7.31.2006

Sahara

What is it about this movie that I get a goofy smile and pleasure from watching this film each viewing? There are so many things wrong with this film that I should just want to trash it, but since the first time I saw it, every time I watch it it makes me smile and I usually end up watching it again.

By the way, this is a perfect double feature with National Treasure, another movie I should have a lot of problems with; yet, I enjoy the hell out of that film as well.

Oh, and the score by Clint Mansell is the best Bond score not done for a Bond movie. I really wish there was a CD with just Mansell's score. Mansell's music is just perfect and make s me wish they had used it throughout the film. If they ever do get the chance to do another Dirk Pitt film (highly unlikely since Cussler is suing them), I would hope they would bring Mansell back to do a Dirk Pitt theme.

[Edited to add, I found Mansell's score for this on Amazon.]


Really, I think if this film had a stronger screenwriter it would have been a lot better as a film; but then I wonder if I would enjoy it as much? And, more roles like Dirk Pitt are what McConaughey should be doing rather than crap like Failure to Launch.

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Four credits

7.30.2006

Bight University

This has been one of the best ad campaigns in recent memory. The Bight University ads for Discovery Channel's Shark Week, which starts tonight, are just great. I wish there had been a Bight University when I applied to school. Hell, I wish there was a Bight University right now so I could apply for a graduate dergee. Maybe in shark repellant tester.

I am really hoping Discovery adds some Bight University products to their stores and online shop.

7.29.2006

Article on public funded news

7.28.2006

Dust To Glory

Probably the best father/son movie I can think of since Field of Dreams. The movie really touches on the passing down of this family tradition of the race. Great movie. Go grab a six pack of Tecate and sit back and watch one of the best movies to come out last year.

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More puerco pibil

Puerco Pibil

From Robert Rodriguez' Once Upon A Time in Mexico:

5 lb of Pork Butt, cut into 2 inch squares
5 TBS Annatto Seeds
2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 TBS Whole Black Peppercorns
1/2 Tsp Whole Cloves
8 Whole Allspice Berries
2 Habanero Peppers, Seeded and Diced
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
8 Cloves of Fresh Garlic
2 TBS Salt
The Juice of 5 Lemons
1 Shot of Tequila
about 1/2-1 lb Banana Leaves for baking

Cut the Pork Butt into 2" squares, taking care to remove the more tough fat and connective tissue.

In a Coffee Grinder, combine the Annatto, Cumin, Peppercorns, Allspice, and Cloves. Grind to a powder, mostly to break down the Annatto.

In a blender, combine the spice mixture, Orange Juice, Vinegar, Garlic, Salt, Lemon Juice, Tequila, and Habanero peppers. Blend till Garlic and peppers break down, about a minute or so.

Combine the pork and the marinade in a large Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour, but it can be left overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line the baking pan with the Banana leaves and pour the meat and marinade on the leaves. Cover with more Banana leaves and then cover the pan with Tin Foil, taking care to make a tight seal so no steam escapes during cooking.

Bake in oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Serve over white rice. Makes about 6-8 servings.

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Books in 2006, I really need a job

My Old Man and the Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Tourist Season
Double Whammy
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
The Deep Blue Good-By
Nightmare in Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
Sanibel Flats
Maximum Bob
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Skin Tight
Native Tounge
Demon of the Waters


Finished this one tonight while waiting to see The Amazing Screw On Head (which turned out to be futile since the show did not replay). Currently reading Conversations with Wilder and a book about the first America's Cup win called America's Victory. No more Hiaasen since mom is reading Strip Tease which is the next book inthe series.

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7.27.2006

Books in 2006, I need a job

My Old Man and the Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Tourist Season
Double Whammy
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
The Deep Blue Good-By
Nightmare in Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
Sanibel Flats
Maximum Bob
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Skin Tight
Native Tounge

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7.25.2006

Books in 2006, 1/3 of Hiaasen done

My Old Man and the Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Tourist Season
Double Whammy
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
The Deep Blue Good-By
Nightmare in Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
Sanibel Flats
Maximum Bob
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Skin Tight


Back to the Beach Bum Noir for a bit. Skin Tight was the best Hiaasen so far. I have Native Tounge here right now which I think I am going to go ahead and jump into. Also still working my way through Demon of the Waters and Conversations with Wilder.

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7.24.2006

Chud.com on Grindhouse

CHUD.com Pan's Labyrinth Review

Nick Nunziata of Chud.com raves about Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. By the way, the film received a huge standing ovation at Cannes this year.

It is hard to tell which I want to see more right now, The Fountain from Darren Aronofsky (which has a new trailer out) or Pan's Labyrinth. Both look to be the classic films for this year.

Of course, right now my most eagerly anticipated film is Miami Vice which opens Friday.

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7.23.2006

AICN Article on Grindhouse

ABN AMRO ONE

The winner of the Volvo Around the World Race and my current wallpaper:

7.22.2006

Freaking daylight

Didn't fall asleep util close to five. Outside of some old school cartoons, all I want are Viking movies. Someone get me some Skullsplitter and some viking/barbarian movies. Then leave me alone for the rest of the day.

Sunlight is evil. Then again so is consciousness.

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7.21.2006

Books in 2006, another film book

My Old Man and the Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Tourist Season
Double Whammy
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
The Deep Blue Good-By
Nightmare in Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
Sanibel Flats
Maximum Bob
Hitchcock/Truffaut


Hitchcock/Truffaut
is one of the saddest ending books I have read in awhile. To realize the Hitchcock had basically accepted he could not make movies anymore and just went back to England to die. Boody tragic. Still reading Demon of the Waters. Also have The Tempest, At the Mountains of Madness, and Skin Tight ready to read. I think my next film book will be Conversations with Wilder whose format was inspired by Hitchcock/Truffaut (the book is a series of conversations between Cameron Crowe and Billy Wilder; I have read part of the book before, but this time I want to read it all the way through).

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7.20.2006

New Orleans Film Fest Sets Dates!!!

Good to see they are carrying on with the New Orleans Film Fest.

The dates for this year's fest are October 12-19.


They are hosting the French Film Festival July 28-30.

And there is a fundraiser for the New Orleans Film Fest on Thursday, August 3, from 6-9 pm at Savvy Gourmet located at 4519 Magazine Street.

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7.19.2006

Maybe Next Christmas

Bookmark Magazine's 101 Best Sea Stories

Shakespeare's Five Great Tragedies

So I can find it easy next time:

Julius Ceaser
Hamlet
Macbeth
Othello
King Lear

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Twenties

As it stands, to sell, some would probably not see it as long enough. I know it is long enough for the way I want to shoot it. Filming it for me would have it in the veing of some 60's and 70's films, Takeshi Kitano films, and Michael Mann films. This would definately be a movie rather than just a filmed play. Lots of love would be paid to Chicago as well inthe film and the world the Four Guys travel in and are going into.

There are some additions I want to make and corrections. I do want to beef it up some more. Make it tougher in a sense. Maybe a little deeper than just a college boy fantasy crime flick.

I will be doing a pretty large rewrite on it. I plan on printing it out and rewriting as I type it once again into the proper format. It lost it's shape when the PC died.

Below you see the opening sequence. I wanted to put a way on here for yall to download it, but unfortunately I have not found a way to do that yet; but, I figure the openign sequence gives you a good enough idea of the tone of the film.

Enjoy and feel free to let me know what you think.

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The Opening of Twenties

FADE IN:

EXT - SOCCER FIELD - DAY

A guy in his twenties runs down the field dribbling the ball cutting thru defenders like they are nothing. He is at the goals.

As he goes to shoot he turns his foot slightly.

The ball goes flying to the net but bounces right off the pole. The crowd, what little there is, groans.

The guy turns to the sideline and gives a little nod and then he works his way down the field.

CUT TO:

INT - A NOISY COLLEGE BAR - NIGHT

Another guy in his twenties is at the bar talking with a couple of other guys.

THE CONNECTION

I can guarantee what our score will be. And you know what they are capable of. What I need is some dough for my guy and someone safe to make the bet with.

CUT TO:

INT - ACOLLEGE APARTMENT BEDROOM - DAY

A guy and a hot girl lay in bed together.

HOTTIE

OH MY GOD! I can’t believe you can do that.

THE PLAYER

They don’t call me “Fingers” for nothing.

HOTTIE

Wow. That was amazing.

THE PLAYER

So you will have your brother meet with my roommate? It’s a good deal for both sides.

HOTTIE

Oh yeah it is.

The girl giggles and nods and they go back to getting it on.

CUT TO:

INT - AN EMPTY COLLEGE CLASSROOM - DAY

Four guys (three we have already seen before and a fourth who is new) sit around the classroom with the doors closed.

THE BRAINS

I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before. You’re serious that her brother can get this done?

THE PLAYER

Yup. Serious as I always am about the chicas. Apparently he is the team manager or some shit like that.

THE BRAINS

You can control our score? No ethics issues?

THE JOCK

What are ethics? It’s done.

THE BRAINS

You can handle the money and the bets?

THE CONNECTION

Yeah. Let me handle the deal too. Me alone. That leaves less liability for everyone else.

THE BRAINS

We all in?

THE PLAYER

Been in with the fingers for awhile.

THE JOCK

Fuck that. I am in.

THE PLAYER

In like Flynn only except without the five girls around.

CUT TO:

Opening Credits

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A Lesson in Animation

I have read a lot of film criticism online and a ot of really good interviews with filmmakers of various positions and degress.

But, the Hellboy Animated Blog is probably better than any book I have read on putting together an animated film. It is just one of the best resources for filmmakers, especially those who want to go into animation.

If you want to see what goes into making a short animated film just go and check it out.

7.18.2006

Mike Mignola Pan's Labyrinth Poster

Portland, OR Breweries

IPA

Books in 2006, more and more and more

My Old Man and the Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Tourist Season
Double Whammy
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
The Deep Blue Good-By
Nightmare in Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
Sanibel Flats
Maximum Bob


Only reading two books right now: Demon of the Waters: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Whaleship Globe and Hitchcock/Truffaut.

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7.17.2006

the 80's

They are back, from fashion to war. Yay. Can't we fucking let the past die sometimes and remember the damn lessons we were taught?

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7.16.2006

More on The Fountain

7.15.2006

Press Release on Cryptid

7.14.2006

Zeitgeist Soccer Film Series

Saw this in today's Lagniappe, The Zeitgeist Multi Disciplinary Arts Center is showing a series of soccer films:

SOCCER CINEMA / FUTBOL FILMS sponsored by the New Orleans Shell Shockers, Riverside Indoor Soccer & www.nolafugees.com For the NEW ORLEANS SHELL SHOCKERS upcoming schedule go to www.noshellshockers.com

Children 12 and under admitted free with accompanying adult. wear a Shell Shocker or Riverside Indoor Soccer shirt or hat and get in for only $2.

Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16 @ 8:00 p.m.

SOCCER STORIES (Historias De Futbol) by Andres Wood. Wood uses the sport of soccer to explore a diverse Chilean geography and culture and link three Chilean lives: a third-division player from Santiago de Chile is handed a life-changing offer; a boy living in the Calama Desert must face making a bold sacrifice; and a football fan stuck in a remote corner of the southern island of Chile is given an unexpected chance to experience another kind of passion.

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 18 & 19 @ 8:00 p.m.

TICKETS by Abbas Kiarostami, Ken Loach & Ermanno Olmi. Three of the world's most acclaimed directors join together to direct three interwoven stories that take place during a journey from Central Europe to Rome. The characters connect through casual encounters and set forth a story of love, chance and sacrifice. One older businessman finds solace and a new insight into life when he is forced to wait at the train station due to bad weather. A young man is reminded of life's obligations but is also introduced to love. And three Scottish youths on their way to the football match of their dreams are forced to open their eyes and see the bigger picture. One single train journey sparks many changes for many people. This is a film about privilege and exclusion, and the reality of the value of just one ticket.

Thursday, July 20 @ 8:00 p.m.

WELCOME TO SAN PEDRO by Sasha Knezev Six best friends are forced to introspect and evaluate the meaning of their friendships during a soccer game between Yugoslavia and Croatia. with A MAN THING (Meska Sprawa) by Slawomir Fabicki. This Academy Award nominated short film from Poland is the haunting tale of a 13 year old boy's efforts to hide the welts given to him by his abusive father from his soccer team and coach.


Saturday & Sunday, July 22 & 23 @ 8:00 p.m.

GOAL DREAMS by Maya Sanbar & Jeffrey Saunders. A feature length documentary that follows the National Palestinian Football team as they strove to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. The story is told through the eyes of four players on the team who in the process confronted questions of Palestinian identity. Although winning was important for the team, the true challenges lay outside of the football field. The film's premiere made international news when it was projected on the Israeli security wall for the start of the World Cup. www.goaldreams.com

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Great Article on the ShellShockers

From today's Times-Picayune:

A COMMITMENT AFOOT

Despite failure by two previous soccer franchises, lagging attendance and financial loss, Shell Shockers owners forge on for love of the sport

Friday, July 14, 2006
By Pierce W. Huff

It's about 45 minutes before the start of a Shell Shockers home game, and fans are slowly entering Muss Bertolino Stadium in Kenner. It appears it's going to be another medium-sized crowd at best, with couplings of spectators spaced on the home side of the high school football stadium.

On the pitch, the Shell Shockers are getting ready for another match. The door opens to one of two team dressing rooms adjacent to the field, and the players jog out with coach/co-owner Kenny Farrell briskly walking behind them.

The team is young. One player is a college student who doubles as coach of the Ben Franklin High School boys soccer team. Another player is a senior on Jesuit's high school soccer team. Another is the manager for a company that sells rugs and fabrics. About all the players have in common is that none are paid and all care about the team.

Soccer has captured the attention of the world, especially with the recent World Cup. But the bare-bones, stripped-down approach of the Shell Shockers barely has registered a blip on the radar screen of the average, local sports fan.

Still, the owners of the Shell Shockers have dreams and aspirations of long-term success. But how does an organization move forward when it cannot escape a city's past? New Orleans has never embraced soccer. The question is, will it ever?

The Shell Shockers have lost money in three of their four seasons, but co-owner Michael Balluff said the team has a plan to break even next year and turn its first profit the year after next.

"The goal of this team, at least my goal, is not to make a profit, but to promote soccer," Balluff said.

And Balluff is convinced that semi-pro and professional soccer is here to stay.

"Soccer is going to stick around, regardless of the profit margin," he said. "If it's not me as an owner, then it will be someone else."

Past soccer failures

The New Orleans Gamblers and the New Orleans Storm. Remember them? Those are the names of the two failed New Orleans soccer teams of the past 10 years.

The Gamblers and Storm played in the old A-League, a professional, nationwide soccer league that was one level below Major League Soccer. The Gamblers played at Pan American Stadium and Tad Gormley from 1993 to 1997; the franchise became the Storm and moved to Zephyr Field in 1998 and 1999.

The teams had their share of successful players. Former Gamblers player Jason Kreis of Mandeville was the MVP in Major League Soccer in 1999. Former Storm player Stern John was a member of this year's Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup team.

But the Storm and the Gamblers lost money every season despite averaging between 1,800 and 2,000 fans per home match.

New Orleans businessman and former mayoral candidate Rob Couhig, who owned the Storm as well as Triple-A baseball's Zephyrs, wouldn't say how much money he lost on the team but did say "it was a lot."

Couhig said the Storm made the playoffs one year, and still lost money.

"We had to pay to put the team on the plane, and we had to pay the money for getting a last-minute flight, and then we had to pay the players for an extra week of playing," he said.

Couhig put the Storm at Zephyr Field when he owned the Zephyrs, but it was not a natural fit. There also were initial problems with finding the right turf for the soccer matches.

"As good a place as Zephyr Field was, it was bad because the configuration was bad for soccer," said Brother Martin soccer coach Louie Smothermon, who played for the Gamblers in 1997 and 1998 and coached the team in 1999.

Smothermon said there were plenty of reasons why the A-League franchises failed. He said the Storm and the Gamblers didn't have the right venue for their games, and the teams didn't have enough of a following.

I think the underlying reason was that people were not made aware of the team, because the number of fans at the games could not support the cost to run the operation," Smothermon said.

A different plan

It's a strange partnership that revitalized soccer in New Orleans and paved the way for the birth of the Shell Shockers.

Gary Ostroske, an outgoing, barrell-chested guy, is the president of the Greater New Orleans chapter of the United Way.

Kenny Farrell, an Irishman who came to the United States in his late 20s because he saw soccer as an opportunity for a better way of life, is a long-time local coach and the former director of coaching at Lafreniere Park.

Farrell coached Ostroske's son, Peter, on the seventh- and eighth-grade soccer teams at Newman. Peter Ostroske also played for Farrell at the New Orleans Soccer Academy. Farrell and Gary Ostroske became good friends.

When Farrell was at Lafreniere, he and Gary Ostroske tried to pitch the idea for a layered plan that would keep locals playing soccer after high school and that of club soccer to the park's board of directors. The plan was for Lafreniere to get involved with the United Soccer Leagues and have a team in the Premier Development League.

The advantage of playing in the PDL and not an upper-level, professional league, Gary Ostroske and Farrell argued, was that the PDL team owner would not be saddled with the cost of paying players. Therefore, the key to making the new team successful would be getting the word out about the team through marketing, then finding a venue suitable for fans.

After a year or so of looking into the idea, Lafreniere's board of directors balked. But instead of letting the dream for another level of soccer in New Orleans fade away, Ostroske and Farrell decided to buy a PDL team themselves, and the Shell Shockers were born in 2003.

"For me, it's all about the passion and drive of soccer," Farrell said.

The cost for starting the Shell Shockers was $40,000, Farrell said, and it took an additional $15,000 to run it that first year. The team also reached an agreement with City Park to play all of its matches at Pan American Stadium.

"We both paid down between $10,000 and $12,000, and we got a business plan and found some sponsors," Ostroske said.

Playing in spite of Katrina

There were some doubts as to whether the Shell Shockers would be able to play in their fourth season, their first after Hurricane Katrina.

There were questions about how many soccer fans returned to New Orleans. Pan American was damaged and still doesn't have electricity. Ostroske and Farrell wanted the Shell Shockers to play another season, but they were leery about mounting debts.

What the Shell Shockers needed was an infusion of energy and talent, and they found it in Balluff, a 37-year-old owner of a local telecommunications company. He had attended Shell Shockers games with his son, Trenton, and had developed a friendship with Farrell and Ostroske.

Farrell and Ostroske asked Balluff before the start of the season if he wanted to invest in the Shell Shockers, and Balluff, the co-captain of Jesuit's 1987 state championship soccer team, jumped at the chance.

"I'm the 37-year-old owner of a very successful telecommunications company, and at the end of the day, our actions define us as people," Balluff said. "I wanted my life to be better, and purchasing a part of the Shell Shockers presents that for myself, and this is the opportunity for a good fit."

Ostroske said Balluff was "a godsend."

With Balluff on board, the Shell Shockers tried to renovate Pan American for $1 million to become the team's permanent home site, but the deal was shot down by City Park officials. The Shell Shockers eventually worked out a deal with Kenner and Jefferson Parish to play their games at Muss Bertolino Stadium, a few miles north of the airport.

The Shell Shockers also purchased the Riverside Indoor Soccer Arena, which was made the training site for the team and the home of its administration. The team also worked out a development deal with the New Orleans Soccer Academy to make the league a part of its player development plan.

"I don't know what we would have done without (Balluff)," Ostroske said. "You have to have a love of the sport, and Mike happened to be there."

A tough sell

Like the Storm and Gamblers before them, the Shell Shockers have struggled financially.

The team lost $35,000 its first season and $25,000 its second season, Farrell said. Ostroske and Farrell took out a loan to keep the team afloat. Ostroske said the team broke even for the first time last year. He said the Shell Shockers aren't expected to make a profit this season because of the Riverside acquisition.

The major problem for the Shell Shockers has been attendance. The team has never averaged more than 900 fans per home match. The team had an average attendance of 711 in its first season, 278 in 2004 and 600 last year. The team averages between 800 and 900 this season.

The Shell Shockers divide their attendance demographics into thirds -- one-third being the Hispanic community, one-third being youth groups and one-third European-born New Orleanians. Ostroske said he would like for the Shell Shockers to average 2,500 to 5,000 fans, but said that isn't likely to happen any time soon.

Shell Shockers representatives blame part of the attendance problem on the failure to secure a better stadium deal, because they believe a good venue would attract more fans. The team would like to play at Pan American next season because of its central location, or stay at Muss Bertolino if a deal cannot be worked out with City Park for Pan American.

Balluff said the Shell Shockers have to do a better job of marketing.

"We have to make sure that people are aware of the games and that we're attracting the soccer fans," Balluff said.

But even with the financial losses, the owners are determined to keep the Shell Shockers playing.

"We had to put a lot on the line for this team, and we did because we believe in it," Farrell said. "We just need to get the community behind this team."

What's next?

Can soccer succeed in New Orleans? No one can really agree on an answer.

"I think things are only going to get bigger," said Shell Shockers defender Alec Lundberg. "You have to start from the ground up, when you get people excited about soccer, because you have a lot of kids and families."

Smothermon said the sport can thrive in New Orleans. He said the key is finding the right venue and producing a good level of soccer.

But Jesuit soccer coach Hubie Collins said he isn't sure.

"I'd love to see a high standard of professional soccer in New Orleans with the city having a (minor-league pro team) or Major League Soccer team, but I don't know if the demographics would allow it," Collins said.

The Shell Shockers' owners would love to bring an MLS team to New Orleans in the next few years, but right now they are just concerned about surviving.

The team's plan is to build a fan base at the ground level, with their recent deal with the New Orleans Soccer Academy a key part of it.

For now, the Shell Shockers have no plans of leaving the Premier Developmental League, which has 58 teams throughout the U.S. and one in Canada.

"The (PDL) league that we have is good here, because this allows a lot of the young players here to play on the team," Farrell said.

Farrell also said he and the rest of the Shell Shockers' owners will work on a one-year plan and a five-year plan at the end of the season.

"We've got to create a vision to share with people of where we are and where we want to be," he said.

And then maybe the fans will come and Shell Shockers soccer will really catch on.

. . . . . . .

Pierce W. Huff can be reached at phuff@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3809.

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7.13.2006

When the Levees Broke

Spike Lee's documentary on Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath is set to debut in New Orleans:

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleanians will have a front row seat to next month’s premiere of director Spike Lee's HBO documentary “When The Levees Broke.”

The world premiere of the four-part documentary will take place on Aug. 16 at the New Orleans Arena.

Acts 1 and 2 of the film will debut free of charge for 10,000 residents at the Arena that is located next to the Louisiana Superdome, which was used as a shelter of last resort during Hurricane Katrina.

HBO said Lee interviewed more than 100 people from diverse backgrounds who gave a wide-range of opinions about the disaster including Gov. Kathleen Blanco, Mayor Ray Nagin, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Harry Belafonte, Wynton Marsalis, composer and New Orleans native Terence Blanchard, the Rev. Al Sharpton, actors Wendell Pierce and Sean Penn, rapper Kanye West, local media and other local residents.

Tickets are free and available online via Ticketmaster online, the New Orleans Arena box office or by calling 504-522-5555.

All four acts of the documentary airs on HBO at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

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7.11.2006

Cryptid

The Next Governor of Texas

I wish I was still registered to vote in Texas:

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Writer and musician Kinky Friedman, who once sang "They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore," may include the name by which he is best known on the ballot to choose Texas' next governor in November, the state's top election official said on Monday.

Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams said Friedman's nickname was not a slogan and thus did not violate state law. His name will appear on election ballots as Richard "Kinky" Friedman.

But Williams, a Republican, said Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who is also running as an independent against incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry, cannot include "Grandma" as a nickname on the ballot.

Strayhorn's campaign advertising calls her "One Tough Grandma."

Williams said Strayhorn, the state comptroller who left the Republican Party to challenge Perry, never used "Grandma" as a nickname before the campaign.

Perry is leading the polls but if either Friedman or Strayhorn win, it would be the first time an independent won a race for Texas governor since Sam Houston did it in 1859. Friedman would be the state's first Jewish governor.

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Final World Cup Match Rating

7.10.2006

Mojito Recipe

For mom:

Mojito

3 fresh mint sprigs
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 oz light rum
club soda


In a tall thin glass, crush part of the mint with a fork to coat the inside. Add the sugar and lime juice and stir thoroughly. Top with ice. Add rum and mix. Top off with *chilled* club soda (or seltzer). Add a lemon slice and the remaining mint, and serve.

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Books in 2006, some more to add

My Old Man and the Sea
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
The Deep Blue Good-By
Nightmarein Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
Sanibel Flats


Finished the first Doc Ford book by Randy Wayne White. Still juggling a few books at a time. Also added some other books to the list I remember finishing this year.

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7.09.2006

Last Day of the World Cup

Well, I have to say it is a sad day today since after this we are back to only really having Fox Soccer Channel here in the states with the occasional game on one of the myriad ESPN networks.

The opening rounds were my favorite with two or three games a day being played and broadcast. I hope the next time around though, ESPN gets soe better commentators. The Mexico vs Iran match still sticks in my head as the worst televised match I have seen since the play by play guy spent the entire match talking about the Iran president and his troubles with the US.

I have to give props to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. They have had some pretty good coverage for a smaller market paper with semi daily write ups by the coach of our local PDL team.

I am excited about today. On one hand I want Italy to win since that would mean the US had at least tied the World Cup champ. On the other hand France winning would be like one last great hurrah.

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7.08.2006

Beach Bum Noir

That is about as a good description of my current reading habits as I can think of. I have pretty much started with the foundation of Beach Bum Noir with the Travis McGee series. Also I am slowly working my way through Carl Hiassen's work. Currently I am reading Sanibel Flats by Randy Wayne White.

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7.06.2006

A Thought

If I would won the lottery, I would become a compleely useless beach bum and just check out of life.

Please go about your business now.

For Handa

Getting engaged ... gay.

Another one down. They are dropping like flies.

Books in 2006, they keep coming

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
The Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup
Five Fists of Science
Scott Pilgrim, Vol 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
The Mind of the ModernMoviemaker
Batman Year 100
Stardust
Twelve Sharp
A Purple Place for Dying


Juggling about three books right now.

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