I Voted! Now For the Results…
So, I voted, and because I actually don’t care if you all know what and who I voted for, I’m going to put it here. And I intend to do this every time I vote. If you want to send me a mean email arguing with me over a vote, please do so. I would find it entertaining. Here goes: President/VP — Obama/BidenBecause McCain is crazy and I’m not wasting my vote on equally crazy independents who have no idea how to run the country. Plus, Obama is just the better choice. If you don’t think so then something might be wrong with you. Yes, I said it. US Legislature — Anna EshooShe had a lot of good points and the Republican was annoying. State Senate — Joe SimitianKind of close for me, but Simitian came off as one more willing to defend the little people (at least slightly more). State Assembly (District 27) — Bill MonningJust sounded better to me. California Propositions Prop 1 — YesWe need high speed rail. Efficient, useful public transportation is an absolute must in California. Prop 2 — NoBanning a practice without offering ways to protect people in a particular business is going to hurt us, and while it may be speciesist of me, humans come first. Sorry, chickens are not as important as human beings. You put this bill on there with a plan to protect California business owners and families during the transition and we’ll talk. Prop 3 — NoThey still have $300 million left from the last bill (4 years ago), why do they need $980 million more? Something was fishy about this one, so I put a no. Prop 4 — NoThis bill complete ignores the fact that some parents are absolutely insane and would actually attempt to prevent their daughters from having abortions. This would create too many problems if we force Doctors/teenagers to tell their parents. Prop 5 — NoDidn’t trust it. Sounded too much like a bill that would let criminals off for their crimes and I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in that. Prop 6 — NoDidn’t trust it. Just didn’t offer the guarantees I wanted for the money they’re asking. Prop 7 — YesWhen the opponents to a renewable energy proposition are all energy corporations who have a hand in non-renewable sources and haven’t done their job to use renewable sources, then clearly a yes is the right vote. Prop 8 — NoDid you really expect me to vote any other way on this one? I don’t vote for bills/laws/props/constitutional amendments that are born out of hate and prejudice. Prop 9 — YesCriminals do not deserve the same rights as victims. Ever. Prop 10 — NoDidn’t trust it. I liked the idea, but I didn’t feel that they were going to give what was promised and would probably cause more problems than they would solve. Prop 11 — NoDidn’t trust it, nor did I fully understand what it was for. I’m not voting yes for something that doesn’t make it clear what is going on or what it will do. Prop 12 — YesMoney for veterans. End of discussion. Course, this probably has more to do with the fact that the Yes people made a better case than the No people for me. And that is all. Hope you all had a great voting experience.
Top Ten Worst Science Fiction Shows
So, I’ve done a “best” and “overrated” list, so why not a “worst” list? I’ll be overly opinionated and base many of those opinions on limited exposure. So if you want to point out things like “well, maybe you should watch more of a show before you damn it” or “you don’t know what you’re talking about, XXX show is absolutely super duper awesome” you can hold your breath. If you want to launch a valid, well-thought argument against my choices, please do. I’m curious what people think so long as their opinions are not based on zealot-ish loyalty to a show. Here goes: Stargate AtlantisSorry, this show is absolute crap. That’s why it’s being cancelled. It blows, especially that really annoying guy who sounds like a weasel. Sorry, but Stargate had its run and it ended with SG1. Get over it. (I’ve seen an episode of this show and it was so terrible I tuned out) LostGilligan’s Island without the jokes. No thank you. I’d rather laugh than have to consider how stupid Lost is. Not to mention that any TV show that is so complex that you can’t jump in late and at least make some sort of sense of things really doesn’t deserve to be on a network station. Put it on HBO or something. Leave network TV to shows that matter. HeroesThis is the retarded version of X-men…you have Wolverine without claws, and now apparently there’s a guy that’s exactly like Magneto, only nowhere near as cool. So, instead of doing something really cool with the whole mutant thing, this show just showed us what it’s like to be the retarded cousin of the X-men and all their Marvel buddies. Oh, and there’s time travel and samurai swords, which might be the only redeeming things about this show. In fact, I think the whole show should just be about that Japanese guy. Oh and there are too many damned characters in this show for me to give a crap about (and that’s in the first season, when I stopped watching). BSG at least was intelligent enough to spread their character development accordingly. Mystery Science TheaterI already hate it when people talk, or even whisper, when they’re in the cinema, so why would I watch a show with puppets talking over a movie? I’ve seen it and it’s stupid. And I blame this show for creating a generation of assholes who talk in movie theaters…no, the rest of us don’t think your silly joke about Jessica Simpson’s breast size is funny…not even a little. Okay, maybe we think it is funny, but the fact that we’re pissed off that you’re even talking overrides that. Besides, this is sort of like Beavis & Butthead, only not nearly as funny. Knight Rider (the new one)Hollywood is retarded. Not only are they incapable, more often than not, of being remotely original, but they are also completely inadequate about doing something new and interesting with old concepts. The exception is Battlestar Galactica, which took a rather ridiculous show that was basically cheese in television form and revitalized it into one of the best shows ever made.Knight Rider, however, is an example of when Hollywood does wrong. The premiere gave us the old Knight Rider, as I remember it, with all the cheesiness that that entails, and tried to make it seem new with a flashy new KITT, a more modern setting, etc. And it failed. Instead, we were left with a show that seemed like it was going nowhere. Add to it that the Hoff has announced his refusal to have a cameo appearance and you know this show is doomed. I mean, come on, the Hoff won’t even be in it? The guy who made Baywatch, the sleaziest show to ever grace television won’t do this show and there are still people who think it will succeed? Right.. Star Trek DS9Okay, so it’s supposed to be Star Trek, but divergent from the standard by being about a bunch of people living on a space station in the middle of nowhere. The cast includes an anally retentive freakish man-thing that supposedly can change shape, a sleazy and cliche guy with enormous ears and bad teeth, and a handful of other characters that all fit into some sort of stereotype. Then you throw in that the show is mostly about…okay I have no idea what the show is about. It’s not that DS9 is a bad idea–in fact I would argue that it is a good idea, since it’s something that isn’t often done as far as science fiction ins concerned–it’s that it’s a Star Trek show. I know there were cool space battles here and there during DS9’s run, but I never saw it, and in all honesty they could have done so much with the concept. Maybe I’m wrong on this one, but I just couldn’t stand DS9. It put me to sleep and I think half of that was because I expected it to be like the other Star Trek stuff, or at least similar, but it wasn’t. AliasJennifer Garner’s Neanderthal forehead. I rest my case. Bionic Woman (new one)Okay, I tried to watch this one. It had its moments, but between it failing to do what BSG did successfully (re-imagining an older concept) and the rather obvious non-American-ness of the star (her accent came through in her acting is what I mean here) this show just sucked. Let’s also talk about the fact that the main character, who is supposed to be forced into working for this organization/government/whatever miraculously can slip away to meet people that probably think she’s dead, or should think she’s dead or missing, or whatever. Meh. Total Recall 2070It’s not that this show is necessarily horrible in the same way as others on this list. It’s visually a well done show and it certainly has a good concept. The problem is it just doesn’t do anything with those concepts. It’s an intentionally boring
Books as Sculpture
I just stumbled upon this post about sculptures and art pieces made out of books. This is absolutely crazy! Like the below example:Cool huh? Check out the rest of the stuff there!
Top Ten Overrated Science Fiction Shows (Ever)
This list is primarily based on shows I’ve actually seen. So, if you’re mad that I didn’t include some crappy show you thought should be here instead of something that is actually here, I’m sorry. But please do mention shows you think are crappy so I don’t watch them. Here’s the list: Star Trek (any of them, especially DS9) (that covers five of my slots, by the way)I liked Star Trek, but never enough to watch it on a regular basis or to want to own the DVDs. Sorry, but the original Star Trek doesn’t do much for me and the others don’t either. I liked Next Generation a bit, but not too much, and Voyager was okay for a while. I absolutely despised DS9, though. I don’t know why anyone liked that show. It was the most boring show I’ve ever seen. The problem with Star Trek is it constantly repeated itself…over and over…and over. All of the shows were basically the same formula, with exception to DS9 and a couple oddball episodes in some of the various shows out there (I liked that episode of Enterprise where the Vulcan lady reminisces about her time on Earth in the 50s or something). All the Star Trek shows aren’t necessarily bad, but none of them are necessarily worth the acclaim they receive, even TNG. LostThis show really isn’t that good. It’s overly complicated despite it being nothing more than a glorified, serious version of Gilligan’s Island, and it’s mostly ridiculous and impossible to belief. The show asks way too much of its audience on the believability scale, and not just with the story, but with the characters too. It was an interesting concept in the first season and probably could have gone for a second without becoming tired, but it just went overboard. People who think this show is the greatest thing ever haven’t seen a lot of good TV shows. HeroesAnother show that gets glorified–less now than in the past–and doesn’t deserve such glory. There are far too many characters to care about, the plot is mostly stupid, the evil characters are sort of boring, and the show is a big confusing. I tried watching the first season and I just lost interest. X-men is better. Doctor WhoI get British humor, but I don’t find this show to be all that. It’s okay, but it’s not exactly the greatest thing ever. I was entertained when I watched a few episodes some time back, but it was never good enough to turn me into a raging fanboy. SmallvilleIt’s not the worst show ever, so it likely won’t end up on my “worst” list, but here’s my problem with Smallville: why the hell do I care? Seriously. This is like watching the prequel Star Wars movies, only fifty times as long and not as good. I already know what happens. We saw the movies. Smallville has little to actually offer us except plot lines that won’t go anywhere or random expansions on the overall story that will most likely be forgotten ten years after the show ends. Yeah, there are hot chicks in this show, but hot chicks don’t make a show. A story worth caring about does. And I really don’t care about young Superman. At least with Young Indiana Jones the stories had somewhere to go… Aeon FluxI saw this show when it first aired. Not all that great. Kind of annoying, actually. Interesting story and all, but there’s a reason why most people don’t care about it. It’s a niche show, and I don’t think it’s a particularly good niche show. The movie version also blew major chunks, almost as bad as any binge-drinking party at Chico State. This is just one of those supposed “cult classics” that really isn’t all that great. It’s like saying that Blade Runner is one of the best films ever made: no, Blade Runner is one of the best visual films ever made, but the damn movie is boring as hell and anyone who says otherwise must be an incredibly boring person. I love Blade Runner, but it puts me to sleep. It’s just a monumental achievement in visuals, not in good story telling (it does have it’s moments). There you go. I know, some of you will be royally ticked off. So be it… Any overrated shows you’d like to mention?
Sometimes the Internet is Priceless
Finding an article about something you’re interested in: Worth $5 Finding a funny video that brings you back to your youth: Worth $50 Finding a Craigslist ad in Los Angeles that’s looking for a Sarah Palin look-a-like for an adult film, which specifically says “No anal required”: Priceless. There’s some things that fictional money and time can buy, for everything else, just go to Craigslist. If you don’t find that funny, then clearly we’re on two different wavelengths. Thanks to Zombified at YWO for pointing it out. This is definitely a welcome moment of hilarity. (Don’t click the read more, there isn’t any more after this!)
Top Ten Science Fiction Shows (Ever)
This list is going to be based entirely upon my personal tastes. I’m not basing it on the top ten most influential shows or the top ten shows that spawned the most spin-offs. This list is about the shows I like the most and still do to this day. So, if you get mad at me for not including Star Trek or some old show that you think is one of the greatest shows ever, consider this a disclaimer. Here goes (in no particular order except that this is the order they came to me in my head): Battlestar Galactica (the new one)I’ve been playing catchup on this show for a while now. I never watched it when it was on the Sci Fi channel and that’s mostly because I’ve been disappointed in the direction of that station and have found many of their shows to be of poor quality both in visuals and writing. BSG is one of the big exceptions and it’s probably a good thing that it’s on Sci Fi instead of Fox, because it wouldn’t have survived past its first season with anyone else (especially not Fox, who would have shoved it in the “sci fi death slot” all so they can tell us that sci fi doesn’t sell…). This isn’t to say that BSG isn’t a good show, it’s simply a reflection on how the major networks treat science fiction. It’s entirely possible that if BSG had been on NBC or ABC, or even Fox, and was given an excellent time slot with adequate advertising and support, this show would have become the best science fiction show on a network in a long time. Moving on…What makes BSG a great show isn’t that it’s packed full of action or that it’s bringing back all the original BSG geeks who have clung to their old time love like a bacterial infection clings to a dirty child. No. What makes BSG a great show is that it’s not afraid to tackle all the issues of humanity. It is the sci fi equivalent of today, only with spaceships and evil robots. This show has touched on abortion, discrimination, humanity, deviant sexual perverts, and much more. And it never ceases to amaze. I’ve been watching the show from start to finish the last few weeks (minus a few episodes I had seen some months back) and, like Firefly, I am hooked. It’s gripping in every way and throughout the first three-and-a-half seasons, including the miniseries that preceded them, there has rarely been a dull moment. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest sci fi shows to ever grace the small screen. Disagree if you want, but you’re wrong and should probably have your right to vote taken away from you. BSG is everything a sci fi epic should be and more. SlidersCampy? Sure. Completely ridiculous at times? Absolutely. Totally awesome? Yes, well, mostly. Sliders was an awesome network show that had a good thing going for it before the Sci Fi channel killed it. But, for Sliders purists, we can at least ignore the non-network seasons (4 and 5 I believe) and take the first three for what they were. What I particularly like about Sliders is that it gave us a great view into all those “what if” scenarios crazy people have been coming up with and writing about in sci fi books for so long (and no doubt what equally crazy historical people such as Nostradamus came up with too). You know, truly cool alternate history stuff. And not just alternate history in the sense of, say, Hitler winning the war or the Soviets beating us in the Cold War, but dinosaurs as extinct species, but still very much alive, or humanity put on the brink of destruction in a universe where rogue pulsars are within striking distance of the Earth. And we all remember that episode where some mean country released a virus that nearly sterilized males all across the globe and Quinn and his male pals turn out to be the next best thing to Elvis, right? There’s a gold mine here and it’s too bad the show was killed with crappy writing and the loss of much of the original cast. It was bad enough when the Professor died, but as soon as you got rid of Quinn and his lady friend, it was over. You can’t do the damned show without them (and don’t get me started about the relatively unresolved love fest between them…we all wanted to have Quinn/Wade babies).And yes, I’m aware that they had Quinn get put into someone else’s body or some crap, but were any of us even slightly fooled by that bit of nonsense? It was just a nice way of dropping Jerry O’Connell from the show so he could finally do real shows, since his one good show got murdered by a station that claimed to know sci fi. Thankfully, it wasn’t nearly as bad as what Fox has done to the world of sci fi. Earth 2This is one of those shows that makes me wonder what the hell they were thinking when they cancelled it. Not only is it visually stunning, but it’s got decent writing and music. None of that crappy electronic nonsense that was so annoyingly prevalent within television for so long. Real instruments were put in this show.And then add to the fact that frakking Tim Curry is in this and you should be wondering what the hell is wrong with people too. Earth 2 was truly an amazing piece of work. It had its flaws, sure–such as the annoying repetitive cry of “TRUE!” whenever that annoying, selfish girl went off on her own–but it never had a chance to soar. The show was killed without resolution after the first season, which is unfortunate. Most of us realize that any good show usually takes more than a season to really bloom. Even BSG had a lot of growing