Orny's Appearance On Tom Green Show

A Movie Every American Should See: Michael Moore's 'Sicko'

I went to one of the first public screenings of Michale Moore's new documentary, Sicko, yesterday and it was truly an inspiring event. Inspiring because it forces you to think about yourself, about our country, about our values, and perhaps most profoundly asks: "Who are we?"

No matter your political leanings, your income level, your religious beliefs, or the company you work for, Sicko is a must-see film for all Americans. It should be shown in schools and universities and at company lunches all across the country. It's so important because it sheds light (in a way that only a powerfully edited-film can) on an issue that is threatening us all: the loss of our collective moral consciousness and the erosion of our humanity.

Are we really becoming a nation of sociopaths who have so little compassion for each other that we are willing to let our elders be dropped off on skid-row and our 9-11 heroes whither without proper care?

Well of course we all want to help our family and friends and neighbors. And we do. Sicko even shows communities coming together to help search for missing children and privately organized raffles to help our 9-11 heroes. But do we really care about each other as human beings? Do we care about the collective well-being of the people we don't know who live in "The Greatest Nation on Earth"?

I am not sure how we can and should come together as a nation to resolve this erosion of our culture. Finding ways to fix our health care system is certainly a start, albeit a task of hurculean proportions.

No doubt, as Mr. Moore suggests, an important first step is that we need to be able to answer this question with pride and confidence again:

"Just who are we, anyway?"

White Stripes Live Bootleg - Irving Plaza - Icky Thump Tour - June 19, 2007

Just got back from an amazing White Stripes concert at Irving Plaza (Fillmore at Irving Plaza if you're New School).

It was a special show because their new album, Icky Thump, was just released today and they are just about to kick off a big tour (they're playing Madison Square Garden in July). It was also a special show because it was next to impossible to get tickets (i.e. no scalpers, no friends with extras, you must wait in line all night to get tix - thanks Greg!).

Rather than tell you all about it, you can just listen to it here. Thanks to the power of an Edirol-09 Digital Audio recorder, you have access to the White Stripes Live Show from tonight at the Fillmore.

The sound is rough (really rough for the first 2 minutes) because the levels are off. I'm also not an engineer. And the sound was a bit lousy for Irving. Perhaps because Jack White and Meg White pounded so hard.

Anyway, if you're an expert and you know all the songs, please send a set list and I'll post it here. Hope you enjoy the sneak peak at their upcoming tour, and I hope you get a chance to see the White Stripes LIVE soon. It's well worth any wait.

Set 1 - White Stripes Live:

Set 2 - White Stripes Encore:

How to Protect Your Identify In 4 Easy Steps

More and more people are getting their identities stolen these days. Unfortunately, I've had to learn a lot about identity theft over the past couple of years so I thought I would share some quick tips to help you protect your identity.

Here are 4 easy steps to helping protect your identity. Each thing on this list can be done for free. There are also services who will do all of this for you for about $10 per month.


First, contact the credit bureaus and ask them to set fraud alerts on your behalf.

Equifax: 1-877-576-5734; www.equifax.com
Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com/fraud
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

Second, make sure you keep this Fraud Alert on your account. You will need to contact one of the credit bureaus every 90 days to make sure the alert is active. It's a simple call, so just put a reminder in your calendar to do this once a quarter.

Third, remove your name from pre-approved credit card and junk mail lists.

Fourth, order a free credit reports at least once per year and go through it with a fine-tooth comb. Look for any problems like addresses or credit cards you do not recognize. Make sure all of the information on your credit report is accurate, otherwise you should get it corrected as soon as possible.

I wouldn't worry too much about this. Just be aware so that you can catch fraud as soon as it occurs and you should be fine.

Old School Coney Island's Days Are Numbered

Here are some shots I took about a year ago when I was at Coney Island. My brother was just there this weekend to catch the rides one last time before they disappear. Click here to see his pictures. Here is today's NYTimes article about the new Disney-style development that is planned for the area...
 
 
 

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party!

The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, which starts today in Madison Square Park, is the biggest NYC barbecue event of the year by far. And I can't wait! I'm on my way down now actually...

Here are some great BBQ tips from NYMag:

• Here’s the single most important thing to know: Barbecue is a specialist’s art, and this is your one chance to get the best of each kind. That means pulled pork from Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson’s; whole hog from Ed Mitchell of Mitchell’s BBQ; baby-back ribs from Mike Mills of the 17th Street Bar & Grill; beef ribs from Hill Country BBQ; sausage from Bryan Bracewell at Southside Market; and pork spareribs from Garry Roark at Ubon’s.

• When ordering, it’s not rude to ask the servers to give you particular parts of the meat. When getting pulled pork, ask for some of the “bark,” or “Mr. Brown,” the crusty exterior of the pork butt (a good pork sandwich should always contain some.) For brisket, ask for deckle, the rich, tender cap muscle where all the flavor lives. If someone is about to hand you a gnarly-looking rib or sausage, don’t be ashamed to ask for a different one.

• You can tell if barbecue is done right by certain signs that judges look for in competition. For example, if you take a bite of a rib, the meat should come away cleanly and easily and leave a clear bite mark behind. Pork should be soft enough to shred by hand, but not so soft that it disintegrates. The presence of a ton of sauce is a dead giveaway that the pitmaster has no faith in the taste of his meat.

• Here’s a quick and easy glossary of barbecue terms. “Carolina style” means served with a light vinegar dressing and centers around pulled-pork shoulder. “Pork butt” means pork shoulder. “Texas style” means simply smoked over oak wood, with only salt and pepper as seasoning. “Pink ring” is a coloration of the meat, caused by nitration, that is a sure sign that it has been cooked right. Spareribs are bigger but less tender than baby-back ribs, which come from the loin, the same area as pork chops. “Rub” is a spice mixture that is massaged into the meat before cooking.

The Tuttle Kids Jam Session

While your kids are watching TV and playing Wii, the Tuttle Kids are doing this:

Women In Art Video

The 10 Petals of Success from MindPetals.com

Mind Petals: Young Entrepreneur Network » About Mind Petals: "The 10 Petals of Success

These 10 petals of success originated from David (founder of MindPetals Young Entrepreneur Network), in [his] former office (garage) while thinking about some true paths to success for budding entrepreneurs wanting to make things happen with their lives.

1. Take risks
2. Start today, not tomorrow
3. Listen to yourself first
4. Never give up…try and try again
5. Use failure as fuel
6. Never stop thinking
7. Create something
8. Help others succeed
9. Solve problems
10. Change the world!

Evan Williams' Advice: Build on Facebook

From Evan Williams interview on VentureBeat Blog:

"If I were starting something from scratch, I would certainly consider starting out on Facebook, which is a really big deal. I think that they’ll drive others to be more open and I think every major player like them is going to have a similar platform. I think that’s good for innovation, good for entrepreneurs and hopefully good for users."

Ira Glass Video Interview on Story Telling

The Value of Embracing Limitations

I saw this featured in a post on the SvN Blog...
Jack White on embracing limitations:

The idea of wearing just these colors, having just the two of us on stage—these are just boxes that we’ve cooked up to put ourselves in so that we can create better. If we had five people on the stage, all the opportunity of a 300-track studio, or a brand-new Les Paul, the creativity would be dead. Too much opportunity would make it too easy. We just don’t want to be complicated, it seems unnecessary.

Wanna See Something Funny?

Memorial Day is all about moments, reflection, and memories right.

Here's one from 1984: click to see.

Guy Kawasaki Calls It Like He Sees It

Why do some people get so much press?

One reason: They give good copy and they say the things that others are too afraid to say.

Here are some gems from legendary author, motivator, Web guru Guy Kawasaki from his interview with the Wall Street Journal this week (subscription required).

"During the dot-com bubble, you needed $5 million to do stupid ideas. Now you can do stupid ideas for 12 grand."

"If you raise $2 million from VCs, you have to pretend like you 'know' all this stuff. The truth is whether it's $12,000 or $2 million, you really don't know. The only difference is what you think you can admit."

and one of his quotes from the speaking circuit:

"Those who can, do; those who can't, motivate."

Happy 60th Mom!

Today is a special day. That's because it is my mother's 60th Birthday.

This past weekend my brothers and I threw a surprise weekend celebration for her back in Iowa. Unfortunately, the weekend went by too fast, but we did have time to BBQ a few times, build a big old bonfire and tell stories about the good ol' days, go for a Sunday brunch and play around the farm with the basset hounds.

Some more fun pictures in honor of Mom:

I call this one Grant Wood for obvious reasons.


Making homemade gravy with Grandma.


The family. Wintertime portrait.


Rockin' out.


Buzios, Brasil.