Industrial "Heroes"

"Heroes" is an interestng show, one that I like a lot more than I thought I would based on what I'd read and heard about it. (For the record, the same holds true for "Lost", which I am now hopelessly addicted to.) While the show has some issues in the writing department, it's overall very enjoyable, and I've enjoyed watching the 1st season alongside my darling wife, who turned me on to the show (she's already seen all of it, including up to most recent episode of season 2, while I just finished the penultimate chapter of the first season.) While much of the plot/story is somewhat derivative of....well, most every comic book I've ever read...the show has some great ideas for how super powers would work and be used in the real world (including some highly creative uses for telepathy and telekinesis), nicely developed characters, and an undeniable momentum that carries you along even when you're not sure if the writers know where they're leading you. (In case it doesn't sound like one, that little review there was a recommendation: it's a great show, and I can easily see why it's become so popular.)

Coincidentally, quite a few months ago, before I knew anything about "Heroes", I ran into this Youtube video while searching for music by Imperative Reaction (a talented agro/electro/dance industrial band that I like). This video (made by one Evilatino) puts scenes from the episodes "5 Years Past" (one of my 3 favorites of Season 1, with the possible exception of the unseen finale) and "Landslide" to the song "Closed In", to pretty good results. (Of course, I knew some of the names of characters but didn't know what any of them looked like, so when I viewed this video for the first time I was completely mistaken about what I thought was going on.)

(Be warned that the scenes here contain spoilers to those episodes, and to the season in general, so if you haven't watched through the end of season 1 and you're interested in the show you may want to skip this. Also note that there's a bit of violence in the video, what with people getting their heads telekentically opened like tuna cans, and whatnot.)

The Best Snowman Ever

Snow in Washington! (No way!) Truth be told I'm not all that fond of the stuff...it's nice to have around for the holiday atmosphere, but it does murderous things to my commute, and try as I have to come to appreciate the whole "melting snow inside of my socks" thing, that particular sensation has yet to find a fond place in my memories.

But, in any case, we don't get much of the white powdery stuff here in Washington, so the kids and I seized the opportunity when this early portent of a White Christmas decended earlier today and constructed the beautiful snowman that you see above!

Now...before you get too critical, please keep in mind that we don't have a lot of experience with snowman construction. In fact -- and I'm prepared to be as incorrect about this fact as I've ever been incorrect about anything, which is qite a bold statement indeed when one considers how incorrect I am half of the time about everything else -- so far as I can recall this is the first snowman I've ever built. Sure, I may have participated in the construction of somone else's snowman back when I was in elementary school in the 1600s, I grant you, but such duty was likely akin to holding the carrot nose (which I was allowed to do only in exchange for not speaking) or else fetching one of the grown-ups a beer while they made the snowman (one of my favorite grade school activities, I must say...my Dad used to pay me $1 a beer!).

No, I do believe that this was my first tour of duty as Head of Snowman Construction Operations.

Yes...he's a little dirty. And...sort of...lacking in tallness...but hey, with the aid of my trusty minions (aka son and daughter) I think "Whitey" here is a fine first attempt in what is destined to be a future saturated with snowman construction!