Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Tom Clancy

Can anybody actually read his novels? Really?

I'm struggling with one I picked up somewhere a while back--it's a mindless read when I'm too tired to think much at the end of a long day--and really, it reminded me of the Simpson's episode when they mocked George Lucas for his boring fascination with politics in the more recently-made Star Wars movies.

Mr. Clancy loves his heroic politicians and lengthy descriptions of their good-guy heroicness (yes I know it isn't a word auto-correct) and how they aren't part of the mainstream bureaucracy...

Blah, blah, blah. Develop some sort of a plot line, soon. How has this guy made over a two hundred mil. from writing?

(He tried to put 200 million of his own money the Minnesota Vikings in the mid-90s but his divorce ended up costing too much.)

I just don't see the appeal. Then again, I thought the DaVinci Code was a terribly-written book.

Monday, February 14, 2011

They're not all prima donnas

Some athletes are jerks. Michael Vick is now among the NFL's elite even though a darker side was revealed a few years ago. Matt Cooke has been suspended yet again for recklessly endangering another hockey player. Bruins player Marc Savard's career is probably over after another recent concussion--a problem originating with a disgusting cheap hit from Cooke last season.

But there are scores of good people who appreciate their good fortune and haven't lost the common touch. A couple of examples are Mike Rupp of the Pittsburgh Penguins and yes, perhaps a little surprising to some, David Beckham, possibly the most famous active soccer player in the world.

I heard both of these stories while driving into work recently, and just thought I'd share.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Very busy--show in 3 weeks, marks due in 34 hours

But in the meantime--I believe this to be true

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Some advice for TV exec types - Criminal Minds

As I said in the last post, there are at least two things that make Criminal Minds (a show we like in this household) ridiculous.

1. (and this is true of many similar shows) Every time there is a job opening, it just happens that the replacement is good-looking enough to be a model. Hmm, is there some sort of a perv conspiracy at the top of the FBI and every crime lab in every major US city? I realize that attractive people make us common folk more likely to watch a show, but are we so shallow that we can't have one normal looking person out in the field finding perps?

2. The delivery of the profile. This is ridiculous in the extreme. When the team has assembled the basic details they believe to be true of the "unsub" they will call all the local law enforcement folk together to share the profile. But here's the thing--they do it as a team; each member follows the sentence of the previous one with their next like some sort of well-rehearsed chorus. Even the new girl who's only been on the team for a couple of episodes pipes in.

I direct shows--if this were a scene in a play, it would need some rehearsal time to make sure everyone knew when to come in and who had each 'line'. But there they are, nobody talking over anyone else, each taking their turn, and nobody apparently reading from a script.

Are we to believe that just happens? Or as the clock ticks and the poor victim's chances are becoming slimmer and slimmer, does the team sneak off for an hour to run practices of this performance--each profiler's lines marked with different colored highlighter pens? This is the single most annoying feature of this show, and makes any pretense of realism a joke.

Well, that and the fact that Greg left Dharma and has become a super-serious never-smile FBI guy.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Some advice for TV exec types - The Office

The Office - So it seems Steve Carrell is going to be leaving the show earlier than expected. Originally, the buzz was that the Holly character would be taking over as "boss". Clearly some focus groups have squashed that ill-advised idea, and now they're looking at a variety of possibilities.

If you read the link article, you'll see options that all sound, well, like guarantees that the show will soon be gone. If you watch the show, the very idea that the Todd Packer character might be more of a regular will make you gag.

Meanwhile, the Golden Globes has once more shown us how Ricky Gervais can make us all squirm uncomfortably as he crosses several lines even in a short opening monologue. He may not have have as much name/face recognition on this side of the Atlantic as he does in Britain, but he's still far better and better-known than anyone they're looking at to try to replace Carrell.

So here's the plan: Get Ricky Gervais, who already is one of the show's producers, and who created the whole concept when he did the earlier British version, to take over as Michael Scott's replacement.

Then, go one step further. Gradually begin begin replacing the Dunder Mifflin employees with their counterparts from the original British show. Trust me, aside from Dwight, the rest of the current characters are done story-wise anyway. It's the only way this show will be around 18 months from now.

Next time: The two things that make Criminal Minds ridiculous.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Final Video Advent Calendar Entry - For December 24

Since this is your December 24 Video Advent Calendar, it's the last one, but I can't post just one, so I'm offering a variety of clips in this final installment.

First, although I posted it not that long ago, this is an amazingly well-done spoof of movie trailers.




I'm a big fan of the Improv Everywhere musicals in mall food fairs or grocery stores, or their simultaneous freeze of a few hundred people in Grand Central Station. This is a flash mob that pays homage to MC Hammer's cool pants and his cool dance moves.



I am a fan of all things Simpsons (thus the title of this blog) and this is one of the best homemade Simpsons intros--"The Estonian Version"



Dustin is one of the visitors (I think) to this blog, and a pretty funny and creative guy who plays the werewolf in this Twilight spoof.



That's all for now--hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a great start to 2011.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.23

My kids would say my wife and I are already like this.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec. 22

Okay, you just need to follow the link to Vimeo to watch this full screen. The question I have is How do you learn to do this? I mean, I don't think this is the sort of activity that would be forgiving of beginner's mistakes.

Truly amazing footage.

Superior, Speed Fly from Marshall Miller on Vimeo.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.20 (with bonus)

Here are two Rob Pavarian video clips I've posted before. The first is his classic Pachelbel Rant, and in the second we get his take on the Friends theme song and a Sugar Ray song.




Video Advent Calendar for Dec.19

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for December 17

Want to be the life of a geeky party? Try some of these scientific tricks!


Monday, December 13, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.14

This is strange but the guy has some talent. I like how you can tell the order in which he recorded them by how tired he looks.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Video Advent Calendar- Dec.13

I think I first saw this three years ago--maybe I even posted it. This is the original--there are better versions they've got on their website--plus other songs if you want to take a look. (You can get to it from clicking on this video and going to their Youtube page.)

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.12

Count the movie references.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.11

This is ridiculous--just watching it could induce a panic attack; I can't imagine actually walking it.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.10

This is kind of cool because it's Steve Carrell and it's Victoria. Yes, this channel (in HD) was actually on our TV for a little while today.

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.9

If you're a vegetarian, don't even try to watch this.

If you're looking for a new way to serve your main meat course this holiday season, though...

Monday, December 06, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec 7

If you like Gilbert and Sullivan, you'll love this.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.4

There are a few of these Boston Bruins bear commercials. Classic.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Video Advent Calendar for Dec.3-Cardboard Warfare

This is pretty cool, and shows how high-powered video-editing technology is becoming more and more accessible to folks who don't spend tens of thousands of dollars to be able to produce great effects.