New BK Ad Pushes It

This Burger King billboard ad is causing all kinds of controversy. Funny thing is it's only appearing in Singapore, which I thought was a puritanical society of sorts. Guess not. What do you think, does it go too far?



My favorite headline was from Reuters - "Burger King Blows Its Marketing Wad"

How's this Perez?

Breckin Meyer & Zac Efron Respond to Perez Hilton - watch more funny videos

Zack Morris: The 90s Are Calling

Zack Morris (as portrayed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar in character) was on Jimmy Fallon to show not much has changed in his world since Saved by the Bell. I would have expected him to become a Republican congressman or something.

Bret Michaels Gets Head Banged

Bret Michaels of Poison nearly gets decapitated by a wall at the Tony Awards

Obama's Favorite Tie

Helping the economy starts at home like recycling the same tie. Here's Obama tonight, on November's election night and in August at the DNC.

Britney Ain't Alright Yet

For all the talk of her comeback, Britney is still bat-shit crazy in my opinion. How many other 27 year-olds have their Dads worried about who they talk to on the phone? According to TMZ Britney is sneaking calls to Sam Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib, her shady former managers. Imagine how intelligent those conversations are.

Christian Bale and Joaquin Phoenix

Presenters at Saturday's Indie Spirits awards

Since this was Saturday, did Ben Stiller steal the idea to mock the bearded one? Nah, it's ripe and obvious comic territory. British comedian Steve Coogan (Hamlet 2) is under the bat mask. I haven't figured out who's doing Joaquin. Internet speculation is it's Jonah Hill, Horatio Sanz or some unknown director. Who do you think it is?

If this were the Prom...

Which couple wins the prom kingship? Jenn and John or Brad and Angie?

The Presidents

This being President's Day I got to thinking about our presidents and how they rank. There have been numerous surveys and polls by historians and non-historians over the years.

Lincoln is universally favored as our best. Because he 1)saved us from the civil war, 2) freed the slaves and 3) was assassinated. Of course it does not matter if #1 and 2 are not entirely true, they have been added to our cultural folklore of old honest Abe.

FDR saved us from the depression and WWII. So he rules too.

JFK was good-looking, screwed Marilyn and was also assassinated.

Reagan is beloved for "saving us from the Russkies" and engenders fierce man crushes from Republicans. Others come and go with the times, like the resurgence of Truman or decline of Eisenhower in the eyes of history.

In my opinion the best presidents were
1. Lincoln
2. Washington
3. FDR
4. TR
5. Jefferson
6. Monroe
7. Cleveland
8. Truman
9. Polk
10 Eisenhower

The worst were:
1. William Henry Harrison
2. Buchanan
3. Andrew Johnson
4. Harding
5. Pierce

There are flawed presidencies like LBJ, Nixon and Grant or even Clinton, where extremely capable men floundered their opportunity or let personal demons get the better of them.

George W. and truthfully Clinton still should appear in a list of "too soon to tell" along with Reagan as we need to wait a generation before pronouncing sentence on their terms. It may be safe to say now, however that G.W. Bush will go down as a more impactful (for bad or good) president than Clinton. Because of 9/11, terrorism and Iraq if for no other reason. Poor Clinton, who all his life wanted to be a great president simply didn't have the big events occur on his watch.

Old Kanye vs New Kanye

Kanye's changing fashions. Which do you prefer? Preppy or whatever that new look is.

New Music I've Downloaded

Not all of this list is "new" as I've been checking out year-end lists and this book "1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die." I got it for my cousin's Xmas gift, but wanted it myself. So guess where I found it? The LA public library downtown.

Fugazi - Repeater (1990)
Prince - Sign O The Times (1987)
Tangerine Dream - Rubycon (1970-something)
Aphex Twin- Ambient Works 1985-1992
Herb Alpert - Whipped Cream & other delights (swinging 60s)
Cocteau Twins - Head over Heels (1982)

Newish releases:
Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto
Crystal Stilts
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
Azeda Booth - In Flesh Tones (sounds like a chick, but really a guy singing)
Friendly Fires
Metaform - Standing on Shoulder of Giants
Jamey Johnson - a rare country download based on good reviews

Hall of Presidents

Today Pres-elect Obama visited the oval office to lunch with the former and current president.

(L-R, Former President George H.W. Bush, Pres-Elect Barack Obama, President George W. Bush, Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter)

Once Obama officially comes into office there will be 5 men living who have been president. I remember there being 6 of them in the 90s, Bill Clinton was president then and Reagan, Nixon and Ford were still alive. Being that Clinton, W. Bush and Obama are relatively young they should be around for awhile; so in like 2020 we might have 7 of them living. Or a really kick-ass version of the "X-Presidents"!