Cool Shit 3/31

Is the America's toughest prison? And what does that entail?

The fan theory that suggests Kyle MacLachlan's roles are really all just the same person.

I will never get tired of Muppets performing rap songs. This one is Gonzo doing the Humpty Dance...



Help De La Soul produce their next album.

Wrists zip tied? This is how you might be able to escape.

Due to humanity and what not, there are places on the Earth that are slowly (and rapidly) disappearing. Here's the ten you'll probably want to visit sooner rather than later.

Cool Shit 3/30

Who would have thought Sriracha was poised to take over the condiment world?

A look at thunderstorms...from space!



More details about Fight Club 2: Chuck Palahniuk's sequel to his classic. This one in comic book form.

I'm hoping when Duchovny suggests the new limited series run of X-Files will be a blend of both alien mythology and monster of the week stories he's just speculating, and not speaking about a plan that is in play, because 6 episodes is not enough to revisit what made X-Files successful during it's initial run. As I will continue to keep saying - follow the True Detective map and you will do gangbusters. Remember when everyone wanted True Detective's ending to have a supernatural element? That's because people wanted True Detective to follow the X-Files format! Success is waiting for you right around the corner!

So, we are a technology-based civilization. What does that mean? It means no one really has any idea how long a technology-based civilization can last. It also means there's going to be papers written on that very subject.

An oral history of News Radio...one of the best sitcoms for the '90s.

The Humpty Dance is 20 years old. And still as awesome as it ever was.

The story of an avalanche survivor.

Cool Shit 3/27

The X-Files coming back I can understand. Coach coming back... not so much.

If you've never heard the urban legend of "Who wants to sex Mutumbo?" you should watch this clip. If the urban legend of "Who wants to sex Mutumbo?" directs your life, you DEFINITELY need to watch this clip:



A good look at that chronology of the Star Wars universe, including the new movies, series and books that have been announced recently.

Want to be Batman? Start with this video (and get your hands on a lot of money):



Riding a motorcycle across Vietnam.

If you needed any more reason to put Australia and New Zealand on your travel itinerary, check out these photos.

A ranking of Will Ferrell movies. I feel we may be slightly jumping the gun on ranking his movies just yet.

Cool Shit 3/26

It's not hard for me to associate Barenaked Ladies and murder, but I wouldn't have thought their song One Week would reference it. Allegedly.

A couple of interesting facts you might not have known about the movie Fight Club...



Theories about Pulp Fiction have been swirling around the movie for years. So some of these are pretty standard, but others I'm reading about for the first time.

How long would it take you to fall through the Earth? The answer is a little more complicated than you might first think.

Dive back into the Lost mythology with this long account of a writer's journey on the first two seasons of the legendary show. It will give you an insight into what the plan was from the start, and what needed to be concocted on the fly.

Check out this cool animated short some person made about a Tie Fighter battle in space:



What it's like to be a cab driver in Panama City during Spring Break.

Cool Shit 3/25

Alright, here we go... The X-Files is officially coming back. Six episode, limited run. Honestly, I things they'd like to see with the new show (a terrible list); here's a list from Entertainment Weekly that is slightly more realistic. Personally, I believe they should follow the True Detective model and give us the investigation of one case. I don't care if it involves aliens or not, I just want a beginning, middle and end with it.
think this is the best option. Give everyone some room to breathe with a good story, but not so much that it gets bogged down with too much "mythology." Esquire came up with 6

Yes, Ted Cruz announced his presidential campaign. But he was not the first. Not by a long shot. Personally I'm hoping Mike Gravel runs again:



Self-proclaimed UFO abductees are a curious lot.

NBC was pretty hands off with the show Seinfeld during its run, but apparently there were two scripts they refused to approve.

Here's a fun look at every killing Sylvester Stallone has made on film...



Get your shit together before you go to a fancy restaurant and act like you belong.

Cool Shit 3/24

Make your own backyard waterslide!

The sordid history of the Anarchist's Cookbook.

Imagine if Pretty Woman was more like Leaving Las Vegas, but snarkier and with a worse ending. 

A quick primer on the Hadron Collider, which is entering its "Run 2" phase. Prepare to potentially have a black hole created on Earth (not really)!

A look at the making of NHL Hockey '94 for the Sega Genesis, the game Gen X played in college dorms everywhere. It was definitely good, but NBA Showdown '94 trumped it in my college house. And I'm pretty sure if we're customizing teams in Showdown, I can beat anyone on the planet.

An oral history of UHF? Yes please.

The journalist walking around the world speaks about the policing he runs into (42 times so far).

Madagascar - apparently one of the few places on Earth that few people have truly experienced (as in explored).

Cool Shit 3/23

So, it seems the X-Files coming back is getting closer, and that it will be some sort of special limited event series. Probably for the best. Again, take the model of True Detective, make it about one significant case but slow down the investigation just a bit and I think you'll find success.

Cool recreation of Jurassic Park using Legos, made by some dude and his daughter. And all it took was over $100,000 in Legos!



Before the Internet, kids got their toy cravings satisfied through department store catalogs that came through the mail. Personally, my favorite was Best. But this JC Penney catalog from 1982 isn't too shabby.

Led Zeppelin's top blues songs.

What will be the ultimate villain in the Game of Thrones' world? Most likely the Iron Bank.

Who doesn't want to watch a bunch of piranhas go to town on some meat?

Errol Morris, the king of true crime documentaries (I mean he did get a conviction overturned with his film, The Thin Blue Line) is apparently creating a true crime series for Netflix.

Facts about Peeps... those atrocious, barely edible artificial creations of goop weird people enjoy eating.

Cool Shit 3/19

There are a lot of TED talks out there. Almost too many. Don't get overwhelmed... start with these 30 and get inspired.

Sure, these days the Beastie Boys album that gets the most consideration and accolades is probably Paul's Boutique. An album that when initially released was met with shrugged shoulders and poor sales. Because it wasn't License to Ill, an album that took the world by storm, and recently just achieved Diamond status.

There's no photoshop used with these images - they're the real thing, no matter how much you don't want to believe it.

The nostalgic factor of seeing all these 80s video games is fun for a Gen - Xer like myself, and the inclusion of Peter Dinklage raises hopes, but Kevin James and Adam Sandler's track record ultimately trumps all the good will of this trailer and makes me think it will be bad. But maybe you think differently...



I want to like Lip Sync Battle. I'm not one of those people who callously dismiss it as trivial or juvenile or stupid just because. I've watched the battles on the Jimmy Fallon show and enjoyed them, but I'm not sure they can sustain momentum for an entire show. I hope I'm wrong, but this trailer suggests to me that they immediately pull out the stops (huge production numbers) because there isn't a lot of meat on the bone to begin with.



Crazy drone footage of the city of San Francisco. I feel like I don't even have to visit anymore - I got it all right here!



Diving deep into a high school AP test.

Cool Shit 3/18

Another list coming out of SXSW, this one suggesting these ten bands are going to be what we're listening to for a long time.

Speaking of music, here's a look at some of the myths that have swirled around the music industry for years. Hate to break it to you, but that really is Gene Simmons' tongue.

I'm not sure you can believe this, but the private organization that was looking to colonize Mars doesn't seem to have its shit together. In fact, you could make a cast that it's been nothing more than a scam! Color me shocked.

The Simpsons has been on so long it makes sense that people will relate and therefore create elaborate theories about the show.

Enjoy these "reviews" of famous historical landmarks/areas in the United Kingdom. Let's just hope their opinions are in the minority, and that the majority of humanity doesn't think this way.

Bacon tips!

I'm not 100% sure why the concept of bottled water being a scam would surprise people, but here's an article suggesting that very thing.

Cool Shit 3/17

One of the movies at SXSW garnering a lot of buzz is Raiders, a documentary about a bunch of kids who made a shot for shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and how they've apparently gotten together recently to film one more thing. Read about how they did it here.

Apparently, severed goat heads are sprouting up around Brooklyn. Seems nice.

Charts that might help you win Jeopardy. Or at least can give you an edge.

Speaking of getting an edge - Fivethirtyeight has provided some statistical analysis on the NCAA tournament for this year.

To me, all children's books are weird, but these 30 really might take the cake.

New Sherlock special is going to be set in Victorian England. I guess this is cool except for the fact that the reason the current iteration of Sherlock is cool because it's set in modern times with allusions and homages to the original Sherlock Holmes, which was set in Victorian times. So...

Negotiations are part of life. You're negotiating all the time even when you don't know it. So don't make these mistakes.

Cool Shit 3/16

A few films screening at SXSW this year that are garnering a bit of buzz.

And then here are a few bands playing at SXSW you might want to check out. 

Some weird, silly questions, answered seriously. So if you ever wondered how birds urinated...

I'd like to think that this game is just really really hard and not something that technically has no solution, because to have no solution is a cop out that some might say is just a money grab. I don't know, it's up to you I guess to make the decision and play or not play.

Pyromusicals - Fireworks displays set to music. If that sounds cool to you, you might watch this 22 minute video.



Who doesn't want to read about what will happen once humans become extinct?

Awesome pranks. I don't mean smelling the clown's flower and getting squirted with water either. I'm talking awesome.

Finally, pour a little out today for Gene Patton who passed away over the weekend. Not familiar with his work? Shame on you, but here's a little taste...

Cool Shit 3/13

This is cool: Famous R-rated movie scenes, depicted as children's book animations by a Pixar artist.

Like making pies but just can't decide on what kind to make? This helpful guide will help you based on the season.

A documentary from 1982 asking famous directors whether cinema was dying. Some big names in here:



Howard Stern recently interviewed Madonna. Here are 10 things we all learned.

Another list of horror movies, this one looking at some of the more beautiful ones.

A rare but spanning interview with Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes is coming soon. Read about it here.

The board game Monopoly has had a weird history. Example: that story about its creation that came
with the game? Most likely made up.

15 questions (and answers) that we have all pondered at one time or another.

I love books, so it would be extremely hard to choose a favorite. However, if gun to my head and I had to, I would say The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and would feel comfortable with my choice. Read these 10 quotes from it and maybe that will make a little more sense.

Cool Shit 3/12

A look at bad business moves...



Can't wait to start living until live 500 or something.

What goes into making a frozen dinner?

While I appreciate the work that went into this, there is no way Teen Wolf is not the best fictional basketball player of all time.

Awhile back, NBC made a commitment toward creating more broad sit-coms, in an attempt to reach a larger audience. Here's exactly how that strategy has worked for them (spoiler: it totally didn't).

After reading this article about a Brooklyn underground domino league one thing is clear: I need to get myself involved in an underground domino league.

The Large Hadron Collider is geared up to run again, bigger and faster than ever. What new things will we discover? Will it create a black hole and destroy life itself?

Palcohol. Powedered alcohol. Legal now.

Cool Shit 3/11

Look, Back to the Future was a good movie, but the blossoming fandom around it in recent years seems somewhat bizarre to me. It was popular, and a classic, but it doesn't hold up to cultural phenomenon that some people seem to be pushing. A documentary might be nice, but as a special extra on a DVD at best.

Sam Simon, one of the principles behind the Simpsons passed away. Here's a look into why he was so great, and why he wasn't recognized early on as one of the bigger voices behind its success.

Anyone interested in the new Daredevil series on Netflix?



Or maybe you're just in the mood for Pixar's latest, Inside Out?



I'm not sure what to make of this news coming from FOX about suspending the pilot for the remake of Luther. On one hand, it was pretty obvious to everyone that finding an actor like Idris Elba wasn't going to be easy, but on the other hand, it's somewhat heartening to hear that they at least are taking it relatively seriously enough to try to find a good fit (though the Marlon Wayans suggestion/rumor is frightening).

Back in college, in a 3 month period, I was attacked by no less than 4 dogs. While I don't think I was antagonizing them, who knows for sure? I just wish this piece on how to survive a dog attack had come out 20 years ago.

All this talk of legalization getting your weed juices flowing, but not sure how to go about scoring some of the stuff? Here's a helpful piece to get you started down the drug path.

Cool Shit 3/10

Second trailer for Tomorrowland, which goes into a lot more detail about what the movie is about. Barring the Ayn Rand vibe, I'm excited for this one.



Enjoy watching bad movies? Here are ten that you can sink your teeth into.

Why does Calvin and Hobbes resonate with so many of us?

Helter Skelter, the made for TV movie about Charles Manson is crazy good, as this article attests. Between that and Deliberate Stranger, the made for TV movie about Ted Bundy, you really don't need much more in the serial killer genre.

A new Jimi Hendrix track, previously unreleased and unheard by the public.

Interview with Will Forte, he of The Last Man on Earth television show.

How pot basically created the empire that is Lagunitas Brewing. And if you're unfamiliar with Lagunitas, I feel sorry for you. They are crafting delicious beers.

Crazy cool quality imagery from the Himalaya Mountains.

Cool Shit 3/7

Cool archaeological things found that you might not necessarily know about, from all over the world.

Being a public library security guard sounds awesome. Seems like those porn videos are true!

If these are the ten most controversial skits in SNL's history, then really the show isn't that controversial when you get right down to it. "Mildly offensive" is probably the most I can muster for these.

I like this list of bizarre military strategies because it shows that a little bit of creative and outside the box thinking can help you achieve your goals.

Nick Hornby discusses what would happen if he were to create a sequel to High Fidelity.

A breakdown of what went wrong (or, possibly right if your opinion differs) in making the movie The Shining from the book.

Good thing to know - what do you do when a grenade is thrown at you?

Always interesting to hear about a "mystery noise" coming from outer space.

Cool Shit 3/6

Bet you thought it didn't take much to write a Roadrunner script, right? Guess again.

So, Toy Story 4 is a reality. And Toy Story 4 won't be a continuation of the trilogy that followed before it. But it seems that it will involve the same characters.

Our solar system boasts some pretty strange things flying around and in it.

Patton Oswalt lays out what an Unbreakable trilogy should be about.



There's something to be said for letting an artist alone to do his work; there's also something to be said for that artist realizing that a movie isn't just his one specific vision. It seems as though director Tony Kaye needs to strike that balance.

Going on Jeopardy soon? This statistical analysis of where the daily doubles are on the board will help you then!

Tango and Cash is awesome - but who was better: Stallone or Russell?

Cool Shit 3/5

Lots of stuff today as it's snowing out here in the east and local news is collectively snowgasming along with the weather...

I was never sure why Alien3 was so despised. I get that they killed off popular characters, but the world in which Alien exists and takes place is a harsh mistress without a lot of positivity so it fits right in. Also, the concept of a prison planet, fighting the perfectly evolved killing machine without weapons was interesting. Had Fincher been given a little more control I bet it would have even been better. This guy agrees.

Speaking of movies with aliens, here's an update on the cast for Independence Day 2, which I know you've been clamoring for.

I don't know... I think this whole manned mission to Mars thing is really a big hoax. From reports I've read, we simply don't have the technology to come anywhere close to doing something like this. But if you're not like me and are optimistic about the potential of landing human beings on Mars, you will be interested to follow these nine hopeful astronauts.

Hey guys and gals not sure if you realized it yet, but there's a new Avengers trailer out!



And then there's this movie, about an elder Sherlock Holmes, played by Sir Ian McKellan...



A bit of casting news for Hannibal season 3.

Cool posters inspired by the Star Wars movies.

Nootropics - drugs that will supposedly enhance your cognitive activity.

I'm sure this isn't the most ridiculous product in the market currently, but I bet it would win a few rounds in the worst products tournament.

Cool Shit 3/4

A list of mean roast speeches from Comedy Central. Some of these are obviously legendary (I'm looking at you Norm McDonald), but I think the author kinda mailed it in by including Betty White and Snoop Dogg. I'm assuming he was on deadline.

Ugh, this article isn't great either...So Wu-Tang has produced an album... and there is exactly one physical copy of it. Apparently, a 13 minute sample of it was played at the MoMA recently (I think - the article isn't really clear about that) and the reporter was there. While a great idea for a post, this fizzled out as it never really got into the details about the unique parts of the story, nor the music.

Ten greatest comedies about the end of the world.

Sure, scientists crunch some numbers and think they can tell us how to survive a zombie apocalypse. I don't think so.

An interview with Madonna, the original Lady Gaga. Or something like that.

24 hour shift at the Waffle House. Stuff happens. I'm going to be honest though, had I gone to that Waffle House I definitely wouldn't have wanted some dork writer making my meal.

Living in Los Angeles in the 70s (and being a movie star) must have been an incredible time.

Cool Shit 3/3

Apparently the Earth had moon envy of all those other multiple-mooned planets out there and went and got a second. Too bad it couldn't make its orbit any easier to track.
and got itself a

Interview with Larry David. He's going around because he has a new Broadway play out.

Not sure the news is as 100% as the headline implies, but it seems we are all closer to getting more X-Files.

So far, a rat study being conducted on New York city rats has turned up no plague. But the evidence is in place that it could be down there somewhere.

Read a new Stephen King short story here.

Amazon zipline now has Google street view!



The SNL ISIS sketch that apparently has been causing some controversy. Or at least offending people. Which is what good satire will sometimes do.



A much more eloquent argument against the making of Bladerunner 2 than I could ever make. It also states that Ridley Scott has been going around suggesting Deckard was a human though...I always thought he suggested Deckard was a replicant. I don't know anymore, this stuff is hard to keep up with and also completely stupid when you think about it.

Cool Shit 3/2

This list of the 20 most popular beers in the U.S. pretty much suggests that the Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl was just a brilliant example of real life trolling. Bravo.

The best place to survive a zombie apocalypse right now might be the Rockies, but that will change as soon as the population migrates there, giving the zombies a bullseye for their never ending feast. I have my place, but dammit if I'm going to share it with everyone.

I'm not proud of it, but I also won't hide from it; the 1976 version of King Kong is my favorite version. But you can't deny the significance of the World Trade towers and what they suggest in the movie, something they've been doing for a long time in cinematic history.

Alabama Shakes has a new album coming out soon, and promoting it on SNL this weekend, they promptly killed it.



Weird conspiracies about the Denver airport, or probably true conspiracies about the Denver airport that are positioned weird so we won't question anything more about them?

I like the idea behind creating a luge track for the kids, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Trust me, I've built many sled tracks in my day.

MacGruber was... interesting, but that doesn't mean Will Forte is going to stop trying different things. And that's what makes him a national treasure. Ok, that might be a little strong, but you get the point.


A quick look at the history of the con movie. Please don't take this link as indirect support of the new Will Smith movie Focus. Though I haven't seen it, I can't imagine it would hold a candle up to any of these movies, particularly because I can't imagine the ending of Focus being anything else than Will Smith double- triple- or even quadruple crossing someone to ensure he gives us a flashy smile to say he knew what was going on the entire time.