Breaking Bad

I recently started watching Breaking Bad, or at least experiencing it, considering I am already on season 2. Breaking Bad is about an overqualified high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He partners up with his ex student to sell meth and support his family. Walter White the main character, is pretty much a rebel considering all of the trouble that he causes and all of the secrets he hides from his family and best of all his brother- in- law who is a DEA agent. Breaking Bad is one of the highest critically acclaimed series of all time between winning and  being nominated for 151 awards. The lead actor has won most of these awards for his portrayal of Walter White. The series finale is tonight, and even through I cannot watch it because of spoilers, I will blog about it when I do.

HIMYM

I am writing this post before I see the first episode of the last season of How I Met Your Mother. The series was supposed to end last season but got renewed at the very last second so most of last seasons episodes are random,  just like this clip that was played at comic con.

I think the writers have explored every avenue of ideas and zany antics and, of course, showed the "Mother" so there is not much left to write about, but  here is what I think will happen this season....

Ted, the main character, will whine a lot, as usual, and this will probably take up about a quarter of the season, until he finally lets go,  meets the mother and dates her until the series finale.

Marshall and Lilly will either have another baby or go through some other major drama like getting another job or moving back to the suburbs until it all resolves itself in the series finale.

Robin will get a new job and leave Barney until the series finale, where they reunite.

Barney will still be awesome....period.

Cool Art

Peter Paul Biro has to be one of the coolest people in the art world. He is not an artist, sculptor, or writer but, rather, authenticates paintings based upon fingerprints.  Yes, artist fingerprints.  Biro has created a special camera and technique where he looks into the layers of paint and searches for the artists actual fingers print, as artist leave their fingerprints in the paint.  He has done to the art world what Sherlock Holmes did to murders- they figured out who done it.

survival

I survived!  The funny thing is, while you are fasting, it seems like the day will never end and you are doomed to be hungry forever!  But then, the sun goes down, the final prayers are said, the shofar is blown and the day is over.  We all scurry to our cars, race home and collectively work to put the food that was prepared the day before, on the table.  We traditionally break the fast with challah with homey, symbolizing a sweet new year.  It is then quickly on to a host of anything you can imagine that gets smeared, spread, heaped and squished on top of many different flavored bagels.

After I consumed by body weight in food in about, oh, 3 minutes, I was full.  But, I knew from past experience, that I would be back around an hour later for desserts and about another hour later for more food!

The fast was fast.  The lessons on patience, humility, caring, penitence, hope and endurance, last throughout the year.

And I would have gotten away with it too....

You would think they would know better!  How is it that with all the “experts”, technology and advanced techniques, there is still art fraud?

Take, for example, the recent case of the art dealer, Glafira Rosales, who almost got away with it (if it wasn’t for those meddling investigators?)  Roslaes knowing sold copies of art by famous painters knowing they were fake.

The more interesting part of this case is not that the experts are not that good, or that she was clever, or that Modernist masers can be copied, but that it was one man who forged the paintings.  (So instead of becoming successful on his own, painting original works and finding a dealer-oh, he already did that- to promote his works, he cheated.

So, to recap, a Chinese immigrant, painting out of garage in queens, paints copies, which sold for millions, of which he received thousands. 

It is unclear how Rosales got caught, but the moral of the story is don’t cheat?  Don’t get caught with a fake? Don’t paint a fake? Pick a different era to fake? Oh, you know it is to be hones because the bad guy always gets caught.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/arts/design/art-dealer-admits-role-in-selling-fake-works.html?_r=0

money links

Today, I looked for money for STAC.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyno9/mighty-no-9?ref=live

I stumbled upon this on kickstarter. This game is very interesting, and was fully funded in two days! The game, as seen in the link, started when Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune left the big corporation Capcom when they sold out and killed the mega man series and created bad games. He took some of the elements of the Mega Man series and with some other designers are developing the game Mighty Number 9. He is essentially rebelling against big corporations and doing his own thing by hopefully creating a great game. It is funded by giving away the amazing rewards for pleading, appealing to nastalgia from the mega man series and the rep of the creator. 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1869987317/wish-i-was-here-1?ref=live

The next link I provided is Zack Braff's film "Wish I Was Here". He is making a film and asking for money via kickstarter because he realized that if he signs to a big movie company, it will change his artistic vision just like in his past movies. Braff will now make his movie. It is funding due of Braff's rep and the abundance of prizes he is giving away.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/combitstudios/river-city-ransom-underground?ref=home_spotlight

This kickstarter is not as widley known as the previous two but they are still trying. The game is a sequel to one that the developers made in the 90s. They are focusing on the gamers and their experience in game. They are halfway there, but the humor in their video is very appealing.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/manukamakers/precision-gyroscope?ref=discover_pop

This project is a toy gyroscope which spins at any angle due to the physics behind it. It got funded because people like toys especially sophisticated ones. 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/301091594/stereophone-a-multi-room-sound-system

Music is a growing industry, especially in people's homes.  People found that they need speakers flowing throughout their homes for optimal sound. That is why this kickstarter worked because it is a cool innovative gagget that makes a surround sound throughout your house.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/simplewallet/simple-20-the-leather-wallet-redesigned?ref=discover_pop

This worked because it is a multi purpose wallet which is so cliche it sums up the white middle class. The problem I see with this invention is that it is robber funded because it makes it easier to steal everything from their victims. 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2005214737/build-a-taffy-factory-in-brooklyn?ref=popular

This kickstarter is about a taffy factory being built in Brooklyn which I am even thinking of helping to fund because I live close enough to get some. Seriously,  I like their campaign and it was sucessfully funded. 

no food

I know my posts usually are about food, but this post will be a little different. This post will be about, well,  no food. Today, as I am sure you all know, is Yom Kippur, which I am observing.  If you didn't know, we are not allowed to eat or drink anything for what turns out to be around 27 hours.  The intent is to be cleansing.  It is supposed to be good for the body and mind.  Seriously, the point of this holiday is not to see us suffer, but to have us focus on the past year and had to be a better person for the year to come.

It is now after 3 and I literally can't look at anything without thinking it is it a giant ham or gefilte fish. I am honestly chewing on my laptop in hopes of getting nutrients. There are some benefits, however.  The food tonight will taste amazing, but, unfortunately, I will be eating so fast I won't recognize the kugel from the table cloth.

Another benefit is that noticing how many food commercials there are. I would blog about that now, but I would have to eat the television, so I will continue this tomorrow.

Temple

I have been in Temple these past two days, reflecting on this past year, which is what one tends to do when approaching a New Year.  I thought about what I had accomplished and all of the thousands of things I have yet to do.  I recalled great adventures I had with friends, and new concerts on my list.  I started to think about where I wanted to go to college, and was forced back to the cold reality of the fact that the SAT's are still looming.  I remembered that I never thank my family for all their help and support and made a mental note to do that........

The New Year is a time to celebrate, be thankful, and decide who you want to be for the year going forward.

STAC is a place where each new year should always be different, interesting and fresh.  I want to, no, I intend to write, film, act and edit.  If it all works perfectly then next year my list will be shorter, but, we all know that nothing is perfect and its all about the journey.

Missing Van Gogh

I read the attached article today about a missing Van Gogh that was found. The funny thing, however, was not that it was found, in an attic, but why it was missing for so long. A man purchased this painting, was then told it was a fake, and was so embarrassed that he shoved it in his attic for 6 decades.  It's a good thing the owner did not have an anger problem, otherwise he would have thrown it in the garbage!  The funnier thing was that this painting was not brought to be appraised once (when they got it wrong) but twice (where this reputable auction house got it wrong again). Imagine the surprise which would have been on the owners  face after being told, "Hey dude, you know that painting that we said was a fake, well we got it wrong.  Seems that the artist's style of painting, what's that name again, the ear guy, oh yea, Van Gogh, was different.  He was like in some transition.  Anyway with x rays and paint tests we can tell its like, real, and well, like sorry dude.  But look man, it's worth money now and you had good taste.  What, you look pissed.  So, we got it wrong.  Ok, we got it wrong twice.  What's the harm?  You never had to insure it and your ex wives didn't get it in any divorce settlements.  What, too personal?  Man, let's try this.  You preserved history in your attic!"  Got any Rembrants up there?


http://www.newsday.com/news/world/long-lost-painting-by-van-gogh-is-identified-1.6035269

artist's bio/lost lyrics

Yes, it is me. I am back after a long summer vacation in which you will all hear about later. So let's begin this year with my ARTIST bio:

Austin Katz is a writer. He was born in New York, NY on April 11, 1997.  His current projects include  the Highland's "Potato" and STAC's "Inside The Starving Artist".  His passion to write developed at an early age but notoriety started with his short story entitled "Jigglypuff, the Most Ferocious of the Pokemon". He was also recently published in OPUS 2013 for his short story entitled "Charlie Brown" . His passion for writing has evolved into screen plays and film writing. One of Austin's goals this year is to make a film this year. He has tried to make films last year but his attempts were, for the most part, unsuccessful, and he hopes with the right guidance he can improve and make his own feature length film.  He has also recently expanded his writing to include works about nature as a result of his most recent adventures in Hawaii during the summer of 2013.  Nature and ukulele playing are common themes in his most recent works.

As an beginner ukulele player, he wants to try to learn a lot of new songs by the end of the year and to become better by strumming chords faster. He also wants to learn how to read the sheet music for ukulele and write his own songs to play for others.

Austin has been practicing his writing ever since he was 12 years old, however, has only recently developed a clever and somewhat sarcastic style, which evolved as a result of his membership into the   gifted artists program called STAC. Ever since he joined this program, his writing has become more polished and real. Austin's inspiration comes from all aspects of his life, as well as his teachers, friends, and the music and art around him. In his past time when he is not writing, he is improving his business skills, listening to music, running, talking to his friends, playing video games (another form of art) or studying for his other classes that he attends as a high school student. Austin is looking forward toward the future and wants to graduate high school. Austin's influences are Batman, Pokemon, Deadpool, Kick-Ass, How I Met Your Mother and the people who he meets every day.

Them Heavy People lost lyrics

Them heavy people teach me, they teach me words and life

We learn from the past so to shape our future knowing

I will never make the mistakes again, learning, growing and learning some more

Becoming stronger and stronger each day

Them heavy people hit me in a soft spot
Them heavy people, help me
Them heavy people hit me in a soft spot
Rolling the ball, rolling the ball, rolling the ball to me
Rolling the ball, rolling the ball, rolling the ball to me