Blogger Idol - Week Two - Submitted For Your Approval

Well, week two is upon us in the Blogger Idol web event. Last week's subject was the 80s, this week is "Freedom." Since I went way too far back on the 80s last week, I thought I would stick to the 80s for this weeks entry/rant. So here goes:

As a music fan, when I think of "Freedom," one person comes to mind. George Michael. Why George, well, not only did he pen "Freedom" back in the 80s, but he released it on three albums with the superduo, Wham! You can find this hit tune on Make It Big, The Final, and If You Where There. Now, if I remember one thing from my school days it is that if a person repeats something over and over, it must be important. So, what is so important about "Freedom"?" You know what, I don't think there is anything socially, globally, economically, or politically important about this song. But you do have to admit that it has a catchy tune, that if you have heard it, has already made it's way from the deep part of the brain where it has been sitting idle for so many years. And with catch lines like,"I don't want your freedom, I don't want to play around, I don't want nobody's baby, Part-time love just brings me down," you know it will stay lodged in your brain's internal Ipod for at least a day.

Before we go, let us not forget that once George and Andrew Ridgeley separated ways, and George started making a solo career for himself, he recorded "Freedom 90." Wham! fans were confused at first, how could you release a song with the same title (with the addition of two digits referring to the year), but have completely new lyrics and tune? Sure both tunes had a similar theme of boy who is losing/has lost girl (but isn't that most of pop music?), but couldn't he have called it something different? Oh well, in the grand scheme of things who really cares. Although if you are a big fan, you will be happy to find out that he is releasing a new album soon. Ironically it is on the Sony label, the same label he fought so hard and paid so much to get out of a contract for. And who says the music industry is messed up? That would be like me applying to get a job at the radio station I quit on New Years Eve 1995/6. Oh wait, I did try that, but that is another story, for another time.

That is all for me for this week's Blogger Idol, I really have no idea what the above is all about, but hey it could have been worse, I could have wrote about the first time I heard "Philadelphia Freedom," by Elton John. Be sure to check out the other entries by clicking the box below.


Currently listening to: Lenny Kravitz -

Internet Free Day

Wish someone would have informed me about this before I turned on the computer. Guess I'll have to wait until next year.

Currently listing to: Randy Stonehill - Take Me Back off Edge of the World I just foud the clip of this song on his website, and it is well worth checking out. Makes me want to buy this album.

All Systems Go Michael

It is odd how sometimes a theme runs through your world for a couple days. The other day, there was the Blogger Idol thing on the 80s, although I took a different angle on the whole thing, then in chapel on Friday the speaker spoke about the 80s, and even walked into the Knight Rider theme. Today, I stumbled across this fun little Kitt dashplate simulator. Check it out.

Currently listening to: Steve Hindalong - Skinny

Who Says Crime Doesn't Pay

According to one source, twenty teenagers who are being sued for illegal downloading will be featured in a Pepsi Super Bowl Ad. What a great message to send to the kids. Here are people who have willingly broken the law, usually under the excuse that "the record companies make so much and the artist is being exploited anyway," and what do they get, their shot at 15 minutes of fame on the most watched sporting event of the year. Why didn't Pepsi search out 20 teenagers with large music collections properly obtained to use as an example?

What else is slightly wrong is that they are using Green Day singing, "I Fought the Law," which proves that Green Day has officially sold out - please cross them off the Punk rock list. But then again, did any one still know they were together?

In the spirit of Pepsi's thinking, might I suggest some other commercials and spokespersons....

United Airlines - Richard Reid saying he now only travels barefoot, and only on United.
Matchmaker.com - To tie into the football theme, former Carolina Panther, Rae Carruth, could talk about how he now plans on using Matchmaker.com to find a better match, that is when he gets out of prison on charges for trying to kill his last girlfriend.
Ford and Budweiser could split their advertising costs and have Jarrod Cooper, safety for the Carolina Panthers, talk about how he enjoyed enjoyed both their products, but will try to use them separately after having to miss four games this year, not to mention a drunk driving conviction from two years ago. At least he gets to be at the Super Bowl.
PETA - Armin Meiwes could talk about the evils of eating animals.

Well, that is all the creativity I can handle right now. Maybe more later. By the way, I found a cool comedy troupe called, A Cast of Thousands the other day and it is worth checking out. Be sure to check out their clips for the Howard Dean Campaign Ad, News From Middle Earth, and The Bible In Record Time. They made me laugh.

Currently listening to: Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball

Here are the old comments.

Childhood Memories

While, the last entry was about the death of Captain Kangaroo, I was thinking about some of the other shows I used to watch as a child, and how there are few comparisons on today's television line up. Unless you really think kids are learning from Fear Factor and Punk'd. So I was doing a little web surfing on some of my favorite shows, like the Bozo Show, Captain Kangaroo, Soupy Sales, and then I remembered a local show that I used to watch called The Captain Jinks Show. It was on a local station in Peoria. Don't remember a whole lot about it, other than it had some cool cartoons, a couple of wacky hosts, and my brother got to go to a taping of the show and even won some prize. But, if he stumbles across this entry, he will probably be upset with me for bringing that show back into his memory, as I don't think it was one of his favorites. Oh well, at least I didn't bring up his fear of the Umpa Lumpas.

Currently listing to: Athlete - Vehicles and Animals

The Captain Has Left This Ship

Well this has been a tough year for some of the positive role models of my childhood television viewing. First Mr. Rogers passes away, now today the news of Bob Keeshan, aka Captain Kangaroo passing away hits the news. I can still remember sitting in the basement of my house as a child watching his show, and unbeknownst to me, I even was learning stuff. And I thought it was just fun entertainment provided by Mr. Moose, Mr. Green Jeans, and the Captain. Well, I guess the ping pong balls have fallen for the final time. In my opinion, this great big ship we all travel on with be a little less without the good Captain.

Currently listening to: Del Amitri -

Movie Trailers On DVDs

Tonight after getting back from the dorm, I put in Finding Forrester in the DVD player to have some inspiring entertainment. After the movie was over, and while I was catching up on some email, I decided to check out the special features. In the list of special features they have "Theatrical Trailers," as do most DVDs that you can now buy and rent. I began to think about this concept, and now seriously wonder why do they put the Theatrical Trailer on the DVD for that specific movie? I could understand if they put trailers of movies that have similiar themes, actors, directors, or the likes. But how often does one sit down and put in a DVD of a movie to watch the trailer of that film, and not just go right to the meat. To me this would be if CDs started coming with one track that was a collection of ten to twenty second clips of the songs that are on that album. Oh well, in the big picture, it just doesn't matter, it just doesn't matter, it just doesn't matter.......

Currently listening to: Nothing

Here are the old comments.