Heat Stroke

As promised, an updated Coachella lineup. This time, with links! I had another one brewing somewhere... I wonder what happened to it.

April 30, Day 1
Coldplay
Bauhaus
Weezer
Cocteau Twins
The Chemical Brothers
Wilco
Keane
Snow Patrol
Rilo Kiley
Café Tacuba
Doves
Sage Francis
Armin Van Buren
The Raveonettes
Bloc Party
Mercury Rev
Fantômas
Hernan Cattaneo
Zap Mama
DJ Peretz
The Secret Machines
Jamie Cullum
M83
Ambulance LTD
Four Tet
MF Doom
Josh Wink
Amp Fiddler
Tiga
The Kills
Donavon Frankenreiter
Spoon
Boom Bip
Katie Melua
DJ Marky
Immortal Technique
Jean Grae
Razorlight
Swayzak
Radio 4
Buck 65
Eisley
The Sexy Magazines
k-os

May 1, Day 2
Nine Inch Nails
New Order
Bright Eyes
Gang of Four
Prodigy
Black Star
The Faint
Roni Size
The Arcade Fire
Roots Manuva
DJ Krush
Thrice
Junkie XL
MIA
British Sea Power
The Dresden Dolls
Miss Kittin
he Fiery Furnaces
Aesop Rock
The Perceptionists
Jem
Autolux
Sixtoo
Tegan and Sara
Stereophonics
The Bravery
Matthew Dear
Diplo
Subtle
Beans
Shout Out Louds
The Futureheads
Sloan
Kasabian
The Blood Brothers
Matmos
Wolf Eyes
Gram Rabbit
Smokestacks
Zion I

Taylor

A little something I whipped up, just for the fun of it...

This is regarding the first time I sent Taylor home to his mother...

Today Taylor Samson decided to write on the walls with a white-out pen I left sitting on the desk. I hadn't noticed at first, but that get-high scent touched my nostrils every time I walked by his desk. He was the one in the corner, by the way, the little brown-headed kid with the big green eyes and pear-shaped head and missing tooth. I smelled it at first, and asked Taylor if he smelled anything odd.

"No, sir." was his plaintive response.

"Seriously Taylor, are you sure you don't smell a thing?"

"you're on crack, Mr. Patno." Taylor said. He was dead serious too.

Stalking to the head of the class, a snicker leapt out from his neighbors' direction. Turning toes I looked impatiently at Taylor straight into his eyes. This is the moment where being a teacher is either something borne or something learned. Within a second, the authoritarian gaze launched in his direction took effect and Taylor's bottom lip quivered. Slowly, I glanced from seat to seat, looking for any indication, or clue as to what was really going on. Each eyeball craning towards the wall behind Taylor's grainy fiberboard seat spoke volumes.

"Taylor, could you please stand up and move to the front of the class, please?" I asked as sternly as I could without snickering myself. It's somewhat trying to discipline the kids when I have to, but making sure you treat most situations seriously leads to respect, or at least you hope it does. The little guy slinked out of his chair, and as he plodded slowly towards the front wall, I pulled his desk from its position, stared at the red paint besmirched with permanent white ink...

"mistur Fatnow wares panti3s."

"TAYLOR!"

Jeepers

Seriously, I've been terribly lazy this week posting anything at all, but I promise that I'll have some new stuff some day. Actually, I'm hoping to take advantage of my new scanner and scan in some random drawings when I can. Encourage me to do so, and perhaps you'll see some interesting art.

By the way, my class starts next week. As terribly excited as I am, I'm also a little apprehensive. I think that's standard fare for any course you're taking where you think the others involved probably have tons more experience than you do. If it's anything like the last class I took, it should be fun, and most rewarding. Woohoo!

Coachella Lineup?

This little piece of information I found while hunting for the official Coachella lineup (a quick Google lead to this). It's actually a fake, which in a way is a relief seeing as both headliners aren't quite that intriguing to me, but some of the undercard bands make it somewhat tantalizing.  Coachella itself was great last year.  We braved the heat, sweated like crazy listening to some supremely talented bands, slept uncomfortably in a poorly ventilated area, and waited over an hour for a free and flooded shower.  Most likely, if I plan on going this year, I'll make the effort to book a hotel room.  Air-conditioning is a luxury most deserving after a day of the burning sun and dust.  I'll update if more information becomes available.

April 30th, Day 1
DAVID BOWIE
NINE INCH NAILS
PJ HARVEY
INTERPOL
THE FAINT
FRANZ FERDINAND
THE POLYPHONIC SPREE
BOARDS OF CANADA
TV ON THE RADIO
YEAH YEAH YEAHS
SQUAREPUSHER
CLINIC
FRENCH KICKS
SECRET MACHINES
PHOENIX
BEEP BEEP
DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS
DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979
THE HELIO SEQUENCE

May 1st, Day 2
R.E.M.
TEARS FOR FEARS
WILCO
MODEST MOUSE
BRIGHT EYES
JIMMY EAT WORLD
MOS DEF
BADLY DRAWN BOY
THE STREETS
SPOON
CAKE
THE POSTAL SERVICE
THE SHINS
SLEATER-KINNEY
RILO KILEY
RADIO 4
DOVES
IRON AND WINE
THE ARCADE FIRE
MOVING UNITS

For more on last year, look at this post.

"But Hugh Jackman is Wolverine!"

Friday night had to be one of the most fun experiences I've had in a long time. Me and Gracie got to attend a live taping of my favorite comedy on television right now, SCRUBS. Every Tuesday, this show entertains with one of the quirkiest and most unique comedic voices on television today. I would argue that without a show like this, shows like Arrested Development do not exist. Although not the first show of it's kind, it is an example of an under-watched, underappreciated, and underrated show with a passionate group of fans. This was more evident by the showing of Scrubheads last night, and by the generosity of the cast and crew.

Having only been to a taping of The Tonight Show, I have only that experience on which to compare studio tapings. Judging from the comments of the attendees, this was the best audience experience they've ever had. We were treated to candy, live musical performances, a script reading, and even question and answer sessions from the cast and the show's creator, Bill Lawrence. Along with being able to see an episode filmed right before our eyes, Mr. Lawrence went out of his way to keep us entertained and to let us know how much they appreciated our support. It was pretty amazing, and I really did feel all this gratitude was sincere.

My favorite part had to be the question and answer sessions with the cast. Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley and the rest of the cast were generous enough to take time from the show to answer any questions we had. Any question. No matter how many times Mr. Braff's heard "What was it like to make out with Natalie Portman?" he answered it just the same. "It was awesome!"

Truthfully, Mr. Braff was also the one cast member willing to take the most chances during the taping as well. It could be his recent success with Garden State or it could be that he's the star of the show, but he constantly was making adjustments to better his own performance and those around him. You really could tell though, that this ensemble recognized our support, especially seeing as they took time, after what was most likely a very long day, to stay behind and sign autographs for the audience. How many times does that happen at a taping?

This experience really punctuates how much I love this show. I really wish more people would watch it and give it the exposure it deserves, but with a time slot opposite American Idol (by the by, Clay Aiken was the guest star of the show that night, gave an impromptu performance, and even told us to watch Scrubs instead of American Idol) and a temperamental American viewership, it could be difficult. I urge you though, to take a Tuesday and give it a chance. If you do so, make sure to let me know what you think!

Auto Crossed

Deeeelicioussss
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

In a perfect world, I'd have a long, long post about the Los Angeles Auto Show and how fun it was, but I'm feeling a little lazy today. So anyhow, here's a sample picture of the type of cars I was interested in.

This here is a Ford Shelby GR-1 concept. Perhaps one of the prettier cars there, it reminds me of one of my favorite classic cars, a Shelby Ford Mustang. Beautiful styling, and awesome power in the form of a GT engine under the hood, if this car ever saw the light of day, it would be the end of me.

Well, that's a pretty harsh thing to say, but whatever. I had a good time at the show, saw some nice looking exotics, got a glance at the Accord V-6 Hybrid, and took a bunch of pictures. Anyone wants to see more, just drop me a comment or drop me an e-mail.

Testing...

Just to see if we truly live the mobile life, I'm writing this from my phone. The 1st and only mobile post I will make...

The First Cut is the Deepest

Talk about last minute...

Up to the start of the Golden Globes yesterday, there was one movie that I had missed towards the end of last year that was at first, unassuming to me. After hearing tremendous buzz, and of course based on the stellar cast, we finally got our butts off the couch and trudged off to the The Grove to finally see Closer.

What is Closer? One might ask that question and get a series of responses. My girlfriend is of the opinion that although well acted, the movie itself is demented and severely depraved. On some points, I'll agree with her that there are some genuinely twisted situations in the movie itself, but nothing I didn't expect from a movie marketed as a frank depiction of how terribly petty people can be when it comes to relationships, love, and physical intimacy. The immensely talented cast of Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen, and Julia Roberts get all their moments to shine in this brilliantly acted film in moments that range from exceedingly sweet to heartbreaking. After leaving, I found myself asking, what is this movie really about? Well, let's get into that a little later.

First off, this movie and Sideways have two things in common. They happen to be two of the smallest movies released last year and they also happen to be two of the smartest scripted and well-acted movies released last year. Dialogue-wise, I was impressed that the language never drifted into pretentiousness. Where Sideways had a very natural script, Closer was more clever than anything. Not unlike watching an episode of Gilmore Girls, I have a feeling that it must have taken 10 pounds of paper alone to house the between character chit-chat. The words fly fast and loose, and at times passes from real to unreal, but always remains engaging. I was most intrigued by how the tone was captured for scenes. Such subtle scenes as two friends conversing, two rivals conversing, and two lovers conversing are captured so well, it's hard to believe that someone could have written such a thing without having experienced it.

Acting wise, I'd say every one of these actors gives the performance of his/her career. I'm going to handicap Jude Law, as he usually gives a reasonable performance and notably has the least "acting" to do out of the ensemble. As evidenced by the dual supporting Globes from last night, Ms. Portman and Mr. Owen offer the strongest portrayals. Much has been publicized about Ms. Portman and her role as an exotic dancer, but what one might miss when focusing on the physical aspect of the role is the intense emotional commitment brought to the screen. In his own right, Mr. Owen acts to what is a deceptively deviant dermatologist but ends up as the most clever and conniving of all four central characters. What is lost amongst all this, is perhaps Ms. Roberts' best performance to date. She has never been more vulnerable, more flawed, and more stunning in any film as she is in this one.

Finally, what is this movie about? Ms. Portman has described it as being a representation of the good and evil in the world. Others have expressed that it is a film about how people use sex as a skewer. Myself, I tend to agree with both of these points, however, I'm more inclined to say that it's about what it takes sometimes for true intimacy to present itself. It takes hard work, it takes honesty, it takes maturity, and, horribly, sometimes it takes pain. The deception, heartbreak, and meanness found in the film all play as much a crucial role as the characters themselves. You can hear the pain in their voices as much as you can hear the love. Ultimately, that is what makes this film work. There is true emotional core to this film that cannot be replicated by mere dinner theater. That is why I say this movie, hard to watch at moments, is one of the best movies you had the opportunity to see all last year. Don't miss it.

Final Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Romantic Insight

LA Blogs has a nice little survey regarding dates and love in the City of Angels. Here's my answers:

1. Best place to meet someone new?
In my experience, I haven't really met someone new too many places. More often than not, one meets people through other people, so it depends on what you and your friends like to do. If you and your friends like museums and art, then perhaps the best place to meet someone new is a gallery.

2. Best place to take your first date?
The best experience you can have with a first date is someplace where you can get to know them a little better. Most often, it's a great plan to organize dinner or drinks to talk over, a walk somewhere scenic afterwards with many conversation pieces, and then a great place to have dessert. Living near the beach means there's tons of places like that, but one of my favorites happens to be Laguna.

3. Your worst first date?
Fortunately, there is no story worthy enough to add to this space. Plenty of first dates have turned into horrible incidents further on down the line, but no terrible first dates…

4. Great date on a budget?
If anyone ever travels around Pasadena, the Huntington Library is by far the best place to walk, talk, view works of art, and take numerous pictures. By far one of the best places I've ever been on a date, and terribly romantic during a beautiful Summer day.

5. And a date with no $$ limit?
Right now, I'm thinking incredibly expensive steakhouses, but that's too typical. Nothing beats going all out with flowers, a fancy dinner, an exquisite location, and a fine bottle of champagne, I guess. Although there is something to be said for taking a scenic helicopter ride or even a ride in a hot air balloon.

6. Ever been on a blind date? How did it go?
Never been on a blind date, thank goodness, so nothing to report here.

7. Your most memorable dating experience (good, bad or ugly)?
Trying to take a drunken girl out to meet friends is a bad (very, very bad) idea. I blame myself for not recognizing the amazing inebriation of this girl. Woe is me for having to be embarrassed in a very public place too. No details to report, just pain and a red face.

8. Is there romance in Los Angeles?
There's romance everywhere. I find that romance is a subjective thing that can't be wrapped in a present or drank from a bottle, most often it's a situational happenstance that most often will be remembered as romantic rather than intended as romantic.

Either that, or I'm not that smooth.

SJ at SU and iPoddery

Mr. Steve Jobs has been selected by an esteemed institution to deliver their 2005 commencement address. Seeing that this news has presented itself, and that the advent of Macworld is upon us, it's a good time do discuss something many of my friends are familiar with: the iPod.

I'm probably one of the few people who haven't shelled out the $300 for an iPod just yet. Truthfully, I never thought I'd need that much space for all my music, but I've seen the advantages of buying one. There are disadvantages too, but I won't get into them because the stellar design and culture of the iPod itself is enough to negate those. Since they've also just released the iPod Shuffle, buying an apple product is becoming more enticing, but for now, I'll resist.

Reason is, I was a bona fide Sony-holic. Which is unfortunate now, because I've come to realize I'm not very happy with the Sony products I've purchased lately. Well, I'm not happy with my Mp3 player at least. The playback is great, but with time, the battery has gone faulty, the software is awful, and the fact that you have to convert every Mp3 file to Atrac3 is horrid. Also, I'm more interested in picking up a Zen Micro or their latest version, the Micro Photo. It's very comparable to the iPod Mini but comes with a few extra features the Mini lacks. Those Apple purists out there right now might holler, but don't fret, I like the Apple philosophy, I just probably won't give in just yet.

What it comes down to I guess, is the vehement loyalty many Apple customers have. It's pretty neat, but almost off-putting at the same time. I mean, do I really want to become the one of many people in love with their iPods? Do I want to sell my soul for the little white devil that lives in many people's backpacks, purses, and shoulder bags?

Answer, maybe someday, but not today. I won't surrender to the trend of loving your iPod, but I will to the trend of loving your music. Podcasts, iSkins, and the like, the iPod is a thing of general beauty for the hipster to behold, but I'll remain on the fringe. Hoo-rah...

Plasmasized

Plasmasized
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Motorola bared its teeth by showing many bluetooth capable phones and some keen snowboarding gear that worked with one's iPod and cell phone. I didn't get a chance to see any of their next-generation phones, unfortunately, as there was a crowd of people circled around the display. Would have been nice, since I do find myself to be an advocate of their phones.

Another cell company, and perhaps more now, is the Korean company LG. This photo happens to be their premiere product, the 71-inch plasma screen television. This plasma was not only very, very pretty but it also happens to be the largest in the world. Impressive as it was, there weren't as many people crowded around it as there were crowded around the cell phones.

Truthfully, I was sad I didn't get to see the TiVo booth, if they even had one. I'm sure it was much more friendly than the Sony room (which had some of the most anal customer service people ever). There were many announcements from them, including their high-profile TiVoToGo, but I would have liked to see it in action. Unfortunately, many are predicting that TiVo is on the downturn as many local cable companies offer DVR service for a minimal cost in addition to their cable box, but I still have faith in the company. I'll keep my eyes open though, and see what other companies are coming up with to compete.

That's what CES is all about though. Improvements, improvements, and improvements. Sometimes there's some questionable products and sometimes there's some outlandish high-end extravagance. The ultimate pay-off is that you get to be informed, first-hand, and in person what new technologies may be available to people like you and me. Pretty cool, can't wait for next year.

Wireless Media Explosion

Intel Inside
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Think you know everything there is to know about wireless integration with your home electronics? You might learn a thing or two by attending the Consumer Electronics Show. Unfortunately, since I didn't have my regular digital camera, a few paltry phonecam photos will have to do.

This year, we caught some pretty fascinating stuff all around. Along with audio receivers, plasma screens, and many, many portable audio solutions, the biggest highlight of the show for me had to be the wireless integration of information on your PC being sent wirelessly and seamlessly to your television, your stereo, and your life. We spent plenty of time looking over everything, mentally taking notes on what would be coming in the near future, but in most cases, our jaws were dropped to the floor.

This picture right here is outside of the Intel booth, where they were having a pretty hokey presentation about centrino and how it can be enhance your life. Wasn't too special, but we did get a pretty neat picture with the Blue Man Group.

New Year's Insight

LA Blogs has some questions for LA bloggers about their New Year's Eves. Check it out.

1. Did you make plans before last minute this year?
But of course.

2. What were your plans?
Friends of mine and I spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day snowboarding down the slopes of British Columbia's Whistler/Blackcomb resort.

3. Have you ever sprung for a New Year's party at a club/restaurant? If so, where?
Did the big time Giant Village in Downtown a couple of years ago if that counts. Promoted by Giant that year, and by KROQ (apparently) this year, it was fun, but would've been much more fun with a larger group of friends.

4. Drinking this year. In excess, in moderation, not at all?
Moderation, most definitely in moderation. I think it was one total glass of champagne, and cheap champagne at that.

5. How were you feeling New Year's day?
Pretty good, and definitely sore all over from 'boarding (or rather, falling all over the place) the day before.

6. Rose Parade. Still interesting, played out, or a tradition that will never die?
Tradition that will never die. Although watching the parade on TV is something I rarely do, it's a permanent fixture of the Los Angeles New Year's experience.

7. Rose Bowl. Game worth watching, or just a good excuse to rub our sunny (then) weather in the face of Michigan fans?
Worth watching when teams from the Pac-10 are involved. Attending a Rose Bowl game has to be one of the main highlights of my college experience and a lowlight since we were summarily destroyed by Ron Dayne and the Wisconsin Badgers.

8. What resolution have you made that you have no intention of keeping?
I've actually never been one to make resolutions seeing as I'd rather constantly try to think of ways I can be a better person. Is that wrong?

Some Things You May Not Know

One of my friends sent me a survey e-mail. As a rule, I usually dispense with sending out the mass forward and just reply. This is what I sent:

1. What time is it:? 9:21 AM

2. Name as it appears on birth certificate: Mark Edward Navarrete

3. Nickname(s): Um... My parents call me 'bud' for reasons only known by myself and them. I sometimes get Marky Mark or Marco, but that's very rare.

4. Piercing: My shrieking scream when trying to sing.

5. What is the most recent movie you've seen in the theatre?: The Aviator

6. Place of birth: Long Beach, CA. LBC, baby.

7. Favourite foods: Mexican food. Also ice cream, and probably hamburgers. Mexican above all else though, you can't get enough of it in SoCal.

8. Ever been to Africa: Someday, I hope.

9. Ever been toilet papering: Yup, a couple of times. Once, the people who's house we were TP'ing called the cops on us.

10. Love someone so much it made you cry: Yea...

11. Been in a car accident: Three in one year, egads. I have them to thank for the S2000 though. Damn hit and run.

12. Croutons or bacon bits: I love both in salads, but given a choice, I'd have to go with croutons.

13. Favourite day of the week: Sunday, lazy Sunday.

14. Favourite restaurant: Houston's always has great food, but I have to say that 555 East in Long Beach is awesome enough to be at the top, but too expensive to go regularly.

16. Favourite sport to watch: Basketball or hockey.

17. Favourite drink: Orange Juice. I need my vitamin C.

18. Favourite ice cream: Oatmeal Cookie Chunk is a tremendous flavor, but I have to go with Chunky Monkey.

19. Disney or Warner Brothers: Hrm.... That's a toughie. I'd have to go with Ren and Stimpy on that one. John K. cannot be beat.

20. Bedtime: 11 PM+, unless I'm super tired.

21. Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest? No one, because no one else is getting it...

22. Who is the person you sent this to, that is least likely to
respond? Same as above.

23. Who are you most curious about their responses to this
questionnaire? See 21 and 22.

24. Favourite TV Shows: Top three are Alias, Scrubs, and Lost. 24 is up there somewhere too.

25. Who are the last people you went out for dinner with: Some friends of mine in Canada for New Year's.

26. Ford or Chevy? American cars break down, but I'd have to go with Ford for the fact I owned a classic '66 Mustang at one point in my life.

27. What are you listening to right now: Recently, I've been addicted to the latest Interpol, but have picked up Q and Not U. A very eccentric and different album, not for the meek.

28. What is your Favourite Colour: Red.

29. Lake, Ocean or River: Living by the beach, one can not deny the awesome power and beauty of a clean, blue ocean.

30. How many tattoos do you have: Zero, I'll be Ink-free for the rest of my life.

31. Time you finished this e-mail: 9:30, on the dot.

32. Which came first the chicken or the egg: Egg, for various evolutionary reasons.

33. How many people are you sending this email to: 1, and those who read the blog, I imagine.

Toy Mania!

Small Collection
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Since I last posted about Kubricks I've managed to enlarge the size of my collection considerably. What was once a small collection of knick-knacks has grown into something... more. Part of this is due to the massive growth of online markets specializing in Kubricks, and part of this is because of Kid Robot. Why is it their fault? Because they just opened a new store in Santa Monica at the 3rd Street Promenade.

I still love these little guys.

And I'm still a dork...

R.I.P. Will Eisner

If you're a long-time reader of the blog, you'll know that I have a great affection for artists in the comic book medium. It's what I grew up with, it's a hobby of mine, and something, at times, that I find creatively fulfilling. Many artists have influenced myself in their vision, their drive, and their body of work, but none has had the influence that Will Eisner has had. His book on generating comics, Comics & Sequential Art, remains one of the foremost treatises on graphic storytelling there is, and coupled with his other title, Graphic Storytelling, one can truly understand why his genius is so revered by many in the field.

Unfortunately, Mr. Eisner has passed on. His body of work is amazing as he kept working on graphic novels until he could no longer do so. He was an innovator who first generated the notion that comic storytelling could be dramatic, mature, topical, relevant, and appreciated. Although among today's younger readers, he may not have been as flashy as a Michael Turner or get as much media attention as Alex Ross, he was at the peak of his field, creating stories and images that every creator would study and marvel. Mr. Eisner was not what initially drove me into the hobby of collecting in the first place, but he was what inspired me that it can be much more than a medium for children and men in tights. His work helped me to understand that there are things that can be done in comics that are as visually stunning as they are incredibly personal.

He passes on at the age of 87 having lived a full and creative life touching many people throughout the decades, and there are only few of us that can hope to have lived as such. Rest In Peace.

JPG Madness

Addition to the previous post, I may post a picture or two to click-over onto Flickr to be perused on the blog. If anyone wants a peek at the album, be sure to let me know...

Two Thousand FIVE

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope it was fun, and most importantly, I hope it was safe for everyone.

Not every new year is the same, but the last couple of years have been similar. Last year, it was all about spending the weekend in the blizzard-wrapped mountains of Mammoth. This year, we decided to spend our New Year attempting to board the massive acreage of Whistler.

Myself, I consider to be but a mere beginning snowboarder, and this trip was well worth having been snowboarding a few times already. I know for sure that I needed the extra practice before tackling what was definitely more blue than green (at least for me). It's pretty amazing at the top, but I'm definitely not cut out for high places. I've been to the Empire State Building no problem, and although I've experienced a bit of vertigo being at The Grand Canyon and also the topmost peak of Mammoth, I've never quite had the freak-out I did at Whistler. It's almost acrophobic in nature, but I really have never had it happen before. It makes me a bit nervous, but for sure, I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Despite this, it was a great weekend. I got to spend some time in one of Canada's greatest cities, Vancouver, and I can truly say that it is a nice place to visit. Even with the lack of decent snow all-around, I can also say that I was able to experience one of the world's greatest ski resorts. We had good food, I got to meet some nice, new people, and most of all, I had a fun, fun, fun New Year's weekend. Thanks to all those who made it happen, and let's hope the year's just as fun.