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February 28, 2005

Going to the dogs...and that's fine by me

Any day with dogs is a good day.

Today was the Brazoria County Kennel Club dog show held at the Houston Farm & Ranch Club on Hwy 6. It was an excellent event... and it was FREE! How cool is that? You get to spend the day surrounded by hundreds of amazing animals and not spend a penny.

I mean - just take a look at these gorgeous pups... and these are just a couple. How can you see a crazy-eyed Australian Shepherd like the one on the left and not want to head over and give it a hug? Those eyes (both colors) just scream, "Hey, let's be friends!" and have you ever seen such a big smile on a dog's face?

This show had it all - I got to talk with fellow dog lovers and share tales of our passion for "man's best friend." I got to see an amazing variety of dog breeds all under one roof - from the Great Dane to the Chihuahua. And what a happy place... everyone there was smiling. It didn't matter if their dog didn't win - they were out having fun with their buddies. A lady walked by while I was talking to a groomer and was asked how she did. She responded excitedly, "I got SIXTH!!" She paused for a moment and laughed, "There were only six dogs, but we had fun," while kneeling down to hug her Golden Retriever. How can you top that?

There were a GREAT bunch of Newfoundlands. (I was too busy petting and hugging them to take pictures.) They really made me miss by 'big dog," Sam. And then I wandered over to the "Westies" (West Highland Terriers - the breed he seems most like,) and immediately wanted to head home and hug Lou. A few minutes later, it was a pair of Beagles that made me want to give Littlefoot a "big ol' hug."

Look at that face...

Now, stop reading, and go hug your dog!

Posted by CDogg at 12:10 AM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2005

And the Oscar goes to....

Here you go - the BigDog's Oscar picks...

VISUAL EFFECTS
I, ROBOT (This film had the most innovative visual effects of the nominees)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
SUPER SIZE ME (I haven't seen any of the others, but I cannot imagine a film more important than this one)

DIRECTING
THE AVIATOR (It cannot win Best Film because it wasn't the best, so they will give it the nod for directing)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
THE INCREDIBLES (The name says it all - yet another leap forward for Pixar)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Kate Winslet - ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Hilary Swank will probably get it, but Kate deserves it)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Jamie Foxx - RAY (If acting is making the audience believe you are the character - Jamie Foxx has just raised the bar permanently)

BEST PICTURE
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (The only one I saw was Ray, but there has been a ton of great things written about MDB... I have a feeling that after I watch all of them, Finding Neverland will be my favorite.)

There you have it - now, these are probably not the ones that are going to win - just the ones that should win.

Posted by CDogg at 12:13 AM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2005

Going green and going "off the grid"

I am sure some of you will view this as a little nuts, but here is my current goal. I am going to go "off the grid." Okay, not full-on-survivalist-whacko-in-Montana off, but less dependent on the local energy company for my needs.

How can I do that? Well, to that end, I have already started by making my backyard into a "wildscape." My backyard, which I have nicknamed Turtle World, qualifies under national and state programs that encourage people to build mini wilderness areas in suburban backyards. It has running water, a bog, a lawn that is largely left to itself (ie native grasses are allowed to grow all season without mowing,) cover for small animals and birds, composting area, and food sources available for a variety of furry and feathered friends.

Creating a "backyard habitat" by replacing part of your lawn with native plants not only benefits wildlife, but it's less expensive and easier to maintain. Less lawn means less mowing. And many native plants are hardy and drought-resistant, so they need little or no water or care. Since these plants are more tolerant of native insects and diseases, they require no chemical treatments and thus are better for the environment.

The backyard project has been going for about a year and a half now and I must say that it is sweet. I haven't mowed the back in all that time (although I do create walking paths through the grasses with a weedeater) and I can sit out there year-round and watch the butterflies, lizards, toads, dragonflies, moths, spiders, native flowers, and a virtual aviary full of numerous types of birds.

So what is the next step in lowering my dependence on the power company and fossil fuels? Probably solar. I will either convert my water heater over to solar and/or install some solar panels to start capturing some of the sun's energy. Some have already heard of my plans to convert one of my pickup trucks to electric. The conversion combined with solar chargers can greatly reduce my use of fossil fuels.

All of this will take a lot of money up front, so it is not going to happen real fast, but hopefully, I will continue to make progress. I am also looking for ideas and tips. Do you know of something that can be done economically to reduce either electricity and/or gasoline usage?

Good Reasons to Reduce Your Lawn

• Save time and money that you would normally spend on mowing and fertilizing.
  
• Attract and provide for wildlife.
  
• Conserve water.
  
• Reduce mower pollution.
  
• Decrease run-off of fertilizers and pesticides.

Posted by CDogg at 12:14 AM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2005

Go Texan!

Its that time of year! RODEO TIME! And it all kicks off with what Houstonians call Go Texan Day! To kick off the rodeo season, Houston celebrates the spirit of the West by encouraging citizens to dress in their cowboy gear and round up some rodeo fever.

The 2005 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo will once again feature a star-studded lineup of performers like Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson , Alicia Keys, Pat Green, Clint Black, Steve Miller Band, Clay Walker, and YES - Maroon5. There are more - but those are just some of the notables I pulled out of the list.

In addition to the crowd of performers - there will be the usual display of cowboys abusing farm animals. :) But don't let that damper your spirits - grab your cowboy hat, throw on your chaps and spurs and boot-scoot to work in your best country gear...

This time of year is also marked by INSANE traffic as the trail riders enter the city from all sides. Talk about fun! I mean for the riders - not the people in cars waiting for the mile long line of riders to clear an intersection. The trail riders from cities all over Texas will converge on Memorial Park in preparation for tomorrow's Rodeo Parade.

I for one, intend to get out there with my camera and get some good trail riders shots... and yes, I'll be wearing my cowboy boots.

Posted by CDogg at 12:16 AM | Comments (0)

The Trail Riders have Arrived!

The trail riders arrived en masse at Memorial Park today and I was onhand to capture it in pictures. This was the first time I watched them arrive despite being in town for the past 15 years. I have to say that it was pretty cool.

The coolest thing about them arriving was of course, all the amazing horses. There were some seriously beautiful mounts of every shape, color and size. I don't know about you, but I'm getting kinda fired up about going to the livestock show. I am not a huge rodeo fan, but there are so many great animals at the show, that it is always fun wandering through.

Following closely behind the horses in terms of coolness would have to be the kids. I mean, how cool would it be to get to saddle up your horse and ride a week or more across the state, complete with covered wagons, wearing your best cowboy duds? I am sure that riding with all the old-timers makes this a moving Texas history lesson as well. Just seeing those flags standing tall at the head of the line of riders makes you proud to be in the Lone Star State.

In addition to the kids, there were authentic looking (except for the shirt - haha) old cowhands...

...and those of you who follow football will recognize the name of one of Texas' biggest proponents and founder of the Dallas Cowboys' Fan Club - "Cowboy" Bill Lamza Jr. I talked with Bill for about 30 minutes before we exchanged names and I realized who had been swapping Texas tales with me. He is a Lone Star institution as his card notes: Founding Member of the Cowboy Heritage Association * Associate Texas Ranger * Lifetime Member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo * Salt Grass Trail Rider * Rattlesnake Hunter * Marathoner * Recognized by Pope John Paul II and of course... Champion of Truth, Justice & the Cowboy Way!! ... and not too shabby at self-promotion! (Finally, I think I may have met someone with a larger ego than me)

I also met a very nice lady named Scotty (sp?) who is a fellow shutterbug. We walked around taking shots and swapping photography stories, techniques, insights etc. It was really cool to find another enthusiast shooting the same thing... I look forward to seeing how our shots differ in terms of shot selection.

Posted by CDogg at 12:15 AM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2005

Wayback - September 3, 1988

(excerpts from a letter to Terry Rochen who had to sit out a semester for grades)
...Jon actually went out and played football with Dave and I. Believe it or not, Dave didn't hurt him... I did! Oops! I was playing defensive back and he was going out for a pass. Dave threw a short little dump, Jon headed for the sideline and then turned up field. He thought he could outrun me. I caught him about 15 yards up the field and grabbed him around the shoulders. Since we weren't playing tackled, I was planning on just slowing him up. I guess he tried to wriggle free or duck away but he just went down, got backwards somehow and hit the back of his head on the ground rather hard. It wasn't anything serious, it gave him quite a headache though. He won't play anymore now.

I have a new major!!!!! Its not a drastic change. I am now a non-teaching Physical Education major with a Psychology minor. I'm thinking about getting into corporate fitness. I'm taking Folk Dance, Kinesiology, Officiating Football, Abnormal Psychology, and Human Sexuality. I think Folk Dance is gonna be my most fun class. Its full of great looking girls!

I hear that Huey Lewis is going to play on campus this semester. It should be pretty great!

This letter is a good glimpse into what my life was like in '88. Dave and I spent a lot of time playing basketball during this time and a little football too. And yes, I liked (and still do) Huey Lewis and the News - it was a big deal that they were coming to play on campus. Now that I think about it - I am not sure they ever made it. We did have Jay Leno (when he was still doing standup) and Chicago.

Posted by CDogg at 12:17 AM | Comments (0)

McCain For President

Just as in my review of President Clinton's book, do NOT assume this is a book of politics. This book has even less to do with politics. It is, as the title states, about courage. It is a positive view on what courage is and why it is important in our lives.

McCain explains that courage is not just that which we see evident in the story of Roy P. Benevidez who though critically wounded in Vietnam, continued to do what was necessary to save his comrades. It is much more than that. It is standing up to a bully. It is doing what is right, even when you know you won't get caught. It is suffering with dignity when there seems to be no hope. It is standing up for your beliefs without resorting to violence. It is being able to look in the mirror and be proud of the person staring back.

Posted by CDogg at 12:16 AM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2005

Superman - unless I burn out...

Okay, it is time for my late February resolutions. I am not reaffirming New Year's ones - just creating a new drive to be more efficient, healthier, etc.

1 - Work out for at least an hour a day - biking is preferred, but can include just about any type of exercise.
2 - Write for at least an hour a day - it can be anything from blogging, to working on one of the numerous writing projects in the works.
3 - Spend at least an hour a day on old tasks left undone - this is my biggest problem area. Once I move on to something else, I avoid things left behind.
4 - Eat healthier - I will stick to my morning USANA nutrimeal shakes and bars and cook more. I will only go out to eat when I have a mystery shopping assignment or business meeting.
5 - Stop doing intravenous drugs - (just seeing if you are paying attention) well, at least that is one off my list already.
6 - Spend at least an hour a day marketing - this sometimes falls under category 3 as I start a venture, move on, and then it sorta lingers.
7 - Spend at least an hour a day on housework - with my plan to sell within a year, I need to fix up a few minor things and generally work on tidying up the joint.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all things I need to do, but it gives me a good base from which to start. Accomplishing just these things in a day will put me light years ahead of the game. I know it seems like a lot of predetermined hours, but it is not that bad.

My normal workday lasts roughly 18 hours. No, I don't work all that time - but from start to finish it is about 18 hours of my day. Here is a normal workday...

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM Wakeup, feed & water dogs, let them out, answer emails, mix up breakfast shake
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM Do paperwork
10:00 AM - 12:00 noon Work on the issue du jour
12:00 noon - 2:30 PM Eat lunch, run errands - post office, bank, library
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Chill - watch TV, surf for fun, work on latest hairbrained idea for new business - generally take a break from the serious work
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Work on the issue du jour - paperwork - continue work on hairbrained idea
7:00 PM - 11:00 PM Screw off - sim sports leagues, watch TV, eat dinner, play with dogs, bike, movie, theatre, go out etc.
11:00 PM - 1:00 AM Work on things I forgot to get finished during the day - continue work on hairbrained idea (or switch to new hairbrained idea by this time) - read blogs - post to personal and photo blogs.

There you have it - and no, I really do not sleep that much. Currently, a lot of my work time is interspersed throughout the day, but I still manage to get in quite a few hours of knuckle-down work. The point of the to-do list is to maximize the hours I am spending. Instead of general work - I want to focus on things like old tasks and marketing. Instead of general screw off time - I want to focus on things like working out and writing. I am not changing how I live, just putting more importance on some of the things I do... and now that I have committed it to writing, I will be more accountable as to the results.

Posted by CDogg at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)

I guess that means I have 'arrived'

I'm thinking that when someone steals a photograph you shot, it means you have 'arrived.' When I was on the set of the film On The Rocks some of you may remember that not only was I an extra, but my truck was used in a key scene.

This is one of the many shots I took during the filming - and it just turned up on IMBD in a discussion about the film.

The picture originally appeared on my blog back in November in the entry entitled Merideth Baxter Spent the Night in My Bed.

I have mixed feelings about my photo showing up on IMDB... on the one hand, it is kinda cool having my shot there, but on the other hand I feel sorta violated - since I wasn't given any credit. So what do you think? Is this piracy? Should I have the image removed?

Posted by CDogg at 06:25 PM | Comments (0)

Slick Willie in Hardback

Posted by CDogg at 06:24 PM | Comments (0)

February 22, 2005

Church Sign Generator

This site is TOO cool!

I took the liberty of modifying it a bit in Photoshop too, but for the most part they come out looking pretty darn cool right from the site.

Posted by CDogg at 06:29 PM | Comments (1)

There's More in Utah than Mormons...

1. Spay or neuter all of your pets and any outdoor cats you are feeding.
2. Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue group. Never buy from a pet store.
3. Join the Best Friends Network.

Posted by CDogg at 06:27 PM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2005

May have to make it the 200 point challenge

Posted by CDogg at 06:31 PM | Comments (0)

Where have I been?

I came across another useless tool - your very own visited states map. You click on the list of states and it colors in the ones you've visited.

Looks like I have some travelling to do!

create your own visited states map

Posted by CDogg at 06:30 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2005

Lou's Big Day!

Lou went to Inez! We took a trip to visit the folks and it was definitely a big day for Lou. First off, we went to Mom's house where he proceeded to sniff out every corner - this was a very cool new adventure.

"Hey, will you check this out? She sure keeps things cleaner than at our house."

Next up, we headed over to Tim's and he really got to bust loose. He ran around, chased the chickens, horses, cats - you name it.

"Look at all this space! Look at all these animals! SUH-WEEEET"

And then the dreaded Mexican Chihuahua Gang discovered he was there...

"Aye Gringo.. we are going to cut you man!"

Brian was a huge help when Lou decided to explore the nearby woods...

"Lou, get back here... dammit, STOP!"

Half a mile later... I caught up to Brian teaching Lou about not running off...

"Yeah, yeah, yeah - does that mean we're going for another run now?"

And as if awaiting the final cue... I said goodbye to the family and Lou ran to the largest pile of horse poo he could find and rolled in it!

"If I smell bad, he won't make me go home."

I got him cleaned up and we headed back to the big city. We had a ton of fun. Lou's first trip to the country was a blast. As I write this, he has been asleep on the couch for the last two hours - dreaming of being a country dog to be sure.

Posted by CDogg at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2005

I changed my mind...

This give me a very wide range of areas from which to choose. I am determined to be outside of the city even if it is a small city such as Brenham, LaGrange or the like. I want a place where I can go mountain biking on my own property - a place where my dogs can run - a place to sit on the porch and relax. Right now, it doesn't look like it will happen anytime real soon, but it is a goal and with a goal, I can make and measure progress.

Posted by CDogg at 06:31 PM | Comments (0)

February 17, 2005

New Character in South Park

I made them with a whole range of facial expressions and intend to use them on the blog. The expression will give some clue as to how I feel about the subject mentioned.

Posted by CDogg at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)

Explaining Deviant Professors

Posted by CDogg at 10:09 PM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2005

Cellular Rings True... Open Water is a Bit Shallow

Cellular appeared at first glance to be an average film at best and despite some exciting moments in the previews, I really thought the film would suck. I had it for over a week from Netflix before I decided to watch it. Wow! This film is really good. Part of the surprise was the performance by Chris Evans as Ryan. Expect to see more of him soon as he will be playing Johnny Storm/Human Torch in the Fantastic Four. William H. Macy was brilliant as ever and I always enjoy seeing Jason Statham play this type character.

David R. Ellis the stuntman-turned-director did a great job of pacing and delivered on the suspense. If you get the chance...watch this one... you'll like it.

RATING 8 out of 10

It seems that with every good review comes a poor one. I also watched Open Water a few days earlier and thought I would digest it a bit before writing it up. The acting was poor during the setup, average during the middle and decent toward the end. The thing was shot digitally which held my attention because of my work in that area. I quickly lost interest in the movie itself and turned to the director's commentary track.

The extra tracks made the DVD entertaining. The story of how the filmmakers took three years to make the movie, spending their own money and doing guerilla filming every chance they got, was interesting. They talked a lot about where each of the shots came from and as a lesson in filmmaking on the cheap, it kept me listening. It won awards at Sundance (I don't remember which ones) but I really don't see why. Again, as a movie it sucked... the commentary track is worth watching though.

RATING 4 out of 10

Posted by CDogg at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)

Connected Canines

Posted by CDogg at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2005

Painless History Lessons

Posted by CDogg at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)

2005 - 100 Point Book Challenge

Posted by CDogg at 10:13 PM | Comments (1)

February 14, 2005

The Boys of Summer are Early

It all started as a casual day at home. I was doing some paperwork and catching up on some TV when Mike called. He wanted to know if I would like to attend the Minute Maid Park 2005 College Classic - a six-team tournament featuring some of the top 25 teams in college baseball. Baylor, Tennessee, UH, Rice, A&M and Oklahoma State made up the teams. The event started yesterday and finished up today.

Overall, it is a pretty darn good entertainment value as you pay $12 to get in and watch all of the games of the day. There were three games today and we got there in time for the start of the second one featuring Rice vs. Baylor. Both teams were undefeated in the tournament so this turned out to be for the championship. The first game saw some pretty great action although Rice was unable to turn hits into runs. Baylor took the win and their fans were overjoyed as this marks a major step for their baseball program.

In the second game, it was the University of Houston against Texas A&M. The Aggies definitely had the edge in terms of spirit for most of the game, but like Rice, left most of their hitters stranded. In the end, as UH's lead grew, the noise level from their side of the park did as well. I brought the camera and took nearly 300 pictures. I was experimenting with speed versus light settings to try and get the best action shots possible. I have some pretty decent results, but it would have been much easier if the game were played in full sun. I will be posting some of the shots on www.vipshots.com and notifying the teams involved that they are available... who knows - maybe I will recoup some of the cost of going to the games through picture sales.

Whether I make any sales or not really wasn't the point of the outing... it was a lot of fun regardless. There is just something about the college atmosphere that makes the games more electric. Mike pointed out and I agreed that these guys just seem to care more about the game than the pros. At the end of the innings... the guys in the outfield 'sprint' back to the dugout. We're not talking about jogging in like the pros - these guys look like the game is riding on how fast they get on and off the field. Also, the fans are sooo much different. Mike suggested it was a 'different class of fans' and to an extent I believe it. These folks are not the blue-collar-come-to-the-game-to-get-wasted-and-shout-obscenities crowd. They are there to support their children, their college and their community. It does make for a very different atmosphere. The bottom line is that if you want to enjoy sports - go to a college game... forget about the spoiled millionaires in the pro games.

Posted by CDogg at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)

February 12, 2005

Three for one...

Manny and I met up with members of Houston Metblogs at the monthly meetup. We gathered at Brasil's on Dunlavy. We had a really cool time - met some really cool people. (Nick & Katie are pictured here) It was really cool putting real faces with the names (handles) of people from the blogosphere. I look forward to attending more of them in the future.

After the meetup, we headed downtown to take some shots. I completely forgot what I had planned to do today, but oh well. I was selected for a car commercial that was being shot downtown. They were looking for men and women who looked European to be in this commercial. I sent them the latest photo of me in a suit and they asked me to shoot. When I heard it was about a 15 hour shoot and I had to wear my suit all day, I thanked them for the offer and begged out. Anyway, long story short - I was going to go by the shoot and get some pictures on the set but completely forgot that it was happening today.

We grabbed the metrorail down at Hermann Park and rode to downtown. We did get a ton of cool shots downtown (look for a few of them to appear on my photoblog "ShutterDog" over the next few days or weeks) I will have to head back down there and spend the day shooting because there are just so many great subjects.

We walked down to the Spaghetti Warehouse thinking we could grab a bite before we headed back to Hermann Park, but the waiting list was over an hour.

After leaving downtown we swung by Buffalo Wild Wings on Gray for some wings and trivia. The last time we went I won all three games and Manny was set on getting revenge. We were greeted by Dana who remembered us from the last time we were there. (I'm not sure if that is a good sign or a bad one... haha) She gave us the hookup with the wings and we commenced to doing battle with the rest of the bar.

In the first game... I missed first place by just a few points when someone named CUTTER took the win. We fought it out over the next couple games but by the end each of us had our share of fame as we bested the other 9 competitors . My handle BIGDOG and Manny's RENTON each graced the screen after our wins. I had to congratulate Manny on that victory because his first victory was an impressive one. If you have no idea of which I speak... go to www.ntn.com and sign up for an account. You can play without one, but having one will allow you to play at any location and continue to earn points towards free stuff.

Overall, it was a pretty full day - Brasil's started at 3pm - I have no clue how long we spent downtown - and not really sure how long we were at BWW. All I know is that amazingly enough we did three "outings" in the same day - each of which would have rated as a good time. In the end though, I guess its a testament to my philosophy on life... "Have fun!"

Posted by CDogg at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)

February 11, 2005

Who Gets the Gay?

Okay, call me a homophobe if it will make you happy, but Animal Planet's new series Who Gets the Dog? is just a bit much. I love the concept. It is a reality show that takes one shelter dog each episode and introduces it to three families. Each of the families gets to spend 24 hours with the dog while being videotaped. During that time they are given specific tasks such as 1) teach the dog to sit 2) wash the dog etc. At the end of the three trials, the video is turned over to a panel of 'experts' for review.

A dog psychologist, a veterinarian and a comedian (?) make up the expert panel that decides which home is the best fit for Fido. I am okay with the fact that the tasks are ridiculous and have no bearing on whether or not a home would be a good fit. I am okay with the fact that aside from the vet, I wouldn't trust either of the other two to decide what is best for my dog. I absolutely love vicariously meeting the new dog each episode... what irks me is the preponderance of homosexuals on the show.

Okay, here comes the standard line - I am not a homophobe, I have a gay friend, etc. etc. Frankly, I could care less if you believe it... but believe this. In every episode but one, the show has featured a gay couple as one of the three families. I know this is California, but come on - not even the 'left coast' has a 33% gay population. Is this Animal Planet's idea of affirmitive action? ...if they put all the gays in one show, they don't have to put them on any others? I think it is fine to include people from all walks of life but their demographics appear to be a bit queer. (pun intended)

Before gays decide that this show is a bastion of great television - not one of the gay couples has "got the dog" yet.

Posted by CDogg at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2005

Pacino is Powerful - Stiller Stifles

The Merchant of Venice is the latest of the Bard's tales set to film. It features Joseph Fiennes as Bassanio, Jeremy Irons as Antonio, and Al Pacino as Shylock. Directed by Michael Radford, it is a really good adaptation. I have really grown weary of the 'modernized' takes on Shakespeare's works. Like any of the films that uses his original dialogue, it takes a couple minutes to get in the flow - but suddenly it clicks and it is as if you have spoken Shakespearean English all your life. Pacino's Shylock was amazing and for that reason alone - it is a must see.

There were two problems with the film however. First was the fact that Radford felt obliged to explain anti-semetism so as to make Shylock's character more sympathetic. I think that the opening explanation written out on the screen is an insult to Shakespeare and to Pacino. Shakespeare has been called anti-semetic, but seriously, can someone put the words, "If you prick me, do I not bleed?" in the mouth of Shylock without being sympathetic to the Jewish plight? Pacino should be insulted in that the written explanation is tantamount to saying that Pacino is incapable of creating a sympathetic Shylock.

The second problem with the film is Hollywood's constant need to force homosexuality on the audience. The Bassanio and Antonio relationship came across, albeit thinly veiled, as homosexual. Sure, the language of the day was much more amorous between men, but there was no need for the actors to give the "knowing glances" and "gentle touches" suggestive of Queer Eye for the Venetian Guy.

If you enjoy Shakespeare... if you enjoy good acting... if you enjoy great sets... see this film.

RATING 8 out of 10

At the other extreme, being a huge Ben Stiller fan, and having totally missed the short-lived Ben Stiller Show on HBO, I decided to check it out. It was pretty lame. The writing focused too much on satire and not enough on FUNNY! I can see why it got cancelled so quickly. I won't hold this against Stiller though who has proven he can produce a stinker (Duplex) and then come right back with something funny (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story ).

RATING 4 out of 10

Posted by CDogg at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)

February 09, 2005

The new nickels are here - the new nickels are here!

I was surprised the other day to reach in my pocket and discover a coin I had never seen before. I turned it over and saw that while it had Lewis & Clark on one side, it was a normal nickel on the other. I mentioned it to Manny and he said, "Oh yeah... you haven't seen those before?" or something like that.

Well, I was looking through my coins today and discovered yet another version of the 2004 nickel - this one had Lewis & Clark on the back. Intrigued, I decided to look them up and see how many versions there were... I discovered that the two I had found were the only designs released in 2004.

I also found out while surfing that there will be two new nickels coming out in 2005. The cool thing about them is that there will be a total remake of the front as well. I think the new nickel design rocks... the portrait of Jefferson on the obverse is much better looking and it really updates the look of the coins... I like the handwritten "Liberty" as well...

According to the US Mint, the coin will return to its original design in 2006.

Posted by CDogg at 07:57 PM | Comments (0)

February 08, 2005

The Sludge & A Shell Game

The Grudge is a remake of a Japanese movie by the same name (albeit in Japanese) and you know what? They should have left well enough alone. This one of those films that I refer to as a "payday" project. The payday here is for Sam Raimi . He basically throws his name on it because he has a loyal following, knowing full well that it is a subpar film - oh and it was a chance to get his brother, Ted Raimi an acting gig - very weak. I think that Sarah Michelle Gellar probably really thought it would be a good showcase for her talents - but she should have passed. This film does more to hurt her rep than build it.

It is typical horror schlock - nothing new - nothing original - nothing remotely interesting. It was predictible from the outset... we are talking down to the actions of every last character. There was never a moment that turned in a surprise... okay, maybe there was a surprise in the end - I'll never know because I turned it off long before then.

RATING 4 out of 10

While we are on the subject of bad remakes - okay, this one isn't a remake, but a sequel... and yes, a bad one. Ghost in the Shell was a masterpiece of anime... Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is a "shell" of its predecessor. Visually, it is cool as hell. It stretches the limits of anime and blends them with CGI... but as far as an interesting story - feel free to check your brain at the door. Watch it for the visuals... in fact, turn the sound off cause that is a retread of the first one... ignore the story and look at all the pretty pictures.

RATING 6 out of 10

Posted by CDogg at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)

February 07, 2005

The Joys of Home Ownership

People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I want to sell the house, buy a big-muckin' RV and travel the country. You gotta have a house - you gotta own your own home - you have to live the American Dream... uh, I call shenanigans on that one!

After a hard day of work, its time to relax in your castle, kick back in your recliner, and enjoy your domain - right? Maybe you decide you'd like to wash out the mini refrigerator that you loaned to your nephew only to get it back with 20 packets of rotten Jack-in-the-Box buttermilk sauce and about a four inch thick layer of hairy mold. Just maybe, you decide to knock out that chore before relaxing in your wonderful home.

And maybe - just maybe, you go to turn on the hose and the faucet shoots off at about Mach 3, strikes the neighbor's house with a clang and is quickly followed by a ten foot stream of water shooting from the pipe. Okay, no problem right - you figure, I'll just shot the water off at the bottom of the pipe and deal with it tomorrow... Then maybe - again, just maybe, you go to get some water from your kitchen sink and nothing comes out. It then dawns on you that that outside water hose is also the pipe that brings water into your entire house. No showers, no drinking water, no dishwashing, no clothes washing, no nothing that involves wetness until you get it fixed.

So you do what any self respecting homeowner would do... you go out in the dark to fix it. It could be that you reach in to see what actually broke and in the dark you do indeed find out the problem... and you discover the rusted off threads by ripping open the tip of your index finger in the process.

Nothing like climbing behind bushes that needed trimming months ago to wrench loose a 78 cent part so you can make a late-night run to Home Depot dripping wet - all so you can take a shower in the morning. Oh yeah, and I have to be downtown tomorrow morning at like 5:30 AM for a video shoot. At what point is this home ownership joy supposed to kick in? I love my house. I love my house. I love my - screw it... I HATE MY HOUSE!

Posted by CDogg at 07:59 PM | Comments (0)

February 06, 2005

Commercials are a Super Bust!

It is midway through the halftime show of the SuperBowl and so far the commercials have been terrible. I have been keeping a mental tally rating them from 1-10 and I have yet to see one that rates higher than a 6. (The Bud Light one where the pilot jumped out of the plane was the 6.) But come on - SuperBowl commercials are supposed to be in the 8-10 range.

The halftime show is craptastic too. No, I don't need a wardrobe malfunction for a halftime show to qualify as good... even Miss Jackson's halftime "show" was rotten. I can't remember the last decent halftime show. Actually, the last good one was probably when "Up With People" performed back in the 80's. I think they should just cut halftime back to 15 minutes, forget all the hype surrounding halftime and play some football.

Posted by CDogg at 08:00 PM | Comments (0)

February 05, 2005

Homeland is Secure in Downtown Houston

I was downtown the other day when I spotted a little hidden-away park I had never seen. Being the opportunist, I circled the block - found an open parking meter - grabbed my camera - and headed to take some shots.

While waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street to the park, I decided to check the settings on my camera. I did this by taking a shot of a nearby building and then adjusting the settings. Well, I had just snapped my second picture and was changing the settings when a non-descript black SUV cut across three lanes of traffic and pulled in front of me. The tinted window slid down smoothly to reveal a man holding a badge in my direction asking, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Well, with a pretty high pucker factor, I said, "Sure."

The man asked, "What are you taking pictures of?"

"Nothing yet... I am going across the street to that park to take some shots."

"We get a little nervous when we see someone taking pictures of buildings," he stated and asked for my ID.

I handed him my license and he quizzed me as to its contents... "Are you from Texas?"

"Uh, yeah.... Houston," I responded wondering if this really ever catches bad guys in a lie.

Posted by CDogg at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)

February 03, 2005

Coolest sport/hobby? ever...

I just watched a documentary called Okie Noodling and it was fascinating. Noodling is fishing for catfish with just your hand. Nope, they aren't wrestling the cats, they reach their hands into catfish holes and wiggle until the catfish bites down on their hand. The noodler will then 'wrassle' it until they get the thing landed. The do all this underwater while holding their breath. We are talking some monster catfish.

Posted by CDogg at 08:02 PM | Comments (0)

February 01, 2005

I don't care about Michael Jackson

The last thing we need is another "trial of the century." Think about how many millions of man hours were lost over the stupid O.J. trial (did the outcome really have any importance in your life unless you were named Simpson or Goldman?) and multiply that by ten... talk about hurting the economy! It is going to take a year or two, eat up our airwaves, pollute the blog world, stifle anything remotely creative in journalism, and yes - captivate the world. It is so sad.

I guess it is a mixed blessing because while most of the world is concentrating on whether or not little Mikey touched little Jimmy's...... uh, jimmy - it will be an opportunity the rest of us to move up in the pecking order. (no pun intended) Office workers can move ahead by working while the slackers talk MJ around the cooler - business owners can move ahead by providing better service while their competitors respond just a bit slower because they have to hear one more CNN interview.

Posted by CDogg at 08:38 AM | Comments (0)

God Wants Him to Play

Posted by CDogg at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)