I'm Full

posted on november 28, 2002, tags: me

Oh, right: Happy Thanksgiving you sons of bitches.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

posted on november 28, 2002, tags: web

Weather.com is usually pretty accurate with their forecasts, or at least in previous experience. That is, until this morning. See, last night it snowed here—only about an inch—and this morning when I got up I checked Weather.com to see if it would be snowing at all today (I love snow). I opened up the forecast for my zip code, and was surprised to see that the current temperature was 108°F. Didn't seem right, since there was ice on the ground outside my window, but I guess you have to trust them. So I put on some shorts, a tank-top and went to the pool.

No More Slow

posted on november 26, 2002, tags: site

These pages should load noticeably faster now, thanks to a nice GZIP tip from Dean Allen. Even on my 2.26 P4 and cable I can see a big change in speed. Fantastic. And just one line of PHP code!

I Fixed It, Give Me Money

posted on november 14, 2002, tags: site

Since the release of the current version of this website, there has been a problem with the donate button in any Mozilla browser. I had forgotten about this problem until yesterday, when I received a donation (thank you!). Today I fixed it, it was extremely simple to do so, and now that button should allow you to donate from any browser, PC or Mac.

Marshal Mathers

7 comments (closed), posted on november 10, 2002, tags: entertainment

I'm not really an Eminem fan, I swear. All right, so I've been enjoying some of his latest music. Fine, I like it. But I'm not a fan. I promise. Well, maybe a little. But not enough that I'd see 8 Mile had Curtis Hanson not directed it. Having directed L.A. Confidential, I figured there had to be something good about this project for Hanson to attach himself to it. And there was.

8 Mile was a well done, gritty film with a very "real" feel about it. It was designed following a very typical story arc—everyone thinks he/she will fail, that he/she isn't good enough... and he/she almost gives up, but then doesn't... and in spite of everything, he/she succeeds—but it in no way felt contrived or forced, false or unrealistic. The key to this story is the lack of elements that made Glitter and Rock Star so shitty: a limit to success. Let's face it, you don't always want to see the main character get everything they've ever wanted. And you certainly don't always want to see them get it all at once. What 8 Mile manages to do quite well is fill you with satisfaction of the realistic kind. Eminem's character isn't recording triple-platinum albums at the end of the movie, and he isn't playing sold out shows. The triumph is relative to the situation, and to the fact that this is the life of a guy who is just starting to become who he wants to be.

This movie isn't for Eminem fans (although they'll still like it, I'm sure), this movie is for movie fans. People who like to see a well crafted film. And on a side note, I really want to find a job that will allow me to "duel" at lunch.

Spider-Man DVD Disc 2: Stinks

posted on november 8, 2002, tags: entertainment

I loved Spider-Man. I saw it twice in theaters, and wanted to go a third time, but I was told this wasn't something "adults" do with their lives. When I heard the release date for the DVD, I instantly began dreaming about that second disc... how wonderful it would be to see all that behind-the-scenes magic that made Spidey come to live on the big screen in such a fantastic way.

Naturally, I bought the DVD the first chance I got a day or two after it was released. When I got home, the first thing I popped in was that second disc. Having read the content listing from the package on the way home, I was extremely rushed to see what it contained.

But alas, the second disc... well... sucks. Every feature is about 30-90 seconds long, save the HBO Making Of Special, which on its own is interesting but lacking. There's no heavy-duty special-effects features, nothing showing the man who played Spidey in the suit doing all of the insane flipping around, just plain nothing.

When a movie like Spider-Man comes out on DVD, there should be no question whether or not it will be busting with amazing features. Someone really messed up here.

Adam Sandler is Great

posted on november 8, 2002, tags: entertainment

Punch Drunk Love was great. I saw it almost two weeks ago, but with my busy schedule lately, I haven't had much time to sit around discussing my recent movie-going experiences with you and your friend Charles. But in case ol' Chuck is still around:

I had no idea what to expect from this film. At all. And I think that was the best possible way to go into it, as I felt extremely satisfied both during and after watching it. The characters were strange, funny, and sad all at the same time yet remarkably entertaining. Adam Sandler in particular does a fantastic job in PDL, and no matter what anyone tells you, this is not an Adam Sandler movie.

He felt fresh and unique, something I wasn't necessarily expecting even though I had been told to, and fit absolutely perfectly into the role and film. He made this movie what it is, in a way I never expected.

I'm not a PT Anderson fan, in the least, but this movie was beyond worth seeing. If you have a chance, please do so.