I moved here in January of 1992 and, of course, it was raining when I got here. I knew from my studies before my arrival that the “always rainy” impression I had was not true. That fact was really impressed upon me when I found a book that opened my eyes to the realities of Pacific Northwest weather.

The book is titled “Rains all the Time” and the author is David Laskin. It’s a fascinating look at the weather history of the Pacific Northwest, Washington and Oregon, from the perspective of the explorers and pioneers who were some of the first people to see or set foot on Northwest soil.

One story he unearthed is that of Spanish mariner Bartolome Ferrelo who was sailing up the Pacific coast in February of 1543. His ship only sailed as far North as the South Oregon coast when they encountered what Ferrelo called “incessant rain” and reversed course heading back to the South. The rain and very chilly temperatures  took their toll on his crew. After that incident it was reported that no Spanish voyages were reported off the Oregon coast for sixty years and after that none for 150 years. I’m sure former Oregon Governor McCall would have been happy to have kept people from possibly settling here.

One of Oregon’s early settlers Dr. John Scouler likened what he called the “incessant” rains that he saw from 1824 to 1826 to the downpours of equatorial regions he visited.

Lewis & Clark | celebrating200years.noaa.gov

William Clark, of Lewis and Clark fame, wrote extensively in his diary of the wet Oregon weather. When the winter (1805-1806) was over Clark added up the days without rain and there were only twelve. There were only six days with sunshine and he even qualified that by saying: “when the sun is said to shine or the weather fair it is to be understood that it barely casts a shadow, and that the atmosphere is hazy or of a milky white colour.”

According to John Logan Allen in Passage Through the Garden: Lewis and Clark and the Image of the American Northwest “The West toward which the explorers of three centuries had groped through the darkness and now was brought to light, but it was the light of reality and the shattering of a dream.. The West was not golden, it was gray.”

The Oregon Trail
|(Map courtesy the makers of THE WEST.)

An Ohio native, Ezra Meeker, entered the Pacific Northwest through the Oregon Trail at the beginning of the severe winter of 1852-1853. Meeker came to Oregon because it was supposed to have such an agreeable climate. Two feet of snow fell within two months of his coming to Oregon. He expressed the frustration of all the “new Oregonians” by saying: “I believe nine-tenths of them would have left the country if they could, but they couldn’t get away.”

On the other side of the coin we  have explorer and naturalist John Muir who traveled here from northern California in the late 1880s. Laskin quotes Muir describing Western Oregon. “The climate … is rather damp and sloppy throughout the winter months, but the summers are bright, ripening the wheat and allowing it to be garnered in good condition. Taken as a whole the weather is bland and kindly, and like the forest trees the crops and cattle grow plump and sound on it.” That pretty much describes the weather of Oregon today.

In a letter he wrote to his family back East on July 12,1853 John Winthrop said: “This Oregon is a noble country! The summer climate is almost perfection, and the winter, though rainy, not severe or disagreeable. It offers a grand field for a man who is either a world in himself, or who can have his own world about him. Writer John Mortimer Murphy, in one of the first Pacific Northwest travel series published (Appleton’s Journal of November 1877), talked about the “cooling breezes” and “most delicious temperature (of our) season of dolce far niente” (season of sweet idleness, meaning summer).

Again, all of these quotes were compiled by David Laskin. When reading the whole book one gets the feeling that it all depends on what year and month people came here. The same month or months in one year can be drastically different from those in another or many other years. My family and I arrived here in January of 1992 and that was a year without winter. There wasn’t even a snowflake on the southern Willamette Valley floor. Contrast that with 1996 where after heavy rains a heavy wet snowfall felled trees and power lines all over the Valley and in the hills. Liking or disliking Oregon weather when you move here seems to be determined, in large part, by your experiences elsewhere before you got here.

Read about more adventures in experiencing Oregon weather in “Rains all the Time,” A Connoisseur’s History of Weather in the Pacific Northwest, printed by Sasquatch Books, Seattle.

Let me know what you would like me to talk about or explain. You can email me at: tim.chuey@eugenedailynews.com

You know how people are always saying kids don’t get enough exercise these days and that they spend too much time inside playing video games instead of playing outside?  Apparently one couple from West Linn, Oregon could care less about that sentiment.

For five years now, Bruce and Mary Swanson have been urging city officials in West Linn to do something about the noise of dribbling basketballs they hear next door.  In the past they’ve played videos showing readings of a sound meter for the city council, delivered basketballs that landed in their yard to police and asked officials to issue tickets for the noise.  Curse you round bouncy balls!  I mean I’m hearing a kid dribble a ball as I write this and it’s sooooo annoying (sarcasm indicator).

Basketball Court | (courtofsport.com)

Despite the ridiculousness of these complaints, the Swanson’s persistence has apparently worked.  The city’s planning commission has drafted a set of rules for backyard sport courts and “outdoor recreational facilities” and the council will consider the proposal.

According to the proposal, “outdoor recreational facilities” include tennis or basketball courts and permanent or portable sports equipment (basketball backboards, soccer goals, batting cages, etc…).

Under the proposed guidelines, the edge of a basketball court in a backyard would need to be at least 20 feet from the neighbor’s property line and the backside of a backboard would need to face away from adjacent houses (don’t want any projectile balls flying at you).

So basically because one couple complained enough, backyards in this particular area will now be constrained to a set of rules that may prevent their children from playing in the backyard.

The draft rules do however allow goals or basketball hoops to be in driveways.  So your kids can’t play safely in the backyard, but it’s perfectly fine on the street where cars drive by.

In 2010, neighbors of the Swansons moved away because of the issue.  Perhaps it’s time for Bruce and Mary to find a new place to live.  How about in the middle of nowhere where they can no longer be bothered by the horrifying sounds of kids having a good time.

Man Gets 3 Years in Prison for Refusing to Pay for Dinner

It appears a serial dine-and-dasher has been taken off the streets.  Anthony M. Malabehar, 47, of Mattoon, Ill., was sentenced to three years in prison following more than 70 arrests that included numerous incidents at restaurants in which he refused to pay his dinner tab.

His last dinner theft occurred on April 4 at the Alamo Steakhouse.  After consuming a filet, snow crab, lobster pinches, snickers pie, two shots of rumple minz and a Mike’s hard lemonade (well that’s different), he told the server he wasn’t going to pay the $69.27 check.

“He came up to the server and said ‘Let me let you in on a secret, I don’t have any money,” she said.  “So the server went to the manager, who called the police.  The police informed the manager that this guy has been going all over town and eating at restaurants without paying,” said a spokeswoman for Alamo Steak House.

Anthony Malabehar | (Good Morning America)

In February of this year, Malabehar was arrested for doing the same thing.  He told officers he had ordered food at the restaurant knowing that he would not be able to pay.

The day after getting out of jail for two months following the February arrest, Malabehar committed the same crime at the steak house.  His next stint behind bars will be much longer based on his prior convictions which include 13 charges of burglary or theft and the 70 arrests.

What’s funny about this story is how blatantly open Malabehar was to confessing his intention of not paying each time.  I mean if you’re going to eat without paying why not just leave?

According to Robert Scales, the first assistant state attorney for Illinois, Malabehar never gave an explanation as to why he did it.  Perhaps he isn’t a serial dine-and-dasher after all.  Maybe he’s a serial inmate.  Like Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption, he doesn’t know how to function in the outside world.  But prison food sucks so he’s eating a last meal before going back to the slammer.  It could happen.

ESPN Ditching 3D

CNN has reported that ESPN will cease broadcasting 3D sports content this year and will shut down its ESPN 3D channel.

“ESPN 3D was great at home but due to low adoption of 3D to home, we are discontinuing to focus on other products for fans and affiliates,” ESPN spokeswoman Katina Arnold announced via Twitter.

3D has become very profitable in the film industry thanks to movies like Avatar, but the in-home experience never took off.  With the price of 3D televisions being astronomical and a lack of content available, consumers just weren’t willing to fork over the money to upgrade their perfectly fine HD televisions.

3D Camera | (IGN)

I’ve never watched a sporting event in 3D, but with high definition and the size of screens these days, watching in the third dimension just didn’t seem that appealing or necessary.  Plus you have to wear the glasses which can be intrusive if you’re watching your favorite team and throwing things when they lose.  I’d probably throw the glasses if I were wearing them while watching the Blazers lose a game.

The only areas I see 3D continuing to work on your home television is through movies and video games.  3D films in your home can be very entertaining and immersive and that added aspect to video games can bring a visceral effect – for better or worse – to a particular game.  But these are forms of entertainment that on average only last a few hours.  One can only wear those glasses for so long.

With so many mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones, as well as laptops, the television is no longer thought of as the main source of entertainment in a typical home.  Just about everyone has a flat screen these days and that’s proving to be enough.  Sure the screens have gotten bigger, the models thinner and the picture sharper, but beyond that there’s not a whole lot else we need.

Jim Carrey’s career as of late hasn’t been particularly strong.  He hasn’t had a legitimate hit since Bruce Almighty in 2003 and films such as Fun with Dick and Jane, The Number 23, Yes Man and Mr. Popper’s Penguins haven’t exactly been memorable.

2013 looks to be a little better as he will appear in Kick-Ass 2 and the Anchorman sequel later this year, but if an actor’s career is stalling, do what every other actor does and make sequels to some of your older hits.

Dumb and Dumber | (Everett)

A sequel to Dumb and Dumber has been rumored for years but Carrey has been more than a little reluctant to play Lloyd Christmas again (why?).  But after finally agreeing to do a sequel to the 1994 hit comedy, everyone thought his involvement would finally put the wheels in motion.  But the studio who made the original isn’t keen on the idea.

Warner Bros. has decided to pass on Dumb and Dumber To (Great title) despite the fact that the Farrelly brothers are not only back as writers/directors, but have also pitched a film with only a $30 million price tag.  The studio apparently has little faith that a sequel to a film nearly 20 years old will turn a profit so the writer-director siblings are shopping the project elsewhere.

The story finds Harry and Lloyd hitting the road in search of Harry’s illegitimate daughter.

It would be great to see Carrey let loose in a comedy again, as well as see Daniels return to a comedic role period.  Movie studios have been green-lighting sequels to old properties as of late (Wall Street, Rambo, Indiana Jones), so it’s only a matter of time before it happens again.  At the very least, a sequel to Dumb and Dumber would allow us all to rediscover the original and gladly forget about the 2003 prequel.

‘This is the End’ Review

This is the End could have easily come off as nothing more than an excuse for Seth Rogen and his Hollywood pals to get together to make a movie.  Just because a bunch of guys look like they’re having a good time making a movie doesn’t mean that will translate into an entertaining film (Think Ocean’s Twelve or any recent Adam Sandler movie).

But while the Apatow-schooled crew is certainly having a blast crudely insulting one another and dropping pop-culture references, what makes This is the End so gratifying is that it has heart as well as a message behind its frat-boy veneer.  It also doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the funniest comedies to hit theaters in years.

Marking the directorial debut for long-time writing collaborators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the premise of the film is that while attending a party at James Franco’s house, Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill and Craig Robinson unwittingly experience the apocalypse.  With so much death and destruction occurring outside, they lock themselves in Franco’s home in an attempt to ride it out.

This is the End | (IGN)

The main cast members all play heightened versions of themselves and the film also features a slew of cameos including Emma Watson, Rihanna, Jason Segal, Mindy Kaling and Paul Rudd.  Michael Cera’s small role in particular is memorable as he seems to be playing a character completely opposite to who he is in real life.

But the heart of the film is the main five guys hanging out in Franco’s house surviving off of a limited supply of weed, water, booze, cereal and a Milky Way.  Masters at the art of improvisation, the actors all shine at poking fun at some of the movies they’ve starred in and some of the socialites they may or may not have slept with.  But the film never turns into a vanity project as the story is allowed to move forward.

Baruchel and Rogen have grown somewhat apart as Barachel has tried to avoid the Hollywood lifestyle and the main focus of the film is these two character’s relationship.

Surprisingly, the film also has a religious aspect to it that is handled perfectly.  The actors question the meaning behind the end of the world and they turn to the Bible in an attempt to make sense of it all.  But that aspect of the story is never crammed down our throats as there are plenty of penis and fart jokes to get to.

Overall, This is the End works on many different levels.  The comedic elements are of course there, but the film also features entertaining set-pieces, decent-looking CGI (despite the limited budget) and without question the funniest exorcism ever put on film.  The film is crass, crude and clever; elements you’d expect from a Rogen joint.  But it’s also sweet, well-directed and never self-indulgent.  Plus there’s a scene in it that had me laughing so hard I was crying and that hasn’t happened in a movie theater for me in a long time.

Lucas and Spielberg’s Vision of the Future Not Bright for the Movie Business

Yesterday, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg spoke on a panel at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.  Few people in the business share a love and passion for movies as much as these guys, but they were more than somewhat worried at the future of the industry; particularly when it comes to Hollywood studios and their big-budget features.

“They’re going for the gold,” said Lucas.  “But that isn’t going to work forever.  And as a result they’re getting narrower and narrower in their focus.  People are going to get tired of it.  They’re not going to know how to do anything else.”

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg | (IGN)

Spielberg agreed with that sentiment saying, “There’s eventually going to be a big meltdown.  There’s going to be an implosion where three or four maybe even a half-dozen of these mega-budgeted movies go crashing into the ground and that’s going to change the paradigm again.”

It’s kind of ironic that the two men who basically created the summer blockbuster, (Lucas with Star Wars, Spielberg with Jaws) think it will ultimately be the downfall of creativeness in the industry. 

Lucas also believes the focus on more expensive films will also result in more money out of your pocket to go to the theater.  “You’re going to end up with fewer theaters, bigger theaters with a lot of nice things.  Going to the movies will cost 50 bucks or 100 or 150 bucks, like what Broadway cost today, or a football game.  It’ll be an expensive thing.”

These are pretty bold statements, but perhaps a few costly failures will force the big studios to focus more on smaller and smarter films.  The industry has evolved many times before and while ticket prices have certainly increased over the years, I can’t see theater chains reducing the number of theaters they operate and charging obscene ticket prices any time soon.  They’re doing whatever they can to get customers off the couch and back in the theater.  Why would they risk alienating their customers more by closing theaters and raising prices?

When you win the Rookie-of-the-Year award unanimously and put up stats that compare to Oscar Robertson and Lebron James, you tend to get noticed nationally (even in little old Portland).  Damian Lillard received plenty of praise for his first season in the NBA and now he’s being rewarded with a shot at playing for team USA.

On Wednesday, USA Basketball announced the names of 27 players invited to play in a Las Vegas mini-camp.  Portland point guard and future of the franchise Lillard was among those invited.

“I’m honored to have been invited to participate in the USA Basketball mini-camp,” said Lillard.  “It’s always been a dream of mine to represent our country, and I’m greatly appreciative of the opportunity.”

Damian Lillard | (OregonLive)

The camp, which takes place July 22-24, helps round out the U.S. roster for next summer’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.  While the Lebron James and Kevin Durants of the world will no doubt be on the team, the 27 players traveling to Vegas are either budding stars (Paul George, Kyrie Irving) or guys hoping to fill a role (Ryan Anderson, Chandler Parsons) on the team.

Lillard will have to compete with six other point guards to make the team and looking at the names, it might be too early in Lillard’s career to be thinking about Olympic gold.

Mike Conley is a veteran player with playoff success, Jrue Holiday is coming off an All-Star season, Kyrie Irving is already the best scoring point guard in basketball and Ty Lawson has had a number of productive seasons in the league.  The only two guards I would give Lillard a slight edge over would be John Wall and Kemba Walker.  Wall has had a number of injury problems in Washington, as well as losing seasons, but he played very well in the second-half of last season and he has a higher profile (former No. 1 pick) than Lillard.  And Walker plays for Charlotte so there’s no real threat there.

But it would be nice to see a Blazer on the Olympic team again.  Not since Clyde Drexler played for the original 1992 Dream Team has a Blazer played for team USA.  LaMarcus Aldridge had a realistic shot at making the 2012 roster but a hip injury prevented him from trying out.

If there’s an argument against Lillard making the team it’s that he would be playing even more basketball during the summer.  It’s doubtful that he will lead the league in minutes played again, but perhaps he should spend the off-season resting up.  But if you look at players like Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams, playing throughout the year and improving your game by competing against great international talent can be a good thing.

Plus hanging out with guys like Lebron, Durant and Paul would be helpful.  Seeing how they approach the game through training and preparation would be beneficial to a young player like Lillard.

Damian Lillard Wins NBA’s “Social Media Rookie of the Year” Award

Seriously, Lillard, enough with the awards.  On Wednesday Lillard won the NBA’s “Social Media Rookie of the Year” award (you know it’s 2013 when..).  Despite a seemingly quiet demeanor and laid-back personality, Lillard wasn’t shy about interacting with fans through social media.  With more than 188,000 followers on Twitter and 106,000 likes on Facebook, Lillard seems to have embraced the famous-athlete lifestyle he will now live.

Social Media | (vabulous.com)

“I have had a ball this season enjoying my teammates and all the social media and the support the fans have given me,” said Lillard.  “Even though I’ve had a lot of success I want everybody to know that none of these things are going to my head. …In accepting this award, I want to ensure all of my fans that I’m the same humble kid from Weber State that I was last summer.”

He keeps winning awards like this and it will by hard for him to maintain that humble attitude.  We see athletes fall victim to their new-found celebrity status all the time, but he seems like he has a good head on his shoulders.  At the end of the day, he’s just a kid from Oakland living his dream as a professional athlete.

Former Gonzaga Player Kelly Olynyk Works Out Portland

The latest Gonzaga standout with bad hair, Kelly Olynyk, worked out with the Blazers on Tuesday in advance of the 2013 NBA Draft.

In his final season as a Bulldog, Olynyk won the West Coast Conference Player of the Year after averaging 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in just 26.4 minutes per game.  He helped Gonzaga finish the regular season at 32-3 and earn a top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite receiving a number of accolades as a college player, Olynyk’s chances at becoming a Trail Blazer are slim based on his specific skill set.

Kelly Olynyk | (US Presswire)

The Blazers need a center and Olynyk stands 7-feet, but unlike most players at that size, Olynyk’s strengths seem to be outside of the paint.  He’s skilled at shooting jumpers and 3-point shots and he made 82 percent of his free throws, but his lack of athleticism in the low-post will expose him at the professional level.  He seems to have good foot-work and a rare ability for a big-man to move off the dribble, but those attributes won’t provide an advantage against professionals with superior speed and strength.

Here’s what DraftExpress.com said about his abilities on defense and rebounding the ball:

“Lacking the explosiveness to rebound outside of his area or provide a presence blocking shots from the weakside, Olynyk does not make a sizeable contribution in either area relative to his peers, ranking last and fifth to last in blocks and defensive rebounds per-40 minutes among the centers in out top-100.”

This guy has Tyler Hansbrough written all over him.  Despite accomplishing so much in college, his lack of speed and athleticism will prevent him from becoming a consistently productive player in the NBA.  I see him as a good bench-guy to come in and spell the starters a few minutes but nothing more.  Portland needs bench players for sure, but with the 10th pick in the draft, they can find someone more talented.

These days hard liquor really isn’t in vogue, it doesn’t bring to mind a modern healthy lifestyle.  It’s not sophisticated, sorry Scotch, the wine industry has that on lockdown. It’s also not in possession of the deep thinking yet non-threatening bohemian vibe that craft beers own.   From a pure marketing standpoint it does however have a distinct advantage:  When it’s time to throw a party with your most entertaining friends you want that casually potent, edge of out of control in-a-good way, bad boy/girl party lubricant: spirits.

Deciding to do a hard alcohol review turned out to be quite a bit more difficult than I thought it would be.  It doesn’t fit with our Food and Restaurant reviews, it’s not a locally produced product, and the idea seems somehow just a little…dark.  Ultimately, that may be what tipped the scales.

We’re starting this new series with the most neutral spirit, friend of the pro and amateur mixologist alike,Vodka.  Sazerac’s Platinum 7 Vodka.

According to Sazerac, Platinum 7 (P7) is made using high quality American grains, carefully distilled 7 times, then diluted with purified water down to 80 proof.  The result is supposed to deliver a “clean, refreshing, ultra-smooth taste that delivers a memorable drinking experience each time.”

Rules of Engagement.  1/2 of the product was put in the deep freeze for a couple of days in the original blue plastic 375ML bottle.  1/2 the product was kept in the refrigerator in a glass decanter with a glass stopper.  A small group of entertaining individuals with different levels of palette sophistication were assembled.  The “frozen” syrupy vodka was tested first, followed by the un-frozen product which was brought up to room temperature before tasting.

Tests: nose, 1/2 oz raw sip, 1/2 oz raw swish and swallow, fresh squeezed lime – graduated mix, fresh lemon – graduated mix, 2 traditional drinks: a Cosmoplitan and a classic shaken Martini, and finally a “best fit” ingredient.

In running these same tests against other Vodkas and “neutral spirits”, there have rarely been surprises.  Not so with P7. Keep reading to see what I mean, or, if you’re the impatient type, scroll to the bottom and see what we discovered.

The Nose:  A Brandy snifter with 1/2 oz of Vodka, aerate a little (swish), then sniff at the rim, then all the way in.

Result:This was unanimous: rubbing alcohol.  Both the frozen and non-frozen enjoyed this same trait.  It’s a good thing you are drinking it and not using it for aromatherapy, well mostly a good thing.

Raw Sip: 1/2 oz is shot down without lingering in the mouth.

Result: This was also unanimous: it burns…like rubbing alcohol.  The frozen sip was of course easier to take, but was not easier to enjoy.  The extra distilling steps likely purify the end product – P7 is developing a reputation as a no-hangover Vodka – but it also seems to increase the very distinctive raw flavor of the Vodka.

Raw Swish and Swallow:  1/2 of the amount is taken in, rolled over your tongue and up onto your gums then swallowed, followed by the balance of the sample.

Result: While we had a good time with this particular test – getting the non-frozen sample down while your gums are burning ended up causing several ejections from the test for “spillage”.  The spillage was probably caused by the laughter, but it’s just as likely it was caused by the alcohol.

Many neutral spirits are very abrasive in their raw form, particularly at room temperature so we didn’t let this deter us from moving into the graduated mix samples. For graduated mixes an ounce and a half of Vodka is mixed with 1/2 of the mix (per person) then sampled as in a Nose + Raw Swish and Swallow. This is 3 pours per person with additional mix added per pour until the mix is approximately 50/50 with the alcohol.

Fresh Lime: The fresh aroma of the lime did little to mask the rubbing alcohol nose, and even less to moderate the abrasive taste.  The initial taste nearly paralyzed everyone’s saliva glands.  Normally we try to do it with just the fresh juice, but we added some simple syrup to get us to tastes 2 and 3.  Nothing helped, it remained largely unpleasant to consume.

Fresh Lemon: This was the first really big surprise of the night.  None of us made it to the 2nd tasting.  For some reason, adding fresh squeezed Meyer lemon to the P7 brought out the most unpleasant smell I can recall encountering in a mix of any kind….including Red Bull and bad tequila.  It was reminiscent of a truck stop mens room…and that was unanimous.  We all did our first tastes of the frozen vodka, but only a couple made it past the room temperature sample.  To validate this I went and purchased a small bottle of P7 on my own and re-ran this test: same result.

Cosmopolitan: We should have tried the martini first because the Cosmo was pretty good.  It started to feel a little like a party and less of a test of intestinal fortitude.  The frozen delivered the superior experience, as could be expected.

Martini: Now we all enjoy a good classic martini, but whoo boy – this was more like a course in courage than an urbane intermission.  Not a drink I would try again with P7.

So far we’d been abused quite a bit by this little bottle of distilled grain, the Cosmo being the highlight and the lemon being something I’d like to forget happened.  The very biggest surprise was next:  the best fit mix.

Typically determining what the “best fit mix” is for a spirit takes some trial and error, often times never quite working out. Not so with P7.  The very qualities that were making the P7 a difficult spirit to mix pointed me to trying what turned out to be one of the best single ingredient pairings I’ve tried.

Black Pepper: 1oz of Vodka per person and a good solid twist on the pepper grinder and we all moved in for the last round, expectations low. We did our traditional last call salute, then cautiously tested the nose. In unison we all went hmmmm.  A deeper sample and straight to a taste.  Another hmmmm.  The black pepper had managed to not only remove any harshness from the sample, but it brought out a bite and smoothness in the P7 that was as good as any super-premium I’ve had the pleasure of drinking.  It also brought out subtleties in the pepper itself. After everything we’d been through, the pairing was a shock, this time in the best possible way.

Many spirits play well with only a narrow range of mixes and tinctures, Platinum 7 is proof of how narrow that range can be.  In our tastings, Platinum 7 required earthy aggressive compounds and mixes to bring out it’s unique strengths.  Your results may vary, but you may also find you agree that P7 could be the best vodka out there for making a distinctive and delicious Bloody Mary.

Platinum 7 Vodka is available in all Lane County Liquor stores and runs about $24.

Would you like to see more reviews like this?  Weigh in, we’re still deciding.

One of my more anticipated movies of the year is The Monuments Men.  Director, writer and star George Clooney leads a crew of art historians and museum curators whose mission is to recover art stolen by the Nazis before Hitler destroys them.

Matt Damon | (justjared.com)

The film features one of the most impressive casts in recent memory (Matt Damon, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin) and anything starring Clooney is a must-see for me.  Plus the plot is like Ocean’s Eleven meets Kelly’s Heroes.  If that doesn’t sound like a damn entertaining movie I don’t know what does.

Unfortunately, we have to wait until December to see the film, but a few photos from the set have been leaked to wet your whistle in the meantime.  Damon appears to be rocking another memorable hat (like the fedora he wore in The Adjustment Bureau) and Clooney has made the decision to sport a ’40s appropriate mustache.  I can’t wait to see what Murray and Goodman will look like.

‘A Prophet’ Remake Coming to America

One of the best films from 2010 was the French crime film A Prophet.  Directed by Jacques Audiard, the film follows a young man imprisoned for a petty crime who rises to power in a prison crime syndicate.  The film was brutally violent, thrilling, dramatic and unflinching in its portrayal of a young man doomed by his unfortunate time in the prison system.

Any other year, A Prophet would have won the Best Foreign Language Oscar in 2010, but it was up against another film I adore, The Secret in their Eyes, which ended up winning the prize.

American remakes are inevitable (See Spike Lee’s film Oldboy coming later this year), but this one might be hard to re-imagine for American audiences considering the heavy subject matter.

The producer for the English remake is Neal H. Moritz whose credits include Fast & Furious, 21 Jump Street and I Am Legend.  Those aren’t exactly films I think of when I talk about dramatic and serious subject matter but who knows.  If the right writer and director are on board, the film could be remade correctly.  At the very least, this news gives audiences a chance to discover the original which will probably end up being the better film anyway.

‘Anchorman: The Exhibit’ Opens Nov. 14 at the Newseum

The Newseum, in partnership with Paramount Pictures, will open “Anchorman: The Exhibit,” in Washington D.C. on Nov. 14 in anticipation of the sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, hitting theaters Dec. 20.

Will Ferrell | (IGN)

The Newseum – in case you didn’t get the name – is a museum featuring five centuries of news history that informs visitors about the value of free press in a free society (God bless America) by offering interactive technology and hands-on exhibits.

The Anchorman exhibit will feature props (including Burgundy’s Jazz flute), costumes (lots of ’70s attire) and footage from the 2004 comedy as well as a re-creation of the KVWN-TV anchor desk and news set.  No word yet on whether Brian Fantana’s pungent Sex Panther cologne or Brick Tamland’s trident will be included.  One can only hope.  

Visitors to the exhibit will also have an opportunity to see whether or not they have what it takes to be a member of the Channel 4 news team by stepping in front of the camera and participating in an Anchorman-themed TV spot at one of the Newseum’s Be a TV Reporter stations.  The event will run through August 31, 2014.

Warner Bros. Strikes Deal with Paramount to Co-Finance Next Nolan Film

Christopher Nolan can do no wrong at the moment.  His last four films for Warner Bros.; The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception, have collectively grossed more than $3 billion worldwide.  So you can imagine how desperate Warners is to be apart of Nolan’s next film, the sci-fi movie Interstellar.

But at what cost did Warners agree to co-produce with Paramount?  The answer is more franchises.  According to The Hollywood Reporter: “Warners, which released Nolan’s megagrossing Batman movies and maintains an overall deal with his Syncopy label, wanted in on ‘Interstellar’ so badly it gave Paramount its rights to co-finance the next Friday the 13th horror film as well as its portion of a future South Park movie.  Also part of the deal was an agreement to let Paramount co-finance a to-be-determined A-list Warners property.”  No word yet on the player to be named later in the deal.

Call me crazy but this sounds like a great deal for Warner Bros.  Friday the 13th and South Park aren’t exactly lucrative franchises and whatever Nolan touches turns to gold so bravo to Warner Bros.  I don’t know what the percentage split will be on Interstellar but I imagine Paramount will still own the majority of it.  The undetermined A-list Warners property is interesting though.  The Harry Potter, Hangover and Batman franchises are done with (for now), so I wonder what that future property will be.

One small catch with this agreement is that Paramount has a 5-year period in which they have sole sequel rights to Friday the 13th and South Park.  So fans of either franchise can look forward to sequels coming fairly soon.

Al Pacino as Han Solo?  It Almost Happened

What if Tom Selleck hadn’t had a scheduling dispute with Magnum P.I. and been cast as Indiana Jones?  What if Will Smith had chosen The Matrix over Wild Wild West?  How about Richard Gere as John McClane (Thank God that didn’t happen)?  The history of cinema has seen numerous close-calls when it comes to casting choices and now you can add another one to that list.

During An Evening With Al Pacino, the Oscar-winning actor said he was first offered the role of Han Solo in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.  Of course it would eventually go to Harrison Ford, but according to Pacino, he turned it down.

Al Pacino | (IGN)

“It was mine for the taking but I didn’t understand the script,” said Pacino, according to The Telegraph.  Pacino said other actors considered for the role of Solo included Jack Nicholson, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray.

Pacino was at the top of his game in the ’70s (The Godfather Part I and II, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, And Justice for All), but the thought of him in the role of Han Solo is kind of ridiculous.  Pacino is a great actor, but he’s far too intense and would have lacked the charm Harrison Ford brought to the role.  

As for the other actors considered, Nicholson like Pacino would have been a little too intense.  Chase and Murray would have been interesting choices however.  But it would have been hard to take them seriously in the more dramatic scenes.

So the point to this story is, Harrison Ford was never the first choice.  He played two of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema and if it hadn’t been for scheduling conflicts and actors misunderstanding scripts, his career could have gone down a much different road.

Take a minute to close your eyes and imagine what it would feel like to fly through the air, with the wind blowing against your skin and the feeling of absolute freedom.  Now add to that the thrill of people cheering you on, calling out your name and becoming an inspiration to many.  Or imagine the excitement as you dangle from silk, using nothing but sheer strength to hold yourself up, or just knowing that you depend on someone to catch you as you flip from swing to swing in your circus act.  People who participate in Aerial Arts get to experience those feelings every day, and what an experience it must be!

Acrobatics have been practiced all over the world for many, many years.  As far back as 2,000 BC, people have been depicted balancing on the backs of bulls while performing different acts of acrobatics!  Acrobatics has been a part of Chinese culture since the Western Han Dynasty, where it was included in village festivals.  It eventually found its way into the noble courts, mainly through the 7th through 10th century.  Acrobatics remains a popular sport and form of entertainment in China, where it is still practiced today and considered to be an important art form.  China wasn’t the only country to partake in the acrobatic arts, though – Just like in China, acrobatics (along with juggling and other talents) were performed in the noble courts during the Middle Ages by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

Tightrope Walking is probably one of the most popular acts at the circus.  The performers are able to walk on the rope by shifting their weight over their legs and arms, which takes a lot of concentration and dedication to becoming completely in tune with your body and knowing just how you should move.  There are a few different styles of Tightrope Walking.  There is Tightwire, which is the act of walking on a highly tensioned wire between two points.  Some performers choose to use a tool to help them balance, such as an umbrella or balance pole, while others prefer going freehand.  There is also Highwire, which is exactly the same as Tightwire, only much higher.  Skywalking is closely related to Highwire, except it’s done at such great heights and lengths that it’s generally performed outdoors and between things like skyscrapers, mountains or any other object the performer would like to use or possibly sees as a challenge to overcome!

The trapeze is a daring stunt.  No matter if it’s Static Trapeze or Flying Trapeze, those men and women overcome any fears they might have just to entertain their loving audience while doing what makes them happiest!  There are many forms of trapeze, but the most known forms are Flying Trapeze and Static Trapeze – the only real difference between the two is, with Static Trapeze, the bars and ropes stay in one place while the performers do various stunts.  Flying Trapeze is where two performers act together, swinging and flipping and jumping — then are caught by the other performer.  There is also something called Multiple Trapeze, which is very similar to Static Trapeze except they use two or more bars instead of the usual one.

Aerial Hoops can also be used instead of the normal bars.  There are a couple different styles performers can choose from – a standard circular hoop that hangs from a rope, or a circle with a straight top that is typically used for more intricate Aerial Hoop acts.  Performers can sit inside or on top of the hoop (depending on which model they use) and acts can have multiple performers, just like with Trapeze.

Back when trapeze acts were still being developed, they didn’t use a safety net like they do today – they used to lay mattresses beneath the performers in case one fell.  Nowadays, performers are hooked up to a safety harness during practice until they have mastered whichever trick they are attempting.  Trapeze stunts are also done closer to the ground than they were back in the early days – now, the performers act at around 20 to 40 feet in the air and above a safety net. Although it’s rare, you can still find some particularly risk-taking trapeze artists who choose not to use a safety net at all!

Closely related to the trapeze is Aerial Silk – an act where a performer climbs a special kind of fabric, generally not even “silk” at all, but rather a stretch polyester lycra – without the use of any form of safety net or harness, but with only their skills and training to protect them (along with some rosin on their hands to help them grip the fabric!).  Once they’ve climbed to the desired height, they use the fabric to help them swing, fall, suspend, fly through the air and strike poses.

When it comes to Aerial Silk, the way you wrap yourself in fabric can help a lot with your tricks.  The more complicated the wrap, the stronger the friction – which means that, if done correctly, you can even let go of the silk and remain held up by the fabric alone!  Aerial Silk is a fascinating art form, but requires a lot of patience, grace, strength and courage to master (although, by the look of it, it’s well worth the effort!).

Similar to Aerial Silk is something called Spanish Web.  The tricks and moves are very much alike, only with Spanish Web, the performer uses a rope that has been covered in cloth along with an ankle strap (that can also be attached to their wrist) that attaches to the rope.  While suspended on the rope, someone called a “web setter” can spin the rope in large circles, which allows the performer to become almost completely horizontal to the rope.  The Cloud Swing is like a perfect mix of Trapeze and Spanish web and is fairly new to the world of Aerial Arts.  It uses a long rope that strongly resembles the rope used in Spanish Web, and the moves that are performed resemble the moves used in Trapeze.  There is another version called Mexican Cloud Swing where the tricks are performed at a higher altitude.

There are numerous health benefits to Aerial Arts.  Each of the different forms mentioned above have a unique way of working multiple muscle groups, resulting in a firm and toned body.  Aerial Arts and acrobatics are great for both the body and mind since it helps with things such as coordination, flexibility and perception — which is why it’s recommended by doctors all over the world.

Aerial Yoga is a popular new way to get in shape.  While using the same kind of fabric as Aerial Silk performers, people who participate in Aerial Yoga learn how to do variations of standard yoga moves, but while dangling in the air! It’s easy to see why this trend it catching on – you get all the same benefıts that you would with standard yoga, but with the added fun of challenging yourself to perform the moves in a whole new way.  And besides, who wouldn’t want to strengthen their core and improve their flexibility midair?

Aerial Arts have come a long way.  New techniques for both the art itself and the safety precautions required to do the moves are constantly improved upon, and the venues to learn Aerial Arts are much more readily available.  It used to be that if you wanted to learn any type of acrobatics, you had to be born into a family that practiced the art form.  Skills were taught from generation to generation and, while this is still true for many circus families, there are now many schools you can go to in order to learn whichever form of acrobatics that you’d like– giving those of us who weren’t lucky enough to be born into a circus family the opportunity to learn impressive new skills.  And who knows…maybe you can start a circus family of your own right here in Eugene with BOUNCE GYMNASTICS!

BOUNCE GYMNASTICS is the only gymnastics studio in Eugene that offers training on aerial apparatus, which includes silks, trapeze, cloud swing (a thick rope that hangs like a hammock), and lyra (a ring shaped apparatus that hangs on end from the ceiling).

ADULT AERIAL YOGA CLASSES!
Aerial Yoga is an innovative program that blends the beneficial elements of traditional yoga methodology with the unique conditioning of aerial arts.  A cross between a yoga class and an aerial class, Aerial Yoga is designed to incorporate the balancing and stretching components of yoga with the strengthening and exhilarating components of aerial arts.  No aerial experience necessary. All levels welcome!

Circus Arts Beginning levels AGES 7-17
In this class students will explore many of the core circus arts, including aerial silks, trapeze, spanish web, cloud swing, acrobatics, hand balancing, tight rope, slack line, juggling, and moOwner/Director

Naja Rossoff has over 28 years experience teaching gymnastics from preschool ages through competitive team levels.  She also teaches the beginning and intermediate level aerial circus arts as well as aerial yoga for adults.  Rossoff is the only Certified Aerial Yoga instructor in Eugene who teaches classes to the public.  Naja and her fantastic staff will ensure that every child and adult has a fun, safe and positive experience in every class.

CAMPS-SCHOOL’S OUT – Teen Tumbling & Trampoline – CIRCUS ARTS – Aerial Yoga – Adult Classes TEAM 2012-2013 – Open Gym Schedule – PARENT’S NIGHT OUT – Bounce Club

Contact info:
Naja Rossoff, Owner/Director
naja@bouncegymnastics.com

CoachMOM

“Meatballs” starring Bill Murray | IMDB an Ivan Reitman Film

I’ve decided that it’s time to get this out of my system. I’ve discussed the issue when I have spoken to groups in public, but I thought now is the time to put it all together in one place. First I need to give you some background.

You may remember the Bill Murray movie “Meatballs.” In that film Murray, as camp counselor Tripper, is giving a pep-talk to his campers before their “Olympic Games” against their rival and much better funded summer camp. To sum up his “Win one for the Gipper” speech he tells his campers that no matter how it turns out, even if they win, they will still never get the pretty girls so “It Just Doesn’t Matter.” He wanted them to do their best even though the outcome seemed inevitable.

In my earlier days in TV weather I also performed other duties. In Austin, TX I was Science Editor for the station and reported on many science and environmental topics.

Mc Murto Station, Antarctica (Summer 2013) | Cassandra Brooks

I did a two-part series of reports about an Australian scientist who went to Antarctica with the Russians to study the process of melting and freezing of the glaciers and ice fields. Their main purpose was to determine if we were going into another Ice Age or not. In part one I described how they put transponders on the ice and in the water to measure what was happening. Their final report stated that indeed we were on our way to a new Ice Age. I summarized the story in part two and asked the Australian scientist whether he thought we were on our way to a new Ice Age. His answer was one of the best soundbites I ever got from an interview subject. In answer to the question he said, and I quote ” Yes we are going into another Ice Age, but I wouldn’t run out and buy a heavier coat tomorrow.” Could we do anything to stop it? No. It just doesn’t matter.

Polar Jet Stream and Subtropical Jet Stream |

In the early 1980s scientists were all abuzz over the “Jet Stream” and how it was causing all of the changes we were seeing with stronger hurricanes and increasing numbers of US tornadoes. The Jet Stream in itself does not create the storms, but guides and pushes them along. You can blame it all on the Jet Stream, but it just doesn’t matter.

El Nino, La Nina (red is warmer water pooling, violet is cooler water) | sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov

In the 1990s the big topics were El Nino and La Nina and how they controlled our weather patterns. El Nino, named “the baby” after the baby Jesus by the South American fisherman. They noticed that every so many years a warm water pool formed in the Pacific Ocean and moved closer to shore around Christmas time. They found that because of the warmer water the fish they needed to catch migrated to another location. You saw many people trying to blame El Nino for the tornado destruction in their state or the blizzard that struck the mid-west. The two “El’s” effect seasonal weather patterns on a short-term scale. They control the location of the Polar and Subtropical Jet Streams during each season. You can’t blame them for individual weather events. Which one was at fault in a given case? It just doesn’t matter.

Global Warming- Air Pollution | lovelyharshal.wordpress.com

For a long time now we have engaged in very heated discussions over “Global Warming” and there have been some dire predictions of what will happen if we don’t act immediately to “fix” it. I’m sorry but I find it very difficult to see how we can “fix” such a massive worldwide problem when we don’t yet understand all of the mechanisms that are involved. Oh, and now to quell some of the political hub-bub over “Global Warming.” The name has been altered to “Climate Change.” We could argue forever over which name we should use, but it just doesn’t matter.

In my view we could discuss, argue over, and legislate which one of these processes is responsible for our weather or climate but it just doesn’t matter. Think about our pets, dogs and cats. Do they “do their business” in their food dish? No, but we humans do. We have been polluting the air, land and water for centuries. We all admit that is a bad thing so why do we have to waste so much time bickering over what to call it or who’s to blame? It just doesn’t matter. We know about the pollution and we know ways to make our planet a better place in which to live. I don’t think it can’t be done with radical changes in our lifestyle all at once today as some suggest. In my opinion we need to work at it one day at a time, one person at a time, one project at a time and it will get done. We can at least improve our living conditions. I’m not so sure we will ever have the power to alter the direction our climate is taking, one way or the other. And who is to take credit for the ways we devise to make these improvements? It just doesn’t matter, as long as we get the job done.

Let me know what you would like me to talk about or explain. You can email me at: tim.chuey@eugenedailynews.com

Here’s a new one.  If you get arrested for drunk driving anytime soon (please don’t), just say your were “sleep driving” and you could get away with it.  Don’t believe me, just ask James Robert Newman.

The Oregon Supreme Court on Friday threw out the drunk driving conviction of Newman, saying he should have been allowed to argue to a jury that he was “sleep driving” at the time and therefore was not responsible for driving with a blood alcohol content almost twice the legal limit.

Ruling unanimously, the court emphasized that prosecutors must prove that a defendant charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants “voluntarily” got behind the wheel.

Sobriety Test | (komonews.com)

What happened to the good old days when all prosecutors needed was a test showing that a person’s blood alcohol content was .08 or greater?  Now you have to prove that the intoxicated person was just sober enough to realize what he was doing?  How on earth do you do that?

The frightening thing is that this could open the door for new defenses arguing the same thing.  Or they could just say they were so drunk or high that they lost all ability to make conscious decisions.

According to Newman, at the time of the incident (which was way back in 2008), he insists that he walked from his apartment to a restaurant to drink with friends.  A friend gave him a ride back home, and at some point that night, Newman claimed that he got into his car and started driving while asleep.  A police officer spotted Newman driving erratically and pulled him over.  Newman admitted to being drunk, and his blood alcohol content was .15 percent.

So he admitted to the officer that he was in fact drunk, but the hang up is he didn’t voluntarily or consciously admit to driving.  Newman attempted to argue that his sleep walking habit was the reason behind him doing the same while driving.

But Multnomah Country Circuit Judge Marshall Amiton wouldn’t allow Newman to present the sleep walking evidence, saying Oregon’s DUII law doesn’t require the prosecution to prove Newman voluntarily drove.  He waived a jury trial, and the judge found him guilty.  The Supreme Court saw things differently and now Newman is a free man.

The sad part about all of this is that Newman has two prior DUII convictions.  He obviously hasn’t learned his lesson, but instead of being punished for it, he’s able to avoid jail time thanks to this strange loophole.

Thankfully, the Oregon Department of Justice is considering rushing to the Legislature before the current session ends to ask lawmakers to clarify that involuntary driving shouldn’t be allowed as a defense to DUII.  The sooner the better.  There’s enough drunk driving going on as it is.

Fan assaulted at baseball game for wearing the wrong hat

The Baltimore Sun reported on Saturday that 25-year-old Matt Fortese of Hagerstown, Maryland was seriously injured after an alleged assault by two men during Wednesday’s Nationals-Orioles game at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

Fortese suffered severe head trauma and a skull fracture after Michael Bell, 21, and Gregory Fleischman, 22, reportedly got into it with Fortese who was wearing a Yankees hat.  After enduring taunting for a number of innings, Fortese approached the men after one of them threw a beer that hit him.  They argued, one of the men punched him in the head, and the blow sent him over a railing and onto concrete about five feet below.

Camden Yards | (USA Today)

After the fall, an off-duty state trooper by the name of Nathan Steelman rushed to Fortese’s aid and revived him.  In an ironic twist of fate, Steelman was a childhood friend of Fortese whom he hadn’t seen in years.  The two had a brief chat shortly before the incident.

Fortese was at the game with Taylor Queen.  The two were on their second date and according to Queen, the date was going really well until the incident occurred.

It’s really sad when you hear stories like this at sporting events.  Fortese is fighting for his life in a hospital because two idiots didn’t like the hat he was wearing.  Fortese was able to deal with their heckling for an hour, probably because he was with Queen and wanted to show her who the better man was, but we all have our breaking point. 

We’re getting to a point where the mixture of alcohol, testosterone and fandom is becoming far too dangerous.  With this story, the assault that occurred at Dodger Stadium two years ago and countless others, the allure of attending a major sporting event is becoming less and less appealing.

If you are going to attend a game where you are a fan of the opposing team, wear neutral colors.  There’s no shame in that.  Otherwise you have a target on your back and there’s no telling what kind of verbal and perhaps physical abuse you will endure.

The curse of the middle child

WDTWG has been pretty depressing this week.  I mean geez, what a downer.  Here’s something I saw on the Internet that I think will cheer you up.  A photo was posted on Reddit this week perfectly encapsulating the middle child syndrome.

Middle Child | (HuffPost)

The caption with the photo said, “the moment he realized he was now the middle child.”  Look at that face.  That kid just had an “Oh No” moment.  He sees what lies ahead. The bigger sibling is the first born and typically an over-achiever, they are the most important and get the most privileges.  A younger sibling is the ‘baby’ of a family and gets away with more as well as being the most looked-after.  Here’s what I found online about the middle child:

• Misbehaves to get attention
• goes with the flow
• works as little as possible
• becomes the ‘loner’ of the family, doesn’t participate in family events unless told to
• becomes very creative (Hey, a positive)

That kid is staring down his future and he does not like what he sees.  After watching a ton of Arrested Development over the past week, and looking at the expression on that kid, I’m imagining him saying the words, “I’ve made a huge mistake.”

So I was at my local movie theater yesterday partaking in the latest Fast and Furious movie when I noticed that there were a lot of trailers before the movie began.  At least six were shown so the 1:50 start time was more like 2:10.  In all honesty this doesn’t bother me.  I enjoy a well-produced trailer and while some previews give away too much of the film, I read a lot of movie sites (as you can probably imagine) anyway so there isn’t a film I’m not already aware of.

But the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) are apparently very aware of trailers and they have a couple of issues with them.  According to /Film, NATO is responding to consumer complaints about trailers being too long and showing too much of the movie.

Green-Band Trailer | (Collider)

I didn’t know this, but trailers can run at a maximum of 2.5 minutes.  NATO wants to cut that number down to two minutes.  So apparently that extra 30 seconds in every preview is crucial to spoiling a movie’s plot.  Despite the limit on how long a trailer can be, there isn’t a limit on the number of trailers that can be shown.

So really, if NATO is able to cut down the length of trailers, movie studios will just increase the number of previews which will probably lead to more complaints by consumers.

Another demand from NATO is a shorter marketing window for studios.  With a few exceptions, NATO wants no marketing for films until four months before the release date.  They also want the release date on every piece of marketing.  This guideline seems impossible.  Movie release dates change all the time so that studios can position a film to open at a time they believe will make them the most money.  Limiting the marketing window also reduces anticipation and hype for particular films and I’m pretty sure theater owners don’t want to create a reason for fans not to come to their theaters.

If anything, trailers allow moviegoers more time to get to their seat before the movie they paid to see starts.  So for those “consumers” who complained: just take your time getting to the theater.  Grab a soda and some popcorn and stroll in halfway through the last trailer.  That way it doesn’t interrupt the movie experience for the people already in the theater when the movie starts.

If NATO wants to do something, find a way to recognize idiots who plan to text during a movie.  If they can solve that problem, then they’re onto something.  Leave the trailers alone.

M. Night Shyamalan has another dud on his hands

Remember the M. Night Shyamalan who directed The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs in succession in the late ’90s/early ’00s?  What happened to that guy?  He’s done one dreadful film after another since and based on Rotten Tomatoes’ latest numbers, the Will Smith summer tent-pole After Earth appears to be just as bad.

Jaden Smith | (TheWrap)

With a dismal 13% approval rating on RT, After Earth has been described as dull, ploddingly paced and an overbearingly sentimental vanity project from Will Smith and his son.

This is Shyamalan’s first director-for-hire film and despite the presence of summer movie king Will Smith, the film is expected to finish second behind Fast & Furious 6 which will be in its second week of release.  Not good news for film whose budget is around $130 million.

I continue to root for Shyamalan to succeed.  As someone who considers Unbreakable vastly underrated and Signs a masterpiece, I know Shyamalan has another great film left in him.  For someone who was once considered the next Hitchcock, Shyamalan has continued to spiral down a deep and dark hole of mediocrity.  I thought a collaboration with Smith could change that.  Apparently it hasn’t.

Josh Brolin is latest actor to join ‘Inherent Vice’

The cast for Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film got even more impressive this week as Josh Brolin has joined the cast.  Set in 1969 Los Angeles, Inherent Vice follows a pothead/private detective Larry “Doc Sportello” who is helping a former lover with an interesting case that involves infidelity, mental institutions and policemen called “Bigfoot.”

Joaquin Phoenix is set to star in the film which will also feature Benicio Del Toro, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon and Martin Short.  Sean Penn is also reportedly in negotiations to join the cast.

It’s nice to see Anderson jumping right into his next project after last year’s bizarre but memorable film The Master.  He typically waits a few years before directing again so this material must be particularly interesting.  Anderson is one of the great filmmakers of our time (although he’s not for everyone) so the thought that his next film will come relatively soon is exciting.

James Lipton was a pimp (literally) back in the day

James Lipton | (TheWrap)

Say what!  James Lipton: Beloved host of “Inside the Actors Studio” was a pimp in another life.  In an interview with Parade magazine, Lipton admitted to holding the unsightly position in 1950s France:

“It was only a few years after the war.  Paris was different then, still poor.  Men couldn’t get jobs and, in the male chauvinist Paris of that time, the women couldn’t get work at all.  It was perfectly respectable for them to go into le milieu,” Lipton said.  “Young women desperately needed money for various reasons.  They were beautiful and young and extraordinary.”

Lipton said he was able to live for a year managing ladies of the evening and at that time, he acted more as an agent for them rather than the seedy pimp type you see today.  Of course he’s changed his stance on the act now saying, “I think if you can’t earn it on your own, then you don’t deserve it.”

I don’t know what’s more surprising: that Lipton was a pimp or that a quick Google search reveals that he’s 86.  The guy doesn’t look or sound a day over 70.  Someone once said pimpin ain’t easy but apparently aging is to James Lipton.  The best line from this story comes from someone who posted this question in the comments section: “He couldn’t drop this bombshell when Will Ferrell was still on SNL?”  Amen to that.