Sex, Drugs and Roommate Drama

Imagine the worst roommate you've ever had... Did he/she screw you out of money? Fill the holes in the wall with toothpaste when moving out? Bounce checks? I know (as does Brad and Matt) that this has happened to me...

Now imagine that roommate... times ten... thousand... That roommate may or may not be my sisters roommate.
This is a story about the last 5 days of craziness that has happened to my sister (Tiff) and her roommate (Mike)... Names have been changed for privacy reasons.

SUNDAY:
Tiff was getting ready for Sister Sunday Funday... a day when she and I meet up for lunch, sangria, movies, farmers market, etc. We were planning on meeting at her place around 12:30 (so I was planning on leaving my house at 12:00).
It's 11:30 and my sister calls me... crying. "Please hurry" she cries... "I caught Mike taking pictures of me in the shower"...
WHAT?!?! I will F*cking kill him!!! I told her to call the police and immediately headed over.
Apparently she saw a flash while she was showering... She thought it was just her TV ... but was looking into her bedroom to see if maybe it blew (it is a very old TV). While looking, she saw a digital camera sticking through the bedroom door, pointing at her... She got out of the shower and confronted him. At first he said he didn't do it. When she said "but I saw the camera... and left my bedroom door closed when I got in the shower" he replied with "like you didn't know?!"... the nerve!!! She took his video camera and locked herself in her room until the police arrived.

I arrived at her house around 12:15. The police (4 very friendly officers) had been there for about 10 minutes. 2 were outside trying to figure out what the crime was and what they could do. The other 2 were inside talking to Tiff. The asked Mike what happened... his reply? "She's looked at the camera before. She knew, and I thought she liked it"... What a sicko!!! If she knew... why'd she call the police?!!? Anyway, after looking at the camera, they discovered that in one shower - he had taken 1 picture and 3 videos.

Anyway - the crime was a misdemeanor - Voyeurism (aka. peeping tom). They couldn't arrest him, but suggested she press charges... So she did. They also suggested that on Monday she apply for an injunction (restraining order). After they left, my sister and I went out for our funday and then went back to the house to pack her things. She didn't feel safe there, so she came to stay with me.

Side note: the AC broke that day too... so she was calling the property manager to get it fixed.

MONDAY:

Tiff went to the courthouse to file for an injunction. The police report wasn't in the system yet, so she was limited on the type of injunction she could file... A repeat violence was what they suggested (since he admitted to doing it more than just that one day). She drove by the house a few times to get some things - but he was home - so she never went in.
Later that day, back at the courthouse, she found out the injunction was denied... since it wasn't actual violence. They suggested she wait until the police report got into the system and file for a sexual violence injunction - since the charges were for sexual harassment...

TUESDAY:

Tiff found out the police report had been filed - so she went back to the courthouse to try again at the injunction. After filing the papers, she went home to let the AC repair guys in. When she got there in the morning - the house WREAKED of weed. She followed the smell to their 3 bedroom - a room that was empty until he claimed it as his man-cave. She noticed a humming sound coming from the closet, so she went to open the closet door.
When she opened the closet, she saw foil wrapped sheet insulation covering the closet. On it, he had drawn in permanent marker a fake closet with a note that said "Tiff, if you find this - please talk to me first". She knew what was going on... so she called the police.

The police arrived with the drug dog. Upon confirmation from the drug dog, they received a search warrant. It took them about thirty minutes to completely destroy his bedroom and the "man-cave", confiscate his computer, 4 bowls, 2 bongs, and the 4 lbs of marijuana he was growing in his closet.
They found a safe that, after breaking open with a crow bar, they discovered contained multiple disgusting sex toys and women's lingerie/bathing suits. Even the drug cops were shocked and said "this guy is f-ing sick"...

Oh, a side note - meanwhile - the AC guys are there fixing the AC and watching the whole thing... You know - the broken AC that led to Mikes ventilation system being ruined, and thus the smell of his drug lab drifting through the entire house and even outside that led to Tiff's discovery of the closet.

Also through all this, we found out her second attempt at an injunction was denied. That's the part that pissed me off... She can't get a restraining order - until he actually physically hurts her. He can't physically hurt her because she's staying as far away as possible... They wonder why so many people become victims of violence - when they don't realize that those people can't get safe until it's too late!!! Anyway...

The officers put out a warrant for his arrest and gave us their number in case he came home before they got him. We changed the locks on the house and parked down the street waiting for him to come home. When he came home from work, we called the officers, and they came to arrest him. It was like a scene from a movie. It was awesome.

WEDNESDAY

Nothing exciting happened today... Except that Mike posted Bond to get out of jail.

THURSDAY

Tiff goes to the house to start packing her things... She doesn't feel safe there anymore so she plans on leaving. She got there to see Mike there with a U-haul moving his things... How did he get in? They changed the locks...
HE BROKE IN... SERIOUSLY?! You just got out of jail, and you decide to break in? Why didn't he just call the property manager to let him in to get his stuff?!? Tiff got to call the cops again! They couldn't do anything since he is technically still on the lease... but they did put it on his record (which is quickly growing)
After he left, she went in to start moving. The owners posted a note saying she has 7 days to vacate... they decided she's guilty by association. By being on the lease with someone who breached the contract - she breached the contract. We are working on negotiating with them to allow her to keep her stuff there until the end of August so she has more time to find a place and move.
Mike left a note too! It said "please return to me the following items: Jump drives, video camera, desktop computer, and anything that could incriminate you"... HAHAHAHAHA... Is he that stupid? Does he really not realize that THE POLICE took it during their search of his room?!?! Does he REALLY think she took it?!?!

Anyway... I don't think he's coming back. He is too stupid to worry about anymore... She's trying to find a new place to live - and staying with me in the meantime... And don't worry - the AC is fixed.

I'll be visiting Vegas (again) next week... so expect a post soon on that!!!

Til next time,
-Whit

Who is (the new) Spiderman???

So I figured with all this Apple nonsense, I'd take a break from gadgets and write about something else nerdy. It was announced recently that there would be no more Spiderman 4 with Sam Raimi featuring Tobey Maguire. Instead, Mark Webb, director of (500) Days of Summer, has picked up the franchise. In my opinion, that is freakin' awesome. But ultimately that leads to one big question: Who will be the next Peter Parker?

I have picked my favorite 2, and if it's either I'd be pretty stoked. But before that, let's talk about a few rumors. The first one I saw made me almost throw up in my mouth a little. One website had Zac Effron as Spidey. Peter may have gone emo in Spiderman 3, but I don't remember him being gay (not that there's anything wrong with that). Another one that I kinda liked, kinda didn't was Anton Yelchin, of Star Trek and Charlie Bartlett fame. While I think he'd be good at it, I don't like him as much as I do my top 2 picks, at least not yet.

So who do I want to be the next Spiderman? Either Emile Hirsch or Joseph Goron Levitt. We'll start with Emile. The dude is a brilliant actor. His work in The Girl Next Door, which might not have been an amazing movie, showed that he can pull off the role of a kid in over his head. And Into the Wild (which is still one of my favorite films ever) and Milk showed a big range for the 24 year old. He'd be much less... I guess the only word I can think of is "Doofy" than Toby, which while it might not be as accurate a portrayl of the comic book legend, would make for a much more entertaining watch.

And as for JoGo Levitt, I only see one problem: he's 28. But his appearance and his great acting ability would allow him to defy that when necessary and make a "grown up and lesson-learned" Parker appear that much more mature. Plus, he's already had experience with Webb in (500) Days, which was phenomenal, and may be why Webb took the gig in the first place.

I'm really excited for the 2012 reboot, especially after how bad Raimi handled the amazing story of Black Suit Spiderman and Venom. One funny rumor I heard for a villain was Steve Buschi as Carnage (which could definitely work). But there's one cast member that had better stay the same, and that's J.K. Simmons a Jonah Jameson. That may have been the best casting in the histo of anything ever.

Time to Experience The Movies | Part II

So now we get to the part where you've decided to go see Avatar. That's great, but where are you going to watch it? Certainly not in a rickety old theater with run down equipment, right? Oh no no no, that is just not going to do. You, my friend, need to go see this on something just a little better than that.

I’m referring to how you must go see this in an IMAX certified theater. So much work was put into this movie that not seeing it in all its glory would be complete and utter disrespect to the entire movie production. And we aren’t just talking a small amount of disrespect. This is on par with don’t come back to church until you’ve atoned for all that noise you were making disrespect. But beyond that, it is that simply there is so much about this movie to absorb in all of the details that you would never fully be able to appreciate this movie otherwise. The easiest way to describe it is that it’s one of those movies that after you left, you would have never forgiven yourself had you not seen it right. To bring you up to speed, I’ve got the details on both the sights and sounds that go into making these movies shine.
For IMAX, sound is of the upmost importance. Normally film would encode the sound right into the film strips. This is very similar to what a VHS tape would do for watching a movie. The creators of IMAX saw this as wasting film space. Sound is achieved by using a separate six-channel 35mm magnetic film (the size of conventional movie film). It is synchronized to the movie during playback. Speakers are placed all over the theater to engulf you in sound. Many IMAX theaters place speakers directly behind the screen, as well as distributing the speakers around the theater to create a three-dimensional effect.

But what about that film? This is the secret to what makes these movies great. IMAX film is considerably larger than its “Academy Format” brother. If you get a chance, view a drawing of the comparison in film negative size which will show off just how much more detail can be seen. Another analogy to this would be in how much better the picture quality would be when watching something from a standard DVD or going up to a Blu-Ray disk. With the amount of detail able to be preserved, you are able to not only see such brilliant pictures, but also enjoy them in whole new ways such as in three dimensions.

With respect to Avatar, the IMAX presentation is in 3D. Normally, I wouldn’t be so quick to recommend viewing a movie in 3D because you typically will be watching a movie where the director has less imagination than a comatose squirrel and therefore resorts to creating “gimmick” effects with the technology like making stuff blow up in your face. Avatar is no such movie. It is used to fully enhance the world of Pandora, with most 3D effects taking place from the point of reference of the screen backwards. If you are lucky enough to see it on a truly enormous screen (keep reading to find out), you will genuinely feel like you are in the movie.

Now with all great things, controversy will always find its way in. With respect to screen size, not all IMAX theaters are not created equally. You see, IMAX theater construction also differs significantly from conventional theaters. The increased resolution allows the audience to be much closer to the screen; typically all rows are within one screen height. (Conventional theaters seating runs 8 to 12 screen heights) Also, the rows of seats are set at a steep angle (up to 23 degrees in some domed theaters) so that the audience is facing the screen directly. It is possible to have an existing theater renovated and upgraded to conform to standards, but that doesn’t mean that the actual screen itself you watch the film on will be modified. To placate this issue, a lot of people are wanting theaters to be up front with their screen size so that audiences will know up front what it is they will be getting. And trust me, it makes a HUGE difference.

In Orlando, a few theaters have an IMAX screen, but only one is the genuine deal in that its screen is over 6 stories tall! And since IMAX resolution is so much greater than conventional film, audiences are able to be a lot closer to the screen. I’ve already gone to see Avatar twice in it, and I plan to go again simply so I can be absorbed right back into the story. If you ever are in the Orlando area, I strongly encourage you to check out the Pointe Orlando Regal Cinemas, which has such a glorious screen. To my knowledge, the record is a screen that is 8 stories tall but it’ll involve a little road trip of sorts. It is the LG IMAX theatre in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Hopefully that provides a little insight into the movie world. And as they say at the closing of the Great Movie Ride (at Walt Disney World), I'll see you at the movies, the stuff dreams are made of.

It's Movie Time! Featuring Avatar | Part I

Before writing this I will admit to you readers out there that I am not really an avid moviegoer. Don't get me wrong, I do love the big silver screen and the joy that it produces. Consequently it is what I dislike such as the high ticket prices, even higher concessions costs for a bag of candy smaller than a pack of pocket-sized Kleenex tissue, and most of all just the people who go there that keep me from going in the first place.

Oh yes, you know who you are. You let your phones ring or even check them throughout the movie so that the display illuminates everything around you. Then there are those that must shuffle through every plastic bag just to crunch on that one last kernel of popcorn. My digression reserves one final group of people hated by moviegoers above all others: those people who love their babies so much that they bring them along to sit still in a loud environment for hours at a time. You may love that child, mother and father moviegoer, but the rest of us sure don't. Now to get back on track...

Amidst my distaste for the aforementioned experience, a movie will come along once in a while which will make these annoyances pale in comparison to what is being shown on the screen. The movie that brought me back is Avatar.

Avatar was directed by James Cameron. The plot (stolen from IMDB) tells of a paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission [where he] becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home. The movie itself conveys several powerful messages all centered around how much influence perspective can have on a situation and even weaves a beautiful love story into the movie.

How did audiences respond? In just over a mere 21 days, Cameron's movie Avatar becomes the 2nd highest grossing film of all time worldwide at just over $1.1 billion dollars with huge potential to continue. To put that in perspective, only one movie in the history of movies has earned more money. If you don't know / remember, it was another James Cameron film from 1997: Titanic, which had earned $1.84 billion dollars. What sets Avatar apart is that Titanic took several months to reach that volume whereas this movie is well on its way in just under a month.

Cameron had the idea for this movie back in the early 90s but recognized that the technology needed was nowhere near what it would have to be for this film to be made. Just a few short years ago, he realized that while the technology still wasn't ready, it was close enough that the tech he would need could be adapted thus completing the leap from imagination to reality.

Spending almost a half billion dollars of the studios money, he didn't just invent new technology, but reinvented cinematography and the expectations we'll have for future movies. To do this, he created entirely new 3D camera systems which even leveraged motion tracking cameras to capture detail like never before. Every actor not only wore a motion body suit, but also a camera that was mounted directly in front of their face. While they were acting each scene, the computer was able to manifest the entire range of the actor's muscle movements in their faces, and thus the he was able to transfer real human emotion into the characters seen on the screen.

The actor’s faces were portrayed on a species called Navi. They would be the humanoid equivalent of us, standing nine to ten feet tall and capable of living on an otherwise uninhabitable planet. They fly six-winged hexapods known as Banshees for activities like hunting and travel. To capture flight on these creatures of the sky, entire rigs were created that had the freedom to move similar to that of a mechanical bull. The actors on them would be forced to use their center of balance during 'flight' with the motion of the rigs adjusted to mimic what each flight in the scenes would do. This translated to very realistic motion of the Navi throughout the movie.

Ultimately what made this movie such a success with me (and to the box office) was in Cameron's superior level of attention to detail. His focus on really bringing the CGI characters to life in a more human like form ultimately redefined how we think of CGI characters and how far we will be able to use them in the future. His attention to detail also extended to the world itself, being truly immersive much like the world in Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Entire species and ways of life were created. To illustrate this, one trailer created for the movie takes actual scenes from the movie and turns it into a four minute "Discovery Channel"-esque special about the organisms living on Pandora.