This week, George Wendt of "Cheers" fame, made an appearance on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning. During that appearance, they played the theme song from "Cheers"...without a doubt the greatest TV theme song of all time.
Then I got to thinking about it, and there really are very few great theme songs for TV shows anymore. The only really good one I can think of, from current shows, is the theme song to "Psych". I thought about embedding a video, but the only person in the world that doesn't like "Psych" reads this blog, so I don't want to offend him. Plus, I already tricked him into listening to it once this week. If you want to hear it, click the link provided.
This got me thinking though, what are the best theme songs for TV shows? To be great, the song can't be terrible, and when you hear it, you instantly know what show it's from.
While "Psych" has a great theme song, it can't top these classics.
Here's my top 5 of all time (with You Tube links provided to all of them in case you want to listen/watch). Let me know if I've missed any good ones.
5 - Growing Pains - "Show me that smile again..."
4 - Magnum P.I - Tom Selleck...the best "stache" ever.
3 - MacGyver - just a classic.
2 - Dukes of Hazzard - this is almost #1
and #1
Cheers - simply the best of all time...hands down!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Miscellaneous Friday Thoughts
I haven't done one of these random miscellaneous thought blogs in a while. So here goes:
Golf Season Winding Down:
My golf season in Iowa is winding down, and it saddens me. I don't really want to move, but I want to be able to golf year around. Today, I came up with the solution....we dome the city! It can be a retractable roof dome so on nice days we can open it up, but during the cold winter months, we can keep it a controlled 72 degrees in here. I may have to run for mayor.
Lebron James vs. W:
When asked who he would most like to dunk on, NBA star Lebron James said George W. Bush. That may be the dumbest thing ever uttered. Would that make Lebron feel like a big man? To dunk on someone in his 60's, who's a foot shorter than him? Really Lebron? Does Lebron think W would even care? This is bully teenager stuff. Every time I start to think the NBA isn't just a bunch of thugs and bullies, one of their big stars manages to prove me wrong.
Climate Change:
I miss global warming. This October has been really cold! Ever since Al Gore noticed that it's been cooling for 10 years, and renamed the movement Climate Change, it's been colder. This is the coldest October I remember. Darn you Al Gore!
Pay Czar:
This week Obama's unconstitutional Pay Czar set new wages for executives at companies that took bailout money. I sent the following e-mail to a friend (I think this is a conversation worth sharing):
"Today it's execs and companies that received big bailouts. Tomorrow it's all companies that received any type of bailout. Then, what about the companies who do gov't contracts? Why not control them as well? Then, when they can't cut exec. pay anymore, lets look at all management. Then lets cut engineers and other support personnel's pay. Then what about admins? After all, if the gov't is providing any funding, whatsoever, they should get to determine how that company does it's business. It's a slippery slope to the gov't controlling way more than just executive pay.
This is dangerous. I bet the "pay czar" never cuts union pay though. "
To which he responded:
"I disagree with your assertion that this is not Constitutional. It is one of the few things that Congress does that IS constitutional. (Although it IS unconstitutional that the Executive Branch is doing this instead of the Congress.)
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. - The Sixteenth Amendment (Amendment XVI) to the United States Constitution ratified on February 3, 1913.
When you give someone the ability to take your money and the ability to determine how much of it they take... they already have the ability to determine your pay!
By the way, the 16th Amendment was proposed by Taft., a "progressive" Republican (who was voted out of office after 1 term). Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) then quickly took advantage of the amendment ... proposing a "progressive tax" in his next term.
The Obama "Pay Czar" is a natural extension of these 100 year old philosophies - he is essentially taxing anything above a certain amount at 100%.
Thus the warning from the founding fathers: "If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one...." -- James Madison, letter to Edmund Pendleton, January 21, 1792.
Repeal the 16th Amendment if you don't like the effects of the Pay Czar."
Interesting take I think...Obama is really just the tipping point of 100 years of government intrusion on our lives.
Golf Season Winding Down:
My golf season in Iowa is winding down, and it saddens me. I don't really want to move, but I want to be able to golf year around. Today, I came up with the solution....we dome the city! It can be a retractable roof dome so on nice days we can open it up, but during the cold winter months, we can keep it a controlled 72 degrees in here. I may have to run for mayor.
Lebron James vs. W:
When asked who he would most like to dunk on, NBA star Lebron James said George W. Bush. That may be the dumbest thing ever uttered. Would that make Lebron feel like a big man? To dunk on someone in his 60's, who's a foot shorter than him? Really Lebron? Does Lebron think W would even care? This is bully teenager stuff. Every time I start to think the NBA isn't just a bunch of thugs and bullies, one of their big stars manages to prove me wrong.
Climate Change:
I miss global warming. This October has been really cold! Ever since Al Gore noticed that it's been cooling for 10 years, and renamed the movement Climate Change, it's been colder. This is the coldest October I remember. Darn you Al Gore!
Pay Czar:
This week Obama's unconstitutional Pay Czar set new wages for executives at companies that took bailout money. I sent the following e-mail to a friend (I think this is a conversation worth sharing):
"Today it's execs and companies that received big bailouts. Tomorrow it's all companies that received any type of bailout. Then, what about the companies who do gov't contracts? Why not control them as well? Then, when they can't cut exec. pay anymore, lets look at all management. Then lets cut engineers and other support personnel's pay. Then what about admins? After all, if the gov't is providing any funding, whatsoever, they should get to determine how that company does it's business. It's a slippery slope to the gov't controlling way more than just executive pay.
This is dangerous. I bet the "pay czar" never cuts union pay though. "
To which he responded:
"I disagree with your assertion that this is not Constitutional. It is one of the few things that Congress does that IS constitutional. (Although it IS unconstitutional that the Executive Branch is doing this instead of the Congress.)
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. - The Sixteenth Amendment (Amendment XVI) to the United States Constitution ratified on February 3, 1913.
When you give someone the ability to take your money and the ability to determine how much of it they take... they already have the ability to determine your pay!
By the way, the 16th Amendment was proposed by Taft., a "progressive" Republican (who was voted out of office after 1 term). Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) then quickly took advantage of the amendment ... proposing a "progressive tax" in his next term.
The Obama "Pay Czar" is a natural extension of these 100 year old philosophies - he is essentially taxing anything above a certain amount at 100%.
Thus the warning from the founding fathers: "If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one...." -- James Madison, letter to Edmund Pendleton, January 21, 1792.
Repeal the 16th Amendment if you don't like the effects of the Pay Czar."
Interesting take I think...Obama is really just the tipping point of 100 years of government intrusion on our lives.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Make a Decision!
I was at bowling league today and they have a lot of TV's in there. On one TV, I saw a Fox News Headline that said "Administration Split on Afghanistan." I thought, how can 1 man be split? After all, President Obama is the Commander-in-Chief, so it's his decision to make. He can get advice, but in the end it comes down to him.
For those that aren't keeping up, a few weeks ago (maybe longer), the General in command of Afghan operations requested 40,000 additional troops to turn the tide in Afghanistan. My understanding is, he plans to use these troops for more humanitarian type missions...you know, get the Afghan people on our side. Once this request went in, President Obama started deliberating...and he's been deliberating, and deliberating, and deliberating ever since. For a man who wanted to rush through a stimulus package in 15 minutes and a new health care plan for all in about 20 minutes, this has been quite a change.
Recently, Secretary of Defense Gates has said this decision can't wait much longer. The smart people that our taxes pay to advise the President on Defense issues are saying that Obama must stop deliberating and make a decision. Yet, he continues to deliberate. Maybe he's too busy campaigning for massive health care reform?
Frankly, this was one of my biggest concerns about President Obama during the election. Would he have the intestinal fortitude to be the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces? Given that he had never really led anything prior to becoming President, I had reservations, and he is confirming those reservations every day he delays the decision.
So Mr. Commander-in-Chief, let me boil it down for you, because there's really only 2 options.
1) Do what the General you wanted in charge asked for and what your Secretary of Defense is saying you should do. Send more troops.
2) Get the heck outta there. If you really don't believe in the mission over there or don't believe we can win, you are doing our service men and women, and their families, a disservice by keeping them in harm's way.
This choice is up to you, and you alone, President Obama. This is what you asked for when you asked us to elect you. It's time to step up and lead. I may not agree with you, but if you make a hard decision and stick to it, at least I can respect that. Remember Mr. President, the title isn't Committee-in-Chief, it's Commander-in-Chief, and whether you know it or not, it's the most important job you have.
For those that aren't keeping up, a few weeks ago (maybe longer), the General in command of Afghan operations requested 40,000 additional troops to turn the tide in Afghanistan. My understanding is, he plans to use these troops for more humanitarian type missions...you know, get the Afghan people on our side. Once this request went in, President Obama started deliberating...and he's been deliberating, and deliberating, and deliberating ever since. For a man who wanted to rush through a stimulus package in 15 minutes and a new health care plan for all in about 20 minutes, this has been quite a change.
Recently, Secretary of Defense Gates has said this decision can't wait much longer. The smart people that our taxes pay to advise the President on Defense issues are saying that Obama must stop deliberating and make a decision. Yet, he continues to deliberate. Maybe he's too busy campaigning for massive health care reform?
Frankly, this was one of my biggest concerns about President Obama during the election. Would he have the intestinal fortitude to be the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces? Given that he had never really led anything prior to becoming President, I had reservations, and he is confirming those reservations every day he delays the decision.
So Mr. Commander-in-Chief, let me boil it down for you, because there's really only 2 options.
1) Do what the General you wanted in charge asked for and what your Secretary of Defense is saying you should do. Send more troops.
2) Get the heck outta there. If you really don't believe in the mission over there or don't believe we can win, you are doing our service men and women, and their families, a disservice by keeping them in harm's way.
This choice is up to you, and you alone, President Obama. This is what you asked for when you asked us to elect you. It's time to step up and lead. I may not agree with you, but if you make a hard decision and stick to it, at least I can respect that. Remember Mr. President, the title isn't Committee-in-Chief, it's Commander-in-Chief, and whether you know it or not, it's the most important job you have.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Movie Review: The Island
I borrowed "The Island" from Nuke to overcome the Netflix 1 disc plan. I've had this one in my Netflix queue forever, but it had never made it to the top. I wish it would have gotten to the top, because this is definitely an interesting, and good, movie.
"The Island" stars Ewan McGreagor and Scarlet Johansson (what a silly way to spell that name), as two survivors of "the contamination" living in a highly regulated indoor colony in the year 2019. All members of this indoor colony hope to win the lottery, which gets them to the island...the last clean area on earth. However, as our main characters soon find out, this indoor colony isn't all it seems, and they aren't what they seem.
I can't really say much more than that without giving away a lot of the plot. I really enjoyed this movie though. I'm a big Ewan McGreagor fan, and he doesn't disappoint in this movie. He plays two roles, and he plays them very well. Scarlet Johansson isn't great, but she's not awful. She has never been one of my favorite actresses, which is part of the reason why this movie has lingered in my queue so long. Sean Bean is the villain, and as always, he excels in the role.
This is a Sci-Fi/Action film. You'll need to like both to enjoy this movie. If you are just an action junkie, I think the complex plot may just drive you nuts. If you are a Sci-Fi junkie, you may get sick of the numerous chase scenes, and find yourself longing for more deep thinking plot twists. Overall, I give "The Island" 4 stars.
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