Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Say What?
The most convoluted headline in quite some time, brought to you courtesy of Reuters:
PalmOne buys rights to Palm brand from PalmSource
PalmOne buys rights to Palm brand from PalmSource
Genius Hair
This photo of Phil Spector was the most emailed and viewed on Yahoo News earlier today, and even made it on the Tonight Show (ok, ok – I was only watching for Renee Zellweger). He looks like every single caricature of the crazy, eccentric genius ever put on film or cartoon. The latest example of a stereotype that is wholly based on the real thing, as all stereotypes are.
Friday, May 20, 2005
50 Mil
From the AP: ""Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" grossed $50,013,859 from showings at 3,661 theaters and more than 9,000 screens around the country on Thursday, including special midnight shows, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "
Unreal. Glad to have contributed my $10.75, or otherwise it would have been only $50, 013, 848.
Unreal. Glad to have contributed my $10.75, or otherwise it would have been only $50, 013, 848.
Photography Class Pays Off
Curious how long AP photographer Matt York camped out at the Sky Harbor International in Phoenix in order to snap this symmetrically perfect photo in connection with America West's purchase of U.S. Airway Group.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
dateline: Westwood
(((The conclusion will be uploaded by late Friday night.)))
Dateline: Westwood Village, Los Angeles, May 18, 2005
Arrival at 8:15 am after a 12-or-so minute walk up to the Village. There are already about 20 people in line. Line is very sparse, stretching all the way to the Hookah-filled Habibi Café at the alley just south of Le Conte Ave. Two more fanboys arrive a couple of minutes after me. Habibi Cafe was getting ready to open, and I was kicked up about 10 feet – good. 20 minutes later, the Habibi guy was ready to swing open even more of the gates, and the group of people in front of me, myself, and the two fanboys were kicked to the other wise of the alley, right in front of the old Sushi place building on the corner of Le Conte – right in the fucking sun (whereas the Habibi has a very nice awning under which we hid) – bad.
The first couple of hours were uneventful. I picked a spot where I could hide in the ever-moving shade of a light pole. It was hot, I was hungry, and I was sleep-deprived. In about 6 hours, I would finish the book I brought to pass the time. Internet – none.
Minute-by-Minute updates…
2.10 PM – The board games are being unpacked – SW Trivial Pursuit, SW Risk, and a few others I did not have the courage to get closer to in order to see the titles. The group right in front of me, which was growing through the day, was playing Trivial Pursuit. I largely stayed away reading my book, but overheard the following as I visited my backpack for a drink of Trader Joe’s Spring water: “What was Luke’s one work reply to the Emperor when he was asked to take his father’s place?”
“How hard is this?”
“Never!”
As people ate at the neighborhood establishments, there seemed to be an abundance of Burger King Meals, which included a flipping Yoda wind-up (pretty cool) and King Crowns with the SW characters.
Lots and lots of various SW-themed T-shirts are seen – there are new Sith T-shirts and retro shirts with original poster art, C-3POs, Darth Mauls, etc. There are also at least two cell phone SW theme ring tones nearby in line, and three guys who have the Wookie speech patterns down pat.
Incredibly, there are actually a number of good-looking girls in line. One within eyeshot is really nice – I am assuming that she is doing this out of the love she has for her guy. Aahhhhhh, young love.
Other women are of the overweight, handicapped car placard variety (true). The two close to me even have a Princess Amidala beach towel lying across one of the beach folding chairs. But they are all very nice people, offering me their extra chair to sit on numerous times, etc. SW fans do have good in them, deep down.
3.40 – A guy in a black Sith T-shirt walked by, carrying the ubiquitous folding beach chair and carrying, count 'em, all three lightsabers – green, red, blue – sticking out of his backpack.
5:22 – The group in front is whipping out another round of Trivial pursuit, and this time, I am right next to them typing this. Damn. Laugh it up, fuzz ball!!!
5:28 – Two cute chicks in white tank tops handed us all wrist rubber bands with “The Island” on them, saying that it is another science fiction movie that we will like. The Island looks like shit. Grade for the promotion – C- (a wrist band???)
5:30 – Just realized that I have become what I always dreaded. I am actually sitting on a sidewalk in Westwood, waiting for a screening another 6-plus hours away, typing on my iBook. Yikes!!
5:33 – Someone drives by and yells: ”Star Trek rules.”
5:52 – The group next to me is just doing the Trivial Pursuit questions and answers, not using the board this time out.
5:58 – First full-on costume sighting – a Tie Pilot outfit – a very nice one, in fact. He is carrying a plastic bag with at least three “energy drinks” and a giant Gatorade. Costume grade – A.
6:40 – Second costume sighting. This time a girl in a brown Jedi cloak, with a red lightsaber, and jeans. Costume grade – C+.
7:18 – Other costume sightings – an Asian girl with a UCLA ID on a neck strap, carrying an extended lightsaber and using what looks like a store-bought Kimono type thing as a Jedi outfit. Grade – D+.
Another, this time a full-on Jedi outfit, although pretty hard to see the details from about 30 yards away. Assumed costume grade – A.
7:23 – SW theme blaring from somewhere up the block.
A black Lincoln Navigator pull up, two under-10 kids climb out. One, no more than 9, is carrying a lightsaber, Darth Vader helmet, a black cloak, and Darth Vader’s chest utility thing. He says, “Bye, dad.” So. Fucking. Cute. There is love in this world, somewhere……
Dateline: Westwood Village, Los Angeles, May 18, 2005
Arrival at 8:15 am after a 12-or-so minute walk up to the Village. There are already about 20 people in line. Line is very sparse, stretching all the way to the Hookah-filled Habibi Café at the alley just south of Le Conte Ave. Two more fanboys arrive a couple of minutes after me. Habibi Cafe was getting ready to open, and I was kicked up about 10 feet – good. 20 minutes later, the Habibi guy was ready to swing open even more of the gates, and the group of people in front of me, myself, and the two fanboys were kicked to the other wise of the alley, right in front of the old Sushi place building on the corner of Le Conte – right in the fucking sun (whereas the Habibi has a very nice awning under which we hid) – bad.
The first couple of hours were uneventful. I picked a spot where I could hide in the ever-moving shade of a light pole. It was hot, I was hungry, and I was sleep-deprived. In about 6 hours, I would finish the book I brought to pass the time. Internet – none.
Minute-by-Minute updates…
2.10 PM – The board games are being unpacked – SW Trivial Pursuit, SW Risk, and a few others I did not have the courage to get closer to in order to see the titles. The group right in front of me, which was growing through the day, was playing Trivial Pursuit. I largely stayed away reading my book, but overheard the following as I visited my backpack for a drink of Trader Joe’s Spring water: “What was Luke’s one work reply to the Emperor when he was asked to take his father’s place?”
“How hard is this?”
“Never!”
As people ate at the neighborhood establishments, there seemed to be an abundance of Burger King Meals, which included a flipping Yoda wind-up (pretty cool) and King Crowns with the SW characters.
Lots and lots of various SW-themed T-shirts are seen – there are new Sith T-shirts and retro shirts with original poster art, C-3POs, Darth Mauls, etc. There are also at least two cell phone SW theme ring tones nearby in line, and three guys who have the Wookie speech patterns down pat.
Incredibly, there are actually a number of good-looking girls in line. One within eyeshot is really nice – I am assuming that she is doing this out of the love she has for her guy. Aahhhhhh, young love.
Other women are of the overweight, handicapped car placard variety (true). The two close to me even have a Princess Amidala beach towel lying across one of the beach folding chairs. But they are all very nice people, offering me their extra chair to sit on numerous times, etc. SW fans do have good in them, deep down.
3.40 – A guy in a black Sith T-shirt walked by, carrying the ubiquitous folding beach chair and carrying, count 'em, all three lightsabers – green, red, blue – sticking out of his backpack.
5:22 – The group in front is whipping out another round of Trivial pursuit, and this time, I am right next to them typing this. Damn. Laugh it up, fuzz ball!!!
5:28 – Two cute chicks in white tank tops handed us all wrist rubber bands with “The Island” on them, saying that it is another science fiction movie that we will like. The Island looks like shit. Grade for the promotion – C- (a wrist band???)
5:30 – Just realized that I have become what I always dreaded. I am actually sitting on a sidewalk in Westwood, waiting for a screening another 6-plus hours away, typing on my iBook. Yikes!!
5:33 – Someone drives by and yells: ”Star Trek rules.”
5:52 – The group next to me is just doing the Trivial Pursuit questions and answers, not using the board this time out.
5:58 – First full-on costume sighting – a Tie Pilot outfit – a very nice one, in fact. He is carrying a plastic bag with at least three “energy drinks” and a giant Gatorade. Costume grade – A.
6:40 – Second costume sighting. This time a girl in a brown Jedi cloak, with a red lightsaber, and jeans. Costume grade – C+.
7:18 – Other costume sightings – an Asian girl with a UCLA ID on a neck strap, carrying an extended lightsaber and using what looks like a store-bought Kimono type thing as a Jedi outfit. Grade – D+.
Another, this time a full-on Jedi outfit, although pretty hard to see the details from about 30 yards away. Assumed costume grade – A.
7:23 – SW theme blaring from somewhere up the block.
A black Lincoln Navigator pull up, two under-10 kids climb out. One, no more than 9, is carrying a lightsaber, Darth Vader helmet, a black cloak, and Darth Vader’s chest utility thing. He says, “Bye, dad.” So. Fucking. Cute. There is love in this world, somewhere……
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
When Cessnas Attack
Teaser one-sheet just released via Reuters. Warner Bros. has already staked out the weekend of July 4, 2007, for this extravaganza. Somewhere on a wildlife preserve outside of Washington DC, Michael Bay is in secret and intense negotiations to direct.
Hipster Cool
LAist.com mentions "the sudden outbreak of Neil Diamond mania among hipsters far and wide" (I, on the other hand, remember listening to and trying to understand, in limited English, Turn on Your Heartlight way back in ’82, and thus count myself a real Neil fan – and, yes, I already have my Staples floor seats).
This lead me to an always fun diversion, urbandictionary, to look up the latest and hippest definition of the term Hipster. This one, by contributor Lexi, is a gem…
Hipster
Someone who thinks that they are being "special" and "unique" for liking some underground bullshit no one else cares about. And they pointlessly look down on people who don't know anything about indie culture, because that's the only thing they know anything about. They're quick to call the rest of the world conformists when in reality, they are the ones conforming by partaking in a "too cool for mainstream so I am going to reject it by looking and acting like a grungy asshole" way of life only to seem uber-fashionable. They just end up looking like idiots:
Hipster: I won't drink at starbucks, it's too corporate.
Non-Hipster: I want a Louis Vitton purse because they are cool.
Hipster: You're such a conformist; having a Louis Vitton purse is so unoriginal. I like my purse I found in the gutter for $4 dollars.
Non-hipster: But it's fugly.
Hipster: Yah, but no one else has it. It's completely unique.
Non-hipster: That bum over there has something pretty similar though.
Hipster: You're ignorant because you can't see the real beauty in life.I don't have time for this. I'm gonna go to my cave of an apartment and listen to some indie rock you've probably never heard of....
Non-hipster: You need to see a therapist.
Hipster: I am my own therapist. - Source: Lexi, Sep 28, 2004
This lead me to an always fun diversion, urbandictionary, to look up the latest and hippest definition of the term Hipster. This one, by contributor Lexi, is a gem…
Hipster
Someone who thinks that they are being "special" and "unique" for liking some underground bullshit no one else cares about. And they pointlessly look down on people who don't know anything about indie culture, because that's the only thing they know anything about. They're quick to call the rest of the world conformists when in reality, they are the ones conforming by partaking in a "too cool for mainstream so I am going to reject it by looking and acting like a grungy asshole" way of life only to seem uber-fashionable. They just end up looking like idiots:
Hipster: I won't drink at starbucks, it's too corporate.
Non-Hipster: I want a Louis Vitton purse because they are cool.
Hipster: You're such a conformist; having a Louis Vitton purse is so unoriginal. I like my purse I found in the gutter for $4 dollars.
Non-hipster: But it's fugly.
Hipster: Yah, but no one else has it. It's completely unique.
Non-hipster: That bum over there has something pretty similar though.
Hipster: You're ignorant because you can't see the real beauty in life.I don't have time for this. I'm gonna go to my cave of an apartment and listen to some indie rock you've probably never heard of....
Non-hipster: You need to see a therapist.
Hipster: I am my own therapist. - Source: Lexi, Sep 28, 2004
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Baby Cards and Presents
Mike Schneider mentions on his FranklinAvenue.net the plethora of holiday cards he now has to buy – including cards to his wife Maria and to his own mother from his 4-month old son, Evan.
After all, I now needed to get:
Birthday card for Maria, from me
Birthday card for Maria, from Evan
Mothers Day card for Maria, from me
Mothers Day card for Maria, from Evan
Mothers Day card for my mom, from me and Maria
Mothers Day card for my mom, from Evan
This reminded me of numerous birthdays and holiday gift-giving occasions when kids not old enough to stand up on their own give gifts to adults, such as their mother/father/aunt/uncle, etc. Example:
Baby gives his/her mom a Christmas present (that, of course, dad bought).
Baby gives his/her dad a present (that, of course, the mom bought).
This is cute – ONCE. In a lifetime. Going through this numerous times at a gathering of adults/kids, multiplied by number of events per year, is annoying as hell. And I am not embarrassed to say it for all those who are.
For the record, I love kids and they love me back. Really.
After all, I now needed to get:
Birthday card for Maria, from me
Birthday card for Maria, from Evan
Mothers Day card for Maria, from me
Mothers Day card for Maria, from Evan
Mothers Day card for my mom, from me and Maria
Mothers Day card for my mom, from Evan
This reminded me of numerous birthdays and holiday gift-giving occasions when kids not old enough to stand up on their own give gifts to adults, such as their mother/father/aunt/uncle, etc. Example:
Baby gives his/her mom a Christmas present (that, of course, dad bought).
Baby gives his/her dad a present (that, of course, the mom bought).
This is cute – ONCE. In a lifetime. Going through this numerous times at a gathering of adults/kids, multiplied by number of events per year, is annoying as hell. And I am not embarrassed to say it for all those who are.
For the record, I love kids and they love me back. Really.
CalendarLive Going Free
Kevin Roderick at LAObserved.com is reporting that as of 5 AM this morning, the LATimes site is getting revamped. The best news - CalendarLive is going back to being a free service. No more being locked out of Calendar articles that I want to email around to interested parties (or so I hope) after seeing them in the paper.
The Westside is for Chickens Part 2
Finally ventured to the Sepulveda / Santa Monica location of Zankou Chicken on Saturday afternoon. What a pleasure:
- A parking attendant (!?) waved me into an open spot in the parking lot south of the building – 20 seconds.
- Interior is bright and clean and airy.
- Two groups were staring at the simple menu above the counter, deciding. Asked if they are ready, then scooted in front to the counter – 10 seconds.
- Deciding to buy the 1/2 chicken plate – 0 seconds (prepared).
- Deciding to eat in or take home – 10 seconds (the network evening news was about to start in less than 10 minutes, and wanted to catch the latest pictures of Bush arriving in Moscow).
- Order was ready in 20 seconds.
- Back out to the lot, into the car, and home in less than 3 minutes.
The food – yum, yum, yummy. Chicken was hot and tender. Crispy skin outside, meat falling off the bone inside. Two fluffy pitas and hummus, garlic spread, pickled turnips and chopped tomatoes. The best $8.64 I have spent on food since the 25-or-so cent (memory fades) Thrifty single cones we used to get walking home from Junior High.
The WLA Zankou is open daily until 11 at night.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Renee Married ( * updated)
AP is reporting that Renee Zellweger got married today.
End of hope.
End of post.
End.
* AP says: "According to Country Weekly magazine, Chesney long ago named Zellweger as his favorite actress and was inspired to write his 1999 hit "You Had Me From Hello" after seeing her in "Jerry Maguire."
Kinda weird.
Renee waves "Bye-bye" to all the others...
End of hope.
End of post.
End.
* AP says: "According to Country Weekly magazine, Chesney long ago named Zellweger as his favorite actress and was inspired to write his 1999 hit "You Had Me From Hello" after seeing her in "Jerry Maguire."
Kinda weird.
Renee waves "Bye-bye" to all the others...
Monday, May 02, 2005
Register Today
Today, Monday, May 2, 2005, is the last day to register for the May 17 Los Angeles General Runoff Election, in which we choose this great City’s next mayor. If you do not vote, you have no right to complain about city issues for the next four years (yes, I realize this is a bit over-simplified).
If not already registered, your have to register 15 days before an election in the State of California. May 17 minus 15 days is May 2!
The CA Secretary of State says: “You can acquire a voter registration form either at your local county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office. It is important that the completed voter registration form has a 15-day deadline postmark on it.”
You can even register online, but you must do so today. If you do, bring the card the State will mail you in 7-10 days to your local polling place, which you can find here, on May 17.
If not already registered, your have to register 15 days before an election in the State of California. May 17 minus 15 days is May 2!
The CA Secretary of State says: “You can acquire a voter registration form either at your local county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office. It is important that the completed voter registration form has a 15-day deadline postmark on it.”
You can even register online, but you must do so today. If you do, bring the card the State will mail you in 7-10 days to your local polling place, which you can find here, on May 17.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Fried
The one and only way to get through the returns (“Customer Service”) line at any Fry’s Electronic s store, especially the Burbank location, is through inebriation. It is just a little more manageable that way.
--Arrival in line: 6.45 PM.
--For an hour, I got the see the schemers who try to return opened (and most certainly copied) software as unopened (and past the 30 day limit, no less), chicks who try to return nothing but a Palm Pilot thing and a wall charger as a complete return, loose kids running around and screaming in undecipherable languages, white trash customers, etc., etc., etc. And what of the morons who actually work at Fry’s? I am just glad someone is willing to put up with the above-mentioned types.
--Walked out of store: 7.45 PM (officially closed at 7.00).
--Off-topic: Bizet's Carmen is a great bit of fun (thank you, KMZT, on a Sunday night).
--Arrival in line: 6.45 PM.
--For an hour, I got the see the schemers who try to return opened (and most certainly copied) software as unopened (and past the 30 day limit, no less), chicks who try to return nothing but a Palm Pilot thing and a wall charger as a complete return, loose kids running around and screaming in undecipherable languages, white trash customers, etc., etc., etc. And what of the morons who actually work at Fry’s? I am just glad someone is willing to put up with the above-mentioned types.
--Walked out of store: 7.45 PM (officially closed at 7.00).
--Off-topic: Bizet's Carmen is a great bit of fun (thank you, KMZT, on a Sunday night).