More Thai Festival Photos

If you would like to see more photos from the Thai Festival, you can either go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jack390/

or click on the "Thai Festival Photos" link on the right side about a quarter of a page down under the title "Links."

This morning, Wendy and I attended the Thai festival in Madison, WI, at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The golden pavilion in this photo was built in Thailand and shipped to Madison, WI, as a gift. See plaque photo below. The festival included Thai food, performers, and a sunny day to enjoy it all. 

Beautiful artwork done by traditional craftsmen in Thailand before the pavilion was shipped to the United States. 

Traditional dance performed at Thai Pavilion. 

Reflecting pool at Thai Pavilion. 

Plaque in front of Thai Pavilion and Garden. 

Olbrich Botanical Gardens is located in Madison, WI. 

5th Season: The Sopranos

Like millions of other people, I love Mafia movies. And if you're a fan of the HBO series "The Sopranos," you may want to know that the 5th season is out on video and can be rented at Blockbuster.

I'm halfway throught he 5th season and it's been a pretty good ride so far. It's especially good when you consider that 5 seasons is a long time for a series.

Bada Bing.

The Downside of Emotions

You probably didn't catch the movie "The Upside of Anger" when it was in the theaters, but now it is available on DVD.

It's a well done, well acted, movie. But it's just not my kind of movie. This was more like a soap opera. The main character, Terry Wolfmeyer (played by Joan Allen), belongs to the crisis of the day club. Her husband runs off with his secretary. Her daughter becomes very ill. Another daughter gets pregnant. And the other daughter is sleeping with an older man, who is a pervert. And then Terry, the housewife, falls in love with an alcoholic, ex-pro-baseball player named Denny. Denny is played by Kevin Costner.

The only things missing in this movie are a clogged toilet, a car accident, and a drowning.

Having said that, there are some great performances by Joan Allen and Kevin Costner. And I don't know if this is a compliment or not, but Kevin Costner is great as a drunk.

If you like soap operas, this is the movie for you.

Scotty Beams Up

You've probably already read or heard that actor James Doohan has passed away. Doohan played Scotty, the ship's engineer, on the original TV show "Star Trek."

I happened to meet James Doohan at a Star Trek convention many years ago and he was a likeable fellow.

The classic Star Trek shows look dated now with its cheap special effects but this was a ground breaking show when it first appeared in 1966. In its stories it handled many social issues, like racial prejudice and the arms race, while other TV shows were avoiding those issues.

So, I raise my glass to James Doohan. I hope he is happy wherever he is.

Another actor, Deforest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), and the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, passed away many years ago.

Escape to the Island

I saw the movie "The Island" today. I enjoyed it.

Lincoln 6 Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan 2 Delta (Scarlett Johanssen) live in a very safe but bland utopia. The purpose of their lives is to work, be happy, and wait for a chance to win the lottery and go to the "Island" where they will live happily ever after.

Lincoln 6 Echo starts to ask questions: why can't we go outside? Why does everyone have to wear white? Isn't there more to life? Unhappy with the official answers, Lincoln 6 Echo starts to secretly explore the forbidden areas of the city. The rest of the movie is a chase scene with the bad guys trying to kill Lincoln 6 Echo and Jordan 2 Delta.

This is an action packed, slick movie that goes from 0 to 60 once we get the background information out of the way. Director Michael Bay ("The Rock," "Armageddon," and "Bad Boys") knows how to pace his movies and orchestrates one of the best chase scenes I've ever seen.

The acting was good but not exceptional. But this was a summer action movie not Shakespeare.

Djimon Hounsou stole some of the scenes as the mercenary hunting Lincoln 6 Echo and Jordan 2 Delta. You may remember Hounsou when he played Juba in the movie "Gladiator." Juba was Maximus's friend. This is an extraordinary actor who I would like to see in more movies.

And another actor I love to watch is Steve Buscemi. I've seen him in a hundred movies and I've enjoyed his performances time after time. You may remember him as the short, skinny kidnapper Carl in the movie "Fargo."

Another actor I would like to see more of is Michael Clarke Duncan (Starkweather). You may remember him as the gentle giant of an inmate in the movie "The Green Mile." But unfortunately, there just aren't a lot of roles for this big guy.

Is this a perfect movie? No, the plot is a little weak and is very, very similar to the 1976 movie "Logan's Run" starring Michael York. One unintentionally funny scene was a long camera shot that showed Jordan 2 Delta wearing high heels after outrunning the bad guys. Not only did I notice it but other people in the audience talked about it too.

Again, this is a great popcorn movie and roller coaster ride. If I had to rank my last three movies, I would recommend:
"The Island" See this first.
"War of the Worlds" See this second.
"Batman Begins" See this last.

Million Dollar Baby Worth Seeing

The great, great movie "Million Dollar Baby" is out on DVD now. Rent it or buy it! This is one of the best movies to come out in years.

This movie has excellent performances by Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman. The photograpy is done in a Hitchcock style, which makes for very interesting watching. The dark shadows are actually dark. Modern studios overlight their studios now. And this movie doesn't have just a bunch of pretty faces and instead has actors that produce memorable performances.

The Good but Not Fantastic Four

Hollywood is like a guy with a favorite shirt. That guy will wear the same shirt day after day until it is tattered and torn and people start telling him to get a new shirt. And only then, will he put on a different shirt. Hollywood for a quite a while now, especially this year, is wearing the Marvel Comics shirt.

I saw the movie "Fantastic Four" today, which is based on the comic book by the same name. How was it? Good but not great. As it has been every time I go to a new comic book movie, it is interesting to see a comic book that I read faithfully every week as a child come to life.

The plot of this movie is that five scientists are exposed in outer space to a cosmic storm which gives them all super powers. Four of the scientists are good guys but one scientist becomes a bad guy.

I liked actor Michael Chiklis as the Thing. Chiklis normally plays police detective Vic Mackey on the TV show "The Shield." I liked Michael's voice and body language, which seemed to fit the Thing's personality as I've imagined it.

Jessica Alba as Sue Storm just seemed too young. She's attractive and handled her duties well but came across as kind of a teeny-bopper. (Of course, it could be that I'm getting old.)

Chris Evans as Johnny Storm stole quite a few scenes. His wise cracks were delivered well, which meant they were funny but not biting or obnoxious. Chris Evans has a future in Hollywood.

Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards was again competent but didn't stand out in any scene. And although Reed Richards and Sue Storm were supposed to the same age, Gruffudd seemed so much older. And again, this could be because Jessica Alba came across as someone still in high school.

I usually like actor Julian McMahon. He plays the character Dr. Christian Troy on the TV show "Nip/Tuck." But this time around McMahon doesn't come across as evil. Instead, he whines a lot, which just isn't threatening.

Special effects were first class. Plot was not very original but after all this is based on the comic book. Dialogue was good at times but there was way too much bickering. Maybe watching "Survivor" too many times has reduced my bickering tolerance.

Conclusion: this is a good summer, popcorn movie. It won't win any awards and you'll forget about it in a week. But if you've already seen "War of the Worlds" you may want to see this one.

TV Shows Now and in the Future

Here are some TV shows that are either running now or are coming soon to a TV near you:

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" is a show that answers several questions. For example, why do some civilizations advance to the point where they can send men to the moon and yet other civilizations are stuck in the stone age? Why did America become the superpower it is? This show is based on Professor Jared Diamond's book by the same name. This is being shown on PBS during the next few weeks.

"Over There" is a show created by Steven Bochco of "NYPD Blue" fame. "Over There" is the story of a group of American soldiers fighting in Iraq. It starts July 27th on the cable channel FX.

"The Amazing Race" is being run again on the cable channel GSN, the game show channel. I'm not sure it's worth watching a second time around. But if you missed a season, you may want to tune in. This starts next week.

Drugs Made Me Do It!!

According to a recent news story, some people who have taken prescription drugs for Parkinson's disease have become addicted gamblers.

This explains a lot! I now know why I do certain things.

For example, I'm sure Tylenol makes me hunger for a new computer every 2 years. Otherwise, I don't have any other explanation for this behavior.

I'm sure my arthritis medicine makes me crave doughnuts, candy bars, and Doritoes. That has to be why I constantly crave them.

And finally, I'm sure the vitamins I have taken are making me addicted to movies. What else would explain why I continue to watch a lot of movies when most of them aren't worth the $4.00 rental fee and an hour and a half of my life.

But in the near future, if you see me doing something strange, like deep frying twinkies, it's not the devil making me do it but drugs.

The War with Kids Moves Indoors

It's increasingly obvious that kids now are spending more time indoors than outdoors. This trend is being verified by different pollsters and organizations. Indoor activities include watching TV or a DVD, going onto the internet, or playing a video game.

Parents battling their kids over their choice of activities is an ancient tradition. The funny thing is when I was a kid, parents battled kids to get them to spend more time indoors reading a book or doing their homework or just being home. (When I was a kid, I commonly didn't come home until it got dark and we couldn't play any more. By that time, it was time to go to bed.)

And although the kids back then and now just think their parents are trying to spoil their fun, what parents are usually looking for is a balance. Parents don't want their kids to be glued to their computers until they get carpal tunnel at the age of 9 but parents also want their kids to do more than run around outside.

So, parents, your job has not changed. The war has just moved to a different battlefield...indoors. Good luck and always call for reinforcements (grandparents) when you are in danger of being overrun.

Gas Price $2.39

Gas in Madison is now $2.39 a gallon.

Art Fair on the Square 2005

Wendy and I went to the Art Fair on the Square this morning. We had fun. I saw some interesting and excellent photographs and pottery. The food was very good.

The morning started out with temperatures that were tolerable and there were small groups of people. As we approached noon, it got very hot and very crowded. But we were ready to leave at that point anyway.

Some of the photographs I saw were well beyond my expertise. But I saw other photographs that I think I could've taken just as easily. Who knows. Maybe someday I will exhibit some photographs. It was interesting that of all the photographs we looked at, I didn't see any taken in Madison. So, that could be a direction to go.

People and booths at the Art Fair on the Square. 

While attending the Art Fair on the Square in Madison, I bought food from this booth. The Pad Thai was good. But the Squash Curry was excellent. 

If you ever visited the square in downtown Madison during warm weather, you may have noticed the water fountains. The city has decided to remove these fountains. 

A rare look at East Washington facing East in Madison, WI. The road was closed which enabled me to stand in the middle of the street and take this photo without becoming roadkill.

Megan and Josh CD Coming!

Since Wendy took about 300 photos at Josh and Megan's celebration, we will be mailing photo CDs out.

It may not happen this week, but they should be mailed by next week.

War of the Species

I went to see Steven Spielberg's latest movie "War of the Worlds" last week. This was a roller coaster ride of a movie and great fun.

It reminded me of Spielberg's movie "Jaws." This movie is designed to scare the heck out of you. And I thought it succeeded.

This was not a perfect movie. I didn't like the very beginning and the very end. Special effects were great. Tom Cruise was Tom Cruise. Tom didn't do a bad job but because of his shenanigans off the screen, he is now carrying some baggage on screen. He's a little spoiled with his superstar status and it shows.

Dakota Fanning as the daughter did a great job as usual. Child stars don't have it easy. So, I wish her the best.

Except for its special effects, this movie isn't going to win any academy awards but it's a roller coaster ride on a summer afternoon that you don't want to miss.

Just like the movie "Jaws" made me think twice about going into the water. This movie will make you think twice the next time there is a lightning storm near you. (I won't say why because I don't want to spoil the movie for you.)

The Computers are Coming The Computers are Coming

Take a look at the photo below. What's interesting about a computer that helps you with your puppy is that it's a dedicated, single purpose computer. We may see in the coming years, as computers and memory get cheaper, single purpose computers being offered on all sorts of things.

For example:

*When you buy a car, the manual in the glove compartment may be a small, hand held computer.
*When your doctor sends instructions home with you, the instructions may be on a small hand held computer.
*When you arrive at the airport, you may be handed a small computer which will constantly update you on whether your flight is on time, whether you connecting flight is on time, what gate you are to report to, and how much hot dogs cost in the food court. Once your vacation is over and you've arrived at your home airport, you toss your special hand held computer in a bin so that the computer can be reused.
*When you arrive at work, your hand held computer is updated with meeting times, policy changes, announcements, and when your project is due.
*At the video store, you are handed a small computer that can show you movie trailers of any video in the store. Headphones will also be provided so that you don't disturb other customers.
*At the grocery store, the department store, or the shoe store, you pick up a small handheld computer at the door and can scroll through the items on sale that day.
*At your favorite restaurant, you will be given a small dedicated computer instead of a menu. This computer will list specials and show videos on how the food or drinks are made.
*When you buy your next home theater surround sound system there will be a small computer in the box which will tell you how to assemble that surround sound system.
*When you go the liquor store, a small hand held computer will be able to tell you the history and price of any beverage in the store.

You get my point. Small, inexpensive, dedicated computers are on their way.

Pet Master hand held computer. See article above.

Josh and Megan's Celebration

Josh and Megan's celebration was held yesterday and today at Tim and Cathy's place. Wendy went yesterday. I didn't go because I had to work.

There was a campout, pig roast, and a mock wedding yesterday during the day. For fun, everyone in the wedding party wore bib overalls (see photos below). And last night, Tim and Cathy had a fireworks display.

Congratulations to Josh and Megan on their wedding! And Skylar is one cute baby. Josh and Megan plan on building a house on 5 acres of land that Tim and Cathy gave them.

Shannon and Skylar. 

Skylar up close and personal. 

Fireworks at Tim and Cathy's last night.

Josh and Megan showing their wedding rings. 

Josh, Megan, and Skylar. 

Josh and Megan at the altar. 

Josh and Megan at the altar. 

Tim escorting Megan up the aisle. 

Cathy waiting for the mock wedding to begin. 

The gang enjoying the day. 

Great fire photo taken by Wendy. 

Bernice at Megan & Josh's celebration on 7-2-05 

Batman Begins Again

I saw the movie "Batman Begins" recently and I was pleasantly surprised.

The selection of movies this summer has been very poor. So, I went to "Batman Begins." I thought about going to see "Cinderella Man" but the idea of watching another boxing movie didn't appeal to me.

"Batman Begins" is a prequel: it tells the story of when Batman was a child and his parents are killed by a criminal. Watching his parents get murdered shapes Batman's life and personality.

Despite the fact that the Batman character has been done to death, this was a good movie. The dialogue was crisp and fresh. The fight scenes were interesting. They explained how, with modern technology, the amazing gadgets and tools Batman uses could actually work in our year of 2005.

Christian Bale was a believable Batman despite being a pretty boy. (Are there any real men in Hollywood any more?). He handled the action scenes and the Batman voice well.

Michael Caine was delightful as Alfred. Gary Oldman was good as police officer Gordon (who someday will become police chief Gordon).

Special effects were great but they didn't overpower the story and there actually was a story. Christopher Nolan, the director, has great style and the movie was very smooth.

Overall, a pretty good summer movie and the best Batman movie yet.