Back To Square One

The question for you is: what's considered indulgence? Buying a new phone even though your old one works? A new laptop because you like to be connected everywhere you go?

Here's an even better question: how's it feel to live in a recession with no job and have gas prices skyrocket wildly out of control? What's it like to start having to sell off your electronics to make ends meet?

We nerds are arrogant creatures, and I annoy even myself sometimes. But now it's time to let go of all the goodies I have purchased recently and go back to the starting point. It's def con one, people. It's only here where I can orient myself completely.

Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) Review

Poor Snake, they really worked you hard this time around. Get ready for an epic end to his journey, with cinematography, back story, and action to make a weekend Lord of the Rings trilogy a mere walk in the park. And to just be clear, this is no walk in the park. The game played on hard will give you quite the run for your money and will test the most skilled of gamers. Litter that with Hideo's ingenious vision and dedication to send Snake on a righteous fairwell, and you've got millions of more dollars coming in for them boys at Sony. 8.8/10.

I Built This Wall To Keep You Safe

As I relentlessly raped the internet doing the impossible - planning for the future - I stumbled upon a small, yet slowly expanding (so all you fucktards stay away) field of information design, architecture, and interaction studies. Basically, these guys build the site map for what makes a website model, a gaming interaction map, and are heavily responsible for the success or failure of a web-based company.

Thus, it incorporates my favorite ideas from Neurobiology, my passion for computer science, and my new found love of architecture in a digital landscape (which is perfect since I've realized I kind of hate AutoCAD due to its tedious nature).

Even if this bubble were to burst in 10 years, I don't think I'd have many regrets not going to medical school as my parents had wished. As Johnny Bunko's guardian always says, "There is a no plan, just think strengths and weaknesses - your persistence trumps talent, and there are no such things as stupid mistakes; just excellent ones."

Persepolis Review

As the lilies fall, you'll bear witness to an amazingly artistic autobiographical rendition of what it was like to grow up in Iran during the reign of the Shah and later, the Islamists. It is a cultural piece that is powerful, humourous, and highly accessible with its beautiful hand-drawn styles mixed with digital animation. The results are stunning to say the least. A must watch. 8.8/10.

Australia Mixtape #1

More ultra-incredible, the disco-stained indie madness for the misses overseas.

Animals Talking - Letters (Demo).mp3
Cloud Cult - When the Water Comes to Life.mp3
CSS - Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above.mp3
Cut Copy - So Haunted.mp3
Finn Riggins - Hraka.mp3
Lupe Fiasco - Daydreamin.mp3
Midlake - Roscoe (Remix Beyond The Wizard aka Erol Alkan & Richard Norris).mp3
Mobley - Carry On.mp3
Patti Smith - Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect.mp3
Phosphorescent - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.mp3
Royal Treatment Plant - Undercurrent.mp3
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes.mp3
Seabear - Teenage Kicks (Undertones Cover).mp3
Sophie Zelmani - Most of the Time.mp3
Souvenir - Au bord du soleil.mp3
The Tides - Lying.mp3
TMDP - TMDP.mp3
Vampire Weekend - Walcott.mp3
Wolf Parade - California Dreamer.mp3

Download it here: Australia Mixtape #1 (Expires 7/5/08)

David Ling: The Architect

Living like a dream, we're all architects in a world divided by age, cultural differences, and juxtaposed desires. This is why my needs are changing. This is why the world deserves it.

Along With My Favorite Shot This Week

From Marlon and Jace's house tour featured on AT and Unplggd a few days back. I love the retro modern! Someone save me from myself!

We Is The Design Freaks

And we believe in its never ending pursuit towards trendsetting.

Chocolate Review

It's been a while since my last extreme Thai fighter film, and what better way to set it off again with the highly stylized, female-led action flickr, Chocolate? Like many action flicks, it's going to lack storyline, have tons of plot holes, and be filled with tons of cliché enemies. That said, I must admit there is something scintillating about watching a cute girl kick the living hell out of literally hundreds of stuntmen in a variety of environments. Originality-wise, it does pay homage to the cult classics such as Ong Bak, Jackie Chan, and Bruce Lee, but has enough original substance (especially the end fight scene over sign posts on the side of a building) to justify a watch if you claim to be a fan of action movies. 8.0/10.

In Party We Trust

Keep keep keep it funky fresh. It's good to see France keepin' it real hood, as Busy P teams up with Living Legends god, Murs the Almighty.

Busy P - To Protect and Entertain (feat. Murs) (MP3)

There's A Calling From Afar

Who the fuck it be? You know it. Fuckin' Bobby Digital, the RZA!

Oasis Review

Stemming from a director whose background is originally a novelist, it's no coincidence that the majority of Oasis flows much like a book. This film heavily covers the topics of "borders" and "communication," along with the difficulties of crossing those borders. Throughout you'll come witness to an upward mutation by the main character, Jong-du, whose mutation is miraculous as he builds relations with a handicapped woman named Gong-ju. The film shows the thin line between the desires of the individual and the needs of society and forces us to look at the disparity between the reality we see and that seen by others. This might mean the ultimate mesage may come somewhat ambiguous, the film itself offers a compelling vision of what love truly means, as it often transcends reason, beliefs, and logic. 8.7/10.

There Will Be Pokemon

Spoiler alert. Don't watch the following clip unless you've put yourself through Daniel's rise to power in There Will Be Blood. Trust me, it's not worth ruining the fun.

Last Life In The Universe Review

I'm not going to launch into an extended essay or spew to many superlatives, but truts me when I say Last Life is a strange delight. It's low-paced, artful, and filled with dry wit - enough to draw away the mobs of instant satisfaction almost immediately. However, give it a chance and you'll find its surreality of counter-balance an effective story-telling tool, but don't expect it to be simple or straight-forward. Then again, it's not complicated or pretentious either. Just the right balance of beautiful imagery and subtle roars of the ocean that makes you want to take a trip to Thailand. 8.1/10.

In The Mood For Love Review

Sometimes the most attractive thing about a film doesn't stem from just having beautiful actors, a burning chemistry of character relationships, or the masterful cinematography, but having all of the above fused together into a poetic, elegant, and nostalgic tale - that's something to be applauded. Of course, creating a new classic "romance melodrama" would be an understatement; the complexity of the thought processes conveyed by Wong Kar Wai is complemented by one of the best settings and props seen in a movie. Ultimately, it's an art movie that's hauntingly atmospheric and will keep you wanting more despite its 100 minute runtime. 8.4/10.

Time For Eclectic Action

I feel like banjos, computers, and old school infused-modern. It makes me grow into a flower. A blossomed yellow, filled with ink drips and oboes flying out of them.

Autopilot Is For Lovers - Pessimist (MP3)
Computers Vs. Banjos - Give Up The Ghost (MP3)

Cheer Me Up, Buttercup

With the recent demise of my first relatively corporate job, I've now dropped back to square one. Which can be a good or a bad thing. I could dwell in the misery that comes with unemployment, dreading the moment I break the bad news to my parents, and lose the happiness that I've gained from such a few fulfilling months. Or I could look into all else there is out in that endless sea of jobs that define you... or is it you that defines your job? I can't really tell anymore.

However, what kills me most are the friends I've made; not so much the job, but the people I've come to love from working at such a diverse company. The old and the young; all together chatting about whatever, talking about our high school experiences, and enjoying our free company-catered lunches every other day. It was good. Almost too good that I really didn't see this coming, and that also kills me.

So perhaps this is the most emo post anyone will never read. I don't care. I want people to know I feel you when it comes to the unemployment dilemma in a recession that's about to consume our country. I also want people to know that times like these, you gotta tell yourself, "I'm not done." No, siree. Starting next week, I'm going to embark on a brand new journey. For the record, it's still Springtime. And even if my energy has been tainted a bit, covered in dirt, I'll fucking prevail. I'll be up at night with mental charts, timelines, and hundreds of books on my nightstand.

This won't be the last of me. I promise you that.

My Bloody Valentine - Lose My Breath (MP3)
Bloc Party – Skeleton (MP3)

Rec Review

Another Blair Witch copy, this time with a "rage" enzyme that turns people into zombies. Sound familiar? Mix this with highly obnoxious people, sub-zero storyline, more nauseating camera work than 12 rounds of the tea-cup ride at Great America, and you've got Rec. Seriously, there is not one bit I liked. It has no change of environment - only a camera running up and down a stairway and people screaming everywhere. Avoid, avoid, avoid. 4.7/10.

Kung Fu Panda Review

Not nearly as good as Shrek, much better than Madagascar, but still provides a worthwhile trip to the movies. It doesn't try to over complicate things for the kids, yet has enough entertainment factor to make anybody happy regardless of age. Hence, it's no wonder everyone yelled, "Awesome," by the end of the movie accompanied by a mild standing ovation. 8.3/10.

Opio, Third Eye Vision & His Super Fly Shit

Like living legends, third eye vision will never stop flowin' futuristic. Peep Opio's latest material below.

Opio - Some Super Fly Shit (MP3)

It's Not Everyday You Find A Free $900 Chair

Well, since I found a pair of them, I guess that makes me $1800 richer right? I really could never put my finger on designer furniture - they're so overpriced that when you get them, you're afraid to even leave it out in the open in case other people know how much they're worth. On the other hand, since this was given to me for free, I'll pass this onto the next person who recognizes the design immediately when I move to New York. Wait, I'm moving to New York? What I meant was Chicago. Wait... huh?

Cloverfield Review

Let's be frank. Cloverfield is by far the most intense monster film I have ever seen. Only after its "la-di-da" character introductions in the beginning does the movie take off into an explosive voyeur rollercoaster ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. What surprised me more was there were no "f-bombs," thus keeping the movie a cheesy PG-13. Nonetheless, I applaud the great efforts put forth by the directors in creating one of the most unique monster movie experiences on the millenium. 8.5/10.

Fists of Fury Review

For those not familiar with Bruce Lee's early work, they're really nothing breakthrough except Bruce Lee's figure himself. Fists of Fury by itself doesn't amount to anything close to a masterpiece, but it does introduce the highly amusing and speedy fighting style Bruce Lee is famous for. Unfortunately, it falls right into the clumsy old kung-fu classics that's enjoyable as long as you don't search for anything profound. 7.3/10.