http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Fri, 17 Mar 2006 12:06:06 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/03/17/120606.php Mark My WordsWatching the previews for The Loop, I had pretty high expectations for the show. It looked fresh and funny and appeared as though it would be a laugh a minute. However, the Fox "baseball bat of reality" came and socked me on the head.The show is "not enough" and "too much" all rolled in to one. Hopefully, it will get better, but for now, it's just coming up as a big loser. I believe it's an attempt to jump in on the kind of groundbreaking style that Scrubs has introduced to us. In fact, Phil Hall's character "Russ" borrows heavily from "Dr. Kelso", portrayed by Ken Jenkins on Scrubs.Unlike the characters on Scrubs, I just don't care about the kids on The Loop. I don't associate with this kind of lifestyle (meaning - kids living like they're in a college dorm, but they aren't anymore). This happy, drunken, slapstick frat-house lifestyle worked in the movie Old School, but I don't think I want a TV series that reflects this. The characters of the slutty girlfriends (Lizzy) and the stoner brother (Sully), to most, aren't realistic. And unfortunately, anybody who grew up (or is growing up) dealing with a stoner brother and/or a slutty girlfriend/boyfriend are NOT laughing about it...or won't be laughing about it for long.Also, as in all sitcoms since Seinfeld and Third Rock From the Sun went off the air - where are the friends with potbellies and bad complexions? Does everybody that you know (or knew in your 20s) look like they just stepped off the cover of Seventeen magazine? On that note though, I have to mention a couple of things.First of all, Mimi Rogers' portrayal of "Meryl." I could accept her playing a modern day pants-chaser if her dark brown hair coloring didn't make her look about 70-years old. On the other side of the coin, my interest was only perked when the character of "Piper" was featured on screen, adorably portrayed by eye-candy actress Amanda Loncar (yet another cast member with an amazingly small resume).Another thing I fear is the premise of the show taking place with the lead character playing a junior executive at an airline. How long do you think before the Anti-Bush/Homeland Security jokes start to fly? Video45138@blogcritics.org Fri, 17 Mar 2006 12:06:06 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/03/17/033904.php Mark My WordsIt's not very well known, but there has been an unwritten protocol for behavior in a men's room. At least there always has been for me. However, it seems recently, in the workplace, all those walls of isolation that my father and my father's father's generation have begun to be torn down.If I'm in the men's room at work, I'm there for one reason only. I don't care what kind of day you're having, how your family is or what you're doing this weekend. In fact, I don't want YOU to know the same things about ME. The bathroom is not the place.Another thing is this: if there are empty stalls or standers in the men's room, DO NOT take the one that's right next to me. That is extremely rude... not to mention, creepy.And another thing, this is a bathroom where people go to relieve themselves, it's NOT A PHONE BOOTH. I don't want to hear you talking to your girlfriend or wife about your plans for the next few hours or days! Sorry!And please, if you have some sort of medical condition or you're just getting too damn old to take a pee in under 30 seconds, do it in a stall with the door SHUT, not a stander! I don't want to be reminded of my own mortality while watching you grunt and groan in discomfort for dear life while letting it dangle over the drain.And finally, don't wait for me to come out. I'm purposely dragging my time until you're back at your desk to avoid any and all contact with you. If I hear anybody in another stall I WILL wait you out until you're gone. I just won't take my afternoon break, that's all. As a co-occupant of a men's room, I expect you to "go" in mid-flush, wipe while somebody else is flushing and not make any sounds of relief like you would in your own home with your wife and kids listening!! And, most importantly, STAY OUT OF "MY" STALL!! Culture45086@blogcritics.org Fri, 17 Mar 2006 03:39:04 EST