Movies We're Embarrassed to Admit We Love

Every once in while I'm asked for my top five movies. It's fairly easy to come up with the likes of Spinal Tap and The Holy Grail or, if I'm feeling pretentious, Bunuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. However, there's another list that I rarely share with anyone - the guilty pleasures. These are the ones I can watch over and over and dip into at any point. Most for me are Brit rom-coms, especially those featuring either Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, or both. But top of the list is the 1989 Patrick Swayze vehicle "Roadhouse." Hear me out. I think I love Roadhouse for the same reason that I love watching MTV's "Jackass" or "Punk'd" late at night. Even when my brain is buzzing with a million things, it'll put me to sleep in less than half an hour tops. It's probably the sheer absurdity of the plot, which features Swayze as a "celebrity bouncer" and Travolta's main squeeze Kelly Lynch as a improbably foxy backwater doctor who's comfortable both in the ER and on the dancefloor of the "Double Deuce." The grizzled Sam Elliott even shows up to do some line dancing in the local Waffle House. What's not to love?

So what are your guilty pleasures?

THE CUP FINAL

What great memories I have Cup Final days. It was the only thing that United had a chance of winning.
Sadly, I can't find a good ITV link for the two wee ones!

Join me

UWS

They ARE back.

A welcome return to the FA Cup final is set for Saint and Greavsie. They've been in the studio this week recording a special that will be aired tomorrow. Wonder whether we'll get it on the FSC or on other less legal chann-watch...the Chinese watch...shutmm, shtumm....mother.

THE EUROPEAN CUP FINAL... enough said

HERE WE GO!!!!

COME ON UNITED


UWS

It was 20 years ago, today, St. Michael tought some scousers how to cry.

It was up for grabs then. Still a miracle. Happy St. Michael's day and RIP Brian Moore.

SURVIVAL SUNDAY!!!

WHO WILL STAY UP??
Join Bob and Dave from Scotia for all the action!

Words fail me

This treads the line between insane and genius brilliantly. Wait till the bit where it kicks off.

LOB Summer Book Club - Part Une

So the book is "Castro's Curveball" by Tim Wendel. Let's try reading the first 3 chapters (to page 43 in my copy) and discuss next Friday, 5/29. Sound good?

Cameron Crowe's Top Ten Film Songs

I've long admired Cameron Crowe’s use of music in his films. Who can forget his use of the Cars in the famous Phoebe Cates swimming pool scene in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High?” And who else could breathe life into Elton John’s oeuvre as Crowe did in “Almost Famous.”

So I was intrigued when I recently came across his Top Ten list of best uses of songs in films. Here’s the list in full.

10. 'Where Is My Mind' (The Pixies) from Fight Club (1999)

9. 'Cucurrucucu Paloma' (Tomas Mendez) from Talk To Her (2002)

8. 'Edge Of Reality' (Elvis Presley) from Live A Little, Love A Little (1968)

7. 'Everybody's Talking' (Harry Nilsson) from Midnight Cowboy (1969)

6. 'Jump Into The Fire' (Harry Nilsson) from GoodFellas (1990)

5. 'Tubular Bells' (Mike Oldfield) from The Exorcist (1973)

4. (Tie) 'Going Home: Theme Of The Local Hero' (Mark Knopfler) from Local Hero (1983)/ 'Hoppipola' (Sigur Ros) from Heima (2007)

3. 'Falling Slowly' (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) from Once (2006)

2. 'She Smiled Sweetly / Ruby Tuesday' (The Rolling Stones) from The Royal Tenenbaums (2002)

1. 'Don't Be Shy' (Cat Stevens) from Harold and Maude (1971)

For the full article from Empire magazine, cut and paste the following link:

http://www.empireonline.com/features/cameron-crowe-greatest-music-moments/default.asp

So what do you think?

Whither Arsenal?

After yesterday's fascinating discussion on World Soccer Daily with the Arseblogger, I thought it might be interesting to start a thread on the future direction of Arsenal Football Club. I hope the resident Gooners on LOB won't take offense, as I certainly only have the club's interests in mind. I've always had soft spot for the Gunners and, in the current era of ManYoo dominance, only hope that they can challenge for trophies in the near future. But that will take a complete regime change at the club IMHO, starting at the top and including a wholesale change in playing personnel. After four years in the wilderness, Wenger needs to go and he should feel free to take Robin van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor and William Gallas with him. That should give the club plenty of cash to get some proper strikers and at least one world class central defender in.

Your thoughts, gents?

UEFA Cup Final Live!

Okay, so Shahktar Donetsk vs. Werder Bremen is no one's idea of a dream match-up for a European final but since we don't have that many matches left to the season, I'll be watching. Will you?

Meghan McCain on Colbert

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Meghan McCain
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage

In case you missed it, here's the interview that Stephen Colbert did with John McCain's daughter Meghan last night. McCain apparently thinks that the key to the GOP's future is a new "pro-sex" image. Added to Michael Steele's "hip hop" agenda, this will mean that the next Republican National Convention will have to be shown on HBO.

Enjoy!

Something To Talk About

So here's the idea. To pass the time until football season starts up again, The Blue Devil (or is that Winifred?) suggested a summer book club. In deference to my obsession with baseball, I suggested "Castro's Curveball" by Tim Wendel as a starting point. What do youse guys think?

What's Wrong with this Picture?

Look, I know that this guy has his plate full with the mess left behind for him, but don't you think an aide could get him a Chicago Fire sweatshirt to wear when he goes out to watch his daughters playing the beautiful game?

Just a thought....

Bilderberg

Years ago, I read Jon Ronson's book "Them" in which he tags along with various extremists and conspiracy nuts and tries to get to just what the heck it is that makes them tick. OK, so you write-off the White Supremacists, and David Eyck who thinks that QE2 is a alien lizard in a flesh suit (literally). There's a very frightening chapter about the shootings at Ruby Ridge too.

And then there's the chapter about trying to figure out just what the people who attend the annual Bilderberg Group meeting are up to. Bilderbergers are comprised of top governmental and NGO leaders, royalty, and corporate giants. They meet in total secrecy, lock down miles of turf to preserve that secrecy, and not one of the attendees has broken ranks and spilled their guts. No-one knows just what they're up to and anyone asked denies attending or that the meeting occurred.

This year, the Guardian sent Charlie Skelton to Greece to see if he could get to the bottom of it. He's done a blog here and the poor man is slowly losing his mind as a result.

CLICK! here to follow his blog.

Premier League Champions... all the way up to ELEVEN?

So, Manchester United need a single point to have their total Premier League titles go all the way up to eleven! Can they do it?
Join me to follow United try and become Champions of England for the 18th time and become the first team to win a hat-trick of titles twice!

UWS

It's Leeds Time!

The mighty Leeds boys take to the hallowed pitch at Elland Road a goal down to Millwall from the first leg but knowing that a two goal difference will be enough to secure a place in a Wembley playoff final against either Scunthorpe or MK Dons.

Come on you Whites!

ONE GIANT STEP!!

Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United
Steve Bruce(student) vs Sir Alex Ferguson(teacher)
Same result as the weekends student/teacher clash please

A win would put United one point from the Championship

COME ON UNITED!!!

I have VSS going strong already.

JOIN ME

UWS

Trouble in Toon Town

One ought flay-rod has definitely gone out of skew on treadle up in the Northeast, which leaves us with this massive Tyne-Tees relegation dogfight today. A draw does nobody any good. But one goal - even one off the bum - might keep one of the sides up and be worth as much as £60 million in Premiership telly revenues. Whew!

Join me from 3 p.m. EST onward.

A Crucial Cross City Tilt.... and one not so crucial

Three simple words

COME ON UNITED!!!

Breakfast with Leeds

I'm up with the chickens to watch my beloved Leeds United as they take their first step in the playoffs this morning away to Millwall. Away fans have been banned from both legs but I'll be roaring the boys on from western NY. If any of you are up and around at this hour, join me. Come on you Whites!

The Worst Song of the 70s?

Not too long ago a colleague of mine here asked me in passing, not knowing that I had put a lot of thought into this matter, what I thought was the worst song of the 1970s. Without missing a beat, I replied, "The Pina Colada Song."

Most people will remember the horrible pseudo-tropical groove that pervades the Rupert Holmes song and can bring up the naff chorus about "getting caught in the rain" and other nonsense. However, I ask you to consider the opening two lines:

" I was tired of my lady/
we'd been together too long."

The comedian Dmitri Martin has long documented how any line can be made infinitely creepier by the mere insertion of the word "lady" or (even worse) "ladies." Here it starts from the premise that the Tommy Bahama-shirted, chest-hair and medallion adorned protagonist is on the prowl for a new "lady." If you need more evidence and have a strong stomach, take a look at the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVdhZwK7cS8

How about the rest of you? Can you top this one?

So Who Else is Going to Rome...?

The second semi-final is poised on a knife's edge with Chelski bringing a hard-earned 0-0 draw from last week into Stamford Bridge tonight. Let's hope that the Asian gangsters have kept their sticky fingers off this tie and we'll see some honest football for a change.

WHO IS GOING TO ROME????

JOIN ME EVERYONE!!!

UWS

It Was Thirty Years Ago Today...

Yes, it's the 30th anniversary of the Margaret Thatcher's ascendancy to the Prime Minister's office, ushering in a decade of monetarist economic policy, union busting and wars over islands we'd never heard of before. Husband Denis is long gone, but I'm heartened by the idea that the Iron Maiden has lived long enough to see her ideas bring down Western civilization.

But I'm feeling in a charitable mood today, so I'm trying to think about the good things her reign at 10 Downing St. brought about. If you've got fond memories of Thatcher's Britain, chip them in here.

I'll go first - Spitting Image.

It's All About This!!

Join me for another week of important matches from our favorite league in the world!