Carlos A Torres - Designer & Photographer

Brazil 3 - 2 United States (Final)

The United States faced off against Brazil in pretty much the biggest game the United States National Men’s Team has ever played! After discarding Spain with a 2-0 humiliation in the semi-final, I personally believed that the US was ready to go against Brazil and that they had gained some confidence against the so called powerhouses of the soccer world. I was expecting the game to be great and the US to have a very good chance of bringing home the Confederations Cup. Game began and the US was definitely ready. Beautiful goals by Dempsey and Donovan gave the US, a 2-0 lead at halftime and Brazil was looking down. Unfortunately the US was not able to capitalize on this lead and ended up losing the final 3-2. Here’s where the divergence in thinking comes in.
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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Michael Jackson’s passing and the more time goes by and the more thought I put to it, the more I realize just what a huge loss to the entire music industry and to the world this is. There was never an artist like Michael before he came along and there will never be one like him again. Michael was an artist, a dancer, a writer, a poet, a performer, an entertainer, and an icon unlike the music world has ever had. I first heard his music growing up in Colombia and even though I didn’t even understand a word of the English language, the music itself and his videos were powerful enough to capture my imagination and my attention and that of millions around the world who didn’t even understand what he was singing. He was definitely unique in his field and even though he led such a troubled, complicated life, the celebration of his life will always be his artistry. To say that he will be missed is an understatement. His music, his videos, his moves, will always stand the test of time. I come from the generation that saw Thriller hit music shelves and I have to say that I’m very lucky and blessed to have been able to be part of the revolution he brought to music. God bless you Michael and hopefully I’ll get to meet you face to face someday.

So I went ahead and participated in the L.A. Acura Bike Tour which takes place right before the L.A. Marathon. I can’t emphasize enough just how much fun this entire event is. You get to ride the streets of L.A. and its adjacent neighborhoods for 20+ miles, along with thousands of other cyclists. It’s always a lot of fun to be part of any sporting event but it’s that much more magnified when you actually get to be the sporting event itself. It’s not as easy as it sounds but it is a lot more fun than what it sounds like. Not only do you get the satisfaction of riding the tour but you can also join in the actual marathon or the 5k run right afterwards. I’ve done the tour a couple of times and am thinking of riding the tour and doing the 5k next year. Along with the medals they give to all participants (see left), you get a few other goodies. Much kudos to L.A. for putting this whole thing together and I’m very much looking forward to next year. Next up on the schedule is a possible ride in the L.A. River Ride. Hope to see you there!

So I came across this article recently and my first reaction was a bit of a chuckle. Of course I had to read the entire article to get the gist of what this guy’s position is and I can tell you that it’s sensationalism, nothing more. I’m not a biblical scholar, I’m not a theologian, but I do view a lot of religious beliefs, teachings and activities with very analytical eyes and mind and what I do scrutinize is done with the bible as standard. Bart Ehrman, the “former fundamentalist” whom the article is about goes on to say some semi-controversial things and takes some semi-controversial stands against his former beliefs and against the bible, but none of what he says is news to anyone nor is it some sort of, pardon the pun, revelation.

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I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I’m an expert in foreign films but I do pay attention to them. It’s been a quiet stretch for Mexican films lately compared to the late 90s, early 2000s when a string of hits came out of the Mexican film industry and out of talented Mexican directors and producers. Those years brought us Amores Perros, Y Tu Mama Tambien, El Crimen Del Padre Amaro, El Espinazo Del Diablo, and it’s from Y Tu Mama Tambien’s Carlos Cuaron that we get the latest revelation from Mexico, Rudo Y Cursi.

Rudo Y Cursi tells the tale of two brothers who hail from very strapped conditions but who are given the keys to fame and fortune through the world of professional soccer. Cuaron blends a simple tale of soccer and life into a tale that spans life’s possibilities, intrigue, elation, downfall and redemption and is able to weave all this while providing humor and superb acting from his cast of characters. Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna are again paired up and once again display the on-screen chemistry that they have always possessed when they have acted together and that have made them international stars. As simple as the story is it still resonates as true-to-life in all its aspects. Just like in soccer, life sometimes grants us glory but it sometimes grants us defeat, it all depends on how we deal with the defeat and how quickly we get up and shake it off. Rudo Y Cursi is now playing in limited release in L.A. and N.Y. and should be expanding to more theaters soon. Check it out if you can.

Rudo Y Cursi Official Website

Every once in a while I go ahead and peruse the music that’s being played in other countries just to see what’s hot overseas and to leave the insipid taste of American top 40 behind. Well last year I came across a new artist I hadn’t heard before, Gabriella Cilmi (Chill-Me). To say that I was instantly impressed doesn’t even begin to define the experience. I had to go ahead and tell all my co-workers about her right away and they were equally impressed. The video below definitely helped the cause but the pipes on this girl are just amazing. Not only is she as talented as they come for a 16 year old (17 now), but she completely blew me away with the soul in her voice and the wisdom beyond her age. To say that she has more talent in one finger than any teenager we can ever hope to carry out onto a stage over here is an understatement. I believe she hails from Australia but has begun her recording career in England and is of course hoping to make a splash over here also.  If you’re a lover of music, you definitely need to check her music out. She was recently re-packaged for American audiences and now her music is finally avaialable here. Along with Duffy, you just can’t get any more soulful than this. I’m eagerly awaiting her next release, which I’ll probably have to go find in some British website somewhere, oh well! Among the standouts from her Lessons To Be Learned album are: Sanctuary, Einstein and the tune below Sweet About Me. I just had to spread the word, do yourself a favor and at least check her out.

Enjoy Sweet About Me:

Gabriella Cilmi Official Website

Sweet About Me Video - YouTube

So we have DirecTV here and we have an array of channels both in english and spanish courtesy of the Familiar Ultra + HD package with HBO, Showtime and Starz added. That’s like $100 worth of programming. One day I’m watching some tele and I see a certain DirecTV commercial come on the screen….this commercial advertises their free DirecTV’s Mix Channels and how they’re part of “my” programming, compliments of DirecTV. That sparks my interest because I’ve had the Mix Channels before so I go to check them out and what do I see? A “Channel Not Purchased” warning. I decide to call DirecTV customer service to ask them where my mix channels are, since they’re supposed to be “compliments of DirecTV”. Well every person I speak to says that they’re not included with our package, that I need to switch to an English only package. I leave it at that and do some more research, of course not only is the commercial still running but even their website’s package comparison clearly states that the Mix Channels are part of any package, english or spanish or italian or freakin’ farsi. So I then decide to contact the higher-ups directly and they get back to me and say they’re going to look at their discrepancies. Well not only has that commercial disappeared but their website has been changed to reflect the lack of offers “complimentary” from DirecTV. Is this a win for me? I don’t know. I guess I got their left hand to talk to their right hand and now they’ve stopped with their false advertising. Way to go DirecTV, you guys are just like any other satellite or cable company.

Let me begin by sharing with you the surprise that occurred hours before the concert started. My buddy Kevin and I got to Hollywood a few hours before the concert and we proceeded to walk towards the theater just to check it out and to then go on a hunt for some food. So we’re walking by the theater and past it, and I notice that someone is walking right behind us. I take a quick glance and there’s the man himself, Yann Tiersen, walking around having a smoke. I told my buddy “There’s Yann Tiersen”. He looks back in disbelief and says “Yep, you’re right”. I suggested that we wait until he’s done smoking so we can say HI to him. So we waited and then we pounced on him. I just said “Yann, big fans”, shook his hand and then asked for a picture. He was gracious enough for a pic, even though he seems very shy. Funniest thing occured 2 seconds after that when someone who was also standing by the theater came up to me and asked me “Is he with the band?”. Is he with the band? That was freakin’ Yann Tiersen and I told him so and the guy almost flipped his lid. He was so astonished he even thanked me for letting him know that was Yann.

We finally stepped into the El Rey Theater after a couple of hours of standing around. We were in for more standing since it was standing only/general admission. Even though the concert was a lot different than what I expected, I still must say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself and was continually amazed at the talent that Yann possesses. Of course it doesn’t hurt that we had taken that picture earlier and that we were able to hang out after the concert and get his autograph and a couple of more pics. Even though the sound was way different and no Amelie songs were played, there’s still nothing like live music and being able to support people’s music careers. I purchased his latest album Les Retrouvailles and was very pleasantly surprised. So far so good with this album and to top it off, it’s autographed! Thanks Yann and good luck in all you do!

Yann Tiersen Official Website
Yann Tiersen MySpace Page

To say that it’s been an eventful week is an understatement. I will have to break down each of these events later on but last week my dad and I spent the week tearing up a concrete foundation in the backyard….with a jackhammer….if you’ve never used one before, don’t! I then attended a Yann Tiersen concert in Hollywood saturday evening, it was fun times but tiring times after the jackhammering. Then to top it all off, we’re all out and about sunday afternoon and some lady in a Suburban rear ends us and pretty much destroys my dad’s Infiniti G35. No brakes, no nothing, she just piles into us, thank God we’re all ok after that mess. Pics of all this and more details coming soon. I’m still a bit sore and tired from this past week.

If you don’t know by now I may as well tell you that I’m a huge sports fan. You name it and I probably know a bit about it or don’t mind paying attention to it. That being said, there is something completely magical about The Kentucky Derby. The Derby is often described as “the most exciting two minutes in sports” and one truly doesn’t begin to grasp the reality of that until one actually watches a running of the Derby. Every year I’m in awe of how true that statement is as I sit there watching the race unfold and all the excitement and exhilaration that can be packed in 120 seconds actually is. Every running of the Derby makes you want to be in attendance and take in the pageantry, atmosphere, party, and classic appeal of this, the most prestigious of races. The Kentucky Derby typically sets up what’s to be expected in the quest for the Triple Crown along with The Preakness and The Belmont but unfortunately in recent years this quest has been met with tragedy. Let’s hope that all goes well for the horses this year and that The Triple Crown quest is as exciting as it typically has been and as it should be.