With the end of the semester coming up, many of the boys are going to be graduating soon. While I still have a few semesters ahead of me, because I took some time off, I can't help wondering how our lives are going to change within this next year. First, I'd like to say that I'm really proud of all the boys. Kind of like the way little sisters are proud of their big brothers. I'd never tell them in person, but I think it *laughs*. At the same time though, there's a part of me that's worried that once they move on from college, and go off to start their careers, we won't see each other as much. I look forward to spending the weekend, hanging out with the boys, so I guess there's this little selfish part of me that doesn't want that to change. Me, of all people, should know that change is inevitable. I know I shouldn't worry too much about it, because change is coming no matter what. Plus, we've all been friends for so long that I don't think that we will lose touch or anything. I've just really loved living here these past almost ten months. In some ways it's the happiest I've ever been. So... Even if things do change, if we don't talk as much, or if we go months without seeing each other... I'm really grateful for how things are right now. Cause the boys are true friends, and true friends are golden.

Peace & Cigarettes,
B

P.S. I would like to send a little special thank you out to D, C, Tk, and Char for contributing so much this month! We've had more views and posts in the month of April than all of the other months combined. Thank you for all of your support and ideas. I probably would have let this little pet project fall by the wayside if it weren't for all of you.

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TK here, still stuck in the seventies, bringing you the second and final part of my Top Ten Godzilla Movies. I know it took some time for me to get the second half complete but I’ve been very busy lately with my life consuming job. I even have to work on my birthday in a few weeks so fuck my life! But whatever, I’ve worked at the same place for nearly five years so I should really know what to expect by now. Intro’s aside (see Part 1), let’s jump right in and get this thing started!

5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

The mid-1960’s are often considered to be the Golden Age of Toho Monster flicks as they were usually producing two or three each year. They were really cranking them out with no signs of slowing down. In 1964, Toho decided to up the ante once more by making a movie that featured not only Godzilla and a single opponent but several other giant monsters as well. On top of the abundance of giant monsters, we also get the first subplot in the entire series based around aliens (though not a full scale invasion this time) and a human story with characters that seem to lift a lot from the James Bond series which was growing in popularity at this time. Perhaps the biggest attraction for this one is the introduction of Godzilla’s arch nemesis and reoccurring villain throughout the series, King Ghidorah, the first of many monsters in the series to come from outer space.

A police detective is assigned to protect a princess who’s visiting Japan only to discover that her plane was destroyed in mid-flight. At almost the same time, a meteorite crashes into the mountains and a science team is quick to investigate, where they notice the rock glowing and exhibiting strange magnetic properties. Things get stranger when the detective finds out that the princess he was supposed to meet at the airport is alive and in Japan. However, she now claims that she’s from Mars and is more preoccupied with trying to inform the masses of the impending doom that the future brings. Sure enough, Godzilla and Rodan both appear and start battling it out across Japan. Meanwhile, a group of assassins are on the trail of the princess as the detective and his dummy of a sister try to keep her safe when a three-headed golden dragon finally breaks out from the meteor in the mountains and heads for Tokyo. With Godzilla and Rodan too busy trying to destroy each other, the people of Japan call upon Mothra and those obnoxious twin fairies and the three monsters decide to put aside their differences and work together to battle the intruder from space.

There’s a lot going on in this one! The plot moves at a break neck pace as every scene leads to something bigger and crazier. I mean, dead Martians are communicating telepathically with some princess, cheesy-gangster assassins, and four monsters all for the price of one! Godzilla and Rodan have a lengthy one on one until Mothra shows up to convince the two to team up together against King Ghidorah. By the way, Ghidorah might be the coolest looking monster creation Toho has ever come up with. He’s basically a flying golden dragon with three heads that spits lightning bolts and his initial attack on Tokyo is truly devastating. Got to love the miniature effects work in this one! This movie also promotes a really good message in the fact that Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra have to put aside their personal disputes to battle a common enemy. My only complaint is that the English dubbing is probably the worst here than any other Godzilla film but those kinds of things are forgivable. Also, this is the first film where Godzilla portrays the hero as opposed to the villain. In closing this one never stops being fun from beginning to end. No clinching, no hitting below the belt, and go! Ghidorah! What did I say about hitting below the belt (you’ll see)!

4. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

After the commercial success of King Kong vs. Godzilla, Toho realized that they had a huge money make on their hands in the form of a big radioactive lizard! The winning formula had been established! Just take Godzilla and another popular monster and watch the money roll right in! So for their next outing they decided to pit Godzilla against another one of their most popular creations, Mothra! While I’m not the biggest fan of Mothra, or those two tiny twin fairies that sing to it, this film scores massive points for giving us the most menacing take on Godzilla since his debut. The Big G is seriously pissed off in this one and will go to great lengths to annihilate greedy and exploitive business men! Divine vengeance, bitches! Tag to that a pro-environment message and you get a film that’s more relevant today than it was in its original run. But for the love of God, can those twin fairies shut the fuck up for just two minutes!

After a devastating typhoon, a gigantic egg is discovered off the shore of Japan and it isn’t long before the scientific community descends on the location. However, the greedy business men of the world have beaten them to the punch and have already bought the rights to egg and are planning on turning it into a public exhibition with a small fee of course. It isn’t long before these tiny twin fairies appear and try to explain that the egg belongs to their giant pet moth, Mothra. However, the business men refuse to give up the egg. Almost on cue, Godzilla rises from the wreckage of the typhoon and starts making his way across Japan on a bee line towards the giant egg. Unwilling to help at first, the twin fairies send the aging Mothra to try and stop Godzilla but the attempt fails and Mothra is killed in the battle. Out of options, the scientists and the fairies realize that their last hope for Japan lies within the contents of the giant egg.

I’ve heard many fans name this one as their personal favorite of the entire series and while I can easily watch this one any day of the week I’d be lying if I said this one was my all time favorite. But that doesn’t stop this one from having all the elements of a true Godzilla movie. Like I said, Godzilla’s back and badder then ever! Although he does come off a little clumsy at times, like tripping and slamming directly into one of those big Japanese castles that always seem to get destroyed! But when the army gets in his path, that’s when the Big G takes no prisoners. When will the military realize that tanks just aren’t going to cut it anymore? The human characters are probably the most believable and realistic of the entire series with no spies or aliens to be found here! This is just a great movie from beginning to end that features one of Godzilla’s most unusual entrances (rising from the ground instead of the sea). If you’re unfamiliar with the series, I recommend you check this one out first.

3. Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1965)

By 1965, Godzilla’s worldwide fame was reaching its peak. American audiences couldn’t get enough and this encouraged several American producers to form production deals with Toho in order to make films that would be better suited for international audiences by providing more money and a token American actor in the cast. As a result, Toho produced some of its best work during this time including such oddball classics like Frankenstein Conquers the World and War of the Gargantuas. But none could be odder, weirder, or more spectacular than Godzilla vs. Monster Zero which acts as a direct sequel to Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. So for those of you keeping score at home, that would make Monster Zero the one and only King Ghidorah. This film also marks the first appearance of the “new wave” dressed alien race that has come to take over our world using giant monsters. Last but not least, we have American actor Nick Adams who hams it up as the tough guy American and appears to be having a load of fun here. Tag on a great supporting cast, some interesting subplots, and a few brilliantly staged monster battles and you have a film that rivals the greatness of Mothra vs. Godzilla.

A two man spacecraft lands on a mysterious new planet which has entered our solar system, code named Planet X. The two astronauts end up discovering that the planet is inhabited by an intelligent alien species with a strange sense of style that has been forced to live underground because of a monster that allegedly wiped out all life on the planet’s surface. The monster is revealed to be King Ghidorah (Monster Zero to the aliens) and they try to strike a deal with the astronauts. If we allow them to use Godzilla and Rodan to stop Ghidorah then they will give us the formula to a miracle drug that will cure all illnesses on the planet. After handing over Godzilla and Rodan and witnessing the first monster battle on another planet, the alien’s miracle drug is revealed to be a farce and it appears they are preparing to take over the Earth using Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah (who was under their control the whole time) for its most valuable resource, water. With no real defense against this threat, the scientists of Japan set forth a master plan based on several weaknesses they’ve observed in their enemies from the stars.

Starting with a trip to an unknown planet and ending with an epic showdown between three monsters, this one was always one of my favorites since I was a little kid. Of course, this is the first film in the series to feature a fully fledged alien invasion which would become a common characteristic of these films. The getups that these guys wear are unbelievable in their silliness but the fact that they lack all emotion and look the same adds some slight menace to them. Too bad their flying saucers look like toys and that feeling of menace is gone once you see them. Seriously, give these guys a Star Destroyer or something! We get Godzilla and Rodan (no Mothra this time) once again teaming up against the dreaded King Ghidorah and we get to see the first and only monster battle of the series to take place on another planet. Godzilla’s gradual turn to Earth’s savior continues here (what’s up with that dance?) even though I guess you could say he became a villain again when he was briefly under the alien’s control. Themes of love are prevalent in this one as our American astronaut falls in love with one of the alien women which only allows for some of the cheesiest lines ever delivered! Strap yourself in because we’re going to Planet X!

2. Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1954-56)

In 1954, a Japanese movie producer came up with an idea for a science-fiction movie that combined the same spectacle as King Kong with the real life horrors of the atomic bomb. Finding themselves pressed for time and money, they came up with the rather ingenious idea of building a miniature replica of Tokyo and sticking an actor inside of a rubber monster suit in order to simulate the monsters destructive nature. However, the suit weighed nearly two hundred pounds and the actor could only go for a few seconds before almost passing out. Initially released in Japan in 1954 as Gojira, the film struck a chord with audiences and became a huge financial success. Two years later, an American producer picked up the rights to the film and decided to slightly alter the film in order to make it more palatable to American audiences. He did this by keeping the majority of the original film intact but added a few new scenes featuring American actor Raymond Burr playing a reporter who is waylaid in Tokyo during Godzilla’s attack. The American adaptation (dubbed Godzilla, King of the Monsters) downplayed the anti-nuclear themes of the film but was arguably one of the first films in America to depict the people of Japan in a sympathetic light after the Second World War. Overall, both versions are great but I will be reviewing the American version since this is the one I grew up with.

In the waters of the South Pacific, ships have been disappearing from the face of the Earth with the only survivors found bearing strange burns on their skin. American reporter, Steve Martin, stops in Tokyo to visit his college friend Dr. Serizawa when he gets swept up in the investigation of the disasters at sea. On a small island that was greatly affected by the testing of atomic weapons, Godzilla makes his first appearance and it isn’t long before the creature is spotted in the waters of Tokyo Bay. The creature soon makes landfall and the entire city is evacuated as man and its machines are trampled under the feet of the scaly fire-breathing juggernaut from sea. Only one scientist may have the power to destroy Godzilla but does he really want the public to know about this devastating new weapon he has created? The fate of mankind’s survival rests on the decision of a brilliant yet tormented scientist.

The great thing about the first film in every franchise is that they manage to stand on their own. After this one, we honestly didn’t need any sequels. I’m glad they made them anyway but this one is damn near perfect. As I mentioned somewhere back in part one, Godzilla looks especially scary in black and white. In fact this style helps eliminate and mask a lot of the phoniness of the miniature effects as Godzilla is blended seamlessly into the background as panicked citizen’s scurry through the foreground. Despite cutting a lot out from the original version, most of the characters and their storylines remain intact giving us the most sympathetic cast in the entire franchise. American actor Raymond Burr’s scenes are also cut into the film very well, keeping the illusion that he’s actually on set with the Japanese actors even though he isn’t. All in all, this is one of the all time classics of the giant monster genre that became popular in America during the 1950’s. Godzilla’s extended attack on Tokyo is the real highlight here as you will literally see an entire city become engulfed by a sea of fire. CGI has nothing on this one my friends!

1. 1. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

We’ve finally made it! The number one spot on my top ten for the Godzilla Series is occupied by none other than Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla! This one is my all time favorite, hands down! Being produced at the time when the franchise was probably at its lowest in terms of the kiddy appeal and shrinking budgets this one delivers the swift kick in the ass that the series so desperately needed. The aliens are back, the espionage shit is back, multiple monsters are present, and we are introduced to one of Godzilla’s deadliest opponents to date! That’s right this is the film debut of Godzilla’s mechanical twin, Mechagodzilla. The plot of this one is wild and the pace moves along rather quickly as all hell begins to break loose on Earth after several prophecies of an ancient culture begin to come true.

When the shrine of an ancient lion god is uncovered, several ancient prophecies predicting the end of times at the hands of a giant monster begin to come to true when Godzilla suddenly reappears in Japan. However, there’s something different about this Godzilla as he attacks its former ally, Anguirus. Godzilla continues to wreak havoc in Japan as a team of scientists and archeologists try to figure out the purpose of the statue. Unfortunately, these Planet of the Apes looking aliens are also interested in acquiring the statue and things begin to turn deadly. Soon enough, another Godzilla appears and fights the new one in a spectacular night sequence in an industrial area where the new Godzilla is revealed to be a giant robot. The scientists are also being shadowed by several secret agents and it isn’t long before they figure out that the statue will reawaken the monster god King Caesar, something the aliens were trying to prevent. So King Caesar returns to life and stands up against Mecahgodzilla only to find himself completely outmatched. That is until a certain big green lizard shows up looking for some payback!

I love this one! It’s absolutely all over the place with plot twists and turns occurring at every possible second. The characters are solid, the villains are slightly menacing, and the Interpol agents add a lot to the whole mash up as well. Who would’ve known they were still capable of writing this kind of stuff after the countless kiddy movies that came before. This one is a real return to form for the series. They obviously had a little more money to work with on this one and the miniature effects are the most impressive yet. There’s also a fuck ton of explosions in this one! I mean, Mechagodzilla alone is basically a walking pyrotechnic display! We are treated to some of the most impressive visuals of the entire series not to mention the abundance of monsters. We have Godzilla, Anguirus, Mechagodzilla, and King Caesar. King Caesar is nothing to write home about as he possesses no real power. His appearance is more of bonus if anything. No doubt, this is one hell of a fun movie and I will be watching this one for a long time to come!

So there you have it! I consider these to be the best of the best in terms of the Godzilla franchise. I had to get this half of the list done quickly because I’ve been too damn busy lately but we finally did it! Stay tuned for my next addition to blog TK’s Seriously Awesome Movies, where each week I will review a seriously awesome movie.

I have to go to work now, see you all later!

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I guess regular water isn't good enough for everyone anymore. Seriously, there are people dying of thirst out there and we're trying to make it more fun to drink!



Did he just put that thing in his shirt pocket? You know people are going to try and smuggle other things in there. I don't know, this just seems like another attempt to improve on something that's already fine the way it is. I mean, it's water man! Have a Sun Drop if you want something different.

So thanks, but no thanks. I like my water cold, clear, and tasteless but what about you?

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South Park
 
Tomorrow is not only a special day for me but a special day for the entire group. One of our favorite shows is back for its 15th season and I can’t seem to get my mind off of it. South Park has been my favorite show since my uncle let me watch the Scuzzlebut episode when I was in third grade, coincidently Stan Kyle Kenny and Cartman were also in the third grade at that time as well. The show has evolved so much since its first season, they went from original ideas with foul mouth children to a show that is constantly making fun of celebrities and current events with complete cast of characters that make up the entire town. I happen to love every episode of South Park but with that said here are some I think you should watch any learn to appreciate the show again.

Top 5 episodes:
(Theres no way I can put them in order but here are 5 I can watch over and over and over and over and I think you get the idea)

1) Red Sleigh Down – This is not only a great episode for the fact that it is a Christmas episode, features Jesus Christ killing people, and has a cast of notable characters which include Mr. Hankey, the underpants gnomes, and Kyles’ cousin from new york but it is the episode in which Kenny makes his triumphant return to South Park after a year of being permanently dead.

Kenny’s death – Doesn’t die

2) Chickenlover –  We discover that officer Barbrady has a terrible secret……….. he is illiterate. Barbrady is forced to leave the force in order to learn to read and in his absence Cartman is put in charge of the police force and you better respect his authority.

Kenny’s death – Crushed during parade

3) Chinpokemon – Who wasn’t obsessed with pokemon when they were younger? Aside from this episode completely ripping apart pokemon they introduced what should have been the hot new toy of the summer, Alabama Man
 
Kenny’s death – Seizure
 
4) Freakstrike – With Kenny gone and Butters replacing him as the groups new friend he must dress up like a freak ( put balls on his chin ) only to have his life put in danger. The episode also features Cartman dressing like a prostitute and proclaiming “Whateeva I do what I want!”
 
Kenny’s death – Dead during season
 
5) Towlie – Towlie is an amazing character, a genetically engineered towel that loves to smoke marijuana. This episode is centered around the kidnapping of the boys ocomagamsephere by aliens and their mission to get it back, but Towlie really steals the show.
 
Kenny’s death – Dropped into vat of lava
 
Honorable Mentioins:
 
Randy Marsh – Probably my favorite character Randy has come on strong in recent years. He has changed so much since the first season. He is no longer only giving Stan advice but having his own adventures as well, if you want any proof of how great Randy Marsh is just watch the World Of Warcraft episode.

Chef – The man the boys would turn to advice and guidance, who would sing songs and make everything right……. we miss you everyday.

Butters – First brought on to replace Kenny but has become his own, he has become entitled to his own episode every season and I cannot wait to see what hijinx he will get into this season.
 
The new season is literally hours away and I can barely contain myself. The first episode looks like they’re planning on making fun of apple which I am completely for being a droid and PC person myself. Here’s a clip for the new episode enjoy:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/382531/revolutionary-new-product

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You know that a logo is big when you can't see the entire thing.

D

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This is a local car dealership near Duke. I cry on the inside when it comes on TV.

D

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I feel bad that I haven't written anything for the blog recently, so I've been spending sometime thinking about things to write about. Unfortunately, what I ate for lunch (smoothie) and the color of my shirt (dark grey) are probably not all that interesting to you. Life just doesn't provide consistent interesting material. So I decided to shave...

Seriously, I'm bored watching TV and shaving needed to be on today's To-Do-List. If you don't know me, then shaving seems pretty mundane. If you do know me, then you know shaving may have been the most dangerous thing I've done since the last time I shaved. I'm going to be straightforward: I'm a pretty poor shaver. I hope that I'm the first person to ever write those words in that order, and it's the truth. Ask Tk especially, or J and C (anybody who hung out in our high school library in the morning before classes started). I really can't shave. Some of it is that I'm lazy. Some of it is that I'm impatient. Some of it is that I refuse to pay for a quality razor.

The moral of the story is that when I'm done, there's blood flowing off my face (and I mean flowing). One day Tk walked into the library and asked me, "D did you shave today?" "Yeah." "Well, you've got a whole in your face." And I did. There was a 2 cm whole where my sideburns had been the day before (or hours earlier) and solidified blood on my face. This has happened many times. Many, many times. I am widely known (in NJ and college) for my inability to shave.

BUT: I have gotten better. Marginally.

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You never know what's gonna happen in your day that will make you think about your life. Today, it was shaving. Tomorrow it may be pie (the legendary pie fight in my backyard). The day after that it could be a moped parked outside (the legendary moped crash in front of Tk's house).

D

P.S. I finally stopped bleeding.

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This is my buddy going to the bathroom. It was pretty late that night. Thankfully, I noticed my friend's mistake quickly enough to have a camera waiting for him when he was done.

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I have younger siblings... Which means I still get to dye eggs and do Easter egg hunts... By the way, can anyone explain how we went from Jesus dying and coming back to life, to the Easter bunny hiding eggs in peoples backyards? Never really understood that... Enjoy your family time all!

Peace & Cigarettes,

B

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*I wrote this article for a class called "Sports and Society." Yes, that is the name of the class. I know, but I really like sports. I take them seriously. I think this stuff is interesting. I hope you do too. Enjoy. I hope.*

5,600 Minutes: How Do You Measure a Player in a Year? | FanGraphs Baseball

I think a good place of starting before analyzing anything relating to sports is to think about sample size. The article above specifically targets baseball statistics as a way of considering the role of data as the size of the data set increases. I will come back and pick out interesting pieces from the article, but merely addressing the importance of sample size is a big step in making the most out of any statistic you might have.

In conversation, we consistently use anecdotes as tools for explaining our analysis of the world. Since as individuals we are limited in how much of the world we can sense, personal experiences are normally the best way for us to take meaningful impressions of the world. Very often these impressions are personal shortcuts for developing expectations. The idea that we might use a sample size that can be counted on one hand to draw conclusions about the world is troubling, especially when you consider how small your personal sample size is compared to the rest of the world. A common non-sports example is going to a restaurant. If your first experience at a highly regarded restaurant is poor, you are unlikely to go back, regardless of how highly regarded the restaurant might be. A common sports example is drawing conclusions from the outcome of any single sporting event. It is very common for fans to rely solely on the most recent experience when determining "greatest play ever" or "best player in the league." We are all slaves to the moment and fall in love with the most recent example of greatness. However, this is a very poor way of analyzing anything, let alone sports. An individual game does mean something. It means whatever the outcome of the game was. The Packers won the Superbowl. UCONN won the NCAA Tournament. Auburn won the BCS Championship. Does winning the championship mean they are the best teams in their respective leagues? No. Are any of them the best teams in their respective leagues? Maybe. This is one mental exercise for thinking about sample size. Individual data points have meaning on a micro-level, but taking a single game to mean anything more than who won and lost is fruitless. One shot is not enough information to say whether not a player is a good shooter: neither is 2, 3, or 4 shots. You need hundreds (?) of shots before any calculation of shooting percentage becomes more than a descriptive tool of how a player performed in the recent pass.

Analysis of the pass and projections for the future require lots of time delving through years of data points. In the article above, the author writes about at what point baseball statistics become valuable tools of analysis. The theme behind his reasoning is that reliability increases directly with sample size. Yearly statistics, let alone individual games, can be too fickle (unreliable from year to year) to draw conclusions from. If statistics are not reliable, they are not very useful for predicting the future. The author explains his methodology:

What we’re talking about here is a concept known in social science research as measure reliability. It’s the idea that if I took the same measure over and over again, I’d get (roughly) the same answer each time. This shouldn’t be confused with measure validity, which is whether or not the measure I’m using is actually measuring what I think it does. I might ask 25 people to tell me what color the sky is, and they might all say “green with orange polka dots.” The measure is very reliable, but not very valid. In statistics, the way to increase reliability of a measure is to have more observations in the data set. If I took a player’s on-base percentage for his first five at-bats in a season, and then his next five, and then his next five, and so on, those numbers are going to fluctuate all over the place. But if I do it in 200 at-bat sequences, the numbers will be more stable. I’ll hopefully get (roughly) the same number each time I take a sample of 200 at-bats. The question I ask is when does that number become stable enough that we say that it’s OK to make inferences about a group of players?

The article goes on to state, based on his calculations, at what point popular and unpopular baseball statistics stabilize and become useful tools of analysis. My goal is not to preach about what statistics are good and bad or how they should be used. My goal is to emphasize that statistics can be extremely helpful tools; however, they are only valuable if used correctly. If they are used incorrectly then statistics become at best worthless and at worst detrimental to the discussion. In class, when anecdotes are told to prove points, we do not learn much. We learn what happened in one situation at one time. We do not learn what to expect in the general case. When we read papers in which several stories are told to prove the point the author is trying to make, we should be skeptical if only because we know that the author is basing his conclusions on limited observations.

D

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The song I'm listening to right now. I figured I would share it with you. It's always nice to have something to listen to while you read. At least I think so... Plus this music video is cool... I hope this is what going to heaven is like. *laughs* ... Cage The Elephant "Shake Me Down"



Hello people of the world!

Yesterday I spent most of my time driving around, going on my own little adventures. Which, to be honest, is how I spend most of my days. I think everyone should spend some time alone. It gives you time to think and clear your head, and if you are a girl, you probably do that all the time anyways. I think if people spent more time appreciating the little things in life, we would all be a lot happier. I mean think about it, how much time do we waste worrying or being upset about things. I think it's important to look at all the good things in your life, rather than all the bad ones. From what I can tell, guys really don't have a hard time with this. Girls, on the other hand, have one bad thing happen to them, and they start going into a downward spiral faster than Charlie Sheen's degree of sanity and dignity in the public eye. As much as I find it entertaining to watch people totally lose their minds, girls have started to get on my nerves... There's a reason why I hang out with a group of boys.

So here is my advice to girls, because someone needs to give you a heads up...

First off, stop obsessing. You know what I'm talking about, almost every girl I know does this. When ever you decided that you like someone, you turn into some crazy insane stalker chick, who over-analyzes everything a guy says or does. Guys don't do or say things with some secret innuendo to leave us hints that they are interested. That's what we do. Guys are pretty straight-forward. They either like you, or they don't. So if you're out there, waiting for that guy to show up at your door, and tell you that he's really been in love with you this whole time... Reality check, life isn't like the movies. Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with having feelings for someone, but if all they ever are is indifferent to you. Then maybe you should try opening yourself up to new possibilities. Otherwise, you may be wasting your time on someone who doesn't have the same feelings. If they don't see how awesome you are, why waste your time, right?

Second, why is it that at every party girls go to, you all have to drag each other in the bathroom for thirty minutes to "talk". Guys, it's always the same reason, they are all in the bathroom talking about you. Always. It doesn't matter if a girl is in a good mood when she arrives at a party, once they hit a certain drink limit, all they want to do is whine. Usually about how their boyfriends are being dicks, or the more popular topic of bathroom conversations, "Why doesn't he like me.".... Probably because you just spent 30 minutes in the bathroom with your girlfriends crying, instead of having a good time at a party.

Which brings me to my third point... For the love of God, stop being so over-dramatic. Seriously. Sometimes bad shit happens, like you get caught in a mosh pit during a basement show, get thrown into a table, then knocked into some girl who spills her full cup of beer on you. Instead of getting upset or pissed off, because you're now drenched in beer, just let it slide. Especially when some other girl is being a bitch to you, let it slide. Chances are she's miserable with her own life, and realizes that you are either A) better than her, or B) different from her, and that's why she's talking shit to you. So don't sink down to her level, and justify her actions with a response. Which I know is hard for girls, because we get fired up over shit easily, but if you ignore her backhanded comments and bullshit, she's going to be the one looking like an idiot. Not you. Besides, do you really want to be that girl who gets into a fight at a party or bar? It doesn't make you look cool, it makes you look classless and trashy.

Seriously though, if girls spent less time being pissed off or lovestruck, and focused more on what was going on around them right now, they'd probably be a lot happier. I'm just saying... Also, stop gossiping. Just trust me on that one.

Peace & Cigarettes,
B

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Cotton candy vodka... I wonder if it actually tastes like cotton candy.

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It all started with a picture....

Facebook chat:

B: Tim can I post the picture of you and your little with the paddle on the blog??

I can block out faces

TTTTIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMM

TIIIImy

Timmy......

Im gonna keep doing this until you respond

TIMMMMMMMMM

Ti,

*Tim

PLEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEEEE

T: oh

i said yes

and you don't have to block out our faces

B: no you didnt.

T: I thought i told you along time ago
LOL

sorry

go ahead

i want the world

to see

B: Maybe you did... I probably wasn't sober

T: i am so proud of herrrr

don't block out our faces

:)

(He also gave me permission to use his name... Soooo, now you know who T is....)

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We didn't believe that Sun Drop was a real soda when we first saw the commercial... C shared it with us tonight. I'm seeing all sorts of things that I didn't believe existed! Now where the HELL is my unicorn already!

Peace & Cigarettes,

B 

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*I would love to describe the STD I invented a few days ago. However, it's border line offensive, so I'm going to keep it to myself for now. Here's a hint if you're interested.*

Having lived in the south now for a few years, I feel I have a good perspective on what New Jersey does well and what it doesn't. People outside NJ don't think very highly of us and our way of life. When somebody asks a NJ native if they are from NY, the NJ native is flattered. When somebody asks a NY native if they are from NJ, the NY native sneers in offense.

So here is what I love about NJ:

1) Bagels (Never let any state tell you it has better bagels. It doesn't. Except maybe NY. Maybe)

2) Deli Sandwiches (We have Italians and Jews. That's all you need.)

3) Football: (We, not NY, have two NFL teams. Only California has more)

*Note: It took me 10 minutes to think of #4*

4) Proximity to NYC (Gives us the Yankees.)

5) Our hometown (It is actually very green, despite what you may think.)

*Note: I'm really struggling now*

6) Good public schools.

What do you love about NJ? Can you count higher than 6?

D

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I invented an STD today. More details later.

D

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Summer is almost here! And do you know what that means? Slurpee's are in season! I had to share my joy with all of you! It's my first slurpee of the summer! Be jealous. Lol.

Peace & Cigarettes,
B

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B posted a picture of the unicyclist we saw after J’s show. The Colbert Report had a segment last night about “anti-unicycle legislation” and why “unicyclists are the enemy within.” It might be worth checking out.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Enemy Within - Unicyclists
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

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This website exists because of one small group of friends. All the stories that are narrated, all the quotes that are transcribed, and all notes that are posted are meant to show how great a group of friends we are. I think it is more than that though. Great groups of friends are not rare. I hope that anybody reading this has a group of friends that they can always come back to. I have that. We have that. I have not lived in New Jersey consistently for 4 years, and yet when I come back home, I can hang out with all the guys and girl as if I never left (they have to tell me some of the events and stories that I’ve missed). I will be away most of the time for an additional two years, but I know that my friends will still be there when I finally make it back home. Connecting back to the meaning of this blog, I think My Jersey Boys tells the story of one group of close friends on the Jersey Shore as a reminder for both the writers and the readers that having a place to go home to is a wonderful thing, that growing up together with a family (of the non-blood related sort) can leave behind strong, lasting bonds, and that working to maintain those relationships is not a responsibility but an opportunity.

Take advantage of that opportunity. Friends should be the people who support you no matter what. Friends should be the people who share their success with you (and vice versa). Friends should be the people who pick you up when you're down (and vice versa). Friends protect you when you need to be protected and push you when you need to be pushed. I have described an especially idealized perspective of what friendship is, but I think think it is something we can aspire to. My description of friendship is similar to how I think most people would describe family. To me, friends are family.

D

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The Top Ten: Godzilla Movies

TK here once again bringing you the first of many top ten lists and let me tell you right now that this one was a real labor of love. Before you go any further perhaps you'd like to check out this kick-ass song by Blue Oyster Cult. Enjoy!

In 1954, almost a decade after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, an imaginative film producer who worked for the renown Toho Pictures in Tokyo, Japan had begun to toy with the idea for a horror story that later grew into a multimedia franchise spanning film, books, comic books, video games, and a resounding influence felt all over the world! Basing the film around the fears of atomic radiation and nuclear devastation, he concocted a story about a giant prehistoric monster which rises from the sea after atomic bomb tests stir the beast from its deep slumber to bring vengeance upon mankind. The monster was initially named Gojira (a combo of gorilla and whale in Japanese) but it was only two years later when an American version was produced starring Raymond Burr which gave the beast the name which has made it an icon of film for nearly sixty years. Godzilla, the King of the Monsters!

I was four years old when I saw my first Godzilla movie and they’ve really stuck with me over the years. I go back to the Godzilla series whenever I want to see something that hasn’t been totally drawn up with computers. I’m serious, movies are relying on CGI so much to the point that I really don’t even feel like I’m watching a movie anymore! I just feel like I’m watching someone play a video game and that bores me to death. They just don’t make movies like this anymore and it’s a damn shame really. I don’t care if I already know that they’re guys in rubber suits smashing miniature buildings, the fact that an entire crew of people took the time and the imagination to build all that shit from the ground up is more impressive then some dude clicking away at a keyboard. Seriously, they’ve had thirty years to develop this technology and they still can’t even get the lighting issues worked out! I don’t know, in my opinion, CGI just looks more phony because you can obviously tell when something isn’t actually on the set with the actors. Don’t even get me started on CGI blood!

As time went on, the Godzilla series took several creative and stylistic turns which greatly affected the way the franchise was perceived by foreign audiences. The character started to appeal to a much younger audience in Japan and Godzilla went from being the destroyer of human civilization to a friendly superhero type of figure. By the mid-70’s, audiences had totally lost interest in the series and Toho decided to give the character a break. Since then, the series has returned on several other occasions to try and capture the imaginations of a new generation but none can be compared to the glory days of the original series of films. For the record, no mention will be made of that craptastrophe starring Mathew Broderick from the 90’s. That is NOT a Godzilla movie just proof that America doesn’t always do things better. That’s right, I said it! Come on! Who wants some?

In closing, Godzilla has stood the test of time as not only an icon of cinema but an icon of Japanese popular culture. I want to take the time here to send out my deepest sympathies to the whole of Japan after the recent tragedies that have befallen their great nation in the wake of a devastating natural disaster. I have nothing but the utmost faith in Japan. They have overcome tragedy before and they will do it again. You can’t keep a good man down and the same goes for a good monster! So grab a beer and enjoy this list of my Top Ten Favorite Godzilla Movies and maybe you’ll be inclined to check a few of them out. It’s a little sliver of popular culture that shouldn't be ignored by younger generations.

10. Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

By the early 1970’s, the Godzilla series was in serious decline. Budgets were being cut, a more child friendly approach was being taken, and ideas for the series were really running thin! Aware that the kiddy angle was hurting the perception of the series, outside their own country as well, Toho tried to up the ante with Godzilla vs. Gigan by dropping any obligatory child characters (who all wear these ridiculous shorts) and introducing a menacing new monster from space in the form of Gigan (better than Godzilla fighting a monster made of sludge). However, the film suffers from stock footage overkill (day/night continuity issues) and a cast that plays dumber than a pile of rocks (at least they’re kind of funny). It’s not a favorite among many fans, but I’ve always gotten a kick out of this one. I just wish they had more money in the budget!

These giant cockroach-aliens come to Earth, where they pose as legitimate business men tied to the creation of a giant monster themed amusement park. A down on his luck manga artists accepts a job with them and ends up stumbling upon their headquarters in the head of a giant Godzilla statue in the theme parks center. He teams up with this karate chick and her dumb hippy friend, to help find her brother who has been captured by the aliens. They find her brother and it is soon revealed that the aliens intend to take over the world with the combined strength of King Ghidorah (Godzilla’s arch-enemy) and Gigan (a new monster with a buzz saw on his chest). Tag-team monster carnage ensues when Godzilla and his friend Anguirus show up to defend the Earth from the extra-terrestrial cockroaches!

Ridiculous, yes! Get used to it because this is just how these kinds of movies tend to go. Aliens invade the Earth and Godzilla saves the day. The beauty is almost in the redundancy of it all! You just know right off the bat what you’ll be getting! Unfortunately, Godzilla vs. Gigan doesn’t always come through. I appreciate the fact that they dropped the kiddy character and attempted to make a movie that was more like the ones from the golden age. We’ve got four monsters, an alien invasion, and… and that’s about it! Yeah, the human characters are beyond dumb in this one and the aliens are even dumber! I couldn’t keep count of how many times everyone got screwed over because of someone else’s stupidity! More money would have probably helped this one out a lot! There’s just way too much stock footage from previous films and when you’re as big a fan as I am, it’s just way too glaring.

Fortunately, the new monster on the block is far more imposing that the ones we’d been seeing up to this point. Gigan is basically a giant cyborg with hooks for hands and a buzz saw running down his chest. He doesn't do all that poorly when squared off against the big G either! Fuck, Godzilla even bleeds in this one! Up until this point, no monster had ever come close to busting Godzilla’s head wide open! That tops a pile of garbage and giant spiders any day in my book! Gigan was only featured in one other film from the original series and it is utterly abysmal! Highlights include the goofy bumbling hippy character, Godzilla and Anguirus’ conversation, Gigan and Ghidorah’s assault on Tokyo, and the tag-team main event match up! Not one of the best, but I prefer it to the kiddy-fare that the rest of the series turned into too. It actually makes me laugh because I’m pretty sure they were trying to make a comedy out of this. I think number ten works for this one!

9. Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

Making an interesting claim at number nine is the lost sequel, Godzilla Raids Again! Considered lost by many fans, Godzilla Raids Again was introduced to American audiences in 1959 under the title Gigantis, the Fire Monster! This American version is an abomination unto film and for nearly twenty years this one remained out of print on the home video market. Just a few years ago, a 50^th Anniversary DVD box set had been compiled with both the English version and the original Japanese version of Godzilla Raids Again. For the record, I will be reviewing the Japanese version of the film!

Two pilots are searching the seas for schools of tuna when one of them has engine trouble and they are forced to land near the rocks. They soon witness two giant monsters (one looking similar to the beast that destroyed Tokyo and a new one named Anguirus) duking it out across the rocks before plunging into the sea. They report the incident to the authorities and soon Godzilla appears on the shore of Osaka followed closely by his buddy Anguirus. The two monsters battle it out, destroying Osaka in the process with Godzilla emerging triumphant. Anyway, Godzilla goes back to the sea and the military spends an obscene amount of time trying to find him. Spotted on an iceberg the air force move in and attempt to imprison Godzilla in the ice.

This is a weird one! Weird in the sense that the climactic monster battle takes place during the second act and before you know it, Godzilla wins. After that, what’s the point in really watching anymore? The third act just kind of drags out for way too long as they attempt to cause an avalanche to bury Godzilla. It’s not like Godzilla was directly threatening anything, he was just chilling on some iceberg so let’s bury him! The whole ordeal just goes on and on with pretty much nothing at stake. But I can kind of forgive Toho for these faults because they honestly had no idea what they were dealing with yet in terms of this whole Godzilla idea! Indeed, this is the second ever Godzilla movie and it honestly plays out like a B-movie version of the original. The human characters just aren’t there and I had a hard time caring about any of them or their various issues.

Anguirus is the first monster opponent for Godzilla and he’s a rough and tough little fella as he gives Godzilla quite a run for his money around Osaka. A quick side note, I've always felt that Godzilla looks his best in black and white. He actually comes across as being way more of a threatening force and kind of scary looking at times! They actually got rid of the fangs and the little ears behind his eyes to bring down the intimidation factor in later entries. The throw down in Osaka is where the real show is as Godzilla and Anguirus slug it out at a furious pace across the entire city! I have a feeling the entire budget for this one went into that scene, making the whole iceberg finale look kind of half-assed. I kept thinking this one would get better but the whole third act just really didn’t keep me interested. Highlights include Godzilla and Anguirus’ first appearance, Godzilla comes ashore in Osaka, and the extended rumble in Osaka. This one is really just for the die hards and can be totally skipped over as the best are still on the way!

8. Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)

By the mid 1960’s, the Godzilla series found itself amongst the peace and love generation as the character began to undergo several drastic transformations. The radioactive abomination that threatened the very survival of mankind had now become the ally, the protector, and the savior! He was slowly becoming an icon for children. A prototypical Barney, if you will? Many fans enjoy the goofy take on Godzilla’s character where he would often do kung-fu moves and dance around. I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of what the series became in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s. Trying to appeal to children only meant budget cuts, a lack of any real story, and fading interest from their original audience who had now grown up and didn’t want to see this kind of shit! But on the edge of that storm is the first tropically set entry in the series, Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster. I’ve always felt that this one boasts some of the best fight scenes Godzilla has ever been involved in and one hell of an entertaining group of characters. Not to mention the groovy surf music and a surprise appearance from Mothra, a giant fucking moth!

It all starts with a stranded group of sailors being attacked by some kind of sea monster with gigantic claws! On the Japanese mainland, this guy decides to start looking for his brother who was lost at sea. He takes his two buddies and they have themselves a good old time by stealing a yacht. Unbeknownst to them, a crafty bank robber was onboard the yacht but no violence occurs and they sail on into the South Pacific. They hit a storm and are eventually attacked by the sea monster, Ebirah, which is a giant lobster. They are washed onto what seems like a completely normal island, however, they discover that a terrorist group called the Red Bamboo has also set up shop there and they find themselves stuck on the island. On the run in the mountains, they discover Godzilla in a dark cavern in a deep slumber. They decide to use Godzilla to their advantage and stick a lightning rod to him in an attempt to wake the Big G up. Pissed, he busts out of the mountain and prepares to kick a combination of lobster AND terrorist ass!

Oh yeah, and Mothra shows up to rescue everyone with those stupid twin fairies because the Red Bamboo are using their people as slaves and because our main man’s brother somehow ended up on Mothra’s home island and well, Godzilla is less than thrilled to see Mothra again! Being woken up really made the big guy cranky!

I like this one because it succeeded in being different! It took Godzilla off of the Japanese mainland and put him back in the waters that he was originally from. This movie is a lot more bright and colorful than any before it and it really lends to the authenticity of the tropical island setting. Our comical cast is also decked out in goofy Hawaiian shirts and this hot island babe runs around in a grass skirt for most of flick. Hell, even Godzilla’s on vacation in this one! Seriously, don’t wake him up! Godzilla has a “you ruin his day, he’ll ruin your day” policy! Except, you only woke him up and he’s going to step on your fucking house! I can’t really blame him, though. After battling King Ghidorah for two movies straight, it made sense that he had gotten tired of the hustle and bustle of city life and decided to go beach hopping in the South Pacific.

Ebirah, is a decent monster. Maybe coming off a little soft after something like Ghidorah, but his appearances in the stormy seas are definitely a worst fear of mine come horribly to life! He also puts up a pretty serious fight against Godzilla, easily creating some of the most visually stunning scenes in any monster battle the series had to offer! Loved the underwater stuff! The villains were a bit outrageous and it kind of helps this one feel like one long Scooby-Doo episode. If it weren’t for those meddling kids and their big green dinosaur! Highlights include Ebirah’s underwater attacks, “I know when I’m being followed,” Godzilla and Ebirah’s epic battle at sea, Godzilla challenging Mothra, the Godzilla cannonball, and the island being totally imploded on itself! They use to play this one on TV a lot when I was little and I really hope they start playing more of these again someday.

7. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

By 1975, the Godzilla franchise was getting ready to take its first long break from making any more films. From an economic standpoint, things were bad! The oil-crisis affected the whole world and the Japanese film industry had fallen horribly by the wayside. International audiences could no longer take the movies seriously (though tongue planted firmly in cheek) and the light-hearted kiddy direction that the series had turned to alienated many of the original fans. Despite disappointing ticket sales, the quality of the final few films had actually jumped drastically due to the fact that Godzilla finally had a challenging new nemesis and a couple of half-decent storylines! Indeed, this is the second film to feature Godzilla’s mechanical doppelganger, Mechagodzilla! Acting as a direct to sequel to the one before it and bringing back the legendary director Ishiro Honda, the original series was at least allowed to go out on a high note!

Picking up where the last one leaves off, a submarine is checking the ocean floor for the remnants of Mechagodzilla when they are suddenly attacked by a giant aquatic dinosaur, the Titanosaurus. As it turns out, Titanosaurus is under the control of a mad scientist who wishes to destroy humanity. Conveniently, he is allied with the aliens who have now rebuilt Mechagodzilla and they plan to use the two monsters to destroy the world! The mad doctor’s daughter ends up getting involved with one of the Interpol agents and it’s revealed that the aliens had brought her back from death and that she was part cyborg. However, things go from complicated to straight up hell on Earth as Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla wreak havoc on Tokyo! Can Godzilla alone possibly turn back the tide of these two behemoths of mass destruction? Can a lonely Interpol agent still find it in his heart to love a cyborg? Will the aliens finally stop taking their fashion tips from DEVO? You know what? No, to the last one!

At number seven on my list we have the Terror of Mechagodzilla, the sequel to the original Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. This one has the distinct title within the original series as being the last one they made for about ten years. It’s a good one too! This film, as well as its predecessor, goes back to the root elements of the golden era of the series! We’ve got alien invasions, secret agents, multiple monsters, some epic fight scenes, and a human cast that we actually give a crap about with no little fat kid wearing shorts anywhere to be found! It takes a while before we actually see Godzilla, though. The first hour’s almost up when he first appears in the movie but he does it in a big way! The aliens still wear goofy costumes but this is just something we should expect by now! Highlights include Titanosaurus’ initial appearance, Godzilla’s first appearance, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus attack Tokyo, the final showdown, and Godzilla’s final walk out to sea. See you in 1984, big guy!

6. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

Often a popular film amongst American fans, King Kong vs. Godzilla is one of those ideas that can make a fuck ton of money on name value alone! I mean, look at that marquee! The 8^th Wonder of the World, King Kong vs. Godzilla, the King of the Monsters! It’s like the greatest wrestling match of all time, except the world itself is at stake! This movie and I go way back! I first saw it on TV when I was like four on Thanksgiving and when I was six my dad bought me the VHS. Ah, the good old days. Anyway, I loved the shit out of this movie when I was little but then I started to see more of these movies (including the American version of the original) and in recent years it’s lost a lot of the favoritism I originally had for it. I still make a yearly tradition out of watching it on Thanksgiving and yes I’ve upgraded to DVD now, which was like seeing it again for the first time, but I can’t get past how goofy this one actually is and it just seems like early warning signs during the change in the mid to late 1960’s. Overall, this one is still a whole hell of a lot of fun and features a lot of elements that would make some of its successors far superior, in my opinion!

After being trapped in an iceberg, Godzilla is free when an American nuclear submarine crashes into the berg and the King of the Monsters heads back to the Japanese mainland to wreak more havoc. Meanwhile, a frustrated TV producer devises a publicity stunt to distract people from Godzilla by pursuing an old island legend about a giant ape, named Kong. The ragtag crew arrives on the island and is forced to contend with the natives and a giant octopus until Kong appears and shows it whose boss! Anyway, Kong drinks this berry juice that the natives use to appease him and he ends up getting trashed and passes out. The TV crew takes advantage by packing Kong up on a giant raft and shipping him off to Japan to do battle with Godzilla. Can a creature that relies on brains and brute strength overpower the fire-breathing beast from the deep?

The third film in the series and the first to be filmed in color, King Kong vs. Godzilla is almost legendary amongst classic film buffs and monster movie enthusiasts. The mistakes from Godzilla Raids Again are not repeated and many of the formulas for the rest of the series are established here. Godzilla comes back to Japan so the military tries over and over to stop him but that never fucking works so finally they bring in another giant monster to drive him away. This is pretty much how it’s supposed to be! So why number six? I suppose after watching it now, now that I’m older, I can’t find myself capable of getting past the goofiness of the monsters (Kong just looks dumb) and the silliness of the human characters (these people ARE dumb). It really doesn’t seem like anyone has a brain in this movie, which is probably why they thought that bringing another giant monster to the Japanese mainland was a good idea! Yeah, that really works out for them!

But sometimes the stupidity is just something you need to look past in these movies. They’re already about giant monsters for fuck’s sake! Speaking of, we’re treated to arguably the two most ridiculous looking versions of both King Kong and Godzilla that anyone could’ve ever imagined! I can’t get over how much Kong DOESN’T look like a gorilla and the fact that Godzilla’s face is completely different, looking more reptilian than ever! Seriously, what the hell happened there? Nonetheless, this film remains a yearly Thanksgiving tradition at my house. Thanksgiving is not complete until I’ve seen King Kong get dropped from a couple of giant balloons and slide ass first down Mt. Fuji and crash into an oncoming Godzilla! Highlights include Godzilla’s escape from the iceberg, Godzilla destroys the army base, Kong vs. Giant Octopus, Godzilla annihilating a train, Kong’s rampage through Tokyo, and the climactic final encounter on Mount Fuji! Let’s get ready to crumble!

So there you have it, the bottom five of my Godzilla Top Ten List. What I hope to accomplish with this list is a little more understanding regarding one of the most legendary characters ever committed to celluloid. They’re not all aimed at small children and it’s good to know that there was a time when filmmakers actually had to physically make their special effects as opposed to drawing something on a computer! Not to mention the suit actors who’d sweat off about thirty pounds everyday and often had to worry about getting stuck in the suit and drowning when they would film scenes involving water. It’s not as easy as it looks people! The top five are still on the way so be sure to check back for the rest. Remember, there is nothing official about this list I’m just having a little fun and had some spare time to kill.

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