Happy Holidays!

Family Tree
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

A late Christmas entry for all two of you who might actually read this thing still. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures this year of party or family which is pretty sad to tell the truth, but here's a picture I hope will remain true every year on Christmas, the tree. In particular, this tree was given to me by my grandparents as a nice reminder of family over the holidays. They picked out every ornament and decorated this tree for me in a way that makes it highly personal, and although it's fake, it is the only tree that I need to have in my apartment every year.

This Christmas was extremely satisfying. Not because I got lovely presents from everyone, but because I was able to spend it in good spirits with the people that are important to me. Seeing everyone in such a good mood to me is what the holidays are really about. We forget our personal differences, all that's made us bitter and selfish during the year, and are able to spend it together and remember what it is that made us friends in the first place.

My one regret this year, was not being able to get presents for every one of my friends. Usually, I relish being able to find that one special thing to light the eyes, but we made more of an effort to be frugal this year, and part of me dislikes that fact. Although incredibly convenient, and ultimately fun, I missed the personal impression an individual gift can make.

The holidays aren't quite over just yet, but if the early promise of a successful Christmas is any indication, New Year's promises to be fulfilling and special as well. Merry Christmas everyone!

Little Howie Hughes

What better way to spend a day off than with some relaxation, errands, and finishing it up with a good old fashioned Hollywood Biopic?

Well, some may beg to differ, but I think that's a pretty nice way to end the day. Specifically, I caught a viewing of The Aviator appropriately enough at The Bridge in the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center. If you don't know what this movie is, and you don't know who Howard Hughes you'll have to check it out, especially if you're enamored with planes, technology, and flight. This movie will knock your socks off.

Truthfully, I went in with high expectations. Perhaps in the minority, I enjoyed Martin Scorsese's last effort, Gangs of New York and was looking forward to this one immensely. Not just because I'm an engineer, or because Mr. Scorsese has a love for cinema, but because Howard Hughes himself led a conflicted and unfortunate existence. As famous and ingenious as he was, he could not escape the affliction of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and it's ultimately what consumed him.

Leonardo DiCaprio took to task the lead role as the eccentric test pilot and millionaire in what has to be his greatest role to date. The early promise of a stellar career has to be realized here, and it's no surprise to me that he was nominated for a Golden Globe recently. For one, he doesn't shy away from depicting the absolute prison of Mr. Hughes' OCD while at the same time maintaining an unbridled and passionate energy for what he loves. It's an emotional performance that I was impressed by, and no doubt impressed the Hollywood Foreign Press.

Supporting the lead, Cate Blanchett proves once again why she is one of the most talented actresses at the moment. Her honest portrayal of Katherine Hepburn plays less as imitation and more as personification. Most other roles in this film are secondary to hers and Mr. Dicaprio's and with good reason, every moment they're on the screen together, it's cinema gold.

What most impressed me about this movie were how devoted Mr. Scorsese is to film itself. He shares with Mr. Hughes an obsession of all things film, and especially a devotion to realism. It's apparent that both directors want the audience to experience the pain, the joy, the fear, and the love their characters emote. There's parallels in the high flying antics of Mr. Hughes' first film Hell's Angels to this film's own scenes of flight. One could also argue that the early on-screen violence of Scarface and the similar gangland brutality of Goodfellas hold much in common that both directors wanted realism and not beauty.

With all of this praise, you would think I really loved this film, but in actuality, I left feeling somewhat empty. Maybe it was the knowledge of Mr. Hughes' life after the events of the film and how it ultimately was bittersweet. What Mr. Scorsese did accomplish was helping us remember how great the accomplishments of this one innovator really were. We as young people do not even know of a time when flight was inaccessible to the general public, but we should all have Mr. Hughes to thank for it. Coupled with the majesty of flight, it's an impressive film, but perhaps one that feels just like the legacy of Howard Hughes: incomplete.

Overall Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Painfully Board

Mammoth, December 2004 022
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Or quite the opposite if you will. Mammoth was quite the success, and now I've been infected with the snowboarding bug. To say the least, you know it's been a good weekend when Monday's meant for recovery from lack of sleep, excess of physical exertion, and horrible, horrible pain. Oh yes, the pain.

Seriously though, it's not as bad as I make it sound. Mammoth is always a good time as long as you're not crashing to the snow every ten feet. Here's a picture I snapped at the very, very top of the mountain, home to a mess of double black and single black diamond runs and also one single blue square. After taking a gander at our surroundings for a grand total of two minutes (freezing up there!) I'm amazed at how incredibly steep it gets at the top. Scary steep.

This trip though, made me all the more excited for our future trip to Whistler for New Year's Eve. There's a real hope that I'll remember all the good things we learned this weekend, but I do know that no matter what, it will be fun. Awesome.

Board Sick

This weekend, we shall be here having much fun and hopefully suffering no injuries. More to come....

Jingle All the Way

12-04-04_1418.jpeg
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Look what I've figured out to do! I've known about Flickr for a while now, but I only just got the camphone recently, so what the heck, why not try my hand at moblogging. Check out this recent blurry photo I snapped while doing some shopping out at South Coast. There's a few more where that came from, but the tree is what is most significant to me about the mall during the holidays. You can have Santa, you can have the huge crowds, but the tree is always the centerpiece. Mostly, I just remember looking up at the thing and marvelling at how huge it was, and who the madman was that got to top off the tree with a star or an angel. If you ever get a chance, check out the tree at Fashion Island as well, which is probably twice as tall and just as decorated.

What Are You?!

15 years ago (fifteen?) during the Summer, a friend and I took the day off from school and spent the morning at the movie theaters watching what we thought to be the ultimate movie, Batman. Little did we know, but big were our hopes, that the movie itself would spawn sequel after sequel, the succeeding one less impressive than the preceding. At the time, we were in awe of what is actually a very enjoyable movie, Jack Nicholson hams it up as the maniacal Joker while the controversially cast Michael Keaton puts on a brilliant performance as both Batman and Bruce Wayne, and both mark what was missing in later sequels, the reliance less on acting and more on stunt casting. The final straw would have to be Alicia Silverstone as the least compelling batgirl, ever, and the Governator as a muscled-up and dumbed-down Mr. Freeze.

The recent spate of modern superhero films have much that can be attributed to Batman. In particular, Marvel has been trying to follow the formula of finding a studio willing to accept the licensor's input and also by hiring a director with a compatible vision. One could argue that Tim Burton has a lot in common genre-wise with Sam Raimi in their skewed views, but it's what they have in common with their respective properties that drives each film. Inherent darkness in the Batman franchise and the science-fiction madness of Spider-man are blueprints for success in that it retains loyalty to source, yet at the same time speaks to the intelligence of the audience.

Why talk about this now? Well one needs to watch the new Batman Begins trailer to understand the evolution of these films. Batman led to Spider-man, which led to X-men, which in turn leads back to Batman yet again. After watching the clip, I have newfound faith that Christopher Nolan has taken the modern philosophy of humanity and realism to heart and can deliver an entertaining movie. Doesn't hurt that the budget has to be twice as large as the original either.

Watch it, love it, maybe hate it a little, but know that it's coming and it can't be stopped.

Welcome to the Kub

Follow up to my last post: I've registered for my class at fabulous Otis and will be in the beginning stages of designing toys come February. As with my last class, I hope this one will be fulfilling in the right-brained aspect of my life that I've been missing during my everyday job. One can only take so much left-brained madness before succumbing to computer-induced coma.

***
Here's a couple of random notes while I'm at it. If you wax nostalgic for your old NES, you can now listen to the musical stylings of a Japanese band who've created the mad fantasy of the 8-bit instrument.

If that doesn't fit your fancy, then perhaps the age-old idea of walking a labyrinth will. Unlike a maze, the labyrinth functions more as a meditative device than a conundrum of locational proportions. Might I add that a reputable northern California institution has just acquired one for use. It has many uses they say, but I still find the actual application somewhat fascinating.

Hm, 8-bit music vs. ages old contemplating device, how in the world do these relate to each other?

They don't! Have a good week!

Designer Fun

Recently, I've come across what's becoming somewhat of a subculture trend: collecting designer toys. Those who know me, know that I've been obsessed with Kubricks for a while now, but lately, I've started to keep my eye on these guys as well. I'm not sure what it is about them that I find so appealing, but if you look closely, you can tell there's an insane amount of design that goes into each one to get just the right look for each of them.

Piggybacking this notion, I recently became aware (via BoingBoing) of a new set of collector's items at Neo Kaiju. The most recognizable name out of these designer is Gary Baseman, who some might recognize from the Disney toon Teacher's Pet. I've only recently become acquainted with the work of Tim Biskup too, but these little Neo Kaiju dudes look interesting. Not sure if I'd pick any up, but the idea that artists are into this kind of thing is neat.

Which reminds me, that I'm now planning on taking an Intro to Toy Design class at Otis this coming quarter. Sound like fun?

Kevin Smith Hosts Greatness

I have experienced nerd nirvana.

Yesterday, through notice of his blog, Jim Lee and a cadre of artists descended upon Westwood for a signing in commemoration of their new book, The Intimates. Never in my life had I ever done something such as this, and although a little harrying in the beginning, it was totally worth it if only to get a sketch from the man himself but also to get a sketch from a one Mr. Ale Garza. Mr. Lee is perhaps my favorite comic book artist, really, and although it may not seem like high art, I appreciate it for all it's worth. I would like to see him experiment a lot more, just like he did for his run on Deathblow. His style, when coupled with more elaborate material than just pen and ink goes from merely amazing, to complete jaw-droppingly, life-alteringly phenomenal.

Now the line at The Secret Stash was a tad long, it took me about an hour and a half to make it all the way to the front, but it was totally worth it to get what are actually my first sketches ever. I really appreciated the fact they were able to do so, since I know they took time out of their busy schedules to see their fans and promote their work. Perhaps another highlight was how much joy Joe Casey took in my proclamation that his action sequence in an issue of WildCATS was one of the best I'd ever seen.

Really, I've always wanted to get a sketch from an artist, and maybe these will be the first of a few. What I will take away from this though, is the fact that I got to meet a childhood icon of mine, and not a disappointment was had.

Spaced Out

Microsoft has jumped in horribly late to the game with their new MSN Spaces. In a desperate move to capitalize on the latest cross-over internet fad, they've made blogging accessible to millions who have no idea what Blogspot or Xanga are. God forbid people actually are able to have minds of their own, their Terms of Use read as such:

For materials you post or otherwise provide to Microsoft related to the MSN Web Sites (a "Submission"), you grant Microsoft permission to (1) use, copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, modify, translate and reformat your Submission, each in connection with the MSN Web Sites, and (2) sublicense these rights, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Microsoft will not pay you for your Submission."

I reserve the right to refuse their service thank you very much.

Wha.. Huh?

I have no idea what to make of this:

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): Don't fight the inevitable. Don't resist it and bitch about it and curse it. On the other hand, don't just lie down and let it roll over you, relinquishing your will and losing your spunk. Instead, Virgo, have fun with the inevitable. Tease it and question it. Influence it through the ingenuity of your playfulness. Develop a relationship with it that allows you to be true to yourself even as you learn to love it.

There's nothing more inevitable than the cold grip of death. And taxes I guess. I shudder at the thought...

Who's House?

Seeing as I'm now a confirmed TiVo whore, there's been plenty of opportunity for me to catch new TV shows. The downside to the TiVo, however, is the lack of being able to record two shows at once. There are ways, indeed, to circumvent this matter. If it weren't for these alternate methods, I may not have caught the new drama gracing our airwaves, House.

House is just one of the many medical dramas being aired right now, and also one of what is becoming a very popular series of shows, the medical investigation drama. There are a few factors however, that make it unique. One of these is the fact that there are no crimes, nor are there epidemics, this show deals with patients on an individual basis. At its core, Dr. House, who happens to be a damaged and, of course, eccentric central character, doesn't like dealing with these patients, but in fact believes them all to be liars who will only hinder his diagnosis. Helping him out are a crack team of young doctors willing to learn, but also willing to take risks. It seems somewhat normal at its surface, but once Dr. House breaks open one of his vices, a tabloid magazine, you know this is not your typical CSI send-up.

As leads go, Hugh Laurie is in an accomplished and believable actor. His resume really speaks for itself, but the performance he gives as Dr. House is quite admirable. There's the right combination of gravitas and levity to make the character really shine out apart from the myriad eccentric leads that one might find on any channel. I contend that it's because of his performance that House is now one of my favorite shows, behind Scrubs of course. Check it out if you can, it might take some getting used to, but I like it.

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, wherever you are. Hope you have a lot to give thanks for this year and always for the years to come.

Solvang??

One of the smaller movies, with a pretty big critical success story this year has been the Alexander Payne film Sideways. If anyone's seen either Election or About Schmidt, you get the idea that Mr. Payne has an oblique sense of humor which one might at first consider pessimistic. Rather, I'd say that his viewpoint ultimately tends towards the optimistic. The purveying factor guiding his pictures isn't the hell Mr. Payne puts the main characters through, it is in fact what they discover about themselves.

I'll have to say that this movie would not succeed with out the impeccable casting Paul Giamatti is a struggling middle school English teacher dreaming to be an author friend of the soon-to-be-married and somewhat washed-up actor played by Thomas Haden Church. What succeeds is that these actors aren't big names or marquee faces, but they seem like real people. All the supporting characters are equally as real, and you almost forget you are watching a movie and instead feel like you're observing a week in the life of two regular guys. It isn't just their looks that make them believable, it's also their acting, and I'll admit that I wasn't expecting much, but was terribly impressed in the end.

Story-wise, you get the idea that Mr. Giamatti's character, Miles, is horribly depressed. He's two years divorced and had his book universally rejected. Unfortunately, it's his task to toast Mr. Church's, or Jack's, impending nuptials with a week in Santa Barbara, wine-tasting, and golf. What seems like routine, takes a twist when Jack's intentions turn everything on it's head.

What I took away from this movie was how smart it was. I'm not sure if it was the dialogue, the situations, or just the fact that it wasn't pretentious at all. It never seemed slow and also, it was never ordinary. From that standpoint though, I will say that it's not for everyone. For me however, it was what I expected from Mr. Payne: enjoyable and intelligent.

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

As I Lay Dying...

That's a bit of an exaggeration really, considering that I'm just holed up in bed decrying the fact that I should have gotten more sleep than I did. Thinking I should have drank more orange juice last week and also thinking it's kind of nice to have a little break. Albeit, I wish I could be having this break completely healthy right now, but that's irrelevant now. I'll just be thankful that it's a short week, and things aren't as busy as they could be at the moment. Other than that, I'm perfectly content to try and nap the disease away. Nap...

Nap...

Nap.

Breakfast Anyone?

LA Blogs asks all of its citizens about their breakfast habits. Being that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day (especially on the weekends) I'm naturally inclined to participate.

1. General question, where is your favorite breakfast in LA?
Uncle Bill's Pancake House in Manhattan has some of the best potato scrambles ever devised. I love the food, but the wait's nothing to be sniffed at. Duke's in Malibu has a fantastic brunch that has to be experienced by all.

2. What do you order?
I love the common breakfast stack which usually includes eggs, sausage, hash browns, and a heaping stack of buttermilk pancakes. The quality of the restaurant always depends on the quality of their pancakes.

3. There is great Mexican food in LA, where do you go for huevos rancheros or a breakfast burrito?
El Conquistador in Silver Lake is hands-down, the best place to go for a quality Mexican Breakfast. They serve their huevos rancheros with a nice, toasty, and crispy tortilla.

4. For a quick bagel or donut, where do you stop?
Since it's the closest place to me, Noah's Bagels is the most convenient, and has a good variety when I'm in a hurry.

5. Any greasy spoons that you brave or would like to?
Pann's is quite good over on La Cienega, but even closer than that is good ol' Chips which I haven't been to yet, but I would love to try.

6. Over priced breakfast?
Good question, I have yet to eat a horribly expensive breakfast anywhere, anyone have any ideas?

7. Coffee, tea, or juice; where is the best spot?
Juice, always. I'll pick up a Naked Juice when I can. I'm not much for going out for coffee.

8. You have guests from out of town, where do you take them for an overall great breakfast?
Either Uncle Bill's or the Original Pancake House in Torrance. If they're up for a drive, Plums in Newport Beach has an amazing spread, and totally worth the wait.

Liquid Lightning

My Free Will Horoscope this week had a couple items of note that I found kind of neat. First of all, there's this quote, "I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination." and it also suggests that I refer to myself as the "Earth-Shaking, Record-Breaking, Love-Erecting, Truth-Correcting, Mind-Expanding, Justice-Demanding Bolt of Liquid Lightning." I kind of like the second idea better than the first, but I've always believed in the power of imagination. Hoo-rah.

No Capes!

Ever since I saw Toy Story, I've been a Pixar freak. Being just a fan of animation as a medium is not the only reason to see every movie they produce, being a fan of good movies in general should also be reason enough. They've produced the most consistent string of high-quality pictures over the last decade, and if you've found yourself laughing at Shrek, you have Pixar to thank. This recent legacy, and the promise of good times is why we took in the sumptuous leather seats of The Bridge for their latest, The Incredibles.

For me, the promise of The Incredibles began early when I heard that Brad Bird was directing the movie. Anyone who's seen The Iron Giant may remember him, but those who haven't caught it should make the effort since it happens to be one of the most character-driven and enjoyable animated features outside of the Pixar films in recent memory. I'll have to say this off the bat, Mr. Bird did not disappoint.

Plot-wise, the movie itself follows the canon of Pixar movies, making seemingly unrealistic situations incredibly real. They've given toys, bugs, and fish large worlds and personalities to match. What could be larger than life, and even more in-style nowadays, than a modern-day tale of superheroes. The premise is simple in itself, superheroes have been forced into retirement by frivolous lawsuits. Mr. Incredible, the biggest hero of his day, has been happy in family, but not necessarily in life and longs for the glory days of heroics to return. No sooner has he hit rock bottom does a seemingly convenient opportunity arise, but with a sinister twist. With Mr. Incredible in peril, no one else can save him but his family.

The voice performances, and those of the animated characters themselves are top-notch. You hear the emotion foremost, but it's what the animators create that make you believe it. Small movements of hands, feet, anything that makes the figure more realistic might not be noticeable while taking in the amazing set pieces, but it has to be appreciated how far these artists went to make their characters well, characters. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, and most notably, Samuel L. Jackson give the highest expected performances, but the actors portraying the two Incredible children no doubt have to be lauded for the work they've done. There's a vulnerability they portray, but also a sense of wonder to which the viewer can relate. These aren't the only aspects though, that make the movie amazing.

Visually, dramatically, and aurally, this movie delivers on all counts. The action scenes are just what the title suggests, portraying superheroes with all the power and amazement they deserve, and also as human as they deserve. . The small scenes also speak to the familiarity of life we face every day, and the desires we might want to fulfill at any moment in frustration. It's this duality in which Pixar elevates and grounds the picture at the same time. One doesn't just watch the movie, one experiences it.

I can't say any more without writing a few thousand pages about how much I loved this movie. Every aspect of it was the best I've seen in a while, and really, I recommend you get out and see it as soon as you can. Pixar has done it again, and I believe they'll keep doing it for years and years to come.

Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Last Word... Electorally

Several times throughout the last few days, I've heard arguments from both sides of the political spectrum attempt explanation of the electoral process and how we now have G-Dubb as prez for the next four years (FOUR years!). It comes down to a couple of simple issues that I've consistently seen:

1. Kerry is not a strong candidate for president.

2. Bush makes people feel like their moral values are safe.

I'll accept the first tenet because I was never fully comfortable with Mr. Kerry from early on during the primary elections. Mostly, I was suprised that he came so strongly out of left field to steal the primaries from more viable candidates, but in the end, he was it, and we had to accept that as fact. His rhetoric towards the end of his presidential campaign became much stronger, but unfortunately, it appeared to be too little too late. For what it's worth, I believed in what he had to say: that he could empower the economy, become a champion of the middle class, return our civil liberties to what they once were, and heal our standing within the international community, but unfortunately, the majority (yes, it is an official majority) of the country didn't hear this side of his message and instead saw an untrustworthy and weak-minded candidate.

Now, the second idea, that Mr. Bush makes people feel their moral values and lives are protected is not a lot of hogwash. It's no surprise that middle America finds his down-home demeanor and devotion to faith reassuring. We out on the west coast and northeast of the country may think differently, however. While many of us may have seen the economy, the international spectrum, and the war overseas as the biggest issues, many outside of these states saw gay marriages, stem-cell research, and abortion as abominations of faith that should be gutted and thrown overboard. Forget that people with different sexual orientations should be allowed civil liberties, forget that many adults suffer daily from debilitating disease, and forget that violent sexual crimes can lead to unfortunate choices, but remember that our country was founded by what else, Puritans. Is it any surprise then that moral values were the highest rated deciding factor in this election?

Ultimately, I like to believe we all wanted our moral values protected. It can be argued that those of us in the blue counties (check out the purple map to get an idea of what I mean) were thinking of others while those in red counties thought of themselves. I'm not trying to say that there's less compassion in the south and midwest than in other regions of the country, but isn't it what drives these issues. Do we not want others to have the same rights we do, or are we more concerned that their rights will infringe on ours? I like to think that it's a little of both for everyone.

I'll end by posting what the newly elected Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama said at the Democratic National Conention:

Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America—there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

It's my country, and your country, let's make it work for us.

Whoop De Doo

The only thing I have to say about the election is this: my sister was wearing a shirt today that read, "We're all going to hell."

Ha.

What'd I Say?

No longer will I look at Jamie Foxx and think of Booty Call. After seeing Ray this weekend, my opinion of him has changed completely based upon his performance. Actually, the last two movies he's been a part of have altered my opinion somewhat, but this one has reversed it entirely, unless he goes about and makes Booty Call 2, I'll be hard-pressed to remember what his performance was like in the original.

Ray itself is a really good film. Sunday nights are starting to seem like good nights for movies too, because you can still show up 15 minutes before the movie, and find plenty of seating. Although we did find ourselves surrounded by talkers, I was so wrapped up in the drama that it was inconsequential. The story itself is enthralling as you watch the life of Ray Charles the musician begin to take shape over the course of a decade. From working small bars in Seattle, to headlining national tours, Ray Charles showed a genius that never really developed until he was able to break out on his own. He had a charisma that hid a crippling heroin addiction and addiction to women that he fought with early on in his career, but it appeared that his talent and his will to persevere overcame all of this to become a musical legend. Most compelling was his early childhood and his mother's unwillingness to let him become less than he could be and her determination for him to become more than she ever was. It was this relationship that drove him, and ultimately the emotional core of the story.

Jamie Foxx gave the performance of his life. His depiction of Ray Charles is spot-on so much so, that you forget you're watching an actor and instead feel that what you're seeing is reality. He was so dedicated to this role that he wore a facial prosthetic to mimic blindness and experienced the world as Ray Charles would have. He put on an extremely brave performance, displaying not just the physical movements and vocal timbre, but also played the heck out of the piano. I mean, when they could have gotten a body double to play the music that made Ray Charles famous, there was no need in that Jamie Foxx is quite an accomplished pianist in his own right. Impressive.

I'd say this is the first great movie of the Fall movie season, and if you get a chance, go out and see it, if not just to experience some fine performances and a good story, but to be flat-out entertained in the process.

Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Traffic Survey

Ah, the joy of traffic tickets, another LA Insight from LA Blogs:

1. Have you ever been ticketed for a moving violation?
Yes, but never in the state of California (knock on wood).

2. Have you ever been able to talk your way out of a ticket (just getting a warning)?
There's been a couple of close calls, but I've never had to talk my way out getting a ticket, usually the cops either have bigger fish to fry, or just want to talk.

3. Have you ever fought a traffic ticket?
Nope, I figure you do wrong, you pay the price.

4. How did you fulfill your traffic school requirement?
Took a one day course at a community college. Had to be the most horrible day I've ever spent in any class, anywhere.

5. Have you ever gotten a parking ticket? Did you fight it?
I've gotten a couple, just because I completely lost track of time. They're lame, and always at a meter, so I've never really fought them.

6. How much do you think you've spent in your lifetime on tickets? (Or, if that's too personal: Where to you advise people to avoid getting a ticketed (parking or moving violation)?)
It's been so long since I've gotten a ticket in any form that I can't estimate or give any sort of advice whatsoever.

7. Have you been ticketed in other cities/states/countries? How does that experience compare?
I've only been ticketed in the state of Arizona. Although the stretch of road I was ticketed on can be pretty deserted, it's not deserted from the highway patrol. It was a little embarrassing, but minor.

8. If you had it to do all over again, what's the one thing you would have done differently when it came to a run in with The Man?
Not speed in the first place. It's reckless and silly on a crowded or unfamiliar road. That's all I'm going to say.

Afterthought

My ex-roommate had an anecdote that he told me about yesterday. Apparently he was listening to Interpol's latest at work yesterday before the concert, one of his co-workers stopped by and told him it sounded like an '80s band. For sure they do, especially since most people compare them to Joy Division. I can totally see the comparison, and it's no wonder a lot of people our age like them, because they sound like what the music we listened to while growing up. I will argue, however, that they are less like Joy Division now than in their first effort. I'd probably be able to make a better comparison if I listened to more Joy Division though. Off to Tower!

I'm Subtle Like a Lion's Cage

2004 is definitely the year of the concert. After starting of the year with a bang, seeing Radiohead at Coachella and Incubus at the Great Western Forum, I thought it was over. Lucky for me, and hundreds of other Los Angeles citizens, Interpol would have none of it.

I missed their show at the Curiosa festival a few months ago, but when I heard they'd be playing in promotion of their new album, Antics, I snatched up tickets as soon as they went on sale. Thank goodness too, because it actually sold out pretty quickly, which is remarkable considering they don't have throngs of fifteen year-olds screaming at their tour bus. To tell the truth, that was a highlight of the show in general. I don't think I've ever been at a concert in a long time where a large portion of the crowd was around my age, a very welcome change. How was the overall show, one might ask? Let's find out.

Opening acts, On! Air! Library! and The Secret Machines put on a decent opening effort. Having missed half of On! Air! Library!'s set, what I saw was rather good. Their sound was hard to pin down, but it seemed to have a Pixies sort of vibe to it. Many in the crowd were wondering who they were afterwards, and with good reason, I'll definitely check out their album. If I can find it at least. The Secret Machines did quite well also, but their set was a little more atmospheric than I usually like to see. They filled the occasional dead-space with some pretty loud portions, which really blew most of the crowd away, but I would have enjoyed some more up-beat music. Their album's pretty good to listen to at work, they have definite up-and-coming potential, so it'll be interesting to see how they progress.

Headliners are called that for a reason, and it's hard to believe that Interpol was anything but that at any point in their short existence, but their show was textbook awesome. The band itself played a tight set, with just the right amount of songs, and two encores. I saw them perform on Late Night with Conan O'Brien a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know if the equipment or acoustics were off, but they didn't come off too great on the show, which really dampened my hopes. When it came around to it, this show obliterated that memory, and they were just as good live as I'd hoped. From the opening number to their last, they played this show for the fans. They played a loud, visceral set that was almost unexpected. Really though, it gave me the impression that they'll be playing these shows only to larger audiences in the future, which is always a shame for those of us who like the more intimate venues, but great for them. I left the show last night though with a great memory of them playing at one of the best venues in Los Angeles, and will always look forward to what they have to put out next.

Take You on a Cruise

Tonight, I'm going here to watch these guys. Full report most likely tomorrow.

Mario Brothers Internet Madness

Since I was in junior high, I've been a fool for video games, and specifically for Nintendo and practically every system they've produced (except for the virtual boy, what's up with that?). Seeing this, and also noting a few great posts today from Boing Boing I thought I'd do a brief internet perspective on the greatness that is Super Mario Brothers.

First off, we have the inspired genius that is a robot wholly constructed of legos that will complete the first level of Shigeru Miyamato's classic. Whoever has the amount of time to be inspired and create something like this seriously deserves major props for sticking to their guns.

We also have some relics from the past. In particular, there's this movie clip featuring Mario on Ice!

Also, if you haven't experienced this by now, it has to be seen to be believed. Here's video of a Japanese man completely destroying the ultimate in Super Mario sequels, Mario 3.

Then, we have a great game for any person to download and save on their PC, Super Mario War. It's so simple, and tons of fun to play against someone else. Stomp away!

Lastly, we have a classic flash movie, sound effects and all. Click click click.

Subtitle This!

Lately, it seems that I've been renting a lot of foreign films lately, mostly of the action variety. Now, at first I didn't think I'd ever get to this point in my queue since I rented them around the time that Kill Bill was released in theaters but finally, I'm there, and I'm loving it. There's only one so far that I've seen so far that I consider to be a little sub-par, but the rest of them are blog-worthy.

If you get a chance, I'd recommend seeing Five Deadly Venoms, Duel to the Death, or In the Mood for Love. Now the first two are a must for any Kung Fu fan. First off, Five Deadly Venoms was a movie I didn't have high expectations for, but I was ultimately surprised by what was a stronger plot than I expected, amazing fight choreography, and a classic set of characters that has to be seen to be believed. Suffice it to say, I started off on the right foot by watching this film first, a definite classic.

The second recommended film, Duel to the Death is also a martial arts masterpiece. Filmed a few years post-Venoms, this movie has some more obvious strengths, but it doesn't make it any less over the top. Swords cross, limbs fly, and ninjas abound in this film about the conflicting viewpoints of Chinese and Japanese Martial Arts methodology. I found it a lot more compelling than Venoms because there was a lot more emotion behind it, but also because the production values had noticeably improved from the '70s era. See this one, and you'll see where QT got his ideas.

Lastly, we have Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for Love. Expecting any sort of action at all, one will be sorely disappointed as this movie is somewhat of a twisted love story about a couple who discover that their respective spouses are cheating on them. They end up spending all their time together, but ultimately decide they shall not be like the cheaters. It's a story of lost love, disappointment, and emotional memory. I found the cinematography the most compelling part of the story with each shot carefully framed to convey the maximum impact possible. One must be terribly patient to watch the story unfold though, as it does move a little slowly, but I was pretty happy with it.

Now, I just have to look forward to my slew of Takashi Miike films coming up. Ultra-violence all the way, baby.

Virgo A Go Go

The Free Will Horoscope returns yet again:

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "The greatest menace to civilization," wrote historian Herbert Butterfield, "is the conflict between giant organized systems of self-righteousness?each system only too delighted to find that the other is wicked?each only too glad that the sins give it the pretext for still deeper hatred and animosity." Are you a part of one of those giant organized systems of self-righteousness, Virgo? Do you subscribe even a little to their simplistic, toxic philosophies? If so, I beg you to banish their influence from your life. Dropping out of the great "us versus them" racket is one of the single most important acts you can take to heal your own psyche and guarantee your future success.

Very election appropriate, I think, and although I do align myself with one of those parties, I don't tend to declare it from the mountaintops. Although this is the case, I believe most Americans though, are really a mixture of both political parties, it's the American way that we are able to have that choice. Most problematic, however, is that our country is so polarized by the political atmosphere nowadays that no one can have a decent discussion of the issues and their beliefs without falling into one of those "self-righteous philosophies" the horoscope mentions. Discussion devolves into vitriol quickly thereafter, and unfortunately, what could have been a fair and intelligent discussion devolves into something ugly. Unfortunately, I'm seeing this more often as the election draws nearer, and I really do hope that things calm down after November 2.

Really though, I hope that everyone takes this horoscope to heart and finds what they believe in and prescribes to their own philosophy. Isn't that what we all hold true though, the ability to be unique? Or is it more important to belong? Where do you stand?

Pet Survey

The good people at LA Blogs have asked local bloggers to recount experiences with pets. Although a little late, I like answering!

1. Got pets? Give us a roll call!
One dog my entire life, Frankie the Pug. I've had the random fish and a pet rock, but nothing as high maintenance as the family dog.

2. How did you and your pet(s) find each other?
My grandparents gave him to my sister as a high school graduation present. Some neighbors of theirs had just delivered a litter of Pugs and we were the lucky recipients of one such puppy.

2. Dog owners: What's your favorite place to take your canine for a walk/run/romp?
I rarely ever took him for walks, but I liked taking him to the park near my house.

3. Cat owners: Do you have indoor kitties or do you allow them outside as well?
No cats here, they're too apathetic.

4. Every pet owner needs access to a good veterinarian? Where do you go when your pets need health care, and why?
The local vet gives him a good checkup when he needs it, and gives him the meds he needs. She's rather good I'd guess, although I've never been there.

5. During any extended stays away from home, do you get a friend to care for them, board your pets, or hire a professional pet sitter? Any recommendations for the last two?
Usually, we'll take him with us if we're just traveling inland, but in the case of a long-distance trip, he'll more than likely go to a family friend's place and be taken care of. We had a bad experience with the dog kennel (which Frankie, I believe, still holds against us to this day) and you can always trust the people you've known for a long time to take care of your pets like their own.

6. Had any close contact with some of L.A.'s native wildlife?
I once saw a field mouse hanging out near my golf bag on a course. Other than that, it's been the occasional squirrel and birds, but no big cats.

7. Good or bad, what's your most memorable childhood animal encounter?
There was a time when I was quite young when I had a bad run-in with the next-door neighbor's Doberman pinscher. The dog chased after me on my big wheel and gnawed at my hand. I also remember my cousin's saint bernard slobbering all over the place whenever we visited. Beethoven had nothing on him.

8. What's the funniest and/or most frustrating thing your pet does?
Frankie has the tendency to shun his dog food after having eaten human food. Darn spoiled dog.

Boba 'Brick

The pride and joy of my collection, just obtained this weekend! I'm such a dork...


Tons more yet to come, I'm thinking of adding these guys when I get the chance.

Astrological Opinions

Haven't done one of these in a while:

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The astrological omens are pretty odd right now. They seem to be suggesting that your luck will be good and you'll be in maximum alignment with the cosmic rhythms if you watch a lot of daytime TV, eat heaps of junk food, get no more than four hours of sleep a night, and argue with yourself loudly in public. Just kidding, Virgo. I was merely testing to see whether you've become overly gullible toward so-called authorities like me. The truth is that you should free yourself from influences that presume to tell you what to do. Get their voices completely out of your head so you can clearly hear the still, small voice of your fiercely tender intuition.

While I usually like to think for myself, sometimes I do feel that I'm influenced by outside sources such as TV or magazines to tell me what to read or what to watch. I don't think it's something I do consciously, but something that could be slightly subliminal. I mean, have you been watching a commercial at certain times and said to yourself, "Pizza, mmmmmm." I'm sure it's happened at least once. Perhaps for the time being, I'll focus on doing what I like best and draw a little more. I've been slacking off lately, so it's time to try and come up with something new.

Draw, draw, draw.

Playoff Turn-off

With all Southern Californians hoping for a Freeway Series, both the Dodgers and Angels failed to step up to the plate and were summarily eliminated from World Series contention. From a questionable pitching change in the third and final game of the Angels-Red Sox series to the dismal pitching and hitting display for the Dodgers-Cardinals series, it's very difficult to watch when the home-town team fails to rise to the occasion.

Two bright spots for the both series however, were the rising production of Jose Lima and Francisco Rodriguez. Lima time is real in Los Angeles, which is amazing considering Lima hadn't produced anything significant at all until he arrived in LA. His intensity and dedication to the team is not alarming, it's inspiring. Now if only the fans would stick around until the end of the 9th inning during the regular season.

Francisco Rodriguez has the same intensity, and has already proved himself with the World Series experience in 2002. I'm incredibly impressed with how a player so young can come into a playoff situation and remain calm. Most of the time, opposing batters are left shaking their heads, trying to figure out what it is that K-Rod is throwing up there. He's got incredible speed, and his slider has to be seen to be believed. He's the future of the Anaheim organization, and it was with great trepidation that I saw him replaced with Jarrod Washburn in the 10th inning this last weekend.

It was a good season for both teams, and we can only expect great things from both next year.

The Death of Superman

Sadly, before he ever got to realize his dream of walking again, Christopher Reeve succumbed to heart failure and passed away. Mr. Reeve is best known for the title role in "Superman: The Movie," but in recent years, he was perhaps more well known as a stem cell research advocate and activist for victims of paralysis. In my mind, and in the minds of the American public, Mr. Reeve will always be Clark Kent.

I remember seeing all the sequels, and wanting to be Superman when I was younger. His careful portrayal of Superman's duality is considered to be one of the best to date of a superhero, save for the performance of Mr. Toby Maguire, I tend to agree. No one else could capture the subtle differences between a heroic identity and civilian blase than Chris Reeve and no one will be as inspirational for his determination and belief that the impossible could be achieved. He was an amazing person, and hopefully his legacy will live on longer than any of us could ever image.

RIP...

Play Ball

Even though I'm not as much a fan of Baseball as I am of Basketball, I have to say that since both the Dodgers and Angels have made the playoffs, I've been paying a lot closer attention. Sports are always more exciting when there's actually something on the line, and although both teams are down in their series to start out, I'm still pulling for an all SoCal World Series.

Surprisingly, even though I'm from Orange County, I'm more of a Dodger fan. It might have to do with an early memory of their 1989 World Series victory with that memorable Kirk Gibson home run, but it also might have to be that there's so much history behind the team. I'll always be more fired up for a Dodgers vs. Giants game than for an Angels vs. A's game, that's just the way it is. Admittedly though, Angel Stadium is a lot more fun than old Chavez Ravine, so an Angel game is always fun to watch in person. What's even more fun is to watch the teams play each other since the rivalry has become more close over the last few years. With the Angels having won a World Series of their own more recently than their Uptown neighbors, there's more on the line than just a championship: bragging rights.

Even if they both get eliminated, it should be a competitive championship. Good luck to both teams.

A Thrill A Minute

Being that Los Angeles is a widespread metropolitan area rather than a densely packed metropolis like either New York or San Francisco, sometimes you have to travel pretty far to see some of the main attractions our city has to offer. One of these is Six Flags Magic Mountain all the freaking way out in Valencia. The trek though, is quite worth it as it happens to be one house some of the largest and fastest roller coasters in all of Southern California. Knott's Berry Farm, eat your heart out.

I'm a huge fan of coasters. Wooden, steel, old school, or incredibly innovative, I get a kick out of the rush you get from the mere almost 2 minutes you're strapped into the steel harness. Some may argue that the sick feeling they get from drops and turns is enough to keep them off of a coaster, but I tend to be one who's more turned off by spinning around like crazy until you puke, therefore, a 20 foot vertical drop really isn't a big deal. The more corkscrews and hairpin turns they throw into a coaster, the better.

There's a couple of really impressive rides over there, and it's depressing that I haven't been able to ride more because of the HUGE lines. The first being my favorite of all time, Batman the Ride. Designed with numerous corkscrews and loops, this suspended coaster replicates the feeling of flying through a huge city, and always, ALWAYS makes me walk out the exit a bit wobbly. It's fairly low to the ground, and moves swiftly from one side of the track to the next, but the highlight for me has to be the final whipping corkscrew.

The other ride of note is the notorious X. Boasting a sprawling orange track and an even longer line, the cars on X are mobile and spin while the train itself hurtles through spin, drop, and turn. You know you're really in for it when first traveling up the initial climb and the seats carry you up lying on your back and facing backwards. From there, the seats flip over, and you are literally flying face-first into a completely vertical drop. In Sane. Any coaster enthusiast HAS to experience this for themselves.

Only one other ride had me as terrified, Great America's now-extinct flying Dutchman style coaster, Stealth. Removed to make way for a new water park attraction, Stealth's cars were suspended with the rider facing downwards as if they were Superman. I've only been completely horrified on a ride as I was on this one for some reason, but it was great! Too bad they moved it to the Carolinas.

Now if only I tried out Riddler's Revenge this time around.

Where Are We?

After only two episodes, I have a new favorite show: Lost. So far, the promising new show has delivered an experience only comparable to JJ Abrams' other show, Alias. It's delivered a powerful new scripted drama in a reality-show heavy fall season and helped ABC to find a new hit. Based on the tremendous hype surrounding the show, one would expect a complete disappointment, but on the contrary, Lost has been quite successful.

Here's the basic premise, a plane crashes in the middle of nowhere and the survivors struggle to remain alive long enough to, hopefully, be rescued. The amazing thing is that this premise barely scratches the surface of what this show is all about. I can't possibly explain all the plot points and characters on my own, but it's safe to say that there is a great variety of interesting characters and such a chilling atmosphere surrounding their predicament that one cannot help but become wrapped up in the show.

Personally, I think Mr. Abrams has crafted an ingeniously modern version of Land of the Lost. Another popular theory is this contemporary drama is camouflage for science-fiction, the science of it being time travel. Whatever it is, I'm hooked. All it took for me were the last ten minutes of the second episode to reel me in.

Watch it or TiVo it during Smallville if you must. JJ Abrams is bound to be the new David E. Kelley for crafting several high quality shows for one network.

An Artist's Predicament

A month or so ago, I mentioned a stellar artist who's work I admire immensely, Stuart Immonen. His style has evolved over the last year or so, from a high-contrast mega-black shadow style, to a cleaner, open-lined style that reads very very well. Being a successful comic book artist, Mr. Immonen has had the pleasure, or at times, the displeasure, to create sketches for fans at comic book conventions. Being the incredibly particular bunch genre fans tend to be, sketches can simply not be enough to satiate their hunger. No doubt, this can lead to frustrations.

To illustrate this, (no pun intended), Mr. Immonen compiled a list of 50 Reasons to Stop Doing Convention Sketches. Although hard to deal with, fans can be demanding of an artist who's already taxed. I really love the fluidity of these strips first of all, but most of all, I love how you can see the persona of the strip tries so hard to please those who drive his popularity. At the same time I'm laughing, I can only imagine the stress he has to go through when traveling to promote his work.

Kudos to Mr. Immonen for being passionate and sincere with his artwork. Even more kudos for all the work he's accomplished lately as well. Check out his work wherever you can find it and support this guy.

Slow Hands

It's been a long week so far, and although I've been meaning to make some regular posts this week, it hasn't happened. For right now, I'd recommend you go out and grab yourself a copy of Interpol's new album "Antics". So far it's turning out to be more melodic than their last effort, and it's a welcome change. Check it out.

Overblown Anime

Continuing with the cinematic rampage, we took a recent trip to the local artsy-fartsy theater and watched the latest to be imported to our shores, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. If you've never seen the original, it's a must for every fan of Japanese animation. One of the first anime to be brought overseas, Ghost is based on the popular manga by one of the most influential artists on Eastern shores, Masamune Shirow. The manga, of the same name, follows a futuristic police force, heavily enhanced by electronics, and their efforts to capture a high-powered hacker. The second chapter essentially picks up a few years after the previous adventure, once again following the same force, but with a decidedly different agenda.

This movie can be summed up in one word: Dense. The scenery is dense, the dialogue is dense, and the content itself is just dense dense dense. It took enough just to read the subtitles when there's so much to read, but it took double time to actually let it sink in and comprehend it. Not only that, but there were so many different quotations to follow that it was almost absurd. If there was no context to follow these quotations, I would have been laughing. Fortunately, this never happened.

Visually, Production IG put together what has to be the first successful merging of traditional and computer-generated animation. If you've seen Kill Bill, and you remember the animated sequence in volume 1, you'll know their work. With that knowledge, however, you still may not be fully prepared to experience this film. Background details, mechanical details, and the action itself make for a stunning work. There's one sequence, that although initially convoluted, you may find yourself remembering it for the way such subtle change can effect a scene. If anything, this movie only cements the stellar reputation that IG has built for itself so far, and I look forward to seeing what more they can produce.

My final impression of the film is a little mixed. Although my eyes had definite stimulation, and my brain had stimulation, the entire experience left me a little numb. I'm not entirely sure if I've had enough time to really appreciate the film, and this may not be a fair review, but I'm left with the impression that with all the dialogue, all the symbolism, and all the good intentions, the movie may have left me a little cold. Not that I didn't enjoy the experience, I was just ultimately disappointed. Perhaps it's cultural, and although it could be seen as quite profound, I almost found it pretentious. Whatever the case may be, as with all movies, one can always see it and decide for themselves.

Overall Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Oh Sizzle, Part the Second

While watching ABC's new show, Lost, I saw a preview for a new show called Laguna Beach. Leave it to MTV to create a reality show based on the enormous popularity of The OC and label it "original." Leave it to MTV to also create a show that will promote the stereotype that all people from Orange County are rich, Caucasian, and beautiful. I think I'm going to officially change my name to Seth Cohen and see if I can get some royalties.

By the by, Lost was pretty cool. I'm most likely going to TiVo next week's episode like I did this week's and fast forward through the commercials. Perhaps a more extensive review next week when I watch. Stay tuned...

Sept. 21

For better or worse, I have now entered my mid-lo-late twenties. 26 isn't old in the grand scheme of things, but once you get past that milestone, you start thinking about things differently. For starters, you move from that "18-25" bracket to the "26-32" demographic. You've already gotten past that, "I can rent cars without penalty." phase, and past that, "My insurance has gone down" phase into, "How's my 401k doing?" What better way to keep from doing that than celebrating with friends.


Saturday night. Santa Monica. Busby's. Many drinks for each and everybody (mostly myself), lots of pool, and plenty of karaoke. Hopefully I didn't embarras anyone too much, but I hope everyone enjoyed me embarrasing myself with stirring renditions of The Darkness, Violent Femmes, and Bon Jovi.


Much fun was had, I hope, by all. Busby's is definitely a good place to go with a group of friends and will be always memorable to me. Thanks everyone for coming out and making my birthday very special. I really appreciate that you could all make it, especially knowing the phenomenal drive many of you had to make to get there. Although it's rare that everyone can get together in such a large group, it's always fun, and this time wasn't any different. Here's to all of you!

On This Day in History

Today is just like any other day, except for some notable occasions. The following people were born:

• 1756 - John MacAdam, road builder (d. 1836)
• 1840 - Murad V, Ottoman sultan (d. 1904)
• 1842 - Abd-ul-Hamid II, Ottoman sultan (d. 1918)
• 1866 - H. G. Wells, science fiction author (d. 1946)
• 1873 - Papa Jack Laine, jazz musician (d. 1966)
• 1874 - Gustav Holst, composer (d. 1934)
• 1906 - Aristotle Onassis, shipping tycoon (d. 1975)
• 1912 - Chuck Jones, animator (d. 2002)
• 1919 - Fazlur Rahman, scholar (d. 1988)
• 1920 - Jay Ward, animator (d. 1988)
• 1931 - Larry Hagman, actor
• 1934 - Leonard Cohen, singer-songwriter
• 1935 - Henry Gibson, actor
• 1944 - Fannie Flagg, actress, novelist
• 1945 - Jerry Bruckheimer, film and television producer
• 1946 - Moritz Leuenberger, member of the Swiss Federal Council
• 1947 - Stephen King, author
• 1947 - Marsha Norman, playwright
• 1947 - Donald Felder, musician
• 1949 - Artis Gilmore, basketball star
• 1950 - Bill Murray, actor
• 1950 - Charles Clarke, British politician
• 1953 - Arie Luyendyk, Indianapolis 500 winner
• 1957 - Ethan Coen, film director
• 1959 - Dave Coulier, actor
• 1960 - David James Elliott, actor
• 1961 - Nancy Travis, actress
• 1962 - Rob Morrow, actor
• 1963 - Cecil Fielder, baseball player
• 1966 - Kiefer Sutherland, actor
• 1967 - Faith Hill, country singer
• 1968 - Ricki Lake, actress, talk show hostess
• 1971 - Luke Wilson, actor
• 1975 - Doug Davis, baseball player
• 1980 - Kareena Kapoor, Bollywood actress

And the following events occured:

• 19 BC: The Roman poet Virgil, best known for his national epic the Aeneid, died.
• 1435: In the French kingdom, the Treaty of Arras was signed, ending the long quarrel between Duke Philip of Burgundy and King Charles VII.
• 1792: French Revolution: The National Convention voted to abolish the monarchy and the First Republic was proclaimed.
• 1823: According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith received plates of gold from an angel. On these plates were written history and teachings about ancient prophets and peoples; Smith recorded this knowledge in the Book of Mormon, which became accepted as a holy scripture by the Mormon church.
• 1840: While experimenting with gallic acid, a chemical he was informed would increase the sensitivity of his prepared paper, William Henry Fox Talbot discovered that the acid can be used to develop a latent image on paper, leading to a revolution in photography.
• 1897: In response to a child's letter, the New York Sun publishes an editorial that begins, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
• 1898: The Hundred Days' Reform in China was abruptly terminated when Empress Dowager Cixi forced the reform-minded Guangxu Emperor into seclusion and took over the government as regent.
• 1904: Chief Joseph, the Nez Perce Native American chief who led his people on a 1,600 km (1,000 mi) journey to escape the U.S. Army, dies on the Colville Reservation in Washington at about the age of 64.
• 1931:The Bank of England dropped the gold standard, and the pound sterling promptly lost 28 percent of its value, undermining the solvency of countries in eastern Europe and South America.
• 1937: The Hobbit, Oxford University professor J. R. R. Tolkien's tale of Middle Earth, is published.
• 1976: In an assassination widely credited to the secret police of Chile, Chilean opposition leader Orlando Letelier and his American secretary are killed by a car bomb in Washington, D.C.
• 1989: The U.S. Senate confirms President George Bush's appointment of General Colin Powell as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• 2003: After 14 years of flight time and 8 years of service in the Jovian system, Galileo spacecraft's mission was terminated by sending the probe into Jupiter's atmosphere.

Pretty neat stuff to happen on one's birthday, don't you think? Much credit to Wikipedia, Encarta, and Britannica.

Retro Sci-Fi Sepia Goodness

If you're not sure what the title means, then you haven't seen Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Having just seen it recently, I'll fill you in.

The short of it: I liked it. The long of it: there are many reasons why I can see it is a difficult movie to sell. As most films go, this one is a technological marvel. Filmed entirely on bluescreen, save for a few random props, the entirety of the backgrounds and effects are computer-generated. An awesome spectacle, the film presents itself as a work of nostalgia, but it no doubt can be the future of filmmaking.

Plotwise, the movie itself is relatively simple. The world's capitals of industry are under attack by enormous robotic monstrosities and the only person who can save them the heroic Sky Captain and his "Army for Hire." Jude Law, the man of many movies, plays the title character in a subdued, but strong enough turn. Not quite striking, but enough to own the character, he has yet to find a movie in which his star quality shines through. His counterpart in the action, Gwyneth Paltrow, co-stars as the hard-nosed reporter, Polly Perkins. She brings the appropriate amount of moxy to a role no doubt cast in the Lois Lane mold. Good performances by those two all-around, and the supporting cast isn't so bad either. Not to mention the post-mortem performance by one Sir Laurence Olivier.

How did I feel about the film? I really enjoyed the tone, the look, the content, the whole idea of the movie was great. Well-executed, well-acted, and well-shot I loved the way it played out. There were minor problems, plot-wise, but there will always be areas where belief must be suspended and one must immerse themselves in unreality. For this reason, I find it hard to believe that it will be a huge success. Most people may cast it off in a cynical gesture of disbelief. Others may decry the seemingly cheesy lines and simplistic look of the technology. I consider this to be due to the source of inspiration. Pulp novels and '20's style comic books are outdated, the characters are quite 2-dimensional, and the overall idea is passe. Our culture has been so dumbfounded by visions of the future that we may have forgotten how to even imagine a new past. Really, it's a shame, because I think this film was meant to be enjoyed as pure popcorn fodder.

Most definitely, I would recommend this movie as a matinee for those who doubt. It's a great indicator of what is possible technologically, but also a great deal of fun. If you're willing to just sit down, and enjoy yourself at face value, do so, and you won't be disappointed.

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Your Turn

Let me tell you a story....

Knuckles bone-white underneath leather, my hands grip the steering wheel. My right hand stabs the shifter forward, anticipating the starting signal. A deep, carnal growl bubbles underneath the hood as the car approaches the white line.

Red.

Green.

Boom.

My right food hard to the floor, the car explodes forward as the tires scream for tar and leave a thick cloud behind. The needle reaches 10 and I yank the knob into second, crushing the gas pedal through the metal floor. Gears squeal into third knifing through the first turn, I ease up on the gas and twist the steering column right. As the rear pushes left, my nose slashes towards the apex and I plunge the accelerator.

Fourth gear.

The engine yelps for more gas, pleads. I oblige and smear the boot tread, already melting, into aluminum. Second turn coming up, the wheel strains to the left and peels back a glove layer, stitches snapping. The red dye bleeds onto the grip, autographing my movements. I almost lose the tail, gear down, and counter-steer tightly into the wall, drawing sparks from the rear fender. A strap bites my shoulder and burns a thick, red stripe from neck to waist.

Snarling down the straightaway, the needle spikes and jumps, but I push it further. Fumes rush from the vents and sulfuric debris crowds my helmet while burning my nostrils. An impending swerve beckons as the speedometer wretches towards 200, mocking me. I drop one more gear...

And the world drops out from under me. Chalkboard scrapes of twisted metal burst my eardrums, the tires freeze, and the wheel locks, snapping a wrist as I try to maintain the steer. The first impact into the wall obliterates the rear axle.

Roll 1.

My eyes view the world from below as gravity forces my stomach downwards into my throat.

Roll 2.

I hear cartilage snap like guitar strings as my left knee dislocates. The pain is enough to dull the shattering of my shin as the front end crumples against an asphalt sky.

Roll 3.

My spinal cord corkscrews when the steel gate bisects the car's interior.

Roll 4.

Glittering detritus litters the track. Flames lick the ground and kiss the sky. Each breath is a vaporous, brimstone lunch I'll taste for days. Half-blind, I look towards the sky, think of my wife and children...

I can't lose.

Oh Sizzle

For the love of God, I have been home and things are definitely more clear to me now than they were growing up. Orange County is indeed, doomed.

Those of you who know, and have been there, we do not call it, "The OC." Whoever gave that show's creator even the faintest idea that we do, has to be dragged out in the middle of the street and publicly humiliated. "OC" perhaps, but never by the now-hip moniker that people have been slinging about. Calling it by its new name is about as absurd as calling Malibu "The 'Bu".

Now, the reason for going home was The Taste of Newport food festival. Once a year, all the restaurants from Newport Beach gather themselves together in a little corner of Newport to let the public sample their best dishes. Of course, there's an entrance fee and all the samples cost a little bit of money, but the experience itself is highlighted by chef demonstrations, live performances, and obviously, delicious food. They have a good system worked out for keeping actual cash out of all of the booths, but there has to be a better system for crowd control. Towards the end of the night, the walkways were packed to the gills with people, and it being hot out, sweaty people.

The Taste of Newport is a great festival, but what really surprised me was the crowd. Having lived in Orange County all my life, and having lived elsewhere for a good 7 years now, it's disturbing that I never noticed the environment I had grown up in. This doesn't apply to all of OC, really, but mostly to the Newport, Laguna area. What I discovered, and probably should have known all along is that it has to be one of the least diverse, and most decadent areas of Southern California. There was so much silicone, that if Noah's Flood had happened all over again, at least half the population present would have been saved by their implants. There were so many upper middle class people, that I don't believe anyone there had any doubt who they were going to vote for in this upcoming election. It almost makes me ashamed to have grown up near there, but not quite, since my childhood was
quite different.

To tell the truth, there are many areas in Orange County that are quite the opposite. Travel closer to LA county, for example, and things change quite drastically. In Westminster, Anaheim, Orange, Garden Grove, all these cities are completely polarized to the South County ideal. You won't find the upscale Tapas restaurant you're looking for in Brea, you won't find the conservative viewpoints in Santa Ana either. What you will find, however, are local ethnic markets, hole-in-the-wall eateries, and a friendly face or two, as opposed to the plastic grin that might greet you in saaaaay, Mission Viejo?

It's not a horrible thing to have grown up there, really. I think there are some things I'm still completely blind to, and some I'm glad that I was able to move away and live someplace quite different for so long. One would almost say that it's appalling that so much money can be concentrated in one area while others continue to suffer elsewhere, but that's how the world is. With much brain-cleansing and traveling, maybe all the OC-ness will get out of my system completely within the next couple of years.

Work, Squared

Working in cubicles is no doubt, modern life as we know it. We've all been numbered, arranged, and compartmentalized for the organizational pleasure of whatever job we have. It can be depressing, but it can also be fun if you're willing to go nuts and decorate the cube with knick-knacks and pictures of whatever pleases you.

Amusing things always occur because, in fact, working in a cube makes people forget certain things. For example, we all tend to forget that although we are surrounded by walls, there is still space enough for people to know that you exist. One will always hear the sounds of bodily functions ripping through fabric or exploding from mouths. It's bad enough that the sound is embarrassing, but what of the smell?

People also like to sleep at their cubes. There are people with such elaborate set-ups for taking naps that it almost becomes a part-time job of theirs to arrange their body comfortably before drifting off for a midday snooze. Take for instance, the guy who takes off his shoes, sets them aside in a specific position, gathers an extra chair, leans his own chair against his desk, places his feet "just so" in the extra chair", leans his head back towards the ceiling, but away from the lights, and snores for a good 30 minutes. Of course, I'm making it more complicated than it really is, but what the heck, naps can be taken in your car, at your house, but in my opinion, not at your desk.

There's also those who will call over the cubicle walls to make sure their co-workers are still there. Discussions are held without ever seeing a face or shaking a hand. More people are willing to sit at their cubes, call up their neighbors, or send an e-mail, than walk around a corner or up a flight of stairs. Maybe they should start making office chairs less comfortable. Maybe air conditioning shouldn't make the office a perfect 70 degrees. Whatever it is, I think one should always take a few breaks just to get away from their desks.

What are cubicles to you? Are they modern cages? Is it a private, personal workspace? Are you a master of your cube, or slave?

Road Rage

Have you ever been physically threatened before? I don't speak of being surrounded by basketball players, I mean, has anyone ever threatened to harm you verbally or visually? This weekend, I had my first serious brush with a lunatic, and of course, this happens while I'm driving.

First of all, let me say that driving for a couple of hours on a lonely highway will make a person pretty eager to get home, eager enough to be somewhat self-righteous, but not so much that you have to forget the whole idea of courtesy in the first place. Normally, I try to maintain a certain set of rules while driving, rewarding the polite drivers and trying to win small victories for the little guy by punishing those who are needlessly competitive on the road. Unfortunately, doing so led to a small confrontation of sorts.

While taking an odd detour away from the I-5 through Valencia, a green Chevy Tahoe rolling on at least 24-inch rims tried bullying my poor, rented Trailblazer while merging. I'm talking no signal, accelerating way too quickly in a narrow space, no regard for the safety of my car and the passengers in it by someone obviously with someplace to be, and way too big of a chip on their shoulder. Now, being the responsive jerk I can be when someone is essentially an asshole, I resisted, and closed the gap between the car in front of me to prevent him from his destination. What followed was a little... unexpected.

Mr. Green Monster proceeded to step out of his car, cover his sweaty, obese man-breasts in his sports jersey, and gesture wildly at our vehicle. I'm sure he was saying something emphatically, but I couldn't hear a thing as the Trailblazer has some pretty nice noise canceling features. He continued to spew many a curse word, I imagine, while frantically pointing out each of us in the car. Seeing that at any moment he was going to have a cardiac arrest, I let him in. The whole time, myself and my passengers where cracking up at his sideways baseball cap and demeanor. I've never seen anyone so passionate about merging.

This wasn't the end of it either as "The Bro" then got out of his car again and started flashing what I think was an obscure gang sign, or maybe it was just him telling us what his IQ was, I couldn't quite get his message. He did this a few times, all the while letting other cars in front of him while the spittle foamed from his lips. I think he probably cost himself whatever time he was trying to make up, and I also like to think he feels so much better about his manhood after harassing someone easily one-third his size.

Only in Los Angeles....

Fire Up the BBQ

LA Blogs once again posts up a short poll for all the Angelinos 'blogging in the city. Perhaps not so much in context since I didn't spend the weekend doing any barbecuing personally, but hey, I did have barbecue twice this weekend!

1. When you do fire up the grill, what do you put on it?
Hamburgers or steak.

2. Where do you buy your goods (any secret meat markets)?
Usually I buy the meat at any old supermarket, but Bristol Farms and Trader Joe's usually have some good meats. If the 'cue is intended to be crowded, then Costco will usually do.

3. Besides your house, where do you/would you BBQ around your area?
Can't barbecue in the South Bay since there's no firepits to huddle around late into the night, but Huntington Sate Beach can be nice at night. Either that or we'll fire up the grill at a friend's place.

4. Gas or charcoal?
Nothing tastes better at a barbecue than a hamburger cooked over some flaming, hot coals.

5. What is your favorite drink to accompany the grill?
Beer. Preferably Newcastle. There's a small group of us that do tend to get a little foo foo and drink Alize with some bubbly.

6. When you bring a side dish, what is it?
Good old fashioned potato salad. Mac and cheese sounds good too, but I have yet to find the perfect recipe.

7. If the host burns the main dish, where do you go out to eat instead?
If we're still in the mood for barbecue, Lucille's will stuff you silly. Food's pretty good to boot.

8. Post BBQ games: dominoes, croquet, bocci or badminton?
Poker has been the game of late. Dominoes, however, can always be pretty fun too, but enough can't be said about cranium. Cloodle!

Laborious Day

Hello again, world, how are you holding up after the gratuitous holiday weekend? Myself, I'm thanking my lucky stars that I was able to make it through this holiday relatively unscathed after a harrowing vacationous outing to enjoy the giant redwoods of Sequoia National Park. Being skeptical that all things would rightly come together given the nature of every trip we take together as friends, things panned out in a handsome fashion. We took hikes, we took pictures, and we took our opportunity to soil the landscape with our human presence and scare the living daylights out of whatever natural creatures roamed the forest.

Not that we did this on purpose mind you, just the fact that we were a group of 14 young, loud people should be enough to scare anyone.

There are several things about camping that I really enjoy: the clean air, the beautiful aspect of untouched natural land, and the fact that you can escape from the city for at least a few days before you begin to miss it. Sequoia is a good place to go for all of these things, and if you've never been there, you have to go at least once in your life just to say you've stood next to one of the largest naturally occurring phenomena on the planet earth. Majestic some would say, just another tree others would say, but all I really have to say is, "wow." Profound, huh?



Hiking through the park was nice, and although there are several longer, tougher, and probably suicidal hikes one can take, we took some fairly modest treks. One, to the top of Moro Rock, overlooking the Valley, another to Eagle View, which is an astonishing 71 miles from Mt. Whitney, and another through the Crescent Meadow to Tharp's Log. The journey to the top of Moro Rock was not terribly difficult, but breathing the thin air could be described as such. A few steps up the side of the rock, and people were hyper-ventilating as if we'd just sprinted a good 100 meters. 442 steps the top is what the park ranger said, so like I mentioned, not difficult, but the view was awesome. We stopped for a while and took numerous photos, and as was the theme of the weekend, we took a group photo.



The hike through Crescent Meadow to both Eagle View and Tharp's Log was peaceful, to say the least. We didn't catch any wildlife unawares while we were about, but did get to see what kind of life Tharp made for himself in his literal log cabin. His hollowed out Sequoia home sat at the foot of the meadow and made for a good spot for both himself and his livestock as it sat next to a stream. From there some of us split off for another pre-dusk hike, while the rest of us opted to clean the grime and relax before dinner.



Our last day was spent climbing down the valley to get a look at the Crystal Caves. The 1/2 mile down wasn't any trouble, but hiking back up wearing layers of clothing surely had us lose 10 pounds in sweat. Peering at underground rock formations may not seem to be everyone's cup of tea, and the tour itself was pretty standard, but knowing these formations had been over 1 million years in the making, and the fact that their natural beauty was quite a thing to behold made the Crystal Cave hike worth it. Buy advanced tickets and make sure you dress light, but warmly.



In the end, it was a good trip. I enjoyed myself, and everyone else seemed to have a great time even if it was their first ever camping experience. Being the third largest state means that California has plenty of land, and it's quite amazing that between such great cities in the north and south can exist beautiful displays of untouched nature.

Summer Movie Mania Week 8

As an avid fan of the show Scrubs it was my desire, nay, my duty to see Zach Braff's magnum opus, Garden State. Having also heard so many good things about it, I was looking forward to seeing what made it so unique, especially after having seen the ephemeral goodness that is the trailer. After countless other activities took precedent and a slight mix-up in theater location, I finally was able to sit down in the good ol' Manhattan Village cinema and take in a viewing. In short, I was not disappointed.

For those who haven't seen the movie, Garden State follows Mr. Braff's character as he returns home for the first time after a long stint in Los Angeles away from friends and family. What follows his initial arrival is a good study of what it's like to confront yourself for the first time, or at least that's how I saw it. The film was shot very nicely, with some good imagery throughout. There was never anything that seemed self-indulgent or flashy, and most every shot served a purpose in moving the story along smoothly. You'd have to be a film student to break it down more cleanly, I imagine, but I'm not, so too bad.

The performances by all the actors rang true for me. Although one could be used to seeing Mr. Braff act like a goofball on Scrubs, there is no room for tomfoolery in this film. One would almost say that he was quite stoic, really, but I feel it's a very important contrast, which I will discuss later. Now the real revelation was the performance of Ms. Natalie Portman. One can always attest any movie with Ms. Portman in it is a must-see, given her ultra-good looks, but the naturalism that she portrays in the film is enough to make a person forget for a moment who she is in life, and believe in her character on screen. Her line delivery is so rhythmically real that I was wholly impressed. Many have said that this movie made them fall in love with her character, and although I think that's a stretch, I could understand.

What I drew from the film is very similar to what others have said before, it's a good exploration of that mid-20s feeling. There's the feelings of self-doubt, anger at those around you, and the final acceptance of who you've grown up to be. As stated before, Mr. Braff begins the film quite numb, no doubt due to the Lithium-soaked life he leads in Los Angeles, but could also be due to his refusal to confront family history. Coming home forces the confrontation, but it also forces him to quit taking his meds, and ultimately, he becomes more alive than he's ever been. Now the transition from beginning to end was very well-handled, and Mr. Braff's acting shows very subtly these changes. I think, in a way, that it's a sort of rebirth for his character. This is only fitting since the reason he came home is because of a death in the family. It's an effective story, and only
strengthened by smaller points which I'll ignore for the sake of brevity.

Garden State is highly recommended by yours truly. Out of most of the independent films I've seen this year, I'd rank it in the top 3. Check out Zach Braff's Garden State Blog for more random news concerning the film.

Final Score: 4 out of 5 stars.