Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Suns Squeak Out Season Opener


The Suns do what they do best...let an inferior team hang around and try to come up with stops at the end. Fortunately, they did come up with a couple late stops and "O" Canada took over to push the Suns over the top. The Fredstrom isn't going to say much more about tonight's game, except that they need to play a whole lot better.  The Fredstrom will now digresses to give you his Western Conference preview Power Rankings.

Standings after the 09-10 regular season...

1. LA Lakers- champs add Artest, could be good or bad, and hang on to Odom. Pending any Kobe injury, Lakers will finish 1st in the West. There is no reason to put LA anywhere else. Was Ariza the Laker X-factor? We'll see...

2. San Antonio Spurs- add McDyess and Richard Jefferson to the already dangerous trio of Parker, Duncan, and Manu.  Aren't we all sad that Bowen retired? Nash can finally play the Spurs without getting raked across his arms or repeatedly tripped: )

3. Portland Trailblazers- A young team that has continued to improve, Brandon Roy and company will build upon last years 54-win season to secure the 3rd spot this year.  Greg Oden is "healthy" going into the season and that can only help.

4. Denver Nuggets- Give Chauncy Billups a full year with Denver along with a returning core of dangerous scorers. Look for Denver to be among the top 5 in the West all year and will finish in the 4th spot.

5. Utah Jazz- Have one of the leagues best point guards with D. Williams, a returning Boozer, Brewer, and Millsap...a core that has had much success in the West over the past few years. Sloan's teams are tough, gritty, play hard-nose defense and frustrate many.

6 (7). Dallas Mavericks- Dirk, an aging Kidd, Howard, Terry, and Marion make up a pretty good team. They will finish with the same record as the Suns cause the Fredstrom can't figure out who is the better team despite the Mavs looking horrible last night.

7. (6) Phoenix Suns- On paper the Suns look pretty good, Nash, Richardson (who needs to step up), Amare, Frye, Barbosa, and Hill; with a vastly improved bench.  The bench kept them in the game tonight, although it was the Clippers.  The Suns will finish either 6th or 7th depending upon the tie-breaker with the Mavs.

8. Golden State Warriors- If Stephen Jackson can hold his drama together the GSW's will once again find themselves in the 8th spot.  They add Stephen Curry to a high-octane scoring machine.  This team will be interesting to watch for sure and maybe even for the basketball?

The Fredstrom feels really confident about his top 4 picks...do you see it the same way?

Monday, October 19, 2009

Where the Wild Things Are...The Fredstrom Isn't

It was one of the most anticipated movies of the past 6 months, but probably shouldn't have been.
In case you live in some imaginary place, the story is about a boy named Max who likes to act a little "wild" sometimes too wild.  The book tells us that Max is sent to his room without supper for his punishment...the movie has Max laying his chompers into Mom's shoulder and running out of the house...
Max often escapes these strong feelings through use of his vast imagination, one that takes him to a far off place- "Where the Wild Things Are."  He convinces these leader-less, direction-less wild things that he is a king from a far away place.  The wild things make Max their king. His first order of business is to have a "wild rumpus".  The wild things are a divided crowd and Max's solution is a dirt-clog fight and for them to make a giant new home.  Max becomes particularly fond of Carol, a wild thing that resembles Max in many ways.  Max does his best to be king but is clearly unfit for the job, longing to be home. After what seems to be days,  Max leaves the land of the wild things to return home as if only seconds have past.

This is not a kids movie...while watching this movie, parents were taking their bored children out of the theater, never to return again: )  The Fredstrom was expecting a fun movie with more laughs, instead he got a serious adult movie about a boy with an angry childhood.  It's not good when you invite people to a movie and you turn to them and apologize for taking them wasting their $7.75 (matinee!). So sorry Tricia, first Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Dull, and now Where the People Who Take Naps Are...The Fredstrom owes you...

"Where the Wild Things Are" earned an abysmal 3 Picasso's for making those Wild Things look so real, and that's about it...

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Have You Heard of PS22?

August 28, 2009 - They're an Internet sensation with more than 40 YouTube videos. They've been courted by celebrities, they've been on Nightlineand MTV, they've sung songs with Tori Amos and Stevie Nicks, and they're only 10 and 11 years old. They perform in the fifth-grade chorus from Public School 22 on Staten Island, N.Y., and their singing has captivated millions. - Margot Adler

Notable songs by PS22 include, Viva la Vida, Just Dance, Eye of the Tiger, Don't Stop Believing, Landslide..and more..
You have to check out this choir! Thanks April! 

Monday, October 5, 2009

This is Real...Not Kidding!

So let's say that you get a traffic ticket and have to take traffic school online to avoid going to court or don't want to pay that fine...
The following screenshots were taken of the actual final exams. Don't worry about studying, taking notes, or paying attention to the material! Check out some of theses questions and answers...redonkulous! (Click image to enlarge)So let me get this straight...the trunk isn't the safest place for a child?
Trucks have large liver spots?
People are using coffee makers, toasters, and copy machines while driving? Memo to test makers, try GPS's, radios, or iPods for decoy answers, you know things people actually use while driving! Idiots!
Telegraphs? Fax machines? Refer to comment above.
WATCH OUT FOR THAT ELEPHANT?!
To avoid neck injuries be sure to fasten your bulletproof vest?
This one was really difficult.
We have all heard of the Dept. of  Bar and Pub Safety, not to be outdone by the Dept. of Liquor and Drug Safety!

No wonder there are so many idiots on the road!  This is our standard for graduating driving school? Maybe the kicker is that you get 2 attempts to pass this test! If you fail this test you should have your license revoked and your car repo'ed immediately... helping lower the Fredstrom's car insurance.