Meet Chico:
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Five Celebrity Updates: Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Burress is the best receiver on the Super Bowl Champion NY Giants. His career peaked when he caught the game-winning touchdown in last years Championship game.
Sense then, Burress has caused nothing but duress.
This season he has already been fined $204,000 for his behavior on and off the field. Among his erratic antics was a fine for verbally abusing an official. He was suspended an entire game for missing practice and not being reachable or telling anyone in advance. He then skipped medical treatment and was benched for a first quarter of another game.
While all of this behavior has led some fans to call for his departure, his latest debauchery easily tops them all. Last night Burress shot himself in the leg. He spent the night in a Manhattan hospital with his self-inflicted gun-shot wound.
If back to back Super Bowls isn’t enough motivation for Burress to clean up his lifestyle, getting married and having children should have been. Burress should be suspended from the NFL for the remainder of the season. He represents everything that is wrong with professional sports. His athletic ability allows him to live by a different moral standard, and he takes advantage at every opportunity. Playing professional sports should be a privilege, and to me, Burress has lost his.
Sense then, Burress has caused nothing but duress.
This season he has already been fined $204,000 for his behavior on and off the field. Among his erratic antics was a fine for verbally abusing an official. He was suspended an entire game for missing practice and not being reachable or telling anyone in advance. He then skipped medical treatment and was benched for a first quarter of another game.
While all of this behavior has led some fans to call for his departure, his latest debauchery easily tops them all. Last night Burress shot himself in the leg. He spent the night in a Manhattan hospital with his self-inflicted gun-shot wound.
If back to back Super Bowls isn’t enough motivation for Burress to clean up his lifestyle, getting married and having children should have been. Burress should be suspended from the NFL for the remainder of the season. He represents everything that is wrong with professional sports. His athletic ability allows him to live by a different moral standard, and he takes advantage at every opportunity. Playing professional sports should be a privilege, and to me, Burress has lost his.
Five Celebrity Updates: Britney Spears
Last year Britney had bottomed out both personally and professionally. After the release of ‘Blackout’ and her embarrassingly bad performance on MTV’s “Video Music Awards”, she quickly became the tabloids top target. Her career, and life for that matter, appeared to be fizzling faster than her one night marriage in Vegas.
Now, Britney has surprised us again.
Her latest album, “Circus”, is set to release on Tuesday, her 27th birthday. It is touted by many as the best album of her career, likely taking her back to the top of the charts. Britney worked with basically the same people as on ‘Blackout’, which is peculiar considering the difference in quality. This revival to musical relevance is likely correlated with her commitment to the album.
Now, Britney has surprised us again.
Her latest album, “Circus”, is set to release on Tuesday, her 27th birthday. It is touted by many as the best album of her career, likely taking her back to the top of the charts. Britney worked with basically the same people as on ‘Blackout’, which is peculiar considering the difference in quality. This revival to musical relevance is likely correlated with her commitment to the album.
Five Celebrity Updates: A-Rod and Madonna
Alex Rodriguez, baseballs highest paid player, appeared to have it all. Not to mention the $250 million contract, he had a beautiful wife, children, and is the star of the most recognizable sports team in the world.
Everything in A-Rod’s life was seemingly scripted to his liking.
Then he met Madonna.
Now, amid daily affair accusations, A-Rod has truly taken a turn toward class-less. While he and Madonna have continuously denied the rumors, their constant companionship makes it hard to believe. Despite the mess he’s made of his marriage, one would think that his children would still take priority. Disappointingly, to A-Rod it was more important to be in the front row of Madonna’s show in Miami, than to spend Thanksgiving with his kids. Commenting on this decision, A-Rod’s now former wife was correct in calling him “soul-less”.
Everything in A-Rod’s life was seemingly scripted to his liking.
Then he met Madonna.
Now, amid daily affair accusations, A-Rod has truly taken a turn toward class-less. While he and Madonna have continuously denied the rumors, their constant companionship makes it hard to believe. Despite the mess he’s made of his marriage, one would think that his children would still take priority. Disappointingly, to A-Rod it was more important to be in the front row of Madonna’s show in Miami, than to spend Thanksgiving with his kids. Commenting on this decision, A-Rod’s now former wife was correct in calling him “soul-less”.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Five Entertainment Trends
5. The impatience in American culture is bleeding into our sports.
EX: Americans can't and won't embrace soccer. If a sport is to slow to offer the exciting highs and lows the audience demands, it must change, or fail. Hockey was forced to change their rules to make the game more offensive and exciting.
EX: Americans can't and won't embrace soccer. If a sport is to slow to offer the exciting highs and lows the audience demands, it must change, or fail. Hockey was forced to change their rules to make the game more offensive and exciting.
Five Entertainment Trends
4. Celebrities adopting children, portraying a sense of moral concern and compassion.
EX: Angelina Jolie
EX: Angelina Jolie
Five Entertainment Trends
3. Celebrities using their fame as a pedestal to voice political views.
EX: Numerous athletes and celebrities, like LeBron James, chose to voice their political views regarding the recent election. This is different from the '90s, where Michael Jordan said "Both Republicans and Democrats buy shoes."
EX: Numerous athletes and celebrities, like LeBron James, chose to voice their political views regarding the recent election. This is different from the '90s, where Michael Jordan said "Both Republicans and Democrats buy shoes."
Five Entertainment Trends
2. Celebrities 'Going Green'
EX: Countless athletes and celebrities are now pulling up to events in Hybrids instead of Hummers.
EX: Countless athletes and celebrities are now pulling up to events in Hybrids instead of Hummers.
Five Entertainment Trends
1. Who can make the quickest and healthiest form of energy.
EX: Five Hour Energy, now there is Six Hour Energy...each claiming the longest sustained boost with the least crash...all following the initial energy drink trend with Red Bull, Monster etc.
EX: Five Hour Energy, now there is Six Hour Energy...each claiming the longest sustained boost with the least crash...all following the initial energy drink trend with Red Bull, Monster etc.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Modest Mouse 'We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank'
As indie music has become the latest trend of major music labels, the meaning of the term ‘indie’ no longer holds the same significance. What in the past described an attitude and path of self-sufficiency and a sound sovereign of conservative commercial influence, now simply is a descriptive term for any mainstream rock band with a distinctly authentic sound. There was a time when to be called an ‘indie-band’ first required independence from major labels and a strong dose of originality. While the influence of major labels has altered the meaning of the term indie, there are still bands that embody the autonomous attitude of its roots.
Modest Mouse has become a nationally recognized indie-rock band since their 2001 release of ‘The Moon and Antarctica’, which happened to be their first album under Sony’s Epic Records. Although this move to a major label would be seen as ‘selling out’ in the ‘80's, Mouse has done no such thing. The band released six adventurous albums either independently or through small labels before the move to Epic. The odd, unorthodox sound created by these albums established them as an indie-rock band. While signing with Epic expanded their audience significantly, it did not effect their quirky sound.
Modest Mouse’s latest studio album, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’, combines their wacky off-kilter sound that has defined them, with the song writing and instrumentation of the Smiths Johnny Marr, creating an album that doesn’t try to transcend genre’s, rather flourishes in their introspective, indie-rock identity.
While much of their early work was experimental and innovative, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’ offers a controlled, at times refreshingly reserved sound. Some might criticize this as the conservative influence of the major label, but to me it’s Mouse at their best, creating songs with a level of comfort and unity rather than the inharmonious unpredictability of past albums.
The song ‘Missed The Boat’ offers introspective lyrics on living life safe and predictably, only to later realize that opportunity has passed.
“I assume as much for other people
Oh, and I know this of myself
We've listened more to life's end gong
Than the sound of life's sweet bells.”
Was it ever worth it?
Was there all that much to gain?
Well, we knew we'd missed the boat
And we'd already missed the plane”
These contemplative, sometimes depressing lyrics added to the catchy rhythm guitar and up tempo melody makes for an instant Modest Mouse classic. ‘Parting With The Sensory’ combines calm acoustic rhythm guitars with the disorderly vocal harmonies that have come to define them.
Modest Mouse established themselves as an exploratory rock band with unpredictable, at times frantic vocals shouting deep subjective lyrics. Their latest album captures this identity while mixing in a resigned comfort that some will criticize while others will welcome as Mouse, modestly at their best.
Modest Mouse has become a nationally recognized indie-rock band since their 2001 release of ‘The Moon and Antarctica’, which happened to be their first album under Sony’s Epic Records. Although this move to a major label would be seen as ‘selling out’ in the ‘80's, Mouse has done no such thing. The band released six adventurous albums either independently or through small labels before the move to Epic. The odd, unorthodox sound created by these albums established them as an indie-rock band. While signing with Epic expanded their audience significantly, it did not effect their quirky sound.
Modest Mouse’s latest studio album, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’, combines their wacky off-kilter sound that has defined them, with the song writing and instrumentation of the Smiths Johnny Marr, creating an album that doesn’t try to transcend genre’s, rather flourishes in their introspective, indie-rock identity.
While much of their early work was experimental and innovative, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’ offers a controlled, at times refreshingly reserved sound. Some might criticize this as the conservative influence of the major label, but to me it’s Mouse at their best, creating songs with a level of comfort and unity rather than the inharmonious unpredictability of past albums.
The song ‘Missed The Boat’ offers introspective lyrics on living life safe and predictably, only to later realize that opportunity has passed.
“I assume as much for other people
Oh, and I know this of myself
We've listened more to life's end gong
Than the sound of life's sweet bells.”
Was it ever worth it?
Was there all that much to gain?
Well, we knew we'd missed the boat
And we'd already missed the plane”
These contemplative, sometimes depressing lyrics added to the catchy rhythm guitar and up tempo melody makes for an instant Modest Mouse classic. ‘Parting With The Sensory’ combines calm acoustic rhythm guitars with the disorderly vocal harmonies that have come to define them.
Modest Mouse established themselves as an exploratory rock band with unpredictable, at times frantic vocals shouting deep subjective lyrics. Their latest album captures this identity while mixing in a resigned comfort that some will criticize while others will welcome as Mouse, modestly at their best.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Worst Costumes of Halloween
Worst Costumes: The worst costumes of the weekend were definitely the repeaters. Everywhere I went there were multiple Michael Phelps', variations of vampires, and dozens of doctors.
The assortment of slutty office girls, risque Disney characters, and next to naked flight attendants at times became maddening. The idea that 'Halloween is the one night a year a girl can dress like a stripper and not get criticized' drives me crazy.
Maybe it's because I heard that justification repeatedly over the weekend, or maybe because I have an 18-year-old sister who I don't want falling for that fallacy, either way, it's dumb.
The assortment of slutty office girls, risque Disney characters, and next to naked flight attendants at times became maddening. The idea that 'Halloween is the one night a year a girl can dress like a stripper and not get criticized' drives me crazy.
Maybe it's because I heard that justification repeatedly over the weekend, or maybe because I have an 18-year-old sister who I don't want falling for that fallacy, either way, it's dumb.
Best of: Halloween Costumes...in no specific order.
Pulp Fiction girl: Wearing a white button-down shirt with sleeves hanging over
her hands, tired eyes, and a cig seductively set between her lips, this girl could have been any number of movie characters.
But when I noticed the needle dangling from her chest and the dried blood under her nose I immediately caught on.
The jet black hair hanging evenly around her neck combined with bangs cut just above the eye brows to symmetrically frame her face, Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace came to life.
her hands, tired eyes, and a cig seductively set between her lips, this girl could have been any number of movie characters.
But when I noticed the needle dangling from her chest and the dried blood under her nose I immediately caught on.
The jet black hair hanging evenly around her neck combined with bangs cut just above the eye brows to symmetrically frame her face, Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace came to life.
Best of: Halloween Costumes...in no specific order.
Pregnant Nun: The modesty of a girl dressed as a Nun was somewhat refreshing comparably, but this Nun was special.
The attention to detail was immediately apparent. The full-length black robe down to her dull black shoes, clean white gloves, a white collar and black head cover with a white headband, she sheltered all skin other than her face.
The punch line however was her protruding pregnant stomach, inflated with a large balloon, creatively adding some ironic humor to an already stylish costume.
The attention to detail was immediately apparent. The full-length black robe down to her dull black shoes, clean white gloves, a white collar and black head cover with a white headband, she sheltered all skin other than her face.
The punch line however was her protruding pregnant stomach, inflated with a large balloon, creatively adding some ironic humor to an already stylish costume.
Holloween: Best and Worst Costumes
Clearance racks all over are wrapped in orange and black marking the end of Halloween. Extra large bags of skull shaped suckers, spider web streamers and screeching skeletons are suddenly on sale.
Halloween is over.
People everywhere are discarding their costumes that for some were a year in planning, while for others(like me) were a last minute ticket into a party. After seeing hundreds of half hearted attempts at The Joker and Michael Phelps, I thought it appropriate to do a 'best of' list of the costumes I witnessed over the weekend. While the standard for judgement will essentially be based on my opinion, I will factor in originality, creativity, and aesthetic achievement.
Halloween is over.
People everywhere are discarding their costumes that for some were a year in planning, while for others(like me) were a last minute ticket into a party. After seeing hundreds of half hearted attempts at The Joker and Michael Phelps, I thought it appropriate to do a 'best of' list of the costumes I witnessed over the weekend. While the standard for judgement will essentially be based on my opinion, I will factor in originality, creativity, and aesthetic achievement.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)