“Thomas Edison wasn’t trying to invent something that was readily available in a wide variety of stores near his home.”

broderic on September 22, 2010

Copenhagen Fashionista on Wheels
Picture courtesy Mikael Colville-Andersen of Copenhagen Cycle Chic Blog

She takes her bike and paints it green. She hangs a white basket off the front and places a bell on the handlebar. She doesn’t wear spandex, but a flirty skirt. A smart, navy jacket rounds out the ensemble. Putting her bag in the basket, she pushes off towards her destination. The crisp morning air as she moves through it brings a slight blush on her cheeks. Her sunglasses catch the sun and she flashes that smile of hers as she enjoys the morning ride. Picture perfect.

Here’s to girls that ride bikes. The greatest invention. The bike. Plus, females. The two combine for beautiful motion. They are things to be happy about.

“Boy, I love a good party. Do you love a good party, Joe?” “It’s why I went to college, sir. It’s also why I didn’t graduate.”

broderic on September 21, 2010

In honor of Orioles playing the Red Sux, here’s my thoughts and/or review of Ben Affleck’s The Town.

Here’s the plot: Heat in Boston. It absolutely follows the plot of Michael Mann’s film. Super efficient, highly competent bank robbers (Affleck, Remmer and crew) hunted by a go for broke law enforcement man (that guy with the jaw from AMC’s Mad Men). There is the girl with the baby and the girl who may or may not be dropped in thirty seconds or less. There are heists and double crosses and one last big score with all this heat on them. Yup. If you’ve seen Heat, you’ve seen this one.

Heat by the way is one of my all time favorite movies. Top 5.

The Town isn’t so bad. It’s competently directed by Affleck starring a competent Affleck. Rebecca Hall is a beauty. Pretty. I would watch the movie again to stare at that face for another 2 hours. She’s just my type.

Jeremy Remmer always makes me nervous. His nonchalant demeanor always comes across as reckless whether as a bomb squad member or as a member of Affleck’s bank robbing crew. You’re always waiting for him to do something off the wall that’ll make your palms sweat. Here he takes the last big score. “I ain’t ever going back [to prison],” he says and you know that it’s a death wish.

The last heist was cool. Taking on the Red Sox. Let’s hope the Orioles bring down the house on the Red Sox just as the cops take it to the robbers.

3 of 5 stars.

“Nice to meet you, Andrea Planbee.”

broderic on September 19, 2010

Easy A is the 2010’s Mean Girls. Emma Stone is Lindsay Lohan — same chubbiness, same red hair, same throaty voice. Let’s hope she doesn’t flush her career down the tubes with drinking and drugs. If she looses 15 lbs, it’s the first sign of impending celebrity implosion.

The movie’s plot centers around Stone’s character, Olive, as she makes herself out to be the school skank after a lie she told was warped by the grapevine. This riles up the geeks to hit her up for some of that lying action. She does and they gain some notoriety. Then the school prayer group takes it upon themselves to get her kicked out school. Then the school mascot was always in love with her. Then the school guidance counselor, the school’s coolest teacher, and a weird hairy chrisitan showed up to add another plot thread. This is just to say that there were a lot of plotlines in this movie.

The writers of the movie played a lot off of 80s teen comedies: Say Anything, Can’t Buy Me Love, The Breakfast Club. It tries to bring all those into play. So it was quite something with all these plotlines. It should’ve just settled itself as Mean Girls.

2 of 5 stars.

“You’re sitting in the house that ‘Honk if you’re horny’ built.”

broderic on September 16, 2010

I think I am a fanatic for the Baltimore Orioles. You want to know how I know? These are the t-shirts of Orioles that I have and how I acquired them:Adam Jones 10 — bought last year
Matt Weiters 15 — bought this winter from www.mattweiterfacts.com
Koji Uehara 19 — bought last night
Ty Wiggington 23 — free t-shirt night
Buck Showalter 26 — free t-shirt night
Jason Berken 49 — free t-shirt nightI bought two caps this year, too. I usually buy a new cap each season. The second one bought this year is a cool replica vintage cap from the 50s and 60s.And I can't forget to mention, I did get all the mini bobble heads this year.I went to back-to-back games these past two nights once for the free t-shirt (Showalter) and last night to finish out my season ticket plan. That was 13 games, but I didn't go to all of them. I plan to finish out the season with Detroit using up the season tickets I didn't use. I'll have to check the count, but that was at least 16 games this year. They're still not a very good organization and next year is a new year, but I'm ecstatic about our Orioles. Sorry, to the three readers of the blog, for making this a baseball blog, but, well, you know….

“Giggle if you must. Chicks love it.”

broderic on September 15, 2010

Was at the Orioles game tonight and witnessed a beat down of a Toronto team that has owned the Orioles all season. The final was 11-3, but those 3 runs were during garbage time off of some Oriole pitcher I don’t even know.

This is the best the Orioles have played in years. This stretch after the new manager, Buck Showalter, was hired has been phenomenal. They are 26-15. I wished for playing .500 ball under Showalter, and I got it. It’s great watching them at the Yard.

The pitching is there. The starters have been very good pitching into the sixth inning and beyond. Keeping the game manageable. The bullpen aren’t throwing fuel on the fire, but are actually doing there job in minimizing the damage and at time shutting the opponents bats. Koji Uehara has become our closer and just plain deals it everytime out. He’s almost unhittable. The pitchers are jelling and make the games easy.

The hitting is there. Luke Scott showing the big bat. Felix Pie flashing some brilliance with the bat. He’s come out to be a really good player. Adam Jones — adequate. I like that they’re all contributing.

The defense isn’t scary. They used to just suck. Now they are serviceable. Amazing.

I like.

"That's noble of you, Lisa, but this is not the Bay of Pigs. "

broderic on September 14, 2010

"That's noble of you, Lisa, but this is not the Bay of Pigs. "
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
Mom wondering why we’re so high up at Camden Yards?

UPDATE: I love sitting up here at the top of Camden Yards. You get the normal beautiful view of Baltimore and turn around to see the other side you don’t normally see which too is great. There’s a slight breeze up here too. And if you’re crazy enough, you’ll make the jumbotron.

“If the Hunchback is running a deficit, you’d think Mickey Mouse would bail him out? Hell, no!”

broderic on September 14, 2010

Woohoo! The Orioles are no longer the cellar dwellers of the American League. For now, it’s Seattle who holds that sad, sad title. Sorry, Mariners, but the Orioles need to flew their muscles and show their true selves. At least you can be comforted to know that the second pick in next years draft are a couple of different pitchers.

Can you really believe this? The Orioles are trying to finish the season on a strong note. They won last night for the first time all season against the Blue Jays. I am amazed.

Let’s do this tonight! Go Orioles!

“Hey, Bill. What’s the word?” “Thunderbird, sir.” “There you go.”

broderic on September 13, 2010

Monday Morning Musings [part IV: A New Hope]I'm writing this instead of doing some work and it's only about a quarter after 9. I don't look forward to work at all. I can't wait until Friday.As I was taking a shower, I thought that I would like to listen to some ska on the ride in. Should I pull one of my CDs in the CD cubby in the living room or listen to the Trojan box set that's been in the Mini since I bought it 2 summers ago. Of course, once changed, I completely forgot about the CD. I still remembered that I wanted to listen to ska, so it was the Trojan box set once again.As I listened, I wondered what I like about ska. The rhythm? Yes to the skanking guitars on the upbeat. The energy to the songs? Yes, I needed to bop around in the seat. The horn section! That was it! Music needs more horns and saxophones and trombones. Bring those back.Now, is there a band today that has a horn section? And was the 80s the epitome of alternative musical instruments? Plenty of bands made use of the saxophone: INXS, Bruce Springsteen, (fill this in for me, please). Horn sections make the band more fun. See James Brown.Bring back the horns to music.