New Year's Resolution

11:50PM. It's ten minutes before midnight. It's another midnight and it's not. It's going to be a spanking new year. Year 2009. Vincent is trying to set some goals for the new year, something he has never seriously done in his entire adult life. Maybe that explains his lack of focus in life. He feels like he is running out of time. In actuality, he ran out of time two years ago. He is on borrowed time. His mom used to remind him he doesn't prioritize, always does things he shouldn't be doing and let things he ought to be doing slide. He doesn't let his mom down. He knows he should be sleeping yet he is not. Every night. He needs a New Year's Resolution, an ultimate to-do list now. Before mid night. To right his life.

It's been cold outside, just cold, no wind, no snow, no drama. The silence of the night is almost deafening if not for the occassional bangings and hissings of the radiator. The whole heating system is old and it's good at making noises but not heat. The house is always under heated in the winter he could never wear shorts or short sleeves like people live in apartment buildings do.

Vincent takes out a piece of paper and a pencil and sits himself down at the kitchen table. He starts pondering a list. He starts to think about goals and objectives, something he learned from long time ago. What goals are, what objectives are, and how to be realistic so that they are attainable and measurable. The kitchen reeks of cooked food that he doesn't normally notice except during this time of the day. Winston* Vincent lights a cigarette as if to combat the stench. The nicotine kicks in and now his brain is oozing with ideas. He begins his list by writing:

New Year's Resolution 2009

His penmanship has never been good, it is bad, actually bad is an understatement. But he almost takes pride in his bad handwriting. He has this twisted theory that only ugly people have good penmanship and only snobs would dwell on and take pride of good penmanship. But for the resolution, he tries to write as neat as possible, as neat as his mom would write, as neat as only an illiterate knows how. The kitchen should be the warmest place in the house but it is not. Vincent thinks the cold is hindering his resolution. He moves one flight down to the basement of the house where the mother of all heat comes from, the boiler room.

It's been quite some time since he left his bedroom to start his New Year's Resolution. He thinks he needs to find out what time it is, he wants to see Times Square on New Year Eve, he wants to know what is going on. So he turns on the computer in the basement. The computer is a big beige box from the '90s but it simply works. Vincent always feels like he mistreats his old trusty machine by leaving it in the basement, out of sight, together with the aging heater, the sewage system, the entrails of the house, the necessary unpleasantries of modern living. Vincent lights another cigarette while the computer slowly comes to life. It's 1:25 AM 1/1/2009. Vincent just can't locate the paper anymore. Perhaps it's not the cold that made him go down to the basement. He just needs be distracted. But distracted from what? That's something he needs to figure out. Meanwhile he is checking on the news, his emails, and more news, just like every night.

******

More ...

*thanks to Haricot for catching that.

Still more.

Pictures

A Private Message

Happy Birthday!

H&M Comme des Garcons Still Available

Shocking. There are still pieces of Comme des Garcons hanging around in the H&M store at 5th and 42nd Street. Those I saw were women's items inconspicuously hung on the second floor. The store wasn't even a destined store for the collection so how they landed there I can only speculate, they are probably returned items from different stores? They are solid white, black and pink dress shirts, black and pink polka dot shirts, a couple of ruffled white shirts, a black cocktail dress, a few black wool sweaters. They are mostly small or large sizes. If you wear size xs or 10 or 8 you may find something that fits you. If you wear size 4 or 6 then I don't think so.

Previously.

Thank You Guys

This is a good time for the lamest bloggers like myself. The topic just presents itself during this time of the year.

I would like to thank all the ardent readers of this blog, past and present, old and new. Without you my blog won't be such a great success. And mostly I would like to thank myself, without me writing all these transformative and life-altering posts, there won't be this blog.

You wonder what's the greatest hit here. Without a doubt, it's the posts about Range Hood, the San Yang Pai and PacAir range hood posts are the all time favorites. On any given day, they attract hundreds of hits. Maybe I should really concentrate on kitchen range hoods instead of whatever reviews I tried to write in vain, there sure is an under served kitchen range hood market out there waiting to be filled like cavities or something.

Also, since I am at it, I also like to thank some of the bloggers out there, actually all of the bloggers out there who have been a positive influence on me. If I haven't yet benefited from some of them, it's probably I haven't read hard and long enough to see the beauty of their posts, the fault, as usual, lies in me. Sometimes as if polluting the blogosphere in my own blog is not enough, I actually go out of my way to comment on others' posts, out of sheer stupidity and admittedly egoism: the uncontrollable urge to seem clever. And along the way, I am sure I have made an ass out of myself and might have hurt some feelings which I committed out of ignorant mis-arrangement of words and certainly not a result of malice whatsoever. For those I have inadvertently offended, I apologize.

What am I trying to say? I really have this talent of writing a lot and yet saying so little, I am just not effective as a writer. Whatever.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
PS:
UPDATE with blink and exclamation mark on almost 12/24
Please bear with my childish blinking behavior and the use of an exclamation mark. I am aware of it.

End Of The Year

It's Christmas, it's end of the year. It's time to be reflective. It's just another time to give myself to buy some junk if I so choose. For some reason, this year, I am just too depressed to even get a tree for the household. Must be the economy. Must be the dismal weather. So what have happened this year. For one thing, I am still the loser just like last year or the year before, so there is really nothing to write home about except I sort of make it through the year without any major mishap. I consider that my major achievement that I am still breathing.

The economy has been bad and we are in a recession. So what does it mean to me? It means I am a bit scared by the big unknown by the big what if? But like an irresponsible man that I always am, have been and will always be, there is nothing I can do to make the economy better. When it's good, I don't exactly feel it as I never have the fortune to work on the Street. So I can only hope as the economy nose dives, I won't be feeling the pain right away.

Like any aging middle-ages men, my hope is on my kids. But also like most other middle-aged men, I don't take too much of an active role in rearing my kids except the occasional yelling and screaming.

OKAY, time for dinner.

Friday

Free at last.

What I Did During Lunch Break

I returned my book and picked up another one from the midtown library.

Then I headed to Bryant Park in the mid of a minor snowstorm trying to have my winter routine, that is, ice skating in midtown. Alas, because of the winter snow, the rink was carpeted with an inch of snow and they weren't even trying to clean up the place yet, I saw just one man with a shuffle kind of doing some clean up but with the snow keeps falling relentlessly, I don't think they are going to re-open any time soon. The weather report says very likely we are going going to get about six inches for the day.

On my way back, I stopped by a Japanese take out place and ordered a Chicken Katsu Don, $5.96 tax included, that was a pretty good price.

Cape No. 7 - 2

Obviously Aga's situation is not unique. Tomoko (Chie Tanaka), a Japanese ex-model fluent in Mandarin whose career as a dead-end publicist stranded in Taiwan fares no better than Aga's budding career as an irresponsible postal delivery man. Both persons are down on their luck and just as fate would have it, they cross path when Tomoko reluctantly becomes the liaison between a Japanese singer who is coming to perform for a resort there and the local impromptu warm-up band fronted by Aga. The band has been a constant struggle and a flash point among the band members and Tomoko; the keyboardist is too young, the bassist is too old and the second song is never ready. Just when Tomoko is about to throw in the towel and call it quit, a wedding banquet changes the course of events to the unexpected or rather expected: Aga and Tomoko are actually in love despite their constant bickering. The main story has a simple structure, the plot progresses in an orderly manner with the cumulation of a successful opening act where Aga demands and receives a confirmation of his love from Tomoko right there on stage. Also running parallel and in contrast with this main storyline is the sub-plot of a pair of star-crossed lovers from sixty years ago whose presence are felt mainly by voice-over reading of the seven unsent letters by one of the ill fated lovers, a Japanese high school teacher who got to be in Hengchun when Taiwan was a Japan colony between 1895 to 1945. The teacher fell in love with one of his Taiwanese students also called Tomoko but when Japan lost the War in 1945, he left behind Taiwan and deserted his girlfriend right when they were supposed to board the ocean liner to Japan together. In his letters to his jilted girlfriend who finally gets to read them some sixty years later, he bemoans the shame and guilt he has to endure as a Japan national when Japan, the aggressor was condemned and defeated in the War. And for whatever logic, twisted or not, like national pride or guilt or just being a plain coward, he just couldn't bring himself to be with his love anymore. In one of the letters, he writes he doesn't know if he is returning home or leaving home, his disorientation, probably not induced by seasick, is heartfelt and understandable. Their doomed love affair is as much personal as it is historical in the sense that it is really a product of their time. Only a few men made history, most others are just by products of an era.

"Cape No. 7" also tells many other stories. A precocious ten year old from a single mom, a geezer who plays some kind of Chinese guitar thinks he is a national treasure, an ex-SWAT turns traffic cop whose wife walked out on him. A motorbike mechanic who has a crush on his boss's wife and wouldn't mind her husband is still around and they have a triplet of young boys. Some characters may appear stereotypical and the plot line straight forward but perhaps it's this no nonsense film making approach that makes it enjoyable, just pure powerful story telling without all the convoluted techniques or plot twisting gimmickries. Cape No. 7 puts south Taiwan ethos on celluloid and it is beautifully done.

Cape No. 7 - 1

"Cape No. 7" (海角七號) (2008) opens with a young man, Aga (Van Fan) in the wee hours of Taipei city. The young man's face is not shown on camera and for that reason the director seems to suggest he can really be any one of those many losers who can't make it in the big city. We find out later Aga has wasted fifteen years of his youth trying to crack a rock career in Taipei without success. Now dispirited and yet not losing his rock and roll modus operanti, he smashes his guitar and curses Taipei goodbye before embarking his home coming trip to Hengchun, a southern coastal resort town where the young yearns to leave and some geezer just won't die. Taipei 101 sure does not look too good in the rear view mirror but neither is what he is about to face: his stepfather, the town representative who has a penchant to carry a manbag and a bunch of other losers just like him.

Cape No. 7 - 0

"Cape No. 7" asks questions about human conditions: What do you do when confronted and confounded by failures? Do we carry burden of our nation? Are we mere products of our time? How do you love somebody? First-time feature director Wei Te-Sheng may not have all the answers to all the perennial questions he raises but he sure puts all these questions into his director blender and with the skill of a true master produces a rich multi-layered unostentatiously beautiful movie that at once entertains and enlightens and more than anything gives hopes to human conditions. This little big movie may very likely turn out to be a Zeitgeist of south Taiwan.

News From The Far Side: Celebrities Are Human Too . . .

Celebrities are human too and they are just as stupid as you and I.

Chow, as one can sure make the case, is actually stupider than your average pretty girl. This kind of tragedy unfortunately happens way too often or not often enough if you want to be a Ngai kind of a guy. Chow, an otherwise very pretty and intelligent girl got cheated, repeatedly may I add, by Ngai, his boyfriend and yet being totally blinded by what do you call it, love, still comes to his defense and alleges that it's the fault of the public and gutter media. Hey, I didn't ask Ngai to screw around and being unfaithful. As an average man, I am just infinitely fascinated by his seemingly endless debauchery with pretty women without shame or consequence, maybe except this time when caught on camera. And I see no reason Chow has to blame it on the the gutter media. The gutter press is not your PR firm, the gutter press is just the gutter press, you go and hire your flack to say how nice and good you are. And personally I don't see how their on again off again relationship is a "revolution, " as proclaimed by Chow. She simply picked the wrong guy who totally botched her intended revolution and freaking ruined her life. And if there ever is such a revolution I think one did it long time ago, and she is the one and only Momoe Yamaguchi, married and never again in show business since 1980.

Every man wants to be Chow's mistake if not her man but only Ngai succeeded, that son of a bitch.

The White Tiger

Can you keep a white tiger in a rooster coop? No. Not according to first time author Aravind Adiga, who won the 2008 Booker Prize award with his debut novel The White Tiger.

The story is about one man's revolution against his world, as told through a series of letters written within a week, addressed from Balram Halwai, the protagonist, the once poor honest country-mouse, the chauffeur, the social entrepreneur and ultimately the rich business entrepreneur, to the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao who is embarking on a business trip to visit India. Adiga, in searing indignation and raging dark humor, through the narrative of Balram, exploits and magnifies all the ills he finds in present day India. In the end, one is left without a choice but to sympathize and empathize with Balram even when he does the unthinkable; a revolution is not a dinner party as Mao once eloquently put it and somebody has to sacrifice, and when that sacrifice happens it's better him than me or so must Balram thinks.

Some have criticized his characters are caricatures of the Indian society and his lack of in-depth understanding of India renders his social commentary shallow and superficial. But in his defense, I don't think this is meant to be an account of true events and I actually appreciate the heightened reality of his characters and its feverish kaleidoscopic characterization of India, they go well with the author's pizazz and his wry sense of humor.

It is entertainment with some thought-provoking message. What more can you ask for?

Further readings from real reviews from both sides of the Atlantic.

Happy Holidays

Once Upon A Time in China

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Friday Night

Woo-hoo it's FRIDAY NIGHT.  It's the beginning of the end.  It's full of possibilities but mostly it's the inevitability, a ride on the train with some fellow passengers who are just as boring as you.

OKAY, here is the essential reading from the best of craigslist, the cross section of America at its very finest.  The banal life of being urban and online . . . here in all its wart and glory.

Please 18 or over.  Click.

Free At Last

Friday, free at last. woo-hoo.

Film

Photo: Robert Wright for The New York Times. On the print edition, I can make out it's Kodak 160VC.

Every now and then, the New York Times likes to remind me how great big film really is. My problem, I always have problems, is it's expensive to get the film developed let alone printed. I am sure it's fun to shoot, develop and print your own pictures. 4x5 large format is my next photography frontier, my uncharted territory, my holy grail of all things unnecessarily complicated photographic quest.

If I Can't Improve Blogging . . .

Maybe blogging can improve me.

Because of blogging, I got to meet some bloggers and learned a thing or two from them. And since I am easily influenced by somebody I like and admire, I have been reading books more often than I used to be thanks to those bloggers who shall remain nameless for not to be associated with a low life like me (OKAY, it's readandeat and snowdrops). Certain books I wouldn't have read if not because of them.

"Pull over and ask for direction"--this is my lame translation of a Chinese three-part novel 停車暫借問 by then 18-year old literati prodigy Zhong. I have not been reading any Chinese books for a long time so it took me some time to warm up to her brand of writing which is not exactly easy for a semi-illiterate like me. I am quite at awe to know that the three-part novel, with the book's title taken from the second part, was written by a 18-year old, especially the story has a strong historical background and spans a few decades. This just shows there are really early bloomers who really can make the never bloomers like myself want to kill themselves. The book is full of imagery and beautifully written. The only thing I don't quite understand is the first part of the story seems separate from the rest of the book and doesn't relate except for the lead female character. It seems like a totally different story. On the whole, it was a sappy story about unrequited love with a few male loser characters bobbing in between. And you always wonder why and how a beautiful girl would fall for some losers but hey it happens and it happens every day. As a man, you always hope you are one of their mistakes.

"Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter"--An auto-biography written by Tianjin born Chinese American Adeline Yen-Mah who is a physician turned writer. I guess she writes because she can of course but also because she understands the power of writing--how Mah witnesses the power of writing early on when her childhood classmate cries over being made a villain in her early literary creation. More importantly, this book is perhaps a therapeutic way of getting back at or getting over her own unloving family. The story of Mah begins in the late 30's in Tianjin, China and spans across continents and decades until the late 90's, chronicling how she overcomes adversities imposed upon her by her own unloving family mainly orchestrated by her beautifully devilish cruel and unusual French-Chinese stepmother, Niang and other inevitabilities like wars and her own race and gender. It is a story well told and along the way I also got a glimpse of modern Chinese history as an added bonus in addition to the sometimes sappy but always inspiring storyline. The moral of the story, if you were born to an absolutely unloving family, make sure it's at least rich enough to send you to England to get a medical degree.

News From The Far Side III

李嘉欣一邊與亨亨手拖手，一邊手蹺覑媽媽，笑容滿臉離開福臨門。（攝影﹕黃梓烜 劉一立 劉永銳）
photo and Chinese caption from mingpaonews.com

My delusions of grandeur are working in full throttle. I feel like I am the most influential blogger around. Finally it's "手拖手," a much more palatable description. I can hold my food down in the stomach without throwing up, my keyboard is finally safe. But in balance or while dropping the cringe-inducing "ten fingers entwined tight," the caption writer decided to reduce and belittle, in my mind, the guy to a "亨亨." Maybe it's a new way to be affectionate to the rich and famous, but I am old school I think in most cases it's more of a put down, treating him like a baby or an imbecile buffoon as if he can't comprehend any adult speak. Maybe that just suits him well.

Part I, and II.

Your Mother Is A Woman

The National Bureau of Economic Research tells us what we already knew long time ago, we are in a recession. Again it's like telling your mother is a woman. But of course, we need to have these highly trained and qualified economists working in a national bureau to make the call, you don't think you can make the call, do you? And they say the down fall of Western civilization began last December.

The Dow crapped out yesterday and shed almost 8000 points (errr 679.95 to be exact but who cares really). So today can be the rebound day as crazy people are most likely to hunt for bargains like they would kill you if you get in the way that kind of craze. The economy is bad, but to buy less or not to consume anything at all is just absurd. Hopefully the consumers can lead the way out of this god awful recession sooner than later.

Nikon Did The Inevitable

Nikon introduces its D3x, a 24MP monster of a camera that has a price tag of $8,000 minus 5 cents. With D3, D700 and now a D3x, Nikon finally completes its full frame trinity.

Once again, Mr. Rockwell, in his usual hyperbole self, proclaims that D3x is poo. I concur. For $8,000 it's expensive but still poo nonetheless. But I must add if for any reason anybody is willing to give me this poo of a camera for free or at quarter of price, I will take it and thank you very much.

I am still rocking a D70 . . . I don't really think I should use rocking and D70 in the same sentence but anyway, should my D70 die on me, I probably would get a point and shoot, don't buy a replacement in protest of the high price, or get a D90 and be done with it.

UPDATE:

Wow, everybody, I mean everybody who is somebody or nobody is bashing the Nikon D3x.  The high price, the lack of added features, the whole launch itself.  This seems like the biggest mishap so far for Nikon, just after back to back highly acclaimed launches of its D3 and D700 and to a certain extent the D90.  At no time did I ever that see much negativity towards a flagship Nikon.  This is just unprecedented.

Break Dancing

Shot outside the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue and 41st Street.

Balto In Central Park

Mr. Alex and Balto

Mr. Harry and his favorite dog, Balto.

Mr. Harry was very excited when he read about the story about Balto. The dog that practically saved Sarah Palin in Alaska. So we finally made a trip to the city and let him see Balto first hand. What a magnificent dog, very quiet and very still.

Taekwondo

Giving Thanks

I would like to give thanks to me and myself. OKAY, that sounds too self centered. I will try one more time.

I would like to thank my family who gives me a reason to stay alive and get out of bed.

I would like to thank my employer and all the people who work with me. Work is sacred, let's not talk about it.

I would like to thank my mother who has always loved me no matter how not a good son I am. She just has a way to bend the fact to make me look better than I really am. And I like to thank my sisters and my brother for their support.

Regarding this blog I would like to thank myself and all those who has stopped by. If my blog has ever provided something to you, I feel like I have achieved something. It's the idea of sharing, giving something back that matters me the most.

Thanksgiving

In a break from the last three years, this year I am not cooking any Thanksgiving diner.  I am still waiting for Paulson's bailout and help is not on the way yet.

This year I am going to be a "pineapple chicken" and shall eat in one of the soup kitchens offered by our friend.  Trying to be a good guest, I just prepared some mashed potato and cranberry sauce to bring to the host family.  Two very simple side dishes even a man with room temperature IQ like myself can handle.

Have a safe Thanksgiving everybody.

Kissena Park

Otherwise known as my backyard.

Breaking: Terrorists Want To Blow Up Your Turkey

During this Thanksgiving, the terrorists want to further rob the joy of this already depressing holiday season by plotting to blow up our much hated, err, I mean beloved subway system. Terrorists should not have the pleasure to hate the subway system, only New Yorkers could.

AP reports.

News From The Far Side II

嘉亨新婚日夜纏綿

李嘉欣與許晉亨愛得癡纏，十指緊扣拖到實，忙了一天依然容光煥發。

Headline, caption and picture copy-and-pasted from Mingpao online edition.

So here we go, the 十指緊扣 again. Come on now. It's a passe. Give the readers something new, something better than "十指緊扣."

The headline is tabloid-y enough, the implication is they have sex day and night . . . fuck like rabbits. And the caption goes on to say they were busy all day but still looking fresh. Man what a great looking couple.

But please no more 十指緊扣 anymore. I can't stand it any more. I just puked all over my keyboard again.

While the world is financially shattered and gradually coming to an end, the rich and famous are having sex all day and all night . . . . Man, it's good to be rich.

News from the far side.

Taxpayers Once Again Save The Day

Taxpayers once again save the day by bailing out irresponsible financial executives. The onus of saving the nation's billionaires fall on our taxpayers, which, in turn signals relief to all the masters of the universe on Wall Street which in turn sends the Dow soaring once again. This series of bailouts proves that the US economy is really into privatizing gains and socializing loss. Their gains are always theirs but their losses are mine too. That's pretty much how this bailout economy works.

Shitty Assets Doomed CitiBank

Citibank finally is having its eponymous moment, being shitty and all. Fear not, the stock market is staging a upward swing like a sneer at Citi. Oh well, just when I am in the mid of typing up this great post, the index is have a turn around, OKAY, back up again. There is really no logical explanation to the intra day market movement except the trend is really a downward death spiral I would say. With the bailout money from the US government, hopefully comes February, Citi and all the banks would have enough money to pay out bonuses to CEOs and senior officials for a job well done.

News From The Far Side

明艷照人的李嘉欣穿著粉紅色長裙，與官仔骨骨的許晉亨全程在花車上十指緊扣，恩愛非常

Picture and caption copy-and-pasted from mingpao online edition.

I can't funtion as a blogger if you were to pry my ctrl c and v keys from my notebook.

Whenever and wherever I see "十指緊扣" I can't help but throw up all over.  I seriously challenge the Hong Kong tabloid to use something else, it's about time, come on now.  Give us something other than "十指緊扣."  Oop, I puked again just now.  All over my keyboard.

While the world as we know it crashes and burns in this financial clusterfuck, the rich and famous reminds us that they are not only different but seriously better than the rest of us.  Eat your heart out people.

News from the far side II.

Online Retailers Gone Spam Crazy

I have never in my young tender life received so much spam telling me to make my dick bigger or lose some 10 pounds in 2 weeks. All the online spammers are in a mad dash to fight for my pocket money this depressing holiday season, yeah right it's pocket money because the banks are just sucking balls now. It's unprecedented, it's outrageous, it's capitalism at its worst and at its best. It's just schizophrenic.

The Economy Is So Bad . . .

Even ebay, the online flea market for garbage and junk, is offering a 10% discount on the winning bid via PayPal. Ebay prices have been like the stock in the DJIA, they have been seriously overpriced. I think it's time for a downward adjustment anyway. Even with the 10% coupon factored in, some of the junk can't still be a treasure from the price point of view, they need to be at least 30% off to get to a more reasonable level as far as from junk to gem is concerned.

The Red Camera Actually Exists

I thought it's all marketing BS but when I read "Robbie Cooper, a British photographer who employed a Red Camera--a very-high-resolution video camera . . . " then I know it's real--a video depicting kids paying full attention while gaming, a kid was so attentive that he teared up because he didn't blink while gaming.

Stills were made from the footage and appear in print in the NYT Sunday Magazine.

Looking at the video, I came to the sordid realization that there is no such thing as attention deficit disorder, only you can't get their attention.

About Books

Culled from the comments I have written . . . .

Never buy a book you don't intend to or can't finish. It's a waste of natural resources, a waste of your living space and in the end a reminder of how pathetic you are.

Borrow from the library.

Owning books don't make you an intellectual, reading them may.

From the hopelessly illiterate.

Usually I don't have the above problem or what I perceive as a problem, as I don't buy books for decor reason. I just bought some lately for reading, probably inspired by other bloggers I come to aspire to.

On my recent book buying experience . . . .

I don’t even trust myself, usually what people say and what people do are different if not totally opposite. Let me tell you how and under what circumstances I bought my most recent books . . . .
I was on my way to McDonald’s having my dietary equivalent of a slow suicide and I passed the street vendor who usually sell books there. The man is in his 50s with questionable personal hygiene selling mostly popular titles. Regarding the source of his books, we share the Clinton military gay policy–Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I decided to have some adventure and totally judged books by their covers and titles. I bought “Indignation” and “The Last Lecture,” totally on the strength of its title and cover. I didn’t even know “The Last Lecture” was on the best seller list and the fact that the backstory of the story is bigger than the story itself. The first one turns out to be an excellent short story at least in my mind. The Last Lecture is a book that can make a manly man like yours truly wells up in the train, more than once. Usually I avoid reading any self-help and preaching book at all cost because no manly man can tolerate people telling him what to do with his life, but The “Last Lecture” turns out to be a very fine read. There is nothing like an intelligent dead man talking to you.
Then I bought Ansel Adams’ “The Picture” from a library booksale, it cost $3. It was almost like an insult to the master, because we are talking about greatest American photographer Ansel Adams here. But I guess we shouldn’t judge a book by how much it was sold, Jane Austin was like 3 for $1, so there you have it. I also picked up “Bag of Bones” by the King, $1, just, it’s hardcover and an inch and a half thick, it looks tremendous and substantial.
If you still don’t know whether I would buy or read your book, don’t despair, I don’t either.
With warmest wishes and best of luck.
. . .
Jane Austen was once spelled like Jane Austin in the 1800s, basically Austen and Austin are interchangeable or so many people say. . . . Never mind.

My blog really sinks to a new new low, in parallel with the latest stock market trend, as I have to resort to recycling my own stuff. No amount of verbiage can deflect my own deficiency for lack of imagination. But it is what it is hope you enjoy it in the early morning.

NYT Sinks To New Low

NYT is doing its fair share of tabloid journalism or sugarcoated as media or cultural reportage. Today out of the blue, NYT has a piece on Ms. Angelina Jolie essentially telling us what we already know--how a manipulative, cunning, conniving, shrewd husband-stealing bitch that she is. Of course, not lost in between paragraphs and punctuations are also the not so subtle accusation and condemnation that People, who won the exclusive rights of publishing photographs of Brangelina's newborn twins, lost its journalistic independence by succumbing to the demands of the powerful Hollywood couple or actually only Jolie because Pitt is just Jolie's bitch, as the saying goes.

(Editor's note: personally I think Jolie is great, all the moaners and groaners can eat their hearts out. Come on, the woman is doing charity works, adopting orphans, saving kids one at a time. So leave her alone except only when she wants to be a media whore when one of her Oscar worthy flicks comes out.)

YAPITA

When I see a photograph I like, I always wonder and imagine what gear was used, under what circumstances, and by whom. If gear obsession makes me a bad photographer, so be it.

The latest photographer that got my attention is Catherine Opie. The time it takes to snap a picture may in the tenth or less than a hundredth of a second, but the time to actually make a photograph can be a life long endeavor.

YAPITA: Yet another post in the afternoon. Yes I make that up, as if the world needs another meaningless cutie acronym.

Today Is Oppsite Day

Chow time at PS 123 Lunch Room

Mr. Harry getting his cheeseburger . . .

Class monitor: Do you want ketchup?
Mr. Harry: No.
Class monitor: Today is opposite day.

Good Morning

What is so good about the morning? You dread the rays of sunlight into your room. You dread the sound of the alarm clock. You dread the day in front of you. You do all the obligatory morning rituals that remind you as frail human being. You pull out your limp dick, the only asset your dad ever gave you, to relieve yourself. Over the years, this part of your body has become just a faint memory from years back, as your stomach is getting in the way and you hardly got to see it anymore; you only grope your way down there. You have your morning coffee--that's just a polite way of saying dishwater with caffeine, so you are steady and ready to stand in line to wait for your bus, if necessary running after it, rain or shine. Just when your bus is pulling in, then you remember you forgot to take your medications . . . .

Quantum Of Solace

If you want to see a non-fun James Bond movie, this is it. Look like the whole production, director and Mr. Craig are all allergic to fun. The whole movie is way too serious and totally devoid of any fun factor for its own good. Everyone looks like his father just died. The whole movie collapses under its own self importance.

In recent years, there is this trend of rendering any action scenes in rapid cutting sequences and in close proximity of the actions a la Bourne, Jason Bourne movies; presumably letting audience into the actions, an immersive and engrossing experience if you will. I say that's just way overused and a bit of a horseshit. I say let's just watch Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, the courtyard fight scene between the two female leads, see how the fight scenes are photographed, just the cinematography, not the wire-fu. Audience generally appreciates what is happening on screen. As of late, all the actions are just a blur and then somebody drops dead and nobody knows when and how exactly.

Of the Tom Ford wardrobe that drapes 007, the nipped waist is just too much, the fine tailoring is just too much. It looks so anal that you wonder how can he even move let alone going mano-a-mano with all the badies. You see Mr. Craig on screen and you can't help but think of Mr. Tom Ford and his ever perpetually sun tanned open chest look.

There you have it, my mini review.

Hell yes this is a movie review.

New York Is Somewhat Freezing

If you are old and senile, please take care of yourself, I know I am. New York City is experiencing some minor Arctic revival now.

I want my global warming back.

Paulson, let's burn some money on Wall Street to heat up the City already.

Yeah, Paulson thinks autoworkers aren't as important as Wall Street's masters of universe. No pork money for them.

Fuji Did Send Me The Sample Film

This is a follow-up to my Photo Expo post a while ago. I promised my readers I will let them know if I actually receive any sample film from Fuji.

After Fuji scanned my pass I expected to receive only spam, like in this economic downturn, spam is the only viable food source. So I am pleasantly surprised Fuji actually mailed a couple of 120 160S just like what I asked for except I might have greedily expected them to send me a 5-pack box of them but that would be really unrealistic, wouldn't it?

Credit Crisis Is Over

I spent two minutes filling out the some credit card application, knowing that the next round of bail out from Paulson would be for consumers, and bang, I got instant credit of $10,000,000.  I here solemnly declare the credit crisis is over.  Gas is now $2.55 a gallon.  Business is back as usual.  Woo-hoo.

Autumn 2008

It was windy, I couldn't get any critical sharpness from the leaves as the wind kept blowing. I might have opted for a longer exposure so the leaves hopefully could appear as an orange blur. To bad as it is now, it not sharp yet not blurry enough.

Early Morning Blogging Just So You Got Something To Read

(Don't say I didn't do anything for you . . . )

The sullen rain outside refused to be ignored.

Late Night Blogging Just So You Got Something To Read

(Don't say I didn't do anything for you . . . )

On my way to 51st and 5th earlier today, I noticed Rockefeller has the tree up already. I can't believe the holiday season is almost here. Pretty soon or already happening, we will be bombarded by legions of retailers through every channel possible that we should shop, shop, shop and shop. I am very susceptible to advertising and so should you. The lighting ceremony will be held real soon . . . errrr December 3 that is. This year reformed fatty slash weather man Al Roker together with R&B singer slash hottie Beyonce will put the tree on fire, I mean, light the tree, and of course with an entire cast of stars, to make an event out of it. Usually every year, I will go to see the tree, to soak up the holiday spirit. It always reminded me of salmons swimming upstream when I walked on 5th Avenue in December every year.

I wish peace on Earth. I can write in complete sentences and paragraphs with accurate and correct punctuations. If I can't be interesting or entertaining at least I should try to be earnest. Do more book readings instead of reading crap online . . . .

My Comme des Garcons H&M Experience . . .

I finally succumbed to the hype and the brainwashing H&M spam in my inbox . . . I visited the H&M store on 51st and 5th Avenue. I am telling you, there are still merchandise left a day and a half after the Thursday launch, both for the men and women. Like I said before, New York people are pretty jaded. I found at least two size 42 men's suits. It was my size and I actually tried them on. But since I don't wear suit anymore so I left them for somebody else. I heard people say the quality is so and so. But gee for $249 I think the quality is not bad at all actually pretty top-notched. Even the buttons on the sleeve are functional. I don't see that too often for a $249 wool suit. The pants are reasonably cut, meaning not for somebody who is an adult but weighs 90 lbs and with prepubescent waist like 28, I heard Dior and Prada are pretty good at making miniature suits for boy-men. There are plenty of polka dot polo shirts and peacoats. As for the women's side, there are plenty of shirts, pink and polka dots varieties and trench coats too. I say the quality is very much what I expected or a bit better. If you want the real thing, prepared to pay like ten times more.

I say if you find something you like and fits you, it's a buy.

Addendum:
You know I can see why Gap is slumping, even the Sartorialist is no longer saying any good thing about the Gap any more. Instead he is doing a video interview for H&M in praise of its Comme des Garcons collaboration. And Jcrew, the hopelessly unapologetic preppy brand is sliding after few years of success. People need change and nothing changes faster than the clothes at H&M.

Miscellaneous BS

I have decided I am going to close this blog and so I want to make this formal announcement. You know I got so busy with my life I can't be updating this uber blog on any regular or irregular basis. Ha-ha.

Never mind, on second thought, I think you will have to pay me if you want me to stop posting crap and crappy pictures. If I receive enough donations from you guys, I think I will stop posting. Meanwhile I will continue my career in the blogosphere, littering this global electronic highway with bits and bytes, much to the annoyance of my friends, which I hardly have any, and strangers alike, ha-ha.

Write on.

I thought the term Web 2.0 is so passe but I am surprised people are still talking about Web 2.0. Perhaps people still haven't come up with a cuter term for the latest development. Or perhaps with the latest economic outlook, there isn't any new development.

NBC officially pulled the plug for Christian Slater's My own worst enemy. The show was heavily promoted or was it by chance, I even watched the premiere episode myself but that was it. What happened to Christian Slater's movie career? He's too short or what, not leading man material? And not ugly or goofy enough to be a comic?

McCain lost his presidential bid to the White House. After he lost, he was belatedly presidential, graciously accepted his defeat, winning accolades from the press and the public in general. Man, I think that was the old McCain I know. During campaign 2008, he always came across as some crazy old man. Palin is doing the media circus thing, giving TV interviews and whatnot, perhaps cashing in her celebritard status, and planning her next presidential campaign.

As to Obama, I read he couldn't get a regular haircut anymore. Most likely secret service has to ferry his barber to somewhere to cut his hair. Michelle probably can cut his hair, it's just a buzz cut, put in a number 1 clip, 3 minutes, he is done. It's not like he is John Edwards who requires a fancy $250 haircut. I wonder what's going on with Mr. Edwards, and his cancer-stricken wife. People make mistakes, hope they are OKAY.

Apparently Nobody Gives . . . never mind

The greatest fashion launch of all time doesn't register a beep in New York City. Today, there is absolutely no reportage on the Comme des Garcons H&M line of clothing in NYC. I wonder if there is any lines forming outside of the participating H&M stores in the city. Maybe New Yorkers are just too jaded for H&M crap, or whatever Garcons or Japanese designer she is. Who gives a fuck anyway? Nobody is worth my time waiting in line in the cold to buy some pieces of fabrics.

Bailout Galore

We are having our bailout galore now. GM is looking for its own bailout, and Paulson is saying another round of bailout is for the consumer because banks just wouldn't give out money to consumers anymore. I think that's all good news. It's like if I borrowed money I couldn't afford I simply don't pay and that's all good because we are in a bailout kind of economy. I am going to max out on all my credit cards and I am not going to pay. I think Starbucks should also ask for a bailout because you know people can't live without a $5 coffee. And Starbucks is just too big to fail too. A coffee barista is also a human being too. If bankers and automakers deserve a bailout I don't see why not the Starbucks baristi.

On Ellipsis

My pontification on this subject.

An ellipsis consists of three points with a space in between points, and a space before and after the ellipsis.  Because of typographical reason, a thin space is used in between the ellipsis points to prevent "point separation," but a regular space should be used before and after ellipsis.

More ellipsis

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/ellipsis.htm

http://hubpages.com/hub/Grammar_Mishaps_dash__hyphen__ellipsis_which_to_use

http://www.apstylebook.com/ask_editor.php search for ellipsis and the editor says "There should be a space on both side of the ellipsis."

The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, Norm Goldstein, pages 327, 328.  Do an online search on Amazon.

Verterans Day

All About Mr. Harry

(note: No, this isn't me. Even I were to take 20 years off, I don't look this good.)

Random Pictures

All pictures were taken by me. The black and white were also tank developed by me. I do feel like my better pictures, relatively and subjectively speaking, were all taken 10 or 20 years ago. The longer I live the suckier I got.

Breakfast

This is a quick post inspired by c9 r&e ...
I have a fondness for my cast iron pan so I use it for almost anything. It's practically indestructible and it does retain heat very well, and above anything it's cheap and highly effective.

Some olive oil, a dash of butter for taste, the olive oil brings down the boiling point of the butter so it won't get burned so fast.
Add egg to medium high or medium heat.
Add a pinch of salt and fresh grounded black pepper.
I just flipped the egg once and let it sit for two seconds before turning off the heat. Notice that the saute pan has a curved edge and that facilitates flipping.
The toast is used to suck up the yolk.
Simple.

Brothers' Cookies

Roses

Me, me, me

It's all about me. Note: These were taken long long time ago, I look even more gooder now.

Random Thoughts

A couple of days ago I went to the library to return a book I couldn't finish.  It was bad.  The good thing was I didn't waste any money buying a book I couldn't finish because I would have hated that.  After returning the book with much shame, I stopped by the book sale.  There I found some nice hard cover books for sale.  Even one by Ansel Adams, The Camera.  The book was like new and it only cost three dollars.  Still I was hesitant to buy it because I already knew all I needed to know about photography 20 years ago.  So what is the point of getting the book?  That was my ego speaking.  The real reason was of course I was afraid I would have bought a book that I couldn't or wouldn't finish.  And worse, I would have deprived somebody the chance of reading and owning a great book at a bargain basement price.  But I bought it anyway together with another even cheaper one dollar much thicker hardcover book.  So far I have been enjoying the book on my commutes and I can safely say that I will finish the book with no problem.  Mr. Adams voice came out very clear and informative, though I knew everything there is to know about photography ....  Anyway, reading The Camera definitely helps me keep up with ghorse whose photographic knowledge is unparallel and unprecedented of all the people I know and I know a lot of people.  The last six words of the last sentence is a lie, I hardly know anybody but I just know ghorse is good even 20 years ago.  In terms of photography knowledge, I was and am always behind him.

Vote Here

You got to exercise your right or rather fulfill your duty as an American to vote for your President every four years.

Judgment Day

The road to the White House is coming to an end real soon. The people are going to vote for the next President of the United States of America.

I think by the end of the day, we will have an idea who's going to enter the White House and who is not. Some network is going to make the call.

Special Announcement

Hong Kong is now 13 hours ahead of New York.

Now back to our regular programming ....

Random Excellence

Nikon D70, Nikkor Manual Focus 50mm f1.4

I found it grossly unfair for parents to just to pimp out their kids on their webpages without showing their own faces. So in balance, you can always find my only a mom would love face here and here and pretty much everywhere.

Ecstatic