Courtney shared this story from Super Opinionated. |
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"I went to [Tolkiens] public lectures. They were absolutely appalling. In those days a lecturer..."
Courtney shared this story from Super Opinionated. |
“"I went to [Tolkien’s] public lectures. They were absolutely appalling. In those days a lecturer could be paid for his entire course even if he lost his audience, provided he turned up for the first lecture. I think that Tolkien made quite a cynical effort to get rid of us so he could go home and finish writing Lord of the Rings.””
-
"He gave his lectures in a very, very small room and didn’t address us, his audience, at all. In fact he looked the other way, with his face almost squashed up against the blackboard. He spoke in a mutter. His mind was on finishing Lord of the Rings, and he was really musing to himself about the nature of narrative. But I found this so fascinating that I came back week after week, as did one other person. I’ve always wondered what became of him, because he was obviously equally fascinated. And because we stuck there, Tolkien couldn’t go away and write Lord of the Rings! He would say the most marvelous things about the way you take a very basic plot and twitch it here and twitch it there—and it becomes a completely different plot.”
—-Diana Wynne Jones
#I don’t know if I find this more enchanting for a really interesting discussion on worldbuilding and narrative #or the fact that DIANA WYNNE JONES PREVENTED JRR FROM WORKING ON LOTR A WHOLE SEMESTER BECAUSE SHE MADE HIM DO HIS JOB OH MY GOOOOOOOD THAT #IS #HILARIOUS #I LOVE HER SO MUCH
(via basileus)
CDC scientists may have been exposed to Ebola in Atlanta lab
firehosegreat
As many as 12 scientists may have been exposed to Ebola earlier this week in a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lab in Atlanta, The Washington Post reports. On Monday, scientists who were researching the disease accidentally put a sample containing the Ebola virus in a place where it was transferred to another lab on the CDC's Atlanta campus.
A person answering the media line at the CDC, who declined to be named, also declined to comment on the report.
"No risk to staff is acceptable"
According to the Post, a lab technician in the second lab was exposed. About a dozen people also entered the lab and may have been exposed, the Post writes. The incident was discovered Tuesday, and is being internally investigated; the lab tech who was exposed is being monitored for symptoms. Other people who may have been in the lab have been contacted, and their risk will be assessed.
This is the latest in a series of incidents at US labs; The Washington Post reported in June that government labs exposed people to bird flu, anthrax, and botulism. Funding for certain kinds of research has been halted, following biosafety "incidents" at federally-funded research centers earlier this year.
"I am troubled by this incident in our Ebola research laboratory in Atlanta," said CDC Director Tom Frieden in a statement to The Washington Post. "No risk to staff is acceptable, and our efforts to improve lab safety are essential – the safety of our employees is our highest priority."
It's OK if you don't watch The Interview on Christmas, or ever
firehosestill waiting for the admission that this is a huge james franco signature publicity stunt
There was never any question this week that I would be spending part of my Christmas watching The Interview. When it was announced the morning that the film would get an online release at 10 a.m. PST, without missing a beat I yelled to my mom in the next room (who I am currently visiting for the holidays) that we would have to cancel a day trip we had planned. Welcome to the hot take workshop: when a story snowballs to the proportion that the Sony hack and near-non-release of The Interview has, a certain kind of professional easily becomes a slave to the feeds and the whims of the individuals at the center of the story.
But having now finally watched Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and screenwriter Dan Sterling's film, I can confirm with confidence that the least important element of the story of The Interview is The Interview itself.
The Interview was bound to be an emperor-has-no-clothes situation
Of course, it was bound to be an emperor-has-no-clothes situation, much like the buildup to any other anticipated Hollywood blockbuster. We have endured a month of the equivalent of trailers and teaser trailers and previews of the teaser trailers courtesy of the Guardians of Peace and Michael Lynton, and as cynical moviegoers we should be used to the idea that the product at the center of the storm can't stand up to that kind of scrutiny and speculation. The Interview is substandard Apatovian bro-fare to the point of self-parody, full of the offensive Asian accents and dick-joke-a-minute banter one would expect; Lizzie Caplan's CIA agent is a carbon copy of Cecily Strong's "one-dimensional female character from a male driven comedy" as seen on SNL's Weekend Update a couple weeks ago, down to the bangs and glasses.
It should not be a terribly revelatory statement to claim that a Seth Rogen/James Franco gross-out buddy romp is not a good film, but the story surrounding it has elevated it to the realm of hyperbole. After Sony's initial decision to pull the film, the (completely righteous) indignation over the cowardice of the film industry quickly rendered the discourse in black-and-white. Even as many of us suspected the film was trash, we begrudgingly accepted that The Interview was the most important film of our era, and it was our duty as cineasts to defend and champion it as such. In the past week, the #IWouldGo hashtag sprung up in support of independent theaters screening the film. Either you were first in line for The Interview in whatever form it ended up screening, or you hated America.
#YouDontHaveToGo
#YouCanGo if you want, but sheesh, #YouDontHaveToGo. Just as it's our right as Americans to put out any dumb, racist, homophobic, misogynistic comedy that also happens to depict the fiery death of a sitting political leader, it's also our right to not give a shit about said comedy. Not only is there nothing revolutionary about The Interview, there is nothing revolutionary about the screening and viewing of The Interview. That's not to say that it shouldn't happen, but let's keep it all in perspective. More than anything, watching the same bros make jokes about gay anal sex for fun and profit actually kinda sounds like business as usual.
If you are not the kind of person who would normally go see The Interview, but have been swept up in the mania surrounding it and have a ticket to a brick-and-mortar screening on Christmas Day, maybe take a moment to ask yourself why. Consider spending those two hours with your families or loved ones instead; they probably miss you and love you. If you want to support the cinematic arts on Christmas, that's great — see if you can trade your Alamo ticket for a screening of The Babadook or hey, even Wild. I've heard mixed things, but who isn't rooting for lil' Reese? Good luck at the Oscars this year, Dub-spoon.
The Interview is a bad movie that trivializes one of the worst ongoing human rights violations on our planet
If you were going to see The Interview even before the GOP tried to take it away from us, then by all means, get out there and have your fun. If I sound judgy, it's because I'm judging you: The Interview is a bad movie that trivializes one of the worst ongoing human rights violations on our planet right now, and its distribution, as integral as it is to our First amendment rights, will change absolutely nothing. Still, I am a little grateful for the early online release today; it means we can get on with our lives that much sooner.
New Booze: Barrel-Aged Sloe Gin, Rum from Grenada, 5-Year-Old Tequila, Rose Liqueur
firehosenew grenada rum
Spirit Works Reserve Barrel Sloe Gin
Spirit Works has released a limited edition barrel aged sloe gin – the first of its kind in the US.
To produce their Reserve Barrel Sloe Gin, they began with their Spirit Works Sloe Gin, made with real sloe berries, and Spirit Works Gin, then allowing the blend to rest in new American Oak for several months. This barrel-aging process allows the spirit to breathe through the wood, rounding the sweetness and the spices.
Spirit Works Reserve Barrel Sloe Gin is currently available exclusively in Northern California at a suggested retail price of $75.00. It can also be sampled in the Distillery tasting room, along with their full portfolio Thursday – Sunday from 11am – 4pm. Tours of the distillery are also available by appointment, Friday – Sunday at 4pm. To arrange a tour or for more information on the Distillery and where to purchase its products, visit the website.
Dulce Vida Extra Anejo Tequila
Dulce Vida Organic Tequila announces a 5-Year Limited Edition Extra Añejo. Like all Dulce Vida tequilas, the Extra Añejo is made with 100% blue agave sourced from the Los Altos Higlands of Jalisco, and distilled and aged in San Ignacio Cerro Gordo, Mexico. This Limited Edition was rested for five years in barrels of American Oak that previously contained vintages of Merlot and Cabernet wines from a Napa Valley winery.
Dulce Vida’s Extra Anejo will be available in the market in November with an expected retail price of $169 per bottle.
Giffard Speed Rack Black Rose Liqueur
Back Bar Project LLC, exclusive importers of Giffard Liqueurs announces a special edition, all natural, Crème de Rose liqueur. Giffard, the family-owned liqueur maker located in France’s Loire Valley since 1885 worked with the founders of Speed Rack, an all-female speed-bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer research. Speed Rack Black Rose Liqueur will be available starting December 14th in New York. Net proceeds of Speed Rack Black Rose will be donated in support of breast cancer awareness and education.
Petals of Moroccan Rosa Damascena are macerated in neutral beet spirit to extract their delicate aroma and flavor. Sugar and water are then added to the infusion to create this exquisite liqueur. The label features Speed Rack’s notable black and pink logo.
Speed Rack, created by bar industry leaders, Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero, kicked off its fourth season on November 10th, 2014 in Washington DC. Mix and Marrero will be hosting all-women bartender cocktail competitions that raise money for breast cancer research in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Dallas and New York City. The Speed Rack National Finals will take place in New York City in June 7, 2015. In 2015, the tour will expand globally to Canada and France and continue efforts in the U.K., making Speed Rack the one and only all-female, international bartending competition. For a list of event dates, please visit www.speed-rack.com.
Speed Rack Black Rose Liqueur (20 percent ABV), will be available for $34.99 MSRP in all Speed Rack competition markets, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, California, Washington and Colorado, among others. For a complete list of availability, please visit www.giffardusa.com.
Six Saints Rum
Crucial Drinks will be launching Six Saints Rum – one of the first actively exported rums produced in Grenada - in the US market. Six Saints Rum is set to be released on January 1st, 2015 in NJ, FL, GA and IL and will hit shelves in the CT, DE, MD, MA, NY, NC, PA, SC, VA, WV and DC markets by early 2015.
Six Saints Rum is exclusively distilled at Grenada Distillers (formerly the Grenada Sugar Factory) – one of just two surviving distilleries on the Island. Though Grenada is known as the “Island of Spice,” Six Saints Rum is un-spiced.
It is distilled from fermented molasses then finished in once used American white oak bourbon barrels until mature.
Six Saints Rum takes its name from Grenada’s six saintly parishes: St. George, St. John, St. Andrew, St. Patrick, St. Mark and St. David. Grenada has been quietly producing rum since 1785 and is the last of the West Indies to actively export their spirits.
41.7% ABV; MSRP $37/ 750ml
www.sixsaintsrum.com
Related articles
"In Iceland, books are exchanged on Christmas Eve, and you spend the rest of the night reading...."
firehoseIceland, y'all
popular shared this story from I tumble for you. |
“
In Iceland, books are exchanged on Christmas Eve, and you spend the rest of the night reading. People generally take their books to bed along with some chocolate. How cozy and wonderful does that sound?
(More fun facts: Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country, and new books are typically published only during the Christmas season—the frenzy is called Jólabókaflóð, or the Christmas Book Flood.)
”-
this is amazing (via awelltraveledwoman)
There is actually a fantastic planetmoney podcast that explains more about the Icelandic fascination with books. Listen here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/05/23/135846192/the-friday-podcast-a-city-on-the-moon
(via crookedindifference)
PBR Goddess
firehose'I made it to wear to a Red Fang and Opeth concert, inspired by Red Fang's music video for Prehistoric Dog.'
submitted by slizoth [link] [40 comments] |
Cocktail Bar Trend Predictions for 2015: Branding, Barcades, Brandy, and More
firehoseCamper English makes an unironic list indistinguishable from a David Rees list
For Details.com, I rounded up some cocktail and cocktail bar trend predictions for the coming year.
Details likes me to write about the trendiest of trends, so I skipped the big macrotrends like mezcal and expensive bourbon, and focussed instead on cutting-edge things including:
- Barcades
- Bars as brands
- French brandy
- Clarification of cocktail ingredients
- Bartender wellness programs
And several others. Read the story on Details.com here.
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Black Water - Portland's First Metal-Themed Vegetarian Brewery
firehosemeanwhile
submitted by cratermoon [link] [9 comments] |
Unusual barista employment opportunity available downtown:
firehose'Position for the Cafe Manager at the Church of Scientology in Portland:
We are looking for a creative and ambitious manager to build up the cafe we have on the second floor of our building. Currently we have a large lounge area and a mostly self-serve type cafe. It has all the professional equipment (smoothie makers, espresso machine, etc.) to be a flourishing cafe but no one to fully manage and run it so it doesn't produce nearly close to its potential.
The position would be 9-6, largely commission based and there's no specific requirements on previous work experience. However, barista experience and having worked in any service based industry would be a huge benefit.
We want someone who's interested in really creating on the cafe and having fun with it.
Must be 18 or older and not have any felonies or probationary status.
Submit your resume via e-mail or call us at 503-228-0116'
submitted by Glitter_Paper [link] [21 comments] |
oyeechica: m—sa: underratings: Me dealing with all my...
nevvyland: Somebody had to. Original
firehosethank you multitasksuicide for this christmas present
Icycl, A Convenient Frozen Fruit-Flavored Ice Pop Made With Vodka
firehoseofficial marketing copy: "you don’t have to indignantly suck it out of a tacky plastic shot glass – you get to squeeze, smush and wring it out instead"
Icycl is a convenient fruit-flavored ice pop made with vodka that can easily satisfy the need for a frozen treat and the need for a drink in one container.
Take your boozing to frosty (and fruity) new altitudes with the Icycl – Vodka Ice Pops. Is it a popsicle? Is it a fruit sorbet? Is it a slushie? In truth it’s an exciting blend of all three, with delicious alcohol thrown into the mix. It’s like a vodka jelly [jello shots], only refreshingly icy and you don’t have to indignantly suck it out of a tacky plastic shot glass – you get to squeeze, smush and wring it out instead!
Icycl is available through Firebox in packages of six or ten. Each package contains Apple, Blackcurrant, and Lemon/Lime flavors.
images via Firebox
via The Awesomer
NFL playoff picture 2014: AFC, NFC seeding possibilities cheat sheet
firehoseIf the Rams and Cards win this week, Seattle falls from the #1 seed (home-field throughout, first-round bye) to the road team against the NFC South champion (guaranteed losing record)
The playoff picture is getting clearer, but it's still a little confusing with all the possible outcomes for seeding ahead of the season's final week. Someone created some handy charts to explain.
Denver's loss to the Bengals on Monday night gave the Patriots the top seed in the AFC, locking down one spot in the conference's playoff order. Four more of the six spots are still to be determined -- the Colts are locked into the fourth spot -- depending on the results in Week 17.
All six spots in the NFC are up for grabs, making a tangled web of possibilities with one week left in the regular season. Arizona, Dallas, Detroit, Green Bay and Seattle all still have a shot at the conference's top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. One of those teams will end up with the second seed in the NFC.
Carolina and Atlanta are playing for the NFC South title this week. It's one of four games that will determine a division winner and further sort out the seeding for the postseason.
It's all going to make for an interesting regular season finale this week, with a confusing list of possible seeding outcomes. Fortunately, one Reddit NFL user made us a cheat sheet.
AFC
NFC
Stuff Jon wrote in 2014
firehoseJon Bois is a god
More than 100 articles are published to the Internet each and every year! Jon Bois wrote a lot of those. Here are the 10 he is happiest with.
Using a sandbox physics engine, I tried to produce my own basketball video game. As it turns out, video games are very difficult to make! By the time I was done, my players were crushed to death by a bus that fell out of the sky and/or set on fire. I truly believe in my heart that I did my best.
9. NFL Daft.
I analyzed a few NFL Drafts and learned that almost nobody in the NFL knows what they are doing. I like the comments more than the piece itself, because we played a game of "Try to Out-Draft Matt Millen." I simulated a draft and let commenters make draft picks completely blindly and randomly. We drafted better than Matt Millen.
8. Hey y'all got y'alls' asses whooped.
I'm happy that I got to write an article with that headline. I'm very happy that I got to write it the day after the Super Bowl, and about the team that was thoroughly stomped on. The comments section is Mordor.
This might be RadioShack's final holiday season before it goes under, so I shared a bunch of stories from my three and a half years as an employee.
6. Breaking Madden: The Mark Sanchez Century.
I was determined to get to a Super Bowl in Madden with Mark Sanchez as my quarterback, no matter the team, and no matter how many tries it took. Eighty-nine years. Eighty-nine years is how long it takes.
I love Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, and there is one episode I love most of all. This, captured through GIFs and videos, is an examination of a phenomenally mean, not-smart man and the British celebrity chef who won't stop screaming at him.
4. Tony Gwynn, baseball scientist, has died.
Like everyone else, I was pretty heartbroken when Tony Gwynn passed away at the age of 54. He was baseball's jolliest supervillain dork. We say "there wasn't anyone else like him" about a lot of people. This time, we meant it.
3. Breaking Madden: The Machine Is Bleeding To Death.
We managed to raise thousands of dollars in charity as I built two nightmarish rosters in Madden: the Seahawks were all enormous and perfect at everything, while the Broncos were tiny and horrible at everything. I wanted to score a thousand points in a single Super Bowl. Instead, the game totally lost its cookies, glitched up, and created a misshapen alien fetus-monster in the middle of the field. I provided photographic evidence, but I couldn't explain it. I still can't.
2. The Tim Tebow CFL Chronicles.
A note of warning before you click that: in terms of both word count and animation size, it might well be the longest, heaviest article you have ever seen on the Internet. It's a 44,000-word illustrated online novel about Tim Tebow, who signs with a CFL team and soon learns that an offensive drive in the CFL does not end in the end zone. The stadium walls open up, and they continue to play through the streets. What follows is a decade-long offensive drive that stretches millions of yards through the Canadian wilderness.
The whole thing is crudely-animated, and as a written thing, it has flaws. It's just a thing I really, really wanted to do, so I did it.
1. NBA Y2K: The death of basketball.
Using NBA 2K15, I built an NBA draft class that was nothing but tiny, stupid, completely talentless players, and then I made NBA teams draft them. Then I fed them the same draft class the next year. And the next year. And the next year. I did this until all the real-life NBA players retired, and the sport of basketball was essentially murdered. By the end, we witnessed a 12-overtime thriller in which a team won 3-0.
This one takes the top spot for me because it's one of those few things I can look back on and say, "holy shit, all of it actually works."
0. well guess what it's you the fans
Y'all also be sure to check out Spencer Hall's 10 best pieces of 2014.
Buying one thing each from all 39 bowl game sponsors
firehosedefense acquisitions beat
There are 38 bowl games, plus the national championship. Each is named after something that wants your money. Here is how to give it to them.
The rules:
- These must be things that it is easy to find on the company's website. I'm not going to a store or calling someone on the phone or mailing in a quote form.
- If the company doesn't sell things on its website, I'll adjust to that however I please.
- If the company doesn't have anything interesting, that's not my fault. Something's still going on this list.
Those are the rules.
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl: $14.99
You could join AdvoCare, a multi-level marketing thing. Or you could buy some vitamins or whatever. Or you could pay someone money in order to put a multi-level marketing company's logo on your newborn child.
Allstate Sugar Bowl: See Rose Bowl
Below.
Autozone Liberty Bowl: $4.99 to $12.99
Compare products to be sure you make the right purchase for your family.
Belk Bowl: $7.49
Belk is a department store, so browsing its entire website would take all day. I went straight for the Clearance tab and found this OK shirt.
Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl: $332.42, maybe?
I tried to buy a couple dollars or whatever of Bitcoin a few months ago, just to see what all the fuss was about. I am not smart enough to figure out how to do that and refuse to believe that anyone else is. If you want to try buying a Bitcoin kit or what have you, this is how much it hypothetically costs as of publication, allegedly.
Birmingham Bowl: $5.50
Some of these games don't have corporate sponsors, but are instead named after their cities. At city websites, you can still buy things, such as the elimination of a parking ticket. In Birmingham, paying a $0 parking ticket doesn't cost much money.
Boca Raton Bowl: $435
Assuming you don't live nearby, it's gonna cost you big to use Boca Raton's boat ramp all year. Are you sure you wanna go through with this?
Buffalo Wild Wings Cactus Bowl: $3 million
Starting a Buffalo Wild Wings franchise is like buying an NFL team in so many ways, including the respect it will gain you among your fellow billionaires. You have to both be able to afford to build the building and be able to be rich otherwise.
As with any expanding franchise system, we have thousands of people interested in buying a franchise. To measure a candidate's qualifications, we have established the following requirements:
- Required liquid assets: Minimum of $750,000 per restaurant. Required net worth per restaurant of $1.5 million.
- The minimum Area Development requirement for new franchisee is two restaurants.
- Therefore the minimum unencumbered liquid assets required are $1,500,000 and net worth of $3,000,000.
- The Operator is an equity partner of at least 5%.
Capital One Orange Bowl: Endless mountains of blanketing debt
what are you doing
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: $1.10
This is the best bowl website. Just bought lunch from it. Also, you can buy tools.
Duck Commander Independence Bowl: $3.95
It's a loofa with an old man's face on it. You will use it to scrub your naked body. There are four other human face loofas to choose from.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: $45
Does not include umbrella. Also does not include 50 free potato pins, unless you live in Idaho.
Foster Farms Bowl: -$3
If you can find Foster Farms' crunchy corn dogs, you are soon to reap savings.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: $419,000
This is the very first house I saw via this website. It seems fine.
Gildan New Mexico Bowl: $6
Shirt.
GoDaddy Bowl: $100
Goodyear Cotton Bowl: $564
Hyundai Sun Bowl: $28,255
Car with some stuff.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: $71,000,024
Splitting the difference between the $142 million F-35B Lightning II fighter jet and the customizable bowl jersey, because I don't know which you'd rather have.
Miami Beach Bowl: $60
The construction fee for a temporary roller coaster in Miami Beach, Florida is $60, maybe. Talk to your financial manager.
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman: $8.7 billion
It's not really for sale, but I bet if you PayPal this company $8.7 billion, they'll make you one too:
National Championship presented by AT&T: $10
National University Holiday Bowl: $1,708
Including the $160 for the golf lab, of course.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl: $57.99
You can design your own beautiful hat.
Outback Bowl: Free!
Never spend money on Outback products. Just wait for either Auburn or Wisconsin to win.
Your Outback Bowl rooting interest is now clear. http://t.co/G1dwYamFDV pic.twitter.com/mrgGgqqNju
— SB✯Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) December 17, 2014
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl: $45,000
Popeyes' online menu does not include pricing for food items. So this is how much it costs to start a Popeyes in the Bahamas.
Quick Lane Bowl: $39.95
Fluids.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: $124.90
I fiddled with the Rate Quote calculator, trying to find out how much it would cost to ship tons of hazmat-grade materials from the Arctic Circle to Key West and so forth, but it didn't work. So here's how much it costs to have some sort of one-pound item freighted around your neighborhood:
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl: Free
You can call to see how much it is to advertise in locales such as Honolulu, Hawaii and Columbus, Georgia. I ain't got time to call people.
Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual: Insurance money
It doesn't let you throw a funeral that costs more than $1 million. Also, the Sugar Bowl's sponsor uses the exact same insurance calculator, meaning both Playoff semifinals are brought to you by basically the same thing.
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl: $8.18
I wanted to show you the snowmobile oil, but when you click to view the snowmobile oil, you get gun oil. That's pretty interesting, too.
Russell Athletic Bowl: $15.99
Pretty much the only bowl game Twitter account you need to follow handles this purchase.
@JasonKirkSBN In that case, the standard athletic shorts (http://t.co/yITQANj3l7) b/c they last for years and can survive rain-soaked OT.
— RussellAthleticBowl (@RussellAthBowl) December 23, 2014
@RussellAthBowl will never let you down.
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Free
I do not have time for this.
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: $14,642.84
You, your spouse, and your two children are going to stay at the Sheraton resort in New Caledonia, an island near Australia that I had never heard of, for a month. I gave you a bunch of expensive packages too. You arrive January 13, the day after the national championship. It costs "XPF 1,430,499.96," which is not even $15,000 American dollars.
Taxslayer Gator Bowl: It says "free"
TicketCity Cactus Bowl: $9, in more ways than one!!!
YO DOG
Valero Alamo Bowl: Prices may vary
You can bid on corn every day of your life.
VIZIO Fiesta Bowl: $2,999.99
TV set.
Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl: $6.99 (prices may vary)
Yes, SALAD ZALAD. This is your reminder that this salt-plagued chicken chain announced this bowl sponsorship by typing these words in real life: "To reinforce our brand as the Official Chicken of Sports Fanz and extend our reach as an emerging national concept, Zaxbys offers an Indescribably Good experience in our restaurants and on the field during the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl."
Celebrate Hanukkah with the Atlanta Hawks mascot dancing around a menorah
firehosefuck the falcons
1.
2.
Speechless. The Hanukkah celebration in ATL features the Hawks mascot break dancing, guys in togas and t-shirt cannons.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 24, 2014
3.
WHEN THE MACCABEES DEFEATED THE SELEUCIDS, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAD IN MIND.
NBA Scores 2014: Damian Lillard comes through in the clutch again
firehoseDAME AS FUCK
Damian Lillard forced OT with a three and scores 40 in the Blazers' road win over Thunder, plus 3 other things we learned in the NBA on Tuesday night.
Damian Lillard sprinted around a pair of screens and caught the ball in that same spot, about five feet behind the three point line, just left of the top of the key. The last time the Blazers trailed by two in this spot, Lillard was at home in the playoffs against the Rockets. This time, the deficit was three and Portland was on the road in Oklahoma City.
Lillard caught the ball with about four seconds left on the clock. Serge Ibaka recognized what was happening, but it was too late. The 6'10 Thunder forward quickly switched off his assignment and sprinted towards Lillard, left arm in the air, but there was nothing he could do. With three seconds left, the shot fell through the basket, erasing a 13-point fourth quarter deficit and tying the game at 98. Lillard would score seven more points in overtime to give the Blazers a 115-11 road win over the Thunder.
Lillard finished with 40 points and 11 assists. He was 11-of-21 from the field and connected on eight of his 12 three-point attempts as he put the Blazers, who played 24 hours earlier Houston, on his back. With the win Portland improved to 23-7, the second best record in the stacked Western Conference.
The Warriors have gotten most of the attention this season and for good reason, but the Blazers now find themselves just two games behind Steve Kerr's crew. They have the third best defensive rating (99.6) in the NBA and an offense that, despite being "just" 10th in points per 100 possessions (106), can still be considered one of the league's best. That's what happens when you two stars.
Lillard might not be as electric as Russell Westbrook or as great a shooter as Stephen Curry. But he can get to the basket as well as any point guard in the league and, as evidenced above, hit from any spot on the court. Lillard is taking over six three-pointers per game this season and is connecting on 39 percent of them. When guarding him, opponents have to go over the screens on pick-and-rolls, something which opens up the court for Lillard, and the rest of the team. He also seems to hit every clutch shot he takes. Sometimes they even look alike.
Of course, the Blazers are far from a one-man team, and Lillard's heroics wasn't the only reason they beat the Thunder Thursday night. Aldridge added in 25 points and Wesley Matthews had 22, while Portland also hit 17 of its 31 three-point attempts. The Blazers did allow Russell Westbrook to go off for 40 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, but they made the Thunder turn themselves into a one-man show.
That man, Westbrook, is and was great. But on this night, the show belong to Lillard. It's not the first time it's happened and it most likely won't be the last.
3 other things we learned
The Atlanta Hawks are really good. Quick quiz: guess (without cheating) which team has the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Yeah, the heading of this bullet point gives the answer away. But did you know that the Atlanta Hawks, who now stand at 21-7 after their 101-97 home win Tuesday night over the Clippers, are just a half-game behind the Toronto Raptors, the team currently at the top of the East's standings.
The Hawks have won five games in a row and, amazingly, 14 of their last 15. In the past eight days they've beaten the Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks and Rockets. The latter three wins all came on the road, and the one in Cleveland was a blowout. The Hawks have no stars, but head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing an unselfish and efficient style of basketball. Only four teams throw more passes per game, according to NBA.com, and no team averages more assists. The result: the sixth best offensive rating (106.7) in the NBA. At 100.8, Atlanta also has the seventh best defensive rating in league. Right now it's hard to tell what the ceiling for this team is. One thing we do know: it's pretty damn high.
The Lakers are actually better without Kobe Bryant. This is no longer a joke that fans can throw out sometimes. Tuesday night, the Lakers gave Kobe Bryant the night off. Tuesday night, the Lakers beat the Warriors, the best team in the NBA, 115-105. It was just the Warriors' fourth loss of the season and just the Lakers' ninth win. That Kobe Bryant was not involved is not a coincidence.
Still lots of noise, but the sample size keeps getting bigger: pic.twitter.com/OLMNbcxcRo
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) December 22, 2014
Against the Warriors, the Lakers shared the ball and had a balanced attack. They recorded 28 assists, eight above their season average, and no player took more than 13 shots. Five attempted 10 or more shots. It's not that the Lakers are a good team without Kobe, but when he sits, they seem to morph into a respectable one.
Kobe's not going anywhere so none of this matters, but it will be interesting to watch how this plays out all year.
The Sixers are no longer the worst team in the NBA. With its 91-87 over the Heat in Miami, Philadelphia improved to 4-23. Those four wins have all come in the team's last 10 games. The Sixers still have the worst winning percentage in the league (0.148), but the Knicks have more losses (25). The two other teams in the conversation are the Pistons (5-23) and Timberwolves (5-22), the latter of which plays in the Western Conference, meaning you can expect Philadelphia to pass them in no time.
The Sixers' offense still stinks, but over this 10-game stretch, they've been holding teams to 96.6 points per 100 possessions, a number which would be the best in the league. Defense was how the Sixers were able to erase a 23-point second half deficit Tuesday night and defense is how they will, despite management's best efforts, figure out a way to climb out of NBA's cellar.
(Non-Dame Lillard) Play of the Night
John Wall is ridiculous. Not only is he faster than everyone on the court, and a one-man fast break, but look what he can do while running ahead of the pack.
8 fun things
Andrew Wiggins is sending a message to the team that drafted him No. 1 and then traded him. Given that he's only averaging 12 points per game, LeBron probably doesn't care, but that's neither here nor there.
The Atlanta Hawks Hanukkah celebration looks nothing like any Hanukkah celebration you've ever seen. In my house we certainly don't have mascots and togas.
When Courtside Seats Go Wrong. Glen Davis fell onto a child's lap, then kicked him in the head.
If you're a strength and conditioning coach, the only way you're going to make it onto TV is by wearing perhaps the ugliest sweater every designed.
Blazers announcer Mike Rice doesn't know where Oklahoma is.
Swaggy P throws awesome alley-opp, goes all Swaggy P.
Final Scores
Cavaliers 125, Timberwolves 104 (Fear the Sword recap | Canis Hoopus recap)
Pacers 96, Pelicans 84 (Indy Cornrows recap | The Bird Writes recap)
Magic 100, Celtics 95 (Orlando Pinstriped Post | Celtics Blog)
Bulls 99, Wizards 91 (Blog a Bull recap | Bullets Forever recap)
Nets 102, Nuggets 96 (Nets Daily recap | Denver Stiffs recap)
Hawks 107, Clippers 104 (Peach Tree Hoops recap | Clips Nation recap)
Sixers 91, Heat 87 (Liberty Ballers recap | Hot Hot Hoops recap)
Hornets 108, Bucks 101 (At the Hive recap | Brew Hoop recap)
Blazers 115, Thunder 111 (Blazer's Edge recap | Welcome to Loud City recap)
Suns 124, Mavericks 115 (Mavs Moneyball recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)
Lakers 115, Warriors 105 (Silver Screen and Roll recap | Golden State of Mind recap)
Central Michigan almost wins Bahamas Bowl after crazy hook-and-lateral hail mary as time expired
firehosevideo is nuts, but this is utterly insane
"Despite having the opportunity to take the game to overtime, CMU head coach Dan Enos went for two and the win ... and then they called a back corner fade."
this is like the red sox rallying on the yankees to be down by one, then bunting every at-bat in the bottom of the 9th
You've got to see how the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl ended.
Central Michigan headed into the fourth quarter of the inaugural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl trailing by five touchdowns.
Challenge accepted.
After, well, chipping away at the lead as Western Kentucky seemed disinterested in putting things away for good for much of the fourth, after a touchback with one second to play, Central Michigan did this:
(Via @cjzero)
Despite having the opportunity to take the game to overtime, CMU head coach Dan Enos went for two and the win ... and then they called a back corner fade.
The pass was ruled incomplete, Western Kentucky escaped with the win, but we'll always have Popeyes, that crazy hail mary, and the win that almost was.
Popeyes' secret new menu item is Ghost Pepper Wings
firehosePopeyes beat
:fireemoji: :chickenemoji:
About an hour before kickoff at what's proven to be a pretty one-sided, uneventful inaugural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, extremely important news shook the entire "foodie" scene to the core:
The first 4,000 fans at today’s Bahamas Bowl get to try Popeyes new "secret" product. It may or may not contain hints of ghost pepper.
— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) December 24, 2014
What could this secret mystery item be? SB Nation's Rodger Sherman got to the bottom of it:
Special advance mystery chicken pic.twitter.com/mQFGvVmpEp
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) December 24, 2014
Popeyes will begin rolling out marketing for the wings Christmas Day 2014.
Rodger describes them as "Good. spicy." If you know what's good for you, you should obtain some before they're, well, ghosts.
Western Kentucky players eat Popeyes with the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl trophy
firehosePopeyes beat
The dream.
Western Kentucky survived a 34-point comeback from Central Michigan that ended with the craziest Hail Mary you'll ever see to win the best (and first) ever Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Wednesday. So the Hilltoppers did what any of us would dream of doing — they ate Popeyes while claiming the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl trophy.
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) December 24, 2014
Popeyes has such a sports internet cult following that we had an entire post earlier today all about a new Popeyes secret flavor that was unveiled at the bowl game. WKU is living the dream.
Hot Buttons
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Peter Sciretta’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2015
firehosevia Tadeu
shared for BttF shop
Russ Fischer, Germain Lussier and Angie Han have already posted their most anticipated films of 2015 lists, and all three lists are very different. Germain’s list is comprised of mostly mainstream accessible big releases; Russ has a mix of filmmaker-focused picks and big studio tentpoles; and Angie’s list… had The Little Prince in the top five. While all three lists are great, I found that there were many films not listed on either list that I was looking forward to. So after the jump, you can find my listing of the most anticipated movies of 2015.
[For additional looks forward to movies in 2015, see our additional staff lists from Russ Fischer, Germain Lussier, and Angie Han.]
If you’ve ever read any of my lists on the site, then you know I just can’t narrow things down to ten options and tend to go much longer than I should. So it should come to no surprise that my most anticipated movies of 2015 list is comprised of a few dozen films. I apologize in advance, but there are just too many films that I’m excited about and want to share them all. I have, however, ranked them, so if you want just my top ten picks you can skip to the chase. However I’d encourage you to check out the rest because thats where many of the different choices fall. There, you’re likely going to discover some films you weren’t aware or forgot were coming this next year.
Runners Up
These movies for whatever reason didn’t make my top 30 most anticipated movies of 2014, even though I’m still very interested and excited about them.
Mission: Impossible 5
I loved the last two Mission: Impossible films, but I’ve heard the fifth installment might be a real mess and no one knows how Christopher McQuarrie’s film will turn out.
Project Almanac
Project Almanac should have me more excited then I am but the plot seems to be a found footage take on some elementary concepts already explored in my favorite film of all time, Back to the Future. The film had a sneak preview at Comic Con and those in attendance were surprised at how much they enjoyed the film which has me optimistic.
Entourage
I watched the HBO television series and loved how it lampooned the world of Hollywood, but I’m worried the movie will be less about the world of Hollywood and more about the core group of characters, who I have never been entirely invested in.
Terminator: Genisys
I have to admit, I haven’t been very excited about the latest Terminator movie but the recent teaser trailer got me interested in the franchise again. The divergent timeline concept at the start of the film has earned my interest, but the shorts of the group trying to infiltrate skynet or cyberdine reeks of more of the same.
Victor Frankenstein
Max Landis‘ original script was great and 20th Century Fox seems to be in a renaissance which makes me hopeful for this prequel/reboot/adaptation.
The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials
I actually really dug the debut chapter in this series, but I’m not sure if I will find the evolution of this story as interesting as the Lost-style mystery box inside a mystery box construct of the first film.
Pitch Perfect 2
The first Pitch Perfect was not even close to being on my most anticipated list for 2012, but the Bring It On-style comedy won my heart. For some reason I’m worried the sequel won’t recapture the magic of the original, but I’m still a fan of everyone involved and very much looking forward to it. In a less-packed year it would be in my list proper.
Silence
Anytime Martin Scorsese makes a feature film I will buy a ticket. However, the subject matter doesn’t necessarily excite me and the fact that it is a passion project worries me, too. Those are often not great. The fact that a Scorsese movie doesnt make my top 30 most anticipated films of the year goes to show you the awesome promise of this upcoming year.
On the next page you will find the beginning of the real list.
Continue Reading Peter Sciretta’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2015 >>
- Batman v Superman Teaser Trailer Description [Comic Con 2014]
- This Week In Trailers: Magical Universe, Björk: Biophilia Live, Layover, Sacro GRA
- ‘Into The Storm’ Trailer 2: Tornadoes! “They’re Everywhere!”
- ‘Jupiter Ascending’ International Trailer: The Wachowksis’ Latest Is Still Coming
- Ezra Miller Cast As WB’s ‘The Flash’ With A Solo Film Out In 2018
- Page 2: Sam Raimi, Star Wars, Frozen, Star Trek, William Shatner, Ouija, Korra, The Shining, Baron Munchausen
The post Peter Sciretta’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2015 appeared first on /Film.
Stranger in Portland courtroom shows defendant mercy -- forks over $983 so he won't become felon
firehose'Murphy says it was a no-brainer. He says he saw a young African American man in the courthouse whose job and housing prospects would be negatively impacted for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, Kevin Demer, the prosecutor on the case with the Multnomah County District Attorney's office, had offered to knock down Conley's charge to a misdemeanor if he paid up.'
submitted by SomeDudeInPortland [link] [1 comment] |
Google Fiber delays decision on service in Portland.
firehosehttp://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2014/12/google_fiber_delays_decision_o.html
all carriers suck forever
submitted by mycatguinness [link] [12 comments] |
"There is nothing like digging into the past, if you would dissipate romance. Who would have...
firehosevia Toaster Strudel
epaulettes beat
utena as fuck
"There is nothing like digging into the past, if you would dissipate romance. Who would have supposed that epaulettes were originally padded protection against sabre cuts?"
~From The Weekly Independent. (Belton, Tex.), December 19, 1857
fmtownsmarty: http://i.imgur.com/8F0vkgu.gifhttp://i.imgur.com/t...
firehosevia KV
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