Pop Culture Blog: Music, Movie and Humor

Leveraging low-hanging synergies outside the vertical fruit box since 1999.

GoonBlog: The Podcast – Episode #3.


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Recorded January 19th 2007 in the North End of Boston MA, the third podcast in the series features discussion about Sidney Crosby, the Washington Capitols, MySpace, our brand new hockey tshirts, a deluge of silly audio clips thrown in for funny measure, and our homie – little Philly Kessel.

This is some funny stuff, people. It’s a little on the long side, but we had a 2 month lull to cover. My audio editing abilities are creeping towards “a little better”, and you have to stay with us the full 23 minutes just to hear all the fart sounds and SlapShot quotes. If you’re on the market for a ridiculous hockey podcast, check us out.

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Wednesday Wadio: The Tragically Hip’s ‘Fly’.


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Fly is my favorite song off the new album, World Container, and although there isn’t a video for it yet, I did find this concert clip recorded in Belgium back in May. There’s some pretty good Downie Dancing throughout, and I love the guitar solo – which sounds much better on the record and reminds me of the one note solo from Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl, which I maintain is the best guitar solo ever. Yes, I said one note. World Container is the best Hip album since Phantom Power, and they’re playing at Avalon here in Boston in February.

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Kiva. Because You Can.


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I saw a TV ad for one of those Children’s Funds recently, probably while engrossed in an episode of Cheaters, and thought – wouldn’t it be nice to sponsor someone in a poor, far away foreign land and watch them grow and do well with my help? No really, that thought did actually cross my mind. Albeit excruciatingly briefly and in between fat women slapping skinny guys unconscious in dark parking lots.

A colleague of mind introduced me to Kiva.org this week, and I wanted to spread the love here on PITF. They make it SO ridiculously easy to find a small business-person, learn about their plight and then loan them money. If and when these folks get on their feet – I see tailors, shop owners, farmers, teachers on the site from a multitude of countries – they will actually pay you back. Even people who don’t subscribe to the whole notion of throwing money at hopeless international problems can find a home at Kiva.

I have set up a lender’s page for ThirstyPony and will be donating some of my new freelance earnings to several folks starting right this second. I have selected Daniel Muigai from Kenya (who wants to move his roadside electronics hocking business indoors) and Miroslav Finski from Bulgaria (who is trying to turn his 2 car taxi fleet into a 3 car taxi fleet). Daniel has a multitude of kids and Miroslav is my age. There are many more folks, and detailed information about them all, to choose from. You can also see what their donation goal is and how far they have left before they reach it. The minimum bid is only $25 – so do some good today.

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Apraisealypto.


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I saw Apocalypto over the Christmas holidays and I have to tell you – it was absolutely terrific. Great characters, amazing editing and action, gory as all get-out. The flick made its money back at the box office but suffered I think at the hands of historical critics who bashed its authenticity. It’s gone a step further now with the ‘R’ card being pulled in certain circles.

“Indigenous activists in Guatemala, once home to a large part of the former Mayan empire in southern Mexico and northern Central America, say “Apocalypto” is racist.“

Mel Gibson is a lot of things. But he’s no rac… oh, sorry. Anyway, Gibson is one of those rare actors who is as talented behind the camera as he is in front. And when you look at his historical directorial track record (Braveheart, Passion of the Christ) you know that the level of research behind his films is excessive and anal. I would put it to my readers that Mel Gibson knows 10x more about Mayan history at this point than any indigenous Guatemalan activist. Living in a location does not make you an expert on it’s history. Ask anyone living in a trailer park on top of an old Native American burial ground. Here is SNL having some hilarious fun with the first trailer:

Gross generalizations by me not withstanding, my point is that I have heard far to many people tell me that ‘they heard’ Apocalypto isn’t realistic. Who the fuck cares? I wrote a paper on Mayan ceremonial centers in University I’d be glad to let you read if you want a history lesson. I got an ‘A’, by the way. Gibson’s film is about as racist as me using the word Christmas in the opening sentence.

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Frigging Off Isn’t Rocket Science.


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I pride myself on my cool head. Maybe it’s just the medication. Regardless, it’s rare that something gets under my skin. I used to think that the phrase “It’s not rocket science” was kinda cool. Recently, and I am not sure why, it has blown up – particularly in my industry. Enough with the rocket science, being the main bulletpoint of this presentation.

I have talked about annoying business speak on the blog before. Maybe it is time to revisit the list for early 2007. Anything strike you recently as being a new addition to the list of words you will try not to catch yourself saying in the office? Here are a few more of my recent identified mindless go-tos:

– Optimization: Great, buddy. What, where, why, when and how? I’d like to optimize the contents of my wallet so I don’t have to sit beside you and your farts in this damn cubicle anymore.

– Collaborative Elements: Yes I agree. It’s good to talk about your job with other people who are also doing the same job for the same clients in the same place. The coffee machine and urinals involve considerable collaborative elements.

– Podcast: 2006’s answer to ‘Blog’ in terms of a word nobody you work for has the slightest comprehension of. Do you sell HVAC equipment and cable ties on your website? Awesome – but you probably won’t find a podcast terribly relevant to your business. If you’re a farmer, and you routinely throw green beans into the back of a truck, that’s as close as podcasting as you’re going to need to get.

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