Adam reviews the new animated kids flick Fantastic Mr. Fox.

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Saw this story quoting an ad guy saying “There’s always going to be questions, because the perception is the bigger problem. Nature -  and gossip- abhors a vacuum. Either Tiger can tell us the story, or TMZ can tell us.”

So I put together Fletch’s TMZ Tiger Translator, incorporating the little bit that Tiger has posted on his website and comparing it to how I  imagine  the trash-talkin’ TMZ website might “interpret” it, lacking any more real information….

Fletch’s TMZ Tiger Translator

Tiger said: “the crash was my fault.”

TMZ might say: “the horrendous collision could have been the result of drinking, domestic troubles, drugs, insomnia, narcolepsy, indigestion, plague of locusts, or… something worse.”

Tiger said: “it was nothing.”

TMZ might say: “it was enough for a mini-series, if not a full-blown daytime drama.”

Tiger said: “my wife was courageous rescuing me.”

TMZ might say: “Tiger’s wife courageously rescued her fortune.”

Tiger says: not much else.

TMZ says: more about less than anyone else.

Maybe Tiger should speak, so TMZ doesn’t just make stuff up….

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Is today the busiest online shopping day of the year…or the busiest Tiger Woods gossiping day of the year?

I can’t decide what’s crazier. Party crashing at the White House or this whole Tiger Woods story. I am suspect of the information that’s been released thus far, because I don’t think we have all the pieces to the puzzle yet.

I’ve watched CSI enough to know that some of the forensics of his car crash isn’t matching up.

That being said. I do think Tiger Woods should start talking now, before somebody else does it for him. It’s an unfortunate side effect of the celebrity driven culture we live in. I’m a firm believer in free press, which doesn’t mean free press on some issues, it means free press on all issues….even junky, pathetic, sleazy, dirty paparazzi tabloid coverage.  I loathe the TMZs of the world, but I think they have a right to be there.

Time to get your gums flappin’ Tiger.

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     My sister-in-law knocked our socks off yet again with another perfect Thanksgiving feast.  The fresh turkey was incomparable, brined delightfully and roasted with glee.  Homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, fresh green beans (drizzled with olive oil!) and cranberries each found a space waiting for them on my plate.  But it was the apple pie that sent me over the edge…

     She uses two kinds of apples in her perfected creation–the tart little slices provide just the right amount of crunch and then the mushy big pieces blend so easily into the pastry you think you’re eating apple-flavored crust.  Just thinking about it now makes my mouth water! 

     Do you have a perfect dish you’d like to share?  Enter your great recipes here.

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Rated PG – 1h27 -

In the new world of all digital animation, Fantastic Mr. Fox stands out as a unique and clever tail.

Based on a kids book of the same name, the story is about a sly fox, who gives up his chicken hunting days and gets domesticated. I couldn’t say he is a completely honorable hero, because his main job is stealing. So goes the life of a fox. Twelve years after his son is born, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) feels his wild animals instincts kick in and needs to make one more chicken raid.

That one last score, escalates into an all-out battle between the farmers and Mr. Fox, which threatens his family and his animal friends. It forces Mr. Fox to use his quick wits to save the day.

Backed up by an all-star cast including Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson, the dialogue is almost as strong as the animation. I felt some of it got lost in the mix, because of the film’s quick pace.

It’s also good to note the continuity and non-sugar coating of the animals. They are, wild animals. They hunt, kill and don’t always show their scruples. Then again, the humans in the story are not exactly honorable either. They use automatic weapons, explosives and destroy nature in the midst of the hunt.

Knowing the process behind the painstakingly lengthy effort of stop motion animation, gave the feeling that you are watching art in motion. Still, it’s a double-edged sword. Its unfortunate that the work gets hidden in the story, but it’s necessary to blend it in, so we believe the characters are real. And we do believe the realness, right down to the fur moving on their face when the animals talk.

Fantastic Mr. Fox feels more like a kids movie than one for adults, even though the director Wes Anderson is know for his quirky and smarter-than-thou selections. I found the charming and low-key humor entertaining. It should rank in the top five of best animated films of the year.

Overall Ratings: (Out of Four)
Date Friendly:
Good Humor:
Artistic Value:
Drama
Kid Friendly:

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Its time to live the lifestyles of the mashed potatoes  and gravy-ous.

First, I wanted to wish the best to a co-worker of mine.  Sarah Carlson on the NBC 15 Morning Show had a medical emergency during the show and had to be taken to the hospital.  My thoughts are with you Sarah.  Its always shocking when someone you know suffers a medical problem.  Sarah is always a sweetheart when I talk to her and I wish her a speedy recovery.

I guess that makes me think of the things that I’m thankful for.

A good job.  Good family and friends.  My health.  Even my dog who keeps shredding my socks. I swear, the amount I spend on socks exponentially grew since JD’s arrival.

In any case, I also wish the best for you on Thanksgiving.

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Because the Muppets are cool.  Way cool.

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I did. I posted it in two different places and found out that some co-workers and family members are thankful for things I never even think about.

I found this sheet posted online and thought it might be fun/interesting/who-knows-what to put it up on the fridge at work and at home to see what people would write on it.

At work it didn’t take long before co-workers began writing about what they’re thankful for like,  ”people who wash their own dishes,” and “people who wash their hands.” Apparently we’re still pretty flu-paranoid here at WOLX.

At home my daughter Lucy was suspicious right away. “Why did you put that up?” she asked warily. “Just to see if anybody would want to express any feelings of thankfulness this week,” I said truthfully.

In an accusatory fashion she said, “Are you going to use this on the air?” 

“Nope,” I replied truthfully.

She didn’t ask if I would use it on my blog.

The at-home comments of thankfulness include “banana bread” and “a good education,” among other things, in that order.

Print one out for yourself and put it up somewhere, see what happens. Like me, you might find out that banana bread should have a more prominent place in your household.

I am thankful for…. surprises.

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Even if you’re not a big fan of The Food Network, you’ve probably heard of Paula Deen.

She was involved in a charity event in Atlanta this week where she got clocked by what looks to be a 5-10 pound foil wrapped ham. POW! SOCK! UGH!

To be fair, she had just football passed a ham to a volunteer at the food drive, then turned away, unaware that the ham was being thrown back at her.

That’s one explanation.

What if this was some sort of payback from the anti-cholesterol conglomerate? There’s a good chance that people who want us all to eat less fatty foods may have been waiting for their chance and finally struck.

You may ask why would someone fighting fatty foods want to seek revenge on Paula Deen? This video has the answers.

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Adam’s video review of New Moon.

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