At least it's interesting to me.

Creeping Oobleck

2008-07-08T16:15:51Z

My dad-in-law might like this. It's creepy science. :)

Iron Man Spider-Man Hulk animation

2008-07-07T17:56:00Z

From a recent game, the animation is rather good.

Phoshow.

2008-07-03T17:18:14Z

Trying out the features of my new phone, I saw this new restaurant for Vietamese food.

Yes, it's called Phoshow. The pun is excruciating.

Tron on a Budget.

2008-06-27T19:57:28Z

Tron
by freres-hueon

I love this. Another tribute to a film that, though dated, is still cool.

The way I saw it as a kid.

2008-06-26T19:21:24Z

Wasn't this more a more appropriate name of the movie when you saw it?

Of course, if you're younger, this is rather funny too:

Hey, I lost 4 pds on my diet so far. Yea! Here's to more.

It's the Law.

2008-06-19T22:13:21Z

I raced off for a "long lunch" to the Petersen Automotive Museum for a free giveaway: an LG Bluetooth headset. It's in tandem with the new California law that means you can get pulled over for being on your cell phone in the car without a hands-free headset, in effect July 1st.

But what better spokesman but Eric Estrada to tell us about California Highway Safety? Oh yes. There he is:

Even in the heatwave, people were willing to wait for the goods. And it is a good headpiece. And they had free bottles of water AND a free pass into the museum. What was great was watching one guy just pass by the line on his Huffy, asking what the hoopla is and just got in line ("Hey, can't beat FREE..") So this is my note to Californians on behalf of Erik Estrada: "Get a bluetooth headset...Free if you can!"

And Dammit, stop text messaging in rushhour...

Nothing to fear..

2008-06-19T16:58:12Z

First day of biking was..interesting. I was reacquainting myself to the bike brakes and bike gloves and popping my bike shoes in and out of the bike pedals (Holy gearshift, Bikeman.) I checked the rear wheels to see if I can place a rack there...Looks like I can. :) I might have to pass REI and check to see if their blackburn Rack fits..then buy the rack and a few bags online for grocery shopping (Luckily it looks like I can clip the rack on and off as I like..A good thing since panniers can really screw with your bike handling and I don't intend to have the rack on unless we are going to the store/market that day)

On that note, Sweetie was just trying to get through the shakes. Having never been on a multiple gear bike before, she really didn't want to hear how the gears worked from me, Sir RunsAtTheMouth; she was a tad more interested in not falling and avoiding cars (and me) from a good 6-7 foot distance (Should be used to that by now..) But we did the ride at night, found a relatively safe place to roam, swerving less, and I think she conquered just a little of a big generic fear she has of everything except pointy knitting needles (that's my phobia after being poked so often with them..) Which is good, because we have a long way to go before venturing into traffic, but I have hope we'll get there together.

On another note, the Sprint Instinct phone is out; which means reception-wise, I have an option for a new phone. But I'm still looking at Verizon in hopes for similiar reception, and more harmony between my family's plans (My brother and my mom-in-law and my aunt has Verizon, which is good since Sweetie and I call them often enough..) AT&T stil lingers as an option, but I would only be interested as a combo package (local phone/wireless/DSL) and I've heard bad service with their DSL; top that off with spotty wireless reception and I'm better off just not going that route. Still it sucks to pay that much more for tolerable internet service.

First day.

2008-06-18T19:20:24Z

I got a light hooked up to my bike helmet so me and Sweetie are going to head out into traffic tonight. I'm excited; I've been thinking of getting a lightweight rear rack for groceries. Been having a lot of fun figuring out the best configuration for commuting (considering my bike is more designed for riding dirt roads very fast, it's a switch)

So if I can ride my bike:
• to work
• to supermarket(s)
• to farmer's market
• to Castle
• to the local boutiques
• just for fun

I'd say that covers a lot of ground. We'll see if Sweetie or I get that ambitious. At $4.55 a gal, it's not a bad idea.

Cause and Effects.

2008-06-17T19:47:16Z

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i8d91a7147083886b7e09c32817567cd0

Being the film fan I am, this is really sad; he was one of the powerhouses of movie magic, he made the impossible happen, and not just via one trick. He used everything to make a creation come to life. When his studio was heading up projects, you were bound to see something you've never seen before. Like full-sized dinosaurs, or robotic teddy bears, or aliens that scared the crap out of you, but still have depth and anthopomorphic qualities, though one of my favorite creations are the Thermians and General Roth'h'ar Sarris in Galaxy Quest (Kudos also to creating Gwen DeMarco's breasts, and Sir Alexander Dane's prosthetic skullcap). Did you know he designed the Mr. Roboto mask for Styx? And I have a model of the Terminator right at my desk. Iconic imagery, right up there with Harryhausen and Lon Cheney.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, Free Arts for Abused Children and UNICEF, as it was the myeloma that got him. Obviously, he was always a child at heart; a trait neccessary for the work he did.

Somewhere out there, Mr. Winston is still making creations, just on a much more elaborate scale.

Bike Freeways.

2008-06-13T17:48:52Z

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91414814

Something to note for myself: Rediscovering bicycling (to save gas, to increase health, to be more bold) is definitely becoming more interesting to me. I've been a bit scared to ride through parts of L.A., but slowly and surely, it all comes down to being aware, being bold and just doing it.

Great Scott!

2008-06-13T16:49:50Z

Since many homes in LA (even down our street) are in the millions (even after the housing bust), I figure what would a good $2 million buy (not like I will ever own even a quarter of that, but I'm still young..ish..:P).

So at $1.3 mil, why not own the home of Doc Brown..or his actor name, Christopher Lloyd. Use the rest to afford the landscaping on what is possibly one of the most beautiful personally owned gardens I've seen in a while. (Which you can see every once in a while, when garden owners have Open Houses to view their (or their landscapers') handiwork).

What's also interesting: the houses in that neighborhood do go for a tad cheaper.

But now here's the plan: if you own/have access to a DeLorean, a couple of spare parts from a hardware store and a Mr. Coffee, and you have the address, drive by, race to the door with a plastic tie and yellow raincoat and see if Mr. Lloyd will take a joke as you exclaim, "Doc, you have to come with me..to the FUTURE!") or (more rationally) call the police (hey, Just because he can play crazy doesn't mean he actually is.). Either way, that's a YouTube moment.

"It's your kids, Marty...something has to be done about your kids.."

NoHo BBQ

2008-06-12T21:55:21Z

Oh boy oh boy. Delicious fried chicken in Noho. I can only bet it's near LASFS.

http://laist.com/2008/06/10/miss_peaches_ro.php

Hoity-toity.

2008-06-11T17:20:06Z

In light of going camping this weekend, my mind is already on other thoughts: going on a date. I doubt it will be easy, because I don't feel date-worthy; I have plans in place to change that but it's going to take almost three months to achieve that. That's a long time from now. But I've been wanting to go on a fancy-schamncy date for a while, but the idea seems rather diluted. I go out to sit-down restaurants a lot; and that doesn't always make me feel good because I end up thinking like everyone else: I could save so much more money if I went someplace cheaper like a Subway or Chipotle. It's not about taste, it's about cost. (Not to mention, fast food is bad for you and every small food stand is cold enough to turn my wife's fingers blue (which I worry about all the time; nobody should be that cold in California in the summer.)) If our kitchen is ever set up right and cleaned and I get home on time, I ought to cook more. I like cooking at home, but the timing has been off for a while, and I don't like the responsibilities to lie on my wife, who we both agree shouldn't be a Suzie Homemaker (A Gil Elvegreen pin-up in an apron, garters, and heels with a dab of whipped cream on a whisk, maybe, but not ACTUALLY slaving away over a hot stove.)

But I think that's why I want a date: dates can be expensive, but worth it. A great dinner, guzzied up with a bottle of wine and chef-prepared food, followed by something other than a movie - It could be dancing (though I like Swing, and my wife has favored salsa..both I've yet to do well enough not get frustrated or embarressed at), or actual box seats to a concert at teh Hollywood bowl..or the theater, something out of the norm. An evening in a winery has always intrigued me

For me, I think it opens the way to other, more casual dates, stuff still out out of the norm, but in more comfortable clothes. See a garden. Pack a picnic. Ride bikes along the beach. Stay overnight. Watch the sunrise. Drive a convertible. Play UNO. Dress up like a greaser for a 50's night. Watch the Classic cars at Bob's. Or even better, dress up Victorian and head to a Evening social. More Ren Faires. I still haven't planted a tomato vine in years.

I think the grind of everyday living carries itself too far into everything and it's important to break out of the mold. I'm never too comfortable with a routine, but I've not been comfortable struggling with variety either. Of course, it's a moot point if you're trying to do this all alone. So I guess I want to be a bit awkward, a bit out of my comfort zones; I'm not expecting perfection; I'm expecting difference and experience. So I need to ask, what have people out there done to really shake their world a bit? What's a "good date"?

Reception.

2008-06-10T19:21:43Z

I'm trying to figure which cell phone service has the best reception in my local area. So far, I've been happy with Sprint's reception, but there have been enough woes with the company's future I'm really nervous about signing another contract. But that can be said of any current cell phone carrier. AT&T service can be very spotty, and despite the shiny new iPhone, their customer service has never been friendly IMHO. (I've had to argue with AT&T more than once about overcharging, one bill was over $400 off. Another bill..was not even in my name, but since I was at the same residence, they tried to ruin my credit. Joy.) Now, same can be said for Nextel(now Sprint), that tried to charge me $10,000 at one point (seems they randomly dropped off their any plan they had for a month when they had me on an unlimited plan for months and months..how nice. I ended up paying around $200 of that, as it was their fault, but not after a couple months of "customer service", and I think in my mail that I never read, I was awarded some paltry compensation from a class-action lawsuit). Then there's Verizon: ugly UI, the most expensive of the bunch, and my brother, who has their service, does complain about horrible indoor service, comparable to AT&T (y'know, the "fewer dropped calls" folk..are they kidding?). I've yet to try Helio, MetroPCS or T-Mobile.

Now all these experiences have led me to be uber-conscious about my monthly bills. I still lean to Sprint because in most cases when I needed them to work, they did, and they only messed up twice (a computer database glitch caused a wrong address on my billing..nothing bad happened that I know of) but it's hard to deny AT&T's GSM service, which means their phones can be used internationally (just slip in a new SIM card); something to consider if Sweetie and I travel abroad (and was a source of frustration when I did travel to Canada) Howvere, just because GSM phones work aroun dteh world don't seem to mean they work around the block. Locally, the Sprint/Verizon towers have consistantly produced a faster data connection and stronger voice connection that even penetrates most indoor areas. But I don't know if that's true now.

So I wanted to hear other people's thoughts on cell phone service and reception. Because I'm of the opinion that cellphones in the U.S. have always been between bad and horrendous.

Tune up.

2008-06-09T17:30:59Z

Whoo, my bike is tuned up, got a new bike lock and rear light, and picked up a few last items for camping. I love REI(even if I still have to go back to return one or two excess items) I'm ready to ride! The only big bummer is a product I bought last year for night riding; a 15W halogen light (Yeah, it's like a car light..); I never got to open it up until today yet the wires got brittle and cracked so the charge to the battery is all screwy. So hopefully it won't cost me an arm and a leg to replace the battery (praying for warranty swap; I can't remember exact dates when I bought it), or I'm just going to stick to LED lights for commuting in the dark, which should be fine in the city if I go that route (vs in the woods when you are trying to guess is that a BROWN stick or a BROWN snake at 15 mph..)

But it's one step closer to getting back to commuter biking.

Bike to Work.

2008-06-05T22:18:35Z

After a long hiatus of riding, I think I finally figured out a relatively safe bike route to work, hopefully avoiding gang territory and oh-so-friendly buses and nose-extending cars. So now it's time to get my bike up and running and test out my plan, preferably with spiked armor on.

After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Click image for more.

Wii Wii.

2008-06-03T21:58:25Z

http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/superpiipii.html?cpg=70H

I don't think this needs any more words.

Tank girl - Let's do it

2008-05-29T04:09:01Z

I really got this song stuck in my head. Luckily it was from such a fun movie.

Advice of the Day.

2008-05-23T15:33:38Z

Check the expiration date on Kraft Mac and Cheese.

Seriously, you can't have it anymore two years after the "Best before" date.

Past, present and future.

2008-05-23T00:28:43Z

I realized something today. I'm a nice guy. The kind that finishes last, always the doormat. But somewhere along the line, I wasn't the doormat anymore. I didn't finish last. I look back on my life and I have very few regrets; even the tough stuff and the painful stuff flowed into scenarios that I absolutely cherish and would never give up. And though, I sometimes take a peek though the marvels of the Internet to see what former friends and loves are doing, I don't feel bad or that I lost anyone, or cared any less for the people I still think about. The motto is true: "Like trains that pass in the night." You have a moment, reminisce, but that moment is branded in time, and yours to keep. And the next moments await.

I recently refound a long lost love, and decided to email her; we had a lot to say actually, even though much of it awkward; there were still lingering feelings, a bit of guilt, but most curious, the feeling that life got a little better, or at least, we said that to each other. It was a comfort actually to know someone you cared about is living their lives, finding more about themselves, just like me. Marriage, kids, new friends, new work, more age...Instead of what I thought would be jealousy, I felt proud to have crossed paths. I hope she continues to prosper; like any life, she still has some tough decisions to go through. And like many past relationships, it's never easy for one to trust another's motives for being "just friends". But that's life, and it moves forward, not back.

It really gives me a peek at my future; it's a bit scary, to think even after 8 years of being with a person, I'm still a newbie to the whole marriage thing. And to see my cousin and some of my friend's kids, I'm all curious though pensive how life would be with a life fresh out of the oven. But it's in the future for now. Right now, I want to find the good points of being bonded with an incredible woman. Partners In Crime. Living Together. Travelling in Tandem. Private Times. And when the next big step happens, we'll be ready, and we'll be happy. Because marriage isn't about settling down, it's about never settling ever again.

Time to fly.

To Dani-chan.

2008-05-21T23:36:10Z

Shoutout of the week:

Been thinking a lot since my dad died, and the weird thoughts crept in, as my friend Zrath knows, it ebbs and flows. Dani-chan? How long have we known each other? I had to make a shoutout to ya. I made a good attempt to be your friend even after everything we went through - I think when I did, we scared the crap out of every anime fan in San Francisco. Good! They deserved it. Y'know, I'm really happy I made that decision to be your friend, even though it took half past forever. You're still the Gainax guru, and I think we came through ok. God bless livejournal for allowing me to say so.

Wow, deep huh? Enough embarressment, it's one of those Spino moments.

Indy!

2008-05-19T16:27:14Z

A great little video that combines roleplaying, a video camera, LEGO's, and Indiana Jones: just a few of my favorite things. Oh yeah, and possible insanity and collateral damage.

http://gizmodo.com/391587/5-million+piece-lego-boulder-chases-indy-crashes-into-car

This fits into my ideas of coming up with something - anything - for fun. Live life, pay the tolls and keep going for as long as you can with the funds you got. Which bring me to a thought about a place I need to visit : Brussels. I really didn't think of Belgium as a place to go to, until I realized it's one of those "why not?!" places in the world. The home of the french-fried potato. Home to some of the world's finest chocolate. Home of the largest molecule statue, the Smurfs, and home to the comic strip museum (with Tin-Tin), and one of the largest toy stores in the world. How about home to Six Flags Belgium and Mini-Europe (an amusement park with much of Europe in mini-form). Lots of museums, with famous paintings. Bike-friendly, and historic. That's a lot of wow, especially since travelling to Europe from the U.S. is not cheap at the moment.

Speaking of cheap, Sweetie and I discovered another improv group playing in L.A., called Sound and Fury. They play at Ren Faires, and they definitely have the Reduced Shakespeare Company quality. The show they are doing is in a ratty part of town, but the topic of improv is "Steampunk". Click here for more info. If this is as good as the Star Trek improv we saw at the ACME theater, I'll be a happy guy.

Perfection v. 0.1

2008-05-15T18:38:45Z

I have a talent of forgetting what people are saying, piping up with my own babble, changing the subject, saying seemingly unrelated thoughts, causing a scene, talking too loud, not voicing my thoughts, staring blankly, going manic, seeing what nobody else is seeing, ignoring the obvious, and embarressing people within a close proximity, and being by myself, all on a daily basis.

And I wish I could correct the problem, be more normal, have more ettiquette, care about your feelings, be more understanding, save your day, be a comfort, be more attractive, have better hygine, be louder, be silent, know the right words, take better care of myself, and grant your every wish. Because I'm tired of paying the price of my own shortcomings, and I should be better than anyone I've ever known, met or admired.

But if you can't stand my faults and shortcomings, and that I'm trying to overcome them, or just even deal with them, then please hold until I'm the perfect being you want me to be. (By the way, I'll expecting you to be the same perfection when I'm done.) Until then, please use your current version of me until further notice. Feel free to make suggestions, provide your own support, and continue maintenance.

But don't expect perfection; it may void your warranty.

Laserdiscs.

2008-05-13T18:00:44Z

Are there laserdisc fans out there? Movie buffs? My eyes are glazing looking at the boxes of stuff I picked up from my parents' house; I've inherited my dad's collection of movies. Old videotapes, stuff recorded off cable, every Criteron Collection LD that ever came out, and their inferior laserdisc editions as well. I think I have 5 copies of Gone with The Wind, depending on which anniversary it was. Mostly the top 500 movies every real movie watcher must see stuff (and some 500 movies that have been deemed not fit for human consumption). Some aren't even opened, still encased in plastic. Some are in different languages. Collections of old shorts, classic serials, cartoons, and taboo stuff that just isn't PC anymore (if ever). Even archives of Opera, on laserdisc. And I'm just looking at them, realizing my dad most likely saw them all, most of them in the movie theater, before I was born.

And I really wanted to watch some of these movies too; I'm still pining to see Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm, most likely at the Cinerama Dome. But now on the verge of the next new format, Blu-Ray, I know I shouldn't just devalue the laserdiscs by popping them open. It's like the comic books I have: an old format but you still have some emotional attachment to them like they're worth so much more. Or maybe, the laserdisc will be the last great format for some of these titles; some movies and bonus features never made the leap to DVD.

It's tough to look at it all; it's a lot to see; but I'm thinking it may be a good time to invite people over and watch some classics. I have a lifetime's worth of them and they haven't stopped making movies yet.

[And Voards, I just unearthed "The Thing(from Another World)" out of the LD's..I just remember us watching this film way back when.]

Don't steal my artwork!

2008-05-09T21:21:25Z

I got this in my work email.

Having friends that are artists, I hope you can elaborate a bit and take appropriate action to protect your artwork!

There is a bill that is going through congress that will virtually
eliminate an artist to copyright protection for fine art or commercial
art. If it passes just about anyone will be able to use any image they
find online or elsewhere and claim that they were unable to find out who
created it even if it was copyrighted.

It will be the responsibility of the artist whose work is infringed upon
to fight for suit even if they have had the work copyrighted.

The bill is called the Orphan Art Bill and it passed the house today and
will go on to the senate. As you may know by now, the House IP
Subcommittee unanimously approved H.R. 5889 yesterday, and it has moved to
the House Judiciary Committee.

Today S. 2913 is in markup in the Senate IP Subcommittee.

We have established House & Senate Judiciary IP Committee alerts on the
Capwiz site for action now.

Urge EVERYONE to write again today. It is automatically configured: If your
Senator or Representative is a member of the Judiciary Committees, the
message automatically goes to that member. If you are not a constituent of a
Senator or House Judiciary Committee Member a different request goes to your
representatives, urging them to contact their colleagues on the Judiciary
Committees on your behalf.

So everyone writes. You do not need to identify your members by district.
Spread the word.

The capwiz effort is working. As of this moment, 19,401 messages have been
sent. 1,990 have been sent today, since midnight. The rate seems to be
accelerating. Let's ramp it up. Please get the message out to your members,
to our international colleagues, on blogs, etc. Through every channel you
can think of. Always ask them to pass it on.

This link <http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/home/> will allow you
to be heard.