Order of the Pheonix - A Potter that isn't Horrible

Just saw the most recent Harry Potter movie. I was surprised by the watchability of the thing. The special effects weren't distractingly awful and the movie lacked many of the gaping plot holes that the novels are well known for. The last scene did not consist of long exposition that if shared with Harry at the beginning of the movie would have prevented all of the events of the movie from happening. For a change, I didn't have the feeling that this was a children's movie written by a child. Anyway, I only mention this to give a reason for archiving these Potter-related amusements.

I'm a Genius, Trust Me

Personal privacy has never been a priority of the internet. The right search string can find just about anything and anyone. Now there are a couple of websites that make the job of being a digital voyeur much easier. These personal information conglomeraters take all of the data about you scattered around the internet and gather it together into one stalker-ready resource. Personal and professional data bumping into each other to produce a mutant offspring that was never meant to see the light of day. Of course, in the Web 2.o world, embarrassing people with facts of their own life is not enough. Sites like Spock.com, allow you to not only adjust your own profile but to classify others by whatever derogatory term you wish. Slander and libel disguised as accurate description. Others have already made comment on how these sites have been used to mislabel people as despicable criminals. Imagine if these sites became popular enough that they produced the top Google hit every time you searched your name. The first thing most people would see of your internet presence would be malicious terms pranksters planted on you (or all the wonderful fictitious tags you add to yourself - Nobel Prize here I come).

By the way Spock.com, if you are reading over my shoulder, my name is Sage Tyler, a 38 year old lumberjack from Walla Walla, Washington.

How Can I Get This Job - Seriously

South Florida politics are murkier than the polluted swamps that cover the state. As Carl Hiaasen has said,

The Sunshine State is a paradise of scandals teeming with drifters, deadbeats, and misfits drawn here by some dark primordial calling like demented trout. And you'd be surprised how many of them decide to run for public office.

It is home to Mark Foley and the original non-gay gay Republican politician, Bob Allen, head of John McCain's Florida Campaign. Nothing is more representative of this phenomenon than the Palm Beach County Commission (let's not talk about the 2000 presidential election - it will just make me sad). These guys make an outrageous $92,000 a year for a local government position. The state senators of Florida are only considered part time and make a salary of about $30,000 (before kick backs). Despite the obvious generosity of the tax-payers, Palm Beach residents have lost two of their seven commissioners in 2007 due to indictment. That's is nearly 30% of the commissioners that committed crimes while in office. Warren Newell and ex-chairman Tony Masilotti were both sentenced to 5 years in jail for using there votes to make money. Seems kind of unfair since Masilotti got to temporarily enjoy 10 million dollars in ill-gotten gains while Newell only stole 500k. But then Masilotti had a drug habit to support and we all know that isn't cheap. In the end though, Palm Beach County Commissioners have only one power that is worth anything and that is determining zoning on real estate and apparently these two knew how to use it (just not how to use it without getting caught). If that wasn't bad enough, a third commissioner, Mary McCarty, appears to be a very mean lady who picks on her poor, defenseless fellow commissioners. So, I go back to my original question. How do I get this job? A do nothing job that pays almost 100k and a person that limits their misdeeds to drowning puppies looks like a choir boy. Elect me. Just tell me how.

How Can I Watch Commercials Without the Annoying TV Shows

Since I seem to be on a roll with the archiving of commercials, let's continue the streak with a commercial that was deemed not be up to the high quality standards of television hackery. It is a shame since this is in fact a very amusing sixty seconds of shilling alcoholic beverages. Not being a fan of hops and barley, I am not the target audience of the beer companies but I do have to give them credit for consistently producing the best Super Bowl ads. The companies behind the other component of drunk driving could really learn something from their intoxicating brethren. Somehow Chevy has yet to find a way to entertain and sell at the same time, at least not on purpose.

Truth in Advertising

A while back, Chevy asked the internet community to develop an advertisement for them. Chevy provided the video and users were supposed to provide the copy. Of course, with the internet's permanent resistants being primarily made up of left-leaning cynics, the resulting commercials weren't exactly what Chevy had in mind. Me, also being a left-leaning cynic, found it quite enjoyable to see one of the faceless multinationals officially sponsor the production of a commercial that tells you why you shouldn't buy their product. Just like how those tobacco companies are forced pay for all those horribly lame "Truth" ads that tell you not to smoke.

Ready For Some Football

As I mentioned before, I am a big fantasy nerd. So, with the football season officially kicking off this weekend, I thought I might catalog these fantasy football-related videos that brought some joy to my simple life. I desperately need it as both of my fantasy teams decided to start their season next week.

But Will They Still Be Able To Host Marti Gras

It seems clear that Owen Wilson tried to kill himself. Someone who takes this kind of action has significant mental health issues. The kind that can't be solved by a quick stay in a Hollywood rehab spa. Now, you wouldn't expect the delusional individuals that cover show biz for a living to completely grasp the complexity of issues tied up with suicide and recovery from it, but I say one article that I am still shaking my head about. In Entertainment Weekly there as an article the actually had the gull to say;

"The report that Owen Wilson, the 38-year-old comic actor known for his easygoing demeanor, had attempted suicide was shocking and sobering for both fans and the industry. And it left many people wondering how this sensitive situation will affect the in-demand actor's workload."

Yes, that was what everyone wanted to know. How does Owen Wilson failed attempt to end his own life effect my ability to see Shanghai Noon III? I am not suggesting anyone send flowers to the Wilson family and even shed a tear for someone you will never meet. But still suicide attempt. No one is wondering when he is going back to work.