The Ghana Skateboarding commercial has been getting shown on the NBC Sports App whenever I’ve been watching Olympic events on it. For those of you that have not seen it, here it is:
There is also a 2 minute version that adds more backstory to some of the characters. Here is that version:
There is a lot going on here.
Having played and replayed the two videos countless times, I have some questions…
- Not counting the Canadian DFO contingent, could anyone here find Ghana on a map?
- Ok, smartass, which one is it?
- You got it wrong, didn’t you?
- Isn’t Joshua a likable dude?
- How do you feel about the fact that they made Sperm Joshua white?
- It’s an ad for Facebook, so we wouldn’t have put it past them to make Sperm Joshua black, right?
- Out of all of Joshua’s skateboarding crew, isn’t Mr. Bangers the one we are most interested in?
- Does he really like to eat English sausages or is it a sexual nickname?
- Or is he a DJ that constantly puts out really good dance song remixes (i.e. “bangers”)?
- Is that why they showed him at a disco?
- Would people be upset if he brought a skateboard into a disco or would they just grin and say, “That’s Mr. Bangers for you!”?
- Why is it we get more back story on Frank, Henry, Jovita, and Daniel in the longer commercial but not on Mr. Bangers?
- Did Jovita lose her job as a waitress after throwing those coffees to the floor?
- Does she know she can simply sing that Johnny Paycheck song, “Take This Job and Shove It”?
- Was I the only one that wanted one of those coffees?
- Isn’t it a little too on the nose that they introduce Sandy by showing her on the beach?
- How fun would that van tour of Ghana have been?
- By day three, everyone would have been pretty ripe though, don’t you think?
- Is the disappearance of the shopping mall a global phenomenon?
- Didn’t it seem like there were a lot of empty shopping malls in the commercial?
- Why does Preacher Zombie Bernie Mac hate skateboarding?
- For that matter, why do the kids smash their boards in frustration?
- I don’t know about the exchange rate, but aren’t skateboards kinda expensive?
- Like, if you miss a move, call yourself a dumb motherfucker, but why smash the board?
- Can we all agree that Joshua totally banged Sandy in the butt?
BTW, the answer to the Africa geography quiz is #34. I wonder how many of you could correctly place 20 countries…
Maybe it’s a function of getting older, but on occasion I find strange little vignettes from earlier in my life come bubbling to the surface in my head.
I did 5 hits of blotter acid I got from some skeevy looking guy in the parking lot of the Cotton Bowl for the Texxas Jam in August 1979. Strips of paper with the hits marked off in pencil. Seems dodgy now, but seemed like a good idea at the time to my 20 year old brain.
Not listed: band called Point Blank out of Houston. They got some radio play back in the day, lived in the same apartment complex as me, were managed and produced by Bill Ham of ZZ Top experience.
I was getting off like a Saturn booster when Billy Thorpe ascended the stage; Children of the Sun just flipped me the fuck out. I was positioned at about the 15 yard line. Pat Travers followed with a show that led me to buy his whole discography through then and for another 5 or so more years. Best acid trip I think I ever had in my life.
I was out taking a piss on the yard when for whatever reason this entered my brain tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR2oct3zeTM
I never had a bad time on acid. That’s part of the reason that I stopped. Wanted to retire while I was still on top.
I had a few semi-unpleasant experiences while indulging in hallucinogens, but traveling to the rings of Saturn during my first peyote experience was certainly quite a third-eye opener (props to Carlos Castaneda and Don Juan). Dabbled into the 90s and the 00s, finally let them go a few years back after a psilocybin overload and watching the Koyaanisqatsi trilogy. Actually returned my remaining shrooms purchase to “the guy” for store credit after that.
No regrets at all.
I turn on the U.S.-Australia basketball game and it *immediately* becomes uninteresting.
I tried to watch the Olympic wrestling, but there wasn’t one leg lock, piledriver, people’s elbow, table, ladder nor chair involved. So BORING!
Any figure 4’s or camel clutches?
Are they at least wearing Lucha Libre masks?
Tonight’s a night for drinkin’ too much. I already had vodka, I think I’ll close things out with bourbon.
Tonight’s the night! Spread your wings and let me cum on the sheets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZr6AE-u2UM
Now that’s really “letting your inhibitions run wild.”
The escalation of things shown in that Apple Watch things is like a Black Mirror episode. Kind of like the Stephen King story Quitters, Inc. but with general exercise. Like if you fail to close a ring something awful happens, and every day the goal gets more ridiculous.
It was good to see James Woods suffer in the film version of Quitters.
The steeplechase is cool, but they need more obstacles. I’m thinking a rope swing, and then maybe something like this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gzT5bmZmPfg
How about snipers in the treeline? That might liven things up a bit.
One word: Cheetahs.
Six words: Cheetahs with bees in their mouths.
And the contestants have to broadcast Cheetos like bird feed as they go.
Also, with the rise of atheism and other religions, there will eventually be less steeples to chase.
Just run it concurrent with the archery or shooting events. 10 points if you hit the center of the target, 12 if you hit a runner.
When Uncle Ed saw Kike hit a home run for Red Sox, he looked at me confused and said “That’s a horrible nickname for the guy! His nose isn’t even that big!”
“You’re saying it wrong Uncle Ed. It’s kee-KAY. It’s a diminutive of Enrique.”
“Gotcha. I saw a bunch of Enriques outside with their beanies on before.”
“Anybody wanna go fly a kite with me tonight? I think it’s great weather for flyin’ kites. I wonder if there are any kites around here we can fly.”
“Hey, listen, Cavanaugh. It’s not “kites”. It’s “kike”. K-i-k-e. Kike. You know, you’re too stupid to even be a good bigot.”
I wonder if anyone in the Trump family has used that word in front of Iskanka’s hubby. I would not be surprised.
Pacific Heights but Michael Keaton as the protagonist.
*in cheech marin hispanic accent:*
“Hey, landlord, can we come over to your place and watch cartoons?”
And that made the landlord really mad, because he hated cartoons. Especially the Flintstones.
Clockwise: fuck, marry, yeesh!, omg
White women all look the same to me.
My American Legion cap.
The upper image shows my submarine patrol pin (six patrols thank you very much) plus my 15 year Legion membership pin. I’m almost due to get my 20 year Legion pin.
In all those years I never went to a single meeting.
You are doing it right. Cheap beer, no commitment.
When I was in, we called that type of headwear a “cunt cap.” I guess because only zipperheads could wear it.
Or a “piss cutter”
I think that may be more of an older reference but I have heard that term in reference to that type of headgear. Even as a child in the mid-1960s, I can remember my old man (zipperhead but a mustang) referring to his garrison cap as his cunt cap.
Which is weird because you’re older than me.
I can’t immediately find the history of the term, but I did find another use, the one I remember:
piss-cutter
n. an extraordinary person; someone who can do the impossible. (Usually objectionable.) Sam is a real piss-cutter when it comes to running. I can’t recall where I heard that type of cap called a “piss cutter,” but I do remember it being used by some of the European characters to refer to something badass when I read Clavell’s Sho-Gun (which I have done several times in the last 4.5 decades.
I’ve never understood any of that stuff. J think I signed up for A lifetime vfw right when I got home but I’ve never been in a post or whatever.
I would feel like a fraud stopping in one now… which is too bad bc one by me advertises fish fry.
Just go for the cheap beers. You earned it.
There’s a post not far from me, Post 12205. Google Maps says it’s open 24 hours, which I do not believe out here in the sticks. I’ll never know, because where I live, I can guarantee that 98% of the members are hardcore Trumpistas and so by going there I would just end up in a lot of old-man fights, me thrashing at some guy in a walker with my cane or getting thrashed by a guy in a wheelchair with his oxygen bottle, while I holler “YOU FUCKING REPUBLICAN LIFER DOG!”
I haven’t had a beer in 7 years, so cheap beer holds no allure for me, especially if it means having to hang out with those assholes and having to drink the shit brands they probably sell.
I’m a guy who votes for Democrats. If you want to change the system you have to get your ass inside there. Nobody cares about outsiders.
Yeah, but you are in California. I’d feel more comfortable in a post out that way. Not here, not even for $3 shots of Johnny Walker Blue Label.
I met some of the nicest guys in American Legion posts. They were salt of the earth. The general rule was that political discussions were to be avoided. But once in a while, on a side bar, I’d talk with a guy I really liked and realized he was a true Trump supporter. It’s like they live in a different world.
Next DFO L.A. pub crawl I’m taking you you all to the Hollywood American Legion post by the Hollywood Bowl. Registered historic landmark and a very cool building.
Beers cost a dollar and top shelf scotch costs three bucks and they pour them big.
When Alzheimer takes over, I’d like to spend an afternoon stuck on the memory when I successfully pulled a Bill Cosby joke before the first date.
HIs first date or yours?
Before the first time we saw each other. She asked on the phone what kind of man I was and told her that I din’t shave throughout and didn’t mind if she roofied me. Killed!
Best first date ever
din’t shave throughout
God Bless Ray Davies and all the other Kinks. “Coconut tree,” indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEep67akIn4
The lyric “I’ll keep you warm, you’ll keep me sane” always gets me. Ape Man be gettin’ more action than GTD’s rabbits.
LitreRAGE intensifies
JESUS FUCK NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I mean I love dogs and had to deal with Vick, I like consensual sexytime unlike Watson who prefers the sneak attack, please no.
How is it even a thing your team goes out and pursues this guy to COME IN AND LEAD YOUR TEAM.
Nick Foles Who?
Philadelphia has worse radiation counters than Chernobyl.
Not bad, not terrible.
Hold my beer
—Harrisburg
I don’t think this story has a happy ending.
Desean doesn’t know what the last 9 words in the tweet mean.
Well, he knows the first 6 out of the last 9…
I hope for his sake that he has been employing a savvy business adviser to help him invest his money wisely.
—Tim Duncan
Man, that Trapasso guy really yells loud.
found a funny:
https://vimeo.com/375546816
Wasn’t planning on yankin’ it tonight, but sometimes life gives you lemons for the express purpose of making lemonade.
The world is so, so, so much better off with people like this gone.
Be sure to high-five Rush when you reach your final destination, dickhead.
Rushbo would say HAI but his mouth is busy blowing this infinite legion of daemons at present.
I feel bad for their infant. They didn’t choose to have a muppet for a father, and now they don’t have one.
The only reason the Rs would have felt bad about the infant is if his wife had to have an abortion for whatever reason. But once you come down the chute, kid, you are on your fucking own. At least that is the impression I get from listening to them talk about the subject.
You are technically correct. Which is the most important type of correct.
Well, not exactly instant, but I will take it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLy2SaSQAtA
He made a fool of himself, quite Aptley.
There needs to be the opposite of a go fund me page for these fuckers
A Go Fuck Yourself page?
Sure but where they lose money too
A hacker goes in and empties the money into his own Caymans account.
COVID Tax on the estate.
They’ll scream communism before cousin Brayden wheeze his last middle school breathe.
Ohio indie band The National did score 3 immediate soccer points after I bet them to come back from 0-1 (at +370) in Ecuador Serie B.
This will serve as the high point of Hippo’s August.
I must find a new bookie. BIL is moving out of New Hampshire where mobile sports betting is legal.
I use Bovada, it seems fine.
Just be careful.
Hey, Magical Pony – is Cincinnati FC any good? Asking FOAR my gambling non-problem.
I ain’t know MLS much but I do know they are the worst run team in the league. Does the same family own them as the Bengals?
No, they are owned by one of the Linder family. This one actually does stuff for the community other than threaten to leave the city every 30 years.
Lindner family – Wikipedia
What kind of empty threat is it to threaten to leave town with the BENGALS?
In their defense, their “You’ll have to root for the Colts” was an underrated negotiation tactic.
Not familiar with this story. Was that before or after the Colts left Baltimore.
Not really. They are 3-5-7. If you can, bet on the draw.
merci to yas both. Took a punt on Huachipato instead
No bullshit I got 45 and I am not happy about it. Decilitre had a world map and every night when I would walk him I had one of them National Geographic huge wall maps. I studied Africa, and Oceania a lot. Oceania is waaay harder, fucking islands.
“Oceania has always been at war with Decilitre.”
-George Orwell
But they have kick ass accents and love rugby
Not the ones that were US possessions, they don’t!
I should have signed that
“—Mosi Tatupu, Junior Seau, Marcus Mariota, Vai Sikahema, Troy Polamalu, et.al.”
“What do we want? ALL OF THE HAMMERTHROW PARTICIPANTS RUNNING THE 3,000 METRE STEEPLCHASE! When do we want it? NOW!”
This may not be the only song to mention the hammer throw, but I bet it’s one of a very few!
https://youtu.be/D-pzwLSxA38
So with how shitty things have been this past while. I had a great time last night where I screamed, sang, and stomped for 2 hours. Where is litre?
Green dead centre? If you have a beard now, then no clue
Correct. Good memory.
IFC is showing Star Trek: First Contact and after that is Star Trek: Insurrection. I would joke that its like showing the Super Bowl and then showing that old infomercial about Steak Knifes, but that infomercial was a lot better than Insurrection.
I like Nemesis better than Insurrection. That is how much I don’t like that movie. Compared to Insurrection, Star Trek V is “The Godfather”.
Or like showing one of the mostly good Super Bowls from the last 20 years, followed by one of the mostly shitty ones from the 80s.
As a Pats fan, all you have to say is “46-10” for me to run crying from the room.
For me, its a dejected Sam Wyche looking up at the Game Clock and half-whispering “thirty-four seconds”.
I hope they make a “DC: Insurrection” movie soon. I guess we’ll have to wait, though.
Actually, you should watch Insurrection. The “bad guys” are orange people with stretched out, fake skin who invades a peaceful country.
I quoted “bad guys” because in the movie…well, let me put it like this.
Its like the Fountain of Youth is found in a small village that was established by people who moved there last week. Those people have no history there, so asking them to move wouldn’t be wrong, but it turns out it is, even though them moving would help out the rest of the world by eliminating all disease. No one has to die. All that has to be done is for them is to bug out and set up camp a few miles down the road.
But the heroes show up, and defend those hogging the Fountain of Youth…which is the exact opposite of what they did in the last season episode when they told a bunch of Native Americans they had to move because they gave their planet to the Fascist Aliens.
I’m pretty sure I saw it.
*checks imdb*
Yep. Directed by Commander Riker, who got to nail Counselor Troi.
Over 20 years ago, even before NE won their first SB.
Well, and not just in a “we think this would be better” way, but in a “we’re going to throw away our entire careers to disobey our superiors’ judgment in this.” But of course it’s been well established that Starfleet is ok with officers being insubordinate, so I guess we can’t complain.
Hell, in the 23rd Century, stealing and destroying a spaceship, sabotaging a prototype and setting back a revolutionary form of propulsion, nearly causing a war with a neighboring species, physically assaulting fellow officers and outright disobeying the direct orders of the most senior officer of the fleet gets you the punishment of getting command of another spaceship, changing the name and registry to not only match the one you destroyed but also keep the original number (when was never done before), and be assigned to transfer human waste for the entire Sol System.
Oh, sorry, I misread that last part, I mean get trusted with Hostage Negotiations and Rescue. And after a ship-wide mutiny because the first officer’s half brother pulled a quasi-Scientology auditing scam on the entire crew who rebelled on the Captain they served under for about 20 years and then went “Hey, I think God is over there; let’s go get Him!”, the entire captain and crew are trusted with meeting and escorting the leader of the same species you pissed off earlier in this rambling rant to peacetalks that could led to peace for the first time in centuries.
In retrospect, I think I owe Star Trek: Enterprise an apology. It wasn’t that bad when you think about the movies.
Dude, you must have an elephant’s memory. I can barely remember if Picard banged Dr Crusher or not (I hope so; I would have).
This is my last night in the house in the stupid town I grew up in. I think I’ll order some lousy pizza. Only because there is no delivery where I’ll be living. There is no delivery of anything except for firewood.
And hobos
“Always fresh; never frozen!”
*Except in winter.
Now down to 9 months a year due to global warning. Everything is fine!Can’t he store them in some peat bog up there?
Ooh we can make whisky!
Saw this pic the other day, and was shocked. Is there anyone out there that has bigger eye-bags than Ron Wood?
The sleepless parents of the teenagers he dates?
You’d think even the impressionable young ladies would go “Ewww, gross!”
I think everyone checking in for the Open Thread should take the Africa Geography Quiz aaaand report their score. RTD showed his earlier. I’ll tell you mine now:
16. I could name and place 16 countries correctly. The north and east coasts were my strong points as was the south. The western armpit, though, was really tough.
Also, full disclosure, I don’t even know all the names of all the countries. I still thought Rhodesia existed…
That’s a lot of work. Especially with the wine working its magic. I got Ghana right on the first try (trust me), I’m going to declare myself grandfathered in.
All I know is where Egypt is due to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
As for the rest, all I know about Africa is civilization probably started there, some rich white dudes showed up there one day, informed the indigenous people living there about labor opportunities abroad, and then the world went to shit.
Are you STILL watching Fox News to learn geography?!?
Hey, I got ADD and Yakko went too fast. Get off my back!
Animaniacs – Yakko’s World – HIGH QUALITY – YouTube
As an old, I know what ADD is, but the other things you mentioned whizzed right by me…
I think the Brits took India first, and exported shopkeepers and laborers far and wide throughout their colonial empire. Hence, Indian shopkeepers in Kenya, South Africa, and the rest of the former empire.
I thought about it, but I am not emotionally equipped for that particular humiliation.
So, is this thread going to count as tonight’s open thread? In these difficult times, some threads have to do double duty.
I think so! Rock on!!
I guess Joliet Jake’s new job has some collateral damage, i.e. Wednesday writeup.
My division director has the covid; he doesn’t know if it’s the Delta or not. He and his wife got the vax. His big problem is that he and his wife are primary caregivers for his 90-yo FIL who lives with them. He’s been my boss off and on for the last 14 years, a real stand-up guy and I hope all goes well for him…
Called the shop where they are finishing the Impala SS to discuss progress and way forward, owner told me he had to send half his crew home when they tested positive for it, significantly slowing progress. His employees are mostly young guys, so hopefully full recovery might happen.
I’m pulling back into my shell and minimizing trips to the outside world these days, at least until the Delta gets done ripping through the idiot unvaxxed Texans. Love/hate to see the Rs thinning their own herd.
If it wasn’t for the young kids and everyone who can’t take the vaccine, I would be openly rooting for Delta to infect everybody to cull the gene pool.
Vaccinated: Mild flu for a few days. Decent chance of spending two weeks on a COVIDcation.
Unvaccinated: Guaranteed trip to the ICU. Decent chance of spending eternity being called a “dumbass” by everyone you meet in Heaven or Hell.
I don’t think I can physically recover from watching that 10k race.
The premier marathon swim race in France is called the Tour De L’eau, right?
And I suppose the organizer of the event is L’eau Commander?
I snorfed.
The Greek guy finished 5th, which is odd. I bet big on him coming from behind.
Absent a shark attack, the German has this going away.
Not being a marine biologist, my first question was, “Are there sharks in Japan?”
And then I figured there should be. There’s sharks everywhere. And then I thought, “Wait, so then there are sharks in Alaska??”
And the thought of deadly sharks that can withstand bitter cold made me think I don’t want to go surfing in Alaska
The Japanese killed and ate all the sharks. And the dolphins. And the tuna. And the whales.
This race is going a lot better for Germany than the last time they tried to defeat the world in anything involving Japan.
They’re only in it because Italy made such a mess of it.
I’m not even kidding: an Italian is in 3rd.
That’s worthy of a PK “weird.”.
Fucking ay!
—Albania and Greece, 1940
Verdammt!
-Rommel, 1941
Yeah, that’s it, clean up after Il Duce’s mess in the Balkans, and delay Barbarossa until June so the Wehrmacht can freeze their asses off in the winter. Let’s see how that plays out.
—Josef Stalin.
“So strange-a German traversing water and actually winning.” [turns off mic, giggles to self]
-English announcer
The Germans are still mad that they weren’t able execute Operation Sea Lion in the 1940 Olympics.
I test-drove a 2021 Ram Rebel today. Did not get the “Who Farted?” baseball cap I was expecting. Life is not fair.
You have to get the Truck Nutz option to get the hat.
I knew a girl from Ghana. Her name was Rhea.
Did she live on the 2nd floor?
Did she dance upon the sand? Oh, wrong Rheo.
I knew her sister Dyah.
Oh wait… I’ll try again later when the drugs kick in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ima_Hogg
They have a feeding station every lap, and they grab a bottle and do the backstroke with one arm while chugging nutrients* as fast as they can. That’s insane.
*infant blood laced with EPO
I thought they might have one of those hamster-water thingies at each end of the pool.
Men’s open water swimming on the Olympics now. They’ve been in the water 45 minutes and are approaching the halfway mark. I would be approaching the bottom of the lake at this point.
I watched the ladies 10k yesterday. The winner came in just under 2 hours. Not sure I could run 10k in that time*.
*with scotchy taking up running and being one of the closest DFOers to him, I should prob work on it, in case of emergency or whatever
I’ve never done more than 2,500 yards at a time, and that took me nearly an hour. These guys are past the the 3 mile mark in about that same time.
It’s almost like I’m not an Olympic-caliber athlete!
I doubt I could watch more than 5 minutes of ladies running. Unless they all had D-cups. I know that’s horrible to say.
they’ve been in the water 45 minutes
Ewww, I bet the tips of their fingers are all wrinkly and stuff!
I once swam from one side of the bathtub to the over side. My shampoo bottle submarine saved the day. Brick, may he rest in peace, would have been proud.
In my younger days, I swam the Rio Grande to Mexico (with immediate return) whilst visiting Big Bend National Park. In my less enlightened vocabulary at that time in my life, I called it my “Reverse Wetback” maneuver.
Did I miss something?
No, just wishing him a great night of sleep.
I got it right! Benefit of being a lifelong stamp collector is that it is a pretty good way to get to know your geography.
I was off by one.
I named far more than 20 correctly, but that cluster in the armpit always fucks me up. “Equatorial Guinea” isn’t real, and you will never convince me otherwise.
Guinea? That’s a spicy meatball!
Great! Good job!
The continent of Africa has better skateboarders than the US, and also a better film industry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJcMLOcbi-E
hahah this is Rockingggg
also gotta love this weekday afternoon baseball in Oakland, CA
goooo PADRES!!!
I’m just disappointed that Cecil Rhodes hasn’t joined the discussion.
yeah, with HIS nation nomenclature!
It has been a while since I heard the term “wogs”
“Wogs begin at Dover”
—the British.
Not much gold or diamonds in Ghana, I don’t think.
I don’t know if it’s a good idea for me to watch Olympic weightlifting at the same time I’m doing my own weightlifting workout.
[has to go upstairs to reclaim 10 lb dumbbells from the office where the Dr. Mrs. was using them]
Show off.
[Looks around for the 5lbs dumbbells]
I have a set of 3 lbs dumbbells that is literally within reach right now. They are, appropriately, colored pink.
That was on while I was the gym this afternoon. Unless you’re eating Dianabol for breakfast and Winstrol for lunch, (runs out of steroids he knows), there’s no point in doing anything but enjoy the freak show. I doubt any of those competitors is pissing anything but purple.
Great news! BattleBots renewed not just for the upcoming Season 6, but for a Season 7!
No. He implied that BattleBots was clearly winning, not losing.
I heard Defector Media is changing their name to “Magary and Roth Carry the Company on their Backs”
Big Daddy Drew has teamed up with David Lee Roth?? Man, I really am oblivious to all societal happenings.
Why Your Favorite Groupie Sucks: Pamela Des Barres
oh my GAWWWWDDDDD
I really thought I was going to like Defector, but after my free trial was up I had no enthusiasm for subscribing. It just felt like they decided that instead of replicating what they did at Deadspin, they were going to make Defector be 100% the stuff that the venture capital overlords hated about Deadspin, and turned up to 11.
I know I sound like some Barstool dude ranting about “SJWs,” but it just felt like it was all anger, all “everybody and everything is awful,” and no sense that sports can be kinda fun. It felt like its own variation of Hot Takes. Maybe I just picked a bad week?
Let me stagger onto my soapbox:
I really enjoy people like Dan McQuade and Dave McKenna. There’s a few others I’m missing of that ilk so bear with me.
Honestly, I still enjoy bitchy Drew. He’s good at it and I can tolerate it in small doses. The site, however, is other less talented people trying to do a ‘bitchy Drew’ facsimile. They don’t have the humor to pull it off and the vast majority of the site has this unbecoming nihilistic nature to it.
It’s dreadfully unfunny, and compiled of all the people that I found dreadfully unfunny from the previous incarnation (hello Tom Ley, etc.).
They fight for all the editorial freedom (and good on them for doing so) and they produce this dreck? The old Deadspin is a sack of shit as well but at least they have the decency to not charge people for their reheated commentary of the news.
What made Deadspin special originally was that people actually broke stories to them (I even broke something when I was 19 or so). I remember them having exclusive stuff because people actually enjoyed the site. Now social media has turned that model obsolete so you better be fucking good and creative to make up for it. They’re not.
Wasn’t that a commenting rule at the old, relevant Dedspin? Don’t not be funny?
Have you read any of Drew’s novels? I read The Hike and thought it was terrific. Started a free sample of The Post-Mortal, but never got around to buying and finishing it.
He’s obviously a talented writer and it was cool getting to be a first-hand observer of his jump from KSK to much bigger things. But all the criticisms of Defector seem pretty on-point, based on what I’ve seen.
Post-Mortal was also really good.
It’s definitely on my list. I’ll probably get back to it some day.
I tried The Hike and figured out that I prefer his shorter works, long-version Drew is just a bit much.
I’ve never followed the deadspin, barstool, etc stuff. Yahoo! Sports has all I need for info.
Seems I was wise to never again trust a #ContentGenerator that isn’t unabashedly pro Bud Light Limerita #upforwhatever.
The more I follow Drew Magary he seems to just keep going into a downhill nihilist spiral, and occasionally reminds people that he won on an episode of Chopped. Did you know he won an episode of Chopped? He’ll remind you that he did.
Drew was easily the most talented writer at KSK, and I was glad to see him get a couple of novels out, even if I haven’t read them yet. But his writing, at least from what I see from him, has really stagnated, to the point that I have no interest in reading him at all. Sad thing is that the writing I consider stagnated is probably what brings in the clicks and pays his bills.
I went over to this Defector place that I have not heard of. They want my email address in order to read free content. Sorry, I get too much email as it is.
Essentially, when Gawker media got sold off to a bunch of venture capitalist hacks and Splinter got cut off at the knees, nearly all of their writers (and definitely all of Deadspin’s writers) walked away. They started Defector as a way to exercise complete editorial control over their own work and set it up as a subscription model. From what I can tell, it’s been successful, but I just am not interested enough in continuing to a new Deadspin for a fee. Good for them, but it’s just not for me anymore.
Likewise. I get the sports info I need right here.
Stick to sprots!
https://youtu.be/wuP7IuHEQpg
Look at DFO twitter shamelessly ripping off Mr. Ayo…
In related news, I just started following DFO on Twitter…
Given that I *lived* in Africa for three years, let’s give it a shot.
Top row is pretty easy (I hope, I’m already doubting myself): 37 Morocco, 31 Algeria, 47 Tunisia, 18 Libya, 10 Egypt
11 Ethiopa, 2 Kenya, 1…Mali? 6 Mozambique, 4 Madagascar, 7 Swaziland, 8 Lesotho, 9 South Africa, 17 Zimbabwe, 24 Zaire, 23 Namibia, 21 Congo, 22 Damnit it’s one of the Portuguese ones…drawing a blank on the actual name…
34 is a bit of cheat since I just learned it Ghana, 26 is Nigeria, 27 is Cameroon
Now for the guesses: 52 Cote d’Ivoire, 32 Burkina Faso, 19 Niger, 20 Rwanda, 40 Liberia,
Man, this is tough.
Let’s see how I did…
Top 5 are good.
Damnit, fucked up Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. That hurts. Somalia, too. I’ll call that one a near miss since it actually contains the word “mali”.
I should have gotten Tanzania and Malawi.
Okay in South African except for Botswana, I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me.
Angola! Damnit.
Hits on Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, and near misses everywhere else.
Let’s tally…that’s 14 (not counting Ghana/Nigeria/Cameroon, which I didn’t earn).
Balls was right, couldn’t place 20.
That’s a damn good effort, though!
I’m willing to bet most Africans can’t get 20. There are too many teeny tiny ones, and the names change a lot.
I was rather surprised to learn that Zaire doesn’t even exist anymore.
It doesn’t? What is it now?
.
Former French colony, now known as Democratic Republic of the Congo
1 is Black Hawk Down, idiot.
Curious: In which African country did you reside?
He lived in South Africa, if I recall correctly.
That’s right.
I’m sure you mean “by the end of day one”.
Given the climate there, I’d bet on “when they got on the van the first morning.”
My guess was #26 or #27, so not TOO bad.
I knew Ghana was west Africa but i did not have it exactly right.
I would have added a question of what % of Americans think Africa is one country/continent like Australia?
The answer is yes
Well time for a Whose Line reference!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KO4pC30lGs
I knew it was close to Nigeria. That’s because I know they make jokes about each other, like PA/ WVA.
I remember wondering what the commercial was for when I first saw it. Then the skateboarding aspect picked up, so I was onboard. I probably blocked that part out that said it was FB, and for good reason: FB is for soccer moms and right wing weirdos.
I have a coworker who is on Facebook, but hates it. She hates all the anti-vax bullshit, all the anti-trans bullshit, all the oversharing bullshit, all the political bullshit, etc.
Every time I say something along the lines of “it costs $0 to delete Facebook,” she just kind of sighs and goes back to hate-scrolling and making fun of everyone she’s “friends” with on there.
True of Facebook too
Gumby uses it mostly to be mean to people. I stay away because fuck everybody. Except you guys. Yinz are dope!
Facebook is a net con for our society. At the very least, it should have a Surgeon General warning at the too of every post.
Agreed.
I had a Facebook account for a long time and got to where it was a daily part of my life (shout out to Farmville and Yacht!), but wound up being fed up with the piss-poor UI and unnecessary changes and expansion. I eventually deleted it a few years ago and am so happy I did. It feels fart-sniffy to talk about it now, but I imagine there are millions of people whose lives would improve dramatically by just deleting their accounts.
It shouldn’t be fart-sniffy because no one needs FB. It’s not like I’m shaming people for eating meat or not having a Prius. It’s literally a recreational vehicle. I have no qualms about FB shaming. It’s like cigarettes; you can do it of you want but, aside from your temporary drug fix, It’s bad.
I’m always a little wary that “I don’t have Facebook” is the 2020s version of “I don’t even own a television.” I’m sure some people get real value out of it; they ooh and ahh over their friends’ and family’s baby and pet photos, and post silly memes about “Humpday” or whatever, while ignoring the political/conspiracy shit.
I don’t really think I would enjoy that stuff, and I know I would be tempted constantly to engage in stupid arguments. Also, I think I’m that narrow demographic slice that was already out of university by the time FB went big, but not quite old enough to sign up to see photos of grandkids or whatever. I’m not sure anyone has ever asked me “hey, are you on Facebook?” or encouraged me to join, though that may say more about people’s desire to avoid contact with me.
One stark difference between TV and Facebook is the association between content and youth. Sure earlier generations saw models in beer commercials and developed issues but the immediate and powerful reactions to “likes” is completely new.
I saw a meme once than was like, “all the things boomers thought movies and music was going to do to me is exactly what Facebook has done to them.” I do not entirely disagree.
I think “I don’t have Facebook” is the equivalent of “I cut the cord”.
I did FB from 2008 to 2010, when I was deployed to AFG, Kuwait, and Iraq. I bought an old house in 2009 and was so busy getting it sorted out that I never bothered with it, turned off all notifications, and finally deleted my account in 2015. It was handy when overseas, and at the point I stopped it had not yet become the political cesspool that it has become, though you could already get a sense that it was not going to be pretty.
oh yeah, I got it wrong. They have the best Afrikan Euros name, though (“Black Stars”)
Blaxtars