Ring a Ding Charlie Blogmans!

Check out the Art of Manliness's "Talk Like Frank Sinatra".

High King

To quote a line from an episode of Sex in the City "Hiking is just walking." Albeit sometimes up hill or steeply down hill, in the dirt and/or mud, hiking can provide quite a bit of exercises and break up your usual workout routine. I like to think of it as practice for skiing. Ipods help motivate and drown out any "Oh my god, I was like totally like whatever..." conversations you might have to endure on the crowded trail. This pic was taken from atop Runyon Canyon, which lies on the Hollywood/West Hollywood Border, a view dreams are made of. It's a great spectacle at night or dusk as well.

Lefty Rosenthal Has Left Us.

Check out this article in the LA times about famed sports book aficionado Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. Frank is credited with bringing Sports Betting to Las Vegas casinos. He's also the real life character played by Robert Di Nero in the the movie Casino. My Dad said he used to see Lefty in the bar he "managed" in Boca Raton, FL. I think it was called Crocs. Lefty's now in that Big Casino in the sky, probably at a craps table with Sinatra and Jimmy Hoffa.

Dinero as Sam "Ace" Rothstein in Casino.

Histrionics

If you're in the LA area during the weekend in November 2008, please go check out Histrionics, a new performance put on by The Next Arena, a local theater company that I'm proud to be associated with. Please click on the TNA link to see dates, times and credits. This show consists of 5 delightful one act plays that tell a skewed account of historical events and at the end you will hear a song sung by me aka The History Song. TNA events are always a good time and they usually have food and booze on hand to enhance your experience.

Just bought this book. In true Dude fashion, it's sitting on the throne right now for more perusal. There's quizzes, mad libs, memorable quotes, White Russian recipes, interviews with actors and a forward by the man who played the Dude, Jeff Bridges. So it's a great read a few um, pages at a time. I'm rather enjoying this book. It's inspiring me to do less. You know, like, just abide, man. You should know the book was written by the founders of Lebowski Fest a yearly traveling convention that pays tribute to the movie, The Big Lebowski, so you will learn a bit of history about that event. Also, this publication is neither condemned nor condoned by The Coen Brothers.

Cocaine Cowboys I & II

Chronicling the life and times of several drug lords, Cocaine Cowboys is a great documentary. The first installment takes place mainly in Miami in the 70s and 80s, giving detailed accounts of shoot outs and deals made surrounding the heyday of violence and excess that defined this South Eastern American area.
The second movie picks up after the majority of the "cowboys" have been either killed or put in jail. A young up and coming dealer from Oakland writes to La Madrina or "The Godmother", Griselda Blanco, while she is in prison. He becomes her lover and number 1 lieutenant. Both movies are very compelling and give interesting insight into the world of criminal activity surrounding the highly risky and highly lucrative yayo trade.

Reminder for Tuesday!

Roll up your sleeves, roll out and like, vote man!

Then get teed!

The Big Obama aka The Dude or Mr. President Dude (hopefully), if you're not into the whole brevity thing.