Things That Annoy You

[McPhallus]

Shemp Smith!  He once get into a fistfight with another talking head-type.

[ItsOver]

Shemp Smith!  He once get into a fistfight with another talking head-type.

Is that Doc Savage as your avatar?  Savage is a midget compared to jackass Smith but I'd bet Dr. Mike would pound that weasel senseless.  Jackass Smith should be working in a Chinese laundry.  Great, Smith is gay.  I don't care if he enjoys being gang raped by the Keebler elves.  He sucks doing the news.

[UnscreenedCaller]

I can't tell where 'Shiny Happy People' leaves off and network, local and cable news begins. I don't even watch anymore because the urge to throw a brick through the tv is too strong. These aren't news people, or even journalists. They're photogenic shiny happy scripted toothy talking heads who have perfected the concerned expression for tragic news and snark and smirk and giggle like something out of a Vonnegut novel for everything else. Too bad Cronkite lived to see the downward trajectory of network news. Not a fan of.

[PB the Deplorable]

... Too bad Cronkite lived to see the downward trajectory of network news...

I thought he started it

[eddie dean]

I can't tell where 'Shiny Happy People' leaves off and network, local and cable news begins. I don't even watch anymore because the urge to throw a brick through the tv is too strong. These aren't news people, or even journalists. They're photogenic shiny happy scripted toothy talking heads who have perfected the concerned expression for tragic news and snark and smirk and giggle like something out of a Vonnegut novel for everything else. Too bad Cronkite lived to see the downward trajectory of network news. Not a fan of.

agreed. There aren't  journalists on tv anymore. The "news" has been turned into a 'for profit' division of the local and national stations. Decades ago tv news was never a revenue creator for the stations. It was presented to the public for the betterment of society and to keep the government in check. The news departments operated at a $ loss, and generated income from the other 22 hours (plus or minus) of programing.
Today, 'if it bleeds, it leads' and most news stories that cannot be read in less than a minute, or is too controversial for delicate ears, or offends the stations advertisers, is not aired.

The news is basicaly a glorified TMZ, tring to keep people watching. Reporting on the latest Hollywood scandals doesn't help anyone, except the sponsors, who sell us disposable, substandard garbage!
What a joke!

[zeebo]

Musical scores in movies.  Is it just me or are they totally obnoxious as of about twenty years ago?  They're way over-dramatic, trying to hype up every emotional turn at every moment. 

Proposed new concept:  Dampen down the shrill music and let me get the emotional tension from such things as character and story, rather than drippy synthesizer violins and machine-gun tempo drum machines.

[area51drone]

agreed. There aren't  journalists on tv anymore. The "news" has been turned into a 'for profit' division of the local and national stations. Decades ago tv news was never a revenue creator for the stations. It was presented to the public for the betterment of society and to keep the government in check. The news departments operated at a $ loss, and generated income from the other 22 hours (plus or minus) of programing.
Today, 'if it bleeds, it leads' and most news stories that cannot be read in less than a minute, or is too controversial for delicate ears, or offends the stations advertisers, is not aired.

The news is basicaly a glorified TMZ, tring to keep people watching. Reporting on the latest Hollywood scandals doesn't help anyone, except the sponsors, who sell us disposable, substandard garbage!
What a joke!

Tell us what you really think Dean.

[UnscreenedCaller]

Musical scores in movies.  Is it just me or are they totally obnoxious as of about twenty years ago?  They're way over-dramatic, trying to hype up every emotional turn at every moment. 

Proposed new concept:  Dampen down the shrill music and let me get the emotional tension from such things as character and story, rather than drippy synthesizer violins and machine-gun tempo drum machines.

I wanted to start a thread about movie scores, because there's so many good ones out there. When they're good, they add a deeper dimension to the story like the Lord of the Rings score which is brilliant because it's telling the story musically, but when they're intrusive they can ruin a good movie, like thrillers, when tension building music is as subtle as a jackhammer,or where they are obviously glomming from the knife scene in 'Psycho'. Been done a jillion times.

[onan]

Greedy ass, dumb fuck, companies that try to cheat people by using legal threats.

http://torrentfreak.com/music-distributor-claims-right-to-monetize-jfk-speech-140511/

Believe digital... I hope their families disown them.

[zeebo]

I wanted to start a thread about movie scores, because there's so many good ones out there. When they're good, they add a deeper dimension to the story like the Lord of the Rings score which is brilliant because it's telling the story musically, but when they're intrusive they can ruin a good movie, like thrillers, when tension building music is as subtle as a jackhammer,or where they are obviously glomming from the knife scene in 'Psycho'. Been done a jillion times.

Yes definitely some great ones out there.  For some reason I seem to like alot of the sci-fi ones, like Alien, Predator, and the original Star Wars movie (a true classic).  The Bond movies also have fantastic scores (not just the theme songs but everything else too). 

But many recent movies I just find so overwrought like they're forcing emotions on you instead of letting you get them naturally through the story.  Hear those crazy drums?  It's a car chase!  Hear that syrupy violin?  It's a love scene!  Hear those goofy horns?  It's a funny part!

[eddie dean]

Yes definitely some great ones out there.  For some reason I seem to like alot of the sci-fi ones, like Alien, Predator, and the original Star Wars movie (a true classic).  The Bond movies also have fantastic scores (not just the theme songs but everything else too). 

But many recent movies I just find so overwrought like they're forcing emotions on you instead of letting you get them naturally through the story.  Hear those crazy drums?  It's a car chase!  Hear that syrupy violin?  It's a love scene!  Hear those goofy horns?  It's a funny part!

Phillip Glass is one of my favorite composers for film. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Glass
His scores are  unique and easily recognizable, unlike a lot of cut and paste scores that all sound like they are using the same template.
The Thin Blue Line, Secret Window, The Fog of War are among my favorites from Glass.

[b_dubb]

O Brother Where Art Thou

[Mind Flayer Monk]

Yes definitely some great ones out there.  For some reason I seem to like alot of the sci-fi ones, like Alien, Predator, and the original Star Wars movie (a true classic).  The Bond movies also have fantastic scores (not just the theme songs but everything else too). 

But many recent movies I just find so overwrought like they're forcing emotions on you instead of letting you get them naturally through the story.  Hear those crazy drums?  It's a car chase!  Hear that syrupy violin?  It's a love scene!  Hear those goofy horns?  It's a funny part!

Spielberg and Michael Bay are the worst about this. We have endless cookie cutter Michael Kamen/James Howard/Hans Zimmer scores out there. There was a commercial on HBO or Showtime a few years back where the people were doctors in an ER making fun of this and closed with something along the lines of "and the music tells us how we should feel". I was looking online for it so I could link it but could not find it. (found an excerpt of it)


http://youtu.be/R38gLWVae00

[UnscreenedCaller]

O Brother Where Art Thou

I practically wore that cd out. Great example of film and music fitting together perfectly.

[wr250]

the fonz doing reverse mortgage commercials.

One Reverse Mortgage - Henry Winkler - Take Control 1:20

[b_dubb]

I practically wore that cd out. Great example of film and music fitting together perfectly.

Did you catch a lot of grief because of that?  I can't imagine mountain music is really popular in New York City.

[zeebo]

the fonz doing reverse mortgage commercials.

Next he'll shill investments for IRAaaaaaaaayyyys.

[Birdie]

My landlord annoys me. We just spent three and half hours cleaning the window a/c units before installing them. Idiot landlord put them in a shed with no door and didn't cover or bag them. They were disgusting.
He is one of those people who thinks everything is disposable and doesn't take care of his belongings. There is a barn on the property, so he uses it for storage. The only problem is he is too lazy or impulse controlled to actually get the stuff in the barn. Consequently, there is a huge pile of lumber laying 10 feet from the barn that is now all warped from laying out in the elements. It would have fit inside, no problem. There is a ton of rusted, broken down junk behind the barn, too. Arg. It's like Sanford and Son back there.
Our dryer broke and his great idea was to buy another one off of Craigslist. First of all, eew. Second, why not try to fix the one that broke? That didn't even occur to him.
There are all sorts of his rusted tools lying around the yard that I have been picking up as I start my spring yard work. I'm sure they were nice at some point. I cannot stand it when people don't appreciate what they have and don't take care of their stuff.

[UnscreenedCaller]

Did you catch a lot of grief because of that?  I can't imagine mountain music is really popular in New York City.

Yeah, I do. People have told me they won't get in the car if I play my hillbilly shit, so I  just blast the Stanley Brothers loud and proud. It's a very nice change on the parkways from rap anf booming bass, but it does get wtf glances.

There are northeastern bluegrass players and they have concerts in NYC and Long Island, but I think bluegrass is something like a regional soul music. It comes from a certain area which feeds it. I know, I know, I'm a snob.

[bigchucka]

There's a funeral home in Columbus that says in ads that they can tailor make the funeral services for the deceased.  They loved gardening...plant flowers... race car for NASCAR fans....etc.

Thought about asking them.... I'm a fantasy fiction fan.  Like Robert Jordan, George RR Martin, JRR Tolkien, or David Eddings style of work.  What are the laws on funeral pyres these days?  Or another option, boat down a river and lit by a flaming arrow.  How hard is to to track someone down who can fire a flaming arrow well?  Or a simpler request.... are wailers available nowadays?  Thought I heard about a couple years ago someone was bringing that "service" back...

http://youtu.be/zwgjM-teND8

[paladin1991]

http://youtu.be/zwgjM-teND8

Thanks Chucka!  Just the thing for this hot Cali afternoon.

[PB the Deplorable]

Heh, Solange gets 3 minutes with J-Z in an elevator, and I don't even get 10 seconds with Justin Bieber

[wr250]

Heh, Solange gets 3 minutes with J-Z in an elevator, and I don't even get 10 seconds with Justin Bieber

noory hangs with the beebs when hes off the pacific coast. and now you know why the beebs sucks so much (he has been nooryized)

[eyenoeyeno]

Voicemail blows,if you want me text me

[b_dubb]

Voicemail blows,if you want me text me

Why is it that in 2014 vm providers still feel like they need to provide instructions when we get voicemail?  After the beep.  It's pretty fucking simple.

[jazmunda]

Why is it that in 2014 vm providers still feel like they need to provide instructions when we get voicemail?  After the beep.  It's pretty fucking simple.

It's the same thing as when you pay for something via credit card online and they have to explain what the 3 or 4 secure numbers on the back of the card are for anyone who hasn't used a credit for the last 10 years.

[zeebo]

I cannot seem to pour a Foster's oil can without spilling some beer.  Jazmunda, is there a trick to it, or is this some prank your people are playing on the rest of us? 

[jazmunda]

I cannot seem to pour a Foster's oil can without spilling some beer.  Jazmunda, is there a trick to it, or is this some prank your people are playing on the rest of us?

The true prank is that no self respecting Aussie would drink that swill.

[zeebo]

The true prank is that no self respecting Aussie would drink that swill.

Haha, yeah I've heard that.  It's like people drinking imported Budweiser in some places!  But anyway, the stuff we get here is actually from Texas!  (I just like the big cans, since it saves me that extra trip to the fridge.  )

[Tarbaby]

O Brother Where Art Thou

YES!!

AND A MOVIE SOUNDTRACK I REALLY LIKED WAS JOHN CARPENTERS "THE THING". VERY SIMPLE, VERY SUBTLE BUT COMPELLING.