Chuckin' Down

I have created another blog that is strictly devoted to film, music, and other issues related to pop culture. It features reviews/essays/comments on past films as well as currents ones, polls, pictures, news updates and important events/screenings/releases, and general sarcasm. This new project is in collaboration with a friend from my postgrad program at UEA, Britain's very own, Stevo.

Check it out at Boast.

Best,
mike

The Freewayblogger has struck again; this time with a brilliant little mash-up of the Beach Boys / why-the-crap-are-we-fighting-in-Iraq?
Please check it out, then go make a sign.

As if they needed to convince us any further, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America, responsible for 'rating' films) continues to remind us of their complete lack of credibility. Mind you, these people offer up very little in the way of moral encouragement when they blatantly break the law. These are the guys who are in charge of making or breaking a film's chances at the box office by giving it (or not) a certain pernicious rating/nod of approval. Why do we let them continue lay down their bogus judgements based on a completely subjective and wavering criteria of evaluation? Well, it could be that people are sheep and want others to make the 'moral' decisions for them...

On a similarly depressing note, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 has now made over $78 million at the US box office. People are actually paying money to watch this - lots of people and lots of money. The general concensus on Rottentomatoes leads us to believe that, were this film the only source of intellectual nourishment, we would all dissolve in our own stupidity. Quite a high price to pay for the alleged family values that the MPAA's rating would suggest and the distributors tell us are in the film. If these values embrace mediocrity (at best) as a joyously intellectual achievment then I'll take my family elsewhere.

Keith Olberman.
How to deal with critics:
First, do NOT answer the question that was initially put forward; instead, change it to something less indicting or irrelevant and then answer that one.
Second, explain to everyone* that they are the stupid ones and then offer to help by way of conjuring up patronizing and reductive definitions of certain key terms.
*(critics mainly; the administration already knows that the supporters are stupid and therefore any such assusation would be redundant and probably not understood anyway)
Third, apply the appropriate (or not) definition to whatever threatening issue or question you are asked to account for.

If any of this fails to dispel criticism, politely remind them that we are at war (as if it were their fault to begin with).

This is definitely m&h material, but I thought I would share here as well.
Names and a Date... a couple of pictures in there too.

Joss appears as a guest columnist for TV Guide.
I can't wait to download these new episodes of CSI using my brand new iHole!

Cory Doctorow explains.
Unfortunately, Blog.co.uk doesn't have a template option of grey... so just imagine that Chuckin' Down is proudly sporting a drab grey background.

BBC News.
Did the other guy get away?
I guess the moral of the story is to just go faster. But make sure you have that insurance card or they'll getcha!

Biologists have discovered what they think may be a new species of carnivore on the island of Borneo.
Check it out at WWF and Cryptomundo.

Those camera traps seem a lot like the speed cameras that always bust people for going 2 mph over the limit. No wonder the little blighter got caught. Welcome to the family, buddy.

Here is a brilliant mash-up of Kubrick and Mamet... kind of.
Oooo, I hate that Hal 9000!