Quick Shots

On The Road Again
Next week, I'll be going to Queensland and then WETA down in Wellington NZ as I accompany a host of Japanese producers doing a feasibility tour of shooting one of their bigger pictures, down-under. The raationale goes the lead actor is only available during December and January, but the script calls for scenes in the wilderness and an underwater fight scene, so naaturally they're trying to get their heads around shooting in the opposite season.

Anyway, with some luck I'll convince them it's feasible and then get a job working on the production. We'll see how it goes. :)

The Writings Of Cho Seung-Hui
One of the tragedies in this world is that overnight, 183 people might die in Baghdad and nobody raises an eyebrow, not even an eyelash; but should a crazed Korean go on a shooting-spree rampage through an American educational insitution killing 32, it's world-wide front-page news. *Ugh*

In the ensuing media-circus (which is fit for a poke here on these pages) it has been rvealed that Cho was a creative writng student (*Ugh* x2) and that he has produced 2 little plays. Becaue the world is all digital and fucked up, we can now get some insight into the wretched soul that was Cho Seung-Hui here.

I will report that yes, I have read one of them, but not the other. There's only so much crap one can handle.

Brian Lara Calls It A Day
In other news, Brian Lara has decided to retire at the end of the current Cricket World Cup.

Over a 17-year international career, Lara achieved every individual accolade a batsman could. At the end of his career, he is the greatest Test match run scorer of all time (11,953) and boasts the highest-ever Test and first-class scores.

At St John's in 1994 against England, he broke Sir Garfield Sobers' mythical total of 365, and then bettered it again when Matthew Hayden dared to set a new mark, when he made 400 at same venue against England 10 years later. His first-class total of 501 for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994 is still unsurpassed.

He scored the most runs in a Test over (28), most runs for the West Indies, the second most double centuries (eight), the second most Test centuries (34), the most runs in a losing team (351 v Sri Lanka in 2001) and took second most Test catches (168).

In his 131-Test career, he faced the three greatest Test wicket takers of all time, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan, while he played alongside the fourth in Courtney Walsh. In an era of golden cricketers, Lara not only competed, but dominated many of them.

Alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, he stood on that second level behind the incomparable Sir Donald Bradman.

It's always sad when a great has to call it a day.