Posts filed under 'Random'

Getting better with age

Unless you’re cheese, wine or George Clooney, the likelihood of getting better with age is not high. That, however, is not true for Neil Patrick Harris (NPH)–first known as Doogie Howser M.D. After a near-decade disappearance, Harris resurfaced in Hollywod utilizing his child hood star status to make waves… Or at least laughs.

If you thought NPH was good (playing himself) in Herald and Kumar Go To White Castle, you’re gonna love him as Dr. Horrible in the new made for web series, Dr. Horrible. It has been 15 years since Doogie left the air and one thing is for sure, NPH has gotten better with age… And by better I mean funnier.

Here’s the evolution of my acceptance for NPH as an actor and human:


Add comment July 18, 2008

Running Vs. Walking Through Rain

Here’s something to consider, especially those of us living in the Pacific Northwest where rain can–at times–be an everyday occurrence… Made up scenario:

Looking your very best, you depart for a fancy shin-dig, your car is parked 100 yards away and suddenly a hell-storm of rain begins to pour from above. You’re already late so waiting it out isn’t an option and your umbrella doesn’t exist. So, what do you do, walk or run?

A week ago I made a dash for my car during a down-pour. Once in the car my friend (who had walked) asked if I thought running really kept me more dry. My instincts said yes, of course running through the rain will leave you less saturated than walking. Then, after more thought I began to second-guess myself. Will running through the rain really keep me more dry? The answer is no, running through the rain will not necessarily keep you more dry than another person walking the same distance through the same rain.

A physicist at the University of Udine, Italy, Alessandro De Angelis calculated a best-case scenario where a sprinter moving at 22 MPH does get less wet, but only about 10 percent less wet than a casual walker moving less than 7 MPH.

In Conclusion, running from rain is only worth it for Olympic sprinters… This dude should be walking:


2 comments June 30, 2008

Sometimes…

You just can’t get enough protection. Which is why I always roll with a storm trooper. Check it, I’ve got the self portrait to prove it.


1 comment June 11, 2008

Frank’s Garden… Only in Cincinnati


Cincinnati, OH is home to many great things (e.g. consumer goods warlord Proctor & Gamble, Kings Island, two professional athletic teams, a zoo known for breeding more animals than the continent of Africa and, NOW, Frank’s Garden.

Who is Frank and what’s so great about his garden? Good question…I’ll tell ya!

Frank Marzullo is a morning Weather Man, as well as my big brother, not to mention the most popular face to wake up to in Cincinnati, OH (pun intended). Frank’s Garden is his new weekly gardening tips & tricks segment. I hate calling-out my own blood, but this is, without question, Frank’s first time in a garden and rightfully so, as there’s no sense in dirtying such a pretty face. Keep up the good work Frank, I’m proud of you, but not of your hair loss ;)


1 comment May 22, 2008

Making me laugh

There’s never a shortage of random videos–online–intended to make one laugh. Everyone has their own opinion of what’s funny or not, but here’s one I think anyone can appreciate. It’s a non-offensive, :30 TV ad a Portland, OR ad agency did for the Oregon Aquarium… Brilliant!


Add comment May 12, 2008

Sex Ed. for dummies, or really immature adults

In my opinion, you’re never too old to laugh at a good sex joke. That said, there’s nothing funny about (STIs) sexually transmitted infections (not that I’d know, honestly!) But they are fun to make fun of, especially for the sake of education. That’s the approach Planned Parenthood is taking with TakeCareDownThere.org, an action-based website intended to educate, inform and bust your spleen laughing. It accomplishes all three and then some by allowing medically challenged individuals in Portland, OR schedule an appointment online.

Great work by one of Portland’s hidden creative treasures, Leopold Ketel & Partners. Here’s to making fun of the things which scare me most!


1 comment April 27, 2008

White Gold is White Gold


Strung-out by their long running “Got Milk?” campaign, Milk, with help from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, launched a “made for web,” digital campaign built around a fictional rocker, White Gold. One part moderately creepy human and one part mystic moon goddess, White Gold is sure to please; whether or not he’ll persuade you to consume more/any milk is beyond me. Very funny and entertaining nonetheless.

Milk’s “White Gold is White Gold” campaign is, in fact, achieving its viral goal, but I’m forced to question the actual usefulness of the campaign. I mean, sure, White Gold’s videos are well produced and supported by a flashy website–which In my opinion is not very user friendly–but where’s the call to action? What’s the goal?

Is White Gold meant to simply build brand recognition/equity? He does, pretty well… Or, should White Gold be a bit more of a universal advocate for Milk, reiterating Milk’s health benefits in a way which gets consumers involved? Now we’re talking interactivity!! Call me the Devil’s advocate, but I just feel like a genius campaign is missing a little something that would’ve made all the difference. Instead of a pretty, but complex, website with only a “send to a friend” function, I’d like to see something a little more community oriented, user generated content (video and/or social networking) perhaps.

That’s my $0.02, check it out for yourself.


1 comment April 24, 2008

While I was gone

Following up from yesterday’s entry, I haven’t been bed ridden; in fact, I didn’t miss a day of work and still managed to force in some painful training rides (though I’m sure the exercise was counterintuitive.) Between work, cycling and the lady friend, I had zero energy to do much else. That said, life has been good, I won’t detail the past 6-weeks verbatim, but here’s a few happenings worth mentioning:

  • The Cleveland Cavs are absolutely killing round 1 of the NBA Playoffs… Whoop! Whoop!
  • The Longborder Cafe in San Diego is the best place for breakfast in SoCal, possibly the Universe
  • I built up my new, ultra light, ultra sweet team issued bicycle
  • I now have a new boss
  • I’ve created a blog for a friend who’s currently en route to the highest point on Earth, Preacclimate.com
  • While at home, I live in a bubble… Note to self, no one likes the boy in the bubble


Add comment April 24, 2008

Power in numbers

Just about everyday, without fail, I walk, ride or skate through Portland State University’s campus to get home… It’s a good cut-through, no cars, lot’s of girls (it’s not creepy because I’m still young enough to be in University.) In the end, living near PSU keeps me young. Though, most recently it has helped keep me conscious of what’s going on in other parts of the world.

Three grass covered park blocks on PSU’s campus are now covered with white and red flags. The flags represent the number of people killed since the U.S. invaded Iraq. Each white flag represents five Iraqi people, while red flags represents five Americans’ who’ve fallen victim to the war. It’s a see of white to say the least, but the number of red flags is astonishing as well.

Politically, I can go either way here, so I’m not going to get all opinionated and risk losing part of my already slim readership. Here’s an image, but it doesn’t do the memorial much justice. If you’re in the area I encourage you to check it out.


1 comment March 14, 2008

hulu… Web Video on Demand


First off, I’d like to make claim to a new term/acronym, Web Video on Demand (WVOD,) which I’m fairly certain I created. Second, I want to spread the word about hulu.com, a new way to watch video online. Ask yourself, what happens when two giant broadcast networks, FOX and NBC, join forces to bring their programs online? You get hulu.com, that’s what!

One year in the making and an estimated $15 million in development, hulu revolutionizes the way in which video is streamed online. It’s pretty, easy to use and the video quality is out of this world. In fact, it’s so good, some are calling hulu a YouTube killer, but that’s a bit of an overstatement if you ask me. After all, YouTube runs on the foundation of user generated content; so you’re not going to find a good Cat Fight on hulu.

Hulu is still in beta testing, but it’s supposed to launch for the general public any minute now. So stay tuned (pun intended.)


1 comment March 11, 2008

Over the weekend

It’s truly calming to sit, on a Sunday night, and reflect on what you’ve learned over the weekend. Here’s my attempt.

  • Yahoo! LIVE might be able to put the “social” back into “Social Media”
  • Belgian Waffles at 2:00AM are a really good idea
  • The sun does shine in Portland in February
  • A 4-hour bike ride after an evening of 4-6 micro brews, probably not a good idea
  • A hand built bicycle is a lot more beautiful than a manufactured one
  • There’s a new strip club in Portland, Casa Diablo. It’s tucked away in the NW industrial park, a part of town only frequented by truckers and cyclists. I’m guessing CD’s target market is truckers… Strippers + spandex-clad cyclists = bad idea, I’m sure.
  • Jack Johnson’s new album is over produced and unimpressive. Poor Guy!
  • An incredible $18 show does exists, Umphrey’s McGee proved it by ending a 3.5-hour, two set show with a cover of the CLASH’s London Calling


Add comment February 11, 2008

Bring back the old school

Being a longtime fan of skateboarding and, occasional, moderately decent shredder myself, I’m really psyched on this footage of Rodney Mullen, one of the sport’s pioneers. Judging by Rodney’s garb, It’s obvious the video’s circa 1984 (around the time I was born… Just saying.) Though it was filmed in Japan, so you never know, thigh-high denim coupled with calf-covering socks might have been all the rage over there… Who knows?

Nevertheless, the skill showcased is like nothing you see anymore. Sure, there’s something to be said for a skater who can huck him/herself 40-feet into the air and land on a piece of wood, barely big enough to support two feet. But let’s be real! I mean, given the primitive nature of the equipment and the social standing of skateboarding at the time, Mr. Mullen’s forward thinking, fluid movements and precision foot work is, without question, incredible. Enjoy!


1 comment January 30, 2008

My other car is a bicycle

Alright, so I cheated on one of 2008’s resolutions and acquired a vehicle. Don’t fret, I still commute by foot and bike, daily. However, I no longer have to ride with a week’s groceries, mooch rides from friends or wait until the morning-of to find out if I’ll make it to a bike race or not.

In the end I have no regrets. My 2000, gold, Nissan Sentra was just too good of a deal to pass up… This thanks to my friends, the Veatch-Bouge’s!!! I’m stoked on my decision to conform with society and promise:


1 comment January 28, 2008

Mitt gets Punk’d

It’s Friday, which means several things: a.) complimentary bagels at the office, b.) no-one works too hard, c.) everyone is in a good mood and, finally d.) Friday’s are great for random laughs. With that said, I’m happy to see some presidential hopefuls see it the same way. Take for example, Mitt Romney, a man who appreciates a good “punking” from his son, Matt.

Now, if I could just figure out why the Romeny’s love first names ending in tt… Enjoy!


Add comment January 25, 2008

Don’t just look, LISTEN!

DDB Sydney recently created a series of clever ads for Australia’s State Traffic Commander. The goal’s to create awareness for the dangers associated with MP3 players; turns out it’s unsafe to listen to music while crossing the street… I concur, but think TXT/SMS messaging while walking is far more dangerous. Maybe I’m the only one, but I’ve stopped counting the number of times I’ve nearly been tagged by a car while TXTing and walking.


Add comment January 21, 2008

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