Rookie Brandon Jennings scored 55 points vs. The Warriors

In just his 7th career NBA game Milwaukee Bucks ROOKIE Point Guard Brandon Jennings put up a sick 55 points against The Warriors.  Basketball fans and fantasy owners know that stat lines do not lie, even against The Warriors. Jennings took 34 shots and made 21 of them, not to mention a near perfect percentage from Downtown going 7 for 8 along with 5 boards and 5 dimes. Brandon Jennings, now frontrunner for ROTY has earned my Weekend Award after breaking the franchise record of Hall of Fame Legend Kareem.

I was thinking about film today, as I do pretty often, wondering what I’d pick if I tried to come up with a combo list of slightly strange sci-fi movies including some post apocalyptic stuff.  Films I liked.  Films that had an impact on me… couldn’t forget scenes from them, made me think a bit… that sort of thing.  This is what I came up with…. in no particular order.

2001: A Space Odyssey (68)

2010 (84)

A Boy and his Dog (75)

A Scanner Darkly (06)

Bicentennial Man (99)

Blade Runner (82)

Brave New World (80)

Capricorn One (77)

Cherry 2000 (87)

Damnation Alley (77)

Dark City (98)

Demolition Man (93)

Dreamscape (84)

Escape from New York (81)

Gattaca (97)

Handmaid’s Tale (90)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (78)

Jacob’s Ladder (90)

Liquid Sky (82)

Logan’s Run (76)

Mad Max Movies (79-85)

Matrix Trilogy (99-03)

Metropolis (27)

Minority Report (02)

Mission to Mars (00)

Omega Man (71)

On The Beach (59)

Planet of the Apes Films (68-73)

Quatermass and the Pit (68)

Scanners (81)

Red Planet (00)

Silent Running (72)

Soylent Green (73)

Stargate (94)

Tank Girl (95)

The Running Man (87)

The Day The Earth Stood Still (51)

The Island (05)

The Island of Dr. Moreau (77)

The Andromeda Strain (71)

The Time Machine (60)

They Live (88)

The Thing (82)

V for Vendetta (05)

Total Recall (90)

Videodrome (83)

The Warriors (79)

Waterworld (95)

Westworld (73)

Zardoz (74)

It’s always weird when a little cult film gains a large amount of mainstream exposure. I was in middle school when I was first introduced to one of my favourite cult movies ever. My friend watched this movie with his dad for years and insisted that we watch it. The premise seemed pretty cool. Gang warfare set in 1970s New York City. The movie was called The Warriors and if you have any knowledge of gangsta rap then you will surely recognize it. Most notably, the video for D12’s Fight Music is based on it.

The Warriors is set in 1970s New York City. This is a time period generally considered to be New York’s nadir. There was an extremely high crime rate and rampant social unrest. It was a period of time during the American recession that nearly caused the city to declare bankruptcy. That’s right, an entire city almost declared bankruptcy; one of the largest and most powerful cities in the world. The New York City blackout of 1977 proved a microcosm of the decade in New York. With the lights out the city was plagued with looters and vandals who inflicted considerable damage on the city. This doesn’t even mention the widespread heroin epidemic that gripped the city or the Son of Sam murders that terrorized the city. Basically, it was a shit hole.

The Warriors begins with a meeting of the city’s gangs, instructed to send nine unarmed representatives, with the objective of achieving a citywide truce that would allow a gang rule of New York City. Interestingly, this is loosely based on the Hoe Avenue Peace Meeting between New York City gangs in 1971. While most of the gangs laud the idea, there is one gang who violently disagrees. Cyrus, the most influential gang member in the entire city, is killed and the Warriors are wrongly accused. After the murder the police swarm from all sides and the gangs scramble. The Warriors now have the unenviable task of retreating from the Bronx to their home turf, Coney Island, approximately 30 miles away. This will be difficult after a bounty is placed on their head for their alleged killing of Cyrus. The entire city is looking to kill the Warriors. It’s nine men against the gangs of New York.

Since everything was actually filmed in New York, there is a terrific presence throughout the film. You can feel the dirt of the city. It is dark and dingy. Everything was filmed straight through the night and there are many actual gang members cast in the film. Many times these castings were a result of offenses the crew made to the gangs. Things like being on a real gang’s turf in fictional Warriors garb didn’t go over so well. Neither did tagging fictional Warriors logos over authentic gang signs. Gangs take themselves too seriously. The Warriors clearly didn’t, as evidenced by the above photo.

The wardrobe choices for most of the gangs are clearly dated. The Warriors wear leather vests that fit in more with the aesthetics of a bathhouse rather than a knife fight. Granted, it’s the 1970s, so there aren’t many outfits that wouldn’t be seen in a bathhouse. Attire aside, this is a pretty badass movie. The fight scenes are not only satisfyingly violent, but they are often pretty funny. There is a lot of unintentional comedy in this movie that makes it so much better.

The Warriors has gained a considerable amount of mainstream success over the past decade. It has been made into a video game, action figures, and comic books. There are plans to shoot a remake in 2010, which I am vehemently opposed to. This movie is perfect as is. Why make another? Oh right, money. Obviously. I’m dumb.

Pre-Production is when the filmmakers and Producers have been green lit to make a film and are finishing the script, gathering funds, casting and hiring. There is a good chance the film will be made at this point, though until it’s in post-production, there is never any guarantee. And sometimes there’s no guarantee it will be released even when it’s completely finished.

But, on IMDB Pro, here are some of the films listed as in Pre-Production:

Saw 7 - In 3D! (I’m not kidding.)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

Wanted 2

Lethal Weapon 5

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rambo 5: The Savage Hunt

Scream 4 (Do you see a theme with sequels? There are plenty more coming.)

The Three Stooges - with Benicio Del Toro as Moe and Paul Giamatti as Larry. Sean Penn was originally Larry, but dropped out. I loved the Three Stooges growing up, but I’m shocked at the quality of actors they are getting. This may actually be pretty good.

Total Recall – This is still in the script phase. The original film with Arnold Schwarzenegger is super cool. They better not cast someone like Vin Diesel in the lead role.

Red Sonja - Rose McGowen starts, but her boyfriend Robert Rodriguez is not directing, only producing this film. I’m a Rodriguez fan, but with him not at the helm, I’m uncertain about this film. I’m not a big McGowen fan.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea: Sam Worthington from Terminator is Captain Nemo. There’s potential here.

My Fair Lady - A remake to star Kiera Knightley as Eliza Dolittle. She looks the part (Audrey Hepburn played the part in the original film, though she didn’t sing.) Can Kiera sing? Guess we’ll see. Wonder who will play Professor Higgins? An interesting note: Emma Thompson is writing the screenplay.

Spring Awakening - A very successful new musical. I’m very curious to see who will be cast. The girl from Glee was in the original Broadway production. Maybe she has a shot.

Mary the Mother of Christ - with Al Pacino as Herod. Oh, the jokes, the jokes…

The Warriors – A remake Benny is super excited about. No news on casting yet. Probably will be mostly unknowns.

Hamlet - Another one? This one with Emile Hirsch. The Speed Racer guy? He better have the acting chops for this or it could be a disaster. I am always interested in who will be Ophelia. Kate Winslet rocked it in Kenneth Branagh’s version and the best part of the Mel Gibson one was Helena Bonham Carter’s Ophelia.

Jack and Jill - with Adam Sandler playing both parts. Was Jim Carrey busy?

Excalibur - Bryan Singer is doing this film. Love him. The Usual Suspects is an all time favorite of mine and I love the King Arthur mythology. However, the original Excalibur film is awesome, so I’m not sure what Singer can bring to the story. No casting news yet. I wonder if they will remake Camelot the musical too?

Battlestar Galactica- I’m a huge fan of this series and I’d love to see a film version. Right now Bryan Singer is also slated to direct this, though it looks like it’s a long way from being a done deal.

Warcraft - Directed by Sam Raimi, this could be fun.

Today I’m making you a fan of…Working Partners, Ltd.

What is Working Partners? Recently, the company seems to have blossomed into an umbrella for several different companies. But, I first learned of Working Partners as a children’s fiction book packager. You might be wondering what the heck a book packager is. Well, essentially, a publisher may choose to acquire a book or series that has been almost fully produced by a book packager. Meaning the book has been written and edited under the guidance of the book packaging company. In the case of a company like Working Partners, creative in house editors will brainstorm ideas for new books and series. Then, they will come up with extremely detailed plots and hire writers to do the actual line-by-line, chapter-by-chapter writing. In my research, most book packagers have been aimed at nonfiction books, so one of the reasons I was so drawn to Working Partners is its focus on children’s lit. (Another great packager of children’s series is Alloy.)

Reasons why you should love them: For one, if you are a writer, it’s a new market to explore. Work-for-hire can be a great income supplement because of the typically shorter turnarounds. It’s also a fantastic way to learn. If hired, you would be working closely with an editor, receiving feedback and direction. Moreover, what better way to flex your writing muscles? Like performing exercises as a musician or an athlete, it can be good to develop different sides of your craft. Maybe it will be beneficial for you to practice a new tone or voice in your writing without having to think about the plot. Maybe you’ll learn how to brainstorm different ways to convey the same story. Also, last time I received their writers’ information packet, they were offering substantial royalties. A lot of packagers pay only flat fees, so yay for Working Partners being pro-author. (Oh yeah, and their authors receive advances, too, so no worries).

So how does it work, you might ask? Interested writers may fill out the Writers Information form on the Working Partners website. I’ll be honest, I think more and more of the writers chosen are agented now as opposed to unagented. But, I don’t think that should deter you, depending on experience, etc. Editors will select writers for auditions based on their forms. If selected, you will receive an email asking if you would be interested in auditioning for a certain project. The editor will then send a synopsis of the book and you will be asked to write the beginning of the book, probably upwards of 6,000 words, to turn in by a specified date. Usually about 5 writers receive an invitation to audition for any given project and only one is chosen. Unchosen authors are still given about a page letter detailing reasons the editors either liked the sample or disliked. So, either way, it can be a great way to get real editor feedback. The editors are prompt and professional and just because you aren’t selected for a given project, doesn’t mean an editor won’t want to approach you again for a different project for which you might be a better fit.

So now that you’re a fan, where can you stalk?

To read a great Working Partners series, check out the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. (I’ve read one of these books and they really are a lot of fun.)

The Working Partners website

The new adult division, Rights People, and Greenhouse Literary

Interview with Alexandra Kirby, editor in 2006 for Working Partners

Message from Chris Snowdon (Managing Director) on Undiscovered Voices

JacketFlap

You know what’s fucking adorable? When girls wear their boyfriend’s jerseys and clothes. Ladies, take note.

[More thoughts attached below]

I’ve currently only heard ONE track from Wale’s Attention Deficit, but Beautiful Bliss has been playing for the last day and a half in my headphones. Incredible groove…I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album, but first I must finish this CYNE review. I think I’ll have it by next Friday.

I really really like catching up with people. Or, “hotdoggin’”, right, Sam?

I’m in a really bloggin’ mood lately. I almost forgot that I have to write my review of Hustle and Flow, or at least put it online. Damn good movie. Wendy’s looking into organizing Movie Day V. Plus I have three more drafts that I’m not even done working on yet, of various topics.

Really gonna have to get informed on this health care bill thing soon. I usually tune out American politics, but I think this upcoming election cycle in 2012 is going to have long standing impacts in my life. So, expect me to pay more attention then.

I realized last week that I’ve been eating at Kevin’s Noodle House since I was little. It’s been good to me, but not spectacular to me. Pho isn’t really a dish that I enjoy too much anymore. Maybe I’m pho’d out. Doesn’t have enough meat in it, and I get hungry again within an hour.

I don’t think there’s been a song yet where J.Cole doesn’t mention he’s from “The ‘Ville”. We get it, dude. I don’t want to get tired of you, so please cut it out. You are my second favorite freshman rapper – Blu is the first. J.Cole and Wale mesh together really well, though.

Why is school spirit frowned upon now? I go back to my school and cheer, and everyone stares at me. The hell?

The next three weeks, I’ll be teaching four times a week. Damn. I hope this is worth it, because it takes an hour for me to go to and get home from Galileo. Still, it’s great experience being able to work with a classroom, and take care of all my friends [hopefully]. Just gotta start planning my lessons.

49ers about to get CRUSHED this weekend by the Colts. We’d better step up if we want win the NFC West.

Can you believe the 00’s are about to be over?

I go from loving the thought of Cal to being insanely worried…often in the same day. Why can’t it just be January?

On a related note; waiting to see if your classes fill up is ridiculously nervewracking.

New Lupe Mixtape coming OMG <3

I really need to read more. Like, just for fun. I also need to pick up that new KRS book about the Gospel of Hip-Hop. If this joke really advertises it as a religion, I need to get on it and see. KRS hasn't been relevant in…god knows how long.

Taylor Swift is hosting SNL tonight. Might be worth watching.

This Balloon Boy crap is really getting way too much attention from the media.

The Bay Area's having a bad week – oil spill, sports teams failing dismally [Warriors, I see you], Bay Bridge failing.

On the Warriors – I don't usually watch their games, but I will say that the decision to play Randolph so little is strange…he's been playing real well in the preseason, so what does he have to do to get a shot? Defense still sucks. I can't believe we've fallen off so quick.

I have mancrushes on: Lincecum, Kevin Durant, Brian Dawkins, Maurice Jones-Drew, and DeSean Jackson. Will add to this list as it goes on.

This column was written listening to Ghostface Killah's Fishscale. One of my favorite 2007 releases…it would probably be 4th after Food and Liquor, Below The Heavens, and Game Theory.

This is my 40th column, too. Haha. Yay me.

Happy Halloween. Wish I had some candy right now, but my parents didn’t want me to go out today. Sucks. :[

That’s it for now. Peace.

I’ve been pretty spoilt this year with so many awesome bands putting out new albums and 99% of them have been fucking epic.

Here are a few of the bands that I would like to put out an album.

The Warriors

As I Lay Dying

Parkway Drive

Bad Religion

Antagonist A.D.

I went and asked on Twitter and Facebook about what movies from peoples childhood that they remembered most and always will. Here’s the list:

Pretty in Pink
The Never Ending Story
Ghostbusters
Die Hard
Commando
The Warriors
Flight of the Navigator
Short Circuit
Dark Crystal
All Dogs Go to Heaven
Cool World
Lost Boys
Trading Places
Return to Oz
Full Metal Jacket
Princess Bride
Labyrinth
Batteries Not Included
Hook
Tron
This Is Spinal Tap
The Goonies
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Big
Back to the Future
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
WarGames
Poltergeist
Blues Brothers
Ruthless People
Throw Momma From The Train
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Baby Boom
D.A.R.Y.L.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Explorers
Field of Dreams
Gremlins
The Burbs
Innerspace
Legend
Splash
Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan
Cocoon
Roxanne
Weird Science
Breakfast Club
Twilight Zone – The Movie
Stakeout
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Critters
Money Pit

From a few of the movies on the list I can gather that some people have a somewhat scary childhood. Also I know that some of the films are from the 90s but sure people were children then as well.

Excited to sing with Quetzal Guerrero tonight @ Zanzibar! The band is incredible! Come dance with us

——————:~0~:——————-
Afro Funké
WEEKLY FUNK INVOCATION
——————:~0~:———————
Afrobeat, Brazilian, Dub, Reggae, Cumbia,
Samba Disco, Batucada, Afro-Latin House,
Indian Beats, Makossa & other deep-rooted
Funk music from around the world
———————:~0~:———————

OCTOBER 22, 2009

Arizona Native, Quetzal Guerrero, whose name means “precious feather” in the ancient Aztec-Nahuatl language, began his musical explorations at the age of four. As a child, he studied classical violin at the famous Suzuki International Institute in Matsumoto, Japan as well as at the Conservatorio Pernambucuano de Musica in Recife, Brazil. Through the years he has become an outstanding multi-instrumentalist and performer, fluid with his voice, violin, guitar, and percussion.

Quetzal’s art, much like his Native American, Mexican and Brazilian heritage, bridges many cultures and styles. The result is both familiar and fresh to the listener, offering an unassuming yet explorative convergence of styles and influences spanning, but not limited to Soul, Jazz, Brazilian, Salsa and Yoruba music. A consummate and electrifying performer, Quetzal exhudes a brilliance that is both precious and rare. www.qviolin.com

Wow. Another two weeks already? As always, I’ll take this space to write about some of my life’s developments, and my thoughts about the things going on on Earth.

The first few details will be about Galileo football. Please skip if bored.

On October 3rd, my good friend Ethan dropped back into town from Santa Cruz. We decided to go to Balboa to support Galileo – it was our season opener, of course. Now, I’m one of those types of guys who likes to go wild at games, both with encouragement, heckling, and energy. It became readily apparent in the first quarter that this was not the Lions of old. Balboa had tons of trouble stopping the option – Dylan Nelson in particular. Last year, we struggled to move the ball at ALL. A summer of practice with the wishbone/triple option offense has helped. But even further than that, poor tackling in the secondary allowed a few more touchdowns on long runs by Quincy Nelson. The final score was 32-16, but that’s a little deceiving. Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR touchdowns were called back by Galileo – one of them was a breathtaking punt return when Quincy took a hanging punt and somehow emerged from a pack of Buccaneers unscathed. Paul Hill also took an interception return for a touchdown, if I recall correctly. Balboa’s two scores, on the other hand, came when Jordan Anderson threw into triple coverage to end the first half…and the ball was CAUGHT. One of our safeties mistimed the jump by half a second. The second TD came on a coverage breakdown at the end of the game. Overall, the Lions defense showed alot of promise, recording 7 or 8 sacks (3-4 were from great coverage). The press not only worked well, but so did the 3-3-5 formation we unveiled. It was a big win for us, considering we hadn’t recorded a win in division play for over two years. I was particularly impressed – between Nick and I, we thought Balboa had talent. To run a passing offense in high school is no easy task, but the Lion gameplan threw the rhythm of their passing game off. 1-0.

October 10th. Home opener against Marshall. Brand new field. My brother, Nick, and a few of my classmates showed up for this game. We were considered the favorites by far, but I’m a skeptic. We returned to announcing duties – it was a home game, after all. I took the job of pregame intro, and I was doing a good job…up until the Pledge of Allegiance. Which I managed to bungle. Terribly. I shook it off, though, and kept helping Nick with the stats and jersey numbers until the fourth quarter. Galileo came out rockin their all black jerseys, which was hot. Man, I wish I had gotten to wear them. Marshall is a small school, and they only had 15 players. They had a few players with talent for sure, though. Sheldon and Devon Silas stood out for me. Offensively, they showed a bunch of different sets, but didn’t do anything particularly well. Most of the game, the ball was in Galileo hands. And in the Galileo endzone. Dylan passed for…2 touchdowns, I think, and ran for at least another two scores. Looked great running the option, though he mostly kept it himself. On one particularly ridiculous play, he called his OWN fake punt on 4th and 25. And STILL got a touchdown. I smell player of the year. Quincy, on the other hand, had ANOTHER spectacular punt return TD nullified on a clip. If I were him, I would KILL my blockers at this point. Jon Lu GOT his TD this game (against Balboa, it was called back on a flag). Finally, shoutout to Chris Muzar, who played extremely well on special teams. Two fumble recoveries, and he picked off a pass in garbage time. Final score – 48 -6, Galileo. We did allow one score when we fell asleep on a kick return on the first half. I feel like that’s the key to this team. The talent is there – Shaun, Dylan, Quincy, Jared, Joe, Waynelle (who ALSO had an interception. Good work on his part), William…it’s just a matter of not being complacent, and staying hungry. 2-0.

October 16th. At Lowell. First real test for the young Lions, because Lowell looks like the best team in the conference, having defeated both Lincoln and Washington handily. Their offense revolves around 3 yards and a cloud of dust, utilizing a supertight version of the wishbone. And it works. Most teams stack the box with 9, 10, 11 guys, and still don’t know how to stop it. That is because they do not have everyone chasing the ballcarrier, and trying to blow up the play. Often times, they end up getting blocked out by one of the massive linemen. To be quite honest, I didn’t expect us to win this game. Sure, anyone can beat up on the bottom of the barrel in the conference…but how would we stand up to the big boys? Plus, Dylan was fighting the flu the night before the game.

This was clear from the first drive – most of the touches went to Pat Ale. Dylan did not play defense. And yet, as the Lowell machine tried to grind out first down after first down, Galileo would hold strong, and stop them. Three or four times, Lowell tried to sweep outside, only to be stopped on a great tackle by Waynelle Buckner and William Kay. They saved touchdowns on each one of those plays. Underrated unit on the team, for sure. On other drives, Lowell shot themselves in the foot with penalties and turnovers – several offsides and delay of games killed drives, and two fumbles led to 7 Galileo points. This has been a clear theme in the two Lowell games I’ve watched. They simply cannot hold onto the football.

Still, it must be said that the line played extremely well – Shaun Numera leading that unit. The score held at 0-0 coming into the fourth. Galileo had moved the ball, but their drives stalled for one reason or another. Tended to favor the FB dive, as well as quarterback keepers up the center by Dylan. Seemed to catch Lowell off guard. Quincy wasn’t very effective on offense this week. He moved into the backfield a few times to take a handoff but mostly was stuffed for little to no game, and fumbled. Coaches, please. Quincy Nelson’s most effective usage is on the edge on sweeps and offtackle, not running the ball inside. I’m sure you all know this.

The breakthrough in the fourth quarter came when Galileo got the ball into Lowell’s 9 yardline. First and goal.

First down – run up the middle with Dylan. Stuffed.
Second down – run up the middle with Dylan. Stuffed.
Third down – end around right with Quincy, gets to inside the two.
Fourth down – QB rollout keeper right. Stuffed.

Turnover on downs. However, Lowell isn’t very experienced passing – and it showed. Their QB tried to pass out of the end zone, and Quincy stripped the ball. It was recovered by Galileo for a touchdown. 7-0. On the next Galileo drive, Chuck Jones rumbled in for another TD on a FB Dive (Pat Ale was out of the game). 14-0 with 4 minutes to go. The game was OVER at this point. Lowell does not pass, and so, they had more or less no chance of coming back. Still, the nail in the coffin was when an jump ball went through the hands of a Lowell receiver…and right into the hands of Quincy Nelson, who took it back for a TD. 21-0. That would be the final score. Quite possibly, the biggest win at Galileo for quite some time. I lost my voice from all the screaming. Take whatever I did against Marshall and Balboa, and multiply it by about 45. That’s how wild I was. On Saturday, at CalSO, my throat was STILL fucked up. In fact, I think my enthusiasm impressed some people – Erik Wilson’s mom in particular. She asked me why I was not a GStaff. Kind of fucked up of her, because she didn’t realize a kid with glasses could actually PLAY football (which I did, last year). Whatever. I didn’t know how to react after this game, because, well, I don’t even know what victory feels like.

Congratulations to Coach Mark and company, they’ve really turned the Galileo program around. This sets up an important game in two weeks against Washington, held in The Jungle, aka. George White Field. Washington is 2-1. We are 3-0. A win against Washington would solidify us as the best team in the conference, and give us homefield advantage in the playoffs…okay, so, homefield doesn’t really matter. All the games are held at Kezar Stadium. LOL.

God, I miss high school football. Galileo can go all the way this year, if they just stay focused. That’s my only concern. I LOVE Galileo. I just don’t want us to lose our hunger…and I don’t want to hope in them just yet (I’m a Cal Bears fan. I’m used to perennial disappointment). Playoffs are guaranteed for us. Results are not.

Go Lions.

Yesterday was also my orientation at the University of California, Berkeley. I was prepared. I had my schedule all picked out. Everything was packed away. The alarm was set for 5:35…

PM.

I woke up at 6:45. Then, I did a double take – whatthefuckitssixfourtyfivehowdidthathappen!?!! I rushed out the door, and my dad managed to get me to Cal by 7:15. I sat there, dumbfounded. The day was not off to a good start, and I already felt sort of out of place. Intimidated. Grabbed a bagel and muffin for breakfast. Got into the auditorium and sat down for opening speech by Professor George Chang. Wow, I was pretty blown away. Each of the speakers were funny, and they put me at ease very quickly. While there was waaaaay too many lectures, I understand why we had to rush. After all, CalSO was only one day, not two like in the summer. My group leader was Rashida, who was very knowledgeable and friendly. Hahaha. And an English major :]. That helps. I met some great people in my group, too! Alex, Charlene, Merany, Candice and Kira among them. Sorry if I forgot somebody, the day was waaaaaaaaayyyyyy too rushed for me to remember everyone. =[ In fact, our group had a handful of English majors, which surprised me. Until later, when I found out we were grouped according to majors. You devilish icebreaking bastards. LOL.

In high school, I put up alot of emotional walls at the beginning. But here at Cal, I just tried to be myself. The funny, outgoing, friendly person. I think it worked, because Bertha (one of the girls in my group) introduced me as a pretty outgoing guy. I’m really happy about that, because I’m trying to grow in college. Not hide in my shell like I did for two and a half years of high school, but to really see what’s out there. And make new friends. It was a big step for me not to fall back into shyness…with all the crap that’s happened lately. I really felt at home during orientation. Everyone was spirited, passionate…more or less, like me. Eccentric, quirky, talented.

Academic advising went very well, too. They told me I was way ahead of schedule, considering I only have two major pre-reqs (45B/C for English), and I have completed 5 of 7 GEs + have 28 HS units + 15 college units from community college this year. I feel good about having had my hard work pay off!
following their talk, this is my projected schedule:

-English 45B. Can afford to do C sophomore year, because I gain no advantage by declaring my major early. Except maybe to have higher priority for classes. AL requirement fulfilled.
-Philosophy class of some sort to finish my PV requirement.
-WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT. LOL
-DeCAL
14 units.

That’s all 7 GE Breadths done, and now I have room to really take whatever I want. Oh, damn. I forgot I still have AC to do. Oh well.

Sophomore year (fall):
-English 45C
-whatever I want. Tentatively Italian or Japanese.
-whatever I want
-whatever I want

Haha. Looks like I can afford to kick it for a while. We ate at Top Dog that night. They make EXTREMELY spicy hot links. I like that. Not filling, but still. Better than nothing. Lemonade also doesn’t taste all nasty like the Minute Maid kind. Props for that, Top Dog. Props for that.

On the teaching front, I have to take a break. My students aren’t showing the same kind of dedication that I am, so I decided to wait until they are ready to. I just don’t think it’s fair that I have to come every week, and they don’t. But that’s okay. When November starts, they’ll HAVE to be dedicated. I’m going to take the time and replan the structure of my class, though. And start making multiple visits a week. This is the part of my job that I enjoy. Working with an actual base. Of course, they have to go make one first. I can’t do it for them.

Fuck Stephen Jackson. Fuck Monta Ellis. Fuck management. Basketball season is coming up, but I find myself woefully underengrossed…even though it is the Summer of ‘10 coming up. Maybe it’s because as a Warriors fan, our team remains an enigma. We could challenge for an 8th seed, or we could just blow up because of chemistry issues….I don’t even have an idea.

I failed my driver’s exam on the 15th. What the fuck happened? I forgot to brake getting into a left turn lane, and the tester guy thought I was going to hit the next car. HE braked. I failed. I was surprised and pissed mostly because I KNOW how to brake. I KNOW how to drive. I had only 5 mistakes to that point, and I was maybe 60% through the test already. FUCK. Had to skip school for this shit, too.

Jenny got my letter! She’s gonna write back soon. <3. I'm glad I made her happy. Hahaha.
Wendy's setting up Movie Day V soon. Can't wait for that either.
Wendy Yu, on the other hand, I call her every week. That makes me smile. I love having something special that I only do with one friend. It makes them each special to me, and me to them!

Sam's birthday was last week, too. I made her a card that says EYE+M REEL+E GLADDDDD…and inside is 18 reasons I'm glad we're friends. On top of that, I chipped in 20 for her Ipod Touch, and two postits redeemable for a dinner/lunch, plus a mystery gift (Glee Soundtrack, on November 3rd!). I'm glad I made HER happy, too. Teehee.

I'm so behind in school right now… I have to watch Hustle and Flow for a school assignment due Friday. Gotta catch up on Geology. And then write to Michelle.

And yet, I can't wipe the smile off of my face right now – I'm THAT happy about Cal. Just counting the days. Just counting the days…

And, some other stuff. ;D

Will edit today if I remember anything else to blog about.

This is the State of Life. Population: blown the fuck awaaaaayyy… Okay, still happy, but not quite THAT much.

I was only introduced to this band this week by a workmate (Johnny from Ono Palindromes) and I am a bit annoyed I didn’t know who they were before! They are fucking ace kind of like what metal and punk unions should have always been instead of ending up as metalcore or whatever shite it gets called these days.

Hints of  post hardcore mix up with punk and metal to make something that sounds very familiar yet is completely fresh at the same time

Best song is probably You Time Is Near or Price Of Punishment (that features Lemmy!) But the only song I can find a video for is Destroying The Cenodoxus so have that instead

Full album can be found on Spotify

Note: the copy of The Warriors I own is the DVD of the Ultimate Director’s Cut, which is said by the director to be different in certain aspects to the original. The comments I make may not be applicable to the original version.

The Warriors is a film from 1979 which focuses on gang culture in New York. It is said by the director, Walter Hill (48 Hrs, Aliens) to take the subject in a futuristic, comic-book way.

The setting of the film is, as said, New York. In this fictional New York, there are around 200 gangs, each controlling their own area (or “turf”). The film begins with representives of 100 of these gangs, including the gang the film looks at, The Warriors, going to a mystery meeting run by The Riffs, the seemingly most promonent gang. The Riffs leader, Cyrus, gives the peaceful crowd a speech about how, if they teemed up, they could easily outnumber the NY police force and run it all. This speech is interrupted when the leader of another gang, The Rogues, shoots and kills Cyrus, then frames it on The Warriors. Most of the remainder of the film focuses on The Warriors’ desperate, weaponless return to their turf, and the encounters with enemy gangs they make along the way.

It’s a film anyone can enjoy. There’s next to no complexity in the plot – the previous paragraph is pretty much all there is to it, but their encounters with other gangs all lead to different results. For example, the 30-strong low-down gang The Orphans seem to have the Warriors outnumbered, until they throw a petrol bomb at the nearest car and blow several of them up. At another point, they have to outrun a gang called the Turnbull ACs to get to the train home in time – the ACs are sporting a large grey bus and a host of melee weaponry.

It’s an action film where the entertainment comes as much from the range of characters in the Warriors (the womanising Ajax, the newbie Rembrandt, the serious leader Swan etc) as the stuff they have to endure on their venture home. It comes recommended. And, if you enjoy it, the 2005 videogame out on PS2, the original Xbox, and PSP, serves as a prequel to the story, showing the backgrounds of the characters in the film, as well as being a decent game in its own right.

Here’s a trailer of the film, and a trailer for the game too for good measure.

(89%)

Warriors: Street Brawl, The (X360) | byteme

Η ιστορία του παιχνιδιού είναι βασισμένη, έστω και σε μικρό βαθμό, στην ομώνυμη ταινία. Η συμμορία μας κατηγορείται για ένα φόνο που έστρεψε εναντίον μας όλες τις άλλες και τώρα πρέπει να διασχίσουμε την Νέα Υόρκη για να φτάσουμε στην βάση μας, στο Koney Island. Εμείς αναλαμβάνουμε τον ρόλο ενός μέλους των “The Warriors” και πρέπει μέσα απο επτά στάδια και δεκάδες τραμπούκους να φτάσουμε στην βάση μας. Αν και μεταξύ των σταδίων υπάρχουν cut scenes με στατικές εικόνες των χαρακτήρων μέσα απο τις οποίες εξελίσσεται η ιστορία, μην ξεγελιέστε πως υπάρχει και… ιστορία. Είναι απλά για να δικαιολογήσουν την χρήση του license στο οποίο βασίζεται το Street Brawl.[next]

1208 Surf Ave @ w12

9th annual CIFF!

Individual screenings $6

Festival Pass $45 opening night party // open bar and all screenings (but not The Warriors)

Saturday Pass $15 (all Saturday screenings except The Warriors)

Sunday Pass $10 (all Sunday screenings)

The Warriors $10

Opening Night Screening + Party $25 (open bar)

Opening Night Screening Only $6

calendar + more information available : coneyislandfilmfestival.com

I had old memories about this film I used to like when I was a kid, I don’t think I was aware of street bands away from punks, skinheads or heavy metal guys, for gangs weren’t a thing in Spain in the 80’s, and those can’t even been considered bands, but urban culture groups, some of them involving politics but mainly for aesthetic reasons.

The Warriors came to my mind again in New York City, where I bought the DVD, I could only remember some guys called The Warriors escaping from being fucked up by other tougher guys on their way back home. I didn’t remember final stop was Coney Island, which I got to know last year…a decadent but charming place, I must say.

Anyway, The Warriors became a good surprise and I’m glad to have rediscovered it, I really find it original and worth seeing it from time to time.

The Warriors, together with the most prominent gangs in New York City are summoned up to a meeting held up by Cyrus, the leader of the most important and powerful band in the city, The Riffs. Nine members of each band have to go to Bronx, to listen to a guy who’s been able to call a truce among bands in order to get organized and fight against Police department for having control over New York.

Warriors, come to play!

Everybody feels really enthusiastic, and for a moment seems Cyrus is convincing all the attendants, however he’s deadly shot and chaos succumbs when Police force turns up to end up the summit. Fox, one of the Warriors, has witnessed the whole scene so Luther (David Patrick Kelley) of the Rogues tries to shoot him too without success.

To make things worse, Luther spreads the word that The Warriors did it, and Cleon, their leader,  is caught up by the Riffs immediately.

Thus, The Warriors, now under Swan’s command, have to make their way from the Bronx back to Coney, a very long journey by subway, having all the bands, from the Baseball Furies to the Lizzies, against their side, seeking to catch and bring them  to the Riffs for what surely won’t be a pleasant experience.

Seems like a very simple plot, with nothing new,  but  all the difficulties they find on their way, all the bands they have to  fight against, enrich the story, making a more dynamic movie. The Warriors is like a videogame, with marked stages as they advance in their journey with comic frames. Every band seems tougher than the previous one, with any location for each one.

Friendly guys, ain't they?

Special mention to the female deejay of the gang radio station, alerting all the bands that the guys from Coney have to be chased and updating on the band developments, sending them personal messages and playing special songs for them.  

What about the bands? The way they are depicted I think is quite accurate, New York was one of the most dangerous cities in that time, too much population of different ethnicities and environments, depression and poverty on the streets which increased delinquency rates to its most with amazing feeling of territorial control and the ghost of ‘Nam still very present.

The Warriors become the main characters of the film and you end up sympathizing with, but by no means are fine guys. There’s a military hierarchy led by Cleon, however when he’s out of the scene, there’s tension about who must be chief war, as Ajax (James Remar, Dexter’s dad, by the way) do not reckon he’s to follow Swan at all. What kind of profile is required to be the most prominent member of the band? At least you got to be tough, and as life on the streets is not easy, your actions must provide some sort of benefit to the gang.

You might not share my opinion, but I will never understand people to join groups embracing a logo or dressing the same way just to show the world they are organized. Probably social situation is key to the uprising of bands, I’m too individualist to understand why minorities what to be so prominent in front of the eyes of society. Anyway, as I’ve said before, no gang culture in Spain at all, that’s why I find The Warriors fascinating. Personal favourite since I was a kid are the Baseball Furies, with the suits, the bats and their faces covered with make-up. Uh, cool!

The Coolest gang

Definitely worth seeing it, for me it’s a classic!

“…It takes a set of brass ones to call all of the rival gangs of NYC together for a massive rally and trust they don’t do anything.”

No, there will be no retribution. Unity and peace is all that matters.

Dear Cyrus,

You wanted to bring everyone together for a talk of peace, which was ended by yet another senseless act of unprovoked violence.

You had ideas of power and self-sufficiency, and some sociopath couldn’t even understand the simple message of unity you tried to bring.

I could dig it. I could pick up what you were laying down. If I had been a member of the Boppers, the Lizzies or even the Electric Eliminators, I would have been there, cheering you on every second of the way.

Luther and the Rogues are a big piece of nothing, and they will never understand your need for unity and peace to rise up against the cops of NYC.

You rock, Cyrus.

]]> http://arcanedufresne.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/halloween-prep-academy/ Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:58:25 +0000 arcanedufresne http://arcanedufresne.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/halloween-prep-academy/

I get so pumped for Halloween every year, but also STRESS about what awesome costume I want to come up with for that year. Going with a group and incorporating a theme always is a blast, and last year the Marvel zombies gear was fantastic, but way too much work. Here are some ideas for this year, but if anyone can think of any other suggestions, let me know.

Idea #1
This one came to us about 6 months ago, and I still think has potential. The major problem is finding leather vests. Ebay has them for 50$ and in size XXXXL, for the fattest cowboys, but that doesn’t help me and I want to keep my costs down. Scott would be Ajax because he is such a badass. Tyler can be Rembrandt and I’ll be Cyrus…just kidding. Swan all the way!

Idea #2
More obscure, but infinitely more fun. I got told last weekend that I looked like a mod, so it’s only fitting I go as the King of the Mods, Vince Noir. Scott has beady, shifty eyes, perfect for Howard Moon and Tyler’s hair is exactly the same as Bob Fossil!

Idea #3
Dale Denton, Saul Silver and Red. It might be tough for people to make the connection as none of us look anything like any of these people, but it would be worth it mainly for the fact that we could quote the movie the entire night, no matter how sick of it everyone gets.

Idea #4
We each go as a different classic Michael J. Fox character. Marty McFly, Alex P. Keaton and Teen Wolf.

If the group thing doesn’t work, individual ideas include Pee Wee Herman, Billy Hoyle (White Men Can’t Jump) and a character from Water World.

Time Square

Hey ! Il ne me reste que quelques jours avant de devoir quitter ce territoire légalement sans m’en faire expulser, j’ai le vague à l’âme rien que d’y penser… En 3 mois, j’ai troqué Boulbi City contre Brooklyn City, et je me remets à peine de mes découvertes de la semaine (le Brooklyn Museum, la Brooklyn Library, le Brooklyn Botanic Garden, le Brooklyn free market, et les concerts gratuits dans les rues). Bref tu l’auras compris, convertie, je le suis. Chronique d’une voyageuse amoureuse de Brooklyn, la larme à l’œil à l’idée de partir…

Mon été new-yorkais touche à sa fin. C’est fou tout ce qu’on peut faire en trois mois, tout ce qu’on apprend, sur le monde mais aussi sur soi. Le challenge était de taille, mais ça en valait plus que la peine. Et les objectifs à atteindre lors de ce voyage ont été relevés ! Aujourd’hui je comprends les paroles de toutes les chansons cainri et on ne me demande même plus de quel pays je viens parce que j’ai presque plus d’accent ! Haha, mission linguistique accomplie ! Niveau son, j’ai fait le plein, petits concerts intimes (Éric Roberson, Anthony David, José James, Alice Russell, Santogold, Dwele, Ayo…), grands concerts mythiques (Mos Def, Erykah Badu…) ou artistes inconnus au coin d’une rue, la musique était au rendez vous à NYC. Mission musique accomplie !
Côté culture, t’inquiète, j’ai pas chômé non plus. Pas un week-end sans scruter mon Time Out (équivalent du Télérama) pour voir les expos, musées, films en plein air… Résultat, au MET, l’expo sur les Super Héros est marrante, le Brooklyn Museum défonce, l’expo de Kehinde Wiley au Studio Museum Harlem vaut le détour et Dali au MOMA te donne le sourire. Sans compter toutes les petites expos de quartier, mini vernissages et autres événements locaux qui rythment tes débuts de soirée. Mission culture accomplie !

Bon oublie la mission shopping, ça, laisse tomber, y’a des gens qui avaient un loyer à payer, sorry, mais ma mission intégration est aussi accomplie, après 3 mois, je me suis fondue dans la masse. Totalement. Je parle slang, (Y’no wat I mean, Aight) je renseigne les touristes qui me demandent, perdus, comment aller à Time Square, et je me sens comme à la maison quoi !
Par contre, passer 3 mois, c’est pas comme partir en colonie de vacances, il faut être fort, solide et ne pas avoir peur de se retrouver avec soi-même, y’a pas d’amour à NYC, pas de cadeau, pas de sympathie, pas de sincérité. Avant d’être une personne, tu es un statut social et avant de voir le fond on juge la forme. Mais en même temps on s’en fout, on n’est pas là pour ça, y’a tellement à voir, à faire, que le reste devient de la broutille.

Pour faire bref, jeune homme, jeune fille, pour tes prochaines vacances scolaires ou tes semaines de congés annuels, récolte 300 euros pour un billet d’avion, vérifie que tu as le bon passeport, et ramène ta fraise dans le coin pour une leçon de vie. Tu habiteras en auberge pour 50 doll’ la nuit, tu mangeras au KFC et autres fast food que mon pote Sylvain vénère, et voilà, tu te prendras une claque new-yorkaise comme il se doit. En attendant, tu peux toujours te mettre dans le bain avec quelques petits clips, photos, films, et sons made in NYC baby ! Mets tes sens en action avec le clip des Beastie Boys, An Open Letter to NYC, le son Brooklyn de Mos Def, le New York City de Gil Scott Heron, le clip de Jay Z, 99 problems, les livres de photos de Jamel Shabazz, le son de Frank Sinatra, New York New York, les clips de Blackstar, Definition & Respiration ou Talib en solo avec Get By. Et enfin Sex and The City, King Kong, The Warriors, Clockers & Do the Right Thing, de Spike et Manhattan de Woody Allen. C’est bon pour le moral et ça te préparera à ton prochain voyage !
PS, Coup de Coeur pour The Warriors, à voir et revoir, ça dépeint trop bien le NY d’il y a 30 ans, le métro, le style, les rues, les gangs…

Pour conclure ma série de chroniques, je ne dirai qu’une chose, NYC est pleine de surprises, de beauté, de rebondissements, de richesses, mais aussi de stress, d’escrocs et de fakerie. Il faut juste garder les yeux ouverts. Une chose est sûre, je n’écris pas The End… mais plutôt To Be Continued, parce que je pense que je vais retourner dans le coin bientôt ! Cheers…