First Swine Flu victim identified. "Patient Zero"

His name is Edgar Hernandez, and he lives in a La Gloria, Mexico, a village of 3,000 people. Officials have confirmed that his was the first known case of Swine Flu.  Edgar's town is near a massive pig farm operated by U.S. food giant Smithfield Foods and his mother believes that is how Edgar contracted the virus. 30% of the town has now been infected with the virus. 

Smithfield Foods claims it has tested its pigs and has not found any sign of the virus. Residents of the community claim Smithfield does not properly handle waste and that mishandling contaminates the air and water. Read more here.

Wouldn't it be something if the cause of what may become a global pandemic resulted from the actions of a U.S. company ??

The World Health Organization says at least 105 cases have been confirmed worldwide including 64 in the U.S., 26 in Mexico, six in Canada, three in New Zealand, and two each in Spain, The UK, & Israel. To date, the Swine Flu is responsible for seven deaths.

NBA teams spoof funny commercials for playoffs

By now we've all seen the Heineken commercial where the woman is showing her friends her massive walk-in closet. The screams of the exuberant ladies are soon overshadowed by the squeals of the men in the next room who are enthralled at the husband's walk in refrigerator stocked with beers..

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have spoofed that commercial for the playoffs, substituting beers for new sneakers for the whole team:

Not to be outdone, the New Orleans Hornets have spoofed the Cash 4 Gold commercials for their series with the Denver Nuggets. My personal favorite Cash 4 Gold commercial is the one featuring Ed McMahon & MC Hammer...

Seeing as how New Orleans got handled last night and lost by 58 pts, maybe they should have saved their TV antics for after the season. The commercial is pretty funny though. Enjoy.

Video from yesterdays Air Force One flyby

Thanks to my buddy Menotti who works down in the financial district for this video. I just wanted to put this up for everyone who doesn't live near NYC.

The edginess associated with low-flying planes over Manhattan is still very real, and was demonstrated yesterday. 

People evacuated buildings, flooded 911 with calls, and for a brief period were unsure of what they were witnessing. This video has an eerily similar feel to videos I've seen from 9/11...people frantically running out of buildings and looking up in the sky. 

Party foul on Dept. of Defense for all of the unnecessary commotion for the sake of a few photos.

Swag Award of the Week April 20-26

Susan Boyle captivated audiences last week when she stunned judges on Britain's version of American Idol last week with her stirring rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Miserables. Everyone who was present that night  has minimal expectations from the 47 year old spinster from Scotland, but she raised the bar as soon as she belted her first note:

Boyle was back in the news this week following a $50 makeover where she plucked her eyebrows, colored her hair, and upgraded her wardrobe. Seen here, wearing a leather jacket & Burberry scarf, Boyle looks like a completely different woman than the one who graced the stage last week. 

Make no mistake about it though. Although the looks have changed, the angelic voice is still the same, and more importantly...the swag levels are higher than ever. 

Susan Boyle is proof that you should never judge a book by its cover, and despite what others think about you, if you are confident in yourself and your abilities then the sky is the limit. Now that's what I call swagger.

Burning the midnight oil: Larry Summers caught dozing

Larry Summers, Director of President Obama's National Economic Council in a meeting today with other members of the president's economic team and representatives from major credit card companies.

Summers is known to host midnight conference calls about the economic crisis...I  guess all the after hours work caught up to him today. 

Life Lessons from the most interesting man in the world

"His reputation is expanding faster than the universe. He once had an awkward moment just to see how it feels. He lives vicariously through himself. He is the most interesting man in the world..."

I've been a fan of Dos Equis ever since Spring Break '07 in Cancun, and this new campaign is absolutely genius. More so than just TV spots, the 'Most Interesting' campaign also features a Cirque de Soleil meets Ripley's Believe it or Not meets cabaret type show called, you guessed it...'The Most Interesting Show in the World.' There's also a bunch of funny/interesting stuff on the website.

In case you haven't caught any of the spots on TV yet, here's my personal favorite. 

The Most Interesting Man in the World on pick up lines:

"...There's a time and a place for them. The time is never. You can figure out the place on your own. Stay thirsty my friends." 

LOL. I love it.

Quality Beats: Asleep in the Bread Aisle

Asher Roth dropped his debut LP 'Asleep in the Bread Aisle' on Monday 4/20. Usually albums are released on Tuesday's, but being the bonafide stoner (his first mixtape was called 'The Greenhouse Effect' and his website is the TheDailyKush.com) that he is, Roth definitely catered to his fan base with Monday's release.

Roth's flow reminds me of (not at all because he's white) Eminem, but with much more positive upbeat themes. Regardless, the album is hot. If you haven't heard it yet, you can check it out below.

Asher was in Syracuse this past weekend and blessed the undergrads at my alma mater with a performance at the Westcott Community Center. Shouts out to my man Yosh up at SU who captured this footage from inside the show.

Frozen Heist: Cops v. Clowns

Just came across this video. It's a moment frozen in time...and it appears as if a gang of villains dressed as clowns are blowing up a hospital or something. Kind of reminds me of a combination of two scenes from the Dark Knight; where the Joker robs the bank in the opening scene with the other clowns, and the scene when he blows up the hospital later. There's a twist at the end of the video so make sure you watch the entire thing. It's pretty cool.

Enjoy. Click the 'HQ' button for the Hi-Res version:

Swag Award of the Week April 13-19

Over the last few weeks, piracy off the coast of Somalia has been receiving a tremendous amount of coverage worldwide following the attack on the Maersk Alabama and subsequent hostage situation that ensued with its captain, Richard Phillips.

While piracy occurs worldwide, the lion's share of pirate attacks have occurred off the coast of Somalia. Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, and the waters off its coast are notoriously some of the most lawless in the world. In addition to not having a functioning govt., Somalia sits next to one of the busiest shipping routes in the world as ships from the Middle East and Asia sail past towards the Suez Canal en route to Europe & the western hemisphere.

Piracy in the region is not a new occurrence, as Somalians originally began attacking commercial fishing vessels that were illegally exploiting the country's abundant tuna population 10-15 years ago. The pirates kicked it up a notch last year though, attacking more than 120 ships and netting more than $150 million in ransom...or booty I guess we can call it. Get your money up Jack Sparrow. In November 2008, Somali pirates seized the Sirius Star, a Saudi oil Supertanker the size of an aircraft carrier carrying over $100 million of crude oil. The pirates were paid $3 million in ransom, divided it amongst themselves and left the boat.

Equipped with fast-moving boats, guns, grenade launchers, and grappling hooks, these dudes speed up to the much slower vessels, hop on board and hold everyone hostage until the money arrives. Pretty ballsy. They even target yachts and smaller vessels, which is the case of the French yacht Tanit that was attacked last week.

The situation involving the Maersk Alabama was the first attack of its kind on an American ship. Navy seals had to be parachuted in to the location, and snipers took out the 3 pirates who were holding Captain Phillips hostage on speedboat. 

Many thought the use of sniper fire to eliminate the pirates would send a strong message and deter them from future attacks... The Somalians said F!&K THAT! and attacked another U.S. vessel, the Liberty Sun on Monday. While the grenade launchers and guns damaged the ship, pirates were not able to board. Here's the catch though...the USS Bainbridge, the same Navy destroyer that was sent to help rescue Captain Phillips and bring him to safety was sent to rescue the Liberty Sun with Captain Phillips still on board! Wow. 

It is apparent that more than one warship and a handful of snipers will be needed to deter the Somali pirates from their objectives. With more than a decade of experience and a hefty sum of money to purchase weapons and other resources, Somali pirates do not appear to be backing down. The African waterfront could become our country's next foreign theatre. President Obama has already vowed to take a more active approach in confronting the issue. I have no idea how and if this situation will end, but one thing is certain...the Somali pirates have swag for days. YARRR!!! 

I'm So Alone!! Lindsay Lohan's E-Harmony Profile

HAHAHA. This is is hilarious. Following her very public split with girlfriend Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan appeared on the cover of US Weekly, and did an interview with the mag to spill the beans on the rocky relationship.

The newly single Lohan has decided to poke fun at the situation and did a fake e-Harmony profile for

funnyordie.com.

In case you were wondering, here are a few traits Lindsay looks for in a mate.

"The perfect mate enjoys long walks on the beach, car chases on the PCH, antiquing, and passing out in Cadillac Escalades.."

It's good stuff. Enjoy

Is Bruce Pearl America's coolest coach??

Bruce Pearl, the animated head coach of the Tennessee men's basketball team has done it again. Another shirtless appearance that has made national TV. 

The University of Tennessee recently held an awards ceremony called The Volscars. Half Grammy's half, Oscars, The Volscars recognizes the accomplishments of student athletes at the university. 

Being the showman that he is, Bruce Pearl graced the stage to do a shirtless rap to the beat of 'Put On' by Young Jeezy. Equipped with shades, gold chain, a tie, and a jacket that resembles the checkered end zone at Neyland Stadium, Pearl rocked the house and stole the show by most accounts. 

Still not convinced he's the man? There's the photo at the top that was taken at a UT women's basketball game that Pearl attended, where he served as the 'V' in 'GO VOLS' with five other students in the student section.

Still not convinced? You must not have seen the photos of a shirtless Pearl schmoozing with some college co-eds on a boat during the summer of 2007. 

How many coaches can you think of in the country that are as fun-loving as Bruce Pearl? I can't imagine Bill Belichick freestyling, or Coach K going shirtless. I think Bruce just might be the coolest coach in America. 

NFL Legend, John Madden retires

John Madden announced his retirement today after a long, successful career in football. Hired at the age of 32, Madden became the NFL's youngest head coach. In his 8 seasons, Madden and the Raiders went 103-32-7 (best winning percentage in NFL history), and defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI.

After leaving the Raiders, Madden stepped into the announce booth where his success continued, winning 16 Emmy's for his work. 

The Madden video game franchise has also been a hit, selling over 65 million copies on a host of video game consoles. I've been playing Madden since Sega Genesis days...

I had the pleasure of working with John last season as a production associate for Sunday Night Football, a season that culminated in a last minute victory by the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Some say that game was the best Super Bowl in NFL history.

He's a great guy, with a wealth of football knowledge. It will be hard to watch football and not hear his voice. Congratulations John on all of your accomplishments.

Grimey pizza employees caught redhanded

You might want to go in to your local pizza joint instead of getting it delivered after you read this. 

Two Domino's employees have been fired, arrested, and face felony charges after they published a video of themselves violating all sorts of health codes. In the video, a gentleman puts cheese in his nose, sneezes on a sandwich, farts on a piece of salami, and throws a booger in there as well before heating the sandwich and sending it off to be delivered. The employees claim the food was not delivered and it was just a stunt, but that does not get them off the hook for attempting to distribute tainted food. See the video for yourself. I have to warn you, it's pretty disgusting.

In a totally separate incident, a worker at a Cici's pizza was photographed washing dishes outdoors and scrubbing them with a rag he placed on the ground. News story below.

Moral of the story, don't get delivery unless you really have to and inspect your food before you chow down. I don't even want to think about how often things like this happen. These losers just managed to get caught.

Quality Beats: 808 Experiment

Atlanta has been a hotbed for up and coming musicians for quite a while now. Outkast & Jermaine Dupri were among the first wave of musicians to garner national attention for Atlanta's music scene. Artists like T.I., Ludacris, & Young Jeezy have elevated the A to bonafide music mecca status. 

The 808 Experiment is an undertaking started by a few of my friends Blake '808 Blake' German & Kyle '7King' King. The duo together goes by the name of SMKA, and they teamed up with some of Atlanta's hottest independent, up and coming artists to give the streets 'The 808 Experiment.' An eclectic mix of beats, vocals, and rhymes, The 808 Experiment (download album here) is a great listening experience for anyone who appreciates good music, southern rap, and quality production.

The video for the first single was just completed and I wanted to share it with you. The single called 'Caddy's' features A-Town rappers Gripplyaz, Young Trimm & A. Leon Craft. I would have been at the video shoot if I still lived in Atlanta. Shouts out to Motion Family and my boy David KA as well. The Motion fam did a fantastic job with the video. 

Click the 'HQ' button for the Hi-res version:

Top 5 celebrity dogs since 1985

Bo Obama was introduced to the world on Tuesday as he and the first family paraded around the South Lawn of the White House for press cameras. Virtually overnight, the 6 month-old Portuguese water dog has been propelled into the media spotlight that comes with living in the White House. In honor of Bo's arrival, I have put together a list of my 5 favorite celebrity dogs since 1985:

#5: Clifford the Big Red dog

Let's be honest...childhood wouldn't have been the same without this guy and his antics. Plain and simple. Clifford was, and continues to be a timeless staple of children's literature. For that, he gets a spot on the list.

#4: The Beast from Sandlot

One of my favorite characters from one of my favorite movies of all time. 'The Beast' as he was known by the youngsters was a ferocious looking mastiff who lived just beyond the left field fence at the Sandlot. The Beast becomes the focal point on the movie when an autographed Babe Ruth baseball gets hit over the fence and into his domain. The boys from the Sandlot spend the better part of the movie trying to get the beloved baseball back while avoiding certain death by The Beast. We later learn the dogs name is Hercules, and his owner is none other than James Earl Jones. Awesome. 

#3: Brian from Family Guy

How often do you see a two-legged beagle as intelligent, articulate and witty as Brian?? Exactly. His cynicism and humor make him one of my favorite characters on the show and one of my favorite dogs since '85. 

#2: Baxter from Anchorman

Ron Burgundy loved him. He can eat an entire wheel of cheese, wears a retainer at night for dental aesthetics, and he speaks Spanish. He even made it back to Ron Burgundy after being punted off of a bridge by Jack Black. Extremely talented, loyal and adorable, Baxter gets the #2 spot. 

#1 Uga V

From 1990-99 Uga V patrolled the sidelines at home games for the University of Georgia. The bulldogs have had mascots on the sidelines since 1956, but none were more highly regarded as Uga V. In 1996, Uga V forever ingrained himself in sports lore when he attacked a football player from Auburn who got too close  during a game (UGA won the game in 4 OT's). He was named the top mascot in the country by Sports Illustrated in 1998 and appeared on the cover. As if those credentials weren't strong enough, Uga V also made a small cameo in the Clint Eastwood film 'Midnight Garden of Good & Evil'. 

To further cement his legacy, Uga V also fathered the most accomplished mascot in UGA history. Between 1999-2008, Uga VI had a record of 87-27, 2 SEC Championships, 2 Sugar Bowl victories, and over 20 wins vs. ranked opponents. Not bad. 

The next time you watch a UGA football game look out for Uga VII, UGA's newest mascot. 

What do you think about the list? Who should have been included? Who on my list shouldn't be there? Any and all thoughts are welcomed.