Killer Whales and Dolphins

Has anyone seen the movie "The Cove?" It is a heart wrenching film with an unbearable final scene. It is a "must-see" though. It has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary category.

I was not surprised when I heard about the trainer being killed by the Killer Whale in Sea World. "The Cove" sheds a lot of light on the subject and I am actually surprised that captive dolphins and whales don't kill more. It is very curious to know that the world's leading dolphin activist was once the capturer and trainer of the original Flipper dolphins. He experienced a life-changing awakening while training Flipper and concluded that dolphins in captivity are stressed, unhappy, and even kill themselves. He believes that someday we might discover that dolphins and whales are as smart as humans and what we have been doing for all of these years is similar to internment camps.

Before blasting me with negative comments, please watch "The Cove" first. If this film does not change your mind, then blast away.

For those of you who would like to do your part in helping the struggle of ocean mammals and fish, please try to eat only farm-raised fish like tilapia or farm-raised salmon. Just this act alone can help a great deal.

For those of you who have already seen "The Cove" and want to see some similar-type documentaries that raise awareness of ongoing problems in the world, I recommend "Food, Inc." about the food and farming industry and also nominated for an Academy Award this year and "Under Our Skin" about the Lyme Disease cover-up going on in the world right now.

"The Cove" and "Food, Inc." are available on Netflix. "Under Our Skin" must be purchased, but it is well-worth the money. Please let me know what your thoughts are.

The Best Anime Movies for Adults and Kids

While creating my last movie list, the inclusion of Akira reminded me that so many people ignore Anime when choosing their Netflix rentals for their kids and themselves. This list can be watched by adults only, kids only (probably 8 years old or more unless noted), adults with kids. Hayao Miyazaki is a master at making anime films that appeal to the young and old alike so my list is heavy with his influence. These are my favorites in reverse order:

• Nausicaa
• The Castle of Cagliostro
• Porco Rosso
• Castle in the Sky
• Howl's Moving Castle
• Ponyo *
  
• Kiki's Delivery Service *
  
• My Neighbor Totoro *
• Princess Mononoke
• Grave of the Fireflies
• Spirited Away (The Best)
  

*Indicates that this film is OK for children under 8 years old

The Best Science Fiction Movies You Haven't Seen

One reader asks me to recommend The Best Sci Fi movies she has not seen yet. I hope there are a few gems here you have not seen. I have not seen all of these yet either, but I can guarantee you they are on my Netflix. Here is my list in reverse preference order:

• Akira
• Soylent Green
• Sunshine
• Strange Days
• Enemy Mine
• Equilibrium
• Gattaca
• Starman (The Best)
  

The Best Games for Game Night

So you want to have some friends or family over. Why not liven the party up with some board games. It is a great way to break the ice with new people or bond with old friends or family. Don't be surprised if you learn some new things about people as the competitive juices start flowing. Here are my top 7 choices in reverse order:

• Charades
• Scene It (the best versions are on games systems like Wii or XBox 360)
• Clue
• Apples to Apples
• Pictionary
• Scattergories
• Settlers of Catan (The Best)
  

Chocolate

The chocolate market has become very complicated lately. Everyone and their brother makes chocolate from the countless large chocolate companies to the small artisanal chocolate shops. Chocolate is the new wine, with organized tastings and complex flavors and aromas. Chocolate connoisseurs will tell you that dark chocolate is the only way to go and the higher percentage of cocoa the better, but I will leave those decisions up to you. I have organized my recommendations into 4 categories:

Corner Store Quality

In this category I recommend Lindt. Lindt has a surprising good quality, taste, and consistency for such a low-price chocolate. You can even buy Lindt on the check-out line at the supermarket!


Great Quality

In this category I recommend Green & Black Chocolate and Dagoba Organic (owned by Hershey). Both brands are very good, have complicated flavors, and are reasonably priced. These brands can easily be purchased online, at a chocolate shop, or at organic/health food stores.

Gourmet Quality

I have two recommendations in this category and both are pretty much perfect. They exceed all expectations of chocolate and send your taste buds into nirvana. My choices are Scharffen Berger and Valrohna, both made in France.

The Best

Amedei made in Tuscany, Italy is my choice for the best chocolate in the world. It has won countless awards worldwide and is recognized as the quintessential chocolate.

The Amedei website describes the reason why this chocolate is so good:

"Alessio and Cecilia had a dream, which in the late eighties, urged by passion and enthusiasm,they started to make a reality; they took their first steps toward discovering the routes of cocoa.

Together they experimented with new ideas, to give life to an exclusive chocolate, and launched it worldwide. They broke the homology of tastes, and became the artificers of true and proper Renaissance taste.

Since 1990, Alessio and Cecilia have devoted and committed themselves to the search of perfect harmonious tastes, becoming reality in the form of a linear balanced bars or a napolitain shape, and a soft roundness of a praline.

The entire production process is followed by dedication and artisan skills such as the selection of the seeds of cocoa, personally done by Alessio in the countries of origin to the manufacturing of the chocolate conducted in the laboratory of Pontedera, under the attentive supervision of Cecilia, Amedei’s maitre chocolatier".

Best IPhone Applications

I love my IPhone. I love the ability to get my gmail emails pushed to me, I love the look of it, I love how it is organized, I love being able to watch my movies and listen to my music, and most of all...I love APPS! I have had so many Apps over the last couple of years and most don't last on my IPHONE very long. Here is a list broken down by category of those Apps that have lasted and that I consider THE BEST:


Best Utility App - EWallet

Best Free App - Facebook

Best Music App - Pandora

Best Sports App - Sportacular

Best Financial App - Bloomberg

Best News App - USA Today

Best Religious App - Grace to You

Best Paid Game - Sword & Poker

Best Free Games - Poker Deluxe

What To Do If Your Gas Pedal Sticks (Video)

This video is a must watch, even if you don't own a Toyota.

Rebates

Who do they think they're kidding! We know rebates are a scam and the companies are gambling that most consumers will forget about the rebate they sent in and not follow-up. Did you ever get a follow-up letter from the rebate processor stating you forgot to include one or more of the laundry list of items needed for your rebate when you know you included it?

Here are my tips:

1. Carefully complete the rebate application. Use a checklist to make sure you fill out everything and include all pertinent items.
2. Make a copy of everything you send out and SAVE it.
3. Mark a date in your calendar 6-8 weeks down the line to follow-up with the company if you haven't heard anything.

It is terrible that we have to protect ourselves like this, but it is a war out there. Scammers come in all shapes and sizes and don't assume because a company is "reputable" and a recognizable name, that they are not trying to make an easy buck off of you.

Best Portable Automtive DVD Player Ideas

A reader asks what is the best portable DVD solution for her vehicle. Many of us have been in this situation. You don't want to park your kid in front of the TV every time he/she is acting up, but there are those times (emergencies)when we have no other choice. When all else fails TV and DVDs to the rescue.

I have 2 recommendations for portable DVD solutions for the car. Depending on if you already have or don't have your own traditional portable DVD player, one of these should fit the bill:

Durabrand 7'' Dual-Screen Car DVD Player w/ 25 Games
This is an all-in-one solution that attaches to the seat and includes the DVD Player (as a bonus has 25 games as well).

In-Car 7"-10" Inch Portable DVD Player Case Attaches to Rear or Front Seat
This is like a laptop case which hangs from the seats in which you use your own traditional, portable DVD player.

Men's Wrist Watches

I am a watch junkie as I know many of you are. There is just something about wearing a well-made, beautiful watch that makes you feel good. I have quite a few watches and a lot of experience shopping for and researching watches. My list are recommendations only. There are many others in each category to choose from, but hopefully I can save you some work shopping.

Lower End (under $200)



Skagen - Skagen makes some nice watches and I do recommend them if you like this kind of Scandinavian style. They are well-made and seem to last a while. Swiss Army (Victorinox) used to be a contender here, but recently it is difficult to find a Swiss Army watch that costs under $500.


Mid-Level (under $1000)


There are many strong contenders in this very popular category and you can't really go wrong with any of the below brands. This style of watch is usually more luxurious and well-made. They have that "heavy" feel that one starts to see as the quality of a watch increases. Some of the choices here are Seiko, Citizen, Movado, and Tissot. My recommendation for this level is Citizen. Citizen makes some fantastic watches with some great features. Their Eco-Drive models are especially nice since they are recharged by solar power with a battery back-up. A Citizen watch, if taken care of, should last you a lifetime. I have had one Citizen Eco-Drive watch (among others in this category) for quite a few years now and it still runs and looks like new.


Upper-Level ($1000-$5000)



This is that level that we all think about when we are younger and strive to have someday. These watches are seen as status symbols and examples of success in life. These are still a bit out of my price range, but I have looked at and tried on many of them. Choices here include Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Tag Heuer, and IWC. These are all beautiful and well-made watches, but my recommendation is Breitling. Breitling has been making watches since 1884. They are the creators of the first wrist watch chronograph and are famous for providing watches to aviators. they are extremely beautiful, well-made, and reliable.




Luxury-Level ($5000 & Up)


At this level of watch we are talking to those who don't care how much a watch costs and don't look at price tags. Watches in this category are generally hand-made in Switzerland or Germany and are flawless. The average price of watches in this category is around $15,000. Choices here include A. Lange & Sohne, Blancpain, and Glashutte. In this category my recommendation is Blancpain. Blancpain started hand making watches in Switzerland in 1735. They only make about 10,000 watches per year (compare that to Rolex who make approximately 2000 watches per day). Each Blancpain watch is made by a single watch maker. Simply put, I believe this is the best watch in the world.

Random Thought - Curling

It is 2010 Winter Olympics time. I hate to admit it, but I am really enjoying these Olympics. Like the last Winter Olympics in 2006, I have found myself strangely drawn to the curling competitions. The U.S. Men's and Women's teams are not that competitive, but that is to be expected. How many people in the U.S. have even heard of curling? But...I do love my target sports and this is like shuffleboard on ice. I told myself that if there happened to be a curling club within driving distance of my house, I would look further into it. Well, low and behold, there is a major curling club literally 5 minutes from house! My Dad said he knew about it, but I had no idea. More to come soon....and possibly some equipment to buy!

Sporting Clays Shotgun ... Beretta 391 Review

One thing you need to know about me before we go much further in this blog is that I love shooting targets. This could be anything from guns and archery to darts and Wii games. So I guess I can say, you will see on ongoing theme in some of my posts.

Let's talk about sporting clays. I didn't know what sporting clays was until 2 years ago myself. My brother-in-law, while living in California discovered it, and introduced it to me when he and my sister moved back to NY. Basically, sporting clays is like a cross between golf and skeet shooting. There are a set number of stations (holes), usually between 10 and 18, where clay targets are thrown in a manner that simulates different birds or animals. For example, a station that simulates pheasants might send the clays low and across the target area. A station that simulates rabbits, might send a clay bouncing across the ground. A station that simulates ducks could send the clays high above overhead. Like golf, the stations are different every time you play them (kind of like moving the hole position on greens). It is a great and challenging sport which I highly recommend to anyone.

I believe the Beretta Model AL391 is the best sporting clay shotgun. Unlike some other categories I might discuss later, the Beretta AL391 is a slam dunk across the board. This shotgun is great for beginners as well as experts, men as well as women. It is the perfect sporting clays shotgun. This is a semi-automatic shotgun, with great balance, accuracy, and a controlled recoil (the kick-back of the gun after firing). This shotgun is widely available from many gun stores as well as retail mega stores like Walmart and Dick's. If you are on a fixed budget, check out Walmart as they sell this shotgun for a great price around $600. For the ladies, I recommend the AL391 Urika 2 Parallel Target RL (reduced length) as it is a shorter shotgun and adjustable. For those of you who are a little more advanced or want a shotgun with a little more style (bling), I recommend the AL391 Teknys Gold Sporting (see above photo). It is made of beautiful walnut wood with accents. Please check these shotguns out. If you have a chance, take a look at Beretta USA website. Or even better, head on over to a Beretta Gallery Store. You will be treated like a king/queen and you can look at everything Beretta offers.

Small SUV Shopping ...CRV, RAV4, Forester Reviews

I have a car. It is German, impractical for me, and WAY too expensive. I am in the last year of an endless 3 year lease ad can't wait for it to be over. When I got the car (by the way it is a BMW 335xi Sedan with all of the bells and whistles), it was a present for my wife. Ok, ok, yes I shouldn't be getting my wife presents that cost almost as much as my apartment, but I love her very much and she had said it was always her dream to have a BMW. It was worth it to see her face when I surprised her with it, but 2 years later she is also ready to move on.

A little about my life. I live in NY so I prefer AWD. I need more space than the BMW sedan could deliver. Two of my many hobbies are golf and shotgun shooting sporting clays (more on this another time, but it's like skeet shooting). Both require either an SUV, pick-up truck or a car with a large trunk. The BMW's trunk is small. I mean really small. I could fit 2 golf bags and 2 golf pull carts in my father's Civic and I could barely fit one and one in my BMW. Really embarrassing.

So I've been researching small, inexpensive SUVs. Nothing German this time as I am sick of visiting the service department at BMW. Nothing too expensive. I have leased at least 7 Japanese vehicles in the past and I have never (honestly) taken one in for anything other than a scheduled service. It's Japanese this time all the way! Up until a few weeks ago, I had my search narrowed down to 3 small SUVs: Toyota RAV4 V6, Subaru Forrester XT, and the Honda CRV.

I recently took a look at the new Forester and the design changes are really sharp. The engine on the XT is powerful, and it costs around $30k optioned out. Subaru lost me again though on the cargo space. The wheel wells really stick in a lot in the trunk area on this model as they did in the last generation. For me, this was a deal breaker. I need space in the trunk for my stuff, not the car's stuff.

The RAV4 WAS the perfect choice for me. Great reviews, lots of space, cost around $30K, powerful V6 engine, etc. But...Toyotas are off of my list for a while. This recall is really scary and I have heard a few of those recordings where drivers have lost control and sometimes died. I just read that there are 24 confirmed fatalities due to bad brakes. God knows I don't need anything else to worry about.

So... that leaves me with the Honda CRV. The EX-L is around $30k with all options. Honda is good this way. Don't charge a lot of extra money for option packages and such. I get really upset when I like a car and it seems like it costs one price, but costs another $10K just to get it street legal. It seems a little underpowered with its 4 cylinder engine, but I rarely drive my BMW over the speed limit or accelerate faster than Hyundai. 0-60 in 4.9 seconds hasn't kept me out of the service center either. I've owned Hondas before and they were never flashy or glamorous, but they were reliable and well-made. I never felt like I was in a "plastic" car even though everything is plastic...if you know what I mean. In about 10 months, we'll see what the final decision is, but for now the verdict is in:

• Subaru Forester (good)
• Toyota RAV4 (better)
• Honda CRV (The BEST)
  

A New Beginning

Welcome friends. My name is Rob. I am your every day kind of guy, I work for the federal government, am married with a couple of kids, etc., etc. What makes me qualified to tell you what is the best printer, pencil sharpener, shotgun, computer, car, etc. to buy? Well I love to do research, I love to buy new gadgets, and I HATE to waste money on junk! Let me know what you want me to look into. I will be getting started soon so time is of the essence.