Sports Recap: Everything Must Go!

Baseball

The bidding for ace Johan Santana looks like it's between the Yankee Empire and Red Sox Nation. Both teams seem to be willing to deal with some good young prospects (Yanks, Phil Hughes and the Sox, Jon Lester.) The Twins are looking for a deal that will blow them out of the water so I say we go for broke. We'll trade Minnesota Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, the Empire State Building, half of Central Park, and the Knicks. In return we get Johan Santana and the Mall of America which will be renamed New New Jersey.

Basketball

Boston 104 New York 59...Terrible. F.
I'm usually not one for these but http://www.firethomas.com/

Hockey

Just Kidding! Maybe in March.

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Update on the WGA Strike

The WGA swiftly rejected the "New Economic Partnership" proposed by the AMPTP yesterday, putting the strike back to square one again. Life in Boxes has been following the strike pretty carefully, as we are big TV fans and just want out favorite pastime to be restored. I mean come on, without the Office being on we were forced to watch the plain humiliating Knicks game last night.

You can read more about the new development in the strike here: TV Guide

And here is another nifty, more updated guide on how many episodes of your favorite shows are left: Status of your favorite shows

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The Roof, the Roof - The Roof is on Fire!

*Writer's Note: Ryan didn't start this particular fire.

A fire almost burned down an entire block of Main Street, Fort Lee last night. But due to the combined efforts of over 100 firefighters from around the area (Fort Lee, Cliffside Park, Edgewater, etc.), the entire block of local shops were saved from the flames.

The flames were reported to be "spewing" from the ceiling of a bagel shop, but after the fire quelled down, four buildings were left damaged, one of which included the local VFW hall. Luckily, no one was seriously injured.

Oddly enough, I happened to see the start of the fire while driving through Fort Lee last night, around 7PM. Seeing it to be nothing but smoke, I drove on, only to see the same clouds of smoke much bigger at around 11PM. While on a jaunt to drop off a DVD at the local Fort Lee Blockbuster, investigative reporters Julia and Yuri were on scene to catch the enthralling efforts of the local fire departments. However, even though equipped with a camera and all (an awesome Flip Ultra), the horrible smell and thick clouds of smoke (not to mention the police cars blocking off numerous streets) kept us from finding out any information.

But trust me, Fort Lee will never smell the same again (or at least for the next few days).

If you would like to see the video footage captured, feel free to email us at lifeinboxes@gmail.com.

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Gift Guide 2008: Cool and Random Gifts for Under $50(ish)

Christmas can be a rather hectic time of the year. So many people to shop for, so little time and so very little money.

We at Life in Boxes are here to help ease some of that stress by offering up our advice on the perfect gifts for the pickiest of shoppers.

Today's topic: cool and random gifts for under $50(ish).

As someone who is in a secret santa and a yankee swap, I know how important it is to be able to find unique presents (ie. NOT gift cards) that can please a lot of people. And of course, sine we are all poor post-college kids, money is always tight, so under $50 is generally a good range for gifts.

Here we go....

Cool Clocks
You know how trouble I have waking up. So I think unique clocks make a really cool gift idea. It's usually something somebody wouldn't buy themselves but would love to have


Clocky ($49.99) - This art-project-turned-product is the brainchild of a MIT student. The clock gives you one chance wake up, but if you hit the snooze button, it rolls away and tries to hide from you so that the next time the alarm goes off, you'll actually have to get up to find it


Flying Alarm Clock ($39.95) - An alarm clock that launches a rotor into the air that flies around the room as the alarm sounds, hovering up to 9' in the air, and will not cease ringing until the rotor is returned to the alarm clock base. Probably just as annoying as clocky.







Alcohol Related
Sometimes the best gift is the gift that helps you get drunk. As wrong as that may sound.

Candy Cane Shot Glasses ($1 - $6.50) - Get into the holiday spirit by drinking your vodka in a candy cane shot glass. It's like a bread-bowl soup, except instead of soup, it's Jaager, and instead of bread, it's candy. Fun for the whole family (Disclaimer: Not Really Fun For The Whole Family)

PS. The linked website sells them for $6.50, but at Edgewater's Target right now, they are selling them in the dollar bin.




Skeleton Key Bottle Opener ($9.95) - You know what makes good gifts? Keychains. Now combine keychain with alcohol use and times that by cool looking skeleton key design, and you have one of the perfect gifts. I mean, who carries around skeleton keys anymore, anyway? Cool mysterious people do, that's who.






Car Stuff
If you have a car, there are certain things that you probably could use, but never could justify purchasing. And I'm not talking about ricing up your car, I'm talking about some real pragmatic stuff for it. Practical = good gift.

Collision Kit ($14.95) - Getting into a car accident sucks. What sucks more is if you don 't handle it correctly. The Collision Kit has pre-formatted forms for making sure you get all the info necessary, a pen, a clipboard, and a flash camera so you can take photos of the damage immediately. Also, there's an envelop to keep registration and insurance info.







Accutire Tire Pressure Monitor ($49.00) - I have a cousin who has gotten more flat tires than he can count. Now he's kinda obsessed with making sure his tires are well pressurized (and his crazies has rubbed off on me). This gadget lets you see your tire pressure just by placing the gauge near the tire cap instead of using a low-tech pressure measure..r.



Kitchen / Chef Stuff
Everyone knows someone who really enjoys cooking or baking. I don't really get it, but I have found a couple of things that might interest those folk.


Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker ($20.98 - $54.99) - Probably one of the most low tech ways to make ice cream. Throw some ice and rock salt in one end and ice cream mix in the other and shake it up. After a couple of minutes, you've got some home made ice cream. It's gotten pretty good reviews on Amazon and it looks fun, to boot.






Kitchen Tape Timer ($18.00) - For those trendy kitchens. Pull up on the tape and watch it tick down. An egg timer is something probably every kitchen has, but a stylish egg timer? I think not, sir.







Global Warming Mug ($9.95) - Global warming is in this season. How can you show your support? By buying stuff! (Sarcasm intended). Fill your cup with warm stuff and see how much damage your SUV is doing as you see the polar ice caps melt and eat away at our shores!





Cubicle Goodness
Have a friend whose poor soul is stuck in a cubicle from 9 to 5? Try to make their faux walls home a bit more bearable with desk-sized toys.

Dozi Paperclip Holder ($18.00) - Paperclips are boring. Try to suck every last drop of fun out of them with this cool looking porcupine paperclip holder. What's more, you'll be supporting a Korean designer!







Darth Vader Bobble Head ($12.00) - Everyone thinks they're so cool with their Dwight Schrute bobble heads. Prove to your co-workers that you're even geekier and cooler (as oxymoronic as that may seem) with a Darth Vader Bobble Head. Everyone will see how strong the force is in you.








Eggling ($9.50) - Cubicles can get pretty depressing and lifeless, no matter how many bobble heads agree with your rants. Sometimes you just need something more organic. Egglings are little plants that you can grow anywhere. They come in varieties such as wild strawberries, cactus, and basil, among others.





Photography
I am a really big on photography gifts. They can be personal and there are some very cool, funky film cameras out there that make very cool gifts.

Lomography Cameras (Around $50) - Lomography cameras are probably the coolest cameras in the world. They are toy cameras that are cheap and do some cool things. For example, the Super Samler (pictures), has 4 lenses that go off one right after another, creating an almost Warhol'ish image. Lomography also offer fisheye cameras, colored-flash cameras, and many others. I <3 style="font-weight: bold;">

D.I.Y Photo Block Kit ($25.00) - This kit lets you make a 4 peice photo that is attached to wooden blocks. The result is a unique piece of art that is personalized for the user. It shows some creativity and thought on the gift-giver.








Fun and Games
Sure we're all getting a little older, but really, we're all still just really big kids. Here are some gifts that reflect that.

Settlers of Catan ($22.92) - Best. Game. Ever. What more can I say? This German-made game is like a combination of Monopoly and Risk, except that it's always different, shorter, and a lot more fun. All our friends are crazy about it and if you talk to anyone that knows anything about board games, they'll mention this game. Sheep FTW!



Lightning Reaction Extreme ($22.99) - A game for all the masochists out there. Everyone grabs a handle and watches a light blink in the middle. When the light stops blinking, you have to press your button. Last person to do so gets a painful shock to the hand (or alternatively, the first person doesn't get shocked but everyone else does). Great party / drinking game.

Annoyatron ($9.99) - This little thing has the most apt name in the bunch. Magnetically attach this thing onto a hard to find spot in your enemy's home/workplace and watch them go crazy as it makes short but very annoying beeps every couple of seconds. Just hope the person you give this to doesn't use it on you.



Artsy Gifts
For those people who really want to create a Finer Things Club, an artsy gift can be one-of-a-kind and quite nice.

Etsy.com Prints ($1 - $100's) - Have you ever heard of Etsy.com? People make their own craft items and sell it through the website. So you can buy one-of-a-kind artwork or photography for just about any price range. Who knows, you may stumble upon the next Picasso there. The print pictured can be found here. I also liked this photo.

Oh, and also, they sell a bunch of other things like bags, shirts, jewelry. Basically anything crafty you can think of, they'll have it.



Vintage Match Box Labels ($8.95) - I know quite a few people who enjoy collecting match boxes and who would really appreciate a small gift like this. Reproductions they may be, but the are also pretty darn stylish.









NYC Subway Signs ($29.00) - Everyone has their own favorite subway line. The one they take every day to work, or the one that leads to their favorite museum. So why not get one that shows which yours (or your gifter's) is.




Wearables
Clothing as Christmas gifts are usually reserved for socks and underwear from grandma. But now you can find some really stylish and cool garments you can give as gifts.

Threadless.com Shirts ($10.00) - Threadless is a website where users submit shirt designs. The community votes on them, and every week they print limited amounts of the best designs. They sometimes funny, sometimes artsy, but always cool. Shirts seldom get reprinted, so if you see a good design, you should grab it before it all gets sold out!



A4 Felt Shoulder Bag ($25.00) - Girls love bags. Or at least that's what television tells me. While I was browsing through the MoMA store, I saw this bag and thought it looked cool. And it's cheaper than Louie.







For the Home
Gifts that are generally essential to everyday life, but look cooler then their mundane counter-parts = cool gifts.

Imbroglio Desk Calendar ($45.00) - Everyone needs a calendar in their home and Christmas is right near the end of the year, so it just makes sense to get someone a calendar. Except instead of getting them a "12 Months of Toy Poodles" calendar, get them something that can be a conversation piece as well.




Mid-Century Piggy Bank w/ $$ ($-72.00 - $28.00) - Maybe it's because I save up my extra change, but I think piggy banks make really cool gifts. What's extra special about the Mid-Century Piggy Bank is that they put some money inside of it (apparently you can get anything from a couple cents to $100). So it's like two gifts in one.

Another cool piggy bank (that won a design contest) is the Coink Bank ($36.00), but it doesn't have any money in it :x


Sky Umbrella ($35.00) - Rainy days can be very depressing. But with this umbrella, instead of raining on your head, you can have a bright sky with fluffy clouds floating over you.








Carry Ons
Things that add a slight twist to things that we carry around with us every day. Kinda.

Print Wallets - ($20.00 - $48.00) - Who needs those boring wallets by Guess or Louie? These wallets have a lot more character, and in my opinion, look a lot cooler. The first pictured is the Poketo Artist Wallet (there are 14 designs in total) and the second pictured are wallets designed by DB Clay (9 designs).

Test Print Journals ($8.00) - This is a great gift for people who have Moleskines. Unlike Moleskines, these journals have a lot of personality to them. There are 22 different journal designs that all look kinda crazy and cool as the ones pictured.

Gift Cards
If you really, really, really can't think of something good to get someone, gift cards are your only choice. Even so, there are some things you can try to do to make a bit more special

Personalized Gift Cards ($4.50 extra) - Stores like Circuit City, Home Depot, Borders and a bunch others now offer customizable gift cards. You can enter text or pictures onto the card to show that, even though you got them a gift card, it wasn't something you picked up last minute at CVS.


Bilz Mini Gift Card Money Maze Puzzle ($9.95) - A gift card can be a pretty boring gift. So you mght like the idea of making the gift receiver work for their present. The money maze will not spit out your money or gift card unless you complete the two-level ball puzzle that it's enclosed it. At least it'll showed that you put a little bit more effort than usual.





Well, that's it. Hopefully you found something that works or at the very least, got some ideas for gifts from this list. Happy shopping, folks!

P.S - Big shout out to this ask.metafilter.com post (one of my website favoritos) for a great list of cool websites to look through. Crowdsourcing rocks!

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Finding Pefect Jeans

I love jeans. Like a lot. I own a dozen pairs maybe, though I only wear a select few favorites over and over again most of the time. Well, I'm kinda in this conundrum at the moment, where I've lost a bunch of weight and all of my jeans just don't fit me anymore. This makes me really sad, cause my BEAUTIFUL 7s and Citizens and all those jeans I saved up a lot of money to buy are going to waste.

Anyways, unless you have the body of a supermodel or whomever, chances are, you don't have a perfect body. I'm short so I have to get my jeans hemmed. Your problem might be your junk in the trunk, or your too long legs (insert: rolling eyes), or thick thighs or whatever. A lot of companies have started realizing that real women come in all different shapes and sizes, so they've started making jeans for all different shapes and sizes. Hallelujah. But if you don't want to sit there researching all your different options or trying on a million pairs for the perfect one, there's always Zafu.com. You take a short, detailed quiz, and they take your answers and search for jean styles/brands that are tailored to your body shape. Basically, a search engine for finding perfect jeans. Try it. I know I will, as I embark on my search for new favorites.

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Mo Money, or No Shows

A wise man once said, "Mo money, mo problems."

This seems to have been the phrase for pay in the past month or so, particular in the WGA strike and Broadway stagehands' strike.

After the 19 day strike, Broadway will be opened in time for its busiest holiday season. Stagehands and producers finally reached a tentative agreement, resulting in a compromise for both parties. Back in early November, stagehands refused to work due to contract disputes over wages and the technicality of how many stagehands are required to open a Broadway show.

Though the Broadway theater lights will be on for the holiday season, the strike has impacted the shows in more ways than one. The Disney musical, "The Little Mermaid," which was scheduled to premiere on December 6th, has now been delayed. Several shows that were in preview before the strike are now finally establishing open dates.

It is reported that the loss of business during Thanksgiving week has resulted in a loss of an estimated $2 million a day. The strike itself shut down 26 out of the 35 shows on Broadway.
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I probably see a Broadway show maybe once a year. But I watch tv on a weekly basis.

Don't get me wrong; yay for the Broadway stagehands! But how's about fixing up that little WGA strike now, studio "I Love It When They Call Me Big Poppa" execs?

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When Alarms Just Aren't Enough.. Wakerupper.com

I am not a morning person. I can set up an alarm and completely ignore it. But yesterday, I found a new addition to my waking arsenal.

Wakerupper.com is a website that gives you a free (best aspect of the website, imho) wakeup call in the morning.

I tried it this morning, and it worked exactly as promised. I got a phone call with an automated message. It also gave me an option to press 9 if I hadn't been the one to set up alarm, which I guess is a way to prevent prank callers somehow.

Anyway, it woke me up. Of course, right after hanging up, I went back to sleep, but it's okay. They are currently accepting beta testers that have features like unlimited reminders, snooze options, and advanced scheduling.

Needless to say, I just requested to be a beta tester.

Try it out, I think it's pretty darn nifty.

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Korean Ahjummas SUCK.

Ahjumma is a Korean word for someone who is older and married. Some of them are harmless, nice even, but a lot of them are huge pain in the asses. My mom and technically your mom (if you're Korean, I guess) are ahjummas, but my mom's not rude and abrasive and thinks she's entitled to everything. I'm just saying.

I had a very rude encounter with a Korean ahjumma at a parking lot last night, and it just reaffirmed why I steer clear of them in the first place. I'm backing out of my spot, and I notice that there are two cars waiting patiently for me to do so. I'm so busy making sure that I don't hit those cars that I completely don't even notice there's another car backing up diagonally from me. So of course, I hit it. But considering I was literally backing out at the speed of 1 mph, I knew I didn't do any damage to the other car. If anything the car probably ruined mine, as it was this huge SUV. Anyways, so I get out of the car and instead of inspecting my own, I go straight to hers to assess damages. Of course there were none, but I wait as the lady literally looks at her bumper for 3 minutes. She doesn't look at mine, she doesn't say anything to me, she's just staring at the non-existent dent in her car. Rudeness, check.

And then she opens her mouth, and spits out, 'Why would you back out at the same time as me??' Wow. Abrasiveness, check. Ok, so she's right, to a point. I mean yes I did back out at the same time as her. But I didn't do it on purpose. She wasn't in my line of sight. And if she saw that I was backing out and obviously NOT stopping, why didn't she wait? Sense of false entitlement, check.

Then she wordlessly got back in her car without further acknowledging me at all, leaving me standing there. WTF??? So I got back in my car and cursed her all the way home. In my defense, I just want to say that I am a good driver. And contrary to popular belief, I don't usually do stupid things like this. Not since my first car, anyway. But Korean ahjummas?? Driving in Palisades Park and on Broad Avenue?? They're like little bubbles of accidents waiting to burst and unleash disasters on good drivers. GRRRRRRR.

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Review: Cuban Eddie's

Restaurant Name: Cuban Eddie’s
Cuisine: Cuban
Location: Dumont
Price Range: 4.50 – 8.99
Info:
130 West Shore Ave.
Dumont NJ
07628
(201)338-2382
Website
Map

I realize that you may be sick of food and near ready to develop an eating disorder, but it’s not like you’re going to stop eating, right? So I offer you a review of a pretty decent, and definitely inexpensive Cuban restaurant.

Before I start with that, I have to explain why I went to a Cuban restaurant to begin with. During the summer, I went to Miami Beach and I ate, like, the best Cuban food ever. And what’s crazier is that the food was cheap. I’m talking chicken, rice, beans, and sweet plantains for $8 cheap. And ever since I came back to Jersey, I’ve been craving some Miami Beach eats. So I’m on a journey to find a place that will lead my tongue back to riding mopeds, warm beaches, and delicious food.

My first stop was Cuban Eddie’s in Dumont. This place isn’t so much a restaurant as it is a takeout counter. Sure, they offer seating, but generally, there is no atmosphere to speak of. You’ll be going there to grab some food and enjoy it at home...

However, what Cuban Eddie’s lack of décor is made up in ridiculously cheap food. They offer daily lunch specials for $4.50 that include a protein (Cuban ground beef / roasted chicken / beef stew with potatoes / or roast pork), rice and beans, and a can a soda. The serving size is not small either; it’s enough to make you full / satisfied.

They also offer daily dinner specials which are similar, but come in larger portions (rice and beans in one dish, meats in the other), and for $3-$4 more.

Of course, at prices like these, you shouldn’t expect 5 star cooking. Not to say that the food was bad. In fact, it was much better than what I expected for $4.50 - $8.50. All I’m saying is that it’s no Miami Beach. The food is satisfactory overall and good when you consider how much you’re paying for it.

I’ve gone there twice and have tried the roasted chicken, Cuban ground beef, and chicken stew. I thought the roasted chicken and Cuban ground beef fell a bit on the dry side, but the chicken stew was very delicious.

I also ordered a side of sweet plantains, and I would recommend that no one else ever do so. They were dry and rubbery. I would even say that they taste better when they come from those bourbon chicken places at the mall.

Their rice and beans were good and really helps bring the meal together.

Overall, Cuban Eddie’s is a great place to get some cheap, filling, and pretty good tasting Cuban food. And you can’t really complain about that.

Atmosphere: NA (It's more of a takeout place than a restaurant)
Food: B
Service: B
Overall Rating: B+

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And A Little Bit Fatter Now

Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone and many of you are now dreading the inevitable weight gain. During Thanksgiving dinner alone, the average American consumes 4,500 calories and 230 grams of fat. Before you start running to the nearest toilet with your index finger half way down your throat, listen up, there is good news. Although it is commonly believed that the average weight gain during the holiday season is about seven pounds, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the average adult gains one pound between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Turkeys and Cornish Hen watch out!

However, this minimal gain is rarely lost and accounts for the average weight gain in an adult during the year. Also, people who are overweight tend to gain more weight than the average and tend to keep the weight as well. What does this mean to you? You can rejoice in the fact that you’ll only gain about a pound this year, but 20 years from now you best be shopping for a muumuu and a girdle.

Sure there is plenty of reasonable advice towards avoiding/losing that pound during the years such as smart dieting and exercise but why not consider the insane?

Option 1: Hunger Strike

Do you have a cause worth fighting for? If you don’t, pick someone else’s or make one up. Then go on a hunger strike. A hunger strike can help you lose up to 4 pounds a day, mostly water weight, during the first few days of the hunger strike and about a pound a day from there on. Beat that Bally Total Fitness. Side effects include bad breath and death.

Option 2: Donate an Organ

Each kidney is about .25 percent of your body weight. It’s not a lot but selling it on the black market will give you the $10,000 needed for your liposuction with a little extra left over for holiday shopping. Dangers include being operated by some dude known as Funk in his kitchen.

Option 3: Take Up Smoking

I know some people consider smoking to be repulsive but consider the health benefits. Smoking reduces appetite which leads your body to burn its excess fat quicker without the need to exercise. Two packs a day keeps the fat away. Beware. Smoking can cause your organs to decline in value for donations.

If you already smoke, smoke some more.


I know these options aren't for everyone and some you would rather lose a limb then diet or exercise. If this is your case, then I'll leave you with these inspiring words from Peyton Manning.

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FDU to Offer Korean-English Degree

Due to the growing presence of Koreans in North Jersey, Farleigh Dickinson University plans to offer MiraeRo! (To the Future), a three-year liberal arts associate degree. The degree will be offered off-campus, and FDU officials hope to find a site for classes in either Fort Lee, Palisades Park, Leonia, or Ridgefield, towns infamous for its ever-growing Korean presence. Like FDU's Puerta al Futuro (Door the the Future), a four-year program for Spanish-speaking students, the anticipated program will be taught bilingually. MiraeRo! will differ from Puerta al Futuro in that English will be introduced at the start off the program, progressively moving onto the third year, which will be taught completely in English.

Open house information sessions will be held on December 8th and 15th from 10AM - 5PM at Dickinson Hall, located on the Hackensack side of the Metropolitan Campus.

Click here for more information.

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Post Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

So you came, you ate, and you conquered. Now what? You're 10 lbs heavier and there's another 10 lbs of turkey sitting in your fridge taking up space. There's only so much re-heating and re-eating you can do, right?

Here are some recipes to help that turkey disappear, without making you feel like you're eating the same thing over and over again. I've picked the ones that look easy enough, but a simple google search will get you tons more, not to mention going on FoodNetwork.com or About.com. I'm pretty cooking-challenged myself, but I think even I can be successful with these recipes. If all else fails, here's to weeks of turkey sandwiches and turkey on salad! =P

Ideal Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches
Baked Turkey Sandwich
Turkey Pot Pie
Turkey Enchiladas
Turkey and Rice Soup
Turkey Chili

P.S - I've decided to not eat for the next 2 weeks to offset the overeating I did from my TWO Thanksgiving dinners. Ok, so that's a lie, but I'm still full from the weekend. Ughhhhh.

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What are you doing this weekend?

Forecast
Fri: 40° Mostly Sunny
Sat: 42° Mostly Sunny
Sun: 48° Mostly Cloudy

See
Opening this weekend:
Enchanted (starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon)
August Rush (starring: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Keri Russell, Freddie Highmore, Robin Williams)
The Mist (starring: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden)



Shop (Black Friday Edition)
Deals, Deals, Deals!
Bath & Body Works ($10 off $30 purchase)
Lord & Taylor (15% off all purchases all season long)
H&M (25% off 12/7-12/9)
Sharper Image ($10 off purchase of $50 or more)
Banana Republic (15% off purchase of $100 or more)
WOW Coupons (Printable coupons for dozens of retail stores)

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Mythbusters: Does Turning Red While Drinking Mean Your Liver is Healthy?

Ah, the classic Asian conundrum: You drink and all of a sudden you're as red as a tomato. You talk to one friend, David Kim, and he says to you, "Ah, you're red! That means you have a healthy liver since it is working to process all that soju you just drank!"

But then another friend, John Park, approaches you and says, "That David Kim you just talked to is crazy! Chili-face, you're red because your liver can't handle all that alcohol and this is a nasty side effect!"

So which one of our generic Korean friends is right?

As it turns out John Park is correct.
The so-called "Asian Blush" is medically known as Alcohol Flush Reaction.

"[It] is a condition where the body cannot break down ingested alcohol completely, due to a missense polymorphism that encodes the enzyme, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, normally responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde, a product of the metabolism of alcohol."

Basically, you (kool-aid-man-face) have an inactive enzyme that isn't doing it's job of breaking a certain toxin down. That toxim builds up and makes you red.

Other side effects of Alcohol Flush Reaction can include dizziness, nausea, headaches, and an increased pulse.

But don't fret too much about it, tomato-face. About 50% of all Asians have this condition. And on the up side, since it's kind of embarrassing to turn red every time you have a sip of beer, you're probably not going to fall into alcoholism! So your lazy enzyme is trying to tell you to not be such an alcoholic.

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Simply Amazing

Ben Underwood is a 14 year old boy who plays video games, skateboards, and does every day teenage things. But what makes him so extraordinary is that he is blind, with eyes surgically removed when he was a young boy. He uses echo-location to live life like a normal teenager.

Wow.

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Research, Son!

I love me some hip-hop!
This is some very scientific stuff:

Rap represented in mathematical charts and graphs.

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New Jersey, We're Number 2!

Hate crimes in N.J. up nearly 3%

Tuesday, November 20, 2007 By WILLIAM LAMB and MICHAEL J. FEENEY STAFF WRITERS

Bias crime in New Jersey rose by nearly 3 percent last year, according to the FBI, keeping the Garden State second only to California for the number of hate crimes reported to authorities.

North Jersey Media Group Story

Three Percent! Are we going to let those hippies from California beat us? In Bergen County bias incidents rose from 39 in 2005 to 64 in 2006. In our defense, it's pretty hard to keep your cool when ordering Chinese food.

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Feature: Black Friday is the Devil

As Black Friday approaches, many of you are deciding whether or not you will be hitting up Garden State Plaza, Palisades Mall, or (God forbid) Woodbury Commons to shop.

For those of you who don’t know, Black Friday is the start of the holiday shopping season. Stores have big sales and generally go from losing profit (being in the red) to making profit (being in the black).

Oh, and also, it is the most horrendous, overrated, inflated day since the existence of mankind.

I have gone for the last three years, and through my experiences, I have come to the conclusion that aside from certain rare exceptions, it is a day invented by the Devil. Here’s why:


The Atmosphere Sucks

On Black Friday, a lot of people are jerks. But you can’t even blame them. Now that so many stores have set up midnight madness sales, people have to leave their house right after eating Thanksgiving dinner to make it to the malls to get the good deals. Add that to the fact that this Friday’s temperature is going to be a low of 32°F, there will be thousands of people at the malls, and you’ve got yourself the perfect recipe for angry consumers.

Even beyond your run-of-the-mill jerks, there are those super-jerks who will cut on line, push and shove you out of the way, and just piss you off in general.

The cold weather, the early morning, and the mean people make the day seem more like some cruel and unusual boot camp instead of the start of the Christmas season.

Those Cheap Laptops Are Basically Scams

For those of you who think they’re going to get a laptop or desktop for $400: have you ever heard the idiom, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t?”

Well, those super cheap computers are almost mythical because even though everyone has heard of them and is trying to get them, there are only a handful of them in the stores. The only way you can get your hands on one is by getting on line for it around hours in advance.

Otherwise, you’re going to be stuck at the same stores trying to get the lesser (and more available) products the stores are trying to shill out.

The Cost-Benefit Ratio Is Not In Your Favor

Which leads us to our final question: is it really worth it?

Before you go out for Black Friday, you really need to figure out if what you’re planning on buying is worth the effort you’re about to put in. If you’re trying to save $5-$10 dollars on a single item, do you really think that the saved $10 is worth getting up ridiculously early and waiting on line for two hours for?

I think you need to save at least a $100 to make the whole Black Friday experience at least close to worth it. Otherwise the day is better spent sleeping off your Thanksgiving dinner.

You Should Thank Me I Convinced You Not To Go

As you can clearly see, Black Friday was a day invented by the Devil. Generally, the sales are not as good as everyone hypes them up to be and the items that seem to be really cheap are used to lure you into the store. Combine that with freezing cold weather, cranky consumers, and ridiculously long lines … the cost-benefit ratio does not fall in your favor unless you plan on saving some big bucks that day. So do yourself a favor and sleep-in that day. When your friends get back from Woodbury complaining about how some mom punched them in the face for the last $5 scarf at Banana Republic, you can just lean back on your couch, sip hot cocoa, and smile.

PS. Are You Kidding Me? You’re Still Going Shopping That Day? Did You Not Just Hear Me?

(Your Kid Will Get Trampled On Black Friday)

So you’ve read all my arguments against partaking this horrible day, yet you’re still planning on going? You’re positively crazy. But I suppose if you must go, there are three indispensable websites you need to use in order to prepare:

- www.bfads.net – This has a comprehensive list of everything that’s going to be on sale that day. Use it to plan and comparison shop before you actually get to the store. That way, you’ll know what you want and are less likely to fall for the store’s evil scams

- m.bfads.net – Forgot which store was selling that really cheap flash drive? BFads.net offers a mobile version of their website that is compatible with your cell phone. That way, even if you’re already at the mall, you can figure out where the good deals are.

- 10 Black Friday Secrets Retailers Don’t Want You To Know – This article gives you tips on how to make sure “the man” doesn’t win and steal all your money that day. Their best advice? “Plan ahead to think clearly. Bring food, wear comfortable shoes, and leave the kids at home (kids can influence impulse buying or convince you to leave early). Stay focused, and don’t let yourself be caught up in the frenzy.”

Anyway, good luck shopping (sucker)

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Too Soon To Be Back On Stage?

After canceling all scheduled public appearances since the death of his mother, Kanye West made a surprise move to perform on stage in Paris November 17th, a week after his mother's untimely death. Attempting to make the tribute song "Hey Mama" for his beloved mother, he broke down before getting a chance to start rapping. Consoled by back-up dancers and his DJ, West was led off stage, only to be cheered back onto stage by his fans. West finished off his concert by performing "Stronger."

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What's happening to your favorite TV shows?

When is your favorite TV show gone?? Here is a handy dandy guide of how many new episodes of your favorite shows are left. Read it and weep.

The good news is that the WGA and the AMPTP are set to resume talks on Monday, November 26, which is a lot sooner than the rumored January '08 date. Hopefully both sides can come to some sort of an agreement, for the sake of the thousands of people out of work right now, as well as for TV fans.

The bad news is that more likely than not, most of our favorite TV shows will be affected come 1st quarter 08. Already we have no more new episodes of the Office (damn you NBC for making the producers work so hard to crank out 4 1-hour episodes at the beginning of the season!!), and the rest of the shows are dwindling down. Fast. No matter how early they reach an agreement, there will probably be a period of reruns as everyone gets back into the groove of things of producing new episodes. Let's keep our fingers crossed though!

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What Are You Doing This Weekend?

Forecast
Fri: 44 °F, windy and colder with periods of sun and clouds
Sat: 48 °F, partly cloudy and chilly
Sun: 44 °F, partly cloudy and chilly

See
Opening this weekend:
Beowulf (voiced by Ray Winstone, Crispin Glover, Angelina Jolie)

Margot at the Wedding (starring Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black)





Events
For Antiques fans: The Pier Antiques Show is this weekend and takes place at the Passenger Ship (52nd to 55th and 12th Ave), Terminal Pier 94 . There will be over 500 exhibits and is NYC's "largest & most comprehensive art & antiques event." Admission is $15 per person.
Holiday Market: Fêtes de Noël (Holiday Markets at Bryant Park) begins this weekend (up until December 30, 2007) and takes place in the area surrounding the newly added Pond Skating Rink.

It Pays to Shop: 7th on the Sale is back in NYC from November 15-December 6th! For the second time, everyday people can bid online for celebrity-worn gowns, magazine-worthy home goods, jewelry, and more. Look for new items daily, and as last year, 100% of the money raised goes to those living with HIV and AIDS. You can shop online or in person (located at 69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Ave., at 26th St).

Free Bag? Oh My!: Muji, the Japanese retailer of furniture, home accessories, and more, will be opening its first US store in Soho on Friday. They'll be giving out free reusable shopping bags to the first 500 people who visit, and for the rest of the weekends, visitors will still get the bag free (after that, it'll cost $1). In order to stay "green," the store plans to reward shoppers who bring their bags for future shopping trips.

What NOT To Do:
DON'T go to Serendipity for good eats anytime soon; it has been closed indefinitely by the Department of Health for pest infestations .. yuck! I guess you all need to go find some other expensive cafe to waste your money on a chocolate milkshake (surprise! that's what the frrrozen hot chocolate really is!).

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Wifi-licious!

Great news for those of you who spend a lot of time in the city, especially if it's midtown:
CBS has announced that they will be offering free wifi and voice over internet (VOI) calls through their "CBS Mobile Zone."

That means that if you're somewhere inbetween Times Square and Central Park South, and 6th to 8th ave, you'll be able to get online for free!

The only catch is that your homepage will automatically lead to their frontpage, which isn't really a catch at all....

I'm not really sure if it's up now, but seeing as I'll be going to the city tomorrow, I'll try to check it out.

This seems like a pretty good reason to get an iPod Touch, if you ask me :x

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Oh Really??

Lohan jailed for 84 minutes

Hey kids, the moral of the story is: Go out, get drunk, get arrested for crashing your Mercedes into a tree, go out, get drunk/high, get arrested for car chasing your former personal assistant's mom AND being in possession of cocaine. You might as well, what's spending 84 minutes in jail for all of those good times?? Oh, I should probably mention that you might want to be a marginally famous and/or talented 'celebrity' in California, where the judicial system is more interested in not overcrowding their jails than punishing people for their wrongdoings. It's complete crap, but hey, that's just the way it works.

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Indie-ana Jonesing

Do you know what's totally hip nowadays? Watching Indie movies. And after watching Darjeeling Limited (which I recommend), I thought it would be fitting to list a few upcoming indie films that will make you an instant hipster....

Tomorrow is the release of Margot and the Wedding, which, according to IMDB is about "Margot and her son Claude [who] decide to visit her sister Pauline after she announces that she is getting married to less-than-impressive Malcolm. In short order, the storm the sisters create leaves behind a a mess of thrashed relationships and exposed family secrets."

Noah Baumbach's The Squid and the Whale was definitely funky, but this seems to be a bit lighter then that previous movie.

Trailer:



January 25th is going to be a good day for indie movies because two (seemily) great movies will be coming out.

The first is Juno, which IMDB describes as a movie where, "faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual and bizarre decision regarding her unborn child."

I know, I know, it sounds a bit grim. But watching the trailer will change your mind about the whole thing. After all, if Michael Cera is in a movie, you know it's at least going to be half decent.

Trailer:

Finally, my most anticipated movie of the bunch is Be Kind, Rewind, which is about "a man (Black) whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal renter, an aging woman with signs of dementia, the two men set out to remake the lost films, which include Back to the Future, The Lion King, and Robocop," according to IMDB.

The director also did Eternal Sunshine, Mos Def is cool, and it seems like Jack Black is really making a splash with these low-budget cool films. Watch the trailer for comical goodness.


Trailer:



I think these movies serve as a good change to the lackluster blockbuster performances we've seen in the last couple of weeks.

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ho ho ho.

Probably my FAVORITE Urban Dictionary definition, nay my favorite any word/dictionary definition, ever:

ho ho ho:

Santa's cry, or three prostitutes.

It made me laugh out loud for like 10 minutes straight one day. Yes, i was bored at work that day, but it's funny! And now, it looks like Australia has taken notice:Santas warned 'ho ho ho' offensive to women

ha ha ha.

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The Sports Report: A-Insert Your Favorite Moniker Here!

Baseball: He's Back!

For the past couple of weeks I've remained steadfast on my belief that a certain Alex Rodriguez would be a New York Yankee even when the rest of the world was certain he would go somewhere else. My belief was not based on wanting my favorite player to play for my favorite team but on some good old fashion common sense. The Yanks need right handed power and a third baseman; Alex Rodriguez is a right-handed power hitter that plays third base. Alex wants the most money; the Yanks are the team that could offer him the most money. It now appears that A-Rod and the Yankees are close to signing a 10 year contract worth around 270 million dollars.

To my fellow Yankee fans, I believe Alex does want to be a Yankee and we are a much better team with him in the lineup. To everyone who thought I was crazy, just like I told people who voted for G Dub, act like you got some sense people!

Football (uhh...Sort Of): OJ Encore

OJ Simpson will stand trial on charges of kidnapping and robbery and could face life in prison. When asked about how he felt about facing another trial OJ remarked, "Who do I have to kill to get a hung jury?"

Basketball: If Your Favorite Team Sucks, Make Up A Fantasy One!

The Knicks are a mess. Can we give them life in prison? Also, AK-47 in the 6th round of fantasy draft is making me look good at 11.3 PPG 7.3 Reb 7.1Ast 1.8 Stl 2.4Blk. Fantasy pick up of the week- Randy Foye if he's available, he's worth the risk. Per 48 minutes, Foye's numbers were comparable to last year's rookie of the year, Brandon Roy.

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