Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Um, huh. Really? Wow.
Oh no! Those are some of the things I said while watching this. StumbleUpon Rules. Absolutely, definitely, with out a doubt NOT SAFE FOR WORK - Lesbian Erotica - Queen vs Abnormal Big Tits Moma Ranger
Steve and I watched The Golden Compass the other day. It's a story based on the first book of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. It's a fantasy story about parallel universes, the control of the Church, and ultimate free will of humanity. There has been much made recently regarding Philip Pullman and that he is an atheist trying to "preach" his atheism to children under the guise of a fantasy trilogy. Well, so? Didn't C S Lewis use his Narnia books to proselytize his Christianity? Aren't there countless of Left Behind books being sold by the truckloads all over the world? Here's a lesson for all those who don't like his books: don't buy them and don't read them. Simple. Just move along.
As for the movie, it was hit and miss. It turned out to be better than The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe but fell short of the excellence of Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. The pacing was too fast (there were little to no transitions between scenes), some of the acting was bad, and the changes made to the story line were puzzling. However, it was an entertaining film at the end. Not one I would pay to see again, but not a waste of time.
Last night Steve and I joined Dave, Diane, Kathy and another lady at a performance of Mars on Life: The Holiday Edition starring Susannah Mars at the Artists Repertory Theatre. It was a cabaret-style show a la Judy Garland. She was very entertaining and sang some very funny songs. In particular, she sang a series of carols broadway style, meaning she mixed hit Broadway shows melodies with carol lyrics. She had a special guest in the second half of the show: Portland's own Robert Hicks (jazz singer and pianist). It was fun. Thanks to Dave and Diane for the free tickets!
Steve and I watched The Golden Compass the other day. It's a story based on the first book of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. It's a fantasy story about parallel universes, the control of the Church, and ultimate free will of humanity. There has been much made recently regarding Philip Pullman and that he is an atheist trying to "preach" his atheism to children under the guise of a fantasy trilogy. Well, so? Didn't C S Lewis use his Narnia books to proselytize his Christianity? Aren't there countless of Left Behind books being sold by the truckloads all over the world? Here's a lesson for all those who don't like his books: don't buy them and don't read them. Simple. Just move along.
As for the movie, it was hit and miss. It turned out to be better than The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe but fell short of the excellence of Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. The pacing was too fast (there were little to no transitions between scenes), some of the acting was bad, and the changes made to the story line were puzzling. However, it was an entertaining film at the end. Not one I would pay to see again, but not a waste of time.
Last night Steve and I joined Dave, Diane, Kathy and another lady at a performance of Mars on Life: The Holiday Edition starring Susannah Mars at the Artists Repertory Theatre. It was a cabaret-style show a la Judy Garland. She was very entertaining and sang some very funny songs. In particular, she sang a series of carols broadway style, meaning she mixed hit Broadway shows melodies with carol lyrics. She had a special guest in the second half of the show: Portland's own Robert Hicks (jazz singer and pianist). It was fun. Thanks to Dave and Diane for the free tickets!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Yeah, I know
I'm not very good at this blogging thing. I like to read blogs, but I don't seem to follow up with posting on this one very much at all.
Well, I'll try a little harder.
Here are a few things that have caught my attention the last few days.
1. My bootcamp experience was a lot different.
2. I wish I had this kind of time, money, and patience.
3. I think I've found the beginnings of my Halloween costume for next year.
Steve and I went to see No Country for Old Men last week. Wow, what a movie. Just about every actor does an outstanding job - Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Barry Corbin. Tommy Lee Jones is really funny as the tired old sheriff. Barry Corbin looks about 100 years old and very sad in his turn near the end of the film. And Javier Bardem is just plain psychopathic (that haircut is the icing on the cake).
The Coen boys have hit a home run here. I was really impressed with the calmness of this movie despite the fact that there is a lot of death and destruction. There is barely any music (that I noticed, anyway. John Williams DID NOT right the score.) and the film is quiet and yet sets an excellent pace. And, like many other Coen brothers movies, there is no typical Hollywood ending.
All in all, it is a masterful film.
Well, I'll try a little harder.
Here are a few things that have caught my attention the last few days.
1. My bootcamp experience was a lot different.
2. I wish I had this kind of time, money, and patience.
3. I think I've found the beginnings of my Halloween costume for next year.
Steve and I went to see No Country for Old Men last week. Wow, what a movie. Just about every actor does an outstanding job - Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Barry Corbin. Tommy Lee Jones is really funny as the tired old sheriff. Barry Corbin looks about 100 years old and very sad in his turn near the end of the film. And Javier Bardem is just plain psychopathic (that haircut is the icing on the cake).
The Coen boys have hit a home run here. I was really impressed with the calmness of this movie despite the fact that there is a lot of death and destruction. There is barely any music (that I noticed, anyway. John Williams DID NOT right the score.) and the film is quiet and yet sets an excellent pace. And, like many other Coen brothers movies, there is no typical Hollywood ending.
All in all, it is a masterful film.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Cesar's SabbatiBlog
http://cesarsabbatiblog.blogspot.com/
I'm on my awesome 8 week paid vacation that Intel calls a "sabbatical". I don't have to do anything during the 8 weeks. By that I mean that it's not really a sabbatical where I have to write a paper or take a class or earn a certification. I just get to sit on my ass, or go play golf until I am broke, or whatever. So, right now, I am sitting in the Phoenix airport awaiting my flight to El Paso, my home town. Fun.
I haven't seen my family since Nov. of '05 when I went down for my grandmother's funeral, so it'll be good to see my mom, dad, sister, brother, brother-in-law and niece and nephew. The rest of the crazies in my family: not so much.
Anyway, I've started a sabbatical blog where I will chronicle my deeds during this exciting time.
I'm on my awesome 8 week paid vacation that Intel calls a "sabbatical". I don't have to do anything during the 8 weeks. By that I mean that it's not really a sabbatical where I have to write a paper or take a class or earn a certification. I just get to sit on my ass, or go play golf until I am broke, or whatever. So, right now, I am sitting in the Phoenix airport awaiting my flight to El Paso, my home town. Fun.
I haven't seen my family since Nov. of '05 when I went down for my grandmother's funeral, so it'll be good to see my mom, dad, sister, brother, brother-in-law and niece and nephew. The rest of the crazies in my family: not so much.
Anyway, I've started a sabbatical blog where I will chronicle my deeds during this exciting time.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Prohibition is over!
I am a subscriber to Salon.com and I enjoy most of what is posted and written there. The sports guy is funny, TV reviews are good, and when the movie reviewers don't have a bug up their collective butt they have some very salient points. I get some good deals (free) on magazines (Rolling Stone, Wired, to name a few) and every once in a while I hit gold. Pure gold.
This time around it is exposure to this - The Cocktail Chronicles. The Cocktail Chronicles is updated somewhat regularly by Paul Clarke, a Seattle-based cocktail enthusiast whose brief experience working behind a bar entailed nothing more challenging than pouring pitchers of Coors Lite for college students with fake IDs. The Cocktail Chronicles is an ongoing exploration of fine spirits, creative cocktails and classic mixology. The blog was created in May 2005 in an effort to document the drinks he experiments with at any particular time, along with thoughts on cocktail ingredients, brands and types of spirits and the overall culture of drinking.
And, through him, we find that Absinthe is no longer illegal in the good ol' US of A. Well, one brand isn't, anyway. It's called Lucid and is distilled in France. Lucid is being introduced in select cities beginning in late-May 2007 and can be purchased through better retail shops and finer establishments in each city.. Check it out - www.drinklucid.com.
It turns out that the little thing that freaked our puritanical butts off about absinthe is this clever little chemical called thujone - a ketone and monoterpene - which comes from wormwood, a key ingredient in absinthe. You can read more about absinthe, thujone, and wormwood.
This time around it is exposure to this - The Cocktail Chronicles. The Cocktail Chronicles is updated somewhat regularly by Paul Clarke, a Seattle-based cocktail enthusiast whose brief experience working behind a bar entailed nothing more challenging than pouring pitchers of Coors Lite for college students with fake IDs. The Cocktail Chronicles is an ongoing exploration of fine spirits, creative cocktails and classic mixology. The blog was created in May 2005 in an effort to document the drinks he experiments with at any particular time, along with thoughts on cocktail ingredients, brands and types of spirits and the overall culture of drinking.
And, through him, we find that Absinthe is no longer illegal in the good ol' US of A. Well, one brand isn't, anyway. It's called Lucid and is distilled in France. Lucid is being introduced in select cities beginning in late-May 2007 and can be purchased through better retail shops and finer establishments in each city.. Check it out - www.drinklucid.com.
It turns out that the little thing that freaked our puritanical butts off about absinthe is this clever little chemical called thujone - a ketone and monoterpene - which comes from wormwood, a key ingredient in absinthe. You can read more about absinthe, thujone, and wormwood.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Why not?
This makes perfect sense to me. You have to know who your audience is. Check out both commercials.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
I've been Simpsonized!
There I am after being Simpsonized. Cool. Go and check it out if you haven't already.
http://simpsonizeme.com/
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Please sign the petition
I have never been a victim of a hate crime. I do, however, know friends who have been chased, beaten, and spit on by paranoid idiots solely because of their sexual identity.
The Matthew Shepard Act faces a tough battle in the US Congress. Please go to www.HRC.org to sign the petition to encourage our "moderate" Republican Senator to vote YES on this bill.
The Matthew Shepard Act faces a tough battle in the US Congress. Please go to www.HRC.org to sign the petition to encourage our "moderate" Republican Senator to vote YES on this bill.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Oh, to be as intelligent as this man.
The eminent Oxford Evolutionary Biologist Professor Richard Dawkins.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
This is the stuff that tears me up
You all know that I'm not that emotional of a guy. Very few things really move me. Nothing has moved me to tears since Dumbo had to "hug" his mother's ears through the bars, and that was like 1975.
However, every once in a while, I see/hear/read something that does move me. And, so, here is the most recent thing. I hate these shows and don't watch them, but this rules.
However, every once in a while, I see/hear/read something that does move me. And, so, here is the most recent thing. I hate these shows and don't watch them, but this rules.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
What the heck is going on?
This is exactly the reason that the Japanese will one day actually rule the world...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Right or wrong? I link, you decide
This may be the most damning bit of video ever recorded. What kind of animals are we? Should we just proceed to the actual killing? And then applaud?
Thursday, May 24, 2007
What kind of Atheist are you?
I scored as Scientific Atheist. Apparently, I know the rules of debate, the Laws of Thermodynamics, and can explain evolution in fifty words or less. I am more concerned with how things ARE than how they should be; we are the people who will bring us all into the future.
What kind of atheist are you? created with QuizFarm.com |
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
McCain's Neverland?
Thanks to Crooks and Liars for this information.
Wolf Blitzer interviewed Senator John "Straight Talk Express" McCain today and McCain said everything was great in Iraq. He talked about "the Generals" telling him one could stroll through some neighborhoods in Baghdad safe as a bug in a rug. He also said General Patraeus travels in an unarmed Humvee. The problem? CNN reporter Michael Ware, who is actually in Baghdad (a minor problem for McCain's story), would like to ask the Senator, "What are you smoking, dude? Can I have some of that?"
Michael Ware: I don't know what part of Neverland Senator McCain is talking about..." - via Crooks and Liars
Wolf Blitzer interviewed Senator John "Straight Talk Express" McCain today and McCain said everything was great in Iraq. He talked about "the Generals" telling him one could stroll through some neighborhoods in Baghdad safe as a bug in a rug. He also said General Patraeus travels in an unarmed Humvee. The problem? CNN reporter Michael Ware, who is actually in Baghdad (a minor problem for McCain's story), would like to ask the Senator, "What are you smoking, dude? Can I have some of that?"
Michael Ware: I don't know what part of Neverland Senator McCain is talking about..." - via Crooks and Liars
Monday, March 12, 2007
Utopia Cafe
We received a letter today from Connie and Joanne, the wonderful pair who ran the Utopia Cafe on Belmont since 1994. They sold the restaurant in January and were letting us know that they were moving on and enjoying their time away from constant work. Steve and I really enjoyed going there and we probably bored all of you with stories about their fantastic food. The restaurant will go on, as the new owners don't appear to have plans at this time of changing it. The great thing about going there for me was that it was clear all the employees enjoyed working there. We saw some of the same people work there since we began going there in 2002.
I wish Connie and Joanne the best as they find new and exciting things to conquer.
All hail! Utopia!
I wish Connie and Joanne the best as they find new and exciting things to conquer.
All hail! Utopia!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Nevada Politics - We need to care now?
A curious things has occurred in the political landscape recently. Nevada has become an important player in national politics. First, Harry Reid, D-NV, became Majority Leader when the Dems spanked the Repubs in the mid-term elections. Then the DNC, led by Howard Dean moved the Nevada Caucus into an early slot next year, thus giving Western Dems more say in the whole primary thing.
So it's no surprise now that this has become a big deal. The Nevada Democratic Party (which doesn't do anything without Sen. Reid's blessing) arranged a televised debate for Dems prior to the scheduled Caucus. This debate will be carried by... Fox News. Always to friendly to Democrats. (check out these stories - here.) This has set off a firestorm in "left blogistan" and has gotten lots of folks involved (moveon.org, etc) in pressuring the Nevada Democratic Party to cancel the debate.
Robert Greenwald, director of "OutFoxed", "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price" and "Iraq For Sale", has created a short film (~2 min) on Fox News' attacks on Barack Obama - here.
FoxAttacks.com
Crazy. Wild and wacky stuff.
So it's no surprise now that this has become a big deal. The Nevada Democratic Party (which doesn't do anything without Sen. Reid's blessing) arranged a televised debate for Dems prior to the scheduled Caucus. This debate will be carried by... Fox News. Always to friendly to Democrats. (check out these stories - here.) This has set off a firestorm in "left blogistan" and has gotten lots of folks involved (moveon.org, etc) in pressuring the Nevada Democratic Party to cancel the debate.
Robert Greenwald, director of "OutFoxed", "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price" and "Iraq For Sale", has created a short film (~2 min) on Fox News' attacks on Barack Obama - here.
FoxAttacks.com
Crazy. Wild and wacky stuff.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Al Franken for US Senate
Like or hate him (I happen to like him), you can't ignore the powerful force he will be during the campaign...
http://www.alfranken.com/
http://www.alfranken.com/
Monday, February 05, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Horowitz and Rachmaninoff #3
Thanks, YouTube!
Vladimir Samoylovych Horowitz
New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting
1st Movement
2nd Movement
3rd Movement
Vladimir Samoylovych Horowitz
New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting
1st Movement
2nd Movement
3rd Movement
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
It's snow-bumper cars!
Check out this video of slipping and sliding near SW20th and Salmon this morning (that's just south of PGE Park).
KGW video
KGW video
Why do they hate America?
Turns out our President has succeeded so well in making Government so inept that they are selling military surplus to Iran.
Iran Gets Army Gear in Pentagon Surplus Sale - ABC NEWS
Iran Gets Army Gear in Pentagon Surplus Sale - ABC NEWS
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Where are our modern-day heroes?
Here is a link to his speech "Beyond Vietnam", hosted by The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
Here is a link to his speech "Beyond Vietnam", hosted by The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Non-inductive charging
This is from the Consumer Electronics Show via the boys and girls at Gizmodo. This looks really cool. Non-inductive charging of devices via a charging strip. Totally wireless (well, for the devices, anyway). Small device charging strips in March and a laptop version in June. Cool.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Why I Am A Liberal And A Progressive And A Democrat
by digby
I am a liberal because it is the political philosophy of freedom and equality. And I am a progressive because it is the political path to a better future. And I am a Democrat because it is the political party that believes in freedom, equality and progress.
I lifted this directly from Digby because he said it better than I ever could. Thanks, Digby!
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/
I am a liberal because it is the political philosophy of freedom and equality. And I am a progressive because it is the political path to a better future. And I am a Democrat because it is the political party that believes in freedom, equality and progress.
I lifted this directly from Digby because he said it better than I ever could. Thanks, Digby!
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/
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