ATL - 8/04/08 - Soccer

MOVIE/ART/LOCAL/NYC/FRENCH/WEB NEWS

MOVIE NEWS - Fox Theater, Thursday, 8/7 - "Sex and the City". Get Carried Away.

Fox Theater, Friday, 8/8 - "Ironman". Heroes aren't born, they're built.

Fox Theater, Sunday, 8/10, 2:00 PM, "Kung Fu Panda". Experience the Pandamonium.

Fox Theater, Sunday, 8/10, 7:30 PM, "Hancock". He is saving the world, whether we like it or not.

Theater Release, Friday, 8/8 - "Pineapple Express". Superbad Forty Year-Old Pot.

ART NEWS -Two photo exhibits previously mentioned here close this week at the High. Go check out "Young Americans" and "Street Life".

Paris on Ponce, 8/5, 7:30 - The Dames Aflame join Big Mike Geier and whoop it up with Hollis Gillespie and Grant and Lary to celebrate the release of her latest book.

Fernbank, Friday, 8/8 - Martinis and Imax "Beach Bash" with Tonga Hiti!

LOCAL NEWS -Tuesday, 8/5, Mentelle Drive, between 7th & Charles Allen - Midtown celebrates "National Night Out". Head to the neighborhood street party and take back the streets (from the sewer construction?). It's a nationwide event to promote safety, awareness, and neighborhood spirit. -NNO-

Dad's Birthday, 8/5 - He'll be 69 years young, and after spectacularly pulling through a slight stroke this summer, we are all especially happy to be celebrating his birthday this year. -his photo book-

Bootcamp Field Day, 8/9 - The Olymics start Friday night, but the real event takes place on Saturday. Meet in the Metropolis lobby at 8:00 AM to walk over to Piedmont Park (with fewer than 49,999 of your friends) for fun and field day games!

NYC NEWS - MoMA's current exhibit "Home Delivery" details past developments in prefabricated housing design. Getting beyond the more well-known Quonset Huts and mobile homes, one manufacturer - Lustron - sold sheet metal prefabs. There is one example home set-up inside the museum and it is the same model that a friend owned in Decatur - I found myself walking through D.'s house inside MoMA. Cool.

The NY Giants are moving to a new indoor stadium; one 40-year season ticket subscriber was offered tickets for the next season...at $700 a seat. His family's season ticket's would cost him $80,000 next year.

The Arab Emirates' first Airbus A380 landed at JFK last Friday. It figures an OPEC country could afford to fly the new giganta-plane!

I guess he could be a hand model. Overheard at a bar - Girl A: "Mike's at a shoot all day."

Girl B: "What is he; a photgrapher?"

Girl A: "No..he's a model."

Girl C: "No...he's a MALE model."

FRENCH NEWS - Michael Phelps leads Le Monde's Olympics coverge with his quest for a record-breaking 8 gold medals.

WEB NEWS - In honor of the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games, I'd like to remind everyone that Americans are capable of a little celebrating, too. -redneck fireworks- -Atlanta Olympic Games-

...the rest of the story...

ATL - 7/28/08 - Island of Misfit...Stuff

Xanadu at the Plaza rocked...thanks Kyle.tv and Gang!These are all things left behind at our place by friends...you have 1 week to contact us to reclaim it or it's going to Goodwill! (Come on...someone is missing that breakfast tray!)

MOVIE/LOCAL/U.S./FRENCH/WEB NEWS

MOVIE NEWS - "The Movie Insider" lists a couple of movies coming out August 1st, including "(Another frickin') Mummy", "Swing Vote", and "Choke". If I want more Brendan Fraser, Kevin Costner, or Chuck Palahniuk, I'll rewatch "The Mummy", "Bull Durham", and "Fight Club". If I'm going to see something a 2nd time in the theater this weekend, I'm going to "Wall-E" or "Dark Knight".

LOCAL NEWS - Atlanta groups are begging to regain access to Piedmont Park. Maybe they should just sue. From the nyt; New York City "has been struggling to defend a decision to deny permits to two antiwar groups that sought to hold a rally of 75,000 people in Central Park...The city argued that the big crowds would damage the Great Lawn..."

Overheard in Cartersville: "So, I hear they call you 'Toolshed'; I'm kinda scared to ask, but how'd you get that nickname?"

"Cuz I got a big tool...heh, heh, heh."

"Oh...well...then shouldn't 'Toolshed' be your wife's nickname?"

"uh...nope...why would it be? That's my nickname."

"Nevermind."

U.S. NEWS -Dolly blew into Texas. Pigeon Forge breathed a sigh of relief.

U.S. - Wachovia loses $9 billion. I hope they didn't lose mine.

Now jalapeños are being blamed for a nationwide case of food poisoning. I find this whole thing is a little over-reactionary; a couple of folks throw up for a day or two and entire farms are shut down - people are dying of obesity-related disease, but no one is demanding a recall of Big Macs!

FRENCH NEWS - Following his "successful" trip overseas, Le Monde reports that Obama returns to the U.S. to concentrate on the economy. Oh, and some guy won some bike race. -la victoire de Carlos Sastre-

WEB NEWS - "Netroots" had their convention last week about online forms and politics...a giant blogger-a-thon.

...the rest of the story...

ATL - 7/21/08

MOVIE/ART/LOCAL/U.S./FRENCH/WEB NEWS

MOVIE NEWS - Has anyone else seen both "Enchanted" and "Wall-E" and marvelled at Disney's ability to elicite sympathy for even the lowly cockroach? George W oughta hire Walt's gang for a make-over.

Tuesday, 7/22, Plaza Theater - Before Tuesday, the declining Plaza Theater might be "a place, where nobody dared to go...", but that one night, I'll dare to go see "Xanadu" come alive on the big screen. That is my ultimate, favorite bad movie. (Favorite 80's anomaly in the film? Legwarmers? Roller Disco? Gene Kelly? Gunny Sack dresses? Nope...it was the main character's job...to reproduce album covers for record store displays by painting them onto 10 ft high placards. "Albums"? "Painting"? "Record Stores"? It's the 21st century equivalent of watching a blacksmith at work.)

Wednesday, 7/23, Flicks on Fifth - See "21" for free under the stars. MIT students try to take Vegas for a ride by counting cards. "I'm pretty good with numbers." Free = good.

ART NEWS -Thursday, 7/24, High Museum - Gallery Talk. Go to the High Museum (I mean like right now)...go downstairs in the new Renzo Piano addition...and check out the photography exhibits. Carnival strippers...kids in flags...Chicago bikers...all American.

LOCAL NEWS -This week is downtown restaurant week; a great chance to try a new place at a great price - $25 prix fix. Yum! We're thinking Thrive, Room, or Luckie!

NYC moves to ATL. They left high prices behind...but managed to bring their attitude with them. ""If my kids have a Southern accent, I will kill myself," Brooklyn native Jodi F..." Cuz a Jersey accent is so soothing? To quote a famous best supporting actress..."oh yeah, you blend".

Wondering what's up with the construction in the Midtown Promenade parking lot? They cut down neighborhood-planted trees for the project, so it must be something we really need. That's right, with 10 stores closing in metro Atlanta, including one at 17th & Peachtree, Starbucks managed to squeeze out another slightly less-than-over-saturated-neighborhood niche, sacrificing green space for one more coffee shop.

1010 Midtown announced 4 new restaurants going in on the Crescent Street side of their block-long project. 1 Irish Pub, 1 Sushi, 1 Italian, and 1 Salad place. With Vickery's, Front Page News, Feugo, & South City Kitchen already well established, Crescent is shaping up to be quite the restaurant row. I'm still holding out for a Waffle House. -ajc-

Earlier this year - and with much fanfare - ATL installed automated public toilets around the city; "part of Mayor Shirley Franklin's commitment to a commission on homelessness". This weeks news is that Seattle is getting rid of 5 similiar facilities there, citing that the free restrooms were so filthy, even their target users, the homeless, wouldn't use them. How long will ours last? Pretty long; most people can't figure out how to get inside one.

U.S. NEWS - Higher Gas Prices --> Increased ethanol production --> More corn planted --> Greater fertilizer use --> Largest Gulf Dead Zone ever recorded. Nitrogen run-off has depleted oxygen in 8,800 sq miles of the Gulf. Can't we make bio-fuel out of something we already have? Something we would be better off without that requires no feeding? Like kudzu...or Paris Hilton?

FRENCH NEWS -NPR reported on the U.S. presidential candidate's nuclear power positions. McCain made a rare positive Republican remark about the French, pointing out that the U.S. produces 20% of its power by nuclear means, while France's non-hydrocarbon power production is 80%. Today's lemonde has an article about the non-impact living near such a site has on daily life. -lemonde-

WEB NEWS - Sometimes I just wanna read a cartoon -darkhorse-

...the rest of the story...

ATL 7/14/08 - Triptych

Sometimes it feels like more than three...Making conversation (click us!)

MOVIE/ART/LOCAL/U.S./FRENCH/WEB NEWS

MOVIE NEWS - Wed, 7/16 - Flicks on Fifth is "Superbad". I haven't seen it, but it couldn't be any more painful watching someone else coming of age in the 70's than it was for me to actually do it.

Fri, 7/18 - "Dark Knight". It's not like Christopher Nolan is into "light" film subjects, but this flick couldn't be much darker, what with the actor playing the villian dead before the movie even starts. I can't wait to see it.

ART NEWS -"I'm poor, black, I might even be ugly, but dear God, I'm here. I'm here." The Color Purple is here at the Fox, 7/15-8/3. It's the national tour of the Broadway musical that premiered/workshopped at Atlanta's Alliance Theater in 2004.

Fri, 7/18 - High Museum Friday Jazz - Still my favorite excuse to make my way over to the Richard Meier/Renzo Piano gem on Peachtree. Art is alive and so is the building on jazz night.

LOCAL NEWS - Atlanta Mayor Surely-you-jest is moaning about needing to cut 160+ more city employees to meet ATL's budget. Suck it up, Surely, we've all got a budget to balance and some folks are moaning about firing their SUV's. You gotta do what you gotta do.

U.S. NEWS -Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac are in trouble. Or not. Or is it Fanny Flag and Daisy Mae? Or Freddie Prinz and Big Mac? Who knows. Just make sure you don't have more than $100,000 in any one bank.

McCain said this. Obama said that. McCain countered with so-and-so. Obama's campaign fired back this-and-the-other. Don't these guys have jobs? Shouldn't we expect more "did" than "said" from Senators that want to be President?

FRENCH NEWS -Happy Quatorze Juillet (well, yesterday, anyway). And during this celebration of independence from tyranny...Le Monde and the ACLU are pointing out that the anti-terrorist list started by King George W. has 1 million names on it. -lemonde- -aclu- Long live the King.

WEB NEWS -I've visited this site for quite some time (thanks, B!), but it's always interesting to read another perspective on today's news topics on -slate-.

...the rest of the story...

ATL 7/7/08 - Oregon 2

The trail...misty woods...WWII gun emplacement
Above Indian Beach...Falcon Cape...Cannon Beach
Portland Pride!!!

MOVIE/ART/LOCAL/U.S./FRENCH/WEB NEWS

MOVIE NEWS - Wed, July 9th - Flicks on Fifth starts "Marsden Movie Week" with "Hairspray"!

Friday is the release of "Hellboy II", directed by Guillermo del Toro. With that imaginative director at the helm, hopefully it'll be a touch of "Pan's Labyrinth II" as well.

Sun, July 13th, 2:00 PM - The Fabulous Fox hosts your 2nd chance to see James Marsden during "Marsden Movie Week" in "Enchanted".

ART NEWS -To paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart, I don't know the definition of art, "but I know it when I see it". Atlantic Station's Millenium Gate? I don't see it -ajc-

LOCAL NEWS - Sometimes I forget, but Taco Mac never does - Thursdays are "Beer of the Month" nights at the Mac...by the B.O.M. and get a brewery glass...while the supply lasts.

...and also on Thursdays, the Atlanta Botanical Garden does "Cocktails in the Garden"...regardless of your opinion about the Garden building the parking deck equivalent of the Deathstar, flowers are pretty...and so are Cosmos.

Hope everyone had a safe 4th of July! I suppose that's a forgone conclusion in Georgia, where our Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine reminds us that fireworks are dangerous and therefore illegal. Answer this, Oxy - Fireworks, when used correctly, don't harm anyone. Handguns, when used correctly, kill people. So which one can you now legally take onto MARTA in Georgia?

U.S. NEWS -Starbucks is closing 600 stores. To me, that seems a huge indicator of a weakening economy - folks are cutting back on non-necessities; especially when - for $4 - the choice is between a latte & a gallon of gas.

Cynthia Rodriguez files for divorce. Looks like her husband couldn't keep A-Rod in his pants.

Madonna files for divorce. Christie Brinkley files for divorce. Bill Murray's wife files for divorce. It doesn't look like homosexual unions are the problem with marriage...marriage is the problem with marriage. Happy Pride!

FRENCH NEWS -At the end of Stage 3 in the Tour de France, Roman Feillu is the first Frenchman to wear the yellow jersey since Cyril Dessel in 2006. The 21st and final stage ends in Paris on July 27th. -lemonde-

WEB NEWS -Food mysteries solved here -chow.com-

...the rest of the story...