Wig Top Gear Video...Hilarious

Alright folks, so you have had a bad day and are tired and you just want to sit down and do nothing...correction, you want to watch this video. Why? Because Top Gear did a fantastic job of educating and entertaining in this clip, a true hallmark of every non-fiction show who seeks loyal fans. This is great, really great. So if you have had a rough day or you just want something to take your mind off of something, check out the brilliance of this clip. YOu never know...the topic could have been made with you in mind (looking at my dad hahaha)...enjoy

if you double click on the window it will go to full screen...escape by pushing the "esc" button

2011 Superbowl TV Ads - BEST & WORST

Whats the best part about the superbowl? What do people watch for the most? Ever since 7th grade I remember talking about the significance of superbowl ads. So every year I have watched them in anticipation of the best ads. Everyone has different tastes and sometimes you want funny ones and sometimes you want serious ones and sometimes you want your kids not to see them at all. What are my favorites and why? Lets do it...

1. Chrysler 200 Series

Why...why try to revive the past. Why try to bring back what once was. Why let the druggie rap artist represent the city. Why go back to the Fox Theatre and relive the soul of a soulless town. Why show the city that the nation and the world has forgotten, and never wants to remember? Because there is where America started. That is where autos changed the world. That is where production would never be the same. That is where the good times started for America, when the lights and the music rolled and the cruisin and chillen was what life was about. And it all vanished. But has it really? Thats not what Chrysler thinks. Thats not what they want you to think. And that is what they want the world to know -- Chrysler, and the good times full of music and friends and lively atmosphere. Eminem comes rolling in, driving through the epic background, the shadow of a great city. "Its the hottest fires that makes the hardest steel." Work. Conviction. Thats who we are, our story. What we are capable of. Wear its from as who its for. We are from America. Not just any American City. Not just a city that makes a few things. And not just a city. "This is THE Motor City...and this is what we do"...The Motor Capital of the World. And Chrysler presence the 200. The most famous Detroit Artist, the most famous Detroit icons, and the most famous Detroit production all tied together. Sure, its for an auto company. Sure its for a new car series. Buts its about Detroit, the city people have never been to but "know" what goes on in Detroit, "knows" that it is runned by greedy young mayors and "know" that Detroit is the armpit of America. Sure the ad doesnt show all the hardships that exist in the city, but it insipires and tells the story of a city that is striving to live on. Of a city ready to return to the Glory. Of a city that is America, and is the Motor City everyone once knew. I applause the producers. What a message.


2. Coca-cola Border

...no words, no flashy effects, nothing but two old South American guards strictly sticking to the protocol. One opens a coke, and savors the amazing cold blend of carbonated flavors under the hot sun. The other looks on in astonishment, bewilderment, and pure jealousy. He wants one. He wants to get the experience. He wants to feel what it feels like to have that. He doesnt know what "that" is, but he knows there is something there. And under the circumstances, not a word or a look is permissible to be shared to the enemy. But fortunately, the now happy guard feels compassion, opens his mini ice cooler and pulls out another bottle of happiness. They both look to the left and to the right, knowing that crossing that line would be treason, and under all difficulties they secretly adjust the boarder line, pass the coke, and then share that one moment of connection, of excitement, of refreshment, and of happiness. For one moment those opposing enemy guards were friends, brothers, compadres -- they were family. And the next moment they relined the boarder and lived on in their bitter duty under the sun. What a beautiful ad...the circumstances, the foreign guards, the all important line in the sand, the facial expressions, and that one moment of pure joy, where everything is forgotten, all pain sorry and hate, and in that moment, peace and happiness takes over. That is what is beautiful about this commercial. Its about sharing the wonder, the magic that Coca-cola can offer.

3. Darth Vader

Pure Brilliance. Epic, really. A child sized darth vader going about the house, finding failure after failure. Perhaps he should have stayed under Obi-wan a little longer. Never the less, after moments of dis pare and misery, the child Vader finds one more challenge, his fathers Volkswagen that just pulled up. He quickly runs over, puts out his hands, and lets his energy flow and flow and flow...waiting...expecting...hoping...about to lose hope...and then, the engine thunders to life. It lives! It obeyed his commands! After a full day of failure, finally he gets it! Or does he...as he turns around to look around him, confirming that there was no other source besides his power. And there is the good father standing with his wife, grinning, knowing that he brightened up his son´s day, fulfilling the quota of the mini Darth Vader. This ad was exceptional. It captured emotion, it captured attention, and it gave everyone that smile. The Imperial March commanded everyone´s attention, a hook that is so ingrained into our culture it is unmistakable. The suit of the sith lord, the deep breathing and the cape fluttering in the air, all bring back memories of the silver screen. And those little white hands that emerge under the dark outfit bring us all back to the day when life was simple and your only concern was to be happy and have fun. We all became children for a moment, joining our favorite villain in his adventure. And we feel his pain, we feel it every time when his hands drop and his solders roll down. You feel bad for him, you almost want to pat him on the back and tell him to try again. And then the father becomes the real hero, giving our little villain the satisfaction that is so sweet, it leaves us satisfied as well. Pure genius. Sure I put this at 3, but it could easily be put at 2 or 1, it was that good. So good, its almost scary, almost as scary as how Max looks like Skywalker...coincidence? I think not.


WORST....

3. E-Trade Tailor

Why is it bad? Simple. Because those incredibly smart trading babies were hilarious. This one starts and everyone expects something remarkable...and instead we are given some lousy story of a tailor. Really? We all had high expectations and wanted to laugh, our mouths waiting in the open position, but in the end we had to close our mouths with an "eeeehhh"...disappointment fills the air.

2. Snickers

Why? Same deal. After Betty White stole the superbowl last year, we all needed something to top it. And this ad miserably failed. I had no idea for the first half were this woodcutting was leading. I thought it was some dirty Allstate mayhem man complaining about woodcutting. Then the snickers. Then the grizzly man. The only funny part was the lady getting close-lined by the large log but by then you were already disappointed.

1. Motarola Tablet

What is going on here. And who cares. People with white hooded clokes (KKK anyone) and earbuds in their ears, shut off from thw world and some random dude has a motarola tablet that frees him from this prison and lets him be creative and give firtual flowers to a cute girl. Who cares...really...no one does...terrible commercial, and its so bad I feel like I shouldnt have brought it up. Because this commercial deserves to be forgotten. And instead it will live on in PinedoMediaBlog. What a shame. What an injustice.

MIke and Mike on ESPN Radio

To compare the John Beilein show that my class was able to listen in a few weeks ago, I listed to Mike and Mike today on ESPN from 9:30-10am.

The first thing I notice is the mere Speed of the program. They try to pack as much information, topics and interviews into the show as possible. They fly through everything, so although they dont go into the depth that the John Beilein show did. They keep your attention with different leagues, teams and players. Perhaps they hope that at least one thing will catch your attention, perhaps they are seeking to satisfy a large, national audience. I felt that the commercials were few but long in length and every time they had someone else with them ready to roll.

The level of questions were not as personal or conversational as the John Beilein show, it was more like an interview, like a journalist interviewing the person. It was not a FDR fireside chat and it was no 60 minutes. It was a “we have a list of 5 questions that we need to ask in 5 minutes so lets get through it.” For some this volume of information will be attractive, to get to know as many things in a short period of time. For example, they speak of the NFL lockout and how that will impact new quarterbacks, such as Derek Anderson from the Arizona Cardinals. They Spoke of the Steelers and how if they win their 3rd in 6 years they can put in the dynasty talk. And they spoke of the difficulty of Polamalu for receivers.

I found it interesting how they promoted certain Brands right before commercial breaks. When they interviewed Larry Fitzgerald from the Arizona Cardinals, it was neat to hear them promote “Here for Good,” an organization who does elementary school library makeovers and they had just complete done in Dallas and Larry was going to be there. They asked him how the kids usually welcome NFL stars like himself and he said they are always so excited to see the players in person. After the thrill they start comparing the players to NFL greats or to their local team like the Cowboy right in front of the players themselves. So Larry always gets a Kick out of that when he hears them. For anyone wondering, Larry Fitzgerald calls the Steelers to win the game in a low scoring match.

Mike and Mike was defiantly different than the John Beilein show, but the differences make sense. John Beilein show is concentrated for a very specific segment of the population:

1) local radio listeners who are 2) Michigan fans and 3) who follow Michigan Basketball.

Mike and Mike are:

1) national radio listeners who are 2) sport fans who 3) have all different types of sport and league interests.

Because of this narrow and general audience segmentation, the John Beilein show can be more intimate, almost like you were hearing Coach Beilein talking to you personally, where as Mike and Mike is like a TV news interview -- you get what you get. Its just a rapid amount of news like CNN just flying through the stands, one lined up alter the other. Which one do I prefer? I am not sure because when I listen I am always doing something on the move. John Beilein show is more thorough but Mike and Mike gets through more topics, so you cant really go wrong. As long as I can download them as podcasts and listen to them on demand, I am a happy fan.