'Cloud Atlas' Shrugged

I am proud to boast that I have never used hallucinogenic drugs. However, after enduring the 2 hour and 52 minutes of a crazy confused mess of a movie, we felt like we had just been on a 'bad trip,' man. Cloud Atlas, with a star-studded cast that includes Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, will certainly drift away from your local multiplex, silently amidst mega-box office failure. Based on a popular novel penned by British author, David Mitchell, this film was greatly anticipated by movie goers. It was co-directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski brothers (oops, wait a sec, it is now the brother and sister Wachowski. Larry is now Lana having had a sex change operation a few years ago. No, I'm not kidding), the partnership just didn't work. The Wachowski's "Matrix" films were awesome, but not even Neo could have saved this flop, and I don't care if he was The One. Each of the actors in the film play multiple characters across different stories and time periods. The make-up was impressive, quite often I couldn't spot the star. The movie consists of six nested stories that take the viewer from the remote South Pacific in the nineteenth century to a distant, post-apocalyptic future. Each tale is revealed to be a story that is read (or observed) by the main character in the next. All stories but the last are interrupted at some moment, and after the sixth story concludes at the center of the movie, the story "goes back" in time, "closing" each story as the movie progresses, but regresses chronologically in which the action takes place. There is a postscript at the end of the film with one of the Tom Hanks characters looking up in the sky at earth. Say what?? The hallmark of all great films is the story and this screenplay was just way too confusing. I spent most of my energy trying to figure out what was going, instead of just enjoying the film. I also had one major gripe: In the South Pacific story, the pacific islanders are all played by African American actors posing as Maori's! Now, I don't have anything against African American actors, but for heck's sake, couldn't the producers have signed some actual Polynesians for these roles? Gimme a break. DON'T GO SEE THIS MOVIE! This monumental miscasting catastrophe was as bad as casting Burt Lancaster as the native American athlete, Jim Thorpe, in the 1951 film, Jim Thorpe: All-American. If you want a good laugh, rent that movie. Jim Thorpe with a Brooklyn accent is a back-slapping hoot.

On a positive note, 'Argo,' starring and directed by Ben Affleck is a MUST SEE!

See you at the movies!!!

Endeavour over LA

 Today is one of those days that you will remember for a long time.Why? Well, it is the day before the Fall Equinox, although one would never know by the current temperature here in the Southland. No, that's not it. Is it because BYU football coach, Bronco Mendenhall, still has a job?

"Why did I do it?, said Gopher Two...

 In case you missed it Coach "Gopher Two" (that's my new name for Bronco) bet his nest egg on a 2-point conversion in last night's 7-6 (really?) loss to Boise State. With no time outs remaining and less than 4 minutes left in the contest, BYU finally scored, needing only to kick an extra point and most likely send the abysmal game into overtime. Considering how pathetically awful the offenses were for both teams, I still liked BYU's chances in OT. It was not to be. Pass incomplete, Boise State runs out the clock as the helpless BYU faithful kicked their collective dogs and cried Big Blue tears into the night. So, Coach "Gopher Two" blunders into his 2nd straight defeat. Wasted time outs, silly penalties and turnovers have become the modes operand i for this year's Cougars. I love what Bronco, err "Gopher Two' has done for the program and he is a very impressive guy. But, crap, he just can't seem to win the games we need to be winning!

"Gopher Two" telling Riley that he 's benched...

But I digress... I wasn't about to let last night's debacle ruin my Friday. Yes, today has been a great day. Was it because the iPhone 5 was released today? I passed by an AT & T store at 8:15 this morning on my way to work, and there was a line of about 50-60 Apple geeks patiently waiting to pick up their pre-ordered phones that they don't really need. Yes, this is the world we live in. Have you picked up your phone yet? Good, well then you are having a great day, too!

iPhone 4S or the iPhone 5, is it worth another $399?

 But, no, that's not what I will remember about today. Was it the mail I received from the BYU Parking  office? I think I mentioned in an earlier post, that I received yet another BYU parking ticket a few months ago while shopping at the bookstore. This was in addition to like the 200 tickets and one Rhino Boot I obtained during my matriculation on campus back in the late 70's. Let me quote a portion of the letter I received today: "This letter is to inform you that your appeal of the above citation has been carefully reviewed. The citation was issued per University Regulations. However, based upon the circumstances described in your appeal, the fine has been dismissed." YES! I FINALLY BEAT THEM! FROM RHINO BOOT TO DISMISSAL! What a day! This news almost makes up for last night's loss...But, not quite.

I beat it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 So, is that the capper for today?.. No, not quite. Today, just before noon, the retired Space Shuttle Endeavour, piggy backed atop a 747, made her final flight. She circled NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab as we viewed her from the La Canada Country Club parking lot. So cool! Thousands of Angelenos gathered at the Griffith Park Observatory, Hollywood, downtown LA, LAX, JPL and even Disneyland as Endeavour made her flyover. There is just something captivating about big beautiful machines that fly. I could watch this thing all day long. The Endeavour is now safely hangered at LAX as she is being prepared for her last leg via truck to the science museum at Exposition Park in LA. Can't wait to see her up close! Mankind has come a long way from the billowy white sails of Captain James Cook's HMS Endeavour that he plied throughout the blue Pacific, before his untimely death at the hands of the Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay.

Cook's H.MS. Endeavour

 It is mind boggling to think that man first landed on the moon 43 years ago. It's a shame that if an American astronaut wanted to go into space he or she would have to hitch a ride with the Russians. That's just wrong. I love what we are doing on Mars, but let's put a man up there, and return him safely to earth.

September 21, 2012: The Endeavour's final flight. A day to remember....
Enjoy some of the images I shot today....

Into the Burning Blue

Floating on the clouds

The Endeavour and her F-18 escorts

Coming over JPL

Sky Scrapers salute the Endeavour

High Flight

Awesome!

So close, you can almost touch her, the Endeavour soars!

Collateral Consanguinity

Karen Forsling Kamauoha with Cosmo (Is Edwin in that costume?)

Tonight's post is dedicated to my illustrious brother-in-law, Edwin Kamauoha, Esq....My 'Analog Man' post spawned an email string that provided non-stop entertainment for a good 12 hours! The main topic of that conversation was "Lineal Consanguinity." Say what? Edwin dropped that on us in one of his eloquent responses. Lineal consanguinity is that relation which exists among persons, where one is descended from the other, as between the son and the father or the grandfather, and so upwards in a direct ascending line; and between the father and the son or the grandson, and so downwards in a direct descending line. Every generation in this direct course makes a degree, computing either in the ascending or descending line. This being the natural mode of computing the degrees of lineal consanguinity, it has been adopted by the civil, the canon, and the common law. Whew! OK Edwin, try this on for size:  
Collateral consanguinity is the relation subsisting among persons who descend from the same common ancestor, but not from each other. It is essential to constitute this relation, that they spring from the same common root or stock, but in different branches. The mode of computing the degrees is to discover the common ancestor and, beginning with him to reckon downwards, so the degree the two persons, or the more remote of them, is distant from the ancestor is the degree of kindred subsisting between them. For instance, two brothers are related to each other in the first degree because from the father to each of them is one degree. An uncle and a nephew are related to each other in the second degree, because the nephew is two degrees distant from the common ancestor, and the rule of computation is extended to the remotest degrees of collateral relationship. This is the mode of computation by the common and canon law. The method of computing by the civil law is to begin at either of the persons in question and count up to the common ancestor, and then downwards to the other person, calling it a degree for each person, both ascending and descending, and the degrees they stand from each other is the degree in which they stand related. Thus, from a nephew to his father is one degree; to the grandfather, two degrees and then to the uncle, three; which points out the relationship....Holy Molly!!!!! So, what does this all mean? Edwin is married to my little sister! ....Take a look at some famous siblings you may know:

The Kennedy's
The illustrious clan gathers for a group portrait taken in 1937, when father Joseph served as ambassador to England. From left: Rose, Ted, Rosemary, Joe Jr., Joe Sr., Eunice, Jean, John, Bobby, Patricia and Kathleen.

Hank and Tommie Aaron combined for the most HR's in MLB history:  768

 (Hank hit 755, Tommie hit 13)

The Bush's
 George W sits at the far right. In this 1964 photo, he is joined by (from left) Marvin, George H.W. Bush, Jeb, Dorothy (on the floor), Barbara and Neil.

The Manning's
A spinal condition kept oldest son Cooper (middle) out of football, where Eli (top) and Peyton would star in the NFL.

Ann Landers and Dear Abby
Twins Ann (née Esther) and Abigail (née Pauline) were born 17 minutes apart. Both of them enjoyed successful careers as advice columnists.

The Baldwins
Alec is the oldest of this acting clan, which includes (from left, after Alec) Stephen, William and Daniel. Sisters Jane and Elizabeth stayed out of show business.

The Bee Gees
Barry is the first born of the Gibb brothers. He was joined three years later by fraternal twins Robin and Maurice. Together, they created the monstrously successful Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. A fourth brother, Andy, also enjoyed a successful career in pop.

The Everly Brothers
Though they harmonized beautifully on stage, Phil (left) and Don Everly quarreled often.

The Jackson's
While the Jackson's faded from view, youngest brother Michael (front row, second from right) rose to international stardom and ignominy.

The DiMaggio's
Joltin' Joe was one of nine children. His older brother Vince, left, and younger brother Dom also made it to the major leagues.

The Ripken's
In 20 years with the Baltimore Orioles, older brother Cal Jr. (left) set several all-time records and reached the baseball Hall of Fame. After a strong rookie year, younger brother Billy struggled to make it in the major leagues.

Theodore and Elliott Roosevelt
The younger Elliott (left), a melancholy drug addict, died of alcoholism seven years before his brother became president.

The Windsors
The Queen and her family pose for a 1968 portrait. From left, Princess Anne, Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, Prince Charles, Her Royal Majesty, and Prince Andrew.

Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine
In a 1996 interview, MacLaine, who is older, said that their drama teacher mother pushed them to succeed. "There's no way," she said, "Warren and I wouldn't become stars."

The Wright Brothers
Orville (right center, dark coat) and Wilbur (center next to Orville) learned the mathematics of flight from younger sister Katherine, who stands beside her two famous brothers in this photo. The other Wright children, Lorin (far left) and Reuchlin join them at the sides.

Who are YOU related too???