Weekend Update

Although I don't have anything new and/or exciting to blog about, I do have some continuing thoughts or new insight on stuff I've already written about, so here we go:

Biden My Time

I've pretty much fallen completely in love with Joe Biden. He's been great so far, and he's kinda adorable. I hope he comes to Michigan for an event and gives me a hug. Aviva over at the excellent blog The Birds and the PCBs linked me to this fact sheet published by Grist about how great he is environmentally, so check that out if you're interested. For a nice contrast, here's a similar fact sheet, also from Grist, that details how awful Sarah Palin, McCain's absurd VP pick, is on environmental issues.

Brian in the Hot Dog Joint with the Crossword Puzzle

I am ashamed to say that I did not live up to my commitment to watch the movie version of Clue the other day. It previously was available for online streaming through Netflix, but no more. sigh.

Conventional Wisdom

As I stated earlier, I continue to love Joe Biden and thought his speech was fantastic. I missed Bill, but I hear he was terrific, and I intend to watch his speech soon. Al Gore was also fantastic, particularly when he lumped Big Coal in with Big Oil. It made me so sad for him (he's so presidential!), but he's big enough now in his own right that I suppose it's okay.

As for Barack, I'm of two minds. I thought it was a good speech, to be sure, but I've definitely been more inspired and impressed by past speeches he's given. But as I give it more consideration, I realize that I'm not really the person that he was targeting with that speech. I'm already going to vote for him, so he doesn't need to worry about impressing me further. He was targeting the people that thought he was all rhetoric and no substance, and because of that, it was important that he had "boring" parts that detailed exactly what he wants to try and accomplish. In that sense, it was probably a success.

Also, tomorrow is the one month anniversary of me starting this blog by posting a funny picture. Hooray for not getting bored with it yet!

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Uhh...

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Project Runway Rundown: Meet Sue Bee She

(So what if the challenge was sponsored by Saturn? I just wanted to make a quasi-relevant Miss Kittin reference.)

Yay! Another fun episode. I actually really like the episodes where they use non-traditional materials. I've decided that ten is a reasonable number of outfits to review, so read on for my thoughts on this week's episode and ALL the looks.



Leanne



Leanne wins! And deservedly so. This photo doesn't quite show how interesting and cool this look was. I'm totally digging Leanne's architectural style. Those hip bumps work surprisingly well, and it was smart of her to stuff the model's undies with muslin to make sure they didn't collapse. The silhouette is really sexy and sleek, and - to make use of this week's buzzword - innovative. The only thing I don't love is the detailing around the bust (it's just a bit wonky), but the judges didn't seem to agree with me, so good for Leanne.

Korto



This was a really close contender for the win, and probably didn't quite get there due to its lack of real showiness. It did look a bit scarecrowish on the dressform, but it looked amazingly chic on the model. You really can't tell from a distance that it's made from seatbelts. Korto continues to wow the hell out of me.

Jerell



This might be Jerell's first outfit I can actually get behind, although I still have minor issues with it. I loved the way he used the car parts on the top; in fact, that top might be my favorite thing that any of the designers created this episode. However, I think the skirt is a bit too short, and the styling is just wacky. The hair is too crazy and that's wayyyyyy too much eyeliner.

Joe



I liked Joe's entry this week. He actually described it quite well by calling it a motocross dress. The use of the logo is smart without being distracting, and I really like the collar. My only real complaint is the midsection; is her belly showing or is that just some sort of flesh-toned car-part fabric? If it's belly, I'm way against it.

Kenley



Whoa. What? I don't get this look. The top is cute, and I like the belt. The skirt (s?) are RIDICULOUS. She did a good job creating her own zebra print, but this looks like a cupcake wrapper sitting on top of a lampshade. Much like her winning goiterdress, no one would wear this, and while that's sometimes okay in fashion, it just doesn't work here.

I'd also just like to comment briefly on the way she reacted when she found out her model had left the competition. First, she didn't seem at all concerned that something bad may have happened to Shannone. (To be fair, this may have been edited out, since Kenley's getting a pretty clear villain edit.) Second, she should have at least greeted her new model with open arms and thanked her for coming back. Instead, she immediately complained that the outfit wouldn't fit. Then she bitched more. She's hardly the first designer put in this position on this show, and she acted completely unprofessionally.

End rant.

Suede



This is the perfect outfit for the official Saturn flag twirlers.

Terri



Hot! Although Terri's caught some flak for repeatedly going back to pants, she does it so well that it's hard to blame her. I loved that the pants were entirely black in back, and while I'm not sure what the top is made of, it looks like it's just regular fabric. The perfect styling makes this another great look from Terri. On a normal week, she would have placed Top 3, but the designers really stepped it up this time around.

Blayne



Like the oh-so-fabulous Laura Bennett, I like the idea behind this look. I don't have an issue with the "car wash" skirt, as Michael Kors called it, and the mirror shards are a really clever touch. Where this look takes a sharp turn for the worse (car metaphor!) is the chest. Even in this picture you can see it doesn't quite fit right. It was just so distracting to watch it bend this way and that as she walked down the runway. Still, it was a nice try, and certainly not as bad as the bottom two.

Stella



Oh Stella... why would you pick this week to step outside of what you normally do? This challenge was made for her, and she squandered the opportunity to make something "pretty." This is not pretty. This is a mess. The top doesn't match the skirt, and although the horizontal tiered effect of the seatbelt is kinda neat, there are some serious construction issues there. Keith's jackassery and the fact that Stella makes for great TV probably combined to save her.

Keith



OhmygodKeithwasjustaskingtogetpunchedthisweek. Argh. I'd like to think that his repeated comments about being underappreciated for his genius, world-altering work were just a product of editing, but there certainly seemed to be enough different examples of his martyr complex. YOUR STUFF IS NOT THAT GOOD. Sorry. In my mind, there was an awesome runway fight where Laura Bennett completely eviscerated Keith with a few bon mots and a condescending laugh. As far as I'm concerned, Michael Kors took it easy on him. Can you imagine if Nina were there for his little hissy fit? She would have gone the fuck off.

Oh right, he made an outfit. This is just ridiculously blasé and unflattering. It makes her look wider while completely washing her out, and the skirt is a mess. (And blaming that on the model was just disgusting. He's the one who made a skirt that she couldn't sit in. Maybe he should have sent her to hair and makeup before dressing her. Idiot.) The back of the top (not visible here) was bizarre; it looked like it was from an entirely different outfit. Overall, as Laura pointed out, there's really no concept here. Sure, it doesn't look like car parts, but it's still not good clothes. Keith will not be missed.

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Conventional Wisdom

Yay spectacle! I love a good political spectacle. It actually makes for an interesting comparison that the Democratic National Convention is falling immediately after the Olympics, the spectacle to end all spectacles. Personally, I could not have cared less about the Olympics; I see no reason to suddenly take interest in sports I've never given a second thought to, and while the athleticism is impressive, I generally fail to see the overall point (aside from the glorification of drunk drivers.) It's a lot of pomp and showboating with no real purpose.

That's why this is so fascinating for me; the convention is also a whole lot of pomp and showboating, but with a ridiculously high purpose. Underneath all the rhetoric and attacks lies the feeling that the party must unite and rally to elect their candidates, while still trying to sway the undecided who might be watching. This is a delicate balancing act, but I'm mostly quite impressed by the Democrats so far. (Except Mark Warner. He sucked.)



Michelle Obama had a tough task to accomplish on Monday, primarily due to the unfair portrayal of her as an angry black woman by the media. She had to show her softer side while still telling America why they should elect her husband president. Her mission only became tougher when she had to follow Ted Kennedy's amazing surprise appearance. But as far as I'm concerned, she nailed it. (Full disclosure: I FUCKING LOVE THIS WOMAN. I wish she were running.) She did never came off as condescending or elitist, and addressed the ridiculous questions of her patriotism without overdoing the flag-waving. Although some have been complaining that she didn't attack enough, I think it would have been bizarre to hear her attacking John McCain when she was essentially up there as a character witness. Overall, fantastic. (Except the end with the kids. That was awkward.)




While Michelle Obama did a fantastic job, Hillary rocked this shit. She did exactly what she needed to do. Before she spoke, I had a conversation with my mother where I said, "Hillary just needs to go out there and say, 'You say you're my supporter but you're going to vote for McCain? WTF? You want me to have to go work with a Republican president?'" She did exactly this (except much more eloquently - I teared up a bit, I'll confess), and I think we'll hear a lot of the PUMA nonsense go away. As someone who supported Hillary in the primaries, it was kind of hard to watch her up there last night and not think that she would have made an excellent candidate (and maybe she still will in 2016), but I think any Hillary fan who doesn't fall in line after that speech is crazy or wasn't really a Democrat to begin with.

I'm way excited for the rest of the speakers; Joe Biden and Pres. Clinton (who spoke at my commencement!) tonight, and Barack tomorrow. They all have big shoes to fill after Hillary tore the house down the way she did, but I think they'll manage. All in all, I'm loving this convention, and it's having the proper effect on me, at the very least. I'm almost ready to cough up $10-15 for this campaign! Hell, maybe even $20.

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Brian in the Hot Dog Joint with the Crossword Puzzle

Today, I was enjoying lunch at Red Hot Lovers, my very favorite provider of fantastic hot dogs and wonderfully fried things, and decided to pull out my copy of this fine book of crossword puzzles. I turned to a puzzle that's been causing me some consternation for a few days. You see, the major clues of the puzzle went as follows:

24-Across: With 37- and 49- Across, possible solution to 12-Down
37-Across: See 24-Across
49-Across: See 24-Across
12-Down: See 24-Across

As you might imagine, this was a bit baffling. However, today, I finally managed to solve 12-Down: CLUE. It all then gleefully fell into place. 24-Across: PROFESSOR PLUM. 37-Across: IN THE DINING ROOM. 49-Across: WITH THE WRENCH. I just about fell over in joy as I triumphantly popped a waffle fry in my mouth.

You see, I've always loved Clue. I don't remember quite how the obsession started, but I distinctly remember begging for the board game around 3rd grade. My family soon got sick of playing it with me. In 6th grade, I taped the excellent movie adaptation off HBO and began watching it incessantly. (I even loaned it to one of my middle school teachers.) I still love it to this day. And to top it all off (and I did not make this connection for about an hour or so), I was wearing this Threadless shirt today:



Clearly, this was meant to be. I'm glad I was able to have this last hurrah with Clue, because recently, this abomination was announced. That's right, the Clue we all grew up with is disappearing and being replaced by some bullshit "updated" version. Professor Plum is now "Victor Plum," a video game designer. Colonel Mustard is "Jack Mustard," a former football player. The lead pipe is gone and new weapons have been added. The lounge, study, billiard room, library, ballroom, and conservatory have all been replaced by new rooms. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Maybe I'm just being a fogey that clings to the past (at the super-old age of 22), but this is absurd. I can understand this "Clue Reinvention" being marketed alongside the original, but to phase out Classic Clue altogether is absurd. This is my childhood, Hasbro! There is absolutely nothing wrong with Clue as it is. Clue used to be a game of smarts and deduction, but now with these new "special abilities" and the possibility of "dying," it'll be just another lame game of chance. SIGH.

Oh well, I guess times change. Regardless, I think I'm going to wallow in nostalgia and watch the film for the umpteenth time tonight and remember how fantastic it is and continue the theme of the day. To almost quote Lou Reed: "Oh, what a perfect day. I'm glad I spent it with Clue."

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Biden My Time

As I'm sure you've heard by the time you read this, Barack Obama has selected Joe Biden, senior senator from Delaware, as his running mate. Honestly, I'm a little bit baffled, but the more I think about it, the more convinced I am.

My initial reticence stemmed from the fact that when I think of Joe Biden, I immediately think of two things: plagiarism and unfortunate remarks. As many know by now, when running for president in 1988, Biden borrowed words from a speech given by a British politician, leading to his downfall in the primaries. According to Wikipedia, he correctly gave credit to the Brit on all occasions except for one which was videotaped, so I doubt it was intentional, but the story has stuck around enough that a professor of mine related the story as an all-time great presidential campaign gaffe. Similarly, on the day he announced his candidacy in 2008, he remarked that Obama was "clean" and "articulate." Ouch. Again, I'm sure it was an honest mistake, but that's loaded language.

However, upon further thought, I'm reminded of how fantastic he was during the early debates. He's quite witty, and can speak passionately and knowledgeably about important issues (no doubt a result of being the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.) Also, the quickness of tongue that sometimes get him in trouble is pretty great at times. Example: When Pres. Bush was speaking at the Knesset, he compared Obama's willingness to negotiate with Iran to Neville Chamberlain appeasing Nazis. Biden's response? "This is bullshit." Awesome. Since the environment is my top issue, I'm also happy to see that the League of Conservation Voters has lauded the choice; Biden has a lifetime LCV score of 83%, which is pretty bangin', and he's been strong on climate change.

So, I suppose on the whole, I'm cautiously optimistic about this choice. I still don't really see what voters it will help him pick up, but hey, they know more about campaigning than I do. I'm excited for today's rally to see them together for the first time, and looking forward to what lies ahead.

Besides, on an entirely shallow level, "Obama/Biden '08" just sounds good.

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Project Runway Rundown: Drag Me Up, Drag Me Down

After five seasons of this show, the drag episode finally arrived, and I have to say, for sheer entertainment value, it didn't disappoint. And because it was such a fun episode this week, I'm going to review EVERY outfit. Hooray!


Joe



For a guy who has probably not had too much exposure to drag, Joe really knocked this one out of the park. Although it seems like half of the design came from Varla herself (she even had appropriate accessories), Joe still executed it surprisingly well, given some of the fit issues he's had in the past. It flattered Varla's figure, emphasizing and de-emphasizing the correct respective things. I personally favored Terri's outfit, but each of the top 3 was deserving, and it came down to the judges' personal taste.

Korto



This was an absolute delight. I'm surprised that she didn't tell the judges her concept of "Women in Heat," because that piece of wit might have carried her to the win. (Of course, maybe she did and we just didn't see it.) Although they're not as visible in this picture, I loved the "rays" of sunlight coming out of the shoulder, and the detachable skirt would make for an excellent effect in a drag show. Again, a strong contender for the win. Korto seemed to be faltering for a bit, but I think she's definitely back and has a great shot of making it to Bryant Park.

Terri



Terri took a lot of risks with this outfit. There is a WHOLE LOT going on, but I think it absolutely works, especially given Acid Betty's persona. I love the blue striped fabric's placement on the kimono, and the red corset is an excellent play on an obi. I think what prevented Terri from getting the win is that this is more "scary drag" than "fun drag." Sweetie and Varla look approachable , while Betty just looks like she'll stab you. Still, this would have been my pick for the win (I feel like I'm always writing that about Terri), and I'm amazed she hasn't taken one yet.

Blayne



This picture really makes this outfit look better than it was. That drooping wing on the runway was pathetic, and the fringe is too long. The dress itself wasn't awful, and I actually really like the color panels, but the wings are too distracting, so it's difficult to really appreciate it. Blayne continues to just scrape by.

Kenley



Barf. This is bad. Kenley really lucked out to not hit bottom 3 this time around. It just looks like a bad Marilyn Monroe costume that you could get at any costume shop. It doesn't look well-made, and it's not the least bit interesting. Kenley = way overrated.

Leanne



On the flipside, Leanne = way underrated. The more I look at this, the more amazing it is. This is some couture shit right here. I feel like I'm starting to get a handle on Leanne's aesthetic - it's very architectural, sort of like the similarly adorable Marie-Genvieve from Project Runway Canada. Hell, I would wear this in the right circumstances. Also, Leanne used the word "barflicious" on national TV, which instantly makes us best friends.

Stella



At first glance, I liked this, but upon further reflection, it looks a bit too Hot Topic/plaid Elvira for me. The train is too long, and I think the look would benefit from the removal of that little flap that's hanging down over her legs. Still, the design is unmistakably Stella's. She's doing a better job of adapting her aesthetic to the individual challenges than she was at first, but I think she's doomed to make it somewhere around 5th-7th place.

Suede



I don't know what happened to Suede, but for these last two episodes, he's seemed to be on the verge of an aneurysm. I kind of love that Hedda almost made him cry, though. The gloves do make her look a little bit like Godzilla, and the look is a bit too literal (although I guess subtlety isn't a prized characteristic among drag queens). All in all, it's perfectly fine, but not anything stunning. Still, something Suede said has provoked my newest Project Runway rule:

Project Runway Season 5 Rule #2: Your dead grandpa didn't help you design your outfit.

Jerell



And we reach the Bottom 3! This was pretty much a mess, and I continue to not get Jerell at all. Although I think the judges overstated the normalcy of this outfit, it wasn't all that exciting. The fringe was indeed too long, and that collar just looks sloppy. It looks gross down, and when it was up, it was uneven and framed her face strangely. Perhaps most tragically, she pretty much just looks like a man in a dress. Rough.

Keith



This look was brought to you by my nonexistent cat. Seriously, what the hell is this? I am baffled by Keith's inability to get auf'd. Obviously, this was my least favorite.

Daniel



Oh Daniel. Unlike many PR fans, I've been rooting for Daniel. I think he's just not meant for this competition. I thought this dress was really pretty and well-made, but he definitely could have gone further with it, especially on the bust. (Based on some of his post-show interviews, it sounds like she actually didn't want him to do such a thing.) Maybe I was blinded by fandom, but I was shocked that Keith stayed in while this was auf'd. I think Daniel will flourish in a more normal fashion environment, and if he and Wesley ever need a third, he should give me a call.

Next week: LAURA! LAURA! LAURA! Hooraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

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Scheduling with Nina Garcia

Is it wrong to decide one's class schedule based on aesthetics? There's a class I'm currently enrolled in for the fall that I'm mentally wavering on, and I may have found a new criterion to determine whether I should take it. Here is what my Google Calendar will look like without the course (click for bigger):



So pretty! So symmetrical! All in all, I find it very aesthetically pleasing. It looks like a puzzle piece, or an early Mondrian painting, or a Sesame Street representation of the number seven. Now, here's my schedule with the class added:



BARF. VOM. Awful! The addition of that course makes me feel like my entire schedule is going to tip to the left and crash entirely. It's the rocks in Virginia Woolf's pocket. It's an anchor on a canoe. It's the cement boots on a mob victim. IT'S TERRIBLE. Oh, what will I do?

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Brian Love The Mole

Given that the fifth season concluded last week, I thought it would be an appropriate time to write what will likely turn out to be a eulogy for what may be my all-time favorite reality show: The Mole.


For the tragically unaware, the premise of The Mole is as follows: A team of people work together to complete tasks and win money that goes into a pot which will be awarded to the eventual winner. However, one player has been selected by the producers to act as The Mole and deliberately sabotage the tasks without being detected. At the end of each episode (usually two tasks), everyone takes a quiz that has ten questions about the identity of the Mole. Whoever scores lowest is executed (kicked off the show).

The show originally aired around 2001, I think, and ran for two seasons with "normal" people. These were truly the golden years of the show, as any fan will tell you. Anderson Cooper was the host, and he was by far the best host of a reality show ever. Funny, engaging, dreamy - sigh. Besides that, the casting was excellent. I really really want to be friends with the first mole, Kathryn, and I want to date the first runner-up, Jim. The second season also had several fantastic personalities. Who can forget crying Katie (who was part of one of my favorite reality TV moments ever), crazy Al, sexy Bribs, and the amazingly smartly pretty ultimate winner, Dorothy? These two seasons are some of the best reality TV ever made.

But ABC couldn't leave well enough alone, and the next season became Celebrity Mole: Hawaii. Also, we lost Anderson Cooper as Ahmad Rashad took over. Yes, Mole fans were treated to a season of 7 C-List celebrities playing their beloved game, but fortunately enough, one contestant singlehandedly saved the entire season: Kathy Griffin. Kathy was hilarious, fun, and evidently quite savvy herself, as she took down the grand prize. (Let's face it, if Erik von Detten had won, the show would have died right then.) In retrospect, it really wasn't such a bad season. ABC, discouraged by the fact that they had not managed to sink the show yet, followed this up with the way shitty Celebrity Mole: Yucatan, which Dennis Rodman somehow managed to win. The show was then canceled.

But wait! During the writer's strike last year, ABC announced that The Mole would be coming back! Mole fans everywhere rejoiced. Also, the new edition would go back to the original format, meaning it would be normal folks again! As the season started, though, things felt a little bit different. The same magic didn't seem to be there. We were quick to write off the new version, saying the casting was wrong, the challenges were worse, the editing was too obvious, and on and on.

Although some of these charges had merit, it's my opinion that we were all being a little bit too hard on the show. The challenges weren't quite as exciting, but it seems possible or even likely that the show had a much smaller budget this time around. The show also improved as the season went on, as most reality shows do. I really came to like both Craig, the Mole, and Nicole, the runner-up. Craig did an excellent job in both concealing his identity and sabotaging missions. Nicole, although much of the Internet hated her, appealed to me with her "ugh, fuck this" attitude and through comments such as, "I'm going to kill you in your sleep." Even Mark, the winner, seemed to get over his super-veiny hockey dad (shout-out to Kathy Griffin!) nature. As the season ended, I realized I was actually quite satisfied. Sure, it didn't measure up to the first two seasons, but it was still better than a lot of reality TV.

America didn't seem to agree though, and odds are that due to low ratings, The Mole will again be executed. But if it somehow gets renewed or passed off to a new network, do yourself a favor and tune in.

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I Have A (review of) Woody (Allen's latest film)

I had the pleasure last night of taking some time out from my stressful weekend of moving to see Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen's latest film. Being a hardcore Woodyphile, I always make it a point to see his movies on opening weekend if possible, since it tends to enhance my enjoyment. (You know how when you play a song you really like for someone and you can tell they're not enjoying it, so you also don't like it as much at that moment? I'm trying to avoid that.) Anyway, with a few misgivings, I quite enjoyed the film.

A brief plot outline for those who don't know: Two young American women, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlet Johansson) are spending the summer in Barcelona (title already explained!) with a relative of Vicky's (the tragically underused Patrica Clarkson). Vicky values commitment and is engaged to a decent, incredibly boring young man, while Cristina is more free-wheeling and driven by passion. They both fall for local lothario Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), an artist, but it's Cristina who ends up moving in with him. Things seem great until Juan Antonio's slightly unhinged ex-wife, Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz) reenters his life.

Upon a little reflection, I've decided the most appropriate word to describe the movie is realistic. While many of the events that occur are quite fanciful and even improbable, the reactions of the characters always make sense and seem reasonable. It's almost as if Woody decided to take two standard characters (Vicky and Cristina) and two non-standard characters (Juan Antonio and Maria Elena), throw them all together, and see what happens. Although we may be rooting for one outcome due to the way movies have trained us what to expect, Woody gives us what probably would happen if these events actually did occur to these people. It may not be entirely satisfying, but it also gives us a chance for greater identification with the characters. At the end of the film, can many of us really say that we would have been able to do things differently?

Vicky Cristina Barcelona has been the subject of some awards buzz, primarily for Penélope Cruz and for Woody's original screenplay. Penélope is most certainly deserving of consideration; she is fantastic as Maria Elena, never letting the role slip into the caricature it would become in a lesser actress's hands. I formerly was not a huge fan of hers, but after seeing her amazing performances in Volver and now this, I'm converted. I'm a little less enthusiastic about the screenplay; although the writing is very strong at times, I was somewhat put off by the narration. It was overused and somewhat stilting, and ultimately served as more of a distraction than an enhancement. But obviously, as a Woody fanboy, I'll still be rooting for him to get the nom.

In conclusion: Go see Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It's funny, poignant, and interesting, and along with other recent Woody films such as Match Point, it shows that he's still got new and different stories to tell.

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