Saturday, May 19, 2012
Where Does the Term “Baby Bump” Come From?
This has to the among the stupidest headlines I've ever read. It comes from the fact that there's a bump... caused by a baby being inside there...
Where Does the Term “Baby Bump” Come From?
When What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the film adaptation of the puritanical pregnancy bible, opens in theaters this Friday, at least half of the pleasure will surely come from watching the A-list cast members—Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, and Elizabeth Banks—transformed from their usually lithe, elegant selves. In other words, as anyone who has even glanced at a tabloid in the last decade or so could tell you, we will be staring at the baby bumps.
Where Does the Term “Baby Bump” Come From?
When What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the film adaptation of the puritanical pregnancy bible, opens in theaters this Friday, at least half of the pleasure will surely come from watching the A-list cast members—Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, and Elizabeth Banks—transformed from their usually lithe, elegant selves. In other words, as anyone who has even glanced at a tabloid in the last decade or so could tell you, we will be staring at the baby bumps.
'Community' Taps David Guarascio and Moses Port as New Showrunners
Wow...
'Community' Taps David Guarascio and Moses Port as New Showrunners
Michael O'Connell
Creator Dan Harmon, who ran the first three seasons, will stay on as consulting producer as NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt recently insinuated.
read more
'Community' Taps David Guarascio and Moses Port as New Showrunners
Michael O'Connell
Creator Dan Harmon, who ran the first three seasons, will stay on as consulting producer as NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt recently insinuated.
read more
Vintage Venice Pictures: Rollerskaters of the ’70s
Vintage Venice Pictures: Rollerskaters of the ’70s
Long before Venice became known as “freaky” for crazy transients and wall to wall “vendors”, Venice was “funky”. “Funky” people got their trendy “freak on” wearing Dolphin short shorts, Heaven tank tops and dancing to disco music while wearing roller skates. Peep some of the awesome pictures that Mark has put up on Flickr that document the disco days of the 70′s! Play some Donna Summer while doing so!
Don’t wear underwear
Give a speculator an inch and they will build a condo.
Pacific Division of the LAPD “community outreach”.
Cheapskates + Lafayette Coffee Shop
Boardwalk 1979
Long before Venice became known as “freaky” for crazy transients and wall to wall “vendors”, Venice was “funky”. “Funky” people got their trendy “freak on” wearing Dolphin short shorts, Heaven tank tops and dancing to disco music while wearing roller skates. Peep some of the awesome pictures that Mark has put up on Flickr that document the disco days of the 70′s! Play some Donna Summer while doing so!
Don’t wear underwear
Give a speculator an inch and they will build a condo.
Pacific Division of the LAPD “community outreach”.
Cheapskates + Lafayette Coffee Shop
Venice – Santa Monica Skate Patrol 1979
Boardwalk 1979
Ocean Front Walk Vending
Venice Pavillion, ’79
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Thursday, May 17, 2012
Are There Really Just Five Racial Groups?
Are There Really Just Five Racial Groups?
For the first time in history, more than half of American children under the age of 1 are members of a minority group, according to figures released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. Everyone is familiar with the federal government’s classification of race and ethnicity—white, black or African-American, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Why did we settle on these particular groupings?
For the first time in history, more than half of American children under the age of 1 are members of a minority group, according to figures released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. Everyone is familiar with the federal government’s classification of race and ethnicity—white, black or African-American, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Why did we settle on these particular groupings?
DVR Dilemma: The New Schedule's Biggest Time Slot Conflicts
DVR Dilemma: The New Schedule's Biggest Time Slot Conflicts
Michael O'Connell
"Happy Endings," "New Girl" and NBC's new Matthew Perry comedy all occupying the same half-hour is just one of the TV conundrums coming this fall.
read more
Michael O'Connell
"Happy Endings," "New Girl" and NBC's new Matthew Perry comedy all occupying the same half-hour is just one of the TV conundrums coming this fall.
read more
Tourists Come to Los Angeles for the Culture
Tourists Come to Los Angeles for the Culture
When America isn't hating on Los Angeles, they're coming here to soak up the culture. A higher percentage of visitors who come to Los Angeles end up going to museums compared to any other major U.S. city.
[ more › ]
When America isn't hating on Los Angeles, they're coming here to soak up the culture. A higher percentage of visitors who come to Los Angeles end up going to museums compared to any other major U.S. city.
[ more › ]
Oh, The Onion...
The thing is, it's surprising that this hasn't already been used as a restaurant name...
[audio] German Luftwaffle Chain Offers Waffles, Overwhelming Air Superiority
German Luftwaffle Chain Offers Waffles, Overwhelming Air Superiority
[audio] German Luftwaffle Chain Offers Waffles, Overwhelming Air Superiority
German Luftwaffle Chain Offers Waffles, Overwhelming Air Superiority
The Life Of A Guide Dog
Film: Movie Review: Quill: The Life Of A Guide Dog
The curious Japanese drama Quill: The Life Of A Guide Dog follows a seeing-eye dog from birth to death, as it goes through the various phases of weaning and training before forming a trusting and loving relationship with its human companion. Though it would be impractical to spend 12 or 13 years chronicling the dog’s life, in all other ways Quill would make more sense as a documentary, because it could detail these procedures and relationships without staged scenes or narrative contrivances. But Quill is a fiction and a uniquely stilted one at that, absent of almost any dramatic tension and freighted instead with a sentimentality that an adorable, devoted Labrador can achieve without much help.
Beginning with shots of the newborn puppy stumbling around on its wobbly legs, Quill structures its journey in the “partings” that whisk it from its mother to first-year caretakers to a training facility ...
Read more
The curious Japanese drama Quill: The Life Of A Guide Dog follows a seeing-eye dog from birth to death, as it goes through the various phases of weaning and training before forming a trusting and loving relationship with its human companion. Though it would be impractical to spend 12 or 13 years chronicling the dog’s life, in all other ways Quill would make more sense as a documentary, because it could detail these procedures and relationships without staged scenes or narrative contrivances. But Quill is a fiction and a uniquely stilted one at that, absent of almost any dramatic tension and freighted instead with a sentimentality that an adorable, devoted Labrador can achieve without much help.
Beginning with shots of the newborn puppy stumbling around on its wobbly legs, Quill structures its journey in the “partings” that whisk it from its mother to first-year caretakers to a training facility ...
Read more
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Good Idea? More SoCal Bars Installing Self-Serve Beer Taps
Good Idea? More SoCal Bars Installing Self-Serve Beer Taps
It's pretty fun to dispense your own froyo at countless Southland yogurt shops, so imagine how kickass it is to pour out your own beer from self-serve taps. It's not so theoretical: Recently two OC sports-themed bars (run by the same company) revealed they'll have self-serve taps, and there's an already-up-and-running L.A. spot where you can pour your own at your table.
[ more › ]
It's pretty fun to dispense your own froyo at countless Southland yogurt shops, so imagine how kickass it is to pour out your own beer from self-serve taps. It's not so theoretical: Recently two OC sports-themed bars (run by the same company) revealed they'll have self-serve taps, and there's an already-up-and-running L.A. spot where you can pour your own at your table.
[ more › ]
'Walking Dead' to take San Diego
'Walking Dead' to take San Diego
EW exclusive! Fans at Comic-Con in July will be able to join in the fun of a zombie invasion at Petco Park
EW exclusive! Fans at Comic-Con in July will be able to join in the fun of a zombie invasion at Petco Park
Venice Neighborhood Council Approves Zip Line on Venice Beach
Looks like we're getting a zip line. At least it's only temporary.
Venice Neighborhood Council Approves Zip Line on Venice Beach
The Venice Neighborhood Council on Tuesday night voted in favor of a proposal by a Canadian-based company to install a 720-foot zip line ride this summer on Venice Beach.
The proposal was introduced by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who was greeted by a chorus singing "Happy Birthday" as he entered the auditorium. Rosendahl, who turned 67, blew out the candles and then gave the audience of about 40 people at Westminster Avenue Elementary School an update on Venice issues ranging from upcoming helmets for youths at the Venice Beach skate park to the cleanup of 3rd Avenue to Google and Gold's Gym.
Rosendahl introduced the zip line proposal by saying he recognized the community's objections to an earlier plan for a 175-foot Ferris wheel that a United Kingdom-based company wanted to quickly erect this summer on Windward Plaza. The councilman was presented with the zip line plan by Kevin Regan, assistant manager of the city's Department of Recreation and Parks, and he liked the idea.
Rosendahl noted how one of the many conditions attached to the proposal included a pledge that two-thirds of gross revenues be spent on Venice Beach to pay for maintenance and enhanced services, such as emptying garbage cans and improving the public restrooms.
The council's board voted 8-6 with three abstentions in favor of the proposal.
Plans call for the zip line to be up and running July 1 with a three-month permit for ride operator Greenheart Conservation Company. The zip line's higher, 50-foot tower will be placed between the bike path and the boardwalk near the skate park and its lower, 24-foot tower will be installed at Windward Plaza, just before the basketball courts.
The 15 public speakers at the meeting were practically split. Those opposed to it had issues that included public safety, over-commercialization of the beach, the potential loss of income for street performers and concerns over aesthetics and screaming.
Jay Goodfader, whose family owns the Sidewalk Cafe restaurant on the boardwalk and its adjacent Small World Books, voiced his support for the attraction that would be installed in front of the restaurant and was joined by Clabe Hartley, owner of the Cow's End coffee and sandwich shop on Washington Boulevard, who previously opposed the "Great Observation Wheel" proposal.
Other supporters said the ride fit the spirit and character of Venice, while others liked how it would encourage the arts and the use of public transportation and bike-riding.
Ian Green, president of Greenheart Conservation Company, said the attraction would have three main components: the ride itself, once-a-month special performances and a sliding-scale educational component for children with activities ranging from acro-yoga to dance to juggling. Board members and the public were shown a video sans audio of a 2011 Burning Man performance incorporating the attraction to get an idea of the type of performance possible.
Canadian-born Dream Rockwell, who lives in Venice, said that she would help to produce the children's programs and performance aspects of the proposal. Rockwell is the director of the Lucent Dossier Experience, a quasi-steampunk, avante-garde circus troupe, and has a background directing music videos and rock tours. She also is the founder of Cuddle the World, an organization that provides teddy bears to needy children around the world.
Alicia Schultze, also a Venice resident, said the performances would be "nature-based entertainment" and would be a combination of performance and public participation. Schultze specializes in aerial performances and has performed on tour with rock legends Motley Crue.
Rides will cost $20 and the operating hours will be 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. for children's educational programs and 11 a.m. to sunset for the general public. Each ride will last less than a minute.
The city's parks department is mandated to self-generate $30 to $40 million of its annual $185 million budget and Venice Beach, which attracts roughly 16 million visitors a year, has become a draw for private ride operators willing to split revenue with the city.
The community input process included two subcommitee meetings before a motion was forwarded by the council's Visitor Impact Committee for consideration, Regan said after the vote. The next step was finishing negotiations with Greenheart and issuing the temporary event permit for the attraction. The zip line ride was being compared to the American Ninja Warrior set recently constructed on Windward Plaza and Regan said it was believed that California Coastal Commission approval wasn't needed, but that he would follow up. City Council approval is not required since it's a temporary event permit.
One of the conditions approved by the Venice Neighborhood Council stated that the attraction must be dismantled at the end of the three-month trial period and another said that any permanent installation would be subject to environmental review by the city and the California Coastal Commission.
Venice Neighborhood Council Approves Zip Line on Venice Beach
The Venice Neighborhood Council on Tuesday night voted in favor of a proposal by a Canadian-based company to install a 720-foot zip line ride this summer on Venice Beach.
The proposal was introduced by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who was greeted by a chorus singing "Happy Birthday" as he entered the auditorium. Rosendahl, who turned 67, blew out the candles and then gave the audience of about 40 people at Westminster Avenue Elementary School an update on Venice issues ranging from upcoming helmets for youths at the Venice Beach skate park to the cleanup of 3rd Avenue to Google and Gold's Gym.
Rosendahl introduced the zip line proposal by saying he recognized the community's objections to an earlier plan for a 175-foot Ferris wheel that a United Kingdom-based company wanted to quickly erect this summer on Windward Plaza. The councilman was presented with the zip line plan by Kevin Regan, assistant manager of the city's Department of Recreation and Parks, and he liked the idea.
Rosendahl noted how one of the many conditions attached to the proposal included a pledge that two-thirds of gross revenues be spent on Venice Beach to pay for maintenance and enhanced services, such as emptying garbage cans and improving the public restrooms.
The council's board voted 8-6 with three abstentions in favor of the proposal.
Plans call for the zip line to be up and running July 1 with a three-month permit for ride operator Greenheart Conservation Company. The zip line's higher, 50-foot tower will be placed between the bike path and the boardwalk near the skate park and its lower, 24-foot tower will be installed at Windward Plaza, just before the basketball courts.
The 15 public speakers at the meeting were practically split. Those opposed to it had issues that included public safety, over-commercialization of the beach, the potential loss of income for street performers and concerns over aesthetics and screaming.
Jay Goodfader, whose family owns the Sidewalk Cafe restaurant on the boardwalk and its adjacent Small World Books, voiced his support for the attraction that would be installed in front of the restaurant and was joined by Clabe Hartley, owner of the Cow's End coffee and sandwich shop on Washington Boulevard, who previously opposed the "Great Observation Wheel" proposal.
Other supporters said the ride fit the spirit and character of Venice, while others liked how it would encourage the arts and the use of public transportation and bike-riding.
Ian Green, president of Greenheart Conservation Company, said the attraction would have three main components: the ride itself, once-a-month special performances and a sliding-scale educational component for children with activities ranging from acro-yoga to dance to juggling. Board members and the public were shown a video sans audio of a 2011 Burning Man performance incorporating the attraction to get an idea of the type of performance possible.
Canadian-born Dream Rockwell, who lives in Venice, said that she would help to produce the children's programs and performance aspects of the proposal. Rockwell is the director of the Lucent Dossier Experience, a quasi-steampunk, avante-garde circus troupe, and has a background directing music videos and rock tours. She also is the founder of Cuddle the World, an organization that provides teddy bears to needy children around the world.
Alicia Schultze, also a Venice resident, said the performances would be "nature-based entertainment" and would be a combination of performance and public participation. Schultze specializes in aerial performances and has performed on tour with rock legends Motley Crue.
Rides will cost $20 and the operating hours will be 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. for children's educational programs and 11 a.m. to sunset for the general public. Each ride will last less than a minute.
The city's parks department is mandated to self-generate $30 to $40 million of its annual $185 million budget and Venice Beach, which attracts roughly 16 million visitors a year, has become a draw for private ride operators willing to split revenue with the city.
The community input process included two subcommitee meetings before a motion was forwarded by the council's Visitor Impact Committee for consideration, Regan said after the vote. The next step was finishing negotiations with Greenheart and issuing the temporary event permit for the attraction. The zip line ride was being compared to the American Ninja Warrior set recently constructed on Windward Plaza and Regan said it was believed that California Coastal Commission approval wasn't needed, but that he would follow up. City Council approval is not required since it's a temporary event permit.
One of the conditions approved by the Venice Neighborhood Council stated that the attraction must be dismantled at the end of the three-month trial period and another said that any permanent installation would be subject to environmental review by the city and the California Coastal Commission.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Fear of Sucking
The Fear of Sucking
I haven’t been a professional writer very long but I’ve already noticed a new trend in how others perceive my work. These days I’m identified as a person who “made it” in a competitive field, so some aspiring writers have started asking me if I have any advice to give. I find this hilarious, ‘cuz while I have worked hard to get where I am, the fact is that I’ve also been given a significant leg up by circumstances outside of my control. You have heard the “right place, right time” cliché, right? Well, it’s true. Still, when I’m asked for advice, there is one thing I typically say: I try to encourage aspiring writers not to fear writing bad work.
See, I am a writing coward. Seriously. I’m not saying that to be funny. It’s something I know about myself. I experience a ton of anxiety when I write because I view each assignment as a test of my ability. And I fear discovering that I suck at writing. Now before you laugh at me for this, consider how I got into this mindset. I have pursued the dream of professional writing for fifteen years and have made a lot of sacrifices to achieve it. For a decade and a half I have had to carve out hours and hours in my schedule to devote to the craft. That means getting up at the crack of dawn. That means not traveling very much. That means that on countless weekends, while other guys were out meeting girls, I stayed in and metaphorically made out with my laptop. I gave up all of these things and many others because I want to be a good writer. So I’m regularly haunted by the notion that if I fail to reach my goal, then all of my sacrifices were in vain, which makes me a single, thirty-something nobody who has to… I don’t know, become a telemarketer. Well, I don’t want to be a telemarketer. I fear being a telemarketer (sorry telemarketers; that job just seems like a real bummer to me). So every time I write – even now as I type out this blog – there is an insidious voice in my head that whispers, “Don’t fail. Don’t fail. Don’t fail.” I listen to that stupid voice all the time and guard myself against the failure it forebodes. Usually I do this by refusing to risk writing something bad, which means waiting to put any words on the page until I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that they will be incredible. So I wait for great ideas. And wait. And wait.
The irony is that acting on my fear of failure contributes most to my failure, because writing is all about risk-taking. See, I realize now (especially from working on Robot Chicken) that good ideas never spring up, pristine, in my mind, before I begin. Instead, I actually have to take the risky leap of faith – to start the writing process, clutching an anvil of clichés and lame concepts, and hope that in the free fall my brain will make the observations and connections that will save me. Sometimes I succeed; sometimes I fail. But when I don’t take the risk, my success rate drops to zero.
Pablo Picasso once said, “Inspiration exists, but it must find us working,” and my experience confirms he was right. All the times that I spend fearing bad writing, I end up staring at my computer getting stressed out. But when I accept that the writing might suck and get started, I often come across a little nugget of inspiration that unlocks my creativity. Nothing happens until I start the process though, and I can’t do that until I stop being afraid that I might suck. That’s just the hard and beautiful truth of it.
So, to any aspiring writers out there, please give yourself permission to be bad at the craft. When you get worried that your ideas suck, start anyway. My experience tells me that that’s just the way it goes.
All right, I think I’ve pushed the boundaries of sincerity as far as a Robot Chicken blog can bear. I’m off to write poop jokes.
-BEANS
I haven’t been a professional writer very long but I’ve already noticed a new trend in how others perceive my work. These days I’m identified as a person who “made it” in a competitive field, so some aspiring writers have started asking me if I have any advice to give. I find this hilarious, ‘cuz while I have worked hard to get where I am, the fact is that I’ve also been given a significant leg up by circumstances outside of my control. You have heard the “right place, right time” cliché, right? Well, it’s true. Still, when I’m asked for advice, there is one thing I typically say: I try to encourage aspiring writers not to fear writing bad work.
See, I am a writing coward. Seriously. I’m not saying that to be funny. It’s something I know about myself. I experience a ton of anxiety when I write because I view each assignment as a test of my ability. And I fear discovering that I suck at writing. Now before you laugh at me for this, consider how I got into this mindset. I have pursued the dream of professional writing for fifteen years and have made a lot of sacrifices to achieve it. For a decade and a half I have had to carve out hours and hours in my schedule to devote to the craft. That means getting up at the crack of dawn. That means not traveling very much. That means that on countless weekends, while other guys were out meeting girls, I stayed in and metaphorically made out with my laptop. I gave up all of these things and many others because I want to be a good writer. So I’m regularly haunted by the notion that if I fail to reach my goal, then all of my sacrifices were in vain, which makes me a single, thirty-something nobody who has to… I don’t know, become a telemarketer. Well, I don’t want to be a telemarketer. I fear being a telemarketer (sorry telemarketers; that job just seems like a real bummer to me). So every time I write – even now as I type out this blog – there is an insidious voice in my head that whispers, “Don’t fail. Don’t fail. Don’t fail.” I listen to that stupid voice all the time and guard myself against the failure it forebodes. Usually I do this by refusing to risk writing something bad, which means waiting to put any words on the page until I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that they will be incredible. So I wait for great ideas. And wait. And wait.
The irony is that acting on my fear of failure contributes most to my failure, because writing is all about risk-taking. See, I realize now (especially from working on Robot Chicken) that good ideas never spring up, pristine, in my mind, before I begin. Instead, I actually have to take the risky leap of faith – to start the writing process, clutching an anvil of clichés and lame concepts, and hope that in the free fall my brain will make the observations and connections that will save me. Sometimes I succeed; sometimes I fail. But when I don’t take the risk, my success rate drops to zero.
Pablo Picasso once said, “Inspiration exists, but it must find us working,” and my experience confirms he was right. All the times that I spend fearing bad writing, I end up staring at my computer getting stressed out. But when I accept that the writing might suck and get started, I often come across a little nugget of inspiration that unlocks my creativity. Nothing happens until I start the process though, and I can’t do that until I stop being afraid that I might suck. That’s just the hard and beautiful truth of it.
So, to any aspiring writers out there, please give yourself permission to be bad at the craft. When you get worried that your ideas suck, start anyway. My experience tells me that that’s just the way it goes.
All right, I think I’ve pushed the boundaries of sincerity as far as a Robot Chicken blog can bear. I’m off to write poop jokes.
-BEANS
'Little Shop of Horrors': Deep dive!
'Little Shop of Horrors': Deep dive!
Director Frank Oz talks cult fave's ''lost'' original ending, rumored remake with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, more
Director Frank Oz talks cult fave's ''lost'' original ending, rumored remake with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, more
The Wire vs. Treme
The Wire vs. Treme
New Orleans—Last month, in an interview with the New York Times’ Arts Beat blog, David Simon lashed out at some of his most ardent fans. The cable auteur expressed annoyance with a tournament to determine the greatest character from The Wire. If the discussion you’re having after watching his series is about which character was the coolest, Simon thinks you’ve missed the point. “People ask me who I loved writing for the most and I always tell them, the city of Baltimore [and] they’re just disappointed. They want to be affirmed in all the things that television usually affirms: being larger than life, the action, the adventure, the nonsense.”
New Orleans—Last month, in an interview with the New York Times’ Arts Beat blog, David Simon lashed out at some of his most ardent fans. The cable auteur expressed annoyance with a tournament to determine the greatest character from The Wire. If the discussion you’re having after watching his series is about which character was the coolest, Simon thinks you’ve missed the point. “People ask me who I loved writing for the most and I always tell them, the city of Baltimore [and] they’re just disappointed. They want to be affirmed in all the things that television usually affirms: being larger than life, the action, the adventure, the nonsense.”
Monday, May 14, 2012
New Santa Monica Parking Meters Erase Extra Minutes
New Santa Monica Parking Meters Erase Extra Minutes
Santa Monica started to install 6,000 new "smart" parking meters today that will wipe out any extra time left when a car leaves. No wonder L.A. beach dwellers are such curmudgeons. [ more › ]
Santa Monica started to install 6,000 new "smart" parking meters today that will wipe out any extra time left when a car leaves. No wonder L.A. beach dwellers are such curmudgeons. [ more › ]
From The Onion...
'Game Of Thrones' Running Out Of Unkempt Old Men To Cast
LOS ANGELES—According to insider sources, the future of HBO's Game Of Thrones is currently in doubt, with the hit fantasy series facing a dire shortage of weather-beaten, bedraggled old men to cast.
LOS ANGELES—According to insider sources, the future of HBO's Game Of Thrones is currently in doubt, with the hit fantasy series facing a dire shortage of weather-beaten, bedraggled old men to cast.
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