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553 после чистки [18 May 2008|01:58am]

lucysd
[ mood | so so ]
[ music | The Doors - When The Music's Over ]

хочется-хочется пленочную зеркалку незенит.
чтоб максимум 100 кадров с поездки.
и никакой пыли на матрице!

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Russian Song [17 May 2008|11:21am]

linguaphiles

[anglo_don_juan]
Good morning! I was curious if anyone would be able help me track down a song. I am looking for an audio version of " Пусть бегут неуклюже" the 'Russian happy birthday song' from "Krokodil Gena i Cheburashka".

I am making a birthday CD for the boyfriend and he only remembers snippets from the song from his childhood and I think putting the song on the CD would be a nice surprise. I have found several versions on YouTube (including a Soviet-era one which was very amusing to watch!) but no mp3 versions. =/

If anyone has any ideas they would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

ETA: Hmm, the more I search for the song the more I am convinced that maybe I have the title wrong? I hope someone knows what I meant. Sorry about that, my Russian is only basic at the moment.

Cross-posted to [info]learn_russian and [info]linguaphiles Sorry for any spamming.
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BEST OF THE BWE: F***in’ Week SUCKS! [16 May 2008|10:00pm]
bestweekever
Black Panda
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LOST: Or Was It The Oceanic 7??? [16 May 2008|09:39pm]
bestweekever
If you guys weren't paying super-close attention to Lost last night, you might have missed one of the many SECRETS hidden inside the episode. One of those secrets was the startling revelation that our own Doug Benson was ALSO on that plane, making him the seventh mysterious survivor of Oceanic flight 815. Unfortunately, Doug's attempt to make a little small talk sorta crashes and burns...

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How Adorable Was Rainn Wilson As a Kid? [16 May 2008|09:16pm]
bestweekever
Check out this poster for the upcoming movie The Rocker, starring Rainn Wilson as a failed drummer who decides to join a high school band led by his nephew, played by Josh Gad (who, for the record, I knew in high school, and was crazy talented):

THE ROCKER POSTER.jpg


It's actually Rainn as a little boy! They added the glasses, but otherwise, that's him. He was so cute!

But who else has a sneaking suspish he was mocked as a child? It's a pleasure to be among such fine company, sir.

(via Faded Youth Blog)
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OPRAH’S. CROWDS. ARE. CRAZY. [16 May 2008|08:45pm]
bestweekever
I know the crowds always go nuts on Oprah's "Favorite Things" episodes, but there is simply no amount of prior Oprah-watching exprience that can prepare you for this clip. It just... never... ends...

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CAPTION THIS: Whooooooooo Wants Richard Simmons Juice? [16 May 2008|08:35pm]
bestweekever
Opponents of California gay marriage have been haunted by this exact vision for the past two nights:

Richard Simmons


Are flamboyant photos having the Best Week Ever?

(INF Daily)
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another Russian question: Paul Winter [16 May 2008|01:30pm]

linguaphiles

[ouisel]

In 1984, Paul Winter did a concert at the UN in honour of World Environment Day. One of the songs, "Hymn to the Russian Earth", is supposedly a Russian folk song. The lyrics are as follows:

If the people lived their lives
As if it were a song
For singing out of light
Provides the music for the stars
To be dancing circles in the night. 

Can anyone confirm that this is, in fact, a Russian folk song?

And can anyone provide me the original lyrics in Russian, or failing that, translate it back?  As before, I'm afraid I will need it in the Roman alphabet rather than Cyrillic (apologies to purists; it's what I'm stuck with).

And if you actually have the original lyrics, assuming they exist and it isn't a misrepresentation, how accurate is this translation anyway?

13 comments|post comment

THE OFFICE: I’m Pretty Sure She’s Baked on a Professional Level [16 May 2008|07:53pm]
bestweekever
PRISON MIKE MEETS RYAN.jpg


Lots to get to this week. So let's just dig right into this week's recap for the incredible Season 4 Season Finale, "Goodbye, Toby":

The opening prank: Looks like Jim's back to pranking Dwight. Funny bit, ran a little long, Dwight breaks his own phone. But no need to harp on it, we have a lot to get to...

It's Toby's last day, meaning, in other words, it's the greatest day of Michael's life. He does some pretty skilled grapevines around the office before anyone arrives, because he might as well make the best day of his life also the longest one. Michael sets his watch alarm. If only he knew.

TOBY OFFICE.jpgMichael has a meeting with the PPC (Party Planning Committee) about the Toby going away party. Angela, the PPC's leader, is going the standard route: Cake, and 2 pictures of Toby that are unsuitable for even the most mundane of Myspace pages. Michael wants a big bash -- after all, the devil's exploding, and he's got money to burn thanks to his sweetly demented Nana. When he realizes Tight Lips McGee ain't gonna give it to him, he undermines her power and hands the Leadership role to Phyllis. Much like Rudy Ruetteger, Phyllis has been waiting for this her whole life, Coach. The fire in that woman's eyes! Now, to find out where anti-gravity boots/depressants are sold.

Who is this blonde woman? Oh, it's Holly, Toby's replacement, played by OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN. She looks nice! Almost like a lady bayyyyy... no I'll wait.

Pam find out on-line that she's been accepted to the Pratt School of Design, and tells Jim. 3 months in New York. Well, not New York, exactly, but actually a very deep part of Brooklyn that is decidedly un-Pam-like. Pam think the absence will be fine, as her and Jim are MFEO. It's all so "perfect".

PRISON MIKE 3.jpgOh, here's something the show has been sorely missing: Michael and Dwight spying on the office through the blinds. These little whispered conversations are some of the best moments (gaydar anyone?) Michael hates replacement Toby, and Dwight thinks she "stinks." Michael decides he wants to haze her, and good ol' Dwight's little tinker tank immediately begins sputtering. While he's off dialing Mose, Phyllis learns that people don't really sell anti-gravity machines. Pity.

The Encyclopedia Britannica of recaps continues after the jump.

PRISON MIKE 4.jpgMichael meets Holly, and immediately shoots her down. Holly, surprisingly, opens Michael like a book, figures out that he hates Toby, and agrees that the guy is kind of a bore. Uh oh.

Creed has a mini-episode when Holly asks a polite question. He thinks he might work in "Quabity Assu-ance", but isn't taking any chances.

As his way of "initiating" her, Dwight tells Holly that Kevin is a... "slow" person. And so begins probably the best running gag of the night: Kevin as a retard. Holly puts on her kid skin gloves to meet Kevin, and the conversation goes something like this:

Holly: (saccharin sweet) Hi. What do you do?
Kevin: I do the numbers.
Holly: Oh! Good for you.
Kevin: Want an M&M?
Holly: Oh, no, that is so sweet. Thank you though.
Kevin: I keep them here at my desk so that everybody doesn't take them.
Holly: Well that is a very safe place for them.
Kevin: Yeah.


Michael is now extremely nervous around his new Holly-gram, and after the initial awkward exchanges, he offers to make her a mix tape for her ride in. Oh Holly, you've now truly been accepted. Who doesn't love listening to DMB's "Crash" while stuck in PA traffic?

Now, I know you all will hate me for this, but I kind of really hate creepy stalky Toby. His obsession with Pam seems a little off, no? Anyways, he goes to great lengths to find a camera to get a snap of him and and his immortal beloved.

KEVIN MMS.jpgJim calls Ryan, aka Beardio, to tell him about a big sale. Ryan tells him to redirect the sale to make it look like it was purchased online, and pretty much shuts him down. Jim then goes to help out Michael with his newfound HR crush, and uses himself and Pam as an inter-office reference guide. Jim realizes that not only is he in love with Pam, but almost every relationship highlight took place right there at Dunder Mifflin! Thank God the cameras were around to capture all of them for our viewing pleasure. Jim wants to propose to Pammy, and gives Phyllis a Goodfellas-esque envelope full of cash to get the job done.

Holly helps Kevin with the vending machine. He thinks she wants to bang him. You can understand how he came to that conclusion. ps Where's Stacy? Boo, I liked invisible Stacey. Jim, meanwhile, leaves Ryan a message saying he's not going to be pushed around anymore.

Back to the Holl-ster: She took her chair apart for lumbar support reasons. Michael tries to help her, and manages drops his Yoda impression. Strangely, he doesn't completely bomb with the girl! True love? Seems like it, no? Michael tries to ask her out, fails, gets invited to a non-existent orgy, and bonds over Jon Lovitz. Good lord, he is likable when he's nervous.

Angela shredded the vendor list to screw Phyllis. Phyllis, in turn, pushes Angela's things off a desk. Comme Ci, Comme Ça.

Now, one of the best parts of the episode: Toby's Exit Interview, which Michael has been looking forward to for years. He's got questions prepared -- even a gift! -- but all goes sour when his new paramour wants to sit in, and even Pam shows up to take notes. Captain Bruisin' kicks things off with "Of all the idiots, in all the idiot villages, in all the idiot worlds, you stand alone my friend." Then the girls show up. Which really took the bite out of the following questions, which went from rhetorical badgering to fakily interested: "Who... do you think you are?" -- "I'm Toby." Also "What gives you the right?" Holly helpfully gives Michael a list of HR-approved questions, such as "What would you improve about this place?" Michael then slyly threatens to kill Toby, lest he ruin his changes with Holly, and the Tobester gives in. Then, Pam makes Michael give Toby his watch. This whole scene was perfection.

The Dunderlings gather round Jim's desk to witness, strangely, a Youtube video of Ryan being arrested for misleading the shareholders with his little double dipping technique (and not, as Oscar suggested, for his beard.) Do you think he'll meet Prison Mike in jail? Michael definitely hopes so.

Michael is really upset about Ryan, like a little adorable child needing to be held. Holly comes in to console him. She really is sweet and simple like a lady baker.

JIM PAM PICS.jpgDUNDER MIFFLIN CARNIVAL ALERT. Pam has a feeling he'll propose. Poor Pam.

Michael and Holly ride the Ferris Wheel together, and then catch Dwight and Mose planting a raccoon in her car. Meredith, of course, picks the lock. Michael comes to the rescue for his new lady. He gives an emotionally driven speech claiming that Holly is the best thing to happen to Dunder Mifflin since World War II. Which leads us to ask: What happened to the company in WW2? Also, it seems that poor Meredith is eventually going to get rabies, whether she likes it or not. Holly touches Michael's arm, and sets off the fireworks a tad early.

MICHAEL SMILN.jpgKevin does Phyllis a solid and goes to buy BBQ sauce. Holly can't get over that he drives his own car, even though she herself drives her own car.

Michael gets up on the tiny stage to sing Toby a goodbye song, though, sadly, not "Beers in Heaven" or "Total Eclipse of the Fart." (Feel free to leave your own lyrics to these two songs in the comments.) Michael does a genius rendition of Supertramp's "Goodbye, Toby", and Pam admits that she thought Toby was kind of cute, which is a little strange and also all wrong. Kevin then calls Michael and tells him he needs to get down to the Supermarket NOW.

JAN PREG.jpgMichael arrives to find Kevin leavin' the Super with Jan... who is PREGNANTTTTTT OMFGGGG. Jan breaks the news to Michael that it's not his, but that she also didn't cheat on him during the relationship... in fact, she claims she went to a "great" sperm bank because, sadly, she did not want to carry Michael's seed. Given her age, she needed to "make this one count." But let's face it: THAT IS HUNTER'S BABY! Indie Rock can do crazy things to a cougar, you guys. Jan invites Michael to her lamaze class, and he has to "think about it."

The fireworks have started... this is it. Jim is GOING TO PROPOSE to Pam. He reaches in his pocket for the ring, but before he could get all gushy, Andy Bernard grabs the microphone... and

proposes

to

Angela.


(And also hilariously breaks Darryl's keyboard. Kudos to the sound effects person for that one.)

She gives him her tiny hand in marriage, and accepts.

JIM PAN PICS 21.jpgFine, she says "OK." STILL. Mr. Thunder Stealer ruined Jim's propsal! All of that firework money for nothing. Andy felt that the time was right. (He had been carrying around the ring for 6 years, can you blame him?) And sadly, Kelly will not be a bridesmaid. Dwight, understandably, is crushed. His little monkey is no longer his.

Toby still hasn't gotten his Pam pic, and finally gets one... or six. Because Pam's smile is weird. Because she thought Jim was going to propose. Sad. But honestly, at this point I'm more invested in the blooming love that is Michael and Holly. She fills him in on the drama he missed while at the supermarket, and mentions that she could use dessert. She doesn't realize who she's dealing with, as here is a guy who misses all the signals. Kevin offers to go eat pie with her. And, like that, she leaves. But how much fun will next season be with these two? We love Holly!

(Almost done...)

ANGELA YES.jpgMichael has a security guard escort Toby off of the premises. According the alarm on Toby's new watch, he leaves right on time. He then calls Jan and offers to accompany her to lamaze. You know Jan will freak if anything happens with this new Holly girl. Michael's going to be kind of a daddy. :'(

Finally?

Phyllis walks in on Dwight and Angela having sex. Good sweet God in Heaven. Amazing!! Also, whyyyyy?

(Longest recap ever? Check. Oh Jesus, I forgot about my thoughts on the episode...)

ANGELA YES2.jpgThoughts on the episode: Obviously, this was pretty much perfection. This episode actually made me feel all the more self-righteous about my dwindling Office love this season, as it proved to me the show could still be as funny as season's past. They went out on a really high note, with a lot of new plot twists, and even a new really likable character who seems to bring out Michael's most hilarious side. To be honest, Michael and Holly are totally my new JAM. And Jim and Pam? Well, they're kind of like Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt on Mad About You: I'm glad they found each other, but I'm really not that invested anymore. They've gotten a little boring ever since getting together.

So -- fantastic episode!! Let's hope this becomes a re-habit for the show.

Now, as usual, quote the episode with reckless abandon in the comments.
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PIC SLIP: Bear Butt! [16 May 2008|07:30pm]
bestweekever
  • This photo is titled Best Costume Ever. But I feel like I've seen that Snuffy-meets-Robin Antin costume before. Old news.


See the rest of today's pics, after the jump!
  • Hahahahaha.Polar bear butt! It's just like Briar Bear on Splash Mountain. I've never seen such a fetish before. But I guess they do actually pose like that. Go figure!
  • Look at how not-terrified Nick Cannon looks next to Mariah. He must have just seen Katie Holmes and the fate of his "marriage."
  • Americans will never learn. Segregation will never end positively. Now we're going to have to hear millions of emo songs about separate bathrooms so the guy/girls can apply their black eyeliner. I don't need any more of those songs.
  • Is it just me? Or does Eva Longoria routinely want to make you vomit? Maybe it was something I ate.
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P. Diddy Parents His Kid In The Coolest, Classiest, Most Successful Rapper-est Way Possible [16 May 2008|07:00pm]
bestweekever
diddy_creditcard.JPGIf you guys weren't aware, P. the Magic Diddy is a very rich and successful businessrapper. He has more money than everybody else. Everything he does is very expensive. Sometimes he eats money. And when his teenage son Quincy has his MTV Super Sweet 16 birthday reality show episode party, and wants some money so he can buy some more expensive things, Diddy gives him his Double Black Platinum Success Express Card, without hesitation, in the most rich, successful, rich, powerful way possible, as if he were god imbuing consciousness to all of mankind. Quincy is gonna go "buy New York" now, which is no big deal, because P. Diddy can afford two or three New Yorks.

This touching Diddy family moment, after the jump (and see the full episode on MTV this Monday, May 19, 2008 at 10:00PM)!

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[16 May 2008|03:23pm]

linguaphiles

[cest_lui]
Are there (m)any phrases in French and Spanish which are spelled or pronounced the same?
26 comments|post comment

Checkin’ In With Kathie Lee: NKOT-Who? [16 May 2008|06:33pm]
bestweekever
This morning, the worst parts of my childhood came back to haunt me as New Kids On The Block reunited and did a short concert for The Today Show. Folks lined up for days to catch a glimpse of the weathered looking boy band, who thankfully sang all of their old hits much to the delight of the 30-y.o. ladies trying to relive the best parts of their youth.

But don't let all the hullabaloo fool you: 4th hour Today Show host Kathie Lee still has no idea who New Kids On The Block Are. And judging by the joke she cracks, looks like she was instead listening to some old Shecky Green LPs. Check it out.

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LOST RECAP: Guys, I Think They Might Be Setting Some Stuff Up For The Finale [16 May 2008|06:15pm]
bestweekever
This is a recap of Lost episode "There's No Place Like Home (Part One)", Episode 12 of Season 4, airing May 15, 2008. If you're reading this and you haven't seen the episode yet, you will not understand the crazy combinations of English words into sentences that occur within.

IN MAD MAGAZINE THEY'D BE CALLED THE 'OCEANIC SUX'

Oceanic SixLast night's episode provided glimpses into the immediate mainland futures of the Oceanic Six, beginning with a very noticeably somber U.S. landing with Jack mechanically repeating agreed-upon instructions to his silent, downtrodden companions. The press conference that followed was overwhelmingly awkward, with several suspiciously inquisitive journalists grilling Kate about the months in her "pregnant with Aaron" story not being consistent, forcing an extremely unconvincing admission from Sun that Jin never made it off the plane, and noting that the six sure looked mighty healthy after spending several months on a deserted, presumably nonmagical island.

Among the subsequent Oceanic Six vignettes, Hurley's was the most interesting -- the odometer in the car his father had restored for him just so happened to be displaying the number sequence "4 8 15 16 23 42," which he immediately recognizes as the exact numbers that every "Lost" fan had in their AIM buddy icon .GIFs back in Season Two! This presumably expedites Hurley's faster descent into insanity than the rest of the Six (besides Aaron, who is obviously craaayzaayyyyy) and again hints at the island's unrelenting grip on the survivors immediately after their return to the mainland.

Sun smilingSun's future was the most unusual -- apparently, she managed to leverage her Oceanic settlement into a controlling interest in her father's company, meaning that either she received compensation in the tens of millions from Oceanic, banked the money almost immediately with believably suspicious little red tape, and purchased a significant percentage of shares without her father's knowledge or approval, OR, her father's company is actually some small internet startup and the shares aren't really that expensive. What if it turns out the latter is true, and her father's just been assassinating people from rival small internet companies? Either way, the vindictive Sun tells daddy that he's one of two people she blames for Jin's death -- the other, I assume, is herself, but I guess it could also be, I don't know, Rose? It's probably Rose.

Meanwhile, Jack is approached at his father's funeral (or his father's job interview for cabin haunter, depending on how you look at it) by Claire's alive and well mother, who informs him that Christian Shephard was Claire's father (told ya Jack knew about being related to Aaron, doubters from last week), before offering an uncomfortably knowing remark to Kate about how beautiful "her baby" is. So basically, all of the flash forwards pretty directly projected from-the-getgo doom for each one of the Sixers, and it should be interesting to see exactly what tragedy occurs next week to cast that initial pall over the survivors' escape. Maybe they just really miss the smoke monster.

IT'S FINALE TIME -- WHO'S DEAD?

ExplosivesI felt genuine, unashamed terror when a friend of mine asked, "Do you think that thing strapped to Keamy's body detonates the explosives on the freighter?" Whatever happens next week, though, the only thing we know for sure is that it results in Jack, Sun, Hurley, Sayid, Kate, and Aaron getting off the island. This means one or more of the following must occur:

1) When Locke 'moves' the island, it fractures the group in time and/or space, leaving the Six with no way to head back to the island and forcing them to bolt for civilization.

2) The freighter blows up and kills most of the extras and some characters. (I know more than one person in real life who'd turn suicidal if anything happened to Desmond.) The remaining survivors are then divided.

3) After some kind of resolution with the Keamy conflict, those specific six individuals decide they must return to the mainland, either as some sort of deal with Keamy or Ben; I find it very difficult to believe that the Six would leave their companions on the island voluntarily, as they appear to have no inclination in their immediate mainland futures to return to the island.

4) Things calm down and the group divides itself up among people who want to leave the island and those who want to stay. This seems wildly improbable, unless all the extras decide they want to stay or all the extras are conveniently killed, "Star Trek" style (see #2).

5) None of the above, because this finale is going to be more ridiculous than any prior episode and keep us talking about it excitedly / angrily all summer long.

If I had to predict, I'm saying a combination of #1 and #5.

STILL UN-CLAIR

Claire MomWhat the hell is gonna happen with Claire? Is she just definitely dead at this point, or in the island's weird state of in-between death, or is she just gonna wander back into physical reality next week? Perhaps Miles' ghost whispering will come into play, but that still won't explain how Sawyer saw her after her 'death,' or how she continued to carry Aaron. And what about Desmond's vision of Claire getting on a helicopter? Maybe she just gets on Frank's helicopter but not off the island or to any form of safety? We-eird.

I thought for sure one of the remaining episodes would be devoted to a Claire flash-forward, and I suppose the finale still could be, if the escape from the island is what's happening in real-time. But for such a seemingly important turn of events with numerous island implications, Claire has barely factored into the story the past few weeks, the cabin scene nonwithstanding.

ODDS N' ENDS

Sawyer- Last night's episode was more of a John Stockton than a Karl Malone -- meaning, it was more of a 'set up a whole buncha crap to (hopefully) go down in the finale' episode than a 'terrible father and human being' episode. (Also known as a 'Ben' episode.)

- Speaking of Ben, it now appears obvious that his seemingly all-knowing ways had been based on forseeing the future though his time jumps and that whatever Widmore did to "change the rules," it's resulted in the consistent failures of Ben's plans; obviously he didn't expect Alex to be shot, but when he showed up at the Orchid and was surprised to see the soldiers already there? Something like that never would've happened to omnipotent, Season 3 Ben.

- Nice to see Sawyer get back to being Sawyer -- his told-you-so encounter with Jack was a welcome departure from his "I've gotta save Claire" martyrdom from the other week, and it re-ingites the divide between the two alpha males that will likely result in their parting ways during the island escape.

- What role will the Others serve next week? Will Unaging Richard lead them into battle against the Keamy crew? Or will they just move along with the island? Something has to happen to split up their new captives...

- I also read the theory that Daniels from "The Wire" is actually grown-up Walt. Haven't fully wrapped my head around the implications of that, but it doesn't seem so outrageous.

- Death predictions? I think Frank's gonna die, and I think someone will cap Keamy, but I don't see any of the major characters dying (save whatever's going on with Claire). I've been wrong before.

- Also, predictions for the very final scene in the episode? One friend of mine suggested a huge freighter explosion without resolution as to who died and who didn't, another thought that Locke will move the island and the screen will just go to white or something else impossible time-wise will happen right before the end, but I'm personally predicting something completely out of the blue that appears subtle and underwhelming, but when we read blogs the next day explaining what it means, our jaws will drop. Want me to go into vaguer detail?

- Finally, if I could have re-written one line in last night's episode, I would've changed Sawyer's remark to Aaron in the jungle from "Who you talkin' to?" to "Who you talkin' to, Bottles?"

Only one episode left, Losties! Thoughts, theories, observations, death predictions, finale predictions, prediction predictions in the comments, now!
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ICYMI: Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse Playing Dangerous Game of Crack & Mouse [16 May 2008|06:10pm]
bestweekever
I have no idea what's going here. Best fan fiction explanation in the comments wins some sort of prize.

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Robyn, Bear-Headed Musicians And The View [16 May 2008|05:15pm]
bestweekever
From STEREOGUM -- Now doesn't that sounds enticing. Actually, it is. Great lil performance by Robyn. Remember her? Well Hasselback reminds us, if you don't. Check out Cobrastyle, after the jump! Robyn Brings Her "Cobrastyle" To The View
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<img [...] view">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/05/16/robyn-brings-her-cobrastyle-to-the-view/">http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/05/16/robyn-brings-her-cobrastyle-to-the-view/</a></p><strong>From STEREOGUM</strong> -- Now doesn't that sounds enticing. Actually, it is. Great lil performance by <Strong>Robyn</strong>. Remember her? Well <Strong>Hasselback</strong> reminds us, if you don't. Check out <em>Cobrastyle</em>, after the jump! <a id="more-23081"></a> <A href="http://stereogum.com/archives/video/robyn-brings-her-cobrastyle-to-the-view_009829.html" target="_blank">Robyn Brings Her "Cobrastyle" To The View</a> <img src="http://stereogum.com/img/robyn-view.jpg" width="450" alt="Robyn Brings Her "Cobrastyle" To The View" align="right" border="1"><p>Well sure, it's not exactly <em>her</em> "Cobrastyle." But turning up for estrogen hour at ABC studios with the suited Teddybears themselves indicates she's got clearance to do with it as she pleases. This morning, as a few weeks ago <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiXnstxTG_Y">on Letterman</a>, that meant bringing her big-headed Swedish buddies along to the TV studio and doing her Robyn-ized take on the cut. Are we posting the performance clip for R's fierce poses, for the synchronized bobbing of the Teddys, or as justification for the amazing Whoopi Goldberg-Sherri Shepherd-Robin Miriam Carlsson left-to-right on that still? The answer is yes. All that. </p> See the video <a href="http://stereogum.com/archives/video/robyn-brings-her-cobrastyle-to-the-view_009829.html" target="_blank">here</a>.
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I LIKE TO WATCH: Katie Holmes Stuffing Money In Her Undies [16 May 2008|05:20pm]
bestweekever
God bless Michael Cyril Creighton -- it takes a steely resolve and a sympathetic sense of humor (neither of which I possess) to sit through "Mad Money" (not the Jim Cramer show), "Untraceable" (not the story of Perez's website), and "The Great Debaters" (not that other inspiring school-related movie). I do, however, support the idea of stuffing huge wads of bills into my underwear...

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You Too Can Send Your Kids To Will Smith’s Private School! [16 May 2008|03:15pm]
bestweekever
From CELE|BITCHY -- This is not a joke. Mister Smith, who home schools his children, has decided to create his own private school instead. Where is it? In Calabasas, CA of course! What are the details of this specialized, and not-too-pricey institution? Check them out, after the jump! Will Smith’s private school is accepting applications for Fall


Will Smith has started his own private school in Calabasas, California for children from pre-kindergarten to grade 6 called the New Village Academy. It emphasizes learning by doing, technology and individualized instruction. According to the school’s website, which makes no mention of Smith, they will provide every child with a laptop computer, including pre-k students, and serve an all-organic low-fat sugar-free menu. It will cost $12,500 a year for grades 3-6 and $11,500 for K-2, with financial aid available for families who qualify.

Smith homeschools his two younger children, Jaden, 9 and Willow, 7, and told People Magazine last year that he wanted “to design the system that revolutionizes public education.”


Now Smith has paid about $890,000 to lease an existing school for three years, and classes will start this year, according to the school’s website and the May 26 edition of The National Enquirer.

I have a masters degree in education and many members of my family work in the school system. While the concepts on the website for Smith’s school are well described and sound like a good approach, it’s hard to know how they’ll be executed or if the school will be any good. What’s more is that Smith has made some arguably controversial statements about education. He doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree and never went to college, which is certainly not a requirement for starting a school and he’s been wildly successful in other endeavors in life. He is getting help from qualified experts, and even held a roundtable discussion with education leaders to help come up with ideas for the school. I know I started my son on computer education at a young age, and I do agree with Smith’s general concepts. It might be a decent school.

Smith told Reader’s Digest in an interview in 2006 that he could learn anything he set his mind to and that formal education was not necessary:

RD: Have you ever thought about going back to college?
Smith: The things that have been most valuable to me I did not learn in school. Traditional education is based on facts and figures and passing tests — not on a comprehension of the material and its application to your life. Jada and I homeschool our children, because the date of the Boston Tea Party does not matter.

RD: But there are some basics in education that need to be taught.
Smith: Of course there are. Reading, writing and arithmetic, because those are the languages of our country.

RD: When you say you homeschool, do you mean you actually teach them?
Smith: No, we have hired teachers who teach what we feel is important. For example, Plato’s Republic — kids need to know that. Why is that not taught in first grade?

RD: You think kids in elementary school should read Plato’s Republic?
Smith: Yeah. You cannot be an American without reading it and Aristotle’s Politics. That is what the forefathers of this country read, and they used them to create what I believe is the finest system of government that has ever existed.

RD: So, you don’t see any reason to go back to a formal education yourself?
Smith: I know how to learn anything I want to learn. I absolutely know that I could learn how to fly the space shuttle because someone else knows how to fly it, and they put it in a book. Give me the book, and I do not need somebody to stand up in front of the class.

RD: They put physics in a book, but I know I could never be a physicist.
Smith: The first step is you have to say that you can.

[From Reader’s Digest via ICYDK]

The website for the school doesn’t say much about religion, except that it is tolerant of all beliefs, backgrounds, and cultural differences. Will and Jada may be closet Scientologists, but you hope that none of that will be pushed on the children in their school. It will be headed by Jacqueline Oliver, Ed.D, that former head of Gillispe private day school in La Jolla, CA. She has no ties to Scientology that I could find.

Will Smith is shown with his two children, Willow and Jaden, at the Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards on 3/29/08, thanks to WENN. Thanks to the National Enquirer for alerting us to this story.

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Charts make me happy [16 May 2008|10:26am]

linguaphiles

[rathanylakan]
You know how most subjects have those laminated, fold-out study guides with all sorts of charts?

I have looked through many racks of these hoping for a linguistics one. I would love to have the whole IPA chart and other various charts all together like that. (My textbook doesn't have very clear or complete charts.) I guess I could hobble something together from online if there is no source for laminated charts.

Anyone know where I could get one? Though, info on good, printable, online charts would also be nice.

Also, I've been told my wish for complete charts and graphs is due to me being an asian language major. I am sketpical that we are the only ones who like our data organized.
4 comments|post comment

Jack Black’s Best Pose Yet. [16 May 2008|04:30pm]
bestweekever
For the past two days, we've brought you what feels like thousands of pictures of Jack Black hamming it up for the photogs in Cannes to promote his upcoming kid flick Kung Fu Panda. Well, believe it or not, there are yet MORE photos of Jack Black this morning, this time all dolled up for the film's premiere. And while, once again, he took his time on the red carpet to bring you all the same high kicks and karate poses you've become accustomed to over the past week, he did manage to strike one brand new pose that really made us chuckle:

JACK AND ANG PREG.jpg


There are a few other winners, but I fear my brain will explode if I create yet a third compilation. Consider it your pre-weekend gift that I don't.
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Tony Romo Dumps Jessica Simpson; Begins Looking For New Excuse For Future Playoff Chokes [16 May 2008|03:35pm]
bestweekever
Romo SimpsonThe balance of power in the NFC East may have shifted again today -- bad news, Giants / Redskins / Eagles / Jessica Simpson fans:
"Tony did dump Jessica," a source close to the quarterback told Us. "Of course, she's upset!"

Part of the reason for the break up after only six months?

"This Jen and John Mayer thing is eating her up, and she just can't handle it — and Tony has basically had enough," a Simpson pal told Us. "She's too much to handle."


Rejoice, Cowboy fans! Now, when Tony Romo does his molestor-ey "Tony Romo, Eastern Illinois University" intro on Monday night football and winks and snaps and points at the camera and smiles and has his tooth gleam, he'll be single! And he might finally win a postseason game now!

Yes, the famous playoff game he blew a year ago by fumbling the snap on a last-second field goal happened before he was dating Jessica, but, um... I guess he was just anticipating dating her in the future? Clearly, all is fixed now.
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Best Day Ever: May 15, 2008 [16 May 2008|03:30pm]
bestweekever
Lost secrets revealed and Doug Benson travels to Narnia…tonight on Best Day Ever.

Best Day Ever: 5-15-08
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ICYMI: Bill O’Reilly Freakout Week Brings Us One Last, Best Bit Of Hilarity [16 May 2008|03:00pm]
bestweekever
oreillyproducer.jpgWho would have thought that a 20 year-old outtake from Inside Edition with Bill O'Reilly losing his sh*t about not being able to read a teleprompter would inspire so much wonderful hilarity on the Internets this week? We've seen remixes and compilations and Colbert (oh my!), but in my opinion none of those things measure up in laugh-out-loud funniness to the clip below from Barely Political, in which we imagine what Bill's producer might have been yelling back at him from behind the camera in the midst of this now-classic meltdown - I LLOL'd. Thanks for a great week, Bill!

Check out the clip after the jump!

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CAPTION THIS: This Little Petey Wentz To The Gas Station [16 May 2008|02:30pm]
bestweekever
"Heyyy, does anyone know how to get to the spiky bangs and ridiculous ill-fitting clothing store? I need to go there."

615720.JPG


(via INF Daily)
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Do You Have a Hilariously Punny Drag Name? You Might Be “America’s Next Top Drag Queen”! [16 May 2008|02:00pm]
bestweekever
RUPAUL SITE.JPG


Sistah network LOGO has just launched what will perhaps be the greatest show/website of our lifetime: RuPaul's Drag Race, the biggest kiki of 2008. Are you or do you wish to be America's Second Most Famous Drag Queen (it is Roop's show, after all), then you're in luck: The casting site is launched and just dying to receive your fabulous submissions. Listen to this plea:

"Give us your wretched weaves, your 6-inch stilettos, your sagging falsies, all yearning to breath free. The internet now has a haven for starry-eyed drag queens looking to be famous not only in their own minds but on TV as well!" Go to www.RuPaulsDragRace.com and make your voter profile today!


Check out the sites most popular draggies:

RULPAUL 2.JPG


Now I don't want to start rumors... but I'm pretty sure that first girl is Maria Menounos. You didn't hear it from me.
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While You Were Wanting To Murder Andy Bernard [16 May 2008|01:45pm]
bestweekever
ELLEN PORT.jpg
  • Break our your best backwards sateen tuxedo... Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi are getting married!


  • Oh dear Christ. In an ironic twist, Ellen Degeneres' doppleganger Owen Wilson and actress Kate Hudson have called it quits again. We're not sure the American Public can buckle in for another rolly coaster ride, Owe. Keep it simple this time, we beg you. And love you? Yes, why not.


  • Prepare to get your minds blown, as you play "Christina Aguilera or Drag Queen." One and the same, for literals.


  • Good sweet God, has the apocalypse descended? Star Jones actually says something funny! "'If I punched every bitch who called me fat, it would be dead bitches all up and down the highway.'"


  • Looks like Kathie Lee Gifford spends the fifth hour of the Today Show putting back a couple of gallons of whiskey, judging by her one liners at The Friars Club this week. Hell, she sounds like a blast.

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BWE Alarm Clock for Friday, May 16 [16 May 2008|01:00pm]
bestweekever
Alarm Clock


Because it's never too late to celebrate Mother's Day.

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earthman vs. earthling [16 May 2008|04:31pm]

linguaphiles

[unwis_virvatuli]
Sorry to disturb the community so often :), but would you tell me what word is better in the following situations? a)an alien addresses some people on the Earth to ask the way, b) an earthman addresses people of the Earth in general in a rather pompous letter.
15 comments|post comment

'I demand that you mind your vocabulary!' [16 May 2008|04:07pm]

linguaphiles

[unwis_virvatuli]
Hello, I have a question:) How is it better to say in English "I demand that you mind your vocabulary", "I demand that you watch your language", "I demand that you choose your lexicon" to express the meaning: I want you to think what words you use about it (it's a reply to an insult)?
Also, the phrase itself should sound like an official protest, not teacher-like, and I was told the phrase 'I demand that you mind your vocabulary!' sounds exactly like a teacher's remark.
Is it actually possible to use 'lexicon' in this meaning? What would a native English speaker say in this situation?
Thanks
59 comments|post comment

Correct? (Turkish) [16 May 2008|02:59pm]

linguaphiles

[liliths_diary]
[ music | Rafet El Roman - Bana Sen Lazımsın ]

Merhaba!

Bu masaj tam mı?
Is this message here grammatically correct?
If someone could let me know and edit any mistakes for me, that would be sooooo harika! :)))

Çok teşekkürler!

'Lilith'

Günler ve geceler sensiz bütün boş.
Seni çoook özlüyorum.
Kalbim ve dudaklarım sana can atıyorlar.
Şimdeden ertesi öpücüke çok sabırsızlıkla bekliyorum.
Umuyorum çok eğliyorsun.
Unutma beni!
Seni çoook seviyorum, kalbim!
-Dudun (Your 'Dudu')
PS- Salamlar Engine! (Greetings to Engin (or) Say hi to Engin for me)

*x-posted in turkish_lang

10 comments|post comment

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