Shaun of the Dead, zombie-rific

This movie got some hype/cult following. It's aight. Very Brit if that's your bag, There are worst ways to spend an hour and 39 minutes I guess

Shaun of the Dead (2004) Rogue
2.5/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Amazon

Grey's Anatomy cockblocked The Office

If you have Grey's Anatomy ahead of The Office in your Tivo season pass, the Grey's Anatomy 8pm rerun tonight facked over the premiere of The Office. Couldn't someone at Tivo fix that, it's a rerun. Lame

I missed 10 minutes or so, Pam didn't get married (sorry for the spoiler haha, you knew it already right?). Excellent torrent for the season premiere 3x01 "Gay Witch Hunt" here. That episode was freaking awesome

The Office premieres at 8:30pm on NBC channel 3
Grey's Anatomy premieres at 9pm on ABC channel 7

Chris Anderson @ Golden Gate University

I heard about this via Upcoming.org (my whole life is there), they had free breakfast (crepes/fruits, oj, coffee, water) and books! And old people



Chris Anderson's idea on "the long tail" has been around for a while. I wanted to break it down but it was taking too long and proving rather difficult. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia

Anderson argued that products that are in low demand or have low sales volume can collectively make up a market share that rivals or exceeds the relatively few current bestsellers and blockbusters, if the store or distribution channel is large enough. Examples of such mega-stores include the online retailer Amazon.com and the online video rental service Netflix. The Long Tail is a potential market and, as the examples illustrate, the distribution and sales channel opportunities created by the Internet often enable businesses to tap into that market successfully.

Read more on the original 2004 Wired article, the Wikipedia entry or the author's blog. I love the concept, you wouldn't think it could fill a book but I'm really enjoying it (I haven't finished it yet). Here's one of the most poignant passages from "Democratizing the tools of production", one of three forces that make the tail important

What sparkled blogging was, again, democratized tools: the arrival of simple, cheap software and services that made publishing online so easy that anyone could do it

For bloggers, podcasters, beat makers, artists, the advent of cheap/free tools opened up a whole new world of expression and exposure (think of Danger Mouse's work on the Grey Album and which led to his current gig with Cee-Lo as Gnarls Barkley)

The book is not without its critics. This morning I talked to a VC guy who wasn't at all convinced. For one thing it's such a buzzword, as in "roll you eyes, not this again" type of buzzword people throw around. I also checked out a wsj.com article (good luck finding that) that questions whether products in the long tail really sell, maybe they are just attention getters that help sell the hits (the example was a bus service running 24 hours doesn't really get used after midnight but it boosts ridership)

Still, Anderson is a great convincing speaker even if some of the references are dated (indie record store). He can be funny (and it's a crowd of stiffs). The slides were great (maybe not this one), in particular the bar charts of store vs actual available inventory

Random notes

• we've been looking at culture through the lens of mainstream hits (the head) but the tail is going to be more and more relevant
  
• the power of the long tail is about discovery and findability
• check out Seth Godin's Small is the new big
• hits are not going away, they are just going to be smaller
• the best stuff for some things are in the tail
• we all have at least one interest (passion) that will make us want to dive in the tail

Q&A

• there is a play for vertical engines that will counteract the dominance of aggregators
• rise of organic (grassroots) vs synthetic (manufactured) hits
• fractured society, diminished common culture

It seemed like Anderson didn't have time to hang out (he lives in Berkeley) as the staff was trying to rush the book giveaway. Getting it signed was a bit of a zoo, I had to leave anyway but it would have been cool to stay and chat

Flickr set


Golden Gate University is located downtown at 536 Mission (bet. 1st and 2nd), one of those city postgraduate schools for busy professionals (business, law, tax), this was pretty cool

Sebastian Bach Opening for GNR

Tonight and tomorrow night, I wonder if he's gonna perform Skid Row classics

I've read a lot of diss about GN'R lately (basically "the Axl show"), I'm still excited, going early to get prime floor spot. Tons of tickets on Craigslist (massively scalped)

Update
Show review, pics




Previously
GNR to play the Warfield
Killers @ Popscene

Fearless Tuesday - World Trade Center

This was from last week actually (the plan was to go on 9/11 but work got in the way). I thought WTC held its promise, it's a very good drama. Don't be misled by the picture or the trailer, the cops get trapped by the building collapse and that's about the whole movie, they didn't really get to save anyone. I guess it's cool since that's what really happened

It really disturbed my friend that I would want to watch this. It's all too soon, etc. I wasn't that affected by it I suppose. My friend is from NYC. I liked the movie, I encourage people to see it, survival is quite uplifting

World Trade Center (2006) Paramount
4/5
IMDB
Y! Movies

Previously
United 93

Just Ordered

Or "The Switch, Part 2", placed the order for a Macbook (yea yeah get off me, I'm cool with it). I've been thinking about getting a Mac laptop since the pro was released. Lil Gee got the black one over the summer, it's hotness



$1300 and change white, 2GHZ processor, 1GB mem (the only upgrade), 60GB drive, the standard 13in screen, cd/dvd writer combo. Thanks for the discount Brit, now for the waiting game (one week)


Update
Ok the delay is rather lame, I got shipment notification Sep 23, baby just left Suzhou, China. That's like 5 days yo, vs 24 hours :-/ It'll be all ok when I get my hands on it

Previously
Switching to Gmail
Apple geeks

The Switch

I've been holding out on Gmail forevers, since June 2004. Yahoo! reeled me in with the promise of awesome email experience with their Beta (which just went live for everyone Sep 15). I've used it since March and the application is way blotted (slow). Organizing email through folders is just so old tech, I'm down with the simple method of archive and search. I have been a hardcore Gcalendar user, this completes the circle

So long Y! Mail, it's been real

Previously
Firefox rules

8:29pm waiting for train

Not my best commute (that is still carpooling with Rene), GoogleWiFi and Verde kept me company.. I'll be at home at like.. 10? (actual time 10:12p, yeah new low)

Sunday

Chillin good, pics from wearie












Previously
Canvas Gallery

Hangout: Canvas Gallery

SF goodness, I just stumbled onto this while waiting for the 71 to go to the Haight (good going by the way, the Giant Robot show is next week)

The leaves! Way cool. Wifi, coffee and stuff, they also display some art there

Check it (by Golden Gate Park, 9th and Lincoln)

More pics on Flickr


Canvas Gallery & Cafe
1200 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA
Google Maps
(415) 504-0060


Enough chilling and hungry? Try San Tung

Obey in LA

I love Obey, I feel a bit uneasy about the plagiarism allegations though, read criticism section on Wikipedia

September 16 - October 14, 2006
"Rise Above" @ Merry Karnowsky Gallery
170 South La Brea Avenue, 1st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Google Maps
(323) 933-4408



SUPERTOUCH interview
Flickr - 626686, it is what it is..., jakedobkin

Previously
Banksy in LA

Banksy in LA

Phenomenal (and omg that elephant), yeah LA kinda rocks



Barely Legal
Hunter St, Los Angeles - Google Maps
Fri 15th, Sat 16th, Sun 17th 2006 12-8pm

NYT
SUPERTOUCH
Flickr - Beopenguin, jolifanta, dehdohdee, *an_drea, ineedahermida, jakedobkin
banksy.co.uk


Elephant on YouTube

Previously
Paris Hilton Stunt: YouTube, Flickr
Banksy hits New York museums

LCD vs Plasma debate put to rest

For new digital sets, the difference is negligible (quality and price)

In the end, the scorecard shows a slight advantage for plasma. The panels have higher contrast ratios, wider viewing angles and better display of movement than L.C.D.’s do. But L.C.D.’s perform better in bright light; and they have higher resolution — for those who can actually see it. On color, the technologies are matched.

The ultimate choice depends largely on where the TV resides and what it displays. Movies in dark rooms will probably look better on plasmas; games in bright rooms should look better on L.C.D.’s. But even the differences that do remain are smaller than they used to be. So screen technology is only one factor in choosing a set, along with price, style, brand and the particular level of quality in the particular model.

That is why some manufacturers, like LG Electronics, sell both technologies. As Tim Alessi, an LG spokesman, said, “We put both out there in the market, at similar prices, and let the customers decide.”

Read the whole thing

LCD


Plasma

Hard Candy, disturbing

One of those psychological thriller types, close quarters, one location. A girl tortures a man she believes is a pedophile. Pretty much what you'd expect, not bad though

The young girl is played by Ellen Page who was kinda cute as Kitty Pride in the last X-Men movie, she's unrecognizable here (not cute.. well playing a psycho does that)


Hard Candy (2006) Lions Gate
3/5
IMDB
Y! Movies

Apple geeks

macrumorslive.com, do it (good Engadget post)




Update
Early adopters rock

Stick It

Looking at gymnasts train in their leotard can be all kinds of eyecandy. However when they turn the whole thing into some sentimental competition crap, I almost died (read fast forward buttonned it). Kinda wonder how Jeff Bridges got sucked into this

Sadly, this wasn't much worse than X-Men The Last Stand

Stick It (2006) Touchstone
2.5/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Amazon

Previously
OMFG X3 Sucked
Movies that blow

OMFG X-Men 3 Sucked

I've heard this from the comic book crowd (yeah nerdy) and I didn't wanna believe it. Bryan Singer leaving X3 was the giveaway, they really messed up X-Men The Last Stand

It was a soul-less special fx orgie. No heart

X-Men The Last Stand (2006) Fox
2.5/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Amazon

Previously
'Victor Vargas
Movies that blow

Fall tv season, it's here

House and Prison Break been back (ok I don't watch em, though I love House, and anything medical), Family Guy killed yesterday, killed

The Wire also started last night, with love from HBO. First episode sets things up, nice. The Carcetti capaign is the yawn, I miss them corner boys, it's a lot of new peeps. I like the focus on the youngns. Them Marlo enforcers are real tough. Bol has a writeup (Entourage is the bizzomb by the way)

Sorkin fans get to stream (AOL) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip before it airs next week. It's not like sliced bread or anything, I'll give it some time. The Office, Grey's Anatomy also start next week. Lost comes back Oct 4

Three Threadless Tees

My tshirt picks, buy some








Previously
Cool Threadless tees

Something about 'Victor Vargas

Raising Victor Vargas was something else. I can't say it was a great movie, but there was something really good about it. It's a big coming of age type thing, but street, gritty, New York latino type. First love, attitudes and posing/posturing (hey don't we all do that?). The way the kids talk, and dress, it's over the top but I think that's how it really is. At least in the early 90s.

It's a movie worth watching actually. Not for everyone though


Raising Victor Vargas (2002) IDP
2.5/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Amazon

Previously
Poseidon

Hey Poseidon didn't suck

I've heard generally bad things about this flick but in the grand scheme of things and crappy movies, this was very watchable

Having Emmy Rossum walking around in that low cut top wasn't too bad. Jacinda Barrett certainly has come a long way since The Real World. She's up next with Zach Braff in The Last Kiss

A lot of stuff is done up for dramatic effects, like Josh Lucas trying to be a hero (whatever happened to being solo). Not everyone survives but it's a generally happy ending. Not too shabs

Poseidon (2006) Warner
3/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Amazon

Previously
United 93

Movies that blow

I watched these this year (well some I couldn't really sit through actually) so you didn't have to, they blew. Will continue to update

2006

• Stick It
  
• X-Men The Last Stand
  
• The Wild - a good thing Disney purchased Pixar, this was one disaster of a flick; some of my friends really dug that, I could only finish it by fast-forwarding, the animation while ok is aiming at some realisitc 3-d thing, how is that cool for a kids movie? (translation, the animals look like shit); the story is total whackness too, viva copycats
  
• Running Scared - super stylized direction, so b-movie though
• Scary Movie 4 - my friends who liked this shit drank some kinda koolaid

Older

• Keeping the Faith (2000) couldn't get past first 20min
  
• Anchorman (2004) ok maybe doesn't deserve to be on this list since it got a couple of chuckles out of me
  
• Murder By Numbers (2002) young Gosling and Bullock cannot save this bore
  
• George Carlin: What Am I Doing in New Jersey? (1988) cannot stand this guy
  
• Kids (1995) this movie may have been cool when it came, Rosario Dawson and Chloe Sevigny who are NYC chicks get some early screentime, there's also Leo Fitzpatrick but he hasn't really done anything recently (ok a small role as a druggie on The Wire)
  
• White Noise (2005) the dead communicate through tv snow.. ridiculous and lame, only finished it in fast forward
  
• Truth About Love (2004) generic title with awful performance by Jennifer Love Hewitt, work that fake British girl, even seeing her ass in lingerie couldn't help, which would suggest that she ain't that hot, or that Jessica Biel is the hotness
  
• Unfinished Life (2005) old cowboys are boring
  
• Malibu's Most Wanted (2003) the 'Bu is gangsta, Jamie Kennedy's best movie which is sad
  
• Three Kings (1999) though it probably inspired Sam Mendes for how Jarhead would look
• I Heart Huckabees (2004) what nonsense

Some good movies
United 93

United 93

Best movie of the year, I ain't playing (I hear World Trade Center is pretty good also). You know what's gonna happen (most people do) but you still have to watch to see how it all plays out. Kinda like Apollo 13 without the happy ending (mad sad)

Is it too soon? No idea, but this movie is so on point, watching it is surreal

United 93 (2006) Universal
4.5/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Amazon

Previously
London

London

The movie London has been sitting around my tv for a while. It didn't get good reviews, in fact it got terrible ones. Still, Jessica Biel is gorgeous enough to have me sit through a dvd and she doesn't disappoint. Her character's name is London. It's the story of one party, and one relationship and how it all went down. It's a lot more Chris Evans and Jason Statham but they're pretty good. You may have to think drugs and alcohol are cool. Joy Bryant gets sexy points for sure

London (2005) IDP
3.5/5
IMDB
Y! Movies
Perishers - Nothing Like You And I (great song)

Previously
Corpse Bride

Firefox 2 Beta 2

I've been a huge fan of Firefox from its Phoenix days. I can't really keep track of versions, the latest beta I had before this big update was codenamed Minefield but this looks like it's an offshoot of Bon Echo. Anyway Firefox 2 Beta 2 has a bunch of things, most visible is a clean up of the tab bar which limits the maximum number of tabs based on your screen resolution. Past that number, you have arrows to navigate to the left and right, there's also an arrow on the far right that can list all tabs in a drop down menu



That's been around for a while. Other goodies (semi new) include recover tabs in case of a crash (yeah it does happen), opening recently closed tab though the way Firefox manages tabs now makes it harder to close on by mistake (only the active tab has a closed button). This version still does not include the much talked about "Places" system which is ok cause it doesn't do much for me.

It's all about the small things, Firefox 2 Beta 2 also has an update on the theme (skin, buttons, etc) and I love how the tabs look, they are grayed if not active and bold for the current tab, super clean. The mouseover behaviors are sweet too

Last but not least, the new version is like lightning fast. For reals! I am talking about the app itself and rendering pages

Download Firefox 2 Beta 2 5.63 MB