Documentary Film Of The Day: The Fall Of Fujimori...

Before watching this film, I knew very little about Alberto Fujimori and his stint as president of Peru from 1990 to 2000. The movie covers his unlikely rise to power, the authoritarian ways he dealt with rampant terrorism, and the corruption and human rights violations that led to his downfall. Fujimori himself is featured throughout the film after he has fled to Japan seeking asylum. Today, Fujimori sits in prison in Peru, but still maintains high approval ratings for his part in cracking down on violence there. I thought this movie was very interesting and made me wish our country wasn't afraid to hold our leaders accountable for the crimes they commit in the name of fighting terrorism.

Netflix it HERE.

Thanks, Melinda June...

I've been trying to put my finger on just what the cover of the new Sarah Palin book reminded me of. While she had a different one in her post, I think they're similar.

Other Band Names Considered By They Might Be Giants...

- Perhaps Those Guys Could Be Bigger Than Most People.
-There's A Chance These Individuals Will Be Enormous
-Them Sure Ain't Small
-I'd Consider Putting Money On Them Being Fucking Huge
-The Titanic Nature Of The Two Men In Question Is A Distinct Possibility
-They May Get Drafted By A Baseball Team In San Francisco Or A Football Team In New York

The New OK GO Video...

My friend Dan is the drummer for this band (the one batting all the balls) and just posted this on Facebook, so it is hot off the presses. Like the other OK GO videos, it looks cool as hell. Enjoy!

More Video Of People Jumping From High Places...

A friend of mine in British Columbia who is into paragliding posted this on Facebook. I love stuff like this. Try to watch it through to the end. The photography is amazing.

B.A.S.E.O. from justACRO on Vimeo.

What Do You Get When You Cross A Wombat With A Rectal Exam?...

Answer:

Holy Fucking Shit! A New Post!...

Greetings, all. For those of you who sent out search parties, you can call them off. I think this is the longest I have gone without posting since I started this goofy blog, so I understand your worry. I think I just needed a break. I'm hoping now that I've caught my second wind and will be posting once again with some regularity.

A few posts ago I mentioned THIS VIDEO and how cool I thought it was. Since then, thanks to Netflix Instant Viewing, I have worked my way through all 13 episodes of Cosmos. I can't say enough about this series. It was originally aired in the 80s, but still holds up quite well in my opinion. It is a celebration of scientific discovery throughout history and of the potential of the human mind. My limited knowledge of Sagan came mostly from those old Johnny Carson Tonight Show sketches. I'm happy now to have a more complete picture of who he was. While it is true that he could be a bit of a cheeseball, it is the good kind of cheeseball. His enthusiasm for science, knowledge, skepticism, turtlenecks and the intricate beauty of the universe was infectious. If you've never watched it, you should. If you have kids, watch it with them. It proves that not everything on television is crap.

Another Video With Two Favorites...

After finding the Louis Armstrong/Johnny Cash video, I am now on the lookout for live performances that combine two or more musicians that I consider legends. This is from a 1974 T.V. show on the CBC starring Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson and the great Ray Charles. Peterson is one of my all-time favorite pianists and Ray Charles is an icon. The sound and picture aren't great, but it's still worth it. I figure most of you know Ray Charles music, but if you aren't familiar with Oscar Peterson, here's a short sample of what he's capable of:

Things I Suck At: Caption Contests...

There are a number of blogs that, from time to time, feature caption contests in which a photo is posted and people compete to come up with the most original caption for it. One of the most prominent is the long-running "Firecrotch Of The Month" contest at The Pop Eye. Every time I see one of these contests it is a sad reminder of just how bad I am at captioning. I present to you a few of my failed entries from various sites. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong:

Shit I Liked: Team Cereal...

Granted, there weren't any dried marshmallows or plastic toys in the box, but as far as bland flake cereals went, this one was one of the best. I can remember many happy mornings polishing off a bowl of Team (without milk, mind you) and then digging the masticated cereal clods out of my teeth with my fingernail, admiring them for a second, and then putting them back in my mouth for further digestion.

Shit I Liked: Space Legos...

As some of you may have noticed, I have not been around as much lately. My posts have been thin and I haven't been leaving as many comments on your blogs (although I do still visit). I don't know what it is. I decided the thing I originally liked about the blog is that I can post whatever the fuck I want - funny or not. Like, maybe I'll post about random shit I liked...

In the early Eighties I was all about Space Legos. They invited creativity and were my toys of choice as a kid. They dominated any Christmas or birthday list I was asked to make. I would always build it as instructed first to prove I could, then quickly take it apart and make my own variations, often including parts from other sets. I found a site where you can browse every Lego set ever produced. If you were into Legos of any kind, you may find it interesting. These are the ones I remember having:

Cosmic Cruiser

Star Fleet Voyager

All-Terrain Vehicle

Space Probe Launcher

Mobile Rocket Transport

Robot Command Center

Documentary Film Of The Day: Objectified...

This film just came out on DVD a few days ago. It's by Gary Hustwit, the same director behind the Helvetica movie. This one looks at industrial design and the incredible amount of thought that goes into objects we use everyday, both in terms of their form and their functionality. Like his last film, I really like the sleek photography and subdued style Hustwit employs. If you're interested in design you should enjoy this one. You can watch the trailer HERE.

Netflix it HERE.
Available at iTunes HERE.

Birdmen...

I've jumped out of an airplane, but I don't think I'd have the stones to try this. It's cool as hell to watch, though!

There was a story about this on 60 Minutes, so if you want to see more you can check it out.

A Cool Video With Louis Armstrong And Johnny Cash...

Two of my all-time favorites - together.
This was taped in late 1970,
less than a year before Armstrong died.

Documentary Film Of The Day: Anvil: The Story Of Anvil...

This film ranks up there with some of the great rockumentaries I've seen. It is the story of the heavy metal group Anvil - a band that influenced metal heavyweights like Metallica and Anthrax - yet suffered through relative obscurity for the last 30 years. The movie follows the struggle of the original members to find the success they thought they had earned. It is funny and optimistic at times and heartbreaking at others. In case you're having doubts about Netflixing this one, you don't need to know Anvil's music to appreciate the story. Check it out!

A Carl Sagan Post...

After seeing this kick-ass video that Vikki posted on Facebook, I've been watching other Carl Sagan videos and learning more about him. I'll be honest. I've never read any of his books (I will now) or watched any of his shows like Cosmos (I will now). Here are a couple things to watch:

A hypercube rotation.

I Wasn't Sure What To Do With This...

I mean, it is Fox News. Is it even in dispute anymore that what happens there is not journalism?

Now, don't get me wrong. This Couey guy sounds like a bastard of the highest order and if you are someone who believes in hell, then I can understand why you'd think that's where he's headed. I'm just curious who their sources are on this, at least as far as the headline is concerned. Maybe they meant that he was headed to Hell, Michigan, in which case I apologize.

This Monkey Is My New Hero...

I randomly Googled monkey fart just now and found this. I'd never seen it before. I love how matter-of-fact the monkey is about it. He walks up, does his business, and gets out. I'm sure I did the same sort of thing more than once to my little brother when we were growing up. I know for a fact that he used to do it to me.

These Guys Really Give Me The Willies...

Edited to add:

A Movie Moment That's Always Bugged Me...

You know that scene in Billy Madison where Billy has his young friend, Ernie (the guy who pees his pants), call their teacher, Ms. Vaughn, in order to find out whether she likes him (Billy)? Well, I think it was WAY out of line for Billy to yell at Ernie the way he does. Let's break it down:

• Right from the start, it's obvious Billy is taking advantage of Ernie's low self-esteem. Ernie, with his many urinary problems, clearly has very few friends and will do anything to win Billy over, even something as embarrassing as calling his teacher. Ernie obliges without argument.
  
• Billy prompts Ernie to ask a series of unseemly questions regarding Ms. Vaughn's "status" (Does she have a boyfriend, Does she like anyone in class more than a friend, etc.). Ernie does so flawlessly, in my opinion.
• Billy then tries to push the limits of what is appropriate by telling Ernie to ask her if she'd ever consider dating anyone from class. When Ernie objects, Billy screams, "Just DO IT!" Again, Ernie does as he is instructed.
  
• As she starts to answer, Billy then gets on another phone to listen for himself. When it becomes clear that Ms. Vaughn has mistaken Ernie's questions as an indication that he (not Billy) has a crush on her, Ernie gets right to the point and asks her about Billy. When her response is not the desired one, Billy chimes in using a high-pitched voice that is supposed to imitate Ernie (but sounds nothing like him) and says something impulsive. His comment raises suspicion and he is forced to abort the mission and hang up abruptly. He then berates poor Ernie, yelling, "You BLEW IT!"
  

If anyone blew it, it was Billy. I don't know what he was getting all bent out of shape about. Nowhere in this exchange did I notice any failure on Ernie's part. He did exactly what he was asked. One could make the argument that by mentioning Billy's name, Ernie had sabotaged the plan or "blew it". I, however, would argue that unless she is some sort of Mary Kay Letourneau-type as well as completely oblivious to the fact that she has a grown man in her class, she knows that dating third graders is taboo and that the call was being placed on behalf of Billy. I think Ernie performed with flying colors and that Billy needs to reflect on just who really "blew it". If only he'd look in the mirror, I think he'd find his answer.

If you want to judge for yourself, the scene is HERE.


Edited to add: I guess Billy does make up for it somewhat with the fake pants-wetting bit.

A Documentary Double-Feature: Style Wars And POPaganda: The Art & Crimes Of Ron English...

When it comes to documentaries, I'm always on the lookout for stuff I haven't seen yet. When I find something, I immediately add it on Netflix where there are currently 81 titles in my queue. The first film, Style Wars, was recommended in multiple comments on this post on The Documentary Blog. POPaganda was on list called F!ilms2CB4uDi3. I received them at the same time and watched them back-to-back, not knowing they'd have similar subject matter. Both are about outlaw artists. Style Wars was made in 1983 for PBS. It follows a number of prominent graffiti "writers" in New York City. I thought it was incredibly well-done. POPaganda is about Ron English, an renegade artist who made his mark by covering over billboards with his own take on advertising. They're both about people who are desperate to display their art to as wide an audience as they can and who will risk arrest to do it.

After watching these I noticed the similarities between what they were doing and what I'm doing with the blog. Granted, I'm not really risking much (other than a little dignity) and I'm not being as in-your-face about it as a graffiti artist, but I can relate to the desire to have people look at what you're doing. I have to admit, I get a kick out of looking at the StatCounter thing and seeing people from all over the globe finding my blog by searching for "Sandy Duncan's Glass Eye" or the "G0-Go Gophers". Also, like graffiti art, there is no guarantee that someone who sees my blog won't be offended, which I like.

Style Wars website (very cool!)
POPaganda website

Everyone Get Out Their Copy Of "The Boys Are Out Tonight"...

...and listen to it in honor of Scott Baio's birthday.
Chachi turns 48 today!

Also, while you're at it, if you could leave a short synopsis of what you've been writing on your blogs the last few days in the comments, I'd appreciate it. I have like 7 million posts waiting for me after being away and it could save me some time (I read bad).

Playing Cards...

I'm heading to Chicago for a bachelor party this weekend, so I won't be around for a few days. Before I go, though, I want to talk about a phrase that has become commonplace in our contemporary discourse, especially when it comes to politics. Whenever someone brings up a sensitive subject to support their own claims or dispute someone else's, odds are some asshole in the media will report that they have "Played the _____ card." (the "race" card, the "fear" card, etc.)

To those people I'd like to say: suck my genitals.

That's right. I'm playing the "suck my genitals" card - the card that trumps whatever weak-ass shit you have in your hands.

Ways I Annoy The Shit Out Of My Girlfriend, Part 16...24...46...Hike!...

I watch football.
And while I watch football, I talk to the T.V.
And sometimes the things I say aren't very complimentary.
And if I were someone who wasn't into football, I'd probably think it was obnoxious, too.

There is some bad language here, so be warned.

I Just About Spoiled My Dinner...

Remember to always keep your mouth closed
when riding your bike.

You never know when you might come upon
a cloud of gnats.

Trust me on this one.