Ricky Van Veen's GET EXCITED

July 28, 2008

Ricky’s Quickies: Movie ReviewSharkwater
Sunday night a few of us sat down to watch the kickoff of Shark Week on the Discovery channel. We turned it on and were really disappointed with the first show, some lame Mythbusters special. Then I remembered I had this Netflix DVD sitting around the apartment and our shark night could be saved!
And boy was it. This doc was terrific. The story of a young biologist who sets out to make a film to demystify sharks and show how many varieties of them (including the Great White) are now endangered.
In the process of making the film, he gets arrested, chased out of a country, and almost dies. He also goes up against the shark fin industry and its organized crime connections. The shark fin industry is the reason sharks are endangered. The Chinese are the biggest problem here (as they are with so many other world issues) since they eat shark fin soup at formal events.
Perhaps the coolest thing I learned about in the doc was the Sea Shepard organization/ship, which travels the ocean looking for violators of international fishing laws (a boat illegaly whaling, for example.) They then ask the boat to surrender and follow them into shore for arrest. If the boat doesn’t give in, they sink it! How badass is that? I have such a soft spot for renegades.
Anyway, see the movie. It’s good. A trailer is here.

Ricky’s Quickies: Movie Review
Sharkwater

Sunday night a few of us sat down to watch the kickoff of Shark Week on the Discovery channel. We turned it on and were really disappointed with the first show, some lame Mythbusters special. Then I remembered I had this Netflix DVD sitting around the apartment and our shark night could be saved!

And boy was it. This doc was terrific. The story of a young biologist who sets out to make a film to demystify sharks and show how many varieties of them (including the Great White) are now endangered.

In the process of making the film, he gets arrested, chased out of a country, and almost dies. He also goes up against the shark fin industry and its organized crime connections. The shark fin industry is the reason sharks are endangered. The Chinese are the biggest problem here (as they are with so many other world issues) since they eat shark fin soup at formal events.

Perhaps the coolest thing I learned about in the doc was the Sea Shepard organization/ship, which travels the ocean looking for violators of international fishing laws (a boat illegaly whaling, for example.) They then ask the boat to surrender and follow them into shore for arrest. If the boat doesn’t give in, they sink it! How badass is that? I have such a soft spot for renegades.

Anyway, see the movie. It’s good. A trailer is here.

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E-Mail Today from My Adorable Mother

“My feet feel like they died and went to heaven. I finally got a pair of crocs (only a few years after your recommendation)…. but I just found them on sale!”

Related: Crocs’ stock price (NASDAQ: CROX) was at $74 November 2007. Today?

July 27, 2008

We had only been together for 3 days when he asked me. I told him yes!

The Text Message Proposal

(I asked Anna and Ethan what percentage of marriage proposals they thought were done over text messaging. They said zero. I told them obviously that’s not true and Googled it. I won.)

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July 26, 2008

The Impending iPhone Subprime Crisis

Since there are no results on Google for this term, let me be the one to coin it.

The iPhone Subprime Crisis is what will happen as a result of Apple lowering the point-of-entry price of a new iPhone while increasing the overall cost of ownership over the two year term of the contract (up to $2700!).

People who thought they couldn’t afford an iPhone when they cost $400 now (falsely) feel like they can afford one when it’s $200. After a few months of heavy bills, as the “cell contract foreclosures” begin, look out for a lot of used 3G’s coming to eBay.

July 22, 2008

A Sucker's Bet

Exactly one year ago today, I made a bet with Zach Klein, who at the time was swept up in David Beckham soccer fever.

Zach was confident that America would fall in love with Beckham and within a year he would be starring in his own feature film. Well, sorry Zach. Americans still don’t care about soccer.

The prize was dinner anywhere in the world, so if you have any suggestions as to a dining spot, please tell me or let me know via reblog.

CollegeHumor’s “Font Conference”

Geez, our Editorial/Originals Dept keeps putting out winners.

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July 20, 2008

Seen in generic shitty east village frat bar.

Seen in generic shitty east village frat bar.

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July 19, 2008

The initial name of the show, “Let’s Talk Sandwiches”, was changed before the initial air date. This was a somewhat controversial decision as the majority of the pilot and subsequent episodes dealt with the eating, talking about, or eating and talking about sandwiches.
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Joker themed bagel!

Joker themed bagel!

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July 18, 2008

This iPhone line in front of the t mobile kiosk is kind of cruel.

This iPhone line in front of the t mobile kiosk is kind of cruel.

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Hi! I'm Ricky Van Veen. I live in the West Village, New York City, USA. Professionally, I am the co-founder and Editor in Chief of CollegeHumor.com.

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This is where I write about things that excite me.



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