Revenge of the Dinosaurs

The (ahem) oil spill in the Gulf should have alerted us to at least a couple things. Mega-corporations will stop at nothing to cover their ass once they've been caught cutting costs in the name of maximizing profits. And it proved how our dependence on oil to fuel our vehicles is a sucker bet at best. Only so many dinosaurs walked the earth, and we can't suck on their remains forever. We have to start seriously considering other, renewable resources if we plan on surviving, much less getting from point A to point B.

No matter how Big Oil would like to spin it otherwise, we're only as dependent on oil as we believe we are. Even the auto industry has come to realize that, and are offering some alternatives to the petrol-thirsty vehicles we grew up with. And some of them are pretty snazzy. . .

See what I mean? You can read more of what I'm talking about here:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Rethinking-the-Ride

Hope you like it.

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photo copyright 1996, 2010 Ray Ellis. All Rights Reserved.

Downsizing the American Dream

Hi, there.

I know I've been away for a while, but this topsy-turvy economy and  clown show of a political situation we have has kept me busy. Some days I feel optimistic about things, and others, I'm sure we;re all going to hell in a handbasket. Mostly, I just try to make some sense of it all.

That rarely works.

Anyway, here are a few of my latest random thoughts:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Downsizing-the-American-Dream

I haven't given up on the Dream, but thins ain't lookin' overly rosy.

How Can Human Target Hit the Mark If FOX Keeps Moving the Bullseye?

Call me a romantic, but I've always rooted for rhe underdog. Actually, it's more of an obsession than a pastime. So when FOX added Human Target to its midseason schedule, only to shuffle it helter skelter throughout its run thus far, I made the series my current cause. Yeah, it's another implausible action-adventure show  with a touch of secrecy, but  in this age of "reality" series, it's actually refreshing.It's on the bubble, though (what a surprise, given its scattergun schedule so far!)

Trust me, though. It's a fun romp, and it moves like a rollercoaster. It's actually actually coming on it's regularly scheduled slot tonight (3/10 8P EST). Want more info? Check out my article at Hubpages here: http://hubpages.com/hub/humantargetdeservesashot

Tme Flies, and I Was Two Stops From the Station

Excuse me for a moment while I catch my breath. . .

The holidays are finally over, and so is the decade. I see that my subtle campaign to christen the past decade with the decidedly utilitarian "2K's" went nowhere, and that's okay. But please. . . the "2 aughts"?? Does anyone outside of England even use the word "aught" anymore? Not that double zeroes sounds any better.

That was then, and this is now, which is why I've embarkted on my new crusade to quit calling the upcoming years "two thousand this and that." It's time to just call this "twenty ten" and progress acordingly. It may seem trivial now, but all you future marketers will thank me once 2020 rolls around.

Speaking of marketers, would the Chinese gentleman or bot or whatever you are please quit posting comments to my "Man From UNCLE Returns" review? I've rejected all your comments for publication since I'm not really in the busines of selling what you're selling. Peddle your wares in a place more lucrative to your market, and leave Napoleon Solo out of it.

Anyway, the past two months have been hectic, but I still found time to scour the 3-disc version of Time-Life's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live. You can read my full review here:

http://hubpages.com/Rock-and-Roll-and-the-Hired-Guns

My feelings about the collection are mixed, but my feelings about the current state of the recording industry are not. More about that later.