My Bucket List:

Here are a few things that I would like to accomplish in 2009....

1. Go skiing at least once.
2. Go ice skating at least once.
3. Jump out of an airplane.
4. Climb or hike something taller than a house.
5. Spend significant amount of time in a hot tub.
6. Go to at least one opera.
7. Go to at least one musical.
8. Go to at least one symphony.
9. Go Salsa dancing.
10. Make several new friends.
11. Eat more meals with friends.
12. Try and get in shape.
13. Play ping pong and destroy one person at it.
14. Play roller hockey.
15. Go to as many Penguin games as possible.
16. Stargaze.
17. Buy a car.
18. Save more money than ever before.
19. Save someones life.
20. Make someone laugh until they collapse.
21. Show someone how to do something that I know.
22. Spend more time with family and less working.
23. Give more compliments.
24. Drive an exotic vehicle.
25. Travel.
26. Read a great book.
27. Watch as many movies as I can.
28. Write at least one song.
29. Play my guitar more.
30. Make an impact on someone.

The Laundry Trifecta...

Many people who know me well know that I have a deep love for doing laundry. I can't really explain why this is, but I do and I have decided to just embrace this fact. Anyway, not only do I enjoy laundry, but I also have experimented with just about every combination of detergent, softener, and bleach method that exists in the humble attempt to figure out the best way to wash clothes effectively.

Here is the absolute winning combination:

Detergent: Tide Total Care (Renewing Rain HE)
Softener: Snuggle (Blue Sparkle)
Bleach: Clorox 2X Color Booster/Stain Figher (Lavender HE)

These three products together are by far the most effective, efficient, and ultimate way to get your clothes clean, fresh, and restored. It only makes sense to use great products when clothes cost so much.

I will also note that there are a few other products that work really well, the first is if you are concerned about your budget since the Tide is a bit pricy, you can also go with Purex (HE) and it costs about 1/4 the amount, plus it's concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Also recommended is anything from Tide really works well, except never use powders. I also like the new Downy Softener, which works well with the Tide, but the smell of the Snuggle is far superior and lasts much longer. The Clorox 2X comes in a non-lavender scent, which works well, but I really prefer the lavender.

The best place to buy these products for price is Wal-mart/Sams Club as they have the most for the least, Target carries them, but are usually a bit more unless you find them on sale.

Pixar Ratings:

Thought I would share my personal ratings for Pixar's catalogue of films...

Toy Story (1995) B
A Bug's Life (1998) B-
Toy Story 2 (1999) B+
Monster's Inc (2001) B-
Finding Nemo (2003) B+
The Incredibles (2004) B-
Cars (2006) B+
Ratatouille (2007) A-
Wall-E (2008) A

Pixar seems to be getting even better with their productions, the latest film Wall-E had all the right ingredients that Pixar films are now known for: wit, charm, groundbreaking digital work, great characters, fun story, etc etc, but Wall-E goes a step beyond that with a mature and deep story and underlying themes that makes this not just a kids film. I think most Pixar films can be enjoyed by all ages, but this one in particular contains some pretty deep moments and that goes even further than it's obvious eco-friendly push. While I think that the consitentsy in quality that this studio puts out is mind-boggling, there is no doubt that their shining moment thus far is a dutiful and romantic little robot named Wall-E.

So long Butch...

On Friday the world lost perhaps one of the greatest actors of all time in Paul Newman. While he will probably be best remembered for his role of Butch Cassidy, he also graced us with his presence in many other classics like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Hud, Exodus, The Sting, The Hustler, The Color of Money, and of course Cool Hand Luke.

Perhaps one of his greater more recent roles was in 2002's Road to Perdition, which demonstrated just how great of an actor he was even in his later years. At age 83 it's fair to say that he lived a long and prosperous life and his legend will live on for future generations of film lovers.

The Mighty Bucs.

This summer I actually went to my first complete Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC park. I have been incredibly out-of-touch with baseball, which has been intentional ever since they went on strike many years ago. I don't follow baseball nor do I care to as long as things are still the way they are with rediculous salaries, egos, and juiced up players who lie under oath.

Anyway...

I got to see the Bucs actually win in a 15-8 victory over the Dodgers, which is quite a miracle considering how bad of a team the Pirates truly are and have been. While the score looks impressive it was still a disappointing game despite a win. Disappointing? Yes, how could a team this bad play in one of the most amazing fields ever built? It's not really disappointing, it's embarrassing, shameful, and downright despicable. PNC park is a gorgeous ballfield that harkens back to a day and age when baseball thrived and coursed through the veins of any American. And yet, today we get players that don't really care that much, collect their insanely undeserved paycheck, and yet people still watch these bums play. It's embarrassing to see a team this bad and while they may have won this particular game a field this good deserves a team that is also good, or at least one that is trying to rebuild. The Pirates are simply a recruiting station for the rest of the league it seems.

I couldn't believe just how out of touch I have been and this year the Pirates will tie the record for the longest consecutive losing season....for shame. I saw several t-shirts that day that even mocked just how bad the pirates are, the two that I recall were something like:

"I am used to disappoint....I'm a Pirates fan"

"The Pittsburgh Pirates: Rebuilding since 1993"

Our Pittsburgh Pirates are so bad that they are not only a laughing stock to the entire league, but to fans...it's that bad. We are actually 'proud' of just how bad we are! I guess in the many years since I followed the sport nothing really has changed and it doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon either. In the meantime, I'll watch the only REAL team that Pittsburgh has, THE PENS!

How the West was Awesome.

People rave all over the place about how good High Definition Video looks, and they are right, but they also overlook just how great true film has always looked, especially in certain formats like 70mm, CinemaScope, Cinerama, etc etc. One recent great example is the release of HOW THE WEST WAS WON on Blu-ray, it's available in a 2-disc set that contains the film in both theatrical versions, including SmileBoxed, which you can see the screen captures here and you can click on the images to see them blown up.

Blu-ray Update.

After spending a large part of the Summer scaling back my DVD collection and making gradual shifts over to Blu-ray, my current collection consists now of 82 Blu-ray discs, they are:

300 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY APOCALYPTO THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD BATMAN BEGINS BEHIND ENEMY LINES BLACK HAWK DOWN BLACK RAIN BLADE RUNNER BONNIE AND CLYDEBRAM STOKERS DRACULA THE BRAVE ONE CARS CJ7 A CLOCKWORK ORANGECLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND CRIMSON TIDE THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW THE DEPARTED THE DIE HARD QUADRILOGY DIRTY HARRYDOOMSDAY THE DOORS EDWARD SCISSORHANDS EYES WIDE SHUT THE FALL THE FANTASTIC FOUR THE FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER THE FIFTH ELEMENT FIRST BLOOD FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM FROM HELL FULL METAL JACKET GALAPOGOSGANGES THE GETAWAY GOODFELLAS HALLOWEEN HART'S WAR HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN LONESOME DOVE THE LOST BOYSMICHAEL CLAYTON MEN IN BLACK NATURAL BORN KILLERS NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS NIM'S ISLAND NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN OLDBOY ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST PAN'S LABYRINTH THE PATRIOT PATTONPEARL HARBOR THE PERFECT STORM POINT BREAK PLANET EARTH THE PUNISHER QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL RATATOUILLE THE ROCK ROOM WITH A VIEW THE SHINING STARGATE STEP INTO LIQUID SUNSHINE TERMINATOR 2U-571 THE USUAL SUSPECTS V FOR VENDETTA WILD CHINA X-MEN THE LAST STAND
Plus 3 operas:

SWAN LAKE
LA BOHEME
CELIA & BRYN

While all of these titles are certainly superior to their DVD counterpart in terms of picture and sound quality, there are a few gems here that are worth noting as they are essential titles to own if you are looking to make the most of your home theater system. Those titles are as follows:

PATTON -perhaps one of the best restorations thus far, read previous thread on it.
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS -even an animated feature is meant to look and sound this awesome.
LA BOHEME - if you are into opera, this disc is a must.
V FOR VENDETTA - superb color, detail, and depth.
BATMAN BEGINS - demonstrates just how great Blu-ray is capable of showing detail, even when it's dark.
PLANET EARTH - what a terrific series, the sound isn't quite as good as it could be, but the picture is stunning.
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - insanely overlooked epic that arrives here in it's directors cut version and it not only looks and sounds awesome, but is a more competent film.
HART'S WAR - a film worthy of discover and this Blu-ray is the way to go!
FROM HELL - still underrated thriller with Johnny Depp, this Blu-ray will put any DVD to shame.

My poor blog....

I just can't seem to find the time or rather 'desire' these days to blog. I was doing so well for so long, but lately I just don't know what to say.

Things happening these days:

1. I'm getting pumped about the NHL season.
2. I'm looking forward to cooler weather, watching some football, and wearing long-sleeve items.
3. Excited about new friends and hanging out with them!

One of the most beautiful films, ever.

If you are like me and you are tired of the onslaught of mindless films that Hollywood has been recylcling over and over again over the past few years, then maybe it's time for a change. Often times it only takes a truly great film to recharge your hope again in cinema and what better way than a beautiful film like David Finch's 1980 film THE ELEPHANT MAN. Most people will quickly write this film off as just a bio on the true story of John Merrick AKA The Elephant Man, who was stricken with a most unfortunate disease and was paraded around like a circus freak for years, then from the help of a great doctor (played wonderfully by Anthony Hopkins) he was taken into good care where he finally became treated as a human being.

The film was shot in 1979/1980 under the careful care of director David Lynch, who is typically known for making more obscure artsy films, but for anyone who doubts his ability to make straight-forward films that involve human emotion and depth, look no further than this film, which he truly put everyone on the line. This is by far a no-holds-barred examination into the human condition and perhaps one of the finest examples of such ever pressed into celluloid. It's tactful, honest, compassionate, heartfelt, deep, and profound.

Perhaps the greatest decision that Lynch would make was getting cinematographer Freddie Francis to lens this film, which happens to be one of the last 35mm films to be released in true Black and White (SCHINDLER'S LIST was not shot in B&W, it was converted in post-production) and also using Panavision lenses, which give the film an amazing characteristic all on it's own with Francis opting for a high contrast style that harkens back to the glory days of cinema when deep focus B&W films were common. Francis would later go on to work on some other magnificient films with Martin Scorsese and also work with Lynch again, his 1999 collaboration put forth another great film simply titled THE STRAIGHT STORY and is another must-see.

The casting is also quite excellent with Hopkin's in prime form and John Hurt (who plays Merrick) is simply stunning (it took 7 hours alone for him to get into makeup for the part). Anne Bancroft also co-stars giving the film its credibility with highly talented actors and actresses to pull off the legitimacy of the film and its content. Material of this nature needs to be handled with great care and the acting is essential to making it all work, here it is mastered.

So the next time you're uncertain about which film to put on your Netflix cue after scrolling throught the uninteresting latest releases, put this film on your list and thank me later!

THE DARK KNIGHT...

I won't go into too much detail, but I am sad to report that the latest Batman film, THE DARK KNIGHT, was a huge letdown for me personally. Here is why:

1. The style of this film is inconsistent with that of BATMAN BEGINS and looks too modern, which doesn't keep the consistent look of Gotham City, which was always a city that appeared like it was set in the 1920's, yet had the technology of the future or at least modern day. Instead the film clearly looks like it takes place in Chicago and the use of Hong Kong in the film takes us out of the fictional world of Batman and into a modern day mess.

2. There are many things that are trying to be accomplished in this film, the creation of Two-Face/Harvey Dent and the introduction of The Joker, plus Rachel and her feelings towards Dent and Bruce Wayne, then the screen time to develop Commissioner Gordon and even with 2.5 hours the film just seems exhausted to get it all done. By the end it's almost like a Batman Soap Opera with more dialogue in this film than BATMAN BEGINS times two. It just comes across sloppy and the overall character development is weak.

The best part of the film though has to be Ledger's incredible performance that is both sad, tragic, and yet amazing. Sad because here we finally see Ledger at his best and tragic because we all know this is his final contribution to cinema. If anything his performance alone merits a second viewing of the film despite it's problems.

Penguins: Revised.

No more than 24-hours after my griping about the Pens need for wingers they sign 2 from the Islanders: Satan and Fedotenko, which are no match for losing Hossa AND Malone, but will be a great addition as they will surely up their game playing on a one-year contract with Crosby and Malkin.

The Penguins also secured a 7-year deal with Marc-Andre, which is excellent news, but we also should be looking for a backup goalie after losing Conklin to Detroit along with Hossa. Laraque also signed with Montreal, which is not a huge loss as he was our enforcer, but Eric Godard should fill those shoes well.

It's gonna be an interesting year with a roster change like this!

Attn: Pittsburgh Pens....I can play....sign me!

Over the past few weeks and days the Pittsburgh Penguins organization has been in an absolute frenzy. The obvious reason is that nearly half of the team was eligible for Free Agency and while the Pens knew that the roster would change next year, few people knew just how much.

Gone are Hossa, Malone, Ruutu, Roberts, Hall, Conklin and perhaps a few more as well.

The only good news thus far is that Malkin has been given a 5-year extension and they were able to keep Pascal Dupuis, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite players. We also snagged a 6-year suprising deal with D-man Brooks Orpik who is a strong defender with tons of hitting power. Pens also added to their grinder-line by signing Calgary's Eric Godard, which is a nice touch to keep our physical game under tap, but we need offense!

While these might be good things it doesn't change one VERY important fact: the roster is thin! We need wingers and we need em bad! Crosby and Malkin are in desperate need of sniper players in order to excel at their playmaking game, we need players like Patrick Elias from New Jersey or Chicago's Martin Havlat, or perhaps Tamba Bay's Martin St. Louis.

Now that we have tons of money (since we lost a huge chuck of players) it would only make sense that we seek after some wingers and a right-handed defender. I was really hoping we might be able to snag free agents Wade Redden or Brian Campbell.

There are even talks about the Pens getting Jaromir Jagr or Markus Nasland, which I think that perhaps Naslund would be a nice addition just for the experience that he brings, but Jagr is too close to the end of his career and has an awkward history with Penguin fans.

So the "core" of the Penguins are in tact, which is a great thing, but we do need some fresh players to get the right combination if we want to make it to playoffs again next year.

Right now the lines are looking short:
Crosby, Dupuis and WHO?
Malkin, Sykora and WHO?
Staal, Talbot and WHO?
Godard ????
Will Laraque stay?

Do they still make em like they used to?

I recently had a conversation with someone about the quality of movies these days and to a degree had to agree with their comment, "they don't make good movies anymore". After thinking about this I had to agree that the frequency of good film-making is probably at a all-time low, but there are still good movies being made, problem is that you now have to seek them out. I decided to make things easy my listing a few of the truly great films over the past 5 years (2003-2008). These are not films that I think are "the best" necessarily, but perhaps a few that may have slipped through the cracks, while others were highly successful in critical and commercial circles.

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005) Directors Cut ONLY!
MUNICH (2005)
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007)
MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007)
MASTER AND COMMANDER (2003)
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007)
SUNSHINE (2007)
THE DEPARTED (2006)
CHILDREN OF MEN (2006)
HALF NELSON (2006)
BRICK (2005)
THE ILLUSIONIST (2006)
V FOR VENDETTA (2005)
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006)
THE FOUNTAIN (2006)
BREACH (2007)
APOCALYPTO (2006)
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005)
EASTERN PROMISES (2007)
CINDERELLA MAN (2005)
COLLATERAL (2004)
THE GRIZZLY MAN (2005)
THE FOG OF WAR (2003)
THE MAGDALENE SISTERS (2003)
SECONDHAND LIONS (2003)
THE BRAVE ONE (2007)
FREEDOM WRITERS (2007)

A Dying Art: The Music Video

My all-time favorite music videos in no particular order:

"Linger" - The Cranberries
Great send-up to the French New Wave and filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and most specifically the film ALPHAVILLE, which is one of my all-time favorite Science Fiction films.

"The Universal" - Blur
Awesome homage to the late, great Stanley Kubrick with obvious references to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Awesome song that really makes me happy.

"I'm Afraid of Americans" - David Bowie and Trent Reznor
Super concept that involves two highly creative individuals that both understand the power of images with the right musical vibe. Has some interesting post-9/11 impletations.

"Home" - Depeche Mode
Highly unseen, underrated, underappreciated music video from a band that has endured over the last 3 decades despite people in America not really knowing what this band has been doing, but their popularity has never declined elsewhere in the world.

"Around the World" - Daft Punk
A must-see music video that is both creative and poignant at the same time, just phenominally directed.

"Devil's Haircut" - Beck
Another send-up video to a seldom talked about film these days - MIDNIGHT COWBOY. Beck is just great.

"All is Full of Love" - Bjork
Amazing music video that is superbly clever and emboddies the whole 'can artifical intelligence love', which has been a topic often seen in films, note that the robots look like the ones in I, ROBOT.

"Running" - No Doubt
Great collage-piece that really sums up the relationship of this band with it's own members, fans, and a snap shot of their challenges.

"Sabotage" - Beastie Boys
A very obvious choice here, but this song never gets old and the video is just great!

"33" - The Smashing Pumpkins
Shot entirely with a still camera and then rapidly pieced together with every frame comprising of hundred and thousands of stills in order to create a jerky one-of-a-kind music video.

"Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
Just a highly creative music video that came out in a time when music videos were at the peak of their popularity, but were starting to decline in their originality.

DVD vs. HD: raising the bar.

Often when people overhear me talk about how inferior DVD is or how limiting DVD is they are typically surprised. That is, most people still feel that DVD offers the most stunning picture and sound quality available at home. However, this is starting to quickly change as more and more people are 1. buying HDTV's and 2. obtaining HD programming. Both of which quickly lead people down a path that demonstrates to them just how good HD can look, but with that comes a new bar. Once that bar is raised, DVD by comparison, doesn't hold up. It just can't. DVD is limited to just standard definition with MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 technologies only able to up to 720X 576. In comparison, HD programming and or HD-DVD/Blu-ray can do 1920X1080, which means that the lines of resolution are doubled. Not only can DVD not handle the resolution, but the compression needed to fit the movie onto a DVD is a great factor in the poorer picture as well. A DVD, even a dual layered DVD is under 10GB of space, whereas a Blu-ray disc currently comes in a 25GB and 50GB size. This means that the video and audio can be uncompressed, typically you will see the audio say something like 5.1 uncompressed PCM audio on a Blu-ray disc. This enables high resolution audio, plus great picture quality and STILL have room for supplements without jeopardizing performance, at least to a certain degree.

It won't be long with more people having HD programming before DVD will begin to seem like VHS quality by comparison, this doesn't mean that it will go away, just think VHS lasted over 20 years even when a superior format like the 12" laserdisc was around in conjunction.

Got the Blu(es)...

After the demise of the Pittsburgh Penguins I figured I must jump-start this blog a bit with other information. Recently acquiring a Sony Playstation 3 I have been able to enjoy the full benefits of the HD format known as Blu-ray, which I must say it's making me reconsider my entire DVD collection, which is or was nearly 1200 strong. Since obtaining several Blu-ray discs I have decided to scale back my DVD collection and make some trades bring my Blu-ray collection to 35 discs as of right now, they are:

300
BLACK HAWK DOWN
BRAM STOKERS DRACULA
BONNIE AND CLYDE
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
BLADE RUNNER
THE SHINING
EYES WIDE SHUT
APOCALYPTO
GOODFELLAS
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
FULL METAL JACKET
PEARL HARBOR
THE BRAVE ONE
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
GALAPOGOS
OLD BOY
FROM HELL
V FOR VENDETTA
STEP INTO LIQUID
FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX
FANTASTIC FOUR
X-MEN: THE LAST STAND
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
TERMINATOR 2
PATTON
CARS
RATATOUILLE
SUNSHINE
THE PUNISHER
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL
HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS

Needless to say these are all superior in some way to their DVD beginnings, but some really stand out. The Kubrick discs are definitely superior to the DVD and remastered DVD's that were issued years ago, in fact they are the best that I've seen those films and that includes seeing them in theatrical representations and restortions over the years. 2001 finally has the color that it deserves, but EYES WIDE SHUT also has a few scenes (in particular the city shots) that are just jaw-dropping. Equally impressive though is the restortion on PATTON, which on top of being a masterpiece of filmmaking, also makes for one of the early demo discs on what Blu-ray can offer to a restored film and when it's done correctly, the results are stunning. PATTON was shot in 70mm in a process called Dimension-150 and the Blu-ray definitely shows how spectacular the cinematography was on that film.

One can only hope that this great trend continues and more people hop onto the Blu-ray train. That however can be tricky as it's taken quite awhile for everyone to convert to DVD and while DVD just turned 11 years old it would seem that no one wants to jump ship just yet. But that doesn't mean that DVD is dead. Since you can view DVD's on a Blu-ray player it would seem (especially since it upscales) that it will also improve your DVD quality and certain titles will take quite some time to finally arrive on Blu-ray to begin with. For movie purists, enthusiasts, collectors, and videophiles though this is just the type of fresh air that was needed, espcially since DVD was never meant to be the final word in home video. In fact it was only meant to get people on the disc format, but was always limited in some way. DVD could never handle the storage space to accomodate the best that home video has to offer. Blu-ray takes DVD to the cleaners by offering full 1080p presentation of movies in true High Definition, plus takes the audio to a whole new level as well with formats like Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 and DTS-HD Losslesss audio, which finally gives full uncompressed surround sound in ways that you can enjoy at home with the proper receiver via HDMI.

If you are interested in getting into the Blu-ray format there are a few key titles that won't disappoint, the first film that really delivers in all performance aspects is FROM HELL, which is featured in 7.1 DTS-HD lossless audio and is phenomenal, plus the 1080p picture is stunning with great depth and clarity for a film that is very dark with loads of contrast and color. Plus, it's a truly good film that often gets overlooked as just another retelling of Jack the Ripper.

Another great title would be the BLADE RUNNER 5-disc Blu-ray set that gives all 5 versions of the film including the Final Cut, the theatrical cut, the international cut, the directors cut, and the workprint. All 5 look stunning, but it's great to see the variety of versions of this film, plus there are tons of extras on the other 2 discs and since this film is one of the most imitated Science Fiction of the last 30 years, it only seems appropriate to give it all the attention that this classic deserves and hopefully find a new audience to acknowledge it's genius.

Other stunning discs for picture are of course the Pixar films, which look sublime and finally show what digital animation can look like when there is no generation loss between production and process.

Maybe Penguins can fly afterall - Crush Flyers.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been nothing short of amazing in their post-season performance and while there were a few bumps along the way, they still have managed to put up a 12-2 record going into the final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are also riding on a 16-game home winning streak at this point and it looks like there is little stopping them at this point. This is a team that is beaming with confidence. Not only are they playing well, but they are having fun doing it, which can be seen on faces like Marc-Andre Fleury after winning game 5 with a shutout against the Philadelphia Flyers and ending that series on a high note.

So what's next?

Well, the Pens will have a nice little vacation here as they wait to see the outcome of the Dallas and Detroit series, which heads back to Dallas tonight for game 6. If Detroit wins that series than they will have home ice advantage, but if Dallas wins than the Penguins will have the home ice, which based on the way that they are playing sounds like the preferred choice. Either team will certainly be a test for the youthful Pens.

Marian Hoss has 21 points in the playoffs with Crosby and Malkin right behind with 19 points, but the whole team is contributing in helpful ways. Fleury has been amazing with a 1.6 goals against average as well.

It's gonna be fun!

March of the Penguins...

Well, it does not look like it's going to take too long before we have this years 2008 Stanley Cup Champion and the final series is closely approaching, but no team is a guarantee at this point. However, the odds are looking VERY likely that it will be Pittsburgh Vs. Detroit. Tonight Detroit won it's 3rd game against a frustrated Dallas team, while the Penguins won their first two against Philly. There have only been 2 teams in the history of the NHL to come back from a 0-3 deficit, so it's doubtful that Dallas will move on. Pittsburgh can't let up either at this point as they have won their first two games with a score of 4-2, but Philadelphia isn't going to lay down for the Penguin express to flatten them out. Especially now that the next two games are IN Philly. Yet, if you have watched the first two games of the series you would also know that Pittsburgh has dominated Philly. Now you might have a difference of opinion here because looking at the score it wasn't a huge blowout, but Pittsburgh has really played well in all of the key areas to have Philly on their heels.

The first thing that has been impressive about Pittsburgh is their defense and goaltending combined. Not only are the defensive players (minus Ryan Whitney) playing well, but the offensive players are also playing good defense. The neutral zone has been highly controlled by Pittsburgh wingers and centers and this gives them the forwarding power to create open chances and goals to be scored.

The second thing that is really clicking for Pittsburgh is the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines. Not only are the top players playing well, but ALL of the team is playing well (minus Ryan Whitney again). Max Talbot scored the game winner in game 2 after coming off a injury, which elevated the teams spirits and brought them their 2nd win of the series. This is certainly a difficult thing for ANY team to handle when the opposing team has weapons on all of their lines, which is what Pittsburgh has. However, so does Detroit, which is why that matchup will be a real tester for both teams.

I am really excited for Pittsburgh and Detroit and I think it will be a great series regardless because both teams are similar in many ways. Starting with the goaltending, both teams have competent goalies who are playing at their best right now. I think that in many ways Chris Osgood as the advantage for his experience, but Fleury seems to have more confidence overall right now.

Defensively both teams are great, but the one thing that Detroit has again in it's favor is experience that players like Chris Chelios and Nick Lidstom bring to the game. This could also serve as a negative because with age comes a certain amount of sluggishness that Pittsburgh's blazing forwards could capitalize on. Many of these guys (of Detroit) have won Cups before, this brings about a marginally less amount of determination when compared to a young rookie or sophomore from Pittsburgh who is dreaming of Cups in their sleep. I think that the determination factor lies in Pittsburghs court at this point.

The other challenge facing Pittsburgh is that IF faced against Detroit that Detroit will have home ice advantage meaning that the Pens will need to win at least ONE game in Hockeytown. The Pens have managed to play at a whole new level thus far in the playoffs though and won both games in Ottawa and one game in New York, but the series against Philadelphia will speak volumes about how they can handle a tough team in their home town.

Detroit has tons of firepower, which the Penguins could probably match, but in order for that to happen the Penguins will need to up their game in many areas. If you watch the way that Detroit plays hockey that force the other team to play their style of hockey. Detroit is always or at least always seems to be in control of the puck and the momentum of the game. In game 3 against Dallas it wasn't more than a few seconds after Dallas got a goal and started to shift the fans excitement that Detroit squashed those woooo's with booooo's by quickly going down the ice and scoring. Detroit has TOP NOTCH passing and they win faceoffs, which is something that the young Penguin team struggles at and is more spotty with.

Here is my list of the key things that Pittsburgh needs to do in order to win the cup (given that they beat Philadelphia)....

1. Frustrate the Red Wing.
Detroit is a team that is used to being in control and controlling the pace of the game, the best thing that the Penguins could do is shut down the Red Wings in all areas of the ice and dictate the control of the game.

2. Utlize their 3nd and 4th lines.
Playoffs are where the stars become superstars, this is where guys like Talbot, Ruutu, Laraque, Staal, etc are in need. Their lines need to be productive in this series.

3. Capitalize on the powerplays.
The Penguins have been an excellent job on their penalty killing, but Detroit is tough when they have that man advantage, so Pittsburgh will need to stay disciplined with the penalty calls and when they get their man advantage chances they need to keep the pressure on Detroit.

4. Keep Fleury confident.
Up until this point Marc-Andre Fleury has played exciting and incredible hockey, he has saved the Penguins quite a few times from some botched plays, but Detroit will smell blood early if there are any signs of fatigue in the young Fleury, so they need to keep Fleury rested and also keep the shots on him to a minimum, this means blocking shots, hitting guys, and chipping the puck loose at every chance they can get. Sergei Gonchar needs to lead his defensive lines to the point where they are playing smart defensive hockey and enabling the power forwards to move up ice and have scoring chances.

5. Give Malkin the puck.
Crosby and Hossa are easy targets with their fast and agile moves, but Malkin is one of the key players as he comes up big when he has the puck and can completely dominate the other team when he gets chances. He is dangerous every time he has the puck and the Pens need to allow him to take shot after shot.

Ride the Tide...

I don't know why, but I love washing clothes. There are few things that I truly love when it comes to 'chores', but washing clothes ranks very high, probably next to vacuuming, which is another thing that I deeply love to do. Yes, I am strange.

Now folding clothes...that's another matter, but washing and drying clothes is fun for me. So I thought I would put out some recommendations for what to use since it's hard to find places online that list anything with regards to laundry, at least none that I can find which are not heavily advertised, of course each manufacturer is going to say that their product is the best...right?

Ok, so here goes:

Since I am using an Amana Front Loader (he) washing machine, everything pertains to that, but I think the results would be the same for conventional washers, although I must say that the front-loader is the way to go, it uses less energy, less water, and is better on your clothes. Since people spend money on clothes I think it only makes sense to take care of them so they last awhile.

Best detergent: Tide

You can get this is all sizes and shapes and with a variety of scents, but there is a reason why Tide costs as much as it does....it works. You can get Tide that has no dyes and perfumes as well, which I recommend for towels and bed sheets. Tide all the way, although if you want a cheaper alternative go with Purex. Never use powders, only liquids.

Best detergent for dark clothes: Woolite Dark Laundry

The problem with washing dark clothes is fading, especially jeans and t-shirts, but Woolite has introduced this amazing product that works fantastic. I highly recommend this for denim!

Best detergent for colors: Woolite All Colors

Most people are afraid to wash vibrant colors, but Woolite All Colors is great for those loads that have tons of colors, especially when washing a load of reds. I prefer to wash red by itself and then wash all other colors together.

Best detergent (concentrate): Method (he)

Method comes in a tiny little bottle, but packs a huge punch and is perfect for people who don't have tons of space and also do small loads such as college students, singles, or even couples.

Best bleach: Clorox 2 (for colors)

This comes in a variety of scents, but is a must-use as it's one of the few bleaches out there that you can use 100% with colors and without any issues of bleeding.

Best fabric softner: Ultra Purex Soft (rainflower mist)

While it might cost less than the rest this one is the best with only Snuggle being a close second. Purex gives just the right amount of scent without causes your clothes to get stiff or over-powered with scent.

Best fabric softner sheets: Snuggle Blue Sparkle/ Arm & Hammer Essentials (Tie)

Both of these are excellent the Snuggle is preferrable if you want just a mild smell to your clothes, whereas the Arm & Hammer is far more potent, so it's a matter of preference. You might want to use the Arm & Hammer for heavier loads or heavier materials like towels or jeans, although I NEVER recommend putting jeans in the dryer.

Only 4 remain...

There were quite a few surprises this year in the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, I don't think many people expected Dallas to roll over San Jose like they did, although they did let the Sharks come back a bit after going up 3-0 in the series, but after a multi-overtime win in game 6 the Stars advanced. The other surprise was Philadelphia beating out Montreal, who towards the end of the season was looking like they had their eyes on the Cup, but Flyer goalie Martin Biron crushed those dreams early.

I was not surprised by Detroit annihilating Colorado, but to be fair, half of the Avalanche team was hurt, so it was a massacre. Pittsburgh let The Rangers take one game out of their series, but there was no way that the Rangers were any match for the young guns of Pittsburgh. That means this:

Pittsburgh VS. Philadelphia

Dallas VS. Detroit

So here's my prediction:

Pittsburgh and Philly are rivals and this series is going to test both teams dramatically. I am a little nervous though because Pittsburgh has some serious firepower, but Biron has been strong and withstood the Montreal attack quite well. However, so has Marc-Andre Fleury. If Pittsburgh is going to win the series they need to have an answer to RJ Umberger, who is originally from Pittsburgh, he has been hot in the playoffs. The Pens also need to capitalize on their power play opportunities and maintain their strong penalty killing that they have thus far. The other thing that they need to do is maintain the lead, especially if they have a 2-goal lead. This has always been a dangerous thing for them as they begin to let off on the throttle once they think that they have clinched the game. The outcome of a hockey game can be won or loss in a matter of seconds, every second counts, and more importantly, no lead is secure. The Pens need to constantly be aggressive on the attack and with their abilities, this should not be a problem. Other keys to their success in this series will be their second and third tier players making contributions, which I think is what enabled them to surpass the Rangers, players like Ruutu, Staal, and Roberts. All three of these players can dynamically change the pace of the game with their attitude and presence. Marian Hossa has also been stepping up to the plate lately and getting great chances, as is Evgeni Malkin, who has been getting lots of shots on goal. I'm thinking this series is going to challenge the young faces of Pittsburgh in many ways, probably going to 6 games, but with a Penguin win!

Detroit and Dallas is going to be a serious gunsling of a series, but that doesn't mean lots of goals as both Chris Osgood and Marty Turco have been excellence thus far, but I don't think that Detroit has been challenged that much so far, certainly not to the extent that Dallas can put forth, which might mean that this series bounces back and ultimately rests upon the goaltenders ability to keep pucks out! Turco saw 60 shots agains the Sharks in their final game and only allowed 1 goal! That's impressive against the highly gifted San Jose forwards. Keep in mind that Dallas also sent the Ducks home early, which was a huge shock for last years Cup winners to go home after one series. It wasn't even close though, Dallas destroyed them. Dallas could be the wild card in this entire playoff year as everyone has doubted them and thought they would go home by now, but this Dallas team is tough, they not only have good goaltending, but their offense is superb with Brad Richards, Mike Ribeiro, and Brendan Morrow leading the way, but other guys like Ott have stepped up as well, plus they have Sergei Zubov back in defense and he is making an impact for this team! I'm going to say Dallas in 7!

There Will Be Boredom...

I love artsy movies just as much as I love senseless movies at times, which is why I feel that I can give just about ANY movie a chance. I desperately wanted to love P.T. Anderson's latest film THERE WILL BE BLOOD, especially after all the rave reviews and accolades. I also wanted to love it for 2 other reasons: 1. for Anderson to redeem himself from his previous film PUNCH DRUNK LOVE, which I thought was an absolute disaster and 2. Daniel Day-Lewis. I don't blame Daniel Day Lewis though for this films failure, I blame Anderson.

Now, here's the thing...I can tolerate a flawed and sprawling film, in fact Michael Cimino's HEAVEN'S GATE is one of my all-time favorite films and it runs a meandering 3 1/2 hours. Now the first 45-minutes or so of THERE WILL BE BLOOD is pretty interesting despite some lack of clarity here and there, but I kept waiting for some explanation, which never really comes. There are several awkward moments and the film never really seems to pull itself together, then out of nowhere the film starts to spiral out of control as if it was so unfocused that it just doesn't know what to do with itself. Like PUNCH DRUNK LOVE, the film becomes more annoying than it does interesting as the viewer is left in a state of boredom to the point where you aren't sure whether to look at your watch continuously or just turn the thing off. It's that bad!

Again, I wanted to love this film and I appreciate the style that Anderson has with his camera moves and his admiration of other filmmakers, who he tries to emulate in his films like Kubrick, Scorsese, and Max Ophuls. However, thsoe filmmakers all know how to make uninteresting moments still seem interesting and engaging, Anderson does not. He picks a novel by Sinclair in this case where he tries to apply some artisty that never pans out well, in fact the film is far too long, far too unfocused, and far too uninteresting to really reap any benefit at all, it's amazing that critics loved this film, but it's even more amazing that the casual viewer could tolerate it at all! That's an accomplishment.

Soon to be 4...

There is nothing like playoff hockey...nothing. It is without a doubt the most intense and riveting time in the NHL year and unlike other sports it's demanding for weeks on end as the quest for Lord Stanley's Cup is on the line. Soon 4 teams will be left and looking at the current series it's hard not to think that it will look like this:

Dallas Vs. Detroit

Pittsburgh Vs. Philadelpha

Right now Pittsburgh is up 3-0 over The New York Rangers as is Dallas over the San Jose Sharks and same with Detroit and Colorado. I am not shocked with Detroit beating the Avalanche, but I am superbly surprised with Dallas just dominating San Jose and I am equally impressed with the way that my beloved Pittsburgh Penguins are anihilating the Rangers. So here's the skinny...

Pittsburgh Vs. New York

Pittsburgh is just dominating every aspect of the game, but most importantly their penalty killing is TOP NOTCH right now and they are doing everything they can to keep the puck away from Fleury. However, if the Pens are ready for the Cup they need to do a few more things right, including maintaining a strong 2nd period presence and they also need to keep moving forward when they have a 2 goal lead. They also need their entire team to step it up, which some of them are, but guys like Ryan Whitney are just playing terrible! He needs to be benched for a game or two as he is not producing defensively or offensively right now. The fact that the Pens have scored 5 goals in 2 different games against Henrik Lundqvist is just astonishing and shows the type of firepower the team has!

Philadelpha Vs. Montreal

I really expected Montreal to bowl over Philly, but the Flyers figured out something that the Bruins started to figure out late in their series, which is the weakness of the Canadian defense and also the glove hand of rookie Carey Price. But that doesn't mean that this series is over as it's only a 2-1 lead right now for Philly. The goaltending of Martin Biron has been stellar for the Flyers, but Montreal has explosive power and they have been ringing the goal pipe alot lately, it's really a series that will depend heavily on each teams goaltending and how many goals they can get by without running out of steam. I look for Montreal to make this series a bit longer than the others, so look for this series to go all 7!


Dallas Vs. San Jose

San Jose is getting it's goose cooked for sure in this series, mainly because of Dallas' ability to move the puck and constantly go towards the net. This is a team that is not afraid to crash the net and turn every opportunity into a scoring one. They also have the entire team constributing, but guys like Morrow, Ribeiro, and Richards are all staying hot too! San Jose has the firepower, but they just seem unorganized right now and like the series against Calgary they are giving the other team too much room to work with!

Colorado Vs. Detroit

Colorado is just not match for Detroits offensive prowess and tight defense, plus Osgood is truly playing well and with Colorado not 100% in this series it's unlikely that they'll win the next 4 straight, if not impossible. Detroit is the likely candidate to get to the final Cup series, but they need to stay healthy and Osgood needs to stay confident.

Join, or Die!

HBO's mini-series on JOHN ADAMS in a single word was just 'awesome'! The fact that they actually spent adequate money to produce this, plus cast great actors and really make this a unique story that embodies much of Adams life is just astonishing that truly makes History interesting and educational. I also found it quite interesting that two of the key figures in the signing of the Declaration of Independence (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) not only died exactly 50 years after the signing, but they also happened to die ON July 4th, which is the precise date in history 50-years later in 1826....what are the odds?

So what makes this mini-series so great?

Well, first is the fact that it's not treated like a documentary NOR does it try to squeeze a large chunk of history into 7 parts. Rather the treatment of John Adams life is done so through his perspective on the major events in history, yet at the same time the series has gaps in time that are paced in a slower manner rather than attempt to do several history lessons in 8 or 9 hours. By doing so we are taking through pivotal moments in American History through the lens of one of the most important keystone figures in all of that - Adams. Most people are unaware of the link that he provides to Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Franklin, and just about every-other important figure of that era, plus he is uniquely linked to the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Signing of the Declaration of Independence (he convinced Jefferson to write it), The Constitution, and was also highly responsible for treaties between France and England. There is no doubt that Adams was largely responsible for carving out the initial framework from which we [Americans] still stand today.

There was also a price to all of this, which the series also brings forth in the emotion that is conjured up over years and years of Adams life as he was away from his wife and kids, there is a passionate scene in which Abigail Adams reconvenes with her husband in France after MANY years apart, it is in this scene that they look at each other with some distance as if they were looking at each other for the first time, then moments later as Adams is showing his wife the many rooms of the house he lives in there is a non-verbal communication happening here as the two are in many ways falling in love again, they are re-connecting a lost tie. Moments later Adams is returning to American soil for the first time in many years with Abigail and all of his kids are waiting for him, though they are now adults and he looks at them and realizes in this single moment that time has escaped him and that he has sacrificed MUCH for America and the price was his family and not seeing them grow up before his eyes.

Towards the end of the series there is yet another great moment that some may overlook. Adams and Thomas Jefferson were quite close in the early days of the Nation and eventually were President and Vice-President together, although they quickly had a falling out after the first term, which lead to a bit of rivalry and semi-hatred of one another. Their opposing beliefs became apparent and they went their separate ways. However, late in years Adams and Jefferson begin to write to one another again and they end up forgiving and forgetting their past and re-establish a close connection via letters. This is truly a great moment in this series as both men choose to let their opposing views rest to the side, while they accept friendship through their encouragement to one another through letters, this all happens once Abigail passes away and Adams begins to seek comfort through the letters of Jefferson, who is without a doubt the only man who understood Adams fully.

Unlike many mini-series this one has some amazing depth and scope, yet at the same time chooses very carefully on what it wants to focus on and really encapsulates the complexity of John Adams, while at the same time painting a very vivid picture of an early Nation being formed and the pains of that process. The production value here is very key as makeup and constume are top-notch considering we end up seeing about 85 years of history altogether. The casting is superb with Paul Giamatti as John Adams and Laura Linney as his wife, plus David Morse plays an exceptional George Washington. All of the casting is top-notch here! The other key factor was getting a cinematographer who understood how to capture not only history being re-created, but also the feel, the look, the emotions....Tak Fujimoto, who has lensed other important films and his most notable being the modern classic SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. His work here is astonishing and sets this mini-series apart from the crowd. Together with all of these factors this is easily one of the best mini-series EVERY produced.

And then there were 8!

Here are my updated NHL playoff predictions with the remaining 8 teams and their matchups...

Montreal Vs. Philadelphia

Montreal seemed to have a harder time with Boston than I or perhaps anyone expected, but they managed to pull through, I don't think that they will have as hard of time with Philly though and should win this series in 6. They key for Montreal is to keep playing tight defense and as long as Carey Price keeps stopping shots like he has been in net, they should be fine, their offense is doing well and they have a large range of guys who can score.

Pittsburgh Vs. New York Rangers

Both Pittsburgh and NYR have had decent rest after their first series wins, so that may be a huge factor, I think that the Pens will greatly benefit from the rest and have their lineup in full tact to take on a team that they had some struggles with during the regular season. The Rangers are also looking like they are healthy and productive with guys like Gomez, Avery, Straka, and Jagr all producing well for them, so it will certainly be a tough matchup for the Pens, especially as the Rangers have one of the best goalies in the league: Henrik Lundquist. But that doesn't mean that they can't be stopped either and with Fleury playing well and guys like Hossa finally getting some confidence look for the Pens to clinch in 6.

Detroit Vs. Colorado

Detroit and Colorado both struggled in their first round matchups, way more than anyone though. Detroit pulled out all the stops though towards the end with Nashville as they replaced Hasek with Osgood in net and that proved to be just the ticket they needed to stop Nashville, the same will go true for this series as well. Colorado looked to their veteran players to win their series against Minnesota, but don't think that those 'old guys' will save them from a well-oiled matchine like the Red Wings. Detroit in 5.

San Jose Vs. Dallas

San Jose barely made it to this round after going to a game 7 with Calgary and that series was brutal! It was a super-aggressive matchup, but the Sharks found their way after going down early in the series and recovered to win out the series. Dallas utterly detroyed last years defending Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks and sent them home earlier than anyone could have guessed, but Dallas was a strong team all year round and had the momentum going their way. They were producing offensively with guys like Morrow, Ribeiro and Ott, which helped keep the pressure off a very solid Marty Turco in net. This series will certainly be a tough one for both teams, so look for this to go all 7, but San Jose will inevitable win out.


If these predictions hold true, then the next series looks like this:

Pittsburgh Vs. Montreal

San Jose Vs. Detroit

THEY LIVE: It's coming true!

In 1988 John Carpenter released his truly great Science Fiction Thriller/Political Black Comedy THEY LIVE, which brought to light the issues of a declining economy set against a backdrop of consumerism as people are being 'controlled' by those in power (AKA Ruling Class), yet the twist here is that these powers are actually aliens who are trying to take over, the point here is that we have become alienated by ...aliens via subliminal advertising in order to keep us stressed out, underworked, starved, desperate, etc etc. By doing so, control is available to those who are in power.

The world that Carpenter painted back in 1988 was a commentary on the Reagan era, but many of those things are horrifically coming true...

How does government control it's people? One way is to keep 'the people' stressed, fearful, overworked, underpaid, and hopeless. You see by doing so people are less likely to make a fuss if they are too tired and too busy to do anything about it. [We] are just trying to make ends meat and do our part to contribute to society in general...right? Yet in doing so, we are being controlled. The role of Government is to justly 'govern' people, not control them.

So unlike THEY LIVE where there was a fear of not having a job, now Americans have more than one job as they need to work secondary jobs in order to make a decent living for their families, who they seldom see because they are constantly working and when they are not working, they are too tired to do anything else. People are also afraid. Afraid of rising gas prices, afraid that their social security will not be there when they finally get to retired, or even afraid of silly things that the media pushes in our face in order to make us concerned, like the weather.

So if we are tired and afraid, plus being stressed we are prone to more symptoms of ailment, which brings me to my next point in the matter, which is control by way of medication. Since we our overworked and stressed out we develop issues with our bodies and there seems to be a direct correlation in the past 5-10 years with the increase in medications to cure or help with this vast array of newfound ailments, like Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). So now we are overworked, overpaid, stressed out, worried, and now....medicated. Great!

Well, at least we have hope...hope in Christ. Well guess what ...the Government is trying to control that too by taking it out of our schools and society in order to have a distinct separation between Church and State, even though our country was founded by men and women of faith who desperately desired and fought so that we may have these freedoms and most importantly a country that trusts and relies in God.

SkyMall Genius...

As I was referring to the SkyMall in my previous post I realized I may have made a mistake, especially after eyeing up one of their new products....

It's an iPod dock/Toilet paper dispenser. How brilliant! It wasn't really that long ago that I realized that these two things SHOULD go together, but someone beat me to the punch. I mean, why take your iPod into the bathroom with you and just listen to it from there, you need a DOCK to play it instead. I mean listening to your iPod while on the pot, shall we call it iPot, is rather cumbersome, but if there was an actually docking station inside the bathroom, wait no...that would take up space...the only solution is to turn the dispenser into a dock...yep...that'll do it! GENIUS! What's next...putting the lyrics of your favorite songs on the paper?

Not Sold in Stores...

A thought occurred to me recently as I saw some items at an overpriced store called Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Personally I would like to know what could possibly be beyond beds and baths, but I suppose they'll keep it a secret. One secret though that this amazing score has been able to figure out though is how to sell things on TV. Not just ANYTHING on TV, but those things on TV that specifically and explicitly say "Not Sold In Stores". Ok. I get it...exclusive. I understand that on TV they are trying to get you to buy from them and by telling you that it's not in stores that you feel compelled and obligated to purchase it from the TV. I've noticed a huge trend with these things too, they are all things that you normally would never actually buy, but they make it sound so good! Kind of like that junk you see in the Skymall magazines when you are flying and all of a sudden you just HAVE to have a suitcase that comes with wheels that could fit on a lawnmower.

So what's up with these AS SEEN ON TV items? I heard that there are actually stores (dedicated stores that is) to selling this merchandise (see: junk). I think that they should come up with a better marketing scheme, like "Never Seen on TV". That makes it sound way cooler! Or how about something like "Never Seen By Human Eyes". That really sounds enticing and it's a lie just like the whole ...not sold in stores, yet it actually IS sold in stores and not only is it sold in stores, but it's cheaper (no shipping charges) and it's a got a big ole' BRIGHT RED STICKER ON IT THAT SAYS THAT IT WAS SEEN ON TV!!!!!

Why do people buy Bose!?!?!?!?

Since the advent of DVD back in 1997/1998 people have been redefining what their Home Theater experience can be like, and now with Plasma TV sets and other 40+ inch viewing stations it would seem that people can have a realistic theater-like experience within their homes, especially with a 5.1 surround sound system. Unfortunately the name 'Bose' is the first thing that the average consumer thinks about when they start thinking in 5.1 terms. The name Bose has been around for years, long before the days of multi-channel, back when a "stereo" or "hifi" system was king. Which by the way, for some purists, it's still the king and I have to agree to some degree when it comes to music playback, but for movies it's a different story and deserves to be in a seperate discussion.

Let me be crystal clear though about one thing, Bose does have a place for some people. Bose systems are for the type of consumer who doesn't really want to think for themself or to some extent really get involved with their home theater, rather they just want something that is convenient, compact, and delivers decent quality, but more than anything the name will 'impress' their friends too! Wow, what a deal! Although they are overpaying for quality that is subpar in reality.

However, for those who are hobbyist and believe that their home theater system is something that can be tinkered with and upgraded upon, or modified, then alternative routes do exist. Not only that, but going an alternative direction enables the consumer to have options down the road, whereas with Bose you are locked into their system and are unable to modify or upgrade down the line. For example, if you get the all-in-one Bose system you are unable to really utilize other equipment into the mix.

The better route to take (and again this is for those who are not looking for something compact and easy-to-use) would be to buy a receiver, which is the brains of the operation. Pioneer makes really good ones and can be picked up for about $200-$300 depending on which model and the amount of features that the consumer wants. After that, it's really a matter of preference, but the next step comes the actual speakers, which there are tons of companies out there, the one I really love is PSB speakers, which are made in Canada and a decent 5.1 system from them will cost about $1000. Thus far you have spent about $1500 and will need to add some cables as well, which should be budgetted around $200 in total. Then you will need a player if you do not already have one, which again there are tons of companies and with Blu-ray now available it might not be a bad idea to either pickup a Playstation 3, which gives you a DVD/Blu-ray player PLUS gaming capabilities. Otherwise just get a DVD player and my recommended brands would be Pioneer, Toshiba, Samsung, or JVC. Of course these ideas are all middle of the road and if you are looking for a high-end system then I would recommend Pioneer Elite or Denon products.

The reason people buy Bose is because the market is oversaturated with Bose products and people believe that there are NO other options available, when actually quite the opposite is, it just requires some testing and research, but that takes time and time is valuable these days.

Now here is a real system:

This is the Gryphon System, which you are looking at about half a million dollars in equipment. The Gryphon speakers without the amps and other equipment range around $250,000. This is one of the best systems you could ever dream about. Now this is a real system and those teeny tiny Bose cubes would crush under the dB pressure from these!

NHL Playoff Prediction Update:

Well, looks like one of my predictions came true and if any of them were to come true, this is the one that I wanted the most: The Pens in 4! Woohoo! Who would have thought that the Pens could stop last years ever-so-solid Sens? Well, let's just say that the Penguins are twice the team they were last year and The Senators are half the team with too many of their main guys hurt, while the Pens were hurt most of the season, they still found ways to win games and were able to evoke sweet revenge on the team that gives them trouble more often than not, Ottawa.

As far as the other games are concerned there have been several surprises, including Dallas coming out and winning the first two of the series, but it looks like the Ducks are finding their groove again, but it might be too late! The most impressive part of this series has been Marty Turco in goal for Dallas as well as the chemistry of Ribeiro and Morrow.

Nashville is also shocking me with their man-handling of Detroit and that series could really go anyway at this point, it might even see 7 games!

New Jersey and New York Rangers is also going back and forth a bit, but it looks like the Rangers will win the series as they are able to score more than the Devils.

Minnesota and Colorado has been another interesting series as the Wild are really looking sharp and playing well against a highly experienced Avalanche team, but I give Colorodo the advantage as long as Jose Theodore can stay sharp!

Calgary and San Jose has really been a huge upset as Calgary is really rattling the Shark cage and won the first game of the series, but San Jose is always in for a good fight and won in the remaining seconds of their last game, so this series could go all 7!

Montreal and Boston is no shocker at all as Montreal seems to be the best team in the East aside from the Pens. The goaltending by Price has been amazing and this is one team that the Penguins might have difficutly with.

Washington and Philly is going back and forth and I am really surprised to see Philly shutting down Alex Ovechkin like they are, but with Mike Richards healthy, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Flyers come back and win out the series.

STAY TUNED!

NHL 2008: Playoff Predictions...

This year's playoffs is going to be awesome! It's already intense and we are just a few games into the first round of the playoffs. So here are the first round matchups with my commentary:

East -

Montreal Vs. Boston

Boston has some serious injury problems right now and are playing rather shaky, while Montreal is on FIRE! They have their rookie goalie (Price) playing out of his mind and their offense is pouring it on strong. I'd say Montreal will win in 5.

New Jersey Vs. New York Rangers

Two teams I really don't care for either way, but the Rangers have been surprisingly playing better towards the end of the season, especially guys like Sean Avery. New Jersey is always a wild card with Brodeur in net and if Elias can pour on the offense, then it might be a long series, so I'm going to say NJ in 7.

Pittsburgh Vs. Ottawa

Talk about sweet revenge! Pittsburgh is playing the best all year with their entire team back in the action and looking strong, the key to success here will be having Gary Roberts back in the lineup, plus Malkin, Crosby, Hossa, Sykora and Malone all playing strong it's hard NOT to think that they will win in the East, Ottawa has too many injuries and an unstable netminder situation, Pittsburgh in 4!

Washington Vs. Philadelphia

Both teams were almost NOT in the playoffs just a few weeks prior to the opening round. Washington was out and Philly was on their way out of playoff contention, but they both ended up here and now it looks like Washington is turning up the heat big time with Huet in goal and Ovechkin putting pucks in the net every game, it's hard not to like them in this matchup against a struggling Philly defense. Washington in 6.

West -

Detroit Vs. Nashville

It's hard not to think that Detroit is going to win this series after having the year that they did in the regular season. Key to their success will be keeping Hasek healthy in net. Nashville is looking sharp too with Arnott and Dumont playing solid offense. Ultimately it will probably be a closer series than anticipated, but Detroit in 6 is my pick.

Anaheim Vs. Dallas

This is going to be an awesome series for sure as the 2007 Stanley Cup winners face up against a tough Dallas team. Having Selanne back in the action is definitely going to put experience in the Ducks corner again, but Dallas looks hungry this year. I'm going with Anaheim in 6.

San Jose Vs. Calgary

This is the wild card of the bunch as San Jose is coming off an imaculate year with Nabokov playing well and winning 46 games this year, Joe Thorton is also red hot, but Calgary is a tough and agressive team when they want to be and as long as the 'Kipper' stays red hot between the pipes, Calgary could make this a much longer series for the Sharks than they expected, but San Jose will probably get things under control and finish off the series in 7.

Minnesota Vs. Colorado

Experience will probably prove again here as Forsberg and Sakic should be able to lead the Avalanche over the Wild in this series, however, much of that will depend on Jose Theodore's netminding, but look for the Avalanche to crash in 5.

Why so Blu: the Real Story Why Blu-ray beat HD-DVD...

Most of the debate these past few months have been over the rivalry between two HD formats known as Blu-ray and HD-DVD, then after nearly 2 years of battling each other for a hold of the market and offering superior quality to the long-standing DVD format, Blu-ray finally put the fork into all of HD-DVD's dreams.

Experts will analyze this situation and offer numbers about many factors including how how Sony made the wise choice of including a Blu-ray player standard inside ALL of their PS3 machines, whereas HD-DVD was only an optional upgrade for the Xbox systems from Microsoft. Others will analyze the various studio supporters for the two formats and draw comparisons from that or from the vendors, but I think the answer comes down to something more basic....color & phonetics.

Blu-ray won because it's blue. What?

Blue is typically a color that is more appealing to the eye and is often used to convey a calmness and appeal factor versus red, which is a much stronger and bolder color by nature. Red was the color of choice for HD-DVD and their packaging. It only makes sense that Blu-ray chose blue, but the packaging of their media helped play a vital part of the win.

The other is simple phonetics. Try saying "H-Dee-Dee-Vee-Dee" a couple times over and over. It's exhausting. "Blooo Ray" on the other hand rolls out naturally and feels more expressive, it also sounds different. HD-DVD no doubt explains what it is...it's a DVD, but with HD capabilities, which is essentially what both formats are in the short of it, but people need to know that they are upgrading to something 'better' than a DVD and a "Blu-ray" sounds different, where HD-DVD still sounds similar.

So that's it...Blu-ray inevitably won because it's easier to say and looks better from an aesthetically pleasing marketing perspective. Crazy eh?

Both Blu-ray and HD-DVD delivered nearly the same thing, but the fact that neither were cross-compatible made it a tricky sale for many, but the fact that HD-DVD players and Blu-ray players can upscale current DVD movies is a huge bonus. Now that Blu-ray is the clear victor and the studio support is quickly moving that direction we will certainly see a drop in price over the next year on the hardware and software and look forward to exciting titles being released!

Having a bad day????

Just watch this compilation of scenes from the remake THE WICKER MAN starring Nicolas Cage....