I can haz oversight?

Or, why it’s not a good idea to display unmoderated tweets in any sort of official setting. Like, say, during an EU summit where dirty old man Silvio Berlusconi is going to be front and center?

It’s not enough to know that a technology exists, if you have no idea how to use it effectively.

Blast from the past

This video was probably the best forward I ever received while in college, and it still makes me smile. It was viral, before that term had even been coined.

What is “Something I’m going to regret faster than I would have expected,” Alex?

The answer: Legally changing my name to the ridiculous nickname of a television character.

Although Castle has recently supplanted Chuck as my favorite still-running tv show, I am still really enjoying this season of the nerd/spy dramedy. Chuck as both a show and a character had been getting on my nerves ever since the most recent, and probably final, death of Agent Superman (whose actual name I have aleady forgotten).

His abs I remember just fine.

Luckily, the show somehow turned around for me over the last several episodes, and now I’m firmly back on Team Chuck. Even at its worst, Chuck is a smart and funny show that turns its minuscule CGI budget (I guess they’re not too flush after paying all the cool guest stars like Richard Chamberlain, Summer Glau [reunited with her Firefly co-star, the delusional Adam Baldwin], and Nicole’s Future Husband Isaiah Mustafa) into a selling point, instead of a reason for despair.

I guess I’m  not the only one whose life is enriched by Chuck. I watch it for the lulz, and the former Douglas Allen Smith, Jr. watches it for…motivation? I say former because this man’s legal name is now Captain Awesome, which is the nickname of Chuck’s ridiculously good-looking doctor brother-in-law.

Another shirtless/towel pic, merely for comparison's sake. You're welcome, comparison.

I get why this show is so cool and Captain Awesome in particular is pretty special, but why would anybody do this? The real-life Mr. Awesome’s new signature, which is a smiley face bracketed by arrows, has been rejected by his bank because it’s too easy to forge. I can’t even imagine what other stupid consequences he may have to face because of his new name. I think that the judge who granted the name change was smart to allow this; sometimes you have to do really stupid things in order to learn valuable lessons. Unless the world is nicer than I suspect it to be, I give this name change 5 years, tops.

Everything is funnier when you’re sleepy

I watched this video the first time I made a hat with a pompom. I found these women hilarious and, even better, they taught me how to use my pompom maker, which was sadly lacking in instructions. I watched this video again tonight when I went to make a pompom for a new hat I finished. Perhaps because it wasn’t 2 am and I wasn’t coming off the high of finishing a hat that actually fit my head (as opposed to this monstrosity), I found the video a lot less entertaining this time around. Still, Hatapalooza 2010, or whatever I’m calling this thing, is going pretty well. I may actually finish all the hats I intend to make!

Entertainingly awkward

I pretty much love anything described as “awkward,” so this slideshow featuring awkward celebrity embraces and kisses is my favorite thing ever about today. Enjoy!

Second time’s the charm

I saw “Stuff White People Like” on the bargain rack approximately 37 seconds after it was released, but anybody who was interested was able to see a lot of that content on the web site. His next book seems to have a different focus, so maybe this one will do better.

Country loves Beyonce

Beyoncé covers are a dime a dozen, but it seems that her music has been adopted by an entirely new population: country muscians. Here are Reba McIntyre and Sugarland’s takes on two of her songs, If I Were a Boy and Irreplaceable. For giggles, I’m also throwing in a Switchfoot cover that I think is pretty cool.

A fun way to procrastinate

I always enjoy the lists at Cracked.com. As Nina Garcia would say, I question their taste level, but the articles are usually pretty funny. Here’s the one I’m reading now, on “mind-blowing” coincidences.  I don’t think they’re all THAT amazing, but they’re still amusing to read.

Jennie Stencel is my new hero

I’d never heard of Jennie Stencel until this Metafilter post, but now I’m cracking myself up watching youtube videos of her.

When you’ve run out of things to cook

I’m always on the lookout for a new recipe. Just last week, I made a jambalaya that I really liked and will definitely be making again. But if that doesn’t float your boat, how about a nice meal of squirrel with red wine and juniper? If this sounds like something you’d want to make/eat, click this link to see a very detailed instructional video on how to do so.