it's a wonder i have a girlfriend. really.

in an effort to organize the random pictures i've spied in recent weeks on the interwebs + in person, i'll try to bunch them into certain themes. let the games begin...

the devil IS cool:

Peanuts is (are?) darker than i seem to have recalled:

big green monsters:

Star Wars geeks outnumber all others at comic book conventions:

the new Star Trek film is going to be SO BOSS:

i can really get into art, literally:

that's all for this installment. hopefully i'll work up the courage to write something of value here next time!

snckrz = not snacklish (or snackulous)

lately in NYC, i've been seeing cabs w/ related terms in the Snickers logo. i thought nothing of this, until i today discovered that they had a campaign promoting the use of "Snacklish. some examples:

sadly, that's not where i made the connection. i randomly landed on Snckrz.com (via a Tweet) - which is (was) a consumer-made (not necessarily a fan made) Snickers logo generator (NOT created by Snickers). sadly, it is being shut down in ~2 hours of this post:

much like Scrabulous, a missed opportunity (by a big corporation).

and that's really all i have to say.

even superheros need to rock out.

that. just. happened.

why the left is right (and pancakes & sausage on a stick is wrong).

last night, as i curled up to enjoy the Daily Show with my lady-friend (a post dinner routine we have), a thought occurred to me: WHY is there no poignant, intelligent humor coming from the Right?

let's be clear, even though Jon Stewart and his cohorts poke fun at quite a lot - the government, the media, Democrats, Republicans (of course), Jimmy Dean Chocolate Chip Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick - it is perceived, by many on the Left AND Right alike, to be a very LEFT-leaning show. in fact, TDS hardly denies such a thing (contrary to a certain political commentator host on the Fox News Network, which claims to be "fair and balanced").

i would go as far as to argue, that regardless of your leanings on the political spectrum, left, right, moderate, moderate right-leaning, moderate left-leaning, wookie, etc ...ANY fan of intelligent commentary/humor can ENJOY the Daily Show.

but still, WHY isn't this kind of humor appearing on the Right? (warning...this is where my post takes a hard left)

because a large majority of the stuff Jon Stewart + friends are spouting (in a quasi-intelligent, tongue-in-cheek sort of manner) about the right/media is TRUE. and there's hardly a plausible defense/counter-offense that can be offered by the Right. a GREAT example of this is, most recently, TDS's recent coverage of CPAC:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CPAC After Party

Daily Show Full Episodes

people go on and on about a "liberal bias" in the media (completely discounting the fact that Fox News, who has 1/3 the research & media budget of CNN continues, to give Ted Turner's + James Earl Jones' cable news network of choice a run for their money), a point to which i'll somewhat concede. but doesn't that bias exists FOR A REASON?

the marketplace (of news + intelligent consuming viewers) demands and rewards that which caters to their media palette. i'm not defending American media (if anything, i am one of it's harshest critics), but if it does indeed lean Left, than perhaps it is because, in many cases, the Left side of the argument (from an "in practice" standpoint) is more in the moral right ("correct"...you know what i mean) than the Right has been in MANY recent years.

seriously. market forces would have to otherwise dictate that there is a audience who WANTS to consume a right-leaning, humorous, intelligent commentary on the left/media. but to my knowledge, nothing exists to the same level of prominence that the Daily Show does? or am i so far entrenched in my lefty leftliness that i am just completely unaware of such a gem?

am i suggesting that America is a nation of mostly left-leaning ideals? despite our current political + economic climate, i would still argue NO (sadly), quite the opposite. but then again, those on either end of the spectrum usually argues in a paniced, Chicken-Little, call-to-arms, sort of way that the scales are tipping in "the other" direction. i'm just claiming that a majority of those that consume media IS left-leaning, and most of the TV-news coverage caters to that (albeit, either side of spectrum reporting in this country does it in a sensationalist, lowest-common-denominator sort of way).

in summary, i've really said nothing new (or of value) here. if anything, i've made a very sloppy argument that makes very little sense. but to be clear, i've just made my own opinionated observation.

the Daily Show is still quite funny, smart, and entertaining. you should watch it already. but make sure you get your ACTUAL news (with a healthy does of cynicism) from somewhere else. go READ it in print or online (and always from multiple sources). after all, reading takes more mental energy/thinking on your part...allowing you to make your own decision, VS being told what to think by the talking heads on the TV,

so what was the point of this post again? oh yeah, Jon Stewart is funny. i'd appreciate something just as good from the Right.

*(interesting anecdote on the side here. my dAd watches + enjoys BOTH the Daily Show AND the O'Reilly Factor. i have no idea how his head doesn't explode.)

(more to come)

i know, i know, it's been a while since ANY decent posts of substance. for now you'll have to deal with a few cool nerdy images i've pulled down in recent weeks.

this one simply blew me away:

this one left the Trekker in me smiling:

this one re-educated me on the capital of Poland from 1038-1596:

this one reminded me, that as much as i'm a big fan of President Barry, even HE has to deal with the real devils that are out there in our system:

there are some real posts coming, i promise. in fact, i've gotten several thoughts/premises scribbled down (yea, i know you've heard THAT one before). here's a taste of what's most recently been on on my mind:
-examining the multi-generational appeal of bed & breakfasts
-kookie inventions that i predict we will see in our lives
-examining the supposed collapse of the printed media

until then, enjoy a slow-mo walk thru NYC (not as provocative as the still below would indicate, honest!):

oh, the places you'll go.

today is Dr.Seuss' 50th birthday, of which was paid homage by one of my favorite company's (seen above).

as i was recently in Springfield, MA's Quadrangle (home to the National Dr.Seuss Memorial), i thought i'd share a few pictures in tribute (more here).

and fear not, dear reader, while i have more than a few more lengthy posts up my sleeve, i leave you with the following Seuss-ian thought (which yours truly would clearly do well to take heed):

"so the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads."

why bright green shirts are a bad idea.

another gem from the NY comic con. look closely. click to zoom.

in heaven...

so today took a half day, and took the bus/train/subway into the city to check out the NY Comic Con. surprisingly enough, this was my FIRST comic book convention.

the main reason i went was to meet the creator of my (current) favorite comic book, get the newest volume, and maybe even meet the author. mission accomplished. he even did a sketch for me (above).

here are some other random pics from the show (tho the best is yet to come):

i stocked up on quite a few graphic novels (half-off!)...pretty much until i couldn't carry any more...

i'll head back tomorrow for some prime people watching. stay tuned for more pictures...

old souls?

there's a lot to be said about having an "old soul." despite my STILL reading comics + collecting (not playing) with action figures, many would say i was already 30* when i was 16. more politely put, some would call me an "old lady" (but that's besides the point).

however you describe it, it's having an older mentality (maturity?) when you're younger. and the more we age, one could argue the more advanced our outward/inward view has the capacity to become. so a 60/70 year old, who has seen + thought more of life & the world has a broader, perhaps wiser view than the 20/30 year old (ther are always exceptions)

but given we all have finite lives, one can only go so far. so if you progress faster down this mental spectrum, do you get further along? do those who are old souls reach some higher level of enlightenment at the end of their days (VS those who progress at a "normal" pace)?

...this random thought was brought to you in part by the drive in to work today (tho i wonder if i would have thought differently if i had still biked/bussed in). and, the letter "Q"


*still not 30 (yet)

stuff brown person likes.

ok, i'm not white. never have been. never will be.

but as an indian kid growing up in suburban upper-middle class Alabama, it was a good long while before that realization really set in. it was an even longer while before i rid myself of the idea of WANTING to be white.

sure, there have been lots of good books, many of which have ( & will likely) covered this topic in a much better depth than i. but that's not what this post is about (have no fear). i'd rather keep it more lowbrow, with some personal insight thrown in for good meaure.

rather, this is just a re-post of sorts of one of the more hilarious sites that's been around for quite some time (& many of my close white friends not been aware of), despite all the press & publishing that it has received.

StuffWhitePeopleLike.com

and it's just that. a semi-regular series of postings that educate the non-white on the craziness that is stereotypical white America (and more importantly, how to survive, fit in, and thrive in it). sadly, in this country, you could not have a similar site dedicated to Stuff ____ People Like without being labeled racist (does it make it any better that the author is a self-reflective white guy?)

but i digress, that is ANOTHER, more educated post. regardless their site is hilarious, and ANY fan of good comedy (with an open mind) should read it regularly.

that being said, over the many months the site has been in publicaiton, there's a good summary list. an old (white) friend of mine gave himself an audit awhile back. as somewhat of a coconut (or almond, brown on the outside, white on the inside), i decided to finally perform my own.

what you'll find below is the list of how i fared (linking to the original SWPL posts, with some brief commentary of my own). along the way, you might learn something about me (but now in reflection, i question my own personal motivations...ruh-roh).
stuff brown person likes:

• #2 Religions their parents don’t belong to - well, only because i'm not religious at all (but curious, see #20). does that count?
• #7 Diversity - it works. seriously. no joke. but we take it too far with diversity for the sake of diversity (quotas, etc). we should encourage + provide equal opportunity, and try to close the gap wherever we can. but no handouts for unqualified persons, please.
  
• #8 Barack Obama - have you not READ my blog? more importantly, have you not read HIS books?
  
• #10 Wes Anderson Movies - Royal Tenenbaums is one of the best movies ever. PERIOD.
  
• #11 Asian Girls - well. one in particular. but not bc she's Asian, bc she's awesome.
  
• #12 Non-Profit Organizations - if only they paid me to do what i do best (read comics), make up stuff
  
• #13 Tea - i'm indian! my mom grew up in Englad. i have to! it's the Queen's will!
  
• #14 Having Black Friends - just so i can ask racially sensistive questions. that, and the few i am close friends make me want to dress better (is that a stereotype, or just commentary on how i'm only friends with well-dressed black people?)
  
• #19 Traveling - 7 continents by 30. 50 states by 50. this one is obvious.
  
• #20 Being an expert on YOUR culture - related to #2. bc to me, religion is a cultural expression of faith. so naturally, despite my own person misgivings about religion, i'm very curious about yours (and everyone else's), since that seems to be the excuse that makes the world go round
  
• #22 Having Two Last Names - my middle name is more of a second last name (my mom's maiden). tho i think my gf's last name is easier/better than mine.
  
• #26 Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!) - i guess so, since it's like, the center of everything where i now live.
  
• #28 Not having a TV - well, not having cable. the internet is magical thing. Hulu & media centers are as well.
  
• #34 Architecture - my dad was one. he wouldn't let me become one. so now i look on with envy and desire.
  
• #35 The Daily Show/Colbert Report - the first has great opening commentry and ok interviews. the second has ok opening commentary and great interviews.
  
• #36 Breakfast Places - mostly driven by my gf. making breakfast on the weekends is way better. mmmm, omellettes, turkey bacon, and bagels.
  
• #38 Arrested Development - funny, but i'm not as obsessed as others. i was a bigger fan of David Cross on Mr.Show (HBO)
  
• #40 Apple Products - not sure if/when i'll buy a Mac, but i (heart) my iPhone. and they a pain to put video on tho.
  
• #41 Indie Music - sadly, i fear my music taste is becoming more homogeneous. it's only the recommendations of my cooler friends that keeps my tastes somewhat "indie"
  
• #42 Sushi - who knew that unagi (eel) wasn't naturally flavored barbecue?
  
• #47 Arts Degrees - see #34. it's a jealousy thing. a lot of good my engineering background has done me.
• #50 Irony - "...don't you think?" (tho these are more like more like bummers)
  
• #51 Living by the Water - colder, yes. but it's where i live. and that's neat.
  
• #55 Apologies - it's a compulsion i guess.
  
• #57 Juno - witty dialogue. nice love story. good music. i'm a sap for these sort of things. but best movie ever? hardly. just a refreshing change (from many of the other films showing at your local megaplex).
  
• #58 Japan - delicious food. ridiculously good transit system. great hair. pocki. comics. video games. hilarious game shows. godzilla. what's not to love?
  
• #61 Bicycles - i'm not the hardcore lance armstrong type. but i do like tooling around town or going to work (or the comic store) on my bike. it's like i'm a kid again.
  
• #64 Recycling - if you're not doing this. you're stupid.
  
• #65 Co-Ed Sports - bc guys competitive leagues have too much testosterone, and too few cute teammates/opponents.
  
• #67 Standing Still at Concerts - i'm old. mosh/circle pits suck. i'll just bob my head to the beat and sing along quietly.
• #70 Difficult Breakups - (sigh). i wish i wasn't a pro here. hopefully that's over with.
• #71 Being the only white person around - see #19. living in asia was neat.
  
• #75 Threatening to Move to Canada - not a threat. an option. esp when your gf has duel citizenship.
  
• #78 Multilingual Children - mostly to make up for the fact that i speak more german than hindi. and my gf doesn't speak too much mandarin/cantonese either (sigh).
  
• #79 Modern Furniture - see #34.
  
• #83 Bad Memories of High School - until my parents sent me to a (nerd) boarding school.
  
• #84 T-Shirts - i've spent far too much money here. fortunately, thru the help of friends and a 12-step program, i'm better now.
  
• #91 San Francisco - what? they have good food there! and it's pretty!
  
• #93 Music Piracy - there's a better way, i know. but someone needs to invent it already. and that applies to television, and film.
• #94 Free Healthcare - it's not perfect. but it works better than the current system we have.
  
• #106 Facebook - i'm on the fence here. twitter/flickr is way better. but this serves as a good combining medium.
  
• #108 Appearing to Enjoy Classical Music - i really do like vivaldi. beyond that, i'm pretty clueless
  
• #109 The Onion - headlines on Twitter. picking up the print edition in whatever big city i find myself in. A/V club.
  
• #112 Hummus - yum.
  
• #113 Halloween - more to hand out candy to kids in the neighborhood. tho i'm pretty sure that was more appealing [on the border of a bad neighborhood in] Cincinnati than in [rich suburban] NY.
  
• #114 America - feeling pretty good (for now). we'll see how long that lasts. but i'm optimistic.
  
• #115 Promising to Learn a New Language - see #78
  

so, how do you stack up?

more Watchmen excitement

as cool as this little piece looks, i'm still holding my reservations...

more random stuff found on the interwebs while neither working nor playing.

as i'm sure you do, i see a LOT of random stuff in my daily musings/wanderings (online and off). i occasionally save them to my desktop, and do nothing with them. well that's going to change. i've actually already done this once or twice, but

let's start with a classic. this one always cracks me up...

i am still amazed and in envy (of both the receiving child, and the artistic ingenuity of the father) of LunchBag Art. basically every day on HIS lunch break, a dad draws some awesome sci-fi culture onto his kids lunchbag for the next day. i hope i'm that cool of a dad when i grow up. here are some recent highlights (see if you can name all 3!)...

after a couple of years of using other people's Wii's (we even had a few games/wiimotes of our own), my girlfriend + i finally got our OWN Wii. my former roommate was nice enough to send me a TON of my the Miis of all my Cincinnati friends. it's like i never left!

for Christmas, my girlfriend got Wii Fit. after one of my Yoga exercises, here was my initial score...

afterwards, i went and made a sandwich ("i eat because i'm unhappy, and i'm unhappy because i eat) that the Cinci Bagel Stop has got nothing on...

since we're on the topic of food, i thought this cupcake design was genius.

i spent a snowy afternoon in my storage unit (where 95% of my worldly posessions are) trying to unearth a single piece of furniture (which wound up being in the very back, leading me to take EVERYTHING out of the unit). i also went chair shopping for my new home office. i still haven't found what i'm looking for, so the big green exercise ball will continue to suffice

holy frak! the beginning of the end (last half of the final season) of BattleStar Galactica started this past week. loved the targetted advertising that i was seeing. i missed the debut of the new episode, as i was in Toronto at an improv show. while there, i saw the following flyer for some AWESOME satire...

some fantastic "Simponsized" BSG fan art:

upon returning to suburban NY, i was taken to the Rockland Bakery, where i was able to pull fresh bagels straight off the line. genius!

this was posted by my buddy Sean awhile ago. i thought it was genius. but then again, i have to come to expect such things from Sean:

i plan to dress up as the Baumer for Christmas one day, as the RT is still one of my favorite movies (too bad he now has his own tshirt which might just give it away). if you don't get it or like it, we must cease our friendship immediately.

omg. don't even get me started about this past Tuesday. i'll simply just make another allusion to the very special Spidey backup story? why i like PRESIDENT Barry so much (let me count the ways), it's his cool nature, even under fire (read the bottom right balloon, the one at the top is being spoken by [SPOILER ALERT!] the Chameleon masquerading as the Prez):

in all (un)serioiusness though, ONE of my favorite parts was the closing benediction by former civil rights activist Dr. Joseph Lowery. one part in particular. jump to 4:30 specifically to see what i'm talking about.

you know what was even better than Tuesday? WEDNESDAY, when President Barry started doing stuff. man this is such a boss picture...

that's just about it. so let's end on a...

congrats Barry.

to my dear friend Barry (i might have to stop calling him that after 11am EST today):

from the entire team at RamanCoke.com, we salute you good sir.
...and to all of you actually at the inauguration, i smile at you as i sip my warm tea.