Stuff We Hate Some of these books and films we hate outright -- they're just awful. Some we hate because obviously we would have done a better job if we'd been commissioned to create them. Andrés Martinez, 24/7: Living it Up and Doubling Down in the New Las Vegas. This weenie got a $50,000 advance from a publisher to write a book about spending that advance at the tables in Vegas in a monthlong gambling spree. Unfortunately, this idea is the only clever one the author had; he spends the rest of the book timorously placing $200 bets and even has to take a break for a few days in the middle. He thinks he's "living it up" when he buys Caesar's logo boxer shorts and sometimes asks himself, "What would Hunter do?" If you need to ask ... . Hilary Lifton, Kate Montgomery: Dear Exile: The True Story of Two Friends Separated (for a Year) by an Ocean. One gal joins the Peace Corps and writes about the depths of human suffering from Africa; one stays in New York and writes about her dot-com job and parade of boyfriends. The letters talk at each other rather than converse. And did we mention they were only friends since college? Hi. Even our letters from the seventh grade are better. Cameron Tuttle, Susannah Bettag: The Bad Girl's Guide to The Open Road. This book is also on our favorites list, but we just had to point out that we could have done it better. Harriet Rubin, The Princessa: Machiavelli for Women. The title suggests that we'll be given advice for ruling the world, but instead the author explains how to use tears as a weapon and to dress in an aggressively feminine way. If the Medicis had to rely on this swill, Florence would not exist. Beaches. They're best friends. One of them dies. This is the movie to blame for that song "The Wind Beneath My Wings." Pretty Woman. Young girls everywhere now want to be prostitutes and wait for a handsome prince in shining armor, thanks to this tear-jerking flick with Julia Roberts. Anything Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks/Nora Ephron. No, no, no. We simply do not need any more whimsy or quirkiness in our lives. Previous list: Jagging the Info Superhighway | Back to start   Our Creed | The Gals | Some Lists | The Pitch Roadjag Home © 2004 Roadjag Worldwide, Inc.