Random Opinions is still alive, just less random than it used to be

I've been busy on Tumblr and haven't had much time for this, but I'm interested in coming back. Is anyone still out there? What would you like to see? Let me know.

It's almost October!

That means that it's almost time for yet another series of posts about Halloween costumes. Last year it was the Top 12 Stupid Sexy Costumes and the year before that it was the Top 12 Lame Scary Costumes. How can you resist finding out what is going to happen this year?

The first post will go up on the 1st.

#6 Top 12 Star Trek TNG Episodes featuring Picard

Sarek

Do you know what I love on TNG? I love when they bring someone for TOS and find a believable way to bring them to the future of their universe. In some cases it is easier than others. I can buy that McCoy lived long enough to launch the NCC-1701-D. McCoy is too stubborn to die. Storing Scotty in a transporter was just inspired. It makes sense that Vulcans would live longer than humans, so it works out for Picard and the crew of the Enterprise to possibly meet him. 

Sarek has a illness that is slowly destroying his mind and breaking down the rigid emotional control he has built over his lifetime. This effects the crew, and hurts his chances of a successful negotiations, but Picard offers to mind meld with Sarek. In the exchange, Sarek gains Picard's emotional control, but Picard has to suffer through Sarek's raging emotions.

Seeing Patrick Stewart in this role is fascinating. Stewart is a classically  trained actor, and it shows in this performance. Picard is overwhelmed with the force of the emotions that have been buried so deep for so long.

The rest of the story is memorable, but that scene is the one to watch.

I can't wait to meet the 12th Doctor

I love Doctor Who, as you may have noticed from my other posts. I love each actor that comes to the role and most of the stories that happen in the show. There is plenty to love. Companions and monsters and all the rest. One thing that I find difficult to accept is that there are people that hold on to their Doctor. How many people can't get over David Tennant? I'm a huge fan of Tom Baker, he was and is my favorite of the bunch, and maybe it's not a fair comparison, but I've gotten over Tom leaving and lots of other Doctors coming into the mix.

There are plenty of people who are upset about Matt Smith Making a choice to leave the show, but for me, I'm just excited to see who the next Doctor will be. I've loved what has happened with everyone since the show came back, and I think it's just going to keep getting better even though I'm not excited with everything that Moffatt does with the story lines.

I have a theory about the Doctor though, and I'll share it with you:

The first three Doctors were

1. a GRUMPY old man
2. a daring ADVENTURER
3. a careless (and crafty) CLOWN

Ever since then, all of the Doctors are a combination of those 3 characteristics. What some proof?

1. Four-is mostly a clown, but also an adventurer
2. Five-a grumpy clown
3. Six-Lots of grumpy and an adventurer
4. Seven-Grumpy clown

You get the idea. So, the current Doctor is A clown that loves adventures as opposed to Tennant who was just plain grumpy in my opinion.

So what who will this new Doctor be? What will his defining characteristics be? I for one, can't wait to find out.

Superman did what? (A post with spoilers, so only read on if you have seen Man of Steel, or don't care if I tell you what happens)

There were plenty of plot points to complain about in the new Superman movie, but let's focus on the one that I find to be the worst. (Stop now if you don't want to read a spoiler.)

At the end of the movie, Superman and General Zod have destroyed most of Metropolis. Superman has Zod in a headlock, but Zod is using his heat vision to threaten a family. Superman breaks Zod's neck, but did he really have to go to this extreme?

I don't think so, and here are some practical solutions that could have been used, especially since Superman isn't really into killing. (Besides, with Zod dead, he can't come back in a sequel.)

• Superman could have flown away holding Zod.
• He could have let Zod go and saved the family.
• If he had the strength to break Zod’s neck, he could have turned Zod’s head away from the family.
• He could have covered Zod’s eyes.
• He could have told the family to get out of the way.
• Taken the fight out of Metropolis in the first place.
• I’m out for now, but I’ll have more later.

They Might Be Giants put on a great live show.

I've written on this blog about my love for the band know as TMBG (They Might Be Giants), and I've wanted to see them live in concert for many years, and last night I finally got the chance to make that dream come true. It was everything I was hoping for even though I didn't know I was hoping for most of what I got.

The Ogden Theater was a great venue for the show and there wasn't a bad seat in the house. A trio called Vandaveer opened the show with an acoustic guitar and a Dobro with a woman signing harmonies and back up. They had a nice folk sound, and I was impressed with the music, and I'll probably pick up their new album which is a collection of murder ballads.

After a change in set up, the band came to the stage. The crowd went crazy as the music started.

There was only one song I was hoping to hear, and that was Istanbul (Not Constantinople) and I know that concerts are often used to plug a new album rather than pander to people that love the older music, but that was not the case with this show, the majority of the show was familiar music that gave the show (and the crowd) massive amounts of energy.)

TMBG recently released their 16th album Nanobots and they did a few songs from it, and I'm planning to buy it, but for me the older songs made the show since I was able to sing along.

I mentioned that I was hoping for Istanbul (Not Constantinople) and I got that song, but there were plenty of songs I wasn't expecting, but loved hearing. One of those songs was New York City.  The best part of that song being in the show was that I actually talked to someone in the crowd about how great it would be to hear TMBG playing that song in NY, and how they probably wouldn't do it in Denver, but they certainly did.

So here is a list of songs that I wasn't expecting to hear, but I loved anyway

• James K. Polk
• The Guitar
• S-E-X-X-Y
• Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head
• Fingertips
• Doctor Worm
• How Can I Sing Like a Girl

One of the things I love about TMBG's music is the use of unexpected instruments. I wasn't caught off guard by the accordion, but I was not expecting a Bass Clarinet.

The perfect ending to an amazing concert was the song The End of the Tour which catches the feeling of a concert coming to an end.

If you haven't seen They Might Be Giants in concert, it is worth your time to get to a show.

So here's a hard question for you, which of the hundreds of songs TMBG have released is your favorite? Answer below.

You're Talking about Plutonium on your Blog? What's Wrong with You?

What don't you think that the government is watch you? Sure they don't care much about you, but you start writing about plutonium or building bombs, and someone is going to get an email from a tracking program designed just for you. Don't believe me? Then you're watching the wrong kinds of movies. Movies will tell you that big brother is watching. Let me give you some examples.

The Truman Show (1998)

Look at poor Truman. His entire life is just a TV show. He's the star, and he doesn't even know it. Every element of his life is controlled by a mystical director who has kept his life a secret from Truman even though the entire world knows the truth.

Even though he doesn't know the truth and has had a bizarre string of events that have kept him in fear of leaving his home town, Truman decides to take his chances and go to another town.

Outside of the town-sized studio, there are groups of people who are protesting for the release of Truman.

This is a small example, and just a start. Let's move on to something a little less nice.

The Man with One Red Shoe (1985)

Think that the government isn't interested in your life? That's what Richard Drew thinks too, but he's wrong. When a CIA director (Ross,) who is in jeopardy of losing his job, picks a man at random as a "secret agent with important information," Richard's life becomes filled with complications due to another agent (Cooper,) who wants to take over the director position.

Agents take his apartment apart and mix everything up. Flushing the toilet turns on the sink, and turning on the the sink actually operates the shower. The is also tailed by a beautiful woman who is trying to figure out his secret. He even is almost assassinated several times in the movie.

So how did he get chosen for the distraction? Well, he's wearing one red shoe because his prankster friend steals all of the rest of the shoes.

Enemy of the State (1998)

So what happens when the government wants to get you? That's what Will Smith discovers when Robert Dean gets evidence against a corrupt politician. This politician is able to track Dean using computer technology to learn about everything that he is doing, and the money he is spending. Dean isn't able to go anywhere or do anything easily because of all of the ways that big brother can follow you.

Eagle Eye (2008)

What happens when your twin brother dies under unusual circumstances while working with an experimental computer that is designed to moniter all of the electronic communications on the planet. Not only is it watching everthing you do and say, but it's decided to take over the world. (Of course!)

Unfortunately for you, it needs you to come to the mainframe so it can use you to unlock the code that your brother installed before he died. (Doesn't it suck to be a twin?)

I Robot (2004)

More robots looking to take over? You bet. Isaac Asimov envisioned the possibility that machines would take a look at the world at some point and realize that they could run it better than we could, so why not make a movie about it? (I won't get into how I feel about this movie right now, but maybe another time.)

So look at the trouble you run into when you start doing anything on your blog, let alone something as stupid as writing aobut plutonium. Find something else to write about, OK?