The perfect spot for Machiavellian Goliaths

So on my day off yesterday, I found the perfect spot to relax, read, and recoup. While it is still in the city, it is a park at next to the "river" and at the base of the mountains. If you throw on some music, grab a book, and face away from the street you almost believe you are out in the country. It has trees, grass and inviting spots to sink into and forget. I went there yesterday and enjoyed listening to The Mars Volta's new album The Bedlam in Goliath and finishing up Machiavelli's The Prince.

The new album was awesome, and I highly recommend it if you enjoy The Mars Volta at all. While bringing themselves back in line with their first two albums (De-Loused in the Comatorium and France the Mute) and gone are the 10+ minute songs. While I never faulted Amputechture for the extended jam sequences (In fact I love Tetragrammaton), I do know many fans felt that some of the songs just wouldn't end. The addition of their new drummer, Thomas Pridgen, also gives the album a fresh feel. Pridgen definitely has the skills necessary to fill out his role in the band, and is a welcome addition. Song-wise the album is an easy push play and walk away album (though Tourniquet Man is completely out-of-sync with the rest of the album, and sounds like it should be followed by some metal ballad, but luckily it's only clocks in at 2:38 so it is bearable). This album will be on my playlist for the coming months.

Of course, Machiavelli's The Prince was a great read, and one day I will be able to employ his principles in my path for global domination. This book will become a yearly read like Sun Tzu's The Art of War, as I know it will take several reads to completely digest the principles that Machiavelli discusses and try to apply them to my own situations. I highly recommend it for businessmen and corporate climbers as it can easily be applied to business (especially takeovers!).

Also, I recently got Vampire Weekend's debut album, and gives me nostalgic feelings of listening to a Paul Simon album. Very Afro-pop, but in the end it's quite enjoyable and I find myself humming "Oxford Comma" throughout the day. The whole album is a fun listen and something you put on at a party and everyone seems to enjoy.