The ShamRock festival is often called “the largest block party west of the Mississippi.” The festivities will shut down part of F Street and 6th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter and will go from 4:00 pm to midnight next Wednesday.

This year’s ShamRock will feature 3 stages with a variety of entertainment. On the main stage you will find traditional Irish dancers as well as Irish rock band, Young Dubliners, No Doubt cover band, No Duh, and plenty of DJs. Tickets for the festival are $20 if you purchase online or $25 at the door. The price of admission includes cover charges, drink and food specials at participating establishments.

You’ll find some great deals at over 20 of the Gaslamp and East Village’s bars and restaurant. The Indigo Cafe will have $2.00 Miller Lite bottles and $4.00 Jameson Irish whiskey car bombs all night. The Bare Back grill plans to have $2.00 Miller Lite and plenty of $5.00 Jameson as well as a $9.00 burger, fries and beer special.

Miller Lite is one of the major sponsors of ShamRock and in support of drunk driving prevention, they will be providing free rides to patrons. The bus shuttle service will begin at 9:00 pm until 1:00 am, departing from the festival’s main entrance. The rides will take you anywhere in San Diego county and you can get more information by texting SHAMROCK to 30364, visiting their website or calling 1-800-FREE-RIDES.

“We believe that with great beer, comes great responsibility, and we’re pleased to offer alternative transportation programs like Miller Lite Free Rides to help raise community awareness that drunk driving is completely preventable” said Kim Marotta, vice president of corporate social responsibility for MillerCoors.

You must be 21 to attend and don’t forget your ID. You’ll also be pleased to know that your partying will be for a good cause because the ShamRock festivities benefit the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation.

There will be no shortage of Saint Patty’s day celebrations around America’s finest so be sure to check out all of the different events and remember to go green or go home!

Photo from merfam via Flickr

With its new and innovative V-Album technology, Scattertunes and Experience Hendrix, LLC are coming together to release five exclusive Jimi Hendrix V-Albums– Valleys of Neptune, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, Electric Ladyland, and First Rays of the New Rising Sun.

These releases will include bonus features such as documentary videos, photos, scans of handwritten lyrics, and much more. The V-Albums have high-quality (320kb), non-DRM MP3 songs that can be played through Scattertunes, and they can also be exported into any MP3 player.

If you’re any type of Hendrix fan, then you’ll definitely want to snatch this great opportunity. The Valley of Neptune V-Album includes 60 minutes of original music that has never be released, mixed by Eddie Kramer who first worked on the 1967 debut of Are You Experienced.

Janie Hendrix, sister of Jimi Hendrix and President and CEO of Experience Hendrix says, “we’re delighted that Scattertunes is offering Hendrix fans an enhanced ‘experience’ in connection with these V-Albums. The additional content reflects the spirit of my brother’s multi-dimensional presence that has been a touchstone for five generations of music lovers. This will be a real treat for Jimi Hendrix fans, both young and seasoned.”

Here’s a taste of what musical goodness can be expected from this V-Album.

HENDRIX

Valley Of Neptune contains:
12 High-Quality MP3 Tracks (Including Seven Previously Unreleased Recordings)
Lyrics to All 12 Tracks
Digital Images of Select Handwritten Lyrics
Hi-Res Digital Photos
Digital CD Booklet
Links to Hendrix Merchandise
Video Links

Are You Experienced contains:
17 High-Quality MP3 Tracks
Lyrics to All 17 Tracks
Digital Images of Select Handwritten Lyrics
Hi-Res Digital Photos
Digital CD Booklet
Links to Hendrix Merchandise
17-Min. Documentary Video

Axis: Bold As Love contains:
13 High-Quality MP3 Tracks
Lyrics to All 13 Tracks
Digital Images of Select Handwritten Lyrics
Hi-Res Digital Photos
Digital CD Booklet
Links to Hendrix Merchandise
17-Min. Documentary Video

Electric Ladyland contains:
16 High-Quality MP3 Tracks
Lyrics to All 16 Tracks
Digital Images of Select Handwritten Lyrics
Hi-Res Digital Photos
Digital CD Booklet
Links to Hendrix Merchandise
12-Min. Documentary Video

First Rays Of The New Rising Sun contains:
17 High-Quality MP3 Tracks
Lyrics to All 17 Tracks
Digital Images of Select Handwritten Lyrics
Hi-Res Digital Photos
Digital CD Booklet
Links to Hendrix Merchandise
16-Min. Documentary Video

For more information, check out Scattertunes and the Experience Hendrix Tour.

Alice In WonderlandPhoto from Debs via Flickr

There is plenty to enjoy on the big screen this weekend in San Diego.

Starting with Tim Burton’s rendition of Alice in Wonderland you can enjoy several new releases.

Movies to look for are: Shutter Island, The Wolf-Man and Brooklyn’s Finest. To get all the new movie listings check your local theater and look for matinee specials.

Alice in Wonderland

AMC La Jolla (3D)- 11:35am | 2:10 | 4:45 | 7:20 | 9:55
Fashion Valley AMC – 11:00am | 12:45pm | 1:40pm | 3:30pm | 4:15pm | 6:15pm | 7:00pm | 9:00pm | 9:45pm and in 3D at 11:45am | 2:30pm | 5:15pm | 7:55pm | 10:30pm
Edwards Mira Mesa (3D) – 11:35am | 2:10 | 4:45 | 7:20 | 9:55 | 12:25am
But if you’re looking for something new, there are tons of new releases hitting the box office this Friday!

She is Out of my League
Comedy/Romance featuring Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve

Clairemont Town Square – 11:25am | 2:10pm | 4:30pm | 7:10pm | 9:40pm
Fashion Valley AMC – 10:30am | 1:15pm | 3:50pm 6:25pm | 9:00pm | 11:30pm
Mission Valley AMC – 10:20am | 11:15am | 1:05pm 2:00pm | 4:00pm | 4:45pm 6:40pm | 7:30pm | 9:25pm 10:15pm | Late Night: 12:05am

Green Zone
War Drama/Thriller featuring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Khalid Abdalla, and Jason Isaacs

AMC La Jolla – 11:25am | 2:05pm | 4:50pm | 7:30pm | 10:10pm
Clairemont Town Square – 11:25am | 2:05pm | 4:50pm | 7:30pm | 10:10pm
Fashion Valley AMC – 10:50am | 12:15pm | 1:40pm 3:05pm | 4:25pm | 5:50pm 7:30pm | 8:35pm | 10:30pm 11:15pm
Mission Valley AMC -11:00am | 2:00pm | 5:00pm 8:00pm | 10:45pm

Our Family Wedding
Comedy featuring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, and Regina King

Clairemont Town Square – 11:05am | 1:15pm | 3:20pm | 5:25pm | 7:50pm | 10:00pm
Fashion Valley AMC – 10:10am | 12:25pm | 2:55pm | 5:25pm | 7:45pm | 10:05pm
Mission Valley AMC – 11:20am | 12:10pm | 1:50pm | 2:40pm | 4:20pm | 5:10pm 6:50pm | 7:40pm | 9:30pm | 10:20pm | 11:55pm
United Artist Horton Plaza – 1:30pm | 4:35pm | 7:25pm | 9:50pm

Remember Me
Drama/Romance with Robert Pattinson and Caitlyn Rund

AMC La Jolla – 10:00am | 12:35 | 3:10 | 5:45 | 8:20 | 10:55
Clairemont Town Square – 11:00am | 1:45pm | 4:25pm |7:20pm | 9:50pm
Fashion Valley AMC – 10:40am | 1:30pm | 4:20pm | 7:00pm | 9:50pm
Mission Valley AMC – 10:50am | 1:40pm | 4:30pm 7:20pm | 10:10pm
Plaza Bonita - 11:30am | 2:20pm | 5:10pm 8:00pm | 10:50pm

You can fish in the bay, in the surf, or from many piers for free (after you buy the tackle and bait.)  They still let you enjoy the sunshine for free, so do it on a sunny day.

Balboa Park Walkway

Take in the San Diego Zoo.  Unlike many of the Parks in Southern California, the Zoo is a real bargin.  $37.00 for one adult and $27.00 for junior.  That gets you about 8 hours of great fun.  You’ll have unlimited use of the tram, the buses, and the animals are ready to greet you for that one low price.  Parking is still free.  Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy Balboa Park (the Zoo is in the midst of the park).

Just around the corner from the Zoo, you can find a great auto museum.  The J.A. Cooley Museum is at 4233 Park Blvd.  The phone number there is  (619) 295-1611.  You’ll find 15 cars on display ranging in time from 1886 to 1933.  They have many antiques and collections of model trains, toys, clocks, license plates.  All this may be had for a mere $2.00.  Enjoy it’s yours for the taking.

Blacks Beach (Photo from sdpitbull via Flickr)

Beaches are abundant in San Diego (as are mountains and deserts) and if you hurry you can enjoy them while they’re free.  You may need to take your porta-potty if you want to stay long.

You may go from Blacks Beach to Ocean Beach in the heart of San Diego.  Blacks will give rise to a myriad of flying people.  Really!  The Torrey Pines International Gliderport is 300 feet above the sands of the beach, just watch that the cliffs don’t fall directly on you while you and your honey stroll the tide pools.

After your picnic lunch has worked its way off, you can find good food on the cheap.  In Cahoots is a Mission Valley spot where, starting at 5:00 p.m. they offer free dance lessons.  I’m talkin’ western wear.  Put your boots on and try a little line dancing.  They’re at 5373 Mission Center Rd.  Be ready for fun if you go.  They’ve got food and drink on the cheap and while twirling those skirts you’ll think you’re in heaven.

As for me,  I’m a baseball fan.  I’m not too fanatical.  I don’t remember all those stats that are required to be a real fanatic.  I like to leave in the 7th inning regardless of the score at that time.  I’ve been a season ticket holder in the past.  This year the Padres are offering a great deal… 10 reserved tickets (for 10 games of coarse) for as little as $170.00.  These are mostly Saturday night games, which are the best giveaway days at the park.  I’m planning on doing all 10 games.  I’ll try to figure out the cheapest way to get to Petco and the best places to eat before the games.  I’m looking forward to a season that begins as well as last season ended.  Maybe I’ll tell you about my adventures in the San Diego Entertainer as they happen.

Photo from 'Eustaquio Santimano' via Flickr

Mark your calendars San Diego–next Wednesday is Saint Patrick’s Day, the day to grab your greenest attire and see the Irish spirit our city has to offer. You can bet your shamrocks that there will be plenty of festivities to partake in on our favorite Irish holiday!

Since the 17^th century, Saint Patrick’s Day has been celebrated with an annual feast to honor Saint Patrick, the most recognized patron saint of Ireland.

Although the holiday falls during the season of Lent, in which families were prohibited from eating meat and other pleasures, the rules were overlooked on this special day. Families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon by dancing, drinking and feasting—on the delicious and traditional corned beef and cabbage, of course!

The first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade took place not in Ireland but in the United States in 1762. The parade honored the Irish soldiers that served in the English military. Now, hundreds of years later, the ritual of a Saint Patrick Day Parade lives on, along with some newer traditions.

This Saturday, March 13^th, the Irish Congress of Southern California, Inc is hosting its 30^th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival here in San Diego. This year’s parade theme is “Unity with the Community, with special thanks to our Military and Veterans.” With over 150 parade entries, including Bagpipers, bands, floats and more, the San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Parade is known to be the largest parade west of the Mississippi.

The jamboree begins at 11:00 am on Fifth Avenue at Laurel Street. An Irish Festival will follow in Balboa Park (Sixth Avenue and Maple Street). Enjoy the Irish Folk singers, Irish Step Dancers, kiddie rides, and of course plenty of food and beer at this spirited, once a year festival.

Earlier in the day, a Catholic Mass will be held in the Imperial House at 505 Kalmia Street at 8:00 am. Msgr. Patrick O’Neill, “the oldest practicing Priest in California,” will be conducting the mass. A Military Flag Raising ceremony at Sixth Avenue and Maple will take place at 10:00 am.

If you’re looking for a different scene, check out the shamROCK St. Patrick’s Day Block Party on Wednesday, March 17^th. The fun begins at 4:00 pm and doesn’t stop until midnight. There will be plenty of live entertainment, DJ’s, go-go dancers, and what’s a shamROCK block party without green beer and Jameson Whiskey?

Don’t want to do anything too crazy? Head over to San Diego’s best Irish pubs for a beer and live music. Mc P’s Pub, The Blarney Stone Pub, The Field Pub and Dublin Square Irish Pub are some the Entertainer’s favorite San Diego pubs. Why not go for a good, old-fashioned pub-crawl?

San Diego St. Patty’s Day festivities begin this weekend and will last through next week. Whether you choose to watch the parade, chug a green beer while rocking out at the block party, or simply stay in and drink a Guinness, one thing is certain—don’t forget to wear green!

Now, in honor of the fallen teen, online efforts have begun to rename the Rancho Bernardo Community Park to the Chelsea King Memorial Park. Groups and pages on Facebook and a petition website have been created in order to rally up supporters to rename the park.

Yet, as heartbreaking of a story as the Chelsea King piece is, like many appeals to changes in a community, there are always supporters as well as critics.

Critics of the renaming idea argue that naming a park after a murdered victim of a sex offender would be hard to explain to younger children and would also be difficult for the family, a constant reminder of their murdered daughter. However, supporters of the renaming maintain that the government owes Chelsea and her family this after “letting” Chelsea get killed by a known sex offender.

Renaming buildings, parks, freeways, and other public locations after certain individuals is a common cultural practice, so why so much controversy in this case? What makes a landmark suitable for a name change and who are or should be the deserving few honored by this custom?

Photo from David Berkowitz via Flickr

Disney’s 3D movie “Alice in Wonderland” just passed “Avatar’s” opening weekend record of $116.2 million and this week Samsung and Panasonic want you to enjoy this new viewing format from the comfort of your living room couch. Panasonic will start selling their 3D TVs Wednesday at Best Buy Stores.

Thanks to the recent success of 3D movies at the box office, TV makers are hoping that consumers will clamor to buy 3D TVs to enjoy these movies in all of their new dimensional splendor. Samsung revealed Tuesday the pricing and current availability for their 3D TVs while Sony announced that their 3D sets will arrive on June 10.  LG also has a 3D lineup ready for release in May with Vizio following in August.

Before you camp out at Best Buy to be the first to purchase a 3D TV you should keep in mind that there isn’t much to watch in 3D yet. It is rumored that pop singer Lady Gaga plans to release a 3D concert DVD but that is not yet confirmed. Disney wants to release “Alice in Wonderland” on DVD by May and animation studio DreamWorks has plans to release all “Shrek” movies in 3D but other than kids’ movies, you won’t find much variety in programming, yet.

However, ESPN has announced that they plan to launch a 3D channel and will begin broadcasting live games in 3D in June when the World Cup of Soccer begins. Sony has also announced it is partnering with Discovery networks to develop a 3D network. DirectTV plans to allow their HD subscribers to get a free software update to watch 3D channels. If 3D programming proves to be successful then there will surely be more variety in entertainment to come.

3D televisions are sure to be appealing to video game enthusiasts, at least that is what Sony is counting on. The PlayStation 3 is already 3D game capable and with the release of 3D titles they hope gamers will rush to experience first person shooter video games in a new dimension.

Just how much will a 3D TV set you back? Samsung has a promotional bundle available through Best Buy. For $3,000 you can purchase a 46 inch 3D TV, a Blu-ray player, an additional pair of glasses and the all new 1080p 3D Blu-ray DVD of “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Panasonic also has its own bundle, for the same price you can get a 50 inch 3D TV, a Blu-ray player and a pair of glasses. All of these 3D sets will require viewers to wear somewhat bulky glasses that will need to be recharged periodically and most of the televisions already come with two pairs.

Before you go out and purchase a 3D television make sure to gather information so you can make an educated purchase which will allow you to enjoy watching your favorite programs come to life for years to come.

Photo from Smart Destinations via Flickr

There is a new addition to San Diego’s music scene coming next month. Mission Beach’s Wave House has taken over the site formerly known as Canes Bar and Grill to turn it into Sound Wave, a new indoor music venue. The opening show is planned for April 9 and will feature Wailing Souls, a Jamaican reggae group.

Sound Wave will hold 700 concertgoers and already has five acts planned for April. The venue plans to have shows Wednesdays through Saturdays. The 22,000 square foot two story building will also host DJs, local shows, art exhibitions and private events year round.

Wave House already has 1,200 capacity outdoor concert venue so the new addition will provide a backup in case of bad weather and will also diversify the musical styles available to attendees. Currently the Wave House venue showcases reggae acts but according to Diana Martinez, the talent buyer for Wave House, Sound Wave plans to have a broad mix of musical styles and will compete for acts with the Belly Up Tavern and the House of Blues.

Sound Wave will not only be a concert venue but will also house a restaurant serving a variety of tastes. Open daily it will offer breakfast all day, lunch and dinner. With its beach side location, Sound Wave will have plenty of outdoor seating including a rooftop veranda and a patio at beach level. Inside dining options will include a full bar with views of the famous 10 foot wave simulator as well as plenty of flat screen TVs. A different section of the restaurant will offer a more formal dining setting with large windows featuring ocean views. The building has undergone improvements since it use to be known as Canes. The stage has been expanded and the bar moved to allow for better views for concertgoers.

This new expansion will surely add to the appeal of Belmont Park and the amenities that Wave House already has to offer. The locale opened in the summer of 2005 with special attractions like the Bruticus Maximus, a smaller wave generator for beginners, three restaurants, an athletic center, Southern California’s biggest outdoor swimming pool, several bars and concerts between May and September.

A resident of Escondido, DuBois, 14, was last seen on February 13, 2009 walking to school alone. Her remains were found early Saturday morning in Pala, a rural area of North County in San Diego. The remains were confirmed to be those of Amber DuBois due to dental records that matched the skeletal remains.

The investigation of DuBois’ death is still ongoing, and its possible connection with the death of Chelsea King is still unknown, although experts say that a connection is unlikely. Many casual observers as well as the father of Amber DuBois suspects that the same man may be behind his daughter’s death, noting their similar features and nearby residence. Further information for Jim Maher, Escondido Police Chief, has been limited due to the ongoing investigation.

John Albert Gardner III, who appeared in court last Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the charges of raping and murdering Chelsea King, is still being investigated for any connections between the deaths of the two girls. Gardner has already served five years in prison for molesting his 13 year old neighbor. He was released in 2008 and has since been a registered sex offender in Escondido.

The year-long search for Amber DuBois has involved faithful community members, numerous investigations, and a website determined to “Bring Amber Home.”  A candlelight vigil will be held for Amber DuBois 6:30 pm Monday in front of Escondido High School.

Day 1

After I dropped off my car at the valet, I curiously walked into the Gardenia Room where the registration for the event took place. I signed in and gathered my identification badge and made my way into the Poinsettia Ballroom. The room could easily fit 1,000 people.

The round tables were arranged banquet style with table coverings. The stage was towards the south side of the room while the sound and technical equipment were at the north side.

The anticipation of the evening was building and the splendid saxophonist playing jazz ballads kindled the right mood for the night. The room slowly began to fill and the lights were dim.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats we are about to begin,” a voice said over the loudspeakers.  A sound rivaling thunder exploded into the room;  The Rancho Bernardo High School Band marched to the stage playing a Big Band classic that skyrocketed the energy in the room. The music was so intense and powerful that I wanted to jump out of my seat and dance my heart out. Everyone was bopping their heads and tapping their toes. When the music subsided, Deepak Chopra took the stage and set the tone for the remainder of the symposium.

Despite all the fame and attention Deepak has received over the years, his stage presence was calm and demure. He exuded sincerity in his speech and was reminiscent of a humble college professor in the midst of lecture. Deepak reminded everyone that they were about to witness expert testimony on the current paradigm shift of reality, from classical to the modern system of thought; from matter to consciousness. Each panelist took his or her turn to prove those points.

One of the panelists was Dr. Hans-Peter Duerr, one of the world’s leading nuclear physicists and philosophers. He has published over 100 papers on elementary particle physics, quantum field theory and gravitation. Dr. Duerr is a founding member of Scientists’ Initiative for Peace and has received numerous awards for his scientific and peace related work. In his own words Dr. Duerr said that he wanted to be part of a profession that the result of his productivity would award him a simple black and white answer of wrong or right, which is why he chose to be a scientist.

After 60 years of being a nuclear physicist and studying atoms, electrons and matter, ironically, he came to the conclusion that matter does not exist. Currently, classic science (past 300 years) has a non-dual material world view that states that matter is the only real thing. However, after further scientific studies, it has been revealed that matter does not exist on its own as a thing, but rather is a process and there is an “in between” in that process that Dr. Duerr calls “happs.”

Dr. Fred Alan Wolf was another panelist that spoke about matter and consciousness that night. Dr. Wolf received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from UCLA. Most people know him from the movies; The Secret, What The #$*! Do We Know and Down The Rabbit Hole. Dr. Wolf has a highly extroverted personality and when he is on stage he is animated to say the least and amusingly theatrical. Nevertheless, he is a man of science and his theories have challenged scientists at universities throughout the world.

Dr. Duerr described an inherent problem in the calculation of classic physics that is due in part by Uncertainty of Measurement (every measurement is subject to some uncertainty) as well as The Observer Effect (the effect of the observation during an experiment alters the outcome of the experiment.)

Dr. Wolf also challenges classic or old science. He says that the sciences that are still taught in schools and found in textbooks are far outdated. Like the evolution of life, science must also evolve; if it does not, it will remain static.

Unfortunately science at large has remained static; it is necessary to be open to the evolution of information. Dr. Wolf also says that what we think we know is actually hard to grab and measure — our mind finds a way to make sense of the information. We create probabilities of “somethings” then these so called probabilities predict things. Things need to be objectively verified for accuracy, however, people’s underlying need to control things creates subjectivity in the outcome of the experiments themselves.  Ultimately we cannot quantify things because they elude our grasp.

Dr. Duerr explains that before you observe a particle (which is the fundamental building block of the universe), it exists only as a possibility, not a particle in the physical sense. He discusses that there is an underlying problem with “old physics” in that it focuses on “what exists?” and calculates that; rather than “how does it behave?” The problem with the question “what exists?” is that it is not logical and doesn’t have an answer.

An example to this, is to ask the question, “what is the color of a circle?” A person may reply red or blue. But those answers are incorrect. It is only red or blue because the pen that the person used to draw the circle was that color. So if you no longer use the pen where is the circle? A person answers, “there is no circle” (based on the fact that you do not draw it.) This is also incorrect because though the circle does not exist on the paper, it still exists inside of the person, in their memory. “What is the color of a circle?” therefore does not make sense, the question itself is unreasonable. You cannot ask the question because there are no words in our language that can explain the answer.  To ask, what exists outside the self is a wrong question. The correct question is “what happens.” Instead of talking about particles, the focus should be on the happenings or “happs.”

Dr. Duerr brought up the statement, “thought is a wave in space in time,” and says the statement is incorrect and it does not exist in space and time. He said that if you have two electrons, it exists in a six dimensional space, if u have three electrons it exists in a nine dimensional space and so on.

Thought exists in infinite dimensions and is something unimaginable. Time plays a different role in that each moment is created anew, with the memory of the past, but not in a unique way. Humans, he said, are creative; all of nature is creative. It is infinitely open regarding the future.

If we meditate we get to a point of emptiness, what Deepak Chopra often refers to as “the gap.” You start to see other fields and become transcendent in this state. He continues to say that in our language, we create space and time because the only substance in our mental software is yes and no. All music, mathematics, text etc. is a sequence of yes and no. The answers are hidden in the form-structure or the sequence (between the yes and no).

Dr. Duerr reiterated that old physics continually focuses on the wrong questions: “what is?” but should instead ask “what is happening?” The happening occurs in our consciousness. He explains that our consciousness is similar to computer software; being that the software occurs first and is not the same as what is printed. The people that analyze our brain and its workings are merely looking at the print out. However, that which is printed out, we cannot find the origin because it exists in the software and is in a way encrypted to our comprehension.

In old physics there are only separate objects; consciousness splits into the observer and the observed.  But now a new metal like energy has been discovered that connects two seemingly separate objects. Therefore proving that there is no uniqueness or separation and proves that we are all connected. Creator and creation are identical, the creation is the creator; there is no big bang as in classical science. Dr. Duerr says that the “bang” occurs all the time; this banging creates the next level of the universe and the cosmos.  Dr. Duerr says that it is important that as people we must use a language to remind each other of what we really are and that is connection, cooperation, one and the same.

Dr. Wolf similarly says that we are all made of light. Light, relating to light is awareness or consciousness. He says that our goal as people should be to get to an infant or childlike state when you didn’t know who or what you are. In this idea, a person is therefore able to recreate or create anew. And in this recreation lies infinite possibilities. This recreation is the “bang” that Dr. Duerr talked about. As a people, as a society we can create a world of peace by putting it into our consciousness.

The most amazing thing about this was that men and women of science understood a simple message that the sages throughout history have always been trying to convey. Not only did these scientists understand the message, they saw the value in the message and have made it in part their responsibility to share with world, the importance of interconnectedness and intention of thought and right action.

The speakers at the symposium discussed science in detail; however through their profession and studies, they learned that living life with intention and truly being in the moment is what we are meant to do on this plane of existence. Space, time, matter and whether it exists or not is almost irrelevant. The bottom line is that the brain we have is not equipped with the language to solve the puzzles of life’s mysteries. They also realized that our individual concioussness is actually collective and we all operate as one giant massive force, we simply need to realize this.

The underlying message of the symposium was to encourage each other to use our unified consciousness to create peace in a world that is filled with turmoil. They said the time was now. That it is up to the new generation to push forward the movement, with their consciousness. Once we realize this, we can unleash the power and change the world from its current course of destruction to that of world peace, balance and harmony.

Arzo Yusef is our self empowerment and improvement contributing writer who had the opportunity to attend The Sages & Scientists Symposium and interview Deepak Chopra. Check back for extended coverage of the event and interview with Deepak Chopra and Mahendra Kumar Trivedi on sdentertainer.com

Temperatures will hover from the upper 50’s to the upper 60’s during the day, before dropping down to the low 50’s and occasionally upper 40’s at night.

Surf conditions will be excellent throughout the week. Cloudless skies, warm water, and moderately sized waves ensure that the beaches will be packed.

Monday, March 8, 2010
High 63 -52
Partly Cloudy

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
High 59 – 48
Partly Cloudy

Wednesday, March 10 2010
High 64 – 50
Sunny

Thursday, March 11, 2010
High 67 – 53
Sunny

Friday, March 12, 2010
High 66 – 53
Sunny

Saturday, March 13, 2010
High 66 – 53
Sunny

Sunday, March 14, 2010
High 65 – 55
Sunny

Continue reading for surf and snow report

Surf Conditions

Water Temperature: 60 – 58

The spectacular weather and moderate, chest-high waves averaging roughly four feet make this a perfect week for surfing, although it likely also means the waves will be crowded with other surfers.

Big Bear Conditions

Weekend rain will produce a couple of inches of fresh powder, so make sure to head up to Big Bear early in the week to take advantage of the good conditions. The clear skies should translate to an easy drive up to the mountains and great opportunities for skiing and snowboarding. As we get deeper into March and on into April fresh snowfall will likely dissipate, so make sure to catch it while it lasts!

There are many ways The Hurt Locker and Avatar are pitted up against each other, but either way you look at it, both films have 9 nominations and are leading the Oscar buzz. This is how the competition breaks dow:

Action/Drama vs. Animation 3D
Kathryn Bigelow vs. her ex-husband, James Cameron
Low budget film vs. Blockbuster film
9 nominations vs. 9 nominations

The Hurt Locker

Photo from Mario Sundar via Flickr

A catchy title for a film (title of the film is allegedly the idea of a disgruntled 38-year-old sergeant Jeffrey Sarver in the army’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team ), The Hurt Locker is a 131 minute-Action /Drama film by American Director Kathryn Bigelow who introduced a different genre in film (one will feel dizzy after watching the film as the camera keeps on moving unsteadily) set in post-invasion Iraq.  The story evolves a portrait of expert trained technicians of a bomb squad disarming roadside explosives on the streets of Baghdad.  The film received “universal acclaim” making Bigelow the fourth woman in history to be nominated by the Academy and only the second American woman to receive such honor. On Feb. 21, 2010 she won best director and the film Hurt Locker won best picture at the 63rd British Academy Film Awards.

The Hurt Locker was first shown at the Venice Film Festival in September 2008.  The film was released in the US in June 2009.  The film stars Jeremy Renner, Brian Geraghty and Anthony Mackie, with Guy Pearce, David Morse and Ralph Fiennes.

Bigelow won the Directors Guild of America award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures becoming the first woman to win the award. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her direction.

The Hurt Locker has been subject to a number of controversies and criticisms including the multi-million dollar intellectual property lawsuit coming from Sarver who presented himself at the launch in Michigan. He claims that he was the model for the central character of the film, Will James. James is portrayed by Jeremy Renner who incidentally was nominated in the Best Actor category for this years’ awards.

Sarver further describes The Hurt Locker as a film that did a historic injustice where “Hollywood made billions exploiting veterans.”

Besides being the directed by a woman, the film stirs up more conversation because Bigelow is the ex-wife of James Cameron, her rival in the Best Director category. Not that it has anything to do with the directing or the film itself, but gender bias is likely to be discussed by critics. Critics are saying that if Bigelow wins as Best Director, it is because she is a lady making man’s film (The genre of war films has predominately been thought of as a man’s genre).

Even without any awards, the The Hurt Locker has made history. For the first time in Oscar history, the Academy banned an individual nominee from Oscar night. It reprimanded Nicolas Chartier, one of the The Hurt Locker’s producers and main funders, for an “ethical lapse” for circulating an email before voting ended urging Academy members to back the film and “not a $500M film” – a clear reference to Cameron’s multi-million budgeted Avatar.

Despite the politics and controversy, the film is undeniably good. The film’s 9 nominations speak for themselves. Nominations include: Jeremy Renner – Performance by an actor in a leading role, Cinematography, Directing, Film editing, Original score, Best picture, Sound editing, Sound mixing, and Original screenplay.

Avatar

Photo from whatleydude via Flickr

Genius Canadian film director James Cameron’s film is the highest grossing film of all time.  Avatar is an animated sci-fi film best watched in 3D; the 161 minute film stimulates the viewers visually.  Because of the fantastic visual effect, it is hard to comprehend the film not winning the award for Best Visual Effects.

The story takes place in 2154, three decades after a multinational corporation has established a mining colony in Pandora, a planet light years from Earth. A toxic environment and hostile natives (one corporate apparatchik calls the locals “blue monkeys”) forces the conglomerate to engage with Pandora by proxy. Humans dwell in oxygen-drenched cocoons but move out into mines to confront the planet’s hostile creatures in hugely fortified armor and robotics, or avatars.

Cameron and his brilliant visual effects team have created jaw-dropping 3D realism. It is a magical tale about flying dragons, magic plants and trees, little fairies, weirdly hypnotic creepy crawling creatures and untamed dogs rolled up into a rain forest with a highly advanced spiritual design.

Garnering 11 awards in the Oscars in 1998, Cameron’s phenomenal “Titanic” brought back moviegoers to watch and re-watch the film.  Cameron did it again this time with Avatar having the highest number of nominations for 2010, same as The Hurt Locker with 9 nominations in categories of Art direction, Cinematography, Directing, Film editing, Original score, Best picture, Sound editing, Sound mixing and Visual effects.

Avatar’s rival then in the 82^nd Academy Awards will be The Hurt Locker since they are contenders in 7 of the same categories: Cinematography, Directing, Film editing, Original score, Best picture, Sound editing, Sound mixing. Tune in tonight to find out who the winners will be.

The Zero Hour was developed at PlayLabs, New Dramatists, New York Theatre Workshop and O’Neill Playwrights Conference. O and Rebecca want love to be all they need, but the fact that Rebecca has not yet come out to her mother is threatening their happiness. Meanwhile, Rebecca’s classroom teachings of the Holocaust are seeping into her evening subway rides, in this tour-de-force with two actresses playing all the roles.

Madeleine George is a playwright, fiction writer, and teacher. She is a founding member of the OBIE-Award-winning theater company 13P (Thirteen Playwrights, Inc.), a collective of playwrights devoted to producing their own plays on their own artistic terms. For many years Madeleine taught writing at New York University. She has also taught writing, in various forms, at Bard College, Barnard College, SUNY Purchase, the University of Rochester, a half-dozen New York City public schools, and a variety of correctional and alternative-to-incarceration facilities, including the Office of the Brooklyn DA, the Women’s Prison Association, and Riker’s Island. She is currently site director of a college program at a prison for women in Manhattan.

Started in 1986, the mission of Diversionary Theatre is to produce plays with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender themes that portray characters in their complexity and diversity both historically and contemporarily.

The Zero Hour is part of Diversionary’s Queer Theatre – Taking Center Stage play development program. The program honors the ideas, the energy and commitment people have made to tell LGBT stories.

Tickets for the reading are now on sale through the Diversionary Theatre Box Office. General admission tickets are $12 ($9 for Diversionary subscribers). Call the Box Office at (619) 220-0097 or visit the website at www.diversionary.org.

Photo by L-Rey via Flickr

GOP State Senator Roy Ashburn was arrested Wednesday night on the count of drunk driving after he tested for a blood alcohol level of .14%. Rumors that the legislator, known for pressing anti-gay laws, was driving from a gay nightclub has sparked discussion on the sexual orientation of the 18th District Californian Senator.

Sen. Ashburn was arrested and then jailed in the Sacramento County jail for driving under the influence of alcohol on Wednesday night at around 2AM.  Although the rumors about his appearances at gay clubs have not been confirmed, Capitol staffers say that  the senator has been seen frequenting gay establishments around Sacramento on multiple occasions. His sexual orientation has been questioned by reporters since 2004, and now it is under more scrutiny than ever.

An active member of legislature since 1996, Sen. Ashburn has consistently voted against laws that would protect gays, lesbians, and transgender Californians, such as same-sex marriage and protection from discrimination. Sen. Ashburn represents the Kern, Tulare, and Inyo counties. The statement released from his office reads:

“I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment. I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did.”

Following these events, he is taking a break from his elected position until at least Monday.

Photo from nickyfern via Flickr.

Have you made plans for this weekend yet? Here are some exciting events in San Diego this weekend for your friends and family that’ll guarantee an eventful weekend of laughter and excitement. Head to San Diego This Weekend for more great finds.

FRIDAY MARCH 5, 2010

If your vagina could speak, what would it say? Check out The Vagina Monologues at The Moxie Theatre this weekend for a hilarious show that also strives to raise money and awareness to stop violence against women and girls. All proceeds are donated to the Bella Luna Educational Foundation and the East County Family Justice Center.
Location: The Moxie Theatre
Time: Varies
Cost: $25

Looking for some fun for the whole family without spending a whole lot of money? Check out the Nature Explorers event at Kumeyaay Lake for an exciting night hike and various night activities and games. Nature calls, and so do its friendly creatures along the way. Make sure to RSVP, and bring your own flashlights!
Location: Kumeyaay Lake
Time: 3-6p
Cost: $5

SATURDAY MARCH 6, 2010

The oldest kite festival for children in the United States, the 62nd annual Ocean Beach Kite Festival is happening this Saturday 3/06/10. Come out for a FREE full day of festivities including parades, arts and crafts, kite making, and food! This event is guaranteed to keep the kids happy, and the adults are sure to tap into their inner child again.
Location: Ocean Beach Recreation Center
Time: 9a-4p
Cost: FREE

John Leguizamo gets up close and personal in his Diary of a Madman at the La Jolla Playhouse where he speaks about his life and past experiences in an uncensored and explosive manner. Born in Bogota, Columbia and raised in Queens, New York, John recounts his past memories and discusses what it was like working on the set of Moulin Rouge, Ice Age, My Name is Earl, and several other shows and films.
Location: La Jolla Playhouse
Time: Tues – Wed: 7:30p, Thurs – Sat: 8:00p, Sun: 2:00p
Cost: $15-30

SUNDAY MARCH 7, 2010

Laughter is the best remedy! The Laugh for Recovery Comedy Show at the Belly Up Tavern is raising money for individuals and families who have been impacted by mental illness and substance abuse. Mental Health Systems presents the show with performances by Chris “Kid” Reid, Chris Clobber and Shayma Tash with Bob Murphy. Come support a great cause, and get a good laugh out of it at the same time. This is a 21+ event.
Location: The Belly Up Tavern
Time: 3-5p
Cost: $25

For more events, go to www.sandiegothisweekend.com.

Photo from Thomas Roche via Flickr

Viewers flocked to their televisions on March 2nd to catch Jay Leno’s Tonight show in anticipation of Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White and American Idol’s latest hit Adam Lambert.

These funny, authentic stars rocked the house– and somewhere in all of this, Sarah Palin fits.

Except, she wasn’t received with as much enthusiasm as it may have seemed while watching the broadcast. Michael Stinson, an audience member present at the live taping reported that cheers, laughs, and applause that were later broadcast over the tube were dubbed.

Apparently, many of her quips and pokes at (attempted) humor were met with crickets and awkward silences. This was not what was seen in the broadcast, however.

Watch her 10-minute stint on the Tonight Show and her audience appears to  be absolutely tickled by her dialogue.

The NBC spokesperson denies that there was any audio enhancement, but the mere question of the fact makes skeptical consumers question the authenticity of the show. Yes, its comedy, but there is something to say about altering sound effects to alter viewer opinions about the situation at hand. Did the media change the broadcast to sell altered reality?

It is great that Sarah Palin has learned to laugh at herself through all this, but the audience might have been laughing for all the wrong reasons.

Mia (Katie Jarvis) isn’t a congenial 15-year-old girl. And while some of her peers may be wrapped in saccharine, bubbly as a spritzer, and without a hiccup in their buoyant step, Mia is the antithesis of adolescent glee.

Teenage angst always exists, but here, in the world of director Andrea Arnold, the archetypical duality of perpetual confusion and intermittent happiness are traded in for total emotional dystopia: Mia has the demeanor of a nineteen-twenties bare knuckle boxer. Not average for a teen girl, but neither is her mercurial life.

Mia’s home is so checkered with yellowed walls and irresponsible parenting that, if someone looked in on her abysmal childhood, an outside party would cringe. Even Tyler (Rebecca Griffiths), her younger sister, curses with the acute consistency of an adolescent Joe Pesci.

The tone of “Fish Tank” is, because of its murmuring dependency on pulpy depression, often tiring and exasperating to watch. Often drowsy blues and omnipotent grays staple themselves to the walls around the film’s characters. Arnold’s examination of youthful despair, heightened by poverty and emotional abuse, is reminiscent of director Karen Moncrieff; a director whose visual work deals largely with callous relationships and decrepit social structures.

You also get the feeling that Lynne Ramsay’s “Ratcatcher,” a story about a young boy’s childhood in the rueful landscape of Glasgow, where trash sprouts from the ground like tangled flowers, was an indirect influence.

Between binge drinking cider and breaking into vacant apartments, Mia ends up meeting Connor (Michael Fassbender), her mother’s unusually charming beau. Excavating the little civility Mia’s household has, Connor begins a skewed friendship with the volatile teen.

The supercharged mouthiness of Mia begins to pop and wheeze, until it almost comes to a puttering stop, after Connor’s seemingly innocuous tutelage begins. As expected, Mia falls for him, and some rather serpentine twists transpire.

Mia’s primary interest in “Fish Tank” is a interest for urban dancing, which exists to fill up the hollow concave in her life with echoes of hope. In her times of vulnerability, destitute and malnourished, Mia plunks in old school hip-hop CDs into her boombox. Many times her face is sheathed by the hood of a sweatshirt, her movements making the fabric of her attire flimsily bob up and down, as she folds her body in elaborate contortions.

The scene, one of questionable resonance on paper, proves to be exceptional filmmaking; plumes of clouds quell a furious sun in the distance, as our young protagonist attempts to ignite something equally as bright in her own soul.

The soundtrack of “Fish Tank” rattles with a jazzy hubris, inundating the unfiltered scenes of anxiety with songs from Gangstarr and Nas. The excessive snare and zipping patterns of rhyme create, like an informal glaze or decoupage, a way of encapsulating the only immediate structure in her life.

“Fish Tank” is a wholly internal experience that, days after watching it, grows on you in intangible ways. The film is filled with cruel beauty, restrained electricity, brooding melancholy. Andrea Arnold has truly crafted one of the more resounding pictures of the year thus far. At times difficult to watch, this picture is fluid poetry.

3.5/5

“Fish Tank” is now playing at Landmark’s Ken Cinema

4061 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116-2505
(619) 283-3227

Contributor Robert Patrick is a  local movie buff particularly interested in independent films and providing insightful reviews for you to follow.

An intriguing and powerful display, filled with desperation and love, a family’s soul emotionally unravels in Lee Blessing’s Independence. Opening March 5, this is the first dramatic play of the season for PowPAC, Poway’s Community Theatre.

The story focuses on a mother and her three daughters in the small town of Independence, Iowa. It’s the lifelong home of mother, Evelyn Briggs. Her oldest daughter, Kess, is a university professor in Minneapolis, but she has come home at the request of her sister, Jo who is concerned for her mother’s mental health. Kess feels the need to distance herself from her family because of the rejection of her lifestyle by her mother. Jo, Evelyn’s live-in caregiver, an incurable romantic and longtime virgin, has now become pregnant; while Sherry, salty-tongued and amoral, wants only to finish high school so she can leave home for good. As reconciliation seems out of reach, family members realize they must seek their own independence to survive.

Director Jay Mower says audiences will find Independence very compelling. “It tackles difficult issues inherent in all families but possibly amplified in this one. Their particular challenges include a Mom who is “a little off,” an older daughter who returns home temporarily, trying to “save” the family, a middle daughter who seems to exist solely to sacrifice herself to the care of her mother, and a youngest daughter who is wild, and can’t wait to leave the town and her Mom for good.”

The cast of Independence includes Dee Kelley as Evelyn, the mother, Kaly McKenna as Kess, the oldest daughter, Krysti Litt as Jo, the middle daughter, and Maleia Gruber as Sherry, the youngest daughter.

Mower says patrons will find it memorable, “This play represents a powerful microcosm of four people trapped in a sort a prison, each desperate to escape to their own personal ‘independence.’ Audience members may see aspects of their own family dynamics. The performances are compelling and honest.”

“Directing this play has been personally enriching. I love plays that make you think, and reveal the psychosocial complexities that are inherent in all human interactions. I love directing psychological dramas and the exploration of dysfunctional relationships,” says Mower.

Poway’s Community Theatre, now in its 28th season, offers a cozy and intimate setting to truly watch first-class performers. The theatre is located upstairs in the Lively Center at 13250 Poway Road in Poway. For easier access, an elevator with additional parking is available behind the building.

Independence
Presented by PowPAC, Poway’s Community Theatre
March 5-28
Tickets: $15

Lively Center, 13250 Poway Road (In Poway)
Box Office: (858) 679-8085
Online: www.powpac.org

• PowPAC is offering special $10 tickets for the Saturday, March 6 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 7 at 2 p.m. performances only.

The quaint Mexican restaurant hidden by Lake Hodges off the Del Dios Highway has been a North County escape for years. When John Gardener III was arrested at Hernandez Hideaway for the murder of Chelsea King on Sunday, Feburary 28th, Hernandez Hideaway made international headlines.

Originally, the building which Hernandez Hideaway occupies was a stage coach stop, and even rumored as being a brothel many years ago. The building was built around the same time that the Lake Hodges dam was constructed.

When you step into the restaurant and local watering hole you can observe the original architecture which is still intact. The building has also been used for religious purposes in the past, but was finally turned into the Mexican restaurant we know and love in 1972.

Hernandez Hideaway credits itself as the arguable inventor of the Margarita. If you visit Hernandez you can enjoy one of their famous Margaritas which are known for being very strong.

If the drink fits your fancy they even sell the special Hernandez Hideaway Margarita mix you can take home with you.

The restaurant is nestled in the Lake Hodges area and serves as a meeting place for many local groups and friends. On a Saturday afternoon you wouldn’t be surprised to find Harley Davidsons lined up in the dirt parking lot across from the restaurant. Alternatively, you could expect to walk into Hernandez and see families enjoying special time together for Sunday brunch.

The menu at Hernandez is hands down, great Mexican food. As a connoisseur of everything that Mexican food has to offer, I give this restaurant a top rating for their fajitas, tamales and fish dishes.

Their menu is traditional and there is something for every Mexican diner’s pallet. When you order a combo you are served a Mexican cole slaw that is made with apple cider vinegar, fresh cabbage and a few other simple ingredients including sugar. Years ago I was able to talk a waitress into getting me the recipe for their cole slaw so I could make it at home, it’s a delicious and healthy snack that is free of Mayo.

I seek today to shed light on Hernandez Hideaway so this local piece of dinning history is not ruined by the devastating tragedy North County residents have witnessed in the death of Chelsea King.

San Diegan’s have enjoyed the surrounding areas of Lake Hodges with their families for years, this just brings more awareness that the wide open spaces are not to be enjoyed alone.

The San Diego Entertainer sends their condolences and blessings to the family of Chelsea King and everyone that has been affected by this tragedy.

Photo by erjprunczyk via Flickr

With the widely anticipated opening of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Disney and associates have just averted what could have been a huge cinematic boycott in Europe.

After Disney released news to drastically accelerate the release of the 3D Alice in Wonderland DVD European theaters were outraged and openly threatened to significantly affect Disney’s pocket book.

The standard time in which films are released on DVD runs between the four and six month period. It is because of this standard that European theaters were outraged to hear that the Alice in Wonderland DVD release was scheduled only three months after the theatrical debut. Disney was reportedly attempting to experiment with DVD release times due to drastic declines in DVD sales.

Large European owners weren’t so comfortable with Disney’s experiment as they feared the drastic change in the DVD release date would significantly discourage movie goes from shelling out their hard earned money at the movies. For a couple of weeks prior to the theatrical debut, tensions were high as two of the largest theatrical companies in Britain, most Dutch theater companies, and even America’s AMC theater company announced planned boycotts of the film.

Photo by AMMY.LOU via Flickr

Recently British cinema giant, Oden, announced plans to reverse the boycott after private negotiations with the Walt Disney Company. Although no specifics of the negotiations were announced it is clear that negotiations ensured both parties benefited in some way. Boycotts with other Dutch and American theater companies have yet to be solved as Disney representatives are scheduled to open negotiations before the release date, March 2^nd.

With tensions high and movie goers eager to get their Johnny Depp fix, movie giants will have to resolve the issue dilligently to not lose their loyal fans. Only time will tell for what reason Alice’s second trip down the rabbit hole is  memorable.

UCSD students protest

UCSD, notorious for being one of the most apathetic college campuses in California, proved yesterday that it does have the passion to take a stand for something it truly believes in.

Because of the 32% increase in tuition and additional fee hikes and budget cuts, students, workers and faculty members united yesterday at UCSD (and at campuses all over the nation) to defend public education.

As state funding decreases each year, student fees continue to increase, making it more and more difficult for students to afford the UC. Protestors are fighting for their right to an affordable education at a public university, and for the right of future students, as the tuition and fee increase will make higher education unattainable for many.

Hundreds of students joined together at Gilman parking structure at UCSD. They rallied around the block chanting “Whose University Our University!” while many held signs that expressed the need for more education funding and their disapproval of privatization.

The crowd then marched down Library Walk and stopped at the Silent Tree in front of Geisel Library to rally. A diverse group of speakers and performers, made up of teachers and students, expressed their views on the issue.

Josefina Rodriguez, a 4^th year Communication major, shared with us the performance that touched her the most. “It was a group of students; each person was a different race and they all recognized what they had to deal with in their own cultures. It was really moving.”

After the demonstration on campus, many of the protestors caravanned and bussed down to Balboa to then march over to the Governor’s office downtown.

Thousands of people, in a rainbow of colors, races and ages marched through San Diego. Students and workers from other universities, city colleges, high schools and even elementary schools walked side-by-side chanting the same cheer. They called out, “They say cut back! We say fight back!” or “The people united, will never be divided!” among several other chants.

“I’m proud to be a part of this because I’m a first generation college student. It’s important for me to participate because I have cousins and a little sister, and this is going to affect them,” Rodriguez added while walking down Broadway Street in downtown San Diego. Much of traffic was held up at the stoplights.

Once the mob reached the Governor’s office, everyone held their signs and flags up high while chanting to save our schools. Some protestors added a rhythmic beat to the ambiance by blowing horns or strumming ukuleles, while others beat an African drum. A few even passed out water bottles to keep others hydrated.

“I don’t know if this organized march in San Diego will give us the change we want right now, but it was very successful in getting people in San Diego to be aware of these issues and clue them in on these problems,” Janani Sridharan, another 4^th year UCSD student, said. “When we were walking, there were a lot of people on the sides of the street and in buildings that were cheering for us. I think we got a lot of support today.”

After several speakers inspired the crowd for a couple of hours, the peaceful group of protesters slowly began to thin out.

Yesterday, pleased with the activism on her campus and all throughout San Diego, 4^th year UCSD student Aimee Garciano said, “That was the UCSD that I’m proud to graduate from.”

John Leguizamo has done a lot in his entertainment career. He’s shot Al Pacino in Carlito’s Way, was a demonic clown in the revolutionary comic-turned-movie Spawn, and played an artist in Moulin Rouge. He’s donned high heals as a drag queen in Too Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, and voiced a dim-witted sloth in the popular Ice Age animated movies. In addition to his acting, he’s been a writer, producer and stand-up comedian. He’s been awarded, rejected, even beaten.

Yes, John Leguizamo has done a lot on the big screen. And on television. And on stage. Now, he’s telling his version of that career – the good, the bad and everything in between – in his latest one-man show, Diary of a Madman, opening tonight at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Like Freak and Sexaholic, two of his earlier one-man productions, Leguizamo gets up close and personal in this raw, uninhibited tour-de-force show. In his trademark performance style, he explodes with energy, taking everyone on a non-stop, fever-pitch adventure and heating up the stage with vivid accounts of where he’s been and the colorful characters who’ve shaped different facets of his professional life. There will be stories about his outrageous avant-garde theater scene and anecdotes from major movie sets and personal tales of his encounters opposite some of Hollywood’s biggest film stars.

Diary of a Madman is part of the La Jolla Playhouse’s Page To Stage program. So even though Leguizamo has staged it several times across the country over the past year, he is constantly modifying the show with each performance. Just days before Leguizamo steps onto the San Diego stage, he took some time to talk to the San Diego Entertainer for a personal and uncensored preview of the show’s current incarnation.

In your own words, what is Diary of a Madman about?

John Leguizamo

Freak was about my teenage years and coming of age. Sexaholic was about all my sexual failures, up to meeting the love of my life. This one is about my career – what made me an artist, my good choices, my bad choices and the office politics of Hollywood that no one really talks about. When you are in Hollywood, office politics are on steroids. They are bigger and crazier with artists’ egos and the amount of money that’s involved.

What is the show’s format? Is it a one-man play or stand-up comedy?

My stuff has always been a crazy hybrid. It’s been a hybrid of a play, one-man show, at times there are characters talking to each other in little vignettes. At the same time, there is a lot of humor.

Any musical numbers?

It’s got a little dancing, and some singing off key.

You don’t sing that bad, do you?

No, not that bad. I have a great voice, but I just can’t carry a melody.

What kind of plot line can we expect from Diary of a Madman?

There is a linear story. It’s about what made me want to be an artist. What made me want to act and kept me acting after all the rejections.

You know, it’s difficult to become an actor. I try to present that whole struggle of an artist, a portrait of an artist. What does it take to make it? Why do you want to even bother acting?

What made you interested in telling this story, this part of your life?

I was always fascinated by the career stories, the movie set stories. I was always fascinated by the fact this shit happens. It’s actually a crazy soap opera behind every movie and I wanted to show that aspect of it.

There are so many people doing one-man stories of their lives now, but I don’t feel like they are telling the whole truth. I am trying to be as honest as I can. That’s why I have to keep working on it, because some of it gets me in trouble.

Like I wrote something about Patrick Swayze (Leguizamo first performed Diary of a Madman prior to Swayze’s death last year), and he wrote something back in his autobiography.

About what you said?

Yeah, yeah. What he wrote about was great. His point of view was even better than mine. But he answered me back. He had such a great twist on it, and gave it a happy ending. I thought, ‘Oh wow. I like the way he thinks.’

John Leguizamo and Patrick Swayze in Too Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar

I interviewed Patrick many years ago, and he mentioned he enjoyed working with everyone in To Wong Foo.

He did. I got to say he is a lovely dude, but he wasn’t the easiest person to work with. I’m just being honest. He was trippy. I wasn’t easy to work with either, so that was part of it.

Your show is titled Diary of a Madman. Are you a mad man?

I’m a mad man when I am trying to be creative. When I am being creative, I am totally a mad man.

A diva on the set?

It’s not about my comfort. It’s not about my excesses or my eccentricities. It’s not that bullshit. I want to be channeling. I want to be experiencing something amazing. I want to be playing fucking games. I just want to explore shit. And I really expect it out of people, too. I’m there to explore and to explode, and not everyone is on that tip. But I’m not going to back down either.

Are there some things that are going to shock people in the show?

There is some raw nasty stuff, perhaps sometime to my own detriment. Hopefully there is a beauty to what I am doing – an artistry – so it’s not just confessions and self-exploitations.

What is the audience going to get out of this? Besides being a snapshot into your life, what is your goal?

A lot of people say, ‘I’m not an actor or anything, but I was really inspired by your show.’ That’s what a lot of people are saying across the country to me.

I think ultimately, I am trying to inspire people. The joy in life is not the result but the process of trying to get there and trying to keep doing it. That’s where life’s true joy is. It’s not the stupid limousines and first-rate accommodations. That’s not what makes you happy.

And how are your accommodations in San Diego right now?

Oh, they are really nice. La Jolla Playhouse is treating me well. This is pretty fancy.

John Leguizamo in Carlito's Way, just as he shoots Al Pacino's character.

Is there a story you can entice our readers with, as a little hint of your performance?

You know, I did Carlito’s Way with Al Pacino. I’m the only man in cinema history to shoot Al Pacino dean in a movie, which is my sad claim to fame.

At the time I was a crazy ad-libber. I was always making up my own dialog. Pacino kind of taught to just sit with it, just be comfortable with it, just ride with it. I enjoy telling that story. It’s a little bit more animated and aggressive in the play, but that’s the gist of it.

A little bit of advice from Al Pacino.

Yeah. Do less.

Talking about your ad-libbing, how much of your show is ad-libbed and how much of it is scripted?

It’s a process. At the beginning of the process, it’s much more ad-libbed. I definitely write it first. But when I get on my feet, it starts to be ad-libbed and improvised. At this point, it’s still mad improvised. I am changing things every day, cutting out scenes and adding scenes until I find it. Then when I find it, the improvisation slows down a little bit.

What’s it like working with director Fisher Stevens?

This is the first time me and him have worked together in this capacity. We did Super Mario Brothers together, and we did A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is our first collaboration together. He’s pretty amazing.

I knew he was the right person for this piece because he knows me; he’s a producer, director, actor and he just understands the business; and because he’s an incredibly funny dude, too. I knew he would get the tone I was trying to do. Plus, he would keep me honest, too.

John Leguizamo: Diary of a Madman
Part of the La Jolla Playhouses Page to Stage series
March 4-14
Tickets: $30

Mandell Weiss Forum, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive
(Located on the UCSD Campus via the Revelle Entrance)
Box Office: (858) 550-1010
Online: www.lajollaplayhouse.org

Image by Diegosaurius rex via Flickr

The 8.8 magnitude quake that hit Chile last week damaging homes and leveling buildings in its wake left a death toll surpassing 700. The quake is reported to be the seventh strongest in recorded history; the strongest recorded case also took place in Chile in 1960 with a magnitude of 9.5.  The impact of this deadly quake has not only been felt in Chile, but worldwide.

JPL reported the earthquake to have shifted earth’s axis 3 inches, in effect shortening the length of days on our planet by 1.26 milliseconds.

On a more local level, a quake of such a large magnitude triggered tsunami warnings across many coasts in Southern California, including the shores of San Diego. San Diegans saw an unusually rapid low tide following the Chilean earthquake, with warnings of waves up to 11ft. Similar warnings were also issued to many other Pacific nations due to potentially dangerous tidal waves radiating across the ocean.

The San Diego relief effort following the earthquake in Chile has not seen the explosion of donations and volunteers as that followed the Haiti earthquake. Text donations are struggling in comparison to the Haiti response. The earthquake that hit Haiti had a magnitude of 7.0, but the damage done was far worse.

The Chilean government has responded with speed and resilience in light of the situation, but it was also better prepared due to its earthquake-ridden past. However, the amount of damage done has come out to tens of billions of dollars, and will probably rise as more information is made available. From these recent events, the key solution to preventing such disasters from occurring is preparedness.

In light of the recent quakes in Haiti and Chile, is San Diego prepared in the event of a big one? Realistically speaking, many small quakes take place in California every single day, and residents in San Diego are well-tuned to the possible risks and damages caused by living near the San Andreas fault line, which ends in the Imperial Valley.

Southern California prides itself in being well-prepared for the next big one, but despite earthquake insurance and earthquake-proof building codes, research has shown that California is only a little bit better prepared for such disasters. Man-made structures would see much less destruction than seen in Chile and Haiti due to stricter building codes, but that doesn’t mean American cities are immune- just take a look at what happened in the event of Hurricane Katrina. After all, no one is safe in the eyes of Mother Nature.

The smallest actions on an individual level have the potential to protect yourself and your family in the event of a disaster. Keeping a battery-powered flashlight, as well as sufficient water and food supply to last a couple of days could prevent the possibility of your need for immediate disaster relief. With the power that comes with having a long-time warning, take the individual responsibility to plan and protect yourself from these preventable situations.

Photo from lady lbrty via Flickr.

Reality shows have become a guilty pleasure of many, regardless of gender and age. And even if some of the shows are rumored to be scripted, like MTV’s The Hills, many of us still can’t keep away from our television screens as we wishfully live vicariously through our favorite characters.

ABC’s The Bachelor and Fox’s American Idol have been stirring up much commotion from fans, all chatting about why on earth Jake ended up choosing Cruella de Vil and which choir/YouTube star will become the next Carrie Underwood.

Dorky pilot from Texas, Jake Pavelka, may have lost in season 5 of The Bachelorette, but his baby blue eyes and washboard abs won him 25 beautiful contestants all competing to win his heart and rose in ABC’s 14th The Bachelor.

The show was full of drama and gossip: Rozlyn got booted off the show because of her alleged affair with one of the producer although she denies having any sexual relationships with him and claims that her actions were anything but inappropriate. And she is very upset with the show’s executives for giving her such a bad rap, especially because she has a 7-year old son. As shown in the season finale on Monday 3/01, Jake went against his good-boy nature and gave his final rose to the show’s villain Vienna instead of  Disney princess Tenley. It was shocking to see the bad girl win, since many of us were rooting for Tenley to finally get her happy ending since her first marriage wasn’t so hot.

With Vienna’s fiery personality and blunt attitude, we can expect to hear more gossip and see lots more pictures of the couple in papers and tabloids to come. And don’t feel too bad for Ali having to leave the show for work just yet; she was announced to be the next season’s Bachelorette, to be aired May 24.

Photo from wikimedia

And how about this season’s American Idol? The girls’ performances were pushed back one night due to Crystal Bowersox’s illness, so the boys took the stage instead on Tuesday night 3/02 and rocked the mic as they covered some of Hollywood’s popular hits. Big boy Mike Lynche impressed the judges with the vocal skills he learned from performing arts high school as he sang “This is a Man’s World” by James Brown, but Simon said that John Park’s singing group Purple Haze may get their lead singer back if his performances keep disappointing like his rendition of John Mayer’s “Gravity” did.

It’s been more than obvious that judge Kara DioGuardi has a major crush on the shaggy-haired Casey James, but she surprisingly claimed to be unimpressed by his performance of Gavin Degraw’s “I Don’t Wanna Be,” a popular song also covered by former Idol contestants Elliott Yamin and Bo Bice.

The judges were also unimpressed by a popular favorite Andrew Garcia, and they raised the issue that his song choices over the past 2 weeks have been all wrong, first being “Sugar, We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy followed by James Morrison’s “You Give Me Something.” They all love his style and voice, so maybe he just set his own bar too high with his cover of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” that left the judges clapping and cheering for weeks. But with his hearty vocal cords and adorable baby boy, it seems like his fans are going to keep voting to keep him in the contest.

The girls performed last night, after Crystal Bowersox was cleared from her health scare. It is a good thing too, because Bowersox along with a few strong female contenders are considered favorites to win the whole shebang. It appears that this year may finish with a female winner because the scope of talent is far greater than on they boys’ side. We’ll just have to tune into the results show to find out. The results show is tonight and the field will be narrowed from 20 to 16.

With a nod to George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and the fairy tale Cinderella, the play is set under the dazzling lights of a French winter garden and centers on twin brothers. When one brother thinks his twin is entering a loveless marriage, he plans an evening of charades to save his sibling. What follows is a night of mistaken identities and misguided love affairs with unexpectedly happy results. Filled with charm and sparkling wit, Ring Round The Moon is a lavish romp where fairy-tale dreams come true.

Written by one of the 20th’s century most gifted authors, Jean Anouilh, the play was adapted for the English stage by playwright Christopher Fry. Jason Heil directs the production that features: Howard Bickle, Mary Bogh, Danny Campbell, Jim Chovick, Jill Drexler, Frances Gercke, Annie Hinton, Hannah M. James, Jessica John, Ralph Johnson, Ryan Hunter Lee, Veronica Murphy, and Francis Anita Rivera. Also featured in the cast are Don Evans and Hannah James.

Fry adapted Anouilh’s original French play L’invitation au chateau. The original premiered in Paris in 1947, with the English version debuting in 1949. Ring Round The Moon has been enjoying recent revivals in New York, London and Australia.

Ring Round The Moon
Presented by Moonlight Stage Productions
March 4-21
Tickets: $ 21-$29

AVO Playhouse, 303 Main Street (In Vista)
Box Office: (760) 724-2110
Online: www.moonlightstage.com