July 30, 2004
Yes! Finally, someone agrees!
And it's Tricia Olszewski, writer for the City Paper, who starts off her review of the new Manchurian Candidate with:
'Remaking a film considered by most to be a period classic is questionable to begin with. But then handing the helm over to Jonathan The Truth About Charlie Demme? Well, any Charade fan can you tell that the result may move you to curl up in a corner and claw your eyes.'
She actually praises the new M.C., but how long have I been ranting in my own little world about f'in Marky Mark in the place of Cary Grant in the $!@* Charade remake. GRRRRRR!! Thank you!
July 27, 2004
Narwhal & Baku
Two creatures that I had not known about until last night, until some 2 a.m. surfing revealed their existence to me. (Let's see, what was the trail? I'm a mermaid-wannabe, mermen sound wussy, what exactly is a centaur, what are other legendary horse creatures, tapirs look like anteaters, then somehow narwhals and baku).
I've watched a pretty insane amount of nature videos in my time, including plenty on polar bears and other artic animals, but somehow I missed out on narwhals. Here's how it all ties together - people think that mermaids are actually manatees; manatees look extremely like narwhals; narwhals have unicorn horns.
Theory: people are crazy.
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As for the other creature - purely fictional, and with many different varients. Most references attribute a lion's head, tiger's paws and a horse's body to the baku, but I also found some god-awful jewelry labeled as a baku, w/ an elephant's head, some component of an ox and a cow's tail. Hrm. Either way, it's a cool idea. When I read 'Eater of Dreams' I immediately thought of The Sandman series...apparently the baku is featured so again, everything ties together.
In previously unmentioned news, the treehouse/tubing trip ROCKED - much fun was had and liquor consumed, as well as an unboxed bladder-like bag of boxed wine...the water was divine, I have the well-loved scrapes from trying to swim instead of tube - and Ryan took some cool pics...we'll have to wait for Margaret's film to see action shots from the Potomac itself. Wooot!
July 26, 2004
Pretending to be Canadian...
Or, countries you might want to avoid visiting...
Two new surveys of opinion in the Middle East (One by the University of MD!)
It seems like the research firm thought of almost all the angles, and no matter which way you look at it, the US is digging itself deeper in a hole every day - regardless of any US citizen's personal views. If we're pissing off a huge region of people, that's the reality. It feels like an undertow slowly drowning our national identity...is our foreign policy supposed to be based on the 'America - love it or leave it' slogan?
July 22, 2004
Hi.
Go Olympic guy swimmers and other Olympians! Wooot!
No Tom Dolan this time, though. ):
Time to sit my butt in a tube
Tubing always brings me back that first time in Florida, when my old roommate Jess and I drove 3+ hours to central Florida, in the hopes of experiencing a sublime day floating down the river at Ichetucknee Springs State Park. It was the coldest, clearest, most refreshing water I've ever swum in - like ice cubes melting on your skin on a humid, 100 degree day. There wasn't a crazy drunkfest going on like all tubing trips I've experienced since, but it was memorable for the luxurious water, the fact that I fell asleep while driving on the way home (but managed to live because of the flat straight roads), and the sign that started off the trip. Essentially it warned everyone, who had already invested money, time (taking your car to the end point and shuttling back) and excitement in the trip, that this was Florida and alligators could be lurking in or around the springs. And to have fun!
Since we are about to embark on a weekend of floating fun, it came to mind...but also, after I read about the landscaper attacked by an alligator and dragged into a pond. Lovely state, eh? The highest highs and lowest lows, all in the same backyard.
July 19, 2004
On the heels of F-9/11
It's been a while since I got my political rant on - but hey, any person that decides to tackle Fox News has got my backing. If there's one thing I can't stand more than this administration, it's biased journalism completely confusing & misleading the public. No wonder people shut down and try to block out current events - everything on TV has to be taken with a grain of salt if not an assumption that only one opinionated version is being presented. When TV news got all shock-jock with scary bacteria in your kitchen and deadly window screens, I decided I was already over it and that it couldn't get more annoying to watch. But, I don't know, nightly opinions from loud mouths? It got worse.
So the MoveOn.org folks have filed a complaint with the FTC against Fox News for their slogan 'Fair & Balanced', which all are encouraged to sign. Also featured is a video of Bill O'Reilly sucking. My favorite!
Also reminded me of a piece I heard on All Things Considered before the War in Iraq started last year, about the music the news outlets were composing for the converage in case we went to war. I was grossed out but to give my own rant a balance, this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer covers that topic and speaks more about NPR's music than anyone else's. Heh.
At least they tried to be classy, right? And they make Fox News sound like assholes.
July 12, 2004
Milky Way
It had been much too long since I had seen brilliant stars like those in in the Shenandoah sky this weekend, since I had enjoyed a makeshift cold shower in the dark night breeze (and been mistaken for a bear at least twice, rummaging around the campground in the dark). At least I had lovely Kundera to keep watch of my night prowling.
Also happy to say that no 'bears' stole into the tent for food. Those nastly little buggers, with their chattering and masked faces and five-finger-discount talents. Wait a second...
As one of my cool link sources is on friendship hiatus at the moment, I asked my buddy Monty to keep me well-fed with material, until he decides to give in to the black blogging hole. So he found that guy's web store, which might be helped along by my purchase in the Random Stuff section. I also must let David know that he has me addicted to Acno's Engergizer. Must sleep, damn you!
And hey, who couldn't use a little bit of naked Asia Argento. Mmmm, Mmmh!
July 8, 2004
Floating things
An extreme combination of emotional fervour and a profound lack of sleep have contributed to overloaded circuit in my blog brain, and although I know I've been having many great conversations lately I can't seem to focus when I'm staring at the screen.
What that means is that Andrea needs to step up and guerilla blog all of our 'brilliant' ideas that frothed over with bagels, quiche & beer in Brooklyn last weekend. All that I remember well is the continuation of Andrea's urban movie-to-be, in which we went from just having a lumberjack axing a telephone pole to a woodpecker furiously tapping above. Also something about the moon being pissed off at all the attention Saturn has been receiving and retiring from controlling the tides; and the continued search for the equation ruling gravitational waves.
Just found a link to this mag - looks cool and can apparently be picked up for free around DC. And L.o.M.L. sent a link to Michael Moore's spankin' new blog. "I am the smartest man alive!"
