tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017057827402163522024-03-13T22:22:47.213-07:00Digital PanhandlingCamped out on the sidewalk of the InternetAaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-51036874524578476652011-08-21T20:46:00.000-07:002011-08-21T22:36:43.768-07:00Documentary, my dear...I've been watching a lot of documentaries lately. There's something fascinating about a director that can find and extrapolate the story out of the lives of real people. A good documentary can be just as funny, intense, scary, and thought provoking as any carefully scripted piece of fiction. The following is a brief examination of my five recent favorite documentaries.
OVERNIGHT
Many of you Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-49504198508134746382011-08-10T18:00:00.000-07:002011-08-10T19:55:45.253-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 01"There's No Place Like Springfield"
Written by Steve Gerber
I've talked a lot about what makes a great episode of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. A cursory glance over the last nine episodes indicates that writers who work creatively within their restrictions, focus on a strong character with fun voice acting and iconic imagery, and still hit all the basic story beats will deliver a winning Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-36299324954054705882011-06-29T10:25:00.000-07:002011-06-29T10:29:05.357-07:00Blog-A-Song 09Look At How Cute You AreIs it about a woman? Is it about a cat? It's strangely appropriate for either.LyricsLook at how cute you aredo you even know itI bet you don't even know itwhen you walk into the roomall eyes are on youbut you just try to hidei really hate you sometimesdo you even know iti bet you don't even know itwhen you ignore mecan't you seeyou're driving me madcan't stand the way Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-16208624714456639662011-06-22T18:55:00.000-07:002011-06-27T13:29:53.798-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 02Lasers in the NightWritten by Marv WolfmanA lot of legendary cartoon and comic book writers have worked on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, and it doesn't get much more "legendary" than Mighty Marv Wolfman. Comic book aficionados will recognize Wolfman's name immediately. He has written countless books for both Marvel and DC, notably Crisis on Infinite Earths.Lasers in the Night is one of the Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-21017433394268927472011-06-12T21:28:00.000-07:002011-06-12T21:36:55.755-07:00Blog-A-Song 08Successful PeopleI've been playing a lot of other people's music lately, which partially inspired this song. The rest of the inspiration comes from the soul crushing depression and jealousy that comes from seeing other people succeed.Lyrics:successful people have great hairsuccessful people wear silk underwearsuccessful people have nice teethsuccessful people don't eat beefsuccessful people haveAaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-3675631254067805682011-06-06T11:05:00.000-07:002011-06-06T12:22:03.724-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 03"The Traitor"Written by Buzz DixonBuzz Dixon wrote a slew of great G.I. Joe episodes, including the movie, but The Traitor is easily the best story he delivered. Split into two parts, The Traitor tells the story of Dusty betraying the Joes and joining Cobra. It's a compelling episode full of intrigue, action, and comas!The story begins in a ship docking harbor, where Cobra attempts to steal a Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-56870258044005547522011-06-01T17:58:00.000-07:002011-06-01T19:57:10.760-07:00Comics Review: Paying For ItPaying For It is the autobiographical memoir of author Chester Brown detailing his experiences soliciting prostitutes. Brown has a lot to say about to about the nature of monogamous love and his interpretation of it. He writes about his conflicting needs for sexual gratification and physical intimacy with his desire to not have a girlfriend.If half of this book is philosophizing about the Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-47195253023425510742011-05-27T08:03:00.000-07:002011-05-27T08:25:50.915-07:00Blog-A-Song 07Play With Fire by The Rolling StonesSometimes I really hate the Rolling Stones. Sometimes I really love them. This is a song that I love.LyricsWell you got your diamondsand you got your pretty clothesand the chauffeur drives your caryou let everybody knowDon't play with me cause you're playing with fireYour mother, she's an heiressshe owns a block in St. John's woodand you're father'd be there Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-65779027043393839892011-05-23T17:25:00.000-07:002011-05-24T08:28:24.486-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 04"Hearts and Cannons"Written by Alfered A. Pegal and Larry HoustonI think one of the strongest elements of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero concept is the distillation of cliches and stereotypes into well rounded characters. The characters are pastiches of America. Sometimes it's a little heavy handed, and a few times it's embarrassingly tacky, but most of the time the Joes are representative Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-58935982632311215982011-05-08T23:22:00.000-07:002011-05-08T23:27:18.660-07:00Blog-A-Song 06A Four Legged Friend - written by Roy RogersLyrics:A four legged friend, a four legged friendhe'll never let you downhe's honest and faithful right up to the endthat wonderful one, two, three, four legged friendA woman's like cactus and cactus can hurt'Cause she's just a tight waisted winky eyed flirtShe'll soon have your land and your pride and your goldAnd bury you deep long before you grow Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-11927175956585619402011-05-02T11:19:00.000-07:002011-05-02T12:51:45.561-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 05"Memories of Mara"Written by Sharman Di VonoOne of the tactics used by voice actors in creating voices for cartoon characters is doing impersonations of other actors. For example, Homer Simpson's legendary voice grew out of Dan Castellaneta's Walter Matthau impersonation. Such was the case with Neil Ross' voice work for one of the most popular G.I. Joe characters, Shipwreck.Shipwreck's voice Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-60368726014500735242011-04-27T13:48:00.000-07:002011-04-27T14:42:04.744-07:00Comics Review: Incredible Change-BotsBack in 2007, I went to my first comic book convention, Wizard World Chicago. I spent most of my time in Artists Alley, looking at all the independent comics and artists that were selling their books. It was hard for me because, given the financial opportunity, I would have bought something from everybody there. I did walk out of there with a pile of comics. Some were good, some weren't, but Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-45618398816506707012011-04-20T17:44:00.000-07:002011-05-18T22:39:22.385-07:00Blog-A-Song 05Hey Hey, My My - written by Neil YoungMy loop station has been on the fritz, but I squeezed this song out of it. This might be my favorite song by Neil Young.The lyrics as sung by me:Hey hey, my myRock and Roll can never dieThere's more to the pictureThan meets the eyeHey hey, my myYou're out of the blue and into the blackYou pay for this but they give you thatOnce you're goneYou ain't never Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-80763884972601248202011-04-18T20:42:00.000-07:002011-04-18T21:50:43.187-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 06"My Favorite Things"Written by Doug BoothI think it's safe to say that G.I. Joe comic writer extraordinaire Larry Hama can be credited with the lions share of creativity behind the franchise; and although the comic and the cartoon existed independently of each other, the cartoon often picked up Hama's ideas and took them in their own direction. Their only real concern was pushing the toys, not Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-3007614467343774282011-04-13T16:28:00.000-07:002011-04-13T18:14:47.145-07:00Comics Review: iZombieWhen it came to buying comics, I used to be a real Wednesday regular kind of guy, but over the last couple of years my regular purchases have dwindled, much to the chagrin of my local comic book store I'm sure. There are a lot of reasons for my lack of weekly purchases beyond a broad disinterest in the majority of comics being published. Truthfully, there are a lot of good comics being made Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-41069159975082645342011-04-11T08:50:00.000-07:002011-04-11T09:32:45.442-07:00According to PlanIt's frustrating when things don't go "according to plan" but it's something we all frequently experience in our lives. The realization that we have no control over the chaos of the cosmos much less over a few aspects of our daily lives is huge blow to the ego, but it's a part of life.It's also a part of collaborations of all kinds. Weather it be working relationships, social relationships, or Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-60865978025235509252011-04-06T17:16:00.000-07:002011-04-06T17:19:25.604-07:00Blog-A-Song 04Side of the RoadBeats created in Acoustica Beatcraft and played through an RC2 Loop Station.Lyrics:Every time it makes me so madWhen people tell me that there's not a girl to haveEvery time it makes me insaneWhen people tell me that you got to play the gameBut there's a girl by the side of the roadShould I pick her up or just let her go goThere's a girl, she looks like a hitch hikerThere's a girlAaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-29501996082963753122011-04-04T20:42:00.000-07:002011-04-04T21:31:35.502-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 07"Once Upon a Joe"Written by Buzz DixonThis is probably one of the more widely remembered episodes on my list, probably because it's funny! Stalwart Joe writer Buzz Dixon turns in one of the funniest and most lovable episodes of the show. It has a lot of fun with the standard storytelling format and, despite being a second season episode, stars fan favorite, Jack Nicholson infused Shipwreck.The Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-20470089931226256452011-04-04T10:20:00.000-07:002011-04-04T11:00:53.462-07:00Top Five Paul McCartney Bass LinesPaul McCartney will always be known as one of the driving creative forces behind one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all time. And though he will always be remembered predominately for his songwriting capabilities (Yesterday), I think this sometimes overshadows his incredible talents as a bass player. Lest we overlook his accomplishments as a bass player, I've compiled a list of Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-76040855011968149062011-03-29T22:52:00.000-07:002011-03-29T22:53:51.815-07:00Blog-A-Song 03Somebody Buy Him A BeerAaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-29079710053275936302011-03-27T19:16:00.000-07:002011-03-27T20:50:04.363-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 08"Computer Complications"Written by David SchwartzAs I said last week, one of the biggest challenges the Joe writers faced was juggling so many characters while still giving them all adequate face time. If they had a hard time in the first season, then things only got harder in the second season. The 1986 toy line brought over 20 new characters that needed to be sold. Naturally, this meant thatAaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-26326533702897693132011-03-24T21:30:00.000-07:002011-03-24T21:58:33.612-07:00Music Review: Tijuana Panthers - Max BakerNever having any older brothers, I never had anybody really close to me to emulate or tell me about all the great music I should listen to. I was blind and unable to swim when I took my first tentative steps into the music pool. For me, it started with the oldies station, because that was the safest music to listen to.When I was a kid, oldies meant 50's and 60's music, I guess these days it Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-44484971905937447152011-03-21T11:32:00.000-07:002011-03-21T11:35:23.041-07:00Blog-A-Song 02GastonI did not write this song. Here are the lyrics.Gosh it disturbs me to see you, GastonLooking so down in the dumpsEvery guy here'd love to be you, GastonEven when taking your lumpsThere's no man in town as admired as youYou're ev'ryone's favorite guyEv'ryone's awed and inspired by youAnd it's not very hard to see whyNo one's slick as GastonNo one's quick as GastonNo one's neck's as Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-24715493893590425122011-03-16T21:37:00.000-07:002011-03-17T00:00:02.806-07:00Top Ten Episodes of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero - Number 09"Worlds Without End"Written by Martin PaskoThe regular G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon series began in 1985 and the characters featured most prominently were the series four toys, which were the newest ones available at the time. The toy line first went into production in 1982 and produced new characters and play sets each year for over a decade. This, of course, means that by the time Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101705782740216352.post-14136220116493835842011-03-13T22:46:00.000-07:002011-03-13T22:48:53.514-07:00Blog-A-Song 01I'm going to post videos of songs I write. This is a folksy song called I Got Mad at Someone on the Internet.I don't know what I was trying to do with my voice but now you're stuck with it.Aaron Waltherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09543114827402257701noreply@blogger.com0