Dinobotics

Okay, I'm probably asking for it by even analyzing it, but why the hell are the Dinobots stupid?

I never liked the Dinobots, and watching the show with my boys, I am reminded of how annoyed I was at the Dinobots all over again. They're robots. Thinking machines, crafted by Wheeljack, the prime inventor/engineer of the Autobots, who seems tirelessly talented in creating things. And he designed the Dinobots with the help of Ratchet (I think), emphasizing the strength and power of the dinosaurs in their design, and, apparently, their lack of brains. Alright, so while it might play well as a wrinkle in the plotline to have these dumbass robots in their midst, and it's certainly played to amusing effect in the storyline, such as it is, but the logic's just not there -- a slow-witted robot? Sentient enough to have a sense of self and identity and to carry out its functions, but otherwise not sharp? Makes no sense.

Ratchet and Wheeljack could've simply designed them to have strong chassis and have them have the CPUs able to handle that kind of load and power -- if anything, their strength, size, and power would make it vital for them to have a reasonable amount of intelligence. Prime, in greenlighting the creation of the Dino-dullards, makes a grievous error in judgment, unleashing these dangerous machines on the world.

Of course, the implications of the Dinobots aren't fully explored -- it's a kids' show, after all -- but stupid robots? Huh? Since robots are designed with a purpose in mind, the abdication of good sense on the part of the creators of the Dinobots is kinda shocking, given that the Autobots made them, the ostensible good guys of the series. It would be like equipping a main battle tank with the brain of a dog to guide it. Not a good plan.

This clip somebody made (and amusingly edited to show how thick they are) highlights the central flaws of the Dinobots... ("Do you understand?" The second part of this clip is similarly amusing)...

Story of the Dinobots

Sunset

I saw this the other day, loved the flare around the buildings.

Truth in advertising?

These signs amuse me any time I see them, although I was more pleased with the great depth of field with my otherwise nondescript digital camera.

Powerless

Power outage at work! Been awhile since that's happened, our usual annual summer power failure. Only about 30 minutes, but enough to frag the servers, it would seem.

Dachsund DIY

This clip (from Cutebreak) amuses me...


Dachsund playing fetch by himself.

Gruh

Today was annoying. Just dealing with work stuff. Way too much going on, too few people to do it, and nobody communicating and/or knowing what's going on. It stresses me out.

Simpson Looking Back

Jessica Simpson's lamenting more than her expressionless eyes, I guess...

Who Knew Dickless Had Big Balls?

I did. Don't believe? Check it out...



Best chick Grunge band? They certainly get props for their band name, which is great for a Grunge Grrl Group. Kelly Canary's vocals (I would classify them as a gila monster gargling gunpowder and whiskey-soaked razorblades) are alternatively off-putting and charming, especially when paired with the killer riff they have as the bedrock of that tune. Dickless were a blink-and-you'd-miss-them band, but the above cut is priceless and unforgettable.

Their tune, "Sweet Teeth," plays a bit with Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf" riff, adding bucketloads of Grunge to it...

Dickless, "Sweet Teeth"

Yawn

I woke up around 3:30 this morning. Just woke and couldn't get back to sleep. It's been nicer than it has been -- cool in the evenings, and not blisteringly hot and humid as it has been.

Plane in vain

This is my one shot from the Air & Water Show. My camera's battery died before the Blue Angels appeared! This is kind of a tradition for me -- I wear out my camera's battery so when it's time to try to shoot the planes flying around, the camera's dead. Not like it matters -- I don't have a fancy camera, no telephoto or anything, so it's hard to get killer shots, anyway. Still, I liked the above so you could see just how low that plane got. It has to be fun for the people in the boats out there, getting buzzed (both literally and figuratively).

GoBots

While looking into the loser predecessor of TRANSFORMERS -- the ill-starred GoBots, I stumbled across this gem of a clip from the GoBots show, which is unintentionally hilarious.

Air & Water, Shown

Round 1 of the A&WS, the Blue Angels this year. They alternate with the Thunderbirds. I had the boys downtown, catching "Despicable Me" again (in 3-D). They wanted to see it again, so I obliged them. Gotta love those double-barrel 3-D prices ($35 for the boys and me, good lord -- that's why 3-D is so popular -- lets the theaters ramp their prices skyward). Anyway, it's crazy-hot-n-humid here, still no real relief in sight. The boys had a good time downtown, despite the teeming hordes.

Soundwave

I got my boys the old TRANSFORMERS show on DVD. The show was always conceived as a toy-selling medium, of course, but I remembered watching it in my childhood, so I was watching it with them a bit. I think Soundwave is the spookiest of the Decepticons -- not only does he have that cool synthesizer voice, but he's big and is always lurking about creepily, and lacks any discernible personality -- all terribly creepy. Megatron's a blowhard, and Starscream is a shrill buffoon, but Soundwave is the most inscrutable, and, therefore, the most alien and malevolent-seeming. You don't know fully what Soundwave's up to, only that it's no good. One thing that always bugged me about Soundwave is that formidable-seeming device on his shoulder. I had always wanted him to fire that sucker, which could be a gatling gun-type weapon, or, perhaps, a missile launcher. But he never, ever used it. It irked me as a kid. Even as a type of microphone, it never showed up. I guess they just put it up there on his shoulder to make him appear more badass.

My favorite Decepticon was Shockwave (although Starscream always amused me, with Cobra Commander's voice and all, and his endless scheming against Megatron -- the "Odd Couple" relationship between Megatron and Starscream amuses me). My favorite Autobot was Brawn. B1's favorite Autobot is Optimus Prime ("He's very strong, and he agrees with some stuff and sometimes he doesn't."); his favorite Decepticon is Shockwave (B1 says "He looks interesting and cool, and when he talks, his yellow dot eye flashes"). B2's favorite Autobot is Bumblebee ("Because he's small.") His favorite Decepticon is Thundercracker ("Because he's BLUE!")