Mad Macedonian

Even Pravda Can Publish Stories Worth a Look See

Spreading Ruskie Propaganda, online, since 1999, the English language website has some interesting stuff from time to time, as these photo stories show:

Body Art Inspired by Nature.

The Birth of a Chicken.

American Composers Festival: Blood Diamond, the Director and Composer

  Last Thursday I attended a special screening of the Oscar nominated film Blood Diamond, directed by Edward Zwick with a music score by award winning composer James Newton Howard.

The Lido Theatre, located in Newport Beach, near Pacific Coast Highway & the beach, opened in 1938.

The first film to play at this old Film Palace was the Bette Davis flick "Jezebel".

Why?

Ol' Bette lived down the street, somewhere in Corona Del Mar, and apparently came by the site as it was being built.

She, um, politely, told the owner "they had better open with my picture."

Hee, hee. ;-D

Ladies, you have her to thank for the sitting parlor in the ladies room that, as the website describes it,  "harkens back to a time when women sat and smoked and chatted while arranging makeup in the mirrors. The parlor stools are period pieces and add such a wonderful touch."

There was supposed to be a Mens room downstairs, too, but Davis nixed that brilliant idea and so, guys, you have to get a work out to go potty and, um, space apparently being at a premium, be prepared to hold it, as the line might get long. ;-D

The Lido has been restored, including the balcony seating.

The poster cases are original, as is the tiny box office located outside the theatre under the Grand Marquee, and the Lido still uses manually dispensed real tickets instead of computer generated ones. The Grand Marquee is spectacular, with neon that lights the entire street, and painters and photgraphers can be seen daily in front of the theatre.

I got there at 6pm, and the lines to get in had already begun to form.

People of all ages, and backrounds were gathering for an entertaining evening at the Fleas & Itches (An Aussie term of endearment for the Movie Theatre, in loving honor of the early days before most cinemas where cleaned real nice like.).

The first things you notice, once inside, are the comfy seats, and the waterfall red velvet curtain that rises when each film begins.

Another thing you will notice, later, once the screening begins, is that the owner allows no pre-show advertisements!

Yup, you can safely bring your 5 year old to the movies, here, and not worry about seeing previews for Saw #Whatever before a family friendly film. ;-D 

Overheard in the theatre before the film started:

1 well-dressed caucasian young lady to another: Do you want to go pee and then wave at me?

She MIGHT have said "See"...the theatre WAS noisy, after all. ;-D

Overheard in the seat behind me:

Well-dressed caucasian man to well-dressed caucasian female companion: I'll take ya out to Dinner afterward, if you want...On the freeway over here I passed 2 In & Outs.

Now, ladies, before you give the guy grief for being such a cheapskate you must understand that, to many, in this part of the US of A, In & Out is a classy lunch, or dinner option, even the Drive-Thru only versions. ;-D

Blood Diamond is an Academy Award nominated 2006 drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou.
 
The title refers to blood diamonds, those baubles mined in African war zones and sold to finance the conflicts and profit the warlords and unscrupulous, greedy, diamond companies around the world.

The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Actor (DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actor (Hounsou).

Set during the Sierra Leone Civil War in 1999, the film shows a country ripped apart by the struggle between government soldiers and rebel forces, and the film goes out of its way to portray many of the atrocities of that war, including the rebels' amputation of people's hands to stop them from voting in upcoming elections, and how young boys are forced to become killers thru the use of violence, intimidation, indoctrination, and drugs.

It is not a pretty picture, life in the hell hole that is much of Africa.

This film deals with the lives of 4 people affected by these goings on.

A villager, played by Honsou, and his son, from whom he is separated, and who becomes a warrior with the rebels.

An adventurer, and smuggler, played by DiCaprio.

A journalist in search of the big story on the smugglers, and the Diamond Traffic, played by Connelly.

The villager finds a valuable diamond, while enslaved in a diamond mine, and one of his rebel captors, and the smuggler, eventually learn of this.

While the rebel leader gets hold of the villagers son, and turns him into a warrior, the smuggler ingratiates himself with the villager, offering help recovering the diamond the villager has hidden, and finding his son.

These two then meet the journalist.

From there much traversing of the country, and much violence, ensues, and the smuggler and journalist fall for each other, as he also gets a conscience while helping rescue the kid, and retrieve the diamond.

3 characters, with 3 different agendas, who are unknowingly part of a much larger story, with more complex issues at its heart, that ultimately affected them all profoundly.

Blood Diamond is a well made film, with excellent acting by the 3 leads as well as the actors playing the kid, and the rebel leader.

After the film there was an interesting Q and A with the director, and composer.

Twitter Has Many Faces

The writer of the blog Pure Cognition has written an interesting essay about Twitter, and how people are using it to communicate, and network:

"When I first read about Twitter I excused it as useless. I figured it was more "noise" contributing to the signal-to-noise ratio of the interactive web...enter human genius. ANY TIME you forget to take into account the effects of human creativity and genius, you will be wrong. And, I was wrong.

Twitter ended up becoming almost every type of application. It ended up with many faces...fueled by the human minds."

He writes about 10 such uses.

American Composers Festival 2009: I'm Baaaack...

Yessirree, Bob!

The Mad Macedonian, Culture Critic, returns to blogging performances of the Orange County Pacific Symphony!

A year ago I was invited to become a part of a Citizen Press Corp of Bloggers, encouraged to attend performances, and blog our little hearts out about them. ;-D

Last year I had a blast and, if you enjoy a good concert, and entertaining stories about them, here are my 2008 stories:

An American Tale

Dido and Aeneas: A Night at the Opera

Vladimir Spivakov, Mozart, Shostakovich and the OC Pacific Symphony

Andre Watts, Naughty Limericks, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and the OC Pacific Symphony

The theme for the 2009 American Composers Festival is THE COMPOSERS AND MUSIC THAT BELONGED TO “HOLLYWOOD’S GOLDEN AGE”.

 This season, Pacific Symphony’s 2009 American Composers Festival (ACF) celebrates the art of film music, past and present by exploring the differences between composing for concerts and composing for film—and how the two styles have evolved into what we hear today. This ACF is particularly relevant, considering that film music has been an integral part of Southern California culture since the inception of the movie industry; plus, it has strong connections to the world of “classical” concert music. Once disregarded by the modernist school of composition, film music has now come into its own as a fully recognized art form. And, of course, this recognition is not just academic. Millions of filmgoers have been exposed to—and delighted by—orchestral music through the movies.

The details, and an interesting discourse on the subjects of the series, can be read here.

The folks at the Symphony website have taken to this Blogging thing in a big way this year, taking note of of the success of the small corp of Citizen Bloggers last year, by inviting us back, and by starting their own collection of fun, and informative blogs.

Odd Thoughts That Wander Through My Brain While Taking a Shower 2

What does it say about our Senators, and Congresspersons, Conservative, and Liberal, when more ordinary Americans have read more of the travesty of a Stimulus Bill, that was just quickly passed, than they???

Set to Host Carnival of the Cats 3 times in 2009!

Daddy just awoke me from a sound nap to let me know some good news!

My requests to host the Carnival of the Cats, again, this year, have been approved! ;-D

Mark your calendars, Kitties (With a pen, pencil, or um, otherwise, your choice!)!

The dates are: March 15, June 14, November 8.

March 15 will help me celebrate my 11th Birthday, on March 5th (The same day as Daddy, coincidentally!).

In 2008 I hosted 3 times, and had a purrfectly delightful time sharing photos, and sharing stories from around the Cat Blogging Community.

March 31: #211 - Wherein I brought out the Feline Home Original 2006 White Zinfannip Tea!

To help me bring you that Carnival I shared pictures of the Feline Companions of Daddy's Uncle and Aunt!

Nov. 30th: #246 - The After Thanksgiving Edition!

Dec. 21st: #249 - The Christmas Edition!

Okay, with that out of the way, it's time for my afternoon nap! ;-D

Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat 20: CatBlogging Goes to the Dogs Edition

Welcome to Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat!

Has it really been October since the last edition?

A lot has happened around here since then, including my having to nurse Daddy back to health when he was sick with the flu for most of December.

In between naps, and looking out the window, I mostly took a powder where Blogging was concerned as I spent time contemplating where I wanted to take my Blogging in 2009.

One thing I want to do is book reviews!

Yes, like Daddy, I love to read, and not just the newspaper!

I am right now reading the most important Self-Help Guide for Cats in years, The Devious Book for Cats, by the wonderful, bestselling, writing duo of Fluffy and Bonkers!

It is a purrfectly delightful reference work that will teach even the most experienced Kitty a thing or two.

When I eventually finish reading, smelling, tasting, and rubbing the book I will have more to say about it but, for now, if your curiosity is killing you, there is a link in my sidebar to its page on Amazon. ;-D

**** 2/9 -1030AM: We Interrupt This Meowsings For IMPORTANT BREAKING NEWS!!***

Thanks Nikita! - we wrote our book for great cats like you.

We appreciate the kind words and awesome link.

Hope you have the best Monday ever.

With gratitude, Fluffy & Bonkers.

***We now return you to our regularly scheduled Meowsings***

OK, enough with doing my bit to spur on the, down in the dumps, Economy!

On with todays edition of Meowsings!

The biggest news of the year, so far, for Cats, comes from the Westminster Kennel Club, an organization with an event that went to the Dogs decades ago:

The Westminster Kennel Club, last Thursday, introduced the latest breed allowed into competition, the "Chat De Blogosphere", which, despite the Frenchfied name, can be found all over the world.

Here, an award winning representative of the breed poses in its natural environment.

The Chat De Blogosphere is the only newly-recognized breed eligible for competition at Westminster in 2009 and will compete in the Working Group.

Canine Competitors, handlers, breeders, and Dog Lovers all over the world are highly skeptical, and otherwise having a Hissy Fit, over this news (British Canines are especially vocal, growling that this move is "Just NOT Cricket!") , but the inspiration behind this unusual decision seems to be to inspire more Canines to get online, and express themselves in ways that will dispel, once, and for all, the myth of the Dog as a "Dumb Mutt".

Believed to have originated in America around 6 years ago, the Chat De Blogosphere is highly regarded for his opinionated temperament and growing online presence. The Chat de Blogosphere, also known as the Cat Blogger, Blogging Pussy, Felis Catus Blogus, or most commonly among those who attract its disapproval, as the "That Damn Cat!", is a fearlessly, intellectual animal who excels at both blogging and companionship to his family, not to mention a remarkable array of variations on the essential skill known as "Sleeping". With a head that may well be full of itself, in the opinion of its detractors, the Chat De Blogosphere is as varied in its appearance, as it is in its interests .

Size: 3lbs (1.36 kg)  to (21.297 kilograms) 46 lb 15.25 oz.  

Color and Markings: Varies from animal to animal.

Full story at Westminster Kennel Club: Chat De Blogosphere Eligible For First Time.

Learn more about the Breed at the Cat Blogosphere.

Learn more about Cats at Wikipedia.

In keeping with the theme of the day I went in search of stories where Cats shared equal billing with Dogs in the news. ;-D

So let's get this show on the road!

Santa Ana Kiril Does Not See His Shadow!

Santa Ana Kiril emerged from bed just after 7am, in front of 1 cat.
 
He did not see his shadow.
 
He was indoors. Duh. ;-D
 
Sun's up so chances are good for later.
 
Santa Ana Kiril is making clear that seeing his shadow is no big deal.
 
He lives in California, for crying out loud, and ALWAYS sees his shadow!
 
They get along just fine, too! ;-D
 

Nothing Says Super Bowl Sunday Like Hot Dogs, Chips, and...

Beer  Diet Coke, lots of Diet Coke!

 

For me watching Football means the USC Trojans, and the College Bowl Season.

Very little, if any at all, NFL, until Super Bowl Sunday.

Look the Rams left, and the Raiders, too, thus leaving SoCal, excepting San Diego, in the lurch, all these years.

Can you blame me?

Adding insult to injury the NFL keeps ignoring this all important market at every opportunity, and if we do get a team it may only be because the Chargers might dis San Diego over not getting a new stadium, thus opening the door for a new stadium to lure them to my backyard in The City of Industry.

Frankly, I'd prefer a new franchise rather than some team owner dissing their loyal fans.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh, yeah, food.

Went to the market for Hot Dogs, Chips, Dip, and enough Diet Coke to swim in, if I knew how to swim. ;-D

After I removed them from my shopping cart my resident Food Inspector, and Co-Blogger, Nikita, gave everything the once over, to spot any health concerns, them gave me the Paws Up.

For his hard work, and dedication, he will be getting a couple of handfull of greenies snacks as we watch the game together.

Why do we watch?

Why, for the commercials, and halftime show, of course!

It's not all about the game, afterall, especially when your team isn't playing in it. ;-D

If I had to pick a team, though...

Obama chose the Steelers, sooo...

Go Cardinals! ;-D