Don't miss out on the links

current mood: Feeling Techy...

It's possible that many of you have never really looked down at the links. You'll find some great stuff in the Kung Fu section, but I think you'll really appreciate the Music section. There you will find the official website of each of my favorite artists. You can float your mouse over the little CD graphic to get a pop-up readout of their latest or forthcoming albums, and by clicking the CD you get a link directly to purchase the CD or just read more about it at Amazon.

Enjoy...

Martial Arts movies

current mood: Tough!!

You have got to see Ong-Bak - The Thai Warrior!!! This guy is awesome! You can tell he is well trained in martial arts, and although I have never been a big fan of Muay Thai, this will make you thik twice about fighting one of those guys... they sure are tough!!!



Tony Jaa is built like Bruce Lee, moves acrobatically like Jackie Chan and is as fast as Jet Li. He is by far my favorite movie martial artist now!

We also saw Kung Fu Hustle, and although it was a funny movie with a good story, I cannot see Stephen Chow as a true martial artists (although I know he would kick my butt), but more of an wire-line acrobat.



I would prefer to see him do a more realistic martial arts movie and then I would be able to better judge him on he skills compared to Tony Jaa. Most his movies are choreographed by the famed wire-line action director Woo-ping Yuen (of Matrix fame). So the action is fun, but overly done...

National Treasure

current mood: Sleepy...


Last night Richard and I watched National Treasure.



Thumbs up! We enjoyed the story line even though it was a bit far fetched it was fun and kind of reminded us of the code breaking from The Da Vinci Code.

Not a bad rental, you will enjoy all of the references to actual U.S. historical facts and events.

News: Depeche Mode Album Due 10/18

current mood: Excited!

The New Depeche Mode Album is coming out on October 18, 2005! The new single "Precious" is available already on iTunes, and other places if you don't subscribe to iTunes.



And here is what the cover will look like:



And the cover of the new single:



Be sure to check out this slideshow of Martin doing his charity DJ event in Santa Barbara courtesy of the official site!

John's 20 * 2 Birthday

current mood: Dancing...


Last night Richard & Karla went to eat dinner at Fuse in honor of John's 20 * 2 birthday. Afterwards they had drink in the upstairs outdoor bar. Here are the pictures:


Karla, Richard & John


Stephanie lighting the match as a candle

As always click below for more pictures:

www.flickr.com logansweblog's John's 20*2 Birthday Celebration photoset

Restaurant Week 2005 - Tutto

current mood: Feeling Smart...


Restaurant week this year was at Tutto, an Italian restaurant with "a Spanish accent".

Richard said that the best thing by far was the Shrimp Brandy Bisque. He is determined to learn how to make a bisque. I am dieing to try it!

After dinner, the 40-Year-Old's Survival Kit was given to John in honor of his reaching 4 Decades! The Crocheted Thong was the funniest thing I have ever seen!

Enjoy the pictures below:



Dinner at Tutto.

www.flickr.com logansweblog's Restaurant Week 2005 photoset

After Tutto, they went to Dragonfly at the Hotel Zaza. There were martinis, vodka, rum, piano playing and hershey's kisses, but needless to say, Richard left the camera in the car... c'est la vie.

Adding pictures from flickr

current mood: Feeling Smart...


Adding pictures from flickr

This set is from Christy's 30th birthday at Teppo Sushi. The food was good, but if you ask Cathy, the service was horrible!!! Still, I think if Karla and Richard went back on their own, or with a smaller group, it would be much better!

www.flickr.com logansweblog's Christy's 30th Birthday photoset

Dumbledore is not dead...!??!?

current mood: Pensive...


Could it really be true???


Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Check it out for yourself at:

www.dumbledoreisnotdead.com

Pronunciation of "Ralph Fiennes"

current mood: Inquisitive...


Since Ralph Fiennes is going to be Lord Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and he has a new movie coming out (The Constant Gardener) I have been seeing him come out on several talk shows. They have consistently been calling him what I have heard to be Ray /rey/, which was confusing to me, so I went ahead and looked it up and this is what I came up with:

"Ralph" was traditionally pronounced /reIf/ in Britain -- Gilbert and Sullivan rhymed it with "waif" in _H.M.S. Pinafore_; that's how the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams pronounced his name; and even today actor Ralph Fiennes (of _Schindler's List_ fame) is said to pronounce his name /reIf faInz/.

from the The alt.usage.english FAQ

or this:

The Pronunciation of "Ralph"
I ought to mention somewhere on my web pages that my name is preferably pronounced "Raif" *, not Ralph. I prefer it and have always been called this by friends and family. I do, however, answer to both pronunciations, and don't vociferously object to the more obvious one.

For those of you who wish to know more:

i) "Ralph" was traditionally pronounced this way in Britain

ii) Gilbert rhymed it with "waif" in H.M.S. Pinafore and Sullivan provided the music for Little Buttercup to tell us all about it:

"In time each little waif
Forsook his foster-mother,
The well born babe was Ralph--
Your captain was the other!!!"

iii) the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams pronounced his name this way

iv) actor Ralph Fiennes (of Schindler's List and The English Patient, amongst others) pronounces his name the same way

*"Raif" == "Rafe" == "Raiph".

from Ralph Shiell's HomePage

Now I will never refer to Ralph Fiennes as /rawlf/ but as /reIf/. So that is my little tidbit for the day

René's Going-Away Party

current mood: Happy!


We went to El Paso a couple of weeks ago to send René off properly. We arrived in the evening on Tursday and had some wonderful Mexican food. The food at the Prieto household is always the best! I just wish they would share more with their favorite beagle, but then again, I am on a diet.

On Friday, Karla, Richard & René went to Chico's Tacos and enjoyed a lot of taquitos!

Saturday was the party and it was a Great Party with a lot of family and friends to say farewell to "Renett". Suffice it to say that some people got a little tipsy! I won't mention any names since they had to report for duty in Georgia! I had a great time playing with Jude, a schnauzer that our buddy Jose owns. He was a lot of fun but had way more energy than I do. I need to get into shape to keep up with him.

Sunday and Monday were just relaxing days. Sunday night we watched Hitch.


It was actually a very good movie. The dancing is the best!

Karla, Richard & Pepa went to eat lunch at Villa Del Mar with the family. After that Steve came over to the house and then they went to check out the Shaolin Kung Fu school. Later we watched Ocean's Twelve.


I liked it. Not quite as engaging as Ocean's Eleven, but it was still fun! Julia playing Tess playing Julia was a funny touch.

Tuesday was sad as we had to leave. René and his dad left with us as they were driving through Dallas to Georgia.

As always, we had a great time in El Paso! Enjoy the pictures below.


René's Cake


Tio René


Jose, Rene & Freddy (Neighborhood Buddies all grown up)


The Happy Family

Click here to view the entire album.

If you have issue getting access to the pictures then you can just send me an email asking me to invite you as a friend to the albums.

Movie trailers to see...

current mood: Happy!


Some interesting movie trailers, just click to watch:


Just Like Heaven


Thumbsucker


The Legend of Zorro

Let me know what you think in the comments section...

MINI vs Dump Truck

current mood: D'oh!!!


This is what happens when a MINI Cooper goes up against a Dump Truck.





Read more about it at GB MINI's Weblog.

You have to be impressed with how well the passenger cab took the damage!

The Half-Blood Prince

current mood: Sad...


I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6). Quite a read! I am sure that many of you already know that it has quite a sad ending from all of the reports out there already, but its still a good book!



I would never deprive anyone of the own discovery of how the story goes, so I will simply say that J.K. Rowling keeps you deeply involved with the characters she has created. Harry, Ron & Hermione are as clever as ever, but Rowling makes it realistic by relating how the opposite sex gives them worries on-top of Death Eaters & You-No-Who! And of course in the thick of the darkness, she brightens the story with her humor. My favorite joke in the book is:

WHY ARE YOU WORRING ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO?
YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT U-N-POO --
THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION
THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!

I hope you have a chance to read this book soon! When you are done, or even now if you feel like it, leave some comments about how the book made/makes you feel. But be careful about spoiling it with too much detail about the actual book and ending, so that others can be just as surprised.

Enjoy...

Kung Fu San Soo Graduation

current mood: Cool!


Its been a while since I have written, and a few things have happened, but you know sometimes a beagle gets busy and takes a break from the computer. I'll go into detail in another entry on how I was left at a gross kennel. But anyways... I digress...

On June 25th, Richard received his green belt in Kung Fu San Soo. Karla took some great pictures from the workout before the graduation and the demos during the ceremony.

Here they are:


Working out with Steve before graduation


Elbowing Steve in the jaw!


Larry and Richard working out...


Larry takes Richard down!


Jamie & Richard begin their demo...


Jamie knocks Richard down!


Richard grabs ahold of Jamie...


and flips him over!


Jamie twists Richard's neck...


...lifting him off the ground


Richard's steps through Jamie...


and Jamie goes down!


Master Dale, Richard & Master Darian


Richard with his graduation certificate & his new green belt!


Summer 2005 Graduation group

Click Below to View Entire Photo Set:

www.flickr.com logansweblog's Kung Fu Summer Graduation photoset