Because sometimes you need a little, and sometimes you need ALOT…

When the situation calls for excessive overkill, filmmakers reach for the Minigun (which, mind you, is something of a strange misnomer… but I digress). Below are 6 7 of the best such scenes, drawn from the last forty-plus years of the American cinematic experience.

7. Parody or homage? It can be such a thin line… Note: impatient types — aren’t we all — should skip ahead to 2:45.

6. A horse-mounted gatling gun?

5. Even better, a gatling gun mounted on the handlebars of a motorcycle! From Machete, which, mind you isn’t even out yet (projected street date: September 3, 2010)! Spot it — mid-air, no less — at the 1:15 mark!

4. Our third entry on this list involves a memorable scene from 1999’s The Matrix. Having hijacked a helicopter, Neo and Trinity descend the side of a skyscraper until they come level with Morpheus, who is being interrogated by an increasingly frustrated Agent Smith. Via a minigun mounted on the side of the whirlybird, our hero-protagonist promptly pumps several thousands rounds into a room roughly 12″ x 12″, thereby killing Smith and his accomplices (however temporarily) without so much as glazing Morpheus, who inexplicably breaks free with nary a scratch (you might think that a stray bullet would ricochet off him…).

Does it make sense? Not really. Does it work as a slick piece of post-modern eye-candy? Of course.

On account of Youtube-imposed restrictions, I can’t embed the clip, but you can watch it here.
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Ahoy hoy mates!

As a general rule of thumb, I try to refrain from posting about my personal life. On occasion, however, circumstances dictate otherwise… and this is one such example thereof.

As some of you know (but most of you don’t), I spent January and February touring the eastern coast of sunny, beautiful Australia. And I really can’t say enough about the experience. It was totes aussome (pun-like misspelling intended… groan) and if you ever, ever have the chance, I exhort you, by all means, to go! Though the cost to get there was considerable (in both time and capital), it was far, far outweighed by the friendships I formed and the memories I took away…

However cliché, there really is a little something for everyone Down Under: modern city (night) life, sleepy getaways, postcard quality beaches, exotic wildlife (fleeting, but visible), delicious, locally-sourced food (no joke), contemporary culture, music and fashion, heaps of beautiful people, and so forth. In any case, here then is a list (ranked, no less) of 10, nay 11, highlights, all of which only hint at the depths of the Australian condition.

Until a return engagement, in say, 2012, this is what I gots… and as always, click on the pics to link through or enlarge image.

11. A Fraction of the Whole is the best piece of contemporary fiction I have read in the ’00s ’10s. A father-son saga stretched out over several decades, it’s funny (of the laugh-out-loud variety), sprawling, smart, manic, touching and expertly plotted, shot throughout with shades of Kurt Vonnegut and Chuck Palahniuk. And while it is certainly the product of an Australian imagination, the book revolves around, what are, fundamentally universal themes and motifs. Reading books FTW!

A tip of the cap to the Pensive Tornado. A worthy recommendation.

10. Sydney has no shortage of world class beaches (hello Bondi, Coogee and Manly, I’m looking at you), but travel 90 minutes west by commuter rail and you’ll find yourselves at the footsteps of the Blue Mountains, which according to Wikipedia, is so-named for

the blue tinge the range takes on when viewed from a distance. The tinge is caused by mie scattering which occurs when incoming ultraviolet radiation is scattered by particles within the atmosphere creating a blue-greyish colour to any distant objects, including mountains and clouds. It is widely, but incorrectly, believed that this is created by light reflecting off vapours from eucalypt leaves.

A series of interlocking gorges, some up to 760 meters deep, the preserve is best explored via an extensive network of web-like trails that afford sweeping viewpoints, secluded waterfalls, and massive rock formations.

Embedded below is the view from Echo Point, which my companion and I accessed thru an epic staircase cut into the steep hillside. At more than 900 stairs and 300 meters, it was no walk in the park, but we KILLED it. Quads of steel, yo. And the reward more than justified the effort. Now, as for that carpark nearby…

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…lest you lose your jockstrap.

To wit, take a peek at this AMAZING goal from last night’s clash between the Boston Bruins (gotta rep it, yo) and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins’ top center and playmaker, Patrice Bergeron, beats all-world defenseman, Chris Pronger, slipping the puck between his skates, and following with an all-world shoulder deke that freezes his flummoxed opponent. Cutting to the net, Bergeron caps the sequence with a deft little feed to his streaking winger, Marco Sturm, who redirects the rubber into the back of the net with effortless aplomb.

And speaking of hockey, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that we feature this hip-checking Charlestown Chiefs tee in our online store. It’s an exact replica of the one worn in the greatest hockey movie of all time, Slapshot. Pick Puck one up today for a meager $21.95…

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I’m goal-oriented: travis@founditemclothing.com

Between Bunk, Laurelhurst Market, and Meat & Cheese & Bread, 2009 was the year of the artisan sandwich shop here in Portland, Oregon. And at the vanguard of said movement was The People’s Sandwich of Portland, which opened its doors in downtown PDX during the dog days of summer.

As you may have gleaned from their socialistic moniker, the PSOP incorporates a degree of tongue-in-cheek (pun intended), Soviet-inspired iconography into their branding marketing (both online and real world). Including this newly designed tee shirt, which, by power of association, is making me hungry.

Let’s just say that I like the interplay of the food, fist and sickle (and the lack of any identifying text). The implication here is simple: sandwiches are hearty fare for hard-working folks. At their best, they are utilitarian, hand-crafted, nutritious, and dare I say it, even democratic (blasphemy, I know…), that is, they appeal to people of all ages, creeds, and backgrounds. Good sandwiches, of course (as these are).

In any case, if you live nearby, I’d encourage you to pay a visit to the PSOP. The selection rotates between deli classics and seasonal titles, some hot, some cold. In a word: yum. (They are easy on the wallet, as well.)

Attentive readers might recall that I posted a tasty top in this space previously.

The compulsory clip:

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Hold the mayo: travis@founditemclothing.com

Hey kids.

Big news here at Found Item Clothing: the 4th Annual FIC Halloween Costume Guide is now live on our site and available for your viewing enjoyment! If you need inspiration (of an admittedly 80’s persuasion) for everyone’s favorite holiday, then look no further… we have you covered (literally).

New for 2009 are a whopping seven ensembles, bringing our grand total up to a rocking 21. (Blackjack, anyone?) Highlights include two outfits just for the ladies: Darla Marks from Dazed and Confused and Ariel Moore from Footloose. Lowlights include yours truly modeling a second variant of Stiles from Teenwolf; oh the humanity. How ever did I fit into those pants?

As you’ll note, every entry on the FICHCG provides a checklist — with links — to help you assemble all of the necessary components for each look, and do so affordably. Honestly, it couldn’t be any simpler. And for comparison’s sake, we’ve attached screen caps from the source material; make sure you scroll to the bottom of the appropriate page to examine those. I urge everyone reading this to take a look at their convenience; feedback is welcome, nay, encouraged, as this is an ongoing project, one that aims to be as faithful as possible. To that end, hit me up with complaints, suggestions, observations, etc. via e-mail: travis@founditemclothing.com.

Finally, if you are planning on an FIC-inspired getup for this year’s holiday (or conversely, if you wore one in previous years), by all means, share some pics with us. We’d love to see your take on these characters; we’ll also be raffling off some FIC swag after Halloween as enticement.

A little something to put you in the mood:

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