A Duquesne Student's Blog

Some reviewers tend to hate this album, giving it as low as 2 stars. I disagree completely and think Allmusic.com's review of 4 stars is on target. This is very simply a perfect summer album. Being the side project of Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend members, it has a very freewheeling pop sound. The only thing is, it's dominated by a heavy synthesizer the entire album. It

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sounds like the 808's of Kanye's recent album, except that it doesnt have Kanye singing poorly.

Detractors of the album point to the lack of hooks and decent choruses, but I just don't think they expected this kind of music from these guys. Some of the songs, such as "Orange Shirt" and "Carby", sound like they belong to the world of RnB. Very unexpected from a member of Vampire Weekend. While the hooks might not be singable, they are certainly memorable and fun.

I find the album to be very catchy and hypnotic. It feels like the perfect playlist to your summer pool party. This isn't a deep album and was never meant to be. It just feels fun, and you can tell that members Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend) and Wes Miles (Ra Ra Riot) had a great time making it.

One of the strange gems of the album is a remake of Jackson 5's "I Want You Back". Very well timed indeed, but obviously just a coincidence. My favorite song on the album is "So Insane", a very odd song that wil

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l slow down to almost a halt at multiple points, only just pick right back up. It has a great chorus "Oh baby you got me going so insane and I just don't know what's goin down" and airy falcetto vocals that bleed summer fun.

Your first listen to this album may be somewhat difficult. The synth takes time to get used to and the odd beats may trip you up. Listen to the whole thing through and then listen to it again right afterward. It sounds like gold the second time through. This may be my favorite album of the summer.

Okay I found another song that it is pretty cool. It will make you want to "clap your hands" as the band's title suggests. I haven't gotten a chance to hear the full album that came out June 23rd but it seems to be getting good reviews.

15 to 20 by The Phenomenal Handclap Band

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The band name links to their myspace site where you can listen to more of their songs. I think this band is making some refreshingly unique music, while honoring all different kinds of music at the same time. The songs I've heard from the album all have a different feel to them.

They are currently touring through Europe but most of the members are from Brooklyn or in the New York City metro area. The band has been around for a while but has added new pieces and recorded this debut album. Original members include Daniel Collas and Sean Marquand began as New York DJ's but decided they would rather make their own music. Check these guys out, you won't regret it.

Here is a review from Okayplayer.com

I Heard this song today:



You better like it. The song is by a band who came out of Spain but are now based in England. They play traditional Spanish instuments and also use alot of synth.

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I have been reading this blog about a guy who is running across Europe. This seems like possibly the coolest thing to do if you can run. Since I only run about 25k a week I don't think I am ready. He runs about a marathon a day. It's pretty cool to see how this guy finds a place to stay every night, makes for some great stories. He is running from Amsterdam to Athens and is currently in eastern France.

Check this guy out:
ryanrunseurope.blogspot.com

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I think it is important to recognize how beautiful the Pittsburgh skyline is. I will be fortunate enough to have a 19th floor apartment in Brottier Hall this year facing downtown and am excited to see my view. While I was looking for some pictures of the skyline I came across a pretty amazing photo tour of Pittsburgh.

Make sure to notice the new PNC Three building (in light green glass). It is a nice addition to the skyline and looks great from the shot on the north shore.

I will be sure to post photos of the view from my window when I move into Brottier Hall in August.

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Here's some advice from a 70 year old sailor of the world in the 1860's. It is from the book Hawaii by James A. Michener (pictured right), an epic tale of the people who came to Hawaii over many generations. The advice is being given to the 13 year old boy Whip Hoxworth, embarking on a sailing trip around the world from Hawaii.

Captain Rafer Hoxworth:

1. "Whip, the two greatest things in life are sailing into a strange port and thinking, 'I can make this city mine' and sailing into the harbor of a strange woman and saying, 'I can make this woman mine'... "

2. "Living seventy years is a tremendous adventure. You're thirteen now. You've probably got fifty seven Christmases left. Enjoy each one as if you would never see another, for by God, the day soon comes when you won't. You've got about two and a half thousand more Saturday nights remaining. Get your self a girl and enjoy her. Never take a girl lightly. You may never sleep with another. Or she may be the one you'll always remember as the best of the lot."

3. "Be on top of the wheel as it turns, not dragging along at the bottom."

4. "You'll apreciate clothes more if you have to work for them"

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5. "Now, Whip, if you get into a fight, and you will, remember one thing. Fight to kill. There's no other rule. And when you've got a man fairly licked and on the deck, always kick him in the face so that when he gets up he can't contend that he almost had you down. Bruise him, scar him, mutilate him so that he never forgets who's boss. And when you've done this, help him up and be generous."

(I wouldn't recommend this)

6. "Whip, you've tasted Chinese girls and Spaniards. There are a thousand more to sample. Try 'em all. That's the one thing you'll do in life that you'll never regret."

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Pizza Milano on 5th Ave is famous on Duquesne's campus for good pizza and low prices. The pizzeria is open late into the night and delivers to all the dorms and around the city. For less than 10 dollars you can get the "College Special" which is either a hoagie and a 1 liter drink or a large cheese pizza and drink.

The pizza is the best I have tried in the Pittsburgh area and is characterized by thick tasty cheese. The pizza doesn't have too much sauce and has a sweet tasty crust. I have found that the pizza actually tastes better when it is delivered because it takes time for the cheese to set on the pizza. The hoagies are also very good. My favorite is the buffalo chicken hoagie, which is especially hot.

The 5th Ave pizzeria also has a bar that is very popular among Duquesne students. It is also a hot spot before Penguins and Dukes games. A Duquesne student band usually plays on Thursday nights to a packed bar.

Orders do tend to get mixed up at this place due to the sheer volume of orders the recieve every night. Pizza Milano is by far the most popular pizza place near campus and empty Milano's boxes can be seen in trash cans throughout the dorms as weekend nights progress.

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Aaron Jackson, after being passed by in the NBA Draft, has signed a contract as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers had shown interest after Jackson worked out for the team before the draft last week.

Jackson will travel to Indianapolis this week after nursing a sprained ankle sustained at a Celtics workout. From there he will travel to Orlando, Florida to play for the Pacer's summer league team. He will join Tyler Hansbrough and A.J. Price who were drafted by the Pacers in the NBA Draft last Thursday.

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Check out this album:

Dragonslayer by Sunset Rubdown

It is a quirky mixture of electric and pop that seems to go down well. Sounds very spacey as well, if that is an accurate way to describe music. I guess thats why the track I'm listening to is called silver moons.

Anyways, this is a pretty fun listen, so give it a try.

Here is one of the better songs, Idiot Heart

Cover via Amazon

I have had the chance to watch a lot of HBO, Showtime, and other network series lately and wanted to post my favorites:

1. Entourage (HBO) While the story line doesn't change much and there isnt much to this show, it cant be beat it terms of good hearted fun. You can't watch an episode of this show without smiling, laughing, and wishing you were there. This series will make you happy and make you want to go out with your buddies and have a good time. Or just sit and watch Entourage all day.

2. Dexter (Showtime) Has there been a more interesting series on television in a long? This show about a serial killer who kills only the people deserve it is a tingling, suspensful ride. It will make you cringe, cheer, and get really pissed off. This series is the perfect show for guys of every kind. And yes they show Dexter killing people.

3. Madmen (AMC) This historical series set in the 1960s will make you want to drink. There is hardly a scene in the entire series where the characters aren't drinking some kind of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. The intriguing characters, infedelity, slick business practices, and old school styles in this series will keep your interest and probably make you grab a drink.

4. In Treatment (HBO) This intense drama consists almost entirely of a Dr's therapy sessions with his patients. While the patients are telling stories about their lives you really can imagine the stories without every leaving the therapists office. The stories are truly heartbreaking and inspiring and will make you beg for another episode. I don't usually like dramas but this show caught me off guard and was surprisingly good.

5. The Wire (HBO) This Baltimore Police epic series is probably the best series about crime ever made. The long running show is frequently atop lists like this and deserves all the recognition it gets. The story lines can get boring at times, and can become quite complicated as well. If you want a glimpse into the world of drugs and crime this is your place.

Honorable Mentions: Breaking Bad, Sex and the City, Deadwood, Weeds

Please note that these are only series that are somewhat current and are not on the big network channels.

Also, please be sure to comment and critique my choices.

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Aaron Jackson was left out of the 2009 NBA draft after a record setting season with the Duquesne Dukes. The senior star from Hartford, CT had hoped to land a spot in the second round of the draft. He had moved up to the third best point guard remaining on ESPN's list, before the draft ended.

The draft this year was loaded with good point guards, which made Jackson's chances slim to begin with. It also didnt help that he sprained his ankle in his final workout with the Boston Celtics. While this probably did not hurt his chances too much, it didnt help either. With the slim chances he had to begin with he had to be absolutely perfect.

Jackson will now probably go overseas to play in Europe. It is possible that Jackson will end up in the NBA in the near future. In fact some sources believe this is his best route to the NBA. It will give him valubale professional experience against solid competition. Don't forget about AJ because you might be hearing more about him in the future. Best of luck.

Cover of Thriller

In memory of Michael Jackson I wanted to post some of his greatest music. While Michael Jackson has recently led a controversial life, we should remember the high points of his life. We would all like to be remembered by our victories rather than by our losses.

Michael Jackson died today after a cardiac arrest at his home in L.A. He was taken to the UCLA medical center where he was pronounced dead

He sold more than 750 million records and practically revolutionized the music industry. His music videos changed the way music was listened to. He was 50 years old.

Smooth Criminal:



Youtube has an entire channel focused on Michael Jackson
Songs:
Thriller
Beat It
Billie Jean
Rock With You
Bad
Black or White
The Way You Make Me Feel

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Brazil barely defeated South Africa today in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup. Brazil, the 5th ranked team in the world will now face the 14th ranked United States squad for the second time in this tournament. In the first match between them, Brazil outshot the U.S. 23-9 and won 3-0. The U.S. never had a chance to beat Brazil, but played well against first ranked Spain in their semi-finals match.

The game will be played in Johanesberg, South Africa and will air at 2 pm EDT on ESPN. The U.S. was not expected to make it this far into the tournament, especially after losing their first two matches of the tournament by healthy margins. They were fortunate enough to defeat Egypt 3-0 in their third match to gain entry into the semi-finals. They played their best soccer of the year against Spain, and will need a similar effort to be Kaka, Robhino, and the rest of Brazil's soccer stars.

The U.S. will need efforts similar to those in the Spain match from scorers Joze Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Altidore, only 19, will need to use his size and athleticism in order to out manuever Brazil's veteran defensemen. Also look for Landon Donovan to step up if the U.S. has any hope of winning their first ever FIFA tournament in their first ever FIFA tournament final appearance.

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With the NBA Draft upon us, I saw an article today about Aaron Jackson's NBA draft chances. Ron Everhart, the Duquesne Men's Basketball Coach, stated that numerous NBA teams have been giving Jackson second looks. Most notably, the Celtics have given him a second workout along with some other guards. Jackson said that he would love to play for the Celtics, since he grew up in Hartford, CT.

Jackson is still on the bubble but is getting closer and closer to being a late second round pick.


After seeing Aaron play during my two years at Duquesne I really hope he makes it in the NBA. I have never seen a harder worker on the court, in my many years of watching college basketball at Duquesne and UMass as a child. I also must say that Aaron is a stand up guy on campus and is always seen with a smile on his face and in a good mood.


If Jackson were to be drafter it could also do wonders for Duquesne's basketball program, prooving to recruits that going to Duquesne can lead to the NBA. This is important for a lot of recruits out of high school.

I thought this was pretty cool. This band has some other pretty cool songs, without John Legend obviously. They also do some cool remixes (Metric's "Monster Hospital"). Check out "Easy Love" too by MSRTKRFT.

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The U.S. defeated Spain today in the Confederations Cup Semi-Final. They won 2-0 on goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Altidore is only 19 years old and muscled an impressive goal in the first half to put the U.S. up by one over a team the hadnt been scored on for over 400 minutes of play. This is one of the biggest wins the U.S. has ever earned on the soccer field.

They will face either Brazil or South Africa in the finals on Sunday. The 2010 World Cup starts next summer, and if the U.S. can play like they did today in it they have a chance to finish well.

I bought bus tickets today to Pittsburgh on July 12th. From Pittsburgh I am meeting up with a couple friends to drive to New Jersey to meet another friend of ours. We are going to be staying at his place one night (13th) and then go down to the Jersey shore. We will stay there the next night (14th) and then come back to his place for the night (15th). After that we will drive back to Pittsburgh (16th)where I will catch the bus back to Columbus on the 17th.

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Its a sunday at the U.S. Open, but no winner will be decided. The rain last night postponed play til about noon, keeping the players from getting two rounds in. Scores have been pretty low all week because of the slow greens and the top score is -8. I would expect that the leaders will drop a couple strokes, making the winning score around 5 or 6 under.

Tiger had a good afternoon, but it wasn't good enough. He shot a 68, moving him to +1 for the Championship. At 9 back from the leader his chances of victory are very low. It will take a heroic effort and a little help from the field for Tiger to win his 16th Major Championship.

After his round today, Tiger explained that he had been hitting the ball well enough to be in the lead, but that his putting was holding him back. This isn't surprising, considering how much rain has fallen on the course. I think Tiger will post a good score tonight/tomorrow and end up at around 2 or 3 under. This would probably not win him the Championship.

The players are about to tee off for the final round, and I will watch and enjoy the rest of this tournament hoping that tiger can pull off a miracle.

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Aaron Jackson was one of the most loved players to play at Duquesne in years. His unselfish style, raw athletic ability, and skills with the basketball made him the leader of the 2008-2009 Duquesne Dukes. After his 46 point final performance in the first round of the NIT in West Virginia, Jackson went on to play in an NBA scouting tournament and has attended workouts for numerous NBA teams.

Jackson has spent most of the spring in Florida at the IMG Basketball Academy and Pro Training Center with fellow collegiate players DeJuan Blair and Tyrell Biggs. So far, Jackson has had workouts with Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Indiana, Cleveland, and Atlanta. Other workouts might be scheduled before the June 25th NBA Draft.

Currently, Jackson appears to be on the outside looking in. There is still a chance he could be picked up in the late second round if one of the GM's from the teams he has workedout with likes him. The single season record holder for assists has already recieved offers to play overseas but hasn't lost hope in playing in the NBA. Even if left undrafted, he could still play overseas and return to play in the NBA in the near future. This is exactly what Duquesne Alumni Mike James did on his way to being a started in the NBA.

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I watched most of Tiger's round today at Bethpage Black where he is currently at +3. I think Tiger has unfortuantely gotten the short end of the stick weather-wise. There is a clear disparity between the players who got to play yesterday afternoon and this morning and those who started thursday and finished their second round this afternoon. Those who have played in the good weather have shot amazing scores (Ricky Barnes -8, Mike Weir -6).

Tiger has not been hitting his puts but has overall been hitting the ball pretty well. After his second round Tiger made some comments about the trouble he has been having with the rough around the greens. He said he hasn't gotten a feel for the thickness of the grass and the slickness of the greens in the rain.

The cut is projected at +4 so Tiger has just slipped by and could start his third round this afternoon.

Poor Paddy Harrington played a horrendous second round and was actually booed during the last few holes. He couldn't hit a fairway to save his life and only stayed somewhat respectable by making some incredible par saves. In the end the Irishman couldn't keep it up and triple bogeyed the final hole of the round.

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Trumpeter Sean Jones from the Duquesne Mary Pappert School of Music performed on Monday, June 15th at the White House for the first session in First Lady Michelle Obama's Music Series. Jones was joined by fellow trumpeter Wynton Marsalis among others.

The event's purpose was to educate the public on Jazz and music in general. Jones participated in a Jazz workshop for over 150 grade schoolers that were in attendance. The workshop was a success and ended in a concert performed by the Marsalis brothers, Sean Jones, and other Jazz musicians from around the country.

Sean Jones is well known and respected in the international Jazz community and periodically performs in and around the Pittsburgh area and the throughout the country.

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Primati Brothers is a popular destination for Duquesne students while visiting Southside. This restaurant's combination of fries, cole slaw, and regular sandwich meat all on one sandwich is truly delicious. These greasy sandwiches go especially well after a night enjoying your favorite alcoholic beverage. With their late hours and convienient location at the corner of Carson Street and 18th Street, this place is busy late into the night on the weekends. While lines at night can be long, orders are taken quickly at the counter and cooked right away. The Southside location also has a bar that allows cigar smoking.

Primati Brothers originally started in the Strip district during the 1930's to feed passing truckers on their way through. The story goes that one such trucker came with load of potatoes that he wished to have fried up and put on his sandwich. The rest of the people in the restaurant thought this looked good and asked for it as well. The trend caught on and has since been the signature of Primati Brothers.

My personal favorite on the menu is the Pitts-burgher Cheese Steak # 2 best seller, as the menu reads. The number one best seller is a mystery to me. Needless to say if you havent been to Primati Brothers, you must check out this Pittsburgh dining classic. There are now 15 Pittsburgh locations and two locations in Florida.

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After a couple lines of thunderstorms moved through the Columbus area this morning waking me up, I am tuning into DirecTV coverage of Tiger Wood's group. Tiger is playing pretty well and is at +1 for the first round, which is being continued after the rain on Long Island yesterday.

Tiger will start his second round later this afternoon. The leader is currently at -2. the U.S. Open is famous for its difficult course conditions, so good scores should be hard to come by. Conditions today however, after the rain yesterday, should make for some good scores.

It will be difficult for all the players to make it through two rounds today. The pace on the course is very slow.

Update: Tiger finished at a respectable +4 after a terrible last four holes. He had pulled to even at one point on the back nine but ran into some trouble on 15 through 18.

Cover of Dynamite

One album in my collection that never seems to get old is Dynamite, by British band Jamiroquai.

The album combines the soul of the 70's with dance themes of the mid 2000's. While a lot of the album is quite danceable, there are a few heavier tracks that help complete the album. The general mood of the album is fun and enthusiastic. It makes great background music for hanging out at lower volume levels and makes great dance music with a good set of speakers. There are numerous love songs on the album but also some party songs. The music is very soulful and has could easily pass as funk.

"Feels Just Like it Should" is one of the many highlights from this album. The title track, "Dynamite", also has a memorable groove and lyrics that will call for a night out on the town. In fact, most of the songs on the album could be on your playlist for a night out on the town. One of my favorite tracks on the album is "Seven Days in Sunny June", a great summer classic that makes you feel like "sippin wine and killin time". While the album wont see playing time at the clubs in the strip district, it is plenty danceable and makes for an enjoyable listen.

If you like music by Jamiroquai be sure to check out their previous albums.

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My Dad just called and it looks like he got tickets for my brother and me to the sold out Clippers game in Columbus. The AAA baseball team has a brand new ballpark downtown called Huntington Park.

I have been to one other game this year and enjoyed it.

looked

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Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to get free tickets to the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, OH. I only got to go on Saturday but was able to see Tiger Woods play several holes. My Dad and I hopped a couple holes ahead of Tiger to get a good spot and waited for his group to pass through and repeated the sequence again. I really recommed this strategy because you get to follow about three groups for most of the course. Fortunately the groups ahead of Tiger were interesting, otherwise it could have been quite boring.

There were some incredibly large and beautiful houses along the Muirfield Village golf course. I am jealous of the people who get to host parties there during the tournament. I looked online and found that one for sale on the course was going for 3.25 million dollars.

I started watching the U.S. open this morning but no sooner had I turned it on did the horn blow for the suspension of play due to rain. Tiger is +1 but it is still very early. I am rooting for both Tiger and Phil Mickelson. Phil's wife unfortunately was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

The U.S. open is being played at Bethpage Black on Long Island. Heavy rain is expected intermittenly today but should slow down tomorrow.

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I don't know what to make of the unrest in Iran. I dont like Ahmadinejad but dont really know if the other guy would be any better. I guess whoever the people actually voted for should win the election.


If you are even vaguely interested in this I would recommend Andrew Sullivan's blog at The Atlantic. He has been covering the story since it began.