Category Archives: Articles & Essays

articles & guides about excellent websites, videos, podcasts, screenplays, recipes, apps, photography & entertainment

Websites | SuTree – a knowledge community and aggregator of how-to videos

By admin | Published 04/12/2012

SuTree is a great place to increase your knowledge and expertise of almost anything you can think of in an easy way

Sutree-thumbYou can use SuTree to:
1. Watch thousands of free video lessons and tutorials from all over the web.
2. Join or create video-based courses and invite people to your course
3. Meet people who share your interests: Ask, answer and get smarter…

What does SuTree mean?
The name SuTree comes from the combination of the words:
Sutra (from Sanskrit) – which literally means a rope or thread that holds things together, and more metaphorically refers to a collection of knowledge in the form of a manual, and Tree – symbolizing the growth of knowledge.

Sutree - screenshotFeel free to use SuTree to learn (almost) anything you wish:
How to fix stuff at home, how to solve math problems, how to improve your golf or basketball skills, how to prepare a cheesecake, how to speak Chinese, how to choose your next holiday destination, or anything else you like.

Think that you can offer a course in something?
Are you a really good social networker? This is your time to shine. Offer a course in social networking. Are you a really great cook? Offer a course in cooking. Create a name for yourself and a fan base.

As a wise man once said: “I only know that I don’t know anything”.
SuTree is your place to learn something.

Share

Websites | “What’s Alan Watching” – Sepinwall’s site is a great place to go for thought provoking and insightful TV commentary

By admin | Published 03/05/2012

When I want to know what’s worth watching, I always go to “What’s Alan Watching”. And whenever I’m confused by something I’ve already seen, my TV pal can always be counted on to fine tune my mind’s screen.

Alan Sepinwall tv commentary siteAll through his childhood, Alan Sepinwall’s relatives told his parents, “All that boy does is watch television! How’s he going to make a living doing that?” His career as a TV critic has been 15 years and counting of his attempt to answer their concerns. “What’s Alan Watching” is a blog whose title is self-explanatory: Alan watches TV shows, then writes about what he watched.

Here’s an excellent article about Sepinwall from Slate.com’s editor, Josh Levin.

Alan Sepinwall changed the nature of television criticism. But can you be both a rabid fan and a thoughtful reviewer?
By Josh Levin

Alan Sepinwall started writing about television in 1993, as a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania. He stank at it. In 2004, Sepinwall characterized his early work thusly: “Misspellings, bad grammar and, even worse, observations that make me cringe and wonder exactly when (or if) I stopped being such a dumbass.” Alan Sepinwall - headshotHe soon outgrew his dumbass ways. By the end of his undergrad years, Sepinwall had parlayed his role as the leading NYPD Blue fanboy of the newsgroup era into a gig as the Newark Star-Ledger’s TV critic. “[W]ithout Blue,” he wrote in 2004, “I wouldn’t have the career or the life that I currently do.”

Television, and television writing, have transformed since Dennis Franz’s bare butt launched Sepinwall’s career. Upon NYPD Blue’s early ’90s debut, it was heralded as one of the best shows ever made. In comparison with The Sopranos, The Wire, and even Lost, David Milch and Steven Bochco’s cops-and-perps procedural now looks prehistoric. Today’s more ambitious shows demand more ambitious commentary. In 2002, Sepinwall wrote his first post-episode Sopranos breakdown. This was a new form, a hybrid of the inside-joke-laden episode recaps pioneered by Dawson’s Wrap (which later expanded under the name Mighty Big TV, then was re-renamed Television Without Pity) and the NYPD Blue disquisitions from Sepinwall’s dorm-room days. If you wanted to understand the subtext and symbolism of HBO’s epic mob series—the long-ago motivation for one of Tony’s murders, the meaning of an end-of-episode quacking sound—you had to read Sepinwall’s sprawling write-ups.

Alan Sepinwall - illustrationAfter 14 years at the Star-Ledger, Sepinwall left the paper in 2010 to blog for HitFix.com. The style of TV criticism he helped invent is now ascendant. Gawker, New York’s Vulture, and the Onion’s A.V. Club employ teams of recappers to parse the previous night’s dramas, sitcoms, and reality fare. Slate supplements Troy Patterson’s criticism with weekly dialogues on shows like Lost, Mad Men, and Friday Night Lights. Sepinwall, though, is the acknowledged king of the form. As the A.V. Club’s Steve Heisler explained last year, “he’s an inspiration to TV critics throughout the country. His recaps appear online in record time, typically bursting with incisive commentary and wit.” Sepinwall’s output is also legendary: He’s currently reviewing between 10 and 15 shows each week, which he says is “a fairly light schedule for me.” (Advance screeners help on that score.)

Sepinwall-style criticism has obvious strengths. Week-to-week coverage reflects how people actually watch their favorite shows—we rehash the best lines, parse the meaning of weighty moments, and anticipate plot twists. At its best, new-school TV writing is brainy and inquisitive, thoughtful commentary borne out of a fanatical attention to detail. But hypervigilant criticism, written by obsessive fans for obsessive fans, isn’t necessarily an unmitigated force for good. Is it possible that today’s TV writers are sitting too close to the screen?

Alan Sepinwall - tv show reviewerTelevision criticism used to be like restaurant criticism: A writer would sample a few episodes and then issue an informed recommendation. Today, it’s more akin to visiting the same restaurant every week, then reporting back on the mood of the wait staff, the condition of the silverware, and what dishes might appear on the new fall menu. In a fantastic A.V. Club dialogue about the state of TV criticism, Noel Murray argues that since weekly critics “aren’t primarily engaged in telling people whether they should or shouldn’t watch a show … we get to kick around symbolism, character development, and real-world connections to what’s on the screen.” Rather than tell you what to watch, Sepinwall, Murray, and Time’s James Poniewozik, among many others, validate your interest in the shows you’re already watching. (more)

Share

Photography | Wet & Wild – a fountain and fifteen minutes

By admin | Published 01/19/2012

I love me some moving water. Always have. A few drops. An enormous wave. Don’t matter. Mix in sparkling sunshine and I can’t resist. My brain’s visual junk pile section gets hyper hypnotized and stops me in my tracks. Gotta stop. Gotta stare.

Fountain los angeles photographerSo I was rushing from a shoot inside one building and on my way to the inside of another building. No time to spare. But there was a fountain along the way. There was sunshine behind it. There was me stopping in my tracks.

Here’s a few shots from my fifteen minute pause. Love me some moving water.

click image to enlarge

los angeles fountain photo by los angeles photographer

los angeles fountain photo by los angeles photographer

los angeles fountain photo by los angeles photographer

los angeles fountain photo by los angeles photographer

los angeles fountain photo by los angeles photographer

los angeles fountain photo by los angeles photographer

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer ©Gregory Mancuso

Share

Photo Story Poem | CANCER CAN’T CATCH HER – she peered into death’s eyes, spit in its face and lived happily ever after

By admin | Published 12/06/2011

CANCER CAN’T CATCH HER – she peered into death’s eyes, spit in its face and lived happily ever after. A cancer survivor story poem.

cancer survivor story

CANCER CAN’T CATCH HER

I know cancer can be fastcancer survivor stories and pictures
Just a blur
Just a flash
A loved one is here
Then catch
Then gone

They told this lady she was caught
You don’t have long
Just a blur
Just a flash

The fine lady did protest
My days are not half done
I have another marathon to run
Life to love
More fun in the sun

Doctors here and doctors there
They shook their heads
Not much we can do
Not many days left

This lady didn’t give up
She searched far and wide
And when all hope was lost
It was found again

There’s a new medicine trick
It sounded like magic
But it hadn’t been tried
The lady bravely stood up
Let’s give it a ride.

…and then…

Lo and behold
Just like a fairy tale
The enchantment did work
The fair maiden was savedcancer survivor happy

I’ve seen cancer catch many, and drag them away. Uncles, aunts, cousins. Two friends, too young. One father, too sad.

So I was pleased, when this lady asked a favor of me. Make pictures for others, who are sick, to see, how they may be.

Show me running, healthy, happy and free.

Catch how I can be fast
Just a blur
Just a flashcancer survivor running fast

The fine lady did attest
My days are not half done
I have another marathon to run

cancer survivor running smiling

Life to love
More fun in the sun

cancer survivor running

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Essay | THE FRAIL BLISS TORNADO VS GLOOM AND DOOM

By admin | Published 11/10/2011

A true tale and appreciation of my mighty Special Olympics’ hero.

.

 THE FRAIL BLISS TORNADO VS GLOOM AND DOOM

Special Olympics hero swimmer los angeles photographer

photo by Gregory Mancuso

It’s not hard to get buried in a heap of frustration in these gloom and doom days. You can be frustrated your career isn’t advancing fast enough. Or your career disappeared and you’re forced to take a job that you wouldn’t even call a career. Maybe you’re frustrated about your investments not performing well. Or your cash flow could be nonexistent and getting more nonexistenter every week for that matter.

And you can always round up the usual suspects lurking in your life even in the best of times. Creative frustration, relationship frustration, or what relationship? frustration, weight,  looks, the traffic, and the kids and on and on.

When frustration hits a fevered pitch, whether in the mundane or life altering category, it may help you to think of the woman in this picture as I do from time to time. I encountered her years ago when I was covering the Special Olympics.

I first noticed her on the other side of the pool, shivering and fearful in the water just before her race began. There was plenty of trepidation and imagined failure in her goggled eyes. I was concerned that hyperventilation might even take over before the race began.

She looked like she might even believe great whites were thrashing under those treacherous waters before her. You never know. Gulp.

But then the starting whistle screeched and they were off. She plunged ahead, gripping her kickboard like her very survival depended on it. A kicking, splashing and spitting up water frenzy ensued.

Then about midway through, the abject fear was slowly replaced by determination. A most fierce and growing fiercer determination was contorting her face. She was going to do this thing, she was going to do this thing, she might drown and die, but oh, she was going to do this thing.

She kicked and kicked. And flailed and flailed. And eventually made it across the perilous seas and across to the other side of the pool.

Reaching the finish, she was at first gasping for air, and the disbelief that it was over, and that she did it, and she was still alive.

Then she let out whoops of joyful ecstasy and accomplishment which seemed to blast the entire arena.

She was a veritable bliss tornado. Twirling and swirling, around and around. Leaping, leaping up and down. Shrieking with delight. “I did it! I did it! Did you see me do it?! I swam it! I’m so so happy. I swam it!”

Then she leapt into the arms of her guide. He had swum beside her in those shark infested waters. He’s the huggee with the wide grin that I captured in the photo.

He told her how proud he was and… That was all he could get out. His eyes started leaking. On her urgent command, he did manage to lift that boney, frail body out of the pool.

Look out. She’s unleashed upon the land!

The bliss tornado is shrieking and leaping with euphoric abandon. Uh-oh. I’m close. Whoosh. She throws her arms around me and the wet whirlwind envelopes me. “I did it, I swam it! Did you see it?”

I told her I did indeed and that maybe I got some good photos. That was a mistake. Her delight decibels hit stun level right next to my ears. But I couldn’t help but hug her back, getting myself and my gear more soaked. Getting baptized with her joy. She was an irresistible force of nature.

“I’m so happy!” She slipped and dripped away from me and enveloped someone else. Just as happy and enthusiastic with whomever she came upon. I had to wipe my leaky eyes as I watched her whirl around, determined to spread around as much joy and celebration as possible.

Everybody around the arena couldn’t help but be touched by this bliss tornado. Years have passed and the spirit she doled out still feels vivid today.

Meanwhile, back in the present day at frustration ranch, what’s all that got to do with all this? Well, what had she accomplished? She only swam to the other side of the pool, didn’t even do a lap. No grand Phelpsian achievement here. She didn’t even win the race. I think she was next to last.

But by just getting to the other side of the pool, she accomplished something that was hard and scary for her.

Secondly, she tried to spread and share the joy of that accomplishment to as many souls as possible.

I’m sure she had plenty of frustrations in her life. Hell, she could barely even walk. But she sure did relish what she could do, did do. And made the most of it.

So I’m thinking that when the frustrations pile up, maybe we should try to think of something we’ve accomplished, even if it’s just a small something. Getting a little perspective that whatever we got going on in the positive column is pretty good. And maybe we should even kick into gear the “count your blessings” deal.

And if do you manage to grab a thimbleful of joy from something or other–spreading it around will probably be appreciated. Even to someone you barely know.

Anyway, I try to keep the memory of that frail bliss tornado handy, and the perspective that maybe just getting to the other side of the damn pool is good enough for now.

Better times ahead. Splash on!

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Websites | Movie Reviews – if you wanna know to which movies you should go–throw out Rotten Tomatoes and grab my fresh choices

By admin | Published 10/11/2011

I’ve reviewed the movie review sites and got the top two for you–Metacritic and MovieReviewIntelligence. Metacritic also serves up excellent TV, music & gaming guidance.

movie review websites - Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes

I’ve used Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes for years, and the newer kid on the block, MovieReviewIntelligence, since it came into being about two years ago. Now, movie review aggregators all perform the same basic trick–they scarf up big bunches of opinions, sift and distill who’s saying what, and spit out their magic rating. Ta-daah!

But how they go about the devilish details of which critics they deem worthy of listening to, and how to stack up those critics, can be significantly different and garner different results.

Metacritic.com

The most well known and popular review aggregator, RottenTomatoes.com, has over 9 million visitors a month cramming into their produce aisle. They have a cute Tomatometer ranking percentage score with a “fresh” tomato for good reviews and  “rotten” for not so good.

rotten tomatoes

Squeezing the Tomatoe and looking at the details of how they do what they do, will point out why I find the site my least favorite and accurate, and why I don’t use it anymore. While the other two sites use the reviews from professional critics to come up with their scores, Rotten Tomatoes also includes a bunch of citizen-reviewers who write on obscure websites, like Georgia’s self-proclaimed “entertainment man” Jackie K. Cooper. Huh, who?!

Metacritic screenshot of Moneyball (click to enlarge)

Metacritic

David Gross, a former market research and 20th Century Fox studio executive who created Movie Review Intelligence, points out that because Rotten Tomatoes gives equal weighting to Time magazine and tiny websites, it penalizes circulation. “What’s going on hurts critics, it hurts moviegoers and it hurts the industry,” Gross says. “What difference does it make if some fan boy says thumbs down’?”

MovieReviewIntelligence screenshot

MovieReviewIntelligence

Keep in mind how Rotten Tomatoes gives it coveted “fresh” rating” to movies that any number, and hypothetically all, of its counted reviewers don’t really love. It’s  scores are based on the ratio of favorable to unfavorable reviews. If a film snags 20 positive reviews and 20 negative reviews, it’s 50% fresh, and if the ratio is 15 good to five bad, it’s 75%. But if all 20 of those critics give the equivalent of a B-minus letter grade, it’s 100% fresh, because all of the reviews were positive, even if only barely so.

Rotten Tomatoes screenshot

Rotten Tomatoes

Metacritic and Movie Review Intelligence try to come up with an average score that reflects how much critics actually like a movie, rather than a ratio of raves to pans. If a movie on those two sites gets a 50% score, it means the consensus of all of the reviews it read was 50% positive. The average review, we could say, got two out of four stars.

All three sites give every review they read a numerical score and that can be a tricky trick to pull off since many reviewers don’t give letter grades or stars. So it gets to be a subjective appraisal and mulling over process to come up with the grading. The assigned grades are translated into numerical scores– a B-plus is an 83, a C-minus rates a 42, and so on. Rather than simply average those scores, Metacritic and MRI apply a weighting system based on a reviewer’s circulation.

Meteoritic, instead of translating a review into a letter grade, has its staff score notices on a 0-100 scale in 10-point steps. “It’s still often hard to distinguish between what’s an 80 and what’s a 90,” says Marc Doyle, one of the founders of Metacritic.

While MRI weights reviews for audience size, Metacritic takes into account the  prestige factor, a calculation it calls its “secret sauce” and one it won’t disclose. “Roger Ebert is weighted more than someone you’ve never heard of,” Doyle says. He also points out that when critics are consistently 75% favorable in their reviews of a movie, its Metacritic score is a 75. But that same movie could be 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. “That’s a fundamental difference,” he says.

If you want very detailed explanations for how each one goes about its calculations, dig in … Metacritic – Movie Review Intelligence – Rotten Tomatoes

Besides all the calculations and different methodologies being use by each, it’ll come down to your own subjective thumbs up and down for these sites.

But as I stated in the beginning, Metacritic is my own #1 fave and the one I use most often now. Where the rubber meets the road–reading their scores and then comparing them with the actual experience of watching the movie or DVD–it usually matches up well. Metacritic also seems to perform the trick best when I go to the trouble of reading reviews by my own favorite critics in some major publications, and comparing all the prognostications together.

I also prefer Metacritic for the clear and concise way it presents its scores at their site. It uses a simple color code so your eye can quickly scan the results–red, yellow, green. And even the simple “sort by name” and “sort by score” feature is something I think you’ll find quite useful.

As I also stated at the top, you might find my #2 choice, Movie Review Intelligence, to be your cup of tea if you’re in show biz and want more detailed details, especially when it comes to analyzing box office performance. You’ll see in the screen capture how they dig down to regional, press type and media value stuff.

So that’s my humble view of the reviewing sites and I hope I’ve helped to sort out the puzzle of whats what. I wish you well out there in all your movie adventures.

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Websites | Shopping – sites, tips and tricks for finding gifts and snagging the best prices

By admin | Published 06/26/2011

Online shopping sites, tips and tricks for finding gifts and snagging the lowest prices with the least amount of effort.

shopzilla shopping siteGotta get a gift for that special someone and/or your own special self?  Well I have a few tips that may help get you through the experience with the least amount of pain and the biggest bang for your buck to boot.

First, a couple of true confessions–I don’t like to shop and I don’t like going to stores. Now while some of you could view these facts as being deleterious to someone giving shopping advice, I beg to differ.

Since I indeed don’t like to shop, I find ways to get it done in the most efficient manner possible. So if you’re someone who doesn’t like to waste time either–I’m your man. Or at least I got your method.

And while I hate to shop, I’m not a lazy shopper. I want to give good gifts and see those faces light up and I want to snag the best price for that gifting glory.
And since I don’t like physical stores, that just means I’ve had to more finely develop my online shopping skills.

If you enjoy the store experience–the hub-bub, crowds, noise, shoving, pushing, body blows, sticky-icky carts, more noise, terrible traffic, parking demolition derbies, guzzling gas jams, smog inhalation and then even more noise–then my online methodology ain’t for you.

I propose the better way to shop is by lounging in a bed or sofa, laptop on snack tray or belly, ample wine and/or beer, fine tunes, comfort treats, crackling fire, and no annoying noise.

General Gift Searching And Comparing

Shopping - Bizrate

Bizrate.com

Enough deep philosophy, let’s get down to it. Say you don’t have a specific idea about what gift to get someone. I would go to Bizrate where I think the best general product searching and idea generating can be had. Bizrate has the best product photos combined with a good user-friendly and intuitive site layout.

On the home page, go to the upper left side and click at the “Shop By Department” area. Then down to more specific categories in that department and peruse the pretty pictures for ideas.

Shopping - Bizrate.comI find the “What’s Hot” link atop the “Departments” list to be especially helpful if I’m not that knowledgeable in certain product areas–which can often mean women’s stuff. For example, I click “What’s Hot” and venture to “Women” to “Ugg Boots” to “Peep-Toe Booties” (Peep-toe booties are the hottest trend. Pair them with a skirt, leggings or your favorite jeans.)  Duh, I didn’t even know peep-toe booties existed, let alone think of them as a possible gift. Such astounding gift knowledge at your fingertips!

Bizrate’s motto is “search, compare, conquer”. I agree they are good with the “search and compare” aspect and I agree with the following hype they offer…

Search: Find virtually every product, store, brand, and deal on the web. Shop millions of products including apparel, shoes, home décor, and accessories, to electronics, appliances, computers, and games, from thousands of stores at the click of a mouse.

Compare: Easily compare products and store information. Bizrate lets you swiftly organize your results so you’ll find and see only the products that matter to you. And as the industry leader in online store ratings and reviews, bizrate collects over 25,000 customer reviews each day, and shares it so customers know for sure whether a store can be trusted. Find all the tools and answers you need to help you decide which and where to buy.”

All the above is fine, but I don’t recommend Bizrate for the “conquer” part of their motto. “Conquer” referring to the money aspect–the best pricing, coupons, rebates. I have a few other sites for that part. First let me mention the best place for…

Electronic Gift Searching And Comparing
Shopping - CNet Shopper
Hands down, the hot spot for all things electronic is Shopper.com, aka CNET Shopper I’ve found they are excellent for electronics searching and comparing and I especially find their “CNET Editor Reviews & Ratings” to be superb.

Shopping - CNet Reviews

Except for the price claims, I  agree with their hype…

“Shopper.com has an extensive technology catalog, thousands of professional product reviews, user opinions, and the best prices for computers and consumer electronics. A trusted merchant certification program combined with some of the best deals and bargains on the internet, Shopper.com has everything you need to make your technology purchases.”

 

Getting the Best Price

Once you have figured out exactly what gift you wish to purchase, then I suggest opening up three different browsing windows or tabs, and get these sites in each one…PriceGrabber – bottomdollar – Shopzilla.

Then copy the exact description and model number (i.e. Canon FS200 Flash Memory Digital Camcorder – Silver) for the product you chose at Bizrate or Shopper.com, and paste it in the “search box” of all three sites. Don’t go browsing or clicking on categories at these sites–just paste into the box.

Now compare the search results in all three sites. Sometimes the stores and prices found in the results will be similar, sometimes they won’t. For the Canon Camcorder example–Shopzilla came up with 24 stores and a price range of $259 to $449; PriceGrabber gives 6 stores and $255 to $329; bottomdollar has 5 stores and $255 to $330. In this instance, the lowest prices were in a close range at all three sites.

But Shopzilla gave us a lot more choices for possible stores which may come in handy when some products are hard to find or going out of stock. Also, once you type in your zip code to find out the shipping costs, and possible tax charges for your particular state, the wider choice can lead you to the lowest price.

PriceGrabber

A nice feature I’d like to point out at PriceGrabber is their “Price Alert”. On the home page is a video you can view that quickly explains it.

Beating Down The Best Price With Coupon Codes

Once you’ve found the best price at the best store, then it’s time to see if we can cut it down some more with “coupon codes”. While the sites mentioned above have some “coupon codes” and “cash back” deals, I’ve found the best results can be had by going with these specialty sites: CurrentCodes – FatWallet – Tjoos – Coupons.com.

Although I lean a little more toward FatWallet, I always check all four before clicking on my shopping cart and making the final purchase. Here’s what CurrentCodes has to say about the codes and themselves…

“Hundreds of well-known online stores like Barnes and Noble, Staples, and Overstock.com have a place within their shopping cart for a “coupon code” that gives a percent or dollar amount off your purchase. If you don’t know the code, you can’t take advantage of the discount. You can find these secret discount codes and coupon codes listed on many sites across the internet but the problem with these sites is that they’re usually personal homepages and they don’t maintain their lists! Currentcodes.com has a full-time staff of trained individuals whose only job is to find new coupon codes and discount codes and verify the accuracy of the existing database. We don’t flood you with ads and we don’t throw deals in your face. No hype, just current codes. Our mission is to have absolutely the best coupon code database on the Internet.”

I’ve slashed as much as 20% off with these codes and often get 5% to 10% off.

Well, that’s all the shopping wisdom I got. Happy hunting and gathering.

written by los angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Music | Clarence Clemons Tribute – “The Big Man”, Bruce Springsteen saxophonist, passes away

By admin | Published 06/23/2011

Clarence Clemons, known as “The Big Man” to Springsteen fans, passed away a few days ago. I already miss my favorite sax man big-time. Here’s my humble tribute with memories, photos and video of a most soulful musician I greatly admired.

Clarence Clemons -los angeles photographer GregoryMancuso

Clarence Clemons - San Francisco Cow Palace - long time ago | photo by Gregory Mancuso

Thinking back to when I first saw Clarence Clemons, I’m surprised how long ago it was, and how well I can still recall his resonant tones and vibrant presence on that day several decades ago. It was at a free concert in a grassy field on a sunny day at UMass with a sparse crowd attending, and I had no idea who Clemons was or who that skinny lead singer was.

But I did know what a good sax-man sounded like, and this big guy I saw up on the stage, was indeed that.

This was before “Born To Run” was released so few knew who these guys were. After that album hit the airwaves, millions would savor the spine tingling joy of The Big Man’s sax blasts hitting their ear drums.

On that hazy New England day, I only got to hear a few songs from this unknown “String Sting Band” before I was dragged away by several cute dorm mates for the big mission of sneaking into an apple orchard to steal a bushel of fruit for apple pie night. (Such an outlaw I was–statute of limitations on fruit thievery, anyone, anyone?)

E Street Band Sax Player Clarence Clemons Dies – Associated Press

Bruce Springsteen & Clarence Clemons Perform Live In Oakland

Bruce Springsteen & Clarence Clemons Perform Live In Oakland 1980 | photo by Clayton Call

I don’t remember the name of the lovely lass who’s hand I was holding as I was being lead away, but I clearly remember letting go of that hand and turning around when that sax guy began a searing solo. I stopped in my tracks and would not budge until that solo and song were over. I had seen Coltrane and I now this big guy, and I had to rank him as the Coltrane rock equivalent on the spot. And I still feel that assessment is correct several decades later.

I gathered together a few things here for my fellow fans out there. An excellent appreciation article by Stephen Deusner. And some tribute videos: a classic, exaggerated, concert intro of Clarence from the Boss; an AP summary of his life and passing; a fan’s video collage with Bruce’s tale about how he first met Clarence; his latest recording, playing on the recent EDGE OF GLORY for Lady Gaga of all people; and of course, his incredible JUNGLELAND solo, from a concert a few years back.

JUNGLELAND | Live 2009 | Clarence Clemons solo at 4:10 mark

I confess, watching that clip now and listening to that incredible solo, with him gone, made my eyes leak. You’ll be sorely missed, Big Man. Thank you for all your soulful notes over all the years. And I imagine Coltrane welcoming you to his kick-ass band in the sky, where sax sparks will surely fly. Amen.

Bruce Springsteen Introduces Clarence Clemons

 

Lady Gaga THE EDGE OF GLORY featuring the Big Man

 

Clarence Clemons – Collection of Favorite Video Clips

 

A Fan’s Tribute To Clarence Clemons
At the legendary Bottom Line show, August 15, 1975, The E Street band played an extremely slowed-down version of “The E Street Shuffle” based on the theme of Manfred Mann’s “Pretty Flamingo”. In an eight-minute prologue, Bruce described how he met “The Big Man”, Clarence Clemons, after a particularly discouraging gig. If you haven’t heard it before, it’s one of Bruce’s best onstage stories, if you have, it’s still great to re-listen at this poignant moment.

 

Appreciation: Clarence Clemons by Stephen M. Deusner – “Pitchfork“

One of Clarence Clemons’ final sessions was for Lady Gaga’s recent single “The Edge of Glory”. His saxophone is nearly drowned out by heavy beats and insistent strings, but it still dominates the second half of the song as only a Clemons solo can. “The Edge of Glory” is such a self-conscious throwback to the motivational pop anthems of the 1980s (think any sports-movie training montage) that Gaga doesn’t need a particularly good solo here. She just needs Clemons’ name and all the associations that go along with it, and the collaboration epitomizes what he has come to mean to the 21st century: rock’n'roll saxophone, joyous solos, and gregarious sideman magnetism.

Clemons, who passed away after a stroke on June 18, is of course best known as a charter member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band; he appeared on Springsteen’s 1973 debut, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., and every E Street Band record since. And just as Springsteen was known as the Boss, Clemons was the Big Man. At 6’5″, he was a prominent figure onstage even among that famously sprawling band– when he played from a wheelchair on later tours, Clemons still dominated the stage. For most of their time together, the saxophonist was also the only African American in the E Street Band (keyboardist David Sancious played on the group’s first three albums, and Ernest “Boom” Carter was the drummer for a stretch in ’75), but Clemons played such a prominent role in the group that his presence hardly smacked of tokenism.

Onstage, the pair played off each other dynamically, performing camaraderie as intensely as they were performing music. Not to say that their friendship was fake– both understood that they had to project their bonhomie and excitement to the cheap seats in order to involve the large crowds in front of them. The Big Man helped the Boss make his audience feel like they owned the songs whether or not they had ever been to New Jersey or set foot on a boardwalk.

Just as he enabled Springsteen’s rock-show dynamism, Clemons also helped him realize his musical mission. Even in the 70s, as most groups continued to gravitate toward the guitar-drums-bass line-up, reed instruments weren’t closely associated with rock music, except as a throwback to earlier sounds. Even Andy Mackay in Roxy Music and James Chance in the Contortions could be viewed as embodiments and/or mutations of the past. While his playing incorporated the interpretive energy and spontaneity of jazz, Clemons took more cues from early rock and R&B, doo-wop, and soul, a large pool of influences that gave him great range on stage and off.

Like a good guitar player, Clemons moved from melodic leads to rhythm parts with amazing fluidity. You can hear as much on “Sherry Darling”, a vibrant album cut from 1980′s The River. In the intro, Clemons’ sax is less a fanfare than the life of the party, leading the band in a conga line. When his turn comes to solo, he communicates a back-patting sympathy for Springsteen’s beleaguered narrator, stuck in a hot car with his girl’s loudmouth mom. Clemons was a master of concision, with a talent for conveying complex drama in a few short measures. He knew how a simple, sustained note could have an overwhelming power: His lengthy solo in “Jungleland” may not be the most representative showcase for his technical flair, but its simple runs and warm, comforting tones, both reinforce Springsteen’s lyrics and take the song– and the audience– to another place altogether.

On his iconic “Born to Run” solo, Clemons rockets away from the rest of the E Street Band, his saxophone running double time on an already-revved-up song. He crams his short sequence with notes, as though mimicking the Boss’ word-heavy lyrical style, his sax embodying the promise of escape and freedom more than anything else in the song.

Springsteen broke up the E Street Band in 1989, when Clemons was touring Japan with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band, and there were reportedly hard feelings between the two friends. By then, Clemons had released a handful of solo albums and notched a Top 20 hit with “You’re a Friend of Mine”, a duet with Jackson Browne off Clemons’ 1985 album Hero. He sat in with the Grateful Dead and did session work for Joe Cocker, Roy Orbison, Aretha Franklin, and Janis Ian, his sax giving them the same connection to historical pop sounds that he once gave Springsteen. Even on Twisted Sister’s “Be Chrool to Your Scuel” his solo wittily reveals the song’s debt to 50s high school rock– the same music beloved by many of the parents then trying to censor heavy metal lyrics.

It’s tempting to think of Clemons solely as an aggregate of musical influences, ready to enact history with a few notes. But the vivacity of his playing and the intuitive back-and-forth between him and Springsteen suggests something more. The rock saxophone may go in and out of style, but Clemons played the instrument like it belonged to all genres, as exciting and versatile as a guitar and as expressive as a voice.

http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7994-appreciation-clarence-clemons/

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Print | Sleep on the job to work better–scientists prove what my grandpa and cat told me

By admin | Published 06/16/2011

power nap, cap nappingMy Grandpa and cat told me naps are important. Now smarty-pants scientists also say ‘power naps’ improve cognitive functioning, increase reaction time, learning, efficiency and health. Result? Get more work done.

black cat napping

photo by Gregory Mancuso | modeling by JR

My grandfather didn’t speak much English, and my cat, well, even less, but they told me how important naps were. One of my earliest childhood memories is hearing my grandfather’s booming voice and his Italian command “pisolare, pisolare”, and seeing his big gnarled hand coming down to snatch mine and tug me over to the couch.

grandfather grandson napping

We would then proceed to lie down together and take a short nap. We knew a ‘power nap’ would improve our cognitive functioning, increase our reaction time, learning, efficiency, and health.

Ok, I’m lying, we didn’t know any of that. But smarty-pants scientists have discerned all that and more in study after study. We just knew it gave us more pep to proceed with grand adventures and mischief around our Bronx neighborhood or the serious work of creating coloring book masterpieces. When serious work is confronting you, getting the project done faster and better can be achieved by sleeping on the job.

BENEFITS OF A POWER NAP

First let’s get a handle on what a ‘power nap’ is and then how best to pull it off. Regarding duration time, many sleep experts advise to keep the nap between 15 and 30 minutes.

Power Nap - Dilbert

Sleep comes in five stages. If your nap takes you from stage 1 sleep (just drifting off) to stage 2 (brain activity slows), you will wake up feeling energized and more alert. If your nap takes you into stages 3 and 4 (deep sleep), you will not wake easily and will feel groggy and tired.

Sleep stage 1 typically lasts about 10 minutes and stage 2 lasts another 10 minutes. That makes the 20-minute nap ideal for most people. Speaking from my two decades of personal slumbering experience, I find between 20 and 30 minutes is ideal.

INCREASES YOUR EFFICIENCY

Now I know what some of you are thinking–‘I can’t spare any time–I have piles of work piling up–emails to email–deadlines, deadlines and deadlines’. But the thing is, you’re going to get all that stuff done faster by stopping for a short time span because the nap increases your efficiency.

So if you sleep for 15 minutes and maybe increase your efficiency by a conservative 15% for the rest of the work day, say four hours, you’re going to, in effect, save 36 minutes, so you’ll actually come out ahead by 21 minutes. And whatever you’re doing is probably going to be done at a higher quality level to boot.

GOOD FOR HEART HEALTH AND STRESS REDUCTION

Say you’re not a numbers nut–but instead a health nut–there’s tons of evidence that this short break provides numerous health benefits. For one, it decreases the risk of dying from heart disease. That’s nothing to snore at. A large, six-year study of Greek adults found that people who took a siesta at least three times per week had a 37 percent lower risk of heart-related death.

Research also shows that a nap significantly reduces stress, and we know stress can lead to all sorts of deleterious issues. Naps also improve cognitive functioning, boosts your patience, improves reaction time, increases learning, boosts creativity, makes you more alert and in general improves your overall mood.

Although our own US culture generally frowns upon mid-day sleep, many others around the world smile upon it. Italians like my grandfather almost consider it mandatory. When I was in Italy I remember it seemed like the country virtually shut down for part of the afternoon, especially when I was outside the big cities. And this snoozing has been tried and tested for hundreds of years in many other cultures.

BEST TIMES TO DO IT

Regardless of culture, humans are manufactured to shut down in about 8 hours after waking. Most people experience a natural increase in drowsiness in the afternoon. It seems that between one and three o’clock is the best time period to nap. Once you get to 4 o’clock or after, the nap can interfere with you ability to fall asleep at night.

The best time will vary among individuals and vary a little from day to day. Your own mind/body clock will tell you when, if you’re open to listening to it. Or if you’re open to listening to a psychic cat.

My furry office manager and lucky black cat, JR, had an uncanny ability to sense when I needed a break. When I would start fading in the afternoon, he’d leap up on my desk, lay across the computer keyboard and meow to take a nap with him. If I would lift him off the keyboard, he would lay right back down across it and meow in a more exasperated tone. He refused to budge until I got up, and as soon as I did, he did.

Then JR would follow me to the sofa or bed, lie across my chest and purr contentedly that I was smart enough to follow his advice. Cats are indeed napping experts and I did well in heeding his guidance .

So whether you put more weight in a big bunch of smarty-pants scientific studies, or an old grandfather and his ancient culture, or the expert opinion of felines–everything points to napping for enhanced work and better health.

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Photography | The Ins And Outs Of Looking Attractive, Outside And Inside, In Photos And Out

By admin | Published 04/20/2011

A photographer gives practical and philosophical advice on how to look your best in photos.

Sally Field celebrity photographers los angeles

actress Sally Field | photo by Gregory Mancuso

Having photographed and observed a big bunch of celebrities and “normal” people for a couple of decades now, I’ve noticed a few attraction principles popping up again and again. Brilliant philosophical aesthetic theories my keen mind has uncovered, perchance? Nah, I never come up with big profound nuggets.

But here are some observations and psych tips you might want to mull over. Plus there’s a verbal cameo appearance from Audrey Hepburn. Action.

Now I don’t claim to be an expert or to even fully understand what’s going on, but I think I have some kind of handle on this attractive thingamajig that’s been dancing around in my viewfinder and mind for years.

First off, I’m talking about two versions: the “outside attractive” and the “inside attractive”. And the principles apply whether you’re being photographed or just hanging out amongst other humans.

Outside Attractive

.

Let’s look at the outside attractive first. One thing I’ve perceived is that people come across as most attractive when they’re not trying to be attractive. Not obsessing over it. Although we’re all on different levels of the physical beauty scale, it seems you can bump yourself up or down a peg or two depending on your mind-set.

Although a good photographer can finagle the best lighting, and guide you to the most flattering angle, facial expression etc., that only goes so far. Your internal dialogues have an impact on the external results.

A suggestion I’d make if you want to maximize your attractiveness is to try not to think about it. Try to just “be”. Work on getting a Zenny thing going. I know it’s a lot easier said than done, especially when you’re being photographed or scrutinized in some way. But I think if you think… ‘this is just a stupid photo, I don’t’ care how it turns out, it’s not life and death, it’s not important, 20 years from now it won’t matter’–it will mitigate mentally obsessing about it.

Even if it is an important photo for wide distribution or whatever, mentally treat it like dirt. What you can laugh at or pooh-pooh can’t rule you.

Another tip when it’s picture time is to think about another time. Something else that happened that day or even years ago. It doesn’t matter when or what. You can also try to imagine being in another place entirely. Perhaps a faraway paradise of any sort that suits you.

Relaxing on the beach of a lush tropical isle with a bevy of beautiful mermaids surfing the waves and playing a Beethoven sonata on their harps, is one of my favorite imaginings. Hey, I know that sounds wacky, but we’re working on distraction and cutting tension here, so getting out there on a loony limb might be the way to go.

Enzo Effect

photo by Gregory Mancuso

.

Along the lines of loony, something that may work for some of you is what I call the Enzo Effect. Enzo is my dog and he’s always in my studio and sometimes on location when I’m shooting a portrait. Dogs can provide the dual effect of being a calming influence and pleasant distraction. Many times I’ve seen Enzo saunter over to a stressed out person filled with trepidation about having their pictures taken, and just a few pets and nuzzles later, their anguish is melting away.

It’s actually been scientifically documented that blood pressure and heart rates drop while petting a dog or cat. Now Enzo is an especially soothing presence, and he’s even one of those Therapy Dogs who visit people in hospitals, but if you have a dog or other pet that is manageable, then bring them along to your shoot. It’s probably a good idea to run it past your photographer ahead of time.

(By the way, Enzo demands that I mention he’s available on a freelance basis. His rental rate is three jerky strips, one squeaky latex ball, two salami slices and five belly rubs per hour. Though I bet you could negotiate him down to the belly rubs and salami. He’s way over priced.)

Sally Field

.

Why don’t we now talk about this photo of Sally Field I took and see how some of the attractive principles played out. Although this is only the second shot taken and she wasn’t “ready”, and we took over a hundred shots later when we were really ready and set-up, this is the one I like the best.

Setting the scene, take one… Sally had just arrived and was casually talking with friends. I noticed she was in an easy, relaxed mood, and didn’t seem to have locked into have-to-look-like-a-pretty-celebrity frame of mind yet. So I suggested a few quick shots before the official shooting commenced. She said she hadn’t even taken her coat off yet, her hair wasn’t perfect yet, etc. But after some of my silly pleading, bowing, begging routine, she chuckled and kindly agreed to take a few.

The result was a picture that I believe captured the natural-beauty-Sally. It probably came about because she wasn’t obsessing about looking gorgeous because she was distracted by my antics and she wasn’t wrapped up in official photo session mode yet.

Another reason I like this image best is that in addition to capturing aspects of the physical beauty, it also gives a feel for attractive version two–the “inside attractive”. The best way I can describe this would be to say it’s the non-physical inner spirit thing, exuding a positive presence that makes others enjoy being in your presence. The human warmth felt when you’re actually there with that person.

It appears that the warm spirit I felt being with her in person, is hinted at in the photo as well. Although a good photographer can help bring out and reveal that warmth and positive presence, they can’t show what isn’t there.

Inside Attractive

.

So how does one create and project that beneficial inside element? Well it’s tricky and it can take some time cultivating virtuous thought patterns and behaviors depending on where you’re at. And in reality only you know what you know, and how the heck should I know? Huh?  All I can do is throw out some stuff to chew on.

Ballard Street comic photographer in los angeles(Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen)

Me thinks it’s the interaction of several inter-related traits and behaviors that have to be worked on and juggled. But if you have to point to one primary thing it would revolve around the issue of narcissism. Everybody has narcissistic traits to some degree. We all have wants and needs that we would like to be fulfilled. But thinking the whole world revolves around the notion of fulfilling those wants and needs ain’t pretty.

Agnes comic photographers in los angeles

(Agnes by Tony Cochran)

So taming one’s inflated sense of self importance will go a long way towards building the inside attractive. Try not to take yourself too seriously and above-it-all. Even if you are indeed the best-looking or richest or most powerful person in the room, don’t lord it over the others. You got to halt the haughty attitude as best you can.

Empathy

.

While self-importance is the big “don’t”, the big “do”, is cultivating and expressing empathy. Empathy involves the ability to put oneself into another’s shoes. So having compassion for those less fortunate and especially helping them out in a concrete way will supercharge your empathy engine. I found for myself, and have observed in others, that doing any kind of volunteer work will work wonders to get you down the right road.

If you want a push toward volunteering, check out Volunteer Match. If you have a dog, then look into  helping out via Pet Therapy, and the national group Enzo and I work with is called the Delta Society.

Audrey Hepburn

.

Audrey Hepburn celebrity photographer los angeles

I found someone who did a great job of expressing the empathy/beauty thing–Audrey Hepburn. As you probably know, Audrey was an iconic beauty and Oscar winning actress, who starred in over 25 films. She went on to follow up her immense success in Hollywood by later focusing on humanitarian activities. She was the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and often assisted destitute people in impoverished countries and was recognized for her efforts with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Motion Picture Academy’s Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Here’s something she wrote which says it all…

For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise,
Walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things,
Have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed,
And redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,
You will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;
One for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.


 

<h3><em><strong>written by Los Angeles photographer &amp; writer Gregory Mancuso</strong></em></h3>

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Share

Film | My big fun with Oscar-winning director Errol Morris and his new film TABLOID

By admin | Published 03/28/2011

Hanging out with Oscar-winning director Errol Morris, I learn the “serious” filmmaker is actually a fun goofball. I’ll also tell you about his new film, TABLOID, a hilarious u-turn from his prior work, and toss in trailers and info about his other stellar films you should see.

Errol Morris film director, celebrity los angeles photographer

Errol Morris - Film Director | photo by Gregory Mancuso

Errol Morris sure fooled me. If you’re familiar with this filmmaker’s serious-minded work, it’s logical to anticipate meeting a somber, reserved, deep thinking, perhaps even a somewhat humorless fellow. Nope. The guy I shook hands with  is a combination of goofy Mel Brooks with a sprinkling of Steve Carrel silliness who’s powered  by the hyper and mischievous energy of a quirky kid sputtering out of a hunkering six foot plus frame.

And I mean all that in a nice way. Because Morris is also quite a pleasant and down-to-earth guy who was a joy to hang out with. Although he was funny and playful, speaking with him, one could not help but also notice his grey head housed a keen, deep-thinking mind which was always percolating.

Roger Ebert has said, “After twenty years of reviewing films, I haven’t found another filmmaker who intrigues me more…Errol Morris is like a magician, and as great a filmmaker as Hitchcock or Fellini.” Ebert has placed Morris’s first feature GATES OF HEAVEN on his list of the 10 Best Films of All Time. Recently, the Guardian listed him as one of the ten most important film directors in the world.

So there you go, it ain’t just me. I’ve been a big fan of Morris going back 25 years, since the time I saw his first feature documentary “Gates of Heaven”.

This night I was hired to shoot Morris at a special screening of his new film TABLOID. I was also paid to consume copious amounts of delicious food, champagne, hobnob with celebs, and relax in CAA’s most comfy and superb theater and watch a fine movie. Sometimes my jobs are such a hardship.

TABLOID

Tabloid poster, celebrity gossipFirst off, being the sophisticated film reviewer that I am, I have to tell you the rating I give TABLOID is my top “gotta-gotta-see”! Yes, that’s a rare double-gotta rating. This true-story documentary was hilarious and made me laugh out loud more often than any Hollywood comedy concoction has in years.

But don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what an official professional film reviewer, Peter Debruge of Daily Variety has to say…

Proof that one must never underestimate another human’s capacity to rationalize anything, Errol Morris’ “Tabloid” is bonkers in all the best possible ways–a welcome return to perverse portraiture after a lengthy sojourn in the realm of more serious-minded subjects. With a former beauty queen in the hot seat, the “Fog of War” director applies his trademark truth-seeking methods to his wiliest subject yet: Joyce McKinney, a former Miss Wyoming-turned-Mormon “sex in chains” kidnapper, whose disarming candor masks untold levels of delusion.

There you go, an official thumbs-up. I went into the screening knowing zero about the film, and I think the best experience might be had by watching Tabloid without knowing a lot about it. Letting the unpredictable, true-life plot unfold like the demented fractured fairy tale it truly is. So I’m gonna refrain from describing the plot much. I’ll give you this much though…

With TABLOID, Errol Morris further redefines and pushes the boundaries of documentary film with the tale of the infamous “Case of the Manacled Mormon.” In 1977, Miss Wyoming Joyce McKinney flew to England with a pilot and a bodyguard to abduct the love of her life. Or was it to liberate him from a cult? Joyce, all of the people that cross her path, and the British tabloids help construct an epic RASHOMON-like tale that is as hilarious as it is unbelievable. Part black comedy, part film noir, TABLOID is always surprising and features one of the most captivating characters of Morris’s career.

There, satisfied? Well, tough nuggies, if you’re not. Go google yourself silly and find out detailed plot tidbits if you must, but I think you’re stabbing yourself in the foot to spite the nose on your face by doing so. Just go see it.

Anyway, after the screening, Morris held court for a Q&A. So after the fun of seeing this film, I got to have more fun because it’s turns out that this serious, ground-breaking director can be a kick-ass, improv, stand-up comedian. Go figure. He fielded questions from the audience, served up humorous anecdotes, told jokes and I cackled with laughter for a half hour. I do believe I snagged my monthly quota of yuks on this one job.

But enough of this silliness. Here’s the filmmaker in his own smart words.

“TABLOID is a return to my favorite genre-–sick, sad and funny–but of course, it’s more than that,” said Morris. “It is a meditation on how we are shaped by the media and even more powerfully, by ourselves. Joyce is a woman profoundly influenced by her dreams and, in a sense, she was living in a movie long before she came to star in my film.”

When asked about Joyce’s propensity for lying to the audience, Errol says, “To me, it isn’t about truth or lying. It’s about lying and self-deception. And I think that most of us—and I certainly include myself—convince ourselves of the truth of things, so that genuinely, we do not feel that we are lying about anything… Joyce underlines that theme quite eloquently when she says, ‘you can tell a lie enough times that you come to believe it’.”

He discussed his use of titles and graphics in this film, which are perhaps employed more heavily than in any of his previous films, and made a statement that stands to sum up his approach to filmmaking: “I have this new theory of art… If people find it annoying and offensive? Better yet! I get so few opportunities to ply my trade, I haven’t made that many movies, and I think that every time I get an opportunity to make a movie, I should try to reinvent the form, at least in some way. I should do something different, just for the hell of it.”

I think TABLOID will be released in a couple of months. Since it’s a documentary, non-Hollywood type flick, it won’t be at the megamega plexes, so you may have to seek it out. It’s well worth any effort on your part, and I’ll do my part to sound the alarm as loud as I can when it lands in LA or on a premium channel.

FANTASTIC ERROL MORRIS FILMS AND A COMMERCIAL

 

THIN BLUE LINE

This is probably my favorite Morris film. It is so good that it won the Oscar for best documentary, and it was so effective that it done sprung an innocent man outta jail. What a wonderful double whammy!

THE THIN BLUE LINE is the fascinating, controversial true story of the arrest and conviction of Randall Adams for the murder of a Dallas policeman in 1976. Billed as “the first movie mystery to actually solve a murder,” the film is credited with overturning the conviction of Randall Dale Adams for the murder of Dallas police officer Robert Wood, a crime for which Adams was sentenced to death. With its use of expressionistic reenactments, interview material and music by Philip Glass, it pioneered a new kind of non-fiction filmmaking. Its style has been copied in countless reality-based television programs and feature films.

Terrence Rafferty in The New Yorker has called it “a powerful and thrillingly strange movie. Morris seems to want to bring us to the point at which our apprehension of the real world reaches a pitch of paranoia — to induce in us the state of mind of a detective whose scrutiny of the evidence has begun to take on the feverish clarity of hallucination.”

THE THIN BLUE LINE was voted the best film of 1988 in a Washington Post survey of 250 film critics. Premiere magazine, in a survey of films of the 1980s, described it as one of the most important and influential movies of the decade.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME

You better put on your thinking caps for this one, kids. Not a film to see late at night when you’re tired. It takes some concentrating but is well worth the effort and you’ll feel 33.333% smarter afterwards.

In 1992, Errol Morris finished A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, about the life and work of Stephen Hawking, the physicist who is often compared to Einstein and who is paralyzed and has spent much of his life in a wheelchair. In this film adaptation of Hawking’s book about the origins of the universe, Morris has woven together graphics, interviews and archival material in a story about both Hawking’s life and science.

David Ansen in Newsweek has called it, “an elegant, inspirational and mysterious movie. Morris turns abstract ideas into haunting images, and keeps them spinning in the air with the finesse, and playfulness, of a master juggler”.

THE FOG OF WAR

Another Oscar winner here and it’s the story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara. One of the most controversial and influential figures in world politics, he takes us on an insider’s view of the seminal events of the 20th Century. Why was this past Century the most destructive and deadly in all of human history? Are we doomed to repeat our mistakes? Are we free to make choices, or are we at the mercy of inexorable historical forces and ideologies?

QUAKER OATS COMMERCIAL

Here’s a commercial Morris made for Quaker Oats. This is not CGI or anything else along the lines of special effects. It’s a classical optical illusion called the Ames room. Even his commercials are darn interesting. Morris appears in this and is the guy in gray shirt.

written by Los Angeles photographer & writer Gregory Mancuso

Hanging out with Oscar-winning director Errol Morris, I learn the “serious” filmmaker is actually a fun goofball. I’ll also tell you about his new film, TABLOID, a hilarious u-turn from his prior work, and toss in trailers and info about his other stellar films you should see.
Share

Dog Training | How to Prevent and Stop Destructive Chewing

By admin | Published 03/19/2011

You can reduce the risk of damage to occasional ill-gotten items by teaching your pup to exchange toys for treats, using something he loves that he’s allowed to have, such as a favorite chew toy or a food-stuffed Kong.

The key to this game is he learns that if he gives something up, he gets something better in return and he gets the original thing back as well. Two rewards for the price of one! Then, when he has a forbidden object, he’s more likely to bring it to you to trade than to drag his prize to his cave under the dining room table for a leisurely chew. The rare occasion that he doesn’t get “the thing” back won’t be enough to overcome the programming you’ve done by playing the “trade” game with him frequently.

In order for this to work, you have to stop playing “chase the puppy” when he grabs the sofa cushion or some other forbidden object. This is often an attention-getting behavior; he’s learned that grabbing “your” toys and dashing off with them initiates a rousing play session.

Here’s what you do:

1. Offer him his well-stuffed Kong and say, “Take it!” Have him on a leash if you think he’ll run off with it.

2. Give him a little while to get fully engaged in chewing, and then say “Give!” or “Trade!” in a cheerful tone of voice and offer him a handful of irresistible treats, such as small bits of chicken or cheese.

3. Hold the treats under his nose and let him sniff. It may take him several seconds to think about it, but eventually he should drop his Kong and start eating the treats. Don’t let him gulp them! Hold the tidbits so he can only take them one by one.

4. When he drops the Kong, say, “Yes!”

5. While he is still nibbling, reach down with your other hand and pick up the toy.

6. Let him nibble a bit longer, then offer him the Kong again.

7. Repeat the exercise several times. Then end the game by giving him back his Kong and letting him chew to his heart’s content.

8. Play this game at every opportunity, whenever he’s engaged in chewing on his toys on his own, or whenever you feel like initiating the game, until he’ll give up his chew object easily on your “give” cue.

Share

Yipeeee–It’s Pet Therapy

By admin | Published 02/04/2011

Nothing’s more fun and rewarding for pooches and peeps to do together than Pet Therapy. These furry care-givers bring comfort and smiles to sick, physically challenged and special needs adults and kids. If you have a dog, please check out the info, photos and videos which will show you how you can join in on the big fun too. Arf!

therapy dog with hospital patientYep, nothing’s more fun and rewarding for pooches and peeps to do together than Pet Therapy! Take our word and bark for it because my dog, Enzo, and I have been doing it for years. As you can see, Enzo and his fellow working dogs, bring a lot of comfort and smiles to humans in their community who need it the most.

These furry care-givers help sick, physically challenged and special needs adults and kids. Below is more info and videos in case you’re curious or want to get your own beast involved.

The pet therapy group Enzo and I belong to is a national group called the Delta Society and they have local chapters all around the country. If you live in the Los Angeles area, this is the chapter Paws4Healing

If you have a pet and might want to join, check out the evaluation test info at the bottom of this article. Enzo says it ain’t that hard a test and there are different skill levels of certification, in case your pet can’t do all the test exercises perfectly. And it’s not just for dogs. Cats and a variety of different animals can join. We even have a bunny, Oreo, in our Paws4Healing group.

pet therapy, dog pictures

Pet Partner Evaluation Process

To be registered as a Delta Society® Pet Partner®, you and your animal must be evaluated by a licensed Delta Society® Pet Partner® Evaluator. The evaluation process consists of the Pet Partner Skills Test (PPST) and the Pet Partner Aptitude Test (PPAT).

To test basic good behavior skills, animals and their handlers complete the PPST. This test was modeled, with permission, after the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Test. Health care equipment, such as wheelchairs and walkers, has been added to the test. Skills are evaluated for how well the team can manage in an unfamiliar setting, such as a nursing home, hospital, school, etc. There are 12 items in the PPST.

The PPST is also used for screening cats and other animals. These animals do not perform all of the test items in the same way. For example, instead of walking on a leash, rabbits and cats must show that they can be carried in a basket or in the handler’s arms.

The Pet Partners Aptitude Test (PPAT) determines if you and your animal have the ability, capacity, desire, and potential for participating in animal-assisted activities (AAA) and animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programs. This part of the evaluation is similar to what many people would call a temperament test. Delta did not use the word “temperament” because so many people think that animals are born with a certain temperament and it can never be changed. We know that with training, many animals can learn to be reliable. For this reason, we use the word “aptitude” to suggest that the test applies to the animal’s ability or potential for AAA/AAT. The PPAT also evaluates the aptitude of the animal/handler team.

The PPAT is a combination of scenarios in which the individual exercises flow from one to another. The order of the exercises allows for escalation of stressors during testing. During the PPAT, the handler and animal should interact (i.e., role play) with the evaluator and assistants as though they are people being visited at a facility. The handler should be able to work with the animal while at the same time interacting socially with the “client” (evaluator and assistants) as if on a visit.

Pet Partner Evaluation Requirements

  • Food treats cannot be used during the test.
  • The team may be given up to 3 attempts to successfully complete skills of the PPST, but only if the mistake is due to handler error. Each attempt must be on a different day. Individual exercises may be attempted only one time per evaluation, unless the a problem is caused by the evaluator.
  • Collars and Leashes may not have any chain type material.
  • Head collars may not be used. Slip collars may not be used.

Pet Therapy Test, los angeles photographer

Share