Tak Sakaguchi

Most of you are probably scratching your heads asking "who?" Well by the end of this blog at least you will know of him. If you are a Japanese film fan you might have seen him without even knowing who he is. With major roles in films such as Versus and Death Trance - he's a pretty popular household name. Or at least..in my house. :-)

He kind of reminds me of a Clint Eastwood. A cool demeanor, soft spoken but will kick your ass in a heartbeat. I've only known of him since December or so but already I've seen several of his films. - Might I add he not only does most/if not all of his stunt work he also has become a director. Look for Mutant Girl Squad on DVD in August. Tak has also directed three other films including Sakigake!! Otokojuku (Be A Man! Samurai School)

I now own three of his films and they were not easy to get a hold of. I own Death Trance, the 3 disc edition of Versus and Sakigake!! Otokujuku. You can find a list of his films here ...

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1056120/

Did I mention he has his own stunt team? Well he does...they are called the Zero's. Let me tell you they are anything but. I've heard hear and there that they are probably one of the most craziest stunt teams in Japan. I'd say they are brilliant.

So if you have time check out his films. You can find clips on YouTube as well including this one which is a fantastic performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twOf5swBJbg

Move over Johnny Depp (and I'm a huge Depp fan) you have some major competition.

Stargate Universe

Ah yes, Stargate. The movie that introduced sci-fi, Egyptian culture and Alexis Cruz (Skarra - the boy who befriended O'Neil). I was nine years old when the movie came out and I've been a fan ever since. I have several copies of the original movie including DVD and VHS and several collectibles from the film including knob hangers and the original book.
There are a few different shows that sparked from the movie. The first being Stargate SG-1. Talk about an addictive show. From the silly Jack O'Neill, lovable Dr. Daniel Jackson, caring Captain Carter and of course the serious but none the less entertaining Teal'c - what's not to love? For ten years...ten years I watched the show as if it were my new found religion. And then in 2007 the final episode ended.
The second show came in 2002 and unless you are a die hard Stargate fan you probably didn't even know this show existed. It was a cartoon called Stargate Infinity. I didn't even get to see it and I'm not actually sure how many episodes was aired. It didn't make it long at all.
The third show to come from the world of Stargate was Stargate Atlantis which sadly, I lost interest in during the second episode. It just wasn't cutting it for me. It didn't "feel" Stargate to me and though some of the characters were likable - others fell short. Haven't followed the show so I'm not sure if it is still on. I think, however that the last episode was in 2009.
The fourth show caught me from the Syfy commercials. I thought 'wow....if the commercials are this intense...the show might be worth a shot.' So the first episode aired and I was.....HOOKED! Now there are some people who argue that Stargate Universe isn't very Stargate like at all. I have to disagree. SGU, to me, has captured the feeling of the Stargate movie. It's intense, the characters are all very interesting, and to my surprise.....feels a bit like SG-1. (However it couldn't be more different!!!)
Stargate Universe is different from any of the previous Stargate shows. It's serious, it's raw and it's pushing the boundaries that the previous shows hadn't explored. With a fantastic cast including David Blue (whose character adds comic relief to the situations), Robert Carlyle (whose character is totally opposite of Daniel Jackson), Lou Diamond Phillips (who is a reg guest appearance) and many many mannnny more - the cast delivers a rewarding performance.
With the first season at an end, fans have to wait almost four months to see the outcome of the season finale. -Which nearly gave me an anxiety attack because every single character is in a bad situation.- I highly suggest this show not only because I think original Stargate movie fans would enjoy Stargate Universe, but the special effects are flawless, the storyline is tasteful and the acting is far far far much better than Atlantis. (Not that Atlantis acting was bad...just wasn't believable)

Expedition Great White

Flipping through the channels last night I had a slight feeling creeping in the back of my mind that I was missing something. Did I forget to do something at work? No...that wasn't it. Did I turn of my headlights? Yeah...I remember doing that. OH CRAP! I typed in the numbers to the National Geographic channel just in time to catch Expedition Great White. Yep, that's all I did all night was watch the show. *And no...Paul Walker had nothing to do with me watching the show...**innocent cough*** I had caught a glimpse of the preview for the show earlier on in the week and thought it would be pretty cool to watch since I'm a big animal lover. Yeah that even goes for the big fishies.
Basically the show is about some scientists who want to track great whites by placing an electronic "tag" on the dorsal fin. The tag is suppose to stick with the shark for nearly six years and every time the shark's fin breaks the surface, a satellite will track the shark's position on the globe. Pretty cool. The show also follows how the scientists are trying to discover where great whites mate as well as how they migrate and where to.
What really gets me is HOW they study and capture the sharks. They lure a shark with some enticing big bate and once the shark is on the line, they round the shark up and lead it back to the main ship - which has a really cool lift that lowers in to the water which then raises back up out of the water once the shark is on the lift -

Once the shark is out of the water everyone has 20 minutes to get whatever they need out of the shark whether that be blood, measurements, etc. It's clear that the scientists know what they are doing and the great whites are in their best interests for they carefully monitor the shark's reactions.

I have to admit, I like sharks but great whites have always intimidated me. *JAWS had nothing to do with it...ehhh emm.* Usually I like to face my fears which is why I've always wanted to go cage diving with great whites. Expedition Great White not only brings the shark up close and personal but provides great facts about the creature. I think in general this show will help broaden people's views of this shark and that they shouldn't be feared...but respected. Check the show out on National Geographic Channel -Sunday at 10pm!

Here is a link for you to check out!
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/expedition-great-white/all/Overview

Tornado Watch

I've always loved storms, especially growing up living on a farm. Seems like my family and I were always hiding in the basement because of tornado warnings. My parents got so angry with me because I would try to run and look out the windows to see if I could see "it." (laugh) Even still I run to the windows and take pictures of storms. They are fascinating and powerful. Storms should be respected and feared.

There is currently a tornado watch for our area until the early morning hours. It's been pretty steamy today with an overcast and an occasional thunderstorm. I'm sure I won't get much sleep tonight.

Oil Spill -Killer in the Gulf

I've been to the Gulf of Mexico several times and I have to say, it's a peaceful stretch of water. I've fished it many times with my father and it's always been a place I've considered a sanctuary. It (and I speak past tense because who knows how long it will be unswimable/unfishable etc) has always provided me with fond vacation memories that I hoped to one day pass on to my children. Dolphins would swim right up to me when I fished in waters up to my waist as did sharks. I even stepped on a sea urchin. Yeah a black tip was tuck in my toe for a while! Though I never once spotted a sea turtle, it was known that sea turtles eloped in the warm waters. Now, now all that has been threatened by the greed of man. The marshes, beaches and fishing waters have all been permanently damaged. Will the Gulf ever get back to the way it was. I highly doubt it. Take a look at the pictures on www.animalsvoice.com and take a look of the devastating pictures yourself. I hope, after this horrible incident that the world will push for a more sufficient and more environment friendly origin of energy.

Much love,
Red