Rogue Culture Aficionado

Self Proclaimed Nerd Makes 1st Iphone Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:05:00 +0000

Self proclaimed nerd, Goshone, releases his free album ctrl_alt_ego, with a video for the soon to be hit single "Newteknowledge." I have to admit after a quick preview of the other songs... his album ain't half bad. It definitely hearkens back to many of the purer, more innocent hip hop cuts where the lovable loser makes good - Fresh Prince anyone?

The fact that the entire video for the single was shot on an Iphone should have independent artist salivating and music video makers shaking in their boots. The video IS pretty damn good! (all edited with Adobe After Effects)

Kudos Goshone.

Covet This! Nike ID Bespoke

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Nike iD Bespoke is a cool customization experience available to consumers by appointment at 21 Mercer in Soho. You can design your own Air Force 1’s using premium materials (for which you will definitely pay a premium) that will not be found online in the near future, and in a month your one-of-a-kind sneaks will be sent to you. The experience is pretty cool for those hardcore sneakerheads out there, as you get to work with the actual materials while designing your pair(s). From the Nike Website:

"NikeiD Bespoke is a new and innovative by appointment design experience offering consumers the opportunity to work one-on-one with Nike design consultants to customize select Nike footwear styles. Globally exclusive to 21 Mercer [in SoHo, New York... where eles?], Nike Sportswear’s first stand-alone retail space is the natural evolution of Nike’s personalization and customization offering, first brought to consumers with NikeiD.com in 1999."

NikeiD Bespoke takes individual design to new heights with an unparalleled, creative individual design experience. It provides consumers with the greatest design freedom ever offered by NikeiD. Launching with the iconic Air Force 1 sneaker, consumers will be able to create a unique design by customizing up to 31 parts of the shoe, including the base, overlay, accent, lining, stitching, outsole, laces and deubré. Consumers will also be able to choose from 82 premium, iconic materials and color options.

The Air Force 1 material options were meticulously selected to represent Nike’s heritage and innovation through the perspective of Nike Sportswear. Exclusive options include iconic Nike material prints Elephant and Safari – a design first used in 1987 by Tinker Hatfield who utilized two naturally occurring patterns on his Nike Air Safari running shoe and Nike Air Assault basketball shoe. Additional premium options include premium full grain suede, nubuck and leathers, Italian full grain patent leather, premium denim and reflective synthetic leathers.

I will be updating shortly with pricing details.

Extended Weekend Women

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Asian, Latin, and French Canadian mixed nicely for Misa Campos who has become a sex symbol the world over thanks to the proliferation of her pictures across the internet.

As a former bartender in Montreal's exclusive Jet and System nightclubs, Misa’s bosses encouraged her to give the world of modeling a shot, impressed by her sunny personality and drop-dead gorgeous looks. Specifically, they pointed her towards Montreal’s annual performance racing auto show Sport Compact Performance. It was there that Misa walked away with the title of Miss Rocawear for 2006 and began her ascension in to the minds of men everywhere.

In addition to her duties as the face of Rocawear for Canada, Misa soon became a regular fixture within the pages of such magazines as Version C Models Magazine, Uno Magazine, and DragSport (for the latter, she was named Model of the Month in December of ’06). Misa’s big break came when she was featured as one of Maxim magazine’s “Show Us Something” girls in September of 2006, and she was also named an IGN DVD Babe of the Day in 2007.

Ms. Campos is exotic, loves fast cars, can make you a stiff drink, and did I forget to mention she's hot.

Happy Thanksgiving... Rogue Style

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Rant: Women and Parked Cars

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:30:00 +0000

It's a documented fact, even before Men are from Mars,Women are from Venus, that Men and Women, think and react differently. For instance, consider a trip to the ATM:

MALE PROCEDURE

1 Drive up to the cash machine. 2 Put down your car window. 3 Insert card into machine and enter PIN. 4 Enter amount of cash required and withdraw. 5 Retrieve card, cash and receipt. 6 Put window up. 7 Drive off.

FEMALE PROCEDURE

1 Drive up to cash machine. 2 Reverse back the required amount to align car window to machine. 3 Set parking Brake, Put the window down. 4 Find handbag, remove all contents onto passenger seat to locate card. 5 Turn the radio down. 6 Attempt to insert card into machine. 7 Attempt to insert card into machine. 8 Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car. 9 Insert card. 10 Re-insert card the right side up 11 Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the inside back page. 12 Enter PIN. 13 Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN. 14 Enter amount of cash required. 15 Check make up in rear view mirror. 16 Retrieve cash and receipt. 17 Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside. 18 Place receipt in back of checkbook. 19 Re-check make-up again. 20 Drive forwards 2 feet. 21 Reverse back to cash machine. 22 Retrieve card. 23 Re-empty hand bag, locate card holder, and place card into the slot provided. 24 Give appropriate one-fingered hand signal to irate male drivers queuing behind. 25 Restart stalled engine and pull off. 26 Drive for 2 to 3 miles. 27 Release Parking Brake.

This joke has been posted and emailed around the internet for some time but the part that rings most true for me is a woman's need to do 10 different things when they get into their parked cars and none of those things include driving. My Grandmother, Mother, past girlfriends, and Mrs. Padrone all fall prey to this phenomenon... Frankly, I am not sure what they are doing when they get into to their cars.

As a child, my mom would rush us (my 2 brothers and I) to the car to head to the grocery store, the mall, the movies or wherever. Without fail she would get us all in, seat belted, and settled, then she would start to check make up, make sure she has her shopping list, and adjust the mirror (of the car that only she drove every single day). Mind you, we were in the car under the threat of being left at home or spanked because we weren't moving fast enough. And if it was a hot summer day, not only were we rushed to the car faster than usual but we would sit - motionless, car not started, no AC - even longer (or so it seemed). While she primped, excavated her purse, and conducted more mirror and gauge checks than an airline pilot. All while we literally melted, got heat rash from the leather seats, and suffered from dehydration... And so it was, until I started driving myself.

Then there is Mrs. P. who basically illustrates the fact that we, Men, all look for our mothers in our future wives, at least on some levels because dammit she does the same thing my Mom did! And it drives me nuts! It is definitely a woman thing, and no I can't understand. What the hell are you ladies doing when you get into your car?

I was prompted to blog about this after several incidents of me waiting on a parking spot for over 7 minutes. It definitely reminded me of my Mom and Mrs. Padrone's habit, but furthermore I may be suffering from "Parking Syndrome" because I started to fell hot, dehydrated and general dis-ease. Under most circumstances, 7 minutes isn't long but when you are caused to block traffic, because some lady is doing her make-up, talking/texting on the cell, puttering around in the car, or checking the mirrors of the car she just got out of 5 minutes ago - it's a big problem! I have actually been working on a theory called "The Butterfly Effect of Female Car Parking." Which states that most traffic in Los Angeles can be directly correlated to women taking over 7 minutes to get out of their parking space. Look for it to published shortly. And for the love of children everywhere, please don't let them suffer in the heat (or extreme cold), while you meander around the cabin of your vehicle, it's a borderline criminal offense.

It's simple ladies, when you get in the car, how about just starting the car, checking your rear view mirror for oncoming traffic, and getting on down the yellow brick road. It would be greatly appreciate, especially during the hectic holiday season.

P-Diddy Fragrance =Sex Panther... and Black Bond

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:00:00 +0000

"I am debuting my new movie “I Am King” for my new fragrance “I Am King” which is available exclusively at Macy’s. This fragrance is dedicated to Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King and all you men out there who take care of your families and respect and treat yourself like the Kings that we are all. I would like to also announce that this is my audition tape for the next James Bond. There is a black president and it’s time for there to be a black Bond. God Bless."

I don't believe the hype... if Mr. Combs were to actually back up his "beliefs," that we were all Kings, and this product is in recognition of Obama, King, and Ali then it would make sense to donate a portion of the profits (at the very least) to their foundations.

I won't comment on the Black James Bond except to say, we do not need a black James Bond, however we do need a black character that is as cool as Bond. It has been a while since Shaft and Axel Foley.

As for P Diddy: NO, NEVER, HELL NO... Not you P. Diddy, not you. You can never be the Black James Bond.

And may I suggest an alternative to the "I am King" fragrance - Sex Panther, available here.

Enough said.

Extended Weekend Women

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:36:00 +0000

This weeks, Extended Weekend Women is 2 for 1 special, exhibited in two flavors. Introducing Tanya Ballinger and Kitana Baker.

While Kitana has appeared on various TV shows (Wild On E!, Fast Lane, Big Shot and The Man Show)and music videos (Tommy Lee, Mack 10, and Brian McKnight), you probably remember her best as half of the "Miller Lite Catfight Girls":

As for Miss Ballinger, I wasn't able to find out much about her or too many pictures of her. It seems besides showing up at the occasional Red Carpet event, Tanya has disappeared from the lime light. Stuff Magazine's photos may be the last bikini shots she has ever taken... It's unfortunate, she seems to be that the quintessential "All American Beauty".

In 2001, Playboy hired Kitana to work on a TV show for their network called 'Strip Search' and featured her in 'Playboy's College Girls', 'Playboy's Wet & Wild' and 'Playboy's Book of Lingerie' special edition books, as well as their 'Playboy's College Girls' calendar, where she was Miss December. The producers of the show 'Night Calls 411' took an interest in her, and given that she already worked for Playboy — the channel that airs the 'Night Calls' show - signed her on immediately, and she's now appears on the second and fourth Wednesday each month .

In the meantime look for Kitana in Toxic with Percy "Master P" Miller and Dominique Swain and a small role in the Asian comedy White On Rice

And a note to Advertising Execs everywhere, I don't drink beer but if there were more commercials like this, I may change my mind... so simply put:

MORE KITANA AND LESS B.S.!

Miller Lite "Pillow Fight"

Upgrade: Max Benjamin Mini Cigar Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:59:00 +0000

This inaugural "Upgrade" post focuses on upgrading from that Coke can spiked with whiskey (that you think no ones knows about as you drive down Main St., USA) , trying your best to stow your fine cigar in tin foil which is all stuffed haphazardly into a plastic 7-11 bag. Real classy, huh? The answer gentlemen should be a resounding, No!

Start-up company, Max Benjamin, targeting the luxury-conscious traveler, introduces a way for you to actually project an image worth emulating. It's their opinion that a mini cigar bar should always be within arm's reach and therefore they have created The Mini Cigar Bar, a deluxe messenger bag that comes equipped with just about everything you need to transport your cigar wares with class.

Crafted in fine leather with metal detailing and locking clasps, the parcel's cushioned interior is partitioned into three sections large enough to fit three bottles of your favorite spirit. The leather dividers in the bag are adjustable and perfect for a bottle of Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum. Be sure to check out the new Fall Edition, designed in Crocodile embossed leather (below, right)

This fine accessory comes equipped with all of the accouterments: a quartet set of acrylic tumblers a torch flame lighter, a cylindrical cedar-lined travel humidor (7-9 cigar capacity) and another insulated, cylindrical container, which keeps ice...icy, for up to 4 hours without leakage. The pack also sports three secure pockets on the front for any other little accessories you may need. The handy Velcro flap, can be used to fasten the bag to a golf cart or to the top of a piece of roller luggage, showing that Max Benjamin has thought of everything.

Just in time for the holidays, The Mini on sale now for $267 and is only available at MaxBenjamin.com

What's With All the "Gobbledygook " Startups???

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:30:00 +0000

My fascination with words, language, and how they are used was developed at a fairly young age. At 8 years old, I remember being nestled up under the covers with a flashlight, reading the Voyages of Hercules in one hand and a dictionary in the other, so I could fully comprehend what I just read. There were many nights that I would just look through the dictionary, pick a page and read definitions of words I never heard. A bit nerdy, uh?.

Even now Mrs. Padrone and I battle it out with our knowledge of words (I will give it to her, she is quite the wordsmith). We have been known to enjoy a good round of scrabble (she has only won twice). And we both tend to toss our lexicon with reckless abandon and affectations rarely used in our normal discourse, especially if we are in a friendly "debate". I once lost $10 to her because I wasn't familiar with "peccadillo". We chave an ongoing battle battle over the proper use of "prescribe" and "subscribe"(look it up, they're interchangeable), and she has been known to use the wrong word (or make up one) if I rush her to make a point. It's kind of cute.

My logophilism extends beyond the excepted connotation of words as defined by scholars, and Webster. Being a child of hip hop, I can't help but to marvel at, and appreciate, how we have systematically changed, chopped, remixed, redefined, and rewritten our language - which in truth reflects our culture on many levels. One I recently heard on the radio is, "Gov'mint":


	Goverment or Goverment Name, pronounced: "Gov'mint": someone's actual name recognized by the government, and on official ID. kept secret by most thugs who use their alias, street, hood, nick - name. Ex: "Yo, son - don't be using my government name up in here." via: UrbanDictionary.com

And No... I would never support the use of Ebonics at any institution of education, because it promotes mediocrity of thought and socio-economic status. Also, as any musician, writer, athlete, artist or scholar knows, "In order become great at your craft, you must first master the fundamentals." Then you break all of the rules you have mastered to create something new, like the late great, Miles Davis.

I digress form my main topic only to demonstrate that I truly appreciate words, their meanings, their ability to convey images and provoke thought. But it seems Web 2.0's startup companies have neglected to master the fundamentals. Myspace and Facebook are obvious... it's "my space" and a book that shows faces, respectively. But do the following names NOT sound like gibberish, gobbledygook, and baby babble:

Smule, Xnobi, Ocarina, Bajca, Boxee,Jinni, Fring, Infoaxe, Plista, Zenbe, Zoozbeat, Twingr, Zynga, Happenr, Judaka

I understand that the competition and cost for domain names occasionally make it more feasible to come up with something original and cool sounding rather than pay huge fees for a moniker some one else has already "copped". I also get that Twitter "tweets" what you are going to be doing at 3pm to all your friends. And it's not a far jump from the twitching one experiences from "Crackberry" withdrawal... or waiting for that next important call, text, or email (ahem Mrs. P). But these company names are an assault on (and insult to) the English language. Not to mention, the branding nightmare most of them must create.

Obviously, I am not a marketing genius. But isn't it common sense to have a name that conjures up an image somewhee in the realm of what your company does, produces, or at least mentions the names of the people that own the company? The names above conjure images of various items that have nothing to do with: Snacks (Twingr), Lord of The Rings character(Bajca), Diseases (Plista... yuck!) - or quite frankly just some made up bullshit. No offense to the companies, I am sure they do, whatever they do, very well. It's worth noting too, that most of the companies aforementioned were taken from the past weeks posts over at Techcrunch.com... and they all were getting enormous amounts of money (re: millions!) to do... what they do. Maybe I should come up with a silly gibberish name and pitch it to raise millions in capital to fund another social network or app that we don't really need. Better yet maybe I should just start buying up any words I hear toddlers speak and sell the domain's to the highest bidder. Unfortunately, I may have already been beat to the punch.

Look, I enjoy words whether they're used counter-culturally, connotatively, contemplatively, or counter-intuitively... their use is relevant depending on how, when, and by whom they are used. But this trend of silly sounding names for social networks and apps really must cease. It's not cute, funny, or clever. Just like the recent trend in television commercials that don't show the product they're advertising, but splash the brand name at the end of it so that we know a name (in most case we still have no clue what they are selling), it's utter nonsense...but that's a topic for another post!

Cellity: Addressbook 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:22:00 +0000

German startup, Cellity has unveiled Addressbook 2.0, for mobile phones, now available in a private beta. The application will allow those who still use a basic cell phone to aggregate data from across their emails, social networks, and standard address books into a single intuitive application, bringing the functionality of a smartphone to an estimated 650 more basic phones that support the Java platform, a significant marketshare not covered by the likes of the Iphone.

To get started, users import their friend lists from social networks including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, as well as from email clients like Outlook. The service will automatically detect when a friend is found on multiple social networks and aggregate their data under a single profile without creating duplicates. Also since address books generated using social networks can grow very large very quickly, the site offers an online control panel to manage contacts. Users can create a database consisting of thousands of entries to be stored in the cloud, picking out the few dozen that they use most regularly to be stored on the phone (they can access the full list from their phones if they ever need it). The online panel also allows includes the same features of the mobile app, allowing users to place cheap calls (currently just over their own network), send text messages, and update social network statuses.

From the screen shots, Addressbook 2.0's design is very polished,and hopefully they will live up to their potential, especially if they maintain their focus on traditional address book functionality as opposed to attempting to mobilize social networking, where plenty of competitors exist.

via Techcrunch

Extended Weekend Women

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:22:00 +0000

Meet the "Black Angelina Jolie!"

K.D. Aubert (born Karen Denise Aubert) was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and is of Creole descent. She speaks French, and was a self-confessed tomboy growing up.

She traded in the hurricane plagued swamps for the fire plagued hills of California when she came to college at San Diego State University, to play softball no less. It was there that K.D. was first noticed, and her modeling career took off.

In addition to Victoria’s Secret and Frederick’s of Hollywood, K.D. has modeled for Noxema, AT&T, Wilson’s Leather, and Escada. She’s also appeared in ads for Bacardi and as one of the “Fantanas” (four attractive girls who can’t seem to stop dancing because they’re so excited by the taste of Fanta soft drinks). Not to mention being ranked in Maxim's Hot 100 in 2003 and 2004. As for the comparison to Ms. Jolie... judge for yourself.

KD Aubert definitely seems to have mastered the ability to look innocent and still sex it up at will. We will be watching Ms. Aubert.

Rock these! Puma's 60th Annivesary

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:02:00 +0000

In celebration of their 60th Anniversary, Puma is set to release two of their past models, the Puma Arkitel 61 & Rennschuh 2, to a limited number of distributors this week. Simply stated, these kick are the epitome of cool. Each model holds true to their respective distant cousins of the 40's and 50's but they have both been updated with premium textiles; a mixture of leather and suede. Furthermore each style comes in both black and white colorways , highlighted by detailed stitching (in orange, my favorite) to add the finishing touch.

The Arkitel 61 is inspired by Puma's first soccer boot, the updated version is like a modern day driving shoe, great for taking long rides up the Pacific Coast Highway.

The Rennnshue 2, is a modern take on Puma's first track spike. The spikes are now replaced with a rubber sole, leaving the clean, foot hugging, outer silhouette that Pumas does so well in many of their best kicks, which provides pure comfort.

Expect to drop a $100.00 or more to own these cool "cats."

Via: Sneakernews.com

Barack Obama: Congratulations and continue to brush the dirt off your shoulders!

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:02:00 +0000

Last week was incredible!!! Our New President elect, Barack Obama, made history as the first black man to ever achieve our nations highest office. This of course has had a rippling effect around the globe for various social and economic reasons. I for one have never witnessed other countries around the world, from Australia to Kenya, so ecstatic to see our country's newly elected President. Furthermore, children of every race, will no longer be bound to the old unspoken rules, images, and beliefs, that our country can only be lead by "old white men." The door of change, and hope, has been significantly cracked open and it's up to future generations to kick in the door for anyone, man or woman, brilliant-, driven- and dedicate- enough to successfully lead our country; not as a multitude of races, religions, and creeds, but rather as The United States/People of America!

GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK MR. PRESIDENT

Extended Weekend Women

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:03:00 +0000

You would not expect a woman with the named Olga to be hot... in fact when I first heard the name I imagined a burly, older woman, stirring a large pot of goulash with her huge forearms and man hands for factory workers in eastern Europe. I could not have been more wrong!

Ukranian born, model-turned actress, Olga Kurylenko, will be playing, new Bond Girl, "Camille" opposite Daniel Craig in Quatum of Solace (in theaters this week). This statuesque and exotic beauty has done a handful of films, of note, Paris, je t'aime and The Serpent. So far, she has no problem shedding her clothes, "As long as it makes the film more enjoyable to watch."

I haven't seen any of her films, yet... but I am sure they will be completly "enjoyable."

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:32:00 +0000

Admire the artful skills of mine and my assistant.

Covet This... BMW's "Green" Machine.

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:44:00 +0000

BMW is exploring a plan to build "a breakthrough green supercar" by the end of 2012.

The new car would rival the Audi R8 and forthcoming Mercedes SLC, and has been described by company insiders as ‘a puristic two-seater that draws on all the very latest BMW technology, lightweight build processes and has been rumored to pay homage to the M1 model.

In the late 1970s, Italian manufacturer Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a production racing car, under the Motor sport division, in sufficient quantity for homologation. The result was sold to the public, from 1978 to 1981, as the BMW M1. It was the first and only mid-engined BMW to be mass produced. Only 456 production M1s were built, making it one of BMW's rarest models.

It seems the M1's design has remained in Bimmer's sub-conscious waiting for the right time to be unleashed... and boy are they about to unleash a real monster.

As the flagship of BMW’s Efficient Dynamics program, the as-yet-unnamed new model will be capable of combining super car performance and driving dynamics with fuel-saving technology such as direct injection, brake energy regeneration, and stop-start. But the car will still maintain CO2 emissions on a par with, or better than, a mid-range 5-series.

The car will be mid-engined, with power most likely to come from a re-tuned version of the company’s twin-turbocharged, 3.0-litre straight six petrol engine. BMW is also considering introducing it with a kinetic energy recovery system similar to the one that the company’s F1 team will be using next year.

To date BMW has not released the suggested retail price, but expect to pay a pretty penny to own this beauty. Simply put, you will be able to kick ass on the street but you'll do it efficiently, and economically, with a way small carbon footprint.!So, it's not only easier to be green, it's becoming really cool too!

Source: Autocar

Because I am a Kid at Heart...

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:25:00 +0000

From time to time, I like to check out the stuff at Chinavasion.com, who specialize in wholesale electronic gadgets and gear ranging from MP3 playing Watches to Secret Agent 2GB Camcorder Pens with Audio...WHOA! If you like that sort of stuff, I think you will love this...

My Gadget du Jour is the Radio Controlled sports car with video camera function. A unique toy that combines all the coolest features of a RC car with an added video transmitter for extra fun.

The bootleg version of this car can be seen at your neighborhood Swap Shop's gray market but this is the real deal - no duct tape video camera to the front bumper here. The car's remote control has an extra long range (up to 100 feet) and you can control the cars movement by eyesight or via the LCD monitor.

And when you get tired of racing around solo, then it's time to turn it a notch!! Because you can use this baby to play laser games with your friends. Yes you read correctly, this sports car has a laser function and can be used to play laser tag. Not to mention being able to spy on whoever you choose.

At a Glance...
* Deluxe RC sports car with video camera function.
* Has laser shooting feature; play games with your friends and neighbors.
* Remote controller has 2.4" color TFT LCD video monitor.
* Premium build - Action grip tires and front wheel torsion springs

Now all someone needs to do is add this same technology to an RC Plane or Helicopter... then it's really on!!

Extended Weekend Women

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:31:00 +0000

Cindy Crawford is known to the world as one of the original supermodels who defined that pivotal moment when fashion models became stars in their own right.

At the age of 17, she was discovered by a local photographer while a student at DeKalb High School in Illinois.

Since then her all-American face with the iconic beauty mark has graced over 1,000 magazine covers worldwide, including Vogue, Elle, W, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Allure.

Cindy's timeless beauty, earned her long-term, global contracts with the likes of Revlon, Omega and Pepsi.

"Even I don't look like Cindy Crawford in the morning."

I am sure there a many of us who would like a long weekend to find that out for ourselves.

Said Black Man Scratched "B" on Her Face

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:44:00 +0000

I didn't plan on making another political post today... but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Associated Press Pittsburg, reports that:

A McCain campaign volunteer made up a story of being robbed, pinned to the ground and having the letter "B" scratched on her face in a politically inspired attack, police said Friday.

Todd, who is white, told police she was attacked by a 6-foot-4 black man Wednesday night. She now can't explain why she invented the story, Bryant said.

Ashley Todd, 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas, admitted Friday that the story was false and was being charged with making a false report to police, said Maurita Bryant, the assistant chief of the police department's investigations division. Police doubted her story from the start, Bryant said.

Simply stated, this girl is crazy. The first clue should be the fact that the B is backwards on her face (obviously done in the mirror). And then what does the "B" mean exactly? Black, Barrack... I choose BUFFOON, because that's what Miss Tood has made herself out to be.

There is no doubt that politics can cause people to react strongly, but this incident could have been enough to incite some serious backlash. Stunts like this do nothing for our country, and though we may not always agree... Miss Todd's actions are completely unacceptable regardless of the race, party, or politics.

Voter's Beware! Make sure your vote counts...

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:18:00 +0000

Dvice.com has done some great research on the machines we will be using to vote with November 4, 2008.

After consulting with voting-machine experts, makers, election officials, and several studies on the subject, Dvice examined the types of machines to be used in each county; punch-card, lever, optical scan, paper, and electronic. The machines were then ranked based on their proneness to voter error and hack-ability. Thena color code/ranking system was formulated to determine, in a quantifiable way, which County's could pose possible problems with accurately recording votes.

Voter Error Prone

• Punch card: 5, red
• Lever: 4, orange
• Optical scan: 3, yellow
• Paper: 2, light green
• Electronic: 1, green

Hack-ability

• Electronic: 5, red
• Optical scan: 4, orange
• Lever: 3, yellow
• Punch card: 2, light green
• Paper: 1, green

Dvice does note, that to date, "There has never been a proven case of widespread technological voter fraud in any national U.S. election." But I am sure that 2000's presidential election and Florida's "Butterfly Ballots" debacle still sticks in the collective conscious of American citizens.

Already, various reports are surfacing from around the country about problems at the ballot:

The Washington Post reports:

"Report Warns of Potential Voting Problems in 10 States
Two weeks before the midterm elections, at least 10 states, including Maryland, remain ripe for voting problems, according to a study released yesterday by a nonpartisan clearinghouse that tracks electoral reforms across the United States..."

USNEWS.com reports:

New Voting Systems Could Cause Problems in Swing States Analysts Are Concerned About Some of the New Systems Being Implemented In key states.
After its election's razor-thin margin necessitated the first recount, Palm Beach County took two weeks to account for nearly 3,500 ballots thought missing. When they were found, on shelves with the other ballots, many could not be interpreted. Voters seemed to find the ballot's brand-new format, in which arrows had to be connected, completely unintelligible. Some had checked or circled their answers; others wrote jokes in the margins; one covered the paper with lipstick kisses

The 2000 mess? No. This Floridian fiasco occurred during the state's Aug. 26, 2008,..."

ABC NEWS reports:

"Voting Problems Persist as Election Nears Despite Snags, Record Numbers of Americans Are Turning Out to Vote Early

ACORN ad nauseam, troubling typos in registration rolls and voters potentially turned away for want of a checked box. The pressure for a punctilious combing of voting records continues, yet through it all, the voters persevere. From North Carolina to Illinois to Nevada, an astounding number of Americans have been breaking records by turning out early to vote..."

My advice is to spend a little time with your sample ballot learning the process for your county. Then check and recheck your ballot (or screen) twice and make sure your vote is counted for your candidate. Good Luck!

OBAMA
BIDEN
2008

Rock These: Adidas x Undefeated ZX 8000

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:34:00 +0000

Since Orange is my color, you can expect yours truly to be rocking the newest collaboration between my favorite sneaker brand, Adidas and Los Angeles' own street wear retailer, Undefeated.

Undefeated’s trademark mix of performance and cutting edge design is at work on their ‘U’ interpretation of the ZX 8000. Taking the Torsion runner and giving it a clean, contemporary look, by starkly contrasting two key shades – bright orange and dazzling rave green on the footbed and Torsion bar itself, the mix of materials, - meshes and suede, completed with nylon stripes make winning strides towards authenticity and innovation.

Minimal branding, beyond the distinctive bars on the tongue indicates a retailer quietly confident of their winning form, and finished with a collection of laces for three very different looks, they remain "undefeated".

ENERGY DRINKS... HOW MANY IS TOO MANY?

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:37:00 +0000

I happened across this very informative website, EnergyFiend.com which list the amount of caffeine in most energy drinks, sodas, coffee, and caffeinated food, on the market.

To Mrs. P's constant objection my energy drink of choice is Monster Lo Carb and, when I can find it, Nos. Both drinks keep me sharp and able to make it through a long day of meetings, phone, calls, family time, this blog, and whatever else life throws at me. Interestingly, Energy Fiend also provides a Death by Caffeine Calculator - you enter your favorite drink, your weight and it calculates how many of your drink of choice it will take to kill you. For me:

Gulp down 106.64 cans of Monster and you're history.

65.62 cans of Nos Energy Drink + You = Death.

Thankfully, I don't have to worry about ever drinking that much of anything. Half a can of either of these on the 9am drive in to the office suffices to carry me throughout the day. And to keep things in perspective, Mrs. Padrone, would need to,"Gulp down 85.71 cups of Brewed Coffee [her caffeinated drink of choice]" and she would be history.

It's not all bad news though,according to Health and Wellness Chanel it seems that drinking an energy drink after a workout will help your muscles recover faster by increasing glycogen levels. Glycogen is the fuel used by muscles to function, when you increase the levels, you shorten muscle recovery, thus increasing your performance at your next workout or competition.

As for me, I will still enjoy the occasional energy drink, especially after my weekend warrior pick-up basketball games... just keep in mind all things in moderation.

Extended Weekend Women

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:16:00 +0000

There is no better combination of sexy and funny, especially if you are talking about Max Payne co-star, Mila Kunis who plays Mona Sax.

Known best for her role as Jackie Burkhart, from That 70's Show, and currently as the voice of the Family Guy's Meg, Mila was born in Kyiv,Ukraine and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 7. She claims to have learned English by watching the Price is Right.

"Blondes definitely do not have more fun. Trust me."

We trust you... but wish you would prove it.

Nike "Leave Nothing" Commercial.. PUMPS, YOU UP!

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Brian Powell over at Awful Announcing, makes a great call on this video. Being a former college basketball player and current roundball fan, I rarely make comments as they pertain to other sports. But I have to admit, between this video (featuring Troy Polamalu and LaDanian Tomlinson) and my recent viewing of Invincible(what a great story, it's a shame I was so late to see this), it get me highly amped.

Rumm Rumm Good

noreply@blogger.com (Il Padrone) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:59:00 +0000

My local libations expert, Bartender Rick, often lets me sample new and interesting drinks at my local hang out, Happy Ending. (Look for reviews of other real men drinks like Scotch, Whiskeys, and my personal favorite, Cognac) This weekend I tried an old recipe for a new rum that recently made its way to market, Sailor Jerry's Spiced Naval Rum.

Sailor Jerry is a Spiced Caribbean rum blended with 5 spices including ginger, cinnamon, clove, vanilla and an infusion of natural lime. It is based on an original recipe created by famous tattoo artist Sailor Jerry Collins. Known the world over, Sailor Jerry Collins (1911-1971) was famous for two things; his trademark solid, bright and neat tattooing and his own blend of spiced rum.

Searching through his personal papers and his vast collection of tattoos after his death in the seventies the original recipe for his blend of rum was found. According to Sailor Jerry's website, "other rums are panty-waisted, soul-less and ball-less in comparison." I wouldn't go that far but I do agree and it is definitely an upgrade to The Captain, and many other overly sweet rums. At 92 proof and with a touch of sweetness, Sailor Jerry is excellent on the rocks. I also tried it in a Cuba Libre and have to admit it definitely deserves high marks!

Il Padrone approves greatly.