Link of the Day [3.03.14]
This sounds pretty interesting. Will we really get wireless power? And will that cook a person to death?
This sounds pretty interesting. Will we really get wireless power? And will that cook a person to death?
I’m just going to make my picks really quick. Here we go…
Best Picture: American Hustle
Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Actress: Amy Adams
Supporting Actor: Jonah Hill
Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence
Animated Film: Frozen
Cinematography: Gravity
Costume: American Hustle
Directing: David O Russell, American Hustle
Documentary Film: The Act of Killing
Documentary Short: Facing Fear
Film Editing: Gravity
Foreign Film: The Great Beauty
Makeup: Dallas Buyers Club
Music Original Score: Her
Music Original Song: “Let It Go,” Frozen
Production Design: American Hustle
Animated Film Short: Get A Horse!
Short Film Live Action: The Voorman Problem
Sound Editing: Gravity
Sound Mixing: Gravity
Visual FX: Gravity
Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years A Slave
Original Screenplay: Her
That’s quick. I’m not sure I even have all the categories. Plus, I chose those that were easy to type. I don’t even know if any of these are the front runners. Let’s see how many I get right. How about you?
UPDATED: Missed more than I guessed right. Next year I shouldn’t guess.
I went into Pompeii hoping that Paul WS Anderson would produce a good bad movie like his The Three Musketeers. Unfortunately, it was a terrible, terrible movie. From Kit Harrington, the leading man trying to be Orlando Bloom channeling Erica Bana, to Emily Browning, the romantic interest not filling the Mila Jovovich role, this movie missed on all cylinders. It was derivative of Titanic and Gladiator, and it didn’t try to hide that fact.
Pompeii plot is about the last days of the city under threat of Mount Vesuvius. Browning plays the daughter of the chief merchant of the city. She has just returned from Rome sickened by the political machinations. She’s come home to find that her Senator suitor, Kiefer Sutherland and a weird accent, holds the fate of her father’s ambitions in his hands. Harrington is a slave and gladiator, brought to Pompeii for the big festival. He was a member of a Celtic tribe slaughterd by Sutherland. He’s come for his revenge. He’s joined in his quest by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje playing the Djimon Hounsou from Gladiator. His arch is exactly the same. He’s Harrington’s nemesis first, then friend afterwards. This all happens under the threat of the volcano.
The acting was bad. The story and plot movements were bad. Keifer Sutherland was bad. I wish I had something good to say, but don’t watch this ever.
1 of 5 stars.
“Sorry, Venkman, I’m terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.”
Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis[RIP]), Ghostbusters
It’s been a whirlwind two weeks, but I am home from two weeks in Southeast Asia mainly the Philippines, AKA the Motherland, and Singapore. Fun times with family and friends. Lots of moving about. Never staying in the same house twice except for the wonderful @margeemateo‘s aunt’s. I would like to take the time to thank all who made the past two weeks memorable.
Thanks to Tita Ninfa in Cubao, the lechon capital.
Thanks to Bohol for making me realize how beautiful the Philippine Islands are. The island is like Hawaii, verdent.
Thanks to Rose and Tony Ong for the home base in Metro Manila. Several days we spent there and it was a home away from home.
Thanks to Uncle Paul for the stomach pains. The beer was fine. The girls were pretty. The awkwardness of it all made me want to crawl in a hole and die.
Thanks to Manang Leila for another house to sleep in.
Thanks to Manong Manueal for a peek at some of the exquisite wealth in the PI.
Thanks to Tita Lulu for another look at the ‘haves’ in the PI.
Thanks to Noel and Lorraine for the tour of Manila and the great Japanese bath off of Roxas Boulevard.
An extra special shout-out/thanks to Margaux for driving me around town. She’s the greatest without whom the Philippines would not have been as special. I miss her companionship, and can’t wait for it again.

On Hiatus
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
Post has been quite light around here. Sorry about that. I’ve gone on a vacation. I’ll be back hoping to bring some awesome pictures from the trip. See you soon.
Apple is celebrating 30 years of the Macintosh. It’s a neat site, because you participate by entering which was your first Mac and what did you do with it.
My first Mac was the PowerBook 140, the beginning of my fascination with their laptops. I’m planning to get their latest MacBook Pro with Retina Display, but I’m waiting for the right time. It seems like I’m always waiting for the right time with Apple.
After the PowerBook 140 came the PowerBook 190 five years later. Then came the TiBook another seven years during which I wanted but never could buy a desktop Mac. My first one was a Mac Mini… I’ll keep waiting and waiting for a better desktop…
Here’s to another 30 more years of the Mac and to Apple.
3 Ancho Chiles
3 Cascabel Chiles
3 Arbol Chiles
Stemmed and seeded
2 Tblesp Whole Cumin
Roast in a pan
2 Tblsp Garlic Powder
2 Tblsp Paprika
1 Tblsp dried oregano
Blend with chiles cumin in a blender
Just as Alton Brown said…
It’s cold, and there is snow on the ground. I’m also drinking a milkshake, and the thermostat is set at 63 F (that’s a blog post for another time). I’m cold. It’s cold this year. There’s another Polar Vortex on the way. Throw on some blankets and huddle down.
Awesome inside story on everyone’s favorite 90s bromedy, Swingers. I know that it received most if its notoriety on video, but I can’t help and say that I saw it on its limited theatrical run through Baltimore. I know you’ve heard me talk about catching it in the theatre, but it was an awesomely, hilarious time…
I read a review in Entertainment Weekly about Swingers. I kept waiting for it to show up in a movie theatre around town. Finally, it was playing at the Rotunda. I was a shiftless slacker doing nothing but school and waiting tables, so I was able to catch a mid-week matinee.
There was not many people watching it. It was me, three or four business men, another couple, and a college coed. Now the Rotunda was a small movie palace about twenty rows of ten or so seats. I sat a third of the way in, and laughed all the way through. I keep looking around, but I was the only one who got it. And that’s why I thought it was the greatest film.
I tried to get others to watch, but the movie was gone. Only when it made a splash on home video did people finally realize how awesome a film it is. It is the 90s for me.
Good times. Good film. Next, I’ll tell you about catching Office Space on opening night in a packed theatre filled with silence…