Author: Andy Labis

Will Sean Lowe Make a Good Bachelor on “The Bachelor?”

Somehow, someway, I keep finding myself getting sucked into “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” and I’m still not sure why. Hell, I even found myself watching “Bachelor Pad” this summer and loved when the dude stiffed the girl and kept the prize money for himself. Notice how I can’t remember any of their names? Well, the other day it was announced that Sean Lowe was going to be the next contestant looking for true love on “The Bachelor,” and my first word was “Who?” Yup, once again a past loser on the bachelorette show becomes the lead contestant on the bachelor show, and it’s quickly becoming clear that if you want to be the bachelor or the bachelorette, you need to be one of the losers as a tryout on the opposite show.

Turns out Sean was one of the losers of Emily’s affection, she who opted for Jef Holm and also has to keep squashing stories of their love not going to last, so of course Sean is the likely choice to find a woman and fall into a summer of “Sean and Ms. Thang are breaking up!” headlines.

I can say I won’t watch the season when it kicks back into gear in January of 2013, but somehow it will find it’s way to my DVR, and within two episodes I’ll be sucked in, waiting for the next meltdown of some lady who thinks she can find love on TV (or is just hoping to be the next bachelorette thus keeping her dreams of reality show TV stardom alive for another season), and although I don’t really care because I’ll be watching it for the nut-job ladies, I do plight: Will Sean Lowe make a good bachelor on “The Bachelor?”

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Have You Ever Seen a Crappy, Purple Scion?

Have you ever seen a crappy, purple Scion?

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As I am up too early this morning on a Saturday and somehow found myself watching VH1, they are actually playing music videos. On the screen pops “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” the hit by the group Train that somehow rightly decided that it needed trumpets in it, and wouldn’t you know it, there’s David Hasselhoff on the screen in the video. The other day I was wondering to myself, “Self, I wonder what The Hoff is doing these days?” Now I know. The song, however, is a fun little ditty about breaking up with a girlfriend, listing a bunch of ways that she finds her demise including getting fried by a suntan and running into a shark in the water. The disappointing thing about the song is that it doesn’t actually list 50 ways to say goodbye, only having about 11 or 12 (I lost count), but my favorites are dancing to death in an east side night club and getting run over by a crappy purple Scion. One of the ways to say goodbye, however, doesn’t really make sense, the one about falling in a cement mixer full of quicksand, but hey, the song has trumpets in it, and thinking about it, none of the examples are really ways to say goodbye, but who’s being picky?

In any case, as I think about cars and with the tune still bouncing in my head, I was trying to recollect if I’ve actually ever seen a crappy, purple Scion, and so I plight: Have you ever seen a crappy, purple Scion?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!


Do Japanese Cherry Blossoms Smell Different than American Cherry Blossoms?

It all started as a question in my head when I saw the bottle of liquid soap in our kitchen. On its label it said “Japanese Cherry Blossom,” and I instantly wondered if Japanese cherry blossoms smelled different than American cherry blossoms. Fine, I’ll admit that I didn’t realize the history of the cherry blossom, let alone the cherry tree, at this time of this question, and assumed the United States pretty much had its own version of the cherry versus the Japanese version, and then I Googled “cherry blossom.” Low and behold I found that the majority of trees we know for their cherry blossoms originate in Japan, and that there are a few cherry tree varieties native to North America with Traverse City, Michigan calling itself the “Cherry Capital of the World,” yet how many of us are heading to Traverse City for their “Cherry Blossom” festival – nope, it’s the cherry blossom trees that cause flocks of people to descend to our Nation’s Capital.

I’m still a little confused and guess the main thing is there is a difference between the trees known for their cherry blossoms and trees known for their cherries, and so I plight: Do Japanese cherry blossoms smell different than American cherry blossoms?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Will You be Buying Bad Piggies?

Bad Piggies is released today. Sure, some of you are probably saying “What in the heck is ‘Bad Piggies?'” If you are a fan of Angry Birds, you know those pigs in the game? Guess what, they now have their own game. Yup, the Rovio people, the makers of the Angry Pigs series, look like they have finally run out of fun things for the birds to do and are now focusing on the pigs. I guess the pigs aren’t angry, so they really couldn’t call the game “Angry Pigs,” but here comes another puzzle games, this one seeming to focus on “contraption building,” at least so says one review, and it will take most everything in my being not to buy it and then waste too many hours helping the pigs do whatever they do.

I remember when Angry Birds was released and for the longest time I resisted the urge to buy it, finally getting sucked into the game when the space version was released. Then the original Angry Birds was a free app for a week, and again my free time was doomed. Why? Because I’m part OCD, part ADD, part prone to game addiction, part just like playing games, and I can’t just play a game – I have to play it to do the best. I’m that crazy player that just completing the levels isn’t good enough, nope, I have to get “Three Stars” on each level. There were some levels I would pass over, only to come back later and complete the star-ness, but my Angry Birds: Space is filled with only three star perfection, and my Angry Birds was well on its way until I finally had to delete it so that I could get something else done.

It will take a lot for me not to spend the buck to get the game, and for this I plight: Will you be buying Bad Piggies?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Should Kids be Allowed to be Paddled in School?

There is a story or two going around about school districts wanting to bring back paddling, and as I don’t have any kids I say, “Bring it on!” Okay, actually I’m a lot torn on the subject, but more on that later. Most of the stories site how when it was allowed that for one, it was rarely used, but that it also was the most effective use of punishment for some kids as I’m thinking the brats just saw a suspension as a vacation from school and probably got to play with their XBox when they were at home, anyway.

I vaguely remember a few kids being paddled back when I was a youngin’, and for the most part I’m pretty sure it was the only thing that made sense to them. Me, I was only paddled a few times, in symbolic ceremonies during our initiation banquets for Theta Xi Fraternity in college where the little brothers made a decorative paddle for their big brother and each got to whack the other on the ass harkening back to the days when somehow paddling was a right of fraternity passage.

I know, I know, there are supposed to be time-outs and gentle prodding to change behavior, and paddling could be likened to brutal punishment, and fine, call me behind the times and a brute (and as I say, I might feel differently if I actually had a child), but sometimes I still think a little bump on the rump might be the only way for a rascal to truly understand what they did was wrong instead of a nice, little vacation in their media center, I mean bedroom. I don’t know, it guess it does seem kind of cruel. Ugh! I’m so torn. What I do know is that I sound like an old fogey when I say things like “Back in my day…”, so I suppose I should quit being an old fogey and get with the times. And who am I trying to kid, I could never hit a child anyway as it would just crush me. After all, I’m a lover, not a fighter.

And so I plight: Should kids be allowed to be paddled in school?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Do you plan on boycotting the NFL until the normal refs are back?

So I guess, last night, while I was sleeping, the latest debacle of an NFL game with the replacement refs occurred as said refs who are taking over in place of the locked-out refs screwed up another game. From what I read they awarded the Seattle Seahawks a touchdown at the end of the games, on a play that clearly wasn’t a touchdown, thus helping the Chicago Bears in their division, but costing the Green Bay Packers what could turn out to be a chance at the postseason, and it’s only week three.

The Twitterverse exploded with controversy with Seattle fans happy but admitting the refs screwed up and the Packer fans besides themselves. Most of the rest of the NFL fans were just pissed as the experiment with the replacement refs has turned into a boondoggle. ruining the enjoyment of the sport and rendering watching any game an exercise now in waiting for the refs to screw it up. Hashtags started popping up like #boycottthenfl, #boycottthursdaynightfootball (a hash tag that is far too long, and seems kind of stupid only boycotting Thursday night’s game and not the entire league, and besides, who besides Ravens and Browns fans really care about the upcoming Thursday game?), and #nflsucks. Seriously, though, are any of these people really going to boycott watching the games until the NFL comes to an agreement with the normal refs and Ed Hochuli gets to show his guns on national TV again? I doubt it as most will now watch the games in anticipation of the refs screwing things up, and just hoping it’s the other team, much like it appears it happened to the Packers last night, that gets screwed. And so I plight: Do you plan on boycotting the NFL until the normal refs are back?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

 

Did Your Monday Come too Quickly Today?

This is a quick plight as when my alarm went off this morning I thought to myself “Self, where did this weekend go?” Some of my weekend was fun (I got to play “Pretty Woman,” trying on different outfits for my woman), I did some maintenance work (Electricity is quickly becoming my friend), the Chicago Bears won (Yay!), the Cleveland Browns lost (Boo!), and we had a nice visit with the in-laws. However, in between it all, it seemed to go very fast, although I’m guessing that Milo’s being on high alert last night, softly barking at most every noise, didn’t help as my Fitbit said my “Sleep Efficiency” was a whopping 91%.

In any case another weekend is over, Paul Conrad is telling me on the WGN Morning News that it should be a pretty nice week weather-wise, and for me my Monday has come too quickly. And so I plight: Did your Monday come too quickly today?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Have You Ever Been “Cuckoo” from Alcohol?

Judge Judy is so wise. This morning she was hearing the case of two young ladies, Girl A who was suing Girl B because Girl B had her charged with assault. Yup, Girl B was drunk and accused Girl A of cheating with her fiancé. Girl A was not drunk, Girl B attacked Girl A, there was slippage, a bottle, and blood. Also, as the original case was thrown out of court, Girl B was countersuing Girl A for the assault and her hospital bills. As this is a Judge Judy episode, you can count on one of the participants being ill-prepared for Her Judgeness, as was Girl B, utilizing a picture on her flip, cell phone to try to support her case, but the judge would have none of this. Also enter Girl B’s mother, trying to support her daughter, but it’s never good when the Judge says your daughter has a drinking problem and was “Cuckoo from alcohol.”

Well, Judge Judy would have none of Girl B’s complaining and awarded Girl A $2,500 pretty much because Girl B was drunk. I remember most of my college days, and there was a little drinking involved, but “cuckoo”-ness, well, my lips remain sealed, and I was never on Judge Judy to have her tell me so. I do wonder, however, and so I plight: Have you ever been “cuckoo” from alcohol?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Are you a fan of the TV show “Survivor?”

It’s the 25th season for “Survivor.” Yes, I know that doesn’t mean it’s been on 25 years as it’s doubled-up through the TV years, but the first season was in 2000 with the one person most people can probably name from “Survivor,” Richard Hatch. I’ve been there since Season 1, Episode 1, and although some seasons were lamer than others, I’m still fascinated by the game dynamic and from the onset of this season’s premiere, set in the Philippines, I’m sucked right back in. Zane goes down as another “first person voted off,” you know, those people you will never remember were on “Survivor,” and who am I kidding, unless you a huge fan, you pretty much don’t remember anyone who was on the show, except maybe that girl who is on “The View” along with the dude who didn’t pay his taxes (Yes, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Richard Hatch).

They have tried to shake things up through the years with your “fan-favorites” type episodes, occasionally bringing back heroes or villains, and this season brings back a few of those who had to leave the show because of various reasons, like Michael who is the dude who fell in the fire, but for the most part it’s about the group of new people trying to figure out a way to win the million dollars, which I think is now too low of a prize and should be upped to about five million if they really want to bring out the competitive streak in most people.

In any case, I’m back into the show. Zane was seeming like a smart player all until his strategy went a little too far, telling the other band-mates he thought Russell might have an immunity idol, and thus it turned Zane being ousted, and another season of “Survivor” set on my DVR for weekly viewing. And so I plight: Are you a fan of the TV show “Survivor?”

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Does Your Freezer Have a Light in It?

Sometimes my plights are of the delayed, inspired kind, as is today’s. As I reached into the freezer this morning the light went on. No, not the bulb over my head with a brilliant idea, but the bulb inside the freezer, bringing a gentle glow with which to assist my digging out a frozen product from the rear of the icebox. At that time I remembered a post from a friend on Facebook asking “Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?” There were a variety of responses, some thinking because it’s too cold (not true), some reflecting that they have a light in their freezer, and some wishing they had one. A quick perusal of the internet doesn’t come up with any definitive reason for there sometimes being a light and sometimes not, but I’m just simply going with it comes down to money. I’ll also bet most people don’t realize they have one or not unless they are trying to find something at night to snack on, probably ice cream, in a dark kitchen, and realize they can’t see anything in the freezer when they open the door so they have to open the refrigerator door to assist their diminished sight.

In any case, thanks to Jill and the light bulb turning on in my freezer this morning, my plight is this: Does your freezer have a light in it?

That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!