Half Bad Boy Hero - Chad Reed Wins St. Louis

Let me be the first to congratulate Chad Reed on his awesome victory in the St. Louis Supercross. What's that you say? He's already been congratulated? Well, then I guess I won't be the first to congratulate him. I want to do it anyway.

Chad Reed is a true half bad boy hero. He participates in one of the most bad-boy sports on the planet, and does so at a top level. He expects nothing less than the best of himself, but he truly loves the competition. And who was the first person he thanked on the podium this week? His wife Ellie.

Oh yeah. That's what a half bad boy is all about.

Eating Humble Pie (but just a nibble)

After my last post, I have to give some credit to Krista Voda, who, in her podium interview with Jeremy McGrath last Saturday, said, "He definitely is the king of Supercross."

Of course, we already knew that. Until someone at least ties his record of seven Supercross titles, he will always be the king. But it was nice hear Krista say it; it means either she started learning about Supercross, or someone is telling her what to say so she doesn't say something stupid. Either way, it is an improvement.

How To Be A Supercross Announcer

I hear that Supercross is the fastest growing action sport in the US today. If you are a Supercross racer, or if you are a spectator, whether live or on TV, or if you ride or support their sponsors, congratulations: You are helping Supercross to grow.
Unfortunately, if you are Supercross TV announcer for Speed or CBS, I'm sorry: You are not helping Supercross to grow. You are helping position Supercross as a sport for stupid people.

I don't mean "stupid" as in, "You'd have to be stupid to try to blitz those whoops." I mean "stupid" as in, "I wonder if these people passed elementary school?"

I know there are some good Supercross announcers, but this is only because I am a long-time fan. Any new person watching Supercross on TV would have to assume that it is a sport for stupid people. They would arrive at this conclusion the moment they heard these people speak; they would remark to themselves, "I've never even seen a real motocross motorcycle in person, and I know more about this sport than they do." Where are you, Jamie Little??? Where are you, David Bailey???

Alas, we are stuck with Ralph "I Wish I Could Go Through Puberty" Sheheen, Denny "It Is So Hard To Construct A Sentence" Stephenson, and Krista "I Am Blonde For A Reason" Voda.

Krista is by far the worst. A typical Krista moment was at San Francisco this year, amidst the rain and mud. Broc Glover was explaining to Krista how the mud tires are self-cleaning, designed to cause the mud to remove itself from the tires. Krista turned to the camera and said, "Self-cleaning tires? I wish I had that in my oven." At which point my wife and I looked at each other, and I said, "She wants self-cleaning tires in her oven??"


I shouldn't complain too loudly. Speed and CBS, we Supercross fans do appreciate you broadcasting Supercross on TV and we continue to support you by watching. But do you think you could do something about the announcers? That's really all we're asking.

What It Means That Superbowl XL Is Over

Superbowl XL is over. What does this mean? What do we learn from this? What happens now that is is over?

We learn that:

1. There are no good NFC teams.
2. Controlling almost the whole game doesn't mean that you are going to win.
3. Being inept almost the whole game doesn't mean that you are going to lose.
4. The first strategic point in Seattle's two-minute drill is, "Everybody go into panic mode."
5. The second strategic point in Seattle's two-minute drill is, "Whatever has worked so far, do the opposite."
6. The third strategic point in Seattle's two-minute drill is, "Whatever you do, DO NOT STOP THE CLOCK."
7. Good things don't always happen to good people. Sometimes, good things happen to a bunch of haughty, arrogant jerks.

What it means:

1. Eleven more months until the best football games of the year are on TV again.
2. Now I don't have to worry about missing my favorite NFL team on TV in order to watch Supercross.
3. Hopefully Jerome Bettis will finally retire, and by doing so, bring the average NFL player's IQ up by a good 80 points or so.

The Half Bad Boy DVD Review - Batman Begins

Summary: This masterpiece of moviemaking shows why Batman is a worthy hero, and teaches the movie industry how a movie should be made in the process.
Grade: A

About This Movie: We learn about the origins of Batman as he assumes a secret identity to try to bring peace and order back to his Gotham city home. And he also gets to kiss Katie Holmes.

The Best Part About This DVD Is...
...how everything ties together. These days, it seems most movie makers don't even take the time to tie their own movie together. Batman Begins not only ties together logically from beginning to end, but ties in with the whole Batman story. After watching, I understood how he became who he is, how Gotham came to be the way it is, why he is always fighting so many quirky characters, where he gets all of his neat gadgets, and many other things that were previously unanswered questions. This Batman is a worthy hero. Unlike other Batman portrayals, he is an admirable, good-doing man most of the time (not a sniveling nerd or snobby jerk), but a truly terrifying, yet human, crime-fighter. He chooses to fight crime because he wants to make the world a better place, and chooses to use his money and his life to do this instead of basking in the luxury of a billionaire lifestyle. This Batman (not the others) is my favorite of all superheroes.

The Worst Part About This DVD Is...
...um, I'll have to get back to you on that one.

The Bottom Line
This is how movies should be made - great acting, great casting, great stunts, great special effects, great character development, great cinematography, great plot and theme - no stone was left unturned. Everything made sense in this movie. Even Bruce and Rachel's scene at the end was very satisfying - it was neither cheesy and unbelievable, nor was it disappointing. Not only is this hands-down the best superhero movie of all time, it may be one of my favorites of all time, period. Buy this DVD. You will be glad you did.

Another Stupid Congressional Bill

You might want to read this bill, which is currently being debated in the US Congress. Or, you can let me summarize it for you. The bill will make it illegal to manufacture a device that can record analog signals unless the device complies with whatever DRM accompanies the signal.

This completely destroys my new way of watching TV. I watch the TV programs I want to watch when I want to watch them. This new bill has the potential to make it so that I cannot record my shows, or that I can only view the shows the way they were originally broadcast (potentially no fast-forwarding, rewinding, or pausing), or only view them within a certain time period of when the original was broadcast.

Are people really this stupid? Do the producers of the content think that imposing restrictions on how I consume their product will increase my use? Hardly. I am less likely to watch if they do this than before. There are TV shows that I watch quite regularly, but I never watch them at their broadcast time because that time is not convenient for me. Imposing restrictions like these will cause them to lose a viewer. It's that simple.

What I want to know is, who are the genius lawmakers that are sponsoring these things? Are they a bunch of old geezers, jealous of the young whippersnappers that know how to use technology, and dead-set on punishing the youth of the world for having a more comfortable life than they had? Or are they just ignorant? Why would someone sponsor a bill that only makes life worse for the general public?

Some might say, "Well, they have a reason, because this technology can be used to create pirated copies of movies [or whatever]." Hey, just because something can be used to commit a crime doesn't mean that it should be illegal. Should we outlaw kitchen knives because they can be used to stab people? How about gasoline, since it can be used to burn down a building? Should we outlaw water because people can drown other people with it? Just because I have a DVR and a CD burner doesn't mean that I am a criminal. I use these devices, quite a bit, but for perfectly reasonable and legal purposes. And don't get me started on the whole protecting-the-artists argument. Give me a break.

So, who do the lawmakers care about? Obviously not you or I. They seem willing to entertain obviously stupid laws that don't even benefit society. And don't think for a minute they are doing it for the poor artists. They are doing this for their own selves, at the expense of the future of our country and the freedom of future generations.

And what is it they are doing, exactly? What is their agenda? Their agenda is to pass laws that are so ridiculous that they make criminals out of normal, law-abiding citizens. Pass so many obscure and silly laws that a normal person living a normal life and conducting what seems to be logical, harmless acts is actually breaking laws all the time. This way, the government can have the right to subdue and control citizens, because those who are not criminals are still predisposed to crime.

Come on, US Congress. The average American is generally law-abiding, honest, and upright. The government is supposed to be for the people. Can we stop passing laws that make life worse for the average American? Can we stop taking away freedom in the name of security and safety?

The Half Bad Boy DVD Review - War of the Worlds

Summary: Great acting by Tom Cruise, fantastic special effects, and moments of serious, honest introspection cannot mask several logical inconsistencies.
Grade: C

About This Movie: Of course, the movie is based on H.G. Wells book by the same title. Aliens invade the earth with the sole purpose of overtaking the planet and covering it with blood, or something like that.

The Best Part About This DVD Is...
... the internal introspection. Moments when, while watching, you wonder, "Would I do that?" For example, would you steal a car from someone to save the life of your child? Would you kill someone in cold blood if you thought they were threatening your life?
I also like the type of father that Ray is. I know they were trying to portray him as a bad father. He isn't a bad father. Somehow, if your wife leaves you for a richer man and takes your kids with her because you chose a hard-working yet underpaid career, society wants to make you a bad father. Ray isn't a bad father. A good father loves his kids, cares about their welfare, and requires their obedience as he teaches them about survival in the real world.

The Worst Part About This DVD Is...
... the complete lack of logic. For example, why would aliens bury tripods in the earth millions of years ago, in an attempt to take over the earth today? Why not take over millions of years ago? And how is it that, despite many of these being buried in the city, nobody has ever dug one up in the history of mankind? And how is it that, despite having advanced technology where they can ride lightning bolts through solid matter, vaporize objects, and project shields around themselves that repulse anything they wish, the aliens somehow cannot ascertain the deadliness of the environment and compensate for it prior to coming to earth? And, how is it that millions people are dying all over the place, but every single member of Ray's family survives?

The Bottom Line
A friend categorized this movie well as being like a piece of art that could be a masterpiece, except the artist decided to unveil it before it was really finished. There are some parts of this movie that are great and others that are simply either unfinished or illogical. The unfinished parts keep this from being a great movie, but it is still entertaining to watch if you can suspend reality.

Corporate America is Forsaking Us

I have felt for some time now that employment is at best a tenuous existence in terms of providing for one's future. I feel this is so because I believe that corporate America has forsaken the employees, those who built the corporations, in favor of their own profit, and have therefore become too self-centered and too unethical.

This is because they not only think only about how they can get ahead, whether or not at the expense of other corporations or people around them, but they do this based upon the labor of others which they, as a whole, do not pay fairly for. (Notice that payment here is not always monetary although it often is.) They tend toward demanding more and more time, effort, intellect, vision, insight, and loyalty without returning in kind. For example, it is self-centered and unethical of a corporation to hire an employee to complete certain responsibilities, then to assign additional responsibilities on top of those previously agreed to, and yet to pay the same in money, benefits, recognition, and opportunity. This becomes a problem further in the United States today because corporations have a much better chance at getting the government to pass laws in their favor than private citizens do – they simply have more money to make it happen.

This problem becomes magnified in corporations that leverage knowledge, information, goods, or services that are provided to them from external sources under "gentleman's agreement" terms of non-monetary payment in some other means. One example of this is software companies that improperly use open source software. Note, there is nothing wrong with companies making money off of open source if they are able to do so. But since many corporations have the tendency to fail to pay fairly for things they receive, it is likely that they will continue this practice with something like open source, for example, taking credit for work they do not do.

How long will this system last before corporations become so greedy that they erode the foundations of society that support them? We are on this road today and that future is not necessarily far off.

The Half Bad Boy DVD Review - The Island

Summary: Lincoln and Jordan learn something very important about their life. No, it isn't that they are clones. They learn how important it is to be free.
Grade: A-

About This Movie: Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johannson respectively play Lincon Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta, two of thousands of cloned human beings living in a secret compound. Each clone knows that one day they will be sent to the Island, a tropical paradise where they will live worry-free for the rest of their days. But things change when Lincoln discovers that selection to go to the Island is really a death sentence.

The Best Part About This DVD Is...
... what the DVD teaches us about the importance of freedom. Lincoln and Jordan's life in the compound was secure, safe, equal, and healthy. But it was not free. It was even frustrating for me just to watch the lack of freedom that the people had. The scary part is, I couldn't help but wonder how much our current society is trending toward that life, where we are willing to trade freedom for safety. What is wrong with us?
I also have to mention the action sequences. We are talking about Michael Bay after all. In particular, the train axles on the freeway was awesome and even realistic-seeming. Also, the part when Lincoln and Jordan first learn to kiss is rather endearing.

The Worst Part About This DVD Is...
... Lincoln and Jordan falling 70 stories, landing in a net, and not even being hurt? I guess we decided to suspend realistic physics for the sake of the heroes.

The Bottom Line
The Island was exactly what I expected from Michael Bay - a two-hour action-packed thrill ride - and it didn't disappoint. What I didn't expect was a lesson on the importance of freedom. Freedom is not about being able to do whatever you want without consequences. Freedom is about choosing for yourself, from something trivial - the clothes you wear or whether you get to have bacon for breakfast - to something important - in Lincoln and Jordan's case, to choose whom you will love. Freedom is more important than health, safety, or security, and should never be traded away those things. Even the promise of a future life in paradise is not worth it if one doesn't have the freedom to choose to go.

I'm Starting to Dread the Holiday Season

It is sad to admit that, more and more, I'm starting to approach the holiday season with feelings that are a mixture of anticipation, joy, dread, irritation, and frustration.
The anticipation and joy come from having time with family and remembering the birth, life, and atonement of Jesus Christ. It is certainly helpful to make a special effort every year to be more focused on remembering His coming, and to look forward to when he comes again.

The other feelings come from the fact that people are forgetting why we have Christmas in the first place.

First, the commercialism of Christmas has gotten out of control. We've gotten to the point that it doesn't matter what we get for Christmas as long as we get more of it than someone else. I have family that insist on buying me a gift of a certain price point even when I tell them that I don't need anything. What is the point of spending the money? I create a budget and budget for Christmas all year long, and then when the time comes to buy, I feel that I must spend the entire budget even if it is on junk that the recipient won't really want.
This is one part of this season that I'm starting to dread - the complete waste of money. Money spent on things that will become the recipient's trash before summertime comes around. It has become a season where people save all year so they can come before the big businesses and trade their money in for junk. What is wrong with us?

I am starting to despise the calculated messages in the media that are trying to cause us to forget why we have these holidays in the first place. These messages are even being taught to children. They tell us not to forget the reason for the season, at which point they inform us that the reason for the season is to be with friends and family, or to be kinder to our fellow men, or to marvel in the wonder of lights and decorations. They pitch the "hustle & bustle" of the holidays as exciting and fun, not irritating. I've even heard some of these messages suggest that the reason for the season is to receive gifts!
The reason for this season is entirely religious. I don't care whether you are Christian or not. If you believe in Thor the thunder god, and celebrate him on August 10 (or whatever), just because I don't believe in Thor doesn't change the reason why you might celebrate on August 10. The reason for Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It does not matter whether you believe in him or not. It is a flat-out lie to suggest that the reason for Christmas is anything else, no matter how ennobling.

I'm frustrated because I want this to be a religious occasion. I'm upset that I worry about how many gifts a person is giving me, and that I have to give them the same number of gifts back, and for a similar monetary amount, even if the gifts are junk. It feels like it isn't enough to give for the sake of giving. It feels like if I'm not giving my significant other a diamond ring or a new car I'm under-gifting. I hate that I feel like I work all year long to blow money on junk at the end of the year. And for what? Just so recipients can feel that I care - but not because of what I gave, but because of how much I gave and how much I spent.

I don't know what to do about this exactly, but I don't like it, and I feel justified in not liking it. I may do something drastic next year - like cut my Christmas budget.