Monday, August 27, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The danger that walks among us
Thank you for that musical enlightenment, HJ1. The dulcet electronic tones of one man's insane theme will now haunt my dreams...forever.
But there is one thing that has me sleeping peacefully at night, and that is the knowledge that ourMonkeyMan Commander-in-Chief is vigilantly protecting this glorious nation of ours against the true threat from within: zombies.
In RL news, this week was an insane one in Monterey. Classic Car week brought thousands of crazy car enthusiasts to the peninsula, and lo the streets were flooded with sports cars and antique cars and cars once owned by Elvis and Steve McQueen. We went to the Pacific Grove auto rally, where my favorite sight was a man wearing screaming yellow pants that matched his screaming yellow car. We also hit the main auction Saturday night, where we watched cars going for over $600,000. The day before one of Steve McQueen's old cars fetched over 2 million dollars. Madness!
After all that I needed a break, so I fled into the hills and spent a day at my favorite Zen hot springs retreat, Tassajara. Of course, the drought out here is so severe that the river is almost dry, so there's no refreshing cold plunge at the baths. But who's complaining when you have hot springs to soak in?
But there is one thing that has me sleeping peacefully at night, and that is the knowledge that our
In RL news, this week was an insane one in Monterey. Classic Car week brought thousands of crazy car enthusiasts to the peninsula, and lo the streets were flooded with sports cars and antique cars and cars once owned by Elvis and Steve McQueen. We went to the Pacific Grove auto rally, where my favorite sight was a man wearing screaming yellow pants that matched his screaming yellow car. We also hit the main auction Saturday night, where we watched cars going for over $600,000. The day before one of Steve McQueen's old cars fetched over 2 million dollars. Madness!
After all that I needed a break, so I fled into the hills and spent a day at my favorite Zen hot springs retreat, Tassajara. Of course, the drought out here is so severe that the river is almost dry, so there's no refreshing cold plunge at the baths. But who's complaining when you have hot springs to soak in?
Thursday, August 16, 2007
8 bits of heaven
In case you needed any more proof that everything's better with Mega Man, please enjoy an 8-bit remix of the meme du jour, Chocolate Rain.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Many days after the day
Better late than never, but in honor of the momentous anniversary of HJ2's birth, I feel I must ask, "Can I borrow your axe?"
And in honor of my soon-to-be-repaired A/C (condenser go boom, HJ1 go homeless), I feel I must ask, "Who with the what, now?"
And in honor of my soon-to-be-repaired A/C (condenser go boom, HJ1 go homeless), I feel I must ask, "Who with the what, now?"
Friday, August 3, 2007
The day after the day
With the setting and rising of the sun I have entered the final year of my twenties. I was all set to pour forth some deep thoughts on aging and maturity and what it means to be an adult, but was immediately distracted by the NNDB and the discovery that I'm older than both Heath Ledger AND Jake Gyllenhaal. Dear god. How can such a thing be? Inconcievable!
I was treated to a lovely surprise picnic by the gang, who got me to the park under the pretense of a Yellow-billed Loon sighting. Yeah, yeah, I know: NERD. There was a BBQ and cake and it was all simply delightful. Then my cousin and I went to the Aquarium to look at otters, because what's a birthday without adorably fuzzy aquatic mammals?
I was treated to a lovely surprise picnic by the gang, who got me to the park under the pretense of a Yellow-billed Loon sighting. Yeah, yeah, I know: NERD. There was a BBQ and cake and it was all simply delightful. Then my cousin and I went to the Aquarium to look at otters, because what's a birthday without adorably fuzzy aquatic mammals?
Sunday, July 22, 2007
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
Yiff! A Furry Musical
In which a young fur comes of age.
Hey, it's one more musical than I'll ever write. Still, it's disturbing to think of the whole furry thing being out there in the real world rather than online or safely tucked away at cons.
In which a young fur comes of age.
Hey, it's one more musical than I'll ever write. Still, it's disturbing to think of the whole furry thing being out there in the real world rather than online or safely tucked away at cons.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
yellow bean coffeepot
It's an all-too-familiar scenario. You're alone, making dinner in the kitchen, when you spill your beans all over the floor. And then...horror ensues. Beware The Hauntening!
That beauty was made by the people at Waverly Films, who have been making a short film each week for quite a couple of years now. You can find all 126(!) of their short films here. Personal favorites: Cowboy Sandstorm, The Box, Birdtown (naturally), Mantis, and the completely nonsensical Kitchen Trouble.
In HP news, apparently this year I am the designated book buyer for my workplace. Each time one of the books comes out, one of the interns buys a copy and everyone borrows it to read so they don't have to spend the moola on something they'll read once and will inevitably fill them with rage and despair. But this year, nobody else wants to actually buy their own copy. So I think I'll be taking one for the team and purchasing this year's vessel of emotional turmoil. To the bookstore!
That beauty was made by the people at Waverly Films, who have been making a short film each week for quite a couple of years now. You can find all 126(!) of their short films here. Personal favorites: Cowboy Sandstorm, The Box, Birdtown (naturally), Mantis, and the completely nonsensical Kitchen Trouble.
In HP news, apparently this year I am the designated book buyer for my workplace. Each time one of the books comes out, one of the interns buys a copy and everyone borrows it to read so they don't have to spend the moola on something they'll read once and will inevitably fill them with rage and despair. But this year, nobody else wants to actually buy their own copy. So I think I'll be taking one for the team and purchasing this year's vessel of emotional turmoil. To the bookstore!
Friday, July 20, 2007
We're all OBHWF
Oh, you think you can scare me? Well check this out: it's not just any old random MSR video, it's MSR defined.
I'm going to take this moment to declare victory, because I was beating the "don't make the movie part of the mytharc" drum before the first one came out. Finally, Chris Carter decides to listen to me.
I did have something amazing to post, and I almost posted it before I realized that this is Potters Eve, the night before HP 7 is released, and the whole world learns the fate of the boy wizard.
...except, whoops! It already has.
In anticipation of the release of Harry Potter 7, publisher Bloomsbury (and US partner Scholastic) paid beaucoup des bucks on security and refused to send advance copies out for review. I guess you can't buy everything, because there's been a set of digital photos of each page of the book floating around online for the past week. Plus, the Baltimore Sun and the New York Times were able to get their hands on "commercially available" copies and promptly published reviews.
JKR is spitting mad:
On the one hand, I get it. Your day of jubilee has been pre-empted. On the other: how many of these children read NY Times book reviews? And on a third hand: who reads a review without expecting that some aspects of the story won't be revealed?
Nonetheless, the Times has received so much hatemail for the review, the public editor felt it necessary to respond.
Not to be outdone by a bunch of raving internet loons, a Bloomsbury spokeswoman makes a hilariously beautiful comparison of the breach to the Boston Tea Party:
There's a part of me that's interested to see if there are any legal or economic consequences for anyone involved. But, there's a much bigger part of me that thinks THIS IS SO FREAKING AWESOME
I'm going to take this moment to declare victory, because I was beating the "don't make the movie part of the mytharc" drum before the first one came out. Finally, Chris Carter decides to listen to me.
I did have something amazing to post, and I almost posted it before I realized that this is Potters Eve, the night before HP 7 is released, and the whole world learns the fate of the boy wizard.
...except, whoops! It already has.
In anticipation of the release of Harry Potter 7, publisher Bloomsbury (and US partner Scholastic) paid beaucoup des bucks on security and refused to send advance copies out for review. I guess you can't buy everything, because there's been a set of digital photos of each page of the book floating around online for the past week. Plus, the Baltimore Sun and the New York Times were able to get their hands on "commercially available" copies and promptly published reviews.
JKR is spitting mad:
"I am staggered that some American newspapers have decided to publish purported spoilers in the form of reviews in complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers, particularly children," she said.
On the one hand, I get it. Your day of jubilee has been pre-empted. On the other: how many of these children read NY Times book reviews? And on a third hand: who reads a review without expecting that some aspects of the story won't be revealed?
Nonetheless, the Times has received so much hatemail for the review, the public editor felt it necessary to respond.
Not to be outdone by a bunch of raving internet loons, a Bloomsbury spokeswoman makes a hilariously beautiful comparison of the breach to the Boston Tea Party:
[A Bloomsbury spokeswoman] likened the events in the United States to the Boston Tea Party, a 1773 protest by American colonists against Britain.
"But over here it is blockades as usual, with the embargo being enforced unflinchingly and without exception by all our customers," she said.
There's a part of me that's interested to see if there are any legal or economic consequences for anyone involved. But, there's a much bigger part of me that thinks THIS IS SO FREAKING AWESOME
Thursday, July 19, 2007
They went to 11
So, that's how you want to play it, eh, HJ1? Well, I'll see your vomit-inducing shipper video and raise you one.
I guess we'll have to brace ourselves for XF II: Electric Boogaloo. According to the actors it's going to be a stand-alone story with no connection to the mytharc. Typical. And what of WillJu? Are we going back in time to a more carefree time in the dynamic duo's life, before the demon spawn (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease)? What government agency will be fingered as the Ultimate Evil THIS TIME? (My vote is for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Take that, Alphonso Jackson!)
In other news, last night I had an incredible experience. I went and saw the School of Rock All-Stars, and it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. They opened and closed with Zeppelin, and it was 24 karat rock gold in between. There were 22 kids, aged 9-18, an equal number of boys & girls, and every one of them insanely talented. They did Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Rush, Yes, Steely Dan, and more. All I can say is, you haven't lived until you've seen an adorable 9-year-old girl shred out a face-melting guitar solo on a guitar that's almost as big as she is.
Lastly, a snapshot from today: at the grocery store I passed two enormous burly biker dudes clad head to toe in leather and tattoos arguing with each other about which brand of feta cheese to buy and how long it needed to be refrigerated. Oh, California.
I guess we'll have to brace ourselves for XF II: Electric Boogaloo. According to the actors it's going to be a stand-alone story with no connection to the mytharc. Typical. And what of WillJu? Are we going back in time to a more carefree time in the dynamic duo's life, before the demon spawn (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease)? What government agency will be fingered as the Ultimate Evil THIS TIME? (My vote is for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Take that, Alphonso Jackson!)
In other news, last night I had an incredible experience. I went and saw the School of Rock All-Stars, and it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. They opened and closed with Zeppelin, and it was 24 karat rock gold in between. There were 22 kids, aged 9-18, an equal number of boys & girls, and every one of them insanely talented. They did Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Rush, Yes, Steely Dan, and more. All I can say is, you haven't lived until you've seen an adorable 9-year-old girl shred out a face-melting guitar solo on a guitar that's almost as big as she is.
Lastly, a snapshot from today: at the grocery store I passed two enormous burly biker dudes clad head to toe in leather and tattoos arguing with each other about which brand of feta cheese to buy and how long it needed to be refrigerated. Oh, California.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
We've Heard it All Before
Straight from the man, the myth, the monotone: once again, plans are afoot for the X-Files Movie 2: Fatal Discharge.
The Silver Surfer writes again, eh? I can't wait to hear more about that without which Mulder cannot live without, which is I guess is the truth undeniable that there are things out there which we can know, though we can never explain. Or something.
Preliminary questions: Will this one havean Oldsmobile commercial thrilling car chase crammed into the middle of it, too? Will WillJu The Sprog co-star? Will fandom revive only to eat itself once more?
Oh man. This could be sweet.
p.s. This one's for you, HJ2. Mwa ha ha.
The script has been written by creator Chris Carter and writer Frank Spotnitz, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The Silver Surfer writes again, eh? I can't wait to hear more about that without which Mulder cannot live without, which is I guess is the truth undeniable that there are things out there which we can know, though we can never explain. Or something.
Preliminary questions: Will this one have
Oh man. This could be sweet.
p.s. This one's for you, HJ2. Mwa ha ha.
Monday, July 9, 2007
There's treasure everywhere
It's no secret that I love movies, and one of the things I love most about truly great movies is the way they continuously yield little gems of more upon further viewings. A line you didn't really get last time, or a look you didn't notice, or a new way of reading a scene...it's just amazing what little treasures you can dig up. Or, if you're me, you can be knocked on the head by a huge chunk of falling Obvious that somehow managed to miss you in previous viewings.
Case in point: last night I went with a friend to see a showing of North By Northwest, a Hitchcock classic that I've seen maybe 3 or 4 times before, but not for a few years. I've always especially loved Martin Landau's turn as the very menacing henchman Leonard, who's all lanky and intense and protective of his boss, James Mason. The bomb was dropped when I picked up on a line of dialogue that I had somehow always missed: in response to James Mason's questions about why he shouldn't trust Eva Marie Saint, Leonard hisses, "Call it my woman's intuition, if you will." WhatwhatWHAT? How had I never heard that before? And then James Mason teases him about being jealous. What now? Did they mean what I thought they meant?
So I went home and consulted the interwebs and after some digging turned up this 2001 interview with Martin Landau:
"(The role) was written as a henchman," Landau recalls. "I felt there was no reason for him to be in the movie if he was just there doing James Mason's work. When I read the script, I said, my goodness, he certainly wants to get rid of Eva Marie Saint. I played him as a gay guy, but I played it subtly. Well, interesting choice. Now you've got to remember this was the '50s, and people didn't do things like this. A lot of my friends said, 'You're crazy. Play a gay in your first movie!.' I said, 'It's very logical. If he was gay and he had some kind of relationship with Mason's character, he would want to get rid of Eva Marie Saint.'
"Now, I don't think James Mason liked my choice, but Hitchcock did. And (screenwriter) Ernie Lehman added a line ("Call it my women's intuition, if you will.") for what I was doing that wasn't in the original script."
He was playing him queer the whole time! And Hitchcock LOVED IT. How could I have missed it? I mean, come on, could he have made it any more obvious? Apparently I am only now ready for the truth. My love for Martin Landau and ol' Hitch just went up another notch.
So, yeah. Like I said, you just never know what you're going to rediscover when you go back and watch a really good movie.
Case in point: last night I went with a friend to see a showing of North By Northwest, a Hitchcock classic that I've seen maybe 3 or 4 times before, but not for a few years. I've always especially loved Martin Landau's turn as the very menacing henchman Leonard, who's all lanky and intense and protective of his boss, James Mason. The bomb was dropped when I picked up on a line of dialogue that I had somehow always missed: in response to James Mason's questions about why he shouldn't trust Eva Marie Saint, Leonard hisses, "Call it my woman's intuition, if you will." WhatwhatWHAT? How had I never heard that before? And then James Mason teases him about being jealous. What now? Did they mean what I thought they meant?
So I went home and consulted the interwebs and after some digging turned up this 2001 interview with Martin Landau:
"(The role) was written as a henchman," Landau recalls. "I felt there was no reason for him to be in the movie if he was just there doing James Mason's work. When I read the script, I said, my goodness, he certainly wants to get rid of Eva Marie Saint. I played him as a gay guy, but I played it subtly. Well, interesting choice. Now you've got to remember this was the '50s, and people didn't do things like this. A lot of my friends said, 'You're crazy. Play a gay in your first movie!.' I said, 'It's very logical. If he was gay and he had some kind of relationship with Mason's character, he would want to get rid of Eva Marie Saint.'
"Now, I don't think James Mason liked my choice, but Hitchcock did. And (screenwriter) Ernie Lehman added a line ("Call it my women's intuition, if you will.") for what I was doing that wasn't in the original script."
He was playing him queer the whole time! And Hitchcock LOVED IT. How could I have missed it? I mean, come on, could he have made it any more obvious? Apparently I am only now ready for the truth. My love for Martin Landau and ol' Hitch just went up another notch.
So, yeah. Like I said, you just never know what you're going to rediscover when you go back and watch a really good movie.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
I'm heeere!
Honey, I'm home! *drops battered luggage just inside the door*
Ah, it feels good to be back in business with my esteemed colleague and fellow time-traveller, HJ1. Uh, and by "time-traveller" I mean "ordinary civilian". Yes, together we will navigate the labyrinthine network of tubes that is the internets, ferreting out elusive nuggets of interweb gold like the rabid nugget-seeking ferrets we are.
Feel free to discourse on the Transformers movie, little buddy. Don't feel as though you need to protect me from spoilers. I'm sure everyone dies at the end, like in all summer blockbusters. It'll be a while before I see it because that baby is currently in line behind about four other movies that I want to see, not the least of which is Bruce's latest testosterone-fueled romp. (The Mac guy! In an action movie! What, I'm shallow, so sue me.) Movies recently checked off the list: Ratatouille (adorably fuzzy), Ocean's Thirteen (adorable, in a non-fuzzy way), and Paris Je T'Aime (delightfully charming).
Yessir, there are dozens of great movies playing out there right now. But some are more rewarding than others. For example, the startling Titanic sequel coming out this summer, or the touching director's cut of Rocky III, or the ass-kicking new Seagal/Governator action-comedy.
Or you could just stay home and play African Safari on your Commodore 64.
Ah, it feels good to be back in business with my esteemed colleague and fellow time-traveller, HJ1. Uh, and by "time-traveller" I mean "ordinary civilian". Yes, together we will navigate the labyrinthine network of tubes that is the internets, ferreting out elusive nuggets of interweb gold like the rabid nugget-seeking ferrets we are.
Feel free to discourse on the Transformers movie, little buddy. Don't feel as though you need to protect me from spoilers. I'm sure everyone dies at the end, like in all summer blockbusters. It'll be a while before I see it because that baby is currently in line behind about four other movies that I want to see, not the least of which is Bruce's latest testosterone-fueled romp. (The Mac guy! In an action movie! What, I'm shallow, so sue me.) Movies recently checked off the list: Ratatouille (adorably fuzzy), Ocean's Thirteen (adorable, in a non-fuzzy way), and Paris Je T'Aime (delightfully charming).
Yessir, there are dozens of great movies playing out there right now. But some are more rewarding than others. For example, the startling Titanic sequel coming out this summer, or the touching director's cut of Rocky III, or the ass-kicking new Seagal/Governator action-comedy.
Or you could just stay home and play African Safari on your Commodore 64.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Look Out, Uttica
While we're waiting for HJ2 to GET HER ACCOUNT SET UP, DAMNIT, I guess I'll fill some space:
Looks like more than LiveJournal and JournalFen will choke and die the day the Harry Potter finale is released (LJ due to the traffic from outraged fan reaction, JF due to the traffic from those of us waiting to see what the outraged fans are doing). Falls Church, VA is going to be shut down, too.
I can't say much about the Transformers movie until I know my spoiler-phobic co-correspondent has seen it. Instead, I'll leave you with the eternal question, "Will it blend?"
Looks like more than LiveJournal and JournalFen will choke and die the day the Harry Potter finale is released (LJ due to the traffic from outraged fan reaction, JF due to the traffic from those of us waiting to see what the outraged fans are doing). Falls Church, VA is going to be shut down, too.
I can't say much about the Transformers movie until I know my spoiler-phobic co-correspondent has seen it. Instead, I'll leave you with the eternal question, "Will it blend?"
Monday, July 2, 2007
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