"Overweighted Girls"

I liked this picture, but the headline made it even funnier, "Overweighted Girls play football" was the title of the China Daily article about how Chinese youth are getting less exercise and are getting fat.

My Friend's Movie

My friend's first feature length film is complete! He screened it for us on Tuesday night, and it is really good. It is a documentary that follows ten people working in Hollywood as "Extras". Check out the trailer here!

I need some pics, so here they are...

R.I.P

Alot going on this week, and with Grandpa Woo's passing, a little distracted. He was a good man. R.I.P

A Child's Universe

Physicist Stephen Hawking and his daughter are to write a science book for children which will be "a bit like Harry Potter", but without the magic. Link

Sexed Bots

"The sexed robots are autonomous wheeled platforms fitted with nylon genital organs, respectively male and female. They are programmed to explore their environment, occasionally entering a "in heat" mode, where they will try and locate a partner in the same state. If a partner is located, the robots will attempt to mate."
love bots

LP Covers

Musician, Dennis Caltron, is a cool guy who has a site where he has posted some of his favorite LP covers, mostly pin-up style cheesecake covers. Take a look here!

I.F.O.C.E

Check out the International Federation of Competitive Eating's web site. You can read up on all the top ranked eaters in the world. Over the weekend, Rookie Joey Chestnut won the Grilled Cheese competition, eating 47 in ten minutes! This is real folks, and get this the second top rated eater in the world is a 105 pound woman! link

The White Knight

Saurkids

More odd Dutch graphic design, tunes, and t-shirts. Check out the weird world of saurkids

BOB

It's Monday, so let's start out the week with the creepy/evil entity named BOB from David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Find out how actor Frank Silva got the part of "BOB" here.

Nacho Libre

I don't know how excited I am for this movie. I really like J.B. and I also liked Napoleon Dynamite, but I have serious reservations about this comedy. I will say that while working on Nancy Myers, The Holdiay, I got to see J.B. on and off set, and he was very gracious with everyone. I didn't speak to the hombre, but we exchanged eye contact and he gave me the "was up bro" nod. Anyhow, after changing out of his wardrobe, he showed up to lunch late, most stars would just walk to the front of the buffet line, but not J.B. he calmly waited his turn at the back of the line, classy. Anyways, if you're a fan, you'll want to read this well written article about him and his new movie here. And if you're interested to see Jack in a romantic comedy with Kate Winslet, click here! I have to say, I liked the script, but am not impressed with this trailer.

Grace is Gone

John Cusack got interested in his latest Indie film, Grace is Gone, by the absence of news coverage of flag-draped caskets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Serving as the film's producer and star, Cusack says making the film was a "politcal" action for him, but that the film itself is not. The story involves a father of two who becomes deeply conflicted when his wife Grace, a soldier in the army, is killed while serving in Iraq. Read more here.

Gnarls Barkley

"The group, Gnarls Barkely, comprised of Grammy-winning Gorillaz producer Danger Mouse and Atlanta soulman Cee Lo, performed for the MTV main event last night, which was hosted by actress Jessica Alba. Despite Cee Lo's somewhat muted microphone, Gnarls Barkley, whose entire band sported the outfits of various Star Wars characters, wowed their audience with a live version of their St. Elsewhere smash hit "Crazy." I missed this but MTV will be re-running the show all weekend, I think it's worth a look, apparently Chewie has a mean backbeat. You can try to see it here but I was unable to get it to run on my machine.

Pimp Cane

This is old news now, but since I've found a nice side by side comparison, I thought I'd post about this bit of dialogue theft from X-Men 3. You all know what I'm talking about, If you're like me, when you heard the line, "I'm the Juggernaut, Bitch" ya nearly choked. Ratner and company clearly swiped this from a now infamous viral X-Men online cartoon parody. Click here to see both clips, the top being the original parody and the bottom, Ratner's lamer version of the line. link.

Superman in 3D

An online movie critic I respect, Jeffrey Wells, had this to say about seeing an IMAX Superman screening last night. "Superman Returns is opening simultaneously in IMAX theatres on 6.28, and about 20 minutes worth (i.e., "selected scenes") will be show in IMAX 3D. The press was shown a preview of how the 3D footage will look last night after the main screening, and it's mindblowing. There's an airborne action sequence in particular that delivered, for me, the greatest sensory thrill I've ever experienced from a mainstream movie in my life. There's no question that anyone within reach of an IMAX presentation of this film HAS TO SEE IT THIS WAY. (Singer has worked out a green light-red light system that will tell moviegoers when to put on the glasses just before a 3D section begins.) Trust me, catching it this way will be an absolute knockout." Read all his comments here.

Worked to Death

Here is an actual account of a 35 year old factory worker, and former kindergarten teacher, who was worked to death. The article details her working conditions, including the events that lead up to her "sudden death". Apparently, she had not slept in several days, working hard at a textile plant to meet a deadline, and finally decided that she needed to take a long rest. She told her boss, she physically couldn't continue, and need to go home and rest for a few hours. She then went home, shut her eyes, and never woke up. Read this illuminating article here.

The Real Toy Story

China, the world's factory. We have become accustomed to receiving so many cheap goods from China, that we've lost sight of the human hardships connected to these products. In response to the poor working conditions, artist Michael Wolf, created an installation using plastic toys made in China. The installation intergrates the workers and their products in a visually arresting way. When I was teaching in China, I heard stories from some of my students what life in Guandong province (China's factory capital) was like. The working and living conditions can be completely cruel. This photo essay about China's Toy industry is very compelling and should not be missed, check out "The Real Toy Story" here or check out these photos Wolf took of the women at work in the toy factories here.