6 tips for Black Friday success

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On Thanksgiving evening you pass out early due to exhaustion from a game of family football and high levels of tryptophan coursing through your veins. Your head hits the pillow and there is a big smile across your face as you anticipate the next morning.

Your alarm goes off at 4:15 a.m., but in a totally out of character maneuver you pop right out of bed. You skip and whistle around the house, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, and grabbing a powerbar and your keys on the way out.

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Interview With a Comedian: Pat Barker

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In the first in what is (hopefully) a series of interviews with local comedians, I had a chat with Pat Barker, a 24-year-old comic from New Jersey currently making a name for himself in the business of making people laugh. Barker was a finalist in Helium Comedy Club’s 2007 “Philly’s Phunniest” Competition, and you can also find him there this weekend opening for Eddie Gossling. You can check out some clips of Pat in action, and also ask him for his hand in friendship on his myspace.

Aaron Hertzog: Pat Barker, how would you describe your style of
comedy, in terms of comparing it to a member of the animal kingdom?

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Temple professor: Obama fans are better poets

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Among the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the DNC debate at Drexel was Temple English Professor Sue Wells.

Her task? Figure out the rhythm of the chants used by each candidate’s supporters.

“They’re usually couplets, the kinds of meters that structure nursery rhymes,” said Wells. “If people are moving you need chants that can keep time.” On the flip side if people are standing still, a good chant should be complex enough to keep the supporters occupied.

According to Wells, the most creative chants came out of the Obama camp. Such gems as “1,2,3,4, let Obama end the war, 5,6,7,8, Obama is our candidate.”

When compared to Biden’s fans: “Let’s go Joe!” or Ron Paul’s: “Roooon Paaauuuulll” Obama’s supporters looked like geniuses.

Wells also noted that Hillary supporters are limited because “she doesn’t have a last name anymore” and fans of John Edwards earned high marks as well.

Doin’ It with Kirk, Holly & Dr. Ruth

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We co-hosted mtvU’s Sex Cred with Dr. Ruth, and it aired tonight at 6 p.m. Unfortunately, we did not actually do it with her. If you don’t want to waste four minutes of your life, at least enjoy dancing to the weird German-techno theme song. I can’t believe I got Dr. Ruth to say my name – even if she pronounced it “Holy.”

Video after the jump.
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Cut to the Chase: Picketing on Wisteria Lane and Beyond…

More than 12,000 writers are striking right now.

This means your favorite scripted shows are beginning to end production because they have no content. Which means come December, the major networks will be airing reruns and – prepare yourself – quickly crafted, crappy reality shows.

The Writers Guild of America went on strike earlier this week. Immediately, the late-night talk shows went to reruns. Many sitcoms – my fave Back to You, Old Christine, The Office – have already stopped production.

The television world may change for a little bit until this strike is resolved. Sitcom scripts are usually written about a week before it’s taped, so they ran out quickly. Hour-long shows like Desperate Housewives are beginning to feel the strike, too, as production is quickly coming to an end.

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This Week’s Missed Connections

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So, last week I said you guys weren’t posting enough, but uhm, I forget to mention that this week has been absolutely nuts for me. It’s cool, it’s cool, I still wanna share the love. But I’ll let the posts speak for themselves:

Tuesday blonde boy in blue jacket with rainbow color stripes – w4m – 21

you were walking into tuttleman while i was leaving. you are adorable.
You took off the technicolor and as I suspected, you were Jesus. Praise.

really handsome metal guy on R5 from Temple – w4m – 22

I noticed you on the train last Thursday. You got on the 4:33 express to Thorndale at Temple. You have a black messenger bag with band names all over it like Slayer and Amon Amarth. \m/ And I have to admit it, I skipped my Tuesday class this week just so I could see you again but I didn’t have the balls to say hi.
\m/’s are for love, my friend. \m/’s are for love.

Heyy hottiieee – w4m – 19

you’re sitting next to me at the tech center

i think you’re pretty cute

let’s get lunch

Recommendation from past experiences where I’ve sat next to extremely beautiful women in the Tech Center: Skip the lunch, go straight for the on-the-keyboard make-out.
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Today’s Alternative to Sweatpants

leggings.jpgColin brings up a good point: sweatpants are heinous.

I don’t even want to go into why. If you don’t know why, I can’t help you.

Today I was having one of those mornings; I had an 840 across campus and I wanted a coffee from Barnes and Noble more than I wanted to run a flat iron through my hair or look at my closet for more than 5 seconds. In about half a minute I threw on a oversized sweater over thick leggings and flats. It was super-casual, super-quick and super-comfy.

Here’s why this is a much better alternative to sweats: What do you wear when you wear sweatpants? A big hoodie or something similar, no doubt. You lose all your shape on both ends! And as the temperatures continue to drop and you have to layer more and more on top, it’s no good to look like a blob on bottom as well. Leggings do a really nice job of balancing out the heavy on top look when you don’t feel like wearing jeans or stylizing your outfit.

Not tights, not weird cheap spandex mind you, nice thick wintery leggings. I kid you not when I say they will keep you warmer than your sweatpants while looking 20 times better. (Having a few Eagle Scouts and camping enthusiasts in the family taught me a thing or two about the best ways to insulate your body.)

And if you’ve read me before you know I’m going to make a plug for modesty– because leggings can go so wrong. Even if you’re skinny as a beanpole, cover your behind. Your top must be long. A big sweatshirt, a long sweater or thermal… whatever makes you feel comfy and cozy and covers your rear.

Next time you are tempted to pull out any pants with a drawstring and you aren’t walking straight to the gym, consider the warmer, better-looking and just as easy alternative of thick leggings– just make sure you keep it classy!

Ron Paul vs. Mickey Mouse

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In the walkway between Anderson and Gladfelter a war is being waged by a Republican Presidential candidate and a cartoon character. Allow The Temple News to analyze the graffiti war taking place under our very noses when Ron Paul and Mickey Mouse go head to head.

Click on for the pictures…

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Oct. 29 – Nov. 2: Most Arousing Week Ever?

1797136014_8ecf96538b.jpgAm I in heat, or was this week as sexy as Darjeeling Limited’s closing train shot? First off, it was Slut-O-Ween, which means men can wear tights and girls can dress as trampy whatever-the-hell-they-wants (next year, I’m doing sexy Septa worker. Or maybe I’ll go for a challenge and do sexy Anne Coulter). Of course, Halloween can get confusing when your crush is dressed up as an animal or the opposite gender…and you’re still aroused. But whatever, I’m comfortable with my sexuality. This past week also gave us 50-degree weather, and with it came all the beautiful people sporting their hoodies, flushed cheeks and facial hair. Seriously, use this time of year to your advantage, people: sweatshirts hide Octoberfest beer guts and everyone looks cute in a fuzzy scarf. But nothing turned me on like the anti-choice demonstration and Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week. Before you flood my mailbox with hate mail, all I’m sayin’ is that the political tension got people hot and bothered (my Commie self included). And there’s nothing better than angry sex.