Ray Manzarek, a founding member of the 1960s rock group The Doors whose versatile and often haunting keyboards complemented Jim Morrison's gloomy baritone and helped set the mood for some of rock's most enduring songs, has died. He was 74.
Manzarek died Monday in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family, said publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald. She said the musician's manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died after being stricken with bile duct cancer.
The Doors' original lineup, which also included drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger, was only together for a few years and they only made six studio albums. But the band has retained a large and obsessive following decades after Morrison's death, in 1971. The Doors have sold more than 100 million records and songs such as "Light My Fire" and "Riders On the Storm" are still "classic" rock favorites. For Doors admirers, the band symbolized the darker side of the Los Angeles lifestyle, what happened to the city after the sun went down and the Beach Boys fans headed home.
Next to Morrison, Manzarek was the most distinctive-looking band member, his glasses and wavy blond hair making him resemble a young English professor more than a rock star, a contrast to Morrison's Dionysian glamour - his sensuous mouth and long, dark hair. Musically, Manzarek's spidery organ on "Light My Fire" is one of the most instantly recognizable sounds in rock history.
But he seemed up to finding the right touch for a wide range of songs - the sleepy, lounge-style keyboards on "Riders On the Storm"; the liquid strains for "The Crystal Ship"; the barrelhouse romps on "Roadhouse Blues." The Doors always considered themselves "more" than a rock band and Manzarek, Densmore and Krieger often managed a flowing rapport that blended rock, blues and jazz behind Morrison's self-consciously poetic lyrics.
"There was no keyboard player on the planet more appropriate to support Jim Morrison's words," Densmore said in a statement. "Ray, I felt totally in sync with you musically. It was like we were of one mind, holding down the foundation for Robby and Jim to float on top of. I will miss my musical brother."
The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Their records have been reissued frequently and the band was the subject of a 1991 Oliver Stone movie, "The Doors," starring Val Kilmer as Morrison and Kyle MacLachlan as Manzarek, who complained that the film stereotyped Morrison as a hopeless drunk and also omitted calmer, more humorous times. The Doors' fame has hardly faded even though they're one of the few groups not to allow their music to be used for commercials, a source of great tension among surviving members. Manzarek and Krieger reportedly supported licensing the songs, and Densmore has resisted. The group also feuded when Krieger and Manzarek formed a new group, Doors of the 21st Century. Densmore objected, and Krieger and Manzarek performed under various names.
Other Doors albums included "The Soft Parade," `'Waiting for the Sun" and their last record with Morrison, "L.A. Woman."
Manzarek briefly tried to hold the band together on the albums "Other Voices" and "Full Circle," neither of which had critical or commercial success. He played in other bands over the years, working with X and Iggy Pop among others. He also wrote a memoir, "Light My Fire," and a novel, "The Poet In Exile," in which he imagines receiving messages from a Morrison-like artist who had supposedly died.
Born and raised in Chicago, Manzarek studied piano as a child and briefly considered a career in basketball. After graduating from DePauw University, he headed west to study film at UCLA. A few months after graduation, he and Morrison met in 1965 on Venice Beach in California. As Manzarek would often recall, Morrison read him some lyrics - Let's swim to the moon/Let's climb through the tide/Penetrate the evening that the/City sleeps to hide" - that became the start of "Moonlight Drive."
"I'd never heard lyrics to a rock song like that before," Manzarek told Billboard in 1967. "We talked a while before we decided to get a group together and make a million dollars."
By 1966, they had been joined by Krieger and Densmore and were a sensation live, especially during the theatrical, Oedipal epic, "The End." They were the house band at the famed Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles before being signed by Elektra Records and releasing a self-titled album in 1967, one of the most talked-about debuts in rock history.
"Well, to me, my God, for anybody who was there it means it was a fantastic time," Manzarek told The Republican in Massachusetts during an interview last year. "We thought we could actually change the world - to make it a more Christian, Islamic, Judaic Buddhist, Hindu, loving world. We thought we could. The children of the `50s post-war generation were actually in love with life and had opened the doors of perception. And we were in love with being alive and wanted to spread that love around the planet and make peace, love and harmony prevail upon earth, while getting stoned, dancing madly and having as much sex as you could possibly have."
Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his son Pablo and two brothers, Rick and James. Funeral arrangements are pending.
When you think of songs that you clap your hands to, what songs come to mind?
Queen - We Will Rock You?
Any Disco song?
Any kids song about being happy and knowing it?
Ultimate Classic Rock.com came up with this list of the Top 10 Hand Clapping Songs. I don't think i agree with all of them, but some are right on the beat.
1. "Jack & Diane", John Cougar Mellencamp
2. "My Best Friend's Girl", The Cars
3. "No Fun". The Stooges
4. "Another One Bites the Dust", Queen
5. "No Matter What", Badfinger
6. "I Want to Hold Your Hand", The Beatles
7. "Take the Money and Run", Steve Miller Band
8. "Only the Good Die Young", Billy Joel
9. "Bang a Gong (Get It On)", T-Rex
10. "Stuck in the Middle with You", Stealers Wheel
Even if you didn't like country music, it's hard to say that you didn't like George Jones. A country superstar, he died today at the age of 81. He's one of those guys that was so good, it's impossible to deny his talent. RIP George Jones.
From Wikipedia:
George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette.
Over the past 20 years, Jones has frequently been referred to as the greatest living country singer. Country music scholar Bill C. Malone writes, "For the two or three minutes consumed by a song, Jones immerses himself so completely in its lyrics, and in the mood it conveys, that the listener can scarcely avoid becoming similarly involved." Waylon Jennings, in his song "It's Alright" expressed a common jealousy when he said, "If we all could sound like we wanted to, we'd all sound like George Jones."
Throughout his long career, Jones made headlines often as much for tales of his drinking, stormy relationships with women, and violent rages as for his prolific career of making records and touring. His wild lifestyle led to Jones missing many performances, earning him the nickname "No Show Jones."[1] With the help of his fourth wife, Nancy, he has been sober for more than 10 years. Jones has had more than 150 hits during his career, both as a solo artist and in duets with other artists. The shape of his nose and facial features have given Jones the nickname "The Possum." Jones said in an interview that he has chosen to tour only about 60 dates a year.
In August 2012, it was announced that at the conclusion of his 2013 tour, Jones' would retire to spend more time with his family. Titled "The Grand Tour", Jones' final tour takes place across 60 dates.
Jones died April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. He was hospitalized April 18 with fever and irregular blood pressure.
Here are four important tips and websites in the wake of what happened yesterday at the Boston Marathon.
1. The Boston Police Department and FBI have asked for ANY photos, videos, or information from yesterday. They're stressing that NOTHING is irrelevant. You can reach the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or email them at Boston@ic.fbi.gov. There's also a Boston Crime Tips Hotline at 800-494-8477.
2. The Boston Mayor's hotline if you're looking for a loved one is 617-635-4500.
(And both the Red Cross and Google have set up websites to help connect people with their friends and family in Boston.)
3. It's best to text people in Boston rather than call them. The cell towers there are overloaded, and it helps to keep them open for emergencies.
4. The Red Cross says they have enough blood AND enough money to handle the crisis. Instead of donating blood now, wait for a few weeks or months. You can still donate money, but make sure you go to the source and watch out for scams.
There are some people that fit the term 'beloved." I think Annette Funicello was one of them.
Disney's official fan club has just broken the news on Twitter:
Annette Funicello has died at age 70.
The actress, singer and beloved Mousketeer had been hospitalized due to complications from multiple sclerosis, according to Extra.
The Disney Fan Club says Funicello died today at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, Calif.
Her family confirmed to Extra that Funicello died from complications of multiple sclerosis. They were by her side when she was taken off life support. Funicello had been in an MS coma for years, reports the site.
Funicello was 12 when she became a Mouseketeer. As a teen, she was launched on a successful singing and acting career, but she really gained popularity when she co-starred with Frankie Avalon in a series of "Beach Party" movies in the mid-1960s.
In 1992, Annette announced she had MS.
Funicello was married to her first husband, Jack Gilardi, from 1965 until 1981, and had three children. In 1986, she married California harness racing horse breeder/trainer Glen Holt.
Working in radio, I often get the chance to meet and greet celebrities. Of those I've met, I distinctly remember and enjoyed meeting Roger Ebert.
While many teenage kids would sneak cigarettes, booze from mom & dad's liquor cabinet or do something else mischevous, I would stay up late on Sunday nights, After curfew, after TV hours were done, I would sneak into our family's TV room at 10:30pm and watch At The Movies.
I loved Siskel and Ebert's job, being able to watch movies for a career, then telling people what they thought about them. I have tried hard to emulate their careers in my own.
One of my favorite comments from Ebert was when he was analyzing one of the many Friday The 13th sequels from the 1980s and said the film could only be of interest to people who "like to smell dirty socks." Cutting, brilliant imagery and funny.
I was quite saddened to hear today that Roger Ebert passed away. Although I had only met him once, I considered him a mentor. Known for his movie reviews, he was also a literary wiz. His hands were involved in 1970's Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls, which only upped his street cred.
I also thought he was a well spoken, well versed and well lived Chicagoan. Im so happy he left his mark on this world.
You will be missed.
PS...Roger....I extremely apologize for allowing my cell phone to go off during your introduction of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" at the 2004 Wisconsin Film Fest. There were only about 40 people in the room and I pretended like it wasn't my phone. How embarrasing!
To make up for it, I have held onto my ticket to see "A Hard Day's Night" that Roger introduced at the 2003 Wisconsin Film Festival. I still remember his description of George Harrison's first chord of the song "A Hard Day's Night." He said that was the sound that started the 1960s revolution.
It's my voice...i can't really change it. It's just part of me, so why hate it?
You know that thing where everyone hates the sound of their own voice? Here comes the science to why we think that way....
( Note: I am not a scientist, but i do play one on TV...and I found a research article on this today )
There are two ways for sounds to reach your inner ear: Through the AIR, or through the BONES in your skull. When you talk, your vocal cords vibrate . . . and that vibration goes through the bones in your skull, directly to your inner ear.
Traveling through bone causes a sound's frequency to be lower, which means you hear yourself talking in a deeper voice than everyone else . . . since THEY hear your voice through the air.
But when you hear a RECORDING of your voice, you hear it the same way everyone ELSE does. It travels through the air, to your eardrum, and then to your inner ear. And it sounds high-pitched and unfamiliar, so you don't like it.
At least that's what scientists have to say about it.
I did the thing where you talk into a fan so often as a child (just like from this clip from "Tommy Boy") that I think this is how I always sound:
Running out the door today, I unfortunately did't have time to fuel up on that sweet nectar of the morning gods; coffee. Hopefully you're not in the same dire situation as me today. I think the solution is just to power through, because the brine they serve here at work is a poor replacement.
Have no fear, I'll keep my head up and persevre, but I did find these coffee myths somehow helped distract me for a few minutes. These come from health writer on Yahoo.com, so take them with a grain of salt (or a two lumps of sugar if you prefer.)
5 MYTHS ABOUT COFFEE
Myth #1: Keeping Coffee In Your Freezer Keeps It Fresher
When you freeze or refrigerate your coffee you are doing the worst thing possible for the flavor of your beans. Coffee is the ultimate aroma absorber and despite your best zip locking, the smells in your fridge or freezer will be absorbed by your coffee. Onion flavored coffee doesn't taste that great! Coffee also absorbes moisture when it's in the fridge/freezer. No matter how well it's sealed the coffee will pick up moisture, especially coming in and out of your freezer. For best results keep your coffee in a sealed container out of direct sunlight.
Myth #2: Reheating Coffee In The Microwave Ain't So Bad
One of the cardinal sins in the Kingdom of Coffeedom is reheating coffee in the microwave, and here's why. Aroma and flavor are destroyed by the chemical breakdown in the cooling and re-heating process. There will be an increase in acidity in your coffee cup and you might taste the oils in the coffee that turn rancid if left cold long enough.
Myth #3: The Stronger The Coffee, The Better It Tastes
Just as in math, architecture and art there is a Golden Ratio for making the perfect cup of coffee. Use one tablespoon of coffee for each cup of coffee you are brewing. Great art, like great coffee, demands that some rules are meant to be broken... but starting with this ratio will help you on your way to making a great cup.
Myth #4: Coffee Is Bad For Your Health
This myth is debated, researched and argued by coffee professionals and nutritionists. Read this Huffington Post article to weigh in on the debate. There is ample evidence for and against the benefits of coffee, but coffee has been linked to the reduced likely hood of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, dementia and has been known to reduce the likelihood of skin and prostate cancer as well as strokes. Let's drink to that!
Myth #5: Espresso Has More Caffeine Than Filter Coffee
For most parents, a morning espresso or cup of coffee is a life saver. So which one has more caffeine? Average espresso shots have between 30 and 50 mg of caffeine while a 12 oz cup of coffee can have as much as 200 mg of caffeine! The reason is the brew time. When making an espresso, the water is in contact with the ground coffee for 20-30 seconds, but when drip coffee is brewing the water is in contact with the coffee for about four minutes, which means it has time to absorb much more caffeine.
I'm certianly not above admitting when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about how well the Badger Men's Hockey Team was going to do this season.
I said at the beginning of the season they were in a rebuilding year and this was going to be a rough one. I think a lot of fans felt the same way too.
I also think that's part of the glue that bonded this team together and made them the WCHA Champs that they are. Using that underdog status, they rose above the adversity and claimed the glory that they rightfully deserve.
Congrats boys!
Best of luck on Friday with Massachusetts-Lowell on Friday at 4:30pm. I'll be there watching and cheering you on. Here's a look at the NCAA Bracket.
Facebook has changed the definition of 'Friend" from a close personal contact to someone who you've clicked "Like" on. I used to say that Yes, I know all of my friends. Now, (at least on FB) I know most of them.
Is it a bad thing? Not so much. But then there's this guy who's trying to top me.
A Connecticut man said he raised $5,000 online to fund his trip to visit all 788 of his Facebook friends in person. Ty Morin said the aim of his "Friend Request: Accepted" project, which he is funding with donations received on Kickstarter.com, "is to reconnect with people. No more hiding behind the screen of social media." "Stop looking down at your phone and pretending you're texting your BFF when you walk by an old friend from high school.
Let's get out there and remind people what it's like to have a face to face conversation with someone," Morin said on his Kickstarter page. Morin said he plans to take a picture of each person performing an activity they love. He said he will use a classic 8x10 folding camera to take pictures, which will take extra time.
When's the last time you left a friend a voicemail? If you can't remember, don't worry, it means you're being polite. At least according to an article in the "New York Times", the new rule of cell phone etiquette in this day and age is: only leave a voicemail if it's a LIFE-OR-DEATH EMERGENCY.
Otherwise, hang up and send a text summarizing what you were going to say.
The theory here is that leaving a voicemail is a BURDEN on the other person. They have to actually go to the trouble of pressing the button and listening to it. And there's nothing you'd say in a voicemail you can't say in a text.
I for one disagree. I have a bunch of stored voicemails from my neices and nephews that are just too cute to delete. Also, who doesn't like to hear the voice of a family member you haven't heard from in a while..assuming you're on good terms with that family member.
I get the feeling that this survey was focused more on the youth of today, who actually stopped reading after three sentences. Sorry to burden you kids.
i am quite the sucker for cool handles. In particular, I have always loved the code name that the president gets in thriller movies. Imagine a scene where the secret service is rushing the president to safety shouting "We must protect Eagle-1!"
Love it.
There's a movie coming out March 22nd called Olympus Has Fallen. It stars Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, and Gerard Butler and it looks like a suspense thriller where the White House is under attack. I suspect the name "Olympus Has Fallen" is some sort of code word for such.
The film has come up with a Code Name Generator, so each and every one of us can have our own. Mine: Stingray. I like it.
In April 2011, Franklin and other cast members from One Day at a Time accepted the "Innovators Award" from the TV Land cable channel—one of several awards in the annual event. The citation on the TV Land web site reads: "One Day At A Time is being presented with the Innovator Award, which is given to a television series that carved out new territory, tackled important issues of its day and helped re-defined its genre. The series, which was a hybrid drama/comedy, addressed such taboo topics as pre-marital sex, suicide, sexual harassment and more, breaking barriers and paving the way for future shows to tackle these issues as well. Developed and written in part by TV visionary Norman Lear, One Day At A Time aired on CBS for nine seasons from 1975-1984. Starring Bonnie Franklin, Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips as Ann Romano, Barbara Cooper and Julie Cooper, the series revolved around a family headed by a single mother (Franklin) that relocates to Indianapolis, where their new apartment building super, Dwayne Schneider (Pat Harrington Jr.), befriends them. Also taking part in the cast reunion is Glenn Scarpelli, who joined the series in 1980 as the son of Ann's boyfriend, Nick."[13]
On April 28, 2012, she was among several stars who appeared at the 28th annual Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event (STAGE) benefit, titled Original Cast 3, at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills to benefit AIDS Project Los Angeles. The event raised over $200,000 for APLA's work with clients living with HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County. Franklin and other original-cast members from a variety of musicals, performed songs with which they are associated. Franklin sang the title song from Applause, which she had originally introduced on Broadway in 1970.[14]
Franklin was best known for her portrayal of divorced mother Ms. Ann Romano on the television situation comedyOne Day at a Time (1975–1984). Franklin guest-starred on several television series, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ("The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" from 1965). She had a semi-regular role in the ABC series Gidget. She directed several episodes of the 1980s sitcom Charles in Charge. In 2011, she was reunited with her One Day at a Time costar Valerie Bertinelli on Hot in Cleveland, playing the mother of Bertinelli's character's boyfriend. Franklin signed to appear in several episodes of the daytime drama The Young and the Restless on CBS television. The episodes were broadcast in August 2012. The actress was cast as a nun, Sister Celeste, who comes to the assistance of Victor Newman.[15]
Franklin appeared in nearly a dozen staged readings with Classic and Contemporary American Playwrights (CCAP) in the Greater Los Angeles area for the last several years. During the 2006-2007 season, she appeared in the drama Toys in the Attic, written by Lillian Hellman. She appeared in Neil Simon's Broadway Bound at the Pico Playhouse in January 2008. CCAP is devoted to reviving seldom seen works and presenting them to student audiences, to create a new audience for theatre. Most recently, CCAP outreach programs work with teachers at North Hollywood, Cleveland and King Drew Medical Magnet high schools. Working with teachers in the English department, CCAP selects works which will be incorporated into the curriculum and, before the presentation, gives a workshop at the school.
NEW YORK (AP) — Bonnie Franklin, the pert, redheaded actress whom millions came to identify with for her role as divorced mom Ann Romano on the long-running sitcom "One Day at a Time," has died.
Seth McFarlane was hosting the Oscars for the first time, so I'm willing to give him some of the benefit of the doubt.
Some of his jokes worked. Some fell flat on their face. I just wish that he would have been give the green light to perform his style of comedy, because I guarantee he had funnier material than that, which the showrunners edited out.
From Catherine Zeta Jones lip synching to a cluster vocal performance from the Les Miserables cast, I'm not sure the goal of reaching a younger audience was achieved. In fact, quite the opposite. One of my favorite moments was Shirley Bassey belting out "Goldfinger" in the James Bond tribute segment. Anyone under 20 actually know what was going on there?
In any case, the Oscars are over and I'm satisfied with the results.
Here were my picks. I went 5 for 7 missing in the Best Supporting Actor and Best Director.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
Amour (2012): Margaret Ménégoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, Michael Katz
Argo (2012): Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012): Dan Janvey, Josh Penn, Michael Gottwald
Remember this year, we're calling it THE OSCARS. The Academy Of Motion Pictures and Scences has managed to obliterate all occurences of "Academy Awards" from the show this year in an effort to appeal to a younger demographic. (sigh) If they really want to do that, why not open up a category of "cute kitten" and other internet videos of people injuring themselves, then allow people to vote by text?
Here's my picks for Sunday. I know you're excited about the Achievement In Best Makeup and Design category, but for some reason it didn't make my cut this year. My picks are bolded out.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
Amour (2012): Margaret Ménégoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka, Michael Katz
Argo (2012): Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012): Dan Janvey, Josh Penn, Michael Gottwald
Though recent estimates peg the number of webpages in existence at a staggering 14 billion, a Hungarian physicist says we can get from any one page to any other in 19 clicks or less.
That is to say....if you're on WOLX.com...you could get to SuperBurritosTakeOverTheWorld.com (not a real site) without typing that into the address bar, but simply by making 19 clicks or less.
Interesting...to get at the 19 degrees of separation, Albert-László Barabási used a simulated model of the Web that revealed the following: Those 14 billion pages spawn what Smithsonian refers to as 1 trillion "web documents"—the pages themselves, photos, video, etc. Most of those can claim just a few connections, but small number of them are super connectors that allow you to easily move from one part of the Web to another—in 19 clicks or less. Neat nugget within the nugget: Barabási found that it doesn't matter if the Web grows much larger, or were to become much smaller, the number doesn't budge. It's still 19 clicks or less. He says this does have some cybersecurity implications, though he notes that the all-important connectors are among the more protected parts of the Web.
Feeling the swoon of romance today? It's not a bad day to forget about all those chocolates, special dinners and flowers.
Just throw in a romantic movie and snuggle up on the couch. It's economical, it's personal and it's a great way to get some close up time with your significant other.
Here's some suggestions that Redbook magazine is offering up . I might disagree on a couple of these. I'll add my suggestions after, but here's Redbook's Top 10 Most Romantic Movies.
Pretty Woman
Ghost
Say Anything
When Harry Met Sally
The Way We Were
Love Story
Dr. Zhivago
Breakfast At Tiffianys
Casablanca
Gone With The Wind
OK...at this point, i would only recommend numbers 5-10 for movie fantics only. Sure they're labeled classics, but if you bring any of these out for a romantic movie watching, somebody is going to fall asleep. I assume that's not the desired resoluton on Valentine's Day
Here's my reworked list. Trust me, any of these are great romantic choices.
The Princess Bride
Say Anything
When Harry Met Sally
500 Days Of Summer
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Annie Hall
Something in theaters now ===> Warm Bodies
Before Sunrise
Amelie
The Artist
Seriously. My girl and I still quote The Princess Bride to this day:
Have you heard of the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas?
You can assume a lot from the name, but the eatery's slogan is "a burger to die for." It gives free meals to people who weigh more than 350 pounds, and a sign reads "Caution: This establishment is bad for your health."
Among the menu items; an 8,000-calorie Quadruple Bypass Burger, butterfat milkshakes and "flatliner fries" cooked in lard.
It's unfortunate, but not shocking that someone died there...
Earlier this week, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Paul Baier made a deal with his 14-year-old daughter Rachel. If she quit Facebook completely until the end of June, he'd pay her $200. She gets $50 in mid-April and the other $150 on June 26th.
They even signed a contract. On the part of the contract where Rachel says how she'll use the money, she wrote, quote, "stuff."
Paul says this was Rachel's idea. Quote, "She wants to earn money and also finds Facebook a distraction and a waste of time sometimes." But she does plan to get back on Facebook once the five months are over.
Yeah, I'm a sucker for personified stories about animals and the humans who love them.
That's why, in my opinion, the Budwesier Clydesdale horse commercial was my the best of all the ads from yesterday's game. Come to think of it, I'm nt much of a fan of horses in the first place, but if they extended the story out of the guy who raised the colt into a successful horse, I would go see that movie.
Let's call it "Clyde." Oh man, just turn on the waterworks now. A horse that remember's his roots. Come on. That's Oscar material. I'll start on a screenplay draft and hopefully we can see something in theaters by summer of 2017. We'll used Fleetwood Mac's Landslide over and over as the cue for you to get all choked up.
In the meantime, I'm gonna watch this another 15-20 times.
Who's going to win the game this weekend? Do you even care?
Since the Packers aren't parrt of the fun, I'm not even interested in cheering on the 49ers, who beat the Pack on the road this weekend.
I'll be looking more at the commercials and the reuben dip that my sister makes for game highlights this time around. Still if you need a prediction....Jimmy Fallon hass a bunch of puppies making the call. Cuter than the Puppy Bowl? Perhaps.
I only put "good" in quotations, because you may need a trip to the hospital to clear your arteries after eating these.
Fried Bacon Balls - Really Fried Bacon?...
PB & Bacon Meatloaf Sliders - I'm interested....
Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwiches....yes...
Nacho Lasagna...you had me at Nacho...
Fried Chicken Bacon Nuggets...I'm starting to see a pattern. Check out the link below for all the recipes.
Whether you're rooting for the 'Niners or Ravens or Saskatchewan Roughriders, the only team that inarguably deserve a win on Sunday is your taste buds, so to guarantee that outcome we've put together a roundup of nearly 50 easy-to-execute Super Bowl… Read More On thrillist.com ›
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, here's my top reason why I like this holiday. - I don't have to pay it ANY mind at all.
My gracious significant other says she could careless about a holiday we agree was created by florists and the greeting card industry for proft.
Now, does she just say that and expect a gift anyway. After 18 years together, I think she may have given up on that idea. So, I think I'm clear. In any case, here's some new science on the so-called most romantic day of the year.
- According to a new survey, more than one in eight women have told a guy not to worry about Valentine's Day . . . then gotten upset when it actually happened.
- The survey also found 56% of women say they expect their boyfriend or husband won't start trying to figure out Valentine's Day plans until February 12th or 13th.
- 95% say that a gift or plan that shows it took some TIME and THOUGHTFULNESS is more important than a gift or plan that's expensive.
- Only 11% of women say they most want flowers and chocolates for Valentine's Day this year.
If there was ever a list of Madison restaurants that deliver good food consistently, you have to put Captain Bill's on that list.
OK, techincally it's located in Middleton, but with food this tasty, who cares?
I made reservations to dine at Captan Bill's on Sunday night with my significant other and it was the perfect way to wrap up the weekend. It's a great date restaurant and they've done a good job with atmosphere.
We were quikcly and politely seated. Drinks were prompt and with the Restaurant Week menu, our food was swiftly served. From the bar, i ordered my standby beverage, a Jack Daniels and Coke. It was a stiff drink, but that's not such a bad thing before dining.
I had the Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing, followed by The Shrimp Duet and closed with the Chocolate Bread Pudding. My date had the Wedge Salad, paired with the Lobster Tail/Tenderloin Surf and Turf Combo. She chose the Key Lime Pie dessert.
Hot bacon dressing jsut naturally sounds good, but the texture combination with fresh spinach was refresing. The wedge salad was complimentable and tasty. My shrimp served two ways came with a four prawn worthy sized coconut shrimp, matched with lemon sweetened sauce for dipping. They were paried with four butterflied shrimp stuffed with large chunks of crab meat, and topped with a glazed holiandaise sauce. Both sides were complimentary to the main course, which was also paired with diced yellow and orange carrots.
My date's lobster tail was delectable. Captain Bills never does lobster wrong. I recommend the tenderloin be served medium for full flavor.
Bread Pudding is a favorite of mine and the chocolate baked in provided a nice harmony of sweetness. The creme' anglaise rounded things out with a creamy texture. My date, who is a fan of sour, said the key lime pie was tame for her tastes, but after a sampling, my eyes bulged out from the tart. Cut it with the whipped cream and it's perfect for my tastes.
All that and were were seated, served and had room for some nice conversation in one hour. Captain Bills cleary has the process down.
Madison Restaurant Week is now through Friday. Starting at $25, participating restaurants offer a prix-fixed menu with 3 courses and 3 options of each course. Some restaurants offer a reduced menu for $15 for lunch. This year, some restaurants are also offering $30 and $35 dinner options. No passes, tickets or coupons are required. Diners may simply visit their favorite participating restaurants throughout the week to enjoy the special menus. Diners are strongly recommended to make reservations in advance.
Take notes, these people are doing it right. Everybody loves a random act of kindness and these people are definitely committed to making a difference â big or small.
So, do you think youâre an Advocate like them? Find out by taking the quiz at ArchetypeMe and discover great content for your archetypes.
This gas giver
Source: reddit.com / via: imgur.com
This book buyer
Source: reddit.com / via: imgur.com
This hometown hero
Source: justajeepguydc.blogspot.com
This generous employer
Source: reddit.com / via: imgur.com
View Entire List âº
OK, not my best showing in choosing which movies would get Oscar nominated but not my worst.
Here's how the Oscar Nominations went.
(green = correct picks)
(red = incorrect picks)
(blue = totally missed it)
Overall I got 63% of my picks right. Sigh.
Looks like the French movie Amour got me. I have yet to see it, but there's still time before the Oscars are awarded on Feb 24th.
Best Actress in a Leading Role: 80% Correct Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty Naomi Watts - The Impossible Helen Mirren - Hitchcock Quvenzhane wallis - Beasts Of The Southern Wild Emmanuelle Riva - Amour
Best Actor in a Leading Role: 60% Correct Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook Jack Black - Bernie
Bill Murray - Hyde Park On Hudson Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln Hugh Jackman - Les Miserable Joaquin Phoenix - The Master Denzel Washington - Flight
Best Animated Feature: 60% Correct Brave Wreck It Ralph Fankenweenie Rise Of The Guardians
The Lorax Paranorman The Pirates! Band Of Misfits
Best Director: 40% Correct Kathyrn Bigelow - Zero Dark Thirty
Wes Anderson - Moonrise Kingdom
Ben Affleck - Argo Ang Lee - Life Of Pi Steven Speilberg - Lincoln Behn Zeitlin - Beasts Of The Southern Wild Michael Haneke - Amour David O Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Best Picture: 77% Correct Zero Dark Thirty Moonrise Kingdom Les Miserables The Impossible Argo Django Unchained Skyfall Life Of Pi Lincoln Silver Linings Playbook Amour Beasts Of The Southern Wild
The nominations for the 85th Academy Awards come out tomorrow morning, so I'm calling some shots on the show. The actual awards get handed out Sunday, February 24th.
Taking into consideration what I've seen and how the other awards season shows are ranking them, here's how I think the nominations will play out tomorrow.
For easy reading, I'm just sticking to the Top 5 Categories; Best Actress; Best Actor; Best Animated; Best Director and Best Picture.
Best Actress in a Leading Role:
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
Naomi Watts - The Impossible
Helen Mirren - Hitchcock
Quvenzhane wallis - Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
Jack Black - Bernie
Bill Murray - Hyde Park On Hudson
Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln
Hugh Jackman - Les Miserable
Best Animated Feature:
Brave
Wreck It Ralph
Fankenweenie
Rise Of The Guardians
The Lorax
Best Director:
Kathyrn Bigelow - Zero Dark Thirty
Wes Anderson - Moonrise Kingdom
Ben Affleck - Argo
Ang Lee - Life Of Pi
Steven Speilberg Lincoln
Best Picture:
Zero Dark Thirty
Moonrise Kingdom
Les Miserables
The Impossible
Argo
Django Unchained
Skyfall
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Some sad Hollywood news over the holiday, when I heard that we lost Jack Klugman.
In my generation, I feel like I never truly appreciated his work. I was too young for The Odd Couple and while it was on, I wasn't interested in medical drama's like Quincy MD.
It wasn't until I developed my love of movies and started watching the classics that I came across 1957's . A brilliant ensemble cast including Peter Fonda, Jack Klugman, EG Marshall, and Martin Balsam. It's genius is it's simplicity, taking place mosly in one room12 Angry Men, where 12 jurors decide the fate of a man, and let thier biases and good sense run wild.
Jack Klugman was one of the reasons it was such a monumental film and it was also the catalyst in fueling my interest in more of his film catalog. He was able to handle drama and comedy and that makes him one of the greats. RIP.
Interesting fact about Mr. Klugman: He was believed to have been involved in a long and bitter feud with actor Norman Fell (The Graduate and Mr Roper from Three's Company) that lasted over 40 years. However, it was later revealed by Klugman that he and Fell got along fine and the feud was nothing more than a friendly rivalry.
Everyone knows Santa relies on the magic of Christmas to deliver presents to every kid in the world in one night. But what if he didn't?
How big would Santa's organization need to be, to still get everything delivered on Christmas Eve? Representatives from FedEx and UPS actually crunched the numbers, and according to them, he'd need 12 MILLION employees. Here's how it breaks down.
There are 760 million children worldwide who would assumedly recieve gitfs from Santa, and Santa has to hit them all in 24 hours . . . about 9,000 deliveries a second. That's about 760 million pounds of cargo . . . enough for three hundred 747's.
He'd need 46 international distribution centers, with 400,000 elves just loading the sleigh, and another 832,000 in logistics, support, and HR.
He'd also need 40,000 elves to deal with customs regulations in all the different countries . . . 67,000 to secure flyover rights, and schedule and optimize his flight plan . . . and 100 meteorologists.
That still leaves about 10 million elves getting presents to distribution centers, and doing "general assignment."
All so each kid can get one present each, weighing a pound. Yowza!
The Mayans didn't really say the world was going to end tomorrow . . . that's just how people have misinterpreted them. So I feel totally, 100% confident in saying the world is NOT going to end tomorrow.
BUT IF IT DOES . . . here's how it's going to go. According to scientists, the most likely way the world could suddenly end (say in just one day) would be from something called a DARK COMET. That's a massive comet that's not covered in ice and snow like regular comets, which makes it WAY more difficult for us to spot them in space.
A dark comet hitting us would only immediately destroy everything in the impact zone. BUT . . . it would send so much dust into the atmosphere that it would block the sun, and cause all the crops worldwide to fail. Kind of like what was predicted in the cheeseball disaster movies Deep Impact, Armageddon, and their 1979 predecessor Meteor.
So we'd all die slowly and painfully from a global famine. Have a great Thursday!
If a dark comet isn't the end, the second-most likely scenario would be an underground volcano erupting. That would have the same effect of shooting dust into the atmosphere. See Dante's Peek or ask any surviving relatives of Pompeii about that one.
In any case, let us remind ourselves that these sci fi distractions are for entertainment purposes only. See you on Friday.
Some have contacted us asking how they can help the families of the victims of the Connecticut shooting.
NOTE: These are verified charities/sources that you can send donations to and help:
The United Way of Western Connecticut is accepting donations in a partnership with Newtown Savings Bank. Check donations may be mailed to: Sandy Hook School Support Fund, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main St., Newtown CT 06470, or you can drop off a donation at any Newtown Savings Bank branch location. You can also donate by credit card here: https://newtown.uwwesternct.org.
"To several staff, volunteers and contributors, Newtown is home," the United Way of Western Connecticut says on its website. "We will stand with the community and everyone affected directly and indirectly by this tragic event as we face the days and weeks ahead."
From the Newtown Bee Newspaper: A group of Newtown parents has formed the My Sandy Hook Family Fund (www.MySandyHookFamilyFund.com). This group is made up of the parents of the children who survived. They are the classmates, friends, coaches and neighbors of the victims of Friday’s massacre. The goal of the Family Fund is to provide immediate and continuing support to the 26 families who lost children and family members in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. All net proceeds donated will go to support the families of the victims. CLICK HERE for more information on donating to this fund...
Listeners have asked where they can send non-cash donations as well, suchs as teddy bears and other toys/stuffed animals. An employee of the Newtown Bee Newspaper tells us that they have received many such donations and gifts from around the country and globe, and will distribute them to the community and impacted families. Here is the mailing address for the Newtown Bee:
Newtown Bee
PO Box 5503
Newtown, CT 06470
Note: It is suggested that gifts not be wrapped.
Also, gifts should not be sent to the address of the Sandy Hook school. The school is still a crime scene, and officials say it could be closed for some time to come.
It's been a strange weekend in Wisconsin with the tragedies in Connecticut, then the Packers going on to win. Like many of you, I watched the coverage all weekend long. I feel like I need a little break this morning.
Movies are all about escapism. It's one of the reasons I love film. There was a story over the weekend about how the piano from Casablanca sold, so here's where my mind went with it.
Play it again Sam. Right?
Nope. That's actually one of the most misquoted lines in movie history.
Misquote: “Play it again, Sam”
This is often believed to have been said by Bogart in Casablanca. In fact, he closest Bogart came to the phrase was this: “You played it for her, you can play it for me…If she can stand it, I can. Play it!” Interestingly, Ingrid Bergman’s character comes closest when she says: “Play it, Sam.”
If you're being picky, there's also these too:
Snow White
Misquote: “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
This is an incorrect quotation. In Disney’s animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), the wicked Queen asked: “Magic Mirror on the Wall, who is the Fairest one of all?”
This quote, usually attributed to Bela Lugosi who played Dracula in 1931, was actually never spoken by Lugosi. However, it was used for humor in Tim Burton’s 1994 Ed Wood. Muahaha!
Star Wars
Misquote: “Luke, I am your father”
Commonly believed to have been said by Darth Vader, this quote did not actually occur at all. The actual quote was “No, I am your father” and it was not even delivered on camera – it was dubbed in later; what was originally said on camera was “Obi-Wan killed your father”.
Also sometimes misquoted as: “Houston, we’ve got a problem.” Both are wrong. The correct historical phrase was: “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
Star Wars
Misquote: May the Force be With You
This quote is wrongly attributed to Obi Wan Kenobi who actually said: “The Force will be with you…always”, and “Remember, the Force will be with you…always”. Han Solo, on the other hand, did say this at one point in the film.
A group of guys are sitting around manning phones, answering questions about how to fix Christmas light bulbs. I received this picture via email from a company that was trying to get me to promote their 24-7 Christmas Light Bulb hotline. (Much like the Thanksgiving Butterball hotline.)
The reason this riduculous image made me laugh is that, only a group of guys that look like this would actually be sitting around answering phoned-in questions about light bulbs. That's some old school tech support. Makes me think of the SNL sketch about Chicago Bears fans. Oh yah der...you can fix dem Light Bulbs now. Ditka.
I suppose since I made fun of thier picture I could give you thier hotline...but use it only in case of a Christmas Lightbulb emergency. (In case you decide to go Clark Grizwold this year.
There's those weird meat flavored sodas. There was even a Kevin Bacon Bacon Sculpture. Now forr the food/bacon junkie in your life, the bacon-centric business J&D Foods has made Siracha flavored lip balm and bacon flavored shaving cream.
The shaving cream should make you a perfect tasty treat for any bear.
It's back. That's annual list of how much each item in "The 12 Days Of Christmas" would cost. Who knew those swans would hold their value from year to year. You'd think you could just catch some in the wild and save the money.
Every year, the people at PNC Wealth Management calculate their "Christmas Price Index" . . . which looks at all of the items in the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" and figures out how much it would cost to buy all of them.
This year, if you wanted to buy everything from the song once, it would cost you $25,431.18. That's up 4.8% from last year. But if you think about it, the song doesn't call for you to just buy everything once. Every day you're supposed to buy that day's gift, like five gold rings or eight maids-a-milking, AND all of the stuff from the previous days.
Like, on the third day, you don't just buy three French hens. You ALSO have to buy two more turtle doves and another partridge in a pear tree. To follow the song to the letter like that, it would cost you $107,300.24. That's up 6.1% from last year.
The biggest price jump this year is the six geese-a-laying. Six geese jumped 29.6%, from $162 in 2011 to $210 this year. Five gold rings had the next-largest jump. A pear tree had the third-biggest.
Here's the full breakdown . . .
--A partridge in a pear tree. The partridge is $15, the pear tree is $189.99.
--Two turtle doves. They cost $125, or $62.50 per dove.
--Three French hens. These are $165, or $55 per hen.
--Four calling birds. The price is the same as last year, $519.96, or $129.99 each.
--Five gold rings. These are now $750, or $150 per ring.
--Six geese-a-laying. These are $210, or $35 per goose.
--Seven swans-a-swimming. This is the most expensive item on the list, at $7,000, or $1,000 per swan.
--Eight maids-a-milking. They'll cost $58 . . . in other words, each one gets one hour of minimum wage, $7.25.
--Nine ladies dancing. Getting nine dancers costs $6,294.03, or just under $700 per person.
--Ten lords-a-leaping. That's $4,766.70, or $476.67 each. Although I bet if you shop around you can find 10 guys to jump around for cheaper.
--Eleven pipers piping. They cost $2,562, or $232.90 each.
--Twelve drummers drumming. They cost $2,775.50, or $231.30 each.
I know injuries are nothing to laugh about, but I just can't help myself when it comes to Turkey Fryer explosions. I think they are quite hilarious because they are 100% preventable. Therefore; the boneheads who hurt themselves doing it are bringing it on themselves.
Here's the stats for this year:
A lot of people think deep-fried turkey is the ONLY way to eat turkey. Unfortunately, it's also BY FAR the riskiest way to eat turkey. According to State Farm insurance, fire departments are called to at least 1,000 MAJOR FIRES or EXPLOSIONS because of turkey frying accidents every Thanksgiving. And those fires cause more than $15 MILLION in property damage.
From 2007 through last year, the state where the most people BLEW THEMSELVES UP or set themselves or their house on fire during turkey frying was . . . Texas.
The rest of the top 10 states with the most turkey frying disasters are: Illinois, New York, Ohio, Florida, California, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and South Carolina.
State Farm also says the number one thing you can do to avoid starting an accidental turkey frying fire is to cook a safe distance away from your home . . . DON'T set up the fryer in your garage or on your patio.
Actually, the number one thing you can do to avoid an accidental turkey frying fire is to cook it in the oven, like normal people do.
Check out Alton Brown making a blowtorch out of his turkey at about 3:00. Then he shows you the right way.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped donate to this year's Thanksgiving On The Mayflower food drive.
With a matching donation from Fresh Madison Market we helped donate over 20,000 pounds worth of food to the Community Action Coalition
School Challenge Winners:
1st Place: Monona Grove HS - $1,000 prize, just over 6,400lbs of food & cash
2nd Place: Blackhawk Middle School - $300 prize, just over 2,200 lbs of food & cash
3rd Place: East High School - $200 prize, just over 400 lbs of food & cash
We have something very unusual happening with Bruce Springsteen performing at President Obama's rally and Bob Dylan playing the Alliant Energy Center tonight.
I'm having a hard time remembering a time when TWO such notable acts have been walking around the streets of Madison at the same time. I might wager that such an event hasn't happened for a city of around a quarter-million people in quite some time. Plus, Dylan tickets are still available, so a lot of people have a shot of seeing them both in the same day.
The Rock & Roll gods must be smiling on us today. Soak it up.
Here's another example of Dylan and Springsteen together.
According to researchers at the University of Westminster, watching horror movies burns calories. That's because getting scared causes your heart rate to increase.
You burn a third more calories than normal when you watch something scary . . . which is the equivalent of a candy bar. Here are the 10 movies that burn the MOST calories:
#1.) "The Shining": 184 calories.
#2.) "Jaws": 161 calories.
#3.) "The Exorcist": 158 calories.
#4.) "Alien": 152 calories.
#5.) "Saw": 133 calories.
#6.) "A Nightmare on Elm Street": 118 calories.
#7.) "Paranormal Activity": 111 calories.
#8.) "The Blair Witch Project": 107 calories.
#9.) "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre": 105 calories.
#10.) "[Rec]": It's a Spanish horror movie. 101 calories.
What! No Poltergeist? It's stll the scariest movie in my book.
Nothing can top a good 5th Quarter from the UW Marching Band, but this is pretty cool. This happned at last weekend's Oho State vs Nebraska game. How many video games can you name?
If you're looking to buy a Halloween costume this year, you apprently need to AVOID THESE. Some of the worst ones seen are a sexy Oscar the Grouch . . . a 'big foot' costume that's not the half-man, half-ape but literally a large foot . . . a costume of the Sun that's just a yellow felt circle with a few points . . . and a woman's full-body jumpsuit that has "Halloween" printed on it for no apparent reason.
#5.) Cry Baby Adult Costume. This costume features an oversized tan polyester bodysuit with a large white diaper and a bib that says "Cry Baby." Rather hideous.
#4.) Sexy Oscar the Grouch. Last year "Sesame Street" released a line of sexier adult costumes. Some, like Elmo and Cookie Monster, might be okay. But putting a garbage can lid on your head and wearing a skirt with a garbage can print is not.
#3.) Big Foot. This isn't Bigfoot, the half-man, half-ape. This is a costume where you're wearing a giant foot. With hairy toes. And it costs $50.
#2.) The Sun. This costume is just lazy. Basically it's a big yellow felt circle with a few points sticking out. And it costs $40.
#1.) A Woman's Jumpsuit That Says "Halloween." It's not even a costume. It's a cheap-looking full-body jumpsuit that inexplicably has the word "Halloween" printed near the left shoulder.
Here's a silly question: which profession needs coffee the most?
Answer: all of them.
In any case, research must go on.
Dunkin' Donuts and CareerBuilder.com said workers in food preparation and the service industry have the greatest need for coffee.
The online survey of 4,152 U.S. workers found food preparation and service workers were the most likely to say their productivity would drop without coffee, followed by scientists, sales representatives, marketing/public relations workers, nurses, media workers, business executives, teachers, engineers and IT workers.
The survey, which was commissioned by Dunkin' Donuts and CareerBuilder.com in honor of National Coffee Day Sept. 29th, found 55 percent of respondents said they drink at least one cup of coffee per day and 63 percent of coffee drinkers tend to have two or more cups of java during the workday. The survey had a margin of error of 1.52 percentage points with a 95 percent probability.
Farewell to Mr. Moon River, Andy Williams, who has passed away at age 84.
In addition to being in everybody's mom's and grandma's record collections, and to rocking a Christmas sweater like no one else, he also introduced us to a group that was pretty darn popular in the 1970's, the Osmond Brothers!
When he first brought the Osmonds out on his show, Donnie was still too little to be part of the group.
I found a bunch of clips..but I liked this one the best because Andy sings with the kids. And there's a special guest at the end of the clip.
On a recent trip to London, I happened to walk past The Ritz Hotel. It's not the same one referenced in the song Puttin' On The Ritz, but i bet it was the original. I could have stopped to have a $45 cup of tea for tea time, but I decided to pass on that one.
According to a survey by a market-research firm called the Brand Index, America's favorite snack is Ritz Crackers. Here are the top 10:
#1.) Ritz crackers: They finished first for the second year in a row. The list is based on how many more people say they like a food than say they DON'T. And 55% more people like Ritz than hate them.
#2.) Lay's potato chips.
#3.) Doritos.
#4.) Fritos. They moved up from fifth place last year.
#5.) Orville Redenbacher popcorn. They're down from fourth place last year.
#6.) Wheat Thins.
#7.) Tostitos.
#8.) Cheetos.
#9.) Pringles. They moved up from tenth last year.
#10.) Triscuits. They moved down from ninth place last year.
I'd easily pass any of these up if presented with Kettle Chips, but I will admit previous addictions to Triscuits and Cheetos. (not at the same time, but now that's sounding like a good idea for a sandwich)
Who hasn't right? As long as you're buying something else, you can have a sample right?
According to a new survey, one in four people have stolen something from a grocery store, and more than one in three sneak samples of food before buying it.
In the survey by Sodahead, one in four people have swiped something from a grocery store. Most of them took something that was worth less than $20 . . . but 3% of people said they stole something worth more than $100.
The most common thing to steal is food, candy or gum . . . followed by cosmetics. Only 2% stole alcohol or cigarettes. One in four seems like a pretty high number of thieves . . . and it doesn't even include everyone who sneaks SAMPLES of food before buying it. 36% of people admit to doing that.
And above all this, 23% of people said they'd keep the money if a cashier gave them the wrong amount of change.
Over the weekend, I updated a couple of the multitude of accounts I have. Bank PINS, three different email passwords, credit card logins, facebook logins, twitter logins, the cable bill passwords, the electric bill account information.
Am I a slave to data? Sometimes it feels that way, but I know at least my data is reasonably safe because of it.
Here's how I know its partially safe.
Sorry to ruin your afternoon, but that PIN number you picked—probably a birthday, month/day combo, or year in the 1900s—is among the easiest for thieves to guess. And if you chose "1234," "1111," or "0000," consider your bank account a slush fund for anyone who steals your card. The firm Data Genetics looked through a database of stolen passwords—mostly for websites—and ranked the popularity of PIN codes, Slate reports. A few tidbits:
The least popular PIN is 8068, used in less than 0.001% of passwords. But with that information now public, it may not be the best choice.
The next four least-chosen numbers are "8093," "9629," "6835," and "7637."
People tend to like using odd numbers rather than even.
22nd-most popular is "2580." You can figure out why by looking at your phone keypad and seeing which numbers run down the middle.
The new James Bond movie Skyfall comes out November 9th. Yeah! I get a nice belated birthday present in November this year.
This video I found is only making me drool in anticipation. I sooooo wanted to drive the Lotus that Roger Moore got to drive, which by the way turns into a submarine. Two for one.
After recently viewing a James Bond exhibit, I do realize that the Lotus (from The Spy Who Loved Me,) which turns into a sub is actually a miniature model. Still. I do not care. I want to drive it into the ocean, just to see what will happen.
Honestly, I think the next burger is the best burger you're ever going to eat, but in a competitive and orderly society, we must rank things and determine who's best.
A new survey from Market Force information asked around 7,600 people across the country: "Who has the best burger out there?" The winner across the boards is Five Guys. i don't disagree, their fresh, made to order sliders are delicious. What surprised me is that the top fast food chains ranked somewhere near the bottom.
Here's some cool graphics courtesy of Huffington Post:
Hurray for the local leader Culvers. Butter Burger me baby!
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