Blue Devils Basketball Team Looks Terrible

I think coaching the Men's Olympic Basketball team, while it was a great win for America, is going to hurt the Blue Devils because Coach K got distracted from his real job, the job that pays him a big fat paycheck. Look at his team this year: Look at that. All I see is a swarm of yellow shirts.

Dammit #22, get it there! You're the biggest fucking player on our team. We need you in there. Light that fire and get that rebound, baby. Okay? Don't cry. Stop. Stop crying. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cuss. It's just that you're the strongest player on the court. Alright? I'm sorry.

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Scooby Takes the Stand

After a 59-year-old woman was found dead hanging from the ceiling of her Paris apartment, her family claimed she was murdered. Her dog was in the apartment at the time of her death.

During a preliminary hearing in the city, the pet was led into the witness box by a vet. A suspect in the case was presented to the dog, to see how it reacted. It is said to have ‘barked furiously’.

The aim was to decide if there was sufficient evidence to launch a full murder inquiry.

The name of the dog? Scooby.

I always Scooby was a damn snitch. He'd go "rrwwwwarroh" and then point to and give up Shaggy.

Read more here.

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Art: Cat Scan

I've seen this cat's (Ha. Ha.) pieces before, but I can't recall where.

See more of Steve Bishop's work, including video pieces, at his website.

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Economist on McCain's Questionable Decision Making Skills

The Economist has "serious questions" themselves over both McCain's pick, calling Sarah Palin bluntly "the most inexperienced candidate for a mainstream party in modern history," and even more troubling what this suggests about the way McCain makes decisions.

Mr McCain had met Mrs Palin only once, for a 15-minute chat at the National Governors’ Association meeting, before summoning her to his ranch for her final interview. The New York Times claims that his team arrived in Alaska only on August 28th, a day before the announcement. As a result, his advisers seem to have been gobsmacked by the Palin show that is now playing on the national stage. She has links to the wacky Alaska Independence Party, which wants to secede from the Union. She is on record disagreeing with Mr McCain on global warming, among other issues. The contrast with Mr Obama’s choice of the highly experienced and much-vetted Joe Biden is striking.

Mr McCain’s appointment also raises more general worries about the Republican Party’s fitness for government. Up until the middle of last week Mr McCain was still considering two other candidates whom he has known for decades: Joe Lieberman, a veteran senator, independent Democrat and Iraq war hawk, and Tom Ridge, a former governor of Pennsylvania (a swing state with 21 Electoral College votes) and the first secretary of homeland security. Mr McCain reluctantly rejected both men because their pro-choice views are anathema to the Christian right.

The Palin appointment is yet more proof of the way that abortion still distorts American politics. This is as true on the left as on the right. But the Republicans seem to have gone furthest in subordinating considerations of competence and merit to pro-life purity. One of the biggest problems with the Bush administration is that it appointed so many incompetents because they were sound on Roe v Wade. Mrs Palin’s elevation suggests that, far from breaking with Mr Bush, Mr McCain is repeating his mistakes.

It's not a good look for a Republican presidential candidate when the Economist is questioning your judgment.

Read more here.

Fact Check: Palin Wrong about Past VP's Credentials

In her interview with Charlie Gibson yesterday, Gibson asked her whether she had ever met a foreign head of state. Palin, who only obtained a passport just two years ago, replied, "I have not and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you." I don't know how far back in history she wants to go, but in the past 30 years every VP had previously met a foreign head of state. Palin would be the first of that class to not have done so.

The current Vice President Dick Cheney is a former Secretary of Defense and met foreign leaders in that capacity.

Former Vice President Al Gore was a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and went on many congressional trips abroad, known as CODELS, where he met foreign leaders. Former Vice President Dan Quayle was also a member the Senate Armed Committee and went on many CODELS.

Former President George H.W. Bush was the Ambassador to China before he became a vice president and eventually president.

Walter Mondale, who became vice president in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter, was a senator for 16 years before becoming VP and met foreign leaders

Of course this isn't about glad-handling leaders at some meet-and-greet. What it does is illuminate the fact that one of the qualifications for a Vice President is for some foreign affairs experience and engagement at that state, and further it's another example of her pattern it seems for overstating and exaggerating her resume. Here she excuses herself by pointing a finger and saying "Oh the other guys didn't do it either!" Well, she is wrong. Palin, don't besmirch the role of a Vice President by bringing it down to your unqualified level.

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Quote

And when I look out my window I can see the moon. Doesn’t make me a fucking astronaut now, does it? - "Krista" in response to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's statement ("They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.") after being asked what sort of insight she has into Russia's recent adventures.

[Thanks Kate!]

Windy Sartorialist Photo

This is a great unexpected snapshot by The Sartorialist. As he wrote about this photo:

This shot was just fine until that bus drove by and blew up her dress....now it's perfect

This photo is a yes.

On Behalf of a Friend: Please Donate

I'm posting this on behalf of my friend, N. He's a regular here entertaining or annoying you all in the Last Night's Party segments...but on a more serious note, he's also participating in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk on behalf of someone close to him. If you can, please donate whatever you can in support of this noteworthy cause and N. He has raised $315 of his goal of a $1,000 for this event. Click here to donate.

How Not to Hit on Female Models

New York Magazine sent writer Neel Shah out about town during Fashion Week with a mission: Hit on tall leggy models. How'd he do at the Prada party?

May Andersen, Elite Neel: [Sidles up] So how about you and I get away from all of this? St. Barts this weekend? May: I only travel with people I know, sorry. Neel: I think we've met before. May: I don't think so. Neel: Are you sure about that? Wasn't it François's party in Bridehampton? May: [Turns away] Neel: Okay, this isn't going so well. Let's start over. How do I get you to come home with me? May: I'm the wrong person for this. I'm a huge bitch [laughs]. I never get "picked up." I like to be the one who pursues. Neel: Well what if I were superrich? May: It's a start.

Neel buddy, she's not even worth it. May doesn't like sushi. Don't tell her this but that's pretty much why I broke up with her. How can someone not like sushi?! Terrible.

Read rest here.

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Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin Wears Crocs

When I previously stated that "luminaries and titans of industry" (and Gary Coleman) wear Crocs, I wasn't kidding: Google co-founder Sergey Brin spoke recently at the announcement for the launch of Google's web browser Chrome. This was big news. Bigger news: the fact that Brin was sporting an aggressive red pair of Crocs. [Via]

On Gary Coleman's Feet: Crocs

MRod here is a well known advocate of Crocs and as such, I am excited to announce that what Willis was talkin' about was Crocs. In other words, like other luminaries and titans of industry, Gary Coleman wears Crocs, too. He also wears Canadians tuxedos as well, apparently.

I don't know what more evidence you doubters and haters need. The world of Croc wearers is a veritable Who's Who of the power elite.

[Thanks to Us Versus Them for this find!]

Update

I'll be in San Francisco for awhile on vacation visiting friends. I'll try to update this as much as I can in between bouts of sightseeing, drinking, and eating. In the meantime, I leave you with this video of a cat versus a printer. Watch until the very end for the payoff.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REQRHdMRimw]

UK Soccer Club Owner Runs Up $216k Bill at NYC Club

British billionaire and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley recently visited hot spot Pink Elephant here in Manhattan and well, decadence and unlimited credit be thy name: He ran up a $216,107 and 51 cent bill there in one night, including approximately $60,000 in tips to waitresses and a four figure tip to security (who I think got the raw end of the deal). How'd such a tab come to be? Well, ordering 175 bottles of Cristal Champagne, the club's entire stock, is one way to account for some of that.

He arrived at around midnight with a group of male and female pals and started ordering Cristal right next to the dancefloor. Before long he was out of control. The waitresses were amazed when he ordered 100 bottles of Cristal and proceeded to hand them out to clubbers and spray them over his friends.

And here's a copy of the actual bill:

At this point you would think the club manager would just remove the charges for the grey goose mixed drinks, Heinekens, and Red Bulls. Those two digit charges just look petty and make the bill appear aesthetically odd.

Read more here.

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I hate my life.

Population of NYC Mapped Against Other States

Copying and pasting from Gothamist:

Very Small Array created this fun map that shows which U.S. states have populations similar to the populations of NYC's boroughs. For reference, according to 2000 Census numbers, the populations of the boroughs are: Bronx-1.332 million; Brooklyn-2.465 million; Manhattan-1.537 million; Queens-2.229 million; and Staten Island 443,728. And here's more population fun from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates.

Hey New Mexico! E A D!

Dramatic Lemur: The Stuff of Nightmares

Dramatic Hamster is far superior to this...which is going to give me nightmares tonight. Those eyes...those eyes... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkqqMPPg2VI]

[Thanks Moye!]

10 Most Fascinating Savants

The seemingly superhuman abilities of savants ("like having photographic memory, playing music perfectly after hearing it just once, or doing complex mathematical calculations in one's head") is a fascinating study for many fields of science and human studies. For me it suggests how much further potential we possess as a whole and provides a tantalizing glimpse into the possibilities of the direction that our evolution may take us towards. Although, me personally, I'm still hoping to fall into a temporary coma for a hot second and then reawaken as a savant with the ability to talk to the fishes and other sea creatures. Neatorama takes a look at ten savant individuals with extraordinary abilities. I was particularly amazed by Stephen Wiltshire. He was born mute until the age of 9 where prior to he communicated by drawing. Tellingly, his first word spoken was supposedly "paper." Wiltshire has one particular unique ability where he can illustrate detailed drawings of a city after only seeing it once. For example, check out the mesmerizing video below of him drawing a 33ft long panorama of the city of Tokyo after one fly-over in a helicopter.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95L-zmIBGd4]

There's also Ellen Boudreaux, a blind autistic savant who in addition to being able to musical abilities, she avoid obstacles and obstruction by making chirping noises as sonar while she walks. However, it is this third ability she possesses that really blew my mind:

To help overcome her fear of the telephone, Ellen's mom coaxed her to listen to the automatic time recording (the "time lady") when she was 8. From then on, Ellen knows the exact hour and minute, any time of the day without ever having seen a clock nor have the concept of the passing of time explained to her.

So....what did YOU do today?

Read more here.

What Alaskans Say about Palin's Position on "Bridge to Nowhere"

The CBS news affiliate in Anchorage interviews local Alaskans about Palin's declaration at the RNC that she said "no" to the federal funding for the Bridge to Nowhere. Local Alaskans and video of Palin's speeches recall quite the opposite: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3DZZNZFxeI]

Iron Knuckle Mug

This mug is perfect for that biker coffee shop you visit. Just in case any fisticuffs breaks out.

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62 MPH on a Longboard

Guy on a longboard in Berlin hitches a ride on a motorcycle to build up some momentum before letting go and riding down the hill at around 62 mph. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piIpz1tewEg]

Cultural globalization augmented by technology: We go from the backyard pool skateboarding history documented in Dogtown and Z-Boys to today where I'm blogging about a Berlin stunt longboarder with a video of the ride that is posted on video hosting and sharing site, YouTube. How meta.

I was once skating on my longboard around Union Square going 6, maybe 7 mph before I hit a random bump and I was thrown off and landed on my back. Pretty much the opposite of the guy in the video above.

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Apple Sauce is Super Gross

Annie was outraged after she noticed that the wikipedia page for apple sauce was recently "edited" to reflect the following update: Apple sauce is super gross.

What possessed this person to deface the page for a wholesome, healthy, and delicious product? It's like nature's dessert! But because Wikipedia is pretty much the final authority on all topics, for the period that this edit was live, apple sauce was indeed gross. Citation needed? Wikipedia, bitch!