon Blues: Couldn’t Be Happier

I thought I had retired Deacon Blues, but this story in the Winston-Salem Journal compelled me to create a 6th episode, in which Ron Wellman and DV7 discuss WFU basketball

Note: All characters and events in this show—even those based on real people—are entirely fictional.  All celebrity voices are impersonated…..poorly.  The following program contains coarse language and due to its content it should not be viewed by anyone.

Obviously, this is satire and humor.  No offense to any person, real or fictional, is intended.

Ron Wellman may be a great Athletic Director, but he is not winning these interviews.  If you stand up over and over and spout nonsense, you are hurting your cause.  You can spin, and you can craft a message.  You simply cannot make absolute statements like "I couldn’t be more excited about our future" unless it is a fact.  Or unless you just don’t care.

Deacon Blues Archive: Episode 1 is here.  Episode 2 is here.  Episode 3 is here. Episode 4 is here.  Episode 5 is here.

I Want to Punch Li Wang in the Face

scammmmActually, if there is such a Li Wang, he is probably a victim in this.  So I guess I want to punch the person pretending to be Li Wang in the face.  Hard.  Over and over.

I thought that ridiculous letter from the so-called National Deed Service was going to forever hold the record for the most ludicrous thing to hit my mailbox.  Not so.

Look at what I got today.  Post marked Santa Clarita, CA.

 

scamletter
Click for a larger version of this lame scam attempt

I don’t know who pisses me off more, the person who sends this crap or the idiots who fall for it enough times to make it worth a stamp. I would have a hard time generating any sympathy for someone who falls for this. 

Particularly since a simple Google search shows that this isn’t even an original scam attempt.

Middle School is Hard, But There is Hope

School-Bus

I remember Middle School, or Junior High, as they called it back in the day.  It was hard, socially.  Based on what I see and hear with my kids, it’s probably even harder now.

I worry a lot about my kids.  I want them to work hard, but have fun.  I want them to be kind, but not take undue crap from people.  I mostly want them to know how awesome they are, and to have a herd of positive, kind peers who reinforce that awesomeness in a way parents can’t.

So when I saw that my favorite radio show in the world, This American Life, did an entire show on Middle School, I was really interested.  And a little worried.  What if it concluded that Middle School was, in fact, a minefield that no kid could hope to navigate successfully?

Happily, I came away with the opposite feeling.

The kids they talked to have a lot of issues and concerns, ranging from the typical to the heart wrenching.  But here’s the thing: I came away from the show feeling like these are good kids.  Almost every one of them.  It made me feel much better about kids in general.

Take a listen, it’s really interesting.

Good stuff.