Mockazine

Where's Dennis?

It's only natural:  Martian Dennis Kucinich + New Mexico visited by aliens = Kucinich visits New Mexico.  Can you find him?

New Mexico, possibly the best place in the universe

Have you seen the new ads for New Mexico Tourism?  Playing off the Roswell, NM space alien theme, M&C Saatchi LA has developed an ad campaign using alien tourists who comment on the beauty of the state.  Quite frankly, there was nothing I could do to the images to make the ad funnier.  Here are some examples:

Very creative, very funny stuff.  Kudos to the design team who came up with this.  The "campaign" link above will give you the whole story and links to the tv spots.

The shocking thing to me is that the ad has stirred controversy.  I realize that some people have trouble laughing at themselves, but is it really that hard to laugh at fake lizard people enjoying the great outdoors?  Perhaps the agency should have included in fine print, "No space aliens were harmed in the making of these advertisements."  The detractors cry that N.M. has so much more to offer than space aliens.  I agree, BUT, the ads show hiking, fishing, golfing, biking, and scenic vistas.    It's true, New Mexico also has warm-hearted friendly people and great food--but I think visitors will figure that out when they arrive.

Dennis Kucinich is the Martian Manhunter

In the second of my Candidate Comicbook Characters series, I did not have to go far to find a match.  My strategy is simply to look up the candidates and match them with comic book super powers.  A brief investigation of Democratic Candidate Dennis Kucinich reveals that, like any good super hero, he is only part time at his day job.  He is a politician, so he is something of a shape-shifter.  He's a Democrat, so he is "green".  He also favors a position of "cease fire." The clincher for his super hero identity:  he listens to aliens. 

These qualities convince me that if he were a comic book super being, he would be the Martian Manhunter.  MM hates fire, is telepathic and able to communicate with humans and aliens, and he can change shapes from his native martian, to human-like.  My rendition of the Kucinich Martian--mid change--can be seen below.

Do you have a suggestion for a candidate comicbook character?  Leave a comment on the blog.

Find a worm in your apple?

You've got to hand it to Apple, Inc.  They know how to advertise.  The Ipod may not get the very best reviews, but it does have the best name recognition.  Similarly, Mac computers have this great reputation amongst artits, but there is really nothing you can do on a Mac that you can not do on a PC.  Most of the arguments I read online boil down to emotional emphasis, not fact.  The arguments then quickly break down to name calling and finger pointing. 

The most persuasive mac argument centers on the glaring lack of bugs assaulting macs as opposed to pc's.  Here's the irony, while fall is not the typical bug season, mac once again goes counter culture and has a massive bug infestation(see Apple's security issues).  While mac is fighting 41 patches, on the same day pc only had to deal with 2.  Additionally, all those years of touting their invulnerability has apparently challenged a hackers to create mac trojans.  Hey Mac, stay away from dirty videos.

To celebrate the mac's emergence into reality, we have a suggestion for an advertisement.  You did it Apple, you're bigtime!

Hybrids are all the rage

Competing for green technology of the year, we have hybrid cars (gas and battery powered vehicles) and hybrid fuels (gas and corn ethanol).  Hybrids truly are the rage.  Todays standard is "multifunctional".

In the spirit of hybridization, we have the Today's Spongebob.  This modern marvel entertains the children and prevents pregnancy.  Just what the busy 21st Century parent needs. 

The Today Spongebob.  When the time is right, you can say, "I'm Ready!"

Thanksgiving: Eater's Digest

Inspiration is a funny thing.  Sometimes and idea just hits you.  Such is the case with Eater's Digest.  At first, it was going to be a magazine about cr@p, because that is what happens when eaters digest.  Not a lot of direction to be taken with that theme, so after about a day of brainstorming with my wife, we came up with a magazine For people who love to eat, By people who love to cook.  Sounds like fun.  I might even read it.

Such a magazine would not advertise weight loss products or restrictive diets.  Rather, it would celebrate the gustatory senses: taste, smell, and touch.  Whether its gourmet eating or competitive eating this periodical would espouse the motto, "live to eat" not "eat to live."

Speaking of competitive eating, the sport was featured on a recent episode of Without a Trace.  I love to eat, but I don't think I can do it competitively.  While watching Without a Trace and a couple other crime dramas last week, I must have seen 15 commercials that, in some way, tried to convince me that Mediterranean cooking is replacing Italian.

Another food switcheroo is the turduchen; a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a sausage or seafood stuffing.  This bird (these birds?) have something for everyone.  I had it last year and it was delicious.  If you have not tried one, you should.   

One substitution I have not tried is the tofurkey.  This may be one of the funniest legitimate words I have heard, but I have reservations about the meal.  The ultimate will be the tofurduchen.  Doesn't that sound fun?

Now let me be honest, the celebrity recipes are a joke.  Inspiration for Cheeto pie and festive holiday toothpicks comes (loosely) from other satirists.  Rosie's brownies? Love her or hate her, you have to admit she seems bitter.  The remaining two items, W's corn and J-Lo's treats, come from Celebrities Eating.  Check the link and make sure you look at the J-Lo entry.  That artist has TASTE!

It's Thanksgiving and I am taking a few days off.  You should too.  Happy Thanksgiving! 

Images found on Morguefile.com by Clarita (man on scale) and sideshowmom (wild turkey).

It's Just Old Aids

Have you seen the CBS Public Service Announcement about the upsurge in Aids and the elderly?   If not, click here.

Apparently this is a serious problem.  So serious that Hector Elizondo encourages us, the viewership, to talk to our parents and grandparents about sex. 

Is there really an epidemic of elderly fornication?  Should I sit grandpa down for "that talk"?  It might start off something like, "Now grandpa, I know that you and Mrs. Simmons aren't worried about pregnancy, but you should still protect yourselves from disease."  But where do you go from there?  Imagine talking to your elderly parents and grandparents about your preferred brand or style of condom.  Maybe they don't know how these new fangled "female condoms" work and you should explain it.  Doesn't the local community center or retirement facility have a class for this?

Rest easy, a simple gift subscription to Senior Prom magazine will answer all those questions for your older relative who feels young at heart.  Although you may have to read it out loud, you don't have to worry about any dirty pictures because most of the readership can't see so well anyway: )

Photo taken by Mary R. Vogt and found at MorgueFile