My Fine China

Okay, nerd alert! But can I just tell you how much enjoyment I get out of my vintage star wars (from burger king) glasses. I use them for "everyday ware" because their too cool not to use. And can I also tell you how cheap these things are. I bought mine for $5 bucks each! What tha! These puppies are vintage from my childhood...it's crazy. So if you're inspired by my kick ass collection of cups, then have it, they're all over ebay, like this set here.

Robocoaster, Yeah!

Ever want to know what it would look like to have a giant robot arm hurtle humans through the air? Then check out robocoaster. The videos look sick, or at least they would make you feel sick...

Jump the Shark

Has your favorite TV show ever "jumped the shark"? What's that you ask? Back in the day, an episode of Happy Days had the Fonz jumping a pool of sharks on his motorcycle. So what you say. Well, from that point on, everybody knew the show was out of ideas and going down hill. Now there's a great site that takes people opinions about when a show has "jumped". Lot's of titles and good commentary, definitely worth a look. Jump The Shark

Flickr's Explore

Ah, the power of sharing! Have you really checked out Flickr? (I have a link here for my photos) But Flickr has a cool new service called Interestingness...I know, silly name, but cool feature. It allows you to view the top rated photos for a week, or even of the day. The images here were ones I found "interesting". How about you? Check it out here

On the street

Ever notice the wheat paste and spray paint designs around your city? Want to find out who made what? Check out this link to view LA street art, but you can also find your city in there too.
It's about time you paid more attention to your surroundings. Happy Hunting.

Melancholia...

If you're in LA, then you really should check out this great play:

Melancholia
Dead soldiers return from war. Some are in coffins and some walk among us. How does killing another human being dehumanize the human spirit?

edge of the world

(you can buy tickets at this site.)

Where:
Los Angeles Theater Center
514 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013, CA 90013

Sugarboots Rocks!

Sugarboots is an artist living and teaching in Japan. Sugarboot's gallery has some very cool cards (which you must see). Sugarboots also writes really funny things in her notebook. Go visit sugarboots now!

Woospace Artist: Burtynsky

Well, I feel kind of bad because Edward Burtynsky is the first artist I have featured that I don't really think makes great work. He's known for oversized prints of fairly bland imagery (in my opinion). However, I am interested in his latest topic: China. Here is a link to view some of his photographs. Warning, I do find this "China project" a little dubious. Anytime, some rich white guy from Ontario (correction) goes to China to take pictures of factory workers, it kind of makes me cringe. But check it out, some of the shots are kind of interesting.

Firestarter

One question: what does lighting people's backs on fire have to do with hairdressing? more fire

Rosie fans?

If you're really bored, or really twisted (like me) you'll enjoy viewing Rosie O'Donnell's personal pictures on Flickr It seems a lot of the photos are her backstage at her show, Fiddler on the Roof Yes, that's Harvery Feinstein...and yes that picture is hilarious. Oh, and Rosie, what's up with all the photos of Katrina victims?

Woobot of the Week

Betel Nut Princess?

I have found a really interesting blog out of Taiwan, called the Leaky Pen. The commentary is sharp and insightful. I'm sure you will find the explanation for this image interesting. The young woman is a betel nut "vendor", what's that you ask? Well, go to the leaky pen to find out. He also has a great review of Taiwanese filmmaker, Tsai Ming-liang's latest film, The Wayward Cloud. Enjoy...

These Enzymes

Could it be actual Punk Rawk, that's good? Check out These Enzymes' song over at their label's site, doghouse records. They just released an ep, which can be had for cheap. Great spazmatic rhythms, growling, and screaming, plus these guys know what makes a great T-shirt, skulls and bunnies...Here is a review of the band, plus a T-shirt link. Enjoy.

The Journal of Short Film

This is a fantastic idea! I know I will become a subscriber, and if all goes right, perhaps even a contributor. The idea is simple, have some of the best short films from all over the world sent to directly to your home. There are so many talented filmmakers without a venue, but now there is. And it's only $36! for the quarterly jounal. Wow, that's a bargain. And you can totally be in on the ground floor, issue no. 1 came out today! Check out the journal of short film, to get your copy, it's really worth supporting. Filmmakers all over thank you.

Ever been to a Famima?

Don't know what's a
Famima? Well you'll probably be learning soon enough, because the Japanese convenient store chain plans on invading with up to 250 stores in the next 3 years! The very fist store in their invasion opened here, in West Hollywood. I got to check it out last month and was mildly impressed. Assorted sushi, instant noodle, snacks, and drinks are their staples, but there was also stationary and other household goods. The place had definitely been designed for westerners, with some key Asian products missing. I guess I was hoping it would be more faithful to the Asian stores. I had a salmon rice ball and the tiramisu, both were tasty. I want to endorse this place more, as I love the concept of the East/West fusion store, but looking around on their website creeps me out a little. "Pop/Hip/GenX"...Please Famima, don't make me feel weird about shopping with you.

Ah, "Golden Week"...

If you are living in China right now, you don't want to be travelling (Unless you like train stations with thousands of people waiting). Seems spirits are up this year and people are out and about. Read more about China's "Golden Week" Here!

Little Boy

Okay so this post is way late. It's about the show, Little Boy, at the NY Japan Society this summer. Little Boy examines the culture of postwar Japan through its arts and popular visual media. Focusing on the youth-driven phenomenon of otaku (roughly translated as “geek culture” or “pop cult fanaticism”), Takashi Murakami and a notable group of contributors explore the complex historical influences that shape Japanese contemporary art and its distinct graphic languages. The show’s title, Little Boy, is a reference to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, thus clearly locating the birth of these new cultural forms in the trauma and generational aftershock of the atomic bomb. Here
is an article about the show with some images also for those who missed the show, you can buy the catalog for sixty clams here.

My Bodyguard

Patricia Piccinini is the kind of artist who you just marvel at. Her work doesn't reside in any one medium, and everything looks a bit familiar, and a bit creepy. Mutant Genome projects, sci-fi environmental protection, or creepy culture critique, she has it all. Oct. 22 she is opening a new show at Robert Miller Gallery in NY, called Nature's Little Helpers. And what lovely helpers they are...

Tea Masters

Cha.

Dave Hickey on art in Vegas

"Las Vegas is a gambling town — it's about risk and spectacle, and that's what art's about..." - Dave Hickey
For more of this great interview with Dave go here!

WWTDD

That's right folks, What Would Tyler Durden Do? Who? Oh, never mind...Snarky gossip about hollywood, fun stuff! WWTDD

It's an egg..

Hooray for the bloggers in China, they're not all being blocked! I found this couple who is teaching in Chengdu (the Du, as we like to say) which is a city very near where Angie and I were. To be honest, it's really the big time compared to our little town, but these kids have made a nice site documenting daily life in the "Motherland". Tomatoe egg noodle is just the kind of project I wish I had to document my China experience. Oh yeah, and they have a little video showing their first Chinese apartment...better than anything I ever had. Enjoy...

Splatterbot!!

Thinking about Halloween? Cool, me too. Then you're going to love this, a page of build your own "papertoys", all with great Halloween ghoulish Horror. I had to include this "Splatterbot", but I really like the haunted houses and cemetery dioramas. Check everything out here!

Violence

I just saw A History of Violence, and although not perfect, there were some solid performances in it that I really enjoyed!

Get a clue!

This post on craigs list is a little disturbing...This person can't spell, and is totally stressed to write a paper on Basquiat. Oh, the irony. Here's the Post, Resurch indeed...

Now that's a Party!

To celebrate National day in China, the ChongQing Safari Park in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality is organizing a contest nationwide with animals to show their performance in sports, the image is of Yuhui, a young orangutan, who is practising weightlifting. I can only imagine what other "athletes" they will have perform in honor of the Revolution. Somebody better call Peta quick.

Wow that's Fugly...

Have some free time? Want really bitchy commentary about celebs and their fashion, okay then! go fug yourself is the place for you. I especially like their Courtney Love section, and of course the always half dressed Bai Ling...

So, who has the better suit?

You don't see this everyday. Angelina Jolie, Condoleezza Rice and Senator Hillary Clinton attend the Global Business Coalition gala awards dinner in Washington, D.C., September 28, 2005. The GBC is hosting events this week in Washington to applaud companies active in the global AIDS fight, coordinate private sector response to the AIDS pandemic and to meet congressional leaders and to dicuss how to build opportunities for business and government collaboration on HIV/AIDS.

Chinese Rain

And you thought you had a bad commute...

Where's the smile, Yao?

NBA star Yao Ming (R) and Athens Olympic gold medalist Liu Xiang pose for a photo after being named Shanghai image representatives September 26, 2005. City officials said the appointment would raise the profile of the city, as the two image ambassadors will promote its logo and generate a buzz around city-related events. Ugh, someone needs to tell Yao that as an "image ambassador", it helps if you smile. I know big guy, you don't like this kind of stuff, but come on, show a little teeth!

Happy Shining People

This is really a cool idea, cut your own trailer, from a classic horror movie. Watch the
Shining trailer and see how the Kubrick ghost film, becomes a cuddly heart warming comedy. And if you like that you'll also like the Shining in 30 seconds with bunnies by Jenifer Shiman, Bunny Funny Note: the trailer takes a minute to load, but it's worth the wait!

Wookies Need love too

Now, this is the real duo...and they're not playing baseball! This photo was apparently found on Flikr. At first it was believed not to be photoshop, but I think there's something weird about that wookie hand. Fun none the less.

Tian'anmen's new fountain

In honor of China's 56th National day on October 1, Tian'anmen square has been given a new fountain with a whole heck of a lot of flowers...

Woospace Artist: Lari Pittman

Lari Pittman is a giant figure in Contemporary painting, well, as far as west coast painters goes, and definitely the biggest name in west coast gay painters. But for me, Lari's work transcends gay or straight art. Lari is a paint technician. His work is so dense, detailed, and layered that's its hard for anyone to not appreciate it. I was first exposed to Lari's work at school, (he's partners with the head of my program, also talented painter, Roy Dowell) Every time I see a new piece by Lari, I am more impressed. He utilizes stencils, airbrush, and tightly crafted handwork to create complicated landscapes and abstract images. Here is a link for more of his work, although it's a little dated now. Hope you enjoy.

Woobot of the Week

This is Rubi...Rubi works at UCSD in the daycare center. Someday, robots will help develop all children...a pleasant thought, I know. To read about Rubi, go here

Waiting...

I also saw a sneak of Ryan Renyolds new film, Waiting... The film is okay and at times there are a some laughs. But what I find interesting is how this small Indie film got made, and the story of how the writer became the director without any experience. The writer/director Rob Mckittrick was at our screening, and of course he use to be a waiter, and had come up with this "hilarious" script, and the story of him getting it made and becoming the director...would be a much better movie than the penis and gross out food jokes in the film. Over at the film's website you can read Rob's blog detailing his rise to Hollywood glory. Oh yeah, and Dane Cook is in the film, but not nearly enough.

M83

Last night I saw the French band, M83 at the Avalon in Hollywood. I didn't know what to expect from these guys, because their music is sonic and mysterious. Turns out, they are half human, half machine. The four members play live while accompanied by a generous amount of prerecorded sounds. The result is really cool. I thought there was a woman in the band, but then, after hearing them live, I realized she is just a computer... M83 rocked and stayed polite saying "merci" between songs. Check out their site, I love M83

Robot Uprising!

This Book looks awesome, coming out in Novemeber, How to survive a Robot uprising...will definitely be on my reading list. click here for more info. Good luck, humans!

Unchecked Hollywood Insider

Mark Lasanti, is a blogger on a mission, to dish on Hollywood gossip. Perhaps the first of its kind, Defamer permits up to the minute news about Hollywood players and insiders. It can be a fun read...

Music Videos Anyone?

Remember Music Videos? Mtv used to play them, now you can find them here at cliptip . This is a cool site. Check out the Squarepusher Clip directed by Chris Cunningham, very cool.

A Scanner Darkly

Phillip K. Dick and Richard Linklater! Yeah, and Keanu too... I am looking forward to this, check out the trailer here