The Dragons Ate My Popcorn

A philosophical ? for you. If humanity becomes extinct, do you think another species would evolve in our place? What lessons would the learn from us?

2010-03-01T16:48:00.004-05:00

Personally I doubt they'd learn much from us. It would take several million years for them to evolve and I doubt there would be much left of us by then. Maybe some cave painting in the more stable geological areas as they seemed to have survived just as long as it is. And a fall-out bunker stashed in a Mt. somewhere. Some of those storage facilities located in old coal mines (like in PA). Anything under sand in the desert and perhaps at the bottom of the sea or in an ice flow. But I truly don't believe there will be much let of us for them to draw any kind of conclusion about us. We’d be to them what the dinosaurs are to us.

For those of you interested the Discovery Channel did a mini-series about this a few years ago. I showed what may happen if humanity no longer inhabited Earth (the premise was that all humanity had left Earth and sent back satellites to monitor how it changer). It showed how different spices may evolve over time through all sorts of claimed changes (ice ages and such). It was really cool; sadly I forget the name of it. Spoilers: Cockroaches still going strong and the octopus inherits the Earth.

iPod took a step backwards in design and now I can’t listen to audiobooks

2009-10-04T19:35:00.003-05:00

I got my first iPod shortly after they first hit the market it was a 1st Generation 20GB. That worked great for what it was. A t first I used it just for music. When I started college and then latter started working I used it for audiobooks. I like reading but I don’t have time to read an actual book so I listen to them on my iPod in the car on the way to and from work of while I work around the house. On my old iPod (that finally died a few days ago) if I wanted to find an audiobook I could go to Album on the Music menu and find it by title. I could go to artist and find it by author, or I could go genres and look under sci-fi, or mystery, or romance and find it. I could even find it under audiobooks. And it was always sorted by titles I clicked on the title and I’d get the tracks for that book and only that book.

Now on the new 120GB iPod Classic any audiobooks you put on your iPod will not show up under album, artist, or genres. The only places you can find an audiobook on the new iPods is to go to the Audiobook section under Music. But it only works if you only have one audiobook on the iPod. And then only if the tracks are titled alphabetically from start to finish. If one of the tracks is titled prologue expect to hear it right after the epilogue. Oh, and it has to have only 9 chapters. If it has more than that expect to hear chapter 10 right after chapter 1. And if you have move then one audiobook expect them to be mixed together. The new iPod takes all the audiobook and just dumps them in one big playlist ordered alphabetically by track title. Though it is nice enough to separate the chapters by book. So you get chapter 1 of one book then chapter 1 of another book and so on. The only way you’re going to get just one book in the right order (by track and disk number) is to go to search and type in either the title of the book or the author. I was told you could make playlists for each book to make it easier to find and listen to just one book and one book. I have 127 playlists just for any of my music in my iTunes library and a total of 915 audiobooks (some with as few as 1 2 hour long track or as many as 2000 tracks each about 30 seconds long) that would mean I’d have to search through 1042 playlists just too find one book that many only be one 2 hour track long. Yeah, that makes it so much easier. I got the iPod specifically to listen to audiobook, and it doesn’t work. It’s basically a $250 piece of crap.

And what really ticks me off is that iTunes has the nice section where you can keep any audiobook you have separate from your music albums. It made them a hell of a lot easier to find and it let me go into the music section, hit play and just let iTunes run through my music library without any problem, and only hear music. Now I have to into get info on all of my audiobooks. Go to Media Kind. And the change it from audiobook to music. And then I’ll my “new” iPod will actually acknowledge that they do in fact exist. So much for having an organized iTunes Library. Thanks ever so much. News flash Apple if you upgrade the hardware, don’t downgrade the software.

Rush Hour 3

2007-08-10T00:18:00.000-05:00

If you’ve seen the first two then there’s not much to say really. This latest installment of the Rush Hour series if just a funny and Kong Fu actiony as its predaceous. You’ll spend most of the film laughing. If you like the first two, you’ll love this one.

I give Rush Hour 3 four out of five dragons

Stardust

2007-08-10T00:16:00.000-05:00

I want to read the book now. In fact I went out a bought it right after the I saw the film. A great fantasy romance that was masterfully done. It was funny, and actiony, and just plane good. Maybe a bit to romantic in the sense that the prince rescues the girl and saves the kingdom from the backstabbing upstarts that were trying to take the thrown, but that’s what made it good and all. Finding your true love right in front of you where you never thought to look. It’s a great film and I strongly recommend it to any and all individuals.

I give Stardust five out of five dragons.

I Know Who Killed Me

2007-08-10T00:14:00.000-05:00

Great movie. One of the better horror movies to come out this year that wasn’t centered on dismemberment and touchier. Granted there’s plenty of that in the film, but it’s more of a suspense/drama. However I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a weak stomach when it comes to those things. They do show the touchier. And there’s a surprise twist at the very end that you don’t really see coming until you actually get there.

I give I Know Who Killed Me four out of five dragons.

Bratz

2007-08-10T00:12:00.000-05:00

OMG! Ok I know that the Bratz are this generations Barbie and Jem combined, but come on people. Jem was never the sappy and Barbie was never that perky. Can your say airheads. This movies only saving grace was the music, thou the Brattitude song was a pit much and rather pointless.

And on a side note. Any idiot can see that that girl wasn’t doing those Cheerleading move. What, did the have a blind guy pick her stunt double? Those skin tones were so far off it’s not even funny.

Again I’m being generous, for the music and the music alone, and am giving Bratz three out of five dragons.

Underdog

2007-08-10T00:10:00.001-05:00

Ok, not a bad movie, but not all that great a movie either. Let’s face facts here; you’re turning an 60’s cartoon into a live action movie. Not going to work. Ok so Transforms made it work. But hello, giant robots that blow stuff up, and they’re actually from the 80’s. This is Underdog; a beagle that fly’s around in baggy cloths and only talks in rime. A great movie for what it was (at best a corny kids show that seemed to belong in the 80’s at the latest). It was funny and if you grew up with underdog or are 10 and under you’ll love it. If you’re in your teens you’ll find it funny and rather corny.

I give Underdog four out of five dragons.

The Bourn Ultimatum

2007-08-10T00:08:00.001-05:00

Despite the massive change from the original storyline, the movie was great. Bourn is still kicking ass and taking names. It was just as good as the last two films and like the others left thins open for yet another piece of the puzzle the is Jason Bourn. Though truth be told I think he could have kicked a lot more ass the he did in this film.

I give The Bourn Ultimatum four out of five dragons.

No Reservations

2007-08-10T00:06:00.001-05:00

Not a bad movie. The plots a bit over done though. Will to do relative takes in relatives kids after and tragic accident and the parents sudden death, and has there whole life turned upside down. Ad then falls for the guy who takes their place at work. Thou the version put a bit of a spin on that last little bit. Kind of a "go single mom" deal were she ends up not being replaced at work. But in the end original job became irrelevant so the film kept the tradition of the plot. But it’s a nice relaxing romance, with just a dash of comedy thrown it.

I give No Reservations three out of five dragons.

Who’s Your Caddy?

2007-08-10T00:04:00.000-05:00

Ok, first off this really isn’t my kind of movie so I’m going to be a little hard on it. It’s funny. Hell it’s utterly hilarious and all. But it’s a stupid funny on the same level as Dodge Ball and Epic Movie. I like funny movies but come on already. That kind of funny just gets plane stupid way before the movie’s over.

I give Who’s Your Caddy? two out of five dragons.

The Simpsons Movie

2007-08-10T00:02:00.000-05:00

If you like the Simpsons TV show then you’ll love the movie. It has everything you’d come to expect from the Simpsons over the years. Pulse a few surprises. And don’t leave before the crest end, or you’ll miss out of the best surprises of all. Maggie’s first (actually second) word.

I give The Simpsons Movie four out of five dragons.

Hairspray

2007-08-09T23:58:00.001-05:00

No offence to Broadway but this movie killed. And I don’t mean that in a good way. This summer’s release of Hairspray just proved that the days of a theatrical musical are over and done with, outside Disney’s next animated feature. Not don’t get me wrong and all, the movie was funny and all and I’m sure the original was better. People should really stop trying to remake the same film every twenty years. You either get it right the first time or it’ll such forever (unless it’s Dracula, lets face it the guy never dies so he has to be remade). Remaking just sends the film on a never ending downward spiral. And while Rent may have gotten away with stepping off Broadway and onto the big screen, Hairspray should have stayed on Broadway.

I’m going to be a bit generous with this film. It wasn’t a bad film; it was funny and entreating at points. It just would have been better as a play rather then a movie. So I’m giving Hairspray three out of five dragons. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either.

And to all those idiots who walked saying it was too gay. It’s a Fucking musical. What do you expect? Topless women and Tommy-guns? Of course there’s going to be little more then singing and dance numbers.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007-07-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

Ok, to start off so nobody thinks I’m being dully unfair here. I have read all of the first five Harry Potter books and most of the sixth (it’s thick and very daunting, give me a brake). So I know what has been left out or altered in the movies. I also happen to be one of those people who bitch about those same alterations and exceptions. So the first part of this review will be about the movie itself while the second part will be about what was changed and left out. But I’m going to keep it short so as not to ruin the movie for any one. If I really get going I’ll end up giving a whole synopsis of the film.

In a nutshell the movie was just as good as the other four the effect continued to be up the par and there was plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seats. If you liked the first four movies you’ll love this latest addition to the series.

SPOILER ALERT

For starters they only showed Harry getting one letter from the Ministry after the Dementor incident, not the four he actually got. They braze over the Order members, didn’t even really introduce them. Neville’s parents barely got a mention. They whipped through Umbrage’s actions at Hogwarts. Gave no explanation of the inquisitorial squad, didn’t even mention that Ron and Hermonie were Prefects. Hagred wasn’t chased off by a squad of wizards he just left. They don’t show any of the O.W.L.s or the career interview. You never see all of the prophecy and Dumbledore doesn’t explain everything, only about half of it. They leave out the bit wtin the Quibbler but seeing as how they left out the Retia Skeeter in the last movie that's understandable. The Cho and Harry relationship isleft to only one kiss and then it goes nowhere. Ok so in the book they broke up before the school year ended, but still as far as the movie goes there might as well have not been a relationship. The whole Quiddige matter is left out. They don’t show Umbrage to be half the bitch she really is and that’s what really pisses me off. She made the fifth year Hell and they don’t show it. they just meagerly emply it.

END SPOILER ALERT

However overall it was a fantastic film and I give it three out of five dragons (Remember I’ve read the books).

Two Very Cool Dragon Pic i found on Deviantart

2007-07-08T23:49:00.000-05:00

Transformers

2007-07-03T17:20:00.000-05:00

OMG!!!!!!! I’ve been waiting to see this move for over a year, and man was it worth the wait. I mean I don’t know where to start. They start off with stealing a page for Superman and having Optimus Prime narrate a bit but your expecting it, or at lest you are if you know anything about Transformers. And he only talks for a little more then a minute. Then after a brief build up they go strait into the giant robot action. The action scenes are mind blowing and the CGI is to utterly die for, please kill me not I so loved it.

!!!!!!SPOILER ALETR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The continuity on the interrogation scene could have been better, the donuts of the plate kept going from whole, to gone, to half eaten, to whole, then to gone again. And makeup/costuming should have done better work on the dog’s cast. For one the cast didn’t even look real. Let me rephrase that. It could have looked real. All it really was, was white paper tapped in the shape of a boot slipped over the dog’s leg (at lest that’s what it looked like). You can even see that it’s slipping off the dog’s leg when the Sector 7 guys come to pick up Sam. Now I know not many people know what a dog cast look like, especially on a Chihuahua (I do because my neighbors have one that’s broken it’s like before), but that is really no excuse for the lousy job they did on it.

!!!!!!END SPOILER ALETR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But over all the movie was great. The whole culture shock byplay between the Autobots and the humans is priceless. !!!!!!SPOILER ALETR!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Bumblebee’s stunt with the Sector 7 Guys was to die for! !!!!!!SPOILER ALETR!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s a great movie for those who grew up watching the original Transformers on TV and Fans just discovering the genra alike.

I give this film Five out of five dragons and five Autobots.

Live Free or Die Hard

2007-07-03T16:59:00.000-05:00

Don’t let the films PG-13 rating fool you, this movie is just as action packed as its predecessor. Hell within the first twenty minutes they’ve already blown stuff up. Over all things bit more subdued, there’s more running around in this film but you don’t really notice it all that much. And the action scenes more then make up for it. Talk about sparing no expense. I mean that that scene with that jet was top notch. This film is well worth the price of a ticket.

As I said don’t let the rating fool you just because it’s rated PG-13 while the previous Die Hards were all rated R. The rating really reflect more on society and how desensitizes to violence we’ve become, than it does the actual contents of the film.

I give this film four out of five dragons.

Spiderman 3

2007-05-03T21:55:00.000-05:00

I just saw the Spiderman 3 and it was GREAT! I loved it. Unlike the third X-Men if didn’t let you down and leave you wondering why you were still sitting there. Don’t get me wrong X-Men 3 had its good points but overall it was a real let down. But Spiderman 3 is completely different. This movie has just what you’d expect from the Spiderman story and the effects in this movie were just as good as in the previous two, better even.

Granted there are some minor story alterations but these alterations can be accepted rather easily as they don’t totally interfere with both the story arc established by the first two movies and the original Spiderman Universe. The story in this movie seemed too focused more on Peter’s relationship with Mary Jane, with slightly more emphases on Mary Jane. It didn’t go all that much into character development, though it didn’t really need to as the charters were already well established in the first two movies. However, the film did develop the characters of Marco Flint/Sandman and Eddie Brock/Venom. If only slightly, and more attention was bayed to Flint’s character the Brocks.

SPOILER ALERT! There wasn’t as much of Venom as I would have liked to have seen in the film, he only appears in the last twenty or so minuets of the film. And rather then sending the symbiote back onto space Spiderman kills it, and unable to lit it go Brock leaps into the explosion the is the cause of its demise, killing them both dead. I was rather disappointed by this, seeing as how it negated any hope of seeing the Venom in any future movies and eliminate the possibility of seeing Carnage as well.

The film had one truly moving scene that I felt was made a bit laughable due to the background. As Mary Jane and Peter kneel beside Harry’s dieing form they set before a striking sunrise that looks rather out of place in the scene (you can easily tell it’s a matt –Green Screen). It’s a moving scene, and a very good one, but it could have been done slightly better. END SPOILER ALERT!

Overall it was an excellent movie and I give it four out of five dragons.

The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie, TMNT

2007-03-22T21:21:00.000-05:00

I just saw the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie, TMNT. It was great. Granted it’s animated, but that’s the only real medium for the Ninja Turtles. Don’t get me wrong, the live actions were great and all. But you can only do so much. You just can’t get the same kind of kick ass fight scenes that you do with animation.

But I digress. The new movie has all the kick ass fight scenes you could expect from the Ninja Turtles. And of course it has all the comedy too. And I’m not just talking about Michelangelo, though he is a laugh a minuet. All the Turtles bring something to the pot. Donatello with hi attempts to rain in Michelangelo and Raphael, well Michelangelo at lest. Raphael with his temper to get him into trouble and Smart Ass attitude. And even Leonardo as he tries to whip his brothers into shape once again.

And for those of you who don’t mind spoilers, my two favorite scenes are when Raphael gets his ass kicked by a mutated Gremlin on steroids, they even have the Gremlin laugh. And When April and K.C. are handling the final monster.

The animation is great, totally top notch. The story line is killer, may be a bit fast at some points, but with all the action who really cares. And it leave things open for a sequel!

I give TMNT 5 dragons out of 5 plus a ninja.

He doesn’t give a dame about me

2007-02-15T13:49:00.000-05:00

You know you’d think it would hurt when you finally realize for sure that one or more of your parents doesn’t give a dame about you. But in doesn’t. Ok I feel like dirt, and that I’m completely useless. But the fact that my father could care less about me just leaves me feeling numb. Hell, I’m crying and I don’t even know why.

It started out as such a good day too. My college class went great. I managed to leave on time and got there early, even though I had the let the car warm up for about 10 minutes because it was so cold out. Classes when well and I was in a good mood. Should have known it wouldn’t last.

I headed home after my first class because I don’t need to be back on campus until 6:00pm. I was on the highway doing between 55 and 60 when this big truck comes up alongside me, about half the size of a semi but not as big. Like one of those white FedEx trucks only it didn’t have a company name on it. Just a big, dirty, white truck. And it pretty much passes me really quick. Right as it’s alongside me I see this white object come flying of the top strait at my car. Now at the time I hadn’t had all the great a look at the truck since it had just bulled up, so the first thing in my mind is that one of those long whit plastic-like pipes has fallen off and is going to come through my windshield. But it was just a large chuck of ice that had fallen off the roof, but it took me about a minute to realize that fact.

It scared the living daylights out on me and by the time I could breath again the truck had passed the car in front of me, a piece of ice just missing the front of that car as well. If the license plate had been clean enough to see I would have copied I down to give to the police. I mean talk about a road hazard.

Anyway after I get over most of my fright I realize there’s this big crack in my windshield extending all the way from the bottom to the top. Then when I go to glance in my rearview mirror I realize that it was knocked off by the force of the impact.

Still shacking pull of the highway and stop in the parking lot of the Hilton Hotel and spent the next 5 minutes or trying to clam down so I can actually talk when I call home to tell my dad (who needs to get a job and stop bitching at everyone else who has one) what happened. And you know what he does instead of asking if I’m ok. He causes me out and says, “I don’t believe you!” Like I can’t believe you were so stupid. Not the he thinks anything I like or have an interest in is worth much. He hangs up so he can MapQuest directions to where I am. Then calls back telling me he’s on his way to where I am, and that it’s really far away from the highway, when I can see the fucking highway from the dame parking lot.

I spent the next 20 or minutes waiting for him and trying not to cry. Which worked pretty well. Other then my throat getting tight nothing happened. When he finally shows up he doesn’t say anything, just takes pictures of the damage. He ask if I heard the windshield cracking while I was driving. No. Then he goes and says all pissed, “Just a random accident.” Like it’s my fault the dame truck that sped past me had ice falling of the roof.

Piss a bit myself now I ask him how it could be my fault. And he gets even more pissed hands me the keys to his truck and says, “Take my truck home, and don’t ruin my car.” And when I go to get my stuff out of the car I was driving he says, “Leave your shit in the car.” I had to ask to get my purse so I could have my driver’s license. Then I had to spend the rest of the trip home try not to cry again. It didn’t work. I had to pull of the highway again because I was starting to cry so hard I couldn’t see.

When I finally get home he only talks to me to ask how the rearview mirror came off. And then he only listens to me tell him what happened in short, brief sentences. He doesn’t want to hear the whole story, and doesn’t even ask once if I’m ok. I think I’m going to die when I see something flying at my windshield and he doesn’t even care. I can’t stop crying for more then 5 minutes and he doesn’t care. The only thing he’s worried about in the fucking car. I had to call my best friend in Maryland, because I need some one to talk to and help me calm down a little, because she was the only one I could get a hold of.

Well at lest it’s nice to know for sure that my father doesn’t give a dame about me. At lest now I don’t have to try so hard to please him. Not that I can seem to do anything right as far as he’s concerned.

Loveless

2006-12-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

I have recently viewed all 12 episodes of the anime Loveless. I loved it.

Loveless is the story of twelve-year old Aoyagi Ritsuka who has lost his memory and is left with his insane mother as his only family when his brother, Seimei, is murdered. After moving to a new school, he meets Agatsuma Soubi, who claims to have known his brother. Ritsuka eventually discovers that Soubi and Seimei used to be a fighting pair, whereby Soubi was the "Fighter" (the servant as Soubi puts it) and Seimei was the "Sacrifice" (the master). Now that Seimei is gone, Ritsuka has inherited Soubi. Though the idea of a Fighter living after their Sacrifice dies and taking a new Sacrifice doesn’t go over to well with the other Fighter/Sacrifice pares. After learning that Seimei was killed by an organization known as the "Seven Moons", a school for fighters, Ritsuka decides to investigate his brother's death, with the sometimes useless help of Soubi, along the way.

The anime series has a great build up that leaves you hang for more at the end and wishing it was longer then just 12 episodes. You are literally foaming at the mouth for more. OVA and/or movie pleas.

Though a warning for any and all who may need or want it. This anime has serious Yaoi undertones. Though there is nothing explicit. Just a lot of suggesting. And besides the series is too short to go into it totally. Oh and did I mention one of the best parts. Cat boys! In this anime anyone who hasn’t had sex has a pair of cat/dog ears and a tail.

Now there is a manga series that I hope goes further then the anime series. Pleas, pleas, pleas let it be so. But unfortunately I have yet to read it. But I so want to. I just have this thing where I have no spear cash (dam college tuition bills) to buy the series (which after seeing the anime is something I really want to do), and nobody I know owns it so I can’t barrow it from them.

Overall I give Loveless four out of five dragons.

Last Cass Post

2006-11-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

Since we only needed to do ten posts for Comm. 340 this will be my last post for class. And the subject of choice is Fans and How Far Is To Far. Ok, not I will happily admit to being a Trekee. Hell I went to my fifth grade Halloween party as Spock. I still have the ears. I’ve seen every episode of the Original Series, The Next Generation, and Voyager, a minimum of six times each. And I own both the Official Star Trek Trivia Game (purchased in 1992/1993) and the Star Trek Monopoly game (technically my mother owns the Monopoly game – she collects Monopoly games). I even have a Star Fleet manual from the original series, and several other pieces of memorabilia.

Now I see no problem having a uniform mad if you wish to go to a convention, or even if you just want to have one. Going to jury duty in it is a bit eccentric, but whatever floats your boat. As for baying a thousand dollars for a costume piece worn by one of the characters in an actual show; Hell the guy got a deal. Do you have any idea how much time and effort when in to making those pieces. And when you consider how rare it is for a studio to offer on of its props/costume for sail. That only usually happens for charity events. They’re normally either locked in a vault, placed in a museum, or destroyed (last option doesn’t happen often, but if the item is damaged or something along those lines it my be scraped for its materials depending on what it is). Studios don’t like to give up their property, that’s why people bay through the nose for the stuff.

As for a Star Trek or Star Wars wedding. Can we say Vegas? There has got to be and Elvis Wedding Chappell every fifty feet or so.

Ok some people take it way to far. But I'm not going to judge how far is actually too far. Of course when that person starts to personally scare me (and it takes a lot for a fan to actually scar me – if you ever see me at an Amine convention you’ll understand), then I’ll admit they’ve crossed a line and have left sanity far behind them. But until then I say let them be and have their fun.

P.S.
Ok the guy who bought the “Q-virus” and actually drank it went too far. That was almost seemed Stacker creepy.

Gay or Striate

2006-11-15T23:33:00.000-05:00

In regards to the picture shown in class last week of the young Asian and weightier or not he was gay’ I think it was a pointless question. Weightier or not some one is or is not gay can not be determined by the way they look. Not even by the way the act. Personally if I’d seen a guy dressed like that walking down the street my first thought would have been weightier or not he was gay. It would have had to do with the fact that he was rather attractive. And what he was wearing wasn’t really a “Gay” outfit it was a dressy casual look. The point is that you can’t tell weightier of not someone is gay or not going just on looks and behavior. Until that individual informs you other wise it’s really none of your bonuses, and you should speculate on it.

Anime and Disney

2006-11-07T23:42:00.000-05:00

Ok this is probably a pit off topic but it’s the best I can think of right now. This past weekend I attended an anime convention called NekoCon. I love anime (Japanese’s Animation). Now it’s mostly a purely anime convention but you can also find items of Japanese culture such and Kimonos and Tea ceremony items and such. There is also usually a weapons booth featuring items of both Eastern and Western origin. But the Con also has a video game aspect. If you walk through the game room you find more than a dozen games of Japanese origin and maybe one or two of Western origin depending on the Con.

Now it’s common practice to dress up at these Cons and people go as both characters from actual animes and video games. What got me this year was the number of people dressed as Disney characters. At first I didn’t know what they were doing dressed and these characters, but then I realized that they were dressed as characters from the Kingdom Hearts video game. A game that features not only Disney characters but several anime characters from games and shows that Disney either holds the American license on, or is affiliated with (Final Fantasy being one).

Until then I hadn’t really associated Disney and anime even though Disney sponsored the American release of the Japanese’s animated films Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Even though I knew about it before hand it was still surprising to see. Disney and some of the more popular animes aren’t something people tend to put together.

Music to TV and Back Again

2006-10-31T23:48:00.000-05:00

Valerie Wee discusses how media reshaped television of teens in the 90's, using Britney Spear's appearance on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" to illustrate her point. Britney's appearance and singing was nicely arranged to advertise her newly relished CD. Targeting the young female audience who watched the, at that point in time, popular TV show; and prompting them to run out and purchase Britney's new album.It seems to be a common practice for stars from one genera to, such as those in the music industry, to use another genera, such as TV, to promote their work. And it’s not just musicians using TV to sell their albums. Actor will often use the music industry to further or expand their own careers.

Cool and Uncool

2006-10-25T22:39:00.000-05:00

"Merchants of Cool" gave voice to what everyone secretly thinks but never really says or even really realizes that they think it. Nobody ever seemed to realize it but the marketers have always been selling what’s ‘cool’. Nobody ever seemed to ask way what they were selling us was cool; we just accepted it as being cool. After seeing the video and thinking back you realize that what they were selling you was cool because you’re the ones who told them it was cool in the first place. But of course they harp on it and then it becomes uncool. So the whole thing starts allover again. And the sad thing is that even if you still like the item that is no longer cool you have to give it up because it’s now uncool. I don’t now what’s sadder. The fact that we need big companies to tell us what we already know is cool is actually cool. Or that we will willingly give up something that we enjoy just to stay cool.

Who's on TV

2006-10-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

"Women and Television" states that there are more men on TV than women. Over the last 30 or so years the number of women in the TV industries, not just actresses mind you but actual corporately inclined individuals, has in fact gone up. However the number of woman in the field is still not equal to the number of men in the field. Now at first glance you do see what looks like an equal mix of men and women who broadcast the news each and every day. But if you really look there are definitely more men on the local news at night than women. Now I think men and women can do the same jobs regardless. Unfortunately some people still seem to be stuck in the past. Women have to work twice as had as men to get the same chance a good deal of the time and it’s not fair. Now I will admit that the whole deal with men and women in the workforce have gotten better. Really it has, but its still there. And as far as I can tell it’s not coming to an end anytime soon.

Who's to say what's cool and why

2006-10-10T22:37:00.000-05:00

As far as Yousman is concerned, ok I’ll admit that some people do have this whole 'Black is cool and White teens listening to rap and hip-hip in order to be cool' mentality. But to some people it’s just music. I like Celtic Folk music, and the fact that River Dance was some big hit has nothing to do with that. Not that I didn’t like River Dance; great music and loved the dancing. Now Lord of the Dance did leave something to be desired however. But the majority of the time people don’t act against their own will or desire so there not going to go along with something just because (Yes I know that is a very idealistic view and has almost no basics in fact). Basically people listen to what they want to and tend to ignore what they dislike.

On and off camera

2006-10-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

Hall states that stereotyping reduces, essentializes, naturalizes, and fixes differences. It’s kinda hard not to disagree with that. That’s all a stereotype is designed to do. It cuts you down to the most basic of degrading ideas/views and doesn’t allow you to escape from those views/ideas. I don’t see how there can be such a thing as a good stereotype. I mead anything that has to cut you down to some base level to describe you isn’t capable of being a good thing. And even though we seem to find then funny and laugh our heads off when we see them on TV in reality we find them to be hurtful and degrading to ourselves and those around us. I mean if we hear or saw a stereotype on the street we’d be offended by it, but if we saw it on TV we’d fid it funny, laugh at it and almost seem to thinks it ok. Kinda of like saying it’s not real just because it’s on TV when if fact it is very real and the fact that we ignore it on TV is very disconcerting. That kind of behavior only allows stereotypes to prosiest in the world today.

They're Baaaaack

2006-09-26T18:14:00.000-05:00

I have the perfect example of nostalgia in commercials. The Double Mint Twins. Now it might just be because I moved overseas at the time, but I haven’t seen a Double Mint commercial since I was 8. Even when I moved back to the states I didn’t seen one. It has to be a good ten years since I’ve actually seen a Double Mint commercial that wasn’t recorded on VHS. And the scary thing is that when I see the new commercial what I’m hearing in my head and what they’re saying on screen isn’t they same thing. What I’m hearing in my head is the jingle from when I was eight, which is what the company is probably going for but I still find it creepy. That and the new Twins scar me a little. You could be that perky back in the 80’s and may be the early 90’s, now it’s just freaky. That and they kind of look a little like the woman in the Orbit’s commercials.

Another example, though it is some what dated, is the Toys ‘R’ Us jingle. If you’ve ever seen any of the old Toys ‘R’ Us commercials they always featured some adult playing with kittle kid toys singing “I don’ wanta grow up. I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid. They’ve got a million toys and games that I can play with. From bikes, to trains, to video games, it’s the biggest toy store there is. Oh, I don’t wanta grow up, because if I did, I couldn’t be a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid.” Yes I remember the jingle from at lest a dozen years ago (sadly however I cant seem to remember when my next paper is due). The point is the commercials themselves were based on nostalgia. They latterly depicted adults openly admitting their longing for their childhood. And even in some of today’s Toys ‘R’ Us commercials you can still hear, if not the whole jingle at lest some parts of it (I think it may only be the bit about bikes and trains though).

It’s All E.T.’s fault

2006-09-20T22:52:00.000-05:00

I’d have to say product placement in the movies really got started with the film E.T. M&M’s loss on that. According to the original script E.T. was suppose to be eating M&M. But M&M decided that Spielberg would have to pay them to use their product in the movie. Which didn’t go over to well. Then Reese’s comes along and offers to pay them to use Reese’s Pieces. After that Reese’s goes from almost nothing to owning 5% of the candy market.

Unless the there’s attempt at product placement in a movie people don’t seem to actually notice it. In my experience if they make it to obvious people tend to be put off the product if they don’t already like it. It seems the more subliminal a placement the better it is.

And then there are the TV commercials that actually use a clip from a movie as their add. Like a few years ago when Godzilla came out. Kodak used Godzilla’s first run through New York to sell their new disposable camera. iRobot was used in the same way by; I think it was Nesan, to advertise a car. And at times I think Cellular was one big phone ad.

Sometimes it’s actually hard to tell what’s an ad and what’s a movie or show.

Does Everything Have To Be Dubbed? And Why Is Something Always Blowing Up?

2006-09-12T22:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend I had a very interesting conversation with one of my coworkers while manning the Box at amc. One of our Guest asks what the movie The Protector was about. Not the theater provides a summary of its movies for us to give out when asked. But those summaries tend to suck and nobody wants to stand there and listen to them any ways. So I gave a brief assessment based of the previews shown and what I heard from my other coworkers when the Guest tuned me out as I was reading the summary provided by amc. Then the guy manning one of the other registers asks if they had seen a film called ONG BAK 2. As it turns out The Protector and ONG BAK 2 are the exact same film. In fact you can walk right across the way and buy it on DVD rather than spending the money at the theater to see it. However there is one difference between what you'll see in theaters and what you'll see on the DVD being sold at the other end of the mall. The movie being shown in the theater has had about 20 to 30 minutes cut out of it to 'make it suite American audiences'.

Now I myself have never seen either of these movies and there for I am not stating my own thoughts or views of the films, but merely relaying what I have been told. According to the individual I spoke with, who has seen both The Protector and ONG BAK 2, the original was the better of the two and that he felt that The Protector was geared more towards fighting. Which is what people where coming to see. Originally the movie was about the quest for the retrieval of something sacred and that the main character held dear to himself in his own right. Now it's become some guy out for revenge.

It kind of makes you wonder if the only thing people are interested in is mindless violence. I offer Crank (which I have in fact seen) as an example on this front. That is basically all that movie is. Just one act of random violence after another. Not only that, but the main character spends about 20 minutes running around in a hospital gown with his ass hanging out for all the world to see. There's even a public sex scene. Don't get me wrong I thought it was a good movie and funny as Hell at some points but still. Hell even on our slow days the movies that get the most attendance are the one where something blows up or offers the best chance of seeing something blow up.

Now I can see making a movie geared to a specific audience type. But to cut up a perfectly good film to make it fit someone else's standards of acceptable is too much really. Don't even get me started on the dubbing of Japanese's Animation. Trust me you could fill a book with what I have to say on the topic. Basically what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't have to take something that's good in its own right and change it so that it can be considered ok by the masses on the other side of the globe.

Septemper 11

2006-09-10T23:52:00.000-05:00

Just a picture I found to honor Sept. 11.