FeldmanHood:

Manhood, Feldman style.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Hot Dog Heaven: Hot Doug's


Hello Everybody. One of my primary interests in life, as documented by the 'good eat's' section of FeldmanHood, is (you guessed it), 'eatin' good', even exceptionally if possible. This post connotes that of the latter's quality. I went to hot dog heaven, and am back to document it.

While Chicago has provided many exceptional eating experiences (refer to the 'CHI' section of, good eats..) in my career here, that is to be expected. The 'the second city' offers the full gamut of culinary options. However, it is of note, that while Chicago competes with New York and other worldly cities with top-flight restaurants, the city is associated more-so with grub than with gourmet. From The Billy Goat
Taver SNL skit, made famous by exulted Chicagoan John Belushi, to the Wiener Circle, a downtown institution, Chicago is known to serve (politely or not), hot dogs. Further to the point, within a mile of the titular hot dog heaven is Kuma's Corner, a would be hamburger heaven, if not for slightly stiffer competition.

Hot Doug's though is the reason we are here. I've eaten at said variety of Chicago restaurants. And while I've had superb experiences at many, I reserve blog posts only for the truly worthy, the other-wordily; Hot Doug's more then meets my criteria.

To set things strait, Chicago has more hot dogs available than any city in America, I'll venture. Some hairy relationship regulates only 'Vienna Beef' style hot dogs to be sold in the city. And sold they are. Placed anywhere in the Chicago-land area, one can be confident a hot dog vendor is no more than a 2 minute drive away (from my experience).

Hot Doug's is no different. Their regular menu features only variations on Vienna Beef dogs. Nothing to write home about there. The specials menu though, is what lifts the experience from earthly to heavenly.

Below I've copied two specials menus. One lifted from a random Sacramento food blog, and the current one (as of this week) with the ones we ordered circled.



























My apologies for those hard of sight for my lack of enlargement. For conversations sake, no selection on the left special menu appears on the right special menu. Further, having been to Hot Doug (heaven) only last Saturday (two days ago), 2/7 burgers we feasted on are already expired.

The general essence is of an 'encased meat' (not Vienna beef, or necessarily beef at all), topped with toppings and cheese. One of our favorites was the 'Teriyaki and Mandarin Orange Chicken Sausage with Spicy Peanut Sauce, Caraway Havarti Cheese and Toasted Coconut'. Less exotic, but no less angelic was 'The Sonoran Dog: Jalepeno and Cheddar Beef Dog with Jalepeno Mayonaisse, Jalepeno Bacon, Pinto Beans, Tomatoes and Onions.

My final words though are a warning. Arriving at Hot Doug's around 9:50 in the AM, we were served within about 10 minutes of the 10:30 opening. However, leaving around 11:15AM, a 30-60 minute line had developed around the building, supposedly a regular occurrence. Punch your ticket to heaven early.



(A hat with each color representing a color on the typical Chicago Vienna Beef hot dog, produced by one of Chicago's finest street-wear boutiques, LDRS)

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Crazy electrical storm in Chicago:

I happened to view all this from about 20 feet away from the middle building (Trump Tower) on the 43rd floor.

Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the same time! from Craig Shimala on Vimeo.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

A Reviewcommendation: The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen


My career as a committed pleasure reader (are ranks are low but loyal) began as an eight year old. My pursuit of books continued and even grew through middle school and high school. Yet sadly, I was forced into remission as a college student. As each term break and summer arrived though, I would excitedly read as much as I could, all until classes resumed. Now, after graduating, I finally can rejoin the ranks of full-time pleasure readers.

Perusing Barnes and Noble around my last exam, I saw an over-sized novel on one of their 'new and notable' tables. With the requisite 'New York Times Bestseller' label (which seems to have been victimized by a sort of inflation). My interest was piqued.



The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, by Reif Larsen is a fun, fast-paced and wholly engaging novel with illustrations and social commentary to boot. Without giving anything away, the titular protagonist is a 12 year old who translates his expansive perceptions of science, data and life into 'maps'. T.S.'s maps though aren't ordinary two-dimensional simplifications. They are artistic renderings of empirical evidence of the widest variety. An example below, T.S.'s bedroom, animated:


In addition to the beautiful illustrations and splendid protagonist, TSS(the book and boy) engage the reader in conversations of family, age, occupation and life, in general. Here is the Amazon link, and interview with the author,


Thursday, May 27, 2010

Another Pre World Cup Nike Mashup


My favorite music blog, Fader and sportswear brand, Nike, are teaming up for a series of six mixtapes, each representing (attempting to) a continents best sonic offerings, in preparation for the World Cup.

Here's a more exhaustive, equally informative, primary source:

Nike Sportswear and The FADER Present PITCH PERFECT


Between St. Alfred's (see below) and Fader, I'm impressed with Nike's partnerings thus far.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Creators Project


In general, we like art, we like technology, and we like massive installations. I know this because our society consumes massive amounts of music, movies, fashions, video games, etc. (art), gadgets, electronics (roughly speaking, technology), and festivals, conventions (from Bonnaroo to EEE, and everything in between).

When two purveyors of art, Vice magazine, and technology, Intel join forces to create the third, a festivalvention (mine), one is curious (by assumption of the first sentence). Behold, the Creators Project:

The Creators Project is a new network dedicated to the celebration of creativity and culture across media, and around the world. At a time in the history of the arts where digital technologies have revolutionized distribution, democratized access, and completely re-imagined the scope and scale with which an artist can create a vision and reach an audience, The Creators Project is a completely new kind of arts and culture channel for a completely new kind of world.

, in their words.

While the project itself is an ongoing online installment, five live exhibitions will occur over this summer in New York, London, Sao Polo, Seoul and Beijing.

Obviously, I'm piqued. When you see the line-up( some highlights: Diplo, N.A.S.A., Spike Jonze) I'm sure you will be too.

This could be marginal or this could be epic. But probably something between the two.



Saturday, May 15, 2010

Nike x St. Alfreds x World Cup





While ambulating through Wicker Park last Saturday, I came across a unique collaboration between these three brands:

In brief, Nike and St. Alfreds collaborated on a bespoke boutique focusing on the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

The store has a few functions.

Firstly, it's a store. For sale are national team apparel from countrys participating in the tournament. Similar to the Michigan Ave. Niketown

Also, as you can see in the top left picture, one wall of the store features bleachers ala a high school gym. Once the games begin, the bleachers will unfold, and anyone wanting can plant themselves and enjoy soccer on the four hanging flat-screen monitors opposite the bleachers. Thanks, FIFA

Where does St.A's fit in you ask? Here's where it gets exciting. Each week, a different fashion designer will create a Team USA logo. Customers can purchase the custom designs on hoodys or screen print them onto t-shirts.

A supplemental video below:

Pretty awesome.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Musing Mode


Prior to tonight, and to a lesser extent, prior to Game 4 (of the only relevant series left, none on that now though**),

I was imagining a Cleveland vs. Orlando Eastern Conference Finals.

However, for a relatively long time (a few weeks), and increasingly so (since the Hawks lost by an average of 25 points in four games), I was not confident Cleveland could beat the Magic.

Here's why:
  • Orlando beat Cleveland last year
  • Orlando coalesces a bevy talent...
This got me thinking about a mostly forgotten statistical definition; the mode, "the value that occurs most frequently"
Call me crazy, but Orlando's mode is offensive versatility. Besides D12 (a completely un-fitting nickname), the starters: Nelson, Carter, Barnes and Lewis each seemingly epitomize the duality of shooting and scoring elsewise.
Coming off the bench, Mickael Pietrus (above, draped) and J.J. Reddick (over-rated in his under-rated-ness) both shoot exceptionally well, as well as facilitate and score. Coconut (mine) AKA White Chocolate, has descended from the realm of street-ball into that of highly effective back-up floor generals.

Cleveland's mode is either small combo guards: Parker, West, and Williams or, C/C+, over-achieving 4s: Z, Hickson, and Powe
  • ...Considering Orlando's 6 Leatherman Tools, compared to Cleveland's surplus of mishapen goods, Orlando has a definite advantage.
  • Orlando wins the center battle (Howard and Gortat vs. Shaq Bonds) in a slam-dunk, too.
Obviously I'm neglecting the elephant in the room.

But, it happened on Planet Earth (below), it can also happen in the NBA Playoffs.

(In case you are wondering, Boston's mode is obviously aged all-stars, while neither PHO nor LA have an easily discernible mode)





Stay tuned (to the playoffs, they are epic, Lakers in 6 this time).

*The competition in this realm is fierce. I personally subscribe to Henry Abbott and Truehoop, as well as oblige the genius of both FreeDarko, and much more so, THEIR INCREDIBLE BOOK as well as Bill Simmons, and his book.

**I imagine (and wish like ESPN, I could rely on Elias Sports Bureau to back me up, that) three sweeps in the second round is rare. I find it neither interesting enough to write about, nor exciting to read, yet am curious how rare the outcome of four playoff series ending in three sweeps is.

Cartography x Facial Hair



No, that title isn't an attention grabber. It's serious.

After reading Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides in High School, I've had a certain paragraph he penned engrained in my memory.

Lo-and-behold:



...a visual aide:


Analysis: Compelling, yet incomplete. I believe much of Eastern and Central European could well claim to reside in the hair belt.

Further, maybe obscured by blurred ethnicities, facial hair anomalies abound amongst residents native to outside the Hair Belt.

APF

Sunday, May 2, 2010

3-D Desktop

Found on Gizmodo, a video of a 3-D desktop by a company called Bumptop:



...Bumbtop was just bought out by Google

that would make for an awesome Google tablet operating system

Thursday, April 29, 2010

In Rotation

Just found this mixtape from the Fader blog, some well done hip-hop :Also been very much enjoying Caribou's latest, Swim (Fact Magazine), some 'underwater crunk' (mine):
And lastly, a weath vane --> towards Daytrotter.com. The premise is that bands awesome and varied (very varied) visit the Daytrotter studio and record new studio versions of some of their stuff.

and

The Quietus - I've been enjoying (the repreive from Pitchfork) their reviews - no numbers, no genrecest!





Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Saturday, October 10, 2009

I'm back


Without elaborating, I took a long hiatus from this blog, not feeling 'extroverted' in the sense to broadcast or record or both what I believed to be the touchpoints of Feldmanhood. Not to say I took a break from eating, drinking, watching movies, reading or listening to music. On the contrary, I've engaged even more with all these as my preferences are honed, tastes are refined and experiences are broadened.

As always, I'm unsure of the biggest picture of this project. I do know I have urges to jot my thoughts down on the occasion and know some people appreciate it. Enjoy; comment if you are compelled, question if you wonder. APF

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Palindromes + Alcohol


A friend of mine is an intern/publicist for a restaurant production company, (http://www.threeheaded.com/), featuring five diversely themed venues around the city.

Last night, while perusing the websites of some of 'Three Headed's' restuarants, I came to evilOlive's page and subsequently their drink menu. Having never been there, nor giving the name much thought, it came as a huge surprise to me that all their cocktails fell into one of two categories: olive themed (potentially unexpected) or palindromic (completely unexpected). Some (all) examples:

Evil Olive
Yo Banana Boy
Till Lips Spill It
Racecar
Look Ma I am Kool
Dr. Awkward

Learning this made me very excited.

Each of their restaurants features an obvious drink theme...check um out.

APF

Friday, May 1, 2009

Favorite Utilities: Goolge Desktop and StumbleUpon

If your can't stomach the below Facebook post, invest in either of these two utilities.


In brief, Google Desktop docks useful widgets on your desktop (a feature Macs come ready-made with), as well as enhancing local search (on your hard-disk), and internet searching (Googling).


Google Desktop Download


StumbleUpon is a Firefox add-on, a seeming 'guide to the internet'. Users select initial 'interests' that alert SU what sorts of web-page the user seeks. Web pages are then provided (a new one just a click away) for the user to peruse. Further, SU encourages feedback on each web-page they suggest so to finer tune your settings (I imagine), thus improving each stumbling experience. SU also allows stumbling certain 'channels' like images, video, Wikipedia, or any specific website.

StumbleUpon Dowload

APF

Facebook Critiques, Suggestions, Implications

Ahh Facebook. Only five years old and the definition of an internet heavy-hitter. Like a few other stalwarts, Facebook has created (or transformed) a niche of the internet whilst (like that word) singularly dominating competition: Amazon, shopping; Youtube, video; Wikipedia, encyclopedia; Google, (choose one); Facebook- social networking.

I held-out through my senior year of high-school until I received my freshman-year roommate assignment in the mail. For fear of social speculation, I hurriedly and eagerly created an account. The viral effect began; collecting 'friends', 'tags', 'pokes', 'events' as Facebook became a constant in many peoples lives.

Since 2005, Facebook has steadily and thoroughly enrolled the majority of college students, high-school students and the general populace onto it's digital socialization platform. In (a fast) four years, Facebook currently boasts 200,000,000 users. During Facebook's reign, the platform has changed in appearance, functionality and availability. Yet, Facebook is ubiquitous, universal in some senses.

If Facebook is here to stay, here is critique, question and imagination, in approximately increasing scope:

1) Too many suggestions for (uncessesary) pages. I'm sure other people have noticed the absurd volume of 'pages' Facebook 'suggests' to you in the top right of the home screen. At first I believed some pages were justified, Barack Obama, Kanye West, etc. These allowed users to claim allegiance. Now though, I've seen pages for hugging, cities, old TV shows, and other more innane ones. These are scarily turning into groups, where people unwittingly stockpile unnecessary pages diluting overall meaning. Some regulation by Facebook would go a long way in controlling this traffic.

2) Lack of randomness of (six) friends display in profile. There is seemingly a glitch that for any given visit, the six friends (of yours) displayed on your profile page (when under wall and info) seem fixed. This seems counter-intuitive to the connecting power of Facebook. An either completely random, or (better yet) a more intelligently dictated display of friends would benefit the user (at least not bore them!)

3) Protection from applications. Facebook hasn't been the same since it opened it's doors to third party developers. We all know the annoying spam like quality of invasive applications (holding your 'newsfeed' hostage, clutter some notifications, etc.) . Facebook could serve to maintain universal applications such as calenders, 'bookshelves' and other media (music, movies) connecting services, causes, games, etc. Presently, two users have to each posses an application to allow cross-communication. With Facebook universal applications, all users would immediately be connected with peers.

4) More user freedom and choices. Taking ques from Gmail, Blogger (both Google obviously), and Myspace (Facebook's disease ridden relative), Facebook users should be able to personally tailor their Facebook experience. From skins, to content, features and layout, users' ability to customize their pages would make Facebook even more accessible and user friendly (a lot of potential here, depending on how much control they cede).

(warning, the next two points completely go off the deep end)

5) Casual Convergence. What I mean by casual convergence isn't casual at all. What I'm asking for could be poorly described as the union of a person's 'casual' computing uses. Imagine instead of toggling between your e-mail, Facebook, internet surfing, media (music, movies, books, TV), bookkeeping, Microsoft Office tasks (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.), data, cell-phone, (video) chat/messaging, they all existed and originated from a single source. Cloud computing is suggestive; I imagine this convergence can only happen in the ether, and Facebook is a natural candidate for the coordinating and organizing necessary. Users already have an association with their profile. All other applications could hub off Facebook; e-mailing, chatting, media usage(consuming, sharing, etc.), personal shopping, accounting, etc. all could be accessed within or in conjunction with a users page. However, the most powerful forces in the computing world would have to achieve countless seemingly unimaginable technical and business collaborations - Windows, Google, Facebook, Blackberry, etc. to achieve synchronicity.

6) Enders Game/ The Matrix/ 1984 (or official convergence). A continuation of the above thought results in people's official legal identity being administered through the internet. Everything from birth, health, education, correspondences, relationships, finances, property and all else that occurs in the governmental realm would be maintained on the internet by the powers that may be for every person. Naturally, the structure of Facebook, individual profiles with associated peers, and stores of information, could (foreseeable-y) service this vast administrative task. Like 5) above though, an unfathomable international body superseding nations and businesses would be necessary to achieve this unbelievable feat. Yet, The implications of a global internet-administered society may be able to transcend the simplest and most massive ills; poverty, health, security, and the global inefficiency of competing inefficient bureaucracies (not usually considered, we're probably all wasting a lot of human power).

Wow. Didn't expect it to go there. But, basically I think we're stuck with technology for better or for worse. Who's to say how or how much technologies will compile and combine in our futures.
Consider this (tip of the iceberg) fact though, Honest application of Moore's Law of Accelerating Returns and further: "Accelerating Change, (must credit Ray Kurzweil's book, The Singularity is Near, above), our world is and will continue to change faster and faster (of exponential order). If you think the elderly have trouble recognizing today, you try and imagine the next century (although Kurzweil claims most of us will live forever!).

Thoughts, responses? I'm curious.

APF

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Movies: Changeling & W



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I just now stopped watching 'Changeling, about 5/8 of the way through. About a week ago, I watched W.

Some pre-faceing:
1) I expected to like Changeling more than W. I like Angelina Jolie more than George W. Bush, for obvious reasons.

2) Critically I think (although unable to substantiate via my favorite source on movie reviews (not reviews themselves though), rotten tomatoes, where the two movies score a 61% (Changeling) and 60%(W.)) Changeling was better recieved. Angelina was nominated for a best actress role (I can see where they are coming from), and W may have been dismissed as a political endevour for the publically democratic Stone (director), who purposefully released W. prior to the final leg of the Barack vs. Old White Guy election this past November.

To the movies:

I <3ed W. The movie was fucking funny. Unless you are in the 3% that approved of Bush by the end of his attempted hijacking of America, you will find humor in Oliver Stone's portrayal of Bush's brain-trust wriggling their way into Iraq, as well as anachronistic jumps through W's spotty adolecence as a 'Kappster' at Yale, an alcoholic in Texas and an all around dissapointed son (Schadenfreude much?). There is oddles of humor between the personal interactions amongst white-house big-whigs, Cheney, Condie, Blair(Tony), and H.W. (played well by George Shinn), (Rove is constantly called 'boy-genius). Obviously beneath it all is the said truth that the portrayal is closer to truth than fiction. Thankfully those 8 years are history and we can start mending the present (see, ANY MAJOR NEW SOURCE?!?)

Changeling. I very much disliked this offering from Clint Eastwood. Basically the plotline is this. Single mother has to go to work on Saturday in 1930s LA. Her son is abducted. After five months, a boy is returned, albiet not her actual son, but an impersonator supplied by the LAPD for closure to avoid public embarrasment. Jolie fights impossible uphill battle against unbelievable corrupt police department. This movie tugs at any rational emotions in the wrong way. It is maddening to watch a single mother beat against ruthlessly corrput police beaurocracy (J.J. Jones) for her son back. She is condemned to a mental institution, turtured essentially. I shut off the movie when in an unrelated case a ~12 year old boy confessed to murdering about 20 kids his cousin kidnapped. Rather watch a recap of the Thirsty-32 (mine) on Sportscenter then this cockamamie-horrifying-gut-wrenching plot.

Although I am still hoping to see Eastwood in Gran-Torino, where instead of setting on the tall canvas chair, he sits on his porch and single-handedly wars with nieghborhood (SE?)-Asian gangs.

APF

Confusion

I've been confused recently.

By nature, when Facebook went through it's latest makeover, I shrugged it off. I'll get used to the new lay-out like I'd adapted to past re-iterations of one of the towers of our the web today -

But, slowly, and unsurely, I'm now confused.

Here's my confusion.

I'm much less certain now, with the new Facebook design (and the growing popularity of 'twitter') and simultaneously, with this blog, where to allocate my digital musings.

Facebook used to be extroverted by nature, save for the twitter like status updates. The flow of information was designed outward; you posted on peoples wall, sent them links to your favorite sites, and contra-perspectively, they returned the favor.

Now, with the latest (over?)haul, facebook has shifted the balance. With the new wall design, Zucker et. al. encourage posting on your own wall by giving you options as you would recieve on any of your friends walls. Further, your own wall posts are indistinguishable from your friends on your own wall.

Facebook unseemingly adapted itself to allow many of the actions I usually do on this blog, share links, thoughts, etc. on my own wall.

I'm now less sure where to put what, on Feldmanhood, on my Facebook, surely not on twitter (That to me seems like selling your soul, minute by minutes, as you update you status. Soon a twitter loop will exist broadcasting 'I'm updating my twitter', and surely then life will not be worht living, and we will resort to a global Walden).

I don't want to move Feldmanhood to facebook. Not everyone who I'm FB friends with wants to read my overly-verbose and esoteric diatribes on exactly this and other subjects.

So in conclusion, I'm not shutting down Feldmanhood (how could I with such a fitting logo?), nor will I litter my facebook with said diatribes.

I'm just confused, and blogging about it.

Go Cuse!

APF

Sunday, March 15, 2009

New Music:______!!!!!!!!!!

Refer to a long post a few days ago about my tribulations with contemporary music (that isn't classified hip-hop).

In short, a few weeks ago I pledged that I would expand my musical horizon (mostly rap/hip-hop, classic rock, small amounts of jazz, classical, electronica, misc.) vastly. I would let down my guard and explore what music was being made these days that was exceptional regardless of genre.

One last word - I'm going to try my best to affix genre after each CD. Ned, if your reading, or anyone else who may contend with my genre descriptions, or genre descriptions in general, here's my rationale. Even the vaguest, potentially inaccurate genre label will help an inquisitive listener hone in on music they are seeking, and to avoid music they seek to repel (although in my spirit, I've tried to be open minded---)

Some highlights from my last (Somalian) pull:

The Dodos- Visitor - indie
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes - indie
Pete Philly & Perquisite - Mystery Repeats - hip-hop

Here's what's new on my mp3 now (I've listened to a bit of it, but most of it will be listened to back and forth to Rochester in the next few weeks):

1st - Tindersticks - 'lounge rock' ? ? ?
2nd - Timbersticks - " "
Arrythmia - Anti-pop Consortium - hip-hop
Below the Heavens - Blu & Exile - hip-hop
Beware of the Maniacs - The Dodos - Indie
Big Calm - Morcheeba - trip-hop?
Blue Lines - Massive Attack - trip-hop
Dear Science - TV on the Radio - rock (?)
Desire in Uneasiness - Nadja - electronica of some sort?
Disintegration - The Cure - rock(?)
Earthtones - Crown City Rockers - hip-hop
Felt Mountain - Goldfrapp - electronica
Fortress - Protect the Hero - rock(?)
The Hungry Saw - Tindersticks - 'lounge rock'(?)
In the Evening - Mason Jenning - Indie
Like Swimming - Morphine - rock
A Matter of Time - Mike Posner - pop/hip-hop
Mindstate - Pete Philly & Perquisite - hip-hop
Murder Ballads - Nick Cave and The Bad - rock
The Odd Couple - Gnarles Barkley - hip-hop/soul
Offend Maggie - Deerhoof - Indie(?)
The Old Prince - Shad - hip-hop
One A.M. - Diverse - hip-hop
P.A.I.N.T. - Abstract Rude and Tribe Unique - hip-hop
The Ruiner - Made out of Babies - rock(?)
The Scenic Route - Panacea - hip-hop
Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop - Diamond D and the Psychotic Neurotic - hip-hop
Surfa Rosa - Pixies - punk
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie - rock
Violator - Depeche Mode - ??
Without You I'm Nothing - Placebo - rock(?)

FYI:

A documentary documenting (naturally) a cafe in south-central LA that spawned some of the most creative and talanted MCs (including Abstract Rude above, Freestyle Fellowship, one of my personal favorites and Jurassic Five, the most mainstream) over the past two decades, "This is the Life" (wikipedia link), directed by Ava DuVernay (a local resident/filmmaker)

New Issue of the Monocle: Vol. 2 Issue 21 Out:


http://www.monocle.com/


Notice intrigueing cover art (a staple).

I've bought but haven't perused any of the issue.

That, along with the Watchmen( btw, Watchmen is the only comic book on Time Magazine's comprehensive, yet mainstream list of best 100 books of the 20th century) will be my break reading.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Blog worthy


Last night I attended (loose definition), my girlfriends sorority formal.

Coinciding with the formal was the Syracuse Orangemen (Orange) men's varsity quarterfinal matchup with the UConn. Huskies in the Big East tournament.

No biggie. 'Cuse is a lock for the tournament, and matched up against a higher ranked and better (or so I thought) team. Most likely, they would play well 3/4 of the game and lose I thought.

For good measure, one of my friends, Ben, assured me he would text me score updates throughout my formal though...

When I suddenly awoke this morning at 5:58, my first thought (naturally/natuerlich) was, "What happened with 'Cuse?!"

As these events happen (see T.O. goes to Buffalo!), a lot of attention via SMS was directed at me.

The first thing my eyes landed on was a text preview of a message from my friend Phil: 'Cuse wins in 6OT.....

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Shit! I was energized at this point to absorb the details regarding potentially one of the most epic battles ever in college basketball featuring my favorite team, without me watching :()

Sure enough, Ben had kept his word, updating me via text message; Phil had joined in, and others of course texted me at the end of the game....

WOW. 6 OTs. Thats a lot of basketball.

Syracuse has played well in the Big East Tournament historically, over the last five years or so.

I did not expect this though.

Any 'Cuse fan knows the talent is there, and as Doug Gottlieb irratatingly reminds us, now we know the guile (my word) is there too.

We'll see how the East (big east) tournament turns out. Cuse should win if they play like that. We'll see if they have legs to accomplish winning two more games in two nights though...


On a closing note, as I'm watching SportsCenter right now, the Lakers vs. Spurs highlights are playing...

The announcer cooly says, "Bryant....looked like Eric Devendorf there for a second", referring to Kobe Bryant, the reigning NBA MVP and Syracuse's feisty, trashy, sweet shooting 2-guard, Eric Devendorf.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Charlie Rose


Charlie Rose is the best journalist on TV.

Think Larry King x Economist.

He is hidden on public TV and while televised, shrouded by a completely black background (as above).

The program usually features Charlie having an intelligent, insightful, deep and informative conversation with public figures from the world of politics (US and international), business, art (books, film, theatre, dance, architecture, fine art, music), and other public figures for an hour.

Often he will have round-table discussions with opposing parties, yet never sinks to CNN or ESPN level of heated arguements.

Watch him at 11PM every weekday night and check out his website to see all his past shows archived and more:

http://www.charlierose.com/

Here's a (my) CR mug

Saturday, March 7, 2009

The Bills Never Do This:


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3960653

Wow.

I always thought the combination of being a small market-team and wanting to avoid the dramatic publicity deterred the (my) Buffalo Bills from making drastic acquisitions.

Things have just changed.

For the record, I'm hopefully optimistic about T.O. in Buffalo.

We'll see how it goes.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Monocle

Since my senior year of high school, and specifically taking NYS Regents level economics with Mr. Michael Noto, I have been a devoted reader of The Economist Magazine:

http://www.economist.com/

The Economist is the most current, thorough, even-handed, wide-ranging weekly report of all affairs, politics, economics, business, science, arts, etc

It does have it's drawbacks though.

For a much fresher, up-to-date magazine, I highly suggest Monocle:

http://www.monocle.com/

My recent favorite travelling reading.

Monocle comes out once a month. The magazine is divided into five sections labeled ABCDE: Affairs, Business, Culture, Designs and Edits.

The parallels to The Economist are numerous. Both do not limit themselves in the scope, breadth and depth of the interests. Any reader will be surprised to find what each magazine is reports.

Both also feature rich online content, a privilege only subscribers can take advantage of..

Anyways...Check out Monocle next time you mean to read the Economist but anticipate the monotonous graphical displays and dry text too foreboding...

Games


I've always thrived for competition.

Physical, mental, digital, facial hair, whatever.

My two current favorites modes are pool and ping-pong in the FIJI common room.

Competition is rampant and hungry, the pool table is like a purple putting green and we go through gross' of ping pong balls in gross amount of times!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Diversifying My Portfolio, Impersonating (Feigning) Maturity

An example of hands off parenting is letting your son purchase 'The Source' (: http://www.thesource.com/), a 'rap/hip-hop lifestyle magazine' at age 9. However my parents were not acting out of pattern. I rarely was censored in my literary/cultural endeavors. I watched whichever movies and read whichever books my curious eyes landed on as a child.

While gravitating towards books with literary 'currency' as I grew older (leaving the airport authors Crichton, Grisham, Clancy, King behind around 7th grade), my musical development was comparatively stunted.

From about 4th grade, through a few weeks ago, I was unabashedly biased towards rap/hip-hop (I leave the genre splicing to the Pitchforks). Starting with Bad-Boy: Puff Daddy, BIG, through Wu-tang Clan and quickly expanding into as much of the rap universe I could access. I was, as my 7th grade social studies teacher named me, a JWA (Jew with Attitude).

My cousin Philip once gave me semi-wise advice, 'spend all your money on music'. I heeded those words starting at about age 11 through 15. During those years, I amassed about 150 CDs, mostly purchased used at Amazon.com. Since then, I have rode the mostly gorgeous waves of music piracy (Napster in 4th grade, Kazaa/Morpheo/LimeWire in middle school, Torrenting since high school) now hoarding upwards of 150GB of music across harddrives internal and external, laptops, desktops, Rochester, Chicago, etc.

Not to say I didn't dabble in other genres. Being the child of my parents, I was fluent in classic rock, folk, 'prog-rock' as well as mainstream pop, reggae, jam bands, and some electronica (again leaving the genrification to the Pitchforks).

A few weeks ago though, I really was frustrated with my musical maturity. Amidst friends who followed music as a whole like I followed the NBA (!!!!!), my single-mindedness led to musical insecurity.

I avowed to make a concerted (Sans Max) effort to find music in different genres I liked (generally). I wanted to acquire breadth over all music which I already boast in rap.

I'm happy to return to blogging (from a short-lay-off) triumphantly, with music diversification galore (maybe not galore, but relatively galorious!).

Together with my favorite piece of electronics, my 4GB Sansa Clip:
I have gone Somali and disregarded cultural morays regarding piracy.

As I have attempted on my blog, as well as my Facebook profile, I've enumerated my favorite books, movies and TV show (please watch The Wire in full, or contact me for book recommendations!).

Why then do I exclude my favorite music and albums? Generally, I've always felt that music is too vast and ample a source for me too pick and choose from. I simply can't par down favorite CDs into a finite and accesible list. Situations call for different musics, hence my call for diversification of my music portfolio. Lil' Wayne (of course he gets mentioned) would be as un-appreciated with adults as Holst' 'Planets' (try it!) would be with my cousin Sarah (no offense Sarah!).

As a taste, here's my current 4GB of music loaded onto my clip, in alphabetical order by Album, followed by Album artist:

Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird
Awfully Deep - Roots Manuva
Back on My Shit! - Busta Rhymes
Black Magic - Swollen Members
Caltroit - Black Milk
City of God's Son Part 1 - Kenzo Digital
Converting Vegetarians Discs 1 and 2 - Infected Mushroom
Da Drought 3 Discs 1 and 2 - Lil' Wayne
Dedication - Lil' Wayne
Dedication 2 - Lil' Wayne
Doctor's Advocate - The Game
Feed the Animals - Girl Talk
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
Gang Mentality - Clinton Sparks and The Re-up Gang
Get Familiar - Clinton Sparks and Kardinal Offishal
Gulag Orkestar - Beirut
Hannah Med H Soundtrack - The Knife
Heavy - Swollen Members
Heroes in the City of Dope - Zion I and the Grouch
Ink is My Drink - Panacea
The Knife - The Knife
Lord Willin' - The Clipse
Mantis - Umphrey's McGee
Mar Dulce - Bajofondo
A Matter of Time - Mike Posner
Monsters in The Closet - Swollen Members
Mystery Repeats - Pete Philly & Perquisite
Nerd-Hop Vol. 1 - Jordan Looney
Notorious Soundtrack - Jay-Z, et. al
Remind Me in 3 Days - The Knux
Road to Till the Casket Drops - The Clipse
The Segovia Collection - Andres Segovia
Sky High: The Kanye Remix Project- Kanye West & DJ Benzi
Slime and Reason Discs 1 and 2 - Roots Manuva
Starship Utopia - Cyne
Soundtracks - DJ Deckstream
The Take Over - Zion I
'Til Shiloh - Buju Banton
Vicious Delicious - Infected Mushroom
Visitor - The Dodos.

And there it is, an instant of my MP3 in time. A certain advantage of a smaller MP3 is that the user is forced to constantly cycle through his/her collection or obtain (Somali style) new music as often as his/her (musical) attention span dictates.

Music is as local as one of your friends putting a mixtape together (Nerd-Hop) to one of my favorites, Infected Mushroom, an Israeli Psy-Trance group I try and keep a finger on. Anyone can find something they like provided they are willing to employ the Internet.

APF

Friday, February 13, 2009

Contemporary in Sports Marketing

By far the most ambitious sports marketing I've see, Gatorade's G commercial now have a website:

http://missiong.com/

and a whole not more inside the website.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Another mixtape

This is from an acquaintance at NU, Ben Zoll.

Here's the link: http://www.mediafire.com/?qojmjyg5mdy

My favorite song: Jay-Z and Jane.

APF

Clash Gordon Love Lockdown rmx

http://www.zshare.net/audio/55358006b5c4e650/

a picture of me and Clash Gordon:

New Thomas Ricks Book Released
















Approximately (or exactly, for this stories sake) March 2003, during the onset of the current war, my friend and I created a wager.

If in 10 years, that is March 2013, invading Iraq was a good decision, I will buy him (and significant other) dinner. Likewise, if Iraq in 10 years (five now) looked to be a blunder, he will buy me (and significant other) dinner.

Thomas Ricks, a Washington Post journalist, would probably be my first line of defense.

I was assigned to read his first book chronicling the Iraq conflict (WAR), Fiasco, for History 319-1, History of American Foreign Relations 1900-Present. The books was meticulously researched, lucid, clear and well-informed. (Link: http://www.amazon.com/Fiasco-American-Military-Adventure-Iraq/dp/0143038915/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234283045&sr=8-1)

The New York Times today reviewed his second book (review: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/books/10kaku.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ricks%20the%20gamble&st=cse) on the subject, titled, The Gamble, extending his narrative chronologically to detail the surge, and the second phase of tactical command, lead by General Patraeus (link: http://www.amazon.com/Gamble-Petraeus-American-Adventure-2006-2008/dp/1594201978/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234283124&sr=1-5).

If your trying to stay current, no better way than with Ricks in my opinion.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Kenken

The Japenese officially have a monopoly on square-shaped number-themed logical puzzles.

The New York Times today began including 'Kenkens' in their Arts section, along with a crossword puzzle and the bridge section.

The rules are simple enough (as Sudoku). As in above, if the square is 6x6, one is allowed to use the digits 1-6 only once each in a row and column (as Sudoku). However, the numbers must satisfy the operations denoted within the bolded areas.

The 4x4 was very easy. The 6x6, not so much.

Here's a link:

http://www.kenken.com/

Sunday, February 8, 2009

My Forrest Gump Life

Not actually.

After tonight though, I can recall two intersections between me and (relatively) well-known folks.

After a day at work tabulating, checking, coding, debugging etc in the sports-statistics-computer software industry (an oft-recanted tongue twister of the summer past), I went to one of my most frequent haunts, Northwestern's 10,000,000$ gym overlooking Lake Michigan, SPAC (as opposed to NU's two broke gym's on Sheridan Patten and Blomquist, orUIC's 10,000,000$ gym overlooking 1-90), for a pre-dinner workout. Culminating my work-out with a shower, I realize after looking at the stall across from me, that I was showering with a professional (probably) swimmer. The shower, I decided was no place for two naked men to be introducing themselves. While drying ourselves off, the better sculpted of the two of us takes out a Team USA swimming bag with the name GREVERS embroidered on it. I then quickly realize I'm in the precense of NU's own recent swimming gold-medalist back-stroker, Matt Grevers. Diagologue ensues:
Wow! It's great to meet you! What are you doing in Evanston?

Some Marketing (??).

We were all so proud of you!!!!!!

Thanks....

Heres the minor historical figure:
Episode #2 occurred tonight. Four friends and I went to a concert tonight in Wicker Park featuring, K'naan, a Somalian rapper/poet who illustrates his own violent childhood in Mogadischu with hip-hop, reggae and rock in the background.

The show was scheduled to start at 7:00pm, and like most concerts did not begin until an hour after the scheduled start time.

Around 7:40, my friend Kyle and I go out for some fresh air. Without realizing it, a tour bus was parked across the street. Out of the bus comes a posse, with an obvious K'naan (he was dressed as he is on the cover of his new CD and his prevoius one (below):amongst them. Immediately, I alert Kyle and fumble for my camera.

As with Grevers, I also stammered out some well-intentioned words:

K'naan! Welcome to Chicago!!

and attempted to give high fives to him and his whole crew. He made the awkward move to answer my high-five with a 'rock'. We then are implicated into an unwanted RPS post-match where I envelope his rock, with my paper....

Here are my two photo attempts. The first is K'naan through a cloud of smoke and the second, a very dark shot of K'naan walking into the Subterranean:
and
.

But seriously, how significant are Matt Grevers and K'naan. I'd rate them 1s out of 10, considering Forrest Gump. But then in the end, we are all humans; Grevers has to shower in the same showers I do, K'naan has to dress for the same Chicago weather (surprisingly serendipitously mild this weekend) that I do too. To what end do celebrities deserve to be glorified for their sake and our own?