starbucks.com/blog

It’s that time of year again: April 1. The day when the Internet explodes with April Fools’ Day pranks. Here’s a rundown of what to watch out for this year. Be warned: If you’d rather stumble across these pranks on your own, stop reading now.

Get coffee on-the-go with Starbucks Mobile Pour

I actually like this idea. You’re walking down the street and wish you could have Starbucks. So you pull out your smartphone, order a latte and before you know it, a barista is delivering your piping hot drink via scooter. That’s what Starbucks Mobile Pour is all about. And to ensure speedy service, Starbucks plans to have two baristas for every square mile in seven of the largest cities around the country.

Google rolls out a new way to communicate with Gmail Motion BETA

mail.google.com

The first place I point my browser to on April 1 is Google.com. The search engine giant loves to play pranks. The most obvious: Gmail Motion BETA. Think XBox Kinect meets email. Now Gmailers can create, open and send emails using gestures. My favorite gesture: To send a message, lick an imaginary stamp in the air and place it on your knee.

If you love Gmail Motion, you’ll love Google Docs Motion! I would love to create spreadsheets in meetings with coworkers using gestures. At the very least, it could be an awkwardly fun ice breaker.

YouTube looks back to the year 1911

youtube.com

Ever wonder what the beginning of the 20th Century looked like on YouTube? Well, now you can find out! The quality wasn’t so great back then, but I guess that’s understandable considering videos were uploaded via horse-drawn carriage. Sound also didn’t exist of course, so filler music via upright piano was standard practice.

Some videos are a little stubborn and won’t play in 1911-mode, so you may have to pick around a little. Today may be the best day ever to watch Rebecca Black’s “Friday” since her annoying voice is replaced by the wonderful filler music!

Also, if you want to be a bit more nostalgic, YouTube has put together the “Top 5 Viral Pictures of 1911” for your viewing pleasure. Of course, you could always turn 1911 mode on while watching the video to make things a bit more trippy.

ABC rolls out new programming again

abc.com

It was a good idea last year, and it’s even better this year: For April 1, ABC has unveiled a whole new lineup of shows that are sure to be instant hits. Take “Snooki Blue,” for example. Who wouldn’t want to watch a show with the tagline, “Orange you glad I’m a cop? Putting an ABP on the GTL”? And “Sunsheen Cleaning,” starring none other than the now infamous Charlie Sheen, sounds like a perfect train wreck of an idea to me.

Besides the six shows that rotate on the ABC homepage, there are 10 other shows worth checking out as well. I know a bunch of you would tune into “Bieber With You” and “White Castle.”

Purge people from pics with Kodak’s Relationshiffft app

1000words.kodak.com

“Status change? Don’t delete…Relationshiffft!” It’s that simple with Kodak’s latest innovation. The photo company offers a three-pronged approach to help you move on after ending a relationship. We’ve come a long way from that rotating carousel, huh?

Hulu travels back to 1996

hulu.com

The year is 1996. The future is taking off. The internet is becoming something that everyone can use and sites are starting to look really awesome. Scrolling text, high-resolution images – we had it all back then. Like YouTube, Hulu is also going nostalgic this year. You may want to view its homepage using Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Just like the old days, the site even tells you that at the way bottom next to the view counter.

If your dial-up connection can handle it, make sure you click through to watch full episodes of these “vintage” shows. My circa-1996 stop on Hulu wouldn’t be complete without some quality time with Mulder and Scully on “The X-files.”

Funny or Die gets replaced by Friday or Die

funnyordie.com

No, seriously, you may not want to click this one. Funny or Die should come with a warning that your eyes and/or ears may bleed by visiting this site. Rebecca Black has taken over the site, which has been appropriately renamed “Friday or Die.” Between the hearts and pink layout, every featured video is now about Rebecca Black.

I don’t know about you, but I was dying to learn what the lyrics of “Friday” mean.

ThinkGeek offers up new products

thinkgeek.com

I’ll admit it: Last year, I was fooled by ThinkGeek and their Dharma Initiative alarm clock. I seriously wanted one! It wasn’t until I clicked to buy one that I found out it was an April Fools’ prank.

So this year, I knew better when I headed to ThinkGeek’s homepage. I knew not to fall for Angry Bird Pork Rinds,  Star Wars Lightsaber Popsicles and the Playmobil Apple Store Playset (the latter of which is actually a cool idea).

Other pranks on the internet (updated throughout the day)

• Reddit has gone moldy this year. Watch out, because retaliation is a real danger.

• Google Voice-alyzer keeps you from drunk dialing your exes by making you spell words like ‘Czechoslovakia’ (I had to copy and paste that to ensure it was spelled right).

• Whatever you do, don’t Google ‘Helvetica’! Comic Sans madness will surely ensue.

• Make sure you log into Linkedin today and check out the People You May Know section of your profile. I just sent connect requests to Sherlock Holmes, Ernest Hemingway and Albert Einstein.

• Turkey Hill, which has always sounded a little awkward (what exactly is a turkey hill anyways?), has changed its name to Turtle Hill.

• He may have been caught, but he’s still wreaking havoc: The Bronx Zoo Cobra has taken over Ryan Seacrest’s Twitter account and website. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to know the “5 Dos and don’ts of dating a cobra.”
• Get your 3D glasses out! Grooveshark has entered the third dimension for the day.
• Looking for a job? Google is hiring autocompleters.

In closing

I’m sure there are tons of other pranks out there, so be sure to check back later today for updates to this post. If you find a prank, be sure to comment about it below so that I can add it to the post.

Happy April Fools’ Day!

Source: thekingoflimbs.com

Sometimes staying up all night has its advantages.

Moments ago on Twitter, Radiohead announced their eighth studio album, titled “The King of Limbs.”

The best part about this announcement is that the album will be available for digital download this Saturday, February 19, 2011. Yes, you read right: Fans all across the world only have to wait six days to hear the highly-anticipated new album.

There are two pre-order options in the United States. The first is something called a “newspaper album,” which will ship on May 9, 2011. In addition to copies of “The King of Limbs” on vinyl, CD and digital download, the $48 package comes complete with “many large sheets of artwork, 625 tiny pieces of artwork and a full-colour piece of oxo-degradeable plastic to hold it all together.” It sounds like this option will be similar to the limited edition box set that was released for “In Rainbows” in 2007.

The second pre-sale option is simply a digital copy of the album for just $9.

It should also be noted that both options offer the digital album in MP3 or WAV format, the latter of which costs an additional $5.

Follow @radiohead@radiohead
Radiohead

Thank you for waiting… http://rhd.cc/jd19 #thekingoflimbs

February 14, 2011 4:30 am via webReplyRetweetFavorite

Are you excited for Radiohead’s newest release? Do you think they’ll top their previous albums? Leave your comments below.

Source: Matt & Kim's flickr photostream

The other day, I was watching yet another rerun of “Last Call with Carson Daly,” and the musical guest was a group called Matt & Kim. I was initially under the impression that I had never heard of them before, which meant I would listen but probably wouldn’t be all that interested (music takes a long time to sink in for me sometimes). But then, going into commercial, a clip from one of their songs was played and I instantly recognized it. If you listen to WXPN or Y-Rock at all, you’re bound to have heard a nice little ditty called “Daylight.”

Upon further investigation, “Daylight” is definitely not the only good song by Matt & Kim. It turns out the Brooklyn-based dance-punk duo has three albums full of some awesome music.

While I was watching “Last Call,” I was blown away by how energetic and fun Matt & Kim’s live performance was. And that’s saying a lot considering how much is often lost in translation when showing a band’s live act on TV. Moments into the clip, Matt explains to the audience that the song they’re about to perform is dedicated “to anyone who has ever seen us in the city before.” Between his exchange and the audience’s reaction throughout the song, the energy just flowed out of my television at 2:05 a.m.

Once the segment on “Last Call” ended, I pointed my browser to Amazon mp3 to purchase the album I knew the most songs on, titled “Grand.” This sophomore album by the duo instantly impressed me. The energy evident on stage is just as prevalent in their studio recordings, thanks in part to the punk-influenced bass lines and dance-worthy beats per minute. In addition to “Daylight,” which opens the album, listeners might also recognize “Lessons Learned” from XPN. This track takes the upright piano sound from “Daylight” and replaces it with catchy vocals. Other tracks that stick out to me include “Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare” and “Turn This Boat Around.”

Since I finished “Grand” knowing it would surely be played constantly on iTunes  and in my car for a while, I decided to immediately purchase Matt & Kim’s newer “Sidewalks.” Upon pressing play, I immediately knew that I’d like this album even more than “Grand.” The sound produced by the duo has seemed to mature between albums. The catchy beats are now accompanied by a tighter sound and more confident vocals from Matt.

Other than “Cameras,” which has already become the most-played Matt & Kim song in my iTunes library, I can’t decide what other tracks to point out from “Sidewalks.” This isn’t because they’re bad, it’s because they’re all so good. So I recommend you give the album a spin and tell me which tracks are your favorite.

Finally, I have a confession to make: I’ve spent most of this post trying to figure out who I could compare Matt & Kim to in order to give you all a frame of reference, but I’m afraid I’m not able to provide much for fear of giving you the wrong impression. So, I’m going to give this one stab and then leave it up to you to draw your own lines of comparison: The duo instantly reminds me of Discovery with the thumping bass lines, but soars a lot like Phoenix and Passion Pit with their electronic sound. Mature the pop sound of Owl City and Mika by 50 years and throw in the depth, presence and energy of Arcade Fire for good measure and you should have a close estimation on the sound of Matt & Kim.

Source: myspace.com/thefelicebrothers

If I didn’t know what a perfect evening outdoors was before, I do now. Picture it. The temperature is in the upper-70′s, the humidity is low, there’s not a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining brightly as it gets set to sink below the horizon.

This was the setting Sunday night as I took a seat on a blanket laid out on a perfect patch of grass at Long’s Park to see the Felice Brothers in concert.

The best part? The concert was part of “The Free! Long’s Park Summer Series.” Through this, a number of sponsors will make a total of 13 free concerts at the park’s amphitheater possible. That means one can enjoy and potentially explore new artists all in the beautiful outdoor setting that is Long’s Park.

The perfect atmosphere at Long's Park as the Felice Brothers play in the distance.

Now I’ve heard of the Felice Brothers before, mostly due in part to XPN. Interestingly enough, XPN wasn’t a sponsor of this concert. Does this have something to do with their recent cutbacks? (A shameless plug, I know, but a legitimate question considering the station is probably what exposed many of the concertgoers to the band in the first place.)

If you’ve ever heard a Felice Brothers track, it’s most likely “Frankie’s Gun,” a great little ditty that will easily get stuck in your head for days on end. I’m in no way a music expert, especially when it comes to the great Bob Dylan, but this song instantly reminds me of some of his work. (Please, correct me if I’m wrong, or make your own connections in my comment section below.)

The bottom line for the group is that they have a great eclectic sound that appeals to many age groups. Their music is generally lighthearted, which made it perfect for an outdoor concert of this type.

If you decide to catch any of the remaining free concerts at Long’s Park this summer, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Even if you’re unfamiliar with the artist, the atmosphere is great to take a blanket and to just relax on the outskirts of the crowd. There’s a great hill that provides a decent view without having to be too close to the stage. In fact, my entire group decided lying down and staring at the cloudless evening sky was the perfect way to enjoy the start of the concert.
• The atmosphere is great for picnicking, especially if you’re going to just relax and to take in the music. Keep in mind that the park has a no-alcohol policy, which is a bit unfortunate, but keeps the fun clean.
• If you forget food, there are a number of great vendor stands available. The prices aren’t terribly high: I paid $6 for a delicious and big pulled-pork sandwich while a friend paid $5 for a medium bucket of handcut french fries.
• Take your dog or take a frisbee! Both are perfectly acceptable. Frisbees and footballs were visible flying through the air throughout the concert. (Don’t worry, they were a safe distance away.)
• Take sunscreen and sunglasses for when the sun is out and then have bug spray on the ready for when the sun sets.
• Take a sweatshirt, especially if you’re sitting on a blanket. The temperature got quite cool near the ground once the sun set.
• Finally, we parked at Park City Center and entered the park via a walkway that goes under US-30, which provided us with a hassle-free parking spot that allowed us to avoid sitting in traffic after the concert.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around this, but I just discovered that the weekly “Y-Rock on XPN” programming on WXPN out of Philadelphia is being canceled. This means that Y-Rock won’t exist at all over traditional FM airwaves. Fortunately, for now, it looks like Y-Rock will still be available via livestream on the net and as XPN’s HD 2 station.

In addition to the cancellation of programming, prominent members of the Y-Rock team, such as Josh T. Landow, are being laid off.

In light of this news, I’m faced with quite the Catch-22: Is it worth becoming a member of XPN if the station is chipping away at what I like and admire most about it? More after the jump…

The beginning

I discovered Y-Rock when XPN boosted their presence in Central Pennsylvania. Back then, I was making some money driving the student shuttle for college. Every Friday, I would shuttle students around Elizabethtown while listening to “Y-Rock on XPN.” The show gave me something worth listening to for three hours and introduced me to the most new music that a radio station ever had.

After graduating, Y-Rock’s web stream became my cure for the afternoon slump at my 9-6 day job (as many of you know, I’m a night owl and suck at working normal business hours). Again, I continued to discover new music and bands in a manner that is nearly unheard of these days: Organically via an actual alternative radio station with real-live DJs that could weigh in on what was good and what wasn’t.

So why didn’t I ever become a member of XPN?

Unfortunately, money has always been tight. After I lost my day job (don’t worry, it wasn’t because I couldn’t stay awake), I wasn’t sure what role Y-Rock and XPN would play in my new night owl working life. From there, I continued with my dream of moving out of my mom’s house into my own apartment, which added to the tightness of the money. Unfortunately, luxuries like supporting public radio never materialized.

In a way, I guess this can be looked at from the other side. How many other post-college-aged guys are going through the same grind to make ends meet with little wiggle room for a public radio membership? Perhaps that’s why Y-Rock is on the cutting block: The audience it’s reaching just isn’t able to support it financially.

Will I still consider becoming an XPN member?

If I knew, right now, that my money would ensure that Y-Rock will continue, I would become a member in a heartbeat. But now I question the very fundamentals of why I should become a member.

Don’t get me wrong, XPN sans Y-Rock isn’t a terrible thing. New music still ebbs and flows across the airwaves. It’s just much more alternative-driven as opposed to being indie-driven. And that worries me. Why give money toward a cause that may not broadcast what I’d be paying for?

Out of that stems another question that some of you might be able to help me with: If I decide to become an XPN member, is there a way to specify that I want my money to support just Y-Rock?

The final reason I hesitate to get a membership now is that I worry Y-Rock won’t be around much longer. Is it worth becoming a member even if XPN decides to get rid of Y-Rock altogether in the near future?

The future?

The quandaries presented above leave me with one last lingering question: Can Y-Rock be saved?

I think, without a doubt, the answer to that question, no matter the hurdles, should be ‘yes.’ The station has been on the chopping block before, and it most likely will be again in the future. Although I don’t doubt that XPN is regretting the cutbacks, I hope they’re able to allocate enough resources to continue such a valuable tool for entertainment and music discovery well into the future.

***

As I think about the situation and hopefully learn a little more (does anyone know if there’s an official press release?), I’ll revise and update this post. Feel free to leave comments, opinions and anything else related to this topic.

Source: Google.com

I’ve seen so many April Fools’ Jokes today, I decided the perfect place to tell you all about them would be to write a quick blog post. But act fast, because I’m sure the jokes won’t last past 11:59 p.m. tonight.

Google goes Topeka

Internet giant Google is loaded with April Fools’ jokes today. The most obvious is visible if you simply go to the Google homepage. There you will find the Google logo replaced with ‘Topeka.’ That’s because Topeka, Kansas changed its name to Google for a month as part of its push to become one of the test city’s for Google’s high-speed broadband. So go Topkea something already while I move on to the next topic!

Google Romance

Source: google.com/romance

If you’re looking for true love, your next stop should be Google Romance (in beta of course), “where you can post all types of romantic information and, using our Soulmate Search™, get back search results that could, in theory, include the love of your life.” If you’re enough of a “sleaze,” try uploading multiple profiles with a bulk upload file. Be sure you click around – just to see what options you have (wink wink).

Upload anything to Google Docs

Source: google.com/google-d-s/promos/storage.html

It wasn’t long ago that Google announced you could upload and share any file to the cloud at no cost. Well, today (and today only), you can upload anything to Google Docs. They suggest everything from your keys, to your cell phone, to a grand piano. If you click to sign up, you’ll be taken to a questionnaire to fill out, where you can specify what you plan to use the service for. I’m sure you can come up with plenty of ideas for the “Other” option, right?

Starbucks goes huge and miniature in size

Source: starbucks.com/blog/

Let’s take a break from Google for a moment (more later). Instead let’s focus on Starbucks’ big announcement of the day: even more choice in beverage size. Customers can now go with the ultra tiny Micra (2 fl oz) or the ginormous Plenta (128 fl oz!). The environmentally-conscious coffee company recommends you recycle your Plenta cup and use it as other things, such as a popcorn receptacle, yoga block and more. The scary thing about this joke is I could see people willingly ordering the ultra large Plenta. As for the Micra, I can imagine Starbucks charging $3 for the 2 oz of delicious brown liquid.

ABC’s new programming

Source: abc.go.com

Today (and, once again, today only) ABC is announcing its new lineup of TV shows for your viewing pleasure. The URL I just used isn’t nearly as fun as going to ABC’s homepage and seeing the shows displayed as if all was normal. Oh, and if a show called “The Blind Sayid” (with the tagline “Football is torture”) came on, I would totally watch it! Of course, for you non-”Lost” fans, there is plenty to choose from, such as “W” (“The series that happens after ‘V’”) and “Dancing with the Tsars.”

Everyone is in charge today on Reddit

Source: PCworld.com

Commence with the chaos. Today, everyone is an administrator on the popular social news Web site Reddit. I’m considering signing up for an account just to see what exactly being an administrator entails, but I’m afraid I’m going to wake up tomorrow and feel empty being just a lowly user.

TEXTp saves YouTube bandwidth and money

Source: youtube-global.blogspot.com

YouTube has been going through a lot of changes lately. But today’s addition is by far the best one yet! Viewers have the ability to view videos in something YouTube is calling TEXTp. I don’t guarantee you’ll always be able to make out what you’re seeing in front of you in this mode, but at least you’ll be saving YouTube $1 a second, so give it a try. If you’re looking for a particular video to enjoy in the new format, I highly recommend this one – it actually looks cool.

Hulu goes to the third dimension

Source: hulu.com

In my frenzy to write this post, I haven’t truly figured out what exactly Hulu is getting at today, but I suspect it has a lot more to do than just seeing TV shows in 3D today. Click to start any show or clip and you’ll notice a 3D glasses icon on the left. Click that and you’re in for a confidential video “for internal use only.” Watch it if you dare, but be wary of more brain rot as a result.

Funny or Die has Bieber fever

Source: funnyordie.com

I’m sorry. Now that I’ve mentioned Justin Bieber’s name on my blog, it’s sure to get swarmed by crazed teenagers that just can’t get enough of the prepubescent star. Well, it can’t be much worse than what happened to the comedy video site Funny or Die today, where “Justin Bieber has decided to buy Funny or Die and do with it whatever his tiny little heart desires.” This site is not for the faint of heart or those that break things whenever they see Justin Bieber’s face, so click through only if you dare to.

You have 108 minutes to buy this alarm clock

Source: thinkgeek.com

I have to include this prank because I thought it was real. I was actually contemplating spending $49.99 to get my very own Dharma Initiative alarm clock. Straight out of “Lost,” this thing makes you put in the legendary numbers of the TV show to turn it off. True to form, if you don’t enter the numbers correctly, hieroglyphics will appear and you’ll have to face the consequences. By the way, if you want to verify that it’s a joke, just click “buy now” and you’ll be served the disappointment that I had to go through.

How long does it take?

Source: google.com

How long does it take to search “april fools” on Google today? Well, go to the homepage and find out for yourself. For me, it took 73.73 jiffies. That’s pretty damn fast!

In closing

I already know of a ton more pranks throughout the internet, but I think it’s time to wrap this and get it posted. For now, I’m going to leave you with a list of links to more pranks. Maybe I’ll expand on them later.

Google physicists discover extra dimension in Street View

3D books! Google Books now offers digital books in a new dimension

Gmail loses its vowels (you have to be signed out of your account for this one)

Google’s newest Mobile Search: Where am I? (give this one a try on your phone to discover if it’s truly a prank)

Government bans CollegeHumor and tracks your IP address

Google Translate for animals

Qualcomm holds press conference on butterfly attacks (for a one-two prank punch, view the press conference in TEXTp)

ThinkGeek announces iCade, an iPad Arcade Cabinet

NBC announces nationwide “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” tour to compete with Conan O’Brien

Google announces Google Reader ReaderAdvantage Program

Are there any other pranks that should be mentioned? What do you think of this year’s pranks? How do they stack up to last year’s? Leave your comments below.

Source: sheandhim.com / Autumn De Wilde

I’m trying my new blogging format today, where I write more often (and more for me) while staying short and simple.

Today seems like a good day to get this idea rolling since I just finished my first listen of She & Him‘s newly-released “Volume Two.” Like “Volume One,” the album is sweet and simple. It’ll make you smile from beginning to end.

It’ll take a few more listens until I can determine if this album impresses me as much as the first, but I’d say Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are on the right track. At this point, “In the Sun” and “If You Can’t Sleep” stick out to me more than the rest. ”If You Can’t Sleep,” like “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” did on “Volume One,” closes the album with a slightly different sound than the rest of the tracks, utilizing only vocal backings and Deschanel softly singing. Rather than a spiritual, though, it’s a lullaby this time around.

If you liked “Volume One,” you’ll definitely like “Volume Two,” perhaps even more so over time.

Have you gotten the album yet? Share your thoughts on it in the comment section below.

Source: avatarmovie.com

Think back. Remember that first time you saw “Star Wars” and how it filled you with awe, joy and the feeling that the good guys will come out on top? Although I wasn’t able to experience “Star Wars” in theaters when it was fresh and new (only later when it was remastered), James Cameron’s “Avatar” filled me with a sense of exhilaration that’s hard to come by these days. In fact, I’d be willing to go as far as to say that “Avatar” is the “Star Wars” of this generation. This epic that establishes a world and then pits good against evil is everything George Lucas should have done with Episodes 1, 2, 3 of his saga.

(Note: Although I can’t guarantee a spoiler-free post, I will try to refrain from giving major plot points of the movie away.)

Think about it.

James Cameron has created a world that is graspable yet foreign to us. Although not quite in a galaxy far, far away, the planet Pandora is pretty distant. It takes humans five years to travel there, and all the while they are put in a cryogenic stasis. Pandora is filled with enough eye candy that it becomes a character in itself. From the moment you see the planet you’ll be wowed to the nth degree. I found myself gobbling up any tidbits about the world and its people’s culture, called the Na’vi, very similar in the way I always enjoyed the tidbits about the Jedi.

In fact, “Avatar’s” main character, Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington), is a Jedi of sorts in Cameron’s movie. Like Luke Skywalker, he’s provided with the background and tools – in this case an alien body in the form of an avatar – to grow into. Skywalker was born from Jedi lineage, Sully was given his avatar. Throughout the movie, we witness Sully grow from just someone exploring his new form to someone embracing it and utilizing its strengths. And eventually Sully joins sides with the natives of Pandora to defend the planet from the “evil” Colonel Miles Quartich (played by Stephen Lang) and his determination to tame the planet. Quartich entices Sully to join the Dark Side as it were by enticing him with a promise to walk again, the crutch that Sully must cope with in his human body.

Quartich and the military feel a lot like the Empire from “Star Wars.” They are overbearing and even have technology that will remind you immediately of the Empire if it was re-envisioned with today’s technology. Watch out for the Imperial Walkers! And the Na’vi most definitely have a rebel force feel to themselves with a touch of Ewok mixed in. They are one with Pandora and eventually dive into saving their planet at all cost.

Being one with Pandora actually reminded me of the Force. Much like the Jedi tap into a power that can’t be seen, so do the Na’vi. And if you remember, in “Episode 1,” we find out that this connection to the force is measurable through Midi-chlorians. In “Avatar,” Grace Augustine (played by Sigourney Weaver) points out that the scientists on the planet have discovered a connectedness within the planet’s large amounts of vegetation.

The story of good vs. evil and oppression might be immediately recognizable, but “Avatar” instantly draws you in with its visual dazzle and then hooks you with dynamic characters that you’ll truly root for throughout the movie. Don’t let the predictable story be the reason you don’t see this movie.

Of course there are a ton of differences and tweaks to the storyline that make “Avatar” truly original as well. For example, Sully’s mentor, Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana), didn’t remind me of Yoda at all. Instead she serves as the Na’vi liaison for Sully and eventually more. Also, don’t expect Quartich to reach out to Sully and confess that he’s his father. There also isn’t quite a comradery between the characters of “Avatar” that one feels when watching Episodes 4, 5 and 6.

The biggest difference between “Avatar” and “Star Wars” is that hopefully this will be the only one that we see from Cameron. Although I’d certainly go see the sequel if one was ever created, I’m not sure that at this point I feel one is necessary. The movie as it stands now feels complete to me, and I fear that a followup effort could taint what has been created.

Finally, I wanted to point out that this movie was my first in 3-D. At first I was skeptical that it would come across feeling cheap and artificial. I was surprised that I came out thinking the exact opposite. The 3-D aspect gave depth to Pandora that wouldn’t have been attainable otherwise. It’s almost as if you’re thrown into your own avatar so that you can experience the world as Sully does. So I say shell out the few extra bucks and go the extra mile to see this in 3-D. You won’t be disappointed.

For anyone that hasn’t seen the massive amount of advertising for this movie, here’s the trailer for “Avatar”:

Have you seen the movie? What did you think of it? Share your comments on the movie and/or my analysis.

Even if my lines of comparison shouldn’t be drawn, one has to consider what “Avatar” is doing to the movie landscape. In 1977, “Star Wars” did changed the movie experience in terms of special effects and creating a galaxy and culture worth exploring. Like “Star Wars,” I believe that “Avatar” has successfully achieved this while creating a believable and enjoyable story to go along with it.

Even Roger Eberts seems to agree with me on some level when he says, “Extraordinary. I felt the same as when I saw ‘Star Wars.’”

Source: MTV.com

We’ve heard 23 groups of young adults announce “This is the story of eight strangers…” With that many seasons, how can a show like “The Real World” remain entertaining and worth watching? By staying original and sticking to a simple, but proven, formula: Throw eight people that come from different parts of the country and backgrounds into an awesomely decked out house and see what happens. If the first episode of “Real World D.C.” is any indication, this could be a really good season.

I’ve only once religiously watched “The Real World.” Two seasons ago, when the show took on Brooklyn, I was hooked. The group was dynamic and interesting without being over-the-top in the drama department. Well, maybe when JD smashed the glass table… Hmm.

So far, after watching the first episode of the D.C. version, it seems like things might play out the same way. Already I’m intrigued by the cast. From Colorado to Philadelphia (represent!), the group is from all over the country. Here are a few of the more interesting backgrounds and tidbits:

• Andrew: Is he a virgin or isn’t he? This boy is a bit awkward, a bit funny and a bit of a liar. I get the impression that gullible is written on the ceiling whenever Andrew is around. Oh, and did I mention that he sleeps with a polar bear? Are we all going to be rooting for Andrew to get some action, or will his antics make him more of a pain?
• Mike: In this first episode, Mike nonchalantly recounts to the group how many times he’s had sex: “I’ve had sex with like 15 girls, and five guys.” Wait, wha? This boy shrugs off his bisexuality as just one part of him, which is admirable, but I don’t think it’s going to be that simple later in the season when roommates’ feelings are involved.
• Erika: This girl can sing. I’m excited to see how her talent manifests itself throughout the season.
• Callie: Small-town girl goes to the big city. Will she go crazy?
• Ty: Atheist (see next paragraph). If he’s as opinionated about everything as he is about his religious beliefs, I have a feeling a lot of debating is going to happen this season.

Besides settling into their new digs, which are pretty awesome, this inaugural episode already saw a small tiff over religion. I’m not sure if the episode spotlighted everyone’s different religious backgrounds to set the stage for the tiff, but everyone has different beliefs and opinions. Ty, an atheist, felt the need to impose his non-belief onto the believers in the group. Mike and Ashley immediately butted heads with him over this. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the end of this debate.

One interesting aspect that I just realized was that I didn’t see one drink being made or drank. Has “The Real World” started attending alcoholics anonymous? I don’t see how some of the usual drama of the show can occur without libations flowing, but the group didn’t immediately pour a drink when they settled in. This will be something worth taking note of throughout the season.

Finally, I was pleased to discover that MTV is showing the first episode on demand on their web site. Hopefully that remains true for the rest of the season since one would expect the ever-trendy MTV to stay on top of social media. And the greater thing about the episode being posted online is that I can embed it here for you to watch!

What did you all think of the first episode? Is this going to be a good season or a flop? Share your comments below.

What if the world had come to the brink of annihilation and left behind survivors to deal with the aftermath? Between Point A and Point B, Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” winds through a conceivable desolation of the earth, providing plenty of barren yet horrific imagery along the way while creating a level of suspense that could bring an end to life around every corner.

A nameless father and son are alive, survivors of some terrible disaster that leveled most of the earth and its life some years ago, leaving behind a barren landscape of ruins, gray dust and death that will make you appreciate the color and vibrancy of the world around you, inside or out. After realizing that trying to stay in their current location for one more winter could be detrimental, the father decides to embark south along the namesake road toward the ocean in the hopes of finding warmer climates and “the good guys,” described throughout the novel as people that have clung to their values despite the post-apocalyptic world they live in.

Cormac McCarthy masterfully tells a riveting story while providing plenty of room for the reader to imagine how the world got into its current state and wonder if it will ever find its way out.

Woven throughout the story is a level of suspense that never dies down. Danger is lurking around every corner. While reading wrapped up in a comforter valuing the warmth of a heater next to me I had to look up often and reassure myself that I was safe. The entire novel feels like a horror story that has no need to shock the reader because the mind can travel many unmapped roads of its own. I was so afraid of what was around the next obstacle in the road sometimes that my eye would jump ahead a paragraph or two just to make sure the worst hadn’t happened to the father and son.

But rather than provide some huge shock or bombshell, McCarthy expertly keeps the focus of the novel on the journey, which could come to an end at any  moment at the hand of a cannibal or continue indefinitely until starvation or exhaustion strike. Through this lack of an ultra-shocking moment, McCarthy expertly places the reader in the world of the father and son. The dangers around every corner are bound to strike and the main characters are rarely surprised by these. Even when a bit of a surprise sneaks up on them (and the reader), the father never responds surprised. The shock and surprise of he and son’s predicament has long since worn off.

The predicament of the main characters and their situation is also something that occupied me throughout the story. I hung on the few shards that McCarthy provides, hoping to decipher why the world is the way it is and how the father and son have survived so long. In the end, there are plenty of questions remaining. Here are a few…

• How did the earth come this state of desolation? If you Google “The Road,” you’ll quickly discover that many speculate that the novel is making a statement about the environment, suggesting that mankind has caused its own annihilation. But what McCarthy never does is leave an overbearing statement as to why. This is good. It allows the reader to draw their own conclusions without holding their hand.
• What did the father do in the pre-apocalyptic world? I suspect his profession has something to do with his survival and his faith in mankind.
• Related to the previous question, how was the father and his wife’s relationship in the pre-apocalyptic world?

Source: starpulse.com

As you may or may not know, “The Road” is being made into a movie, starring Viggo Mortensen as the father. I suspect he might have the right mix of ruggedness and compassion to pull the complicated part off. What will be interesting to see is if the relationship between he and his son, played by Kodi Smith-McPhee, is the same as in the novel. The relationship has multiple layers to it, from the traditional knowing father and naive son to a level of unsurprising honesty that could only be present in a post-apocalyptic world. Finally, I’m weary of the world that director John Hillcoat will paint on screen. I’m crossing my fingers that he sticks with McCarthy’s not-over-the-top shock that creates the unending suspense in the novel.

Check out the trailer and decide for yourself:

Have you read “The Road?” What did you think? Do you have any expectations or hopes for the movie?