Review - Library Thing

In the long list of wildly popular social networking websites, LibraryThing is an odd man out. While it has over 400,000 members since its creation, its popularity and publicity is not even close to the bigger name social networking sites. Thats mostly because LibraryThing isn't just your standard social networking site. Rather, it is hybrid virtual bookshelf for its members. Once you sign up for the site, an incredibly easy and quick process, you can immediately begin adding books to your online library from over 200 different libraries around the world, meaning if you have a book in your personal collection, no matter how obscure, you will almost definitely find it.

LibraryThing is not just a place to categorize your library however, it truly is a social website. LibraryThing allows you to see who has similar books to you, and allows you to create your own groups, from topics to mystery novels to groups for members of other websites. Members also can tag and review their books, helping you find out what others think of a book you are interested in or to find the book most of the members believe classifies as a mystery novel. All this adds together to create an atmosphere of sharing and encouragement for a passion about reading, something that seems to be a dying idea. Fortunately, the website is free for most users, with fees ($10 a year or $25 for lifetime membership) only kick in if you want to post over 200 books, an impressive number for your average person. Overall, LibraryThing promises to be around for a long time. Its commitment to excellence and its ever expanding database of books, English and otherwise, will help guarantee it will be the place to be for book lovers.

Scored Review – The Shade of Poison Trees

Dashboard Confessional is certainly one of the bigger bands around today in an increasingly fragmented music scene. It also happens to be one of my favorite bands, so I was pretty excited when I picked up their most recent album. And luckily, my loyalty in actually paying for it (and full price at Borders as well) was repaid.

Dashboard doesn’t try to pull any gimmicks on this album, its classic Dashboard all the way, with their own style shinning through. There are no new hits on the scale of “Screaming Infidelities” or “Stolen”, but it is a well-rounded album none the less, with “Thick as Thieves” and “Little Bombs” being fantastic songs and my favorites on this album. But “Matters of Blood and Connections” is just amazing, and the closest in my opinion of reaching classic Dashboard status. It’s a witty critique of a trust-fund baby who is trying to pretend to be from the streets.

Pros:
Classic Dashboard Style
Well-rounded track list

Cons:
A little bland

Final Rating: 4 Guitar Strings out of 5

Review - Marina Gardens Restaurant

Well to be honest, I've never written a review of a restaurant before, but Marina Gardens in Kenosha, Wisconsin (or just Marina to its pack of loyal fans) holds a special place in my heart.

Its nothing specially from the outside, just you average-looking restaurant with cheesy Mediterranean murals for decor. But if you are so lucky as to stumble upon this 24-hour gem of goodness, you are in for a treat. The menu is nothing special really, a mixture of classic American food (including the glorious Wisconsin treat of fried cheese curds) and Greek classics like gyros. But if you really want something good, its the breakfast menu you want. It is here that Marina Gardens truly excels.

The skillets, a mixture of potatoes and several other ingredients from corned beef hash to feta cheese, all topped with cheese and two eggs any style, are my recommendation. If it sounds like a heart attack in a skillet, well, thats because it is. But it is well worth it in my opinion, and it is what I get nearly every time I go.

In short, Marina Gardens is what a restaurant should be: great food for reasonable prices with a staff that is friendly and knows what they are doing. I recommend going after midnight, when the staff and the food is at its best.