Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Real Real World.

I'm not usually into watching television, especially reality television. I think it's phony entertainment used to amuse the average senseless television viewer. However it is a great way to sell shampoo. On that note, i haven't watched a television show in routine since the third season of the office. I haven't watched an MTV show since TRL.


Anyway, I've usually hated the real world in past seasons. I hate the "characters" and I hate the plots. Every time i try to watch this show, I always leave unsatisfied, pissed off at MTV and American society. However this season, i thought i would give it another shot. It's based in Brooklyn, which can be cool and "hip", and i love "hip" and i love making fun of people who are "hip". So what do I think?

I LOVEZ IT.

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Let me give you my own description of the characters and what I think of each so far.
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Baya:
What I do like: Probably the prettiest girl on the show. Not the hottest, but definitely the prettiest. She's a dancer, she's from Utah and she ISN'T a Mormon. She doesn't have an uppity attitude and is supportive and caring of all the other people in the house. I don't know if i could see myself being her friend but definitely someone that I wouldn't talk bad about.

What I don't like: On the second episode she tried out for this great dance school. She was bugging out the whole time about how she wouldn't be able to make it because she wasn't as good as the other dancers (which she wasn't). The school calls her back and accepts her into the program, and she DECLINES. WTF, dude? You just spent twenty minutes bitching about how you weren't going to make into the school and now you blow them off? So that was something that irritated me but didn't effect my opinions of her as a genuine nice person. She also has a gap-tooth. downgrade.

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Chet: What I like: His positive attitude towards most things that are going on in the house. He seems to be a good friend to Ryan (who seems to be having some trouble) with his life and career. I think he may have good teeth. Umm, and i think that might be all.
What I don't Like He's from Utah and HE IS Mormon. He wears eyeliner, he has no game when it comes to girls, and is Mormon. He seems to like to instigate fights with some of the room mates (JD and Sarah) which ain't cool. Chet is the kind of guy who i like to refer to as a "tool", he tries to impress everyone around him by doing dumb things even if he doesn't know he's actually doing dumb things. If it's pulling stupid pranks or giving bad advice (telling Ryan to play "the tampon song" to a record producer) he seems to just really bother me. I think he's a closet homosexual who doesn't realize it yet because he's been brainwashed by the house of latter day saints. Definitely, in my opinion the worst character on the show. Did i mention he was Mormon?

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Devyn: What I like She's black, she has fake boobs, and truly believes that this is her "big break" at stardom. Her airheadedness provides for comical relief, but at the same time her serious passion is admirable. She's a good singer, and she's goodlooking, definitely the hottest chick on the show. Her attitude towards the rest of the house is pretty positive, except with JD who recently put her in a situation she did not approve of.

What I don't like That situation. For those of you who don't watch the show, Devyn was called up to a stage by one of JD's transgendered friends who is a professional entertainer. During Devyn and the friends's first meeeting, JD told Devyn about how his friend was a better performer than she was. (Fuck, that was so gossipy) Anyway, she was pissed off, and then the friend invites her up in front of a club to have a "sing off". Devyn goes up, and does pretty well but is clearly beaten by the entertainer. So Devyn goes home and confronts JD and goes into how she's all "embarrassed" and feels disrespected, blah blah and can't trust him anymore. Unnecessary drama infused bullshit. She also has a gaptooth.

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JD
What I do Like He's gay and not flamboyountly in my face about it. He seems like a hard worker, from what we know he paid for his way through his college and does pretty well for himself. He's also a dolphin trainer. He has a good sense of humor, and seems to have many friends. He's quiet, when not intoxicated and seems like a good supporting friend to have.

What I don't like His drinking problem. When he gets drunk he gets way too out of hand. He starts saying disrespectful things about the other room mates (he told someone that his transgendered friend was a better transgendered person than the one in the house) when their not around, blah blah hot drama garbage nonsense. Cool dude, otherwise.

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Katelyn
What I likeThe Transgender. SHE is the first transgendered character on the real world or any television show that i've ever watched, which i think is highly interesting and provides for good entertainment. She's likable, and gets along with the other roommates. She wants to fit in and does pretty well. I think this is one of the major reasons why i've been so interested in this show so far.

What I don't like Her insistent problem with not being ready to "come out". She holds the fact that she's a transgendered person so delicately. She still hasn't come out to one or two of the characters on the show. It doesn't make sense to me why she needs to be so comfortable with the people she tells, well maybe it does. But just tell the people who live with you! I don't know how anyone can't know already anyway. No offense. Also, her constant mention of her boyfriend and how he doesn't call her enough is pretty annoying. her BF looks like a total weirdo, which he probably is, but shut the fuck up already. thanks.

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Ryan
What i like He was in the army. He's also a musician, he wrote a love song called "the tampon song" which is about how he wouldn't mind being a girls tampon. Sick, but funny. He is very emotional, when he gets excited, he really gets happy, and when he's depressed he cries. Which is also kind of funny.

What I don't like His alcohol problem and his emotional stability. I know that being in Iraq comes with tons of baggage that i could never even begin to understand. But this guy seems to make that the reason why he's living. Every time he introduces himself it has something to do with the military. Chet and Ryan make a great relationship because they are both intollerable, they bring nothing to the table intellectually and everytime they speak, i have to question how old they are. Their maturity is laughable. He wrote a song about a fucking Tampon!
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Sarah:
What I like Her tattoos are cool and she plans on helping children who have been sexually abused when she's done with the show. Which i think is a great thing to do. I like her style and she seems like a sweetheart. No gaptooth. Upgrade

What I don't like about her She's kind of fat, but not really, i hate not knowing that kind of information. This past episode went into all these past problems with her father, which kind of droned on and on. Which was horrible, but it really made her look like a obnoxious crybaby.

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Scott
What I like He's never around. Sometimes you forget about him, because so far he hasn't caused any problems, which i bet the MTV execs are pissed at. He Seems like a hard worker from the extra features on the website. Good looking guy, and hangs out with pretty women.

What I don't like He's from Boston, and that i don't know anything about him or his personal life.


So that's it on the characters. I highly suggest you check out this show. I plan on writing a little recap every week to keep you updated. If you still think this show looks like dogshit, check out this trailer of a great new film coming out, no associated with the real world or MTV.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Comedy Sunday's









enjoy!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Cafeeee Talllk

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So if you're a twitter'er'er and been following my updates, you know that i'm back at school and consuming way too much starbucks. Now, it's not just coffee, but also the extraordinary concoctions that have fancy names including london fog, apple chai, and misto.

I enjoy a cup of coffee or tea just like the average person, but i was interested in how much of we (US citizens) consume and found out the following.

-500 billion cups of coffee are consumed every year in the United States.
-The top 3 nations who manufacture coffee, include: Brazil, Columbia, and Vietnam

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_coffee)

Among coffee drinkers the average consumption in the United States is 3.1 cups of coffee per day.
It is projected that by 2010 There will be more than 50,000 coffee shops in the United States.

Fifty-two percent of Americans over the age of eighteen drink coffee every morning, and on top of that, thirty percent of the population drinks coffee occasionally, meaning that over eighty percent of Americans consume coffee.

Of the one hundred million US daily coffee drinkers, thirty million drink specialty beverages such as lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas


(http://www.e-importz.com/Support/specialty_coffee.htm)


Benefits
-Everybody knows the laxative effect of coffee. Brewed coffee also contains soluble cellulose fibers, which help the body absorb vital nutrients, keep a lid on cholesterol and fight constipation.
-Researches show that blood pressure and heart rate spurred in healthy sedentary adults drinking two cans of caffeine containing drinks daily by up to 11 %.
-A new research has found that coffee could cut the risk of skin cancer. 6 cups of caffeinated coffee daily lowered the likelihood of developing skin cancer by 35 %, while 2-3 cups lowered it by 12 %. Caffeine is believed to impede cells dividing in the tumor, or to work as an antioxidant. One research found coffee and exercising fight against sun-induced skin cancer by 400 %.
-Caffeine gets women in the mood for sex, especially in moderate amounts and when the women are not heavy drinkers. The chemical is also known to increase excitability in men


Hazards

-Caffeine causes sleep disturbances. Don't even think about drinking coffee or other caffeine containing beverages before sleep. And remember that the alkaloid needs 12 hours to be completely eliminated from your body.
-High coffee consumption (more than three cups per day for years) increases loss of bone mineral density. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, speeding up the urination cycle, but "steals" calcium which is lost through urine. Long term, heavy caffeine use leads to a rapid development of osteoporosis.
-Coffee can kill you! Just as any other drug, in small amounts, caffeine (and coffee) is a stimulant. But the coffee plant synthesizes the alkaloid with the purpose of killing�its natural consumers. The grazer eating too much coffee will die. We, too, may be killed. The uncontrolled heart beats are the prelude of a heart attack.

(http://news.softpedia.com/news/Top-14-Coffee-Effects-on-Your-Health-70537.shtml)


Hopefully, that doesn't scare you too much. Instead of smoking that blunt tonight, why not toke up with a hot cup of coffee? Eh?

You're mocha choca lata ya-ya,

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The whore who took his poems...

Our world has seen many horrors in its existence. But none as terrible as the following three...

1. Zombies
2. Nazis
3. Charles Bukowski

Thankfully - just so we don't ever forget how scary everything is - we have Youtube.

Onto the clips...



Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Shoot Me.

I don't know about you, but whenever I'm required to do something important and significant, I like to waste time on the computer instead. Mindlessly trolling the interwebs has left me with a slight empty feeling. But thanks to a certain tool called the Stumble button, I came across quite a worthy web offering - the 365 project on Flickr.

It's not hard to guess what this project is about. You take a photograph everyday for a year, at at the end of the year you can look back and remember every single day. I think that is such a fantastic idea. I have a terrible memory - I often look down and freak out because I can't remember putting pants on, so don't even ask me if I did anything exciting last week.

Sure, I doubt your memory is as bad as mine. I'm sure you have a little red date-book just packed full of past jaunts and a calander on every wall. But can your say you have an image from almost every day of your life that conjurs up memories you would have otherwise lost? Embark on this project and one day you might be able to say just that, and have the photo album to prove it.

I've put together a list of my ten favorite 365 photographers on Flickr. Check them out, especially if you have 9 hours to kill...

Ten Extraordinary 365 Photographers on Flickr

1. Rosie Hardy
This girl has quite a unique Flickr story. I won't reiterate it here, but if you're curious check out her profile. It's definitely worth it.What I love about her photos is how - regardless of the editing - she always conveys such a special image. It could be just a day in her life, that of a young student residing in England, or a peak into her beautifully imaginative mind. Whatever you're viewing, you're seeing progress. Take a look at some images from the start of her photostream, and then some from the end. It's like she was educated right in from of your eyes.

2. Chrissie White
Ok, so this next girl I found via R.Hardy. She doesn't get full points because she never finished her 365, but who the hell cares - take a look at any of her other photos and you'll see why. This girl is 14, I believe. Friggin 14. I think the extent of my creativity at 14 was sticking candy to my bookshelf with tape and calling it Modern (they were mints, and made my room smell sickly) She is so, so very talented and I hope one day I see her photographs posted in big places.

3. The Brownhorse
He likes marmite? I don't know, this guy was just really dedicated to the project, so he goes on here. Don't be turned off by the first page, he closes his mouth eventually.

4. Dunny
An old set, ranging from 2004 to 2006. I stumbled across this stream, and am quite glad I did so. His photos are sweet and modest, yet still deliver a captivating image. Oh, and he's also a photographer for Threadless!

5. {Karen}
It's often hard for me to imagine my mother as any other person but, well, a mother. I forget that she was around long before I was, I don't consider the fact that she has a mind that operates when her children are not near here. And while I know she constantly thinks of us, she is an independent human being. This women reminds me of that. A mother herself, I can't imagine how she found time to take on such a project and do it in such a lovely manner. Each photo shows a creative glimpse not only into the life of a mother, but of a women still finding her way.

6. Bugsandfishes by Lupin
There more ways than one to shoot the 365 project. While most people opt for the self-portrait, others choose to set themselves simultaneous goals. This girl chose to work on a craft project every day for 365 days and she photographed the evidence. I am an avid crafter, and spend too much time online viewing other peoples craft blogs and projects. So, needless to say, this ladies photostream was a real visual treat for me.

7. Besimo
Like number 7, this fella opted out of the daily self-portrait. His photos remind me of mind snapshots. You know, images of the little things you see every day but disregard. Your friends walking down the lane in front of you, the dog sleeping on the rug, or the birdhouse in the tree silhouetted against the winter sky. This photostream reminds me to take notice of the things I often ignore, or take for granted - because you really do find beauty in the little things.

8. Wiseacre Photo
So this is probably a terrible reason to pick someone to be a part of this list, but what can you do. This guy reminds me of Sam Beam.
There.


9. Gillespinault
I wouldn't mind having a few of these framed on my wall. Each one is visually stimulating (I know that's a ridculous term to use, but you just have to whip it out sometimes) and I think the fact that the descriptions are in another language, makes me so much more curious about the photo.

10. aknacer
I just like this guy because he put a live slug in his mouth. I think that's enough of a reason.

What Would Jesus Watch?

There is much talk about this Jesus character. Many people in the world claim to know Him well. Well, if you know Him so well, what are His favorite movies? I mean really, you don't know much about His taste in films. Lucky for you, I do. I even know which movies He loves to curl up on the couch with Dad (God) and watch tearfully.

1. The Passion - Jesus loved The Passion. He was thrilled to hear His old language again (He hates subtitles).
2. 300 - It's a common misconception that Jesus hates violence. He actually thought this movie just wasn't bloody enough. But, He really identified with its Messianic themes.
3. Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat - He's a sucker for a Bible story gone musical. After all, who isn't?
4. The Greatest Story Ever Told - The Son of God is a little full of himself.
5. Jesus Christ Superstar - Okay. He's really full of himself.
6. The Exorcist - That vomit! That spider-walk! And moreover, Jesus can't get enough of movies that portray priests as heroes. Because we know what they really do. (Molest children, not exorcise demons from them)
7. Terminator 2: Judgement Day - Jesus asked His Father that the real Judgement Day be more like this film and less like the Renaissance interpretations. But! He still wants us to be nude. Silly Jesus, He's so wacky sometimes.

8. Dogma - He died (as much as Jesus can die) laughing at that shit monster. Though He doesn't much care for Ryan Reynolds, he let it go since he played a demon.
9. Ghost - Though this movie really has no bearing on what actually happens when you die, it's still an enjoyable film, and Jesus has always had a strange affinity for Whoopie Goldberg.
10. Ben Hur - The nine hour epic film from 1959 (it is literally 281 minutes long) is practically unwatchable, unless you have that much time on your hands and some sort of magical skill that keeps from falling asleep during a one hour montage of wind blown sand. Which, lucky for Jesus, He's got both.


A Few Movies He Hates:


The Last Temptation of Christ - Uhh He's the son of God. He doesn't get tempted by shit. Don't you dare try and humanize Him! Hollywood is so dumb sometimes.

Monty Python's Life of Brian - That's just not funny. Except for that one scene with the naked guy and the beard. Yeah, that's funny. See!?!

The Da Vinci Code - It had very little to do with the subject of the film, but rather His heartfelt disappointment with Tom Hanks.










What films do you think He hates? I'll let you know if you're wrong or right.

"black no longer in the back"

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I think that benediction said it all.



Proud to be an American,

Saturday, January 17, 2009

The Bush has been Trimmed

This is a little bit after the fact, but I through that Bush's farewell address, like McCain's on election night, was a well rehearsed and dignifying closing moment for the controversial leader. Of particular interest were his points on having the "courage" to make the decisions he made and one final reinforcement of the idea that sometimes simply things come down to being "good versus evil."

Of course, a graceful goodbye does not justify past injustices, but it does put in to perspective how he sees himself, something I've always wondered about. Like Sarah Plain, the popular media defined his character (albeit entertainingly) for much of the population. Have we ever before been able to buy posters containing a list of misquotes by our Commander in Chief? I've seen small, barely forty page books entitled "Our Dumb President," complete with Bush wearing a dunce cap. With constant image readjustment readily available, how can we not think so little of him?

Don't get me wrong, much of the bashing was well deserved. But all the remarks about his policies and presentation only fueled my curiosity in his motives. Does Bush really view his willingness to make decisions as courageous? If he truly means it, why does he see the world in such black and white extremes? Oliver Stone suggests he ran for president after a religious revelation believing he was following God's orders. He further suggests that he was just the puppet of religious fanatics, oil, and the tag team of Cheney and Rove.

When Bush woke up each morning to a security briefing about threats to the United States, did he afterward take a shower, stare in the mirror, and wonder how God was going to tell him to deal with these threats? I hope not, not that it matters much now. But still, I do think Bush had considerable amounts of courage not to allow the United States to become isolated, thinking only of itself instead of world security. Obama brings the promise of finishing up what his predecessor started in a quick and clean manner. I hope after our presence in Iraq has diminished, Obama continues a policy of appropriately aggressive international relations. To wall ourselves off to the world would be just as bad as pretending it's not there. History will see where Bush lies; until then, Obama must use his popularity to reshape our image, with the same dignity that Bush left us on, not denying what has happened, but focusing on what we need to do.

SEMI-RELATED NOTE: Warren Zevon's song "The Envoy" looks at politics satirically as a super hero battle, the title character the president's right hand man who rights the wrongs of other nations. Maybe Bush had the album on his ipod.

Friday, January 16, 2009

F THE ECONOMY

I'd like to start off by saying how great it is to have a blog that people are genuinely interested in. Although this might not be the most organized, well written insightful piece of internet literature, I think that by forming a community where people can be informed on what's happening is important. So thank you, if you're reading, commenting, or posting, because this could not be happening without you!


Every time i ask someone to read the blog, I keep receiving the same answer. "Why would i read you're blog, when you're not writing anything for it?" And i couldn't agree with that sentiment more, So i'll try my best to write more instead of listing fun name generator websites.

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Everyone knows that our economy is in a horrible free fall. Everyday, we turn on our televisions, newspapers, or google searches to find out how much money the stock market is losing, or how many people are being laid off from their jobs. Our generation is well acquainted with this type of media onslaught, however, compared to the war coverage we have become desensitized to, the economic crisis is effecting each one of us directly. These past couple of years have been tough for me personally, and although sometimes I think a light is close to the end of the tunnel, I unfortunately have realized that i won't be seeing it soon. I, like, millions of Americans are waking up to the horrible reality that this country is facing. No longer is it the "Average American" who is being thrown into the American washing machine of turmoil but people close to me, who i never thought would be effected. I was fortunate to grow up in a wealthy area where the only reason someone lost their job was to leave the one they were at to receive a higher salary. So, maybe this comes as a surprise to me because i haven't been surrounded by job loss or poverty, but this situation is frighting and it seems as if it's not going to get better for some time. I'm not implying that we're all going to be living on food-stamps and that all the women in our lives are going to have to resort to selling their bodies for Ritz crackers and M&M's. Barack Obama is not the messiah, and it's going to take struggle and persistence to make it through the next months, and even years.

Now being involved with a blog, WILL NOT help the economy. However, that does not mean you shouldn't participate in one. What I'm asking from you is to post ideas, stories, or plans that might help someone who is also going through these hard times cope a little better. A cheap restaurant, an idea for a date, a community gathering, anything that doesn't cost much, to provide some form of "time-off" from hardships someone somewhere might be facing. Some critics might say that this may be the problem. We as a people have spent too much time trying to find forms of escape that we haven't stayed still long enough to see what's truly going on in our country. This may be correct, but participation in some sort of community can provide therapeutic results. This may or may not work, but why not be apart of something special where you can feel a sense of aide or assistance to someone you don't know.



Again, thank you for taking the time to read that. I'll be posting stories and events that you may find entertaining to get you through whatever you're going through, whether that may having to do with this shitty economic situation.

You can buy that t-shirt Here

Peace, love, and Barack Obama,
-sam

Are you reading this and want to post? Leave you're email address in the comments and you're instantly added to the contributors list.

Hudson Seaplane




The view from our cold water flat (actually an apartment on river terrace overlooking the hudson and beautiful New Jersey) is nothing short of amazing. After returning from a pair of concerts, directly beneath our 21st floor window were the remains of the US Airways plane that splashed down Thursday afternoon. Naturally, we ordered pizza and stayed up all night, snapping a few photos along the way. A video is certainly in order for the excavation.

Of course, the coolest thing is that nobody got hurt, (endless respect to the pilot), and so it is with relative ease that we can feel humbled. As ridiculous as it may be, an event like this is important in the way it brings people together. Our technology is not invincible, and accidents do still happen. I can't wait to hear what Barack has to say about it. Three days, bitches!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Good Old Germany, Still Standing Up For Its Beliefs....

German Popo have banned Israeli flags in one of its states. Check out the link

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Probably Why Canada Should Be Proud

Oh Canada, our home and native land! Well not mine. But, somebody's.

In 1985 a one Kim Mitchell published a deep and reflective tune called "Go For a Soda." In this classic, he screams in the harmonized fashion of Boston, and other bad bands named after places, "Might as well go for a soda." Yes. We might as well... listen to a different song. But, surprisingly, this song gets heavy airplay in Canada to this day. Though, we must admit, that the song reached the coveted number 86 spot on the US Hot 100. Wow! Vanessa Carleton's "White Houses" also peaked at 86 in 2006! I didn't even know she recorded songs other than "A Thousand Miles," but alas.

The 80's was a rough time for a lot of music. It produced some pretty ugly things, but Canada seemed to take the cake. This country also produced Bryan Adam's Reggae Christmas. For more on this fascinating train wreck click here.




Note: I do not hate Canada. Many who know me might even say that I love Canada. Which is an overstatement of my feelings for Canada.

Dream Dream Dream

My friend Joey sent this to me.

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If you can't see the diagram (which if you can, you must have supersonic vison) Head over to Boston.com and check out the entire article.

The diagram shows how someone can hallucinate without ingesting any kind of illegal or harmful substance. I'm definitely going to try one and I think you should too.


Going along with the theme of hallucinations, I wanted to tell you about a pretty wild dream I had last night. I was at a small comedy club in New York City watching a comedian perform. I noticed that Jerry Seinfeld was also in the audience watching the performance which automatically made it a "hotspot". For reason i was scheduled to perform. I get up on stage and start telling jokes and the crowd is entertained, but for some reason i can't find Seinfeld in the audience. Every time I tell a joke the microphone wire gets shorter. As if the cord represented how much time was left in my routine. SO eventually it got too short which meant it was my cue to get off stage. I thanked the audience and everyone applauded. The End.


Have you recently had a crazy dream or hallucination? I would like to hear about it.


-sam

Monday, January 12, 2009

Some nice, honest people, just trying to make a buck...

Hamas steals from aid trucks and sells to highest bidder. Way to keep your people alive. Although, it is smart, because it works doubly well. The poor people are without food and water and die and Israel looks like a shitty, anti-humanitarian kind of country, and Hamas makes money. Nice.


(click title for link)

Moving Mountains Tour Journal Update #2

Currently we're in Boston right now and I'm feeling sick as a dog. In fact, a bunch of us are feeling sick. Something nasty is going around and it's being passed between band members. Two days ago we played at The Space in Hamden, CT. Really awesome venue with a thrift store upstairs where I found myself a really nice scarf. Unfortunately there was a huge snow storm and roads were terrible, but we still had a good time. Last night we played at The Middle East upstairs. I started feeling sick before we went on, and after we played I felt 30 times worse. Fever, achy bones, watery eyes, bad cough. I don't know what I have but it's not good. On top of that we ran into a slew of technical issues with bass on stage and had to cut our set short. Sorry for anyone who was there last night. We will make it up to you soon! Other than that, things have been going well. Seeing Pompeii every night is a real treat. Meeting new people, sleeping on floors. All good stuff! Looking forward to Brooklyn : )


- Nick


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Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sunday Politics Round-Up

A few interesting things from around the net as we head into the last full week of the George W. Bush Administration. Whether you loved it or hated it, this is such an incredibly historic moment for so many reasons that everyone should take the next few seconds to reflect on it.........

From Gaza to the unemployment figures to the $10.6 trillion debt, things keep spiraling while W. keeps fiddling. Just as when he was in the National Guard and didn’t bother to show up, now, as the scabrous consequences of his missteps shake the economy and the world, he doesn’t bother to show up. He’s checked out — spending his time on more than a dozen exit interviews that do nothing to change his image as a president who was over his head and under Cheney’s spell.
  • Fred Barnes' piece in the Weekly Standard is so incredibly vacuous, I couldn't make it past the first page. It's a list of Bush's top 10 achievements. If you read it pretending it was written for David Letterman, it's actually quite funny.
  • Finally, the new guy is interviewed on ABC.

Comedy Sunday's

Louis CK



David Cross


Paul Mooney



i'm calling it.

Giants losing to the Eagles
Pittsburgh beating San Diego.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

James Jean@ the Jonathan Levine Gallery

My favorite gallery in all of New York is the Jonathan Levine Gallery. The gallery showcases work by world renowned artists from all different backgrounds from street art to illustration, and I can honestly say that I have never seen a show there that did not disapoint.
From January 10th through February 7th, there will be a show featuring the work of artist/illustrator James Jean, entitled Kindling: New Works on Paper and Canvas.
Jean is a Los Angeles based artist, who graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2001. He works primarily as an illustrator and some of his clients include DC/Vertigo Comics (You can see his work on the "Fables" series covers, among many others), Rollingstone, New York Times, Nike, Target, and Prada, just to name a few. He has won numerous Eisner, and Harvey awards, making him one of the comic book world's elite.
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
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Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

(I don't know what the deal is with these stupid "do fish get thirsty" ads, thanks image shack).

The show opening is January 10 from 6-9 p.m. at the Jonathan Levine Gallery located at 529 West 20th street.
for more info visit www.jonathanlevinegallery.com

-Spencer
www.spenceralexander.blogspot.com

Ahoy Matey Crab Cakes

We've been making these crab cakes for years, and whenever we can get our hands on some fresh crab, we jump at the opportunity to take our tastebuds on a vacay to the seaside!  This dish amazing because the crab cakes are so crisp on the outside and so flavorful and moist on the inside.  So throw on your gold hardware clad bikini, your favorite sarong (to hide those January unsunned stems) and of course, a pair of fancy shoes, and hit the high seas! 


Ahoy Matey Crab Cakes

(makes 5-6 large cakes)

Ingredients

1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells1/3 cup crushed crackers

1/4 cup finely chopped red oni

1 teaspoon garlic, mince

1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 egg

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 lemon, juiced


1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne pepper

Flour, for dusting

1/2 cup peanut oil

Directions
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes.Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce (we like to serve with our rosemary potatoes and corn on the cob)!


The Love Schack Mixtape: (Moving Mountains Edition)

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The Mix Tape Link

I made this mix for the Mountains but didn't have any spare CD's to put it on.Enjoy.

Playlist:


The Kinks- "Strangers"
Lou Reed- "Take a Walk on The Wild Side"
Sleater Kinney- "Youth Decay"
Mates Of State- "Now"
Neva Dinova- "Yellow Datsun"
Jimmy Eat World- "Lucky Denver Mint"
Jay-Z ft. UGK- "Big Pimpin"
Elvis Costello & The Imposters- "No Action"
Black Kids-"Love me Already"
Broken Social Scene-"Lover's Spit"
Saves The Day- "Coconut"
Cursive-"Bloody Murderer"
Husker Du- "Something I learned Today"
Mitch Hedberg- "Mini-Bar"
Pavement- "Range Life"
Silversun Pickups- "Lazy Eye"
Tegan & Sara- "You won't be left"
Thursday- "NY Batteri" (Sigur Ros cover)


Keep Checking for new upsates!

Moving Mountains Tour Journal Day 1

Wednesday, January 7th 2009



Hello everyone,


This is our first blog post, and second day on the road. We were thankful to have Sam let us crash at his house, (a.k.a, the hindu tantric sex kitchen). He also suggested that we keep a journal of this tour, and update it here! So anyways, last night we played in Jersey at this venue The Saint. It was awesome to finally meet Pompeii (we've been fans of theirs for a while), so performing with them is very amazing for us. Like most Moving Mountain's shows, we found ourselves running into tons of technical issues (our lights, samples, etc), but like most Moving Mountains shows we got through it. It was still fun, and nice to see all the familiar faces in Jersey. Pompeii killed it, too. As did our good friends in Chemtrail. All in all, a good night. Currently, we're driving to Baltimore in the shitty rain. In fact, it hasn't really stopped raining since yesterday. Really cold rain, too. But anyways, Mitch is packaging the pre-orders as we're driving. We sort of built a mail order, packaging station inside the van. We finally received the Foreword EP's in the mail on the 5th, so we've been trying to ship them out as soon as we can with the free time we have on the road. We're very happy with how they came out. I'm looking forward to everyone finally having them as well. If anyone reading this lives within the places we're going, please e-mail us and let us know! We'll hang out, and eat some food or something.


Much Love,


Greg

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Canned-gini: Repost and UPDATES


Monday, Eric Mangini had officially been fired as head coach of the Jets. Old news? Relatively. Unexpected? mmm, Not so much.
It's tough already being the head coach of a New York football team, especially one whose fanbase is in a desperate need of a Super Bowl appearance; but when your organization pumps $140 million into trading, free agent signings, and other fancy-pants personel changes and not get into the playoffs, well, something's gotta give.
Don't get me wrong, I liked Mangini. I believe that he layed down a good foundation for player development and some strategies for offense and defense worked really well, and 2 out of 3 winning seasons is pretty good. Actually, he did better in 2 seasons than Herm did in 5.
But looking at this, I can see why changes might be needed.
This could've gone both ways. I think if we held onto him, he might've took what happened this year and use it to develop a way the offense can't collapse in the west or make better passing plays for Favre (if he doesnt retire...again), or he would've turned into another Herm Edwards and lead the team to another horrible season with absolutely no development. Oh my dear God, we don't want that.

Also, Mangini had one season left in his contract, so another question that could be raised is would he come back? That's tough to call now, but judging by the player's admiration for him, maybe he would've stuck around. But I feel it's time to move on and the tides have gotta change. I had a feeling they would sooner or later.

As far as new coaches go, I'm not too sure about Bill Cowher, as he just negotiated with CBS, but he'll listen to what we gotta say, so that's good. Spagnulo would be nice, seeing as the Giants' defense is diesel and Marty Schottenheimer seems fine, and having the line coaches interviewed doesn't seem like a bad idea, either.There's going to be a lot of talk about what's going to happen next year.
But as far as coaching is concerned, but I think it'll work out considerably better than years past.
-Nick
__________________________________________________________________

UPDATES: 1/9/09

-Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski is being talked to. Hell after being fired from BC, he's probably going to take the job.

I mean, just look at how happy he is:


Mangenius is in Cleaveland. That's pretty cool, I feel as if that team needs him more, so good for him. I can't wait to see him in Brown.

-Nick

What The Hell Do I Know?: Governor Patterson's iTax and the Islanders being sold to Toronto.


Follow this link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=53869903141&ref=ts

And if you don’t like to follow instructions, then just read this:

The iTax is a budget proposal made by Governor Patterson to put taxes on things ranging from beer to sporting events (follow the link for more details)
On the group, you can see a lot of political talk going back and forth amongst people too mad to type correctly but all I can say is although this sucks, lets not attack the guy.

Granted, this sucks, but I think I understand where he's coming from.
Albany is not getting enough tax money from the people and the money's gotta come from somewhere, so of course the first victims are going to be things that are considered luxuries such as sporting events, jewlery and other things listed in the link. But the problem is, those "luxuries" are things that could really jumpstart the economy. You just got to read people.

As stated, one of the things being taxed are tickets to sporting events. Governor Patterson clearly isn't into sports (and no, he wouldn't need to SEE games, there's the radio so that argument can be tossed); and seriously, to not be into sports in New York is like being married to a female supermodel and not like tits. Anyway, if he was, then he’d realize he’d be losing money taxing sporting events.

We got to ask ourselves: why do people go to sporting events? The same reason why people buy music, take their cars for a spin for the hell of it, or drink like fishes: to get away from the stupid ass taxes they’re paying already.

Do you know how much dough can be made on people trying to escape? Too much.
Heres what I’m thinking: lessen the prices of the tickets, sell the beer cheaper, and let people have their fun. Not only will this make people come back more frequently but if these guys have fun at the events, they’ll tell their friends (?) and other people will want to go. And then they’ll buy stuff and the kids will get soda cheaper, and everything else falls into place. The shit sells itself. Then, the state comes in and taxes the big companies for selling the products in New York, not affecting the product itself., like taking a cut from the beer companies and giving it to the state to fund schooling and health plans and the like. As far as the sporting locations go, same thing. Take more from the company itself, but not let it affect prices of tickets. If the tickets were the same price AND New York taxes the companies, that’d be ridiculous, but to sell more tickets to people who CAN buy more and you have a gold mine. I know they already have a property tax and other wacky taxes to go with it, but they dared to be here, let the state do it’s thing. Like I said, it will sell itself.

But what about the companies that won’t share their profits with the state? Fuck ‘em.
Really. What the hell are these companies going to do? Leave? Let ‘em.

Say Budweiser gets really upset with New York state, being they (the company itself) has to pay more to sell the beer there. If they leave, they’d be making a big mistake. New York City has a lot of people, and a lot of depressed people, at that. There’s money to be made there, my friend.

Maybe it’s a moral thing, too. To not go to the games itself, but to be home and watch them, or to not drink a lot of beer and get something else, but really, it’s not going to fly. It’s only because people are depressed and you can make money off depression.
Plus, if all this money we can shave off these companies can fund public venues and other needs more than they are already, people wouldn’t be so depressed.

This probably is in a lot of people’s heads already, or maybe I'm wrong (I welcome both, but I hope I'm on the right track).

So:
Tax the companies, leave the product alone.
People will buy them still, I swear.

Just a playful thought.
-Nick S
P.S- That picture I added is what I think about the Islanders being sold.

1.8.09!

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I hope everyone is having a great time with the political rants. Here's some things not associated with Middle East.


The Daily Beast let's you know What to watch in 2009

The Stranger Lists the best ArtExhibitions of 2008


The Hype Machine Zeitgeist

The Fashion Police give you the The Ugliest Prom Dresses

MyModernmet.com shows off some awesome Body Art Ideas


Listen to What Old people have to say about popular music.



GO SEE THIS MOVIE!



*Stay tuned for an update of the Moving Mountains tour journal! Coming Soon.

Israel-Palestine continued...

UPDATE: Rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanon this morning, raising the possibility of a second front in the ongoing conflict.

This is pretty much what I anticipated when I first argued that regardless of your personal allegiance, a reasonable and dispassionate observer has to doubt the strategic viability of Israel's approach. The fact that Israel may soon be fighting this war on two (or more) fronts is frightening. And even if Israel succeeds in Gaza, there is the real possibility that a power vacuum there will be filled by even more extremist Palestinian leadership (a la Al Queda) - making matters much, much worse.

It's cool to be pro-Israel. It's not cool to manifest your support by simply rejecting any argument that is remotely critical of Israel's defense policy. It's unfortunate that so many people would rather dig for half-truths and shitty arguments that support a preconceived conclusion instead of educating themselves on the issues and using that information to form more reasonable opinions. This, of course, applies equally to those who treat Israel like a completely unprovoked oppressor.

The bottom line: If you're so emotionally connected to Israel or Palestine that you can't see the big picture here: sit down and shut up.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

A Different Jew's Perspective on the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Take an hour and watch this whole documentary. Although this was made in 2006, I find the information presented to be as relevant as ever with the current events taking place in Gaza.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

"I don't do too much talking these days"

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The Year In Photographs (2008)
Add us on Goodreads
*give us your recommendations


"A moment of hope" by The Guild League is NPR's Song Of The Day

Hypebeast reports that Kanye has his own Louis Vuitton Sneaker



XXL.com reports how SOULJA BOY IS RETARDED
*Gang Wars anyone?


Since I was brought here to spew Conservative Jewish propaganda....




Looks like Obama will be a great friend to Israel.





NYC Mayor knows what's up (the second one's from CNN because I know everyone here thinks FOXNEWS is the worst thing in the world. See the second Bloomberg link....6:05...Obama's quote about his children...very well put).

God Bless America
Am Yisrael Chai

Peace out, War in

That's it for News for Jews today

Monday, January 5, 2009

Rebecca Campbell



CLICK ON PICTURES TO VIEW THEM IN FULL SCALE!

I recently stumbled upon the work of Rebecca Campbell (literally) one day using Stumble Upon. For those of you who do not have this on your web browser, it is a must! (www.stumbleupon.com)

Anyway, Rebecca Campbell is a relatively young artist whose work thus far mostly focuses on women in different settings, some fantasy, some realistic as well as portraiture with the utmost realism. Most people know Chuck Close as the pioneer of photo-realism, but Rebecca Campbell is definitely doing her thang. Her website is really great because the visitor can see the progression from her thesis work during art school to the work she is more currently producing. She works in other mediums such as mixed media and photography but I think that her paintings' are the most noteworthy of her portfolio. For someone who feels a little intimidated by art, she is a really great painter to take note of, she puts it all out there for you to take in.

She is currently being exhibited and represented by the Ameringer-Yohe Gallery in New York City. The gallery is exhibiting her series entitled Xanadu. The Ameringer-Yohe Gallery also exhibits the work of modern artists, most notably Jackson Pollock, Willem De Koonig and David Hockey, that's a big deal!!

Check her stuff out at www.rebeccacampbell.net or at 20 W. 57th Street, NY, NY

BLah Blah

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Manybooks.net offers you a free way to download Books!

Popmatters.com reviews the best Romantic Comedy of all time


Hey Ladies! Go Jane is a place to buy cheap clothes... for Ladies!


Shave a Yeti!

What is Exactitudes ?

Barnaby Ward is an artist.

Elias Tahan is a photographer.

The New Yorker music blog thinks this is the best music video of 2008:



I think this one is:



love always!


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Sunday, January 4, 2009

The Moth


Recently I had the urge to become a great storyteller. That's probably because I finally I have some good stories to tell. That aside, I began to look for inspiration, clues, something that might help me understand. Because I just couldn't figure out what made some people great at telling stories and others (me) so bad at it. Then behold! An organization of storytellers. Enter: The Moth.

The Moth is an organization that was founded a few years ago in New York by a Georgian trying to recreate his childhood story telling enjoyment; summer nights on a porch with moths clinging to screens.

These stories are told by authors and regular people alike, and always in front a live audience. I've found these stories to be unbelievably entertaining, and the best part is, it's a podcast too!

You can check it out here.

For those out there who are around New York or LA, you can see one of these performances live. But beware, despite a total lack of advertising, the shows sell out very quickly and consistently.

Though I still don't think I'm a very good story-teller, I've definitely found a new source of entertainment and some inspiration as well.

Things you shouldn't try to eat while you drive.

During my several years as a certified New York State driver I have tried to eat many things while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle; some things have proven to be easier than others. Cheeseburgers, for example, are easy to eat while driving, provided they are served in some sort of foil wrapping that you can hold on to. A thanksgiving dinner on the other hand usually requires two hands and a partner to pour gravy into your mouth while you inhale mashed potatoes and is damn near impossible to eat while driving (but if anyone wants to try this please send us pictures).



Things I have tried to eat while driving that you should avoid
1. Salads
2. McDonalds Fruit and Yogurt Parfait's (though I'm sure any Parfait would be difficult)
3. Nuts that are still in the shells
4. A milkshake and a rootbeer at the same time
5. Chicken Wings (which weren't actually to hard to eat they just got sauce everywhere)
6. Bagels that you still have to spread cream cheese on
7. Anything really sour, you don't want to try to drive with a squinty face and watery eyes.


Let us know about anything you've tried to eat while driving that almost got you killed (or ruined that neat-o sweater gammy made for you.)

Love always
-Kirby

Americans Like the Ingredients, Why Don’t They Like to Eat the Pie?

Ahh, my first blog at The Love Schack. First of all, thanks to The Schack for inviting me here to share my thoughts on the game that I love the most, Hockey. If you read up on my profile, I work for a brand new website called hockeybarn.com. This is THE online community for all things hockey, so if you like what you read here, I am sure you'll love to see what we have in store for you on the site.

So without further adue, I present to you an article I actually had published a couple of years ago about my thoughts on why Hockey should be the biggest game on North American soil. Enjoy!

In Canada, hockey is the undisputed king of sports. It is part of our cultural identity. If it was apple pie, the question is not “would you like seconds?” It would be more like, “The next one is on its way, with plenty of ice cream.” Sadly, most of our brothers and sisters to the South just don't have a taste for the "ballet on ice." This even furthers the argument that hockey teams shouldn't be allowed to expand or relocate to most American cities (cough, cough, Kansas City, hack, hack).

Both sides of the border are fans of the ingredients that make up hockey. Perhaps breaking things down with some interesting facts may shed some light on the question at hand.

1) College/Junior Hockey

The Frozen Four Tournament is very well received year in and year out. Rabid US college students have a pint (or two) and support their boys on the ice. Americans also got revved up in North Dakota for the World Junior Championship. So why the lack of interest when it comes to watching the best players on the planet?

2) Football (Pro & College)

We invented it, Americans eat it up. "American Football" comes from Canada’s McGill University. The players line up facing one another a few inches apart. Helmets clash. The play is dead. Repeat. Then there are the few occasions when the running back gets more than four yards per carry, or the wide receiver catches a bomb for a touchdown. Of course there are those open field hits and awesome sacks. Now just add skates and drop breaks in the action and... Americans still don't watch hockey. I am hardly knocking the NFL style of game. I enjoy watching some pigskin every once in a while, although I could do without the commentators repeating the word “football” when describing every single play. I know what I am watching, and I know what the ball is called.

3) Baseball

Ok, so I’ll give this one to the USA. Elysian Fields in New Jersey is where baseball was born. A game where guys slap asses, take 'roids, and launch balls (when they actually make contact with them). Toss in the finesse of some spectacular plays in the field, the rare no hitter, and the even scarcer “Perfect Game” and… you still get a sport that takes close to three hours to play. To be fair, I realize that contacting a ball hurling towards you at 90+ mph is a remarkable feat, and perhaps the most difficult skill to execute in any sport (with or without the ‘roids).

4) Basketball

Do I even need to remind you who invented this? Now, I do find the speed and grace of basketball appealing. It's fun on TV and even more exciting live. I just don’t get how these gangsta wannabes hit like little girls in a school yard (lone exception: the Indiana-Detroit brawl).

So it would appear that the Yanks love hard-hitting games with speed, strength, and style – elements that are all inclusive to hockey!

Alright, so we can find things in hockey that Americans love. But what’s more, hockey players don't get fined for celebrating a goal, and they only get a five minute penalty for fighting. Hits are often massive and there are plenty to go around. And it's not called the fastest game on Earth for nothing. The saves a goalie can make are really breathtaking. The individual skill and team dynamics are integral to the game... Where do I stop?

Is it that the puck is hard to see? Americans LOVE GOLF!!! How the H-E-double- hockey-sticks do you follow a WHITE ball in the CLEAR blue sky?!! Is it the lack of teeth? Does the equipment smell that bad!? Is it because it's a sport that Canada dominates? Americans have the “Miracle on Ice!” Finally, could it be the arenas are too cold? Seriously, if you can paint your bare chest green and yellow in the snow-filled Lambeau Field…

All I am asking from our little brother from down South is a reason for the lack of interest. You'd think the NHL Commissioner would do some kind of research on this topic. Hockey is a gate driven business. At this point, Nashville - the top team in the league - is barely drawing 10,000 fans! The NFL has a 3 billion dollar contract with network TV. The NHL has a ZERO dollar contract with NBC. Do the math…

So what say you my American friends? Because if you don't like the pie, we are happy to keep it to ourselves. It’s just our Canadian nature to share.

No offense to the following states:
Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Colorado, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. (The city of Pittsburgh notwithstanding. If Pittsburgh loved its team that much it wouldn't be in perpetual bankruptcy, despite having one of the biggest stars in the game.)


So there you have it. My first blog at The Schack. Feel free to comment because I always love a good discussion about The Good Ol' Hockey Game, because it's the best game you can name...Thanks Stompin' Tom.

The Schwartz

Hockeybarn.com, Where Hockey Hits The Net!


 
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