Greed Ultimately Ended Tower Records

Greed Ultimately Ended Tower Records

I've been enjoying the documentary All Things Must Pass, directed by Colin Hanks. If you haven't seen it, you can find it on YouTube for free as of this writing. I know I'm not alone in being somebody who would go there to get my music. I was fortunate to have a few options in my area before the record stores started going out of business. Tower Records was definitely one of the more expensive establishments, but you could usually find what you were looking for.

Russ Solomon seemed to be the man with the golden touch for a while. The documentary tells the story of how he had big plans for his father's Tower Record Mart business, but his father wanted no part of it. Russ took over that location and started expanding from there. It didn't happen overnight. Once it did happen, it was too tempting to continue the expansion.

I've heard people say that if you're not expanding in business, you're shrinking, or something along those lines. To me, that's the greedy way to look at it. If you're a big corporation, that's the temptation. Grow, grow, grow. Put other places that offer what you do out of business. I think we have to look at the role that this played in what happened to Tower.

The money was coming in, but Russ was borrowing to make it happen. He only saw the dollar signs, but that is a flawed way to look at it. If you're not using your own money and risking your own money, there is a danger in all of that borrowing. The bill will come due eventually, and Tower Records did not have the money to pay them back. If they had been smarter in their expansion, maybe things would have been a little bit different?

The other part of this equation is twofold. CDs had taken over, and they were becoming more expensive. The fact is, every time the record labels changed the way the music was delivered, the price went up a little bit more. From records, to 8 tracks, to cassettes and then to CDs, you were paying more to buy that album, and sometimes you were doing so for a band or artist who only had one or two songs you really wanted. 

What Russ did at some point was eliminate the singles. 45s were big when I started to discover my own love for music. I couldn't afford the albums, even though they were much more reasonable in cost than than they are now. I bought a few, but oftentimes I'd get the 45. If I was lucky enough, that record had a B Side I enjoyed as much as the A Side, and I got my plays out of it. I'd pretend I was a DJ back in those days and spin records as I talked about each song in my introduction.

Without the single model, people would go into Tower and want one or two songs from the artist and couldn't get it. At that point, they weren't so willing to spend $20 for something that only had a couple of songs they wanted, and sales went down. This was a recipe for disaster. By the time we entered the 2000s, the writing was already on the wall. They might have been able to do a course correction, but they figured forcing people to buy the CDs and expanding the business was the answer.

Napster played a part in things. Sure, we don't go to Napster to get those songs or even albums any more, but we don't have to. They opened the door for platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, and we just get our music there. Bands aren't making music to make money. They are doing it for the art, because they already know they're not making much money off of their new music. They make their money by touring. Oftentimes, the older bands aren't even playing songs off of their newer albums.

CDs aren't a big deal anymore. People still collect them. The serious collectors get new albums on vinyl again. Even if that's a little bit more expensive, they do it for the collection. There is something to be said about a record album with its liner notes and the album cover. People used to enjoy the record buying experience. I liked the covers, especially when they had liner notes and even lyrics on them.

People would have pirated music, even if CDs weren't big and we were still buying cassettes. There are ways for us to transfer cassette and even record collections onto computer, and therefore onto our phones or other devices. CDs just made it easier to pirate the music. You could rip the music right off of the CDs. There probably wasn't going to be a new medium after CDs that wouldn't make it even easier to pirate the songs.

What is the answer? This is multifaceted as well. Tower would have had to have gone back to selling singles once again. There's no way around it. They would have needed to produce singles on CDs again, but listeners would have eventually had the option of buying singles on CDs phased out. There's another way they could have gone, and that's probably the only chance they would have had. They would still be competing with the idea that people could just get their music online.

In going into a Tower location, one advantage could have been to build your own album. At a listening station, the listener should have been given the option to buy a record at a set price. For 10 or 12 songs, you would have been able to pay a certain price for it. Maybe $20 still would have been the cost. Perhaps that would have been the cost to buy a band's album in that way, but to buy a compilation it would have been a little bit higher.

At the kiosk, I could picture a scenario by which people would listen to the songs and pick what they wanted. The fan of the popular songs of the time could have been able to pick out all of their favorite hits on an album. The question becomes, would you just be able to deliver this to a person's iPad or smart device directly, or would there be some sort of physical copy of your purchase?

I can see both being an option. Maybe all you care about is having the music on your chosen device, and it would be transferred directly to it. Another way would be for you to be given an SD drive, either one of the smaller ones that could go directly into your phone or the bigger one that could go onto your laptop or desktop computer. Included would also be a specially printed paper with the titles of all of your songs and writing credits for each song. There could even be a lyric sheet included. It might be that for whatever the determined fee is, you could just print the album cover if it's an official compilation album or band album.

I know somebody is going to say that you're just adding to the piracy. To that I say the genie is already out of the bottle. People are going to be pirating the music regardless. The record store might still be offering CDs. They might even see vinyl making a comeback. However, the kiosk that allows you to build your own purchase would be there as well. That might be the way in which record stores could have at least had a fighting chance to stay alive, including Tower Records.

It's really hard to say. Something like this wasn't seriously attempted from my recollection. Tower Records was already in deep financial trouble by the time this could have been attempted, and Russ didn't have any say in those decisions. In my area in California, the only establishment that survived was Rasputin Records, which also dealt in used music. Even the retailers, such as Circuit City and Best Buy aren't options anymore. We've pretty much been forced online for music purchases, and the damage done to the music industry is a huge. 

I won't even get into how new bands haven't been given the opportunity to develop over the last two or three decades in the way the older bands were, and sadly there's a lot of great music we don't even hear anymore. Instead, people are paying big ticket prices to go see bands that are aging, and the newer bands that we might love are out there doing it in front of smaller crowds with music most people have never heard.

I'll say it again, it wasn't just technology that put Tower Records out of business. It was the greed of some of their decisions. Expanding too quickly, eliminating the single and therefore not even being around when another way was discovered to deliver listeners the new music they craved. Who knows what Russ or his people at Tower Records would have come up with to stay relevant. You may think it's a moot point now. You may be right.

Fake Back To The Future Part 4 Trailer Got People Talking

Fake Back To The Future Part 4 Trailer Got People Talking

I speculated over a decade ago that technology would advance to a point where we might see a brand new movie from one of the great actors of all time who is no longer alive, such as Jimmy Stewart. Technology, I postulated, would advance so far that we'd be able to make an image on the screen and imitate the voice so well that people would believe it was the real thing.

I don't think we're there yet, but there was a Back To The Future Part 4 trailer released last year that had people fooled so easily that they spoke of being excited about the movie coming out. It wasn't too many years ago that Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale said there would never be a sequel to the trilogy. They would not authorize the studio to do anything, nor would they sell their rights.

I don't want to use the term woke when talking about what's happening to some of our beloved franchises. Let's face it, woke can mean anything that you don't like these days. It's been used so much as to dilute the meaning of it. However, any lover of a franchise such as Star Trek, Star Wars or even The Terminator can admit that what's happened over the last decade is a departure from what made those brands popular in the first place.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I love the idea of Back To The Future Part 4. I'm a huge fan of the franchise, and if something could be done in the spirit of it, I'm all for it. Sadly, Michael J Fox is a no condition to reprise his role as Marty McFly. Christopher Lloyd has indicated interest, but is he able to do it the way he did it back then?

Zemeckis and Gale are not wrong when they say the story arc of the three movies is done. This makes the big question, what do you do with a Part 4? What would the story be and when would the timeline be? Let's be honest here. The town of Hill Valley is as much a star of the movie as the actors. You can't really take the time traveling aspect as depicted in this franchise and move it to another setting. That in itself is another way to dilute the product.

There's another thing to consider. We've already had a Part 4 for this franchise, though neither Zemeckis, nor Gale have acknowledged it to be official storyline canon. Those of us who are fans of the franchise have sort of proclaimed Telltale Game's Back To The Future story an unofficial sequel in the same way the company did the Ghostbusters game. It really is good. If you haven't seen it, you can look it up on YouTube and judge for yourself.

When I was watching this new trailer, I was skeptical. First of all, news didn't really break that there was a sequel. I just saw somebody making a video talking about this trailer. Secondly, it only took the DeLorean turning around scene in the trailer for me to think about Ready Player One. I was skeptical from the start and that sealed it. Somebody was having a little bit of fun with us.

However, there's something we should be considering as technology continues to advance. When the people use AI to do these things, we still see proof in what we're watching that it's not real. There could come a time when we won't be able to tell so easily. There may come a time when people use the likenesses of the stars of a franchise or just one or two stars in general and make something happen with that. It could just be an independent person, not a movie studio.

The places technology is going right now will have us asking moral and ethical questions. Just the basic question that I think of is one that should be seriously considered. Just because technology may allow us to do something like this, does it mean we should? In the end, I hold the same stance I did when I read what Zemeckis and Gale said a few years back. I support their decision to not go back to this franchise again.

 

 

 Fake Back To The Future Part IV Trailer

 

My Top 5 Of Robin Williams Movies

My Top 5 Of Robin Williams Movies

Robin Williams has made a lot of memorable movies through the years that I have enjoyed. He's always been a man who could get a laugh out of people, but he had a serious side too. I've always regarded him as one of the most talented male actors.

He's made over 50 movies, and there have been some real gems. I will not attempt to make a "Best Of Robin Williams" list, but rather a list of my Top 5 favorite movies of his. I'm sure something will be missing that others will have, but this is my list.

I give honorable mention to Patch Adams and Awakenings. In the former, he's a doctor who uses humor when dealing with sick patients, and in the latter he is using an experimental drug to get patients out of a catatonic state. I can't let this go without acknowledging Dead Poet's Society or Good Will Hunting. They are both good, but there were others I liked better.

Also, there was Club Paradise about a man who owns a run down resort in Jamaica. In The Birdcage, he plays a gay father who is meeting his son's fiance. Her father happens to be a conservative politician. This was a good movie and list worthy. Perhaps I should have made this a Top 10?

5 (tie)-Mrs. Doubtfire: His wife is filing for divorce and taking the kids. He's not about to give up, so he dresses up and becomes the kids nanny as Mrs. Doubtfire. It's a funny movie with heart, and he's done quite a few of those. This may be his best.

5-(tie)-Jumanji: Nice little fantasy movie where he plays this board game that has very real dangers. On a bad roll, he gets sucked into the board, but two new kids start playing the unfinished game and make a roll that brings him back some 25 years later. This is a fun movie the family can enjoy, as is #4.

4-Hook: He plays Peter Pan all grown up and with a corporate job. He's lost touch with that kid who never wanted to grow up, but he's called back to Neverland when Captain Hook kidnaps his two kids. Robin was brilliant in this role.

3-Good Morning Vietnam: He plays a D.J. for the troops during the Vietnam War. He uses humor that the top brass doesn't exactly find funny, so they try to get him to tone it down. He also discovers the human face of the people of Vietnam. This is vintage Robin.

2-The Best Of Times: In this one, Robin plays a man who has lived with the regret that he dropped the winning pass in the big high school football game. It's years later, and he decides to organize a reunion game. Will he make up for that dropped pass? This is an underrated movie, but one of my favorites.

1-What Dreams May Come: I loved this movie. When his wife commits suicide, she's in a hell of her own creation in the afterlife. When he dies, he literally travels to that hell to save her. He would do anything to be with his soul mate. Some critics hated this movie. I think it's his best. That's saying something, because there are several other movies of his that are list worthy.

He really was a great entertainer, and I think it's just so sad that he's no longer here to make new movies. I loved his Teddy Roosevelt in A Night At The Museum, and he reprised that role in the third installment of that franchise. It will be released later this year.

Movie Review: Crazy People

Movie Review: Crazy People

The name was a bit controversial at the time for this 1990 movie starring Dudley Moore and Daryl Hannah. Critics accused them of making light of mental illness, but the movie was actually pretty funny.

Moore plays Emory, an adverting executive who has a bit of a nervous breakdown when his wife leaves him. He continues working on his next project with the intent of "leveling with America" with his ad campaigns. His partner Stephen, played by Paul Reiser, insists that Emory get help and has him temporarily committed to an institution.

The only problem is the ads Emory was working on ended up being used, rather than the ones Stephen wanted. They ended up being a hit. Meanwhile, Emory kind of likes it in the institution, where he meets a troubled, but beautiful woman named Kathy (Hannah).

Stephen returns to the institution to get Emory released, but he doesn't want to go. In talking to the other patients, they kind of like the idea of helping him develop new ad campaigns with his honest style. The cast of characters includes a guy who only says hello and a man who just loves Saab automobiles, among others.

The group works on these ads, and they are a smashing success. They do everything from an ad for a horror movie, to a car that will get you a girlfriend to a program that will help you lose weight. The ad agency does a 180 and wants Emory and his group to work for them.

I don't want to give away all of the secrets. The movie has its funny moments. We see all the patients come out of their shells as part of the team, and Emory and Kathy seem to like each other. It's an average movie, but something to entertain you if it comes on TV on a day when you have nothing better to do.

Trailer For Crazy People: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8sgkc2E5oM

Reincarnation: A Conspiratorial What If Scenario

Reincarnation: A Conspiratorial What If Scenario

I was listening to a talk show the other day. The host talked about how the entertainment industry starts putting propaganda in the movies that corresponds with the next war they have planned. I've actually noticed that through the years. Anyway, it led my thoughts in a weird direction. Not that there's anything to it, but it made me think. I bet I could write a good movie plot based on this idea

The ultra elite run and guide the direction of the world. Money is just a means to an end. They have it, but they know the real secret that matters. This is the answer to why they plot ideas decades in advance, and yet those original people running things back then are dead when the results start coming in.

What if the elite knew for certain, not a guess or faith, but for certain that when we die we are not dead? Our soul continues. We can move on from this place or come back. The idea of hell as we've been taught is not real. However, Earth has become a prison to them. They can't move on, even though they have a sort of immortality, because God won't allow it. They can come back, and they come back knowing the secret.

A lady named Sherry Lee proposed a theory before Prince Williams' first child was born the queen would die so that she could be that baby. It sounded outlandish at the time, and it never happened. But, what if you are either born again in your family, another elite family or you will be taken in by one of those families at some point after you are reborn?

These people know they will continue, but they need to control us too. They have all but wiped out our empathic connection to the universe, and we are clueless. When we die, some of us make that snap decision to break free, but others come back with no clue. Only the elite know the answer, and it has helped give them control of the planet. Their plan gets closer to completion with every generation.

If we don't break out of this cycle, we are doomed. We were meant to launch off of this planet together, but the elite want to do it without us. They don't even need us anymore, or so they think. They believe they can break free of the cycle through technology and become immortal, thereby avoiding God completely.

This is where God finally does get upset and hits the reset button on all of us. Of course, some humans survive in a much different society to start over again, but among them are some of these souls who know. They have nothing to lose, so they start over again.

It was a weird thought, but it would explain how some families have owned so much for generations and never seem to lose. This would make a great movie idea as one of the so called "useless eaters" figures out the secret. She doesn't want them to get away with it, because she knows we are all doomed if they aren't stopped. But what can she do? I think it's an interesting concept fore a movie.

This Blue Pill, Red Pill Scenario Is Not So Simple

This Blue Pill, Red Pill Scenario Is Not So Simple

On another social media site, somebody posted a picture with a scenario. They presented the possibility that you have a choice between a blue pill and a red pill. The blue pill brings back somebody you love who has died and the red pill makes you a billionaire. Which pill do you choose?

This is a difficult decision for me. Not a day goes by that I don't miss my dad and my sister. I would love to have my dad back. I want them both back, but there's a problem. I believe they are in a better place that I can't even imagine. They are happier there. I believe I would be selfish to steal them from that place just because I miss them.

Now, if I knew they wanted to come back here again, I'd do it for them. I would not need to be asked twice. I want them back, but I wouldn't dream of taking them from where they are. The way the world is, I know I wouldn't want to come back. I know that may seem like a negative attitude, but I'm being honest. I dislike the notion of reincarnation.

I'd take the red pill not because I'm greedy. I don't think it's fair to disturb loved ones who have earned their passage to the next life. I don't need a lot of money. I get by on surprisingly very little, and I wouldn't suddenly get crazy with money. I would see to it that my modest lifestyle could be paid for over the next several years with maybe an occasional treat. In a lifetime, I doubt it would exceed a million dollars.

With the rest, I'm going to legitimately help out the needy, starting with the homeless and children in need. Various causes that I think are worthy would be supported. I would love to be able to help people in that way. That's what the red pill would mean to me. Unless I got a clear sign that dad or my sister wanted to come back, that's what I would do.

Movie Review: Short Time Starring Dabney Coleman

 Movie Review: Short Time Starring Dabney Coleman

One of my all time favorite actors is Dabney Coleman. He's been in many movies. Sometimes he plays a bit of a jerk. He was the boss in 9 To 5, where all the secretaries got revenge on him. He was the dad in another movie I liked, Cloak & Dagger. He won critical acclaim for his role as Buffalo Bill in the old NBC series of the same name.

 

An interesting fact about Dabney is that he was on a top ten ranked show called Madman of The People on NBC. The show got moved to Saturdays so a new show called Friends could have the time slot. In the nowhere time slot his show was moved to, it got canceled. I often wonder if he pissed somebody off in Hollywood.

 

Short Time is probably my favorite movie of his. He plays a cop who is close to retirement, so he's taking it easy. Matt Frewer (Max Hedroom) plays his partner and Teri Garr plays his ex wife. While at the doctor's office for a physical for an insurance policy, a bus driver not wanting to get caught on a drug test switches urine samples with him.

 

Soon, Dabney's character, Burt Simpson, receives the news that he is gonna die. Not wanting to see his son and ex wife suffer for lack of money, he decides to try to get himself killed in the line of duty so they can collect on the insurance policy. There's a crazy car chase scene you have to see to believe.

 

It's the heart of this movie that I love the most. He loves his son and he still loves his wife. He even comes to her and apologizes for all of his short comings and confesses his love for her. I like the scene of him just driving down the road with his son in a new convertible on the way to the zoo.

 

I really like this movie. In this day and age, maybe it's old fashioned to like a movie where a man really is trying to put his family first. Anyway, I don't want to give away all the secrets of this movie. If you get a chance, check it out.

 

Trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDkhKRWjYZs

Movie Review: Pump Up The Volume

 

Movie Review: Pump Up The Volume

In the late 1980s and early 1990's, Christian Slater was one of the big names in Hollywood. He was sort of a young version of Jack Nicholson. Seriously, he was channeling Jack in an entertaining performance he gave in Heathers a couple years earlier.

 

In 1990's Pump Up The Volume, Christian plays a teenager in high school who reluctantly moves to Arizona when his dad gets a better job. Bored and feeling isolated, he takes the radio equipment his dad bought him and starts his own pirate radio station.

 

He plays music, but it's his monologues that get the teens in the area to gather near the school at 10 PM at night to listen. He talks about the struggles of being a kid in society, how bad the school is and that sort of thing. As time goes on, he gets more and more popular.

 

At first, he has no idea how popular he's getting, but one of the kids is recording his shows and selling the tapes at school. The students start playing the tapes during lunch break, and the school staff takes notice. They really take notice when one of the students takes his own life after talking to him on his show.

 

Making matters worse is the fact that he has the FCC trying to track him down. Samantha Mathis plays the girl who feels a connection with him and starts writing letters to the show. Eventually, she figures out who he is. When he's about ready to quit, she's the one who tells him he has started a movement that is bigger than he is.

 

I don't want to give up all the secrets here, but this movie is almost forgotten these days. I think the message is a good one, and it also has a catchy sound track. There is some strong language and brief nudity, but nothing compared to how things are these days. I think this is an enjoyable movie that is worthy of viewing.

 

View the trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuhHPQxS2nQ

The AAFC Had A Big Impact On The NFL

The AAFC Had A Big Impact On The NFL

Through the years, the National Football League has had several rival leagues attempt to compete with them. The American Football League is the most prominent. After a solid ten year existence with two Super Bowl wins for their side, the AFL earned a merger with the NFL.

This was actually the fourth rival league to call itself the AFL. The previous three only lasted a couple years, but the second AFL produced the Cleveland Rams, which joined the NFL when that league folded. In the 1940's, a new league was founded that greatly effected the NFL.

It was called the All American Football Conference, and the NFL executives did not take it seriously when it was founded. In fact, they made jokes about the league not being on their level. Why should they worry? All the other leagues that challenged them to that point had failed.

The AAFC fielded eight teams in 1946. Only one team won the championship in the league's four year history, the Cleveland Browns. They racked up an impressive 47-4-3 record, and this team was so popular in Cleveland, the Rams would relocate to Los Angeles.

The second best team in the league was the San Francisco 49ers, but being in the same division as the Browns prevented them from playing in the first three championship games. The New York Yankees lost the first two championships and the Buffalo Bills lost the third one. This was not the same Bills franchise that exists today, but it inspired the name.

When two teams folded before the fourth season, the league had just one division, allowing the 49ers to play in the final championship game, won by the Browns. Only the Browns, 49ers and Yankees managed to have winning records in the AAFC's four year history.

The 49ers and the Browns were easy choices to join the NFL in 1950, but the third team was a bit of a surprise. The Browns were so good that they won three of their four NFL championships in their first six years in the NFL.

The Yankees were blocked by the New York Giants from joining the NFL. The third team brought to the NFL from the AAFC was the lowly Baltimore Colts, but they folded early on. Oddly enough, the Indianapolis Colts have an unofficial connection with the Dayton Triangles that would make them the second oldest team in the NFL, and it too runs through the AAFC.

The NFL's Brooklyn Tigers and Boston Yanks merged. The Tigers were formerly the Dodgers and also a charter member of the NFL as the Dayton Triangles. After the end of the 1945 season, the Brooklyn Tigers half of the Tigers/Yanks team bolted to the AAFC and became the New York Yankees.

When the three AAFC teams joined the NFL, the Yankees roster was split between the Giants and the New York Bulldogs. The Bulldogs were formerly the Boston Yanks team that the Yankees had briefly merged with prior to joining the AAFC.

The Bulldogs wouldn't last long before folding, and the team was sold back to the NFL and awarded to the short lived Dallas Texans. The remains of that team were rewarded to the new Baltimore Colts franchise that exists today as the Indianapolis Colts. Officially, the league makes no connection between the Colts and the Triangles.

No New Middle Earth Stories Are Being Told

No New Middle Earth Stories Are Being Told, And That's Probably A Good Thing

Suppose somebody obtained the rights to JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth. For over 40 years, Christopher Tolkien was the head of the estate. He had the right to do whatever he wished with his father's creation. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were very popular stories, and Christopher could have expanded on that. He could have told any story he wanted. He could have made a sequel to The Lord of the Rings. He could have hired a qualified writer and approved a story that would become canon in Middle Earth.

That's not what Christopher did. He gathered all of his father's notes and put together The Silmarillion . He didn't attempt to tell his own story. He chose to present his father's writings to the people. He did the same thing with Unfinished Tales a few years later. After that, he took a scholarly approach to his father's works with the History of Middle Earth books. In those books, he gave insight into his father's thought process. People got to see story ideas that were later abandoned or altered into what we came to know in the official books.

Christopher never chose to tell his own story, and it stands to reason that he could have made millions of dollars doing that. The Tolkien Estate certainly made money on book sales and other merchandising. When Peter Jackson made The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, the family made more money. After watching the movies, many people picked up those books for the first time. Though Christopher didn't particularly care for the movies, they did assist the book sales.

Through the years, people have wondered what if. JRR Tolkien created a rich universe. Many stories were only hinted at, but a creative writer could have fleshed them out. There could have been more hobbit tales based on what was officially mentioned in the books. A story could have been told about what happened in Middle Earth after the one ring was destroyed. A story could have been told about what happened in Middle Earth after the original Dark Lord Melkor escaped from his prison. There's no doubt that a writer capable of emulating JRR Tolkien's style could have been hired to tell these stories, but that's not what Christopher chose to do.

Was he right or wrong about that? From a business standpoint, some would say he wasn't. He left hundreds of millions of dollars on the table by not adding to the lore. Some might say that at about the time that Jackson was beginning production on the Lord of the Rings movies, Christopher could have commissioned a new story. Some might say that this would have only served to damage the franchise, and others might maintain that Christopher more than anybody else would have had a better understanding of what his father would have done. Though I would love to see more stories, I can't say I disagree with Christopher on this.

The thing about successful stories is they become franchises when they make enough money. Suddenly, people not involved with the creative process to begin with get a financial interest in said franchises. This has happened with Star Trek, Star Wars and Doctor Who, among other creations. In the process, the canon has been damaged and the fan base has been divided due to a dislike of the new creations. In the case of Star Wars, Disney paid billions of dollars to take the franchise and do what they wanted to it. They completely ignored the outlines drafted by franchise creator George Lucas when making their trilogy.

Gene Roddenberry was at the helm of the Star Trek franchise for many years. He fought to get it back on the air in the 1970s and ultimately succeeded in bringing the movie franchise into being. He also had another opportunity to do a Star Trek series, resulting in The Next Generation. During that run, Roddenberry handed the reigns over to Rick Berman. At that point, we didn't have the creator running the franchise, but we did have somebody who understood the spirit of the show. Berman guided The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager to successful runs, but things fizzled out during the run of Enterprise. After that, we have had other people with less understanding of the product determining what the official canon is.

One could argue that what is happening with these beloved franchises is they have become solely about the money now, and the actual product is secondary. Rather than stick to what has worked for these franchises through the years, woke political agendas are inserted into them. This has damaged the overall canon. Some have even argued that the damage being done to the three aforementioned franchises is so great that they may end up being destroyed in the process. When you have a franchise that has lasted for decades a certain way, there are certain expectations. Those expectations have seemingly been thrown out the window.

This brings us back to Middle Earth. Christopher Tolkien may ultimately be proven right by not attempting to make anything new. However, since his passing, there might be reason to be a little bit nervous. Somebody else is determining what is best for the intellectual property. They may not see things the same way Christopher did, and that could ultimately lead to new stories being told in the Middle Earth universe. They could try to stay in the spirit of what JRR Tolkien created, but they could also take things in a different direction that goes against what the author originally intended.

For years, the only new content created was fan fiction. Much of that was dreadful, and even some of the better stuff still lacked the flare that JRR Tolkien had. The comfort that Tolkien purists had was that none of these stories was considered official canon. Could the day come when something new is created and considered official canon in Middle earth? Would that be a good thing or a bad thing? At the moment, nothing is being discussed, and that's probably a good thing. We all know that Christopher would never let that happen, and hopefully the people in charge will continue to take that approach.

David Lee Roth Jumps Into New Version Of Van Halen Classic

David Lee Roth Jumps Into New Version Of Van Halen Classic

It seems like David Lee Roth has managed to do something that he was always very good at. He has people in rock and roll circles talking about him. When he was doing his Las Vegas residency a couple years ago, there was no shortage of opinions about his voice.

I see it differently with Dave, because I never felt he had one of the best voices in rock and roll to begin with. With him, you got the show and you got the attitude. The voice was probably third on the list, but combined with the whole package, you wanted to see Diamond Dave.

Roth is no dummy. He knows that his voice isn't the best. He knows that the music industry in general isn't what it once was. You don't make money in exactly the same way you did back in those days, but the people who were fans back when Van Halen was rocking hard in the 1980s are still going to listen to the music they love.

I'm not exactly sure why Dave would take another swing at a song like Jump, but that's what he's done. He recently released a new version of the classic, which he recorded from Henson Studios. I know what people are going to say. "Oh God, please Don't do it, Dave." 

 

There's no way he can measure up to the intensity and the quality of that song as it was recorded 40 years ago, and I don't think he was expecting to. I'm not even sure why he tried, other than maybe he's hoping somebody will want to use this version in a movie, TV show or commercial.

Dave steps up to the mic and does his best. He's not talking his way through this song, and he does try to attack the notes. He's not doing it the way he did it 40 years ago, and the reason is he is unable to. However, what he does do is not a bad version considering his age and the fact that this will be compared to the 1984 hit.

I know there will be comparisons, but I'm not going there. It's a business decision for Dave to even re-record songs from that era. However, after listening to this song, I don't think it would be a bad thing if Dave were to return to the studio and try to do some songs in the vein of Van Halen back when he was fronting the band. I'd be curious to see what he could do.

David Lee Roth - Jump (live at Henson Studios) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIjrKVrT1Dw

Upload Season 3 Did Not Disappoint

Upload Season 3 Did Not Disappoint

I'm writing this on the day that the Season 3 finale debuted on Amazon Prime. Because of that, I want to be mindful of spoilers and not give away anything major in this little review. I've written a few things about this series going back to before it even premiered, likely before the first scenes were ever shot.

My take way back then was that I don't like the idea of people being able to upload their consciousness onto a computer. As outrageous as this idea may seem to people, there are actually tech experts looking for a way to accomplish the task. This is not the column to get into that discussion, and I have since admitted one thing. Whether I like the idea or not, it makes for an entertaining TV series.

The first season grabbed a hold of me. They did an excellent job of telling a story in this world where uploading consciousness into a computer is possible. They defined the characters pretty well and weaved a good tale from the season premiere to the finale.

The second season was a bit too short for my tastes. However, they still managed to tell a story that kept me interested from start to finish. The main goal for any series is to make you want to watch every episode, and Upload throughout the first two seasons did that.

One of my biggest complaints, however, is that it takes too long between seasons. It seemed like there was a longer delay in getting the third season out, but I also take into consideration that we were working our way through the pandemic. It wasn't possible for them to go any quicker.

I will say this about the third season. It almost feels like a completely different show, but in a good way. I think the first season liked to play more on the humor of the concept. While there was some of that in this season, it got down to some serious business.

We're getting questions answered as to why Nathan's (Robbie Amell) memory was erased and what were David Choak (William B. Davis) and the other billionaires were up to. Ingrid (Allegra Edwards) made it possible for Nathan to be uploaded into a new body, and that meant that he and Nora (Andy Allo) were going to get closer.

There was just one problem. Nora's replacement at Horizen, Tinsley played by (Mackenzie Cardwell), couldn't find him in the system. Not wanting to get in trouble, she replaced him with a different version of him, previous to when he uploaded into the body.

This made for an interesting storyline. Now there are two Nathan's, and this is played very well throughout the season. The version outside of the simulation is getting closer with Nora. In an interesting and fun twist, the newly created Nathan and Ingrid explore the potential of a relationship together.

A lot of action takes place outside of Lakeview, but what they're doing in Lakeview is also very important to the story. At times they take part in the plans. I found it interesting that Luke (Kevin Bigley) and Aleesha (Zainab Johnson) are getting closer. Making things more interesting is that Aleesha is in a relationship with her boss Karina, played by (Jeanine Mason).

I like Luke. I think I identify with his character a little bit more than the rest. He's a good guy who obviously didn't have a lot of friends when he was alive. He was certainly very clingy of Nathan in the first season, and that hasn't changed. However, there's something I find endearing about Luke. He'll do anything for his friends.

What I like about the writing of Luke and his involvement in the story is he's not just some joke. It's not like his clinginess and neediness is being made a joke. These people that he considers his friends consider him a friend as well.

Throughout the season, we're going to find out that the people involved with Horizen and the newly created Freeyond, based on Nathan's code, are up to nefarious things. Are they going to get away with it? What is at risk for Nathan and his friends in trying to bring the whole thing down?

To say much more than that is to give away secrets. I want the show to be seen by more people. Perhaps at a later date I'll dive deeper into the storyline itself, but I will say this. Upload hasn't lost a thing from its first season to this season. In fact, it's gotten better. Also, Owen Daniels continues to be an MVP Player on this show as AI Guy.

These days, binge-watching is all the rage. There are so many different choices between cable TV and different streaming services. Many people haven't even heard of Upload. If you're just now hearing of it, consider yourself lucky. You now have three seasons to binge watch while they plan the fourth season. You won't be disappointed.

Dollar Stores Not A Dollar Anymore

Dollar Stores Not A Dollar Anymore

It was a year or so ago when The Dollar Tree made the announcement of no more $1 per item. It's now $1.25. They kept that price at $1 for quite some time, and I appreciate that. For the last more than a decade, I've made use of that store on many occasions. It's been a lifesaver for me.

The value of The Dollar Tree and stores like it is immeasurable for people who are living month to month with the money they have. I recall when I was struggling to hold on to my home of 30 years. I had a very tight budget. In fact, my budget was so tight that when I'd go to The Dollar Tree, I'd literally have to pick which $1 items I would get and remove a couple at the end of my selection process.

You can get microwavable stuff there, enough ingredients to make things like spaghetti, breakfast and sandwich supplies, toiletries and things for your hygiene. It really does come in handy when you can buy something there for $1, or now $1.25, versus buying the same thing at a grocery store for three or four times that in some cases.

I was prepared when The Dollar Tree raised their prices. They held out for as long as they could, but eventually they had to go after that extra quarter to keep them going. Nobody can fault them for that. It's still a good deal. You just end up getting 16 items instead of 20 for your $20 of spending.

99 Cent Only Stores are another matter. Somewhere along the way, these guys decided they would start offering things for as much as $5 or $6. I'm not sure what the rationale was behind that. With a name like 99 Cent Only, people are walking in there thinking that's what they are going to get.

It all honesty, those higher priced items are frequently still cheaper than you're going to find them at other places, so they're still giving you a deal in that sense. It's just that if you go in there with the mindset that you're getting that deal and start looking at the price tags, it can be discouraging.

The 99 Only Store near me has its issues. For one thing, the store front is run down and they get their share of questionable characters hanging around out front. They've had people come into the store and steal things and even harass the customers. That in itself is enough to make people not want to shop there, so they keep security well staffed.

I had the unfortunate occasion of being harassed by an employee a couple of times. He signaled me out for harassment. In the second case, he misgendered me intentionally. He wouldn't even apologize, and I took out a complaint ticket with the corporation. In the end, I backed off because I felt bad for the guy. I wasn't trying to cost him his job, I just wanted him to be more sensitive to the language he used.

Another problem with a store like 99 Cent Only is they need to do a better job of marking their shelves. My problem with this store is they don't designate what's more and what's $1.29. I think I know, but I don't want to walk up to the cash register and find out they've changed the price on something. Then, you have to go through the trouble of saying take this out or whatever. I shouldn't have to do that.

These days, people are trying to save a buck everywhere they can. Stores of this nature are important to us when we're living dollar to dollar. Today, for instance, I just spent $45 on about 30 items. I definitely got a better deal than I would have at any other store, and it means I get to eat.

That's the other thing. At times I feel bad about my position in life. However, I passed a couple of different people today who were sleeping just off the sidewalk. That's happening in this town now, and I'm sure it's happening in towns all across the country. Count your blessings, people. If you think you've got it bad, there's always somebody who has it worse. Be grateful for what you have.