TV Discussion Fisto's Disco: The LACWAC Social Thread

Here's an awesome video of some of the Animal Kingdom's most fascinating creatures in action, from Nat Geo:

 

Welp, as I write this Brazil are receiving an unprecedented thrashing on home turf in the World Cup, 4 - 0 down to Germany with 25 minutes played. This just doesn't happen.

Edit: 5 - 0 at halftime.

Whoooo.

That was... unexpected.

 

Unexpected indeed . I was just as shocked as the Brazilian players ...

In other news, I just signed a new work contract today (the old company filed for bankruptcy last year and the majority of us were laid off only recently). Best thing about it (apart from that it means food and shelter for the family): I'll be tech-supporting the remaining parts of the very company that fired me .

Oh yes, and I finally got my Captain Rex fleece blanket. Teehee, off to cuddling with Rexy ...

 

^Wow...LOL. And congrats on the new work contract.

Ah... its great to come back to this after a couple weeks of insanity.

 

Yay, just got the 5000 Days of Summer trophy (5,000 'likes') for my first 50-pt trophy! And it was timed well, since it's only been a little more than two weeks since summer began, heh.

And also, nice to see you posting again, Seerow. Congrats on the new job as well to Sgt Crowfield.

 

I watched Transformers: The Movie (1986) the other day for the first time in like 20 years and got a nice kick out of it (you got the touch!), so I decided to give Transformers Prime a try. I'm kinda really liking it, so far I think it's a credit to the franchise.

 

Since he's a big fan of this movie, this one's for Revanfan1:


It's sure not quiet on the Death Star tonight
The flash of lasers can be seen
A Empire of oppression,
And I guess I'm rebelling.

TIE fighters howl as they race closer to my side
Haven't been the same since Old Ben died.

The plan, the trench, the Death Star's beam!
Keep your eye on that computer screen!
Two meters for my torpedo
Then I hear a voice I know.

"Let go", "let go"!
And trust what you feel inside
Use the Force, come on Luke!
Now is not the time to hide!

And I don't care
What they think they know
The Force flows through you
It will always guide you where you need to go.

It's funny when I think that
I'm upside down somehow
And a growling vicious Wampa
Wants to devour me right now!

My lightsaber's stuck in the snow
I try to reach, but it's too low!
I use the Force, it comes to me, I'm free!

I can go, I can go
I can run from this icy hill
I can go, I can go!
I'm no monster's meal!

And here I stand
And just like Ben said...
The Force flows through me

He threatens Leia through his gloomy mask of black
I swing my lightsaber in furious and fast attack
Then he is down and all at once I am sad
Love comes back to me,
I must forgive my Dad!

Let it go, let it go
And trust what you know is right
Use the Force, come on
We don't have to fight!

And here I am
Let love calm fear
The Force flows through us!
And it always will be near.

From this video.

 

Circular Logic, that is awesome! But dude, I still want to see one once Rebels come out from Kanan's POV–it fits too perfectly!

 

That was perfect!

 

Talk about nostalgia trips. I've finally gotten around to checking out the first episode of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal which is a long awaited one more me. Its great to see my favorite heroine in action again in all her klutzy, ditsy, frilly glory. All thanks to the like fifty full color manga art books this is as close to the Manga's artwork as any Anime ever thought of getting. I'm still digging the art work which honestly may be to the shows detriment at times which does make everyone look emaciated. Thanks to the pastels and the simplicity of the style visually its just never going to get the prize for best animation but it doesn't have to. It looks atleast as good the newer Evangelion movies. Its augmented by well placed CGI at times. As endeared as I am to it, I'm glad Crystal ditched the slapstick that was all over the first anime. Crystal still has some funny moments but I like the more serious tone. The pacing was a little slow but the Sailor Moon in all forms tends to go for a 'slice of life' when while given just a hint of the villain's plans and some foreshadowing of Usagi's (Sailor Moon) destiny. The pace of this anime is obviously going to be quicker with Sailor Mercury getting introduced in the 2nd episode where as the original anime introduces her in like episode 7. My biggest complaints would be while I like the cool updated opening animation the intro song "Moon Pride" is terrible and reeks generic Jpop. The translaion reads like it came out of a Saturday morning cartoon that came out 30 years ago. Really? This is what supercedes 'Moonlight Densetsu'? Normally I don't care to much about openings and ending with anime but when we're talking about "Moonlight Densetsu" it just weak. The background music which is also classic and memorable in the original anime is weak and generic as well. While one track is ethereal (which that same track gets repeated alot) the rest. Frankly I'd rather have to put up with the DiC music.

Well its all good. I leave you with the transformation comparison of new vs old. They are not playing around with these clips on youtube either.

 

Warning: Feels Ahead:

 

Pretty cool. The timing with "I wear this crown of thorns" is nice, along with other examples.

 

Deutschland, Fußball Weltmeister 2014.

Germany isn't my team but I was rooting for them after their demolition of Brazil the other day. Bit of a goal drought in the game but eh, I was happy enough with the result in the end.

 

Well, they are my team, and I'm really glad this worked out the way it did. I was a bit sceptical in the beginning of the tournament .

 

Continuing with Transformers.

Watched the two parter "Return of Optimus Prime".

So Optimus is just discovered on a ship, okay then. There's these spores that cause something literally called the "Hate Plague", hilarious trope namer.

It's terrible, the plague is stupid, Optimus is brought back to life with like zero ceremony....but both episodes are saved when Optimus uses the Matrix and "You got the touch! You got the power!" cures everyone. I was pretty unimpressed up to that point, I was thinking the entire thing was stupid....and then "you got the touch!" and I was all like "win".

Transformers Prime is still cool. Haven't disliked any of the episodes so far, I like all the characters, haven't been annoyed by any of them, and I loooooooove Airachnid. I'm thinking she's maybe like the Ventress of Transformers Prime.

Oh, and it really is that simple as "you got the touch!" making everything cool.

Seriously, if, at the end of Citadel Rescue, at the part where Ahsoka's lie is called out....if Stan Bush's "The Touch" had come out of Plo's mouth, I would have been totally cool with it, I would have paused, then said "Okay. This is okay. I accept this ending."

I wouldn't care that Transformers is not Star Wars. I wouldn't care. "The Touch" can solve many problems.

 

I...

...actually, you're right. Yes, I would've been okay with it.

 

The sad ending with Ahsoka walking away would have been even better if some over the top Johnny Cash dirge was played over it.

She was thrown out of the Jedi, framed for a crime she didn't commit, and forced through an outrageous kangaroo court, show trial.

And then her dog died. That was the final straw.

 

If you're a fan of Homeland:

Spoiler

 

I found this video rather inspiring:


For those who are unfamiliar, American Ninja Warrior is a reality obstacle course-based TV show where a few hundred athletes challenge a grueling four-stage obstacle course known as Mount Midoriyama (緑山). Sorry, Americans, but adding "Mount" before Midoriyama translates into "Mount Green Mountain". How silly. Anyway, it's a challenge based upon Japan's SASUKE competition which has been running strong for the past 17 years (and of which I am a big fan). The American version is currently in its sixth season (compared to 30 so far in Japan). The video above went viral and shows the first female competitor to complete a city finals course in order to earn her spot in the top 90 or so competitors who get the chance to tackle Midoriyama in Las Vegas. Though the show is a bit too reality-TV at times for my taste, I enjoy it for the fact that it is a competition that really challenges the competitors to reach a level of physical ability that at times makes us wonder if it's within the limits of human athletic ability. Thus far no one has ever completed every stage of Midoriyama in America, and only three men have ever completed it in Japan. Interestingly, none of the winners were taller than 5'4" (162 cm) or heavier than 141 lbs (64 kg).

What makes this video so inspiring is that Kacy Catanzaro (5'0", 100 lbs!) shows us that determination and perseverance can allow women to do things that our often male-dominated sports mindset doesn't allow us to imagine. She proved without a shadow of a doubt that women can indeed compete with and even surpass men in a truly demanding physical challenge. Sure, her small size and low weight might serve as advantages on some of the upper body-based obstacles, as she is able to preserve her stamina better, but she still managed to compensate for her lack of height and reach through impressive technique and sheer willpower. Truly an inspiring run, and I will be rooting for her when the city finals are complete and the Vegas course airs on television.