Thursday, February 28, 2013

Game of Throne - Keep On Throning

Game of Throne - Keep On Throning

So in another month we get to see the most anticipated HBO return this year. Game of Thrones. And here's a little preview;



Which admittedly doesn't tell us anything about it. But having read the books, shits gonna go down. Expect the typical G.R.R. style of making sure your heroes suffer and then suffer some more.



Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The State of Public Magic Schools

The State of Public Magic Schools

I'm feeling very low content right now, so let's just show you the state of our public magic schools these days



If you aren't under a laughing spell right now, I don't know what your problem is.


Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Hobbit

The Hobbit

Now that I've seen the Hobbit a good dozen times.. Yes, that's right. A dozen times. What can I say, I'm a nerd and this sort of AD&D shit is just stuff I eat up. In any case, I have a few observations to make based on my own political and real world views being applied to this world of Middle-Earth.


Let's face it. Bilbo isn't saving the world or anything. He sort of blunders into a brutal war he can't even begin to grasp with a bunch of military contractors. While there they use superior military technology to kill some indigenous people and then he goes on to exterminate the last member of an ancient species. All before going home with a shit ton of foreign loot.


You want to talk about class warfare, he carries around a magical sword that detects anyone not accepted by society. Oh that Bilbo, boldly adventuring on in his travels with a deposed monarch and his crew seeking to re-found an empire.

And yeah, it was a red shirt archer who killed the dragon. But that local man who shot it down only did so after the dragon was provoked into a rampage by Bilbo's theft of Thorin's ancestral crown jewels. If I recall correctly, he tells smaug that he's one of the lake folk, which sends the mighty beast off to his doom at the hands of Bard - who has a black arrow passed down for generations and generations. Apparently that sort of stuff makes you predestined to be ruler

So see kids, the moral of the Hobbit is simple - Steal Jewelry, Get Friends, Kill those ugly assholes.

Oh yeah, and ruin New Zealand's actors unions....

Monday, February 25, 2013

Music Video MST3k

Music Video MST3k

While MTV stopped showing videos almost 20 years ago now, it's to the point that teenagers who are growing up now never knew of a channel that existed with music videos, it's probably for the best. Especially since we have places like Youtube that we can instantly watch videos on demand with the cost being maybe 30 seconds of commercials. Typically it's a five second wait before you can even skip it.

With that said, how about we take apart a current music video.



First off, I'll make no qualms about liking Katy Perry. She's hot, and while I'm sure a lot of that is layers and layers of caked on make up, as evident by the candid morning shot that Russell Brand took. I still think she cleans up well. Besides, I'm not going to scoff at someone who is willing to get down with the outrageous wig colors. That's sort of a kick of mine, after all.

So clearly this video is a sort of reaction to the fame/limelight that she has gotten in her very public relationship to the before mentioned morning camera action heavy duty British accent fella. The personification of her inner child does come across fairly well. I guess I fail to see why she went full on blatantly ripping off Skrillex's crazy super powered little girl. Down to even the foot stomping.

The video also gives me a very heavy Advance Dungeons and Dragons fill to it with a dash of Labyrinth for good measure. I like it for that maze feel. Katy has this sort of Mage chick that I imagine I would have created a character for when I was young. So hey, there you go. Staying classy while also sexualized. A whole lot better than in her other videos like that California Girls one. Which, I mean, really. Who had a fetish for Candy Land growing up?
  



Sunday, February 24, 2013

The Oscars - Who Cares?

The Oscars - Who Cares?


Well, most people do. So much that there's typically Oscar parties going on and what not. I work in the industry and I really don't care. I care even less than I do for the industry I am in.. the Gold Globes. But it's always a nice experience to gamble without feeling like i have some crushing addiction.

I don't watch it to see how the host did. They most likely weren't all that good, besides that, they're the scapegoat more times than not. So who cares. I guess the only reason to watch is to indeed gamble on it in a safe environment. It's not like you'll be watching much else as most shows decide to forfeit the night and not show something new.

But there's a couple of reasons to enjoy it. This being one of them.




Actually, I would watch it far  more often if that happened. We need to blend all the movies together and then everyone can be a winner. Either way, try not to party too hearty for the Oscars.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim 

So this trailer came about for this summer's bound to be huge film;



At the surface you have this vaguely Steampunk Evangelion done by Guillermo Del Toro with Glados in it. Toss in a dash of Avatr, some Independence Day and Power Rangers into the mix and there you go.

In fact, this seems perfect as an example of a film being created by those whose generation grew up on Giant Robot cartoons instead of on UFO flicks. Because that's really why ID4 came about. Those boomers from the 50's finally getting to the point of sprinkling in their nostalgia into the pot.

All I have to say about this is that it's Guillermo Del Toro and that's enough to sale me on buying a couple of tickets - all in support of a writer, director and friend with a tongue like a sailor. So I'll hold my tongue on saying anything negative at all because it is Del Toro. Even if I want to say "AAAAAAAAHHHH, After ten thousand years I'M FREEEEEE! IT'S TIME TO CONQUER.... EARTH!

Friday, February 22, 2013

From LoveLine to Doctor Death - The Dr. Drew Situation

From LoveLine to Doctor Death - The Dr. Drew Situation


Country Music... well, I can't really say super star, cause really. Who the fuck was she anyway? Well Mindy McCready, one of Dr. Drew's Celebrity rehab folks was found on her front porch dead of an apparent suicide earlier this week. She appeared on VH1's celebrity rehab with Dr. Drew in 2009 for an alcohol and painkiller addiction.

As tragic as this sounds, it is the fifth person that Dr. Drew has helped on the VH1 show to die. Which begs the question - Is Dr. Drew even remotely helpful to these people or is he just exploiting them at a time of need? Dr. Drew himself comes out and says as much in laying out that he doesn't really help these poor schmucks.

Dr. Drew, who says he hadn't seen McCready in years, spoke on CNN last night about the tragedy. He admitted that although she was on Celebrity Rehab, he did not actually treat her. Which really begs the question on what the point of all this is. Dr. Drew spoke out on what's seemingly his poor track record with treating addiction among celebrities:
One of my hopes was, in bringing Celebrity Rehab out, was to teach people how dangerous addiction was. If I was doing a show on cancer there would not be much surprise when my cancer patient died. In fact, we'd celebrate a few years of good quality life. People don't understand that addiction has virtually the same prognosis.

In the case of McCready, after appearing on the show, she was never able to get her singing career back on track. So you can't really say that the good ol' Doctor really helped her. Then about a year ago when her boyfriend killed himself, I guess it was just too much for her.  She was found in an apparent murder suicide where she shot her dog in the process of offing herself.

So I guess that lends to blaming Dr. Drew for not only five deaths, but perhaps we should count the dog as a .5, because really, what the fuck did the dog do? Poor dog.

On the other hand, relapse rates for addiction range between 50% and 90%, and are comparable to the relapse of other chronic illnesses like diabetes. So it's treatable but the steps required is far more than just simply putting a camera in front of them.






Thursday, February 21, 2013

Some Japanese Horror Story Shit All Up In L.A.

Some Japanese Horror Story Shit All Up In L.A.

If you're not caught up with the in progress strange story, Elisa Lam was a Canadian tourist who traveled to Southern California and went missing around 1/21. The purpose of the trip is still unknown, but it is said that her final destination was to be Santa Cruz. Well, she never made it. A body was found in a water tank of the hotel where she was staying.. If that isn't strange enough, there's a video of her last known appearance that was released before the police found the body and it is of Elisa Lam acting very strange in the hotel elevator.

Here's the footage from the hotel elevator security cameras, which I have to say is a bit creepy...





I'm kind of curious as to if she was high on any medication. I can't really explain her behavior in that elevator otherwise. She goes in and presses all the buttons and she does this all calm as fuck. Then a few seconds later she starts freaking out and pops her head out of the elevator.

I have no idea what that is even about.

Not to mention that the elevator doesn't close at all. And what the fuck is up with the hand gestures?! She's clearly talking to someone and she sort of looks like she's high on something. Now this all leads to the next in a series of bigger questions - How the fuck did she get from the elevator to being in a water tank for so long? Especially one that she didn't even have the key for.

They only decided to look in the water because of complaints of low water pressure. The police are suspecting foul play and they'd be stupid not to. The door to the roof was locked and has an alarm on it. So the only way she could have gotten to the roof was through the use of keys or some other mysterious force.

You have to admit, that elevator footage is really disturbing and something that just feels like it comes straight out of a Japanese horror movie. Something like Dark Water meets The Grudge meets The Ring. How exactly would she get to the roof, let alone into the water tower that is 8 feet tall. And even if someone did murder her and this wasn't all the work of some creepy little Asian ratty hair'ed ghost, it begs the question - does it make it any less creepy that a foreigner ends up in a skid row adjacent seedy hotel, is caught on security camera acting insane and then disappearing into a pool of water.

Mind you, police took sniffing dogs up there in the original search and found nothing. but yet this time they do? Something's not right here. Then again, a lot of things about this hotel are just down right wrong and there's a question begged in wondering if this is really just a long list of other horror filled situations.

The Cecil Hotel is, after all, the place that The Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez called home in the 1980's. It's also where an Austrian journalist turned serial killer, Jack Unterweger, in the 1990's called home. But hey, that's not the only aurora of foreboding in this place. This hotel has been the death of many.

In 1954, Helen Gurnee stepped from her 7th floor window and crashed atop the hotel's marquee. She had registered as Margaret Brown a week before. Her suicide is still unknown as to the reasons. Hell, there may not be any. It could be a matter of what lured her into the hotel in the first place.

In February of 1962, Julia Moore climbed out of her 8th floor room window and jumped out, landing in a second story interior light well. She left no note and just a bus ticket from St. Louis. Later that year Pauline Otton had been arguing with her estranged husband. He took a walk and she took a leap out the window. Only she landed on top of a pedestrian named George Gianinni. Both were killed instantly.

In 1964, Pigeoon Goldie Osgood was found dead in her room by a hotel worker distributing phone books. She had been stabbed, strangled and raped, as well as her room being ransacked. Near her body were found the dodgers caps she always wore and a paper sack full of birdseed. Her murder became a cold case.

Elisa Lam gets added to that list. Why she decided to climb into the water storage of the apartment and drown herself? Well, that's a mystery in and of itself. Chances are it's clearly foul play and someone who better knows the hotel just dumped the body in there not expecting it to float to the bottom and blocking water pressure.

Or maybe it was just the hotel claiming another soul to its list....

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Of Bullying And Alternative Power Sources

Of Bullying And Alternative Power Sources 

It's been a bit of time since I did an update about movies. And what with the Oscars around the corner, it seems like everything is really easy to get a hold of and watch through alternative means. So I sit here and I just watched two films. The first one was Bully



This year, over 5 million American kids will be bullied at school, online, on the bus, at home, through their cell phones and on the streets of their towns, making it the most common form of violence young people in this country experience. The Bully Project is the first feature documentary film to show how we've all been affected by bullying, whether we've been victims, perpetrators or stood silent witness. The world we inhabit as adults begins on the playground. The Bully Project opens on the first day of school. For the more than 5 million kids who'll be bullied this year in the United States, it's a day filled with more anxiety and foreboding than excitement. As the sun rises and school busses across the country overflow with backpacks, brass instruments and the rambunctious sounds of raging hormones, this is a ride into the unknown.
Here's the trailer;



Any one of you who identifies with these kids is a faggot. Don't make me push you down, you fucking dweeb. Hell, you twerps and lil faggots just blaming other people for your own problems. Way to not take responsibility for your own lameness. Who's the faggot now, faggot!

Welp, I know that I'm going to get a vasectomy now cause kids... okay, humans are god damn horrible. But in truth this was actually a decent film, though it was more interesting and effective for the high school crowd. I wonder what the next hysteria is going to be after the 'OMG BULLYING' sort of fades away. Maybe it's going to be all about Football being brain-damaging leaders for our kids. Or how about school safety, because of those guns. Gotta keep an armed guard around at all time, don'tcha know.

But I'll say it again - kids are fucking awful to everyone and everything.

So after I've pretty much chased you away from reading this blog with a huge helping of sarcasm, let's move on to the next flick.  PROMISED LAND.



What's it about? Well, it's a story of a salesmen for a natural gas company experiencing life-changing events after arriving in a small town, where his corporation wants to tap into the available resources.



You can plainly see this is all about MONEY IS WRONG, DUH, GAS IS WRONG, SOLAR PANELS ON EVERYTHING!11 type of message. Oh yeah, and that's Jim from The Office.

Oh poor people, so your drinking water is flammable. Think of it as a cool fireworks show, brah.  It's actually surprising that the film has such a worse IMDB rating than even I was expecting it to be. I can't say I hated it. I mean, it almost made me want to even consider the possibility of living in a little shithole do-nothing town....

Almost. But yeah, fuck those Walmart filled backwards as hick towns. I almost feel like this was a complete ripoff of the documentary Gasland. Only made for those who couldn't stand documentaries without lovable actors you know from popular NBC shows.

 Besides, the solar panel industry has a way better salesman than Fatt Damon. They have this dude who can clearly sale sowarpawols


And that's your clearly outdated movie news for the week.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Poonikins The Magic Warrior Pony

Poonikins The Magic Warrior Pony

I... seriously don't know.



But god damn is this amazing



Monday, February 18, 2013

Communist And Those Filthy Communism

Communist And Those Filthy Communism

For some reason I was watching Fox News back in the early 90's when I watched some Canadian comedy troupe do their thang.



I can't be the only one who got a Glenn Beck vibe from that following clip and I'm amazed that those Cannucks haven't sued. But hey, it goes to show you that sometimes fiction becomes truth.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

The Internet Killed The Video Star

The Internet Killed The Video Star

It's pretty much true. You constantly have the statement that MTV doesn't play music videos anymore by anyone who is old enough to remember it actually playing music videos. Well, here's a pretty good explanation as to why that is no longer the case.



This is exactly it. It's the same reason that TLC, the channel that was formally THE LEARNING CHANNEL shows television like Honey Boo Boo. It's because we, as a people, have downgraded into levels of stupidity that are beyond believable. It's just the way it goes. Dead with it. Or, you know, use the outlets you do have - namely this internet thing that doesn't seem like it's going anyway - to better inform yourself and actually watch and find the things you do want to see.

You know, opposed to just bitching about what something is trying to show you.


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Valentine's Day Special - True Love With Rihanna and Chris

Valentine's Day Special - True Love With Rihanna and Chris

Ah, true love waits... Well, at least not on this day, that Hallmark holiday that tells us that we need to show the loved ones we know that we care about. No ma'am. At this point we could just look at those loving success stories. Like the story of these two.
Rihanna and Chris Brown...

Which I have to admit, I'm still confused on how or why they are back together. Chris Brown and Rihanna defy logic. It's really rather disturbing to witness someone go back to the arms of their abusers. But hey, as Rihanna describes her reasons for getting back together with him;
"I decided it was more important for me to be happy, I wasn't going to let anybody's opinion get in the way of that. Even if it's a mistake, it's my mistake. After being tormented for so many years, being angry and dark, I'd rather just live my truth and take the backlash. I can handle it."

But best of all, here's this nugget;

"He doesn't have the luxury of fucking up aain" 

Right. Which simply means that next time he snaps and loses his temper, she's going to end up dead. Because need I remind you that Chris Brown punched, choked and bit Rihanna before kicking her the fuck out of a moving car just before the 2009 Grammy Awards.

The simple fact that they allowed him back into the Grammy's is astonishing to me from the get go. But it's fucking pathetic and gives women everywhere a bad name because of this return to the status quo. Fucking disturbing and disgusting all at the same time.

Fucking disturbing...

Friday, February 15, 2013

Criterion Collection - The Hulu Way

Criterion Collection - The Hulu Way

If you're a fan of DVD's or films in general, you know all about Criterion Collection. It's a distribution company that cares a bit more about the films than you would imagine. Well, this weekend only you can watch a slew of Criterion Collection films without having to deal with Netflix or going out to Blockbuster... if there's any left.

Yes, you can watch films like Seven Samurai, Breathless, Cronos, The Hidden Fortress, Wings of Desire, The Blob, Modern Times, City Lights, The Seventh Seal, The 400 Blows. Eraserhead, The Most Dangerous Game, Jules and Jim, Tokyo Story and many more.

All you have to do is click this ONE LITTLE BUTTON

Looks like your weekend has just booked up.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day, Space Cowboy

Happy Valentine's Day, Space Cowboy

Never say I don't have a heart because I don't believe in Hallmark Holidays.












Probably the only reason I actually tolerate this day is for the insane amount of puns one can use. 

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Like Me on Facebook? How About Do You Want To Bang Me?

 Like Me on Facebook? How About Do You Want To Bang Me?

Just when you thought there wasn't enough reasons to avoid Facebook, here comes a new example as to why you should run as fast as you can as far as you can from that social media outlet... For now you can see who wants to bang you...
The premise is so obvious, you’ll kick yourself for not thinking of it first. You install the app, then the app lists your Facebook friends of the opposite sex. You click if you’d like to “bang” them, and no one ever knows . . . that is, unless one of those friends installed the app and elected to bang you, too. Bang With Friends makes finding a mate as easy as window shopping on Pinterest.

Truthfully, I thought this would involve selling people's information somehow, not literally fucking them when I read the bi-line. But I guess this seems like the logical conclusion of social media. It has been distilled into what we all use it for.  Though it's pretty much a given that the inevitably depressing realization when you click on every friend as someone you'd bang, but never get any hits back.

You have to give it up to this app creator, I mean, I'm really surprised it has taken this long for something like this to happen. Not to mention that the drama fallout among your friends will be so absolutely glorious among social circles. It's going to be epic.

One question though, what about gay people? That does seem a bit discriminatory.  And come on, facebook. I do not want to bang my own mother. So please stop asking me if I should add her.

Just imagine how your next conversation with anyone you got a match with would be. I mean, that's not going to be awkward as hell, right?

"So... are we gonna do this then or what?

And the comedy options are probably the best of all of this. As it stands, if you leave your account logged in anywhere, you get dicks who will fuck with your profile proclaiming you are gay. Imagine the fun that can be had with this!

I guess the only positive I see in this is that it eliminates the fear of rejection because the person only finds out if the feeling is mutual. So basically it's great if you're a huge fucking coward. I really shouldn't be surprised in finding out that this is the direction society is heading. To a place with no spines. 

What about all those who will conceivably just "bang you" to see if you want to bang them without actually wanting to. Kind of just comes back to the whole "do you want to have sex with me?" conversation at the end of the day. 

I feel that this is one of those things that historians will look back on in a couple hundred years as a sign of the downfall of civilization as we know it. And why does it have to be so hard noised about it? Either a bang or not bang and nothing in the middle? You need to make a gradient to this. Like classify if you want a one night stand and I'm not calling after sort of situation or a we'll try it and see how I feel. You could even reach the Long term commitment, plz. aspect.

I guess the brain child of all this is that one nerd who has those hot friends who will never let him leave the friend zone. Sorry buddy, you still ain't getting out of that zoned area.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Awesome Sex Leads To Tragic Death


Awesome Sex Leads To Tragic Death



On this, a few days before the sacred act of St. Valentine - a man who died - nay! Got beheaded for marrying people against the churches wishes - Much the same that I do often in the park with those love bird pigeons.

In any case, a few days before the day when pretty much every one who is anyone is about the get down - because really, who the fuck doesn't fuck on Valentine's Day? For those of you single folks playing the home version of this... GO OUT! Valentine's Day is the one day when pretty much everyone has a chance. Bars are filled with desperately lonely women who didn't snag a date before this terrible day. You may even have a chance to be that one mistake they regret for the rest of their life.

In any event, before you go out and do that, I just want to remind you and show you a little something that was brought to you by ABC Family as a means to get those crazy kids from humping like rabbits.



I mean, it's sort of a yin and yang type of thing, you know.

Monday, February 11, 2013

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

We're just at the beginning of a new year and I'm already looking forward to the end of it. Why, you ask? Because then I could watch part II of this series that some would say was a forced trilogy, The Hobbit. In the next part we take on a bit of Smaug. But more importantly we take a tour of Middle-Earth some more through some barrels and see a giant bear. Well, he's not really a bear yet...

In any event, here's a couple of things you could look forward to in this film that comes out a whole 12 months from now.



Yeah, I can't wait - can we just end this 2013 already?




Sunday, February 10, 2013

The Walking Dead Rises Again

The Walking Dead Rises Again


You know what is awesome? When you forget about a show and then its return sneaks up on you. Which I guess isn't something you'd want a zombie to do, and yet here we are. Tonight sees the return of the Walking Dead. Which is pretty neat-o as it did leave in a sort of middle part where it felt like they should have done a bit more.

In any case, I have nothing really to add to this other than to drop on you the extended version of that Time Warner cable ad that played during the superbowl.




Saturday, February 9, 2013

Zombie Gaze And Video Games

Zombie Gaze And Video Games

While I'm well aware that video games are for teenage boys and there's nothing a teenage boy likes more than boobs, this shit is just purely disturbing on so many levels that I can't begin in how sickening it is...


Then I'm reminded that this is the same video game company that put a skill in the game called something like 'Feminist bitch". Just the memory of all the misogynistic comments in the code. So when people complain about how violent video games are in terms of weapons and guns, how about focusing on how misogynistic it is.

Just a reminder that the trial of a guy who murdered his sister, dismembered her body and then threw her into the Regent's Canal in East London. So hey, maybe we should look at what content we are putting on the screen.


Bumping up the scary levels is that this is also "Hand Painted", which means someone had to detail it by hand, theoretically anyway. We all know it's done by Chinese slave shop workers. Those poor kids having to deal with a torso like that.


The whole thing is just pretty disturbing. It goes beyond young hormone filled teens gawking at breast and it goes way past male gazey and lands into the field of sociopath gaze.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Fuck Da Police

Fuck Da Police

The biggest news yesterday was about the ex-military cop killing cop who went from San Diego all the way to Irvine - where he allegedly killed two people. From there it gets muddy as there was reports that he was in Torrance. Which only lead to police shooting up the hell out of a car (more of that below) and then reportedly he went up to Big Bear where he torched his truck and up till now, it was assumed he was hiding in the fores area. Which, let's face it, is probably bullshit because this guy seems crazy smart in police procedure.

In any case, the LAPD is going around on high alert. Which means you probably should be concerned about driving while brown. At least now you don't have to worry about driving in a truck. As was the case in TWO incidents that occurred. 


Yup, that's right. TWO officer-involved shootings occurred in Torrance after police encountered suspicious vehicles - the likes of which were NOTHING like the one suspected to be driving by Christopher Dorner. The first one happened around 5:20am as officers observed a truck with the lights off and approached it. At which point shooting occurred and the two people inside the truck were struck and taken to a local area hospital. The kicker. These women were delivering newspapers.  Just look at this car.


Fucking hell, they didn't even try to stop that truck. It is just riddled with bullets from the back. It really makes you think that the term "Officer-involved shooting" is not the correct term. Probably something more along the lines of "Cops blast the shit out of this random bystander's car." 

What's even more troublesome is that they blasted the fuck out of the truck that didn't even meet the description requirements. A Toyota and not a Nissan and they were elderly paper throwers opposed to large black male. Even more so that they opened fire without warning.  Clearly there's a kill order out on the dude.

But all this makes you see how fucking fearful and scared little people cops actually are. They always go on and on about 'oh what a dangerous job we do, and putting out lives on the line' stuff, but as soon as there is any risk at fucking all, they just riddle shit with bullets from a safe enough distance.

The second incident was a short time later, a white unarmed male was driving a similar blue pick up truck and he too was shot by police who believed he was the suspect. Keep in mind that the man they are looking for is a 6 foot 4 black male. Essentially, till the truck was burned in big bear, the LA news stations were warning people to not drive a pick up truck in LA and to obey all traffic laws or risk being shot by police who are all stressed out and tense that someone is going after their own.

So let's take a step back and look at how or why all this went down. Christopher Dorner essentially tried to blow whistle on racism and brutality on the police force. He gets drummed out for it and then writes a huge manifesto calling everyone out and making bold threats against the officers and their family. Then he starts to carry out his one man mission of The Punisher level justice. Police fire back by shooting minorities and the LAPD has now shot more innocent people looking for this guy than the suspect is accused of.

Seems pretty ironic when you think about it. They're basically going out of their way to prove the dude 100% correct in that the LAPD are just out for themselves and treat the people they are supposedly protecting like gutter trash.

I wouldn't be all that surprised if this was what he was planning on. The dude studied insurgency on the front lines by watching the U.S. fail to crush it. He's already achieved a level of Bin Laden style terrorism of "make our enemies reveal themselves to be the monsters they really are"

In any event, in this epic manhunt, which lead up to Big Bear, a place where he took his truck and reportedly had it set for a timed explosion, and with that torching of the truck, he probably saved the lives of at least a dozen paperboys. Now they are only going to shoot at muscular black people until another vehicle is identified as his.

Just today he was reportedly scene over the mountain in the high desert as well as in downtown L.A. at the twin towers prison. So you make what you will of that. But there's very little chance he's still in Big Bear. If he ever was there for longer than it took to set his car to go up in flames and hit the road. It would make for a great distraction for all those officers and that man hunt focusing on that area while he snuck out the many other routes. 



You can find his manifesto online here. It's pretty out there. But you have to wonder if there's a good amount of truth in there. Especially when you have police shooting the hell out of little old Asian ladies delivering newspapers.
I know I will be vilified by the LAPD and the media. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD and reclaim my name. The department has not changed since the Rampart and Rodney King days. It has gotten worse. The consent decree should never have been lifted. The only thing that has evolved from the consent decree is those officers involved in the Rampart scandal and Rodney King incidents have since promoted to supervisor, commanders, and command staff, and executive positions.

Well then. Another interesting take away from the manifesto is;
Are you aware that an officer (a rookie/probationer at the time) seen on the Rodney King videotape striking Mr. King multiple times with a baton on 3/3/91 is still employed by the LAPD and is now a Captain on the police department? Captain rolando is now the commanding officer of a LAPD police station (West LA division). As a commanding officer, he is now responsible for over 200 officers. Do you trust him to enforce department policy and investigate use of force investigations on arrestees by his officers? Are you aware rolando has since promoted to Sergeant after kicking Mr. king in the face. Oh, you Violated a citizens civil rights? We will promote you. Same as LAPD did with the officers from Metro involved in the May Day melee at MacArthur Park. They promoted them to Sergeant (a supervisor role).
Hmmm, did not know that. As I stated, I think the guy makes some valid points. Though they're buried under all this craziness that allows people to dismiss him as simply fucking bonkers. In any event, I sure can't wait for the movie about this...





No, not that one. The even better one;


YEEEEESSSS. That one.


As of this writing they still don't have him and there has yet to be any sign of proof that he's even in Big Bear. Empty cabins are being searched but let's face it, he's far far away from there by now. Who knows if he'll pop up any time soon.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

The News Types The Darnedest Things

The News Types The Darnedest Things

Sometimes the news is often more entertaining in making its own stuff up than what it is reporting. Just see the following folks...



































Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Russian River and Pliny The Younger Time

Russian River and Pliny The Younger Time

It's February and you know what that means.... No, not love and all that mushy shit. At best you could at least guess time for the second half of this season's Walking Dead.

But no. It's not even that. The time is just about Pliny The Younger o'clock. It's been called one of the world's best beers. It's a triple IPA which isn't all that bitter, in fact it gets that perfect balance of hoppy bitterness with sweetness that you really can't tell that you're drinking something that will get you fucked up.

So how do they make it? Well, here's a little 12 minute video to introduce you to this one of a kind amazing beer.




In L.A. you can find it being tapped at various bars. A keg of it usually gets kicked within a couple of hours and you'll be hard pressed to not have to wait in lines... unless you know the ins and outs. But still, this is a one of the kind beer drinking experiences that can't be missed. It's really that good.



Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Making Special Love Bacon Pancakes

Making Special Love Bacon Pancakes

Did you know that today is National Pancake day? Bet you didn't did, yah. Also consider that the special hallmark occasion is coming up, perhaps you should surprise your loved one with a nice morning surprise of bacon pancakes. Oh yeah, that'll show her what true love is all about. Nothing more romantic than bacon pancakes.

But how do you make them, you ask? Well it's simple. Just look here;



Now you're ready for that V-day surprise... though you should do it after V-day or before. Cause then it'll be all that much more special.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Comic Conventions and Cosplay Shaming

Comic Conventions and Cosplay Shaming

Even though we're just getting through the holiday season now and the convention scene for the wonderful world of comic books and other nerdy stuff is in a state of Steve Rogers-ism till at least January. But recently there has been a lot of talk about cosplayers and their intent. Basically many creators and jealous males decided to call out women who dressed up as their favorite characters - characters which are normally designed by males and so the proportions in their body type are generally exaggerated to extremes - Big breast, thin waist, and tall - seems to be the body type.

So having these really huge breasted drawn characters that could really only exist in the comic world come to life in the form of female acting out Halloween costumes in July does lead to some problems. In many ways it makes it so that female nerds are mistaken for slutty dressed street walkers. Many nerds spoke out stating that these scantly dressed females aren't even "true" nerds, as if there was a gauge you could count someone's nerdom and fandom to a franchise or sub-culture.

On one hand, I do see what they are saying. by dressing this way, you do get a lot of attention. Though dressing up as ANYTHING at Comic con will have a high likelihood that you'll be stopped by many people and asked to have a picture taken of you and some random stranger. So it's not so much that it's because you're female that they stop you, but that you're representing a subculture that they enjoy.

Then again, there's situations like every moment of this video;



And that's when I just have to assume that it's not really the female's fault for dressing this way and "asking for it", as many people would say is the case. But the tail is leading the dog in this wag the dog scenario. If female comic characters were so sexualized, perhaps when fans of the franchise dress up in those costumes it won't automatically be lumped together with being sluts.

Or perhaps you should have some fucking self control in the matter and not let someone dressed in essentially their bra and some colorful feathers make you turn into some strip club patron. You're here to see the previews of next summer's biggest nerd movies, not to get a free strip show.

Blaming these cosplayers for asking for such treatment is like tossing out that "She shouldn't have worn that dress" in a rape situation. It's just turned into a "She shouldn't have only worn that chainmail" or "She shouldn't have cut a hole like powergirl". In short, it's all fucking stupid. Learn to, you know, respect someone regardless if you find their lack of proper clothing to be suited for the situation.




Superbowl Ad Shuffle - Part 1

Superbowl Ad Shuffle - Part 1

Let's be real here, folks. No one watches the big game to see the actual game. Hell, half of the viewers don't even know who is playing, let alone follow any amount of time that the game is actually on. Ravens? 49'ers? Pfft, they don't care.

What they do care about is the ads. Which seems very at odds with the on the go mindset of your typical viewer. Especially in a world that is filled with DVR ability to fast forward

Check out Volkswagen's ad for this year;


I.... really don't know. I wonder how long they debated having the actors in black face before they decided to ditch that idea. Then again, I can't say it's really racist considering Jamaican is not an actual race.


What can be said is that the "power of German engineering" is clearly to exploit the soul of Caribbean peoples.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Canned Beer and One Man's Mission for Non-shitty Shitty Beer

Canned Beer and One Man's Mission for Non-shitty Shitty Beer

Since today is the day you will see a slew of terrible ads on the superbowl attempting to get you to buy into their marketing gimmick that you gots to drink their beer and what not, let's take a moment and look at some angry consumer;

Miller Brewing Company
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53201
 
Dear Sir or Madam,
 
I have been a drinker of Miller beers for many years
(actually, ever since that other company donated a big
chunk of change to Handgun Control Inc.  back in the
mid 80's).  Initially, my beer of choice was Miller 
Lite, but some time in mid-1990 while in  Honduras I
switched to MGD smuggled up from Panama.  Now, for
nearly six years, I have been a faithful drinker of
MGD.  For these past years, I have come to expect
certain things from Genuine Draft.  I expect that
whenever I see that gold can of MGD, I am about ready
to enjoy a great, smooth brew.  But wait!  Sometime
around the first of the year, my beloved MGD changed colors,
so to speak.  That familiar gold can was no longer
gold!  Knowing that I am, by nature, somewhat
resistant to change, I forced myself to reserve
judgment on the new can design.  Gradually, I grew to
appreciate the new label.  That was until about May of
this year.
 
That was when I discovered (empirically) that I really
didn't like the new design. Further investigation of
the cause of my distress resulted in the following
observations:
 
  1. Your cans are made of aluminum.
 
  2. Aluminum is a great conductor of energy.
 
  3. Your beer is commonly consumed outside, and thus,
  the container may be exposed to sunlight.
 
  4. Sunlight striking the can causes radiant warming of
  the surface of  the can.
 
  5. The resultant heat (energy) is transferred through
  the aluminum, by conduction, to the contents of the
  can (the beer).
 
  6. Warm beer sucks.
 
This is a process that can be observed in just about
any beer.  However, this process is significantly
accelerated in MGD because you painted the damn can
. . . black!!!  Who was the rocket scientist that designed
the new graphic for the can and implemented the change
right before summer?  Granted, this process may not be
real evident up there in Wisconsin, but down here in
Oklahoma where the summers are both sunny and hot,
this effect is quite a problem. There's no telling
what the folks in Texas and Arizona are having to put
up with.  Knowing that you would probably not address
this issue unless you had firm evidence of a problem,
I and several other subjects conducted extensive
experimentation.  The results of these experiments are
listed below.
 
The experiments were conducted over two days on the
deck next to my pool.  The study included seven
different types of beer (leftovers from a party the
previous weekend) that were initially chilled to 38
(and then left exposed to sunlight for different
lengths of time).  These beers were sampled by the
test subjects at different intervals.
 
The subjects, all normally MGD drinkers, were asked at
each sampling interval their impressions of the
different beers.  The length of time between the
initial exposure to sunlight and the point where the
subject determined the sample undrinkable (the
Suck-point) was determined.  The average ambient
temperature for the trials was 95 degrees F.
 
Beer Type                          Average Suck-point (minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Miller Lite (white can)            6.2
Bud (white can)                    5.5
Bud Lite (silver can)              5.2
Ice House (blue and silver can)    4.4
Coors Lite (silver can)            4.1
Miller Genuine Draft (black can)   2.8
Coors (gold can)                   0.1
 
It was evident that the color of the can directly
correlates to the average suck point, except for Coors
which was pretty much determined to suck at any
point.  It is to be hoped that you will consider
re-designing your MGD cans.  All beer drinkers that
are not smart enough to keep their beer in the shade
will thank you.
 
Sincerely, 
Bradley Lee Beer-drinker
 
 
And here's a little response...


Dear Bradley Lee,
 
Thank you for your letter and your concern about the
MGD can color as it relates to premature warming of
the contents.  Like you, we at Miller Beer take beer
drinking very seriously.  To that end, we have taken
your letter and subsequent experiment under serious
consideration.  Outlined below are our findings and
solution to your problem.  May we add that we have had
similar letters from other loyal beer drinkers, mostly
from the Southern United States.
 
First, let us congratulate you on your findings.  Our
analysis tends to agree with yours regarding Coors.
It certainly does suck at about any temperature.  Now,
it was our intentions when redesigning the MGD can to
create better brand identity and brand loyalty.
Someone in marketing did some kind of research and
determined we needed to redesign the can.  You will be
pleased to know, we have fired that idiot and he is
now reeking havoc at a pro-gun control beer
manufacturer.  The design staff working in cahoots
with the marketing idiot was also down-sized.
 
However, once we realized this mistake, to undo it
would have been even a bigger mistake.  So, we took
some other actions.  From our market research, we
found a difference between Northern beer drinker and
Southern beer drinkers.  Beer drinkers in the South
tend to drink slower than beer drinkers in the North.
We are still researching why that is.
 
Anyway, at Miller Beer, it was never our intentions to
have someone take more than 2.5 minutes to enjoy one
of our beers.  We pride ourselves in creating fine,
smooth, quick drinking beers and leave the making of
sissy, slow sipping beers to that Sam guy in Boston.
However, it is good to know that you feel our Miller
Lite can last as long as 6 minutes.  However, may we
suggest in the future you try consuming at least two
in that time frame.
 
From your letter, we had our design staff work 'round the clock to
come up with a solution that would help not just MGD
but all our fine Miller products.  We hope you have
recently noticed our solution to your problem.  We
found that the hole in the top of the can was not big
enough for quick consumption.  So, we have now
introduced the new "Wide Mouth" cans. We hope this
will solve all your problems.  Might I also suggest
that if you want to get the beer out of the can even
faster, you can poke a hole on the side near the
bottom, hold your finger over it, open the can, tip it
to your mouth and then pull your finger off the hole.
This is a common way to drink beer at parties and
impress your friends.  This technique is known as
"shot-gunning".  You should like the name.
 
Again, thank you for your letter and bringing to our
attention that there might be other beer drinkers
taking more that 2.5 minutes to drink our beers.  Let
me assure you that I am having our advertising
department work on campaign to solve this problem,
too.
 
Sincerely,
 
Tom B. Miller 
Public Relations 
Miller Brewing Co.
Ah, enjoy the superbowl. More about the ads later. 

Saturday, February 2, 2013

When Life Gives You Chickpeas, Make Hummus

When Life Gives You Chickpeas, Make Hummus

You may be noticing that I've been adding a lot more cooking recipes into this blog as of late. It shouldn't come as a surprise given that Thanksgiving is only a few days away. Why not mix it up and serve something different than the typical Turkey and stuffing. I mean, it's not like Turkey was held at the first Thanksgiving anyway.

How about a crowd pleaser, as well as not so fattening dish - THINK HUMMUS!
Hummus is a really popular Middle Eastern dip and it goes great while you and your friends are socializing around the tv watching those football games. Toss in a Pita bread and you got yourself a great appetizer. Not to mention that it's super easy to make as well. All you need is a few simple items.
  • 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
  • 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
  • 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

See, isn't that simple? And if you want to make everything by scratch and are a little confused as to why the local big box store doesn't have Tahini, then you can actually make it yourself. Considering it's the foundation of most Middle Eastern recipes, it's a good foundation to know how to make. All you need is;
  • 5 cups sesame seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil
What you do is Preheat an oven to 350. Then toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, tossing the seeds frequently with a spatula. Do not allow to brown. Cool for 20 minutes.

Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add oil. Blend for 2 minutes. Check for consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil and blend until desired consistency.

It should be kept in the refrigerator and will keep for a good 3 months. So bust it out whenever the recipe calls for it. Or just use it all up on making hummus, as it is the easier thing to make.  

Friday, February 1, 2013

The Paperman

The Paperman

One of the best little animated shorts I saw this past 2012 was this. You should enjoy it - a few weeks before that commercialized love day.



I'm sure you enjoyed.