I figured I'd end the machine gun blast of blog posts tonight with a few select choices of music that I've been listening to lately. Granted, we all have different tastes when it comes to music, but I feel that we can all enjoy the beauty of a simple, feel-good song.
1. The XX - Islands - My favorite song by the breakout indie kids, it's great for either a jog/run or something to listen to when you wake up in the morning. The back n forth between the male and female singers works really well here, as it does throughout their whole album. Listen
2. Minus the Bear - Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse - I've really gotten into these guys lately and I am anxiously awaiting their new CD. Despite the quirky title, this is a really laid back song with one of my favorite lines repeated "Let's get a bottle and drink, alone tonight". Listen
3. Gorillaz - Stylo - Few people do the whole "head-nod / car-riding" songs better than Damon Albarn and his animated friends. Stylo is sort of in the same vein as their song "Clint Eastwood", but it has a different sort of flow to it. Definitely check it out if you haven't heard it already. Listen
4. Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone - This band has grown on me so much in the past few months, it's ridiculous. Their latest album is a little darker than their older, poppier stuff, but it is still worth checking out. This song however is calm and relaxing and shows off lead singer, Alex Turner's talented voice. Listen
5. Modest Mouse - Float On - Here's what I always see happening to me and bands I like. First I'll find out about one of their popular songs (Float On in this case). Then I'll learn about the rest of their catalogue and be blown away. Then other people will discover songs like Float On and subsequent singles that they release, and I'll be like "Yeah, but their old stuff is way better!" Then I'll listen to the first song I heard by them again and fall in love with them all over again. I'm back at this last point for this band. I'm sure you've all heard this song before, but next time you get blindsided by a test and are just looking for some reason to feel good again, this song never fails. Listen
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Must Be... Some Kind Of... Hot Tub Time Machine....
Ok so if there's one kind of movie that I'm always down for watching, it's a comedy that features either Seth Rogan, Paul Rudd, or my new favorite, Craig Robinson. And the last one is one of two stars in the recent comedy, Hot Tub Time Machine.
Now, going into this movie and watching the previews, I had pretty low expectations. But I still wanted to see it because I enjoy a few good laughs (who doesn't?) even if I know it won't necessarily be Scorcese-esque quality stuff.
However, I found HTTM to be a surprisingly good movie. I think that the previews made it look so outrageous and such a simple/dumb concept that my expectations were lowered and I thus embraced the film.
If you're bored and given the chance, don't be afraid to see the great white buffalo...great white buffalo... sorry, the movie Hot Tub Time Machine.
Now, going into this movie and watching the previews, I had pretty low expectations. But I still wanted to see it because I enjoy a few good laughs (who doesn't?) even if I know it won't necessarily be Scorcese-esque quality stuff.
However, I found HTTM to be a surprisingly good movie. I think that the previews made it look so outrageous and such a simple/dumb concept that my expectations were lowered and I thus embraced the film.
If you're bored and given the chance, don't be afraid to see the great white buffalo...great white buffalo... sorry, the movie Hot Tub Time Machine.
TV on DVD
Maybe it's because I'm in college now and constantly pressed for the minimal hours that I have to use in my free time, but I've found that there is a terrific alternative to watching a tv show habitually once a week (or less when it's not new). And that is to watch tv series' on DVDs.
There are numerous pros to method. First, I can watch the show where I want, when I want. If I have to work a shift late at the desk, I can just bring over my Season 2 box of 30 Rock and watch episode after episode until the tedious 4 hours are over.
Second, I don't have to wait in between episodes. I finally got caught up with watching the first few seasons of How I Met Your Mother, and now I watch it on Mondays at 8pm. But a part of me wants to just wait until this season wraps up and is put into DVDs. I often find myself having to ask someone else what the characters are referencing since it's been so long since I've last seen an episode of the show.
Another thing that goes along with that, I can re-watch things that I've missed in previous episodes. The week (or sometimes more when the episodes aren't new) that goes by in between episodes on TV just creates more opportunities for me to forget what has happened last time.
Now, again, the one show where I don't really have a problem with watching it once a week, is LOST. They give a solid recap in the beginning of each episode, plus they usually leave my brain twisted after each one that I normally can't fathom watching another one right after it anyways.
There are numerous pros to method. First, I can watch the show where I want, when I want. If I have to work a shift late at the desk, I can just bring over my Season 2 box of 30 Rock and watch episode after episode until the tedious 4 hours are over.
Second, I don't have to wait in between episodes. I finally got caught up with watching the first few seasons of How I Met Your Mother, and now I watch it on Mondays at 8pm. But a part of me wants to just wait until this season wraps up and is put into DVDs. I often find myself having to ask someone else what the characters are referencing since it's been so long since I've last seen an episode of the show.
Another thing that goes along with that, I can re-watch things that I've missed in previous episodes. The week (or sometimes more when the episodes aren't new) that goes by in between episodes on TV just creates more opportunities for me to forget what has happened last time.
Now, again, the one show where I don't really have a problem with watching it once a week, is LOST. They give a solid recap in the beginning of each episode, plus they usually leave my brain twisted after each one that I normally can't fathom watching another one right after it anyways.
Previously on LOST
I could not go on any longer without devoting a post to the most frustrating, most captivating show on television, ABC's LOST.
Lost is unlike any other television show that I have come across. I am a big fan of the show, but some of friends who watch it claim they are only watching it because they are addicted. And believe me, there's nothing one can do about it. The way the writers crafted the show, there is almost no way to stop watching it once you become addicted.
Now if you were new to Lost and I were to just tell you a synopsis of the series, I would sound like an idiot, and you would not be interested. It truly is the strangest thing. Whenever I'm talking to one of my friends on the day after Lost airs, I always think about what we're talking about for a brief moment and just imagine how strange we must sound to someone who has not watched the show.
Sample dialogue between my friend and I:
Me: Dude, do you think that guy is the smoke monster?
Friend: I don't know, he might be. I think the smoke monster just comes back in the forms of people who have already died.
Me: So do you think that Jack's dad on the island was the smoke monster?
Friend: Oooh. Possibly. I wonder if that's the case with Locke too.
(end scene)
Now that sample conversation didn't even touch on the time-traveling, flashbacks, the entire island moving, or the random polar bear.
It clearly is not a show that one can jump right into an episode and understand. But oddly enough, that was exactly how I got hooked. The first episode that I saw was at my friend's house. It was the finale of season 3 (the episode where Charlie dies). While I tried not to be the one who was always asking annoying questions, that's exactly what I was. After that episode, I found myself wanting to find out more. I got caught up on the first three seasons during the summer and the first part of my freshman semester, and by that time was ready for the show to air late January. I, and millions of others, are now anxiously awaiting the last 4 episodes of a show that has caused us both frustration and energy in coming up with theories on how it will end.
The thing that both makes Lost the show that it is, and the reason why a lot of my friends have the love-hate relationship with it that they do (but usually won't admit), is the cliff hangers. You can almost pencil in one at the end of each episode. There are numerous twists within each episode as well. Also, each episode is likely to have 4 or 5 flashbacks (in the first 3 seasons), flash forewards (in seasons 4 and 5), and now flash sideways (this season). What's more, no one really knows as to the significance of these sideways flashes. Hopefully they will tie it all together. If not, a lot of my friends will be frustrated with the show forever.
Fantasy Sports
Yes, I realize it's the last day to blog and I am a modest 5 blog posts behind. But before you all throw me into procrastination-nation, let me say that I did this on purpose! For I knew all of you would be in a rush to comment on blogs, that I found that this was the best time to release daring new material to the world. ... Yeah, honestly, I've just been procrastinating. Anyway, I got a mind full of ideas, a bottle of mountain dew, and lots to talk about.
First up, I'd like to talk to you first on a subject that I'm sure hits home with at most if lucky 5% of this class, fantasy sports. You may be saying, what does this have to do with pop culture, to which I say, find a different blog to comment on.
Wikipedia defines fantasy sports as a game where participants act as owners to build a team that competes against other fantasy owners based on the statistics generated by the real individual players or teams of a professional sport. Probably the most common variant converts statistical performance into points that are compiled and totaled according to a roster selected by a manager that makes up a fantasy team. These point systems are typically simple enough to be manually calculated by a "league commissioner." More complex variants use computer modeling of actual games based on statistical input generated by professional sports. In fantasy sports there is the ability to trade, cut, and sign players, like a real sports owner.
This is strikingly similar to something we talked about recently in class: an imaginary social relationship. The difference here is that this imaginary social relationship is completely one-way, but completely dependent nonetheless. For example, if I own Peyton Manning on my fantasy football team, I am connected to how he performs, how many TD's he throws, how many yards, etc.
Although it was alive prior, the craze of fantasy sports took off during the rise of the internet in the mid-1990's. And it really took off. In 1999, it was discovered in a survey that 29.6 million people over the age of 18 take part in fantasy sports in the US alone.
The top two fantasy sports are football and baseball, with basketball and hockey coming up behind. My favorite sport is football, which could also be why I generally do the best in those leagues. And while it definitely helps having a good knowledge of the sport beforehand, there are plenty of guides in magazines, internet sites, tv shows, and more to lend you advice on how you should run your team. It's essentially an RPG where you are the owner and the professional players you draft are on your team. Although I don't think there are too many cases where fantasy football players fly across the country and live together... but who knows.
First up, I'd like to talk to you first on a subject that I'm sure hits home with at most if lucky 5% of this class, fantasy sports. You may be saying, what does this have to do with pop culture, to which I say, find a different blog to comment on.
Wikipedia defines fantasy sports as a game where participants act as owners to build a team that competes against other fantasy owners based on the statistics generated by the real individual players or teams of a professional sport. Probably the most common variant converts statistical performance into points that are compiled and totaled according to a roster selected by a manager that makes up a fantasy team. These point systems are typically simple enough to be manually calculated by a "league commissioner." More complex variants use computer modeling of actual games based on statistical input generated by professional sports. In fantasy sports there is the ability to trade, cut, and sign players, like a real sports owner.
This is strikingly similar to something we talked about recently in class: an imaginary social relationship. The difference here is that this imaginary social relationship is completely one-way, but completely dependent nonetheless. For example, if I own Peyton Manning on my fantasy football team, I am connected to how he performs, how many TD's he throws, how many yards, etc.
Although it was alive prior, the craze of fantasy sports took off during the rise of the internet in the mid-1990's. And it really took off. In 1999, it was discovered in a survey that 29.6 million people over the age of 18 take part in fantasy sports in the US alone.
The top two fantasy sports are football and baseball, with basketball and hockey coming up behind. My favorite sport is football, which could also be why I generally do the best in those leagues. And while it definitely helps having a good knowledge of the sport beforehand, there are plenty of guides in magazines, internet sites, tv shows, and more to lend you advice on how you should run your team. It's essentially an RPG where you are the owner and the professional players you draft are on your team. Although I don't think there are too many cases where fantasy football players fly across the country and live together... but who knows.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Creepiest Thing I've Ever Seen
If you've never seen a trailer for the upcoming independent horror movie, "The Human Centipede", brace yourself. It is probably the creepiest thing I have ever seen in my life.
Click Here
Then again I'm not too big on horror movies as a genre in general. So I'm curious as to if this is as grotesque for people who usually are in to them as it was for me.
Click Here
Then again I'm not too big on horror movies as a genre in general. So I'm curious as to if this is as grotesque for people who usually are in to them as it was for me.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Violence in Video Games
Hey all, just browsing the good ole Internet and I happened to come across an article that was related to the violence in video games topic that we discussed last week.
http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson.html
I thought it was interesting that like Dr. Alperstein said, even after all of the research (40 years in this case) they really still do not have a difinitive answer. Although I found those myths interesting, particularly the one about cartoonish violence. I agree that that type of violence is probably more destructive for children and young teens as it mixes something they normally embrace (cartoons) with unrealistic/fantasyish violence.
Anyways, that's all for now. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson.html
I thought it was interesting that like Dr. Alperstein said, even after all of the research (40 years in this case) they really still do not have a difinitive answer. Although I found those myths interesting, particularly the one about cartoonish violence. I agree that that type of violence is probably more destructive for children and young teens as it mixes something they normally embrace (cartoons) with unrealistic/fantasyish violence.
Anyways, that's all for now. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
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