Music Reviews

One of my favorite past times during the warmer season is in-line skating along the West Side Highway, while listening to music and my mixes (yes, I still DJ on my spare time) on my mp3 player- the iAudio M3 to be exact.



I’ve had the M3 for more than a year now. I chose it over the iPod because it was smaller, had more features, functions, better performance, less proprietary restrictions- in other words just plain better. I was highly satisfied with it until it recently broke down on me. Upon my frustration, I was ready to just throw it out, sell out and buy myself an iPod. Luckily, I called customer service /tech support, and surprisingly, they were very responsive and helpful. So I was able to send it for repair.

I was eyeing the new iAudio X5, while my M3 was out of commision. It’s basically the M3 with 1.5” color LCD screen that can play video. But the screen is too small to watch movies or videos. So I’ll wait till they expand the screen to 4” or when my M3 breaks down again. =)

Here’s a few albums I’ve recently been listening to and my 2 cents:

Coldplay – X&Y. I have been a fan of Coldplay since their first album ‘Parachutes’ was released. I was a little disappointed with their second album, ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’. Although it seemed to be a logical progression towards a more commercial-type of album, their melancholic/blissful acoustic sounds from the first album is what made them unique and I wished they had stuck to it more. Their new album is definitely as catchy and commercial as their last album- with giant stadium concerts in mind. With orchestral and guitar build-ups and soaring melodies will no doubt sell millions of albums. However, their originality has been lost and now they’ll be classified as carbon copies of U2 or Radiohead, which isn’t a bad thing.

System of a Down – Mesmerize. Anyone who’s a fan of their last album ‘Toxicity’ will surely enjoy this one. They are one of the handfuls of bands that can mix and interweave between nu-metal, punk, jazz, folk and even reggae (i.e. track ‘Radio/Video') into one seamless sound. Their signature sudden tempo shifts, harmonized vocals, and political lyrics can all be found here. Although, it doesn’t have the mainstream singles of ‘Toxicity’, this is still a solid follow-up.

Tiesto – In Search of Sunrise 4. I pretty much listened to all of Tiesto’s 20+ albums. This is his best mixed (non-original composition) album since ‘Magik 6 Live in Amsterdam’ was released in 2000. He includes his usual solid selection of progressive vocal trance tracks and melodic club anthems, but with a nocturnal twist. However, CD 1 of this double-CD set is definitely the standout of the two.

George Acosta – Lost World. There are only a few DJs that are as reliable and consistent as George Acosta. He coasts through this album with tracks of his usual brand of pulse-driving, hit-the-dance-floor, trance selections. His latest release doesn’t stretch far nor does it innovate, but it’s strong and steady throughout.

Dashboard Confessional – A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. This album was released about two years ago, but I just recently discovered it through my niece’s recommendation. (You know you’re getting old when you start taking suggestions from your niece!) I’ve heard their radio single ‘Hands Down’ a few times, but never really thought much of it and branded it for the emo-listening adolescents. But their crafty hooks and intense colorful sounds make this more accessible to a wider audience. I can't wait to hear their next one.

Restaurant serves food in toilet bowls.

Continuing on to the toilet theme, a restaurant in Taiwan, which is decorated like a high-end bathroom, serves its food in minature replicas of toilet bowls. The diners are also encourage to mush up their brown-colored food, like curry chicken or chocolate ice cream to resemble- well, the real thing.

This is a practical joke just waiting to happen.

Via: USA Today

Toilet Museum

Well, I've heard of Museum of Sex, but toilets?

I can't make this sh*t up. Too bad, it's all the way in India.

Via: Toilet Museum

E3 '05

Updating this blog has proven to be more difficult than I thought. It’s getting busier at work and the warmer weather tempts me to stay outdoors instead. I don’t understand how people have the time to publish multiple entries on their blogs everyday. But I have decided to make a conscience effort to post at least twice a week. We’ll shall see…




Well, it’s E3 week (that’s Electronic Entertainment Expo for you non-gamers) and they previewed the next generation consoles: PS3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Revolution.




Sony’s PS3 is kicking Microsoft and Nintendo's asses- anyone who has seen the gaming demos are wetting their pants off. The Killzone footage. is incredible.




But everyone has been debating whether it’s real gameplay or pre-rendered CGI. I say, who cares? It’s freaking awesome! Sony has me sold and I’m pre-ordering that bad boy like yesterday. The other game trailer that looks insanely sick is Motor Storm. It makes WRC rally racing games look like the old Atari Pole Position game.

The Xbox 360 game demos didn’t seem as impressive as the PS3, which was a little disappointing. The games seemed to be just upgrades of the original Xbox, unlike PS3’s leap to a whole new level. Perhaps it’s still speculation at this point and time can only tell- but one thing is certain the gamers are surely reaping all the benefits.

Via: IGN

Officer's Gun Falls From Pants, Shoots Man In Other Bathroom Stall

The headline pretty much explains itself. Talk about a crap shooter, now that's what's called having a shitty day....

Via: Local 6 News

gOOgle it

Well Google has done it again. I used Google Maps to get directions for my Cali trip and I accidentally stumbled into their satellite maps. It shows satellite pictures of your starting point and destination.

I’ve already seen some interesting used for it while surfing the web, like this memory map of someone’s childhood or combining it with craig's list to use it for property rental or sale search.

This is especially useful if you have never been to a certain destination before. You could actually zoom in close enough so you could preview the area before you actually get there. I was able to see a McDonald’s and a Shell gas station and use it as points of reference. So if you don’t have a GPS, Google it.

Also check out Google Ride Finder it finds taxi, limousine or shuttle using real time position of vehicles. It’s still in beta stages, but it’s a pretty awesome idea.

Is it me or is Google getting ready to take over the world?

Via: Google Ride Finder
Via: Google Maps

The Bachelor.....

....just got interesting.

The whole Michael Jackson trial has become such a sad spectacle. It's disheartening to see a huge pop icon become reduced to a circus clown. Is he a real pedophile or a misunderstood sociopath with a Peter-Pan complex? I say the truth lies somewhere in between, but we'll find out soon enough.

Via: Strange Cosmos

Star in your own film

At the Aichi Expo 2005, Toshiba debuts a movie system called Futurecast, which has high resolution digital cameras that scans the faces of the audiences and casts them in different roles on the film they are about to watch. The system is still in its infancy and the movie itself is not a live-action flick, but a space-child adventure animated film called “Grand Odyssey”. But, the cool part is that all of the audience gets a role in the film.

Is this the future of cinema? Will actors be rendered obsolete? Just imagine starring in the next James Bond or Spiderman movie- how cool would that be.

Via: We make money not art

Penny Lover

Ok, now I know what to do with my jar of pennies. Check out this guy’s creations from stacking pennies. Now, I just need to find hours upon hours of free time. A penny saved is....

Via: Fincher

Candyshop

A first grader in Chicago brought 40 bags of crack cocaine to school and distributed to his friends because he thought it was “candy”.

Curiously, his classmates asked: “Is this what they mean by going to 'high' school?” (*cymbals crash*)

Via: Chicago Sun Times