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