My Top 6 Favorite Cereals

I like a lot of food, but one that really touches my heart is cereal.  That may be surprising to some because they only think of cereal as breakfast food, or something that doesn't taste that satisfying, but to me, I think cereal can be eaten at any time, and when it's the right cereal, can be as satisfying as any food (although I have yet to try it against cooked food like steak).  The only problem is, with so many different kinds of cereal available, how can you decide on which ones to try or eat?  I thought about this for awhile, but I didn't come up with the idea of ranking cereals until I ate my favorite cereal today.  I'll leave that answer till the end, but until then, here are my top 6 favorite cereals.

6. Kix: This puffed cereal maybe very plain in appearance, but it's taste is familiar and smooth.  Plus, it's mother approved, so at least you know it's a little healthy compared to other cereals on the market.

5. Fruit Loops: This cereal packs a lot of fruit into it's loops, and tastes better than the other competition, so that's why I love it.

4. Golden Grahams:  Out of all the cereals on this list, "Golden Grahams" is the one I haven't had the longest.  The last time I remember having it was in elementary school when they gave it for breakfast.  Back then, I was addicted to it because of how sweet it was (which was no surprise considering it was briefly pulled from stores because of it's high sugar), and it's design.  To me, this is a cereal that must be eaten with milk to experience both sides of it.

3. Apple Jacks: "Apple Jacks" is another cereal I haven't had in years, but this made my list because of its distinct taste it had (not tasting like apples), which I loved, and all the time I spent wondering why that was the case. 

2. Frosted Flakes: I don't think this needs an explanation since I know this is one of the most popular cereals out there.  The taste is amazing, and it's texture is something else.  It's crunchy, but in milk, it's arguably even better for me.

1. Honey Nut Cheerios: And now we have my favorite cereal, "Honey Nut Cheerios", which is no surprise to people if they've know me.  The honey taste is wonderful, it gets wet well in milk, and it helps lower cholesterol.  I hate to always emphasize good health as a reason for liking cereal, but most cereal has a lot of sugar, so it's nice to see a cereal helping you that tastes good compared to "Kashi" or something. 

The Death Penalty

This week in my online class (since it's about Criminal Justice), we got to the inevitable topic of the death penalty.  For others, including myself, this subject is touchy, but I still find it interesting nonetheless.  In the chapter, I learned about the history of the death penalty, statistics about it, how it's abused by prosecutors based on race, and how long it can sometimes take to decide if someone is worthy of being executed.  Some of the information was shocking to say the least, and had me think twice of how I feel about it.  I'm one of the few people in Massachusetts probably for it because I think it's the only way to make someone pay for a serious crime, but when it's abused, costing money, and innocent people are being put to death, then I don't know how to feel.  I feel like that is wrong, but I feel as though if the death penalty ever disappeared then that wouldn't be a positive thing because I believe we as people, should always have options.  I feel the same way about other touchy subjects (which will be discussed another day maybe).  The death penalty may not exist in Massachusetts and has fallen out of favor, but I wonder how people feel about the most serious criminals.  Would they rather have them live their lives out in prison, or be put to death for swift justice?  Do two wrongs make a right?  These are questions I don't have the answer to.

I'm sorry for not saying much more, or if I offended anybody.  I just had to say how I feel.

NBA Free Agency Thoughts

Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Andre Iguodala.  Some of the biggest free agents this summer

Since it's summer, baseball is the main sport of focus, but that doesn't mean the other sports take a break.  Football has training camps, while hockey and basketball have free agency.  Hockey free agency is very active, but most of the players are people I've never heard of, so during the summer, I focus mostly on NBA free agency because after baseball, it's my favorite sport to follow.  This year's free agency is nothing like it was when LeBron James was a free agent, but that doesn't mean it's still not interesting.  Lots of players have taken their talents to new places, while some others have stayed.  And while everyone hasn't signed yet, here are some my thoughts on the players who have made decisions so far.

In no particular order...

• Chris Paul: CP3's resigning comes as no surprise to me or anybody considering the Los Angeles Clippers have done everything he wanted.  They got rid of Vinny Del Negro for Doc Rivers, which is a plus, and they added and traded players (i.e, Eric Bledsoe).  I still don't know if the Clippers can compete for an NBA title, especially with the West being stacked, and Black Griffin taking a step back this past year, but with arguably the league's top point guard and coach, they'll definitely be in contention.
• Dwight Howard: Dwight has finally chosen the Houston Rockets as his new team.  HALLELUJAH!  Praise the lord!  The baby made a choice.  I don't want to criticize Dwight, since I think he means well, but it's hard not to with the decisions he's made the past two years.  He goes back and forth with his decisions, is a terrible teammate, and whines about a lot.  Let's just hope that because he's picked a new team, he'll stay there and keep his mouth shut.
• Tyreke Evans: I've made it no secret that Tyreke Evans is one of my favorite players in the NBA, but it's hard to be a fan with his regression since his rookie year.  That year, he was averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, but since then, all those stats have gone down, and he's been injured off and on.  You can blame his poor play on the coaching staff, the fact that he never had a set position on the Sacramento Kings, or his overall effort.  I don't know if I want to go there because I watch a lot of Kings games, and I see that he tries, but he takes plays off too.  I'm not surprised Tyreke is leaving the Kings (I even thought it'd happen at the trade deadline), I just thought it wouldn't be for the New Orleans Pelicans.  He didn't know where he'd play in Sacramento, but where's he going to play in New Orleans with all the players they have?  I honestly don't know, but I wish him the best.  I'll still root for him, but it won't be the same now that he's not wearing the Sacramento purple.
• Andre Iguodala: One of the most balanced and underrated players in the league agreed to a 4 year deal with the Golden State Warriors yesterday, which I can't praise enough.  The Warriors were already good, but with "Iggy", their defense got better, and they're even more spectacular than before.  Los Angeles may have Kobe Bryant and "Lob City", but Golden State may have the best team in California.
• Al Jefferson: "Big Al" agreed to go to the Charlotte Bobcats on July 4, which was a surprise decision that many people frowned on, but I like the move for owner, general manager, and greatest NBA player of all-time Michael Jordan.  The Bobcats need talent and a player they can build around.  Al Jefferson may not be a top 20 player, but he's one of the best young big men in the league, with good health and consistency.  Something that's hard to find in any big man and on the Bobcats.  I doubt they'll make the playoffs any time soon, but this signing is a step in the right direction.
• David West: Not much to say here.  David West agreed to resign with the Indiana Pacers.  He did great with them last year, and bought a lot of tenacity with his play, so I expect that to continue.
• O.J Mayo: This is a baffling signing to me, but only because of the destination, which was the Milwaukee Bucks.  I have no problem with the city, but the team's roster is up in the air until they figure out what to do with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.  The only thing I got from this decision is that all O.J Mayo cares about is money, which is no surprise with the way the NBA is structured.
• J.R Smith: J.R Smith has been called the best scorer in the NBA before, which is a bit of a stretch, but when he's on, he's hard to stop.  In New York last year, he was on his "A" game often, being one of the team's best players and winning Sixth Man Of The Year Honors.  For that reasoning, I thought he should be resigned, but there's risk in the move because of J.R Smith's conduct and mindset.  He's not the most behaved player (like what he did in Boston), and he makes a lot of bonehead plays, but there's no doubt he can play and fits into what the New York Knicks want to do.  A big contract for him in my eyes spells trouble though.
• Ray Allen: Not really a free agent, but he had an option, so I put him here.  It still hurts to see Ray Allen in a Miami Heat jersey, but I got over it.  I though he might retire on top, but you know what they say.  "If something still works, don't fix it".  The Heat have that formula down, so with Ray Allen, they're going to try for a three-peat. 
• Kevin Martin: Kevin Martin is a nice player, but nowhere near the hype or money he's gotten.  For a sixth man, he was overpaid.  And at the end of the day, he chose to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Minnesota Timberwolves.  What a great decision!  I'm being sarcastic of course.  With this move, it's clear where Kevin Martin's mindset was.  Man, what idiots the Thunder must feel though for trading James Harden, and now losing the player they traded him for.  That's NBA free agency though.

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day (PG)

Grade: A+

• Directed by: Harold Ramis
• Produced by: Trevor Albert and Harold Ramis
• Screenplay: Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis
• Starring: Bill Murray (Phil Connors), Andie McDowell (Rita), Chris Elliot (Larry), Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson), Brian Doyle-Murray (Buster Green), Harold Ramis (Neurologist)
• Cinematographer: John Bailey
• Music by: George Fenton
• Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
• Released: February 12, 1993
• Running Time: 101 minutes/1 hour and 41 minutes
• Language: English 

 

The 4th of July was yesterday, but the only day on my mind is "Groundhog Day".  NO!  Not the day itself, the film with Bill Murray.  I'll be honest; I had no expectations coming into this film because I had never heard of it, and the fact my friend bought at a store in a CD case for $2, but man, was I glad he did.  This film is great!

"Groundhog Day" has a premise we're all familiar with (which is ironic considering what the film is about).  What would you do if you woke up and relived one day over and over again?  To some, that would be a dream, but it's a nightmare for Phil Connors, a TV weatherman who has that happen to him on Groundhog Day.  He already hates his job, and the people he works with, so when this happen, he wants to kill himself, but eventually he makes the best out of the situation, leading to hilarious and touching results.

For a film this good, there's lots of praise that can be spread around.  The film has a great plot, it's well written, and the jokes are a riot and memorable (if/when you watch it, you'll see what I mean), but the winner of this award has to go to Harold Ramis and Bill Murray.  Ramis deserves praise for obvious reason.  He directed, produced, wrote, and even starred in the film, but he was the one who cast Murray as the lead, a pivotal decision which put the film over the top.  To be honest, I'm haven't seen Bill Murray in many films besides his classic films like "Ghostbusters", but I knew from his previous roles he would be funny and sarcastic.  I was right about that, but I didn't expect him to show the range he'd end up having in this film.  Yes, he's an a**hole at times that you don't root for, but as you delve deeper into the film, it's obvious Phil Connors is more than he seems.

"Groundhog Day" is a film with so many strengths, but the one reason why I now love it and recommend it is the connection it has to real life.  We all wish or at least contemplate what our lives would be like if we could relive one day constantly.  Now, our dream/fantasy is finally on the big screen, and it doesn't just show the joy and humor some of us would have; it shows the sadness, and loneliness we'd have knowing that we could never see the people we love again or move on from situations.  At the same time, the film shows that any person can change, even the bad ones for the better. "Groundhog Day" may of been made 20 years ago, but it's messages still apply, and it's worth seeing if you're a fan of films.  And that's something I don't need a groundhog to know.

Trading Cards: A Gold Mine

One of the rarest trading cards of all time, and the first of my generation

Trading cards are a funny thing to me.  Back when I was a child, I played with them like anyone else, but I had no idea when I got older that some of them would become gold mines.  They're pieces of plastic for goodness sake, but trading cards are much more than that or the picture on them.  They represent a part of youth that gets lost as you get older, and also represent competitive collecting or playing depending on your forte.  As I look back on trading cards now that I'm playing Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon, I'm amazed at the sheer power these cards command.  Not just in their strength, but as I said, value.  It led me to find this list online, which I found interesting, which are the Top 10 priciest cards in all trading cards.   You may still think trading cards are worth nothing, but this list, and people's wallets, say otherwise. 

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/unplugged/10-priciest-collectible-cards-232119394.html  

Forever

Don't have much to say tonight, since as usual, I have a lot on my mind.  But I'm still listening to a lot of K-Pop thanks to my brother's constant playing of it.  Before it was just a fad I thought I would get over, but now, I can't stop listening to it, particularly the sweet harmonies of the K-pop band 2PM, who are kind of like Korea's answer to the Backstreet Boys/98 Degrees, etc.  They do a lot of hard/dance pop, but their soft pop is just as good in my opinion.  One song in particular of theirs that I can't stop listening to is the song "Forever".  I don't know what all the lyrics mean (and am too lazy to look them up), but I know it's about love, and goes perfectly with how I feel now, so to end the night, here's 2PM's underrated song "Forever".  Enjoy and Good Night!