Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.
And by ‘pull you back in’ I mean another snowstorm.
A snow storm (I believe this one’s named ‘Rocky’) will be traveling across the Plains and Midwest early this week. Snowfall (6″-12″?) is expected to hit Chicago late Tuesday with heavier Snowfall across Kansas, Missouri, and the surrounding states. It shouldn’t (keyword: shouldn’t) be as brutally cold as it was during the last snowstorm though with temps in 30-40° range (not factoring wind chill though). Don’t worry, we’re almost at March. And that’s almost Spring. And we’ve had fairly light snowfall this winter.
Archives
All posts for the month February, 2013
- PS4 Announced—After months of rumors and gossip, Sony unveiled the PS4, becoming the 2nd major game console maker to unveil its next-generation of consoles (after Nintendo’s Wii U, Microsoft is expected to unveil the “Xbox 720” (supposed name) sometime this year). It will go on sale this fall (likely right before the holiday shopping season i.e. Black Friday), its price is tbd. Notable parts of the announcement include: more social aspects (being able to watch and post videos from gameplay), quicker startup/save times, a controller with a small touchscreen, however, because of using a new CPU, old Playstation games will not work on the PS4.
- Car bomb detonates in Damascus, Syria, kills 59—200 are also wounded in the attack, which is among several other bombings in the area. The blast went off near the offices of the ruling Syrian Baath Party. Both the Syrian government and the opposition forces condemn the attacks, which killed mostly civilians and children. The government would not have a detonation so near its own offices while the opposition forces have not had a history of attacks that mostly harm civilians. Suspicions are cast on militant Islamic groups.
- UK Credit Downgraded—Moody’s downgraded the UK’s credit rating from top-rank AAA down to Aa1. citing “continuing weakness in the UK’s medium-term growth outlook, with a period of sluggish growth which [it] now expects will extend into the second half of the decade.” The UK’s large debt and challenges to decreasing it also factored into the decision. This comes on the heel of the largest 2-day stock market drop of the year following ongoing financial weakness in Europe and news from the Federal Reserve spooked investors. The markets has since gained.
- Afghan Gov’t Orders US Troops out of Province—While US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014, that apparently isn’t soon enough for the Wardak province. The Afghan government cites increased hostilities and terrorist attacks in the province (which contains Afghanistan’s capital Kabul), as well as hostility from US troops towards the Afghan people in the province along with US trained-Afghan forces attacking other Afghans in the region: “After a thorough discussion, it became clear that armed individuals named as US special forces stationed in Wardak province engage in harassing, annoying, torturing and even murdering innocent people.” This comes as a surprise to the US.
Looking Ahead to this Week:
- The Sequester is due to take effect March 1, this Friday. Sequester basically being Washington-speak for ‘we’re gonna cut a lot of money out of the US budget.’ It will slash money across domestic programs (education, FAA, Food Safety & Inspection services, unemployment insurance) as well as from the Defense Department, which outgoing Defense Secretary Panetta warns will endanger America and compromise the US’s ability to protect itself. A slightly hyperbolic-titled list of “57 Terrible Consequences of the Sequester” can be found here. The sequester was ½ of the fiscal cliff from way back at the beginning of the year, Congress voted to delay it to March 1.
Fear not, the sequester does not immediately chop billions from the budget in one fell swoop. It is part of a larger debt reduction plan meant to cut out $1.2Tr over 10 years. Even now, departments must give employees 30-day notices before furloughing/laying off government workers (so around March 31) then. And Congress can retroactively come to an agreement to override the Sequester. But then again, it’s Congress.
Prospects? Not great. Whereas in past government-financial crises, there was a risk of defaulting on loans or higher taxes for everyone almost immediately, the effects of Sequestration are a bit more drawn out and there doesn’t seem to be as much urgency in backroom last-minute dealings. Prospects don’t seem too bright in an agreement before March 1, even with both sides saying the effects of Sequestration can harm the economic/financial/safety of America (see above doom-prophesying list). The short of it: not optimistic for deal before March 1, effects not immediately terrible, can get terrible.
I may have gotten a bit carried away with this, but, train rides are long, and I get easily distr OH LOOK THERE’S STILL A MINT MELTAWAY LEFT IN THE BOX OF CHOCOLATES I BOUGHT MYSELF ON VALENTINE’S DAY! AW YEAH
[Show starts. Seth MacFarlane walks out]
And now we pay respect to those who passed away this past year. What if I just started the show with the In Memoriam part? Like, wouldn’t that be such a downer? Nah I’m just kidding you guys, the in memoriam jokes will come later.
While the Oscars are known as the movies award; we also have some representatives here from the TV side. Obviously me, known for Family Guy, American Dad, and the Cleveland Show.
From one of the biggest hit shows on TV now is a representative from The Walking Dead.
Also representing TV from the show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, yes, that show is scripted and uses actors, including the one that plays Honey Boo Boo Child is Daniel Day-Lewis. Incredible job on that show man, incredible job. Can’t even recognize you on that show, you just disappear into the role. When you say a dollar makes you holla, I feel, I believe that if you saw a dollar, you would indeed holla.
Up for multiple nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, is Quentin Tarantino’s latest headache for history teachers: Django Unchained. Quentin, man, you are to bastardizing history what Steven Spielberg is to wars. You’ve done World War 2. You’ve done slavery. What’s next? The French Revolution? I can’t wait to see Samuel L. Jackson play French king Louis the 16th, he’ll make one hell of a royale. Quentin, the only person who does more damage to history is whenever Iranian President Ahmadinejad denies the holocaust.
[but seeing as how this is liberal Hollywood and not a congregation of political scientists, it’ll probably be more along the lines of this:]
Quentin, the only time more damage is done to history is whenever a member of the GOP opens their mouth and says something on camera.
Once again, it’s amazing to see the diversity of films represented, from spaghetti western to geriatric romantic drama to fantasy drama to historical musical. I have an axe to grind though, where’s the love for comedies? I mean, yeah, sure, Silver Linings Playbook is a “comedy” in the same way McDonald’s is “food.” But as a guy who made his mark making animated comedies, I’d love to see more love for them in the Best Picture category. And it’s not for want of quality either. Over the past year we saw Brave, 21 Jump Street, Ted, Wreck-It Ralph, Pitch Perfect, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, Ted, ParaNorman, Safety Not Guaranteed, Mitt Romney’s Presidential Campaign [again, liberal Hollywood, gotta play to the audience], Ted.
Okay, so a movie about a grown man and his childish talking Teddy bear isn’t exactly as prestigious-sounding as a movie about Abraham Lincoln’s fight to outlaw slavery, but when you boil the other movies down to a sentence, they all sound kinda dumb too.
Amour: Old lady forgets where she last put her keys, for 2 freakin’ hours
Life of Pi: A really messed up version of Calvin & Hobbes
Silver Linings Playbook: The star of a young adult novel film adaptation and the guy who played the douchey character in The Hangover prove that, holy crap, they can actually act
Although, Ted is nominated in just one category: Best Original Song, for “Everybody Needs a Best Friend,” the song I wrote with Walter Murphy. But on the other hand, we’re up against Adele. For “Skyfall.” So, congratulation in advance, Adele and Paul Epworth. Over the past year Adele has become the Meryl Streep of music award shows. Streep, by the way, couldn’t be here tonight because she’s renovating her home to make room for more awards. Streep will be back with us next time when she stars as Abraham Lincoln in the sequel to ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,’ in which she’ll find a way to be brilliant and score another nomination. Hold on, I just want to mark off ‘mandatory Meryl Streep jokes’ on my awards show hosting checklist. It’s right here (show to camera) between ‘Spielberg makes a lot of movies about wars joke’ and ‘obligatory song and dance number,’ speaking of which, hit it!
[Begin inevitable Seth MacFarlene singing]
And Argo! What about Argo? Ben effin’ Affleck! What a transformation! How did he go from the guy in Gigli and Surviving Christmas to director extraordinaire? I haven’t seen a transformation this dramatic since whatever happened to Joan Rivers’s face.
Just a reminder, folks, please keep your acceptance speeches short and to the point, or else we’ll tell Liam Neeson you kidnapped his daughter. This applies especially to non-actors and people who aren’t as attractive as Jennifer Lawrence or Bradley Cooper. You work off-screen for a reason okay? Also, time is money. Keep that in mind when choosing who to thank in your allotted minute 15 seconds. You COULD be a cliché and thank your family, friends, blah blah blah, or you could remember who really matters: your agent, who got you this job and stuck with you even when your show about an animated New England family complete with talking dog and baby with an inexplicable British accent got cancelled for the 2nd time. In that spirit, I’d like to thank my agent…(agent appears). What are you doing here? You’re suppose to be throwing money at FOX executives until they pick up The Cleveland Show for another season! Go on! Get out of here! Get!
Our next performed has become a global superstar over the past 2 years, selling records and collecting accolades like there’s no tomorrow. Performing the song “Skyfall,” from, surprisingly enough, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” here is Adele. Oh, also, to prepare you for some Adele, we will be providing you with complementary boxes of tissues. Let me clarify, Fred Willard, the tissues are for wiping you tears. I just forgot, there are kids in the audience right now. Oops. (smug look) Also, apologies to the home viewers currently enduring an awkward silence with their teenage children. Alright, without further ado, Adele.
Also some kind of gag where the camera keeps cutting to Tommy Lee Jones
The past week has been a busy one!
- Pope to Step Down—Pope Benedict XVI announced he would be stepping down from the Papacy Feb. 28th, citing declining physical and mental health as hindrances to capably fulfilling the duties of Pope in the future. The College of Cardinals will have to scramble to meet and elect a new Pope, they aren’t expected to reach a decision until mid-to-late March.
- North Korea Tests Nuclear Weapons—Triggering seismic activity that was picked up internationally, North Korea conducted its third nuclear test (the first two were in 2006 and 2009). The tests were widely condemned by the international community.
- Los Angeles Manhunt Ends—The hunt for the alleged killer of a couple and two cops comes to an end after the LAPD corner him in a cabin and use tear gas to force him out. He commits suicide.
- Powerless Cruise Ship Reaches Land—The Carnival cruise ship Triumph, which had been stranded in the Gulf of Mexico for several days with limited or nonworking sewage system and electricity, reached land after being pulled by tugboat.
- DORITOS LOCOS TACOS COOL RANCH—IT’S HAPPENING. MARCH 7TH. THAT’S A THURSDAY.
- Russian Meteorite—A meteor breaks up entering Earth near Chelyabinsk, Russia. Its shockwaves causes glass to shatter, causing injuries to ≈1200 people and damage to about 3000 buildings.
Warning: You may go into cardiac arrest watching these videos, but it’ll be the best cardiac arrest ever.
I’ve touched slightly on advertising with the Super Bowl ads, here’s an example I saw while waiting for a train that really struck me, and every time I see the ad at the station, it reaffirms that it’s an example of a solid print ad, well conceived and executed:
Simple. Clean. The visual supports the idea, simply stated in the copy “Denim evolved”
How is it evolved? With color? Better fit? Tighter? You have to take a look at the product to figure out what exactly it means by evolved, and in doing so, you’re spending time looking at a product most people normally wouldn’t take a second look at: jeans.
The set-up of the models in the evolution line-up is quite nice too.
Here’s a larger version of the ad:
This is part of a continuation of GAP’s resurgence over the past year after spending several years a bit lost in the retail wilderness, which has been noted by many in the business press:
–“Cramer: This Comeback Story Deserves Attention”
-Growth in its second quarter that it maintained into its 3rd quarter
–Yahoo! Finance’s The Exchange blog named it the Company of the Year
While advertising can’t be credited for all of the resurgence (or probably even a majority—advertisers would probably disagree), it’s the icing on the cake, helping reshape the perception of GAP to the public on top of the reportedly well-handled turnaround of GAP management. Not everyone agrees this turnaround will last into another year (with this article in Business Insider listing as reasons: expanding into China when China’s growth is slowing, continued fierce competition in apparel retail, and over-reliance on holiday sales), but the recently released report on 4th quarter & January sales indicate the turnaround has continued at least into the first month of 2013. If it means more good advertising, I’m all for it.
Yesterday I put up a picture of ‘Gyro fries,’ well, ladies & gentlemen, the ante has been upped, behold, another version of the Gyro fries!
Really the only difference seems to be the addition of tomatoes and perhaps some, what is that, dill? Either way, it adds a bit of color to it, but I would gladly eat either version of the gyro fries (or even better, both!)
Yet another in the chain of food posts, but there hasn’t been one in awhile so.
I only have 3 words: oh. sweet. Jesus.