The New Year

So this is the new year?

Seriously, everybody, we've finally reached the final hours of 2008. I won't say it's been a great one or a tough one, I won't count it as a win or a loss, and I won't give it a thumbs up or thumbs down. There will be no list of my "Top 10 things from 2008", but feel free to make your own in the comments section.

However, I will touch upon one thing from 2008. History was made in the United States this past November.



For better or for worse, Barack Obama is to be the next President of the United States. How he acts in office will have an immense effect, both on our lives, and how the rest of the world will see us in the wake of George W. Bush's presidency and all that came with it.

Whether you supported Barack Obama or not, his election still symbolizes a change in our country's path. Whether you will support Barack Obama as president or not, remember that this is still your nation. It is what you make of it, and I urge you to be active in the community, whether it be in your town/city, or in the country as a whole.

I will make no public New Year's Resolutions. And that is how they should be. Each of you should make your own, whether it is paying more attention to your family or finally learning how to play drums. The year's passing, as with all of them, reminds us life is short, and it is our responsibility not to waste it. Use it as best you can, and live it on your own terms.

That brings me to my final point. With your New Year's Resolutions, keep them private as well. This is the test. Do not tell your friends or family, do not let anyone else encourage you to keep them or meet them. It is up to you to be in control of your own life. Don't do it because others remind you to do it: do it because you want to. Don't be satisfied because someone else has taken pride in your success: be satisfied because you have succeeded at something you can take pride in.

That being said, I leave you with two images. One, of the 1978 Times Square Ball, and the other of the Times Square Ball dropped at start of the new millennium. The new ball will remain on display in Times Square all year round.






-brett

Preview: The Winter Classic

Alright people, I said I'd do this, so let's get it underway.



A LOOK BACK

Last year, on January 1st (ooof: it's still the same year, technically)...

Last season, on January 1st, the NHL held its first ever outdoor game on United States soil.

Notice how I said "NHL" and "United States". That's because this and this happened. It was a good way to use "first" while still being truthful.

But back to business.

Last year was a pretty big deal. The game featured the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins facing off at Ralph Wilson Stadium, the home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills. It was like every player's dream come true. Most of them who had grown up in the northern U.S. or Canada had a backyard rink when they were younger, and it had been a while since they played a game outside.



The stuff you want is somewhere in there. And the first goalie featured, Ryan Miller, got to be in this awesome commercial, considering Amp Energy Drinks was sponsoring the event.



But back to the thing. It was a big deal, blah blah blah, the Penguins won 2-1 in a shootout because Sidney Crosby felt like scoring the game winning goal. It snowed to create the perfect atmosphere, and 71,217 people showed up to set an NHL attendance record. It also garnered some solid television ratings. In other words, people cared about the NHL. Throw a party. Heck, invite Canada too.







A LOOK NOW

Considering the success of last year's event, tough guy (and part time NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman felt like it might be a good idea to do it again.





And I can't take credit for that picture. The rest of them are here. Good stuff.

But seriously, last season's went pretty well. And while the 2008 edition was used to showcase NHL poster boy Sidney Crosby, they took what was (in my opinion) a better road in 2009 by instead using a great NHL rivalry-Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks. I could rant about how great it is that they chose an Original Six matchup, but it would be a waste of time. Of course, one could also argue that Bettman is trying to showcase the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. However, I have less of a problem with this; at least it's focusing on the team in place of one player. Hey, Sid the Kid said it himself-play for the logo on the front, not the name on the back. And he also did this, after his team lost to the Red Wings in 6 games during the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.

Oh, and they came up with some old-school jerseys for the occasion.




Oh, and since I was smart enough to remember to say it, this year's game will be held at Wrigley Field in Chicago.










But seriously, this is a much nicer matchup than Sidney Crosby vs. a Buffalo Sabres team that had almost no identity whatsoever. If they were a group of big bad bruisers, it would've been cool. But no, they were just...the Sabres. And that logo looks like Donald Trump's hair.















But this year is better. The Detroit Red Wings are experienced, skilled, and, uhhh...well-coached. Seriously, though, they're really good. And they have some random goalie who has experience with this stuff. The Chicago Blackhawks show up at the other end of the spectrum: they have plenty of speed and talent, and the youth movement has really taken over and excelled. The franchise is flourishing. It happens when you're bad for long enough: all of those high draft picks you get eventually work out. Unless you're the NFL's Detroit Lions.

PREDICTIONS

It'll be a hit. It better be. The league needs this to be successful. While the date is set for January 1st, remember it is an outdoor game, so weather could cause delays. Hopefully nothing happens though.

And remember, while it may not snow, let's at least hope for a little chocolate rain.



-brett

Inside Look: Kid with Two Broken Arms

(^similar to mine^)

So many people have asked so many questions about how I live, how it happened, etc. I realized this is a good opportunity to address all concerns: I will give you an "Inside Look."

How it happened:

 I was playing pick up football with several of my friends one brisk, refreshingly cold Sunday afternoon. My team was on defense. Someone from the other team caught a pass and somehow eluded all my teammates. Fearlessly (and foolishly), I attempted to chase my opponent down. I promptly  ca

ught up to him approximately five yards before the endzone. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him downward and toward the sideline with my bodyweight. After tackling him to the ground mere inches from the endzone, my momentum carried me past the player and toward the frozen, hardened ground. In a feeble attempt to break my fall, I put out both my hands. When I got up, my wrists appeared to be separated from my arms. I could not move them. 

I went to the emergency room where a very nice man with a heavy accent took x-rays of my arms. He was sympathetic with me and told me the results of the x-rays, even though he did not have a legal right to diagnose me. He said my radiuses (radii?) were broken identically. 4-6 weeks he said. Then a real doctor came to set both my bones. They prescribed me Vicodin for the pain. What a drug. To continue my perfect attendance I attended school the next day. When I went for a follow-up appointment, the doctor told me my growth plates had slipped out of place and that I would need surgery and pins (~6 inch) to hold them in place while they heal. So I did that and it was cool. I did something I always wanted to do, fight anesthesia. I managed about four breaths(an IV was not possible because the temporary splints covered both brachial veins) before I was out. The surgery was successful. Now I just need time to heal. 

I went to see the doctor to see if I could possibly get one cast off, or both. He looked at x-rays and said no, much to my disappointment. Most of my winter break would be spent in casts. 

Living with two broken arms:

The most common question has been how do I wipe my butt. With the splints, it was a struggle. I could not straighten out my arms which made it very difficult. It was also quite painful to rotate my arms. I managed, though. With the insertion of the pins, I did not need full-arm casts so after the surgery I could wipe perfectly fine. 

Writing is difficult. It's sloppy and usually painful. Most of my teachers are nice enough to limit the amount I need to write. 

I cannot put my contacts in, which explains the glasses.

The most disappointing thing is I cannot wear nice clothes. By nice, I mean long sleeve knits, sweaters, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc. On top of not being able to wear long sleeves, it is winter. Mornings are cold. 

Showering has been by far the most difficult thing to do. I cannot get the casts wet because I would be at a higher risk of infection because of the pins. Waterproof casts do not prevent the casts from getting wet, they just dry quickly. I had to purchase cast guards (pictured). Since there are no fingers, I cannot effectively wash my hair. So my mom does it. It is very difficult to get clean. 

On an even more tragic note, I have lost upwards of ten pounds of muscle in only 4+ weeks. I can't wait to get back in the gym. Don't worry, though. Brett and me will document my return tediously. 

Now, if there are any questions I would love to answer them. Comments are also more than welcomed. 

Cancellation: NHL Divisional Endorsements

Sorry, folks. But after the Atlantic Divisional endorsements, several things came to my attention

a) the majority of the U.S. (and the Stuff with Brett readership) doesn't care about hockey for 364 days out of the year (365 on a leap year). And the fact that they'll care on January 1st for the Winter Classic (which I will most likely review) doesn't hold up for the rest of the season.

b) I'm a Flyers fan, so I already predicted their success. I'm content.

c) All of my other predictions are currently division leaders (besides the Flyers). Lot of work that took. I might've waited a little too long.

d) It was a pain to put in all the links in the first one.

e) You don't care. For more details, see number "a".

Yeah. I'm sure you'll learn to deal without them.

-brett

Christmas Gift

Here is my Christmas gift to you, in that Youtube form which I love oh so well.

Have a good one. If that wasn't enough for you, leave a comment, and I'll try to drum up something else.

-brett

A Long December

it's almost the end of the year. and if you've had a rough one, this one's for you



have a little faith, and stick with me through the times. if anything, just take it easy.

-brett

Roundtable Discussion: Holiday Things

okay, everybody. for a solid chunk of us, it's holiday time. for the rest of us...it's not.

so, now that I've covered that, I'd like to open this up a little bit. sure, we all have our favorite memories about that one gift we got, or how your uncle got eggnog in his eye, or how you nearly lit the cat on fire with your menorah. but that's not what this is about.

instead, I'm going to be more serious. deep down, what do the holidays really mean to you? for some of you, they may mean nothing, which is okay. but for the rest of you, I want you to think about what this time of year really means to you, and how you think about it. feel free to be deep, people. that's what we're looking for.

none of this "holidays means gift-giving" junk. save it.

-brett

Falcons Follow-Up

Just following up my previous Falcons post. The Falcons beat the Vikings just minutes ago by a score of 24-17 to clinch a Wild Card spot. Congratulations, Falcons, on your amazing come back from last year's disaster. 

(^the boy is a born leader^)

Zlad!

You may have seen this before. Still, incredible song from a group who doesn't exactly have the best grasp of the language.



I don't think I need to say anything else.

-brett

NHL Atlantic Division Endorsement: Broad Street Bullies

If you go to the Philadelphia Flyers website, there's a simple slogan. It reads "Hungry For More".


And rightfully so.

A LOOK BACK

Last year's slogan read "Vengeance." The Flyers had just come off a 22-48-12 season, which gave them the dual honor of worst in the league and the worst winning percentage in franchise history. GM Paul Holmgren executed a complete overhaul of the team, giving the squad almost a completely different look. Make no mistake-they did return with a vengeance, and it was swift and brutal, accompanied by many suspensions for numerous questionable hits.

If you care, the suspensions (and videos) are as follows.

-Steve Downie-25 games
-Jesse Boulerice-25 games
-Randy Jones-2 games
-Scott Hartnell-2 games-(interestingly enough, the victim is now a member of the Flyers)
-Riley Cote-3 games

The club received a stern warning from the league. Despite all the trouble, they finished the season with a record of 42-29-11, good enough for the 6th seed in the playoffs. It took 7 games to complete an upset over the Washington Capitals, then another 5 for a second upset over the number one seeded Montreal Canadiens. The season ended in the Conference Finals against Pittsburgh. Several injuries along the blueline made it no contest, and the Flyers were shown the door after 5 games.

NOW

A record of 18-8-6 is good enough for second in the division and fourth in the conference. But let's face it, these guys have division champs written all over them. Let's dissect the team-

OFFENSE
-The Flyers easily boast the deepest forward corps in the division. Their 106 goals currently have them tied for 5th in the league. Left winger Simon Gagne is finally healthy after an injury-shortened 2007-2008 season where he was held to 25 games. He, along with captain Mike Richards, are currently setting the pace for the team with 38 and 37 points, respectively. Former first round pick Jeff Carter has blossomed into a star, and sits tied for first in the league in goals with 24. Throw in moderately skilled wingers like Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul, Scottie Upshall, and Mike Knuble, and suddenly you've got the makings of several solid scoring lines. Don't forget injured center Danny Briere, and his annoyingly long and expensive contract. Not to mention how surprisingly young he looks:

-No other team in the division can match them. Everybody up front for the Islanders are a) has-beens, or b) people you've never heard of. The Devils don't know what a goal is. The Rangers have a love affair with overpaid underachievers. And while Pittsburgh centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby currently sit 1-2 in point scoring in the league, nobody else on the team has the ability to power a line on their own.

DEFENSE

-The shortcomings start here. After top pairing of Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn, it goes downhill quickly. Early injuries to Ryan Parent, Randy Jones, and Derian Hatcher, coupled with the loss of Jason Smith during the offseason left plenty of holes. Andrew Alberts was bought in from Boston, and rookie Luca Sbisa was forced into the lineup as a regular. Matt Carle and Ossi Vaananen have also their fair share of playing time. Regardless, while they have been sub-par, they've managed to hold the ship together long enough. Thankfully, Parent and Jones are on their way back. Hatcher's return is questionable due to cap issues.

-The Islanders' sole "big" free agent signing, Mark Streit, has been paying off with 25 points in 33 games. However, his ability to actually play defense is questionable, and other than Brendan Witt, there's nobody else really of note. The Penguins have been hit hard by injuries, and play in the back end has been mess. The Rangers, yet again, love their overpaid underachievers. They lead the league in short-handed goals against, and yes, I'm looking at you, Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival.The Devils defense is best described as "patchwork".

GOALTENDING

-Herein lies the biggest problem. It's been a while since Philly had a true number one goaltender. While Martin Biron got hot around playoff time last year, he's never been able to keep a firm grip on the number one job. Antero Niittymaki can be good for stretches, but his ability to be a workhorse is also questionable.

-While the division has been among the best in goaltending for the past few years, this season hasn't been so great. New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, expected to break several records this season, went down early in the season. He's not expected back for a while, though Scott Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes have done as good a job as one could hope for. Marc-Andre Fleury, after dealing with injury, has been up and down for the Penguins. Rick Dipietro, he of another questionably long contract, is injured yet again. His replacement, Joey MacDonald, has been average for the Islanders, but anybody who expected them to post a winning record this season belongs in an insane asylum. Lastly, Henrik Lundqvist has been excellent for the Rangers, and is currently the best goalie in the division hands-down. His 18 wins lead the league, and trust me, the Ragners don't have an offense you can lean on.

ANALYSIS

-The Flyers can't really shut down games and hold a lead, not with defensemen and goaltenders like these. However, they can win the high scoring games, and there's no signs of the offense slowing down. The Atlantic Division is usually one of the most competitive in the league, but this season, it looks noticeably less fearsome. When all is said and done, the Flyers will be the ones to rise out of the ashes and claim the division title. And you can take that to the bank.

Now, for some Scott Hartnell fun:

NFL Focus: Atlanta Falcons

The turn-around of the Atlanta Falcons has shocked everyone. Last year, at this point in the season, former star quarterback and face of the franchise Michael Vick was in prison, Bobby Petrino had quit mid-season, and their best defensive player, Deangelo Hall could not wait to jump off the sinking ship. He went as far away as possible, ending up in Oakland. 

The Falcons finished the season last year with a record of 4-12, finishing last in their division. On January 13th, 2008, the Falcons owner Arthur Blank made the best move of his life. He hired Thomas Dimitroff as General Manager. In nine months, this man turned the struggling organization 180º. He made several decisions that would transform a team riddled with disaster into a legitimate playoff contender.

Just ten days after he was fired, Dimitroff hired a new head coach, Mike Smith. The logic behind the choice was brilliant: under former coaches Jim Mora Jr. and Bobby Petrino the players were unhappy. They complained of not having a say in their gameplans, etc. They were not treated well. Mike Smith's philosophy is players' wishes come first. Dimitroff realized this and hired him. 

In March he made another perceptive acquisition. He signed Michael Turner to a six year deal. Dimitroff was a leading NFL scout for the Patriots for many years and was a major contributing factor to their success in recent years. He saw tremendous potential in Turner and signed him. He has been indispensable this season, ranking second in rushing with two games remaining. 

The next great decisions he made were during the draft. He resisted temptation to trade up to a higher slot in the draft order and drafted Matt Ryan in the first round. The rookie QB has displayed incredible maturity and composure, leading a couple

game-winning drives in intimidating settings. To help protect his future franchise player, Dimitroff drafted Sam Baker, a solid offensive guard. He also filled some holes in the defense drafting a linebacker (Curtis Lofton) and cornerback (Chevis Jackson) early. Later in the draft, the Falcons selected Harry Douglas, a wide receiver who has shown enormous potential thus far.

The final ingredients for the tasty cake of success are players whose potentials were not fully discovered. These players include: Roddy White (WR), Michael Jenkins (WR), Jerious Norwood (WR/KR), John Abraham (DE), Jamaal Anderson (DE), Justin Blalock (G), and Chris Houston (CB). 

Matt Ryan has brought out the best in his receivers, mainly White and Jenkins. Roddy White will finish the season with over 1,500 receiving yards, an impressive achievement. Jenkins had a breakout year with over 700 yards. 

Head coach Mike Smith has made his team a pleasure to be on and perhaps this has made some players try harder than they did under previous management. John Abraham and Jamaal Anderson have posted a dramatic increase in production this season compared to last. Jerious Norwood has given the team a boost of excitement when needed, whether it be in the form of a kick-off return for a touchdown or an eighty yard TD run. 

The turn-around this team has made can be attributed to management. They were terrible last year because of terrible management. They are great this year because of great management. Teams should learn from this amazing turn around and take note. Disaster can strike at any moment, as the Falcons had to learn the hard way. 

GO FALCONS!!

(Stay tuned for a season wrap-up...hopefully in January or February)

Preview: NHL Divisional Endorsements

alright, check it. pretty soon I'll be starting a series about who I a) think will win and b) want to win each division in the NHL. for those of us that are, well...an American citizen, that stands for National Hockey League.

yes, I'm in my sports phase. I came into it a little late.

the division are split up as follows...

Eastern Conference
-Atlantic
-Northeast
-Southeast

Western Conference
-Central
-Northwest
-Pacific

I'll probably review them in that order. but I might not.

so, you should become interested in hockey. trust me. especially if you want to keep reading my blog.

maybe I'll do the first one soon...ooof.

-brett

Some things: Matt and Hockey

First off, I'd like to commend Matt. I've made a great choice by adding him to the team. His posts are extremely different in subject matter as well as writing style. He's doing a great job so far. Keep it up, champ.

Second, I love hockey. Despite the fact that most of the U.S. doesn't care about the NHL, intense hockey blogging may be showing up soon.

-brett

Making Scents of Cologne

Hi All. As an introduction, a person's overall (external) presentation of himself/herself includes hair, clothing, accessories and scent. <-- [Brett probably disagrees with this strictly perspective statement.] In the future, I may post my thoughts on other aspects of one's image (clothing, accessories) as well as personality traits. Today, I will be focusing on the scent component of one's 'look.'

NOTE:  

'Cologne' and 'perfume' can, for the most part, be used interchangeably in this post. For the sake of simplicity, I will only use 'cologne.' 

A man's scent is part of his image. It can be debated that it is as important as clothing, hair or accessories. 

If a guy is lacking one of these facets of his appearance, he is incomplete in terms of a modern man. Scents are actually very interesting when examined more closely. 

There is a cologne for every situation, every season, and every personality type. This may be surprising for some of you. It is most certainly true though. Before I break it down for you let me give you some background information. 

Colognes consist of three types of notes. Notes are the combination of compounds that is the thing you actually smell. There are: topnotes, the first impression of the scent that you smell for the first hour or so; middle notes, the scent you smell after the topnotes, typically two to five hours after application; and final notes, the final smell that is detected when the liquid concoction has 'dried-down' on your skin, usually six or more hours after application. A cologne chemist combines the essential (distinctive) oils of various plants, herbs, seeds and trees. This mixture is suspended in a solution of ethanol. The ratio of oils to ethanol varies among specific colognes. Heavier colognes have a higher oil to ethanol ratio. Light colognes have a lower ratio.

Thats enough background info. Onto the important, useful stuff. Colognes vary based on the oils in them. There are four basic types of colognes. Lighter, more casual colognes emphasize citrus/fruity scents. Oriental/spicy scents contain more peppery oils and are, well, spicy. Natural/outdoors scents are less striking than citrus/fruity.  These scents are very clean and fresh. They may contain mint and sharp scents like mint. The final type is woodsy. Woodsy colognes contain something not mentioned before: musk. Musks are pheromones extracted or fabricated following the model of musks of species of the animal world. As a re-

sult, these types of scents are generally stronger and heavier. There are very small amounts of citrus/fruitiness and more oils from species of the woods including mosses and treebarks. 

Now, choosing a cologne for you.

Fun, light-hearted, optimistic, easy-going people should choose a citrus/fruity scent. Some top-selling examples of this are Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani, Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana (DO NOT BUY, ITS MINE) and Lacoste Hot Play by Lacoste. These can be worn everyday. They are usually summer scents.

If you're a more serious person and want to seem serious, buy a cologne containing musk. Traditional Italian perfumerias such as Ferrari and Lamborghini have stronger scents available. These types are good to own for the sole purpose of a formal night. Wearing a citrusy scent to a formal event is distasteful. 

For the individualist, I suggest buying a spicy/oriental scent. People will certainly notice you. Very confident people should own a spicy scent. These include Burberry Brit by Burberry, Bvlgari BVL Notte by Bvlgari, and Uomo Moschino by Moschino.

Outdoor/natural scents are good for every day winter wear. They are more reserved. People who don't like too much attention should buy these. Some examples include Lacoste Essential by Lacoste, Cool Water by Davidoff, and Calvin by Calvin Klein. 

Disclaimer: All scents interact differently on each individual due to the uniqueness of one's bodily oil chemistry.

Use this information as a guide or go to the professionals at the department stores for expert advice.

When smelling colognes, bring a cup of coffee to sip between sniffs. If you don't do this, the olfactory system will become overloaded and your sense of smell will be off. Also, don't buy on impulse. Your initial impression and final impression will most likely change. I suggest spraying cards with your choices and smelling them once at first, then a couple hours later, then 5 or 6 hours after that. 

I hope this was interesting and helpful. I am very open to questions and comments. 

Finally, a Legitimate Excuse Not to Watch Chick Flicks.

Hi, All. Today I read a satisfying article on BBC.com, you know, the one Billy loves. Here's the link to the article: ||||||||||||

I hope I got your attention with my title. Now, don't get me wrong; some romantic-comedies are worth watching. However, this article suggests to watch these

 movies in moderation, especially you, ladies. 

Heriot Watt University in Scotland conducted a study. I won't rehash the fascinating details of the study. (I, again, encourage you to read it.) The conclusion of the study is this: those whom enjoy watching romantic comedies often have trouble communicating with their partner(s). The study proves that chick flicks create false, impossibly unreasonable expectations for their love lives. Before you girls post angry comments against this post, let me explain. I bet you were going to say how you know what happens in the movies is not what you expect from your partner. But, I believe I am correct in assuming that is what you want to happen. Because the majority of relationship data your brains have documented has come from Hollywood, that is what your brain defaults to in the real world. It's not really your fault. The only remedy is to stop watching these Hollywood falsifications of reality so much. 

So that's the solution to the problem. But why do rom-coms have this effect?

The answer is simple. Girls, after watching so many chick flicks, assume

 their partners know what's on their minds. Because that's how it happens in the movies. The movies almost always show trust and commitment being forged the moment two people meet. In reality, these things take years to develop. A large number of rom-coms have a central theme of fate/destiny. Therefore, girls believe that since their special guys have chosen them, the

y should know what they want at all times. The need to communicate is ignored, it seems. 

This is not how nature intended things to happen. Hollywood has corrupted the minds of so many beautiful, potential lovers (in my eyes, at least). I won't name names...it's pretty obvious who has been infected by this phenomenon just by observing their behavior. 

In conclusion, stay away from rom-coms as much as possible. 

Hope you enjoyed.

Intro to Me

Hi, All. Brett was kind enough to add me as a contributor to his fledgling blog. With his permission, I will post posts on various topics including: my thoughts on various news in the world of psychology; thoughts on the public's negative perception of metrosexuality; my climb back into the world of weight training; sports; food; and maybe some topics of science. Read up and comment a lot. Also, tell everyone about this. Thanks. 

Roundtable Discussion: Quotable Movies

Roundtable Discussions are new. pretty sweet idea, huh?

Basically, just comment and discuss your favorite movies to quote. if you recognize someone else's, feel free to comment awkwardly on it by saying quotes from that movie. take this as a suggestion box; watch these movies, suddenly you may understand jokes that, prior to this post, you didn't even know existed.

Oh, and there aren't enough people caring about/following this blog. So get on that. Tell your friends to do it. You'll be able to use it for small talk!

As for me? The Big Lebowski. if that was yours, pick a new one. and don't let my choices make you biased. it's just that somebody had to go first.

-brett