Weird Music Videos – “White Horse” by Laid Back

This may be the first post where the video AND song are both weird. Also, Hello there! Yeah, I been gone for a little bit longer than I wanted. Life’s still going on, you see. The Lord has been good to us. We’re even having another boy soon, so that’ll be two rascals me and Liz will have to chase. So, let me talk about a Danish song that apparently hit the R&B charts back in the 80’s… yeah. I think America didn’t know what to do with this song.

“White Horse” was done by Laid Back, a Danish electric group. While the song was released on the B-side of their album in 1983, it somehow got a lot of traction over here in the US. I guess we really liked those beats or something. I actually remember my first interaction with this song from 1998. Me and my dad were driving down to Huntsville for Thanksgiving and this song came on 104.3 WZYP during their 80’s hour. Even he was wondering what was up with this song. He even brought it up to my cousin and great uncle who were visiting from Chicago. Apparently, I talked about this song here years ago, so it may be time for a redo and something more detailed.

So, what was this song about? And what was up with the video???

• Shady Dancing Dude – We get introduced to some shady Danish dude being followed by a shady Danish reporter who I guess wants to know about the white horse. Shady Dude also got some dance moves, and I can’t blame him. That intro makes you want to move. I see why this hit the charts over here.
• This song makes no dang sense – After a pretty long, upbeat intro, we learn a few things. First, if you want to ride, don’t right the white horse. Second, if you want to be rich, you gotta be a – uh, let’s say witch. You’ll figure it out. Finally, and most importantly, if you must  ride, ride the white pony. Some say that’s about drugs which makes a lot of sense because they were probably on drugs when they wrote this! I remember one commenter said that the white pony is sex… Okay?
• Cross-eyed Lady – During the video, we see a sultry lady dressed in a suit with a short skirt. Why she has the captain sailor’s hat, I have no clue. She also looks a bit-cross-eyed during it all which adds the video’s weirdness. All I can say to that is “Anchors Away!”
• David Hasselhoff?? – Look, when I first saw this vid, I was like “Michael Knight’s in the house!” I know John Guldenburg (the guitarist) looks nothing like Hasselhoff, but it stuck out to me. Maybe they have the same vibe.
• White Pony – The video ends… with a white pony in a hotel. Don’t know what’s being said there, but at least the fun has ended.

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Le me guess... she hit up some of that White Horse before shooting this video, right?

In the end, this is definitely one of the weirdest 80’s songs. That’s probably why it was such a hit. Even their other hit,“Sunshine Reggae,” isn’t too bad. That’s all I know about the duo. They got a bit of a discography, but I’m not too interested in it. Anyway, that’s all I got for now. Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there.

This may or may not be me dancing to "White Horse".

Random Thoughts #56 - "2020, A Year in Infamy... For Now!"

Well, it has been quite a few interesting days. 2021’s already started, things are a bit topsy-turvy. Wasn’t this a Billy Joel song? Anyway, I’ve been trying to take it easy this time. While I might be done with Themed Months for now (I’ll touch on that below), some kick-A$$ery will be talked about for a while. Anyway, onto another edition of Random Thoughts.

2020 – Kinda glad that’s over?

Well, 2020 has ended, and we can all agree that it wasn’t that good of a year. Yes, some good things happened in the year, but it was plagued with… a plague. COVID screwed up a lot of stuff for folk. Lives were lost, folk have been laid off, and people have been idiots. There are also the protests to consider. Add all that happening in a pretty messed up election year, and you end up with a pretty “eh” year. Oh yeah, it feels like the election woes are still continuing into this year with “Sore Idiots R Us” trying to riot a few days ago in Washington DC.

While COVID has done a number on the world, things for me have been okay. My health has gone through some changes, and we lost one of our oldest relatives. A lot of stuff has happened, but I ultimately can’t complain. I still have a job which is a new position, I finally got some stuff fixed with my house (my parents’ house is another story…), I’ve started to do more at the church I go to, and me and Liz are back together. I won’t say too much yet, but things are definitely going to change in this year. I got some news right before I went into quarantine that put so much excitement and worry into me. I will touch on that here soon.

By the way, I did indeed get the bug around Christmas. I will say one thing: I’ll take it over the Stomach Bug of Thanksgiving 2013. That’s not to say that it’s something to play around with since I’ve done my best to be careful out there. Before I got tested, I went right into quarantine mode because I wasn’t sure what was up. It hit like the flu to me. I either got it at an eye appointment or the dentist, but I’m not sure. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one to get hit in my family since my mom and great aunt had it too. How they got it is a mystery since I barely had contact with them. Still, it looks like the holidays are the most vulnerable times to get sick. I’m doing much better (I’ve been downing Vitamins for a few months before this), and my mom and aunt are getting better.

The Blog

Jin Sakai is definitely ready for COVID-19.

I’ve been blogging less. Most of that has to do with being busy in other areas of life. I still want to write about stuff, so you’ll being see some come soon. It may be like the previous years’ posts where I just do 50 in a year, but that sounds right for me now. I think I’m also doing away with themed months too. That’s something that I’ve wondered about over the last couple of years, and I think it’s time to do it. It frees me up to talk about more during the year anyway, and if I want to have a theme for a bit, I can always do it again.

Plans for 2021

Yes, I have plans instead of resolutions for this year. I ain’t letting no pandemic stop that! Yeah, those plans may involve me dressed up in the Urban Costume of Sub-Zero, but you can’t stop me! ‘Murica!

Anyway, here they are:

• Be a better man – This is a continual thing. I want to do better as a son, boyfriend (and maybe more), worker, and anything else that enquires
• Lose weight – 2020 didn’t help in this fact. I think the last time I went to the YMCA was March. I’m around 231, which isn’t bad but not great. I’ll get down to 200 one day. I just need to lay off the fast food.
• Learn More – I didn’t get back to my coding for Python I tried to start last year, so I may take that back up again. Since I’m in a bit of a new field, I’ll also try to learn some more skills.
• Read more – One thing I didn’t get to do this year was read more. Too much other stuff got in the way, so this is one plan I need to stick to.
• Get Rid of Debt – This is an obvious one. I’ve gotten a couple stuff paid down last year, but it’s still going. With this new year, I know some will be coming because my Cruze just hit 250,000 miles a couple weeks ago. Goldie, you did me good.

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I think I’ll cut it off here for now. I gonna catch up with some old movies that I’ve been wanting to cover here on the blog. All I can say is “wax on, wax off.” I also need to finish off this game I’ve been playing for a bit. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and keep ya head in this new year. Remember to calm down, do a little self-reflection, and most of all, be careful. We got some idiots doing dumb stuff. Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t call someone an idiot, but there are worse things I can call them. Besides, if I see ya doing something STUPID, someone’s got to call it out and maybe make a joke about it.

Random Thoughts #55 - "2020, Are You Alright?" Part 2

2020: The year where things and stuff happened. To say that it’s been a weird year is an understatement. I remember that my last Random Thoughts post talked about how weird the year was already being. I wonder what Ryell from March would think now!  Not only is the Mamba (Kobe Bryant) gone, our King of Wakanda (Chadwick Boseman) is now gone. That was a shock to my system, and we’ve already been going through stuff. Anyway, strap in for some more Random Thoughts.

Random Thoughts #54 - "2020, Are You Alright?"

Hospital food isn't bad, but it ain't filling either.

Wow, I actually went a month without blogging… I’m surprised by that myself. Strangely, that wasn’t exactly the plan. February and the beginning of March were kinda weird for me and I’ll go into some detail. I would’ve posted my review of the event Shadowland, on Comics Crossover Central, but I lost my jump drive and don’t feel like writing again about that crappy event right now. Work’s good, though. I’ve taken on some new responsibilities, and while it is taking a some learning, I’m good. So, sit back as I go through some Random Thoughts.

“Wait, I’m being admitted?”

So, I spent a couple of days in the hospital recently. I don’t put too much personal stuff here, but this is one event I need to let loose about. Only my family, Liz, and co-workers know more about my condition. My resting heart rate had been steadily increasing over February, but I initially thought it was overexertion. When it hit a pretty high number while I was just taking a slow stroll, I knew something was off. I don’t think relationship woes would do that.

So, I went to Centennial and spent a couple of days there. I definitely didn’t want to go since it is a hospital and there are those medical bills to think about. Still, I had to do something. Heck, I wanted to leave while I was there, but they had to watch vitals. Anywho, the problem was my thyroid and it’s getting straightened out. Just know that I’m feeling better and that hospital stays are nice when good nurses are around. Birgen, you were pretty cool.

Tennessee Tornadoes

Now, onto to a pretty recent topic. Tuesday morning, Middle Tennessee got hit with some powerful tornadoes. Nashville especially got hit and I was apparently not too far from one. Germantown, North Nashville, and Donelson got hit bad. Putnam County and a couple of others got it pretty bad too. While my small street was pretty much unaffected, other parts of North Nashville had trees down. I know of this one AutoZone in Germantown that got pretty much destroyed. TSU’s Agricultural Center got effed up too. Today, my area got power back after three days.

I thought I was taking a shortcut for work... WRONG.

It was a pretty chilling experience. I knew something was up when I saw lighting hit a transformer on a light pole. Folk have lost lives, houses, and jobs. We got folk out there doing what they can. I want to get out there and do what I can even if it’s something small. For those who are the praying kind, say some prayers for the one who have lost someone or a home. Also, if you can give, do it.

Video Games

I actually haven’t watched too many movies for a while. I haven’t been in the mood. What I have been doing is playing a few video games. I’ll just mention a few before I sign off for today. I gotta end this post with something light-hearted:

• The Outer Worlds – Obsidian really knocked this one out of the park. Just imagine Fallout: New Vegas in space. The game is like someone mixed Fallout and Firefly into one game. While it may not be as expansive as most RPG’s, it really packs a punch with good characters, some nice gameplay, and some interesting visuals. The characters are also a hoot. Heck, one long mission involved me trying to get Pavarti, the ship’s mechanic, set up with another mechanic. You may think that’s dull, but it was actually pretty fun. It’s definitely a game to check out. 
• Titanfall 2 – I’m not much into FPS, but I may play one or two. Titanfall 2 was pretty good. The main campaign was fun, but I’ve actually had a lot of fun with the online play. I can actually say I’m even getting good. Basically, imagine dudes jumping to big A.I. controlled robots and you get a fun game. 
• Batman: The Enemy Within – I don’t know what came over me with this game. I guess I got bit by that pesky Dark Knight. I’ve been on a little bit of a Batman phase, and this game was just part of the ride. I’m actually planning on talking about this game and it’s predecessor soon. Basically, this was pretty fun. It was what you expect from Telltale Games. They even throw a twist in especially when we see different versions of classic rogues.

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Well, that I got for now. I’m gonna try to get back into writing again. I still got ideas running around in my head (as well as questions about life and love, argh). I think I may start out again with what I was kinda planning: a Batman phase, not month. Maybe this’ll generate traffic around here or something. All I know is that it’s been a while since I’ve really delved into the Stank Knight. Yeah, I went there! Anyway, Peace, God Bless, remember to neuter your pets, and be careful out there. 2020, you’ve been weird, and I worry about ya.

Random Thoughts #53 - "Toss a coin to your Witcher!"

It's one of those nights. No, I haven't been an accessory to a war crime... I'll save that for that other dude with the weird hair cut.

I just realized that it's been a while since I've done one of these posts. Oh well... at least I got it ready for the end/beginning of the year. So, sit back and I'll spew some Random Thoughts out... oh yeah, The Witcher on Netflix is pretty good. Just know that it is pretty gritty as well, folks.

2019
Well, 2019 has come and gone... yay? This year was an interesting one to be sure. It's had its share of good and bad like any year. Even though its had it's weird points, I can say that I've made it most intact. I even got to do some things I planned to do. I ran/walked an 8K in Thanksgiving. I got my car and some other debt finally paid off. I got some fixing around the house done... mostly. It's still a work in progress. I've also haven't gained too much weight either. I haven't lost much though. I'm actually more or less where I was at the end of last year: 227. Not bad. The family's good, though we've had some losses this year. Also, old age is rearing its head with others.

As for the love life... eh. It's a bit weird right now.  I won't go too into detail with it here, but there was something that happened this year that really threw me for a loop. While it happened earlier in the year, it's still throwing me a bit. Let's just say that things aren't great between me and someone I really care about. Right now, I still feel like crap, though it's probably because it's around the time where you want to be with that special someone. Still, I'm grateful for the time I spent with her. I've learned a lot about myself and where I need to improve.

Alright, enough of that. I ain't going to get too dour on this night!

If there is anything that'll bring a smile to my face... it's those skits.

Plans for 2020
So, what are the plans for 2020? You might be shocked that they are more or less the same from last year. Still, I think I got some new ones as well.

• Be a better person (throw son, boyfriend, co-worker, and other titles under that belt)
• Continue to get out of debt - Now that I've gotten some bills out of the way, I think it's time to center on one of the big ones and kick its keister.
• Lose weight and get healthy - I think this will be one of those continuous goals. I think 181 is an attainable goal, so I gonna start shooting for that. Besides, I know I can get down to 200 eventually.
• Run a 5K - I actually waited till the end of the year to run and I only did that to get my mind off of other things. I ain't waiting till Fall for this one!
• Continue to fix stuff around the house - 'nuff said. I'm also trying to do some things at my parents' house as well.
• Get back into some coding - I've been messing around with Python a bit. I'm learning and I might add a couple more languages.
• Communicate more - Well... 'nuff said.
• Actually get this box of books by my bed read!
• Live life to the fullest
• Finally, actually blog on these sites I have... oh yeah, I was preoccupied

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I think that'll do it for this post. I did another post this evening for Star Wars, so I'm outta here. Besides, there's Martial Arts Month to think about. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and have a good 2020.

Random Thoughts #52 - "I Can Hear the Rain! All 12 Inches of It!"

Well, it’s been a minute since I’ve been here. I’ve been dealing with work which has been good. I’ve been setting up a new blog on Wordpress (Comic Crossover Central). Then, there’s the fact that my girlfriend’s birthday is around Valentine’s Day. That took a while to plan. Then, there’s just the fact that February (and March) tend to be break periods for me. There’s also the fact that this PS4 contraption’s been taking my time. Either way, I’m back for a bit. So, it’s time to get to some Random Thoughts.

“Space, The Final Frontier!”

Back in February, we went to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville for my girlfriend’s birthday. In all the time I’ve gone to Huntsville to visit family, I’ve never been there. I think the closest I got to it was a job fair that was being held in that vicinity. Anyway, we saw some good sites and got to spend some quality time together learning about the space program. I didn’t take too many pics for some reason, but I did get some nice ones. It was just a good day in general.

“Rain? What Rain?”

"This was fun," I mentally sarcastically said. 

Man, Tennessee’s been getting hit with rain. It’s like God said, “You know, I think I’ll hit y’all with something other than snow this time!” I ain’t complaining too much, but when you’re being reminded of the floods Tennessee had from 2010, it’s a little worrying. While Nashville got hit as usual, most of TN got it hard. I know Giles County especially around Elk River was looking scary. Me and my dad even had to fish out a couple of our tarps from a stream. It was nuts. Maybe we’ll get with that snow in March, but you never know these days.

Random Thoughts #51 - This Post probably should have been Labelled #50!

Well, I'm right on the cusp of a new year. I just got back from church and my sister's house. Before I go to bed or catch up on some reading, here are a few Random Thoughts. I think I'll make this one a short one this time.

2018
2018 was a fine year. It brought the good and bad as most years do. God blessed me and my family this year as He's done for many other years. It wasn't perfect, but I'm here at the end, so that definitely counts for something. Work was good this year and I think I've finally settled in on my new shift at work. Now, I just got to get back to the weight loss grind again. Last I checked, I was around 228 pounds. That is good since I'm now able to fit in pants I haven't been able to wear in years. Still, I'm not done just yet.Things are good in the love life too, but not perfect. I believe that's how it goes, so it's taking me a while to learn that.

Plans for 2019
Since Resolutions are meant to be broken, here are my plans for 2019. Hopefully, I can actually carry these out this time:

• Be a better person (throw son, boyfriend, friend, and all that fits under that)
• Continue to get out of Debt (almost got some stuff paid off!!!)
• Lose some more weight and eat better
• Actually run that 5K (I think my dad and sister may join in)
• Fix some stuff around the house (I still need to get that bathroom done!)
• Live life to the fullest

Movies/TV/Books

I'll keep this short. I've really only been to see Aquaman and that was last weekend. I'll go into more detail later, but it was pretty good. I was hoping it would live up to expectations and it did for me. I really want to see Into the Spider-Verse soon, so I may do that tomorrow if possible. There's a lot of stuff I want to catch up on (DC Universe's Titans, Daredevil, and a few others), so I'll try to do that in the new year. I also want to get back to reading novels again. I put that on the backburner. I might talk about some of them in the new year.

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Well, I need to end this somewhere. May 2019 bring good things for you and your people. My next post will definitely be about something geared toward butt-kicking. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there in the new year. Who knows what it'll bring.

COMING IN 2019: A LOT OF THE USUAL STUFF, YO! ALSO, MAYBE YO' MOMMA WILL COME ALONG AND FINALLY MAKE THAT DELICIOUS CAKE!

Random Thoughts #50 - Not an Anniversary Issue

Well, another good day of weather has passed us by. If you were around in TN earlier this week, it wasn’t that way. It was damp, cold, and I thought I saw someone building an ark. Anyway, I’m just up here in Nashville this time trying to clear out some stuff, rearrange furniture, and rest from working day shift. I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. So, it’s time to go in on some Random Thoughts.

Loss

I try not to get too personal here, but here's a bit of life. I had a cousin named Korey unexpectedly passed away a couple of weeks ago. Me and him weren’t too close since California is pretty far. Still, the times we spent together were nice. I was shocked that he remembered breaking this toy sword I got for Halloween when I was in like 4^th grade, I believe. I didn’t even remember that. I’ll miss him. One of my grandmother’s brothers also recently passed away.

It seems like everyone is losing someone these days. I know a few friends and classmates that have had some serious losses lately. Shoot, geek culture is feeling since Stan Lee just passed away. I’ll admit that his death did faze me a little bit, though that could have been the constant onslaught of other stuff catching up. I guess I felt, “Ah, another one? Dang!” or something like that. I don’t know what else to say here. I think that’s a first for me here. Death is always a weird topic to me. To finish this off, I’ll leave some advice: talk to your people (family or friends). As a quiet dude, I should take my own advice there.

A New Blog? Hmm…

So, I’ve been thinking about doing a new blog on Wordpress.

…

(Looks around to see if the Blogger avatar will slap him)

…

Random Thoughts #49 - So Much To Do, So Little Time...

Well, we’re getting to the end of July. So far, this summer’s been fine. Outside of painting a living room and wondering about eye pressures, things have been good. Right now, I’m just chillin’, yo’. Before I head off to work, it’s time for some Random Thoughts.

“The thrill is gone/I’m burnt out/So…Much…Stuff!/Etc.”

Well, this had to happen eventually. For a while, I haven’t been feeling like writing here. I’m not sure what it is. It’s not like I’m out of things to talk about. I just recently posted that Planet of the Apes ranking. I guess I just need a break more these days since I kind of felt like this last year as well. There’s also the fact that is just so much to see and do out there. I wonder what changed… oh yeah.  There’s a certain cool redhead named Liz to consider. At least my time away from here is going toward the good stuff in life.

Another Mass Effect Playthrough… Oh Yeah!

Recently, I’ve been playing through the Mass Effect Trilogy again. I think I’ve almost made it into a yearly thing. Even though I’ve done this dance before, I still find it to be compelling and interesting. This time, I’m Genevieve Shepard… that’s right. I refused to use any relatives' or current/former loves' names. FemShep’s been in the house and it has been… nuts. I had to change it up not only with the gender but with big decisions. I also upped the difficulty to hardcore. I unfortunately finished Mass Effect 2 without two of my favorite companions. It was quite a sad experience and one I don’t need to relive. Zaeed died too but I didn’t shed any tears for that dull dude.

Movies

I haven’t been to the movies in a minute. The last one I saw in theatres was Life of the Party with Liz. I haven’t even gone to see Ant-Man and the Wasp… and I think I’m going to keep up with that for now. I’m more interested in the new Mission Impossible movie and another movie called Sorry to Bother You. Still, I got an opinion on a few I’ve seen recently:

• Avengers: Infinity War – Oh yeah, I was supposed to talk about this one! I’ll get more detailed when it comes out soon, but I have to say that it was pretty good. I had a couple of issues here and there, but I was glued from beginning to end. Thanos is definitely a villain that won’t be upstaged anytime soon.
• Solo: A Star Wars Story – I was worried about this one being a waste of time. Luckily, this one was good. I’m not going to call it one of the best SW movies, but it kept me entertained from beginning to end. I might have to do a look at the SW movies we’ve gotten so far because I may have some things to say about them.
• Life of the Party – I ended up seeing this one with Liz on Memorial Day. It was a comedy about a middle-aged lady going back to get her bachelor’s in… archeology? I guess I remembered more about this one than I thought.  It was okay. I’m not the biggest fan of Melissa McCarthy, but she does make me laugh. She did that here, so mission accomplished.
• Heat – Yeah, I hadn’t seen this Michael Mann classic from the 90’s until a few months ago.  It popped up on Netflix and I was interested. I remember someone saying this was an inspiration for The Dark Knight and I saw that here. While it was a long one (almost 3 hours), it kept my attention all the way through. The acting from the big guys was good, the story was interesting, and the action was sweet.
• Calibre – I saw this on Netflix with my sister and dad one weekend. It’s about hunting trip in Scotland gone completely wrong. I actually thought this was a suspenseful ride. I didn’t know what was coming and thought the acting was quite nice. It’s one that’ll make you wonder what you’d do in the protagonists’ shoes. Let’s just say I wouldn’t have gone hunting back there in the first place.

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Well, that’s all I got for now. Next, I may do something involving the Dark Knight. I’m not even sure what it’ll be, but it’ll probably involve a bunch of villains… and holidays. I might even throw in a crazy cult or something. For now, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there.

Random Thoughts #48 - "Painting's Messy"

I haven't gotten to this point in the rewatch yet, but I really relate to this pic now. I'm just not as mad as Adama.

Well, this year is moving fast. With all that's going on in the world, it's like things don't want to slow down. At least my break from work helped me out. I took a week off a couple of weeks ago to rest a bit and do some house work. As you can tell,  I didn't get any blog work done since there's so much going on. Now that I'm rejuvenated (and not losing track of my jump drive!!!), I think it's time for another edition of Random Thoughts.

Channel Not-so-Awesome?
So, this was a surprise in the making. Channel Awesome (formerly known as That Guy With The Glasses) was a site I used to peruse back in the day. It's a  site that hosts (or now hosted) videos from Internet reviewers like the Nostalgia Critic, Linkara, Spoony, and other folk of that sort. Watching them (especially Linkara) was one of the things that got me into talking about geeky stuff here. I barely go to the site these days since pretty much everyone (current and former contributors) is on YouTube. For more info on who they are, here's a link since I'm not a wiki.

Anyway, Channel Awesome is going through a bit of controversy. Back in March, former and current CA folk got to talking on Twitter about the company's problems. It became so much of a thing that some of them released a Google document in order to put their points in a more focused area. Twitter apparently can't handle long threads. CA did issue a statement and that made things worse since it was apparently the worst non-apology ever uttered.

I've been looking at the controversy which is new for me. I try to avoid Internet drama but when it involves something I'm familiar with, my interest is piqued. Because of all the fuss, a lot of contributors have left the site. From what I've read from the document (it's over 60 pages) and CA's response to it all, I can't blame most of them. While some grievances were minor, some of the complaints were pretty messed up. I don't have much of an opinion on the whole, honestly. If all that's been said is true, then boom... shakalaka-shakalaka. I'm not personally invested in it, but seeing all this fallout has been interesting to say the least.

Movie Talk - Bruceploitation Part 5 - Are We There Yet?

Hmm... so this is either Praying Mantis style, "Flipping the Bird" style, or "I'm Trying Not To Step On These  Full Rat-traps" style. 

Well, it’s time to get back into the weird subgenre known as Bruceploitation. It’s been a thing for years during this month. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Wikipedia has a good description. If you don’t like clicking on links, here’s a quick summary. Brucesploitation was a phenomenon that occurred in the 1970’s after Bruce Lee’s sudden death. Filmmakers were trying to milk Lee’s death by putting out movies with look-alikes. Even Jackie Chan, who I’ll get to later, was a “clone.” Even if the movie had nothing to do with Bruce Lee, they’d title it with some related to the dude.

When you get to the movies themselves, they tend to vary in quality. You’d get some that are pretty entertaining movies in their own right. While they’re not awesome movies, they are at least decent. Then, you would also get some that are dull, some that  are dreadful, and some that have pretty ridiculous. If you read previous posts, you’ll know which ones I’m talking about. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything like The Dragon Lives Again, but there is one that is somewhat close. Anyway, here are five movies from that weird genre.

Random Thoughts #47 - "2017... Need I Say More?"

Wow, it looks like both franchises have another thing in common: ticking off longtime fans.

Well, it's the last post of the year. I could say "good riddance" to 2017, but that would be a lie. Yeah, it wasn't perfect, but there was good in this year. Right now, I'm on break from work. I've been catching on some things I haven't done yet, resting, contemplating life, and freezing. Yeah, the South is definitely getting hit with winter! So, join me in another edition of Random Thoughts.

Random Thoughts #46 - "Dearly Beloved, We're Gathered Here Today To Get Through This Thing Called Life"

The Flash probably has the best super-move in most fighting games.

It's been a while since I've done one of these. I might make this a regular thing again and include some different things. So, before I go to bed after re-sorting books and watching documentaries, I think it's time for some Random Thoughts.

Teeth, Stop Bothering Me!
So far, life's been nice. It's life, so you know you'll get the good and bad. Work's good. God's been good. The family and friends have been nice too especially a certain redhead. More on that some other time. Anyway, my mouth has been the place to go for the last couple of months. First, I got a couple of fillings. Then, I had to get a root canal since a back tooth got infected. I haven't gotten the crown yet, though. I also have a couple of other fillings scheduled for later too. I'm not much of a talker, so I guess this is someone's way of get me to open my mouth more. "Ha ha," I sarcastically say.

"Stuff's Gettin' Weird, Yo!"
It has been a weird year. We've had a lot of weird stuff happen especially in the last few months. It's either a tragedy, something weird, something stupid, or something that's all three. No, I'm going to get too political here, but you might know who I'm talking about. Is it going to get better? I'm not sure. I'll keep praying it does get better. That being said, I'll continue to hone my horrid martial arts skills.

Movies/TV
I think I'm going to make this a more recurring thing. I won't go too in detail since I'll talk about some of these later, though.

• Get Out - I finally saw this some time ago. It was actually a pretty interesting movie that melded psychological horror, comedy, and racial commentary. I liked the main lead and I hope the director, Jordan Peele, gets to do more over time.
• Logan - This was sad but in a good way. It takes Logan and Professor Xavier for one more ride in the X-Universe. The story and acting are great. I also liked the inclusion of X-23. While it's not perfect, it was a nice, somber end to Wolverine. 
• Power Rangers - This was a nice surprise. While it is your standard origin story, it was pretty good. I liked all the new Rangers and Rita was pretty scary in a good way. While it isn't perfect, I thought it was a nice revamp of the original MMPR. I'll touch on this more later, though. Can we get a sequel?
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - I'll touch on this later as well, but all I'll say here is that it was pretty entertaining. It took a lot of the comedy from the first and tried to add some nice heart to it. It also had a pretty good, surprising villain. 
• Wonder Woman - I'll go into detail with this next month, but I can say that this was pretty good. While it's a standard origin story for Diana and it's not perfect, it's a pretty good one.
• Spider-Man: Homecoming - Before I say anything, insert something about Black Panther here. Anyway, I saw this on a date since that was probably the only way I would have seen it. I'll probably remember that day more for other stuff  (good stuff, mind you) than this movie. That being said, I liked it. It's not perfect, but it's the best Spidey movie we've gotten since 2004. Yeah, I said it. It's another I'll touch on more next year.
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Yes, I just saw this in 2017 and I wish I saw it much earlier. I wanted to wait before I saw the third one. If you wondered what a better version of Battle for Planet of the Apes would look like, see Dawn and be amazed. I'll say more later, but what I can say is that it's an almost perfect movie.
• Marvel's Inhumans - So... this was released on ABC and I've saw the first three episodes Friday. It's not good. While the casting looks fine, everything else is a bit crap. That's the best thing I can say about it for now. Maybe it'll get better with the next five episodes (it's only eight eps.) but I'm not holding my breath. 
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - I had to end this list on a positive note, so here's this awesome anime. It had good characters, great action, and pretty interesting story. Check this out even if you're not a fan of anime. 

Well, I'm outta here. I got to get sleep. Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there. I know there's a lot of crap out there, but try to find the good in life just as long as it isn't illegal in a majority of countries. As I said before, life brings the good and the bad. So, I'll leave you with a hint for November.

"Yeah!"

Random Thoughts #45 - Thoughts on Star Trek: Discovery

So, after much delay (literally), we’ve finally seen a glimpse of the newest Star Trek show, Star Trek: Discovery. I thought I’d give some thoughts on it. I gotta say that I wasn’t that excited about the show. Heck, I didn’t even know if the show would even be produced. All the behind-the-scenes rumors about the show definitely didn’t paint a good picture. Then, add the fact that Bryan Fuller, a pretty popular showrunner and Trek alumni, left the show. Top it all off with the show being exclusive to CBS’s new streaming service and you have something that may not work.

After seeing the trailer, I’m still unsure about this series. I can say that it all looks pretty cinematic from the planet scenes to the stuff on the ship (don’t remember what it’s called). I can’t say too much about the whole cast, but Sonequa Martin-Green looks fine as the first officer. I wonder if she’s half-Vulcan or has a Vulcan background. That part with Sarek was kind of interesting. I like that the series is going down another path by focusing on someone other than the captain. We also got a nice look at Doug Jones’s alien character. He looked pretty good.

Now, there are the things I’m worried about. It’s supposed to be set 10 years before TOS but things look too different. The ships and uniforms look pretty different. It’s supposed to be set in the Prime (the original) universe, but it looks like it could take place in the reboot’s universe. There’s also the look of the Klingons. They almost look like a new species but I will say it's kind of cool. This is only a teaser, so we don’t have the whole story behind the changes. Hopefully, the production team cares enough to explain some of the changes.

There’s also the fact that most Star Trek doesn’t have a glowing record when it comes to first seasons. Outside of TOS, Season One tends to be not a great time. Hopefully, the writing, the action, and the acting is on point. We ain’t so forgiving on shows these days. Then, there’s the whole streaming thing. I’ve heard that All Access is $5.99 a month which isn’t that bad. Still, it seems like overkill for CBS make us pay to see it. What’s worse is that outside the US, the show’s being streamed on Netflix. What the heck happened there?

In the end, I will check out the pilot of the show. It’s airing on CBS in the Fall, so I and many others will get a taste of it. I have no expectations right now. Until we see more, I think we all should go into this show with that mindset. Well, that’s all I got for now. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and chill folks... chill.

Oh yeah, to those complaining about the diversity: have you seen Star Trek? I know it's mostly trolls, but it is grating.

Random Thoughts #44 - The Batmobile Handles Like a Freight Train!

Man, it been a little busy around here lately. I’m on days working on a project, I’m getting used to a new gaming console (just guess…), and I’m still trying to keep up with getting in shape. Other than that, it’s all good. Well, there is the whole political spectrum which always looks a bit wonky and crazy. I can’t do too much about that except for throwing it on social media and leaving it to God to sort that all out. Anyway, here are some Random Thoughts.

On Day Shift…Ouch

Day shift is good but it does take some time to get used to it. The sleep pattern’s off and you want to dose off at work. I haven’t done that… recently. Just don’t close your eyes and you may stay awake.  It’ll be a while before I’m Batman again… yeah, that’s what I call my normal shift. For now, my nights are quiet.

Rumors, Ruminations, Expectations, Shocks, and Gasps… Bah!

I think I’m getting tired of the constant overflow of information out there. You get it with politics and even entertainment. I’m not saying that social media is bad, but there has to be a limit to it all. Maybe another break from the stuff is in order.

Movies

It’s another year and another batch of movies that I will see or may see this year. It’s the middle of March and I haven’t been to the theatres yet. Yeah, I’m a little late like that, but there have been other things to do, after all.

• Get Out – I might wait for this one. I’ve heard it’s good and my sister liked it.
• Logan – I will see this one probably this week. I’ve been doing my best to stay away from spoilers.
• Kong: Skull Island – I might see this one. Then again, I might just wait.
• Power Rangers – Well, I think I will check this out. Even though it could turn out bad, I doubt it’ll be as bad as some of the lackluster Ranger seasons. Besides, I saw the other movies in theaters, so I’ll keep the tradition.
• Ghost in The Shell – I’m not sure about this one. I’ve never been too interested in the anime itself. I’ll wait and see what the fans say.
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – While I had a couple of qualms about the first one, I did like it. I’ll be checking this one out.
• King Arthur: Legend of the Sword – It’s a King Arthur story directed by Guy Ritche… I might see it.
• Alien: Covenant – I’m not sure about this one but I may check it out.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – Eh, I wasn’t a big fan of the later Pirate movies and I didn’t even see the fourth one. It may be a skip.
• Wonder Woman – I’m definitely checking this one out.
• The Mummy – Even though it’s a remake of the 1933 original, I’m not sure on this one. I may just see it to hear Tom Cruise’s hilarious scream.
• Transformers: The Last Knight – You’re not getting me again, Bay! Even though this looks like it could be good, I may pass like I have on the last two.
• Spider-Man: Homecoming – “####… another one???? Y’all pushed back Black Panther for another one???“ Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I might see it.
• War of the Planet of the Apes – I’ll probably see this one. I haven’t seen the second one yet though. I need to get on that.
• Dunkirk – It’s Christopher Nolan directing a film set around World War 2… I’m in.
• The Dark Tower – I might check this one out.
• Thor: Ragnarok – While I wasn’t too impressed by The Dark World, this looks like it could be fun.
• Justice League – You know I’m seeing this.
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Sold.

I might see others that aren’t listed, but it’s too soon to tell.

Women

As for the subject of Women, no comment. Yet. All I can say is this: ______________.

Well, that’s all I got for this post. I’m off to get close to this pillow. Plus, the President is supposed to be coming tomorrow, so I know traffic is going to be crap. Peace, God Bless, and stay cool or warm. This weather can go either way these days.

Movie Talk - Bruceploitation 4: The Spinoff to the Sequel of the Remake of That One Bruce Lee Movie

It's a fake Bruce Lee vs. a fake Muhammad Ali!

Well, if there’s one thing January is going to bring, it’s going to be another trip to the genre know as Bruceploitation (BP). If you don’t know what that is, Wikipedia can help you there. If you don’t like actual research (like me), then here is a quick summation of the genre. BP was a phenomenon where producers tried to make money off the death of martial arts actor, Bruce Lee. Basically, they’d make movies that involved the name of Lee and it was in name only. I don’t think many who actually knew Lee were involved with them. Different martial artists were getting thrown into that “Next Bruce Lee” title and even the movies involved Lee’s name even though he never appeared in them. Some stock footage from previous movies would be used but that’s it.

For the last few years, I’ve gone into this swamp of weirdness and yells. Sometimes, there is some good to be found. You might get a decent movie or two. Then, you might get something so ludicrous that it needs to be seen. These movies can bring laughter in a “so bad it’s good” way. Today’s movies can end up on a scale of decent to “What in God’s Name Did I Watch.” So, sit down and read about how I spent most of my weekend getting to know these “movies.”

Random Thoughts #43 - Here We Go Again

Well, a new year has dawned once again. I stayed at home this year and caught up on some recent X-Men movies. Plus, there was yesterday's post to deal with. Before that, I decided to re-visit a certain RPG called Mass Effect. In saying all of that, it's time for some Random Thoughts.

2016
2016 was... alright. I know folk say that 2016 was pretty horrid and I can't blame them. Stuff happened this year and not all of it was good. In my opinion, it was another year. The good and bad comes along with it. Still, it's been a blessed year even though it hasn't been perfect. I met new folk, ran a 5K, and lost little weight. I actually gain a few pounds since I know I passed the point I didn't want to pass (260, by the way). That's the last time I take an extended break from the YMCA! Luckily, I'm getting  back on that.

2017
So, what's the plan for 2017? One phrase "Go! Get to the choppa!" All sarcasm aside, my resolutions/plans are pretty much the same from last year:

• Get closer to God and be a better man 
• Actually lose weight  
• Find a good woman. I like my free time but it's time.
• Actually get to do that remodeling (Didn't get it done this year)
• Get rid of debt 
• Run another 5K
• Get a new computer
• Live life to its fullest and actually do something different.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I recently got to see the newest Star Wars movie with a friend. I thought it was pretty good. It definitely felt a little darker than most Star Wars movies. It showed the other side of that universe which was far from light and friendly to begin with. Even though we knew what happened, it felt like something worth seeing. I liked the characters like Jyn Erso, Chirrut, the droid, and... Apollo? Look, I don't remember Diego Luna's character's name and he looked like he should have been paling around with Dirk Benedict at times. 

 

The last act of the movie was also amazing especially when a certain Dark Lord shows up. I was also surprised by a few things in the movie. Let's just say some old faces  that aren't with us anymore show up. While I liked it, it could have been a little better at times. I did think that most of our heroes were underdeveloped at times. I also wish it was a little longer. It felt a little short at times. Overall, this is one prequel that kicked some major butt.

Well, that's all I got for now. I may post less this year like last year, but I'll make them all count. Since it's January, you can only guess what's coming next. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there. 

COMING SOON: COMICS, MARTIAL ARTS, ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN, THE JUSTICE LEAGUE, KANYE WEST, MUSIC, MOVIES, VIDEO GAMES, MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN, X-MEN, THE 1994 NEW YORK KNICKS, STAR TREK, STAR WARS, YO MOMMA,  BEA ARTHUR, JOHN HURT, THE KRAKEN, MASS HYSTERIA, AND OTHER RANDOM GOODNESS!

Random Thoughts #42 - "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"

So... this week's been somewhat interesting. By the way, the title isn't referring to the election though it could go that way. I actually dressed up as the Shadow for this Halloween. I'm not the biggest fan of the character, but the costume's cool and kind of cheap to pull off if you have a suit. Anyway, things are good. I just got off of a small break from work. If you want to know my quick thoughts on the results of the election, it's at the bottom. Now onto other Random Thoughts!

The Mini-Vacation
So, on my mini-vacation... I didn't do anything. I went back to Pulaski and just hung down there for a few days. I'm glad my folks live in the country. Of course, there were the cows, goats, and baby goats to tend to. I also caught up on some reading. I've started to play an old-school RPG called Chrono Trigger. I've had it on my PS3 for months and I've started to really get into it. No wonder I downloaded it! So far, it's pretty good.


Movies
Back in March, I posted a list of movies I wanted to see in theatres or when they came out. I've only seen a few of them in theaters and others I didn't plan on seeing.

• Race – I still haven't seen this biopic on Jesse Owens yet. I plan to though.
• Deadpool – I still haven't seen it yet. My sister said it was funny
• Zootopia – I saw it on Netflix. It was actually pretty good. It had good animation, nice characters, good comedy, and a nice message.
• 10 Cloverfield Lane - I haven't seen it yet.
• Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice – I've talked about this enough here. It was good even though it had some noticable flaws. 
• Miles Ahead – I haven't gotten around to this one yet.
• Captain America: Civil War – I saw this on opening weekend. I thought it was pretty good. It had a lot to juggle with and it succeeded for the most part. It was a better retelling of that event and it introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man well. The villain wasn't that bad either. Other than a couple of quibbles, it was good.
• X-Men: Apocalypse – Shockingly, I haven't seen this one yet. I haven't had the time. I'll do it one day and I may even talk about my old idea of a movie involving Apocalypse.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – I didn't see it and judging by the recent Nostalgia Critic/AVGN/Black Nerd team-up, I don't need to.
• Warcraft – Skipped it.
• Independence Day: Resurgence – I saw this with a friend one Sunday afternoon. It wasn't good. It was nice to see some of the old faces (even Brent Spiner?), but the younger cast didn't do it for me. The first was much better even with its flaws. This movie was a decade too late.
• Jason Bourne – I haven't gotten to this yet.
• The Legend of Tarzan – I'll check this out soon
• Ghostbusters – I actually saw this with the family in Columbia. While it had its funny moments, it's another needless reboot. Had it been an actual sequel (and written better), I would have better things to say about it. At least it was funny.
• Suicide Squad – I saw this on opening weekend. I did like it but had its problems. I'll probably talk about this later when it's released.
• Doctor Strange – This was pretty good. It's another Marvel origin but it is better than most of the lot.
• Shin Godzilla - I talked about this here too. It was a nice re-introduction to Godzilla.

Women
As for this subject... it's a work in progress as usual.

Well, that's all I got for now. I've got a few things I want to get through with before the end of the year. Hopefully, I can do that. For now, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there. Oh yeah, here's what I posted.

Four years? Okay. Show me what ya got! In all seroiusness, I'd be saying this no matter who won yesterday. My person didn't win and that was a little shocking but not surprising. All you can do is be nice to each other, stand up for what's right, and pray that the folk in charge can do right by ALL Americans and the world too. That being said, where's the application for this thing? #election

A photo posted by Ryell Williams (@ryell85) on Nov 9, 2016 at 8:59am PST

Favorites – Top 10 WTH Moments from the Metal Gear Solid franchise

The Metal Gear Solid franchise is one of my favorite video game franchises. It mixes in spy games with scifi and some real world issues. The stories throw in a lot of things to ponder about. It’s kind of like a thinking man’s franchise. You definitely get that with MGS2. It’s talked about society, hidden government groups, conspiracies, the invasiveness of technology, politics, and people not getting their hopes up. If you know anything about Hal “Otacon” Emmerich, that last point comes up a lot for that cool but lonely nerd.

While Metal Gear is awesome though a bit convoluted, they just had to get weird with us. It may be Japanese culture or it’s that just the creators being weird. Whatever it is, I don’t know. Hideo Kojima threw some weird moments into the franchise and I’ll quickly talk about the ones that popped out to me. They were at times funny, random, unsettling, and overall weird. I got 10 of them, so this should do it for me. Also, I will spoil some things here but not everything, so let’s start out with literal toilet humor.

Random Thoughts On... A Black James Bond? – An Opinion

‘Sup, guys. I think it’s time for something a little different on the Random Boat of Randomness. So, I recently watched Spectre a couple of weekends ago. I have to admit that it left me a little cold. I wouldn’t say it was bad, but something did feel lacking. I don’t know if it was the direction or the story, but it felt off especially towards the end. Since Daniel Craig has hinted that he may be done with Bond, the look for another woman-loving, butt-kicking, alcohol-drinking dude is probably on right now. A few names have been tossed here and there. 

One thing that has been a bit of a thing for the last few years is the idea of a black man as James Bond or a James Bond who happens to be black. Take your pick. I thought about talking about this here a few years ago, but I didn’t know what to say on the matter. In a way, I still don’t know what to say. As you can tell, that’s something I’m really good at doing. Just ask anyone I know. Would something like this be possible? Should it even happen? My answer is yes… and no. I’ll go into why below.