Today's earthquake in LA

Most of the cars on the freeway actually didn't feel the jolt, so the traffic as mostly fine except a few off ramps were blocked.

The main problem is that all cell phones are jammed by everybody's calling everybody they know to share their own stories.

Do you have a Monica problem?

"You have a Monica problem."
This is what Robin C. Ashton was told when she asked why she didn't get the promotion.
No, she doesn't work for the Monica Geller as a cook in one of Friends' episode. She is a "seasoned criminal prosecutor" about to take a job as an United States Attorney.

The Monica here is Monica M. Goodling, then 31 year old, who was delegated by the former Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales to be in charge of appoint US Attorneys, who are the top federal prosecutors representing the US Federal Government. She graduated from a bottom-tier law school (Regent University, founded by Pat Robertson) in 1999 and worked at the Bush 2000 campaign before becoming a political appointee in the Justice Department.

This was a top story back in 2007, and I'm glad the media didn't let it slip after a year when she finally on the stand. There is not much for me to say besides this old news column from Thomas Friedman on the New York Times: "Failing by Example."

"Only a united America could have the patience and fortitude to heal a divided Iraq — and we simply don’t have that today. Why? Because George Bush and Dick Cheney asked everyone to check their politics at the door when it came to Iraq, because victory there was so important — everyone but themselves."

"They actually thought they could unite Iraq, while dividing America."

"After all, who can ask more soldiers to sacrifice their lives in Iraq for an administration that wouldn’t even sacrifice its politics?"

The X-Files: I want to believe

Despite the dismal box office results and rotten reviews, I do like the movie. It's not supper, but not bad.

Both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson looked really old in the movie. For Gillian Anderson, she's only 40 years old, comparing to other actresses in their 40s, she aged much faster.

Mamma Mia, the movie

Having seen the musical on Broadway last year, I was really looking forward to the movie version; especially given the producers include the Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks couple.

Well, the initial disappointment came that Tom Hanks is not going to play Sam. At the same time, Pierce Brosnan isn't that far from what I had imaged. The main concern before seeing the film was that Maryl Streep is going to play Donna. To be frank, she's too old for the part (in my mind and based on the musical) and by a large margin.

When actually seeing the movie tonight, there's been some really disappointment. The casting of the 6 older actors and actresses are really not up to my expectation.

To start with Pierce Brosnan, he can't sing! Neither do Colin Firth and the other guy (Bill). They are good actors, but this is a musical. I really believe that it is their terrible singing ability that make the director to ask Sophie to sing "Thank you for the music" in the end; after the credits! And there is no "knowing you, knowing me!"

As for the ladies, Maryl can sing, to the point of a good Karaoke singer. She's nowhere near the other musical movie leading ladies over the past a few years (to name a few, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta Jones, Reese Witherspoon).

To me, my dream cast would be:
Donna: Madonna
Tanya: Catherine Zeta Jones
Rosie: Queen Latifah

Sam: Richard Gere (although I really don't like him)
Harry: Billy Crystal
Bill: whoever

As for Sophie, I'd rather have Carey Anderson, who played in the Broadway show (and the National tour prior).

The best part of the movie is Maryl Streep singing "The winner takes all" to Sam (Pierce Brosnan) on the way to the wedding chapel. (This Youtube video seems like a promotion piece from Universal, instead of the scene from the movie.)



I dont wanna talk
About the things weve gone through
Though its hurting me
Now its history
Ive played all my cards
And thats what youve done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play

The winner takes it all
The loser standing small
Beside the victory
Thats her destiny

I was in your arms
Thinking I belonged there
I figured it made sense
Building me a fence
Building me a home
Thinking Id be strong there
But I was a fool
Playing by the rules

The gods may throw a dice
Their minds as cold as ice
And someone way down here
Loses someone dear
The winner takes it all
The loser has to fall
Its simple and its plain
Why should I complain.

But tell me does she kiss
Like I used to kiss you?
Does it feel the same
When she calls your name?
Somewhere deep inside
You must know I miss you
But what can I say
Rules must be obeyed

The judges will decide
The likes of me abide
Spectators of the show
Always staying low
The game is on again
A lover or a friend
A big thing or a small
The winner takes it all

I dont wanna talk
If it makes you feel sad
And I understand
Youve come to shake my hand
I apologize
If it makes you feel bad
Seeing me so tense
No self-confidence
But you see
The winner takes it all
The winner takes it all......

The X-Files: I want to believe

This is the poster I got from Fox. Probably one of the movie posters with the fewest words. In fact, it only has one plus some digits. I've put it in my office so I can count the days when work gets boring.

If you leave me now

From the movie "a lot like love" by Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher.




Lyrics from the LyricFreak:

If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of me
No baby please don't go
If you leave me now, you'll take away the very heart of me
No baby please don't go

A love like ours is love thats hard to find
How could we let it slip away
We've come too far to leave it all behind
How could we end it all this way
When tomorrow comes well both regret
Things we said today

A love like ours is love thats hard to find
How could we let it slip away
We've come too far to leave it all behind
How could we end it all this way
When tomorrow comes well both regret
Things we said today

If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of me
No baby please don't go
Oh girl, just got to have you by my side

No baby, please don't go

Oh mama, I just got to have your lovin, yeah

Weve come too far to leave it all behind

DIY convert your truck to a hybrid over the weekend in your own garage

At first, I was attracted, as always, by the Steering Column from Csaba Csere, the Editor-in-Chief of the Car & Driver:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/columns/c_d_staff/csaba_csere_the_steering_column/fearless_prediction_plug_in_hybrids_will_be_the_hot_rods_of_the_21st_century_column

In this column, Csaba Csere predicted the future with an (almost) fully plug-in electrical vehicle. The "almost" part is that there will be a small gas engine just for charging the battery to keep it running more than a few hundred miles. This would be an excellent car for all the cops that idling on city streets and cabs in big cities.

Somehow when I was searching for the term PHEV, or Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicle, I found the web site of Poulsen Hybrid. The are going to a fairly different approach: retrofitting existing conventional vehicles with a hybrid engine. The idea is to use the gas engine for in town and the high way cruising is been done by the electrical hybrid motor.

I think it is some thing that might actually work, especially for drivers like me who commute 60 miles (round trip) daily on a Ford Explorer averaging 14 miles on the gallon. The most part of the 30 miles drive is on freeways at 60-70 mph. Conventional hybrids won't help me much since they are most efficient for in-town stop and go traffic. On highway, they are pretty much the same as some of the conventional cars, say a Honda Civic.

Plans to start offer this product is in this Fall for small cars. Trucks and SUVs will have to wait till next year. They claim that retrofit a car will cost around $5000, that's pretty cheap considering you can keep your existing car and do it yourself (theoretically) in a few hours. That beats the hell of on a waiting list for a Prius.

The downside of this is first it will use all of your truck space for the bank of batteries. Although smaller and lighter Li-Ion batteries may be used, they have only a 1000-2000 charge cycle lifetime and cost about $4000 to replace.

Although the company claim that they are currently focusing on some fuel efficient small cars, I would think that they should really focus on some of the most fuel inefficient SUVs and pick-ups. The fuel savings will be more significant comparing to their existing mpg and they will have the space to haul the batteries.

13 things your waiter won't tell you

Read this story from the Consumerist.

It's a story originally published on the Readers' Digest.

Here are five of my favorites:

3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Waiters can and do spit in people's food.

8. Splitting entrées is okay, but don't ask for water, lemon, and sugar so you can make your own lemonade. What's next, grapes so you can press your own wine?

9. If you find a waiter you like, always ask to be seated in his or her section. Tell all your friends so they'll start asking for that server as well. You've just made that waiter look indispensable to the owner. The server will be grateful and take good care of you.

10. If you can't afford to leave a tip, you can't afford to eat in the restaurant. Servers could be giving 20 to 40 percent to the busboys, bartenders, maître d', or hostess.

13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entrées will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity.

Define touture: Is waterboarding one?

First off, who would thought Vanity Fair will have this kind story?
not me.

At the same time, he didn't last for 10 seconds. As terrible as it sounds, considering a normal person may hold breathe for more than 30 seconds, this is really something that causes some serious psychological damage.

Wait a minutes,
would that mean his brain functions were damaged in the process?
Is it physical damage equivalent to loosing a finger or two?

Zumanity: the Human Zoo

It is actually better than the Fantasy. The best part is at the beginning that two actor/actress playing in the transparent glass water bowl.