2012

Having a blog gives me the license to make one of the best of lists. But, always the pessimist, I'll start with what sucked

The Worst

Dwight Howard
Remember that time Van Gundy was being interviewed about the problems with Dwight, and he was being pretty candid about the rocky relationship, and then Dwight popped up, put his arm around his coach without any knowledge of what was being talked about? That was hard to watch.

The Hobbit
Okay, I haven't seen the movie, so this isn't a critique on it's quality, the point is... I haven't seen the movie. The guy who attended the midnight showings of the last two Lord of the Rings films. The guy who was inspired by Aragorn to grow his hair out. The think is, when news broke that The Hobbit was going to be a trilogy, it was like a balloon was deflated. It feels like a cash-grab, and one that I can avoid, for the time being. I'm sure I'll eventually see it, and that it may be pretty good, but it won't be the whole story; just a tease.

The Public
Blaming mass murders on video games. Backing religious extremists politicians. Letting Chris Brown be relevant. The sad state of social media. George Carlin once said, “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”

The Meh

Superhero Movies
The Avengers, Spider-man, Dark Knight Whatever... While all commercial successes, failed to excite. They all, kind of, just lived up to expectations. If this was the 90s, that would be more than enough, but I want something more. If you're not going to inspire or do something different, what's the point?

Streaming Services
Netflix stayed more expensive. Hulu has commercials even if you're a paid user. Content owners still make their content difficult to get to. Who cares, anymore?

The Walking Dead
Season 3 started out pretty great; it moved at a faster clip and had some seriously freaky moments, but has since become bogged down in it's own lore. Some characters act without motivation and often, the show just feels trite. If it didn't do so many cool, nasty things you wouldn't normally see on TV, it wouldn't be worth watching.

Video Games
Nintendo came out with a new console, which has failed to garner excitement. The 3DS and Vita are just kind of there. All the big games were part 3s or 4s, so if you weren't already invested, there wasn't a lot to be excited about. The saving grace, for me, were downloadable games, like Rock Band Blitz and The Walking Dead. The new systems can't come soon enough.

The iPad Mini
A retina screen away from being on the next part of this list.

The Best

Perfume - Fake It

This song may have been a B-Side in 2010, but it became a single this year... so... it's my list, anyway.

CM Punk
This year he became the longest reigning champ of the past 25 years, even surpassing the golden boy, John Cena. He had great matches with Ziggler, Jericho, Cena, Henry, Kane, Bryan, Ryback, Big Show, and even Vince. He was hilarious and threatening. The Rock's stint at WrestleMania may have been what lured me back to wrestling, but Punk is what kept me here.

Boardwalk Empire
Somehow, this show got even better. It was always good, although a little light on plot. The first two seasons were about character development. Season 3 was about turning points and consequences. The show was made by Bobby Cannavale's portrayal of Gyp Rosetti.

Gangnam Style
I don't need to link to it, I just had to bring it up so I could say, "I told you so!"

Smart Toilets
My biggest revelation of 2012. In the future, our grandkids are going to say, "You did what with paper?"

The Race Is On

Which of these celebrities will suddenly and surprisingly lose more weight in 2013?

 

Posted with Blogsy

Kids Today

I guess one of the signs that you're getting older, is when you see what's popular and say, "What a bunch of ---."

I'm not proud of it. Who am I to say what's cool or not. Or to "hate" on what makes people happy. 

What bugs me the most is that companies have co-opted a word that is supposed to represent style and turned it into fashion. Those two are not the same. You can't buy style. You can't buy swag.

I'll Need A Proper Viewing Angle...

For Ikebana!

I've looked up Ikebana clubs in Chicago, but I think they're all for Japanese housewives.

What about the sexy ladies?

Let It Scratch

A new iPhone has been released, and with that, comes the complaints. Once again, the devices "susceptibility" to scratches is one of the issues.

The Horror.

Things scratch. These are phones, not crystal amulets. They are tools, like hammers. They go in and out of your pocket, like your worn out wallet. They are not precious items. 

The Japanese know what I'm talking about.

These items encapsulate "Wabi-sabi".

People used to have phones that got worn down before the iPhone, but they didn't complain. It's not that the iPhone is a more special device, it's that people weren't used to dropping a couple of hundred bucks every other year for a new gadget. Most of them took whatever was offered for free. What was once a tool has become a status symbol; like a car. People like to keep their cars shiny.

You can spend your phone's 2 year life worrying about every nick and dent. You can wrap it an unnecessarily bulbous case. Or you can enjoy the device for what it is. A tool.

Smart Phones: The Crossroads

September is upon us. This month is going to be big for phones. Apple is expected to announce the newest iPhone. Before that, Samsung readies their Note, riding on the coattails of the Galaxy III. Microsoft is also expected to release the first wave of Windows 8 phones, including an anticipated offering from Nokia.
Now, up to this point, I have been a loyal Apple phone user. I got the iPhone 3G as soon as I was able to switch carriers. I waited in line for 6 hours on day one for the iPhone 4. And to this day, I've been really happy with these phones.
But now I find myself at a crossroads. I find myself using less and less of the power features the iPhone offers. I keep it pretty sparse, as far as apps go. And I use a measly 100 megabytes of dater per month. I find that I prefer to do most of my computing on my iPad. Besides the occasional map lookup or settling an argument through Wikipedia, I'm using less and less of my phone. I'm starting to want a phone that is a phone first, and other devices second.
Here is where Microsoft provides the most attractive option. The whole philosophy of their phone is 'Get in. Get out.' No mucking about. I dig that.
I think it's time we took a step back, and really thought about what we need our phones for, and how much of our attention we're willing to give up.

Shrimp Burger from Mitsuwa Market

 

A Perfect Song for Tuesday

George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"
Accompanied by Disney

Let 'The Last Supper' Decay

We can't hold on things forever. Even culture, as the most influential force in our lives, is constantly changing. Even fleeting.
Leonardo's 'The Last Supper' is in a constant state of decay. Scholars and historians are in a constant battle to preserve it, which is commendable. But it is when they go so far as to add to it, they have done the work a disservice.
Nothing is forever. Let us enjoy the work for what it is. So the previous generations had a better version, so be it. Are there not numerous works that we are privileged to have experienced. 'The Last Supper' is for anyone, but not everyone.
But I do have a suggestion: Paint a duplicate. An exact 1:1 scale replica. Use the same paints and techniques. Hang it in an adjoining room to the original. Allow us to appreciate the intent and genuine article, while we can.

An Olympics Without Nations

What if the games were played, without representation of country? The counties that dominate the medal count are the ones with resources. Gyms, funding, and instruction are at the ready. How can poorer, smaller countries compete? What if we cheered on human achievement instead of nation?

Gangnam Style

Sometimes, I just want to share.
I like KPop. This is the first KPop song I've liked that wasn't done by girls. It does feature dancing girls, though.
Gangnam is an affluent part of Seoul. 'Oppa' is an older man young girls are attracted to, I think. Essentially, PSY is a Korean playboy, or maybe he only thinks he is...

Something I Just Realized about The Olympics Opening Ceremony...

Over a billion people got to see hip-hop.

And good hip-hop, at that. Bravo, London. For having the guts and intelligence to showcase one of your better artists. Hip-hop was on the world's biggest stage, and it worked. No drama. No controversy. It doesn't matter who gets it or not. What matters is that hip-hop is undeniable.
The shame is that they beat America to it. We have the SuperBowl. We have Jay-Z. We invented the music. Opportunity missed.

Taking Responsibility

I love Disney. I grew up during Disney's animation renaissance; The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin... I don't think any other film house can claim such an impressive string of hits. And we're not even talking about Disney's golden age; Snow White, Cinderella, Bambi, Fantasia, The Jungle Book, Dumbo....
Let's look at those last two.
While The Jungle Book and Dumbo are undoubtedly classics, they, like many other films of their time, have the unfortunate position of being racially insensitive. What? You don't remember.



King Louie is basically a black guy. He speaks jive and sings jazz. He "wants to be human." Come on.
Still not convinced?
How about Dumbo?



Get the hell outta here! I mean, the leader's name is Jim! Jim Crow!
And it's not just blacks who were misrepresented by the big ears. Heres a more recent clip from The Aristocrats.



Now do you realize why they don't show these on ABC Family?
I know Disney isn't the only culprit here. There's a whole slew of racist characters portrayed by mainstream and beloved companies. Bugs Bunny. The Spirit. Don't dig too far into their back catalogue if this stuff bothers you.
I bring up Disney because, well, I really like Disney. I believe Walt's story is one of the greatest in American history. Disney is responsible for generations of imaginative and creative individuals.
So, how do we deal with this?
It's time for Disney to accept responsibility. I'm not looking for anybody's head, here. I don't think that anyone working there now should feel guilty about a past they didn't participate in. But how awesome would it be for Disney to step up to the plate here, and use this as a learning tool?
Here's what I suggest: Re-release these movies on DVD and Blu-ray. The default version should be an edited cut, with the inappropriate characters edited or removed. But I don't believe in altering the past, pretending what happened didn't happen (I'm looking at you Lucas). So put the original cut on there as a special feature.
But don't stop there. Include a 30 minute round table discussion. Have an exec there (Bob Iger) and a few professors or historians who are experts on racial and cultural issues. Add a younger celebrity, too (Raven Simone).
Disney should own the situation. Put the stigma behind them. Let's celebrate the art, but better understand the context.

Walking With Children

Have you ever noticed how different people walk with their children?

Good parents let their kids lead. The child makes decisions on their route. The child is constantly judging their surroundings and making decisions.

Bad parents drag their children behind them. The child is treated as a liability and a nuisance.

Which child do you think grows up to be a leader?

Everyone Should Have A Shitty Job

At least once in their lifetime.
Everyone should have to be a waiter or a factory worker or a janitor.
Maybe right after high school.
You either enroll in the Army, or you get a shitty job.
Afterwords, you can go college.
Imagine how much more you'd appreciate your education.
If you try to flake out, you go to a detention camp or New Jersey, your choice.
Everyone would learn what hard work is and to appreciate those who do it.
No more cushy rides for spoiled brats.
This would go a long way to weed out most of our country's assholes.

I've Found the Opposite to "Reese's"

From today's paper:

I know people think 'Fat' is what's wrong with the America, but this is worse. The last twenty years, with the advent of technology, has seen an increase in "Productivity", whatever the hell that means. I thought computers were supposed to help us work better or less. Instead, we just work more. By mixing exercising with work, we do a detriment to both, as neither has our full attention.

If people hate working out, and people hate spreadsheets, who would want to do both at the same time?

This Makes It Quite Clear

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.