I'm an idiot - e-brake edition
I love my Subaru but why the fuck is there an incessant beeping when I forget my seatbelt but not even a peep when I leave my parking brake on? Believe it or not, even after driving like the dude above (read: more like this) and then hitting the highway for 15 miles, the horrible stench of burnt rubber waits until you get out of your car and close the garage door.
Update: Thanks Nucci for pointing out the difference between "edition" and "addition"
Off to the races!
The men and women of the Upper Valley Major League Over 21 Beer Drinking Ski Racing Association will convene at Whaleback tonight for the weekly on hill (see attached) competition and off hill () activities.
Ron Browz - Jumpin' (Out The Window)
Reminded me of this (Circa 2005)
Also, while on my search for the above article, I discovered that I, in fact, didn't invent the term "Nobody Rages Anymore" and that it probably dates back to your dad's time (Hi Meredith, Kelly/Hanna/Jamie, Lizzie, Maynard, Sheppe, Chopper, Dodger, not Mandel).
Make your vote count (See sidebar left)
For under the Brook's Brother's / at an ALT show:
At an ALT show:
Chillin at home:
Casual Friday?:
Or give it a shot
Create / Save / Link / Comment / Bap
At an ALT show:
Chillin at home:
Casual Friday?:
Or give it a shot
Create / Save / Link / Comment / Bap
Fwd: oh no! is med school lame?
from Weiss
to Neil
cc AMDAL, et. al.
date Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 12:51 AM
subject oh no! is med school lame?
im becoming worried that med school might not be as sweet as i once thought. first of all. it's 1 am on saturday night and im not even close to done studying for the night. secondly i just got this email suggesting we have a party at 8pm on
monday after our tests.
i've selected the best line from it:
Tagline: Party at 8 at Apt 8... the tagline's good, which means the party's gonna be even better.
first of all, who the fuck thinks thats a good tagline?(!) and secondly, the line before that one said BYOB. outrageous. i guess i could digress into a rant here, but probably only yale would appreciate it...
to Neil
cc AMDAL, et. al.
date Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 12:51 AM
subject oh no! is med school lame?
im becoming worried that med school might not be as sweet as i once thought. first of all. it's 1 am on saturday night and im not even close to done studying for the night. secondly i just got this email suggesting we have a party at 8pm on
monday after our tests.
i've selected the best line from it:
Tagline: Party at 8 at Apt 8... the tagline's good, which means the party's gonna be even better.
first of all, who the fuck thinks thats a good tagline?(!) and secondly, the line before that one said BYOB. outrageous. i guess i could digress into a rant here, but probably only yale would appreciate it...
The Ivan Drago of Tennis
It is a sad day to the AMDAL community while one of our main influences is stepping down from prominence. Marat Safin, large crazy Russian and former world number 1 tennis player, is deciding to retire from tennis this year. The picture above is of him after showing up to a tournament a month or two ago sporting two black eyes from a bar fight. Unsurprisingly, he told reporters it wasn't a big deal because he had won the fight.
With this loss, tennis' elite will again be dominated by prissy, good role-model players such as federer, nadal, djokovic, and all other even-keeled pansies. I do realize this makes sense for a sport embodied by collared shirts, the title "gentlemen's singles", and every major event sponsored by lacoste, polo, and lexus. Having grown up with tennis, I acknowledge its downfalls, but every once in a while someone falls through the cracks such as a McEnroe, Ivanisevic (sup Ro), or a Youzny who takes the game to another level with total disregard for tennis stereotypes and thereby helps Ro and I rationalize thinking that tennis is actually a bad-ass sport.
Safin first off was an incredible player in his prime. He destroyed Sampras to win his first grand slam title in a three set match that was one of the worst beatings I've ever seen. He then beat Federer before winning his only other grandslam at the Australian Open. Due to injuries and an occasional apathy towards tennis, Safin continued to be good but never stayed at the top of the game after reaching number 1. Indicative of his game, he would beat a top ten player and then subsequently lose to a number 150 ranked player and break 5 rackets in the process. His mentality on court was basically a form of bipolar and Tourette's embodied in slamming his racket into anything solid he saw nearby. He was one of the most fun players on tour and everyone hated to play him because you had absolutely no idea which Safin would show up to play or whether he would hit you with his racket.
But he really just wanted to enjoy the game
I bid him farewell and will leave you all with The World According to Marat Safin (Thanks to MaratSafin.com)
On money:
"When I look at a dollar note, I only see a picture of George Washington on a nice piece of paper. Money is only money. It makes life easier, but I don't feel sexy or mightly because of that.
On stardom:
"I'm not a singer or a rock star. Tennis is tennis. If you want to see a clown, go to a circus."
On women:
"There is nothing so sexy as a woman who is angry. Perhaps she is even throwing things."
On home life:
"I have an empty refrigerator and nobody takes care of things around the house. I have nobody to cook for me so I go to restaurants. Me cooking? No idea! Me washing clothes? No idea! I can't do anything domestic."
On technique:
"Sometimes you hit the ball with your eyes closed. Sometimes it works."
On doping:
"I had won the US Open and didn't even take my vitamins. Since six months they were lying in my suitcase. I drank tap water on the court. That was my doping."
On distractions:
"You think about dinner, your car, playing golf. Sometimes I think about sex. But these thoughts mustn't get out of control, otherwise, the point, the set, the match is lost very fast."
On breaking rackets
"You can destroy one racket. You can destroy a chair. But you can't destroy a racket and a chair in the same match. There has to be a limit. Otherwise this is the tennis of a sick person."
Apparently, 56 prepares you for world-domination, jobs with Obama
Not all Dartmouth alumni suffer in their job hunts. Alumni have been raking in serious accomplishments lately. Former Kappa (loves: to give the Kap-grip, not food, TDX) and current U.S. Representative Kristin Gillibrand has been tapped by NY Guv David Patterson (loves: bumbling, Elliot Spitzer’s bad taste in women, MadTV) to fill the Senate seat of new Sec-State HRC (loves: Wellesley, Wellesley pride, MidEast Peace, not Obama). AMDAL congratulates Representative Gillibrand and look forward to her bringing a Dartmouthians’ approach to the Senate Chamber. Gillibrand is not the sole Dartmouth-type rising to promenince in the last few weeks. G.D.I. alum Tim Geithner, the new Treas-Sec, replaces Phi Delt Alum Henry Paulson. Neal Katyal is the new Deputy Soliciter-General and the thirty-eight-year-old former Sig Nu and national security expert may be getting fast-tracked for a seat on the Supreme Court.
Congress. Executive. Judiciary. Dartmouth alums have swum in the streams of power before, obviously (see photo), but rarely so prominently all at once. If only there was an alum interested in running for the Kentucky state legislature, we'd be all set.
Kruller Quick Six
So I've talked a lot about bberry-strapped Obama , hip hop and gossip on AMDAL lately. And that's all fine because that's what the bilaws say I should talk about. But what's AMDAL good for if I don't make some sickies Dartmouth references? So without further ado:
Weiss, Erik and I were getting back from our weekly Race League at Whaleback and figured a good late meal awaited us at The Fort (aka "Fort Lous"). Weiss ordered kruller french toast, which is a mix between this:
and this:
except bigger.
Weiss weighs about 150 lbs with his skis on so when I told him I'd quick six if he could finish his plate of calories and frozen strawberries, I didn't think I'd ever have to pay up. Turns out Weiss can put down some Krullers. So this Wednesday (Wednesday! WEDNESDAY!), thanks to Weiss' masticating prowess, I'll be properly doming myself with six beers as quickly as I can.
Once in a while, a quick six (not to mention ego-inflating inside jokes) is good for the soul. It's important that we remember our roots.
N.A.S.A.
N.A.S.A. "Money" feat. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge, & Z-Trip from Paul Griswold on Vimeo.
Found this on Mixtape Riot. If Squeak E. Clean aka Sam Spiegel's Wikipedia page is to be believed, the full album has some unbelievable talent attached, and I'll be pretty happy if all the tracks fall in line with this one. Also, Spiegel's brother is Spike Jonze? Some families just have it in spades.
Re: FNL on Hulu
from feedback@hulu.com
to AMDAL
date Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 5:10 AM
subject Re: Friday Night Lights on Main Page
mailed-by hulu.com
Hi,
Hey glad you're an avid fan and use Hulu for watching. I don't have all the details around this but do know that when the video went live we weren't sure if online streaming was cleared. I think this is why we didn't immediately put the ep in the masthead. It's certainly there now after we confirmed with NBC. The folks around the office who are in change of promotion also like this show so I think you'll continue to see it featured :)
Thanks,
Rob
Hulu
Chills
At least one of us has a Razr-model iPhone, which impedes liveblogging. But I'll recap brief reactions to a few things from today's incredible inauguration ceremony, as seen on CNN:
-The very first thing that gave me chills was Aretha Franklin. Her voice, while not what it once was, remains undeniable and perfect for the day.
-Obama glancing at Roberts to repeat part of the oath was wonderful. [UPDAPE: especially because Robert botched it in the first place!]
-Was Biden saying "change" to well-wishers after he recited the oath?
-Obama's first inaugural address was strong to very strong. His allusion to Washington and the Revolutionary War was inspiring, as was his determination to correct America's course in energy, education, and foreign policy.
-Obama's language, especially about America as a friend to all nations, is so very different from the "Axis of Evil"/with-us-or-against-us rhetoric of the last eight years. He spoke to a global audience today in a tone very far from the tone Bush uses.
-Rick Warren said "Sasha" like a magician says "abracadabra". It was the funniest part of the inauguration.
A great, great day and a day to cherish sincerely.
An Historic Day
Obviously here at AMDAL we're pumped about today. Obama's inauguration means a lot to a lot of people, none more than the hip hop community. Video above was put out in the last couple days, making it seem pretty bandwagonish but at the end, you hear Jeezy saying "Win, lose or draw" and timestamping the song at June 3. Jeezy and others in the hip hop community have been supporting this guy from the beginning, thereby acting as the underground anthem to and through the election. He also shouts out Sidney Poitier, which is also pretty astute, given how many people in the last few days have also been claiming that Sidney led the way for Obama. Interesting NYTimes article on that here.
I'm excited to have an intellectual president who has a chance at making significant progress. But I'm also excited for more of this:
My president is black in fact he’s half white
So even in a racists mind hes half right
So if you got a racists mind its alright
My president is black but his house is all white
Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk
Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run
Barack Obama ran so all the children could fly
So Ima spread my wings you can meet in the sky
-Jay Z
Update: Vintage Ciroc Obama (aka: Diddy) and Then-Senator-Elect / Now-President Obama here
Change is coming
Our nation's capital braces itself for a Cloverfield-esque (it works on multiple levels) event: the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama II. As the above photo notes, even the D.C. night-walkers need to be on their best behavior.
I know a handful of AMDAL's Vermont collegues have already descended upon our nation's capital. Even some Dartmouth types will be there. Damn its exciting to be an American these days.
[Photo thanks to DCist, nymag and Politico]
Friday Night Lights on Main Page
Dear Feedback@Hulu,
My name is Mike and I'm a devoted fan to Hulu. My roommates and I have avoided buying a TV to streamline our lives. Hulu has managed to keep us focused on watching only the shows that matter. Thank you for Sons of Anarchy, 30 Rock, Family Guy and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, in that order.
One of the shows that probably matters the most to me, however, is Friday Night Lights. Being an affiliate of NBC, I'm sure you are all well aware of the story of FNL but I'll recap:
(Critical acclaim + loyal fans - mass appeal) * multiple timeslot moves = Season 3 move to DirecTV + NBC showing this past Friday
In my humble opinion, Hulu can single-handedly save FNL from certain cancellation. All it will take is a little promotion. I'm sure there's a lot of thought that goes into the slide show on the home page of Hulu but it would be great to see FNL prominently displayed. Together, we can stop a potential travesty from occurring and simultaneously boost Hulu viewership and my everyday quality of life.
Thank you for the time.
Best regards,
Mike
Friday Night Lights: 3:1
Ooooh wee season 3 premier is a good one. Also check out the bonus clips online here, which help patch the gaping hole between season 2 and 3.
Man of the Week
Like there should be any question it would be this man. I just hope that when I'm 58 I can stay up past 11.
Rapper's delight?
BlacksmithTV Episode 3 (trailer) from IdleWarshipMusic on Vimeo
It's official, we're in a Recession. Yea, Al, I used the 'R' word. The good ole days of Economic Slowdown ("ES") are gone. You remember those days. People were still cracking jokes about Bear Stearns or how your Google stock had dipped to $340 (ha!) So while a recession was imminent, never did I expect the video above (Skip to 15 seconds in). You astute hip hop followers may recognize that man as none other than Talib Kweli (Around 3min 30s). I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry. Does he ride a ten speed or one of those tricked out hipster bikes? HA! Is rap over? Tear.
Kweli is no scrub. But what about the up-and-comers? Do rappers really make cash flow like they say? This guy and this guy say not really. My numbers (EXCEL!) say a bit differently but the take-home message is that they don't make as much as you'd think and it takes a while to get an album out so their IRR drops.
Yea I linked to Hypetrak and Investopedia in the same post. I still got it.
Brad Pitt, You're Next
Everyone knows Megan Fox has spent her career impersonating Angelina Jolie. And I'm not complaining. I saw Benjamin Button because there were no Jolie movies at the Nugget. But I digress; Megan Fox is a temptress, just like her mentor. Picture you're Zac Efron. You're an objectively attractive young successful actor. You have been in a long term relationship with someone that, in her own right, is a good looking little lady. But then you bump into Megan Fox, the goddess that drunkenly said this not too long ago. Below is the play-by-play from the Golden Globes the other night.
Babe spotting. Interest is peaked. Vanessa is worried.
Greetings exchanged. Sparks can be seen. Vanessa is fucked.
Contact is made. Other things peak. Where is Vanessa?
Smiles / Phone numbers exchanged. Mr. & Mrs. Smith 2 in theaters now.
Source: Superficial
One Shaq would be a banker.
"Go to the cloning era, clone myself 20 times, and put myself in America as 20 different people. One Shaq would be a banker. One Shaq would be a sheriff. One Shaq would be a race car driver. One Shaq would be a prince. One Shaq would be Spanish. We'd all be here at the same time, and every once in a while I'd meet myself."
-- Shaquille O'Neal, in the January issue of Men's Journal, describes what he would do with a time machine (picture source yahoo)
Don't live in New England
The most infuraiting part about living in the region that brought America whale pants (sup Donoho), Dean for America, and pretentious ivy leaguers: they don't plow the damn highways.
Putting it in the no-no spot
A new feature dedicated to things being put in inappropriate places. Putting objects where G*d never intended. Like Stephon "Starbury" Marbury on a world-champion basketball team. Or Sarah Palin in the veep-spot.
Today's entry: Jeff Koons at Versailles. I mean, it really demeans the memory of Marie Antoinette.
Yeah, that's Michael Jackson and Bubbles (RIP). That sculpture is worth more than a four dozen Maseratis (after Hank/Albert/Pepe*/MRo ruins the economy, Maseratis are the most reliable currency).
*-Why "Pepe," you ask, and not Kempster? Because we all know that KD is too responsible to submarine our economy. Only Pepe would do that.
Whopper Virgins?
Remember in elementary school when someone would come in with the latest POG / Samba shoe / Umbro shorts? They'd say "Oooh ooh look at me, look what I have!" You were so jealous but your stupid parents wouldn't buy them for you and you're $3/wk allowance wouldn't cover that. Or, say, your friend flaunts his 3G iphone in your face, not to show off per se, but because he thinks it's bullshit that you talk incessantly about the power of Apple but don't even have an iphone and therefore have no credibility? I guess the first example is more relevant, but you get the idea. Anyways, that showboating is what Burger King decided to do. You may be asking, who on Earth would think a Whopper is worth flaunting? Answer: remote civilizations (see above).
And that's only part of the insanity. Try to wrap your head around why they couldn't think of some better things to do with this opportunity besides a Whopper / Big Mac taste test.
I hereby give you my list -
Five Western Things to Impose on Remote Civilizations Before Fast Food:
1)Friday Night Lights
2)Sarah Palin ("A fish out of water story!")
3)An overinflated sense of self and waistline
4)Richard Simmons
5)Modern medicine
2009: No regrets this year, I promise
2008 was a pretty monumental year, both for AMDAL and the world. Over the holidays, we all zoned out, sleeping in and probably reading / watching plenty about year-end lists. I'll therefore save both of us the time and go right into what's hot for '09.
As BMar aptly put it, 2008 was a breakout year for AMDAL. We quietly snuck to 20,000 hits - not bad. And while AMDAL continues to take over the world (see above) so do Dartmouth people. Look out for more young stars, more weddings and more acceptances into top tier grad programs. Also look for people to mix it up. Who knows, more beards?
Meanwhile, the celebrity world keeps on turning:
Lindsay Lohan and Sam Ronson broke up. Be on the look out for more of this:
Other choice celebrity predictions for 09:
-Britney remains locked up by her parents until record sales of Circus plateau, at which point she is let loose, spiraling into another dangerous self-destructive episode (ala 2007)
-Angelina Jolie has a few more kids. I'm guessing Guatemalan or Cuban.
-Kanye goes back to rapping because his singing sucks
-Fresh off her breakup from that dude, Natalie Portman is spotted in a restaurant in Hanover at an 'extravagant' dinner (Canoe Club). Onlookers couldn't help noticing the twinkle in her eye as she gazed longingly at her male companion.
As for the real world: who knows. It's an exciting time, but also a scary one. The financial world as we know it is over. My boy suBarack will likely do a good job (fuck $250K+!) and hopefully more tightly control government spending. Meanwhile, I'll attempt to more accurately predict stocks and hold onto my job. If not, look out 2009 as the year of the AMDAL advertising frenzy (anyone need graphic t's or male enhancement creams?)
Hiatus Ends
There are two great parts of all the year-end magazines: the "Best of 2008" lists and the predictions for 2009.
In no specific order, these are the definiative AMDAL posts of 2008.
1. We refuse to leave this chair until we poop.
2. We were called shitkickers. (with follow ups)
3. We break it off with a longtime love.
4. We express love.
5. We abide.
6. We are calf/abs-modeling.
7. We financially analyze the downturn.
8. We provide astute political analysis (she’s a 1*)
9. We work out.
10. We provide cogent Britnalysis.
