Coming Soon on the Z Files

I got a bunch of things coming up here. First off is the full analysis and closure of the Scratching Experiment. Second will be a weekly feature where I will tell you how to make millions by gambling on NFL football with spreads. Third is employment!

On my way to beautiful Maine

In honor of the little league world series, I give you this to hold you over til next week.


Little League Coaches Fight - Watch more Funny Videos

Pitchfork top 500 songs of the decade

After spending an hour of two of my very precious free time going through the list, I realized that I have listened to only around 140 of the total 500. Here is the list of the top 20?

#20| The Walkmen – The Rat
#19| R. Kelly – Ignition (Remix)
#18| Hercules and Love Affair – Blind
#17| Annie – Heartbeat
#16| The Rapture – House Of Jealous Lovers
#15| The Knife – Heartbeats
# 14| Jay-Z – 99 Problems
# 13| LCD Soundsystem – Losing My Edge
# 12| Outkast – Hey Ya!
# 11| Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
#10| Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
# 9| Animal Collective – My Girls
# 8| Radiohead – Idioteque
# 7| Missy Elliot – Get Ur Freak On
# 6| Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
# 5| Daft Punk – One More Time
# 4| Beyoncé – Crazy in Love (Feat. Jay-Z)
# 3| M.I.A. – Paper Planes (Diplo Remix) (Feat. Bun B and Rich Boy)
# 2| LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
# 1| Outkast – B.O.B.

There are two very pop songs that this top 20 list omits but I feel should be in the top 10. These songs had so much crossover appeal. #21 Kelly Clarkson-Since You Been Gone and #25 Rihanna - Umbrella. I would take out Animal Collective-My Girls because this song came out three months before this list so definitely suffers from premature evaluation.

But overall, I think the top 50 is pretty solid. #30 The White Stripes-Seven Nation Army did get the short end of the stick, because I can definitely hear that song on classic rock radio for the next 40 years. And while Paper Planes was a huge anthem and a great song it does use the Clash sample for which I don't think it belongs in the top 10, but I think the gunshots / cash registers may make up for it.

The Big Aristotle & Hobo Master

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the best if not the best media/sports celebrity. Sure Michael Jordan had Space Jam, but who doesn't remember such masterpieces as Kazaam, Blue Chips, Steel and Freddy Got Fingered. This man was not only the most dominate player in between the Jordan and LeBron eras, but he did created this work of art that I know he will be getting a lifetime achievement for soon at the Grammys.



Now Shaq has his own television show on national television, Shaq Vs. Now after two episodes, I have to say, it is a little censored because its on ABC, but still Shaq is as funny as I've ever seen him after playing Ben Roethlisberger and Karri Walsh & Misty May-Treaner. I definitely have to recommend it as the best sports-related reality show on television. The TO show on VH1 will make you fall aslleep, especially with his two incredibly annoying female friends. And to top off Shaq's crown as best media/athlete of all time...

Commercials That Make Me Laugh

I hate to say I am influenced by advertisements, but these truely are genius. Here are few of my current favorites. They make me chortle everytime!!!!!













BONUS COMERCIAL VIDEO FROM THE VAULT

MY ALL TIME FAVORITE COMMERCIAL

Here I am!

My former home

As I was browsing Boston.com I noticed a familiar building on the front page. It is the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest. I used to see this building everyday on the tram on my way to the university. Such good memories. Pretty crazy plane stunt too.

Has CNN dropped to this level?

After recovering from a fun weekend of pool parties and mets games, I viewed this article on CNN. Now its on the list of most popular stories. Is having cankles a new trend that I havent heard of yet? Nothing is worse than seeing a much of curves on a body then straight shot from foot to knee. This South Carolina newspaper even clarifies further as cankles are a "national tragedy."

Lets Play a Game

Wheres Zeus? (similar to wheres waldo?)
I found me, can you?
Some hints, I am wearing a baby blue shirt with sunglasses and a black bandana

click on image to make larger

Megan Wants a Millionaire

With all this time off, I have begun to watch a lot of trash on televisions, most of it courtesy of VH1. There is the TO show, which is a beautiful mess, Real Chance of Love, which is modern day blaxploitation, and the most recent Megan Wants a Millionaire. The premise is this shallow girl with lots of plastic surgery just wants a man that can pay the bills while she relaxes in the fun and is a socialite. The so-called millionaires on the show make it hilarious because they are awkward and she has no physical or mental attraction with any of the contestants. There is this one certain contestant, known as Smooth Operation aka Ryan Jenkins, who has fled to Canada trying to beat the rap for the murder of his Playboy employee wife, Jasmine Fiore. If this comes as a shock to anybody that has been watching the trash that VH1 has been putting on TV for the past 10 years, I'm shocked. I am even more shocked that nothing like this came out earlier. This forced VH1 to immediately postpone any new airing of episodes, have you ever heard of a way to generate more hype for more ratings? What is even worse, VH1's version of Real World/Road Rules challenge, I Love Money 3 is in production and apparently this alleged murderer won it, and it may never air!! I never want to say anything bad about the dead, but could this be a scheme to gain more rating for the cable channel?

Meadow Sopranos & Turtle Onscreen & Off

If you have been following Entourage over the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed that Meadow Sopranos and Turtle are dating on the show......This video is potentially funnier than all the episodes of this season combined

more about "Meadow Sopranos & Turtle Onscreen & Off", posted with vodpod

Coach Cal

So for the second time in his illustrious career, John Calipari is getting all of his wins and final four removed from the record books. First time at UMass with Marcus Camby, now with Derrick Rose at Memphis. I do think its funny that he jumped ship and went to Kentucky before this all went down in Memphis. But I will ask you this, would you not want him as the coach of your favorite team? He consistently brings in recruits and turns no name programs such as Memphis into contenders within his first few years. Who cares if he wins while paying his players or cheating on the SATs, these things are rampant in college sports. Who cares about the wins two years after the fact, they are great when they happen and worth every emotion.

But I dont think that bullet is meant for you....

The Kickdrums- Just a Dream EP

Lots of hype behind these guys after doing remixes of the Kanye, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi conglomerate. But this album is five steps away from the hip-hop stuff they were doing with those guys. It is part of this new wave of producer rock, like Miike Snow. This album has some sex riffs, some hidden dance riffs, and some sing a long choruses. This is much different than selling beats to Kid Cudi for $200. Does Kanye have an ear for talent or does his promoting skills bring these bands/producers to new levels? (May tackle that idea in the future)

Rating: ☈☈☈☈☈☈ (6 out of 10 lightning bolts)

The Kickdrums - Things Work Out

Day 19 & 20 Scratching Experiment

The last two days have been straight losers.

Total Winnings = -$3

but I still have hope on hitting the $250 mil powerball tomorrow night

Collection of Links

Here are a few of some interesting things I have found on the interweb in the last few days

Laptop Catch
Names that make you laugh
Hooters Girl Trick
Road Rage
Greenwich Break In
If Old People Can Do It...
Mr. Matt Simpson ate this whole thing

Z Book Review #3

Complexity by Jeffrey Kluger

Lately I have been reading a lot of what I call easy to read enjoyable textbook (minus Liars Poker). This book is that to a T. Many of these books I do not fully understand in the overall sense but make sense while I'm reading. While these books do make their points known, it is obvious they omit strong points of the counterargument. I don't know if I recommend this book, but I'm not going to go as far as saying it was horrible. I think it was worth my time and a read, but there was too much shaky ground and not enough evidence for most of the points.

Theres No Secrets This Year

Album: Silversun Pickups - Swoon

This is second Silversun Pickups album, I absolutely loved their debut Carnavas from front to back, Swoon is a different animal though. Carnavas has Lazy Eye and Well Thought Out Twinkles which beyond being good songs and singles, became songs on commercials (which I will write about later) This album doesn't have a song that could fit in a commercial and have widespread appeal. I have tried on multiple occasions to try to listen to it from beginning to end, but cant do it. It does have some real highlights, but avoids the formula that made The Pixies and many other bands, the soft loud soft progression. Many compare Silversun Pickups to the Smashing Pumpkins and I think this is a fair comparison. The lead singers high, almost female like voice will definitely turn some people off, but if you can listen to the shoegaze, its fits pretty well.

Silversun Pickups - There's No Secrets This Year

Day 16, 17, & 18 Scratching Experiment

Two losses and one win for a whopping $2.

Total Winnings = $-1

Day 14 & 15 Scratching Experiment

Two more days...two more losses. With this type of odds, why are people addicted to scratch ticket gambling? Losing Streak is at 8 days!

Total Winnings = $-1

Three New Shows!

The most exciting thing to hit Stamford since Sugar Ray last week is now here! Jerry Springer, Maury Povitch, and Steve Wilkos have packed up and moved from windy Chicago to the City that Works, Stamford, CT. Connecticut has huge tax credits for filmmakers, so over the past few years many have taken advantage. Examples: Righteous Kill (Al Pacino & Robert DeNiro) Revolutionary Road, Away We Go, and my personal favorite Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Yesterday was the first day of filming and I happened to walk by the line to get into the Avon Theatre, and there was over 300 people there, many got turned away. Apparently they film three Jerry Springer Shows each day. (unknown about other two shows) In good news, I got tickets to see Maury in a few weeks. The good part is that all of these shows are free and all you need to do is apply for tickets either on the phone or online.

Z Book Review #2

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Basically a modern day fairy tale about following your dream, even if you don't know what it is. This book was originally written in Portuguese and is translated. It was written very simply and is a very quick read. All this being said, I really enjoyed it, I felt like a reading a Disney Movie in book form. The tale of "the boy" traveling from his beginning in Spain then across Africa make a perfect adventure, fairy tale. If this is ever made into a movie, and I have read that it is, I hope it is a cartoon, similar to Aladdin. If only I knew my "Personal Legend" maybe I would be employed or maybe like the book states, I am too old and already forgot it.

Day 11, 12, & 13 Scratching Experiment

Sorry, for lack of updates. Had as busy a week as an unemployed person could trying to prepare for our Sugar Ray party on Thursday night which went perfect except we ran out of all alcohol by 10 o'clock. Great turnout though. Had to spend most of Friday recovering and cleaning, but, I did stop at the local convenience store and bought tickets each day, and everyday was the same, losses. Losing Streak is now at 6 days! This makes for 2 winners in 13 attempts, or 15.4%, once again a lower than the CT lottery average of 23.5%

Total Winnings = $1

Summer Songs

Because lists are fun and useful. Here is a list of 10 of my favorite summer songs of my lifetime (any songs that came out before I was born are disqualified)

TLC - Waterfalls
LFO - Summer Girls
R Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
OMC - How Bizarre
Jack Johnson - Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
Nelly - Ride Wit Me
Sugar Ray - Fly
Len - Steal My Sunshine
Blink 182 - Dammit
Nelly - Shake Your Tailfeather

BONUS SONG - Will Smith - Getting Jiggy With It

If you got any others please share in the comments, Love Zeus

Explosions In The Sky

Now, I understand I am not the first to say this, but if you just walk around listening to Explosions in the Sky while doing anything, it makes it seem movie epic. Since I have been unemployed, I have been reading lots of books and I usually put on The Rescue album, (all Explosion songs do not have lyrics, which is key while reading) and it makes the book more epic than the biggest Jerry Bruckheimer climax scene. What initially turned me on to these guys was Friday Night Lights, no so much the movie, which they wrote the entire soundtrack for, but the TV show. I have been following the TV show for the past three seasons, and it is a great high school social commentary, probably one of my favorite shows to start in the last three years, I will write about them at a later date when the new season starts up.

Explosions in the Sky - Your Hand in Mine

Also did some updates to the links of the sidebar. Enjoy at your own will.

Day 9 & 10 Scratching Experiment

So I failed to update yet again yesterday. So today you get a double hit of the scratch game. And I get a double hit of losing. Today's tickets played were Aces High and Fast Cash. Losing Streak is at three.

Total Winnings = $4

Day 8 Scratching Experiment

Sorry, I missed last friday on the experiment. Went back to the good old card game. And obviously you never win twice in a row. Be patient, another update for the scratching game later today.

Total Winnings = $6

Z Book Review #1

Liars Poker by Michael Lewis.

1. If you are looking for entertainment, you are in the wrong place. this book somehow made the New York Times Bestseller list, I would only recommend it if you love textbooks

2. If you love textbooks, you will not read anything you do not already know. This book describes stocks, bonds, equity, and the like, but is heavy reading without giving you any insight into how things are run on Wall Street.

3. A 250 page book took me over two weeks to read. That is disgusting. This is not a quick read, it definitely was the hardest book I have read since college. (That is not because of being uneducated in the stock market) I honestly cannot count how many times this book put me to sleep, and the average is over two times per day.

If anybody has any GOOD recommendations, they are more than welcome!