The Scarlet Knights Make MLB History!!!

'Rutgers Student Emerges With No. 500' [MLB.com]

"The Rutgers student was on the ground clamoring with the rest of the fans. Somehow, he got hold of the ball and was promptly whisked away by security guards - physically removed from the fray, spectators said, pumping his arm while holding the ball in the air."

'Rutgers Student Snags Rodriguez's 500th' [NJ.com]

"Walter "Sonny" Kowalczyk, 29, formerly of Hamilton Township, won a battle for the balls, catching the high, arcing shot that Rodriguez slammed into the left field stands, his cousin Dawn Chiacchio said."

'Rutgers Student Catches Historic Homer' [Newsday.com]

"It's his ball, I'm happy for him and hopefully we can negotiate something to get the ball back," said Rodriguez, who yesterday became the 22nd player in baseball history -- and the youngest -- to reach the 500 mark. "I really want it back. But if not, I congratulate him for catching it. Nice catch."

One Month Until Graduate School Begins...

Let the freaking out...commence!

This Is How You Make A Teaser Trailer!

The illumination of an iconic symbol, the voices of characters old and new, the booming dramatic music, the hauntingly familiar laugh...is it 'Summer 2008' yet?!?!

497...498...499!

Alex Rodriguez hit his 499^th home run tonight in yet another Yankee victory over Kansas City, and it turns out that the pitcher he’ll face in tomorrow night’s final game against the Royals was pitching when he achieved his 400^th home run.

Could A-Rod’s greatness be any more perfectly timed to drown out the impending news of the record breaking achievement of that other player, the “he who must not be named” of major league baseball?!

Optimus Potter And The Order Of The Autobots

*Since I saw both Transformers and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on the same day, I figured I'd give my reviews of them together...I know, it really doesn't make sense...just play along.

The Good: Transformers is the quintessential summer blockbuster, in a good way. It's fun, it's fast, it's loud, it's car chases, it's robot destruction...it's great! The filmmakers succeeded in taking the source material of a 1980's children's cartoon based on plastic toys and turning it into an exhilarating action movie. Not to mention the visual effects were pretty exceptional, something you still can't take for granted. Speaking of exceptional visuals, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix had a few amazing spectacles of its own (note to Hollywood: dueling wizard scenes are movie gold; see Lord of the Rings). In terms of the overall movie production, Phoenix delivers where Goblet of Fire failed miserably (most likely thanks to new director, David Yates), namely by more effectively blending the "we're awkward teens" moments with scenes of greater, darker consequence. And finally, there cannot be enough praise given regarding the magical portrayal (pun intended) of the Dolores Umbridge character, played by an amazingly talented Imelda Staunton.

The Bad: The acting and dialogue (and to a lesser degree, the storyline) in Transformers was so over-the-top it was borderline campy (Jon Voight as U.S. Defense Secretary was oh so very painful). Then again, most summer action movies tend to suffer from this "problem" (problem being in quotation marks because many would argue that it's refreshing not to have to think too deeply with a popcorn flick). And, while I no longer think Shia LaBeouf is the worse young actor ever, he's still far from the golden child he's portrayed to be in the media (he'll have another shot to prove me wrong in next year's Indiana Jones IV). On the Order of the Phoenix front, I can't help but feel like some aspects of the Potter movie series are a tad formulaic (Harry miserable at home during summer...Harry has new major problem...Harry feels marginalized...someone plotting against Harry...Harry's friends stand by him...the twist: someone's bad/good...Harry meets Voldemort in last 10 minutes of movie...they fight...Voldemort escapes until later...major character ends up dead...The End). HOWEVER, to be fair, criticisms like these are more appropriately directed at J.K. Rowlings (who, by the way, added the 'K' as an initial to her name to sound more sophisticated...it doesn't stand for anything!) and not at the movie adaptations of her stories.

The Verdict: Tranformers is all about the fun, simple, visceral movie experience meant to be released during the sweltering July heat. And, even if I can't stop thinking about how it's all going to end, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is one of the better, darker entries of the Potter movie series.

The Grade:
Transformers, B
Harry Potter, B+

Grossed Out By 'Chuck & Larry' $34 Million Gross

How does such a tired, dumb, borderline-homophobic movie with lowest-common-denominator appeal end up as the number one movie of the weekend box office? I guess it has something to do with pairing a shockingly popular fat man of crappy-TV-sitcom fame with a hasn't-really-been-funny-since-the-Billy-Madison-days comedic actor.

Note to Adam Sandler: I think I heard the first flush of the career toilet around Little Nicky, and it's pretty much been flushing ever since (Spanglish, The Longest Yard, Click, and this latest crapfest). There's a slim chance that I maybe, kind of, sort of could have forgiven all of this...and then I found out that Sandler is a card carrying "I just donated to Rudy Giuliani" Republican. Sorry Sandler, but I now pronounce you a total loss.

1 Hour And 26 Minutes

The time it took for me to inadvertently come across an internet headline on my Google homepage that divulged information regarding the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Thank you very much 'Daily News & Analysis of India'.

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

"Vice President Dick Cheney will take over as president on Saturday — but only temporarily, White House officials say — while President Bush undergoes anesthesia during routine screening for colon cancer. The White House press secretary, Tony Snow, said Friday that Mr. Bush would invoke his authority under the 25th Amendment of the Constitution to transfer his presidential powers temporarily to Mr. Cheney during the colonoscopy. Snow also confirmed that a secondary goal of the colonoscopy procedure was to detect "exactly how full of shit" Mr. Bush really is.*" [New York Times]

*Ok, so I added the last sentence...I couldn't help myself!

Nap of Shame

Nothing like having 20,000 fans collectively laughing at you to
give you a thorough appreciation for embarrassment.

Japanese Television Strikes Again

I'm not sure I would have chosen 'Pretty Woman' as the background music for this performance, but who am I to question a group of people that have successfully built a bridge between Matrix-style maneuvers and dinner table arguments.

Tell Us How You Really Feel About The NAACP, Republican Presidential Candidates!

"U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Col., is the sole Republican candidate to address the NAACP convention. He was flanked by lecterns with placards for nine other GOP candidates -- all no-shows." [Quoted from here.]

Facts? Nah. Intelligence? No thanks. A Hunch From The "Gut"? Bingo.

It turns out we all may be as qualified for the position of Homeland Security Secretary as current Secretary Michael Chertoff, who made this statement while discussing the U.S. terrorism risk during the summer:

[I believe we're entering a period this summer of increased risk. We've seen a lot more public statements from Al Qaeda. There are a lot of reasons to speculate about that but one reason that occurs to me is that they're feeling more comfortable and raising expectations. In the last August, and in prior summers, we've had attacks against the West, which suggests that summer seems to be appealing to them. I think we do see increased activity in South Asia, so we do worry about whether they are rebuilding their capabilities. We've struck at them and degraded them, but they rebuild. All these things have given me kind of a gut feeling that we are in a period of increased vulnerability (Chicago Tribune, July 10th).]

Ok, I find several major problems with this statement:

1. If we're "entering a period this summer of increased risk" why haven't the terrorist threat levels changed? This either means that we're actually not entering such a marked period of "increased risk" (in which case Secretary Chertoff is a fearmonger) or the threat level system is a joke (in which case Secretary Chertoff is incompetent). Both can actually be true at the same time, by the way.
2. Why would our Homeland Security Secretary be "speculating" about anything? How about we talk in terms of facts and calculated assessments rather than speculations. Oh, right...because facts and intelligence are complex, whereas lies...sorry, "speculations"...can be crafted easily.
3. How exactly are we "striking" and "degrading" Al Qaeda when they're highly concentrated in areas other than Iraq (including Afghanistan and Pakistan). Al Qaeda is rebuilding in those areas we used to/should be fighting them in. Of the effective elements of Al Qaeda that have moved into Iraq, let's not forget who sent them an invitation marked "Chaos in Iraq...RSVP by Spring 2003".
4. Why are the activities of the Department of Homeland Security being guided by "gut feelings"? Again, is the department so incompetent that it is not possible to gather levels of information higher than the ranking of "gut feeling"? And, should matters that have the potential to gravely affect the lives of countless Americans be headed by someone who characterizes his professional assessments as feelings of his inner bowels?

I Know How To Kill Voldemort...Harry, Meet Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime, Harry.

My personal reviews for Transformers and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, both of which I saw today, are coming shortly...stay tuned!

In Less Than 24 Hours...

And no, I don't feel ashamed to be attending the 12:01AM showing Tuesday night into Wednesday morning...I really don't...OK, I do feel a little loser-ish, but not enough to stop me.

Look, think of all the Harry Potter-related things I don't do: I don't dress up as characters and wait in line all night to buy the newest book (heck, I don't even read the books...I'm a movie fan, what can I say); I don't prance around casting spells on people; I don't buy Harry Potter merchandise; I don't refer to he-who-must-not-be-named as 'he-who-must-not-be-named' (oops...scratch that one).

Please, be gentle with your judgment.

Answer The Call...

An Unhappy Fourth of July

Bush Administration: 4,589. Justice: 0.

'Bush Commutes Scooter Libby's Sentence, Dismissing 2 1/2 Year Prison Term'

I'm Addicted To...

The World Champion Of Comedy

Last weekend, as part of my birthday gift from my fiance, I got to go to The Stress Factory in New Brunswick, NJ and see Judah Friedlander performing. Judah Friedlander is known best for stand-up comedy, but has also appeared in several small roles in movies (Meet the Parents, American Splendor) and is most currently known for his role as staff writer Frank Rossitano on NBC's 30 Rock.

Back to last weekend...his stand-up routine was hilarious! I ended up being referred to as "NYU" and was mocked for thinking I was better than him, and Andrea was mocked for teaching the English language to high school seniors. Hilarious!

Check out these pictures from the night and, if you have the chance to see his act, do yourself a favor and get tickets! Andrea and I had the chance to talk with him personally for a few moments after the show (while buying the awesome t-shirt and hat you see below) and, on top of him being so funny, he actually is an extremely nice guy, sincerely thanking us for being such good sports during the show and for supporting him, and we even got to talking about his 30 Rock blog (check it out here). All in all, a great comedian, a great night, and a great gift. Thanks Andrea!

Shouldn't The Almighty Have Seen This Coming?!

Ouch! Evan Almighty, a movie with a reported production budget of $175 million (and an additional marketing budget of $40 million, making it the most expensive comedy ever) had an opening weekend gross of only $32 million!!!

The movie's executives have been busy making statements like "this is the kind of movie that will have legs over the next few weeks"...ummm, unless those legs can kill John McClain, poison lovable French rats, crush the Transformers, petrify Harry Potter, and eat Bart Simpson's shorts, I'm thinking someone just got their glasses tinted with a nice rosy color.

Let the movie executive firings begin!

[NOTE: This massive box office failure should in no way be contributed to Steve Carell. He is a comic genius and shall remain unharmed by the colossal failure that is the over-budgeted, over-cooked movie Evan Almighty.]

Scratching The 'Surface' Of Technology

Wow...can we have this now, please?

Run For The Border

Sixty-five percent of American adults (approx. 127 million people) are overweight, 60 million of which are obese and 9 million of those characterized as extremely obese*......and yet, Taco Bell has decided to execute a marketing campaign revolving around what they term "Fourthmeal: The Meal Between Dinner & Breakfast". How socially responsible of them!

Why eat a measly three meals a day, something those know-it-all "doctors" and health-obsessed hippie "nutritionists" suggest you do, when you can eat a 'fourthmeal' in the form of an 'Extreme Cheese and Beef Quesadilla' from Taco Bell!? Oh...because you'll end up developing hypertension, diabetes, and/or heart disease that will lead to premature death...then again, it's cheese and beef, so it's kind of a toss-up.

* Statistics from ObesityinAmerica.org.

The View Looks Better 'At World's End'

The Good: Let's start by saying that Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is better than the second movie (which I remember felt like watching a 225 million dollar Looney Tunes cartoon, with various characters serving the role of Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road Runner, i.e. Capt. Jack Sparrow, around several islands for a few solid hours of my time). The stakes are a bit higher, the visuals are somewhat bolder, and the characters are a tad deeper. Simply put, there are several moments, especially during the final half hour of the movie, that I felt the fun and excitement returning to the Pirates franchise. And, in my opinion, very few movies have ever come close to the CG effects of the Davy Jones character's face. Just amazing.

The Bad: Let's continue by saying that At World's End is nowhere near as good as the original and, at times, is downright horrendous and laughable. It would have been so very simple during the editing process to leave about 25-35 minutes of footage on the cutting room floor, particularly footage that included torturous sequences regarding Captain Jack's multiple personalities. There were moments where I felt like I was watching Eternal Sunshine of the Pirate's Mind. It's sloppy editing and pacing that really kills the flow of an already uber-complicated story, which brings me to the second major problem of the movie. I'm all for beefing up the plot of a movie with various dramatic twists and turns, but if you twist and turn every few minutes you just end up leaving the audience dizzy.

The Verdict: Like a drunken pirate, At World's End stumbles far too often to be considered a great movie (or maybe even a good one), but you can't help but feel like the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and Company made for an overall fun ride while they lasted.

The Grade: B-

It's Official: Mike Gravel Is Insane

In case you don't know, former two-term Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel is one of the eight candidates currently running for the 2008 Democratic nomination. You likely don't know about Mr. Gravel because he last served in government over 25 years ago, not to mention he's basically just a cranky old man that likes to make bizarre, old man claims.

Well, turns out Gravel is not just a crazy old coot, he's actually insane! I present to you Exhibits A & B: the two most recent campaign videos of the 'Mike Gravel For President' campaign. Judge for yourself (and I suggest you utilize the fast forward function to prevent a Gravel-induced psychosis)......

It appears Gravel has resorted to a staring contest to win
the Democratic nomination...followed by a rock tossing contest?

Ever wonder what it would look like if a presidential candidate was
silently burning alive in a campfire of his own creation? Wonder no more!

Listening To The Generals

Joe Lieberman Is At It Again

[By General Wesley Clark, HuffingtonPost - June 12, 2007]

After wrongly supporting George W. Bush's strategic blunder of attacking Iraq, and continuing to support Bush's failed policies after the invasion, Senator Joe Lieberman made irresponsible comments this weekend regarding military action against Iran.

On CBS's Face the Nation, Lieberman said, "If [the Iranians] don't play by the rules, we've got to use our force, and to me, that would include taking military action to stop them from doing what they're doing."

This type of "tough-talk" by the Bush Administration and folks like Senator Joe Lieberman is why VoteVets.org and I collaborated to create StopIranWar.com, calling for heavy diplomatic, economic, and political action to discourage the acquisition of nuclear capabilities by the Iranian government.

Senator Lieberman's saber rattling does nothing to help dissuade Iran from aiding Shia militias in Iraq, or trying to obtain nuclear capabilities. In fact, it's highly irresponsible and counter-productive, and I urge him to stop.

This kind of rhetoric is irresponsible and only plays into the hands of President Ahmadinejad, and those who seek an excuse for military action. What we need now is full-fledged engagement with Iran. We should be striving to bridge the gulf of almost 30 years of hostility and only when all else fails should there be any consideration of other options. The Iranians are very much aware of US military capabilities. They don't need Joe Lieberman to remind them that we are the militarily dominant power in the world today.

Only someone who never wore the uniform or thought seriously about national security would make threats at this point. What our soldiers need is responsible strategy, not a further escalation of tensions in the region. Senator Lieberman must act more responsibly and tone down his threat machine.

Visit StopIranWar.com, and sign the petition to President Bush today!

We cannot let people like Joe Lieberman dictate the terms of this debate.

Top Five Birthday Gifts of 2007

5. Four Pairs of Gap Boxer Shorts......Although quite embarrassing opening in front of your fiance's entire family, there's nothing quite as refreshing (quite literally) as a few new pairs of boxers. [given by my fiance's mother]

4. $45 of AMC Theater Gift Cards......These will graciously be used up by mid-July. [given by my siblings]

3. Al Gore's The Assault on Reason......This would have been the first thing I purchased with the $20 Barnes and Noble gift card I received from my fiance's sister; now, I think I'll purchase approximately eight Starbucks Frappuccinos instead. [also given by my fiance's mother]

2. From the Earth to the Moon DVD Box Set......I've only desperately wanted this box set since I watched all twelve hours of the series over the course of two back-to-back nights about 9 years ago in the summer of '98. [given by Mr. Cooper in a wonderfully executed early birthday offering]

1. Sirius Satellite Radio w/ One Year Subscription......Considering how I'm practically in tears every time I drive in my fiance's Sirius-equipped '07 Jetta and get to listen to the incredible array of songs being played (none of which include the phrase "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me"), not to mention the endless hours of Howard Stern, I think it's pretty safe to say that this gift is the ultimate birthday present of 2007! [given by my amazing fiance]

Happy Birthday To...

...Kanye West (turns 30), Keenan Ivory Wayans (turns 49), Jerry Stiller (turns 80), Barbara Bush (turns 82), Joan Rivers (turns 342), and last, but certainly not least, me (turning the big 2-4). I think it's safe to say my birthday is 'certainly not least' when the list includes the likes of Keenan Ivory Wayans...yeah, I went there.

If only my mom could have waited a few more hours until June 9th, my birthday would be shared with much cooler people...Johnny Depp, Natalie Portman, Michael J. Fox! Oh well, I'll have to settle for a rapper and some old folks. Bring on the birthday cake!

I Think I Love You

Who Knew Accidental Pregnancy Could Be So Funny? Judd Apatow, That's Who.

The Good: Knocked Up takes humor to areas other comedies dare not touch (crowning baby heads, anyone?); this should come as no surprise since there is such a huge overlap of the creative minds involved with The 40 Year Old Virgin. While Katherine Heigl does a great job and Seth Rogen manages to survive his first leading role relatively intact, it's the members of the vast supporting cast (individuals plucked from previous Judd Apatow ventures like the masterful Paul Rudd, as well as cast members of NBC's The Office and Saturday Night Live) that deserve an overwhelming portion of credit for the movie's greatness.

The Bad: I'm not going to say every joke hits the intended mark; sometimes movies like these, thinking all jokes get better if you keep pushing them for a long minute, will end up killing a joke with force (recent offender - Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby). That being said, only a small amount of jokes end up lukewarm, while the majority of jokes result in reactions ranging from a chuckle to hilarity-induced crying. Furthermore, the movie industry needs to agree to never, ever, ever, ever let Ryan Seacrest act in another movie again. Ever.

The Verdict: Successfully using humor to dive headfirst into a wide range of topics (including the potential conspiracies surrounding hotel furniture selection), it is undeniable that Knocked Up is the must-see comedy of the summer.

The Grade: A-

True Colors

[From The Dallas Morning News, regarding a recent meeting between President Bush and "friends of his from Texas"]

But by all reports, President Bush is more convinced than ever of his righteousness. Friends of his from Texas were shocked recently to find him nearly wild-eyed, thumping himself on the chest three times while he repeated “I am the president!” He also made it clear he was setting Iraq up so his successor could not get out of “our country’s destiny.”

[From The Nelson Report, regarding a similar private meeting with President Bush]

Some big money players up from Texas recently paid a visit to their friend in the White House. The story goes that they got out exactly one question, and the rest of the meeting consisted of The President in an extended whine, a rant, actually, about no one understands him, the critics are all messed up, if only people would see what he’s doing things would be OK…etc., etc. This is called a “bunker mentality” and it's not attractive when a friend does it. When the friend is the President of the United States, it can be downright dangerous.

What's In A Number?

Did you ever notice that pricing signs at gas stations only have the ability to list prices that are three digits or less?

It seems the gas companies have designed these signs under the assumption that, so long as gasoline remains the dominant fuel source for automobiles, prices are likely to remain three digits or less (of course, the 'or less' really refers to the "good old days" right around the time my generation was acquiring our right to drive and gas cost a measly 89 cents a gallon, and kids respected their elders...oh wait, no we didn't).

Then again, what if there was some sort of major international oil crisis (say 'World War III: Middle East Mayhem')? Wouldn't gasoline prices almost certainly exceed three-digit numbers? Considering that the average gas prices in the U.S. are currently hovering around $3.21 (and are expected to rise to around $4.00 this summer), I don't think it's crazy to think of a future that potentially includes gas prices breaking through the $9.99 ceiling set by the presumptuous gas station sign manufactures.

With the help of my trusty Adobe Photoshop, I present to you a portrait of the not too distant future...

Spring Cleaning '07

'28 Weeks Later', Yet Things Still Seem The Same

The Good: Great cinematography, especially camera work, provide some really unique points-of-view in a genre that tends to be rather stale visually. A good performance by Robert Carlyle, who's been given an exciting role to work within. Not to mention the most creative use of helicopter blades ever.

The Bad: The plot feels self-contained to a fault and, even though I'm excited by the prospect of a third film (something strongly hinted at in the final moments of this movie), I expected greater consequence within the story of Weeks.

The Verdict: 28 Weeks Later is artistic and somewhat thought provoking, yet it doesn't quite evolve (no pun intended) as effectively as movie franchises are expected to do so in their second outings.

The Grade: C+

How Was The 'Lost' Season Finale?

How was the 'Lost' season finale, you ask? Well, let me tell you......

The 'Lost' season finale was so good that I've decided to drop out of graduate school so that I can devote my time to founding a religion based on the mythology of 'Lost'. The DVD box sets of each season will serve as our Bible (with three more 'Books' still left to be written); all followers will pray to our saviour, John Locke, on the 4th, 8th, 15th, 16th, 23rd, and 42nd day of every month (don't ask about the 42nd day thing...we have a different calendar); and finally, all followers must cross paths with at least one other follower on a monthly basis (extra island protection from the mysterious smoke monster if you end up being a relative of another follower, if you have a car accident with another follower, or if you heal/be healed by another follower).

And there you have it. 'Lost', one of the greatest television shows ever created, is now my religion. Namaste.

'Bloomberg To Replace NYC Taxis With Hybrids By 2012'

If Al Gore doesn't get in the presidential race, I might have to vote for potential Independent candidate Mike Bloomberg.

Buy Me Today!

"The Assault on Reason turns out to be less a partisan, election-cycle harangue than a fiercely argued brief about the current Bush White House that is grounded in copiously footnoted citations from newspaper articles, Congressional testimony and commission reports — a brief that is as powerful in making its points about the implications of this administration’s policies as the author’s 2006 book, “An Inconvenient Truth,” was in making its points about the fallout of global warming...and it does so not with the calculated, sound-bite-conscious tone of many political-platform-type books, but with the sort of wonky ardor that made both the book and movie versions of “An Inconvenient Truth” so bluntly effective...This book shows a fiery, throw-caution-to-the winds Al Gore, who, whether or not he runs for the White House again, has decided to lay it all on the line with a blistering assessment of the Bush administration and the state of public discourse in America at this 'fateful juncture' in history."

[From the New York Times 'Books of the Times' Section, May 22nd 2007]

A Note To Young, Male Entertainers

Enough with the 'man bangs' already...there is nothing cool about what can only be described as the youthful equivalent of 'the comb over'. Let's put an end to this now, before it's too late.

The Message Is Real Enough

I'm fascinated by this well-edited piece of footage from one of the 2004 presidential debates. There's something inaccessibly profound within this video, and every time I watch it I can't help but have this semi-emotional reaction (especially when the music swells), a reaction that is likely linked to the political realities of our American society over the past six years...it's something along the lines of sadness mixed with laughter mixed with anger mixed with hope. Very strange to have this sort of reaction to some random YouTube video. Kudos.

No Tingling For My Spidey Sense

The Good: Thomas Haden Church did well with what he was given, as well as the obligatory Bruce Campbell cameo that was the funniest it's been in all three movies. The last twenty minutes of the movie are somewhat redeeming.

The Bad: The rest of the movie. That may be a tad harsh, but there's no denying that the story comes across as overcooked and overcrowded, and the visual effects didn't feel like anything we haven't seen already. Not to mention the various downright bizarre set of scenes that made me feel like I was watching a completely different movie (jazz club, anyone?).

The Verdict: Easily inferior to it's predecessors, Spider-man 3 is a box office record-setting behemoth that disappoints on so many levels.

The Grade: C

What A Media Tease!

This is a screen grab from the CNN International broadcast around midnight last night.
Obviously, the mistaken graphic was meant to highlight Tony Blair's resignation.

It appeared for twelve of the American nations most hopeful seconds in recent years...then again, I'm not sure I should be describing the hypothetical swearing in of President Dick Cheney as "hopeful". More like devastating, nightmarish, catastrophic...kind of like our current President.