ABOUT TEST PATTERN

Don't touch that dial: Test Pattern tunes into television, movie, music and pop culture links, as well as gossip and idle chat from around the Web.

Every week, msnbc.com entertainment producers Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Denise Hazlick, Paige Newman, Kurt Schlosser and Anna Chan weigh in on topics ranging from TV commercials to movie hype to the latest celebrity blunder. We're not ashamed to admit our love for bad TV or reveal what's on our iPods, and invite you to join the conversation via your comments.



Multi-link Monday

Posted: Monday, January 08, 2007 2:36 PM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under: , ,

Welcome to the new world! Test Pattern is joining our friends Will Femia, at Clicked, and Alan Boyle, at Cosmic Log, and trying out an updated, more Webloggy format.

I'm so eager to jump in that I'm moving today's Multi-Link Monday into the new style. You can post comments, but they won't go up automatically -- I need to weed out spammers and other problems. But I think this will make the discussion much easier to follow and much more fun.

If you're new to Test Pattern, Multi-link Monday is a roundup of five fun links that make for decent work distractions on the worst day of the week. You're welcome to suggest new links, and now you can use the comment option to do just that.

On to the links:

• What kind of American accent do you have? Obviously, not applicable if you’re not American. I thought for sure I’d fall in the North Central (think “Fargo”) contingent, since I grew up in Minnesota, but this quiz  says I don’t really have an accent. Ya, you betcha, dere. (Thanks to Molly M. for the link!)

• Retro chefs: You can buy unflavored popping candy (think Pop Rocks) and jazz it up to use in a recipe. (These Webloggers turned them violet-flavored)The thought of Pop Rocks (or, uh, the generic version) being used in a recipe is so entertaining that I immediately sent this to my chef friend. Can’t you just see “Top Chef” making its contestants work with Pop Rocks? (Via Not Martha.)

• I’m so sick of Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump’s stupid fight. Snark at each other all you want, but I don’t want to hear about it. Game Show Network has set up a Rosie-Donald online fight game. Each fighter has a secret weapon – Rosie’s Tongue-Lasher and Donald’s Killer Comb-Over. The first rule of Rosie-Donald Fight Club is don’t talk about Rosie-Donald Fight Club.

• Getting ready for the Jan. 14 return of “24”? When the show comes back, print out this Bingo card and cover squares (or give yourself points, or take a shot, whatever) when these sure-to-occur events take place. My favorite “Jack disobeys a direct order.” Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. (Via Metafilter Projects)

• This is both addictive and frightening. Click on a facial feature at Monoface and you can change it … over and over and over and over again. It’s kind of like playing Mr. Potato Head, but with real images. (If you prefer Mr. Potato Head, here's an online version of that.)

 

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Comments

That Monoface is way creepy!

Holly, Osan AB, S. Korea (Sent Monday, January 08, 2007 4:25 PM)

That 24 bingo game is awesome! I just printed out cards for everyone who will be at our 24 Kick-Off Party! :-) Thanks!

Sarah, Lee's Summit, MO (Sent Monday, January 08, 2007 5:54 PM)

About the accent quiz..."You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri)" I was raised in the southern part of Idaho, and now live in Washington state, but my ancestors come from Ohio and Missouri, and I lived for a time with a family who had relatives in Pennsylvania. I had a teacher in high school who claimed she had a Professor Higgins type skill and could tell where you or your family was from just by listening. She said at least one of my parents came from Ohio. (Correct) And I resent the idea that a Midland accent is no accent at all. My husband's family evidentally spent more time in the west, because we pronouce certain words differently and have "discussions" about which is the correct pronuciation. Maybe more people in the U.S. use the Midland accent, but just because it's most common doesn't invalidate it as an accent.

Pam, Yakima Wa (Sent Monday, January 08, 2007 6:15 PM)

Snazzy new page! Actually, I like be able to comment instead of sending an email.

Claudia (Sent Monday, January 08, 2007 6:44 PM)

I think quizzes are usually a waste of time. But I did the one you linked, and it was totally accurate! It figured out I was a Philly Girl. Pretty neat!

Jean Cohen, King of Prussia, PA (Sent Monday, January 08, 2007 7:01 PM)

Love the new setup, but I am actually going to have nightmares about that Monoface! Horrifying! And then it was clogging up my computer so I couldn't click it off right away! Sheesh.

Melissa, Connecticut (Sent Monday, January 08, 2007 10:29 PM)

I like the new page, because it makes comments so much easier! As for the accent, I got "You're accent is as Phildephia as cheesesteak." Which is fitting, since I grew up sandwiched between there and Delaware. Not too bad!

Chris, Harrisburg, PA. (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 4:18 AM)

I was almost nervous when doing the accent quiz...I didn't want to find out that my Michigan roots were being washed away by living in Virginia for the last 7 years! Thankfully, my insistence on calling it 'pop' and the quiz results firmly maintained my 'inland north' accent status. Whew!

Jennifer, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 9:02 AM)

where are your links (TWP, JTS, etc?)?

Elizabeth Nann, Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 9:10 AM)

First, love the setup. Second, re Rosie vs Donald. One of my guilty TV pleasures is the occasional WWE show. Last night they had Rosie and Donald impersonators fighting in the ring. Kind of amusing as Trump's hair was the dominating factor for him. Link is probably not safe for work as its on the WWE site.

Eli, Wellington, FL (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 11:30 AM)

WHOOO HOOOO!!! LOVE the new place!! Congrats on moving!! (welcome to the finer things in life!) Also-LOVE love love multi link monday! I'm so excited to be able to leave messages. I also tried that accent quiz and I thought I didnt have one and it said I had a North Central accent. (Doncha know!) LOL.

Sarah (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 2:21 PM)

We are not going to hear the end of the Donald/Rosie spat anytime soon because "The Donald" doesn't want it to end. Everytime its talked about there is usually mention of his new show, "The Apprentice LA". Everytime Rosie opens her mouth on the View it reminds people about "The Apprentice LA". Everytime Donald or Ivanca (who just so happens to be on "The Apprentice LA") are asked about the spat they also mention "The Apprentice LA". And think about how many times i mentioned "The Apprentice LA" just writing this comment! The man is a master at self-promotion and I am sure he quickly realized the gold mine when Rosie chose to attack him on her show...or is it Barbara Walters show. I am not sure anymore.

dan (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 2:26 PM)

The new layout is great! The only thing I miss is the section with links to weblogs outside the MSNBC realm (Television Without Pity, Jumping the Shark, X-Entertainment, etc). Guess I have to break-down and add Matt's page to favorites!

Heather, Hollywood, MD (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 3:00 PM)

Elizabeth and Heather: Hoping to add that "my favorite Weblogs" link back in soon. Apparently someone in tech needs to adjust something first. Thanks for asking!

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 3:55 PM)

Love the new format! It would be really cool if you could go back and add some of the old quizzes and games that you have previously mentioned -- or somewhere have a link to all of 2006 archives. There were some really fun ones that I forgot to add to my favs.

Jolita, Annapolis, MD (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 11:17 PM)

Speaking of Celebrities: I would love to see more Celebrity talk in terms of those that are working and contributing to their craft, rather than gossip, insensitivity, and emabarressing moments. It does nothing to enhance the persons qualifications when they are spoken of in a shallow light. Let's suggest the media focus on those who are doing positive impressionable things, and to avoid others because they enjoy downgrading them for personal folly.It's time to be better, people all around.

Mike, Portsmouth, NH (Sent Thursday, January 11, 2007 4:21 PM)

Thanks for the link to my accent quiz, it looks like I'm becoming more of an internet celebrity every day. But I made a much better one which gives out more right answers. http://www.memegen.net/view/show/2313 If you don't like what the first one said, try this one.

Thomas "Xavier" Kun, Biloxi, MS (Sent Thursday, January 11, 2007 7:47 PM)

Love it! Keep up the good work!

Karen DeGuzman (Sent Wednesday, January 17, 2007 6:15 PM)



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