Brain Blenders

Gears of War Commercial

Have you seen the new commercial for Gears of War, video game coming out for the Xbox? It's all over the tube now, but is making quite an impression in "www-land" as well. Here is the commerciall.

If the song sounds familiar, then maybe you remember Donnie Darko where the Michael Andrews version of the song made a strong statement within the context of the film, and this is the same version used in the Gears of War ad. Here is the video for the song itself which is quite interesting.

But the real reason I bring the commercial up is the contrast of the action and the song. Unlike Donnie Darko which fits the song STRONGLY - the Gears of War advertisement is a bit of a contrast. One person responding to the commercial on a blog stated, "that's a fan-made piece of stuff, not an ad. I can't really see Microsoft using "Mad World" for an ad for Gears of War."

This same person said, "then again I might be wrong" - well guess what skippy? You are wrong. The rules, they are changing. Microsoft and companies like it are adapting the way they communicate to people. Less, let's follow a method, and more, let's make a compelling stand-along piece that moves people to react to it. Watch the commercial and tell me if you had a reaction - I'm interested.

It's What Dad Does

if I was completely honest with you...at no point in my young life did I think I would be spending most saturday's in a gymnastic facility watching my children running around doing "gymnastic" things.

and I love it! it is so much fun to see how excited they get about going to practice, I'm just glad I get a chance to watch them, and they get a chance to participate. at no point have we conveyed a message to either of the noodles that it is a right to participate in what is essentially a priveledge of our affluent culture. but the interesting thing is that neither of them regard it as so - nature/nurture?

sidebar...the real reason I bring it up is this. what are they going to be doing in another 5 years? 10 years? to me it doesn't matter...I just know I want to be around to see it.

Quote/ Counter-quote

Football combines two of the worst things in American life. It is violence punctuated by committee meetings - George Will.

What a great quote and here is my counter-quote: "Get up son, you're killing the grass."

I know there are a few of you out there that have heard that particular phrase.

Faith Hill Needs New Management

OK...I so rarely do this but here comes some unadulterated "entertainment" fodder for your reading pleasure. First off, Faith Hill and her manager are clearly delusional - especially if they think anybody believes this,

"Faith Hill and her manager are responding to comments about the sour note she appeared to have struck during Monday night's Country Music Association awards, during the female vocalist of the year award presentation.

When Carrie Underwood's name was announced  as the winner, Hill, who was nominated in the category, was caught by the ABC camera flailing her arms and apparently shouting "What?" before walking out of camera range.

Hill said Tuesday in a statement released by her publicist: "The idea that I would act disrespectful towards a fellow musician is unimaginable to me. For this to become a focus of attention given the talent gathered is utterly ridiculous. Carrie is a talented and deserving female vocalist of the year."

Added Hill's manager, Gary Borman: "I've worked with Faith for many years now and the idea that she would ever insult or undermine another artist, let alone another human being's success is absolutely preposterous. Those who know her know that she's incapable of such actions. She was being playful while the nominations were being read and playful after." FROM PEOPLE

Seriously? That's the explanation? She says WHAT?? and storms off camera and you come back with "she was being playful?" Mrs. Hill - you need a new publicist and that person is me. Here's my version of the explanation of your apparent temporary loss of your faculties.

"Mrs. Hill would like to tell Carrie Underwood to SUCK IT! The fact that that no-talent big-haired hack was even nominated in the same category at Mrs. Hill is a both a travesty and the recognition of a sad fact that the VMA's are run out of a former Stuckey's truck-stop somewhere near Nashville by a bunch of beer-swilling 'necks without the capacity to rub two brain cells together.

I have worked with Mrs. Hill for some time and can tell you that she has one vicious streak! If I know anything it's that Carrie Underwood had better watch her ass! Seriously, Mrs. Hill had placed 50 large on herself to win the award, in one of her offshore betting accounts, and her words to me as she stormed off the property Monday night was "that b----- better be an ATM machine cause Mama's gonna get her money back."

I'm not sure exactly what that means for Ms. Underwood but, it does not bode well. We would also like to take this time to remind everyone that Mrs. Hill's new album will be in stores just in time for Christmas"

It has been a week

I need to recap my Paris trip soon, but this has been a week!