At Your Leisure

Word of the Week:

Hornswoggle (verb): To cheat or swindle.

 Jeff felt he was hornswoggled after buying the latest game only to find it discounted the next day.

Quote of the Week:

“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be” –Abraham Lincoln

Stream of Facts:

The Eclectus Parrot, native to Australia, is one of the only species of animal that kills their young based on gender. Specifically, the Eclectus Parrot kills male chicks in order to give the female parrots, which mature faster, more of an advantage in the wild.

Harry Houdini wrote a book called “The Right Way To Do Wrong” which detailed the many ways criminals can take advantage of their victims.

In the 1980s, serial killer Robert Hansen would bring victims up to a remote cabin in Anchorage, Alaska, torture them and set them loose in the forest, later to meet their demise by his gun.

The Sahara Desert is rich in a variety of minerals that often are blown into the upper atmosphere and land in the Amazon Rain Forest, enriching the ecosystem.

Mixtape Therapy: Best of Jake Kaufman

Jake Kaufman, commonly known on the internet as “Virt,” is a game music remixer turned full time game composer who encompasses an array of musical styles, combing catchy beats with the classic pings of old school video game composition. Here’s a little taste of Kaufman’s work for you to enjoy.

“Turbonugget”- One of two tracks chosen for this list off of his album “Choice Nuggets,” the song is a peppy chiptune tune that starts off rather slow but breaks into a nice chill beat and continues to vary itself throughout.

“Exosunrise (ULTRANIMBUS)”-  A dreamy 8 bit track with a fleeting rhythm, the song just feels like it’s made for imaging yourself flying in the sky.

“Risky Boots”- Off of the original “Shantae” Gameboy Color OST, the nefarious beat is incredibly catchy despite being a somewhat short loop. It creates an air of mystery and seems like it would be followed by some evil action.

“Burning Town”- Probably the most well-known track from “Shantae,” it’s a wonderful track with a steady beat that somehow is able to emulate the sounds you expect from a desert oasis.

“Love You Love You Love”- A jamming track from “Mighty Switch Force,” this piece has a great sort of meld between House-style rhythms and a cool old school feel, reminiscent of music from the Sega Genesis.

“Whoa I’m In Space Cuba”- My favorite track from Kaufman’s discography, it’s an awesome tune that combines Latin percussion with the Genesis/House music found on the “Mighty Switch Force” OST. It always gives me a boost in my walking speed whenever this song pops up on my iPod.

“Singularity”- From Kaufman’s album “FX4,” the song starts off with a catastrophic explosion à la NES sound effects and transitions into an upbeat track. Probably has some of Kaufman’s most complex 8 bit composition, with intense, varying rhythms.  

“First Flight”- Another track from “FX4,” “Fast Flight” is a sort of calm but solemn song that begins to catalyze into a truly tempest composition. I can imagine being caught within a terrible storm while trying to fly my way to freedom with this track.  

For more of Jake Kaufman’s tunes, check out virt.bandcamp.com