Gotta love those discoveries

The best thing about iTunes is the "listeners who bought (so and so) also bought (so and so)"

It's how I have found The Killers a few years ago thanks to Franz Ferdinand.
I don't rememeber how I stumbled upon my most recent musical find.

But that doesn't matter because I'm having too much fun rockin' out.

BLOC PARTY

They are comming to Chicago on the last Friday in March. Man, I really want to see them, but I know I'll be watching the NCAA tourney that night, damn.

By the way, I'm so happy that Little Miss Sunshine won the Screen Actors Guild award tonight for best Ensamble Cast.

The Quarterback Position is Overated in the National Football League Game

You may read the title of this post and go, "wha'? c'mon... nah!"
Number one, because everybody always talks up the Quarterback position in the National Football League it is by definition overrated because nothing can meet that level of hype.
Number two, because the Quarterback is involved in nearly every play over the long span I think their best plays averages out alongside the poor plays... because it is their role to do so.

This past weekend everybody narrowly critiqued the Conference Championships in only the context of the National Football League Quarterback. Brady will always beat Manning. Grossman will lose to anybody (especially Pro-Bowl and near MVP Brees).

What ended up happening?

Billy Cundiff missed a Field Goal that would've given the Saints the lead while Robbie Gold (Pro-Bowl Kicker, and Chicago Football Bear all-time record holder) continued his perfect post season.

And two words can describe the single biggest difference in the Indianapolis Football Colts: Adam Vinatieri

For those that don't know, this is a picture of Adam Vinatieri winning Super Bowl XXXVI:


For those that still don't know, this is a picture of Adam Vinatieri winning Super Bowl XXXVIII:


Do you get the picture? Please don't make me post more.

If the Colts win the National Football League Super Bowl XLI, I predict it will not be on the great Manning arm or the (I refuse to repeat the doubter's words) Grossman. My number one fear, as a Bear fan, is that the Chicago Bears "Sometimes Bend but don't Break" Defense will give Adam Vinatieri the chance to win the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player title award.

I do not think a kicker has ever won the SP-MVP, but if one kicker in Super Bowl history has ever deserved it - it's that guy. I can see the writers calling it a damn near Lifetime Achievement Award for Post-season Clutchness. I see this in my nightmares.

Crowning Achievement: Part 2

On a much different note…
I am celebrating a small accomplishment of my own.
January 23, 2006 was the first post of this blog. And 150+ posts (better than a 3 per week average) later it's still going.

This blog had endured thanks to a content foundation of patting my own back, semi-fictionalization of true adventures and cynical theorizing of pending social or interpersonal developments. More importantly, it gains momentum from receiving random e-mails adding their own angle to a recent post. I greatly appreciate those notes, always a highlight.

As I've said before, 2006 was the best year of my life – and I lucked out by actually documenting it throughout.

One of my favorite television shows growing up was Doogie Howser M.D.

Every show ended with him slow-typing (you'd think a prodigy would be a better typist) in his computer journal. I always wanted to write in a daily journal growing up, but never did thanks to all those bad sitcom episodes of Sally's Diary being read aloud in the locker room / library / cafeteria / public address system. Thankfully for myself, I am smart enough to self-censor and often spin these tales to control my digital-literal appearance.

Thanks again,
TQ

Crowning Achievement: Part 1

The following is a choice lyric in the Chicago Football Bears fight song:
"Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown."

Remember what Dennis Green said:




The Bears won the NFC Championship Sunday. Consider their ass crowned. But were the Bears who Dennis Green thought they were? Were the Bears the team that he Seahawks, Saints, Inside the NFL, Fox, CBS or ESPN thought they were? Obviously not.

And the doubts just keep on coming. If 15 wins didn't convince them, a 16th will be necessary. I'm happy for two more weeks of "Put your Rexy On" or "Bringing Rexy Back" pun-jokes. I'm not happy about two more weeks of Bad Rex vs. Good Rex talking head monologues.

The best storyline - not just because it's the least headache educing, but genuinely proper – is the Smith vs. Dungy match up. On February 4 the first two black head coaches to make a Super Bowl face off in the first week of Black History Month. Although I'm sure there will still be many stories regarding either a Rex-hex or Peyton's Primetime, at least it will take a meaningful back seat.

I vaguely remember Chicago's other Super Bowl appearance. The idea that I'm attempting to grasp is that for the first time in my adult life, the Super Bowl will also happen to be a Bears game. Normally Super Bowl parties are lackluster. The game never lives up to the superlative and the overall "party" creates too many distractions to enjoy the actual game (if the game ever warrants such attention).

What is a fan to do?

Should you treat it like another game? Prepare in the same way, have the same mindset, etc…?
Or do you take it to the next level, in the same fashion you hope the players accomplish?
I honestly do not know. Do you have to make it special? Isn't it already intrinsically special? Would you be missing out if you didn't make it everything it could be?

And also, embedded deep in my psyche, how can I best prepare for a defeat? I know I'm supposed to have fanatical tunnel vision, but I'm incapable of divorcing myself from the cynicism that has been with me most of my life.

And this is just the beginning… Can't they play this thing tomorrow?

People who should be cautiously aware of Justin Timberlake (Encore)

If you thought that I was either not good enough, or have not been doing this long enough, to post one from the "best of" archives... you only receive partial credit... Orignial post date was at the birth of the rumor on June 25, 2006. Reposted on January 17, 2007 now that it's legit.

Veteran Hollywood reporter Janet Charlton claims that Justin Timberlake..dumped Cameron..Diaz just as she was about to leave Los Angeles to film some additional scenes for her latest movie. Charlton explains, "Justin is poised to leave on a world tour and he wants to be free." A source tells Charlton, "Cameron is ready to settle down and wants a commitment, even though she might not admit it. Justin is only 24 and he's been with Cameron for three years. He hasn't had a chance to sow his wild oats yet." (source: imdb)

Before I begin, allow me go on record saying that I do not take tabloid as fact... But for the entertaining purposes of this post, let's assume Justin Timberlake actually did break up with Diaz to "sow" other people... I know, it's very difficult to believe that Justin Timberlake can end two consecutive relationships with the above pictured women... I wonder what kind of "wild oats" that this man must possess to warrant such actions... This makes me believe that the following people need to be on notice:

..

Kevin Federline, current husband of:

Granted, an adulterous affair could reap you astronomic divorce settlemement rewards... However, if you have any career ambitions beyond partnering with J.Lo's ex-husband Chris Judd to form the most dynamic dance team in history,.. you need Spears more than you know... But I don't think you need to worry much (like you ever?) because since Justin moved on Britney has already had two marriages, two kids, and may have unbelievably already peaked in attractiveness... (writer's note: the above picture of Britney is in my estimation was the pinnacle of her beauty).. Do you wonder if when Britney looks at you, in the back of her mind she sees:

..

Jordan Bratman, current husband of:

I don't care if you two..are..newlyweds... Your wedding is in your recent memory, but the Justin / Christina joint world tour is in her's... Like K-Fed, you can rest easy... Christina does not fit the.."Rolling Stone..cover model who is MORE famous" profile... You..still should not relax, and should work hard to make sure your wife's next album is filled with songs inspired by a love of you, not a longing for him... Are there any photos of you two this sultry:

..

..

Jumaine Dupree, current.."husband?" / secret lover of:

I simple love line chart with age as the Y-axis would project that Justin could pursue a woman even older than Diaz... Perhaps a woman closer to her "peak" per se?.. Are you getting nervous yet Jumaine?.. Your well-known producer colleagues The Neptunes successfully separated Justin from his boy band image... I relationship with Junior Jacko would detonate an atomic bomb of street cred that could permanently place Justin Timerlake as a threat to be reckoned with in your genre... The willingness already shown of these two in "sowing wild oats" has had repercussions on American culture to this day... Justin may already have picked out the first date gift: a heart shaped nipple ring.

..

I don't know Justin Timberlake, but I'm not going to go as low as to say he'd break up the previously mentioned relationships... If he truly wants what he says?.. My prediction for who will soon be "sowing" Justin's "wild oats"

..

However, if I was Justin, I would pursue the following before Leo woke up and realized what a gigantic mistake it was do dump:

Two Four, Too F*ck'd

Ladies and Gentleman, it pains to write today's post
(Harder yet to believe it in my heart)
I must confess, in a reluctant manner akin to a tortured detainee, that my favorite show may have jumped the shark.

I still claim 24 as my favorite show.  Over its first 5 years the show has created an immense chasm between itself and all other favorite shows.  Also adding to the separation was the cancelling of Arrested Development, the predictability of The Office and the absenteeism of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The show has become addicted to itself.  The very points that made the show amazing are the very same points bringing it back down to earth.  And unless they correct themselves soon (the next 6-8 episodes), it will undoubtedly mark the beginning of the show's demise.  I'm referring to the "roller coaster" appeal in the framework of plot twists.  The peaks of new villains and the valleys of fallen heroes was also a factor.  The show has taken these once strong points to pornographic levels.

Season Six appears incapable of going a half hour without either killing a main character or starting a frenetic action sequence.  Did the creators forget that the most thrilling point of a roller coaster is the climb upward?  The point when you are getting higher not knowing, but expecting, the coaster to drop?

It's sad that a show, created with an original concept, is falling victim to the Materialistic "Bigger therefore Better."

The most promising aspect of Season Six is the deconstruction of Jack Bauer.  The indestructible, never failing, protagonist seems out of place and uncomfortable with his surroundings.  Although the character of Jack Bauer is highly unrealistic (which is the source of most of his popularity and appeal, granted) these flaws create more tension that a computer generated special effect could ever accomplish.  The most obsessed fan in me rationalizes that Jack Bauer is awesome enough to transcendentally acknowledge the decline of the television program based on his life.

To reiterate, this show is no longer a roller coaster.  The better analogy would be an EKG monitor during cardiac arrest.  Just as modern physics wouldn't allow such a roller coaster to perform .. I doubt that viewers have the biology to withstand this show's current path.  The vast majority of 24's loyal fans will gladly walk hand in hand into a flaming tar pit behind the show's creators .. singing it's praises until suffocation.

Currently, I'm still in that pack of fandom.
But let it be known that I'll be screaming for the show to be better.

Numbers you want to know... and a pod-rec

If you are into podcasts, or want to be, i recommend Slate's daily podcast.
We are all already aware of the great slate.com magazine website, right?
Here are two nuggets that Slate, through it's podcast, gave me.
I share them with you:

Amazon.com's customer service PHONE NUMBER: 800-201-7575 (Did you know they guarantee a price match for 30 days after you buy anything? So if you bought a gift a few weeks ago on Amazon, and see the same thing on the site for less - Amazon will refund you the diffrence)

iTunes customer service PHONE NUMBER: 800-275-2273 (then enter "70" - try again if rejected - if prompted say, "ITUNES." then say "WINDOWS MACHINE" or "MACINTOSH." answer "YES" or "NO" when they ask if you are a part of a school. One final note, you'll need the iPod serial number)

Needless to say, Amazon and Apple don't volenteer this knowledge easily. But you all have it now. You all have this wonderful power thanks to Slate.