"Should You Read More Fiction?"

Another solid blog post from Scott H. Young.

Raving

An absolutely brilliant short--written and directed by Julia Stiles; beautifully acted by Zooey Deschanel. This is the type of material I want to someday create.

Also, the short is free on iTunes (just watched it on the new iTouch!).

The Battle

21 million views on YouTube; I didn't think the calf had a chance:

Assassination: Benazir Bhutto

I wish I knew more about her so I could feel the pain and shock that so many around the world felt yesterday. Not knowing, is no longer acceptable; there is so much going on around me--outside these borders; to not even have a clue of the politics, the players, and the history is pathetic; my ignorance is taking its toll:

Teresita C. Schaffer's article in the Washington Post
Tariq Ali's article in The Guardian

I also came across the blog Teeth Maestro, run by Dr. Awab Alvi (a Pakistani dentist practicing in Karachi). This site offers an RSS feed, e-mail alerts, and Twitter.

Nielson 2007 Summary

Seattle is ranked 3rd for most people who read or contribute to blogs. There are quite a few interesting lists here:

Trend Index: 2007 Year-End Summary

Ode to a Newly Discovered Classic

What I'd give to live during this generation. Bing is incredible:

Cloverfield

Wow!

Peter Gabriel's I Grieve

Minus 26 seconds (5:18-5:44), a near perfect song:

The Big Blog

The folks at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer maintain a great local blog called the The Big Blog--check it out.

Also, if you're not already subscribing to my Reader Shared Items, what are you waiting for?

Martin Scorsese Does Hitchcock

Fantastic!



...from Cinematical

Isabel

Thinking about my mother-in-law—what I'd give for her to still be with us. The song is from Winged Migration: incredible documentary; incredible soundtrack; incredible timing.

James Blunt's High

Microplace: Invest wisely. End Poverty

Great website; great idea:

Thanks Kristy for passing it my way!

A New Profession for Blake: Modeling

Seriously? Modeling? Now, thanks to the University of Washington, I am forced to re-evaluate my entire career path; will an industry shift soon follow? Stay tuned.

Witness the first (and currently only) contents of my modeling portfolio:
http://evans.washington.edu/admissions/pdf/Bulletin.pdf

Thanksgiving '07

A Thanksgiving for the ages: family, great food, record breaking bowling, Rockstar.

Video Vault: Elliott Smith's Angeles

A solid music video for one of Smith's subtle classics--boy, did we lose a great artist on October 21, 2003:



A nice tribute.

Video Vault: Garden State and Remy Zero

A nostalgic moment for one of the top two movies of the past decade (#1 being Goodwill Hunting)--Remy Zero's Fair is fantastic in it's own right:

Daily Randomness: Photography

Nothing like a little photography research project to start off my Wednesday. I'm starting to get the bug: thoughts of being a great photographer; the need to learn every aspect of the art; researching the profession in correlation to my starting-to-rust-but-I-won't-let it passion: travel; wanting to buy a subscription to National Geographic. I have a tendency for this type of life changing-tangent (I drive Emilia crazy, pretty much daily, with my grandiose--but usually exciting, with a touch of stress--standards for tackling a day): ingredients for love, right?
Wiki Portal
10 Tips
Another
Oh Snap!

Chennai, Time Continuum, & Walt

I just wanted to say hello to all my fans in India (Chennai) and Eastern Russia. Other than my obvious skills in pottery theory and orchid pedal manipulation, I'm not really sure why all the traffic from these regions. I am definitely not complaining--more readers the better. Spread the word, young bloggers. Come often.

Welcome to Facebook, wife of mine.

Craig: The fact that I am the only one, now, who has not met you is an interesting mystery: I look forward to that changing soon.

Father and Mother Cooper are both coming: thank you Time Continuum for your always interesting versions of ten-year intervals.

Walt's Auto Shop: Sometimes, during pre-Primetime Jeopardy commercial breaks, I see my brother's mug on the T.V. screen--no heads up, no warnings: just my brother, pursuing a dream in my living room. Congratulations Brother Cooper!

Iconoclasts on Sundance Channel

The recent episode of Iconoclasts featured Sean Penn and Jon Krakauer (author of Into the Wild). Watch the movie first and the re-run of this interview second--both are absolutely incredible. Thanks, Ryan, for the movie recommendation; thanks, Emilia, for finding my new favorite series.

The Blue District and More

Okay, so enough with the Ron Paul stuff.

Congrats to my old college roommate (and European travel partner!) on the start of his new business venture: The Blue District. This looks like a fantastic idea that he and his partner have come up with. I wish him tons of success--especially during these early stages. All you Davis and Sacramento folks: Spread the word.

I wanted to pass along an interesting blog/RSS feed that I stumbled upon (I think from my brother): Scott H. Young.

What Is the Ron Paul Revolution? Who is John Galt?

Here is the video I mentioned in my Ron Paul TV post below. There is still a long way to go before he earns my vote, but regardless of which candidate I choose in the end, Ron Paul's stance is clear, strong, and rooted in logic and passion--all things admirable in today's political arena. Interestingly enough, if nothing else, through research of Dr. Paul's position, my leaning toward Romney is a thing of the past.

My favorite part of the video, towards the end, is of the man holding the sign that reads "Dr. Paul cured my apathy." Sometimes I find myself feeling this as well.

$5 million raised in Q3. Impressive!

New York City & Salisbury Trip

UPDATED: One of the greatest trips I will ever take...hands down. The pictures/videos have been updated to include those taken from Ryan's camera (don't forget to the click on the photos labeled "Video").

Ron Paul for President?

In addition to his ubiquitous web presence, an interesting conversation with my brother and Dad has sparked my interest in Dr. and Congressman Ron Paul. Could this be the leader our country so desperately needs? Could this be the leader I'm looking for? The opening clip below gave me chills (I'm not sure if it's the defaulted first video--hopefully it is). I have a lot of homework to do on Clinton, Obama, Romney, and now, Ron Paul:

Travels: Randomness to the East

The grass is always greener—an overused cliché, but a valid one nonetheless. I tend to seek new beginnings as a way to combat complacency; I entertain ideas of moving to random places, looking for the perfect spot—seeking an area that fits. My trip to the East Coast opened my eyes to the fact that I'm proud to be a West Coast kid: I'm proud to have been raised in sunny California; I love being from a place that leads the world in innovation, ideas & action, and, of course, film & art (having lived abroad, the level of influence that California has—with regards to art and entertainment—is insane); I love being from a place that values good health, good sushi, and good coffee.

More on grass chat some other day.

A quick side: It's not easy to maintain a blog. There is a ton I want to write about, but finding the time/setting is tough. I'm one of the people who needs a comfortable setting to write: dim lighting, no surrounding chaos, etc. To those who care, hang in there.

I've decided to suspend the beginning-middle-end writing rule—such posts are becoming a bit daunting and trite. Randomness is much more efficient and fun. Let's try:

More NYC/Maryland pictures (taken from my brother's camera) will be posted soon.

I wonder if I still have any readers? I use to have thousands.

I think I am going to start a screenplay; I think I've been saying that for years. I think I'm serious this time. You can't quit if you haven't started.

My brother passed along a good article on making the perfect cup of coffee—Thanks Ry.

If this happens I would cry—seriously.

Is it weird that I love using the emdash (—)? I use it way too much, but I can't help it—I love it. It's almost as good as the colon and semicolon. Sometimes I convince myself that I use these 3 tools correctly.

I think it's time to go.

Coop

Widget Update: Goodreads

I just wanted to point out the launch of Goodread's new Flash widgets on the right-hand sidebar of my blog. Now you have interactive access to my digital bookselves: Favorites, Currently Reading, Read, and Soon to Read. While I haven't written many reviews yet, clicking on each book will take you to its location within my online Goodreads profile. This is a great website for those interesting in all-things literature. Enjoy!

---

Blake N. Cooper (Blog; RSS Feed; Twitter; Facebook)

Vancouver, B.C. Trip

It won't go down as one of my favorite trips, but there is definitely no question Vancouver is a beautiful city. Traveling out of the country on a holiday weekend was not the best idea: the border crossing was horrific. A relatively quick two and half hour trip slowly turned into a four and half hour headache; I think I'll chalk this up as a rookie traveling mistake.

Bike rides into and out of Stanley Park with Emilia; walks along the promenade; Robson street's European-style oasis (tons of shoe shops, banana and Nutella crepes, Zara, seemingly everyone speaking a different language); late night drinks in the lobby—not bad for a one day vacation.

Gphone is Coming

Let's hope Google does right with the Gphone--they have an opportunity to completely revolutionize mobile communications in the United States.

Prediction: The Gphone, with T-mobile, will succeed and we will all enjoy paying drastically reduced cell phone bills.

Best Time of the Year

I think I want to see every one of these films!

Prediction: If, to the masses, he hasn't done it already with Walk the Line, Joaquin Phoenix will establish himself, this year, as one of the greatest actors of our time--I am talking De Niro, Duvall, Newman, Pacino, Brando, Downey Jr., etc.

Prediction: Based solely on cast (Phoenix and Ruffalo: are you kidding me), Reservation Road, will be one of the best movies of the year.


---

Blake N. Cooper (Blog; RSS Feed; Twitter; Facebook)

The Vision 20/20

Amazing--but disturbing--website. Wow.

Are Artists Born or Taught?

An interesting article surfaced recently asking "Are artists born or taught?" A refinement to the ubiquitous "nurture vs. nature" debate, I tend to fall somewhere in the middle with a leaning toward the innate. Future fodder for Randomness.

Randomness: An Ode to Chabon

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay: a near-flawless book--without a doubt one of my favorites. I first started reading Chabon's comic-book/Superman inspired novel during the first half of my senior year in college--right after boarding the plane to Europe that would prove to change pretty much every direction my life was taking.

For those who haven't read it, I'm jealous.

Trailer: 2 Days in Paris

New York couple, French photographer Marion and American interior designer Jack, attempt to re-infuse their relationship with romance on a European vacation.

Reminder: Google Reader Shared Items

A reminder to all my fans to check the Google Reader Shared Items box on the right hand side of my blog; articles are added daily and most should enlighten the mind or, at the very least, provide for some interesting entertainment. Subscribing to the RSS feed is always an option too.

Coast to Coast: Didion

Goodbye to All That by Joan Didion

Nostalgia: Wonder Years Intro

The Wonder Years Biography Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Video Vault: Into the Wild Trailer

Excerpt from Branden’s “The Benefits and Hazards of…”

"...and perhaps that is why her books have had such a powerful impact on the young, on those still fighting to protect themselves against the world of adults and against the cynicism and despair of their elders, on those fighting to hang onto the conviction that they can do better, that they can rise higher, and that they can make more of their life than those who have gone before them, especially, perhaps, their parents and relatives. One cannot understand the appeal of Ayn Rand if one doesn't understand how starved people -- and especially young people -- are for a celebration of human efficacy and for a vision that upholds the positive possibilities of life. The Fountainhead in particular has served as an incredible source of inspiration for the young. The Fountainhead gave them courage to fight for their own lives and for their own integrity and for their own ambitions."
--Nathaniel Branden, Ph.D.

Randomness: Pointless

The old man looked like life had won: his face was defeated: the wear and tear tore: he was done. I couldn't, for the life of me, understand how anyone could get to such a place. We all get kicked around by life--loved ones die, people disappoint, temptation aims to dominate--but (at least in this country) we're all given choices: what to do after we wake up in the morning; are we going to approach the day with a purpose? are we going to be respectful? are we going to get mad, but stay rational?

Why do people give up? Why are we surrounded by weak people who repeatedly throw in the towel for a quick fix or a cheap grin? Everyone is worried about what everyone will think; nobody is thinking about thinking anymore; nobody is taking the time to stop. Stop. Values, integrity, and passion have been replaced with minimizing goals, complacency, and apathy. The same song and dance--whatever. Find a point if life is getting to the point of pointless. Be great or get out of the way. You're wasting my time.

Where Do You Stand?

While an impeachment would be most ideal, it looks like we are going to have to wait until 2008 for new leadership. Oh, who to vote for...
Candidate Quiz
Candidate Table

Video Vault: J.J Abrams Untitled

Video Vault: Falling Slowly

While similar to the Once trailer, the full song, Falling Slowly, deserves a separate post:

"Goodbye, Harry" by Stephen King

All great stories come to an end. I can't wait for the next one to come along.
Entertainment Weekly article by Stephen King

"The Benefits and Hazards of the Philosophy of Ayn Rand"

I recently stumbled across what is proving to be an interesting article written by Dr. Nathaniel Branden, a close friend of Ayn Rand for 18 years. More to come after I finish reading.

My 100th Post: Guitar Hero Coming to Wii

I'm already counting down the days until I get to watch MilDiva rock out.
First image.

J.J. Abrams' Cloverfield

Anything attached to J.J. Abrams turns to Rearden Metal. I can't wait for his next project.

Trailer (update: 7/20/2007)
Update (7/6/2007)

ListentoaMovie.com

Wow. Are you kidding me? Without question, website of the year. Oh and you've got to love the audio player's Stealth Feature!

Video Vault: Richard Dawkins Interview

The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb)

Website tagline: Find complete scripts to nearly every movie ever made. Yes please.
The Internet Movie Script Database website

Complete Overhaul Needed in U.S. Transportation

It's time to start investing: Wired article.

"Scientists Breed Mice from Cloned Sperm"

Guardian Unlimited article

Video Vault: Once Trailer

Wow, this looks absolutely incredible; 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Mind Control by Parasites"

LiveScience article

Video Vault: Ben Jelen, Come On

I am a sucker for good piano:

"Woody Allen to Begin Work on New Movie"

Barcelona through the eyes of Woody Allen.

"Zelda Game Named 'Greatest Ever'"

Zelda article

"Rats Offer Insight into Stress-related Infertility"

Time Online Article

"Scientists Find Drug to Banish Bad Memories"

Perfect fodder for a future post--more to come on this. From the silver screen to reality.

Randomness Unveiled

Enter Randomness—a free association if you will. A new addition emerges; welcome to my head: a blog degeneration or an inevitable evolution? we'll see. Most won't care for these daily/weekly tidbits so instead, enjoy my article links and hopefully you'll come back soon. If I lose you, onwards and upwards.

Speaking of "onwards and upwards," does anyone know where this overly-used saying originated. I actually don't know for certain so please refrain from quoting me for your own dissertation, but I believe this comes from a play by the great Thornton Wilder: Our Town. I miss those days of playing George Gibbs. Sometimes I dust off the cover and start memorizing the lines again just to see where my emotions go. For anyone who has acted, falling into such a state is, on one hand exhausting and on the other hand, addicting. Even with a character as innocent as George, the mind immediately jumps back into the preparation: you become the character again. My stage experience is limited so I don't really know what I'm talking about.

Until tomorrow, next week, or later in the day, of course...

"What the Heck is E-mail?"

Electronic mail ad from 1977

"Daddy, What's Internet Explorer?"

Internet Explorer is horrible. If you are not using Firefox, you have issues with your head.

Daggle article.

Goog411

A company that just gets it:
1.800.GOOG.411

"First Artificial Life 'Within Months'"

Telegraph.co.uk article.

Enter Stage Left: The Fashion Industry

In order for Hollywood to compete in the Digital Age they need a total revamp of the movie-going experience—a major paradigm shift as they say. I don't know if it is going to be effective—home theatre will soon be preferred by many—but 3-D is about to get a serious makeover. Once the fashion industry jumps into the mix everyone is going to want a pair of movie sunglasses; theatres are going to get more comfortable: no more rubbing elbows with the person next to you; the popcorn will be coming to us—so will the characters on the screen.

Nostalgia

What would we do without it? Ask someone who just found out they are in the early stages of Alzheimer's and I bet they'll tell you it'll be one of the things they will miss the most. Nostalgia hurts: it's a feeling that always seems to ache the chest. When we are smart and lucky enough to take the time to feel the past—the core of what nostalgia is—it makes the heart feel heavy to the point where you need to sit down. Is there a better feeling? I don't think so.

Don't get me wrong: I love to be happy—bring on the smiles, role out the laughter—but too much of it is boring. Most of the time, I much prefer nostalgia. I seem to learn a hell of a lot more.

"LucasArts' Talks Wii Lightsaber Game"

Recently, my brother sold his Wii. I have a feeling he will be regretting this decision very soon.
LucasArts' Talks Wii
I'm not a big gamer, but the Wii is fantastically fun.

Video Vault: Damien Rice, Amie

This is the only version of the song I could find; it's absolutely remarkable where he goes with it (notice around 3:20 down to 3:09). It's no Blower's Daughter, but it's beautiful nonetheless.

Reminder

A quick reminder to the thousands of people who read my blog each day: if you are ever in the mood for a good trailer or quick book summary, the lists on the right column contain live links.

Thanks for reading. Hope to see you back tomorrow (or later in the day, of course).
B

"Google Earth Zooms In on Darfur Genocide"

Incredible.
Another related article.

Video Vault: Mr. Rogers

This will most likely be the only time I snatch a post from my brother (thanks Coop), but after weeks of reflection, stealing became the only option. This is an amazing video; for my kid's sake I sure hope we can somehow find our way back to such values:

"Study Says Eldest Children Have Higher I.Q.s"

Interesting study and an equally interesting follow-up article.

Most certainly an aberration in my family—it's actually the opposite, I believe.

Article: "Waiter, There’s Deer in My Sushi"

I'd try it as long as it's cooked (I inherited the worst stomach in the history of stomachs from my mom)

"French Super-Speed Train Line Drives Europe's Modernization"

Exciting news for Western Europe junkies.

"Move the Train With Your Brain"

Bend the spoon Neo

"Out of This World: 60 Years of Flying Saucers"

Happy birthday flying saucer concept.

Ode to a Time I Received Affection from My Brother

"Shark Bite Leads to Reproduction Mystery"

Interesting article.

Sometimes I Post Random Photos: Merry Christmas

Sometimes People Go to the Zoo

First Look: Where The Wild Things Are

Article: Where The Wild Things Are

The best part is that it'll be directed by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation: both great movies).

Video Vault: Fielding Mellish, Bananas

Video Vault: Joshua Radin, Closer

AFI's Top 100 Movies

Casablanca should not have dropped to #3; how Woody Allen does not show up until #35 is a joke; the lack of newer films--Kill Bill Volumes, Braveheart, Usual Suspects, to name a few--seems to detract from the list's credibility. Still a good resource for great films.
AFI's Top 100

As With All Great Movies—Watch it Alone: Two Girls and a Guy

There's a feeling that I get, every so often, that's hard to explain. Whenever I'm lucky enough to be blind-sided by it, I do one of four things: I start working on the blueprints of my someday-to-be international travel abroad company; I start working on ideas for the next great screenplay; I start reading great screenplays written by great minds; or I turn to Robert Downey's Jr. unwanted masterpiece Two Girls and a Guy. I made the mistake once of telling my sister-in-law that this was one of my favorite movies; to this day, I get the feeling I am the last person she would ever ask for a popcorn-laden, Saturday night movie recommendation. Time to make the mistake again: this is one of my favorite movies.

RDJ's performance, in this stage-like classic, is nothing short of brilliant; Wagner's performance is borderline painful; while I've turned off most of Heather Graham's movies, she actually delivers here. My writing isn't good enough to provide a review, so I'll direct you here for that. But I must say that Downey's performance is a clinic for actors. It's not a perfect movie; it's not a perfect performance--but in an age where Hollywood continues to produce commercial trash, this small movie stands as a reminder of the power of film and performance.

Like you should do at least once with all great movies--watch it alone. If I ever find the courage to go back into acting, this performance would be one of the reasons why.

Video Vault: Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars

Too bad this song got overplayed on the radio. Great song nonetheless; also a great show.

"Taxes a Pleasure? Check the Brain Scan"

Statistical Outliers:

NY Times: "Taxes a Pleasure? Check the Brain Scan"

Tunnels, The New Harry Potter

Could boy archaeologist be next Harry Potter?

A secret world underneath London? A boy archaeologist's journey to the center of the earth? Yes please.

I'm on Book 5 of the Potter series and am enjoying every second.

Video Vault: Damien Rice, 9 Crimes (Live)

Another brilliant song from Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan:

Video Vault: Dave Matthews, Stay or Leave

Definitely one of Dave's best and most brilliantly performed songs:

Video Vault: Damien Rice, Blower's Daughter

Possibly the greatest song of my generation. I'm not sure if it gets much better than this:

Video Vault: Ayn Rand Interview (by Mike Wallace) 1959

A. Rand - Mike Wallace Interview 1959

Preface: Ayn Rand takes many of her ideas to an extreme that, to a lot of people, are arrogant and uncomfortable. I am nowhere close to understanding the principles of her philosophy; this interview is about as far as I want to go to get to know her; her characters, on the other hand, now that's a different story. What I admire about Rand was her courage to take a stance. She interpreted life in a unique and unwavering way and believed in a system of thought that is rooted in reason and sustained by men and women who are willing to delve—even if the people around them watch with scorn—into the true nature of selfishness. I do not consider myself an "Objectivist": to do so would be, for me, limiting and irresponsible. While there's certainly a great deal that I subscribe to here, I'm just a guy trying to figure out where I stand.

Video Vault: The Fountainheaded

Nothing wrong with a little Ayn Rand comedy. At least she's being made fun of by geniuses:

In Solitude Together

It doesn't really make sense why I have not posted yet on The Fountainhead. Maybe it's because I don't want to share my thoughts with the world; maybe I've been afraid of the influence such thinking will lead in terms of action (ridiculous); maybe I've started to be influenced by what others think of Rand, her philosophy, and her two books (Atlas Shrugged being the second most read book to the Bible; I finished The Fountainhead years ago and I am 700+ pages into Atlas). Regardless of the reason, as I get older, I am realizing that it is now impossible for me not to think about the issues she tackles—objectivism, selfishness, solitude, the individual, politics—or the characters she brilliantly created. By no means do I think The Fountainhead is a great piece of prose literature when compared to the likes of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms or The Sun Also Rises, but it is the most influential piece of writing that I have ever read.

I need an outlet for the emotion that I feel when I think of this book; when something happens in my life that forces me to wake up, break out and fight the complacency and monotony that our culture produces, I need a place to go; I need a place that will help me remember those days where I spent countless hours trying to understand what the hell she was trying to say. Since I go to this blog everyday, and because I am so busy, why not have that outlet be here: it's safe; it's personal; it's mine. It's not like anyone is actually reading this anyway.

"Ancient Rome Reborn in Virtual Reality"

MSNBC.com article

Video Vault: Plain White Ts, Hey There Delilah

Atlas Shrugged Coming to Big Screen

Do yourself a life-changing favor and read the book before going to the movie. At second thought, if you are going to commit to such a lengthy book, you may want to read The Fountainhead first. At third thought, don't watch this movie at all; these books do not deserve to be minimized into a 2 hour highlight-reel.

"Scandals Lead Execs to 'Atlas Shrugged'"

USA Today article

Running Movie List

Paris, Je T'aime (HD Trailer)
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (HD Trailer)

Philip K. Dick: A Sage of the Future Whose Time Has Finally Come

Perfect timing with one of my more recent posts...

New York Times Article:
"Philip K. Dick: A Sage of the Future Whose Time Has Finally Come" by BRENT STAPLES

Clinton, Romney Lead in New Hampshire Polls

Running Reading List: No More Excuses

“Tragic Sense of Life” by Miguel de Unamuno (Added June '07)
Everything is Illuminated (Added June '07)
The Yiddish Policemen's Union (Added June '07)

Google Releases Calendar Directory

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?: Cyberpunk to Hardboiled Detectives

I'm not a huge fan of the cyberpunk genre, but in small doses, sign me up. With the recent news that William Gibson's Neuromancer will finally be coming to your local neighborhood theater, I thought I'd offer my two cents. Philip K. Dick is the Stephen King of science fiction literature. His work is brilliant: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?: need I say more (film equivalent: Ridley Scott's Blade Runner?)

As the science fiction genre evolved, a new branch prevailed: Cyberpunk. It's tagline: "high tech and low life" or "the hacker as hero." Anyway, the genre is worth an introduction. If nothing else, watch Blade Runner. And if you don't like the content, but appreciate the literary formula, you can always jump over to it's cousin-genre: the hardboiled detective novel. The classics: Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon (Sam Spade); Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep: Philip Marlow.

Thank You For the Heads-up Mr. Orwell

There is a lot to be excited about as we continue to move forward through this Age of Digitalization and Information. But as our favorite law of dualism usually prevails in any situation, with excitement comes its opposite.

I am usually not a fan of annoying political rants (especially those juiced in extremity)—rational and honest discussion/debate is my preferred flavored approach—but the content here is worth exploring. The moral of this post—the same moral with most of my future posts—is that if you currently don't have a stance on an issue, get a stance; and if you need help shaping that stance, turn to the classics in literature or film for help. In this case, read Orwells' 1984!

Goodbye Shutterfly. Hello Picasa!

I wanted to let everyone know that I have moved my photo inventory over to Picasa: once again Google has has aligned themselves with a great company; this time they have acquired a leader in the photo storage/sharing industry. How does this impact my blog? Re-visit all of my below, photo-related posts. You will notice that instead of stand alone pictures, I have embedded slideshows of each event. If that weren't enough, some of the slideshows even have videos dispersed throughout (see: "Our Wedding in Comillas, Spain," June 2004).

Enjoy the revolution in photo-sharing!

Romney, Obama, and Others

Time Magazine: The Religion Test

No, I am not a Ryan Cooper republican, but I do worry about the possible perception of weakness the country may project if the wrong candidate (at this point he/she will be a democrat) is chosen come 2008. We need a leader and Hilary Clinton doesn't cut it; not because she is a women, but because she lacks connection: connection with the American people and connection with the perceived ability to innately lead a nation.

Since 2002, I thought Giuliani was a shoe-in until I heard him speak at the recent GOP debates. That first debate buried him. Why? Because he lacked strength and trust. He used analogies to Reagan to the point of being uncomfortable to watch and he was completely out of his element. Post-9/11, he led the greatest American city through its darkest day and his legacy needs to encompass that period of time in history. He won't be our next president.

Who's next? I think if Obama was chosen, our country would be tested mightily. I think there would be more attacks and I think Obama would lead us through them. Our country needs to be tested again just as we were on September 11th; obviously I am not talking mass causalities, but instead a wake-up call. We have since fallen back into a state of complacency that will prove devastating if control is not taken. Not control by the government, but control by the individual. We each need to look at ourselves and take responsibly of our own lives. We need to open up our eyes and educate our minds to the realities of the world that we have inherited and to the one our kids will be inheriting. We need to return to the values of our grandparents and to the morals that our grandparent's parents encouraged. We can do better than what we are doing now. We need to lead by example in our own lives and we need a leader who can do the same in Washington. While Obama may lack experience, look at what "experience" has brought to us the last seven years.

The dark horse in 2008 may be Romney. He is worth a look: he is articulate, he projects strength and confidence; he has a proven track record for success; he fits the bill as a leader. My vote is still up in the air; I am waiting for a true leader; I am waiting for someone that our country and the rest of the world is proud to be led by. I hope that Romney, Obama, or another candidate emerges. At the risk of sounding too morose, if no such women or man comes forth, life, as we know it in this country will, quite simply, cease to exist.

Baseball Stars: Ode to My Brother

What's the Call Blue? Ode to Dad

Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road

From Wikipedia

Gentlemen of the Road is a serial novel by American author Michael Chabon. It originally appeared in 15 installments in The New York Times Magazine from January 28, 2007, to May 6, 2007. Del Rey Books will publish the novel in hardcover, with new material by Chabon, on November 6, 2007. Gentlemen of the Road is a "swashbuckling adventure" set in the Kingdom of Arran around 950 A.D. that follows two horsethieves, a massive African named Amram and a hat-loving Jew named Zelikman, as they become swept up in a rebellion and try to restore the throne to a displaced prince.

Chabon said he agreed to write the serial because he has "always been intrigued by accounts and legends of the Khazars" and the idea of an ancient Jewish Kingdom. To research the novel (which for a few months had the working title Jews with Swords), Chabon researched the Khazars extensively and "tried to let it all sink in." He also re-read the historical romances of Alexander Dumas, Fritz Leiber, George MacDonald Fraser, and Michael Moorcock, to whom the novel is dedicated.

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WEBSITE: Check out this website for a comprehensive list of all Chabon's writings; I am not sure who is maintaining this but it's an impressive list nonetheless.

"Liberation" by T. Cooney

Check out this recent San Francisco Chronicle essay by a great mentor of mine, Professor Thomas Cooney. Thomas is the Master's of Fine Arts program coordinator at St. Mary's College and my former English professor. He has work coming this fall in the anthology "Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit."

Moroccan Dinner with Cuz O'Rell

Weekend Getaway to Leavenworth, WA

Video Vault: A Bit of Brando

This video is quite long but certainly worth a few minutes of your time. Brando was simply one of the best of all time: he was the Sinatra of acting. There are certain scenes in his films (e.g. his first full scene with Vivian Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire) where you just have to shake your head and silently honor the man; next time you see the film, watch as he nonchalantly chopsticks the air right in the middle of his scene activity: brilliant. He was the best actor in his day, just as Robert Downey Jr. is the best today.

Meet Marlon Brando

Video Vault: Lipton on Acting

James Lipton: 2 Things

Video Vault: Downey Jr.'s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

If you are not a fan of Robert Downey Jr. you will quickly become bored of my posts. When it's all said and done, RDJ will be viewed as one of the best actors of all time. His work is flawless; his instincts are second to none; his talent unmatched.

After all the drugs and poor choices, there is no logical reason why he should have survived. But he lived, and now we get to watch him work his way to the top. He's healthy and the work he is producing is flat-out brilliant. He's back to where he was when he became Charlie Chaplin and it's just a matter of time before Oscar come calling often .

Beginnings...

I think it's about time to start one of these; dry and sarcastic prose dominate my style of writing so be prepared to love it or hate it. Hemingway said it best: "There is nothing to writing; all you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

A one-stop shop is the goal here. I am obsessed with acting, movies, literature, drama, and travel. The bulk of the content will be links to other places that have mastered the art of presenting online material in a simple, clean and high-quality fashion (example: my sidebar movie-trailer links: simple, HD or Hi-Res. quality, blank canvased webpage).

Most of the information here will be super random; when writing, my audience is myself. To tailer my thoughts to meet the expectations of others, would be boring and pointless. For crying out load, my favorite person is the fictional H. Roark (clue: Rand's opus magnum). That, alone, will either intrigue you or turn you off.

Enjoy my always-evolving movie/book list rankings; check back regularly to see the many pics of my family.

Preface: this is my place for thoughts and opinions, not pretentious judgments. I am pretty sure it was Socrates who said "I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance." I couldn't agree with him more.

My World