Music Videos

OK Go - End Love
http://www.youtube.com

Air - La Femme D’Argent
http://www.youtube.com

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls
http://www.youtube.com

Doves - Black and White Town
http://www.youtube.com

Add comment July 11th, 2010

World Records from Teenage Wasteland

I’ve noticed a strange dichotomy in the United States around how we collectively treat teenagers. On the one hand, we seem to coddle them — shielding our precious youngsters from adult responsibilities. But then we have American parents who apparently encourage their teenagers to take incredible risks, like in the case of Abby Sunderland, the 16 year old girl who attempted to sail solo around the world or Jordan Romero, the 13 year old boy who climbed Mt Everest last month. Both of these undertakings were extremely risky. Would these parents let their children spend a summer running a log skidder on the side of a mountain here in the Pacific Northwest? Because their chances of getting permanently maimed or killed is probably about the same (timber industry jobs are the second most dangerous in the US after fishing). I’m sure these parent would respond that their children had the training and equipment reducing the danger involved in either of these endeavors, but whether you’re crossing the Pacific Ocean by yourself or struggling up the Hilary Step, there is a lot one can’t control. Weather of course comes to mind. At the top of Everest or the middle of the Pacific, a sudden and unexpected change in the weather can be deadly. And one’s body can become the enemy as well. You never know how your body will react to being at 29,000 feet above sea level or how long you can survive acute appendicitis 1,200 miles from land.

This makes me wonder if parents often justify putting their children in peril if it could lead to a certain level of notoriety. This might not even be a trend isolated to the US — parents in other countries could be just as eager to let their kids engage in risky activities if they thought the payoff would be mega big, like a line in the record books. Of course this could just lead to a race among to parents to see who can push their kid to be the youngest to summit K2 or fly solo by balloon around the globe. Where would it all stop? At some point, I would hope we would all collectively stigmatize this trend as overly reckless, rather than encourage it but publicizing it so much.

Add comment June 15th, 2010

New Party CD: It’s in the Mail

The picture above can only mean one thing: New party CDs are in their final stages. I’ve actually started mailing completed one, so be on the lookout for yours in the mail. Below is what the final product looks like.

Add comment June 12th, 2010

More Photos of the USS Idaho

With the death of my grandmother last summer, the Trumbo side of the family spent the subsequent months going through a mountain of photographs and letters crammed into disintegrating boxes. A couple of Christmas ago, my grandmother gifted me a number of World War II items from my grandfather’s service in the pacific aboard the USS Idaho. But about a month ago, my mother found another stash of photographs and turned those over to me to be added to the existing collection. Here are some of the ones I found more interesting.

View of the anti-aircraft guns

Target practice with World War One vintage rifles

Vought OS2U Kingfisher used to direct shore bombardment. Launched from a catapult aboard the Idaho.

Funeral for two Kingfisher crewmen — the only casulties suffered during the war

Refueling at sea

Add comment April 6th, 2010

RIP The Snowman

He had a long way to go and a short time to get there.

Jerry Reed, 1937 - 2008

2 comments September 2nd, 2008

Roseway Theater 2.0

I went to the freshly renovated Roseway Theater the other night to watch the new Batman movie with neighbors Tim and Steven and thought a review was in order since I’ve talked about the remodel previously. I have to say, the new owners have done a commendable job correcting the shortcomings of the old theater. The biggest concern I had was that they would keep those horrible old seats, which were like a chiropractor’s wet dream. Thankfully, the old seats are gone and replaced with brand new modern ones like those you would find in a new Cineplex – cup holders and all. Because of the new seating configuration, there are fewer seats, but there is also more space between rows, so it’s a perfectly acceptable trade off. Another welcome update is the projection and sound system, which is fantastic. And unlike the minimal staff the old theater offered, there are now plenty of helpful and cheery high schoolers working behind the box office and concession counters. All and all, everything turned out great. I missed the musty clutter of the old lobby for about a second, but was quickly seduced by the overall cleanness and classiness of the rehabbed theater.

Add comment July 21st, 2008

Wascally Wabbit

Last weekend I bought my first new car ever, a 2008 Rabbit S. It was one of those loss leader where the car is listed in the paper for a low price ($12,900 in this case) to get people on the lot. But when you arrive at the dealership, they claim the car in question has already sold. So dad and I got to Dick Hannah in Vancouver right at opening last Saturday with the intention of buy the listed Rabbit regardless of color or options. Of course the first salesman who approached us claimed the car had already sold, despite the fact we were the first people on the lot, but we persisted and half an hour later, we finally got to see the mythical loss leader. It took another half hour to convince the salesman this was the car I wanted, but I was finally able to get the keys after much paperwork and hustling.

After driving the Rabbit around for the last week, I gotta say, it’s a great little car. The engine is a beefy 2.5 liter 5 cylinder producing about 170 horsepower, which is quite a lot for such a small car. Its got all sort of fancy business, like cruise control and an iPod dock, that seem so decadent to me but I guess are considered standard options these day. The Rabbit handles quite well on the freeway, probably because of the independent suspension. Gas mileage will probably end up about 30 to 34 on the freeway, so that’s not all that bad. BTW, the crappy old Subaru has been sold back to my sister. Circle of life.

1 comment April 19th, 2008

Movie Titles

Juno
http://www.submarinechannel.com

Moog
http://www.submarinechannel.com

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
http://www.submarinechannel.com

Smoking Aces
http://www.submarinechannel.com

Thank You for Smoking
http://www.submarinechannel.com

Add comment April 16th, 2008

Best of 2007

Best Movies of 2007

No Country for Old Men
Zodiac
The Host
Into the Wild
Sicko
Superbad/Knocked Up
Hot Fuzz
Death Proof

Best Albums of 2007

“Wincing the Night Away” The Shins
“Friend and Foe” Menomena
“Under the Blacklight” Rilo Kiley
“Person Pitch” Panda Bear
“In Rainbows” Radiohead
“Strawberry Jam” Animal Collective

3 comments December 30th, 2007