January 10th, 2012

Coffee Machine Reviews

coffee machinesIt used to be that coffee machines were nothing more than a boiling pot of water on the stove that pushed the water up and over a metal cup filled with grounds. The longer you boiled it, the stronger it got. Then came the electric percolator, followed by the drip coffee machines, made famous by Mr. Coffee. Since then, we’ve seen the introduction of many kinds of coffee machines including the French press, the grinder/drip machine, the home cappuccino and espresso machines, and now the single-cup coffee pad machines.

There is a virtually limitless choice of coffee machines on the market today, and choosing the best can be difficult. There are coffee machine reviews (also called Kaffeemaschinen Test in Germany) available on consumer magazine sites as well as blogs, review sites, and, of course, word of mouth. You can choose from a basic design to something that looks like a work of art for your kitchen, and in just about any color you want.

Which kind of coffee pad machine (known as Kaffeepadmaschinen in Germany) is right for you? The best coffee machine is the one that delivers the kind of coffee you like, when you want it. If you are a decaf drinker and the rest of the office likes mocha latte, it’s easier to choose the single-cup coffee pad machine. These machines deliver a single cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate on demand. Many people like the convenience and the fact that there is no wasted coffee. The drawbacks are the waste of the cups themselves (although you can buy a small basket and use your own ground coffee) and the cost. While the cost of the individual pods is high, it is still less than buying from a gourmet coffee shop.

If you like the drip coffee makers, consider how and when you want your coffee. Do you like to have coffee already made when you get up? Then choose a coffee machine with a timer feature. Most of the typical drip coffee machines have a warming plate that can make the coffee taste more acidic or even burnt. If you make a pot but don’t drink it all right away, you might consider getting a coffee machine with a thermal carafe.

Of course, many serious coffee drinkers still prefer a coffee press or even the old-fashioned stove-top percolator. There is more control over the taste and how strong the coffee is made, but unless you are using a high-end coffee grinder, you may end up with some cloudy coffee.

Ultimately, the best coffee machine is the one that works best for you. Strong or weak, by the pot or by the cup, Americans’ favorite drink is available in many forms right in your kitchen.

 

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December 21st, 2011

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is an electronic commerce (or ‘e-commerce’) platform that allows businesses and individuals to design and build their own online stores using fully customisable templates. Shopify currently hosts over 16,000 online stores for retailers, charities and bands, including Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Angry Birds, Amnesty International and Pixar.

The website was originally launched in June 2006 by Tobias Lütke, who remains as the CEO, and Scott Lake. The platform was developed when the pair came across the need for a good quality online store software package when they were attempting to open their own online store, Snowdevil, in 2004. Lütke, a programmer, coded the store design into the open source web application framework Ruby on Rails.

Shopify offers clients a range of monthly payment plans and corresponding transaction fees, which range from 0-2% for each transaction. The current plans are Basic, Professional, Business and Unlimited, all of which include unlimited bandwidth and free setup. shopifyThey also allow the use of custom domains, SSL to protect personal data, and the creation of customer accounts. All of the plans except for Basic also allow for the inclusion of a Shopify promo code, while the Business and Unlimited plans also allow retailers to provide real-time carrier shipping to customers. Access to Google Analytics allows users to gather information about their online store, including popular keywords and campaigns, and how it compares to other online stores in the same industry. Customers are able to make payments using either a credit card or PayPal.

The software caters for both beginners, who are able to use pre-designed templates, and more advanced users, who are able to use the content management system to edit HTML and CSS code to further customise their site. In addition to this, the Shopify App store was launched in 2009 to allow users to create their own applications, which they can then sell through their online store. Similarly, the Shopify Theme store, launched in 2010, allows users to sell theme template designs for other online stores. Further to this, the company announced in October 2011 that it would be providing one million dollars in funding to programmers and developers of Shopify plug-ins.

A CNET Shopify review, published in May 2006 (just prior to the launch of the platform) described it as being very clean, simple and easy to use. Particular mention was made to the dynamic and static pages – Dynamic pages allow for all items that fall into a particular category (i.e. items under a certain price) to be automatically moved to a page, while static pages allow the user to manually group items. Overall, the platform was described as having ‘almost everything a small retailer needs, and nothing it doesn’t’.

Setup of an online store using Shopify is very quick and easy, with a setup wizard to guide new users through the process from start to finish. Phone support is also available, as is assistance from the community through forums, FAQs and the wiki page. A free 30 day trial is available for all plans.

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December 12th, 2011

Rat Control and Prevention

One day you are roaming around the house and just doing your normal cleaning routine when all of a sudden you notice some brown specks on the floor near the kitchen. You are confused as to what this may mean so you continue on, not really worrying what the specks may have been. Two weeks later you open the cabinet and notice that your cereal you wanted to eat has holes in the box and is all gone. You think back on the brown specks and all of a sudden it hits you, RATS Before this occurs would be a perfect time to start thinking about rat control (Deratisation is the French word for rat control).
Rats can be a problem when they make your home theirs. Rats carry all types of diseases and are actually one of the main culprits for the spread of the black plague during the Middle Ages. Rats eat just about anything in their path that can be eaten. They tend to stay in dark areas and can even live in your walls. Females breed at a rapid pace and have about 6-12 young per litter. These young rats will reach maturity in 3 months and will also call your house theirs. So let us see what we can do to prevent rats in the future.
The first line of defense is to make sure your house is clean, also it will impress others not just keep the rats out. This means cleaning should be done at least once a week, and those dishes in the sink need to be done daily. Be sure to take out the garbage on a regular basis also. This being the first and most important line of defense let us look at some other forms of defense necessary to make your house pest proof. To note cats and dogs are not effective forms of defense against rats. Sometimes they are even the cause of rats becoming curious about your home.
Rat-proof construction is another form of defense to keep them out. What this means is to be sure to have rattraps down in areas that are filled with food (not the refrigerator). One per cabinet should do the trick. Yes they are called rattraps meaning the classic ones seen in the movies and the cartoons. A simple device, that when triggered slams on the neck of the rat and kills it instantly. This is humane, as the rat will feel no pain when this occurs. When looking on the outside of your home, be sure to fill any holes on the outside so they cannot enter through those areas. Using rattraps can be effective, but if you are already infested you may have to result to more drastic measures. But for the everyday house, traps should be enough to combat these pests.
As previously stated if you already have a rat infestation you may have to “call in the big guns” so to speak. What this means is you may have to call out an exterminator, and get ready to have the house examined. This will most likely mean you house will be sprayed with toxins in order to kill all of the rats. This also means you will most likely have to say in a hotel for a couple of days. The reason for this is to let the toxin dissipate and not be in danger of getting sick when returning to the home. If you do have an infestation your city phonebook would be a good place to start getting quotes on how much it will cost to have the pests removed. The Internet also is a great resource to check for quotes and exterminators in your area.

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December 12th, 2011

Detoxification of the Body Through Fasting

Fasting is generally defined as the wilful abstinence from food or drink (or both) for a defined period of time. In a dietary sense, this usually means the abstinence of all food except for water, ideally in a restful environment. Variations include juice fasting, which involves the avoidance of all food and drink with the exception of fresh fruit and vegetable juice and water. Similarly, some fasts allow small amounts of raw fruit or vegetables, while others allow only brown rice and water. Naturopathic and homeopathic preparations also exist as a supplement to supposedly target specific organs, such as the kidneys and liver, to promote the breakdown of toxins.

Fasting has been observed, particularly within religious groups, for thousands of years. In this context, individuals generally follow a fasting regime in order to gain a closeness to a God or divine being. For example, early Christians were known to fast on the Day of Atonement, while the Lenten fast requires abstinence from certain types of food. The month of Ramadan is generally observed by Muslims, and requires abstinence from food and drink during sunlight hours.

The notion of fasting as a way to cleanse the body originated from ancient Egyptian and Greek ideologies that purported that the consumption of certain foods can lead to putrefaction and the production of toxins, also known as autointoxication. The theory was originally supported by early biochemical and biological theories of the 19th century, but by the 20th century was largely abandoned by contemporary medicine.

Detoxification of the body through fasting (Entgiftung is the german word for this) or other cleansing diets are often recommended by integrative or alternative health practitioners as a way of improving the health of the patient. In alternative medicine, detoxification of the body is said to be a normal process wherein the body neutralises or eliminates toxins via biochemical mechanisms that occur within the kidneys, lymph nodes, skin, colon, lungs and liver. Toxins are often said to be present in the form of certain food additives and preservatives that are deemed unnecessary and unnatural. The theory states that when the body is deprived of food, fat stores will be used to maintain a basal metabolic rate. The subsequent breakdown of fatty acids releases stored chemicals that are then eliminated via the organs listed above. In addition to this, it is believed by some that energy is diverted away from the digestive system to the immune system, thus aiding the healing process in those that are unwell.

However, fasting for the purpose of detoxification is a controversial practice that is currently not supported by any reputable scientific research. The toxins themselves are generally unidentified and there has been no confirmed evidence to show the build up of such toxins within a patient.

It is important to ensure that a healthy diet is followed before and after the fast, and to consult a doctor prior to a fast of more than two or three days to discuss potential adverse effects. Adverse effects can include nutritional deficiency and ketosis. However, short periods of fasting (one to two days) are believed to be harmless.

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December 12th, 2011

Search Engine Optimization Services in Arizona

As you may be aware, Search Engine Optimization (or otherwise known as SEO) has and will continue to be a buzz word in the Internet Marketing world, and within good reason as well. It is a strategic way to generate more traffic to your website. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO is a way to get your website or webpage towards or at the top of the rankings in a given search engine such as Google. For instance, SEO is another way of getting your webpage featured on page one of Google when users of Google type in a certain search term or keyword in order to say find out a great Italian restaurant in their area to the best health insurance options for them. This is why the use of appropriate keywords on your website is critical. You need to ensure that the content of your website is keyword rich; no different to if you were writing an article in order to generate more traffic to your website; the article needs to be ‘keyword rich’ to have the right keywords in your article which will be picked up by the search engines in terms of relevancy.

There are tools such as Google Easy Search and Good Keywords that can help you with this, and thus tailor your webpage to the most commonly used search terms/keywords including typos, however there are Internet Marketing professionals who can help you with this, specifically tailored to those of you living in Arizona in particular.

Your options include the following suppliers to help you with your SEO needs, and they include (and are not limited to the following organisations for Search Engine Optimization Arizona):

  1. Dynamic Search:

They also have a blog (ideal to bookmark) which keeps Internet Marketers (and website owners) up to date on the trends in Internet Marketing including SEO, SEM (Search Engine Management) and PPC (Pay Per Click). They help you appear on both sides of Google, and submit your websites to search engines. Site is easy to navigate, and there is an opportunity to find out more before committing to their services.

  1. Web-Op:

They promise (in the SEO arena) that they are all about providing quality links to search engines in order to optimise your website in the top search engines such as Google, that is on the left hand side of Google. Remember, nobody pays to be featured on the left hand side of Google: the left hand side of Google is all about credibility, and people are waking up to this.

  1. dataflurry.com:

Another quality based SEO organisation in Arizona. They promise a comprehensive keyword analysis; fine tuning of your website to make it relevant to the search engines and being keyword rich, and the use of social media may also be recommended to add more credibility and boost your website (and say, even your Facebook page) right up there on Google and other search engines. This organisation also has skills in Google analytics. They promise that all of their Research & Development (R&D) is done in house and extensively in providing excellent customer service in this area.

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November 29th, 2011

How to Impress a Girl

how to impress a girlDespite the multitude of men proclaiming that women are the most complicated gender in the history of mankind, we’re not incredibly hard to impress. All any woman is looking for is a man with a sense of humour, a willingness to cooperate, and more emotion than a generic robot. Of course, it may take more effort than it seems, but girls generally want the same things men do With a few simple tips on how to impress a girl, you too will be able to woo the woman of your dreams:
Keep in contact frequently.

Many men believe that they can keep a girl interested by talking to her once or twice a week, or that talking to a girl too commonly will repel her. This is largely incorrect. Although being overtly interested in a girl may push her away, showing a general interest in her life on a frequent basis will form an attraction. Your apparent attentiveness to her personal lifestyle will impress her, though be sure not to be too curious, or you may appear clingy. Communication should occur not only verbally (via access of phone or internet), but also physically. This immediate contact will establish the chemistry between you both, and give you the opportunity to display behaviours that can further ensure that she is aware of your attraction. To efficiently impress a woman during conversation, it is important to look into her eyes, sit silently until she is done speaking, then respond appropriately. For example, if she has told you about her work life, congratulate her on her achievements, then share stories that may relate to her own experiences In addition, developing inside jokes or recognising common interests will make her feel a lot more comfortable with you.

Make an effort

All women tend to take great pride in the way they look when attending a date, or simply a social gathering. To impress her, you should always try your hardest to look as attractive, neat, and well-groomed as you can Not only does this show her you have confidence in yourself, but it lets her know you are willing to make an effort to please. Remember: this doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the bathroom before a date perfecting your hair, much as girls enjoy doing

Be consistently respectful

Nothing impresses a girl more than when a man is respectful to her close friends and family. By showing interest in those she loves, a girl is more likely to see the good qualities in you. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to develop close relationships with people she surrounds herself with Simply by showing courtesy towards others in her presence will encourage her to develop a positive impression of you.

Above all, your primary concern should be to make her feel comfortable with you Once she feels at ease with you, she will be more than happy to open up (emotionally and physically), allowing both of you to develop your attraction towards each other, and increase your chances of developing a romantic relationship

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November 29th, 2011

Tips to Lose Weight Quickly and Simply

With an ever-increasing emphasis from society and media to look perfect, the stress to lose weight has become a significant issue amongst the community. The unhealthy popularity of crash diets has sky-rocketed, and self-esteem has drastically plummeted. Though there are positive methods to losing weight, that can provide you with confidence and pride.

The most efficient process to losing weight and keeping it off is regular exercise and a healthy diet. We’ve heard it time and time again that this is the only truly healthy fatburner (Fettverbrenner means fat burner in German), but many sacrifice these attempts in the face of laziness. Although it takes time to lose weight this way, results will surface, as long as you maintain motivation.
In order to lose excess weight quickly, it is necessary that regular exercise becomes a daily activity – a minimum of an hour, or a maximum of 3. With the multitude of various at-home exercise programs (such as DVDs and stationary equipment), motivating yourself to be fit and active has become easier and more enjoyable. For those who despise going to the gym and being surrounded by incredibly fit men and women, having equipment at home provides you with the opportunity to work-out as you carry on your daily responsibilities.
On top of frequent exercise, a healthy diet is important. Many people are misled by the concept of diets; believing that in order to stick by one, they must cut out all the foods they enjoy, and instead adhere to a food plan of only fruits and vegetables. This is a common misunderstanding. Alongside the growing market of exercise equipment, many dieticians have formed meal plans that include foods people regularly enjoy. This means that you can still enjoy the food you consume, and drop excess weight at the same time Many dieticians suggest that the average daily intake should equal around 2000 calories (8400 kilojoules) in order to achieve efficient results.
Throughout your battle to lose weight, it is consistently important to monitor how much you have lost or put on. This will both motivate you, and make you aware of the results your weight-loss method has provided.

Of course, if you doubt your ability to motivate yourself, there are many more options providing support Programs such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Tony Ferguson, have made it their responsibility to assist people in achieving their weight-loss goals. Each program offers their customers meal ideas, weight monitors, and personalized tips, making the battle easier for each individual. Protein shakes are also common amongst programs, as they eliminate hunger, leading to less meals and snacks throughout the day. Some of these may not work for you, or factor into your lifestyle, and in these cases, trial-and-error is always helpful. Though, despite the positive results, joining these programs costs money which you may not have

And remember: it is illogical to constantly wish for a model’s body Everyone is shaped differently, and as a result, not everyone will look the same at the end of your weight loss journey. Make it your primary concern to reach your goal weight, and be comfortable with you are

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November 28th, 2011

How to Combat Acne

Are you not blessed with naturally clear skin? Are you sick of constantly seeing over-priced, acne-removing products advertised on TV? Are you unsure of how to get rid of acne fast? No need to worry There are simple and cheap solutions to combat acne.

Secondary to weight changes, the most self-esteem depleting, body image issue facing modern-day society is the presence of acne. Due to the ever-increasing pressures of being “beautiful”, the presence of pimples has been known to lead to unhappiness with oneself, and psychological stresses, such as anxiety. Though, despite the relatively serious personal issues that acne can encourage, pimples are not impossible to combat To prevent or decrease the chances of developing pimples, altering your lifestyle may be of help.

Alongside daily bathroom activities – such as showering and shaving – simple and quick hygienic processes can be executed. In order to remove bacteria that may cause acne, gentle scrubbing of the pimple-sensitive areas is encouraged. Not only is this an easy method, but the multitude of acne-reducing scrubs available for purchase gives you the ability to try a range of soaps, increasing the likelihood of finding one perfect for you If you generally use layers of make-up to cover up your break-outs, give your skin time to breath for a few hours every day, and at nights. This encourages your skin to heal itself, and not become dependent upon medications or face masks. To ensure that your skin can breathe other measures may be taken, such as keeping hair out of your face, or (if your back and chest are vulnerable to acne) keeping your clothes clean consistently. Other popular at-home-solutions include the application of toothpaste on pimples: a method that frequently removes the bacteria, but has been known to dry out acne. In order to ensure positive results, sticking to the use of non-abrasive scrubs is a more efficient method.

Lifestyle changes are also encouraged in the fight against pimples. As acne can result from excess oil and dead skin cells, diet alterations can be enforced to reduce the excretion of acids. If your diet consists of high-levels of meat, dairy, fats, and refined carbohydrates (flour, sugar, bread), try to balance it out with fruits and vegetables Not only do these reduce the chances of having a slow digestive system, but they rehydrate the body; yet another factor that can decrease acne development. In addition, lifestyle habits such as tanning, smoking, and drinking sugar-enhanced beverages can lead to excess excretion of oils, and pore blockages. In addition to an unhealthy diet and destructive habits, stress is a major contributor to the generation of pimples. If you’re leading a stressful life due to work commitments, complicated relationships, or are simply vulnerable to hassles, you may be at increased risk of acne. Meditation and relaxing activities can assist in reducing stress, and ultimately, may decrease your chances of breaking out.
If acne persists, making a doctor’s appointment is a good idea. Not only is the advice of a medical professional likely to help, but the prescription of medication is a sure-fire way to quickly return your skin to its natural beauty

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November 27th, 2011

Update

Sorry for the delay in blog postings. I’ll give you a brief summary: very, very, very busy.

Today is day 23, by the end of the day I should be at movie 81/82. Progress is good. At the same time, this is exam week. Astro-geology and Film Aesthetics are taking up a huge chunk of my life. I’m also feeling a little bit under the weather :( I was able to at least post up the latest In The Ring With. I hope you enjoyed that.

Expect a new blog entry on Thursday with lots and lots of details. Friday should bring a new In The Ring With which is inspired by my awesome neighbor Ashley.

Good things are around the corner. I have something awesome planned for tomorrow night which is kicking off a week-long project. …expect photos…

Until then, here is a random picture to keep you entertained.

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November 27th, 2011

Sequels: The Good, The Bad, and The…Better?

A In The Ring With… has been posted. Hope you like it!

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November 27th, 2011

Update

after a brief meeting with my consultant and “go-to” guy Mr. Myers, we have come up with some new ideas. All I’m saying is expect changes over the next couple of days… good things are just around the corner.

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November 27th, 2011

New blog entry

NEW (longer) BLOG ENTRY is now posted. read it here: http://bit.ly/cty4oI

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November 27th, 2011

New Quote of the Day!

New quote of the day is up! Thanks to Mike Lucci for the suggestion.

Quote of the day might be developing a bit more. It may become Conversations, Scenes, Audio, and short “Video Scenes”. Depending on what’s available at the moment.

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November 27th, 2011

New Question

manudiego asked: Hey. If you’re looking for a list of really great films and don’t know about this one already. You have to check out the criterion collection. Under the films link is just a bunch of movies worth watching. And most of them I saw on netflix too.

www.criterion.com

thnx :) Spread the word!

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November 27th, 2011

We’re back in business

I’m a man of my word. I said that I would have my post up by Thursday. I have 3 minutes left till it becomes Friday!

UPDATES:

-New blog entry

-New “In The Ring With…”

-The “Films” list

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November 27th, 2011

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

as you know I just hooked us up with a new domain. GoDaddy messed with my coding when adding new sub-domains… Few delays (day from hell), and things are starting to look up. The style of the blog has changed temporarily until the sub-domains are fixed. It’s not so stylish but bare with me for a bit, I’m fixing it.

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November 27th, 2011

What’s new?

The latest blog entry and In The Ring With… will be posted later tonight (EST).

On a side note: I have recently been receiving lots of comments, questions, and suggestions regarding the project from people at MHSoC (Especially from Film Aesthetics).

It would be really cool to meet you face to face on Wednesday before class or during the break! I’m always sitting in the second to last row in the theater wearing a sweater and a toque or black golf hat. Come talk to me, I like hearing what you think about the project.

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November 27th, 2011

Facebook

www.1000filmchallenge.com and tumblr = thousands of people daily. Facebook = 34ppl, y? Join our Facebook by clicking HERE. I need your help spreading the word!

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November 27th, 2011

Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/@1000_films

GREAT NEWS!!! You can now be kept completely up to date with my new twitter account. Now you can know what I’m watching, and why my eyes feel like they’re about to bleed. YAY!!!

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November 27th, 2011

Question 3

jacky2102 asked: What are you basing the ratings on? Like which qualities (if that’s the correct word…) are you looking for in the movies?

The new rating formula can be found here. http://1000filmchallenge.com/ratings

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November 27th, 2011

Question #2

jacky2102 asked: Hey! My name is Jackie (majoring in Film Studies) and I’m in your Film Aesthetics class. When you told the class today about your idea, I was quite pleased. :)
I think this is an amazing idea! It’d be cool to hear what you think about the films that we watch in class. Are you in Film History in the 6pm to 10pm class by any chance? (I am).
I’ll definitely be spreading the word. Good luck with this challenge! :)

The films that are viewed in screenings at at MHSoC are counted to the list. I give them a rating, but seldom discuss my views on them. That’s not to say that I don’t but it is more likely that I will answer it as a personal question or through a topic posted in the forum.

Anyone can bring me a movie that I’ve seen so far and I’m more than happy to justify my ratings :)

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November 27th, 2011

The Blog

Entry 2 is now up. Let me know what you thought about it. Click HERE to read it.

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November 27th, 2011

Question

kileydreamslucidly asked: I like your challenge. Movies are the basis of my daily life, so its always interesting to find and listen to the opinions of other film enthusiasts. The Dark Knight, Fight Club, and Donnie Darko are all on your Top Chop, which is good, because those are some of my favorites.

If you head over to the forum there’s a thread about your top 5 films. I’d to hear what other films are up there and why!

Thanks for checking my blog out! Spread the word, and join me on Facebook! e

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