I'm Mark and you've found my personal site. Emotional minors or the easily offended should close the window and never return. This blog exists primarily to amuse me. If you enjoy it also so much the better. Guaranteed to be Vain & Vapid™ or double your money back.
The best spot of the 2010 Superbowl technically isn’t a commercial because CBS didn’t bill for the airtime. Rather it was the promo for Late Show with David Letterman. Brilliant.
Of course if you’ve spent anytime here, you’re probably not surprised by my sentiment. Obviously I’m a huge fan of Letterman’s humor. But I’ve got to hand it to Leno for jumping in. Good step towards rehabilitating his rep. The NY Times has coverage of the interesting backstory.
I think the complete surprise of the spot figures in its success. Given the way most advertisers today attempt to leverage their enormous outlays with previews, websites, etc., the unexpected audacity of the Letterman-Oprah-Leno ad seems refreshing.
There’s something to be said for the delight of a surprise.
I’m amused but also appalled by the media circus over the throttle and brake issues at Toyota. As I usually find anytime I have more than casual knowledge of a subject, the general media has gotten the story completely wrong. It doesn’t make good headlines but the fact remains–machines can’t come to life and act on their own. Pick any incident of supposed unintended acceleration and you will find driver error involved. Pressing the accelerator when you think it’s the brake. Or if in a worse case, a throttle really did stick, not having the presence of mind to shift to neutral, brake and steer to the side of the road. Car & Driver is the rare voice of reason on the subject:
Anyone so uncoordinated that they can’t differentiate the pedals and operate them independently shouldn’t be driving. And this is going to sound uncharitable, but even if the recall dealing with potentially sticking pedals applies to a lot of Toyotas, why aren’t people just shifting into neutral? Even if the throttle really sticks fully open, it won’t have any accelerative impact on the car if it’s in neutral. By this point, if you have a Toyota (or any car), and you don’t know to shift to neutral if the engine races unexpectedly, you’re going to succumb to what can only be described as natural selection.
And just because I want to suppress more comments from looney-tune right wingers, let me urge you to go have both lunch and dinner at California Pizza Kitchen then stop by the nearest Peet’s for a coffee or three. Both companies are standing up to the morons who insist on walking around with handguns strapped to their sides in plain view.
The gun nuts see it as their constitutional right to intimidate and frighten the public at large. Idiots don’t really understand what the Second Amendment means. They think arms equals handguns when it could just as easily apply to Sherman tanks or flame throwers.
In fact Mr. Whacko, if you think you have an inalienable right to carry a pistol, I’m going to install a thermonuclear missile on my balcony. The neighbors have been having sex in their open window again. They need to be put on notice. I’m tired of hearing that loud woman across the courtyard have screaming orgasm.
The usual suspects already are riled up over Superbowl ads. First news that CBS has rejected a commercial for a gay dating site, ostensibly because the idea of two men kissing and dry humping makes them squeamish. Predictably. I started feeling some righteous indignation. Then I saw the spot.
It’s just god-awful bad. I’m happy CBS rejected it. Do you really believe two ugly cretins like those characters would suddenly start making out just because their hands touched in the chip bowl? The ad has nothing to do with being gay and looking for love. It seems calculated to be controversial and scare the bejeebies out of the notoriously insecure straight males.
I know I’ll disagree the ad simply because the lunatic fringe Focus on the Family is behind it. That said, I am slightly amused that the hate is being whipped up even though the spot itself has yet to be released.
“Come on, let’s protest. We’re offended by something we haven’t seen yet.”
Is the iPad really revolutionary? I have no idea. And at this point, neither do you. You can’t run down to the local Apple Store to touch it, see it or even place an order. Yet. Sure there’s potential. The right apps could make it irresistible. Or a big turd. Nothing more than an overgrown, too expensive iPod Touch.
One interesting bit in Apple’s promo materials though. Star Trek is used to demo movies in several spots. Now I’m not a Trek expert by any means but haven’t electronic pads largely replaced paper and books in the world of the Federation? Coincidence? Doubtful.
Maybe my Dec 18 post will turn out wrong. Today’s news makes it sound as if Spyker will buy Saab after all. The deal still needs final approval of financing but it sounds pretty solid. Cautiously optimistic then?
Dave has been razor sharp this week. Clearly he’s relishing the opportunity to point out, yet again, the moronic decisions made by corporate types. Reminds me of his first encounter with G.E. when he was still on NBC.
The G.E. Handshake. One of the funniest bits ever aired, in my humble opinion.
Pat Robertson has shot his mouth off again. The only ones cursed Pat, are those of us who have to live around people who put any stock in your delusional rantings. The man is a crackpot. A national embarrassment. And, frankly, a hazard to civil society.
