title.png



When the Sheep do something unexpected...

Posted by Ray on 03/31/06 at 01:34 PM • Permalink


Chevy's 'Make Your Own Tahoe Commercial' idea not exactly going as planned

As part of a creative new ad campaign for the new Tahoe, General Motors has teamed up with Donald Trump's 'The Apprentice' franchise to create a website that allows prospectives to make their own commercials online. The website allows readers to select backgrounds, video shots, and input text in an attempt to win prizes ranging from a Jackson Hole Getaway to a trip to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Rather predictably, however, certain surfers have been using the spot-building website for purposes that don’t exactly put Chevrolet’s newest in the best light. Unfortunately, GM's webmeisters appear to be asleep at the wheel, as we can't imagine these derogatory ads staying up on purpose.


Click the links. Hilarity ensues

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6


What is this? 1995, and oil is still in the teens per barrel price range?

Did the braintrust at GM actually think that everyone still shares the belief that SUV's are the greatest ever thing in the world?

Did they think that the barking seals they consider the general public to be would fall all over themselves to fawn over the latest representation of suburban soccer-mom arrogance and disdain for others on the road? (Full Disclosure: Yes I am biased against these behemoths and their purchasers desires to be "safe" even to the point of endangering the rest of the general public by driving vehicles waaaayyy too heavy to do anything other than kill the poor bastards they happen to smash into. But they don't really care about other people on the road do they? As long as they and their whiny brats are "safe.")

And considering the braintrust of candidates on The Apprentice Season 5: So Very Tired... is it any wonder that no one is monitoring the slagging that the general public is heaping upon this un-needed and un-wanted piece of crap.

Why is every Apprentice challenge some kind of 2nd year Business school marketing exercise? Next corporate victim irrepairably damaged by this crew of disfunctional MENSA-morons is Arby's. Can roast beef survive? Find out Monday.
Raging Kraut




Andale andale!

Posted by Ray on 03/29/06 at 11:01 PM • Fun Stuff Permalink


I had a '97 VW GTI VR6.

It was Ginster Yellow, had black leather seats...and was stolen during a business trip to Laval. Tabarnac!

When it was stolen, VW had already transitioned to the MK4 platform (you 'dubbers out there will understand) and I didn't really like it. Plus the newer GTI's didn't look all that different from the old people-high mileage model TDI...

So I wasn't really into VW's for awhile (except to have some fun in Rue's 2001 Golf 1.8 Turbo!) but I gotta tell ya - the upcoming '06 is making me drool!

Rue has already mentioned the unpimp your ride campaign, and the Spanish campaigns even trotted out one of my most hated rodents: Speedy Gonzales. One of the commercials treats him as he should be treated - I'll leave you to guess which one I mean.

Enjoy!








You guessed it. It was that one.



Raging Kraut




Google deletes own blog

Posted by Ray on 03/28/06 at 04:17 PM • Blogging Permalink


Google deletes own blog

As if I didn't come close once or twice myself...
Raging Kraut




Red Ensign Standard #38

Posted by Ray on 03/18/06 at 07:25 PM • Permalink


is over at Minority of One
Raging Kraut




Fussball Malaise

Posted by Ray on 03/17/06 at 01:31 PM • Canada Permalink


image I remember my family celebrating Germany's World Cup win in '74. I remember little else that year.

Glory Days Over, Germany Hoping for Soccer Miracle

There used to be a time when you could rely on German football. When the sober strip of white shirt and black shorts discreetly emblazoned with the national eagle represented a brand of determination, danger and infuriating luck that struck fear into the hearts of even the most skilled opponents.


And as the first Canadian generation of European parents, German soccer was one of the only connections I had with the "old country..." During the 70's Dad and I used to get up early Sunday morning to watch "Soccer Made in Germany", a show that used to run on PBS (?) before we moved to B.C. It was a one hour highlight of the best of the games that week. That was the show that made me a fan of the game.

For decades, soccer success, alongside economic achievement, was the only legitimate outlet for national pride and the players seemed driven by that responsibility. The whole nation drew confidence from their achievements, and became accustomed to them.


Sounds kind of like Canada and hockey, doesn't it?

For Germany, the significance of the World Cup goes well beyond sporting pride and the slight boost to economic growth expected from increased tourism and consumer spending. The tournament offers the country a chance to shake off the collective depression that has befallen it after years of mass unemployment and declining prosperity.


Many of my relatives have fallen to arguing with each other over the state of Germany since reunification. Some are even regretting the Berlin Wall coming down because, in the words of an aunt who lives in what used to be West Germany, the Eastern relatives are lazy, stupid and "eat and crap all the tax dollars I've paid since the war." An attitude that goes little beyond ruthless self-interest, but an attitude that is common from what I've heard.

Commentators are attaching huge psychological importance to next Wednesday's match against the United States, hardly a soccer giant. A defeat would only deepen Germany's gloom and leave the nation praying for a miracle.


And that's why I'm going to watch: because the Germans now have something at stake and are underdogs. Every goal will mean something, every win will be a triumph - they now have something more than a game at stake. And it's usually those kind of tournaments that are the most entertaining to watch.
Raging Kraut




Same ol' Dirty Tricks!

Posted by Ray on 03/11/06 at 07:13 PM • Entertainment Permalink


imageThis is too funny.

I wonder how many people took it seriously.

I haven't seen either movie (Crash is sitting on the PVR awaiting two hours of attention span that can be strung together sans children...) so I can't render a verdict either way, but the "for" and "against" hyperbole and conspiracy theories are quite entertaining. I mean the election bloggers haven't had anything to do since 2004...

After all it is only a movie.

As for the commentary that "red-states" prevented Brokeback from winning, are the judges who select the winners beholden to anyone in the red states?

All voting for Academy Awards is conducted by secret ballot and tabulated by the international auditing firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Secrecy is maintained by the auditors - the results of balloting are not revealed until the now-famous envelopes are opened on stage during the live television program. Because the Academy numbers among its members the ablest artists and craftsmen in the motion picture world, the Oscar represents the best achievements of the year in the opinion of those who themselves reside at the top of their craft.


Hardly a bastion of right-wing zealotry.

OK. I pose the question.

Which movie was better? Brokeback Mountain or Crash?

No conspiracy crap, homophobia, politics et al.

A straight up (no pun intended) decision as to which movie was better and why. I intend to see them both, so I have no vested interest either way.

Have at 'er!
Raging Kraut




Origami

Posted by Ray on 03/07/06 at 03:02 PM • Fun Stuff Permalink


From cnet



Intel showed off two prototypes of Ultra Mobile PC devices at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Tuesday. The models are examples of full-featured, low-wattage minitablets that can run a variant of Windows XP, developed as part of Microsoft's Origami Project.


Now, who wants to sign up to test the bleeding edge of technology?
Raging Kraut




Creepy Dads

Posted by Ray on 03/07/06 at 02:12 PM • Entertainment Permalink


Creepy

It all began when Trump was asked how he'd react if Ivanka, a former teen model, posed for Playboy.

"If she posed, it would be fine. But it depends on what's inside the magazine," Trump answered.

"Although she does have a very nice figure," he said. "I've said if she wasn't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her."


Super-mega creepy!

He gushes, "Jessica never tries to be sexy. She just is sexy. If you put her in a T-shirt or you put her in a bustier, she's sexy in both. She's got double D's! You can't cover those suckers up!"


That sound you heard is the regular, normal Dad's of the world (I am one) having to stifle themselves from proclaiming what ought to be very very apparent: children are not to be viewed or considered in such a way by a parent and the parents who do say such things (in PUBLIC!! dear God, in PUBLIC!!) about their children ought to be watched...very...very...carefully.

Every father likes to think his little girl (or girls in my case) are the most beautiful examples of the human race ever blessed upon us. I could watch my little girls smile and play all day through.

But the creepy sex-talk from these dads sound like they're viewing their daughters the way a strip-bar patron might cat-call a dancer from Gyno-row.

Shame.
Raging Kraut




It'll probably cost 69 gabillion dollars

Posted by Ray on 03/07/06 at 11:05 AM • Fun Stuff Permalink


imageWhen my Super-Villianing finally starts to generate some real hard currency flow (rather than the terrified shopkeeper IOU's that seem to make up the balance of my Villiany assets) I want one of these

On the classic Monaco side, the black shade of the leather strap and dial is discreetly matched by the silvered folding clasp and steel case. The small seconds register at 6 o'clock is entirely in tune with the harmoniously understated overall effect. This subtle equilibrium contrasts with the other high-tech side of the case with its digital display dial and 1/1000th of a second chronograph function. The Monaco Sixty Nine embodies the bold characteristics of a new icon, a prestigious and highly singular object that will delight the distinguished devotees of the TAG Heuer Monaco.


That, and they invoked Steve McQueen. And the movie Le Mans

Now what they should do is have a James Bond-version for Casino Royale with some kind of remote spying device, or remote detonation controller, yeah! That's the ticket!
Raging Kraut




Battle Royale

Posted by Ray on 03/06/06 at 11:43 PM • Entertainment Permalink


There was a time where the term "foreign film" would send me screaming from the room...I'd always picture some long boring pretentious piece of existentialist crap that I would be forced to talk about over coffee afterward (God I'm glad that I'm not in the dating world anymore...Feigning interest in boring conversations for the hope of potential physical contact at the end of the night is so tiring...)

I think the Family Guy writers must've been tortured the same way by Foreign and Independant Cinema when they did the film "Lint" as a parody in one of their episodes - BTW I found a live action version here - ahhh, student cinema...

Well I've changed my tune in the last few years: There's no way in hell Battle Royale would ever be made here in North America...especially after Columbine. But I'd heard of this movie on several websites and decided to rent it. I wasn't disappointed.

Holy crap what a ride. And I love Chiaki Kuriyama

image

See that look in her eyes? She's about to neuter a guy who attempted to rape her because he made the mistake of scarring her face...Leg crossing time!

It was from this film that Quentin Tarantino decided to cast her as Go Go Yubari in Kill Bill Vol 1, where she played the only character that I thought was a good match for Uma Thurman's Bride (in the first movie - Darryl Hannah was totally convincing in Vol 2.)

I think that my attitude toward foreign films changed when I first saw Akira Kurosawa's Ran at the ripe ol' age of 22 - old enough to know something good when I saw it and young enough to be open to something new - coincidentally on IFC right now as I write this.

Think of a better King Lear than Shakespeare's King Lear and you'll get the idea.

I had more to say about the advantage of looking beyond Hollywood and even the English language for good quality films, but I have to go watch Ran again.

Great.

Another night of staying up 'til 2am watching samurai movies.

I'm going to have to go out and learn Japanese.
Raging Kraut




Page 1 of 2 pages  1 2 >
  • Home
  • About Me
  • 100 things
  • Archives
  • RSS 1.0
  • RSS 2.0
  • Atom


Google
Web ragingkraut.com
March 2006
S M T W T F S
      1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31  

Recent Comments
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]

[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]

[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]

[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]

[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]

Gross Display of Most Naked Capitalism


Blogroll




Red Ensign Blogs for Victory!


title.png
-- One of the Original Red Ensigns carried by the Penticton 1st Volunteers. It was present at Vimy Ridge when our little Dominion stood up and became a nation worth fighting for...



And Lastly...