Friday LinkFrogging

Welcome once again kids to our weekly recap of our myriad journeys through the internet.

This has become a highlight for all of us and we’re hoping you’re enjoying the links as much as we’re enjoying compiling them for you.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this week’s cheesecake.  The lucky lady this week is Julie Bowen currently starring on ABC’s breakout hit, Modern Family.  This is far and away the funniest new show on television and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you’re not watching it.  You may also recognize Julie from Boston Legal, Happy Gilmore or, most of the GonzoGeek staff’s favorite, Ed.

Stephe and I originally had Julie slated for cheesecake duty a couple of weeks ago, but had a hard time finding the appropriate picture.  We’re sure glad we waited.  I bet you are too.

Quick piece of Modern Family trivia.  According to Wikipedia, Ed O’Neill, who plays the family patriarch, Jay Pritchett, is  a black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.  You don’t mess with Al Bundy kids.

On to the links.

Obamagram: Expectations and Responsibilities

The following is the full text of the most recent Obamagram from Charles A. Lewis of Coach House Capital. I think it contains some healthy perspective:

As is my wont, let me begin at the beginning.  My wife, Penny Sebring, and I had lunch alone with Obama in July 2003 to get to know him as he was planning a run for the U.S. Senate.  We came away thinking “he’s too good to be true.”  Too smart, too articulate, too reflective and too analytical to be a politician.  

After doing extensive due diligence and after his first year in the Senate, I came to believe his “intellect, temperament, and worldview” made him suitable for the presidency.  It seemed like his emotional intelligence – most particularly his empathy and self-knowledge – were rare among politicians.  Here’s what I wrote in February 2007 just before he announced his candidacy:  “I am committed to getting him nominated and elected (because he) is deliberative and reflective, not ideological.” 

 Looking at President Obama’s performance in office so far, I think I got what I expected – and maybe even more.

 True to form, he has approached the job with an unusually high degree of intelligence, a calm demeanor, and a sophisticated and nuanced worldview.

 Obama knew he would inherit two wars were he to win the presidency.  And, he espoused an ambitious agenda topped by health care, energy-climate change, and education during the campaign.  But, it wasn’t until well into the general election campaign that it became apparent that an existential economic crisis would demand his attention immediately after the election, delaying and competing with his own agenda.

So far, so good....

 Soon after taking office earlier this year, the new President was soundly scolded for trying “to do too much.”  When he was inconveniently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, we were told that he hadn’t yet “accomplished anything.”

 The way I see it, the President has made considerable progress on the economy and health insurance reform, while putting in motion many of his other initiatives.

 Little has been written about how the President’s steady hand and intellectual acuity helped to steer us clear of the economic shoals.

 Amidst the inane accusations of socialism, the President has gotten precious little credit for this major accomplishment.  Such is our abiding faith in our capitalistic system’s resilience.  We just expect – even demand – that it quickly snap back to “normalcy” after every setback and burst bubble.

The Ultimate Fighter – Heavyweights, Episode 9

Tonight we begin the quarter finals.  There are only 8 fighters remaining.

Tonight’s fight is between Roy “Big Country” Nelson and Justin Wren.

Wren impressed me in his first fight by submitting UFC veteran Wes Sims in the first round.

Tonight he takes on a much tougher opponent in Nelson.  Nelson’s physique belies his abilities as a fighter, but he still hasn’t impressed Dana White.

Other happenings?

Matt Mitrione may have a concussion after his fight with Scott Junk.  OR, he might be faking it like he did the arm injury before his fight with Junk.  The house is pretty divided.  Dana White paid a surprise visit to the house to check on Mitrione.

The talk turns to who would replace Mitrione if he isn’t cleared to fight in the quarter finals.  Everyone seems to think the spot should go to Kimbo Slice.  Granted, he’s the biggest name among the eliminated fighters, but it was Scott Junk who went three brutal rounds with Mitrione two weeks ago.  If I was junk and Kimbo got the call ahead of me, I’d be pissed.  I’m just saying.

Team Rampage filled Rashad’s car with chickens (or “cocks” if you’re 12) because, well, I guess they don’t have much to do with only 1 fighter in the quarters.

Let’s go to the octagon for the match.

Interview: ‘Possum Walk’ writer/director Jeremy Sumrall

‘Possum Walk’ writer/director Jeremy Sumrall grew up in New Waverly, Tex., about an hour north of Houston, on Possum Walk Road. He decided the name would work well for the small-town setting of a horror movie, then expanded it to be the name of the movie itself.  

Sumrall has written a number of scripts over the years in several styles (slasher, supernatural, occult, etc.), but could never finish anything before going back to the old adage ‘write about what you know.’

“I don’t really know a whole lot,” Sumrall explains. “But a couple of years ago my niece had a pregnancy scare, and naturally, since she’s in a small town, people immediately began looking down on her. She was an unmarried, small-town, 19 year old who grew up believing you do things a certain way: grow up, get married, then start having kids. That’s not the generation a lot of us live in anymore, but in small towns it’s still prevalent.”

His niece’s situation got Sumrall thinking about the general lack of privacy in small-town life — in order to have any secrets you have to be really sneaky about it – and provided the basic idea for his first motion picture, ‘Possum Walk.’

The Ultimate Fighter – Heavyweights, Episode 8

The show opens right where my DVR cut off last week, with Rampage Jackson destroying the locker room door after Matt Mitrione beat Scott Junk by decision and put Team Rampage down 0-7.

Then we gear up for this week’s fight, the final of the first round. 

I have to admit I’ve been looking forward to this one since they showed Marcus Jones sparring several weeks ago.  Jones, a former NFL first round pick, is raw but dedicated. 

His opponent, Mike Wessel, has largely been a non-entity in the house so I don’t have a real feel for him.  Wessel tells us that his wife is battling cancer while he’s trying for a slot in the UFC.  That’s dedication on both of their parts.

We get another confrontation between Darrill Schoonover and Rampage.  Rampage offers to make amends with “Titties” before feeling him up.  Schoonover nearly snaps.  Rampage may be playing with fire.

A practical joke in the house leads to Marcus Jones going nuts.  I have to say, if you’re going to be part of the UFC I think you should have a thicker skin than that.  If “sucks balls” is more than you can handle, then maybe this isn’t for you.

Of course, come fight time, maybe I’ll be wrong.

Steven Adler’s Dead!

Well, not in real  life. But he plays a Jeffrey Dahmer victim in new ’slasher comedy’ ‘Dahmer vs. Gacy.’ You can see Adler very briefly around the :41 and 1:03 marks in the trailer for the Ford Austin movie.  Adler reportedly first gets picked up and then killed with a drill to the head by Dahmer.

Steven Adler, ready to rock!

I wish I could make a joke about it being payback for all the pain he’s caused the rest via his on-going musical efforts with Adler’s Appetite, but as basically a glorified Guns n’ Roses cover band my one time seeing them (with Quiet Riot and Bang Tango no less) was actually a really good time. They do their thing very well.

This Chick Plays Dirty

I heard about this clip on the radio last night.  I had to see it for myself.

Elizabeth Lambert pulls out all the stops in a recent BYU/New Mexico women’s soccer game.

Yes, I believe catfights would increase attendance.

Enjoy.

The Super Hero Squad Show

I love the Super Hero Squad toys from Hasbro.

The tiny little good guys and bad guys make nice desk decor.

They’re so popular that everyone from DC to Dark Horse has gotten into the act.

Green Arrow, Thor and Hellboy

So it came as no surprise that Marvel would spin these little moneymakers off into a cartoon series.  What better way to sell the toys.  Its a time honored tradition.

My kids were jacked up about the debut of the cartoon, so I set the DVR.

I told Stephe, who had already seen an episode.  His response?

The Colorado Kid – the review

On an island off the coast of Maine, a man is found dead.  There’s no identification on the body.  Only the dogged work of a pair of local newspapermen and a graduate student in forensics turns up any clues, and it’s more than a year before the man is identified.

With The Colorado Kid we come to the end of the Hard Case stash series.

I saved this one for last for one reason.  Its written by Stephen King.  He was far and away the biggest name in the batch of books.  He’s sold millions of books.  Why would he write a little pulp book for Hard Case?  I’m guessing because he could.

Before we go any further let me set the record straight.  I’m not a Stephen King fan.  I’ve read It and The Stand and I just don’t get it.  I thought It was a good book until the end.  A spider?  Really?

Lost me there Steve-O.

So, I guess that’s another reason for me waiting until last for this one.

The good news?  No child killing clown spiders or dark cowboys.

The better news?  Its a fun book.

Friday LinkFrogging

If its Friday, then it must be time for our gang (gaggle?) of GonzoGeeks to take you on a trip through the wonderful world of the web as seen through our seriously skewed worldview.

But before we set off on our journey, let me offer you a slice of cheesecake.  This week, its Daffney, TNA superstar and all around cool chick.

Why you may ask?

The answer is quite simple.  Before it was cancelled, this was the scheduled weekend for Wizard World Texas, an event Stephe and I attended for all of its years, including last year where we met Daffney and convinced her to be our first celebrity interview.  Since then, Daffney has gone on to play The Governor (TNA’s parody of Sarah Palin) and emerge on the other side as the goth chick she was meant to be.  She’s currently rehabbing a broken arm.

Get well soon Daff!

Now, on to the links.