There's nothing sadder than over-the-hill celebrities, politicos, sports stars and other once-famous people who still try to hog the spotlights.
They just don't know when enough is enough.
They can't give it up.
Many of them have serious problems and troubling ancillary issues.
Here are our ten top has-beens of 2013:
1) Dennis Rodman. This washed-up hoops-player and trashy celebrity tried to get back into the picture by befriending the sick thugs who run North Korea. The whole scene was bizarre.
2) Katie Couric. Turns out this former Today show host and former news anchor discovered the third time wasn't the charm as her daily talk show went up in flames amidst renewed charges that she's an out-of-touch prima donna.
3) Paris Hilton. She used to be famous just for being FAMOUS! But now that she can't sustain even an iota of fame, what's left?
4) Lindsay Lohan. It's sad to be all washed up at such a young age. But how much addiction, recovery and strange (if not downright criminal) behavior can the public take?
5) Madonna. Not only is she not well preserved but age has certainly taken more than its toll. We can't understand why she's still touring. What's the point?
6) Alec Baldwin. Forget anger management. We may be well beyond that. We're talking the arrival of the tottering and doddering faze.
7) Charlie Sheen. Remember "winnnning?" Seems that was a long, long time ago.
8) Barbara Walters. Like an I Love Lucy rerun, she looked so much better in the original black and white version.
9) Adam Sandler. We hear he's just made a new movie. Yawn . . . . . . .
10) Carrot Top. Did you know he's now a permanent attraction in Vegas? Next stop: Branson.
11) And just for good measure, we'll add one more: Rachel Ray. Two words: "Shut up!"
Friday, December 27, 2013
How Accurate Were Our Predictions For 2013?
Following are our predictions for 2013 that we posted last year at this time.
Let's see how accurate we were:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will easily be re-elected to a second term in a Garden State romp. This will well position Christie for a 2016 presidential run and slowly, many conservatives will forgive him what they perceive as transgressions and he will emerge as a formidable presidential contender. CORRECT!
Many will try to position Christie and Florida Senator Marco Rubio as the left and right of the party, respectively but both men will deny that, aim more for the middle and say they actually like each other. MOSTLY CORRECT.
The movie Silver Linings Playbook will emerge as the big sleeper in the Oscar race and will at the least garner a statuette for Jennifer Lawrence. CORRECT!
Look for Anne Hathaway to lead the pack for the Best Actress Oscar in Les Miserables with top Oscar categories running neck and neck between Les Miz and Lincoln. Look for Daniel Day Lewis to prevail for Lincoln. CORRECT!
Tommy Lee Jones is likely to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Lincoln. WRONG.
Oil prices will drop for awhile in 2013 and this will help stimulate the economy. CORRECT!
Unemployment for the year 2013 will still remain above 7%. CORRECT!
The Philadelphia Phillies will have a somewhat better year than last year but things will still be difficult. They will not make it to the World Series. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
The Eagles will dump Andy Reid and Michael Vick. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
Jimmy Fallon's star will continue to rise and he may prove (one way of another) to be a formidable threat to Jay Leno. CORRECT!
CNN will continue to struggle in the ratings category as it tries to find a niche for itself. Piers Morgan will stir up more controversy and his tenure with the network may become precarious. CORRECT!
Much speculation will revolve around Hillary Clinton and her future plans but Hillary will hold back, refusing to show her hand. This will create a leadership vacuum in the Democrat Party going forward as Obama will be a lame duck, concerns will arise over the well-being of Joe Biden and others will be reluctant to step up until Hillary makes up her mind about 2016. CORRECT!
The GOP leaders in the House and Senate (Boehner and McConnell) will face serious challenges from within their own party and many will call on them to step down as they increasingly appear to be out-of-touch spokespersons who are not reflective of the future of the party and the country. CORRECT!
The NHL will cancel the 2012-2013 hockey season. WRONG.
Major TV network news programs and traditional print news sources will continue to lose followers, ads and revenue. More newspapers will bite the dust. The Philadelphia Daily News may not survive. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
Speculation will continue to swirl around Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter especially as potential successors begin to strategize. The mayor will once again be tempted to take a post with the Obama administration or some other high-profile job. He may consider serving as president of an academic powerhouse or think tank. SOMEWHAT CORRECT.
Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels will have another great season. WRONG.
By the end of 2013 Newark mayor Cory Booker will make it clear that he will go for the Senate seat held by Democrat Frank Lautenberg but (despite pressure from party leaders) Lautenberg will seem to ignore pleas that he step aside. CORRECT! -- Though we did not predict Lautenberg's death.
California and/or Illinois will go bankrupt. WRONG.
The NRA, Michelle Bachmann and Tea Party activists will not disappear. This will delight the Democrats and present somewhat of a quandry for the GOP and its increasingly strong bench including budding presidential contenders. CORRECT!
Republicans will signal that they are willing to accept some additional gun control provisions but Democrats will overplay their hand by demanding all-out banning of certain types of guns and arms. This will muddy the waters and may create a stalemate. CORRECT!
Americans will begin to feel the effects of Obamacare and they won't appreciate the growing ramifications. CORRECT!
The United States Supreme Court will say that gay "marriage" can stand in the states where it has been legalized, suggesting that the matter be left to the states. This will prove to be a partial victory (if that) and will satisfy no one. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
Hugo Chavez and/or Fidel Castro will expire. CORRECT!
Compassionate conservative will re-emerge in the GOP but with a new name as new faces step forward. CORRECT!
If you actually work for a living, taxes will take more of your money in 2013 than in 2012. CORRECT!
Facial hair will continue to be "in" for men, furthering a trend. CORRECT!
Indigo will be one of the big colors of the year, setting a rich new fashion trend. CORRECT!
Contrary to popular belief (or what Big Media would have you believe) the Republican Party will not fade away in 2013 but rather will re-emerge with many new faces and a younger, fresher, multi-cultural hue. CORRECT!
The Jersey shore will have one of its biggest summers ever on the strength of a huge post-Sandy "comeback" campaign that plays on nostalgia, empathy and surprising new attractions. WRONG.
New York Mayor Bloomberg (aka Nanny Bloomers) will threaten to form a third party. WRONG.
Musical versions of well-known movie hits will continue to dominate on Broadway. In fact, look for the musical Rocky to head to the Great White Way. CORRECT!
The underrated "sexiest man alive" Channing Tatum will finally begin to be taken seriously as the fine actor that he really is. CORRECT!
A scandal involving another woman will jolt a major Philadelphia politician. WRONG.
The retro-sixties trend in fashion and decor will begin to fade. CORRECT!
Developers will be forced to continue to build apartment projects as the condo market will not yet fully rebound. If an when a real turnaround occurs in the housing market these apartment can still be converted to ownership units. CORRECT!
Cable TV will face new threats as cheaper access to the internet pushes more and more viewers into on-demand and pay-per-view viewing through alternate services. You'll watch what you want when you want to watch it and pay as you go. CORRECT!
Libraries will cut hours and buy fewer printed books as e-books take over and more people borrow or buy books electronically. This will trigger a demand by Democrats to make e-readers available to everyone below a certain income level with accompanying free access to such books. WRONG.
Reality TV shows will falter as the trend finally starts to lose steam. People will tire of the strained drama and lingering monotony of these cheap, phony excuses for entertainment. WRONG.
And one, fun bonus prediction: Liberals will continue to call themselves "progressive" but discriminating citizens will not be fooled. CORRECT!
So, if we eliminate the "mostly" and "somewhat" ratings and focus simply on the "correct" and "wrong" numbers, that gives us 28 correct and 12 wrong -- or 28 out of 40 correct predictions. That's a solid 70% accuracy rate, folks. We'll take it!
Let's see how accurate we were:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will easily be re-elected to a second term in a Garden State romp. This will well position Christie for a 2016 presidential run and slowly, many conservatives will forgive him what they perceive as transgressions and he will emerge as a formidable presidential contender. CORRECT!
Many will try to position Christie and Florida Senator Marco Rubio as the left and right of the party, respectively but both men will deny that, aim more for the middle and say they actually like each other. MOSTLY CORRECT.
The movie Silver Linings Playbook will emerge as the big sleeper in the Oscar race and will at the least garner a statuette for Jennifer Lawrence. CORRECT!
Look for Anne Hathaway to lead the pack for the Best Actress Oscar in Les Miserables with top Oscar categories running neck and neck between Les Miz and Lincoln. Look for Daniel Day Lewis to prevail for Lincoln. CORRECT!
Tommy Lee Jones is likely to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Lincoln. WRONG.
Oil prices will drop for awhile in 2013 and this will help stimulate the economy. CORRECT!
Unemployment for the year 2013 will still remain above 7%. CORRECT!
The Philadelphia Phillies will have a somewhat better year than last year but things will still be difficult. They will not make it to the World Series. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
The Eagles will dump Andy Reid and Michael Vick. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
Jimmy Fallon's star will continue to rise and he may prove (one way of another) to be a formidable threat to Jay Leno. CORRECT!
CNN will continue to struggle in the ratings category as it tries to find a niche for itself. Piers Morgan will stir up more controversy and his tenure with the network may become precarious. CORRECT!
Much speculation will revolve around Hillary Clinton and her future plans but Hillary will hold back, refusing to show her hand. This will create a leadership vacuum in the Democrat Party going forward as Obama will be a lame duck, concerns will arise over the well-being of Joe Biden and others will be reluctant to step up until Hillary makes up her mind about 2016. CORRECT!
The GOP leaders in the House and Senate (Boehner and McConnell) will face serious challenges from within their own party and many will call on them to step down as they increasingly appear to be out-of-touch spokespersons who are not reflective of the future of the party and the country. CORRECT!
The NHL will cancel the 2012-2013 hockey season. WRONG.
Major TV network news programs and traditional print news sources will continue to lose followers, ads and revenue. More newspapers will bite the dust. The Philadelphia Daily News may not survive. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
Speculation will continue to swirl around Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter especially as potential successors begin to strategize. The mayor will once again be tempted to take a post with the Obama administration or some other high-profile job. He may consider serving as president of an academic powerhouse or think tank. SOMEWHAT CORRECT.
Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels will have another great season. WRONG.
By the end of 2013 Newark mayor Cory Booker will make it clear that he will go for the Senate seat held by Democrat Frank Lautenberg but (despite pressure from party leaders) Lautenberg will seem to ignore pleas that he step aside. CORRECT! -- Though we did not predict Lautenberg's death.
California and/or Illinois will go bankrupt. WRONG.
The NRA, Michelle Bachmann and Tea Party activists will not disappear. This will delight the Democrats and present somewhat of a quandry for the GOP and its increasingly strong bench including budding presidential contenders. CORRECT!
Republicans will signal that they are willing to accept some additional gun control provisions but Democrats will overplay their hand by demanding all-out banning of certain types of guns and arms. This will muddy the waters and may create a stalemate. CORRECT!
Americans will begin to feel the effects of Obamacare and they won't appreciate the growing ramifications. CORRECT!
The United States Supreme Court will say that gay "marriage" can stand in the states where it has been legalized, suggesting that the matter be left to the states. This will prove to be a partial victory (if that) and will satisfy no one. ONE CORRECT! ONE WRONG.
Hugo Chavez and/or Fidel Castro will expire. CORRECT!
Compassionate conservative will re-emerge in the GOP but with a new name as new faces step forward. CORRECT!
If you actually work for a living, taxes will take more of your money in 2013 than in 2012. CORRECT!
Facial hair will continue to be "in" for men, furthering a trend. CORRECT!
Indigo will be one of the big colors of the year, setting a rich new fashion trend. CORRECT!
Contrary to popular belief (or what Big Media would have you believe) the Republican Party will not fade away in 2013 but rather will re-emerge with many new faces and a younger, fresher, multi-cultural hue. CORRECT!
The Jersey shore will have one of its biggest summers ever on the strength of a huge post-Sandy "comeback" campaign that plays on nostalgia, empathy and surprising new attractions. WRONG.
New York Mayor Bloomberg (aka Nanny Bloomers) will threaten to form a third party. WRONG.
Musical versions of well-known movie hits will continue to dominate on Broadway. In fact, look for the musical Rocky to head to the Great White Way. CORRECT!
The underrated "sexiest man alive" Channing Tatum will finally begin to be taken seriously as the fine actor that he really is. CORRECT!
A scandal involving another woman will jolt a major Philadelphia politician. WRONG.
The retro-sixties trend in fashion and decor will begin to fade. CORRECT!
Developers will be forced to continue to build apartment projects as the condo market will not yet fully rebound. If an when a real turnaround occurs in the housing market these apartment can still be converted to ownership units. CORRECT!
Cable TV will face new threats as cheaper access to the internet pushes more and more viewers into on-demand and pay-per-view viewing through alternate services. You'll watch what you want when you want to watch it and pay as you go. CORRECT!
Libraries will cut hours and buy fewer printed books as e-books take over and more people borrow or buy books electronically. This will trigger a demand by Democrats to make e-readers available to everyone below a certain income level with accompanying free access to such books. WRONG.
Reality TV shows will falter as the trend finally starts to lose steam. People will tire of the strained drama and lingering monotony of these cheap, phony excuses for entertainment. WRONG.
And one, fun bonus prediction: Liberals will continue to call themselves "progressive" but discriminating citizens will not be fooled. CORRECT!
So, if we eliminate the "mostly" and "somewhat" ratings and focus simply on the "correct" and "wrong" numbers, that gives us 28 correct and 12 wrong -- or 28 out of 40 correct predictions. That's a solid 70% accuracy rate, folks. We'll take it!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Ten People Who Should Disappear In 2014
Out with the old.
In with the new.
So, let's clean house and brush aside some of 2013's least favorite personages.
Here are ten people who should simply go away in the new year. Get outta our sight!
The Kardashians, all of them- Whether you view them as sultans of swag or simple minded sluts you have to admit that pop culture would be a far, far better place without this gang of money-grubbing self promoters.
Kanye West. See the Kardashians.
Alex Rodriguez. The ego that ate New York. This act has grown tiresome.
Harry Reid. You’re old. You’re ugly. You’re a liar. Go away!
Piers Morgan. This effete limousine liberal epitomizes the decline and fall of the British empire.
Sarah Palin. You ran. You lost. Shut up. You’re embarrassing yourself.
Miley Cyrus. Guess what? We don’t wanna see you naked. You’re a loser.
John McCain. There’s nothing sadder than a true American hero who seems to have gone wobbly.
The Elf On A Shelf. Disappear (and not just for another year), you stupid imp.
George “Looney” Clooney. Unless you’re planning on running for office yourself, shut up.
In with the new.
So, let's clean house and brush aside some of 2013's least favorite personages.
Here are ten people who should simply go away in the new year. Get outta our sight!
The Kardashians, all of them- Whether you view them as sultans of swag or simple minded sluts you have to admit that pop culture would be a far, far better place without this gang of money-grubbing self promoters.
Kanye West. See the Kardashians.
Alex Rodriguez. The ego that ate New York. This act has grown tiresome.
Harry Reid. You’re old. You’re ugly. You’re a liar. Go away!
Piers Morgan. This effete limousine liberal epitomizes the decline and fall of the British empire.
Sarah Palin. You ran. You lost. Shut up. You’re embarrassing yourself.
Miley Cyrus. Guess what? We don’t wanna see you naked. You’re a loser.
John McCain. There’s nothing sadder than a true American hero who seems to have gone wobbly.
The Elf On A Shelf. Disappear (and not just for another year), you stupid imp.
George “Looney” Clooney. Unless you’re planning on running for office yourself, shut up.
Unusual New Year's Eve Midnight Customs
The Times Square Ball Drop is a New Year's Eve tradition -- a dumb tradition, but still a tradition. And you've got to admit it's a glittering event.
But did you know that many other cities have their own midnight "drops" on New Year's Eve? No joke.
Here is a list of some of the other drops:
Raleigh, N. C. - Acorn drop
Carlisle, Pa. - Car
Miami - Orange
Atlanta - Peach
Marion, Ohio - Popcorn
Harrisburg, Pa. - Strawberry
And my two personal favorites:
Mechanicsburg, Pa. - Wrench (Whoa - Watch out when that wrench drops!)
Dillsburg, Pa. - Pickle (Beats me why anyone would celebrate a "pickle drop" -- or droop.)
Groundhog Day. And strawberry, car, wrench and pickle drops. The Mummers. Something about Pennsylvania seems to attract sometimes silly faux-folk customs.
But did you know that many other cities have their own midnight "drops" on New Year's Eve? No joke.
Here is a list of some of the other drops:
Raleigh, N. C. - Acorn drop
Carlisle, Pa. - Car
Miami - Orange
Atlanta - Peach
Marion, Ohio - Popcorn
Harrisburg, Pa. - Strawberry
And my two personal favorites:
Mechanicsburg, Pa. - Wrench (Whoa - Watch out when that wrench drops!)
Dillsburg, Pa. - Pickle (Beats me why anyone would celebrate a "pickle drop" -- or droop.)
Groundhog Day. And strawberry, car, wrench and pickle drops. The Mummers. Something about Pennsylvania seems to attract sometimes silly faux-folk customs.
Why We've NEVER Missed A Day . . .
It's occurred to us that we've never missed a day.
That's right!
After nearly six years, we're still producing new material for the Dan Cirucci Blog all day, every day.
That includes Saturday and Sunday and Christmas and Easter and New Year's Day and the Fourth of July and all those other days --every one of them.
More than 10,000 posts have appeared here. And we've attracted nearly a million page views from every corner of the world. Still, one of our first readers was a guy born and bred in New Jersey -- a guy who become Governor of his home state and a national sensation. And we're proud to say that Governor Chris Christie is still in our corner, as we are in his.
No matter what you're interested in, there's a place for you here.
So remember: We're here EVERY day.
And, God willing, we'll continue to be here day after day for you.
Isn't that a good reason to keep coming back?
That's right!
After nearly six years, we're still producing new material for the Dan Cirucci Blog all day, every day.
That includes Saturday and Sunday and Christmas and Easter and New Year's Day and the Fourth of July and all those other days --every one of them.
More than 10,000 posts have appeared here. And we've attracted nearly a million page views from every corner of the world. Still, one of our first readers was a guy born and bred in New Jersey -- a guy who become Governor of his home state and a national sensation. And we're proud to say that Governor Chris Christie is still in our corner, as we are in his.
No matter what you're interested in, there's a place for you here.
So remember: We're here EVERY day.
And, God willing, we'll continue to be here day after day for you.
Isn't that a good reason to keep coming back?
Boxing Day - What's It Really All About?
Today is Boxing Day in Great Britain and most of the Commonwealth nations.
The day after Christmas is customarily observed as a legal holiday.
No, the Brits do not all run out to boxing matches.
But they do enjoy soccer games today and they do lots of shopping today as well. The Queen and her entourage (such as they are) engage in fox hunting.
Where did the day get its name?
No one quite knows.
Many think it comes from the idea of boxing up Christmas stuff and/or sorting through your Christmas boxes (your gifts). But history says this is also the day when servants would get their Christmas gifts (cash and/or boxed treats) from their masters -- a sort of littler, humbler Christmas. Here's how it worked: Since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.
It was also a custom for tradesmen to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. In England Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday, much like the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. It is a time where shops have sales, often with dramatic price reductions. For many merchants, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest amount of returns. In the UK in 2009 it was estimated that up to 12 million shoppers appeared at the sales, a rise of almost 20% compared to 2008.
So, in the spirit of the day -- box, shop, spend, eat, dink and enjoy!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
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