READING BOOK, WATCHING MOVIES AND MORE

2010-12-15T02:13:00.002-05:00

http://poorwayfaringhipster.blogspot.com/

2010-10-10T20:59:00.001-04:00

I am now blogging at:
http://poorwayfaringhipster.blogspot.com/

see you all there

Top 15 Films: 2009

2010-01-18T17:57:00.002-05:00

I know I'm a bit late with this but..here are my top 20 movies of last year.

Beaches of Agnes
(500) Days of Summer
Up in the Air
Where the Wild Things Are
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Adventureland
An Education
Me and Orson Welles*
Summer Hours*
Slumdog Millionaire*
The Class
Jennifer's Body
Julie and Julia
 Coraline
Tokyo

*not sure if these count, I saw them in 2008 at the TIFF

Andy Warhol's Mona Lisa

2009-11-30T16:17:00.002-05:00

happy Halloween

2009-10-31T19:20:00.001-04:00

LISTEN TO THIS: Amy Millan: Masters Of The Burial

2009-10-30T18:52:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite albums this year was Masters Of The Buriel by Amy Millan. I highly recommend checking it out.
If you don't know of it, check out this (great) free track on stereogum: http://stereogum.com/archives/mp3/amy_millan_covers_death_cab_for_cutie_stereogum_pr_084261.html
then buy it on itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/masters-burial/id327854954

Linkage.

2009-10-21T19:04:00.004-04:00

Some links for the one person still reading this blog:
This week I'm going to a lot of readings at the International Festival Of Authors in Toronto. For all Toronto readers of this blog, I recommend checking it out. http://www.readings.org/
My new favorite blog is Every Nine Days: I mean, one women Beatles! Awesome! Great singing, guitar playing, clapping etc.
I read French Milk by Lucy Knisly and have started to follow her blog where she often posts great diary comics. (including a sadly true one about Twilight)
Speaking of diary comics, Gabrielle Bell has started to post her amazing comics online!

READ THIS: The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian

2009-10-21T18:49:00.003-04:00

The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie sat on my shelf, unread, for over two years since I first bought it. When I first started to read it, it felt quite alike to various other problem books I had read so I put it down. I was surprised to find one of the freshest, funnest and best books I've read this year. This week, for whatever reason, I finally read it. The book tells the story of Junior who has grown up on a reservation but decides to leave the reservation school to seek a better life in a school of all white students. The good thing about Junior is that being a Spokane Indian, that is not taken as his main character trait. By this I mean he is a normal boy growing up in difficult circumstances. description of life on the reservation is quite sad and desolate. The escape from the reservation Junior goes through is uplifting in surprising non-cliched ways. It was truthfully fun to read this book. It is a testament to Sherman Alexie's talent how in a book with so much humor it is about thoroughly serious subjects. READ IT!!

The New Blog...

2009-10-08T12:31:00.003-04:00

As you might have noticed, my blogging has become scarce and rare. This blog has had a cloud of dust swiftly circling the pages. Noticing this, I thought it was time for a change. This is why I have decided to open a new blog. The blog, Reading Comix, is going to include reviews of new comics and graphic novels, coverage of comic book events and more.
Check it out: http://readingcomix.blogspot.com/
(no, despite how the post makes it sound, this blog is not shutting down. the comics coverage has just been moved to the other blog)

TIFF 09: An Education

2009-09-13T18:57:00.001-04:00

An Education
An Education tells the story of a 16 year old girl named Jenny (played by Casey Mulligan) and her relationship with an older man (played by Peter Sarsgaard) who seems to offer her a life of fun instead of the university educated life at Oxford she has been working for until the older man's secret is revealed. Not very entertaining stuff you might think but the dialogue by Nick Hornby is sharp and witty and An Education is manages to be funny (Alfred Molina's is hilarious in his performance as Jenny's father.) in addition to sad and moving. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

TIFF 2009: The Lineup

2009-09-08T19:29:00.003-04:00

I'm getting ready for this year's TIFF and just picked up my tickets today. I will be reviewing everything I see on the blog. Here's what I'm seeing:

An Education

Jennifer's Body

The Vintner's Luck

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

and maybe a few more.

read this article

2009-08-19T20:51:00.002-04:00

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/a-librarys-approach-to-books-that-offend/?hp
Really interesting article.

READ THIS: Put This Book Back On The Shelf: a Belle And Sebastian anthology

2009-08-15T11:26:00.006-04:00

The anthology Put This Book Back On The Shelf has comics by various cartoonists inspired by songs by Belle And Sebastian. I read the book after recently listening to The BBC Sessions on a constant loop so I still had most of the songs featured in the book (though sadly not all of them) stuck in my head. I hadn't heard of any of the creators in the book except for Bannister (who draws a moving short story here) from his wonderful contributions to the Flight books. The amazing thing with the book is that despite being a comic book, it still feels as musically and rhythmically vibrant as the songs. In some of the stories (like I Could Be Dreaming by Andi Watson and Me And The Major by Tom Hart) they directly quote the song lyrics and the effect feels like an animated music video. In some of the other stories they take different approaches. One of the stories, Dog On Wheels by Kato, has no dialogue. Others use collage to tell their stories. Others take a more narrative standpoint. One of my favorite stories in the book, The Model by Jennifer de Guzman and Brian Bellow, starts as a straight narrative story of the story of a guy who wants to meet his girlfriend's friend who he has a crush on and ends with him writing her a letter which includes some of the lyrics of the song. The book is fantastic. The only problem I had with it is I wish it had been longer. This book deserves to be taken off the shelf and read.

RECCOMENDED: God Help The Girl

2009-08-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

Speaking of Belle and Sebastian, Staurt Murdoch (one of thier members) recently released an album for his movie musical that has yet to be made. It's a great album and I highly reccomend it. Here's a video of one of the songs:

Reccomended: My Maudlin Career

2009-06-11T19:42:00.004-04:00

I bought this album pretty randomly after coming across it in a store and listening to a few tracks. I've really enjoyed listening to it and just wanted to post a recommendation. Okay, I'll stop talking now. I embedded a music video from the album below so you can (and should) watch it.

you should watch this...

2009-06-04T21:54:00.002-04:00

The Hallway from The Hallway on Vimeo.

I'm reading Miranda July's book of short stories now (called No One Belongs Here More Then You) and happened across this video of an art installation she did which is pretty amazing as is her website for the aforementioned book I'm reading.

What you should be reading

2009-05-30T18:01:00.009-04:00

(before this starts, let me just say: these aren't reviews but just short reccomendations. Full reviews will be posted later, if at all)
Pluto by Naoki Urasawa: One of the best comic books I've ever read and I'm not a real reader of Manga or Science fition. With great charecterazation, Pluto is exciting, well written, beautifully drawn and just getting better with each volume.
A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi: I liked this book a lot and would recommend it highly for anyone interested in writing in any form.
Cecil And Jordan In New York by Gabrielle Bell: I enjoyed how this book distilled stories that could have filled full books of there own into short beutiful suggestions.
The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim: Three interesting (and well done) stories about fantasy and reality.

The Brothers Bloom

2009-05-30T17:48:00.003-04:00

It is becoming increasingly often that I go to the movies and see something thoroughly different from what I'd expected. Case in point: today I went to see The Brothers Bloom expecting a comedy and got one of the most serious and surprising films I've seen all year. Its about two old fashioned (they even wear suits!) con men who have since childhood been pulling off cons but the brother named Bloom (played down beat by Adrian Brody) is tired of it. He leaves to go to an island until his brother comes and convinces him to pull off one final con. Now, before you start thinking this is Ocean's Twelve, we get introduced to the girl who they are pulling the con on, Penelope (played by Rachel Wiez) who collects hobbies and has lived alone for years. From there, in addition to being a great and exciting adventure film, fittingly for a film about con men, the movie twists and turns in ways the audience would never expect and also out to be a great romance film.

Watch This Now: Sita Sings The Blues

2009-05-25T13:39:00.001-04:00

I was bored one day and decided to watch Sita Sings The Blues after reading a few good things about it and also it being free. I thought it was one of, if not the best, animated film I have seen in how it shows, through a versatile amount of forms such as watercolor, collage and others, the artistic power of animation. Also the story is interesting and the music is greatly synched to the story and animation. After watching it, I was so inspired that I tried to animate something myself and quickly saw that it was not as easy as it looked. Nina Paley did an admirably great job making this.

Now watch it.

April already?

2009-04-09T13:46:00.002-04:00

This blog has been 'dead' for over two months. Don't fear though, more posts are on the way. So keep checking the blog.

Photo Of The Day: President Obama and Vice President Biden shake hands

2009-02-18T10:09:00.005-05:00

from: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/obama-signs-stimulus-bill/

Coraline

2009-02-08T18:25:00.006-05:00

Coraline looks amazing.
In certain scenes, it makes one gasp with its beauty. The landscapes that have been created are quite frankly amazing. From the opening credits to the final minute, the film looks fantastic. But, like the world Coraline enters, is the apparent beauty really true inside. By which I mean, does the movie work on a level other then its looks. I'm not sure. But its looks are amazing.
The story of film is rather simple until it slowly reveals that nothing is as it seems. A girl named Coraline (voiced by Dekota Fanning) lives with her parents who write all about gardening for a magazine but never garden (voiced by Teri Hatcher and John Hodgeman) in a bland hotel which is inhabited by a number of eccentrics. Coraline finds a door to another world much like her own but more beautiful and friendly. She finds that she has an 'other' mother and father (also voiced by Teri Hatcher and John Hodgemen) who treat her better then her own. Nonetheless they have a secret involving button eyes, that will quickly be revealed. I will not give away more of the plot.
The film is worth seeing for its large technical and artistic achievement. All the animators who worked on this deserve kudos for a beautiful film. Worth watching, go to it as a moving work of art. Its worth it.

WE INTERUPT OUIR REGULARLY SCHEDUALED PROGRAM..

2009-01-28T10:02:00.004-05:00

I've been writing intensly so i haven't blogged much. We will soon resume fully. For now..some news:

Oprah was nearly the Illinois Senator.
John Updike died.

there's not much else. Blogging will resume soon. (I.E. more posting.)

is NOTHING not lip synched?

2009-01-23T10:31:00.002-05:00

from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/arts/music/23band.html?_r=1&hp

It was not precisely lip-synching, but pretty close

The somber, elegiac tones before President Obama’s oath of office at the inauguration on Tuesday came from the instruments of Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman and two colleagues. But what the millions on the Mall and watching on television heard was in fact a recording, made two days earlier by the quartet and matched tone for tone by the musicians playing along.
The players and the inauguration organizing committee said the arrangement was necessary because of the extreme cold and wind during Tuesday’s ceremony. The conditions raised the possibility of broken piano strings, cracked instruments and wacky intonation minutes before the president’s swearing in (which had problems of its own).
“Truly, weather just made it impossible,” Carole Florman, a spokeswoman for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, said on Thursday. “No one’s trying to fool anybody. This isn’t a matter of Milli Vanilli,” Ms. Florman added, referring to the pop band that was stripped of a 1989 Grammy because the duo did not sing on their album and lip-synched in concerts.
Ms. Florman said that the use of a recording was not disclosed beforehand but that the NBC producers handling the television pool were told of its likelihood the day before.
The network said it sent a note to pool members saying that the use of recordings in the musical numbers was possible. Inaugural musical performances are routinely recorded ahead of time for just such an eventuality, Ms. Florman said. The Marine Band and choruses, which performed throughout the ceremony, did not use a recording, she said.
“It’s not something we would announce, but it’s not something we would try to hide,” Ms. Florman said. “Frankly, it would never have occurred to me to announce it. The fact they were forced to perform to tape because of the weather did not seem relevant, nor would we want to draw attention away from what we believed the news is, that we were having a peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next.”
Anthony McGill, a principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera, and the pianist Gabriela Montero joined Mr. Ma and Mr. Perlman in “Air and Simple Gifts,” a piece written for the occasion by John Williams. While not all music critics agreed about the quality of the piece, some took note of the frigid circumstances for the performers. And the classical music world was heartened by the prominent place given to its field.
Mr. Perlman said the recording, which was made Sunday at the Marine Barracks in Washington, was used as a last resort.
“It would have been a disaster if we had done it any other way,” he said Thursday in a telephone interview. “This occasion’s got to be perfect. You can’t have any slip-ups.”
The musicians wore earpieces to hear the playback.
Performing along to recordings of oneself is a venerable practice, and it is usually accompanied by a whiff of critical disapproval. Famous practitioners since the Milli Vanilli affair include Ashlee Simpson, caught doing it on “Saturday Night Live,” and Luciano Pavarotti, discovered lip-synching during a concert in Modena, Italy. More recently, Chinese organizers superimposed the voice of a sweeter-singing little girl on that of a 9-year-old performer featured at the opening ceremony of last summer’s Olympic Games.
In the case of the inauguration, the musicians argued that the magnitude of the occasion and the harsh weather made the dubbing necessary and that there was no shame in it.
“I really wanted to do something that was absolutely physically and emotionally and, timing-wise, genuine,” Mr. Ma said. “We also knew we couldn’t have any technical or instrumental malfunction on that occasion. A broken string was not an option. It was wicked cold.”
Along with admiration for the musicians’ yeoman work in the cold, questions had swirled in the classical music world about whether Mr. Ma and Mr. Perlman would use their valuable cello and violin in the subfreezing weather. Both used modern instruments. Mr. Ma said he had considered using a hardy carbon-fiber cello, but rejected the idea to avoid distracting viewers with its unorthodox appearance.
“What we were there for,” he said, “was to really serve the moment.”

Academy Award Nominations 2009

2009-01-22T09:22:00.003-05:00

I've actually seen some of the movies that are nominated. Here are the Nominations:

BEST PICTURE

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

BEST ACTOR

* Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

* Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

BEST ACTRESS

* Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

* Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
* Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

* “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
* “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

BEST ART DIRECTION

* “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

* “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

* “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

DEST DIRECTOR

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

* “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
* “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
* “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
* “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

* “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
* “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
* “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
* “The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

BEST FILM EDITING

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

* “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
* “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
* “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
* “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
* “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel

BEST MAKEUP

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
* “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.),Alexandre Desplat
* “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

* “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
* “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
* “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

* “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
* “Lavatory - Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
* “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
* “Presto” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
* “This Way Up”, A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

* “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
* “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
* “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
* “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
* “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank

BEST SOUND EDITING

* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
* “Wanted” (Universal),Wylie Stateman

BEST SOUND MIXING

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
* “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
* “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

* “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
* “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
* “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

The Inaguration

2009-01-20T22:58:00.005-05:00

This morning I was not in Washington (in fact I was at my school's screening room in Toronto) but in an odd way I was. Even in a place where only a few of us were literally American, the excitement in the room was fierce. We laughed with more passion then I have ever seen, many even started to have tears in their eyes, we stood up for the pledge of allegiance, we all stood up and cheered when Barrack Obama got named the president of the united states. Even in Canada, it was a truly passionate event.

Oh no!

2009-01-16T09:59:00.001-05:00

I read this on http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/default.aspx

Toronto institution David Mirvish Books is shutting its doors next month for the final time.
The Markham Street bookstore -- just across the street for Honest Ed's -- will close its doors on February 28.
DM Books opened in 1974, and carved out its niche by focusing on books on art.
With its lofty, white walls, massive Frank Stella painting and temple-like reverence for high art," wrote Toronto Life, "this Mirvish Village favourite is more civilized than Honest Ed’s (its neighbour), but it has the same flair for bargains."
From the store's website:
In 1974 David Mirvish opened an art bookstore as an outgrowth of the David Mirvish Gallery. The gallery exhibited abstract artists and colour field painters and sculptors. Some of the artists exhibited included Milton Avery, Jack Bush, Anthony Caro, Helen Frankenthaler, Hans Hofmann, Morris Louis, Robert, Motherwell, Jules Olitski, Larry Poons and Frank Stella. David Mirvish Books is now in the building designed by Australian architect John Andrews for the gallery in 1970. Installed on the back wall of the bookstore is Frank Stella’s 1970 “Damascus Gate, Stretch Variation”. The fifty foot long painting from Stella's protractor series overlooks the main room above an equally long shelf of books on artist’s monographs.
Here's an article from Blog T.O.
These are bad days for Markham Street. Ballenford Books on Architecture closed last year. At least there's still The Beguiling.
More info to come.
[David Mirvish. Photo by Peter J. Thompson/National Post

Such a shame. It's a really nice store. I was there the other day and enjoyed browsing. It will be missed.

google sketchup model: french restaurant

2009-01-13T10:16:00.006-05:00

I was bored so I made this.

golden globes winners list with commentary

2009-01-12T20:18:00.002-05:00

Film

Cecil B. DeMille Award: Steven Spielberg

Deserved I guess. Didn't see his speech so I don't know how boring it was.
Best Motion Picture - Drama: Slumdog Millionaire
I liked it. It was one of the better movies this year.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road
Still haven't seen it.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
haven't seen it. it looked okay.
Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
looked good but I haven't seen it.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
She won this on my blog's best of 2008 list so (obviously) deserved. Speech went on a bit.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy: Colin Farrell – In Bruges
know nothing about this movie.
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Kate Winslet – The Reader
She made her holocaust movie.
Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
How could they not give it to him. It was a good performance but more then that it was legend with the sad appendix of his death.
Best Animated Feature Film: Wall-E
haven't seen this and (honestly) don't want to.
Best Foreign Language Film: Waltz With Bashir (Israel) haven't seen this

Best Director - Motion Picture: Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
very deserved. the movie is very well directed...
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: Slumdog Millionaire, Written by Simon Beaufoy
well scripted...
Best Original Score - Motion Picture: Slumdog Millionaire, Composed by A. R. Rahman
and well scored
Best Original Song - Motion Picture: "The Wrestler" – The Wrestler. Music & Lyrics By: Bruce Springsteen

haven't heard it.

Television

Best Television Series - Drama: Mad Men

haven't seen it.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama: Anna Paquin – True Blood

haven't seen it. I recall her being good in X-Men though.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama: Gabriel Byrne – In Treatment

sounded like an interesting show

Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy: 30 Rock

30 rock is entertaining.
Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy: Tina Fey – 30 Rock
she's pretty funny.
Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy: Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
he's quite good in the show
Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television: John Adams
sounded good. I haven't seen it
Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Laura Linney – John Adams

she's usually very good.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Paul Giamatti – John Adams
so's he
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Laura Dern – Recount

this was a good performance. very deserved. I clapped when I saw that they gave the award to what deserved it.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Tom Wilkinson – John Adams

Pen For Men Vintage Ads

2009-01-08T19:47:00.004-05:00

this is the funniest thing ever & it actually existed.
NOTE: will try to post high quality scan (pictures here just from the google.)

the blank page

2009-01-08T18:20:00.003-05:00

currently in a desperate struggle to write.
postnote: struggle won

Four Ex Presidents (and the president elect) Walk into the Oval Office..

2009-01-08T10:00:00.004-05:00

....and talk about the rug

Picture from: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/photo/2009/01/07/0108-WASHINGTON/26376327.JPG

Vampires!

2009-01-08T09:55:00.001-05:00

drawn by Moi on the computer

Livejournal is down (well none of my feeds would open anything)

2009-01-07T18:47:00.002-05:00

I'm glad I don't use Livejournal!

RIP: Eartha Kitt

2009-01-04T21:17:00.003-05:00

I was very sad to hear Eartha Kitt had passed away. So sad that I turned on my record player, put on the record New Faces of 1952 and marveled at her wonderful singing in two great numbers in which she sings in wonderfully versed French. I'm quite sorry I never got to see her preform on stage. I just missed her in Nine. Well, now I am off to listen to her appearance in The Wild Party soundtrack and remember the great talent that was Eartha Kitt.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T23:17:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T16:13:00.004-05:00

NEWSFLASH: 'Deep Throat' Mark Felt Dead at 95

2008-12-19T20:00:00.002-05:00

READING BOOKS, WATCHING MOVIES AND MORE PRESENTS The Best of 2008

2008-12-18T12:00:00.012-05:00

Top Ten Films
1: American Teen
2: Slumdog Millionaire
3: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barbour Of Fleet Street
4: Happy Go Lucky
5: Nothing But The Truth
6: Doubt
7: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
8: Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
9: Flight Of The Red Balloon
10: The Dark Night
Best Actor
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Best Actress
Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky
Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga in Nothing But The Truth
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger in The Dark Night
Best Musical
[Title Of Show]
Best Revival Of A Play
Equus
Best TV show
Private Practice
Top Five Albums
1: She And Him: Volume 1
2: Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust Kerry Butler
3: Patti Lupone: Live At Les Mouches
4: A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas Kristen Chenoweth
5: I Stand Idina Menzel
Top 5 Books (Fiction)
1: How They Met by David Levithan
2: Hero-Type by Barry Lyga
3: Someday This Pain Will be Useful To You by Peter Cameron
4: Slam by Nick Hornby
5: American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield
Best Book (Non-Fiction)
Audition by Barbra Walters
Top Five Graphic Novels
1: The War at Ellismere by Faith Erin Hicks
2: Chiggers by Hope Larson
3: What It Is by Lynda Barry
4: Whys and Wherefores by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guarra
5: Drop In by Dave Lapp
Best Designed Book
2066 by Roberto Bolano

Another Twilight Related Post

2008-12-15T20:24:00.000-05:00

this is pretty funny.

HUH!?

2008-12-14T11:07:00.004-05:00

From: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/index.html

NEWS FLASH: Man handcuffs his wife to the bed, loses key

2008-12-11T17:54:00.001-05:00

updated 1 hour, 49 minutes ago

DEARBORN, Mich. - If you love something, set it free. And if you can't, call the police. The Detroit Free Press reported police responded to a call Thursday morning by a Dearborn man who handcuffed his wife to their bed but misplaced the key.

Police used a universal key to free the woman.

Sgt. Ray Patrick said the situation was "more of an intimate relationship than an unlawful imprisonment."

You can tell you are slowly going crazy when you make this

2008-12-05T14:13:00.004-05:00

Frost/Nixon

2008-12-05T13:28:00.003-05:00

Michael Sheen is quite good in Frost/Nixon playing the television talk show host who with thousands of dollars of his own money and sheer determination manges be the first to interview Richard Nixon after Watergate but is very much upstaged by Frank Langella as Richard Nixon, the most obviously compelling character. The movie actually made me kind of like Richard Nixon. As I was exiting the theater, this was the scary thought on my and most of the audiences mind. Frank Langella portrays Nixon as a sympathetic and, except for a few scenes, retiree. While there are moments where Nixon seems threatening like when he says "I'm saying that when the President does it, that means it's not illegal!" But mostly he seems nice and jokey, poking fun at Frost's shoes and smiling. He even is helpful to Frost's romantic life offering him advice to marry the girl he brings to meet Nixon.

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS! AND MORE BOOKS! Monthly Book Roundup: Monday, December 1st, 2008

2008-12-01T12:04:00.015-05:00

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrisson
Toni Morrisson’s first book The Bluest Eye begins in the language of the beginner picture book “Here is the house. It is green and white. It has a red door. It is very pretty. Mother, Father, Dick and Jane live in the green and white house. They are very happy..”
But then asks the question that is age old, is anyone really happy by breaking down this immortal, familiar and comforting picture book vision and changes it into being unsettling and almost frighteningly forbidding by printing the text of this imaginary picture book in a clump.It then in its various chapters shows how a tragedy, a father raping his child, can be hidden in this picture book. It shows the longing hidden in this story.
The book tells the story of the girl who was raped by her father, Pecola Breedlove, an eleven year old black girl, who only wants blue eyes. It is a wonderful book and is highly recommended.

Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckly
A hugely fun and funny read from the first page to the last

Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guarra
I have still not finished all the volumes but always enjoy the ones I have with the great artwork and writing of Pia Guarra and Brian K. Vaughn.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfieild
I bought this book after the review in The New York Times made me want to read it out of shear curiosity. Little did I know I had bought one of the most enjoyable reads of the year. I read all six hundred pages in around two weeks and enjoyed all of them. I never in a million years would have thought a book about Laura Bush could be so interesting! Even without the added attraction of George Bush as a character (he doesn't appear for a good hundred pages), Sittenfieild's writing shines and fascinates. Highly recommended.

I Live Here by Mia Kirshner and others
This anthology interested me just based on its great cover design but the insides with fascinating insight into the impoverished countries of the world is great as well.

What It Is by Lynda Barry
A very well and interestingly illustrated book (a lot of it was drawn on legal paper) with a lot of interesting and worthwhile ideas.

Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner
Another great read that I picked up just out of curiosity based on its cover, I finished this one in two days and found it a hugely entertaining and fun read.

Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi
A powerful and intense book with beutiful illustrations, this is Satrapi's best book yet.

Hero-Type by Barry Lyga
At this point, I will buy any book Barry Lyga releases and with good reason. Each of them so far has been a masterpiece in and of itself. This book Hero-Type was at once exciting, fun, fast paced, entertaining, political, romantic and many other things. Highly Recommended!

Next Month: Books by Toni Morrison', Roberto Bolano, Curtis Sittenfield and more

Hillary Clinton is secratary of state

2008-12-01T10:57:00.002-05:00

Today, I watched some of the live news coverage on the NY Times site and was so excited to see Hillary Clinton announced as Secretary of State. I hope she cuts back on her shoe shopping¹!

¹reference to Condalezza Rice going shoe shopping as hurricane Katrina happened

William Gibson (writer of The Miricle Worker) Dies

2008-11-27T18:18:00.002-05:00

William Gibson, who wrote the play “The Miracle Worker,” died on Tuesday. He was 94.

Happy Thanksgiving from a canadian! Eh!

2008-11-27T10:19:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to wish all the blog's US readers a:
Happy Thanksgiving

WATCHING MOVIES: Passchendaele

2008-11-14T22:45:00.004-05:00

Warning: IRONY used herein
I find the funny thing about the movie is that there is barely any fighting. I have a acquaintance who saw the movie on his own (meaning no one forced him to; most of the audience of this movie will be history classes) and was quite disappointed to find that in addition to seeing a man put a knife the middle of another guys head he had to endure the torture of two hours of love scenes and not even sex scenes, romance scenes complete with corny ("Let me paint you a picture, a man is riding on a horse.."), while I, someone who will happily go Julia Roberts movies in first run engagements for fun, went to Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, in the coming attractions thought Australia looked slightly good, was sad to miss The Women in its theatrical run and would not watch the SAW films for my life must endure the sight of a hand coming out of the middle of someone's mouth. No one wins!

Rememberance Day is Today

2008-11-11T11:13:00.001-05:00

This will be the only post on the blog today in honer of Remembrance Day.

black and white art by me

2008-11-10T10:05:00.001-05:00

Writing thought

2008-11-08T16:17:00.002-05:00

I was writing and I noticed something. The music you listen to really has an effect on your writing. I was listening to Bach and I wrote a quiet scene about plants then I listened to Spring Awakening and I wrote about love.

Babar and Bob Barr

2008-11-08T14:51:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, I heard about a u.s. school's vote in the U.S where Obama got 130 votes, McCain got 40 and Babar got 4. I thought, oh, four kids put in a write in vote for the children's character Babar until I learned it was the independent candidate Bob Barr.

Michael Crichton Dead

2008-11-05T14:47:00.002-05:00

Just thought you might want to know.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

2008-11-05T11:49:00.005-05:00

On Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 at approximately 8:49 PM, I posted on this blog that Barrack Obama would win the presidency. At that point, he had 102 electoral votes with McCain behind at 33. But I knew then that he would win. I could just feel it.
To be honest, I had decided this a day earlier when I saw how on Twitter, Obama had something like a million followers while McCain had something like a few thousand.
When I talked to people about this election on Tuesday before the results were announced, I said that if Obama lost, it would be an incomprehensible moment.
Luckily it didn't happen.
When McCain came up to give his concession speech, I could not believe the moment. I could not believe that it was happening.
Even in Canada, watching CBC, on a television that uses an antenna, miles and miles away from the two candidates. It was a great moment.
Looking back at the 2000 election, it was amazing to see the Republicans accept thier loss. There were no fights. Hey, Obama even won Florida.
When Obama stepped out to give his acceptance speech, in the crowd in Chicago. Many were crying with the impotence of this moment.
What I have said to a lot of people while watching this election is "We are living in a historical moment. In 100 years, this will be studied in schools as an amazing moment in history"
Not that it was all great, California voted Preposition 8, which bans gay marriage, through. That is something to be very sad about. For those who disagree with me about the importance of marriage to homosexual families, watch this film.

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... by Jack Black

But we can still rejoice that now America has an African American (and more importent democrat) president.

Preposition 8 passed.

2008-11-05T09:48:00.002-05:00

I just will say that it makes me sad that it has come to this
. An America that even on the eve of electing a black president is still so bigoted.

Barrack Obama has won the presidency!

2008-11-04T23:37:00.002-05:00

John McCain just conceded. That's all

not to jinx it or anything..

2008-11-04T20:29:00.001-05:00

but mark my word, Barrack Obama is going to be the next president of the United States. That's all.

The Election is today...

2008-11-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

Please VOTE!!

Obama's Grandmother has died.

2008-11-03T18:25:00.001-05:00

HOLY ****!

2008-11-03T18:18:00.002-05:00

I am looking at the EW website and a call for questions in the comments for the person who plays Edward in the Twilight movie got over a thousand responses.

One More Day

2008-11-03T10:46:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow..we learn who is the net president of the United States!

Art Post (Be thankful I don't do this more then once a month)

2008-11-02T11:52:00.000-05:00

Ignore this if you want but my hard drive is overloaded so I thought I would post some art here so I can delete it from the computer

An Update

2008-10-31T22:48:00.003-04:00

I know...I know!
I am NOT blogging enough!
I'll start blogging more soon
-Writer

To all the blog's readers in California (if there are any): Please vote NO on Proposition 8

2008-10-28T11:33:00.000-04:00

I just thought I should post this. If you read this blog, live in California and are voting in the 2008 presidential election. Please vote NO to Preposition 8 which will take the right of Gay marriage in California if voted through.
Thank you.

Clothes

2008-10-27T12:43:00.002-04:00

from: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/palin-on-wardrobe-this-is-ridiculous/#more-6877

“Those clothes, they are not my property,” Ms. Palin said. “Just like the lighting and the staging and everything else that the R.N. C. purchased. I’m not taking them with me. I’m back to wearing my own clothes from my favorite consignment shop in Anchorage, Alaska.”

Uh oh!!

Election Post Roundup

2008-10-27T11:54:00.002-04:00

Here are two posts/sites on the election:
http://goraina.livejournal.com/199731.html
http://yaforobama.ning.com/

Article Of The Day

2008-10-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-10-27/my-brush-with-rush/

Sarah Palin's Makeup Artist

2008-10-24T13:41:00.000-04:00

From The New York Times:

Updated | 12:20 p.m. Who was the highest paid individual in Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign during the first half of October as it headed down the homestretch?

Not Randy Scheunemann, Mr. McCain’s chief foreign policy adviser; not Nicolle Wallace, his senior communications staffer. It was Amy Strozzi, who was identified by the Washington Post this week as Gov. Sarah Palin’s traveling makeup artist, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday night.

Ms. Strozzi, who was nominated for an Emmy award for her makeup work on the television show “So You Think You Can Dance?”, was paid $22,800 for the first two weeks of October alone, according to the records. The campaign categorized Ms. Strozzi’s payment as “Personnel Svc/Equipment.”

Sarah Palin's Interview

2008-10-24T12:34:00.006-04:00

from People.com:

– but you don't get to be governor without being smart, so how would you describe your smarts?
SP: How would I describe my smarts?
Do you think you're intellectual?
Sarah Palin: Yessss. And you have to be up on not only current events, but you have to understand the foundation of the issues that you're working on as a governor. I had to do the same thing as a mayor. So it is not just current events but it's much more in-depth than that to understand how, in the case of me being governor, how did our state get to the position that we are in order for a decision to have to be made. You can't just go on what is presented you. You have to know the background, you have to know the players involved before you make a policy call. So, um, it's uh, it's a good job, it's a tough job and it's a very, very serious job. And no. You don't get to be a governor by being –
TP: – going with the wind.
SP: Yeah definitely. You don't just go with the flow and take a political pulse on policy. You have to go with what the foundational knowledge is that you have on issues in front of you and you have to put the people you are serving, put them first. You put them before partisanship you put them before special interests. That's how you make decisions as governor.
How do you get that knowledge?
SP: I'm a voracious reader, always have been. I appreciate a lot of information. I think that comes from growing up in a family of schoolteachers also where reading and seizing educational opportunities was top on my parents' agenda. That was instilled in me.
What do you like to read?
SP: Autobiographies, historical pieces – really anything and everything. Besides the kids and sports, reading is my favorite thing to do.
What are you reading now?
SP: I'm reading, heh-heh, a lot of briefing papers on a lot of issues that are in front of us in this campaign.
What about for fun?
SP: Do we consider The Looming Tower something that was just for fun? That's what I've been reading on the airplane. It's about 9/11. If I'm going to read something, for the most part, it's something beneficial.
Jessica of Yucca Valley, Calif., wants to know, When someone screamed, 'Kill him,' at your rally, why didn't you say anything?
SP: I haven't heard anybody scream 'Kill him' at a rally.
Have you read that people in your crowds yelled hateful things about Barack Obama?
SP: With 23,000 people at a rally it would be difficult to pick out one comment. If I heard somebody say something like 'Kill him,' I would certainly not condone that… and I would say something
Alicia in New York City asks, Do you think about having more children?
SP: No-o-o-o. We got our starting five. That's the final five.
You're not the first parents to cope with a teenage pregnancy. How did you get that news and what was your reaction?
SP: Just a very quick acknowledgement that Bristol and her fiancé will have to grow up a lot quicker. But she is quite mature, very kind-hearted and a very strong young woman. She's also kind of an old soul who's beyond any desire to be out there partying. It will all be good. We look forward to another life coming into our family.

Do you worry about her finishing high school or going to college?
SP: No. She's a very smart girl. She's got great grades. She's always been a very good athlete, very plugged into school. These are less than ideal circumstances, but she is making the most of this and she will be a very, very good and loving mother. And Levi will be a very good father. And it's going to be good. And certainly, of course, as you point out, we're not the first.

Has this changed how you talk about sex with your other children?
SP: I've always been a proponent of making sure kids understand – even in schools – they'd better take preventative measures so that they don't find themselves in these less than ideal circumstances. Perhaps Bristol could be a good example to other young women that life happens and preventative measures are, first and foremost, the option that should be considered –

Do you mean abstinence or contraception?
SP: Well, both. Ideally abstinence. But we have not been ones to say that students, should not know what preventive measures are all about. I've been taken aback by some criticism that mainstream media has thrown my way saying, Oh, what a hypocrite she is and she's now learned her lesson because she's been against sex education in the schools. And I'm like, when? Where? When have I ever said that there should be no sex education taught in our homes or even in our schools?

Carlie from Winston Salem, N.C., asks, If Sen. McCain doesn't win, will you run for President in 2012? I will be old enough to vote then and you have my vote.
SP: Awww. That is so nice to hear. But our focus is between now and November 4.

Wedding next summer, is that right?
SP: Um. Hopefully before that. But Bristol turns 18 in a few days. That's what we wanted her to wait for: 18 and a decision on her own about how she's going to go forward, her and Levi, at this point.

Are you disappointed that he's dropped out of school?
SP: He's working right now full-time, but there have been a lot of very successful, hard-working American families led by men and women who have received their GED and have figured out through home-schooling and alternative schooling how to get that high school diploma and Levi will be on that road to get his education, also. But in addition to that, they're not going to be looking for anybody to hand them anything. They're going to be working for provisions for their new family and I respect that Levi is out there working hard. He's got a good job right now, working hard, ready to take care of his new child. I respect that.

STAFF: We've got to get going.

Do you have a favorite childhood book you'll be passing on to your new grandbaby?
SP: Awww. Gosh. That's a good question. Piper and I read lots and lots of nursery rhymes, of course, and we still do. There's a couple of really good Alaskan child books, also, about the Iditarod, the sled-dog race so, in fact a couple of those – and I'm reading one of them to Piper right now – we'll be passing those on.

Is that a series?
SP: No, different books. Susan Butcher, she was one of the Iditarod champions. She had written a book before she died. It was a beautiful book that she and her husband, Dave Monson, wrote. It's called Granite and it's a good one. And a lot of the Alaskan-oriented books because our kids are Alaska native, they're Eskimos, so it helps them understand more of their culture, the history there in Alaska.

Just get Tina Fey to say these lines and it will be TV gold.

Sarah Palin will ban Gay Marriage

2008-10-24T11:38:00.002-04:00

From the Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin says she supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a break with John McCain who has said he believes states should be left to define what marriage is.
In an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network, the Alaska governor said she had voted in 1998 for a state amendment banning same sex marriage and hoped to see a federal ban on such unions.
"I have voted along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote to amend our Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I wish on a federal level that's where we would go. I don't support gay marriage," Palin said. She said she believed traditional marriage is the foundation for strong families.
McCain, an Arizona senator, is supporting a ballot initiative in his state this year that would ban gay marriage. But he has consistently and forcefully opposed a federal marriage amendment, saying it would usurp states' authority on such matters.
As governor, Palin vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to the partners of gay state employees. In a debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden, Palin said she was "tolerant" of gays and said she supported certain legal protections for same-sex couples, like hospital visitation rights.
Biden, meanwhile, said during an appearance Monday on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that if he lived in California he would vote against a ballot measure that seeks to ban gay marriage. DeGeneres, who is gay and newly wed to actress Portia de Rossi, has urged Californians to reject Proposition 8.
"I think it's regressive," the Delaware senator said. "I think it's unfair, and so I vote 'no.'"
Biden added that he and Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, opposed a similar initiative nationally. In the debate with Palin, Biden said he supporters partnerships rights for gays and lesbians, although he also opposes same-sex marriage.

Tina Fey is Sarah Palin (again)

2008-10-24T11:20:00.001-04:00

30 Rock

2008-10-24T11:14:00.003-04:00

You can watch the new episode of 30 rock on hulu now, for free. If you live in the U.S., which I don't. Darn!

Biden Was Right!

2008-10-23T20:06:00.002-04:00

Within his first six months in office, Barrack Obama will face a crisis within six months of his first term in office, Spring Awakening is closing in January!!

Biden says the sky is falling....

2008-10-22T19:51:00.008-04:00

So...
I have been continually unimpressed by Joe Biden through this time. I thought that Obama as anyone watching the debate would agree, chose a lackluster running mate. I'll tell you why. As someone who viewed the debates between Clinton and Obama and thought Clinton won, I am quite unimpressed by Barrack choosing instead of Clinton someone who Clinton squashed in the primaries. Even with that early bias, Biden in the debate, even when he says the EXACT SAME THING AS PALIN which I disagree with (the gay marriage issue) is less sympathetic. Now he does this. Not that he is necessarily wrong. With the financial crisis, it is likely Obama will face troubles in his first six months. But he just should not do this kind of thing which will soon make him, like Palin, never have another press conference and also as seen in the clip below by doing this he is just feeding Obama to the sharks.
UPDATE: From an article in the New York Times:

On the trail this fall, Mr. Biden has curbed his noted volubility — or, rather, had it curbed for him by his masters at Obama headquarters, in Chicago. He never goes to the press section of his campaign plane to talk to the reporters who accompany him, he has not held a news conference since early September and he does not take questions from his audiences (not since he told one person that he thought Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would have been a better choice for vice president). Then again, Mr. Biden’s assignment does not include outreach to the national news media.

Thank you to my two sources: The Daily Beast and The New York Times

Postnote: I am not writing this as a republican. I am a democrat and I support Obama.

Laugh Lines

2008-10-17T12:03:00.008-04:00

Reading this and this I had to post them (with slight editing for clarification.)

“What they don’t know — what they don’t know — is that Joe the Plumber recently signed a very lucrative contract with a wealthy couple to handle all the work on all seven of our houses ’’ Mr. McCain said, in an allusion to a flap he caused last summer when he was unable to remember how many homes he and his wife own.

“Joe, if you’re watching, I’m sorry,” Mr. McCain said referencing to his attacks on Obama's running mate Joe Biden.

Cyclops in Space

2008-10-17T11:06:00.001-04:00

How UNBELIVIBLY awful and cheesy will this be:

O Spaceship, Where Art Thou: Warner Bros. and Brad Pitt are turning Homer's Odyssey into an outer-space saga that focuses on a guy's adventures as he tries to get back to Earth. WB hopes the director will be none other than George Miller, who is hilariously still attached to helm Justice League (new release date: July 4, 2018!). [Variety]-http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/

Stephan Harper is the prime minister of Canada (again)

2008-10-15T17:57:00.000-04:00

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

2008-10-15T11:54:00.001-04:00

When the book is better then the movie and the movie is quite good, it means the book must be very good. The only ills I have with the movies adaptation is sometimes it waters down aspects of the book too much and adds too much. Let me tell you, if you enjoyed the movie at all you should buy the book. You will enjoy it. Watch the movie too.

TKTS

2008-10-15T11:47:00.001-04:00

SPOTTED in New York

2008-10-15T11:44:00.001-04:00

New York Theatres

2008-10-15T11:40:00.002-04:00

MOMA MIA!

2008-10-14T10:52:00.014-04:00

In New York, a few days ago, I went to MOMA (The Museum Of Modern Art) and saw a lot of wonderful (and not so wonderful) pieces of art. Here is my photo report on MOMA.

Call for Comments on 13

2008-10-10T21:58:00.002-04:00

Sorry for doing this but I was curious what all the readers thought of the musical 13 as i'm thinking about seeing it and I was curious to hear what people think of it. Please respond before Sunday. Thanks.

Public Service Announcement

2008-10-04T22:53:00.002-04:00

You can read Wicked for FREE here: http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061350962&WT.mc_id=REFL_GREGMAG_WICKED_092308

In agreement

2008-10-02T21:58:00.003-04:00

In the debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden tonight, they agreed on one issue. To continue to not allow gay marriage. Watch the video above and see.

Julie Andrews, James Bond, Spike Lee and Henri Rousseau: 2 days of Twitter

2008-10-02T12:12:00.006-04:00

while you can follow it here at the top of the page, I am posting the last two days twitters here so you can read them as a blog:
as I said before I am BAD with technology 4 minutes ago from web


i'd meant that to be a cool picture with letters but instead it looks totally LAME! 4 minutes ago from web
oo 0 5 minutes ago from web
I am bad w/ technology 5 minutes ago from web
why did i DOUBLE post that. EEK! 6 minutes ago from web
this is my 50th update. in 2 days : o 6 minutes ago from web
i've gotten to be more into art after i've started painting which i've enjoyed quite a bit.I love the brush, the paint on the canvas, etc. 7 minutes ago from web
well built building. the painting by Seurat is very good 11 minutes ago from web
got asked about another Seurat. this one named Eiffel Tower. I've never actually been in the E.T. but i saw it from a distance. it was neat 12 minutes ago from web
I'm right! 14 minutes ago from web
got this painting as a q (Women in the Garden), i'm going to guess Claude Monet 15 minutes ago from web
just got another Henri Rousseau as a q. 16 minutes ago from web
I like the musical it inspired a lot so always exciting to see it 16 minutes ago from web
Just got this painting as a q http://www.artchive.com/art... 17 minutes ago from web
here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/3t78gq 24 minutes ago from web
let me find a link so you can see it 25 minutes ago from web
nice painting 25 minutes ago from web
last question on free rice, I got right. twas the painting Tiger Attacking Buffalo is by Henri Rousseau 25 minutes ago from web
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much 27 minutes ago from web
I am updating this way too much 27 minutes ago from web

i'm being told to try to go up to 20 thousand. not sure if i will. 29 minutes ago from web

i've gotten up to 11400 grains of rice on www.freerice.com 30 minutes ago from web

using free rice art quiz. like looking at Georges Seurat + Picasso. fun 35 minutes ago from web

says "good morning!" about 3 hours ago from web

iron man review in short: good, little bit over the top though. mabye more than a little bit. about 23 hours ago from web

I just watched part of Iron Man. about 23 hours ago from web

is checking websites and writing 08:59 AM October 01, 2008 from web

is using www.freerice.com 08:58 AM October 01, 2008 from web

is reading 08:58 AM October 01, 2008 from web

is going to be back soon 08:58 AM October 01, 2008 from web

to blog readers: I will post a lot here so check my twitter page to see all the news :) 08:17 AM October 01, 2008 from web
but hopefully 2009 will be a good year :) 08:16 AM October 01, 2008 from web
:c 08:15 AM October 01, 2008 from web
I miss 2008 all ready 08:15 AM October 01, 2008 from web
only two months till its officially 2009 08:15 AM October 01, 2008 from web
and the jewish new year 08:14 AM October 01, 2008 from web
It's october. 08:14 AM October 01, 2008 from web
ps: happy birthday, Julie Andrews (just went on IMDB and noticed it's her b'day) 08:13 AM October 01, 2008 from web
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. 08:11 AM October 01, 2008 from web
don't worry. I won't use many long words except the one in the next post... 08:10 AM October 01, 2008 from web
i hope I don't bore you with this twitter. I don't do much. 08:08 AM October 01, 2008 from web
Not so many glitches with using the twitter on blogger except that it has commas for no reason. don't know why. hopefully fixed soon. bye.-R 08:05 AM October 01, 2008 from web
Just added a new post to my blog (http://readingbookwatchingm...) about twitter actually. 08:02 AM October 01, 2008 from web
nothing 07:50 AM October 01, 2008 from web

has stopped doing the twitter thing for a few mintutes 08:58 AM October 01, 2008 from web

nothing more to say really. Keep you posted 08:57 AM October 01, 2008 from web

might write post for blog about james bond-india as mentioned here. Mabye 08:57 AM October 01, 2008 from web

writing not for blog 08:56 AM October 01, 2008 from web

what can you say with 95 letters. Let's see. The boat falls down into the carton of apple juice that swallows it whole in a single gulping. 08:26 AM October 01, 2008 from web

not always 08:24 AM October 01, 2008 from web

I won't always post this frequently 08:23 AM October 01, 2008 from web

all my updates will be 'from web' I don't even have a phone..let alone a cell w/ im 08:22 AM October 01, 2008 from web

James Bond goes to India before America http://tinyurl.com/4jrcde 08:21 AM October 01, 2008 from web

"I am not apologizing for anything,"-Spike Lee http://tinyurl.com/3hh7mn

2008-10-01T13:41:00.001-04:00

Crossposted with Twitter: to blog readers: I will post a lot here so check my twitter page to see all the news :)

Twittering

2008-10-01T10:59:00.005-04:00

I have just gotten a twitter account so that i can do more informal (i.e. not full blog posts) updates. You can find it at the top of this blog.

2008-10-01T09:56:00.000-04:00

It's October 1st
one step closer to
winter

READING: Books by Larry McMurtry

2008-10-01T09:48:00.001-04:00

I bought Books by Larry McMurtry as a used book fanatic with hopes that it would show a lot of interesting tidbits about the world of used book dealing. It doesn't. But after reading it I was somehow still happy to have read the book. Maybe it was like any good appetizer. Lessoning your hunger for the meal while still being in its way enjoyable. Books is subtitled a memoir and thinly you could call it that. It basically shows McMurtry's memorable transactions in selling used books and also how he discovered books. The frustration of the book is he clearly starts to think of books as objects to be graded ("First edition with handsome slipcase") instead of stories taking us to new faraway worlds. He stops reading fiction and starts only reading travel books. He stops caring.

Changing Shreck

2008-09-30T13:28:00.003-04:00

Shreck The Musical (!?) is changing a LOT of it's cast. Next thing we know we hear
"using innovative hologram technology, Shreck The Musical will feature no live cast members"

2008-09-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

At the moment, I'm using Free Rice,
which is fun

2008-09-28T19:07:00.002-04:00

Today, if you were reading the blog from a feed there will have been no posts.
Today, if you were reading the blog by just visiting the site there were three

2008-09-28T19:05:00.002-04:00

Gouche and Acrylic on Tissue

2008-09-28T17:09:00.001-04:00

I missed the Rent movie today which was two bad.
I hope they release it on DVD.
If they do, I will buy it.

2008-09-28T16:45:00.001-04:00

Hope Larson has written the best write up of the minx shut down I've read yet.

Paul Newman dead at 83

2008-09-27T10:37:00.002-04:00

Rent: No Day But Today

2008-09-26T20:35:00.004-04:00

In honer of the final performance of Rent being released as a film now, I thought I would repost this.

"Life Is Yours To Miss"
-Johnathan Larson, Rent

I wanted to acknowledge the closing of the musical Rent last night. I think that it is at one of the most emotionally loaded closings we will ever see because the story of Rent goes beyond what so many audiences saw on the stage each night to another story that was almost a legendary tragedy about a musician who waited all his life to create a great musical and, on the eve of his musical finally getting produced, died suddenly. This is the story of Johnathan Larson, the man who wrote Rent who now we tragically will never see anymore from. This is why this is such a sad closing.

"No Day But Today"
-Johnathan Larson, Rent

Minx thought

2008-09-26T17:45:00.003-04:00

I think the problem really was the line didn't make you want to keep buying more then one title from them. The first title I bought (the plain janes) was fine while the second one I bought of Minx's (clubbing) I never finished and it now sits on my shelf, unread. The quality wasn't reliable enough. Not great choices of what to publish in my opinion. I've read a lot of praise for the editors but (sorry) I thought the editing wasn't good enough because some of the titles were..boring.