Missed Opportunities

Today at my office, there was german chocolate cake. I overheard somebody comment: "There aren't any coconuts in Germany!" It took all my will power not to cut in with something on the lines of: "Maybe a swallow carried it there." Alas, I know it would have been met with strange looks, and crickets.

UPDATED: The D2: The Mighty Ducks Rollerblading Sequence, Analyzed

Above is the rollerblading sequence in the classic hockey film, D2: The Mighty Ducks. To most, this scene represents a fun way of showing the squad of lovable characters from the first film all getting back together. But for Twin Citizens, it is a baffling display of rollerblading endurance. You see, the places they go are not all that close together.

So follow me, as I follow Charlie Conway and the rest of the crew on an epic rollerblading trip around the Twin Cities metro area!

Oakland's Vinyl Vault - Deja Vu

Another week, another album. I'm now getting a sense for the randomizer's taste in music. It is decidedly in favor of folk rock. I've mentioned its preference for Simon and Garfunkel before, but I overlooked the other signs. The Band, Buffalo Springfield, CSN(Y), and Mumford and Sons have all had their turns despite their relative scarcity in the Vault. So it should be no surprise today, then, that the randomizer has gone into the Vault and returned with some familiar faces. Four, to be precise: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. It's Deja Vu, in more ways than one.

Release date: March 11, 1970
Singles: Woodstock, Teach Your Children, Our House, Carry On

Oakland's Vinyl Vault - Sigh No More

The second week in a row where I actually publish something! We're on a roll, baby! But don't get too excited, it's still the same old shit. Anyway, this week the ol' randomizer spit out something you kids these days may actually have heard of: it's Sigh No More, by Mumford & Sons.

Release date: October 2, 2009
Singles: Little Lion Man, Winter Winds, The Cave, Roll Away Your Stone

Oakland's Vinyl Vault - The Cars

It's time again to reach back into the vinyl vault! Today we take a break from Simon & Garfunkel, and hit the road with the debut, self-titled album from The Cars!

Release date: June 6, 1978
Singles: Just What I Needed, My Best Friend's Girl, Good Times Roll

Development, Un-Arrested: A Season 4 Review

As you may or may not know, I am a huge Arrested Development fan.  I own and have watched each of the first three seasons numerous times.  I've even watched episodes with the cast/crew commentary on.  Yes, I am that person.  So when it was announced that the show was returning for a new season on Netflix, I was excited.  I tried to temper my expectations.  Surely they would not be able to recreate the magic of its original run.  I read the articles with quotes from cast members talking about it, praising the script, I grew cautiously optimistic.

Well, the day has finally come and gone, and here are my thoughts, episode by episode.  If you haven't watched them yet, you may not want to read on as, while I am not recanting the plot of each episode, I am also not making any effort to avoid "spoilers."