While this seems like a blatant misuse of technology, I can’t say I’m not impressed. This guy has seriously raised the bar in the world of bottle opening tricks.

Former NBA player John Amaechi recently came public about being gay, becoming the first former NBA player in history to do so. In response to this shocking news, several current and former NBA players were interviewed about their thoughts on playing with a gay teammate. Former Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway took this opportunity to openly express his intolerance for gays. Stunned by the politically incorrectness of the statement, host Dan Le Batard gives Hardaway a chance to back down from his statement and offer a more image friendly answer. Hardaway’s response to being called a homophobic bigot?

“You know, I hate gay people. I let it be known.”

(David Stern slaps forehead)

I’ve been hearing about this hair metal cover band called ‘Metal Skool’ for a few years now. They are out of L.A. and apparently play to a packed house every week at the Key Club. Between their rocking covers and crude banter, I didn’t think they could get any more awesome. Then I saw this.

Apparently Tony Romo and Dennis Haskins (a.k.a. Mr. Belding) were in attendance at this weeks show and joined the guys in their rendition of Journey’s classic “Don’t Stop Believing.” What happened next was nothing short of remarkable. To think, Tony Romo spends his nights getting drunk and singing Journey. He’s just like me (if I fumbled snaps to ruin entire football seasons and disappoint millions of fans). Enjoy.

I hate you Joe Rogan, but God dammit do I respect you for humiliating and discrediting Carlos Mencia as a comic— and even as a Mexican. Not only does his show break up a good lineup on Comedy Central with his stupid jokes about Mexican stereotypes, but he steals those same jokes that I don’t like. As if that wasn’t enough reason to hate him, he has the audacity to do this with a name like Ned. The lamest white guy name ever. I really hope I don’t have to see you or hear your annoying voice again.

Go home. I guarantee it’s easier to get out of here than you say it was to get in.

I would like to start by thanking Charles for presenting this video at our companies weekly creative meeting. Not only is this an effective visualization of the transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0, but one that offers a stunning insight into how Web 2.0 is affecting and changing our lives as we know them.

To many people, Web 2.0 is a term used to describe the fancy gradients and glassy buttons that have become so common in recent web design. Others will make reference to the emergence of user-generated content, blogs, wikis and social networking. Indeed, these are all byproducts of the Web 2.0 movement. However, the most profound affects have only begun to emerge. As the video describes, the most important distinction between these web “versions” is the separation of form from content. By separating the visual aesthetic from the content itself, we have hidden the complexity of the technology at the heart of the internet. This has opened the doors of online content creation to even the least tech savvy people, allowing virtual content to be the voice of the entire population rather than a select few. Web 2.0 is a movement that marks the beginning of an entirely new way of thinking and a new way of living. We are currently experiencing a technological and cultural shift that is unprecedented. Think about the world as you knew it a decade ago. It’s gone. Our lives have become automated, at times to a fault.

Google has emerged from the depths of Silicon Valley and streamlined all of our day-to-day activities, relieving us of any responsibility to search for answers or solutions unaided. MySpace has created virtual identities and communities for millions of people to use and abuse. Wikipedia has channeled the flow of information around scholars and first-hand sources and allowed it to intersect with the average person. YouTube has opened the door to 15 minutes of fame for aspiring directors, actors, musicians and absolute idiots. Everyone has now been given the means to be seen and be heard, but, more importantly, the means to be heard but not seen.

This is both fantastic and terrifying.

As we enter the virtual world we are shedding our real world identity in favor of utter ambiguity. We are now pure content, our true inner selves freed from the restraints imposed by our outer framework. With the ability to spread across a variety of forms with complete anonymity. As creators of virtual content we choose what and how much of ourselves is reveled to our virtual colleagues. We choose what we teach the machine and this lesson is by no means uncalculated. Anyone can visually observe the events of my life by perusing my Flickr account, but not even know my name. Conversely, somebody could read this blog and know many of my inner thoughts and opinions without having any context to base an assumption of my physical appearance. Obviously I have just made that connection for you, but that is a choice based on my comfort level with this medium. Some people openly embrace it while others shudder in fear of it. I would probably shake its hand.

At the beginning of the information revolution, back in Web 1.0, we were attempting to make a distinct separation of our real selves from our virtual ones. Now that we are beginning to grow tired of the ambiguity we once thrived on, we again crave the real-life interactions and connections we once had. Enter Web 2.0. For the most part, these virtual connections have not made the transition back to reality to complete the circle. As a result, we are beginning to see a change in the way that we handle our daily lives — opting for an automated solution in lieu of our traditional ones.

Why go to a bar to meet someone when you can go to Match.com?

When a society starts thinking like that, it becomes screamingly obvious that we are no longer looking for an enhancement to our daily lives, but a replacement. A step over the line dividing real life, tangible experiences from virtual ones is a step in the wrong direction. But what will happen if we cross that line, you ask? Web 3.0, I presume.

** The NFL has pulled all videos of this game from YouTube claiming copyright infringement. That’s right, the game they couldn’t get anyone to watch to begin with. As a result, I have replaced the defunct video with what I consider to be a more than adequate and equally suspenseful Techmo Super Bowl dramatization **

Brian Moorman, the Bills perennial Pro Bowl punter, got jacked up by Redskins free safety and all-around class act Sean Taylor during a fake punt attempt in last weekends Pro Bowl game. Apparently Taylor missed the memo that this was an exhibition game. The fake punt call, made by none other than AFC coach Bill Belichik, was the obvious call to make on a fourth and long, when you’re up by 7 late in the 3rd quarter of a game devoid of any regular season implications. I can only hope that this call inspires future Pro Bowl coaches to ask specialty players to go above and beyond their typical role for the sake of the team. I personally think that Tom Brady going over the middle on Brian Urlacher would be the perfect trick play call in next years scrimmage.

Belichik was later heard saying that he had seen retired linebacker Ted Johnson (who, incidentally, has 75lbs on Moorman) take harder hits. Big Bill’s comments come in the wake of Johnson’s recent public announcement that he now suffers from brain damage. An injury resulting from the string of concussions he suffered while playing under Belichik in New England. Thanks coach.

This years Super Bowl entertainment was proof that advertisers are either utterly clueless about their target demographic or simply don’t care that they are bastardizing the game and everything it means to its loyal fans. Working in the advertising industry, I have a pretty good sense of how a creative brainstorm works, and where the idea for a final concept is derived. With that said, I cannot fathom the conversation that must have taken place to lead to such a conclusion. Evidently it went something like this:

“What if we get dozens of people to prance around while Prince rips ‘Purple Rain’ on an overtly phallic guitar?”

“Dude, that is the best idea ever! But let’s get those people to wear leotards and twirl ribbons around too!”

“Awesome! I can’t see why any football fan wouldn’t love that. This is going to be the best Ultra Bowl show ever!”

Now don’t get me wrong, this is by no means criticism of Prince’s musical prowess or the entertainment value of Cirque du Soleil, but there is undoubtedly a time and place in which they are appropriate. Football’s holy day is certainly not one of them. Give me the Rolling Stones. Give me the Boss. Give me anything not in a leisure suit! The Super Bowl would not hold the cultural significance that it does if it wasn’t for the real fans. The ones who live for the game and die with their teams. Why are we overlooking the fans who truly matter and pandering to the people who presumably don’t even know the names of the teams playing? In short, show me something that this guy would like:

While his prediction was grossly inaccurate, he said it with the heart of a true football fan, and the help of a crazed fans best friend: alcohol. This is the type of guy you see at the stadium when it’s ten degrees out at the tail end of a losing season still supporting his team. Oh, and he’s usually not wearing a shirt. He earned this day, and, if he’s anything like me, is sick of having it ruined by the feel-good, politically-correct garbage that often supersedes the game itself. I’m not here to watch people hold hands, I’m here to see overgrown men pummel each other for no less than an hour. I don’t think I’m asking too much here.

The most common reason non-fans give for watching the Super Bowl is that they want to see the commercials, a cultural trend ignited by the classic 1984 spot by Apple introducing its McIntosh line of computers. And why not, 30 seconds worth of talking lions rolling their “R’s” in an attempt to sell a taquito cost enough money to fed a small country those same taquitos for 30 years. Someone better be watching this stuff.

I often wonder what the players think about all of this commercialism that overshadows their shot at gridiron glory. Thankfully, Snickers got me some answers. Their controversial “man kiss” commercial was shown to two of the games participants as their reactions were filmed. While Colts LB Cato June offers the type of insight you would expect from a 230lb man named Cato, Colts WR Marvin Harrison, with darting eyes and an incredibly uncomfortable smile on his face, offers the more thoughtful commentary of the two. And by thoughtful, of course, I mean far less straight.

Oh great, another person who thinks their opinion warrants a place in the already overcrowded world of blogging. While I completely agree, for the most part, this blog will have one key difference. It’s going to be awesome and will surely sway your opinion into direct alignment with my own. In all seriousness, I’m pretty excited about this. For years, my thoughts, opinions and rants have been scattered around various mediums with no real cohesiveness. I’m hoping that this will finally be the place that it all comes together. So what can you expect to read about here, you ask? I honestly don’t know. I have an incredibly broad spectrum of interests. Nothing is really off limits here.

While I readily concede that my opinions are often slanted, I hope to at least make my commentary humorous enough that you can overlook my calculated ignorance. I work as a web designer/developer in NYC, so I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say about the work that I love, but, more likely, despise in my field. Other possible topics include, but of course are not limited to: current events, sports, pop culture, technology, philosophical quandaries and maybe a few videos of people being idiots and/or hurting themselves (because I can’t seem to get enough of those). I hope you join me as I delve into the sarcastic and often cynical recesses of my mind.