Miracle..

Man this month is flying by. Things are pretty busy what with the holidays and all and I might not get a chance to blog again before new years, so if I miss you, have a safe and happy new year.

Before I go, if you haven't seen these Captain Morgans miracle commercials, you're missing out.








As always, go big or go home. Pain heals, chicks dig scars and glory lasts forever. Carpe diem. Your heart is free, have the courage to follow it. Life's short, live large.

-M, p, z & shredder

Not A Creature Was Stirring...

Except for people getting pwned in Halo. Seriously.

So just wanted to wish everyone a merry christmas. If you're traveling, do it safely. Don't drink and drive. You know the drill. I finished my christmas shopping this afternoon. Usually my brother and I are at the mall when it is closing but today we finished a littler early, it was probably only 4. I'm actually pretty good at shopping and get it all done early but my brother and I always get our parents something together and we aren't usually together until the waning days before xmas.

Anyways, I'll write more soon. December has flown by. It's been busy for once. As always, go big or go home...

Happy festivus

-M, p, z & shredder

Shoes...

I'm sure you all heard about the Iraqi reporter throwing a shoe at Bush the other day. When I first saw the video, my initial response was laughter. I kept rewinding back to the part where the shoe almost hit him and how quickly Bush ducked and then as the second one was thrown how he seemed to be smiling and didn't move very much. It was a funny scene. A guy threw a shoe at the president. Here's a joke I just made up: "Why'd the reporter throw his shoes at the president? He ran out of tomatoes!" I didn't say it was a good joke...

Anyways, as the story unfolded and I got beyond the what seemed to be a silly event, it turned into something much more than that. A rallying cry for the voices that we don't often hear in the news and read about in the papers. The hundreds of thousands of people who may not have wanted Saddam in power, but certainly didn't want a war being fought at their homes for the last 7 years. This is what the journalist said to the president, "“This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog!” In Iraq, the same as it is in many eastern countries, including India, to hit someone with the bottom of your feet or your shoe is an insult; it means that the person being attacked is basically worth the dirt on the bottom of your feet. This is why my mom would tolerate my brother punching me and tackling me, but never kicking me.

As a result of his actions, there were thousands that gathered to support him and people who took off their shoes in a sign of solidarity. Perhaps to some it's a sign of the arrogance and ill-mannered ways of the 'Arabs' but I see it as a show of ridiculous courage. This dude willingly hurled his shoe at the most powerful man on the planet knowing full well that he was gonna get his ass kicked by a ton of people. He did. He knew he would go to jail. He did. He pretty much ruined his career but it's a small price to pay to be a hero to thousands. It's also pretty significant of how much people hate Bush. I mean, they threw shoes at the statue of Saddam as it was being taken down by the U.S. troops.



I keep having this vision of a huge shoe standing in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square.














Perhaps this may not be as prolific or blatant but to a lot of people it means the same thing. It's inspiring that little things like that can still mean so much. I disagree with a lot of things Bush does and if I had the opportunity to throw a shoe at him with no repercussions, I would. But to do it knowing that I would go to prison, get beat up and lose my future, I probably would back out - but that's also because Bush hasn't brought war to my doorstep. It's a pretty callus view but it's also pretty American. I wish our media and country were more supportive and open to other opinions aside from those of the U.S. It would make people much more intelligent, compassionate and tolerant of others. If we're picking sides, I'm on his side.

Anyways, I'm out. As always, go big or go home. Pain heals, chicks dig scars and glory lasts forever. Carpe diem. Your heart is free, have the courage to follow it.

-M, p, z & shredder

Christmas Spirit...

With only 10 days left before Christmas, I feel like my spirit is already gone. I have been trying to keep it going, but it's pointless without cold weather and snow. I don't get it, it's not like Manhattan is in the south. It's 0 degrees in Michigan and snowing, and here in NYC it's 62. Some would describe it as 'balmy.' My roommate and I have a christmas tree and decorations up and our living room is filled with lights. I keep listening to christmas mixes on repeat but the only thing that will put me in the mood again is being home. I need to feel some snow.

I hate christmas shopping when I don't know what to get people. Walking around aimlessly thinking, "oh maybe I should get them this?" Not my idea of a good time. At least I only have a few people to shop for. I wish everyone liked random toys and stuff as much as I do. I would be happy with an action figure.

In other news, I got a shave at this italian barber shop I go to. I hadn't shaved in a couple of weeks and kind of had a mini terrorist look going on so I thought it was time for a shave. My barber asked if I wanted one and I obliged. It might have been the best experience of my life. It's so relaxing. If he wasn't holding an open blade to my face, I probably would have fallen asleep. If you're a dude and have never gotten one, it's completely worth it. If shaving felt like that I would do it every day.

Anyways, I'm out. Go big or go home..

-M, p, z & shredder

The Top Ten...

So Google came out with their end of the year list of things that people searched most or wondered about most. Additionally they broke down categories of searches and some were too funny to pass up. So here are some of the funny ones.

How to...
how to draw - like the internet is going to teach you this
how to kiss - always a favorite. I can picture a lot of lonely 13 year old boys eagerly waiting for the results
how to write
how to cook
how to tie
how to hack - this one seems scary
how to run
how to cite - like a bibliography?
how to paint
how to spell - go to school maybe.

the who is list is by far my favorite though.

Who is...
who is obama
who is mccain
who is palin
who is lil wayne
who is miley cyrus
who is dolla
who is jonas brothers
who is chris brown
who is biden
who is martin luther


i love the order of these. i love that lil wayne is the 4th most searched person. I actually don't know who 'dolla' is.

Anyways, just thought I'd set a record for me. 3 in one day. Can you tell I'm not working on my screenplays?

-M, p, z & shredder

Basketball Jones...

I just read this article about a 73 year old playing college ball. It's pretty amazing. He's probably in better shape than I am. I was just reviewing some old blogs from Decembers past and I usually have slumped in my workouts and have grown pudgy around the midsection. Unlike years past however, while I have slumped on the workouts, I have actually just gotten skinny. Going through pictures from over the summer I realized that I had gotten pretty big. Not huge, but I was much stronger than I am now. Usually when I stop working out I gain weight for obvious reasons but it seems that I haven't been eating as much as I used to, so I've lost muscle mass and gotten skinny. I'm in the mid 150s now which sucks because my ideal weight is around 165.

I guess my point is that I'm not going to wait until new years to make my resolution this year. I'm just going to get back to working out. I'd probably be more inclined if my gym wasn't so ghetto. I realize I've never taken pictures of it like I said I would so next time I go, I'll prove it to you.

After all if this guy can ball at 73, I could at least be ripped at 26.

-M, p, z & shredder

I Got 5 On It...

So had I known the available senate seat in Illinois was for sale, I definitely would have made an offer. So i've been thinking a lot about politics lately. It's probably because I now own seasons 1-5 of The West Wing. But not for nothing, I really would love to get into politics at some point. My search for jobs in the nonprofit sector have been fruitless and I've been thinking that one way to help change the world for the better would be to get involved at some level in politics. One good thing about where I grew up is that it doesn't seem to be that competitive. I feel like I could swoop in and do some serious damage in St. Clair County, Mi. The problem is that my county is red. Not very red, but I think in my district McCain won by more than 5 points. If not there, then I need to get involved at the state level working for a congressman/woman. I'd try and make the jump to D.C. and work for a U.S. Congress person but I don't know that I'm ready for all that.

So basically I don't know what I'll be doing in the future. It seems like I chose the worst time in the world to look for jobs when I really have no defined skill set. There's always more school but I can't afford that at the moment. It's getting so desperate that I might take whatever comes at me first which is strange since my purpose for being out here in NYC is to do film and/or film related activities. We'll see.

In other news, the Pistons are garbage. I have been a fan for my entire life and have never really felt like this except for the Eastern Conference Finals against NJ in 2003 and then again the last 2 E.C. Finals, but not during the regular season. We're playing like we don't care. I don't mind losing, but I hate when people don't try. Larry Brown always said that, "you can't coach effort." He had to say it maybe twice a season when guys would just be tired or something, but this is every night. Losing 3 in a row to some of the worst teams in the entire league! It's absurd.

I was gonna say something but forgot what it was. Anyways, go big or go home...

-M, p, z & shredder

The Car Czar...

So it looks like there is finally going to be a bailout of the auto industry. Thank god. It took long enough. I don't see why so many people needed to be laid off and how they let the situation get so bad, but at least it's happening now. You can read through the entire proposal here. It's pretty good though I would have liked it if there was more mention of new energy research or something along those lines in there. I think this was the perfect opportunity for the government to get involved and tell the auto industry that the time for bull sh*t is over; invent a car that runs clean. Give them money to do this and this will no only create jobs in the auto industry but a whole new infrastructure for a greener world and countless new jobs because of that.

I'm sure it's much simpler said than done, but I know the technology is there, all the government has to do is change it. Change. Let's hope it's coming. Some people are against the bailout but honestly, I can't in my wildest imagination figure out why. If any of the Big Three file for bankruptcy that's it. Game over. Sure you can restructure after that but the amount of time it would take and the amount of revenue lost, jobs lost and capital lost would not only effect GM or whomever, but it would also effect the other 2. This bailout is necessary. If you don't believe me, the bailout proposes that it, "preserves and promotes the jobs of 355,000 workers in the United States directly employed by the automobile industry and an additional 4,500,000 workers in the United States employed in related industries"

That's close to 5 million jobs. You think that isn't a big deal? Michigan would never recover. We would be forced to sell water from the Great Lakes to states out west like Arizona and Nevada who want the water so they can build man made lakes around high end real estate so rich people can go out on their boats during their lunch break. No lie.

My only thought is that since we, the taxpayer, are paying for it now, and the "bailout" is actually a loan, do we get the money back? Say for example my share of the tax ends up being a hundred dollars or whatever it may be over the next however many years, do I get that money back with the same interest the government does? My guess is no, but I think that it's something that's worth finding out. I'll look into it, but doesn't that make sense. Not only does it get our money back but it would be like a refund with which we could put it back into the economy. I'm realizing the more I learn about government and the possibilities that go along with it, the more I want to get into it. Also I've been watching a lot of West Wing lately and if that doesn't make you want to get into politics and change the world, you aren't an American, you're an American't.

As always, go big or go home...

-M, p, z & shredder

16 Hours...or Why I Hate Pennsylvania...

Not true. I don't actually hate Pennsylvania. I love it. My cousins live there. It's a beautiful state. I just hate driving through it. Some of you might know they I keep my car here in NYC. I know, crazy right? Not really that crazy where I live. I park on the street and move it twice a week for street cleaning. It's not a big deal and I haven't had any problems (as far as traffic violations go (but some neighborhood people have tried to break into it)). I have it here for the singular reason to drive out of town. Specifically to get back to Michigan when I can't afford to fly, i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter etc. I love driving and I love road trips. It's only about 9 hours from my apartment to Ann Arbor which isn't bad at all.

So the other day I was driving home from Michigan. It started out as a normal drive: pleasant, quiet, not a lot of people out considering it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving (I think it's the 3rd or 4th most trafficked day of the year). Anyways, all was fine until I got to Pennsylvania. It started to rain. Not freezing rain mind you, just somewhere between a light drizzle and normal rain. For some reason or another this was an excuse for people to drive 40mph. Literally. We hovered between 30 and 40 for almost 2 hours. Then there was an accident. Then more slow driving. It usually takes me around 5 1/2 hours to get through PA. Sunday it took me 9. 9 hours. It was absurd. By the time I got to my apartment it had been 16 hours since I left my parents house in Port Huron. I have never wanted to hit so many pedestrians in my life. Needless to say, my patience has been very thin the last couple days. I'm just now starting to get over the anger. Just in time too because I need to drive back in 20 days. Awesome.

Other than that I loved being home. Being in Michigan. Amongst my people. I'm not really a fan of New Yorkers or the fact that people who live here think they are somehow above people who live in other places. I hate when people go back to Michigan and think, "oh my god how can people live like this with their boring lives and boring people." New York is just a bunch of people who think they are more interesting than they really are and are in fact much more boring than anyone else because they have no real thoughts on anything, just an idea as to what thoughts they think they are supposed to have. As if NYC is the only place in the world to be "cultured." It really makes me have a lot of resentment for the people here.

Other than that nothing is new over here. This recession along with an already tight job market for filmmakers is kind of making life impossible at the moment. The thought of grad school has been slowly creeping into my thoughts, which could be a good thing or a bad thing but I'm not really sure. I'll keep you posted on that one. I miss the snow and I can't wait for Christmas. I'm fully in the Christmas spirit now which is awesome but also sucks because it was 53 degrees here yesterday and is currently 49 and mostly sunny.

I'll post about something soon. As always, go big or go home.

-M, p, z & shredder

Adventureland

This movie looks hilarious. Just thought I'd post the trailer.



I'm headed back to Michigan tomorrow. Should be awesome. I'll update as soon as I get a chance.

Go Lions!!

-M, p, z & shredder

So I Say to Amy Poehler...

Usually I stick to myself while catering. It's about 5 or 6 hours of walking around doing really menial things and it's a great time to just space out and not talk to people. I'm not exactly a loner, but I don't have a lot to say to the people around me and I find nothing more asinine than mundane conversation with people I don't know who I may never see again. Sometimes you meet someone nice and you can complain with them for a minute, but usually it's people bitching about something you could care less about. So I like to keep to myself.

However, last night was different. I was working at the Natural History Museum where I had worked a couple of times before. I was doing my usual routine of standing around looking at all the cool animals waiting to be told where to go and what to do (usually bus this or serve this or pour this) until I saw a friend of mine (I know I just said I'm a loner but she's a friend from State) who told me what the event was. Apparently it was a gala for the Museum to raise money for exhibits and stuff and that Bon Jovi was going to be performing and there were going to be celebs. This sent everyone into a buzz and people were talking about who was gonna be there and how excited they were and it was kinf of fun. This was also kind of sad actually because they had over booked staff and since I didn't have a dinner table I was assigned to I was sure I was going to get cut after the reception. So I kind of lingered where I needed to and as soon as they needed a busser I was the first one out there.

I didn't notice her at first because I was actually doing what I was supposed to be doing which is looking at people's cups to see if they were done so I could take it. I actually was trying to squeeze right by her and only noticed it was Amy Poehler when I was standing right next to her. So I smiled and she smiled back and then I smiled even wider and looked away really quickly so I didn't seem creepy. Then I continued bussing and on my second pass over her area I was looking for her and nearly ran into Kristen Wiig (who I'm in love with) who also smiled at me. At this point I was wishing I took a little more pride in my job and at the very least combed my hair and maybe put a little something in it. At least I always smell good.

So the reception goes on and as time progresses I ended up speaking to most of the cast of SNL, all of whom were very nice and always said thank you with a smile and appreciation, maybe because they know that 90% of the people catering are actors or writers or what have you. I was actually surprised they were all so nice. On Wed night I worked an event at the Intrepid (it a famous aircraft carrier) where there were generals and military people and high powered whatevers,and strangely enough General Patreus (he was getting an award) was the only one who smiled and said no thank you when I offered him an hors d'oeuvre. A lot of them didn't even acknowledge my presence. I was kind of like, 'who the f*** are these people?' So it was refreshing that these famous celebrities were actually very nice people.



The highlight of my night was telling Gob Bluth (Will Arnett) to head downstairs to the dining room whenever he was ready and putting my arm on Seth Meyers shoulder and pointing out the direction of the dining room to him, Bill Hader and Will Forte. Good times.

Anyways, it was an awesome night until I my prediction came true and I was sent home (not just me but about 30 of us) after the reception so I didn't get to see Bon Jovi at all. Also, Tina Fey did show up but it wasn't until the reception was almost over so I didn't get to talk to her but she looks exactly like she does on tv. Crazy.

I'm out. As always, go big or go home...

-M, p, z & shredder

Bailout...

I had a drink called Kryptonite over the weekend. Not only was it delicious, but it was very aptly named. I woke up feeling like Superman when he fought the guy that came from Superman's hair and the sun, Nuclear Man. It wasn't so much that I was dying, just that I lost my powers and was useless.



Not a whole lot on my mind (actually that's not true there's just not a whole lot I wanted to mention) other than some concerns I have about the auto industry. There has been a lot of discussion lately about bailing out GM and the Big Three to help them out. What I don't get is the opposition to this. I understand the theory that a lot of people have about how when the airlines declared bankruptcy, they actually ended up on top in the end. But this is not the airlines. The fact is that GM could be bankrupt by the end of the year if the government doesn't step up and do something.

The situation is probably closer to me than the the rest of the country who is not from Michigan, but the sad fact is that the auto industry, despite it's horrible state, is still the only industry Michigan can 'rely' on. Michigan will blow up if the big three fold. So will a lot of the country I assume. I don't know why there is hesitation to give them the 25 billion they ask for, when they've given 300 billion to the financial sector. Are these hundreds of thousands of jobs not as important as banks being able to hand out loans?

I think the right way to do it is to give them the money with a lot of stipulations. Now I don't know how these things actually work, but I assume that if you are giving someone money, you can tell them how to spend it. I think the government needs to step in with a fistful of cash and tell them to spend it on developing cars for the future. Low emission, feul-cell, hydrogen powered cars. Anything. I know that bio fuel is not the answer and I hope that people stop thinking it is. But if the govt made a mandate on how the money had to be spent, it wouldn't just save the industry, but it would create jobs. It would actually be a huge step in creating an industry for eco friendly fuel and isn't that what we're trying to get to anyways?

Just thinking out loud here. Also wanted to quickly mention how excited I am for State's game this weekend. The last time State went to the Rose Bowl I was 8 (and a Michigan fan). In the 6 years since I have become a State fan, this is the first time we've not sucked after the first 6 games or so. If we beat Penn St. we go to the Rose Bowl. It's that 'simple'. Also, it's supposed to snow tonight here in NYC. I'm so pumped. It's about time. It was 67 degrees on saturday. It was so gross. It's mid-November. I expect snow and sold winds and dry air. It's about time. I love how people freak out here when it snows. People seriously lose their s***. They can't function. If you've ever seen it here when it's raining, people go crazy. They run around staring at the ground scrambling for taxis and holding newspapers or umbrellas over their heads like it's acid rain. It's hilarious because I love walking in the rain and watching people be crazy.

Good night sweet prince. Parting is inevitable - Lex Luthor

-M, p, z & shredder

Couple of Things...

Not much going on lately in my life, hence no posts all week. Pretty standard boring stuff: work, library, eating and sleeping. Extremely lame. I just wanted to mention two things. First, the new Watchmen trailer is online. It's awesome. If you haven't read the graphic novel, I can't emphasize this enough: you need to. I implore you. Read it. It's not just a 'comic book' for nerds. It's been taught in english classes and lit classes for 2 decades now. It's really an amazing story.



Second, this article about Chauncey getting traded is great. I'm gonna post the first part of it. It still makes me cry that he isn't here, but it was a good trade and I love A.I. Actually, my Iverson Pistons jersey just came in the mail yesterday and as strange as it felt putting it on, I loved it...













"Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton were crying. There they were, two NBA All-Stars, in Billups’ room in the Hilton City Center in Charlotte … crying. And laughing. And crying again.

The Pistons had just traded Billups to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson. Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince had gotten word that morning, when Billups did not attend the team’s shootaround. They got back to the hotel and pounded on Billups’ door.

Billups was on the phone with his wife, Piper. He told her he’d call her back later. It turned out to be much later.

“It was the hardest two or three hours that I’ve had in a long, long time in my life,” Billups said. “We just couldn’t believe that it’s over. It’s over. That’s the thing that’s so tough about trades. No matter what happens, it’s over. So those two or three hours were crazy.”

They reminisced, told stories, savored their last hours before Billups’ 4 p.m. flight to another franchise. It was a strange dynamic, and not just because of the crying.

The three had been teammates since 2002, when they joined the Pistons. There had been trade rumors all summer. Pistons president Joe Dumars had told Billups that he had offered Billups and Prince for Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, and that he had turned down a Billups-for-Iverson trade over the summer. Once the season started, Billups figured the Pistons would stick with their core.

Now Billups knew he was gone. Prince knew the trade meant that he probably would stay put. And Hamilton had just agreed, days earlier, to a three-year contract extension.

There is no place for sentiment in the NBA. But there was a place for it in Chauncey Billups’ hotel room that day.

“It was good,” Billups said in a wide-ranging interview Thursday, at the Nuggets’ team hotel in Cleveland. “It was deep. I will never forget my six years in Detroit, and I will never forget those three hours that I spent with my two brothers in that room.”

Anyways, I'm out. As always go big and stuff.

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - and this is hilarious and this episode will no doubt, rule.

Jaguar...

Wow.

Monsters!...

Just got back from the Nets Pistons game. A.I.'s first game as a piston. It pretty much sucked. First loss of the season. I just wanted to mention something funny that happened on the train. Some dude was saying by to this chick and apparently blocking the door to get in the train and this crazy old black guy says, "Get the fuck out of the way." So everyone turns to look and the tall white nerdy guy says, "Relax." It's pretty much exactly what I would have said. Then the train starts moving and the old black guy isn't done. He says to the guy, "Damn ugly ass boy blocking the door...(pause - no one says anything)..That's right, I'll cut your fucking legs off!!" I laughed audibly. I was scared the guy heard me but he didn't because he was f-ing crazy.

Also, Monsters Vs. Aliens is going to be an awesome movie.



As always, go big....

-M, p, z & shredder

Random Thoughts...

Just had a few things on my mind today so I thought I'd share. Obviously a big week. As far as President Elect Obama, I want to say how amazing his speech was. It wasn't the most inspired thing I've ever heard, but the sentiment was perfect. He really tried to express the tone of Kennedy's, "Ask not what you can do for your contry...," speech. A lot of pundits, especially republicans, are saying that Obama promised the world on a silver platter and now he is going to disappoint everyone. But I think that he has been very clear all along. It will take time and it will take work. I thought his tone was focused and clear and inspiring in the sense that people who voted for him didn't just get excited about voting, or the candidate or change, but about politics. He inspired people to get involved and care about what's happening. I think that's why people voted for him and that's why he is going to be a great president. The Revue always looks to the West Wing to prove his point and so I think I will too:

"Bartlet: Here’s an answer to your question that I don’t think you’re going to like. The current crop of 18-25 year olds is the most politically apathetic generation in American history. In 1972, half of that age group voted. In the last election, 32%. Your generation is considerably less likely than any previous one to write or call public officials, attend rallies, or work on political campaigns. A man once said this, "decisions are made by those who show up." So are we failing you, or are you failing us? It's a little of both."



Another thing I was concerned about the night before the election was the appointment of judges. I never really thought about why I should vote for one judge over another and the more I thought about it the more confused I got. I was deciding between a current (republican) Michigan Supreme court judge and his democratic opponent. I looked at their views and their opinions and then had the thought that they shouldn't matter. Political preference should not play any role at all for a judge. They should actually have no tendencies one way or another. The role of a judge is to enforce the law, not to interpret it as they see fit. They are not law makers. They can't decide one way because they feel a certain way on the issue. They must be unbiased in order to maintain any sense of fairness. Anyways, I kind of went back and forth for a bit because obviously I'd like people to interpret the law the way I think, but who are we to do that. It's a slippery slope that I'd really never even thought of before.

One more political point I want to talk about is the fact that Democrats almost had complete power in government. As left and liberal as I am, I don't think I ever want to see one party gain complete control over government. There has to be fairness for checks and balances to work properly. To have a filibuster proof government is absurd. I may agree with democrats on a lot of things, but certainly not everything. If not for unrealistic and terrible foreign policy ideas and many silly domestic ideas, I'm actually much more of a Green Party person. I think republicans represent almost half the country. To completely disregard them is not just unfair but it's wrong. I'm glad there is still some order in congress and Dems to not have all the power.

On that same note, I also sincerely believe that America should be divided into two. This election seemed so divisive. It seemed people either voted for Obama or thought he was a terrorist. I honestly think the south should secede. They can have their guns and pollution and anti-gay, anti-minority sentiment and we'll have our tree hugging, universal health care, stem-cell research, progressive taxed people who care about more things than money and abortion. I truly believe the country would be in a better place. You want a different lifestyle go down south. I've never seen so much hate and ridiculous ignorance than when they would show people in the south who honestly believed in their hearts that Obama was a terrorist and was going to take over America with the teachings of Islam. Those people deserve their own place to live.

Anyways, I was actually gonna talk about a few other things but this is already long enough. Suffice to say that I can't wait for the coming years and what this country is going to do. It's an exciting time and just because the elections over doesn't mean it's too late to get involved. It really hasn't even begun yet. As always, go big or go home...

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - my favorite part of the speech was about 6:15 into this clip. It's when everyone else is walking off stage and Obama is standing there waving to the people, and maybe it was the awesome superman-esque music in the background, but you can't help but get pumped and see it in his eyes that he's gonna be great.

Farewell...

Keith Langlois, the official pistons blogger, wrote a great piece about Chauncey, Dyess and Cheik that is good enough to repost entirely. I could say more about how much I love Chauncey and how much I want Dyess to come back, but if you know me, you already know how I feel about them and how much they mean to me and my love for the Pistons. Anyways, here's the article.

--

They'll take a piece of Detroit's heart with them
Fifteen days ago, a wry smile pulled at Chauncey Billups’ face as he thought about what the next day would bring – a preseason visit from Ben Wallace and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It still doesn’t sound right: Ben Wallace and anybody but the Detroit Pistons.

“Ben,” Billups said, “will always be a Piston to me.”

Less than two weeks later, he was left to the same view of the Pistons as his old teammate and fellow captain – an outsider’s perspective.

Except to Pistons Nation. For them, it’s Billups who will always be a Piston. Big Ben left as a free agent, and that closed a curtain for a significant portion of Pistons fans. It’s been two-plus seasons now and Wallace still hears a smattering of boos upon his return to The Palace from fans who felt jilted, never mind that Chicago made an offer that Joe Dumars simply could not have matched without sacrificing somebody else from that hallowed core that carried the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title.

But Chauncey Billups didn’t leave of his own choosing. When it became evident last season that Rodney Stuckey was destined for big things, it became unlikely that Mr. Big Shot would finish his career in Detroit. That’s the nature of the game these days, a byproduct of the salary-cap system that puts a premium on every dollar. When you find someone younger and cheaper capable of similar production, the goal of building a champion practically demands the choice of the cheaper alternative so resources can be directed to other needs.

The silver lining for Billups is where Joe Dumars sent him. When he saw the handwriting on the wall, he asked Joe D if it came to that, and it was at all possible, he could send him to the Nuggets, whose need at point guard was pronounced. Denver is home to Billups, where his extended family still resides and where they have never forgotten the greatest high school player in Denver history. Or the favorite son who stayed home to play college basketball at the University of Colorado, taking a bereft basketball program to the NCAA tournament in his sophomore season before entering the NBA draft and becoming the No. 3 pick in the 1997 draft.

“Bittersweet,” Chauncey told Joe D when he told him of the trade – and where he was going. Leaving Detroit is bitter for him. He adopted it as his second home. But going to Denver is sweet.

All his successes with the Pistons were celebrated nearly as much in the Mile High City as they were in the Motor City. The Denver newspapers followed Billups throughout the great playoff runs he captained over his six seasons as the point guard Joe Dumars chose to restore the Pistons to glory – and all six of those seasons ended with the Pistons no worse than one of the last four teams standing.

That’s a remarkable record of achievement for the man who became the face of the franchise.

And he became that not only for what he did on the 94 feet of hardwood at The Palace. He became that for how he wove himself into the fabric of Detroit. Chauncey Billups took his role as one of Detroit’s most recognized and celebrated faces seriously. He plunged himself into civic work, setting up charities here and buying thousands of Pistons tickets a season so underprivileged kids could come see the team they otherwise knew only as larger-than-life TV characters. Whenever the reporters who follow the team wanted a reaction or an explanation, it was Billups who unfailingly stood up and voiced his teammates’ perspective.

Champions always earn a special place in the heart of the city where they lay claim to greatness, and Detroiters hold them nearer than most. Which is why it’s equally remarkable how Pistons fans came to view Antonio McDyess – also sent to Denver – because McDyess became a Piston one month too late to celebrate that 2004 title.

He came within a heartbeat of winning one of his own the following June, but the Pistons lost Game 7 at San Antonio in 2005, McDyess’ first season as a Piston. The last three years, the train has stopped at Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals for the Pistons and nobody has felt that anguish quite like McDyess, a man whose heart is permanently attached to his sleeve. Pistons fans anguished right along with him. All their other favorite players – Chauncey and Rip, Sheed and Tay and Big Ben – at least they had their title. Dice didn’t – and Pistons fans felt his pain. How could you miss it? It was there on his face, heartfelt pain impossible to miss.

The guy you didn’t get to know, Cheikh Samb, was a truly gentle soul with kind eyes whom his teammates immediately warmed to. Rasheed Wallace, the Pistons’ unofficial welcoming committee, called him “Cheeks,” which caught on, and he was one of those players who made everybody smile. He grew up in Senegal and was discovered by Pistons international scouting guru Tony Ronzone. Tony told me that when he visited Senegal, he could not believe how warm and friendly everybody in the country was. That was Cheikh Samb. Nobody knows how good he can become, but he’ll have people rooting for him every step of the way.

The Allen Iverson era starts tonight. And Pistons fans are rightfully excited to see how it plays out. Iverson is pure electricity, one of those exceedingly rare athletes who causes eyeballs to Velcro to his every movement.

But before he pulls on Chauncey Billups’ old No. 1 tonight, it’s worth a minute to remember what the players the Pistons sacrificed to get him meant to the Pistons – and to the place the Pistons call home.

--

As always, go big or go home. More on Barack tomorrow.

-M, p, z & shredder

A.I....

Just wanted to post this real quick. Hope things are always this pleasant with AI around.

Tonight...

So the day is finally upon us. In a few hours we'll know who the next president is. Kind of intense. I'm scared Obama might lose but if he does I really hope McCain returns to the old well respected senator and not the guy saying whatever he can to get a vote. He used to be an awesome dude and if he wins, I'm hoping that he is satisfied and stops being a dick. Just a couple things I wanted to mention

- I didn't get a sticker this morning when I voted which is pretty sad.
- I felt kind of giddy after connecting the arrows next to Barack's name
- My dad just became a citizen last year after 35 years in this country and never thought the first time he would vote would be for a black president
- If Barack wins, I can't wait for the extreme white racists start going crazy
- I hope it doesn't take all night to figure out (i'm already kind of tired)

Anyways, I'll talk about the Iverson trade next time. Too many thoughts right now to go over it. As always, go big or go home. If you haven't done so yet, get out there. You still have a couple hours to get your vote in. As long as you are in line before it closes, they have to let you vote.

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - this was awesome. so glad i was at state for this

Earth is Lame...

I'm convinced the coolest sh*t happening in the universe is most definitely not here on earth. I've always been fascinated with space and other galaxies and it might be because there are no cooler pictures than the ones of galaxies going wild. Here is the latest treasure Hubble captured. two galaxies collided and this is what it looked like.




















As always, go big or go home...

-M, p, z & shredder

Other Issues...

So aside from the presidential election on tuesday, there are also other items you'll be voting for. If you are in Michigan there are two propositions that you'll vote on, one of them is controversial and the other one I'm pretty sure a lot of people agree with already. The first time I voted I didn't know we also voted on propositions or other offices. The second time I voted I only knew about the Gay Marriage vote and wasn't prepared for the others. I would suggest that you take the time to go to your state's information page and figure out what proposals and other election seats you'll be voting on. It'll only take a minute and there is no worse feeling than voting for someone who you don't know anything about. They could be a proponent of eating babies for all you know.



I'm out. Go big or go home.

-M, p, z & shredder

Finally...

So this is the first time since I have been a State fan that we beat U of M. It feels great. Actually, my first year as a State fan was the first of 6 straight losses to Michigan. Call it my curse, or just chalk it up to the fact that we lost a couple close games, but I can't describe the joy I had saturday afternoon. I love sports and I love rivalries, but this is one of those rivalries that's not so friendly. The reason I stopped being a Michigan fan was because I couldn't stand the majority of the people at UofM and their attitude toward people that went to State. Not just when it came to football but life in general. Wow, you got better grades than me in high school, congrats. Doesn't really give you the right to be an asshole. Not to say they all are because I have many friends, classmates who went there who are awesome and met many people who are equally awesome.

Ever since I started to root for State I noticed more and more how much people at Michigan looked down at us and it made me go from just rooting for State, to also rooting against Michigan. I'm happy they have a 2-6 record. It's hilarious. It warms my heart. I feel like in this scenario, State is the nice kid in school and Michigan is the asshole jock who everyone hates and he just got the sh*t kicked out of him at his house even after he had help (fake touchdowns are lame). Rules.

Obviously it would have been nice to beat a better team than the one from this season but hey, a win's a win. The best part about this season is that if we can win our last three games (our last one is against Penn St.) and Texas and Alabama both lose at least once, then hopefully Penn St. will go to the BCS Championship game and State will get to rep the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. That's sort of a pipe dream but still very much a possibility as we're tied for 2nd in the conference right now. Anyways just wanted to spread some Spartan love. Go big or go home...

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - speaking of Spartan love, if you love Halo and 300 re-mixes, check out this clip. Awesome. Also for you Halo fans out there, next fall there is going to be a new expansion called Halo 3: Recon. It's going to be awesome. Seriously.

Govt. 101...

With the election only a short 10 days away, it still amazes me how little people know. Not just about the candidates, but about government in general. This is one case where I don't entirely blame people. Sure it is up to every person to take a sincere interest in the way government works, but if you don't want to there's nothing anyone can do to make you. But, they can make you learn about it in school. I think the last time we learned about government was in 8th grade. I was 13. I couldn't vote for another 5 years. Why on earth was that the last time they tried to teach me about government.

You know what I was doing when I was 13? Playing Magic: The Gathering. It's absurd to think that I would pay enough attention to retain all that information years later when it was my time to vote. Why do I even need to know that in 8th grade? Not that I am opposed to teaching government at an early age. I think the early you start doing it the better. But it's not really as simple as addition. It should be taught early and then built upon for years in high school and then really focused on wen you are 17 or 18. Senior year of high school should be spent talking about lobbyists and special interests and where money is spent and how to figure out which candidate is right for you. You can't expect to learn everything you need to know about voting just by listening to a couple people argue about issues for a few months. I need to know where money is going and why I should vote a certain way on a certain issue. For as little as America knows about the rest of the world, we also don't know anything about our own country. We are a nation filled with people who just don't care and even worse, are allowed to vote based on nothing.

Sure voting is a right, but it should be treated as a privilege. People should not be allowed to vote based on some inherited view of politics for what their uncle or some random person thinks. It should be based on your own principals and thoughts. I know too many people who are voting for Obama but have no idea why. They say they want change but don't know which Bush policies they want changed. They'll say, "I like his ideas on health care," but have no idea what those ideas are. I have made it a point over the last year to involve myself in this election and learn all I can about the candidates. It started before the primaries and I made a serious effort to learn about every democratic candidate I could. Unfortunately Michigan didn't have a Primary so my effort was somewhat fruitless. But the point is that I still don't know everything I should. I can't imagine trying to jump in this late and decide.

To nutshell a little bit, I think people are idiots and many don't deserve to vote or don't know enough to. Also, I'm scared McCain might win. I'm out. Go big or go home.

-M, p, z & shredder

Ridic...

Sorry to keep blasting you with SNL clips, but yesterday's episode was kind of hilarious. I just wanted to post the new Mark Wahlberg clip. Hilarious. Watch the other one first if you haven't.



-M, p, z & shredder

Crazy Lady...

So SNL spoofed that crazy lady from that video I posted a couple days ago. It's ridiculous. You've probably already seen this but if you haven't, watch the original first. Kristen Wiig continues to crack my sh*t up.



Go big...

-M, p, z & shredder

Joe Somebody...

Really? Joe? If that old creepy dude calls me 'my friend' one more time, I might punch him square in the nose. He's not my friend. I have friends who are republicans. He is not one of them. That debate last night continued to reveal McCain to be a crotchety old man who doesn't understand what he's doing. He keeps on attacking Obama like a 12 year old would. I'm sure if he spent more time explaining his plans, people would listen more. Instead he's always trying to poke holes in Obama's ideas and 'record' but Barack always seems to have the right thing to say back. If it comes down to a war of words Obama is gonna take it. Unfortunately it doesn't. It comes down to crazy people who think Palin would be good for the country. Regardless, I'll stop talking about politics for a second.

Has anyone been watching TV lately? Not the news but programming. I haven't really but I have seen some good ones. If you aren't a fan of Chuck and didn't heed my advice from last year, it's a good show so check it out. It's on right before Heroes (which I haven't seen yet this season but I hear it's better than last (thank god for Tivo)). Also FX has a show on wed nights called Sons of Anarchy. It's not bad. Sort of Sopranos meets Biker Gang. I don't remember exactly the state their from but I think it's in New Mexico maybe? It's on wed nights and it's worth a watch if you're bored. Grey's is actually pretty good so far this year. Not ridiculous but better than last season. Other than that I have seen nothing. What's good? Anything new? I'm boycotting that show "The Mentalist" because it is essentially a rip-off of Psych (best show on tv period) only it doesn't look like it's funny. My hatred of CBS grows stronger by the day. Despite my pleas and amazement, Two and a Half Men continues to dominate. It's people like that that make me think McCain is going to win.

Still no luck on the permanent job front. I've been applying to Nonprofits and Productions companies still. I guess wherever I get a job first will determine my life. I'm just sort of going with it. Catering will have to make do for now but I would really prefer a full time gig with benefits and a salary. Also, I'm working on some new scripts so if anyone has any ideas or wants to collaborate let me know, I need someone to bounce ideas off of.

Anyways, I guess that's it. Go big...

-M, p, z & shredder

White People...

Brown Guy posted this on the book and it sort of represents why I'm scared why Obama might lose. People honestly think like this and it's scary. I love how being a Muslim is equated with killing and bombing. Americans are awesome.



-M, p, z & shredder

ps - little bit of shocking news, Terrance Howard will not be returning to do Iron Man 2. Not exactly sure why yet but sources say it was financial issues along with other things. I hate when characters get replaced (except Maggie for Katie in Dark Knight). Luckily he's being replaced by Don Cheadle who is one of my favorite actors. It's strange, I don't like characters changing but the one thing I was mildly disappointed with was the character of Col. Rhodes. Hopefully Cheadle can make me forget all about Howard. I'm hoping Cheadle turns into War Machine and that he looks like this...

SNL...

SNL used to be hilarious. Then it was okay. Then it was horrible. Then it was ok again a few years ago. Then it got bad again. Now it's just mostly bad with a few gems here and there. The last few weeks have obviously been hilarious with Tina Fey rocking out on Sarah Palin, but even funnier than that was last week. Andy Samberg is not a funny guy. He has never been in a skit that made me laugh except for dick in a box which was only funny because JT made it awesome (actually I think Samberg wrote it but still it doesn't make him a funny actor). But this weekend I finally laughed at him. If you missed it, this sh*t is hilarious.



Go big...

-M,p,z & shredder

Octoberfest...

Sorry I haven't blogged in a bit. If you recall I was reliving my youth back in Lansing for homecoming. I've never actually been to homecoming when I didn't already live in Lansing so it was always more of a home-staying. But it was an awesome drunken weekend and state won again and is finally ranked. This season is going kind of awesome so far (fingers crossed) and I'm kind of jealous of other schools that get to have a good football team ever year. Although a lot is to be said about rooting for a bad team forever and being there when they are good. Not that they have won anything or whatever, and we have been ranked at least a few years since I've been a fan, but not usually 6 weeks into the season. I tried to make a documentary about the weekend and homecoming and I tried to capture what it was like but it turned out pretty bad. Essentially it started out the way subarau diaries starts out but then rapidly evolves into me being drunk and/or tired and getting drunk for almost all of it. I'll still try and piece something together because there are some funny parts but it's kind of silly.

Other than that I have pretty much lost all respect of McCain. As I pointed out before, he is senile, but now he's added crotchety, creepy and liar to that list. Did everyone watch the debate last night? He was pretty much hunched over, stiff and creepy throughout the whole thing. Whenever someone asked a question he sort of waddled over and got uncomfortably close without touching them but kind of like the close-talker in Seinfeld and then would spout off some contorted lie about Obama and what he wants to do. I think there were maybe 3 times when Barack stopped Brokaw from talking and pretty much said McCain can't get away with saying what he just said. Overall I thought Obama did great and was very clear and calm and I think any undecided middle class voter would be an idiot not to vote for him. I do think somehow McCain held his ground a little bit and through his bitter old man routine, got through to some republicans.



Sarah Palin is a hot mess though. Seriously. Aside from accusing Obama of hanging out with terrorists in his spare time, she is lying about all of his plans and what he wants to do. I don't see how she or McCain can constantly keep trying to tell people that he is going to raise their taxes. It's absurd. It seems more absurd than usual. Blatantly lying to people by telling half truths is always how you win elections but Palin is like a bench player talking trash during a championship series; they really have no idea what is going on or how to play the game but they feel like they are the truth.

Anyways not a whole lot is going on otherwise. It's kind of silly. I need to do something. I'm still applying to non-profits and have found some really good ones and I'm hoping to hear back but chances are I'm not qualified. I promise next blog I'll talk about something other than myself. I'm out. Go big..

-M, p, z & shredder

Bailout...

I'm not that financial savvy (and please correct me if I'm wrong), but from what I could tell the $700 billion bailout yesterday would have been a good thing. Right? I mean the sole purpose behind it was to help people out in the long run. I don't know all the details to it because the bill was 104 pages long, but from what I gather it was supposed to help people to spend more thus nourishing the economy. Some people would have preferred the money went straight to the people to rejuvenate the economy themselves, but the problem I have with that is that it wouldn't do any good. Most people, myself included, would take that money and spend it on paying off their debts. Mortgages, loans, credit cards, bills. That's what I would do and that doesn't really help the economy.

The bill would have made it easier for people to get things like cars, homes, groceries or whatever, despite poor credit. It also did not bail out top execs and high grossing companies. It seemed like a good thing despite an increase in taxes. Now I don't make a lot or at least I don't plan on making a lot so any more taxes is really gonna dip into any disposable income I might have. But the whole point of this is to increase the ability to spend. People aren't going to spend unless a bailout happens (again correct me if I'm wrong) so why didn't this pass?












It didn't seem to be just one party, though there were more Republicans who opposed it than Dems. I think I read that members of the House were worried that if they voted for the bailout their constituents would not reelect them. How selfish and cowardly can people be. They are elected to make these tough decisions. That's the reason people vote for them; to do the right thing. How can it be that they are worried about themselves and not the welfare of the people they supposedly represent.

Hopefully another bill comes up, one that is a little easier for people to digest because if it doesn't who knows what will happen. Obviously I don't know what it was like before the Depression, but if the fear mongers are right and we are headed toward another Depression, it would suck that it happened because people were too scared to pass a bill. I don't condone bailing out these companies that don't care about people and exploit every penny they can out of us, but sometimes you just gotta say what the f*ck.

Anyways, that was just on my mind so I thought I'd see what other people think. I'm not sure exactly what needs to happen but something does because from what I learned in my couple years as an Econ major, we are not headed in the right direction. I would not be surprised if we went into another Depression. It's been heading that way for years and it seems like all it needs is another big thing to happen (or not happen) to make us fall into a Depression. High prices, low wages, no jobs, no credit, foreclosed houses, etc. I mean if that doesn't say Depression I don't know what does.

Go big

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - remember just a few weeks ago when McCain said the economy was healthy and in fine shape. God help us if he wins...

Bears...

This is pretty funny.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

-M, p, z & shredder

Still Searching...

So I've started my new life as Future Me. It's pretty much the same as Old Me actually. But I've started applying for non-profit jobs and it seems everything I'm interested in has to do with kids on some level. That and overall social well being. Apparently it's impossible to get a job at a non-profit to help with AIDS or anything science related without an extensive background in it so I'm pretty much f-ed there. It's also very apparent that I don't want to do phone calls or door-to-doors. I never have and probably never will. Mostly because I know how much it pisses me off. And I don't want to do that to other people. I do think it's a somewhat effective way to do things, I just don't have it in me to anger so many people.

I've also come to acceptance with my current and future income bracket. I had a friend in town for most of last week who was crashing at another friends place. When people come visit in a city like this there are pretty much two things to do at night: dinner and drinks. I don't eat out a lot. I don't really like to and I prefer the taste and cost effectiveness of cooking for myself. I also don't drink when I stay home. Which is nice. Anyway, my friend was staying at another friends place who lives in a 2 bedroom apartment in a high rise in Times Square. His apartment cost $1.5 million. I will never have enough money to purchase anything of that magnitude. Sure I could have a 40 year mortgage on a home like that, but it would drain almost all of my income. And what's the point in life if you can't live it. So this apartment is pretty nice. It's not much bigger than mine but it's a great location and it's clean. I don't mind living in the hood. I really don't. But after crashing at this lavish apartment twice over the weekend, I was definitely envious. But then I came home and it felt more natural. Slightly ghetto but still comfortable. I will never be able to afford to eat out every single meal, nor would I want to. But if I only make 30k a year right now, I'm fine with that. I don't spend a whole lot and I don't need a whole lot. All I need is money for rent, food and I'd like to fly places at least a few times a year and if it takes saving money by living in the ghetto to do that, I'm fine with that. there are too many people in this city making 25k and spending 80% of their income on rent just so they can live in a 'cool' neighborhood.

In other news, I think I almost killed my liver this weekend. Since I prefer to stay in and watch movies or go out and watch movies on the weekend, the only time I drink is when I go somewhere or when people come to visit. For example last weekend in Baltimore I drank my face off for three days. Then my boy came in on Wed and we drank until early Sunday morning. My life is comprised of binge drinking. Next up is back to East Lansing for Homecoming this weekend. Then the next weekend my brother and another friend are in town for another wedding. I want to find a month to take off from drinking but I don't think I'll get a chance until November. The only good thing about my drinking is that I still keep it cheap, 40s and 22s until I'm drunk enough to only buy one or two drinks at the bar.

This was a very boring post. Sorry. I'll do better next time. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - this blog was infuriating to write. It feels like someone moved all the keys on my keyboard over just one letter. I can't even tell you how many times i misspelled words here.

Revelations...

I consider myself to be a very positive person, especially when it comes to my life. I always try and see the glass half full and assume that the best will work out for me. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. I've been back in nyc for over a month now and I'm still unemployed. That doesn't bother me so much. Aside from the boredom and tedious monotony of having nothing to do but get rejected by seemingly every industry, I still had positive vibes about my prospects and that I would find a job eventually.

Over the weekend, well just yesterday actually, I kind of had a shocking revelation about my life and the kind of life I want to lead. I was in Baltimore for a wedding of a family friend and naturally there were many other family friends there. Talking with people about their lives, or specifically their careers, was mind blowing. It's no so much what people are doing but the general notion behind their careers. They all seem to be helping people. Making the world a better place. Doctors, nurses, scholars, lawyers, engineers, whatever people did there was a direct positive effect on someone else. As an aspiring filmmaker you could argue that movies and tv makes people happy. But so do drugs and last I checked they weren't good for you. I think I realized yesterday that I live a really selfish life and for all the rhetoric I spew about helping people and making the world a better place, I don't really do anything substantial about it. Sure I recycle, reduce and reuse and give homeless people my change and sign petitions and write emails, but there is so much more that I can do.

I decided that I need to change gears a little bit and focus on finding a job that has a positive influence on people. The only problem is that I'm not sure what I can do. I want to dive into something but as it's never been something I've researched a whole lot, I'm not sure where to begin. I'm sure a non-profit would work but how do I get involved on a level other than handing out fliers and calling people for donations? I don't need to make a lot of money but obviously it's a factor. Anyways, if you know something give me a call/email/comment/facebook message/text or whatever but I could use the help!! I know a lot of you are doing things along these lines and would love some input. As far as film goes I think I'm just going to focus on writing for a while and still do freelance productions but I don't think I'm going to keep sending out resumes to the Trya Show or MTV or NBC. When I look back at my life in however many years, I don't want to regret anything. I want to be able to say I did something good and made people's lives better.

Dr. King said, "Make a career of humanity... and you will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in," and, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?" Indeed.

Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

McCain is Senile...

It happens to a lot of old people. They start to lose their memory. They start to remember things differently. They are unable to answer questions that they are asked and instead go off on some tangent about nothing related. It's like on the Cosby show when Dr. Huxtable would try and tell a story about something but inevitably it would end up about his days at Hilman and when he was a kid. So it doesn't strike me as odd that it happened to McCain. He's an old dude and that's what happens to old people. They lose their minds. You ask them a simple question and you get a ridiculous answer.



I stole this from that guy over at the Revue but it's worth a repost.



Recently though, he has gotten out of control. Remember back in 2000 how McCain wasn't crazy? I remember thinking that I hope Gore wins, but McCain isn't the worst that could happen. That was almost a decade ago. Since then he crossed into his 70's and lost his mind. This guy is over 70 years old. I don't even want my parents to work in the yard too long or do anything too stressful because they're old and they are a decade younger than McCain. He has gone senile. He forgot everything he used to stand for and has lost all of his principals. I used to respect him. Remember when people wanted him to come over to to the Democrats? People thought he could transcend party lines. But he stayed on the Dark side. He's kind of like Darth Vader. He used to be good but then got too tempted by power. Then he became everything the Sith represented: power crazy and loyal to people who only cared about money and power. Right now he is at the point where he cuts off Luke's hand. He's got Han Solo frozen in carbonite and we are all just shocked at what is happening. Hopefully the rest of this election process goes like Star Wars did and the good guys win, but so far we haven't gotten to the good part when he comes to his senses and he throws the Emperor (George Bush) into the main reactor of the Death Star.



Anyways, I'm out. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

26...

26 years old. It's kind of crazy. Mostly because I have accomplished nothing so far in my life. But I'm hopeful that this is going to be the year of accomplishment. Or at least I am going to wish it is. I'm not a huge fan of birthdays. I'm not sure why. I love celebrating other people's birthdays but not my own. When it's your birthday I'll be the first to start poring shots. But for me, it sort of feels like a big sham actually. I mean I can understand that people would want to celebrate my birth because I'm so awesome, but the general idea of celebrating it is kind of silly. Perhaps it because I feel unaccomplished that I don't think there's a whole lot to celebrate. Whatever the case may be, I appreciate the birthday well-wishes and thank you.

Also I just realized that my birthday is rarely on a weekend. Obviously it's the case for most people since there are many more weekdays than weekends, but I feel like my birthday is always on a Monday or a Tuesday which might be my two least favorite days of the week. No one wants to celebrate anything on a Monday. Which is why much of today will be business as usual. Laundry, gym, job hunting and then at 5 I am being surprised with my plans for the night. Not sure what I'll be doing but I assume it will be fun. I just hope there's cake...

-M,p,z & shredder

Uh...Um...

I can't speak for everyone here, but I can remember growing up and being told not to use the word 'um.' Not like it was a bad word, just that it made a sound that evokes an absence of thought. By saying 'uh' or 'um' you were decreasing the value of your words. I used to agree with this theory. It sounds silly coming out of my mouth. Mostly because I don't have a simple 'uh' or 'um.' I tend to say, "ummmmmmmmm uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Basically I sound like an idiot.

Never before has someone made the words 'uh' and 'um' sound so smart as when Barack Obama does it. It's actually strangely refreshing to hear those forbidden public speaking words. I have grown so used to the idiotic chuckle of Bush that I forgot what it was like when someone important speaks. W literally turned my brain into a bowl of broccoli and cheese soup. But hearing Obama use the words 'uh' and 'um' brings tears to my eyes. To think that there is actually someone out there who doesn't have every thing planned out is incredible. Someone who actually thinks about the words that are going to come out of his mouth. Listening to him answer questions is real. He takes his time to think about it and answers them with careful insight. As opposed to Bush who would make a joke about something that could possibly be slightly related and then move off topic.

Also, with less than 55 days to go, this election is getting real. I can't wait for the debates and I especially can't wait for the VP debate. Actually any debate. McCain is considerably outmatched when it comes to being able to answer questions and provide a real answer other than quoting some stump speech and Palin is gonna do about as well against Biden as I would. It's going to be interesting.



Is it just me or was he almost Michael Douglas a la The American President here. I feel like Obama has almost covered all of these areas in the last week or so. He's said about McCain recently, "It's not that he doesn't care, it's that he doesn't get it." "Let's talk about the issues." "Say what you want about me..." It's like the Obama camp called in Aaron Sorkin to write a few things down for them but Sorkin just told them to watch his movie...



Anyways, I'm out. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

North Korea...

They don't play with toys. Are you serious? Whatever happened to the good old fashioned guns with bayonets. Kim Jong-il doesn't mess around. He went straight for the rocket launchers. It's like he's playing a video game like Command and Conquer. He's got a bunch of people up front with rocket launchers and then behind them it's the tanks and then behind them it's the bomber jets. This dude is crazy and anyone trying to mess with him knows it. Sources say he suffered a stroke. One can only hope.

Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

This Summer's Best...

So this was a pretty successful summer as far as movies go. There were some misses, but overall I kept going back to the theater week after week and was not disappointed. Now that Labor Day has come and gone, the summer blockbusters are also sadly done. We will have to wait until next year for what could possibly be even greater than this year, with the new Harry Potter, Transformers 2, Watchmen (!!! I hope...), G.I. Joe, Dragonball, Akira (maybe?). Too many to name but it could be insane. Before I can look ahead to next summer, I have to reflect on this one. The best movies of the summer. Another top 5 list...a couple honorable mentions are Hancock (I continue to believe that Peter Berg is one of the best working writer/directors) and Step Brothers which was hilarious. Much funnier than the two other big budget comedies, Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder.

#5 Hellboy 2
Great follow up the the first one. I thought the story was great but really, it was the visuals that did it for me. It might be one of the most imaginative, colorful, alive atmosphere I have ever seen on film. I have seen some great special effects before, but Del Toro is a master at them and really gave this movie every thing he had.

#4 Hamlet 2
Just barely got in before Labor Day, but this movie was hilarious. Not actually a sequel to Hamlet, but about a guy who writes a musical called Hamlet 2. Steve Coogan is hilarious throughout and the rest of the cast is just as funny though I can't help but wish my boy David Arquette had more lines. Probably the most fulfilling comedy of the summer. Definitely should be this years little Indie that could. Go see it! It's still expanding into more theaters and should be out for a while.










#3 The Dark Knight
I know, I know... #3? But the more I see it, the more I like Batman Begins better. Don't get me wrong. I loved the movie. I think Heath Ledger gave one of the greatest villain performances (or any performance for that matter) of our generation. He was The Joker. It was crazy good. But the story had so much going on, and yet not a whole lot at all. I thought they could have almost made two different movies out of this. I think the Two Face story line suffered a little bit because of the need to end that one and The Joker. No need to explain or recap, I'm sure you've all seen it at least once. I loved this movie, but it wasn't the best of the summer.


















#2 Wall-e
WaaaAAAAAAllll-EEeeee, indeed. What a great movie. In my book this is an oscar contender for best movie, not just best animated. It was great. Kind of amazing actually. If you haven't seen it, it might be playing in some theater near you. Go see it. Pixar continues to blow me away with great movies. I actually can't think of another studio that only puts out classics every time they release something. It's insane. Great characters, great story, great everything.




















#1 Iron Man
My favorite movie in forever. I was so hyped for this movie it was almost impossible to live up to my expectations, but somehow it surpassed them. It was perfect. I could have had a little better final battle, but I can't complain. The rest of the story was amazing. It held true to the comic even though it updated a little. I thought Terrance Howard could have done a little more to be like James Rhodes but hopefully he'll have that chance in Iron Man 2. Much better story and acting than The Dark Knight. I thought Robert Downey Jr. was as much Tony Stark as Heath Ledger was The Joker. Probably not an Oscar nod for Jr. but it was still something special. It comes out on dvd in a few weeks so if you never saw it in theaters, pick it up on dvd.

Anyways, I'm out. You probably don't agree but I've seen about every movie worth seeing this summer (though I lived in Michigan for most of the summer so I missed some indie releases that I feel would have made this list like Son of Rambow or The Promotion). Well, that's it. Go big...

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - Entourage ruled last night. I like where it's headed. I was worried after last season but it seems to have gotten back on track. Also that new series True Blood is awesome.

Double Standards...

Brown Guy posted this on facebook but in case you aren't friends with him (because he's a loser) or you just didn't see it, it's worth a repost. It's bananas.



-M, p, z & shredder

200 / Finally...

For a while I had been wondering what I would do as a celebration of my 200th post. Not really a huge milestone, but I like to celebrate all the little things in life. I was wondering if I should do a best of list, or a best pictures list, or even have someone else guest blog. But politics stepped in and gave me a gift.












(The artist formerly known as) Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick admitted to lying and resigned. Finally. After years and years of debauchery, he is gone. The times had a good article summed it up pretty well so rather than rant about his failings, i'll just quote them, "He agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice, pay restitution to the city of $1 million, give up his law license, forfeit his state pension and serve 120 days in the Wayne County jail. His resignation is to take effect within 14 days. All other charges were dismissed, and the judge scheduled sentencing for Oct. 28.

“He understands fully the agreement and agrees to be bound by it, judge,” a lawyer for Mr. Kilpatrick, Gerald Evelyn, told Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David A. Groner.

Judge Groner asked Mr. Kilpatrick, “Is this something you are ready to do today?” He added, “Do you have any questions?”“I have no questions about what’s going on today,” Mr. Kilpatrick told Judge Groner. Later, he said, “I lied under oath.”

It's finally over. Thank god. I'm out. Go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

Here's a better picture of Kwame

Zack and Miri...

New red band Zack and Miri Make a Porno trailer. I'm not a huge fan of Kevin Smith. I like Chasing Amy alright, and Mallrats is pretty epic, but I really hate Clerks and the rest of his stuff. But I read an interview he gave a while ago about how he thought Seth Rogen was hilarious in all the right ways; unassuming, self-deprecating, comfortable and relatable. He's a guy's guy. He also loves the Altman inspired improv filming Apatow seems to have brought back. So I was excited for Zack and Miri, if for no other reason than I thought Seth could make it hilarious. That and I love everyone else in the cast (including and especially Elizabeth Banks). But this trailer almost made me pee laughing. I officially can't wait. After the somewhat disappointing Pineapple Express, I'm hoping this gets back to Seth making me laugh.



3 blogs in less than 24 hours? Who am I? Go big...

-M, p, z & shredder

Tetrachromacy...

So occasionally, when I'm bored, I'll leaf through some old blogs and examine my life and how little I've accomplished in it since I started this blog a few years ago (if you take it all the way back to my friendster-blog days). Sometimes I'll see something I've written and wonder why I'm such an idiot or why I thought anyone would care about the topic, but, more often than not, I just compile more evidence proving how much I rule. Sometimes though, I'll look back at comments and find links to people that have made comments that also have blogs that I wasn't aware of. Today I found one such blog. A friend of mine has apparently been blogging since last October, unbeknownst to me. So I decided I would read all of his posts. Luckily there was only 7. And they were pretty short. But one of them was great. I imagine that's the ratio for most blogs. 1:6. For every 1 awesome blog, there are 6 not so awesome ones. Not necessarily lame ones, but just ones that don't inspire thought. I try and evoke some sort of break in monotonous cognition, but I'm pretty sure a lot of my blogs are fairly inane. My point is, my boy had a blog that opened my eyes to something I had never thought of before and probably never would have if not for his post.

It was about Tetrachromacy and how we see things. How we actually interpret what our retinas relay to our brain. He is in dental school so I'm not actually sure if this is the right terminology or anything since my spellcheck is yelling a red squiggly at me. But essentially he says that our eyes aren't truly seeing what is out there in nature. We as humans are Trichromatic. Wikipedia says that, "Trichromacy is the condition of possessing three independent channels for conveying color information, derived from the three different cone types... The normal explanation of trichromacy is that the organism's retina contains three types of color receptors (called cone cells in vertebrates) with different absorption spectra." My friend essentially wonders if perhaps things aren't as they appear. He talks about the possibility of colors not being what we see them as but as completely different. He doesn't mention this, but I would imagine that it's comparable to the way dog's see things. Dogs are dichromats. It's the equivalent of having a red-for-green color blindness. Now what if we, as humans, are only seeing what we can with three color receptors. What if we could see things with 10 color receptors. What would Fall look like? Would people still match? Would everything change? Would anything change?
















I don't think I've ever even thought about this possibility. On the contrary, I've always secretly felt superior to people that are color blind (despite my obvious lack of eyesight (my contacts are like 3 inches thick)). It's assumed that there are species out there that have more than three color receptors, but what do they see? Could our brain process it if we were ever able to isolate the receptor and harness it into our own vision? Could we make polychromatic glasses? Would they be as lame as 3-D glasses? I'm kind of blown away right now. I've never thought of this before and it makes me wonder what else I'm not thinking about.

Anyways, go big.

-M, p, z & shredder

oh ps - HS - blog more. the more you do it, the better you get at it. I suck at getting my thoughts across as well but over time, people get used to it. Everyone should blog. It might have been a passing thought to my boy, but it blew my mind. If all of you do that we can all blow each other's mind (that's what she said). Gross.