If Luke & Han had Facebook...

This post is brought to you by Armchair Commentary - and my friend Amie.

If Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and the gang were on Facebook a long time ago in a galaxy far far away if may have looked something like this!

I AM SO IN!

Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Certainly this year has been one where I've been thankful to so many people for helping me get through a very difficult and frustrating time.
All of you know who you are. Thanks to my family and friends for keeping me entertained, buoying my spirits, buying me the occasional drink or meal, and just generally being supportive and awesome.
I appreciate all of you so much!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and their families.

Barbies and Burkas?

Here is an interesting image, and an interesting awareness and fundraising campaign: barbie in a burka. I thought we'd seen most of it with her - but this one is sort of mind blowing/ironic/bizarre.

Chuck Lorre Makes my week

Aside from creating the show The Big Bang Theory (which btw was AWESOME this week), which thoroughly entertains me every Monday night, Chuck Lorre is also the creative genius behind the vanity cards at the end of the show. Its the ultimate rant spot as far as I'm concerned. This weeks was my absolute FAVORITE and to be honest is the first vanity card I've seen that is so popular, here's the link:

Chuck Lorre Vanity Card #269

Two weeks ago he ran card #111, his "I have nothing to say card", that he always ends with a joke. His joke: "Glenn Beck is sober".

"Can I hear a kumbaya?"

Got my hair did...

I got most of my hair cut off today. Its the shortest its ever been. Also, back to red again - its been two years, and I'm not gonna lie - I kind of missed it.

This should be interesting.

iPhone + Threadless = Awesome

Short little post here today.

If you are an iPhone junkie like myself, or a Threadless junkie like myself, you should check out the link:

Threadless and Griffin make iPhone Case magic!

Star Trek = super happy Az

I've never anticipated a dvd release this much and I am certainly not disappointed. 6 months seems like a long time to wait for a dvd - but it was totally worth it.

Star Trek on dvd was everything I wanted. I still need to watch the blue-ray version of the special features, for the additional 1 1/2 hours of extras not on the special edition dvd, but my thirst has been momentarily quenched by the fantastic special features I watched today. For a look at what's on the DVD and Blue-Ray release of Star Trek, check out the Sci Fi Wire article -- or man up and go get the movie!


I've NEVER worked my way through every special menu on a dvd in one sitting, but I could not work my way through fast enough this time. Between the documentaries on casting, make-up, masks, and prosthectics, the hero production team, the score, and the development of the story I was seriously like a kid on Christmas morning. Oh man. I loved watching footage of Abrams and his AD shaking the cameras (did you know that the film was shot on anamorphic film and not digitally?) and then while watching the movie seeing the scenes where Abrams was shaking the camera while filming. Its a technique he really developed on Mission Impossible 3 and I love it. (More after the jump)

They say its your birthday...

Today is birthday day. While one of my friends is celebrating his 26th birthday today, he's sharing it with the US Marine Corps' 234th birthday, Sesame Street's 40th birthday, and the stop motion animated duo Wallace & Gromit's 20th birthday.

40 years ago today, Sesame Street aired its first episode! Back in the '60s educational television was a new idea and the Carnegie Institute provided the Children's Workshop an $8 million grant to revolutionize television. The main goal was to provide children, especially those in low-income areas, an opportunity to learn and prepare to go to school while using the most engaging techniques possible. With large corporations like Xerox, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Ford adding in their own dollars, Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969 to almost 2/3s of the nation's televisions.

Sesame Street's muppets and people taught a lot of us numbers, letters, days of the week, and colors. They also encouraged us to brush our teeth, to look both ways before crossing the street, and to eat healthfully (although it kind of irks me that Cookie Monster has to eat vegetable before his cookies now). They also introduce a lot of kids to the real life hard ships of divorce, the death of loved ones, the current recession, and a whole host of other things that can be traumatic in a child's life. During its first season Big Bird was on the cover of Time Magazine, and the corresponding article inserted that not only was the show the best children's show, it was also the best show for parents! Imagine that - television that prompts children and their parents to come together, learn a little something, and then have a jumping off point for discussions!

While they have a lot more competition now a days, Sesame Street is still a staple in children's television - and from me to you, I think that's awesome! Where else are a giant bird, a grouch in a trash can, and a cookie eating monster all going to be so helpful and cool? So happy birthday Sesame Street, and I wish you many more!

Destruction of higher education in California

An op-ed piece in the LA Times that struck a chord:

"California's higher-education debacle:
Watching the decline of the California State University system from within its boardroom mirrors the erosion of the California dream.

For nearly six years, I have served on the Board of Trustees of the California State University system -- the last two as its chairman. This experience has been more than just professional; it has been a deeply personal one. With my term ending soon, I need to share my concern -- and personal pain -- that California is on the verge of destroying the very system that once made this state great.

For more of the op-ed by Jeff Bleich, Chairman of the CSU Board of Trustees visit the LA TIMES

Jon Stewart Parodies Glenn Beck...

... and I nearly fall out of my chair laughing!

If you haven't seen it yet - here's 8.5 minutes of pure hilarity on The Daily Show last night!

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In other news: don't get into a discussion over the icthys symbol, skeletons buried at Masada, or the "Jesus family tomb" outside Jerusalem with the Turkish Catholic guy at the local post office unless you want to have a seriously awkward conversation.

And with that, I wish thee a good weekend!

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

The gunpowder treason and plot,

I know of no reason

Why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

If you don't know who Guy Fawkes is: look it up!

Even though I don't believe in blowing up Parliament, I do believe in citizens getting together and holding their governments accountable - and I know of no other day to better celebrate and recognize people who have tried to do so in the past and people who will continue to do so in the future!

Or as was so aptly put in V for Vendetta: "People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people."

Good Luck little Sharkie

The Monterey Bay Aquarium released its 5th Great White Shark back in to the wild today.



Congratulations to them (she's been living in their Outer Bay Exhibit for just about 2 months) and good luck to her! Check out the aquarium's Great White Shark blog for more details :)

Open Letters

There is this great website called Open Letters to People or Entities Who Are Unlikely to Respond, that I was reintroduced to today by a friend. There are many fantastic letters to all sorts of things, a husband's pillow, J.J. Abrams, HBO, people with silly shirts.

Here is my favorite: An Open Letter to my Doppleganger.