Here in the United States, it’s convention time with the Republican National Convention winding down tonight as John McCain strives to land the biggest job in the world. Whenever any of us goes for a job, it pays to think about our strengths. What makes us unique? What sets us apart? —— —— Now when we think of the Republican Party, we think of elephants! Sure enough, this huge, bumbling animal has become the symbol for the Republican Party. Last week, we talked about what a donkey could say in an interview to stand apart. This week, we’ll do the same for an elephant. So we showed our fictional elephant how to hold his trunk so it looked like a tie, and sent him off for an interview. Of course, we gave him a healthy breakfast of grass before he left! Our elephant stressed that he has an excellent memory. He will help you remember important things about your key clients. He can also recall facts that may not have been documented. Our elephant emphasized that he was as strong as any creature you’ll ever find. He can shoulder weights that you would never dream of on your own. Elephants have been used to transport goods all over the world. So our elephant stressed that your work will be much easier if you hire him. If you remember, our fictional donkey also stressed how strong he was. We found this intriguing – two animals both emphasizing the same strength. It’s interesting, though, that they’re still different. There are situations where you would use a donkey, but not an elephant and vice versa. So don’t just think about your strengths – think about the nuances of your strengths and how a potential employer might find them useful. Comedian Jake Novak, of Jake’s Comedy Corner, called in for today’s show. He’s thought about some common interview questions that might be good for the Presidential candidates. Last week, he had some questions for Barack Obama. This week, we’ll share questions for John McCain.  Jake’s Take – 5 Interview Questions for John McCain Question #1: Where do you see yourself in five years? Please don’t say the Shady Pines Nursing Home, because that’s where I want to put my parents and there’s not enough room as it is! So try a different nursing home. Question #2: Are you willing to travel for this job? Because you know, Senator McCain, you tend to get cranky when you have to sit on the plane for more than fifteen minutes at a time! Question #3: Describe your employment history. And I’d like you to leave out all of the stuff before the invention of metal tools! Question #4: What can you do for us that other candidates can’t? Because the last time I checked, the Senate has 115 Republican white guys who want to be President! You’re not really that unique in that way! Question #5: What will you do when you get this position? I’m just hoping you won’t go on Jay Leno again, because that’s really not doing right by the American people. “Executive privilege” means you don’t have to appear on other people’s TV shows. Our main question comes before the job interview … when John McCain filled out the application for the job of President, what did he put down for his address? Get the tips and tools you need to be a BIGG success. Subscribe to the Bigg Success Weekly – it’s FREE! Next time, we ask if it pays to be honest with your employees even in tough times. Until then, here’s to your bigg success! Related posts 5 Interview Questions for Barack Obama Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes.  Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed. (Image by cssdteacher, CC 2.0) Less

Just when you thought you didn't have any work to do... Unleashed is an animated comedy show that follows the trials and tribulations of animal actors in Hollywood. A new episode every Monday, here and at http://www.Unleashed.tv Less

Here in the United States, it’s convention time with the Democratic National Convention winding down tonight. It’s all about landing the biggest job in the world. Whenever any of us goes for a job, it pays to think about our strengths. What makes us unique? What sets us apart? Now when we think of the Democratic Party, we think of donkeys! Note we didn’t say jackasses … we don’t take sides here! —— —— It may seem strange to you, but we started thinking about what a donkey could say in an interview to stand apart. So we put a tie on our fictional donkey and sent him off for an interview. Although, we must admit, he still didn’t smell that good! Our donkey emphasized that one of his most significant strengths was … his strength. In many parts of the world, a donkey is a person’s most prized possession. That’s because donkeys carry the burden so you don’t have to. Our donkey emphasized that hiring him would make your work easier. Our donkey also stressed that he is a protector. In fact, donkeys are often used to scare predators away from farm animals. Predators like cougars (and we’re not talking about the Sex and the City kind). So our donkey asserted that if you hired him, he could keep competitors at bay! Comedian Jake Novak, of Jake’s Comedy Corner, called in for today’s show. He’s thought about some common interview questions that might be good for the Presidential candidates. Today, he had some questions for Barack Obama. Next Thursday, we’ll share questions for John McCain.  Jake’s Take – 5 Interview Questions for Barack Obama Question #1: Where do you see yourself in five years? Because in five years I’ll be living in Guatemala to avoid your tax hikes. Question #2: Are you willing to travel for this job? Because with a name like Barack Obama you’re going to get strip searched at the airport every time. Question #3: Describe your employment history. I understand you only need fifteen seconds to answer this, Mr. Obama, so try answering slowly. Question #4: What can you do for us that other candidates can’t? Besides inspiring us to diet because you’re crazy thin and we all look like blimps next to you, dude. Question #5: What will you do when you get this position? Because you’re not going to wake me up with another text message at 3 AM, are you? Hillary Clinton was going to answer the phone at 3 AM. Barack Obama sends text messages at 3 AM. Guess we prefer a President who texts! Get the tips and tools you need to be a BIGG success. Subscribe to the Bigg Success Weekly – it’s FREE! Next time, we’ll discuss a simple game that helps you improve your strategic decision-making skills. Until then, here’s to your bigg success! Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes.  Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed. (Image by cssdteacher, CC 2.0) Less

Med alla dessa låtar om byxpressar och badkar, kunde man ju förledas att tro att veckans tema vore hushållsinventarier. Men då har man inte uppmärksammat det suspekta i att där varken spelades Tintern Abbeys poppsych-klassiker Vacuum Cleaner eller Frank Zappas Sofa No. 1. I själva verket blev denna sändning ännu ett i raden av improviserade sammelsurier på gränsen till kaos. Först under tiden en låt spelas, bestämmer man sig för vilken som ska komma härnäst, ty först då kan man riktigt känna efter vad som passar. Ibland blir det fel; ibland blir det bråttom; ibland hackar en skiva. Men på det hela taget är det ganska kreativt. Tänk på det nästa gång du finner dig utsatt av profitmaximerande, industrialiserad skval- och pladderterror från någon av de kommersiella konkurrenterna. Magma har nu genomlevt 61 sändningar, men de låtar som sammanlagt spelats fler än en gång är lätträknade, och icke vid något tillfälle har något som helst kommersiellt hänsyn tagits. Jag efterlyser fortfarande något. Men vad det är, får du höra efter i programmet, annars är det faktiskt ingen mening med att du bemödar dig. Tackar! Spellista Marissa Nadler - Silvia (2007) Touch - Down at Circe’s Place (1969) Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like [singelver.] (1973) Field Music - Sit Tight (2007) Dungen - Familj (2007) Ars Nova - Zarathustra (1968) The Bonzo Dog Band - Trouser Press (1968) White Noise - Here Come the Fleas (1969) Jon Appleton - Chef d’Oeuvre (1967) American-Standard - Look at This Tub (1969) Of Montreal - Cato as a Pun (2007), med benägen introhjälp från Kraftwerk - Kometenmelodie 2 (1974) Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda (1970) / Panda Bear - Take Pills (2007) The Velvet Underground - After Hours (1969) Ernest and Hattie Stoneman - The Mountaineer’s Courtship (1927) Lucas Stark & Bruksorkestern - Kärleksvisa (2006) Scientist - Straight Left (1980) Bonusmaterial Reklamlåten från American-Standard ingick på LP:n The Bathrooms Are Coming!, tillsammans med ett helt gäng andra panegyriska lovsånger till badkar och badrumsinredning, som faktiskt går att ladda hem alldeles gratis och i laga ordning här. Och vem är Jon Appleton? Lattjo-kvaliteterna hos hans låt här i sändningen, för att inte tala om dess föga smickrande placering på samlingen Only in America (där förstås jag upptäckte den), obskurerar det faktum att han är en högst seriös elektronmusikkompositör, en gång verksam vid Elektronmusikstudion i Stockholm, som dessutom omnämnts som musikalisk rådgivare vid utvecklingen av ett av ovan nämnde Zappas favoritinstrument. Gitarren? Nej, Synclavier (visst är den vacker? Men ännu snyggare skulle den bli). Less

Unleashed is an animated comedy show that follows the trials and tribulations of animal actors in Hollywood. A new episode every Monday, here and at http://www.Unleashed.tv Less

“The Meaning of Life” Theme - Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life “The Masochism Tango” - Tom Lehrer “The Elements” - Tom Lehrer “Oedipus Rex” - Tom Lehrer “Bruce’s Philosophers Song” - Monty Python “Hair” - Hair “Air” - Hair “Once Upon a Dream” - Sleeping Beauty “Where is Love” - Oliver “A Little Priest” from Sweeney Todd “Nothing’s Gonna Harm You” - Sweeney Todd Full song but no video here: “Dance Ten, Looks Three” - A Chorus Line “Buenos Aires” Patti LuPone, Evita “Sweet Transvestite” - Tim Curry, Rocky Horror Picture Show “Toucha Toucha Toucha Touch Me” - Susan Sarandon, Rocky Horror Picture Show “Galaxy Song” - Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life '); //-- Related Posts: Fri June 1, 2007 -- Video Friday (0) Sun September 17, 2006 -- Unconscous Mutterings 189 (0) Sat February 4, 2006 -- Banning hot cross buns? (6) Sun August 7, 2005 -- Scriptural to trim nose hair? (0) Less

College Humor inked a six-episode deal with MTV last month, according to Gawker, and a pilot from the College Humor creators will air this fall. I interviewed CHTV Original Content Director Sam Reich and senior writer Amir Blumenfeld at the College Humor offices last week. We didn't get any details (on the record) about what the MTV shows will be about, but we'll be sure to blog as soon as they're announced. CHTV publishes both standalone skits called "one-offs" and themed series like Hardly Working, a largely improvised show shot in the College Humor offices. College Humor publishes an average of one original video and nine user-generated videos a day, according to Reich. Amir does his best to turn our interview into a straight man/funny man routine similar to the one on the web comedy show he co-creates, "Jake and Amir." --Kelsey Blodget, Associate Producer Less

Unleashed is an animated comedy show that follows the trials and tribulations of animal actors in Hollywood. A new episode every Monday, here and at http://www.Unleashed.tv Less

This week on the show I’m taking a look at some online FTP clients, a tool to sync your calendars and cloud computing. I’d love to hear from you. Send me your MP3 files containing comments about the show, reviews of your favourite websites or just general chitchat. I’ll choose a few to play on the show each week. Send them to podcast [at] makeuseof [dot] com. If you look underneath the links from the show on this page, you will see a little media player where you can listen to the podcast right here on the site. Or if you prefer, you can right-click on the “audio MP3? logo and save the MP3 file to your computer for listening on your MP3 player or iPod. The podcast is available through iTunes so don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast if you have an iPod, or in another podcatcher if you have a different MP3 player. Build Yourself a Virtual Cloud to Fall Back On Online FTP Clients: Use FTP Online without Installing A Client Calgoo Connect & Hub - Calendar Syncing And Sharing Made Easy 4 Search Engines to Search Wikipedia The Pro Way Apple iGun More from MakeUseOf.com : - MakeUseOf Directory : Read about up-to 5 truly useful web apps on a daily basis. - MakeUseOf ‘Geeky Fun’: - Fun Geeky Pics, Cartoons and Videos. Tags: cloud, ftp, humor, Podcast, search engines, sync Related posts Welcome to the MakeUseOf.com Podcast #1 (19) Welcome To The Future Of Online Search (3) TinEye - Searching For Images With An Image (14) The Cut Out and Keep Guide to Essential Software Programs (21) The 5 Most Significant Online Property Search Websites - Part 1 (5) Less

In which the author of this blog indulges in an freewheeling rant over a fairly trivial irritation: Clouds!!!! Gotta get those clouds, man! They are SO DOOMED. I KNEW IT!!!! I knew that something would interfere! All I wanted was to see the MOON! Is there something WRONG with that? I mean, how often do I get to see the gorgeous beautiful full moon, and during a partial eclipse too! I had it all built up. No detachment for me. I had EXPECTATIONS. And I got Ben all excited about it too. We all went out to see “Journey to the Center of the Earth” in 3D and it was fun. Then we went to the little airport near here and watched planes take off and ate calamari and chicken fingers and all that kind of thing. And we didn’t even mind when it started to rain, because it was muggy and the water was refreshing at first. We did eventually have to come inside… Of course, when the under-trained manager wanted to tell us where we could and couldn’t sit (the place was half-empty) I had to explain that our waiter was a bright boy and I had every confidence in the world that he could find us again. She actually persisted! So we all just sat down and I had to say in a sweet - really! - but firm tone, “we’re sitting right here.” But things were still good. They WERE. As we drove home, I observed that the heat was steaming the recent rain right up into the air. Ben and I laughed about driving through a baby cloud. And then the sweet little bits of wispy evaporation had the NERVE to turn into cloud cover and deprive me of my moon tonight! John crashed early, but Ben and I were determined to see that moon. Oh, we walked. Finally, we even drove. We climbed up to “top field” at his school, we went over to the grocery store area, where there were no trees. Not ONE BIT OF HINT OF THE MOON IN ANY DIRECTION! We drove all around and I finally had to give up. We came back. Ben was mopey from the hopeless search. Where is the MOON? Where IS it? I looked up moonrise, moonset, the direction. Yes! Just as I thought. From our back deck, straight back into the horrible horrible woods full of huge menacing oak trees. Those trees, dropping huge limbs every time there’s a breeze, covered with purple meat-like fungus clusters, and all kinds of other unidentifiable sporey creatures.. Those TREES - always threatening to fall down and kill us, leaning toward the house with their rotten cavities gaping…. oh, they don’t like me. And I don’t like them right back. No wonder my boys can’t breathe right. The trees often block my view of the moon, but once in a while they filter the moonlight in a charming blue-silver pattern so I try to forgive them. But it doesn’t matter WHAT I do, does it?!?! Nothing is ever good enough! I try and I try and it’s never enough to matter for anything! If I’m so damn smart why can’t I EVER EVER EVER….. Those CLOUDS!!!!! They aren’t even pretty clouds. No individual formations are visible… it’s just a high diffuse COVER dense enough that all you can see is the pink-orange reflection of the city lights. Not a star. Not a moonbeam, not even a GLOW. Nada. Nothing. Zilch. Ahhhh….. why is it that the universe conspires against me like this? Once in a while, can’t you choose somebody else??? I just want to be invisible. I don’t ask for much. Once in a while, can’t you be a little more F’ing BENEVOLENT? What do you WANT from me anyway? Don’t you have some peers for your reindeer games? Bam! Bam! BAM-BAMMMM! Blasted clouds. Stupid city where you can’t see any stars. Ridiculous pink-orange night sky. I hate it. I hate it all. I hate this city. I hate this place. And it’s all the clouds’ fault. WHY DID I EVER COME TO THIS PLACE? ATLANTA? WAS I OUT OF MY MIND? I thought I’d be here for a couple-few years, get my Ph.D., get a job at Berkeley maybe or in New England, and LEAVE. I never intended to put myself in this position forever. And then it took forever. really. forever. And my advisor… and then I … and I met… and I couldn’t even.. and it…. and it was suddenly too late… everything was too late… AND THESE CLOUDS ARE REALLY PISSING ME OFF! ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I can deal with people hating me for being an educated white female liberal from Massachusetts (or Massa-TWOSHITS), I can deal with every insincere “bless your heart,” and every attempt to indoctrinate my son, I can even forgive idiotic and self-righteous conformity to profoundly destructive viewpoints, but really, NOW I CAN’T EVEN SEE A FULL MOON WHEN I WANT TO? The CLOUDS ARE OUT TO GET ME! IT’s NOT FAIR!!!!!!!! And I’m SICK of IT. Sick of it. Sick of it. And I don’t CARE that I’m being unreasonable! I’m sick of being forgiving. I’m sick of being an adult. I want to have a gigantic tantrum, and shake the earth! Thunder! Lightning! Wind! I want to SHAKE things and scream “What is WRONG with you?” And then, “JUST DO WHAT I SAY! DON’T THINK, JUST DO IT!” ARGGGGGGG! EVERYTHING! I Fu… Deep breath. Loop it. Reality check - completely missing of course, but in kind of a cute way. Liking the clouds anger. Good scapegoat target for pent-up frustration. Kind of a Peanuts “curse the darkness” thing going. I’m gonna SMACK those clouds, man. SMACK! Right in the face. SMACK. Hee hee. Whew. That felt great. Gotta let it out every once in a while. I think the clouds can take it. They’re stronger than they’re given credit for. But those clouds - and water in general - owe me one. Let’s review, class: I can’t even get up a full rant. It didn’t even generalize completely. Still, I think we’ve covered Projection, Paranoia, Anthropomorphism, Infantile Regression, Displacement, Scapegoating, Power - Command/Control, Catharsis, Humor, Cultural Intertextuality and therefore Intellectualization, ending with light touching of Magical Thinking. Oh, right, and Self-Pity, Self-Centeredness - an overall Temper Tantrum. Because I was denied an archetypal experience of cool serenity, the antidote to my lonely bit of nothingless in the cosmos… and yet, I am detached from it, too. Actually, things have gotten a lot better in the last year or so. Most of this anger is just old echoing stuff that I’m actually done with now. Atlanta’s not so bad, and it’s not as if I ever really belong anywhere anyway. I do feel better. I just hate being disappointed. If I can’t soak up the cool moon, a homeopathic dose of fire will suffice. '); //-- Related Posts: Tue May 22, 2007 -- WTF - Atlanta Smoke (7) Mon July 4, 2005 -- 4th of July is Independence Day (0) Mon August 18, 2008 -- Moon Revisited (2) Sat August 16, 2008 -- The Moon (2) Sat January 12, 2008 -- So Many Things to Write About… (1) Fri December 7, 2007 -- Open Letter to Saxby Chambliss (R, GA) (1) Tue November 13, 2007 -- Bush Loyalists Admit Impotence (0) Less

Always a fount of information on the gender wars, my long-suffering friend Troy has made the two offerings below. The fact that I first typed “font” is actually funnier to me. A “font” of information. Hee hee. I know that “font” can have a similiar meaning to “fount” but the latter is more precise. Besides, all I can think of is spurting bits of Arial (be kind in the comments - heh-heh). See what kind of sludge my mind enters after being exposed to this trash? Enjoy these if you do, critique them if you don’t. I can see the humor - I can - but…. I’m trying to discourage further deliveries along this kind of subject line. Hear me, Troy? I like the pictures better - the birds, the bear, your studio, girls with tiaras… all of that is fine (hug). “This has to be the funniest video I have ever seen.” When the Wife Doesn’t Listen Translating the Words of Men “I’M GOING FISHING” Means: “I’m going to drink myself dangerously stupid, and stand by a stream with a stick in my hand, while the fish swim by in complete safety.” “IT’S A GUY THING” Means: “There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical.” “CAN I HELP WITH DINNER?” Means: “Why isn’t dinner already on the table?” “UH HUH,” “SURE, HONEY,” OR “YES, DEAR…” Means: Absolutely nothing. It’s a conditioned response. “IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN” Means: “I have no idea how it works.” “I WAS LISTENING TO YOU. IT’S JUST THAT I HAVE THINGS ON MY MIND.” Means: “I was wondering if that redhead over there is wearing a bra.” “TAKE A BREAK HONEY, YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD.” Means: “I can’t hear the game over the vacuum cleaner.” “THAT’S INTERESTING, DEAR.” Means: “Are you still talking?” “YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS.” Means: “I remember the theme song to ‘F Troop’, the address of the first girl I ever kissed, and the vehicle identification numbers of every car I’ve ever owned, but I forgot your birthday.” “I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU, AND GOT YOU THESE ROSES.” Means: “The girl selling them on the corner was a real babe.” “OH, DON’T FUSS, I JUST CUT MYSELF, IT’S NO BIG DEAL.” Means: “I have actually severed a limb, but will bleed to death before I admit that I am hurt.” “HEY, I’VE GOT MY REASONS FOR WHAT I’M DOING.” Means: “And I sure hope I think of some pretty good reasons soon.” “I CAN’T FIND IT.” Means: “It didn’t fall into my outstretched hands, so I’m completely clueless.” “WHAT DID I DO THIS TIME?” Means: “What did you catch me at?” “I HEARD YOU.” Means: “I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said, and am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you don’t spend the next 3 days yelling at me.” “YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE” Means: “I am used to the way you yell at me, and realize it could be worse.” “YOU LOOK TERRIFIC.” Means: “”Please don’t try on one more outfit, I’m starving.” “I’M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.” Means: “No one will ever see us alive again.” '); //-- Related Posts: Tue October 23, 2007 -- Last Tickle Test - Gender Identity (1) Sat July 22, 2006 -- Police Giving Away Remington Guns (2) Tue February 14, 2006 -- PR Strategies for the VP (0) Tue January 31, 2006 -- JWs in the News: Wife Beater (4) Sat March 12, 2005 -- Advice to exJWs in Hungarian (0) Fri November 21, 2003 -- Reading Michael Jackson (0) Less

This episode had me crying. Adam and Drew poke fun at Public Service Announcements and Epiphany (a caller with an extremely ironic name). Less

Unleashed is an animated comedy show that follows the trials and tribulations of animal actors in Hollywood. A new episode every Monday, here and at http://www.Unleashed.tv Less

Author: singedtentacle Added: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:07:18 -0800Duration: 455 After being challenged, Bugs Bunny takes on an entire baseball team by himself. He strikes three of the other players out in one pitch, with a slow ball. One of the Gas-House Gorillas gets a bat the size of a tree, and hits it out of the park. Will Bugs be able to outsmart them and catch the massive home run hit? Less

Author: singedtentacle Added: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:07:18 -0800Duration: 455 After being challenged, Bugs Bunny takes on an entire baseball team by himself. He strikes three of the other players out in one pitch, with a slow ball. One of the Gas-House Gorillas gets a bat the size of a tree, and hits it out of the park. Will Bugs be able to outsmart them and catch the massive home run hit? Less