OUR MORNING WOOD

Thoughts on The Tree of Life

2011-06-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting in the last few weeks. I could have gave a heads up or something, but things had gotten hectic in the last few weeks and I was feeling burnt out from everything. So, today, I sit at my laptop scribing this blog to tell you about the things I haven't done in the last few weeks and the movies that I haven't watched. I've yet to see X-Men: First Class, Super 8 or Green Lantern. Basically, I've been out of the loop for movies that I love.
I did, however, get a chance to see Tree of Life with Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain. I had a blog post written about this film on my iPhone, but out of sheer stupidity, I forgot to save it; because none of us will ever see it again I will say that it was possibly the greatest blog post I've ever written and that say's a lot because the statistics for Our Morning Wood point to the "Miles Dyson" post as the most viewed in the states and around the world.
The Tree of Life is a hard film to digest. It's a film that you might find yourself hating towards the middle and loving towards the end. If you're like me, you might be indifferent to it and you may find yourself thinking about the images for a week or two. There's a lot to this film and with a run time of about two hours and thirty minutes you're shown the history of the universe and the childhood of three kids. The better parts of the film involve Jack's- played by Sean Penn- childhood memories and had director Terrence Malick focused on this further he'd have a very powerful family drama. This is not to discredit the sequences of dinosaurs and evolution, but there are two different films passing itself as one.
Perhaps that's the point of the movie: Trying to make two things such as God and nature co-exist in a way that they complement each other. It could be very possible that the movie doesn't have a specific point and is open to interpretation as I've yet to find two people that agree wholly on the same idea. What I feel comfortable with is taking what I've experienced in life and what the film displays and making some sort of connection there, but still, no definite answer.
If you find yourself wanting to walk out of this film, don't feel bad. I played with the idea of leaving and getting my money back, but to this day, I've never walked out of a movie, so why start now? If you find yourself wanting to watch the movie, I strongly suggest waiting for the DVD as you could watch it at your own leisure and rumor has it that Terrence Malick is working on a six hour cut of the film that would focus on the life of young Jack even further.
That's it for right now. Hopefully, I get the chance to see some cool things in the coming days as I'm considering today the first day of my break from school. If I do, I'll be sure to post them here.

I Had a Crazy Zombie Dream Last Night

2011-05-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

Zombie dreams are my favorite dreams as they encompass love, action, escape scenarios and survival. I remember, I was stuck in the mall with my girlfriend and it took two days to escape. I remember it wasn't easy to just walk out because the zombies had taken over most of the mall, so we had to make our way through vents and back hallways. I had a Portal gun that would take me and my group across large bodies of water in the mall and it was especially helpful in getting injured people crates of weapons across-thanks Aperture!

I remember losing kids and adults in my group and seeing a woman stay with her friend and boyfriend that were turning into zombies. When they made the transition, the zombies puked blood into her face and I had to kill one that was coming after us.
I picked up a habit to close all opened doors. Before we escaped, we met up with this big group that had blockaded themselves at one end and they were having parties and celebrating our arrival, but the mood died when a little girl revealed that she was bit.
After her dad took her into a room to separate her from the rest of the group, we escaped to the parking lot, stole a car and drove home on the empty streets to the sound of state of emergency tests on the radio. Before we got home, Obama was getting ready to speak, so I sped home and tried to get my parents house to open the wrought-iron gate in front.
When they did, we rushed inside and received hugs and kisses from them. I went to sleep and woke up to a confused Obama debating with himself on how to handle the situation.
That's when I woke up. I was confused as Obama and a little bothered by my dogs walking on my bed.

Bronson, Dogma and Thor

2011-05-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Something I've been meaning to mention on Our Morning Wood is the abundance of movies on Netflix that don't get enough mainstream attention. This weekend, I had the opportunity to sit down and watch 2009's Bronson: A film based on the true story of Britain's most famous prisoner, Michael Peterson aka Charles Bronson. Charles Bronson, Tom Hardy, was originally sent to prison for seven years for petty theft, but through a series of hostage situations and fights with guards and cell mates, he managed to extend his prison sentence to thirty-four years. He's spent thirty of those years in solitary confinement. I'm really pushing a lot of people to see this movie mostly because there have been talks about the possibility of Tom Hardy playing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Some of you might know Hardy from Christopher Nolan's Inception as Eames and for those that were hesitant about another Batman movie without Heath Ledger, I am confident in saying that Tom Hardy will prove to be as charismatic on the screen as Heath Ledger's Joker is. Hardy's commitment to a character can be seen in this training video in which he pushes to obtain Michael Peterson's physique. It also has a cool soundtrack to go along with the films exaggerated telling of the Bronson's life in prison. If you decide to watch anything on Instant Netflix, make sure it's Bronson.

Last week, I mentioned that I was able to retrieve my DVD collection from storage. While digging through the boxes, I decided to sit down and watch Dogma- a movie that I saw years ago as a preteen looking for a tit on cable television. Instead of tits, I stumbled upon this profound flick on Starz and really it was the first of it's kind that I had watched. The movie is about two fallen angels, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, that after finding a loophole attempt to return back to Heaven despite whether or not the implications that they are putting all of reality at risk for destruction by doing so. Dogma's director, Kevin Smith, mended Catholic religion, his signature dick and fart jokes and really great dialogues into this criminally underrated movie.

His work in dialogue-whether it be in dyad or triadic groups- always feels organic. Lately, Kevin Smith has put practice to his talents in dialogue on Smodcast Internet Radio or S.I.R. for short. He has molded the Smodcast Network into a live internet radio cast. When I first heard of this project, I was blown away at Kevin Smith's work ethic, as earlier this year he announced that he would take his current movie, Red State, across America on his own dime to market his film to his own audience. For fans that like Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob or like talk radio and Star Wars and other pop culture talk need to check out his internet radio cast here.

I ended the long weekend by seeing Thor with my brother and girlfriend. This was my brother's second time seeing Thor and he was just as intrigued as he was the first time and I can see why. The movie is a great connector *Highlight for Spoiler* Jeremy Renner from The Hurt Locker as Hawkeye? Holy shit! *Highlight for Spoiler* to the upcoming Avengers movie and origin story and I can only anticipate this summer's Captain America.
I didn't like two things though and one of which had nothing to do with the movie. On the other end of the theater I heard a group of teens talking and giggling throughout the movie and it kind of makes me eagerly await the day when I can download new movies to my TV and enjoy a private screening of my own. The second was the scene at the end of the credits, which has been Marvel movie's literal signature for the past few years, in which I thought could have been put before the credits. The scene itself wasn't bad, but the studio could have pulled an Incredible Hulk and put the scene at the end of the movie, because it didn't reveal much. At any rate, the flick was damn good and took first place at the box office ahead of Bridesmaids- which I now kind of want to see after Judd Apatow was revered by all of Twitter. When Thor heard about his achievement this weekend, he was spotted celebrating in the woods,

Conan, Serenity and the Double-Sided DVD

2011-05-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, my brother and I skipped school to go to see a taping of Conan. When I walked into the studio, I was in disbelief that I was actually there. Having been a fan of Conan O'Brien for nearly ten years, it was exciting for me to finally see the show live. Seeing Conan was also a unbelievable and it was a trip to see how tall the guy really is, because he as gargantuan as he appears on TV and possibly even more so than most would imagine. John Krazinski of The Office was on and so was a mumbling Blake Griffin. All of which-including Andy Richter- looked like a display in a big and tall section at Macy's when they stood together.
Conan's crew also seemed to genuinely enjoy their jobs and as I watched the pages keep everybody in control and camera men set up, I noticed a lot of them seemed to be having as much fun as we were. Just from over hearing what some of the pages had to say, I could tell that Conan and his producers work very hard at making not only the audience happy, but their crew as well. It was really impressive and I really can't wait to go back.

I was a homebody for the rest of the weekend, but I was a one with a purpose. I managed to salvage all my DVDs from storage and I spent the better part of my free time sifting through oddball movies and major comedies to find something to watch. I'm proud of my DVD collection, but I have to say its can actually hinder my enjoyment because I always spend so much time figuring out what I want to watch. This weekend, however, I settled with Mad Max and Serenity.
Serenity is a movie by Joss Whedon-director of the upcoming Avengers movie. I really think it's worth checking out. It's a continuation of his ill-fated Fox show "Firefly"- which I have yet to see- but viewers will not feel lost upon seeing the movie, because Joss Whedon really does a great job on letting viewers know what's going on and gives just enough snippets of the history throughout the movie to get everyone on the same page. There's some really good action in the movie and great CGI and I have no doubt that Joss Whedon will do a great job at directing The Avengers.
As for Mad Max, and other movies with this issue, all I can ask is why the double sided DVD? What was the deal in the early millenium that they couldn't get the special features or an entire movie onto one side of the disk? It's redundant at best and really hinders the viewing experience.

Sam Jackson's "Avengers" Script Found

2011-05-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

While skimming through my twitter feed, Chris Gore- of Attack of the Show- posted a link to a blog that was in negotiations with a source that claimed to have Samuel L. Jackson's copy of the Avengers script on hand. The source wasn't clear on how he obtained it, but he did show proof that he indefinitely had it in his hands.

The blogger, wasn't very tempted to buy the actual script at the source's cost of several thousand dollars and who could blame him because it's very likely that he would be sought by Disney and Marvel executives for posting the script online. For what it's worth, Matt Holmes decided to post the pictures that the source sent him so that we could read about Tony Stark and Captain America running around. [Obessedwithfilm.com]

Blockbusters are Closing Across America

2011-05-02T16:36:00.001-07:00

Blockbuster Video has started closing down stores. Most DVDs have been priced at five buvks each. I picked up American Splendor, Pi and Coffee and Cigarettes -Which probably has one of the most accurate depictions of Bill Murray, Rza and Gza. I almost bought more, but I kept my selections to a minimum.

Go see what you can score because there's plenty of selection left.

The Death of Bin Laden

2011-05-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Nearly ten years ago, I woke up- the way millions of other Americans did- and found our world in disarray. Not knowing the severity of the matter, I made cruel jokes and was disciplined for doing so. I then knew how this affected our country and the world. It changed my outlook and for the last decade, my opinions went from blind optimism towards George W. Bush's actions in the Middle East to cynicism about politics.
As all of you know Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan. His body has been buried at sea, so that there will be no chance of anybody finding his body. Many are hinting that this victory will seal President Obama's re-election. The feeling around America is that of relief and many feel that closure has been served to American Citizens. The news, though already disputed by conspiracy theorists, is exciting. I ought to be writing a history report right now, but what could be more historic than the beginning of the end of a ten year war on terror.

Batman Year One Contest Results

2011-05-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Batman Year One graphic novel is Aaron DeCeo Cain. As for the delay, sorry. I had a busy week with homework and class. I received a lot of hits for this contest but not too many entries and I am taking that into consideration for future contests. If I decide to do this next month the prize will undoubtably be better. Anyway, thanks for playing

The Rebecca Black/JFK Conspiracy

2011-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

The theory and song are so absurd that it can only have some truth to it. The original poster must have spent so much aggravating hours researching and figuring out what it all meant. Just to thinking of how much he might have looked into to all those facts that were completely useless and information that was once regarded as moot. He probably spent a lot of time looking up JFK assassination factoids, too.

Does James Franco Have Nothing but Time on His Hands?

2011-04-25T09:30:00.001-07:00

A lot of people think he's high when he makes public appearances, but honestly I think he's exhausted. Seriously, the guy is in the middle of Yale's doctoral English program, was nominated for an Academy Award, is directing a play, teaching a course-about himself- and he's an author (CNN.COM). Now, he's been accepted into The University of Houston's doctoral program in literature and creative writing. I'm barely finishing with my Associates and I've been at this for five years. What the fuck is Franco on that gives him all this vigor to keep doing more shit? My theory is that he's taken the drug from Rise of the Planet of the Apes and boosted his brainpower beyond human limits.
Whatever it is, if the thirty-three years old continues at this rate and decides to study abroad or travel the world in his forties, he'll be a candidate for The Most Interesting Man in the World by his mid-fifties.

We Can Put Our Phones Away, Now

2011-04-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Seen here is a video I took of the Black Keys at the Hollywood Palladium. There are many more like it on Youtube from that very night. I had a lot of fun, but I only remember parts of it because I was too busy fiddling with my cameras to fully enjoy it. Fast-forward to me watching Coachella's live stream of Kanye performing and I saw hundreds of hands pop up with cameras in hand. For the most part I always see a few cell phones or a few cameras sticking up for a few minutes, but I think the straw that broke the camel's back for me was the iPad 2s in the crowd and it made me realize how bad it's gotten.

Now that everybody literally has a high res camera on their phone there's no need to stick your hand up for anything more than feeling the music. I understand there's a need for claiming that moment as yours and sharing it with your pals, because I've felt that too. But now that meaning in which you are trying to capture holds no value to anybody other than yourself and the others at the concert. Now, the only unique moments are those that you create on your own.
I'll bet you dollars to donuts that same song you're trying to capture will be on youtube a day or two after and it might be from a better angle as well. So literally sit back, relax and enjoy the tunes because it's just silly now.

I've Come Up with a Great Band Name

2011-04-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start a rock band called 30 foot Dildo. Then about ten years in the game, we'll sell out and rename ourselves 3FD for the kids and get a musical on Broadway.

Change It Up with These Easy to Find Beer Choices

2011-04-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

The choices of beers out there seem endless and I realize that not everybody has the time to drink different types or the gusto to try something new. If the party you're at only has Bud Light and Corona-nothing wrong with those as they get the job done- it's hard to get some variety into your life. I want to give you a few different choices this weekend and maybe you can turn the rest of your chums on to these beers that can be found in most markets. And note, I'm not going to pretend that I know all about what goes into the beer or how to judge an IBU, because that would be lying. So to be as truthful as I possibly can I'll let you in on what I like and let you be the judge.

Rolling Rock: I tried Rolling Rock a few years ago when they were holding their moonvertising campaign. If you really like Heineken then you'll like a Rolling Rock as they taste similar, but the flavor of Rolling Rock isn't as imposing. This Pale Lager is one of the more refreshing beers I've had and after you try it, there will be times when you look down your beer aisle and say, "Damn, I could go for a cold Rolling Rock right now."
You won't know why, but the rest of the beers won't call out your name like a that green bottle and white horse will. It's also relatively cheap- I picked up the six pack in my fridge right now for six dollars.

Blue Moon and their seasonal beer line: A lot of people really like Blue Moon and a lot of people haven't tried a Blue Moon, but to this day I haven't met anybody that hasn't liked Blue Moon. To say that they don't exist would be ignorant of me. Look, all I know is whoever I give a Blue Moon to likes it and is stuck on it for a long time because it's a really good beer and unlike anything they've tried. The best way to drink it is with a frosty stein and dropping an orange into it so it looks like a something Greek gods would have drank. As for their seasonal brews, I personally like their Summer Honey Wheat, but they're all really good as well. Once you try them all you can decipher what your's is but I warn you that it can be daunting to wait nine months for your favorite to pop in again.

Sea Dog Blue Paw: I tried Sea Dog Blue Paw a few weeks back. It's a really balanced gives you just the right aroma of blueberries, but let's you know you're still drinking a beer. Open one of these up and you'll find yourself wishing you had a stack of pancakes with it. The Sea Dog branch comes in other flavors as well, but I've yet to give those a shot as I've been to amazed with the blueberries in this beer to give the other a shot.

Like I said, most of these can be found in just about any market. The fact is, they've been staring you right in the face as you choose your normal brew for the weekend. So give them some attention and start expanding your taste for beer one bottle at a time.

Something Wiiked this Way Comes (an update)

2011-04-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, I posted a blog about the forthcoming Wii and now there's new credible speculation as to what will be accompanying Nintendo's big announcement. As I gave credence to before, Gizmodo is reporting the Nintendo is coming out with a controller that has a built in touch screen. What this touch screen will do is still up for debate.
CNN reports that the other two-thirds of the gaming industry are hinting at Microsoft and Sony not releasing a system until 2014. I personally think this is great news as it will give my Xbox 360 a great shelf-life and allow me to bet at least 90% of my games before the next system comes out. It's also allowing game developers to make every bit of use the systems have to their advantage. This also will put the Nintendo Wii ahead of the pack as Nintendo will definitely be releasing their system before 2014.
Feel free to comment or leave a piece of information I missed as I've noticed that when it comes to video games somebody always has something to say.

The First Issue

2011-04-21T09:00:00.001-07:00

For a little over a decade, the movie industry has been telling movie goers the origin stories of most of America's beloved super-heroes. Simon Brew of Den of Geek explains of Origin Fatigue and how it will kill off a franchise that's largely remained untapped. Comic books are not new; there's literally decades worth of material to cover and not just Marvel and DC. Brew, goes through all aspects of the origin story and though he's particularly "fatigued" from it, he's not completely against it when it comes to the new Batman films or any story where an origin is necessary.
I am not particularly against it either. I think it's only natural and still fun to have these movies, but in the case of the reboot it should be noted that we don't need to see how these people got their powers a second time. Do something different with it. As I said before there's a plethora of stories that Hollywood can use. How about Zack Snyder of the Watchmen and 300 directing Kingdom Com e? Surely his style will do justice to the graphic novel. Let's see a movie studio tackling a massive story like Identity Crisis or Civil War that takes three or four movies to tell. Clearly Marvel is heading in the right direction with the Avengers movie and for the past few years they've maintained focus with the current string of films we've seen recently.

Another thing I want to see is more stories on the creators of these tales. That's something we don't see too often, but when done right we can get movies like American Splendor. A story that many would enjoy, that's sadly been scrapped*, is that of Kavelier and Clay by Michel Chabon: Two twenty year olds- Sam Clay, New York native and his cousin Josef Kavelier, a refugee of Nazi Germany- get together and create a franchise that rivals Superman. You'd be right to think of the premise as juvenile, but when take into the period and characters you get a brilliant story. The two face many tragedies throughout their entire life and struggle with identity and family and both often lived a lifestyle that would make their creation-The Escapist- jealous. It's an American classic and it would surely get at least one Oscar nod.

A big reason we don't see these films is obviously money. Not a lack of, but a need to make more of it. The odd thing is, from what I see, is any super hero movie is going to spawn a toy line. There will be new gadgets and new villains for kids to crowd toy stores for. In I am Legend a billboard for Batman vs Superman was spotted in a barren Times Square. Don't tease us. We know you have the rights, so make use of them, because we already know who Superman, Spiderman and the rest of the primary super heroes are, now let us know them intimately and give us a franchise reboot we can truly appreciate.

I Really Want to like Mf Doom, Again

2011-04-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

And it's not that I completely hate him, but after I experience this in 2008 I had my reservations and found it hard to get into his 2009 album, Born Like This.

A lot of people think that it was part of some master plan, but three years later there's still no evidence to suggest that theory.

On the other hand, Stones throw has released a lunch box with a two CD set containing Doom's debut album, Operation: Doomsday and B-sides to the album. Coming soon is a 4-LP record set- released by MF's own MetalFace Record Label- for Operation: Doomsday. Both of which look really cool, but does it make up for his "Doomposters" being sent out to his shows three years ago? Not really.
Maybe his master plan was to disappear altogether. Three years ago, he seemed to be gaining more recognition, especially with all his projects with Adult swim. That mask kept his identity hidden from most of his fans and it's very possible that he took advantage of his near unknown identity and chose to leave the limelight for good.

Guru's Spirit Lives On

2011-04-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

First of all, I ask that you excuse the low quality picture. This was taken in '08, when I was able to see Guru, which stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal, of the underground group Gang Starr open for the Rza at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood. It was one of my first concerts and it was cool to see two of my favorite rappers performing ten or fifteen feet in front of me and gain the respect of the crowd that mainstream music doesn't give.
On April 19th, 2010 Guru died after a bout with cancer. His name was spread across Twitter feeds, like most celebs that pass and it was unfortunate to see that he had passed. It made me realize that a lot of the legends of hip-hop were starting die off. I don't want to go as far as to say that hip-hop is truly dead or dying; Ghostface changed my perceptions on that. And if he hadn't I probably would have to realize that anyway.
Yesterday, I saw something on Twitter that I rarely see for anybody. A year after his death, Guru's name had started trending again. And I felt at peace to know that though he's physically gone his spirit will live on just as Tupac, Biggies and the Ol' Dirty Bastard's are still in our consciousness today.

I am Going to Do Something About All Those Business Cards Left on My Front Door and Windshield

2011-04-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'll make a bowl and leave it on my doorstep. I'll name it "The Bowl of Lost Business" and I tear a bunch of those cards up and maybe even put some on toothpicks with fake blood dripping from where the toothpick pierced.
I figure people will still leave their cards, but with my Bowl of Lost Business they'll know exactly where they're time and effort is going when they leave one on my door. It will be like this guy's monument to Yellow Pages, but only more imposing.

The Only Thing Better Than a Great Trailer is a Remixed One

2011-04-19T09:00:00.002-07:00

Over the years, there have been some great remixed trailers floating around Youtube. Some of them are easily forgettable. But the best part about all of these trailers is that they let us see our favorite movies in a different light. Here is one of my favorites and one of the few that could actually work as another movie:
Willy Wonka Drug Baron

Our Morning Wood Contest

2011-04-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

I want people to be involved with this blog and I feel that the best way to build excitement is holding a contest for Our Morning Wood. The contest will start tomorrow and I will be giving away The graphic novel for Batman Year One as seen in the picture below. That's right, no bullshit, you can win this graphic novel.

I want people to get involved with this blog, so to be entered for the contest all you have to do is comment on this post with your name and email in the comment- if you are posting anonymously- and tell us what sort of content interests you and what you would like to see on Our Morning Wood in the future. This could be list or a paragraph, but it must be more than one word or longer than a sentence. You don't have to write an essay just full thoughts.

If you are in my area I will deliver it personally or if you are out of my town, state or country I will ship it to you at my expense. Posting two comments or more comments is appreciated but it will not gain you another entry. The contest ends one week from today and I will be using random.org to randomly select one you for the prize.

As always, thanks for your support and please share, tweet and subscribe Our Morning Wood.

I've got Wood for Portal 2: Part one

2011-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am going to assume many of you aren't familiar with Portal: The game that took many awards and spawned many catch phrases such as, "The cake is a lie," for geeks like myself. The small sized game, which ends on a cliffhanger, was released inside the Orange Box as a mini-game. Players are to figure their way out of ten different levels using a gun that shoot portals onto walls allowing the user to get over obstacles such as toxic waste and high ledges.
Personally, the game remains a favorite of mine, along with the other four games of The Orange Box-which I think is a steal for it's current price. I highly recommend the Orange Box to those who haven't played the Half-Life 2 series as it's one of the more respectable games and story lines out there.
As for Portal 2, well I am not entirely sure what to expect. I've seen the trailers and I've pre-ordered my copy at Gamestop and I will be picking it up later today. What I do know is that the story continues several years after the first game and it features a multi-player feature. I will be posting a blog soon on my thoughts on this game.

Nicholas Cage Arrested in New Orleans over the Weekend

2011-04-18T09:00:00.002-07:00

It's reported that Nicolas Cage was arrested on Domestic Battery charges in New Orleans this weekend. In a drunken argument with his wife, Alice Kim, Nick Cage grabbed his wife by the arms and attempted to force her into a house that he insisted was their rental. Alice Kim disagreed and Cage went on a rampage hitting parked cars and attempted to get into a cab (LA Times). Nicolas Cage was released on $11,000 bail.
Poor guy, first it was his money issues and now its abuse. I really hope the Gone in 60 Seconds star doesn't throw away his new job as our homeland security system:

Jack White, Danger Mouse and Norah Jones Team up for an Old West Shootout

2011-04-18T09:00:00.001-07:00

After last year's Broken Bells album with James Mercer and Dark Night of the Soul, I've been eagerly awaiting new Danger Mouse production. So, to my surprise, I read and heard over the radio that Danger Mouse has teamed up with composers of classic Spaghetti Westerns to create these new tracks for an upcoming album. If any of you haven't heard the new tracks featuring Danger Mouse, Jack White and Norah Jones then you are surely missing out.

The Nautica Windbreaker: Great for Spring or Chessboxing

2011-04-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've had my Nautica Windbreaker for several years now and it's never steered me wrong. There's a reason most of the members of Wu-tang rocked these back in the day because on top of all those great features they're pretty stylish and come in a multitude of colors. Also, It's extremely lightweight, durable and warm, so on cool days I won't feel the need to take it off. Plus, the hood folds into the collar giving me ultimate versatility.
When I bought this windbreaker back in 2009, I saw a similar one made by LRG and though it was very cool and trendy, I realized that $100 was way too much for a windbreaker that may go out of style soon. Nautica's windbreaker was literally half the price and conservative enough to stay in style for years.

Dodger Stadium to Beef up Security

2011-04-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Brian Stow remains in a medically induced coma after an encounter with two Dodger fans after a game earlier this month. The LAPD has been promising tighter security at Dodger Stadium for some time and many patrons can expect "zero-tolerance" crackdowns to take effect immediately.

The Times reports Dodger Fans can expect "uniformed officers posted throughout the ballpark. Officials said the officers will be more aggressive about expelling or arresting people who cause trouble". Before the incident, Dodger Stadium was looking to lower drinks to half-price during mid-week games; naturally, the idea has been scrapped.