George Carlin "passes away"

My favorite comedian and entertainer George Carlin is dead. If you want more details about his death click here. I'm not all that interested in his death, but rather his life, and how many times he brought me joy and laughter while at the same time introducing me to a new perspective of the world.

Below is my favorite performance by Carlin, one of his most famous, but for those my age or even younger you have probably never seen it and maybe never even heard of it. It was so groundbreaking for the time that HBO had to release a 2 minute disclaimer followed by a 2 minute interview with Carlin just to cover their asses and try to show the conservative cowards of the time that George Carlin was not Satan. This is also the period where Carlin was inventing his routine as he went, and besides, you have to love the 70's look and feel of the show. This is the show in its entirety, so pop some popcorn and enjoy. The performance itself begins about five minutes in if you don't care for the amusing disclaimer.

Enjoy.




Thanks for all the laughs, George.

Disney blows Universal out of the water via spring-action shooter mania!

It is June, and both Disney World and Universal Orlando have new rides to offer this summer. One is mindless fun, the other is a well-filmed but ultimately lame ride. The former is Disney's Hollywood Studios' Toy Story Mania, the latter is Universal Studios' The Simpsons Ride. Where did one go right and one go wrong? Let's take a look.

The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Florida
It seemed like an idea that couldn't miss. Well, it missed. The Simpsons Ride is little more than Back to The Future (the building's former tenant) with a different film. Granted, the film is amazing, but the motion simulation is so poor that one can barely enjoy it. This attraction would be more at home in a 4D theatre, perhaps one with partially moving seats like Universal's much more successful Shrek 4D. As a motion simulator ride, the motion is far too out of sync with what happens on screen, and there is so much hilarious stuff happening on screen that you'll get motion sickness trying to look around while being yanked in seventeen different directions (not to mention receiving repeated blows to the back of the head if you sit in the back row and are more than four feet tall).

What it looks like is The Simpsons writers and filmmakers more than held up their end, but Universal dropped the ball on the ride itself. The film is filled with that distinctly Simpsons humor and charm, most of it taking shots at the Theme Park culture that geeks like me just gobble up. The 3D graphics of the film itself serve as a bold departure from what makes The Simpsons The Simpsons, but it works. It's gorgeous and deserves a better forum to be witnessed in.

Here's hoping that one day it winds up in a different park or a different theatre better equipped to let the film be enjoyed without any barfing or concussions in the process. Good for one ride, but very little re-ride value.

Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Ironically, Toy Story Mania was the ride I didn't want to like. I am usually against the "glorified arcade game" rides, loathing Magic Kingdom's Buzz Lightyear for destroying one of my previous favorites, Dreamflight, and only now after years just beginning to warm up to Universal's Men in Black. But this time the arcade game ride has been done right. Disney accomplishes this by never pretending that this ride is anything more than a game. The ride is themed after one of the many carnival style midways that are normally filled with toothless guys who need a shower and probably have a criminal record. Instead the games are staffed by friendly Toy Story characters. Better yet, the games are free! Better still, you get to ride from game to game!
There is something so simple and innocent about this experience, and the games themselves are so addicting, that I could easily spend an entire day riding this thing if not for the beefy line it boasts and the sore hand that develops very quickly after pumping the attraction's spring action shooters for five minutes. I've already taken two trips to the park with two vastly different groups, and have witnessed people from ages 3 to 78, gay and liberal to straight and conservative, absolutely loving this ride. Is it simplistic? Yes. Mindless? Absolutely. Fun? Tons!

Disney has a hit on their hands, and it is in the perfect place. Disney's Hollywood Studios so desperately needed an attraction like this, and so did Disney's California Adventure, for that matter, where it has been cloned.

It looks like Disney has won this round. Universal has a lot more in the works, though, which should hopefully make things more interesting in years to come. So does Sea World, for that matter! But that's a whole different blog.

Monthly break

This one may start a little slow, but the rumble in the jungle that follows is well worth the wait! Make sure you stay tuned for the surprise ending!


A Brawl In The Safari - Watch more free videos

Published, Accepted, and Upwardly Mobile

In one trip to the mailbox my life took a sudden and very positive turn. In one package was a copy of The Alchemist, Valencia's Osceola Campus Literary Magazine, in which my short story "Receding" was recently published. In another package was my acceptance letter to Florida State University. I did a small dance that nobody saw.

Quitting my job July 31st. Moving to Tallahassee August 20th. After months of feeling like my life was going nowhere, finally a small return on my large investment has been received. I'm now more encouraged to continue my writing and finish these last couple summer classes. Full speed ahead!


ps. I have movie reviews, ride reviews of the new attractions at MGM and Universal, more fun from break.com, and a whole lot of other stuff to blog about, but time has been a crunch lately. bare with me and stay tuned!