Features

Keeping Up (Vol. 18)

by Darren Paltrowitz

Here are another 5 quick picks for you, the loyal reader:

painsofbeing_st_150MUSIC: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – A New York City-based band long ago trumpeted by The L Magazine, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are now making waves internationally. On its self-titled Slumberland Records-releasing album, the quartet showcases a sound that many refer to as “dream pop,” “twee” or “shoegaze.” In layman’s terms, this means ethereally-poppy rock songs that carry a fair amount of reverb; and in the case of TPOBPAH, cute dual male-female vocals. Start with “Young Adult Friction” and perhaps you’ll see why this is my favorite album of 2009 thus far. (myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart)

BOOK: John C. Bogle / Enough: True Measures Of Money, Business, And Life – John C. Bogle is primarily known as the founder of the Vanguard Mutual Fund Group, having been named one of the Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people some years back. Part-memoir and part-cautionary tale, Bogle’s work is divided up into 4 sections: “Money,” “Business,” “Life,” and “Wrapping Up: What’s Enough?” As a man that’s been both skilled and fortunate, Bogle provides elder wisdom that few entrepreneurs have begun to realize. Thus, readers ought to come away with some “ah-hah” moments by book’s end. (johncbogle.com

TOOL: Beat My Price – Dubbed “People Powered Price Comparison,” the name of Beat My Price practically says it all. The website’s index page consists of three blanks: “Name,” “Page,” and “Price.” You enter the relevant information of what you’re looking to buy and the search engine instantaneously aims to find you a better price. Truly a resource for this day and age, as there is no risk for trying such. (beatmyprice.com)

FILM: The Zen Of Bobby V – Bobby Valentine is a baseball legend who has sadly fallen into the “Whatever happened to?” file for many baseball fans. But oddly enough, Valentine is as successful as he’s ever been, coaching the Chiba Lotte Mariners in Japanese major league baseball. Directed by Andrew Jenks -- an undergrad student at time of production -- with two NYU classmates, the trio followed Valentine throughout Japan for an entire baseball season with full access granted. Ultimately, it does not take a sports fan to enjoy the energy of Valentine, the passionate sports fans, or the surrounding scenery, as this is a fast-paced, sharply-filmed documentary. (sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/clip?id=3391984&categoryid=null)

ARTICLE: Hannah Wallace “How To Barter Anything” – For those not just satisfied with Beat My Price, there’s this article from popular magazine Real Simple. Writer Hannah Wallace, an admitted barterer, explains the many ways in which a person can not only save costs for themselves but for another person with minimal effort. A must-read for anyone unafraid of a little negotiation. (hannahmwallace.typepad.com)

As always, if I’m missing something that’s worthwhile and deserving of column space, please reach out with an e-mail: darren.paltrowitz@gmail.com.

In the meantime, stay tuned for another 5 picks...

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