Its a fine like between security and stupidity, a line that seems to get crossed quite regularly these days.  I know you all have heard about the TSA and its determination to fondle their way into a secure airport!  Yea, thats a little extreme, but it isn’t that far off the truth.  You just cant make invasive pat downs effective against the types of threats we all face now.  Long gone is the idea that a gunman or knife wielding manic is going to get very far on a plane…there are just too many people out there who will assume the worst and take them out.  These days its explosives we need to be hyper alert for, and as with guns, its better to identify the INDIVIDUAL likely to try such an attack, than to try and find them by fumbling around with said suspects genitalia.

Mike Thinks News 352 Don’t junk my Touch…or something like that TSA

Theres a transformation in the way we consume many forms of media these days.  Television is changing from appointment TV to on demand.  Movies are moving from the theater to your home theater.  Music has nearly crested the hump from CD’s to MP3 files.  So it should come as no chock that your library of books is moving into the digital domain as well.  In fact the main thing that has held back this revolution was a lack of a good way to read electronic books…that is no longer an issue.  Give a listen as I talk about the eBook/eReader revolution and what it means to you and the publishing industry on this weeks Mike Thinks News!

The NFL has had a long standing tradition of asking much of its fans.  The NFL asks its fans to all too frequently pony up vast piles of cash to build new stadiums.  The NFL asks its fans to purchase overprices merchandise of ever changing colors and patters to stay current in their “team spirit”.  The NFL begs us to ignore the excessive pandering to each and every special interest group on one hand, while ding a ling picture senders, wife beaters, and proverbial ass clowns prance around touting how special they are, as they catch a ball on Sunday, and commit some moronic act to the detriment of society on Monday.  But by far the most talked about this year (sorry Bret…we really aren’t that interested) is the way the NFL is still determined to cling on to the outdated policy of BLACKOUTS for local games.  MikeThinks News blasts through this absurdity, at the speed of the internet, in our triumphant return!

Sure it may not be nice, and it may not be completely fair, but after everything I keep hearing day after day, I cant help but feel that British Petroleum has muffed the ball on the oil spill.  It also feels like the US government has not taken swift and decisive action either.  One thing that is still frustrating me is the claims that only BP has the technology to try and fix the problem.  At this point I am pretty certain that we have proven that we cannot trust the owners of this deepwater technology and its assorted patents to be aquatically prepared to respond, and if we are going to continue to drill in deep water (and we must), then the tools and technology to make it safer, and to aid in correcting any disasters needs to be in the hands of those most eager to ensure it is used quickly and with best effect.  I have no doubt all involved were caught completely off guard on this one, but that is the very reason emergency response must be ready to go at all times, and the methods for dealing with these spills must be constantly tested and updated.

–Mike

voice your opinion, call: (347)Bug-Mike

.

This week we take a look down the rabbit hole with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010).  The movie returns as the 19 year old Alice is running away from her betrothal announcement.  As with previous Burton films, including Corpse Bride (2005), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) the cast includes Johnny Depp (as the Mad Hatter) and Helena Bonham Carter (the Red Queen). Burton and Bonham Carter have been engaged since 2001 and have two children together. To add to the fun Depp and Burton have teamed up in three additional films, Sleepy Hollow (1999), Ed Wood (1994) and Edward Scissorhands (1990). You could almost predict there will be more films with this combination.  Listen in for our perspective of the view down the rabbit hole.

Its been a long few weeks for Facebook.  It doesn’t bode well when even people who are absolutely not tech savvy, web savvy or any other savvy (except maybe Jersey Girls Savvy) are talking about Facebook and privacy.  The only problem is, that though they seem to talk big for a moment or two, they all, almost to a person, eventually shrug and log on anyway.  So it appears that paying lip service to privacy is all you need do these days.

For many of us, a good television program means much more than just a few minutes of mild entertainment. Its a way to escape the everyday grind, a way to explore our imagination and to allow our hopes and fears to be transformed into an idea we can share with out friends. Its what binds together so many hours in the office break room, and lets families discuss ethical and moral ideas without the need to embarrass ourselves. But more than that, we can become attached to the lives and characters in our favorite shows. Sure we know its not “real”, but we allow ourselves to be swept up in the fantasy, which is why when a great show goes wrong, it can be so disheartening. This is exactly what happened to NBC’s Heroes, what I talk about what they did wrong. . Sponsor: Hold your meetings online for just $49 a month Try GoToMeeting free. . Also this week in history Why in France its apparently not the person but the device they used to communicate thats to blame and more, on this weeks Mike Thinks News

An adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story “Where the
Wild Things Are” is brought to the screen by Spike Jonze. Listen as
Mike and Jeanne provide their perspective of the film. Don’t forget
to enter the Movie Bits giveaway.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for Movie Bits…you could be the
owner of the limited edition t-shirt. Call us at 240-MOVIE-BIT or

email us at letswatchmovies@gmail.com

Thanks for listening and hope you enjoy the show.

When the leading scientist on space and time comes out and tells you to do or not do something, its usually a good idea to do more than take it under advisement.  He isn’t smarter than you, he is smarter than you and all your friends…put together.  Ok, maybe thats a stretch, but I still take the words of advise from Stephen Hawking a lot more seriously than all the people on TMZ.  So when he says do not talk to strangers, I say, OKEY DOKEY!

.

Sponsor: Hold your meetings online for just $49 a month Try GoToMeeting free.

.

Also this week, why journalism shield laws don’t protect criminal activity at Gizmodo

.

This week in history

and

The news of the weird, including a banned ebay category that its just SICK it has its own name.

Mike Thinks News is coming, right at ya!

This week Mike and Jeanne take a look at Dreamworks animated film “How to Train Your Dragon” which follows the young character Hiccup. His name is truer to his character than you may think, he is the hiccup in the village, where he goes disasters often follow. Hiccup is not your normal Viking and he sets out to prove himself in an unconventional way. The movie is not really about training a dragon, but more of a coming of age and growth opportunities for our young warrior and his competitors. The move is also presented in 3D and IMAX where available. With voice talent of Gerard Butler as Stoick, Craig Ferguson as Gobber, America Ferrera as Astrid and Jay Baruchel as Hiccup.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for Movie Bits…you could be the
owner of the limited edition t-shirt. Call us at 240-MOVIE-BIT or

email us at letswatchmovies@gmail.com

Thanks for listening and hope you enjoy the show.