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One new and one old, but I had a couple of thoughts to share. Donnie Darko I finally got around to watching this one over this past weekend. Dani's out of town and I figured I'd catch up on stuff she's not interested in or already seen. This one came up first on Netflix , so it was the winner. I've got to admit that my first reaction, when the credits rolled, was "Seriously? That's IT? I've been hearing about this movie, and how great it is, for years. And this is what I'm left with?" But the more I thought about it over the weekend, the more it's made sense to me. And I've come to the conclusion that it's really the anti- It's a Wonderful Life . I've long ago expressed my opinion about Wonderful Life, but the gist of that story (for the one or two of you out there that's never been subjected to it) is the story of how horrible George Bailey's world would have been had he left to follow his dreams. Donnie Darko is the a

I've never been a big fan of serial killer stories. I understand the appeal, from a procedural level. There's a lot of good, juicy stuff for the storyteller, as you dive into the killer's madness and concoct the scenarios that fit his madness. The problem I have is that, from a classical sense, they're not good drama. There's all the buildup and suspense you could want, as your hero stalks the madman and tries to figure out not just what he's going to do next, but why he's doing it. But when you get to the resolution, far too often, the stories simply fall flat. There's no catharsis for the audience… no sense of "there but for the grace of god go I" (though, arguably, maybe there should be). Because ultimately, the reason "Why", the whole cathartic ending of the piece, is simply "Because". "Why did he do it?" "Because he's NUTS!" You can relate, on a visceral level, to the person that kills out of jea

We're in the middle of a drought here in Southern California. Again. (I've read recently that, judging from geological records, we may not actually be in a drought… it's more like this is what the climate in this region is normally like, and we've just been experiencing wetter weather than is the norm for the past century or two.) Whatever the case, it's been pretty dry. The Metropolitan Water District has kicked into full "Conservation is key" mode and you can't escape their " be water wise " ads on the radio. This is all very familiar, as we experienced very similar conditions just a few years ago. We were living in LA at the time and I remember virtually identical commercials, urging everyone to take shorter showers, water less, etc., etc., etc. And, apparently, we all listened and the campaign was quite successful. I assume this because, about six months later, LADWP applied to the California PUC for a rate increase. (Man, you gotta lov

I was at the airport today when someone walked past me with a shirt that said: May the F = m a be with you And all I could think was, "what… may the force be with you didn't seem geek enough?"  

This is one of those quotes that I always seem to WANT to throw at someone, and yet can never remember at the time. So now I'm posting it here 'for eternity'. Maybe I'll remember next time. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. A great person does not have to think consistently from one day to the next. This remark comes from the essay “ Self-Reliance ” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson does not explain the difference between foolish and wise consistency.

For the past few weeks, I've seen a billboard off the 105, featuring a rather plastic-looking blond, advertising the upcoming Eye Candy Expo , and each time I see it I can only think, "Seriously?". Are we (and I'm referring to my entire gender here) so desperate for a look at hot chicks in skimpy outfits that we need an entire weekend at the convention center dedicated to that idea? (The successful proliferation of adult web sites, men's magazines and gentleman's clubs should be enough to make that question rhetorical, I suppose.) After visiting the site, I begin to see the genius behind this idea. The organizers of this event have obviously seen the way the booth babes and swimsuit models at trade shows and conventions are mobbed each year by glassy-eyed convention attendees looking for a moment with the pretty girl, and figured out a way to capitalize on this concept. There's a $35 fee to attend all three days ($50 for VIP treatment), which gets you acc

Ok, so it's not really " new " per se, but seriously… Toy Story Mania in 4D? X2 in 5D? Toy Story Mania Hurry! Hurry! You can step right up and compete in a new, interactive "Toy Story" adventure inspired by Disney•Pixar's "Toy Story" films! Come board a ride vehicle and zip off into a 4-D world of midway-style games hosted by Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Hamm and more! X2 : Now Open! We’ve taken extreme to the next level with X2. Completely redesigned trains and state-of-the-art visual, audio and sensory effects move X from the 4th dimension to the 5th as it transforms into X2! And, lest we forget… the 'grandfather of '4D' entertainment: Shrek 4-D Take adventure to the next dimension in Shrek 4-D™ — the attraction that puts you in the action with hair-raising, eye-popping, butt-busting effects so real, all your senses will be on ogre-time. As far as I'm concerned, until the marketing geniuses that came up with these pitches can MAP O