. important polls by slpc Because of the gravity of my last poll, I gave everyone a week off. Now I’m back with the results of the John Hughes Memorial Vote. THE BREAKFAST CLUB took first place with 32% of the votes, while FERRIS BUELLER landed in second with 22%, and SIXTEEN CANDLES took third with 14% (sorry Ernessa). I was kinda shocked that SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL only had one vote, while UNCLE BUCK had three (maybe I should watch Uncle Buck again). MR. MOM, a personal favorite, was somewhere in the middle, while there were no votes for Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, She’s Having a Baby, or The Great Outdoors. Because I’m the type who can’t let things go, this final Hughes poll is dedicated to the winner: The Breakfast Club. Choose your favorite BOY and GIRL. OR [poll id=”23″] OR [poll...
Hello Friday: Fiercest Nerds on the Block August 7-13
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
Greetings from Santa Fe! I’ve been road tripping all week, but lucky for us, your comments totally didn’t take a vacation. Check ’em out: HELLO FRIDAY re: Fierce OR Nerdy: Geek Love Memorial, in which slpc honored John Hughes in the best way possible — with a huge poll of his movies. If you haven’t put in your vote yet, pick your favorite Hughes movie now. Oh, and here’s a pretty convincing argument for The Breakfast Club. (Thought) Chuck: While I think FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF is an overall better movie structurally and story-wise, THE BREAKFAST CLUB is the quintessential John Hughes movie and an archetype for 1980’s misunderstanding & disillusionment, and therefore it gets my vote. Cue “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from Simple Minds. It should also be noted that PRETTY IN PINK, though written by Hughes, was not directed by him – those honors went to Howard Deutch. All the more reason why THE BREAKFAST CLUB should be the winner. PHILOSOPHICAL MONDAY If you have a chance the thoughtful comments on my mother-of-a-biracial-baby post which advises/rants against asking a woman holding a baby if that baby is hers are all worth a read. But I loved that we had our first sibling argument in the comments of Amy Robinson’s post, “Bad Cook,” in which she put forth that her mother was a good baker but a really bad cook. Amy’s sister totally disagreed. janicpanny: LIAR!! Did we really grow up in the same house? I fondly remember Mom’s cooking as good ordinary comfort food. Perhaps your memory is skewed by the silly note your silly “friend” wrote? No gourmet food at house, and I hated liver & onions and all things veggie (which kept me at the dinner table for sometimes...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Geek Love Memorial
posted by Sallie Patrick
Last week most of you chose to die by drowning, as opposed to burning. I myself am terrified of drowning because somehow it seems more likely. Unfortunately, there just doesn’t seem to be a tasteful way to segue from imagined death into actual death… so… Let’s just do this: This is a very special John Hughes Tribute Edition of Fierce OR Nerdy. To celebrate the guy who made geeky cool, I’ve listed a dozen of the original films Hughes wrote. I left out a few of the more obscure ones, the sequels, and I focused solely on the 1980’s (so Home Alone, Career Opportunities, Curly Sue, and Beethoven all missed the cutoff). Vote for your favorite. Feel free to defend it and commemorate Hughes in the comments. (Also, if you have two minutes, read this very touching blog entry from a fan/pen-pal that proves how much Hughes rocked.) [poll...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Means to an End
posted by Sallie Patrick
Last week, Madonna (Mother of Lourdes) beat out Madonna (Mother of God) by a couple of votes. When I created the poll, I was convinced that Mother of God would sweep, simply because I thought people were kinda over Madonna, Mother of Pop — but it seems she’s still getting respect. And if you compare the two Madonnas and what they accomplished during their lifetimes, well, you can’t deny that Madonna Ciccone has worked her ass off to become who she is. All the Virgin Mary did was give birth to and raise a God — and really, how hard could that be? It’s not like Jesus went through terrible twos (or did he?). Although, if the whole virgin birth/God thing IS true, I guess you have to give Mother Mary kudos for going along on that insane ride. I think I would’ve said “Hell Nay!” Perhaps I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, but I’ve decided to entertain some morbid thoughts. It’s not an original question: if you could choose your death, how would you die? There’s no consensus among professionals about what would be the most painful demise, but it seems Burning and Drowning are the two that people fear most. So, if you had to choose… OR [poll...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Madonna v. Madonna
posted by Sallie Patrick
Last week, Aliens faced off against Ghosts. And, perhaps surprisingly, Ghosts won. Those are my favorite polls, because we don’t actually know why Ghosts won. Was it because people think Ghosts are more likely to exist? Or because they’re eerier? Or sexier? Who knows. Truth is, in any poll, you never know the voter’s reasoning behind their choice. By muddying the poll itself, the process becomes even more abstracted, and in my opinion, more interesting. But this week, I have a specific survey for you… If Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, Madonna is, of course, the Queen. Although, she’d probably prefer you called her “The Blessed Mother.” Since the beginning of her career, she’s sparked many controversies with the Roman Catholic Church. First, there was her choice of stage-name, then 1984’s scandalous “Like a Virgin,” followed up by “Like a Prayer,” and a few years ago, her Confessions Tour nearly caused a holy war when, during the finale, she crucified herself. Oh, and it’s debatable whether she chose her most recent boyfriend, a 22-year old Brazilian Kabbalist, solely for his name: Jesus. (I think it was more than his name.) Perhaps you haven’t heard about Madonna’s latest blasphemy. Her Warsaw concert date is set for August 15th — which happens to be The Feast of Assumption of the Blessed Mary, one of the holiest of Catholic holidays celebrating the “real” Madonna. Some Poles are irate, and one protest leader called the concert “an attack of the devil on our untouched Catholic nation and the Catholic tradition of Poles.” But it’s unclear whether Madonna (or her managers) irreverently picked that date in order to benefit from the controversy, or whether the religious protesters are just milking this opportunity for publicity. Or perhaps both....
Fierce OR Nerdy: Aliens v. Ghosts?
posted by Sallie Patrick
(Fierce OR Nerdy took last Friday off, as I was in the middle of the woods with no cell reception and certainly no internet. It was nearly maddening.) Two weeks ago, Jon Bon Jovi’s “America the Beautiful” kicked the ass out of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.” I thought we’d have a closer turn-out, since both performances, in my opinion, were equally awful. We did have a couple of write-in votes for “Today!” by Neil Diamond… Um. Why is it that all patriotic songs are horrendously cheesy? Unless they’re performed by Judy Garland — and if you think that sounds like a paradox, watch this. Once again, let’s go in a completely different direction. Aliens OR Ghosts? Of which are you more frightened? In which do you believe? With whom would you rather have sex? You decide. OR [poll...
Hello Friday: The Fiercest Nerds on the Block July 3-9
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
Hey Darlings, Bad dates + Vicodin + Secret Foods = a great first week back with comments to match. Check out our best of below: HELLO FRIDAY re: Fierce OR Nerdy: America vs. USA in which slpc asked us to choose between “America (the Beautiful)” and “Proud to be an American.” BabySmiling: How about a write-in vote for Neil Diamond’s America? “Today!” PHILOSOPHICAL MONDAY re: Single White Nerd: Real Life vs. Blog Land in which Michael Kass gets prematurely dumped after a date Googles him and finds his past Fierce and Nerdy blog posts. Doh! keldoo: She seems rather judgemental and completely lacking in the sense of humor department. And PS, [if] you’ve googled the person you are on a date with. You’re supposed to put that information in your back pocket and use it when necessary. OH, IT’S TUESDAY re: Hasta La Vista, Vicodin? in which we informed you that the federal gov’t is taking under consideration a proposal to ban Percoset and Vicodin. (Thought) Chuck: Oh noes indeed! What will people like Liza Minelli & Rush Limbaugh do?!?!?! SERIOUSLY!!! WOW! IT’S WEDNESDAY! re: Our Secret Foods, in which we asked if you had any secret foods — foods that you only eat when no one else is watching. Apparently, many of you do. Here are just a few of them: CH: Hostess chocolate donuts. keldoo: Twinkies. Frozen. Always…. Robin: Spoonfuls of store bought cake frosting. aimee: i had crunch berries for dinner! they made me sick but i may go back for more… Kim: When I was a kid I used to sneak in the kitchen and slice off hunks of salami then hide the wrappers between my mattress and headboard. Somehow I foolishly thought my mom would never find all those...
Fierce OR Nerdy: America v. USA
posted by Sallie Patrick
Last week, you had a somewhat abstract decision to make: Up & Down or Around. I suppose it isn’t too surprising that Up & Down took the lead, 63% to 37%. Most everyone, at one point or another, has had an experience with nausea after too many turns on the (insert rotating ride here). For me, it was the Paratrooper at Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City Beach (now closed). Paratrooper was your typical spinning-arm-type ride, which I could usually handle — for instance, I loved Mo-Mo the Monster at Six Flags Georgia (sadly, Mo-Mo is no mo’). But that particular sweaty day in Florida, I had eaten two bags of cotton candy, a funnel cake, and a slurpee. There was no vomit, but I spent the rest of the night wanting to die. Today, I send you off into the holiday weekend with your very first video poll: an all-American sing off. Jon Bon Jovi v. Lee Greenwood. Sorry, but I had to do it. It’s kinda painful, especially if you play them both at once. Happy 4th! OR [poll...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Up and Down or Around?
posted by Sallie Patrick
a blogumn by slpc Last week’s poll between Cupcakes and Brownies was a record turn-out of voters resulting in a tie! I’m very happy about this, because I personally have very equal feelings about a great cupcake and a great brownie. In fact, I’d like to have one of each right now. I’m currently visiting my hometown, and when I stepped out of the airport into the intense southern heat, I realized it’s the first time I’ve been home during the summer in many, many years. Like many people, the summer of my youth was filled with swimming pools, playgrounds, and amusement parks. This week’s poll is a tribute to nostalgia. Up and Down could mean anything from the see-saw, to the waterslide, or the freefall, while Around is the merry-go-round, the lazy river, or the loop-de-loop coaster. You choose. OR [poll...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Bake Off
posted by Sallie Patrick
. a blogumn by slpc I’m a little surprised by last week’s turn out. It would be a fair assumption to say most of our readers are liberal, but I was still shocked to see the large majority voted to legalize marijuana. I also noticed the comments section was a little emptier than usual — perhaps out of paranoia, or maybe just disinterest — but I was especially intrigued by Andrew Ator’s comment about how legalization would make our country lazy. I personally have mixed feelings about the issue, but laziness is not one of my concerns. Lazy people will find ways to be lazy with or without marijuana. Believe me, I find plenty of ways to procrastinate everything, including this blog, without pot. On the other hand, I know plenty of stoners who are highly productive. But I suppose we won’t find out whether Andrew’s blanket statement has any validity until pot is legal, so here’s hoping we find out someday. We can always prohibit it later, right? Now, for something completely different. I figured we needed something a little lighter this week. And something yummy. I’m also curious if the recent cupcake trend has indeed supplanted all other handheld desserts. In my opinion, if anything could take on the cupcake, it would be the brownie. Let’s find out.* OR [poll id=”16″] *The Fierce OR Nerdy labels don’t really apply this week. Or do...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Up High or Down Low
posted by Sallie Patrick
. a blogumn by slpc Last week, I asked whether you would take the money and run, or return it and be a decent citizen. Well, RUN won by one vote, and I have to say, I’m kinda proud of you folks out there who are braver than I am. I know myself well enough to say that while I could think of a million ways to spend that money and/or live covertly, I’d probably just give the money back and hope they’d give me a reward. Which of course they wouldn’t. And then I would wish I had run. Oh well. A couple days ago, after reading A Drug War Truce? in Rolling Stone , I was inspired to have a little legalization debate. Before you vote, you can listen to what some (obscure) religious leaders have to say on the subject, as well what our President said at a Town Hall back in March, and what the ex-presidents of Mexico, Brazil and Columbia said last month. And here’s a video about a dog who ate a bag of pot — thanks, CNN. OR [poll...
Hello Friday: Fiercest Nerds on the Block June 5-11
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
Warren Beatty, Clive Cussler, Darth Vader, and OKKKKKKKKKK-lahoma all showed up in this week’s comments. Check it out: HELLO FRIDAY re: Fierce OR Nerdy: Bank Error in Your Favor, in which slpc presents us with the ethical dilemma of whether we would run off with millions of dollars that were accidentally deposited into our bank accounts or return it. Of course she used a picture of Bonnie and Clyde to illustrate all of this. (Thought) Chuck: You have to admit that, scruples aside, given the opportunity to escape with a young, totally gorgeous Warren Beatty at the wheel of a hot 1930’s vintage car to the tune of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” who WOULDN’T run?!?!?!?! PHILOSOPHICAL MONDAY re: Single White Nerd: The Break-Up Bookshelf, in which Michael Kass puts forth the theory that putting a lot of bad books on display might be a great, no-conflict way to get a girl to break up with you. SeaKat: I really think you should throw in a series of Clive Cussler novels. Nothing says “RUN from this man” like a little Dirk Pitt. One or two could be passed off as a gift, though, so you’ll need to invest in at least a dozen. Don’t worry, I’m sure you can get them for pennies at the local used book store. OH, IT’S TUESDAY re: NewlyNested: Looking for a Father’s Day Gift? in which Debra Goykhman gives a bunch of suggestions for fun F-Day gifts. Sadly, one of our commenters had already been burned by one of her picks: the Carnivorous Bug-Eating Garden. Josh Grelle: I got that bug eating garden for my brother, but it didn’t work…. : ( WOW! IT’S WEDNESDAY re: Buy Me This: Death Star BBQ Grill, in which CH geeked out over a...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Bank Error in Your Favor
posted by Sallie Patrick
. a blogumn by slpc We had a good showing of hands last week. Twenty-three votes (61%) went to Soldiers, leaving Dinosaurs with only 15 votes (39%). Even though Land of the Lost was in the losing category (and the reviews aren’t winning either), I’m still looking forward to seeing it this weekend. (But then, I sat through the Will Ferrell episode of Man Vs. Wild a couple nights ago, so I’m obviously a glutton for punishment.) This week, I bring you your first Fierce OR Nerdy moral dilemma. Almost a month ago, Leo Gao and Cara Young, the now infamous New Zealand couple, were reported missing after an employee at Westpac Bank made a rather large error in their favor. Instead of depositing $61,000 into the couple’s nearly bankrupt account, the teller forgot the decimal and deposited 6.1 million. The next day, the couple fled the country with all the money they could withdraw: 3.8 million. They flew to Hong Kong. They hit up casinos in Macau. And now, nearly a month later, they’re still on the lam, having evaded police on two continents, private detectives, and Interpol. It’s beginning to look like Leo and Cara actually got away with it. So, what would you do if 6.2 million landed in your bank account? Would you be fiscally responsible? Or would you take the money and run? or [poll...
Hello Friday: The Fiercest Nerds on the Block: May 29-June 4
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
Chinese English-speakers! North Korea! Pregnant Fish! And that’s just the stuff that didn’t make our “best of” comments. What a crazy week… HELLO FRIDAY re: Fierce OR Nerdy, in which slpc asked us to choose between movie soldiers and movie dinosaurs. (Thought) Chuck: G.I. JOE – four words: “Channing Tatum in leather.” Umm, hello people, the choice of soldiers is now obvious! PHILOSOPHICAL MONDAY re: Fierce in Seattle: Dog Days, in which Kelli Bielema exposes the sad reality of puppy mills. Basically, if you love dogs, don’t buy them from a pet store and support your local humane society. They’re doing amazing work. Justin_Time: It’s no wonder that so many of the dogs that people buy at pet stores have bad temperaments after growing up in these kinds of conditions. I hope all these dogs find happy homes. OH, IT’S TUESDAY re: If You Ask Me: BBQ Etiquette, in which Travis Randall declares that no matter how bad the host is messing up your barbecue, you should never, ever touch his or her grill. BabySmiling: Once I was at a birthday party BBQ where a bunch of guys (they were all physicians, actually) argued for 20 minutes about the best way to get the coals lit. One guy’s stance was “More lighter fluid! More! More!” He grabbed the bottle and kept spraying, so he won the debate through sheer force. My mushrooms tasted like they’d been marinated in lighter fluid. Everything was gross — and toxic. The only people who could really eat were the vegans who’d brought their own corn wrapped in foil to keep it safe from meat residue (and by extension, lighter fluid). We all ended up eating a lot of birthday cake to make up for our lack of BBQ...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Dinosaurs vs. Basterds
posted by Sallie Patrick
. . a blogumn by slpc Last week, Conan got a whopping 87% of your votes (and Zack, from Tall Glass of Shame, admitted to voting for Leno out of pity). So doesn’t it seem like NBC should be giving Conan the primetime show instead of Leno? Someday, perhaps. For now, just set your DVR for The Tonight Show on June 1st when Conan’s first guests will be Will Ferrell and Pearl Jam. Speaking of Will Ferrell… Land of the Lost comes out June 5th, which makes me realize, we’re already in the thick of the summer movie season. If you, like me, are shocked by how fast this happened, never fear. Looking at the list of remaining releases, we still have many more dinosaurs, wizards, gangsters, ghosts, soldiers, and aliens to come. I have to admit, I’m most stoked about Land of the Lost and Year One (dinosaurs) as well as Inglorious Basterds and G.I. Joe (soldiers). What about you? OR [poll id=”13″] Btw, when I first started this blogumn, I thought about creating a site to go along with it: a casual, crowd-sourcing experiment, pairing two dissimilar items — it’s kinda hard to explain. Luckily, I don’t have to, because someone else had the same idea, and I love that Ugg Boots rank in the bottom 10 right along with Aids, Cancer, and Fascism. But, if you’re the indecisive type, then this site where you can have BOTH explosions AND boobs may be more up your...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Chin Man vs. Forehead Man
posted by Sallie Patrick
. a blogumn by slpc Last week, you chose the name for the pandemic that is still sweeping the nation. The nerdy (and inaccurate, as pointed out by ThoughtChuck) moniker, H1N1, lost by just one vote to its even more inaccurate predecessor, SWINE FLU. I personally voted for H1N1 because, if I died of this influenza, I’d rather people say that I died of H1N1 and not the Swine Flu. That just sounds embarrassing. But then, I’d also rather have a flattering obit photo. In honor of one of the ballsier moves in television programming, I now give you Chin Man vs. Forehead Man. As everyone knows by now, Conan O’Brien will be taking Jay Leno’s place on The Tonight Show come June 1st. I don’t care if you’re more of a Letterman fan, you should tune in to watch this baton pass. As for Leno, and this is the ballsy part, NBC has given him a primetime slot every weeknight at 10pm called, what else, The Jay Leno Show. Sumner Redstone and Les Moonves have already voiced their confidence that the move will only benefit competing networks… We’ll see about that. OR [poll...
Hello Friday: The Fiercest Nerds On The Block May 15-22
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
Photo by Rick Audet Happy Memorial Day Weekend, guys! Before we get into the best comments of the week, friendly reminder to enter your date and time in the Baby Betty Pool. Betty won’t guess her birth date and time by herself, now will she? She needs suggestions. HELLO FRIDAY re: Fierce OR Nerdy: Swine Flu Or H1N1, in which slpc asked us to vote on our preferred name for the not-as-deadly-as-the-MSM-thought-it-would-be flu virus currently doing the rather anti-climatic rounds. (Thought)Chuck: Both names are misleading and have their drawbacks. Calling it “swine flu” infers that the virus came specifically from pigs, when influenza is actually a virus that originates in the intestinal tracts of birds and which then mutates (“antigen shift”) and is transferred inter-species, in many cases to pigs. True, the virus can mutate further than is normal and become more virulent & dangerous (“antigen drift”) while in the pigs, but still the disease is not native to pigs. Calling it H1N1 is also “off-the-mark,” in that this virus we have encountered today is a descedant of, but not THE SAME AS, the virus which was originally identified by its genetic code as H1N1 and which caused the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919. This new virus, though potentially dangerous, has not yet shown the adaptability to humans and high transferrance & lethality rates that the 1918 virus had – and which made it so deadly. Check out John barry’s THE GREAT INFLUENZA for a fascinating, concise account of the 1918 pandemic, as well as a great “science for non-scientists” look at how viruses behave. PHILOSOPHICAL MONDAY re: The Most Practical Road to Mad Love, in which I admitted to creating an apartment-in-a-few-bags back-up plan, when I moved in with my then-BF, now-husband and asked...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Pick Your Poison
posted by Sallie Patrick
a blogumn by slpc Last week, you chose between Zachery Quinto’s Spock and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Wolfie took the lead right out of the gate, but Spock came out on top with 68% of the votes. Honestly, I was a little surprised — until I saw Star Trek last weekend and was completely won over by Quinto. While he’s supposed to be emotionally vacuous in Trek, he somehow manages to convey more in those two hours than in 50-something episodes as Sylar on Heroes. (Feel free to disagree with me in the comments.) I thought about letting you choose between the American Idol finalists this week. But, since this is only my second blogumn, I can’t let you think I’m only about the trendy boys (Jackman/Quinto, Glambert/Krisallen). So, to switch things up: OR [poll...
Hello Friday: The Fiercest Nerds On The Block (May 8-15)
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
Whatta week, whatta week! Spock, Rats, Responsible Procreation — you know, there’s an app for that… HELLO FRIDAY re: Fierce OR Nerdy, in which slpc asked you to choose between Fierce (Wolverine) or Nerdy (Spock). cybele: I’m not sure how I feel about sci-fi movies/tv’s belief that all members of a species must have the same haircut (and clothes) all the time. Vulcans live for something like 200 years … do they all always have that shiny bowl/bangs cut? PHILOSOPHICAL MONDAY re: Rat-A-Cutie, in which I posted one pic of a sleeping rat that was actually cute and two that were supposed to be cute but completely skeeved me out. WonderfullyAwflRobin: I had a pet rat, too, and she was an adorable and sweet little thing. When you live in an apartment that isn’t dog or cat-friendly, rats can be a good alternative if you want to have a pet. The problem is that they live long enough for you to grow attached, but don’t live much longer than that. But yeah, if I found a rat in my kitchen drinking Dr. Pepper, I would most certainly freak out. OH, IT’S TUESDAY re, Political Physics: To Birth or Not Birth, in which Monique King-Viehland asked whether it was fiscally or socially responsible to bring children into the world right now. AmyQOTWF: As a woman who is choosing not to procreate, those types of thoughts have about 2% bearing on my decision. They are so negative and just stinkin’ thinkin’. I totally agree with Ernessa, awesome people should bring more awesome babies into the world! Sure there is a lot of madness with this whole global warming dealie, wars, repressions, etc… but hey, we don’t know what the world is going to be like in...
Procrastinate on This! Awkward Family Photos
posted by Ernessa T. Carter
I usually try to limit the non-Friday PoT!s to 5 minutes or under, so that you can, you know, actually get some work done. But not today. Big Warning: I lost a good 20 minutes on this newish site, “Awkward Family Photos” yesterday, which features real families like the one below in such awkward photos, that you reall start to wonder about your fellow “normal” Americans. Seriously, don’t click on the below pic unless you’re looking to blow some serious work time. I don’t know whether to thank or chastise slpc from “Fierce OR Nerdy” for the introduction to this...
Fierce OR Nerdy: Now Is The Time To Choose
posted by Sallie Patrick
. a new blogumn by slpc Since the beginning of FaN, Ernessa has been asking me to write a column. I’ve finally found one I can handle on a weekly basis, mostly because it requires YOU to do the work. Don’t worry. It’s a very simple, self-explanatory social experiment. I’ll ask you to choose between two items, but I won’t be giving you a question. However you interpret the choice is up to you. For example: below I’ve given you two images representing the words FIERCE and NERDY. You could be voting for the photo you think most accurately represents the word. You could be voting for the character you love most, or the one with whom you most identity. Put as little or as much thought into it as you want. And feel free to back up your decision in the comments. Results will be discussed in next week’s blogumn. OR [poll id=”9″] Thanks for...