Wes Anderson: Genius

You may have seen Wes Anderson's "American Express" commerical airing on TV. Here's the uncut version.

The Colbert Report: Bill Kristol Interview

Stephen Colbert interview's Fox News' Bill Kristol about the PNAC (Project For the New American Century) and other current events. For those who don't know, the PNAC wrote several reports in the mid-90's that called for: a larger military, more aggressive use of the military to protect U.S. interests, and a general call for America to assume "global leadership".

One report that was brought to my attention following 9/11 was called: "Rebuilding America's Defenses". This paper outlined a plan for America to develop an even stronger, larger, and more dominant military. In fact, there's even one creepy sentence regarding the prospects of "selling" such an increase in military might that reads:
The process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event - like a new Pearl Harbor.

Mind you that this was passage was written in September 2000. The entire paper can be read here.

Ironically, Colbert feels like one of the more difficult interviews I've ever seen Kristol give.

See the video HERE. (thanks to crooksandliars.com)

Ever feel like actors are "robots"?

Vin Diesel sends out the Vinbot-5000 to do press for his new movie "Find Me Guilty". Too bad he didn't program the thing to give varied answers to the same questions. And wait... an ACTUAL funny segment from "The Showbiz Show with David Spade"? Sounds like somebody went shopping for a "Daily Show" producer during their hiatus.

Can 94% be wrong?

Just crusing through MSNBC.com and found this.

Why I'm a Democrat 101...

I usually try to keep discussions of politics AND abortion off this blog. But if I must, I might as well kill two birds with one stone.

If you haven't heard, recently South Dakota became the first state to ban abortion... except in the case where a mother's life is in danger.

Here's where I come in. Because whenever I hear a hard to define term like "life is in danger"... I wonder how that "danger" is going to be defined. So I searched out a couple of articles... and then came across a video piece put together by PBS on the subject. It began with this summation of the South Dakota ban:
South Dakota's law makes it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion unless the mother's life is endangered. There are no exceptions for cases in which a mother's health may be threatened or cases in which the pregnancy results from rape or incest.

Wow! Pretty harsh huh? Of course there were a few legislators who fought for some "leeway" in the whole "rape and incest" thing. Click here for AUDIO.

So "the middle", as the Democrat sees it, is where exceptions are made for rape, incest, and when the life of the mother or fetus is at risk. Sounds pretty reasonable, right?

It's at this point, the reporter interviews Republican State Senator Bill Napoli about his thoughts on such a "rape and incest" provision. Click here for AUDIO.

Now is that the kind of detail in describing a rape victim that comes off the top of one's head? Or did this guy think about this long and hard (no pun intended) before coming up with this WAY TOO DETAILED scenario?

Also, can you just see the "checkboxes" on Mr. Napoli's form that must be filled in order to allow an abortion?

I can just see a nurse with a clipboard asking the shaking victim, "Okay, so I know you say you were "raped"... uh huh... but would you consider yourself BRUTALLY raped? Okay good, and how about sodomized? Okay... was it as bad as they could make it? Alright... but would you also say you were SAVAGED? Uh huh, and you're religious? AND a virgin?"

Does this sound like "the middle" to you? How about the distant suburbs of "the middle"?

Later in the story, we discover that Mr. Napoli sees this abortion ban as a "return to traditional values". And offers up this bit of nostalgia:
When I was growing up here in the wild west, if a young man got a girl pregnant out of wedlock, they got married, and the whole darned neighborhood was involved in that wedding. I mean, you just didn't allow that sort of thing to happen, you know? I mean, they wanted that child to be brought up in a home with two parents, you know, that whole story. And so I happen to believe that can happen again.

Wow! A forced marriage that the "whole darned neighborhood" is involved in? Can't you just smell the buckshot? Traditional values ROCK!

A serious "hat tip" to this PBS article. The whole video can be seen there.

Ashlee Simpson "dumber" than Jessica?

From a recent interview with Ashlee Simpson:

Ashlee Simpson has joked that she is more attractive than sister Jessica.

The singer claims she is prettier than the 'Dukes Of Hazzard' star, despite denying rumours of sibling rivalry in the past.

She is quoted in Scotland's Daily Record newspaper as saying: "I'm taller than she is and my legs are longer than hers

…I got lucky because my chest size isn't completely massive.

You got "lucky" because your chest size isn't COMPLETELY MASSIVE?! WHAT?! That's like saying you got "lucky" because your hands don't have all their fingers.

As dumb as Jessica is... she'll never come close to her little sis'.

Hat tip to Goldenfiddle for the article.

If anyone cared... I'M BACK!

Well, I found out my web host SUCKED over the weekend. And thankfully am finally back "online" as of 4:00AM Los Angeles time. I have a new web host, and now seek the complete destruction of the one who wiped my files off their server not once (due to disk failure)... but TWICE (when they thought they could restore the files).

If anyone knows of a "Better Business Bureau" for web hosts... please let me know. For all others, the demon-seed web host is known as: Rackslash.com (notice it's not a link)

My new host, which has been VERY accomodating is THIS ONE!

It's great to be back.

How can "goldenfiddle" be wrong?

I must admit that when I wake up, get my coffee, and shuffle into my office... one of my first things "to do" is check in with Spencer Sloan's brutally honest, and hilarious blog "goldenfiddle.com". The guy is a master at skewering celebrities, drunken debutantes, and any other pretentious asshole that stumbles in front of a camera.

The one funny thing? I trust him completely when it comes to his taste (or distaste) in movies, television shows, and personalities.

So it surprised me today when I logged on, and saw this entry:



Did I read that right? Big Love? Not... very good? Ouch.

Not only do I think Big Love is VERY good. In my opinion, I think it's "outdone" the Sopranos so far. I'd hope that Spencer would be watching "Big Love" to make such a definitive statement.

If he has... we disagree. Oh well, It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Scott McClellan: gone... but not forgotten

The White House Press Secretary formally resigned today. Keith Olberman's "Countdown" gives him a proper send-off "montage-style". Brilliant. Thanks to Crooks & Liars for posting.

Gilbert Gottfried named "Unsexiest Man"...

The Boston Phoenix declares that comedian Gilbert Gottfried is the "Unsexiest Man in the World". That hurts. What's worse? Being less sexy than (second place) Yankees' pitcher Randy Johnson, and (third place) Roger Ebert.

Honorable mention includes: Dr. Phil McGraw, George Steinbrenner, Alan Colmes of "Hannity & Colmes", Osama bin Laden (#8), and Mike Diamond from "The Beastie Boys".

This is one year-old "Tasha"...

She was recently returned to the Burbank Animal Shelter due to her "high energy levels". Apparently she's so "energetic" that they were unable to photograph her with her paws on the ground.

If you're interested in this "floating dog of love"... you can find her here.

Tenacious D's "Blowjob" (NSFW!)

If you thought Tenacious D went "over the top" on their HBO series. Here's an "extra" that makes their show look like something... more tame... than this?

Darth Vader almost sounded like Austin Powers?!

Apparently this is David Prowse (the guy inside the Darth Vader costume) doing Darth's voice during takes of the movie.

According to Prowse:
Prowse claimed that he had prepared his lines to a professional standard and did not realize until the premiere that his voice would never be heard in the film series.

How dumb do these "virus spammers" think I am?

I know damn well that J Lo ain't takin' her "closes" off for no damn pickt-chers.

Century21 video "The Debate"...

YOUTUBE.COM to the rescue. With a "hat tip" to ADJAB.COM for finding it...

The tale of the Century21 video...

Okay, one month ago I post a blog entry about a Century21 commerical that pissed me off.

However, before we get started here, I must mention that my wife brought the commercial to MY attention. See that right there? That's called a "hat tip" in the blogging world. It's a way to say, "Hey, thanks for the 'heads-up' on that subject," or "I second this guy's anger on this particular subject." Moreover, it's simple, courteous, and right... three things that I always try to be.

Which brings me to a few days ago, when my brother (hat tip for Ryan) sends me an email saying that Slate.com had a story about the very same "tag team/angry women" commercial. I surfed on over to Slate and read the article, and even clicked their "watch the ad here" button. To my surprise, the URL came up as MY OWN WEBSITE? That's right, not only had the Slate writer used the same subject matter, he'd apparently read my blog entry (as it's the only location where the commercial link existed) as well.

I know what you're thinking. Did I get the "hat tip"? Wait, that is what you were thinking, right?

Sadly, not only was the answer "no". But now I sit here, four days later, with traffic (and bandwidth use) at an all-time high. In fact, here's a snapshot of my traffic counter.
(FYI: 7,690 visitors beat my "daily visitor" record by some 7,000) Apparently, the Slate.com article is getting linked to tons of other websites/blogs... who all still link to good ol' www.russellarch.com without one single solitary "hat tip" among them.

One even has the balls to link FIVE different blogs about the commercial EXCEPT the one he links the video from? (Note: here is where I acknowledge that most of these people are completely unaware of the existence of my blog entry, and I understand. It's just more dramatic to screwed over by throngs of people.)

Some of the BWHT (Bloggers Wihout Hat Tips) include:
This one.

This one.

That one. (with the five story links)

This one.

This one here.

Another.

And of course, the one that started it all.

That's it. Oh, and I've re-posted the original commercial here if anyone wants to see it. Hat tip to myself for the effort.

Slate.com borrows my frustration?

My brother emailed me today to let me know that Slate.com had a story on that Century 21 commercial that pissed me off. It wasn't a real surprise... I mean, after all, it is one of the most emasculating thirty seconds that ever stuck to celluloid.

However, when I went to Slate.com and clicked their "watch the ad here" link... I was surprised that the quicktime of the commercial was playing THROUGH MY WEBSITE?! I can only assume the writer stumbled upon the blog entry, watched the video, and decided to write a similarly scathing opinion of the she-devil and her nefarious real estate agent. No big deal.

Except that when the writer decided to describe the wife to his readers... he chose these words:
Meanwhile, the wife (who looks like a more hostile Mary Louise Parker—though she lacks MLP's patented bone-dry delivery)
Now, here's my description of the wife:
Again, can someone tell me what the opposing point of view is to this freckled, angry, in-your-face, Mary-Louise-Parker-look-alike's verbal assault?

Hey pal... I need to you step away from my Mary Louise Parker references from now on. They're all I have. As for the article? Not bad.

(NOTE: I relinked the video of the commercial here.)

I love Mac's...

...but this is funny too. WARNING: NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

You know how you hate car alarms?

I would guess that more computers will be punted than stolen thanks to this bit of "technology".

Please watch "South Park"...

I rarely try to get people to watch anything on television. After all, what some people find funny, others find so unfunny that they enlist the FCC to fine networks outrageous amounts of money so they'll turn our "entertainment" into a bland and flavorless mush called ZARTHAX. Ooops, I've said too much.

However, "South Park" is a different story. Here's a complete episode of SP that deals with the popularity of reality television. Watch while you can... I'm sure Comedy Central lawyers are working as we speak to have this removed from the land of YOUTUBE.COM.

Another "Maury" paternity test...

I dare you to turn away!

After the legless dog video...

...I decided to do a search at YOUTUBE for "Maury", and came up with this gem. This dude's reaction to the words "you are NOT the father" is something else.

Amercian Children Too Fat for Car Seats?

According to this article, over 250,000 American children are too heavy for car-safety seats. The fix?

Makers of car-safety seats are having to make sturdier models to ensure levels of safety for these seriously obese and overweight children are maintained.

That's right, instead of addressing the issue of why children are becoming more obese... the seat manufacturers are simply going to manufacture a heftier child safety-seat. Brilliant!
Standard safety-seats are designed for children who weigh less than 40 pounds. Most of the children who were found to be over the limit were three years old. For a three-year-old to weigh over that amount he/she is either incredibly tall or seriously overweight.
So these kids will be safer in cars... but what about life? I guess when over half of our population eventually gets diabetes from being overweight... the government will just start adding insulin to the drinking water?

How was this never a Nintendo 64 commercial?

The product: Nintendo 64. The day: Christmas. The excitement level: Nuclear Meltdown

Meet "Faith", the two-legged dog...

I've actually seen several short news stories about this dog. Faith was born with no front legs, and has been trained to walk upright. Take a look at how this dog stands, walks, and lays down... all on her own. It really takes a few watches before it really sinks in.

Sharon Stone wins "Mom of the Year"...

According to this New York Post gossip page, Sharon Stone flew in 1st class, while her nine month-old son and nanny rode in coach. Her reason?
"First class was sold out," a spokeswoman explained. "She tried to get them seats in first class but couldn't, and she didn't want them on a separate plane."
I know what you're thinking, "Sharon Stone flying WITH her son in coach?" Impossible. But don't worry... the source claims that Stone did venture back into coach to check on her son... probably holding her breath the whole time.

If you've never seen it...

...it's a classic. Shatner does "Rocket Man" at the 1978 sci-fi awards.

Shouldn't a reporter be observant?

This reporter almost gets run over by a large male streaker and yet fails to even mention/acknowledge/or even look in his direction. Surely there's a White House job waiting for this guy.

Amazing music video!

Rob Schrab creates an amazingly original video for Death Cab for Cutie's single "Crooked Teeth".
Puppets on greenscreen never looked so friggin' good!