4000 Match Chain Reaction

Don't Forget My Bum!

From one of my favorite YouTube channels, Gotcha The Cockatoo. Gotcha is a crazy, funny, loud and lovable 11 year old Moluccan Cockatoo, a rescue from his previous home where he was abandoned, neglected and mistreated. 

Seven Layer Dip

From one of my favorite YouTube recipe channels Allrecipes

The Wrong Way to Offload a Train

Mr. Methane

Tough Love - Simon's Cat

Happy Garazon Day!

(A "bump" from 2009)

Well, it's actually Groundhog Day, but for the last 7-8 yrs. I always think of my online pal Garazon because he once said it was one of his favorite "holidays".

I've never really given the date much significance; around these parts there almost always are six more weeks of bad weather after the start of February...and we don't have groundhogs, either.

If you want to know more about the holiday, visit the official website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

One of my favorite movies is Groundhog Day, the hilariously funny 1993 release starring Bill Murray. Here's the trailer:


If you've never seen it, it's certainly worth the price of a DVD/VHS rental. Shoot, it's probably in the .49 cent section!

Back to Garazon Day....

For several years, our buddy "G" was alone

But now he's got some company!

Just like St. Patrick's Day when everyone is Irish, today everyone is a groundhog!

Here's me

Just like me...always looking the wrong way!

How Many Days?

How many days does Bill Murray spend stuck in Groundhog Day? (one of my favorite movies of all-time!)  The movie isn't very clear, but there are hints and the rest can be, as this video shows, fairly easily deducted from scenes in the movie.  I'm not for sure how accurate the final number is, but it sounds good to me!

1970 MNF Promo

Old MNF promo

"Old"...as in like me. (because I remember this)

Snape's Death Scene

R.I.P. Alan Rickman

Of Oz The Wizard

The Wizard of Oz remixed in alphabetical order.

Shudder Time

Now, I know those spiders serve a useful purpose in the ecosystem and that we should respect all life regardless, but I can only think of one thing when watching that:

FLAMETHROWER!

The Christmas Song - Alvin & The Chipmunks

Debuting on this date in 1958, this song aka The Chipmunk Song (Don't Be Late) it was the only song to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart. The song was also a hit with the entertainment establishment, garnering three awards at the 1958 Grammys: Best Comedy Performance, Best Children’s Recording, and Best Engineered Record (non-classical).

Making A Murderer

While I couldn't say I binge-watched Making a Murderer, it's probably closer to say I "power-watched" it in a couple of days.  The ten-part series, made over the course of ten years, tells the  story of a Manitowoc County, Wisconsin man named Steve Avery who was convicted of rape and attempted murder, serving 18 yrs. in prison before DNA evidence exonerated him.  Avery was out only two years and was about to file a civil rights lawsuit for millions of dollars when he was charged with the brutal rape and death of a young woman.

As with any review of a current work, I won't give spoilers or say much more about the series or case;  in fact, I avoided reading anything about him or this documentary series until after I finished up the last episode. Like many writing about it online, though, I am torn as to his guilt or innocence on the murder conviction. It's obvious that the local police department coerced witnesses, mishandled the crime scene and while I'm of the mind that evidence definitely was planted and tampered with, I'm still not convinced he's innocent.   Avery's learning disabled nephew was also involved and was charged for his participation in the murder and subsequent cover up...but if you watch the series, you'll most likely be confused as to his own part in the crime - IF he even took part in it.

Maybe it's because the series left me so unsettled and is why I can't give a little bit higher grade, but I'd still strongly recommend watching. It's available on Netflix and when getting the following trailer, I noticed the first episode had been uploaded to YouTube.  Like most other movies or TV programs, you can also find it online with a little bit of ingenuity and Google skills. 

Here's one of the better reviews I read online:

‘Making a Murderer’ is an Actual American Horror Story, More Haunting than ‘The Jinx’

10 Cats Christmas

Tom Hanks Redux

clishmaclaver

clishmaclaver noun [klish-muh-kley-ver, kleesh-]

Scot. gossip; idle or foolish talk.

---

Certainly sounds like a Scottish word, but it would probably help to read it out loud in Scotty's voice.

Scarface

On this day in 1983, the movie Scarface debuted in theaters. Starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who arrived in Florida with the Mariel boatlift in 1980, Montana quickly returns to his criminal roots and becomes enormously wealthy from the booming cocaine trade, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. He becomes addicted to the drug and his world collapses in violence.

From near the end of the movie, one of the iconic scenes and most quoted line:

"Say hello to my little friend!"

A good movie but even so, it's not one I watch every time it comes on TV. I have a DVD of it, but don't think I've taken it out of the wrapper.

While getting the link for the movie, I checked on IMdb and saw that I had given it an "8", but I don't recall exactly when I gave it such a high grade. Either my standards have gone or I overrated it to begin with, but I lowered it one notch to a "7"...which is still a good rating by my strict standards. I highly recommend watching it if you haven't.

The official ToTG grade:

How to Make Collard Greens

This looks SO good and an interesting change-of-pace to use turkey instead of pork.

Slinky Cat