Friday 80s Flashback for July 27, 2012

[That Was Close] -- I wanted this week's Flashback to be a follow-up to my 6/29/2012 post (A.I. in the 80s), with a focus on robots rather than computers that had gained sentience. Alas, I have not been very successful in compiling what I would consider a good playlist for that theme. I have plenty of fodder, but much of the music has been ... meh. I knew I needed to change gears and pick a theme that would easily and quickly inspire me to complete this week's post. So I did what I have often done when I needed writing inspiration: I shook my iPod Nano (you know, to get random play working). After the telltale "doodle dee doo" played, the first song queued up, and upon hearing its initial notes I knew I had what I needed. This week's theme features songs that are close. Well, more accurately, songs about being/getting close to someone or something. I can even tie it to the 2012 Olympics which kick off tonight: Many athletes in London over the next 17 days will come close to their ultimate goal of winning an Olympic medal, but far more will return home with only their memories. Well, that's a bit of a downer. But if you're still wondering what tunes not only came close but actually landed in my playlist this week, then read and hear more after the break.

(Oh, maybe when you're done, you can guess which song  kicked it all off -- And, no, they are not in order here!)

Stuff I've Seen on the Interwebz: BMW Grill, Edible Cookie Cup, and Hello Kitty Fry Pan

Here are a few items I saw online recently. Perhaps the only interest you will have in any of them is for their entertainment value ...


First, we have a BMW grill from the Top Gear website (someone submitted it to Top Gear, they didn't build it or anything):

http://www.TOPGEAR.com/uk/photos/from-the-top-gear-inbox-2012-05-04
(Update 8/16/15: this Top Gear page no longer accessible)

Next is one of the most incredible (and long overdue) things I've seen: The Edible Cookie Cup! (Bad news: It is not gluten free)

http://thewateringmouth.com/cookie-cup-by-enrique-luis-sardi-and-lavazza/

Final entry for "Stuff I've Seen on the Interwebz" is ... well, I'm not sure who would want this, but there it is: the Hello Kitty Frying Pan.

http://www.nextgadgets.net/hello-kitty-frying-pan/

Aren't you glad we have the internet to supply with with an endless array of ... well, whatever?

Friday 80s Flashback for July 13, 2012

The Teen Titans rendered in the style of The Breakfast Club by Cliff Chiang

[See You in the Funny Pages] -- Yes, I am a day late in publishing the latest Flashback, but I am currently in the midst of heroes. Well, comic book, video game, TV and movie heroes. And several hundred people trying to dress like comic book, video game, TV, and movie heroes. I've also been in lines that seem to stretch from San Diego to South Carolina (the line for the Firefly 10-Year Anniversary Panel certainly comes to mind). If you want to feel like you're at SDCC with me, you can check out Mark Anderson's tutorial on how to draw Batman (but there is, however, no tutorial showing you how to autograph your drawing like one of the artists who actually work on the Batman comics ... sorry). You can also follow some of our adventures by checking out our little friend, Mocha (). Now, just like last year around this time, the Flashback has something of a heroic theme. To find out what songs made the playlist this year, read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for July 6, 2012

Grover Allman American Flag Guitar Pick (available on eBay)

[A Rockin' Fourth Redux!] -- A year ago today, we in the States were poised to embark on a three-day weekend in celebration of the Fourth of July. This year, July 4th occurred on a Wednesday, so we had a mid-week break and we're going into a perfectly normal weekend. Well, perfectly normal aside from the fact that I have looming deadlines at work and I am preparing to attend SDCC 2012. You know that that combination means, right? Right! It's time to repeat a previous Flashback post, a flashback of the Flashback if you will. Today's playlist originally appeared on July 1, 2011. If you're still in a celebratory mood regarding the events of 1776, and you're ready to celebrate with me in 80s rock style, then read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for June 29, 2012

~newSaint's homage to Joshua's iconic line (from Wargames) | deviantart.com

[A.I. in the 80s] -- The 60s and 70s saw computers intrude more and more in business and manufacturing. In fact, the floppy disk and microprocessor, both invented in the 70s, helped to usher in an age of practical computing. But it was the 80s that saw the home computer industry take off. As computers expanded their territory from labs and offices to homes and schools, they also started to occupy more mental real estate as well. In 1983, Time magazine chose the computer as its "Machine of the Year" for 1982 (bumping their long-standing tradition of naming a "Man of the Year"). And computers provided the plot devices for several movies, usually in morality tales of technology gone amok (or greedy humans misusing innocent devices). This week in the Flashback, we will look at three tunes, each one from an 80s film featuring a computer -- or at least a sub-system -- that is intelligent and can make decisions on its own. What songs did I decide upon? Read and hear more after the break.

Magic Moment: As I drove back to the office after lunch, a dandelion seed floated into my car via the passenger side window. It dreamily flitted about the interior of my car, then made a slow pass in front of my face. After that final pass, this visitor from the true world continued its journey out the driver side window.

I thank that little traveler; 'twas a rare and wondrous gift I received.

Photo from Dandelions - A Nutritious Edible Weed

Friday 80s Flashback for June 22, 2012

[Heat Rises] -- In honor of surviving our first heat wave of the Summer of 2012, this week's theme is Heat Rises. Er, no, heat doesn't rise ... hot air rises. Man, my old high school physics prof would have blown a gasket if he saw me write "heat rises." Anyway, due to the severe weather advisory for the northeast over the past two days, severe enough to prompt many cities to open cooling centers for the first time this season, I thought we could look at some hot songs from the 80s. Specifically, I'm thinking about songs that somehow have references to hot, heat, or summer. This is quite timely with the Summer Solstice occurring this past Wednesday. Now, one song you will not find in this week's playlist is Glenn Frey's 1984 hit, "The Heat is On." That song has been completely played out during the 2012 NBA playoffs. So, what three scorching tunes do I have for you this week? Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for June 15, 2012

[Fab Five to Notorious Three] -- Over the past week or so, I've been listening to Duran Duran's second greatest hits compilation, Greatest (1998). If you have this album, you will recognize this track listing (snagged from Wikipedia):

Do you notice anything about it? Well, if you don't now, you will when you read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for June 8, 2012

All these 80s films featured a montage. But not every montage is featured in this flashback post.

[Moar Montage!] -- Last week, I talked about that wonderful conceit of 80s films: the (training) montage. I did not, however, provide actual samples of said montages. And, although they enjoyed the music mix I offered via SoundCloud, several friends felt they were cheated out of their weekly trio of 80s tunes. And, what's more, they succeeded in getting me to admit that the post itself was something of a cheat. So, this week, I rectify that situation and return balance to the 80s Flashback universe. This week, you will see three montages from 80s films. Which scenes and tunes have I selected for this montage mania? Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for June 1, 2012

"Learn balance, Daniel-san!"

[Training Montage] -- I'm in a bit of a scheduling bind, but I don't want to leave my dear 80s-philes without a new flashback. So this week, we will pay homage to the time-honored, 80s movie tradition of the montage (specifically the training montage). You remember this film technique, right? Filmmakers would use it to condense hours, days, or even longer stretches into a few minutes -- the length of a single song. The montage could be used to showcase the transition of a sloppy, unstylish youth into a beautiful prom queen. But the most common use of the montage was in sports and martial arts movies. Here, we would see the meek and weak protagonist transformed into a potential winner by a strangely cool and (sometimes) unexpected mentor. Usually, nothing prior to the montage would lead a viewer to believe such a transformation could occur. But, thanks to clipped dialog, fast film cuts, and a kick-ass soundtrack, the music video portion of the movie would leave the audience too pumped up and swelling with positivity to even realize they had been duped. Now, instead of presenting three songs featured in 80s movie montages, I'm sharing with you something a little more special. If you want to know what it is, read and hear more after the break.