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Migration of the magnetic poles of the Earth through geologic time. Scientific evidence indicates that the magnetic poles have slowly and erratically wandered across the surface of the Earth. Pole locations calculated from measurements on rocks younger than about 20 million years do not depart from the present pole locations by very much, but successively greater "virtual pole" distances are revealed for rocks older than 30 million years, indicating that substantial deviations occurred. Calculations of polar wandering formed one of the first important pieces of evidence for continental drift.
Learn more about polar wandering with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Mind-wandering (sometimes referred to as task unrelated thought) is a topic in experimental psychology that refers to the experience that thoughts rarely remain on a single topic for a long period of time when people are not engaged in an attention-demanding task (classically referred to as the train of thought, see William James). In particular, mindwandering refers to a sub-topic in the study of attention and consciousness, relating to times when attention may lapse, or wander. Mind-wandering experiences are defined by their lack of relation to the task in hand and are more likely to occur during driving, reading and other activities where vigilance may be low. In these situations, people report having no memory of what happened in the surrounding environment whilst pre-occupied with their thoughts. Although mind-wandering was first discussed by John Antrobus and Jerome Singer in the late 1960's it has more recently become a growing research topic in cognitive psychology, cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience.
Mind-wandering and other private experiences can be studied using thought sampling, or simply asking participants what they are thinking about at any given moment. Another way in which mind-wandering has been studied is through the use of the sustained attention to response (SART) task originally developed by Ian Robertson and his colleagues at Trinity College, Dublin to explore deficits in executive control after lesions to the frontal lobe.
From a scientific perspective, two aspects of mind-wandering are of interest. The first is understanding how the brain produces what William James referred to as the stream of consciousness. This aspect of mindwandering research is focused on understanding how the brain generates the spontaneous and relatively unconstrained thoughts that are experienced when the mind wanders. One candidate neural mechanism for generating this aspect of experience is a network of regions in the frontal and parietal cortex, which Washington University neuroscientist Marcus Raichle has dubbed the default network. This network of regions is highly active even when subjects are resting with their eyes closed suggesting a role in generating spontaneous internal thoughts.
The second aspect of mind-wandering of scientific interest is what it means for the mind to process information that is unrelated to the outside environment. One way to describe this state of attention is to say that when the mind wanders awareness is decoupled from the task environment. Studies have suggested that memory for concurrently presented information is impaired when the mind wanders.
In addition to neural models, computational models of consciousness based on Bernard Baars' Global Workspace theory suggest that mind-wandering, or "spontaneous thought" may involve competition between internally and externally generated activities attempting to gain access to a limited capacity central network.

subset: commoncrawl


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Prince of Persia Revelations Questions, Answers, Hints, Screenshots, Walkthroughs, Cheats. (PSP)
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Signed to the company who have managed the likes of Diddy, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent, Scottish singer David John releases debut single Mr. Fantastic next month – check it out here.
Written by David and hit machine Lil Eddie (Kylie, Jay Sean, J Lo) and produced by Mickey Modelle & Steve Ingham (Jessie J), Mr. Fantastic is released on May 14th.
Born and raised just outside of Glasgow, singer-songwriter David had nearly given up on his dream of stardom, when a chance meeting on holiday apparently changed his life forever.
Spotted by an A&R whilst playing with his friend's band, David was asked to send in a demo – which he recorded in his friend's tiny garage in Ayrshire – and within days of sending it off, he was summoned to New York and immediately signed to Violator Records & Management .
Since then he's been recording in New York and Atlanta (at music mogul DJ Eddie F's studio) with producers and writers such as Maddscientist (Leona Lewis, Mario, Nicole Sherzinger), Grammy award-winning Heavy D & The Boyz, Jayshawn Champion (R. Kelly, Faith Evans, Usher) and Corey Chorus Gibson (Babyface, P. Diddy, Rodney Jerkins).
In the summer of 2010, 50 Cent was impressed enough with David's early demos to personally invite David as support on his sold-out European stadium tour, where he won fans across the media including Perez Hilton.
The single also features a heavy remix from Pacha residents Sympho Nympho (Erick Morillo, Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero & Jose Nunez), which they handpicked for their new album Sympho Nympho - The Beginning, out now.


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I teach and was established at a certain rate of pay on the WA salary scale for years of experience. I taught at the CC level and this does not require certification but, in accordance with WAC 391-121-264, section 1 (b), I was given credit for that time. I have transferred districts and the new district is denying that time because certification was not required.
I believe they are wrong in law, but aside from that, I believe estoppel, as a concept, applies. Please help me phrase the memo correctly. Do I say, the legal concept of equitable estoppel applies in my case, regardless of whether you agree that I am entitled, under WAC 392-121-264 to X+ years of experience?
Two different districts have paid me based on the placement I received in 2004. New person in personnel in new district seems to think if a certificate wasn't required, I can't get years of certificated experience. Thank you.


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A few days ago, a video started making the Facebook rounds. Mark Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, made a statement about his target demographic, saying "we go after the attractive all-American kid" and that "a lot of people don't belong in our clothes." In response, a video was made to show Jeffries just what people think about his exclusionary and incendiary remarks.
This video has gone viral, and the first time I saw it, I knew it made me uneasy. I couldn't tell why right away, but I've had a couple of days to mull it over. In that time, a couple of the feminist blogs, websites, and thinkers I follow, have shared the video with positive comments and kudos to its creator, Greg Karber. But really, all this project has done is to reinforce the very notions Jeffries himself espouses; it even goes a step further to include yet another group in the discrimination round-up.
The video is in response to Jeffries' comments about the way certain people look, and how he thinks people should look. This is the very notion the video works to denounce. Yet, right away, the video attacks Jeffries for his appearance. The message here is suddenly not that it is wrong to judge people based on their size, sartorial choices, or any other physical attribute, but merely posits the "those who live in a glass house" rhetorical tool, changing the message to a less-than-inspiring, "Don't call people ugly if you are ugly, too." Because Jeffries does not conform to Karber's standards for attractive men, he is offered up for ridicule as well.
I would like to tell Greg Karber, and all the feminists I see reposting this that it does not change the conversation. It only works to justify the rhetoric you are critiquing. That is a confusing message at best, and at worst, it helps to keep in place the structural forces that create people (and, subsequently, companies) like Jeffries. Feminism (or whatever "-ism" or moral compass from which you work) should be about change, and not working within problematic paradigms. I'm not talking about working inside the system for change. That works when you're trying to change institutions in a tangible way. When one is seeking to change the ways in which we have conversations, one has to change the conversation. This video acts in tandem with it, engages, and then–oh then. Oh dear.
Perhaps the most egregious part of this video is the punch line–the homeless. Or, the men, women, and children; the mothers, daughters, husbands, fathers, sons; the human beings who, for some reason, do not have adequate or dependable shelter at this time. Does that help paint a broader picture of the "punch line"? Karber goes to thrift stores and buys up all the Abercrombie & FItch he can find. Jokingly, he says that he asked the cashier for "the douche bag section" and lo and behold, there was A&F. After buying the clothing, he heads to Skid Row in LA to hand out the various items. Take that, Jeffries. You didn't want overweight people wearing your shirts? Now the HOMELESS have 'em! Hardy har har.
Karber was somehow incensed enough to make a video in defense of all the people Jeffries excludes from his clothing line. Yet, he is perfectly comfortable using another group of people as pawns. Yet again, Karber acts in lock-step with Jeffries. Jeffries sets up that thin people are attractive/overweight people are ugly as a binary; Karber sets it up as if we all have an implicit, common knowledge that the ultimate dichotomy is attractive people vs. people who have to sleep on the streets.
The people receiving the "douche bag clothes" are not in on this plan with him. They did not all go to the thrift store together, nor were they invited for lunch or coffee, over which they would discuss this social issue, and then opt in, volunteering their current plight for the greater good. Karber uses their vulnerable position on the street for his gains. He is not seen explaining the job to the homeless people, but rather just hands out the clothes; a hip white guy with a camera in Skid Row. Did these people sign releases to be included in the video, and shown all over the internet? I doubt it. How do you tell someone, "You see, it's funny because you don't have a home"? While speaking up for those Jeffries paints as one large mass of overweight, unattractive people, Karber uses another group of people to prove his point, and seems to think of them as the monolithic "THE HOMELESS." Not Ruth, a former factory worker who lost her job and now lives on the street. Not Ed, a veteran who needs his medications. They are just The Homeless. Obviously unattractive, obviously a group without an agency we might need to respect, and for use in media to deliver the goods.
We will keep hearing from people like Jeffries if we keep using his language. There is an almost laughably obvious connection here with Lorde's powerful 1984 essay, "The Master's Tools Will not Dismantle the Master's House." If we're going to build new ways of seeing the world, we have to work with better tools.
Written by Mary-Margaret Sweeney
Guest Blogger
Mary-Margaret Sweeney is a graduate student in Loyola University Chicago's School of Social Work. She is still figuring out her path as a social worker, but social issues of interest to her are sexual health and education, women's issues (equal pay, childcare, reproductive rights, and domestic violence specifically), gentrification, environmentalism (especially in the urban setting), and the politics of poverty. She is also a freelance writer of journalistic and creative non-fiction work. You can reach her at email@example.com.
3 Comments | Add Comment
Ann Marie Hey! I love this site, and I appreciate this thoughtful reflection.
In full disclosure, I posted the video on my facebook page a couple days before I found this article, so my initial reaction was "Oh no! What did I repost?!"
Rewatching the video, I certainly have some things that I dislike about it. I don't think that Greg Karber is or is trying to be an amazing social justice advocate. His attack of the CEO's physical appearance was extremely counterproductive.
However, I perceived Karber's intention differently than the way that you framed it. I don't think that this was a prank on the homeless. I think that his goal was really about rebranding, even if he doesn't have the most outstandingly humane framework for explaining his campaign. AF has intentionally and transparently made their clothing inaccessible to certain groups, including the homeless.
I can't speak about where others have taken this project, but I think that the original point was to directly challenge AF's outrageous policies about refusing to donate clothes to homeless shelters/clothing donation centers.
I absolutely agree that a deeper conversation about homelessness could have been started. Your post focuses on people who are experiencing homelessness – their stories, their human agency and the ways that people and society constantly fail to respect that agency. This is a great conversation to have, but it was not Karber's conversation. Karber was specifically focused on counteracting AF's mission to exclude groups of people from wearing their clothing. If anyone is the butt of any joke, it is AF/their CEO. I really didn't see the video as a prank, though.
Overall, my perspective is that Karber's post was an imperfect attempt at his goal. I think it's complicated because you don't want to support the brand by buying new items, but you want to increase access to their clothes because it's so upsetting that anyone is excluded in the first place. The most concerning part of Karber's video to me was that he encourages viewers to STOP wearing AF while promoting homeless people wearing AF. If the point is to make AF a brand that ONLY people who are homeless wear, I take back any support or endorsement of Karber. I think AF should either be a brand that anyone can wear, or a brand that no one wears! -
Mary-Margaret Hi, Ann Marie. Thanks for your comment! I considered the information about AF saying they would not even donate their clothes–I learned this after writing the piece. However, I still think the problem lies in distributing clothes to the homeless without them really knowing why. Though this video may have been more directly criticizing their refusal to donate, the video didn't mention it specifically, and the people receiving the clothes were still not informed that they were part of proving a point. I suppose that is my main concern: 1/3 or more of the residents of Skid Row struggle with mental illness, more struggle addiction, and when that many people have possible cognitive barriers to understanding what they are being made to do, I think we need to question if the ends justify the means.
josh you are way off


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By George Von Benko / Special to MLB.com
Box >
PITTSBURGH -- Right-hander Bronson Arroyo allowed just one run on five hits over seven-plus innings as the Reds defeated the Pirates, 2-1, on Monday night at PNC Park.
"Fortunately for me today they hit some balls hard in the outfield that were in the reach of some of our guys," Arroyo said. "It's a totally different ballgame if some of those go in the gap, so I was lucky today, but that's what I love about the game. Some days you don't throw the best ball and come out on top."
Arroyo didn't feel he was on top of his game in this outing.
"I really didn't have a lot of movement today other than my sinker," Arroyo said. "It was going down just enough to get some ground balls, and it really helped me out, because these guys have seen a lot of soft stuff from me in the past and I really didn't have my soft stuff moving too much today. After they started hitting some ground balls, I thought I'd stick to attacking them with sinkers, and it just worked out."
"Arroyo was awesome," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He just hung that one curveball to [Ronny] Cedeno and other than that, that was it. They hit a couple balls hard and we made good defensive plays out there. But he was great."
Pirates manager John Russell gave a tip of the cap to Arroyo.
"When he's on, he's on. He mixes speeds very well, keeps you off balance, uses both sides of the plate. Obviously, he gave us trouble."
Pirates right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, just off the disabled list, made his first start since April 7. Ohlendorf went four innings and gave up one run on three hits. He took the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season.
The Reds staked Arroyo to a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, when Jay Bruce singled and scored on a double into the left-field corner by Laynce Nix.
Cincinnati nicked Pirates reliever Evan Meek for a unearned run in the eighth inning. Joey Votto reached base on an error by third baseman Adam LaRoche and scored on a double by Scott Rolen.
"That was key," Baker observed, "because you want to tack on every run you can late in the game. That was big. Votto hit that ball a ton down on LaRoche and he got an error on it, but he hit that ball hard. Then, that was a big, big double by Rolen."
The Pirates cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning on a home run by Ronny Cedeno, his third of the campaign.
"That insurance run was big," Arroyo explained, "because it gave me an opportunity, maybe to a fault, to give up the homer. It allowed me to try and attack guys in the eighth and not worry about giving up a homer like I did, unless there was somebody on base. Insurance runs are always huge."
The Reds thought they had a run in the top of the ninth, but Jonny Gomes was thrown out at home plate trying to score on Orlando Cabrera's double.
"I thought he was safe from where I was," Baker reported. "The umpire said he had a good view and he said he blocked the plate, but it looked like he got in there to me. It was a close play -- a bang-bang play."
Arthur Rhodes came on and closed out the eighth inning for the Reds. Francisco Cordero pitch a scoreless ninth, although he walked two batters before recording his 11th save.
"Rhodes did a heck of a job and Cordero closed the game out," Baker said. "You start getting a little nervous and it was almost a replay of the last time here, but this time we got away and got the victory."
Cordero, who blew a save opportunity the last trip to Pittsburgh on April 17, said he wasn't having any flashbacks.
"You just put that behind you," Cordero explained. "I walked two guys and that was the same way the last time I pitched here -- a one-run lead and I walked three guys and I walked in the tying run. You don't think about that, because it probably hurts you. I just said, 'I got to end it right here,' and I made a better pitch. We're happy we got the 'W' and I got the save, and we've got another game to play tomorrow."
George Von Benko is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Talk Wrestling Online Community Newsletter #219 - 26/07/09 - It's True, It's True
Talk Wrestling Online Community Newsletter
Issue #219 July 26th 2009
The Editorial
Another fortnight has passed us by in the blink of an eye. With Bon Jovi blasting from my headphones, I'm going to tell you what you can look forward to as you scroll down to the bottom.
You can Meet the Team and find out what the writers feel about the random questions posed to them by my good self, Twig gives us his recommendations in Picks of the Fortnight, Laffy asks a few lucky folk TWO Questions, Nimf and Saz both go about questioning a member of the forum in their own unique ways with Member Spotlight and The Probe respectively, Movie Mayhem sees me giving a short rundown of actors and actresses who have, to varying degrees, made the leap from television to movies. This will be the first of a two-part segment, as I'll be looking at those who've gone the other way in the next edition.
Before we get to that, John Hancock is out of the country, thus cannot fill us in on the music gossip, so Inno has stepped into the breach and will tell us all about his experiences over the weekend of Thunder's last gig in Ghettoblastin', O'Brian condemns more pet hates to Room 101, TPIB fills us in on the WWE results, Vic Veldon does the same with TWOStars and Fiona has a "did they really put that on live television" moment with Quote/Unquote. Oh, and Darkstar will ramble about something or other.
Enjoy the issue,
Meet The Team
1) Some of you may have heard in the news about the woman who found a lottery ticket on the floor of her local shop, picked it up as she left and then won £30,000 in the draw, only for the person who actually bought the ticket to sue her for the winnings. The judge ruled that the lady who found the winning ticket had to return just over £15,000, but that she didn't have to pay back any of the money she had already spent.
My question to you is this; do you think that the person who originally bought the ticker, but lost it in the shop, has the right to claim the winnings (bear in mind that she's suing Camelot for negligence. That's right, the woman who LOST HER TICKET, is suing the lottery company for negligence)?
DC: It's a tricky situation, but the woman lost her ticket. If you lose a train ticket, you can't simply say you did buy one and still ride to your destination, same for the cinema, bus, raffle, etc. It does, however, set a legal precedent and puts to the rest the whole "Finders keepers, losers weepers" argument. There'll be kids in playgrounds all around the country, nay, the world, using this case as a solution to losing something and somebody else finding it. As for the whole "suing Camelot because of neglect"; how exactly were Camelot neglectful? They paid out on a winning ticket, that's all they have to do. She LOST HER TICKET SECONDS AFTER BUYING IT! That's neglectful... and people in glass houses, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Kam: She is entitled to her money since she brought the ticket...I'm surprised the judge let the other woman keep the amount she had spent already.
Laffy: She does not have the right to sue, but she does have the right to her winnings, as she had the serial number. The other person comitted fraud by claiming the winnings.
Saz: think the greedy cow needs a lottery sized b*tch hand to come out the sky and give her a reality check she'd never forget. You lose the ticket, you lose the ticket. Stupid mare!
ScottyB: The question I want to know is, how could she have bought the ticket when she was clearly supposed to be in the kitchen?
Fiona: How did the person who claimed they lost it prove that it was their's, it could have been anyone's? I lost my ticket the other day, I'll bet you it was mine. I want my money.
Darkstar: Depends really; if there was proof (CCTV) that the woman bought that ticket, then she should have had it all back. The people who found it really should have handed it in. By cashing it in, they actually commited theft.
Nimf: I think she's the one who should be sued for negligence...
O'Brian: They both should have been made to fight for it, UFC-style.
Vic Veldon: The woman who found it should have been allowed to keep the money, but at least the judge said she didn't have to pay back what she'd already spent.
2) A new law comes in that will force all but one television channel off the air. You, by the forces of fate, have the deciding vote, so which channel do you choose?
DC: For me, it would have to be Dave; it's the channel I watch the most and the channel that is most consistently entertaining.
Kam: Hmmm...I'd probably have to go with FX...I seem to be watching that more than any other channel at the moment.
Laffy: Sky Sports Two. I can live without Jeremy Kyle and Casualty, but can not live without my rugby.
Saz: Probably a movie channel, less adverts!
ScottyB: E4, because it shows stuff all the cool kids watch.
Fiona: CNN; I have an enquiring mind and need to know what's happening. I can live without the others.
Darkstar: Save Dave!
Nimf: LivingTV. No, channel 5, that does CSI. No, Living... DAMMIT!
O'Brian: Babestation.
Vic Veldon: Living TV. Too many great shows that I can't do without my daily/weekly fixes.
3) Sesame Street takes a dark turn when Quentin Tarantino is brought in to direct a special late-night Street-CSI crossover episode. There's been a shoot-out next to Oscar the Grouch's bin and the letters V, T, A and R have been slain in an inventive, yet gruesome fashion. All the other letters of the alphabet are suspects, three different types of ammunition and a sheathed knife were found at the scene and C has blood on the inside of her lower curve. You, as the new CSI Level-1, are asked your opinion on what went down. Who, according to your "expert analysis", is guilty of the crime?
DC: I have no idea what caused this question to erupt from my brain, but, because I did ask the question, I already know who did it, how they did it, why they did it, when they did it and in what order they did it in... and I'm no rat.
Kam: It was G B H...
Laffy: Cookie Monster killed them in self defence. The letters decided to take action, as they took offence to the fact that Cookie Monster has always, for the last 39 years, had to fight the urge to eat the letters shown as icing on cookies during "Letter of the Day".
Saz: Bert, we all know he's evil!
ScottyB: Me, they all ****ed me off.
Fiona: After a complete and thorough investigation, it has been determined that the remaining letters including "C" are innocent. The numbers 1,5,10 are guilty and, in a twist, the crime was actually committed in the library, with a candlestick, a rope and a steel pipe. That criminal mastermind, The Count, has been named a person of interest. Charges are pending. News at eleven.
Darkstar: igh, hink h i ws he lee X, nd fo depiving us of some lees i should go o jil.
Nimf: DC, are you drunk? Umm... I wouldn't use my expert analysis, I'd use sunglasses, a sideways glance and the overuse of the word "son" to get the letter to confess.
O'Brian: I don't think they're dead, I think it's an elaborate hoax to smuggle A, T, R and V out of the country and into the Witness Protection Program after they decided to come clean on a numbers racket.
Vic Veldon: I have no clue how to answer this question, but I do wonder about the sanity of the man who asked it.
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1. Summer Transfers [Other Sports Forum]
2. How Are You Today? [General Chat]
3. MMA Tycoon [Fight Forum]
4. XTV 5:15 BOOKING THREAD [TWO Stars > Booking and Creative Forum]
5. TNA Victory Road 2009 Discussion Thread [US Scene Forum]
6. Endgame 2009 [TWO Stars > Booking and Creative Forum]
7. Random News Update Thread [General Chat]
8. The last film you watched? [Entertainment Forum]
9. TWO Music Club 2009 - Round VI [Entertainment Forum]
10. The TWO Community Picture Thread [General Chat Forum]
1. Darkstar
4. Nemesis Enforcer
5. Jay 2 Funk
6. John Hancock
7. Fiona
8. Jimmy Redman
9. Nimf
Forum Member's Picks of the Fortnight
~Website~ Viceland.com's DOs & DON'Ts My of an ex-girlfriend guided me to this site. She lives by it, I just think it's funny... pretentious, elitist, and hipster-ific, but funny. Hell, sometimes I'm just laughing at the unintentional comedy, or at how horrified they'd be by my "fashion". Although, I'm starting to believe that it's a window into the future, as I've found a picture of myself in 40 years on there: here
~Movie~ Watchmen - Pretty much a direct translation from the comic to the screen. Tall order. I was terrified they'd turn it into some crappy sleek superhero flick. Fat chance. But the casting was great and the focus was true to form. I wasn't sure how I felt about the sleek over-the-top fight scenes at first, but they didn't dominate and ruin the film... and... OK, OK, OK... I'll admit it, they were pretty damn cool. And I must say, I think the movie's ending was even better than the comic book's.
~Album~ Well... In light of yet another Phish reunion tour, I'm gonna recommend one of my favorite studio albums by them (which changes on any given day between Hoist, Billy Breathes, and Junta). Usually, Phish suck ass in the studio. They record their tracks separately, slow down the tempo, and the result is something that sounds like a compilation of child's nursery rhymes. But that didn't happen on Junta. No, no, no sir. Junta may have some cutesy songs, like "Fee" and "Contact", but it's also got "You Enjoy Myself", which kicks off with a long, technically-marvelous classical-inspired intro that builds to a funky bouncy jam. "Watch Uffizi drive me to Florensi" mofo! This two-disc masterpiece is packed with killer Phish favorites. "Esther", "Foam", "Divided Sky", "Fluffhead", "Fluff's Travels", "Sanity", and the one, the only, the great and knowledgeable... author of the helping friendly book. The one, the only, the lucky, the special... man who wrote the helping friendly book! Who's name could only be... the author of the helping friendly book... Who's name... was... Icculus!! written by the great and knowledgeable Icculus! Sorry, but that's how "Icculus" goes. It's just brimming with suspense... and based off the prophet of the band's college D&D games, too.
~Book~ Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda. A man who just wants to research plant life and becomes the unwitting and apprehensive apprentice of a Yaqui Indian shaman. Well, Carlos did ask don Juan to teach him about peyote. What did he think was gonna happen? A great read and (claimed to be) non-fiction as well. This is his third book on don Juan, and this one is no longer in chronological order. After leaving Juan, Carlos felt that some pieces omitted from the previous two books (he took extensive notes, and was often ribbed by don Juan for it) were important after all, so this book is basically a collection of true short stories.
Movie Mayhem
For this edition of Movie Mayhem, in the first part of a two-issue feature, we'll be looking at ten Hollywood stars who first made their names on television before making the leap to movie greatness. Now, some of these people will have had roles in movies before their TV stardom, but they didn't become famous until the little screen in the corner of your room hosted their talents.
As you read down, I'll fill you in on what show gave them their big break, what their first meaty movie role was and how they've done since then. So, without further ado, let's see who's first in our list.
Who?: Denzel Washington
TV show that made their name: St. Elsewhere
First movie as the star: Mo' Better Blues
What have they done since then?: Before his first starring role, Washington had great supporting turns in both Cry Freedom and Glory, but it was after Mo' Better Blues and the underrated Ricochet that things really picked up. The title role in Malcolm X catapulted Denzel into bankable leading-man status and he's used his gravitas in many great roles (Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Herman Boone, Alonzo Harris and countless more. Washington hasn't been afraid to "slum it", combining the serious acting of Crimson Tide and Training Day with movies like Virtuosity, The Bone Collector and Out of Time. He's not thought of as the second-coming of Sidney Poitier for nothing.
Recommended viewing: Fallen, Training Day, Man on Fire, Philadelphia.
Success rating: 10 (out of 10)
Who?: Jennifer Garner
TV show that made their name: Alias
First movie as the star: 13 Going on 30
What have they done since then?: Garner had a lot of bit parts and cameos in movies and TV shows before hitting it big with Alias. She then went on to play Electra in Daredevil before hitting it big with her first starring role in 13 Going on 30, a fun comedy in the style of Big (the Ton Hanks classic). She reprised her role as Elektra in a disappointing stand-alone movie, one of the few blips Marvel have had since Blade relaunched the comic-book genre. After that, it was back to supporting roles until this year's Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. She's a good actress, but needs that one role to catapult her into the A-list.
Recommended viewing: Daredevil, 13 Going on 30, Catch Me if You Can, The Kingdom.
Success rating: 6
Who?: Pierce Brosnan
TV show that made their name: Remington Steele.
First movie as the star: Goldeneye
What have they done since then?: Brosnan appeared in a lot of movies after Remington Steele, mostly in minor roles. Mrs. Doubtfire and Live Wire are two such movies, while The Lawnmower Man gave him a much meatier role, although the movie does have its failings. It wasn't until the Bond franchise was resurrected with Goldeneye that Pierce became a household name. Three more outings as Bond, along with films like Dante's Peak, The Thomas Crown Affair and, more recently, Mamma Mia, have made sure Brosnan remains a superstar.
Recommended viewing: Goldeneye, The Thomas Crown Affair, Mamma Mia, Mars Attacks!
Success rating: 8
Who?: Megan Fox
TV show that made their name: Hope and Faith
First movie as the star: Transformers
What have they done since then?: Megan Fox had an uncredited role in Bad Boys II before getting the gig on Hope and Faith in 2004 (following a guest appearance on Two and a Half Men). In the same year, while still appearing on the show, she played a supporting role in movie adaptation of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen alongside Lindsay Lohan and Alison Pill, but it wasn't until three years later and a little movie about robots who could, um transform, that she entered the public consciousness. Transformers (and that still from the movie) made her a worldwide phenomenon that shows no sign of slowing down. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen did huge business over the early summer and Jennifer's Body looks likely to be another hit when it's released later this year. Looking further into the future, Jonah Hex features her in a cameo role and Transformers 3 looks to be inevitable. Probably the shortest career on the list, but one of the brightest too.
Recommended viewing: Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Whore.
Success rating: 7
Who?: George Clooney
TV show that made their name: ER
First movie as the star: Out of Sight
What have they done since then?: Clooney "starred" in Return of the Killer Tomatoes in 1988, but stuck to bit-parts in TV shows like The Golden Girls, Roseanne and Sisters until landing his big break as Dr. Doug Ross in ER. His first leading movie role followed the next year when, against type, he was cast as Seth Gecko, a bad-ass criminal type, in From Dusk till Dawn, an acting performance that brought him a lot of praise from critics and audiences alike. Out of Sight, alongside Jennifer Lopez, launched him (and his likeable, Cary Grant-esque, charm) into the stratosphere and led him to starring roles in One Fine Day and Three Kings. A misjudged Batman killed that series dead, but Clooney went on to bigger and better things, including directing a few films of his own. O Brother, Where Art Thou? showed another side to the actor, while the Ocean's Trilogy (well, the first and third) allowed us to marvel at an ensemble cast simply having fun at work. His directorial efforts (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Good Night and Good Luck) are both worthy movies, while Syriana, The Good German and Michael Clayton show us that he can be a really powerful actor if the story motivates him.
Recommended viewing: Burn After Reading, O Brother, Where Art Though?, Ocean's Eleven, Three Kings, Out of Sight.
Success rating: 9
Who?: Jennifer Love Hewitt
TV show that made their name: Party of Five
First movie as the star: I KNow What You Did Last Summer
What have they done since then?: Not much, truth be told. Before getting the part in Party of Five in 1995, Love Hewitt had played bit-parts in Sister Act 2 and House Arrest before bagging the female lead in Trojan War, a low-budget romantic comedy. It wasn't until 1997, and the role of the main protagonist in I Know What You Did Last Summer, that she became known around the world. Reprising the role for the sequel was inevitable, but it was her turns in The Suburbans and (especially) Heartbreakers that showed she was a good actress as well as something nice to look at. Leading parts in The Truth About Love and If Only followed, but she's not really set the world on fire yet, which is a shame as she is both very good looking and talented. Away from the movies, Jennifer Love Hewitt has also released four albums and two "best of" collections.
Recommended viewing: Heartbreakers, I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Success rating: 4
Who?: Sarah Michelle Gellar
TV show that made their name: All My Children
First movie as the star: I Know What You Did Last Summer
What have they done since then?: On the small screen, Gellar created her legacy as Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and, if she wanted, could live of that role for the rest of her life. At the cinema, her first meaty role was in Cruel Intentions (an updating of Dangerous Liasons), where she played the downright nasty Kathryn Merteuil, a girl who knows the power of her sexuality and uses it to play games, destroy other people's lives and generally do whatever (and whoever) she likes. Going completely the opposite way, she also brought Daphne Blake to life in two Scooby Doo movies, was scared witless in The Grudge and helped confuse all of us in Southland Tales. Upcoming, she has Possession and Veronica Decides to Die, both of which will stretch her acting talents. Of course, the one role everyone's hoping she takes is the lead in the mooted Buffy movie, but that looks unlikely.
Recommended viewing: Cruel Intentions, Scooby Doo, The Grudge, Southland Tales.
Success rating: 6
Who?: Jessica Alba
TV show that made their name: Dark Angel
First movie as the star: Paranoid
What have they done since then?: Before landing the role in James Cameron's underappreciated TV outing, Alba had appeared in supporting roles in Idle Hands, Never Been Kissed and P.U.N.K.S.. She then moved on to leading parts in Paranoid and The Sleeping Dictionary with little success... until she crashed the party as Honey Daniels in Honey, a film that enjoyed little critical success, but did well with viewers. After that, there was no stopping her. Huge blockbusters followed with Sin City and Fantastic Four both achieving worldwide recognition, followed by more serious turns with Into the Blue, Awake and The Eye. The poor showing of the Fantastic Four sequel seems to have put paid to a third outing as Sue Storm, but Sin City 2 is definitely on the horizon, while before that, big things have been said about The Killer Inside Me, an adaptation of the book of the same name. Either way, with stunning looks, a killer smile and acting talent to boot, Jessica Alba will be around for a long time yet.
Recommended viewing: Sin City, Fantastic Four, The Eye, Into the Blue, Idle Hands, Never Been Kissed.
Success rating: 7
Who?: The cast of Friends
TV show that made their name: Friends
First movie as the star: Jennifer Aniston - Leprechaun; Courtney Cox Arquette - Blue Desert; Lisa Kudrow - Romy and Michele's High School Reunion; Matt LeBlanc - Ed; Matthew Perry - Fools Rush In; David Schwimmer - The Pallbearer
What have they done since then?: Most of the cast had various bit-parts on headline roles in low-budget/micro-budget movies before being cast as the six pals who grew up with a generation. Since the show started, every member of the gang has been in a major movie (with Matt LeBlanc, especially after his turn in Lost in Space, thought to be the favourite to hit the big time), but only a few of them have sustained that past the end of the show. Matt LeBlanc tried and failed, reduced to going back to playing Joey in a spin-off show. Courtney Cox had hits with the Scream series and her own TV show with Dirt (a critical and commercial hit), where she portrayed a character vastly removed from the Monica we all knew. Lisa Kudrow has struggled to shake her role as Phoebe, although she has had a lot of supporting roles in big films, but when it comes to the other three members of the cast, the difference is startling. Jennifer Aniston has starred in The Good Girl, Bruce Almighty, Along Came Polly and The Break Up to great success, Matthew Perry featured in a whole host of comedies (Fools Rush In, Almost Heroes, The Whole Nine Yards, The Whole Ten Yards) that were successful movies, not to mention dramatic roles in Numb and Birds of America. Perry has also returned to the small screen in the massive hit show, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a show cancelled despite being well received by audiences and critics. The most successful of all the Friends is David Schwimmer, who has been in a host of movies and totally made us forget about Ross Geller in the absolutely astounding Band of Brothers.
Recommended viewing: Lost in Space, Along Came Polly, The Opposite of Sex, Band of Brothers, The Whole Nine Yards, Scream.
Success rating: 8
Who?: Johnny Depp
TV show that made their name: 21 Jump Street
First movie as the star: Cry Baby
What have they done since then?: Everybody knows that Johnny Depp had his first movie role in A Nightmare on Elm Street, but he didn't become a household name until he starred in the TV show about young cops working undercover in high-schools, youth clubs and anywhere else teenagers hung out at the time. The role made Depp a teenage heartthrob, a label he disliked, so when the show ended, he vowed to do whatever it took to become a serious actor. Tim Burton cast him in Edward Scissorhands and the two have become synonymous with each other ever since, appearing in another six films for the director. His work has been in almost every genre, with Depp being a chameleon under facial hair, wigs, make-up, prosthetics, etc. His turns in Pirates of the Caribbean (and its sequels), Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow, Don Juan DeMarco, Edward Scissorhands, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Ninth Gate, From Hell and Once Upon a Time in Mexico and the fun they provide contrast amazingly with his serious work in Finding Neverland, The Astronaut's Wife, Donnie Brasco, Public Enemies, Secret Window, The Libertine, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Benny & Joon and Blow. It's not a stretch to say that Johnny Depp is the actor of our generation, a man who can turn his hand to anything and anyone, making you believe each time that he is the person he says he is. Long may he continue and long may we enjoy it.
Recommended viewing: Donnie Brasco, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Ninth Gate, Sleepy Hollow, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Benny & Joon, Edward Scissorhands, Secret Window, Don Juan DeMarco, Ed Wood, Nick of Time.
Success rating: 10+
So there you have it, a rundown of ten stars who made their names on TV before leaping to the silver screen with varying degrees of success. Next time out, we'll be looking at those actors and actresses who went the other way and became bigger stars due to their TV roles.
Thanks for reading and I'll see you then.
Member Spotlight
I'm Ste (Chriscare), and I got here via typing something in my browser.
I've been watching it since I can remember, My brother watched it and we only had one tv back then, so I pretty much had to watch what he watched. He grew out of it a year or two later, I guess I saw something more in it.
I got into the wrestling side of it just over 6 years ago, when I met a friend of a friend in our local rock club who told me he did it (I was probably wearing my mattitude version 1 tshirt to bring up the subject) at a local school, I didn't hesitate for a second to join, and two months later I made my terrible in ring debut.
ECW - I think William Regal would make a good a champion for the show, Christian is a bit too good for it, Dreamer is too rubbish and Sheltons mic work isn't good enough to build a show around.
Smackdown - Chris Jericho
Raw - Trips, Orton, and Cena have been done to death as champions. I'd quite like to see Mark Henry take the title for a few months if booked right in his new role. Can't imagine he'd draw too well at this stage.
Met most of the british circuit past and present, as for people you might have heard of I've briefly met Finlay, Taijiri, Ultimo Dragon, Rico and spent a couple of days with Doug Basham.
Erm, I guess wrestling fans in england not really supporting the british scene is pretty annoying. Sure the production values are fairly poor, but they're never gonna improve without the support of the fans.
Mostly though, I hate that people complain that so and so isn't getting pushed, and thats its always the same guys at the top, but then one someone does get pushed, they bitch and moan about that its too fast, and that they're not "stars".
HBK vs Taker at Mania is probably the greatest match I've ever seen in my life. Jericho vs Rey at bash gets an honorable mention too though.
Roddy Piper vs Jericho war of words before mania was fantstic.
Well-Ness Policy *clap clap clap clap clap* during a Batista match would be lovely.
I'd agree that The Four Horsemen was the best one, but as I wasn't around at the time and have only seen it in writing and on the excellent four horsemen dvd, I think my personal favourite would be the Heenan Family, they never did alot together but you can't have too much Bobby Heenan.
Hmm. HBK, Randy Orton, Jericho, Steve Austin, Edge, Kurt Angle mainly for the awesome finish sequence available
"He He" from my brother in reply to me telling him that I'm scared to leave my room after 11 as my dad seems to have taken up walking around the house naked as a past time before bed time.
I'd really love to one day work in the post-production dept for WWE. Their stuffs so high quality, if you're they're then you're pretty much one of the best editors in the world. The 80 hour work week would be pretty manic though, not sure how long I could hack that. I'd like to be a full time wrestler in theory, but in reality I don't really wanna be in constant pain for the rest of my life.
Tokoyo, New York City and Venice
Probably Hulk Hogan, as he was my childhood hero, but he'd have to be in a good mood and it couldn't be for too long as I don't wanna ruin my impression of him as he seems a bit of a dick.
I remember my cot, I had a yellow blanket, not sure how old I'd have been, somewhere between 0 and 1 I'd imagine. Although I'm not sure I can remember it anymore, I just remember remembering it when i was younger, if you get what i mean.
Erm, I was always good at maths and sciencey stuff which meant they were likeable. At Uni I liked any of the modules that were hands on, ie not theory.
Lust, Unless i've got love i've pretty much always got lust goin on, its hard not to lose who you are to it, seems like a never ending battle. I feel for those who can't shake it, even when they have love.
Ha, I think I was as unsure back then as I am now. I always think of life as one of the mmorpg games, those who pick and decide what they wanna do early on, and focus on just that end up being at the top, but those of us who simply can't pick a direction end up being ok at everything but never really mastering anything, so never progressing. I've picked my direction now, but there's always temptations to sway off course.
I really hate the thought of being famous, paparazi following you about, people never leaving you alone, I like my own space, so I'd either have to star in a not too well known film and be a potrayed as a bad ass so people are too scared to approach me. Nothing springs to mind though.
My hard drive, Photo Albums and My DSi (to give me something to do til the emergency is over) Everything else is replacable.
(Guest Columnist - Inno)
The Last Stand: Thunder live in London
Well, this was it. Sure theres a couple of festival shows still to go (most notably Sonisphere), but to all intents and purposes, THIS was the last Thunder headlining show after a 20 year career. As a fan for pretty much all of those 20 years well, I just had to be there. Id already seen them in Glasgow, the opening night for this 20 Years & Out farewell tour, and that was hot, sweaty and emotional, so I kinda knew what to expect.
But the gig was in London. Regular forum peeps may know - I am not. Thanks to National Express having some kind of offer, I snagged a ticket to London for just £9 and convinced a friend in London to not only put me up for the weekend, but got him to attend the show with me - score!
So the train journey down? My connecting train from Motherwell to Edinburgh was running late. No time to procure supplies, so had to hop straight on the train. My seat? Awful. Thankfully I had nobody sitting next to me so I had room to put my laptop on the chair there and sit kinda sideways to use it, as the fold down table on the seat in front had to be the smallest, most useless piece of plastic ever invented. Oh, and only one toilet on the train was working. AND I went to get 2 packets of crisps and 2 cans of Stella - to be charged nearly £8! EIGHT POUNDS! Shocking!
But anyway I arrived in London, met my friend Calum and navigated the tube from Kings Cross to St Johns Wood where he lived. I quickly freshened up (translation: put a Thunder T-Shirt on) and off we went to the SOLD OUT Hammersmith Apollo (the gig was originally at the Shepherds Bush Empire but was moved due to demand) stopping along the way for food (KFC) and a pint (Amstel, at the closest pub to the building).
We arrived just in time to see the end of the support for the night, The Electric Boys. They had a neat sound and looked quite the part, but by this point, I was all about trying to dry out and procuring one last pre-Thunder beer. Made my way back out to the bar and queued up, spoke to a lot of the Thunder fans there. Seems it wasnt just me that had spent the day travelling I spoke to peeps from the south of England, north of England, one guy that had come from Norway and had to go back straight after the gig! Spoke to a couple of Brazilian ladies too that arranged their holidays around this gig this really was a pilgrimage of sorts for a lot of people.
Anyway, got and finished our beers on the floor just to the front and left of the stage - perfect timing as the last gulp arrived as the lights dimmed, and the crowd roared it was time for the classic Thunder intro - AC/DCs Thunderstruck with the fans chanting THUNDER! At the appropriate time. Never has it felt so electric, the light show in time with the chanting added to the effect, and as soon as the intro was finished, the guys arrived on stage.
The Apollo went absolutely nuts. Danny and the guys looked quite taken aback, so much so that Danny sang the wrong first line to Loser - dont think anyone really cared - but as soon as the opening riff for it kicked in, it was all systems go.
The gig flew by, but the memories will live on forever. The gig itself was being recorded for an instant live CD available as you left the building, and filmed for a DVD release but I dont need those to rhyme off a list of highlights
There were huge sing-alongs to Low Life In High Places, A Better Man, Love Walked In, Cant Keep A Good Man Down; the moment it all got too much and Luke started to openly weep during A Better Man; Danny going insane during Dirty Love and the band trying to catch him out by slipping in a bit of 60s hit Shakin All Over - he noticed and sang along, as did the crowd; Shes So Fine being wheeled out for the first time on tour - the song that started off the Thunder bandwagon and one final, 17 minute long rendition of Thunder anthem Dirty Love that just cemented why this band were so damned special to me and tons of other people.
Thunder might be dead as an ongoing concern. Their music, their legacy and their fans will continue to live on long after the guys have rode off into the sunset, and if you get a chance, pick up the CD or the DVD and just watch a band having fun and playing good music, and making a room full of people just enjoy themselves for nearly 2 hours. Its a gig - and an occasion - that will stay with me for the rest of my life. One moment in particular, and that moment, Ill leave you with this is live favourite Like A Satellite reducing grown men (me included) to tears one last time
Have fun, go mad.
Quote, Unquote
This week is all about TNA's Victory Road PPV. Now I haven't watched much TNA recently but what brought this to my attention was the fact that the WORST MATCH IN THE HISTORY OF WOMEN'S WRESTLING was broadcast from the Impact Zone to thousands of fans. This match alone has been viewed by more people than actually watched the PPV itself.
For those who missed it, here is the match between Sharmell and Jenna Morasca. For those who have seen it, I feel your pain. Oh, and the bits and pieces you see all over the ring is Sharmell's dignity being shredded.
Darkie has just delivered the understatement of the century.
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No, it's because it hurt their eyes.Oh really. I'll let Mitch answer that for you.Another understatement to say the least.Wow DMJ really did watch it. Punish yourself much.Pretty much says it all.You should be demanding damages for pain and suffering.Oh dear. I think it was option number 4 - "all of the above".Damm you TNA, now J-Rock's standards would get vertigo in a sewer.
I Dont Half Ramble On
I was looking at my Facebook and saw an old status that confused me. For some reason I decided to share with the world SINGING CHEESE!. That left me confused, and I wish I knew why I said it. All I can assume is I was in the throws of a nightmare of some kind. Maybe a giant bit of Edam was coming for me, like a foul smelling, pilled up, opera singing Pacman and I was just a flabby little ghost.
In an effort to find just what inspired this I decided to trawl the internet and came across a fantastic site I had forgotten all about. www.pimpthatsnack.com Let me introduce you to some of the delights this place has to offer.
The Jaffa Quake
£35 worth of ingredients (well, mostly normal Jaffa Cakes for comparison reasons) makes you one of these bad boys.
But DS, I hear you cry, thats desert! Whats for the main course? Simple says I, ladies and gentlemen feel your arteries clogging at the sight of the
McDonalds Pizza
All you need is
1) A Pizza Base
2) Tomato Puree
3) Cheddar Cheese
4) 2 Packets of McDonalds Large Chips
5) 4 McDonalds Cheeseburgers
6) A Packet of Bacon
I think I am in love.
Ahhhhh but, you continue to complain, Im a fan of more studenty type food than McDonalds and pizza! Well no worry says I, we can have a nice simple
Scotch EggIngredients
12 large (free range) eggs
2 packs of breadcrumbs (200g)
1.5kg of sausagemeat (mmmmm sausagemeat)
1 scotch egg for comparison
Total Cost - £9.53
Estimated Calories - 5000
And finally finally .
The Crème de la Crème Egg
The ingredients:
1.5 kg of Cadburys Milk Chocolate
3lbs of granulated sugar
2 x 140 g bottles of liquid glucose
vanilla extract
red food colouring
yellow food colouring
Prepare yourself for this
It will make your mouth water
So, thats all for now. Pop over to the site and enjoy what you see. Hell, make something and post it to them, just dont make any singing cheese.
Inno's Big Question
The BIIIIIIIG Question
Well, hello. Welcome once again to The Question That Never Thinks! Yes, it's been a while, but due to popular demand (or someone dying or something...) I'm back, baby! Back! Like a... I dunno. It's the first time back I don't quite have my witty mojo going on yet.
So. Ignoring the fact that I'm running on auto-pilot... here is the first of the all-new newsletter BIIIIIIIG Question type things:
If you could do one thing to improve the quality of life of the common street pigeon, what would you do?
Hey, I never said it was gonna be a particularly useful question, but it is unique!Originally Posted by The MaxxOriginally Posted by Matt DentonOriginally Posted by Jimmy RedmanOriginally Posted by The B-ManOriginally Posted by Nemesis EnforcerOriginally Posted by Chris2K
Room 101
Room 101
The thing that is in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world.
Welcome readers, welcome to the Ministry of Love. My name is OBrian and I will be taking you through a process where we uncover your most hated and feared things in life. Those sufficiently evil will be placed in Room101, they are the worst things in the world.
The rules of Room101 are easy. One of the proles is brought in and interrogated about 5 things they believe should be confined into Room101 forever. I, OBrian, will decide which, if any, deserve to go into that dark place. Should a prole get three or more of their nominations into the room they are allowed to pick a bonus item to go in, overriding me. Should they get two or less in, something will escape to haunt their dreams.
Today we discover what vile hatreds drive on TWO Hall of Fame member TMJ. Please sir, tell us what evil lurks within your mind so that we can best understand you.
1) Rubbish Radio DJs
Now I'm no Howard Stern or Danny Baker, but I know good radio when I hear it. Sadly, the structure of radio in this country doesn't allow for much personality to shine through. Instead, you tend to be treated to generic robot DJ plug machines. You know the type:
"That WAS Shout by Tears For Fears. Ian Radio here on the hip-hopping, hard-rocking, pure hits station 101.6 The Bleh, taking you all the way through until midday. It's just hitting ten past the big hour of four o'clock and if YOU like CHEESE, keep listening because we're going to be giving away a whole block of mild cheddar, courtesy of our good friends at Cow Moo Cow (better than all udder cheeses out there), 195 Worchester Street, New Townshire. We'll be giving out the question within the next hour and all you have to do to win our Big Cheese Big Quiz is text us the right answer along with your name and location. We'll tell you more about that in a few records time, but first, it's eleven minutes past ten so turn your radio up as loud as you can, get up out of your seats and start dancing. It's a great song, one of my all-time favourites of all time: Eternal... Bebe Winans... I Wanna Be Your Only One... right here on the station that IS your only one. Keep the texts coming in - 88888. Communards, Girls Aloud and Let Loose after this. Keep it locked to 101.6 The Bleh!" *hits vocal*
It's your typical no-name personality-lacking A-to-Z presenter on your local generic station and it's dull and tedious and there's really no need for it on a daytime slot when commercial radio is suffering financial cut-backs and and dwindling audience figures right now. Radio needs personality to survive against the competition of iPods and MP3 players because people have music on-demand these days, no matter where they are. There's no excuse for this garbage on our airwaves anymore. People want engagement, not RoboDJ-3000.
I dont know about that. Theres something to be said for a DJ who is just there to provide link between songs, not every radio listener wants a show, some people just want to listen to songs and this kind of total cheese is perfect for that. No, this is something that will have to remain out of Room101.
2) The Anti-Political Correctness Brigade
You know the type: the one who says "Now I'm not a racist/sexist/homophobic, but..." before they come out with the most racist/sexist/homophobic statement imaginable. The sort of people who thinks that the PC brigade are ruining everything in life because it's now socially unacceptable to throw bricks at disabled black kids whilst shouting at them to go back to where they came from. Those who think that all those crazy foreigners truly are coming into Britain, taking our jobs, and being nothing but a burden on our tax money. Sometimes, they may bring out the "it's political correctness gone mad" line, as if that's now an easy label to stamp on anything they disagree with. Can't call a disabled child a spaz anymore? PC gone mad. Can't stop gay couples from adopting now? PC gone mad. Can't spill water onto electrical appliances lest you wish to die? PC gone not only mad, but downright insane.
And then, as if they couldn't be any more annoying and ultimately pointless to the progression of society, they seem to point the blame for the decline of our country solely at those of us who actually believe that political correctness has done more good than harm. It has it's flaws, sure. Most things in life do. But now we actually have to think about what we say before we say it, and it's really sad to think that one day, I will hopefully bring a child into this world and that he or she will have to live alongside people who perceive that to actually be a bad thing. For all the calamity it may cause at times, we no longer allow Conservative politicians to run for power with the message "If you want a n*gger for a neighbour, vote Liberal or Labour", we no longer dress up gay people in comedy camp outfits and refer to them as f*gs and queers, and we are working to create the groundwork for a formal language that eliminates as much insult as possible towards people of all colours, genders, orientations etc, and if anything it's simply polite courtesy and a way to encourage people to have respect for others.
So all those opposed to it should go in, if for no other reason than the "PC gone mad" line.
I admit to being tempted to keep this out of Room101 purely because I loved Golliwogs as a child, and the PC aspect has made people assume I must be racist for liking the doll. Golliwogs, while assumed based on the racist stereotype of the blackface minstrels, provided a degree of diversity in childrens toys.
Though its true what you say though, people need to realise that the world has gone on and (thankfully) certain things are no longer permitted. Its a fine line to walk and I believe that as a society we are doing it well.
Yeah, IN!
3) Frankie Boyle.
Smug, unfunny and trying desperately to be controversial for the sake of it. A popular member of the Mock The Week panel, but generally either uses lines from his stand-up shows or just blatantly steals from Viz. A poor copy of Jerry Sadowitz, Boyle seems intent on trying to push buttons just because he can, to the point that he threw a hissy fit because a newspaper wouldn't publish his column about Michael Jackson which mostly focused on easy jokes about the paedophilia that was never legally proven (innocent, remember) about a guy who had just died and who the world was mourning at the time. If Boyle had posted them on his own site then fair enough. That he wondered why the editors of the paper might have an issue with it and then went and threw his toys out of the pram say more about his mindset and ego than anything else. If only he could get a reaction for being funny rather than being "edgy". They can co-exist, but apparently not in this case.
Lazy, lazy, lazy comedian. A show like Mock The Week would be so much better if they worked off the cuff. You can see it in some of the scenes when they start to bounce off each others stuff rather than rely on their pre prepared stand up work, it gets so much funnier as it feels more natural.
I once, in the span of one week, saw Boyle twice on Live at the Apollo, on MTW, saw his stand up DVD and found a clip on Youtube from another gig and he did the same routine in each one, over a year separated the bits and yet it was the exact same, even down to the audience interaction. Read that again and be stunned, hes that lazy.
Oh Im Scottish, the Scots are fat, they drink, I used to drink, black people raped the Queen and made her adopt a peadophile.
Yeah, this smug faced idiot goes IN.
4) The bastardisation of the word "Legend"
In the not-so-distant past, the word "legend" meant something. It was a compliment bestowed to someone who had accomplished incredible things. Michael Jackson is a pop legend because he excelled beyond all others before and after him. George Best was a footballing legend because he was a magnificent player who is still looked up to as a hero even beyond his death. George Washington, Mother Theresa, Walt Disney - all legends.
Sadly, your mate Jim who has the peg leg and can swallow 5p pieces and sh*t them back out again is NOT a legend. Neither is Jeremy Clarkson, nor the Kaiser Chiefs, your Dad most certainly isn't, and despite what your Mum says, I'm not either. I know, it's a surprise to me too.
Legend is already a bastardised word, Jackson, Best and the others you mentioned mostly wouldnt qualify under the purest definition of the word. By the definition changing in colloquial use language has evolved
For the worst! I fully agree TMJ, you are spot on with your comments here. When someone can be called a legend (or a lege as is more likely these days) because they can down a pint of vodka then the world is in a sorry state.
Might as well end on the sourest of all notes. Once upon a time, TNA was a wrestling promotion that produced a small amount of guff which was hidden away behind some tremendous matches and a breath of fresh air that was direly needed in the WWE-monopolised industry. As of July 2009, Impact serves no other purpose than to make wrestling fans embarrassed to be such. Almost nothing makes any sense, the matches aren't given enough time to develop and end up creatively handicapped when they are, the plotholes increase week by week, the production team need firing yesterday, and Vince Russo. I don't even need to write more than those two words, really. In fact, I could just as easily have condensed this entry to "Vince Russo: Enough said" for easy inclusion into the burning pit of Room 101.
Actually... that's what I'll do.
Vince Russo: Enough said.
And if that doesn't sway your opinion, just go into the US forum of this very site and read any of the posts by the resident TNA fans. If anything says it all about TNA's product and how bad it is, it's the people who watch and defend it. TNA must go.
I was never a huge fan of wrestling. Sure I loved Hogan and Savage as a kid, I loved Austin and Goldberg in the 90s. But these days is a different story. If WWE is on in the pool hall (God bless all nighters) then we will watch and enjoy it, but I have actively tried to watch TNA after seeing some of the wrestlers when I went to Doncaster to watch 1PW how a company (TNA) can screw up people like Samoa Joe and AJ Styles is beyond me. I watch week in and week out praying that this is the week it all slots into place and the last 2 years is explained as one long joke. But, alas, it never does and never will.
So thats a four out of five for TMJ. That means he gets a bonus choice, so in goes Rubbish Radio DJs, despite being saved by me. The Party will not forget this TMJ, and we are the wrong people to mess with
Until next time, take care and remember, Big Brother is watching.
The Probe
The Probe, it's a wonderful unknown factor where I get to highlight people and ask them the hard questions about themselves. This week's entry is reknowned for his spelling, his grammar and his love of TNA; Jay 2 the Funk.
Hi, Jay 2 the Funk, thanks for taking the time to be in the Probe. Could you tell us all a bit about yourself?
My Name is Jason and I am 26 years old. I work in the financial sector and I went to Southampton institute where I studied Electronics. I love wrestling and like TNA, although my actual favorite is Shimmer. I live with my sister and her two kids.
You originally came to TWO with the handle "Jayfunk", which you changed to "The Wrestling Phoenix" and you've now changed to "Jay 2 the Funk". What's that all about?
Well, Jayfunk is my nickname at work, I always wanted to be a wrestler and Jay Funk was a name they christened me. I changed it to the Wrestling Phoenix because of my frustration with the industry as a whole, I believe that wrestling is at the bottom of the "circle" and just like that mythical bird, it can be reborn from the ashes of its current self. I changed it back to Jay 2 the Funk as people carried on calling me Jayfunk after the change so I changed it back, but with a little difference.
I'd like to clear something up if I may and allow you to have your say about this. It is agreed that the general term for a troll is a person who intentionally tries to disrupt a forum by trying to upset members or ruining the flow of a thread.
A lot of people on the forum term you as a troll, is this fair?
There is a difference between a troll and someone who has a different opinion. I have at no time tried to disrupt a forum or thread for any reason. What I have done is share my opinions. Sure, sometimes I defend them a little too much, but that is because I am passionate about my views and there is a world of difference between that and trolling.
OK, so now you have answered that accusation, how about the one that people throw at you that your style of argument is to change tack when someone points out a flaw in your argument?
As you may have notice my written skills suck, sometimes I find it hard to put down what I mean the first time so, sometimes, I have to change the way I say it. There are times I change my mind when someone makes a valid point. Sometimes I am very quick to post without checking things first, as I tend to rush things, and that is my downfall.
You state your grasp of the English language and your willingness to rush headlong into a discussion without thinking are your weaknesses, what would you say your strengths are on this forum?
TWOStars. I have been told many times that my stuff on this is different to what is on the rest of the forum. I think another strength is also see the other side of the debate.
And what would you say to anyone who wondered about TWOStars or wanted to play?
It's great, especially if you wanted to be a wrestler. It allows you to live (in a small way) your dream and control a wrestler, also it allows you to build stories and gimmicks and if your are interested in booking, it's a good start. I would say get involved.
I feel the clouds darkening as I approach this question. TNA, why is it that you appear to have an unswerving loyalty to the company?
Good Question! I have many reasons why I like TNA.
I enjoy Tag-Team wrestling and I enjoy Cruiser/X-Division wrestling which TNA does well (although maybe not as well when they had AJ/Joe/Daniels in it, but normally they are still entertaining).
I like female wrestling and I think the Knockouts are normally well booked and presented. I enjoy the quicker paced style of TNA and enjoy the fact that they normally do something that I have never seen before. I like their roster from the new guys to likes of Angle and Sting. I like TNA's presentation, and the fact they are a growing company, which I like to get behind. Plus many more reasons to boot. To me, I don't get the same enjoyment with any other promotion aside from Shimmer.
I am thankful that these companies are around, otherwise they would be nothing for me to watch. The misconception of me is that I hate WWE, but that is not the case as the last time I watched it I did like it, but only in small doses. As I said, it's not the style that I naturally like.
What about TNA makes it suck? I mean, everything has bad points, what would you say they were?
Also a good question. Their female policy is not great, while they do present them well, there is better talent out there than Sojo Bolt. They try to be WWE too much at times, which is annoying and selling themself short. AJ styles is not world champion. The X-Division is not a important as it was and could be. Foley as a wrestler isn't great, his heel work has been good but as soon as he gets into the ring it falls apart. Abyss isn't the monster he used to be. Russo needs to be controlled more (although not sacked).
A bit like how WWE used to control him. So where abouts on TWO do you hang?
Mainly on the US Forum and TWOstars.
Who would you say are the great posters of TWO?
Jimmy Redman is by far the best, Darkstar, DC and Jung.
Could you elaborate as to why?
Well Jimmy has normally well thought out posts, Darkstar and Jung know their stuff. And DC clearly knows his stuff as well.
Come on Jay, you can get a little bit deeper than that can't you?
The reason I like these guys is the fact they have very good knowledge and passion for wrestling, which I respect.
Any specific reasons? I mean what, in your opinion, makes a great poster?
A great poster is someone who can put their point across well with both written skills and technical knowledge.
Ok, So we've got to as far as you are prepared to say in compliment, how about the bad posters? Who in your opinion really doesn't cut the mustard, and why?
I am not sure there are many bad posters. I personally think Mitch and Naitch are overrated but, other than the odd "Cross the line" gimmick poster, the quality TWO has a pretty high standard.
So you're not going to commit, or has no one really upset you on this forum?
Apart from the TNA baiters who say stupid stuff just to get a reaction from TNA fans, no not really.
Strange thing is, you seem to bite all the time... why are you unable to let a stupid or inane comment about TNA slide?
I am not sure to be honest, I should, it annoys me I guess. Maybe it's habit, I have been defending TNA for so long, it turns into habit.
Perhaps that is the reason why you are a target for baiting? However, let's move on to the end of this Probe. What do you have to say to anyone who has just joined TWO?
Try not to rush into things when you first join,it takes time to get used to things around here, but take it slowly.
Any Final Words?
Yes, I understand I do come across as someone like you have outlined above, but that really isn't me. I love wrestling and have a passion for it. I like TWO, it's sort of a second home to me.
Hopefully, they will from your answers in the Probe, thanks for your time Jay.
No worries, Big Saz; anytime.
TWO Stars Recap
(Vic Veldon)
Hello. My name is Victoria Veldon, but everyone who knows me calls me Vic, and I'm here to bring you all the ups and downs from the world of TWOStars wrestling with news, results, gossip, the odd exclusive interview and special reports.
The Fortnightly Focus on TWOStars.com for this edition goes where no newsletter has before... into the future (that's right, THE FUTURE), with Tonkatsuman "Lightning" Kaijin. Click the link to find out all you need to know about the man who hails from Neo-Tokyo, Japan in the year 3036.
Before you do that, catch up with the results from the last two weeks worth of XTV, as well as all the fallout from Endgame on PPV.
Live from the Bi Lo Arena, Greenville, South Carolina
July 14th, 2009
- Randy Roko defeated David Hunter w/ Sara Tera in the latter's XTV debut
- The Maxx pinned Iagan in a Triple Threat that also featured Chris Eagles
- In the first round of the King of the Mountain Tournament, Barry Gower advanced with a victory over Damon Kori
- Jason Bell beat Sickness by DQ
- "The Hangman" Draven Cage advanced in the King of the Mountain Tournament with a victory over Jack Eastwood in a No-DQ Match
- TWO World Tag Team Champions, the Prime Time Playas, came out on top in a non-title match against Matt Denton and Edward Samson
- In a match for the TWO United States Championship, Johnny Rockefeller successfully retained his title when Craig Van Dam was disqualified due to interference from Evil Gringo
- The Immortal Highlanders (Randy Roko & Angus McDonald) defeated Image Inc. (Famous & Harry Hart) when McDonald pinned Famous, the current TWO Triple Crown Champion
Live from the American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
July 21st, 2009
- Sickness advanced to the semi-finals of the King of the Mountain Tournament with a victory over "The Phoenix" Jason Bell
- Best Friends Forever (Cari-Dee & Belinda Rose) defeated the team of TWO Women's Champion Portia and Angel via "Montreal Screwjob" submission when the special referee, Jenny McKellen, called for the bell when Cari had Portia in a basic wristlock
- Matt Denton pinned Lucian L. Jones
- Johnny Rockefeller pinned Kyle Gilmore to advance to the semi-finals of the King of the Mountain Tournament
- The team of Barry Gower & Evil Gringo overcame the duo comprised of Draven Cage & Craig Van Dam when Gringo pinned DC
- Angus McDonald was awarded his match against Chris Eagles by forfeit when his opponent failed to show for the bout
- Angus McDonald, Evil Gringo and Randy Roko won an impromptu Six-Man Tag Match against Famous, Chris Eagles and German Security #1
Endgame PPV
Live from The Pyramid Arena, Memphis, Tennessee
July 22nd, 2009
- Semi-final Match in the King of the Mountain Tournament: Sickness defeated Barry Gower to advance to the King of the Mountain Match
- Semi-final Match in the King of the Mountain Tournament: Evil Gringo pinned Craig Van Dam to advance to the King of the Mountain Match
- Semi-final Match in the King of the Mountain Tournament: Angus McDonald was victorious over Edward Samson to advance to the King of the Mountain Match
- Semi-final Match in the King of the Mountain Tournament: Johnny Rockefeller defeated Draven Cage by DQ to advance to the King of the Mountain Match
- Cari-Dee was unsuccessful in her attempt to gain the TWO Women's Championship when Portia pinned her after a Complete Stop
- Randy Roko defeated Jason Bell via disqualification
- The Maxx won the TWO Television Title in a Triple Threat when he pinned Iagan. The former champion, Harry Hart, wasn't involved in the decision
- The TWO World Tag Team Championships remained around the waist of the Prime Time Playas (Lucian L. Jones & Kyle Gilmore) as they defeated the team of Jack Eastwood & Matt Denton when Jones pinned Eastwood after landing a "Hate the Game" double-team finisher
- Angus McDonald became a two-time TWO Triple Crown Champion when he was victorious in a King of the Mountain Match that also featured the Famous (the former champ), Sickness, Johhny Rockefeller and Evil Gringo
TWOStars News
- With Ride the Lightning breaking apart at the Endgame PPV, TWOStars seems to be following WWE's lead in breaking up popular tag teams so they can feud in singles competition. The main difference between WWE and TWOStars, though, is that the rivalries in the latter are actually something the fans will care about.
- Bobby Banks is rumoured to have signed at least three current members of the TWOStars roster to contracts. No names have been mentioned and the man himself is being uncharacteristically coy, but if this is the case, it could have huge ramifications in the promotion over the next few months.
- Word on the grapevine is that TWOStars management are trying to negotiate with The Prodigy to appear live at Midsummer Night's Destruction in August. If this comes off, it's expected that the band will perform at least two tracks from their Invaders Must Die album AND be involved in an angle on the night.
- Damon Kori,who appeared to be through with the company, has been rumoured to have signed a new contract. No official word has been released from either the wrestler or the TWOStars Board of Directors, but with his name now being listed for the European Tours, it does look likely.
- After last edition's rumour about The Maxx demanding talks over his contract, it appears that his title win at Endgame was to appease the wrestler. Management are watching him closely, with the hope that Maxx will thrive, move up the card and be rewarded with a big-money deal.
- The internet reviews for Endgame have been mostly positive, with the main-event itself being singled out for special praise.
- A backstage insider has let slip that the "mystery stalker" angle featuring Jason Bell is not being met with confidence by the writing team or the bookers. Some feel that it's ran too long and the audience's patience has run out. Word is that if things don't pick up soon, the whole storyline may be dropped without explanation.
- Congratulations go to Famous, who's wife gave birth to their first child recently. The original plan was to keep the Triple Crown on the man from California until Midsummer Night's Destruction, but with the arrival of the couple's first child, management brought their plans forward to allow Famous time with his family.
- Finally, you can catch all your favourite TWOStars wrestlers on HBO every week with XTV and on Pay-Per-View (contact your local PPV supplier).
- Also, you can keep up to date on TWOStars.com to see when XTV will be coming to your town.
Current Champions
TWOStars Triple Crown
Angus McDonald - Endgame, July 22nd, 2009
TWOStars World Tag Team Champions
The Prime Time Playas - Zero Tolerance, June 24th, 2009
TWOStars United States Championship
Johnny Rockefeller - Zero Tolerance, June 24th, 2009
TWOStars Television Title
The Maxx - Endgame, July 22nd, 2009
TWOStars Women's Championship
Portia - Zero Tolerance, June 24th, 2009
If you are interested in becoming a wrestler for TWOStars, all you need to do is drop by our state-of-the-art training facility. There, our experienced trainers will walk you through all aspects of e-feddery wrestling at your own pace. Who knows, maybe one day you will headline WrestleNova. All shapes and sizes, any age, male or female, you'll always be welcome at the TWOStars Academy.
I've been Vic Veldon, thanks for reading. Hope to see you at the shows.
Wrestling 101 Info Centre
Latest Wrestling 101 Articles:
> Chris Jericho - A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex Book Review
> John Cena: You Cant See How Good I Am
Latest Wrestling 101 Blogs:
> SSP #15: WWE Night of Champions 2009 Predictions
Pro Wrestling Press
PRO WRESTLING PRESS is a free online magazine for wrestling fans worldwide. Featuring lots of great articles, interviews, competitions and photos - out every month.
August 2009
ABYSS INTERVIEW: Chris 'Abyss' Parks discusses TNA's plans for Europe
MANAGING AN OLD MANS GAME?: PWPfrog wonders where have all the good managers gone?
MISAWA MEMORIES: In remembrance - Mitsuharu Misawa.
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED: John Atkins argues that TV is not the Holy Grail of British wrestling.
THE SmarK RANT: Seven things about wrestling that bug the hell out of Scott Keith.
ONE ON ONE WITH COLT CABANA: Mr Cabana talks ROH, Wrestling Society X and WWE
MISUSE OF TALENT: Steve Ashfield examines the roles that women play in the WWE.
MICKIE KNUCKLES INTERVIEW: A chat with the REAL Queen of Extreme
PWP COMPETITION: Seven DVD's up for grabs!
..and lots more!
This Week in WWE
WWE RAW July 20, 2009 Results
The 843rd edition of Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the RBC Center at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.
Match Results
- 6-Man Tag: Kofi Kingston, MVP, & Primo def. Big Show, Jack Swagger, & Carlito by Primo pinning Carlito following a springboard falling headbutt.
- Jerry "The King" Lawler def. The Brian Kendrick by pin following the Fist Drop.
- Mark Henry def. Chris Jericho by DQ following a chair shot.
- "Sharp Dressed Man" Match: Hornswoggle def. Chavo Guerrero
- "Legs" Match: Rosa Mendes & Alicia Fox def. Gail Kim & Kelly Kelly by Alicia Fox rolling up Kelly Kelly.
- 3-on-2 Handicap Match: Triple H & John Cena def. Randy Orton & Legacy by John Cena rolling up Randy Orton.
ECW July 21, 2009 Results
The 163rd edition of ECW on Syfy came to you from the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA.
Match Results
- Yoshi Tatsu def. William Regal by pin following the Buzzsaw Kick.
- Ezekiel Jackson def. Mike Williams (jobber) by pin following Total Domination.
- Shelton Benjamin def. Goldust by pin following Pay Dirt.
- Tyler Reks (in his ECW in-ring debut) def. Paul Burchill (with Katie Lea Burchill) by roll-up.
WWE Superstars July 23, 2009 Results
The 15th edition of WWE Superstars came to you from the RBC Center at North Carolina State University (RAW & ECW Matches) and the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA (SmackDown Match).
Match Results
- Christian def. William Regal by roll-up.
- Evan Bourne def. Jamie Noble by pin following Air Bourne.
- John Morrison def. Kane by DQ after Kane throws a steel chair into an airborne John Morrison.
WWE SmackDown July 24, 2009 Results
The 518th edition of WWE SmackDown came to you from the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA.
Match Results
- Jeff Hardy def. Chris Jericho by pin following the Swanton Bomb.
- The Great Khali def. Mike Knox (with Kane) by pin following the Punjabi Plunge.
- Dolph Ziggler (with Maria) def. Finlay by Count-Out.
- Eve Torres def. Natalya by pin following a moonsault.
- R-Truth def. Charlie Haas by pin following the Axe Kick.
- Champion Vs. Champion: Non-Title: Rey Mysterio def. CM Punk by DQ after Dolph Ziggler interferes.
TWO Questions
1) You are put in charge of booking a wrestling Tag-Team Championship, so which two members of the current roster would you pair together?
2) Taking into account question one, you cannot use the same wrestlers again which tag team would you like to see reform and be part of the tournament?
Dante Spears
Current Roster - I'd take Zack Ryder and The Brian Kendrick and pair them together. This may seem like a weird combination, but think for a second; they're both cocky, narcissistic heels, who both dress in what could charitably be called "vintage" clothing (Kendrick being 60's, Ryder being the 80's). Both of them are also in desperate need of some exposure. Zack Ryder is doing well as a singles performer on ECW, but then again that's ECW where you aren't bogged down by the main-eventers like on RAW. Brian Kendrick desperately needs to get out his jobber role, because he deserves a lot better. I look at Brian Kendrick and see a lot of misdirected potential.
Reform - If I had to look through the mists of time for an old tag team to see wrestle again, I'd have to go with the tag team of Greg Valentine and Ric Flair. From the matches I've seen they were quite compatible in the ring and...well come on it's Ric Flair - arguably the greatest professional wrestler of all time - and Greg Valentine who was pretty decent at the height of his career. Valentine as a powerhouse wrestler also served a great balance to the dastardly Flair who was the type to pull the cheap moves left and right.
Paul Orndorff & Jimmy Snuka vs Ric Flair & Greg Valentine
Nemesis Enforcer
Current Roster - Jack Swagger and Shelton Benjamin, as both have really good skills which would compliment each other nicely. Swagger the ground based power guy and Benjamin the athletic high-flier. Seemed to work in the past for tag teams and I think they could make it work again.
Reform - Edge and Christan would be my choice for this as they are a great team who would work really well in bringing the Tag Division back to life in a meaningful way as champs of my tag tournament. They have plenty of history as tag champs and a good following still which is a bonus!
Edge and Christian funny moments.
Current Roster - Argh, current? There goes my dream "Jeff and Austin" idea. Literal dream. And what a dream it was *drifts away*. Erm sorry, back again! Right, I'd like to see some major contrasting teams. Thinking back, most tag teams usually seem to have 2 fairly similar sized wrestlers in (think Undertaker/Kane or London/Kendrick as 2 examples) and I'd like to see that different, so I'm picking Evan Bourne and Mark Henry. How weird would that be to see them together? Bourne could do all the aerial type moves, getting people kerfuffled and knocked over, Henry can come in and squash them into little pancakes. I can so see it working, the more I think about it!
Reform - As I pretty much missed it first time around, I'd love to see Edge come back from injury and team up with Christian. I've seen loads on DVD of them together (and, by the way, some fantastically awful outfits), but would like to see what they can do now they're both matured.
E & C vs. The Hardy Boyz
Current Roster - I would love to see HBK and Evan Bourne tag together. The master and the apprentice; I think the range of experience and youth would be great. Bourne can use his high-flying strengths and HBK can work any variation he chooses according to their opponents strengths and weaknesses.
Reform - E & C were the first ones that came to mind, but another of my favourites were The Brothers of Destruction; Undertaker and Kane. I love almost every match the have tagged together, the chemistry is great and they just gelled.
E & C vs. The brothers of Destruction
Final Thoughts
Another edition in the books and hopefully, from your point of view, a segment of time well spent. We realise that not every reader is going to enjoy every segment, but that's the beauty of having something there for everyone. The writers work hard getting their columns in and spend their free time to provide this newsletter, so we appreciate any comments, be they praise or constructive criticism.
The return of Inno's Big Question is a boon for us, so long may that continue. ScottyB will be back next time with another Hot Topic, John Hancock will resume the Ghettoblastin', another member will visit Room 101, I'll be bringing the second part of the Movie Mayhem feature and all the other regulars will be there too.
If you're staying up, enjoy the Night of Champions PPV, if not, enjoy it when you do see it.
Thanks for reading,
Newsletter Editor: DC
Thanks to everybody who contributed to this issue of the TWO Newsletter:
NEXT EDITION: Sunday 9th AugustLast edited by Kam; 27-07-2009 at 12:39 AM.
My name is Henry Higgins and I'm the fastest man alive.
When I was a child, a saw my mother killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Then an accident made me the impossible.
To the outside world, I'm just an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly I use my speed to fight crime and find others like me, and one day I'll find who killed my mother and get justice for my father.
I am the Flash.
Really enjoyed this newsletter - read most of it, particularly Darkstars bit (yummyyyy), the Room 101 and the Movie Mayhem. Got to say though DC, surprised you completely msised out mentioning Ghost Whisperer for Jennifer Love Hewitt!!!
Good Newsletter.
http://youtube.com/shaolinhandlock (Language Warning)
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx276JE__kjbcn9U8hcgYBA (My second channel, for my instrumental music and other stuff)
http://www.reverbnation.com/shaolinakashaolinhandlock (Language Warning)
ShaolinHandLock: The #1 Kung Fu Movie Expert on TWO!
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Solid newsletter. Glad you had me re-send my picks of the fortnight, DC; as I like my new choice for website. I read everything aside from all the TWOstars recap (I'm trying to read endgame, but am too high and keep nodding out) so I didn't wanna spoil anything from that show and past it. And I also only read half of Ghettoblastin' when I saw the youtube clip and decided I don't like Thunder. I like what's being done with Movie mayhem, and the probe was a step up from the last one.
I want MY cigarettes, Nurse Ratchett!!
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Another good Newsletter with plenty of good reading in there to keep me entertained. Enjoyed pretty much everything that was put in there, much like last issue and so well done to those involved.
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Usual good work from what I saw. Liked Ghettoblastin', Room 101 (of course), Member Spotlight and Quote Unquote (the best one yet, by the way. Fiona's finally finding her feet with it, so good work!). Skipped The Probe as soon as I saw it was Jayfunk because I can barely tolerate reading his bad posts elsewhere. And the rest, I never read anyway.
So yeah, usual good work.
Shame Mitch, you got a mention in the probe!
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I daren't even imagine...
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Good newsletter. Don't understand why Jay had to be asked 4 times why he thought the three posters he picked were the best. Little overkill there. And as for the comment about Mitch and Naitch, well that was just silly.
But good job everyone.I'm a bit of a b*llshitter myself but occasionally enjoy listening to an expert. Please carry on.
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
A rose by any other name, is just a pr*ck in a bush.
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There is no shame in failing, only in not having tried.
Don't mistake kindness for weakness
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text:
In a follow up to the Adult Slime series launched in honor of the 30th anniversary of slime, Bandai subsidiary Mega House has announced the August arrival of the "Biri Biri Kaze Hiki Wanko," which roughly translates to "shocking sick puppy."
This children's game functions somewhat like Milton Bradley's Operation, though with a much higher ick factor: the toy puppy, who has caught a cold, drools a concoction of slime and plastic germs. Players must extract these germs using the tweezers without letting the metal part touch the slime, an act which produces a buzzing shock. The player who collects the most germs wins. Play continues by loading the mess into a compartment in the dog's head.
Targeted at children aged 5-7, Mega House hopes to introduce slime to the next generation at a projected sales rate of 100,000 articles by the end of the year. Meanwhile, market watchers bet on where slime will show up next.
UPDATE: Buy Shocking Sick Puppy online.


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new windshield just in time for summer tour! (a rock hit and cracked the old one !)
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1. Joseph Essandoh-Yeddu said on July 19, 2010
Great. I am happy to see this project coming alive. I worked on this project at the Gulf Coast Carbon Center of the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) as its energy economist.
Thanks, Sue, Ian and Scott for providing the opportunity to be part of this project. I am also grateful to Gurcan and Michelle at the Center for Energy Economics, also of BEG, for the initial arrangement for my participation in the project. It was also my Ph.D. thesis work.