These are a few of my favorite things...

A person I consider a mentor once told me, "People always say they hate advertising. But what they really mean is: they hate BAD advertising."

This is a picture of Ecuadorian team Barcelona Sporting Club's stadium Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo.

With a little black paint and some manual labor, Sony grabbed themselves 180,000 eyes staring at their logo for 2+ hrs. In the ad world, that's damn near priceless.

Modern day soccer is so dominated by advertising (ever heard of Red Bull New York?), it's easy to become jaded. So, it's nice to see an original idea.

I think the reason I love this so much is because it manages to be subtle, while it's punching you in the face. Like your girlfriend telling you a story about how she broke her new pumps today, while going through your wallet.

Just like yesterday.

Artist: The Who
Song: Won't Get Fooled Again

And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
No, no!

I'll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie

Do ya?

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

There's nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

Carl Sagan explains the Universe, for free, on Hulu.

I came across an interesting article during my daily trolling of the interwebs. The Discovery.com blog post announces that Hulu is hosting the entire Cosmos series. Before this I had heard Carl Sagan but this was my first, true introduction.

For those who are as ignorant as myself, Carl Sagan was an American astronomer and author who simultaneously advanced our understanding of astronomy and astrophysics while still being able to present this incredibly complex information in a way that doesn't make your brain hurt. After I watched a few episodes, I could see why Cosmos is the most widely watched PBS program in history.

The popularity of the series propelled Sagan into "Celebre-scientist" status. An area occupied by very few. Guys like: Einstein and Wernher von Braun, before Sagan; and Stephen Hawking and (my man) Neil deGrasse Tyson, after. These men had/have a way of sparking an intellectual flame that is rarely seen in the public today.

So, soak up some free info. If for no better reason than:

Cramer admits to "shenanigans" but refuses to handover pot o' gold.

I hate to write two Daily Show posts in a row but this story has been impossible to ignore. At current count, Google news has 1,400+ stories under the "Jon Stewart/Jim Cramer" heading. And it's still going.

Arianna Huffington, herself, made a post today where she wondered aloud about how CNN's John King interview of Dick Cheney would have gone differently if it would have been Jon Stewart asking the questions instead of John King.

Stewart's interview with the Mad Money host has been labeled at scathing attack on a honest and well intentioned man. But these critics missed the point of the interview. Stewart made it very clear that his attacks weren't aimed specifically at Cramer. Cramer just happened to be the one who stepped into the crosshairs.

This whole argument boils down to what role you think the news media should play in our lives.

Watchdog or Jester? Information or Entertainment? Bill Buckley or Billy Bush?

During the interview, Stewart challenged Cramer's network, "CNBC could be an incredibly powerful tool of illumination."

But instead of commending CNBC, Jon repeatedly rebuked the financial network. Even accusing of Cramer and others at CNBC of knowing that the "real" stock market is traded in a "backroom" and that these deals are "fast," "dangerous," "ethically dubious," and ultimately this secretive trading "hurts (the) long term market."

Heavy accusations but Cramer only answered with shrugged shoulders and meek apologies. Which was a recurring theme of the interview.

Too often today, intelligent conversation and insight are being traded for gimmicks and pandering. That's why we get journalists like Jim Cramer and Sean Hannity, and have to look to comedians for our news.

Personally, I hope the mass media wakes up and joins the emerging new-media companies that are bringing real journalism back to the table. Current TV's Vanguard series and The Real News Network are two that spring to mind. I believe, an informed and empowered American public is key to turning our country's fortunes around. If it takes dick and fart jokes to get people interested in politics again, so be it.

Here's the uncut interview. Salty language and everything.


Part 1:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Part 2:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Part 3:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Walk it off.

Like the gift that never starts giving, these bailouts are being touted as the only medicine for out ailing financial systems but we seem to have been misprescribed.

The DOW hasn't recovered. The job market hasn't rebounded.

Same shit. Same storm.

To make matters worse, our financial leaders might not just be incompetent but corrupt as well. You're astonished, I'm sure.

Joe Nocera, a columnist for the NY Times, wrote a great piece on the continuing AIG bailout. Nocera came on 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' last Thursday to discuss his article and A.I.G.'s recent $30 billion prize from the Federal Reserve Raffle.

Nocera and Jon Stewart do a great job of giving the audience a soberingly simple view of the A.I.G. scam (his words, not mine).

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Joe Nocera

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

Weird Science!

Cognitive psychology was one of my favorite subjects in school. It's a science focused on discovering how we learn language, solve problems, and the concepts that our brain uses to define our world. (Why can't you remember everything? Does how you raise a child effect its adult life? How do you learn to speak?).

It was like they were trying to write a owner's manual for you brain. I ate it up with a spoon.

I learned your brain doesn't care much about your daily life. It quickly goes on autopilot, only perking up when the right stimulus appears. Autopilot is fine for most occasions but most people don't know their brains are set to idle.

I recently came across some videos that shows exactly what I'm talking about. Here and here. Enjoy.