We make Myths go BOOM!

OK so this is my guilty viewing secret here, I’m quite partial to sitting in front of the TV to watch Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman (and the other three Kari, Grant and Tory) knock out another awesome episode of Mythbusters.  Oh yes, give me: a dash of guns, a heap of explosions, smattering  of  ridiculous myths,  and a splash of out right carnage and you pretty much have my perfect episode.

Crazy to think that the team at Mythbusters have been filming for over 9 years now! 189 episodes and counting with no sign of letting up, and who could blame them.  I mean, who would not want to wake up in the morning and go to work to blow stuff up?  I’m guessing to blow off steam the crew go the complete opposite and do some knitting!

Anyway, out of these 189 episodes there have been some pretty epic Myths tackled.  Some busted, some not, and some even plausible but no matter what, always entertaining and that’s what this top 10 list is about.  We have research and come up with the most entertaining, over the top ridiculous and somewhat dangerous myths Jamie, Adam, Kari, Grant and Tory have every attempted.

Dynamite Surfing – 2008 Season, Episode 109:  Yes, some of us fell for the original viral video but seeing the Mythbusters team bring to light with a massive explosion was so utterly satisfying.

Waterslide Wipeout – 2010 Season, Episode 159: This just made us laugh and cry at the same time.  The pain Adam must have gone through but what a great myth.  I watched this episode partly in awe and partly in jealousy as it was something every boy growing up wants to build and do, a super sized water slide!

Jet-Assisted Chevy - 2003 Season, Episode 4: This was one of the first episodes and probably the episode that got a lot of people’s attention and no doubt won a few fans.  Simple amazing to see this old Chevy rocket across the salt flats.

Compact Compact Supersized – 2009 Season, Episode 114: The myth of two trucks colliding and being towed away only to find a small compact car wedged in between them was revisted. Wow, and we thought the first crash in the Compact Compact episode in 2003 was impressive but add a rocket in the mix and it’s pancake time.

Exploding Water Heater – 2007 Season, Episode 102:  This one was surely one of the more scary ones.  Yes they cranked it up but to see what a household product can do under immense pressure was crazy.

Cement Truck - 2005 Season, Episode 32:  The salsa thing was pretty lame in this episode but the real deal was the over the top  explosion used to test the myth that the last bit of cement in a cement truck could be removed by dynamite. Probably one of the biggest explosions on the show.

Jaws Special – 2005 Season, Episode 45: Who would not salivate over this episode? It had everything you wanted in a great Hollywood inspired myth-turbation of epic proportions!

Phone Book Friction – 2008 Season, Episode 119: This get’s in the top ten for two big reasons 1) they used a tank 2) this Myth whilst unbelievable is entirely true!

Boom-Lift Catapult – 2004 Season, Episode 25:  This was an epic fail but in a very very good way.  Seeing that large arm swing over, smashing buster into the ground rather than sending him flying was pure fun.

Firearms Folklore - 2006 Season, Episode 79: If you are a fan of Saving Private Ryan and things that go bang then this one is for you.  So many great myths in this episode!

Spot the Douche Bag

Donald Trump is the face behind one of the most successful reality shows on American TV and also sports potentially the world’s largest comb over.  It’s also a little ironic to have a man who claims to be a self made millionaire and who produces books such as “Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life” running the show.  When in fact he inherited a large proportion of his fathers $400 million fortune when he took the reigns in 1971 .  Oh yes, I’m sure most people would love to get that kick start in life and to be honest you would have to be one of the stupidest businessman in the world to lose this wealth…hang on he did, in 1991.

But enough about the “Boss”, this is about the contestants.  Those fame hungry, cliche yelling, ass kissing, “straight talking”, business rejects that have made it onto the show more for the fact that they will be entertaining rather than enlightening.

Yes the boss may be an overrated Tycoon with an inflated ego but  he has his millions (maybe billions) of dollars to keep him warm at night.  But what do these chumps have? It seems they excel at pissing off the masses and fumbling through meetings, dropping in acronyms like they were working for Microsoft whilst supporting a crack habit…so with out further a due, let’s crack into the Top 10 most hated apprentice (including celebrity apprentice).

1. Omaroseonee Manigault-Stallworth – Season One
2. David Johnson – Season Three
3. Rebecca Jarvis – Season Four
4. Piers Morgan – Season Seven
5. Rod Blagojevich – Season Nine
6. Denis Rodman - Season Two (Celebrity)
7. Randal Pinkett – Season Four
8. Alla Wartenberg – Season Four
9. NeNe Leaks – Season Five (Celebrity)
10. Curtis Stone – Season Four (Celebrity)

These two made the TV Masterchef format popular

Masterchef – Get recipes from this show: Masterchef at Home

Gordan Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares - See where it all began:Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: Complete UK Series 1

Top Chef - Get recipes from this show: Top Chef The Cookbook

Hell’s Kitchen - Get recipes from this show: Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen

Nigella Bites - Get recipes from this show: Nigella Bites: From Family Meals to Elegant Dinners

Top Chef Masters - Get recipes from this show:How to Cook Like a Top Chef

The Naked Chef - Get recipes from this show: The Naked Chef

Iron Chef - Get recipes from this show: Iron Chef America/Supreme Cuisine

Great British Menu - Get recipes from this show: The Great British Menu Cookbook: Book 2

The Next Food Network Star - Taken a look behind the scenes with: Food Network Star: The Official Insider’s Guide to America’s Hottest Food Show

My pot is bigger than yours!

Are you an avid fan of the hit series Top Chef (now fast approaching double figures in terms of series)?  Have you always agreed with what Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Padma Lakshmi had had to say about the contestants and their recipes? Well don’t worry about what they have to say, as we have sifted through the episodes and got what we think are the Top Ten Recipes from the show.

No longer will your dinner parties lack panache or excitement as you start perfecting the below dishes to wow your guests.  Just remember to make sure you have all the right ingredients and utensils for the job so that you don’t have to make your way to the local takeaway joint.

So with out further a due here are the best recipes delivered by the Top Chef contestants:

1. Crispy Gulf Snapper with Pulled Pork & Citrus Grits by Richard Blais – Recipe and Utensils required
2. BBQ Kobe Beef with Cardamom, Tomato and Ginger Broth by Jennifer Carroll and Kevin Gillespie – Recipe and Utensils Required
3. Quinoa Pasta with Salsa Verde, Gremolata and Tomatoes by Michael Chiarello – Recipe and Utensils required
4. NY Strip with Red Wine Reduction, Beets, Truffles and Herbs by Jennifer Carroll – Recipe and Utensils required
5. Calamari Steak, Scallops, Salmon, Shiitake, Shiso with Rice Noodle Salad by Jennifer Carroll – Recipe and Utensils required
6. Slow Baked Turbot, Eggplant Caviar & Black Olive Jus by Ed Cotton - Recipe and Utensils required
7. Steamed Mussels, Yukon Gold and Blue Potatoes with Lemongrass Potato Sauce by Jennifer Carroll – Recipe and Utensils required
8. Chorizo, Bacon and Tongue Tacos with Guacamole and Pickled Onions by Rick Bayless – Recipe and Utensils required
9. Crispy Lamb Chop with Artichoke 3 Ways by Tre Wilcox and Richard Blais – Recipe and Utensils required
10. Sous Vide Chicken, Mushrooms, Yams, Lobster Sauce, & Lobster Hash by Mike Isabella -Recipe and Utensils required

You better fucking like my show!

Did you enjoy the 2010 series of MasterChef (we rated this the best cooking show format back in August 2009)with Gordon Ramsey ramming abuse down the television set like sausage meat into the submucosa (commonly known as the sausage casing)?  Well it was not all swearing and under cooked fish, oh no, there were actually some pretty good dishes cooked during the first season.  But what were the best recipes?

Without trifling (excuse the pun) around anymore we thought we would round out the Top Ten recipes from the show.  They might not be endorsed by Gordon Ramsay but fuck him.

Apple-Raisin Stuffed Pork Loin with Natural Pan Jus - Blue Team Recipe

Dungeness Crab Salad with Fresh Avocado and Gazpacho Andalouse Sauce – Lee Knaz Recipe

Beef Tenderloin with Port-Plum Sauce and Shrimp with Passion Fruit Glaze – Lee Knaz Recipe

Truck Stop Meat Loaf Burger with Spicy Barbecue Sauce – Red Team Recipe

Nutty Orange Chicken with Rice – Mike Kim Recipe

Hazelnut and Pistachio Cupcake with Hazelnut Cream Cheese Icing – Sharone Hakman Recipe

Chef Graham’s Texas-Style Chili – Chef Graham Recipe

Profiteroles with Vanilla Chantilly Cream and Caramelized Bananas – Whitney Miller Recipe

Venison Tenderloin with Red Wine Blueberry Reduction over Creamed Brussels Sprouts – Sheetal Bhagat Recipe

Saffron Butter-Poached Scorpion Fish with Israeli Couscous and Roasted Peppers – Dave Miller Recipe

Big douchebag!

The definition of a Douchebag is as follows:

• Douche.bag: or simply douche, is considered to be a pejorative term. The slang usage of the term originated in the 1960s. The term usually refers to a person, usually male, with a variety of negative qualities, specifically arrogance and engaging in obnoxious and/or irritating actions, most often without malicious intent.  - Source: Wikipedia

The above can sum up so many people that call themselves celebrities but who are the biggest douche’s of them all? Who makes you want to punch the TV/Magazine/Computer when their douchee little faces turn up? Well this has been an exceedingly tough list that has divided the office and no doubt will stir up a few of you.

So let’s get into it:

1. Tiger Woods – Here’s a good idea, let’s call a press conference and talk about all my wrong doings, cry a little and ask for forgiveness?   I’m sorry but who in their right mind would feel sorry for a billionaire douche bag who has seemingly banged a small town’s worth of woman whilst trying to uphold a family man image. Tiger if you are reading; suck it up, go back to you jacuzzi filled with money and hookers and stop feeling sorry for yourself.
2. Donald Trump – Anyone with a book entitled “Think BIG and Kick Ass in Business and Life” and has a hair style which refuses to retire should make it on any douche bag list around the world.
3. Binny Hinn – A very d grade celebrity at best but never the less this douche has been making his millions off the weak and vulnerable  for years.  If he can heal the sick then Michael Jackson should be remembered as a patron saint.
4. Woody Allen – Do people seriously find his movies funny? If so then maybe you belong to his fraternity of Douche Beta Aplha.   He made this list based on his shit movies alone not too mention Soon-Yi Previn.
5. Mel Gibson – I’m the first to admit that I use to love the Lethal Weapon movies and Mad Max but unfortunately it’s not enough for this man who seems to spend is life with his head firmly up his own ass.
6. Bret Michaels – The best way to find love is get a bunch of strippers together, have copious amounts of three ways and see which one doesn’t give you some for of gentile disease.  Then you will know she is the one Bret. Good luck douche bag.
7. Lindsay Lohan – When an actor is more famous for going to rehab, crashing a few cars and having a lesbian relationship then you really have to question your place in life.
8. Russel Crowe – This man takes himself far, far to seriously.  Nothing really standout, he is just an all round ill tempered douche.  It must be bad if neither Australia or New Zealand want to claim him as their own.
9. Paris Hilton – Simply put, vacuous.
10. Orlando Bloom – There is no way I could set though any movie that involved Orlando.  This guy is douche on so many levels and not just hi inability to act.

30 Rock

2009 has been a great year for comedy with some really unique series coming to the forefront. Some classics have managed to stay in the top ten purely based on their brilliance and down right willingness to abuse anyone and everyone.
You can rest assure that the recommendations below caused a bit of a stir in the office and it took us a while to come up with the final ten that we were happy to put our names to.
So here where go!

1. 30 Rock – Still going strong in it’s fourth season 30 Rock has really shown some true class this year in continuing to  draw out more comedic genius from its classic characters such as Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy.  Buy Now- Season 1 to 3!
2. East Bound and Down –  One of the more controversial ones in the list but for us East Bound and Down provided some much needed perspective in the TV comedy scene this year.  It’s not trying to be clever it’s just trying to be funny and in our eyes it has succeeded along with its great cast. Buy Now – Complete Season 1!
3. Important Things with Demetri Martin – The dead pan skills of Demetri Martin were are breath of fresh air from a a seemingly dying trend of  sketch comedy.  Clever, funny and no need to make every second word “fuck”….although we quite liked this about East Bound and Down hahaha Ho hum. Buy Now – Season 1!
4. Family Guy – We just don’t get sick of this show and the characters. Well thats not entirely true I have been close to throwing a few things at the TV when I’m hung over and Peter or Stewie go into one of their infamous scenes that carry on  forever.   But anyway a solid comedy after 8 seasons, that will be around for many years to come. Buy Now – Vol. 7!
5. Flight of The Concords – Not as good as the first series but it was never going to be.  However Flight of the Concords is still worthy of the number 5 spot due to the fact that the kiwi boys kept on delivering quirky comedy through its absurd story lines. Buy Now – Complete Season 1!
6. The Office – When we heard that The Office was going to be imported into the US from the UK we were very skeptical but it really has proven itself.  It now exists in its own right. Buy Now – Season Five!
7. Entourage –  A great take on the mostly vacuous world of movies in LA.  Entourage has been going strong since 2004 and does not show any signs of slowing down. Buy Now – Complete Seasons 1-5!
8. Weeds – Nancy’s soccer mum character gone a bit wrong, well a lot wrong  has still been pulling in the viewers in 2009.  Another unique plot in this Top Ten list but sometimes too unique for some viewers who were a little unsettled with the Esteban and Nancy scene. Buy Now – Season Five!
9. Two and a Half Men – The hedonistic lifestyle of jingle maker Charlie seems to still have the right formula.  Although the cliché sexual innuendo’s  fly thick and fast on this show its still adding enough new material to stay in the Top Ten. Buy Now – Complete Seasons 1-6
10. Californication – David Duchovny continues to spear head this mid-life crisis comedy series set in LA.  His care free and oblivious manor is what sets this witty and clever series apart.  Mulder who? Buy Now – Season 1

I'm so hot right now!

Chuck Norris has undoubtedly gained a massive cult following.  However this is not really from the dedicated Walker Texas Ranger fans that dissect, analyse and blog about ever round house or uppercut thrown. No.  This following is more from the people who take enjoyment at laughing at the numerous jokes circulating about his toughness.

However as Chuck I’m sure would agree, there can only be one….or maybe ten but with a number one.  

1. Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn’t stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.
2. A blind man once stepped on Chuck Norris’ shoe. Chuck replied, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Chuck Norris!” The mere mention of his name cured this man blindness. Sadly the first, last, and only thing this man ever saw, was a fatal roundhouse delivered by Chuck Norris.
3. There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.
4. Chuck Norris counted to infinity – twice.
5. Chuck Norris does not wear a watch, he decides what time it is.
6. In fine print on the last page of the Guinness Book of World Records it notes that all world records are held by Chuck Norris, and those listed in the book are simply the closest anyone else has ever gotten.
7. Chuck Norris doesn’t read books, he just stares them down until he gets the information he wants out of them.
8. If you have five dollars and Chuck Norris has five dollars, Chuck Norris has more than you.
9. Chuck Norris’ tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
10. Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that’s why there are no signs of life there.

You know what I'm saying!

1. Tom Selleck
2. David Hasselhoff
3. Burt Renoylds
4. Telly Savalas
5. Eric Estrada
6. George Clooney
7. Tim Allen
8. Postman Pat
9. Sting
10. James Woods

Animation icon - The Simpson's

Animated TV series have come a long way over the past 20 years.  This Top Ten list honours the best of the best, the animated series which have been part of everyone’s life or jokes at some point in their life.

1. The Simpsons
2. South Park
3. Family Guy
4. Futurama
5. Freakazoid
6. Animaniacs
7. Looney Tunes
8. Spongebob Squarepants
9. Beavis and Buthead
10. Dr Katz