JJ BANKS’ Blog

BREW REVIEW

 

     Through out most of October whenever I had the chance to drink Samuel Adams’ seasonal brew Octoberfest I did. You see the beer is only available to the public from late August until the end of October so if you love beers with a nice malty taste you better get out there while supplies last.

Hooray for Octoberfest!!!     

     Now while Sam’s Octoberfest is definitely a good beer I often see it in the same light as Heineken where drinkers drink it for it’s cultural status and hip appeal. Taste-wise the first day in October when you have it for the first time all year you will find a refreshing and invigorating experience but after you’ve polished off a 12 pack the malty hoppiness kind of wears off. I’ll say I find the beer highly over-rated but I’ll also say that it does capture the feeling of the ending of summer and the arrival of autumn. Drinking Octoberfest does heighten the notion of football in the air and baseball coming to a close, Halloween and leaves on the ground, days growing shorter and nights lasting longer. Drink it while you can!

For more on beer and everything else that makes life great, click on WellHungOver.net

     I’ve been living in New Jersey for quite awhile now, hell, I even own some property in the Garden State. But what really bothers me is when someone from outside Jersey calls the state a dump. Now it’s true that NJ does have the most toxic waste dumps in the U.S.A with 108, but the funny thing is that for all the time that I’ve lived here I’ve never seen one. So I decided to head out and find one.

Landfill & Development Co. = Superfund Site = Toxic Dump

     I guess because of my influence from “The Toxic Avenger” movies I was expecting to see huge coolant towers or rusty barrels with green slime oozing out of them. But when I did find my first toxic waste dump it was unlike anything I was expecting.

Located right across the street from Wal-Mart

     I live in Mount Laurel, NJ which is in Burlington County and which I recently learned has the most superfund sites (which is technical talk for a toxic waste dump) than any other county in New Jersey. The closest one to where I live was located right off Route 38 in Mount Holly, NJ conveniently placed right across the street from a Wal-Mart that thousands of people visit everyday. I’ve been to this Wal-Mart numerous times and never gave a second thought about the wide open field across the street. A field that is actually a 210 acre landfill housing loads and loads of hazardous contaminants. 

The Wal-Mart in Mount Holly, NJ right on Route 38

The view from the Wal-Mart parking lot.

     I’ll be honest. I have no idea what these contaminants are but I have a feeling you don’t exactly want them hanging around the house.

Contaminants Detected

1,1,1 - Trichloroethane
1,2 - Dichloroethane
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chloroform
Trichloroethylene

The gated entrance off of Route 38

     The last published report about the safety of this site was done in September of 1983. Nice, a good 26 years has past. In that last report it was documented that seeps from the landfill had polluted the Rancocas Creek and Smithville Canal which I see people canoing and sometimes swimming in, but I’m sure our fine government agencies have since cleaned up those spots, right?

The official “hidden” entrance that’s accessible after driving down some back roads.

      So I guess I feel a little bit more like an official New Jersey resident now that I’ve visited my first official toxic dump. It wasn’t as visually impressive as I was hoping for but in a way I guess that’s good thing, because we never seem to worry about things that we don’t see. However, now I think twice when I’m out driving and I see a nice large open field that’s surrounded by a barbed-wire fence. I can’t help but think about what nasty materials must be stored inside. 

Click here to find the nearest toxic dump by you.

Click here for more random stories about New Jersey at WellHungOver.net

Heineken
Pale Lager, The Netherlands

      What can I say about Heineken beer? Cool label and logo, check! Cool bottle, check! A premium quality import, check! But wait….is this beer really as good as everyone says it is? I remember as a young lad in my late teens and early twenties when I thought holding and drinking a Heineken was some kind of status symbol among my peers, as if the green bottle was some kind of uppity accessory that successful and cool people should brandish. But what about the taste? Hey back then taste didn’t matter as long as you looked good, right?

      Well I’m in my thirties now and I don’t give a fuck about looking good only feeling good. And while I’m not going to say Heineken tastes horrible, I’m done with the whole “premium quality import” shit. The bitter aftertaste has always bothered me and although there is a crispness to the beer there is also a certain tang I’ve never grown accostumed to. So all those high-fiving douchebags in the high end bars asking for a “Heini” can go screw! 

Can you find the Heineken is this picture?

For more on beer and other things that make life great click WellHungOver.net

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND BEST WISHES IN ‘09!!!

     Wow, when we look back at 2008 years from now I’m sure we’re going to say, “Man, what a shitty fucking year!” But for now let me indulge you with some “Best of ‘08″ lists based on the opinion of the smartest, wittiest, and coolest human being on the planet…me! And if you disagree with any of my choices I’ll come to your house and kill your family.Â
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     Enjoy and God Bless!

BEST BOOKS I READ THIS YEAR
(doesn’t necessarily mean they came out in 2008)

4. The Vengeful Virgin by Gil Brewer

3. In The Money: Strategies for Winning Texas Hold’em Cash Games by Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari

2. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

     After reading this I wish I could tell you that the worst is behind us, but I’m not so sure, especially with an inexperienced jackass moving into The White House.

BOOK OF THE YEAR
Harrington on Hold’em Volume 1: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington

     One of the best poker books ever written.

FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2008

Honorable Mention:
“Vampire Weekend”
Vampire Weekend

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“Real Emotional Trash”
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

     OK, I need to start listening to more new music, but Malkmus and friends released a masterpiece this year.

FAVORITE VIDEO GAMES OF 2008

3. Ninja Gaiden II

     And “yes”, I did finish this game despite its insane and at times brutal difficulty level.

2. Castle Crashers

GAME OF THE YEAR
Grand Theft Auto IV

     This game lived up to all the hype for me and is one the reasons why video games now share the same artistic platform as music and movies.

(Editor’s Note: I’m disappointed I didn’t get to: “Gears of War 2″ or “Left 4 Dead”.)

BEST MOVIES OF 2008

6. Iron Man

5. Starship Troopers 3: Marauder

     My biggest surprise of 2008! The true sequel to the original. 

4. Step Brothers

FILM OF THE YEAR
Cloverfield

     I went back and forth between “Clovie” and “TDK” when determining this, but as cool as “The Dark Knight” was, the theater going experience that was “Cloverfield” made it #1 for me. Throw in some clever internet marketing and an active forum and message board community and you have the most revolutionary and entertaining film of 2008.

(Editor’s Note: I’m disappointed I didn’t get to “Pineapple Express”, “The Wrestler”, “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.)

            
     I recently turned 31 and I started wondering not only what am I doing with my life but also what the fuck is the purpose of my website WellHungOver.net? Originally, I started the website so I could showcase my wonderful short film by the same name, but the more I think about it I think there’s more potential for that so-called waste of cyber-space. So I started thinking “What does it mean to be WellHungOver?” And the following is what I came up with:

1. You don’t fear death, and won’t give into torture.

2. You have Olympic Beer Pong Skills.

3. You have knowledge that would surprise a scholar, and a sense of humor that would make even a bad girl grin.

            

4. You have the sociability of a lamb, but remain a lone wolf.

5. You have the highest level of experience with alcohol, gambling, video games, screwball comedies, music, pornography and fast food. 

6. You can fall in love but you can never love.

            

7. You realize you may have, at times, squandered your abilities and opportunities, but will always remain positive about the future.

     So there you have it, are you “WellHungOver”? If you are and even if you’re not, feel free to stop by sometime at WellHungOver.net