Nighttime is the worst. Ah, bad nights, bad nights.

Got to get out of my head.

Got to get it out of my head.

Burger Continental: Pasadena

Burger Continental’s the name of the place and as I’m typing this up, I’m eating leftovers.

It’s a nice big banquet-y type place with an extensive Greek and Armenian menu. Just a pleasent experience filled with fun loud music and old people dancing.

Below are pictures of:

• My Veggie Pizza with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, bell peppers, all sorts of fun stuff.
• A view of the place from where I sat.
• The complimentary salad/soup bar stuff. Includes falafel, salmon, potatoes, etc.
• The Lamb Shank plate with fun stuff on it (like the meat on a stick).

Kicking The Social Habit

photo courtesy of BeFitt

I’m considering abandoning my facebook.

No offense to facebook users, it really is a great tool to connect with people (a lot better than myspace). I just find that I am becoming increasingly distracted by it. Most my time is spent tracking my friends rather than actually spending time with them. I run a tight enough schedule as it is and I have found that a lot of my time online is deposited into facebook.

Facebook is turning me into something i don’t want to be. It’s distancing myself from others. I can use the time I spend on facebook to finally read some of the books I wanted to read. I can blog more, study more, and enjoy a more relaxing life.

If this sounds familiar or echoes in your heart, why don’t you join me? First, I’m going to do away with all e-mail notifications so I won’t be constantly reminded to check it. Little things like unchecking the “remember me” box can help too. I’ve already removed the link from my bookmarks and toolbar.

I suppose the next step would be to start leaving networks and deleting friends. We’ll see where it takes me. I’ll still return messages but just keep in mind that I won’t be hovering the site as much as I use to. The best way to contact me is through IMs, e-mail, phone calls, or good ol’ fashioned word of mouth.

I wouldn’t be surprised if a “social network addiction” problem starts popping up in the news.

Wish me luck.

March For Water ‘09

What: March for Water

When: Sunday – March 22nd, 2009

Where:    Los Angeles State Historic Park. Park Entrance is in front of:
1300 N Spring St, Los Angeles,
Los Angeles, California 90012

Time: March starts at 9:00AM & Community Water Fair at 12:00 Noon

Join me on Sunday for this community event on World Water Day to bring awareness to LA concerning global issue we have with water. Water is a huge issue globally and it also hits hard at home. We understand the Los Angeles has been going through a drought and are facing a water crisis that won’t disappear for years to come. At the same time, there are 1.1 billion people in the world without adequate drinking water when we live on hundreds of gallons a day.

This is a 3 mile march with activities going on the entire day. There will be vendors selling food (cash only, think ahead) and lots of fun shenanigans throughout the day. The march takes place later in the afternoon so you won’t miss it if you can’t make it at 9:00 AM. What you will miss is that the first 500 to show up and sign in get a free stainless steel water bottle. Did I mention that no bottled water is allowed at this event? Bring a reusable bottle and water will be provided.

If you can’t drive there or don’t want to, you can take the Metro Gold Line straight to Chinatown. The march site is just a bit north of the exit.

Register today!

via March For Water

Mardi Gras: Obama’s Fireside Chat

I guess the big buzz for the next few days (maybe months) will be President Obama’s address that he made on Mardi Gras. It was quite a landmark speech considering the vast amount of topics covered in a span of about an hour. The popular/unpopular economic stimulus plan was pretty much outlined and those of you who read the paper or watched the speech kind of get the gist of it. Obama eloquently spoke about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the responsibilities we as a nation have to carry this forward.

President Obama announced that 3.5 million jobs will be created over the next two years and 90% of them will be focused on infrastructure development, green jobs, and the expansion of mass transit. Meaning, if you’re bumming out about unemployment or just a terrible job, know that these sectors will be exploding. Also, it’s a good time to invest in some green stock.

You’ve also got your April Fools Tax Cut. No joke there, just a nice tax cut on your paychecks by the time April 1st comes around. But for those of you who are struggling with tuition, a $2,500 tax credit will be available for all 4 years of college. Unemployed? You will be given extended unemployment benefits and health insurance to help you in the meantime.

I thought Obama made an excellent defense for himself when it came to the concern of “big government”. This is a huge argument Republicans are using to repudiate the stimulus plan and muster up cynicism.

“…government didn’t supplant private enterprise; it catalyzed private enterprise. It created the conditions for thousands of entrepreneurs and new businesses to adapt and to thrive.”

President Obama referred to the times during the Cold War when government aided in the explosion of technology and scientific research.

In the middle of  his address, Obama revealed his three pronged approach to the recovery of America: energy, health care, and education. Ever since his campaign, he’s made a real commitment to invest in sustainable energy. Though many speculated that Obama would tackle health care next year (after the economic collapse is dealt with), he revealed that he already subsidized a portion of the money to go to health care. The point President Obama made on education was, I think, the most significant because it was frank and it was fresh.

“Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish. This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow.”

President Obama then asked that all Americans commit to more than just a high school diploma whether this would be at a community college or a 4 year school. What probably was the most powerful quote he said about education was, “…dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country.”

In times of strong competition with China and India, the US is going to have to stay on top of its game when it comes to education. Obama sets up a goal that by 2020, the US will again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

This speech wasn’t all about informing American citizens of little shindigs and hootenannies in Congress. We are all called to commit to a bright future by being responsible at home and in our communities. It really illustrates how we can’t stand back and watch the government fix everything for us. This will take patience, maturity, and strength to help rebuild all the broken sectors of America.

On a different note, did anybody else respond to Governor Jindal’s response with a swift and frank “What the f***?” This guy (who, coincidentally, is looking to run for President in 2012) was a total over-rehearsed buzz-kill. What were his critiques? Raised taxes, more debt, and to quote the King of Siam, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. The package is outlined with IMMENSE TAX CUTS, not raises but CUTS. Later on, he implied that somewhere in Obama’s speech, the President mentioned that “America’s best days are behind her”. You can look up the transcript online and I think that you’ll surely find the opposite. By the way, bringing up Hurricane Katrina certainly does not help the Republican side of the argument, even if you’re the governor of Louisiana with a southern drawl.

I have a strong feeling that 218 Republicans in Congress face-palmed after Governor Jindal’s response.

Unmasking The Superhumans

Recent controversies have been exposing our most beloved athletes. At this point in time, we are faced with issues regarding Alex Rodriguez’s steroid use and Michael Phelps alleged cannabis-water-pipe incident.

What does this mean to us? Was it right for Michael Phelps to be dropped from competitive swimming for three months? Should Alex Rodriguez face consequences for using performance enhancing drugs? Why should we care?

These sport icons have become symbols of America and, consequently, have become the role models of millions. Because of this, we criticize them for every little mistake that they make for in our eyes, they’re superhuman and do not have room for human errors. Is that fair? Was it fair to impeach President Clinton for a personal affair, one that had no impact on the state of the nation? We hold our heroes accountable for every thing they do. Whether this is right or wrong has been debated countless times but it is safe to say that America groans a little when these scandals arise. When we are hurt, we want to see those responsible punished and made an example of. That’s just how we work, that’s how we react, that is our instinctive response.

Are our actions justified or should we understand the depth of the issue before commenting? Can an Olympian who brought his country 14 gold medals afford one bong hit? Can we forgive A-Rod’s use of anabolic steroids 5 years ago, when the stand against steroids was “loose”. Was it always the controversies that lead to pressure or was it the pressure that lead them into these controversies?

PS: SNL’s Weekend Update on Michael Phelps

Who Watches The Watchmen

image courtesy of FHF

What: MTV Spoilers Watchmen Screening

Where: Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood

When: Wednesday February 18^th

This was the taping of a new MTV show called “Spoilers” where viewers can find out little tidbits about upcoming movies with interviews, sneak peeks, and behind the scenes extras. Entry to this show is all done online through MTV or other networks and is completely free.

The Movie

Though it’s a 2 hour 40 min. movie, it doesn’t even feel it (until you look down at your watch and aptly respond with “What the f***?”). I enjoyed it and will most likely see it again. Now when it comes down to the comic book fans, it’s not going to be perfect. I thought it was a bastardization of the book and at often times was over-sexed, over-violent, and over-gored. This took away from the classic story that I hoped it would be and transformed it into a somewhat long political action flick. I guess when you have a director like Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead), you tend to get an influx of ruthless action scenes and horror-esque mutilation. Then again, this is the comic that couldn’t be made into a movie and Zack did do a nice job. Certain sections were cut out (duh) and the ending….well, let’s just say I like the ending. I’m still very undecided about the music. They use a lot of music pieces that correlate with the time (Simon & Garfunkle, Dylan) but songs as iconic as these tend to stick out when run together with a movie. It’s a good movie with a good message and not just another superhero movie. It’s got action, sensuality, depth, and hilarity in it. Go watch the Watchmen.

The Interviews

We were able to see the cast as they arrive in pairs. They all seem like very nice people and it’s quite amazing to see your characters right after you watch such an epic movie. They came on stage, talked a little, and were soon on their way off to whatever it is actors and actresses are busy doing. Zack Snyder showed up near the end and gave a 20-30 minute interview followed by a Q&A session with the audience. So the story goes that Zack initially did not want to direct the movie. Like most fanboys, Zack did not believe that The Watchmen could ever be made into a movie and declined at first. Later on he realized that if he didn’t do the movie, Warner Bros would just find someone else to do it with the updated script (Dr Manhattan goes to Iraq, Veidt gets run over by Archie) which would be an epic disaster. So, in a noble gesture, he decided to take on the project and try to keep the movie true to the comic. Snyder also dropped that a director’s cut that’s a little over 3 hours in length was due to come out in July for the die-hard fans.

Anything Else?

We got to watch some previews and behind the scenes stuff of Land of The Lost with Will Farrell and Star Trek by JJ Abrams; both of which looked really good. Overall it was a great event lasting over 8 hours. By the end of it, the only words to come out of everyone’s mouth was “Foooooooood…”

The Naked Truth

photo courtesy of Joni Hernandez

The more I learn, the more I realize that there is a fine connection between frugality and zen. As we pursue materialism and “comfort shopping”, we tend to lose ourselves and become something else. The lifestyle of having less can be just as chic as the lifestyle of the rich and famous, it all depends on what you do with it.

This is a question of identity that forces us to question the way our economy works. If we step back, we can realize this death spiral of relentless purchasing. If we were to stop, this system will undoubtedly collapse but every second we continue on, we are forcing millions of others who are less fortunate into more suffering. It’s an ingenious scheme to propel an entire country’s economy off of greed, but the price tag is our humanity. It is a lot to take in so I’m going to share with you some ways to start closer at home.

• Understand that “materialism” is “mindlessness” and call it quits in this endless race. You first must realize that having more actually inhibits you and adds clutter to your life. Our way of life is destroying not only the planet, but it’s destroying our priorities. The life we live is unsustainable and we must understand this.
• Slow down and take time off from your daily schedule. Apparently, everyone has a busy life and somehow has “no time”. Everywhere we look, we find people who are busier than we are and are still squeezing in hours in their maniacal lives. We will always have time, we just never set time aside. Try an hour a day or maybe several hours on the weekends. Take this time to escape, reflect, and breathe.
• Eliminate artificial “noise”. It’s almost impossible to be in complete silence for there is life all around us. What you can do is eliminate noises such as the whir of a computer, a fan, your phone, the iPod, etc.. Try living without all of these for a moment and collect yourself. These “noises” can amplify your anxiety and leave you unsatisfied with life.
• Make a habit of “detox” in all aspects of your life. Continually flush your system of clutter such as downsizing your closet and pulling out all clothes that you haven’t worn in the past few months. You can flush out your computer folders, your backpack, your purse, and your diet. Try going on a 24 hour dry fast (no food, no water) to completely cleanse your body. Studies show that dry fasts can help enhance memory along with flushing out build up in your system.
• Understand where you are, who you are, and just how lucky you are. Too often we take for granted the commodities of our lives and drift through life pissed off about all the wrong things. We in America make up less than 5% of the world’s population but we consume 25%, that’s a quarter, of the world’s energy. Just making it day to day without worrying about eating, a place to stay, facing extreme temperatures, is a luxury that we enjoy. Ponder about the suffering in the world and whether or not you really need to fuel your materialism.

Five points to keep in mind if you want a little more peace and comfort out of your life.

It’s The End Of The World As We Know It

photo courtesy of clcv

During this time, I am taking an Environmental Science course at PCC. I’ll try to post some interesting tidbits that I acquire along the way to show you guys.

This video is a small argument on behalf of Global Climate Change and seeks to repel any arguments that skeptics of Global Warming may come up with. It’s extremely simplified yet powerful at the same time. Please check it out:

He is a bit wacky, but his words are golden.

wdfxup

We're good people

What’s been happening with me?

Well, my hair’s longer. I no longer have internet at home which explains my absence from the web. I’ve been slowly trying to enter a new diet. I’m taking a class at PCC for the Winter. I got a new camera.

These are just a few of my happenings.

I don’t know how much I’m going to blog anymore but I suppose I’ll end up coming back one way or another. Yeah, we’ll see.

Update:

Please bear (bare? bayer?) with me as the site goes through some changes in appearance. I’ve decided to abandon The Flip Side all together and create a new blog attached to this one. They will both be WordPress so it’ll be easier for me to manage. Please read my blogs.