Interest
Art, Books, Movies
Art
Ashes and Snow
by Gregory Colbert
Movies and art exploring interaction between land, man and animal.
Unusual but ordinary settings cast the subjects into an ethereal place
that studies movement, time, and beauty. The photography and
subjects are equally mesmerizing. It's a treat and a gift to be
able to partake in this event of a show. Many thanks to the artist
and the exhibits architect Shigeru Ben for their dedication to their
field, these works and the Ashes and Snow show. You can learn more
about Ashes and Snow at
www.ashesandsnownow.com
Gitzi Art
by Barbara de Briere
Comical figurative art that depicts people in a variety of situations.
Shannanigan
Featuring Rockabilly art, graphics, clip art and more.
Copronason Gallery
Representing such artists as Big Daddy Roth, Shag, Lisa Petrucci, Luke
Chueh, Amanda Vissel and more. Copronasion specializes in
Rockabilly, Tiki Art, and low brow art among other contemporary and
humorous art.
Steve Brumme original paintings or Giclee print. Steve's paintings and prints support his love of life and pursuit of mastering such activities like Jujitsu, horse riding, rock climbing and mentoring several children in his neighborhood. http://www.brummestudios.com
Townsends Fabulous
Palmfish
Contact: Dan Townsend
Encinitas, CA 92024
Phone: (760) 753-7776
Paint like Jackson Pollack: http://www.jacksonpollock.org/
Movies
Documentaries that Matter
Callback: The Unmaking of 'Bloodstain'
Produced by Jason Mandl, Jordan Leibert, Eric M. Wolfson. Executive
producer, Phil Wolfson. Directed by Eric M. Wolfson. Screenplay, Michael
DeGood, Wolfson.
See the
Variety Review
"Who Killed The Electric Car?" "Fashioned like a tongue-in-cheek murder mystery, 'Who Killed the Electric Car?' sets out to uncover just who is responsible for the demise of this ill-fated vehicle. The spirited film runs through the prime suspects, including car companies, oil companies, the government and consumers. It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert? 'Who Killed the Electric Car?' chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business."
With gas prices over $3 a gallon, there has never been a better time to explore what happened. Directed by Chris Paine, this is a tremendous film asking why we still have petroleum vehicles when there are other options.
Who Killed the Electric car opened in select theaters in NY and LA on June 30, 2006 and features amongst others: Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, Peter Horton, Ed Begley Jr., Alexandra Paul and Martin Sheen, who narrates. Sony Pictures Classics.
Website and Trailer: http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/
Reviews:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/who_killed_the_electric_car/
New York Times
Premiere Magazine
Hollywood Reporter
Books
Books we've recently read and enjoyed:
Tropicana Nights
by Rosa Lowinger and Ofelia Fox
The true to life story of the famous Cuban nightclub, The Tropicana, as
told by Ofelia Fox, Martin Fox's wife and Journalist Rosa Lowinger.
The pair tell a complete story of an illustrious period in time about
the club which hosted some of the 50's most inspired shows.
Tropicana Nights is full of information not only about the nightclub,
but also, Cuban architecture, culture and history.
ISBN: 0156032600
Amazon.com Link for reviews and purchase
My First Crush: Misadventures in Wine Country
"A fun and informative romp through Oregon's wine country. From the
colorful town and townspeople of McMinnville to the creepy crawlers on
the grape sorting line (and I don't just mean insects), Linda is able to
bring winemaking to life." "It captures the flavor of real winemaking
with a background of facts (vines, soils, geology, geography, climate
and latitude), a sustained taste of optimism with a strong aroma of
humor throughout. Real people, real places, real wine--this book is the
real deal!"
http://www.amazon.com/My-First-Crush-Misadventures-Country/dp/1592286100
Clarence, The TV Dog by Patricia Lauber
The stories are based on a real dog and full of fun and adventure. Makes
a great bedtime book to read to your child of any age.
The 4-Hour Work Week
http://www.amazon.com/Clarence-TV-Dog-Patricia-Lauber/dp/B0007E7ORQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-7469825-6894351?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177017054&sr=1-1
I can't resist: we have more fun picking apart controversial and/or bad books than we do with known good ones. So my pick is "The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich".
It gets almost 5 stars, with some really good recommendations, and some *really* scathing bad reviews.
My summer reading alternate picks, just in case you all would prefer some light fiction:
Neuromancer, by William Gibson
William Ford Gibson (born 17 March 1948) is an American-Canadian[16]
writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the cyberpunk subgenre
of science fiction.[17] In 1982, Gibson coined the term "cyberspace" and
popularized the concept in his debut novel, Neuromancer (1984). Gibson
is best known for depicting a visualised, worldwide communications
network before it became ubiquitous in the 1990s, and he is credited
with anticipating and establishing the conceptual foundations of the
Internet and the World Wide Web in particular.
Excerpt: Case was the hottest computer cowboy cruising the information
superhighway--jacking his consciousness into cyberspace, soaring through
tactile lattices of data and logic, rustling encoded secrets for anyone
with the money to buy his skills. Then he double-crossed the wrong
people, who caught up with him in a big way--and burned the talent out
of his brain, micron by micron. Banished from cyberspace, trapped in the
meat of his physical body, Case courted death in the high-tech
underworld. Until a shadowy conspiracy offered him a second chance--and
a cure--for a price.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gibson
Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye (Edgar
Award for Best Novel, 1955).
Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an
American author of crime stories and novels of immense stylistic
influence upon modern crime fiction, especially in the style of the
writing and the attitudes now characteristic of the genre. His
protagonist, Philip Marlowe, is synonymous with "private detective,"
along with Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade.
Excerpt: A friend fleeing the authorities asks Philip Marlowe for help,
making the detective an accessory in his wife's murder. When Marlowe
receives word of the friend's death in Mexico, he begins looking into
the murder and the family secrets surrounding it, unraveling a familiar
noir tale of sex among the wealthy. Elliott Gould, who played Marlowe in
the film version of the novel, successfully captures the essence of the
hero, a mixture of toughness, intelligence, and loyalty. However, this
abridgment seems too short and choppy, rushing the plot and losing much
of Raymond Chandler's rich prose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Chandler
Games
Katamari Damashi
A silly, colorful and occasionally hysterical game that's become a hit
in Japan. It's now in the US and it's unusual gameplay and one-of-a-kind
design will make gamers laugh and play for hours! When the King of All
Cosmos accidentally destroys the stars in the sky, he orders his
pint-sized princely son, to put the twinkle back in the heavens. He
decides to do this by rolling everything and anything on earth into
clumps, so he can replace what's missing in space.
Amazon Link to Katamari Damashi
Illuminati
Illuminati is a Game Of Conspiracy. A very smart game. Secret
conspiracies are everywhere, and now you can take control of one of them
and take over the world! This game has been one of Steve Jackson's
most popular games since its 1982 release Winner of the Game Designers'
Guild Select Award and the Origins Award for Best Science Fiction Board
game. Try EBay or
Steve Jackson's site to purchase.