i'm a ....
woman!!!
daaaaayyymmm.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
cable die
There's an interesting article in the current edition of the New York magazine by James Cramer. In "Unplugged", Cramer analyzes how the rapid progress of technology is threatening cable companies and will definitely put them on the train to Obsoleteville sooner rather than later. This is very true with the advent of alternative technologies like portable media players and VOIP.
I never had cable TV (or at least never paid for it, even in the Philippines). Over here, it costs you an arm and a leg to get cable or satellite, and most households (those with families anyway) can't afford to live without it. I only get the public channels, opting instead to dole out the hard-earned green for cable internet. Why spend for 200 TV channels when I am at work most of the day and when its only humanly possible to watch only a few shows (in few select channels) in a week? You'd think I'd be interested to watch the other foreign language channels for even more than a few seconds? If I were a couch potato and work as a TV critic, then fine. But as it is, I'd rather surf endlessly with lots of speed to spare, for $60 a month.
Cramer points out the arrogance of the cable companies in holding on to their monopoly over the tube, when all other services like telephone and software have lowered prices and allowed more competition. This is reality, as cable companies force you to pay for stuff you may not even want. The concept of cable a la carte, where the consumer can just pick whatever channels they want, for either a preset package price, or individually reasonable ones, is so alien to them. Greedy bastards.
Which has been their undoing. Alongside the challenge of satellite TV in rural areas (commonly referred by industry insiders as BUDs or 'big ugly dishes'), cable companies have found themselves in competition with phone companies, who reluctantly woke up and smelled the VOIP coffee. The latter provides broadband internet and video on-demand over existing phone lines, a great alternative to those who are smart to look at other choices. Plus, the TV networks have adopted an 'if-you-can't-beat-em-join-em' attitude and embraced downloading - for nominal prices, you can download TV episodes to your iPod, and pretty soon, any media player (although I still don't like watching on a small screen - people are not ants). In effect, with more and more people spending time online anyway than watching TV (watch only when you want), cable monopolies are quickly losing their customers, and not really enticing new ones, because the consumers have, I hope, gotten smarter.
Change and competition, in this arena, is always good. We are not beholden to a CD anymore. We can record TV shows and programs and watch them when we please. We are not beholden to a few talking heads, or limited sources of information. Choices are now a necessity, not a luxury. Why should some suit dictate what we can watch and the price to watch what we want? (well, to a degree it'll still be a suit dictating that rock-bottom fee)
There are still times when I would like nothing better than click on the remote, channel-surf and settle on watching a documentary through a lazy day. There are still shows that are meant to be watched (in an old-fashioned sense) on a TV screen. I can only dream of the National Geographic, History or Discovery Channels. Or even ESPN. Maybe someday ... if the powers-that-be allow me to afford it.
I never had cable TV (or at least never paid for it, even in the Philippines). Over here, it costs you an arm and a leg to get cable or satellite, and most households (those with families anyway) can't afford to live without it. I only get the public channels, opting instead to dole out the hard-earned green for cable internet. Why spend for 200 TV channels when I am at work most of the day and when its only humanly possible to watch only a few shows (in few select channels) in a week? You'd think I'd be interested to watch the other foreign language channels for even more than a few seconds? If I were a couch potato and work as a TV critic, then fine. But as it is, I'd rather surf endlessly with lots of speed to spare, for $60 a month.
Cramer points out the arrogance of the cable companies in holding on to their monopoly over the tube, when all other services like telephone and software have lowered prices and allowed more competition. This is reality, as cable companies force you to pay for stuff you may not even want. The concept of cable a la carte, where the consumer can just pick whatever channels they want, for either a preset package price, or individually reasonable ones, is so alien to them. Greedy bastards.
Which has been their undoing. Alongside the challenge of satellite TV in rural areas (commonly referred by industry insiders as BUDs or 'big ugly dishes'), cable companies have found themselves in competition with phone companies, who reluctantly woke up and smelled the VOIP coffee. The latter provides broadband internet and video on-demand over existing phone lines, a great alternative to those who are smart to look at other choices. Plus, the TV networks have adopted an 'if-you-can't-beat-em-join-em' attitude and embraced downloading - for nominal prices, you can download TV episodes to your iPod, and pretty soon, any media player (although I still don't like watching on a small screen - people are not ants). In effect, with more and more people spending time online anyway than watching TV (watch only when you want), cable monopolies are quickly losing their customers, and not really enticing new ones, because the consumers have, I hope, gotten smarter.
Change and competition, in this arena, is always good. We are not beholden to a CD anymore. We can record TV shows and programs and watch them when we please. We are not beholden to a few talking heads, or limited sources of information. Choices are now a necessity, not a luxury. Why should some suit dictate what we can watch and the price to watch what we want? (well, to a degree it'll still be a suit dictating that rock-bottom fee)
There are still times when I would like nothing better than click on the remote, channel-surf and settle on watching a documentary through a lazy day. There are still shows that are meant to be watched (in an old-fashioned sense) on a TV screen. I can only dream of the National Geographic, History or Discovery Channels. Or even ESPN. Maybe someday ... if the powers-that-be allow me to afford it.
RARHOF
The HOF (not David) announced the 2006 nominees today.
Black Sabbath ... yeah, okay. not the Ozzie of last 10 years.
Miles Davis ... mos def!
Lynyrd Skynyrd ... yeah, okay.
Blondie ... yeah before Debbie Harry becomes Cher.
Sex Pistols ... hah! was that a reluctant vote? will we have hip-hop/rap nominees next year? stay tuned.
Black Sabbath ... yeah, okay. not the Ozzie of last 10 years.
Miles Davis ... mos def!
Lynyrd Skynyrd ... yeah, okay.
Blondie ... yeah before Debbie Harry becomes Cher.
Sex Pistols ... hah! was that a reluctant vote? will we have hip-hop/rap nominees next year? stay tuned.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow
dir. Kerry Conran
Sky Captain is director Conran's life project, a feature film made entirely with blue screens and CGI, and the results are better than I would expect, manufactured from a cold digital machine. Conran imbues the film with the spirit of yesteryear, as the locales, characters and the filmmaking itself lend a lot of nostalgia. Even the title itself is a nod to the serials of the 1930s, something that George Lucas tried to evoke with Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Six minutes of footage in six years (with a Mac) catapulted Conran into investors' lists, surrounded by a dream cast, and landing in the director's chair.
Jude Law takes center stage as Joe 'Sky Captain' Sullivan , a mercenary pilot with a good heart, who functions as mankind's (or particularly Americans') protector in a seemingly pre-World War II world that has futuristic technology at its fingertips. Robots (the clunky, boxy old ones, not even Voltes V class) have attacked New York City and made off with the city's power sources. A mystery for the Captain and his on/off gal, photojournalist Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), who, for all the high tech gadgets around, doesn't even have a digital camera. Maybe she's old school. Which comes back to haunt her in the end (two words: Delete feature).
before GPS, people used to write country names across the land
The robot attacks seem to be directly connected to the mysterious disappearance of famous scientists of the time, and Polly seems to be withholding information from the Captain that might have solved the problem like halfway into the film. The trail leads to a Dr. Totenkopf, who sounds like a mad German scientist bent on world destruction, but its only Laurence Olivier in B&W grainy footage (snicker). Dr. Totenkopf has holed himself up in his own amazing Shangri-La (believe me, you should probably stick to the hotel chain - if you own them), and according to all signs, plans to end the world as they knew it (then).
the real cause of Jude Law's failed relationships
The Captain is not bereft of allies, as we have his trusty brainiac sidekick Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), mountain guide Kaji (hello again, Omid Djalili), and of course, the hubba-hubba devil-may-care almost-superwoman pilot Franky (Angelina Jolie) who doesn't appear till halfway through the movie (dammit!). It turns out Totenkopf has been dead years ago, and they have to stop his ticking doomsday machine and the Noah's ark/rocket that's meant to restart earthly life somewhere, 'cause no one knows where the off-switch is. Talk about the ascendancy of machines.
contrary to speculation, Ms Aniston did not scratch out Ms Jolie's right eye
For all its digital pedigree, Sky Captain still has a soul, with its eye for nostalgia and feel for interesting characters. For the length of the movie, I felt like I went back to my Tom Swift days (who shared reading time with the Hardy Boys) - that kind of tongue-in-cheek sci-fi adventures that sounded so cool for a pre-teenager. I probably couldn't remember any of those books, but they had the exact same effect. The moment I saw Franky's 'helicarrier' fleet in the clouds - I just went, damn. Conran probably opened the doors for more blue screen/CGI-to-death films, but as long as you got a cool story, it'll find audiences.
Yes, it's been a huge backlog and I've only seen this recently (after the DVD came out, which really isn't normally that long after the theatre run). And yeah, it was worth the wait.
dir. Kerry Conran
Sky Captain is director Conran's life project, a feature film made entirely with blue screens and CGI, and the results are better than I would expect, manufactured from a cold digital machine. Conran imbues the film with the spirit of yesteryear, as the locales, characters and the filmmaking itself lend a lot of nostalgia. Even the title itself is a nod to the serials of the 1930s, something that George Lucas tried to evoke with Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Six minutes of footage in six years (with a Mac) catapulted Conran into investors' lists, surrounded by a dream cast, and landing in the director's chair.
Jude Law takes center stage as Joe 'Sky Captain' Sullivan , a mercenary pilot with a good heart, who functions as mankind's (or particularly Americans') protector in a seemingly pre-World War II world that has futuristic technology at its fingertips. Robots (the clunky, boxy old ones, not even Voltes V class) have attacked New York City and made off with the city's power sources. A mystery for the Captain and his on/off gal, photojournalist Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), who, for all the high tech gadgets around, doesn't even have a digital camera. Maybe she's old school. Which comes back to haunt her in the end (two words: Delete feature).
before GPS, people used to write country names across the land
The robot attacks seem to be directly connected to the mysterious disappearance of famous scientists of the time, and Polly seems to be withholding information from the Captain that might have solved the problem like halfway into the film. The trail leads to a Dr. Totenkopf, who sounds like a mad German scientist bent on world destruction, but its only Laurence Olivier in B&W grainy footage (snicker). Dr. Totenkopf has holed himself up in his own amazing Shangri-La (believe me, you should probably stick to the hotel chain - if you own them), and according to all signs, plans to end the world as they knew it (then).
the real cause of Jude Law's failed relationships
The Captain is not bereft of allies, as we have his trusty brainiac sidekick Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), mountain guide Kaji (hello again, Omid Djalili), and of course, the hubba-hubba devil-may-care almost-superwoman pilot Franky (Angelina Jolie) who doesn't appear till halfway through the movie (dammit!). It turns out Totenkopf has been dead years ago, and they have to stop his ticking doomsday machine and the Noah's ark/rocket that's meant to restart earthly life somewhere, 'cause no one knows where the off-switch is. Talk about the ascendancy of machines.
contrary to speculation, Ms Aniston did not scratch out Ms Jolie's right eye
For all its digital pedigree, Sky Captain still has a soul, with its eye for nostalgia and feel for interesting characters. For the length of the movie, I felt like I went back to my Tom Swift days (who shared reading time with the Hardy Boys) - that kind of tongue-in-cheek sci-fi adventures that sounded so cool for a pre-teenager. I probably couldn't remember any of those books, but they had the exact same effect. The moment I saw Franky's 'helicarrier' fleet in the clouds - I just went, damn. Conran probably opened the doors for more blue screen/CGI-to-death films, but as long as you got a cool story, it'll find audiences.
Yes, it's been a huge backlog and I've only seen this recently (after the DVD came out, which really isn't normally that long after the theatre run). And yeah, it was worth the wait.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
tnxgvng
let's see, after a week and a half of planning - okay, make that 2 weeks and a half - we ended up with:
turkey cutlets (better than a whole roasted bird that's gonna end up 80% wasted - we even had to do last-minute frantic search at Pathmark with all the rabble)
stuffing - she bought some cranberry-orange muffins and just churned this out
cranberry sauce - another last-minute thing but just goes better with the turkey
potato salad - always a reliable, and should end up lasting more than the turkey
gravy - can't live without it
corn, carrots and peas - the easy part left for me to do
and then all washed off with peach chardonnay - wait, i'm the only one who really washed off the food with it.
and of course, the chocolate cake, which had a lot more icing than usual, but will always be a favorite for me.
all in all, a Thanksgiving by amateurs, but the joy is in the preparations.
Thank you, Food Network.
God bless the chef - love ya!
turkey cutlets (better than a whole roasted bird that's gonna end up 80% wasted - we even had to do last-minute frantic search at Pathmark with all the rabble)
stuffing - she bought some cranberry-orange muffins and just churned this out
cranberry sauce - another last-minute thing but just goes better with the turkey
potato salad - always a reliable, and should end up lasting more than the turkey
gravy - can't live without it
corn, carrots and peas - the easy part left for me to do
and then all washed off with peach chardonnay - wait, i'm the only one who really washed off the food with it.
and of course, the chocolate cake, which had a lot more icing than usual, but will always be a favorite for me.
all in all, a Thanksgiving by amateurs, but the joy is in the preparations.
Thank you, Food Network.
God bless the chef - love ya!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
1st and 10 ... Week 12 prognostications
Atlanta at Detroit ... Falcons would like to be here in January
Denver at Dallas ... should be a Thanksgiving classic
Baltimore at Cincinnati ... Bengals need a whipping boy right now
St. Louis at Houston ... might still be a Texan upset
Carolina at Buffalo ... Cats also need a win after last week's disaster
San Francisco at Tennessee ... could be Mike Nolan's 2nd win
New England at Kansas City ... must-win game for both
San Diego at Washington ... Bolts are better than their record says
Chicago at Tampa Bay ... Bucs end Bears win streak
Cleveland at Minnesota ... Men of Tice have improbably resurrected themselves
Miami at Oakland ... Raiders should outrun slower 'Fins
Jacksonville at Arizona ... Jags have to shed pretender tag
NY Giants at Seattle ... this one's for the NFC bragging rights
Green Bay at Philadelphia ... Iggles eke out a squeaker
New Orleans at NY Jets ... if you can't beat the discombobulated Saints ...
Pittsburgh at Indianapolis ... now this should be good!
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 92-68 (happy Thanksgiving to all!)
Atlanta at Detroit ... Falcons would like to be here in January
Denver at Dallas ... should be a Thanksgiving classic
Baltimore at Cincinnati ... Bengals need a whipping boy right now
St. Louis at Houston ... might still be a Texan upset
Carolina at Buffalo ... Cats also need a win after last week's disaster
San Francisco at Tennessee ... could be Mike Nolan's 2nd win
New England at Kansas City ... must-win game for both
San Diego at Washington ... Bolts are better than their record says
Chicago at Tampa Bay ... Bucs end Bears win streak
Cleveland at Minnesota ... Men of Tice have improbably resurrected themselves
Miami at Oakland ... Raiders should outrun slower 'Fins
Jacksonville at Arizona ... Jags have to shed pretender tag
NY Giants at Seattle ... this one's for the NFC bragging rights
Green Bay at Philadelphia ... Iggles eke out a squeaker
New Orleans at NY Jets ... if you can't beat the discombobulated Saints ...
Pittsburgh at Indianapolis ... now this should be good!
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 92-68 (happy Thanksgiving to all!)
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
wag!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4447222.stm
shame if they ain't win ... i liked chicken run, and claymation is always a visual treat (and definitely a lot trickier to do than CGI). actually, puppetry is a close cousin with all those stop-start filming they did for team america. but the latter may not even come close to being nominees for the hard work (except maybe MTV).
anyway, i didn't see the curse of the were-rabbit, but judging from some episodes of wallace and gromit that i have, its a winner in my book.
shame if they ain't win ... i liked chicken run, and claymation is always a visual treat (and definitely a lot trickier to do than CGI). actually, puppetry is a close cousin with all those stop-start filming they did for team america. but the latter may not even come close to being nominees for the hard work (except maybe MTV).
anyway, i didn't see the curse of the were-rabbit, but judging from some episodes of wallace and gromit that i have, its a winner in my book.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Potheads
Work was cancelled for today - and thus we all trudged to see the 4th movie adaptation of Rowling's big money-making scheme. Pretty good, from a muggle's eyes, which doesn't leave me caught up in the books' gazillion details, and crucifying the director/scriptwriter who might leave out 40% of it.
One question: why doesn't he use magic a lot more in tight situations, i mean, in an intuitive way. We only see him use it as if he remembers the damn spells only at the last second (or is that a more dramatic presentation of the story?). Is he some kind of reluctant wizard, and even so, 3 years at Hogwart's (and he blurts out "I love magic!" minutes into the film) should already made him more or less adept with his powers and the judicious usage of such.
Otherwise, with Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort) and Brendan Gleeson ('MadEye' Moody) in the mix,the series gets enjoyable as it chugs merrily to the bank.
One question: why doesn't he use magic a lot more in tight situations, i mean, in an intuitive way. We only see him use it as if he remembers the damn spells only at the last second (or is that a more dramatic presentation of the story?). Is he some kind of reluctant wizard, and even so, 3 years at Hogwart's (and he blurts out "I love magic!" minutes into the film) should already made him more or less adept with his powers and the judicious usage of such.
Otherwise, with Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort) and Brendan Gleeson ('MadEye' Moody) in the mix,the series gets enjoyable as it chugs merrily to the bank.
Friday, November 18, 2005
1st and 10 ... Week 11 prognostications
Philadelphia at NY Giants ... no McNabb, no TO = should be easy
Arizona at St. Louis ... Warner returns to STL
New Orleans at New England ... could be the 2nd consecutive win Pats haven't had yet
Oakland at Washington ... Raiders need a new coach
Jacksonville at Tennessee ... a gimme game for SB aspirants
Tampa Bay at Atlanta ... can aging Bucs D still keep up with Vick?
Carolina at Chicago ... 2nd game I'd like to watch live, the 1st is next
Indianapolis at Cincinnati ... this is the day, this is the day ...
Miami at Cleveland ... Belichick grads duke it out
Detroit at Dallas ... 2 franchises headed in opposite directions
Seattle at San Francisco ... could Mike Nolan coach an upset?
Buffalo at San Diego ... show us more LT magic
Pittsburgh at Baltimore ... have the Ravens given up on the season?
NY Jets at Denver ... will be a mile high disaster for Gang Green
Kansas City at Houston ... could be an upset for upset-prone Chiefs
Minnesota at Green Bay ... old rivalry has lost its luster and star power
Last Week: 11-3
Overall: 83-61 (holy crap! might have won a few in Vegas!)
Philadelphia at NY Giants ... no McNabb, no TO = should be easy
Arizona at St. Louis ... Warner returns to STL
New Orleans at New England ... could be the 2nd consecutive win Pats haven't had yet
Oakland at Washington ... Raiders need a new coach
Jacksonville at Tennessee ... a gimme game for SB aspirants
Tampa Bay at Atlanta ... can aging Bucs D still keep up with Vick?
Carolina at Chicago ... 2nd game I'd like to watch live, the 1st is next
Indianapolis at Cincinnati ... this is the day, this is the day ...
Miami at Cleveland ... Belichick grads duke it out
Detroit at Dallas ... 2 franchises headed in opposite directions
Seattle at San Francisco ... could Mike Nolan coach an upset?
Buffalo at San Diego ... show us more LT magic
Pittsburgh at Baltimore ... have the Ravens given up on the season?
NY Jets at Denver ... will be a mile high disaster for Gang Green
Kansas City at Houston ... could be an upset for upset-prone Chiefs
Minnesota at Green Bay ... old rivalry has lost its luster and star power
Last Week: 11-3
Overall: 83-61 (holy crap! might have won a few in Vegas!)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
and that's when i reached for my ...
yeah, yeah ... I'm always late with this stuff. Couldn't afford the new ones anyway. So, perusing the discount bin at local geekhaus J&R, I ended up with Cabela's Deer Hunter 2005 and Rockstar's Red Dead Revolver.
After half an hour walking around the Montana wilderness, I realized hunting requires a lot more patience (even in a PS2 game - which means gaming really has made quantum leaps and bounds in terms of approaching reality) than I thought - or had. I saw some deer tracks, waded along the crystal clear lake, tried several tools of the trade to attract the buggers - but no luck. I ran into a wolf once or twice, and on all occasions had to be "moved out of the area by the forest rangers" (damn lupine bit me). That's it, am playing this game again when I reach Level 7 in my Zen and Yoga studies.
Rockstar's foray into the western genre, Red Dead Revolver, is a bit more my speed, where I can just go in and start shooting. The story is a bit generic - boy's family gets killed, grows up to be a bounty hunter and goes after killers for revenge. However, being Clint Eastwood in a Clint Eastwood movie - now, that caught my eye. I still dream of wearing a cowboy hat (and having a cowgirl and ... ok i digress).
Having itchy trigger fingers, I got sidetracked into its Showdown mode, where you shoot people for money. Ok, its not shooting 'people' as in innocent bystanders (like the Grand Theft Auto series) but duelling with other characters (up to 3) in the story. I personally go for the deathmatch mode where you rack up $$$ as you put more bodies to the ground. I'm getting good at it, still reaching the money limit first even if I had to deal with 3 enemies. If I feel a little more malevolent, I turn the tables and make 2 other characters my teammates (its usually the uptight Annie Stoakes and the go-getter Christina - hmmmm), and the 4th one is the unlucky bastard taking a dirtnap, oh say about 45 times in the next 8 minutes.
Graphics-wise its just okay, and presentation does look cool - there are moments when it looks like you're watching an old western on a grainy B&W TV. Despite some engine/code quirks (an enemy could be headed your way but still shooting at where you were 10 seconds ago), its still an enjoyable, if juvenile (hahaha), romp. You get to stretch your imagination a bit by having Knockdown Pistols, Explosive Shotguns, Venomous Arrows (!), Ice Rifles (!!), and the occasional scalding hot coffee to use on your enemies. I like it when I get the Burning Rage power-up, and I just make a beeline at everyone (yeah, even my girl teammates) and send them all scampering in flames before they shoot me down like the dog that I am.
Hey, I haven't even played the story mode yet. This might be another game I could have the time and interest to finish, just like Manhunt (another Rockstar gem - though I wonder why I never got far in Grand Theft Auto - ah, I know: I suck at driving) early this year ... but in the meantime, I still get kicks out of the Showdown mode, and trying out new characters (to shoot) and new locations (to shoot these characters). So, if you'll excuse me, General Diego, the Guvnor, and that clunky Manny Quinn need some holes in their heads.
Slap leather, ya varmints.
----------------------------
photos from rockstargames.com/ign.com
After half an hour walking around the Montana wilderness, I realized hunting requires a lot more patience (even in a PS2 game - which means gaming really has made quantum leaps and bounds in terms of approaching reality) than I thought - or had. I saw some deer tracks, waded along the crystal clear lake, tried several tools of the trade to attract the buggers - but no luck. I ran into a wolf once or twice, and on all occasions had to be "moved out of the area by the forest rangers" (damn lupine bit me). That's it, am playing this game again when I reach Level 7 in my Zen and Yoga studies.
Rockstar's foray into the western genre, Red Dead Revolver, is a bit more my speed, where I can just go in and start shooting. The story is a bit generic - boy's family gets killed, grows up to be a bounty hunter and goes after killers for revenge. However, being Clint Eastwood in a Clint Eastwood movie - now, that caught my eye. I still dream of wearing a cowboy hat (and having a cowgirl and ... ok i digress).
Having itchy trigger fingers, I got sidetracked into its Showdown mode, where you shoot people for money. Ok, its not shooting 'people' as in innocent bystanders (like the Grand Theft Auto series) but duelling with other characters (up to 3) in the story. I personally go for the deathmatch mode where you rack up $$$ as you put more bodies to the ground. I'm getting good at it, still reaching the money limit first even if I had to deal with 3 enemies. If I feel a little more malevolent, I turn the tables and make 2 other characters my teammates (its usually the uptight Annie Stoakes and the go-getter Christina - hmmmm), and the 4th one is the unlucky bastard taking a dirtnap, oh say about 45 times in the next 8 minutes.
Graphics-wise its just okay, and presentation does look cool - there are moments when it looks like you're watching an old western on a grainy B&W TV. Despite some engine/code quirks (an enemy could be headed your way but still shooting at where you were 10 seconds ago), its still an enjoyable, if juvenile (hahaha), romp. You get to stretch your imagination a bit by having Knockdown Pistols, Explosive Shotguns, Venomous Arrows (!), Ice Rifles (!!), and the occasional scalding hot coffee to use on your enemies. I like it when I get the Burning Rage power-up, and I just make a beeline at everyone (yeah, even my girl teammates) and send them all scampering in flames before they shoot me down like the dog that I am.
Hey, I haven't even played the story mode yet. This might be another game I could have the time and interest to finish, just like Manhunt (another Rockstar gem - though I wonder why I never got far in Grand Theft Auto - ah, I know: I suck at driving) early this year ... but in the meantime, I still get kicks out of the Showdown mode, and trying out new characters (to shoot) and new locations (to shoot these characters). So, if you'll excuse me, General Diego, the Guvnor, and that clunky Manny Quinn need some holes in their heads.
Slap leather, ya varmints.
----------------------------
photos from rockstargames.com/ign.com
suckitude
slightly on the racist side, but hey - the rants about Friendster are point-blank (Friendster? Am still on Friendster??)
Amanda Egge: Friendster Sucks
Amanda Egge: Friendster Sucks
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
here comes the rain again
... and the temp's gonna sink below 50s again tomorrow. And working for the weekend means I will not see Harry Pothead and also miss the Comicon (but there's always next year).
Delphi, to flush the goobi and curry inside your system, go to the Comicon on Saturday - Jasmine and Dazza are waiting for you.
Delphi, to flush the goobi and curry inside your system, go to the Comicon on Saturday - Jasmine and Dazza are waiting for you.
nakasone
more stumbles by Sony ...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10069563/
can't stop the revolution, baby!!! consumers should always have a choice!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10069563/
can't stop the revolution, baby!!! consumers should always have a choice!
the air out there
more geek stuff - hey, tell me you never did pretend to be a rockstar at least once in your misbegotten life *lol*
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,69577,00.html
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,69577,00.html
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
and just when you thought one thing
... they pull you back in.
why do bad things happen to good people?
can i be a viable substitute?
please?
why do bad things happen to good people?
can i be a viable substitute?
please?
bananas
L.A.M.B. is a 'pod regular. Even if its being played in a KFC, there's no shortage of catchy songs on this album. plug: American Music Awards, 8 pm Nov. 22, ABC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's hard to remember how it felt before
Now I found the love of my life ...
Passes things get more comfortable
Everything is going right
And after all the obstacles
It's good to see you now with someone else
And it's such a miracle that you and me are still good friends
After all that we've been through
I know we're cool
We used to think it was impossible
Now you call me by my new last name
Memories seem like so long ago
Time always kills the pain
Remember Harbor Boulevard
The dreaming days where the mess was made
Look how all the kids have grown
We have changed but we're still the same
After all that we've been through
I know we're cool
And I'll be happy for you
If you can be happy for me
Circles and triangles, and now we're hangin' out with your new girlfriend
So far from where we've been
I know we're cool
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's hard to remember how it felt before
Now I found the love of my life ...
Passes things get more comfortable
Everything is going right
And after all the obstacles
It's good to see you now with someone else
And it's such a miracle that you and me are still good friends
After all that we've been through
I know we're cool
We used to think it was impossible
Now you call me by my new last name
Memories seem like so long ago
Time always kills the pain
Remember Harbor Boulevard
The dreaming days where the mess was made
Look how all the kids have grown
We have changed but we're still the same
After all that we've been through
I know we're cool
And I'll be happy for you
If you can be happy for me
Circles and triangles, and now we're hangin' out with your new girlfriend
So far from where we've been
I know we're cool
Monday, November 14, 2005
adik sa yo
Currently funniest creator in TV today? Seth McFarlane.
With FOX picking up his ripened cartoon Family Guy, and following it up with American Dad, McFarlane has taken control of Sunday night TV (at least for those who are at home and don't mind watching toons). And it couldn't be better for FOX, who already has The Simpsons locked up for years.
Family Guy (already cancelled once before, until its burgeoning cult status drove it back to primetime) tracks the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family, with dad Peter being a worse idiot than Homer Simpson. This Sunday, Peter (voiced by McFarlane) and his buddies joined a costume contest and won as ... the A-Team. Laughs abound as they try to help their community (e.g., bringing a cat down from a tree by ... shooting down the tree with machine guns). There's also Stewie, the baby of the family who has an English accent and secretly plots world domination (and earlier in the series, thinks of ways to murder his mother). Stewie, also voiced by McFarlane, has become such a popular character and now has his own spinoff DVD. There's also Brian, who's a talking and cultured dog (he's a freelance writer who nearly got into a regular gig as a New Yorker columnist until they kicked him out for not having graduated from college - and only then for being a canine).
In American Dad, McFarlane gets his claws on current events and American politics thru the eyes of demented CIA agent Stan Smith, who also has his own dysfunctional family (wonder what McFarlane's family is like), including a non-human member, the effete Roger the Alien. The latest storyline, a two-parter where the Smith family moves to Saudi Arabia, has a killer opening where a Bin Laden/Zarqawi character tapes a recording with the usual anti-American ranting, and then bursts into laughter as he flubs his lines. It then degenerates into a Jim Carrey-like blooper reel. Priceless.
As it should in any cartoon, McFarlane's babies try to get in a lesson or two, but also make you bust a gut or two by butchering every sacred cow and calf that comes to his wicked mind. In effect, he has already upstaged The Simpsons and South Park as the funniest toons on TV.
Damn you, McFarlane. Damn you, FOX Network. Now I can't stop watching.
With FOX picking up his ripened cartoon Family Guy, and following it up with American Dad, McFarlane has taken control of Sunday night TV (at least for those who are at home and don't mind watching toons). And it couldn't be better for FOX, who already has The Simpsons locked up for years.
Family Guy (already cancelled once before, until its burgeoning cult status drove it back to primetime) tracks the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family, with dad Peter being a worse idiot than Homer Simpson. This Sunday, Peter (voiced by McFarlane) and his buddies joined a costume contest and won as ... the A-Team. Laughs abound as they try to help their community (e.g., bringing a cat down from a tree by ... shooting down the tree with machine guns). There's also Stewie, the baby of the family who has an English accent and secretly plots world domination (and earlier in the series, thinks of ways to murder his mother). Stewie, also voiced by McFarlane, has become such a popular character and now has his own spinoff DVD. There's also Brian, who's a talking and cultured dog (he's a freelance writer who nearly got into a regular gig as a New Yorker columnist until they kicked him out for not having graduated from college - and only then for being a canine).
In American Dad, McFarlane gets his claws on current events and American politics thru the eyes of demented CIA agent Stan Smith, who also has his own dysfunctional family (wonder what McFarlane's family is like), including a non-human member, the effete Roger the Alien. The latest storyline, a two-parter where the Smith family moves to Saudi Arabia, has a killer opening where a Bin Laden/Zarqawi character tapes a recording with the usual anti-American ranting, and then bursts into laughter as he flubs his lines. It then degenerates into a Jim Carrey-like blooper reel. Priceless.
As it should in any cartoon, McFarlane's babies try to get in a lesson or two, but also make you bust a gut or two by butchering every sacred cow and calf that comes to his wicked mind. In effect, he has already upstaged The Simpsons and South Park as the funniest toons on TV.
Damn you, McFarlane. Damn you, FOX Network. Now I can't stop watching.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Friday, November 11, 2005
1st and 10 ... Week 10 prognostications
New England at Miami ... 2 straight L's under Brady? nahh.
Minnesota at NY Giants ... now officially rooting for a Manning
Washington at Tampa Bay ... show some life, Chucky boys
Baltimore at Jacksonville ... Jags are always dangerous
Houston at Indianapolis ... wouldn't mind an upset, but no chance
Arizona at Detroit ... who's starting at QB this week? do we care?
San Francisco at Chicago ... a gimme game if there was one
Kansas City at Buffalo ... no Priest? heeeere's LJ
Denver at Oakland ... Raiders can still pull an upset
NY Jets at Carolina ... there were no Bollinger jerseys being sold, ok
St. Louis at Seattle ... who owns who?
Green Bay at Atlanta ... time to sit Favre?
Cleveland at Pittsburgh ... still no Big Ben but winnable
Dallas at Philadelphia ... Iggles might win if they channel the drama
Last Week: 10-4
Overall: 72-58
New England at Miami ... 2 straight L's under Brady? nahh.
Minnesota at NY Giants ... now officially rooting for a Manning
Washington at Tampa Bay ... show some life, Chucky boys
Baltimore at Jacksonville ... Jags are always dangerous
Houston at Indianapolis ... wouldn't mind an upset, but no chance
Arizona at Detroit ... who's starting at QB this week? do we care?
San Francisco at Chicago ... a gimme game if there was one
Kansas City at Buffalo ... no Priest? heeeere's LJ
Denver at Oakland ... Raiders can still pull an upset
NY Jets at Carolina ... there were no Bollinger jerseys being sold, ok
St. Louis at Seattle ... who owns who?
Green Bay at Atlanta ... time to sit Favre?
Cleveland at Pittsburgh ... still no Big Ben but winnable
Dallas at Philadelphia ... Iggles might win if they channel the drama
Last Week: 10-4
Overall: 72-58
V Day
excerpts from patriotism.org
-------------------
November 11, is the anniversary of the Armistice which was signed in the Forest of Compiegne by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I, after four years of conflict.
At 5 A.M. on Monday, November 11, 1918 the Germans signed the Armistice, an order was issued for all firing to cease; so the hostilities of the First World War ended. This day began with the laying down of arms, blowing of whistles, impromptu parades, closing of places of business. All over the globe there were many demonstrations; no doubt the world has never before witnessed such rejoicing.
But it was not until 1938 that Congress passed a bill that each November 11 "shall be dedicated to the cause of world peace and ... hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day.
In Emporia, Kansas, on November 11, 1953, instead of an Armistice Day program, there was a Veterans' Day observance. Ed Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill into the House to change the name to Veterans' Day. After this passed, Mr. Rees wrote to all state governors and asked for their approval and cooperation in observing the changed holiday. The name was changed to Veterans' Day by Act of Congress on May 24, 1954. In October of that year, President Eisenhower called on all citizens to observe the day by remembering the sacrifices of all those who fought so gallantly, and through rededication to the task of promoting an enduring peace. The President referred to the change of name to Veterans' Day in honor of the servicemen of all America's wars.
-------------------
For all of America's sins, it would have been a different world without them.
Saludo ako sa mga beterano.
-------------------
November 11, is the anniversary of the Armistice which was signed in the Forest of Compiegne by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I, after four years of conflict.
At 5 A.M. on Monday, November 11, 1918 the Germans signed the Armistice, an order was issued for all firing to cease; so the hostilities of the First World War ended. This day began with the laying down of arms, blowing of whistles, impromptu parades, closing of places of business. All over the globe there were many demonstrations; no doubt the world has never before witnessed such rejoicing.
But it was not until 1938 that Congress passed a bill that each November 11 "shall be dedicated to the cause of world peace and ... hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day.
In Emporia, Kansas, on November 11, 1953, instead of an Armistice Day program, there was a Veterans' Day observance. Ed Rees, of Emporia, was so impressed that he introduced a bill into the House to change the name to Veterans' Day. After this passed, Mr. Rees wrote to all state governors and asked for their approval and cooperation in observing the changed holiday. The name was changed to Veterans' Day by Act of Congress on May 24, 1954. In October of that year, President Eisenhower called on all citizens to observe the day by remembering the sacrifices of all those who fought so gallantly, and through rededication to the task of promoting an enduring peace. The President referred to the change of name to Veterans' Day in honor of the servicemen of all America's wars.
-------------------
For all of America's sins, it would have been a different world without them.
Saludo ako sa mga beterano.
What Is Your Status?!
apparently, my posting the link to that Indian flame war attracted some attention (from a registered blogspot user collectively known as ex-employees of said company) and they posted a comment on the latest post i had, another long email thread about bickering ... would the word 'idiots' suffice?
hey dudes: just put up a website and put all your hate mail and ranting in there. that will get you more publicity. you can even call CNN if they have a bureau office in India.
first time i heard of employer and employee mudslinging via email. and using horrible english to boot - that really makes them more pathetic.
hey dudes: just put up a website and put all your hate mail and ranting in there. that will get you more publicity. you can even call CNN if they have a bureau office in India.
first time i heard of employer and employee mudslinging via email. and using horrible english to boot - that really makes them more pathetic.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
when doves fly
oh no. my colleague is being sent to Oz for the next two months for a project. means i need to hold the fort down for a long while. because right after, she's walking down the aisle.
at least she'll come back happy, and she won't go through another brutal NY winter *s*.
bye, Bubs. see ya in January, then in March.
at least she'll come back happy, and she won't go through another brutal NY winter *s*.
bye, Bubs. see ya in January, then in March.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
se(rendip)nility
yep - getting old - forgot the damn belt. good thing am so fat my pants don't slide off.
bwahahaha.
bwahahaha.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
rah rah sisbumbah!
ok, ok ... why am i posting pics of ... umm, cheerleaders here, you ask?
you got me. can't resist.
no, seriously - yesterday, there was an ESPN news item about two cheerleaders for the Carolina Panthers (football team) who were thrown out of a trendy bar, for being drunk, disorderly and - gasp! - having sex in the bathroom. yes, Virginia, with each other.
the Panthers announced today that they fired Angela (left) and Renee. but not after i was able to procure pics from their website before they took them down (altogether now: "grifter, get a goddamned life!").
hey, it was an exercise in umm ... moving fast. this could be useful in a later career as an IT spy (imagine such movies where downloading critical files are accompanied by a HUGE-and-slooooowly-incrementing 'copy progress' bar and silly moviegoers biting their nails, on the edge of their seats).
by the way, upon police interrogation, one of the guilty parties above even lied to the cops and gave out a wrong name (Kirsten, below). Imagine the possible catfight ...
oh, well, next stop for notoriety in America? magazine covers. reality TV shows. Jerry Springer. Howard Stern. these girls will be richer than me in no time.
and this wasn't a family-oriented blog anyway. *lol*
if i was pounding on a typewriter
Just in case no one has seen this yet, and are in desperate need of a laugh - ok, via pa-clever humor and no-holds-barred sarcasm.
abridged scripts - a guide to understanding those darn movies in a couple of minutes or less.
fun all around.
abridged scripts - a guide to understanding those darn movies in a couple of minutes or less.
fun all around.
firecracker
Back during my Orlando days, I was a sucker for girls who can sing (still am). One of the albums I got when I still used to buy CDs (RIAA, eat my shorts), was Lisa Loeb's Firecracker. Among the gems I still listen to are the following couple of songs.
gorgeous with a capital g
-----------------------------------------------------
when i'm done with thinking, then i'm done with you.
when i'm done with crying, then i'm done with you.
when i feel so tired, then i'm done with you.
everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -
and i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you're trying to convince me that what i've done's not right.
i get so frustrated, i stay up every night.
you ask me for an answer, and i'm so tired and i'm up in the air.
everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -
and i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you can't hear it, but i'm feeling this way
just because you say
i will be ignored.
i will be denied.
i could be erased.
i could be brushed aside.
i will get scared, and i will get shoved down,
but i feel like i do because you push me around.
i'm starting to ignore you, i've doubted you so long.
i'm tired of over-thinking, i know you don't belong.
now i'm asking questions - no one pushes me around.
everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -
and i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you don't seem angry, but i do.
i do.
always a nice humbling beat-down, and you'll never win with the girl.
-----------------------------------------------------
she wanted to be a cowboy,
she was shootin' em down,
she was tramping around.
he walked in crooked with the clear blue eyes.
"there's a nice pool in my motel - you want to go for a swim?"
that night he moved in.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
at night she'd wait for the sound of his feet on the doormat,
the sound of his hand on the doorknob,
the sound of her heart beating in her head.
he'd go out playing nickel slots cause he knew he'd lose -
she didn't know, so she couldn't choose.
but one night while sleeping alone in her bed,
the phone rang, she woke up, and sat up and said,
"what time is it? what time is it?"
"well it's 5:30 here and it's 2:30 there,
and i won't be home tonight," he said.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
now she sits in a booth in a diner,
waiting for someone to take her order,
waiting for someone to come and sit down.
she rubs the smudge off the photograph, puts it back in her purse.
the grey sky was romantic cause he was holding her hand,
he was her man.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
sometimes called falling in love.
she wanted to be a cowboy,
she was shootin' em down,
she was tramping around.
cowboys, cowgirls, falling in love - what else do you want? oh yeah - that nice melancholy guitar.
though she wasn't that prolific, Ms. Loeb will always be a katrina regular.
-----------------------------------------------------
photo from lisaloeb.com
gorgeous with a capital g
-----------------------------------------------------
when i'm done with thinking, then i'm done with you.
when i'm done with crying, then i'm done with you.
when i feel so tired, then i'm done with you.
everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -
and i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you're trying to convince me that what i've done's not right.
i get so frustrated, i stay up every night.
you ask me for an answer, and i'm so tired and i'm up in the air.
everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -
and i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you can't hear it, but i'm feeling this way
just because you say
i will be ignored.
i will be denied.
i could be erased.
i could be brushed aside.
i will get scared, and i will get shoved down,
but i feel like i do because you push me around.
i'm starting to ignore you, i've doubted you so long.
i'm tired of over-thinking, i know you don't belong.
now i'm asking questions - no one pushes me around.
everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -
and i do.
you can't hear it, but i do.
you don't seem angry, but i do.
i do.
always a nice humbling beat-down, and you'll never win with the girl.
-----------------------------------------------------
she wanted to be a cowboy,
she was shootin' em down,
she was tramping around.
he walked in crooked with the clear blue eyes.
"there's a nice pool in my motel - you want to go for a swim?"
that night he moved in.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
at night she'd wait for the sound of his feet on the doormat,
the sound of his hand on the doorknob,
the sound of her heart beating in her head.
he'd go out playing nickel slots cause he knew he'd lose -
she didn't know, so she couldn't choose.
but one night while sleeping alone in her bed,
the phone rang, she woke up, and sat up and said,
"what time is it? what time is it?"
"well it's 5:30 here and it's 2:30 there,
and i won't be home tonight," he said.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
now she sits in a booth in a diner,
waiting for someone to take her order,
waiting for someone to come and sit down.
she rubs the smudge off the photograph, puts it back in her purse.
the grey sky was romantic cause he was holding her hand,
he was her man.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
the time between meeting and finally leaving is
sometimes called falling in love.
sometimes called falling in love.
she wanted to be a cowboy,
she was shootin' em down,
she was tramping around.
cowboys, cowgirls, falling in love - what else do you want? oh yeah - that nice melancholy guitar.
though she wasn't that prolific, Ms. Loeb will always be a katrina regular.
-----------------------------------------------------
photo from lisaloeb.com
shaking off monkey
Finally won one in Foxboro.
Props to him, but let's see him do that in the playoffs, and with the full New England defense.
photo from NFL.com/colts.com
Props to him, but let's see him do that in the playoffs, and with the full New England defense.
photo from NFL.com/colts.com
Monday, November 07, 2005
V is for Visitors
Passing by today - our boss Don from the UK, who's moved to Charlotte to keep the proverbial eye on us (hah!) and get more things rolling Stateside. Along for the ride is another prodigal employee, Rory, whom we hope convinces a lot more clients to open their wallets.
For good measure, my former boss LT in the Philippines also dropped by today, just to experience the feeling of getting lost in the NYC Subways. Just kidding. He's on a personal trip to check out potential customers and do market research about his own current business on the side (no, not drugs). A get-together dinner is in the foreseeable future, possibly within 36 hours.
And to keep up with the visiting theme, I hope Delphi has a good time over in Bangalore, Curryland. Eschew the nose filters and try to soak in something new for a change. If you find the experience quite distasteful (so to speak), we shall have BBQ and beers to wash it off when you come back in 2 weeks. Bon voyage!
For good measure, my former boss LT in the Philippines also dropped by today, just to experience the feeling of getting lost in the NYC Subways. Just kidding. He's on a personal trip to check out potential customers and do market research about his own current business on the side (no, not drugs). A get-together dinner is in the foreseeable future, possibly within 36 hours.
And to keep up with the visiting theme, I hope Delphi has a good time over in Bangalore, Curryland. Eschew the nose filters and try to soak in something new for a change. If you find the experience quite distasteful (so to speak), we shall have BBQ and beers to wash it off when you come back in 2 weeks. Bon voyage!
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Friday, November 04, 2005
1st and 10 ... Week 9 prognostications
Carolina at Tampa Bay ... Bucs look shaky.
Houston at Jacksonville ... payback time for Jags
Cincinnati at Baltimore ... this one's tough for both
Atlanta at Miami ... will we see more Ricky or Mike?
Detroit at Minnesota ... Vikes are reeling and need a win
Chicago at New Orleans ... Bears should pad win total
San Diego at NY Jets ... i'd be happy to lose this pick
Tennessee at Cleveland ... Titans have nothing to lose
Oakland at Kansas City ... Chiefs need separation
Seattle at Arizona ... might still be an upset
NY Giants at San Francisco ... Jints are on a roll
Pittsburgh at Green Bay ... time to sit Favre?
Philadelphia at Washington ... as long as McNabb pads up the stats
Indianapolis at New England ... might as well be the Superbowl for Peyton
Last Week: 11-3 (hah!!!)
Overall: 62-54
Carolina at Tampa Bay ... Bucs look shaky.
Houston at Jacksonville ... payback time for Jags
Cincinnati at Baltimore ... this one's tough for both
Atlanta at Miami ... will we see more Ricky or Mike?
Detroit at Minnesota ... Vikes are reeling and need a win
Chicago at New Orleans ... Bears should pad win total
San Diego at NY Jets ... i'd be happy to lose this pick
Tennessee at Cleveland ... Titans have nothing to lose
Oakland at Kansas City ... Chiefs need separation
Seattle at Arizona ... might still be an upset
NY Giants at San Francisco ... Jints are on a roll
Pittsburgh at Green Bay ... time to sit Favre?
Philadelphia at Washington ... as long as McNabb pads up the stats
Indianapolis at New England ... might as well be the Superbowl for Peyton
Last Week: 11-3 (hah!!!)
Overall: 62-54
Thursday, November 03, 2005
black is black
With the growing backlog in my DVDs-to-watch list, I could barely make a dent on it. During one of those blah evenings, I rummaged through my discs and noticed The Chronicles of Riddick. I had been meaning to watch it, but with the notion of watching its originating film, Pitch Black, again. Figured, now or never.
I first saw Pitch Black in one of my company bosses' apartment in China where I stayed 4 years ago (and even then it was already way past its theatre run, having been released a year back). With all the rampant piracy in China (cough, cough), its a treat to find some movie you ignored when it was released (whether for lack of interest or money) and only have to shell out time to watch it. Even better, you could get all the movies you want for peanuts. But I digress.
Pitch Black was a little film that could, a little sci-fi tale that got by, by word of mouth and good notices, and before you even know it, launched Vin Diesel into the road to multi$$$ filmstar. He was perfect in the role of Richard Riddick, badass criminal, and the only hope of a group of stragglers who crash-lands in a planet inhabited by ... some flying creatures. Flesh-eating flying creatures.
The film tells us that Islam will survive in the future, and is not at all invoked by terrorist creatures
To add thrills to an otherwise run-of-the-mill tale, these creatures only appear and hunt in the dark. Despite the 3 suns that bathe the planet in marvelous light, the human survivors could not have timed their crash-landing any better - an eclipse was just about to occur. And so how could one badass, no matter how ruthless he might be, be the only hope? Well, Riddick's eyes have this little advantage of seeing in the dark ...
Riddick the badass stalker
The supporting roles were also solidly casted - Radha Mitchell as the ship's pilot, trying to lead a group looking up to her and fighting her own fears; Cole Hauser as the man supposedly hauling Riddick back to jail but has his own demons; and Keith David as an imam on the way to a hajj to New Mecca but now forced to to tend to a new flock. Riddick all gets under their skin, and you can just feel smugness radiating from Diesel, relishing the character he seemed to have been born to play. But in the end they are forced to work together just to get off-planet intact. Creepy effects, and enough poppy dialogue and snappy pacing to hook you for a couple of hours. And an anti-hero to remember.
"Your eyes opened wide, as I looked your way ..."
4 years later (5 years in the story), Riddick's on the run again, having seemingly known no life except to escape bounty hunters (whether man or animal). This time, a bunch of mercenaries are trying to capture him for certain people in some planet called Hellion Prime. Having turned the tables on the gang, he goes to Hellion Prime himself to seek out who wants his head, and it turns out, its the Imam he saved in Pitch Black.
Of course, all is not what you think it is, and its not like the Imam has Riddick's number on speed dial. Certain extreme circumstances have forced the holy man to retrieve Riddick by any means necessary to ask for his help. The extreme circumstances being, a race called the Necromongers are slowly subjugating all known planetary systems in their quest to convert everyone to their belief system of reaching and being reborn in the UnderVerse (ok, if your brain just froze, rub and massage it for a few seconds - this is obviously no chick flick).
"I hate this party - the food is boring and we all dress the same!"
Well, these zealots' intentions are really pretty simple - join us or be damned. 'Be damned' meaning 'your ass is grass, and we're gonna smoke it'. Led by the Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), who has otherworldly powers due to his being the only person who has seen this UnderVerse up close, the Necromongers have just invaded Hellion Prime, and Diesel, er, I mean Riddick, is suddenly forced to make a reluctant decision to stand and fight. He actually does not - not directly, as he is sidetracked by the knowledge of the other survivor in Pitch Black, a young girl named Jack, lost her way in life and hooked up with the wrong crowd (after Riddick disappeared). Jack used to idolize Riddick, and now with the lack of a role model (see, more life lessons), ended up in jail planet called Crematoria (cool name. actual comment in film: "If I owned this place and Hell - I'd put this up for rent and stay in Hell.").
"Breaking rocks in the hot sun, I fought the law and the ... law won."
Riddick ends up in Crematoria first, to rescue Jack (now passing herself off as a short-tempered curvy chick named Kyra) - and be the role model all prisoners need (he seems to be the only to have brains around, as he's able to concoct an escape plan in barely 24 hours in the prison). The fly in the ointment - flies actually - are the Necromongers themselves, pursuing Riddick, as they have discovered his true heritage: he is the last of a race called the Furyans (the descendants of the Aryans? but we already have a master race in the film subjugating all the others), and this Lord Marshal (he doesn't even have a menacing name) just missed finishing him off when he was a baby, prompting the requisite "its gonna bite you in the ass later" prophecy. Shades of Herod and Jesus. Waiting in the wings are a couple of high-ranking Necromongers, Lord Vaako (Karl Urban, a poor man's Brad Pitt, in an 80's hairdo) and his scheming wife (Thandie Newton in a more annoying character than her role in E.R.).
Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can ...
The Chronicles of Riddick ends up more as an action vehicle for Diesel (absolutely - he co-produced) more than a sci-fi thriller. But it delivers the goods and I pretty much got interested and enjoyed it. It had enough of a backstory, testosterone, and sensibilities to appeal to its target audience. And with the finale's twist ending, there could be more Riddick in our future ...
I first saw Pitch Black in one of my company bosses' apartment in China where I stayed 4 years ago (and even then it was already way past its theatre run, having been released a year back). With all the rampant piracy in China (cough, cough), its a treat to find some movie you ignored when it was released (whether for lack of interest or money) and only have to shell out time to watch it. Even better, you could get all the movies you want for peanuts. But I digress.
Pitch Black was a little film that could, a little sci-fi tale that got by, by word of mouth and good notices, and before you even know it, launched Vin Diesel into the road to multi$$$ filmstar. He was perfect in the role of Richard Riddick, badass criminal, and the only hope of a group of stragglers who crash-lands in a planet inhabited by ... some flying creatures. Flesh-eating flying creatures.
The film tells us that Islam will survive in the future, and is not at all invoked by terrorist creatures
To add thrills to an otherwise run-of-the-mill tale, these creatures only appear and hunt in the dark. Despite the 3 suns that bathe the planet in marvelous light, the human survivors could not have timed their crash-landing any better - an eclipse was just about to occur. And so how could one badass, no matter how ruthless he might be, be the only hope? Well, Riddick's eyes have this little advantage of seeing in the dark ...
Riddick the badass stalker
The supporting roles were also solidly casted - Radha Mitchell as the ship's pilot, trying to lead a group looking up to her and fighting her own fears; Cole Hauser as the man supposedly hauling Riddick back to jail but has his own demons; and Keith David as an imam on the way to a hajj to New Mecca but now forced to to tend to a new flock. Riddick all gets under their skin, and you can just feel smugness radiating from Diesel, relishing the character he seemed to have been born to play. But in the end they are forced to work together just to get off-planet intact. Creepy effects, and enough poppy dialogue and snappy pacing to hook you for a couple of hours. And an anti-hero to remember.
"Your eyes opened wide, as I looked your way ..."
4 years later (5 years in the story), Riddick's on the run again, having seemingly known no life except to escape bounty hunters (whether man or animal). This time, a bunch of mercenaries are trying to capture him for certain people in some planet called Hellion Prime. Having turned the tables on the gang, he goes to Hellion Prime himself to seek out who wants his head, and it turns out, its the Imam he saved in Pitch Black.
Of course, all is not what you think it is, and its not like the Imam has Riddick's number on speed dial. Certain extreme circumstances have forced the holy man to retrieve Riddick by any means necessary to ask for his help. The extreme circumstances being, a race called the Necromongers are slowly subjugating all known planetary systems in their quest to convert everyone to their belief system of reaching and being reborn in the UnderVerse (ok, if your brain just froze, rub and massage it for a few seconds - this is obviously no chick flick).
"I hate this party - the food is boring and we all dress the same!"
Well, these zealots' intentions are really pretty simple - join us or be damned. 'Be damned' meaning 'your ass is grass, and we're gonna smoke it'. Led by the Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), who has otherworldly powers due to his being the only person who has seen this UnderVerse up close, the Necromongers have just invaded Hellion Prime, and Diesel, er, I mean Riddick, is suddenly forced to make a reluctant decision to stand and fight. He actually does not - not directly, as he is sidetracked by the knowledge of the other survivor in Pitch Black, a young girl named Jack, lost her way in life and hooked up with the wrong crowd (after Riddick disappeared). Jack used to idolize Riddick, and now with the lack of a role model (see, more life lessons), ended up in jail planet called Crematoria (cool name. actual comment in film: "If I owned this place and Hell - I'd put this up for rent and stay in Hell.").
"Breaking rocks in the hot sun, I fought the law and the ... law won."
Riddick ends up in Crematoria first, to rescue Jack (now passing herself off as a short-tempered curvy chick named Kyra) - and be the role model all prisoners need (he seems to be the only to have brains around, as he's able to concoct an escape plan in barely 24 hours in the prison). The fly in the ointment - flies actually - are the Necromongers themselves, pursuing Riddick, as they have discovered his true heritage: he is the last of a race called the Furyans (the descendants of the Aryans? but we already have a master race in the film subjugating all the others), and this Lord Marshal (he doesn't even have a menacing name) just missed finishing him off when he was a baby, prompting the requisite "its gonna bite you in the ass later" prophecy. Shades of Herod and Jesus. Waiting in the wings are a couple of high-ranking Necromongers, Lord Vaako (Karl Urban, a poor man's Brad Pitt, in an 80's hairdo) and his scheming wife (Thandie Newton in a more annoying character than her role in E.R.).
Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can ...
The Chronicles of Riddick ends up more as an action vehicle for Diesel (absolutely - he co-produced) more than a sci-fi thriller. But it delivers the goods and I pretty much got interested and enjoyed it. It had enough of a backstory, testosterone, and sensibilities to appeal to its target audience. And with the finale's twist ending, there could be more Riddick in our future ...
stains, brown
Unbelievable.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1103051fema1.html
Then again, why should we be surprised?
Who do you trust? Who would you trust?
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1103051fema1.html
Then again, why should we be surprised?
Who do you trust? Who would you trust?
oc
one of my all-time faves - not just once I did an Ashlee with it *s* especially the bridge part -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Everyone says
sooner or later you'll reach the end
of the line
When things get rough
some think it's easy to jump the ship . . .
You decide
I say--don't throw it away
There's about a million reasons why
Though you've heard them all before
And you're getting very tired
Lay your head on my lap and I'll sing you this lullaby
Don't you know
That everyone around you
Has felt the pain you feel today
You're out of control yeah--and you want someone to tell you
When you wake up in the morning it'll only be a dream
You're out of control . . .
There's a cloud-rollin' overhead and it seems to rain on no one else
There's a black sun--casting a black shadow,
and I know you feel so all alone
You're out of control--and you want the world to love you
Or maybe you just want a chance to let them know
That you live and breathe and suffer
And your back is in the corner and you've got nowhere to go
Nothin' for nothin'
everything's right at your fingertips
for a price
Who ever said
that life on this planet would ever be
paradise
I say--don't throw it away, you've got too many things to say
If you throw your life, if you throw away your life . . .
The world will never be the same
You're out of control--and you move without direction
And people look right through your soul
You're out of control--and you want someone to tell you
When you wake up in the morning it'll only be a dream
And I wish that I could tell you, it'll only be a dream
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Everyone says
sooner or later you'll reach the end
of the line
When things get rough
some think it's easy to jump the ship . . .
You decide
I say--don't throw it away
There's about a million reasons why
Though you've heard them all before
And you're getting very tired
Lay your head on my lap and I'll sing you this lullaby
Don't you know
That everyone around you
Has felt the pain you feel today
You're out of control yeah--and you want someone to tell you
When you wake up in the morning it'll only be a dream
You're out of control . . .
There's a cloud-rollin' overhead and it seems to rain on no one else
There's a black sun--casting a black shadow,
and I know you feel so all alone
You're out of control--and you want the world to love you
Or maybe you just want a chance to let them know
That you live and breathe and suffer
And your back is in the corner and you've got nowhere to go
Nothin' for nothin'
everything's right at your fingertips
for a price
Who ever said
that life on this planet would ever be
paradise
I say--don't throw it away, you've got too many things to say
If you throw your life, if you throw away your life . . .
The world will never be the same
You're out of control--and you move without direction
And people look right through your soul
You're out of control--and you want someone to tell you
When you wake up in the morning it'll only be a dream
And I wish that I could tell you, it'll only be a dream
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
balla
2005-06 NBA Season Kicks Off Tonight
It's a good thing I don't have cable, because I might (i said might!) just be more of a couch potato than I already am. But then thank goodness (and at the same time, "dammit!") for the Internet, for putting every kind of information at my fingertips. Gone are the days that I'd be checking out the back pages of days-old newspapers just to get NBA ink and results.
So for the next 6 to 8 months, I'd be rooting for (in no particular order) ...
EAST:
New Jersey Nets - JKidd, Vinsanity, RJ - bring 'em to Brooklyn already!
Miami Heat - I like Shaq better with DWade
Indiana Pacers - always the bridesmaid
Chicago Bulls - a new era is underway
Cleveland Cavs - I can't believe I missed the chance to watch LeBron last year
Orlando Magic - of course, the sentimental favorite.
Special mention goes to the Detroit Pistons - and because I like Coach Flip.
WEST:
Phoenix Suns - without Amare, will catch fire on the second half of season
Utah Jazz - a throwback team, one you'll always respect
Houston Rockets - I started following TMac during and post-Orlando
Dallas Mavericks - i still have the cap *lol*
Memphis Grizzlies - wala lang.
Minnesota Timberwolves - and of course, the other sentimental favorite.
But it's almost a given that by June next year, the San Antonio Spurs will be celebrating another championship by the riverwalk.
yeah, yeah, I like a lot of teams, so what? :-P
(where's the hometown team? puh-leaze. Get Isiah and Starbury out of the Garden and maybe i'll reconsider.)
It's a good thing I don't have cable, because I might (i said might!) just be more of a couch potato than I already am. But then thank goodness (and at the same time, "dammit!") for the Internet, for putting every kind of information at my fingertips. Gone are the days that I'd be checking out the back pages of days-old newspapers just to get NBA ink and results.
So for the next 6 to 8 months, I'd be rooting for (in no particular order) ...
EAST:
New Jersey Nets - JKidd, Vinsanity, RJ - bring 'em to Brooklyn already!
Miami Heat - I like Shaq better with DWade
Indiana Pacers - always the bridesmaid
Chicago Bulls - a new era is underway
Cleveland Cavs - I can't believe I missed the chance to watch LeBron last year
Orlando Magic - of course, the sentimental favorite.
Special mention goes to the Detroit Pistons - and because I like Coach Flip.
WEST:
Phoenix Suns - without Amare, will catch fire on the second half of season
Utah Jazz - a throwback team, one you'll always respect
Houston Rockets - I started following TMac during and post-Orlando
Dallas Mavericks - i still have the cap *lol*
Memphis Grizzlies - wala lang.
Minnesota Timberwolves - and of course, the other sentimental favorite.
But it's almost a given that by June next year, the San Antonio Spurs will be celebrating another championship by the riverwalk.
yeah, yeah, I like a lot of teams, so what? :-P
(where's the hometown team? puh-leaze. Get Isiah and Starbury out of the Garden and maybe i'll reconsider.)
Awan DJ Guerilla, On The Road
My My My, Armand Van Helden
I Wanna Be Your Lover, Prince
Hold Her Down, Toad The Wet Sprocket
Forbidden Fruit, Paul Van Dyk
Porcelain, Moby
I Woke Up In A Car, Something Corporate
Life In The Fast Lane, The Eagles
Senorita, Los Lonely Boys
Favorite, Liz Phair
Oh baby know what your like?
You're like my favorite underwear
It just feels right, you know it
Oh baby know how you feel?
You feel like my favorite underwear
And I'm slipping you on again tonight
Leave you lyin' on the bedroom floor
I leave you hangin' on the bathroom door
Take you for granted,
but I'll always know exactly where you are
ahhh ... jinyas!
My My My, Armand Van Helden
I Wanna Be Your Lover, Prince
Hold Her Down, Toad The Wet Sprocket
Forbidden Fruit, Paul Van Dyk
Porcelain, Moby
I Woke Up In A Car, Something Corporate
Life In The Fast Lane, The Eagles
Senorita, Los Lonely Boys
Favorite, Liz Phair
Oh baby know what your like?
You're like my favorite underwear
It just feels right, you know it
Oh baby know how you feel?
You feel like my favorite underwear
And I'm slipping you on again tonight
Leave you lyin' on the bedroom floor
I leave you hangin' on the bathroom door
Take you for granted,
but I'll always know exactly where you are
ahhh ... jinyas!
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