MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is the blueprint for action movies. The characters drive the action and the action drives the characters. They do things for a reason, and they are a product of their circumstances.
Continue reading Review: Mad Max: Fury Road
Deal: Nikon D3100 DSLR Camera w/ 18-55mm and 55-200mm Lenses
If you are looking for a low-cost entry-level DSLR, Adorama has a great deal via Ebay on the Nikon D3100 digital camera. It’s a few generations old, but will still be more than enough for the beginner or casual hobbyist. It is lightweight and perfect for recreational shooting or travel. It also shoots video in 1080p! Not even my D90 can do that.
This is a refurbished model (I buy all my cameras refurbished) and comes with a full kit of two lenses: an 18-55mm for everyday shooting, and a 55-200mm for those long shots. They aren’t VR lenses, meaning they don’t have optical stabilization, but at under 300 bucks total for a Nikon body and two lenses, this is a still a smoking deal.
You can always sell off the lenses (which is what I always do when I buy a new body that comes with a kit lens) and then buy the lens you really want (the 35mm f/1.8G prime is a good place to start).
Basically, you could walk away with a Nikon DSLR body for around 200 bucks. Hard to beat that.
Check out the Nikon D3100 deal at the Ebay link here.
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Eat: Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
Continuing on our honeymoon adventures: after our layover in Vancouver, our next stop was the always-impressive Hong Kong!
Visiting a foreign country where a) things are cheap and b) food is delicious seemed like the ideal opportunity to eat at our first ever Michelin-starred restaurant – Tim Ho Wan!
Continue reading Eat: Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
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Deal: More Miyazaki / Ghibli Blu-rays on Amazon
In case you missed the last deal, Amazon has a good price on some more Blu-rays from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. The selection of sale items is a little different this time.
I’ve mentioned this before, but if you aren’t familiar with Miyazaki’s work, you need to start catching up. I recommend starting with a feel-good classic – My Neighbor Totoro! If this movie doesn’t make you happy, you are not a human being…
Others on sale:
I’m embarrassed to admit I still haven’t seen a few of these. Might have to pick up a couple. For some reason, it is hard to get sale prices on these videos, so jump on the deal if you’re missing any from your library!
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Review: Clarks Ashland Alpine Women’s Slip-On Shoes
That’s right, PRAKTICALA is now providing content for the budget-conscious laywoman too!
First up is this shoe from Clarks’ “Bendables” line – the Ashland Alpine slip-on loafer. If you are a lady and are in need of comfortable, all-day work shoes, keep reading!
(If you aren’t, you can still look at the photos, I guess.)
Continue reading Review: Clarks Ashland Alpine Women’s Slip-On Shoes
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Review: Tuft and Needle Mattress and DIY Oak Bed Frame
Following up on my earlier post: After a lot of deliberation and discussion with Yoselin from 6 Mono Media, I settled on purchasing the Tuft and Needle mattress, and dropped it into the brand new, solid oak bed frame that I designed and built!
So how is it? Keep reading!
Continue reading Review: Tuft and Needle Mattress and DIY Oak Bed Frame
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How to Spend One Night in Vancouver
Yoselin from 6 Mono Media recently married me. To celebrate, we took a trip to Asia that started with an overnight layover in Vancouver.
Continue reading How to Spend One Night in Vancouver
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Deadline for Roth IRA is April 15
If you haven’t already, make your Roth IRA contributions for the 2014 tax year before April 15!
In contrast to other forms of retirement investments, Roth IRA is a taxable contribution; however, whereas traditional earnings from investments will be TAXED TO THE MAX, your earnings (which you can withdraw any time after age 59 1/2) will be TAX FREE. If you start young (in your 20s) and max out your Roth contributions every year, this sum will very likely be quite sizable – almost certainly in the millions, even at a conservative rate of growth. Also, when you retire, you will probably be in a higher tax bracket, meaning you’ll have to fork over more of your income to Uncle Sam. Chyeah right!
The annual maximum contribution in 2014 is $5,500 – although it may increase over the years as inflation goes up. Mere peanuts!
You can invest through your existing bank, or open a new account online easily. The “big three” are always good choices – T. Rowe Price, Fidelity, and Vanguard – but other investment firms can work just as well too. Their online apps will have a wealth of tools for research and forecasting, so you can make informed investments – or you can just go with their in-house advisors’ top picks. These are super old guys with decades of experience in their field; it’s hard to go wrong.
You can read way more info on Roth IRA at Get Rich Slowly.
Don’t put it off, you only have two days left!
Any tips? Leave one in the comments!
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Bruin Foodies with Josh Goldman
In February I got to shoot the new Bruin Foodies event, hosted by the UCLA Alumni Association at Cross Campus in Los Angeles, with Josh Goldman, a UCLA alum who spoke in equal parts about restaurant entrepreneurship and mixing drinks. It’s always good to hear from someone who combines business and craftsmanship!
He also demonstrated how to make a “rum rickey.” After the session, everyone had a chance to try one for themselves at the bar in the back. I can’t remember what went into the drink, but it was pretty good!
Good drinks, great food, and an interesting slant on tackling the restaurant industry. It was an enjoyable and informative evening!
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Beater Review: Seiko 5 Sports SNZG13 Automatic Field Watch
The Seiko 5 is maybe the best watch ever made. I mean it. THE BEST.
In fact, there are countless varieties of the Seiko 5. Mine is the SNZG13 sports watch, and it is the best out of all of them. I’ve had it for several years, as you can see from the beating it has taken in the photo. I own a few other watches, and although I might not be wearing it to the wedding, this is the one I otherwise wear every day.
EDIT: Added a new video review below!
There isn’t a better timepiece out there. If you can only get one watch, you shouldn’t have to look anywhere else. Here’s why.
Continue reading Beater Review: Seiko 5 Sports SNZG13 Automatic Field Watch
