thoughts and ideas

New Computer, word

2008-08-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

Finally, after 15 months I have a computer...now i can start relaying my thoughts and pictures of food again.
YES!

Earth Wind And Fire is the best!

2008-04-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

2008-03-31T11:22:00.000-07:00

my hard drive has been jacked. along with my camera. so i feel part of my soul has been snached taking away all my music, pictures, and ability to create more of both.

but then again, fuck it. tie to move on. maybe all that technology is holding me back...thats bullshit too...damn, i need a better excuse for trying to not care.

Defencelink.mil : Your source for quality news

2008-03-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, so on sunday CNN.com publishes an AP article on the whole water contamination issue. I'm sure it was everywhere, but since i'm cheap i didnt buy a Times or Post.

Part 1

Anyways....in brief (or read the whole thing here):

"Dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq fell sick at bases using "unmonitored and potentially unsafe" water supplied by the military and a contractor once owned by Vice President Dick Cheney's former company...A report obtained by The Associated Press said soldiers experienced skin abscesses, cellulitis, skin infections, diarrhea and other illnesses after using discolored, smelly water for personal hygiene and laundry at five U.S. military sites in Iraq.
The Defense Department's inspector general's report, which could be released as early as Monday, found water quality problems between March 2004 and February 2006 at three sites run by contractor KBR Inc., and between January 2004 and December 2006 at two military-operated locations."

Part 2
Logic would suggest the best place to find this report would be the Department of Defence site, defencelink.mil
and I didn't bother searching for the report since I found a better article on the fron page, published yesterday March 13, 2008:

Camp Liberty Water Facility Keeps Troops Hydrated
By Pfc. Samantha Schutz, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
"As the desert weather heats up, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers will need to keep drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration. The Camp Liberty Oasis International Waters water treatment facility has been working 24 hours a day since the summer of 2005 to provide a continuous flow of purified bottled water to the thirsty troops.
...'Our water is probably more processed than (brand-name bottled waters in the United States) because of the military’s standard,' [Bruce] Everson said
....After the bottles are filled and sealed, a laser inscribes the water’s date of production and the code for which water purification system produced it. The code on the bottle is a way for the company’s quality assurance department to track complaints, although most people have only good things to say about the product, Everson said.
“Nothing gets released until it meets all the standards,” he added. “Our water is quality; I have no worries about that.”

Part 3
Alright, pretty clear cut...and the Defense Dept suggest that there is no evidence that anyone fell ill to the contaminated water during a press conference on the 10th.

Mr. Morrell: "Everywhere you go they make it perfectly clear that you don't want to drink the water, so I'm a little surprised myself that this is an issue. As I understand it, the bottled water, which is what you're supposed to be drinking in Iraq, had no issues whatsoever in the testing that was done. Evidently, there was some issue with some of the other water that was, I guess, primarily meant for washing. ...
....And -- but still, based upon this IG report, which I think is over 14 months old or something by now, the period in question, that there's no evidence that any of the illnesses were related to the water."

Part 4
But wait! Our friends over at Halliburton Watch have been talking about this since september.

"...Former KBR employees and water quality specialists, Ben Carter and Ken May, told HalliburtonWatch that KBR knowingly exposes troops and civilians to contaminated water from Iraq's Euphrates River. One internal KBR email provided to HalliburtonWatch says that, for "possibly a year," the level of contamination at one camp was two times the normal level for untreated water.
"I discovered the water being delivered from the Euphrates for the military was not being treated properly and thousands were being exposed daily to numerous pathogenic organisms," Carter informed HalliburtonWatch. ...
...Carter and May agree that KBR supplies bottled water for drinking, but that it's "absolutely untrue" that it's used for food preparation. Moreover, they never observed any posted signs or notices informing personnel not to drink the tap water, a possible sign of corporate negligence. ...
...Carter resigned two weeks prior to Ken May, discovering what he said was "unsafe water and pressure to cover it up." "I tried to correct the problem, only to be blackballed by management and I eventually left this employment," Carter told HalliburtonWatch."

2008-02-12T07:16:00.001-08:00

How do transit workers get to work?

Post Nihilism in the DC Subway

2008-02-04T11:16:00.001-08:00

it's all there, just look deeply...

Mac N Cheese Pancakes

2008-02-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

A couple months ago I saw the documentary 'I Like Killing Flies' about a restauranteur Kenny Shopsins and his then West Village establishment, Shopsins (now located in the Essex Street Market in the Lower East Side). \

Anyways, the menu is creative to say the least. Several hundred items packed onto one sheet of paper all made to order in a kitchen smaller than my cubicle.

Going there with my good friends Michelle and Jon, we decided to get breakfast but knew that we needed to try his infamous Mac N Cheese Pancakes.

Not wanting to look like a d-bag I shy'd away from taking a picture, but I can honestly say they were one of the most heavenly things I have ever tasted. So cheesy and gooey with great pasta, and what made it spectacular was the ever so light and fluffy pancake batter.

So luckily, my friend Erin gave me her leftover mac n cheese a week later and I knew what to do. I freaked out for 20 minutes and Ta-Dow!...Booya...my own mac n cheese pancakes. Just mix pancake batter and tons of the Mac and griddle it up. So easy and so delicious!

Atrotious Grammar

2008-02-02T12:25:00.001-08:00

Adam is creepy.

And i want to add photos of my mac n cheese pancakes so i can get linked to blogs people actually read, but this library is kind of bumming out.

kickball!

2008-01-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

So my soon to be housemate was telling me about adult kickball in DC. Then I have immediate flashback to senior week of college, when Balls To The Wall failed miserably 19-0 in their first tournament game.

But anyways, she is telling me about how in DC, there is not just one, but two (2) kickball divisions. WAKA, the nationally recognized kickball organization, and DC Kickball , the spinoff organization that apparently claims that WAKA does not give enough money for donations. And now I have found out the there is a new third kickball organization, NAKID which definitely wins for best name.

So which organization is the best?

That has yet to be determined.

But they all do happy hour once a week and heavily promote flip cup.

Awesome!

oh, and i think this local kickball rivalry would make a great documentary.

Cornelius: Coolest Band and Live Performance Ever

2008-01-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

Its one thing to like their music. But shit, the show was crazy. 3 Japanese dudes and 1 chick, making crazy sounds with some of the awesomest avant-garde videos.

ahhh!!!!!

go see Cornelius live!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AeodCMHCFk

what the fuck, i cant put an embeded video on this blog anymore!

Dessert Fight

2008-01-24T20:56:00.001-08:00

I've had some awesome deserts recently.

#1: White Chocolate Bread Pudding, topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel.
Verdict: The best decision to skip dinner ever. Actually I had fresh pulled noodles a few hours before in Chinatown (only after rolling into this place I realized I had seen this guy on youtube a week earlier thanks to stuart). Anyways, probably the best bread pudding I've ever had. The only time such pudding has compared was at some dive bar in Philly last year, but it was BananaBread Pudding. Oh MAN!!! I wish i had pictures.
Anyways, go to Busboys & Poets in the hip U street area of DC and read a book and eat the bread pudding. Be careful, you might be so relaxed you shit yourself with joy.

#2. Heading down to the lower east side of new york, i met up with some friends at Brown, a little wine bar and bistro. The cats we met up with were in the middle of dessert, and it was this Flan Cheesecake served with strawberries and blueberies. As two creamy, succulent desserts came together, I did'nt know what to htink. they blended so well, i did not know which was the base, the flan or the cheesecake. The serving was a perfect size to sip down that last cup of wine.

2008-01-24T20:35:00.001-08:00

From Pub Burger to Pub Duck Confit

2008-01-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

Fathers Office in Santa Monica is home to great wine, greater beers, and probably the best burger known to mankind. I really don't think I can have a better one. But after having it a few times I needed to try something else off the gourmet pub menu.

The special that caught my eye was the Duck Confit Salad (12.50).
Holy shit did my body go into shock with each bite. Perfectly cooked duck confit with an amazing perfectly sized salad of mustard greens, tangerines, candied hazelnuts, and whatever mouth watering vinaigrette.

And if you want an amazing apetizer with your sweet amber ale...go for the Spanish Mushrooms (4.50). Only recently have I found an appreciation for mushrooms, but these will reign supreme for a long time. So tender, so perfect, so garlicky, so papricky!

If i could have this bar (without all the yuppie pricks and with the cool ron paul fans and food critics) near me at all times along with a taco truck, my life would be pretty swell.

It's official: i depart on sunday.

2008-01-08T22:53:00.000-08:00

Deciding to leave LA has been both easy and hard. Sometimes I cant stand it here, but at the same time, I want to experience everything this city has to offer.
This is a list of things I want to do again or for the first time in the 4 days and nights I have left. Most of these things, if not all, relate to dancing, drinking, and music.

Wed: Swing dancing in el segundo. I have chosen this over Money Mark, who rules, and its yet another chance that I've missed out on a great cheap show at the Troubadour, which I've always wanted to go to.

Thurs: Part of me wants to re-connect with Zanzibar for Afro Funke night. If that does not work out, there is always one last chance at Carbon or this sweet Mexican bar near my house which has amazing live music, and a LASER disco ball that might give you glaucoma.

Friday: Jon Brion...again? Its a great show, but I've seen it before. There is also another shot at Concrete Frequency at Disney Hall, but I doubt I will be able to make it in time for student rush tickets ($10). Or maybe some real latin vibes at La Cita in downtown.

Saturday: Another chance at Concrete Freq or Brion, but maybe something else will pop up. I think i need to go to the Dali exhibit one more time. Its just that overwhelming.

During these next few days, time needs to be made to go to these restaurants:
John O Groats and Maxwells for breakfast.
The Fathers Office for another burger.
La Cabana at 2am for fancy drunk mexican food.
El Gran Burrito at some ridiculous time of day.
This other Mexican spot by USC.
Friache in Culver City
Mozza, the new Mario Bitali Restaurant.

oh, this is overwhelming...im going to begin packing...

DC Housing

2008-01-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

I've been contemplating moving to DC for the sake of an internship...
In doing so, I have begun preliminary craigslist searches for housing, just in case the people I know out there get sick of my mooching too quickly.
This is one response I've received:

Hi, Avishai

It is available right now, but I do not know situation in middle of Jan. XM radio is little far from my place. I recommend one place where is about 6 miles away.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/sub/524724457.html

Are you an African American? If so, you could find the housing near XM radio.

If not, the place I give you may be the best.

Thanks for inquiring!

News agencies are keeping strong candidates out of the debates.

2008-01-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

Shady practices are keeping Kucinich away from being a viable candidate. Last night's ABC/Facebook debate refused to let Kucinich participate and how he's going to the FCC.

I am no staunch supporter or anything, although I do agree with many of his views, but the fact is, every candidate should have an equal chance to voice their platform and ideas in an open debate forum. It should not be up to the biased media conglomerates do decide this.

...and it looks like it will happen again tonight, but this time with Ron Paul...disappointing...

At least we can begin counting down to her 18th birthday.

2008-01-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

So yea, I'm a couple months late on this article "Hurricane Hannah," but she's still probably the biggest start in the states right now, and I am so fascinated why kids like her. Plus, I just found out Miley Cyrus is the daughter of the achey breaky heart, Billy Ray!!!

TIME makes a pretty legit argument for why parents are getting conned in to paying several hundred bucks for a kids concert, but it still does not excuse the fact that children over 8 years old are still watching Disney Channel. And it does not fit with the bullshit academic theory of KGOY (Kids Get Older Younger--thats right, they had to make this inane term an acronym), which sounds like some kind of off-shoot of NAMBLA.

With relation to media intelligence, kids are really getting older later. The advent of satellite TV in so many households and its access to such a variety of content, children now can continue watching children's programming 24 hours a day and not just from 6-8am. (Damn, I miss the line-up of Mr Wizard, TMNT, Inspector Gadget, and He-Man). Today, pre-teens have no concept of prime-time television content. No, they don't watch nightly newscasts, foodtv, or even the Office or 30 Rock; they watch High School Musical repeats. This is pathetic, and parents should be to blame, not commended.

What's even worse is that all kids want these days (and this is through an informal survey of the kids I work with on a daily basis) is an IPhone (even though they don't really know what it can do) and to listen to Soulja Boy (which besides its trite and mundane music and lyrics, was a hit four months ago). This is what Disney and children's programming is selling children, and while I think this is genius on the behalf of a falling empire, parents are treading down a slippery slope of mindless, education-less consumerism.
simply pathetic.

Zeitgeist-sheitgeist

2008-01-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

initial thoughts after watching one, five, or ten minutes of this film include--
1. mmm, I love this piece of propoganda
2. who really cares about astrology
4. i cant wait to see what persuasive visual and narrative elements are left for the next hour and 45 minutes.

oh damn, this shit gets intense...and there is great pieces about WTC and the Federal Reserve. Nice...

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

the last eight movies i've watched

2007-12-29T13:46:00.000-08:00

1. a Coen horror, no score, but i want more...of No Country For Old Men
2. couldn't finish Butch Casidy and the Sundance Kid...too cheesy for the time of day.
3. another view of Swingers made my life feel depressing, but the film gets better every time.
4. if you are out for something that takes family dysfunction to a new level, Happiness is for you. the periodical humor makes you have some inkling of hope for humanity.
5. when a good script is terribly directed you get Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. I walked in late and missed this awesome sex scene with PSH and Marissa Tomei.
its here: http://egotastic.com/entertainment/celebrities/marisa-tomei/marisa-tomei-nude-videos-from-before-the-devil-knows-youre-dead-003076
6. 81/2 is too self-conscious and pretentious. also i can't watch a movie when the lead's name is Guido.
7. the different ways to think of animals and shaping their habitat is fascinating in Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control. There was this philosophical essence I saw but was hard to fully grasp.
8. perhaps the best films of all time--Holy Mountain. Every shot has about 20 different symbolic points often times contradicting itself. Simply obnoxious and ridiculous but so overwhelming and spectacular its amazing. Practically no dialog and a superb soundtrack that you can get with the 5 disk Alejandro Jodorowsky box set!

american dream

2007-12-29T13:24:00.001-08:00

a simple barstow/vegas experience.

Bible Power

2007-12-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

"For US Army soldiers entering basic training at Fort Jackson Army base in Columbia, South Carolina, accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior appears to be as much a part of the nine-week regimen as the vigorous physical and mental exercises the troops must endure.

That's the message directed at Fort Jackson soldiers, some of whom appear in photographs in government issued fatigues, holding rifles in one hand, and Bibles in their other hand..."

for more: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122107J.shtml

Breakfast Nachos

2007-12-26T11:52:00.000-08:00

Tortilla chips topped with black beans and an egg scramble (this one has onions, tomatoes, broccoli, chicken, and cheese)
maybe the next one will be a chorizo or machaca based concoction.
i also should have topped this one with avocado.

The La Choy Dragon

2007-12-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

mmmm, advertising at its best. nothing beats Muppets, dragons, fire, and general mayhem!

headache

2007-12-21T10:42:00.000-08:00

i told a kid yesterday that his gingerbread house looked postmodern. on that note: i think i'm going crazy.

My Kind of Menu

2007-12-14T00:59:00.000-08:00

this is what i call options meeting creativity.
http://shopsins.com/shopsiteyellow/shopsiemenu2.pdf

also on the food font, i'm beginning to think i need a best of Los Angeles food guide, especially after eating at Baby Blues BBQ on Lincoln this evening. some of the best BBQ ever.

Spreading the Vagina Gospel

2007-12-13T11:32:00.000-08:00

Alexyss K Tylor tells women to love the proverbial 'cock.'
(Notice how she sound's like the Ladies Man.)

even better....
the Pussy Police bringing Vagina Power

more goodness at: http://www.alexyssktylorvaginapower.com/akt/

Boogie in your Butt

2007-12-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

last night fart lighting became a reality. on youtube it's already a worldwide phenomenon.

but no fire works please...

Thinkin' while poopin'

2007-12-09T12:32:00.000-08:00

I wonder about those hoodlums who tag toilet seats. Are they just dropping such a mad deuce that they end up freaking out and scrape up the john. It just seems like an impractical way of tagging since the marks are usually obscured by the future pooper's legs.
Note to all those gang-bangers reading this: Next time you go to Thai-town and take the wall of a Thai restaurant's bathroom, it might be more effective to do it in Thai. Haterz will be respctin' a lot quicker.

Is the mere concept of Nokia justified as art?

2007-12-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

So its one thing if some dude makes a bunch of art, has a show, gets a sponsor to tell people and provides some free booze and some music....right?
Correct.

now how bout this for a piece of performance art....or a quality example of the growth of Post Nihilism in our society.

so take that art show concept and flip it around! Woah. so you got a promoter who has some shit they want to sell, like cell phones, and one of the marketing dudes comes up with a way to disguise the advertisement in the form of an art show.

(a discussion of the post-nihilistic qualities of this piece, where the subject is a
distortion of itself while obscuring the truth in the background.
we see here a creation of a new, subjective morality)

pretty lame, eh?
but majorly enjoyable.
wait...
except for the actors roaming around being filmed on camera phones and others telling me to get out of the way or be quiet at an art party. so fuck Nokia....

(example of how the art becomes the subject and the subject becomes art. this woman is an actor, notice the scene/take clapper thinggy in the background)

but maybe true art is supposed to elicit emotions of anger...

ok, what a crock of shit.

(she thought she was going to be in a magazine. too bad. at least you made it on here sweetheart. she did lipsync "i think we're alone now" really well, however)

Not So Silent Films

2007-12-08T16:43:00.000-08:00

All the cook kids are saying it, The Silent Film Theater is quickly becoming one of the coolest places in LA to check out.
After the shooting from a couple years ago, the theater was bought, renovated and now shows more than just silent films, but caters to the cult, experimental, and avant-garde as well. Monthy series' from Toho monster classics to Cults--these ones are actually about famous cults--makes the place unique and awesome.
Loveseats line the first two rows, and the rest of the theater chars have a pillow on every seat. They even serve up gourmet cupcakes ($4).

I feel like shamelessly promoting the Friday matinée series this month of Jan Svenkmayer. Czech puppeteer and New Wave film maker, Jan's shit will blow your mind. His version of Alice in Wonderland entitled Alice will trip you out kids.
check it out!

(try watching the film with the American Beauty Soundtrack in the background)

and although earlier this week I caught the films of the dude who created blue screen technology and cant compose a film to save his life ( i was pretty tempted to walk out), it was still greatly amusing.

but imagine this movie with no volume and with a 9 piece psychedelic folk band. (i recommend going to about minute 5 of the clip)

check it out...
http://www.silentmovietheatre.com/

Tighten Up Finally

2007-12-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

I love how Archie Bell and the Drells takes the most basic riff and then calls it a new dance.

Luckily at Amoeba listening station, CeCe Peniston was also listed under soul.

I spent the next 24 hours with both of these songs stuck in my head and began trying to conceive of a way of mashing up these two awesome tunes. However part of me feels that CeCe is perfect.
Anyways, Archie Bell would better be used being ripped off by a Kanye West type. Imagine it.

What's icky and painful?

2007-12-06T02:29:00.000-08:00

A: Middle Ear Infection.
Yellow shit is coming out of my ear. apparently my ear drum ruptured. i can't sleep. it is painful.
more information here: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ear-infection/ear-infections-topic-overview

thoughts while on the toilet

2007-12-05T02:19:00.000-08:00

1. Sometimes I think I use too much toilet paper when wiping. And then it makes me think, what is the appropriate amount, and how is one to find out? How many wipes per sheet? When do i double up, even if it's two ply, and when should i just rely on the single sheet's ability?

2. I am increasingly fascinated with this blogging thing. Even though I know nobody is likely to read this, for some reason I find just enough satisfaction that the internet is here to comfort me and keep me warm.

I forgot #3

note

2007-12-05T02:02:00.000-08:00

this mellow yellow color or whatever one classifies it as rules! When i get a nast Kitchen Aid mixer, i want it this color. I believe dudes can like yellow.
also, being income-less, i've decided to go with the 'man,' sell out and add this Advertzing bar. i might add more if people dont click on them to give me money.

Fantasy

2007-12-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I had this oldies urge, so i turned on KRTH 101 and this 70's soul/funk song came on that was amazing. Nevermind the fact that K-Earth is playing late 70s and early 80s music as oldies, but i had this song stuck in my head for two weeks without any lyrics. (im thinking of inventing some kind of search engine where someone can hum a theme into it, and it processes the many options and gives you suggestions for the song you want.)

anyways, that song turned out to be Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire. and shit did they put on a show back in '88. Im thinking of getting some of that garb for holloween.

and in the youtube search for Fantasy, i got Mariah Carey's song which is a pretty damn good video. Despite the fact that it unnecessarily samples the Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love," the uneeded 90's dance moves, low riders, and the fact that Mariah was such an uber babe ever then makes it a great video. And then I wonder, fuck, that was 12 years ago.

so while i'm working on the EWF costume, someone should be Mariah and get some camel toe shorts.

fuck, i forgot

2007-12-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

In the process of watching Crumb yesterday, which is an awesome documentary about Robert Crumb, his comix, his life, and his brothers, I came up with an actual structure to 'my novel.' It would start on Thanksgiving Day 2007 at the beach, and would change perspective from past to present from chapter to chapter; with the earliest being the day I came home from Central America, and ending a few months from now, hopefully homeless, or lost somewhere.

I figure it can be an existential novel of bullshit thoughts that help me grow and make me a better person, blah blah blah, total crap, but interesting fun anecdotes i wish happened, or happened in my imagination. But in the end, i will end up just as lost as where i began. I want it to read like a piece of journalistic non-fiction, and subtly create a mild climax, yet not be too overbearing with a typical 3-act structure.

so in the process of writing this all out in my head with detailed chapters and what not, i went to the library, checked out a bunch of graphic novels, some hunter thomson and bukowski, and some mozart concertos from the library. then i saw sharon jones and the dap kings performed, got a photo and went to another show at the echo. and in doing all that, i forgot 99% of the content....perfect!

back where i began...im digging this motif.

a start at reflection

2007-11-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

it should be noted that the official start of this blog began on september 19, 2007, the day i returned from central america.
the postings that follow shall be an attempt to reflect on my life and the interesting things that i find interesting. this includes, random thoughts, people i meet, things that happen to me, a seemingly endless job search, social issues, grievances with society, and various other ponderanes about art, culture, philosophy, and life in general.

it's a pretty vague blog, but i think we will be able to pull out some occurring thematic elements from it.