Purge

The creator of The O.C., Chuck and Gossip Girl is developing a new X-Men movie that will revolve around a teenager who is attending the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. [more]

Should be a television series, not a movie. A teen soap set at the Xavier Institute is a legitimately promising idea.


» Why don't computers in movies ever run Windows or Mac OS? Microsoft and Apple aren't exactly reluctant to place products in entertainment properties. If I had the resources, I'd document all the curious operating systems I've seen in movies. In Iron Man, for example, the Dell in Tony Stark's office runs an OS with a Mac OS X-like dock and Vista Flip 3D-like folder viewing.

Grand Theft Auto IV's Apple/iPhone parody

» Faux search engines also amuse me. Does Google charge for permission?

GTA IV's in-game web sites

» One of the faux web sites that you can visit in GTA IV is myroomonline.net, which is also the name of the faux MySpace on Degrassi.

» Speed Racer: The Next Generation premiered last Friday on Nickelodeon. Who greenlit this? Terry Semel?

» I hate when I click on a news headline link and a video opens. Just because you can present news in video form doesn't mean you should.

» The blogosphere contains many strange, miserable people who can't handle watching a movie at a cinema.

» To the homeless woman I passed on University Avenue in Palo Alto: You need to edit down your sign. No one can read a whole paragraph while walking by. Thus, no one will re-consider snubbing you.

» University Avenue is home to an inordinate number of rug stores.

» The Sharks are the Tracy McGrady of hockey.

» As if absurd surcharges aren't enough, Ticketbastard begins selling tickets on weekend mornings.


Why do I think I've seen this Travel Channel special on hamburgers before? [more]

I think everyone's seen that Travel Channel special on hamburgers before.


» This weekend, I discovered that I cannot sleep on couches anymore. After sleeping regularly on a tatami, a couch wreaked absolute havoc on my back.

» Opposite the couch was an unopened Monopoly box that promoted the inclusion of a "speed die," so the game can bore you faster.

» The SFIFF precluded me from attending Maker Faire. What did I miss? Oh… only THE MAN WHO CREATED MACGYVER!


I saw an ad in some paper (read a lot of them on public trans this weekend) for Siegfried and Roy present Darren Romeo, The Voice of Magic, a billing which isn't gonna change anyone's opinion of magic.

I also devoured Entertainment Weekly's summer movie preview issue.

Notes:

» The actual previews continue to shrink. I remember when "also playing"-type flicks received half a page.

» Layout totally phoned in the design for this year's summer preview.

» UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie on Wanted: "Now that I'm holding this shotgun, my little boys are going to think I'm so cool when they're 11."

» My interest in WALL•E plummeted after learning that it's almost dialogue-free.

» I'm not sure that Hancock is an improvement over its working title, Tonight, He Comes.

» Director Rob Cohen on The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor: "Ever since I converted to Buddhism and made Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, I've wanted to make a movie about China."

» "Kevin Costner is a layabout who choice will decide the presidential election in Swing Vote." Better/worse than the Supreme Court?


With his WWE contract about to expire, Jonathan Coachman was hired for an anchor position at ESPN. [more]


Coachman's attempt to blow up a midget backfires

Hey, Rich Eisen was a stand-up comedian before ESPN hired him.

Coachman's debut on WWF television opposite The Rock
Alvin and the Chipmunks sing Coachman's entrance music


The eateries around my office all tune their televisions to CNN during my lunch hour, so I see a lot of The Situation Room, and every day, Wolf Blitzer wheels out Donna Brazile and a mystery Republican for a chat.

Donna Brazile is useless. Go finish second in a horse race! I'm trying to eat!


Poor Michigan…
Kraft Launches New Lazy People Food
Choco-Bacon
The Art of the Stanley Cup Playoff Beard
Off-Season Fun With Anti-Meth Ads