Thursday, October 28, 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Getting into the Spirit

Since Halloween is coming up, I figured I would post some "Halloween-related" videos for your viewing pleasure. 

Hope you like this one! 


Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Pre-Halloween / Party Foul

This past weekend, Lauren and Ryan invited me and Carol over to a Halloween Party Ryan’s cousin was hosting in Thousand Oaks. Not sure why they were throwing it the weekend BEFORE Halloween, but I think it might have been someone’s birthday as well?

Anyway, this meant I had even less time to throw together a Halloween costume – luckily I already knew what I wanted to be since last year.


THIS GUY
So Carol and I drove up to Thousand Oaks, costumes in hand, ready to meet up with Lauren and Ryan.

The party was a rather posh-looking mansion up in the Hills, complete with a pool, catered food and a couple of DJs to help get the party going. Apparently, Ryan’s cousins were rich and threw out all the stops when decorating for their party. (The entire ground floor was covered in Halloween decorations!)

Anyway, here are some of the better pictures I took that evening.



BLIND REFS

CAROL WENT AS A GHOST

CHILEAN MINER - One of the better costumes at the Party

RYAN (AS LADY GAGA) & ME, CLEAVIN' SOME CLEAVAGE)

"ENERGIZER BUNNY"

I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THIS LADY ON THE RIGHT IS

I THINK THE GUY IN THE MIDDLE (THE ANGEL) IS THE HOST

LOOKIT HIS HUGE ARM! 

RYAN & HIS SISTER

GHOSTLY GAGA

TEQUILA SHOOTERS

AfterI got back from the party that I realized that, if you didn’t already know who Uncle Istvan was, I probably looked like some kind of Terrorist.....which is in pretty poor taste as far as costumes go. 

Maybe if I get rid of the beard...

Maybe I should find something else to wear for THIS weekend......!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

(In)tolerance

With Election Day coming up in California, (Tuesday 11/02/10!) I’ve been watching some of the Gubernatorial debates. (Meg Whitman vs. Jerry Brown) I’ve also been listening to a lot of people go off on their opinions about the Propositions that are on the ballot this year. And it’s gotten me thinking about how tolerant / intolerant people get when it comes to their opinions.

I think a lot of people believe they’re “tolerant” and “accepting of others” because they don’t go out of their way to convert people to their way of life. This is otherwise known as the “live and let live” policy of life. (As long as you don’t bug me, I won’t bug you)

But somehow I think “tolerance” goes a bit further than that.

To me, it’s more than letting other people live their lives as long as they don’t bug you. It’s not much further, mind you, but I tend to think of “tolerance” as letting someone voice a different opinion than you and not telling them they’re wrong.


Every debate I’ve seen or ‘discussion’ I’ve listened in on about this or that issue has always had both parties trying to yell on top of each other, interrupting each other and both mocking the other’s opinion.


And I’m starting to notice that it doesn’t just happen around Election season.


Test it out: Find a group of friends who think alike and try to voice an opposing opinion. It doesn’t have to be something you believe, just something that you can objectively see the logic behind. And see what happens.


POST YOUR RESULTS IN THE
COMMENTS SECTION!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

"Stay in School, kids"

HEY KIDS - STAY IN SCHOOL


....OR WIND UP LOOKING LIKE A MORON ON THE INTERNET. 



Monday, October 11, 2010

Worst Costume Ideas

I went shopping for Halloween costumes this weekend. 

When I went to look at what some of the stores had for their ‘Adult Costumes,' these were all I saw: 


"ONE NIGHT STAND"

"HAPPY CAMPER"

"HOT DOG VENDER"

"BEER KEG"

"BREATHALYZER"

"CHICK MAGNET"

"CHOKING THE CHICKEN"

UH...SOMETHING TO DO WITH MUSCLE MAGAZINES? 

"GOD'S GIFT TO WOMEN"

"GREEN-EYED MONSTER"

"HUNG LIKE A HORSE"

THESE COSTUMES ARE TERRIBLE. 

DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY WEAR THESE? 

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Hipsters are People too

A lot of people make fun of “Hipsters” these days:

- I saw this youtube video parodying them called “Hipster Olympics
- Not to mention the website “Look at this Fucking Hipster
- There’s even a song out called “Fuck you Hipsters

One could even say that there’s an “Anti-Hipster” movement on the rise. I recently read this blogpost and then this article about “Hipster discrimination” up in Portland, OR. And another one in New York.



Isn’t that a lot of negativity directed towards a certain group of people?

From what I’ve heard, it’s because “hipsters think they’re too cool for school,” or that “it’s what they get for dressing /acting like that.” And while I admit that some of them can be pretty weird to the point of obnoxious, we all need to remember: 

Hipsters are people too.


And just like people, some of them can be the jerky-jerks who deserve a good ass-stomping. But, also just like people, (you see where I’m going with this?) they can be really cool if you get to know them.

For one thing – hipsters are pretty well-educated / well-informed about certain subjects. If you actually take the time to listen to one of them, instead of dismissing it as “hipster devil-speak,” you might find that they’re pretty knowledgeable about this or that.

(Granted, you should take anything anyone says with a grain of salt until you can verify it yourself)

Also – hipsters are pretty thrifty and know a lot of ways to save money. Shopping at thrift stores? Buying / drinking “two-buck chuck”? Riding a bike or taking public transit instead of buying a car? All made popular / socially acceptable by hipsters. You should be thanking them.

And finally – hipsters can be pretty fun to hang out with. They’re usually very creative and witty (smart) and know a lot of fun things to do that don’t cost a lot of money. I think they’re (partially) responsible for the “Ugly sweater Christmas Party” I went to a couple years ago and the resurgence of the artwalks.

Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t hate that one jerk hipster who made fun of you for still owning CDs or the other one who thought you were a fascist for eating meat. Those people are judgmental and naturally inspire feelings of anger/disdain. But don’t use those people to signify the whole subculture of hipsters in general; underneath that flannel shirt and hidden behind those Buddy Holly glasses is a person like you who deserves to be treated with respect.

And if you don’t, then you’re a bigot – and I will no longer consort with the likes of you!


GOOD DAY!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Corned Beef Hash

Realizing that I had all the ingredients, I decided to make some Corned Beef Hash last night for dinner like the kind my mom used to make when I was little.  Here's the recipe: 

INGREDIENTS:  1 Can of Corned Beef
1 Raw Egg
A small potato
half an onion
some green onions
Pan-ko (bread flakes)
Seasonings (salt, pepper, etc.) 

DIRECTIONS:  Frist - wash the potato and nuke it in the microwave for about five to six minutes.  While you're waiting, chop up the onions (real small-like), green onions and pour it, along with the corned beef, into a mixing bowl.  When the potato's done, peel it and mash it in with everything else in the bowl.  Then crack the egg over it all & mix it all together. 

After that, take a clump of your 'batter' and start sculpting them into hamburger-like patties, "breading" them individually with the bread flakes (or flour in my case) when done. 


When they're all "pattied", toss em on the stove and fry em until they're evenly cooked.  Then you're ready to eat! 


Delicious, AMIRITE? 


.....okay, maybe they don't look so great (still working on "presentation"), but trust me:  they *are* delicious. 

*NOM* *NOM* *NOM*
**EDIT** 
Add ketchup to make it taste even better! 

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Movie Review - Machete

About a week ago, I saw Machete in theatres. And I have to say that this movie deserved every bit of hype it got:


The Plot: Betrayed and left for dead in a burning building, Ex-Mexico federale, Machete, is now nothing more than an illegal day laborer on the streets of Texas. Until one day, a mysterious stranger offers him a million dollars to take out the Mayor of Texas himself (played by Robert DeNiro) who promises to crack down on illegal immigration and tighten up border security.

Machete takes the job, but is betrayed (again!) by the very man who hired him. Now on the run from the Law, Machete vows revenge against the man who hired him and, in the process, uncovers a nationwide conspiracy to control the Border patrol between Texas and Mexico.


My Review: After watching the Trailer, I pretty much assumed that this would be “Black Dynamite” but with Hispanics. And considering that I loved Black Dynamite, I figured I would love this one just as much.

AND I WAS RIGHT!
 
Within the first five minutes of the movie, I saw about twelve people die and a completely naked woman waiting for Machete to rescue her. And considering the movie is about two hours long, rest assured that the rest of it was filled with similar mayhem and sex.

My favorite part had to be where Machete ripped someone’s stomach open and used their small intestines to repel off a wall. 

But the movie isn’t JUST hilarious, over-the-top blood and gore; it’s also (slightly) political in it’s timely message of the country’s problem with illegal immigration / the plight of Mexican immigrants trying to make it in the U.S. That message is a constant theme throughout the movie. (slight though it may be) In fact, I figured that was the only way they could get Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez to do the movie. (and get her to wear that eye-patch)


Now, as great as I found this movie to be, it *did* start to spin out of control into non-sensical shock humor that I didn’t care for. This movie featured a bunch of “all-star” actors that people love to roll their eyes at. And while Don Johnson and Steven Segal weren’t too bad in their respective roles of “corrupt town sherriff” and “Mexican drug lord,” I had no idea why the hell Lindsay Lohan was in this movie - she plays the drugged-out daughter of the man who hires Machete, but somehow ends up as a gun-toting nun by the end of the movie. (no real explanation).



I got the feeling that, since the movie started as a spoof trailer for “Grindhouse,” they had to include her…..but couldn’t figure out how to fit her in the movie.

In any case – Machete is worth seeing. I suggest you do so while you still can. A great movie like this is only going to be around for so long.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Stay Cool....!

Work's been tough this past week.  (also the heat

I wanted to blog once more during September (to make it an even 'ten posts' this month) but I just got too busy. 

So I'm gonna make it up by posting more this month (October). 

Don't really have any thoughts sorted out right now though - so I'm just gonna post this video from my "new" favorite show:  Flight of the Conchords - check it out. 


from the episode "The Tough Brets":
Bret creates a gang to help protect him from all the
rappers that he 'dissed' in his latest song. 


STAY COOL, BRETT!