Saturday, December 31, 2011

Aaron's WWEport - My "Fave Five" of 2011

NOTE: This article was originally posted by me on TheWebsiteOfDoom.com

To close out the year I thought I'd take a leaf out of Booker T's... book, I guess, and nominate my favourite five wrestlers of 2011. Or Fave Five, if you will.

I haven't ranked them, so the five are in no particular order. They are also not necessarily my favourite wrestlers in the company either but these are the guys who I think had a great year and as of right now are the wrestlers I look forward to seeing the most when I turn on the show.

1) CM Punk




No surprise to anyone. The reason why I even put him first is because it was too obvious to hold back. Punk turned a lot of heads earlier in the year with his shoot shenanigans and there is a reason why he's the WWE champion right now.

He's always interesting on the mic. You genuinely don't know what he's going to say from one week to the next. In a time when the WWE is struggling to sell their Par Per Views, this guy is getting people excited again.

If I was to level one criticism, it's that he often poorly connects with his moves and thus weakens a match with a limp looking kick to the shoulder. But considering how much he works to get the crowd involved in a match, it somehow evens out by the end.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Weekend Justice: The 2011 Year-End Edition

The tradition of the end-of-year out-takes episode continues at the hall of Weekend Justice. As with any blooper reel, it's going to be a mess of different scenes with different people so I couldn't even possibly describe what you should expect. But I will quote Widgett Walls:
It's Weekend Justice: the podcast that nods and smiles at your New Year's resolutions and then enables you to break/forget every single last damn one of them. This podcast was engineered--some might say over-engineered--by experts to escort you from the work week in the most chaotic manner possible. Please note: this podcast is profane, definitely oversexed and definitely overwrought. It is wrong and unsafe. Especially so given this year-end, outtakes episode. You have been warned.
To listen CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

My Favourite Things: December 2011

NOTE: This article was originally published by me on ASiteCalledFRED.com

Hello and welcome to the last MFT of 2011! It has been a good year and I'd like to thank all the visitors to FRED for helping to make it one I will always remember. But there is still business to be done so check out my favourite things from the past month.

1) Kerry Callen's Super Antics

For those who don't frequent Kerry Callen's blog she's a super cool comic artist. She recently did a series of classically styled Superman comics. So far she has only done three but I've included two of them below (the other is a little longer but you can see it by clicking here). I love them due to some great humour and a real likeness to that old comic look.

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Audiophilia: December 2011

When I post articles on other websites I usually also post the whole article here. But considering Audiophilia is a joint column with other contributors I don't think it's necessarily fair to copy and paste it on to my own blog.

But if you'd like to hear the music suggestions of myself, Katie Delz and Mike Harris, CLICK HERE and you can read our thoughts and listen to some music from the likes of Beach House, The Roots and The Rubberbandits.

And just for the sake of it, here is a picture of a monkey.

A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume

Myself and Ken Plume have been friends for a number of years now. We both work on ASiteCalledFred.com and have worked together at Dragon*Con for the past four years. We've done a bunch of podcasts together before but this is my first appearance in his "A Bit Of A Chat..." series.

We had originally intended it to be a kind of FRED office party but I guess we got side tracked. Like, really side tracked. We talk about Jedward a lot. I'm sorry.

To listen to the interview CLICK HERE or to download it directly CLICK HERE.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Solve This: Episode 1.4

SOLVE THIS, the improv comedy panel podcast show thingy that totally makes sense kinda maybe. Season One draws to a close with another episode of madness and oddity. AND COMEDY.

This week myself and Widge are joined by JJ Hawkins, Jon Boutelle and newbie Ryam Patrick Eros.

To listen CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Mars Needs Podcasts #140- The Christmas Special (that isn’t)

Bit of a delay putting this one up but there has been a little holiday the last few days, you may have heard of it.

This episode was posted on Christmas eve and featured JJ Hawkins (obviously), myself, and Jason Wood. We talked about absolutely everything except Christmas. I don't know how we managed it but we did. So if you're sick of the festive season, this is the show for you.

To listen CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Weekend Justice #141B: 12 Days of Trainwreck: Behind the Scenes

Because we're taking a Christmas break from the show, Widge in all his genius decided to share with you some scenes of us... attempting... to sing a Christmas song for charity.

It's a mess, an unbridled mess and I don't think it could have ended up any other way.

To listen CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

12 Days of Fistmas: Day 11

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Solve This: Episode 1.3

I didn't get a chance to post this last night, but yesterday the third episode of SOLVE THIS became available to rock your ear-holes. It's the improv comedy panel show that attempts to fix some weird problems but usually just creates more of them.

This week myself and host Widgett Walls are joined by panelists Jon Boutelle, Rox of Spazhouse and the god-like Jay Wade Edwards.

To listen to the episode CLICK HERE or to download it directly CLICK HERE.

12 Days of Fistmas: Day 10

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Road To Poland: Traps and Tanks


For those wondering who the sexy older gentlemen is up there, he is manager of the Irish football team, Giovanni Trapattoni. He may be Italian (as you may have guessed from his name) but the old sod loves his team and in turn we, the fans, love him. For proof, watch him get all choked up after we qualify for the tournament and he's asked how proud he is. Jayzus, I'm getting a little weepy myself just thinking about it. But it's not just his passion which is so wonderful (sorry, ladies) but his career also.

One of only two managers in history to win the top league title in 4 different countries. He is also one of only two managers to win all three major European trophies. I'm even going to straight-up paste the next bit from Wikipedia: Also, he is the only one to have won all UEFA club competitions and the World Club title, also having the record of UEFA Cup wins (three). So the guy is a bit of a genius.

What he's not perfect at, however, is English. He's still learning and at age 72 he's doing a pretty brilliant job at it, but he's not quite fluent yet. This results in quite a lot of fantastic quotes from his press conferences though as he refuses to use an interpreter most of the time and just comes out with unusual stuff.

Yesterday he had a press conference and was asked about his defensive tactics. I loved his response because not only was it smart but it was honest.
I'm not presumptuous, but at Inter, Milan, Juventus, my teams scored. I had champions, yes, but we always scored more than we concede. Is that defensive? It's football.
I never say stay. I say go, but go with balance. The match that Ireland lost against Cyprus... go up front and boom, boom, boom, concede five goals.
I never forbid the players to go. I wish the players to go as we need offensive play. When you lose the ball up the field 70 metres it's a motorway for the other team.
We have good potential, enough potential. Spain is Spain, the world champions. But 90 minutes will be 90 minutes for us.
I repeat, on the pitch there is only one ball, you either have it or you don't and when we don't it's important not to concede.
We can play with quality. We don't have many creative players, but we have the right players, football players, with the right attitude.
That match against Cypruse was 5 years ago and was the reason why is predecessor lost his job. Since then? Well, Trapattoni came in and things got a hell of a lot better. I love that man.
---
In other news regarding the tournament: The Irish Independant published a story about Polish drunk-tanks; a rather scary scenario I would like to avoid.

Offending fans could be sent to 'drunk tanks' where they will be stripped naked and hosed down with cold water. They will then be charged €80 to leave after sobering up.

... that sounds like fun, right? The article goes on...

One man, who was arrested walking home drunk from a party, said: "It was probably the most terrifying thing I've ever gone through. I was strip-searched on arrival and made fun of in front of female staff.
"When I protested they threw buckets of freezing cold water over me and then tied me to a bed with leather straps and left me there all night."
In other cases people have complained of being beaten with rubber truncheons and of being forced to do push ups outside while naked.

Guess who I'll be avoiding while over there? To read the full article click here.

12 Days of Fistmas: Day 9

Monday, December 19, 2011

Tease Me, Baby! - The Dark Knight Rises

NOTE: This article was originally posted by me on TheWebsiteOfDOOM.com

We seriously can't get away from the trailers this week. In fact there have been so many tasty looking movie trailers that it's taken three of us DOOMsters to cover them all. Thanks to Sharp-O and Albert for their takes on GI:Joe 2 and MIB3. But arguably the most anticipated trailer of all the ones we've covered this past week would be this one for The Dark Knight Rises.

Christopher Nolan is pretty good at keeping control of what information is leaked about the film, so far we've just seen the odd on-set picture or two and very little about the plot has been divulged. What we do know is that Bane, Catwoman and Batman will all go head-to-head...to-head.

I think that's as much as we need to know really. Nolan has done such a great job so far that confidence is beyond high for his swan-song with the franchise.

On that note: Lets take a look at this trailer.



12 Days of Fistmas: Day 8

Sunday, December 18, 2011

12 Days of Fistmas: Day 7

Tease Me, Baby! - Jack The Giant Killer

NOTE: This was originally posted by me on TheWebsiteOfDOOM.com

I had no clue about this film until I stumbled across the trailer online. Having no prior
knowledge of it, everything surprised me about the trailer/film. Everything. I want to share this wonderment with you so I think we should dive right in without any further description.



Friday, December 16, 2011

12 Days of Fistmas: Day 5

Weekend Justice #141: How to Ship Your Mother

This is the last Weekend Justice of the year, so soak it up. We'll obviously be returning in January but we're taking a well earned (kinda) break for the holidays.

This week I join, Widge, Rox, Leigh, Tuffley, Scott, Jon and Rob in a walk down memory lane featuring such lunacy as:
  • The Krampus
  • Tuffley's amazing mic
  • Rock Lobster!
  • Put it in the box! (Carefully)
  • The New Daddy
  • Blame Scott
  • Happy Holidays and age
  • Pixellated nipples!
  • Christmas Memories
  • Novel boxers
  • Licked by a giraffe
  • Lots of movie news
  • Newly found Doctor Who and wiping
  • Louis CK and critical mass
  • Amazon Prime
To listen to the show CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Solve This: Episode 1.2

SOLVE THIS is back with our third episode... or second if you don't count the pilot, which apparently we're not. But you know, Widge will probably just turn that into another problem for us to solve.

It's the improv comedy podcast you didn't know you couldn't live without. This week Widge has drafted in JJ Hawkins, Rox of Spazhouse and the wonderful Misty Lee to join me in solving his manic problems. Do we succeed? Well, our record isn't great.

To listen to the show CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

12 Days of Fistmas: Day 2

Monday, December 12, 2011

Tease Me, Baby! - Battleship

NOTE: This article was originally posted by me on TheWebsiteOfDOOM.com

This is one of those train-wreck movie ideas that really demands my interest because it's just so hilariously misguided. Yes, this is indeed based on the board-game of our youth. Yes, it does star both Liam Neeson and pop singer Rihanna. And no, I can't wait for it either.

When the announcement was made a year or two back that this was in production it raised not much more than the typical chuckling and eye-rolling from online community that you'd expect. Many a joke was made about a possible Snakes & Ladders movie starring Samuel L. Jackson (that may just be me making that one up, but c'mon, you'd watch it too) and we all dismissed it as a bad idea that might never happen anyway.

Well it did, and it's here. And I can't wait to see the trailer, can you? Let's watch.


12 Days of Fistmas: Day 1

 The countdown to christmas has begun! Last year it was cats, this year it's...

Friday, December 9, 2011

Weekend Justice #140: A Harry Bemis For the 21st Century

This week I join Widge, Rox, Leigh, Jon, Scott, Tuffley and Rob to talk about the usual sort of weirdness, including:

  • Hijacking the Rock Lobster!
  • Leigh's Cock Obsession
  • Finally, Walking Dead!
  • John Carter and sexism
  • Trailers
  • Tintin
  • Fuckin' Viggo
  • Tim Burton's The Smurfs
  • Sherlock Holmes 2
  • Tim Burton's Chipmunks
  • Danger Mouse and Fishbone!!
  • Lovecraft's Duck Hunt

To listen to the episode CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Solve This: Episode 1.1

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT. Also, because we enjoyed doing it and wanted to do more, but partly because YOU DEMANDED IT... Solve This has returned. The improv comedy show that tugs at your heart strings with a convoluted system of strings and levers.

In this first episode of this season Widgett Walls once again returns to hosting duties and tries to wrangle myself, Rox of Spazhouse, JJ Hawkins and Jon Boutelle. We attempt to solve a myriad of problems while entertaining you. SPOILER: We don't always solve them.

To listen to the episode CLICK HERE or to download it directly CLICK HERE.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

A Heads Up


Unfortunately for most of my followers, you're going to see quite a few football posts on the lead up to next June when I'm traveling to Poland for 15 days to support Ireland as they play in the European Championship (only the second time we've ever qualified for the tournament, the last time being in 1988).

It's a weird thing, but online I'm a little bit hesitant to talk about sports at all. I understand that most of my geeky friends have no interest in it and I too can find some sports obsessed people annoying but it's still a big part of my life. 

Since I was a kid, I've always used sports to connect with my dad. He had three sons but I turned out to be the only one with any interest in football and it quickly became a tradition that we would watch games on TV together. Even now, it's our first point of conversation when we're catching up, "did you see the game last week? What was the manager thinking?" etc.

I'm extremely proud of my national team. The Republic of Ireland don't have a lot of great players but there has always been a brilliant passion about the lads who put on the green shirt. In the modern era of football you only have to look at our neighbors England to see how most players don't care about playing for their country but it really makes me proud to say that this isn't the case with the Irish lads. They give their all for us out on the pitch and I'd be lying if I said it doesn't make me emotional every now and then.


One of my best friends Andy managed to get tickets to our three games at the tournament next year and the two of us have been busy booking hotels and flights since the draw was made on Friday. We found out we're playing Croatia, Italy (a lot of history between us and Italy on the pitch) and Spain (the world champions). It's going to cost us a fortune but I don't care, it will be worth every penny.

It's over 7 months away but I'm already excited to go. We'll be in Poznan for the majority of the two weeks with a quick trip to Gdansk for the Spanish game. It's a long time to be away but there will be football on every night and so many other fans around, we're sure to have a laugh.

Anyway, this was just a post to say, I love my national team and you'll be hearing a lot about it over the course of the next 7 to 8 months or so. I hope you have a good time with me.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Weekend Justice #139: Lock This Episode in the Barn and Feed It Chickens

After a brief hiatus, Weekend Justice is back and I return with it. I'm joined by Widge, Rox, Leigh, Jon, Kim, Scott C and Rob. We discuss a myriad of madness including:

  • Bradley Cooper and why Limitless is a great film
  • Muppets!
  • Rox revisits Tintin
  • Rox's Hugo review
  • Trailers
  • The Rock's career
  • Defending Waterworld
  • Whatever happened to Touchstone?
  • Occupy Pornos!
  • Scooter!
  • Kim's Skyrim story
  • Twilight and romance books
  • Opener crisis!
  • Sexism, bigotry and racism!
  • Stephen King
  • Joe Mad is back!
  • Grab your MDSS and kiss it goodbye

To listen to the show CLICK HERE or to download it directly CLICK HERE.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

My Favourite Things - November 2011

NOTE: This article was posted originally by me on ASiteCalledFred.com

This month I have been mostly watching youtube videos so November's round-up is going to heavily reflect that. I'd argue that I may need to get out more but if I did, I wouldn't have anything to share with you in this column and what would be the sense in that?

1) Battle of the Brick: Built for Combat

In this mostly wordless stop motion animation Alex Kobbs recreates the Halo map Zanzibar pretty damn accurately with nothing but lego bricks. In the 30 minute movie he pits Reds versus Blues in a crazy capture the flag game. And there is a lot of really clever stuff involved.

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