So I'm sitting here watching The Island for the first time, and even though I quickly surmise that I'm watching Logan's Run meets Blade Runner meets The Matrix, and even though Ewan McGregor's noble-but-still-not-quite-it attempt at an American accent is grating, I find myself enjoying it.
It is sci-fi, after all.
And then Michael Bay starts all his plot-killing horseshit.
The telltale drums begin and Ewan McGregor starts to run ... and I pull out my laptop and start playing Freecell.
After too many minutes, the movie slows down again and I get to enjoy a few moments with my man Steve Buscemi.
And then he gets killed and it all goes to hell.
As soon as the chase scene starts, I leave the room. I make myself something to eat. I do some stretching exercises. I wash up for the night. All the while I'm hearing explosions and crashes, and the only thing keeping me from throwing the television off the balcony is the sound of the engines revving.
The sound that never fails to cut straight through my disgust on its way to my erogenous zones.
Twenty long, abrasive, insulting minutes later, I'm left with two nagging questions. Why wouldn't he have his owner's Scottish accent, and when are they going to get to the part where they learn about sex?
And then blah blah blah, this that and the other, and as the credits roll all I can think is this:
All of Michael Bay's movies would be only 45 minutes long if he took out all the completely identical, completely formulaic, completely boring "action" scenes.
And Michael Bay himself can take his lazy, product-placement-whoring ass and jump off one of his exploding bridges.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
And The Official Online Reporter Is Born!
Blarg, spent WAY too many hours struggling with the website's software, and as such, got more incensed than I have in months, but in the end I finally got my first article published on Examiner.com!!!
I will be attempting to publish articles about things to see and do in the Hartford area about three times a week.
Check my first article out, and pass it on to anyone you think might be interested!
http://www.examiner.com/x-34102-Hartford-Destinations-Travel-Examiner~y2010m1d12-Got-a-case-of-the-winter-doldrums--Revive-your-spirits-by-going-somewhere-green
I will be attempting to publish articles about things to see and do in the Hartford area about three times a week.
Check my first article out, and pass it on to anyone you think might be interested!
http://www.examiner.com/x-34102-Hartford-Destinations-Travel-Examiner~y2010m1d12-Got-a-case-of-the-winter-doldrums--Revive-your-spirits-by-going-somewhere-green
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday Monday
A quick Trini-ism I learned today: When I called a store and asked what their hours of operation were, I was told, "Half 8 to 5". That threw me, so I asked the woman to repeat herself. Finally I understood that "half 8" was the equivalent of "8:30". It seemed odd to me that it wasn't "half past 8", but just "half 8". I wonder if that stems from the Spanish influence on the language? I didn't retain much from my 4 years of high school Spanish, but I do remember that the "30" mark was an important marker in telling time. If it was before 8:30, it would be 8 plus however minutes past the hour it was. If it was after 8:30, it would be 9 minus however minutes before the hour it was.
I dunno. I'm probably just grasping. But it still seems like an odd construction to simply say "half 8". That feels like it's half of 8 (which would actually be 4), rather than half past 8.
Annnnnd, now I'm going to stop blathering.
I dunno. I'm probably just grasping. But it still seems like an odd construction to simply say "half 8". That feels like it's half of 8 (which would actually be 4), rather than half past 8.
Annnnnd, now I'm going to stop blathering.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
My Educational Sunday Drive
My neighbor invited me on an errand run with her today, and I have to say, it was probably the most informational errand run I've ever been on in my life.
What I Learned About Trinidad Today:
We went to the Port of Spain General hospital, where my neighbor is supervising some renovations. She walked me through one of the wings under construction, and it looked very arcane - a huge open air ward, with ceiling fans in place of a/c, that made me think at any moment I was going to see the ghost of a nurse in cap and cape walk through. I assumed having a bunch of sick people together in a room that was open to the elements was a really bad idea, so I was surprised when my neighbor told me that the infection rate here is a lot lower than it is in more "technologically advanced" hospitals. Maybe it's the fresh air and the fact that the germs aren't all trapped in an enclosed environment?
Moving on to the next shocking thing I learned today: There's no open bottle law here.
No open bottle law, but there are regular traffic stops. One of which we went through today. These aren't DUI checkpoints, however, these are window tinting stops. If the window tinting on your car is too dark, you have to pull over and peel it off right there.
So the lesson is, you can drive by a cop with an open beer bottle in your hand, but only if he can see you doing it.
Huh.
Finally, when we pulled into a gas station, I noticed that all the pumps carried only 92 and 95 octane. Nothing lower than that. No 87, no 89. I'm curious if this is because this is the second largest oil/gas producing country in the world, behind Russia. My thinking is that maybe the supply is so great, and therefore the price so low, that they don't need to offer the lower grades? I wanted to compare the cost of gas here to the cost of gas at home, but I quickly saw that I would've had to figure out not only the TT-US dollar ratio, but also the liter-gallon ratio. Too much work for my Sunday Afternoon Brain.
Maybe during our next erranding adventure.
What I Learned About Trinidad Today:
We went to the Port of Spain General hospital, where my neighbor is supervising some renovations. She walked me through one of the wings under construction, and it looked very arcane - a huge open air ward, with ceiling fans in place of a/c, that made me think at any moment I was going to see the ghost of a nurse in cap and cape walk through. I assumed having a bunch of sick people together in a room that was open to the elements was a really bad idea, so I was surprised when my neighbor told me that the infection rate here is a lot lower than it is in more "technologically advanced" hospitals. Maybe it's the fresh air and the fact that the germs aren't all trapped in an enclosed environment?
Moving on to the next shocking thing I learned today: There's no open bottle law here.
No open bottle law, but there are regular traffic stops. One of which we went through today. These aren't DUI checkpoints, however, these are window tinting stops. If the window tinting on your car is too dark, you have to pull over and peel it off right there.
So the lesson is, you can drive by a cop with an open beer bottle in your hand, but only if he can see you doing it.
Huh.
Finally, when we pulled into a gas station, I noticed that all the pumps carried only 92 and 95 octane. Nothing lower than that. No 87, no 89. I'm curious if this is because this is the second largest oil/gas producing country in the world, behind Russia. My thinking is that maybe the supply is so great, and therefore the price so low, that they don't need to offer the lower grades? I wanted to compare the cost of gas here to the cost of gas at home, but I quickly saw that I would've had to figure out not only the TT-US dollar ratio, but also the liter-gallon ratio. Too much work for my Sunday Afternoon Brain.
Maybe during our next erranding adventure.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
...And We Have A Winner!!!
The votes have been tabulated, and the results are in. The Trini Ice Cream Contest Winner is ... da da da daaaaa ...
Now I can satisfy my self-destructive sweet tooth (did I mention I'm lactose intolerant?), my wallet, and my ideals at the same time.
If that isn't the definition of success, I don't know what is.
Flavorite Supreme, ladies and gentlemen!
It's not just good by Trini standards, it's good, period. All yummy and creamy and junk.
And, as it turns out, the cheapest of the bunch.
If that isn't the definition of success, I don't know what is.
Friday, January 8, 2010
History In the Making?
So apparently there is an Indian woman here named Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is running for leadership of her political party, the UNC (United National Congress). [Trinidad, similar to America, has two major political parties. The
other party is the People's National Movement (PNM), which has been the governing
power here since 2001.]
She is going up against the incumbent UNC Leader, Basdeo Panday. Right now some polls are saying she's in the lead, and if she wins the January 24th election, she'll make history on two fronts. She'd be the first female who ever contested, and won, the position of political leader of her party; she'd also be the second female ever to seek the position of Prime Minister of the country.
How cool would it be if I managed to witness history-in-the-making two years in a row: Obama winning the office of President last year, and 'Kamla' winning the office of Prime Minister this year.
Eleven. It would be Eleven Cool.
(I got this image from the TT Guardian website)
She is going up against the incumbent UNC Leader, Basdeo Panday. Right now some polls are saying she's in the lead, and if she wins the January 24th election, she'll make history on two fronts. She'd be the first female who ever contested, and won, the position of political leader of her party; she'd also be the second female ever to seek the position of Prime Minister of the country.
How cool would it be if I managed to witness history-in-the-making two years in a row: Obama winning the office of President last year, and 'Kamla' winning the office of Prime Minister this year.
Eleven. It would be Eleven Cool.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Bad Newspaper Layout
Check out what I found in one of the local papers.
Look at this page as a whole:
Honestly, I think the layout guy deserves to get fired for this.
Look at this page as a whole:
Honestly, I think the layout guy deserves to get fired for this.
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