You know what would be fun? SOME MUSIC!

Low's "Silver Rider"... suits the kind of mood I'm in today.

Ted's Friday Film Recommendation, 1/29

Sweet Smell of Success starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis (1957, Curtleigh Productions)

The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river!

BONUS!!! Ted's Friday Song Recommendation: "Man, It's So Loud in Here" by They Might Be Giants

If I may be so bold as to borrow from Hunter S. Thompson...

professional sports are a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.

Okay, so maybe, at least in this case, that's a bit extreme... and I realize these folks, like any other business enterprise, are in it to make money, but sheesh... here's that about which I'm currently rambling. The shameless money grab that is corporate sponsorship in pro sports... example: here is the first paragraph from a Houston Rockets press release on a roster move the club made today...

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned guard Jermaine Taylor to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In addition, the Rockets have signed Rio Grande Valley guard Will Conroy to a 10-day contract, marking Conroy’s fourth-career GATORADE Call-Up to the NBA.

And with that, it's official... about the only aspect of the world of big-dollar athletics that isn't sponsored these days is when the back-up point guard has to leave the bench to take a crap... that being said, the "Depends Dump of the Game" may just be right around the corner!

A Sort-of Look-Alike, State of the Union edition

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi...

and this thing, whatever the hell it is...

Ted's Friday Film Recommendation

Gonna try something new for the .172 of you on average that view my crappy blog on a daily basis... a weekly recommended-viewing post, so be sure to tune-in every Friday for a cinematic suggestion (or two)... some of my favorite films, good AND bad!

We'll start with a double-feature from one of my favorite film sub-genres... HEROIN FLICKS!!!

Jesus' Son starring Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton (1999, Evenstar Films) and...

Permanent Midnight starring Ben Stiller (yes, he HAS actually made a good film), Elizabeth Hurley (1998, JD Productions)

Enjoy!

I swear to you all...

I lose another 100 pounds and I'm gettin' myself an ensemble not wholly unlike the one worn by Simon LeBon in the video for "Rio"!

Hey, I'm thinking it's about time for a Celebrity Sort-of Look-Alike!

New USC head coach and least likely candidate to win the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce 2010 Man of the Year, Lane Kiffin...

and comedian / Comedy Central personality (which is strange, as Comedy Central seemingly has nothing at all to do with anything that is funny), Daniel Tosh

From "Smokin' Banana Peels"

Smokin' banana peels, see how it feels
Living is easy with ice cubes
The world is swimmin' with electric eels
Talk seriously to me brother
Smokin' banana peels, savin' the seals
There are four me's living all together
Got to keep an even keel
You've got to take life serially
Smokin' banana peels in between meals
I was all pumped up about the iron
Let's all pray get down and kneel

Time for the first Celebrity Sort-of Look-Alike of the new year!

Former Padres and Giants left-handed starting pitcher (former left-handed anything, actually), Dave Dravecky...

and sassy film critic, Rex Reed

A discourse...

on the matter of gastronomy...

CONCERNED FRIEND: Hey... did you get another haircut... or have you lost some weight?

ME: Yeah... I've been dieting rather seriously actually... thanks for noticing. I've taken off just under 75 pounds over the last three months.

CONCERNED FRIEND: No shit! Damn... that's awesome! You gotten back in the gym? What are you doing?

ME: I've been walking... done the exercise bike or stair-stepper a few times, but the weight loss has been all due to diet. I've been doing A, B and C.

CONCERNED FRIEND: Really? Well, you know what you should do... try doing X, Y and Z.

((LONG PAUSE))

ME: Well, I'm pretty happy with the way things have gone so far... another 20 or 30 pounds and I'm gonna try to start running again... that should help me take the weight off even more rapidly. We'll see how it goes.

CONCERNED FRIEND: (HAVING COMPLETELY IGNORED THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT) You know, if you do X, Y and Z... and you drink some black tea at 10:47 in the morning, then, some green tea at precisely 3:17 in the afternoon... and right before you go to bed, do three shots of tequila and follow that with a healthy blood-letting, man... that weight will start really coming off!

((LONGER PAUSE))

ME: I'll talk to you later.

So, here we are!!!

It's 2010, kids!!!

Meh.