Is Michael Bay an artist? OH YES HE IS!!!

"What is art? Is it defined by a stringent set of rules and regulations or can each be a master of their own medium? Complaining about the absence of gravitas in a film like Con Air is the same as looking at a work of Miro and saying "That sucks, it's all squiggly!". Every artist has their strengths and styles.

In other words... Terrence Malick couldn't direct a movie about exploding robots to save his life... and if he did, it'd probably take 40 years.

So pull your head out of your ass, sit down, shut up, and eat your awesome." - The Monocular Group.

So to all Michael Bay's naysayers I give you: THE MASTER CLASS TRAILER OF TRANSFORMERS 3



Yeah BABY!!! 

Party's over... who made this mess?

So Egypt is free. The "Last Pharoah" has been dethroned and the process of de-constructing the spectre that was Mubarak has begun.

I am part of the generation that grew up only ever knowing Mubarak's Egypt. But watching the birth of a new Egypt is proving inspiring in many ways.

After the historic outing of a dictator by peaceful protest, the Egyptian people got up to claim their country. First item on the agenda: clean up.

Egyptians replacing the paving stones that had been used as weapons.

Egyptians cleaning up the streets.

Makeshift "Lost & Found" Stall to help people recover their misplaced belongings.

Tents in Tahrir Square being dismantled 

It's in the little things that we show who we really are, as people... and as a people.

Photos courtesy of the BBC.

Chick Tracts still exist?! Cool!!!

Anyone remember these? Chick tracts! The coolest tracts a comic reader ever had. I used to devour these whenever I could find them. Now I discover they've adapted to the internet age. Cool!

It's a deal!


Creator or Liar?


Uninvited


For more of these go to Chick Tracts right here and get a free embed code for your blog or website.
For artists who want to learn how to use their talent for the LORD watch Jack Chick or click the image.

Interesting, this new "war" between Google and Bing.

I had a dream that Google and Bing had a big fight and I was caught in the middle. I really did... a few days ago. Suddenly I woke up yesterday to the story that Google is accusing Bing of cheating. Fight!


Google revealed recently that it caught Bing copying it's search results. Yep, apparently it's possible. Google engineers ran a sting operation - that's so Miami Vice! - that caught Bing watching what people search for on Google and the sites that these people select from Google’s results. They claim that Bing then uses that information to improve it's own search listings. 


The interesting thing about this is that: Bing doesn’t deny this.


Hunh?! I know this isn't like a school test but shouldn't admitting that you copied get punished? After all, the apparent copying is potentially improving Bing’s relevance in the search wars. Google engineers are calling it the digital equivalent of Bing copying Google’s test papers during a test - ok, so apparently it is like a school test.


Here's Google's "test paper". Notice the misspelled word.

Now here's Bing's "test paper" with the same misspelled word.

Now for a more detailed explanation with all the geek-ese of how Google caught Bing, head over to Searchengineland. The short version is that Google created false links and search results which no-one would ever actually look for or find. So when Bing started to return these same results, Google waved for Teacher. 

Bing has a perfectly logical explanation why this happened.

Does anyone really care?

So I watched the Superbowl...

So I watched my very first Superbowl on sunday. (Disclaimer: I'm Nigerian and have never been to the good ol' U.S of A.)

I figured that with my basic understanding of the workings of American Football (yes, it is AMERICAN Football no matter what the yanks do to market it globally) I should be able to stay awake from 12am  to 4am to watch the most purely American sporting spectacle in the world. Right? 

And I did. What a spectacle! From the awe-inspiring stadium to the celebrities to the actual players to the half-time show it was quite something. For football fans who couldn't be bothered to watch it, imagine the Champions League final with the World Cup Opening Ceremony at half-time and you get an approximation.

I watched the game and rooted for the Steelers to make good on their threatened comeback (what? Everyone roots for the underdog). But Green Bay put up a solid front to hold on and win it in the last minute. Apparently, it was nail-biting stuff.

But from what I hear, the superbowl experience for the at-home viewer is incomplete without seeing the ads. Ads? Yes, the ad(vert)s. Those glitzy, clever and freakishly expensive 30-second commercial intrusions by carmakers and moviemakers et al.

I must admit I was looking forward to the movie ads. Being denied the chance to see Chris Evans unveiled as Captain America was not... uhm.. cool. Let's leave it at that since an analysis of the base futility in staying up late in the hope of watching an advert that was already online for a movie I will see regardless of the ad is not something I wanna get into... ever.

So, since I'm such a generous fellow and I know you probably missed the whole thing - including Christina Aguilera's apparent butchering of the Star Spangled Banner, here's just a few of the Superbowl trailers for the movies I want to see. 

First off... a little (actually, a lot of) Michael Bayhem with Transformers:  

Then the gang's all back together (less Michelle Rodriguez) for Fast Five


And I'm happy that Aaron Eckhardt is (finally) getting his leading man groove on in Battle L.A.


Steven Spielberg and J.J Abrams reveal just a little bit more of Super 8


[(Daniel Craig+Harrison Ford+Olivia Wilde) Cowboys*Aliens]/ Jon Favreau = Full Theaters on July 29


Oh and I almost forgot... I think I like American Football. Deuces.

I Am (Indian) Robot?

Anyone miss Indian movies?

No? Me neither. At least not until I came across the trailer for the movie 'Endhiran' ('Robot' in english). And no I don't speak indian.

Endhiran/Robot Movie Poster

Bollywood has always made to keep pace with Hollywood in production values. And by and large they have succeeded in their own way. For those who stoppped watching Indian movies in the days of 'Nagin', 'Sholay' and 'Dharam & Veer', Endhiran will blow your socks off.

Endhiran does new things with the sci-fi action movie genre. New uniquely indian things - where else will you see a futuristic robot killing machine break into song and dance? Transformers? Uh oh... I may just have given Michael Bay an idea there.

Bollywood movie stars Rajinikanth (Bloodstone) and Ashiwarya Rai Bachchan (The Last Legion, Pink Panther 2)

In all honesty I've only seen the trailers but I can assure you I'll be on the lookout for this one. After seeing these trailers, so will you.




Theatrical Trailer



Some fantastic action scenes

Miracle for Jos

Jos, once a city of peace is fast becoming a by-word for ethnic tension and violence. The sad state of affairs is provoking a growing swirl of social media activism on facebook and twitter.

But more needs to be done.

As part of efforts to bring peace back to Jos, my favorite Nigerian rock band, Threadstone, released a single called "Miracle for a Lost City". Here's the video:




Follow Threadstone on twitter, myspace and on facebook. Tell 'em I sent ya!

11 Action Points for Election 2011

It is no longer news that Nigerians will go to the polls in April, to elect new leaders – President/Vice President, legislators, governors, etc. Due to the problems with the existing Voters’ Register, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct a 2-week registration exercise from this weekend, January 15, to January 29. I think the following action points may be of help:

1. The first thing to do may be to decide where you’ll be at the time of elections, and register close to that location. For example, if your office is far away from your home, it is best to register where you live. Remember that elections take place during the weekend (April 2, 9 and 16) and movement may be restricted.

2. When you’ve decided where you’ll be (or at least where you think you will be), search for the identification document(s) you’ll need to register. INEC requires your “birth or baptismal certificate; national passport or national identity card; driver’s licence or any other document that will prove the identity, age and nationality of the person“. For instance, if your international passport is your preferred identification document but it’s going to be with an embassy around that time, have your driver’s license ready. If your driver’s license has expired, search for your birth certificate or renew your license immediately.

3. Locate the nearest polling booth to your residence or where you’ll be on election dates. You can visit the EiE Nigeria website, contact a political party secretariat, go to the nearest local government office and/or watch out for voter education programmes by INEC and others on radio and television.

4. You can also watch out for alternative methods of identifying polling stations that will be announced by independent organisations such as Enough is Enough Nigeria. For example, it could be possible to send text messages to dedicated numbers that will respond with location information, hotlines you can call, voter registration drives, etc.

5. Since the registration centre is close to your residence, please try to locate the centre physically beforehand. Remember that in certain areas of Lagos, for example, addresses may be difficult to find – especially when you need them the most.

6. Call your friends, colleagues, enemies and relatives who stay close to you with the information that you have. If they don’t reside in the same area as you, ask them to do what you have done. Follow up between January 15 and 29 to ensure that everyone you know — including every Facebook friend and twitter follower — registers.

7. The day before you register, ensure you have your identification documents and camera (or camera-enabled phone) to hand.

8. On the day of registration, try and go for the exercise in groups for solidarity and other reasons.

9. Take pictures of your friends while registering, and make sure they take pictures of you while you’re registering. Why don’t you take a group picture holding up your registration cards? That will encourage other young Nigerians who see the picture to register.

10. Post the pictures to Facebook. Comment on your pictures and others’. Tweet about your experience. Whatever else you do, have fun registering to express your voting rights.

11. Remember that registration is only R in the RSVP process. Get ready to Select credible candidates, Vote on election days, and Protect your votes.

This is 2011, our votes will count!

Courtesy Gbenga Sesan via EnoughisEnough

Get Registered to Vote - #RSVP Part 1

It's election time folks

My dear countrymen, it's election season and it goes without saying that we've got to participate. Voter registration starts Jan 15th and ends Jan 29th. Set aside apathy and cynicism and get registered. Our collective future awaits.

INEC has issued this video to inform us about voter registration logistics. Watch and be informed.