Brad Pitt appears as a real life hero during 'World War Z' filming, rescues an extra.

One of the world's most attractive man, the producer of Academy award wining "The Departed" Brad Pitt has proved a real life hero another time. This time he heroically rescued an extra during the shooting of his new film "World War Z" from being trampled.

As a report by The Scottish Sun, Pitt, who is staring as a United Nations employee in the zombie apocalypse film, was filming a scene in which 700 extras tear through George Square in Glasgow, Scotland, on Wednesday. During the scene, a woman fell down, putting herself in danger of being run over by her fellow extras. But Pitt, a real-life hero, swooped in and brought her to her feet.

"Lots of people hurt themselves, and Brad came to the rescue of a woman who slipped," a witness told the paper of the fleeing-from-zombies scene. "I don't think she could believe it when Brad picked her up. He didn't have time to speak to her as it was mid-shoot. But she said afterwards how grateful she was, despite having a badly-grazed knee.”

Other extras also received "bumps and scrapes" during the elaborate take. After a string of injuries occurred on set, filming was paused for a "safety talk," The Sun reported. The sci-fi thriller "World War Z" will be released in December 2012. Other film coming that year is "Cogan's Trade." He is also the producer of those films.

A Scene from "World War Z"

The Indignity of Commuting by Bicycle: Playing With Your Test-Cycle

I'm not what you'd call a "social butterfly." If anything, I'm more of a "social locust" in that I come out roughly once every 17 years, and when I do nobody's particularly pleased to see me. Nevertheless, slimy things with legs do like to crawl upon the slimy sea occasionally, and so it was that I headed into the Manhattan yesterday evening in order to share my unctuousness with the rest of the world.

Now, you may recall that I am in the process of "testing" a so-called "Base Urban RD 1.0" belt-driven bicycle, which looks like this when it's not on some flashy website and some sarcastic bike blogger half-assedly points his "smarting phone" at it instead:

You may also recall that my first impression was less than favorable, owing at least in part to the fact that the ostensibly quiet belt drive instead made a disconcertingly loud and rhythmic "womp womp" sound that evoked, among other things, swamp life and humping.

Also, I find the bike to be more than a little bit ugly.

Well, it would seem that word of my tribulations made it all the way to Gates, the people who make the belt drives, and they were very eager to help me diagnose the problem so that I might, like Pootie Tang, become a believer in the belt. And so it was that I found myself communicating with--on the phone and with my voice no less!--one of the Gates people, who asked me a question that would require me to muster every tool and bit of technical know-how I had at my disposal. The question was:

"Have you checked the chainring bolts?"

No. No I hadn't.

So I checked the chainring bolts. Naturally, one of them was loose, and once I tightened it the noise was diminished considerably--not completely, mind you, but enough so that it is audible only in relative quiet and is not especially bothersome. (Though it might be if I'd actually paid for the bike.) In the spirit of good faith I will continue to examine the problem with the help of the good people at Gates, and I have no doubt the system can be made to operate totally quietly, though I am also compelled to note that whatever out-of-whackness still exists in the drivetrain would be a complete non-issue on a chain-drive bicycle. (In the final analysis, chasing down alignment issues is a lot more time-consuming than lubing your chain.)

It's also kinda noisy when I'm climbing. Maybe the bottom bracket on the Base Urban is not "beefy" enough.

Anyway, with my drivetrain now 75-80% quieter, I decided to use the Base Urban for my jaunt into the city. I know it's going to be a good ride when I spot both a recumbent rider and a rider in bib shorts with no jersey, neither of whom can be bothered to stop at the light or even use the bike lane for that matter:





Eventually I made it to the city, where I secured the Techno Express to a street sign:

I happen to believe that one of the most interesting aspects of cycling is what it can teach you about yourself, and this extends to testing bicycles. In the case of this bicycle, what it's teaching me is that my tastes apparently differ from most people's. As I said earlier, I find this bicycle aesthetically objectionable. If it were a person, it would wear Axe body spray and put its Yankees cap on sideways, and would carry an iPod full of music with Auto-Tune vocals. In fact, the company didn't send me an owner's manual, but I'm reasonably sure that while the belt drive doesn't require lubrication the rider is obliged to wear cologne. I don't wear cologne, and maybe that's why the bike is still creaking.

But while I find this bicycle's circa 2007 "tarck chic" appearance to be tremendously objectionable, apparently nobody else does, and in the short time I've had it strangers have been kvelling over it constantly. At first the compliments seemed to come mostly from recently-arrived Eastern Europeans wearing copious amounts of fragrance, so this was hardly surprising--I'm pretty sure Vladimir Karpets and Dmitry Fofonov would be all over this baby. However, last night as I loitered near it I watched in amazement as people of both genders with no discernible accent went out of their way to look at it and remark to one another how nice it was. Yes, this:



It made me feel exactly the way I used to in middle school when Bon Jovi was popular, and I just assumed there was something wrong with my ears because there's no way they could be hearing what I was hearing and like it.

But looks are looks, and what evokes a mid-aughts urban cycling fad to me is simply a shiny, matching, speedy looking bicycle to your average non-"bike culture"-immersed person. This in itself was something of a revelation to me, since it explains how year after year new cyclists continue to buy impractical and uncomfortable race-inspired (or now messenger-inspired) bikes instead of practical bikes. The simple fact is that a bicycle like this draws the eye, whereas a more utilitarian one doesn't, since people don't have the experience that tends to make utility appear attractive. Consequently, this is what they think a city bike should be. And there's your "Thruster Fixie" at Walmart.

In any case, more important than looks is how it rides. So how does it ride? Well, not all that well. The handling and fit are good, but there's a harsh quality that could maybe have something to do with the wheels and tires, but is definitely enhanced by this saddle:



I realize that saddles are highly subjective, but this is one of the most uncomfortable saddles upon which I've ever perched myself. Have you ever encountered one of those office building plaza ledges in Manhattan that have metal spiky things on them to discourage loiterers, but you're really tired from walking all day so you sit on it anyway? That's what sitting on this feels like. But then again, maybe my posterior is as out of step with the world as the rest of me apparently is, and everyone else will like it.

Obviously it's easy to try a different saddle, and I intend to do so. I'd also like to try a different set of wheels to see if that would improve things, but like most people I don't have too many disc brake internally-geared road wheels laying around. I suppose I could just change the tires and maybe put one of my mountain bike wheels on the front, and I very well may do that. I also have a perverse desire to use the bicycle in a cyclocross race, but that depends on whether knobbies will clear the sublimely unnecessary and brilliantly un-drilled rear brake bridge, which is already pretty close to the tire:



For that matter there's not much clearance up front either:

But I guess there's only one way to find out.

Anyway, here's an obligatory shot of the belt drive:





And one of the Alfine hub:



And one of the guy wearing an accordion who totally blew by me on the way back to the Manhattan Bridge:



Accordions, I should not have to remind you, are now the new messenger bags, which is why you can expect to see a lot of this at the Interbike "Urban Yard" this year.



Still, I enjoyed riding the bike last night. This is partly because it's pretty hard not to enjoy riding a bike, and also because the bike dork in me cannot help nerding out over the drivetrain. It's also nice to not have to worry about getting schmutz on your pants or about your hands getting filthy if you have to change a tube on the way to work, and I think something like this has the potential to be a good all-weather commuter if only the frame weren't so poorly designed. I also still think the $1,750 price is absurd given that this is basically a novelty bike, though you could have had it for free if you took it while I ran into the store on the way home for some eggs:



I was quite surprised when I returned to find that I had missed the top tube completely, and insofar as I was not even remotely intoxicated, I can only blame the frame's vexing design.

Merdeka

Today is the day to celebrate our country's independence.



Frankly speaking, it isn't a particularly exciting day for me. The reason I say this is that achieving independence wasn't anything hard for us. We didn't have to fight for it through blood and fire, as many other countries did. At the time we became independent, Britain was already in the process of disengaging from all her colonies, so we would definitely have got our freedom whether delegations were sent or not.



If we had never been ruled by Britain, I think we would have been worse off. First off, there probably wouldn't be a Malaysia, but instead Kedah, Melaka, Johor, etc would all be individual nations. Secondly, the British did guide the development of rubber plantations, mines and other sources of income for Malaysia. Thirdly, they left us a good set of laws and a democratic political system. So when Mahathir was railing against the West, I have no idea what he was making all the fuss about.



What we should remember is that the British have left us to mold our own destiny, and we should do it well. Malaysia has done better than many other young countries, but clearly, it could do better. In the spirit of Merdeka, I would like to ask that my tax money not be spent on ridiculous things like tall buildings anymore. Please do something useful like promoting tourism better or installing more solar panels.

Exhume to Consume: Survival of the Flushest

Do you like "bi-keen?" Of course you do! It's inexpensive, healthy, and clean. When you get around your gentrified neighborhood by means of "bi-keen," you feel good--not only because it's fun, but because you know what you're doing is helping to save the Earth. Like, you know those people who go to awful countries and give vaccinations to starving children? You're as good as they are, if not better! How many CGI polar bears have they saved recently?

But you know what the best thing about "bi-keen" in Uh-merica is? It's that, when you do it, you're just a traffic cone!



You know how, when you're driving, you're theoretically not supposed to run into the traffic cones, but if you "accidentally" do anyway nobody's really going to give you a hard time about it, even if the traffic cone flies out into traffic, gets run over by a bunch of other cars too, and is mangled beyond recognition? Well, here in Canada's underbite, it's the same thing if you hit a cyclist! Somebody from the Village Voice sent me this article awhile back, and I didn't really have the stomach to look at it, but now I have and I feel compelled to share it even though it merely serves to reaffirm our collective status as road furniture:



...even though the ditched car was found within 24 hours, a 1990 Nissan Maxima abandoned two blocks southeast of the accident scene, the police would never make any arrests. And that the detective assigned to the case would tell James, as the victim has consistently recalled for months, that the vehicle owner claimed he'd lost his keys at a local bar that same night and walked home—and that without an eyewitness putting him in the driver's seat, there was nothing that could be done. When James or Michelle asked what drinking establishment the auto owner had patronized and whether the police had questioned anybody there or if there were any clues in the car, the officer would become dismissive. They eventually stopped calling. According to the official police complaint, the unidentified hit-and-run driver's highest offense would be categorized a misdemeanor, which seemed preposterous, all things considered.



See, car sales are an important economic indicator, so it's really important that we don't make it too difficult to obtain them or burden their owners and lessees with too much responsibility. That's why, when someone gets mangled by your car, you can make up a story about how you got wasted in a bar and lost your car keys and then someone else "borrowed" your car to go run down a cyclist. I wonder if I could shoot somebody and then tell the police I was drinking and accidentally left my gun on the bar. Either way, if you're a sub-Canadian like I am you should feel comfortable knowing that, provided you're a consumer of durable goods (especially durable goods like cars, which also require you to buy lots of that non-durable good known as "gasoline"), your freedom and safety are guaranteed.

If, on the other hand, you're a cyclist and you don't contribute to the robustness of the economic indicators that encourage investment in our financial markets, and you should one day find yourself lying beneath one of these economic indicators in a bloody clump, then you really should have been wearing a helment. Because if they take the car owner's license away, he won't be able to buy another one to replace the one your head so inconsiderably dented, and we'll never get out of this pesky recession.

Of course, what "the system" (which naturally I don't need, along with your "society," which is why I used to draw anarchy symbols on my desk in school) fails to realize is that cyclists are also good consumers. In fact, I'd argue that we're some of the best, and if we were actually afforded protection and allowed to live out our full lifespans we'd eventually mature into gushing revenue streams ourselves.

See, bicycles too are durable goods (at least according to Sheldon Brown, and at least the non-crabon ones anyway) and when you buy one you need all manner of soft goods such as clipless sneakers, stretchy technical jeans, complicated luggage, cycling-specific fanny packs, t-shirts with clever cycling references on them, and of course tattoos, though I'm not sure if those are technically durable goods or soft goods. Yes, "urban cycling" has truly come into its own--so much so that a reader tells me there will be a whole "Urban Yard" at this year's Interbike:



As far as I can tell, this "Urban Yard" will be a miniature indoor climate-controlled Williamsburg (or Mission District, or [insert your local trendy neighborhood here]) and with its abundance of "urban cycling and culture magazines," visiting it should be remarkably like an appointment at a hipster dentist's office. (Hipster dentists ride Serotta track bikes with riser bars.) Naturally, as the "bike culture's" answer to Abercrombie & Fitch, Chrome will also be in attendance, and I deeply regret that I will be continuing my streak of 100% Interbike non-attendance because nothing is more edifying than experiencing "an incredibly dynamic landscape of products and lifestyle identities." Actually, there should be a sign that says that when you head over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn:

As inviting as this sounds, just remember the veneer of bike-friendliness only runs as deep as that lime green paint, and the streets beneath still belong to the cars.

Speaking of veneer, do you find yourself craving the artisanal smugness of alternative frame materials such as wood and bamboo, yet unable to break your addiction to the lateral stiffness and vertical compliance of sweet, sweet crabon? Well, now you won't have to, because another reader tells me you can buy a faux wooden crabon road frame on a popular Internet auctioning site:



It's laterally faux and vertically deciduous.

Or, if you want an inherently contradictory bike that misses the point in a more roundabout way, you could get one of these belt-driven two-speed "fixies" to which I was alerted by a reader in Denmark:

Oh, how we consumers want it all: vintage, yet reliable. Simple, yet modern. Fixed, yet geared. One speed for the fast, another for to make with the tricking. It's fascinating to see how desperately some people will cling to the notion of a fixed-gear despite their clear need and desire for qualities that fixed-gears simply don't have, and to see how ridiculous the bikes become in the process. They want to be riding regular geared bikes but they just can't let go.

Meanwhile, here in Canada's chamois, gears have been the new fixed for quite some time now, and the tide has turned so strongly against them that you can now by a "Thruster Fixie" at Walmart, as spotted by the august (like the Caesar, not the month) commenter Leroy:



Yes, we are a nation of labelers, and rebranding is our art:

To survive long enough to see your "lifestyle" become a brand name: that is Immortality 2.0.

Hobo Stops Begging, Demands Change

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,



Continuing on the week, let’s see… when I last rambled, I had just had an unexpected goodbye from the family… oh and then almost on queue after that, my brother called to tell me that his car got towed because he parked in a yellow zone to go check out a store for some Gundam figurines. Oh wait, did I not mention that part? I must’ve left that out. $439 later (of course not his) he got his car back… and I got to hear about it for the next few days because he can’t read signs. Tuesday night though, once he calmed down, wasn’t that bad. We ordered a pizza, played some video games, and watched “Paul” starring Nick Frost & Simon Pegg as two ComicCon geeks who go on a road trip to alien hot spots… and stumble upon a real life alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) and hijinx ensue. That’s really all you need to know about the movie other than it’s absolutely hilarious… so go check it out.



Wednesday was work again… and then afterwards, I met up with my brother & C-Rock downtown to go see a pre-screening of “Contagion” (which looks like “Outbreak” but with Matt Damon instead of Dustin Hoffman). First though, they walked from my apartment to my work… which is about 4.5 miles. Why? Well, my brother was scared to drive apparently now because of the towing, okay I can see why you wouldn’t want to… but why not take the bus? His excuse: He didn’t have two dollars. Really? Then why are coming to meet me downtown? Oh yes, so that I can pay for everything, I forgot. Fine, just don’t b**ch to me about the blisters on your feet… oh wait, of course that’s going to happen… for a few days. It’s a good thing that I love that big b**ch. Anyway, we met up, went to the theatre… and there was a line around the block, so we (they) decided to just go back to the apartment & have fun there. First though, we stopped by Del Taco to grab something cheap to eat. Well… you get what you pay for… as I found out the next morning…



Basically a few hours later, my stomach was not doing so hot… and it led to my backside not doing so hot… and then basically most of the evening, I was up in my bathroom (and occasionally the shower just to cover both bases). Not a great night at all… and I couldn’t even blame drinking this time, but a 1 lb. Macho Chicken Burrito. So I had to call in sick the next day… but I’ll say one thing for my brother, at least he was willing to stop by the store & pick me up some Gatorade & bread before his 16 hour drive back to Slick City (with a scenic route wrong turn around Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe). So yeah… that was a fun day… and my throat still burns a bit. Friday was catching up at work and then catching up on sleep.



Saturday, I did some hiking around the Presidio (about 3 miles worth), got some Chinese food on Clement (3 miles roundtrip walk also), then went to the Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine concert at Bimbo’s 365 Club on Columbus. Wasn’t sure if I was going to make it, but got a last minute bonus at work on Friday, so I thought I’d make an evening of it… even if by myself. Took the bus, met a few people waiting in line, chatted it up, sat at a table, and was later joined by three British gentlemen about my age (Griff, Devin & Mike). We got a few drinks, and they were on a trip across the U.S. with stops in New York, Miami, New Orleans, St Louis, Chicago, San Francisco & then heading to LA the next morning… so we naturally chatted about their adventures… and we talked about New Orleans the most since it was their favorite stop & my expertise in visiting the area. The show was phenomenal, we had a great time, and then afterwards, we went to the International Sports Bar across the street, had a few more drinks, wished each other well in our journeys, & parted ways. Pretty good evening for what was otherwise going to be staying at home. Got back… and Nurse was there, so we watched a bit of “30 Rock” before she passed out on the couch & I snuck upstairs to my bed.



Sunday, I woke up, took the bus & then a ferry… and went to Angel Island. Not nearly as popular as Alcatraz, but this 720 acre island is now a national park & was the “Ellis Island of the West” so for many Asian immigrants, this was their gateway to America. It was also a historically strategic fort location for several civilizations throughout the years as well… and before that, home to the Miwok people. There’s some great hiking trails, but this time, I just took the tram tour. Also, just an FYI, their nachos at the café were pretty damn good. They had con queso sauce, ranch, jalapenos, tomatoes, etc… but surprisingly good for no meat. A little steep at ten bucks, but I ended up splitting it with two other people I met there so it worked out well. Anyway, here are some pictures…



Sunday night was basketball… and we started out great. By which I mean, they were giving me the ball on offense… and I scored 11 of our first 14 points, was shutting them down on defense (probably 5 blocks at that point & a dozen or so for the game), and we had a lead. Then, they started popping the threes again. I would come up to pick & roll (as we decided in the timeout a minute earlier) and they would tell me to get out of the way. Nobody else on the floor was moving… and I was the only player inside the three point line. So they would pop the threes… and I’d be trying to outrebound at least three guys. It just wasn’t working… as usual. I was still holding it down on defense… until they took me out with about 7 minutes to play. Why? I guess they had given up. We really need to get a strategy down… but nobody sticks to anything we decide. It’s frustrating… but somehow, I’m still having fun because I enjoy playing… and yeah, I end up working harder to try to give them a fighting chance… but hey, obviously I’m not too butt sore about it. I’d just like to win once in a while, you know?



After the game, I decided to watch a movie that… I probably couldn’t really watch with the roommates. Luckily the apartment was empty… so I took a shower, changed into something more comfortable, got some strawberries & a refreshing beverage and watched… “Hobo With a Shotgun” starring Rutger Hauer. What? Did you think it was going to be something a little sexier? Chil’ please! I watch all the sexy shows WITH the roommates. Have you seen “Nip/Tuck”? Anyway, back to last night. So yes, Hobo with a Shotgun is the latest of the trailers from the epic “Grindhouse” to be made into a real feature length movie (“Machete” being the largest grossing thus far). As you might expect, it’s primarily a plot loosely based in reality & is more for paying homage to the grindhouse genre movies with all of their filthy language, grotesque violence and over-the-top acting… but it can still be well-done (as far as setting tone, etc) and just purely entertaining on a primal level. This movie was that. As you might guess from the title, the story is about a Hobo (played by the legendary blue-eyed Rutger Hauer) who comes to make a fresh start in a town… and there’s a lot of drugs, violence & random killing spectacles… so stands up for himself, gets scarred, befriends a prostitute, buys a shotgun… and starts to clean house. I highly recommend this movie if that’s your thing… it really is a LOT better than it sounds… but yeah, still pretty bad.



After that, Pixie & Nurse came home as I was looking for the next selection… so I went with a movie that had been on my queue for a while, but never got around to watching it. The movie was “Misery” starring Kathy Bates & James Caan (KAAAAAHN!!!) and I had never seen it before. WHAT? That’s right, never. I had seen a few parodies of it over the years on various shows & movies… but never the original. For those who don’t know, it’s the story of a famous author (Caan) who is at his mountain retreat to finish up his latest book. He’s driving back to New York, but gets caught in a blizzard and slides his Mustang off the road. He’s saved by a woman (Bates) who claims to be his biggest fan… and she is… to the creepiest Nth degree. He’s bedridden… and she takes care of him… but when she reads his latest book… and finds that he’s planning on killing off her favorite character Misery… that’s when it goes from creepy to nuckin’ futz. It’s a great suspenseful creepy flick… and I highly recommend that you check it out… preferably with female roommates so that you get to hear the screams & watch them freak out. That’s almost as entertaining as the movie was.



Anyway, that’ll do it for today. It was a pretty good week for the most part… and Labor Day weekend is coming up so I’d better get my plans ready. Carmen mentioned doing a cookout a few weeks ago… but haven’t heard much on it since. It still will be nice to have three days off. Have a great day everybody!!!

Lady Gaga starts VMA with theatrics and then sang as Spear and Selena did

MTV"S Sunday night's Video Music Awards ceremony has seen some good performances as well some unexpected but funny occurrences like the one Lady Gaga  did. The Award ceremony starts with Lady Gaga delivering a long monologue casting her Male alter ego Jo Calderone as a jilted lover left behind by his famous ex. But it did not surprised but it wasn't the act that viewers might have been expecting. But it is Gaga, 25, and her career is littered with theatrics. More often than not, she's skirted the line between entertainment and controversy, but her cross-dressing bit as "Joe Calderone" was as tired and worn-out as the gratuitous guitar solos that clutter "You and I."

Dressed in drag as her male alter ego, she crossed with her VMA opening was the one that separated excess from eye-rolling. Her Calderone character came off as little more than an extra from "The Outsiders," or maybe she was just referencing MTV's "Jersey Shore," strutting around the stage with cigarette in hand and a tension-less monologue that was about nothing more than Gaga herself. "What's with the hair? At first it was sexy and now I'm just confused," Gaga as Calderone said to forced laughter, likely echoing many-a-viewer's thoughts.

Among other singers Britney Spears and Beyoncé onstage together; Gaga herself was backed by a legendary rock guitarist; Adele pitting a stripped-down stage show against the likes of surprise performers Jay-Z and Kanye West's pyrotechnics; and legendary grunge trio Nirvana name-checked by Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Chris Brown like it was 1991. It was totally a female night. This year Selena Gomez has experienced a new role as she interviewed the participants including her boyfriend Justin Bieber and enjoyed the show with different angle, off course she sang too.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Releases 'I'm With You,' on August 29 and heading to a promotion tour.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, 7 Grammy Award winner American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1983, is going to release their new album today entitled, “I’m With You,” today August 29. This will be their first rock album that makes use of high-resolution source audio technology that optimizes the sound quality for iTunes Store customers. The earlier album released by them is "Stadium Aradium" five years ago.

To promote the new album the band will be performing the new songs, as well as some old hits, in a live performance that will be broadcast to select movie theaters around the world. The promotion will be worldwide too as they are going to start a world tour in September.

Critics are now pleased to see the work the band is doing. One such critic, Sarah Rodman of the Boston Globe said of the album, “With its blend of hard rock, funk, pop, punk, disco, psychedelia, and hip-hop, the album offers a few standouts, including the refreshingly bright and Beatles-evoking “Happiness Loves Company,” the sinuous “Did I Let You Know,” and the expansive “Brendan’s Death Song,” which moves from pastoral acoustic picking to percussive maelstrom.” Rodman also found that some of the vocals have a tendency to be “hit or miss” however added that in the end, “If you’ve come this far with the Peppers, you’re with them.”

Other albums that are going to be released by the artist and band like James Taylor,Lenny Kravitz, and the Spin Doctors.