Brown Motion

What does that mean?   Many a tragic story in the media today involving a couple of people losing their lives or a fire destroying a few 1,000 acres is determined through serious detective work as 'not being a terrorist act'. To which I say -What? Who is the jackass that has a yes/no voting machine at his desk that provides the designation? Isn't terrorism an act of violence committed with an intent to cause harm to another person?   If so how does a whacko burning a forest on purpose or a psycho beheading a person with a knife because it happens in the bible belt or the Midwest not considered terrorism?

To paraphrase my favorite comedian - people are the worst. I mean it was not long ago that on learning about Apple's intention to launch a new iPhone in market that people expected curved screens. Yes glass on their phone to actually be bent so as to be more suitable for watching movies and whatever else bent screens might do better than their flat counterparts. Enter the iPhone 6.  Its aluminum body lets it naturally bend on application of pressure such as that exerted by the couch parked customers who largely stick their devices (when not in their face) in backpockets of their shaggy trouser. All of a sudden there is a brouhaha about this undocumented feature.  People all over are aghast. They think that the company is bent. Bent on bringing shame to their users who wanted to flaunt it in front of their peers but now looking like fools. So shareholders bent on profiting from sudden change of heart among the fan club sold their positions en-masse. On hearing of al...

Someone discovered a baby roasting in a hot car the other day.   It made national news.   The baby I must say was quite adept.  He had corn and shrimp going at the same time. He had also figured out how to use the solar energy to best cook the corn which take longer than shrimp. On reading the headline though people wondered if someone had the sense to take the baby to the children's hospital.   That it was not necessary is now obvious.   Even if they had I am not sure if children know what to do with a roasted baby in any state of the roast.  That they run this hospital is also somewhat suspect. On a more serious note people died in a UPS shooting.   Why UPS was shooting instead of delivering I am not sure.   May be the person shooting was delivering someone to somewhere in a manner of speaking.   May be the shooter felt left out for not being postal. That is all from the strange news department.

This is not the name of a new saint nor a new pill for erectile dysfunction or to aid in digestion. Rather the three headline grabbing items in the past week. Start with BABA.  A new stock symbol for the world.  A Chinese school teacher who through enterprise and some luck created the world's largest online marketplace called Alibaba.   So now a famous Arabian nights character that not many knew about is made into a household name by a Chinese man going public on the NY stock exchange.   At least popular among those household's that delve into somebody's stock.  A 'khul ja sim sim' moment as the world awaited with bated breath (or whatever version of breath they were breathing) for the equity to begin trading on the exchange. Just like each decade has its blockbuster event - in the 70s it was ABBA for the 10s of this century it is BABA - the largest initial public offering by market capitalization. Initial public included all the black sheep in all familie...

There was an implied understanding when you read or heard the phrase 'Smartly Dressed' that a certain someone was always smartly dressed.  It meant that the dressee was aware of sartorial nuances and chose to suit himself or herself in a manner that the populace deemed was attractive. These days the term may have lost its meaning.  Meaning - Enter The Wearables. Those that live outside the bubble we call the valley aka Silicon Alley - may not be familiar with this strange choice of words.  Let me explain.  Computing has got out of hand in a manner of speaking where it is now on the hand.  Personal and intimate is how the CEO of Apple Computer called it when he recently introduced a product to the world called a  SMART WATCH.  More aptly it was called the 'Apple Watch'.  This is a category of product called Wearables.  Smart devices meant to be worn (out)! Now why you would watch an apple is beyond me - after all Newton alrea...

Today the blogosphere was abuzz with Apple's next generation iPhone announcements so I decided to not let that dumb my blog. I present the iCucumber. A new generation of cool.  Cucumber that is. Long make that longer than before with a thirst killing 24 oz of water retain capacity these are designed for the long road. You do not need any batteries rather these will charge your batteries. I am releasing this newest version of the cucumber for the masses and it is extremely affordable. Only 20 cents with cover and 25 cents without. Sliced or whole the thinnest slice has long been a favorite of sushi chefs worldwide to wrap their rolls. Fits in most shopping bags and backpacks. Its operating system is beyond world class - it helps a parched throat sing. It's crisp and that is not a display but something you tangibly feel on every bite. So remember my friends - when you are truly thirsty an apple a day may be more expensive than my iCucumber.

Stars - Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman Inspired by real events circa WW II. Story of a rail enthusiast Brit, Mr. Lomax, who has served in the second war in SE Asia.  He is living with the nightmares of being tortured by the Japanese Imperial Army as a prisoner in their camps in Thailand.  The movie is based on the story of these British soldiers that were humiliated and made to slave to build the railway line from Thailand to Burma (now called Myanmar). Today there are luxury train rides available on this route starting from Singapore in the south going all the way north into Myanmar that cost a pretty pound. Colin Firth plays the role of a signal engineer that has stood up to the brutal interrogations and beatings when his cadre is discovered to be building a secret radio in the camp.  Memories of the treatment at the hands of Japanese soldiers has kept him suffering deep inside for decades until he runs into Nicole Kidman's character on a train journey ...

This is a single character movie. It is a drama with one character burdened with showing a range of emotion as they try to keep an audience engaged for 75 to 90 minutes. It is tough to do.  Especially without too much action, melodrama or suspense. 'Locke' is one such film that manages to weave its narrative around the life of a person (by the name of Ivan Locke), who is a middle class construction manager about to leave work. The movie begins with the protagonist getting out of his work boots caked with concrete and heading out for the drive home.  As he is waiting at a stop light he makes a conscious decision to make a turn away from home and head into a new direction that becomes the narrative of the 80 minutes that follow. Using modern car phone technology to keep the character in conversation with the people on the other end of the line the story outlines the choices we make as humans and how sometimes these choices come back to either haunt us or redeem...

It is time to report on some important eyelines (no need for a head to understand these) from the dormant diamond head - which may have activated since the recent 6.004555 quake - Police in Sonoma are groping in the dark for a new Groping Suspect after which they will sample some shaken not stirred (from the 6.00333 - latest USGS data has updated the metric as this blog goes to print) grape juice. Plane in fatal crash - plain and simple. Noah - Hollywood's newest answer to start and end of civilization (PS: clothing styles depicted are the new look from Italian designer Nakedo Shoestringi) Some schools in Los Angeles area are changing their school curriculum to include this edition of Genesis in second grade class (Noah is a must see movie and a must see ship of the year - with special Apple designed headphones to follow the mumbling) James Cameron took a vow of silence after hearing about Noah's ship as the must see version - since he thought he had the coolest ship whe...