Bricks Rubbish

The Obama "Compromise"

2010-12-08T00:27:00.004-05:00

Hope & Change masquerading as More of the Same?

I have just emailed the President(Obama) @ the White House website, approximately how I felt about his 'compromise' over the continuation of the Bush tax cuts. Verbatim :

"I feel pity for the millions of Americans who believed you had the answers to every ill America faces, but sadly my foreign point of view and cynicism proved me right yet again. I wrote about it during the midst of your inauguration ceremony or should it be more aptly known as your coronation ceremony. (http://bricksrubbish.blogspot.com/2009/01/post-inauguration-blues.html)

You are a poor poker player and have showed your cards too early. You have compromised for no gain or followed down a scripted scenario. To get ourselves out of the situation we are in, WE MUST ALL contribute. Why liberate the rich from their share, right at the time when their prosperity can help us all(not to mention that we helped them out when they needed it)? If we're all in this, why do they get a comfortable pass as others give more than they can, more than is "comfortable"? If you actually care about the majority of Americans that supported you in the election, there is NO WAY you can follow through with the proposed 'compromise'. Calling it a compromise is an ugly & cruel joke. I will encourage my elected representatives to challenge you on this, even if they are members of the same political party you profess to represent."

Matthew Modine spotted in front of Chelsea Market (9th Ave)

2010-08-27T11:55:00.003-04:00

A man is talking to Matthew; I'm not sure anyone was listening in between keeping the bicycle steady and checking his phone.

View Celebrity Sightings in a larger map

Life or something like it

2010-08-26T12:40:00.005-04:00

What do they say about the best jokes?

The best ones mix a little bit of truth with a little bit of exaggeration.

This one was not written by me but it does express much of the situation I am currently in; brought to you by The Oatmeal :

(Originally posted here)

I will never understand people

2010-08-01T19:08:00.009-04:00

Apparently while I was watching Inception @ IMAX,I got a text from an unknown (347) phone number :

'Hi daddy'.

I checked my address book and it's not listed.

Text back with "who is this ?"
By the time I got home, there was still no response. I decide to call and see if it's someone messing with me.

"Hello..." the phone responds after 2 rings.
"Ha ha ha, this is a recording." Blah,blah,blah.
The rest I will paraphrase : ha-ha-ha, it's my voice mail you dumb ass, leave a message.
So I do. I tell them about text they left and that they probably got the wrong phone number and to work on their texting skills.

I received a phone call, within the last hour from said individual.

"Hello", I answer. Silence.

Again I say "HELLO??". Silence.
Then a whimpering "hello...".
We go through that back-and-forth sequence about 2 more times before I decided to get to the point :

"Who are you?".

She mocks me by repeating my query. At which point I tell her that she text me and I left a voicemail telling her she got the wrong number.

I could tell she was confused.

I then read her text back to her, which she responds with:
"Oh.. that must have been my friend Briana."
I respond, "Yeah. Well I'm guessing you text the wrong person. And I just wanted to let you know." Silence.
Silence.

She hung up on me.
No apology, not even an acknowledgement of understanding.

To those who know me, I have had reactive responses when it comes to negative "situations". In the wisdom that has come with my years on this miserable blue planet, I now go to my friends for advice. What is the appropriate response in this case? Whats should I do? No answer is out-of-bounds. Surprise me.

Merry New Year!

2009-12-31T17:09:00.005-05:00

In this country we say 'Happy' New Year....

Also excited as this is 'the year me make contact'.

Christmas Part Deux

2009-12-25T13:21:00.002-05:00

My new favorite Christmas song?

"Happy Birthday Santa!!"

2009-12-25T11:59:00.008-05:00

(http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2007/12/14/he_went_to_the_source_for_santaland/)

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays (and one birthday wish)

2009-12-23T11:17:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday to the Capricorns of the day.

This put me in the spirit of the season. See if it does anything for you:

Prague: Canon 1DMKIV from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Patrick Ewing (33), but Lou Albano dies

2009-10-14T11:51:00.007-04:00

The 'Patrick chEwing' celebration is marred by the death of Louis Vincent Albano :

RIP Capt. Lou Albano.

The Next Hot T-shirt

2009-09-17T10:32:00.005-04:00

I wanted to jump the trend by creating my own T-shirt, inspired by NYC Fox local anchor, Ernie Anastos. The story was originally posted at Gawker (check here). I am taking orders now. Get your official T-Shirt here.

Kristen Schaal sighted again

2009-09-15T20:05:00.004-04:00

On my way to work this morning I sight a familiar face when I near the 43rd subway entrance:

It was actress and comedian, Kristen Schaal, coming back from her morning jog. She was wearing giant sunglasses to try an conceal her identity, but I recognized her. This is the second sighting of her in Hell's Kitchen in a few weeks, which means she likely lives in the neighborhood.

See you around Kristen.

Sandra Bernhard sighted

2009-09-09T13:04:00.002-04:00

I sighted the surprisingly tall actress/comedian walking through Chelsea Market. We exchanged glances and she scurried away.
It was strange.

New York 25th Brazilian Festival

2009-09-06T21:39:00.004-04:00

The last few weeks has seen an MTA change in service for the E train. The last two weeks my trip to Queens consisted of a 7 train ride to Roosevelt Ave, followed by a 15 minute walk or a bus ride on the Q53. The E is running along the F line until October. Today, I thought I would save some time by walking to the 42nd & 6th station to catch either an F or E. To my surprise there was a festival :

This is the back of the stage of the 25th Annual New York City Brazilian Festival. There were some balloons as well :

You could hear the great music and smell something delicious :

Maybe next year, I will actually make a point to attend. Ano seguinte.

Henry Hudson and 400 years later

2009-09-03T18:01:00.011-04:00

It is the anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration of the river now bearing his name in tribute. I don't think anyone could have predicted what this little island was to become. The question on everyone's mind, during this anniversary, is what did this place look like when Hudson saw it for the first time.

NPR showcases National Geographic's September issue :

There is a mountain of information on the subject if you want to delve deeper into the subject. A good place to start is at the Manhattan Project website. You can explore the virtual island and learn about the fauna, flora and geography amongst other things (lectures, teaching aids, etc).

I also stumbled upon this map of NYC (NYC Oasis) loaded with valuable data, in a Google Earth type page with multiple layers. You can manipulate data such as transit route & roads, parks, environmental impact, land use, population characteristics and others.

HULU Compromised??

2009-09-02T12:44:00.007-04:00

A strange thing just occurred: a company email talking about a problem with Hulu and that we are blocking it for now.

The reason : It appears that servers at Hulu have been compromised, either by a hacker or by some malicious code (Trojan, Worm, Virus, etc), and the site is actively attempting to compromise the systems of those who connect to it. Our security software is blocking attempts to connect to Hulu in order to prevent internal systems from becoming compromised.

I have done a search of Google, Yahoo, Reuters, CNN, BBC, Gizmodo, among other sites, and find no mention of this. We are either breaking news or someone is reading something wrong. Either way, we'll find out soon enough.

"We are working with Hulu, but it will be up to them to clean their systems and to take measures to prevent future compromises."

Stay tuned.

Matt Dillon sighted

2009-08-29T20:06:00.004-04:00

Having just walked through the nightmare that is Times Sq, I made my way home. I was now walking past the old NY Times Building, approaching 8th Avenue. Just about the corner of 43rd and 8th, right across the street from the Westin Hotel, I walked by a familiar person

It was Matt Dillon wearing large glasses (not sunglasses) and a hat, trying very hard to be incognito. I guess my recognizing look and 5 second stare rattled him a bit, since he crossed the street. I don't think that heading towards Times Sq. as he was, would have made him feel any better. Maybe he just needs the blind adoration of out-of-town tourists to feel better these days. Maybe they are the only ones who would remember how in love he was with Mary or he could simply need to get to the east side fast.

Dominic Chianese sighted in Hell's Kitchen

2009-08-29T19:56:00.002-04:00

This Saturday I was relaxing on the weekend instead of traveling (as I have been doing lately). I picked up ingredients for dinner and a bottle of wine. As I crossed 43rd Street, heading uptown, I walked by a familiar face :

Uncle Junior himself, Domininc Chianese. This isn't the first time I have spotted him. Several years ago, my wife got me a session at John Allan's. I got a haircut, shave and a manicure sitting right next to him. We exchanged a few words but that is all. I usually don't like to small talk, whether with a celebrity or a grunt.

Ed & Lisa Wu Hartwell sighted... AGAIN!

2009-08-27T13:33:00.004-04:00

So yesterday I spotted Ed and Lisa Wu Hartwell at the airport in Atlanta. Today, I spot them walking inside Chelsea Market, as I pick up my lunch.

They were not on my flight yesterday and yet, here they are following me, it would seem. Coincidence? We'll see...

Real Housewife of Atlanta Sighted

2009-08-26T22:16:00.003-04:00

I had a stop in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, on my way from KnoxVegas. As I usually do in these times when I have more than an hour to wait til my next flight, I got some food and then slowly made my way to the gate. As I finished my food and got up to throw the garbage away, I recognized a familiar face:

It was the Real Housewives of Atlanta star, Lisa Wu Hartwell and her husband, Ed. They sat down in front of me. There was a man next to them, who started talking to Ed. I thought maybe he recognized him. It turns out the guy just liked Ed's sunglasses. I then wondered if they were going to NY on my flight, but I did not see them on the plane. I wonder where they were going...

Wyatt Cenac sighted

2009-08-21T20:00:00.014-04:00

Leaving the confines of Chelsea Market, I head uptown. As I finished crossing 18th & 10th, I spot a familiar face :

Wyatt Cenac is a part of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (and using our old studios at 52nd St). I gave him the "eye" and he returned it.

Cool.

celebrity sighting map:

View Celebrity Sightings in a larger map

Xbox Live Achievement

2009-08-20T00:47:00.002-04:00

Today I achieve a milestone, albeit a personal one. Today I reach 11,111 achievement points on Xbox Live:

It is funny and sad how I reached that achievement. I did it by drowning the beloved Guybrush Threepwood in the new Monkey Island remastered version :

RIP Guybrush. You will not be be dead for long.

GI Joe - A different Version (NSFW). 'I warned yee. Go no further, for DEATH awaits you all. With nasty, big pointy teeth.'

2009-08-06T19:05:00.012-04:00

A friend sent me a link to this 'thing', but I still don't know what to make it of. Someone compared it with a 'what if' David Lynch had directed the new G.I. Joe movie. I thought it looked more like Lars Von Trier's Element of Crime. Whatever it is, it has been in production since 2007 and is suppose to debut (if it hasn't already??) this year. Apparently the people behind Bronx Flavor, a Bronx Public Access series, is involved in this (Canzo Empyrean). Definelty explore the site, as there are many hidden 'surprises' (there is history, downloadable content like wallpaper, MOV video and a bizarre atmosphere with every click) . It feels perhaps what the creepiness/tension of the Dark Knight should have been.

HTML 5.0

2009-08-05T20:04:00.005-04:00

The future of browsing is already amongst us. Google Chrome already runs it. I'm speaking of HTML 5.0. The major feature is to make applications like Flash, Silverlight and JavaFX, redundant and unneeded. The support will be built into the browser. What about 3-D rendering built in? It's there and Youtube is going this route as we speak. This video of a demo gives you an idea :

And now an interactive demo:

(origiated at Gizmodo.com)

One more reason not to use tobacco

2009-08-03T15:43:00.004-04:00

If you have somehow been asleep for the last 400 years, then you probably don't know that smoking,chewing or snorting tobacco isn't going to be to healthy in the end. It took until the last century for us to prove it scientifically and empirically, however, people have had suspicions for a quite a while (King James I of England, as an example).

Not this King....

..better.

We also know what alcohol and other drugs can do, though I have never understood tobacco and tobacco users. I can understand drug users and their tendancies. They have a need (conscious or subcoucious). That need is a chemical compound is that is eaten, smoked, snorted or injected into the body. There is a cause and effect. People wouldn't be using these chemicals if they didn't product an effect.

Tobacco on the other hand is a chicken & egg scenario. I was social smoker (and when you could smoke in bars) and then only in a 1:1 ratio with alcoholic drinks. I don't ever remember the effect of smoking. Most of the effects of smoking is psychological, I've found. At the very least, it compensates for idle hands. You are doing something. On another level is man's primitive fascination with fire. Fire in hand would have scared the shit out of any Cro-Magnon. In the last century, smoking has been glamorized. Nicotine is suppose to have a physiological response as well, but I found that besides having smelly clothes, bad breath and hoarseness of voice, I could not quantify my physical response. As with other drugs (illegal or legal), there is an effect. Even aspirin has an effect.

Let's be quite honest, smoking is the only acceptable way to partake of the chemical. I have never heard of any intravenous nicotine use and snuff will likely get you mistaken for possession of something worse. All that's left is chewing tobacco, which is just plain nasty, or those lovely tobacco brownies. Uhm.. pass. Switch to something stronger before it's too late:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Nigel Barker sighted inside Cheslea Market

2009-08-01T13:46:00.001-04:00

I am still only feeling about 80% capacity, but the lunch I just picked up is bound to help out enormously. On the way back from picking it up, I passed by Nigel Barker and friend, walking past me (heading eastward out of the market). He is tall.

Friday Morning Payback

2009-08-01T11:39:00.006-04:00

This morning I felt the effects of last night's summer party at the rooftop garden @ 230 Fifth and then the after-party down the street (Dewey's Flatiron). The combination of sun, booze, dehydration and minimal eating and H₂O intake, contributed to my current state. As I slowly walked my way to work this morning (taking the bus or subway would have led to an increased chance of an 'accident'), eating saltines and drinking my cherry Pedialyte, I passed by a familiar face in Chelsea.

Campbell Scot t sitting on a bench. It is funny because last night I was watching USA's Royal Pains. His Dachshund by his side, he was enjoying the morning. I openly envied him, especially when I felt so horrible.

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Shatner on Palin

2009-07-29T09:51:00.007-04:00

William Shatner is a personal favorite actor of mine. Not sure why, but I find he is brilliant at times. Star Trek (the new movie) lost some heavy points in my eyes by not including him (review pending, stay tuned). Here, Shat the Bard, reads the resignation speech of Sarah Palin with a typical Shatnerian flair, on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Please to enjoy :

Miles Fisher

2009-07-27T16:00:00.004-04:00

Look out Christian Bale. Miles Fisher is coming for you. The next video should be from another Christian Bale movies,but I digress:

EMBED-Amazing American Psycho Music Video - Watch more free videos

Linked through UniqueDaily.

Manimal comes to life

2009-07-23T16:14:00.004-04:00

I did not know what to make of this, as it was strangely disturbing and compelling at the same time. The "artist" also has "interpreted" a zebra, Bengal tiger and a great dane :

Disturbing Dreams

2009-07-22T00:30:00.007-04:00

Preparing for a 7 hour slumber, I enjoy AMC HD Commando. It is a personal favorite film of mine. While in the last act, a commercial grabs my attention :

This isn't exactly what I saw. What I saw was a 30-60 second commercial(with infomercial characteristics) for one of their products and this looks more like a promotional video, but you get the idea. Government subsidized and researched, engineering improvements for a penis enlarger is not what I really want to be thinking about right before resting my brain. I also wasn't expecting it to be covered by Medicaid. Is Viagra or Cialis covered?

Even more interesting is the commercial directing one to erectmed.com. But if you clicked on the link, a redirection to Rejoyn Medical Systems website is likely to occur. I'm sure this has some medical benefit, like not have to use drugs, but the side effects can't really be that bad right?

Vacuum constriction devices should not be used by men who may have a significant congenital bleeding disorder or a disorder that predisposes them to a condition called priapism (a prolonged, sometime painful erection lasting over several hours). Examples include sickle cell anemia, some forms of leukemia, and other blood conditions.

An erection obtained by the vacuum constriction device is not the same as an erection achieved naturally. The penis tends to be purplish in color and can be cold or numb. Other side effects can include:

A black and blue mark or small area of bruising on the shaft of the penis. This is usually painless and generally will resolve in a few days.

Decrease in the force of the ejaculation. The constriction band traps the ejaculate or semen at the time of orgasm. This is not dangerous and usually does not cause pain. The semen will usually dribble out once the constriction band is removed. Generally, this does not interfere with the pleasure of a climax or orgasm.
(exerpt from rest of the article here)

Does this sound like a good deal for $189(possibly less with insurance coverage)? The next commercial break is an ad for ExtenZe followed by the Prayer Cross. I wonder what demographic this time slot is catering to and then realize I am still awake. Hulk rest now. It's better that way.

The Genderification of Gaming

2009-07-15T18:36:00.009-04:00

Many of you may not know who Jack Thompson is. To summarize : He is a disbarred former attorney from Florida who believes video games should not be protected by the First Amendment (to the Constitution of the US) and are nothing more than "training/tutorial" for adolescent violence.

The argument is often used that video games contribute to male aggressiveness and desensitization. Nothing, if very little, is mentioned about females other than how the gaming industry is really not tapping into their demographic (yet), or simply just one demographic of the gaming mainstream (gaming for the masses). They are just another consumer group waiting to be tapped. Penn & Teller dove into this topic for their Showtime show : Bullshit. Here is preview:

(If you do not have Showtime to view the whole episode, I am saddened, but it will be out on DVD soon.)

Games don't have the same effect on women, because the games are not violent and are generally intended for just about anyone, right? Tracy John, of Wired, explores that topic:

A wave of new games for tween girls seeks to do just that, serving up innocuous gameplay designed to let players become perfect little princesses. Aimed at that lucrative, Hannah Montana-fueled intersection of childhood and adolescence, these games might give 8- to 12-year-olds their first experiences with fashion, make-up, popularity … even boys.

The weird thing is that you can view these “wholesome” games as being just as bad for girls as Grand Theft Auto’s random bloodshed and rampant criminality is for young, impressionable boys. And while GTA’s influence on boys has been dissected to death, what about the Nintendo DS’ upcoming avalanche of games for tween girls? What kinds of values do preteens learn from these titles? Valuable life lessons, or bad habits?

How about some of these examples:

The Clique: Diss and Make Up

(Warner Bros. Interactive, Aug. 31)

What it’s about: Inspired by the best-selling books, The Clique has the player take on the role of a new student at an all-girls middle school. The goal is to work your way up the social ladder through different cliques (math club, jocks, etc.) using “gossip, fashion and wit” until you finally are able to join the school’s top posse, the Pretty Committee.
What it teaches girls: Ponytails, books and plaid shirts will get you stared at. Better to jump through hoops and pretend to be someone you’re not in an effort to become one of the most popular girls in school, because it beats the hell out of being part of the Ugly Committee.

Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Mall, My Fashion Show and My Perfect Prom

(Electronic Arts, Oct. 20)

What it’s about: EA’s new line of games features possibly the hardest-working group of BFFs in America. Fashion Mall has the girls managing a mall, dealing with “mall drama” and making it a “hip hangout”; My Fashion Show lets players design clothes (”And make sure the puppy’s outfit matches too!”) and direct models; My Perfect Prom has you plan, decorate and eventually attend the big dance. The goal? To complete tasks and collect “sparkly, virtual charms.”
What it teaches girls: “Sparkly, virtual charms” are just as good as money. Mall management is a viable career choice. You can bring your pets to fashion shows. And prom has to be nothing less than perfect.

(Full article here)

What's the conclusion, if any? Games are suppose to be entertainment and educational. Like anything, they are endowed by their creators with certain goals and characteristics. If that goal is to make money, the gameplay may suffer or the scope limited. There are few games (in any demographic) that are truly good. Just like not all musicians are legendary and all artists visionaries, not all games are memorable. Most are limited in scope (usually 5-10 hours of entertainment). Our environment is constantly trying to change us and vice-versa. We should be aware of that. Just because something isn't violent or isn't perceived to contribute to violence, doesn't mean it is inane or not harmful. Bela Lugosi said it best :

"Bevare!! Take Care....

Bevare!!"

Mario Cantone sighted

2009-07-15T16:57:00.004-04:00

An unarmed Mario Cantone was walking right past the front of Chelsea Market today, with a male friend, as we stood around and socialized over Starbuck's iced coffees.

Isla Fisher is spotted incognito

2009-07-09T21:25:00.005-04:00

Today was Subway 12" meatball, $5 lunch and I went with two coworkers. As we approached the store, I sighted a familiar face walking westward from the corner of 14th & 8th Ave (NE side), with a female friend with a baby and stroller. It was Brüno's fiancee, Isla Fisher. She was dressed quite ordinarily and was trying to hide behind large sunglasses and baseball cap.

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Almost Friday

2009-07-02T13:16:00.005-04:00

In celebration of 1/2 day today (14:00 dismissal) and in light of the upcoming 3 day, 4th of July weekend, I offer this:

The Highline Opens

2009-06-29T23:05:00.003-04:00

The Highline renovation had taken a while to finish, but it was worth the wait. It finally opened in the last few weeks. With work calling me to Knoxvegas in the last month, this was my introduction :

Two of my coworkers and myself, all went up to the Highline for our first views and lunch. We would have gone earlier, however, the weather had not been cooperating for the last few days and it had rained. After lunch, we walked downtown on the Highline, to explore.

Sections of the Highline have been left undisturbed, in their post-use condition. Above is some of the fauna that grew in the years since the Highline was in use. Also, there are plaques that identify and describe the fauna.

Here is an eastward view of 14th Street from the Highline. Currently there are not many amenities on the Highline, but there will be soon (bar,entrance to high-end mall, extended uptown,etc). I can't wait.

Comfest 09: Columbus, OH

2009-06-28T22:13:00.002-04:00

I was just outside Columbus, Ohio for a wedding this weekend, but my flight didn't leave until much later in the day. I had sometime to kill, so we headed over to area near Goodale Park for some food and entertainment. We found food and the Comfest.

It turns out this festival has been happening for 35+ years and takes place in and around Goodale Park (which is the oldest park in Columbus and amongst the oldest parks in the US). It is hard to describe, but I would venture to call it a mid-valley hippie festival. All the liberal elements were there : scantily dressed people, women in pasties, extreme clothing, pets, hacky sack, tattoos, bongs, bowls, tie-dyes and music.

There was still something odd/different about the festival. I expect vendors at any event these days, but you could not bring in any of your own alcohol. You could bring a container and drink as much as you want so long as you buy it there. Also, for all the 'marijuana cultural' elements present, I did not smell or see even one instance of anyone celebrating. It wasn't what I expected to see in Columbus, but it was refreshing and mostly enjoyable. I am glad I didn't miss it while I was in Columbus.

Michio Kaku sighted in Hell's Kitchen

2009-06-26T16:09:00.006-04:00

As I was doing my laundry, on 10th & 46St., I notice a familiar face at 44&X. There is a film crew, but I cannot place the face. My initial guess is Nintendo/Sony executive or game developer. Since I cannot guess a name, I snap this photo and upload it to Facebook for my friends to identify. This happens very quickly. The gentleman is physicist Michio Kaku. I probably made several cameos (and completely coincidental) while they were shooting (most likely for The Universe, on the History Channel).

Possum killer?

2009-06-16T00:45:00.005-04:00

Another night in Knoxville, this time in my GTA-styled rental :

I can't really complain. This is a comfy car with nice drifting capabilities. I think I'm probable scaring the locals, but you have to have a little fun while down here. Tonight while returning from a bar (don't worry, I was sober) with my friend Chris, we drive along a normal, Knoxville residential back road. I've driven that road dozens of times. This time, out of the darkness, a possum decided now was a good time to cross the road. I brake hard, but it did not appear that I did so in time. It felt like we hit something. Worried for the safety of the animal, I performed a classic 3 point turn (U-turn) to assess the damage and see if I could do something to help.

What we found.... NOTHING. No possum, no blood and nothing on the car. So either this is the luckiest possum ever or someday that possum, or his family, will find a way to execute their revenge.

Back in the Knox-Vegas, Star Trek!!

2009-06-12T00:47:00.017-04:00

On this restless night before the final leg on my Knoxville tour ends, I wait to get tired enough to sleep. A melancholic, moonshine mood I am in. I hate the instance right before traveling, though I like traveling itself. I realize I am several weeks behind in my blogs and now is as good a time as any to get some updates going (several post-date entries coming within the weekend).

I try to sleep by turning myself into a Vulcan. Like I said, I'm in a strange mood and something to lull me into a mild coma.

May I present Nel'Borat the Vulcan:

Saitek key replacement update

2009-06-05T14:13:00.002-04:00

So about two weeks ago I wrote about how I contacted Saitek(UK) and MadCatz(US) in an attempt to get a replacement spacebar for my keyboard (http://bricksrubbish.blogspot.com/2009/05/saitek-keyboard-fix.html). I got responses from both, however, the UK (Saitek's home) rep responded at least a week early and with options. Mike Cannaby, the Saitek UK rep, was nice enough to offer me options : original gray or new black. I went with black because I thought it would look better.

Today, that part arrived :

The US rep, Bradley Poteet, responded approximately a week after Mike. He asked about the ART # off the keyboard, which I replied with. A week later and I hear back from Bradley. By this point I have already received the part from the UK. I am quite happy with the results :

I guess I will use the part coming in from MadCatz as a backup, when this happens again. I wonder when it will arrive?

*UPDATE* 7/8: More than a month after the replacement spacebar arrived from Saitek UK, the MadCatz replacement finally arrived. It was returned to sender because the company name was left out, even though I included it in their shipping query. I received an email from a MadCatz rep as soon as it was returned to them and then reshipped back to me.

In this instance, the UK won hands down. Kudos to you Saitek. I can't really be mad, though, considering I have had a replacement part for over a month and now I have a backup. I guess I owe MadCatz a belated and belabored thanks as well.

Saturday Morning

2009-05-16T11:16:00.003-04:00

I wake up this morning to the view out my window:

The view from the other window:

It is the annual Hell's Kitchen Street Fair. If you have lived in NY for a little while, you have probably seen one of these somewhere in the city. It gets around and is usually pretty generic, but there are the occasional stand outs. This year it is right under my window. Everyone, I present to you:

The Revolving Tower of Meat

The Most Famous Growler in the World!!

2009-05-15T22:50:00.005-04:00

The third trip to the Pony Bar, to fill the growler, was eventful as always. The bar was the most crowded I have seen it so far. It has definitely become a typical NY bar in terms of the service, in that you need to have something to get the attention of the bartender, otherwise you might be waiting for a while. It is that busy. Good attention grabbers are boobs and bills. Show some skin or Andrew Jackson and your chance of getting a bartender improves parabolically.

As I was waiting to get my growler filled with Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold (my second choice was a very good Defiant Little Thumper), I noticed a photographer taking pictures of my growler and the bartender prepping it. As I waited a tall, lanky man was bumping into me on my right. I overheard him say something in my direction: "take him down" or "take him out". I turned and looked at him straight on, he sheepishly responded, ..."yes?". I turned back. People start to notice the photoshoot occurring behind the bar and the bumping guy addresses me : "That's going to be the most famous growler in the world." I nod. The bartender is ready for the hand-off, in which he reiterates : "This is going to be the most famous growler in the world.". This time I respond with, "We'll see."

Saitek Keyboard fix?

2009-05-14T19:29:00.004-04:00

As of several weeks ago, I had not had any problems with the 3 Saitek Eclipse keyboards I owned. I like the feel and construction so much that I have one such keyboard at both work and home.

The keyboard has a problem with the spacebar, in that the plastic attachment for the metal bar wore off and the key is wobbly and uncertain. I am forced to have to hit the key in the middle and with force. This interrupts the rhyme of my typing.

As this is a work keyboard, I tried to research buying a whole new replacement. After realizing that in this economic environment I could not justify using a "special, but pricier keyboard" and that I have a responsibility to the crust and troposphere that sustains life, I researched for a replacement spacebar. As Charles Bronson would say "No dice." I was unable to find anything, so I wrote an email explaining all this to both their main headquarter in the UK and their American partnership with MadCatz. I'm curious to see who responds first or if anyone responds at all. Wait and see....

Manos & Greg

2009-05-14T16:43:00.004-04:00

For Gregory's birthday, I decided to give him something special. I had recently showed him the MST3k episode of Manos : The Hands of Fate and thought of an appropriate gift. For those who do not understand or know, here is the movie for reference :

So this is the front of the T-shirt I designed for Greg; the 'Master' in his famous pose and costume, with the movie title 'Manos' below it.

The back contains the rest of the title, 'The Hands of Fate', with Gregory maintaining his 'Master'-like pose. I only had one made and as far as I know, it is the only one of it's kind (I have seen other Manos t-shirts, but not like this one). His birthday was last month, but this is the first time he actually wore it.

Happy Birthday Greg.

YouTube Change

2009-05-12T13:48:00.006-04:00

I am uncertain how new the event is, but YouTube is now hosting "official" tv series episodes and movies.

I have been watching everything from Conan the Adventurer, to Alf to MacGuyver and even He-Man. For a complete listing of TV shows go here.

There is also a good selection of movies in HD, including Koyaanisqatsi, Super Size Me, Once Upon a Time in China and even Hercules in New York. For a list of complete movies go here.

This is obviously a push to be legitimate. Hopefully it can be a haven for users and media distribution. A digital utopia. Maybe CBS and other networks will jump on-board. Only the future will tell, but the Packet Wars (the upcoming battle over media distribution and data caps, in a limited pipeline) are still coming. Get ready. In the meantime, here is another online version of Koyaanisqatsi (MGM disabled the embed feature).

Air Force 1 Flyover, Take Two: CANCELLED

2009-05-11T16:04:00.004-04:00

At 10:00 EST, I received an email alert that another NYC flyover was to occur. I thought, "AGAIN??". Who would be stupid enough to try that stunt again? Thankfully several minutes later another alert came out canceling the event, but it got me thinking. The 4/27 flyover occured. It cannot be taken back. It is already paid for. Paid for by whom, you may ask yourself? By us of course. Air Force 1 is the people's airplane. Though most cannot ride in Air Force 1, we all chipped in to get the President a vehicle to get him from one place to another, so he could work. So I wrote President Obama an email about it :

Low-res version of one of the publicity shots in question, courtesy of ABC.com.

"On 4/27/2009, Air Force 1 flew over NYC creating a panic. I had no problem with that. Though I live in Manhattan and have been in the city for more than 25 years (and experienced both Tower attacks close up), I felt no threat or danger. I do have a problem with the use of public property. Air Force 1 is paid for and maintained by tax payer money for use in the administration of presidential duties. Think of the money that could have been saved if instead you used Photoshop:

$1000 (Photoshop CS4-Extended Retail version) versus tens of thousands of dollars for the real thing (depending on who you ask the flyover cost between $70,000 - $320,000). The choice seems obvious. The deed has been done and cannot be undone, but since public funds and property were used in this publicity stunt, then the public should get access to the final product. I would like to see the high-resolution pictures (RAW is preferable choice for me) of Air Force 1 available for anyone to download. I look forward to it.

Thanks."

Philip Seymour Hoffman sighted

2009-05-08T23:30:00.003-04:00

We had just finished some beers after ravaging Five Guys burgers. This was a post Star Trek celebration. We were all going our separate ways, but me and Greg went westward. As we walked down 55th Street, we notice a group of nicely dressed people standing below some awnings.

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The looked as if they had come from a premiere or award show. One of them stood out in dress and was also a familiar face with a familiar look, namely a backwards Kangol cap and glasses:

It was Philip Seymour Hoffman chatting it up with some friends/acquaintances. It was funny since early in the week I had just seen Synecdoche, New York. I wonder who will play me?

Star Trek Friday

2009-05-08T17:33:00.005-04:00

We're off to see the new Star Trek movie, at the Ziegfeld at 19:00. Hope it doesn't suck. Surprise me JJ. In the meantime, I played around with this Augmented Reality ActiveX applet of a quick, pseduo-interactive tour of the new Enterprise. It uses a printable PDF print out and a webcam. It was enjoyable for approximately 5 minutes. Maybe when it becomes 3d interactive, it might be better.

Experience the Enterprise here. Hope the movie is more distracting....

Third trip to the Pony Bar

2009-05-07T22:45:00.001-04:00

I had noticed a new bar going up in the neighborhood, late March, on 10th avenue. For the next few weeks, I ventured to see its status. It looked open, yet not. The week before we went on vacation, a decision was made to have dinner there.

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Sadly, the Pony Bar was not quite open yet. We met the owner, who also owns the Lansdowne Road down the block, and was having problems procuring the liquor license. He explained that the beer selection would change on a daily basis and is comprised of craft brews. Approximately 20 beers would be available on tap and for jug service ($3 for the 64 ounce jug with beer sling, $16-19 for refills) . After vacation and some business trips, we finally arrived at the opened bar just last week. I had experienced the "jug" service at a friend's apartment social in Brooklyn, earlier in the year and was intrigued, to say the least.

Sling me, bartender!!

The first jug was filled with "Rastabeer". I would describe it as mild, crisp flavor more robust than a basic lager. We measured out approximately 4-5 pints per jug, depending of how high they fill it up. I can tell you there is nothing more satisfying than walking around, jug full of golden nectar, slug my arm. The jealous looks of passersby is priceless.

The Belfast Bay Lobster Ale, in a jug and mug.

Before I left to do the laundry, I prepped the granny-cart and brought the jug-in-sling, knowing full well I would be near the bar. The bar has been packed both times I have been there since its official opening. I first tasted the Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye Ale, but found it a bit richer than I wanted today. I went with my second taste and funny name : Belfast Bay Lobster Ale. While I was there a crazy pidgin decided to take a stroll under the bar, people's stuff and then casually(an eventually) wandered out of the bar, nonchalantly. Crazy birds!

Steve-O sighted

2009-05-07T21:49:00.001-04:00

I'm not a huge JackAss or Wildboyz fan, but I have seen my share. On my way back from the laundry (a.k.a. the Pony Bar jug run), I noticed he was sitting with two other people at a place we have been to on numerous occasions, 44th & X.

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Return from KnoxVegas

2009-05-02T18:40:00.003-04:00

I returned from Knoxville today, learning an important thing: Styrofoam is not an endangered species, but is thriving.

Kumar Pallana sighted in Hell's Kitchen

2009-04-27T21:28:00.003-04:00

Indian actor and Wes Anderson regular, Kumar Pallana, was gingerly walking down 9th Avenue with a younger, male friend. I wanted to scream out : "NAVORSKI!"

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Return from the BVI's

2009-04-26T18:45:00.001-04:00

Anegada nights approaching.

The Neon Cross of 9th Ave

2009-04-15T23:33:00.005-04:00

The rest of the photo-stream of the cross.

Celebrity Sightings Mapped

2009-04-13T13:36:00.004-04:00

I have added a public Google map that plots all the various celebrity sightings.

View Celebrity Sightings in a larger map

I have added it as a dedicated application, residing in the right hand column, at the bottom.

Eric Bogosian sighted at the Sports Center

2009-04-10T17:08:00.004-04:00

The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers continues to be a hub for celebrity sightings. After yesterday's sighting of John Stossel, I thought I had filled my sighting quota for the week. I was wrong. When I went upstairs to weight train, after my 30 minute cardiovascular exercise on the elliptical, I noticed someone familiar as I walked by the trainer's office space.
It was Eric Bogosian chatting it up with the staff. Strangely the only thing I could remember he was in was Under Siege 2. Sorry Eric. I had forgotten you were in Wonderland. I am a bit disappointed by my gym celebrity sightings. I haven't actually witnessed any celebrity working out. They are either in a towel, chatting it up, riding the elevator or in towels. Did I saw towels twice?

John Stossel sighted at the gym

2009-04-09T23:34:00.003-04:00

The Sports Center @ Chelsea Piers is one giant celebrity sighting center. This week I share a moment, waiting for and riding, the elevator with ABC's 20/2o reporter, John Stossel.

He was pretty thin and significantly shorter than I am. I didn't say anything, but I definitely gave him that "look". As mentioned in my previous celebrity sightings posts, that means an eye-to-eye stare that says, "Oh yeah. I know who you are, but that doesn't mean I'm going to engage you in conversation."

Joel Grey sighted in fron of Birdland

2009-04-06T21:38:00.006-04:00

Today has been a treasure trove of celebrity sightings (and huggings in some cases). As I walked west across 44th Street, I noticed a familiar face.

In front of Birdland, Joel Grey was saying goodbye to friends. I had been watching Choke at lunch with co-workers last week, so his face was well known to me. I wonder what kind of celebrity sighting day Tuesday will be...

Larry Dallas sighting in Hell's Kitchen

2009-04-06T17:45:00.004-04:00

Richard Kline is a New York actor (mostly TV) who's claim to fame & source of pain is identical. For 110 episodes, he was the sex-starved, single male neighbor of Jack, Janet & Chrissy/Teri. He was Larry Dallas :

Today was the second time I have sighted the actor in Hell's Kitchen. The first time was several months ago (December), when he was crossing the street in front of Papaya, going eastward on 42nd Street. I did not document that sighting.

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I was walking behind him on 44th Street as he took a long peak into Smith's Bar (now renovated). He then entered the subway at 44th & 8th. I couldn't keep up with him after the turnstile because he was going uptown/Queens and I was going downtown. I'm sure I will see him again, as he lives/works in the area.

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Returned from seeing Tricky @ Fillmore, Irving Plaza, NYC

2009-04-06T01:13:00.007-04:00

I just returned from my third Tricky concert, the latest being at the Fillmore (Irving Plaza). The show had been delayed twice before (once in February and again in March) and we ended up getting to the show a little late. There didn't appear to be any or much of an under-card and Tricky stayed more than hour for encore.

Tricky did not disappoint. His vocal partner, Francesca, was easy on the ears and eyes. At the end he also ventured from the safety of the stage and walked amongst the masses, twice. For me, the second time was key as I received the biggest bear-hug from one of the smallest entertainers with the biggest hearts. This was not my first contact with the artist, as a few friends can attest to, and I would be lying if I didn't say it wasn't AWESOME!

The rest of crappy phone camera images here.

RIM Profits from Criminal Underground

2009-04-03T13:48:00.004-04:00

I read this in Gizmodo Australia, linking to this Ian Hardy blog, which relates to a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) story. The Blackberry is the preferred device by people with criminal intent, because of the its encrypted functions which makes it hard(er) to tap/eavesdrop.

Then the RIM news for today is that they are doing great in the recession, from Reuters.

TORONTO (Reuters) - If a deep global recession has eroded consumer confidence, you wouldn't know it by looking at the millions of people who are snapping up flashy BlackBerry smartphones made by Research In Motion.

RIM revealed on Thursday that 70 percent of the 3.9 million subscribers it added in the three months ended Feb 29 were "non-enterprise" -- the company's term for the broader consumer market.

Possible conclusion :

1) In these tough economic times, illegal activities are a good source of much needed fiscal support and a some-what stable lifestyle, if done correctly (as compared to the current blue-collar situation).

2) RIM is directly benefiting from two pots. Are illegal business really so different from legitimate ones?

Pre-April Fool's Celebration

2009-03-31T21:09:00.002-04:00

A Gentile in Apt# 2?

Bruce is Back & So am I

2009-03-27T15:03:00.006-04:00

After months of not writing any new movie reviews, I decided to start with the worst one I could find (that I had not seen yet). It is easier to criticize the bad, so I decided to start there. Baby steps to the computer. Baby steps opening Word, etc.

Enjoy this review for now. There are many more on the way.

Bruce Lee vs Iron Man

2009-03-26T09:04:00.001-04:00

Here is something that goes well with that bagel & coffee :

Little Red Riding Hood : Remake

2009-03-25T21:47:00.003-04:00

I don't want to say anything. Just watch :

Slagsmålsklubben - Sponsored by destiny from Tomas Nilsson on Vimeo.

Gizmodo via Geekologie via original.

Meebo

2009-03-25T17:34:00.004-04:00

I am not usually an early adaptor of any hardware or software. There have been exceptions to this rule that have caused me to evolve to my current point of view. For reference, I have never felt burned by any of these early adoptions. I merely felt as if I had overpaid or that the item had archetypal technological quirks. Now, I wait 2-3 generations or until I find I have to plug another hole in my soul. Some people use animals & kids for that, while others use drugs or alcohol to plaster the soul. I use technology. Today I'm testing out Meebo, by embedding an HTML code into the blog. I can converse with my users in real-time, potentially. I'm trying it out. If we don't try, we die. So give it a try on the left there. Follow the arrow.

Digital Format Wishlist

2009-03-24T23:21:00.005-04:00

I realize it has been 3 months since Christmas and more than half a year away from my birthday, but I had to get this down before I forgot. My current digital photos are hindered by a 3 year old form factor camera and a first generation digital camera (masquerading in a SLR frame & having the battery equivalent of goldfish memory). Eventually I will be able to invest in a multi-K ($) professional SLR and a Red camera. Since the economy is bad & my skill with such a camera is limited, a cheaper alternative would be in order. Here is the SLR + HD video cheap alternative (many of features of the higher end 5D Mark II) :

Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i

Sadly, the alternative form factor digital camera is not out yet. When it arrives it should be a SLR quality camera in a unencumbered form:

Sigma DP2

I sit here, awaiting the day when it is enjoyable to go shopping again. Come on STIMULUS!!

Inside the Times, Radiological Art

2009-03-23T21:41:00.003-04:00

I was reading the NY Times, watching another angst wrought, X-Men re-write Heroes episode. This was more interesting :

More art here.

Thank goodness I have given up McDonald's type, pre-processed oil drenched colon filler, since McNuggest was my favorite meal (with barbecue and sweet & sour sauce) :

Original article in the NY Times here.

Popeye & Ali Baba's 40 Thieves

2009-03-20T16:20:00.003-04:00

Here is something, sure to put you into the weekend mood:

Here's the original link from the Internet Archive.

FPS Freek Hands On

2009-03-20T13:42:00.009-04:00

I first heard about this gaming add-on last year in a Gizmodo article (3/2008). On Wednesday it finally arrived in a non-specific USPS envelope :

The packaging is bareboned and consists of nothing more than the plastic container (which is easy to open), the paper insert and a pair of the Freeks. All I can say is that I'm glad it didn't come in a 12" x 12" cardboard box filled with packing shells.

Installation is pretty simple and straightfoward : clip on top of the analog sticks. That's it, you're done. Here is the installation with my Xbox 360 controller (360 glowing in the background).

Here is the claim & challenge of the FPS Freek :

"FPS Freek was tested by professional gamers in Halo tournaments and by avid gamers across the country. The results are clear - FPS Freek enhances aiming precision and increases game performance with minimal learning curve. The added ananlog stick length provides 40% more linear distance from full stop to stop."

"Take the Challenge! Try FPS Freek and see how it can improve your game. Use FPS Freek for 2-3 hours and then remove it to see the difference in your game."

In this test I used the multiplayer of Halo 3 as my lab table. First of all, my FPS console experience is limited. I have experience playing many console FPS : Halo, Halo 2, Gears of War, etc. That experience, however, is limited (mostly) to the solo campaign & not to multiplayer action. My multiplayer experience in FPS comes from PC, mostly. I find that a keyboard and mouse is a much more precise interface than two analog sticks and have saved most of my FPS gaming for the PC. Since Wednesday, I have played approximately 6 basic traning sessions to test out the FPS Freek (total play time is around the 60-90 minute mark). My results vary, but so far I'm averaging 10 kills/session and have been in the #2 spot (of the 4 person match) three times. I am still short of the recommended 2-3 hours for testing, but so far am still on the fence about the product's effectiveness. It could be doing something or on the other hand I could just be getting used to the analog controls (the old practice makes perfect theory). I guess I will have to test with some other games & then again without the FPS Freek, to garner any difference in ability/performance. Stay tuned.

Pandora Work-Around

2009-03-19T15:28:00.006-04:00

I've been using Pandora for several months now and it has definetly opened my eyes to some music I had not heard before or simply did not take note of the artist or title of the song at the time I had heard it. I am using the free version and the most annoying aspect is the "Are you still listening" prompt every couple of hours. So far I have only heard 2 ads so far, so I cannot complain. I have found a cheap and relatively easy "hack" to keep the music going all through the night & beyond. Stating point - noticing the time (13:48:56) :

The "hack" involves clicking in the Pandora window & making sure the cursor is on top of one of the "action" buttons (thumbs up/down or menu were tested), with an appropriate color change if done correctly. You leave it there and Pandora will keep playing. This is more useful, of course, if you are using multiple systems or setting the music and walking away.

As you can see from the JPG, it was about 4 hours later and the music was still going. I can vouche for an uniterrupted Pandora stream lasting longer than 24 hours. It's a small work-around. Enjoy it free for now (fees or commercial interruption.

St. Patrick's Shamrocking

2009-03-17T20:57:00.004-04:00

Whilst I was partaking in the company's St. Patrick's Day themed bagel breakfast, my cubicle was "shamrocked". I returned to this :

Apparently people got shamrocked, with Greg attesting to some Irish luck making contact with the back on his head. Looking around, I noticed the little shamrocks everywhere.

There were shamrocks everywhere, literally. I saw some in the kitchen, on different floors and even in the bathrooms. I was disappointed not to find any shamrocked people - people who have been adorned with forehead shamrocks unknowingly. At least we had green bagels, described by a co-worker as being green on the way in & out, and non-traditional Irish soda bread, that was flaky, dry and tasted like a sweaty old sock (it was made from flax seed bread). Thank the Celtic gods for Guiness, otherwise this day might be considered severly overrated.

Is saol breá é'

57 Days into this American Experiment

2009-03-17T16:27:00.009-04:00

I have commented previously at my reluctance to whole-heartedly believe or blindly trust the speeches and manifestations of the new administration (with Obama as its head), cautioning others to remember that they are after all politicians (and obviously good ones). At the same time I do not agree entirely with this documentary either. We are only 57 days into the administration so I will not make any judgment, but I am watching closely.

There are aspects that seem plausible and others that seem off-balance & precariously located in the "conspiracy theory" camp, of which I am not a card carrying member. At the same time I hold no reverance for any specific (and arbitrary) government, culture or idiology, other than one of humanity. Humanity has no borders & includes all cultures. If the NWO exists and somehow through their scheming & meddling unites humanity by the merest strand, would that be really so bad? Isn't clinging to the arbitrary notions of one's country, nationalism, religion, culture or economic theory a bit anachronistic? The future of humanity lies in unification and the realization of our global family/unity. We will unite or we will die, that is inevitable. So is this a rat race? Is the last rat remaining on the barrel to be crowned king of the humans? I will likely not see it in my lifetime, but it will happen. For now, food for thought :

Will Ferrell sighting

2009-03-16T10:58:00.004-04:00

Reluctantly walking into work this morning, I spotted Will Ferrel with a stroller & two children (I'm assuming his). He was pushing the stroller towards the large wooden dinning room table in front of the Green Table of Chelsea Market. As I was getting to work, I walked in front of him and the stroller.

This is an interesting coincidence since I attempted to watch his HBO special last night, "You're Welcome, America. A Final Night With George W. Bush". I am not a fan of his work. With rare exception, I do not relate to his brand of humor. I'd rather see the 3 Stooges throw some pies or get my wisdom teeth removed while under general anesthesia, than watch Will perform. I will give people the chance to impress me, so I tuned in. Nothing else was on. I was not able to last more than 10 minutes before I changed the channel. His one-man-show is simply an hour long impersonation of the 43rd former president. I find it hard to believe this show sold out, but at the same time I am not surprised. His movies generally do very well commercially. I guess I am just missing that gene/organ that is the origin of American humor. Maybe with the lifting of the ban on stem cell research, I am one day closer to the miracle of understanding that humor. Someday.... someday.

Tetris : An 8 minute Historical Allegory

2009-03-13T11:58:00.001-04:00

Amateur Surgery Revisited

2009-03-12T12:29:00.011-04:00

I discovered this little Adult Swim flash game last year. At the time, not all the acts were available. Now, it is fully opened and I am in the 3rd act and have my eyes set on the "secret files". Join in the fun:

Check out this great game from [adult swim]!

Full Moon near Tromaville, NYC

2009-03-11T23:14:00.006-04:00

Original post here.

Watching Lou Dobbs Tonight

2009-03-10T20:32:00.008-04:00

So as I am settling in at home after picking up a Balinese, Christmas, and house warming gift from Lee's Art Shop for my friend, Steve. Lou Dobbs is in the background. He is touting his usually self-righteous American brand of rhetoric, which I can't stand. What transpired next, so vexed me that I had to email the show about it. Here is what I wrote to them :

I am currently watching your show on CNN (Lou Dobbs Tonight) around the 7:50 mark (3/10). You are venturing into a proverbial bottom of the journalistic barrel. To be honest, I do not watch your show regularly, as I consider you a self-righteous blow-hard and severely biased when it comes to reporting.

You started a discussion about Pres. Obama's address at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with one of your panelist, John Gambling. When you asked him about it, he admits he didn't actually see it. Minutes later he's analyzing the speech as if he's seen it. Did I miss something, Lou? Was something edited for content? Was he coached? Is this what you call unbiased journalism, Lou? 1/3 bullshit, 2/3 opinion? Don't you just love DVR.

By the way, America was built on the backs of cheap labor, whether that was slaves, indentured servants, illegal immigrants, unwanted immigrants,etc. Get off your high horse. I'd like to see those "jobs" those "illegals" are taking from "Americans". Most of those "jobs" are those that "Americans" generally don't want to do. I'm not referring to outsourcing either. I'm talking about "illegals" living in this country.

Your crusade against illegal immigrants is overzealous, all-consuming, but completely American. This is every native-born American's right; to discriminate against the newcomers (whatever form that takes). Discrimination is as American as apple pie. I applaud you for continuing an American tradition, but maybe you could bring back some racial epithets to season this melting pot.
Cheers.

For now, the only response is the form letter from CNN.Prog.Replies@cnn.com:

Thank you for the e-mail you sent to Lou Dobbs Tonight. This auto reply is your notification that we have received your email. While we are unable to personally reply to every e-mail, your comments are important to us, and we do read each and every one. Comments become part of the viewer response report that is prepared and made available each day to our producers and senior management.

If you have mistakenly submitted a question or story idea through this comments section, please allow time for it to be tagged as such and routed to the appropriate persons for handling.

Again, thank you for contacting us, and please visit the attached links for more information on our anchors, programs and schedules:
Would you like additional information on our anchors?Please visit our anchor bio section at http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/

Would you like to review transcripts of CNN programming?Please visit our transcript at http://www.cnn.com/transcripts

Do you need information on the show schedules?Please visit us at http://www.cnn.com/programs

Thanks again for your interest and keep your browser pointed to http://www.cnn.com/.

Regards,
Viewer Communications Management "CNN, The Most Trusted Name In News"

I await a response or retort, but doubt one will appear. Let's see what happens.

Fire in Hell's Kitchen

2009-03-09T22:12:00.005-04:00

In the midst of my dinner I hear the sirens of a firetruck. I notice, by the lights outside, that it has stopped in front of my building. More sirens are heard. At this time, I peek out the window, to make sure my building isn't on fire.

No smoke. No smoke smell. No firemen trouncing up and down the staircases in the building. No fire I surmised, but what was going on? I go outside to investigate. I wasn't the only one:

From what I could tell, there had recently been a fire at a building on the opposite side & down 44th street from my apartment (@ 414 W.44 St.).

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The smell of burning was still present, though no smoke or flames were visible. It appeared that firemen went into an apartment on the 2nd & 3rd floors (by the broken windows & window frames), as well as a ladder to the roof.

I could not tell if anyone was seriously injured, but the ambulances were stationed on 9th Avenue and were not rushing off, so again I assumed no one was critically injured. It was severe enough to call 5 firetrucks and block off 44th St. from 9th to 10th Avenues.

There's always something going on in Hell's Kitchen, good or bad. It keeps things interesting. Here's the rest of the pics.

Winter Reigns in New York

2009-03-02T10:32:00.005-05:00

Obama's First non-State of the Union, State of the Union

2009-02-25T08:53:00.009-05:00

Barry spoke and I listened. It was very inspirational, if you are an American or consider yourself an American. At the same time, what is left for the world to do? This world doesn't seem capable of sustain the sheer ego of this country. There was nothing before America and America will be here for all eternity. Hmmm... I believe I've heard this rhetoric before. Oh yes. Every large world power has made this speech. Sadly, I do not see a UN representative of the Roman Empire, the British global empire has been reduced to a few islands and common wealth members (whatever that means) and the mighty Soviet Union collapsed under the weight of its own bureaucracy (with some help from those goat herding Afghans). Apparently Americans are made from different material than anyone else on this planet. They are special. Dare I say it, are they God's chosen people? The last few groups to have this moniker assiciated with them have fared really well, right? The Jewish Empire is stronger and more powerful than ever? Right?

I understand that this is a delicate procedure, that hinges on intangibles. But, there is a confidence and there is overconfidence. Don't get me wrong. I want American to succeed. I don't want it to fail, but I want it to be the stern, yet humble father figure. A country that first holds itself to its own ideals, before searching out easy targets elsewhere. Humility is important for a person and a nation. America does not have any, from what I can see of its leaders. Why would American's need to do anything, considering we're so great and can accomplish anything? What's the incentive? Noone stays the best forever. Maybe a better strategy is to instill the desire to return to greatness and not just to maintain the illusion of it.

Obama's speech reminded me a bit of previous administration, in its scope. Didn't Bush promise we were going to colonize Mars a few years ago? This administration is going to solve the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, cure cancer, fix health care, balance the budget, reduce the deficit, win a war in Afghanistan (something the entire Soviet military, with no qualms about killing whole villages was unable to do), fight terrorism, fix our infostructure and gain energy independance by developing alternative and renewalable energy sources. And how are we going to do it? "We Americans can do anything." We solve the problems by simply existing or being born into this arbitraty political separation of land called America. Talk about chicken and the egg. This is a "pep" talk. Americans actually require a pep talk to get out of this spiraling catastrophy. The impending cliff below is not enough. It just goes to show how soft we really are as a nation, when our leaders have to give us gentle encouragment and blistering manifestos of our greatness to get us to "feel" better about things, with us hanging off the edge of a cliff.

The Republican response was even less inspirational and quite derived. It was delivered by Louisiana Govenor Bobby Jindal (the Republican new hype for 2012) : "We Americans can do anything." Wait, didn't that Obama guy just give us 52 minutes of that? Apparently Bobby is the Jerry Lewis to Obama's Dean Martin. I believed he used the "we Americans can do anything" or variations of that, at least 6-8 times in his speech.

Tuesday has left me tired and cynical. I was feeling so good after seeing the Ron English piece, but that has vanished. I voted for Barry because I want to believe he can help make those things he promised happen, but afterall he is still a politician and I distrust that profession. I predict the markets will feel the same and fall some more. Socialism is the dirtiest word in the American-English vocabulary, so I predict at least 200 point drop from the DOW. At least it's reassuring to see the bottom from here, though its a long way down. I was expecting a point of no return as a way to channel all the nervous energy into tangible progress. Sadly we have not crossed the Rubicon.

Ron English & Abraham Obama

2009-02-24T15:36:00.004-05:00

I stumbled onto Ron English, while checking out a top ten listing on Cracked. Then as with most things I know very little or nothing about, I wikied and discovered I found it quite interesting. Here's a good example :

I had seen his art before this day, though I didn't know it at the time. His art was used in the movie Super Size Me. It's pop art mashups. The artist explains :

You can also visit the artist's website here.

Drained and Ditched

2009-02-23T22:31:00.004-05:00

The continuing saga of the pre-war walk-up continues, as tonight, the bathroom sink erupts like a geyser. The dirty water overflowed into the cabinetry below the sink.

Not only did it overflow, but it vent vertical, getting into the closed vanity mirror as well :

I spent several hours cleaning every individual object near the sink. Oh, I don't know why? Perhaps this :

There are more pics also. For all the picks, click here. Lease is coming up. I can only imaging the damage.

Shure SCL3 Sound Isolating Earphones

2009-02-23T14:37:00.007-05:00

Last week a friend informed me of a sale at the Guitar Center. Apparently Shure was no longer producing the white version of their SCL3 earbuds and there was a huge price reduction. Another reason to investigate was the current (and recent) state of the Skullcandy earbuds I am using. I have documented the experience well (the latest pair). Needless to the say, the third pair came with an headphone jack extender. This extender suffers from the same issue as all the other Skullcandy earbuds I have had. Namely the connector to the device loosens over time and the connections start to break. It is a manufacturing/design issue that I have made them aware of each time I RMA. You end up with the dreaded "I can only hear sound in one headphone" syndrome. Luckily the extender was busted and not the headphones themselves. This will obviously only be a temporary solution, as I have already replaced the buds twice. Probability wins; sorry Skullcandy. The problem is when I need to get them replaced, means I cannot use them & the turn-around on the replacement is approximately 2 weeks to a month. That's 2-4 weeks of using either the horrible Apple "earbuds-from-hell" or the "buds that won't stay in" that came with my Creative Zen X-Fi. That just won't do, anymore.

In all honesty, the price was the biggest reason to check it out. I have had Shure earbuds before, but the consumer level E1 or E2. I was very satisfied with them. These are the SCL3, which if you check the manufacturor's website, can be found under the "Personal Monitoring Systems" link of the "Pro Audio" section. These are a reference/performance level. More importantly the price of these normally priced $150-200 buds was $60, with free shipping. It was only the white version of these buds that was this low. Now why would I want to pay $90 more for a color, that won't really matter because they are in my ears and you can hardly see them anyway? With all these reasons, and the faltering economy, how could I not buy them?

It took less than a week to arrive (having ordered them on Friday and arriving the following Thursday (the same day I had the Joey McIntyre sighting). I unbox the following :

Inside I find the buds themselves, instructions (in several languages), warning pamphlet, toxic chemical sheet (in Chinese) and a carrying case (inside it's Bud X-mas). Within the carrying case is an assortment of different sizes and shapes for the earbuds. There are 3 sizes of the plastic & black-rounded foam buds. There is an additional pair of yellow traditional foam buds and even a pair of triple flange sleeves (my current buds of choice after a little off the top).

I have had the buds over the weekend and put them through some tests to garner an idea of their quality & even compared with my current Skullcandy buds. I first carefully tested all the various sleeves to find the ones that has my preferred balance of noise isolation-to-comfort. After trying on all the options, I decided on the double flange. The original triple flange made me feel like I was poking out my eardrum every time I inserted them into my ear. Removal of buds from the ears with the triple flange, felt similar to removing a catheter (insert preferred body part here) and I am used to having in-ear buds. The comfort level on both earphones are comparable, however, and it is in the isolation department that the Shure become the clear winner. Even while on a subway platform, as trains going by and the X-Fi at a volume of 50%, did not affect the output (as it does with the Skullcandy).

I am not much of an audiophile but I can easily say these are as good as the Skullcandy or Westone earphones I have had before, if not better. The sound is clear and crisp (most of my mp3 audio has a bit rate of 256kb or greater as well). The base is not as "loud" as others I have had, but that is usually a marketing gimmick created to garner the consumer who loves to "blast" the music (soon to be nonconsumer as their hearing diminishes). I find that that base is strong without drowing out other instuments or sounds.

This picture is for the Skullcandy people. Most headphones will fall to the connector problem listed above, through moderate-to-heavy normal daily use. This is unavoidable. This is what the connector end should look like if you want maximum longevity and the possibility to survive the engineering stress test that is life, longer than 12 weeks.

And NOT this :

In a final test, my friend Gregory (shamless cross-promo here) provided me with a frequency mp3 file. We wanted to see the range of these earphones. The file runs 67 seconds and tests the range 20Hz-20kHz. The result is that both Gregory & I were able to hear sounds from 1-66 seconds. If I read the specifications of the manufacturer correctly and test file's range is accurate, that means these buds are better than advertised when it comes to their response range. In conclusion, these are some good buds!! Greg's even ordered a pair of his own, coming soon.

On a sidenote, I wanted to thank Pavel for the link.

Eighty First Oscar Award Final Thoughts

2009-02-23T00:23:00.012-05:00

It is unusual that I watch any award show. I have a hard enough time trying to stay upright at company meetings/shows where I have an interest in the outcome or reports. I don't want to watch an inter-industry back scratching session.

Surprisingly, I found myself sticking around well into the 40 minute mark, before starting to switch to the other channels. I wasn't paying much attention to the people nominated, the presenters or anything that was being said. I was looking for hidden signals in the programming. I would find myself rewinding, over-and-over, looking at the reaction shots of all the nominees as the winner would be announced. I would instinctively add thought bubbles to the actor/actress body language. Was that Angelina thinking "I knew they wouldn't give it to me, oh well" ? Is Mickey tearing up under those sunglasses? And why is Anne Hathaway so excited about some else's victory? She's not trying to secretly be everyone's "sister," is she ?

Most surprising of all was the contrast between the sexes, especially in the main categories : Leading & Supporting roles. I am not building up into a sexist rant or some sort of male counter-attack. I am simply referring to the fashion and the total look. All 10 male presenters (supporting & lead roles) looked good. They were dressed in tuxedoes & generally looked like movie stars (althouth Christopher Walken's side burns seem to be attacking his head). The 10 female presenters were another story completely. It all started with the "Best Actress in a Supporting Role" :

Since they were the first major category to be announced, they were the first to perform the new format for the 81st Oscar presentation. This involved 5 past winners of that award, announcing one of the nominees and then delivering a scripted (yet personal) description of that nominee. This group was just the beginning. Who would have thought Goldie Hawn's wax face & chest, Tilda Swinton's modeling of the Statue of Liberty dress and Whoopie Goldberg's leopard print mumu would not be the peak of gaudiness for the ladies. Thankfully this group had Anjelica Huston & Eva Marie Saint to balance out this group a bit (as they kept is modest & conservative).

Kate Winslet won the Best Actress in a Lead Role this night. The future of leading ladies is not bright. First you start out being young and attractive, like last year's winner; Marion Cotillard:

After a couple of post-Oscar roles, meant to reap the new found accolades you end up in Halle Berry territory. Sadly, I was unable to find any photos of her. She still looked good and was in a decent outfit. Her "star" has definetly lost some mystique. A few more years and several overeager plastic surgeries later and you end up with Nicole Kidman.

Several more years later, and several dozen bourbon bottles later (as well as finding your past lives through heavy doses of LSD and oxycontin), you end up looking like Shirley MacLaine. Again, I had a problem find a picture.

Even more plastic surgery later you look like Anjelica Huston's character from the Witche s or maybe that was Sophia Loren. Is winning Best Actress in a Lead worth it? You decide which witch is which :

New Kid on the Block Sighted near Times Square.

2009-02-19T22:54:00.000-05:00

I was working out of the midtown office today, because of an "important" departmental meeting. This means a dreaded walk through the gauntlet that is Times Square. The return trip was made even more painful by the sudden development of bone chilling winds. It's New York, of course, so the wind is blowing right in your face and the appropriate accessories (hat, gloves,etc.) are missing because the day didn't start out this way.

I usually go down the south side of 46, crossing Times. Sq & ducking into the Hilton's plaza. This puts me right in front of the little gap between the buildings that allow me to get to 44th. From there it's a Ryan Gosling's step away from Heather Graham and my oasis in the concrete jungle. This day was slightly different. As I walked by here, I noticed a lone, yet familiar figure walking towards me:

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It was the Dick Clark of NKOTB, the seemingly ageless: Joey McIntyre. He was walking away from the TSq maelstrom, heading east. Did I mention he was alone? His eyes were fixated on some unseen, horizonal goal. He was not going to stop for anyone; fans, soccer moms,etc. Perhaps he was hanging out at MTV or engaged in some self-promoting. I was never a fan of the group. I had heard the songs and knew of them, but musically I was more of a BBD fan. I Wiki'd and discovered that he wasn't an original member of the group. He was actually filling in for the then recently departed Mark Wahlberg. Funny to see how their careers paralleled each other, like a Tale of Two Cities, minus the guillotine.

Turk 182 sighted near Lincoln Square

2009-02-18T17:12:00.002-05:00

PREVIOUSLY : 2/17/2009

I was having dinner at P.J. Clarke's at Lincoln Center tonight with some friends. It was just some beers (in this case mostly Blue Moons), laughs and straight fries. Everyone also had burgers. I can't say the food was exceptional, but it hit the right spot.

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By the time we were ready to leave, the conversation had turned to celebrity sightings. Strangely enough as we were walking (and talking) our way out of the restaurant, I noticed Timothy Hutton have dinner with a friend at one of the 2 person tables by the front of the restaurant.

I was the only one who noticed. My attempt to inform my comrades failed, even after the corroboration by the hostess. I noticed him looking at me. Perhaps I was a little loud? I have been accused of having a booming voice & we were only 20 feet away (way too close). He took several glances and was perhaps worried that I might come over or cause a scene (ask for an autograph, etc). I did not. I believe in the "golden rule." If I were famous, I wouldn't want to be bother by some random person looking for 2 seconds of acknowledgment for something that is quite obvious. My technique is to make eye contact; an established, non-verbal, form of communication conveying that I am well aware of who they are without necessarily doing or saying anything. Til next time, Mr. Hutton. Til next time..... maybe.

UPDATE : 2/18/2009

So according to Timothy Hutton's Wikipedia entry, he is a part owner of the P.J. Clarke's restaurants. So Timothy going to P.J.'s for dinner would be like me staying home. A hearty thanks to my dad for fact checking.

Elysée Palace : A Room-by-Room 360 Panoramic Experience

2009-02-18T16:01:00.004-05:00

For a "leader" in all fields, America is falling short. Our White House is setup with the technology of 15 years ago. Places like Japan, Korea and many countries of the EU are blasting past us, technologically. We're still the leaders of weapon technology development and sale, but that sort of conflicts with the whole "democracy" thing. It's an easy "out" if we get in trouble. Think of your run-of-the-mill bully, as an example.

<Bully> Gimme your lunch money or I kick your ass.

<Bully Target> I will not give you any money. Perhaps your increased aggression is caused by negative self-image & crippling fears.

<Bully> Shut up. <Punch to the gut>

Anyway, I digressed a bit there. To sum up : if we just compare websites, France is kicking our ass. Check out the Elysée Palace.

Here's the White House website for comparison:

Hunter Thompson : A Conan Memory

2009-02-18T12:54:00.004-05:00

A friend sent me this and it just reminded me of what was lost. Nothing defines art more to me than bourbon and an AK-47. Maybe we're the defectives and he was the only "sane" one.

First the octuplets now a 13 year old father. Now for something completely different, I hope....

2009-02-13T17:52:00.006-05:00

It seems February is the crazy month before spring brings back the flow of hormones. In this imbalanced atmosphere, people do some wild things. This year (so far), Nadya Suleman (actually pictured below before the birth of her second set of litter) increased the size of her solo, unemployed family to 14. Why? Because she wanted and the doctor could.

(Photo linked from TMZ.com linked via Telegraph.UK.Co)

This month continues with the story of a 13 year old boy impregnating his 15 year old girlfriend. 9 months later :

(linked from Examiner.com)

Looking at the bright side (if there is any), at least he won't have to deal with that generational disconnect most parents have to. The story was broken by the pinnacle of journalistic integrity, The Sun. I wonder what can possibly come next?

I finally beat Gizmodo

2009-02-13T10:16:00.007-05:00

I saw this article this morning on Gizmodo:

http://i.gizmodo.com/5152703/image-of-the-day-starbucks-is-not-your-office.

This time I beat them to it. I saw this same guy back in September in 2008, obviously a local. Starbucks is becoming the public library/mall hang out spot for old people & the disenfranchised. Read about it.

This is the second time I have been linked from another blog (within the same month). Again, Gizmodo linked to an oobject blog about the top 14 robot commericials. My contribution is currently at #9, the 80's GoBots ad. Perhaps things are looking up? In February?

We're winning the War on Terror

2009-02-12T16:34:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure if it's the chocolate-vanilla milkshake (with an espresso shot) talking but after reading this article on Al Jazeera English, I feel we're winning the hearts and minds of the terrorists.

Apparently the Al Jazeera reporter was also shocked by the turnaround :

"I could not believe my eyes. We had arrived to interview Mullah Zaif, the Taliban's former ambassador to Pakistan who is now under virtual house-arrest on the outskirts of Kabul, when he walked into the room, sat down on the couch and pulled out an iPhone."

Especially in light of the Taliban's stance on technology :

"During Taliban rule, which ended when the US and its allies rolled in and took control of Kabul in 2001, the leadership had banned just about anything associated with modern technology."

Kabul looked like something out of Fallout 3 :

"There were no televisions, no computers, no radios, no music and though iPhones were not around back then, they most certainly would not have been allowed."

When asked about his iPhone : "His response was pretty much the same as everyone who owns an iPhone. I'm addicted, he said, the internet is great on this, very fast.He proceeded to show myself and our film crew his favorite websites."

This sounds like a Civilization victory without going into space. "Victory by Capitalism!!" I like it. Also, Zaif seems to be getting better 3G speeds than most of AT&T's customers. Now there's a good reason to join an extreme political organization : free gadgets with high-speed access. This could be a recruitment tactic. There are, after all, many unemployed people out there. Prep your resume.

Obama : The Japanese Magician

2009-02-12T14:49:00.005-05:00

Nuff' said :

EVGA UV Plus+ 12 USB VGA adaptor first hand impressions

2009-02-12T11:22:00.001-05:00

PREVIOUSLY: 2/5/09

Recently I had run out desktop real estate for work. I have approximately a dozen applications open at once that a 16x9 22" & a 19" (in an inverted portrait position) just wasn't enough (anymore). After a little research and help from the speedy delivery of Newegg.com and here it is :

After cracking open the plastic sealed packaging, which I hate with a passion, I laid everything out :

Per the instructions, I first installed the latest drivers off the website and not the ones included on the disc. I plugged in the USB cable & then the adapter. I finally attached the monitor and PRESTO:

From left to right: 17" Sony, 19" Samsung (90 degrees to the right) & 22" Samsung (16x9).

So far after a few hours, this is working pretty well. I do notice some slow down when the screen saver kicks in, but then I do have 3 different screen savers running on each monitor via Ultramon. There is also a slowdown between when I lock my screen and when the last monitor goes black. It isn't a long delay, perhaps 2-3 seconds. This is probably due to the USB 2.0 interface which is limited to 480 Mbit/sec. I am unsure yet, but I do believe the actual video processing is being handled by the graphics card currently in the system, nVidia 8600 GT. This might affect gaming or other video outputing, but I noticed no slowdown when I played a DVD with PowerDVD (spanning over the 3 monitors or just playing the video in full screen off the new third). Vista's dwm.exe process, responsible for multi-monitor output, also does not appear to have increased much in memory allocation. I will try gaming later and see how it responds. For now, enjoy the spanning wallpaper (5120x1600), courtesy of Gamewallpapers.co m of the upcoming Prototype :

UPDATE : 2/12/2009

After a week with the product, I am quite satisfied. The only drawback is when you have applications open on the screen connected to the unit & are in the window doing something, there is an occasional 1-2 second delay. This I attribute to the bandwidth limitation of USB 2.0 & the large amount of data going over the bus. Here's looking forward to the USB 3.0 version. I did not notice any performance issues when running Counter-Strike 2, Sam & Max Ep. 4 & Crysis:Warhead. In my current setup, only one of the monitors is used for gaming. Better for the bandwidth.

Where does the internet come from?

2009-02-10T16:15:00.004-05:00

A commercial once ask : "Where does 'jazz' come from?"
"Good question" was the response.

(Originally spotted on Gizmodo)

Charity Wines Tasted

2009-02-06T15:24:00.004-05:00

Last week I picked up a table red wine to complement dinner or for the occasional night cap. I saw a strange thing. The wine store had wine with sports celebrities on it. I was shocked, confused, amazed and therefore I had to buy. I picked up a $13 bottle of Jose Reyes CaberReyes (a.k.a. Cabernet Sauvignon) :

After a little research I discovered that this is business venture & charity at the same time. Charity Wines offers under $10 table wines for approximately $13, fronting sports celebrities. I can't complain if the wine is decent, as some of the money will hopefully make it to someone who needs it. Last weekend I cracked it open. Whatever you do, this wine needs to be aired. DO NOT ATTEMPT to drink it straight out of the bottle as you will be assaulted by a chalky, aspirin-like aftertaste. Oh boy do I love sulfites!!!

This bottle needs some good airing out before tasting. Wine aficionados will curl their noses at my next statement, but I have found that it works well. It works especially well on cheap reds. After uncorking, pour (or drink) a little of the wine to create some air space in the bottle. Recork and shake, periodically roating the bottle top/bottom. Do this for approximately 1-2 minutes. Let is settle and serve. I have found this quite effective (& fast) for the airing of cheap wine.

G.S.A.T - Geek Social Aptitude Test

2009-02-05T16:51:00.006-05:00

This is a fun little test to take to gauge your aptitude or lack thereof.

http://www.simpltry.com/gsat/

My results :

You Scored a 15 Out Of 50

You wear a "Can't sleep, clowns will eat me" shirt you bought at Hot Topic, but you rarely have trouble gathering a crew to play Left 4 Dead at your place. Sure, you might not have been prom king, but you've found your niche and similar people to you and you're making it work for yourself. You can't really argue with that.

(image originally from Scott Johnson's Flickr account - extralife)

Not sure I agree with the results of this test, in light of my location in Dante's Inferno (a.k.a Level 6), but it is enjoyable. You try.

Bale vs O'Reilly

2009-02-05T11:07:00.000-05:00

What would happen if these two charged individuals where put in a closed room together? Maybe this:

Peter Friedman sighting

2009-02-01T17:47:00.005-05:00

You are probably thinking to yourself, WHO?
.......

PETER FUCKIN' FRIEDMAN, that's who! HAH.

Peter Friedman is New York actor, probably better know for his stage presence than for his film presence (though his IMDB credits are in the forties). Sadly, I have never seen him on stage & remember him best as the Father Lucci character from the Seventh Sign.

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He was wandering around 10th Ave, whilst I was running around doing my laundry pre-Super Bowl.

Star-Studded Sports Center at Chelsea Piers

2009-01-31T17:27:00.010-05:00

I have already had several sightings at my gym, however, they have gotten more frequent over the last several months. At one point, there was a new sighting every week.

It started back in October with another Paul Blackthorne sighting. This time, however, it wasn't in the elevator, but in the locker room. More specifically, the locker right next to mine. I feel strange talking about it in lieu of what happened next. This is the first time a celebrity has stripped in front of me, so naturally, I am still unsure of what to think. Normally, while at the gym, I take no specific notice of any one man. I have no interest in any other kind of gaze, but in this case it was right in front of me. To his credit, Mr. Blackthorne is a modest man who 'revealed' nothing. I thank him for this, but still cannot help invoke his memory everytime I see him on TV :

Approximately a week later, I noticed Anthony Anderson on the 2nd floor, working out with whom I assume is his wife, Alvina.

I will admit that I am not a fan and after watching him while I work out, I realized I am not a fan of his workout style either. He is what I categorize as a "lingerer". In essence, going to the gym is comprised of 35% standing/sitting around or lingering, 35% talking on the phone & 30% working out (usually with the least intensiveness possible). To his credit, Anthony worked out even less than 30%. He took his time watching his wife exercising instead. Looking is 1/2 the battle I guess.

That same day, on the way to the showers, I could have sworn I saw 'Helo' (Tahmoh Penikett) out of the corner of my eye, in a towel no less :

A few days after that sighting, I saw Tate Donovan hanging around for the next aerobic class to start. He was nursing some injury as one of his legs was bandaged. The Love Potion #9 he was wearing was quite weak as I did not feel any urge to bash him.

The new year is already bringing in new sightings. The sighting that caused this whole 'recall' was Q-Tip. I so wanted to ask him "if he was on point?" I grew up on A Tribe Called Quest, along with other Queens artists,but it was strange to see him there, in a towel :

I'm not sure who I'll sight next, but I'm looking forward to my next celebrity towel.