"The intel on this wasn't 100%."
 
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Link of the Day [2.29.12]
My Eco-Drive watch was set for April 1! It must've happened sometime when I was fiddling with the dials. My best bet is to reset to zero and reconfigure it. Here's a little interactive flash video that'll help me set it the next leap year.

http://www.citizenwatch.com/COA/English/settings_int.asp?caliber=E810&interactive=E810

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 1:54:00 PM
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
Spanish Tortilla or Italian Frittata
What I've been calling a Spanish Tortilla has always been an Italian Frittata. Who knew? I thought they were the same. The Italian version finishes off the cooking in the oven. The Spanish version you just finish on the stove itself. I just finished finishing cooking up the Spanish version. I'm letting it sit until lunch time before diving in. While I wait, here's how I did it.

I sliced 5 Yukon Gold potatoes into half slices. That's cutting each potato in half and then slice them thin. I salted the potatoes with 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and then put them to the side. I diced 1 sweet onion and unfroze 1/2 a package of spinach to be a part of the filling. I'm also adding 1/2 a package of artichoke hearts. I figured that these are good enough flavors.

I fry up the potatoes in a pan of oil. This is a difficult task as it takes some movement to get all potatoes in the oil. I don't think I am doing this right. After the potatoes are cooked -- they come apart at the touch. I take them out and then start the sautéing of the other vegetables. Once these are done. I put more oil in the pan, add a little butter, and put the potatoes and vegetables back into the pan.

For eggs, I use 6 eggs which I scramble with some pepper and tabasco sauce. I then pour this mixture back over the vegetables in the pan. I let this cook for about 8 minutes then flip it over. You do this with a plate over the sink. Then you slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook for another few minutes. Flip it back out onto a plate and let sit to soak up the flavors.

This sounds good and easy. You know I had to mess it up. First, I left it too long in the pan. It's burnt, but not too far that I don't want to eat it. I also used too much vegetables and potatoes. Perhaps it should be 1/2 an onion and only 3 potatoes like I did before.

Welp, that was it. Let me go see if it was all a success or not...

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:31:00 AM
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My Oscar Picks for 2012
Once again, I must apologize for not doing the fifth annual BrowserMetrics Oscar Pool. It is an end of an era, perhaps we can do this o mobile phone app some day? Here's my picks done in a hasty manner. I don't think I'll get too many, but then I may hit them all. Just my luck I quit doing the Oscar Pool. Anyhow, if you still want, throw your picks in the comments and we'll see how well we do. It's a simple Oscar Pool!

Actor Leading Role: Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Actor in a Supporting Role: Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Actress in a Leading Role: Viola Davis in "The Help"
Actress in a Supporting Role: Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Animated Feature Film: "Rango" Gore Verbinski
Art Direction: Hugo
Cinematography: "The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
Costume Design: "Hugo" Sandy Powell
Directing: "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
Documentary (Feature): "Undefeated"
Documentary (Short Subject): "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
Film Editing: "Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
Foreign Language Film: "A Separation" Iran
Makeup: "The Iron Lady"
Music (Original Score):"Hugo" Howard Shore
Music (Original Song): "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets"
Best Picture: "The Artist"
Short Film (Animated): "La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
Short Film (Live Action): "Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
Sound Editing: "Hugo"
Sound Mixing: "Hugo"
Visual Effects: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Writing (Adapted Screenplay):"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Writing (Original Screenplay): "The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 1:01:00 AM
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Saturday, February 25, 2012
Leia desu


I haven't seen Empire Strikes Back in a long time, but I can follow every line of dialogue even in Japanese. Funny that. This is a clip of Norio Wakamoto as Lando Calrissien. I figure he may be a famous Japanese voice actor. I guess he does a fine Lando, but someone tell me who's doing Leia. So Kawaii!

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:44:00 AM
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
4 More?

Key and Peele



Nuff said?

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:25:00 PM
1 comments
Quote of the Day [2.23.12]
Blaine Faulkner: I know how crazy this is going to sound, but... I want to be abducted by aliens.
Jose Chung: Why? Whatever for?
Blaine Faulkner: I hate this town. I hate... people. I just want to be taken away to someplace where I... I don't have to worry about finding a job.

Blaine Faulkner (Allan Zinyk) to Jose Chung (Charles Nelson Reilly), The X-Files, "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'"

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:53:00 AM
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Links of the Day [2.23.12]
Should there be a Best Animated Film category in the Academy Awards? I've think I've read many blog posts about this subject. Does a separate category devoted to a different medium detract from the concept of "best film?" The expanded field of films for Best Picture works fine in bringing in a nomination for an animated film as Toy Story 3 received one last year. Plus, the Academy got rid of the Best Black & White Cinematography and collapsed this particular tradecraft into one category for all films so there is a precedent.

A look at this year's nominees highlight a weak bunch of films. Without Pixar, the category shows its weakness. After all, to be nominated for an Academy Award is to be recognized for some level of greatness that transcends time and place, and these nominees don't do that. It's like they are good relative to each other, but not great relative to the medium as a whole.

So, should the Academy give up on the animated films category hoping that a reward of a best picture nod in the expanded field is good enough. Are there instances of animated films that can win against live action?

http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/43506/oscarmetrics-the-case-for-eliminating-the-best-animated-feature-award

http://www.avclub.com/articles/soft-cels-how-the-academys-animation-rules-fight-t,69793/

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:32:00 AM
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Secret World of Arrietty
Even without the master, Hayao Miyazaki, at the helm, I was going to watch The Secret World of Arrietty because I am a fan of animation and of anime. So I found myself at the local nickelodeon for a Saturday matinée surrounded by a full house of parents and kids. I try to avoid the kiddy matinée, because the restless kids don't make for a good movie experience. I had to ignore all the fidgeting and the fusty parents, and when I did I had a wonderful time.

Every time I watch a Studio Ghibli film, I am left to wonder how can a male dominated society like the Japanese produce wonderful animated films with realistic female leads. Pixar is just finally finished its first film with a female lead. Disney has its princesses and all that they connote and denote.

3 of 5 stars

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:36:00 PM
1 comments
Fifth BrowserMetrics Annual Oscar Pool


Sorry folks, I'm stopped at four. Five is a step too far -- sort of like a movie franchise that doesn't realize it should've ended at three. Besides there are better apps for that...

Let me leave you with the 2011 SciTech winners. And Milla Jovovich.

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:06:00 PM
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
Link of the Day [2.16.12]
Mountain Lion...

Why am I still working at IniTech?

http://daringfireball.net/2012/02/mountain_lion

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:24:00 AM
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Quote of the Day [2.15.12]
"Crack is whack."

Whitney Houston (RIP) to Diane Sawyer

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:16:00 PM
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Link of the Day [2.13.12]
We are living in a time of transition from analog to digital. We have only just begun, and it is going to take awhile before we get there. What it's going to look like is anyone's guess. I believe we're still another 15 years before we're fully there, so there's still a lot of growth and pain to go through.

So what happens to our old, analog stuff? And what will happen to our new, digital stuff? Again, it's anyone's guess, but there will be unintended consequences. We will have to relearn old tricks. We will have to redo our processes. We will have to re-imagine new ways.

Today's link begins to discuss the digital transition for the film industry. Will our future be as rough as it is for the film industry? Who knows?

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/index.php?s=pandora

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 5:48:00 PM
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Sunday, February 12, 2012
Link of the Day [2.12.12]
If this is one of those links that will make you shake your head at me, then don't click it. But if you like all things kawaii, then go right ahead.

I read somewhere that Japanese girls aspire to be kawaii. They even try at the office. Nice.

http://www.y-aoyama.jp/products/function/n-line.html

Here's a little confession... I dig OL!

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:59:00 AM
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Saturday, February 11, 2012
Bookshelf
I put up a bookshelf to house my manga collection. It's 31" x 80" x 15" and it's already full. Plus, I'm not even done buying manga. O well, I probably need another bookshelf. Or better yet, I should sell off some of the manga I don't need.

Towards the end of stocking up this bookshelf, I got lazy and stacked ten or so volumes randomly. These are the candidates for the trash bin. But I can't. There's some Tezuka there such as Dororo in a beautiful rendition. I liked the story, but don't want t hold onto it for now.

I'm becoming one of those hoarders. What happens if I have to move? Who will pack this up?

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 7:55:00 PM
1 comments
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Link of the Day [2.09.12]
Ignore the fact that they have no proven starting pitching. Ignore that their bullpen will be called into action more often than not. Ignore that their fielding is terrible. Ignore that hole in their lineup at the fourth spot. Ignore all the other weak hitting spots in that lineup. Ignore the front office that doesn't know what direction to take the organization in. Ignore the owner who is long past his welcome. Ignore the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays; teams and organizations that put to shame the one on Eutaw Street.

Ignore the shambolic state of the Orioles.

We still play in the prettiest ballpark in the US.

I've got my season tickets, but with the offseason moves and changes I'm not sure what to look forward. I've got opening day tickets, but may get rid of them to make some money back. Or sell off the Boston or Yankee series tickets to make some money back.

I will still watch games in the best ballpark in the US.

http://www.camdenyards20.com/

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:58:00 AM
0 comments
Monday, February 06, 2012
Quote of the Day [2.06.12]
"If you see a stylus they blew it."

Steve Jobs

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:48:00 PM
0 comments
The Woman In Black
The problem with the ghosts in The Woman In Black is that they are real. There is nothing left to the imagination. It was a real ghost with a real curse looking to avenge the death of her son by causing misfortune on the villagers and their children. It's not all in the protagonist's head, a mature Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe. It's really there.

The atmosphere was decently creepy. The Eel Marsh House had the great hallmarks of a haunted house: secluded and out of the way, overgrown vegetation, dark hallways and even darker rooms, bad glass in the window panes. Yup. It's a delightfully scary house. Would've been nice if the story could've lived up to the spookiness.

The story follows Radcliffe who come from London to close out the affairs of the last, late owner of the Eel Marsh House. The surrounding village doesn't want him there because once Eel Marsh House is messed with children die horrible deaths. And it happens. Death comes for the kids and it's the woman in black. Spooky. Radcliffe has to confront this ghost or else personal harm will come.

I don't know about you, but I don't think that I can stay in a house which plainly shows the ghost roaming the halls. Or with a rocking chair rocking on its own. Too creepy. I wish this movie had made me scared to sleep at night but it didn't.

3 of 5 stars

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:40:00 PM
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K-POP in the US


Wait a second. You're telling me SNSD/Girls Generation was on Letterman and no one told me? Wha!

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:58:00 PM
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Thursday, February 02, 2012
Tonight You Belong To Me [take four]


I know with the dawn that you will be gone, but tonight you belong to me.

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:11:00 PM
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Tonight You Belong To Me [take three]


Way down by the stream. How sweet it would seem once more just to dream in the moonlight, my honey.

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:32:00 PM
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Tonight You Belong To Me [take two]


Although, we're apart. You're a part of my heart. And tonight you belong to me.

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:52:00 PM
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Tonight You Belong To Me [take one]


I know. You belong to somebody new, but tonight you belong to me.

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:21:00 PM
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Quote of the Day [2.02.12]
"George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Kanye West, Concert For Hurricane Relief (September 2, 2005)

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:59:00 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Deep Cuts
Thanks to CapitolSwell, I got the Trojan Ska Box Set 2 for Christmas. (Thanks!) I love ska, but sometimes you can have too much. This set is getting right down to some obscurities. Digging in the crates? It's digging in the graves. Don't get me wrong there are fun ska tunes on this disc, but not all of them are classics. More misses than hits. Not bad, but not too good. Only for ska completists. Funny that....

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Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:10:00 PM
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