Well, this is what happens when our generation enters the workforce: there is a campaign by UC Davis physics student Austin Sendek to make “hella” an officially recognized prefix by the International System of Units (SI). I remember taking a trip to visit family in Vallejo, CA sometime around 1994(?) and returned to Oahu with two important things from my older cousins: Mac Mall’s Illegal Business album, on cassette tape of course, (classic!, but I can’t believe I was listening to such explicit shit at that age) and the word “hella” to express large quantities. 15+ years later, not only is that word still going strong, but it could be legitimized through science.

Official SI prefixes:

10 = deca
100 = hecto
1,000 = kilo
1,000,000 = mega
1,000,000,000 = giga
1,000,000,000,000 = tera
1,000,000,000,000,000 = peta
1,000,000,000,000,000,000 = exa
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = zetta
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = yotta
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = hella?

Join the movement on fB:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Official-Petition-to-Establish-Hella-as-the-SI-Prefix-for-1027/

ha, and yes I categorized this under Tech

#MusicMondays, er Wednesday. I dont know whats up with the ROC camp as of late, but they have had a string of really dark themed “music” videos. Kanye West just came out with the video for Coldest Winter from his 808’s album. Oh I know everyone loves to trash that album (especially when Jay-Z came out with his Death of Autotune song, it was cool to jump on the 808-hating bandwagon), but I personally really liked it… really liked it. I did find it strange Hova’s first single DOA knocked Kanye’s entire album concept. Imagine how that conversation panned out between the two of them: “Yo Kanye, I have this great idea for a song!”. Anyway, so new video for Kanye, dark, just like his previous video with the same director. Where the ROC videos have been tip toeing around dark themes for awhile, this video fell off a cliff OOPS, I didn’t mean to give away the ending.

When Blue Print 3 came out, everyone was singing “New Yoooork” and loving “that one song with Drake”, but I had “On To The Next One” on repeat. I mean no producer can fuse hard lyrics with a catchy, almost club beat, like Swizz can. Especially with such consistency over the years? DMX, Cassidy and my old favorite “Split These Bars” by Drag-On! So when the video came out I was like WTF did they do to my favorite song?! Visually the video is stunning, I love the black and white concept, but the themes and images that flash are unnecessary. If you search the internet people break down the single frame images that flash, specific times and all. There is already a ton of talk online about Jay’s supposed new found belief system (start to type in Jay-Z and Bing will autopopulate the rest). I’ll take it all at face value though. In doing so, I question why these videos are so dark? I can see one video concept like Micheal Jackson doing Thriller, but what does the villain of Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol have to do with this song? (read the book, it’s good)… I hope they don’t ruin the video for Forever Young, should it ever be produced.

Kanye West “Coldest Winter” directed by NABIL

Kanye West “Paranoid” directed by NABIL

Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz “On To The Next One”

Oh life. When you are young, especially among guys, you dream to take over the world. In college, you are thinkin’ it’s gonna be on once I graduate! Especially when you start making good money in your career, life is good: Vegas, switching from beer to top shelf, new car, nicer apartment, you can actually afford your own room in Vegas without sharing, a trip to Europe, NYC, MIA, HI, Japan, more trips to Vegas … then you realize how expensive life really is and all that shit your parents warned you about is somehow depressingly true. Several years into your career you ask yourself “wasnt I supposed to be driving a fucking Ferrari by now”? You realize this shit is tough and expectations of yourself change. Those videos of Jay-Z & Dame on a yacht in the Mediterranean pouring champagne on, ya, were misleading. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate everything life has blessed me with. Especially given this Great Recession, we all are more appreciative of friendships and the little things that get us through the day. But, every now and then, inspiration catches you off guard. To each their own, but growing up in Southern California, I always had a love for cars. So I open my gmail this morning and I see an email from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars titled “the new Rolls Royce Ghost has arrived” ….
and all of a sudden the day changes. Happy Monday everyone, cheers.

(courtesy of www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com)

I’ve been a long time Linkin Park fan. Many a drive up PCH, or from one end of LA to the next, with their music for some quality auditory therapy. About 5 hours ago (fascinating thing, this internet), Mike Shinoda uploaded some of his mixtapes online. Nice interface right? Enjoy.

For the track list visit http://mikeshinoda.com/2010/02/17/shinoda-mixtapes/

While all of Los Angeles seemed to converge on Downtown LA for the LA Street Food Fest this past Saturday Feb 13, the Maverick’s Big Wave Surf Competition was held at Half Moon Bay in Monterey, CA. I’ve been to the bay before, and I can’t imagine 50ft waves barreling through. FastForward to 19:16 for a few highlights of the competition:

Its also dangerous just to watch the competition; a surge of waves hit the breakwall and a bunch of people got thrown into the water!

This food truck phenomenon is getting huge and now there are a lot more players than just Kogi. Komodo was good, I didn’t even try to wait in the Grilled Cheese Truck line, and the Buttermilk truck was surprisingly good. My personal favorite was the Japanese style hot dogs from Dogzilla: gourmet sausages, furikake, bacon, guacamole, onions, and Japanese mayo on Hawaiian sweet rolls. I mean c’mon you had me at bacon & furikake! Unfortunately, they don’t have a truck yet and just pop up at events & festivals. When they do come out of hiding, do NOT miss out and make it a point to try their food!

Follow them on Twitter and be a Fan on Facebook, so you can catch them whenever they do pop up next
http://twitter.com/dogzillahotdogs
DogZilla’s FaceBook Fanpage

www.lexus-lfa.com/
www.lexus.com/LFA/
Been busy completing the Social website for an official clothing launch, but I got side tracked with the Lexus LF-A again. Great video, great pictures and the configurator is the best one Ive ever seen. A lot of crazy colors to choose from, but you know there are tons of uber-rich with horrible taste.

No this isnt a new song, but I definitely think it has staying power – it’s going to be well into March or April before this song fades. While Young Money’s “Every Girl” is a single man’s anthem, this is a better all around song. There are lyrics for your headphones, bass for your car, a catchy chorus for the clubs (you know you be singing it to your girl on the dancefloor, lol), but I think it’s Lloyd’s falsetto that makes this song (in the vein of a young Michael Jackson). Gudda looks like Twista’s little brother. Nicki’s “Barbie” diamond chain is cute. Drake is obviously the highlight verse “I race for your love, shake’n'bake, Ricky Bobby” (lol). Tyga brings that Cali swagger to the group (He is also the cousin of Travis McCoy, lead vocalist of the group Gym Class Heroes). Signing to Young Money was a good move for the LA-native; it’s a better direction for his talent than “Coconut Juice”… but who the hell who told him the orange pants were a good look??

I had a chance to visit the Magic Castle again this past Monday for drinks, dinner, magic, a performance with Ed Alonzo (we even had a drink with him after the show). For those who aren’t familiar with the Magic Castle here a quick description from their own website:

“The Magic Castle is the world’s most famous club for magicians and magic enthusiasts and home to The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc.

The Magic Castle is the showplace for some of the greatest magicians from around the globe. We also take great pride in showcasing the magnificent building that houses the Magic Castle. Built in 1908, this storied mansion has watched Hollywood grow and change for almost 100 years while never losing its original charm.” (courtesy of http://www.magiccastle.com/)
… and for HIMYM fans, NPH is a board member (we didn’t see him though)

Entrance is by invitation only from a member and luckily we have a friend who frequents. You can spend hours in the mansion exploring rooms finding magicians performing their specialty of magic. There are a few bars throughout the mansion making this a Disneyland Haunted Mansion for Adults. The performers are top notch, and can trick you even though you aren’t blinking or even holding the prop yourself!

Ed Alonzo (Max from Saved by the Bell) is headlining for the next couple of weeks at the Castle. He just finished traveling the world with Britney Spears creating illusions for her 2009 “The Circus Starring: Britney Spears” tour and usually spends his December in LA performing. It’s a great show that has as much comedy as magic.

I know I said it’s invitation only, but if you stay at the Magic Castle Hotel (http://www.magiccastlehotel.com/), you can have access to the Magic Castle. It’s a fun night with friends and a date, so check out the website for info, book a room, have dinner, drinks and watch the shows. It’s definitely different but it’s an old Los Angeles tradition that’s worth experiencing.
Check Yelp, no one has a bad thing to say about the Castle or Hotel. Enjoy.

The Lexus LF-A, Toyota’s $400k supercar, is beautiful… period. I’ve seen a bunch of pictures on the internet and none if them did this thing justice. It is very impressive when you finally see it in person. Hopefully video captures it better. It is arguably the star of the LA show; though you can hear people complain its $400k sticker is way overpriced. It may be expensive, but at a limited production run of 500 units in two years, it will be rare and its value may hold. Don’t believe? Twin Turbo Supra’s from the 90’s go for $100k+