Thanks to Cesar Millan ~ Dog Whisperer

Check out the National Geographic series Dog Whisperer on Fridays at 9:00 p.m.

as well as his book, Cesar's Way:


"I rehabilitate dogs and train people.
I am the Dog Whisperer"
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com

Cesar has been a big help since Day 1 of Spaz's arrival to our home.
Spaz, 12-year-old, border collie-lab mix had been unbalanced for
as long as I've known him. Now Spaz is gradually but surely
becoming a 'balanced' - happy dog.

About Spaz's Life, go here ->: http://thespazlife.blogspot.com/

New restaurant in town

VIN (pronounced ‘vine’)
1 E. Joppa Road Suite 155, Towson, MD 21286 - 410-337-0797

A new 'hip' restaurant just opened in the center of Towson, and my hubby and I decided to try, for a nice relaxing time away from work.

I had 'gazpacho' - a perfect dish for a hot summer day - it was nice & cold, and was a good portion with a nice Maryland touch: lump crabmeat - so sweet-. My hubby's Club Sandwich was humongous but we kept munching on - the bread (Brioche) was so good.

We only took a peek but its "World's Tiniest Dessert Menu" was irresistible [crème brulee, chocolate ganache cake, tempura banana split with chocolate ice cream and sugared walnuts, apple crisp with cardamom ice cream].

This restaurant was entertaining but cozy at the same time. I think the place gets pretty busy on nights & weekends, but lunch hour is perfect for a little escape from your busy day.

In 2008, The Dark Knight Returns!

Looks like I'm going to have to update my "Batman & Oscar" post!

If you haven't heard already, Acadamy Award-nominated Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) has officially signed on as The Joker in the Batman Begins sequel, The Dark Knight!

It's an out-of-left-field choice, but I dig it. Casting Ledger as the Joker proves that TDK's take on the Clown Prince of Crime will be different from any other interpretation. I'm already excited and the movie's still two years away!

Speaking of updating the Oscar post, if rumors are to be believed, Oscar winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) has been offered the role of Oswald Cobblepot.

My Superman Returns Review

Where to start?

So Superman Returns is... interesting. There were some bits that were pretty cool. Unfortunately, there was a lot that was terrible.

And not terrible in a "the actors were stiff" (though Routh as Smallville Clark, as brief as those scenes were, was a bit off). I blame the problems of the movie squarely on the writing team. First of all, one drawback is just how much Singer chained himself to Donner's Superman. This isn't a vague sequel by any means. It is clearly Superman III redux, not an "homage" to Donner's flicks. It's a straight up jack of STM. (The only SII conceit would be the fact that Supes and Lois bumped uglies and that Lex knows where the Fortress is).

Speaking of Smallville, the scenes on the farm have been reduced dramatically (the flashback to young Clark seems horribly out of place). If you're looking forward to seeing Eve Marie Saint as Martha, you've already seen all her scenes in the trailers. Which is unfortunate because a lot could've been explored with the Martha/Clark relationship.

That's problem number two. The pacing seems off. The beginning scenes fly by without much development, and suddenly, you're in Metropolis and Supes is doing his thing. Then, everything bogs down in the middle. And the end is the very definition of anti-climactic.

I must say, the entire saving the plane sequence is fantastic. I will admit that those scenes were well done. And seeing a lot of the Superman doing his thing stuff was really cool. Singer throws in a lot of iconic Superman poses (catching a runaway car, catching the Daily Planet globe, etc.) But I always knew the special effects were going to be good. If anything, seeing all the derring-do actually made me wish Chris Reeve were 26 years old today, so that his Superman could do all things that this Superman could do.

Because there is one thing that Routh's Superman lacks: charisma. With Reeve, he oozed charm, compassion and joy when he was doing his heroic deeds. Routh is monosyllabic and joyless a lot of the time. That being said, I didn't hate him. I hate how he was written and directed. The guy means well, but I believe his passing resemblance to Reeve hurts him more than it helps him. (like I said, each time you see Superman makes you miss the humanity of Reeve's performance).

I also don't buy Bosworth's Lois. At. All. In the beginning, she comes off as a whiny teenager and doesn't have any gravitas or any of the sass and spunk of Margot Kidder, Teri Hatcher or Erica Durance. Also, there's absolutely NO chemistry between Lois and Superman or Lois and Clark for that matter. (BTW, Lois and Clark aren't even friends in this movie.) The other problem with her character is her infatuation with Superman. The only reason she's upset with his return is because we're told she is upset. We're supposed to believe these two had a relationship. And that's the problem. They never did. And that's because Margot Kidder and Chris Reeve had the relationship these two are talking about. Part of the reason it's hard to believe they ever had a relationship is due to the actors' lack of chemistry. You know how Reeve & Kidder had that playful, flirtatious conversation on her balcony? Or the sexual tension that instantaneosly sparked between Hatcher and Cain? Or even the playful love/hate banter between Durance and Welling? All non-existant in the movie. We have know idea why these two are pining for each other except for the fact that it's Superman and Lois, and they're supposed to be together. Sorry, don't buy it.

Lex. Despite all the reports to the contrary, Spacey's Lex is a buffoon. Plain and simple. Oh, don't get me wrong. He is an angrier and bitter Lex. But he's also an angrier and bitter buffoon. People are all pumped because this Lex wants to kill "Billions!" of people. Well, I seem to recall Hackman's Lex getting his kicks not by planning the deaths of innocent lives, but by "causing the deaths of innocent lives." That's pretty diabolical too.

Where Hackman was oily, Spacey is sarcastic. The way he attains his fortune in the movie is terrible. It makes Lex into a joke, not the super-villain he's supposed to be. That being said. His brutal confrontation with Supes is great. But I still don't like a Lex who surrounds himself with incompetent thugs. That's not the Lex I know. Although, I actually like Parker Posey's performance as Kitty. She gave nuance to where there wasn't any. She was the most interesting "villain" when she could've been another Miss Tessmacher. Unfortunately, her character's still a joke. From her god-awful name to her ridiculous outfits, it's difficult to take her character seriously. That's why I give props to Parker's performance in the flick. She transcended the stuff she was given.

Speaking of unexpected performances, the other performance I really liked was Marsden's Richard White. He plays Richard how Routh should have played Superman: noble, heroic, compassionate, caring and charming. His scenes with Lois and Jason make him seem like a really good person. Which makes it all the more deplorable that Superman would put the moves on Lois, knowing full well that she had a happy family. I was kind of hoping that Richard would turn out to be a jerk, that way it would make sense for Superman to break them up, but he's such a nice guy that it makes you root against Superman. And that ain't supposed to happen!

There are textures that Marsden puts into Richard that I just love! When he confronts Lois about her feelings for Superman, he doesn't come off as a jealous lover (that would be Superman); instead, he's upset, but understanding. In a later scene, Lois has injured herself and Superman is scanning her for more serious damage. Check out the way Richard is looking at Superman! Even though he knows Supes is checking her vitals, he still doesn't trust the guy. It's so subtle but brilliant!

My biggest issue has always been the movie tying itself to the Donner flicks. The way the movie ends, it doesn't feel like it lends itself to sequels. If nothing else, it feels like the end of a trilogy. The loose ends that it does leave aren't interesting. Will Lois leave Richard? Does Lex get off the island? People are saying the SuperSeed will be explored in future films. God, I hope not. Though he wasn't as irritating as he could've been, he just seemed wrong for the movie. (The final scene between Supes and Jason which is intended to be touching, just comes off creepy.)

If anything, I'd equate Superman Returns with the Phantom Menace. When the lights dimmed and the Superman credits and theme zoomed by, i have to admit, i was a little giddy. Same thing happened in 1999 when the Lucasfilm logo and "a long time ago..." popped on the screen. After nearly two decades without a big screen Superman or Star Wars, nostalgia will instantly blind or deflect you from the flaws. I still got that visceral chill when the S-shield shone on the screen. I just don't think the film that followed holds up as well. Though it's visually more appealing (though I felt the film was very muddy and dark in spots), it lacks the heart of the original. Just like Star Wars, a newer generation might like it, but I suggest that once the hype and dust settles, even hardcore Superman fanboys are going to start realizing 21st century moviemaking technology doesn't trump good old fashioned storytelling.

I give it 5/10 S-shields.

When We Met Lois Lane...

WizardWorld Philly... June 2006

The Adventures of Superman's Lois Lane -- Noel Neill:


and Smallville's Lois Lane -- Erica Durance:


one more...

PEARL JAM: MAY 02 2006

Brilliant!

Batman and Oscar

As the missus and I watched the Oscars Sunday night (and I'm still apalled that Crash, i.e. Racism for Dummies took the top prize), something struck me when I saw Nicole Kidman hand the evening's first award to George Clooney: By God, these two are Batman alumni!

So I did what any Batfan with an internet connection and access to IMDB would do, I compiled a comprehensive list of all the (movie) Bat-actors who have either won or were nominated for an Academy Award. And it's a long one!

Two things stood out the most when compiling this list. One, shockingly, Gary Oldman (Commisioner Gordon from Batman Begins) has never even been nominated for an Oscar!!! Secondly, Clooney's win marks the first time a Batman's ever won the golden statue (I thought Kilmer had at least a nomination for The Doors). Anyway, here's the list. And yeah, I know I included Catwoman, and even though it's not really a Batman movie (and it sucks), it's still a spin-off of Batman Returns, no matter how bad a movie it is.

Kim Basinger (Vicki Vale -- Batman)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actress -- L.A. Confidential (1998)

Halle Berry (Patience Phillips/Catwoman -- Catwoman)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Actress -- Monster’s Ball (2002)

Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth -- Batman Begins)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actor -- Hannah and Her Sisters (1987)
Best Supporting Actor -- The Cider House Rules (2000)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Actor -- Alfie (1967)
Best Actor -- Sleuth (1972)
Best Actor -- Educating Rita (1984)
Best Actor -- The Quiet American (2002)

George Clooney (Bruce Wayne/Batman -- Batman & Robin)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actor -- Syriana (2006)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Director -- Good Night, and Good Luck (2006)
Best Original Screenplay -- Good Night, and Good Luck (2006)

Danny DeVito (Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin -- Batman Returns)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Picture -- Erin Brockovich

Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox -- Batman Begins)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actor -- Million Dollar Baby (2005)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- Street Smart (1988)
Best Actor -- Driving Miss Daisy (1990)
Best Actor -- The Shawshank Redemption (1995)

Tommy Lee Jones (Harvey Dent/Two-Face -- Batman Forever)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actor -- The Fugitive (1994)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- JFK (1992)

Nicole Kidman (Dr. Chase Meridian -- Batman Forever)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Actress -- The Hours (2003)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Actress -- Moulin Rouge (2002)

Burgess Meredith (The Penguin -- Batman: The Movie)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- The Day of the Locust (1976)
Best Supporting Actor -- Rocky (1977)

Liam Neeson (Henri Ducard -- Batman Begins)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Actor -- Schindler’s List (1994)

Jack Nicholson (Jack Napier/The Joker -- Batman)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Actor -- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1976)
Best Supporting Actor -- Terms of Endearment (1984)
Best Actor -- As Good As it Gets (1998)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- Easy Rider (1970)
Best Actor -- Five Easy Pieces (1971)
Best Actor -- The Last Detail (1974)
Best Actor -- Chinatown (1975)
Best Supporting Actor -- Reds (1982)
Best Actor -- Prizzi’s Honor (1986)
Best Actor -- Ironweed (1988)
Best Supporting Actor -- A Few Good Men (1993)
Best Actor -- About Schmidt (2003)

Jack Palance (Carl Grissom -- Batman)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actor -- City Slickers (1992)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- Sudden Fear (1953)
Best Supporting Actor -- Shane (1954)

Michelle Pfeiffer (Selina Kyle/Catwoman -- Batman Returns)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actress -- Dangerous Liasons (1989)
Best Actress -- The Fabulous Baker Boys (1990)
Best Actress -- Love Field (1993)

Sharon Stone (Laurel Hedare -- Catwoman)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Actress -- Casino (1996)

Uma Thurman (Dr. Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy -- Batman & Robin)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actress -- Pulp Fiction (1995)

Christopher Walken (Max Shreck -- Batman Returns)
Academy Award Winner:
Best Supporting Actor -- The Deer Hunter (1979)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- Catch Me if You Can (2003)

Ken Watanabe (R’as Al Ghul -- Batman Begins)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Supporting Actor -- The Last Samurai (2004)

Tom Wilkinson (Carmine Falcone -- Batman Begins)
Academy Award Nominee:
Best Actor -- In the Bedroom (2002)

2006 Food Adventures

Jesse Wong’s Kitchen · Hunt Valley MD (01/10/2006)
A cozy atmosphere! A ‘bento’ box for $8.95 with your choice of main dish (crispy-orange grouper fillet, BBQ pork with nappa, shrimp tempura, etc.), salad, maki, and self-serve vegetables (stir-fry tofu and cauliflower). Green tea is $2.00 – ouch! I have to say the dinner is very pricy, but they offer a very unique menu.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant · White Marsh MD (01/09/2006) http://www.olivegarden.com
On one Saturday afternoon, we had a very nice lunch at this familiar Italian restaurant. A bowl of soup (Zuppa Toscana: Spicy sausage, russet potatoes and cavolo greens in a creamy broth $4.25) and a house salad ($4.75) will fill you up with complimentary garlic bread sticks. If the first bowl does not fill you up, go for a second or third one.

Oriental East Restaurant ·Silver Spring MD (01/01/2006) http://www.orientaleast.com/
After visiting Tai Shan and a nice long walk at the National zoo, we were hungry for some good dim sum. As usual for dim sum restaurants, we waited in a long line for an hour or maybe more before our table was finally ready. A wide variety of steamed, baked, and fried dishes came by on rolling carts, but we were disappointed from the lack of variety of steamed dishes like Ha Gow and Shu Mai. One plate of Chinese broccoli was $5… but it was VERY tender and good.

Wegman’s Market Café · Hunt Valley MD
My favorites are their muffins (cranberry-orange, blueberry, chocolate chip, etc) & danishes (cheese, apple, chocolate, etc.) $1.25 each – a little pricy but it’s worth it, and oh…. the pastries are so beautifully decorated and they are also delicious. The fun part is that you pick what you want from pizza to sushi, sit in the upstairs café, and enjoy the meal and the nice view of the café and its fragrant aromas.

Be Prepared to Succumb to the Cuteness

I don't think you can handle the cuteness!

Greatest Hip Hop Albums of MY Time

MTV recently unveiled its list of "Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time," and while the list has merit to some extent, I was disappointed that a lot of the albums I consider great didn't even make the cut. Aside from Eric B. & Rakim and Public Enemy's inclusions, I could have listed ten other albums that have a greater claim to Great Hip Hop Album.

And then I realized I have my own blog. So I am going to run down ten albums that I think represent the best hip hop has to offer. These are the ten hip hop albums that have had the greatest impact on my personal musical tastes:


10.) How Ya Like Me Now? -- Kool Moe Dee
It may only be remembered for its title track and "Wild Wild West," but this was a landmark in my appreciation of hip hop. It was the first rap record (okay, it was a cassette) that I ever heard, and I immediately went out and got a pair of British Knights!

L.L. might have gone on to have the longer mainstream career (and honestly, I'm glad I never had to see Moe Dee star in S.W.A.T. and Deep Blue Sea), but I was always firmly in Moe's corner. Besides, I got Uncle L further down the list with a much better album than Bigger and Deffer.

9.) Mama Said Knock You Out -- L.L. Cool J
I didn't totally leave L.L. off the list. I was in eigth grade when Mama Said... came out, and I still can't think of a song to ride in a Jeep to better than "The Boomin' System." I think most people remember the title track and his electric "MTV Unplugged" performance.

When looking back at L's career, people will invariably place Radio or Bigger... at the top of their lists, and deservedly so. But for me, this is the record that defines his career. Plus it was the first hip hop album I ever bought on CD. Though, I still think L.L.'s acting career is something less than desirable.

8.) Black on Both Sides -- Mos Def
Speaking of rappers-cum-thespians:

I had a friend who was all about Blackstar; and as great as that first record was, Mos' solo debut was better.

The Mighty Mos Def's Blackstar collabos with Talib Kweli notwithstanding, Black on Both Sides is a record that only gets better with each listen. Plus, this record has one of my favorite hip hop songs of all time: "Mathematics:"

Power-liftin powerless up, out of this, towerin inferno
My ink so hot it burn through the journal
I'm blacker than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle
Hip-Hop past all your tall social hurdles
like the nationwide projects, prison-industry complex
Broken glass wall better keep your alarm set
Streets too loud to ever hear freedom sing

7.) Self: Volume One -- Mountain Brothers
I have to admit that I'm a little biased when it comes to these three brothers from Philly. But it was influential in my life because it was the first legitimate hip hop record from real Asian American MCs. From Peril-L's flow to Styles' humor to Chops' beats, this was a record that bled hip hop.

Unfortunately, a lot of people too easily dismiss Asian American hip hop as novelty acts (see Jin's rise and flameout), and the MBs never got their due before they went their seperate ways. Still, they took it to the Next Level when they rocked ODU back in '99!!

6.) Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop -- Boogie Down Productions
I had a hard time deciding which BDP album to represent. Criminal Minded is a hip hop classic. By All Means Necessary has the definitive BDP track "My Philosophy." And I feel that Edutainment was their strongest album top to bottom (and the Kwame Toure interludes on "Ya Strugglin" made quite an impression on me at the time).

But Ghetto Music was KRS-One's rawest exploration of hip hop to date. The beats are relentless, and classic tracks just come one after another ("Jack of Spades," "You Must Learn," "Bo! Bo! Bo!") and "Breath Control" is a seminal beat box classic.

5.) Like Water for Chocolate -- Common
Common has gotten a lot of press and critical acclaim with the release of his latest album Be. A lot of that probably has to do with the fact that his previous album, Electric Circus, was a commercial flop (even though I thought it was a sonically daring record). The other reason is because of it-producer and fellow Chi-town native Kanye West's involvement in the production. And even though Be is a really good album, it suffers from bearing too much of Ye's influence. While that's not a bad thing per se, it still doesn't represent Common as much as 2000's triumphant Like Water for Chocolate.

Musically and lyrically, this is Common's most enduring album. From the opening vocals by Miss Vinia Mojica on "Time Travelin" to the Mos Def collabo "The Questions" to the rawness of "Thelonious" and the heartache of "A Song for Assata" Chocolate demonstrated that Common's maturity as a lyricist and as an artist didn't peak with One Day it'll All Make Sense (another masterpiece of an album). Also, "The Light" is quite possibly the best hip hop ballad of all time (though the Roots' "You Got Me" might have claim to that title.)

4.) The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill -- Lauryn Hill
Some people might dismiss this as not really being a "hip hop" record. I think they're wrong. Just because Lauryn sings on Miseducation as much as she raps, it doesn't mean the album is any less relevant as a watershed moment in hip hop history. Her multiple Grammy awards paved the way for OutKast's win in 2004 for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

Aside from the album's historical precedence, it's simply a beautifully executed work of art. Completely void of filler, even the album's non-musical interludes/skits are vital and serve the message of the album -- (these skits involve a teacher and his students discussing love -- a lesson that Miss Hill seems to be absent for). And while there is plenty of R&B flavor throughout, tracks like "Lost Ones," "Superstar" and "Everything is Everything" is hip hop at its realest. And even though Lauryn fell off the map after this album's astronomical success, Miseducation has forever solidified her place as the Queen of hip hop.

3.) The Low End Theory -- A Tribe Called Quest
This was the first record that showed me hip hop could be something that is as artful as it is fun. Tribe was something different; I knew it the minute I saw the "Check the Rime" video on Yo! MTV Raps. The contrast between Q-Tip and Phife, the jazz beats laid down by Ali Shaheed Mohammad.

Undoubtedly, this was also a great party record. Fifteen years later and "Scenario" is still a track guaranteed to get any dance floor jumpin'. But it's the album's awareness that impressed me the most. Listening to the Last Poets speak about time underneath the beats of "Excursions," Tip taking a cue from Pablo Neruda's 20 Questions in "What?!" and the funky singing by Miss Vinia Mojica in "Verses from the Abstract" brought gravitas to hip hop. This is a seminal record.

2.) (tie) Illadelph Halflife/Things Fall Apart -- The Roots
I had a difficult time trying to decide which Roots record would ultimately end up on this list. Organix is, by definition, one of the greatest hip hop records ever made. But I felt it was dishonest to place that one on this list because I came to it after I had become a fan of the band.

I decided to include Illadeplh Halflife because it was the one that opened me -- and most of the world outside Philly -- to this amazing musical entity. That's the difficult thing about the Roots for me: everything they do is good. It's impossible to distinguish because each album has its own quality. For me, Illadelph reinvigorated my love for the music. I had become disillusioned with the way hip hop was being overrun with negativity and gangsta posturing. When the "What They Do" video dropped, it was like a n epiphany! Here was a group bringing musicianship and craft back into the art form.

Things Fall Apart took everything that was building since Organix and Do You Want More to a whole 'nother level. From the opening dialogue between Wesley Snipes' and Denzel Washington's Mo' Better Blues characters, to the discordant beats of both parts of "Table of Contents," the record is a nonstop assualt that, for me, elevated hip hop to a standard unseen since Coltrane was blowin' a sax. And the Grammy-winning single "You Got Me" is the most beautiful hip hop love song ever committed to wax. Period.

1.) Fear of a Black Planet -- Public Enemy

To this day, I have not heard an album -- of any genre -- as politically, sonically and emotionally charged as this hip hop masterpiece. The opening chords of "Contract on the World Love Jam" perfectly set the mood for the rest of the album. The Bomb Squad's production on this album is a testament to how great hip hop could be. It can be truly said that nothing ever sounded like Public Enemy before Public Enemy. But as great as the beats and samples were on Fear of a Black Planet, this album's greatest strength lied in its charismatic and inspirational frontman: Chuck D.

"Brothers Gonna Work it Out" is both angry and hopeful. "Welcome to the Terrordome" is the soundtrack for anyone who has ever suffered at the boot of opression and racism. "Power to the People" is the most conscious dance record ever recorded. And "Revolutionary Generation" -- a track that celebrated and empowered black women -- was indeed revolutionary at a time when hip hop was becoming increasingly misogynistic.

But the album's greatest triumph comes in the form of a song that was actually released a year earlier. The theme song to Spike Lee's groundbreaking film Do the Right Thing. The inclusion of "Fight the Power" -- truly an anthem for all people in the struggle -- solidified Fear of a Black Planet as something more than just a hip hop record. It was an important record. If anyone was unaware of the cancer of racism, "Fight the Power" was educational. If anyone was disgusted with the inequalies of class and race in America, "Fight the Power" was inspirational. With the release of this track -- quickly followed by the manifesto that was Fear of a Black Planet -- hip hop truly became more than a musical fad. Hip hop became a movement.

My Curious George, Tai Shan

Have I always been fascinated with giant pandas? I know that I have always been attracted to animals -- especially those with round, cuddly and fluffy features. What started it was probably a gift from my boyfriend, a panda plush -- seven years later, now I have more than a whole family in many different sizes :) As I learn about these amazing creatures, and now that I have 24-hour access to be indulged in these pandas, I'm very much in love with them.

Tai Shan who is the star of the National Zoo in D.C. keeps me so busy at work. Ever since he learned to walk, Tai has been spending all his waking moments exploring. Every move he makes -- whether falling asleep or falling on his poofy tush -- I can't help myself wanting to reach out and squeeze this silly cub.

What amazes me about his mommy, Mei Xiang, is how diligent she has been. Many times, panda mothers walk away from their newborns because they don't know what to do with this tiny thing the size of a bar of soap squealing its lungs out -- sadly, the cub has to be taken away, or in the worst case like in the wild, it gets left behind.

Considering that fact, Mei Xiang has been a wonderful mom and sometiems makes me think she's much better and more committed to her cub than some human parents are to their own children. On the other hand, Tian Tian -- Tai's papa -- is yet to have any idea that he has become the father of this incredible cub -- he spends his days eating and sleeping like any other day :)

Right at this moment, Tai Shan is waking from his long nap, playing in his den -- hanging between the platform and the object next to it. He spends a lot of time by himself now, but still cuddles and plays (or wrestles) with his mom too. I am as curious as Tai Shan to see where his adventure will take him tomorrow. I shall wait and see!

'Stealth' PR not so stealth after all

If you’re going to roll out a stealth propaganda campaign in which you plan on “placing pro-American messages in foreign media outlets without disclosing the U.S. government as the source,” is it really wise to have a press release about it?

Does the government really think other countries don’t have access to the internet or follow the news? I don’t know about you, but I think announcing your “stealth” propaganda in a major media outlet like USA Today kind of undermines the whole stealth angle you're going for.

Just can't forget that taste....!

My husband does not have a sweet tooth, but he definitely remembers the light and fluffy taste of his auntie’s pumpkin cream pie. I had always baked my pie, but not his pie, he said, so on my first trial, I mixed the pumpkin puree with cool whip and let it chill for a few hours in a baked pie shell – he liked it but that wasn’t IT. Then, I did some serious research… on-line, and this time I added some instant vanilla pudding mix (see the recipe below). This is very quick and soooo easy – just need 3 hours or so to chill – yes, you on a couch and your pie in the fridge. Well, my husband approved it, so I’m sure this will be our all-time favorite holiday dessert.

~ PUMPKIN CREAM PIE ~

INGREDIENTS:
· 2 cups cold milk
· 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
· 1 cup canned LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
· 1 cup thawed Cool Whip
· 1 (9 inch deep) pie crust, baked OR graham cracker pie crust

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix cool whip, milk, pudding mix, and pumpkin in a deep bowl.
2. Beat at lowest speed of an electric mixer for about 1 minute.
3. Pour filling into cooled pie shell or graham cracker pie crust.
4. Chill until set, about 3 hours.

Pip & MJ. Dynamic Duo or World's Finest?

So Scottie Pippen just had his #33 retired and hung from the rafters of United Center. I must say it was quite the spectacle. To see Scottie, Michael, Phil, Horace, Dennis, Craig Hodges (!), et. al. all gathered at center court brought a tear to the eye.

But in all the buildup to Scottie's retirement ceremony, all the retrospectives and tributes to Pippen focused on his partnership with Michael Jordan. I'm not here to debate Pippen's place in the annals of basketball history; instead, I want to focus on a misplaced analogy many sportswriters and talking heads have been using to describe the Jordan/Pippen tandem.

Everywhere you look, articles commemorating Pippen's career refer to him as the ultimate sidekick. The Robin to Jordan's Batman. And the title of "Dynamic Duo" actually followed the two throughout their career. And while Jordan and Pippen were indeed a 'dynamic duo,' the Batman & Robin analogy just never worked for me. I guess it's the fanboy in me, but the implication that Pip was Robin doesn't do justice to the role he actually served on those six championships. Pippen wasn't Jordan's "sidekick" so much as he was his complement. He had skills that Jordan didn't have but were able to blend into his game. Rather, I always saw the two as the "World's Finest," the moniker given to the two greatest superheroes of all time: Superman and Batman.

Pippen, you see, is the Batman to Jordan's Superman (with apologies to Shaq). Here's why:

Here's a little background on Batman & Robin.
Batman is the alter ego of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Wayne became the Dark Knight in an effort to rid his city of crime because he was the victim of a senseless and tragic mugging. When he was eight years old, he lost his parents on the streets of "Crime Alley" in a botched robbery attempt. From that day forward, Wayne vowed to avenge his parents' murder and eventually became the Batman to instill fear in the hearts of criminals. Flash forward 20 years and Wayne has mentally and physically trained himself to be the only superhero without any super powers. Only through sheer will and cunning is he able to become the caped crusader.

Some years later, the young acrobat Dick Grayson also witnesses the murder of his parents as a result of a mob deal gone bad. The Flying Graysons are murdered in the middle of a circus act, with Bruce Wayne in attendance. Seeing that young Dick Grayson is in the same position Wayne was as a child, the billionaire offers to take in now-orphaned acrobat and decides to offer his young ward a path. Through hard work, training and dedication, Bruce is able to mold Grayson into his crimefighting partner.

So without Batman, there would never have been a Robin. Who knows how Dick Grayson would have developed without the presence of Batman to guide him along the way.

Many may argue this is reminiscent of the Jordan/Pippen relationship. That it was the years of tutelage in practice that made Pippen into one of the best all-around players to play the game. There's probably some truth in that. But you don't become the 7th pick in the draft (especially coming out of Central Arkansas!) without having some talent of your own. Like Bruce Wayne, Scottie Pippen willed himself into being one of the NBA's 50 greatest players of all time through sheer hard work and dedication. I suspect Scottie would have still become a great NBA player had he stayed in Seattle and was never traded to the Bulls.

I think Scottie more than proved himself to be a capable NBA player without Michael Jordan by his side. He should've been the MVP during the 1993-94 season -- the season after Jordan's first retirement. He single-handedly led a totally revamped Bulls team to a 55-win season and was one bad call from taking his team to the Eastern Conference Finals and subsequently the Finals. In 2000, Pippen got even closer to the Finals until his Blazers self-destructed in the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Many people like to point out that Pippen never won a championship without Michael. But he's definitely come closer than Michael ever has without Scottie.

Though this is not to belittle Michael Jordan. God knows I'd never do that. For all intents and purposes, Jordan is Superman. His athletic abilities (or should I say super powers?) are inherent. He flies through the sky at ease and saves the day at the end of games. He was also the public face of the Bulls and the NBA itself. Like Superman, Jordan was the ultimate superhero of the NBA and his name ultimately became the metaphor for greatness. (Notice how anyone who excels at his or her particular field is called "the Michael Jordan of..." said trade. As in "Tiger Woods is the Michael Jordan of golf.")

Conversely, this makes Scottie Pippen even more like Batman. Whereas Superman does his acts of heroism in broad daylight to the cheers of thousands of adoring fans, Batman mainly operates in the shadows. The citizens of Gotham aren't even sure he exists, preferring to think that stories of the Batman are just urban legend, and he prefers it that way. Scottie always operated better underneath Jordan's undeniable shadow. That way, opponents never knew what hit them. Just as the Justice League relies on Batman's cunning and intellect to bring down their enemies, so too did the Bulls unleash Scottie as their secret defensive weapon. Need to shut down Magic Johnson, the greatest point guard to ever play the game? Sic Scottie on him (1991 NBA Finals). Who led the Bulls' rally from 15 points down in the 4th of Game 6 of the 1992 Finals while MJ cheered on from the bench? When the Bulls were desperate for a defensive stop in Game 7 against the Knicks in 1993, who blocked Charles Smith's layup attempts? Twice?! To me, Pip's enduring legacy is that he actually made defense fun to watch.

Moreover, Pippen's demeanor also more closely resembles the dark and brooding Batman. Sullen and contemplative, Pippen never recieved all the accolades and praise that was showered on Jordan. However, his skills were recognized by his peers and basketball aficianados. In 1996, Scottie Pippen was deservedly named one of the 50 Greatest Players of all time. Though he never led the league in scoring or rebounds or assists, most purists recognized his skills went beyond the stat sheet.

Even non-comic fans understand and perceive Superman and Batman as equals. This despite the fact that one is a super-powered alien from Krypton, while the other is no more than a well-funded human being with a lot of determination. Still, no other two fictional characters have ever had such a profound effect on the zeitgeist of popular culture.

Similarly, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are equals in more ways than many people imagine. When they were in their primes, during the championship seasons, these two forces were arguably the two best players in the game. A duo that dynamic can only be called the World's Finest.