Contentious C

I thought this was pretty weak. The plot is all over the map, I didn't like Dominique Thorne in BPWF and still don't, and for all the potentially interesting digging into the idea of, "What are non-billionaires supposed to do to realize their dreams", it shoots itself in the foot just as often, if not more. I briefly expected the ending to be smarter - that she has the sense to realize the "AI" mapping only worked the one time because he allowed it to, and for her to say no once she catches that she's being played - but I guess you could also make the case that teenaged manipulators don't always catch when it happens to them.

I can't believe I just saw: - A FRUITY PEBBLES commercial in 2025 - Featuring grown-ass adults eating it - Who are somehow inspired by the colors to Jackson Pollock their living room All this for arguably one of the worst cereals ever made. We are UNDENIABLY living in the fucking stupidest timeline.

Probably picked a good time to check out.

I'm less than halfway into the pilot and it isn't grabbing me, but after that walk through the pizza kitchen, I did think, "Would this be better with Jeremy Allen White as Hood and Ayo Edebiri as Riri?" and figured, "Yeah, probably."

And then KEITH is barely in the movie, because Todd and Frank drive all the action.

Deandre Ayton is getting bought out by Portland, and evidently his buyout means that he can sign with anyone, including 2nd-apron teams. He's soft as fuck, but it could matter a lot for next year's playoffs. Please don't go to the fucking Lakers.

Not sure which is more disturbing: the Doritos commercial where the teenager sucks the random guy's finger, or the Jeffrey Dahmeresque Cinnamon Toast Crunch one. But Disney WILL NOT QUIT playing both.

First reach of the draft is Kon Knueppel, of course Charlotte keeps finding ways to fuck up.

Michelle Williams' character pretty thoroughly impugns the moral fiber of Jake to Heath in one scene. Also, Kim Basinger won Best Supporting Actress for L.A. Confidential, so...someone won something. Just not Guy or Russell.

Yep, it's like Brad Stevens read my mind.

Wow, way to ensure both teams keep stinking.

Jrue Holiday headed back to Portland, this time for Anfernee Simons and two seconds. The good thing about the deal is Simons' money comes off the books after next year. Guess we'll find out if he's coachable on the defensive end.

Yeah, if they expand in a few years, I hope they spin off the Seattle history and banner to the new team, like the NFL did with Cleveland. Then again, seeing how that's gone for them, maybe it's a terrible idea.

The 13-5 turnover difference might finally be catching up. Damnit.

The way he responded sure doesn't seem like the 'good' side of the outcome chart. This is going to be one of the ultimate "what if" games if Indy keeps it this close but doesn't quite get there.

Just got a pretty interesting email earlier mentioning that Criterion sold my personal info to Meta because of course they did. This is why we can't have nice things.

The protagonist of Great Expectations!

It's the spot on a domino.

With the way games are going these days, buying the M.2 expansions for both my PC and PS5 were very much worth it. Granted, I couldn't have played BG3 at all without one of them, and the load times are a dream.

With the way they're playing in this first half, the Pacers have to be kicking themselves that they gave up that G4 lead. This has been the most fun series I can remember between two teams where I have no skin in the outcome (i.e. supporting Boston and booing the Lakers and/or LeBron). And as I typed this, they pushed it to 20.

Especially with the shape Dunkin is in these days since private equity took it over.

At this rate, you almost wonder if McDavid is going to hoist the Cup at all. I think he pretty easily takes the cake (among modern players, it's not like I saw Marcel Dionne play) as Best Player to Never Win the Cup if he retires without getting it. Although this series was not a good example of that. Hope he does, though (I haven't followed hockey finances in forever to know if teams get split up much).

I've been playing far too much Elden Ring lately, by a company famous for its "do big falls, take damage" mechanic, and I just finished watching the Alicia Vikander Tomb Raider, which has as much ridiculousness as the games. I say this because I passed out a couple of times and fell last night from some kind of weird dizzy spell, and I dinged up my face pretty good in the process. And this was (probably) just the equivalent of a prat fall. And all I can think about video game jumps now is, "Motherfucker, do you realize how much you bust your ass falling 6 feet?!?!?"

"Touched by an Uncle" seems like a missed Infinite TV opportunity on Rick and Morty.

That's a lot to give up for Desmond Bane. But, Mikal Bridges' 3rd/4th-best-option-ass reset that market.