May 2010

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Sunscreens That Won’t Kill You

May 25, 2010 in Everything Else by archangel | Permalink

The scent of sunscreen is magical for me. Growing up on the Jersey shore, visiting the boardwalk regularly during the summer, the scent of traditional tanning lotion – coconut? cocoa butter? – will forever be etched in my mind as the scent of lithe, scantily clad, nubile young women. Whenever I get a whiff of it in the wild, I immediately go on alert. There be babes, here!

Unfortunately, a recent study suggests that certain additives1 may be attacking our beautiful bikini babes by accelerating cancer cell growth. I want to state on record that I am against this. The Environmental Working Group studies this pretty extensively and offers a list of the best (least lethal) sunscreens. You’ll also want to read their article listing surprising facts on sunscreen. Unless you’re like me and never leave a climate controlled environment.

  1. Mainly vitamin A [↩]

May 25, 2010 in BTW by zbalance | Permalink

Something I’ve joked about for years.
Nice argument starter.

God hates LOSERS

In Defense of Cuss Words

May 19, 2010 in Humor, Rants by bladerunner | 4 comments

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I believe cuss words are bad.  They are considered rude language, vulgar, low-rent.  And with good reason; they are only used when you run out of ideas, want to vent at someone or something or want to look tough in the eyes of someone even dumber than you.  Cuss words are often used as the default adverb or adjective for any ocassion, and they replace words which have actual meaning1.  So your language starts meaning less and less, when you use cuss words.

There’s even a club in Pasadena, CA that promotes the eradication of cuss words, and their membership is growing.  And folks are taking to making up fake words that *sound* like cuss words so that they can avoid doing the nasty2.

cuss_balloon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But don’t judge them too harshly.  There’s a reason ‘bad’ words are used today and were in use in Shakespeare’s time (although I don’t think he ever put anything too harsh in his works).   They are a great substitute for *actually* punching someone/something out because you are mad/frustrated at some perceived slight.  Think about it:  primitive peoples chose some random sound and assigned it a ‘bad’ meaning, and agreed that using that sound would connote anger and pseudo-violence.   So instead of fighting it out with the guy who cuts you off in the freeway,  you can let a few cuss words fly and it has the same effect3

Read the rest of this entry »

  1. Remember how awful it was when people started using “Smurfy” instead of a real word? [↩]
  2. My favorite comes from Dahl’s move “The Amazing Mr. Fox” where the word “cuss” actually takes the place of a cuss word.  Brilliant !! [↩]
  3. Well, sometimes words escalate into violence, but that’s not how it’s supposed to work. [↩]

Crack Team Instructional Video: CPR

May 19, 2010 in Everything Else by archangel | 4 comments

This video could save someone’s life, assuming you remember what is being said. Unfortunately, it could also get you fired.

Super Sexy CPR from Super Sexy CPR on Vimeo.

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FlashForward Canceled

May 14, 2010 in BTW, Television by archangel | 1 comment

FlashForward has been canceled. It was a great show, the show I thought would replace Lost like Fringe is belatedly replacing X Files. Sadly, it is not to be. I guess there’s always the book, but word round the campfire is that it’s pretty different from the series.

In related news, ABC also canceled Scrubs and Better Off Ted.

Happy Top Gun Day!

May 13, 2010 in BTW, Film by archangel | Permalink

Happy Top Gun Day! Now, off to find a target rich environment…

Why Ebert Hates 3D

May 5, 2010 in BTW, Film by archangel | 2 comments

Roger Ebert has a piece in Newsweek on why he hates 3D. I must agree. To be clear, there are good uses of it, but there are also a lot of crappy, after the fact, lipstick on a pig 3D conversions. This is just like the IMAX “conversions” where they use their patented process to change a regular movie into the exact same fucking movie, except it costs more. I’ve been boycotting the fake IMAX films (by boycott I mean I just see the normal version) and I’ll be doing the same with the fake 3D films. You may be surprised to find out that both Clash of the Titans and Alice In Wonderland are fake 3D. I just read they’re slapping it on Michel Gondry’s Green Hornet, too. Let’s all follow Ebert’s lead and save some money.

I do have one prediction: 3D in the home won’t take off until, like VHS and the Internet, it’s embraced by the pornographers.