Every Man Has a Code: A Look Back at "Heat"

A preverbal quote that a man decided on at a point in their life where they can do no more or no less.  They choose by this mantra, prefebly keeping it in secret or choosing to tell their closest acquinences and loved ones.  If the ones they care about are undecisive about this "code", they alone have two decisions:  they will have this person(s) by their side for the rest of their lives or they leave after that person has come to a decision.

I have many codes, some that made me into the strong will person that I am today and some that have posted on my mental clipboard that have yet to placed up.  The ones currently on the clipboard have to deal with the work, daily decisions but mostly the opposite sex because women be crazy.  Haven't been in a relationship all year, spoken to a few but my advances have fallen mostly on deaf ears, can't really do anything about it.  It's not holding me back from what I really want.  Except sex.

In the movie Heat, Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is on the trail of criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and his crew after their most recent robbery that left cops dead.  After tracking him down and stopping him on the highway, the two sit down for a cup of coffee.  The two men, who live by their own codes, sit down and get a taste of what each has to entail.

Both men deal with the stress of their day to day, Vincent with is third wife and her suicidal daughter, Neil finding someone near the end of his last big score, and at the end of it all, they respect each other.  They know neither one would tinker with their steel cased code they live by to get what they want.  And they also know, no one including each other will get in the way of it.

For someone to avid by the rules of their code isn't as easy as it seems.  Some wish to think their code is like a brinks truck that holds all and everything inside but that titanium studded room can be opened very easily, especially when their emotions get involved.  During the summer there was a breach of one of my codes and I let it happen right under my nose.  It happens, you try your best to prevent it but there isn't much you can do about it once it's been cracked.  Only thing you can do is try and close it as quickly as possible without anyone being the wiser.

Neil came to terms with this when he was so close to driving away with the girl in his life but Vincent was right there.  He let his hate and anger of Waingro get in the way of never having to worry about breaking his code again.  You see, spoiler if you haven't seen the movie (it's been over 10 years does it count as a spoiler still?) Waingro, a new member to Neil's crew who killed the cops from the last heist, snitched, trying to have Neil and his crew killed but Neil was too smart.  Neil is smart to know when something is off, you may not have passed grade 10 science but you have to be smart to have that "code" posted in the back your mind, at all times.  Vincent dropped everything when his step-daughter cut herself in the bathroom of his hotel room he got for himself after another marriage seemed to be crumbling.  A code made of steel can quickly become glass once those loved ones become involed, whether they are aware of your code or not. 

For a man to live by a code, it takes self-discipline.  Discipline to get where you need to go, to achieve what you need to succeed.  A code has rules and explanations that aren't needed for everyone to understand, not everyone can deal with someone that has a code which they cannot question.  A code can take you to the sky and above or leave you loveless and alone in your work.  Vincent and Neil know the latter.

The coffee scene from Heat: http://vimeo.com/4056910

Video: H-Town & U-Myind - We Bring You Joy

This is possibly the sexiest, most hood R&B Christmas song ever.  Not only are humming and hawing throughout the song but they're shouting out the homies, amping up their mans as they sang and pretty much improvising the words, mixing a few different Christmas songs into this five minute gem.  H-Town was really an underrated 90's group, mostly known for "Knockin The Boots" and the twins Dino and Shazam had some voices that probably had them drapped in panty drawers when they performed.

I've been looking for this song for some time and since Christmas is only five days away (!!), I'm glad I finally found it and am able to post it.  For those who know me, know I love me some R&B and you just don't have voices like these anymore.  Way too much falsetto in contemporary R&B artists today coming from the likes of The Weeknd, The Dream and Miguel, I like those last two (The Weeknd owes Terius a check) but I need to hear a baritone or non-falsetto vocalist, it's too pretty right now in R&B, where's the masculine singers at?

Thank you based Youtube!  Found the video for "We Bring You Joy" which is just as great as the song itself.  Features the two groups, a choir and some of Santa's little hoodrats, skip to 1:48 for the video.

Holiday Season Viewing: Shows To Watch During The Holidays

The holiday season is always a joyish occasion.  Everyone is home from work and school and it's quality time for you to spend time with your family and loved ones.  Well once those 10 minutes are over you jet line to your computer.  in reality its ideal time for you to catch up on things you missed out on sleep, TV shows and sleep.  Once you've awaken from your slumber and cracked open the first carton of eggnog, it's time for the marathoning to begin.  Most prefer an episodic series, one they can knock out within a day or a week instead of riding on the wave a show that's been on for years that's probably passed it's prime (Dexter).  So here's a list of newer shows that have just started and slowly gaining an audience.  No, they're not just my favourite shows but they are shows you should watch.  They're shows with great storytelling that improve after every ending credit.  So go to your favourite free TV streaming site or Netflix and settle for some great television.
 
Arrow (9 episodes, still running)

Follow the origin of Oliver Quinn also known as the Green Arrow, who returns after being shipwrecked on an island for five years.  The best thing about this show is that I don't know about the hero.  I know well enough about the popular heroes in the DC universe but Green Arrow I know very little about.  My lack of knowledge makes it better, its the worst when you know everything from the comics and notice when the producers miss something in the show (Walking Dead comic book readers know what I'm talking about), it's annoying and bothersome and takes the fun out of the show.  It does get corny at times but it's trying to be as realistic as possible without turning into Smallville.  It's still solid, the story is intriguing, has great fighting and Thea, Ollie's sister, is the either the worst or drunk.  And ladies, Ollie is not afraid to take off his shirt, 100% cotton gets in the way of looking chiseled.

Hunted (8 episodes, cancelled)

Show from the UK, that didn't get picked up, is about a female spy in a private international firm that specializes in global intelligence and espionage.  Yeah that sounds like Alias even stars Melissa George who was on Alias.  It didn't get picked up but a word is there's gonna be a spinoff.  And they show boobies in it so that's always a plus.

American Horror Story (21 episodes, still running)

Now AHS isn't like other shows.  It's an anthology, in the same fashion of Tales from the Crypt or Are You Afraid of the Dark but instead of a new story every episode, it happens every season.  In the first season, it centers around the Harmon family who move into a mansion in Los Angeles and guess what?  The house is haunted.  Not like in the Three Stooges where there's revolving bookcases and talking suits of armor, these ghosts don't give a shit.  I'm talking rape, murder and pure terror, all while looking stylistically good.  And that maid, man listen.  The second season continues with the creepiness but set in an asylum, nothing says creepy like padded walls and crazy religious nuns.  Whole new setting, narrative and characters, plus SPOILER Adam Levine who brought you the terrible terrible terrible "Moves Like Jagger" gets a limb ripped off?  Hell yeah, I'm gonna watch.

Don't Trust The B---- In Apt 23 (12 episodes, still running)

 The show is fun and light comedy that airs right after Happy Endings (another show you SHOULD be watching) and makes the humour come off perfectly.  The show follows June who in a week lost her boyfriend, job and most of her sanity.  While she searches for apartments, she finds a vacancy at an apartment but is warned by a neighbour that the tenant is a bitch.  Well Chloe, the bitch, is one but a party hard, scheming, giddy bitch.  James Van Der Beek also stars in it playing a cartoonish version of himself, he really pulls himself very well.  Chloe and June are a great tandem, almost a perfect ying and yang.  June is always amazed and flustered at Chloe's schemes, one such as pretending to be an executive at People Magazine and making him their "Sexiest Man Alive" because of June's obsession of the man who gets selected as the most sexiest man.  Yeah, the show gets wild.  And ladies, Dawson still got it.

Shows I haven't watched but heard good things

Awkward (24 episodes, returns in 2013)

 Produced by MTV, the same folks that brought you the only reality show I stick around for and then wait a few weeks to watch the other reality show I continuously watch, The Real World and The RW: Challenge.  A scripted show (yeah like a group of writers actually sat down and wrote this, didn't just recruit pretty people and put them in a house) about a coming-of-age girl who struggles in high school after getting humiliated in high school and gets involved in a love triangle.  Sharp writing, great cast, I'll tune in.

Suits (22 episodes, returns in 2013)

 All summer, all I heard was how great this show was and how attractive everybody was on it.  Coming from USA Network, where every show has people wearing suits, so it kinda confusing at first.  All I got from the synopsis was lawyers with swag.

The Inbetweeners (UK) (18 episodes, ended)

 It's not like every MTV scripted show was going to be good, especially when they're remakes of an already popular series (remember when they redid Skins?).  Not only was The Inbetweeners one of the most disliked videos on YouTube, for the trailer but it got cancelled because it wasn't brilliant, hilarious and original as the UK version.  People do that shit, same thing happens when a popular book gets turned into the movie.  They feel some gratitude mention that the original is better than the remake, which most time is true but have them make up their own decision on it.  If you're unable to find the series online, there will be a marathon on BiteTV on December 31st.  And don't watch Underemployed, that's currently on MTV, shit is terrible.

Magic City (8 episodes, returns in 2013)

A Mob show based in the 50's?  Sounds pretty legit, also it's produced by Starz so expect boobies.  And ladies, the rugged Jeffrey Dean Morgan stars in it, he's handsome and kinda looks like Javier Bardem.  Whose also handsome and rugged but Spanish which makes him a lot more sexier.

Shows you should stay away from

Revolution

Great idea but the execution is pretty bad.  The power goes out, everywhere, nobody knows how or what to do but they decide to jump the show 15 years into the future where everyone reverts back to the 18th century.  Wouldn't you like to know how people survived in those first few days?  How the governments fell and this militia rose?  Me too!  Too bad we won't found out because J.J. Abrams and his people decided to make Little House on a Prairie with Gus from Breaking Bad, designer leather coats and a Chicago that needs some lawn work.  There's just too much dumb logic and annoying characters to make you want to watch every week.  Yet I was still watching and was live tweeting and wishing for Charlie to get punch in the face which was a thing for two weeks but stopped.  Charlie's a girl btw and yes she's that annoying.


The Mindy Project

If you're a fan of The Office and Kelly Kapoor, you'd expect Mindy Kaling to bring some of that into her own show.  The kooky, quirkiness of Kelly into a lead role.  Nope, just a romantic comedy
movie shoved into a half and hour show.  The show has it's moments mainly with Mindy and co-star
Chris Messina, everybody else is terrible.  Former MadTV comedian Ike Barinholtz joined the cast but he almost seems lost and doesn't have too many bright spots.  There's no Kevin or Stanley in this supporting cast, not even an Angela.  Well there's her blond best friend, who adds nothing to show, just shows up like a blond, thin version of Gazoo.  Like honestly it's just a bad show with a weak supporting cast and unfunny writing.    There's not enough balance in the writing, the best episode drops the second plot after 10 minutes into it.  I mean, c'mon!

Girls

Either you hate watching it or love it.  I hate it because it's fucking garbage.  It has nothing to do with the nepotism of the show or the lack of black people or the fact that the creator/star has a bidding for her memoir at $3.6 million.  She's 26.  I hate it because the show is one of the worst things I've seen in recent years and I've seen Evil Breed: The Legend of Samhain, TWICE!  Everybody on that show is annoying, terrible and unwatchable.  You should never make your opinion on a show after the pilot but it's hard to do that when it makes such a splash in the toilet it's hard not to miss.  A quote from the pilot:"I think I may be the voice of my generation. Or at least a voice. Of a generation", the generation of the white privileged, super average looking, who dress like they came out of a Wes Anderson sweded movie, whose playlists look like artists who didn't make it in Coachella, who have ironic observation tweets favoured, complain about Facebook on Facebook, whose tumblrs are filled with nothing but pictures of trees in black and white.  That generation?  Well I don't want to be apart of it.  Pass.  Hey if you enjoy it, go right ahead and watch season 2 when it returns.

Big Bang Theory

Okay, I get it.  It's very popular, highly rated and it's on CBS home of Two and A Half Men, another very popular, highly rated TV series.  Here's the thing, it's on CBS.  The reason why it gets the high ratings it is getting is because of your grandparents.  They love themselves some CBS.  They like their comedies to come along with a laugh track.  Another reason why it's very popular is because of syndication.  Ratings went up soon as you started seeing in twice a day on OmniTV and TBS (or Peachtree whatever), the same thing happened when How I Met Your Mother hit syndication, the ratings went up that year.  My biggest problem with Big Bang Theory is, it's kinda hard to say so I'd like to compare it with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  Here me out.

Fresh Prince was on for six years and had 148 episodes.  Big Bang Theory has been on for six years and 122 episodes.  Fresh Prince became huge when it hit syndication.  BBT became huge when it hit syndication.  Fresh Prince has been nominated three times for awards that matter, twice for Golden Globes and once for an Emmy.  BBT has been nominated numerous for Golden Globes and Emmys, won three times by Jim Parsons.  Will Smith lost out to Jerry Seinfeld and Tim Allen.  Jim Parsons beat out Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell and Larry David.

Bullshit.  Steve Carell who played Michael Scott for seven seasons on The Office, has NEVER won one of the top critics awards for his role.  For a character who is an uppity prick who doesn't understand sarcasm, has a terrible catchphrase when he's joking about something and has a catchphrase in 2012 beat out some of the best comedic actors on television.  It's bad enough Nick Offerman doesn't get nominated for anything but Sheldon constantly gets nominated?  What I'm trying to say in the Fresh Prince comparison is, shows like Fresh Prince and BBT are what I call light comedies.  You can have it on in the background while you're cooking and maybe sit down while you're waiting on it to bake and watch without really having to know what the episode is about.  Those six seasons of Fresh Prince were enough.  The fact that BBT got renewed for three more seasons, having it on for eight seasons is ridiculous.  The show is terrible, even worse.  When the show finally ends, this is it for the actors.  They'll forever be known as the four guys and Kelly "I used to be hot jailbait with the last show John Ritter was on before he died and know I'm approachable cute" Cuaco.  There's no Will Smith on that show, not even a James Avery.  Nothing but Carltons, look at Carlton's career post-Fresh Prince and you'll understand what I'm saying.

There is no reason you should be tuning in every week for this show when you know exactly this show doesn't know where it's going.  How far can a show about nerds and attainable women go?  Longer than six seasons?  I don't think so.

Shows that everyone should watch so people won't think less of you or think you're crazy

Now I know a lot of people don't have time to watch their favourite shows live like I do.  Mainly cause I don't have a DVR, because them thangs ain't cheap plus watching shows live are better in my opinion.  Some of my favourite shows to watch live include Parks and Recreation, a look inside the government office of Pawnee, Indianapolis.  Truly one of the most warm hearted shows you'll find.  Leslie Knope is the sweetest woman and Ron Swanson is the ultimate man's man much better than Chuck Norris, real life and fictional.  Game of Thrones, based on some old books that everyone decides to read once the show became popular cause people love to do that.  Dragons, boobs, medieval beheadings, big war battles and boobs.  Happy Endings, you think it's Friends but unless it's a holiday themed episode, you're not going back to watch Friends again.  Happy Endings is one of the best comedies out there right now, enriched with so many smart jokes every time you go back you're laughing at something you missed.  You'll fall in love with one of the characters by the end of the first season, this is one of the first shows I'd suggest people to start watching.  Mad Men, while in school where I took advertising all the professors told me to do was watch this and it's great.  I'm playing catch up still but it's one of the best shows out there and Don's wife does this, so yeah start watching.  Community, doesn't everybody watch this?  No, what's wrong with you?!  The Walking Dead, it's the best post apocalyptic show on basic cable.  Skip that second season though, too much dumb logic plus the third season has been so good I don't even want to be reminded of it.  Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad are two shows I'll admittedly don't watch.  It's a scheduling thing, Game of Thrones airs at the same time and my attention is fully on GoT.  I also came late to the both shows, by the time I found out both were fantastic series both were full steam ahead into the third and fourth seasons.  Maybe I will, maybe I won't watch it but I know if I didn't mention either series, people would be perturbed.  Rounding of shows I'd expect everyone to watch: New Girl, Boardwalk Empire and Justified.

Japanese Wrestlers Singing A Christmas Carol

 

 Seeing that it is the holiday season and the malls and advertisers have told you this since October with the amount of red, green and white you've seen everywhere you go, finding something japanese that has to do with Christmas was kinda hard to do.  Not only does it have to be entertaining for me but it has to be entertaining for you.  If there's one thing I'll always find entertaining is pro wrestling, especially when the wrestlers are out of character or kayfabe (wrestling slang), it's the best.

 

In the video below is wrestlers from Japan's Pro Wrestling NOAH singing Tatsuro Yamashita's "Christmas Eve" back in 2005.  It features some of the talent who are some legit Japanese legends and a few U.S. mainstream stars.  It's December and there's nothing else you're gonna see but christmas carols, end of the year lists and parades, so expect 12 more of these before the new year. 

 

image via (WithLeather)

Oldie but a Goodie: Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer

If this isn't in your top videos of all time then I can't take you seriously in that conversation.  I've been playing a lot of Genesis lately, the Gabriel years and the Collins years and that's just some overall great music that I think people my age haven't experienced.  Whether people start listening, I don't know, music is subjective blah blah excuse for listening to bad music not once in a while but a majority of the time.

Plus if you really listen to the song, it's about his penis.

Get Rid of Tim Tebow

I don't hate Tim Tebow and I'm not a Jets fan.  I never hopped on the Tebowmania when it was rolling full steam last year.  I don't think Tebow is a capable quarterback.  I wouldn't trust him to lead my team for a full 60 minute game.  He's a Jet, who gets no more than five plays a game, a majority of them are from the wildcat offense or a trick pass playing on special teams.  Mark Sanchez is the starter and he's not that good, 12 TDs, 13 INTs and is 55% in completions and the Jets are in a three way tie for second place in the AFC East.  And it's not helping with the so called saving grace Tebow is backing you.  It's time for the Jets to get rid of Tebow.

When Peyton got signed by the Broncos there was no way Peyton was gonna have Young Jesus Christ behind him breathing down his infused neck with the thoughts of Tebowmania happening again.  There was two teams interested in Tebow, one of them being the Jets.  Here's the thing, the Jets organization is more interested in jersey sales than actually having a good team.  With the other New York team winning the Super Bowl, the Jets have felt forgotten so they had to make a splash during the offseason for people to get interested in them again.

Tebow is not good.  I don't care what Skip Bayless says, Tebow is not a good quarterback.  There are statistics that say Tebow can not throw the ball.  His throwing motion is one of the worst out there, he can't read defenses to know whether to throw the ball and when to run it.  But Tebow wins games.  He is a distraction to Sanchez even though Tebow can't play the position.  Imagine that.  Really think about that one.  You have to work your butt of because the person next up to take your job can't fulfill it.  Only in sports something like that can happen.

With the play of Greg McElroy this past Sunday, the Jets now have to pick between three QBs to start Sunday because mathematically, they're still in the playoff race.  At 5-7, they're still able to maybe make the wildcard.  McElroy went 5-7 for 29 yards.  It's not the most impressive stat line but it got the Jets the W.  Now they could stick with McElroy who was better than the other two during the preseason, he was the only one to get a touchdown during the preseason!  But Sanchez signed that extension in March and Tebow is Tebow so to third string you McElroy goes. (Note: this morning, Rex Ryan has chosen Mark Sanchez over Tebow and McElroy)

Tebow could still go to Jacksonville.  Because only reason to be there is because it's in Florida and it's warm and to root for the Jags who suck.  Blaine Gabbert is a bad QB but he can at least make some plays to get MJD fantasy owners some points.  Backing him is Chad Henne who is forever a backup QB but in the few games he's started for, he's done pretty well.  They're already selling tickets as low as $20 just so they don't have any blackouts.  Even if Tebow is there, EverBank Field hasn't been blacked out in over two years.  The fans will show up no matter who the opponent will be but the reason I want Tebow to go to Jacksonville isn't because it's his hometown it's because the bright lights have to dim and Jacksonville is the perfect place for him.

No one ever talks about the Jaguars unless it's about moustache grooming tips from their owner Shad Khan.  The AFC South is a division that for the longest time has been about Peyton and the Colts or the rising Texans.  Titans have done nothing news worthy unless it's about Chris Johnson's lack of fantasy points (you know priorities) and the crazy antics of Vince Young.  Jaguars will always be bad, I have no ideas how that franchise can turn it around because I don't believe they can win the division with the current talent that is there.  No ones believes that Gabbert can make that a team worth watching, MJD wants more money because it's Jacksonville and he's busting his hump for this talentless team but if Tebow is there, they 'll believe.

Tebow is not paid a whole lot, he's signed for 3 years at $6 mil this year.  That's a base salary of $1.1 mil this year and that might increase depending on his productive of play which won't be happening as long as he has cracked ribs.  The Jets have to dump Tebow and rebuild this team.  Go for a receiver.  Get a running back that will fulfill their potential (yes Shonn Greene sucks) and get younger d-linemen.  Whether they keep Sanchez around, Tebow has to go.  Send him to Jacksonville where he will literally be forgotten by most NFL fans.  It's the best option for the team and the best for Tebow.

Something Inspirational: Never Back Down From A Challenge

No matter how bad or inexperienced you are, give it your all and what ever the results may be, be proud that you put it all on the table.

Just like Cosby did against Sandman Sim (Skip to 1:20).