BP said Saturday that its latest attempt to stop the gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico was unsuccessful, and the effort, known as a “top kill,” was being scrapped in favor of yet another maneuver to stem the flow spreading into the waters.
Sometimes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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Officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board and the United States Secret Service unveiled the new design for the $100 note. Complete with advanced technology to combat counterfeiting, the new design for the $100 note retains the traditional look of U.S. currency.
If you haven't seen one in person yet, here is what to expect.
Here is a link to an interactive graphic that lets you explore the features of the new note.
Here is a video from the new Currency Channel.
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Jay Leno was the headliner at the dinner, and Obama called him "the only person whose ratings fell more than mine."
Leno observed that Obama was less aloof than he appears ... "He loves to socialize ... health care, car companies," naming industries where the Obama administration has intervened.
The President got more laughs than Leno. Perhaps part of that was in
deference to positional power; however, give Obama some credit - he hired staff writers
from The Daily Show to come up with his material.
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The Double Down is essentially a sandwich with two chicken fillets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses, and a "zesty" sauce (you know, things your cardiologist is secretly happy you're putting into
your system).
How Bad For You is Eating Something Like This?
While it certainly doesn't qualify as health food ... it also doesn't have bread. Further, according to KFC, it weighs in at a reasonable 540 calories, 32 grams of fat, and (a less reasonable) 1,380 milligrams of sodium, Other sources argue that the calorie count is much higher.
Regardless, there are lots of fast foods worse for you than this
sandwich (click
here to see the rankings). Some even claim the Double Down is
healthier for you than a salad (see
why).
It Might Not Be Great Food, But the Marketing Is Working.
The marketing has been pretty effective driving demand and generating buzz in the media. Here is one of their commercials.
After seeing it, my teenage son begged me to get him one. Okay, it didn't take much persuading.
Nonetheless, I've been counting calories, recently, and logging what I eat in an attempt to eat healthier and lose weight. Like my wife, my skinny pants (still patiently waiting in an under-used corner of the closet) hoped I would put up more of a fight than I did.
In advertising, attention is good (even if some of it is controversial). It looks like the folks at this Pepsi spin-off, Yum Brands, have a hit. Not only are people who wouldn't normally eat at a KFC, now eating at KFC ... There's a bunch of folks fighting about whether this is a good or bad thing.When Wendy's came out with the Clara Peller commercials, with the tag-line: "Where's the beef?" ... it changed their business. Kentucky Fried Chicken needs a tag-line (or brand promise) that will capture more than the disgust of the American public, if they want this to last.
Now that KFC is getting buzz, the bigger questing is whether it will have a lasting impact on their sales?
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Texas Stadium was built in 1971 at a cost of $35 million. The implosion cost $6 million.
The Texas Department of Transportation is paying $16 million to rent the space, for 84 months, as a staging zone for construction projects.
Here Are Some Videos.
Here is a video from the outside.
Here is a 360° immersion video of the explosion. You can click and drag to see different perspectives of how it happened, from inside the Stadium.
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My Internet provider recently doubled the speed of service in our area. Seemingly everyone I tell makes a joke about quicker access to porn. In that spirit, here are two videos poking fun at that.
First, the Onion jokes that Congress passed the Pornographic Media Concealment Act, to hide this generation's porn habit from future generations.
Congress Announces Plan To Hide Nation's Porn From Future Generations
And here is "The Internet Is For Porn", a number from Avenue Q. Here are the lyrics.
That was a funny show, and worth seeing if you get the chance.
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President Obama played a game of H-O-R-S-E with former NBA star Clark Kellogg during the Final Four telecast yesterday. My expectations were low, and I expected it to be corny.
Unlike the North Korean Supreme Leader's penchant for hitting fictional hole-in-one shots on the golf course, Obama started slow and was willing to show some weakness. Nonetheless, throughout the video, he seemed confident and athletic. Moreover, the bantering and interplay seemed to provide some insights into the President's psyche.
All-in-all, I thought it was a good move by him ... and that it did a nice job of polishing-up his image and reminding people why he is so popular.
Here's the video from CBS sports.
As you may know, Obama is a lefty. When asked if he can you go to his right, Obama replies: "I can go to my right, but I prefer my left."
One more note, Obama's personal aide is Reggie Love, a former Duke basketball player.
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My recommendation: let go of your expectations and simply enjoy the spectacle.
Even Freud has to agree, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar ... and sometimes, a movie is just a movie.
Iron Man 2 was a fun and action-packed movie that I'm glad I watched on a big screen.
Does It Live-Up to Its Hype?
Before its release, there were a number of very negative reviews and predictions that it would be "unwatchable". Nonetheless, audiences are watching and, according to Rotten Tomatoes, enjoying the movie.
I had fun seeing it with my son this weekend. It was good enough in virtually every way.
The story held together well enough that I didn't think much about the plot (not that there was much of a plot to think about).
The graphics didn't "wow" me, the way that Avatar's did; but they were good enough that I didn't think about them (even though many of the special effects had to have been computer-generated).
Here is a Trailer so you can see it for yourself.
Here are more videos.