Red Ribbon Runway Auction

The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) and the dancing queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race will be auctioning off the red ribbon-inspired gowns they wore in a public service announcement back in July.  It started on December 1st, but Logo TV, along with eBay, will be auctioning off these dresses until December 11. 

The PSA featured Carmen Carerra, Alexis Mateo, Delta Work, Shangela Laquifa Wadley and Manila Luzon.  Unfortunately I couldn't find Delta's gown, but I'm sure it was just as fabulous!

You can catch the PSA after the jump.

Crimes of the Century - No. 2 - Stealing The Mona Lisa

STEALING THE MONA LISA, 1911

As I continue my series, "Crimes of the Century," it boggles my mind that people would go above and beyond to steal precious art.  But it happened to the Mona Lisa in 1911.

In the coming weeks, as you read through the 25 crimes Time Magazine has selected, you will wonder which of them will remain in the popular, perhaps even the artistic imagination in the years to come? How will they be retold and with what kinds of lessons and cautions in mind? Here's the second issue, the second crime on Time's infamous list.  How do you think they will fare?  Visit my blog every Saturday as a new crime will be posted each week.

 

She had been the chattel of French monarchs. Francois I bought her. Louis XIV set her up in Versailles. Napoleon moved her into his bedroom. She was Italian, created by Leonardo da Vinci over four years' labor in Florence, but France was her home and there she stayed for four centuries. Then on Aug. 20, 1911, the space she occupied on the walls of the Louvre was discovered bare. The theft shook France: the country's borders were closed, administrators at the museum were dismissed, enemies of traditional art were suspected of evil intentions. (The avant-garde poet Guillaume Apollinaire was arrested as a suspect; he implicated Pablo Picasso. Both were eventually dropped as possible culprits). As the months went by, the fears grew that the Mona Lisa had been destroyed. Then the Louvre received word from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The Italian officials said they had arrested a man named Vincenzo Perugia, who had brought the Mona Lisa to a local antiques dealer in order to sell it and restore it to Italy. (Perugia, who had single-handedly stolen the masterpiece, may or may not have been part of a plot to inflate the prices of forged Mona Lisas; he had lost contact with his co-conspirators and decided to sell the original wood panel painting himself.) On Jan. 4, 1914, the painting was returned to the Louvre. Hailed as a patriot in Italy, Perugia, while found guilty, served only a few months in jail. Patriotism is also a refuge for art thieves.

OMG Hilarious! - Blow-up

The Flowers of Evil [NSFW and not suitable for Children]

So how do you introduce your latest fashion designs?  Oh, I don't know, make a short film that will scare the crap out of you? LOL.  

Agent Provocateur, billed as the sexiest website in the world, released their latest luxury lingerie in early November and used director Justin Anderson to do it.  The short film titled, "Les Fleurs du Mal" was produced by Epoch Films, and I'd have to say its pretty darn creepy.

The short film is not safe for work and not appropriate for minors.

Isn't This The Truth? Drunk At Your Holiday Office Party

Yes, oh yes!  I guess it all depends if you're hanging around some cool people or not so cool people.  Oh, and for those who don't know what the slang "cog in the machine" stands for, it just means the unimportant people at your job.  You know, the majority of us.

Post Secret Fridays - Issue 084

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.

 

  See More Secrets. Follow PostSecret on Twitter.

 Want to see older Post Secret Friday issues? Go here.

 

An 8th Grader's Public Service Announcement

We have truly come a long way.  This would never have happened when I was in Junior High.  Are you kidding me?  My ass would have been beaten black and blue.

Eighth-grader Playahata646 and his little brother filmed this Public Service Announcement “Don’t Say Gay” for a school assignment.  This also would have been excellent post for my series, "The Joys of Being a Parent".  Kudos to you kid!

He says this on his YouTube page:

In 8th grade we had a PSA project. ( Public Service Announcement) Don't Say Gay. I chose a funny way to present it. Subscribe! And thanks to my little brother for being the star!

OMG Hilarious! - Family Problems

Death To Pennies

They cost more to make than they're worth, they waste people's time, they don't work as money, and because of inflation they're less valuable every year, making all the other problems worse.

U.S. Military bases around the world have already abolished the penny by rounding to the nearest dollar.  So why keep them?

From the same guy, CGPGrey who brought you Coffee: The Greatest Addiction Ever and Daylight Saving Time Explained, comes this great, informative video on why pennies should be abolished.  Check it out, it's pretty damn cool, and I agree with him.

Which Companies Are "For" and "Against" Merry Christmas?

Does it really matter?  I mean, are you going to stop shopping at Victoria's Secret, or any of the Gap stores, which are Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Office Depot, or Staples, just because they are against saying, "Merry Christmas"

So let's see... you have those who are for Merry Christmas, those who are marginal, and those who are against it.  Which companies will you be shopping at this year?

A Cyclist's Legs

Cyclists have gorgeous thighs, calves and great asses, because each of these muscles fire through the pedal stroke.

Is It Truly Over????

Kiss of the Week - Issue No. 002

When I started my "Kiss of the Week" series in 2007 on Peter's Daily Blog, I never thought I would get as far as I did with it.  At the beginning I was only posting photos of two hot guys kissing, but later incorporated a "Quote of the Day" with it - and the rest is history.

Over the next few months I will be posting my original posts and slowly introducing the series to my current blog BLADE 7184.  So without further adieu, here's the second issue, originally posted on June 30, 2007...

Blade's Box of Jams: Track #10 - You and I

Currently listening to...

Lady Gaga & Sugarland

If you missed the Grammy Nominations Ceremony on CBS, you missed the performance by Lady Gaga and Sugarland singing Gaga's hit track, "You and I," and I'd have to say it was damn good!  I have added it to my collection, Blade's Box of Jams.

For those who didn't watch the show, on February 12, 2012, Gaga will be up against Rihanna, Bruno Mars, The Foo Fighters, and Adele for Album of the Year.  As for my prediction, Adele will take them all home.  She is up for 6 Grammy nominations and it's expected she will win them all.  If there is anyone up against Gaga for the prestigious categories of record, album, and song of the year, it's Adele.  She's undeniably an amazing artist.

Now, let's listen to Blade's Box of Jams: Track #10 - You and I, featuring Lady Gaga and Sugarland!

Road Fatalities USA

It's not so cool that so many road fatalities happen every year.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 369,629 people have died on America's roads between 2001 and 2009. 

Mapping experts at ITO World have taken this information, and produced this powerful map using OpenStreetMap. You can zoom in to any particular part of the country or you can simply search for your town. Each dot represents a life. 

I used this interactive map earlier to see how many people died in proximity to where I lived, and it's mind-boggling to me how I didn't know these people died just feet from our home, or a nearby store. Click on the pic, to see how many people have lost their lives in your neighborhood, you'd be surprised.  Just looking at that huge mass of dots in Houston, Texas is crazy.

Laugh of the Day: Special Forces Rescue Mission

OMG! I'm sorry, but this was absolutely hilarious.  If you want to have a laugh today you need to watch this video.  I think I need to re-start my old series, "Laugh of the Day," because these videos I've been posting lately have been so damn funny!

If you're sent on a Special Forces rescue mission, please make sure you know how to read the hand signals your partner is sharing with you.  There could be serious consequences if  you don't. LMAO!

Time to Share: I Have The Most Wonderful News!!!!

I received some great news today and would absolutely love to share it with you.  I use my blog to record important events like this, because as I mentioned when I started this blog; We go about our daily lives "Facebooking," not realizing that our lives are being shared daily with our friends and family. There are times we wish to reflect on the past, especially the good times, and before you know it, it's gone. We share things with people we don't know in the physical sense, yet they are there to listen. We share things with the people we love, yet they seem to forget.

Countless times I have attempted to remember what I've posted on Facebook and what I've told the people I love or the great discussions we've had. And it's difficult to go back and reflect on all the good that's happened in our lives, or all the drama that's made us laugh. In order for me to go back I have to keep clicking that "older posts" link, without a date, without a tag, without no way of searching for that special moment I wanted to remember forever.

Well... the awesome news I want to share with you is....

I'm receiving a promotion, with a 15% increase in pay and I'm absolutely ecstatic about it.  This is such great news at a time when I was worrying about our staffing issues at work.  People seem to be dropping like flies around here.  Yes, some leave because they are over-worked, really stressed-out, asked to do jobs they were not hired to do, but others leave because they're able to find greater jobs here at MD Anderson, so they make lateral moves.  But being that I have worked in Breast Oncology for such a long time (9 years to be exact), I have stood my ground for the past four years, exceeded in areas I never thought I could achieve, and have proven to be a leader in our department.  This holiday season will be mine and Ryan's greatest holiday to date, and I am so grateful he has stood by my side for the past 6-1/2 years and will continue to enlighten me every moment of every day.  I couldn't have done this without him.  I couldn't.

I know I rant on my blog on a daily basis, but it's more than just ranting.  I like sharing.  I like sharing my opinions with happiness, my happiness with heart, but most importantly, my heart with all of you.

Thank you for reading my blog and enjoy your holidays this season.

Peter aka Blade 7184

I Kissed A Girl, And I Liked It !

If you missed last night's episode of Glee, you didn't miss much.  Just the part where Santana came out to her "abuelita" aka grandmother.  Actually, the entire show was about Santana and the support she garnered from the rest of the Glee cast.

The performances featuring hit songs by Pink, K.D. Lang, and Melissa Etheridge, were commendable at best, but it was the "I Kiss A Girl" song by Katy Perry that made the night.   I'm sure it will create a lot of controversy with the religious right, but it was great.  

In the end, grandma wants nothing to do with her Latina grandaughter, and kicks her ass out of the house.  "It would have been best to keep it a secret than to disgrace the family," she says.

Uh, sorry grandma, but a liar and a deceiver are two things I wouldn't want to be.

What a Hot Mess: Santa and Machine Guns

In times like this I would say, "Only in Texas".  But imagine my surprise when I learned that in Scottsdale, Arizona, you can take pictures with Santa holding a machine gun.  Oh, and by the way give the rest of the family a gun too, it makes for a much better picture. Jesus Christ!  

Wasn't Christmas supposed to be about celebrating someone's birthday?  What a Hot Mess!

The family event allows people to take a holiday card picture with St. Nick -- and a high-powered fire arm.

Santa poses against a backdrop of an $80,000 Garwood minigun.

Families can choose to pose with other firearms, ranging from pistols to modified AR15s.

They also get a chance to test out the machine guns.

[source]

It's Purely Animal - Issue No. 37 - Bad, Bad, Doggy!

I can actually see this happening while Ryan and I are at work.  Our three monster chihuahuas patiently wait for us to walk out the door, and as soon as we drive off, they start partying.  LOL. Seriously though, this couch has the same fabric design we have. Too funny.

The Shopping List Pranksters

Greg

Meet Greg and Ryan.  Two pranksters who go into a store and ask for things off of a shopping list.  It's not just an ordinary shopping list, the guys have written each other's lists, and cannot see what they've written until they get to the store.

Ryan

Of course, the prank being, they will have to ask someone for help, and get through most of their list of items before the employee gives up.  It's actually quite funny. And of course, they pick on target customers, because it seems to be the ideal place for pranksters. Remember Jack Vale?

Cable TV Channels and Their Shows

'Twas Marry The Night

Yes, Little Monsters, Lady Gaga will be debuting her "Marry The Night" music video this coming Thursday on E! She states that the video will be about “one of the most horrible days of my life when I got dropped from my first record label and it’s the story of what happened that day.”

This will be the first time she has ever directed a video entirely on her own, so big kudos to her.  But she's also given you a special treat.  Not only did she release a teaser on Thanksgiving night, she also released another short teaser to tie you over till then.

During a trip to India, Gaga opened up a bit about shooting the clip and being a first-time director. "It has been a wonderful experience. I worked alongside director of photography Darius Khondji, who is an absolutely amazing DP, and I worked with Gideon Ponte, who is an incredible art director," she explained. "So I'm looking forward to sharing this autobiographical video with the world. I'm very excited. It's my favorite song on the album."

Quoted: C.S. Lewis on Love

"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable." 

- C.S. Lewis (English essayist & juvenile novelist)

Is Newt Gingrich The New Conservative Angel?

Newt Gingrich., Stephen Voss / Redux

Can someone please explain to me how the conservative evangelicals on the right are jumping on the Newt Gingrich bandwagon?  Please, can someone explain to me how these people are seeing him as viable candidate over Mitt Romney?  Granted, I don't like Romney, but then again, I'm not Republican.  The man has been married to the same woman for 42 years!  I at least give him that much credit.

Never mind that he divorced his first wife while she was suffering from cancer, something he used in many of his campaign speeches.  He then had an affair on his second wife with a congressional aide, who is currently his third wife.[source]

Isn't this the party of Family Values?  Isn't this the party of religion?

Then again, what am I saying? these same people helped elect Ronald Reagan, our first and only divorced President.

The Social Network 2: How The World Ends

LMAO!  "Zuckerberg deleted Facebook!  And then he killed himself... Forever!"

So what would happen if Facebook suddenly disappeared?  The trailer parody below takes a look at how our society would cope with this tragedy.  Watch as people start writing on each other's walls, literally. LOL.

Video provided by Nice Piece Productions.

OMG Hilarious! - Alzheimer's

Gay Ads That Matter - Issue No. 008 - A Skateboarder's Love

When the commercial down below first aired, the amount of backlash from the conservative right was endless.  This went on for months, even years.  I have to hand it to MTV for standing their ground, for being big supporters of anti-discrimination.  And since then, we have watched as ABC, NBC, CBS, and yes, even FOX have been showing programming directed at gay youth, bullying, and teen suicides.

In the Following Video two serious-looking young guys in baseball caps arrive with a big tool kit, blocks of wood and some blueprints. They begin sawing, drilling and hammering.

They build a half-pipe for skateboarding and, when it's complete, give each other a macho handshake and then pull each other forward for a sensual kiss. The text then offers, "You never know."

The young audience of MTV of course respects the idea of skaters, but would not expect them to be gay. The kiss is an unexpected juxtaposition against the macho handshake, thus breaking stereotypes.

MTV has set the gold standard among all advertisers for the most ads that refer to the community, more than 25 since 1996, in addition to carrying numerous gay ads from other companies and running its own supportive gay-inclusive programming.  Check out the commercial below.

If The World Were A Village of 100 People: Issue No. 13 - Age

This is the 13th poster out of the 20 posters I have shared with you over the past several months.

Every week I have been asking, "What if the world were a village of 100 people?"  And by using statistics based on the spread of the population in the world, Toby Ng Design created these posters as another way of looking at how our world is today. 

If you missed any of the previous issues, click here.

Are People Really This Stupid? Issue No. 14 - Corvette Racing Fail

So what do you do when you drive up behind two corvettes at a red light?  

You tape the idiots driving them with your cell phone.  

And then you watch as they rev up their engines, anxiously waiting for the green light.  Never mind that seconds before, you see a father running alongside their child on a bicycle, several cars crossing the street, a cyclist coming alongside one of the corvettes as the light turns green.

Wait till you see what happens to both of these fools.  Sad thing is... this happened next door to Ryan and I, in The Woodlands, Texas on Thanksgiving Day.

OMG Hilarious! - Bad News 2

I wonder if it was his wife who got bad news back in Feburary?

Must Watch: Just Put the F*cking Turkey in the Oven

Seriously, just put the f*cking turkey in the oven.  According to Mary Risley (aka Tante Marie from Food Runners) we shouldn't be wasting so much time on a damn turkey.  In the end, a turkey is a turkey, whether brined, cooked in a paper bag, barbecued, deep fried, no matter how you cook it, it's just a turkey, you'll never have an outstanding turkey.

I simply adore this woman, she's funny, and makes cooking so much fun.  

Mary Risley started Tante Marie's Cooking School as a full-time School almost 30 years ago. In 1997, she was honored "The Cooking Teacher of the Year" by BON APPETIT magazine. In 1998, she was awarded "Humanitarian of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation, for her efforts to help alleviate hunger in San Francisco, through the volunteer organization she directs called Food Runners. In 2008 she received the Jefferson Award in San Francisco for Food Runners. She is the author of THE TANTE MARIE'S COOKING SCHOOL COOKBOOK published by Simon & Schuster in 2003.

Tweets From The Perfect Teenager

Ahhh, the perfect teenager.  If only.  LOL.  Check out this hilarious illustration posted over at nickmom.  "score. mom and pop out of town ALL weekend!! Totally gonna vacuum the whole house while they're gone!" LOL.

Which Glue Should I Use?

How many times have you purchased glue after glue, after glue, to repair something, and you can't seem to find the right one?  I have, and it's very frustrating.  Well... wait no longer.  This handy little chart will help you make the right decision.

You see... My blog does some good :-)

Must Watch: You Get One Call, That's It!

So what do you do if you're arrested and held in the county jail for impersonating an officer?  And you only get one phone call?  Ummmm... I don't know.  Call the sheriff in charge of the department? Provided he thinks you're the Governor, CIA or the President, of course.  LMAO!  

I know all of you hate Mondays, so I'm posting this to start your day off on the right track. Enjoy!

New Facebook Phone Revealed!

Facebook is coming out with a phone of their very own.  No, I'm not shitting you.  It's true!  Doesn't mean, Joy of Tech, can't have a little fun with it.  

Take a look at the chart below and check out all the fascinating features.  No numberpad!!! The phone only makes calls to Facebook friends (since why would you want to call anyone who is not on Facebook), right?