Game of Thrones Beer

Now this is something Mr. Y will get excited about.  The New York Times reports that a line of beers inspired by the show Game of Thrones will start debuting next spring.  HBO is collaborating with Brewery Ommegang, a Belgian-style brewery in Cooperstown N.Y., to create the beers. 

EW.com has the picture of the first beer, Iron Throne, to be released next March, in conjunction with the premiere of season 3 of the show.  The bottle is 25 ounces and will retail at $8.50 a bottle.  It is also a corked bottle.  EW.com quoted Phil Leinhart, brewmaster at Ommegang, as stating, “It made us approach development in a completely new way and I think the first edition Iron Throne reveals that.  With a Lannister currently on the throne, it made sense to do a delicate, but piercing Golden Blonde Ale with Noble hops. Iron Throne is certainly fair in color and soft in appearance, yet it still possesses a complexity and bite to be on guard for.”

SAG and Golden Globe Nominations

The Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes announced their nominations yesterday and today.  A lot of the usual suspects, with some surprises. 

SAG Nominations

Movies
- No Zero Dark Thirty for Best Cast in the Motion Picture, but the cast of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was nominated.  Zero Dark Thirty has been one of the buzzed about movies this award season, and no one had talked about the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at all, so this was definitely a surprise.  According to one Awards Daily blogger Sasha Stone, the screeners for Zero Dark Thirty and Django Unchained didn't arrive in time for the SAG nominations, but Jessica Chastain did get nominated for her role in Zero Dark Thirty. 

- Javier Bardem got nominated for Skyfall over a slew of other candidates, such as Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne for Les Miserables, Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained, Matthew McConaughey for Magic Mike, and Ewan McGregor for The Impossible.

- Joaquin Phoenix was not nominated for his role in The Master, when he was considered a lock a couple of months ago.  Maybe Phoenix's comments about how the Oscars are "bulls**t" hurt his chances. 

- Nicole Kidman's nomination for the Paperboy was also a surprise.  The movie did not get good reviews, and was not widely seen.  According to Anthony Breznican at EW.com, "when awards screeners went out only her name was suggested on the package for consideration."

- Beasts of the Southern Wild was not eligible for SAG consideration because it was not a union production, including the lead actress, Quvenzhane Wallis.  Her exclusion from the SAG awards probably helped Helen Mirren land a SAG nomination for Hitchcock. 

Television

- The television categories did not have as many obvious snubs or surprises as the movie categories.  A lot of the usual suspects are there, such as Modern Family, Homeland, and Breaking Bad.  In the drama categories, cable series tend to dominate, while networks still dominate the comedy categories. 

- Jessica Lange from American Horror Story: Asylum was nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.  Her nomination isn't the surprise - it's the inclusion in the drama series category.  American Horror Story's creators and FX have insisted that the show is a miniseries, not a drama series, and last year it was entered in the Emmy race under this category.  But the SAG apparently disagreed. 

- It is a bit of a surprise that The Office as nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, especially over buzzed-about series such as Girls and Veep.

- Homeland was ignored last year by the SAGs, but the cast and the two leads, Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, were nominated this year.

- No nomination for Game of Thrones, which will disappoint Mr. Y. 

Golden Globes Nominations

Movies

- Three nominations for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: Best Musical/Comedy, Best Lead Actor for Ewan McGregor, and Best Lead Actress for Emily Blunt.  This is a surprise because the movie didn't really make an impact when it was out, and no one had talked about it being in the running for any awards.  At least we will get to see the fabulous Ms. Blunt in the red carpet, hopefully along with her handsome hubby John Krasinski. 

- Despite having the best shot because of the separation between Drama and Comedy/Musical, The Master was not nominated for Best Drama.  Same with The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Beasts of the Southern Wild.

- Quvenzhane Wallis of Beasts of the Southern Wild was not nominated for Best Lead Actress, despite great buzz about her performance.  This might hurt her Oscar chances. 

- Robert de Niro was nominated for a SAG award for Silver Linings Playbook, but not a Golden Globe.  Same with Javier Bardem and Skyfall, although de Niro is probably a more serious Oscar contender.  Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne were again not nominated.

- No Best Director nomination for Tom Hooper for Les Miserables or David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook, despite their movies getting a lot of attention. 

Television

- Surprise about Smash's nomination in the Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical category, and yet Glee was not nominated.

- Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, and Game of Thrones were not nominated for Best Television Series - Drama, but Aaron Sorkin's polarizing The Newsroom was included?

- Sherlock was not nominated for Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television, but at least Benedict Cumberbatch got a nod.

- Yay for Max Greenfield being nominated for New Girl, and for Connie Britton from Nashville.  I don't watch Nashville, but I love Connie Britton, so anything that shines a spotlight on her is OK with me. 

Star Trek Into Darkness Teaser

The teaser for Star Trek Into Darkness was released last Thursday, and the first nine minutes was shown before IMAX showings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey last Friday.  The voiceover for the teaser trailer was done by Benedict Cumberbatch, playing a villain named "John Harrison."  He ominously stated, "You think your world is safe.  It is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned. To have. My. Vengeance.”  There is rampant speculation that he is playing Khan, but no official confirmation.  There is some more clues in the Japanese version of the teaser, which includes additional scenes not seen in the U.S. teaser.

The other theory is that he is playing Gary Mitchell, a good friend of Kirk's and a one-time student at the Starfleet Academy.  Mitchell gained a whole bunch of powers and became more cruel and convinced that he was above humanity.  Kirk ended up battling and burying him in a grave that Mitchell had meant for Kirk. 

Definitely looking forward to this movie. 

Grammy Nominations

Nominations for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards were announced last night with a special Grammy nominations concert hosted by LL Cool J and Taylor Swift.  A lot of people got the expected nods, but there were also some surprises. 

- Justin Bieber and One Direction were completely shut out, despite having two of the most successful albums. 
- Frank Ocean and Fun. both got nominated for album of the year, best new artist, and record of the year. 
- Maroon Five only got two nominations and none in the big categories
- Jay-Z, Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, the Black Keys's Dan Auerbach and Fun. tied for the most nominations with six each.
- Carly Rae Jepsen or Gotye seemed to have a strong shot at best new artist, but got beaten out by bluesy rockers Alabama Shakes and folk-rock trio the Lumineers. 
- Yay for Kelly Clarkson and her nomination for Record of the Year, best Pop Vocal Album, and best Pop Solo Performance, plus the song "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" is also nominated for Song of the Year.
- There isn't a clear favorite like Adele last year, so the Grammys might be going to more disparate artists this year. 

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will air on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
A partial list of the nominees is below.  For a full list, go here.

Album of the Year:
Black Keys, El Camino
Fun., Some Nights
Mumford & Sons, Babel
Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
Jack White, Blunderbuss

Song of the Year:
Ed Sheeran, “The A Team”
Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”
Miguel, “Adorn”
Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”

Record of the Year:Black Keys, “Lonely Boy”
Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”
Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know”
Frank Ocean, “Thinkin Bout You”
Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Best New Artist:Alabama Shakes
Fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

Pop Vocal Album:Kelly Clarkson, Stronger
Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials
Fun., Some Nights
Maroon 5, Overexposed
Pink, The Truth About Love

Pop Solo PerformanceAdele, Set Fire To The Rain [Live]
Kelly Clarkson, Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe
Katy Perry, Wide Awake
Rihanna, Where Have You Been

Best Rock Album:The Black Keys, El Camino
Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto
Muse, The 2nd Law
Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
Jack White, Blunderbuss

Best Alternative Music Album:Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel…
Bjork, Biophilia
Gotye, Making Mirrors
M83, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
Tom Waits, Bad as Me

Best Rap Album:Drake, Take Care
Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1
Nas, Life Is Good
The Roots, Undun
Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don’t
2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story

Best Country Album:Zac Brown Band, Uncaged
Hunter Hayes, Hunter Hayes
Jamey Johnson, Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran
Miranda Lambert, For the Record
The Time Jumpers, The Time Jumpers

Country Solo Performance:
Dierks Bentley, “Home”
Eric Church, “Springsteen”
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
Ronnie Dunn, “Cost of Livin’”
Blake Shelton, “Over”
Carrie Underwood, “Blown Away”

Royal Baby

A new royal baby is coming!  The Palace issued a statement today announcing that the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is expecting her first baby.

Unfortunately the Duchess has been admitted into the hospital for Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which is extreme nausea and vomiting that occurs during the pregnancy.  That sounds absolutely awful, and hopefully she will recover soon.  Regular morning sickness is bad enough, let alone this extreme version that can be dangerous.

If you think the hoopla around their wedding was crazy enough, this will most likely be worse, especially since it will be stretched out over several months.  Best wishes to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

ETA: There are already many congratulations and reactions to the news from dignitaries, celebrities, and other people, including President Obama and the First Lady, Prime Minister David Cameron,   I thought the funniest reaction is this Twitter account @RoyalFoetus.  My favorite tweet so far:  CURRENT STATUS: DARK IN HERE, WILL UPDATE.

Ruined Wesley Crusher Trading Card

I used to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation (the only Star Trek I have really watched aside from occasional episodes of Deep Space Nine and the Voyager), and I found Wesley Crusher annoying.  However, his portrayer, Wil Wheaton, has had a renaissance of sorts after his hilarious guest spots on the Big Bang Theory.

Now come the very funny eBay action of the Wesley Crusher trading card that Wil Wheaton ruined.  See the listing for yourself.

My favorite part:

"And that's when it hits you: dude, you've got this. You know how to save this, because your'e a professional and you know exactly what the hell you're doing. You turn the sunglasses into THE SUNGLASSES OF JUSTICE and write, "YEEEAAAHHHH!" right across the top. You slam the card down on the table and say, "Nailed it," because you did."

Steve Nash's Nickname

Kobe Bryant gave Steve Nash a pretty funny nickname: Gatsby.  When you look at the picture of Nash sitting in the sidelines in the three-piece suit and the parted hair, the nickname definitely fits. 

Sherlock Season 3 Delayed

Sad news - the start of production on season 3 of the BBC/PBS series Sherlock has been delayed from January to March 2013, which means that the show won't air on BBC until late 2013.  PBS has to wait until BBC has aired the episodes, which can mean even later in 2013 or early 2014. 

The production was reportedly delayed because Sherlock's two stars, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, are in high demand as movie actors and have very busy schedules. 

BBC did insist to Zap2It that they had never confirmed the January start date, and that as far as they were concerned, they are still fulfilling their obligations of shooting and airing in 2013. 

Ichiro Suzuki's Present to One Fan

Ichiro Suzuki was a star with the Seattle Mariners for many years before being traded to the New York Yankees last July.  While he was still in Seattle during the 2004 season, fan Amy Franz came up with the idea of bringing the Ichimetere to Safeco Field to track Ichiro's progress of breaking George Sisler's single-season record of 257 hits.  The sign was often featured on television as Ichiro notched hit after hit, and he eventually broke the record that year by getting 262 hits.  The original Ichimeter went into the Hall of Fame, but Franz brought new versions after that season and she became known as the Ichimeter Lady.

Ichiro had thanked Franz and autographed the Ichimeter when the trade with the New York Yankees happened while they were in Seattle, but this week Franz received a special package from Ichiro: a sweet thank you note and autographed cleats.

What a class act. 

Kevin Clash Resigned from Sesame Street

Kevin Clash has resigned from Sesame Street, ending his 28-year career at the organization, amid more allegations of sex with underage boys. 

Elmo will always endure, though. 

New York Times Posts a Scathing Review of Guy Fieri's Times Square Restaurant

Pete Wells, the New York Times' dining critic, posts a scathing review of Guy's American Kitchen & Bar today.  The review is written as a series of questions to Guy Fieri, and starts off asking, "Guy Fieri, have you eaten at your new restaurant in Times Square?"  I find the review quite funny.  Some of my favorite lines:

• "Hey, did you try that blue drink, the one that glows like nuclear waste? The watermelon margarita? Any idea why it tastes like some combination of radiator fluid and formaldehyde?"
• "By the way, would you let our server know that when we asked for chai, he brought us a cup of hot water?"
• "What accounts for the vast difference between the Donkey Sauce recipe you’ve published and the Donkey Sauce in your restaurant? Why has the hearty, rustic appeal of roasted-garlic mayonnaise been replaced by something that tastes like Miracle Whip with minced raw garlic?"
• "And when we hear the words Donkey Sauce, which part of the donkey are we supposed to think about?"
• "Why did the toasted marshmallow taste like fish?"

Now I realize that this review really doesn't accomplish anything.  Anyone who reads the New York Times Dining section for their restaurant reviews would never set foot in Guy Fieri's restaurant even before the review.  Most New York restaurants would not survive if it is this terrible, but this restaurant is that special exception to the New York dining scene - the Times Square phenomenon.  Most of the Times Square restaurants are overpriced and underwhelming, and locals avoid it like the plague.  However, they make a lot of money from tourists, especially the kinds of tourists who love Guy Fieri and who make his Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives a hit. 

Kevin Clash's Accuser Recants His Claims

The man who accused Kevin Clash, Elmo's puppeteer, of underage sex has now recanted his claims and stated that the relationship was consensual. 

Janeane Garofalo Didn't Know She Was Married

Comedienne Janeane Garofalo was dating television producer Rob Cohen in the 1990s when they drunkenly decided to get married in Las Vegas.  They thought it was a joke and wasn't legal, until recently when Rob Cohen was looking to get married to his fiancee, and his lawyer found the earlier marriage.  The divorce came through last Saturday, the same day they attended a reunion for the Ben Stiller Show at the New York Comedy Festival, where Garofalo was a cast member and Cohen was a writer. 

In the New York Post article, Garofalo stated, “Rob and I got married, for real, which we had to have a notary dissolve not 30 minutes before we got here tonight.  We were married for 20 years until this evening. We got married drunk in Vegas . . . We dated for a year, and we got married at a drive-through chapel in a cab. [We thought] you have to go down to the courthouse and sign papers and stuff, so who knew? We were married, and apparently now that [Rob] is getting married for real, his lawyer dug up something.”

Kevin Clash On Leave of Absence

I have always had admiration for Kevin Clash, so it was sad to hear that he is taking a leave of absence after allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy.  Clash denied the allegations and issued a statement stating that it was a relationship between two consenting adults. 

Either way, it will be tough to think of Elmo the same way again...

Election Night

The big entertainment last night was the Election Night coverage.  I mostly toggled between CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and CNN for coverage, with a bit of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. 

Some observations:

- What was up with Diane Sawyer on ABC?  She seems to be under some sort of influence, although it's most likely that she was just exhausted.  She got up very early every morning for Good Morning America, and had to stay late last night for the coverage. 

- Among all the technological doo-dads, I have to give the edge to CNN's John King and his masterful use of the two large touch-screen TVs.  He knew what he was doing, where to find the information, and didn't seem awkward using the technology.  I especially like it when he zoomed into specific states to show specific counties and how they were voting, complete with historical data.  NBC's Ice Rink Map was cool, but would have been even better if they could turn on the color remotely instead of the awkward spectacle of sending people out there to cover the states with red or blue colors manually every time a projection is made.

- I was annoyed at the rowdiness of CNN's commentators.  They often talked over each other and there was constant sniping, but I do like the diversity of opinions, genders, and races.

- ABC had too many people with the panel and the researchers and commentators sitting in the raised bank of seats. 

- I didn't stay long with CBS's coverage.  They were so somnolent I almost fell asleep. 

- Stephen Colbert was in top form acting out as a petulant right-winger.  He was so absurd that it was hilarious, although it's scary to think that there are real people like that out there.  Jon Stewart was a bit more muted - no one was behaving badly enough for him to mock.  But great opening with Patrick Stewart narrating.

- I didn't see it live, but Karl Rove's battle with Fox News was amusing.  Nice glimpse of the Decision Desk. 

- Brian Williams is the master of dry wit.  The title of best anchor of the night is a fight between him and Anderson Cooper.  Anderson had to keep the peace between so many myriad commentators and keep things on track, but Brian did throw out awesome one-liners like calling the team putting colors on the ice "Ice Team Zero."

- The most re-tweeted picture of the night was this one from Barack Obama's Twitter feed.  The White House also released this picture of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Michelle Obama, and Jill Biden moments after the networks called the election in their favor.

Dragon Baby

Patrick Boivin, a Montreal-based filmmaker, created this adorable video of his son fighting a stuffed dragon in an homage to Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. 

A.J. Ellis and a Special Delivery

Hurricane Sandy has come and gone, but the recovery efforts have just begun.  Sending good thoughts to everyone who have been affected.

For a little levity amid all the hurricane coverage, here is a heartwarming and funny story about Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis.   He was driving to the hospital in Milwaukee after his wife's water broke, but then his wife, Cindy, started screaming in the car that she wasn't going to make it.  Ellis didn't take her seriously, but then she really did give birth to their daughter, Audrey Elizabeth, in the front seat of the car.  I especially love the part when she told him that the baby was a girl.

Hurricane Sandy

We are in the middle of Hurricane Sandy and the television and internet coverage are crazy. Every broadcast channel and a few cable channels are covering this news. I really feel sorry for the reporters and crew who had to report from some of the worst areas. We saw an NBC news van heading toward the Jersey coastline, and hope it got out before it got too bad.

I do have to laugh at the Weather Channel people - you can tell they are aware of the gravity of the situation, but at the same time they are so excited to be the top dogs for once.

Let's hope everyone stay safe.

Mathemusician Vi Hart

New York Magazine's Grub Street blog has a cool video on "mathemusician" Vi Hart manipulate tortillas into mathematical shapes. 

Victoria "Vi" Hart calls herself the "Full-Time Recreational Mathemusician" and has become famous for her mathematical Youtube videos.  She currently works for the Khan Academy, which provides free online video lectures on various subjects. 

Inventor of the California Roll

Meet 62-year-old chef Hidekazu Tojo, who invented the California Roll in Vancouver in the 1970s.  He couldn't find any fish fresh enough for the sushi, and a lot of the Western customers didn't eat raw fish, so he invented the California Roll.  Apparently it was called the California Roll because many of his customers came from Los Angeles.

Iron Man 3 Trailer

The trailer for Iron Man 3 is out, and it looks really good, although not for Tony Star.  There are a lot of destruction and explosions, and Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) definitely looks to be in trouble.  Poor Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is kidnapped, and Tony's beautiful seaside house is also destroyed. 

Ben Kingsley shows up briefly as the main villain in the movie, the Mandarin.  The Mandarin owns ten Rings of Power that he recovered from a crashed alien spaceship.  He's supposed to be half-Chinese and half-English.  In the trailer he has a chilling voiceover: "“Ladies, children, sheep.  Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson No. 1: Heroes. There is no such thing.”

Luxembourg Royal Wedding

Luxembourg, the tiny European nation smaller than Rhode Island, celebrated the wedding of heir apparent Prince Guillaume to Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy this past weekend.  Guillaume was the last bachelor heir apparent in Europe.   Stephanie de Lannoy is a member of Belgian nobility and the daughter of Count Philippe de Lannoy and Countess Alix della Faille de Leverghem.  Sadly, the bride's mother, Counter Alix, passed away this past August after suffering a stroke.  Stephanie studied languages at the University of Lovaina and is fluent in German, French and Russian. 

The couple had stated in an interview that they met about eight years ago in Germany, lost touch for several years, then met again in 2009 and started dating over a year ago.  They announced their engagement this past April.

On Friday they held a civil ceremony at Luxembourg City Hall, and on Saturday a religious service at the Our Lady of Luxembourg Cathedral that was conducted in a mixture of French, German and Luxembourgish.  There was also a moment of silence for the bride's mother.  For the religious ceremony, Stephanie wore a gorgeous lace Elie Saab gown with a 13-feet-long wedding train, an ivory silk tulle veil, and a tiara from the Lannoy family that had been worn by her sister and sisters-in-law at their weddings.

The wedding banquet was attended by 800 people and catered by Bocuse d’Or-winning chef Lea Linster, who is also from Luxembourg.  Her menu included Riesling-marinated pork and veal pate, lobster in gelee consomme, and sea bass in salted crust and thyme stuffing.  The desserts included Madeleine cakes, choux a la creme pastries, and creme brulee.  Many other European royals attended, including the Earl and Countess of Wessex from England, Prince Frederik and his wife Mary from Denmark, Norway's Prince Haakon and his wife Mette-Marit, the Spanish Prince Felipe and his wife Letizia, the Netherland's Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima, and Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel. 

Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union with a population of just over 500,000.  It has continued to prosper despite the tough economic time in Europe, and is known as a financial center.  It is also home to the world’s largest steel manufacturer, and boasts the second-highest gross domestic product per capita in the world, more than $80,000.  It has three official languages: French, German, and Luxembourgish.  The current Grand Duke of Luxembourg is Guillaume's father, Henri, who is extremely popular.  His wife is Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, who hails from Havana, Cuba.  They got married in February 1981, and together they have five children.

Hello Magazine has extensive coverage of the wedding, including tons of pictures. 

Hugh Jackman Does Gangnam Style

Now this is a great picture - Hugh Jackman the Gangnam Style dance with Psy, complete with Wolverine blades. 

Jackman also posted another picture in his Twitter feed of the two of them laughing together. 

Sarah Silverman's Dad Came to Her Defense

Sarah Silverman has an awesome dad, Donald Silverman.  He came to Sarah's defense after Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt penned an open letter in the Jewish Press criticizing her for pursuing a career instead of settling down and having babies.  Donald posted a spirited defense of Sarah in the comments section, which included this comment, written to someone who asked if Sarah needed her father to come to her defense:

Hey asshole: Daughter #1 is a rabbi. Not by your standards. She’s reform. How dare she, a lowly woman think god wants her to be a rabbi, created from a mere rib. Her hubby, three times nominated for a nobel peace prize was listed by the Jerusalem Post as the 49th most influential jew in the world built the worlds largest solar field in israel. By the way, Sarah was also on the list. I missed your name. Oldest granddaughter is serving in the Israel Defense Forces. I’m sure you also served.Oh I forgot the orthodox don’t do that. You don’t f– with my family."

Donald's comments is referring to Sarah's older sister, Susan, who is a rabbi and lives in Jerusalem.  She is married to Jewish leader Yosef Abramowitz, who was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Argo

Mr. Y and I have wanted to see Argo ever since we first heard about it.  It's the movie about a CIA operative, Tony Mendez, who had to get six Americans out of Iran during the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis.  The six Americans were hiding out in the home of the Canadian ambassador, but risked discovery at any moment.  The cover story Mendez concocted was that the six Americans were part of a film crew scouting locations for a fake science-fiction movie called Argo.  He set up a fake movie production company with a real Hollywood producer and a real Hollywood makeup artist who had helped him in the past.

The movie was based on a Wired story "How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran", which is a fascinating read.  It has all the elements of a ready-made Hollywood movie - suspense, thriller, comedy, drama.  No wonder producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov snapped it up.  Ben Affleck directed the movie, and he also starred in it as Tony Mendez.  The cast included Alan Arkin as Hollywood producer Lester Siegel, John Goodman as Hollywood makeup artist John Chambers, Victor Garber as Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor, and Bryan Cranston as Mendez's CIA supervisor Jack O'Donnell. 

Good American Accents

TV Guide has an interesting photo gallery of current TV actors who are not Americans, but play Americans convincingly. 

I remember the one I was most taken aback by was Ed Westwick from Gossip Girl.  I had no idea he was British until I saw him interviewed on a talk show.  He hid his accent very well. 

Hugh Laurie is not on the list since House has ended, but I think he has one of the best American accents I've ever heard.

Among the movie actors, Christian Bale is the one that constantly surprised people.  When I hear his real voice, I still think that his Welsh accent sounds like the fake one. 

Elementary

Mr. Y and I watched the first two episodes of Elementary, the new Sherlock Holmes show on CBS.  So far we like it, although it's not as interesting as the PBS show with Benedict Cumberbatch.  However, I do believe each show can stand on its own.  As typical of a CBS show, it's much more of a procedural, but because Sherlock comes with a well-known backstory, it feels like we know these characters already. 

Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock is much more twitchy than Benedict's, which fits his revised background as an addict who just got out of rehab.  Lucy Liu's Watson is a former surgeon who is now Sherlock's sober companion.  They have a nice, easy chemistry.  The showrunners already said that they are not looking to make Watson and Sherlock romantic partners, which I think is a good call.  So far I'm buying them as antagonists, and eventually I can see them being friends.  Lucy Liu's understated acting is a nice contrast to Jonny Lee Miller's manic Sherlock. 

I was excited to see Aidan Quinn again, although I couldn't believe how old he looks.  I realize that he can't be forever the guy from Legends of the Fall, but it was still a shock to see him heavyset and with white hair.  Thankfully he still has those eyes. 

Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts

Neiman Marcus issues its annual holiday catalog on October 9, and as usual it includes some over-the-top fantasy gifts.  The most expensive is a pair of "his and hers" timepieces for just over $1 million from Van Cleef & Arpels that depict a love story.  One face shows a woman on the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, gazing toward Notre Dame. The other watch features a man on top of Notre Dame looking toward the Eiffel Tower.  The figures on both watches move, and the faces are surrounded by diamonds. The woman’s watch strap is silk, the men’s strap is alligator.  The watches come with a romantic trip to Paris and Geneva, with a tour the Van Cleef & Arpels watchmaking workshops.

There's also a walk-on role in Broadway’s Annie: The Musical for $30,000, a hen house inspired by France’s Versailles palace for $100,000, a $354,000 red, special edition McLaren 12C Spider sports car, a $250,000 dinner for 10 featuring four famous chefs, a $150,000 wood-paneled trailer designed for tailgating with a sound system and bar stocked with bourbon and rye, a $99,500 water-propelled jetpack, a $90,000 gaming machine, and a $70,000 video portrait of an owl by artist Robert Wilson.

Some of the proceeds from the fantasy gifts will benefit certain charities. 

For the rest of us who can't afford the fantasy gifts, almost 40 percent of the items in the catalog cost less than $250, with the least expensive item being the $10 monogrammed mug.

If I had the money, I would go for the dinner for 10.  I would prefer an experience over a tangible thing.  Plus if I had that watch, I would never wear it for fear of it being stolen.  I would take the trip to Paris and Geneva, though. 

Ohio State Marching Band

As a former band geek, this video of the Ohio State Marching Band doing their halftime show this past weekend in the game against Nebraska was fantastic.  The Best Damn Band in the Land (seriously, that's what they call themselves) did a tribute to classic video games such as Zelda, Pokemon, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Space Invaders, Pacman, and Halo.

Here's a story of how they pulled it together.  I'm impressed that it only took 14 hours of on-field practice time.  These are definitely elite band members.  In high school we had 14 hours of practice every week, but we definitely couldn't pull off a new show every week.

 

Thomas Keller

Thomas Keller is one of the best haute-cuisine chefs in America, and I've had the pleasure of dining at three of his restaurants: Per Se in New York, Ad Hoc in Napa Valley, and Bouchon Bakery in New York.  I also love his recipe for simple roast chicken.  His most famous restaurant is the French Laundry in Napa Valley, which some consider to be the best restaurant in America, and one of the best in the world. 

Vanity Fair recently published a bunch of iPhone photos taken by Chef Keller.  I'm especially fascinated by the tidbit that all of the Bouchon kitchens are connected by live video feed, and NY Mag mentioned that French Laundry and Per Se are also similarly connected. 

Baggage Tags

My family and I travel a lot, and never really thought about the luggage tags below.  Slate has an interesting article about the airline baggage tags and how they evolve to what they are now.  The article talks about permanent baggage tags, which is seen as the next development in the industry. 

The Princess Bride - 25th Anniversary

I absolutely love the Princess Bride, and it's one of my favorite movies.  This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Princess Bride, and as part of the celebration, director Rob Reiner, screenwriter William Goldman, and cast members Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Carol Kane, and Wallace Shawn gathered at New York's Alice Tully Hall for a special screening and a panel discussion with the lucky fans who got tickets to the New York Film Festival event. 

Entertainment Weekly has a great recap of the event, and ABC News has a fun slideshow comparing the cast now and then. 

Mr. Y, our friends, and I quote the Princess Bride all the time.  My favorite quotes:

- "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

- "As you wish"

- "INCONCEIVABLE"  "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
- "Have fun storming the castle!"

- "You can't hurt me. Westley and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds, and you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords."

- "Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday."

Update on Adam Greenberg

I mentioned Adam Greenberg in a previous blog entry about his quest to get one at-bat in the major leagues after getting hit in the head seven years ago in his first major league plant appearance. 

Now here is the update - Adam Greenberg went up to bat as a pinch hitter at the top of the sixth inning, and struck out on three pitches against Mets pitcher and Cy Young award candidate R.A. Dickey.  He took strike one and swung at the next two pitches.  All three pitches that he faced were knuckleballs, which is a Dickey specialty. 

Even better, Topps is issuing a 2013 baseball card for him. 

The Marlins did end up winning the game, 4-3, denying Dickey his 21st win. 

Alinea and Eleven Madison Park Switch Places

Two of this country's most celebrated restaurants, Alinea in Chicago and Eleven Madison Park in New York, decided to switch places.  Tickets for this venture were sold out very quickly.  First up is Alinea taking over Eleven Madison Park's kitchen for five days, and next month Eleven Madison Park will take over Alinea. 

Here is New York Magazine's account and pictures of the first night of Alinea's takover. 

Cat Deeley Gets Married!

I have major love for Cat Deeley, and now comes news that she has married her boyfriend, Irish actor and comedian Patrick Kielty in Italy this past weekend, with only 60 family and friends in attendance.  The picture isn't great, but she looks beautiful in that dress and with her hair up.  Congratulations, Cat and Patrick!

One-At-Bat - Adam Greenberg

Seven years ago, Adam Greenberg stepped up to the plate in his first major league at-bat as a pinch-hitter for the Chicago Cubs.  He was hit in the head by a 95-mph fastball thrown by the Florida Marlins pitcher Valerio De Los Santos, and had to be helped off the field and taken into the hospital.  Ever since that hit, he had to deal with a host of medical issues, from post-concussion syndrom to dizziness, severe headaches, and vertigo.  He had kept trying to make it to the majors, but his career had fizzled in the minors.

Filmmaker and Cubs fan Matt Liston started the One At Bat campaign to get Greenberg at least one at-bat in the major leagues.  Despite a great video, thousands of signatures, and endorsements from the likes of Hall of Famer George Brett, Chicago Cubs passed on giving Greenberg the chance.  The Marlins heard about the campaign, and sought and obtained permission from Commissioner Bud Selig to sign Greenberg to a one-day contract (normally Major League Baseball doesn't allow one-day contracts).  Greenberg accepted the offer on the Today Show, and will do his one at-bat next Tuesday, October 2nd, against the New York Mets and R. A. Dickey at Marlins Park in the second-to-last game of the season.  Neither the Marlins nor the Mets are in playoffs contention. 

According to ESPN, "Greenberg has also agreed to donate his one-day salary to the Marlins Foundation, which will then make a donation to the Sports Legacy Institute, an organization that advances the study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes and other at-risk groups."

Even though some cynics said it is just a PR ploy by unpopular Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, and others complained that he didn't deserve it, I still think it's sweet.  It clearly means a lot to Greenberg, and I hope he gets a hit. 

Dancing with the Stars All Stars

I didn't watch Dancing with the Stars last season and was all set to give it up for good, but then they did an all-star season.  I had to start watching it again. 

The biggest change this season is the addition of half-points to the judging.  Too early to tell whether this is a good change or not. 

Initial thoughts about the dancers:

- Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke.  They did a great cha-cha during this first week, and also benefited from the pimp spot.  As hard as it is to cheer for a Dallas Cowboy, Emmitt has shown himself to be a great dancer and competitor, as well as a class act.  He and Cheryl have a nice, easy chemistry, and it shows on the dance floor.  Definitely one of the favorites. 

- Gilles Marini and Peta Murgatroyd.  HOT. 

- Sabrina Bryan and Louis Van Amstel.  I'm actually glad Sabrina didn't end up with Mark again.  I think Louis is a better teacher and would be able to mold Sabrina into an even better dancer.  She needs to stop hitting her moves so hard that it looks like she is punching someone.

- Apolo Anton Ohno and Karina Smirnoff.  I've started to like Karina better since she was partnered (and won) with J.R. Martinez, and I can tell that I will like her with Apolo, too.  Karina brings a different energy than Julianne, and this more mature energy works better with Apolo now.  I love the crazy outfits they wore for the cha-cha, especially the glow-in-the-dark accessories.

- Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough.  Another person who I think benefits from a new partner.  Derek is a great choreographer and can bring even more out of Shawn than Mark did.  Shawn is also older and actually pulls off some of the sexy moves better than the first time around.

- Helio Castroneves and Chelsie Hightower.  I didn't find Helio all that charming the first time around and this time it's bordering on creepy with Chelsie, but he certainly has enough energy on the dance floor.  Poor Chelsie had to endure the public humiliation of the clip about her ignorance on languages, but at least she was a good sport about it.

- Drew Lachey and Anna Trebunskaya.  Drew was very rusty, and it shows.  This couple ended up in the bottom two this week, and I really hope they will step it up because I like both of them.

- Kelly Monaco and Valentin Chmerkovskiy.  Their interaction was just uncomfortable and Val was trying too hard to make people believe there was a possible showmance here.  Kelly is pretty, but when compared against most of the ladies in this competition, she is severely lacking in personality.

- Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani.  Just OK for me.  Melissa looks great, though.  I think they will finish in the middle of the pack.  I like how Tony sneaked in how champions are insecure and he was a world champion, and even better that Tom called him on it. 

- Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson.  Joey is still annoying.  At least he does seem to bring out Kym's more silly side, which is not a bad thing.  Unfortunately they went first this week and I think the judges' score would have been hired had they gone later in the program. 

- Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas.  She was more comfortable and was a better performer, but still not very good, especially compared to the others.

- Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy.  During their season I go from being amused to being annoyed at their interaction, and so far it's still on the amusing side, but it will probably change soon.

- Pamela Anderson and Tristan MacManus.  Poor Pam was the first one to be kicked off, and rightfully so.  Their cha-cha was just weird and Pam looked really uncomfortable.  Too bad for Tristan, but maybe he will get to dance more during the results show, which is not a bad thing. 

2012 Emmys - Pre-Shows and Ceremony

My random impressions of the 2012 Emmys Pre-Shows and Ceremony:

Pre-Shows on E! and ABC

- I can't help but go "Awwww" at the obvious joy Giuliana Rancic is getting out of being a new mom. 

- E!'s new mani-cam is just odd, and most of the celebrities did not what to do with it.

- Jimmy Fallon made the same exact jokes on E! and on ABC's official pre-show about Amanda Bynes driving him to the Emmys, Clint Eastwood saving him a seat, and people thinking it was him, not Jimmy Kimmel, who was the host of the show.

- Ryan's banter with Julianne Hough is so awkward.  Are these two really dating?

- Kelly Osbourne's hair matching her dress is weird.

- I always feel bad when the celebs are rushed off the interview area so Ryan can talk to more important celebs waiting.

- ABC's Josh Elliott is very tall.  I've only seen him before on ESPN behind the desk, so I had no idea how tall he was.

Ceremony

- Yay for the shout-out to Cat Deeley during Kimmel's opening monologue.  Too bad she didn't win, although I do like Tom Bergeron, too.  Cat still looks more amazing than Tom.  Tom did have a funny acceptance speech, especially the part about thanking Jeff Probst for not being nominated. 

- Kimmel's opening monologue was short and funny, but I didn't like most of his bits during the show.  I didn't find the prank with Tracy Morgan and the part when his parents were escorted out funny.  What was funny was when Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert tried to keep Jon Stewart from reaching the podium, and the Breaking Bad Andy Griffiths spoof. 

- Jon Cryer?  Really? 

- Was Jessica Lange on something or drunk? 

- Not enough shots of Benedict Cumberbatch - plus it was terrible that Sherlock didn't win anything.

- Funny bit between Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Amy Poehler switching speeches when Julia won. 

- Weirdest presenter combo of the night: James van der Beek and Damon Wayans, Jr. 

- Well-deserved standing O for Michael J. Fox

The 2012 Emmys Fashion

The 2012 Emmys were last night, and there was quite a bit of a fashion parade going on.  In general, there was a lot of sparkly, sequined dresses, bright colors (yellows, oranges, lime greens), and patterns.  It definitely wasn't a boring red carpet.  Here are my hits and misses (in no particular order).

BEST DRESSED

Sofia Vergara - Zuhair Murad.  She knows what works on her, and has donned the mermaid-style gowns for multiple award shows.  The color, the sparkle, and the fit are perfect, plus that large engagement ring and the rest of the diamonds really work on her. 

Julie Bowen - Monique Lhuillier.  The color is bright, but it actually works on her, and the fit and the drape was great.  Plus it looks great with the new Emmy that she won. 

Tina Fey - Vivienne Westwood.  Tina Fey has really stepped up her red carpet game in the past few appearances.  This dress has a deep red color that flatters her, and she smartly leaves off any distracting necklace to let the jeweled neckline shine. 

Padma Lakshmi - Monique Lhuillier.  Orange is a popular color, and this is one of the best on the red carpet last night.  The cut itself is a bit boring, but she looks great in it.

January Jones - Zac Posen.  Black is actually the minority for the red carpet last night, and this one stands out because of the dramatic draping and skirt.  I don't always like her choices, but this one is a winner.

Emily Van Camp - J. Mendel.  I think the color is a bit boring, but the dress is pretty and she looks amazing in it.  I also love the hair and soft makeup.  

Jessica Pare - Jason Wu.  Beautiful white dress and it fits her perfectly.  What a red carpet debut for the Mad Men star. 

Ginnifer Goodwin - Monique Lhuillier.  At first I thought I hate this dress, but the more I look at it, the more I like it.  It is a daring dress, but she pulls it off with the haircut and her amazing face. 

Amy Poehler - Stella McCartney.  The newly-separated star rocks a much more daring look than her previous red carpet dresses, and she looks incredible.  Way to show off your assets, Amy. 

Jennifer Westfeldt - J. Mendel.  Simple dress, but great fit and beautiful navy color.  Of course her best accessory is her longtime love, Jon Hamm. 

Cat Deeley - Tadashi Shoji.  Cat looks elegant and statuesque in her bright orange-red gown, with just the right amount of detailing. 

WORST DRESSED

Christina Hendricks - Christian Siriano.  The color is pretty, but I thought the draping was weird and that belt was just an odd way to cinch her waist. 

Julianne Hough - Georges Hobeika Couture.  I hate the whole look - the hair makes her looks 20 years older than she is, and the weird feathering on the bottom doesn't do the dress any favor. 

Leslie Mann - Naeem Khan.  She looks like an old lady on top and the skirt color just hurts my eye. 

Kristin Wiig - Balenciaga.  She looks washed out in this cream gown, and the bottom looks like an old-fashioned lace tablecloth. 

Julianne Moore - Dior Haute Couture.  There is just too much dress, especially in that bright yellow, and it really overwhelms the petite star. 

Lena Dunham - Prada.  A talented lady, but she looks so much older in this dress.  Lena, you are only 26 years old.  You don't have to dress like you're in your 40s. 

Elisabeth Moss  - Dolce & Gabbana.  Her new blonde bob looks incredible, but what's with the curtain-turned-into-a-dress look?

Julianna Margulies - Giambattista Valli Haute Couture.  Another one that looks like a curtain, complete with a seam right down the front.

Ashley Judd - Carolina Herrera.  Ashley looks like a prom queen, which is not a good thing for the Emmys.  That hair is also a miss. 

Lena Headey - Giorgio Armani.  Lena Headey is a beautiful woman, but she looks like a witch in that dress.  Plus her makeup and hair just look so odd.

Zosia Mamet - Bihbu Mahopatra.  Everything about this look is just wrong, from the dress to the hair and the makeup. 

SPLIT DECISION

Zooey Deschanel - Reem Acra.  The bottom of the dress is gorgeous and the color looks great on her, but the top is ill-fitting and squishes her chest in such a weird way.  It ruins an otherwise beautiful look. 

Nicole Kidman - Antonio Berardi.  I'm not sure about the blue beading on the top, although she does look elegant as usual. 

Kat Dennings - J.  Mendel.  Another one who is beautiful on the bottom and has a great red color, but the ill-fitting top is awful.  I was afraid her boobs were going to pop out at any moment. 

Lucy Liu - Versace.  Her dress is bordering on futuristic, and not in a good way, but I think somehow she pulls it off. 

So You Think You Can Dance - Finale

Last night was the finale of So You Think You Can Dance, and boy, it was an exciting finish.

SPOILER ALERT

The winners are Eliana and Chehon!  I was surprised about Chehon.  I thought Cyrus had this in the bag.  But I am excited that the best dancers won.  Eliana has been a favorite of mine from the top 20 - she is so effervescent and bubbly, and her dancing is out of this world.  Chehon has grown on me - he was really quiet and reserved in the beginning, but he opened up more as he hit the top 10, and his leaps are incredible.  

The finale also brought back the top 20 in a crazy group number choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and Christopher Scott.  Christopher Scott also choreographed and danced in a new number with Comfort, Twitch, and Cyrus - which was awesome. 

The six judges (Lil' C, Debbie Allen, Adam Shankman, and Tyce Diorio joined Mary and Nigel) and Cat chose their favorite pieces from the season, and the four finalists also got to choose to reprise their favorite numbers.  It was especially great to see Will and Amelia's cat routine from NappyTabs, Chehon and Anya's Argentine tango, Lindsay and Cole's paso doble, Eliana and Alex's contemporary "Bang Bang" routine from Stacey Tookey, and Cyrus and Twitch's animation from Christopher Scott. 

Before the winners were announced, the top 10 and the all-stars danced a crazy jungle routine by NappyTabs. 

Another season is in the books, and I thought it was a successful one.  I still wished they had kept the results show, but I think they did the best they could with just one show a week.  Until next year!

Gangnam Style

You know you've hit pop culture jackpot when your YouTube video has been viewed over 200 million times, you have been parodied on Saturday Night Live, celebrities like T-Pain and Katy Perry tweeted about how awesome the video is, and it has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and CNN.

The song in question is called Gangnam Style, and it's by South Korean rapper Psy (real name Park Jaesang).  Psy is 34 years old and grew up in South Korea, and went to Boston University and Berklee School of Music.  He released his first full album in 2001, and has been known as a controversial and unique singer in the K-pop arena.

The Atlantic did an interesting article on the subversive message behind the video - worth reading as an academic exercise.

Fatal Attraction - 25th Anniversary

I probably watched Fatal Attraction way too young.  I remembered it being on TV and was fascinated with Glenn Close.  I'm also sure that I won't be able to stomach watching it now. 

Fatal Attraction turns 25 today, and there is an interesting tidbit about the changed ending.  In the original ending, Glenn Close's character, Alex, committed suicide using a knife that had Dan's fingerprints on it to pin him for murder.  Dan was arrested for murder, but his wife, Beth (Anne Archer) found a tape of Alex stating that she would kill herself if she wasn't with Dan.  Test audience apparently hated this ending, and it was changed to the ending that is shown in the theatres - Alex attacking Dan, and Beth killing Alex.  Glenn Close apparently objected to the new ending because she felt the original ending was more true to Alex, but eventually relented.

Richard III - Skeleton Possibly Found

The archaeologists who had been excavating a parking lot in Leicester, England thought to be the site of Richard III's grave, found a skeleton that may be the remains of Richard III.  The testing will take awhile, and it is unclear whether they can get DNA from the skeleton, but it is still very exciting.

The article mentioned that the archaeologists found two skeletons "a female skeleton that was broken apart at the joints was discovered in what is believed to be the Presbytery of the lost Church; the other skeleton, which appears to be an adult male, was found in the church choir and shows signs of trauma to the skull and back before death, which would be consistent with a battle injury, the researchers said."  The male skeleton also showed signs of scoliosis, which would explain why contemporary accounts of Richard described him as having one shoulder higher than the other, and which later led to the  mistaken description of him as being a hunchbank. 

There is also an updated picture gallery, which showed some of the findings, like a medieval penny and the stone frieze. 

Jonathan Groff and Zachary Quinto - Confirmed Dating

I've written before about the rumor that Zachary Quinto and Jonathan Groff dating, and now Zachary Quinto himself has confirmed it.  Zachary sounds so sweet talking about how happy he is.  I hope these two will make it!

So You Think You Can Dance - Performance Finale

Last night was the performance finale, and it was jam-packed with dances.  Each dancer danced six routines - one each with the other finalists, one with an all-star, a solo, and a group dance.  I'm surprised none of them dropped down from exhaustion at the end of the night.

Favorite routines
1) Cyrus and Twitch's animation from Christopher Scott.  How cute was Cyrus when he was going crazy over meeting Madd Chadd?  Madd Chadd and Christopher Scott are good friends, and Madd Chadd was one of the stars of the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (LXD), a dance web series choreographed by Christopher Scott, Harry Shum, Jr, and Galen Hooks.  If you've never seen LXD, go online and check them out.  It's quite amazing.  This was the routine that everyone has been waiting for, and it was fantastic.  From the premise (two genetically-enhanced creatures breaking out of their glass cage and trying out their new powers) to the movements and the interactions between the dancers, it was a great piece.  Seeing Twitch and Cyrus next to each other makes me realize that Cyrus has some work to do to really command the stage, but he hasn't had that much experience professionally, so that will come with time. 

2) Eliana and Alex's contemporary from Travis Wall.  What a perfect combination of dancers, music, and choreographer.  I love how Travis didn't try to do too much with Alex and Eliana, but choreographed something that was beautiful and showed their strengths. 

3) Eliana and Chehon's pas de deux from Marat Daukayev.  I've been telling Mr. Y from the beginning that I really want to see a traditional pas de deux if Eliana and Chehon ever danced together, so I was so happy to see this routine.  The pas de deux to the Nutcracker Suite was very traditional and Eliana was definitely more showcased than Chehon, but the two of them did such a beautiful job and it was nice to see classical ballet.  The two of them matched each other very well and Chehon was so strong in supporting and lifting Eliana.

4) Chehon and Allison's contemporary from Stacey Tookey.  This was just a beautiful piece.  Both Chehon and Allison really threw their emotions into the dance and it was really haunting.  Plus that one-arm lift was just insane. 

Least favorite routines

1) The group routine from Tyce Diorio.  A total mess from start to finish.  It would have been better if they left this off and let the dancers rest.

2) Tiffany and Will's contemporary from Sonya Tayeh.  Tiffany was obviously very athletic and danced well, and it was nice to see Will again, but the dance didn't have the chemistry and the piece was just disjointed to me.

3) Tiffany and Chehon's rumba from Dmitry Chaplin.  The two of them looked pretty, but this wasn't much of a rumba.  I also didn't feel any chemistry between the two of them.  Chehon's hip action was non-existing, and I didn't buy Tiffany as being sexy. 

4) Eliana and Cyrus's paso doble from Jason Gilkinson.  Eliana was fierce as usual, but Cyrus really struggled to keep up. 

Solos

I thought Eliana's solo was way better than Tiffany's.  Tiffany did a pretty generic contemporary solo, when Eliana's ballet one was so powerful.  I also thought Chehon did a better job with his solo than Cyrus, but it was a closer call.

Predictions

It's hard to predict who's going to win, but I really hope Eliana and Chehon will prevail.  Eliana can do anything, and does not seem to have a weakness.  Chehon has also improved over the course of the season, and as much as I love Cyrus and how hard he works, I think Chehon deserves to win.

Going for It on Fourth Down

I've mentioned before the book Scorecasting, which challenges conventional wisdom and assumptions about sports by applying economic analysis to sports situations. 

One of the stories mentioned in the book is about Kevin Kelley, the football coach at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Kelley has also been featured in Sports Illustrated - here's one article about him.  Kelley's approach is unusual because he doesn't follow a lot of the typical football wisdom.  His team doesn't punt - always going for it on fourth down.  His team almost always attempts an onside kick after scoring, and his playbook has a lot of tricks and gimmicks.  Kelley has done a lot of research on football matters, and the numbers and analyses convince him that a lot of conventional football wisdom is just wrong.  For example, as the SI article mentioned, "according to Kelley's statistics, when a team punts from near its end zone, the opponent will take possession inside the 40-yard line and will then score a touchdown 77 percent of the time. If it recovers on downs inside the 10, it will score a touchdown 92 percent of the time.  'So [forsaking] a punt, you give your offense a chance to stay on the field," he said. "And if you miss, the odds of the other team scoring only increase 15 percent. It's like someone said, '[Punting] is what you do on fourth down,' and everyone did it without asking why.'"

It's hard to argue with the results - over the past ten years Pulaski Academy has the record of 105-20 over the past 10 seasons, including an undefeated season in 2011, and it has also won won three state championships. 

Kelley's name recently surfaced again as the inspiration behind Louisiana-Monroe's stunning 34-31 overtime defeat of Arkansas this past Saturday.  Louisiana-Monroe has not had a winning season since 1993, and has never been to a bowl game, while Arkansas is a perennial national powerhouse who was ranked #8 in the Associated Press bowl heading into the game.  Kelley had befriended Louisiana-Monroe's offensive coordinator and head coach, and shared his research and philosophy with them.  Although the Warhawks didn't fully buy into the system, when they were behind 28-7 in the second half, they started playing Kelley's way.  The result is that they went 6-for-7 on fourth downs and converted a fourth down on each of the five touchdown drives, including the last one that gave them the win. 

Richard III

Archaeologists recently uncovered a medieval church, Greyfriars, under a parking lot in Leicester, England (pictures here), which is said to be the final resting place of Richard III.  Richard III is believed to be buried in Greyfriars in 1485, after he died at the Battle of Bosworth Field during the War of the Roses.  He is the last King of England to died in battle. 

Richard III is a fascinating figure in history, made especially famous by the play of the same name written by William Shakespeare over 100 years after Richard's death.  Richard III is most noted as being the alleged killer of the two young princes under his care, sons of Richard's brother, King Edward IV.  The princes Edward and Richard were said to have been imprisoned and killed in the Tower of London on Richard III's orders, and led to the legend of the Princes in the Tower.  Richard III was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet Dynasty, which ruled England from 1154 until 1485 - a reign of 14 kings lasting 331 years.

In Shakespeare' play, Richard III is most decidedly an amoral and Machiavellian villain.  However, there are plenty of novelists and historians who argued that the real Richard is not the evil villain he became known to be.  During his short two-year reign, according to Wikipedia, he "instituted what later became known as the Court of Requests, a court which poor people who could not afford legal representation could apply to for their grievances to be heard, introduced bail in to protect suspected felons from imprisonment before trial and protect their property from seizure during that time, founded the College of Arms, banned restrictions on the printing and sale of books, and ordered the translation of the written Laws and Statutes from the traditional French into English."

One of my favorite books ever is Josephine Tey's "The Daughter of Time," which presents an alternate view of Richard III and the Princes in the Tower.  The title of the book, "The Daughter of Time," is from a quote by Sir Francis Bacon: "Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority," which indicated Tey's view that the evil Richard was a constructed myth, not reality. 

In that book, Alan Grant, a Scotland Yard inspector and a regular character in Tey's books, was in the hospital with a broken leg.  He was really bored and restless, and decided to investigate the case of Richard III after being intrigued by a portrait of Richard III that showed him as being gentle and wise, instead of monstrous and cruel.  With the help of an American researcher who was working at the British Museum, Grant investigated the case like a modern detective without leaving his bed, and concluded that the story of Richard III being a callous murderer and a monster was constructed by the Tudor dynasty that came after him, partly to assert the Tudor claim to the throne. 

The book pointed out the fact that Richard III was never accused or convicted of any murder against the Princes during his time, and that the most famous source of the evil Richard III story came from Sir Thomas More, who was an advisor to Tudor King Henry VIII, and was only eight years old when Richard III died.  This fact led credence to the theory that the evil Richard was simply a creation of the Tudor kings who wanted to establish the legitimacy of their claim to the throne, which they wrested from Richard III during the War of the Roses.  Shakespeare used More's Richard III book heavily in writing his play, so it made sense that his Richard III is also a villain. 

I did not research Tey's sources or evidence, but I did come away convinced that Richard III is not as evil as More and Shakespeare had made him out to be.  It is a very well-written book and has an interesting narrative structure - definitely worth reading for mystery fans. 

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 6

It's down to the Top 6 on So You Think You Can Dance.  At this point, although my favorites are Eliana and Cole, I would be happy with any of the dancers winning.  All of them bring something different to the competition, and it's great to see so much variety instead of the usual contemporary dancers.  There is no voting tonight because the eliminations are solely based on last week's votes (the judges can't save anyone anymore), and next week is the performance finale where people will vote for the winners. 

Each of the top 6 danced three dances - one with an all-star, one with each other, and a solo.  The group routine was choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, and it was her usual mix of weird and energetic.  Eliana had a couple of standout moments, which were great.  Overall a good number. 

I normally don't pay that close attention to the mini-solos as the dancers get introduced, but this time the boys decided to dance each other's styles.  I was confused as to why Chehon did a martial-arts-like move like Cole in the beginning, but then it became clear at the end when Cole did Cyrus's signature robot moves.  Once we rewinded, it was obvious Cyrus was doing ballet poses in the middle - I can understand why he didn't even try to do Chehon's ballet moves. 

Favorite routines

1) Cyrus and Comfort's dubstep from Christopher Scott.  This number was crazy.  There were a lot of intricate movements with the feet, the body, and the hands.  I actually think Cyrus falls a bit behind Comfort at times, but Comfort is such a beast that it would be hard to keep up with her. 

2) Cole and Eliana's contemporary from Mia Michaels.  Mia Michaels said she was inspired by the way rams fight.  I really like this piece - it was emotional, physical, and intense, but not in a fake or pushy way.  Cole and Eliana danced it very well and even more important, acted it really well.

3) Eliana and Twitch's hip hop from Christopher Scott.  This piece was so fun and sexy.  Eliana really matched Twitch step by step, and their chemistry was off the charts.  I love how much fun they were having, and it really translated to the audience. 

Least favorite routines

1) Witney and Chehon's cha-cha from Jean-Marc Genereux.  Witney was in her elements, but Chehon looked lost again.  He wasn't any better than when he tried the samba early in the season. 

2) Chehon and Kathryn's contemporary from Tyce Diorio.  This piece is exactly why I'm not a big fan of Tyce.  He tries to do the serious, weighty stuff, but the overall effect is fake and manipulative.  Chehon and Kathryn danced it well, but the piece came out to be boring and annoying.

Solos - from my favorite to least favorite

Boys

1) Chehon
2) Cole
3) Cyrus

The boys really brought it tonight with the solos.  All of them did a fantastic job.  Chehon's solo was different than what he has done before - very masculine and dark.  Cole's wolf-themed solo was intense and I love the music.  Cyrus is just amazing as usual, and I'm impressed that he constantly shows up with new moves.  How cute were their moms?  I almost cried when Chehon's mom talked about how proud she was of him just for being himself.

Girls

1) Eliana
2) Witney
3) Tiffany

The girls' solos were not as exciting as the boys' pieces.  Eliana's lines were amazing in her solo, and it was fun to see her do more contemporary than straight ballet like she did last week.  Witney's paso-doble-themed solo was fine, but I thought it was rather weird without a partner.  Tiffany's solo was just a garden variety contemporary solo - nothing particularly special.

Eliminations

There was no bottom twos this week, just eliminations.  I wasn't surprised when Witney and Cole were eliminated.  Witney has been in the bottom quite a few times, and Chehon has surpassed Cole in momentum.  I'm sad Cole left, but it would only be two more weeks before we will see him again in the finale.

Ukulele Cover of "Rolling in the Deep"

Just when you thought you have heard every cover of Adele's popular "Rolling in the Deep," here comes a ukelele version courtesy of Jake Shimabukuro, the Hawaiian ukelele artist.  This version is pretty incredible, and unless you have amazing speakers on your computer, it's actually better to listen to it with headphones on.  Mr. Y and I agreed that we might actually get this guy's album when it comes out on October 2nd.

Cat Deeley

I love Cat Deeley - she and Phil Keoghan from The Amazing Race are my favorite TV hosts.  Cat makes it look so easy.  She's beautiful and approachable, moves things along gracefully, handles the judges well, and is a proud mama bear to the contestants on So You Think You Can Dance.  Cat is also a fashion risk-taker and has mentioned that she doesn't have a stylist - she chooses her own outfits.  She takes chances with fashion, and although sometimes it doesn't work out, she always looks fabulous. 

TV Guide Magazine has a cute story about hanging out with Cat Deeley.  She has a new boyfriend, Irish comedian Patrick Kielty, who she has known for ten years and makes her sandwiches and cheese plates.    She also just bought a new house and is obsessed about decorating it.  She has talked about her famous Fourth of July barbecue, which is getting larger and larger as her SYTYCD family grows, so she probably needs more space.  I wished she did host American Idol when Ryan Seacrest was sick - it would have been a nice change.  Perhaps the X Factor?

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 8

Now the show is getting really good.  Last night was one of the best nights of dancing I've seen this season, and the top 8 really stepped it up.  Jesse Tyler Ferguson was back as a guest judge, and he was great as usual.  It's clear he is a big fan of the show and has watched it from the beginning, so although he doesn't have the dance expertise, I think he's a much better guest judge than some of the dance experts that clearly had not watched the show (*cough* the Ballet Boyz *cough*)

The group number was choreographed by a new choreographer, Peter Chu, who was a competitive gymnast and cheerleader, and studied at Juilliard.  He has his own foundation, chuthis.  The group number was pretty entertaining, and I hope he comes back.

Favorite routines

1) Chehon and Anya's tango from Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo.  I got chills watching this dance, and felt like a voyeur looking into a very private moment.  Anya is amazing as usual, and this dance really took advantage of Chehon's amazing posture.  These two had great chemistry as well.  Chehon wasn't perfect technically, but the whole package was still fantastic.

2) Cole and Allison's contemporary from Sonya Tayeh.  Cole was appropriately creepy, and Allison is great as usual.  Cole is definitely better off in dark, creepy dances rather than happy ones like last week's cha-cha or the dentist routine from a few weeks back.  Some of the moves in this piece were crazy, like when Allison went upside down, or when Cole lifted her up with just one arm.  Plus Bjork and Sonya are just a match made in heaven. 

Least favorite routines

1) Lindsay and Alex's jazz from Sonya Tayeh.  The dance itself is fine and they danced it well, but they lacked the chemistry necessary for this dance to work. 

2) Melanie and Cyrus's jazz from Mandy Moore.  I love Melanie, and unfortunately she outshines Cyrus in this piece.  It's a very cute piece, and I actually like the fact that Mandy Moore is willing to do fun, happy jazz and contemporary dances instead of just dark, creepy ones, but Melanie is totally the star here. 

Solos - from my favorite to least favorite

Boys:

1) Cyrus
2) Cole
3) Chehon
4) Will

Girls:

1) Eliana
2) Lindsay
3) Tiffany
4) Witney

Eliminations

I was right that Witney and Lindsay ended up in the bottom two this week, and it was no surprise that Lindsay was booted out.  Witney stands out more than Lindsay, and she also has more of the sex appeal.

I was right that Cole was in the bottom, but was shocked that Will also made it to the bottom.  Poor Will - I really enjoy his dancing and he did well tonight in the hip-hop piece from Christopher Scott, but his solo was the the least entertaining among the boys.  With Will gone, Tiffany is the last contemporary dancer standing.

Predictions on who will be in trouble next week

Girls: Witney and Tiffany
Boys: Cole and Chehon

Only three weeks until the finale! 

Shadow of Night

"Shadow of Night" is the second book in the All Souls trilogy written by Deborah Harkness.  I've written about the first book, "A Discovery of Witches." 

SPOILER ALERT

The second book picks up right where the first book left off - Diana and Matthew landing in Elizabethan England.  A lot of the book is about Diana getting adjusted to living in that time period, as well as adjusting to being Matthew's wife.  In this era, Matthew is a spy for Queen Elizabeth I and a member of the Congregation.  He is also known as Matthew Roydon, the leader of the "School of Night," a group of men who are known for heretical thoughts.  The other members are playwright Christopher "Kit" Marlowe, mathematician and astronomer Thomas Harriot, explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (famous for being the founder of the Lost Colony at Roanoke), aristocrat Henry Percy (the 9th Earl of Northumberland), and poet George Chapman (who wrote the poem "Shadow of Night"). 

In Harkness's world, Marlowe and Harriot are daemons, while the others are humans.  Marlowe is also in love with Matthew, and is immediately adversarial towards Diana.  Diana meets Matthew's vampire father, Philippe, who ends up having a great influence on her, and runs into her own father, Stephen Proctor.  Diana and Matthew also interacts with other historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth I, Emperor Rudolf II, astronomer John Dee, alchemist Edward Kelley, and poet and author Mary Sidney (Countess of Pembroke), who becomes a friend of Diana's.  They travel from England to France to Prague, and Diana eventually finds the training that she needs from witches in London.  Diana finds out that like her father, she is a weaver, a special kind of witch who can create spells instead of just reciting existing ones.  They also track down Ashmole 782 while it is intact, and discover something monstrous about the book, but in the end they cannot take the book back to the present. 

There are brief glimpses of the present time.  A lot of the other members of the Conventicle, such as Matthew's vampire mother Ysabeau and Diana's witchy aunts Sarah and Emily, have gathered at Sept-Tours, the de Clermont family's castle, in order to prepare for battle with the Congregation.  There are hints at terrible things happening, but no detail.  I hope Harkness will go into further detail in the next book about what happens in the present while Diana and Matthew are back in time.

This book is more stuffed than the last one.  Harkness clearly knows her Elizabethan era and delights in including a lot of details.  Sometimes it gets to be a little too much, but overall the book is still enjoyable.  Diana's struggle in adjusting to the Elizabethan era and in becoming a wife to a very possessive vampire is actually relatable, and Harkness has a very clear sense of who Matthew and Diana are as characters.  Their love story is still intact despite all the challenges, even though there is more danger ahead.  I look forward to the next installment. 

A Discovery of Witches

I recently discovered the book "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness, the first book in the All Souls trilogy.  I saw it in the bookstore while waiting at the Austin airport, and it was intriguing enough that I bought a copy when I was back home.  I'm normally not into books that involve supernatural creatures like vampires or witches (never got into Anne Rice or the Twilight series), but the historical bent of the novel intrigued me, as well as the credentials of the author.  Harkness is a professor of history at University of Southern California, who specializes in history of science and medicine during the Elizabethan era.  She also writes a wine blog. 

SPOILER ALERT

The main character in "Witches" is Diana Bishop, a witch and a Yale professor whose main scholarly interest is researching alchemical manuscripts.  In this world, there are three types of supernatural creatures: vampires, witches, and daemons.  After her parents died when she was seven years old, Diana turned her back on her magical powers.  While doing research at Bodleian Library at Oxford, she recalls a mysterious alchemical manuscript called Ashmole 782, but the magical manuscript was missing three pages.  Although she only spends a few minutes with the text, other supernatural creatures who also want the manuscript start finding her, and most of them are not the friendly type.  A 1,500-year-old vampire and scientist, Matthew Clairmont, appoints himself her protector, and the two of them fall in love.  This is a problem because there is an ancient covenant that forbids the union of different creatures.  The Congregation (the ruling group consisting of 3 witches, 3 vampires, and 3 daemons) are after Diana and Matthew for both this breach of the covenant and Ashmole 782.  In the meantime, Diana's powers start reasserting themselves, but she could not control them.  In the end, Matthew and Diana decide to use her timewalking ability to travel back to Elizabethan England to escape the Congregation and the other creatures searching for Diana, to get Diana the tutoring she needs for her powers, and to find Ashmole 782 while it is still intact.

I enjoyed the book immensely.  Harkness is a very intelligent writer who does not dumb down the materials for her readers.  The love story between Diana and Matthew is also compelling, and the other characters (such as Matthew's vampire mother Ysabeau and Diana's aunts Sarah and Emily) are believable.  Harkness is also very adept at using conventional lores about vampires, witches, and daemons, and using them for her story.  For example, vampires have their own family structure made up of parents who make their children vampires, and brothers and sisters are made by the same parents.  Vampires are also usually involved in professions that take full advantage of their immortality - scientists and financiers.  Daemons are creative types who gravitate toward the arts or fashion design, and can be a bit unstable.  Witches live in haunted houses who can expand if expecting guests, and in typical fashion can brew potions and recite spells.

Harkness stuffs a lot of details into this book, and the pace can be leisurely at times (especially in the beginning), but overall it's a fun read. 

Last Season of The Office - Part II

Mr. Y reminded me of a couple more classic The Office episodes that should be included in the favorites list:

- Fun Run, Parts I and II - Michael hit Meredith with his car, Jim and Pam were outed as being a couple, Dwight performed a mercy killing on Angela's cat Sprinkles, and Michael organized a rabies charity run. 

- The Delivery, Parts I and II - the episode where Pam gave birth to baby Cecelia.  It's one of the more realistic depictions of labor and delivery I've seen on television.  Labor for first-time moms usually takes awhile, so it makes sense that Pam wouldn't go to the hospital right away.  Dwight decided to ask Angela to have a baby with him, and also decided to remodel Jim and Pam's kitchen after discovering mold, even though Jim and Pam told him to just get the iPod and not to touch anything else.  Pam was having problems breastfeeding and Lee Kirk, Jenna Fischer's fiance at the time (and now husband), guest-starred as the lactation consultant that Jim didn't like.  It was also hilarious when sleep-deprived Pam accidentally breastfed the wrong baby. 

- Traveling Salesman - this is the episode that actually shows Michael Scott being a competent salesman.  As much as an idiot he can be, it's nice to be reminded that Michael Scott can be good at something.  Michael decided that the sales team would pair up to visit their clients.  Andy with Michael, Karen with Phyllis, Stanley with Ryan, and Jim with Dwight (they used to sales calls together).  It was clear that Jim and Dwight actually  made a good team, and Stanley and Phyllis schooled their younger counterparts.