Black20 friends ...

We went to Black20's first live show Thursday night at the UCB Theatre -- but probably only 20% of it was live. When they actually performed it was awesome. Most of the time, though, they just showed their videos, which are also awesome, just not worth the $5 as I can see them for free online without venturing out into sleet.

But it has to be said, despite the rain/snow they packed the place, so no doubt they'll be back on the sched soon.

Their opening song is still stuck in my head. Was that a four-part harmony?

Blame my background/affinity for old movies, but I loved that their sketch of an Us Weekly newsroom meeting brought back that "hey-a boss, I gotta story that's gonna knock your socks off" archetype.

Their James Bond was on the money, too. I could go on, but like I said you can see most of it for yourself! For a taste, check out Black20 News and their virals.

Note the post time

OK, so this isn't NYC-specific, but New York is the city that never sleeps. And this happens to be something I'm recently obsessed with, especially when work or insomnia or "things" keep me up in the wee hours. It's just an online version of Pac-Man. But it's not quite Pac-Man. And it's really easy to beat levels. But not too easy. That's how they get ya. Addictiveness is baked right in, see: addictinggames.com/pacxon.html.

Then I thought about other games that have been or are now among the staple timewasters for a procrastinator like me. Funny how they can fulfill different moods, too ...

• If you haven't volunteered this week (month, whatever), assuage your guilt and expand your vocabulary at freerice.com. It's legit, and it's pretty cool. For every definition you choose correctly, 20 grains of rice are donated through the United Nations.

• If you want another game that makes you feel like (maybe) you're exercising your brain and at least serving as a lab rat, see wordgame.stanford.edu. Only problem there is that they pair you with someone else in the ether, so if that person does badly, you do badly and if, say, the primaries already have you cursing people's stupidity ... well ... deep breaths.
  

• If you want something more visually appealing and, well, original, see Orisinal.

• And, of course, there's always the new old standby: Sudoku.

Who needs sleep?