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Sunday, June 19, 2016

Popular

This could end up being one of the most ironic statements that I have ever made in this blog space, but I really dislike the word "popular".

It's quite ironic, given that the "POP" in "A Pop Culture Addict's Guide To Life" stands for popular.

I mean, it's not like I don't like the word popular in the same context that most people don't like the word moist.  Truth be told, I know a lot of people who don't like the word moist.  It makes me wonder why that Canadian band Moist would ever think it to be a good name.

Anyway, back to the word "popular" and why I don't like it.

Interestingly enough, the reason why I don't like the word isn't because of the fact that I never really saw myself as being popular.  Truth is, I'd be the first one to tell you that I'm not popular.  That's the way I sort of like it.  I don't need to have an entourage of people telling me that I am great - because, let's face it.  That'd get real old, real tiring, and real creepy real fast.

The reason I don't like the word popular is because I feel that it is an impossible word.  Because when it comes down to popularity, it is fleeting and doesn't always last forever.  If it did, I'm sure that CSI, ER, or any other show that ranked at the top of the Nielsen ratings would still be on the air today.  The popular cheerleaders don't always stay popular after the rah-rah-rahs and sis-boom-bahs are uttered.  The football jocks of yesteryear fade away to make room for the fresh young blood.  And eventually people come to the realization that they only need to have the love and respect of a few select people instead of everybody in the world.  I think it's an absolutely pointless quest to try and become the most popular person because there are always going to be people who don't agree.

I mean, I can think of a few people that I know who think that they are popular, but in reality not a lot of people care too much for them.  I'm not going to reveal who those people are...but I've met a few who are like this.

The thing is that life is not meant to be a popularity contest.  It's nice to be liked, but understand that getting the whole world to fall in love with you is an impossible situation. 

I suppose that when it comes to the lives of fictional high school students Sam McPherson and Brooke McQueen, popularity either came naturally or it was something that you had to work on. 



Interestingly enough, the two names I dropped came from the short-lived television series "Popular".



The show aired between September 29, 1999 and May 18, 2001, and I do recall it being a show that a lot of people watched.  I was in my OAC year when the show debuted so certainly it was a byproduct of my generation.  Despite the show's success (it was created by Ryan Murphy who also was the creative genius behind "Nip/Tuck" and "Glee"), it only ran for two years, mainly because it was featured on the struggling WB Network.  All in all, the show itself wasn't terrible, aside from the fact that the show's storylines became more like an episode of "Passions". 

It is a classic case of what happens when you blend the popular in-crowd with the geek squad.  Brooke McQueen (Leslie Bibb) is the popular cheerleader who is adored by nearly everybody at Kennedy High School.  She will do anything to stay popular, no matter how bitchy or insecure she might come across as.  On the other side, you have shy and incredibly intelligent Sam McPherson (Carly Pope), a young woman who has her circle of outcast friends and is quite content with not wanting anything more than that.

Two polar opposites with two different upbringings.  Now, imagine if the two were brought together by something unexpected...like say, a marriage?

When Brooke's father gets engaged to Sam's mother, and Brooke and Sam are forced to live in the same house together, tensions flare.  Immediately, both girls declare that they hate each other and they both make it a point to try and break their parents up so that they can go back to the way things used to be.  And you know what?  They almost succeed in doing exactly that at the end of the show's first year. 

But here's the great part about "Popular".  By the second season, the girls have a major change of heart and decide that their family deserves to stay together, and they even become closer as a result.  Even more interesting is the fact that both of the girls' social circles expands as both girls and their sets of friends start hanging around together.  Some examples include Harrison John (Christopher Gorham), a socially awkward individual who slowly breaks out of his shell and ends up falling for both Brooke and Sam.  We have Nicole Julien (Tammy Lynn Michaels), the incredibly brash and manipulative head cheerleader who is known as Kennedy High's pot stirrer, but behind that social piranha exterior is a wounded and insecure person.  There's Carmen Ferrara and Lily Esposito (Sara Rue and Tamara Mello), two friends of Sam's who start out as part of the unpopular crowd but somehow find a way to move up the social ranks.  There's Josh Ford (Bryce Johnson), the quintessential school jock who softens up the moment he gets involved with Lily.  



And, well...there's Mary Cherry (Leslie Grossman), and well...Mary Cherry is such an enigma of a character trainwreck that I would need an entire blog entry to dissect her incredibly unbelievable personality.  But while she may come across as completely insane, she does provide ample amounts of comic relief.

And you know, when it comes down to popularity, the whole quest for it just seems like one huge comedic moment.  It's almost like a sitcom filled with karmic retribution and a storyline that will never end because the quest for total popularity is one that cannot be won.  Though the good thing about "Popular" is that it certainly did a great job spoofing the very quest to be popular.  I only wish it had a chance to go on.

And, well...there's a particular reason why I decided to talk about "Popular"...and sadly, the reason is one of sorrow.



One of the stars of the show, Ron Lester, passed away on June 17, 2016 at the age of 45.  On the show, Ron played the role of Michael "Sugar Daddy" Bernardino, afootball player who simply wants to be respected and find love despite the fact that he knows his size was a major factor.  Believe me, I could totally relate to Sugar Daddy's concerns. 

As many well know, Lester underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2001, dropping over 300 pounds as a result, and undergoing several cosmetic surgeries to remove excess skin as a result of it.  Unfortunately, fourteen years after the surgery, Lester developed problems with his kidneys and liver, and went into hospice care in early 2016.



May he rest in peace.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Jem Reviewed: Episode 13 - The Music Awards - Part 1

When we last left off with Jem Reviewed, the Holograms won a fashion contest thanks to Shana's designs and a little help from Synergy.  Let's see what happens this week.



Why, it's time for another two-parter episode.  Like we didn't have enough of those!  This is Episode 13:  The Music Awards - Part 1.



The setting is one of the many bedrooms inside of Starlight Mansion.  And inside the bedroom are three of the Starlight Girls.  Playing with the Jem doll - and a nice tie in with merchandising courtesy of Hasbro - is Ba Nee.  Brushing Ba Nee's hair is a new girl we haven't met yet named Krissie.



And standing in front of the mirror annoying both Ba Nee and Krissie is another Starlight Girl named Deirdre.  And Deirdre is a huge fan of Jem.  In fact, with the posters plastered all over her bedroom wall, one might say she's obsessed.  Wouldn't it blow her mind to know that she's been living with Jem all this time?  But of course she'll never find out.  She has a hard enough time telling RIO!  But of course, Deirdre is determined to learn the guitar well enough to one day play on stage with Jem.  Too bad with the way she's playing, that won't happen until the year 2017...which back in 1986 was decades away!



Lindsey Pearce's show is on, and it's here that one of the plots is introduced - the one that this episode is named after.  There's an awards show celebrating music (I'm assuming that it's the American Music Awards, as the Grammys are usually held in February and this episode screened in September), and in the category of Best New Rock Group, Jem and the Holograms have been nominated for the award - which makes all the Starlight Girls shriek with glee.



But guess what?  The Misfits are also nominated in the same category.  And since Jerrica Benton took over Starlight Music and ousted the Misfits from the company, that very well could be the only award they get.  I'm also thinking that the episode might have aired out of order...I think it probably should have been sandwiched in between "Starbright: Rising Star" and "The World Hunger Shindig" for it to make sense...but that could have been an oversight.



At any rate, Pizzazz decides to take matters into her own hands and practically begs her father to buy her a record company.  Because when he bought that movie studio for her seven episodes ago, that worked out SO well!  But having learned nothing from that fiasco, Harvey Gabor does what Pizzazz wants, and makes some calls.  This isn't good.

But we've got no time to worry about that now.  School starts very soon, and Jerrica has taken all twelve Starlight Girls to Target to get the hottest fashions from 1986!  Time for a song to commemorate this occasion!



It's been said that this video is one of Christy Marx's least favourites, and I can see why.  It's a lot like the music video for "Something Is Missing In My Life".  There's nothing wrong with the song "She Makes An Impression".  If used properly, it could have packed a punch.  But somehow watching a group of junior high students and grade schoolers shopping for clothes that Punky Brewster would reject just makes this video kind of...meh.



Deirdre thinks she's hit the jackpot when she finds a dress that looks exactly like Jem's.  Oh yeah, like some junior high school will let you wear that around the hallways.  Jem's hemline isn't exactly long, you know.  But to Deirdre's frustration, Jerrica seems to be caught up in other things for her to notice Deirdre.  My guess is that her heart probably stopped when she saw the final bill.  Happens all the time when you're shopping for twelve.  And they haven't even gone to Staples yet for school supplies!



After the shopping excursion has ended, Jerrica goes back to work to make up for all the money she spent on Vuarnet T-shirts and rainbow coloured toe socks when her secretary Joanie alerts her to something going on across the street.  It doesn't take long for Jerrica to realize that Pizzazz's dream has come true.



Across the street in the blackest, darkest, tallest office building that you could imagine is "Misfits Music".  Oh, that's cold.  Opening up across the street from your competitor.  That's like opening up a Krispy Kreme donut shop in the same shopping plaza as Dunkin' Donuts!  With all of this happening, and the stress from the upcoming awards show, this is too much for Jerrica to handle.

Jerrica calls for Aja, Shana, and Kimber to meet in Synergy's room, but before they get there, Deirdre is trying to show Jerrica the cool new chords that she has learned.  Once again, Jerrica brushes her off, and this time, Deirdre is venting her frustrations to Krissie and Ba Nee.  She's quite upset...and honestly while I would say she has reason to be, this behaviour of putting the band over the girls is nothing new for Jerrica.  Unfortunately.



Once inside Synergy's room, the Holograms request Synergy's assistance in using special effects to try and get an edge on the Misfits at the Music Awards, and as shown by this screenshot, she definitely delivers.



But outside of Starlight Mansion, a limousine pulls up.  And inside the limo are the Misfits, Eric Raymond, and some weird looking dude with a creepy voice who simply goes by the name of Techrat.  But if Christy Marx had her way, Techrat would look even weirder.  In this edition of Jem Trivia, Christy's initial sketch of Techrat was supposed to be more androgynous.  Think either David Bowie in his Ziggy Stardust phase or Boy George.

Well, Techrat - in addition to being very creepy - is also very handy with technology.  His latest invention is a little box that can reportedly take any electronic item within a certain area and make them go out of control.  The device would most certainly screw up Jem's appearance at the Music Awards, but Techrat has to test it first.

When he turns on the box outside of Starlight Mansion, everything goes haywire.  Lights flicker on and off, Deirdre's electric guitar starts making weird noises, and a blender explodes all over Starlight Girl Delaree...who I think might only have like two lines in the whole series.



Synergy also starts to go crazy, and the light show turns into deadly lasers that could divide the band into twenty-eight equal pieces!  Jerrica tries to get close enough to Synergy to unplug her, but those lasers are shooting at her very quickly and unpredictably for her to do anything about it.



Fortunately, luck - and Pizzazz's "Gimme Gimme Gimme" attitude strikes at the right time, and she tries to get control of Techrat's invention so she can play with it.  Techrat, who can't stand to be touched, is very aggravated by Pizzazz's forwardness, and in the scuffle, the invention gets smashed into a million pieces, stopping the craziness inside the mansion.

Once everything has calmed down, and Synergy explains that the outside interference caused her to go loco, Jerrica suspects the Misfits are responsible, which makes her resolve to beat them even stronger.



The rest of the Starlight Girls tell Jerrica and the others what happened, and Jerrica tells them not to worry, as it was just a freak electrical mishap.  But once again, she brushes Deirdre off, and Deirdre loudly complains about Jerrica in front of the whole group.  Surprisingly enough it is Ashley that acts as the voice of reason, and explains that Jerrica is very busy, and that she's doing her best.  But Deirdre doesn't believe Ashley, and remarks that Jem would never brush her aside like Jerrica does.



And where is Jem?  Well, she's on her way to a mysterious location with Rio, Video, and the rest of the Holograms.  What's so special about a house on a simple residential street?  Video explains that the Holograms have to meet with someone who may be able to improve their choreography skills in their live concerts.



And...wow...I know she's a cartoon character, but she is absolutely stunning.  She can really dance too.  Have a look!



The video for "When It's Only Me And The Music" is stunning.  Visually, it's near perfection.  And as far as the song itself goes, it once again proves that Jem and the Holograms' strength is with ballads.  Absolutely beautiful.  In fact, just as "Designing Woman" might be my favourite Misfits song, I think this one might be my favourite Jem song so far!



Once the song ends, and Jem and the others applaud the mysterious woman, the woman seems shocked and then flattered by the attention.  Video introduces the group to Giselle Dvorak.  But her stage name is...yep.  You guessed it.  Danse.  Oooh la la...she uses the French spelling too!



Turns out that this wonderful dancer with the multi-coloured hair also has a huge heart as well.  When she's not working as a dancer on rock videos and stage productions, she works at a place called Haven House - the location where they are now.  Haven House is a place where teenagers who have run away from home go to stay.  The space is limited and there aren't enough beds for everyone, but they do the best they can with the resources they have. 

The reason why Danse wanted to meet with Jem and the Holograms is because she needs their help.  Haven House is putting on a benefit at Stouffer Stadium where all proceeds will go towards the house, and Danse thinks that if Jem performs at the benefit concert, it would be a big help.  Jem, of course, doesn't hesitate in saying yes.



Back home, Jem and Rio are discussing the plans for the benefit concert, and Rio is thinking of trying something new with the lighting on stage, but Jem makes the mistake of telling Rio that they've got it covered - not realizing that Rio doesn't know about Synergy.  Actually, there's not much Rio knows.



All Rio knows is that he's upset that Jem seems to think that someone else is better than him, and this leads to a small fight between the two of them.  And of course, Deirdre picks the worst time to try and show Jem how to play guitar because Jem snaps at her and brushes her off again, causing Deirdre to cry.



We see Deirdre shredding all of the posters on her wall, and crying about how much she hates everyone, and how she is going to run away from home to get away from everyone.  Ba Nee thinks it to be a fun adventure, and decides she wants to run away too.  Yeah, never mind the fact that Jerrica tortured herself making a movie to pay for an operation that ALLOWED YOU TO SEE!!!  That's gratitude for you!



Krissie attempts to make Deirdre see the error in her ways, but Deirdre insists on taking off.  Krissie, unable to change her mind, agrees to go with her - but before they leave, Krissie leaves a note for Jerrica explaining the situation.  At least ONE of the three are thinking sensibly.  But when Deirdre announces that they'll be going to hide out at the Misfits, I shake my head.  Did Ashley not tell you ANYTHING about what happened to her when she ran away?  I mean, you might be able to get in good with Stormer, but Pizzazz and Roxy?  Yeesh...



And there's also a scene that seems tacked on where a man throws his son out of the house and orders him not to come back ever again.  I don't know why they do this...I mean, what are the odds of this having anything to do with the storyline?



Completely oblivious to what is going on - as usual - Lindsey is meeting with Jem and Danse to discuss the benefit concert for Haven House.  Apparently, it's being held on August 3, 1986 - which seems like an eternity ago, doesn't it?  But it's nice of Lindsey to agree to promote the cause on her show.

But no episode would be an episode without conflict.  And this conflict is a huge one.  The night of the Haven House benefit is the same night as the Music Awards.  And as Lindsey explains to Jem, skipping out on the Music Awards could mean career suicide.  Unfortunately, Jem seems to agree with Lindsey, and breaks Danse's heart by telling her they can't make the benefit.  Danse takes the news with disappointment, but handles it really well.  A lot better than I would handle it.



Seriously, Jem...you can't go back on a commitment you made to Danse just to puff up your ego and win an award!  Who do you think you are?   Pizzazz?  This is why Jem/Jerrica aggravates me sometimes.

Speaking of Pizzazz, Deirdre, Krissie, and Ba Nee arrive at Misfits Music, and Stormer immediately recognizes them as Starlight Girls.  Deirdre explains the situation, and while Stormer is assigned to watch them, Pizzazz and Roxy make a phone call.



The phone call they make is to a child protective services officer named Jack Sobieski.  The fact that Pizzazz of all people is reporting a crime against child welfare is hysterical comedy in itself.  But unfortunately, Pizzazz's call to CPS does make Mr. Sobieski very suspicious, and he vows to take the matter seriously.  Seems to me like Jerrica is about to receive a cosmic bitchslap any time now.



Sure enough, Jerrica's finally ready to hear Deirdre's song - only to see the bedroom floor covered with bits and pieces of Jem posters.  If this weren't a cartoon, that would be very creepy.  Ashley runs in with the note that Krissie left behind explaining that they ran away from Starlight Mansion, and before you know it, Jerrica is swallowing a huge slice of humble pie.  I hope it tastes really bitter, Jerrica.  Believe me, you kind of deserve it.



Back at Pizzazz's mansion, would you believe that the Misfits are making Deirdre, Ba Nee, and Krissie do chores?  They thought that by running away from Starlight Mansion that they'd never do chores again!  Silly kids!  But Pizzazz does tell them that because of their work, they have earned free tickets to their concert that night...which Deirdre sees as justification for running away.



Meanwhile, everyone at Starlight House is going all over the city trying to find the missing girls.  They check the video arcade, the local diner, and even a bus depot.  Still no luck.

At this point, Jerrica realizes that she's made a terrible mistake - well, actually she's made terrible mistakes.  As in plural.  But that's all semantics now, and she now has to do what is right.



The first thing she does is make things right with Danse, and they tell her that no award is worth having the wonderful opportunity to play a charity gig, and Danse happily accepts their recommitment to the cause.  But when Danse asks what changed their mind, the Holograms are a little too chatty and tell her everything that happened with Deirdre, Krissie, and Ba Nee, which I find to be a bit much considering that they only met yesterday.  Why Danse could be an undercover cop and all four of them would be thrown in jail!  Whatever the case, Jem believes that if the girls see them perform at the benefit concert, it will make them come back home.



Outside of the arena where the Misfits are performing, we see a scalper trying to sell Misfits tickets for outrageous prices.  Well, okay, maybe fifty bucks doesn't sound like a lot now, but it was worth a small fortune in 1986.  I'd have to lose 50 baby teeth to make that much back then!  That kid that was thrown out of his home earlier in the episode crashes into the scalper, and he swipes one of the concert tickets, angering the scalper.  But before he can get his hands on the kid, the kid enters the concert hall, and the scalper threatens to deal with him later. 



And Krissie and Ba Nee are starting to get angry with Deirdre, and try to convince her that staying with the Misfits is not a good idea, but Deirdre refuses to listen to reason until after the concert.  They have a hard time seeing the show, so Deirdre spots a nearby antenna, and the three girls decide to climb up on it to get a better view as the Misfits start their set.



I have to say, "I Am A Giant" is a kick-ass song with a creative video.  I think this may be the only video in the Jem series that has actually utilized black and white so far.  It's very stunning, and Pizzazz as an Amazon woman would be one scary sight!

Krissie on the other hand is scared of heights, and she realizes that she wants to climb down.  But she loses her footing and falls off the antenna with Deirdre screaming in horror!





But we don't get to see Krissie go kersplut on the ground, as the TO BE CONTINUED graphic gets superimposed over her look of pure horror.  We'll have to wait until next week to see what happens next.  And believe me, I'll have plenty of opinions in that show too.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

June 14, 1777

I present to you a historic moment in the Tuesday Timeline feature.  This is officially the furthest that I have ever gone back in time with the Tuesday Timeline - well, aside from that April Fools Day joke I pulled a few years back.  Trust me though...this history lesson will be worth it.  Especially if you live south of the Canadian border.

I'll leave you with that thought as we take a look at some of the events that took place throughout history on June 14.

1158 - Munich, Germany is founded by Henry the Lion

1287 - Kublai Khan defeats the force of Nayan and other traditional Borjigin princes in Manchuria and East Mongolia

1775 - The United States Army is founded under the original name of the Continental Army

1789 - Bourbon is first produced by Reverend Elijah Craig

1900 - Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States - it would become an official state fifty-nine years later

1907 - Women in Norway are granted the right to vote

1928 - Ernesto "Che" Guevara (d. 1967) is born in Rosario, Argentina

1940 - Paris, France falls under German occupation forcing the Allies to retreat during World War II

1945 - Brazilian director Carlos Reichenbach is born - he would die on his 67th birthday in 2002

1949 - A rhesus monkey named Albert becomes the first monkey to go into outer space

1954 - Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a bill that places the words "under God" into the United States Pledge of Allegiance

1964 - Railway workers at a London station are shocked to find a twelve-year-old girl inside of a tea chest alive; she decided to mail herself to The Beatles!

1967 - Mariner 5 is launched towards Venus on the same day that The People's Republic of China tests its first hydrogen bomb

1985 - TWA Flight 847 is hijacked by Hezbollah shortly after taking off from Athens, Greece

1986 - A deadly accident takes place at the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta after the Mindbender roller coaster smashes into a concrete pillar after failing to go around a loop - three people are killed

1994 - Riots break out in Vancouver, British Columbia following the Stanley Cup Playoffs in which New York Rangers win the championship against the Vancouver Canucks; over 200 are arrested and damage is estimated at $1.1 million - on the same day, composer Henry Mancini dies at the age of 70

1997 - Actor Richard Jaeckel dies at the age of 70

2002 - An asteroid misses the Earth by a narrow margin - only 75,000 miles!

2015 - 6,500 acres are destroyed following a wildfire near Willow, Alaska

And the following famous faces are turning one year older today!  Happy birthday to Don Newcombe, Marla Gibbs, Jack Bannon, Jonathan Raban, Joe Grifasi, Donald Trump, Hiroshi Miyauchi, Jim Lea, Alan White, Eddie Mekka, David Thomas, Will Patton, Paul O'Grady, Nick Van Eede, Boy George, Chris DeGarmo, Yasmine BleethTraylor Howard, Campbell Brown, Faizon Love, Eric Desjardins, Steffi Graf, Heather McDonald, Dominic Brown, Sutan "Raja" Amrull, Alan Carr, J.R. Martinez, Siobhan Donaghy, Kevin McHale, Lucy Hale, and Courtney Halverson.

Now, as I mentioned before, this is the oldest Tuesday Timeline date that I have ever talked about in this space.  It's so old, we're going back over a couple of centuries!



How about we take a look at what happened exactly two hundred and thirty-nine years ago today on June 14, 1777?

Yep.  We're going back to a time in which Canada wasn't a country, and the United States was just a few weeks shy of celebrating its first birthday as a unified nation.  Of course, back in those days, America was only made up of thirteen colonies/states - Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.

When the United States officially became an independent nation on July 4, 1776, the nation needed its own flag to symbolize the event.  The only problem was that back in 1776, the Continental Congress wouldn't legally adopt any flags that contained a star shape in a blue field.  As a result, the first flag of the United States looked something like this.



In the corner was the British Union Jack - the country that America declared its independence from - and the red and white stripes represented the colonies that declared its independence from Great Britain.  Count the stripes and you will see that there are exactly thirteen.

That design would last for eleven months before the Continental Congress would pass a new bill regarding the design of the flag.  That bill was passed on June 14, 1777.  During that time, Congress had a change of heart over the inclusion of stars in the flag design, so the decision was made to remove the Union Jack from the original design, and instead place thirteen stars inside of a solid dark blue background representing the first thirteen states to join the union.



The design of the American flag is credited to New Jersey resident and naval flag designer Francis Hopkinson.  Though some may say that this is false, it is widely believed to be true, as Hopkinson was the only one to make that claim during his own lifetime and reportedly sent several letters and bills to Congress supposedly proving it.  But there are some who also claim it to be false, as Hopkinson's original design had seven white stripes and six red stripes (the opposite of what the current American flag holds), as well as six pointed stars instead of five.  At this point in time, it's hard to say what the real truth was, as nobody living in 1777 is still alive.  But it is generally believed that Hopkinson came up with the concept.



It is also widely believed that Betsy Ross was the first person in the country to sew the American flag after being given a pencil sketch by George Washington himself - a design that was like Hopkinson's plan except the stars were five pointed and arranged in a circle.  However, there is no evidence that suggests that Betsy Ross was given that design, or even was responsible for sewing the flag at all.  In fact, some descendants of flagmaker Rebecca Young claim that Young was the one who sewed the first American flag, not Ross.

Whatever the case, the first American flag was publicly raised in June 1777 and remained the flag's symbol ever since.  Though, the original design was modified with the creation of each state.  The first amendment was made in 1795 with the addition of Kentucky and Vermont to the Union, and twenty-five subsequent redesigns were made over the next two centuries - the final one being made in 1960 with the addition of the fiftieth state, Hawaii.

And the fifty star design just happens to be the one that has lasted the longest - nearly 56 years and counting.  So, unless something drastic happens such as Quebec separating from Canada and becoming the fifty-first state, I suspect this design will continue to hold true.

So, whether you refer to it as "Old Glory", the Star-Spangled Banner, or simply the American flag, know that it was on this day 239 years ago, it was first introduced.





Which could explain why "Flag Day" has become an American holiday.

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Be Kind To One Another...


By now I am sure that most of you have heard about what is being called the worst mass shooting in American history. 

In the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, at least fifty people were shot dead, and another fifty more seriously injured following a massive shooting by a man carrying an assault rifle inside of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.  The club is one of Orlando's top nightlife spots for the LGBT community, and many people in the area are grieving their loved ones, and wondering what would possess someone to do something so horrible.

This comes just one day after 22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie - a contestant from the NBC singing competition "The Voice" was gunned down after a performance in that same city.

Certainly it hasn't been a great weekend for "The Sunshine State".

I honestly am at a loss as to what to think.  Already people are calling for stricter gun laws - and honestly I can't say that I blame them.  There is absolutely no reason why a civilian should ever be granted permission to have an assault rifle on their possession.  But that's just how I feel.  I definitely don't believe in banning firearms altogether, but I think a lot more could be done to prevent them from getting into the hands of those who would use them for all the wrong reasons.  And while I would love to try and come up with a way to make it that easy to do, I honestly don't know how to come up with a solution that the majority of people would agree with.

Then there's the context of where the massive shooting took place.  It took place in a club that was frequented by people who identify themselves as homosexual.  I honestly feel that in 2016, we've definitely become more accepting of people as a whole, and I certainly want my gay, lesbian, and transgender friends to have the same rights as their straight counterparts.  Although we still don't know very much about the reason why the shooting took place, it is suspected that it was a terrorist attack.  And to me, that's incredibly chilling that someone would hate an entire group of people to the point that they would barge into a nightclub and just randomly start shooting at people.

It's cowardly and senseless.

So, what do we do about it so that something like this doesn't happen again?  As much as I hate to say it, I don't think that there's a whole lot of things we can do.  Unfortunately with most people getting their news through smartphones, we tend to hear about these sorts of things minute by minute as they happen.  And it seems as though no matter where you look, there is always someone who is trying to use their "freedom of speech" to denounce entire groups of people, humiliate people who think differently than they do, or attack people physically and emotionally because they happen to be in love with someone of the same sex.  In fact, no sooner than a couple of hours after the shootings broke, homophobic people were praising the shootings on social media. 

That's disgusting and tacky. 

To me, I don't believe that people who attack others in this way should even be given a soapbox...but unfortunately we live in a world where everyone deserves the right to have one.  But could you imagine the impact one might have if they used that soapbox to promote positive feelings? 

I honestly follow the advice that Ellen DeGeneres gives out at the end of every single one of her shows.  "Be kind to one another".  And you know what?  She is bang on.  I honestly don't know why so many people turn bitter or hold on to hatred for so long?  I mean, when you consider that it takes more effort to frown than it does to smile, doesn't that tell you something?  I know that on days in which I have not had a great experience and someone has pissed me off, I feel so emotionally drained afterwards.  Yet when I have a positive experience with people, I feel more energized. 

So, here's what I am going to do.  I'm going to open up discussion here for us to talk about what happened.  And, I want everyone to know that while I will respect everybody's opinions on this subject, I will not tolerate nastiness or comments that are racist, homophobic, or demeaning.  I will delete them.  There's no place for that here.

And to anyone who was personally impacted by this tragedy, my heart goes out to all of you.  You never deserved this.  And I want all of you to know that you all have a pal in me.  I'm sure many others around the world will be there for all of you too.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Sideshows and Party Tricks

Ever since I've made the decision to post more personal stories in this blog, I've had to rethink the way I present my blog.  Not so much in terms of layout, but how to tell the story. 

It's come to my attention that in my thirty-five year history, I've had a lot of stories that I have wanted to tell, but felt that I couldn't for various reasons.  Partly because I didn't think anybody would be interested.  Partly because I didn't think anyone would believe a word I had to say.

But mostly because I wasn't sure exactly how people would react to them.  Because, let's face it.  As Canadian chanteuse singer Amanda Marshall once sang in 2001, everybody's got a story that'll break your heart.  I've got some.  You probably have some.  We all have them.

So, just know this.  Before I go ahead with today's story, I just want all of you to know that I am not singling any particular people out with this admission.  This is more or less a generalization of what I've encountered.  I'm not pointing a finger of accusation at anyone.  Instead, this is another opportunity for me to speak my mind and set some things straight.

And now...today's story.

I have always been told that my memory is sharp.  In fact, one of my teachers - I believe it was my grade school French teacher, Mrs. Ruston, that told my parents that I had a photographic memory and that she had never seen any student quite like me.  And that's not me bragging.  That's exactly how I remember the conversation going.

Because as she said before, I have a photographic memory.



I guess this is one of those admissions that might not surprise a whole lot of people.  For me to remember things that happened thirty years ago as if they had just happened yesterday is something that not a lot of people can do.  I can even assign certain dates to when certain events in my life happened - in some cases, right down to the exact day.  Most people may not know what they were doing on May 23, 1995, but I remember being at Canada's Wonderland eating chicken fingers and losing forty bucks to a pickpocket while I was there.  Luckily, I had other money stashed in my suitcase so it wasn't a complete disaster.

Now, this photographic memory was kind of a double-edged sword in many ways.  The positives were quite plentiful.  I could master a video game, not play it for years, and still remember how to play it.  I always did well on tests in school because I could absorb the study material like a sponge.  And I never had to worry about losing anything because my attention to detail meant that I could remember every little detail about an item right down to its colour, texture, size, and if applicable, scent.

On the flipside, some of the cons meant that I could remember everything that happened to me that was bad - which explains why sometimes I have a harder time letting go of traumatic events than other people do.



But still...when you can remember things that most other people can't, it does fascinate people who seem shocked that my brain can hold so many things inside of it.  One of the first things I did to showcase my memory was memorize every single colour of the Laurentian pencil crayon brand and link it with its corresponding number.  That way, if someone randomly called out the number 17, I knew it was "Smoke Grey". 

Soon after, certain people seemed to think that my ability to remember the pencil crayon colours was something that had to be shared with everyone nearby.  So whenever people came over to visit, they would test me on naming the numbers with the colours, and whenever I did, they were blown away.  I guess I was too young to understand why that was the case.  It was just something that I did.  I couldn't explain why.  It was just the way that it was.

It also got to the point where my memory would come in handy for schoolwork too, as I could remember how to spell words without any help from the teacher, a dictionary, or thesaurus.  And when the rest of the kids found out, they came up to me and asked me to spell words for them so that they could do their work perfectly.  At first, I didn't mind it because - you know - they were being nice to me so I would help them.  But when recess came around and I wanted to play with the same kids I helped, they pretended they didn't see me.

And to be honest with you, I got that feeling a lot.

It was almost as if people were treating me like I was one of those sideshow freaks that you would see at the circus or at Ripley's Believe It Or Not exhibits.  Right between the bearded lady and the elastic man was the kid who could remember anything and everything.  It was almost like a game to people shouting numbers at me just so I could tell them the colour that was associated with them, or spelling words at the drop of a hat, or even remembering the details of comic books that I had read.  And then once I entertained them enough, they grew bored and moved on to the next big thing.

Here's a confession for all of you.

I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN YOU DO THIS.

And I suppose the main reason why I feel so strongly about this is because I don't particularly think it is fair to have people seem to only be interested in one part of a person's personality.  I happen to have a photographic memory.  But that's not all that I have.  I bet if people would sit back and really listen to what I have to say, they might find that there are a whole lot of other qualities that they might like as well.  I just wish that people wouldn't see me as being nothing more than a memory bank.  I am a person and I do have feelings like everybody else. 

But you know, one of the things in regard to having a photographic memory is that I can remember lots of things that other people might not...and while there are some things that I'd rather forget...there are some memories that I will never be able to.

Such as June 30, 2000 - the day I got my high school diploma. 
Or, December 8, 2004 - the day I first started my job.
Or, May 24, 2011 - the day I started this blog.
And of course, July 15, 2015 - the day I became a homeowner.

But more importantly, I hope that there are some memories that still have yet to come that I hope to experience.  If I ever get married, my wife would never have to worry about me forgetting our wedding anniversary.  If I decide that one day I want to have children, I would never forget their birthdays.  And, I'm sure that whatever milestones that I have over the next part of my life come my way...I'll have the ability to remember them all.

That's what I believe a photographic memory should be used for.  Heartfelt memories.  Not sideshows and party tricks.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Jem Reviewed: Episode 12 - In Stitches

Last week, the Holograms and the Misfits competed in a ski competition, where the Holograms emerged victorious.  And in this week's episode, there's another contest at stake.  This could also be the episode that has the most "things that make you go WTF" instances in it, so be warned.



This is
Jem Reviewed.  And this is Episode 12:  In Stitches.



The episode begins with Shana teaching Ashley how to draw designs.  The way that Shana explains it is that she uses stick figures and coloured markers to hang the clothes on the figure, but I gotta tell you - as someone who drew stick figures exclusively until the fourth grade, Shana's stick figures look nothing like mine.  Show off.



Shana leaves Ashley behind to work on her drawing techniques while she watches Lindsey Pearce's video show with the rest of the Starlight Girls.  It seems as though there's a fashion competition going on in Venice, Italy, and the contest is being organized by Italian rock music promoter Tony Cassini.  Cassini explains that he has arranged for rock groups all over the world to model their own fashions in a runway show at his private estate, and that the winners will have their looks featured in their own fashion rock video - with the winning designer getting full credit for the designs.  Not a bad prize!



He's chosen all the finalists from the other nations except for the United States.  He can't decide between the Misfits and Jem and the Holograms, so he's decided to invite both of them to Venice to compete, causing everyone in the Starlight Mansion media room to erupt in applause and cheers.

Lindsey also mentions the fact that Shana is the main fashion designer of the Holograms - well, when Synergy doesn't help them out that is - and she's basically a newbie when it comes to designing - at least compared to the other groups entering.  And this prompts Shana to receive a phone call...and you'll never guess who it is?



Yep, Roxy, Pizzazz, and Stormer are calling to break Shana's confidence, and Roxy brags that the Misfits have gotten fashion designer Bobby Stark to do their outfits, so Shana should just drop out now.  Shana angrily hangs up the phone, but you can tell that their taunts have really gotten to her.



When Ashley tries to show Shana the designs she drew, Shana brushes her aside and sits in a corner to mope.  Poor Ashley.  First she had to deal with the Starlight Girls rejecting her...now Shana.  How does she deal with it all?

It seems as though Jerrica, Kimber, and Aja are concerned about Shana, and in the middle of the night they decide to ask her what is going on.  Jerrica point blank asks "Who is this insecure person pretending to be Shana?".  Shana just remarks that she is scared, so Jerrica transforms into Jem and decides to give Shana a pep talk in song.



Okay, can we just talk about how awesome a song "It All Depends On The Mood I'm In" really is?  I always loved bluesy sounding music, and this one is catchy as hell.  I don't even care that the song is all about fashion, and that Kimber and Aja are acting like four year olds rummaging through their mom's closet.  This song is definitely one of Jem and the Holograms' strongest ones to date.  At least, in my opinion it is anyway.



It definitely seems to give Shana new life.  She stays up the entire night drawing brand new designs, and she comes up with some great sketches.  Of course, she'll have to turn them into actual clothes, but she'll just wait until they get to Italy.  Apparently Danielle DuVoisin has a place in Venice where Shana can work on the outfits in peace.

Here's your Jem Trivia.  Shana was always supposed to be a fashion designer according to Christy Marx's Jem Bible...but she wasn't always supposed to play the drums.  In early concepts of the series, it was Aja who played drums and Shana played the guitar!



The next morning, Shana puts her designs inside of a container, which she sets next to a big trunk.  But someone switches the containers out!  Uh-oh!  Don't tell me Pizzazz and Roxy are responsible!



Well, we can't speculate about this now.  The Holograms are going to Italy!  And for the first few hours of the flight, things go smoothly.

At least they do until a thunderstorm erupts somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean and Jem decides that she has to go to the bathroom.

Normally this wouldn't be a concern - except that this demonstrates one of Synergy's weaknesses.  If the weather is horrible outside, it can interfere with the satellite signals necessary for Jerrica to communicate with Synergy.  It's like when you try to watch satellite television in a storm and the image breaks up.



Predictably, Jem turns into Jerrica right in the middle of the bathroom and is unable to change back into Jem until the storm clears.  For one poor guy who needs to use the washroom, I assume this means a very uncomfortable flight.  My thoughts to the poor flight attendant who has to clean up THAT mess!

Fortunately for Jerrica, the storm ends before they land in Italy, and Jerrica becomes Jem again.  And before you know it, they're on their way to Danielle DuVoisin's palace.  Yep, you heard me.  I said palace.  The woman lives in a freakin' castle - or at least a place big enough to BE a castle.  I'm immediately jealous.



Jem, Aja, and Kimber hop aboard one gondola, but Shana and her designs take a secondary one.  Jem's gondola operator is pleasant, kind, and teaches the girls some history lessons about Venice, which is nice to hear.  Shana's gondola operator is rude, crude, and attempts to steal Shana's designs!



No wonder!  Shana's gondola operator is Zipper!  And soon after, the Misfits come speeding through Venice's canals on a motorboat!  I should've known!



The Misfits pick Zipper up and Zipper hops in the boat.  But when Zipper drops the package with the designs, it falls on top of the steering wheel which sends the Misfits out of control directly in the path of Shana!  Shana is thrown into the water by the force of the Misfits boat, and Jem and the others are worried that she'll drown.



But Shana is one angry woman, and she declares that she will pulverize them!  WHOA!  I am LOVING this side of Shana!  I also find that when Shana's hair is wet, it actually looks better than that football shaped style she's known for.  But there's no time to celebrate.  Shana's designs are in the hands of Zipper.  But wait...someone mysteriously switched Shana's designs with another package.  So, where are the REAL designs?  Could they be in that trunk that is floating in the Venice canals?  Too many questions, too many answers.

The girls arrive at Danielle DuVoisin's palace, and Shana is still looking like a drowned rat.  But after a nice hot bath, she's back up and running.



Danielle shows Shana her work area, which is very nice, but Shana is still upset over the loss of her designs.  Danielle comforts her, and gives her a pep talk, which I absolutely love.  It's great that Shana has a mentor like Danielle to guide her, and I think Danielle is one of the better secondary characters of the show.

Some more good luck comes with the retrieval of the trunk which contained all of the girls' accessories and shoes.  Shana's happy it was retrieved, but laments that they can't go on stage with just their shoes and accessories.  Maybe not, but it certainly would be quite the showstopper!



But what's even more shocking is that when they open the trunk, ASHLEY happens to be inside!  This.  Makes.  No.  Sense.  You mean to tell me that Ashley snuck inside the trunk, somehow had enough oxygen to breathe in there during a however long a flight it was, and didn't drown in the canals?  I've seen "1000 Ways To Die".  If this were real life, Ashley would be dead, and the Holograms would be charged with murder - or at the very least, neglect.  And how did Mrs. Bailey not realize that only ELEVEN girls made it back to Starlight House!  Not even Catherine O'Hara was that brain dead in "Home Alone"!

This episode makes less sense than "Adventure In China"!  And yet, here's the kicker.  I'm less offended at this development because it at least has humour in it!  The real humour comes from the fact that it was Ashley who switched the designs, and Shana has her original designs after all...which means that Zipper grabbed Ashley's designs - a fact that makes Ashley brag about her talent!  HA!



Wow...Ashley.  Don't quit your day job.  Whatever your day job is.



But this poses problems for the Misfits.  Their original designer is incapacitated with a toothache - which to me seems not that severe even though toothaches can really hurt.  Honestly, if he had broken his designing hand or had a mental breakdown over the colour of chartreuse, I'd buy it as a better excuse, but this episode stretches reality enough.  The point is that the Misfits go to plan B, which is to steal Shana's designs and pass them off as their own.



Shana gets to work on designing her clothes.  There's a nice aqua number that would be perfect for Kimber.  She designs an orange ensemble that seems that it would clash with Aja's hair, but Shana thinks it'll work.  And the lavender and yellow dress has Jem's name written all over it.  I don't know why Shana doesn't design anything for herself, but maybe she already did, and she's keeping it a secret.

Bad news.  Even though Ashley and Shana's designs mysteriously survived, the shoes and accessories were ruined.  Again, this makes no sense.  It just seems like an excuse for Shana and Ashley to visit a shoe store.  Fortunately, I don't care, because Pizzazz barges into the store and this sets the stage for what I think is the Misfits' finest song.



"Designing Woman" is absolute genius.  The beat is sick, and surprisingly for a Misfits song, the message is one hundred per cent positive!  It's all about taking control of your own destiny and making your own breaks, and while it's sung from a female perspective, the message could apply to anybody.  It's going to be hard to top this as my favourite Misfits song.  It's actually in the running for best song overall!

But why is Jem in the video?  She wasn't in the shoe store.  Very strange.



After the melee at the shoe store, but before Shana and the others return, Zipper successfully breaks into Shana's work area and steals the dresses.  By the time Shana returns and sees her designs are gone, she announces that she's tired of this garbage and she is going to get her designs back!

The Holograms successfully track down the villa where Eric and the Misfits are hiding, and watch as Eric greets four seamstresses.  But Eric is confused because he thought he hired five.  This gives Jem an idea.



She disguises herself as the fifth seamstress (with Synergy's help) and manages to fool Roxy into letting her in.  As the seamstress, Jem watches as the Misfits ogle Shana's designs.  But immediately they hate them.  Apparently their fashion sense is Alice Cooper and AC/DC, while the Holograms appear to be inspired by Lisa Frank and Rainbow Brite.  Pizzazz throws the disguised Jem the designs and forces her to dye them black.  Oh, Pizzazz...if you only noticed the JemStar earrings that seamstress is wearing, you might have gotten a clue.



Of course, Jem wastes no time in escaping the villa, and it's only after she changes back into Jem that Eric notices.  The Misfits and Jem and the Holograms embark on yet another chase scene, this time through the canals of Venice.  Their chase ends on a bridge crossing the canal where The Misfits nearly get thrown over the side of the bridge fighting with Jem over the designs.  



And, Shana...you seriously need lessons in choosing the right fabrics for your designs.  If they rip THIS easily, you have problems.  I mean, even a garment from the dollar store has more durability!  Of course, the dresses were never meant to be used as ropes, so I guess I can give a pass.



Zipper manages to arrive in time as the dresses tear in half and the Misfits fall towards the canal.  Stormer and Pizzazz land safely in the boat, but Roxy falls in the water.  And Zipper will likely be dead within the next twelve hours.  Nice knowing you!

Kimber and Aja yell at the Misfits for destroying Shana's designs, but Shana's not ready to give up even though she has no designs and the fashion show is an hour away.  Jem makes the suggestion that Synergy can help, given that Shana programmed her designs into Synergy's memory banks.  So, basically you want to cheat.  So, basically you're turning into the Misfits. 

So, basically, this episode continues to make no sense.



Of course, a new problem arises.  The Holograms need to get to Cassini's, and the only way there is by gondola.  But in the infinite wisdom that is Jem and the Holograms, not one of them remembered to bring any money with them, so none of the gondola operators will take them.  Time is running out!  How will they get to Cassini's in time to cheat...I mean, win the contest?



Well, once again, I have to hand it to the music department of this episode.  "Time Is Runnin' Out" is another great song - even if the chorus is quite repetitive.   It's not as good as the first song of this episode, but it's a solid hit.  And we also see that Jem and the Holograms aren't above panhandling to get the money needed to pay for the trip to Cassini's.  But I'm trying to figure out why Rio is in the video.  He's not in this episode!  Oh, whatever.  It's still a good song, and it does get the Holograms from Point A to Point Cassini with moments to spare.



By the time the Holograms arrive at Cassini's, they learn that they are the last ones to go on stage, right after the Misfits.  And Shana is upset that Pizzazz, Roxy, and Stormer have recreated Shana's designs and turned them black.  Sad thing is...I do agree with the Misfits.  Shana's designs looked okay before, but the Misfits made them look even cooler.  



But Ashley is sitting at what appears to be the judge's table with Danielle DuVoisin...and I cry shenanigans.  Danielle is far from being an impartial judge in this case because of her friendship with Shana and the Holograms...and since when did Ashley become a judge?  Ah, well...we've already suspended reality a lot this episode.  The fact that a thirteen year old that stowed away in a wooden trunk can now judge a fashion competition just adds to that list.  The point is that Ashley recognizes the Misfits outfits as Shana's designs, and she immediately tells Danielle.  This could be trouble for the Misfits!



Of course, the designs the Misfits are wearing are Shana's, but the Holograms plan on using Synergy to win the contest, so really, is what they're doing ethical?  I say not.  But it's all they have left.  I sure hope nothing goes wrong, like a sudden rainstorm...



Uh-oh!  That pesky satellite interference has struck again, right at the moment where Jem and the Holograms are set to walk on stage!  They really ARE going to walk out on stage wearing nothing but their shoes and accessories - and what appears to be really ugly underwear.  Seriously, do women even still wear one-piece lingerie?  Even in 1986?



At first it looks like Jem and the Holograms might have to forfeit the contest, but Synergy decides to behave herself and reinstates the fashion hologram, meaning that Jem and the others can go on stage without getting arrested.  And I have to say, the love and the passion that Tony Cassini uses in his descriptions of the clothes are very well written.  Kudos to Mary Skrenes for the brilliant dialogue in an otherwise impossible episode.

It's time to announce the winners, and the third place winners are some band from Japan who seem to be excited even though they lost.  Good attitudes though!



In second place are The Misfits - which must make Shana upset, considering that they stole her designs.  But she needs not worry because the winners happen to be the no-good, cheating dogs known as Jem and the Holograms!  Who cares that they technically weren't wearing real fabric clothes?  Shana did technically design them, so it's a bit of a loophole.

Even more fun is that Danielle reveals the truth about the Misfits designs to Cassini, who announces that Shana will ALSO receive full credit for the Misfits second place looks.  Pizzazz is furious, and declares that because they improved the dresses by making them black, but Cassini states that as long as he is in charge of the contest, Shana will get full credit!



And the episode ends with Shana getting a standing ovation, and me left with a headache trying to understand how this episode could have so much factually wrong with it, and yet still be one of the more entertaining episodes of the show so far.  It's nice to see Shana get an episode devoted to her, rather than have Jem and Kimber as the star.  I credit Mary Skrenes for coming up with the idea of the episode, and attempting to make impossible situations look possible.  And I do believe this episode has the strongest music so far.  None of the three songs in the episode are terrible - in fact, they are three of the strongest songs to date.  But yes, Ashley should probably not even be alive at the end of this episode.  If this were real life, she'd be worm food, and the only outfits that the Holograms would worry about would be orange jumpsuits.

Just saying.

Next week, it's back to the multi-part episodes, where Jem and the Holograms tackle the serious subject of teen runaways.  I sure hope they treat the subject with dignity and not like...well...this episode!