The Hire

click on title for site.
The Hire debuted in 2001, marking a new era in short films. Executive-produced by David Fincher and starring Clive Owen, this revolutionary series of short films brought the power and quality of feature-length movies to a format designed for the Internet. Enjoy.

Most Expensive House in UK

The most expensive country residence in the UK goes on sale for £70 million.

The 60,000 sq/ft property includes such features as...
103 rooms including 22 en-suite bedrooms
Five swimming pools
Heated marble driveway
Marble-lined shooting gallery
Large wine cellar
Private cinema with seating for 8
Bowling alley# Indoor squash court
All-weater floodlit tennis court
Stabling for five horses
Underground parking for 8 limousines
Helipad
Panic room
Throne room complete with 24-carat gold floor

Animators Create Movie Magic

CNN video
Award-winning animation gurus turn the impossible into reality on the movie screen.

Advice for Oscar Night

"Don't thank God, God's busy working on the tsunami, so leave him alone."
Chris Rock offering some advice for acceptance speeches at the Oscars

Grand Odalisque

Painted by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, one of my favorite painters of the Neoclassical Period. This nude was painted in 1814 for Napoleon's sister, Queen Caroline Murat. Ingres' nude is hardly intimate, the eroticism here emerging slowly from the reserve and the questioning, assessing glance of the naked woman. This is a tradition that goes back to Giorgione and Titian, but Ingres has painted a living woman and not an allegory of Venus. Nevertheless, the realistic intimacy is lessened by setting the scene in the distant world of the Orient.

For many in the West, the idea of the harem with its available or exploited women trapped in their own closed world was as much proof of the fallen or primitive state of the East as was its supposed savagery. But it was also infinitely titillating. Ingres's picture is more than this, however. A sense of loss was inevitably embodied in French perceptions of the East after their defeat in Egypt, and it was perhaps because it sublimated unattainable desires that the theme of the Oriental nude, bather or harem girl gained such a haunting appeal. Ingres is remarkable for combining a frank allure with a chilling perfection of flesh. He picks up discreet hints of the harem — a turban here, a fan there — from Oriental artifacts and miniatures in the collections of Gros and Denon. They serve to locate his nude, who otherwise could really belong anywhere, in a sensuous Orient of the imagination. To Ingres, the Orient was a place of mystery and fascination. This painting embodies this.

Harvard vs. Yale Game

Harvard Sucks Prank
hehehe. This is for Kat

Finding Neverland

This should win the Oscar.
Finding Neverland Trailer

Spirit of Haida Gwaii

this piece in all in bronze...
Story of Haida Gwaii

Quote

Talk not of wasted affection; affection never was wasted.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

World's Top Tennis Stars At Burj Al Arab

Dubai, UAE: World No. 1 Roger Federer and former No. 1 Andre Agassi took tennis to new heights on Tuesday, ascending nearly 700 feet (over 320 meters) to play a friendly match on the helipad at the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. The hotel's grass helipad, which is situated 692 feet (211 meters) high covers a surface area of 1,361 square feet (415 sq meters), was converted into a tennis court for the two players. Standing 1,053 feet (321 meters) high on a man-made island, the majestic Burj Al Arab is one of the most recognizable hotels in the world.

In preparation for the Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open, tennis legend, Andre Agassi and the world No. 1, Roger Federer, couldn’t resist the temptation to have a friendly knock about on the world’s highest tennis court, the helipad of Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel.Both players are in Dubai to compete in the US$1 million Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open, which is the first round of the two-week Dubai Tennis Championships.

Vietnamese art

rain rain go away come again another day

London weather ... ahh the memories. Today is definitely a day for coats, scarves, hats, and mittens -- yes, even in Southern Cali when the sun never sets. Hey peeps from Seattle, i feel ya today. Tien, bring my wool sweater back!

Speaking of wool sweaters - here's an interesting random fact: wool sweaters are made of hollow fibers so they are great for rain. It dries up fast and yet, keeps you warm and cozy at the same time. What a great invention!
RAMBO taught me that. Green Berets. yay.

Sukaina

This posting is in honor of Sukaina, daughter of Ali and Tamara. On February 8th, Tamara had her first baby Sukaina at Orange Coast Memorial. Both are doing great. Mom and baby are going home today and Sukaina will see her home for the first time! Lots of love for the new family.

Year of the Yiyou --- Rooster

What better time to start the blog off than the new year... of the Lunar calendar of course. The celebration is much more worthwhile. The food's better and so is the money --- well, this year i have to give the red envelopes away. Trust me, it's much better to get than to give on asian new year's. I think my whole savings account is built from Tet money until now. Ah well, it has to end sumtime.

There are three ways to name a Chinese year:
1. By an animal (like a mascot). The new year is known as the Year of the Rooster.There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are re-cycled every 12 years. 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
2. By its Former Name. The new year is the year of Yiyou. By this system, the Name of the Year is repeated and re-cycled every 60 years.
It is Year 4702 by Chinese calendar.