TLS's Final Four Breakdown :: Brains vs Brawn

No way you had this Final Four.  One side has two teams with brains (Butler/VCU), while the other side has two programs with brawn (UCONN/Kentucky).  Two very different games.

We all knew the officiating was almost as sloppy as the play in March Madness, but I didn't know it was fixed until this year. Butler in the Final Four two years in a row? Without their best player from last year, NBA Lottery-pick Gordon Heyward.  C'mon man!  Butler is from Indy, where the Final Four is held every year.  It was just released that the CEO of the Tourney pulls in around $2.3 million per year.  Connect the dots: get the local Cinderella-team on their home court and watch the tickets sell faster than last year.

Butler is a smart team though.  They have the nerdy coach, Brad Smith, that every college co-ed thinks looks like their cute professor.  He gets all the credit for the team's success, despite ever playing.  They're comprised of Matt Howard, a small forward who outworks everyone for 40-minutes, and a star point guard in Shelvin Mack.  I hate bashing a team that's been successful, but I will because I believe their success has come strictly from favorable officiating. Around 60% of the country had Butler losing in the first-round this year against Old Dominion!

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is this year's Butler.  The small conference team that shouldn't have even made the tournament, yet won their way in and have kept it rolling for a month.  They took out the beast of the tourney, Top-seeded Kansas, when Kansas was the last #1 left.  It's not just about winning either, it was how they won!  VCU lights it up from behind the 3-point line, which keeps them in every game. They also play at an extremely up-tempo pace, which makes them fun to watch. And back when I gambled like it was going out of style My buddy told me they are a "covering machine" against the spread too. They've also beaten a Top-10 team from every major conference, so the big boys don't scare them.  Biggest storyline:  The coach, Shaka Smart, is the star of this team just like Stevens is for Butler, except he looks like Tupac 's Character Birdie from Above the Rim. A badass former baller, who turned down Harvard, Yale, and Brown to play Division-III basketball at Kenyon College?!  Smart lost his Grandfather this past Tuesday, expect him to use it somehow to motivate his modern-day "Hoosiers" to victory. Plus Nate Dogg died this year and he appeared on the Above the Rim soundtrack, so I feel like this is the year of SHAKA!I can't bet against Tupac!

Result:  Butler tries to slow the game down and bleed the clock, while VCU speeds them up and blows them off the court with 3s.  If VCU gets up by more than 10-points, look out!  Butler's offense and style is not designed to come from behind, especially quickly.  VCU wins.  Also, Butler is a home team favored by (-)2.5, which according to gambling manifesto's is a sucker bet!  Take VCU!!!!

Kentucky is back!  Coach John Calipari is the poster-child for how to run a sketchy, illegal college basketball team.  Whether it's forfeiting multiple season's worth of wins for various colleges, or paying the best players in the country to come to his school for just one year, Calipari does whatever it takes to stock his team with players.  Unfortunately, most of them are simply using their exposure to get into the NBA, so the concept of "team" usually disappears in crunch-time.  Every player on the floor is looking to be "the man" and make his draft-stock rise.  Calipari's stud this year? Freshman Guard Brandon Knight.  He's explosive, he can score, and he's 18, which is exactly why I DON'T trust him running my offense in a big game. 

Conversely, UCONN has the best player in the country, Kemba Walker.  He's the country's leading scorer, proven he's the most clutch player in the league, and already graduated in three-years!  I'm impressed. All UCONN did was win the Big East Tourney, the toughest tournament of the year. They've won 9 games in 19 days, and are brimming with confidence.  If Jeremy Lamb has a decent game (i.e. 14pts, 6asts, 4rebs) and Alex Oriakhi plays aggressively, UCONN could win it all.  Oriakhi has to contribute for it to happen.  

Result:  UCONN wins.  They either do it comfortably, or Kemba wins it for them at the end.  He's done it about 5 times this year.  He's the best finisher in college, can create a shot from anywhere, and has never shown more confidence.  Gambling-wise, UCONN is a (+)2.5 HOME DOG! This also goes along with NCAA basketball gambling manifestos.  Take an underdog if you think they can win outtright, never bet against home dogs, and most importantly, pound a home dog in basketball when they are getting 3 points or less.  HUSKIEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

Champion:  UCONN, unless it's VCU vs. Kentucky, then VCU. 

I Drink Alone.

One of my favorite Irish Pubs. "Lillie's" @ 13 East 17th St, Manhattan  www.lilliesnyc.com 

I've been having conversations recently with patrons regarding drinking by oneself.  Then I read a great blog post by Joe over at Dappered that addressed the topic and had to give my take.  

There's nothing wrong with drinking alone.  As long as you keep it classy. Por ejemplo:

The Beatles :: Coolest Band Ever?

In case you need further evidence that The Beatles led a fabulous life while changing music forever, Bob Bonis just released over 900 new pictures in the new book, The Lost Beatles Photographs, The Bob Bonis Archive 1964-66.  You can preview some of the photos here.  If you love music, photography, art, or history, do yourself a favor and throw this on your coffee table.  At least until Kramer's coffee table book comes out.

Stand Up to Mondays!

Monday is such a fickle beast.  It's annoying and relentless, kind of like a bully.  Once that body-slamming bully video went viral, I started looking up other videos. I, in no way, advocate fighting, but I love seeing some "tough guy" try to bully someone and then get his ass handed to him.  Let these videos inspire you in your quest to whoop Monday's ass!

Neighborhood Bully Brandon (18) gets owned by 15 year-old

Old-School British 1-punch

Kid Takes out 2 Bullies, should change his name to Jason Bourne

Kate Upton :: SI Swimsuit Shoot

Happy Friday Everyone :)

Ok girls, here you go:

Don't ever say I discriminate when I give you a three-time Super Bowl Champ! No matter how gay his hair looks.

Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights :: Time-Elapsed

The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Amazingly Beautiful.  Love the "Man on Fire" music too.

Happy Friday :)

Guy wins $9-million by doing his taxes...I want to punch him immediately

Huffington Post- Unlike most of us, Irving Przyborski didn't wait until April 14 to fill out his taxes this year. He got around to it in mid-March -- a decision that turned out to be worth nine million dollars.

Going through his tax documents, WBBM radio reports, Przyborski came across an old Illinois Lottery ticket from March of 2010. He had bought a number of tickets around that time, and went through most of them, finding no winners. But one of them had apparently fallen into his tax file inadvertently. After he unearthed the missing numbers, he took them to his local corner store, only to discover that he was suddenly, and narrowly, a millionaire.

The ticket was set to expire at 5 p.m. on March 24, nine days after his accidental find. Winning tickets are invalid one year after the drawing date.

As the Chicago Tribune reports, the ticket would have been by far the largest unclaimed sum in Illinois Lottery history. Lotto winnings that go unclaimed are donated to the state's education fund, which, according to LotteryPost.com, receives about $2 million a month of such unredeemed dollars.

Przyborski, whom Lottery spokeswoman Tracy Owens describes as "quiet" and "laid-back," took his winnings in a lump sum. He bought the winning ticket at a 7-Eleven at 107th and Ewing on Chicago's Southeast Side.

I get excited when I find a $20 in my pocket.  It's probably sunny in Chicago right now too.  Fuck this guy. He's going to be living more leisurely than any of us, assuming he's an avid reader of this site. 

Mother Nature is Pissed

Look at the Bullshit I deal with one from day to the next. This is within 24-Hours:

Robbie likes it no matter what, but he's a dog.  Ignorance is bliss, I guess. 

"Moonrise Kingdom" :: Wes Anderson's new movie

Huffington Post-  "[Jason] Schwartzman, it was announced on Wednesday, has joined the star studded cast of indie director Anderson's upcoming new film, "Moonrise Kingdom." His addition was announced alongside Edward Norton and Frances McDormand, who were already in talks for the film; they officially join Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray in the cast."

Hell. Yes. Reread that cast. Then have Wes Anderson direct them. Genius!  It's set for a November release this year aka "awesome movie season" (between Thanksgiving and Christmas).  Finally some good entertainment news.  Now all I have to do is hope filming stays on time and wait until November to see a movie worth watching. 

p.s. still snowing in Massachusetts. I'll upload a pic in a second, this is fucking ridiculous. 

Elizabeth Taylor Dies at age 79.

She just gave me an excuse to show off one of my favorite photos!  Sorry Liz, but I know you're keeping MJ company up there at some freak show wedding in the sky!

p.s. remember that Liza Minelli and David Guest broke-up because he claims Liza beat him!  Oh man, if that camera could talk....

Mila Kunis

"You're rather attractive for a beautiful girl with a great body" -Ty Webb, Caddyshack

Words of Wisdom

"Don't write when you can talk. Don't talk when you can nod.  Don't nod if silence presents an answer.  You follow that and you'll never get in trouble." -Random old guy that I was talking to at a bar this weekend. 

I didn't tell him I wrote this blog.  Guess I'm f*cked....

When did DeNiro start to suck?

I'm so perplexed, time for DeNiro Face!

I saw an interview recently with Bradley Cooper, who stars in the new movie, Limitless, with Robert DeNiro.  During Cooper's interview, they ran a clip of him, then a student at The Actor's Studio, in the audience for James Lipton's interview of DeNiro.  The clip shows Cooper asking DeNiro a question about his work in Awakenings. That's when it hit me:  DeNiro has been playing the same character his whole career, it's just a matter of whether or not Martin Scorsese was directing him (Coppola's work with him in Godfather II was obvisously epic, but it was also 1974). If Scorsese and DeNiro were together, it's genius.  But if they weren't?  Ouch.....think Rightous Kill. 

Heat is an exception.

Don't believe me? Read Tom Carson's article on DeNiro here. I respect him as a film critc.

Bob Dylan :: "Charles in Charge"

Got to hand it to Jimmy Fallon on this one.  Good Impression and it was funny.  Two things that I normally don't say about him.

Bruce Lee :: Setting Goals

My Definite Chief Aim 

"I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness."

Bruce Lee
1969

Set Goals. Focus. Execute. 

Spotted in NYC :: The Hipster Trap!

Hmmmm. Wonder how this thing didn't catch anyone in the Hipsterville, USA aka New York City.  It has everything a Hipster could want:  New-School Wayfarers (in obnoxious color), Pabst Blue Ribbon, Some American Spirit Lights, and what looks like a chain/beads to be worn in annoying fashion.  It needs a Decemberists CD, Fedora,  and $90 T-Shirt, then it will be catching whales!

-Thanks to Josh M. for the pic.

The Manifesto :: Holstee

Check out Holstee.  This is their manifesto.  I can't write anything better for a poster, that's why I love this image.  Holstee sells, "Kickass products, sustainably made, with a social impact."  I support that. 

If you want this poster, click here. 

I'll be doing St. Patrick's Day with family in town, watching March Madness, and Tee'n it up with my boys aka "Leisure Time", so enjoy your weekends (what, they aren't 4 days?). Check out the Facebook Page for any updates! And read this manifesto whenever you need some perspective :)

-S

March Madness Breakdown!

"Just like Eazy-E told me, East to West College Girls are Easy, BABY!"

My college degenerative gambling/bender asshole friend basketball consultant is out of town. By now, your bracket is probably filled out.  But you've read everything and haven't gotten my two cents, so maybe I'll confuse you.  You want stats, check out Ken Pomeroy's Website. Dude is a freak.  

I have three Number One Seeds in the Final Four:  Ohio State, Duke, and Pittsburgh.  And one Number three seed, Purdue.  Here's why:

Ohio State has Jared Sullinger.  He's an NBA-ready center. I don't care if he's super-young, you can't duplicate/defend-against him.  They also have shooters to surround him and have been near the top of the rankings all-year. 

Duke won last year. And they didn't lose anybody.  They have a Hall of Fame Coach Mike Krzyzewski. They had the best point guard in the country, Kyrie Irving, for the beginning of the season before an injury. Rumors say he could be back for the Tourney! If so, look out. Could be Back-to-Back for the hated Blue Devils.

Pittsburgh was near the top of the charts all year, was the best team in the best conference (Big East), and are solid all around.  I don't care about the bracket, I don't care about the school history, this team has gone toe-to-toe with the best and proven night-in and night-out that they're title contenders [I just used 4 hyphens within 2 cliches in 1 sentence for those scoring at home].

Purdue, as a 3-seed.  I like Kansas, but I can't have four Number-1 seeds in my Final Four and Kansas, while great, has a history of choking.  Forget the previous paragraph and my ignorance with Pittsburgh.  I had Louisville in it, but Rick Pitino's bad karma (having sex...for 22-seconds, with a mistress, at a Chiles restaurant, after hours.) jinxed them. Purdue lost one of their best shooters, Robbie Hummel, to a knee-injury this past off-season. Good Karma, good program.

Championship Game: Ohio State vs. Pittsburgh

Winner:  Pittsburgh [total score/tie-breaker: 135 total pts.] because Ohio State beat my alma mater, Miami, in the 2002 National College Football Championship on a BULLSHIT pass interference call and I hate Ohio State.  I can't support them winning any titles.  Fuck Jim Tressel too. He's a litte sweater-vest wearing worm.

Nate Dogg Dead :(

L.A. Times- The family of rapper Nate Dogg has told the Long Beach Press-Telegram that the performer died Tuesday at age 41.  No details were immediately available, but the paper said Nate Dogg, whose real name is Nathaniel D. Hale, had suffered two strokes in recent years.

Anyone who grew up knew that Nate Dogg was a special presence in Hip-Hop.  I forget who said it, maybe Snoop, but the best line I'll always remember is, "When Nate Dogg sings the hook, you know you got a classic!" 

RIP to one of the most recognizable voices ever to come through speakers. 

Sarah Shahi :: Hihowaya?

This is Sarah Shahi doing a shoot for the blog Me In My Place.  If you haven't checked it out, you should. It's tasteful, but probably nsfw.  

You can more of Sarah Here

The Madness Continues!

So, my College Basketball contributor is also a degenerate gambler who is probably on a bender after this past weekend's Conference Championships.  I will not deny the constituency the best insight before filling out their brackets.  I'll hook you up by the end of tomorrow!  Until then, laugh at this. It's in the same vein.


p.s. I DO NOT find Keenan/Kel guy funny at all.  I know he's been on TV/trying comedy since he was 12, but he sucks on SNL.  He acts like himself in every skit, except when he shifts into Bill Cosby mode every now & then.  Andy Samberg and Bill Heder should be in every skit. Most talented dudes by far.

Did Steve Jobs Kill the Music Business?

HuffPost.com-  "Kids today have missed the whole experience of putting the headphones on, turning it up to 10, holding the [album] jacket, closing their eyes and getting lost in an album; and the beauty of taking your allowance money and making a decision based on the jacket, not knowing what the record sounded like, and looking at a couple of still pictures and imagining it," Bon Jovi said (via MSN), thinking back to his record buying days. Then came the less fanciful: the blame.

"God, it was a magical, magical time. I hate to sound like an old man now, but I am, and you mark my words, in a generation from now people are going to say: 'What happened?' Steve Jobs is personally responsible for killing the music business."

So, as I'm listening to the Strokes' "Angles" streaming on my computer, I read this and thought, "Bon Jovi is definitely an old man, but I kind of agree with this."  We're all to blame though.  Around Brittany Spears' debut, I remember people buying singles instead of albums.  And with iTunes, the consumer is allowed to preview every song on an album and think, "You know, tracks 6-10 suck, I'll never listen to these, so why pay for them."  Is that the artist's fault for putting out a few shitty songs? Or is it the consumer's fault for not listening to the whole song in context with the entire album? Kind of like the chicken or the egg argument.

Either way, Bon Jovi can blame Steve Jobs for ruining the business.  I'm blaming Bon Jovi for ruining the bar scene with "Livin' on a Prayer" by allowing no-talent douchebags to scream, off-key, every time it comes on, while making stupid faces.  Hit the music....

The Strokes :: Angles

They're back!  I love The Strokes.  They've always been one of the "newer" bands (I'm totally dating myself) in my mind that was appropriate for any situation.  I haven't even listened to this full album, but I've listened to the first half while writing some stuff and really like it so far.  A buddy of mine, Dante, described it as Phoenix meets The Clash.  I'm hoping for less Phoenix, more Clash, but so far so good. Plus I know The Strokes have too much talent to put out a shitty album after making us wait this long. 

Listen to the whole album HERE for free!  :)

Olivia Wilde is newly Single

©GQ Magazine

Just in time for Summer.  Good Luck Fellas. 

HeyTell :: Add Nextel©-like Walkie Talkie to Your Phone, For Free!

A friend introduced me to HeyTell this weekend.  You download it, and syncs with your contacts in your phone, allowing you to press the orange button and use your phone like a new-school walkie-talkie.  It's worth it for two reasons:  (1) if you talk to the same people frequently for short times (organizing stuff with your friends, quick questions for co-workers, hate texting etc) and (2) instead of texting while driving.

If your friends don't have it yet, your phone will send them a text the first time you try to "HeyTell" with them and a link where they can download it. The voices come through clear, and over speakerphone (so be careful as to who is around you) IF you have the application open.  If not, it pops up as like a text message alert and you can open it whenever and hear the voice. 

I think it's solid for a free app. 

Get the Bachelor out of your Pad :: Deal-Breakers for Women

Meet someone this weekend?  Things went well, but you're thinking, "holy shit, I can't have this go back to my place".  Distinguish yourself from the average clowns out there with this simple checklist.  I asked a panel of mid-20s to early-30 year-old women to tell me what simple things can blow your chances of her staying over.  The most popular results, in no particular order:

1. Visible Porn- Magazines or DVDs.  "Playboys in the bathroom? Really? Am I supposed to be turned on by that?  It says you don't have a lot of women around." -Erin.  Keep it in a drawer, I guess. More importantly, with the internet and all of it's awesomeness, why the hell are people even holding onto magazines or videos.  Just remember to clear the history once in a while on the old web browser, Hef. 
2. Dirty Bathroom-  This was HUGE among the girls.  "No way there's a chance of getting naked if his bathroom is disgusting. I mean, it's the room where your supposed to get clean." -Krista.  Good point. And you know that you've been getting her drunk enough all night that she's going to have to use the facilities once you get home.  Don't be this guy:
3. Mismatched/Garage Sale Furniture- Times are tough.  I get it.  The girls just want some continuity. "It doesn't have to be designer or anything, but try to show some taste and make things match or have the room set-up like an adult.  Some organization and order is always good." -Jackie. The Entertainment Center from Target that you've had since college? Ditch it.  And two very important words: NO FUTONS.  Get a real couch.
4. Mutliple TVs/Video Game Consoles/Video Games everywhere-  "Most guys play them, we know.  But, this goes along with furniture, have a place to store it so I don't feel like I'm at an arcade or dork convention. No girl wants to date a 'gamer' " -Amanda.  Sort of like in the opening picture. Wait, who said anything about dating? The guys reading this just want to...nevermind.  It'd be one thing if you could acquire tickets, then turn them in for a big stuffed bear for her, like skee-ball back in the day.  But this isn't the arcade or ComicCon, so put Call of Duty and Madden away before she comes over.  And if she tries to act all Olivia Munn about it, don't believe her. 
5. Good Sheets/Bedding-  If you ever want things to go there, make sure you're equipped.  But lay off the silk/satin combos Don Juan.  "Clean, decent sheets, the higher the thread count the better, but it's not epic.  He should also have a comforter on there.  Preferably one without his favorite sports team." -Emily.  Keep it simple, Keep it clean, and don't forget to make it after you wake up.  

And if you don't want to follow any of this, or don't want her to know where you live, get really good at going over to her place.  Just figure out how to close the door quietly so you don't wake her up during your escape.  Then get some quality sleep in your shitty apartment.  

A Girl Walks into a Bar :: Feature Film For Free

So this is the first "made exclusively for the internet" feature film, starring Carla Gugino, Zachary Quinto, Rosario Dawson, Danny Devito and Josh Hartnett, is making its world premiere exclusively on YouTube.

Synopsis:

GIRL WALKS INTO A BAR connects a group of apparent strangers over one night across ten bars throughout Los Angeles. Zachary Quinto stars as a dentist who teams up with a feisty would-be assassin (Carla Gugino) to put the final touches on the plan to kill his wife. Once he makes a play for the assassin's payment, he unknowingly sets off a chain of events that fuels a crosstown journey through the many lounges, bars, strip clubs and the occasional nudist ping pong clubs scattered across Los Angeles. By turns funny and heartbreaking, this sharp-witted comedy features ten interconnected vignettes that build to a revealing finish.

The White Panda :: Pandamonium

Los Angeles Electronica/MixTape/MashUp duo, The White Panda, just released "Pandamonium" on March 1st. It's a good MixTape of popular beats and songs by mostly rap/hip hop/pop stars. Way out of the ordinary for me, but eclectic and entertaining. If you aren't used to going out to loud bars/clubs/parties or turning up the volume in your car, then you can skip this one.  Drunk chicks will love it.  The first 1/4 is MashUps of pop songs, which I don't listen to normally, but the second 1/4 features a lot of Rap/HipHop laid over some creative beats.  There are even famous beats of Mellencamp (small town), Lenny Kravitz (fly away), and Rolling Stones (start me up) that will make you turn your head.  The second half?  I'm indifferent.  I'm sure you'll hear samples of it all summer. Here's a few tracks:

Black and Naw

Steal Eastwood

I want Brooklyn Back

Mr. Bad Chick

D.R.E. Don't Go

The best part and why I'm mentioning it?  You can name your own price to download it! You can also listen to all 40 tracks and either preview or download individually.  Click here to check it out more of "Pandamonium".

Real Men of Leisure :: "Best Cry Ever" Guy

I don't know his name. I don't even know what he was addicted to either.  The fact of the matter is that Intervention (on A&E) is one of the most oddly rewarding shows on television.  Anytime you feel bad about yourself, watch an episode of Intervention and think, "Thank God I don't beg people outside of pharmacies for their prescriptions" or "How do you afford an apartment when your huffing computer duster every two minutes?"

I don't cheer for the people on Intervention either.  Sorry. The craziest characters on there don't want anything to do with rehab, so there's nothing worse than an ending like, "Kathy is doing well and hasn't used a computer or duster in 6 months. She also has a job."  Horrible.  The best episodes end with lines like, "Carlos was progressing, but after two weeks, he was thrown out of Passages for making his own wine."

This week is all about the Intervention pioneer: "Best Cry Ever" Guy.  A man who's voice is so distinctive, it spits in the face of hacks like "Golden Voice Homeless Guy".  He's spawned multiple remixes, so let's take a moment to enjoy some of them.

The Original 

The Auto-Tuned Version

The Heavy Metal Edition

The Bodyguard Version (And I.....)

Happy Friday ;)

Money Management :: The Wardrobe

So, a couple days ago I unleashed The Spring Fashion Spread.  But the question is, how much should I spend on clothes if they're going to change every season?  Most stuff a dude buys should be able to last them a while.  It's called investing.  Next time you think of buying five t-shirts for 10 bucks because they have funny quotes on them, think about the pieces of clothing you're always wearing.  We all have those items that we always go back to, no matter what.  Try to build a collection of those.  This chart will help.  It's a Venn-Diagram of how you should spread your wealth when it comes to your closet.  High on the left, low on the right.  (p.s. never thought I'd use the term venn diagram after high school).

This Complex has Tiger Blood!

Play before reading:

What do you do when you've completely fucked up your image, lost your kids and over $100-million dollars in a divorce settlement, along with your original home in Windermer, FL, property in Jupiter, and an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden?  You build yourself a bachelor pad on Jupiter Island, FL that includes a 6400-square-foot gym, an elevator, a lap pool, and a golf practice facility right on site. Then you practice your ass off and get your game back up to par (sorry, too easy).  Finally, you kick everyone's ass at the Masters in April, put on the green jacket, and when Jim Nantz asks how it feels, look right into the camera and exclaim, "Duh, WINNING!"

Think Tiger will continue to his winning ways this year? Comment section....

I Hate Kim Kardashian

This came out 6 days ago and I bit my tongue.  But today my silence ends. This song is awful. She has no talent.  And Ryan Seacrest sucks too for making a life out of promoting crap like this.  We are all now dumber for listening to it.  You awarded no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.  I was happy to read the iTunes reviews too.  Here are a few:

• "Stick to sex tapes, plastic surgery, and your scripted "reality" show. Not even autotune can save you"
• "Fake Celebrities should NOT be allowed anywhere near a recording studio. This song is what is wrong with America. 100% Studio produced crap!  Stick to what you know, sleeping with semi famous black guys."
• "I though Heidi Montag was a terrible singer, well a new contender has entered the ring. This songs proves the following:  There is nothing she won't do for money, she is delusional, and her friends and family are enablers for allowing her to embarrass herself and family with this garbage."
• "Looks as though Paris Hilton is the more talented of these two"

(Smiling and nodding ferociously) I hate to give her any benefit of the doubt, but I think some of the proceeds of this go to Saint Jude Children's Hospital.  Too bad no one in their right mind is going to pay money for this.  

I need the Google Auto-Driving Car for the Summer!

Awesome. Just awesome. This was unveiled at the TED Convention in California recently.  How many people would've had a few extra Hurricanes for Mardi Gras if their car was equipped with this?  I thought cruise control was awesome for late nights, but Google is taking the game to another level! I'm going to be driving around, bitter, until I get this in my car.

Massachusetts leading the way for Marijuana legalization?

Back when they called him "Barry"

So I got an email in regards to Massachusetts House Bill 1371 aka The Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act.  I'll try to break this down simply, but to view the full bill, click here.

"100 years of criminalization in Massachusetts has failed to stop the production, distribution and use of Marijuana, and that sustained enforcement efforts cannot reasonably be expected to accomplish that goal.
In an effort to protect the public health and the public safety, to eliminate prohibition-related crime and to raise new revenue, promoting new jobs and industries in commercial cannabis and hemp, and respecting the personal autonomy of adults, where freedom supposes responsibility, do hereby ordain and enact The Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act."

Busting people for smoking weed is a long and ardueous process that takes up court time, police time, and tax payer's money.  Police and the courts have not shown that they can not stop the production, distribution, and sale of weed, therefore, why don't we take the money out of the underground network [which may or may not be linked to crime], and tax the legal distribution and sale of weed?  It is a BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR INDUSTRY which would create jobs and revenue for the state.  But how?

"(1) Possession or cultivation of cannabis by an adult for personal use.
(2) Gratuitous distribution of cannabis to an adult. Transfer directly or indirectly related to or contemporaneous with the sale or tendering for sale of any goods, services or other things of value, shall be deemed not gratuitous. (b) The commercial cultivation, possession and distribution of cannabis under a valid license issued in accordance with this chapter is excepted from the provisions of, and shall not constitute a violation of chapter 94C or chapter 64K of the general laws when lawful under the laws of the United States. Licenses consists of cultivation licenses, processing licenses, trade licenses, retail licenses, import licenses, research licenses and farmer-processor-retailer licenses."

There will be a difference between personal and commercial weed.  But how will we control it and tax it?

"Section 6. Cannabis Control Authority; 

There is hereby created an authority to be known as the Cannabis Control Authority, to be managed by a board of seven directors...Directors shall receive a salary of 20% of the salary of the governor, and will serve on a part-time basis. The directors shall elect, from among their number, a chairman, who shall preside over all official activities of the board of directors. The chairman shall serve for three years or until his term as director ends. A chairman may not serve in excess of six consecutive years...No director shall serve more than fourteen years. Any vacancy filled shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacancy. The governor may remove any member for neglect of duty, misconduct or malfeasance in office, after providing the member with a written statement of the charges and an opportunity to be heard. 

Section 9. Excise Tax Established
The authority shall collect an excise upon sales by processors of cannabis at a rate of ten dollars per 1% of THC content per ounce. The amount of said excise shall be calculated by multiplying the THC content of the cannabis, expressed by percentage, by one thousand dollars (Example: an ounce of cannabis containing 5% THC is taxed fifty dollars, as .05 x $1,000 is $50.) Determination of THC content shall be established by dry weight, without seeds. Subject to approval by the general court, such excise shall be adjusted by the authority from time to time as necessary to maximize the revenue derived therefrom, and to minimize the incentive for the sale of cannabis not in accordance with the provisions of this chapter."

There's the basic tax breakdown and government structure overseeing this.  

I think that if you tax and sell booze and cigarettes, both of which kill more people than any other drug, why wouldn't you do the same with pot, which has NEVER been linked to any form of death or cancer.  Plus, it takes drugs off the street and out of the hands of dealers, who are making a pretty penny.  They may also be competing with other dealers, leading to crime, and police efforts that could otherwise be spent focusing on something else.  Not to mention that it's easier for a middle-schooler to get pot than cigarettes, because they don't need ID and there is no middle-eastern minimart clerk to card them.  In case you need further proof (or just like watching instead of reading) here you go:  

Starts @ :20 mark ["The Union: The Business Behind Getting High"]

-Thanks to Ross who always has his ear to the street!

Love Lessons from Dr. Dre

A letter from Dr. Dre to then girlfriend/now wife Nicole Threatt, ex-wife of NBA player Sedalle Threatt.  "California Love" video and 2-Pac references, meeting hippies setting up for "Burning Man" and probably the most heartwarming sign-off ever written, "wish I was up in that ass".  Trust him, he's a doctor.

The Legendary Laterian Milton

"My friend, he smokes those real cigarettes....I do it cuz it's fun to do bad things. It's fun to do hood rat stuff with yo friends..[in regards to punishment for ruining multiple cars/property] I think maybe a weekend without videogames."

Oh Laterian, you're priceless! This has been one of my favorite videos for years.  One of the most badass 7 year-olds with the some really strict role models keeping him in check. Wait a second....

Nevermind. Kind of feel bad for Grandma.  It's like the movie Gremlins, when they tell you not to feed them after midnight.  Same thing with Laterian and chicken wings.  No matter how much he begs, don't do it, because things could turn evil.  

Actually, Fuck that, things couldn't get much worse with this kid.  Maybe if you feed him a ton it will slow him down so you won't have to chase him around as much.  He's on pace for 3-bills by the time he's 10. Then grandma won't have to worry about him getting off the couch.  

The Leisure Study's Spring Fashion Spread

Yes. Dressing well is key to living leisurely. Here's some trends you'll be seeing this spring/summer.  I know what you're thinking, but these are real clothes that the stylish hipsters of haberdashery will be showing off.  Just remember: fashion is trendy, style is personal and timeless.  Use sparingly.

all pictures copyrighted 

Suits: Stay Solid (Suit, Shirt, & Tie) 

Color combos are up to you

Casual:  Make it Pop with Some Color

Bright Color Khaki Pants take some courage, but don't be afraid to mix them with a variety of shirt/sweater combos.  Apparently going sock-less is the rage too (doesn't matter what the shoe type).  Just be sure it's cool with the people you work with, especially if you work in close proximity to each other. 

The cast of "Community" show you that a khaki suit or simple blazer/khaki combo is always in-season.  [From left to right]  V-Neck Tees (assuming you're part of the 10% that can pull it off, stick with crew neck), Madras/Plaid Shorts, Chunky Horizontal Striped tees & sweatshirts, Varsity Jackets, Chambray pants, and maybe a pink blazer if you can defend yourself.  

[L to R] Simple check shirt/Khakis/Bucks, A Jean Jacket that fits the right way/Webbed Belt/Colored Khakis/some casual sneakers, and the standard soft wash colored shirt/v-neck sweater/jean combo spiced up with some crazy nautical stripe shoes.  Speaking of Nautical....

Nautical Stripe Sweaters (whether navy or white) are going to be everywhere.  The Chambray Shirt underneath with the dark denim pants is a ballsy contrast too.  

Are we seeing a theme here? Stripes and Colors People.  Also, the Chunky Rugby is back.

You'll also see a changing of the guard this year from "Colored Gingham" to "Fine Print and Checks" like the one above from J.Crew.  

Accessories:  Don't Sweat the Small Stuff 

The "Wear with/do-anything" Shoe:  Gray Suede Bucks

Perfect Casual Shoe:  PF Flyers (as seen on Benny "The Jet" Rodrigues)

Unless you're going to a wedding, Turn up your tie game

Webbed Belts.  Lightweight, durable.  Solid or crazy colors.  It's up to you.