So Damn Busy

School and work are combining forces to eat away at the small, and continually shrinking,entity that is my free time. As of late I haven't written anything because there has been nothing cool to write about to be honest. Besides working nights and getting a crap ton of work done for school before working those nights I haven't had much free time. But, there has been some time to watch some cool shows, finish a book, and see a great comedy show, guess I'll write about it.

I recently found that Anthony Bourdain's television show, No Reservations, has multiple seasons available for streaming through Netflix. I highly recommend checking out this series if you have Netflix and enjoy travel shows without the fluff and tourist stuff. Bourdain is a very likable host who has 28 years of cooking experience under his belt, multiple published books, and now his own show. The premise is simple and that is what makes the show so fascinating. Bourdain goes somewhere, he immerses himself in the local culture, and learns to eat and have fun like the locals do. That is the big message of the show, traveling somewhere and doing what locals do not tourist type activities. For instance, when Bourdain goes to Vegas he doesn't hang out on the strip he goes into Old Vegas or checks out up and coming restaurants. It's a great show and I highly recommend watching it for a different look at traveling.

As I mentioned I managed to find time to finish Motherless Brooklyn. The story was great, filled to the brim with twists and turns that were unexpected and deeply thought out. However, the most interesting and grasping part of the book was the main character Lionel. Watching Lionel and his outbursts due to Tourette's Syndrome makes the story completely unique. The character is so well developed and the tension is built very well due to his disorder. Parts of the book that would be boring and predictable are made tense and scatterbrained simply because Lionel is the main character. At one point he is sitting quietly in a Zen meditation session and certain elements of the story are coming together.

In a normal story it would be tense but not as tense as it is for Lionel who must suppress his urge to scream out the flow of words that stampede his mind during this peaceful meditation. It isn't just that the reader knows Lionel wants to burst out, instead you read each individual thought he wants to scream. It's truly an excellent and unique read.

To keep this post from going on too long I'll just post a video of Jimmy Fallon, who was at Hofstra on September 25th. He was great, big props to him for getting Hofstra's president to say "Balls in your mouth", and was incredibly down to earth as well.

Mad Men Season 1 Early Thoughts

I had heard a lot about how amazing the award winning show Mad Men was since it first debuted in June of 2007. The hype around the show and the astounding number of positive reviews made me want to start watching it but something always seemed to get in the way. The other day, to my surprise, Mad Men Season 1 disc 1 was in my mailbox from Netflix. Today I popped it into the DVD player and checked out the first two episodes, and I was utterly impressed.

The setting is 1960 in an advertising firm on Madison Avenue in New York City. The show's first episode starts by letting the viewers know that these advertisers were given the name "Mad Men" in the 50's and it was they who coined the term. Right off the bat you get a feel for the time period, dialog, motivations, ideals, and everything that matters to the characters.

There's Peggy, the new girl, who seems to be a lot more playful then she lets on. Peter Campbell, a privileged upstart who is poised to take the top spot in the ad firm. And Don Draper, the hot shot who claims that top spot and does so with all the style in the world.

Characters smoke often and give off a vibe as if they know viewers know it's bad yet they know their time period is just beginning to realize that. Some lines do feel forced as if edited to fit the idea of the time frame instead of written to feel comfortable. But overall it is a killer show with an absolutely commanding presence. Everything from the dialog, to the acting, to the costumes is top notch.

I've only seen the first two episodes and Mad Men has already won me over with its charm and style. I'm sure I'll be catching up in the upcoming months and hopefully it'll stay as incredible as the first episodes have been.

Here's a trailer for season 1 to give you a quick idea of the show



Line of the century: (Said by Don Draper to Pete Campbell in regards to his horny demeanor and young and reckless mindset.)
"I bet the world looks like one big brazer strap just waiting to be snapped to you..."

First and Last Post about Jack Johnson...ever

So we had to do a paper about something we didn't like and how it can be enjoyed even if we don't like it. The following is a paper on Jack Johnson, I don't even like that I did a paper about him. Regardless, here it is.

When Jack Johnson’s music comes on the radio, at a party, or on someone’s playlist it is usually a good time to leave the room. The no effort music coupled with the boring and pointless lyrics that make up 90% of music now a days along with a beach vibe that is supposed to be a memento to hanging on the beach is just unimpressive. Perhaps it is the fact that Johnson’s music is synonymous with the “bro” mentality of hanging out, pretending to talk like a surfer, and being self absorbed. Perhaps it’s the fact that the lyrics to the majority of his songs are lazily written and poorly received when you actually think about whatever it is he is singing about. Or perhaps it is the fact that he’s just a shameless knock off of much more impressive talent like Radiohead, Bob Dylan, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Beatles. Whatever the reason Johnson’s music is hard for me to appreciate and I don’t think it’ll ever reach any sort of pinnacle in my musical tastes, but understanding why people enjoy it is certainly possible.


Jack Johnson’s music is carefree and easy to listen to without a doubt. His songs and melodies are simple and approachable and his lyrics remain easy to remember. The music gives of a natural vibe, one that doesn’t need the extra additives of ambient sound, manipulated noises, bizarre twists, or even basic electric features typically found in today’s music. His songs are, mostly, acoustic and give off a purely natural sound that couple with his very smooth voice to provide a sound that is very easy to fall into and relax with. Johnson’s inspirations definitely bleed through when it comes to his music as certain notions of Dylan and The Beatles are brought to a forefront when he plays. That’s certainly a key to Johnson’s music, it plays off the popularity of music that people liked before and simply reinvents it for a different age group. It’s as if someone took Bob Dylan’s politically fueled and insanely creative lyrics and smashed them into basic language that could simply relay the message “chill man we’re on the beach”.


Listeners and fans of Johnson also have that instant bond that comes with listening to music that is considered massively popular but not overplayed. Johnson isn’t on the popular radio stations as much as GaGa and Miley so his music has a certain sacredness to it without going to far into the world of music that isn’t played on the radio at all. Johnson’s music appeals to those who don’t want difficult music or music that makes you think when you listen to it. It’s music that makes your mind go blank and your body go lax. Johnson’s music is music meant for a generation that wants to not worry about the future, there is nothing to get and nothing deep to understand. You don’t have to tilt your head sideways, place your hand beneath your chin, or use your ability of perception to figure anything out. The music is simply there, like a stack of banana pancakes, waiting to be enjoyed. It’s simple, it’s catchy, and it’s popular.

I absolutely refuse to put a picture of him on my blog,


I hate myself for this

Kinect

For those of you who like to game with the family and have a blast with drunken friends Microsoft's motion controlled device, the Kinect, is being released 11/4/10. The interesting part of this motion controlled gaming device is that it doesn't require any controllers at all. The device registers your body size and shape and you use movements as a way to navigate menus and play games. Games like Dance Central, Kinectimals, and the included Kinect Adventures! look like great family friendly games.


The Kinect is shipping for the Xbox 360 with a price of $149.99 which includes the sensor along with a game, Kinect Adventures!, and the Kinect is promised to work with every Xbox 360 as well. It looks like this will be the type of thing Microsoft hopes to capitalize on with the incoming holiday season. You can find tons of Kinect information all over the web, overall it looks really innovative and fun albeit a bit pricey.

Kindle Quickshot

I won't bother wasting your time or trying to write a lengthy review of a device that can be summed up so quickly. Honestly, if you're looking into e-readers and want to know what professionals think about the Kindle 3 go checkout reviews of it on the web.But if you just want to know the basics about the device without 3 pages of text hear they are.

1. The newest Kindle is incredibly light and easy to hold while reading.

2. It's access to Amazon is fast and easy to use and books are cheap to buy and quick to download.

3. The screen is beautiful and refreshes very quickly. (Yes it blinks like all e-readers, that's the e-ink technology)

4. The Kindle's access to blogs, magazines, and papers is extraordinary.

5. It costs $140 for the wi-fi only model and $180 for the wi-fi/3G model.

Basically it is cheap, slim, sexy, and easy to understand and use. If you like to read and want a device that will, in the long run, make reading cheaper and more compact go for a Kindle 3. If you already own a Kindle 2nd Generation I don't see any reason to upgrade but this was my first e-reader and I couldn't be more impressed with what I was able to get for the low price I paid. If reading is your thing in any measurable way I can honestly say a Kindle is well worth your time and money.

The Power of Language

I had a weird experience today while playing a game, Assassin's Creed 2, in Italian. The game, set in Italy, portrays the life of an angst fueled daredevil named Ezio. Assassin's Creed 2 is based in Renaissance Italy and tells a grand story of betrayal, revenge, and bloodshed...but that is neither here nor there. What was so astounding to me was how different the game is when it is played in Italian. I can only compare it to watching the movie Pan's Labyrinth in non-native English and then watching it in it's native tongue of Spanish. Regardless of one's ability to understand the language is not important, but the ability to understand human signs and meaning is. Understanding the words and the dialog is certainly important and even necessary at times but there is a universal language that can be understood without knowledge of all languages and without need for subtitles. It can be frustrating at times to not understand what is going on but I feel as though not being able to understand the language causes you to tune into the more intricate details of of human conversation.
Things like subtle eye movements, tone, physical reactions, and facial expressions are all lost when you focus on the language and try to hear every word that comes out of every person. But when all of that is stripped away you are much like a newborn child who is unable to understand the words being spoken around you. With those words taken away you tune into everything else, as if by instinct, to try and make sense of the situation. It's an interesting and exhilarating survival instinct that kicks in automatically as if your body is trying desperately to help you out. Without knowing a word of Italian it was clear to me the emotions and motivations of every character. My Spanish, being almost as bad as my Italian, made Pan's Labyrinth difficult to understand without subtitles but the overall message and plot was understandable after a bit of thinking. I'm not trying to downplay the importance of words, I'm a writer after all, but I am trying to show the amazing spectacle that is the human mind. The way it compensates for what you lack by making you notice things you've never paid attention to. What use is picking up on physical and emotional cues if every word is spoken out and every action planned and plotted? Give it a try, go check out a movie in another language or even more simply just try to have a conversation with someone and attempt to pick up on the cues and the emotions. See if you can reach into the conversation and garner more than what was said. It's an interesting challenge to try if nothing else.

Time to Get Pumped!

September 24th is making its way towards us as a human population and this means serious life changes for the entire world. The reason for this excitement that is gripping me so tightly is a movie. I admit that some of this excitement is in jest but I am truly excited to see The Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga'Hoole. the movie has an incredible sense of "feel good" to it and it looks like one of those movies that'll just kick ass regardless of your age. The animation studio behind the beautifully rendered owls is the same studio that made the oh so adorable penguins of Happy Feet fame. In the director chair is Zack Snyder, director of Watchmen and 300. The overall appeal of the movie is something that only the trailer can convey. Yes it is a movie that kids will enjoy because it's an animated feature and the owls are fricking adorable. But it has such a heavily rooted story behind it all. Author Kathryn Lasky wrote 15 books over the course of six years in the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series and now it seems the series is being taken "under the wing" (tee hee) of Hollywood. I have not read the books although I may once I see the movie. Honestly I haven't been this excited about a movie since Up! and maybe that says something about me as a movie goer but I couldn't care less. This movie looks fantastic and to show just how serious I am about having people check it out here is my number (6318826666) it comes out September 24th so if you're in town and want to go see it either Friday or Saturday shoot me a text and let's get a shit load of people together for this experience. The newest trailer is linked up top and the first trailer that came out shall be posted below.



Also, as a quick side note, an incredible looking HBO series is being made based on George R. R. Martin's fantastic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. The show starts Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Mark Addy, and Lena Headey along with a slew of other talents. The books are enormous and tell the tale of what is now being called "Soprano's in Middle Earth" by some. To sum it up the setting is typical fantasy but it is all dark and the people are the focal points, not the battles or magic. There is no true magic in the series and the characters are developed in such a way that the enormous cast of characters all seem important. Check out the books if you're into fantasy or characterization and definitely look into the show, coming out in Spring '11 perhaps, if you liked Lord of the Rings at all.

Footballs!!!!

With football upon us and school consuming my life I decided to quickly post this story from Complex that I found on digg.com
It's the 50 greatest jukes in football history and it is, as advertised, FOOTBALL!

I figured I'd post the #1 juke in case you didn't care to watch all of the 49 others, also it is labeled as the "Sickest Juke Ever"

Videos of All Shapes and Sizes

Vimeo is a site I found a while ago and return to every so often when I'm browsing the web. The site hosts a ton of different videos, from documentaries to art projects to actual movie ideas, made by virtually unknown people who just want a platform. Check out the site for a bit and I'm sure you'll find some really awesome stuff, I'll post a couple of videos that I found incredible.

The Monk & The Monkey from Brendan Carroll on Vimeo.

Plastiki from Glenn McElhose on Vimeo.

Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe (Music Video) from Saman Keshavarz on Vimeo.

Perpetual Melancholy

Heartbroken by the news of his ex-girlfriend Curt walked up the stairs to his room holding only his Nike running shoes. Such a good girl with such a bright future, so sad. Curt dropped his body onto his bed and let his weight sink into the mattress. With life on the verge and college at an end everything was changing. No one told him it would be this difficult or confusing. Curt needed to take a shower before the aroma of sweat reached his sister and provoked her all to sensitive disorder. Dove soap felt nice but it had no scent other than clean. Dinner needed to be cooked since dad was stuck in traffic and mom was somewhere. Peas weren't his sister's favorite side but she like steak well enough...it was too rare for Curt. Just because school was almost over that doesn't mean homework is optional. Hard to understand literature, long and drawn out equations, useless ideas about religion from a drunk. At lest the career was set thanks to the internship, crappy job. Everyone in the real world seemed so stressed when working. Deadlines are constant and life is scheduled. Time divided into pieces; some for enjoying some for everything else. Everything else gets a bigger piece. Sleep comes naturally to those who are always active. Waking up to bells is annoying but roosters shit everywhere. Chickens lay eggs, breakfast. 2 eggs, toast, orange juice. Keep the eggs scrambled and plain, no disgusting ketchup. The day wasn't melancholy, he was. Sister sleeps too long to be on time for anything. Mom must've been home, the rose bush was void of roses again. Dad left early for work, or escape. Class today is short due to drunk's lack of care. "Life is short so live it" is what he teaches. Just live it, no other direction or explanation. Life is lived in many ways; full, fast, short, closed in, exaggerated, not. One class day = Wednesday. Go home to see what needs to be done. Girlfriend's still in class, memories of ex are sad, sister sleeping, mom. Phone book filled with contacts but no one to call. Call Greg he always picks up. Greg's mom passed away so an hour long conversation kicks up, faking sympathy. Greg was always a prick, poor Greg. Does prick-ness become extinct when family is lost? Does who is lost matter? Greg is a prick if his creepy uncle dies, but his mom was nice, poor Greg. Lunch is a diversion and a necessity. Dad's back early, time for music. Music hides the loud voices and the anger. Mom's fault but not under her control. She lost her sister Rose, the bush stays void. Debbie got that city job, she'll be so well off, Curt could've been there too...he left her, heartbroken.

Movies and Recipies

Just a quick little tidbit today. Over on Screened Alex Navarro is doing an insanely daring feat of human endurance, 30 Days of Hate, by watching 30 of the worst movies as rated by the viewers of Netflix Instant Streaming. The list of movies he has set up is noxious, disgusting, and just a whole lot of fun. I plan on viewing them as well, maybe not all but at least some, to get an idea of just how bad movies can be. Head on over to Screened and check out the list, Alex will be doing daily write ups of the movies and it is sure to be a blast.

Also, check out Smitten Kitchen because the recipies and photos on this site are above and beyond incredible.

Sharktopus!!!

Reading is Fun for Us

Recently I've been aghast at how horribly my amount of reading has decreased. There was a point where one to two books a month was normal and the pages turned in rapid succession. However, lately it has been tough to find time to get through even one book, the problem being that the book I've been stuck on is 800 pages long and I have no desire to go through more of it at the moment. So I decided to put it aside, since I have a decent enough memory to pick books up later on and remember all of the important details, and start reading a new book.

The book I started reading is the incredible Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem.
The story revolves around a low level thug with Tourette syndrome. There is a huge back story and Lethem does a great job of making you feel for the main character and his life/losses, mind you I am only 60 pages in so far. That is the part that astounds me the most, I am barely into this novel and I care for the protagonist and feel as though I have met him before. Lethem plays games with the English language and makes it dance unlike any author I have come across and it is much to the delight of the reader. Listening to the jumbled thoughts of Lionel, the protagonist makes it seem like authors nowadays take the easy way out when it comes to writing. Each sentence is a breath of fresh air to the mundane writing style that is descriptive story telling. Lionel describes each and every event in ways that don’t confine themselves to the norm and it makes reading his life so enjoyable. As I said I am only 60 or so pages in so I can’t really say too much about the story because all there has been is one plot point and a lot of back-story to make you feel for Lionel. I will definitely post again when I finish the book, hopefully in the next two weeks or so. As far as I can tell the book is going to be full of twists and great writing so go check it out if you’re looking for something new in the fiction world.

Speaking of books, the new Kindle 3 has officially launched and I fully plan on getting one. At a price point of $139 for the Wi-Fi only version or $189 for the Wi-Fi/3G version I can’t see why not to get it. Books instantly become cheaper, the device is sexy, you save room, it’s good for the environment, the list of pros goes on and on and on. Hopefully by late September or early October I’ll have my hands on my own Kindle 3 and I’ll be able to tell you about it from a student’s/avid reader’s perspective. Also, expect to see my post about the Vibram Five Fingers sometime in December, probably around Christmas. Cheers.

Boom Goes the Dynamite

Not much time to write anything today because of work and whatnot but why not check this out...BOOM!

Limbo

I'm going to keep this extremely brief, go play Limbo for the Xbox Live Arcade. It is hard to describe it all with the level of detail that you would get from experiencing this masterpiece.

Try Something New

Nowadays the drinks of choice to wake someone up or give them that extra kick are coffee and energy drinks. People are far from uneducated in today's society and everyone seems to know how terrible energy drinks are for you, they just seem to not care. The copious amounts of unneeded ingredients are pointless for the drink and terrible for the body. Coffee, on the other hand, is the tried and true drink that has been used for years and years. But what if there was a drink that gave you that much needed kick and was incredibly good for you as well? Green tea is slowly becoming more and more popular with the health conscious due to its combination of caffeine and antioxidants. However, there are so many forms of green tea that it is hard for people new to green tea to truly appreciate it all. Don't go ordering a cup of bagged green tea at your local diner and expecting something incredible. Good green tea is not hard to come by and it isn't too expensive either.

My suggestion is to check out Adagio Teas. This site has an enormous selection of teas in almost every conceivable type including; white, green, black, oolong, herbal, and chai. For now we'll focus on green tea though, I'll talk about the other teas later on. Adagio's green tea selection is a bit overwhelming if you are new to tea and the thing that throws people off completely is that all of their teas are loose. The site recently introduced bagged tea which is their gourmet loose tea in clear pyramid bags. This bagged form might be a bit easier for people to use and ease into loose tea so perhaps that is the way to go. Loose tea is absolutely amazing, especially after trying a mass created bagged tea. The flavor is always strong and fresh, the aroma is terrific, and the overall effect is just superior in every way. My recommendation is to order the green tea sampler and a tea strainer to get yourself started. The effects of fresh green tea are fantastic; the kick, the flavor, the increase in your metabolism, and the antioxidants. Green tea is not only a drink that can help you out when you need to pull an all nighter or work late it's a drink that can help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism and it can keep you from getting sick as well. Give it a try, its flavor may not be for everyone but if you enjoy it there is no reason to settled for bagged tea when sites like Adagio exist. I'll be sure to post more about the other forms of tea in the future but for now go do your body some good and get yourself some green tea!

Nosferatu

Nosferatu is a scary freaking movie. It's not pop out and make your heart race scary or blood and guts scary, it's psychologically scary. Yes Orlok aka Dracula aka Nosferatu is a creepy looking character and even for a movie made in the 1920's the makeup for the character is outstanding, but he isn't the only reason the movie works on so many levels.

Perhaps the most noticeable thing for people who know nothing about the movie is that it is both old and silent. Neither of these characteristics are degrading to the movies overall effect or quality in any way. The different filters used in the movie to depict night, day, and inside lighting all lend their own special touches to make the movie feel timeless. While watching this movie there were several times where it felt as though Nosferatu was made in 2010. The silent movie is a dying if not dead genre and after watching Nosferatu that is a sad thought indeed. The soundtrack to the movie is both sweeping and emotional. Since there is no dialog it is up to the movie and the physical acting of the actors to tell the story. Instead of a modern movie where characters discuss or express their feelings through subtle movements and facial expressions Nosferatu relies on exaggerated physical motions to explain the feelings and great music to set up each scene. This kind of film makes me yearn for a breath of originality to come back into films today, if only for a sense of nostalgia.

The story is surprisingly simple for a complex looking film. Dracula wants to buy a house, man goes to talk to Dracula, Dracula comes to the house and kills a whole lot of people. What makes it all so incredible is the sense of connection you get to characters like Ellen, the wife of Hutter. She wants nothing more than to see her dear husband again and in the end you feel a heartbreaking attachment to the woman. The crazed Knock creates sick and twisted moments that are almost as memorable as the famous scene of Orlok, Dracula, slowly coming up the stairs. The feeling of dread that Orlok instills in the townsfolk is almost palpable and the destruction he's caused when it's all over is terrifying.

Nosferatu is a movie that is absolutely horrifying if you think about it all when it's over. The movie laid the ground for hallmarks of Vampire fiction and is to this day an amazing achievement in film. It's a movie that sticks with you deep inside your head long after you watch it and for that it deserves immense credit.

Rain Rain

The rain is coming down pretty hard outside, that's right this is now a weather blog too! God, creation, the world, and horror movies are the heavy topics of today's post. Do not fret though today's discussion also involves Morgan Freeman so it's all good.

Recently on the Discovery Channel I watched one of the most interesting specials I've seen in a long time. The mini series is called Through the Wormhole and it covers topics such as aliens, dark matter, black holes, whether or not there is a creator, and other really cool topics. The whole series is narrated by Morgan Freeman, which is awesome, and feels more like a fun college class than a boring lecture. The first episode I saw was one that dealt with ideas about a creator of our world. I won't give too much away but there were some insanely radical ideas in this episode such as our world being a simulation and prophets having hallucinations. The whole series is very well done and feels much more refreshing than other specials I've seen on the Discovery Channel. If you're into space, things bigger than just you, or just in the mood for some deep talks about interesting topics go check it out.

Since its raining out I figured I would recommend a movie for the dark and dreary weather. Recently I've come to the realization that the majority of mainstream horror movies are just awful. There are few exceptions and it has become more of a gore-fest than anything else in present horror movies. So for today's rainy day feature go on Netflix, it's only $8.95 a month for 1 DVD at a time and instant streaming, and instant stream Nosferatu. To be honest I have never seen the movie either and plan on putting up a second post reviewing the movie after I watch it. But to set it up, it is a 1922 silent German horror film about Count Dracula that is said to be one of the scariest Dracula films around. If nothing else it's different from the stuff that is normally on so why not, right? Go check it out and let me know what you think, and check back later for my own thoughts on the movie.

Third Time is a Charm

You know things are going smoothly when you're able to post three times in three days, a good sign indeed. I'm going to keep today's post brief but I'd like to share some awesomely awesome things I've found on the internet recently.

First up are the incredibly strange looking but immensely interesting Vibram FiveFingers. These are basically barefoot active footwear. They can be used for just about any type of outdoor activity (check the site for specifics) and they will certainly be great ice breakers. The basic idea behind the funky footwear is that shoes stop people from experiencing the sensation of being barefoot and restrain the foot from reaching its peak condition. Vibram footwear are specially made to disperse the impact on the foot to grant the wearer with the sensation of walking barefoot but with the protection of a sole. I know a few people who have tested them out and say that the sensation is unlike anything else around and that FiveFingers do great things for leg muscles and posture. Since I am not 100% convince I decided to buy a pair of the men's KSO brand in the upcoming months and I'll be sure to test them out for a bit and give my verdict on the freaky looking things.

Technology is an amazing phenomenon, and something that has always seemed cool is when people use technology to bring together two eras from the past. In Silent Star Wars, a video on Youtube that blends together the greatness of Star Wars with the always fun silent movie. It's a fun three minute video that is definitely worth a look and more than warrants a full feature in my mind.

Speaking of movies Darren Aronofsky has a new movie coming out December 1st starring Natalie Portman called Black Swan. The movie is being labeled as a psychological thriller and tells the story of two dueling ballerinas in the cutthroat New York dance scene. Now I understand that the previous statement sounds like sarcasm but I assure you there was none intended. This movie looks incredible and Aronofsky, director of The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream, is without a doubt one of my favorite directors. Seeing what he could do with The Wrestler and its gritty tale makes me unbelievably excited for Black Swan, a movie that looks like a complete 180 from The Wrestler. The movie explores the twisted and dark mind of Portman's character as she goes from being the top dancer to 2nd best. Only Aronofsky could make a movie about dancing so enticing and I guarantee you come December 1st I'll be at the theaters.

As always please email me at fisco316@gmail.com with any comments, questions, etc and comment on either the post itself or on my facebook, read it and tell your friends. Spread the love.

International Travels

It seemed like for the past two weeks I had been on a constant schedule without rest, but it was all in good fun. First me and the family drove on up to Niagara Falls in the great northern wilderness. What was supposed to be an eight hour drive took around twelve long and painful hours, nearly two of which were spent in a line of cars at the border. After that trip everyone just wanted food and sleep, luckily we ran into what was one of the coolest restaurants on the trip. The Copacabana, named after the borough in Rio not the song by Mr. Manilow, is a Brazilian Barbecue and it was delicious! Any sides you want are all on the buffet table and servers come around to tables with giant swords holding different kinds of meats. If your card if face up you get meat, if it's face down you don't...simple. I highly recommend that anyone with a carnivorous mindset should go look into Brazilian Barbecue restaurants, they are surprisingly plentiful on the island and in the city.
Of course there was more to the trip than a trip to a meat lovers paradise. Tourist attractions galore is what you will find in Niagara Falls but they all manage to be entertaining, and a little degrading. The Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds are the two popular attractions that get people ridiculously close to the falls. After donning a poncho that's thinner than a garbage bag you take off on your lovely adventure. The Maid of the Mist is located on either the Canadian side or New York side of the falls but the Cave of the Winds is located only on the New York side. The Maid takes you on a wet boat ride where you get to see just how gigantic the falls truly are.
Being that close to the largest part of the falls is terrifying and awe inspiring all at once. The Cave of the Winds seems to be nothing more than a walk on a boardwalk that runs adjacent to the falls until you reach the Hurricane Deck. This piece of the boardwalk is no less than ten feet from the falls and the daring people who stand on it get drenched. Both are awesome little stops that allow you to see the falls in all their glory.
Besides being around the falls and taking pictures of the gorgeous views we went to a casino, drank, ate, and went on one of the most insane hikes I've experienced. Devil's Hole State Park is a park in Niagara Falls New York and it is home to a nearly 4 mile walk that involves steep and slippery steps, narrow edges running adjacent to a rapid river, and coyotes. The walk was a blast and without a guide of any kind you almost feel in danger at times, especially when a baby coyote is following you around. The steps that lead down to the trail are something out of a Tomb Raider game and the views of the river that run next to the trail are incredible.
After our Canadian excursion we headed home and in eight hours our vacation was over, well my family's was. The next day I spent five hours driving down to DC for some quality time with the lady. Just a tip for anyone driving long hours alone, bring along either a comedian's Cd or listen to talk radio because you'll start to go inane on the ride if you don't. DC is an incredible city, if you know your way around. Getting lost in the heat looking for easy to find landmarks that no cop thinks you need help finding can be rough but there are some awesome places to check out in Washington. I won't go crazy listing everything to do in DC but if you have the chance head down to Georgetown or Bethesda and checkout Georgetown Cupcake. These little miracles are $2.75 each and are some of the most incredible desserts you will ever have. Their red velvet cupcake tastes better than most restaurants red velvet cakes and the pb fudge cupcake is just ridiculous.
So after nearly two weeks of traveling I am home and all is well. Expect more posts, hopefully on a somewhat daily basis, and email me at fisco316@gmail.com if you have topics, comments, insights, complaints, whatever. You can comment on my facebook as well just keep it classy.

Disgusting America, College, Movies, and a picture of Drew Carey!

It is becoming widely apparent that America enjoys disgusting television. It is not the sort of disgusting that creeps you out like Fear Factor or makes you not want to go down the dark hall after watching Criminal Minds. No, it is the type of disgusting that puts a smile on our face as we watch a man devour 6 pounds of beef, tuna semen, 4 sticks of butter, and so many more tasty treats. Shows like Man vs Food, which I am guilty of watching plenty of, feed America's insane addiction to watching eating. Eating is a way to stay alive and keep the body at its best, instead we have turned it into an exhibition of grotesque proportions. Sure watching this man, Adam Richman, take on some insane challenges is entertaining but is that because we want to be eating this food or because in some sick way we are hoping something horrible happens? Many people watched Super Size Me hoping for Spurlock to vomit and when he did audiences were pleased. The appeal of these shows is a mystery because the majority of people who watch shows in which huge amounts of food are being served or eaten make comments on how disgusting it all is. Maybe it's the fact that achieving something like eating a 5 pound burrito is truly amazing, or maybe we secretly want these normal guys to overcome the odds, or maybe we just want to see them have a heart attack on television...who knows?

Just as a quick side note for anyone having nightmares of debt and crying whenever the words college textbooks comes up in conversation, checkout www.textbookrentals.com Yes this seems like a weird advertisement and yes the name of the site sounds too simple to be useful but it actually lists all of the websites that have the book you're looking for (including chegg, ecampus, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc) and it lists them in price order. Not to sound like an ad but it actually saved me nearly $150 and my friend over $250. It's a good site so give it a look when you have the time.

Speaking of college lets talk about Netflix. Instant streaming has become hugely popular and the instant stream library is quickly becoming home to some of the strangest and eclectic movies and television series imaginable. I'm just going to run through a few quick selections that you should check out for a good time. First of all in the television category they now have Hercules...that's right Kevin Sorbo as the demigod himself so stop what you're doing and go watch Mr. Sorbo "act" and "punch" and have a hairy chest, go on. Also they have a ton of awesome shows from overseas including the Queen's favorite car show Top Gear. Top Gear has some of the most incredible and hilarious car related challenges and as someone who knows absolutely nothing about cars I can honestly say it is accessible to anyone. Merlin, Doctor Who, Jekyl, Black Adder, they're all English and they're all fantastic. On the US side of television Netflix has just about any series you could ask for but do yourself a favor and go watch the 13 episodes of Firefly that are up for instant streaming. Firefly is a space western created by Joss Whedon, the guy what made Buffy and Angel, and it is outstanding. It is one of those shows that does so many things right that even when it does something wrong you make excuses for it to be right. Sadly only one season was made of Firefly so after you're done with it the only other bit of Firefly-esqe action you can get is the movie Whedon made called Serenity which is a nice two hour closure, also on instant streaming. Now as for movies there are a whole bunch but I'll mention two that are, in my mind, must sees. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is the movie that every robbery comedy tries to be. The movie involves a then unknown cast including Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, Jason Flemyng, and even Sting. The movie centers around a group of thieves and criminals who are in a big time debt and go to great lengths to pay it off. Director Guy Ritchie adds some fun moments with the gang that make the movie pop and the writing is top notch. Statham is exceedingly funny as the movie rushes forward and the twisting multi-sided story intertwines itself so well that it all makes perfect sense and gives the viewer a sense of knowing over the cast. Overall it is a fun ride that makes a huge impression with its witty dialog and great twists on common criminal movie situations.
Another great movie is the rough gem known as Brick. Starring a very young Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a teenage investigator looking into a murder of a has been love of his. Jocks, geeks, actors, druggies, and other typical high school clicks are well represented in this movie and each one is depicted as if from an incoming freshman's nervous mind. What makes Brick so amazing isn't the clicks or the acting or even the story. While all those elements are solid for a budget indie film what stands out is the incredible dialog. These are all high school students yet they all speak in 1950's cop talk. Each sentence is filled with gibberish that almost needs a second listen to understand what they're talking about. Brick is one of those movies that makes you think while it's on and when it's done. A story about a lost love, drugs, money, oh and Gordon-Levitt gets his ass kicked...a lot, Brick is a truly hidden gem among the tons of movies on Netflix so stop watching White Chicks and Epic Movie and go watch Brick.

As promised

Mass Appeal!

I realized that confining a blog to a single topic is not the best way to get a bunch of people to read it so let's change things...now. Let's not waste time with explanations or excuses and instead jump into the five topics of today's blog. These topics will include; one person to follow online, one book to check out, one website to look into, recent musical goodies, and a blow your mind story. All that along with any random tidbits.

The internet is full of interesting people who do strange things. It is also full of really interesting people who seem to understand what other people want to watch and read online. Kevin Rose is a mixture of the two aforementioned archetypes of "online celebrities". That is really what Rose has become in recent years, a celebrity with a cult following of technological and savvy internet wanderers. Rose began his low level stardom on the TechTV show The Screen Savers as a young tech who always preformed barely legal computer tricks. Moving on to hosting the web show Diggnation with co-host Alex Albrecht where they cover stories on the site Rose helped to create Digg. Digg is Rose's baby and his enthusiasm for his project shows in his daily tweets and videos. For those unfamiliar with Digg it's a site that encapsulates the best news stories and people can either digg them or not resulting in the most popular stories being on the front page. Rose is extremely interesting to follow whether you check out his tweets, his YouTube videos, or his always entertaining episodes of Diggnation. With his newly acquired position of CEO at Digg there are more interesting videos from Rose and his friend author Tim Ferris about angel investing and other really interesting topics. Check out Rose's site at kevinrose.com or his twitter at twitter.com/kevinrose and I promise you'll be happily surprised with the content.

With summer upon us it seems that there is an increasing amount of time in the day that is empty. When these times occur why not grab a book and read? Don't know how? Well I can't help you there but if you are capable of forming sentences in your mind through the use of your eyeballs then I suggest checking out Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. A book that I picked up randomly due to the simple cover with nothing but text and a razor I thought a random book buy would be interesting at the least. Flynn's novel somehow gripped onto me and did not let go for the next few days while each page flew by and each event stapled itself to my memory. The story follows a depressed and broken woman on her return home to get the latest story about some killings in the area. I don't like to spoil much when talking about books but the twists and emotions this book throws at you will be more than worth the time you spend reading it. Sharp Objects

The interwebs are full of interesting sites and stories that most people are unable to cover in their lifespan. My hope is to show you one or two sites that bring some joy to your life and maybe even help you out in some small way. The site I'm going to talk about for this post is Food Mob. The full address is http://revision3.com/foodmob as it is a show on the site Revision3 which is full of great shows I'll talk about eventually. But Food Mob is a great cooking show hosted by Chef Niall Harbison. Harbison and his (maybe) British accent guide viewers through some of the easiest recipes I have ever seen that yield some of the most amazing foods I've tasted. Pancakes, burgers, steak, fajitas, pasta, and a lot of other really great recipes. All of Niall's recipes contain only a few ingredients and the steps are mind numbingly simple to boot. Along with great tips on gear and tricks to make bear cold or how to cut better the show is great for people who just want to cook without a 40 minute prep time. Food Mob also has a large fan base with emails and pictures that Niall shows on each episode, overall its a fun time coupled with a great learning experience. Food Mob

So recently I have been into buying CDs and listening to each song instead of illegally obtaining my music and I must say that the feeling of having a collection and knowing that I am supporting the bands I like is really cool. Lately my listening habits have been focused on two albums. Brothers by The Black Keys and Infinite Arms by Band of Horses. Come June 20th I will being seeing Band of Horses live in Brooklyn so I'll definitely tell you all about that but in the mean time let's talk Brothers and Infinite Arms. Brothers is the newest album by The Black Keys and it is just a fun ride. The first seven songs all give me the feeling that they'd be great to blast in the car and just cruise too and I was completely right about that. As a whole it is a very funky album with heavy amounts of bass and vocals reminiscent of Muddy Water era vocals. Not being the definitive source of music knowledge by any means I thought it was a pretty amazing album that I bought solely on the fact that the album art made me laugh. Brothers. Infinite Arms is the third full album from Band of Horses and it is, just like the first two, inspiring and impressive. The vocals are like anything I have heard before, other than the other two albums, and the lyrics reverberated strongly with me. There are clear cut singles like Laredo and Compliments but NW Apartment, Dilly, and Infinite Arms all sound fantastic as well. I am completely one sided when it comes to Band of Horses and I say that to let you know I am 100% biased. They are a great band and I think giving any one of their albums a listen would be a favor to you eardrums so go on and do it. Infinite Arms

Science is a scary topic at times. Wormholes, space travel, black holes, cancer, death, rebirth, regrowth, and so many other amazingly destructive yet beautifully realized ideas that swarm our planet and our galaxy. This story comes from Mail Online, a UK site, and it involves the realized use of stem cells. Using a damaged liver and stem cells scientists were able to recreate a new liver that replaced that same patients damaged liver. There is no chance for rejection, no complications, and no donor needed. The patient is the savior in this story. Imagine the possibilities that something like this can lead to. Not all organs can regenerate like a liver can but there is no harm in trying right? Liver

There is always more to talk about and that is the crazy beauty of this world we live in today. Let me know what you think by shooting me an email at fisco316@gmail.com or leave me a post or a facebook message, just get back to me however you can I'd love to hear thoughts on all this.