LaBeouf takes Partial Blame for Sucktitude of "Crystal Skull"

It wasn't easy watching what happened to one of my favorite action heroes two summers ago, but it was refreshing to see LaBeouf finally man up and take some credit for the atrocity that was Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

"I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished," LaBeouf said, explaining that this upped the ante for him before he began shooting the "Wall Street" sequel. "If I was going to do it twice, my career was over. So this was fight-or-flight for me." Meeting with reporters Saturday on a terrace at the Hotel du Cap, he had some strong, confessional words about his acting in the film, which he said he felt didn't convince anyone that he was the action hero the movie claimed him to be. "You get to monkey-swinging and things like that and you can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven [Spielberg, who directed]. But the actor's job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn't do it. So that's my fault. Simple."

LaBeouf said that he could have kept quiet, especially given the movie's blockbuster status, but didn't think the film had fooled anyone. "I think the audience is pretty intelligent. I think they know when you've made ... . And I think if you don't acknowledge it, then why do they trust you the next time you're promoting a movie." LaBeouf went on to say he wasn't the only star on the film who felt that way. "We [Harrison Ford and LaBeouf] had major discussions. He wasn't happy with it either. Look, the movie could have been updated. There was a reason it wasn't universally accepted."

LaBeouf added, "We need to be able to satiate the appetite," he said. "I think we just misinterpreted what we were trying to satiate."

- LA Times

The full story can be read here.

Say what you want about LaBeouf and his acting style, but you can't deny it takes integrity to come out and admit when you screw up like that, or that you're taking part in something truly awful. LaBeouf caught some flak not too long ago for making similar comments regarding Transformers 2.

Although we have to give him credit for being honest with himself and the films' producers; I wouldn't have any problem being honest with myself regarding my lack of skill as a brain surgeon, after killing a hundred people attempting to be one. Perhaps your career as an actor ended with "Even Stephens", Mr. LaBeouf. I guess we won't know until you admit your next mistake...

Good Night, Sweet Prince

Yesterday morning, the Heavy Metal world lost one of its most cherished icons. On May 16th, at 7:45 am, Ronnie James Dio, second Black Sabbath vocalist, and leadman of "Dio" died after a long, painful struggle with stomach cancer. He was surrounded by his family and loved ones, and was able to say his private goodbyes before going gentle into that good night.

The Internet rumor mill, working the way that it does, had many (including me at first) believing that the report of Dio's passing was a sick hoax. News of Dio's death was confirmed however, in a brief message left by his wife on the front page of http://www.ronniejamesdio.com/.

Famously regarded as the rock n' roll pioneer who first brought the "horns" hand gesture to Heavy Metal, Dio was by far the most bad ass mother fucker to ever put on a silk shirt. When I found out the legitimacy of his passing, I felt that sunken feeling of despair that one typically feels when losing a close friend or family member. I still don't want to believe it's true. The fact that he will never sing again and I will never have the honor of seeing him perform live is nothing short of devastating to me. His lyrics, demeanor and general attitude towards love and life will forever inspire me in the decisions I make and the way I approach thing in my every day living, if even just a little. Even at this moment I'm asking myself, "WWDD?" How can I honor a man of such greatness with my mortal words?

I guess the only good that will come from this tragedy is the possibility that the media will honor him appropriately in his passing. That his music will receive more air time, and his status as a legend will be sealed in a way only fitting for a man of his caliber.

Sweet dreams Dio. May your beautiful melodies ring through the speakers of all true metal fans for decades to come.

Android Takes a Bite out of Apple's iPhone Sales

Analysts NPD are claiming that Android has crept past Apple to take the number two spot of most popular smartphone operating systems in the US. Based on figures from Q1 2010, Android-based devices accounted for 28-percent of smartphone unit sales, ahead of Apple’s iPhone OS at 21-percent but still lagging behind RIM’s BlackBerry OS at 36-percent.

You can read the full story here.

Keep in mind, however, that while total Android sales are higher, that the iPhone is limited to one provider (AT&T), one manufacturer (Apple) and only a select few models. Whereas the Android platform is on phones by several different manufacturers (HTC, Motorola, LG, Samsung, etc.), available on all major cellphone providers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) and is available on a dozen or so models and counting. Apple fan boys, not to be outdone by anything, are arguing the validity of this report based on that information. (They've been saying the same things based on Windows/MAC OS comparisons).

It's of course nobody's fault that Apple's marketing scheme is to make themselves out to be a super exclusive brand only sold to people who are willing to spend double for what comparable hardware costs on any other platform. Apple OS's are installed on Apple Computers with Apple hardware, so it's easy to understand that the Mac OS is exclusive to Apple phones. The Mac OS being sold on a Samsung or Motorola phone just isn't realistic. Apple has always been this way, and they aren't going to change their game any time soon.

What I really have a hard time understanding is why Apple refuses to expand itself to different providers other than AT&T? I'm sure their contract with AT&T must be a pretty sexy one (given that the biggest reason people even deal with that crap provider is to have an iPhone), but this study proves that all it does is hurt their sales. Blackberry and Android are on top now, and a big part of that is due to their product being available on a range of service providers, as opposed to only one.

I mean, don't get me wrong, Apple is cool; but the Android OS is built off of a Linux kernel, meaning you get way bigger geek points for having one. (And don't you want to be cool?) Not to mention you can run multiple apps at once, a multitasking capability that the current iPhones notoriously lack. To me, the answer is obvious, but I guess you'll have to tell me what you think.

Ode to the Tangle of Wires

I find it so fascinating that a series of wires from various appliances and gadgets can become so intertwined and intricately knotted together; seemingly with no outside interference other than being put close to each other. Even though every wire has its own purpose, its own path, with each their own destination; all the cables tangle up with one another effortlessly, engaging in a complex network of rubber and copper vines dangling behind my desk. I see each device, gadget, and peripheral as a human being; each wire, a destiny; and every socket and port as a goal or a purpose in life.

Even though all of us are ultimately out for ourselves; searching for our meaning and cozy little niche' in this big, scary universe, our paths cross with the people who are closest to us. Our destinies twist, tie and wrap around one another as we work our way to finding what it is we are all truly searching for. Sometimes it could be a simple criss-cross pattern with little interference, nothing more than a bumping of shoulders. Sometimes, however, it can be an impossibly coiled, unbreakable knot that would require hours of time and patience to even consider unraveling. Even though I can find myself a bit too tied up with the people in my life that I know, love, and care about, ultimately they guide me to exactly where I want to be in life.

Now how the fuck do I unplug this printer...

~Bren

Stephen Hawking: Aliens Exist, and They Got Our Fucking Number

According to msnbc.com, Hawking claims in a new documentary titled "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking" that intelligent alien life forms almost certainly exist — but warns that communicating with them could be "too risky."

"We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet," Hawking said. "I imagine they might exist in massive ships ... having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach."

The 68-year-old scientist said a visit by extraterrestrials to Earth might well be like Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas, "which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans."

The full story can be read here.

Stephen Hawking continues, saying "To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational," he said. “The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like."

I on the other hand, personally have no challenge realizing what such aliens might actually be like. All joking aside, at 68-years-old it seems, even the most brilliant of minds can be susceptible to senility. Stephen Hawking, in a constant state of sitting down, must have been a victim of one too many Hollywood blockbusters and trashy novels to jump to such a conclusion about intelligent life on other planets. Alien invasion has always been a kick ass plot device, (Avatar proved that the reverse can also be true), but to declare its plausibility so bluntly in a scientific document seems a little extreme.

The human analogy of Christopher Columbus and the Native Americans makes some sense. (Although that's more of a description of white men, than humans in general.) But I feel like Hawking is forgetting that Native Americans are humans too. How we treat each other may not necessarily define how we will treat intelligent creatures from other planets. For that matter, how are we so sure the civilizations of an entire planet will unite to declare galactic battle against us? Use Earth as an example for Planet X. If Planet X is anything like Earth, they are way too busy kicking each others asses for their own resources to settle their differences all of the sudden, turn around and blow us to shit.

A planet is a big place. On Earth, there are hundreds of countries with different customs, cultures, traditions and ideals, filled with people of different race, ethnicity, and economical backgrounds. We, on this big blue ball here, are far too different from one another to get along, let alone come up with a common consensus on how to deal with an extraterrestrial situation. We can then assume, that Planet X has similar issues on its end.

That is if they are as smart as we are. For all we know, the inhabitants on Planet X could be slack-jawed morons. Science and logic could be totally lost on them, let alone them being capable of flying "massive ships" as pictured in the sci-fi imagination of Stephen Hawking.

In conclusion, I would no more heed Stephen Hawking's recent warning concerning alien contact than I would heed HG Wells' not-so-recent warning concerning alien contact. These are pretty ridiculous claims, especially considering Hawking's position in the scientific community. For him to make such a statement, just proves to me that no man who is around long enough to see his elder years is spared from the fate of becoming the "crazy old guy".

Food for thought. You're gonna need it.

Dear Radio: Please, no more Green Day

Now, I stopped listening to the radio seriously long before finishing middle school. I do, however, find myself in certain situations where I'll tune in to the local rock and pop stations while driving back and forth. Perhaps I forgot my Zune at home, or I've thoroughly bored myself with the jumbled CD collection I have stashed in my vehicle. Whatever the reason, time and time again I will find myself making the fatal error of switching on my car radio. About 76% of the time that I make that mistake, I am immediately met with popular Green Day song 1 out of 5. Switching to another channel... any channel in fact... will soon get me listening to popular Green Day song 3 out of 5. The radio then gets turned off. A state I should have left it in from the start, knowing full well that my chances of not hearing Green Day are too slim for my listening enjoyment.

I would love to leave this up to opinion, but let's be serious here; Green Day is not a good band, and they really never were. They started their campaign of mediocre pop punk music in 1987. To give you an idea of how long ago that was, I was born in the year 1987, and I'm growing beards and drinking legally now. They had some big hits in the mid-90's, and everyone who didn't know enough to not care about their Dookie album, eventually smartened up and didn't care about any albums they released after that. Then they made that 'huge comeback' in 2004 with their album, "American Idiot". By huge comeback of course, I mean they decided to wear ties, dye their hair black, and put on eyeliner. While of course, playing the same exact crap that we've always heard. Due to the fact that they look like Pete Wentz now, 14-year-old girls totally bought it, completely unaware that the rest of us got tired of this music a decade prior. Imagine if your dad shopped at Hot Topic, wore makeup and darkened his hair. Picture how silly that would look, how humiliated you would be as their offspring, and how disgusted you would be at the idea of someone that age and level of maturity doing that to themselves. Then, look at the above band photo. Yeah.

Why exactly Green Day's music dominates the airwaves is beyond me. It's not new, it's not good. I'm not even sure if it's popular anymore. Yet 1/5 songs played on alternative rock stations are Green Day. For that matter, why I'm still hearing Limp Bizkit and Staind songs on the radio is beyond me. I don't know how the system to running a radio broadcast works, but I think there is some kind of law that dictates you are not allowed to update your original music library, and that music library has to consist only of Nickelback, Alice in Chains, Metallica, and Tool songs from the years 1990-2002. Even from a commercial standpoint, nobody listens to/likes this music anymore. Unless of course you're a burnt-out 30-something guy who's willing to wait on hold for your chance to win Three Days Grace tickets on air.

That guy loves that music.

Edit: Relevant Gaming News:

So without knowing it, I wrote this blog while there is a Green Day version of Rock Band in the works. Dear Jesus. All frat and birthday parties involving the playing of said game I will make a point not to attend. The fact that I won't be invited only makes it easier for me.