Random Thursday
Category: Random Thursday...
Posted Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 07:18 AM [GMT-6]

Read a story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about how Nike is teaming up with various "street artists" in an attempt to market to unconventional niches, like skateboarders and crackheads. OK, I made up that last one. Anyway, the writer described the work of one such artist as "hyper-realistic." I kinda thought realism was like being dead or pregnant; you either are or aren't, and degrees are unnecessary.

Nevertheless, today's Random Thursday should be considered hyper-realistic, because it's realer than real. Really.

  • Egging On the Users - Still picking on writers, I can't resist pointing out a sentence in a technical article wherein certain software users were deemed to be unfairly "yolked with security provisions" (not an exact quote, except for the "yolked" part). I dunno; perhaps the users truly are eggheads.

  • And speaking of eggs and the fowl who lay them, my brother shared last weekend how his herd of chickens has been steadily reduced in size, first by coyotes, and now by – get this – javelinas. I never realized that the peccaries *snicker* were meatosauruses (bonus points for movie ref), but they will apparently eat anything. I once dated...well, never mind. In case you're wondering (and who isn't?), coyotes are clean in their killing techniques, hauling the birds away, while the nasty little piggies act to type and generally make a big mess of things.

  • And speaking of acting, we haven't exactly been enthusiastic consumers of this season's new television fare, but one guilty pleasure is Samantha Who, ABC's sitcom starring Christina Applegate, who plays an amnesia victim who is slowly finding out that in her previous life she was a Very Bad Girl. I predict that Applegate will be a front runner for an Emmy, and she's working with excellent scripts. It doesn't hurt that it's got Dancing With the Stars as a lead-in, but the audience has given ABC enough encouragement to extend its run.

  • And speaking of Dancing with the [Not]Stars, our dance instructor has taken on the monumentally frustrating task of teaching us the Quick Step, a project akin to teaching, um, javelinas to eat chicken with knife and fork. But, I have to admit that anyone who can listen to the following music without wanting to get up and dance is likely a soulless automaton:

    Anyone know where I can get a good deal on a zoot suit?

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Comments

Duh...Jurassic Park.

I might have an unfair advantage for that one, though. My older son went through a phase a couple of years back where that was the only movie he'd watch. I'll be just fine if I never, ever see that movie again.

Posted by: Tricia at October 25, 2007 08:14 AM

That was a softball of a question, but I wanted to go easy on folks so early in the morning. ;-)

After watching all I could stand (40 minutes) of Running With Scissors, I'll gladly take multiple viewings of Jurassic Park any day!

Posted by: Eric at October 25, 2007 08:41 AM

Jurassic Park was one of the few movies I've ever seen that really frightened me. That scene with Jeff G. on the back of the jeep and that Javelina chasing him!

Shivers, I tell you. Goosebumps.

Posted by: Jim at October 25, 2007 09:11 AM

Jeff was just lucky he wasn't wearing a chicken suit in that movie.

Posted by: Eric at October 25, 2007 09:33 AM

Eric ..... "Sing, Sing, Sing" would have my nomination for one of the greatest works of 20th-century American music ..... thanks for sharing!

In return, may I share this YouTube audio/video clip? It's Gene Krupa performing "SSS" at the Hollywood Bowl, with the Benny Goodman Orchestra, the final two minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9J5Zt2Obko

Posted by: Jeff at October 25, 2007 10:40 AM

Great video, Jeff. Interestingly, I actually bought TWO copies of "Swing, Swing, Swing" via iTunes last night. The first is a remastered version of Benny Goodman's rendition, and the second is Gene Krupa and his orchestra's version!

I wonder if SSS featured the world's first commercially successful drum solo? Wipe Out and Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida are cheap imitations by comparison!

Posted by: Eric at October 25, 2007 10:45 AM

Ok, I see a dance demonstration in the near future. Maybe a fellowship to showcase "dances"!
Love "Sing, sing, sing"

Posted by: Jen P at October 25, 2007 11:12 AM

Jen, you bet. You provide the beer and we'll do the steps. ;-)

Don't hold your breath, by the way.

Posted by: Eric at October 25, 2007 12:14 PM

Well, I did want to resign, so now I see an early out! Proud of y'all for attempting such a hard dance!!!

Posted by: Jen p at October 25, 2007 04:59 PM

I'm sure you are better than you think hehe. I know, I've seen you dance!

Posted by: Rach at October 28, 2007 05:07 AM

Well, Rachel, I'm pretty sure we ARE better now than when you saw us. If we're not, we've wasted a lot of time and money!

Posted by: Eric at October 28, 2007 08:15 PM
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