The Terrordome

Public Enemies looks to be coming together quite nicely.

Mack Dawg Productions

Many moons ago, prior to developing my extreme allergy for cold weather, snow, and especially the combination of cold weather and snow, I really enjoyed snowboarding. Some of my fondest memories from what now seems a lifetime ago revolve around boardsliding the half moon rail, hiking 9990 to access the sweet back-country bowl full of pristine powder, and weaving through the trees at Heavenly. I still remember the feeling of pure exhilaration from when I boardslid (is that even a word?) a rail for the first time. I can only hope seeing my firstborn whatever for the first time will be as exciting. I also remember breaking my foot and going to the health center for x-rays and discovering that my elbow had been fractured for two weeks. Which totally explained the swelling, discoloration, and general lack of movement. Ahhhh, those were the good old days. Days that were also filled with watching snowboarding movies and being completely blown away by the movies being made by Mack Dawg Productions. Stand & Deliver may have changed my life.

Back in the day Mack Dawg was putting out fantastic movies and literally blew the competition out of the water. The music was fantastic, the cinematography was top notch, and the talent was world class. Seriously, they were the best. As I mentioned earlier, I developed an extreme aversion to snow and retired from the snowboarding scene due to diverging interests and hobbies. As a result, I haven't seen a Mack Dawg film for quite a few years. Until Monday night when I saw We're People Too, the latest Mack Dawg effort.

Wow. I thought they were great a few years ago but now they are literally amazing. The production quality is ridiculous. The use of lighting, cranes, helicopters, tracking shots, and creative framing is simply breath taking. Mack Dawg really is the best. Plus they used what may be my favorite song from the last couple of years - In The Morning by the Junior Boys off their album So This is Goodbye. Seriously, this film was pure genius. The trailer below does not do it justice.

DGA Reaches Agreement

I didn't have time to post this yesterday when I first heard the news, but the DGA has reached a preliminary agreement with the "moguls" of AMPTP. This agreement was arranged prior to the expiration of the existing contract and will most likely end up being the template for the contracts with the WGA and the SAG. It is amazing what strong leadership and negotiation skills can do for a guild. Remind me again of why the WGA is on strike. Oh yeah, their leadership structure is incompetent and not really looking out for the best interests of the majority of the guild members. Plus dissenting opinions within the guild are quashed and the members are encouraged to go elsewhere. Seriously, Patric Verrone and company are geniuses.

Mac World 2008

I was wishing for the announcement of the next generation iPhone with at least a 16 gig hard drive even though I knew deep down inside that I would only be disappointed. Kind of like that one time when I told myself "This will be the semester I get married."

Even though there is still no new iPhone (just software updates for the iPhone), Apple did not disappoint with the unveiling of the sweetest laptop on Ego The Living Planet - the MacBook Air.

Be sure to go to the Apple site and watch the short little ad for my new object of desire. It is the perfect ad for making me want one. Especially one with the solid state hard drive. If only I had an extra $3,098 lying around. Maybe I should go home and check under my couch cushions. My pockets feel a little light today. I think I must have dropped some change while watching Battlestar Galactica last night.

One Discussion Point From The Best. Sunday. Ever.

If I drove a Prius I would probably put this in the rear window:




Or this one:




My sincerest apologies to Bill Waterson.

East Egg

A couple months ago my good friend K. Paugh, who you may recognize from the inaugural post of this blog, hosted the Best. Themed Party. Ever. to celebrate the birth of the lovely Ms. Aurelio. The party was held at the Masonic Lodge in Pasadena and everybody came dressed in their finest East Egg / Great Gatsby attire.

Here is a photo of one handsome devil taken that evening.



Click here for additional photos from the evening. You won't be disappointed. There are some excellent photos involving jolly mustaches.

Politick Me Off

I enjoy politics and elections and discussions of said topics on message boards, radio, and television about as much as I enjoy a firm kick in the nuts. Especially when the discussions preempt regularly scheduled programming on my drive home from work. I don't want to listen to a member of Huckabee's staff spin the results of the New Hampshire primary nor do I want to listen to some no-name professor from some no-name college in the east make up reasons for voter turn out among "young folks." I just want to listen to Art Talk with Edward Goldman. Is that too much to ask? That was a rhetorical question because I already knew the answer.

Best. Trousers. Ever.

So this weekend I picked up a new pair of trousers. And by trousers I mean the best pair of pants I have ever adorned myself with. I make this assessment after having sported said trousers for approximately 5 hours now. They are that good. Calling these trousers pants would just be insulting. Kind of like voting for Mike "Cross? What do you mean by floating cross? It's just a bookshelf." Huckabee. These trousers are just amazing. The fabric is soft and supple, not unlike Carl's mom's skin, and the color is a stone gray if you will. Kind of a khaki material but much more comfortable. I feel like I am soaking my legs in angel tears. Plus they make my fat ass look fantastic if you can imagine that. I picked them up at Club Monaco and the style is Ethan. Do yourself a favor and try on a pair. I guarantee you will like them. And as everyone knows, they don't call me a "Pro" for nothing when it comes to recommendations.

The Counter Counter Culture

A recurring topic of this humble blog has been the quest to find the perfect burger in LA. Today's chapter will most likely make the natives restless. And by natives I mean all 3 of my readers who think that The Counter is the bomb dot com.

As has been well documented in previous posts, I am not a huge fan of The Counter. I do not support the myriad of options and I really dislike the bun. Plus the sweet potato fries are average at best. However, during the holiday break I decided to give it another try. And guess what, it was just like I remembered from my previous visits. Nothing special.

A few days later I happened to be near a Fuddruckers and sampled my first burger from said establishment since the foolish attempt to enjoy the famous 1 pound burger of destiny. As it turns out, Fuddruckers makes a damn good burger. Nothing flashy. Just decent beef with a solid selection of toppings and condiments and a fantastic bun.

So here's the thing. I think Fuddruckers is better than The Counter. In all aspects. There, I said it. Denigrate me with spiteful insults if you will but I stand by my opinion. I would rather eat at Fuddruckers than The Counter.

PS Father's Office still makes the best burger on Mother Gaea.