Throwback Thursday: #tbt Kevin Spacey Impressions (Video)

We all know Kevin Spacey is a brilliant actor. Most of us have already binged on House of Cards and are already awaiting the next season.

That said, we thought we would bring to you on this #tbt Kevin Spacey on Inside the Actors Studio a couple of years ago. If you didn’t know already, he is an amazing impressionist along with his terrific acting skills. If you haven’t seen this, it’s a must watch. If you have, it’s always fun to watch again! (I’m guessing if asked, he would do an amazing James Lipton impressions as well!)

Pentatonix Giving Up On You: Mind-Blowing Cover of “Say Something” (Video)

Prepare to wear out the repeat button. “The Sing Off” champs who have taken the a cappella world by storm majorly step up their game with their latest cover of A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera’s “Say Something.” With the inclusion of just their voices but a new addition to the team (the cello) in this cover, the group blows this cover out of the park with their haunting, yet serene take. Check it out below and let us know what you think!

My Poor Ironing Board

Yes, I said Ironing Board. Such a mundane thing really. No one really thinks about these things much anymore. We buy our clothes anti-wrinkle for the most part these days, or throw them in the dryer for a hopefully quick straighten, but we all still have a couple of things that will need the iron.

I used to have this heavy ironing board I inherited from my grandmother. It was probably at least 60 years old when it finally died. In my grandma’s time, it was used A LOT. First, they wore more nicer clothes more of the time back then which all needed pressing. No sweats and hoodies for them to go out in. Suits, ties, dresses, you know, back when everyone tried to look nice pretty much all of the time. That era now long gone, the ironing board has become one of those items that for most people sees the light of day once a month if lucky. In this house, not even that often.

Still, it was sad to see it go if only because I know my grandmother’s hands had worked it. So, about 3 years ago, I had to buy another. I bought it online like I do most items these days, especially mundane items like this. Lord knows I shouldn’t have to step out of the house for anything. It was definitely not what I was expecting. This was CHEAP. It was very light, not real sturdy, wobbly and every time I needed to take it out I felt like I needed to put the iron down carefully for it may not even take that weight.

Fast forward to yesterday. My husband, trying to put it away, pulled the little lever that makes it fold up. The lever just broke right off. Really? The lever came off? The lever itself was an easy pull normally, so it wasn’t as if it was strong armed off… no, it just went “click” off. Alright he thought, I guess he better figure out another way to fold this thing. He pulled whatever little things that used to be attached to the lever to make the thing fold and began to apply a little pressure to get the thing down, and I mean very little pressure. That’s when the legs buckled under it’s own weight. No, the legs didn’t fold like they were supposed to, they bent. They bent as easily as a T-shirt folds just about. Just…. bent. This certainly wasn’t grandma’s ironing board!

Next thing I see is this ironing board flying across a room like a frisbee. Hey, it was as light as one so why not? Course, it didn’t seem to have the aerodynamics of one. It was big, clumsy and still open. I knew I shouldn’t laugh at that moment, but seeing this thing fly across the room… and husband so frustrated at this horribly made inanimate object, well… was funny. I couldn’t help it. Sorry husband. (Not sure my laughter was too welcomed at that exact moment.) The ironing board did retaliate against me for my laughter though when the lever found my foot a couple of hours later.

I kept thinking… Grandma’s lasted at least 60 years, and this 3? So I set out to try and find myself a new ironing board. This time, I was going to try and do this right. Something of decent weight and strength.

Let’s start with ironing boards aren’t cheap, price wise. The one I had that lasted 3 whole years (at say, a once every 3 month use) wasn’t cheap either. It was at least $40 for that piece of… well… you know. So I knew this wasn’t going to be an inexpensive journey to try and find one that has some staying power. On top of that, I decided I would try to find one ‘Made in America’. Yes, I always try and find things made here if I can. I started my search on Amazon, but it’s not easy to search for ‘Made in America’ as a search term there, so Google it was. A simple search for “Ironing Board Made in America” led to a lot of articles, mainly about how there is only one company left manufacturing ironing boards in the U.S.A. One. Located in Indiana, “Homz”. (Really America? We can’t make our own ironing boards anymore? That’s disappointing.) Article after article was about the imported from China ironing boards, the .03 cents a day workers building these things over there, etc. At .03 a day, I’m really not sure how these things will be quality items, but what do I know I guess.

So one company it is, that’s where my search will begin. Hopefully this one company is making a decent sturdy ironing board that should, with the amount of use it gets around here, last me at least a decade, or shall I say decades, rather than say, 20 ironing sessions. Really, even with the price and ‘Made in America’ mantra, I’m skeptical. Everything made these days seems ready to break on purchase so you need another soon. Like Televisions. My grandma had her “tube” TV for a really long time. You know, the big sets that sit in a cabinet on the floor? Heck, she even had “TV Insurance.” She must have really loved her Television! The new sets, most need replacing in 5 years at most. I guess the all mighty dollar is worth more than quality nowadays, but I digress…

As far as the ironing board is concerned, hopefully this next one will have some aerodynamics built in, just in case.

Snog, Marry, Avoid: Stunning Punk Rocker “Make-Under”

Snog, Marry, Avoid is a British reality television show which focuses on transforming people who dress radically into the natural beauties that they are. They strip them of all of their crazy clothes and massive make-up, calling it a make-under, rather than a makeover.

On of the latest, shall we say, victims, was punk rocker Mel who underwent a complete and stunning makeunder for the show. (BTW, “Snog” means Kiss.) Reactions have been all over the place, with some thinking this is absolutely amazing and how beautiful she really is, to those who think she was just fine before and should be who she is rather than society dictate what she should be. Some are even angry with her parents (shown in the clip) for not accepting her and her punk look. Watch the video below and let us know what you think.

Harold Ramis, Actor Ghostbusters and Stripes, Dead at 69

From Variety:

Harold RamisHarold Ramis, best known as an actor in “Ghostbusters” and “Stripes” and a writer/director for “Caddyshack” and “Groundhog Day” died Monday from complications related to auto-immune inflammatory vasculitis, a disease he battled for four years. He was 69.

Born in Chicago, IL, Ramis got his start at the famed Second City improvisational group and made his big Hollywood breakthrough in 1978 when he co-wrote “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” starring John Belushi.

He went on to co-write and star opposite Bill Murray in “Stripes” (1981), “Ghostbusters” (1984) and “Ghostbusters II” (1989). He later co-wrote and made his directorial debut with Caddyshack (1980), followed by “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983).

Ramis most recently directed the 2009 comedy “Year One” starring Jack Black and Michael Cera and was also seen opposite Seth Rogen in Judd Apatow’s box office hit “Knocked Up.”

A trailblazer in the comedy world, Ramis was the recipient of the American Comedy Award, the British Comedy Award, and the BAFTA (British Academy) award for screenwriting.

In addition to his wife Erica, Ramis is survived by sons Julian and Daniel, daughter Violet and two grandchildren.

Read more from Variety

“Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen” Battle of the Covers: Africanized Tribal Cover

About a week ago, we presented you with one of the many covers floating around the internet of the Oscar nominated song from Disney’s “Frozen” – “Let It Go.” Actress Christine Bianco showed us what it would be like if pop culture divas performed the track. Today, we’re sharing what more than 18 million other people have already fallen in love with. Alex Boye featuring One Voice Children’s Choir posted their Africanized Tribal Cover of the song. Check it out below and enjoy! Let us know what you think of this cover.

And is it already safe to say this song will win an Oscar come March 2?

And it Begins… Comcast and Netflix Strike Deal for Faster Streaming

For Netflix users, you would think this would be a good thing. Comcast and Netflix have struck a deal that will allow faster streaming streams of Netflix content through the Broadband giant. Neither would discuss the details of the deal, however, money was definitely involved. This is great for us streamers right? Well, you would think.

However, it’s just the beginning of losing the neutrality that we have been fighting for.

You see, deals are normally struck between service providers to allow better service for all but normally, free. What this does is open the door for similar deals to be had between ISPs and other service providers and, say, websites to make streaming/surfing to their site faster while leaving the smaller, less wealthy sites with poor service.

The companies both emphasized that Netflix will not receive special treatment. Of course they did. However, how can they offer better and faster service to the streaming giant without special treatment? According to Mashable: “The difference between a network-connection arrangement and preferential network treatment is technical but important, particularly within the topic of net neutrality. The deal struck by Netflix and Comcast has to do with a process called “peering,” in which companies physically connect networks together to exchange data. This is distinct from the net-neutrality issue of simply favoring or throttling certain content in an attempt to solicit payment. The difference means Netflix and Comcast can claim to be abiding by net-neutrality rules (or, for right now, conventions) while still creating a system in which content providers pay for better speed.”

So yes, it’s a great thing for Netflix watchers, but in the future can prove to be a really bad thing for the internet and start-ups who don’t have the money to gain that extra “oomph” needed for their viewers.

Let us know what you think in the comments below.