The word “apocalypse” literally means “lifting of the veil” or “revelation” and is typically used to describe the end of the world, whether that end is brought about by something spiritual, natural, man-made or a combination of all three.

There are as many theories on how the world will end as there are religions, faiths and philosophies. Thus, Hollywood has lots to choose from when deciding how to show the demise of humanity on the big screen. And the creators of the new Internet television series “2012” have added a new voice to the genre. In “2012”, the Mayan calendar is correct and in December, 2012, aliens destroy most of life on earth. A handful of courageous survivors must overcome the odds as they are guided to safety by the mysterious extrasensory visions of an unknown Mayan god. With resources at a minimum, basic survival is key as they attempt to battle the aliens and evade the rest of the humans who have been infected beyond a cure.

2012: Arrival – Ep.1

Since there won’t be any filmmakers left to document the actual end of life as we know it, below are nine films which, if they didn’t get it exactly right, did a great job depicting The End.

Children of Men

The end of the world comes quietly and sadly in this 2006 Clive Owen-starrer. It is the year 2027 and mankind has lost the ability to reproduce.

Owen plays a man who is a shell of his former self. Once a fiery activist, now he’s just waiting for humanity’s extinction. That changes, however, when his old friend and partner, played by Julianne Moore, introduces him to a pregnant woman. Seeing this miracle ignites Owen’s fire and he risks it all to get her to safety.

Children of Men, based on the book The Children of Men, does a great job at giving audiences an alternative to big, violent, end-times fare. Chronic, species-wide infertility is a great villain and the film captures the sadness and longing that a slow march to extinction would bring.

The Omega Man

Charlton Heston makes pretty much any movie list-worthy and The Omega Man is no exception. In this movie, Heston plays Colonel Robert Neville, a man trying to save the remaining bits of humanity from the effects of the biological warfare that wiped out everyone else. Most humans who survived have turned into albino mutants bent on destroying all technology. Neville does not become a mutant because he had access to an experimental vaccine that spared his life.

He finds a band of humans who are infected, but who haven’t turned into mutants yet and creates a vaccine that will save them as well. But before he can give it to them, one of them betrays him, leading to his death. Despite the betrayal, Neville still hands off the meds and dies in an appropriately maudlin Christ pose.

Mad Max (franchise)

The three movies that make up the Mad Max franchise (Mad Max, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome) explore the emotional ramifications of a greedy society that cannot control its urges or change with the times. In this world, dependence on oil has destroyed the landscape and the people that inhabit it. Society is now ruled by cruel, violent gangs who use torture, threats and terror to maintain their existence. Single gallons of petrol are precious, priceless commodities and thugs have no qualms or hesitation about killing to get a jug.

Enter Max Rockatansky, played by the then-newcomer Mel Gibson. At the start of the series, Max is a police officer working to uphold the law and restore some sort of order. The senseless murder of his wife and child are enough to prove to Max that order is impossible to restore and he becomes a thug himself — though one constantly battling between his old, rational, emotional self and the Max he is becoming — a man bent on revenge and delighting in treatment as cruel as what was inflicted upon him.

Thanks to the unique setting, unique costumes, motorcycles, and machinery-focused storytelling devices, the Mad Max movies have become cult favorites.

28 Days Later

This film adds a touch of horror to the genre. Instead of people dying suddenly and/or mysteriously, mankind is infected with a wildly contagious “rage” virus that causes sufferers to act out violently and either kill everything in sight or be killed by people trying to defend themselves. The story follows four survivors as society falls to pieces around them.

The seamless combination of genres — horror, zombie, end of the world, allegory –makes 28 Days Later an excellent example of apocalyptic cinema.

Logan’s Run

The best genre films take the basics of the genre and layer in contemporary commentary. Logan’s Run adds the rarely discussed topic of ageism to a dystopian setting. In this film, based on the book of the same name, balance and order are maintained by killing every citizen when they reach the age of 21. This is the only way the powers that be see to keep mankind from depleting the Earth’s dwindling resources.

Titular character Logan is in charge of finding and executing Runners — people who try to escape their fate. He goes rogue in order to infiltrate a group of Runners and soon finds he has more in common with them that he does with the governmental forces he worked for so long.

Equilibrium

Like Logan’s Run, Equilibrium features a society trying to stave off its apocalypse. In this world, feelings are considered the enemy. Citizens are prohibited from engaging in or enjoying artistic expression and take daily injections to stop all emotion. Christian Bale plays a law-enforcement officer charged with making sure people obey these rules. Naturally, he re-discovers how beautiful art can be and leads a resistance to overthrow the oppressive regime.

The film received mixed reviews, but deserves a spot on the list for the very cool martial arts created for the film: the Gun Kata. This fighting style pits gunmen in close hand to hand combat where they avoid direct bullet hits in favor of elaborate ricochets.

Soylent Green

Set in 2022, Soylent Green tells the story of an Earth significantly destroyed by overpopulation and global warming. Charlton Heston plays Robert Thorne, a police officer who is investigating the death of a Soylent Corporation official. The Soylent Corporation has been keeping humanity satiated by feeding people Soylent Green — a food substance they claim is made from plankton. Soon, however, Thorne discovers that the oceans no longer produce plankton and thus realizes… “Soylent Green is PEEEEEEEOPLE!!”

The Road

As if the sudden and tragic death of most people on the planet isn’t scary enough, The Road adds in a creepy layer by showing us what happens when scared people become desperate to survive. A father and son leave their home on a long walk in search of warmer weather and hopefully other humans. They do find other humans — but not the type of people who would make great new neighbors. Mankind has turned cannibal and a fight for their lives turns into a fight to the death.

The common perception of this movie is that it’s definitely worth seeing, that you will be glad that you saw it, but that you won’t want to see it again. Where many apocalypse-related films use frightening new images of destruction we’ve never seen before, The Road uses images that are very familiar. In fact, one of the most haunting scenes — two ships beached on a freeway — was an actual shot of destruction left by Hurricane Katrina. These very real images paired with the very real emotions displayed by lead actors Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee create a powerfully bleak story that is almost too relatable for comfort.

The Book of Eli

Though there are clear religious overtones in this 2010 thriller, The Book of Eli puts a grounded spin on those overtones so that if religious forces are what bring about the end of humanity, it’s reasonable to think they might look like this.

The hero, Denzel Washington’s Eli, is stoic, mysterious, matter-of-fact and down to business. He doesn’t romanticize the death and destruction he comes upon, nor does he fear it. He simply does what needs to be done in a direct to-the-point manner often unseen in post-apocalyptic settings. Eli has a mission to accomplish that he will clearly get to, end of the world or not. In a genre normally overrun with loud and obvious fear, The Book of Eli shows another depiction of mass destruction: acceptance and faith.

2012: Discovery – Ep.2

Watch the next episode of the new Internet TV series 2012

A former Seattle Times news reporter, Aydrea has since written for Nickelodeon, NBC/Universal, Highlander Films, Hawaii Film Partners, Makers Studios, iO West, The Second City Los Angeles, NowWrite! Screenwriting and Disney.

Every so often we hear that news story that’s sure to send shivers down our spines: a missing person’s case. In our digital age, when having your actions recorded is an almost unavoidable aspect of everyday life, the ability of someone to completely go dark and cold is a gargantuan feat. Tragically, most people that go missing do so against their will – victims of kidnappers and murderers unfortunately skilled at covering up their tracks. Cases like these make us grateful for the strides modern-day law enforcement and private investigators have made in discovering the undiscoverable.

There are those select few, however, who choose to disappear without a trace. People in sudden danger or with dark pasts they’d prefer to escape by simply hitting the delete button, rather than confront in their daily lives.

Hollywood has been mining stories of people assuming false identities for ages. A few notable titles – without spoiling the premises they promise – do so quite well. Kim Novak showed us the damage a false persona can do in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 classic Vertigo. Faye Dunaway took it a step towards the unsavory in Roman Polanski’s equally revered 1974 noir Chinatown. In the 1996 film Eraser, Arnold Schwarzenegger played a Federal Marshall from the Witness Security Program who specialized in erasing people’s pasts. Ironically, the movie star and former Governor’s actual buried past was unearthed in May 2011, when it was discovered he fathered a child with his housekeeper 14 years earlier. Spike Lee also explored the idea of escaping a jail sentence by disappearing in his intelligent 2002 film 25th Hour starring Edward Norton.

Internet TV powerhouse KoldCast TV progresses the seedy world of forgotten pasts with their modern-day noir thriller The Steps. The original series features Charlie Madison, a Hollywood P. I. who used to bug the houses of the stars before getting into hot water with the law and escaping to Small Town, USA under an assumed identity. The former detective now spends his days desperately hoping his dark past will stay where he left it, passing the time at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to fight the call of the bottle. Unfortunately, powerful forces he’d hoped were permanently behind him creep up on his new low-profile life, determined to flush him out and hunt him down.

The Steps: Season 2, Episode 1 – The Pick-Up

A person doesn’t have to be in trouble with the law to look for a second chance. The market for a new identity runs the gamut: a whistleblower running from an unscrupulous corporation, someone who got in over their head with a certain organized crime family, or even guys left wondering how their realization of the American dream turned so dull, who decide to take a permanent vacation. Whatever the reason, if you’re serious about disappearing there are people out there who can make it happen… for a fee. We’ve taken some fundamental rules from the playbook of a real-life professional eraser to sneak a glimpse at how it’s done.

Former skip tracer – that’s a private investigator specializing in finding people – Frank Ahearn is the world’s foremost expert on disappearing. Of course, Frank doesn’t have client testimonials to back his skills up, so he wrote a couple of books on the subject. Author of “How to Disappear” and “Digital Hit Man”, Ahearn has reverse-engineered the skills from his former profession as a skip tracer to help over 30 people vanish off the face of the earth. He’s outlined three fundamental steps to making it happen:

Destroy Old Information About Yourself

It’s absolutely necessary to remove any records of your whereabouts and behavior as best you can before setting out for a new life. This also entails deleting or replacing personal information with an invented name and address, if shutting it down completely isn’t possible. You want to evaporate or falsify utility bills, airlines, phone service providers, gym memberships, browser history (especially the “How to Disappear” Google searches), emails, credit card companies, network sign-in locations, etc. Essentially, anything that can be traced – and assume everything can be traced.

Create Fake Information About Yourself

Assuming someone out there will care to find you, or even more effectively hire someone to find you; you’ll want to leave a few trails of disinformation. The goal is to lead your pursuers down rabbit holes in order to buy you time to set up your new life. This is where you’ll want to use your real personal information, linking it to various establishments and locations you’ll be sure to stay far, far away from. Leaving some updates on a social network from a trip that never took place may be helpful. Frank suggests applying for an apartment in one town and renting a car in another to earn you a couple of days.

Get Outa Dodge!

The most obvious step is, of course, setting up your new life somewhere else – somewhere where you have the weakest personal or professional ties. What’s not as obvious is how to manage a new identity. According to Frank, you’ll want to create a dummy company to pay your bills. Mobile phones should only be used with prepaid plans and exchanged monthly. Wages earned need to be reported under your new name and if you need a license to work, that can be trickier. Mr. Ahearn recalls one client, a lawyer whose life was threatened by a former defendant, who needed to practice law but couldn’t create a fake license. She became a legal consultant instead.

The phrase “the devil is in the details” embodies what disappearing successfully requires of a person. The smallest glitch in execution, whether it’s the slip of a tongue on a phone call or logging onto an insecure wireless network, can open up the door to your whereabouts for authorities or trained professionals. In keeping with the motif, The Steps cleverly integrates the importance of details in its plotlines, often dropping seemingly throwaway lines or backstory that lead to cathartic “A Ha!” moments several episodes down the line. Season 2 is here. Catch up before the show disappears completely.

The Steps: In Hell – Ep.1

Ariel Nishli has a big apple in his heart but moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry after graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2007. He started in the motion picture literary department at ICM before moving on to feature film development at Parkes/MacDonald Productions. Ariel’s wardrobe has steadily devolved from designer suits to worn out slippers, as he now focuses on screenwriting and freelance writing.

Some people home school for religious reasons. Others choose to teach at home because the traditional school system doesn’t fit their children’s learning style or unique needs. However, if you’re like Mickey’s mom in the original Internet TV comedy series Homeschooled, you home school because your kid got expelled. Like Mickey, those unfamiliar with homeschooling may think it’s not as rigorous as “regular” school, but as he quickly finds out, getting an education at home isn’t necessarily a breeze. With a strict mother for a teacher, and a grumpy old step-dad for a principal, these students (Mickey, his half-brother Abel, and his step-sister Audrey) discover that being homeschooled is no walk in the park. And it never is. But the benefits, well, sure paid dividends for these recognizable students.

Homeschooled – Homeschool Sucks

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)

Born a slave in Virginia and by the time the Civil War had ended in 1865, nine year old Booker T. Washington was already working in a salt furnace and headed for the coal mines. He was educated at home and often worked teaching other kids in his community. In fact, Booker managed to educate himself so well that by the age of 16 he qualified for entrance to Virginia’s Hampton and Normal Institute (now known as Hampton College). He worked there as a janitor to pay his way. Booker was a leader in the post-slavery black community where he emphasized education, training for a vocation, and accumulation of savings to help gain equality with whites. Mr. Washington’s later work as president of the Tuskegee Institute (another black college) earned him the opportunity to go to the White House and meet President Theodore Roosevelt. At the time of his death he was a well-respected member of the political and education landscape.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Many people remember the 16th President of The United States for being the one who signed the Emancipation Proclamation which ended slavery, or for his big top hat, or even for being the tallest Commander In Chief we’ve ever had. Few people, however, know that ‘honest Abe’ was homeschooled until he went to law school. Growing up in rural parts of Kentucky and Illinois, young Abe Lincoln didn’t have much opportunity to go to school but his step-mother encouraged him to learn to read. Reading skills helped him in his future jobs as a postmaster and owner of a general store. After spending some time working, getting to know people in the community and even rendering service in the Black Hawk War of 1832, Lincoln went to law school, was elected to the Illinois State Legislature and eventually became President of the United States, before being assassinated in 1865.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Albert Einstein is perhaps one of the world’s most impressive high school dropouts. As the result of his father’s many business failings, Albert and his family moved around quite a bit, making formal schooling difficult to complete. At home, he became fascinated with geography and science and read many books on the subjects. Einstein’s parents did try to help him complete a traditional high school education, but doing so required that he be left at a boarding school. He wanted badly to be with his family so he dropped out of school and headed to Switzerland. Like many parents, the Einstein’s believed their son was very bright and could do better, so they encouraged him to attend the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Due to his high math scores, the university agreed to accept him soon after completing his high school certificate, which he did. Einstein excelled at physics and later went on to win the Nobel Prize for his theory of relativity… that ever famous E=MC².

CS Lewis (1898-1963)

The author of many books, including the very popular The Chronicles of Narnia series, CS Lewis was homeschooled before fighting in World War I and then being accepted into Britain’s University College, Oxford. Lewis also went on to become a professor of Renaissance English at the prestigious Cambridge University. Over the course of his life, he wrote nearly 40 books, several of which have been turned into movies.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)

With a teacher for a mother, a preacher for a father, and a home set in a very small Wisconsin town, all the pieces were in place for a solid homeschooled education for Frank Lloyd Wright. Homeschooling worked out really well for young Frank who was able to spend a lot of time outdoors, appreciating nature and becoming familiar with the environment around him. He did end up going to a traditional high school, and then university (where he studied engineering), but he dropped out in order to become an architect’s apprentice. Despite his disjointed formal education, Frank Lloyd Wright became one of the most famous architects in American history whose work is recognized for its clean lines and its ability to blend architecture with the surrounding landscape.

Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)

Pearl Buck was born to Christian Missionaries and spent much of her early life in China. Until the age of about 15, Pearl was homeschooled by her mother and a tutor. After being taught at home, she went to boarding school and later received degrees from Randolph-Macon College and Cornell University. Seeing the conditions in China during her early years and comparing them to how she saw women living in the United States, Ms. Buck became a strong advocate for Civil and Women’s Rights. She became the first American woman to win a Nobel Prize for Literature after publishing The Good Earth.

Beatrix Potter (1866-1943)

Beatrix Potter is best known as the creator of Peter Rabbit and friends. Growing up a very wealthy and isolated girl, Beatrix spent a lot of time outdoors and alone where she would make up stories about the animals she saw in the gardens. She was also a very good artist who self-illustrated her many stories. One of the most interesting things about the books she published was their design – one which made it easy for small children could handle them. Ms. Potter spent many years in Northern England at her home known as “Hill Top” where she continued to write, draw and study the nature around her. She accumulated land with the money earned from publishing her works, which she later donated to England’s National Trust so the land could never be developed.

Margaret Atwood (born 1939)

Margaret Atwood grew up in Northeastern Canada and went on to receive an undergraduate degree from Victoria College and then on to her Masters degree at Radcliffe College. Atwood published many novels, non-fiction books and poetry. Her novel The Blind Assassin won The Booker Prize and she was named Person of the Year in her home country of Canada. Additionally, her book The Handmaid’s Tale, and one of her most well known, was made into a movie a few years back. Ms. Atwood is also rather technologically savvy; she can be followed on Twitter and has a Facebook page.

Sandra Day O’Connor (born 1930)

After growing up on her family’s Arizona ranch, Sandra Day O’Connor graduated from Stanford University and Law School. From there, she went on to serve in her state’s senate and was later appointed by President Regan as the first female Supreme Court Justice. She served on the Supreme Court for nearly 25 years before retiring. O’Connor left the Court with a reputation for being fair and standing up for the letter of the law instead of caving to the pressures of the political scene.

Homeschooling. It worked for these fine people. Will it work for Mickey? Doubtful.

Homeschooled – The Bully

Watch more episodes of the KoldCast TV comedy series HOMESCHOOLED

Julia Todd lives on the Central Coast of California with her two young sons. When she’s not at the office or doing coursework for her MBA she tries to squeeze in a few hours of sleep. She also enjoys watching movies, wine tasting, reading, baking, and traveling. She has high hopes of finishing one of the many books she’s started. Her dream is to spend a summer in Reims writing and listening to her boys learn French.

In 1788, Great Britain established a penal colony on an island that today is the sixth-largest country in the world – Australia. The sheer beauty of Australia has mystified the world since its discovery. Only the indigenous people, known as Aborigines, inhabited the Australian landmass before Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, but today, over 5 million people travel to visit the land down under. When filmmaker Steinar Ellingsen and his crew set out for Australia for the first time in the travel documentary series, The Inland Sea, they experienced what very few people ever get the opportunity to see.

Ellingsen and team traveled throughout Australia starting and ending their journey in Melbourne. And although most people only think of images of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, Crocodile Dundee, or Men at Work, Australia has many beautiful and amazing attributes that many just don’t know about or ever get to see.

The Inland Sea – Dive Into The Inland Sea

The Great Barrier Reef

One of Australia’s top tourist destinations is the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system. The reef was first discovered by outsiders in 1770 when Captain Cook ran aground on a shoal, though the local indigenous tribes certainly already knew of the reef’s location. Staggeringly amazing, approximately 10% of the world’s fish species live on the reef with hundreds of hard coral, mollusk species, and sponges. However, many people worry about the outlook for the reef. Scientists estimate that by 2050, 95% of its living coral could be dead as the ocean temperatures increase by 1.5 degrees Celcius. Much is being done to try to save the reef from acidic waters, and to lessen the damage from climate change, but nonetheless, the only individual living thing visible from space… is in danger.

Ayers Rock

Also known as Uluru, Ayers Rock is a large sandstone formation in the middle of Australia. Based on the sunlight, the rock appears to change color and at times glow. One of the legends of Uluru is that it was formed when two tribes of ancient spirits were invited to a feast but were distracted by a lizard woman, and the feast never occurred. After being stood-up, a battle between the two tribes began. Due to the bloodshed, the Uluru sandstone formation rose up from the land as a mark of grief. To the local people, land holds the records of its ancestors and Ayers Rock is one of the most spectacular records of all. Archeologists have found other types of records which show that people have settled in the area for more than 10,000 years. Today, approximately 400,000 annual visitors come to see its glory and to experience this island mountain.

The Inland Sea – Uluru and Molly Clark

The Sydney Opera House

Sydney needed a large venue for theatrical productions and political leaders called for a dedicated opera house. When the design competition began, no one thought that the opera house would become one of the landmark architectural wonders of the twentieth century. Danish architect, Jorn Utzon, designed a structure that had parabolic arches which curved down to the base without any apparent supports. However, when the proposal was announced no one knew how to actually build the design. Slowly, the design had to be adapted because the government became concerned about the cost of the project. Eventually, due to fighting with local officials, Utzon left the project. In 1973, the Opera House was formally completed ten years late and over-budget by more than fourteen times the original proposal. But these costs seem small compared to the stature it currently has in the annals of architectural history.

Aboriginal Rock Art

Estimated to be over 40,000 years old, rock art made by the indigenous peoples of Australia used organic materials to describe their culture and myths. The traditional art focused on Dreamtime, a sacred story which laid down the meaning of life for the Aboriginal people and, for many, this spiritual nature has become the main characteristic of aboriginal art. Generally, Dreamtime, or The Dreaming, is similar to the concept of heaven, inasmuch as the indigenous people believe that every person exists eternally in it – prior to birth and after death. Modern artists, like Emily Kngwarreye, have continued the ancient tradition. Kngwarreye, who began her painting career at the age of 80, liked to feature yam plants in her works because the plant was an important source of food. But her masterpiece, Earth’s Creation, includes multitudes of colors that were influenced by the land. The painting includes images of blooming wildflowers, leaves and grasses, as dusts blows off of them. In 2007, the painting sold for over $1 million.

Earth’s Creation

Koonwarra Plant

The world’s oldest discovered plant was found near Melbourne in 1989. This tiny fossilized plant, labeled a fern, lived 120 million years ago. At the time, scientists believed that nearly all plants that bear seeds are likely descendants of this species. The plant had two leaves and one flower. From this one species, botanists are able to investigate plant evolution and the origin of flowering plants.

Waltzing Matilda

One of the most famous songs to come out of Australia is the classic folk song, “Waltzing Matilda.” However, the song is not about either a dance move or a woman. Written by Australian poet Banjo Paterson with music by Christina Macpherson, Waltzing Matilda means the act of carrying a swap, the equivalent of a bag, like one sees in the images of hobos with a sack tied to the end of a stick. Many believe the song embodies the free spirit, resourcefulness, and defiance of the Australian people, while others believe it is a political statement, like the classic nursery rhymes, Humpty Dumpty and Ring Around the Rosie. Either way, it’s a catchy tune.

The Inland Sea – Flatback Turtles, Port Hedland

Read More on The Wall: Australian Contributions We Can’t Do Without

Dan Billings lives in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. When he’s not running and listening to BBC podcasts, he’s reading comic books. He likes to consider himself a successful funny man, but that may only be true compared to the other legal writers that he spends his days with. On occasion, he writes on his own personal blog at rockthewesternworld.com.

10 Things You Should Know About The Super Bowl – A Truly American Holiday

For most of America, Super Bowl Sunday is a holiday. To some more extreme fans, it’s a religious holiday – brought to you in part by the Church of Budweiser. On this day, there’s massive food consumption, hooting and hollering, face and belly painting, and no shortage of televisions thrown angrily through windows. Some statistics suggest that the Monday following the Super Bowl is the most popular “sick day” taken by American workers.

America, being the fairly young, fatally handsome upstart of a country that it is, has very few traditions it can claim as truly its own: Jazz, Beer Pong, Vegas buffets. But when it comes to football, adults, children and Man-Teen‘s alike, show respect on Super Bowl Sunday. The Super Bowl, as celebration and spectacle, is 110% American. And in that spirit, don’t you think you should be well educated in one of this country’s most important “holidays?”

Man-Teen – Cleanin’ The Kitty

1. There Wasn’t Always a Super Bowl

I know it sounds strange, but there was a dark period in our history when there was no Super Bowl. We were expected to go without nachos on Sunday and show up to work on Monday not hungover.

It wasn’t until January 15th, 1967, that those two magic words, Super Bowl, were first uttered by America. Though the term is iconic now, if then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had gotten his way, the game would have been called “The Big One.” Ultimately, the NFL decided to go with “Super Bowl” because so many of the season-ending college football games were referred to as “Bowl Games.” And, I assume, because “The Big One” would have made the game sound too much like a rerun of Sanford and Son.

2. The NFL Used to have Competition

The National Football League, or NFL, came into being in 1920. It was the most prominent and powerful league of football players, but it wasn’t the only one. Certain upstarts and competitive leagues popped up here and there, vying for the NFL’s fans and potential players. In 1960, the AFL, the America Football League, showed up and genuinely gave the NFL a run for its money. With teams like The New York Jets and The Kansas City Chiefs, the AFL wasn’t going anywhere, and the NFL got worried. That legitimate worry culminated in merger talks start ing in 1966. Those talks eventually lead to a merger agreement. The two entities would meet in a championship game, a Super Bowl, at the end of their respective seasons until 1970. After that, they would officially merge to become one big company: The new and improved NFL.

3. The Bowl was Named After a Toy

That’s right. The Super Bowl was actually named after a bouncy ball manufactured by the Wham-O company, the Super Ball. The most popular Super Bowl origin story takes place in the 1960’s. A fellow named Lamar Hunt, who happened to be the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and co-founder of the AFL, was watching his children play with a Super Ball. When the time came to coin a name for the World Championship game, Hunt jokingly suggested “Super Bowl.” To his surprise, the name stuck. Whether that story is the whole truth and nothing but still remains open for debate. The Super Ball that Hunt’s kids were playing with that day, however, is now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. So entirely true or not, the NFL is standing behind it.

4. If You Say It, You’re Breaking the Law

The name “Super Bowl” is copyrighted and can only legally be used by the NFL and its affiliates. Ever notice that commercials ask if you’ve bought enough Doritos for the Big Game, and radio ads announce their Honda Football Sale-a-bration? They never actually say “Super Bowl.” That’s because they can’t. They would get slapped with a huge fine, or worse, slapped by a huge linebacker. Both hurt. A lot.

5. There Are Dynasties of the Gridiron

Just as the Ming Dynasty and the Evans/Forsythe/Collins Dynasty proved their staying power, certain NFL franchises have won or appeared in so many Super Bowls that they are now the stuff of NFL legend. The Green Bay Packers, who show up again in Super Bowl XLV this year, won the very first Super Bowl ever played. They won the following year too. The Pittsburgh Steelers, also appearing in XLV, have won 6 Super Bowls to date. The Dallas Cowboys and The San Francisco 49ers have each won five Super Bowls.

Winning The Big One doesn’t just give a team bragging rights, but it does mean that a lot more cash will flow into the franchise, the players, and the community. The competition is fierce and not every team that shows up to play goes all the way. Not every NFL team has attained a coveted Super Bowl ring. Sadder still, four franchises have yet to even play in a Super Bowl. Those teams are: The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and The Houston Texans.

6. The Half-Time Show Wasn’t Always a Show

Say what you will about the half-time entertainment at the Super Bowl. Say you hate The Black-Eyed Peas or U2 or Paul McCartney. (Though every time you say you hate Paul McCartney the Queen Mum sheds a single tear.) Maybe you’re not a fan of wardrobe malfunctions. No matter what your opinion is, you have to admit that the Bowl tries to put on a good show. They are doing their best to grab your attention and keep you watching. They don’t want you flipping the channel to The Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet. They want your eyes glued and your wallet out, ready to spend money on whatever it is they’re selling. However, as iconic as The Half-Time Show may be, it’s a far cry from the humble beginnings of the show.

At the first Super Bowl, the Half-Time show consisted of the marching bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University – plus a performance from the Anaheim High School Drill Team. The first big, non-band name to appear at the game was Carol Channing in 1970. She took the stage with a tribute to Mardi Gras. The tribute featured Southern University’s marching band. It wasn’t until 1993 that the show featured only one performer. That performer was Michael Jackson, and it was the one and only time that the TV ratings for the Half-Time show were bigger than the game itself.

READ: 19 High-Profile Wardrobe Malfunctions – #3 Super Bowl XXXVIII

7. The Super Bowl Made a Dangerous Enemy in Alan Alda

Until February 7, 2010, the most-watched American television broadcast ever had been the final episode of M*A*S*H. It is estimated that over 100 million people said goodbye to Alan Alda’s loveable rogue Hawkeye Pierce that fateful eve in 1983. All that changed, however, when over 106 million people saw The New Orleans Saints defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. Those numbers are staggering considering they’re pretty reliable year after year. They are also the main reason why advertisers pay so much to show their ads during the game. Of the Top 10 Most-Watched Broadcasts in American History, 4 of them have been Super Bowls. Out of the Top 20, 11 are Super Bowls. I wonder if Hawkeye will watch this year.

READ: 10 Most-Watched Television Finales of All Time – #1 M*A*S*H*

8. High Stakes, High Security

As I mentioned, a lot of people watch The Super Bowl. Add to that, a lot of people attend the Super Bowl. Depending on the size of the stadium, we’re talking tens of thousands – a sea of humanity stuffed with hotdogs and Coors Light. Because of the high-profile nature of the event and the pesky, ever-present threat of terrorism, The Super Bowl has been designated a National Special Security Event by the Department of Homeland Security. Once something has been designated a National Special Security Event, the security measures get turned all the way up to 11. This means the Secret Service is put in charge of security, the FBI of law enforcement, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of recovery management. Security has been so tight since 9/11 that even the famous Goodyear Blimp, and his other zeppelin friends, has been grounded.

9. The Big Game Started a Computer Revolution

In addition to the game, snacks and marching bands, part of the The Super Bowl fun comes from watching the commercials. Corporations drop hefty chunks of change for just seconds of screen-time. In 2009, it was in the ballpark of $3 million for 30 seconds. Sometimes the ads are funny, like when that monkey ran that office. Sometimes they’re inspirational, like when that Dalmatian trained the Clydesdale. Months of planning go into Super Bowl ads. And it’s all thanks to film director Ridley Scott and the good people at Apple Computers.

On January 22, 1984, in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII, famed director Ridley Scott’s “1984” commercial debuted. The spot introduced the world to the Apple Macintosh computer for the first time and, in the process, blew their minds. Not only was the product groundbreaking, the ad was too. The production value was so high (as was the budget) that the success and resonance of the commercial helped inspire the cavalcade of crazy ads we get today. After over a quarter century, “1984” is still considered by many in the ad industry to be one of the best ever made. Just think, if it weren’t for Mac, there would be no “Bud Bowl.”

10. Turkey Day II: Electric Boogaloo

Americans, in general, do not need an excuse to eat. For those that do need an excuse, I offer three little words: Super Bowl Sunday. (That term is also copyrighted, by the way.) Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving in terms of epic levels of food consumption in the US. Time to get to work on that burger stuffed with buffalo wings and Cool Ranch Doritos. Bur-falo-itos, anyone?

Watch more episodes of testosterone comedy Man-Teen

Jason L. Cooper is a writer and wine-drinker who lives in Los Angeles, CA but wishes he lived in Portland, OR. He’s worked on several feature films, most recently Cats & Dogs II: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. His latest book of poems, Losing the Perfect Battle, was nominated for nothing prestigious-sounding. He has a lovely wife, a swell kid, and two spoiled dogs and would someday like to own a motor home.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.” Whether the guests are friends staying on the sofa, or political protestors taking over the city streets, there is a always a time to move on. That said, it is often great fun to go, and in the end, it is also fun to stay.

Currently, the international Occupy movement includes over 2,600 communities across the globe. According to their MeetUp page, these communities are meant to signal solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. However, opponents have begun to refer to them derogatorily as squatters. Squatting has been a tradition in political protests, and more importantly, has become an adventurous way for travelers to see the world as couch surfers when they are trying save a dime. To put things into perspective, in KoldCast TV’s off-the-wall-hilarious comedy, Squatters, friends Hank and Alex compete to see who can last the longest without an apartment by squatting from place to place after being evicted from their residence. Although the Occupiers may have more respectable aspirations fueling their occupation, in the end, there are many reasons why they may just want a place to crash for a while. Below, we consider the reality of some of these underlying motivations.

Squatters – It Starts With A Bet

1. Meet Interesting People

The Occupy movement is working on strengthening the 99%. The individuals tent-camping at parks, standing in front of government buildings, and creating puppetry, are not the majority of that 99%. The majority is made up of focused individuals who don’t have full-time jobs and strongly believe in their cause. These individuals are motivated by strong opinions – rational or irrational. It can be quite thrilling to debate issues with like-minded individuals about income inequality and the wide array of frustrations that plague the 99-percenters. Enter the marketplace of ideas in whatever park you can.

2. Meet That Special Someone

Hundreds of motivated young people may provide a perfect environment to find that common ground that is often so hard to find as a means to spark the beginning of a relationship. For those looking for a good ‘ol “How I Met Your Mother” story to captivate their friends, this has real potential. In many cities, young people complain about the single life and end up looking online for that perfect match. If you’re young, idealistic, and politically-driven, this could be your perfect night club.

3. Build Inner Strength

No one said that standing up for your political beliefs would be easy. Sleeping in a public park surrounded by hundreds of other people in tents in the winter can be incredibly difficult, but if you can achieve your goals, it will all be worth it. Squatters have to learn to accept their trespasser status and stay on high-alert to not be evicted from their location. In either case, plan on being judged by others and growing thicker skin. This environment can teach an individual a lot about themselves and prepare them for greater adversity later in life.

4. Fight “The Man”

In November of last year, hundreds of NYPD’s finest evicted protestors from Zuccotti Park after they spent over two months there. As a young ideologue, there comes a time and place to act and rebel against the powers that be. Like the protests of prior generations, the Occupy movement is bringing the primary arguments to the places that they believe are hurting their ideals. They march to the likes of Wall Street and the White House to prove a point; they can fight The Man just by squatting.

5. Continue The College Lifestyle

College can be the best part and/or the worst part of one’s life; Parties, people, fun, regret, doubts, worry, and lessons learned. There are people to meet and hang out with all over the place; some of them polar opposites and others eerily similar. Nonetheless, the diversity is thrilling. Fellow protesters share that same spirit and existence, only this time it will be outdoors. It’s not too different from the less enjoyable part of college where money is tight and it’s not uncommon to scrounge for food. That’s the life of the squatter. So, combining the two aspects can continue the life that the protestor loves.

6. Get Wi-Fi

The internet has become a staple in everday life. To spread the Occupy message, individuals within the movement are trying to set up satellite Wi-Fi stations at many Occupy protest sites to discuss their issues through social media avenues, such as Twitter and Facebook. To withhold money from cable or telephone companies in a move of solidarity against the 1%, protestors have another reason to stay in the encampments.

7. A Good Excuse To See The City

They say that cities come to life at night. Imagine staying overnight for several weeks in some of the greatest cities in the world with hundreds of other young politically motivated people. What’s not to like? The bright lights of Wall Street appear in movies…Now, a protestor can fall asleep under those lights. All of the beautiful national monuments in Washington DC shine brighter at night as well. The vibe can be great motivation for an Occupier who wants some further inspiration to continue the fight. These are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that can be difficult to leave.

8. Better Than Home

When your mom is spending all of her free time watching Golden Girls reruns and your dad is asking for your help to clean the basement drains, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Grab the tent in your parents’ basement and head to your local Occupy movement. Maybe your parents will welcome you back eventually.

Squatters – Take Me Home Tonight

Squatters – In Search of A Douche

Watch More Episodes of Squatters

Dan Billings lives in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. When he’s not running and listening to BBC podcasts, he’s reading comic books. He likes to consider himself a successful funny man, but that may only be true compared to the other legal writers that he spends his days with. On occasion, he writes on his own personal blog at rockthewesternworld.com.

“Isn’t it funny you spend all your time making money, but money can’t buy you time.”
~ Richard Scribe

One of the wisest commentators of our day is perhaps this relatively unknown but astute insurance broker. Richard Scribe is the star of KoldCast TV’s hilariously peculiar show White Collar Poet, in which he throws off the golden shackles of industry in search for truth through poetry. Much to the dismay of his former colleagues, Scribe performs his art at a financial district street corner as a coping mechanism for a midlife crisis.

White Collar Poet – Hot Tub Party

Sure, he may be a fictional character, but Scribe’s message about what’s truly important in life resonates with anyone who’s ever felt consumed by their work. We wanted to tip our hat to Richard’s boldness, so we’ve compiled some famous words spoken by other quotable notables – keen business leaders who’ve affected us in some way, shape, or form.

“If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.”
~ Ray Kroc

Named one of Time Magazine’s most influential people of the twentieth century, Ray Kroc built up a little neighborhood burger joint named McDonald’s into the most successful fast-food chain in the world, today famously declaring “Over 99 Billion Served.” In 1954, when Ray bought the first McDonald’s from the McDonald brothers, similar restaurants existed. Ray changed the game because he always considered himself in the real estate business first, and in the fast food business second. That mindset led him to franchise the restaurant, which at the time was not an established practice in the burger biz. Eleven years later, the Filet-o-Fish is born and restores order to the universe.

“Industry is the soul of business and the keystone of prosperity”
~ Charles Dickens

Aside from being regarded the greatest Victorian novelist who ever lived, the author of classic literature such as A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, The Adventures of Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities and other works was also a savvy businessman. Dickens is credited with popularizing the serial publishing format, in which a novel would be released in monthly installments. To keep readers coming back for more, Dickens would end each installment or chapter with a captivating cliffhanger. This is evident in the unique rhythm his novels share in their completed forms. Dickens’ pioneering in publishing lends itself to his status as one of the only authors whose work has never gone out of print.

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business.”
~ Henry Ford

The world’s most famous auto tycoon, Henry Ford catapulted the world into the industrial age with his assembly line, initially created to build the Model-T, the world’s first affordable automobile. The assembly line was borne out of his nominal philosophy, “Fordism,” the belief that mass production of inexpensive goods with high wages for workers would lead to consumerism and consequentially peace. Indeed, aside from being a brilliant businessman Ford was an outspoken pacifist. He believed war was a terrible waste of resources. Then again, he was also a published anti-Semite who believed Jews were a terrible waste of, um… people. These contradictions may have led to the mental collapse Ford suffered at the outbreak of World War II.

“Life is too complicated not to be orderly.”
~ Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart is one of the most fascinating women of our time, having leveraged her image as a Susie homemaker into a multinational corporation. When she’s not chopping a salad or sewing a set of drapes, Martha runs her media and merchandising conglomerate, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. She’s also a successful television personality, author, magazine publisher, and everyone’s favorite comeback story. In 2003, Stewart was convicted of insider trading and sentenced to five months in federal prison. In a society numb to Wall Street financial scandals, Martha’s captivated the nation’s attention because it contrasted so sharply with her squeaky-clean persona as a housewife.

“You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.”
~ Warren Buffett

And boy did he do a few things right – about 39 billion of them! That’s Buffett’s net worth as of 2011. Known to those in the financial sector as “The Wizard, Sage, or Oracle of Omaha”, he is hailed as the most successful investor in the world. Buffett recently made headlines for criticizing our country’s tax code, when he revealed that his personal secretary pays more in annual taxes than he does. The employee was subsequently invited to sit in the First Lady’s gallery during President Obama’s State of the Union address, in which he echoed those criticisms. Buffett has pledged to give away 99% of his earnings to Bill Gates’ (another business magnate on our list) philanthropic foundation. Our White Collar Poet must be so proud.

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations.”
~ Steve Jobs

Shortly following his tragic death in October 2011 at the young age of 56, Steve Jobs was already being extolled as our generation’s Thomas Edison. A genius marked by enthusiasm and an acute vision, Jobs was, of course, the founder of Apple Inc., co-founder of Pixar, and served on the board of directors of The Walt Disney Company. He is credited with trailblazing the personal computer and redefining the music industry. It all started with the Apple II, the first user-friendly personal computer that has evolved into today’s ubiquitous MacBook Pro. The iPod and iTunes hit the scene just over ten years ago, breathing life back into a music business that was brought to its knees by the spread of pirated music in the digital age. NeXT time you’re feeling all warm and gooey inside from watching another one of Pixar’s infallible movies, you also have Steve to thank. He acquired the then fledgling computer graphics company and turned it around into the behemoth movie studio it is today.

We can never get enough inspiration. Here’s more wisdom to soak up from leaders of all walks of life:

“You don’t hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear good tidings, but you have to scratch to get the bad news.”
~ Thomas J. Watson

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Every man is a consumer and ought to be a producer.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you don’t drive your business you will be driven out of business.”
~ B.C. Forbes

“The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.”
~ Debbi Fields

White Collar Poet – Epiphany

“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.”
~ Norman Schwarzkopf

“Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.”
~ Richard Branson

“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.”
~ Ayn Rand

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
~ Albert Einstein

“You Learn by Living.
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

White Collar Poet – The Business of Art

“For all of its faults, it gives most hardworking people a chance to improve themselves economically, even as the deck is stacked in favor of the privileged few. Here are the choices most of us face in such a system: Get bitter or get busy.”
~ Bill O’ Reilly

“I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.”
~ Donald Trump

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
~ Bill Gates

“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.”
~ Janis Joplin

“The enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth-persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.”
~ John F. Kennedy

“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.”
~ Peter F. Drucker

“In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential.”
~ Suze Orman

“I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealing and strict adherence to the view that, for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well.”
~ Alan Greenspan

“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.”
~ Mother Theresa

“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right!”
~ Henry Ford

Watch White Collar Poet from the beginning.

Ariel Nishli has a big apple in his heart but moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry after graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2007. He started in the motion picture literary department at ICM before moving on to feature film development at Parkes MacDonald Productions. Ariel’s wardrobe has steadily devolved from designer suits to worn out slippers, as he now focuses on screenwriting and freelance writing.

We’ve all got a notch in our belt: the awkward Craigslist transaction story earned after subletting our apartments, selling off some crap, or finding a $15 television stand. This author had the pleasure of meeting a prospective roommate procured via Craigslist who, during the course of a twenty-minute interview, looked up from the ground once – to ask for a cigarette.

If only there was someone to broker these kinds of sketchy Craigslist deals… a Craigslist agent! What we need is Ron Barba, star of KoldCast TV’s hilarious comedy series “King of the List.” Barba is a self-proclaimed talent agent who scours New York City’s Craigslist pages in search of actors who otherwise would never get a shot at the big leagues. Needless to say, he meets some peculiar characters in his line of work. In honor of Ron leveling the playing field, here are eight of the most shocking Craigslist stories we could find.

King of The List – Bully For You Ron Barba

Pantie Express

A 42-year old saleswoman from Manhattan established an ancillary career using Craigslist as a sales tool. Smart idea, but her product is a little fishy. She writes long, elegantly worded advertisements for men or women to meet her in a public place. They must bring an envelope full of cash in an amount agreed on beforehand. She’ll then take the envelope to the bathroom, remove her panties, and replace the cash with the underwear. When asked how she came up with this side-business, she remarked, “I wear underpants every single day of my life, and somebody’s got to want these underpants.” Apparently demand is pretty high because business is booming. Of course, safety comes first. The saleswoman keeps a file of her customers’ names and photos where a close friend can find them in case one of her deals goes awry.

Police Report: Missing Dignity

A 24-year old Colorado Springs man arranged for a booty call on Craigslist while his girlfriend was out of town. At least that was the plan… His significant other surprised him by showing up at their home one night early. The man went into a panic as his late-night rendezvous was due to arrive at any minute. When she came a knockin’ he did the most sensible thing that could occur to a cheating man: phoned in a fake robbery report to the police. Within minutes, five armed officers arrived at the scene to apprehend the confused woman at the front door. Oh, and they were told she had a gun on her person. After being detained for several hours, the woman got to speak her piece. The police realized this was a classic case of “dude scared stupid” and gave the man a summons for filing a false police report.

Funny Meeting You Here…

In 1998, a newlywed couple strolling along the beach in the Greek Islands came across a woman in her 50s painting the scenery. After learning she was from their hometown of San Francisco, the young husband asked how she ended up in Greece. The woman recalled being inspired by a Craigslist ad from a couple in their twenties who were quitting their jobs, selling all their possessions, and moving out of their apartment to travel through Europe for two years. In shock, the couple declared they had posted the ad from her story! The three were so taken aback by the encounter that they agreed to have lunch and get to know each other. All three are back in San Francisco, where they remain close friends to this day.

Struck by Cupid… and Stupidity

One night on the Upper East Side of New York, a designer purse turned up at the steps of the local police precinct. The several hundred dollars in cash it once harbored was gone, as were the credit cards. There was, however, a note with a scribbled down webpage link to the following Craigslist ad:

“Tuesday night around 11:30. On 53rd btw 1st and 2nd. You came out of the subway and I followed you. You looked over your shoulder, saw me and started walking faster. I ran up, grabbed your arm, took your purse and ran away. I’ve done many a snatch-and-grab but no one has ever stuck in my mind like you. There was a moment when our eyes met that I felt something strong. I think you felt it too. If I wasn’t so shy (or so committing a crime) I would have asked your name. I, of course, later got your name from your drivers license. So Jennifer if you’d like to get together for a drink sometime get back to me.”

Jennifer did not take her suitor up on his drink offer – which technically she would be paying for – because she was a bit more creeped out than flattered. Her secret admirer did have her address, after all. The police impersonated Jennifer in a response to the purse-snatcher’s Craigslist post. He showed up for his date and was promptly arrested.

Divine Couch

A Pennsylvania man was in the market for some second-hand furniture for his new living room. When he saw someone’s Craigslist ad for a brand new couch still in factory wrapping for only $200, he thought it must be his lucky day. He called his son to help pick it up and move it. His son, being a bit more tech savvy, asked pop to inquire why the price was so low. After a two-day email exchange that beat around the bush, the seller responded:

“I bought the couch because God commanded me to, for reasons unclear, but I believe to prepare me for a turbulent future in some way. Faith, I have read, does not mean contradicting human logic, but transcending it. In that spirit, I bought it among other furniture items. I am now trying to sell them in order to get out of the substantial debt I have accrued.”

Although father and son thought this guy could use divine intervention for being a raging shopaholic, they bought the couch anyway. Predictably, the man blessed it before seeing it off to its new owners.

Craigslist Kiddie

In these crazy modern times, referring to someone as a “Craigslist Killer” has become household vernacular for describing murderers who find their victims on Craigslist. Perhaps none of these cases is crazier than that of 16-year-old John Katehis. In March 2009, Katehis was arrested for murdering 47-year-old radio personality George Weber. Confessing to the crime, he described himself as a Satanist and sadomasochist but revoked it a day later, pleading self-defense because he responded to Weber’s Craigslist ad for “rough sex” and got more than he bargained for. Police found Weber’s body riddled with 50 stab wounds – a bit overboard for self-defense. After a mistrial, Katehis was retried and convicted in November 2011.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

A lonely man sliding down the slippery slope of soliciting “Casual Encounters” Craigslist posts recalled one strange yet touching encounter. He entered an apartment sparsely lit by candlelight, but otherwise pitch black. A woman’s voice emanated “I’m over here, but don’t come any closer” from a figure shrouded in darkness on a bed in the corner of the room. The nebbish man thought to himself, “this is the one that’s going to murder me” only to realize that the woman was merely self-conscious because she was obese. What would otherwise have been a casual encounter evolved into two hours of deep conversation, and a lasting relationship was born out of the mutual vulnerabilities expressed that night.

Party Clown

A man in his mid-30s was in need of some quick cash AND in possession of a dusty old Halloween costume. While searching for a job, he came across the following serendipitous Craigslist ad:

“We need an Adult Drunk Clown who is good at getting drunk and stupid. No need to do any clown tricks, just hang out and drink a shit load. We will be hopping around to different bars and want a clown to tag a long and drink heavely. He doesn’t even need to socialize with anyone, just drink.”

As you may have guessed, “heavily” was not an intentional misspelling and the guy dressed as a clown for Halloween four years ago. He broke out the lucky suit, accepted the strange job, and $250 later, wondered how breaking the ice could have ever been so difficult. Needless to say, the birthday party was a success and the clown-for-hire ended up vomiting in a mailbox.

Ridiculous Bonus Posts!

The following are real Craigslist posts (Don’t believe us? Click the links!) we’ve mined for their unusual level of crazy. Enjoy!

Woman to sit in my bath tub full of noodles, wearing a bathing suit
“I will pay you $1 to sit in my bathtub full of noodles while you wear a one piece bathing suit. I will not be home, nor will anyone else while you do this. I will leave the key for you, and you will sit at your leisure. DO NOT bring any sauce. I will season the pasta after I return home prior to dinner.”

Personal texting assistant
“I get 40 – 50 texts an hour, I cant handle my workload plus texting responsibilities. My phone gets too full and needs deleted every couple hours. This is a full time position and you must be where ever I am at, because my phone is always with me. Serious inquiries only.”

I have a huge bathroom
“I am a female in my mid 60′s and I am looking for a room mate. Times are tight and I need some extra money. I am willing to rent out my bathroom in my 1 bedroom east village home. My bathroom is large. You can easily put a twin air mattress in there. I only ask that when I need to use the bathroom, you or your air mattress are not in it. I do ask that when you are in the apartment, you confine yourself to the bathroom. I do not feel comfortable with a stranger walking around my living room. This might change as I get to know you better.”

King of The List – Ventriloquist, duh!?

King of The List – Stick To What You Know

Ariel Nishli has a big apple in his heart but moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry after graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2007. He started in the motion picture literary department at ICM before moving on to feature film development at Parkes MacDonald Productions. Ariel’s wardrobe has steadily devolved from designer suits to worn out slippers, as he now focuses on screenwriting and freelance writing.

Jody Lyn O’Keefe and Kelly Stables, stars of the Internet television series Soul Fire Rising, are actresses who are not content to showcase their talents in only one format. Broadcast television, while its future is in question, is still the primary platform for episodics. However, many stars are finding it more and more limiting and are looking for other outlets where they can let their talents shine. After all, life is short in broadcast television. It’s not at all like cyberspace, where one’s image may last forever.

Soul Fire Rising – I Give You My Soul

Take Kelly Stables, for instance. She’s had recurring roles on such big-name series as Two and a Half Men (CBS), Romantically Challenged (ABC), and The Exes (TVLand). These shows and their networks have no shortage of viewers or advertisers, yet Ms. Stables has elected to branch out into the world of Internet programming. As Eve, in the captivating series Soul Fire Rising, Ms. Stables portrays a “Winger” (angel) whose soul is “worth over more than a million mortal souls”. She became mortal when she intervened to help the man to whom she was assigned as a guardian. This is a story line which might not necessarily hold a large audience in a traditional television lineup but has proven popular online. In addition to playing Eve, Ms. Stables is also a producer of the series. The opportunity to exercise her talents behind the camera is one of the many benefits Ms. Stables, and other actors, appreciate about Internet programming.

Soul Fire Rising – Raum Cometh

Jody Lyn O’Keefe, recognizable from her roles on Nash Bridges (CBS), Prison Break (FOX), and Two and Half Men (CBS), made the leap to Internet programming as well. As Soul Fire Rising’s Lilith Reborn, Ms. O’Keefe gets the chance to play a soul-stealer sent to Earth to hunt for Eve. Though only appearing in the final three episodes of the series, Ms. O’Keefe played a pivotal role and leaves the audience anticipating her return in the next season. While Soul Fire Rising gained popularity, Ms. O’Keefe was able to add a few more projects to her resume including a big-budget studio flick (The Frozen Ground) and a new broadcast network series (The Finder on FOX).

Soul Fire Rising – The Deal

What Ms. O’Keefe and Ms. Stables have done is show how seamlessly actors can travel between the worlds of big-money sponsored media and consumer-driven Internet entertainment. Just a short while ago it looked like Internet programming was only for those either trying to get into the business or for actors who were no longer popular on broadcast television. This is no longer the case. According to the trade group CTIA, 95.8 million Americans now own smart-phones. This has contributed to the huge growth of viewers who are taking in their television viewing via Internet sources; approximately 145 million people are now watching programming online, as reported by Vator News. This amounts to about half of the entire television-watching population. Considering the huge, and ever-growing worldwide audience, it makes sense that more actors would take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of Internet television.

Even actors working regularly in broadcast television or on big studio projects can benefit from having roles on Internet shows. Beyond being able to expand their off-screen talents, as Stables and O’Keefe have been able to do, they can maintain their fan-base during “off season”. The Internet format is particularly favorable since it’s easily accessible and often delivered in smaller sizes. For those many viewers who watch shows on their mobile devices, shows such as Soul Fire Rising, which clocks in between four and ten minutes per episode, are perfect to take in while in line at the DMV, sitting in the waiting room of the doctor’s office, or commuting to/from work via bus or train, among other everyday opportunities to watch. Available time, as we all know, is in short supply.

As other media outlets, such as Amazon and Netflix, join the ranks as producers of original, Internet-only content, we will see an increasing number of celebrities using their summer hiatuses as a time to participate in Internet TV projects. Whether they are keeping their fans happy with new on-camera characters or honing their behind-the-scenes talents, broadcast television stars are now able to take full advantage of the Internet TV platform. With the example both Kelly Stables and Jody Lyn O’Keefe have set with their participation in Soul Fire Rising, more actors are sure to see the benefits of working on and in Internet television.

Julia Todd lives on the Central Coast of California with her two young sons. When she’s not at the office or doing coursework for her MBA she tries to squeeze in a few hours of sleep. She also enjoys watching movies, wine tasting, reading, baking, and traveling. She has high hopes of finishing one of the many books she’s started. Her dream is to spend a summer in Reims writing and listening to her boys learn French.

I’m betting that you clicked to investigate this story in greater depth because you thought the title was going to link to a story about all the crazy things contestants on TV’s Survivor eat to compete and survive. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint, but this brief story isn’t about the culinary exploits of television survivors, it’s about the food people actually eat to live.

Having recently met the winner of one of the first season’s of Survivor, I learned that Survivor competitors really do have it tough “on set”, and that food is genuinely hard to come by at times. In fact, the winner I spoke with would have eaten anything to survive… and did. However, every Survivor competitor knows that unless they quit or die, they’re going to eat pizza and hamburgers again. Their temporary and voluntary plight really isn’t about life and death, like it is for so many others around the world.

Granted, food preferences can be regional and geographic in nature. Remember, Americans and others eat cow for protein. In some parts of the world, eating cow is sacrilegious. Examples like this are plentiful. So just what gave rise to this story? We recently took a trip to Cambodia via UnRestricted, a new documentary travel adventure series set to premiere at the end of February on KoldCast TV. In the first episode of the 13-episode series, we learned how Cambodian children survive. There are no Safeway’s for any Cambodians, let alone for those who live in remote locations around the country. They eat what the earth provides locally. Enter this segment taken from Episode 1 of UnRestricted. Warning: if you have a squeamish stomach, you might want to move on without watching.

Excerpt from Episode 1 of UnRestricted

Traveling in his wheelchair, filmmaker Mitch St. Pierre and friends Skot and Shawn set out on a journey in search of Cambodia’s legendary Bamboo Express, an alleged train made out of bamboo. As the team treks into the unknown they encounter ancient ruins, floating villages and many more unusual scenarios and awe-inspiring moments.

In the segment above, the guys are introduced to the village’s dinner specialty. Will they be hungry enough, and gutsy enough, to eat with the locals?

The full 55-minute Episode 1 of UnRestricted will premiere on KoldCast TV at the end of February. In the interim, we’ll be sharing excerpted segments each week. Stay tuned.

David S. Samuels is the CEO and Co-founder of KoldCast Entertainment Media.