summer solstice?

summer solstice?, a photo by olmjohns on Flickr.

So I am a little peeved at my submission this week due to uncooperative weather.  It had been so beautiful this afternoon and then as it moved into early evening, the fog crept in and ruined my "summer" solstice photo!

The Challenge:
Capture a photo of the summer solstice - that's June 21st - sorry it's not a weekend, but the Universe sort of ignores the 7-day calendar. And yes, we'll push back the deadline for the Shooting Challenge appropriately.
gizmodo.com/5812187/shooting-challenge-summer -solstice

My Comment:
For the past three days, the weather here has been beautiful. Gorgeous, clear and sunny. And what happens today? The day I actually need to take a photo for the summer solstice? It gets socked in with fog. I was all prepared to get a great shot of the sun shining on my local park with phenomenal views of the vast Pacific Ocean. I even got up enough nerve to ask the nice couple sitting on the bench if I might photograph them for this project. Oh well.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Exit Through the Gift Shop directed by Banksy
2010
★★★✰✰
So I had heard of Banksy and had seen some street art before making this an intriguing subject for me.  The first half of the documentary was great.  A lot of insight into the street art world and into people like Banksy and Shepard Fairey.  Then the movie changed into full coverage of Thierry, "Mr Brain Wash."  He had been the guy to film much of the footage of the street artists from the first half of the film.  Now, apparently, he is a full-fledged artist.  To me, he seems like a poser, wanna-be.  It seems like he didn't put any creativity into the "art" he produced.  No thought.  The art didn't mean anything.  The rest of the film was great.  I wish I could have seen more.

Disneyland Fabulous 5K

So I was kind of excited to run this race since it got to wind through Disneyland and California Adventure.  I was very disappointed.  This race is not for runners who enjoy the competition.  It is for people who like Disneyland regardless of running ability.  There were over 4,000 participants and the course is not wide enough to fit everyone, therefore forcing you to walk parts of the course.  Additionally, far too many walkers line up near the front and create even more traffic than necessary.  The registration process and staging were horrible.  Also, the medal that all finishers receive is just a piece of rubberized plastic.  So cheap!  (Update:  Apparently, they ran out of medals so not everyone received one!)  I am bummed but at least I know not to do this race again.  Perhaps the half-marathon is better (but I'm not ready for that yet).  $50 entry fee + $15 parking is not worth this race.

Interruption

So I just realized that this blog is turning into a movie review site.  I guess we have been on a movie kick recently (probably due to our lack of energy and bad television shows).  I'll try to get some more posts in about something else.  Of course, as I write this, I have two more reviews pending to be posted.  Anyways...

Avatar

Avatar directed by James Cameron
2009
★★★✰✰
So I finally saw Avatar and its not that great.  It was entertaining at times but had some very ridiculous things that I had a hard time getting past.  Really?  They are digging for the precious metal "unobtainium?"  Why not call it, "hard-to-find-ium?"  Also, if they have the technology to build amazing robots for people to control, why make the robot carry a gun?  Especially with two hands (like a person would)?  Why not simply attach the guns directly to the robot itself.  I also couldn't get past that they would equip the robots with a knife.  That is hard to believe.  Aside from the little big things, the movie was a little long and a little too reminiscent of Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves.  My wife brought up a good point; why can't Hollywood make a movie that shows an advanced civilization living in harmony with the planet rather than an aboriginal people.  Just because we are "green" doesn't mean we are uncivilized...

Frak

So I am feeling really down today.  I don't know why.  Maybe the weather.  Maybe lack of sleep.  I feel like I want to do more things in life but I don't have enough energy or time.  I know I watch too much television in the evening (8-10 PM, essentially).  I need some kind of project!  But what?  I don't have very many interests and the few that I have, I'm not very good at.  Maybe I will try and take some pictures this evening with the family.  We live in such a gorgeous area, I am sure I could find something to photograph.  Part of me thinks I will do something different this evening.  Another part knows that I will just end up sitting on the couch... Frak!

iPad Ranting

So I had high hopes for the new Apple tablet but I am totally underwhelmed by it.  I have been waiting on purchasing a new computer because of the potential of the mysterious Apple tablet computer.  I was hoping it would be more like a computer (run OSX) and less like an iPhone (since I have an iPhone).  Turns out, it is just a novelty-sized iPod touch!  Don't get me wrong; I would love to have one and play with it.  I love Apple products and hate using my PC at work, but I don't think it is practical for me and really for anybody.
There are a few pluses:

• Price - it isn't too expensive for an Apple product (even the contract-less AT&T 3G is relatively cheap, especially since you can cancel without fees).
• iBooks - This looks really cool and should give all the other eReaders a run for their money.  But I have my own problems with this idea.
• ummm... I guess that's it....

The minuses:

• That bezel!  WTF!  It look like a picture frame.  Did it really need to be 2 inches big?  That really detracts from the awesome styling of Apple.  Also, no widescreen.  Everything is filmed and made in widescreen now.  The iPad still thinks it is basic television.  Nothing like 4 inches of black bars on your 10 inch screen to watch a movie.  Blech.
  
•  No software.  Only apps.  I thought the whole point of apps was to be a simplified version of a webpage that would run better on a smaller screen.  Why would I want to use a Facebook app on the iPad when I could just go to the website and have everything there?  At least there will be a simplified iWork for it, but certainly no chance of running Microsoft Office.  I would have thought there would have been iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, etc.).  I don't see how you can even upload photos and movies from your camera and email or post to the internet.
• iBooks - The idea of an eReader to me is ludicrous.  Why purchase a book if you can get it for free from a library?  If you really want to own the book, why not purchase the real thing?  An eBook still costs about the same as a real book.  This whole concept is beyond me and until these eReaders adopt rental or borrowing services, I don't see how they can beat out paper.  If I had a Kindle or iPad and I could go to the library (or library website) and check out a book out for free on it, then I might change some of my feelings on this subject.
• No multitasking - You still cannot write and email and have AIM chat open at the same time.  Not being able to run multiple apps at once (at lack of flash support) really stinks.  I can get past it on the iPhone because, well, its a phone.
• No cameras or iChat.  No video chat.  Jeez, I thought this was going to be a revolutionary device.  It actually steps backwards in that it can't connect with other people with video.

Well, that's it for now.  I'm sure I will find more faults but hopefully I will find some good attributes to this useless device.  I guess I need to start researching which MacBook I want to get...