Rediscovered Youth

I haven't owned a video game system since the original Playstation. I stopped playing NHL back in about 1996 after the game became too complicated for me. But last week I did something crazy -- I bought a PS3. I justified the purchase on the grounds that 1) I needed a Bluray player (the PS3 comes with a Bluray player built in) and 2) I will be buying NBA Jam when its available on PS3 after Christmas (it's currently only available on Wii). If you haven't seen it, here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bUm4_dyiI4. Anyway, today I came across a hilarious review NBA Jam on Deadspin (http://deadspin.com/5672597/searching-for-big-country-an-outsize-guide-to-the-new-nba-jam) and reading it was like walking down memory lane. If you grew up in Victoria during the mid-90s I guarantee you shattered virtual backboards with Shawn Kemp and heated up while launching tres from half-court with Detlef Schrempf (btw, will somebody please remind me why Gary Payton wasn't part of that duo?). And if you weren't ballin' with the Reign Man, you were definitely dominating with Clyde 'the Glide' and Terry Porter. Long story short, come Christmas, we'll be able to do it again and I couldn't be more stoked.

Anyway, to pass the time before Jam is released, I picked up the new NBA 2K11 last week. The game is amazing, especially for a guy who had never seen a video game in HD (they exist?). For me playing 2k11 was roughly equivalent to going into a coma when Zach Morris cell phones were new and waking up as the iPhone 4 is being released. Mind-altering stuff. But last night I decided to play one of the game's 10 "Greatest Jordan Moment" scenarios. Namely, game 6 of the '96 Finals between the Bulls and Sonics. If you'll recall, the Bulls won the first three games of that series before the Sonics forced a game 6 in Chicago. In 2k11, your job is to replicate (or better) Jordan's totals from that game (22 pts, 9 rebounds, 7 assists)..oh, and win the game. Well, seeing as I haven't played video games since roughly the same time the Bulls and Sonics met for game six in '96, I failed in this endeavor. Shawn Kemp on the other hand was more than up for the challenge. In four (not real time) 8 minute quarters the Reign Man made it rain on my Bulls to the tune of about 55 points. That's like 8 points for each of his kids! Seriously, his posterizations were so awesome that I couldn't help but watch the replays. I had seriously forgotten how good he was back in the day. Also forgotten -- how great Gary Payton was in his prime. During that game, GP broke more ankles than the staircase at a Victoria old folks home. Suffice to say, I wasn't able to replicate Jordans '96 performance. Rather, I rewrote history so that the Sonics forced a game 7 in Chicago and in all likelihood won the series if I were the opponent. In any event, all of this is to say the Sonics leaving Seattle is a crime against humanity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0mibkryC4Y

Required Reading for October

• Who's bankrolling anti-oil sands groups, many of which claim grassroots/local credentials? Multi-billion dollar American charitable foundations actually. An excellent expose in the Financial Post: http://opinion.financialpost.com/2010/10/14/u-s-foundations-against-the-oil-sands/
• A Vanity Fair story about tragedy on Mont Blanc, Western Europe's tallest mountain, and the world's deadliest (in absolute terms). Throw in a successful Mt. Everest summit and the world's first (north) pole to (south) pole journey fueled entirely by manpower and natural power and you have one helluva read. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/11/prep-school-climbers-201011?printable=true&currentPage=2
• From Deadspin, a hilarious review of the new NBA Jam video game. The highlight: Bryant 'Big Country' Reeves is back baby!! http://deadspin.com/5672597/searching-for-big-country-an-outsize-guide-to-the-new-nba-jam

Observations/Rants (October 2010)

• It's been reported that a Turkish basketball team from Istanbul has offered Allen Iverson a one year contract worth about $2 million. Yes, that would be the same Turkey that routinely dishes out 20 year prison sentences for a little Hashish. What could possibly go wrong?
• Am I the only person who's proud of the fact that Canada didn't win a UN Security Council seat? Clearly, Canada's foreign policies (and aid decisions) pissed off enough Middle East/African dictatorships to cost us the votes needed for a seat. Isn't that something to be proud of? Latin America heavily supported Canada's bid by the way. Simply put the UN and its Security Council are not institutions I care about at all. It seems to me the Council's sole function is to condemn the West (which the Western members allow) and veto condemnations of serial human rights abusers (China, Russia, Iran, etc). We're supposed to be upset Canada doesn't get to contribute to this farce? To wit, federal Tories, keep doing what you're doing internationally!

Required Reading for September

• Malcolm Gladwell has called Michael Lewis the greatest story teller of our generation. I would have to agree. His latest column for Vanity Fair examines Greece's financial insanity. If you thought Iceland was a financial basketcase wait until you read about Greece. There are despots in Sub-Saharan Africa that are shocked by the level of corruption in Greece. "Beware of Greeks Bearing Bonds": http://www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2010/10/greeks-bearing-bonds-201010?printable=true
• What’s an atheist to think when thousands of believers (including prominent rabbis and priests) are praying for his survival and salvation—while others believe his cancer was divinely inspired, and hope that he burns in hell? Hitchens' latest in Vanity Fair: http://tinyurl.com/23mqktg
• Continuing with the religion theme, Hitchens' latest for slate. Summarized: "The taming and domestication of religious faith is one of the unceasing chores of civilization." http://www.slate.com/id/2266154/
• The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg has penned a two part mini-piece on Fidel Castro based on conversations he recently had with Fidel in Havana. My only comment: is this Fidel's deathbed confession? Very interesting stuff, including Fidel's acknowledgement that the "The [Communist] Model Doesn't Even Work For [Cuba] Anymore". Part 1: http://tinyurl.com/2fmqd2u. Part 2 (re: Iran/Ahmadinejad's anti-semitism): http://tinyurl.com/34anpsh
• McLeans asks what laws apply to the Chilean miners trapped a kilometre beneath the surface? If you read this article and your first thought wasn't Hobbes and Rousseau's Social Contract, then you're not me nor a complete nerd. Still, it's an incredibly interesting philosophical question. Could a situation arise whereby the miners free themselves of Chilean law and instead create a new social contract appropriate to the situation they find themselves in? (i.e. lack of food, no privacy, heavy mental stress, aka survival mode). http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/09/08/that-far-down-who-decides-whats-law/
• Kelly Slater won the Hurley Pro at Trestles on Saturday, making him the odds-on favorite to win his 10th World Championship this year. Grindtv asks "Is Kelly Slater the Greatest Athlete Ever? No Seriously?" http://www.grindtv.com/surf/blog/20591/could+kelly+slater+be+the+best+athlete+ever+no+seriously/ It's not as preposterous as you think. If it weren't for Mick Fanning, Slater would likely be working on his 6th consecutive World Championship this year.. to go with his 5 consecutive titles in the 1990s. Throw in his three year hiatus between 1999 and 2003 and he could easily have a dozen World Titles by now. Also, only two guys have ever beaten Kelly for the title since he's been on the tour (Andy Irons and Mick Fanning). Nobody else has done it and Andy's no longer even on the tour. Add to this the fact that Slater grew up in wave-starved Florida and it's even more amazing (generally, outside of Slater, most of the top pros come from Hawaii and Australia). Plus he was banging Pam Anderson when that was something to be proud of!! Definitely and interesting argument.
• Malcolm Gladwell asks, "is social media capable of creating real social change?" In the New Yorker: "The Revolution will not be Tweeted": http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell?printable=true
• Michael Lewis asks why are Wall Street banks shutting down their prop trading desks after fighting Congress tooth and nail to prevent a prop trading ban (and winning, by the way)? Whatever the reasons, somehow taxpayers and shareholders (and most likely the global financial system) will be screwed down the road. http://tinyurl.com/2egc9eu
• After the Wall Street overhaul (underhaul?) bill, bankers, no longer able to gamble with shareholder money through prop trading, are fleeing for the safety of (largely unregulated) hedgefunds. What could possibly go wrong? Vanity Fair shows you "how to start a hedge fund." Funny stuff. http://www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2010/09/hedge-funders-201009

A Not-So-Live Blog of Season 2 of Jersey Shore

Taking a page out of Bill Simmons' literary repetoire, I've decided to post my initial reactions to watching each episode of Season 2 of Jersey Shore. Please don't judge me for this.

Yes, the 'bags and 'baguettes have invaded South Beach and I'm here to provide my gut reaction to the jarring television experience that is the Jersey Shore. Here we go... brought to you by Valtrex.

Episode 1:

• Ronnie and Sammy are definitely OJ Simpson-Nicole Brown waiting to happen.
• The guys are absolute gentlemen scholars compared to the girls (with the exception of drunk Ronnie aka Sloppy Joe)
• New vocab words learned: smoosh (sex), "do you (do whatever you want, I don't care)," landmine (a thinner ugly chick) vs grenade (a bigger ugly chick).
• JWOWW should probably be locked up as a preventative measure. If she were a guy she'd be in jail or the UFC by now. She may have more testosterone than the guys, which in hindsight may explain why she said she likes to "tear a guy's head off after sleeping with him."

Episode 2:

• How are Ronnie and Sammy doing? Well, OJ's putting on his leather gloves. Nicole's openly taunting him by driving around in one of OJ's cars with Ron Goldman. And even Kato Kaelin knows something's not right.
• President Obama: "Secretary of State Clinton has assured me that the US is well positioned to assist with the ongoing flood relief in Pakistan." JWOWW: "'Jay420' and 'Joey Yanks' told me that you were talking shit about her!" Awesome.
• The girls went shopping for bar clothes at a tranny clothing store. Of course they did.

Episode 3:

• The evidence suggests Ronnie developed both a drinking problem and a bipolar disorder since last summer. That's unfortunate.
• The Situation's moment of clarity in the hottub when he realizes he's surrounded by grenades is easily the high point of the season so far. Tell me this isn't the face of a terrified man:

Episode 4:

• Okay, who roofied Ronnie?
• When will these kids learn that no good ever came from drunk dialing?
• Possible spin-off idea: an Emilio vs. Ronnie "Drunk-Off". I'd pay to see this.
• OJ has the leather gloves on but he forgot the keys to the Ford Bronco. Only a minor setback.
• New vocab: the IFF (I'm Fucked Foundation). Ronnie is the President. I will definitely be using this in future conversations.

Episode 5:

• MVP was downright surgical tonight... like a grenade disposal unit. Wasn't sure if they still had it in 'em. Proud day for me.
• On a separate note, is MTV's "Teen Mom" the new low point for Western Civilization? Maury Povich, if you're reading this, I've found some future guests for your show.
• Maybe OJ's life would have turned out differently if someone had just handed Nicole a note? No? Okay.
• The Situation really is the show's moral compass. He's like George Washington, he can't tell a lie. Yup, exactly like George Washington.

Episode 6:

• So much to digest this episode...
• The highlight of the season so far for me: Doctor Pauly D providing Vinnie's medical history at the clinic: "[Vinnie] also has a history of pink eye, just to throw that out there." Most people think Mike has the best quotes on the show but I have to disagree. Pauly delivers consistently funny lines every episode and I don't think he's getting the respect he deserves. He's like the thinking man's Situation. Yes, I just used the phrase "thinking man" while referring to Pauly D.
• Douchebags need to wear sunglasses inside the club more often. I feel like they're an underutilized d-bag accessory.
• And we (already) have a new highlight of the season: The Situation postponing sex so he can grab a bite to eat (pasta no less). Absolutely classic--awe-inspiring even. And then he follows it hitman-style by skipping the post-coital and calling her a taxi. You're a shameless one Situation, but well played.
• Speaking of The Situation, his range is truly terrifying. Within 24 hours he went from a one night stand with a cute blond to a DFMO with a tranny. I don't know if he'll ever recover.
• Looks like it's Pauly's turn to join the I'm Fucked Foundation. Which is good because Ronnie could really use the company.

Episode 7

• First, the good...
• I'm so proud of Vinny. The Hooters waitress from the bar was an absolute 10 and he didn't even need an assist from MVP. To quote Trent from Swingers, "Our boy's all grows'd up today!" A proud moment for me. I would imagine what I'm feeling is roughly similar to the feeling a parent gets when their child says their first word.
• And what did I say about Pauly D? The man consistently brings the funny. His reaction to the girl's coldsore at the beach was classic: "Nothing like a nice herpe to ruin the party." Indeed, Pauly, and you'd know about herpes.
• But Pauly wasn't done there, he managed to somehow top his "herpes" comment with his reaction to Vinny and Angelina making out in the back of the cab: "Can we stop so Vinnie can buy Angelina a fossil watch!?" He's my pick for season MVP at this point.
• Pauly's phrase "the shirt before the shirt" is a keeper. The idea itself isn't new. I've always worn a shirt before the shirt... I do it so I don't spill booze on the shirt I plan on wearing out after pre-drinks. However, to codify the observation with a new phrase is brilliant in a Pauly D sort of way. I wish I had thought of this.
• Now, the bad...
• This episode was hard to watch. Sammi's smugness after the "fight" with JWOWW had me wanting to do violent, violent things. Yes, Sammi, you truly are a winner at this point. Ronnie has you blaming yourself and others for his man-whore behavior with other girls. Clearly, you have a lot to be proud of. By the way, I can't decide whether Ronnie is an absolute genius or full retard. I'm leaning toward the latter but I need more evidence.
• Ronnie and Sammi laughing at other people's dating habits is high comedy. The best analogy I could come up with for this is if Hitler called out Cosmo Kramer for racism.

Episode 8:

• From now on I'm going to start every re-cap with "Pauly's classic quote of the night", brought to you by Valtrex -- Pauly to Vinny after he slept with Angelina aka the Staten Island Dump (Vinny's name for her roughly 24 hours earlier): "We heard you like to visit the Staten Island Dump this time of year...is that true?" Yes, yes it is.
• Uncle Nino!! What can you say about Uncle Nino that hasn't already been said about Joey Buttafuoco? I knew I'd like Uncle Nino from the first moment I saw him. "OG" (original guido) doesn't do him justice..this guy is a legend and I my only regret is I wasn't alive to seem him creepin' back in the 70s.
• This might be slightly off-topic, but Uncle Nino has definitively settled the nature vs. nurture debate once and for all.. you could not not end up a douchebag being raised around that guy. If you want to know what Pauly, Mike, Ronnie and Vinny will be like in 20 years, watch Uncle Nino.
• Did Uncle Nino just compare a walking cane to a woman when he said, "it's like a woman, you can borrow it but you have to bring it back" Fuck and yes.
• I pity the guy typing subtitles for this episode whenever Uncle Nino talks...er, mummbles incoherently.
• I love how Pauly countered The Situation's "super aggressive style" with the girl, with a "kinder gentler style". What is this, Street Fighter? Are they at an arcade?
• How much of a horndog do you have to be to call a girl over at 6:30 am? And more to the point, how low is your self-esteem as a woman when you accept the invitation?
• The Situation going into his and Pauly's room to eat breakfast so he would have a front-row seat for the "slam session" is classic. Mike really is a vindictive bastard. Situation, please never change.
• I was worried Vinny was having a seizure at one point in the club but then I realized he was just dancing.
• I also thought it was cool that Vinny re-enacted this classic scene from swingers during this episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0PUrNwvvBk&feature=related I would have never guessed he was a fan.

Episode 9:

• Listen guys, if you're gonna to juice it you need to make sure you take the end of cycle anti-estrogen drugs so you don't become an emotional, estrogen-fueled, whining pussy (think "Bitch Tits" from Fight Club). I'm talking to you Ronnie (in general), Vinny (after his date ditched him) and JWOWW's boyfriend (after he discovers a guy's phone number in her room).
• On a scale of 1-10, how low is Angelina for going after Snooki's sloppy seconds TWICE! Also, how do you explain Vinny's range/lack of shame. The guy goes from Snooki to Hooters Waitress to Angelina and back again with the calmness of a methadone patient post-score.
• When watching this episode, try to keep track of the number of guys who hit on Snooki. It's shockingly high. This should be used in anti-drinking ads across the country.
• Did The Situation just pull a Ben Roethlisberger? I hope commissioner Goodell isn't watching because Mike's looking at a four game suspension for that bathroom hookup attempt. And where was that bouncer when Big Ben was accosting co-eds in Georgia bars!? The Steelers should hire that guy to follow Ben around at night.

Episode 10:

• I'm not going to lie to you, I was drinking while watching this episode. A lot. But based on what I do remember from that night (which isn't a lot), there's not much to say other than this: thank God that's over. I promise to step my game up for Episode 11.
  

Episode 11:

• An observation: Angelina's bed -- that's an IKEA bed. I know this because I own one. MTV, what kind of low budget operation are you running here? Given the amount of smooshing that goes on in those beds, don't you think you could have splurged on a box spring? Hell, a Brick clearance item would have done the trick..
• A question regarding the Snooki-Sam-JWOWW "talk": Have you ever seen that much hair twirling in your life? Seriously, I haven't seen that much hair-play since BarberShop. If you had to guess IQ levels using that footage alone, how low would go? Answer: what's the IQ number for "full retard"?
• Speaking of Samm's hate-on for JWOWW, when I first made the OJ-Nicole Brown analogy for Ron-Samm I was just joking (mostly). But now it couldn't be more accurate. Ron, like OJ, literally got away with murder! Similarly, we can only hope that Ron too is charged with kidnapping and false imprisonement at some point down the road (which I think is a pretty safe bet at this point).
• I knew, based solely on the rat that she tried to pass of as a dog, that Vinnie's Hooters girl was a bitch. Memories of Gonzalez Beach right there.
• I thoroughly enjoyed Mike's "Davey Crockett-chic" look. And by "enjoyed", I mean hated. I'm not saying Mike goes both ways, I'm just saying Mike goes both ways.
• The Situation just committed a sexual assault within two minutes of entering the club. Speaking of Mike's rapey-ness, I love how Pauly D was happy that such behavior made him look better by comparison. The lesson, as always: its good to have an assault-prone wingman to make you look better to women.
• I'm guessing Mike signed on with Dancing with the Stars before this episode was taped?
• Sammi's confidence level in life is roughly equivalent to Edmonton's average low temperature in January. That's a negative number by the way. I've seen homeless people with more self-confidence than Samm. To quote the SportsGuy, "We can capitalize on this!"
• "You wanna battle?" - Ramona to Mike. Clearly, the greatest call to battle since George Washington called out King George in 1776.
• Add Mike to the list of guys who've been rejected by Snooki. I can't believe I just wrote that.

Episode 12

• Snooki: "I love Vinny, he's like my big brother. Except you don't have sex with your big brother." One would think.
• Calling JWOWW's outfit a "strippers outfit" is offensive to strippers. That is clearly a streetwalker's outfit.
• Only the Jersey Shore cew could get into a fight (and get kicked out) at Space in Miami -- a club where 99% of the people are on ecstacy and there strictly for the house music/dj.
• Sure the crew got kicked out of Space (after about 20 minutes no less) but look on the bright side: JWOWW is perfectly dressed to earn some extra cash turning tricks on Ocean Ave.
• Without going into detail, it has to be said that Mike is self-destructing before our eyes. He's actually hard to watch at this point. Another cringe-worthy performance by the Situation.
• "I need someone to take a grenade for the team, or entertain a grenade, or decipher the bomb if necessary. I mean, it's a war out there!" - Pauly D, Philosopher.
• Canada's reputation really has taken a beating thanks to the endless train of Canadian skanks showing up at the Shore house. And I'm going to go ahead and say it -- I think it's what actually cost Canada a seat on the UN Security Council.

Episode 13 (Season Finale):

• Guess who just wrote 2500 words analyzing season two of the Jersey Shore? This guy that's who. So I ask you: who's more pathetic, me or the cast of the show? The answer would be me.
• Nothing like a little Ronnie/Samm drama to ruin the season finale. Which reminds me, given that Sammi is clearly bi-polar, do we re-assess Ronnie's performance this season? For me Ronnie has really rehabbed his image as the season's gone on. Granted, maybe it's just because mtv stopped roofying his drinks after episode 4, but clearly Ronnie has improved his image as time has gone on. For me, Ronnie's like Michael Vick in the sense that both did seemingly irreparable damage to their legacy only to turn it around in the end. The main difference between the two is I actually hope Vick continues to turnaround his life, while I could care less about Ronnie's future.
• Has anybody's stock fallen further than the Situation's these past few weeks? Mike is a trainwreck who's essentially surviving on Vinny's sloppy seconds and thirds at this point.
• "If you're not fucking your roomate, you shouldn't have to clean up after them." - JWOWW. I'm not making fun of JWOWW here. That's actually a legitimate point.
• THE END.

Retro NBA Jerseys: The Latest Trend in Hipster Fashion (To Piss Me Off)

If you're a regular reader of Deadspin (and let's face it, you should be) you may have read about the latest trend in hipster fashion -- ironic throwback NBA jerseys. Yes, no longer content with wearing skinny jeans, Keds, and 1950s-style glasses, hipster youths have turned to the once iconic accessory of rappers and street ballers everywhere. Except, with a typical hipster twist (it's all about the irony with these people), you won't find any of these jerseys in stores. Why? Because they're no longer stocking Arvydas Sabonis and Tony Kukoc jerseys at your local Champs, for one. But more importantly, the hipsters are all about jerseys of players nobody can remember in sizes only toddlers can fit into.

Now, I actually enjoy wearing basketball jerseys in the summertime. They're made of light weight fabric that breathes easily when you're doing physical activities. However, thanks to these clowns my fondness for the basketball jersey is in jeopardy and this hijacking of a once proud fashion accessory got me thinking: is there any difference between the hipster wearing an ironic NBA throwback and the douchebag/UFC-type wearing an Afflication shirt? Both are just copying a fashion trend among their cohorts. Both are proudly proclaiming their uniqueness from the rest of us squares/sheep by being entirely un-unique. But there is a difference and I never thought I'd say this but I actually respect the UFC douchebags. They know who they are. They know what you think of them and they're okay with that. They know their Afflication shirts prevent them from entering 99% of bars but they continue to wear them because that's who they are. The hipsters on the otherhand can claim no such sense of self-understanding or confidence. They're wearing a jersey because their buddy at the coffee shop is wearing one and if you were to make the mistake of asking the question. "Hey man, nice Penny Hardaway throwback., I used to love him on the Magic," they'd look at you as though you were the scum of the earth. And to think, you didn't even point out the fact that the jersey is three sizes too small! A sad state of affairs if you ask me. And my worry is, if NBA throwbacks can be taken from us, what's next? Is nothing sacred anymore?

Required Reading for August

• One of my favorite writers' has just written a NY Times best-selling memoire. Sweet. Said writer celebrated the success of his book launch by waking up nearly paralyzed with cancer. Shitty. Then he wrote about it. Tough to Read. Christopher Hitchen's latest piece for Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/09/hitchens-201009
• Hitchens isn't letting cancer slow him down. In Slate, he weighs in on the Ground Zero mosque/cultural centre: http://www.slate.com/id/2264770/
• In Rolling Stone, Matt Taibbi assesses the US financial reform bill as well as Wall Street's $600 million fin-reg lobbying effort. His conclusion: it was lobbyist money well spent. An exerpt: "Throughout the debate over finance reform, Democrats had sold the public on the idea that it was the Republicans who were killing progressive initiatives. In reality, Republican and Democratic leaders were working together with industry insiders and deep-pocketed lobbyists to prevent rogue members like Merkley and Levin from effecting real change. In public, the parties stage a show of bitter bipartisan stalemate. But when the cameras are off, they fuck like crazed weasels in heat." http://tinyurl.com/35uo6fn
• In The Atlantic Jeffrey Goldberg assesses the likelihood (and fallout) of an Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities: http://tinyurl.com/39uy2b2 Also check out this close read of Goldberg's article (it is rather long) in Slate: http://www.slate.com/id/2263594
• The summer issue of Foreign Policy, called "The Bad Guy Issue", assesses responsibility for the world's failed states and ranks the world's worst despots. Specifically, FP singles out France for its role in creating failed states in Africa (five of the world's 12 worst). Surprisingly, Quebec is not listed as one of those five. http://tinyurl.com/2faxuuf
• Also in Foreign Policy: Are their paralells between the Chinese economy today and the Japanese lost decade of the 1990s? http://tinyurl.com/2fcnhr6
• In Slate, the tale of the most isolated man in the world. The article looks at what Brazil is doing to protect an Indian man who is the last remaining member of an uncontacted jungle tribe. http://www.slate.com/id/2264478
• The funniest thing I've read this month -- Deadspin's Haters' Guide to the Top 25. Hilarious. http://deadspin.com/5620076/the-2010-haters-guide-to-the-top-25