Win a copy of You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation

UPDATE: Mandalyn and Michelle won and should have received an email from me. I think I'm going to have another giveaway soon, so stay tuned.



Susannah Gora's excellent book, You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation is now available in paperback. Publisher's Weekly says:

The phrase was coined by David Blum in the headline Hollywood's Brat Pack, heralding his cover story for the June 10, 1985, issue of New York magazine with its cover photo of Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, and Judd Nelson. The label stuck, Gora notes, and extended to describe other actors: Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, and Anthony Michael Hall. A former editor at Premiere, Gora guides the reader through the creation of the teen cinema of the 1980s, described by the American Film Institute as the cultural phenomenon which helped make us what we are today. To recall the era, she interviewed two dozen actors, plus the directors and producers behind the Brat Pack's memorable movies, including The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. As Gora sees it, The films changed the way many young people looked at everything from class distinction to friendship, from love and sex to fashion and music. Writer-director John Hughes's ability to capture adolescent angst is highlighted. The 1980s youth films maintain their popularity on TV and DVDs, and Gora gives them near-encyclopedic, comprehensive coverage.

The book's cover is by one of my favorites, Dave MacDowell, the companion site features various goodies, including streaming music from the movies, and the book itself is 32% off at Amazon. I'm not much of a fan of John Hughes's movies (or nonfiction books), but this one was terrific.

So, I have two copies to give away. For a chance to win a copy, simply leave a comment on this post and make sure your comment includes your email. One comment per person, and I'm sorry, but this contest is only open to US residents. I'll pick two random winners tonight.

*Previously: Dave McDowell imagines a Scooby-Doo movie by John Hughes.

It's all about picking gold coins up off the floor

Have you heard of algorithmic trading? Wikipedia explains:

In electronic financial markets, algorithmic trading or automated trading, also known as algo trading, black-box trading or robo trading, is the use of computer programs for entering trading orders with the computer algorithm deciding on aspects of the order such as the timing, price, or quantity of the order, or in many cases initiating the order without human intervention.

Speed is extremely important in such trading. The computer has to execute the trade at the right moment. "It's all about picking gold coins up off the floor - - only the fastest person is going to get the coins."

Spread Networks decided to stretch a fiber-cable between Chicago and New York to facilitate such trades, and since speed was the primary concern, the company spent (according to Forbes's estimate) $300 million to build the 825-mile route as straight as possible. Information travels 3 milliseconds quicker than the previous fastest route. Spread Networks built the line as quickly and quietly as possible to frustrate any competitors, and at one point had 125 construction crews working at the same time.

The Best Buy exclusive All-Star Superman figure

Best Buy has an exclusive version of the new All-Star Superman movie that comes with Superman in his white solar costume. I was planning on getting the movie for my boys, and was wondering if the figure was worth the extra money (and a trip to Best Buy). Has anyone seen a better photo?

UPDATE: Thanks to the commenters:

MUSCLE/Kinnikuman tribute project

If you're a sculptor, then you should definitely check out this collaboration project, where the goal is to make figures like the old MUSCLE/Kinnikuman figures. (And then you should send one to me.)

*Buy MUSCLE Men at eBay.