FLIX!
Okay, saw it and gotta do it.
I never really got the whole Godzilla/Mothra thing. So my older daughter wanted to see this tonight, so hey, I don't get to see her that much, ....so I guess!
I have never seen a real Godzilla movie before. I mean think I saw the cheap Japanese stuff on the "Creature Feature" on late night TV in the early 70's, but I have never laid down cash to go see a Godzilla movie.
My son complained that you have to wait too long to see Godzilla. I disagree. I thought he was placed perfectly. First the story line had to secure the fact that Godzilla is really on our side and that laying total waste to San Francisco was because he was helping us!
Two Giant Moth Creatures are brought to life, because one of them was waiting for the other to mature in Yucca Mountain. One starts from Japan on it's journey to the west coast of the US. The other leaves Yucca Mountain and heads to San Francisco to begin a new race of giant Praying Mantis's with the guy heading in from Japan. And cool, the males can fly.
But see, Godzilla, for some reason, hates Moth creatures. So he is our Bud for going after these two giant destructive awful expectant parents. A lesser critic would suggest a Pro-choice agenda. But you won't get that from me.
I really liked this movie. If you went to a "Godzilla" to see a Godzilla movie you won't be disappointed. I thought the final sequences were superb. If I were a Godzilla Fan, I would be totally satisfied.
And isn't that the mark of any fan-based movie?
Grade: B-
Friday, May 30, 2014
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Million Dollar Arm
FLIX!
When considering what to see at the movies last night there were some interesting choices. We could opt for Spiderman 2 (in 3-D if we wanted), the new X-Men, among others. My wife let me choose and I chose "Million Dollar Arm."
Disney has a knack of doing the feel-good sports stories very well, ala "Tiger Town", "The Rookie", and "Miracle" and that's just the tip of the ice berg.
This movie centers around JB Bernstein played aptly by John Hamm of "Madmen" fame. Bernstein is a sports agent and he is falling on hard times. He needs a real good deal to keep he and his company (a partner Ash Vasudevan - played by Aasif Mandvi, and an assistant Theresa played by Allyn Rachel) afloat. His one great hope is waffling on him, and he is at his wits end. He is at home one night and he is watching TV switching between "Britain's Got Talent" and a cricket match on ESPN and inspiration hits. What if he sponsors a talent competition in India to find a Cricket pitcher, correction Bowler, that can throw fast enough for a major league baseball tryout? He could sign them, and maybe salvage his career.
They go to India and conditions are not much like America. I was reminded a lot of a trip I took to Haiti. But the tryouts are scheduled all over India, and Bernstein is hopeful, because if he discovers a major leaguer in India there are a billion built-in potential fans. Who wouldn't want to sell a billion caps or T-Shirts? He goes all around the country with his entourage and manages to come up with a nerdy little Indian who claims to know everything about baseball but knows nothing, Arnit Rohan (played by Pitobash) and wouldn't even be there as a translator except he agreed to work for free. Also with him is former sports scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin) who hates being there and sleeps through a lot of the tryouts, but he's "listening". And after all is said and done, in a talent contest show format, they actually managed to come up with two guys who can throw in the mid-80's range. Miles Per Hour for you non-baseball fans. But remember these guys have never picked up a baseball before.
Bernstein lives in a nice southern California residence that offers a little bungalow out back that he rents out to a medical student, Brenda, played by Lake Bell. When Bernstein's two prospects, with Arnit in tow, end up staying at his place, Brenda becomes a stabilizing influence that JB, under so much pressure, is unable to be able to do. Meanwhile, JB sends the two recruits to be coached by USC's pitching coach Tom House, played by Bill Paxton (who coincidently directed a Disney sports movie "The Greatest Game Ever Played").
This might be a good time to mention the actual recruits. They are/were Rinku Singh, played by Suraj Sharma, and Dinesh Patel, played by Madhur Mittai. Fine performances to be sure.
Without giving to much away, but let this be a spoiler alert, they don't do so well at one try-out, but after Brenda's insistence that JB just let it be fun they do much better at the second. At the end of the movie, they both get signed to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and JB is saved and all is well with the world, and my wife announced 'we will own this movie'. It was a great movie. Entertaining and uplifting with a lot of comedy mixed in.
It is worth the price of admission, and these days, that says a lot. I will recommend it. I don't think anyone could go wrong putting down hard earned bucks to see this. Go for it. Be uplifted. And enjoy the wonderful real life photos shown at the end of the real life guys, one of whom gets to meet President Obama, and photos of the real life JB and how he eventually married Brenda and they have a family. But please if you love all this just read my grade and click out.
Grade: B.
Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel were indeed both signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. The combined total signing bonus amounted to about $8000. They both ended up in the Pirates farm system. Dinesh pitched about 7 innings, and although 1-0 for the 2009 season, was released and he returned to India where he remains involved in baseball. Rinku is still in baseball bouncing between the Pirates farm system and leagues in Australia and the Dominican Republic...here there and everywhere. But neither ever made it to the Bigs.
I hope that JB was able to remain viable, but I doubt if it was off signing these two guys. And so there's that.
When considering what to see at the movies last night there were some interesting choices. We could opt for Spiderman 2 (in 3-D if we wanted), the new X-Men, among others. My wife let me choose and I chose "Million Dollar Arm."
Disney has a knack of doing the feel-good sports stories very well, ala "Tiger Town", "The Rookie", and "Miracle" and that's just the tip of the ice berg.
This movie centers around JB Bernstein played aptly by John Hamm of "Madmen" fame. Bernstein is a sports agent and he is falling on hard times. He needs a real good deal to keep he and his company (a partner Ash Vasudevan - played by Aasif Mandvi, and an assistant Theresa played by Allyn Rachel) afloat. His one great hope is waffling on him, and he is at his wits end. He is at home one night and he is watching TV switching between "Britain's Got Talent" and a cricket match on ESPN and inspiration hits. What if he sponsors a talent competition in India to find a Cricket pitcher, correction Bowler, that can throw fast enough for a major league baseball tryout? He could sign them, and maybe salvage his career.
They go to India and conditions are not much like America. I was reminded a lot of a trip I took to Haiti. But the tryouts are scheduled all over India, and Bernstein is hopeful, because if he discovers a major leaguer in India there are a billion built-in potential fans. Who wouldn't want to sell a billion caps or T-Shirts? He goes all around the country with his entourage and manages to come up with a nerdy little Indian who claims to know everything about baseball but knows nothing, Arnit Rohan (played by Pitobash) and wouldn't even be there as a translator except he agreed to work for free. Also with him is former sports scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin) who hates being there and sleeps through a lot of the tryouts, but he's "listening". And after all is said and done, in a talent contest show format, they actually managed to come up with two guys who can throw in the mid-80's range. Miles Per Hour for you non-baseball fans. But remember these guys have never picked up a baseball before.
Bernstein lives in a nice southern California residence that offers a little bungalow out back that he rents out to a medical student, Brenda, played by Lake Bell. When Bernstein's two prospects, with Arnit in tow, end up staying at his place, Brenda becomes a stabilizing influence that JB, under so much pressure, is unable to be able to do. Meanwhile, JB sends the two recruits to be coached by USC's pitching coach Tom House, played by Bill Paxton (who coincidently directed a Disney sports movie "The Greatest Game Ever Played").
This might be a good time to mention the actual recruits. They are/were Rinku Singh, played by Suraj Sharma, and Dinesh Patel, played by Madhur Mittai. Fine performances to be sure.
Without giving to much away, but let this be a spoiler alert, they don't do so well at one try-out, but after Brenda's insistence that JB just let it be fun they do much better at the second. At the end of the movie, they both get signed to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and JB is saved and all is well with the world, and my wife announced 'we will own this movie'. It was a great movie. Entertaining and uplifting with a lot of comedy mixed in.
It is worth the price of admission, and these days, that says a lot. I will recommend it. I don't think anyone could go wrong putting down hard earned bucks to see this. Go for it. Be uplifted. And enjoy the wonderful real life photos shown at the end of the real life guys, one of whom gets to meet President Obama, and photos of the real life JB and how he eventually married Brenda and they have a family. But please if you love all this just read my grade and click out.
Grade: B.
Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel were indeed both signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. The combined total signing bonus amounted to about $8000. They both ended up in the Pirates farm system. Dinesh pitched about 7 innings, and although 1-0 for the 2009 season, was released and he returned to India where he remains involved in baseball. Rinku is still in baseball bouncing between the Pirates farm system and leagues in Australia and the Dominican Republic...here there and everywhere. But neither ever made it to the Bigs.
I hope that JB was able to remain viable, but I doubt if it was off signing these two guys. And so there's that.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Pittsburgh PA
STAGE TUNES!
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Consol Energy Arena
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 22, 2014
In my 12th visit to Rock and Roll Mecca, thanks to a caring and thoughtful wife and an upcoming birthday, we traveled to Pittsburgh PA. The Consol Energy Arena to be exact. Although 12 are all of the shows I can remember, this was the first for my wife, and it's always a lot of fun to go with a Bruce first-timer, and to watch the magic take over.
To be honest we were a bit far away for her to truly get the whole impact. All of the other times I've seen him I've always been fairly close, but as both Bruce and I age, it gets more and more difficult to be down front. When I last saw him in Detroit with my sister, I was standing on a hard surface - never sitting down - for a full 8 hours. I hobbled my way back to the car. So although for this show we were farther away, I appreciated having a chair that I could sit down in when I wanted to. And we were able to sit for most of the 3 hour show.
When Bruce and the E Streeters hit the stage, an electricity happens. I have experienced it many times. Not only in the times I've seen Bruce, but when I saw Sinatra. McCartney. The MC5. And to a slightly lesser degree Dylan and Waits. Something happens in the air. And in the case of Sinatra, the room just got a lot classier. In the case of Bruce, the biggest block party you'll ever attend just started.
I have seen the E Street Band in it's many incarnations. Yes, there was something about a simpler time with a healthy Danny and a vibrant Clarence that cannot be replaced, but still without missing a beat, Bruce did the right thing. Instead of simply trying to replace Danny and Clarence, which honestly couldn't really be done, he decided to re-tool the whole band. He brought in the horn section from the Seeger Sessions, and others from other moments in the E Street history. The E Street Band (recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), continue to rumble on as the machine they have become. A rock and roll zamboni. Solid. Heavy. Relentless is its path.
This Tuesday night in Pittsburgh exploded with a cover of the Clash's "Clampdown". An interesting beginning I thought. But I was waiting for more familiar material. I didn't have to wait long. The refrains of Clampdown were begging for a chance to die down but it was Bruce with the nearly signature "ONE-TWO-ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR! And the wonderful and familiar refrain from "Badlands" rang out. And from there it never let up. The Zamboni just kept on rolling. "Johnny 99", "Stand On it", and "Seven Nights To Rock." And on and on.
For me, it's not just the music. Or the fact that Bruce knocks himself out gig after gig, playing each song like it's the last time he ever gets to play a song. For me, he represents me and a hundred thousand guys like me. We wanted it. We all tried. But Bruce made it. He's doing it for all of us.
But yeah Bruce has now with age cleverly built "breaks' into his set. He virtually lets the audience sing entire verses of "Hungry Heart", and different choruses of "Badlands" and "The Promised Land". And now the shows last only around 3 hours. This one was 3 hours and 3 minutes. In the old days he was just getting warmed up. Four or Four and a half hour concerts were never unusual. But still, three hours does not disappoint. Not even close. This was a great and wonderful three hours.
He pleased the crowd with a wonderful "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", and an obligatory "Dancing in the Dark" wherein he invites lots of girls up on stage to dance while attempting selfie's with Bruce in the frame. In one case a rather butch looking woman even asked if she could play with the band and was given a guitar.
And there was the collection of signs from the audience wherein Bruce body-surfed back to the stage, delivered a soulful "Back in Your Arms." And the particularly fun rendition of "Mary's Place" whereby Bruce allowed a lot of audience members the chance to sing along with him. And the raucous guitar antics of Tom Morello on a rave-up version of "The Ghost of Tom Joad." More show than go, it was still a show stopper for sure.
And then he does a fun, raucous version of "Shout." Although by The Isley Brothers, it was made more famous by Otis Day and the Knights in the movie "Animal House." And he does it to perfection, having the audience join in where the audience should obviously join in. He tried to end the show there, and rightfully should have, but the audience wasn't ready to let him go just yet, so he finished out the set with a sullen, slow, "Dream, Baby, Dream." It was sort of the equivalent of "cool-down exercises" in the gym. The crowd was then satisfied. And the show was over.
And two nights later it began all over again. Somewhere.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Consol Energy Arena
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 22, 2014
In my 12th visit to Rock and Roll Mecca, thanks to a caring and thoughtful wife and an upcoming birthday, we traveled to Pittsburgh PA. The Consol Energy Arena to be exact. Although 12 are all of the shows I can remember, this was the first for my wife, and it's always a lot of fun to go with a Bruce first-timer, and to watch the magic take over.
To be honest we were a bit far away for her to truly get the whole impact. All of the other times I've seen him I've always been fairly close, but as both Bruce and I age, it gets more and more difficult to be down front. When I last saw him in Detroit with my sister, I was standing on a hard surface - never sitting down - for a full 8 hours. I hobbled my way back to the car. So although for this show we were farther away, I appreciated having a chair that I could sit down in when I wanted to. And we were able to sit for most of the 3 hour show.
When Bruce and the E Streeters hit the stage, an electricity happens. I have experienced it many times. Not only in the times I've seen Bruce, but when I saw Sinatra. McCartney. The MC5. And to a slightly lesser degree Dylan and Waits. Something happens in the air. And in the case of Sinatra, the room just got a lot classier. In the case of Bruce, the biggest block party you'll ever attend just started.
I have seen the E Street Band in it's many incarnations. Yes, there was something about a simpler time with a healthy Danny and a vibrant Clarence that cannot be replaced, but still without missing a beat, Bruce did the right thing. Instead of simply trying to replace Danny and Clarence, which honestly couldn't really be done, he decided to re-tool the whole band. He brought in the horn section from the Seeger Sessions, and others from other moments in the E Street history. The E Street Band (recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), continue to rumble on as the machine they have become. A rock and roll zamboni. Solid. Heavy. Relentless is its path.
This Tuesday night in Pittsburgh exploded with a cover of the Clash's "Clampdown". An interesting beginning I thought. But I was waiting for more familiar material. I didn't have to wait long. The refrains of Clampdown were begging for a chance to die down but it was Bruce with the nearly signature "ONE-TWO-ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR! And the wonderful and familiar refrain from "Badlands" rang out. And from there it never let up. The Zamboni just kept on rolling. "Johnny 99", "Stand On it", and "Seven Nights To Rock." And on and on.
For me, it's not just the music. Or the fact that Bruce knocks himself out gig after gig, playing each song like it's the last time he ever gets to play a song. For me, he represents me and a hundred thousand guys like me. We wanted it. We all tried. But Bruce made it. He's doing it for all of us.
But yeah Bruce has now with age cleverly built "breaks' into his set. He virtually lets the audience sing entire verses of "Hungry Heart", and different choruses of "Badlands" and "The Promised Land". And now the shows last only around 3 hours. This one was 3 hours and 3 minutes. In the old days he was just getting warmed up. Four or Four and a half hour concerts were never unusual. But still, three hours does not disappoint. Not even close. This was a great and wonderful three hours.
He pleased the crowd with a wonderful "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", and an obligatory "Dancing in the Dark" wherein he invites lots of girls up on stage to dance while attempting selfie's with Bruce in the frame. In one case a rather butch looking woman even asked if she could play with the band and was given a guitar.
And there was the collection of signs from the audience wherein Bruce body-surfed back to the stage, delivered a soulful "Back in Your Arms." And the particularly fun rendition of "Mary's Place" whereby Bruce allowed a lot of audience members the chance to sing along with him. And the raucous guitar antics of Tom Morello on a rave-up version of "The Ghost of Tom Joad." More show than go, it was still a show stopper for sure.
And then he does a fun, raucous version of "Shout." Although by The Isley Brothers, it was made more famous by Otis Day and the Knights in the movie "Animal House." And he does it to perfection, having the audience join in where the audience should obviously join in. He tried to end the show there, and rightfully should have, but the audience wasn't ready to let him go just yet, so he finished out the set with a sullen, slow, "Dream, Baby, Dream." It was sort of the equivalent of "cool-down exercises" in the gym. The crowd was then satisfied. And the show was over.
And two nights later it began all over again. Somewhere.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
The Other Woman
FLIX!
Okay, fellas, it's alright. A chick-flick once in a while is okay. A Joyful Noise turned out to be fun, didn't it? And Pitch Perfect? Admit it, you loved the cup/song thing. Well along comes The Other Woman.
It stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton (who is truly funny and the best thing about the movie), and newcomer Leslie Mann. Newcomer Leslie Mann is here for her exquisite body, but I saw more than hints of talent popping out.
The premise is this: a wife discovers her husband (Zac Efron) is cheating, and when she confronts the mistress discovers that she's not really a mistress because he said he was single. And in a weird twisted way, they become friends. And as they together spy on the guy, they discover that he is actually with another girl too. He has told her he is in the midst of a divorce. The new girl is also somehow brought into the "angry-women-fold", and they begin plotting on how to get even. And the things these women came up with were mind boggling. I hate infidelity. I would never cheat anyway, but after seeing this with my wife.... I would never cheat. Ever. Not even let it cross my mind, honey......
This movie is laugh out loud funny. It lost a little umph for us because we saw it at 11:30 in the morning with four other people. So there wasn't exactly uproarious laughter. But it was funny. I laughed out loud even when I was the only one. Hey, funny is funny.
I liked this flick a lot. The final scenes are well worth the price of admission. I don't like these hound-dogs that make my gender look awful, and I was cheering when the pay-backs were happening. And those scenes are hysterical by the way. You go girls!
This is the movie that toppled "Captain America" at the Box Office last week, so there's that guys!
Check this out.
Grade: Strong B+
Okay, fellas, it's alright. A chick-flick once in a while is okay. A Joyful Noise turned out to be fun, didn't it? And Pitch Perfect? Admit it, you loved the cup/song thing. Well along comes The Other Woman.
It stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton (who is truly funny and the best thing about the movie), and newcomer Leslie Mann. Newcomer Leslie Mann is here for her exquisite body, but I saw more than hints of talent popping out.
The premise is this: a wife discovers her husband (Zac Efron) is cheating, and when she confronts the mistress discovers that she's not really a mistress because he said he was single. And in a weird twisted way, they become friends. And as they together spy on the guy, they discover that he is actually with another girl too. He has told her he is in the midst of a divorce. The new girl is also somehow brought into the "angry-women-fold", and they begin plotting on how to get even. And the things these women came up with were mind boggling. I hate infidelity. I would never cheat anyway, but after seeing this with my wife.... I would never cheat. Ever. Not even let it cross my mind, honey......
This movie is laugh out loud funny. It lost a little umph for us because we saw it at 11:30 in the morning with four other people. So there wasn't exactly uproarious laughter. But it was funny. I laughed out loud even when I was the only one. Hey, funny is funny.
I liked this flick a lot. The final scenes are well worth the price of admission. I don't like these hound-dogs that make my gender look awful, and I was cheering when the pay-backs were happening. And those scenes are hysterical by the way. You go girls!
This is the movie that toppled "Captain America" at the Box Office last week, so there's that guys!
Check this out.
Grade: Strong B+
Monday, April 21, 2014
Draft Day
FLIX!
This film is exactly what the title says it is. It occurs on Draft Day. The NFL Draft Day to be exact. It starts in the morning as Kevin Costner (the supposed General Manager of the Cleveland Browns) is off to work. This is an important day for GMs as one might suspect. Along the course of this day we learn that this GMs dad had been the former coach, and that his son had fired him. An Accounting executive who watches the whole salary cap thing (Jennifer Garner) has been sleeping with the boss and the day before Draft Day is the day she decides to let him know she's pregnant. On top of all this, the Kevin Costner GMs father, who he recently fired, has died, and his mother decides today is the day there is an ash spreading ceremony.
Costner wants to make a great Ohio State Defensive linebacker pick that will truly help the team win, but the owner interferes and wants him to take the rock star of the day Quarterback. Costner agrees to save his job. But as the day progresses, many things happen, and the tension builds. The final scene of trading and finagling is worth the price of admission. That scene is a thing of beauty.
I can't say any more about the film's story-line. But I must say right up front, I am not a Kevin Costner fan. Unless he's in a Western. I think he is the greatest Western star of our generation. I like him even more than Eastwood. So there's that. I loved seeing Jennifer Garner back in the biz. She and her husband have started a family and she took some totally understandable time off, but now she's poking back into the biz and that's great. All at your pace, Jennifer. Even a little is better than none at all. Ellen Burstyn as the mother was wonderful and even the one-day shoot with Rosanna Arquette as the ex-wife was fun.
I liked this film but didn't love it. I loved the whole build up to the Draft Night wheeling and dealing, and that was great, but I don't know.....was there enough meat in the story?
So I am going to recommend you to go see it. I liked it at least that much. But don't rush out to buy it on Blue-Ray. I am glad I saw this movie. But if I see it one or two more times in my life, that's enough.
GRADE: C+
You know what? I've thought about it a long time and I have decided to own this on Blu-Ray. And I am going to make my wife pay for it at Christmastime. This was a wonderful movie. It was a while ago, but I'm upping my grade to a B-.
This film is exactly what the title says it is. It occurs on Draft Day. The NFL Draft Day to be exact. It starts in the morning as Kevin Costner (the supposed General Manager of the Cleveland Browns) is off to work. This is an important day for GMs as one might suspect. Along the course of this day we learn that this GMs dad had been the former coach, and that his son had fired him. An Accounting executive who watches the whole salary cap thing (Jennifer Garner) has been sleeping with the boss and the day before Draft Day is the day she decides to let him know she's pregnant. On top of all this, the Kevin Costner GMs father, who he recently fired, has died, and his mother decides today is the day there is an ash spreading ceremony.
Costner wants to make a great Ohio State Defensive linebacker pick that will truly help the team win, but the owner interferes and wants him to take the rock star of the day Quarterback. Costner agrees to save his job. But as the day progresses, many things happen, and the tension builds. The final scene of trading and finagling is worth the price of admission. That scene is a thing of beauty.
I can't say any more about the film's story-line. But I must say right up front, I am not a Kevin Costner fan. Unless he's in a Western. I think he is the greatest Western star of our generation. I like him even more than Eastwood. So there's that. I loved seeing Jennifer Garner back in the biz. She and her husband have started a family and she took some totally understandable time off, but now she's poking back into the biz and that's great. All at your pace, Jennifer. Even a little is better than none at all. Ellen Burstyn as the mother was wonderful and even the one-day shoot with Rosanna Arquette as the ex-wife was fun.
I liked this film but didn't love it. I loved the whole build up to the Draft Night wheeling and dealing, and that was great, but I don't know.....was there enough meat in the story?
So I am going to recommend you to go see it. I liked it at least that much. But don't rush out to buy it on Blue-Ray. I am glad I saw this movie. But if I see it one or two more times in my life, that's enough.
GRADE: C+
You know what? I've thought about it a long time and I have decided to own this on Blu-Ray. And I am going to make my wife pay for it at Christmastime. This was a wonderful movie. It was a while ago, but I'm upping my grade to a B-.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
TV Is The New Place To Find Art.
There was a time in the moving picture art world when movies reigned supreme. There were motion pictures being cranked out like "The Godfather", "Citizen Kane", "To Kill A Mockingbird", and on and on. All masterful works of art. And then cable TV happened. And somehow the archaic rules about TV that kept it limited to favorite martians, talking horses, and how funny WWII prisoner of war camps were, seemed to begin to be stretched. And over the years progressively, albeit sometimes too slowly, things have been changing. TV has become the new black, to coin an incidental phrase.
The Networks are still hopelessly caught in the deer-in-the-headlights-not-getting-it -full-of-crap tie downs that keep them limited by sensibilities of a by-gone era. Good. Keep thinking that losers. Because nobody cares anymore. The Networks are so yesterday's papers, that I can't imagine why anyone goes there. Okay I liked "The Blacklist" but the idiots at the network only bought 10 episodes. When it was a hit, they hurriedly bought 10 more, but hey, it's been a while and my patience grows thin. It wasn't THAT great, after all. Your colon looks fine NBC, pull your head out and see some sunlight.
Okay, Modern Family is brilliant, but after the first two seasons what the?.....
But let's look at what else has been going on. Oh, let's see.....can you say 'everywhere else on the dial' brilliant?
Let's start with the Premium channels. HBO: There are some I didn't like (Okay, they were The Sopranos, (the most over-blown piece of shit ever), Deadwood, and Entourage. ) But I loved The Wire, Homeland, True Detective, The Newsroom, and The Extras.)
On SHOWTIME: There was one of the greatest shows ever: Weeds. Then followed Dexter, and one of my personal Favorites: Californication. Hey, Networks, starting to feel it yet? No, you dummies are probably still scratching your heads wondering why you're tanking. So, let me continue.....
AMC: The biggest show on cable: The Walking Dead. Zombies apparently rule over CSI crapola. Mad Men. The darling of reviewers everywhere, but is in reality only slightly above average.
And there's Justified. Great show, and not just because of the great Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins.
I'll add more as it occurs to me.
The Networks are still hopelessly caught in the deer-in-the-headlights-not-getting-it -full-of-crap tie downs that keep them limited by sensibilities of a by-gone era. Good. Keep thinking that losers. Because nobody cares anymore. The Networks are so yesterday's papers, that I can't imagine why anyone goes there. Okay I liked "The Blacklist" but the idiots at the network only bought 10 episodes. When it was a hit, they hurriedly bought 10 more, but hey, it's been a while and my patience grows thin. It wasn't THAT great, after all. Your colon looks fine NBC, pull your head out and see some sunlight.
Okay, Modern Family is brilliant, but after the first two seasons what the?.....
But let's look at what else has been going on. Oh, let's see.....can you say 'everywhere else on the dial' brilliant?
Let's start with the Premium channels. HBO: There are some I didn't like (Okay, they were The Sopranos, (the most over-blown piece of shit ever), Deadwood, and Entourage. ) But I loved The Wire, Homeland, True Detective, The Newsroom, and The Extras.)
On SHOWTIME: There was one of the greatest shows ever: Weeds. Then followed Dexter, and one of my personal Favorites: Californication. Hey, Networks, starting to feel it yet? No, you dummies are probably still scratching your heads wondering why you're tanking. So, let me continue.....
AMC: The biggest show on cable: The Walking Dead. Zombies apparently rule over CSI crapola. Mad Men. The darling of reviewers everywhere, but is in reality only slightly above average.
And there's Justified. Great show, and not just because of the great Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins.
I'll add more as it occurs to me.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Steve Jobs
PAGES!
Steve Jobs
by Walter Issacson
Simon & Schuster
2011
I read a lot of biographies. But I don't usually get to read a biography about someone two years younger than me. That means I can remember everything in it and put it in my own time perspective. Steve Jobs was two years younger than me and in a very real way helped shape what others will someday look back on and credit my generation with. My generation was the dawn of the digital age. We brought computing into everyone's home. We made animation seem three dimensional. We now carry thousands of songs around with us in a device not much bigger than a credit card. My generation, a generation that decided we could all walk around with an actual telephone on us, and it would also store our music, and take pictures, and scan the web. And who was deeply imbedded in the midst of all of this? Steve Jobs. In many ways, and in a real sense, the Thomas Edison of our times.
Walter Isaacson has done meticulous research and has put together a biography that was well organized, fair, was true to who Jobs was, and gave us a real insight into the workings of a very complex person.
It all started when Steve was adopted by the Jobs' in 1955. And his father Paul Jobs did what many men of the era did; he bought cars, fixed them up, and sold them to make a few bucks. That's what my dad did, that's what Paul Jobs did. But Paul Jobs taught young Steve that one should never skimp on what's under the hood, what's not seen. It is a matter of pride.
Some might say the real story starts when Steve Jobs met Steve Wozniak. Maybe. But there was also the episode wherein Steve Jobs needed a part for some gadget he was working on and he looked up the number of Mr. Hewlett of Hewlett/Packard (a local company in the area) called him and asked him to help get the part. Mr. Hewlett gave young Steve a job and he got to be around some very smart electronics guys.
But when Steve Jobs met Steve Wozniak was truly one of the pivotal moments in 20th century history. Like when Lennon met McCartney, but on a computing level. Wozniak was the electronics wizard of the team that began humbly enough in the Jobs family garage. "Woz" was a shy, introverted electronics mastermind, who seemingly to this day has no idea what a genius he is. And if it weren't for the brash Steve Jobs we would never have heard of Steve Wozniak.
Jobs was the driving force, the visionary who knew what to do with the cool stuff Woz could do. And they started Apple in a garage but they wouldn't be there long.
Apple began making exciting computing equipment for the everyday user that looked great and was fun to use. When the Apple II came out, it shook the world. I could go on and on about Apple's accomplishments so I must warn you from the start that I am an "Apple worm" as I prefer to call myself. I started when I ventured to get one and have since converted my whole family. My dad is 86 years old and goes nowhere without his iPad.
The story of Steve Jobs is like a roller coaster ride. He builds this great company, he gets pushed out, he starts another company NeXT, it's crummy, he gets in and makes a company out of Pixar and makes movie history time and again, gets Apple back, and although it's on the brink of folding, brings it back bigger and badder than ever.
Where do we start? I guess logically, the iMac. The first computer that had that Jolly Rancher coloring and the looks of the Jetsons. That assures Apple is coming back in a big way. Now, it should be known that they had struck a deal with Xerox who had developed the technology of the digital interface, but didn't know what to do with it. It is pretty much acknowledged that left in the hands of Xerox, nothing would have ever come of it. Then the "sunflower" iMac, still my very favorite of all Apple products. I told my Dad to buy Apple computer at this time, at $35 a share. He didn't listen. Wish he would have because then came the iPod. Not only did this become the biggest product Apple offered, but it spurned the sales of iMacs. Others rushed to catch up, but Microsoft among others were caught with their pants down. Next Jobs saves the music industry that was dying a quick death because of pirating, and comes up with the iTunes store. The music companies that signed on, although understandably wary, flourished again. And then it was another idea that Bill Gates said wouldn't work, the Apple Store. (The Apple store in New York has more shoppers in a week than Macy's has in a month). Never ceasing to be amazing Jobs presents the iPhone. It is still the Rolls-Royce of cellular devices. Do you know why I once owned an Android? Because I couldn't afford an iPhone. Thankfully I have an iPhone now. But Android is cool. Those weird people in Wal-Mart need to feel like they have a cellular device too. (See? I said I was an 'Apple worm').
After the iPhone, and although it was actually way into the works before the iPhone, came the iPad. This again was revolutionary. It is so minimalistic and streamlined and beautiful. And so very functional. (Okay, at this point I need to be fair and mention that although my wife has an iPad, I have only a Kindle Fire, but that's okay. It does what I need. Netflix, HBO, Spider Solitaire....)
And let us not forget the Apps Store. Jobs railed against outsiders being allowed to create apps for his device, he was outvoted. Apps were just part of the logical next step in the digital revolution.
Jobs was a visionary. He saw ahead of time the "Digital Hub", that all of our devices should work in conjunction with each other. The iCloud - I still maintain it should have been called "locker room" a place where we can all keep our stuff in our "locker, but nevertheless Jobs saw this ahead of time. He got it.
What he never got was how to eat properly. I'm not trying to start a war with vegans, because honestly, y'all won't be around long enough to finish the battle. But he stayed true to his vegetarian beliefs and it cost him his life. Jobs was told he needed surgery. Instead he spent 9 months in a health food store instead of his Doctor's office. Those nine months were critical. Yes, he finally agreed to the pancreas surgery...too late....and then the liver transplant....a short lease on life... Eventually he began eating omelets as a feeble attempt to get the valuable protein his body required.
At the end of his life Jobs had a three hour visit with Bill Gates. Two of the most important men of the 20th century, and they made amends. They finally were just two guys that did their best. And they both changed the world.
Dear Dad: Apple now trades at over $600 a share.
Grade: A.
Steve Jobs
by Walter Issacson
Simon & Schuster
2011
I read a lot of biographies. But I don't usually get to read a biography about someone two years younger than me. That means I can remember everything in it and put it in my own time perspective. Steve Jobs was two years younger than me and in a very real way helped shape what others will someday look back on and credit my generation with. My generation was the dawn of the digital age. We brought computing into everyone's home. We made animation seem three dimensional. We now carry thousands of songs around with us in a device not much bigger than a credit card. My generation, a generation that decided we could all walk around with an actual telephone on us, and it would also store our music, and take pictures, and scan the web. And who was deeply imbedded in the midst of all of this? Steve Jobs. In many ways, and in a real sense, the Thomas Edison of our times.
Walter Isaacson has done meticulous research and has put together a biography that was well organized, fair, was true to who Jobs was, and gave us a real insight into the workings of a very complex person.
It all started when Steve was adopted by the Jobs' in 1955. And his father Paul Jobs did what many men of the era did; he bought cars, fixed them up, and sold them to make a few bucks. That's what my dad did, that's what Paul Jobs did. But Paul Jobs taught young Steve that one should never skimp on what's under the hood, what's not seen. It is a matter of pride.
Some might say the real story starts when Steve Jobs met Steve Wozniak. Maybe. But there was also the episode wherein Steve Jobs needed a part for some gadget he was working on and he looked up the number of Mr. Hewlett of Hewlett/Packard (a local company in the area) called him and asked him to help get the part. Mr. Hewlett gave young Steve a job and he got to be around some very smart electronics guys.
But when Steve Jobs met Steve Wozniak was truly one of the pivotal moments in 20th century history. Like when Lennon met McCartney, but on a computing level. Wozniak was the electronics wizard of the team that began humbly enough in the Jobs family garage. "Woz" was a shy, introverted electronics mastermind, who seemingly to this day has no idea what a genius he is. And if it weren't for the brash Steve Jobs we would never have heard of Steve Wozniak.
Jobs was the driving force, the visionary who knew what to do with the cool stuff Woz could do. And they started Apple in a garage but they wouldn't be there long.
Apple began making exciting computing equipment for the everyday user that looked great and was fun to use. When the Apple II came out, it shook the world. I could go on and on about Apple's accomplishments so I must warn you from the start that I am an "Apple worm" as I prefer to call myself. I started when I ventured to get one and have since converted my whole family. My dad is 86 years old and goes nowhere without his iPad.
The story of Steve Jobs is like a roller coaster ride. He builds this great company, he gets pushed out, he starts another company NeXT, it's crummy, he gets in and makes a company out of Pixar and makes movie history time and again, gets Apple back, and although it's on the brink of folding, brings it back bigger and badder than ever.
Where do we start? I guess logically, the iMac. The first computer that had that Jolly Rancher coloring and the looks of the Jetsons. That assures Apple is coming back in a big way. Now, it should be known that they had struck a deal with Xerox who had developed the technology of the digital interface, but didn't know what to do with it. It is pretty much acknowledged that left in the hands of Xerox, nothing would have ever come of it. Then the "sunflower" iMac, still my very favorite of all Apple products. I told my Dad to buy Apple computer at this time, at $35 a share. He didn't listen. Wish he would have because then came the iPod. Not only did this become the biggest product Apple offered, but it spurned the sales of iMacs. Others rushed to catch up, but Microsoft among others were caught with their pants down. Next Jobs saves the music industry that was dying a quick death because of pirating, and comes up with the iTunes store. The music companies that signed on, although understandably wary, flourished again. And then it was another idea that Bill Gates said wouldn't work, the Apple Store. (The Apple store in New York has more shoppers in a week than Macy's has in a month). Never ceasing to be amazing Jobs presents the iPhone. It is still the Rolls-Royce of cellular devices. Do you know why I once owned an Android? Because I couldn't afford an iPhone. Thankfully I have an iPhone now. But Android is cool. Those weird people in Wal-Mart need to feel like they have a cellular device too. (See? I said I was an 'Apple worm').
After the iPhone, and although it was actually way into the works before the iPhone, came the iPad. This again was revolutionary. It is so minimalistic and streamlined and beautiful. And so very functional. (Okay, at this point I need to be fair and mention that although my wife has an iPad, I have only a Kindle Fire, but that's okay. It does what I need. Netflix, HBO, Spider Solitaire....)
And let us not forget the Apps Store. Jobs railed against outsiders being allowed to create apps for his device, he was outvoted. Apps were just part of the logical next step in the digital revolution.
Jobs was a visionary. He saw ahead of time the "Digital Hub", that all of our devices should work in conjunction with each other. The iCloud - I still maintain it should have been called "locker room" a place where we can all keep our stuff in our "locker, but nevertheless Jobs saw this ahead of time. He got it.
What he never got was how to eat properly. I'm not trying to start a war with vegans, because honestly, y'all won't be around long enough to finish the battle. But he stayed true to his vegetarian beliefs and it cost him his life. Jobs was told he needed surgery. Instead he spent 9 months in a health food store instead of his Doctor's office. Those nine months were critical. Yes, he finally agreed to the pancreas surgery...too late....and then the liver transplant....a short lease on life... Eventually he began eating omelets as a feeble attempt to get the valuable protein his body required.
At the end of his life Jobs had a three hour visit with Bill Gates. Two of the most important men of the 20th century, and they made amends. They finally were just two guys that did their best. And they both changed the world.
Dear Dad: Apple now trades at over $600 a share.
Grade: A.
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