Will the Muppets find a new life on YouTube? That would be awesome. Yay, Animal!

*UPDATE*
Just keep the Germans away from this…

(that’s some epic techno)

Joss Whedon has done it again. This time an evil scientist musical.

I spent $4 to get it on iTunes. It’s that good.

MSNBC has an interesting article on New York placing calorie stickers on restaurant menus. There are a few quotes that blow my mind. A lady exlaims “I’m so upset. I wish they wouldn’t have done this.” Really? Like it’s New York’s fault that you’re eating a 2,000 calorie dinner. The article explains how people are using this information to make better decisions on how they eat. Every city in the USA should be on this bus. Since I’ve been on my diet, eating out has always been a trouble. I know the healthiest thing on the menu is needlessly calorie-laden. Take this from the article:

1,360 calorie salad
Many New Yorkers are finding that even the foods they thought were lower calorie really aren’t. Vicki Freedman, who lives in Manhattan, watches her weight and always tries to choose a light option when eating out. But the 26 year old just discovered that the Friday’s pecan-crusted chicken salad, served with mandarin oranges, dried cranberries and celery, has 1,360 calories.

“That surprised me the most because they market it as a healthy option,” she said. “It’s like false advertising. You think it’s better than the burger and the fries. It’s misleading.” (The cheeseburger served with fries is, indeed, 1,290 calories.)

Consumers need to be better informed about what they’re putting into their bodies.

Jibjab does it again. Genius.

Ok, this is something I feel like I have to rant about now. I’ve been on the nutrisystem diet for about 4 months now. My fourth food package is on its way next week. I’ve been okay with the food, I’ve been doing the exercises, and I haven’t been cheating (with the exception of the occasional drink or that time with the Wasabi Peas - bastard Wasabi Peas…). I’ve now lost forty-two pounds. Here’s my rant:
I’ve only received one NutriBear. NutriBears are these little stuffed bears you get with every ten pounds you lose. I got one on my second shipment - the “10″ bear - after I lost 10 pounds during my first month. No bears were found on the third shipment. I called them up to ask. They said they’ll send the “20″ bear. They never did.

So yesterday I check the status of my pending fourth shipment. The “20″ bear is in there, but since I’ve lost another 20 pounds since then, I’m now expecting a “30″ and “40″ bear (nutrisystem knows how much weight has been lost because you log it on their website). I know this is trivial and it has nothing to do with getting myself into shape - and I’m definitely not aiming to score teddy bears. The first time they shipped the “10″ bear to me, I was surprised - I was like “I guess they give this out to men, too”. Now, I just want them to follow through. Because that “10″ bear is on top of my kitchen’s cupboards… mocking me.

These are the books I picked up Sunday while with a friend in Arlington. One thing I realized is that books are expensive, especially if you buy a bunch at once (as I usually do). I think these are the last paper books I will buy for some time. My next paycheck I’m considering buying an Amazon Kindle. I’ve run out of bookshelf space and I’m tired of carrying around multiple books at once. It’d be nice to just take one device and keep all my books there. The side issue, of course, is what do with the books I already have? Do I buy them in Kindle format too? And what if a better eBook reader comes out? Will it be able to read the books I’ve already purchased or will I have to buy them all over again? (Reminds me of that joke in Men in Black where Tommy Lee Jones quips about buying the Beatles’ White Album again)

Also, I’d like to point out that Barnes and Nobles are bastards for letting me think that spending $25 on a yearly membership card just to buy books at a similar discount from Amazon (without the membership cost) was worth it. Borders and B&N can go shove it.

In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
I just watched “Capote”. I realized that I have never read anything by Capote. In fact, I’m only familiar of his work in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (and his acting role in Murder By Death). So I think this is a must read.

The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury
I love, LOVE, Ray Bradbury’s work. I read most of his stuff in High School (voraciously) - somewhere in time I had lost my collection of his paperbacks - this is my attempt to fill that void (I purchased The Illustrated Man a few months back)

Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Another book that shows up on people’s favorite book list. This was also one of the many novels that have shown up on Lost. I think it’s subject is something I’m very much interested in. I can’t wait to dig my teeth into it.

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
This is another book I never read. I know the story - it was given in condensed form in High School (stupid textbook teaching). I need the effect of the real thing. It is a short book, and I’m mostly done with it since picking it up on Sunday.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson
I started this book a few weeks ago and (time permitting) I’m nearly done with it. I think Thompson is hilarious - he’s the crazy uncle I always wanted to have (though not anywhere near me while armed).

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
This is the book I’m saving for last. I’ve read Vonnegut’s “Breakfast of Champions” and I’ve always wondered why I never picked this one up. I’ve been wanting to read this one since high school. This is the book I’m most excited about reading, so it waits.

So Sunday I was feeling a little spontaneous and decided to go to a soccer game. I traveled via metro train (aka the packed sardine can of death). Due to train malfunction I arrived at RFK about a half hour late.

I purchased a nose-bleed seat and watched the game. The DC United beat the LA Galaxy 4-1. The United’s second goal was the most impressive, a nice head knock into the goal. I left before the end of the game - I had not ate lunch. I traveled back to Virginia and got off at Clarendon and spent most of the day walking around and just chilling. I met a friend later in the evening for coffee and book browsing. It was a good sunday.

Muhhahahaha. Ranch dip.

Why don’t sloths make good pets? Are they vicious when they get older?

Itchy Sloth

Laugh along…

A ‘C’, an E-flat, and a ‘G’ go into a bar. The bartender says: “Sorry, but we don’t serve minors.” So, the E-flat leaves, and the C and the G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished: the G is out flat. An F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough.

A D comes into the bar and heads straight for the bathroom saying, “Excuse me. I’ll just be a second.” An A comes into the bar, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices a B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and exclaims: “Get out now! You’re the seventh minor I’ve found in this bar tonight.”

The E-flat, not easily deflated, comes back to the bar the next night in a 3-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says: “You’re looking sharp tonight, come on in! This could be a major development.” This proves to be the case, as the E-flat takes off the suit, and everything else, and stands there au natural.

Eventually, the C sobers up, and realizes in horror that he’s under a rest. The C is brought to trial, is found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of DS without Coda at an upscale correctional facility. On appeal, however, the C is found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, and that all accusations to the contrary are bassless.

The bartender decides, however, that since he’s only had tenor so patrons, the soprano out in the bathroom, and everything has become alto much treble, he needs a rest - and closes the bar.