Shouts of “If you’re looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills” during Taken 2 showings: 322

Moments in Taken 2 in which Liam Neeson’s makes use of said “particular set of skills”: 87

Times Liam Neeson instructs his onscreen daughter to “get out a map and a grenade” in Taken 2: 1

Your Weekend Box-Office Numbers*

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/box-office-taken-2-13506914?click=news

This is the way I do it,” he says. “I’m not saying this is the right way to do it, but this is the right way for me to do it.
Robert Caro Fourth Volume - The Big Book, by Chris Jones - Esquire
Esquire: I think so. Does that mean you’re a religious or spiritual man?
William H. Macy: No, no, I’m not. I’m not religious. It’s an issue now, ‘cause I’ve got two little kids, and I feel you can’t grow up without knowledge of religion. There was something in National Geographic about the number of phrases we use every day that come from the King James Bible. It’s really had a huge effect on us. It’s right up there with Shakespeare.
ESQ: I’m Jewish, so I really only know the Old Testament, but I remember reading the Book of Job in a college course, and it’s a completely secular sort of reading.
WHM: It’s our culture. It’s the foundation of our culture. So anyway, I try to be a good guy. I try to tell the truth, but I’m not religious.
William H Macy talks with Esquire about religion, religious literature (and many other things
Critics are always complaining “This doesn’t challenge me.” Well, most people don’t want to be challenged. They had to work all day, and they’re tired. They want to see something that they enjoy. And they tune in because they know they’re going to enjoy it.
Hey, “Two and a Half Men” is no benchmark of humanity’s brilliance. But Jon Cryer gets what a lot of the “smart” TV people don’t — most people watch what they enjoy and find relaxing. Comedy that puts its brilliance ahead of causal viewing enjoyment still has a place, but it’ll never get the ratings to match.
Jon Cryer Interview - Esquire

Will Ferrell’s commercials for Old Milwaukee, apparently done pro-bono (via Esquire)

In the end, the old coach could not live up to his own ideal. In a moment that called for courage, Joe Paterno was all too human. He lost his nerve. I wish I knew what he was thinking, but I don’t. All I know is that what he did wasn’t enough.
Joe Paterno’s Code, by Chris Raymond - Esquire
One day, Steve Jobs is going to die. First, he is mortal. Second, the odds against him are not only actuarial — the inevitable odds we all face — they are clinical.
The opener to Esquire’s 2008 profile of Steve Jobs
You have these people who work for you, but they’re also people. They have families and people in their family get cancer and die, and there’s a lot of being there for people. That was not something I had anticipated.
Bill Keller, soon-to-be-ex-executive editor of The New York Times.

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/bill-keller-leaving-the-times-5851163#ixzz1OB4zbIYA
14% of men smoke marijuana, and 56% of them smoke at least once a day. (Or at least according to this: http://ow.ly/4oHsM)
Esquire’s probably unscientific survey.