January 27, 2005

Jamie Foxx, Star Trek and Revelations . . . random thoughts.

My first experience with Jamie Foxx was some damn, stupid show that ran right before "Star Trek: Enterprise". I would sit down five or ten minutes early and put on the appropriate channel and wait for "Enterprise" to start and invariably end up watching the end of this insipid sitcom.
Also routinely at this point, some family member or other would walk through the room, see what was on the TV, and look at me sitting there, and ask what the hell I was doing. This exact set of circumstances became so common in fact that I would often not even wait for them to finish asking.

Then I went to see "Ray" the movie.
When the movie was over as Gina and I made our way out, I thought to myself, 'Man that Jamie Foxx is some kind of actor! That's the kind of actor I'd like to be.'
I'm not kidding, it was that good.
So it was only a mild surprise for me today to hear that he was nominated for the Oscar not just for "Ray" but also for "Collateral" which I must confess I have not made time to see yet.

I haven't spoken much to anyone except Gina about my own acting aspirations.
I feel rather like Bart Simpson when his mother suggest to him that perhaps he will succeed in the life and he says something along the lines of "Thanks Mom, but we all know, this is the horse to bet on."(Indicating, of course, his sibling: Lisa.)
So following that, anyone placing bets would, in my estimation, be well advised to bet on Gina's acting career over mine. For one thing I already have a fairly successful career and I'm not looking to risk it. Also the current plan is to use whatever resources I can muster to further Gina's chances. For another thing Gina has far more charm and charisma than I feel I do. People like her, and want to do things for her, and will even go so far as to cast her husband in their movie to get her to star in it. So there you go. The palin truth is I rode her coattails into this opportunity. There, I said it!
Plus if all I can ever hope for is playing the angry loner, or serial killer, or the bad cop, or heavy number 3, in B TV movies - well, then I'm just not that interested. If I have a shot at this at all I want to do something that will be fun and challenging as an actor.
I already make a good living thank you anyway.
I don't need to be an actor just to feed my ego.
(In fact, as those familiar with my ego will no doubt attest, feeding it in anyway is probably a worse idea than trying to put on a sock-puppet show between me and the television screen during a first run episode of any Stat Trek. Better to go yank on the dog's tail when he's trying to eat, while simultaneously keeping the fingers of you free hand playfully in the vicinity of his mouth. At least you know what you're risking in the latter case.)
Having said all that, don't get me wrong, I'd love to be a successful actor. I'm not looking to play the leading man in a major motion picture opposite Meryl Streep or anything. I wouldn't pass up such an opportunity to be sure, but I'd settle easily for a principal role on a successful science fiction series. The way they write some of the better shows the actors really get a chance to show their stuff. (Reference Patrick Stewart in the ST:TNG episode "Sarek") Furthermore I really believe that I could pull that off. Not to put myself in the same boat as Patrick Stewart whom I consider to be an actor's actor, but I honestly believe I could do nearly as well in this one kind of environment. Playing a steady role, growing into a character and then occasionally playing an alternate reality version of the same character or that character under an alien influence for example. I'm sure I could do that and I'm sure I would enjoy it.

The truth however, is that it all comes down to the release of "Revelations" and what happens after that. I have a few friends I can trust to give me an honest assessment of what they think of my abilities after that. Even given that however, I am keenly aware that a portion of the credit must go to Shane, Jack and the rest of the Revelations crew for making me look as good as I (hopefully) will look. Meanwhile Gina and I are doing the foot work of updating the websites, getting new headshots, looking for professional agents and so on.
As I say though, we will just have to wait and see.

January 26, 2005

Edward James Olmos is THE MAN!

First of all I'm sorry for the recent lack of post but I've been busy, then snowed in, then sick. I'm feeling a little better today though and expect to be back at full strength by the end of the week. Now back to what I was talking about; Edward James Olmos for those of you who don't know is playing Commander Adama on the new Battlestar Galactica series. Like many of you I had my doubts about this series. I mean have you actually gone back and watched the original. It's a train wreck. I mean of all the silly assed nonsense to try and bring back. Enter another hero of mine; Ronald D. Moore. When this guy writes for television he is the man. Anyway I watched and previously reviewed the miniseries, but over the last few days I had a chance to actually sit down and watch the new episodes and then go back a re-watch the miniseries and man; what can I say? Edward James Olmos for President! I totally relate to the character of Adama and the way Mr. Olmos plays him.

I relate to . . . Commander Adama!?!

What's next? A good revival of "Lost in Space" or "Land of the Giants" perhaps?
The mind boggles.
Frak!

January 15, 2005

Titan

What can I say? A nearly perfect mission and a stunning success for the ESA and JPL. As always for every question we answer, we find a thousand new, more insightful questions. Today the solar system itself is a little smaller and our knowledge of the universe a little more wondrous. As these new images and data bring us from speculation about a remote, cloudy speck in our telescopes, to actual experience about someplace our avatars have touched.
Titan - right next to Saturn, just down the road aways.

Check out the latest at the ESA site here.

January 13, 2005

MEANWHILE ON MARS!

Whoa! That's really interesting. Check out this image: Link
It doesn't quite look real does it. Also notice the ground around it.
Very, very interesting.
Looks a little like the meteorites I've seen in the museum.
Story Link here.

It's a COSTUME!!!!

"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
- Oscar Wilde

"True courage is to stand against evil, even when we stand alone."
- Richard Edgely

"This must be a Thursday," said Arthur to himself, sinking low over his beer. "I never could get the hang of Thursdays."
- Arthur Dent (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

News of the world today, thousands are dead and starving in Asia, the US has given up the pretence that there were EVER any goddamn WMD's in Iraq since 1991, mudslides in CA, China eyes Taiwan, HIV infections on the rise, but never mind any of that - because Prince Harry wore a Nazi Uniform to a Costume Party.
(Oh NO! Heaven Forefend!)
Then, the poor guy, he goes out and apologizes. Are you kidding me?
It was a COSTUME PARTY you bloody bastards, not a NAZI RALLY.

If you don't know who Colonel Green is, you don't deserve to know.

Okay, here is what I would do if I were Prince Harry; I would find (or host myself) a costume party a week for the next three months, and I would go to every party as someone more and more offensive until people get the message that IT'S JUST A COSTUME! Napoleon, Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Hitler himself, Hell yes! Why not? I'd probably throw in Colonel Green just to confuse everyone but that's just me. Those who think I would not do this; you simply do not know me. (Of course, if I were Prince Harry I probably would have been disowned or mysteriously disposed of long before now.)

The over reaction to this is as ridiculous to me as holding trail for the guy who played Shultz or Colonel Klink on Hogan's Heroes for war crimes.

This kind of stupidity must be opposed, challenged, and openly laughed at, not apologized to.
People who are offended too easily should be offended more often!

It's all about the Deep Impact probe of the Tempel baby!

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d311/status.html
Countdown to launch at 1:47 PM EST.

For my part, I'm way more excited about the Huygens probe headed for Titan this Friday.
I'll be watching that one very closely. What can I say, I love to watch.

Master Zap and the Tech of Revelations!

Ah yes, a bit more shameless, self promotion. Seriously though, if you haven't checked this out, it's pretty damn cool and doesn't give away anything about the story.
Here's the link: http://panicstruckpro.com/revelations/video/Zap_BTS_clip.mov

Also on another note entirely, I thought I was having a heart attack last night.
I was watching the "Freaking Sweet" Family Guy DVD with Gina, Nick and Megan when, after some of the behind the scenes stuff, they suddenly cut to a scene of the family watching a play or something and Peter yelling; "What the hell is this?! For Christ sakes, someone throw a pie or something!"
Now to my credit, I did manage to spit the mouth full of Sprite I had just chugged, back into the glass. Then I laughed so hard I . . . I guess I passed out. The next thing I knew I was sitting there, drifting painfully back to consciousness and I couldn't remember right away what had just happened. "Something's wrong . . ." I managed to squeak out. I thought for sure I was having a heart attack, or stroke, or something. Then, a moment later, I caught my breath and remembered what had happened; much to the further amusement of Gina.
Still though, I never used to pass out like that.
Hmph!

January 6, 2005
The next big wave will be BPL

Broadband Power Lines
(Oh, ho, yeah baby. That's the stuff.)

"the maximum achievable bit rate was close to a gigabit per second per kilometer on an overhead medium voltage unshielded U.S. electric power line that has been properly conditioned through impedance matching. The gigabit can be shared by a half dozen homes in a neighborhood to provide rates in the hundreds of megabits per second range, much higher than DSL and even cable."

Check out the whole article over on the Science Blog: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/6621

There are still some problems to be worked out but with a preexisting infrastructure and a guaranteed market, there is no doubt that this is going to happen. This will also facilitate solutions where you access not only data but your applications directly over your internet connection, true video phone, remote real time mirroring and backup, and much, much more. All of which reminds me of this quote from the Simpsons.

Geek: "I invented a program that downloads porn off the internet one million times faster."
Marge: "Does anyone need that much porno?"
Homer: (Drooling): "One million times..."

January 5, 2005

Happy Birthday!

Today marks the day my good friend Shane joined us here on Earth.
The place wouldn't be the same without him.
Even though we don't always see eye to eye, and I know I can get on your nerves, there are few people I respect as much as you.
Happy Birthday! All the best!

One Earth year on Mars:

Yes indeed, today marks the first anniversary (Terrestrial time) of the rover Spirit on Mars. Not bad for a device designed for about three months of functionality in the hostile Martian environment. Not bad at all, there is live telecast today at 1:00 PM EST, and you can read more, and get the link here.

January 3, 2005

Our new theme will be:
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

This will be followed by 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Star Wars : A New Hope' and finally in April by 'Star Wars: Revelations'. It's a countdown to the premiere of the new independent, fan film staring Gina.
Stay tuned for details on how you can see it.

Check out more details at: