Reflections on Pop Culture - 2011

Another year has come to an end which means another blog post on this incredibly informative site for all things in the popular culture. Without further ado, let's get started.

MOVIES

I'm excited to say that It was a great year for comic book movies!

Captain America ruled them all. The First Avenger was perfect. The story was solid, the action and special effects were top notch, and the character was true to the co

mic book. At the end of the movie was a preview for the new Avengers movie which looked awesome! The last ten years have been a great time to be alive as a comic book fanboy.

Thor also came to the big screen this year and was a fantastic flick. I was never a big fan of the Thor comics, but the movie was a blast and well worth the trip

to the movie theater.

I also enjoyed X-Men: First Class. The throw back to a young team was fun and interesting although the story was a bit soft for me. Howeve

r, the action and effects made up for any weakness in the plot.

A couple "Green" movies made it to the silver screen. Both Green Lantern and The Green Hornet failed to deliver the goods. I've watched both and will probably watch them again, however, that's completely due to my fanboy status. Remember, I'm the guy who likes all three Punisher movies. Anyway, the "Green" movies were both solid "C's".

Two non-comic movies that made my favorite list were the comedies Hall Pass and Horrible Bosses.

These two movies were amazin

gly funny and hade me laughing so hard that I have to put them up there with The Hangover, arguably the funniest movie I've ever seen. Jennifer Aniston is the hottest Horrible Boss you could ever imagine and I will never forget the Hall Pass scene wherein a sneeze relieves a terrible stomach ache. Just thinking about it makes me want to watch both of them again.

TELEVISION

I didn't do much TV watching this year. However, I did manage to get into watching various shows on DVD this year.

First of all, a big shout out to The Shield again. I ran through the entire seven seasons and was again completely blown away with how amazing the show was. It continues to remain my favorite television show of all time.

On to the new stuff...

Sons of Anarchy - My uncle, Scott, turned me on to this show. FX, the network responsible for the The Shield, puts out Sons so I'm not sure why i didn't jump on this faster. It's about an outlaw motorcycle gang and the surrounding drama of their lives. It friggin' blew me away. I raced through the first three seasons and am now champing at the bit to see the fourth.

The first season of The Glades was a

blast. It's about an out-of-water Chicago detective now living and working in sunny Florida. The show has some goofy set-ups with the main character runny around with the coroner as a partner, but any weakness is

more than made up with the likeability of the characters and their fast-paced dialogue.

Californication knocked my socks off. David Duchovny s

tars as Hank Moody, a writer who continues to screw up his life as he tries, unsuccessfully, to reconnect with his "wife" and daughter. It's the first show where I really understand the complete screwed-up nature of a character. When I talk with others about the show, they say Hank is an idiot and they wonder how he can continue to make poor de

cisions when he is obviously a smart man. That comment alone makes me feel they have no clue what it's like to know the stove is h

ot, but you put your hand on it anyway. For those of us who continue to walk into the wall, Hank Moody is our character.

Unfortunately, it only made two seasons, but The Hard Times of RJ Berger was one of the funniest shows on television for the past two years. It's the best thing MTV has done since they abandoned the "music". It's about a well-endowed nerd struggling through high school. The cast of characters were incredibly funny and the dialogue snapped, crackled and popped. Who didn't love the coach's statement regarding "the swamp funk of a grown man's taint"?

Ok, here's one from the reality side of thing s. HGTV's Income Property is fantastic. While I dig HGTV in general, it was really cool to see them finally add in a show that focused on the idea of cash flow with property instead of house flipping which focuses only on the appreciation side of things.

There was one television show that stood out this year. Fox's New Girl was the funniest new show I've seen since The Big Bang Theory. I guess there's something about quirky girls I find appealing.

As a follow up to last year's blog pos

t, four of my favorites were can

celled. The Human Target, Lie to Me, The Defenders and No Ordinary Family all were pulled due to low ratings. Yet they continue to pump out the lamest reality shows a person can imagine. That's an idea for a letter blog list ...

BOOKS

The man is back! Or should I say, the men are back! Lawrence Block returned with a new Matt Scudder novel this year. A Drop of the Hard Stuff takes Scudder back to his earlier years. The plot is super tight and the writing is crisp and utterly enjoyable. It's good to see the master back!

I ran across a couple of previously published books that I really enjoyed. Elmore Leonard's Stick was a great read and Alan Watt's Diamond Dogs flat out knocked me out of my chair. if you get a chance to read either of these books, give them a go.

Sammy Hagar's Red was a fun read. I've always been a big fan of The Red Rocker, but I also dig the fact that Hagar's a businessman with his Cabo Wabo tequila and clubs. It was also a fascinating look into Van Halen as well.

MUSIC

It was a good year for new metal, or at least new metal to me.

First of all, the panther is back! Steel Panther released Balls Out in October and it stayed in my car until I knew every song by heart. With 17 Girls in a Row and Gold Digging Whore on the disc, I'm sure it's going to stay in heavy rotation in both my car and iPod. Also, it is easily the best album cover in years!

Theory of a Deadman's The Truth Is... Was a solid disc.

Favorite songs were Villain and Gentlemen. There were a few misses on the disc but overall it rocked.

My buddy, Steve, turned me on to Theory as well as the amazing Boba Flex and their album Hell in My Heart. The song Bury Me with My Guns On is a great tune! I played that song over probably 5 times before moving on to the other songs on the album. Highly recommend this album to any metal heads.

Chickenfoot released III and is a great sophomore album. The songs

Bigfoot, Last Temptation and Up Next are my favorites, but the whole albums worth listening to over and over.

Nickelback released Here and Now this year. Bottoms Up and Kiss it Goodbye are great tracks. There always tends to be one or two too many ballads on a Nickelback CD, however, it's still worth the purchase. Good solid rock.

VIDEO GAMES

Steve got me hooked on Dead Nation, the best PS3 video game I've ever played. Don't get me wrong, I'm and X-Box guy so my exposure to the PS3 is limited to Steve's library, but the game is a blast and highly addictive. Zombie killing has never been so much fun.

TECHNOLOGY

I joined the iPad revolution this summer and I've go to admit I'm becoming more and more hooked on this tablet. I keep learning about new things I can do with it. And as a small tribute to Steve Jobs, I'm blogging this year's pop culture post on my iPad. Typing is a little slow compared to using my iMac, but it's more comfortable leaning back in a chair as i time travel back over the past year.

Well, that's it for this year. Stick a fork in 2011. It's done.

Blog post

Another blog post? You may ask, why the hell am I writing something so soon after the last post when it's clearly not had enough time to settle down into the fine silt that is the Internet muck. It's only been five months so i must really have something to say.

I don't. That's the sad part. I mean, there was surely something along the way that I could have spouted off on. There are always enough fools, funny moments and my never-ending disbelief in the TSA's complete ineptitude coupled with our society's willingness to trade liberty for the perception of safety.

But, alas, I missed those opportunities. However, I'm old enough to know that there will be always be more opportunities.

So, what am I writing now? I don't have any clue. I'm just taping the keys and hoping for inspiration.

And I'm a little light in inspiration right now. So, I'm just going count this as a win, post it and move on.

Maybe that's the lesson for today.

Random Thoughts on Air Travel

Why are there always idiots on the plane who jump up and run for the restroom as soon as the captain says it's ok to get out of their seats? -- We've been on the plane for ten minutes, people. You've either got the smallest bladders in history or you're not smart enough to go before getting on the plane. Either way, you're proving Darwin wrong.

You're not important enough to delay our flight because of your cell phone call. - - When the flight crew tells you to turn off your phone, do it. When you don't, you prove to us that you're the self-centered bastard we thought you were.

You are not that important that you have to immediately make a phone call when we land. -- Your sixteen year old boyfriend doesn't need to know that oh my gawd, that flight was so long and your best bud doesn't need to know that you're finally on the ground and ready to party.

Learn what carry on luggage is, you incredibly selfish, stupid bastards. -- Do I really need to explain this? Carry-on implies small, easily portable items. If you have to drag it behind you - fail! If you need help lifting it into the overhead bin - fail! If you have to tuck it under the seat in front of me, thereby blocking my feet from resting comfortably - fail!

The Traffic Safety Administration (TSA) once again, proves they are fucking morons. Little old ladies and mothers with children are not terrorists. Quit pulling them aside to pat them down. You are retards. Learn to criminally profile and do your fucking job. Don't just stand there, breathing through your mouth. Think. There's a reason you're not a cop. You are a glorified mall security guard. You are a placebo for the masses. Get over yourself.

Just because the airline seated you next to me doesn't mean we are friends. -- Shut the hell up. I don't care where you're going and I don't want to share anything about myself. I just want to be quiet and try to ignore the fact that I can smell the breakfast you ate earlier on your breath.

Dress like you're in public. -- Air travel used to cause people to dress up because it was special. I'm not asking you to wear a tie or a dress, but pajamas tell the world you just woke up, didn't shower, and were too lazy to change into something else. This goes for beautiful young girls, too. When your hair is a mess and you're wearing pajamas with Ugg boots, you look like a ragamuffin.

If you're interested in what I'm typing on my phone, read my blog at thewayofthecon.com. -- Awkward? I don't feel guilty for embarrassing you because you don't know the concept of privacy.

It's nice to see a pretty stewardess every now and then. -- Men and elderly women need jobs as much as anyone, but let's finally be honest. We're all crammed into this long metal tube, several thousand miles in the air, going hundreds of miles per hour. A beautiful girl with a nice smile can give us a lot more peace than the overly perky steward, Trevor.

Done and out.

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Kids in America

I'm on a flight to Ohio to visit my dad and I plugged my headphones in to the airplane's in-flight music channels to ignore the chatty woman next to me. With great satisfaction, I discovered United has a New Wave channel.

The first song I heard was Oingo Boingo's Only A Lad. My buddy, Steve Flock, turned me on to them. I actually smiled thinking of Steve and our time at Shadle Park High School. I've never told you this, but you've had a huge impact on my life, bud. I really love you like a brother.

The next song was Peter Gabriel's Shock the Monkey. I remember loving that song in school. I have no idea what the song really is about, I' ve just always dug the chorus.

Kids in America by Kim Wilde came on next and got me thinking which lead to this mobile blog post.

What happens when you realize you're no longer young?

I'm 42 this year. I still feel mentally young. I often feel the same way about ideas and things just like I did when I was 18. Is that normal?

"Save me from tomorrow" is a lyric in the INXS song Ship of Fools that's in my ears right now. I understand that feeling now.

I see people on television who are listed as 40 and I think "Damn, they look old." It shocks me when that thought invades my brain.

I want to scream at the world, "My hair may be grey but I'm not fucking old!"

But I realize my knee hurts from a minor ski accident I had in January. The latest doctor visit revealed I now have high cholesterol.

My daughter is 19 and full of youthful innocence and vibrance and thinks she has the world figured out. I had dinner with her last night and wondered if I was ever so bright and shiny.

Of course, I was like that. And the New Wave music proves it. I listen to 80's hair metal all the time. Due to that it never makes me feel really young. Rock is the soundtrack of my life, but New Wave is the sound of my youth.

42 isn't old, but it's not really young either.

So, I'm going to close my eyes for a bit and continue to listen to New Wave and imagine life is still shiny and new.

By the way, If You Leave by OMD is playing now.

Come join me in the 80's.

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Computer ramblings from a 42 year old curmudgeon

Recently, I finished reading iWoz by Steve Wozniak, one of the co-founders of Apple. Wozniak designed the original Apple computer and the super popular Apple II. His tales of growing up in the early days of computing and designing the Apple were mesmerizing.

Growing up in the 70s and 80s, I’ve been lucky to witness the computer revolution through the eyes of child. I’ve always had a fascination with the hackers and computer geniuses of this world. When I was younger, I kept articles of hackers, reading and rereading them like they were rock stars. Unfortunately, as I got older, I dumped all those articles in one of my many moves to grow up. I wish I still had them.

The first computer I came into contact with was the Vic-20 from Commodore. In my eyes this computer held the keys to a new world. I was in the seventh grade when my folks brought it home. I immediately feel in love with it. None of my friends at school had a computer so it was like talking a foreign language with them. However, Stacy Blackman, a kid from church, had a Vic-20 and we hit it off. We were soon hanging out together on the weekends and writing programs in BASIC. We spent time reading Compute! magazine, learning new routines and tricks. Our favorite programs were little security routines to stop others from using our cassette tape menu programs. Looking back it was a ridiculous thing to write, but we had a ball doing it.

The second computer my folks brought home was a Timex Sinclair, a small computer with a membrane keyboard. I think they got it for sitting through a timeshare presentation. This computer was horrible and I just couldn’t understand why I’d spend any time with it. It couldn’t stand next to my Vic-20.

At the start of my sophmore year, we moved to the north side of Spokane. This meant a new school district, a new school (Shadle Park) and the struggle to meet new friends. That year, I got a job at Albertsons and the first couple of paychecks I received went to a Commodore 64. My dad drove me to the house of a guy who had put an ad in the paper selling his computer. Dad thought it was all very shady and looking back he was probably right. Regardless, I bought this amazing computer, disk drive and programs for $150. (As a side note, I still have that C-64 to this day).

The Commodore 64 opened up a new world. Two of my new friends, Steve Flock and Derek Etten were also Commodore 64 users. Derek was like me, really committed to the 64. Steve, who has been my best and longest friend in life, was a bit whorish with his computer love. He tried them all including Tandy’s Color Computer, the Apple II and the TI 99, to name a few.

Anyway, here we were with these computers, playing games, learning to write BASIC programs and exploring Bulletin Board Systems (think of it is a kind of pre-cursor to the Internet). We could talk with people throughout the world on a BBS through a type of e-mail system. If you were lucky, you could talk with the Sysop (system operator) if he was on-line.

For some silly reason, Steve and I would call each other’s computer directly. This would allow us to have “live” conversations via text. Kind of a single point-to-point Instant Messaging. It would have been easier to pick up the phone and talk directly, but that wouldn’t have been nearly as cool as typing text to each other.

I was always in awe of Steve. He was, and is to this day, heads and shoulders above most people when it comes to technology. Back in school, he would tear the computers apart to look inside. I was always afraid to do that. He switched systems constantly to learn new things. He was the guy in our group who could really hack into something. His brain made him cool.

Speaking of hacking, I made a WarGames dialer, a computer program modeled after my favorite movie which called phone numbers sequentially until it found a computer tone. Unfortunately, that’s as far as I ever got. I could never figure out how to actually get into a system and I was afraid to get caught by my parents for leaving the dialer working all day or night. Therefore, the WarGames dialer worked in theory but never in application.

I never completely gave myself to computing as I wanted a girlfriend at this time so my head was often elsewhere. That was a running theme through my youth.

The majority of kids at school didn’t have computers at home. There were Apple IIs in the computer lab, but only a few of us were lucky enough to get in that class. Unfortunately, being in a computer class labeled you as a bit of a nerd which was hard on the social front.

Regardless, computers were a huge part of my life in junior high and high school for the worlds they allowed me to explore. Often those worlds were only inside my machine, but it was still a marvelous place to visit growing up.

Now, I’m 42 and I no longer have the wonder and excitement over technology. Unfortunately, I don’t believe the majority of children growing up in this period do either. Those born in the 90s have only really known computers in their current forms. Graphic user interfaces (GUI) like Windows and Mac OS have remained basically consistent for the past two decades. They have some really slick upgrades with every new release, but the underlying principal is the same.

The iPod is an awesome invention and I treasure mine, but it really didn’t change the way we listened to music. It was the best invention since the Walkman for portable music, bar none. However, the basic principle was already in place.

The iPhone is really a slick “smart phone” and there were other smart phones before and still are. In fact, my Samsung Vibrant is amazing. However, at the core it’s a cell phone and a Palm Pilot. Items we’ve seen around since the 90s.

I’m not hating on Apple’s iPod or iPhone. I’m using their popularity to show a point. Technology has become so common place that certain items are now purchased based more on their status than their need. Just like people go to Starbucks for that little white cup because everyone else does, people run to the iPod or iPhone because it’s what the hipsters buy. It’s better to wear the white headphones of an iPod than the black headphones of a competitor. It’s like wearing the appropriate type of jeans.

Also, there’s not much interest in the hardware anymore, it’s about the applications or programs. Games are hyper realistic and there’s no point of reference for the younger generation to appreciate how great computers and technology really is today.

And that’s where I’m disappointed. We loved computers growing up because of what they meant. We were experiencing something new and foreign. Something few others would ever try. We were misunderstood for it and sometimes mocked for it, but we did it nonetheless. Being cool had nothing to do with technology.

There you go. I’ve finally turned into that curmudgeonly old man on the street corner yelling at the youth because they don’t know how good they’ve got it. But they don’t care so why should I? Their world is about them and I don’t like them.

That’s it. I’m checking out. I’m going to hook up that Commodore 64, put on some Oingo Boingo and pretend it’s 1984 again.

Bah!

Same site, new editor, new problems

I'm not sure anyone noticed, but my main site, The Way of the Con, was down for a few days. I switched from my old software platform of Microsoft FrontPage to Apple's iWeb. This caused a lot of heart burn as I had to troubleshoot the problem.

I finally figured it out this morning and the site is back up and running. I'm not completely happy with the url layout, but that's more my issue than a functionality issue.

Anyway, thanks for checking-in.

Over-hyped Bird

Sometimes the critics make no sense.

There is Oscar buzz for the movie, Black Swan, with almost unanimously positive reviews. It's being touted as a psychological sexual thriller.

With two beautiful stars, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, how could I not want to see this movie?

I started the movie with high hopes but when the end credits rolled I felt ripped off.

The melodrama was over-done, the psychological aspects of the film were simple at best and the sexual aspects of the movie were tame. There was more sexuality in Top Gun, a movie 25 years old.

This movie was perfectly designed for pretentious idiots. It wasn't scary, thought-provoking or titillating. The plotting was simple and every move was telegraphed. The folks who are gushing over this are the same folks who sit around a table gushing about a bottle of wine for an hour.

I was yawning 30 minutes into the movie. Walking out of the theater later, I felt I'd just lost 2 hours of my life.

I won't give away the story or the goofy ending which wasn't surprising to anyone who understands symbolism.

If you still feel the need to see the film, good luck. I hope you enjoy it as much as the critics.

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Reflections on Pop Culture - 2010

A couple years ago, I finished the year by listing my favorite things of the previous 365 days. I recently checked out that post and enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Unfortunately, I didn’t do the same thing in 2009 so there’s a hole now in my blog.

However, I try to learn from my mistakes, so here are my favorite pop culture memories from 2010.

MUSIC

I’ve long been a fan of 80s hair metal and it was nice to see some recent discs by acts from that period.

The Scorpions - Sting in the Tail (2010) – Solid disc, but a few more ballads than I like. Slave Me is the best track. A nice reminder of why I dug them so much while in the Army.

Dokken – Lightening Strikes Again (2008) – Okay, so the album didn’t come out this year, butthat’s when I discovered it. Put simply, it’s friggin’ awesome! The band sounds like they did in their prime. My favorite tracks were Give Me a Reason, Heart to Stone, and This Fire. I ran this disc continually for weeks.

Vince Neil - Tattoos & Tequila (2010) – Motley Crue’s front man stepped out on his own with an original track and several covers. All of the songs were well done with my favorites being the title track and the cover of Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress).

Steel Panther – Feel the Steel (2009) – First of all, thanks to my friend, Scott Simmons, for turning me on to these guys. They’re a heavy metal group that parodies the hair bands of the 80s. Their music is extremely solid with some of the wackiest and dirtiest lyrics ever. My favorite song on the album was Shocker. Yeah, it’s about that. If you’re easily offended, stay away.

Besides these discs, I put a lot of my favorites back into rotation including healthy doses of Sammy Hagar and Van Halen. Good stuff.

TELEVISION

What a great year for television shows. After losing The Shield, my favorites were limited to a few situationcomedies, Castle and Lie To Me. This year a number of new shows caught my eye and I’ve enjoyed watching television dramas again.

As a side note, the DVR is a great addition to enjoying television. I don’t have to be a slave to the television schedule to catch my favorites.

Blue Bloods (CBS) – Tom Selleck is back! This is what a cop show on a major network should looklike. I was never really a fan of NYPD Blues or any of the Law and Order creations so I was skeptical I could get into Blue Bloods. It’s far above my expectations. So much so that I actually will watch this before almost any of my other recorded favorites.

Wallander (BBC on PBS) – Outstanding drama based on the books of Henning Mankell. Kenneth Branagh plays the title character. These are amazing stories but the series is limited to three 90-minute episodes each season. I haven’t read the books (yet) or seen the Swedish movies of the same (also yet). Hopefully, they’ll be as good as this BBC series.

Lie to Me (FOX) – Continues to be a favorite. The premise of the show is a bit thin, but the characters are enjoyable and the acting of Tim Roth is top notch.

Castle (ABC) – A returning favorite and also a premise that is a bit unbelievable. The series focuses on Rick Castle, a mystery writer who through a friendship with the mayor is allowed to shadow a beautiful NYC detective. The show is mostly fun and breezy.

Human Target (FOX) – Based on the DC comic of the same name, the show is a blast of fun every time. It’s a bit softer this season with the addition of a couple female characters, but Mark Valley is a stud and Jackie Earle Haley is awesome as Guerrero. This is what action television should be.

No Ordinary Family (ABC) – A series about a family with super powers? Okay, I’ll be interested. Throw in Michael Chiklis of The Shield as the father? Count me in. The show is a lot of fun and reminds me why I liked comic books so much. I will admit, it was initially hard for me to transition from Chiklis as Vic Mackey to him as the nice guy Jim Powell. However, once I let go of my Vic Mackey memories, the show became really enjoyable.

The Defenders (CBS) – Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell are awesome as two Las Vegas defense attorneys. The characters play off each other nicely and both actors are fun to watch. The only negative is that the episodes (and cases) wrap up neatly each week. Sometimes, though, that’s not such a bad thing.

Modern Family (ABC) – Okay, I will admit, I didn’t get into this show until a month or two ago. I’d heard some folks talking about it, but I largely ignored it. What a mistake! It’s got the best comedic writing since Arrested Development. Guaranteed to make me laugh.

MOVIES

The Girl ... - ... with the Dragon Tattoo, … Who Played With Fire, … Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. This Swedish series was amazing. Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist and Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander were amazing. Don’t be a wimp and say you won’t watch them because they are subtitled. These are excellent flicks and available on DVD or On Demand.

I’m disappointed that Hollywood is involved now as remakes are underway with Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist. He’s a great actor, but why does Hollywood think (and the American public demand) our own versions of amazing international movies?

Ninja Assassin – Sho Kosugi! That’s right, the Ninja master from the classic 80s movies is back. But this time he’s the heavy! This movie totally caught me off guard. I watched it a couple weeks ago On Demand and was blown away with its stylish filming and action scenes. If you’re a fan of 80s ninja movies, then check this out.

True Grit – A late comer, but the movie was fabulous. Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn is a hell of a lot more interesting (and believable) than John Wayne’s version. I know, I know, some of those John Wayne fans will see that as sacreligious but I’m one of those guys who have never really enjoyed him as an actor. If you get a chance, see this movie.

BOOKS

The Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo, et al by Stieg Larssons – I read the first two books of the series prior to seeing the movies. They were decent tales, albeit bloated. From what I’ve read, the author Stieg Larssons died after delivering the three manuscripts to his publisher. Perhaps, had he been alive a bit longer, an editor would have helped him tighten up the stories. Regardless, the plotting was interesting and the stories made some great movies. If you have to make a choice, see the movies instead.

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump– Okay, so this book was written in 1987 and I originally read it when I was a senior in high school. I reread the book and it knocked my socks off on how good it was. Yeah, there is the traditional Trump bragging, but there were some amazing insights on deal making. Had I realized some of these concepts earlier, I might have avoided the (still) costly Laundromat debacle of 2008.

SPORTS

Shock Me, Make Me Feel Better - The Shock, Spokane’s arena football team stepped up this year from the Af2 to the Arena Football League (AFL) after it restructured. And just like their first season in the Af2, the Shock went out and, well, shocked the rest of the league by winning the Arena Bowl in their first year. This was done with a first year coach (Rob Keefe), as well. We’re spoiled by how good this team has been.

Army Football – This week, they won their first bowl game since 1985. Go Army! Next year, let’s Beat Navy!

Cleveland Browns – Some things are better left unsaid.

That’s it for now. Was there more stuff that I dug this year? Oh, yeah, of course there was, but I’m limited to time and space.

Since 2011 is here it’s time to move on.