RIP Michael Jackson
June 25, 2009
I had some other fun movie reviews ready but I figured this was better to start.
Growing up, I was all about Thriller by Michael Jackson. Who wasn’t about at least one of his songs in the 80’s? I’ve met a few who claimed to not be but myself? No, that was the best memories of Michael for me. I even had a poster (I know, who didn’t, yadda yadda) that I kept hung up on my wall of the man. I find myself thinking back not on his scandals today once I heard the news of his passing, but of the great creativity and inspiration his music brought to the music industry and even to me during that lovely decade we discuss here.
I post a clip of his live performance from Japan of Billie Jean in 1987 because I adore artists who are just as good live as they are on their CD with their polished publications.
Popularity: 1% [?]
The Classic Atari and Other 80’s Goodies
June 18, 2009
Oh man, if I ever get money for one, I’m so buying a new one.
I know, I know; they sell those little joystics you plug into the tv that has the classic games programmed in but no. That’s not the Atari system I grew up with, damn it! I remember all the good games like Pacman, Spy vs Spy, Spellunker, and the dreaded Frogger. I spent many a night dreaming about pixel frogs hopping across streets only to get smashed by logging trucks because I wasn’t fast enough with the button pushing.
Poor Frogger.
But the real question is… who here reading remembers Prodigy’s email and online services?
My dad was always on the cutting edge, always getting the newest computers and gadgets and being one of the first to get Prodigy’s online service was no different for him. I remember using up the 12 or 15 emails we had free every month sending notes to my cousin back home and then charging up about 25.00 worth of e-cards (I swear I thought they were free, seriously). It was no AOL by any means, but it was internet service and for a lazy person like me who doesn’t like to deal with envelopes and stamps, it opened my eyes to a new world…
… one I’m sitting in right now as I write a blog post.
One final note of random 80’s goodness? I leave you with Samantha Fox. I know you’ve heard of her. She doesn’t really have much to do with Atari or Prodigy’s email services from back in the day, but she’s 80’s music and well… I don’t need an excuse to share 
Popularity: 1% [?]
Someone Stole My Bike in the 80s
January 23, 2006
“In the early eighties kids tried to do clever stunts on their BMX bikes, but invariably ended up with grazes and broken bones instead.” –Read more.
I was into the BMX craze in the 80s. I even took up a paper route so I could get my one imitation BMX. My plan was to eventually get costum parts for it and do some incredible stunts.
But my bike got stolen not even a week after I bought it with my hard earned money. The bike was $149 which was a LOT of money for a 14 year old in the 80s. That experience changed my perspective on the area I lived in and the people around me.
It is difficult to savor a steak around hungry dogs.
I guess its like Mos Def says in Got: “There's hunger in the street that is hard to defeat/Many steal for sport, but more steal to eat.”
I'm a bit jaded by this and many other experiences I had in the 80s on haves vs. have nots.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Someone Stole My Bike in the 80s
January 23, 2006
“In the early eighties kids tried to do clever stunts on their BMX bikes, but invariably ended up with grazes and broken bones instead.” –Read more.
I was into the BMX craze in the 80s. I even took up a paper route so I could get my one imitation BMX. My plan was to eventually get costum parts for it and do some incredible stunts.
But my bike got stolen not even a week after I bought it with my hard earned money. The bike was $149 which was a LOT of money for a 14 year old in the 80s. That experience changed my perspective on the area I lived in and the people around me.
It is difficult to savor a steak around hungry dogs.
I guess its like Mos Def says in Got: “There's hunger in the street that is hard to defeat/Many steal for sport, but more steal to eat.”
I'm a bit jaded by this and many other experiences I had in the 80s on haves vs. have nots.
Popularity: 2% [?]
80s Girl Cartoons
January 23, 2006
I hated all cartoons that were market for girls. This is because I had three sisters and everytime Rainbow Brite or Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstone or She-Ra, Gem, or strawberry shortcake came on, I had to argue with them about watching more important cartoons like: Transformers, He-Man, Thundercats, and others.
I did like the She-Ra tie-in with he man. Sometimes you'd see the same villian from He Man take shots at She-Ra. And the art was great just like He Man. My sisters thought that Gem was truly outrageous… truly, truly, truly outrageous, but I thought her and Synergy sucked. She was kinda hot for a poorly rendered 80s cartoon. But why were the Misfits so weak.
And then you have the REALLY girlly cartoons: Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite and Carebears. I despised these shows. I could not figure out why they loved these cartoons so much. Since I was the oldest I'd already out grown the baby stuff and actually wanted stuff to blow up or fly off a cliff every once in a while during the show. The really girly shows didn't have any Third Earth Mutants, no demonic sorcerers, or people living is Skull shaped castles and definitely no robots in disguise. All they had were rainbows, belly ”care” beams in the shape of hearts, berry loving sprites skipping gayly through candy cane forests… Stuff that make you want to put a cute little bunny in a sling shot!
The funny thing is that now that I'm an old man with my own little girl, I love that girly baby stuff because my daughter loves it.
Popularity: 7% [?]
80s Girl Cartoons
January 23, 2006
I hated all cartoons that were market for girls. This is because I had three sisters and everytime Rainbow Brite or Golden Girl and the Guardians of the Gemstone or She-Ra, Gem, or strawberry shortcake came on, I had to argue with them about watching more important cartoons like: Transformers, He-Man, Thundercats, and others.
I did like the She-Ra tie-in with he man. Sometimes you'd see the same villian from He Man take shots at She-Ra. And the art was great just like He Man. My sisters thought that Gem was truly outrageous… truly, truly, truly outrageous, but I thought her and Synergy sucked. She was kinda hot for a poorly rendered 80s cartoon. But why were the Misfits so weak.
And then you have the REALLY girlly cartoons: Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite and Carebears. I despised these shows. I could not figure out why they loved these cartoons so much. Since I was the oldest I'd already out grown the baby stuff and actually wanted stuff to blow up or fly off a cliff every once in a while during the show. The really girly shows didn't have any Third Earth Mutants, no demonic sorcerers, or people living is Skull shaped castles and definitely no robots in disguise. All they had were rainbows, belly ”care” beams in the shape of hearts, berry loving sprites skipping gayly through candy cane forests… Stuff that make you want to put a cute little bunny in a sling shot!
The funny thing is that now that I'm an old man with my own little girl, I love that girly baby stuff because my daughter loves it.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Something for the Kids (80s Style)
January 22, 2006
This is a kids book online check it out.
In the 80s, Sesame St. was THE
Kids show to watch.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Something for the Kids (80s Style)
January 22, 2006
This is a kids book online check it out.
In the 80s, Sesame St. was THE
Kids show to watch.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Lourdes criticises Madonna's dress sense
January 2, 2006
Madonna's fashion sense has come under fire from her daughter Lourdes,
who is embarrassed when her mum collects her from school dressed like a
pop star.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Lourdes criticises Madonna's dress sense
January 2, 2006
Madonna's fashion sense has come under fire from her daughter Lourdes,
who is embarrassed when her mum collects her from school dressed like a
pop star.
Popularity: 3% [?]
