Blood of A Scholar

Apple Just Keeps Going

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:28:32 -0400

Today, Apple held their annual World Wide Developers Conference or WWDC for short. As usual, Apple gave us all “apple thirsty” consumers a look at what their new products are and what they’ve been working on in the software front in the last year.

It’s nothing short of exciting to see that they went all out with updating their new Macbook Airs with the new Intel Ivy Bridge chipset. This new Soc allows the Air to run at new and amazing speeds and also provides greater graphics. Apple also announced internal upgrades for their Mac Pro desktops. They get new Xenon processors which give it a bump gigahertz wise.

The most exciting of it all was the announcement of the newest, top-of-the-line Macbook Pro. This new model is the “next generation” of the Macbook family. While retaining the same unibody build, it’s been created a bit differently. The body now hosts vents along the sides at the bottom for better air intake and it also helps the vents be more silent. The biggest changes were how thin it is compared to current models (“25% thinner” according to the video for the new model on the apple website) and that this new iteration has a Retina display and has no optical disk drive. What you get is a faster, visually stunning powerhouse meant to deliver the ultimate computing experience.

I know some may think “it’s not ultimate unless the disk drive is present,” but Apple has everything you need from their online store so it’s really not even that big of a deal…….unless you own a bunch of essential programs already in disk format; that would be an issue. It won’t be an issue for the current Macbook Pro refresh. This version is basically the 2011 model with NVIDIA’S Kepler chip, faster processors and retains the optical disk drive. It won’t however, offer a Retina Display.

iOS6 was also announced. With it come a host of new features. Apple has made it official that Google Maps won’t be the default navigation app. Apple’s acquisition of various mapping companies was used to create their very own Maps app. This app will offer turn by turn navigation and in the future will offer global navigation as well. iOS6 will also add Photostreams, messages, documents and Apple’s suit of microsoft documents styled apps integrated into iCloud. iOS6 will also contain heavy Facebook integration.

Mountain Lion, as we all expected, was officially announced at the conference touting a $19.99 price tag come July. This will allow current Snow Leopard users on Macbook Pro, Air, iMac and Mac Pro to update without really hurting their pockets. Mountain Lion will feature major integration to the iCloud and will host 200 new features! Apple really knows how to get you with these numbers and new capabilities. You can see what these new features are on Apple’s website.

Of course there are a bunch of things I didn’t go over in this blurb. To get all of your Apple WWDC desserts, head on over to apple.com and watch the keynote (the hyperlink sends you directly to the keynote). Their you’ll find everything you need to know about what’s to come in the next few months from Apple. Oh and BTW, these new wonder machines from Apple are available online RIGHT NOW!! Go! and give Apple your money!

Just A Thought I can’t get enough of it. I...

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:01:00 -0400

Just A Thought

I can’t get enough of it. I love everything about technology; the way it’s used in medicine, to entertain, to educate and to inspire. Technology has now become an extension of who we are and as much as anyone wishes to deny it, they only need to think about how often they are on their cellphones.

Often times I receive criticism because of how deeply passionate I am about it. I hear things like “your such a nerd” or my favorite, “is that all you think about?” I wear my love for it like a badge and I’ve come to a point where it doesn’t offend me anymore. I write this not to receive pity or recognition for standing firm in my love for it, I write this to have you the reader understand that my love for this and others who have love for it is just the same as the love for literature, music and so on.

Due to my working in fashion retail, the criticism I have received comes from fashion and photography students. I’ve bickered with many and have even insulted a few because of what their passion is. That was the wrong way to go about it but what’s done is done. Obviously these people only know that world, so much of what’s outside of it is foreign and considered irrelevant to them. You can’t blame them for this type of thought because I have thought the same of the fashion world and I’ve always thought of photography as a hobby and never really taken it seriously .

I’ve always had this thing where I would go into a fit trying to think of a valid reason, other than the one where it’s a person’s passion, as to why anyone can be so invested in a field that doesn’t help anyone? Thinking back on it now, if we didn’t have people who invested themselves in said fields, we wouldn’t have the inspiration to dress ourselves nicely for dates, interviews, etc. We would have the beautiful pictures of places unexplored. These people are needed just the same as “tech-heads” are. Without anyone invested in technology how would we blog? do research? communicate without phones? These talents are needed in order for the world to keep evolving.

My pitch to you all, especially those in fashion who judge “the nerds” and also those in the tech world who judge “the vague,” is to try and keep an open mind. I myself have a hard time with accepting the realities I’ve just spoken of, but the effort is what counts. The one thing I think we can all agree on is that becoming a mercenary or anything involving taking the lives of someone else is not the ideal field to get into (pretty random but it’s a notion shared nonetheless). The world is expanding and our mode of thinking should do so too.

I Love Me Some Indie Films....

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:03:14 -0400

They’re like your inhibitions come to life. A visual tool used to showcase just what lies beneath you. No, this isn’t some fancy way of describing some sort of sick pornographic desire you get a chance to see on the silver-screen; it’s Indie Films sicko!

Independent films have been around for as long as I can remember. Although you can’t trust wikipedia so much, I did use it to get an idea as to how far back independent films have been around. According to an article, “The roots of independent film can be traced back to the filmmakers in the 1900’s”. We’re talking about times where black and white moving images on a screen were all the rage.

With independent films, filmmakers have an opportunity to go a bit further with the story they’re trying to show us. They can skate on a line that so many Hollywood studios don’t even dare to look at. It gave many big name actors a doorway into Hollywood as it is doing for so many up-and-coming actors today. I believe the very first independent film I saw was a French action one. The title of the film was District B13. It took place in the ghettos of Paris and it involved an ex-thug and an undercover cop trying to stop an enormous tragedy from happening (don’t want to spoil it for you). This film came out in 2004 and it was really exciting to watch.

Back then, I had no idea what an independent film was, let alone how great they are. I believe I was only just entering high school then. Recently I saw 2 independent films which were absolutely wonderful. The first one is titled The Raid Redemption, directed by Gareth Evans who also wrote it. The film revolves around a S.W.A.T. unit who moves in on an Indonesian apartment building that houses the worst of the worst criminals. The main star of the film is driven to reach the antagonist of the film in his office and stop him once and for all from continuing his criminal activities. This film was such a hit that there are talks of an American version being scribed.

The second “indie film” I recently saw is titled Hick. This film was directed by Derick Martini and was written by Andre Portes. The film takes you on the journey of a young Nebraska teenage girl who decides she wants to leave her current life behind and sets out to start anew in Las Vegas. Many things go awry but she is hellbent on changing her life around. What makes these independent films so special, and not just the ones I mentioned but all of them, is that you get such a raw form of film. Without discrediting anyone in Hollywood, I just feel that these movies receive extra care and kindness. They are free to a greater extent than those made in Hollywood from the bureaucracy of the major distribution companies and so forth.

The journeys I’ve been taken on so far, and the ones I’ll be taken on are something else entirely in regards to indie films. My “indie” expansion is only going to become greater.

Video: Anchorman 2 Teaser Trailer“Ain’t this an old...

Mon, 21 May 2012 17:48:02 -0400

Video: Anchorman 2 Teaser Trailer

“Ain’t this an old fashion shot to the nutsack?” -Ron Burgundy

Feature: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man (Disclaimer: The...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:27:48 -0400

Feature: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

(Disclaimer: The picture used in this post is not owned by me and am only using it as a visual aid to express an opinion of my own. No profit will be made by this posting.)

Common ground. Toe to toe. Equals; since the dawn of man this has been the biggest challenge involving men and women. The battle to be seen as an equal and at the same time the #1 option as a life companion has been one that has seen its victories but has shown no sign of the war stopping.

“Act Like a Lady - Think Like a Man” which was a book turned film, written by Steve Harvey, has been said to be the ticket to insight of the male psyche, specifically in regards to relationships with women. This phenomenon became wildly popular and has now been made into a movie that’s been doing quite well at the box office grossing in $18,000,000 according to movies.yahoo.com.

The movie revolves around 6 friends, 5 of which are in the middle situating themselves with a potential if not, current better half. The movie is narrated by Kevin Hart the comedian who is among those 6 friends. He walks you through the different chapters these women are using with the guys they are with or encountering. The point of it all is to get these men to see them as the number 1 option. To show these men that they’ve been missing out on a wonderful opportunity.

Obviously the movie hits its high point where it seems everything has come together and low point where things have gone terribly wrong. The typical thing to happen in a love comedy. It’s a good watch for a date or to go with a group of friends but that’s not why I’m writing this post. Me being a male, a young male at that seeing as I’m only 21; I just want to give you some of my insight on the whole take.

What I want you to take away from this is that while most of that stuff can be applied today, you have to consider the fact that this is just the point of view of one man. Your right to say that so much of it makes sense and that if applied it may work but it’s only a gamble. Everything is a 50/50 chance. It doesn’t matter if it’s job related or dealing with another person; the chances of succes are always split down the middle.

The only issue I have with this movie and book is the fact that so many women are taking the whole movie at face value. Remember, this was meant to entertain and to show you how some of this advice may work. Women should be cautious about going out into the world after seeing this and think “I’m gonna do the same thing!” That will help you continue running into the same good for nothing men. While staying true to yourself, you should also consider compromise. Just because Steve Harvey wrote specifically what to compromise doesn’t mean you have to follow it to the T.

To the men who have gone on a rant about “this movie is only going to get bitches in trouble” and more nonsense like that, shut up. The first mistake made was referencing the women as bitches and secondly, not seeing the bigger picture. This kind of thing can be as big a positive as a negative. Women who have access to this type of knowledge can become the dream woman that crosses our minds. We as men shouldn’t be mad that women want to just know what kind of things make us happy and what gears help us operate. On the contrary, we should allow them to exploit this and see if the ones that have applied the knowledge are possible candidates to be “the one”.

Ladies, I can’t emphasize enough the fact that this is just one person’s take on the issue at hand. The words are good words just make sure they’re applied to the appropriate situation. I believe it should be considered by you guys that since every man functions differently.

Now I know your all thinking, “wasn’t that covered in the book and movie”? While it is true that it was covered in the movie with the obvious chapters mentioned, TIMES ARE DIFFERENT. We are a new generation with new sets of rules of engagement and so forth. Steve Harvey comes from a different time. They say “the players change but never the game,” but whoever believes it has not opened their eyes to see the world around them. There are hundreds of different ways to connect to people now and so many scenarios have combined and formed new hybrid situations where one specific way to handle it isn’t necessarily the right way.

All in all everyone, specifically women in this case, should be wise on how they proceed with men. Being true to you and making WISE and CONSCIENCE DECISIONS will always trump everything else. Do not compromise what you in your heart feel is right for what you think should be right. It’ll warp everything and the chances of success will slim down.

The methodology in the movie was interesting, but ladies, do not make the mistake of acting like a man. It’s a woman we want.

Video: Zack Galifinakis-Can’t Tell Me Nothing A...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:02:40 -0400

Video: Zack Galifinakis-Can’t Tell Me Nothing

A million different words pop up to describe how amazing this guy is; some aren’t even English. Watch it and have your mind blown.

Video: The Hemloft Tree House I’ve had many...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:31:07 -0400

Video: The Hemloft Tree House

I’ve had many dreams of living in the mountains where all I had to call neighbors were bears and all I needed to worry about was keeping people away. The man in the video above is living my dream! I know I know, that’s selfish and it’s anyone’s game but man am I jealous! I came across the article at gizmodo.com. Click the hyperlink to be directed to the article.

A couple of years ago, a software engineer turned self-taught carpenter, Joel Allen built that egg-shaped marvel for him and his girlfriend to use. It only took him a handful of months to make it and as you’ll see in the video, it came out lovely. The tree-house or “tree-loft” has no running water of its own or electricity. Lighting is provided by nature during the day and by candle at night. It’s anyone’s ideal place who loves their solitude and enjoys nature.

The big problem is that this structure is on government land; secret at that. Its creator set out a challenge that anyone that can find it is more than welcome to see it. Joel Allen has a website up for the tree-house’s support; click here. I hope that they do. How many times do you come across something so elegant and simple at the same time? Yea, think about that.

Avatar whaaaaa?

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:28:46 -0400

Avatar whaaaaa?

Video: Raekwon ft. The Wu-Tang Clan-House of Flying Daggers ...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:23:23 -0400

Video: Raekwon ft. The Wu-Tang Clan-House of Flying Daggers

For a work out or simple hype to fight a gorilla with one hand; Raekwon feeds some Wu energy into your eyes and ears.

The Real OG’s

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:00:10 -0400

The Real OG’s

Audio: Nas-Black Girl Lost Part 2

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:53:15 -0400

Audio: Nas-Black Girl Lost Part 2:

You can never go wrong with a track from Nasir Jones or as the world knows him, Nas.

Feature: Jason Mraz’s Love is a Four Letter Word ...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:01:00 -0400

Feature: Jason Mraz’s Love is a Four Letter Word

It’s finally here!!!!! My hero’s fourth studio album is out today and I am ecstatic!!!!! This friday is when I’ll purchase my copy so stay tuned for my review of this highly anticipated new record.

Ahhhhhhh!!!!!

Every now and then I come across something that just...

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:47:00 -0400

Every now and then I come across something that just completely blows me away. That sense of discovery and wonder is one of the greatest gifts of life; whether it’s a song, book, tv show, or a simple quote, there’s nothing like something new to invigorate the soul.

Enter Ni-no-Kuni: Wrath of The White Witch. This anime themed, marvel of an upcoming video game looks like it’ll be an instant hit. This probably isn’t the first time a game like this has been slated for release but it may be the first of its kind to be released in another country. I’m not a hardcore gamer but I do enjoy myself an RPG (role playing game) whenever there’s time for it.

This game will follow the story of a boy who’s parents have been gone and is dealing with that sense of loneliness that only a person who’s suffering or suffered through that could understand. In a moment of deep sorrow, a stuffed animal crafted by his mom comes to life which in turn throws the kids’ world into a frenzy. It looks to have the same incredible and breathtaking feel like the anime movies Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away.

I’m excited for its release. Can’t wait for another dive into a world filled with magic and hope.

Feature: Game of Thrones Season 2 ...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:53:00 -0400

Feature: Game of Thrones Season 2

FINALLY!!!!! Season 2 of Game of Thrones is here!! This season is sure to introduce new players in the war for the Iron Throne. I’m excited to see the character Jon Snow come into his own as the steward for the captain of The Night’s Watch which oversees the activities around and beyond The Wall.

My favorite character, the imp, Tyrion Lannister was chosen as the hand of the king in his father’s stead. His title entails servitude to the current place-holder of the iron throne by advising on important matters both domestic and abroad, including war council. He is to also advise on a more personal level; making sure that the king remains sane and makes wise decisions. This’ll prove to be a great test of mental strength due the fact that the king is non other than his nephew-brother, Geoffry “Baratheon,” a teenage boy with no sense of honor and a bloodlust only matched by that of a starving wolf.

Many of the families of the seven kingdoms of Westeros will soon be put to the test as the war for the throne escalates to new levels. There is also the growing threat of Daenerys Targaryen’s journey of power, her new born dragons and her desire to reclaim the Iron Throne as it is her birthright. Who will win? Who will die? Most importantly, who will live to tell the tale and rule over Westeros? All I can say is “war is coming”.

Video: Totall Recall Trailer Talk about a major overhaul. With...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:30:00 -0400

Video: Totall Recall Trailer Talk about a major overhaul. With new technology being implemented for imrpoved scenes in this movie reboot, we can expect a higher level of cinemetogrophy and hopefully a richer storyline. I for one am excited for the Total Recall reboot!

Edit: So I completely overlooked what is the most important aspect of the original Total Recall movie; Total Recall takes place on Mars. It’s the center piece to the whole thing and I pulled an amateur writer’s move.

This reboot is set on Earth and all we can do is hope that there’s some twist or something that’ll make it just seem that it’s on Earth. Here’s to wishful thinking. Well folks, I just wanted to correct myself and let you know that I messed that up. There!!

theartofanimation: Antoine Carrion Aka: Eye tentacle Zombie...

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:52:15 -0400

theartofanimation:

Antoine Carrion Aka: Eye tentacle

Zombie Passion.

Feature: The Hunger Games

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:35:03 -0400

Surviving death is only part of the battle. The fight to maintain your humanity is a battle that only those with the heart to do it can win. That idea smacks you square in the face in the book to film adaptation of Suzanne Collins story: The Hunger Games. Every waking second counts and the slightest mishap can cost you your life; for Katniss Everdeen this could very well be the biggest challenge she has ever faced.

Katniss Everdeen who is played by Jennifer Lawrence is a young girl living in post-apocalyptic times with her mom and younger sister in a ravaged district. These districts which are labeled 1 to 12, select two sacrifices that compete in a survival game that only one person can come out alive from. The winner of this survival game is allowed the opportunity to enjoy the luxuries the rich who live in the capitol have access to. Katniss’ sister is selected first in her own district but Katniss volunteers in her sister’s stead. Along side her a young male around the same age as Katniss by the name of Peeta Mellark, who is played by Josh Hutcherson, is selected also.

I have yet to read the series, yes there is a series (I know I know…..duh), but the movie was nicely done and it gave me enough motive to read the series to discover the things that were left out. The books will also serve to give you a more detailed look at the interactions and thoughts of the characters as the story progresses.

Many of you movie buffs out there claim that this entire story in book and movie form are a ripoff from an older book which also became a film titled: Battle Royale. The story of young kids fighting for survival, which really is just entertainment for the government is exactly the same. The biggest differences are that the story originally comes from Japanese writer Koushun Takami, the setting is in Japan and most importantly, it is not post-apocalyptic. I don’t think this is one of those things where you can simply say that “imitation is the biggest form of flattery,” but I digress.

Whether you read one version or another, both have an interesting take as to what kind of solution would be used to appease the masses in unbalanced times. History tells of the Romans hosting gladiator games where men were put up against one another in an area for blood sport. These stories both take it a step further and use more than one fighter; all of whom are kids. At the end of the day it just seems that blood-sport is pretty much the only way to keep control over the masses and distract the people from hard times.

Are we so savage that that would be the only option we have if ever we are faced in desperate times? I would like to believe that there would be those who would stand up against this even if martial law were instated and the government constantly on our backs. Now while it is true that not everyone can take such heavy pressure and most might buckle under it, it is still important to remember that a unified people can stand together against any odds.

At the end of the day this is all an over thought and thinking too much into such trivial things only does more harm than good. It’s just a story right?…….

Whenever you want me Iggy, you can have me

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:24:14 -0400

Whenever you want me Iggy, you can have me

The Loss of a Life is The Loss of an Opportunity To Change The World

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:11:00 -0400

Time and time again we the public switch on the tv to the news and come across what’s happening now, happened yesterday, predictions for what will happen and sports. Most of the time, the only positive thing you’ll hear on there is that team “X” beat team “Y” and that covers that. Everything else is about one or more tragedies. It can’t be helped, this is how the news has been for as long as it has been available to us. The most recent story to gain fast fame and throw the people into a frenzy is the shooting of a young, black male by the name of Trayvon Martin.

Trayvon, according to articles like the ones I’ll be posting below this, was on his way to his dad’s fiancé’s house from a convenience store and was followed by a man named George Zimmerman. Trayvon, was unarmed according to the articles and George Zimmerman “noticed a suspicious person who appeared to be on drugs.” Zimmerman “followed Martin against the recommendation of the 911 dispatcher”. While Trayvon was being followed, he was on the phone and expressed discomfort to his girlfriend about being followed. The conversation is on record for use as evidence.

An altercation occured due to Zimmerman’s desire to follow and eventually confront the young male. Zimmerman got away with just a nosebleed and Trayvon gets put in a casket to be the reason of another eulogy. This appears to be a racial dillema and George Zimmerman apparently does not think it so. He’s apparently regretting it all being “really really sorry”.

Allow me to play devil’s advocate for a minute. In this day and age, racism is simply covered up by sayings like “I was only joking” or my favorite (sarcasm), “it was self defense”. Let’s be honest here, we see this happening everyday blatanly. When a black male gets on the train or bus wearing a hoodie over his head and his pants are sagged, you can see the look of discomfort on the person next to them’s face. No I’m not a racist, I’m simply stating what I see happen day-in and day-out. While this story and this other scenario are completely different case wise, the root is still the same; people in general have prejudices. Some are more subtle than others but it’s all easily seen.

Am I wrong for saying that? I leave it to your discretion. When we the people stop trying to cover up that these things exist and are just as relevant as Kim Kardashian’s money making off doing nothing but being pretty, then maybe we can start reasoning better when something like this happens. It’s outrageous that George Zimmerman is a free man still after it is CLEAR that he shot the young male and killed him. Our justice system is warped. The chief of Sanford police had to “temporarily” step down because he came under heavy fire due to how the case was being handled. The parents of Trayvon felt that the investigation was being botched. Basically being turned into something different than what it was.

You see, right away when racism is thrown into the fire, everyone wants to cover their eyes, ears and mouths. Enough is enough; things need to be taken for what they are in situations like this. If a fight broke out between the two then both should have come out alive. This death was uneccessary. No one should lose their life because someone else felt that they were suspicious. This puts further emphasis on the restructuring of the laws that oversee gun posession. Furthermore, it’s up to us, the neighbors, fellow transit riders and general public to rise above this hatred or sense of discomfort with people of different walks of life. Not everyone walking in urban gear is a hoodlum or someone who poses a threat to you. We’ll never be able to reach new levels as occupants of this world if all we do is kill each other off.

The loss of one life is the loss of an opportunity to change the world. Why do it to ourselves?

(Article 1: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=8595782)

(Article 2: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/22/trayvon-martin-state-attorney_n_1374206.html)

Finally, Spring is here!! Official as of the 20th of this month...

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:08:00 -0400

Finally, Spring is here!! Official as of the 20th of this month (March for those of you not keeping up). The weather is getting warmer, the kids are out to play, outfits for the ladies get tighter ;-) and men begin to make their statements apparel wise. All in all the good times are now ready to roll. It’s not to say that enjoyment is weather specific; we should all be enjoying life as much as we can whenever we can, this winter was simply dull.

I’m a Winter person myself but I couldn’t wait for the season to change. The world seemed to be on standby this Winter passed. It’s as if now that the weather has begun to get warmer, someone pressed play and now everything is in motion once more. The museums will be filled with new and exciting exhibits and the parks will be filled with the sounds of the great musicians who have yet to be discovered. That’s one of my favorite things about this time of the year.

The saxaphone player helps set the mood when on a date and the violinist in the park is the finishing touch for a picnic. Now if school would only end quicker! What adventures lie in wait for me? I’m not sure but I do know one thing, I’m happy as can be that there will be so much more to do.