Thursday, February 28, 2013

Keith Ellison Calls Out Sean Hannity

Keith Ellison is quickly becoming one of my favorite politicians. He won't take any B.S.



He did a nice job calling out Tom Cole too.  Sean Hannity's ratings are falling like a rock too BTW. 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

AZ Tidbits

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Middle-Out Economics 101

I've had enough of the trickle down bullshit, how about we work from the middle-out?  


Monday, February 25, 2013

POTpourri

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Saturday, February 23, 2013

2013 Academy Award Predictions

The 2013 Academy Awards are tomorrow night.  As a movie buff I'm psyched!

Here are my predictions for the major categories:

Best Picture:
   Will win:  Silver Linings Playbook
   Should win:   Zero Dark Thirty
   ***winner:  Argo***

Best Actor: 
   Will win:  Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln
   Should win:  Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln
   ***winner:  Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln***

Best Actress:
   Will win: Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
   Should win:  Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
   ***winner:  Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook***

Best Supporting Actor:
   Will win:  Robert DeNiro - Silver Linings Playbook
   Should win:  Alan Arkin - Argo
   ***winner:  Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained***

Best Supporting Actress: 
   Will win:  Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
   Should win:   Amy Adams - The Master
   ***winner:  Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables***

Best Director: 
   Will win:  David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
   Should win:  Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
   ***winner:  Ang Lee - Life of Pi***

For the record, here's a list of my favorite films of 2012.
***Edited to add the winners***

Friday, February 22, 2013

End of Watch

"End of Watch" - starring Jake Gyllenhaal & Michael Pena

"End of Watch" follows police officers Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Pena) as they patrol the tough streets of south central Los Angeles.  It's shot documentary style via surveillance cameras, cellphone video, dashboard cameras and hand held cameras that they use as part of their jobs.  It's pretty gritty, they deal with some pretty unsavory characters but they also bond together and become best of friends.  I found it tragic, brutal, horrific and edge of seat exciting.  Strong performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena and supporting characters Anna Kendrick and America Ferrera.  I highly recommend.  

I give it 4 out of 5 stars (*****). 

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Hubris

Have you watched "Hubris: Selling the Iraq War"?   It was on MSNBC on Monday night.  If not, I highly recommend.  It is quite alarming.  Knowledge is power!



You can get the book here

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

TPSG's Top 10 Favorite Bands

Keep in mind, this isn't a list of the Top 10 bands ever, just my favorite bands ever.
  1. Guns N' Roses - Axel Rose and Slash, how does it get any better than that?
  2. Pearl Jam - I'll listen to anything Eddie Vedder is involved with.
  3. Nirvana - Kurt Cobain was a man before his time.
  4. U2 - My favorite concert ever was a U2 concert. 
  5. Foo Fighters - Dave Grohl can do no wrong in my book.
  6. Velvet Revolver - American super group, much too short lived.
  7. Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Anthony Kiedis & Flea know how to work a crowd.
  8. Van Halen - I loved them with David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar
  9. Green Day - best punk rock band ever?  In my book they are.
  10. Metallica - Best heavy metal band ever? Absolutely.   
Others:   Kiss, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Alice in Chains, Linkin Park, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

United States of ALEC

Are you familiar with ALEC?   You should be, knowledge is power, watch this video please. 


Monday, February 18, 2013

AZ Tidbits

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Embassy Attacks


POTpourri

Saturday, February 16, 2013

February Flavor of the Month . . .

. . . is Lily Carter, she's hot.  You can check out her website here




Friday, February 15, 2013

A Good Day to Die Hard

"A Good Day to Die Hard" - starring Bruce Willis & Jai Courtney

"A Good Day to Die Hard" is the latest installment in the Die Hard series, this being number 5.  This installment follows John McClane (Bruce Willis) to Russia to help his estranged son (Jai Courtney) get out of jail, only to discover that his son is a CIA operative who is attempting to foil a terrorist plot.  With few other options, the two of them team up to foil the plot & save the world.  IMO, this was easily the weakest movie in the Die Hard series.  While their was plenty of action and crashes to keep the action fans happy, much of it really stretched credulity.  McClane was crashing cars, being flung from a helicopter, flying through windows and dropping hundreds of feet through the air with nary scratch or broken bone, it's as if he had morphed into David Dunn, the Willis character in "Unbreakable" somewhere along the line.  Willis seemed to phone this one in too, lots of quips and smirks but he was a bit wooden and his heart didn't seem into it.  My advice, wait for the DVD.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars (*****).

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day


Favorite SI Swimsuit Models

In honor of the 2013 SI Swimsuit Issue's release, I thought that I'd list my Top 10 All Time Favorite SI Swimsuit Models, so here goes, just one man's opinion:
  1. Marissa Miller - hottest ever!
  2. Elle MacPherson - they don't call her "The Body" for nothing!. 
  3. Stephanie Seymour - how she never got a cover is beyond me.
  4. Paulina Porizkova - how she ended up with Ric Ocasek still baffles me.
  5. Cindy Crawford - so hot that she made a mole famous!
  6. Valeria Mazza - absolutely gorgeous Argentinian. 
  7. Tyra Banks - I loved her curves! 
  8. Naomi Campbell - flawless body.   
  9. Rebecca Romijn - long, lean and toned!  
  10. Vendela Kirsbom - blonde Scandinavian bombshell.

Flight

"Flight" starring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle

"Flight" is the story of airplane pilot Whip Whitaker (Washington) who miraculously saves his airplane from what appears to be certain disaster and in doing so saves the lives of nearly everyone on board.  The opening 30 minutes of this movie are as good and as edge of your seat as they come.  Whitaker is immediately hailed as an American hero for his heroic actions, things start running amiss though when a routine blood test comes back positive for alcohol.  The movies honestly starts to drag a bit at this point as Whitaker comes to terms with his substance abuse issues for the last 90 minutes or so.  Still, overall, an excellent movie, I highly recommend.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars (*****).

On a side note, look for Nadine Velazquez, she really steals her scene in the start of the movie.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

POTpourri

Fun.: We Are Young

"We Are Young" won the 2013 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.  It is a catchy tune




Monday, February 11, 2013

Pitchers & Catchers Report!

Pitchers and catchers are reporting!  I love it!  If you're a baseball fan, there's nothing better than spring in Arizona!  I just don't see how Florida measures up to tell you the truth, the Cactus League has 15 teams that all train within the same metropolitan area, the Grapefruit League by contrast, has 15 teams that are dispersed across the state of Florida.  If you spend a week in Arizona you could easily see all 15 teams, no doubt you could do the same in Florida but it would take a lot more time and effort.

My suggestion to anyone interested in coming on down to Arizona, book a room at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, it's a beautiful resort/casino located right next to Salt River Fields (spring home of the Diamondbacks and the Rockies), it's also fairly close to Scottsdale Stadium (spring home of the Giants) not to mention the top notch nightlife that you can find in Old Town Scottsdale.  It's also within reasonable driving distance to Phoenix Municipal Stadium (spring home of the Athletics) and HoHoKam Stadium (spring home of the Cubs).  Most of the other stadiums are on the west side of Phoenix and will take a little bit of driving time, it's not bad though as most of the driving can be done via the freeway system. 

I'm really looking forward to the Chicago Cubs new spring home, it's set to open in the spring of 2014, that will be the closest stadium to my home! 

This spring we will also be the benefactors of the 2013 World Baseball Classic, as some of the pool play games will be held in Arizona!  If you haven't been to Arizona for Spring Training you don't know what you're missing.  I can't wait! 

Sunday, February 10, 2013

2013 SI Swimsuit Isssue Cover

It's Kate Upton once again.  That's 2 years in a row. 


Saturday, February 9, 2013

AZ Tidbits

Here Comes the Boom

"Here Comes the Boom" starring Kevin James, Henry Winkler & Salma Hayak.  

I had very low expectations for this movie, but I must say, I was pleasantly surprised, it was funny, it was heartfelt, it was inspiring, those are things you can't really say about all of Kevin James movies.  It's about a high school biology teacher Scott Voss (Kevin James) who decides to turn to MMA to earn enough money to save his school's music program, he becomes a better teacher and person along the way.  It is easily the best Kevin James movie that I've seen.  Also solid were Henry Winkler as the high school music instructor, Salma Hayak as the school nurse and the object of Voss's affection and Bas Rutten as Scott's MMA instructor.  Give it a watch, I recommend.  

I give it 4 out of 5 stars (* * * * *). 

Friday, February 8, 2013

Nina Agdal Carl's Jr Commercial

A fish sandwich never looked so good!



Rumor has it, Agdal may have also snagged the upcoming Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover too.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Scalia on Second Amendment

Did you catch these comments by Justice Antonin Scalia on the second amendment:

"There are some limitations that can be imposed. What they are will depend on what the society understood were reasonable limitations at the time." 

I wholeheartedly agree, I think it's time that reasonable gun control measures get passed in congress.  If we let the Newton tragedy pass with no action taking place we should all be ashamed of ourselves.

POTpourri

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Chris Christie on Letterman



I'm not a big fan of Chris Christie's politics but even I will admit the guy is likeable and has some positive traits.  I really like the way he handled himself on Letterman this week. 

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

TPSG 2013 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Now that the Super Bowl has come and gone, it seems like a good time to reveal my 2013 NFL Mock Draft 1.0.  Keep in mind, it's still early in the process, things are bound to change after free agency, the Scouting Combine and possible trades, but as of today, here's how I see it shaking out.
  1. Kansas City Chiefs - Geno Smith - QB - West Virginia
  2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Bjoern Werner - DE - Florida State
  3. Oakland Raiders - Star Lotulelei - DT - Utah
  4. Philadelphia Eagles - Luke Joeckel - OT - Texas A&M
  5. Detroit Lions - Damontre Moore - DE - Texas A&M
  6. Cleveland Browns - Jarvis Jones - LB - Georgia
  7. Arizona Cardinals - Mike Glennon - QB - North Carolina State
  8. Buffalo Bills - Ryan Nassib - QB - Syracuse
  9. New York Jets - Barkevious Mingo - LB - LSU
  10. Tennessee Titans - Chance Warmack - OG - Alabama
  11. San Diego Chargers - Eric Fisher - OT - Central Michigan
  12. Miami Dolphins - Cordarrelle Patterson - WR - Tennessee
  13. Tampa Bay Buccaners - Dee Milliner - CB - Alabama
  14. Carolina Panthers - Sheldon Richardson - DT - Missouri
  15. New Orleans Saints - Dion Jordan - DE - Oregon
  16. St Louis Rams - Lane Johnson - OT - Oklahoma
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kenny Vaccaro - DB - Texas 
  18. Dallas Cowboys - Jonathan Hankins - DT - Ohio State
  19. New York Giants - Ezekiel Ansah - DE - BYU
  20. Chicago Bears - Zach Ertz - TE - Stanford
  21. Cincinnati Bengals - Eric Reid - S - LSU
  22. St Louis Rams - Keenan Allen - WR - California
  23. Minnesota Vikings - Manti Te'o - LB - Notre Dame
  24. Indianapolis Colts - Datone Jones - DE - UCLA
  25. Seattle Seahawks - Sharif Floyd - DT - Florida
  26. Green Bay Packers - Barrett Jones - OC - Alabama
  27. Houston Texans - John Jenkins - DT - Georgia
  28. Denver Broncos - Kevin Minter - LB - LSU
  29. New England Patriots - Terrance Williams - WR - Baylor
  30. Atlanta Falcons - Tyler Eifert - TE - Notre Dame
  31. San Francisco 49ers - Kawann Short - DT - Purdue
  32. Baltimore Ravens - Alec Ogletree - LB - Georgia

Monday, February 4, 2013

My Favorite Super Bowl Commercial

"Go Daddy" and Bar Refaeli of course



It took a reported 60 takes to get this commercial done right, that's one smart nerd.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Super Bowl XLVII

Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
What a game!  This is why the NFL is the popular sports league in America.  It really was a tale of two halves, the Ravens dominated the first half, the 49ers dominated the second half and you couldn't ask for a better finish, with the Ravens holding on for a 34-31 victory.  Congratulations to the Ravens

Observations:

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Friday, February 1, 2013

AZ Tidbits