My Jail Playground

This could've easily been prevented. A series of "jail-themed" playgrounds in Bedford-Stuyvesant are causing an obvious uproar. After numerous complaints how this is the only neighborhood in New York City with these specifically designed playgrounds, the city finally agreed to do a massive overhaul in removing them in the predominantly African-American neighborhood.

To be honest, I didn't think it was a big deal but this is obviously one of those instances where these playgrounds should've never been built in the first place. Are you kidding me? Why even do something remotely controversial to something as non-trivial as a neighborhood playground? It's simply asking for trouble. I feel like I'm watching another Leslie Knope adventure in an episode of 'Parks and Recreation'. (NYDN)

My Hilarious Gruesome Murder

Because there's nothing funnier than a man charged with chopping up his wife.

My Brooklyn Nets Arena

With the announcement of the Nets playing at what is currently the Atlantic Yards, Brooklyn is given a chance to make a huge mark architecturally in the world. So when developers Forest City Ratner scrapped a promising design that will no doubt advance the skyline of downtown Brooklyn in favor of something much more traditional, it's to no one's surprise that both the public and government officials are puzzled how exactly this decision will fulfilled the excitement and advancement in arts as promised when the project was being pitched. For goodness sakes, the thing looks like a second-rate college basketball gym. Is it too late to take back my pseudo-enthusiasm? (NYT)

My Super Rich Friends

I didn't think such a thing exists, but I kinda like the fact that it does- similar to a secret society that is going to save the world from itself. Fun.

My Red Sox Delight

Welcome to my world, Red Sox fans, welcome to my world. 

My West Side Story

Since 'Gypsy' was such a big hit,  the 90-year-old Arthur Laurents decided to go ahead with a new production of 'West Side Story'. The catch? It's going to be bilingual! Am I worried? Of course I am. Unlike film, theatre doesn't lend itself to subtitles. If I remember 'West Side Story' correctly, the parts where the Sharks are suppose to speak Spanish are plentiful. I can't help but wonder if this production got greenlit due to the mega-success of 'In The Heights', this year's Tony Award winner for Best Musical. 

For the sake of not alienating the dominant theater audience, I'm sure Laurents and his many, many years of experience will alter the book into something marketable without bending the original vision he had over 50 years ago when 'West Side Story' first set on stage. (NYT)

My T-Takes

In midst of the webisode popularity, New York Times recently began a series of short films under their 'T-Takes'. The theme seems to 'stick a single character in a snowy motel and see how ordinary this brief moment in his life is'. While some are intriguing (Jason Ritter), some are downright boring (Lukas Haas). The particular one I personally likes involves Josh Lucas. Even though Lucas doesn't speak a word in this 3-minute short, the amount of emotion he puts into the piece speaks volume. Check Lucas and the rest of the T-Takes here. 

My Obese Jailmate

Don't know why it has got so grim in the past few days here, but this one is bit hilarious (on the grim side, if possible). An obese woman is convicted of beating a 2 year-old to death, after the mother of the child was warned not to leave the child with the obese woman. But here's the kicker, they can't put the woman in jail because she weighs 500 pounds and the police would need to "punch a hole in the wall, get a forklift with cushions" to bring her to the jail cell. This is just sad on many counts. (CNN)

My Olympic Lighting Ceremony

It surprised no one that protesters would emerged at the Olympic Lighting Ceremony this morning regarding the Tibet situation. What did surprise people was that the protesters were from a French-based media group, Reporters Without Borders. Over 1,000 police officers were called on to patrol Ancient Olympia as the ceremony began, but as Chinese Olympic Committee president Liu Qi began his commencement, the protester rushed behind Qi, wearing a the Olympic rings as handcuffs and waving a banner. Of course, the live telecast was cut away in Chinese household. This is going to long few months before the ever-doomed Olympic games in Beijing. (NYT)

My Bad Magician

Who says there is no evil magic? A magician in Italy hypnotized a cashier into giving him cash! One of my college buddies was under hypnosis once and boy, they got him to do some interesting things. Watch the video:

My Sex for Passport

Isaac Baichu, an immigration agent, was arrested for requesting oral sex from a female client in exchange for a green card. It angers me to no end and it's something I feel strongly about. Baichu, an immigrant from Guyana, pleads not guilty. I've heard of many corruption tales regarding the immigration process, but most of them concerns monetary gains one way or another. This is another unexplored problem in this country, primarily because the victims has no voice on the matter since most of them do not speak the language. 

I'm glad Baichu is charged with a possible jail sentence. People who take advantage of others in a weaker situation should not be tolerated and be punished- especially in this matter. Thanks to Moni for the article relay. (NYT)

My Racist Claim

I can't stand it when people resort to "the race card" when things aren't going their way. I've used this said "race card" once for personal gain and I couldn't feel worst about it. Here comes Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena, claiming the women's tennis tour is prejudice and has never accepted his daughters. Where were these claims ten years ago when his daughters were dominating the game? Why now?

The men full of controversy continues to say that he is "black and prejudiced, very prejudiced" and "little white no-good trasher in America like Tracy Austin or Chris Evert" can't hit the ball but the media adored them anyway. I understand that speaking out is a good thing, but when Williams spoke out feel the need to knock someone down to make himself better, it's not okay with me- it never will be. (Yahoo)

My Thousand-Words Picture

A protest rally in Washington for the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq included protesters participating in "The March of the Dead", with men and women wearing masks and a sign of victims around their necks. What a powerful photograph courtesy of Getty Images. 

My Cartoon Ambassador

Japan might be the only nation in the world to have a cartoon department in government to promote animation in other countries. The annointed ambassador for the newly created department is none other than Doraemon- a giant blue cartoon cat. So there you have it, a cartoon in government.... and I thought we had it bad. (Yahoo)

My NC-17 Rating

One of my favorite directors, Ang Lee, received the freedom of expression award shared with producer James Schamus at this year's ShoWest convention for their explicit film 'Lust, Caution'. Along the way, Entertainment Weekly spoke with them regarding their decision to maintain the taboo rating and Lee's next project.

'Lust, Caution' is such an exquisite film with heavy emotional baggage that rivals 'Brokeback Mountain'. It's ashamed it hasn't found an audience in this country because they are missing the continual growth or mature filmmaking Lee is going through. When asked what his next project will be, Lee replied, "I've made six tragedies in a row, what's wrong with me?" I'm smelling a slapstick comedy with Will Ferrell and Jack Black. (EW)

Sidenote: Ang Lee's mid-90s classic 'The Ice Storm' has just been added to The Criterion Collection. 

My Friendly Skies

A Woman who flew from Dallas to Los Angeles last year on American Airlines is suing the airline because she woke up from nap with semen in her hair. When she looked over, she noticed the passenger next to her had his penis out. Geez, what a rude awakening. Between this and the failed oxygen tanks earlier this year, you'd think American Airlines is taking a hit in their public relations department. (FOXNews)

My Yankee Effort

The New York Yankees played an exhibition match with the Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg earlier today in commemorative to the Virginia Tech Massacre last year. I thought it was a classy move by Major League Baseball in giving what is a small gesture to the community compared to what happened there. 

I'm sure my friends, Jon and Jenny, are sure experiencing the hoopla there today. I've been to Blacksburg a few times prior to the shootings last year and it's a very, very small town. I'm sure having "celebrities" such as Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte visit the town and play their beloved Hokies was a neat experience. (ESPN)

My Anthony Minghella (RIP)

I guess I was in shock and refused to believe it when I first read it, but as reports keep coming in regarding director Anthony Minghella's death- I'm forced to realize the man who gave me one of my favorite films of all time ('The Talented Mr. Ripley') had passed away. Thank you, Anthony. (NYT)

My Dark Knight

Okay. Now for some non-governor, non-scandal and non-politic related news. New York Times wrote a story about the upcoming Batman sequel, 'The Dark Knight', and the many post-production decisions director Christopher Nolan have the encounter- particularly Heath Ledger's death. 

The article continues to confirm the ongoing speculations that Ledger was both physical and emotionally drained from the role of the Joker. The most eye-catching statement however was Nolan's comparison of the fictional Gotham to the modern day Baghdad. "When you’re dealing with questionable notions like people taking the law into their own hands, you have to really ask, where does that lead? That’s what makes the character so dark, because he expresses a vengeful desire.”

Well, there goes the non-political promise I made earlier. (NYT)

My Other Other Governor Scandal

The hits just keep on coming. Current New York governor David Paterson revealed today he and his wife had extra-martial affairs during the rocky periods of their marriage. Paterson had sworn in to become the 55th governor of New York earlier today. I guess it's better to reveal your secret before they come out scandalous, huh? (NYDN)