Time Killers at Work...

This and This!

Silence

Haw Dog

So hot dogs, those nitrate meaty popsicles that taste so good on a bun has been getting bad pub because it is a considered a highly processed food.   I looooove hot dogs.   I don't eat them so much anymore, for health reasons but lately there has been so much negativity especially because they are being lumped into the same category as cigarettes as highly cancer causing.   I think it's a bit of a stretch, but I somewhat agree.  There's a lot of salt, and there's a lot of preservatives.   So what about vegetarian or organic haw dogs?

Check out this link.

It's a comprehensive study I wish I could have taken part in, but some of the findings are really disturbing.   Is there anti hotdog campaign out there slandering the good name of oscar meyer out there?   Turns out there is some hard core cross contamination out there and there is no way around genetic testing.   Not good, hot dog lobbyists.  Not good.

May the force be with you!

The Blog Awakens!

Haven't been to Comic con in a couple years.   I think '06 or '07.   The last one must have been nuts because of the Star Wars hype.   I haven't written anything in a while.  I vowed to myself I would not watch anything or avoid any rumor talk but just like it is the nature of man to love or be at war, I could not, I would not avoid the Star Wars fan fare.   The first trilogy consumed my childhood and spit it out.   During HS I patiently anticipated the possibility of a sequel and then the prequel trilogy happened.   By the time I was finished with college I was betrayed and disappointed.   And burnt to tell you the truth.   But in many ways I feel like I've come full circle.   I wandered for a while, trying to find myself, eventually got a job, got married, and now I have a 3 year old.  Star Wars is bigger than ever especially with Disney acquiring the property and bringing it to new heights.

If anything can make something a reality it is Disney.  And it starts with this movie.  Here is the behind the scenes reel.

   

I think with JJ at the helm, SW is in good hands.   But turns out he's only doing the first.  I've always enjoyed Lost and the Star Trek Reboots, althought they aren't on the 5 year mission side of things, mostly revisiting the early origins or retelling of them.   I look forward to his vision.  I'm glad they brought the writers and producers back from the early trilogies.   Most of all, I'm glad that practical effects are still being applied.  Not everything is totally digital.   If anyone think digital effects trumps practical, revisit Empire, and the Yoda scenes top any of the prequel Yoda scenes where he is walks and saber duels Dooku.

When i finally succumbed to seeing the teaser trailer it brought a tear to my eye and I can assure you, I'm sure many men across the planet cried collectively as well.   I can only hope, that it brings joy to my son the same way it did for me.   I will try my hardest to train him in the ways of the Force.   the ways of being a Jedi, and embracing the Dark Side!

Here's the teasers and trailers combined.  It's almost like seeing the movie!



So in honor of Star Wars The Force Awakens, all the posts leading up to the release will be SW related!   It may be possible this is the last post as my blogging activity moves at a snails pace.

The Steadfast Tin Soldier

 



My love affair with electronic music begins with genre defining releases of Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, and continues into the new wave era of the 80's by acts like Depeche Mode, New Order and the like.   Stepping away from my youth as I got into other genres like punk and hip hop, I found the genre stale and dissatisfying.   Spinning records to make pocket money during my college days I remember picking up Daft Punk's first record, Homework upon giving The Funk a listen and somewhat enjoying it.  I never bought another DP album till their latest offering, Random Offering on a whim before my son before was born and I'll always associate the album with that major event in my life.   The radio hit " Get Lucky" was seriously getting played out, and it's a great song, not because of the vocals by Neptunes and solo artist rapper, Pharrell Williams (who is awesome as well) but because of the legendary Nile Rodgers bassist and frontman of Chic.  Yes, that Chic.  Good Times and Le Freak, Chic.  In mainstream music, the man is a hot machine.  He's responsible for the success of Duran Duran, and produced many of David Bowie's greatest hits (during the 80's.)  Why this guy isn't more recognized, I don't know.

So I pick up Random Access Memories, heavily featuring Niles Rodgers to pair with the electronic dance tendencies of DP and squeeze out the RnB Element out of them.  Well it worked.   While, not heavily, it's still DP, but different.   A twinge of disco and homage to Moroder as a whole track is dedicated to him in a biographical piece as gives his life story.  Interesting.  So I started working backwards, listening to their past works, all the way back to the beginning to Homework.   Some of the works in the middle were good.  As I worked my way back forward, I began to see how they evolve over time, becoming the powerhouses they are today and defying their own genre and breaking and bending into others. 

Obvious themes of humanity, man and machine, technology and unattainable love are there, as its a subject that is often revisited such as the song Digital Love.   Going back to RAM, and listening to it over and over again, I had a revelation and realized why the album was so f*cking good.  Retaining its common themes of a typical DP album, it was an homage to music.  The opening track is evident of that with the lyrics "If the music gives you life, then give back to music."  A journey through multiple genres through the beginnings of Giorgio Moroder and his use of the MOOG and possible look into the future.  Within, Instant Crush (my favorite track on the album featuring Julian Cassablancas from the Strokes), Motherboard, and a track that sounds eerily starts like an Off the Wall cut from MJ, Fragments of Time are solid and play into the Daft Punk themes and persona.   The group seems to have come full circle and on top. And the whole time, I never noticed till RAM.  Bravo, DP, bravo!  As my selection for this post, I really love the themes and artistic direction of this video.  The Steadfast Tin Soldier is an awesome story and the song portrays it well down to a tee.   If you haven't heard the story, just watch this video.  After this album, and scouring their catalog I'm convinced that they are amongst the best and creative artists, restoring my faith in the genre.

I'll be here for you always and always be for you

Man, do I love Adventure Time.   And this song as well...