Deadliest Catch Season Six

“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore” – Vincent van Goqh.  

Words that are particularly true for the men of The Deadliest Catch as they head out to sea to capture their fair share of fame and fortune. 

Blair Bunting/Getty Images/Discovery Channe

Season 6 of The Deadliest Catch is now upon us. a new season that is rifled with excitement, drama, new rivalries, additional crewmembers, and a sudden departure of an old, dear friend. 

We start our voyage in the Bering Sea on small, rocky island oasis – Dutch Harbor.  It is King Crab Season and the rush to strike “red oil” is in the air as the crews rush to put the final touches on preparations as they head out to sea.  All our favorite characters are here – Sig, Andy, Phil, Jonathan, and Keith, plus a new captain – Wild Bill, a former captain who is returning from his second carrier as fishing guide in Baja Mexico. 

I am not sure that I would give up the warm, clear waters of Mexico for ice, cold, and long days of hauling pots.  Wild Bill’s reintroduction into fleet and “the grid” of crab fishing will be work in progress.

So what does the sixth season offer  that the last five didn’t?  Great question!!!  To spice things up, the Northwestern and the Cornelia Marie performed a crew swap.  Jake Harris is transferred to the Northwestern and Jake Anderson to the Cornelia Marie. 

The goal is to teach these two “hotshot, know-it-alls” a taste of humility.  In the “real world” of fishing this type of crew swap is unheard of, but what the hell for TV.  Seeing these two Jacks try to survive crab season on new boats while being tested with continual torment from crews will be like Survivor meets Fear Factor.  Hell on the seas!

Not enough drama, yet?  We now have conflagrant (I don’t know what this word means) rivalry between two of our captains – Jonathan and Keith –over what is called crew poaching.  Part of the unwritten rules of crab fishing is that you do not approach another captain’s crew member with an offer of job with increased earnings while they are still employed on another boat. 

If this was the 18^th century, this offense would be settled with pistols or sword in a duel to the death.  In the 21^st century, we are bit more civilized…instead the captains slung around lots of profanity, threats, and eventually pushing.  

As the curtain closed over the Captain’s Barrel, the dispute between Keith and Jonathan is far from over…What will be in store from these two fierce rivals?  I am not sure, but I am betting this conflict will make for good theater as the season progresses.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

An old friend of the fleet will leaving us during Season 6.  If you have not heard by now, Captain Phil Harris suffered a lethal stroke toward during filming on January 29^th of this year while in port at St. Paul Island.  The cameras went along for his final voyage as Phil left the St. Paul Island bound to Anchorage via Med Flight. 

Even in the final hours and days, Phil still had a story to tell and insisted on keeping the cameras rolling no matter what.  In a note to Producer Beers Phil wrote about whether to cease the cameras – ‘No, we need a great finish to this story’.   Phil wouldn’t have it any other way…

Season Six is surely setting up to be one the more enjoyable seasons.  Ratings from last week’s first show was the highest ever for the series!  So, let’s get fishing! 

Deadliest Catch is on Discovery every Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Rush vs the NFL – The Hypocrisy

As we know by now, Rush Limbaugh has been discarded as an investor for one of the cartels bidding for the NFL St. Louis Rams.  The call of arms for Rush to be dismissed traveled in many waves – from NFL owners to the NFL commissioner, fans, NFLPA, African American activist, and even players.  Were Rush’s controversial comments about Donivan McNabb 5-6 years ago as part of the NFL Countdown on ESPN really to be blame here or was there another issue at hand?

Love him or hate him, Rush is a lightning rod of controversy from his addiction to pain meds, to his grand conservative views, and to his attacks on any sitting Democratic president, but to call the man a racist is a bit daft.  Rush makes his living as an entertainer whose sensational word is designed to elicit a response either positive or negative.  That is who Rush is.  It boils down to the fact that the NFL did not want a lightning rod as owner who could bring unwanted attention to an organization that prides itself on family entertainment with a conservative public relations image.    

The real racist in this dance is not Rush, but the NFL.  The NFL deploys a racial slur each and every Sunday for the last 76 years – Redskins, more specific the Washington Redskins.  The term Redskin is more than a name or mascot but, a single descriptive slur that singles out a member of our society (Native Americans) by the color of their skin.  Can you believe the NFL and the ownership for this team (Washington Redskins are worth more than a billion dollars) make a fortune using this slur while at the same the NFL condemns Rush is a racist. When this issue was brought up by our Native American brethren, the NFL hid behind the veil of tradition and will fight using this slur all the way to the United States Supreme Court.  Where is the hypocrisy???!!!!

Who is really the racist here – Rush or the NFL?  I think any tribe in the United States will tell you it is NFL, the real villains.

Top 25 Greatest Sci-Fi Shows – EVER!

In the recently Wizard Magazine, there is an interesting article about the 25 Greatest Sci-Fi Shows Ever.  The list was quite interesting and extensive with the likes of X-Files, BSG, Doctor Who, Angle, Buffy, and believe it or not V.  Most of their selections were quite logical and agreeable except for one. 

As I mentioned, the writers included V in the 25.  For me it wasn’t’ that V was on the list, which is debatable since it was a mini sires that they were referencing,  but the writers placed it in their top 10.  Frak!!!  So, it got me thinking, what would be my top 5, 10, 15, or 25 Greatest Sci-Fi Shows Ever.

You guess it, I have a list and not too similar to Wizard’s, however I think mine is bit more logical.  If I have say, the correct one…okay all kidding aside, here it is.  My list is only the top 20.

1. Doctor Who
2. Battlestar Galactica (Ronald Moore)
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Twilight Zone
5. X-Files
6. Star Trek
7. Torchwood
8. Jekyll
9. Firefly
10. Angel
11. Supernatural
12. Quantum Leap
13. Lost
14. Fringe
15. Star Trek the Next Generation
16. Primeval
17. Dollhouse
18. Dark Angle
19. Smaillville
20. Eureka
21. Friday the 13^th: The Series
22. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
23. Deep Space Nine
24. Get Smart
25. The Big Bang Theory

Free Comic Book Day

May 2^nd is Free Comic Book Day which will be taking place at your nearest comic book shop.   Of course this event is not only a day to let out your inner geek, but it is an event that you can take your family to.  Children of all ages can find something on Free Comic Book Day.  Anything from your classic Archie Comics, to heavy hitters like Wolverine from Marvel, Green Latten from DC, and even some lesser known titles like Cyberforce from Image Comics can be yours and it is all free!

These titles are just the tip of the iceberg on what is being offered to the public.  Believe it or not 40 titles in all are offered at no cost to you!!!   This day can be more than just getting something for free, but an opportunity to share a piece of your childhood with your children by opening them up to world beyond sitting on the couch playing XBox or surfing the internet –a world of imagination, interesting dialog, amazing art, and an opportunity for them to read. 

The day also turns into an event.  For instance, many stores use this day to not only show case their store, but make the day fun with games, raffles, door prices, and addition free swag.  For instance, at Dave’s Comics in Richmond VA, the store tries to put on a mini-party.  It starts with Dave the owner, warming up the crowd by demonstrating his newest, wackiest toys.  Along with Dave’s wild and fun demonstrations, the local Star Wars club makes an appearance.   I had no idea that Lord Darth Vader and his Imperial Strom Troopers were so into comics! 

This year’s event will be the launching point of new 2009 mega event from DC Comics called Blackest Night.  The free comic book from DC will be issue #0 of the Blackest Night series which is the prelude to this multi-title event which features the Green Lantern and leads into Blackest Night #1.  The creative team of Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis are behind this comic and this DC Comic Event.   This issue also marks the first time a comic publisher used this event to launch a new multi-title story arc.  This comic will be THE comic to get for this year’s event!

So, I hope to see everyone out on May 2^nd at your nearest comic book shop.

East Coast Wind Farms – is the future now?

As the United States moves deeper into the 21^st century, our energy needs are growing while the amount of inexpensive fuel at our deposal decreases.  This shortage is due to the increased world demand from emerging economies of India, China and the Third World – one could say the law of Supply of Demand is truly in effect.  Take last summer’s s astronomical rise in gas prices that gripped our country as a good example.

So, our need as a nation to explore alternate avenues of inexpensive and renewable energy is not only a high priority for our economical stability, but a component in our own National Security.  So, I was extremely excited when I read President George Bush’s speech at the Renewable Energy Conference on Oct 12, 2006 stating that the United States needed to severe our dependency on oil and explore new energy sources.  Finally we are on the right path to become self reliant again and not worry if the next Middle East conflict will cut off our energy needs.

Much to my delight, I was quite please to learn that Mr. Obama was going to continue what President Bush started by looking for alternate resources for our energy needs – Solar, Geo-Thermal, Hydro Electric, Nuclear, Bio-Fuels, and Wind Power.

The first step is to look at wind as resource.  A recent report from the Interior Department announced that wind farms could supply 20-25% of the electricity for majority of the East Coast.  These wind farms could generate up to 1000 gigawatts of electricity.  Not only could these farms have the potential to supply three-fourths of the United States’ electricity demand, but could lower our carbon emissions, a win-win situation.

The wind farms would reside in shallow-water and it looks like from the study that 71 percent of the nations wind resources are between North Carolina and Delaware.  As a resident of Virginia I found this possibility for our local economy and energy needs exciting.

However, as a realist I find this project utterly ridiculous and an irresponsible use of tax payers.  I give two words why this project will not only fail but would cost the tax payers imminence amount of money each year in repairs and construction costs – Hurricanes and Nor’easters.

One designated area for these farms is the Outer Banks of North Carolina or previous know as the Grave of the Atlantic.  This nickname, which the Outer Banks sorely deserves, originates from the 1500 ships that sunk over the last 300 years in its waters due to the strong off shore winds.  Even the Wright Brothers found the winds as a resource by launching their historical fight from the fields of Kittyhawk. 

These shores are not only a great source of wind, but are also the ideal place for the creation of Nor’easter storms that tendto  race right up the Virginia, Maryland, Delaware coast into New England.

Like Hurricanes, Nor’easter storms are nothing to sneeze at, they pack high winds, punishing surf, and heavy rains, and depending on the time of year even deadly snow/ice.  The winds from these storms can in some cases reach up to 80 mph.

The wind farms consist of tower that jets 328 feet into the air like a #2 pencil with a turbine that has a diameter as large a 747 airplane.  A nice size Hurricane or Nor’easter could easily break these turbines like tooth picks.  If Hurricane Katrina could move large off shore oil derricks that are anchored in the sea bed and not nearly as high while weighed down with several hundreds of tons several miles then image what it would due to a wind farm.  The results from a storm would devastate the farm.   People would be picking up turbines up and down the East Coast.  This danger would not only occur one, but year in and year out.   

What type of cost will the tax payer have to incur year after year to repair these facilities from storm damage and then added in additional costs of the environmental cleanup from broken turbines on our beaches or coastlines?  We are talking millions and millions of dollars per year.   Will the energy cost savings these wind farms generated be enough to offset the rebuilding and clean up cost?  I don’t think so.   So those costs would fall on you and me – the tax payer.

So cheap energy has now turned into expensive energy and again fossil fuels look to be the better alternative.  My suggestion would be to move these farms to mountain tops and other areas that the severe hand of Mother Nature cannot reach.

Although a good first step in finding an alternative source of energy, I just hope that the Federal Government and this Administration use their heads before sinking tax payer money into a potential money pit.  These type of ideas need to be vetted by many viewpoints before they reach the public form.

Federal Bailout of the NFL

Over the last few months, as our country navigates through turbulent waters of this Recession, the Federal Government has conducted some unprecedented moves – increased deficits spending, bailouts, and increased unconstitutional powers to the Department of Treasury.

On the heels of the forced retirement of CEO Rick Wagoner of GM, Secretary Timothy Geithner has acknowledged recently on “Face the Nation” on CBS that the Federal Government should have the option to purge any directors or senior management of financial institutions that received aid from the Federal Government – “Where that requires a change in management and the board, then we will do that” states Geithner.

Wow!  Now that is power.  Maybe Geitner and the Federal Government need to take this power to the next step by beyond struggling financial firms and auto companies, but to all areas of the economy.  My first suggestion would be for them to start with the National Football League.

You heard me correctly…the multi-billion dollar a year industry that is call the NFL which is sorely in need of Federal help.  If anywhere there was an example of poor leadership and grossly abuse of bonus money, the NFL is defiantly the poster boy in these areas. 

Where else can besides Fannie Mac and Fannie Mae can an individual receive millions of dollars of bonus money for failure and performing below expectations.  Take for example DeAngelo Hall of the Washington Redskins.  He received a six-year deal worth $55 million, $23 million of which is guaranteed this year.   To give you an idea of the season that Hall had in 2008 here are his stats:

• 73 Tackles, 63 Solo Tackles, .5 Sacks, 4 Interceptions, and 21 Pass Deflections in 15 games

Not too bad, I guess…However, this is the same guy who got beat out of starting position in Oakland and dumped mid way through 2008{is this the right year} by Al Davis due to poor performance.  Oh yeah, he just signed a $70 million free agent contract months beforehand with the Raiders.  To break it down, he was paid $8 million for eight games, while receiving a $7 million signing bonus for that bit of work.  To make matters worse, he struggled in the man-to-man defense scheme that Oakland runs and was rottenly beaten for big plays which lead to numerous Raider losses. 

Where is the outcry about Hall’s over bloated salary and bonus that were paid out for his poor play and performance?  I don’t see Congress freezing his pay or the pay of his ex-teammate Javon Walker who received an $11 million signing bonus for the 15 catches in 10 games he played in.  $733,333.333 per catch!!!  OMG!  Hall and Walker are just a few examples of bonuses being paid for underperforming employees without any Congressional outcry…where are you Nancy Pelosi??!!

Now let’s talk about management.  No one can argue that Geitner needs to fire everyone involved from the owner down to the towel boy in the Detroit Lions organization after their historical 0-16 season.  Mr. Obama himself could run a better organization that the Fords can.

You shouldn’t discount doing the same type of dismal strategy to the organization that seems to draft more felons than the Dallas Cowboys and that would be the Cincinnati Bengals (4-12 in 2009 and 110-193 since 1990).  Tell me one reason why Mike Brown and William Clay Ford should still be in position to run these teams in communities that deserve better?  Mr. Geitner, time to make your move and hand out some pink slips, the fans are waiting!

If you are not convinced yet that NFL needs government oversight and help, then I offer one last example.  The bloated rookie signing bonus that draftees receive year in and year out for services yet performed on the expectation that they will “rock stars” and be worth every penny they were given.  However that seems not to be the case for most first round draft picks. 

Take for example Jake Long on the Miami Dolphins.  He signed last year for a $57.5 million contract which included a guaranteed the $30 million signing bonus he received in 2008 as the #1 draft pick.  The $30 million guarantee bonus was given out for services that yet to rendered and Congress is ruffled by the AIG bonuses.  What a hypocritical world we live in!!!  I guess the severance package that Wagoner received for 30 years of service at GM of $20 million is not looking too bad after all.

Hopefully I have created a good case for Federal intervention into the NFL so our national pastime can be saved.  So, I deeply implore everyone to write and call their Congressional representative requesting Government assistance before it becomes too late… Do for the children!

Is Reaper heading to an end?

One of the funnier and original concepts on TV today is the CW’s Reaper.  Reaper is the story about a slacker working at a home improvement warehouse (The Work Bench) whose parents sold his soul to the Devil who uses him as a bounty hunter who tracks down escaped souls from Hell – a reaper.  Reaper is a drama with a heave dose of comedy.

Unfortunately, Reaper could be heading to its own grave.  The show’s death is a combination of low ratings and the departure of creators/executive producers Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas who have just signed a two-year deal with 20^th Century Fox TV according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Reaper is currently produced by ABC Studios which Fazekas and Butters were a part of.  With the departure of this dynamic duo, CW and ABC Studios will need to make a hard decision to keep production running under a new team or end the series.  If you look at the current “tea leaves” – the ratings, then one could easily speculate that Reaper will end after its current run.

However, there is a sliver of hope.  Smallville’s creates/executive producers – Al Gough and Miles Millar left the show after the 2008 season and the show was still picked up for two additional years.  Along with two -ear comment, the story has not missed a beat either.  

Let’s hope we don’t see a going out of business sign on the door of the Work Bench!

Is the voting on American Idol rigged????

An interesting piece of news caught my attention yesterday as I was trolling through TVGuide.com – American Idol Season 8’s final four has already been chosen.  Wow…as I watch Idol tonight I was reminded that we still have 11 contender in this year’s season.  So how do we know who the Top 4 will be? 

Isn’t the voting still being solicited by Ryan each week?  I keep seeing numbers advertise each week at the end of the shows.  Maybe the producers have a time machine or TARDIS on loan from the Doctor Who and have accelerated into the future to get a low down on the Final Four?  Hmm that must be it.  The Producers have a time machine – that has to be the explanation.  Yeah, that is it!

The Producers wouldn’t rig the results…would they?   All the voting results after each show and especially the final four are certified by outside accounting firm like the Oscars and Grammy, right?  Oh yeah, they are not.  Hmm…now that makes me wonder; maybe the voting results are not as democratic and fair as the audience is led to believe.

So, I guess the talk by a female e Idol staffer who told the New York Daily News Gatecrasher column may have some legs to it.  In this column, the staffer stated that the final four has already been chosen – Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, and Adam Lamert – all of whom happen to also be current front runners this season.

The staffer alleged that not only have the four have been chosen as the final four, but that Rounds and Lambert have been ruled out as winner due to their similarity to past stars — Chris Daughtry and Fantasia.  Interesting.

If this is true, then the show that boasts itself as the path finder of new talent and a reality show is really just a fiction-based drama with pretty people with dynamic personalities who can sing — 21^st Century version of Fame.  I wish the Producers and Fox were just honest with the audience about what American Idol truly is.

Obama vs. the Veterans over Healthcare

One of the most shocking revelations to come out of the new administration is not the approved “pork barrel” laden budget or the highly skeptical stimulus plan, but the new proposal to have private insurance companies pick up the health care of battle injuries for our veterans instead of the government.

Yes, you heard me correctly; Mr. Obamas’s administration has a plan on the table to have private insurance companies like Blue Cross/Blue Shield and United Healthcare pick up the tabs for battle field injures from a gun shot in the butt to an amputated leg brought on by IEDs.

Isn’t it the government’s responsibility and fundamental promise to take care of our veterans when this great country sends these fine people to war to protect our liberties and way of life?  If you answered yes, then why should the private sector pick up the tab?  It wasn’t the insurance companies who sent these honorable individuals off to battle.

My guess is that proposal is the first of  too many controversial spending cuts that this administration will try to implement as a way to pay for the monstrous spending programs that have been passed these last 50 or so days in office. 

A better way would be to save money would be to eliminate or veto the enormous earmarks populating the new budget.  Welcome to Mr. Obama’s “change.”. 

Hass the White House considered what would happen if the private sector picks up the tab for veterans?  I am betting that cost would be passed on to the consumer through increased premiums and increased employer costs.  These added costs would damage an already frail health care system and economic situation.

I am not sure what the correct answer is to fix the health care our veterans are getting except by increase funding and providing less bureaucracy in managing the care which would improve efficiency. 

However, having the private sector pick up the tab is not the answer.  Give less money to the bailouts of GM, Citibank, Chrysler, and AGI and more money to our veterans.  They are the ones that need it!

WonderCon 2009 – Sights and Sounds

I am finally home on the East Coast after my first visit to San Francisco’s very own WonderCon.  Wow!!!  What an event it was!  I have been to a few comic conventions over the years in Baltimore, but they could not compare to the sheer size, energy, and excitement that Wonder Con has to offer.  For three days, WonderCon provides the “fan boy” inside all of us with the one bit of nirvana that we searching for.

WonderCon is just not for comic book junkies, there is also something for gamers, fans of pop culture and TV/Movies –basically something for everyone.  2009’s event had it all – from hundred of vendors, panels to sit in on from various publishers to TV Shows/Moves, and autographs sessions with stars like Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Erin Grey,  and Adam West to name a few. 

Like WonderCon’s sister’s show ComicCon International in San Diego, Hollywood plays an important part in the convention by promoting new movies and hit television shows .  Hollywood did not disappoint with panels that included the full cast & director of the Watchmen, Star Trek, Chuck, Terminator: Salvation, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Up (Pixar), and Wonder Woman the movie.   

These panels from Hollywood are not only filled with your favorite stars, writers, and directors, but the audiences are treated to either sneak peek of video clips to full screenings of the TV show/movie before its release to the public.   If the show or movie is any good, this fantastic way creates an incredible buzz before it hit the streets.  I guess you say this is a form of guerilla marketing, which is highly effective.

Let me take you into the Watchmen panel so you can get an idea what a movie panel is like.  Everyone is given the disclaimer no video recording of the intellectual property and yada…yada…yada.  After a few minutes director of the Watchmen Zack Snyder comes out to roaring reception from an enthusiastic audience.   Without too much prep from Zack Snyder, the audience was treated to special showing of the first 30 minutes of the Watchmen movie.  This is not it…after the clip, the cast of Watchmen come on stage to join Zack Snyder to discuss the behind the scene experience on the film along with a Q&A from the audience.  During the Q&A the audience learns that a Director’s Cut of the Watchmen will be released to selected theaters in July that will push the run time of the film to 3hrs 10 minutes.  WOW!!!  This same director’s cut will later be released to DVD this fall sometime around October.

The next panel is for the new J.J. Adams movie – Star Trek.   The audience is once again treated to a special appearance by the director J.J. Adams, which I can say is a hoot!  Someone who looks like he is a lot of fun, full of energy, and enjoys what he does, which is evident on the projects he creates from Alias to Lost to Fringe.  J.J. Adams is now joined by the cast of Star Trek – crew of the Enterprise.  One pleasures of this panel was hearing the stars of Star Trek tell behind the scenes stories of how the great Leonard Nimoy helped guide Zac Quinto through the Star Trek universe that Gene Rodenberry gave us many years ago.  Plus the audience got to see the new Star Trek trailer that not been released.  This type of information and access was not exclusive to these two movies, but all the TV shows and movies at Wonder Con.  

To give you an idea of how popular theses panels are, each session is held in the main event room that holds 3500 people.  And I can honestly say that there was not an empty seat to be had for the panels I attended.  Not only was the room full to capacity, there was also a continuous line at the door two people wide that stretched 40 to 50 feet down the hall.

As special as the TV/Movie panels are the real magic is walking the floor of the convention.  You never know who you might literaly bump into from the press covering the convention to regular Joes like Henry Winkler, artist Jim Lee, and even Darth Vader.

TV/Movies are not the only ones who host panels, so does the various comic publishing houses too.  I had the chance to sit in on the DC Nation panel.  In this panel the audience learned that eight new Batman titles will drop in the coming months that will focus around the Battle of the Cowl which will determine who will be the new guardian of Gotham in Batman’s absence.  One of the tiles will be called Gotham Sirens.  This book will be a loose team up book of Batman’s female counterparts – Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley.  This book will look at the villain’s side of the equation as Gotham tries to survive the absence of Batman.  The other news that seemed to float under the radar was the statement that Batman will be back from the “dead” in Nov 2009.  Yeah!

Panels and walking the floor is only half the fun.  Shopping at the various vendors, getting autographs, and people watching are the other half of the vent.  It is amazing the various characters you will see from a full-size remote-controlled R2D2, to Batman, Joker, Power Puff Girls, Storm Troopers, Captain America, Women of BSG, Wonder Woman, Watchmen, Brown Coats from Firefly, and Cylons.

After three days of nirvana, I can honestly say that it was worth the trip cross country trip to experience everything that WonderCon has to offer.