JuiceBox Party

Jesus Man

2010-03-20T18:40:00.001-07:00

Now, now. Let's not jump to conclusions. This could be the only bad scene in an otherwise incredible movie. Just kidding :)

My MJ Moment

2009-06-30T09:54:00.003-07:00

In 1989, while a Sophomore in college, one of my roommates, Dave, asked me if I wanted to go watch a taping of the Arsenio Hall Show. Now, at the time, Arsenio's show was huge (hard to imagine now) and his guest that day was going to be Eddie Murphy, who was bigger than big. I was in - and Dave, myself and a couple of others headed down for the taping. Now, when I say Arsenio and Eddie were big - I mean really big, and in order to ensure getting into the taping, we headed down early enough to make sure we were in line at 4 AM for the 4 PM taping of the show. Shows like this have a first come, first served policy and you don't even know if you're going to be the last one in line to make it in or the first one in line to be turned away.

Well, our early departure was not paranoia, because when we got there we joined a group of over 100 already in line, some of whom had been there since early the previous evening. Now I'm sure we've all had at least a couple of those mind-numbing line-waits on occasion, and this was certainly one of them, but a mere 10 or 11 hours after getting in line (which was not on some Hollywood lot mind you, but some seedy Hollywood side-street) the line began to move.
We were herded like cattle into a holding area, given wrist bands and made to wait again (all of which was a good thing, because many seats in the show were given away by studio types because the of the hype surrounding the show and we ended up being in the last 10-20% of the walk-ins who were given seats.) Now, once inside the actual studio, we were shuffled and dealt like cards in a deck and I ended up sitting next to none of my friends and, in fact, in far worse seats than them (though none of us near the "dog pound"). The crowd was very diverse in race and social class, much like Arsenio and Eddie's fan base, and I ended up sitting on the farthest left seat, near the top row, next a woman of color (let's call her "Ruth"). Now Ruth was a big girl, and next to her were a couple of her friends, also big girls.

As the show began, the mood was electric - the excitement was palpable. There was a added level of excitement due to the fact that Will Smith (who was a young an rising star) was introduced before the show and sitting in the front row. As Eddie Murphy came out on stage the level of emotion rose even higher and I've no doubt that there was no better place to be in all of 1989 than in this room. Then it happened...

Unannounced and unexpectedly - it happened. A figure appeared behind the etched glass of the set. Then...around the corner stepped...who is that? The crowd hushed. Michael Jackson? No. An impersonator. No. Is it? Yes. The King of Pop just walked onto the stage!

The crowd's intrepidation gave way to exuberance, then near-hysteria. As the realization of what was happening sank in, the room entered a fevered pitch. The woman next to me, Ruth, and her friends gave me an idea of what attending a Beatles concert must have been like. Ruth grabbed my arm with both hands and started jumping; up and down - however low she may have been able to. She nearly ripped my arm out of it's socket, and I (who was probably among the least impressed in the room) began to be more concerned about the health of my arm than anything going on stage.

Eventually the crowd calmed and the mood was dampened a bit by an awkward, clumsy exchange of awards between Eddie and Michael, but I left the room that night with the understanding that we pop-culture equivalent of a solar eclipse and that the next time I saw Michael Jackson, I hoped I wasn't standing next to a 250 pound black woman.

Best...website...evar!!!

2009-06-18T22:40:00.001-07:00

This may be why the internet exists. StarWars.com has unveiled the Star Wars Soundboard which let's you sample and mix dozens of sound effects and lines from your favorite characters, ships and machines. It's awesome fun. I dare you to spend less than 10 minutes on it.

What's the new iPhone called again?

2009-06-09T20:23:00.001-07:00

Apple's WWDC 2009 Keynote in 3 Minutes

2009-06-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

Swedish "Dansbands"

2009-06-06T18:00:00.004-07:00

Apparently gummy fish and ludefisk aren't the only gems Sweden has offered...

Just my opinion...

2009-06-05T09:14:00.001-07:00

I think the absolutely goofiest name for anything - ever - has got to be "ampersand".

Are we glad Andy is back? Yes.

2009-06-02T13:03:00.001-07:00

Did you know...?

2009-05-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Say Cheese!

2009-05-22T20:32:00.004-07:00

In honor of my discovery of awkwardfamilyphotos.com - I decided to pick out some family photos that may very well be right out of some juiceboxer's childhood family albums:

young GOZ | young MIKEY

young JASON | young TYLER

Extreme Tree Huggers

2009-04-30T09:33:00.001-07:00

If anyone is interested...there's a potential kill screen coming up.

2009-04-25T15:14:00.001-07:00

GOLD!

"Did anyone see where my ball went?"

2009-04-20T15:01:00.004-07:00

This the so-called "19th hole" at a golf resort in South Africa - and on the left is golfer Padraig Harrington taking a shot at the par 3. The resort will reward the first hole-in-one with a million dollar prize. I think their money is pretty safe (although Padraig did hit the green on the drive and make par)

If we play together...

2009-04-10T23:27:00.002-07:00

This is cool. This guy took a bunch (a whole bunch) of youtube videos of people showing their musical skills (some questionable skills) and edited them together to make a song. It's pretty impressive - take a listen:

(The drummer in the lower left is Bernard Perdie, who is one of the best jazz/funk drummers ever and creator of the "Perdie Shuffle" which backs this song - he also plays drums on a bunch of Steely Dan)

2009-04-08T09:30:00.003-07:00

Flyin' Right

2009-04-08T08:38:00.002-07:00

Here's some pics of some of the most luxurious flying experiences out there (both actual and conceptual). Interestingly, SouthWest Airlines 737 Emergency Exit Row window seat - which the most luxurious seat I've ever flown in- is not on the list. Oh well, these look nice too.

Most luxurious aircraft cabins and interiors

Finally, a piano I can get behind

2009-04-06T10:52:00.002-07:00

There's been such little innovation in pianos the last few centuries that I really have been hesitant to get one - but finally, someone shows some creativity. Keep it up piano-makers.

Twouble With Twitter

2009-03-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Anybody else feel like this?

The Car Door of the Future!?

2009-03-22T15:40:00.002-07:00

I've seen this before, but wanted to make sure the party saw it. It the "Disappearing Door" and it's kinda pretty cool.

Undersea Volcanos Are Pretty Cool

2009-03-19T10:46:00.002-07:00

...depending on where you are in relation to the undersea volcano.

That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure has a nice tv

2009-03-03T09:14:00.002-07:00

This is kewl. An HDTV + LCD + computer = Olde timey fun! (skip to about 1:30 for best results - the TV cost so much, they saved money on the cameraman)

I know this song...don't I?

2009-02-28T23:17:00.003-07:00

I think she did a pretty good job with it.

Let's Get Stimulated!

2009-02-14T00:02:00.004-07:00

The Washington Post has a pretty slick graph (er...series of graphs) on the "Stimulus Package" passed by the House ~~following the promised 48 hour public review~~. And here's video of Rep. Boehner commenting on the fact that not even one of the House had read the huge, expensive, document. (Try not to grind your teeth while you look at the graph.)

The iPhone is a douche!

2009-02-10T10:29:00.001-07:00

I hesitate to post this because of the language but it is pretty funny. Enjoy!

Big Bird meets Big Blue

2009-02-02T09:51:00.005-07:00

PBS's new show "Sid the Science Kid" is produced by Jim Henson Productions and uses a new technology that uses computers to track actors that are dressed like idiots and translates those movements into CGI. Pretty cool. Pop-Sci has an article about it here.

Anybody Else Want To Go Rafting? It looks fun!!!

2009-01-08T14:22:00.006-07:00

Sorry to share but I couldn't pass up this one. There may be an add first.

New Apple Products Make Me So Happy!!!

2009-01-05T19:55:00.001-07:00

Can't wait to get my hands on one!

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

The Dog House

2008-12-18T10:32:00.003-07:00

Flight of the Concords Season 2 Premiere!!!

2008-12-18T00:37:00.001-07:00

"I know...I've been to Bangkok"

Season 2 Online Premiere - Flight of the Conchords (US Only) - watch more funny videos

My Wife Would Like That!

2008-12-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

The future of US auto manufacturing?

2008-12-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

iPhone music video

2008-12-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

This takes me back!

2008-11-30T23:27:00.002-07:00

I don't know which part I love the most. I haven't seen computers like those in a long time. It's like heading over to Trevor's house :) Seriously leave a comment and tell us what your favorite thing is. It's much better than voting for The Daily Puppy!!!

Find more videos like this on MyAppleSpace

When did Lego replace the Flannelgraph?

2008-10-14T13:29:00.001-07:00

The literal version of "Take On Me" by A-Ha

2008-10-09T10:23:00.001-07:00

For some reason I just thought Jason would like this.

Presidential Options

2008-10-07T21:52:00.001-07:00

Grassroots candidate who we can finally support! Click on the title for news coverage.

In Case You Missed It

2008-10-05T08:40:00.002-07:00

Here's my favorite clip from SNL this week.

Play with a G1 right now! (sorta)

2008-10-04T20:59:00.003-07:00

click this link to get some mouse-on time with Google & T-mobile's iPhone ~~killer~~ imitator.

(click "emulator" at the top to really get acquainted with it)

Pork

2008-10-02T08:42:00.005-07:00

Below are some of the earmarks that persuaded some Senators to vote for a $700 billion package (thanks NY Post).

This bill has an unprecedented cost and is seen as having such a huge impact - positive or negative- on the US. Still, some Senators either voted for a bill - thinking it would cost us $700B and not really help the economy - in order to get their funding, or they believed the bill was necessary to save our economy, but still demanded extra monies to secure their vote. I would have liked to have seen some Senators (e.g. McCain) refuse to vote for bill as long as it contained ANY earmarks. After all - wouldn't President McCain be forced to VETO this bill to keep his campaign promises, due to the pork?

* Manufacturers of kids' wooden arrows - $6 million.

* Puerto Rican and Virgin Is- lands rum producers - $192 million.

* Wool research.

* Auto-racing tracks - $128 million.

* Corporations operating in American Samoa - $33 million.

* Small- to medium-budget film and television productions - $10 million.

* A $223 million package of tax benefits for fishermen and others whose livelihoods suffered as a result of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill

Let Choir Tour Live Again!

2008-09-14T22:03:00.004-07:00

At what point...

2008-09-09T21:06:00.001-07:00

...does one become an enthusiast?

Barack Gets Rick Rolled

2008-09-06T17:41:00.001-07:00

Obama also says down with the "daily puppy"!!!

Juicebox News

2008-09-03T23:54:00.002-07:00

Well, the results are in. Thank you for all of you who voted on the "Cat of the Day" poll. We had over 1200 submissions, and while the voting was very close, more of you (including some very vocal members of the editorial staff) have decided that the "Cat of the Day" has no home on Juicebox.

In other news - I'm very happy to present the "The Daily Puppy"! I'm sure you will all join me in welcoming this fine addition to the Juicebox family. I look forward to seeing cute and adorable puppies everyday on the Box.

Convention Fanboyism

2008-09-03T09:53:00.002-07:00

While I had refused to post anything else until the ridiculous "Random Cat of The Day" was gone, I couldn't help this one.

So after watching much of the Democratic National Convention and now the Republican one I can't help but notice the enthusiasm of the people that attend. How many old ladies with hats can actually fit in one room? The tradition of this astounds me. I wish it would die but we all know it never will. For a few short hours a night I actually hate the colors Red, White, and Blue. While I think this will top the list, I'm trying to think of other events where people gather with as much excitement and costumes more than at a National Convention. Here's what I've got so far:

•A New Batman/Star Wars Movie

•Comic Con

•Any Women's Ministry Event (especially around Christmas)

I'd put an any Apple event, obviously for the excitement, but there is a lack of costumes - unless you count the number of black turtlenecks.

What am I missing???

Top 5 Lamest Summer 2008 Olympic Events (amended)

2008-08-23T16:19:00.002-07:00

I'd like to make a substitution:
Field Hockey is out,
Race Walking is in (they're setting records only joggers once achieved)

Top 5 Lamest Summer 2008 Olympic Events

2008-08-15T10:01:00.004-07:00

5. Field Hockey (Didn't we get that out of our system in 4th grade?)
4. Shooting (Let's at least beef it up with a German Nebelwerfer or something)
3. Rowing (You're just going in a straight line guys!)
2. Badminton (Because, who cares, right?)
1. Synchronized swimming (This might be impressive if they were dolphins and the award medals were gold plated herrings)

Then and Now #4

2008-08-10T20:20:00.004-07:00

My first glimpse of Dana Carvey was on my basement bedroom 13" television in the wee hours of the night watching Saturday Night Live. He had me at "isn't that speeecial?" If you don't know the reference, you'll be bored from here on out.
Who can forget Garth Algar or his inspiring impersonations of George Bush (Sr.) and John Travolta? But probably my favorite was "Massive Head Wound Harry". click here if you're curious
Dana (we're on a first name basis) began his stint on SNL in 1986 and left in 1993 (single tear). After leaving SNL he only starred in 2 motion pictures: "Clean Slate" and "Master of Disguise", each mildly entertaining. He also attempted his own variety show which lasted only moments longer than Chevy Chase's and Martin Short's.
So what's he doing now? In June of this year he released an HBO stand-up special called Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies (tell me something I don't know). To his credit, Dana is largely a family man. He's all but retreated from showbiz to give his kids a dad rather than just a famous millionaire. Good for him. I still miss him though.

Who is this guy?

2008-08-09T10:28:00.004-07:00

"I Might Even Be A Shill"

2008-08-04T09:13:00.003-07:00

We just bought a "Hannah Montana Washable Glue Stick". Isn't that a little much?

Uhhhh

2008-08-01T22:31:00.001-07:00

I won't spill the beans, but can you guess what kind of bodybuilding competition this is?

MIT solves the world's energy problem, I can leave my cell phone charger plugged in

2008-08-01T00:41:00.001-07:00

Leave it to the big brains at MIT to solve the hysteria of the day. Necessity is the Mother of Invention (and I think Profit is the Daddy). So it'll take 10 or so years to develop it...I can wait.

Click To Play

Greatest Game I've Ever Played!!!

2008-07-24T17:28:00.001-07:00

You'll want to turn the volume down or off if you're at work or next to the kiddos.

Dramatic Chipmunk Was Nothing Compared To Dramatic Lemur

2008-07-24T11:10:00.002-07:00

Time for Some Campaignin'

2008-07-19T23:41:00.001-07:00

Only four more months...

juiceboxparty.com

Then and Now #3

2008-07-18T16:29:00.001-07:00

O’Boisies are O’boisterous! That was the catch phrase, and it merely scratched the surface of encapsulating the heavenly crunchy tastiness of this now extinct potato chip. I have distinctly fond memories of cramming my face full of O’Boisie potato chips when I was younger. And then, suddenly, like a dreadful pall of darkness they were gone. I miss them…the tears are welling up even now.
They were made by Keebler elves, which was evident in every salty, crunchy bite. The magic these chips conjured in my mouth could only be that of elfish enchantment. My favorite was the sour cream and onion.
What ever happened to them?
It seems, based on my meager research, that O’Boisies were acquired by Poore Brothers in 1999. Personally, I don’t remember savoring them any time after 1994. Were they on the shelves of small grocery stores off the beaten trail until that dreaded year? We may never know. One thing I do know. They are gone, and nothing you say can ever bring them back again!
Sure, Poore Brothers’ chips are tasty, but are they O’boisterous?! Answer me that!

All Star Game Solution

2008-07-16T07:00:00.001-07:00

Here's a simple solution: Each team has two pitchers (and maybe a position player) who aren't activated until the end of 9 innings. In fact, I think it would be cool if the fans didn't even know who the players were until they were activated. As soon as the 9th inning ends, if no winner is determined, these guys dress out a stretch - then they're ready for the 10th. Get a couple of guys who can pitch 2-3 innings and you're set for 16 innings, plus. If there are no extra innings, then the guys don't even dress and no one even cares that they were there.

Also, pitchers who pitched on Sunday (a la Brandon Webb and Scott Kazmir) should just stay home and give their roster spot who someone who is ready to play. It they want to pitch in the all star game they should tell their manager to keep them off the mound Sunday (and frankly they should respect the fans and the game enough to do so anyway.)

UPDATE: I thought this was a novel idea, but I just heard Buster Olney on ESPN propose pretty much this idea, I'll take that as confirmation.

Hurl

2008-07-13T09:05:00.003-07:00

Have a hankerin' for the next big show on television? Well, hanker no more! Hurl! is coming to g4tv and it's going to revolutionize game shows as we know them. Contestants eat their guts out (literally) and then subject themselves to an array of physical challenges like gyroscopes and merry-go-rounds. The last one to toss his cookies wins!! Because there's nothing more entertaining than watching people throw up. Right? I mean,...right guys?......

Then and Now #2

2008-07-12T10:10:00.001-07:00

RATT was one of those bands I never listened to. My best memory of the band is a poster that hung proudly in the bedroom of one of my friends in 7th grade. In fact, this particular snapshot in my mind contains other bands like Twisted Sister, Poison, and Slaughter to name a few. That’s because my friend’s wall was plastered with metal band posters and WWF wrestlers. So, to some extent, RATT is a part of my past just as they are for most of us who grew up in the 80’s. Which leaves me with the question, “What ever happened to RATT?” Well, I’ll tell you.
RATT formed in 1982 in San Diego, CA. They were a glam metal band (see picture) most notable for their hits “Round and Round”, “Wanted Man”, “Lay It Down”, “You're in Love” and “Way Cool Jr.” They sold approximately 30 million records worldwide. 2 of the big ones were Out of the Cellar and Invasion of Your Privacy. When alt-rock hit the scene in the early 90’s, RATT crawled back into the cellar for several years. They endured 2 re-unions (albeit incomplete), one in ’96 and one in ’06.
“So what are they doing now?” you ask. Why, they’re on tour of course. Have you ever seen what a rat can endure and still survive? It can swim for 3 days and live, be flushed down a toilet and come out alive, squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter, survive a several story fall, and endure the boy-band era unscathed. RATT is back baby and they’re selling more t-shirts and throwback concert DVD’s than you know what to do with.

Then and Now

2008-07-04T08:17:00.001-07:00

For the reading enjoyment of all who have nothing better to do with their time, I am going to start a weekly little ditty called “Then and Now”. It’s mainly a means to gain a sense of purpose as I scour the Internet for useless factoids and answer the nagging question, “What ever happened to…?” We’ll see how it goes.
My first installment is a no-brainer. Ralph Macchio won all of our hearts as he was waxing on and waxing off. Who can forget Karate Kid I, II, and III? Well…I and II anyway. Then what? Was that it for our baby-faced, Italian-American, scrawny little black belt? May it never be! Mr. Macchio has enjoyed/endured a busy career in the film industry since the 80’s. Of course, we haven’t heard of many of the fine films his agent suckered him into over the years, but I have assembled a list of highlights:
You might remember him as William “Billy” Gambini in “My Cousin Vinny (1992). If that doesn’t ring a bell, just plug in “The Secret of NIHM2: Timmy to the Rescue” (1998). He was the voice of 17-year-old Timmy, which is a little odd considering he was 37 at the time. Apparently one human year equals 0.46 animated rat years. Ralph grew in notoriety in the movie “Popcorn Shrimp” (2001) as Cop #2, and later pressed his image as a family man in “Beer League” (2006). So, what about now? Currently, a film called “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead” (the first time around was great, but now that they are zombies…zowee!!) is in post-production. IMDB says the tagline is: “Don’t let your ex-girlfriend suck the life out of you!” I say those are words to live by. It seems that Ralph Macchio has a long and successful career ahead of him, but whether he’s a type-cast Gambini, Cop #2 or some other guy I’ve never heard of, he’s still Daniel Larusso to me.

Music in the Digital Age

2008-07-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a new way to buy and share music. Derek Webb and friends have developed this site (NoiseTrade.com) for musicians to sell and share their music.

The concept: the customer can download the music by either paying the price of their [the customer] choosing or sharing the album with three friends [via email]. Musicians upload their albums to the site (for a fee) under this understanding, and they receive 90% of what the customers choose to pay.

Derek's stickin' it to the man. (Hopefully he doesn't go the way of other revolutionaries and become the man.)

So if you are interested in purchasing music, or if you are getting the band back together, you may want to check it out.

iPhone Price Point Devastates Competition

2008-06-10T19:21:00.002-07:00

I guess I didn't really think about it but it makes perfect sense. It's a quick read but the content is good.

The Best & Worst of WWDC

2008-06-09T17:36:00.003-07:00

Ok, so overall I found the Keynote very interesting. I don't want to say good or bad. It was confusing live but now that I've had time to ponder and watch it live I guess I am satisfied enough.

While some may not think the 3G iPhone is worth the upgrade I'm convinced it is for me for 2 big reasons. 1) 3G. It will be significantly faster. I hate waiting now for Edge. I need a faster browser. I use it all the time. Plus think of all the new apps that will benefit from this alone, Slingbox, MLB.com, etc. 2) Improved audio quality. They mentioned better sound - I'm assuming they were referring to the external speaker but the new plastic back covers 10 antennas that can only help what is a weak signal receiver in many places/buildings. Imagine what they learned from their first phone. That new push system they developed for apps like IM to function in the background without hurting performance of battery will be great (available in Sept.)

The new iPhone is not perfect. Video chatting would be amazing as would MMS, and 802.11n. I'm still surprised they can't figure out a few of the simple things. And it's $10 more a month. But with what you gain it's a move I'm willing to make.

Maybe biggest plus of the day for me is MobileMe. I'm excited for a service that works...and it better. Syncing looks amazingly simple. Plus I love that new quick reply in the mail section. When will Mail get that??? Idisk may actually be useful now and large file transfers will finally be simple.

Other Small Bonuses: (I assume these will be in 2.0 and therefore work in older models)

Save emailed pictures in albums and Contact search - FINALLY. iWork and Office compatibility is a plus too but Scientific Calculator, Parent Controls, new Languages...who needs that?

Biggest Letdown of the Day:

No iTunes activation. You have to go to AT&T. That's stupid. I understand it, but by showing us a world of such ease just to pull it away from us, it hurts. That's all I'm saying.

But My Favorite Items of the Day

#1 The "cloud". You have to love the cloud in MobileMe. I didn't know how talented clouds were :)

#2 The sim ejector included with iPhone (otherwise known as a paper clip)

What do you think???

I wanted just a little more...

2008-06-09T14:35:00.004-07:00

I watched three different mac sites refreshing my browser every minute or two so that I could participate in the developers conference myself. By the way I thought the feed from Engadgit was the best. I kept waiting for the "wow." I was captivated by what could be, only to be left wanting a little more. Where was the video conferencing? Where was the MMS? What about a simple stupid "to do" list that works with ical?!! Sure there is the GPS (a novelty at best), and the G3 speed boost (just use the wi-fi). I still cannot copy and paste. I cannot send pictures via instant message. Nice that they could drop the price to $199.00, but ATT will eat up that with an extra $10.00 a month for their data plan. I did like the renovation of .mac to push email, ical and contacts, though goz@me.com seems a little narcissistic. I will wait and enjoy my vintage $600.00 iPhone and put my hope in the creativity of the 3rd party world in hopes that they might solve some of Apple's simple oversights.

Would anyone else like to see Goz build one of these for us?

2008-06-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon...

2008-05-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

...an all new Party (JuiceBox style)