###### What is already known on this topic?

-   An overuse of the emergency department (ED) by the paediatric population has been reported worldwide.

-   This phenomenon can be associated with different patterns of ED use: non-urgent visits, frequent attendance and return visits.

###### What this study hopes to add?

-   An evaluation of ED accesses by children and adolescents in a large regional population was performed in Italy.

-   More than 1 out of 4 youths accessed ED; 3% of ED attendees were frequent non-urgent users and accounted for 9% of visits.

-   A greater use of healthcare resources (prescriptions for drugs, diagnostic tests and visits) was found in frequent non-urgent users compared with controls.

Introduction {#s1}
============

In recent years, a growing rate of emergency department (ED) access was reported in several countries, resulting in an overcrowding of these services. The US National Health Interview Survey in 2015, for example, found that 24% of children \<5 years old and 14% of those 6--17 years old had at least one ED access.[@R1] The consequences of this phenomenon are physician work overload, increase in costs, and increased risks of infections and length of stay that lead to dissatisfaction with the ED service.[@R2]

Some variables are associated with increased ED utilisation: age (≤5 years), male gender, foreign nationality, low socioeconomic status, low parental literacy level, proximity between ED and child's house, residence in urban areas, access during cold seasons and out-of-hours and reasons for access (traumatic injuries, respiratory infectious diseases and gastrointestinal disorders).[@R2]

Moreover, some international studies have identified recurrent patterns of ED utilisation that can contribute to ED overcrowding. Non-urgent visits can account for 5%--90% of ED accesses; this wide range is mainly due to different criteria used for the definition of non-urgency generally based on triage code or diagnosis, treatment and management provided in the ED and outcome.[@R18] In all, 2%--8% of the attendees can be considered 'frequent users' according to international studies,[@R13] while 2%--24% of the attendees return to the ED shortly after the first visit (return visit).[@R23]

According to an Italian National Institute for Statistics survey, the prevalence of ED access in children \<16 years old in the 3 months preceding the interview was 5.9% in 2012 and 6.8% in 2014.[@R29]

Available Italian studies report that non-urgent visits concern 27.6% of ED users and 58.2% of total paediatric attendance episodes,[@R30] with a rate of return visits estimated at 1.4%.[@R32]

To the best of our knowledge, however, only one study estimated the prevalence of ED attendance by the paediatric population in Italy,[@R33] and few evaluated the determinants of the different patterns of ED utilisation.[@R30]

Our study aimed to estimate the yearly prevalence of ED attendance in the Lombardy Region and to determine the factors contributing to the different patterns of use and to assess if frequent non-urgent (FNU) use, a proxy of inappropriate ED use, is associated with a higher healthcare resource consumption.

Patients and methods {#s2}
====================

Healthcare organisation in Lombardy {#s2a}
-----------------------------------

Lombardy is the region with the largest population in Italy (10 million inhabitants), covering 16% of the Italian paediatric population.

The Italian National Health Service (NHS) is organised into local health units (LHUs), subdivided into health districts. In 2012, Lombardy had 15 LHUs and 100 health districts, with nearly 110 EDs. The organisation of Lombardy's healthcare was subsequently rearranged, but in this study, we will refer to the 2012 situation.

Every Italian resident is registered with a family paediatrician (FP) or a general practitioner (GP). Children are assigned to an FP until they are 6 years old; afterwards, the parents can choose to remain with that paediatrician until child is 14 years old or to register the child with a GP. All adolescents over 14 years are assigned to a GP.

Subjects needing emergency care can refer to an ED on any day or night of the week. Access is always free of charge for children younger than 14 years, while older children pay a fee for non-urgent visits.

Triage codes are assigned by triage nurses and consist of four categories, based on nationwide criteria: red (non-deferrable emergency, life-threatening condition), yellow (urgent, but not immediate life-threatening condition), green (low urgency and priority, deferrable care) and white code (non-urgent).[@R34]

Data source {#s2b}
-----------

The data sources were administrative healthcare databases of the Lombardy Region, routinely used for reimbursement reasons. In particular, four databases were analysed:A demographic patient database containing information such as unique personal identification code, gender, date of birth, city and LHU of residence and the reference primary care physician (PCP).An ED database, in which each visit record is associated with its date, time, triage code, ED structure, outcome and discharge diagnosis (International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision).A drug prescription database containing prescriptions dispensed by retail pharmacies in the region and reimbursed by the NHS.A specialist visit and diagnostic test prescription database.

Databases are linked by alphanumerical patient identification codes. All data were managed according to the current Italian law on privacy and were analysed using an anonymous subject code.

Population selection {#s2c}
--------------------

The study population was composed of 1 640 713 subjects \<18 years of age living in Lombardy on 31 December 2012.

Data from the Cremona LHU were excluded because of incomplete ED attendance recording.

Pattern of use and contributing factors {#s2d}
---------------------------------------

Three utilisation patterns were identified based on the criteria used in previous studies[@R14]:Non-urgent access: defined by white or green triage codes and patient's discharge as the outcome (including if the patient declined admission or left the ED before/during the medical examination).Frequent users: youths with ≥4 accesses during 2012.FNU users: children and adolescents who had ≥4 accesses, all 'non-urgent'.

Return visits were defined as accesses that occurred within 72 hours of the first index visit. The following variables were evaluated to assess factors influencing the pattern of ED use: age, gender, nationality (Italian/other), residence (city and LHU), date and time span of attendance, type of referral, triage code, diagnosis, outcome (discharged/left the ED, hospital admission and other).

Visits occurring when the PCP is unavailable (ie, during the weekend or Monday--Friday from 20:00 to 08:00) were defined out-of-hours.

The average annual per capita income of the city of residence was derived from the Ministry of Economics' website, and three classes were created using the distribution tertiles: low (\<€18 200), average (€18 200--€20 261) and high (€20 622--€46 567).

The median number of paediatric patients cared for by one PCP was 905 for FPs and 71 for GPs.

Statistical analysis {#s2e}
--------------------

Prevalence (number of youths with ≥1 access during the year divided by the total paediatric population) and number of accesses were estimated, and the distribution for the above variables was described.

Descriptive statistical analyses are reported as mean and SD or median and IQR. The area under the prevalence-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to 18 years (data plotted at the midtime interval) was calculated for males and females according to the linear trapezoidal rule.

To compare continuous variables, the t test and Kruskal Wallis tests were used, while χ^2^ test were performed to compare proportions.

Two multinomial logistic regression models with stepwise selection and level of significance α=0.05 were carried out. The first used non-urgent access as the dependent variable; age class (\<1, 1--5, 6--11 and 12--17 years old), gender, nationality (Italian/other), LHU of residence, average income range of the city of residence (low/average/high) and ED structure of access, time of access (out-of-hours: yes/no), diagnosis (acute diseases, traumatic injuries, other) were used as the independent variables.

In the second model, being an FNU user (yes/no) was the dependent variable, and age class, gender, nationality, LHU of residence and average income were the independent variables.

Poisson regression was performed to evaluate the association between the above variables and the number of non-urgent accesses per subject.

Statistical analysis was performed using SAS V.9.4 software, and ARCMAP V.10.5 was used to create maps of prevalence on the basis of LHU of residence.

FNU users' healthcare resource utilisation {#s2f}
------------------------------------------

A case--control study was also carried out to ascertain whether FNU attendees made a greater use of other healthcare resources as well.

Cases were defined according to the following criteria:FNU use.Age 1--5 years.All accesses during 2012 occurred for diseases that could be managed almost exclusively by the FP. We therefore excluded cases of children attending the ED at least once for the following conditions that may justify an ED access: poisoning and injuries, abdominal pain, acute lymphadenitis, asthma, seizures, rotavirus gastroenteritis, influenza, laryngitis, nephritis and pneumonia. These criteria, adopted only for the case--control study, were applied with the aim to identify children with the highest likelihood of inappropriate ED use.

For each case, one child was randomly selected, matched by FP, age, gender and nationality (Italian/other). For both cases and controls, prevalence (percentage of children with at least one prescription/total number of cases or controls) and number of drug prescriptions, specialist visits, diagnostic tests and drug boxes were estimated.

Prevalence in cases and controls was compared by χ^2^ test, while the number of prescriptions was evaluated using the Wilcoxon test.

Results {#s3}
=======

ED utilisation of the paediatric population in Lombardy in 2012 {#s3a}
---------------------------------------------------------------

During 2012, 440 284 children and adolescents \<18 years (prevalence: 26.8%) had at least one ED attendance, for a total of 678 322 accesses. In all, 294 561 users (67%) attended ED once during the year.

The highest prevalence was observed in children aged 10--24 months, with a peak (46.7%) for 1-year-old children. Prevalence then decreased, with a statistically significant trend (p\<0.001), reaching 22% in children and adolescents aged 7--17 years ([figure 1A](#F1){ref-type="fig"}).

![Prevalence of emergency department attendance in the paediatric population of the Lombardy Region by gender and age (A) and prevalence of frequent non-urgent use by age and gender (B).](bmjpo-2017-000247f01){#F1}

The attendance rate was higher in boys than in girls for all ages, with an AUC~0--18~ male/female ratio of 1.2 and was higher in Italian, compared with foreign, children (relative risk (RR)=1.34; 95% CI 1.33 to 1.36), with similar trends by age and gender.

Slight differences in prevalence of access were observed among LHUs, ranging from 24.1% to 28.8%, as well as small differences by average income of city of residence (p=0.02).

Peak attendance occurred in winter and spring (each season accounted for 27% of total attendance), while summer had the lowest rate (20%). Moreover, 367 356 visits (54%) occurred out-of-hours.

Only 10 905 (2%) children were referred to the ED by a PCP, while 607 766 (89%) arrived following parental decision.

The triage code was green in 79.7% of the cases, white in 14.6%, yellow in 5.5% and red in 0.1%.

The most frequent diagnoses were traumatic injuries (26%), respiratory infections (22%) and gastrointestinal disorders (8%). Children \>6 years old (33% of the cases) and adolescents (47%) attended the ED most frequently for traumatic injuries, infants (29%) and children aged 1--5 years (33%) for respiratory infections.

In all, 40 390 attendees (6%) were hospitalised after the ED visit. A total of 39 447 children and adolescents, 10% of those discharged after the index visit, had at least one return visit, 5736 (14%) of whom were admitted after it. The overall rate of hospital admission after ED attendance was 7% after pooling index and return visits.

A total of 533 037 (79%) accesses were 'non-urgent' and represented 84% of the attendees (368 156/440 284).

Only nationality was not associated (p=0.90) with non-urgent attendance in the multivariable analysis, while the most important independent determinants were: LHU of residence, attendance for an acute disease/symptom that could have been managed by PCPs (eg, upper respiratory tract infections, fever, nausea and vomiting) and age ([table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"}).

######

Results of multinomial logistic regression for non-urgent accesses and of Poisson regression analysis

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Variable                                                                  Adjusted OR\          P values              Adjusted incidence rate ratio (95% CI)   P values
                                                                            (95% CI)
  ----------------------------------------------- ------------------------- --------------------- --------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----------
  Age (years)                                     \<1                       1.00                  --                    1.02 (1.00 to 1.03)                      0.009

  1--5                                            1.74 (1.69 to 1.79)       \<0.001               1.21 (1.21 to 1.22)   \<0.001

  6--11                                           2.27 (2.21 to 2.34)       \<0.001               1.01 (1.01 to 1.02)   \<0.001

  12--17                                          2.27 (2.20 to 2.34)       \<0.001               1.00                  --

  Gender                                          Male                      1.10 (1.08 to 1.12)   \<0.001               1.01 (1.01 to 1.02)                      \<0.001

  Female                                          1.00                      --                    1.00                  --

  Average income range of the city of residence   Low (€7142--€ 18 199)     1.37 (1.33 to 1.41)   \<0.001               1.02 (1.01 to 1.03)                      0.002

  Average (€18 200--€20 621)                      1.10 (1.08 to 1.12)       \<0.001               1.00 (0.99 to 1.01)   0.45

  High (€20 622--€46 657)                         1.00                      --                    1.00                  --

  Out-of-hours access                             Yes                       1.09 (1.08 to 1.11)   \<0.001               n.a.                                     n.a.

  No                                              1.00                      --                    n.a.                  n.a.

  Diagnostic category                             Acute disease             2.45 (2.40 to 2.49)   \<0.001               n.a.                                     n.a.

  Traumatic injury                                1.60 (1.57 to 1.63)       \<0.001               n.a.                  n.a.

  Other                                           1.00                      --                    n.a.                  n.a.

  Local health unit (LHU) of residence            Highest versus lowest\*   3.23 (3.03 to 3.43)   \<0.001               1.19 (1.17 to 1.20)                      \<0.001
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\*LHU with the highest value of prevalence of emergency department access versus LHU with the lowest value.

n.a., not applicable.

FNU users {#s3b}
---------

In all, 21 072 children were frequent users (5% of the ED attendees), 12 533 (59%) of whom accessed the ED for non-urgent reasons only. These subjects represented 0.8% of the paediatric population and 3% of the ED users and were responsible for 59 184 accesses (9% of total).

The increase in prevalence of FNU use starts at 7 months, and children aged 16--24 months have the highest prevalence (2.7%) ([figure 1B](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). The access rate drops to 0.3%--0.4% for youths ≥6 years-old, with a statistically significant trend (p\<0.001).

The prevalence of FNU use was higher in boys than in girls, with an AUC~0--18~ male/female ratio of 1.3, and was higher in Italian compared with foreign children (RR=1.87, 95% CI 1.71 to 2.06).

Differences in prevalence were observed among LHUs (range: 0.5%--1%), and children living in cities with an average/high income had a slightly higher prevalence of FNU use than children living in low income cities (0.8% vs 0.6%, p\<0.001).

In all, 33 749 (57%) accesses attributable to FNU users occurred out-of-hours, and no statistically significant differences were found in the rate of FNU use based on the median number of children cared for by the PCP (p=0.17).

Respiratory infections were the most common diagnoses in FNU attendees (31.9%), in particular in children 1--5 years old (39.8% of accesses). Traumatic injuries were the second cause of attendance (15.6%) and accounted for 24.2% of visits in children 6--11 years old and 39.6% of adolescents' accesses.

The logistic regression analysis ([table 2](#T2){ref-type="table"}) showed that nationality and average income of city of residence have no statistically significant relationship with being an FNU user, while independent risk factors were: age (1--5 years old: OR=3.14, 95% CI 2.98 to 3.31), male gender (OR=1.12, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.17) and LHU of residence, with Milan having the highest risk (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.71 to 1.99) ([figure 2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). Similar findings were obtained when performing the Poisson regression model: preschool age (1--5 years old; incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.21, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.22), LHU of residence (Milan, IRR 1.19, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.20) and male gender (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.02) resulted the variables associated with an increased IRR ([table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"}).

![Distribution of ORs of frequent non-urgent access by local health unit (LHU) of residence. BG, Bergamo; BS, Brescia; CO, Como; CR, Cremona; LC, Lecco; LO, Lodi; MN, Mantova; MI, Milano; MI1, Milan 1; MI2, Milan-2; MB, Monza Brianza; SO, Sondrio; PV, Pavia; VA, Varese; VC, Vallecamonica.](bmjpo-2017-000247f02){#F2}

######

Results of multinomial logistic regression for patients with frequent non-urgent accesses

  Variable             Adjusted OR\*        95% CI
  ------------- ------ -------------------- --------------------
  Age (years)   \<1    1.79                 (1.63 to 1.96)\*\*
  1--5          3.14   (2.98 to 3.31)\*\*
  6--11         1.20   (1.13 to 1.28)\*\*
  12--17        1.00
  Gender        Male   1.12                 (1.08 to 1.17)\*\*
  Female        1.00

\*OR adjusted for LHU of residence.

\*\*P\<0.001.

LHU, local health unit.

Evaluation of healthcare resource utilisation by FNU users {#s3c}
----------------------------------------------------------

A total of 3515 cases were identified, representing 2% of ED users and 0.7% of the population aged 1--5 years. Characteristics of this sample are summarised in [table 3](#T3){ref-type="table"}.

######

Healthcare resource consumption in cases and controls

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Variable                                                            Cases\          Controls\       P values
                                                                      (n=3515)        (n=3515)
  --------------------------------------- --------------------------- --------------- --------------- ----------
  Age (years)                             \<3                         1954 (55.6)\*   1954 (55.6)\*   n.a.

                                          ≥3                          1561 (44.4)     1561 (44.4)     n.a.

  Gender                                  Male                        1585 (45.1)     1585 (45.1)     n.a.

  Nationality                             Italian                     3460 (98.4)     3460 (98.4)     n.a.

  No. of drug prescriptions               Overall                     4 (2--6)†       1 (0--3)†       \<0.001

                                          \>7 days after ED access‡   2 (1--4)        1 (0--3)        \<0.001

  No. of drug boxes                       Overall                     6 (3--10)       2 (0--5)        \<0.001

                                          \>7 days after ED access‡   3 (1--6)        2 (0--4)        \<0.001

  No. of specialist visit prescriptions   Overall                     5 (4--6)        1 (0--2)        \<0.001

  No. diagnostic test prescriptions       Overall                     2 (1--3)        0 (0--1)        \<0.001
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\*N (%).

†Median (IQR).

‡Difference between date of drug prescription and date of ED access \>7 days.

ED, emergency department; n.a., not applicable.

The prevalence of prescriptions was significantly higher in cases compared with controls ([figure 3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}), and the same was true for median number of drugs, specialist visits, diagnostic test prescriptions and drug boxes ([table 3](#T3){ref-type="table"}).

![Prevalence of healthcare resource prescriptions in cases and controls.](bmjpo-2017-000247f03){#F3}

The median number of drug prescriptions and boxes remained higher in cases compared with controls, even after excluding prescriptions dispensed during the 7 days that followed an ED access ([table 3](#T3){ref-type="table"}).

Discussion {#s4}
==========

Our study showed that the overutilisation of the ED is a problem that affects the Lombardy Region and that is associated with a general overuse of healthcare resources in a small, but well-defined, group of ED users.

About one-fourth of the resident children and adolescents attended the ED at least once, a rate similar to that reported by Del Torso *et al*,[@R33] and higher than the one reported in the USA,[@R1] while the percentage of children with at least one return visit was five times higher than that previously reported in Italy.[@R32] Moreover, the percentages of non-urgent visits and non-urgent users were higher than those observed in five LHUs in Veneto Region and in one ED in Crotone area, in the south of Italy,[@R30] but similar to those reported in a multicentre study involving 10 Italian hospitals in eight different regions.[@R35] Our study evaluated for the first time in Italy the prevalence of frequent users; the observed rate (1 out of 20 ED attendees) is consistent with findings from other countries.

The role of some contributing factors was confirmed: being male and being a preschooler is associated with a more frequent and more inappropriate ED use. This may be related to the high frequency of infections due to kindergarten attendance, and difficulties experienced by young children in communicating their symptoms may justify the mothers' anxiety for non-urgent conditions such as fever (fever phobia).[@R36]

Infants, on the contrary, are at highest risk of urgent access, although it is difficult to distinguish if it is due to disease severity or to a more cautionary approach during the triage.

In our study, Italian children had a higher prevalence of ED access than foreigners, but nationality did not result as an independent risk factor for non-urgent attendance or FNU use. This finding is in contrast with international studies,[@R14] while in Italy, the role of migrant status on ED use is not clear.[@R35]

The influence of socioeconomic status is controversial in international studies; it has been poorly analysed in Italy in the past and does not seem to be significant in our study.

Consistently with other studies,[@R13] we observed a higher rate of FNU use in a metropolitan area, represented by Milan in the case of Lombardy Region, which is likely due to the high density of EDs. It is likely that parents of FNU users prefer to bypass the PCP. This can be deducted by the fact that (A) this pattern is not statistically associated with a higher number of children cared for by the FP/GP (a proxy of physician's office overcrowding), (B) FNU users have an out-of-hours percentage of access not very different from the overall one and (C) the most frequent cause of FNU use is represented by respiratory tract infections, which also represent the most common reasons for PCP visits. Our study also demonstrates that the inappropriate use of the ED is associated with an increased consumption of other healthcare resources (drug prescriptions, specialist visits and diagnostic tests). The fact that differences in number of drug prescriptions in cases versus controls remained significant even after excluding those potentially attributable to the ED physicians (ie, occurring in the 7 days after the attendance) may indicate that the greater resource utilisation is not fully induced by ED. It is therefore likely that parental attitude can have a pivotal role.

Different types of strategies have been proposed to reduce the overburden of EDs: to introduce a fee for non-urgent visits not followed by admission, to homogeneously distribute PCPs' offices, to extend their opening times, to intensify group or association paediatric practice models of work, to provide enhanced access, to plan educational interventions in order to help parents in recognising urgent conditions and to strengthen the relationship between the PCP and parents, but the evidence of effectiveness of these strategies appears scant and generally of low quality.[@R9]

Our findings support the hypothesis that the overuse of ED by the paediatric population may be due to a parental attitude towards a general overuse of healthcare resources. According to the results of our study, priority should therefore be given to educational interventions for parents aimed to increase the appropriateness of healthcare resource utilisation.

Strengths and limitations {#s4a}
-------------------------

This is the first Italian study that has been able to evaluate the rate and characteristics of ED access by the paediatric population living in an Italian region during an entire year. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, we have described, for the first time, a group of children with an inappropriate utilisation of the ED and a high consumption of other healthcare resources.

However, some limitations should be considered. We are not confident that our results can be generalised to the other regions, since Lombardy is characterised by low drug consumption, and regional differences exist in the drug prescription profiles and in ED organisation.[@R45]

Additionally, due to the limitations of administrative databases, we could not evaluate the role of some factors considered in previous studies, for example, family's structure and socioeconomic status, mother's marital status and literacy level, distance between the child's house and the ED or the PCP's office and the PCP of the child's model of work (individual, network, group or associated paediatric practice).

In this regard, we tried to estimate the socioeconomic status using the data on the city of residence, but we are aware that our estimate may not be accurate.

Conclusions {#s5}
===========

Our study shows that there is an ED overuse in Lombardy: more than one out of four children and adolescents accessed ED during a 1-year period, and 1 out of 10 accesses were due to youths who were visited several times for non-urgent reasons only. Frequent use of the ED is partially associated with an inappropriate use of other healthcare resources. It is therefore necessary to adopt strategies to improve the appropriate use of health service resources in order to provide quality health solutions to real health needs.

**Contributors:** All the authors contributed equally to the design of the study. BR was involved in planning the data analysis and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. AC contributed in planning the data analysis and in writing the manuscript. MC undertook the statistical analysis. AngB, IF and LM were involved in data collection and management. AC, AndB and MB supervised the study. All authors contributed to and have approved the final manuscript.

**Funding:** The study was funded by the Lombardy Region (EPIFARM Project).

**Competing interests:** None declared.

**Patient consent:** Not required.

**Provenance and peer review:** Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.


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(CA)

Hi. I am 52 and have moderate rosacea w/ broken capillaries on my cheeks. This began almost immediately (within 1 week) of starting Murad skin care line which contained salicylic acid. My skin was perfect before I began Murad and I wish I'd never ruined my skin with it. Also, I have combo skin & break out on my chin and forehead. I've tried dozens of skin care lines and they all irritate my skin except for Andrea Rose (it's salicylate free). I cannot use any AHA's because of the intense irritation. I'm curious now about the ***z-cleaure.shtml*** line after checking that web site, since it is also salicylate free. I was hoping it might be safe for rosacea (and help it), as well as wondering if it might give my skin the extra moisture I need without breaking me out. I would love your input on this.

Also, 10 weeks ago I started doing the ***z-cff.shtml*** program. I'm excited to see what results I will have in the next couple of months. Carolyn is a doll and I love her exercise program. I did try 3 of her skin care products for sensitive skin, but sadly, they were irritating/burning me and I had to return them. After reading your web site, it made me wonder if it was because I'm sensitive to the plant ingredients. Especially since Andrea Rose's line (salicyic free) has been the only line in 15 yrs. that I've been able to tolerate.

Thank you in advance for answering my questions and I

hope you heal quickly. Sending you blessings of Jesus. :)

Our reply

Hi Gea, thanks so much for your message and for your warm wishes and blessings. I am very appreciative! :)

Yes, in answer to your question, the ***z-cleure.shtml*** products are excellent for rosacea and many of my visitors say it is the only product line they've been able to use that will work without breaking out their skin.

The benefit of their product line is that they do not use parabens and other ingredients that can be more irritating. Most other salicylate free lines use ingredients that can be more irritating for sensitive skin, or that can have other health effects, even if they are free of salicylates.

For example, I looked at one salicylate free products site that offers products containing Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lanolin, BHT, Imidazolidinyl Urea, artifical coloring and dyes, parabens, etc. This may work for some people but those with really sensitive skin would benefit from products that don't use these kinds of irritants. As far as I can tell, ***z-cleure.shtml*** is the only salicylate free line that makes an effort to reduce or eliminate the most toxic and irritating skin care ingredients.

Yes, many people with sensitive skin find that plant ingredients, even safe and natural ones, can break out their skin. I've written more about salicylates in skincare products.

I hope this information is helpful for you, and that you've been able to find gentle and effective solutions for your rosacea and broken capillaries. Blessings to you as well! :)


Khalid Shaikh Mohammed at his capture in 2003, left, and in a photo said to have been taken at Guantánamo in 2009.

By JONATHAN MAHLER

Published: July 6, 2012

More than a decade after 9/11, it seems safe to say, the global war on terror has been both an extraordinary success and a colossal failure.

1- THE HUNT FOR KSM

Inside the Pursuit and Takedown of the Real 9/11 Mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

By Terry McDermott and Josh Meyer

2- HUNTING IN THE SHADOWS

The Pursuit of Al Qa’ida Since 9/11

By Seth G. Jones

First the good news: Since Sept. 11, 2001, the day the war unofficially began, Islamic extremists have killed just a handful of Americans on United States soil, nearly all of them members of the military. Al Qaeda is in retreat. Through the use of covert intelligence, special operations and drone strikes, we’ve managed to take down or take out many of its senior leaders.

At the same time, our intelligence agencies have demonstrated an almost mind-boggling inability to work together. We invaded Iraq, spending hundreds of billions of dollars on a long military campaign that claimed thousands of American lives and played right into the hands of our enemies by uniting Al Qaeda and the Iraqi insurgency. We tortured prisoners, not only staining our nation’s reputation but surely swinging more young Muslims to the cause of radical Islam than any Qaeda recruiting video ever could. We are still fumbling with how to try captured combatants, and what to do with those whom we don’t want to, or can’t, prosecute.

“The Hunt for KSM,” an in-depth account of the pursuit and capture of the architect of 9/11, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, gives us the war on terror at its best and worst. Here we have the story of dogged agents painstakingly cultivating intelligence and running down every semi-credible lead as they chase one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists across the globe.

We also have the story of the bureaucratic infighting that may well have delayed Mohammed’s capture and certainly ensured that the agents who knew him best — the ones most likely to be able to recognize when he was telling the truth and when he was lying — were nowhere in sight during the first three years of his interrogations in Pakistan and at a series of secret prisons.

At the center of this intragovernmental warfare are two familiar antagonists, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with their fundamentally different approaches to terrorism, epitomized by their reactions to 9/11. “The F.B.I., looking at the smoldering ruins in New York . . . reflexively asked: What happened?” the authors write. “The C.I.A. was far better at looking past the disaster that had occurred and asking the defining question of the period: What next?”

As turf wars go, it wasn’t much of a fight. In the wake of 9/11, when the need to prevent another attack was pretty much all that mattered, the C.I.A. instantly became America’s pre-eminent antiterror agency, and the F.B.I., with its years of hard-earned knowledge of radical Islam, was shunted aside. In the case of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed the result was especially tragic, according to Terry McDermott and Josh Meyer, both former journalists with The Los Angeles Times; it meant that Francis J. Pellegrino, an F.B.I. agent who had been obsessively tracking Mohammed since the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, was essentially cut out of the loop.

When Mohammed was betrayed to the C.I.A. by an old friend and chased down to a safe house in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in early 2003, Pellegrino was asked to provide a list of questions to his interrogators, private C.I.A. contractors with no particular expertise in Al Qaeda. He declined. (“I don’t write questions,” he said. “I ask questions.”) The rest of the story should have been easy to predict: Mohammed provided his interrogators with a lot of bad information in order to get them to stop torturing him.

The two authors of “The Hunt for KSM” have reconstructed an almost decade-long clandestine manhunt in exacting detail, an undeniably impressive feat of sleuthing. Narrative velocity is not a problem either; from beginning to end, “The Hunt for KSM” moves along at the brisk pace of a good crime novel. Where the book falls short is in the depth and intimacy of its portraiture. McDermott and Meyer present a tantalizing cast of characters — most notably Pellegrino, a former accountant, and Mohammed, a modern-day Carlos the Jackal — but never quite bring us close to any of them.

The subtlety and imagination of the writing don’t always live up to the doggedness of the reporting, which can drain the emotional power from otherwise dramatic moments, as when Pellegrino finally finds himself sitting opposite his nemesis in an interrogation room at Guantánamo Bay. “Pellegrino thought K.S.M. might be the kind of guy you could sit down and have a beer with, if he hadn’t been one of the worst mass murderers in American history,” the authors write.

1- THE HUNT FOR KSM

Inside the Pursuit and Takedown of the Real 9/11 Mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

By Terry McDermott and Josh Meyer

2- HUNTING IN THE SHADOWS

The Pursuit of Al Qa’ida Since 9/11

By Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones’s “Hunting in the Shadows” provides a wider-angle view of the war on terror. Rather than zeroing in on the hunt for a single bad guy, Jones, a former senior adviser at United States Special Operations Command, seems determined not to leave any out. The result is exhausting, a seemingly endless rogues’ gallery of terrorists and their American pursuers since 9/11.

But if “Hunting in the Shadows” can at times make for slow reading, it is an important book, though less for the individual stories it tells than for the broader analysis Jones uses to frame them. As he sees it, the history of Al Qaeda’s war against the Western world can be best understood as a series of “waves.” The first started with the embassy bombings in East Africa in 1998, crested on 9/11 and ended with allied forces striking back against Al Qaeda’s leaders in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere. The second began in 2003, after the American invasion of Iraq, and ended when a growing number of tribal sheiks in Iraq turned on Al Qaeda. The third rose between 2009 and 2011, driven by the emergence of the radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen, and concluded with the killing of Osama bin Laden and several other Qaeda leaders last year.

Studying these waves, and the counterwaves that repelled them, can tell us a lot about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to fighting terrorism. Most fundamentally, we have learned the hard way that the war on terror isn’t really a war — that if we attempt to defeat Al Qaeda by deploying large numbers of conventional soldiers to foreign countries we are only likely to create a backlash of radicalization.

Instead, Jones explains, we should rely on “a light-footprint approach” that favors special operations and intelligence-gathering. We should help local governments to establish basic law and order in unstable areas where Al Qaeda is threatening to grow roots. And we should wage our own propaganda battle against Al Qaeda, one that emphasizes the organization’s indiscriminate murder of civilians. The war on terror, Jones writes, “is a war in which the side that kills the most civilians loses.”

President Obama recently declared that victory over Al Qaeda was “within our reach,” and that the time had come to refocus the nation’s energy and resources on domestic affairs. Let’s hope he’s right. But if he’s not, and a fourth wave is still to come, he and his successors in the White House would do well to keep these lessons in mind.

Jonathan Mahler is the author, most recently, of “The Challenge: How a Maverick Navy Officer and a Young Law Professor Risked Their Careers to Defend the Constitution — and Won.”


Q:

Open immersion pulls back symplectic form to symplectic form?

If $M$ is symplectic, and $f: W \to M$ is an open immersion, i.e. an immersion where $W$ and $M$ have the same dimension, does $f$ necessarily pull back a symplectic form on $M$ to a symplectic form on $W$?

A:

A symplectic form is a 2-form $\omega$ on a $2n$-manifold such that $\omega^n$ is pointwise nonzero and $d\omega = 0$. Clearly $df^*(\omega) = f^*(d\omega) = 0$ and $f^*(\omega^n) = (f^*\omega)^n$; then the only point to make is that $f^*(\omega^n)$ is never zero, but this follows because you assumed $f$ is an immersion.


With Lindsey on Izor, Andy must move on with his life with his longtime computer/friend now in the body of a beautiful, green-eyed Irish woman. Lucy, now Rebekah McFarland, is being sought by her brother, Dugan McFarland, an IRA terrorist, along with agencies from around the world who are trying to locate them both. For her safety, Lucy and Andy accompany Colonel Mac to Camp Lookout.

As soon as they arrive at Camp Lookout, they’re informed of a recent encounter with a violent UFO they could not identify. Since there is peace with the Izorians, it is suspected the attack came from an Indorian aircraft that had made its way through the portal. The Indorians are looking for a planet that is inhabited by beings that can be used as slaves and with animals that can be used as food.

The future of Earth is now in jeopardy if the Indorian aircraft is not destroyed before communicating with its home planet to guide them to Earth. Earthly forces led by the United States must develop a plan to combat these intruders if they locate the portal and make it through. How can Earth defend itself from an intruder that they cannot track and don’t know if or when they’ll be encountered?


Former Arsenal protege opens his heart about mistakes that made for an unfulfilled career: Stephen Bradley’s scars have healed – both the physical and the emotional ones by Garry Doyle in the www.independent.ie Now a retired footballer who has turned his eye to coaching and scouting, the very personal story Bradley tells...


Rolling bearing assemblies require lubrication to reduce friction and ensure reliable operation. Various methods exist for supplying lubricant to a bearing assembly, such as providing lubricant feed lines on a periphery of the rolling bearing assembly, or manually coating contact surfaces of the rolling bearing assembly. Lubricant feed lines require an additional machining step during assembly and can be expensive to produce. Lubricant feed lines can also malfunction during operation and/or provide an excessive amount of lubricant to the bearing assembly. Depending on the application, pressurized lubricant may also be unavailable, requiring a predetermined amount of lubricant to be packed in the bearing. Excess lubricant discharged from the bearing assembly may be undesirable for various reasons, for example, the discharged lubricant can cause adjacent electrical components to malfunction, or can be aesthetically undesirable. Manually applying lubricant can also be both time and labor intensive, and is not always reliable at providing a desired amount of lubrication to the desired contact surfaces.


Q:

Setting focus of a screen reader on a modal alert in ember

I am attempting to make my ember.js app more accessible and am doing my testing via Apple's built-in VoiceOver utility. I'm adding ariaRoles as necessary to my views and tacking on aria-label attributes where the purpose of navigation is unclear.  I'm having issues getting the focus on modal alerts, as the reader's focus stays on the page items behind the modal.  Does anyone have experience handling focus on modal alerts for screen readers? I'm under the impression that declaring "ariaRole:'alertDialog'" in my view sets the appropriate role for such a dialog, and it is possible that the focus behavior for this role differs between screen readers. Thanks!!!

A:

I don't have first hand experience with modal stuff. Essentially your issue is you are throwing on an ARIA role, and kind of expect it to work. You need to do more than that. You need to keep the following in mind:

Once the link/button is pressed, move focus to the modal window/dialog/popup. Most modal elements are simply a <div>. You can give the<div> an attribute of tabindex="-1".
Trap focus inside the modal window.
Allow the user to press escape to close
When closed, move focus back to link/button

Resources

keyboard accessibility with lightboxes
Similar question at UX StackExchange
Demo modal dialog - I think this is still under dev (I haven't heard from the author for a while).
jQuery Google Group thread
(Hans is the top guy or one of, for this stuff)


An updated version of our original down jacket—the first one patented in America—this classic, trim insulator will keep you warm all winter. Cotton/nylon shell has our StormRepel® durable, water repellent (DWR) finish, so moisture beads on the surface and rolls...


Should Toronto Roofers Be Asked To Do Roof-Overs For Older Shingle Roofs?

Depending on slope and size, installing a replacement roof can be a potentially extensive and/or expensive process. As well, the need for roofing services is seldom planned for or anticipated by the majority of homeowners in Toronto, therefore, there can be an element of time involved with researching and hiring professional roofers.

And yet, a roof will show signs of aging and a need for attention/replacement over time, particularly as a result of its repeated exposure to the seasonal weather conditions in the Toronto area. However, based on a variety of factors, homeowners might be inclined to consider or favour a roof-over instead of a complete roof replacement.

The term ‘roof-over’ is frequently used to describe the process of installing another roof directly over a pre-existing roof (usually an older shingled roof) without removing any of the underlying shingles. Homeowners may favour a roof-over for a number of reasons:

Cost – there is less labour involved for the roofers

Expediency – work can be completed in less time

Added insulation for the upper floor of the home

A much cleaner process than full removal and replacement

Cost (again) – it offers the option of a do-it-yourself project

To determine whether a roof-over is indeed the right solution for an older or aging roof, homeowners need to balance the above-noted advantages with several other considerations or reasons for contracting a roofing service, such as Triumph Roofing, to replace the roof instead. Factors favouring a complete roof replacement would include:

An opportunity to assess the general integrity of the roof

Removing the existing shingles permits a full inspection of the entire sub-structure

Roofers can uncover and address any underlying issues due to mold, rotting, etc.

Better success rate for locating, repairing, and/or preventing leaks

There is no guarantee that roof-overs will resolve/repair an existing leak or leaks

The added layer of shingles may make it more difficult to find the source of a leak

New shingles may become compromised by dry or damaged older shingles below

Flashing or caulking can be properly replaced/installed around vents, pipes, etc.

The overall weight resulting from the roof-over

Multiple layers of asphalt shingles can add substantial weight to the roof structure

Structure may not support this weight, especially with snowfall levels in Toronto

Local building codes may restrict the weight/number of layers of asphalt shingles

Long-term cost-effectiveness

New shingles installed over existing shingles are known to have shorter lifespans

A roof-over may void the manufacturer’s warranty on the new shingles installed

Despite the short-term advantages of a roof-over in terms of cost and expediency, there are several benefits, both short-term and long-term, to investing in professional roofing services and opting for a complete roof replacement.

However, before making any final decisions on how to proceed, homeowners would be well advised to have their roof fully assessed through an expert roof inspection. When conducting an inspection, Triumph Roofing will provide a conditions report on the:

Shingles (or other roofing materials)

Sub-structure (or roof decking)

Gutters and downspouts

Flashing, caulking, boots, etc.

Soffits and fascia

Chimney and other masonry

Siding and cladding

Upon completion of this inspection, Triumph Roofing will provide a written assessment of their findings, along with any photographic evidence if/as applicable, along with their recommendation of the best solution to restore your roof to optimal performance levels.

To determine the right action for addressing the roofing repair and maintenance needs for your property, call the professionals at Triumph Roofing today at either 416-534-8877 or contact us to schedule your full roof assessment.


]]>Fan-Casting Ryan Reynolds’ CLUE Remakehttp://nerdist.com/clue-ryan-reynolds-fan-casting/
Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:48:05 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=568820We love the original Clue so much that when we heard Ryan Reynolds will star in a remake we briefly considered whether or not we should meet him in the library with a candlestick to “discuss” why that’s a terrible idea. It’s not that we aren’t huge fans of his, but rather we can’t imagine how anyone can improve on one of our all-time favorite comedies.

However, if they are really going to do this we at least want them to do it right, so rather than try to kill the project we came up with our top choices to star in it. Because you can’t do the original justice unless you have an All-Star cast worthy of the 1985 movie. That’s why we’re want big names and big talents who can match the energy and humor that made Clue a beloved classic.

Wadsworth: Ryan Reynolds (Originally played by Tim Curry)

For a movie based on a board game full of famous characters, the star of the original Clue is the entirely original character of Wadsworth, the “butler” who leads the investigation and carries the movie from scene to scene. Considering it was played by Tim Curry at his absolute apex, in a performance that is so high energy and relentless it leaves you physically exhausted to watch it, these are some very large shoes to fill. But that’s also why it should go to Reynolds. He’s charismatic, funny, and is a huge talent himself at the peak of his big screen powers, and Deadpool proved he’s capable of carrying a movie. We don’t think his Wadsworth would be exactly like Curry’s–and it would be foolish for him to try to play the part that way–but he’d be one of our top choices for the role even if he wasn’t involved already.

If you want an actor who has the comedic chops to match the range of Christopher Lloyd you aren’t going to do better than Keegan-Michael Key, who played just about every type of role possible on Key & Peele. The more insane the scene he is in, the funnier he gets, which is why he’s especially perfect for this remake. Imagine him as the brainy Professor Plum, trying to play it cool and under control all movie, only for him to completely lose his mind at the end while the chaos of the situation comes to a boil. There’s no one else we’d want to see running around the mansion screaming. In fact, he’s so right for this part we’re already starting to talk ourselves into this remake.

Mrs. White: Laurie Metcalf (Originally played by Madeline Kahn)

The only part harder to recast than Tim Curry’s Wadsworth is the late Madeline Kahn’s black widow Mrs. White. She was one of the funniest humans who ever lived, and because she passed away far too young, each of her movies feel sacred. So this has to go to a super-duper heavyweight, which is why we want Laurie Metcalf. There’s an excellent chance she’s going to win an Oscar this year for her performance in Lady Bird, but long before that she was the funniest character on Roseanne, which is really saying something considering that cast and show was amazing. Her Jackie was frantic and wound-up, so letting her loose in the chaos of a Clue remake could be special.

Mrs. Peacock: Catherine O’Hara (Originally played by Eileen Brennan)

Fact: every comedy should have Catherine O’Hara, but my goodness it almost feels like this entire remake was willed into existence by the universe specifically so she could play the role of the corrupt aristocratic wife of a senator. Any fan of Christopher Guest’s movies knows O’Hara can handle any role, and we know from the Home Alone series that the worst the situation the funnier she gets, so letting her slowly lose her mind over the course of a murderous night is a perfect way to let her show off all of her talent and range.

Mr. Green: Paul F. Tompkins (Originally played by Michael McKean)

Eventually a very smart person in Hollywood is going to give comedian Paul F. Tompkins the type of role his talent deserves, and we hope it’s this one. He’s not only one of the best stand-ups around, his work on Comedy Bang Bang has shown he is one of the funniest character actors working today too. It’s not going to be easy for anyone to follow a comedy legend like Michael McKean, but we want a Mr. Green that can get laughs with nothing more than a funny face, who will be able to look terrified at all times, and who can be increasingly incredulous the more insane things get. In the same way The Hangover was a breakout part for Zach Galifianakis, this could be the role for Tompkins we’ve been waiting for him to get.

Miss Scarlet: Janelle Monáe (Originally played by Lesley Ann Warren)

The beautiful Miss Scarlet needs to be someone who exudes confidence, draws the eyes of everyone in the mansion, and who absolutely should not be crossed. Anyone who saw Hidden Figures knows that is a perfect description of Janelle Monáe, who also drew the biggest laughs in the movie. She’s an immense talent, and while most know her as a dramatic actress (between Hidden Figures and Moonlight she got robbed of an Oscar nomination twice last year), we think she’d end up stealing every scene she is in. Though that’s not much of a prediction since she always does that.

Colonel Mustard is a respected, veteran military man who finds himself surrounded by murderers, con artists, and totally absurd characters. Which is why everything in the career of Reginald VelJohnson–whose two most famous roles came as a cop in Die Hard and as Carl Winslow who was constantly under attack by Steve Urkel’s shenanigans on Family Matters–feels like it was preparing him for this role. People think Urkel was the “funny” one on that show, but VelJohnson and his ability to erupt like a volcano in the middle of the dumbest situations was the show’s real MVP.

Cameos!

Our bet is that all of the minor roles from the original–like the cook, the singing telegram girl, the cop, and Yvette–won’t be in this version. But we do think the remake will still have other parts and utilize unexpected drop-ins. So here are some performers we’d love to see stop by, hopefully to get murdered. (What? It’s Clue, they’ll want to be murdered.)

Rowan Atkinson: Mr. Bean almost played Wadsworth in the original, so not only would his style of comedy be perfect it would be a very cool touch.

Ali Wong: We would love to see the stand up pop in because she has such a strong presence and could do a lot with a little, which is why if they decide to go with a younger cast she would make for a great Mrs. Peacock. (Video NSFW.)

Weird Al Yankovic: He doesn’t even have to try and be funny to make us laugh.

Marc Evan Jackson:Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place‘s master of deadpan would be a perfect addition to the inane world of Clue.

Vanessa Bayer: Nobody is better at trying to fake happiness while being horrified quite like the former SNL star.

Kumail Nanjiani: We’re already laughing picturing him standing in the mansion with a terrified look on his face.

Ken Jeong: Anyone from Community would be a great addition, but if we need someone to make as big an impact as possible in a one-scene role we want Jeong.

Andrea Savage: Even in minor roles she always makes us laugh, and we’d love to see her show up, get angry, and then have a funny death.

Jordan Peele: If Keegan-Michael Key is playing Professor Plum, we want Peele to show up and get killed by him.

Okay, thinking about how much fun this cast could be has eased our concerns about this remake enough that Ryan Reynolds doesn’t have to worry about meeting us in the study with wrench.

But what do you think? Who would you cast in the movie instead? Tell us in the comments below.

Featured Image: Lionsgate/Universal/Warner Bros.

More of the things you love!

]]>Meet DUCKTALES’ New Gladstone Gander, Paul F. Tompkins (Exclusive)http://nerdist.com/ducktales-gladstone-gander-paul-f-tompkins/
Fri, 13 Oct 2017 14:00:40 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=549246In the world of Duckburg, few have as much to celebrate as Donald Duck’s incredibly lucky cousin Gladstone Gander. But after hearing who the new DuckTales got to play the happy-go-lucky nemesis of Donald, it’s safe to say that we are the lucky ones. As it turns out, Gladstone will be voiced by one of our favorite comedians, Paul F. Tompkins. (Now that‘s something to celebrate.)

In this exclusive video, Tompkins talks about joining the all-star cast to play a character who has everything always go right for him, which, of course, drives his notoriously unlucky cousin Donald absolutely insane. And that’s really saying something, because as Tompkins points out, lots of things upset Donald Duck, but little more than Gladstone’s unflappable good fortune.

Tompkins will make his debut as Gladstone Gander in the upcoming episode “The House of the Lucky Gander,” which will air on October 14th. He’s just the latest fantastic addition to the already loaded DuckTales cast.

And we’re especially excited by this casting news, not just because we love Tompkins, but because Gladstone Gander holds a special place in our hearts here at Nerdist—after all, he was voiced in the original series by the host of our Alpha series Talkin’ Toons, Rob Paulsen. Those are some pretty big shoes—or rather, vocal pipes—to fill.

What other DuckTales characters are you hoping to return to the new series? Who would you like to hear fill them? Tell us your best casting ideas in the comments below.

]]>Boba Fett, OREGON TRAIL Post-it Art Make This Office Awesomehttp://nerdist.com/boba-fett-oregon-trail-post-it-art-make-this-office-awesome/
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 03:00:16 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=489983Fan Art Friday is open to all sorts of mediums, and Christy Klancher went above and beyond in the category of sharing art made from atypical supplies. Her toolbox includes seeds and Post-its. She uses the food and office supplies separately to make art inspired by stories she enjoys and people she admires.

Let’s focus on some Post-it art first. Christy does these in her office. I work from home rather than an office, but this is making me want to make some mini Post-it pieces on the wall above my desk. Christy’s office has the space to go large though, so she can assemble things like this Boba Fett.

Take a scroll on down to the gallery to see more non-traditional art. You’ll find some Fallout Post-it art, as well as some impressive seed art put together to create a portrait of Paul F. Tompkins and also a Prince and Hamilton mash-up. Christy made the seed art pieces for the Minnesota State Fair crop art competition. I’d wager there wasn’t anything else like them.

You can keep up with all of Christy’s invention creations by following her on Instagram and/or Twitter.

Do you create any sort of fan art? If so, I want to see it. Whether you focus on a specific fandom or pull inspiration from multiple stories and mediums, I’d like to highlight what you do. If you’re interested in being featured in a future edition of Fan Art Friday, get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with examples of your work. If you’re not an artist, feel free to email me with recommendations for Fan Art Friday!

Images: Christy Klancher

]]>Pop My Culture 213: The Final Episode with Paul F. Tompkins, Samm Levine and Rhett Miller (Live from SF Sketchfest)http://nerdist.com/pop-my-culture-213-the-final-episode-with-paul-f-tompkins-samm-levine-and-rhett-miller-live-from-sf-sketchfest/
Thu, 19 Jan 2017 18:45:34 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=472525Cole and Vanessa say goodbye after six wonderful years with this final Pop My Culture episode, live from the 16th Annual SF Sketchfest presented by Audible. Join them and special guests Paul F. Tompkins (“Spontaneanation”), Samm Levine (“Freaks and Geeks”) and Rhett Miller (The Old 97’s) as they discuss the best and worst moments of 2016 and answer one final pissed-off wizard question. Our thanks to Nerdist for giving us a home and all of you for listening over the years!
]]>Thrilling Adventure Hour #232: Beyond Belief, “Mannequin Episode”http://nerdist.com/thrilling-adventure-hour-232-beyond-belief-mannequin-episode/
Mon, 14 Nov 2016 16:15:18 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=456847Starring Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster as those married mediums Frank and Sadie Doyle. Also starring Craig Cackowski, Autumn Reeser, Busy Philipps, and Janet Varney as mannequins; and Hal Lublin as a mannequin hunter.
Music by Jordan Katz & the Elements of Style, featuring Jonathan Dinerstein.
Directed by Aaron Ginsburg. Written and produced by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker.

Recorded October 23, 2016 at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles.
PLUS: A bonus musical treat recorded at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY, featuring Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Ted Leo, Jean Grae, and the cast!

Tickets are on sale NOW for the WorkJuice Players’ show at the Bell House in Brooklyn on July 23rd. 7 pm ALL AGES show and 9:30 pm 21+ show. Starring Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Marc Evan Jackson, Mark Gagliardi, and Craig Cackowski. Tickets here: http://www.thebellhouseny.com/calendar/

]]>Hardwatch: Week of June 13th, 2016http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-june-13th-2016/
Mon, 13 Jun 2016 00:00:37 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=410922Summer is in full swing, and while our fearless leader has been on the road these last few weeks, he’s back now! Here’s where you can find him in the coming week.

The Id10t Tour started out with rousing success these last two weeks, and you can catch some of Chris’s adventures on his Instagram feed. He was all over the east coast. The tour’s next dates will be at San Diego Comic Con which is *gasp* barely a month away so make sure you grab tickets while you can.

Fans in Los Angeles can also catch Chris at The Comedy Store at the end of the month. He will be performing with Bill Burr on June 26th, and tickets are available here. The event will be raising money to help sick kids in the city and is being held in partnership with Regular Hero.

The Nerdist Podcast episode this week is one we’ve all been hoping for: a hostful! I don’t know about you all, but I’ve missed having all three of the guys at the mics lately. Make sure you tune in to hear what Chris, Matt, and Jonah have been up to.

As always, make sure you’re following Chris on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram for the latest of his adventures.

Music by Jordan Katz and Phillip Krohngold. The new Tick-Tock theme is by Paul & Storm.
Written and produced by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker.

Recorded January 9, 2016 at the Brava Theater at San Francisco Sketchfest.
Photo by Tommy Lau

TAH is coming to the Bell House in Brooklyn on July 23rd for two shows: 7pm All Ages and 10pm 21+! If you’re on our mailing list, you’ll have received a special code for advance tickets. Tickets go on sale to everyone everywhere on Monday, June 13th at http://www.thebellhouseny.com/

Two towering rock icons, punk progenitor Iggy Pop and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, did the Nerdist Podcast to promote Iggy’s new (and final?) album, Post Pop Depression, on which Iggy collaborated with Josh, and to talk about farting, nudity, the classic stories of Iggy rolling around on stage in broken glass, parenthood, and more.

In a bonus Nerdist Podcast, Melissa Rauch came in to show how she’s way, way more than just Bernadette on The Big Bang Theory, not that being Bernadette isn’t enough. But she and her husband wrote the new movie The Bronze, and she did standup for years, and trained at UCB, so there’s a lot you’ll learn about Melissa. You’ll also learn the not quite romantic story of when Melissa found out her husband was in love with her, and about her parents and their interesting use of some familiar phrases.

SURPRISE!!! We got a brand new Thrilling Adventure Hour! Yes, the WorkJuice Players were back with a new “Beyond Belief” story with Frank and Sadie Doyle — Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster, of course — and guests Lauren Lapkus and Michael McKean, with music from Paul and Storm.

Sadie Doyle… er, Paget Brewster joined the gang to recap the final Bachelor episode of the season and to rejoice in the selection of the next Bachelorette on Will You Accept This Rose? (and, yes, they WILL be back with The Bachelorette…).

Is The Writers Panel consistently hitting it out of the park week after week or what? This week, Ben had Doug Petrie & Marco Ramirez (Marvel’s Daredevil), Melissa Rosenberg (Twilight, Marvel’s Jessica Jones), Jason Katims (Parenthood, About a Boy, Friday Night Lights, Roswell), and Jessica Goldberg (The Path) on the panel. We always say that anyone remotely interested in the process of making entertainment should listen to this show, but those names alone should convince you of that.

Comedian Quincy (“No, Not That One, The Other One”) Jones is trying to raise money to make a standup comedy special while he still can. He’s terminally ill, and he’s doing a Kickstarter to get the funding to make it happen, with some major help from friends Mickey and Nicole Blaine and celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, who had him on her show and is trying to get Netflix and HBO interested in the special. Anyway, the combined effort raised way more than the goal and is ending today, but you should listen to Quincy on You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes and find out more, and if you’re reading this before 5 pm PT on March 18. 2016, you can donate to the Kickstarter.

Jonah Keri went to SXSW for the first ever live Jonah Keri Podcast with Matt Mira on hand to talk — what else? — Boston sports, and guitars, and PEDs, and religion, and lots of stuff. And Major League Baseball’s first female coach, Oakland A’s Arizona Fall League coach Justine Siegal, talked about her experiences, and former pro Halo player Hunter Swensson talked about the rise of eSports. Live.

Jackie and Laurie brought you more inside-comedy insight and more, including eating alone on the road (including a very expensive meal), kids’ talent shows, magicians, clubs lending cars to comics, the Great Lakes Avengers, more drama with Laurie’s mom, Johnny Carson, Dennis Miller, and Bo Derek on The Jackie and Laurie Show. And you’ll learn why Jackie doesn’t want to talk about Albuquerque. Although she talks about it. Plenty.

Bachelorette parties! 10 Cloverfield Lane! A reality dating show proposal for Alison! Suicide robots at Fukushima! So much this week on Half Hour Happy Hour….

Tom got up close and very personal in a special guest-free (hostful!) Pro You.

We relived the side-scroller and platforming edition of the Legacy Music Hour on another Mixtape edition.

Kevin and Steve did one for those who appreciate the masculine, their list of Top 10 Movie Man-Crushes on Chewin’ It, and of COURSE there’s Swayze. You do a list of man-crushes, you KNOW Swayze’s on there.

Violette Beane (The Flash) joined Razzle and guest host Josh Macuga for Today We Learned, and they explored the bat bridge in Austin, which I can confirm has one hell of a lot of bats underneath. Yes, of COURSE I stood there like all the other gaping tourists watching the bats fly out. Even the SXSW hipsters do that. Leave me alone.

Mollena Lee Williams-Haas had a conversation about her unique life and edge play on a two part Sex Nerd Sandra: Here’s Part 1 and here’s Part 2..

Steve Mazan returned to the couch for another Cash Withdrawal session. Not sure if his insurance will cover so many appointments.

We found out more about Jenna and Bodhi’s marriage on Kicking and Screaming, more than you thought you wanted to know….

Writer/director David Lowery, who’s at the helm of Disney’s upcoming reboot of Pete’s Dragon, was Alexi’s guest on Love, Alexi.

]]>Nerdist at SXSW Saloon Day 2 Recap – Comedy, Tatiana Maslany, Tiara Girls, and More!http://nerdist.com/nerdist-at-sxsw-saloon-day-2-recap-comedy-tatiana-maslany-tiara-girls-and-more/
Mon, 14 Mar 2016 00:30:24 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=378762I gotta tell you folks, I am a jealous man. I’ve always wanted to go to South by Southwest in Austin, TX, and sadly never have. Luckily for me, and for you if you’re in the same boat as me, I can live vicariously through my colleagues at Nerdist and the other Legendary Digital Networks (Geek & Sundry and Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls at the Party, dontcha know) who have set up an awesome #Saloon to interview people, play games, showcase bands, and generally do everything awesome you could possibly want from the U.S.’ premier arts and media festival.

Dan Casey takes us through all of Saturday’s biggest happenings, from interviewing the cast of SeeSo’s Bajillion Dollar Properties, to hearing about the animated D&D adventure of Harmontown, to the cast of Silicon Valley. Throw in some Tatiana Maslany, Jake Gyllenhaal, and music of the Tiara Girls and you have yourself a pretty packed day surrounded by tubed meats. But the greatest thing of all? A place where you could play with puppies! And adopt them too, if you so desired. Don’t you wish you were in Austin even more than before? I do.

Don’t miss all the interviews from our SXSW Saloon, take a peek at some of the day’s festivities in the gallery below, and let us know who your favorite guest was in the comments!

The newest edition of The Late Show‘s segment pitted Paul F. Tompkins, arguing on behalf of the metal musicians, against Colbert, who argued for the struggling actors who make up the performers at Medieval Times.

“Okay, you want to stick a metal weapon into an opponent coursing with electricity. Why don’t you stay home and joust your toaster with a butter knife?” Tompkins said in response to Colbert’s backing of the guys with swords.

However, when Tompkins (who revealed the “F” in his name stands for “Fascism”) thought the “C.E.C.B.” might have mastered the art of self-repair after all these years, Colbert was having none of it. “They don’t have any learning ability; they’re not an A.I. system. They’re merely hydraulics being run by a guy named Andy, who’s an 18-year-old assistant manager.”

While Colbert and the segment guest argue the merits for each combatant, it’s up to the viewers on Twitter to actually vote and decide the champion. This one is already very close, so remember your vote does count.

The last round of Friday Night Fights saw John Hodgman throttle Colbert as both of Hodgman’s picks came out victorious, with the Tooth Fairy besting Bigfoot with 56% of the vote, and the Walmart greeter with a crossbow winning with 70% in a landslide over the Apple Genius with a switchblade.

Okay, who you got? Tell us in the comments below which restaurant’s performers you are backing in this fight.

—

Images: CBS

]]>Hardwatch: Week of March 6th, 2016http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-march-6th-2016/
Mon, 07 Mar 2016 02:00:08 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=375925It’s been a crazy week in nerdy news, and with Sunday here again, it’s time for a rundown of all the excellent spots you can find Chris Hardwick this week.

After tonight’s all new episode of The Walking Dead there will be a new episode of Talking Dead with Alanna Masterson, Ross Marquand, and J.B. Smoove taking to the couch to talk about season 6’s twelfth episode, “No Tomorrow Yet.” Personally, I’m a week behind so I can’t really even tease things that are going to happen, but I am there for Tara and Aaron chatting with Chris and J.B. Smoove!

As you might have seen on Instagram yesterday, the guest for the Nerdist Podcast this week is none other than acting legend Sally Field. You can look forward to some excellent stories from her, and if Chris’s picture is any indication, some really sweet reminiscence are possible.

Make sure that you follow Chris on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat for all the latest changes to the plan and for general merriment and fun.

]]>Dan Harmon and Your Favorite Funny People are Bringing Comedy to Historyhttp://nerdist.com/dan-harmon-and-your-favorite-funny-people-are-bringing-comedy-to-history/
Thu, 18 Feb 2016 23:30:26 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=369351It looks like History (the channel, not the past) is done letting Comedy Central’s Drunk History have all of the fun of mocking historical figures. Later this month, History is launching an ambitious late night comedy block called Night Class, with Community creator Dan Harmon taking the spotlight in Great Minds with Dan Harmon.

While Harmon was largely a behind-the-scenes presence on Community and Rick and Morty, Great Minds with Dan Harmon casts Harmon as a fictionalized version of himself, who builds a time machine that allows him to bring history’s most accomplished minds into the present. With the announcement, History debuted a clip of Harmon with Ludwig Van Beethoven, as played by Jack Black.

Elizabeth Shapiro’s Crossroads of History will also rely on famous guest actors as they star in comedic shorts based on real historical incidents, including Adolf Hitler’s failed attempt to get into art school and Abraham Lincoln’s bodyguard picking the wrong night to sneak out for a drink at Ford Theater. Lou Diamond Phillips, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Keir O’Donnell, Jack McBrayer, Wayne Knight, Lloyd Ahlquist, and Paul Scheer are confirmed to appear in the first season.

The third series in History’s new comedy lineup is called How to Lose the Presidency, which will utilize actual footage of Presidential candidates as they committed the unforgivable gaffes that sank their political aspirations. For example, Howard Dean’s scream on the campaign trail and Rick Perry’s primary debate “oops” will be featured, among with many other unintentionally funny and disastrous moments.

All three series will debut next week, on Thursday, February 25 on History. According to History, additional comedy series are in the works.

Are you intrigued by History’s move into comedy? Let us know in the comment section below!

—

Image Credit: History/Matador Content

And while you’re here, check out Kyle Hill’s chat with Harmon and Justin Roiland from SDCC 2015!

]]>Hardwatch: Week of January 11th, 2016http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-january-11th-2016/
Mon, 11 Jan 2016 03:00:19 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=353537Exciting things are already happening in 2016 for our fearless leader, and I have all the fun places you can find Chris Hardwick in the coming days. First and foremost, the Funcomfortable Tour is back in action now that the holiday season is over. Chris will be in Nashville Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Tickets are still available, and you can grab them here.

If you were paying attention there at the end of the year, you know that the guys are cranking back a little bit on the schedule. This week there will be one new episode of Nerdist Podcast, this week and for the foreseeable future. The delightfully hilarious Samantha Bee will be this week’s guest. She’s doing promotion for Full Frontal, her new show coming to TBS on February 18th. On the podcast, you can look forward to hearing about The Daily Show, her family, becoming American, and more.

As always, make sure that you’re following Chris on Twitter at @Hardwick, on Tumblr, Instagram and Snapchat to keep up with all his late-breaking changes to the schedule.

]]>You’ll Fear Your Bathroom After This Montage of Mirror Scareshttp://nerdist.com/youll-fear-your-bathroom-after-this-montage-of-mirror-scares/
Sun, 01 Nov 2015 18:30:49 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=327410When you watch this montage of the classic horror movie trope, the one where a character sees someone or something standing behind them in a mirror, it really makes you reflect on the nature of being scared. [Editor’s Note: We neither endorse nor enjoy such a silly and bad joke made on the part of this writer.]

It is inherently terrifying to have someone sneak up on you, and while this montage shows not every reflection we see has to be relegated to just our bathroom mirror, alone in our quiet house, vulnerable in our unpreparedness, those ones certainly do seem to be the most prominent, and this video, put together by YouTube user richfofo’s channel, shows horror movie makers know it.

It should be mentioned that this technique is not exclusive to just horror movies, it also pops up in lots of thrillers, since lots of crazy ex-husbands and boyfriends tend to show up in the same manner as ghosts and serial killers.

Although all using the same basic premise, there are variations, with a few popping up the most.

Everything is perfectly fine, open the mirror, person or thing standing there.

Something scary fades in.

Something’s reflection is in the mirror, but not there when you turn around.

Paul F. Tompkins had an amazing bit about this years ago, about how the mirror scare always got him, even when he knew it was coming. Trust me when I say, take a few minutes and listen to this.

So, which mirror scare in this video is your favorite? Which one did they miss? Are there any other recurring horror movie scares that you’d like to see get the montage treatment? Tell us in the comments.

]]>Watch a Sketch From Netflix’s Upcoming WITH BOB AND DAVIDhttp://nerdist.com/watch-a-sketch-from-netflixs-upcoming-with-bob-and-david/
Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:00:06 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=325346Holy crap it’s almost time for a brand spankin’ new series from comedy geniuses Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, airing on Netflix this November! It’s almost time With Bob And David!

We were beyond excited when it was announced that Cross and Odenkirk would be doing another show with much of the original cast of Mr. Show. Hopes have been high for the series, and understandably so — the show is in the very capable hands of Bob and David, and is produced by the likes of Eric Wareheim, Tim Heidecker, Marc Provissiero, Dave Kneebone, Naomi Odenkirk and Tim Sarkes.

Perhaps knowing fans are chomping at the bit, Netflix released the sketch above that feels just like the good ol’ days of Mr. Show. Sure the guys are bit older, but they haven’t lost their style or timing. Bob and David are joined by Mr. Show alums Paul F. Tompkins, Jay Johnston and John Ennis in a sketch involving New Year’s resolutions. We’re abruptly dropped into a setting and given a humdrum premise with absurd variations, all while the cast takes time to pepper in a bit of nonsense the original show was famous for.

Not that we needed any proof, but this sketch is irrefutable evidence that With Bob And David is going to be every bit as good as we hoped.

What do you think about the sketch? Are you as excited as we are? Let us know in the comments below!

]]>@MIDNIGHT Recap: Ken Jeong, Ethan Embry, Paul F. Tompkins and More!http://nerdist.com/midnight-recap-ken-jeong-ethan-embry-paul-f-tompkins-and-more/
Sat, 10 Oct 2015 16:30:17 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=315596Welcome back, midnighters. This week of @midnight saw some wonderful moments of fun, laughter, and awkward masturbation miming. So, let’s get right to it and look at what went down.

Things kicked off on Monday night when Dr. Ken’s Ken Jeong, Suzy Nakamura, and Dave Foley dropped by to play more ridiculous games. First Chris mourned the fact that American Apparel filed for bankruptcy, but then asked the panelists to come up with new business ventures for the company’s CEO. Chris also used #Hashtag wars to wish Neil deGrasse Tyson a happy birthday by giving everyone a chance to correct science flubs with #NewScienceFacts.

Their next game, The Symptoms, required the comedians to offer up amusing ailments based on pictures and symptoms offered from the internet. Famous Last Heards involved the comedians coming up with terrible things you could hear before you die (seen in the clip below). The night wrapped up as FTW asked for Sex Tips worthy of a 50-year-old to celebrate 50 years of Cosmo magazine.

Chris opened Tag Team Tuesday by asking his panelists to pitch novels for a cash-grab rewrite like Twilight. Rapid Refresh took a trip into SqueeeNN to lessen the blow of terrible news with pictures of baby animals, and Chris asked his comedians for ideas of Australian-made treatments for ailments. Chris and the panelists paid tribute to Thomas Edison and his less-successful inventions during #HashtagWars by pitching #BadInventions. Check out the clip below to see some of the ideas that should be kept far away from patent offices. The game TRLsd had Chris pose questions to the panelists after watching clips of very trippy music videos, and the Live Challenge turned our comedians into tour guides for a mutated-animal preserve in Chernobyl. English as a second language asked the comedians to share observations elderly Brits might have about American life, and FTW wrapped the show up by having the comedians pitch new slogans for Burger King’s Halloween Whopper since it is reported to be turning people’s poo green.

There was no better way for our panelists to bring us into Wednesday than with ampaign slogans for a Joe Biden presidential campaign. The bar was set for a fantastic episode of @midnight. Yes, Eli Roth was back, and yes, the episode had its fair share of morbid masturbation jokes. There was no better example of that than Rapid Refresh, as the panelists pitched new picture filters for an R-rated Instagram and contemplated other major contributions Reddit could have to science other than sending “dickbutt” to the moon. Check it out in the clip below!

For a while now the @ symbol as simply been the “at” symbol, but for the last night of the week Chris set out to have the comedians give it an actual name. Rapid Refresh, our weekly trip into the Panderdome, had the comedians creating Vermont-based political stances for Bernie Sanders and ways Carly Fiorina could use her medieval history degree more in her political career. #HashtagWars kept it class with the topic of #RedneckIn3Words, and the game “Win, Lose, or Draw a Dick” on my Face inspired questions about pictures of people who’ve been pranked after passing out at parties. Snapchat’s new filters gave Chris the idea for the night’s Live Challenge, and the comedians had to deliver some sort of bad news through a filtered Snap Chat.

There you have it, readers. All the recap that is fit to print… digitally. Be sure to check Comedy Central for any of the full episodes of the week you may have missed, and we will see you all next week for more @midnight.

]]>Goldbergs, Goosebumps, Gilbert: The Week In Podcastshttp://nerdist.com/goldbergs-goosebumps-gilbert-the-week-in-podcasts/
Fri, 09 Oct 2015 22:00:41 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=317365Here’s what we had for you, and you, and you, too, on the Nerdist Podcast Network this week:

Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs, on the Nerdist Podcast, talking about hoodies, ’80s movies, the great Dabney Coleman, Go-Bots, and Ghostbusters, not to mention the good ol’ days when the WWE was the WWF. The podcast is as wildly entertaining in its nostalgia as the TV show is, which is a lot.

You’ve seen the video, and then Jack Black was back on the Nerdist Podcast (posting Friday, subject to scheduling and production). It’s a relaxed chat about big heads, Green Lantern, great TV, UCLA, marriage, Festival Supreme (Saturday at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium), and the new Goosebumps movie with Jack as a fictional version of author R.L. Stine. Oh, and, yes, there’s talk about The D. It’s all about the D. (Ahem.)

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” visited You Made It Weird to chat with Pete about social awkwardness at concerts, parties, everywhere. And divining what’s inside others (and yourself). And using your power, and the joys of social media (versus talking to your family, who probably don’t want to hear what you have to say), and cancer as a learning experience, and the pitfalls of aspiring for perfection, and much more.

The guys talked marriage on a hostful Nerdist Podcast to trade advice and things (hey, they coulda asked ME — I got 25 years of marriage on ’em). At the time of the taping, Matt was two weeks away from the Big Day, and Chris, of course, had just gotten engaged, so it’s all anyone could think about. Hey, guys? Mazel tov.

David Yarovesky dropped by The Indoor Kids to renew old acquaintances, talk about his movie The Hive (presented, of course, by Nerdist), and talk about old school video games and movies and stuff. Lots of how-it-was-made movie talk, too.

Dan and Razzle went guest-free on Today We Learned and they go through the history of M&Ms and Tom Cruise’s brush with playing Iron Man, and what’s on TV now, and second-lining in New Orleans, and more rambling.

Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age, Failure, A Perfect Circle, Sweethead) joined Kevin and Steve to talk music, touring, and STDs on Chewin’ It.

Jessica Merizan, cosplayer and Legendary’s own Fandom Experience Manager, sat down with Janet for The JV Club for talk about TV, gaming, performing, and Xanga.

]]>Hardwatch: Week of October 5th, 2015http://nerdist.com/hardwatch-week-of-october-5th-2015/
Mon, 05 Oct 2015 02:00:29 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=314798We are so close to the premiere of The Walking Dead and thus of Talking Dead that this walker fan can hardly contain herself. As it is, we get a little Fear the Walking Dead Talking Dead special. The episode will air directly after the finale of the summer special series that has chronicled the beginning of the virus’s spread in Los Angeles. Hardwick will have Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis and Dave Erickson on as guest for this special program at 10pm/9pm on AMC.

There will only be three episodes of @midnight this week. Monday night, Ken Jeong, Dave Foley and Suzy Nakamura will bring the funny times to the podiums. Kurt Braunohler will face off against two as-of-now unannounced guests on Tuesday night. We’re skipping Wednesday night this week, but Thursday night will have Nerdist pal Paul F. Tompkins and Randy Liedtke going against a surprise guest. Make sure you tune in for all the funny times.

While we’re short an @midnight episode, we will be rich in Nerdist Podcasts this week. Jack Blackreturns for the third time to the podcast to discuss the funny, the entertaining, and important things like what he’s watching on TV. Oh, and he’s also in this spooky little movie that will give you Goosebumps that comes out on October 16. Adam Goldberg stops by to talk pop culture and classic movies as well as ABC’s The Goldbergs. Remember how I said this week was going to be rich in podcasts? The final podcast of the week will be a hostful with talk of weddings and engagements and all sorts of stuff you want to know.

]]>@MIDNIGHT Recap: Paul F. Tompkins, Matt Braunger, THE LEAGUE, and More!http://nerdist.com/midnight-recap-paul-f-tompkins-matt-braunger-the-league-and-more/
Sat, 12 Sep 2015 19:00:08 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=304077Hello, readers! We are back to our almost-regularly scheduled weekly recaps for everyone’s favorite late-night, comedic gameshow that happens to be based around the internet. This is the first of @midnight‘s three week stint at 11 o’clock, for which I will be lovingly referring to the show as @eleven, and we also had a short week due to the holiday. I hope the comedians were extra funny to make up for it. (Spoiler Alert: they totally were.)

We start off on a Tuesday and while we were away not only did we celebrate Labor Day, but we also celebrated the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. For this festive time of year, as well as the growing attention to political campaigns Chris kicked off the show asking for some politically based beverage choices for those looking to shake things up. Chris also remembered his purchases from the past week’s Force Friday, which lead to Andrea Savage explaining why she and Chris broke up all those years ago. Chris asked them to name less-popular Star Wars toys that might exist, and the first #HashtagWar topic after the hiatus asked for everyone to think of ways to #RuinABoardGame. Chris then asked the comedians to explain some of their “totally-not-doctored” vacation photos from their summer, and trust me they were pretty crazy. Check it out in the video below. We reopened some recent wounds by leaving voicemails for the dentist that killed Cecil the Lion in Tuesday’s Live Challenge, looked at some lesser-known facts about Mario to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his first game, and FTW wondered what Kim Davis’s letter from prison would read like if her lawyer really thinks she is so similar to Martin Luther King Jr.

Day two for @eleven and Chris was happy to find that people are not giving him and the show a bunch of grief for the time change—despite how much they might be giving him for his new haircut. Apple’s announcements on Wednesday meant new products in their catalogue, and Chris wanted to know what our trio of comedians would ask their new TV-based Siri. Chris and crew took us on a round-up in Rapid Refresh, asking the comedians to take a cue from Hilary Clinton and apologize for a political mishap before dancing it away, giving voice to the thoughts of a dog before it vomits. (Really.) If Tuesday’s topic for #HashtagWars wasn’t topical enough for you, then Wednesday’s would’ve been right up your alley with #RejectedAppleProducts. The gang went on analyze song parodies based on farming, as well as give play-by-play commentary on a rabbit crashing a Canadian Football game. Apparently the FBI was investigating Burning Man this year, so check out the clip below to find out what they found. Similarly, the FTW investigated what the “American” language that Sarah Palin is so gung-ho about might sound like.

The short week wrapped up with a visit from several cast members of the FXX series The League for a night of fun and hilarity. Who better, right? The night kicked off with news headlines from the newly Rupert Murdoch version of National Geographic and a another trip into the Panderdome on Rapid Refresh. It seems Hilary Clinton wants to send out mystery boxes to supports, which the guests tried to guess the contents, and they also offered up campaign slogans for John Macafee’s presidential campaign. The week’s last topic for #HastagWars contemplated #NewNFLScandals now that the season has started up, and the comedians had to guess dialogue from strange VHS tape clips. See how that worked out for them in the amazing clip below. Just remember, it is NSFW. The laughs kept coming as the boys took to the Live Challenge to come up with lines for baboon-themed office images on Getty, created names for fake porn magazines, and the final FTW of the week offered up a Tinder profile for a dog who ate a bunch of its owner’s lipstick.

It was a short week gang, but definitely worth it. Be sure to check out the full episodes on Comedy Central’s website, and come back next week for another recap of @midnight’s second week @eleven.


About Hotel Melia Cayo Guillermo

Noted for its five star accommodation in Hotel Melia Cayo Guillermo and its pretty walkway over the water with viewpoint and private shady cabins and beach named after Ernest Hemingway, the Hotel Melia Cayo Guillermo is the ideal choice for fans of scuba diving, fishing and enjoying the beach and water with special offers for these activities, located in extraordinary pristine surroundings.

Pretty plants decorate the open, fresh lobby from where you can see the beautiful lagoon shaped pool with bridges and floating gardens. A skylight enhances the natural lighting and the central patio invites you to enjoy a quiet drink or chat at any time of the day.

A refined atmosphere is created with music on its terraces and in its interior, with piano bar open at night.

The hotel has many open areas, gardens with sunbeds, palapas for massages, abundant tropical vegetation and a Club Cubamigos, where our youngest guests can live a wonderful holiday experience.Located right on the beach in Cayo Guillermo, this all inclusive five start resort covers an area of some 11,600 m².

Its rooms are distributed amongst a main building, three storey blocks and bungalows.

Oops!! Not rooms found.

Laundry service

A la carte restaurant

Buffet restaurant

Specialized restaurant

Grill

Lobby bar

Beach bar

Pool-side bar

Snack bar

Facilities for handicapped persons

Tour desk

Currency exchange service

Internet

Fax

Medical service

Shop

Car hire

Swimming Pool

Children Swimming Pool

Children club

Non-Motorized water sports equipment

Bicycle hire

Fitness center

Beauty parlor

Banquet facilities

Conference room

Cybercafe

Massages

Parking

Massage

Taxi

Games

Audiovisual equipment for meetings

Wedding facilities

Honeymoon gifts

Tennis court

Club house

Shuttle service

Diving lessons

Diving facilities

Baby club

Disco bar

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