the frisky

Book Club: Pulse for Android

in: on queue, in: the press

Okay, so those of you who know me intimately know I’m not exactly tech-savvy. Web-savvy, yes, but technologically inclined? Certainly not. But I’m an avid Wired reader (and thanks to Thomps, subscriber!), and I love to pretend to know about all sorts of technological thing-a-ma-bobbers.

So, I’m celebrating nine months with my beloved Android phone (the original Droid), and I honestly don’t know how I got by without it. I’ve invested my life into this phone. I’m always going through a bit of an application cycle, wherein I cleanse my phone of particular apps and then install new ones (sayonara, Northwestern’s particularly shitty, useless and space-wasting application, hello Buzzfeed‘s totally twee and squeal-inducing application for cuddly animals* and Joseph Gordon-Levitt). And the other day, I hit the proverbial motherload.

I downloaded Pulse from Alphonso Labs at my market’s urging, and I’m addicted. I know the application’s been out for a while (and has been free on both Android and iPhone platforms for a few months), but this discovery was the answer to my calls for a streamlined news application. I found myself wondering this break how to find the information and news I wanted when I’d read all of my Twitter updates. My brain’s grown finicky and tired of traditional news sites. How am I to read the news if it’s not presented in an easy, scrollable format a la New York Magazine‘s fantastic Android widget?

Pulse is it. You can follow up to 20 feeds on Pulse, and the most recent articles and updates are presented on a flowing visual interface. It’s similar to Google Reader but features images instead, and there’s even the capability for Reader integration. Also, it’s so freaking simple to share articles on Twitter, Facebook and a number of other sites.

Now, The Dunce Cap isn’t one for gushing about a product. I’m not here to sell you anything (except for me, future employers!), and the best thing about Pulse is that it is free. I can’t even believe it – it’s easy to read and friendly to my news ADD, and I can even create a widget for any news site, blog or even comic (!) I follow. I’m following enough publications and blogs to really round out my knowledge. I’ve got my Frisky fix and my A.V. Club updates, as well as Salon, Gawker, NYT (to pretend I’m a real human being interested in daily news), Wired and even The Girl with the Dunce Cap! (Why do I follow myself, you ask? Because I can.) I’ve spent so many nights with my finger glued to Pulse. It feels like something approaching productivity.

*Cute Overload is also a great site I will inevitably follow on Pulse and features very cuddly animals

Image from Gizmodo

So, to follow that total product plug (I’m not getting any sort of compensation for this. I’m just obsessed.), an article I found courtesy of Pulse. I’m following Gizmodo for some of my dorkier tech news needs, and this article made me laugh. Check it out.

I’m Not Buying Any More CDs That Don’t Look Like Lunch Meat

A.V. Club: Merry Christmas, Tracy Jordan!

in: viewing room

Over the years, “30 Rock” has produced some pretty killer jams. From “Muffin Top” to “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah,” the tunes from Tracy, Jenna, Liz and the whole gang bring hilarity and joy. This one is good, too, and seems so appropriate for today.


Tracy Jordan, “It’s a Jordan Christmas”

And for those of you not into “30 Rock” but still feeling the Yuletide spirit, here’s a video The Frisky so aptly labeled “Hot Guys Play Santa, For the Heck of It.” Somehow, I think they missed the point of this, but the video made me tear up all on its own. Also, the use of one of my favorite tracks (“Blue Skies” by Noah and the Whale, featured on The Dunce Cap, Vol. 25) was a truly stellar choice. [The Frisky]

¡Feliz Navidad! Buone Feste Natalizie. Joyeux Noel. Mo’adim Lesimkha, Chena tova. Merry Christmas.

Love,
The Girl

A.V. Club: Winter Vacation, Part Three

in: viewing room

I’m going to make this a pretty quick one because I start work tomorrow, and I want to be all sprightly and fresh.

I’m back in Chicago after a wonderful few days back home with my family, and I have to say – it’s more lonesome than I think I anticipated it would be. It’s as if the empty streets echo a bit. Regardless, the flight back was nothing short of interesting. I had an entire gospel choir seated behind me, and they weren’t afraid to belt one (or two) out at the departure gate. I’m glad to be back, but I’m a bit antsier than normal too.

It’s been a few exciting days – finally the repeal of DADT! – and I’m sure there’s much more to come.

Anyhow – here’s a video, a site and a product you ought to all check out:

Batman ain’t sinister, he’s a Powerpuff fan!

Bruce Wayne himself (or, at least, his most recent portrayal) sings the Powerpuff Girls theme song on “Popcorn” with Rolling Stone‘s Peter Travers alongside Mark Wahlberg to promote their film “The Fighter.” It’s pretty amusing, and I completely forgot about Christian Bale‘s Welsh accent. As one of the Frisky commenters points out, I thought initially that the Welsh accent was fake! [The Frisky]

Kat Doodles!

Happy Thanksgiving from Kat Doodles!

My adorable friend Kat runs a fittingly adorable blog called “Kat Doodles.” It’s no misnomer – Kat doodles both things from her imagination and by request, and it never fails to be rather twee and smile-inducing.

Ray Lewis fans, breathe easy

Comfy n' snug, Ray?

Your favorite NFL player/acquitted murder suspect has his own Snuggie!

A.V. Club: Winter Vacation, Day 2

in: the press, in: viewing room

Alanis Morissette's misheard lyrics via Buzzfeed

Readers (see: Dan, Jen), I’m back. Siriusly. And Chaucer’s sleepin’ on the couch, splayed out on two cushions all adorable, so I’m relegated to the floor. I’ll make this quick-ish. And, for the record, Chauce hates the sound of Neil Patrick Harris’s laugh. He balked a bit.

Some news of the day:

  • Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds  have called it quits! A second sad break-up in as many days.  [LA Times]
  • Andy Cohen asks Diane Von Furstenberg and Iman (David Bowie’s wife!) a rousing question: “Lady Gaga’s fashion: fabulous or fakakta?” [Bravo]
  • This is old news, but Tommy Lee is all up in arms over what? Lee wrote Sea World to complain about the fact that killer whale Tilikum continues to be used for his sperm. [Newser via The Frisky]

And today’s videos for sharin’:

Rudolllllllph. You don’t have to put on the red light.

This video had me in stitches. It’s a mash-up between The Police’s classic “Roxanne” and Christmas classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and brings me such joy. [The Daily What]

And all these oil spills? Hit the showers!

Vodpod videos no longer available.

The Arcade Fire guest star on a pretty humorous Saturday Night Live Digital Short from November 13. I love Andy Samberg. Rip your shirt wide open and danceeee.

 

The Dunce Cap: Oct. 11, 2010

in: heavy rotation

 

On the upswing, pup!

 

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 24: She got gold doorknobs where her eyes used to be, yeah. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks)

1. “All I Know” – Free Energy
2. “Heavy Metal” – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
3. “40 Day Dream” – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
4. “Let’s Get Out of This Country” – Camera Obscura
5. “Pin Your Heart to Me” – Jacobites
6. “P.Y.T.” – Michael Jackson
7. “Call It Off” – Tegan and Sara
8. “The Walls are Coming Down” – Fanfarlo
9. “Silver Lining” – Rilo Kiley
10. “The Youth” – MGMT

Alright, I admit it. I am a filthy, rotten liar. I can’t seem to get my act together to post. I know, it’s simple etiquette to follow through on promises. And, believe me, I’ve wanted to. Desperately wanted to. My life has been nothing short, though, of totally insane, so please continue to pardon me. I promise to be back soon with rollicking good posts of hilarity and strange pop culture news.

And, for your enjoyment (and also to appease you, darlings):

“Change is Cumming” with Canadian political candidate Ian Cumming.
Cumming with diligence and stability.
Cumming with care for details.

et. al. [Ian-Cumming.com via The Frisky]

The Dunce Cap’s Third Year Thirty: Day 1

in: due time

A song a day for thirty days.

Felicity and Noel

Heartbreak is hard. Moving on is harder.

Without giving away too many gruesome details (this is a pop culture blog, after all!), I’m launching a daily feature which will, in addition to providing you kids with groovy tunes, help me get through a bit of a rough patch.

In thirty days, classes will commence at Northwestern, and I will begin my third year. And thirty days is the perfect length of time for, you know, getting over things. Each day, beginning today and concluding September 21, I’m going to blog to share a song and a goal/accomplishment for the day, depending on the time of day which I choose to write. In thirty days time, the assumption is, I’ll feel whole again, mostly.

Sound cheesy? There’s no telling just how cheesy this’ll become. But, rejoice! This will be a project replete with pretty and not-so-pretty tracks, and, with a little luck, at the end, I’ll release a mixtape version of the whole dang thing.

Breaking up is hard to do. But, like most things, it seems to get easier over time. And when accompanied by a handful of Kelly Clarkson tracks.

So what exactly is the Third Year Thirty? It’s a musical how-to guide for releasing all kinds of relationship-related frustrations and anguish, followed by tongue-in-cheek pieces of advice and even cheekier poorly Photoshopped pictures of relationships that ended too soon. It’s my shoddy example at making lemonade. And, for a more established breakup guide, may I recommend The Frisky’s 30 Day Breakup Guide.

Day 1 after the jump.

Continue reading →

A.V. Club: The Swoon Club

in: viewing room

Here at the Dunce Cap, sharing is highly encouraged. And the A.V. Club is one of the easiest ways to put to use the skills taught in kindergarten. This week, A.V. Club brings two excellent clips that’ll make you wet your pants.

There are a couple videos making rounds across the Interweb today, and these two definitely caught my eye. Yes, singular. One each. These two are among the first class of the Dunce Cap Swoon Club, and I think these videos prove any such title is warranted. Totally.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt feels like a natural woman-un-un

JGL's Gender-bending head-scratching

So, we got to hear Joseph Gordon-Levitt sing in (500) Days of Summer. Remember? Karaoke? Belting “Here Comes Your Man” in bliss and then a much surlier “Train in Vain” in a drunken stupor. And then there was the absolutely adorable “I Don’t Want to Go to the Moon.” And now? He’s working his pipes with a rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “A Natural Woman.”

Gordon-Levitt’s also runs hitRECord.org, an online collaborative production company, and Monday, at the site’s Summer in the City show, the cherub-faced boy from Angels in the Outfield crooned to many bawling girls.

Wait, I got lost. I wasn’t talking about Justin Bieber? No? Oh, right. Weird.

Check out the clip below. This isn’t Gordon-Levitt’s first trek into girl anthem land. He sang Madonna’s “Express Yourself” at a hitRECord.org performance in 2007. Oh, JGL. You’re precious. [The Daily What via The Frisky]

Somehow, Justin Long makes me envious of a 12-year-old girl

“Ok, foin!” I’ve always thought Justin Long was a catch. Hilarious, cheeky, charming, attractive, assuredly friends with John Hodgman. But this video had me rolling on the floor. You know me – I’m a bit of a Medildo journalist-type, incapable of ignoring mistakes in grammar or spelling. And so, this video just slaaaayed me (I’m sorry. I’m still watching Buffy.)

Anyway. Jimmy Kimmel hosted Long this week, and, instead of talking about the sure-to-be-endearingly-lovable Going the Distance, Long introduced us to…well, I don’t think any of us are sure who we were conversing with. A poor (and poorly educated) tween unwittingly texted Long, thinking she was chatting with her friend of Eduardo. Long replied, and a months-long text exchange ensued. As did hilarity!

The interview (with a short clip from the new movie, due out Sept. 3, at the end) is broken down into three parts on Kimmel’s official YouTube. Part 1 is embedded below, with links to parts 2 and 3 following. [BuzzFeed]

And part 2 and part 3.

(editor’s note: How did I not know Justin Long was in Crossroads? I must have missed this the ten thousand times I watched that movie for Anson Mount. What? I’m not embarrassed.)

Dunce Flash: Short Cuts

in: the press

Pacey-Con photo from Just Jared

  • Pacey Witter is back, looking rogue, scruffy and decidedly more handsome than Dawson Leery. That’s right, folks – Dawson’s Creek‘s Joshua Jackson staged his very own convention mere feet away from the throngs at San Diego’s Comic-Con. The aptly named Pacey-Con celebrated Jackson’s seminal character in all his bumbling glory.

    “Well, it came about because I just thought it was time to remind the world of the greatest character in TV history,” Jackson joked with MTV News Tuesday. “The original concept was, you know, actors are always trying to run away from characters they’ve had in their past. Well, I wanted to do the video that was the exact opposite.”

    Jackson staged Pacey-Con outside of the convention hall, and the whole thing was taped for a hilarious Funny or Die segment (video embedded below) the website released today. Jackson handed out Dawson’s Creek fan fiction while decked in Pacey’s signature bowling shirt, a bit soundtracked by the show’s theme song, Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait.” Capeside to San Diego, indeed. [MTV]

Vodpod videos no longer available.

  • Dunce Cap favorite Guster released a new single, “Bad, Bad World,” from their forthcoming album, Easy Wonderful, set to drop October 5 on Aware/Universal Republic. Easy Wonderful will be Guster’s first album in four years. You can grab “Bad, Bad World” for free via the band’s website, or you can stream it below. [HitFix]


Guster, “Bad, Bad World”

"A Space Odyssey 2010" from Mila's Daydreams

  • Holy cuteness, Batman! Frisky writer Adele is on maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter Mila, and she’s maintaining a baby blog at Mila’s Daydreams. During Mila’s naps, Adele likes to imagine what her infant might be dreaming about; she then captures these epic tales in staged photographs like the one above. Gotta love the itty bitty unwitt-y bloggers. [The Frisky]

Dunce Flash: Spencer Plays Dress-Up

in: the press

Courtesy of The Frisky, sweet redemption! I was, as per my Twitter status yesterday, right. The soon-to-be former Mr. Heidi Montag (unkempt Ken) is a crazy homeless man! Or, per a gag with the equally as classy Perez Hilton, merely dressed as one. Not-so-brutally rebuffed from The Hills series finale party, Spencer Pratt (excuse me, King Spencer, as he’d like to be addressed) added himself to the guest list. Sort of.

Spencer Pratt, le brat

Spencer, the clear villain of The Hills – yes, even more than Brody Jenner – must have lost his invitation to the big celebration, but Hilton suggested he find his own way in. Dressed like a poor Albert Einstein impersonator, Pratt stormed the Hills crowd with a renewed fervor of douche baggery. Wearing body padding, aging face make-up and a bushy white beard and wig, Pratt vowed to air his “obnoxious mouth” even louder than before. Oh, dear God. The world isn’t ready for that. And the outfit? It didn’t fool anyone – The Roosevelt canceled his reservations, but he liked it so much he wore it to the Inception premiere too. Odds are – he wasn’t invited to that one, either. Pathetic. [The Frisky] [NY Daily News]

Why is “Runaway Train” playing during a Heidi-Spencer montage? Is this a revelation that Spencer is indeed a homeless man? #thehills 10:38 PM Jul 13th via web

– cckeevan @ Twitter

Wearing body padding, aging face make-up and a bushy white beard and wig

Dunce Flash: Fashion

in: the press

Yes, I have trouble dressing myself in anything more dazzling than a librarian cardigan. This, however, doesn’t mean I lack total fashion sense. Yes, the girl with the dunce cap is a budding (and closeted!) fashionista.

In fashion news:

Image from hollywoodlife.com

  • Like, totally! Classic designer Calvin Klein is bringing back the adorable dress Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) wears in “Clueless” – the white slinky number Cher wore on her date with Christian (the “cake-eater” with a love for Billie Holiday – “I love him!” – and Tony Curtis). InStyle reports the Calvin Klein minidress Cher’s father forbid her from wearing sans cover-up is currently in the works again, set to sell in L.A. boutique Confederacy and online at shopconfederacy.com, and premiering later this year in red and Cher’s classic white. It’ll cost a measly $916. Duh, Daddy. I hope this is the start of a Clueless fashion re-creation. I love the dress Amber wears to the party in the Valley, even if Cher wore it better. This is seriously the best thing to come from Calvin Klein since Mark Wahlberg modeled their underwear. [In Style]
    (editor’s note – after digging around a bit, it’s been determined the dress is now available in store and online. commence splurging/coveting.)

    (additional editor’s note – I also learned from The Frisky that designer Isaac Mizrahi has redesigned the vintage prom dress worn by both Kelly and Brenda on “Beverly Hills, 90210.” The dress, a black off-the-shoulder with a big, white taffeta bow, brought a major teen flashback when it premiered at Mizrahi’s resort 2011 runway show. For the stars of the teen drama, a show I rediscovered a bit late in my youth, it caused a near-meltdown of a total BFF-dom. Woah. [The Frisky])

Chuck Taylor All Star Dr. Seuss by Converse

  • Converse, you sneaky and smart retailers. You’ve captured my heart yet again. So, sure, the music geek in me definitely wanted the Kurt Cobain sneaks from the music collection last year. Or the Clash ones. Or, oh!, the Blondie ones. Channeling Debbie Harry? Check. But now you’ve done it again. Converse recently unveiled their Chuck Taylor Dr. Seuss collection, 17 designs for kids and kids at heart decorated with characters or elements from the beloved children’s books. They run between $35 and $65 in both hi- and lo-tops and feature The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 and the fish of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. They’re adorable and totally chic. I’m not sure that they’re available in retail stores, but definitely check them out on the website. I hope something tres geek is next – Roald Dahl characters, anyone?

Which movie/book would you most like to see recreated in fashion?
Please, no Twihards here.