Inglourious Basterds (2009)
I suppose no one, not even Quentin Tarantino, can bat 1000 (as they say in America). And with this film it doesn’t even take three strikes for him to be out–just one: not a single thing in this film, ostensibly set in Nazi occupied France, was even remotely true. Quentin, stick with aliens and honey-bunnies–you’re much better at them.
Guanajuato photography
Bosley Hair Transplant Prices
Thought the price chart below would be helpful for anyone thinking of a hair transplant procedure at Bosley. The chart was given to me May 29, 2009. It seems strange that they charge so much for shampoo ($495), and that they include, as part of the required payment, $350 for “extra” grafts you “may” receive. Further, at $9+ per graft net, you are really lining their pockets! The evidence for this? I had a procedure at Bosley 10 years ago and ever since then I have been receiving “special offers” 2-3 times a year with a quoted price of $4.75 per graft (I’m sure this doesn’t include the shampoo or extra graft fees). So even at a 40% discount they are making money.
Addendum: I subsequently purchased a touch-up procedure, which I had done a the University of Washington Dermatology Clinic by Dr. Berg. The quoted price was a fixed $6/graft, fully loaded, no hidden costs or used-car sales pitch. Very professional, and I am completely satisfied with the results.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
So, yeah, both of us are asking ourselves “why” right about now. I suppose it was a moment of weakness (or insanity) while stocking my Netflix queue that caused me to order this dog. You know it’s bad when the best part of the entire film is the THX animation shown during the opening credits.
The People’s Guide to Mexico (13th Ed., 2006)
Carl Franz and Lorena Havens’ long-lived (since 1972) travel guide offers nearly 600 pages of stories, data, philosophy, recipes, potions, bumper-sticker translations, and tips for maximizing your enjoyment as a traveler. I can recommend it highly, especially as an introduction to the many cultural differences one will encounter. However like Mexico itself, some items in this substantial smorgasbord will be more appealing and useful to you than others. The “Staying Healthy” chapter, for example, I found quite amusing, as it hawked everything from witch doctors to “Rescue Remedy”. Maybe it’s just because I went to medical school and am hence a biased jury, but I just don’t pack Dr. Bach’s flower waters in a first aid kit–I prefer Xifaxan 
Be sure to visit their web site at http://www.peoplesguide.com/
English Grammer for Students of Spanish (5th Ed.)
Emily Spinelli’s often recommended book (The Olivia and Hill Press, 2003). I was not able to fruitfully get through the entire book until I had completed first-year college Spanish. In the interim it was helpful to use as a reference to brush up on rusty grammar terminology. My wish list for the book includes: fewer “study tips” (I have my own–put yours on the web) and more Spanish examples; consistently include the Spanish equivalent for English grammar terms (as one progresses, teachers are prone to start saying things such as ‘el complemento indirecto’); and add far more Spanish words to the index.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Take Tim Burton, Stephen Sondheim, and Johnny Depp, mix in a macabre story set in a grimy Victorian London, and you’ve got one tasty raw meat pie. Also loved the animated opening credits.
Ladrón que roba a ladrón (2007)
A Spanish language The Sting set in Los Angeles, I was not drawn in. Ultimately I found it too corny and finally turned if off right about the time the tunnel digger started that schtick about having to use the bathroom (“number 2″) and take a quick shower.
Crown chakra painting
Originally uploaded by zanderxo
Helping my friend and gifted artist Jeff Hengst sell his marvelous set of 7 oil-on-canvas paintings, stretched, each 5 x 5 feet, representing the 7 chakras. This is one of my favorites in the series, the Crown Chakra. See images of all 7 at http://www.flickr.com/photos/10839386@N02/
