To Do: Worldwide Pillow Fight

The annual International Pillow Fight Day is soon approaching and will be celebrated in dozens of cities world-wide. This years fun in Los Angeles Pillow Fight will be happening on April 3, 2010 at 3pm in Pershing Square, located at 532 South Olive Street 90013. As part of the Urban Playground Movement, this is just one of several types of events that have taken place around the world in recent years with the purpose transforming society from a mindless group of "passive, non-social, branded" consumers zombie-ing out in front of the telly into a "global community of participants".

Blog on Blog Action 3

Here are some funny blogs about hipsters and dogs. I can't remember where I found them/ who passed them on, but they are cute. Unlike my blog which is never funny and rarely cute. So not exactly competition. =)


http://unhappyhipsters.com is a humourous take on Hipster lifestyle and architecture.

http://hipsterpuppies.tumblr.com features adorable canines and sometimes biting commentary on Hipster chic.

VD: Tequila & Porn 2010

***Adult only content.***


The attendance or my annual Anti-Valentines Day Party this year was less than previous years, but we still had a core group of fun folks to make for a lively and enjoyable time. We mixed some vintage 70's Porn with some modern day takes.

We started with Debbie Does Dallas and Sex World. Manhunters offered an interesting mix of elements and managed to blend true storyline, action and sex pretty well. After only making it through 20 minutes of the Twilight porn, we suffered through 'One Night in Paris". Even on 16x fast forward it was tedious. No wonder they had to include an hour of 'bonus' previews of other titles.

We went with Margarita's this year since so few people are willing to take the plunge and do a proper Tequila tasting, bit fortunately that just meant more of the good stuff for those of us with adventurous tastes. I'm a big fan of Corazon.


The general consensus on this years entertainment is:

1. Paris Hilton is the most boring lay. E.V.E.R.

2. There is something almost quaint and innocent about much of the porn from the 70's. Debbie Does Dallas was almost cheerful and 'innocent' compared to much of todays harsh and vulgar offerings.

3. Even though the female star was so skinny she was actually a turn off, 'This Isn't Twilight: The XXX Parody" is still a far better film than the actual movie it is based on.

4. Rocco Siffredi, freak though he is, still provides the single most impressive scene any of us has ever seen wherein he goes from having standing sex with a woman who is wrapped around him, her legs over his arms (facing each other) and then she back bends, still with her legs over his arms and he manages to bicep curl woman up and down his penis. Oh, did I mention they were on a staircase? Yeah. So. Eat that hairy tubmeister Ron Jeremy.


If you have friends who are smart, fun, adventurous and open-minded, I highly recommend you try a 'Tequila & Porn" themed party. It is pretty amazing the conversations that occur, you certainly don't have to worry about trying to come up with small talk.

Listen Up: Pearl Jam

I know, I know. Grunge is so 1990's. Whatever. Pearl Jam is on coarse to be on level with U2. Their 9 albums have traversed and broadened the realm of American Rock music. While I haven't always loved every song on every album, they have consistently produced music that is both enjoyable and inventive. I'm always delighted whenever one of their songs come on, even more so than Depech Mode, and I've never gotten tired of their music. 10 is quite possibly one of my most played discs.

I've really been digging their most recent releases, 'The Fixer', a pop-infused fun song, and 'Just Breathe', a beautiful and touching ballad that has me hitting the repeat button. Someone be a love, and take me to see them the next time they play LA (I can't belive I always miss them!).

Humor Can Be Smart

A funny website I found is xkcd.com which has a thrice weekly series of webcomics about 'romance, sarcasm, math and language. Some of the comics are bit too heavy on the science and I don't always understand it enough to get the joke, but for the most part it is pretty hilarious.

Two of my most recent favorites are HERE and HERE.

The second one is so true of the procedural crime drama's on TV, especially CSI and the like. But I understand they have to make adjustments to increase the drama and entertainment value of the shows. But, of course the downside is that dumb people in real life then expect criminal investigations to be solved within a day, which is ridiculous.

Well, enjoy and maybe we can all learn something science-y while we laugh.

To Do: Los Angeles

If you enjoy architecture, there is a great resource for the SILVER LAKE AREA. I love the Victorians and Storybook style houses.

One in particular that I am interested in taking a close look at is the DOHENY MANSION, pictured to the left.



Deffo planning on spending a day in the next few weeks checking some of these out, especially the ones in the West Adams and Lincoln Heights areas.


Photo found on google.

How much is that doggie in the window suffering?

Seeing as man people buy their loved ones pets around holidays, I thought it would be a good time to share this article I read on MAINSTREET.COM about pet stores relationship with Puppy Mills.

If you or someone you know are looking for an animal companion, please check your local shelters first or a site like PETFINDER.COM, who works with rescue organizations.



Gabi says "Rescues make the best furbabies!"

Hot Buttered Rum Cupcakes

Cupcakes, alcohol. What more needs to be said?

YUM

There are other lots of other great recipes on the site too. I'm especially looking forward to trying the Butterscotch Pudding recipe because Butterscotch is my favorite.

flickr

flickr.com is a good photo hosting site that a number of my friends use to do what is basically a photo blog. Abby, is especially talented with her camera and I think you should check it out. One example I particularly like is from the night we went to see Bobby Long last week at Hotel Cafe. This is the lights in the club


Here photostream is HERE.

Listen Up: Bobby Long

Went to HOTEL CAFE to hear a great up and coming musician named Bobby Long. Discovered his music randomly through someones video post on facebook and immediately fell for this talented Brits soulful lyrics and raspy voice. Bobby is a Singer-Songwriter who's skill and brilliance has grown over the course of his 2009 world-wide tour with his most recent performance even more engaging than the previous one I saw just a few months ago.




You can hear Bobby's music on his MYSPACE PAGE or check him out
on YOUTUBE.

I'm especially fond of Penance Fire Blues.



Photo Credits ABBY.

Go You, It's Ya Birthday!

In anticipation of my upcoming Birthday, I have been searching for ideas of things to do to celebrate, especially super cheap stuff. I found this site that lists things you can do or get for free in LA on your Birthday. Some of it you have to belong to their club or something, so if you want to get it you have to plan at least a month in advance to sign up so you can get it this year.

FREE IN LA ON YOU BIRTHDAY

If you live elsewhere in the US, then try HERE. Courtesy of Mr.Cheap Stuff

All Too True

I saw a witty bumper sticker the other day that made a simple, yet profound commentary on how all to often religion causes separation and conflict between us. How something with such a potential for beauty and communion can so repeatedly be used by humanity to shame, oppress and sometimes even 'excuse' the slaughter of our fellow man is beyond me. What is intended to uplift, too frequently is justification for the most despicable and low behavior we are capable of.


Is it evidentiary of the predictability of humans propensity for cruelty and conflict that religion is so regularly abused and misused to justify our wars and perpetuating abuses of power on our fellow world citizens, or is it a testament to the inherent potential for goodness and fellowship of man that a practice of worshiping a higher power can imbue that is the reason that modern organized religion even exists?

Fun Theory

Here's a website with cute videos about how making things fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. "Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better."

The vids how people taking the stairs instead of the escalator when the turn the staircase into a piano, or recycling when lights and sounds are added to the recycling receptacle.

The site is sponsored/ created by Volkswagon.

http://www.thefuntheory.com/

To Do: LA Day Trip

THE FORESTIERE UNDERGROUND GARDENS of Fresno, CA are the 40 year labor of love modeled after ancient catacombs.


Located at 5021 West Shaw Avenue in Fresno, California they are an unusual manmade creation built by Baldasare Forestiere (1879--1946), an immigrant from Sicily, over a period of 40 years from 1906 to until his death in 1946. The gardens, while subterranean, have many skylights and catchbasins for water.

There are a wide variety of hybrids and grafted trees, and the underground temperature helps guard against frost.

It is operated by members of the Forestiere family through the Forestiere Historical Center, and can be considered a spectacular and unconventional example of vernacular architecture.



Baldassare Forestiere was a Self - taught Artist, Architect, Engineer, Horticulturist and Builder.





The Forestiere Underground Gardens
are located at 5021 West Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA 93722-5026
and are open March thru November
for tours.

The 46 Stages of Twitter

I copy and pastes this directly from ShaneNickerson.com

I'm sure I probably found it on someone's twitter feed, probably Dino's, since I seem to get more news an pop culture event info from there than I do the yahoo main page.

He has some other interesting blogs on random stuff. Much more commentary and I suppose more 'real' blog-esque than my stuff. So, if you like that sort of thing, then check him out.

The 46 stages of Twitter

1. Hear the word Twitter. Scoff.
2. Hear it again from someone else. Scoff again.
3. Hear about famous celebrity who is apparently "On Twitter." Scoff, but make mental note to check it out.
4. Log into Facebook to comfort self.
5. Sign up for Twitter.
6. Give up because it seems dumb.
7. Loudly criticize others on Twitter.
8. Follow @johncmayer, @aplusk, @rainnwilson, @wilw, @mrskutcher, @oprah, and one other person you actually know.
9. Post tweet that is a variant of: "Trying out this Twitter thing."
10. Attempt to dig a little deeper into Twitter.
11. Notice rampant usage of words: "Tweet," "Twitter," "Twitterverse," "Tweetie," "Tweetdeck," and something called "RT."
12. Scoff again, this time in confusion.
13. Tell friends you "tried that Twitter thing, but didn't get it and it's stupid anyway."
14. Log into Facebook because that site at least makes sense.
15. Read story about Twitter somewhere.
16. Log back into Twitter.
17. Try to avoid saying Tweet, Twitter, Twitterverse, Tweetie, Tweetdeck, and ReTweet.
18. Respond to @rainnwilson.
19. Curse self for fanning out.
20. Log off for 4 months.
21. Come back, just to see.
22. Post something relatively funny.
23. Get RT'd.
24. Discover that RT means ReTweet.
25. Make it your life mission to get RT'd.
26. Install Twitter app on your phone.
27. No longer ashamed to say "I've gotta Twitter that."
28. Attend events with the sole intention of "Tweeting" them.
29. Pray to get RT'd.
30. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.
31. Close computer.
32. Open computer. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.
33. Think in 140 character sentences.
34. Compulsively check phone all day every day.
35. Tweet that you compulsively check phone all day every day.
36. Alienate actual people in your life in an attempt to impress ones you don't know.
37. Lose weight because you forget to eat.
38. Place phone by bed so you can check first thing in the morning.
39. Defend Twitter to the death from detractors.
40. Hear self, and vaguely recognize that you have become "That Guy."
41. Feel like, and start to behave like River Tam.
42. Vow to quit Twitter to preserve sanity.
43. Read this and change mind.
44. Think to self, "I should twitter that."
45. Recognize irony.
46. Twitter it.*Related Video: "F Twitter."

Did I miss any?

Youth in Prison

"When I Die They'll Send Me Home" - Youth Behind Bars

is a short about the Human Rights Watch Report on the gross injustice some youth offenders receive in the prosecution and sentencing of their crimes. Sometimes they receive even harsher sentences than their adult counterparts and co-defendants.

In the video Sara talks about killing the man who raped her when she was 11 years old and subsequently turned her out on the street as a young teenager. She is currently serving Life WITHOUT Parole in Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, CA.

You can read the entire HRW REPORT Here.

Art & Culture: Silent Film Goddess Lingyu Ruan

Lingyu Ruan was one of the most prominent Chinese film stars of the 1930's. Before her tragic death by overdose at age 24, she acted in 29 films, all of them silent. Her tumultuous life was dogged by massive pressure and gossip from tabloids, mostly resulting from an extended legal battle with her scoundrel of an ex-husband.

Maggie Cheung played her in the 1992 biopic Yuen Ling-yuk.

Below is a clip from her 1933 film 'Little Toys', one of only 8 of her films remaining in existence, the entirety of which, along with 'The Goddess' may be viewed on THIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL.



Part 1/8 of 'The Goddess' (Wu Yonggang, 1934) with English Intertitles

Books: The Know-It-All

The Know -It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World is a witty and educational tome about the year Esquire editor A.J. Jacobs spent reading all 32 volumes of the 2002 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, all 44 million words on 33,000 pages. Any you thought the final Harry Potter book was hefty!



While I have yet to read this book, I have previewed it online. What I read there was chock full of quirky, sardonic wit and random, oddball trivia (my favorite) as well as some genuinely enlightening information. I will be purchasing this book for my dear friend Elle, who is uber-intelligent and probably has already learned much of the information in this book, but never the less will enjoy the tidbits of new knowledge and jocularity. Then I will read it and will be able to give an accurate positive affirmation when people I know repeatedly proclaim that I know EVERYTHING, as they are oft to do. And it will finally be mostly true.

The book is available at AMAZON, or preferably, try to pick it up at your nearest locally/ independently owned bookseller.

Use Your Brain

If you are looking for a fun new game to workout your brain muscles and while away the time at work, try this timed Scrabble reminiscent style word game by DEEPLEAP.



I find it hard to come up with words longer than 4 or 5 letters and the Z and X are uber frustrating! Looks like I need to play it more myself!

Cool Website:

Soul Pancake was created by Rainn Wilson for the purpose of exploring, sharing and discussing creativity, philosophy and spirituality. Quite simply fantastic.

Here is a great art video from the Soul Pancake website:


MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.