What's your favorite oxymoron? What is an oxymoron? An oxymoron is a word-phrase that contradicts itself. Say 'military intelligence.'
My new favorite is Human Nature. Human nature never changes, yet we hope it will somehow through time. Tragic, really when one considers what's been lost to this simple observation. Lives, boats and cars. Trains planes and Automobiles...
How about Moral Dilemma? Maybe. Or Sex worker? Occupational Therapy? Perhaps, but that's bordering on: The Dept. of Redundancy Department. How about Barbershop Quartet: Nope that's not an oxymoron.
I just picked this one up for all of you scroll bar clickers. Basically: one may advance the thumb that sits in the scrollbar to the desired location quickly and directly by option-clicking where you want the thumb to move to. Neat.
Learned this from Macworld Oct. issue I believe. Just a tip to keep you clicking...
As J. Cameron said: You don't know F***. It all started with my grandfather. For his Birthday we gave him a Sinclair Z80 white computer which was really a calculator that you could hook up to the old TV. This was great for us cuz it knocked out his TV time at 6:30 when he would watch the national news (after a few cold ones). My grandfather was not impressed.
"Who in the world would want to use this thing?" he asked. ANd I agreed. 8K RAM and a chicklet keyboard that could caluclate salestax. And that's about it. I'm told it's processor was the Z80, but that meant nothing.
He could see his grandson's eyes light up however and the next thing I knew: I had an Atari 800 on my (dad's) desk. Wow. Talk about possibilities. Man went to the Moon on less computing power, and I knew it. I crafted two games that were published for that machine: Incoming and TwoGun: Both shootem-ups from 198? Now this is way before the first-person-shooter. Way before thumbsticks. Why I had to walk through three miles of snow just to get to the machinery!
Anyway, enough about me. Those games were good and they're still out there somewhere on 5 1/4" floppy disks. TwoGun capitalizes on one-to-one player action. Opponent/friend/enemy. Also, territory is marked and otherwise distorted by player actions on-screen. So the longer you play, the more screen clutter there is. (Like life!)
Incoming was one-player a ripoff of HeliRaid on the Apple II by a fellow in NJ who was unwise enough to Telnet his game over the phonelines to us (J and I). The player controls a butter nozzle of a gun that shoots UP and tries to stop helicopters and shuttles from dropping men on the player's city. Nice. Look for it wherever eightees games are realized or otherwise exchanged freely. Incidentally, kudos to the fellow who scribed the SHOOT! source code for the 6502 machines. They really helped. Also, SoftSide and COMPUTE! magazines had type-in code for the computer hobbyist. (read: Most of us)
Not to mention A.N.A.L.O.G. magazine which published both games. We miss you. These types of mags never got replaced after the 8-bit turned 16- tuned 32 and now 64?
SO If you're reading this on an 8-bit Lynx machine: Hats off to you! Lynx
I admit it: I'm gathering dust. It's under my bed. It's on my computer screen. My next nickname will be Dustmaster. But that doesn't stop me from pretending to be 17 and enjoying videogames.
What do I like? Let me count the ways -- Jump cut explanations that leave more questions than answers. Exposition in the beginning of the game that actually gets resolved by the end. This includes games where you CAN get to the end. (Incidentally, I must really be dusty as I kinda stink at most games. Save NHL 2004 which I can school my nephew at regularly <I don't even have a nephew> That's how dusty I am) I look for action where action is required; Intrigue where I least expect it and some new tools thrown in along the way. I havenot even played Halo or Halo2. I refuse the xbox. Refuse the gamecube. refuse the DS. It's strictly PS2. Like I said: I'm dusty!
Since my brain can barely distinguish between fantasy and reality, I love the alternative Universes proposed by thinkers like Spore and SimCity. (seriously!) I crave the raw violence provided by the GTA series. Yeah! Grab a car and let's get across town! I'm a bankrobber! (Roleplaying)
Ratchet & Clank? Sure. Solid 3D fundamentalism. It's a shooter. But it's crafty. Also in my Game Library are: Fight Night which closely resembles a boxing sim. Well done! I'm a black guy at 220 lbs.
Mace Griffin, bounty Hunter: Sure. I never got very far in this one, can anyone help me out? The Golden Compass let's you believe you can ride a polar bear around. 007 Nightfire. Has too many sexy blondes for this videogamer. What kind of weapons does Bond have? I wanna know! Then there's the EA Sports Madden franchise. As anyone who reads my blag knows: I'm an NHL guy. Love it. Love the color commentary. I'd love to see the code for the announcers.
I have Ace Combat 4 wherein we fly a jet plane around the mountains. OK. Excellent. Then there's the anthologies: Namco Activision and Capcom. I saw an Intellivision box, but it slipped my grip.
I plunked down like $14 for MLB Slugfest 2006 and played it but once. There were fireballs coming out of the pitching. I'm too old for this I thought. HalfLife is solid entertainment, but you know what? That extended intro takes too damn long to load. Rar: The Cranky gamer! And don't get me started on Terminator: Rise of the Machines. Arnold has too much screen time for my liking. But that's just me.
Let me just say: The Couch Potato is probably old enough to be your dad. So I just keep making them... and I'll keep reviewing them. Review suggestions to AAAZA9@Yahoo.com Rar: couch Potato
Call me an old-timer but I grow weary of the FPS. So-called First person shooters have been popular since Doom around 1993: That's 16 years ago. Yikes. Talk about a genre. That said, this one's good. The user commands a drone fighter in an all out assault on something or other.
I admit I am way to old to even be looking at this stuff anymore: But it crossed my desk and I had to satisfy my curiosity. LucasArts games are usually worth their while anyway!
So go ahead and shoot-em up if you've got it in you. I'm not going to stop you...
Most intriguiing are the map system wherein users make their game selections over a very detailed (and I must say: color-coded) Map that shows the current battle being waged. Nice!
Also: You'll recognize old characters from previous Star Wars incarnations which I presume you will understand better than I. Noob? yup...
Where I live in America, there are no GO signs. Only STOP. And most (traffic) signs are telling you what not to do.
I know traffic signs are like this in most of the world: Prohibitive.
Nobody tells you what to do, but I could use a little positivity! It's the nature of laws I suppose to prohibit. You can't make laws that tell you what you have to do, and laws are just statutes that we all agree on. If you don't agree, you break the law and go to jail.
It seems fair, but who said everyone should agree on how to behave? And do some people have a choice? Do you believe in free will? The ability of the individual to choose? I seem to, for the most part.
Also, when was the last time a law go repealed? Removed for its silliness or antiquity. Irrelevance. Here's a local law I'd like to see repealed:
NO SKATEBOARDING
It's the law here. It's a liability issue, obviously but kids skate anyway! Welcome to the jungle tuffy. Let's encourage skating in our towns!
At the risk of splitting hairs here, I've come up with Webster's definitions of two important words:
Instinct - behavior that is mediated by actions below the conscious level.
Intuition - the power or faculty of attaining direct knowledge without rational thought and inference (inferring).
So, the two words are different in that one is about thought (mind) and one is about action (body). They are similar in that they involve actions inherent to animals. (Connradd's explanation)
I don't know about you, but I've been using those two words practically interchangeably for years! Like ephemeral and ethereal, I thought I knew the difference! Let the enthusiastic beware.
People speak of women's intuition, and it's true generally. Men may have solid instincts tho'. A gut reaction would be instinctive. Blinking at a suitor would be intuitive I believe. Incidentally, who knows what the in- prefix means... I hope your response is insightful. Oh interesting! intelligence.
1. (body) Opposable thumbs The use of the hand to manufacture objects/tools and Art!
2. (mind) Long-range planning As far as we know, animals are just looking for their next meal.
3. Humor No joke I can think of will make a squirrel laugh. Tho' cats and crocodiles seem to smile.
4. Stories about animals and nature in general have no ending, human stories end; are finite.
5. Divinity Humans worship. Topic #2: Ritual.
6. Instinct/Intuition When an animal displays intelligence, it's written off as instinct. That said, I've seen some animals that displayed some serious Intuition: A sentient sense of what-to-do next.
7. Humans tend to view themselves as the 'king-of-the Jungle.' Is this because we ultimately don't eat each other; We just eat animals and plants and nuts & berries?
Of course any list like this is categorizing and will introduce the so-called Platypus effect (animals cannot be categorized). But this is a start toward a better understanding of our place in things...
It all begs a larger Q, one of my favorites: What is nature? Or what isn't nature? Even that plastic fan by your desk comes from nature I believe. Plasticity being what it is! Incidentally, I'm a fan.
Hidden amongst the major studio releases that everyone considers important enough to make movie posters for is this gem of SciFi we call 'Knowing.' Just why they call it Knowing is beyond me as If anything, Nic Cage doesn't know. He doesn't know that the sheet of numbers that he pulled from his son's school's timecapsule reveals dates and #'s of deaths of major world catastrophes encoded as dates.
He doesn't know that a UFO spaceship is going to take his child away. He doesn't know whether the Universe is a random event or a methodical pattern of cause-and -effects. Despite his teaching position at M.I.T., he doesn't know why his wife died in a hotel fire. There are just too many questions to call this film 'Knowing.'
That said, it's a great movie. Walking the line between fantasy/imagination and some solid reality, 'Knowing' delivers an eye opening romp of a ride that includes a planecrash. It's serious pyrotechnics here, folks. Cage is well known for playing Everyman characters, as he says in Leaving Las Vegas: 'I'm everyman baby.'
C.P. came across this movie from the Internet. They were discussing 2012 which is a major release when a (phone)caller piped in and said he preferred: 'Knowing.' Thanks!
If you haven't already, go pick up A Cure For Gravity a book by musician Joe Jackson. It's a twisted tale of one musician's Love affair with Music. The son of twisted parents, Joe claims that music saved his life, and I don't doubt it. I've been listening to Joe caroon about unfaithful lovers, skateboard salesmen and jilted men wearing suits since about 1982; and Joe's seen it all -- the perfect foil for adsolescence: a role model!?
Rain is both a CD and a DVD: You get them both. Here are the songs on the CD:
1. Invisible Man 2. Too Tough 3. Citizen Sane 4. Wasted Time 5. The Uptown Train 6. King Pleasure Time 7. Sold (so low) 8. Rush across the road 9. Good Bad Boy 10. A place in the Rain
Sound familiar? It shouldn't. They're all new as of 2008. But the song titles seem familiar to you? Joe Jacksonish? I agree. He's got a system for naming songs. Joe's on keyboards on the DVD, bowing between songs.
In the town where I live, in lower Fairfield, CT: The Teardown is popular. When the value of the land exceeds the value of the house, it becomes a 'teardown.' A House that is considered totalled, as a car might be after an accident. Here's a pic of one from last winter.
Now I'm no real Estate Agent, but it seems to me we're tearing down history ALOT of the time. Which houses are worth saving and more importantly: Who decides?
This house was on Sound Beach Avenue for decades. Now it's gone. The thinking goes that the new house will be somehow better than what stood there for years. Is this so?? Is new construction that much better than it used to be? Or: Does the owner just want something new. I consider myself a bystander in all of this. I can't afford a house. Especially a new house; but shouldn't we be saving some of what we call class?
New houses to my eye look like they were built by a corporation. Who wants to live in a cubicle?
It seems that one of the most powerful tools of the new century is lowly YouTube. Often the punchlines for jokes, the service has grown into a valuable commodity and part and parcel of the fabric of America.
Me? I like the User Chosen Content options. You can make videos more than :10 long if you put them in the same playlist and set the order of the Numbers. Also, the use of cloud computing vastly simplifies the role to the video editors (us).
I try to keep original iMovie files from which I export multiple .mov ie versions from the palette and timeline.
Huh? The beauty of all this storage and bandwidth is the infinite options it provides. Why have six versions of your movie when you can have 60? Tailor the content and pacing (and even the story) to the audience. Trying to reach youth? Good luck.
I'm sure that all this is covered in those so-called For Dummies books but I havenot checked. Maybe I invented it. Huh, a new process. Maybe I should patent it. Just give me credit if you decide to use that tool. Tell em Couch Potato sent you.
Now if I can just get my Blender, game creation tools and ArtRage up to speed...
We toured the Open Studios 2009 with a camera and a microphone. Look what we found! Artists include: John Newcomb, Susan Frey, Liz Squillace, Alissa Siegal, Mary Louise Long, Jody Silver, Renee Kahn and the Remnants.
Everything's inter-related in this, the Best of all Possible Worlds! If you don't believe me, sit down with this classic from 1999: The Red Violin starring Samuel L. Jackson. What's old is New as the (his) story of a Red Violin unfolds before your eyes. The stories and events surrounding a certain red Strat violin play in present day NYC in a twisted tale involving auctions, performances and all-around violin construction.
This movie really got me thinking about the past and present. If all of these objects we surround ourselves with are destined to endure through time, then we really are living in some kindof dream. When I fired up the old VCR to view this film, I also popped in a Kinks concert from 1980. (One for the Road, Providence) and I was considering how all of those guitars are still out there getting played and exchanged and otherwise building stories around them. Then I thought of all of the concert guitars in use and it blew my mind. We live in a musical miracle here in this 21st Century and we're building a future that nobody can quite picture correctly. If it's true that all of these relationships endure too, expect a boon.
Occupying the main gallery at Bendheim (Greenwich Arts) are two similar artists: Su-Hua Chen Low and Aldo Parisot. Abstract and acute, the overall effect of the show is (what you'd think would be a) stunning overflowing color that leaves the viewer saturated to say the least. A lot of the picture titles are related to sound and it helps to listen to your own personal favorite music as you tour the grounds.
Art through Music at Bendheim [Greenwich Avenue]. Greenwich, CT through November Recommended musical accompaniment: Black Francis (Frank Black)
'Give way to Nature' is what E. Vedder calls the meaning of Yield: The album covered in their single video about the band. Single Video Theory tells the story of an up-and coming American Rock n Roll band recording an album.
The dynamics of the band are explored and stories swapped as the boys rock out in a large group. Apparently recorded in Seattle, there are about eight songs explained, picked apart and otherwise exposed. In a word: It Rocks.
The production and editing in this film are par excellence. Frequent cuts, interesting shots and images that make one wonder are in abundance. I must say I used to think PJ were a crew of longhaired dudes obsessed with guitars. But this long explanation paints a much different picture. Oh, of course! They're humans. Cooperating to make music!
Beautiful Stamford was host to a variety of activities on Saturday afternoon including, but not limited to: moving a big old houseboat on the harbor. And: Loft Artist's 2009 Open Studio Tour. You're left to your own devices at the latter and I'll have video to prove it later. In the meantime, here's a sample of some images I snapped with an iPhone quickly... This painter works fulltime and has work in collections I must say. His name? Of course I know his name: ALAN JUDELSON He gave me great idea I must say which I'll probably never pull through on... Alas, Talking to artists is not recommended for the weak stomached, the livy livered or the light weight! Here's a useful pic of a tugboat that was hauling work into the harbor. I'm not making this up. Tugboats really look like that! We could have used this as a solution for our housboat problema.
This makes a pretty nice pic I believe considering. Considering what? Considering it's a camera phone.
I got off my big ol' Butt and went to the Library to get some new discs to listen to. I ALMOST felt guilty with the embarassment of riches I discovered. Here then are my thoughts:
The Posies 'Amazing Disgrace' I must have grown up somewhere cuz I've outgrown the Posies. Skip this disc. Get a disc of whalesongs. hear "SONG #1" Nerf Herder 'Nerf Herder' Freshman effort from a bunch of freshmen. The Clash meets The mosquitoes. But who are the mosquitoes? It is an original name however, and remember I consider myself old at 43. Black Francis 'sv n f ng rs' Beck 'Guero' I've heard that this is an excellent disc for a November day. And it's true! Beck 'Modern Guilt' Note to anyone younger: You're going to have to forgive us. To anyone older: This is not Jeff Beck. I love the beginning rhythms of these tunes. Especially: BLACK TAMBOURINE Frenchkicks 'Young Lawyer' Brian Eno 'Before and after Science' Enough has been said about B.Eno to fill a blag and he deserves it! Very accessible rhythms and harmonies. David Byrne 'live from austin' D. Byrne deserves accolades for his explorations and this disc is no exception. Life During Wartime covered! in our lifetime 'vol. 3 the revenge of Boston' The Hives 'Veni vidi vicious' There were a handful of these spy-type bands in the early century, See: Jet. The Winners 'NME 2005 awards' Mostly male review of bands. Witness: Franz Ferdinand. Also, what is Babyshambles? No Use For a name 'Feel good record of the year' 1967 Classic Rock These have been done-to-death I know but I can't help liking these classic toones.
So far, my favorite disc is Beck MODERN GUILT but I haven't heard them all yet. YET Now, none of these artists received any payment (from me) for their effort and for that I applaud them, but they'll surely make up for it in other ways. I'll probably end up picking up these some of these efforts for my collection anyway. What's my point? It all comes out in the wash would be the applicable cliche for this space.
I've written about this before. How there's twice (2x) as much music produced as can be listened to, SO why buy music anymore? Well the short answer is: To support the Artist. But I'm not sure how long that's going to hold out here.
Shelfari is a most excellent way to keep track of all the books in our little Universe. Unfortunately, it's intimately tied with Amazon.com so watch it!
Just thought I'd underline CT's thriving Art Scene that includes new Music. My Story? I was driving up to N.Haven in a snowstorm to see Camper Van Beethoven. It was snowy! D.Lowery (understandably) canceled the show. I went to a record store where the attendant was the bass player in a little trio called MurderVan. I showed up at Cafe9 later that night and rocked with the band.
D. Lowery is a world class musician but I'm sure he'd have been happy to hear I saw a new band instead. I sent his Fan Club a note but they've moved addresses. (California) Anyway, check out MurderVan willya?
Somewhere between Metallica and Godsmack lies the sweetspot that is: MurderVan. These guys are cool. They were hanging outside between sets and I was just talking to the guitar player. I told him his guitar was talking to me. And it was: Note for note. like another Universe.
RALLY BROS. ENDORSES MURDERVAN (disclosure: none)
Do you grow weary of Beatles-esque Love rock? Love songs with OOO-baby as the overarching theme? Desire? Lost Love/lovelorn? Then give Murdervan a spin. Let's hear some songs about washing machines!!
Oh, and here's another tidbit I gleaned from the boys: Drums can be tuned! Did you know that? LSNED
I'm a big sucker for the Ordinairy: That which doesnot change from day-to-day. But everyone knows that everything is always changing, morphing and manipulating itself into something new.
I got to thinking about this at my college Homecoming over Halloween in Schenectady, NY (Union College).
The only permanence was the roads and the buildings, and even these had changed. New roads built, buildings expanded and generally extruded from what they were. Why, there was even a new telescope on campus!
Of course, the people had changed the most. Colleges usually have reunions every 5 years and it's a 4 year school so: YOU DO THE MATH. It's fascination Street! Anyway, we beat RPI Football 20-13 but lost the hockey game. Barnburner. We burned the barn. Anyway, nothing beats upstate NY in the Fall...
I don't know if I'm going to go Open Source with this idea, or if I'll have to imitate Steely Dan (Actually the name of a dildo) but I have a great idea for a videogame involving Robots. It hasnot been done before, I'm sure cuz I've checked.
Now, Steely Dan are one of my fave bands. Kickin' Since the 70's. Hey Nineteen, etc. Story goes they shopped themselves all over kindomcome without any bites on the line. Finally, they pooled resource and self-recorded their first record. Just goes to show: People can be blind, (or deaf!). The Steely Dan theory is not to be confused with the Chuck Jones Animation competition theory previously espoused. (What you don't read every blog entry you see?) The C.J. Animation Competition theory holds that competition is healthy up to a point. At which point, it quickly becomes unhealthy for all participants. Where is this point? Exactly. You tell me!
Chuck is one of my heroes: Started out washing animation sheets in a Studio, ended up with Bugs Bunny on his Show Reel. Hero. Also, the Wright Bros. Started out fixing bikes. Invented the Airplane: From reading the newspaper. Yikes. Heroes.
What about Steely Dan? Couch Potato? Sophisticated songs that defy comprehension and grace. Named after a sex-product! Yes, I suppose Steely Dan get nominated for induction without resistance. Ohm me. Ohm my. [Electrical jokes follow] I'm riffing here cuz I done drank too much coffee, but that's what Blaags are for, No?
Has anyone else started calling this the Internay? No? Is it just me typing on my Culture cannon about Tecular Humanism and other topic releventa. Are you creating your day yet? Me too. Nice. Keep it up!
Lastnight, Couch Potato screened I, Robot with Will Smith on the u-verse At&T cable hookup with have here in tha lair. A great movie that could have been just so- so were it not for the thoroughsity of the director. And the excellent CG that brought the robots to life. Does every little kid dream of robots? Blog-quiz: who can tell me what the funniest thing ever said about Robots is? Hmm? France? Cars? Anyone listening. I thought so. Check this, blog smartguy and keep reading...
Am I the only dummy to have heard this disc? I couldn't be! Tho' I UNderstand that M.Hedges is no longer with us...This is a great effort: Worth tracking down and popping in the player if you haven't heard it yet. Micheal strums unfamiliar melodies into your head that demand replaying. It's not just a disc: It's an adventure. Get it. Most familiar is On The Threshold of Liberty. http://www.amazon.com/Taproot-Michael-Hedges/dp/B000000NHV
There has been a lot of talk. Maybe too much talk.
"A lot of talk before the shoot, now it was time to Deliver!"
Location: 100 Hendrie Ave Riverside, CT Tee Time: 5pm (call first 554-0273 for directions/schedule/teetime update) Note: Event is Canceled due to the rainstorm
Since the sunsets and it's dark now at 6:30 we're planning a 5 pm tee off with stock 141G frisbees. The frisbee you play with is (pretty much) up to you. Anything from a CD up to a GCL [garbage can lid] is kosher, even on a Saturday. RAIN/CANCELBOT Time: Sometime Sunday
FAQ Q: What's this game they call frisbee Golf? A: It's not just a game.
Q: How much thought should I put into my Frisbee product purchase?
Q: Where do I procure the Stock bee? A: Alpen Pantry OG, CT (~$10) see Gary open Sat til 5
Q: Should I Leave a comment to reply to this post? A: Definitely Anonymous
Q: Does every Q have an A? A: Do you have to ask? Is this the question game?
Q: What's the entry fee? A: The best things in Life are free.
Q: What do I do after the tourne? A: Gingerman Bar on Greenwich Ave: Brunswick Reunion
Q: What/who can I bring on the course? What can I wear? A: There are no rules about that. I'd suggest footwear to Play tho'
YouTube Link Photo taken by JCT Fall 2009. There have been few changes to the course...
There is an excellent Friz Golf V Game available on the Wii game system. It's called Wii Resorts or sumsuch. I'd provide a linq for you but I'm actually trying my darndest to outgrow V Games. Advise?
GT works in the garden grove. (See photo) in preparation for the eyeballs of the world's best Frisbee Golfers. Meanwhile, It is Oktoberfest at the local Eatery (MacKenzie's) and we'll probably dine german soon enough. In the mean time, it's me and the computers and the drawing board. How do you spend October? Old ladies among the greenery? I smell wisdom coming! Or at least a few frisbees! !
One word:”SNOWKITING” she said as she stuffed her gear back in her bag. “Sounds dangerous” I thought but didn't say in response. “Sounds like you'd need a parachute.” I did say finally.
We were nearing the top of the mountain we had said we were going to climb. She was young. Younger than I. She knew her way around a mountain trail. We were hiking as a pair. She as the guide. Me as the neophyte newguy. That's OK: At least I knew it. Most guys my age don't know it. They go through life as experts on this or that. They process but they don't gain. I knew it.
“Get out your sail. And stop calling it a kite.” She said as we cleared the last of a crop of trees. Me? I'd never even sailboarded before and here I was climbing mountains with a small kite to pull a snowboard around a mountain.
Man, a snake would have a tough night out there tonight, cold wet and rainy in N. England. It's not like we've never seen it before. IT is N.England afterall: Home of LL. Bean and whatnot.
Me? I'm curled in front of the monitor roasting peppers in preparation for a first-class Mexican comida. Depeche on the stereo as I contemplate the wet leaves twisting and turning in the rain.
Do I Miss Mexico? Sure. Who doesn't? I don't miss the extreme weather however. I was inland in January.
Do I miss Frisbee Golf? Surely. It's been a while since the tees weren't a tease. KNOWWHATI MEAN?
Anyway, anywhere but Connecticut tonight and you are styling. Make the most of it! 'cuz clearly God is preparing the Earth for Frisbee Golfers on Saturday afternoon at 100 Hendrie Ave.
For a cartoon, nobody packs more punch than M. Groenig, creator of the Simpsons and Futurama among others. His characters, voices and screen compositions currently rule the world of animation. Futurama: Groenig's take on Science Fiction gone wrong has been pretty warmly receieved, though I must say the humor is reference laden and kinda geeky.
It seems that one would have to have grown up in the sixties to get half of these jokes. That said, The Beast with a Billion Backs is mesmerizing. The composition and colors- not to mention the 3D graphics interlaced with traditional captures the viewer's imagination and DOESNOT let it go for the entire length of the film. And it is long:
Clocking in at 89 minutes. It's almost too long. It could have been shorter, and it could have survived with less gags. Don't look for a moral here, there's no larger message other than the usual Groenig mistrust of authority. Though the plot orbits around a mysterious crack in the Universe, there is enough character interaction and manipulation to prove a robust fine wine. Bender – the robot character meets another robot named Calculon with whom he winds up in bed with. There are sexual references aplenty, so I'm not sure it's for the little ones.
According to Isabel M.: Animation creates worlds that we've never imagined, indeed television is a tool of exploration- and we think of the animated characters as real people.
If so, we're in for a hell of a future. Flying spaceships and cities that work. Interracial harmony and good will towards science fiction. Futurama Beast with a Billion Backs ****
[[I'd also like to salute Matt for his graphic work on the DVD insert. Nostalgic of SciFi ]]
It's been raining all day here in Connecticut. Enough rain to wash out the gutters and clean the roof.
Me? I Surfed the proverbial Net all day. Met some cool folks, and watched Robin Hood - the cartoon animation. It was the kind of day where one gathers wool. Whatever that means.
Sort of an intermission, between Days. Salad days? Dunno, perhaps.
I've got a Blender project cooking. Have you seen http://www.Blender.org ? It's too cool for school: An in-house 3D program with a slick interface and an unbelieveable support community. Get it in Linux or Mac.
I also had time to catch up on my Podcasts: I've got a podcast of my own under wraps. Enough about me. What did you do today? Rain can only mean onething in N. ENGLAND: Frisbee Golf on Saturday (see previous posts).
Today, I'm riding and mobile blogging with friend Chris m. And another: Dylan
starting at the red barn we zoom through strewn leaves yellow and green and red.
I havenot ridden since August so scenery is fresh, smells anew.
Chris strums a mean 6 string for real. Jazz mostly but I'm sure he rocks out too. Makes me look like a pudding head.
He's on YouTube if ya like. Mariner Jazz Duo with Al Brooks at Arcadia What the whole thing turns into is basically a Trailriding Lesson for yours truly. I haven't been riding since August tuffy! Dylan is tearing it up. We close on the SwampTrail; exhausted! These guys were great riders with excellent equipment. Outshined!
I look down after the Adventure and my chain is twisted. I end up walking the bike home.
Well, that's it. I'm not a kid (anymore). But Brutal Legend comes out next week. Jack Black's School of Rock gone Heavy Metal extravaganza.
Are you going to need to be a metal head to get all the jokes? Dunno. I doubt it but here's a link I found to some fascinating movies... BL
Cultural Anthropologists will likely have a field day with this one. Am I going to get it? Probably not, but the Couch Potato will be looking over your shoulder...I hear they sell a custom guitar for the game.
Disclosure: No products changed hands behind the scenes for this coy plug.
Does Darth Vader lead directly to Techular Humanism? Kinda. The Force? Try J.C. if you will. The last thing we need is G. Lucas spouting his educational venom in the newspaper. Hey, not everyone gets school. But a man's education begins 200 years before he is born. I'm not sure we need another babyboomer rescheduling our classrooms. The Socratic Method is a proven method of exploration. Maybe George could get his own classroom and see what he can do. I'm not stopping him.
Now, Star Wars was (arguably) a great movie. I saw it. When I was eleven. But it's just entertainment. It's a way to pass the time. Don't look to it for any easy answers.
George is a creative guy and I'm sure his world is full. But Entertainment and Education rarely mix: Despite his golden Rule. [whoever has the gold makes the rules]
We wrapped up Windows on Main Street in Beacon, NY (so we could go home and practice our Frisbee Golf) with a closedown wrapup discussion with six artists at ZuZu's coffee house in Aug 2009. There are six parts to choose from, each 10:00 long. Ty is the moderator, and Missy is my sister.
![photo of Bit Twiddler [aaaza9]](http://static03.myopera.com/upic/pool1/rL/kT4/+zcX8KeQjz1cML8nqYpdf0/337387_m.jpg)
WIDGETIZE