Mad Lifestyle

Season one was in my stocking from my Sister-in-law. My first reference to this award-winning television series was from my editor at Indianapolis Monthly, who also is an avid fan. So I figured I'd put it on my Christmas list and give it a shot.

After watching season one, I'd have to agree with him.

The concept revolves around the lifestyle of the glitz and glamour of Madison Avenue in the 1960s. Madison Avenue, the Mecca for the advertising world, birthed this American Cultural idea of 'success.' What intrigues me the most is all the ins-and-outs that connotes this image of success.

There is a lot of things that impress me. Historically speaking, Mad Men has won various awards for it's historical authenticity. In other words, it really does depict the social mores and ideals of that era, an era that seems to continually fascinate me.

But just like a good book or speech, there are things that you take away from it, and things that you can do without. The philandering and chain smoking (which every character does both of, constantly) doesn't quite fit this ideal guild. But that's what I choose to overlook and on the other hand, there are a lot of things that do impress me.

I admire how well put together the male characters are. It was a time when men dressed their best. They knew what looked good, and what 'looking good' meant and they implemented it to perfection. For example, Don Draper keeps a stack of the same staple-white-oxford shirt in his office. Why? Because it's the perfect shirt. So he keeps a couple spare (always ironed and ready to wear) in his office.

These creative minds at Sterling and Cooper keep their office bars with ample supply. Whether it's the rye in the Old Fashioned, the cognacs of the Brandy Alexander, or Betty's simple Tom Collins. Each character has their preferred drink, and that's pretty much all they will settle for.

These men were constantly trying to learn more, to achieve more and to be the best at what they did. They read book after book, they wrote articles, they contacted anyone that seemed to be remotely successful. Their daily goal was to improve.

The men of that era knew what they enjoyed and they settled for nothing else. Don Draper, the protagonist of the whole concept is the quintessence of that era. He is a class act. The way he carries himself, his brilliant ideas and just his entire aura.

Somewhere along the path, we, as in my current generation and those on either end of it, have lost that concept. We seem to settle for a lot less. Faded jeans, baseball hats, Polos, Bud Light, the only literature around is Sportscenter. Catch my drift?

Of course, he's not perfect. But there's a lot about him that my peers and I can take notes from.

Now on to season two.

conspiracy theory

I'm out to get a copy of the Lost Symbol. I'm a fan of Dan Brown's creative writing. I admire how he wades through myth, tradition, and fact, all to provide a breath-taking plot that will test the validity of our collective belief system. Yes, I do have a small passion for history and the secrets and lies that it all entails.

Brown is no Salman Rushdie, but his magic realism does test some very fragile waters.

Constantine, the Opus Dei, the Priory of Sion, the history of the catholic church: all parts of history that Dan Brown's words weave through. Of course, Brown crosses the line of fact and imagination, and the extent of which is for the reader to determine. But that's all part of telling a good story isn't it?

There is a lot of hoopla to his writing, but since his conspiracies strike a nerve in most readers, it influences one to delve deeper into their own understanding of the topic. That is what i find fascinating.

After successful productions of the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, I'm glad that the trio of Dan Brown, Ron Howard and Tom Hanks have signed on to produce another such thriller.

The Lost Symbol was released on September 15 and sold one million copies on its first day. This is the fastest selling adult novel in history! So I'm definitely not alone in my admiration for a good historical-suspense-thriller.

The story focuses on symbologist Robert Langdon's quest to unveil the secrets of the Freemasonry. Arguably the oldest and largest world wide fraternity, there is a lot of hidden glory and speculation about this group whose roster boasts of names that we have all read about. So let's have it Dan Brown, I'm ready to see what this is all about.

The root of all things

I came across an old tune today. This song, Sunchyme by Dario G, was a favorite of mine back in the day. Remember - I grew up in the UK, and lived in Asia, so for all you Americans, we actually do appreciate electronic beats! Either way, this song brings back a ton of memories.

The video is extremely cheesy, but I'm sure you can look past the body paint to get the jist of Dario's song. Personalize this video, look at it as an allegory, and the bottom line is the same: we all come from the same place, we are all made by the same God.

Proverbs 22:2 - the rich and poor have this in common: the Lord made them both.

Image Control - Role Models?

Gilbert Arenas: The latest addition to recent celebrities who have disgraced themselves in the eyes of the public. I’m sure Chee-tah Woods feels good to be forgotten about for a while right?

Bill Clintons and Barry Bonds aside, the world’s collective “I am holier than though” attitude has turned focus on A-Rod, Kanye West, Chris Brown, Tiger Woods and now, Gilbert Arenas. These celebrities have all become the new targets to criticize. I find myself wondering why so much negative attention is smothered in their direction, or why we spend so much time pointing out their flaws.

I agree, they made mistakes. Some of which are a lot more severe than others. However, it irritates me that all their faults have now become water fountain
conversation at work. Does that seem weird to you as well?

It’s the question of being a Role-model. But I think there is a huge misconception in what that means. Is Tiger Woods a role model? Is Ron Artest a role model? Is Brittney Spears a role model? Of course they are. But to whom? And for what reasons?

Tiger Woods is a role model to golfers. Ron Artest is a role model to ballers who want to improve their intensity on defense. Brittney Spears is a role model to wannabe teenie-bops, well, kind of.

Now, are they role models for your children, or my future children? Absolutely not.
I find it absolutely pointless to label celebrities as role models. Most of the athletes I admire were raised in single-parent homes and surrounded by poverty and corruption. They then were given multi-million dollar contracts, strapped with their own personalized Nikes and flavor of Gatorade while watching themselves on ESPN’s highlight reel every other morning.

All that money, all that fame, all that alcohol, all those clubs and all those women. What’s worse is that it’s all being flaunted at them on a silver platter.

Are they really role models to everyone? Yeah, for the naive and absolute optimist. But for the rest of us, no, they’re just entertainment.

I mean, seriously, would you approach Tiger Woods with a concern about your 401K? Would you ask Lindsay Lohan what she thinks of world hunger?

My point is: I don’t care how many women John Mayer slews through at the after party because I will continue to listen to Gravity because that’s an awesome song. I don’t care who Ray Lewis chooses to leave in a black bag next. But I sure hope my Colts don’t have to play him in the playoffs because he’s that good at what he does. Lady Gaga can be a hermaphrodite, that’s just weird, but she puts out some good tunes and I’ll still nod my head to them. Who cares about how much marijuana George W. Bush smoked at Yale, because he was a great leader right? …… Haha, just joking.

A lot of people confuse a ‘role model’ with a religious bias. It then wasn’t a mistake that Kobe, Jack Nicholson or David Letterman were sleeping around, but it was a terrible ‘sin’ that they committed.

Well, aren’t all sins equal in god’s eyes? If you break one of the ten commandments doesn’t that still bring the wrath of God? (Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.’) Hmm, so have you cursed, been jealous, idolized beauty or position, lusted, been vane, or put your trust in yourself before God today?

If so, you just pulled a Tiger Woods.

Man, me too, because I’m gossiping right now. That’s a sin as well.

The point of this post is to remind myself to stop judging others. I’m a sinner. Everyone is. Celebrities will be celebrities: they will win our hearts and then make mistakes. But we do the same. Whose your best role model? Whose your kid's best role model? You are. As a society, we need to stop worrying about others faults, and live to the best that we can. Amen?

It is time...

There are two things that Arsenal management have to consider. The first is to force Arsene Wenger to change his philosophy and to go out and buy a big name forward or two, and a holding midfielder (all of whom need to be over the age of 28 and have some good experience for club and country). Or the second….. Sack Arsene Wenger.

I hate to say that, and can’t believe that I just did. BUT – I am an Arsenal fan, not an Arsene Wenger fan. It is NOT ok to beat most of the table but to continuously lose to Chelsea and Manchester United.

Arsenal has become a damn day care and it is blatantly obvious. The Emirates provides care to young potential stars who eventually leave, only to get bigger contracts and to play for clubs that have a better chance of winning a trophy.

It was fitting that one of those young studs, that grew up through the ranks of Arsenal and provided years of faithful service to the Gunners dealt out two assists against his former club (Ashley Cole). It is also fitting that another such player, Anelka, has blossomed into a phenomenal strike partner to arguably the best forward in football, Didier Drogba.

It is time for Arsene to either change philosophy or step down. Eduardo? Should be playing for Derby or Hull City. He has no right to step on the field with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Arshavin and William Gallas. Carlos Vela? Denilson? Abou Diaby? Really? Thank god Ebou didn’t get on the field. Here’s some advice: if a player does not get recognized to play for his national team, why play him? Also, why have more than ten of those players on your team?

Arsene, your philosophy worked. It worked when you had the fiery Patrick Viera, the once solid Sol Campbell, the phenomenal Thierry Henry. It worked when you had the genius Bergkemp, the beloved Tony Adams and the tricky Pires and Ljungberg. Why? Because they had experience, because they had the will and ‘power’ to win. That is why Ashley Cole flourished, that is why Flamini, Hleb and other young Gunners looked good, because they had the right influential players to help guide them. The right mix of young raw talent and experienced, finesse-type players with the will to win, helps win trophies.

There is no one on the current Arsenal roster that can step up and be that dominant leader. Fabregas is great, but he needs to be nurtured, he needs the right team mates to help him reach his potential, the potential that will one day mesmerize the footballing world.

Today, Drogba was seen getting in the face of his team mates, Cech was yelling at his defense, Terry was face to face with the referee demanding better calls. They have the determination, they have that extra push to seek a victory. Arsenal? Too young, too inexperienced. When Eduardo turned the ball over practically every time he touched it, no one demanded more out of him. When Arshavin stood around and watched the ball drift two feet away from him, no one demanded more. When the youthful Walcott made ill-advised passes, no one put his arm around him and said “hey, why not try this?”

You know what will happen next? I do.. Fabregas will leave, Vermalean will leave, Arshavin will leave, Walcott and Persie will probably struggle a little more and then eventually leave too. This is what has happened the past few years, the players that have the class and potential realize that their careers will suffer at the Emirates and will leave. And do I blame Hleb, Cole, Flamini, Adebayor, Toure? Do I point figures at Viera, Henry and Pires for leaving? Most certainly not! Hey – want more money and a better chance of winning? Yepp, makes sense to me.

The premiership is a battlefield. The likes of Eduardo, Nasri, Rosicky, Vela, and Traore do not belong in the physical Barclays. Eboue, Bendtner, Diaby deserve a few minutes. But just a few. It is sad that Fabregas, Persie, Arshavin, Clichy, Sagna, Song and Gallas have to play with these chumps.

I admire Arsene Wenger, but I am an Arsenal fan. The time has come to change. Part ways, move on. Arsene is a great coach, but this whole “hey let me find a young stud and nurture him” belongs at the Neverland ranch with the late Michael Jackson or at the Vatican with those sketchy Roman Catholic priests. Get a clue, we look like little boys against the Red Devils and the Chelsea Blues. If you don’t see it yet, let a devout Arsenal fan help you. It is time. Spend some money or leave.

And once again… we have nothing good to say about the French.

Romance, Architecture, Liberty, The French kiss, Good wine, the Tour De France, a disgustingly ugly accent and the menage a trois are all glorious hallmarks by which every Frenchman can hang their chapeau. Well, minus the accent. But for all you bluecoats, here’s another famous trait for ya: your ability to piss the world off.

The Stade De France, or ‘Stade De Fraud,’ as it should be referred to, was the site of an extremely controversial goal that has now generated a whirl wind of speculation for the FIFA governing body. Anyone who saw the game has to be infuriated with the cheek of Thierry Henry in handling the ball not once, but twice, in setting up William Gallas’ winning goal.

The Irish were dismayed, and Robbie Keane’s outburst, shredding FIFA’s authority was well justified. Ireland did file an appeal to replay the game, which, Thierry Henry admitted, was the “fairest solution” to the controversy. But as expected, FIFA denied Ireland of a chance at justice. The final score is simple: Ireland were cheated out of a trip to South Africa.


Not just the Irish mob, but all football fans should be furious.

What makes football such a pure sport is the fact that it is the most democratic sport on the planet. You don’t have to be six-foot-tall, you don’t have to run the 100 meters in less than 12 seconds, you don’t have to be able to bench press 250 pounds and no, you don’t have to be able to bend it like Beckham. There is no other sport where six year old boys, female college students and black-lunged grandpas can all play against each other in a competitive manner. Football, like love, is a universal language. The equality of the game is magnificent in that every nation grows up playing the sport. It’s a purely democratic game where common sense and unselfishness thrive.

The world cup is the quintessence of the sport and a great example of why football is just remarkably beautiful. Every nation has a shot to make the tournament and to win it. Every culture, every country and every race find common ground and turn their attention to this tournament, making it the most widely-viewed event in the world.

But, FIFA’s refusal to use replays and the decision to deny Ireland’s humble appeal is threatening the foundations of the integrity of the sport. It’s shameful and embarrassing to say the least.

I am a huge Thierry Henry fan. As an Arsenal faithful, he has been an icon and arguably one of the best footballers of all time. He is an ambassador of the sport known not only for his stunning goals but for his fight against racism throughout Europe and for campaigning racial integrity for all leagues across the world.
But his handling of the ball is just unforgivable. At such a big stage, a world cup qualifier, what he did was nothing short of blatant cheating. In the post-game interview he said that the “ball hit my hand.” Sorry Ti Ti, but that is a lie. Henry down right handled the ball, caressing it gently down to his feet so he could cross it to Gallas. It was no accident, and it did not hit his hand, he consciously handled it.

Yes, it is Martin Hansson’s (the referee) fault for not noticing the handball, but that’s only part of the issue. The fact is that Henry, being a house-hold name, and role model was just un-classy. Sadly, he has completely tarnished his once formidable reputation by this unforgivable act.
After the ball hit the back of the net, Henry celebrated the goal while the Irish hung their heads in dismay as the incompetent Swedish referee let the goal stand. French media and former French greats blame the referee. Fair enough, but Les Bleus, I hope there are a lot of boo’s ringing your ears when you get to Johannesberg.

But there is a larger picture. It is the same argument that football associations of smaller European and South American countries as well as Asian and African countries have been making for years, much before any one who reads this post was born. Football, meant to be a democratic sport, is held in the hands of the powerful European based FIFA. Keane was right when he said “of course Platini is happy, France are in the World Cup.”

Once again, the European elite get all the luck that they need and this is something that needs to be looked at. It’s not just about who wins the pick to host the next World Cup nor is it about the unfair seeding system per continent. It’s about the sport, and how every country deserves a fair chance. Sorry Ireland, but FIFA has ruined the dream to play in the World Cup, not just for many of the Irishmen that took the pitch that day, but for the nation as well. Every footballer dreams of playing in the World Cup, and because of the decision of a few corrupt leaders, it will be another four years before this opportunity comes back around. Now how fair is that?

Celtics Clinch East, Knock off Lakers in NBA championships

Yes, I said it.


Confident? Yes. Cocky?


Yes I am. But so are they, and so they should be.


So much so that they even have an empty banner hanging in their practice facility in preparation for their 2010 championship banner. During NBA TV's study of the Celtics pre-season, Doc Rivers claimed that "there is a real passion and excitement at camp. The championship is all that we're working for."

Can they do it? Well, let's see...

Critics didn't think the big three would gel with each other in their first season. But they cruised through the regular season, winning the east by a large margin, and then embarassed the Lakers in the finals.

Last season, with an injured Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe as well as the loss of arguably the best provider off the bench (James Posey), the Celtics made it all the way through to the Eastern Conference Finals. It took a resurgent Orlando Magic seven games to beat them. Seven games!

If we were healthy, I'm pretty sure we would have just added another chapter to the already storied Boston-Los Angeles rivalry.

But with the start of a new campaign, we have new fuel to add to our hopes of championship glory don't we?



Well, what are we up against?




The Lakers have definitely gotten better with the addition of the notorious Ron Artest. But, they will probably have a harder time in the West with the key addition of Richard Jefferson and a healthy Manu Ginobli in San Antonio. The Mavericks look better and the Nuggets will probably show a lot of potential. But let's be honest, it's STILL Kobe's playground.

Cleveland and Orlando have also added fortified reinforcements to help booster their chances of a championship. Bron has Shaq, but will they help each other out? Can King James take it to the next level? Orlando added Vince who will bring some more razzle-dazzle to Orlando. But will Dwight start dominating the paint night in and night out? This whole 'dominate once every three games' is getting old. (Yes that's for you too Mr. Stoudamire).

But it seems like Boston has made all the right moves. Adding a defensive big man, Rasheed Wallce, who can shoot the ball will trouble the Shaquille O'Neals, the Dwight Howards and the Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynums.

Marquis Daniels is the perfect answer for the void created by the loss of utility man James Posey. Daniels can shoot, dribble and defend. He can play the 1 or 2, giving valuable minutes on the bench to Rondo, Allen and Pierce.

Also. Let's remember that Rondo and "Big Baby" Glen Davis are only getting better and better. They both displayed superior performences in the play offs. Their numbers and efficiency have improved since they got in the league. This pre-season, Ray Allen said that "Rondo is taking over."


And, most importantly.... We have a healthy Kevin Garnett.

The only detremental factor that will cause some hindrances to our championship run is for the roster to stay healthy. An article in yesterday's USA Today stated that this will be the last shot the Celtics have at a championship due to this very reason.

Yes the Celtics are old. Yes, injuries will keep the Big three out for a few games here and there. But they are deeper than they were last season. They are hungrier than they were last season. They will win this year.

All in all, it's a recipe for a championship. Expectation is high and confidence is at it's peak.

So go ahead Celtic nation, swagger on.

I will sport my celtic pride at Conseco, the day after my 25th birthday. I will also join your fan nation in Boston at the Garden this spring. I will drink my Sam Adams and reflect the intensity that KG and Rasheed bring every night. And I will cherish a cigar in memory of the great Red, and light it when we bring home that 2010 banner.