Where Icarus Flies Where Icarus Flies

Where Icarus Flies, Episode 13, Don't call it a comeback...







WhereIF Episode 13 Contents







Episode 13 has been in the works for a long time. Almost ten years! I now know how Meat Loaf must have felt with Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell or Boston with Third Stage. 😊







In any case, it is good to be back in the studio. A lot is going on that needs yet another voice to give social commentary. Well, either that or I just like to hear myself talk!







Let's Play Catch-Up







There is so much that has happened. Can I cram it all into one little segment? Nope. I won't even try. I will, however, cover the things that stand out to be some of the more significant happenings in the last ten years. I will also give an update on my own life. A nice fireside chat.







Trump's New Reality







I, of course, cannot start up again without starting with Trump. Just the way he likes it. However, instead of attacking and complaining, which is easy to do, I'd like to take a look at what is happening right now. The impeachment investigation is in full swing, and subpoenas are being issued and ignored. Let's look at what that means with an eye on history and some interesting case law setting precedent. I am no legal scholar, nor do I pretend to be one, but I found some interesting things in my amateur research.







Return of The Hoover Report







Our old friend, Joey Hoover, is in the house! Where has he been? What has he been up to? We finally get partial answers to these burning questions!! We also find out who he sets his sights on this week with the latest installation of The Hoover Report!







Attribution







This podcast uses selected background music by Kevin MacLeod licensed with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license from https://filmmusic.io. Visit him at https://incompetech.com.







New Platforms!!!







I am excited to announce that you can find the Where Icarus Flies podcast on many of the major outlets. Currently, I am on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Spotify, TuneIn, Google Play, and Blubrry. You will see the subscribe links in each podcast post as well as the "Where to Find WIF" section of the website. Of course, a search for Where Icarus Flies on each of those platforms will also work.







I will announce more platforms as my network grows.







Feedback







All show ideas, comments and questions can be sent to feedback@whereicarusflies.com

WhereIcarus Flies, Episode 12, the last honest podcast...



WhereIF Episode 12 Contents



Back again! Did you miss me? Did you think I was gone for another 5 months? Well, no such luck!!! Some quick website news. I know that you cannot get enough of my pithy yet thought provoking Twitter musings. So, I have a new section of the website that has archived all of my tweets. The collection is browsable by moth and fully searchable. You may not have asked for it, but you sure got it!!! There is a link on my website or feel free to visit WhereIF's Tweets now.



That is all I have to say about that... So now, on to this week's show.



Cheating in Sports



Cheating and sports go hand-in-hand. Is there a difference, however, between working to get a call and breaking the rules? Derek Jeter, poster boy for wholesome goodness, truth, justice and the American Way is being vilified for overacting in a recent game. He did not get hit by a pitch, but he acted as if he did and got the call. Besides hamming it up WAY to much, is he a cheater? What are some other memorable cheating moments in sports history? We'll take some time to mull it over this week.



Big Brother 12 on CBS



One of my favorite summer guilty pleasures! I do love this show. This summer's cast could possibly have been the most boring cast in Big Brother history, yet they are not the worst cast ever, in my opinion. What is is whit these reality shows that keep us watching? I spend some time talking about this hit summer show.



iTunes Ping



Is it a social networking platform, a marketing ploy, a useless idea or the next phase in Apple's media domination? I share my opinions on this new grass roots effort by Apple to become our media control center. I would also love to hear your thoughts on this.



The Hoover Report



Joey Hoover stops by to give us his thoughts on Derek Jeter, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Nikita on the CW and more!



Masterworks Theatre



This week is another special MWT. With my budding guitar skills (well, maybe budding is too strong) I give you my version of "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel.



Podcast File Info - Episode 12



I used an enhanced version of the podcast (.m4a) as the default version in my RSS Feed and on iTunes. If you have any problems with it, let me know (although if you use iTunes, .m4a is not a problem). I have received feedback that some mobile devices have trouble with the enhanced version (yes, that is you Blackberry). You can still get the .mp3 version from the website.



Running time: 57 minutes

MP3 file size: 54MB

M4A file size: 56MB



All show ideas, comments and questions can be sent to feedback@whereicarusflies.com



Bill

Where Icarus Flies, Episode 11, covering topics throughout time and space...

WhereIF Episode 11 Contents



I have returned! It has been a long hiatus, but Joey and I were back at it this past week. I have missed being on the air very much and Joey has been bursting at the seams waiting to get in front of a microphone once again!!! I never thought it would take this long to get to episode 11! As a wise man once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You just never know what you are gonna get." ;-)



So let me get right to it and tell you about this week's podcast...



What Happened to my Job?



I have been out of work for a year. It has taken a steep toll on me, not just financially, but mentally and physically as well. I spend some time this week talking about the toll being unemployed can take on a person. Dealing with the unemployment agency, worrying about paying the bills, being ignored by hiring managers that you interview with. It all adds up. I talk about my own personal experiences.



Has Google Lost its Mojo?



Google has made blunder after blunder of late. Big mistakes such as backing a private internet to messing up the Google News and Google Image Search interfaces. I send some time talking about why I think that Google had jumped the shark.



Doctor Who



You had to have noticed the gorgeous red head above! That is actress Karen Gillian who plays Amelia "Amy" Pond a companion to the eleventh incarnation of The Doctor on BBC's Sci-Fi institution Doctor Who. This show has been around for the better part of the last 50 years. The latest incarnation of the show began in 2005. I only started watching it again this past January, just as the eleventh doctor took over. The show this past season has blown me away! It is excellent! I have now seen most of the episodes from 2006-2010 (thank goodness for The Interwebs). If you like Science Fiction and have not watched the current series, you are missing out. Matt Smith, who plays the the good doctor, just me the best Doctor Who ever! (Sorry Tom Baker and David Tennant)



The Hoover Report



Joey is back in the studio to give us his unique perspective on society, sports, the entertainment world and current events.



Masterworks Theatre



Masterworks Theatre returns with something a little different. This month I sing and play the guitar. Oh, it is nothing great, I assure you. I only started teaching myself to play at the beginning of the year. I am still very much a hack, but I have fun.



Podcast File Info - Episode 11



I used an enhanced version of the podcast (.m4a) as the default version in my RSS Feed and on iTunes. If you have any problems with it, let me know (although if you use iTunes, .m4a is not a problem). I have received feedback that some mobile devices have trouble with the enhanced version (yes, that is you Blackberry). You can still get the .mp3 version from the website.



Running time: 57 minutes

MP3 file size: 54MB

M4A file size: 56MB



All show ideas, comments and questions can be sent to feedback@whereicarusflies.com



Bill

Where Icarus Flies, Episode 10, trying to educate the masses...



WhereIF Episode 10 Contents



Blog Post Note: It has now been over two months since I last posted a podcast. This podcast was recorded on March 18th, it is not April 28th. Man am I a lame-ass! I just listened to this episode again and wow, my voice was still thrashed due to my bout with H1N1. I sound MUCH better now!!! -- Bill



By not posing a podcast in over a month, Where Icarus Flies is in danger of becoming irrelevant. Well, that assumes that we were relevant to begin with. ;-) A lot has happened since Joey and I were last on the air. I joined the 40 club, we went on a trip to Massachusetts, the Vancouver Olympics came and went, I contracted H1N1 and battled the Swine Flu for two weeks, President Obama declared he was not a friend of teachers and Little League Baseball season started. Those are just the major items on the list!



The good news: we are back! My "weekly" podcast may end up becoming a bi-weekly podcast, but I'll do my best! It is amazing how much life gets in the way! Hey, at least my podcast wasn't off the air as long as Adam Curry's!



So, what does WhereIF have in store for you this week? Let's take a look...



Where Icarus Flies Jambalaya!



Jambalaya is a wonderful Cajun dish of rice with shrimps, chicken, and vegetables. The word Jambalaya most likely comes from the Provençal word  jambalaia, meaning a mish mash. That is what the WhereIF Jambalaya segment is. A mish mash of topics that can sometimes boarder on the spicy! This week I talk about a potential National ID Card, Zurich's "Fish Lawyer," and Google vs. the little guy.



Digital Rights Management (DRM)



Digital Rights Management, or DRM for short, is a broad term to indicate one of many possible techniques for restricting the free use and transfer of digital content. The digital content is most commonly a movie, song, game, document (mainly PDFs), audio book or more. The case for DRM is that without a strong system in place to ensure only paying customers can access media, piracy will run rampant and cut drastically into profits for content producers and its distributors. On paper or sitting around a conference room table, this sounds quite reasonable.



In practice DRM does very little to curb piracy and mainly gets in the way of a consumer's right to enjoy their legally purchased digital content in ways that comply with reasonable fair use guidelines. Although the public face of DRM would have you believe that its sole purpose is to protect the poor copyright holder's intellectual property, it does little to do so. At they same time DRM proponents argue that the rights of the consumer are paramount. DRM is mainly about use (or more accurately non-use) of the digital content, not about the rights of the consumer.



This week, I spend tome time talking about DRM. Can you guess which side of the debate I am on?



America's Public Education Fail



I have talked about this before, Public Education in the United States at the K-12 level is an embarrassment. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a sick joke and President Obama does not have an adequate plan to fix our education woes. Everything about President Obama's education plan smacks of public pandering. Oh, there are parts that sound good to the general public, but that is only because the general public does not know anything about education. Tying teacher pay and performance rating to test scores is absolutely the wrong thing to do. Especially since the test that are being used are inadequate and our current education standards are not reasonable.



On top of that, President Obama created what can be best described as a secret society to dole out needed money to states in need. The bogus Race to the Top program is a farce. California did not get needed government money bec...

Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat Where Icarus Flies Episode 9? Who dat? Who dat?



WhereIF Episode 9 Contents



Things were dark here in the Where Icarus Flies studio for a couple of weeks. One week was shot due to technology difficulties. Basically, my computer was fried! Thanks to Mac OS X Snow Leopard and my Time Machine backup, it was not hard to get back up-to-speed! If only I hadn't wasted most of the week trying to diagnose and solve the problem. I should have gone to the backup earlier! Live and learn!



Last week was just plain busy here at the Where Icarus Flies compound! By the time the smoke cleared from the week, it was Sunday morning! Lots of good stuff happened, including our Cub Scout Pack's Pinewood Derby! One of my favorite jobs as Cubmaster is to be the announcer and race started at the derby! I like to say that I never met a microphone I didn't like!!!



I also want to wish a big Happy Birthday to my buddy Fred! The big 40!!! Fred, you'll always be old enough to jam!



Anyway, here is what I have for you this week...



Where Icarus Flies Jambalaya



This is a new segment that I like to say has a lot of ingredients! When it is all boiled up, it hopes to be a savory and possibly spicy dish! I discuss the Super Bowl, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the 52nd Grammy Awards, Conan O'Brien and American Idol.



Super Bowl XLIV



For you non Romans out there, that would be Super Bowl 44. The Who Dat Nation vs. The Hoosier Nation. Two power house teams looking to win it all! America is acting like the Saints are the underdogs, but all rational thought should have them being the favorites. Join my discussion within Where Icarus Flies Jambalaya.



Unbreakable Records



Which records cannot be broken? With so many records (both stupid, yes I am talking to you Guinness Book, and honorable) this is a huge topic. I limit the discussion to most the major US sports, although I do mention some Entertainment, Cricket, Tennis and other records as part of the discussion. How can any genuine discussion of this nature not include The Don's 99.94 Test average? As hard as it was, I choose my Top 5 unbreakable records.



Pete Rose's All Time Career Hits



As part of the unbreakable records discussion, I talk about some major records that I do not think are untouchable. Pretty much any NFL record, Wilt's 100 point night, Gretzky's career point total and Pete Rose's all time career hits are in my list. I take a closer look at Charlie Hustle's record and 7 players that have a legitimate shot at surpassing him.



Hoover Report



Joey Hoover reports in on Justice Alito, the NFL, Toyota, Lady Gaga and more! Don't miss his unique take on the world!



Podcast File Info - Episode 9



I have gone back to making the enhanced version of the podcast (.m4a) the default version in my RSS Feed and on iTunes. If you have any problems with it, let me know (although if you use iTunes, .m4a is not a problem). I have received feedback that some mobile devices have trouble with the enhanced version (yes, that is you Blackberry). You can still get the .mp3 version from the website.



Running time: 63 minutes

MP3 file size: 61MB

M4A file size: 63MB



All show ideas, comments and questions can be sent to feedback@whereicarusflies.com



Bill

Where Icarus Flies Episode 8 is not budging from its original time slot!



WhereIF Episode 8 Contents



Well, it has been an interesting week. The Balloon Boy's dad went to jail, Earthquakes rock the globe, Tiger Woods looks like he will hide from The Masters, American Idol goes on without Paula, NBC creates yet another mess with The Tonight Show and that is just the start! We have no time to waste let's get right to it. This is what I have for you this week...



NBC Prime Time/Late Night/Leno/Conan Disaster!



What the hack is going on over at NBC? These are the words, more or less, that have been said over and over this week by all sane individuals. This is a screw-up of major proportions. The battle lines have been drawn, but I think they have been drawn incorrectly. In the last few days, folks have been dividing into Team Leno and Team Conan (a.k.a. Team Coco). This is very unfair to Jay. The war is between Team Conan and Team NBC. Although I am sure that Jay is not innocent, neither is Conan. He helped contribute to this mess as much as anyone else by pushing for The Tonight Show as hard as he has. Don't get me wrong, he was within his right, but Leno never wanted to leave The Tonight Show. He was forced out.



The bad guy in this tale is, of course, NBC. They created this mess. Is Conan getting screwed? Yes... yes he is. Don't forget, however, Jay is getting (has already gotten and continues to be) screwed as well. Sure, no one cries for a multimillionaire who has an aircraft hanger full of fancy cars. Still, he is just as much a victim as Conan. I am fans of both Leno and Conan. Unfortunately, NBC has created a situation where only one can stay. Who should it be? You'll just ha Abrhams ve to listen and find out.



Hollywood and the Current Reboot Fad



What is the difference between a reboot, a remake, a retelling, a retooling, a reinvention and a refresh? Who cares! What we really want are good movies. Done right, with the right franchise at the right time, rewriting the story into a similar, yet new tale can be just what the doctor ordered. Take Star Trek (2009) for example. After 10 movies the Star Trek franchise was tired and worn. That being said, it is still a highly successful franchise that just needed a pick-me-up. There are a lot of things that they could have done, but they chose to rewrite events from a point in the franchise's past and create an alternate timeline for a new story (fitting for a sci-fi franchise). J.J. Abrams was the right director, he chose a great cast and they had a decent script. It all worked very well and Star Trek is likely to get a Best Picture nomination this year. Could it have flopped? Sure.



Star Trek is not the first success and will not be the last. Batman Begins is another great success story. There have also been horrible failures. I am not just talking about bad remakes, there are lot's of those. I am talking about movies that were intended to reignite a franchise, but failed. Moves like Godzilla (1998) and Planet of the Apes (2001). I read that Hollywood wants reboot the Teen Wolf and Ghostbuster franchises. Are we really calling it the Teen Wolf franchise? Anyway... are we really that short of good new screenplays? Please say it ain't so!



"Would you like debit or credit?"



Bank card fees. What are they, why are they, where are they? The answer to this now common everyday question makes a big difference to our economy. I spend some time oversimplifying and demystifying bank transaction fees. I bet you didn't know that Visa was the schoolyard bully. Come find out why.



The Hoover Report



Joey stops by to give us his take on Kate Gosselin's new show, the 2010 U.S. Census, Pat Robertson (man, what an idiot) and more.



Masterworks Theatre



We have a very special Masterworks Theatre this week.