Randomatia Observatorio

Wow! A new post!!

2006-12-13T22:25:00.000-08:00

Can it be???

Is he finally posting again????

What a lazy son-of-a...

Thing is, I'm not sure what to post. The holidays are here, and I've got one more week to work, then I get a week off. Gonna go to OKC. I've driven there and back so many times it's second nature to me. Just last week, I was coming back from OKC. It was my Mother's 60th birthday. Good times. On the trip home, it was around 7:30 pm, nice and dark outside. I was jammin' to some sweet tunes, not payin' much attention to the landmarks passing me by, and lost track of my location. Before I knew it, I was twice as far as I thought. I'm like "Whoa! I've already gone this far?? Righteous!" Bet you're so elated to know that.

Well, I've got to get up bright and early tomorrow morning, so I best be gettin' to bed.

Talk to you next month.

Make With the Pretty Words

2006-11-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

Now that the elections are over and the Democrats have seized power, I've been hearing a lot of niceties spoken on behalf of both sides of the political spectrum. Nancy Pelosi is the new Speaker of the House, and the first Woman in American history to become so. I'm happy for her. I'm happy that a woman can gain such a high seat in American politics. But what I'm not happy about is all the pretty stuff issuing from her mouth, and from the mouths of President Bush, and most other political officials in their press interviews. Nancy speaks of her desire to work with the President in a bi-partisan manner. She says this with a calm sincerity that says she's happy of her victory, but that she has America's future in her mind first and foremost. That's all well and good, but when you think about it, it doesn't bode well. Why?

How many times have you heard a political official say the word "bi-partisan"? They say it all the time, to provide the viewer with a "window" into their intentions. Or, to the more perceptive ear, to lead the public in the direction they want. Once the rush of victory fades away, how truly bi-partisan are the Democrats going to be?
Not very. It's their way or the highway. They tout their willingness to work together, yet they've been doing nothing but slandering the President and his Administration vehemently since he took office.

I don't see bi-partisanship coming. I see the same old thing. And don't think for a second that just because new leadership is taking hold, that things will magically go back to normal. Don't think for a second that just because Rumsfeld has stepped down and the former head of the C.I.A. taking his place is going to make things all better. And you can bet that the Democrats are beside themselves with Rumsfeld's removal. The Moveon.orgs and the Daily Kos's and the liberal elite are breaking open $100 bottles of champagne in wild celebration. I wouldn't be surprised if some wackos in America are actually feeling less fearful of their lives being taken away by the evil President Bush and his demonic henchmen.

Sure, there is change coming, and the Democrats are itching to enact their new plans for the country. In the midst of all this, remember: we are still hated by terrorists. Even if our new leadership manages to remove most of our troops from Iraq and change our foreign policy to the world's liking, it won't stop those who are against our way of life. They will always see us as the world's biggest evil.They will continue to attack us at home and abroad.

Spouting the rhetoric of cooperation and faux-togetherness will not change the fact that the Democrats are itching to reverse everything the President and his Administration has been working to accomplish. Sugar coating should be left to the candy industry.

What happened here?

2006-10-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

I got lost in the desert and happened upon this town.

Where is this? I'm sure I've been here before...

There's an observatory on top of that distant hill over there, but it looks deserted. As a matter of fact, this whole town looks deserted. I can almost imagine a sprawling metropolis in this very spot. Cars whizzing by, people walking down the street, taking in the sights, checking out the shops. Commerce and Conversation, beating to the rhythm of a clockwork heart. But now, there's only dust. There's only desolation. What happened here?

I've walked down the main street, I've circled the buildings. I've looked for a sign, a hint of life, but have found none. It seems that the energy this town once had is still lingering quietly, awaiting its chance to be reborn. Could it be that the leaders of this once great town have given up on the city they know and love? Or was there some unforseen force that drove them away? So many questions I have but no one to answer them. Each step I take brings me closer to the edge of this town, and I don't have the desire to leave just yet.

So I turn myself 'round and start back again. Hoping that life will return. That feeling of deja vu is enticing me in, to the beating heart that still lingers within. As I walk toward the center of town, a light catches my eye. It's a reflection from the lens of the great observatory, as if a single solitary soul is still there. Is it true that someone still cares for this place? Still watches over it with great care? I turn to the west and begin the long walk, up the hill to the observatory there. Hoping to meet this lost soul left behind, still clinging to the town he holds dear.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am still here. Watching my town with a diligent eye. There's just so much to discover, such worlds to explore, with a powerful eye at my disposal. This town is not dead, just waiting to be... Built up again with the vision to see...

That the world is so vast, with infinite knowledge, and everyone has a space they can call their own. But mine is still sleeping, so don't run away. Morning comes soon, I invite you to stay.

I'll be back soon...

"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin: 1962-2006

2006-09-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

This is horrible news.

"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin was killed by a Stingray's barb on September 4, 2006. He was filming a special at the Great Barrier Reef when the incident occured. He was 44. He has become one of the most famous Australians since "Crocodile Dundee" Paul Hogan, and certainly the most famous nature show personality of all time. He was always full of vigor and had an unending love for crocodiles and all animals. He made it his mission in life not only to save crocodiles and preserve nature, but to teach everyone the truth about animal behavior in an effort to give the world the proper knowledge to help life continue peacefully.

He will be greatly missed.

Read more here

What's a Jacket?

2006-08-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today Dallas got a heap of much needed rain. It helped to bring the temperature down a degree or two.

I hear from the news guy that more rain is coming, as the cold air finally moves in our direction. Oh what joy it brings!!!

It's been so hot in Texas this year I honestly can't remember the last time I wore a jacket. Imagine a climate so hot I get satisfaction from watching movies that feature cold locations. I was watching the Dan Aykroyd/Chevy Chase masterpiece Spies Like Us recently, and it begins in Washington D.C. in the late fall. There's a little snow on the ground, a steely gray tone all around, and rolling clouds in the sky. It's cold.

...

cold...

...

Gosh, that word almost vanished from my consciousness. COLD!!! Cold enough that the actors had to wear jackets and coats and scarfs to keep the cold at bay. And there was wind too. No doubt it was cold...

There's something about a cold, windy, overcast day that just sets my mind at ease. It's like that feeling you get when everything works. Everything is as it should be. Balance is achieved. And with that balance comes the knowledge that perfection can be attained. To me, one of the great joys of life is getting lost in the neverending view of a rolling forested hillside, a calming breeze, and countless, tumbling gray clouds that follow the horizon into forever.

Wow. I'm actually waxing poetic over this.

So hurry home, cold weather. We miss you very much.

Letterman's tribute to Bill Gates

2006-08-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Someone deserves an Emmy for this!

View Video

Just file this under the "It's funny 'cause it's true" category.

One more 'till the big 3-0

2006-08-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I've gone and aged 29 years five days ago.

Truth be told, I do feel different. I don't necessarily feel old, but I feel more mature, although most of my friends might beg to differ.

I have not yet reached the part of my life in which I dread every birthday. I'm feeling fine, and am having fun with the career life. I might one day settle down and start a family. I should at least attempt to squall my debts first.

Police Squad! on DVD

2006-08-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

Follow me to Enlightenment

Words alone cannot express the sheer comedic nirvana provided by this show. At only 5 eposides, it was so far ahead of its time that the executives chose to cancel it rather than having their heads explode.

Each episode had a well known guest star who would die during the opening credits. Tell me that is not pure genius!

This truly represents the ZAZ(Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker) partnership's finest hour.

Coming to DVD November 7, 2006.

Just like Alec Baldwin?

2006-07-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/

So "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan says she'd rather live under Hugo Chavez' rule than George W. Bush?

Good for you. Go live under Chavez and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out, like our dear Mr. Baldwin when he said he'd leave the country if Bush was elected. Way to be true to your word, huh?

If you find peace there, joining them in opposing our President, enjoy it for the rest of your life and give us all something to cheer about. Then maybe we won't have to hear your incessant whining anymore.

For some background on Hugo Chavez and the trouble he is stirring with America, go here:

Click here

and here.

Interesting Fact

2006-06-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

AT&T stands for American Telephone & Telegraph.

Bet you didn't know that.

Cars ***1/2

2006-06-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Pixar’s latest masterpiece is Cars. I say masterpiece, because anything Pixar does is a masterpiece. The 3 1/2 star rating is based on the previous Pixar releases, not on all movies as a whole. Compared to the other Pixar films, this one rates slightly lower than most others. To me, the biggest cause of this slight lowering from perfection is caused by some dialog problems. It seems that this film is slowed down for those who need more time to follow along. It lacks the quick wit of Monsters Inc., the adult tone of Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, and is more on pace with A Bug’s Life. Speaking of slow, there are many critics out there who are faulting the movie with a lagging pace, but it’s obviously intentional. The best example of this lag is when the movie’s star, Lightning McQueen, becomes stranded in a small Arizona town called Radiator Springs.

The film begins with the big race between Lightning McQueen, his rival, Chick Hicks (gloriously voiced by Michael Keaton), and the King himself, Strip Weathers (voiced by NASCAR legend Richard Petty). This spectacular opening sequence is devoted to a race not unlike a NASCAR event, complete with crowd shots, many drive-bys, and some heart-pumping close-up shots of the cars zooming by the camera at ground level. This thrilling race ends in a three-way tie, and a tie-breaker race must take place in a week to determine the winner of the coveted Piston Cup. As Lightning and his crew drive all the way to California for the big race, mishaps occur and Lightning becomes stranded in the forgotten town of Radiator Springs. Here’s where the movie slows its pace considerably. However, the movie shouldn’t be faulted for this, because it’s completely deliberate. The idea behind this movie is that the pace of our society has increased so dramatically, and with the introduction of super highways and interstates, and “The Mother Road”, Route 66, and all the small towns that lived along the way were left behind. Lightning McQueen lives his life in the fast lane. It’s all about speed and glitz and crowds and energy. When he finds himself a prisoner of this sleepy little community, it slows his life down to a crawl. He wants nothing more than to get out of Radiator Springs and get to that race to win the Piston Cup. He doesn’t care for these boring people and their boring, beat up, run down little ghost town. But life in Radiator Springs is slow, because not much happens here. They rarely get any customers or visitors, which is unfortunate. Lightning McQueen decides to make the best of his situation, since it seems impossible to get out of town in time to make the big race.

Once again, the Pixar tradition continues with scores of wonderful characters, and many great actors to voice them. There are so many different personalities to fall in love with. Visually, the movie is stunning, in true Pixar fashion. There aren’t as many textures though, because of the smooth finishes on the cars, and the look of the movie seems more polished. Animation is excellent as usual, and there are many clever sight gags, since there are only cars. No bugs, no animals, no humans, only cars in their place.

Seeing this and all the other Pixar features in DLP is a real treat. It’s the absolute best way to see these digital productions. The audio wasn’t as punchy as some of the other films I’ve seen at this theater. There were a few moments of deep bass, but I suppose the theater operators toned it down a bit since this is by and large a children’s movie.

If you see this movie, wait through ALL the credits. There are many great surprises in store!

New Links

2006-06-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have updated my link list to include a couple blogs that belong to two of my cousins, and my Dad. They are relatively new, and one seems to be more geared toward the firstborn son of Andrew, my Dad's brother's thirdborn son. Confused yet?

Anyways, please take a minute to view my Dad's new website, www.drdoan.com, completely re-done and chock-full of extremely useful medical and wellness information, and should be your first stop for your physical well being. For those who do not know, my Dad is a Chiropractor, and a right smart one at that. He became a Chiropractor later in his life because he was tired of repairing VCRs (who wouldn't be?) and he wanted to know how to make others better using a Chiropractic technique called "Gonstead", named after the doctor who developed the method. It is the most accurate and in-depth form of Chiropractic, and could very well save your life. Please check it out, and feel free to email any health questions/concerns to my Dad. He's a treasure trove of information, and more than willing to help you.

To update the weekend…

2006-06-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

I must say, it’s been quite a while since my last entry. I still mourn the fact that I can no longer access my blog here at JCPenney. Granted, they don’t pay me to write a personal blog, yet still, my creative juices are always flowing while I design multimedia for my employer. And I’m lovin’ every minute of it. This is the first “career” job I’ve held since graduating from College, and it’s eons better than any of my previous places of employment, and I plan to stay with it for many years. Adding to my woes is the fact that I’m behind on my phone/internet bill, so I have to catch up before I’ll get my internet reconnected at home, so there’s another wrench in the gears which forces me to stop by my local library to check personal email and what not. I just don’t feel the desire to post to the blog while I’m in the library. And so, as I type this entry, I am at work, in a brief hiatus from designing multimedia, so I can give you, loyal reader, an insight as to why I’ve been quite lax with my web log.

I’m heading to Oklahoma City after work today, to meet my new nephew, William Owen North. He is my older sister’s third and final (they say) child. Now that all three of my sisters have given birth this year, it is safe to say I will not become an Uncle again for a while. Whew! I’m exhausted.

Please Stand By...

2006-04-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Experiencing technical difficulties.

Your continued support is valuable to us. Please stay on the line, and your call will be answered by the next available representative.

All our operators are currently assisting other customers. Your call will be answered in the order it was received.

If you know your party's extension, please dial it now.

That is not a valid extension. Please hand up and dial again.

We're sorry, your call cannot be completed as dialed. Please hang up and dial again.

Due to a temporary rift in the space/time continuum, our automated system has been replaced by monkeys. Terrifying space monkeys.

Thank you for choosing Randomatia Observatorio as your primary. We will be with you shortly.

...

... ... ...

loading... ... ...

... ... ...

...

pending...

...

processing... ...

...

...

daisy....

War of the Worlds imminent?

2006-04-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Huge Block Of Ice Falls From Sky In Oakland

Ice to see you!

"It was totally amazing. ... I saw this flash, like a streak. Then I saw this explosion, like a big boom! I came over and it (the field) was all covered with ice. Some were this big," Purat said, making a head-size circle with his two hands.

A flash of light, an explosion, and a freezing block of ice, and a hole in the ground can only mean one thing... INVASION

All-Con 2006

2006-03-20T02:29:00.000-08:00

Went to the All-Con this weekend.

http://all-con.org/index.html

Had a chance to meet several celebrities including:

Nalini Krishan, a Jedi from Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the ClonesView picture
starwars.com character profile

Ken Feinberg, veteran of many hit TV shows including Alias, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and more. IMDB profile

Bill Blair, who starred in over 80 different TV episodes in shows including Babylon 5; Star Trek DS9, Enterprise, & Voyager; Charmed; Alien Nation, and more. view picture

And last, but not least, Jay Laga'aia, Captain Typho in Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones, and briefly in Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. view picture

Overall, I had a great time. The weather was beating us down all weekend. It wreaked havok with the hotel, which seemed to be falling apart at the seams! There were so many leaks springing up everywhere that we felt as if the building was submerged in water!! In the dealer/celebrity room, one of the entrances had to be closed off due to a super-large leak. Click here to see the clever ways in which we all dealt with this particular hazard. Jay Laga'aia had a great idea in store for this one: view pic

Now, I just have to wait until April 29 for the Dallas Comic Con. Click here for details.

The Greatest Movies

2006-03-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

The following list contains the best films ever made, in my opinion. The list will include the title as well as the year of release. I'd love to go into detail for each film, but I just don't have the time. The list will reside in the right hand column, below my profile. I will update the list continually. If there's a movie you think belongs on this list, let me know! If I've seen it, I'll consider adding it to the list.

For Your Consideration...

Darren McGavin R.I.P.

2006-02-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

Another beloved actor has also died.

Darren McGavin, whom I am familiar with as "The Old Man" in the classic film A Christmas Story, was 83.

He made an indelible mark in the world of cinema as "The Old Man", who's daily battles with the dying furnace and complete ecstasy experienced upon winning a major award, only to have it purposefully broken by a jealous wife, has won him a permanent place in cinema history and has made A Christmas Story an essential part of the Christmas holidays.

"Fra-gee-lay... well that must be Italian!!"

Farewell Don Knotts

2006-02-25T19:37:00.000-08:00

Sadly, Don Knotts has passed away.

Forever known to all as Deputy Barney Fife, he won America's heart as the bumbling second-in-command of the Mayberry Police Department, constantly getting himself into more trouble than it was worth, yet possessing a heart so big his lanky form could hardly contain it. He won 5 Emmy awards for his role as Barney, and has been a staple of the American comedy elite for many decades.

Watching him flash his badge and show off his skills as a man of the law was always a treat. You'd think a mere gust of wind would push him over, yet he fought hard to uphold the law, and was a family man and genuine friend. The Andy Griffith show would not be the classic it is without him.

He was 81.

IMDB info

AOHELL

2006-02-23T04:33:00.000-08:00

This is unbelievable.

AOL, lovingly refered to as AOHELL by it's entire client base, is jacking up its rates. Now, America's most annoying online provider will charge $26 dollars a month for their dial up service. $26 DOLLARS A MONTH!!! Well, technically it's $25.90, but let's not get technical here.

Why anyone would pay more than a cent for dial up is beyond me, let alone 26 times that. AOL needs to go away now.

You've got astronomical rates

LEGO

2006-02-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

This is amazing.

Read it and see it for yourself.

Just amazing...

WOW!

To read an interview with the builder, and to see high-res images, click here

Hypocrisy knows no bounds.

2006-02-16T07:04:00.000-08:00

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/02/16/MNGS3H9J3N1.DTL&type=printable

The leftist media are like a school of Piranha. They see the flesh of the Bush administration and they shred it in a feeding frenzy. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot his hunting partner. He finally decides to talk to the media. He chooses to be interviewed by Fox News’ Brit Hume. What does the left do? They cry fowl! “Of course the Vice President would choose Fox News. They are sympathetic to the Republicans! For Shame!!!” The crybabies at CNN are mad that Cheney chose Hume, and they take an immediate political stance on the matter. Think back a few years to the Clinton administration. Had something like this happened to Vice President Al Gore(not that he’d ever go hunting, but something similar), and he chose to be interviewed by CNN’s Paula Zahn, would Fox News go to such great lengths to moan and wail that Gore’s choice of interview was to cushion his fall? Would the Media Right be allowed to get away with such a thing? NO! The Liberal Media would have a field day, saying we’re hypocritical, and just plain crybabies. They’d have at least 2 days worth of headlines saying so. Yet, here we have CNN reporters like Jack Cafferty saying the Vice President is “seeking safe haven”. What a joke. But no one will call the left wing media on this. It’s common knowledge that the Democrats and liberals rely on CNN to tell them what they want to hear. But they don’t like to be told this. They think CNN is neutral and Fox News is nothing but a Right wing sympathizer. Sad.

Star Wars: The Live Concert

2006-02-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of attending the recent Dallas Symphony Orchestra performance of Star Wars on Wednesday, February 8. Anthony Daniels(C3PO) himself was there to provide the narration. This was the first time I have been to the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, though not my first time experiencing live orchestral music. My Dad raised me on classical music, with countless records in his possession, he was always listening. He is a trumpet player, so it was not uncommon to go see him perform in the orchestra. It was mostly centered around the high schools or colleges he was working at during the time, but every once in a while we'd all go out to watch a performance. It is a wonderful thing to hear your favorite music live, especially something as timeless as Star Wars. On hand were many of the most popular themes throughout the entire Star Wars saga, from Episode I to Episode VI. Some highlights include:

Duel of the Fates(between Obi Wan/Qui-gon Jinn and Darth Maul), complete with choir (Episode I)
Anakin/Padme's love theme, a sweeping, beautiful piece and one of my personal favorites (Episode II)
Anakin/Obi Wan's lava duel, an epic, sad and emotional power piece that sent chills down my spine! (Episode III)
The opening crawl from the legendary Star Wars beginning, as the camera tilts down from the stars to the desert planet of Tatooine, and the Star Destroyer barrels overhead, dwarfing the small Rebel cruiser on the run (an event permanently burned into the conciousness of the world!) (Episode IV)
The thrilling chase in the asteroid field (Episode V), which, by the way, was introduced by Mr. Daniels as C3PO in his frantic statement that "the odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,760 to 1!" Of course, any Star Wars nerd will tell you that the number Mr. Daniels stated was not the same in the actual movie! It's actually 3,720 to 1. But since he's Anthony Daniels, we'll let it slide (for obvious reasons)
Jabba's Theme from Episode VI, which garnered the tuba player a commendation --that's a "Bravo" and a thumbs up-- from the conductor (the one and only Erich Kunzel of Cincinnati Pops fame)
Luke and Leia, the melancholy, hauntingly beautiful theme from the original trilogy that was highlighted in Episode VI, another one of my personal favorites.
And last but not least, The Imperial March, which was accompanied by a few Storm Troopers marching down the aisles, and an appearance by Darth Vader (a local 501st member) up in the balcony where the organ is played.

In a fun little capper, the jazzy tune from the Cantina in Episode IV was the final piece of music played, and the Stormtroopers came out and danced, which was wacky fun. Although, I'm still scratching my head as to why one of the stormtroopers was short and a little rotund. Seemed a bit out of place. Also there's the fact that the resident Darth Vader was short and had to wear platform shoes to complete the look...

On a lighter note, it was a joy to see Anthony Daniels perform the narration. He even added some classic 3PO mannerisms that we all know and love. The best part was when he started going off on a tangent about C3PO, how great and smart and heroic he was... The conductor would get angry and stare him down... was a lot of fun.

The Meyerson Symphony Center is a beautiful place. The sound was wonderful, and although the seats down in the Orchestra section were tight and a little cramped, they were comfortable and the experience was a joy. I am definitely going back to hear some nice music. I am looking forward to the next Bach festival. Or Vivaldi. I'd also love to hear some piano.

Battlestar Galactica

2006-02-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

I have become hooked to this re-imagining of the campy 70's hit Battlestar Galactica.

This Sci-Fi Channel original series is a hot topic right now, and for good reason. The show is very engrossing, and the nature of its continuing storyline complete with many cliffhangers compels the viewer to tune in every Friday at 10p.m./9 central on the Sci-Fi Channel for the dramatic conclusions. This is not a campy space romp. This is a serious discussion of human nature and the consequences we sometimes refuse to face. This is smart science fiction.

My first encounter with this show occurred when it was first released. My boss watched and liked the show, and he would have discussions with another JCPenney employee about that week's episode. I would chuckle, thinking to myself that it was just another cheesy sci-fi show. I took no notice. After a while, it was released on DVD. Some time later, I became hooked on Firefly, and since my boss got me into that show, he suggested I tackle Battlestar Galactica next. So I bought the season 1 DVD set. It included the original mini-series that introduced this new version of Battlestar Galactica. My first impression was that it looked spectacular. Beautiful, widescreen cinematography and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Production wise, the show is top notch. The computer animated space sequences, including dogfights, faster-than-light(FTL) jumps, and planetary exploration looked expensive and very high quality. My one big caveat was that it was too clichéd. The idea is that the Battlestar Galactica is like a navy aircraft carrier, and the chain of command is very much like our own military. There was the old battleaxe Commander, whom the crew loved for his many years of service, there was the X.O. and his drinking problem, there was the cocky pilot who is too talented for his(in this case, her) own good, and who is constantly at odds with the X.O., there were the usual military trademarks, and that aspect of the show was boring to me. I didn't need to see a futuristic version of Top Gun. However, as the show progressed, the usual military clichés dropped off, and the sci-fi element was allowed to take over.

Some of the elements of the original show have been repeated here. The Cylons are a race of humanoid machines created by man to help with the colonization of nearby planets. The usual event occurred: the Cylons turned on their creators, and proceeded to wipe out the entire human race. However, the Cylons are no longer robot-like; they have developed the technology to mimic humans to almost undistinguishable proficiency. They look like us, now. Therefore, they are much harder to detect and have begun to infiltrate the remaining human population. The methods used to bring us down are very well thought out, and provide one of the most intriguing aspects of the show.
Also, some of the effects were mimicked, such as the fighter ships' launch from the Galactica. They are shot through the narrow tubes at a high rate of speed, very similar to the original show. The Cylon Centurions have been redesigned, yet they still have the classic red eye that slides back and forth in their visor. Very cool.

Now a little past the half way point in the second season, the show has drawn me in to the point that I am devising ways to watch the show, since I don't have cable. I purchased 3 of the episodes from iTunes, and despite the small size, they are not too bad for the $1.99 asking price. It will be several months before the second half of the second season is released to DVD. If ever there was a reason for me to invest in a PVR, this would be it!

There are several concurring storylines in Battlestar Galactica. It keeps things interesting. I also love the way some of them are shot. They have a stylized look that makes it so much better; it is daring. They are intercut very well and propel the story forward. The show deservedly receives accolades for being the best show on television. This is certainly the best Sci-Fi show to come along in years.

Why I like Firefly: Dialog

2006-01-31T17:35:00.000-08:00

Reason 102:

Mal -
"Shouldn't you be off bringing religiosity to the fuzzy-wuzzies or some such?"

Shepherd Book -
"Oh, I got heathens aplenty right here."

Why I like Firefly: Dialog

2006-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

Reason 101:

Simon -
"How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?"

Mal -
"You don't know me son, so let me explain this to you once. If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed."

A Break from the Norm

2006-01-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

I'm oddly chipper this morning. I have no idea why. I am NOT a morning person.

The Tower

2006-01-25T11:48:00.000-08:00

By way of the "Skyline Terrace" at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dallas, Tx.

A View From The Top

2006-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo I took last week, from the observation deck of the Reunion tower.

The Big Expo

2006-01-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

This past Monday through Thursday, I was downtown Dallas at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. You know, the one by the big lighted ball. JCPenney had a major Expo for all the 1,000+ store managers, and it was HUGE! There was also a concurrent meeting for the district managers, so needless to say, there were many people around. This event was a major undertaking, and many people were involved. I mainly had to walk a lot. From the room we were stationed in to the floor of the Expo, many footsteps were required to move between the two. Highlights include certain celebrities, some free swag, and models. Yes, fashion models. Young girls in skimpy clothing...

Speaking of celebrities, allow me to run through the list. I'll begin with Master Chef Martin Yan.
Mr. Yan has been cooking for decades. He has been on countless cooking shows, in countless countries, and has his show on PBS: Yan Can Cook, which has been on the air for nearly 20 years. His own shows/travelogues number over 2,000! He was promoting a new line of cookwear exclusive to JCPenney. And he was cooking. I was very surprised to meet him, and was even more surprised when I was able to eat some food prepared by him. Talk about dancing tastebuds! You can read all about him at his official website here: http://www.yancancook.com/

Next on the list were the fashion designers. First off is Michelle Bohbot, designer of Bisou-Bisou, which is distributed throughout the U.S.A. by JCPenney exclusively. Second is Nicole Miller, a very popular fashion designer, and Nick Graham, of Joe Boxer fame. They all were debuting their new collections to be sold at JCPenney. Also there was interior designer Chris Madden, an Oprah favorite. New to Penneys was Shaun Tomson, a world famous surfer who is debuting a new line of men's clothing. It was cool to talk with him. I wish I had his accent. Another highlight of the Expo was the Superman Returns booth. I'm still not quite sure what JCPenney has to do with the new movie; I think we are going to sell some children's clothing based on it. A replica of the new Superman suit was on display, along with several props used in the film, including some award trophies on display in the Daily Planet newsroom, plus several newspapers. The best part was the video clip they played, along with the sign posted below the monitor prohibiting the use of cameras at the display. Pretty cool. The movie looks to be a great rehash of the Christopher Reeve films. The actor portraying Superman is Brandon Routh, and they got him looking so much like Christopher Reeve, that I think this film is going to be a success. Plus, they've ingeniously cast Kevin Spacey as the bald Lex Luthor. This is going to be a huge summer blockbuster!
This all happened on Tuesday. Wednesday had 2 celebrities.

After the evening's dinner, two stand-up comedians performed. The opening act was Jon Manfrellotti, a regular guest on the hit show Everybody Loves Raymond. A little crass, but funny. The main attraction was none other than Raymond himself, Ray Romano! Getting back to his roots as a stand up comedian, he tore the house down. I was very lucky to get to hear 45 minutes of Ray Romano for FREE!!! He also brought a couple videos, one of which was a gag reel from his TV show. The other was a video he made several years ago when his twin sons were about 2. It basically shows the fun/terror of having twin boys. It was sweet, and very clever.

All in all, it was a huge success, and a boatload of fun. I'll post pictures as soon as I get them uploaded.

Oh, and by the way... MODELS!

In-depth of Firefly

2006-01-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

To those who are new to the series, or haven't the slightest idea what I'm talking about, please read this thrilling article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_%28television_series%29.
This article will tell you everything you need to know. I would recommend that you at least borrow the series from a friend who has it, or rent it. You won't be disappointed!

Firefly is such an amazing television series, and one of a kind. When I heard the show described as a "Space Western", I chuckled. I thought it sounded dumb. After watching the complete series, it makes perfect sense. It is set about 500 years in the future. After the apocalypse, Earth is no longer populated, and a new solar system is found; the peoples of Earth traveled to these planets, and terraformed them to be inhabitable. The main, or "core" planets are ruled by a single government, the "Alliance". Those outer planets who refuse Alliance control are like the frontier areas, like the old American west. Plenty of lawlessness abounds, hence the western feel. The Alliance planets take on the feel of Bladerunner. There are many Asian influences all around. It is said that the Alliance is mainly American and Chinese, since they are Earth's two biggest super-powers. Asian dialog is even weaved into the regular English, usually in the form of curse words. It takes a little getting used to, but it grows on you, and is just another accepted part of the new culture.

Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds is the owner of Serenity, a Firefly-class space cruiser that is used mainly for shipping. Of course, Mal is a Han Solo character who is a smuggler. He is at odds with the Alliance, as he was a volunteer fighter against them during the Unification War, a civil war between the Alliance and those who refused their control. As such, Mal and his crew are always dodging the Alliance. During a particularly slow spell, they take on some passengers to help pay the bills. Among these fares is a young doctor who has precious cargo. Over the course of the pilot episode, it is revealed that he is transporting his sister, River, an extremely intelligent young girl who was experimented on by the Alliance, even though her family was not aware of it. Simon, the young doctor, rescued his sister from the Alliance, and in turn, brings on a huge amount of trouble for Mal and the crew of Serenity. There are many mysteries to the show that were never given the chance to be revealed, due to the show's early cancellation. There are two mysterious men who wear blue gloves, in search of the missing River Tam. These two are very much like something out of "The X Files". They kill anyone who comes in contact with River, even Alliance, and they are extremely creepy. There is so much to this aspect of the series that held such promise to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, waiting in eager anticipation for the next episode.

Aside from the intriguing mysteries, the show's main strongsuit is its characters. There are no less than 9 main cast members, 5 crew members and 4 additions, each of whom is given a great set of quirks and oddities. They interact with eachother in fabulous ways, interjecting humorous one-liners all the while. This show is extremely funny! Joss Whedon has a fantastic sense of humor, and the audience is in stitches, even during the more intense scenes. There's Mal, the Captain, his first mate Zoe, who fought along side him during the war, the pilot Hoban Washburne (Wash), who ended up marrying Zoe, Kaylee is the ship's young mechanic and all around sweetheart, and the mercenary/muscle Jayne Cobb; Inara is the ship's "ambassador". In actuality, she is a Companion, which in the Firefly universe is like a Geisha/Courtesan. The final characters are Shepherd Derrial Book, a man of God who has an unknown and possibly dangerous past, and siblings Simon and River. These characters are so easy to get into that you really care for them by the end of the series, and it makes it so much harder to know that the show was cancelled. Each actor played their part perfectly, and after hearing the commentaries on various episodes of a certain actress who was originally to play the part of Inara, I couldn't imagine how the show would have been had she played the part instead of Morena Baccarin. Honestly, I couldn't think of anyone else who would be better in these roles than the original cast. The synergy present between all the characters and their actors is so apparent, that nothing needs changing.

Another wonderful aspect of the show is the music. As there are several cultures thrown together to survive the post-apocalyptic worlds in the new solar system, there are several different music styles thrown together, such as Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Indian, and even Bluegrass and some Classical. And they were all masterfully done, and melded quite well. Many of the instruments were very real, not just synthesized. Click here to read an interesting interview with Greg Edmonson, the composer for the series. This brings me to mention the theme song. It was written by Joss Whedon, the show's creator, and is a bluesy folk song, meant to give you the feeling that it's sung by a person on a porch. For myself, it took several episodes before I became accustomed to hearing this song as the theme. After I became more familiar with the show and it took its hold on me, I couldn't think of another theme in its place. I can't help but sing along with Sonny Rhodes as he performs his heartfelt rendition of this survival tune. This song would be a perfect campfire song to be experienced on one of those distant outer planets that refused Alliance control. It's brilliant.

All these aspects come together to form a brilliant show that never got the chance to shine. It was hard to place, and the Fox network just didn't give it enough priority. It's sad to know that such clever shows like this are always drowned out by pointlessly shallow garbage like "reality" shows and countless police procedural and courtroom dramas. One can only hope that the DVD sales of the movie "Serenity" can convince the studio hot shots that more Firefly deserves to be made.

The Ultimate Geek Car?

2006-01-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

Mercedes-Benz has done it againz.

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,69960-0.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

This new sedan brings the world that much closer to Knight Rider. Now all we need is a turbo boost button and that snazzy engine wooshing sound that accompanies the thrilling jump over the day's big obstacle.

They crammed as many bellz and whistlez as they could into this luxury toy for rich folkz. Complete with a radar system, massaging chairs, night-vision cameras, and even tv capability, this is the perfect vehicle for the James Bond wannabe.

Firefly

2006-01-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

The Complete Series on DVD, released by 20th Century Fox in 2003.

Only 5 words are needed to accurately describe this short-lived television sci-fi/western series.

1.) Brilliant.

2.) Brilliant.

3.) Brilliant.

4.) Brilliant.

and...

5.) Brilliant.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth review of this sweet little piece of genius.

Shiny.

3... 2... 1...

2005-12-31T22:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

A quick note...

2005-12-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all!

That means MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
I will not be forced to change my ways to accomodate every possible culture, as the politically correct crowd wants. This is Christmas, it's still a nationally observed holiday, and I will stick by it. I won't have any of this "holiday tree" nonsense.

Starting today(after work), I am officially on vacation, and will be away until January 2, 2006. I don't suppose I'll be posting too often in that time. So Merry Christmas, happy holidays, with your families and friends, and happy new year!

Now I am off to Wimbledon!

p.s. that last line was just a reference to The Simpsons. I'm actually off to Oklahoma City. Extra points to anyone who can tell me which episode of The Simpsons that line comes from, and who said it!

The Super Mega Ultra Extra Deluxe Edition!

2005-12-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

Every new DVD release I see nowadays has some sort of fancy hook on the packaging to get you to buy it. They put a shiny sticker on the cover, with those enticing words that lead you to believe you're buying something extraordinary, something those poor suckers at the theater never saw! oooooooh

Now they're getting inventive. It's no longer just the "unrated" edition. Now it's the "uncorked" edition(the upcoming Wedding Crashers DVD). And if the marketing department is really smart, they'll release the DVD in a bare-bones edition at first, so if you really want the movie, you'll have to settle for the no-extras version(and pay full price, to boot), then you can buy the ultra mega extended extra-racy edtion you wanted in the first place, when they release it at a later date(for a premium price), and they get your money twice. Of course you could "just wait for the special edition", but where's the fun in that?

And to all you people who say "I'll just wait for it to be released in High Definition Tivo"... well, I just plain don't like you.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

2005-12-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

Finally, something we have over the Japanese!

http://news.com.com/2300-1041_3-5998130-1.html?part=rss&tag=5998130&subj=news

I HATE MAIL-IN REBATES!!!

2005-12-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

They get you all excited when you see the price tag on a particular item. You think "Wow, that's a steal!" Don't be so hasty. It may look good, but you have to stop and think about it. You won't get your rebates for at least half a century, so you have to tell yourself that you're actually paying regular price, you'll just get a nice little bit of money in the distant future for buying this product and mailing in some info.

I bought a mouse for my computer at work. There was a $20 mail-in rebate required to get the great price. I tell myself "No sweat. I'll get the $20 in no time." That was years ago! Well, not really, but is sure as heck seems like it. Every day I check my mail, absolutely sure that it's been much longer than 6 to 8 weeks since I sent off for that blasted rebate. I feel as if I'll be an old man, withered and weary, sittin' on the porch and taking in the nice breeze, when the local mail man will come walking by...

"Hello, Irv" I says to him.
"I've got something for you, buddy" he says to me.
"Hmph... not another letter from the local AARP chapter, is it?" I says to him.
"No, says here you've got a rebate from some rat company" he says to me.
"The rat people don't owe me any money. Or do they? My memory's not what it once was..." I says to him.

As he hands me the letter, a sensation sweeps through my mind, of warm nostalgia, remembering the time way back, when I bought a mouse for my computer(a big, clumsy, heavy box thing that was slower than a pocket calculator), and I had to mail in for the rebate. Oh, those were the good ol' days. There was a war going on, and mice were hot commodities...

And the winner is...

2005-12-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

What is it that compels winners of awards to launch into spirited political tirades during their acceptance speeches?

As described in this article, the Nobel literature laureate Harold Pinter took the time to thank the Nobel people for giving him a chance to vent his political feelings that have very little to do with literature. He flat out accuses America and Britain for crime. As if it's our fault the deaths in Iraq occurred. According to Pinter, we invaded Iraq without precedent, and brought all the death and destruction ourselves. Heaven forbid he agree that Saddam and his regime was anything but a bunch of helpless little lambs who wouldn't hurt a fly. I got news for you, Pinter. The Baathist party would string you up by your nostrils and whip you senseless if you even said derogatory things to Saddam. Under his dictatorship, you didn't have the right to say what was truly on your mind. He basically says that the U.S. and "Big Corporations" are the cause of poverty, death, and the lack of free education, and those countries who sought the opposite of these things were just Communists, or at least were seen as such. Oh yes, Pinter, you're on to something here. Bring down the U.S., charge us for warcrimes, let the U.N. dictate how our foreign policy should be conducted. Sorry pal, but it will never happen. You seem to think that the U.S. wants the world to be in poverty and us to be its leader. Whatever. In fact, about 95% of his speech was all accusations of death and torture at the hands of the U.S. And let me tell you, it was looooong. It must have lasted several hours. He seems to know a great deal about all these world events, what with being an old playwright and all.

Stick to what you do. Write literature. Write plays. Make the world a better place through the use of literature, take the prize money and promote literacy, learning, peace. Leave the political tirades to Sean Penn.

Kong is Coming!

2005-11-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

I am positively dying to see this film!

I admit, the first time I saw the trailer for it, I was less than giddy, but after digesting every little tidbit out there on the making of this film, I became more and more excited. I watched the trailer in High Definition, I watched the newer trailer in DLP at the Cinemark Legacy theater in Plano, and even watched several behind-the-scenes videos that chronicle the making of the picture. The highlight of which is the one and only Andy Serkis's take on the ship's greasy cook. You've never seen a tour guide quite like him! And best of all, Andy's playing the "man in suit", so to speak. He's the human actor bringing the digital Kong to life. After seeing his immortal work as Gollum, I have no doubt he'll be the life of the picture.

Follow this link to read an excellent Newsweek article by Devin Gordon, who's seen the most recent cut of the film, just days before it's completion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10216525/site/newsweek/

War Of The Worlds ***

2005-11-28T16:32:00.000-08:00

I just saw the movie over the Thanksgiving holiday at my parents' house, and I'm disappointed.

I'm disappointed that I did not go and see this in the theater. Talk about intense! Of course, to get the full effect, you have to have a powerful sound system. There's just no way around it. And boy, did I get the full effect! My dad had purchased and had just received a new speaker system, and it was terrific, to say the least. He already owns a stellar subwoofer, and the new system includes another subwoofer, so you can bet we were pounding! They blended seamlessly together, and the impact was nothing short of astounding!

I won't give any details as to what happens, only to make you aware that this is a remake of a very old movie and an even older book. I remember being terrified of the original War Of The Worlds movie as a child. This version does a fine job of scaring you out of your wits! The alien war machines look SWEET! Regardless of what Roger Ebert thinks of them. They seem otherworldly, and nothing compares to the sound they make when they alert their bretheren of the flocks of humans to be destroyed.

I'm totally hooked on this movie right now, and am watching the DVD this moment. Problem is, it's a Paramount DVD release, and Paramount is notorious for their dismal efforts. The DVD doesn't even have an inner booklet, is only one disk, has one short, feeble attempt at some behind-the-scenes footage, has no other extras or commentary, and still costs $20. Phooey. I've never been impressed with Paramount. They are nothing compared to New Line, which packs their DVD releases with as much content as possible.

Anyway, do see this film in a dedicated home theater. Seeing it on a small screen without surround sound is meaningless. The film isn't all that thick with plot intricacies or character development, and is meant to be enjoyed in full volume, as visceral as possible.

In the Truest Sense of the Word

2005-11-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

Oxymoron
(ox·y·mo·ron)

1. n. pl. ox·y·mo·ra (-môr, -mr) or ox·y·mo·rons
A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist.

2. n : conjoining contradictory terms (as in deafening silence)

3. Gay Priest.

Sorry, it's just that simple. Ever hear of Sodom and Gomorrah? It's a Biblical tale told to everyone who's ever gone to Sunday School. Anyone who's read the Bible knows God's stance on homosexuality. How you can dedicate your life to the teaching and shepardship of those who need God and go against His word is beyond me.

I was watching a CNN interview of a "Gay Priest", not in the sense of physical abuse with minors in the Catholic Church, which is all the more vile, but just a Priest who just so happens to be Gay. I just don't understand how you can skirt the issue. God didn't create another man to be man's companion, he created woman. It's a basic law of life that has been here since the beginning of our species.

Read this Review!

2005-11-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

Are you a Star Wars fan?

or...

Do you hate that Star Wars crap those fanboys continue to heap unjust praise upon?

Be you either one, I encourage you to read this review. DVD Verdict is a fine website, devoted to reviewing the latest DVD releases in a detailed, yet clever and fun way. In this particular review of the final episode of Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith, seven "judges" get together and do an in-depth, comprehensive review of the film, and no, they are not fanboys, so you can expect a decent amount of criticism, but not undue criticism.

Follow the link here: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/starwarsrots.php

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire ***1/2

2005-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

I am posting my full review here:

Follow me to Randomatia Relevanta

Beware, it is chock full of spoilers.

I really liked this movie. A lot! It's the best Potter film yet, and I plan to go see it at least 3 more times! While DLP is the best way to experience it, I'm quite content to deal with less-than-satisfactory presentations just to see the film. It's truly worth it.

MUST SEE!!

2005-11-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

Well I've gone and done it. I have just purchased my ticket to see Goblet of Fire tomorrow at 11:30am @ the Cinemark Legacy theater in Plano, Texas. I will be there probably by 8:30 or 9am, my copy of The Princess Bride by William Goldman in hand, prepared for the long wait. I don't care. I must see it NOW!!

I Want! I Want!

2005-11-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

Dream Machine

Here's a review of the newest Power Macintosh. Dual 2.5 GHz dual-core processors. That's QUAD BABY!! I can only dream of the elation I'd feel if I had one of these at work. My workflow would more than quadruple! Hear that, boss? Get me one of these!!! Imagine working with a 12 inch by 12 inch graphic @ 300 dpi. Enough to slow down any computer. Now try to render a 3-D effect on it. Major slowdown. But not with a Quad G5. It would blaze through anything you threw at it, even the most demanding professional work. With a cost of $3,299, this computer is obviously not for everyone. If you just browse the internet, do word processing or play an occasional game, buying this machine is overkill, to say the least. But if you work in a professional creative environment, produce lots of digital content, than this baby is heaven on earth. This thing can support an astonishing 4 terabytes of system memory!! Considering that the average machine can hold up to a few gigabytes of system memory, 4 terabytes is like a supernova compared to a cap gun! Of course, today's standards prohibit such a huge number, but it provides plenty of hope for the future. Here's Apple's webpage on the subject: http://www.apple.com/powermac/dualcore.html

I just need to know who to beg at my workplace to get one of these. I am not above laying down in front of their cars!

Say It Ain't So!

2005-11-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

Headline: Madonna slams Bush. Say it ain't so!

So here's the material girl going on a rant about our President. imdb.com ran this news entry today. You can read it here. Just scroll down toward the bottom of the page.

Madonna Slams Bush

Madonna has urged US citizens to turn against President George W. Bush over his failure to provide adequate aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in August. The singer was "devastated" when Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 didn't stop Bush winning the 2004 election and insists America must now realize his incompetence. She says, "I was just frigging devastated, It was a real sad day. I don't get how people can have all these facts and still turn away from them. 9/11 was too ambiguous. You couldn't prove how the government was somehow in on the deal. You could say 'Oh that's just Michael Moore'. New Orleans was undeniable irresponsibility."

So, according to Madonna, "Fahrenheit 9/11" contained facts? First of all, getting Republicans to believe anything put out by Michael Moore is like getting Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer to profess the superiority of Apple Computers. It just ain't gonna happen. If anything, it just strengthened the resolve of the Republican voters to go out there and show support for their party, regardless of the "documentary" put out by a well known liberal propagandist. Second of all, blaming the devastation solely on Bush is irrational. I don't recall this happening in Florida. They must deal with hurricanes far more often than New Orleans. I see this as more of a local government fault. I blame the corrupt New Orleans leaders and their dodgy police force. I remember well the drive back to Dallas I took after a visit to my family in Oklahoma City. There were several convoys of military vehicles on their way to New Orleans. I could see many trucks carrying pallets and pallets of bottled water. Each convoy was at least 6 trucks. But then, of course, it's always easier to just blame the head cheese. After all, it all goes up to the big boss. I'd expect nothing less from Madonna. In my opinion, she can go back to her sprawling estate in Britain and practice her Kaballah Yoga crap. I chose not to listen to her convoluted opinion.

Syriana

2005-11-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

George Clooney.

Matt Damon.

A movie about oil.

"Gasonline. Imagine $20 at the pump..." the voiceover says.

Government conspiracies.

"Why am I being investigated???" Clooney demands.

"Someone's going to die." another voiceover ominously says.

Should I go see it?

Will it present the issues in a fair and balanced way?

Will it open the eyes of the public, yet entertain them at the same time?

Is Global Warming a more serious issue than the fight against terror?

Is Al Gore the inventor of the internet?

No.

Quote of the Day

2005-11-12T21:24:00.000-08:00

"I used to be a lifeguard, until some blue kid got me fired."

-Larry the Cable Guy

When Will They Learn

2005-11-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting here at work this morning, catching a quick glimpse of
the Today Show, as Donald Trump appears with his Star Wars entourage,
promoting his upcoming episode of "The Apprentice" which features
Darth Vader. They are all standing outside in Times Square, the
tradition of the Today Show; lo and behold, the Donald is TALLER than
Vader! What is this travesty?!?! Any Star Wars fan knows that Vader
was taller than most people. The actor who portrayed him was 6'7"
tall, and yet, here we have a dope in a Vader costume who is shorter
than Trump! SPARE ME THIS MOCKERY OF STAR WARS!!! To add insult to
injury, the guy in the Vader suit wasn't even remotely imposing or
frightening, not bulky or beefed up, as Vader no doubt was. You can't
just put on a Vader costume and become the part. You gotta be large
and imposing to being with!

When will they learn...

Third Time's a Charm

2005-11-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

I have just finished reading the Harry Potter series for the third time.

That's currently six novels. The seventh is on the way, though the wait will be most arduous. J.K. Rowling, the author, has said that she will not begin writing the final novel full-time until 2006. That means it is safe to say that the world won't be reading it until sometime in 2007. Oh the HUMANITY!!!

I am by no means an avid reader, and I would venture a guess that the number of novels I've read in my lifetime would be aroud 50 or so. But beyond doubt, the Potter series is the best I've ever read. Better than The Hobbit, or Lord of the Rings, better than Michael Chricton (who used to be my favorite author), better than anything.

There are those who would scoff at this. Those who would laugh that a 28 year old man would like Harry Potter novels. That I would like reading about a boy wizard, and wands, and broomsticks and such. If you think it's stupid/childish/annoying/boring/insignificant/rubbish... I don't care. I will continue to gain great pleasure in reading them again and again, and will do so for the rest of my life. Your loss, my gain.

With the fourth Harry Potter movie looming on the horizon, I eagerly await another headlong dive into the fantasy realm of the boy with the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.

November in the Tropics

2005-11-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

I do not live in the tropics.
It is currently the month of November.
It is officially the "Fall" solstice.

So why is it so gosh darn HOT?!?!

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my feelings toward Dallas' weather. It always seems to be hotter than normal earth temperature. Here it is in the beginning of November, and people are sweating!!! I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods, but today I wore a short sleeve shirt to work, and it felt warm when I left my apartment at 7:30 this morning. Silly part is, it was nice and COLD last month. Heck, it even got below 50 degrees some nights. Nice, crisp cold. Yet, where did it go?

Come back, cold weather! It's November! All the stores have put out their Christmas inventory already! Get with the program!

Sheesh.

Title

2005-11-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

Hmmm....

...thinking of what to write.
I need to post a blog entry. What should I write about? Something witty, clever, and relevant. Dazzle them with my writing prowess; keep them poised on the edge of their seat, brimming with anticipation at the mystery of what I might say... Eager for the astounding revelation just over the horizon...

Ok. Here goes...

So. How's about that Carson Daly, eh? Don't know why I think he's so odd. Must be that misshaped head...

Thank you! I'll be here all weekend. Be sure to tip your waitress.

Puppets and Changes

2005-11-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

It seems that a rumor has surfaced regarding the Yoda puppet in the first Star Wars prequel: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. Originally, it was a puppet performed by the great Frank Oz. However, rumor has it that it will be replaced by a digital Yoda similar to the one in Episodes 2 and 3. There is a featurette on the recently released Episode 3 DVD that has a digital Yoda performing the line from Episode 1: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate...leads to suffering!"

I have just watched the featurette in question: "The Chosen One". It does have a digital Yoda reading this line. I assume they will be updating Episode 1 to include this digital Yoda. There was much joking throughout the Star Wars community at the sight of the puppet Yoda from Episode 1. One joke was that he looked like a drugged up Yoda from the 70s. I guess Lucasfilm took this to heart. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they replaced the puppet with the digital Yoda for continuity. I did however like how Yoda looked when he walked at the end of Episode 1.

Lucasfilm be warned: If you even TOUCH the puppet Yoda from Episodes 5 and 6, I'll come over there and start cracking heads!!!

A Visit to the Ranch

2005-11-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

I... have a dream...

That I, and several close friends, might one day travel out to the Holy Grail of cinema magic, Skywalker Ranch.

There resides the Lucasfilm screening room. In use there is probably the most advanced THX system in the world. It's where it all begins. When George Lucas or any of his minions need to experience what the final product will be, they watch it in the Lucasfilm screening room. The audio, video, seating, and construction of this theater are all top notch, to say the least. When you have as much clout and endless resources as Lucasfilm, you can afford the best.

My dream is this: to watch the entire Star Wars saga in that room. Sure, my dream is pointless compared to dreams of world peace and food for all the peoples of this planet, but at least my dream is not all together impossible.

So far, my cinematic Star Wars experience has been so-so. By far, the best sound I heard was at the now infamous Galaxy 10 theater in Garland, Texas. Odd thing is, it only happened once, during the first run of Episode 1, The Phantom Menace. It was as if they had just installed a massive THX system the day before. I had never experienced such a powerfully visceral presentation, nor have I since. The best video presentations have been all the screenings at the Cinemark Legacy theater in Plano, Texas. I have Texas Instruments' DLP to thank for that. Just seeing Yoda spin like a top and brandish his lightsaber like a bolt of lightning was so awesome on that huge screen! No "film" projector has come close. But before you go into a rant on the inarguable superiority of celluloid to digital, just remember that I am talking about local cinemas that could care less about perfect presentation quality, nor would spend the money to make it possible. The only exception to this had been the Northpark General Cinema 1 in Dallas, but sadly, that's a distant memory.

But to see these great films in the absolute best possible environment is the only true way to do them justice. With George Lucas' pioneering effort to promote the use of High Definition digital cameras as opposed to old-fashioned film cameras, and his creation and utilization of the THX audio program, a screening of the full 6 part epic at Skywalker Ranch is every Star Wars fan's dream come true.

And with that, I'm off to slumberland, anxiously awaiting the hopeful transition from dream to reality.

"Remember, the Force will be with you. Always."

Rent

2005-10-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've just seen the trailer to the upcoming movie version of the musical "Rent".

Three words...

Kill. Me. Now.

Pet Peeves

2005-10-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

I had never heard that phrase before the 7th grade. That particular year in my life, I was obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This would be circa 1990. I received nothing but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(TMNT) presents for my birthday. Give me a break, I was only 13. Anyway, one of these presents was a book about the story of the TMNT movie that was released that year. It had biographies for the individual turtles, and also listed their "Pet Peeves". I stared at it for a minute, completely stumped, yet after reading the entry, I caught on. A Pet Peeve is something that irks you to no end.

That being said, I would like to share with you my personal pet peeve.

I HATE IT WHEN THINGS DON'T WORK!

I was going to do a load of laundry. Not 2 loads, not 10 loads. ONE LOAD. The laundry room adjacent to my apartment is card based. I have to use my credit card, and a balance of at least $15 is put into the system. Every time I slide my card, the funds are extracted from the $15 balance and is used to power the washers and driers. So here's what happens. I take my ONE LOAD of laundry next door, select a washer, slide my credit card, which happens to have a balance of $1.75 left for laundry, select said washer, and hit "OK". I get a message saying that the washer I've selected is not responding, kindly select another. Every time I do this, the machine resets, and I have to start all over again. So I go through the motion again. Same error message. I end up doing it for every washer in the place... but to no avail. I'm somewhat irked.

I leave in a huff, and consult the map of my apartment complex to find the nearest laundry room. Seeing as how the apt. complex is a good 1,000 units strong, I hop in the car and drive over to the next laundry room. As I carry in my ONE LOAD of laundry, I notice that all the washers and driers are coin operated. Great. I leave a good deal more irked.

I consult my map and drive to the next laundry room. Coin operated. Now I'm cursing (sorry Mom & Dad) and hacking out the wilderness(Smothers Brothers reference) and am fully irked at this point. I drive back to my apartment in a very bad mood, and I throw myself down on the couch to wallow in my own misery.

After I've stewed in anger for an hour or so, I decide to give it one last try. I stomp next door, slide my card, knowing what's coming. Futility. All this unnecessary pain and suffering over ONE LOAD of laundry. Irked to no end.

Sci-Fi Expo

2005-10-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

The second annual Sci-Fi Expo in Plano, Texas was held this Saturday and Sunday. I went Saturday, and met the following people: Carrie Fisher(Princess Leia), Kenny Baker(R2D2), Bonnie Piesse(Young Beru Whitesun), and Marc Singer(The Beastmaster movies). Also in attendance were: Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood(Dr. Dave Bowman and Frank Poole of 2001: A Space Odyssey), Kevin Sorbo(Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), Peter Mayhew(Chewbacca), Jonathan Frakes(Commander William Riker of Star Trek: The Next Generation), and several others.

Adam Baldwin(Jayne in the new movie Serenity; also in Independence Day) was there on Sunday, but I was too tired to leave the house, so I didn't meet him. I knew the lines would be spectacular, as the fanboys for Serenity/Firefly are rabid right now, so I guess it's not all that bad. (Espella, I'm lookin' in your direction!)

Here's a link to the photos I took: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kodiak

A Very Sad Day for Aardman

2005-10-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

A horrible fire has engulfed the archives of Aardman Animations, completely destroying most of the company’s entire history. Aardman Animations is responsible for such gems as the Wallace and Gromit shorts, Chicken Run, and all those Shell commercials with the talking cars.

I can’t imagine how the artists must feel. Claymation is extremely tedious and taxing, and it takes immeasurable talent and skill to do it effectively. So much time and effort goes in to creating claymation, and yet Aardman does it better than anyone, making it seem effortless and believeable. So horrible that this had to happen. Even creator Nick Park’s original characters from his very first claymation movie were destroyed.

If you haven’t seen the Wallace and Gromit shorts, their new movie, or Chicken Run, you are missing out on perfection. I encourage everyone out there to go out and buy any and every Aardman Animation DVD you can find. Not only will you be helping spread the joy of Aardman, but you will own the absolute best form of claymation art ever created. These endearing shorts will put am immediate smile on your face.

As an artist, I understand all too well what it’s like to pour your heart and soul into your artwork. I know how difficult it is to animate something, be it on the computer, by hand-drawn animation, or with claymation. I sympathize with Nick Park, Steve Box, Peter Lord, and all at Aardman. I am thankful no one was hurt in the incident, and I know that Aardman will continue on, keeping their heads held high, continuing to create some of the most sweet and genuinely funny jewels in the entertainment world.

Thank you, all at Aardman Animations, for your dedication. Thank you for creating the best in Family Entertainment. Don’t let this get you down. The whole world loves all that you do.

BBC News coverage here

3 Tomato Spaghetti

2005-10-08T15:58:00.000-07:00

OOOOOOOOOOOOHH!!!!!!!! This is SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!

A couple weeks ago, I was watching "Everyday Food" on KERA, our local PBS station, where one of the cooks prepared a pasta dish called 3 tomato spaghetti.
I decided to give it a try. It would give me a chance to use that nice set of cookware my good friend got me last Christmas.
First, the sauce is prepared using garlic, crushed red pepper, oil from a can of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes; a can of peeled, whole tomatoes, some chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and finally halved cherry tomatoes are then added. As the sauce simmers, the spaghetti is prepared. After cooking is complete, the pasta is drained, leaving a little water behind, and the spaghetti is returned to the pot. The sauce is then added directly to the pot and tossed. It is then put on a plate and wolfed down by me.

I was in hog heaven! I was amazed at just how GOOD this dish tasted, and even more amazed that I cooked it myself! I, who lives on take-out and ramen noodles! Beauty part is, I've got at least 2 days of leftovers ready to take to work, and it tastes loads better than anything they can come up with at the JCPenney cafeteria.

Here's the link to the webpage.

Give it a try. You WON'T be disappointed!

And another thing...

2005-09-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

I've been waring with my home PC for weeks now.

A short while back, I was trying to fix a problem with my video performance. There was an inexplicable pause every second during any video playback, mostly in games. Quite annoying that was, so I decided to update my video drivers. BANG. Now my computer crashes constantly. I rolled back to the original driver that came with my video card, which by the way is an ATi Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB AGP card(read: expensive), and it's only a year old, and the rollback seemed to remedy the problem. However, any attempt to install updated drivers would cause the problems all over again. The driver I had been using was slightly newer than what came with my card, but it is no longer offered, so now I have to search for it on the net, and I don't even know which version it is.

I now have to watch my computer like it's an unexploded land mine. One wrong move, and BAM! Crash.

My resolve to get an Apple computer has never been stronger. I work with one every day at work, and I love every minute of it. But don't get me wrong, I have equal experience with both Mac and Windows platforms. I'm no IT professional, but I know my way around a computer fairly well. Having worked closely with many different operating systems between these two platforms, I can say without doubt, that a good Mac with OSX Tiger cannot be beat. It blows Windows XP straight out of the water. It's so simple to use, it's rediculously well designed, and a joy to work with. I only hope that our request for G5s for our group will be accepted. We've been trying to upgrade our Macs for some time now, and are presently working off of hand-me-down Quicksilver Macs from the Marketing department, which is extremely annoying; to work in a competitive creative environment with out-of-date equipment is not the best way to stay ahead of the pack. Our retail business is all about staying ahead of the rest-to be trend setters. How are we to set trends with technology of years past? The computer industry evolves blindingly fast, and last years technological breakthrough becomes this years dinosaur faster than you can say "Windows SUCKS!"

Delays, Delays

2005-09-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since my last post.

I've been stewing in anger since the JCPenney network blocked Blogger. Can't read a single Blogger blog at work now. Damn those infernal IT fiends! They just sucked away half my creative energy. That's not to say I don't do anything at work other than blogging, it's just really annoying that they blocked yet another part of the internet. If it's got "blogger" in the web address, it's got "blocked by JCP information security" written all over it. BLAST! And most of my posts are made at work, where my creative juices are paid to flow.

So much for the new Human Resources mantra of making JCPenney a great place to work. Now I'm just slightly more miffed.

A Close Call!

2005-09-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Boy, have I got a story for you!

Just minutes ago, I came from the laundry room. I started up three washers, but had only brought two loads of laundry, so I had to run back to the apartment and grab a load of clothes to wash. Luckily I live next door to the washroom. As I came back, the third washer had filled with water, and I began to put the load of clothes into it. As I shut the lid, the washer begins its 1st cycle, churning the clothing within. Well, for some odd reason, I decided to open the lid to watch. And right on top, staring me in the face, as clear as day, was my digital camera's 512 megabyte flash card! HOLY CRAP!!!! I quickly yank it out of the washer, relieved that it had not yet gotten wet and thanking my lucky stars that I just happened to open the lid at that moment. I had taken it to work the other day to extract some recent pictures, and had put it in the chest pocket of the shirt I wore that day. As luck would have it, that was the last shirt I put into the washer, and the chest pocket was directly above the water line, to my immense relief. Talk about a close call! Didn't my mother teach me to check all the pockets of my clothes before I throw them into the wash?

Shame on me.

The Blame Game

2005-09-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Concerning all this Hurricane stuff, I still find it quite rediculous that the Democrats and Liberals manage to blame Bush and the Republican leadership for the problems with New Orleans, yet the government of New Orleans is purely Democratic. Oh well, I guess the plan is to continually blame Bush for every little thing and eventually it will stick. Whatever.

Random Trivia

2005-09-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are interested in my background(and I know you ALL are...), here's a list of the places I went to school. Should prove utterly fascinating.

1st grade: Bethel Baptist Church & Christian School - Arlington, Texas.

2nd grade: Hilltop Baptist Church & Christian School - Colorado Springs, Colorado.

3rd grade: Pear Park Baptist Church & Christian School - Grand Junction, Colorado.

4th grade: Hot Springs Baptist Temple & Christian School - Hot Springs, Arkansas.

5th through 8th grade: Forrest Hills Baptist Church & Christian School - Stone Mountain, Georgia.

9th grade: Kingspark Baptist Church & Christian School - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

10th grade: Christian Heritage Baptist Church & Christian School - Midwest City, Oklahoma.

11th & 12th grade: Westmoore High School(1st and only public school I attended) - Moore, Oklahoma.

College: The Art Institute of Dallas - Dallas, Texas. Graduated with an Associate of Applied Arts with an emphasis in Computer Animation. Thrilling, huh?

This means that I've lived in no less than 6 states. I was born in Georgia, but my family lived in Chattanooga Tennessee at the time. I think I may have lived in Florida as well, I don't remember.

A Soggy Follow-up

2005-09-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to my Flickr photo account. The 6 newest photos are of the damage caused by Saturday's figurative levee failure.

Saturday...what a day...

2005-09-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Boy, did I have a doozy of a day today.

As is the case every Saturday morning, I get up after sleeping as long as possible, go into the dining area that houses my computer desk, turn on the computer, and do whatever. After a few minutes I notice a quiet dripping sound and think nothing of it. Must be the upstairs neighbors washing dishes in the sink or something. I pay it no mind. After a few minutes, I go into the kitchen to get myself a drink when I notice something different. A puddle of water on the floor. Odd.

I start looking for the source of the leak, but can't find one, even after opening the dishwasher to investigate what turned out to be a completely dry dishwasher. I go back to the computer and think nothing of it, when all of the sudden there's a fairly loud dripping sound coming from the kitchen. Aha! Now I can track down the source of the puddle! As I look into the kitchen, I discovered something bad. The puddle had grown to a size that almost covered my entire kitchen floor! As I look at the sink, I see a rather large and substantial amount of water dripping from the upper cabinets!!! Uh oh. Not good.

As I reach for the nearest cup to catch the water, I am quickly overwhelmed by the amount of liquid seeping down from above. We're gonna need a bigger cup. Quite rapidly I am running for the two buckets I own and placing them under the worst spots, splashing through the small lake now accumulated on my kitchen floor. I start to panic.

I immediately turn off the small light above the sink, and turn off the overhead light. Next I dash to the cell phone and call up the residence center of my apartment complex, spouting something about a maintenance emergency... It all was a blur. More and more leaks are blooming up all around my kitchen, and I pray to God that nothing shorts out. To my utter horror, I watch helplessly as a small pocket of water begins to build up under the nearest electrical outlet in the kitchen, held in place by the paint on the wall! At its largest, it measured about 5 inches wide and must have contained several ounces of water. My life begins to flash before my eyes!

After what seems like an eternity, the maintenance dudes show up. Actually, they looked more like local high school students. The lazy kind. As they survey the leaky submarine that is my kitchen, I direct them to the upstairs neighbors, clearly the source of the massive leak. As they climb the stairs to inform the neighbors of the leak, I hear them knock briskly and yell the usual "Maintenance!" to the tenants within. No answer. Not to worry, they have a key! ...wait, they don't have the key! I feel my knees give way a little as my lip begins to quiver...

As slowly as they showed up, they turn coat and do a Speedy Gonzales away from my leaky kitchen, to fetch the key to the empty upstairs apartment. They don't show up for another eternity. Meanwhile, I'm making like Sean Penn in a leaky boat in downtown New Orleans, frantically tossing water out of the place, only for it to be replaced with twice as much water. The apartment begins to smell. What bliss.

After the maintenance Senior classmen empty the remaining water out of the upstairs kitchen, I find out the source of the leak. Turns out the water heater had gone kaput, thus showering my kitchen with love. After they replace the water heater, they nonchalantly tell me that they'll call the people to come and take care of my little water problem. Off they ride into the sunset on their little motorized cart, leaving me and my little lake behind. Actually, it was more like a swamp, seeing as how my carpet was beginning to absorb a good portion of the lake in my kitchen.

About 2 hours later, the carpet man shows up to suck up the remaining water. He informs me that he only just got the call, which leads me to belive that those lazy maintenance men went to play their PSP for a while before calling the guy up. Can you say "free 1 month rent"? Anyhoo, we proceed to relocate many pieces of furniture out of the swampland, and he begins to pull up the wet carpet, and remove the thoroughly soaked under padding. As he tries to start the suction pump, no less than three people decide they must leave that very moment, so he must stop, move his van so they can drive away, then return to deal with my problem. I, by the way, have not showered, and have exerted myself to the level of one of those athletes in a Gatorade commercial, only it sure as hell ain't Gatorade coming out of my pores.

Finally, the carpet dude finishes cleaning up all the excess water, and bids me adieu, saying he'll be back by Tuesday to add the new under padding and pin the carpet back down. I wave him goodbye, collapse down into my chair, and quickly get up, for fear that the sweat stain will be forever engrained into the fabric. I jump into the shower, and clean myself off, prepared to tackle the day. Wait a minute, the day's over...

So, how was your day?

Mr. Sandman... Bring Me a Dream...

2005-09-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

I had the most peculiar dream last night.

I was in a movie theater watching the movie Serenity(not yet released), and my Mother was there watching it with me, and that's not even the odd part! As the film went on, some kids were talking in front of us, and my Mom got so fed up, that she announced to the kids, loud enough for the entire theater to hear(small theater), that she was going to get the management and have the kids removed from the theater. This prompted me to get up and turn on the lights to the theater. People started getting up and murmuring in agreement that the kids should be removed. Before this happened, the dream changed, and I was then in a concert by none other than William Shatner, who was doing one of his talking-with-the-music type songs like "Rocketman".

So, how weird was that?

I'm a Rocketman... Rock It, Man... Rocketman!

Pics As Promised

2005-09-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

I promised a link to the pictures I took over the Labor Day holiday, and here it is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kodiak/sets/398401/

The first 4 pictures are old. There are 7 new pictures.

Back Again

2005-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry, it's been several days since my last post.

I went to Oklahoma City to visit my family for Labor Day. As usual, had a great time. The nephews are growing so fast! Sam is already walking, and Austin is well on his way. He can't really stand up by himself yet, but with help he can stand for short periods, and can pull himself up. Also, we have been priveledged to see Sam develop his first anger reaction. What's that, you say? I'll explain. You know how kids react differently to frustration and anger? Well, when Sam gets mad or frustrated, he'll lower his head to the floor and push it along while crying, as if he's walking with his head stuck to the floor, like it's too much of a bother to hold his head up. It's really cute, though it means he'll be a handful. We can all tell he's gonna be into everything. Austin, on the other hand, is content to just look at stuff. Sure, he wants to get into stuff, but he's more laid back. He'll watch you intently when he's interested in what you're doing. I'll be posting a link to the pictures I took while I was there.

Speaking of Nephews, I'll have another one soon. My youngest sister is pregnant with her first child. I was informed this morning that it's a boy!! So now, when someone asks me what kind of cigar I smoke, I can say "It's a boy"s.

p.s. Thank you, Mitch Hedberg, for that cigar joke! R.I.P.

Stupid by design

2005-08-31T21:47:00.000-07:00

The North Texas Tollway Authority needs a swift kick in the pants. For something they did many years ago, yes, but a good kick in the pants is still warranted...

The Dallas North Tollway and the President George Bush Turnpike are major, major arteries in the endless labrynth that is DFW. To countless Dallas citizens, it is the primary means of transporting one's self from one end of the city to another, in a timely and efficient manner(most of the time). That being said, you'd think they would have thought out every possible scenario when they set out to build these all-too-important roads way back when. The recipient in need of the swift kick in the pants is the one who designed the junction between these two toll roads. Going south on the Dallas North Tollway from Plano, I must brave this horrid intersection upon leaving work for the evening. I fully understand that rush hour is a tough time, and everyone's on their way home, so I can expect much traffic. On the other hand, the blockhead that designed the intersection in question must have thought that there'd be no more than 5 or 6 cars at a time trying to go east/west from their southbound Dallas North Tollway ride. So here's the deal, when you take the President George Bush Turnpike exit, all exiting traffic must merge into 1 lane. That's ONE LANE!!! Only after driving a good distance in this one lane, will you be able to part to either the eastbound or westbound direction. It's bad enough that ALL the people who wish to drive on the PGBTP* must merge into one lane, but just to make things interesting, there's a toll booth directly preceeding this one-lane exit ramp. That means there are even more people jockeying for position, some trying to merge to the far left so they can travel southbound on the DNT*, and others who wish to join the already merging exiting traffic heading for the PGBTP. So there you have it. Imagine for a moment if your vena cava (veins that carry blood into the heart) were designed this way; as three major bloodlines are forced to enter one single miniscule blood vessel; don't you think you'd have a heart attack?!?! It certainly feels this way every single weekday. And it's all thanks to a dunderheaded imbecile who got paid to design this monstrosity. Not very efficient at all, to say the least.

As a simple solution to this ever-so-stupid design, I propose that the NTTA close the toll booth preceeding the exit to the PGBTP, thus eliminating the extra fleet of cars vying for position during the daily pile-up that is rush hour. It would at the very least make things much easier for the massive amount of cars merging to take the PGBTP exit. Besides, all one has to do to enter the DNT is continue south on the frontage road, through the light at Plano Parkway, because right there is an entrance that does not require a toll. They'd save some coinage in the process! See, I'm always thinkin' of the little guy.

*PGBTP and DNT are the President George Bush Turnpike and the Dallas North Tollway, respectively. Just in case you weren't clever enough to figure that out... ;)

Quote of the Day

2005-08-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

"You know, the Courts might not work anymore, but as long as everybody is videotaping everyone else, justice will be done!"

-Marge Simpson
The Simpsons
"Homer Badman" episode
Season 6, disc 2
1994

Amazing how much it pertains to the present day, no?

Monthly Classic Movie Review

2005-08-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

Boy, you're in for a treat. This old clunker is funny without trying to be! I'm talking about that incomperable horror classic: The Car! That's right, the demon-possessed car straight from the higway of death! This film is downright goofy, yet it doesn't try to be, which makes it all the more funny. Filmed in 1977 in Utah, it chronicles the trials and tribulations of a small mountain town terrorized by an evil car. It zooms out of nowhere like a bat out of hell, then proceeds to run down every good person it comes across. This car was created by George Barris, "King of the Kustomizers". Just in case you don't know who that is, he's the man who designed and built little-known cars such as the original Batmobile, KITT of Knight Rider fame, the Munster Koach, Elvis Presley's personal limo, and "Supervan", just to name a few. As such, the title character of this movie, the "car", is one mean-lookin' machine! If ever there's a spokescar for road rage, this is it. George basically took a Lincoln Mark III Coupe, added all new sheet metal, beefed it up with large bumpers, a massive grille, and big, mad headlights.

Aside from the sweet car, the rest of the movie is gut-busting corn. It's got cheese smeared all over it. The acting is downright scary, not even worthy of an afterschool special. Dialog is fraught with laughable lines, the best by far being spoken by a young Ronnie Cox: "It's been so much... It's been a lot." Not worthy of the worst soap opera! Oh, and then there's the car itself. Not only does it make weird engine noises as it does doughnuts in the sand, but it has a signature honk that is repeated countless times throughout the film. I'd post a soundbyte of it but I can't find the DVD, so maybe tomorrow. Trust me, you'll want to hear how cheesy it is!

If you're looking for true horror involving seemingly unstoppable vehicles, look no further than Steven Spielberg's directorial debut Duel. It has recently been released to DVD in Special Edition form, and it's well worth the purchase.
Speaking of DVD, you can pick up The Car for around $5, so add it to your basket the next time you go shopping. You'll get a good laugh! HONK HONK!

Randomatia Relevanta

2005-08-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have created a little web site to house my audio blogs and other miscellaneous files. You may visit the site here.

Here's the audio introduction: Click to download!

Worst Song Ever

2005-08-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

I nominate "All Apologies" by Nirvana.

Geez, this song is horrible! So incredibly dull, simplistic, and annoying. Kurt Cobain's vocals go from a mushy, quiet and off-key hum to loud, hoarse yelling, all while the accompanying instruments drone along, completely devoid of any life. They even bolster the depressing tone of the song by adding a dreary cello line during the second verse. This song is the pinnacle of Generation X's hatred of living. It's like Grunge Unplugged. True, Nirvana set the tone for countless bands of the day, but with this travesty of a tune, they suck all the remaining life out of their fans. There wasn't much there to begin with anyway. It's unfortunate that many people consider this junk "real music". What a shame.

Audio Post #1.5

2005-08-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

Just a little follow up. Tell me what'cha think.

Audio Post #1

2005-08-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

Be gentle, it's my first time.

Back in Action

2005-08-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Well, sort of.

I still feel like crap.

I had a horrible stomach sickness on Sunday, which caused me to miss work Monday, I had hit my knee on a table on Saturday, so that's still sore enough to make me limp, I am adjusting to these new glasses, so my eyes are hurting and my head is swimming, I'm still weak from my sickness so I feel sore all over, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have an appointment with my Chiropractor after work today. That'll ease my pain.

Other than all that, I'm just peachy.

This time she's gone too far

2005-08-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Cindy Sheehan has lost it. Really gone off the deep end. Now she's blaring to Liberal U. (San Fransisco State University) that Bush is the world's biggest terrorist! Honestly, does she not care at all for the millions of oppressed Iraqis? Does she not care about the Kurds who lost their lives mercilessly at the hands of Saddam? Does she not see that these Al Qaeda suicide bombers would kill every last American if they could? Listen lady, the people we are fighting don't give a rat's ass about your dead son. They welcome it. They rejoice in it. They don't care one bit about international laws, they don't treat anyone with respect, and you are dishonoring the memory of your son by lashing out at our own leader, and not the enemy. This is the true purpose of terror: to cause political and physical backlash to our own leadership, to destroy us from within. They are winning the battle every time we blame ourselves and not them. They are the true threat, to freedom, to democracy. They see the American way of life as the threat to the world. If you are so against Bush, why not let them rule their own lands and have our troops back out completely? Why? Exactly the reason we're fighting them. They hate America, they hate democracy. They want to rule as dictators with an iron fist, torturing and killing those who dare to break their laws. We are the greatest threat to their oppression, and the sooner they're stopped, the sooner freedom can stand.

Now as you read all this, be aware that my opinion is just that. My opinion. And no, I cannot even begin to know the pain and suffering that one must endure when their own child is killed. I hopefully will never know that pain. But to suggest that Bush is the true cause of this atrocity, is wrong in my opinion. Every time we blame ourselves, we let the terrorists accomplish their mission. That's why all these car bombings continue to occur. That's why they kill their own people along with ours. They want us to leave the middle east, and take our democracy with them. They don't care about the rest of the world, and don't care about the U.N. The whole oil-for-food scandal is a testament to this.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash3.htm

Joe Ranft 1960-2005

2005-08-18T06:15:00.000-07:00

This is horrible, tragic news.

Joe Ranft, one of the most important members of Pixar has passed away at age 45. He was killed in a car accident.

Not only did he voice such timeless charcters as Heimlich, the caterpillar in A Bug's Life and Wheezy, the squeeze toy Penguin in Toy Story 2, but he was co-writer of both Toy Story and A Bug's Life, and provided invaluable contributions to all the Pixar works. He worked with Disney before joining Pixar, and contributed to classics such as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

All those who knew him confessed to his massive heart and kindness. My sincerest condolences go out to all his friends and family, and to all those at Pixar, whom I am sure are feeling great sadness at his loss.

Rest In Peace, Joe, and thanks for all you've given us; allowing our imaginations to run wild, and touching our hearts. You are sorely missed.

Click here to read from Ronnie del Carmen, a Pixar employee and one who worked closely with Joe.

Hollywood Reporter Story

The Simpsons: Season 6 on sale TODAY!!!

2005-08-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Yipee!!! Woo HOO!!!

Must go buy it. Must go buy it. Must go buy it. Now. Now. Right NOW!

And check out that nifty packaging! A nice cover, much more eye-catching than the previous releases. It remains to be seen how the insides pan out. I haven't so much liked the current releases, with their 5 panel folding cases, they were hard to hold open without having to lay it out on a table. Maybe the new packaging will make things easier. We'll know tonight! :)

Summer Fun

2005-08-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Went to Six Flags yesterday. My sister, her husband, and I took the trip and had a blast, hellish heat and all. I honestly don't remember how long it's been since I've been to Six Flags. I am quite sure it's been more than 10 or 11 years. Maybe more. Not too much has changed, save for the addition of some new rollercoasters and such. The best of the new had to be Mr. Freeze. This of course refers to the character in Joel Schumacher's borefest Batman and Robin movie. This sucker was sweet! You get into your seat, and the entire platform holding the cars moves over to the center and connects with the tracks, and you are launched forward with great speed into the ride, which lasts less than a minute, and at the half way point you are led up to a vertical position, in which you get the feeling of weightlessness, after which you are led back to the beginning of the ride. It's like forward, then backward. I loved it! Second best of the new coasters was the Batman ride, which is an overhead coaster, in which your feet are allowed to dangle freely. That was lots of fun, and a new experience for me. The Texas Titan was another fun coaster, complete with an astoundingly high first drop, which was as scary as ever, though not nearly as scary as the Superman ride, which I did NOT go on. The Superman ride is really just a huge tower that has three legs, each of which holds 16 people that are shot upward at great speed, then allowed to descend in a bungee fashion. No CHANCE I'd go on that thing.

Lines weren't all too long, though a few of them were annoying. At least we weren't unfortunate enough to have to deal with that annoying old man dancer, though we did have to hear his crappy theme song all over the place.

And finally, no summer trip to Six Flags would be complete without the other "sights". Gorgeous women EVERYWHERE!!!! ;)

12:01 a.m.

2005-08-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me...

Happy Birthday to me...

:p

Tell Us How You Really Feel

2005-08-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

Here we are again,

An English rock star expresses his extreme displeasure with President Bush.
How original.

Read all about it

Did anyone tell Jagger that humans aren't supposed to live past 150? He should pass the word to his mummified bandmates.

A Perfect Gift

2005-08-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, T.V. shows on DVD rock!!!
And tomorrow, I'll treat myself to a long-awaited DVD collection, seeing as how it's being released a day before my birthday. I turn 28 on Wednesday. Did I mention that? Anyway, here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0009IW8AI/ref=ase_comingsoon/002-4423793-2536868?v=glance&s=dvd

I'll buy this set for the opening animation and the ending song alone!

A plot?

2005-08-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

I went to Oklahoma City this weekend for a kind of pre-birthday celebration. My 28th birthday is Wednesday, so we made Sunday our time to get together. It was all well and good, and the nephews are growing as fast as ever. I suspect they'll be walking very soon.

As the time to return to Dallas drew near, my Mom went into her normal spiel about not wanting me to leave. "You could just stay here, and get a job here. There's no need to leave."

"Yes, but I love my job at JCPenney's. It's really one of the only reasons I'm still in Dallas." -Me

"But what if you found a job here that was just as good, or better? Then you could stay."-Mom

And so, I came to a decision.

"I'll tell you what. If ever I should lose my job at Penney's, I'll move back and look for a job here." -Me

But then, the conspiracy begins. My Mom decides to tell my sisters to join her in praying that I'll lose my job at Penney's.

Mothers. They're relentless. ;)

The Weight of the World

2005-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

I can't take much more of this!

Big Brother's watchin' and ACLU's cryin'

2005-08-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Now that security's high as a result of the bombings in the London Underground, the civil rights groups are out there pissin' and moanin' about their privacy being trampled. Here we go again. Although I don't want my personal activities to be captured on video, I don't mind in the least if I am in a public place. If I take a train somewhere, I don't mind for a second if my every move is captured on video: from the time I walk into the station to the time I get in the train. Of course, in my personal room, I'd not want a camera, but you get my drift. Not only is the presence of a camera in public places a decent deterrent for potential mischeif makers, but it's an essential tool to help catch law-breakers in the act.

I was watching CNN and a segment was about a guy who is part of some type of civil rights group, who has mapped out the locations of all the video cameras in New York, or something like that. He's also part of a group of protesters who go up to certain cameras, mostly in the subway, and hold up their protest signs and do their whining. And I bet this guy's super proud of his accomplishments. I'm glad he's dedicated his life to whining and not to solving problems. Why not dedicate your talents and assests to stopping these terrorists from causing all this crap in the first place?! Of course, he'd no doubt blame America and everyone else for the terrorists resorting to these "extreme", yet violent measures. I guess Woodstock will never leave us. Darn hippies.

A Rather Glorious Discovery

2005-08-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

As a Star Wars fan, it is important to understand that my passion is based on a fictional story. A fictional universe. I don't take it too seriously. Some fans go so far as to model their way of life based on the characters and ideals they see onscreen. While I don't subscribe to this completely, it is easy to get caught up in the vastness and believability of it all. That being said, I think it is important to be able to sit back and laugh from time to time. Laugh at yourself. Come back to reality every once in a while.

While parusing the Master Replicas weblog this morning, I came across an entry describing what is known as "Incredulous Cross-sections", which is based on "Incredible Cross-sections", a series of books with artwork displaying the design and build of Star Wars based spacecraft. The person who created these "Incredulous Cross-sections" is Al MacDonald. After following the link provided on the Master Replicas website, I realized that this was all part of a comic strip called Diary of a Crazed Mimbanite. I have not stopped laughing since! This guy is amazing, brutally funny, has a great sense of artistic style, whose character designs are very simple, yet exude emotion and caricatured comedy. In short, a laugh RIOT!!

Here's a small sample:

Diary of a Crazed Mimbanite

The Barber of Spikeville

2005-08-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

What is it about Salon women? It seems to me that every woman who has ever worked in a salon has short, spikey, color-dyed hair. Who tells them it looks good? The gay guy working next to her? What compels these women to make themselves look like crazy porcupines? I'll never understand that.

A Piece of Geek History

2005-08-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

You'll never believe this!

Remember that auction I was telling you about a few posts ago? No? Here's the link to that post.

I had mentioned that the original Luke Skywalker lightsaber prop, the first lightsaber ever seen by the movie-going public, sold at auction recently, and was expecting to fetch upwards of $80,000. Well, to say it fetched "upwards" of that amount is an understatement. It fetched... are you ready for this?

$200,600!!!!!

That price includes the hefty 18% buyer's premium added to the $170,000 sell price!
Holy shnikeys!

Click here for a rundown of the merchandise.

Helen Thomas on Suicide Watch

2005-07-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's the senility talking, or if she's just a one-sided dumbo liberal, but she has now said "The day I say Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself." Read this all-too-un-shocking news here.
Now come on, you old bitter woman, but do you really think it's that bad? Do you honestly think that your life will be so much worse if he becomes President? It's bad enough to claim that you'll leave the country if Bush were elected (a promise we're all still waiting to be kept...Mr. Baldwin), but to threaten to kill yourself? How deluded are you? Give us all a break and quit your snivelling. How can we take your journalism seriously, when all you do is dump on the Republicans and lift the Democrats to positions of high glory? Give it a rest, would ya?

Coming to a Galaxy Near You

2005-07-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

It is official. The final chapter in the Star Wars saga will be released November 1, 2005. You can bet that it'll be the best DVD released to date in terms of quality. The video will be absolutely pristine; the most clear, clean, distortion-free video ever put to DVD. The sound will be spectacular, visceral and entirely enveloping. You can bet it will knock 'em dead.

Official Release

Nice Weather We're Having

2005-07-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

I love this weather!!!

After the rain, the temperature between 70 - 75 degrees, plenty of clouds in the sky, colors of blue, white, and gray, casting a silvery sheen upon everything. A light, cool breeze, and calm. I wish it was always like this. But alas, Dallas weather is mostly hot and humid. This won't last long, unfortunately. Enjoy it while it lasts, I will.

Another steaming pile of...

2005-07-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

So, is anyone really planning on seeing Stealth when it comes out? Be honest.

Must we really sit through another hotshot-pilots-meet-their-match-A.I.-lightning-strike-now-aware-target-humans-not-so-cocky-anymore-pull-together-fight-evil-machine-learn-the-value-of-human-life-everything's-allright-gratuitous-sex-scene-summer-popcorn-flick? I wouldn't want anyone to count the number of stupid one-liners in this imminent pile of steaming dog doo. Honestly, Tom Cruise must be turning over in his grave. Yes, he is dead. He's been replaced by a Scientology droid. They're infiltrating Hollywood, in case you haven't noticed.

My New Harry Potter Forum

2005-07-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

I have created a forum for all things Harry Potter, because the other Potter forums have boatloads of members who post boatloads of times rendering it useless for discussions. By the time I'd read the responses, my own answer would have come up about 100 times, so it was all pointless.

I look forward to having detailed, in-depth discussions about the books and the films. Won't you join me?

Dumbledore's Army

Beam me up, God

2005-07-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Scotty has been beamed to the other side.

Actor James Doohan, know for his Scottish engineer on the Starship Enterprise, has passed away today, Wednesday, July 20, 2005. He was 85.

He was one of the most recognizable characters in all of television, included are the immortal phrases "Beam me up, Scotty." and "I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain!"

Trekkies the world over shall mourn.

Ahead warp nine

The wait is over...

2005-07-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

...and now the final wait must begin.

I have just finished reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The final book of the series, book seven, will come along in a year or two. Or three, for that matter. We don't yet know.

I will say no more than this: read the series. Read all six books, cover to cover, again and again. You won't regret it.

Box Office Update

2005-07-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

Revenge of the Sith has finally opened in what will be its biggest market, Japan. After recording the largest preview ever there ($7.5 million from June 28 and July 2), Sith went on to gross $12.5 million over its first two days of release at 756 screens, marking the biggest opening of all time with $20 million. It beat former record holder The Matrix Reloaded as well as the previous two Star Wars pictures, and now has realistic shot at passing The Phantom Menace's $109.9 million total gross.

Yippee!!

Are you ready to RRRRRUMBLE???

2005-07-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

So I was flipping channels like normal tonight when I catch World Wrestling Entertainment. Used to be these guys would pound eachother and fly through the air off the top rope in an impressive display of acrobatics. Nowadays they just talk. And talk. And talk. And talk. What the heck?? They have 5 minutes worth of entrance music, lots of showing off to the crowd, then they get in the ring and proceed to talk themselves hoarse. What's the point of being 6 foot 7, 300 pounds of bone crushing muscle with veins strained to the breaking point, when you're hogging the microphone like a Bush-hater at a punk rock concert? Someone's responsible for turning professional wrestling into one big white trash soap opera. What's next? A guest apperance on The View?