Links of the Day - 12/21/11

1.  Wendy's 2.0
The people asked, and Wendy's finally answered.  The restaurant will be redesigning a few of its locations as prototypes for a possible 2012 rebranding of all restaurants.  I guess congratulations are in order, Wendy's.  Now the inside of your place looks like a Panera with shittier food.  I won't be coming any more often, and I won't be coming less often.  As long as your drive thru is open past midnight, me and my drunk confidantes will still be rolling through in a taxi for a quick fix of chicken nuggets, and it doesn't matter whether Frank Lloyd Wright designed your restaurant or your uncle Bill, who has been out of work for 3+ years and needed a job.  On a side note, I once downed 20 Wendy's chicken nuggets in one sitting on a bet....sober.

2.  MBTA to use old tunnels for an exhibit?
Interesting article.  Couldn't think of anything funny to say, so I'll just leave it as that.  I kind of wish Boston had a subterranean set of individuals who live in the tunnels though, like in NYC.  Sort of like an underground hobo.

3.  NYC pad bought for $88 million
You have to love these Russians, throwing their money around like nothing, laughing in the faces of "puny Americans."  Ivan Drago, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Prokorov,  Dmitriy Rybolovleva.  I don't believe the Cold War is over - it went from a military angle to a "who can flex their financial muscles to pay egregious sums for things they don't really need" angle.  I mean, that can be the only explanation as to the signing of Kris Humphries for $8 million, right??

4.  Pest control, Dirty Harry style

First off, gotta like this guy's flair and ingenuity when it comes to dealing with Boston's rodent problem.  Most people in this position would think about a handgun, but this dude Bill McaBee brought the thunder - a Smith & Wesson rifle.


5.  Drunk History Christmas
Another gem from the boys over at Funny or Die.  Not nearly as good as some of the other "Drunk History" episodes (are they called "episodes"?), but a cast of Gosling, Carrey & Eva Mendes can't be all that bad...

Drunk History Christmas with Ryan Gosling, Jim Carrey and Eva Mendes from Ryan Gosling

6.  "Bored to Death" creator to provide free drinks on the house
Solid, classy move by Jonathan Ames in celebration of his show.  Three seasons is better than nothing, right?  Beware if you are located close to an American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, or Goodwill stores, New Yorkers....you don't want to be trampled by a pack of wild hipsters on the move to the Brooklyn Inn tonight.

7.  Competitive eating gets a reality show
Introducing "Suzilla, The Mouth That Roars."  Though I fully admit that I will never watch a single second of this show, it does make me realize that I wasn't actually that far off with my screenplay idea for a mockumentary based on the world of competitive eating which I had been throwing around about 5 years ago.  Turns out that I was just ahead of my time, and I could have made a killing (as if I had film connections to get the thing made).  I would be lying if I told you I knew where the hell the Planet Green Network was on my cable dial (do people still use this phrase?), but kudos to you, Planet Green.

8.  Jeremy Bloom is a pimp
World class skier?  Check.  NCAA all-american in football? Check.  NFL player? Check.  One of Forbes' "30 under 30" for technology? Check.  Seriously, what can't this dude do...I think I just got a man crush.

9.  Stephen Curry goes back to school

An NBA star arrives back on campus at small, liberal arts Davidson College to try to finish up his degree during the lockout.  If you insert "Stephen Curry" with "Matt Dominici," "Davidson College" with "Bates College," and "basketball" with "social pariah," then these stories are virtually interchangeable

Links of the Day (abridged version) - 12/20/11

1.  Ryan Braun - not doing PED's after all??

Pictured: Lloyd Braun- Ryan's Dad?

So Ryan Braun is now alleging that he tested positive due to medication he's taking for "a private medical issue."  My thoughts are it's either something weird like gout, or else it's what everyone thinks it probably is: ______ (insert your favorite STD here).





2.  New Will Ferrell movie
Has Will Ferrell done it again, or has Will Ferrell done it again?  Newest movie from the boys over at Gary Sanchez, "Casa de mi Padre."  I have to be honest here, I'm not sure if this movie is a complete joke, hilarious on its own, or not funny whatsoever.  You can judge for yourself....

3.  HBO cancels Bored to Death
Looks like Zack Galifianakis is gonna have to find a new job....errr.  On a serious note, 2 things to note about this show:
    A.  Jason Schwartzman not only played the main character, but he created and sang the theme song.  I'd also note that Schwartzman's band created and sang the theme song for "The OC" as well.
    B.  Besides Jack Donaghy of 30 Rock, I would argue that Ted Danson's character "George Christopher" was my 2nd favorite character on television.  Danson couldn't have played him any better.

Links of the Day - 12/13/11

1.  Free ice skating at Fenway
Ahhh, Frozen Fenway.  How much do you think these tickets go for once scalpers get ahold of them??

2.  Manhattan-style apartments come to Boston
$1,500 a month for a 350 square foot apartment in the Seaport?  And $2,000 for 400 square feet?  Not sure how much I love these micro apartments.  I'll take a 500 square foot apartment with old appliances in Beacon Hill for that or less any day....

3.  There's a new whiskey in town
 I'm not sure I'm entirely sold on Swedish whiskey, but from what I hear, they have decent water over there, so why the hell not?  I've been sold on Swedish products before (fish, Saab, Ulf Dahlen, Peter Forsberg, et. al.), so why not give whiskey a shot as well?

4.  Tim Tebow and Lindsey Vonn? (via Deadspin) 

Cute..but Tebow-worthy?

Rumor has it that Tebow broke up Lindsey Vonn's marriage?  Can this be true?  And if so, has Tebow slept with her?  This guy can't be a virgin, can he??



5.  Red Sox sign Kelly Shoppach
Well, looks like the Jason Varitek era has officially ended in Boston.  There are very few athletes I know with the first name "Kelly" - Kelly Chase, former goon for the Hartford Whalers, Kelly Slater, pro surfer, Kelly Johnson, 2nd baseman, and Kelly Leak, OF for the "Chico's Bail Bond Bears."  I don't actually know where I'm going with this, besides the fact that I consider Kelly to be a girl's name, and I wanted to make a "Bad News Bears" reference.

I don't mind the signing.  Shoppach is a serviceable backup with some pop, he was only $1 million to sign, and he's come full circle with the team that originally drafted him.

6.  Breaking News: raw cookie dough bad for you
An article somewhat appropriate for the holiday season, as even I succumbed to the temptress that is raw cookie dough last week (those snickerdoodel cookies were amazing though, Brooke!).  Here's the hook though - it's not the eggs, dumbass - it's the FLOUR!!

Nonetheless, not even the New York Times can stop me from eating raw cookie dough - it's just too damn good.  I mean, e.coli only lasts a few days, right??

7.  John Rocker admits to steroid use
Wait...WHAT?!  Next you are going to tell me that the 7 train in NYC isn't a collection of foreigners, freaks, and geeks....

8.  Leading goal scorer in hockey east kicked off BU
I'm hesitant to make a joke about this for obvious reasons, as this is a serious situation and should be handled as one.  But honestly, when you're the leading goal scorer for one of the best college hockey teams in the nation, I'm pretty sure there are better ways to go after a girl on campus.  Ever hear of the term "Puck Slut," Trivino?  I thought that was in your freshman year handbook...

9.  Scientists study particle that could explain how universe was created
For you science buffs out there.  I pretty much lost interest after the first sentence, cause not much else made sense to me.  I'm still not sure that Higgs Boson is not the head of a ticket scalping agency in Boston.

10.  Water Pong ban in Boston?
DRINKING GAMES ARE EVIL!!  While our neighbors in New Amsterdam have their happy hours, their drinking games in bars, and joints that stay open until 4 AM, the already power-hungry Boston Licensing Board is in the process of taking away yet another one of our limited opportunities to actually enjoy ourselves at a Boston bar: beirut aka "beer pong."  Here's the kicker though - it's not even played with beer...we are already at the point where we can only play with WATER, and they are even taking that away from us?!  I'll leave it to Boston Bruin legend Cam Neely to sum up how I feel about this.

Links of the Day - 12/12/11

Happy monday, folks.  I won't bore you with my weekend rundown, so onto today's links.

1.  Santa Speedo Run
 An annual rite of passage for Bostonians looking for a reason to dress scantily in December, get drunk, and run 3 miles while euro holiday shoppers awkwardly gawk at them while walking down Newbury Street (for a good cause, I should add), the Santa Speedo Run occurred this past weekend.  Contrary to popular opinion, this is not me.  My doppelganger needs to lose a few more pounds and gain a lot more chest hair if he wants to accurately impersonate me, though the aviator sunglasses, "double thumbs up," and blank/stupid expression on his face definitely has several of my friends fooled.

2.  Street signs spelled wrong
This one is for my readers from Haverhill, MA.  I'm afraid you can't get any more unintelligent than that....

3.  Blackwater gets a name change
"Hey guys - you think if we just changed our name, brought in a new board of directors, and fired a few people, 99% of the US population might forget how evil we were during that whole Iraq/Afghanistan thing??"
       -CEO of Blackwater

4.  Hulk Hogan and Brutus the Barber Beefcake were more than wrestling friends? (via With Leather)

So Linda Hogan is claiming that her ex husband had a sexual relationship with his tag team wrestling mate, Brutus the Barber Beefcake.  Say it ain't so, guys (not that there's anything wrong with that).  On a personal note, I believe my "ambition" listed in my high school yearbook was "to become a professional wrestler in the mold of Brutus the Barber Beefcake."  For some reason, I thought this was funny back in 1998, most likely due what I presumed to be an obscure wrestler reference, and because I actually aspired to be a greco-roman olympic wrestler as opposed to a WWE wrestler.  Perhaps Ravishing Rick Rude would have been more funny, in hindsight.

Please feel free to provide your own innuendo joke.  Here are a few to get you started: I guess the "suplex" doesn't only happen in the squared circle.  Or....this takes the term "tag team" to a whole new level.

5.  What we really know about Ryan Braun

Excellent take on the Braun/P.E.D.s situation from @jonahkeri over at Grantland.  At this point, we all know the story.  Ryan Braun blah blah blah synthetic testosterone blah blah blah 50 game suspension blah blah blah appealing blah blah blah.  Tough bid for MLB, which considered Braun one of the poster boys for post-Mitchell Report baseball.  Even tougher break for the Jewish population, who now only have Kevin Youkilis and a retired Shawn Green to look up to (am I forgetting others?)

6.  Most shared ads of 2011 (via youtube, via mashable, via unruly?)
My favorites, in no order of significance:

#5.  There is something about the Kia Hamsters that always cracks me up; I feel like an easy crowd.  I think it has something to do with a "Hamsterdam/The Wire" reference in there, but I have still failed to connect the dots.  What if they did an episode of The Wire using those hamsters?  Instant comedy.

#12.  Pretty funny concept.  My favorite couple was the pair in pink (such a contrast from the bikers) and the 65 year old woman with her son who it appears had her first sip of beer ever at the 1:27 mark.

#13.  I still don't believe this ad is real.  If it is, it's an absolute 10 on the "unintentional comedy" scale, and rivals just about any discount furniture store tv spot.

#17.  This is just impressive.

7.  Nets owner to run against Putin
An absolute battle of the titans, this is like Ivan Drago vs Ivan Drago.  This should be interesting to say the least.  I have more comments about this, but sadly, I also have more work to do....

Links of the Day - 12/9/11

Friday's links are posted, faithful readers.  Sorry I don't have pictures today - didn't really have time...see you Monday!

1.  Spotify introduces "Spotify Radio"

Pandora is officially dead to me (besides on my phone and iPad).  This puppy offers all the same features that Pandora does, except that I'm allowed to skip any songs I want to (goodbye O.A.R. songs that aren't named "Crazy Game of Poker") without any limitations?  Sold....

2.  Glass Slipper got spanked for misbehavior

Looks like a stripper got into trouble for a lap dance in Boston (are lap dances usually $300? Seems excessive), and the Glass Slipper will need to spend 2 days in the "timeout corner" of the classroom, or as my 5th grade lunch lady Ms. Rocketenantz would say in her amazing "NH white trash accent", "have yourself a seat on the stage."  On a side note, I've never been to the Glass Slipper nor have I ever been to Centerfolds.  Is one classier than the other?  More expensive?  Do the girls simply rotate between the two?

Side note # 2 - I can't imagine either club will make it once the new apartment building is erected (get it? erected!) adjacent to the clubs.

3.  Grillo's Pickles to open brick and mortar joint

I like pickles.  What is the expected square footage of a joint that solely sells pickles?  75?  100?  

4.  iPad3 to launch in February 2012

For all you apple junkies.  I don't really have anything funny to say here.

5.  Paramount opening restaurant in Southie

Bringing a taste of Beacon Hill to Southie.  Great, another reason why my Southie friends never have to cross the bridge....and another piece of the puzzle to "Operation Gentrify Southie.".

6.  Will Ferrell "Old Milwaukee commercials

This series of 5 ads were only showed in Davenport, Illinois.  Can it get more random than that??  Part of me thinks Ferrell actually contacted Old Milwaukee cause he loves their beer, and the other part thinks he's completely screwing with them...like his own inside joke, just to humor himself.  Either way, it's absolute genius.

7.  Generosity better than sex...

According to crack researchers, via the New York Times, couples are happier in their marriages if they are generous to each other, and apparently, this is even more important than sexual relations.  In fact, for each negative thing said, successful couples say FIVE positive things to each other!  I'll withhold my comments on this, as my mother is a devout reader of my blog.  Hi Mom!

8.  Sinead O'Connor finally ties the knot

Wait....WHAT?!*  Sinead O'Connor isn't a lesbian?  My mind is absolutely blown here.  Seriously though...looks like a nice Cadillac.  Pink is the new black.  When has an Irish person not looked phenomenal in pink?

9.  Amsterdam to outlaw foreigners in "coffee shops"

If anyone tries to argue the fact that you went to Amsterdam "to tour the Anne Frank house," you're obviously still high from your trip to the Netherlands.  In my opinion, this will cause a serious blow to tourism in Holland

By the way...what's the call on calling the country "The Netherlands" vs "Holland," and why are they called "Dutch"??  How do any of these have any relation whatsoever?

* For those Barstool Sports readers, I would like to acknowledge that "Wait...WHAT?! is not a ripoff of an "El Pres" quote.  In fact, I believe he may have taken it from Norm MacDonald courtesy of his short-lived Comedy Central show "Sports Show," where he had a segment titled "Wait...WHAT?!"  My use is an homage to one of my comedic role models.

UPDATE - About 15 minutes after I wrote the above paragraph, and in the ultimate coincidence, Sports Guy has written the same exact thing in his latest blog entry.  Wait....WHAT?!  Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.

Links of the Day - 12/8/11

Happy Thursday.  Went to a Glenlivet scotch tasting last night, and sadly, didn't come out with any great stories (besides the host's numerous sexual innuendos when speaking about scotch, making everyone somewhat uncomfortable).  Wish I had more for you...

And without much fanfare (Google Analytics doesn't lie), here are your links of the day for Thursday:

1.  http://bostonherald.com/track/star_tracks/view.bg?articleid=1386847&srvc=track&position=recent
Christmas comes early!  Thank God Adam Sandler is producing a sequel to a movie that no one watched in the first place.  Pretty much the only thing good about this movie was the fact that it was set in NH.

Snap bracelets will be back in 2012

2.  http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/relationships/blog/2011/12/theres_an_issue_with_gifts.html?p1=Upbox_links
This is absolutely hysterical to me for some reason - a boyfriend that refuses to give his girlfriend jewelry as a gift, no matter what the cost is.  $7 earrings?  Tough shit.  Snap bracelet?  No way in hell.  $2,000 diamond bracelet?  Sorry.  Engagement ring? Laughable.  Can someone get me this dude's phone number?  I'd like to be friends with him.

Clearly this guy knows what he is doing.  Either he is so scared of getting engaged that he never even wants to flirt with the idea of jewelry for fear that she may get the wrong idea, or he is just batshit crazy.  Either way, I like it.  I have similar odd tendencies I can relate to - for instance, I steadfastly refuse to give a card to someone, no matter what the event (birthday/wedding/anniversary, etc.) if I provide them with a gift in person.  I can't understand why anyone would need a card if I'm physically there to tell them the gift is from me, and wish them well - isn't that what a card is for??  I wish I had thought of this jewelry one earlier...

3.  http://bostinno.com/2011/12/08/mbta-be-nice-to-your-drivers-oh-and-here%E2%80%99s-a-proposed-fare-hike/
Let me get this straight - in order to get out of debt, the T would need to raise its fees by 60%?  Is this the most inefficiently run government organization or what?  I guess I don't mind a price hike up to $2.40 for a T ride, though I wold argue that if you're gonna charge NYC Metro-esque fees ($2.25/ride), at least provide NYC Metro-esque amenities. For some reason, that subway system seems to run much more smoothly than Boston subways...and I never thought I would say that.   I'm sure everyone has their own Green Line horror story to provide.

4.  http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel+good-scam-of-owning-the-packers (via Deadspin)
Do the Green Bay Packers have the most profitable funding scam in the history of scams?  Why isn't every professional sports team doing this?  $250 gets you no profit whatsoever, no say in Packers matters, and most likely a piece of paper that you can frame and put up on your office wall in downtown Milwaukee.  I'm pretty sure if Bernie Madoff read this article, he would have said "WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING PLAYING AROUND WITH THAT PONZI BULLSHIT?!"

5.  http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/12/07/143270513/bonbons-for-breakfast-most-kid-cereals-pack-enough-sugar-to-be-dessert

It took researchers this long to figure out that Captain Crunch with Crunchberries is bad for you?!  How many other readers find this stat more shocking than the actual information provided by it?  In the interest of full disclosure, I refused to eat my cereal unless my mother actually allowed me to put MORE sugar into it.  Sadly, this is not a joke....but they're GRRRRREEEAAAT!






6.  http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/08/reports-of-shots-fired-at-virginia-tech/?hpt=hp_t3
Another tragic shooting at Virginia Tech.  What do they put in the water in Blacksburg??  This is sad and ridiculous.

Links of the Day - 12/7/11

1.  http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/7326396/go-get-chris-paul
Celtics are rumored to be the most aggressive bidder for Chris Paul.  Listen, I'm all about rent-a-players, but doesn't it make more sense to get them towards the end of the season?  Sure, we miss out on the advantage of having CP3 the entire season, but what if we trade Rondo, Green & a first rounder for Paul and then we don't even make it out of the 1st round of the playoffs?  Then we've lost our younger nucleus (assuming Celts sign Green to a multi-year deal), and with Ray Ray, KG and Paul Pierce all so old they will be heading to Red Lobster at 4:30 PM every night for dinner, the Celtics are left with....Avery Bradley and a 2nd rounder?

2.  http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,2101344,00.html?hpt=hp_t2
Just what everyone is looking for - 54 different "Top 10" lists from Time Magazine for the year 2011.  Is there some significant connection between the numbers 54 and 2011 that I don't know about?  Why choose such a random number?  And, more importantly, is there anyone who works at Time Magazine that is under the age of 45?  I can't be the only person to question the credibility of a "Top 10" list from Time Magazine

3.  http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/07/news/congress_insider_trading/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2
Following up on a fantastic piece by the team over at 60 Minutes (for Sunday NFL fans, it's the show that runs after the 4 pm game if finished on CBS when you are too lazy to reach for your remote), it notes that members of Congress have zero accountability when it comes to insider trading.  How the hell is this not illegal?  Is there some way I can cash in on this?  There MUST be!  Time to go make some congressional staffer friends in DC....

On a side note, kudos to Congress for the acronym on the new piece of legislation: the "STOCK" act.  The use of acronyms by Congress to name their bills kills me every time.  I swear that sometimes bills are simply written solely based upon the acronym.

4.  http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/the-cw-teams-with-j-j-abrams-oth-creator-mark-schwahn-for-hotel-drama/
J.J. Abrams of Lost?  Check.  Plotline based in Maine?  Check.  On the CW Network?  Check.  I'm sold.

5.  http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/different_stroke_for_wiig_NgL8NjzDHVrwnW7gg9oRVP
Kristin Wiig dating a member of The Strokes.  Wait....WHAT?!  I could have sworn that Kristin Wiig was married....and after a little research, I see that she was.  To this guy!  Let the record show that it isn't only men that dump their "Before I was famous" significant other and look for an upgrade once they reach celebrity status.

Blog Changes- Links of the Day 12/6/11

In an effort to ramp up my blogging efforts on Just What You Expected, I’ve chosen a somewhat different path – going forward, I will be posting my favorite links of the day and offering a short commentary on each link.  By use of “favorite,” by no means should any reader imply that these links are “noteworthy.”  I realize that this is somewhat Barstool Sports/Deadspin/With Leather/NY Mag Vulture of me, but I mean no offense, and I’m not trying to steal anyone’s thunder.  My decision is merely based upon a mixed motive based upon laziness and lack of time to commit to my blog.  Yup….just what you expected me to say.  Many links will be sports related, though it should hit on some pop culture and newsworthy pieces as well.

Onto the links:

 1. http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7318773/espn-splits-nhl-analyst-matthew-barnaby-following-dwi-arrest

Wait – do you mean to tell me that after a somewhat inappropriate relationship with colleague Michelle Beadle (including quite transparent flirting on Twitter), a prior arrest for violating a restraining order against his wife and kicking in a garage door (5 charges filed against him), a DUI offense where he “allegedly” decided to drive his Porsche on only 3 tires to the point where the 4th rim was sparking, not to mention being potentially the worst hockey analyst on ESPN, the network finally cut ties with Matthew Barnaby??  What exactly was the tipping point here?  It’s not like Barnaby was SO great at his job that he should have been a golden child.  Salisbury gets fired immediately for showing pictures of his dick on his cell phone, Steve Philips gets fired immediately for having an affair with a not-so-attractive ESPN staffer (perhaps that was his penance for picking a heffer?), and Barnaby can get away with committing these acts for that long?  How does that even make sense?

2.  http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2011/12/dan-qualye-says-mitt-romney-has-four-essential-qualities-president/mkMYQyatHiWAigYohR7jZK/index.html?p1=News_links

Dan Quayle endorses Mitt Romney for President.  I honestly don't even need any commentary; the punch line is the caption.


3.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/sports/hockey/derek-boogaard-a-boy-learns-to-brawl.html
 Amazing 3-part expose from the New York Times on the life of former NHL enforcer Derek "Boogeyman" Boogaard.  It definitely makes you think about the legitimacy of fighting in hockey, though one could argue that more concussions in hockey occur as a result of body checks as opposed to fighting.  Without fighting, there could potentially be a lack of self-policing in hockey, and this could actually cause more injuries, especially to star players who were otherwise protected.


Not sure what the saddest part of this story is, though the fact that he kept his drugs in pastel-colored plastic easter eggs hidden around his apartment is definitely the front runner right now.


4.  https://www.acerafa.com/

Win game against a fake/virtual Rafael Nadal with your serving robot and win a trip to put him right on his ass in Spain.  It took me about 10 minutes to figure out that just like the backhand move in NHL 94 for Sega Genesis, there is a way to serve the ball that works every time.


5.  http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7319858/the-people-hate-tim-tebow


Chuck Klosterman does it again.  Great article on the Jesus-loving phenom that is Tim Tebow - not so much about him, but why he's so fascinating to OTHER people.  To be honest, Chuck Klosterman could write about mad cow disease and I'd be a happy person....and usually I don't even like hipsters.


On a side note, I can't stand when athletes thank the J-man for helping them win the game.  Trot Nixon of the Red Sox was notorious for doing this in interviews, and I cringed every time.


6.  http://ryanseacrest.com/2011/12/06/mikes-bleeding-vinnys-leaving-club-fights-fill-the-jersey-shore-season-5-trailer-video/

Just what everyone needed - a preview of the new season of Jersey Shore.  I have to be honest here - I'm pretty much done with this show.  Here is my latest analysis of the characters:

-Snooki: The mere sight of Snickers aka Snooks aka Snooki causes me to dry heave.
-Vinnie:  He's a mama's boy dork without a "cool" bone in his body (and I may have just lost my coolness by using that phrase).  Definitely had the largest transition from "shy geek" to "outspoken geek who thinks he's awesome and wants to be an actor."
-Ronnie/Sammie Sweetheart:  Just. Stop. It.  Both of you suck.  Ronnie's only saving grace is his laugh and his crazy legs dance when he gets drunk, and I'm pretty sure Sammie makes every male viewer realize his GF, however crazy she may be, is a god-send compared to her.
-Mike "The Situation": Still cracks me up, I have to say.  It's almost like MTV created him as a character.  He's literally a caricature of himself, and I find this hilarious..Oh, and he's def in the closet.
-J-Woww:  Not too much to say - she's definitely matured a bit; I miss the fights.  And she absolutely wins the award for "most plastic surgery performed to unknowingly make oneself more unattractive than when the process began."
-Deena:  The other half of "Team Meatball," not much else to say about her.  Likes getting naked, and constantly wonders why no one wants to have sex with her.  I've got an answer for you, Deena - you're disgusting.
-Pauly D: Saving grace of the show.  Funny, original (creates his own catch-lines), nice, great head of hair, classic Rhode Island accent (everyone has met a "Pauly D" at the Atlantic Beach Club in Newport), and questionable DJ skills...though Fifty Cent just signed him to a deal, so maybe he's got something going for him...


7.  http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/12/nj-mayor-resigns-two-months-after-underwear-pic.html

Giving credit where credit is due, this link was sent to me by my friend Katie.  Never have I seen a more relaxed Mayor.  This guy could give George Costanza a run for his money....

Testing My Patience...

As some of my faithful readers may or may not have known, over the past few months I have been studying for the GMAT in order to potentially "turn back the clock" and assume the role of a fulltime student once again. After endless hours of studying, taking numerous seemingly worthless 3 hour courses, and choosing "c" on multiple choice-driven practice answers based solely upon the fact that it's my favorite letter between A-E, I finally took the test last Saturday. However, as is typical with stories involving me, it wasn't so cut-and-dry. Here's the story of why I almost MISSED the GMAT (via timestamp). Enjoy.

9:00-11:15 AM Wake up bright and early (for me) and do a little last-minute cramming while treating myself to a little Sportscenter (it had been a looong time) and some freshly cut pineapple.

11:15-11:30 AM Shower, brush teeth, boring. While in shower, I decide that since it's SO hot outside (about 95 degrees with extremely high humidity), I will ride my bicycle to my 12:30 PM test. This way, I believe I will not only spend less time in the summer heat, but I may even catch a breeze to cool me down a bit.

11:45 AM After "Drooke Dreltzman,"* my roommate/girlfriend leaves the apartment to head out to lunch with a friend, I play with the dog we are dogsitting in an attempt to relax and achieve a zen-like approach to the test.

11:50 AM As I was told numerous times to arrive at the testing center 30 minutes early, I head out to the backyard to hop on my bike and prepare for my 3 min ride to the testing center.

11:51 AM While in the backyard, quickly realize that I forgot the key to open the door to the gate in my backyard "terrace." I head back to the backdoor to retrieve the key.

11:52 AM While trying to open the backdoor, I suddenly realize that I don't have a key to the backdoor either. At this point, I become aware of the fact that I am trapped in my own backyard....

11:53 AM In the midst of sweat beginning to pool onto my forehead, I begin making phone calls to everyone I know within a half-mile radius of my apartment. This includes Drooke Dreltman (8-12 times, depending on if you include hangups), "Flon Flyder," "Reg Roucher," "Krate Kroucher," and my landlord, "Greff" a few times. Pacing is involved, as are questions of how I may be able to hop a 10 foot fence (or dig under said fence) in order to create an escape route.

12:10 PM Resigned with the fact that (I had already gone through each of the stages of loss, including denial, anger, and sadness) I would be missing the GMAT test, I attempt to come up with an answer to the question "Why didn't you take the GMAT today," because I know that "I decided to lock myself in my own backyard terrace" was not really gonna work. My final resolution? Just don't say anything...

12:20 PM SUCCESS! "Greff," my landlord, listened to his voicemail and comes home and unlocks the back door, freeing me from my makeshift holding cell. I run up through the house (patting the dog's head for good luck), head outside, and begin my sprint up Berkeley Street to the testing center...in my flip flops...in 95 degree heat.

12:26 PM I arrive at the test center with 4 minutes to spare!! Unfortunately, my clothes have taken a turn for the worse. My shirt is entirely soiled with sweat, rivaling that of Kevin Youkilis in a day game, I'm dripping sweat onto the paperwork which needs to be signed beforehand to verify my identity, and I'm panting much like the dog I'm sitting had been all day earlier, all direct effects of my flip-flop sprint in 90+ degree heat. The employee at the testing center takes one look at me, shakes her head, and says "I don't even wanna know....".

All in all, the test went generally how I expected it would go. My score was expected, and not great by any means (barely qualifying as "good"), but at least I surpassed my own expectations a bit. Not that I believe my score would have improved, but sweating profusely, tardiness, and borderline physical exhaustion aren't exactly at the tip of anyone's tongue when the phrase "ideal testing conditions" comes to mind.

Just another Saturday, I guess....

* Note: all names have been changed to protect the identities of the persons involved in this story.

"Extreme Contesting"

After a short hiatus, Just What you Expected has returned...I can't guarantee a new blog entry every day, nor can I even guarantee a new entry every week, but the people have spoken - they want just what they expected. As the great Bruce Dickinson would say (when not piloting a plane for Icelandair): "I need more cowbell!" In an effort to produce more content, I'll try to be a little less picky in my blog subjects, and a bit more efficient while wearing both my "writer's" hat and my "editor's" hat.

This weekend, while I was down in NYC drinking, eating, and sweating in celebration of a certain college friend's bachelor party, my parents were at a summer bbq outing at the Hampton Yacht Club near Hampton Beach, NH (those familiar with Hampton, my mother said it had a "fantastic view" of the Seabrook, NH nuclear power plant...which is nice). When questioned as to what this bbq was in connection with, my mother matter-of-factly answered "It was for your father's little contest club." I figured this would be a great opportunity to enlighten my readers about this fascinating sub-culture known as the "contest winners club," and I would go as far to say that my comments and thoughts are only the beginning of what could be a tremendous study of such a strange group of people.

In an attempt to keep this entry relatively short, I'll provide a few things about the "Contest Club" to allow you to get a better impression:

-The club meets every summer for a "summer outing," and apparently there is a "convention" held annually in which all the local chapters of the club congregate in one spot to profess their love of entering contests.

-When asked what the club discusses during said meetings, my mother stated "they usually just stand up and tell everyone which contests they entered and what they won since the last meeting." How this is entertaining to anyone, I'm still not sure. I would imagine there is a significant amount of clapping during this stage of the meeting.

-The club consists mostly of middle age housewives...and my father. Though my mother did state that 4 men in total were at this particular outing, she could not confirm the sexual orientation of the other men. She did, however, note that she was in fact the "only non-member to attend the meeting." Apparently, the husbands of these members have other engagements during these meetings. Can you see my "shocked" face?

-As one would guess, I believe there are also contests which take place during the meeting, but I could not confirm this. I also could not confirm cost of the meeting and/or membership in this "elite" club....mainly because my mother was on her lunch break, and I wanted to get this blog entry out sooner rather than later. This isn't the New York Times, folks...

Don't get me wrong, my father has been extremely successful in his contest winning - we're talking about trips to Disney World, $500 gas cards, Red Sox tickets/jerseys, even a Harley Davidson Fatboy motorcycle, complete with flames on the side (I wish I had access to the picture of my dad on the hog, but the one I found will have to do...I picked this partially due to my love of mullets and jorts, and partially due to the strange manner in which each person touches the bike with only their thumb). But should he be embarrassed about this hobby (read: addiction)? In my eyes: absolutely.

This is not just a hobby to the man, it's a life pursuit. The mere announcement of a contest gets my father excited, to the point where he has even recruited my grandmother to create "contest envelopes" using old pieces of wallpaper. Apparently, the flashier the envelope, the better chance that it gets picked; that is, only if the winner is selected by hand. If it's some automated selection process...well, I can't express the sadness expressed by my father in words. I'll just use the phrase "emotional exhaustion." I even believe there are magazines, podcasts, and newsletters in connection with entering contests in order to discuss various strategies/contests/crazy people who have won said contests.

If I were to even try to relate this contest club endeavor to something, I guess it would be similar to that of "Extreme Couponing," whereby crazy people attempt to save hundreds of dollars by cutting out and utilizing every possible coupon they come across, to the point where it may in fact affect their normal lives in some manner.

As I've stated, I believe I've only hit the surface of this fascinating "hobby." I sincerely hope that someone has more free time to explore the subject in more depth than I can offer. A case study of my old man would be a nice start. With my father's upcoming retirement, I can only expect his participation in contests to increase tenfold.

* Full disclosure: I have never watched Extreme Couponing, though I do not question the validity of my particular word choice of "crazy" to define this group of people.