Shame 101: Charlie Sheen?

Good Time Charlie Is Having Too Good A Time for Shame?

Yeah, he makes his living by playing the lead in a TV sit con. But his joking? around about crack is a bit too much. Charlie says: If you can handle crack go for it? He sounds like a smart ass headed for the career termination bureau, or a guy who likes to take mug shots.

Don't kids watch bad Uncle Charlie on Tv? There's a kid on the show Two and a Half Men? Well, he isn't the kid's role model? Or is he?

Some times being a badass is cool, like in the movies. Even in the movies the hero doesn't beat up on prostitutes - not even allegedly. Nor does the hero trash hotel rooms. Rock stars do the trashing to sell albums, but, even the alleged smacking around of women has never been cool. But --

As his fans say: Has he been convicted? Is he only the victim of rumors, and of complaining women? He hasn't been seriously, convicted, (yet) of smacking around people? Has he?.

Charlie Sheen has his fans.

Charlie Sheen has lawyers and publicists, and fans, and he gets the best spin on everything that he does. And people don't want to hear anything bad about entertainers who can make them laugh. Well, most people don't.

He's Martin Sheen's son, so he can't be evil, maybe a little wicked. There are evil people out there and he is not one of them. He is a bit of a bad boy., Charlie is just a non-grown-up-grown-up, right?

But -- I wonder if he feels his father's unhappiness? He seems to make his father ashamed.

Item from the Associated Press -- "Sheen: Crack OK if You Can Manage It 'Socially' Charlie Sheen is off work from "Two and a Half Men" but still making jokes, including about when his top-rated sitcom might resume production." See the video.

Shame 101: Madoff, Just Another Con?

Do Con Men Feel Shame?

Bernard Madoff, the con man of the century, who made off with billions of dollars of other people's money, now says. Gee, fellas. The bank were ‘complicit’ Go and collect the money that I stole. Get it from them. Hee hee, Hee. Well, America's most infamous, convicted swindler, in so many words, said that in a recent jailhouse interview.

;From NBC News --"By definition the Ponzi scheme(r) would have to be one of the biggest liars, but what he's saying in interviews and e-mails in the New York Times is what many suspect. Yeah, he was a crook but a lot of his biggest investors had to know it. Bernard Madoff says banks and hedge funds were guilty of willful blindness as they continued doing business with him without asking questions. He didn't name the banks and hedge funds but told the Times; (they) had to know. but the attitude was, if you're doing something wrong, we don't want to know." See the video.

The con man is taking the credit for helping the court appointed trustee to recover some of the stolen money, by pointing the finger to the likes of J.P. Morgan Chase and to the owners of the New York Mets. Both of whom denied suspecting Mr. Madoff of fraud. Yeah?

Madoff's fraud wiped out a lot of smaller investors. Why is he pointing the finger at the banks? Maybe he wants company? Though he is reported to have said that he won't give criminal evidence against anyone. Maybe he's trying to get a decade or two knocked off of his ninety nine year sentence? Yeah, still conning, huh? Or not?

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No Shame To Berlusconi's Game?

Shame 101? Equals No Shame?

When the head of a government thinks that he is so far above the law, and that he can do anything he wants, then there is always trouble.

In Italy, the Prime Minister of that country, Silvio Berlusconi, has been accused of having paid sex with an underage teen runaway and he has been ordered to stand trail. He is charged with child rape and with abuse of power..

The prosecutors charge that the 74-year-old, Mr Berlusconi, paid a 17-year-old for sex and used his influence to cover it up.

The billionaire prime minster, according to prosecutors, began a relationship with the teen age girl when he was probably just 16.

Mr.Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing, says he will fight the charges "tooth and nail."

From NBC News -- "A judge ordered a fast track trial that will send (Mr.Berlusconi) straight to a three-judge panel, all women. Meanwhile, women all over the country have demanded he resign. He refuses, adding he's always given women attention and respect, making them feel special. He said he's not worried about trial calling it all a politically motivated attack. If convicted (Mr.Berlusconi ) could face up to 15 years in prison." See the video.

Well, the gentleman's defense is that he made the young girl feel special? Talk about being full of ones self?

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Quitting Facebook

As much as I’ve complained and griped and moaned about Facebook, I’ve never gone more than a small weekend or week-long hiatus. I’ve never disabled my account (as several of my friends have), I’ve never deleted the icon from my web browser, and I’ve never gone for many days without at least glancing around, seeing what everyone’s up to.

Until now.

Last week, I quit Facebook. For good? That’s yet to be decided. So far, I’m not missing all that much. I do miss my word games—which were never those application games that so many people play, but instead actual live games that take place with real judges on actual Facebook profile pages—and the several friends I made through them.

However, other than that, there isn’t much to miss. I don’t miss the whining, the stupid complaints about things that are so inconsequential they’ll be forgotten within hours, the meanness or cruelty. I don’t miss the rude behavior, the pseudo-intellectual battles over seemingly random topics, the grotesque chat-speak and spelling, or especially the urge to check Facebook every so often to find out about crap that doesn’t matter. The excuses I once used—using the site to organize events, for example, or to schedule play dates—are gone. I’m not scheduling events anymore, for one; let someone else do it for a while. And my daughter has plenty of play dates and social activities going on each week now without me needing to drum up new people to hang out with (though it’s always nice to meet new people).

Most importantly, I’ve realized that most people who really matter are a quick phone call or email away; I’ve already talked with a few friends both ways, as well as via my blog.

I have noticed, however, even more harms from my Facebook experience. I relied heavily on it for communication and social interaction—so much that, perhaps, I’ve gotten lazy over the last couple of months. Sure, it’s been cold and we’ve had a blizzard and such, but even general events we might normally attend have been cancelled in what was perhaps the lackadaisical expectation that we could always just connect on Facebook, so why bother?

I am quite content without Facebook these days; I spend less time on the computer—and the time that I do spend on it is more productive than it has been lately. Though some vices may be fine in moderation, you just have to quit others that tear at you every day. I left Facebook for the same reason I don’t watch the nightly news—I just really don’t need that visceral hatred or so many shallow relationships (many friends and loved ones excluded, of course) in my life. I don’t think anyone else really does, either.

Bieber = Upgrade From Ozzy? Yeah, I Don't Think So

In a recent Super Bowl commercial, Best Buy announced that when it’s time to upgrade one of your technological products (since it’s ALWAYS time to upgrade, since companies use planned obsolescence every day to make sure we’re constantly buying, upgrading, wasting resources, and funding genocide), they’ll buy it back so you can get the new version (because you NEED IT! You need it badly, right now, and you should stand in a line all night until you get it!). Well, the policy itself, if it is even true at face value, is a little cool, since it would be less costly for people in general. But the commercial is pretty stupid.

It has Ozzy Osbourne attempting to tell the public about this deal, but he’s so “outdated” that he just can’t get a grasp on the technology. So they bring in one of the most annoying media presences of the decade (not longer than a decade, since that’s about as old as he is), Justin Bieber, to take over for Ozzy. The implication is that Bieber is the “upgrade” of Ozzy Osbourne.

Wait—what? Justin Bieber is not just being compared with Ozzy Osbourne; he’s being hailed as his…upgrade?

I have tears running down my face, I’m laughing so hard. If humor is what you were going for, Best Buy, you totally rocked it, because that’s just the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. Of course, I don’t think that was the part you meant to be humorous. I think the part you meant to be humorous was the end of the commercial, during which Ozzy asks, “What’s a Bieber?” and is told that “it looks like a girl.” As much as I detest children being used as media ploys and all of the gross commercialism that surrounds them—there’s nothing that creates tiny tot consumers faster than putting a tiny tot on stage, after all—I don’t think it’s right to make fun of Justin Bieber or to question his gender on national television as a joke. It’s not funny.

But comparing him, a fly-by-night fad reminiscent of New Kids on the Block, the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and every other boy band bane of my childhood, to Ozzy Osbourne, who no matter what you think of him and what he’s done to animals and the English language, is an actual rocker, musician, talent, and cultural impact that will last as long as humans do, even post-death, is.

Upgrade, indeed. If this is how music upgrades, I’ll keep my vinyl collection and tape deck, thanks.

Floppy Organ

No, not that organ

Back in the dark age history of early computers, programmers figured out that they could make a mainframe's front panel lights blink the meter of songs; soon they realized that they could make the magnetic tape drives "sing." In this case, the the computer is a PC with two 3 1/2 drives, and two 5 1/4 drives, interfacing with a MIDI device. The "organ" can make four simultaneous notes via the four drives; each drive has a different range and timbre. In the video below, the organ performs Bach's Toccata and Fugue.

Bieber Femur, Oh, sad.

Give to the Feeble Femur Foundation - never say never.

With the recent release of the "documentary" movie "Never Say Never" staring everyone's favorite munchkin heart throb, Justin Bieber, AND his crushing blow at the Grammy's I figured there was likely not a better time to clear the air regarding the medical community stance on Bieber Fever.

First and foremost I don't want anyone out there to be alarmed. I don't want anyone jumping out of windows or blowing their brains out after I say this. I just can't stress that enough. Did you put your guns away?

According to the Surgeon General, Bieber Fever is not a medical condition. There is, however, a condition that Justin has been struggling with most of his life - Bieber Femur. Hundreds of doctors involved in trying to find a cure for this disease have been reporting its strange progression and are racing to find a cure. Don't get me wrong, it's not deadly or anything (that we know of), but he is a REALLY productive and important member of society and everything so the heat is really on for funding and providing the cure.

The Bieber Femur condition does explain why the 16 year old teen dream has the gait of an 11 year old, pregnant, drunk, single mother. The questions are many, and the answers at this time are few, but for now, we must all pray that the news about the Bieber Femur cure will be positive.

The CDC has concluded that both Bieber Femur and the media created circus of Bieber Fever are not contagious.

Grammy Night's Most WTF Fashions

Or, I want some of whatever they're smoking!

Not since Bjork's tragically awesome swan dress has there been so much WTF action on the red carpet of the Grammys. Ok, I don't really know that since I never watch awards shows, especially not those that will nominate the likes of Justin Beiber in a category alongside actually talented artists like Esperanza Spalding and Mumford & Sons. But... this year was something special.

Katy Perry isn't known for her subdued sense of style, but this outfit is trully confusing. It's like a Las Vegas stripper wedding gown meets the rejected angel wings of Victoria's Secret runway show. Of course, Katy Perry could rock a potato sack if she had to, which is why she's not the craziest dressed of the night.

Lady Gaga beat out Katy Perry for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and she got her beat for egg-centric outfits as well. I wonder what protein source Lady Gaga will be wearing next year? Maybe a tofu toga(more PETA-friendly)? Or the ever political bread helmet?

I don't even know who this chick is or what she's famous for, other than for wearing this desperate plea for attention. In any case, she ripped off her look from both the Bride of Frankenstein and Cruella Deville. And, yes, I think this is a much more WTF outfit than Lady Gaga's egg yolk get-up.

Cee-Lo Green is famous for his lewd hit "F*** You" which, come to think of it, must be dedicated to the fashion and style industry judging from this muppet-gorrilla-pheasant/parrot-disco-Elton John-inspired jumpsuit. Either that or Cee-Lo Green is C-R-A-Z-Y!!

Omg! I can't wait for the Oscars!!

Grammy Thoughts and the Mumford and Sons/Avett Brothers/Bob Dylan Set

Last night on CBS marked the 53rd annual Grammy awards.  There were definitely some surprises, some great performances, and overall a pretty great night for music.  My ear has a hard time with the country drawl, so seeing the night Lady Antebellum had was a little hard to take, but I realize their musical talent.  It sure would have been something to see Ray Lamontagne's, "Beg, Steal, or Borrow," take home the "Song of the Year," but him and his band did win their first Grammy for "Best Contemporary Folk Album," for their album, "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise."  It is well deserved.

The "Best New Artist" category really through me for a loop.  I've never heard of winner, Esperanza Spalding, so I'll have some research to do, but she knocked out some huge artists, taking down Drake, Justin Bieber, Florence and the Machine, and my pick, Mumford and Sons.

I was also pleased with Lady Gaga winning, "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance," for "Bad Romance."  She takes things to unreal levels, but backs it up with a great vocals, and is one, crazy entertainer.  Also, if my Mother has her up there among her top artists, she has to be doing something incredible, and she is.  I never thought it would ever happen that I'd get into my Mom's vehicle and hear Laga Gaga's CD playing on max volume, or that I would get a phone call telling me she's walking into a Lady Gaga concert.

It was great to see the Grammy for "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals," go to The Black Keys for their song, "Tighten Up."  The combo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney is incredible, and their album, "Brothers," was a well-deserved winner of the "Best Alternative Music Album."

The best part, however, of the 53rd Grammy awards were the performances, and the variety of ages and acts, from Arcade Fire and Eminem, to Miranda Lambert and Mick Jagger.  One can't beat Eminem's intensity, Cee Lo Green's bird suit/duet with Gwyneth Paltrow, Dr. Dre making a return, the siezure resulting lightshow of the Muse, the set of Arcade Fire, Rihanna's dancing, Drake's rhymes, Bieber and Usher's moves, and Jagger's chicken legs.

The best performance, hands down, was the the 3-song set by Mumford and Sons, singing, "The Cave," the Avett Brothers with, "Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise," and them all coming together to play "Maggie's Farm," with the legend, Bob Dylan, out in front.  Their performance can be seen here, enjoy,



He's Coming Back!

Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's returning to acting.

Arnold's gig as the governor of California is up. He's been term limited out of a job, and he is not Constitutionally qualified to get the step up, to the White House, so he has to step back into acting, rather back into movie stardom.

The Associated Press reports --"After seven years in the California governor's mansion, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to his old day job: acting. Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter that he's ready to start considering film roles again."

Last night, Thursday, Arnold tweeted the news that he's coming back.

What can the star of the popcorn action blockbusters, the Terminator movies, Total Recall, the Predator, and star of the comedy embarrassments, Kindergarten Cop and Twins, do next? The man was the governor of the largest state in the union? He can't go retro and do a Terminator nth? Or can he?

Item Enews -- "Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is ready to revive his movie career! Hear about his possible future film roles." See the video.

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