It is with extreme displeasure that I inform you all the the first Midwestrocker blog series, "Reasons Why I Wish I Experienced the 80's and Reasons I'm Glad I Missed the 70's," has been canceled.

The primary reason for this decision is a complete lack of creativity on the part of the series' creator. It turns out that it's difficult to write about two periods of time without actually having experienced them, and even more difficult to have an absolute, definitive opinion on something that you only have vague knowledge of. I don't know how politicians do it.

Another part of the cancelation is the profile view count. It hasn't increased by very much, and it's May Sweeps, people! We have to keep those eyeballs glued! ;)

We will not be showing the remaining episodes.

Now, on to other things. Tomorrow I'm going to Florida for my cousin's sweet-sixteen. It should be a nice trip, but it'll be a rough drive. See, my part of the country is under siege. Georgia hasn't seen this much fire since Sherman. Foggy smoke has been visible on and off throughout the state for two weeks, and the scent of burning leaves and pine cones fills the air. More troublesome, contact lens wearers (including myself) have had to get special prescriptions to deal with the irritation and red eye. But so far I haven't been directly confronted by these fires, until now. Tomorrow I will be driving right through the mess. The portion of 1-75 that's been blocked off for the past couple of days is exactly the portion that I use to get myself to Mickeyland. So I'm not sure how this is going to work; am I going to be rerouted somehow through back roads and swamps, or should I go out to Interstate 95 and go down that way? But wait, if I went to I-95 I'd have to go through the Okefenokee swamp, which is also going up in smoke. Oh, I guess I can go to 1-95 via I-10, which would actually be a nice drive. Wait, that's on fire too? Hmmm. I guess this is an appropriate depiction of the current situation. Also, next month I'll be heading up to Duluth, Minnesota to see family and, apparently, it's on fire too. Great. I'm beginning to feel singled out. Just wish me luck, I guess.

Speaking of cancelations, tomorrow they air the last episode of the Gilmore Girls. We just recently started watching that show, thus proving that my affection is the kiss of death for a TV show. Apparently, Battlestar Galactica's getting canned too. You better watch your back, Heroes, because in the last month I've gotten two shows canceled and I've ensured that Lost has an end date! Alias only survived 8 months of my fandom before it was dumped. And you're about to be my favorite show, so that = doom. But back to the Gabmore Girls: Will Luke and Lorelai end up together? Will Rory ride off into the sunset with a special someone? Surprisingly, I don't really care. It was a funny show, and it's run its course. Goodbye, fast-talking pop-culture referencers. You shall be missed a little bit.

That's all for today. I hope you guys all have a great week and don't bombard my house with eggs because of the cancelation. That is, if you could get to my house without going through an inferno.

This series returns from a short hiatus with "Part Three - Politics."

The 80's

The political situation of the 1980s was not ideal, but what it lacked in quality it made up for in charisma.  There were so many political giants in that era; George Bush, Tip O'Neal, Dan Quayle.  And of course, the big one.  The president of the US when I was born was Ronald Reagan, our nation's first ideologue Commander-in-Chief.  His excellent quotes and TV moments are more noticeable in our lives than even JFK's, but more importantly his effect on the country today is incredible.  He was the earthquake that started the Tsunami of conservatism that's dominated the U.S. in the 21st century.  He gave money and weapons to the people we're currently at war with.  He fought the Soviet Union relentlessly (as evidenced by that linked article), culminating in one of the great events of the 80's, the collapse of the Berlin Wall.  In so many ways the world we're living in now was shaped in the 80's.  So basically, I wish I had experienced the political 80's so I'd be less shocked by the political 2000's. :?

The 70's

Watergate.  Nixon.  Vietnam.  Hostages.  OPEC.  Pinochet.  Inflation.  Mao.  Every time I think things have never been as bad as they are right now, I say these words over and over.  It really helps.

The 80's

Mario
Of course the 80's played host to the Atari, the Intellevision, and the ColecoVision, but unfortunately none of these could survive the video game crash of 1983.  That's why we all owe the current success of video games to one little red plumber.  Super Mario Bros. came out for the NES in 1985 and sold 41 million copies.  That makes it the best selling video game of all time, and it's quite understandable.  I've played it throught my life at different points, and it never really seems dated.  It's a truly remarkable game, but I probably would have enjoyed the mario games more if I was actually a part of the 80's.  That's why this is an important part of why I wish I'd experienced the 80's.

The 70's

Pong
Pong.  Pong was a game in which you used a blocker on your TV screen to try and bounce a ball back to your opponent.  Simple.  Pong wouldn't have been so bad if it were a cheap video game for a console, but instead Pong was a console.  And it cost $100.  In the 70s.  During the gas shortage.  Insanity.

Okay, that's all for today.  Thanks for reading and I hope you'll show up for the next installment.

The 80's

New Wave
Oh to live in the time of Devo. A time when Gary Numan, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Dave Gahan were turning punk rock into a catchy, commercialized shadow of its raucous beginnings. A time when acoustic guitars, the weapons of preachy and dull singer-songwriters, were thrown out in exchange for the techy sound of a synthesizer. Indeed, it's emblematic of what was happening throughout the 80s: goodbye analog, hello digital. Although there aren't many goldies from this bunch that will be played throughout the century, their effect is still quite obvious. Entire genres have been spawned to mimic the sound of "Far Away" and Indie Rock is peppered with synthesizers and upbeat lyrics. Even some mainstream bands, such as the Killers, are reminiscent of New Wave's golden age. To conclude, if I had experienced the 1980s, I totally would have been sporting a Flock-of-seagulls hairdo.

The 70's

Disco, Simon and Garfunkel
Let's start with disco and one simple fact: the world needs dance music. There will always be dance music. But hopefully, it will be contained the way it is now. Disco marked a complete overrunning of mainstream music by something that should have stayed in the clubs. I forgive the 70s for this, I'm just glad that the demons of disco have been pushed back to their proper place.

Simon and Garfunkel: terrible.  And if it weren't for them, I might not have to hear John Mayer everytime I turn on the radio. That alone is enough reason to put them here.

That's it for today's music feature. You're invited to offer a counterpoint and maybe share some of your favorite/least favorite music from these years. See you tomorrow with the next installment.

If there was a Middleton, Nevada, I would be very freaked out right now. For some reason my mouse wandered over to the Wikipedia search box and my hands typed in "Middleton Nevada." I can't really explain how this happened, I'm just glad that's not a real place because I don't have time to go to Nevada. Which is what I would have done; I've watched Battlestar Galactica enough to know that prophesies cannot be ignored.

I'm thinking about doing a series of blogs. Maybe 5 or so blogs on one particular issue. I have a few ideas, but I'm not quite sure which one I should use. So I'm invoking the old and might tool of Democracy once more. Vote for one of these topics to be first Midwestrocker Blog Series:

1. Foreign Nations: I'll do a blog on five different countries based on my opinions of them, various interesting facts, and things about them that scare me. The only nation I know for sure would be in this is Germany, and the "scary" part shouldn't be difficult to imagine.
   
2. On the bubble TV shows: I'll write four blogs about shows that could be canceled and why I think they should, or shouldn't be.
3. The five best Radiohead songs: This is a gag option. Do not vote for this.
4. Hot-button Issues: I'll blog on things like Don Imus and... hmmm, whatever hot button issue comes up between now and then.
5. Learning about things: I'll write five blogs in which I pick a subject I know nothing about and research it silly trying to understand. The first thing would be "Currency." I just don't quite get how these little pieces of paper work. Do they represent gold? Does this mean I could trade in my dollars for a little piece of Fort Knox?
   
6. Reasons why I wish I'd experienced the 80s and reasons why I'm glad I missed the 70s: I'd write five blogs about things I wish I could have seen in the 80s, and things I'm glad I didn't see in the 70s.
   

Okay, I think that's plenty of options. Votes are appreciated either in the comments or in PM. And for the apathetic non-voters, here's the question of the day.

QotD: When did you get your first computer, and what was that like?

That's all for now. TTYL and thanks for reading. :)

I don't really talk about this much, but I am a huge political junkie. :) I read political books, check political blogs almost every day, and I discuss it every chance I get. I'm sure you've asked yourself at some point "Who really watches C-Span?" Well, that's me.

So today is a big day for me. It's the first debate of the Democratic Primary. And more than that, MSNBC (the host of the debate) is focusing entirely on politics today. Woot Woot! :D I get to pig out on words like "executive privilege" and "escalation of the war." It should be a nice day.  And hopefully one of the candidates will slip up and say something stupid... that's when a political junkie's real fun begins.

Just to make the day complete, I'm also watching a PBS documentary about the push for war in Iraq. They have it online, which is very convenient because I might be a junkie but i'm not crazy enough to go out of my way to watch something on PBS. I would definitely encourage it if you're interested in politics and/or World Peace.

So my question of the day is quite predictable.

QotD: Are you at all interested in politics? You don't have to say anything about your views (although that's appreciated), it's just a question about how much attention you pay to it.

That's all for now. I wish you all a happy Debate Day and will catch you later.

It's time for the spring cleaning, and to a person like me that means only one thing: reorganizing my bookmarks. Yes, my collection of favorite sites has become incredibly disorganized. Not to mention the fact that there aren't that many of them since I'm using a relatively new computer. So today will mostly be devoted to collecting, cataloging, and coalescing bookmarks. ("Coalescing" is there because I needed a third word that started with "C" in order to be totally alliterative. But it kinda works.)

Hey, I'm inches away from my first level increase in over a year! Woot Woot! Maybe when I'm done with my busy work I'll come back and finish that off. There are a few sadly neglected guides that I could go after, but editorships can be bothersome. We'll see.

Sorry for the sub-standard blog. To make up for it I'll leave you with an interesting Question of the Day.

QotD: Is TV.com actually useful? Is this a place you would go to for information if you weren't involved in it?

Alright, thanks for reading and I'll TTYL. Now I have to figure out how I'll file "TV.com" in my new system... I'm so excited! :)

Sanjaya went home last night! Woot Woot! :)

Along with the fact that this reality show has gone from pitiful to just mediocre, there are so many other great things about this development. I have to make a list:

1. Democracy is saved. I was this close to advocating an "American Idol: Dictatorship Edition" in which Simon alone kicked people off. It wouldn't have been long before Simon's excellent decisions made us appoint him president, and we would all be forced to wear black shirts and pledge our allegiance to the Queen.
   
2. Westen Civilization is saved. If America had elected it's "American Idol" based on who's the worst, our culture would be completely irredeemable. This says a lot about Americans' ability to support actual talent over their want to continue a national scandal. I did not expect that.
3. The Midwestrocker family stays in the USA. We have quite a few American Idol fanatics in my family and it's possible that if Sanjaya had won... we would have pulled an Alec Baldwin.
4. I won 50 bucks! It really looked like I wasn't going to win the bet I made at the beginning of the competition. If he made it to the final five, I would have been out $50. I was very, very nervous. But it paid off! Woot Woot! Now I think I've had my fill of gambling for the year. No more! At least... not until the finale. And I have to bet on the Emmys. Oh, and Dancing with the stars, can't forget about that one.

I'm Midwestrocker, and I'm addicted to betting on television events. Quick, 20 bucks on whether or not Katie Couric is fired in the next year! Disclaimer: Midwestrocker does not support gambling and does understand that it is a serious problem.
So what are your thoughts on Sanjaya's exit? Pro or Con? Too soon or too late? Or maybe you just don't care. If so, good for you. I wish I had your willpower.

Alright, that's all I've got for today. TTYL.

P.S: 30 bucks says Fox cancels every new drama of next year. Come on! ;)

It's been a somewhat rough day. I can't really say why, it just feels like my mind is taking a bath in raw sewage. My consciousness is dancing in feces. My heart is writhing in manure (Alright, I think you get it). So I'm just going to cancel the rest of the day and go to grandma's for some candy. It's not the most ideal way of handling a hard day, but hey, it works!

But to make up for this short, lame blog and all those disgusting metaphors, I give you this: A customizable version of Stephen Colbert's "On Notice Board." I should probably talk more about Stephen Colbert, considering that I'm the editor of the guide and he's a tremendously popular person. I guess I'm just feeling guilty that I have the SC guide instead of all the fanatic, OCD, Colbert worshippers who would want it. Anyways, I've used it to put these things On Notice. :)

QotD: Do you have a guide that you feel you don't deserve? How about one that is desired by a herd of angry fanboys who are trying to find your address so they can throw GM financial reports all over your front yard?

That's all I've got for today. Goodbye, and here's to a better tomorrow for everybody. (Wow, why was that so hard to type? Maybe I feel like I'm jinxing everybody's Thursday... :?)

Everyone looking for humanity can go here. Because my blog takes place in a world where everything is okay.

Today I'd like to talk about my big break from TV.com. My old friends here (I think almost all of my friends here are "old friends here") remember that I was a pretty prolific blog writer once. I commented on other people's blogs often, and was generally pretty happy. But for some reason I just couldn't keep that up, so I spent six months or more in the real world. It was a relatively good six months, but I don't think I gained anything that spending time on this site would take away. I need creative expression, communication, and a fun environment, and this is a perfectly good way to get that for right now.

Of course, you never know what you have until it's gone. Most of the people I talked to before I left seem to have also left the site. Or at least stepped back quite a bit. It's a totally different site and I'm not even completely up-to-date on the rules (We can link to Youtube videos? Really? What are the limits to that?) and new features. I feel sort of like I'm going back to my hometown after years away. Hey, I'm that guy from October Road! :)

At first I didn't find any of it important, but now I really feel like I'm committed to staying here for a while. So I have to do some work. I'm going to reacquaint myself with the rules, maybe do a little forum posting, and most importantly find some new friends. So if you know someone who has a blog/interest/aura similar to mine, point me in their direction. ;) It really is a nice site, and I don't think I'm done yet.

Well, that's my blog for today. Here's hoping I'll see you guys around.