August 30, 2007
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The Week That Was
The Smell of Warmth
After the rainiest summer the UK has ever experienced in ages, with parts of the country submerged, some rays of sunshine descended onto London recently. Unfortunately, travelling on the Tube is a nightmare with sweltering heat baking passengers in the tunnels. Because the tunnels were built over 100 years ago, the design of the trains meant no air conditioning could be incorporated. But that’s not the worst part. No, the worst part is being stuck in a packed carriage with certain passengers who never heard of the concept of washing, either themselves or their clothes, nor employing the use of a spray called deodorant.
Nikon D300 & D3
Only weeks after purchasing the D200, Nikon announced the release of two DSLRs in November: the D300 and their first full frame digital camera, the D3. I had been anticipating the successor to the D200 as prices had been rapidly falling which was why I’d bought one. The differences between the two are minimal with the D300 featuring anti-dust shake, a CMOS sensor and a 3 inch high definition LCD screen. The body only D300 cost almost double what I had paid for my D200 body so I am quite pleased I had purchased it when I did.
It is my intention to keep the D200 for at least two years and then I might cast my eye on the D3. She’s certainly a beauty.
Californication
After spreading the addiction of Dexter to a lot of my colleagues, it is now my mission to hook them onto Californication. This new adult comedy drama starring David Duchovny definitely isn’t for prudes and the conservative types.
Duchovny is best remembered for his role as Agent Mulder on X-Files but a lot of people forget that he is also an excellent comedic actor. I’d first witnessed this talent during the early years of X-Files when he’d appeared on The Larry Sanders Show lampooning himself. Californication is the ideal vehicle for Duchovny to showcase his comedic range in his portrayal of Hank Moody, a cynical, lascivious, and sardonic writer suffering from writer’s block.
Exiled
A modern western Hong Kong style courtesy of director Johnny To. A noodle western if you will. Most of the cinema output that emanates from HK tend to be mediocre at best but there are a few gems to be found, and this is one of them. It’s not a new film and it can be caught on DVD.
The backdrop of Macau serves as an ideal location with its Portuguese architecture providing a vintage tone reminiscent of the Spaghetti westerns’ Spanish settings. The slick and balletic gunplay action is a homage to John Woo harking back to the days of A Better Tomorrow and The Killer.
Another good HK film is Protege for those who enjoy undercover cop thrillers.
The film also delves into the economics of drug trafficking.
Lust, Caution
Ang Lee’s new film following the success of Brokeback Mountain and a return to Lee’s Taiwan for this production. It’s one film I’m looking forward to after a summer of big budget and mostly drab blockbusters.
Set during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, newcomer Tang Wei embarks on an illicit affair with Tony Leung in order to trap him and have him killed. View the trailer here
Sorted
The holiday is all sorted out at long last. Accommodation is all booked as are: flight to the US, flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas, car rental to Lake Tahoe and Grand Canyon. Now I’m just counting the days. Any xagans fancy meeting up for a coffee in SF?
Happy 800th Birthday
Tuesday, 28th August marked the 800th birthday of my hometown of Liverpool. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it back to the city to join in the celebrations but I wish it all the best.
Pic sourced from the BBC
And finally congratulations to a friend’s recent announcement that she’s going to have a baby. That means that everyone I know who has been married for over twelve months has had at least one baby. With the exception of the arseho. I wonder if it is because his wife doesn’t want to have kids with him as she knows they will turn out to be complete losers just like him. Besides, he will make a bad parent anyway and I’m not alone in that assessment.
Be Politically Correct With Men
He does not have a FAT BEER GUT – He has developed a LIQUID GRAIN STORAGE FACILITY.
He is not a CRAP DANCER – He is OVERLY CAUCASIAN.
He does not GET LOST ALL THE TIME – He INVESTIGATES ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS.
He does not SLEEP AROUND – He is HORIZONTALLY OVER-GENEROUS.
He is not BALDING – He is in FOLLICLE REGRESSION.
He is not a CRADLE SNATCHER – He prefers GENERATIONALLY DIFFERENTIAL RELATIONSHIPS.
He does not get FALLING-DOWN DRUNK – He becomes ACCIDENTALLY HORIZONTAL.
He is not a MALE CHAUVINIST PIG – He is a SWINE EMPATHIZING BIGOT.
He is not afraid of COMMITMENT – He is MONOGAMOUSLY CHALLENGED.
He does not STINK – He has HYGIENE AVERSION SYNDROME.
He is not a GROPING PERVERT – He suffers from COMPULSIVE HAND MOVEMENT DISORDER.
He is not OBSESSED WITH TELEVISED SPORTS – He has AN ATHLETIC TELEVISUAL ADDICTION.
He does not IGNORE YOU – He has ATTENTION SPAN DEFICIT DISORDER.
He is not a LAZY, MESSY SLOB – He LACKS HAND-VACUUM COORDINATION.
He does not tell ENDLESS, BORING, UNFUNNY JOKES – He is HUMORLY OVER-CONFIDENT.
He does not act like a TOTAL ASS – He develops a case of RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION.
Slow Service
Comments (16)
*hugs* Happy Thursday!!! puhahah loving the posted pic on the bottom. ryc: weekend was spent celebrating my friend’s birthday =-)
ooh..i just heard about that new tony leung movie..looks good; can’t wait ’til it comes out…and oooh la la, i’ll have to check out protege…andy lau & daniel wu! yummmm
I got in a huge fight with my sis. I did go back to england after my trip to France and Italy but my sis might blow up if I do ANYTHING I want to do. Yea, she’s pretty immature. Even though it’s my vacation.
I should do that in a restaurant sometime. I’ve had some worse than terrible service in my lifetime.
ryc: Moving men? Oh hell no! We rented a truck and have to do all the work ourselves.
I love that last picture. I just saw something about that new David Duchovny show this morning. I really want to see that!
Ryc: O_O I Did…. why?… T_T
I wish what you said were true, but Republicans stick to their party like a religion, or at least like it’s a football team and it’s only about winning. Also, the Corporate Media is so overwhelmingly biased in favor of the big business Republicans. Trouble is, the Democrats have become such chickenshits, forgetting that they were elected to end the war in Iraq and impeach the corruptions, and instead get manipulated like a weak teacher that can’t control a willful student.
The list is not complete without “vertically challenged”.
ryc: weddings as chores – wow! that many weddings! i went through wedding season, but now it seems to be baby season (baby showers, red egg and ginger parties, kids birthday parties)
im going to sf on the weekend of sept. 14. and i would be interested in a xanga meet…would be my first. we are staying at a ridiculous hotel in sf..hah its nice, but a really corny theme. i can’t believe you are driving to grand canyon. make sure to go to that new clear bridge there and tell me if you get the shaky feeling in your knees.
Well, it’s not much of a tourist attraction, but the Sandhills in western NE, besides being a cool land formation, for a prairie, is one of the best places in the world to see the stars. Every year they have the national amateur astronomer’s Star Party near Valentine. Out east where I live it’s mostly the rather phallic capitol building and a quite decent zoo with an indoor rainforest and a desert dome. Other than that there are bars, good ice cream, ethanol, and cows.
didya guys really write that on the table with ketchup? AWESOME!!! haha!
hey did u realise that the lady that sleeps with david duchovny’s character (i.e. the lady on the far right) is actually the youngest Sheffield child from the tv series The Nanny? I thought face looked familiar so I Googled her (yes, i am that bored) and man!! how times have changed. seems quite wrong.
Kinda like Mary Kate Olsen making out with Ben Kingsley in a new tv series. ACK!
i think it can’t be worse than the paris metro.
agent mulder! that bald guy looks familiar
so, you’re from liv’pool?
i’d write that on the table when i have slow service.
wow nice camera… i’ve been contemplating on buying my first DSLR…
and one more thing: yes on the coffee… but i am about an hour away from sf, so i hope it’s not during work hours! haha. are you confirmed?
Ah you lucky duck, SF and Grand Canyon was definitely one of the things I REALLY wanted to do before I went back but oh wells, another time…a long time away from now. At least will get to see your photos, on your NEW camera. I think the D3 is a bit…ugly in aesthetics..haha such a girl comment right, but hey…truths are truths.
hahahaha… that really sucks.. standing in the tube and no AC.. can’t you open some windows or something?
I LOVED dexter too btw but I haven’t actually seen the entire season. I should.. I will XD I’ll download it once I get my laptop! YAY!
This one is the best
“He does not act like a TOTAL ASS – He develops a case of RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION. “