If you watch TV, listen to the radio, or read the news, then it’s likely you’ve heard about Bernard Madoff. Madoff’s resume boasts 40+ years of experience as a trader, chairman of the Nasdaq stock market and hedge fund manager. He was well-respected, but for years there were rumors on Wall Street about his hedge fund. The returns were too high, and his operation was slim considering the tens of billions of dollars that were being managed.
Federal prosecutors recently charged Madoff with securities fraud that may have cost investors up to $50 billion. Madoff is accused of operating a giant Ponzi scheme in which money is taken from new investors to pay earlier investors. This could be one of the biggest Wall Street scams ever.
To help explain a ponzi scheme, Ernie and the Cookie Monster break it down into simple terms that anyone can understand, even a child. Check it out.
According to a poll of 2,000 movie-goers in the UK, these are the worst or “cheesiest” moments in film. Most women opted for moments from romantic comedies while men chose lines from action flicks. However, 33% of the overall vote unanimously agreed on the top moment.
The span of films in the top 10 ranged only from 1986 to 1999. How many of these movies can you name?
1. “I’m the king of the world!”
2. “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.”
3. “Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed.”
4. “I love you.” “Ditto.”
5. “You can be my wingman any time.”
6. “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her.”
7. “Today we celebrate our Independence Day.”
8. “They make take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!”
9. “You had me at hello.”
10. “You’re a godsend, a savior.” “No, I’m a postman.”
So, what do you think? Did they get it right? What other “cheesy” moments are missing?
One of the frustrating things about getting involved in a television series is that it eventually ends. The good shows always seem to go out on top — leaving you wanting more stories about the characters you love.
That’s where fan fiction comes into play. Avid fans of televisions shows and budding writers continue the saga by submitting their stories online for other fans to enjoy. From old shows like Remington Steele to current shows like 24, you can find thousands of new stories online.
The quality of stories range from poor to extremely good — so good you find yourself wishing it were a real episode. When you find a writer you like, you can subscribe to that writer and get notifications each time they submit a new story or add a new chapter to an existing story. A good way to find the best writers is to look for stories that have a large number of reviews.
It’s a fun and entertaining way of continuing your favorite stories, even after they are gone from the airwaves. It’s also a neat way to support amateur writers and connect with other fans from your favorite shows.
One of the most comprehensive sites that I’ve found is FanFiction.net. If you’re bored and have some time to read, check it out.
In the late 80s and early 90s, I was an avid fan of the MacGyver television series starring Richard Dean Anderson. MacGyver would use everyday items to get him out of life-or-death situations — all he needed was his handy Swiss Army knife, a bobby pin or gum wrapper. According to the show creators, all of his solutions were based upon real scientific principles and the inventive use of common items.
The show was entertaining, clever and fun. It even spawned some new words. When people try to jury rig something, it’s called a “MacGyverism,” or some might say that they “MacGyvered” a fix to a problem. A survey commissioned by the McCormick Tribune Foundation in Aug. 2007 even showed that MacGyver was the favorite fictional hero that Americans would want to have if they were caught in an emergency.
Saturday Night Live even created a parody of MacGyver called “MacGruber” with Will Forte as the title character. As a fan of MacGyver, these sketches always caught my attention. I found them to be funny because MacGruber is the anti-MacGyver. He’s a jerk and always fails to save the day.
I was really surprised to see a MacGruber commercial while watching the Super Bowl on Sunday. I was even more shocked when Richard Dean Anderson appeared in the commercial as the real MacGyver. He complains about the poor job MacGruber is doing and accuses him of being a sellout. It’s hilarious!
There are three commercial spots in total. Check ‘em out, and kudos to Pepsi for giving us a clever, entertaining ad in the midst of mediocre (and dare I say, boring) Super Bowl commercials. I wish other advertisers had tried this hard.
As a child, one of the things I loved about the Christmas season was hopping in the car with my parents and touring through the local neighborhoods to look at the Christmas decorations. My father never decorated our house (he always gave us some excuse about the lights using too much electricity), but he did take us to look at the lights put on display by others. We’d roam around for a few hours listening to Christmas carols and appreciating the creativity (and sometimes poor taste) of those who adorned their houses with lights and other seasonal items. I didn’t realize it at the time, but we were creating memories and a tradition that would follow me into adulthood.
I still enjoy Christmas Light displays, even the tacky ones. Most of all, I like the new displays that are completely choreographed to music. There’s one in Plano not far from our house, and it’s hilarious. Gary and I go there at least once during the holiday season, turn off the car, crank the radio to the proper channel, and watch the wild light show. Hey, don’t judge — it’s festive, free and fun!
We’ll be touring through Deerfield to look at the lights this weekend with a small group from our church. Deerfield offers offer a neat horse-drawn carriage ride that’s even better when you mix it with friends and kids. If you haven’t done it yet, I highly recommend it. Bring a few blankets if it’s cold.
If you’re wondering where to go to view some good holiday light displays in the Dallas area, check out these recommendations from Guidelive.com:
CHRISTMAS IN THE SQUARE. An elaborate nightly light display featuring reindeer, stars and more brightens the area around Frisco’s City Hall Plaza. It blinks along to holiday music that you can tune in to on your car radio. There’ll also be family-friendly activities Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 19- 20, including carriage rides, a trackless train ride, photos with Santa and a train display. The light display continues nightly from 5:30 to 10 through Jan. 1.
DEERFIELD. This is traditionally one of Collin County’s biggest neighborhood displays. Expect to see Santas and sleighs, cheerful snowmen, Nativity scenes and just about every other type of holiday decoration you could imagine brightening yards throughout. The Plano neighborhood covers a large area north of Legacy Drive between Preston and Coit roads.
HIGHLAND PARK. Homes are decked out with bright lights and festive lawn displays. Drive through or book a horse-drawn carriage tour departing from Highland Park Village or the Shops of Highland Park. Neighborhood displays are in the area south of Preston and Mockingbird.
INTERLOCHEN. This Arlington neighborhood features winding streets with fountains and ponds – and tons of lights. The display runs Dec. 13 through 25, nightly from dusk to 11:30 p.m. The Arlington neighborhood is between Interstate 30 and West Division Street, off West Randol Mill Road. Motorists should enter the neighborhood from Randol Mill at Westwood Drive.
PRAIRIE LIGHTS. Grand Prairie’s annual drive-through light display features more than 3 million twinkling lights in scenic displays, which are set along a 2-mile winding road. Also, check out activities such as carousel rides, a gift shop, food vendors and photos with Santa at the Holiday Village area. Hours are Fridays, Saturdays, Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31 from 6 to 10 p.m.; Sundays through Thursdays 6 to 9 p.m. Lynn Creek Park on Joe Pool Lake, 5700 Lake Ridge Parkway, Grand Prairie.
TOUR OF LIGHTS. Follow the candy cane signs through a display featuring more than 300,000 lights in Farmers Branch. Tour of Lights: Continues nightly through Dec. 31 and starts at Interstate 35 East and Valley View.
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